A Man of his Word

Front matter

BY ARTHUR PATERSON AUTHOR OF " THE DAUGHTER OF THE NEZ PERCKS " " THE BETTER MAN," ETC. LONDON OSGOOD, McILVAINE & CO. 45 ALBEMARLE STREET, W. IS95 CONTENTS CHAr. PAGE I. HOW FIRST I MET MIKE ALISON ... I II. THE SECOND MEETING 41 III. HOW THE NEWS CAME TO STOCKTON . . 66 iv. menke's 97 V. THE GAME AND THE STAKES . . . . Il6 VI. FRIEND OR FOE ? . .' . . . . I3I VII. AT EAGLE TAIL RANCHE . . . 1 39 VIII. WHAT DO YOU HERE? 153 IX. A FISH OUT OF WATER 175 X. THE REASON WHY I90 XI. THE FORTRESS . ... 222 XII. UNWELCOME GUESTS 23O XIII. THE PAYMENT OF THE DEBT ...

Chapter I How First

I MET MIKE ALISON The coffee was boiling, the beans were ready, and the bacon was fried to a turn : supper was ready. It was fifteen minutes since I had trudged wearily home to an empty shanty, desperately hungry and miserably tired. Before I could either rest or eat, a fire had to be kindled on a flat hearth — the wind blowing in the wrong direction — green coffee-berries had to be roasted and ground ; and dried bacon and black Mexican beans converted into an eatable condition with the assistance of the frying-pan. Now this was done. The smoke from the drift-wood fire, which set me coughing A for five minutes without intermission, at last found its way out by the door, and the bacon and beans frizzled and cracked as pleasantly as black beans and dried bacon can, on the glowing embers that were left behind.

I smiled with the satisfaction that comes of successful effort. After all, life in sheep camp had its pleasant side. Sunset, at the latter end of August, in New Mexico, is the most peaceful time of the day in the finest month of the year. There is no rain in August among the foot hills of the Rocky Mountains. The terrific hail and thunder-storms of July, with great murderous hailstones weighing an ounce and more, alternating with fierce, sultry heat, are over. The August sun has still great power, but only for a few hours in the day, and the nights are refreshingly cold ; insomuch that the herder, when he goes to bed, presently drops into the soundest and sweetest slumber, beginning from the moment when his head touches the pillow, and forgets to wake at midnight, to see that his charge have not left the bedding place for a nocturnal ramble.

However, there was one more duty to perform before I could enjoy my supper in peace : this was to ascertain that my sheep, which I had left a mile to the westward half an hour ago, were duly wending their way homewards. With the hasty stride of a hungry man I climbed to the top of the " Round Mound," a hillock of about a hundred feet in height, standing alone in the middle of the prairie, at the foot of which my camp-house was built. The origin of the Round Mound is uncertain. It was supposed by some to have been erected by Indians, in order to mark the presence of water ; by others to be the mausoleum of an extinct native tribe. Be this as it may, the little hill was a most convenient camping-place, for, at its base, were two pools of water that never dried up, and on its sides the sheep bedded most contentedly ; while for miles around capital pasture of all kinds could be obtained without trouble.

I was glad to see, as I reached the crest of the hill, that my sheep were little more than half a mile away, edging steadily towards me with low, mumbling baas. There were two thousand — half the " bunch " owned by myself and my partner — a like number being camped ten miles to the east, in charge of Mexican herders ; the whole forming a comfortable little property of four thousand head. I paused a moment before descending to supper, to take a bird's-eye view of the prospect. I am not, as a general rule, much affected by scenery ; but I do not think I have ever stood on the Round Mound, no matter how urgent the business which I had before me might be, without lingering a few moments. From this place I could see nearly every phase of scenery characteristic of the plains. To the north and east lay prairie, endless prairie, in long "rolls," or undula tions, brown in colour, with only a tinge of green here and there, where the summer rains had produced more lasting effect than usual.

The grass upon it was short and curly, crisp as the hair of a negro, making the most nourishing pasture in the world, for it cures on the ground, and all through the winter remains as sweet as well matured hay. Southward for a mile stretched similar rolling prairie-land, brought suddenly to an end by Eagle Tail Mountain, one of the foot-hills, a great table-land or mesa, with dark, rugged sides, some three hun dred feet in height, covered with great square boulders of malpice rock, and forests of cedar trees and oak-scrub. There were canons here, deep and dark, where you might sometimes find a running stream and tall pines shooting up a hundred feet. Then above canons and forests, lo ! there was another prairie, exactly similar to the one below : a prairie miles in length, which rose gradually until it broke off to give way to a great cone of rock, bare and desolate, the crater of an extinct volcano, which formed the head and centre of Eagle Tail Mountain.

