"Simply because his doing so will interfere seriously with some of my business plans--that"s all."
"Then why don"t you act the part of a man, and go to him yourself?
Why, in this, do you prefer hiding behind the skirts of a woman?"
Farnham laughed grimly, in no way embarra.s.sed by the query.
"Good Lord, Lizzie! I "ve been to him, all right, but the fellow is like a stubborn mule. He has n"t got but one selling-out price, so far as I can learn, and that chances to be Beth Norvell. You see the point? Well, that"s exactly why I came here to-night. I wanted to be able to tender him the goods."
For a moment her eyes remained pitifully pleading; then they suddenly appeared to harden into resolute defiance. As though moving in a dream, she arose slowly to her feet, taking a single step away from him toward the closed door.
"As I have already explained," she paused to say coldly, "Mr. Winston is no more to me than any other gentleman whom I may have chanced to meet in friendship. I have not the faintest reason to suppose I could influence his decision in any matter appertaining to his professional work. Moreover, I have not the slightest inclination to try."
"Do you dare refuse, in spite of all I can say to your injury?" he asked, even then doubtful of her meaning.
"I definitely decline to be your catspaw,--yes. Nothing you can relate truthfully will ever harm me in the estimation of a gentleman, and I shall certainly know how to combat falsehood."
"Quite pretty. Injured innocence, I perceive, is to be the line of defence. What! are you already going?"
"I am."
"Where?"
She turned again, standing erect, her face flushing, her hand upon the latch of the door.
"If it is imperative that you know, I will tell you. I intend seeking Mr. Winston, and informing him exactly who and what I am."
"Now? at this hour of the night?"
"Better now, and at this hour of the night, than venture waiting until after you have had an inning. I am not at all ashamed to confess the truth, if I can only be the first to tell my story."
She pressed the latch of the door, her breathing so rapid as to be positively painful. With an ill-repressed oath, Farnham sprang to his feet, his rising anger putting an end to all prudence.
"Wait!" he exclaimed gruffly. "Wait where you are until I am done.
You have heard only a part of this thing so far. My G.o.d, girl! don"t you know me well enough by this time to comprehend that I always have my way, whatever the cost may be to others? Lord! what do I care for this fellow? or, for the matter of that, what do I care for you? I don"t permit people to stand in my path; and I supposed you had thoroughly learned that lesson, if no other. Faith, you had cause enough, surely. So you refuse all endeavor to keep Winston out of this affair, do you? Perhaps you had better pause a minute, and remember who it is you are dealing with. I reckon you never saw any signs of the quitter about me. Now, it "s true I "d rather have you do this business up quietly; but if you refuse, don"t forget there are other means fully as effective, and a d.a.m.n sight quicker." He reached out suddenly, grasping her hand. "Did you ever hear the adage, "Dead men tell no tales"?" he questioned savagely.
She drew her hand sharply back from its instant of imprisonment, with a smothered cry, her eyes filled with undisguised horror.
"You threaten--you threaten murder?"
"Oh, we never use that word out in this country--it is considered far too coa.r.s.e, my dear," and Farnham"s thin lips curled sardonically. "We merely "silence" our enemies in Colorado. It is an extremely simple matter; nothing at all disagreeable or boorish about it, I can a.s.sure you. A stick of dynamite dropped quietly down a shaft-hole, or pushed beneath a bunk house--that"s all. The coroner calls it an accident; the preachers, a dispensation of Providence; while the fellows who really know never come back to tell. If merely one is desired, a well-directed shot from out a cedar thicket affords a most gentlemanly way of shuffling off this mortal coil."
"You would not! You dare not!"
"I? Why, such a thought is preposterous, of course, for the risk would be entirely unnecessary. Quite evidently you are not well acquainted with one of the flourishing industries of this section, my dear. There are always plenty of men out of a job in this camp; conscience does n"t come high, and the present market price for that sort of work is only about twenty-five dollars a head. Not unreasonable, all things considered, is it?"
If she had not thoroughly known this man, had not previously sounded his depths, she might have doubted his meaning, deceived by the lazy drawl in his soft voice, the glimmer of grim humor in his eyes. But she did know him; she comprehended fully the slumbering tiger within, the lurking spirit of vindictiveness of his real nature, and that knowledge overcame her, left her weak and trembling like a frightened child. For an instant she could not articulate, staring at him with white face and horrified eyes.
"You--you mean that?" and for the first time she clasped his loose coat between her clutching fingers.
"It is hardly a subject to be deliberately selected for jest," he replied coolly, "but if you prefer you might wait and see."
She stepped back from him, leaning heavily against the frame of the door, her face again hidden behind uplifted hands. The man did not move, his face emotionless, his lips tightly set. He was watching her with the intentness of a hawk, absolutely certain now of his victim.
Suddenly she looked up, her eyes picturing the courage of desperation.
One glance into his face and the woman stood transformed, at bay, the fierce spirit of battle flaming into her face.
"Have it so, then," she exclaimed sharply. "I pledge myself to do everything possible to prevent his remaining here." She drew herself up, her eyes darkening from sudden, uncontrollable anger. "Oh, how I despise you, you coward, you cur! I know you, what you are capable of, and I do this to preserve the life of a friend; but my detestation of you is beyond expression in words. My one and greatest shame is that I ever trusted you; that I once believed you to be a man. Good G.o.d! how could I ever have been so blind!"
