Slone felt the hot, sick rush of blood to his face, and humiliation and rage overtook him.
"Joel"s down at my house. He had fits after you beat him, an" he "ain"t got over them yet. But he could blab to the riders. Van Sickle"s lookin" fer you. An" to-day when I was alone with Joel he told me some more queer things about you. I shut him up quick. But I ain"t guaranteein" I can keep him shut up."
"I"ll bet you I shut him up," declared Slone. "What more did the fool say?"
"Slone, hev you been round these hyar parts---down among the monuments--fer any considerable time?" queried Brackton.
"Yes, I have--several weeks out there, an" about ten days or so around the Ford."
"Where was you the night of the flood?"
The shrewd scrutiny of the old man, the suspicion, angered Slone.
"If it"s any of your mix, I was out on the slope among the rocks. I heard that flood comin" down long before it got here," replied Slone, deliberately.
Brackton averted his gaze, and abruptly rose as if the occasion was ended. "Wal, take my hunch an" leave!" he said, turning away.
"Brackton, if you mean well, I"m much obliged," returned Slone, slowly, ponderingly. "But I"ll not take the hunch."
"Suit yourself," added Brackton, coldly, and he went away.
Slone watched him go down the path and disappear in the lane of cottonwoods.
"I"ll be darned!" muttered Slone. "Funny old man. Maybe Creech"s not the only loony one hereabouts."
Slone tried to laugh off the effect of the interview, but it persisted and worried him all day. After supper he decided to walk down into the village, and would have done so but for the fact that he saw a man climbing his path. When he recognized the rider Holley he sensed trouble, and straightway he became gloomy. Bostil"s right-hand man could not call on him for any friendly reason. Holley came up slowly, awkwardly, after the manner of a rider unused to walking. Slone had built a little porch on the front of his cabin and a bench, which he had covered with goatskins. It struck him a little strangely that he should bend over to rearrange these skins just as Holley approached the porch.
"Howdy, son!" was the rider"s drawled remark. "Sure makes--me--puff to climb--up this mountain."
Slone turned instantly, surprised at the friendly tone, doubting his own ears, and wanting to verify them. He was the more surprised to see Holley unmistakably amiable.
"h.e.l.lo, Holley! How are you?" he replied. "Have a seat."
"Wal, I"m right spry fer an old bird. But I can"t climb wuth a d--n .... Say, this here beats Bostil"s view."
"Yes, it"s fine," replied Slone, rather awkwardly, as he sat down on the porch step. What could Holley want with him? This old rider was above curiosity or gossip.
"Slone, you ain"t holdin" it ag"in me--thet I tried to shut you up the other day?" he drawled, with dry frankness.
"Why, no, Holley, I"m not. I saw your point. You were right. But Bostil made me mad."
"Sure! He"d make anybody mad. I"ve seen riders bite themselves, they was so mad at Bostil. You called him, an" you sure tickled all the boys. But you hurt yourself, fer Bostil owns an" runs this here Ford."
"So I"ve discovered," replied Slone.
"You got yourself in bad right off, fer Bostil has turned the riders ag"in you, an" this here punchin" of Creech has turned the village folks ag"in you. What"d pitch into him fer?"
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. The girl"s worried these days, Slone.... You see, you haven"t been around, an" you don"t know what"s comin" off."
"Brackton was here to-day an" he told me a good deal. I"m worried, too," said Slone, dejectedly.
"Thet hoss of yours, Wildfire, he"s enough to make you hated in Bostil"s camp, even if you hadn"t made a fool of yourself, which you sure have."
Slone dropped his head as admission.
"What Creech swears he seen you do to Miss Lucy, out there among the rocks, where you was hid with Wildfire--is there any truth in thet?"
asked Holley, earnestly. "Tell me, Slone. Folks believe it. An" it"s hurt you at the Ford. Bostil hasn"t heard it yet, an" Lucy she doesn"t know. But I"m figgerin" thet you punched Joel because he throwed it in your face."
"He did, an" I lambasted him," replied Slone, with force.
"You did right. But what I want to know, is it true what Joel seen?"
"It"s true, Holley. But what I did isn"t so bad--so bad as he"d make it look."
"Wal, I knowed thet. I knowed fer a long time how Lucy cares fer you,"
returned the old rider, kindly.
Slone raised his head swiftly, incredulously. "Holley! You can"t be serious."
"Wal, I am. I"ve been sort of a big brother to Lucy Bostil for eighteen years. I carried her in these here hands when she weighed no more "n my spurs. I taught her how to ride--what she knows about hosses. An" she knows more "n her dad. I taught her to shoot. I know her better "n anybody. An" lately she"s been different. She"s worried an" unhappy."
"But Holley, all that--it doesn"t seem--"
"I reckon not," went on Holley, as Slone halted. "I think she cares fer you. An" I"m your friend, Slone. You"re goin" to buck up ag"in some h.e.l.l round here sooner or later. An" you"ll need a friend."
"Thanks--Holley," replied Slone, unsteadily. He thrilled under the iron grasp of the rider"s hard hand.
"You"ve got another friend you can gamble on," said Holley, significantly.
"Another! Who?"
"Lucy Bostil. An" don"t you fergit thet. I"ll bet she"ll raise more trouble than Bostil when she hears what Joel Creech is tellin". Fer she"s bound to hear it. Van Sickle swears he"s a-goin" to tell her an"
then beat you up with a quirt."
"He is, is he?" snapped Slone, darkly.
"I"ve a hunch Lucy"s guessed why you punched Joel. But she wants to know fer sure. Now, Slone, I"ll tell her why."
"Oh, don"t!" said Slone, involuntarily.
"Wal, it"ll be better comin" from you an" me. Take my word fer thet.
I"ll prepare Lucy. An" she"s as good a sc.r.a.pper as Bostil, any day."