So, slowly turning my head from north to east, and east to south, I reached the west, where lay the finest view of all. From north and east the darkness was hurrying up, for there is no twilight on the prairies ; but the west still glowed with lurid reminiscences of the sun, and below, pure and white as an angel's wing, shone the peaks of the Rocky Mountains. Be neath, range after range, lay the foot-hills, falling into deep blue shadow, grand and wild, and of no mean height, but dwindling into utter insignificance before the sharp white ridge which towered behind, grand and unapproachable. As I looked upon this view, vague thoughts and fancies filled my mind which I might have expressed aloud in a beautiful rhapsody had I been less hungry. I remembered in time, however, that my supper was getting cold, and refrained.

But, at this moment, I saw something which made me whistle and exclaim softly to myself. Half a mile or so to the west were three horsemen approaching in the direction of the Round Mound at a steady gallop. Any one who has ever lived in sheep camp will understand my excitement at the prospect of visitors. I had been ' batching " alone for two months ; during this time my partner visited me, for five minutes each time, on six separate occa sions, and he was the only living soul I had seen since I left the home-ranche in June. Some men have better luck ; but I was on the outskirts of the settlement, with no road or track nearer than two miles, and living in a little "dug-out," scooped from the Round Mound, the whereabouts of which it was difficult to discover, except when the sheep were singing their evening hymn.

Taking all this into consideration, together with the fact that this was my first experience of camp-life, the most unsympathetic reader will understand the delight with which I anticipated the arrival of these strangers. I went down the hill at a run, narrowly escaping a broken neck among the loose stones ; dived into the hut for my revolver — for Western etiquette must be observed — and then walked towards the approaching horsemen, feeling in clined to welcome them with a hearty cheer. Happily I remembered in time, though I was still young to Western manners, that their reply to such a greeting might probably be a rifle bullet, as such conduct to their minds could only mean dangerous insanity. As my visitors came clearly into view, my joyous expectations began to change to extreme curiosity.

They wore no hats, and no boots ; their ponies had no saddles, and their reins were but rough halters of rope. Before they reached me they slackened speed, and dropped into single file. I noticed, now, that their heads were bent wearily forward, and that there were streaks of blood on the bare feet of the foremost. Before I could see more he briefly accosted me. " How far d'you reckon we are from Stockton ? " " Ten miles." He gave a suppressed sigh, and turned to his companions. " I guessed it was about that, boys. Considerable pull, you see, yet — worse luck!" They nodded in silent assent, and looked earnestly behind them. The one who had spoken, however, had his eyes fixed with some intentness upon me, and I expected him to ask for supper and a night's lodging. To my surprise he turned away, with a curt, "We must keep moving, boys.

Bueno noche, stranger ! " A cold wave of disappointment passed over my soul. " But won't you camp with me to night ? " The man had turned his horse's head, and was about to urge him forward. He paused at my words, and stared at me harder than before, his companions now following his example. Was there any thing wonderful in my simple offer of hospitality ? " I've not much to offer you," I went on hastily. " Nothing but bacon and beans to eat, and a blanket apiece to lie on. But you're heartily welcome to it, and perhaps even rough fare is better than ten miles on bare-back ponies. What do you say ? " There was no reply at first. The men looking at me with what I felt was unmitigated astonishment, though it was hard to account for, as all Western men are hospitable in camp. At last the man who had spoken first said slowly to the others : " Seems to me, boys, that this offer is meant to be straight and square, and as things will be healthy for two hours at least, I shall get down and risk it."

And get down he did, without a word to me, his friends following his example. The action was satisfactory ; but I was a trifle disappointed, for, though I had not offered my hospitality with the object of being thanked, and the men appeared to belong to a low type of cowboy, of whom much in the way of politeness is not to be expected, still a word of acknowledgment would have done no harm. My thoughts travelled in this direction a very little way, however, for I had not gone more than a dozen steps towards my cabin, whither I proceeded to lead my visitors, before a voice at my elbow said quietly : " Some years ago, I read a story about a cuss called the Good Samaritan which pleased me very much. I didn't know that there were any living now. I guess I was wrong." I laughed, and looked up. "Thanks ; have you fallen among thieves, then ?

