"There is no sense in not facing situations squarely. If there is a way out, that is the only method by which it may be found."
"True," I agreed, my admiration growing. "And yourself; will he kill you, too?"
"He will not. He does not dare!" she cried, proudly, with a flash of the eyes.
I was not so sure of that, but there was no object in saying so.
"Why has he tied you in that chair, then, along with the condemned?" I asked.
"You will understand better if I tell you who I am."
"You are his deceased partner"s daughter; and everybody thinks you are in Europe," I stated.
"How in the world did you know that? But no matter; it is true. I embarked three months ago on the Limited for New York intending, as you say, to go on a long trip to Europe. My father and I had been alone in the world. We were very fond of each other. I took no companion, nor did I intend to. I felt quite independent and able to take care of myself.
At the last moment Mr. Hooper boarded the train. That was quite unexpected. He was on his way to the ranch. He persuaded me to stop over for a few days to decide some matters. You know, since my father"s death I am half owner."
"Whole owner," I murmured.
"What did you say?"
"Nothing. Go ahead. Sure you don"t mind my smoking?" I lit one of the tailor-mades and settled back. Even my inexperienced youth recognized the necessity of relief this long-continued stubborn repression must feel. My companion had as yet told me nothing I did not already know or guess; but I knew it would do her good to talk, and I might learn something valuable.
"We came out to the ranch, and talked matters over quite normally; but when it came time for my departure, I was not permitted to leave. For some unexplained reason I was a prisoner, confined absolutely to the four walls of this enclosure. I was guarded night and day; and I soon found I was to be permitted conversation with two men only, Mexicans named Ramon and Andreas."
"They are his right and left hand," I commented.
"So I found. You may imagine I did not submit to this until I found I had to. Then I made up my mind that the only possible thing to do was to acquiesce, to observe, and to wait my chance."
"You were right enough there. Why do you figure he did this?"
"I don"t know!" she cried with a flash of thwarted despair. "I have racked my brains, but I can find no motive. He has not asked me for a thing; he has not even asked me a question. Unless he"s stark crazy, I cannot make it out!"
"He may be that," I suggested.
"He may be; and yet I doubt it somehow. I don"t know why; but I _feel_ that he is sane enough. He is inconceivably cruel and domineering. He will not tolerate a living thing about the place that will not or cannot take orders from him. He kills the flies, the bees, the birds, the frogs, because they are not his. I believe he would kill a man as quickly who stood out even for a second against him here. To that extent I believe he is crazy: a sort of monomania. But not otherwise. That is why I say he will kill you; I really believe he would do it."
"So do I," I agreed, grimly. "However, let"s drop that for right now.
Do you know a man named Brower, Artie Brower?"
"I don"t think I ever heard of him. Why?"
"Never mind for a minute. I"ve just had a great thought strike me. Just let me alone a few moments while I work it out."
I lighted a second cigarette from the b.u.t.t of the first and fell into a study. Cortinez breathed heavily outside. Otherwise the silence was as dead as the blackness of the night. The smoke from my cigarettes floated lazily until it reached the influence of the hot air from the lamp; then it shot upward toward the ceiling. The girl watched me from under her level brows, always with that air of controlled restraint I found so admirable.
"I"ve got it," I said at last, "--or at least I think I have. Now listen to me, and believe what I"ve got to say. Here are the facts: first, your father and Hooper split partnership a while back. Hooper took his share entirely in cash; your father took his probably part in cash, but certainly all of the ranch and cattle. Get that clear? Hooper owns no part of the ranch and cattle. All right. Your father dies before the papers relating to this agreement are recorded. n.o.body knew of those papers except your father and Hooper. So if Hooper were to destroy those papers, he"d still have the cash that had been paid him, and an equal share in the property. That plain?"
"Perfectly," she replied, composedly. "Why didn"t he destroy them?"
"Because they had been stolen by this man Brower I asked you about--an ex-jockey of Hooper"s. Brower held them for blackmail. Unless Hooper came through Brower would record the papers."
"Where do I come in?"
"Easy. I"m coming to that. But answer me this: who would be your heir in case you died?"
"Why--I don"t know!"
"Have you any kin?"
"Not a soul!"
"Did you ever make a will?"
"I never thought of such a thing!"
"Well, I"ll tell you. If you were to die your interest in this property would go to Hooper."
"What makes you think so? I thought it would go to the state."
"I"m guessing," I acknowledged, "but I believe I"m guessing straight. A lot of these old Arizona partnerships were made just that way. Life was uncertain out here. I"ll bet the old original partnership between your father and Hooper provides that in case of the extinction of one line, the other will inherit. It"s a very common form of partnership in a new country like this. You can see for yourself it"s a sensible thing to provide."
"You may be right," she commented. "Go on."
"You told me a while ago it was best to face any situation squarely. Now brace up and face this. You said a while ago that Hooper would not dare kill you. That is true for the moment. But there is no doubt in my mind that he has intended from the first to kill you, because by that he would get possession of the whole property."
"I cannot believe it!" she cried.
"Isn"t the incentive enough? Think carefully, and answer honestly: don"t you think him capable of it?"
"Yes--I suppose so," she admitted, reluctantly, after a moment. She gathered herself as after a shock. "Why hasn"t he done so? Why has he waited?"
I told her of the situation as it concerned Brower. While the dissolution of partnership papers still existed and might still be recorded, such a murder would be useless. For naturally the dissolution abrogated the old partnership agreement. The girl"s share of the property would, at her demise intestate, go to the state. That is, provided the new papers were ever recorded.
"Then I am safe until----?" she began.
"Until he negotiates or otherwise settles with Brower. Until he has destroyed all evidence."
"Then everything seems to depend on this Brower," she said, knitting her brows anxiously. "Where is he?"
I did not answer this last question. My eyes were riveted on the door k.n.o.b which was slowly, almost imperceptibly, turning. Cortinez continued to breathe heavily in sleep outside. The intruder was evidently at great pains not to awaken the guard. A fraction of an inch at a time the door opened. A wild-haired, wild-eyed head inserted itself cautiously through the crack. The girl"s eyes widened in surprise and, I imagine, a little in fear. I began to laugh, silently, so as not to disturb Cortinez.
Mirth overcame me; the tears ran down my cheeks.
"It"s so darn complete!" I gasped, answering the girl"s horrified look of inquiry. "Miss Emory, allow me to present Mr. Artie Brower!"
CHAPTER XII