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Updated: June 6, 2025
She found out that the rider Van had knocked Joel down in Brackton's store and had kicked a gun out of his hand. Van laughed off the rumor and Brackton gave her no satisfaction. Moreover, she heard no other rumors. The channels of gossip had suddenly closed to her. Bostil, when questioned by Lucy, swore in a way that amazed her, and all he told her was to leave Creech alone.
Then the ghost of it remained, hauntingly. After dinner Bostil with the men went down to Brackton's, where Slone and the winners of the day received their prizes. "Why, it's more money than I ever had in my whole life!" exclaimed Slone, gazing incredulously at the gold.
Two Navajo chiefs, called by white men Old Horse and Silver, were there for the first time in years. They were ready to gamble horse against horse. Cal Blinn and his riders of Durango had arrived; likewise Colson, Sticks, and Burthwait, old friends and rivals of Bostil's. For a while Brackton's was merry. There was some drinking and much betting.
"Looks right down on Bostil's place," Slone soliloquized, with glee. "Won't he just be mad! An' Lucy! ... Whatever's she goin' to think?" The more Slone looked around and thought, the more he became convinced that good fortune had knocked at his door at last. And when he returned to Brackton's he was in an exultant mood.
Slone caught the kindly interest and intent of the rider, and it warmed him as Brackton's disapproval had alienated him. "Wal, I reckon I'd better tell you," drawled Holley, as Slone hesitated, "thet Lucy wants to know IF you beat up Joel an' WHY you did." "Holley! Did she ask you to find out?" "She sure did.
He saw the curious group, slowed his pace, and halted. His face seemed convulsed with rage and pain and fatigue. His body, even to his hands, was incased in a thick, heavy coating of red adobe that had caked hard. "God's sake fellers " he panted, with eyes rolling, "take this 'dobe mud off me! ... I'm dyin'!" Then he staggered into Brackton's place.
On the day that old Creech repudiated his son, Slone with immeasurable relief left Brackton's without even a word to the rejoicing Holley, and plodded up the path to his cabin. After the first flush of elation had passed he found a peculiar mood settling down upon him. It was as if all was not so well as he had impulsively conceived. He began to ponder over this strange depression, to think back.
He was careful to leave behind the gifts of guns, blankets, gloves, and other rider's belongings which Bostil had presented to him. Thus laden, he went outside and, tingling with emotions utterly sweet and bewildering, he led the horses down into the village. Slone went down to Brackton's, and put the horses into a large, high-fenced pasture adjoining Brackton's house.
"What'd you beat up thet poor Joel Creech fer?" demanded Brackton. "He got what he deserved," replied Slone, and the memory, coming on the head of this strange attitude of Brackton's, roused Slone's temper. "Wal, Joel tells some queer things about you fer instance, how you took advantage of little Lucy Bostil, grabbin' her an' maulin' her the way Joel seen you."
He packed a saddle-bag with meat and biscuits, filled a canvas water-bottle, and, taking them and his rifle, he hurried out to the corral. First he took Nagger down to Brackton's pasture and let him in. Then returning, he went at the fiery stallion as he had not gone in many a day, roped him, saddled him, mounted him, and rode off with a hard, grim certainty that in Wildfire was Lucy's salvation.
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