" " Indians — a derned sight worse than thieves." This was interesting, but somewhat incredible. " I thought Indians were peaceable folk enough now." " Then you've not left the Old Country long." There was a twinkle in his eyes as he spoke, though every step cost his bleeding feet a painful effort. " I don't go by my own experience," I replied shortly, "though I've been out nine months. This was what my partner, who has been here some years, told me." " I see. Ay, ranche-folk do take that line, sometimes. We — el, sir, I guess you'll be able to open his eyes, before to-morrow morning." We had now reached camp. I entered first, and unrolled my blankets. " Sit down, gentlemen, I'll picket your ponies out. Here's a panful of bacon, and some coffee, which you can have for a start ; when I come back I'll cook some more."

My visitors nodded in reply, and promptly threw themselves upon my bed. When I returned, however, I found all three busy cooking, under the direction of the one who had constituted himself spokesman, and who, as he was invariably addressed by the others as boss, was evidently a person of some authority. As I came in, he pointed to my pan, which was untouched. " We're waiting for you to clean that out, Colonel. We didn't reckon to eat your supper, as well as run through your camp. Come, set to, and then we'll begin." I was touched at this, a consideration rarely seen in a hungry traveller with as rough an aspect as my friend ; though I refused, of course, to take advantage of it. A little later, when we were all sitting round a smoking pile of crisp, sweet beans, and making play with knife and spoon, as only hungry stockmen can, I looked at this fellow carefully, feeling the more free dom to do so, as he rarely raised his eyes above his plate, and seemed entirely engrossed with satisfying the cravings of nature.

He was a man of about thirty-six years of age, five feet ten inches in height, though looking taller by reason of an erect carriage, and a very well-proportioned figure. His clothes, now torn and discoloured, appeared to have been of good stuff originally : a blue flannel shirt, orna mented with beads, delicately worked into the stuff, and well-fitting trousers of the best buckskin. He had a large head, and a square, strong face, half covered by a black beard and heavy moustache. The chin, so far as one could judge from the beard which con cealed it, seemed very massive ; the mouth somewhat wide, containing rows of white teeth. Later on, when I knew my man better, I found that in times of excitement, these white teeth gleamed fiercely through the mass of hair, though, as a rule, his lips were tightly compressed.

It was a terrible mouth and jaw, and the hollow cheeks above — for the face was very thin — heightened the effect. It was the mouth of one, whose first instinct from infancy must have been combativeness, which had received encouragement and stimulus — I write from after knowledge — as he journeyed through life, until it had become a second nature. Yet, when I glanced at his eyes and forehead, I forgot, for a moment, the im pression which the lower part of the face had given me. The forehead was broad and square, though the black hair above grew low ; and the eyes, set somewhat far apart, and deeply in their sockets, were of a peculiar grey colour — large, clear and keen. The brows were black, and when the teeth below shone white — I am still writing from after knowledge — became a straight even line above the nose, and, at such times, the eyes glowed like lights burning in some dark cavern.

A strange face, full of queer contrasts. A face most men would fear and distrust ; for the grey eyes, never at rest, wore a watchful ex pression such as one sees in a beast of prey. Yet, it must have been exceedingly hand some, before it became so hard, for the features were regular, and the complexion a clear healthy brown. We finished our suppers, and I retired to the spring to wash the things ; the men came also and bathed their feet. Not a word had been spoken yet by my visitors as to the cause of their miserable condition, except the allusion of the black-haired man to Indians ; but Western manners strictly forbade inquiry on my part, and hunger and weariness prevented communicative ness on theirs. I knew, however, that after supper I should hear what had be fallen them ; and, sure enough, when we had concluded our business at the water, and I had provided pipes and tobacco all round, my curiosity was quickly satisfied.

" I suppose our present fix gave you an idea that we'd been deserting from the nearest fort ? " began the black-haired man abruptly, as he balanced himself on my three-legged stool — the only piece of furniture in the place. " I shouldn't have blamed you," he went on without waiting for a reply ; " we looked mean enough. However, it's not so. We've been corralled by Apaches ; and only by rare luck we three parted company without losing our scalps. There was another man ; but he — he was unlucky." He paused here for a moment to re-light his pipe, which refused to draw, and had to be laid aside until he had finished his narrative. " It's not often that Indians get hold of white men in broad daylight ; but we'd been on the lope for ten hours before we struck the ford at Grant's old place, ten miles down the Chicareeka River, and, though it was only noon, we felt just about dead beat ; so instead of snoozing gently, when the horses were watered, we slept like so many calves.

