"That so"t of worry won"t tuhn my ha"r gray," retorted Sam, "though I wish you"d talk plain United States an" forgit the dikshunary. What I"m worryin" about is Molly."
"So"m I, Sam," said Sandy. "Good night."
That Westlake won approval from Molly, and also from Kate Nicholson, was patent before breakfast was over the next morning. A buyer came out from Hereford demanding Sandy"s attention and he stayed at the ranch while the three and Sam went off saddleback. Westlake had expressed a desire to see the ranch and Molly had volunteered to display her own renewed knowledge of it. The buyer looked at the Three Star stock with expert eyes and made bids that were highly satisfactory.
"Better beef, better prices, that"s the modern slogan," he said at the noon meal with Sandy and Mormon. "I see you believe in it. You can establish a brand for the Three Star steers, Mr. Bourke, just as readily as any producer of staple goods, and you can command your own market.
"I heard some talk in Hereford this morning of trouble at one ranch not far from here," he went on. "A horse ranch run by a man named Plimsoll.
Waterline Ranch, I think they call it. I have a commission from a man in Chicago to look up some horses for him and I had heard of Plimsoll before, not over-favorably. I understand he is a horse-dealer rather than a breeder. And that he is not fussy over brands."
"He"s got a big herd," said Sandy non-committally. "Claims to round up slick-ears."
"Slick-ears?"
"Same as broom-tails--wild hawsses. What was the trouble?"
"General row among the crowd, far as I could make out. Plimsoll shot at one of his men named Wyatt, I believe, and started to run him off the ranch. There were sides taken and shots fired."
"News to me," said Sandy. He was not especially interested in Waterline happenings so long as Plimsoll remained set. The buyer left and the rest of the day went slowly.
When the quartet returned, Molly and Westlake were obviously more than mere acquaintances. Sandy felt out of the running though Molly held him in the conversation. Kate Nicholson unconsciously intensified his mood.
"They make a wonderful pair, don"t they?" she said to him. "Both Western, full of life and mutual interest."
Miranda Bailey, driving over, created a welcome diversion.
"I"ve brought a telegram out for you, Mr. Westlake," she said. "The operator phoned us to see if any one was coming over. Said you left word you were at the Three Star. Here it is. When you goin" to have your phone put into the ranch, Sandy?"
"Company promised to finish the party line next month," answered Sandy.
"Held up for poles."
He answered with his eyes on the yellow envelope that Westlake, with an apology, was opening. The engineer read it and pa.s.sed it to Molly. Sandy saw her face glow.
"That"s fine!" she exclaimed. "But it means you"ve got to go. I"m sorry for that."
The relief that Sandy felt, and dismissed as selfish, was marred by the cordial understanding that had sprung up between the two. He wondered if they had discovered a real attachment for each other. Such things could happen in a flash. His view was apt to be jaundiced, but he did not realize that.
"I"ll have to go first thing to-morrow," said Westlake. "I"m sorry, too.
They"ve come up to my counter-offer, Bourke, and they want me to come on immediately. It means a lot to me. Everything," he added, with a smile that Molly returned.
"You"ll write?" she said. "You promised."
Kate Nicholson looked at Sandy with arching eyebrows. She too appeared to scent romance, to approve of it. Miranda broke in.
"I"m sure glad it"s good news," she said.
Sandy fancied she was about to ask about Keith. He knew her curiosity to be lively, though he thought her tact would appreciate the situation with regard to Molly. "I"ve got some of my own," she continued. "There"s been trouble out to Jim Plimsoll"s. He shot at Wyatt or Wyatt at him, I don"t know which rightly. But there was sides taken an" a gen"ral rumpus. Several of his men quit or was run off the place. It"s been a reg"lar scandal. Called the place the Waterline. Whiskyline w"ud have suited it better, I reckon. Plimsoll"s aimin" to sell out, Ed heard.
It"ll be a good riddance."
"Whoever buys the stock is takin" a long chance," said Mormon. "Aimin"
to sell, is he?"
"I"ll have a telegram fo" you to take back, Mirandy," said Sandy. "You sendin" one, Westlake?"
"If you"ll take it, Miss Bailey."
"Glad to."
Westlake and Molly were both standing. They moved toward the door and out to the moonlit veranda together.
"They seem to hit it off well, that pair," said Miranda.
Kate Nicholson murmured something about the kitchen and left the room to attend to some refreshments. She had gradually taken over supervision of Pedro and the results had justified Molly"s praise of her qualifications as a housekeeper.
"Now tell me about Keith," demanded Miranda. "What"s he been up to?"
Sandy told her.
"I ain"t a mite surprised. That Westlake acts white. I liked him from the start. What are you goin" to do about Molly? You ain"t told her yet?"
"No use spoilin" her holiday befo" we have to," said Sandy. "I"m goin"
to talk with Keith first."
"It"ll be a good thing in a way, mebbe," said Miranda. "Molly belongs out west where she was born an" brought up. I hope she stays," she added with a shrewd glance at Sandy that startled him into a suspicion that Miranda had guessed his secret.
Kate Nicholson returned and the talk changed. Westlake and Molly remained outside until the food was served. Then there was music.
Through the evening the pair talked together, confidentially, apart from the rest. Miranda departed at last with the telegrams. Molly lingered as good nights were said.
"I"ve got something to tell you, Sandy," she said. "It"s private, for the present," she added with a glance toward Westlake.
Sandy sat down by the fire with a sinking qualm. Molly perched herself on the arm of his chair, silent for a moment or two.
"It"s a love story, Sandy," she said presently.
"Westlake?"
"Yes. He wanted me to tell you before he went. He"s very fond of you, Sandy."
"Is he?" Sandy spoke slowly, rousing himself with an effort. "I think he"s a fine chap. I sure wish him all the luck in the world." He fancied his voice sounded flat.
"I suppose you wondered why we were so chummy all the evening?"
"Yes. I wondered a li"l" about that." Sandy did not look at her, but gazed into the dying fire. He saw himself sitting there, lonely, woman-shy once more, through the long stretch of years, with a letter coming once in a while from far-off places telling of a happiness that he had hoped for and yet had known could not be for him; Sandy Bourke, cow-puncher, two-gun man, rancher, growing old.
"I was the first girl he had seen for a long while, you see," Molly was saying. "And he had to talk it over with some one. He told me about it first this morning and then the telegram came."
"Talkin" about what?"