Part 14 (2/2)

Red had been roving among the stones in search of wildlife, and I called him to me and clipped on his leash. As we started down the hillside I kept him close to me, lest he be tempted to run off in all directions. When I came to an outcropping of rock that offered a sweep of all the valley and enclosing mountains, with Old Desolate commanding the view, I climbed upon it and stood for a moment searching for Belle Durant.

As I studied the land below, she emerged on the far side of the pine grove, skirting Morgan property the long way around, hurrying toward home-toward Mark Ingram. I wondered how much she was his captive.

One thing I was sure about. I would have to tell Persis Morgan quickly of my stand. I would have to admit to what was now mere boasting and let her know that I thought she was right in her resistance to Mark Ingram. Even if she was wrong, she must do what she most wanted to do-hold on to her house and the valley.

Euphoria still lifted my steps as Red and I followed the downhill trail to the gate I had come through a little while ago. I walked more slowly now, trying to gather my thoughts so that I could face Persis again and sound more sensible than I felt. I went through the gate and neared Jon's small cabin, wondering idly if he had put it up himself, as seemed likely. It was no primitive cabin. The roof had a good overhang of extended logs, and the windows were wide enough to offer a view of ranch and mountains.

Had he lived here with the ”wild little thing” who had been his wife, and who now slept with their baby in a mountain cemetery? Again I felt a personal grief, as though his loss were mine. Yet it was difficult to think of Jon as married, since he always seemed so much a loner.

Though the cabin door stood open, I hesitated, not sure if I wanted to see him right now. My sense of his loss, so newly fresh in me, as well as the knowledge of the step I'd just taken, blocked my way. This was what Jon wanted of me, yet it mustn't be idle boasting when I told him. I sought to accomplish something real first. Nevertheless, I might stop and speak to him for a moment. About other things.

I approached the cabin door and looked inside. Warm, earth-colored Indian rugs lay on the floor, and an ocher and red weaving hung diagonally over the stone mantelpiece. Some of the furniture looked beautifully hand-hewn, and there were two pottery jars set at either side of the door. A rather Spanish touch.

”Jon?” I called, and then spoke his name again, more loudly.

There was still no answer, but now I heard sounds from the direction of the barn-a man's voice raised in a shout, the neighing of a horse. As I stood watching, two men on horseback came around the corner of the barn and went galloping furiously toward the far gate of the property. It had been left open, and they went through without stopping, dust flying beneath the hooves of their horses as they pounded away up the valley. Grotesquely, incongruously, both men wore ski maskssomehow ugly and inhuman when there was no skiing.

The two hadn't looked my way, and I didn't think they had seen me. Jon was nowhere in sight, and I began to run, with Red beside me. In moments we reached the barn, and I dropped his leash. The stool where Jon had sat when I'd seen him that first time had been knocked over, and his guitar lay on the ground. I ran inside and found him there, just within the door. He had risen to his knees, and there was blood on his face, more seeping through the shoulder of his torn s.h.i.+rt. Shocked and frightened, I ran to bend over him.

”Can you get up? Can you stand? Let me help you to your cabin.”

He seemed dazed, uncertain, and I held his arm as he strug- .

gled to his feet. He put an arm about my shoulders, leaning heavily, and we moved slowly toward the cabin. Close as it was, it seemed a mile away, but we managed to reach it. I helped him up the low step and over to the couch by the fireplace before he sagged again. There weren't many rooms, and I found the bath, caught up a towel, dampened it, and ran back to him.

A lump was rising on his head, and several lacerations were bleeding. I wiped his cut cheek and saw that he was reviving.

”I'll call the house,” I said. ”Gail can help. Where is Sam?”

”He's gone to bring the horses in from the corral. There's a phone over there.”

I found the telephone on a low table and sat beside it, dialing quickly. Caleb answered and summoned Gail. I told her that Jon had been hurt.

She wasted no time, sounding professional for once. ”I'll be there right away.”

”She's coming,” I told Jon. I wanted to kneel beside him, put my arms about him-neither of which I'd dare to do. The shock of seeing him hurt had shaken me badly. ”Can I fix you anything?” I managed.

”Coffee might help.”

I left him holding the towel to his face and went into the small galley kitchen. When I'd started coffee in a percolator, I found cup and saucer and set up a small tray. Then I ran back to see how he was doing.

”I'm okay.” His voice was stronger now. ”Don't look so scared. If they'd meant to kill me, they could have.”

”Of course I'm scared. I saw those men galloping away. Can you talk about what happened?”

He took a deep breath. ”I think there were two of them. I had only a glimpse before they jumped me. Ingram's men, of course.”

Belle's words up in the cemetery came back to me-that I'd '75.

better remember to be frightened. Now I was. Terribly frightened.

I went back to the kitchen for the coffee and poured him a cup, brought it to the couch where he lay, trying not to let it rattle in my hands. He sat up gingerly to sip the hot drink as I held it for him.

”Tell me what you saw,” he said.

Now at least I could kneel on the floor close to him. ”There were two men in Levi's and jackets. No hats, but they wore ski masks. One green and one blue. Both horses were roan, I think.”

”Ingram has some of his own hands working around Jasper.”

”But why would he have you beaten like this?”

”I've already been warned to stay out of your grandmother's affairs. Indirectly warned, of course. Caleb Hawes delivered a message from Ingrarn just recently. He likes a pretense of velvet gloves. Since I've paid no attention and have been throwing my weight against him, he seems to have taken off the gloves. He means business now.” Jon moved his head angrily and winced. ”G.o.d! I can't think. Why wasn't I more careful? But I suppose I didn't expect much more than threats. Not right off. But you'd better follow your hunch and get away, Laurie.”

”I'm not leaving.” I thrust back the depleting fear. ”I don't want to see my grandmother being pushed around Now what they've done to you makes it all the worse. If it was Mark Ingrarn who ordered this, he can't be allowed to get away with it.”

Jon managed a faint smile. ”Hooray for us! But what's just happened makes a difference. This may be a lot nastier than I expected. So maybe it's better if you don't stay.”

”I'm staying,” I told him, I felt increasingly angry, and I was growing stubborn too, stubborn enough to overcome my fears.

The sound of a car reached us from outside, corning down the rough track from the house. I ran to the door and saw Caleb, Gail, and Hillary get out of the jeep and hurry toward the cabin. Gail ran ahead into the room, carrying a small flight bag.

”Let me see,” she said, bending over Jon.

”What happened to him?” Caleb demanded.

I repeated my account of what I'd seen and what Jon had told me.

Caleb listened and nodded. ”Yes, I can believe that Ingram might pull just this sort of thing. It's a threat. He's begun to put on pressure.”

”You can't let him get away with it,” I said.

”And just what do you think can be done?” He was frowning at me, his mouth corners turned down.

Hillary had been moving about the room, and I knew he wasn't thinking so much about Jon as he was admiring an interesting setting, a dramatic situation. But now he surprised me.

”You can throw Ingram out,” he said.

Even Gail turned her head to stare at him. Jon had been lying with his eyes closed, but now he opened them and looked at me with a faint grin.

”The cavalry is moving in,” I said. ”If we all work together, perhaps we can throw him out.”

Caleb had no patience with either Hillary's words or mine. ”There isn't any cavalry.”

”Sure there is.” Jon winced under Gail's touch, and then went on. ”She's standing right over there looking like Persis Morgan. Better tell them, Laurie.”

I had nothing to tell, but I did my best in Jon's support. ”It's just that I've decided to stay for a while and see if there is something specific that can be done to stop Mark Ingram's plans.”

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