When we awoke we found ourselves corralled. Fifty red devils in war-paint were smiling at us, and half a dozen were busy with a nice, warm fire." The speaker's eyes dilated, and he bent forward to lay a hand upon my knee. "Young man, you are fresh from the East, and I dessay you have often heard talk by the mile about the ' poor Indians.' When you go back again, just get into the pulpit somewhere and tell those pitiful folk what Indians in this country do. Here were. we — four of us — not one of us so much as B shot an Indian in our lives, except in fair fight — stripped as you see, tied up with raw hide (look at my feet), and after waiting a few minutes while the fire burnt up, com pelled to sit by and watch another man hung by the arms to a bough of a tree over a slow fire of red-hot cinders.

Then — yes, then — the fun began. Good God, the devilment there is in the red man ! " The narrator paused to pass his hand across his eyes, and I heard him murmur softly to himself, " Poor Tom ! " He then continued in the curt tone in which he began. "Yes ; I've fought the Comanche down South, and rubbed against Sioux and Cheyenne in the North, but this is the first time I've seen the Apache. I believe he's the worst of the crowd, though it's hard to tell. I guess these cusses, however, hadn't been on the war-path long, and lost their heads a bit ; anyhow, they got so excited with Tom — the man over the fire — that we were forgotten, and when I managed to slip a hand loose and cut the raw hide with a knife I had in a back pocket, we crept to our horses unnoticed, and they did not smell us out until we were well on the track.

That's our day's work." The man stopped speaking with a cough that showed his story was told, and again bent over the fire to manipulate the re fractory pipe. I was now feeling exceedingly uncom fortable. The adventure had been de scribed very simply, yet in a way that made it seem very vivid and real. After a minute's thought, while the other two visitors puffed in silence, calm and stolid, and the one who had spoken devoted his attention energetically to my corn-cob pipe, I began to ask questions : " And this occurred only ten miles off? " " Yes." " Then, perhaps I may expect a visit from these gentry myself ? " " It is very possible." I whistled. " Will they follow you ? " " They may." "And if they strike my camp, must I expect the same treatment as your friend ? " " Perhaps ; but it's uncertain.

You're a sheepman. Tom was a cowboy. Indians hate cowboys. If they come upon you at all, it will be in a night raid, probably ; but there's nothing sure. They may be thirty miles away now. They may be following here. This is a well-guarded settlement, and as soon as we get to town the red devils will have to skip about more'n enough ; and so they may keep quiet, except where a horse can be stolen without much trouble." By this time the pipe was cleaned and in full blast, and the smoker subsided into a placid silence. I was left to my own thoughts, which were not of the most cheerful nature. Presently the other men gaped and stretched themselves. " Boys, you'd better nap it for a couple of hours," said the one with the corn-cob pipe. " The moon won't rise before midr night." " A pious idea, boss.

But who'll keep watch ? We don't want to be lit on again." "I have my pipe to finish, and will manage it with this man. You turn in." They did so, promptly. I watched them curiously, as each rolled himself in a blanket ; and then I glanced at my friend by the fire. There was a vast difference between his bearing and theirs, though neither of the others were ordinary looking men. One was a big fellow, with red hair and a large nose, that had been broken at some time or other, and still had a ghastly white scar across the bridge. His complexion was of the ruddiest, his lips full, and his eyes small and set close together ; he was, therefore, not pleasant to look upon. But there was a rude strength about his big, bullet head and broad shoulders. He would be an unpleasant enemy. The third man was much younger than his companions.

He was very good look ing ; with light brown hair, which he wore long, and a curling, silky moustache. Yet there was a sinister look in his handsome blue eyes, a set and twist of the lips, as he sat silently by and helped himself to what he required, that sadly spoilt his beauty. I had not the remotest notion of what he was at that time, but I found his face haunting me, and at this present moment, eight years afterwards, it does so still. I have never seen another like it ; I hope I never may. That evening, however, I thought little about the matter, for the man on the three legged stool was looking at me with a quiet, contemplative gaze, which seemed to go directly down to the very centre of my being, and come out finally somewhere about the small of my back. Yet I liked it. It neither frightened me, nor made me distrustful.

I was altogether predis posed in favour of this man. First, you see, I appreciated immensely his way of acknowledging the small hospitality I had shown him. Next, I was much impressed by his courtesy in in sisting that I should reserve my supper for my own consumption, for it was easy to see that this action on his part was not approved of by his companions. Moreover, I had enjoyed a good supper myself, and had heard just enough about the danger of an Indian attack, to make me feel socially inclined towards any one. It was not long, therefore, before we were talking freely together. We drew nearer to the fire and heaped on wood ; filled and emptied our pipes several times, and talked on and on, neither becoming drowsy, nor anxious for repose. I have given, as clearly and explicitly as I can, my reasons for liking this grim stranger with the restless, watchful eyes.

