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Updated: August 8, 2024
So you've had no help but his," replied Miss Longstreth, hastily. "No women. Too bad! I'll send some one, Mrs. Laramie, and I'll come myself." "It'll be good of you," went on the older woman. "You see, Jim had few friends that is, right in town. And they've been afraid to help us afraid they'd get what poor Jim " "That's awful!" burst out Miss Longstreth, passionately. "A brave lot of friends!
"Well, say so now, can't you? Laramie, you're powerful peevish to-day. It's that bump on your head. Who does Snecker work for?" "When he works at all, which sure ain't often, he rides for Longstreth." "Humph! Seems to me that Longstreth's the whole circus round Fairdale. I was some sore the other day to find I was losing good money at Longstreth's faro game.
Miss Longstreth was sitting white but composed upon the couch, where lay Miss Ruth, who evidently had been carried there by the Colonel. Duane did not think she had wholly lost consciousness, and now she lay very still, with eyes dark and shadowy, her face pallid and wet. The Colonel, now that he finally remembered his women-folk, seemed to be gentle and kind.
Then she motioned for Duane to hide in the closet. He slipped in, but the door would not close altogether. "Are you alone?" went on Longstreth's penetrating voice. "Yes," she replied. "Ruth went to bed." The door swung inward with a swift scrape and jar. Longstreth half entered, haggard, flaming-eyed. Behind him Duane saw Lawson, and indistinctly another man.
There for a while after Jim's death I thought I'd sink. We have nothing. How could I ever take care of my little ones? But I'm gaining courage to " "Mrs. Laramie, do not distress yourself any more," said Miss Longstreth. "I shall see you are well cared for. I promise you." "Miss Longstreth, that's fine!" exclaimed Duane. "It's what I'd have expected of you."
By gum! Boy, it'd have killed you if it'd stayed there." "It would indeed, uncle," replied Duane, and the old, haunting, somber mood returned. But Duane was not often at the mercy of childish old hero-worshiping Uncle Jim. Miss Longstreth was the only person who seemed to divine Duane's gloomy mood, and when she was with him she warded off all suggestion.
"I went in Laramie's place fer grub. Some feller I never seen before come in from the hall an' hit Laramie an' wrestled him on the floor. I went out. Then this big ranger chased me an' fetched me here. I didn't do nothin'. This ranger's hankerin' to arrest somebody. Thet's my hunch, Longstreth." Longstreth said something in an undertone to Judge Owens, and that worthy nodded his great bushy head.
"So help me God I'd rather see her the ranger's wife than yours!" While Lawson absorbed that shock Longstreth leaned toward him, all of hate and menace in his mien. "Lawson, you made me what I am," continued Longstreth. "I backed you shielded you. YOU'RE Cheseldine if the truth is told! Now it's ended. I quit you. I'm done!" Their gray passion-corded faces were still as stones.
But you never in all that time saw a man like this ranger. You haven't got sense enough to see him right if you had a chance. Neither have any of you. The only way to get rid of him is for the gang to draw on him, all at once. Then he's going to drop some of them." "Longstreth, you say that like a man who wouldn't care much if he did drop some of them," declared Lawson; and now he was sarcastic.
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