She opened the door with her hand extended behind her, and backed slowly away, facing him where he stood motionless, smiling still as though her sudden outburst of pa.s.sion merely served to feed his conceit.
"Then I may trust you in this?"
Her eyes shone fairly black with the depth of scorn glowing in them.
"Have--have you ever known me to lie?" she asked, her voice faltering from reaction.
The door closed.
CHAPTER X
A NEW ALLIANCE
Her eyes blinded by a strange mist of tears, Beth Norvell clung to the latch of the closed door, fearful lest the man within might decide to follow, endeavoring to gaze about, while gaining control over her sorely shattered nerves. Strong as she had appeared when nerved by indignation and despair, that stormy interview with Farnham--his scarcely veiled threats, his heartless scoffing--had left her a wreck, for the moment scarcely mistress of her own mind. One thing alone stood forth as a rallying point for all her benumbed energies--she must save Winston from a real danger, the nature of which she did not in the least doubt. The gambler"s boast was no idle one; she, who had before tasted of his depravity, felt fully convinced of his intention now.
Yet what could she hope to do? How best might she accomplish that imperative duty of rescue?
There occurred to her only one feasible plan--a complete surrender of her womanly pride, an immediate acceptance of the young man"s proffered aid to Denver, with an insistence that he also accompany her. Woman enough to realize her power, she could not but have faith in the results. The color crept back in her cheeks at this daring conception, for, after those hastily uttered words of the previous night, what construction would he be likely to put on this sudden yielding? An instant she hesitated, afraid, shrinking back before the sacrifice as from fire. Then her fine eyes darkened, the clinging tears vanishing while her fingers clinched in pa.s.sionate resolve. Do it? Why, of course she must do it! What was her pitiful pride in the balance against his life? He might never dream what so great a sacrifice cost her; might even despise her for such an exhibition of weakness; but she would know, and be the stronger in her own soul from the brave performance of duty. Besides, she intended to tell him the whole miserable story of her wrecked life--not now, not even to-night, but some time, on their way back into the world,--as they were nearing Denver, perhaps, and at the moment of final parting. It almost seemed easy as she faced the stern necessity, so easy that her parted lips smiled sarcastically when she heard Farnham rise and leave the darkened box through the opposite entrance. Perhaps, when he comprehended it all, this other, who had spoken love words to her, would understand where the real blame lay, and so prove manly enough to absolve her from any conception of evil. This hope was sweet, strengthening, yet it faded immediately away. Ah, no; such result was not natural, as she understood the world--it was always the woman who bore the burden of condemnation. Far safer to expect nothing, but do the right simply because it was right. She no longer questioned what that would be. It stood there before her like a blazing cross of flame; she must hold those two men apart, even though they both trampled her heart beneath their feet. This was her destiny, the payment she must return the world for having once made a mistake. One out of the mult.i.tude, she felt strong enough in the crisis to choose deliberately the straight and narrow path leading through Gethsemane.
And this very choosing gave back her womanhood, cleared her dazed brain for action, and sent the red blood throbbing through her veins. Her immediate surroundings began to take definite form. To the left the great, deserted stage extended, wrapped in total darkness, silent, forsaken, the heavy drop-curtain lowered to the floor. Through its obscuring folds resounded noisily a crash of musical instruments, the incessant shuffling of feet, a mingled hum of voices, evidencing that the dance was already on in full volume. Far back, behind much protruding scenery, a single light flickered like a twinkling star, its dim, uncertain radiance the sole guide through the intricacies of cluttered pa.s.sageways leading toward the distant stage entrance. Half frightened at this gloomy loneliness, the girl moved gingerly forward, her skirts gathered closely about her slender figure, with anxious eyes scanning the gloomy shadows in vague suspicion. Suddenly a hand gripped her extended wrist, and she gazed for a startled instant into fiercely burning eyes, her own heart throbbing with nervous excitement.
"Vat vas he to you? Answer me! Answer me quick!"
The blood came back into her blanched cheeks with a sudden rush of anger. Instantly indignation swept back the mists of fear. With unnatural strength she wrenched free her captured hand, and sternly fronted the other, a barely recognized shadow in the gloom.
"Permit me to pa.s.s," she exclaimed, clearly. "How dare you hide here to halt me?"
The other exhibited her teeth, gleaming white and savage behind parted lips, yet she never stirred.
"Dare? Pah! you vaste time to talk so," she cried brokenly, her voice trembling from pa.s.sion. "You no such fine lady now, senorita. You see dis knife; I know how use eet quick. Bah! you go to him like all de rest, but I vill know de truth first, if I have to cut eet out you. So vat ees de Senor Farnham to you? Say quick!"
The American remained silent, motionless, her breath quickening under the threat, her eyes striving to see clearly the face of the one confronting her.
"Do you expect to frighten me?" she asked, coldly, her earlier anger strangely changing to indifference. "It is you who wastes time, senorita, for I care little for your knife. Only it would be an extremely foolish thing for you to do, as I have not come between you and your lover."
The impulsive Mexican dancer laughed, but with no tone of joy perceptible.
"My lofer! Mother of G.o.d! sometime I think I hate, not lofe. He vas like all you Americanos, cold as de ice. He play vis Mercedes, and hurt--gracious, how he hurt! But I must be told. Vat vas he to you?
Answer me dat."