But there are always things which a man does that he cannot explain, and what followed after we drew close together in those two hours before midnight I can give no satisfactory reason for. I can only state the bare fact that, while the other men slept, I sat before the red embers of my camp-fire, and gave my companion pretty well all the particulars of my past life, including some which few of my most intimate friends in England were aware of, not forgetting hopes and plans for the future. And he listened intently, only putting in a curt remark at intervals, generally in the form of a question, yet with every word showing a quiet, direct interest in the subject that drew me on, almost in spite of myself. Just before midnight, a curious thing happened. I had paused in the full flood of my narrative to scrape the fire together, and my companion was slowly filling his pipe.

" So your partner is an Englishman ? " he said. " Which part of the Old Country does he come from ? " " London ; his sisters live there now. " And how many has he ? " " Two." " Of whom this young lady who is coming out to you, is one, I presume ? " "Yes." " I see." He was now hunting for a suitable cinder wherewith to rekindle his pipe. He found one, raised his head, and between the puffs said slowly : " You have not told me her name yet. Do you mind doing so ? " I smiled. We had been engaged two years, and were to be married in three months. Yes, I would tell him her name. " Laura Temple." He started ; the burning wood dropped from his hand, and fell upon his knee ; then he sat perfectly still, looking at me with rigid jaws and wide-open eyes. My astonishment may be conceived. "Good Lord!"

I exclaimed, "do you know her ? " He took his pipe out of his mouth before answering, and I saw that he had nearly bitten the cane through. A colder voice, however, was never heard, as he replied : " I know London well. I am an Englishman myself, by birth. Some years ago I came across a family of that name. It is not uncommon. Is this Jack Temple, of Eagle Tail Ranche, your partner ? " " Certainly. You are acquainted with him?" " By name. Where are you going to locate ? " "Near Smythe's old place on the El Gato Creek. The house is more than half built already ; I have six Mexicans at work upon it now." " It is to be of adobe, then. Nothing better in this country, though expensive to begin with." Before I could reply, he bent over the nearest sleeper and touched his arm. The man sat up at once.

" Time to move, Pete. The moon's rising. Wake Kit." A light tap on the shoulder did this, and my visitors prepared to depart. Those who had been sleeping stretched them selves, yawned, and made their way to the horses outside, with a simple "adios." The third man waited until they had gone, then gripped my hand with a pressure that made me realise what it must have been like to be held by a gauntlet of steel. " I spoke about the Good Samaritan a few hours ago," he said heartily. " That was a poor way of putting the thing, for you've given me something better than charity. We shall meet again, I daresay, one of these days, and I shan't forget that I have a debt to pay. Adios." He went outside, and I was about to follow, when he turned abruptly, and step ping back into the cabin, shut the door behind him.

" I forgot one thing," he said fixing my eye in his queer intent way, his head thrown a little back as if he were criticising a picture, and his right hand holding my arm just below the elbow. " I told you that, if the Apaches came at all, it would be at night. You may have trouble, so keep a spry look-out when the moon's bright. And, above all, mind this " — here the grip of the fingers on my arm tightened painfully — "if you get fast asleep some time, and only wake to hear the second whoop, and see a red devil coming at you through that door, don't stop to handle a pistol. I see you carry a knife ; use that, first on the Apache, and then upon yourself. It'll come to the same thing in the end, and will save you a bad three hours. Remember poor Tom ! " He was off, and the three men galloped away at a pace somewhat different from that at which they arrived.

I leant against my door-post, and meditated. How much of this talk about Indians was bunkum ? What a start that fellow gave when Laura's name was mentioned ! I must describe him carefully to her. Why, I had never even found out his name ! I bit my lip, and changed my position uneasily. Here was a fine state of things. I, Harry Thornton, twenty-four years old, of sound mind, had allowed a stranger to worm out of me all my family news, without receiving one iota of inform ation in return, except his adventures since the hour of noon. I groaned. What a madly idiotic thing to do ! For all I knew, my story, with picturesque additions, might be spread half over the settlement in the next fortnight. A pretty business ! However, it was done, and I must hope for the best. At any rate, as I was very tired, and it was past midnight, the thing to be done now was to go to sleep.