Nevada (1995) (29 page)

But finally he got that far along, and despite my refusals he kep
t
at it. I did not know he was to be at the dance to-night, or I
w
ouldn't have gone. But I danced with him, and walked with him, o
n
the terrace--and--well, to make it short he insulted me."

"Dad, I'm not surprised. I never liked Dillon," interposed Alice.

At that juncture Frank Van Horn entered.

"Lass, now just how did Dillon insult you?" asked Judge Franklidge
,
with fire in his eye.

"He declared he was going to have me whether I wanted it or not
,
and I had to fight him!"

"You don't mean he dared to lay a hand on you?" demanded the ol
d
rancher.

"Both hands, and arms, too," laughed Hettie, though she blushed a
s
she admitted it. "In fact, he was a ruffian. I imagine Dillon ha
s
had his way with a certain kind of women. I think he expected m
e
to squeal, or beg--then flop into his arms. But I'm strong and I
b
roke away from him."

"Damned hound! Somebody ought to use a quirt on him," ejaculate
d
the judge, growing red in the face.

"I'd suggest a gun," added Van Horn, with a compression of hi
s
lips.

Hettie held back a revelation of Dillon's threat to ruin Ben an
d
herself. Upon cool reflection she had not been sure of how Be
n
would react to her taking upon herself the authority to discharg
e
Dillon. Unfortunately, Ben was used to Hettie's complaints abou
t
the attentions his men bestowed upon her, and he had come to tak
e
them with a grain of salt.

"So I discharged Dillon," concluded Hettie.

"You did right, lass, but how in the devil is Ben going to tak
e
that?" queried Franklidge, seriously. "He thinks a heap of thi
s
Dillon. Only to-night he was bragging about Dillon's recovery of
a
bunch of cattle that'd just been rustled off into the brakes. . . .

Still, come to squint at the offense, Ben can't overlook it. He'
s
bound to stand by your dismissal of this foreman."

"You don't know my brother very well yet," returned Hettie, shakin
g
her head. "If he had SEEN Dillon insult me he'd have horsewhippe
d
him. But Ben scouts my statements. He's tired of hearing abou
t
these lovelorn cowboys who annoy me. He thinks I'm--well, a littl
e
too sensitive. Once he said, 'If I was that cowboy I'd throw yo
u
on a horse and ride off with you.' And another time when I went t
o
him in distress he said: 'Of course he tried to kiss you. Wh
y
shouldn't he? You were made to be loved and kissed.' . . .

Sometimes I believe Ben is only in fun. He doesn't mean that as i
t
sounds. But he hasn't so much patience with me as he used to have.

I declare I don't know how he will take this Dillon affair."

"I'll tell you, lass, now that you've expounded the situation,"
r
eplied the judge. "He'll not uphold you. Dillon will get to hi
m
first and soften his offense, and Ben will keep him on."

"That would be dreadful," said Hettie. "I'll actually be afraid o
f
Dillon."

"Well, the only solution to your problem, Hettie Ide, is to fall i
n
love with some fine Arizona lad," declared Judge Franklidge, wit
h
both kindly conviction and teasing good humor.

"Indeed!" returned Hettie, trying in vain to look haughty. The
n
she thought it might be just as well to drop a hint to these ne
w
friends. "I'd take your advice, Judge Franklidge--if it wasn't fo
r
an insurmountable obstacle. . . . I can't fall in love with a fin
e
Arizona lad, because I'm already in love with a fine--NEVADA lad!"

As the beloved name sounded off her lips Hettie felt the swif
t
blood rise to tighten and heat her face.

The judge laughed heartily, but Alice, intuitively grasping th
e
import beneath Hettie's rather flippant speech, crossed over t
o
Hettie and put an arm around her.

"Dad is as bad as Ben, dear. Come, it's late. Let's go to bed,"
s
he said.

"Well, Hettie," added the judge, in the same mirthful vein, "if I
w
ere forty years younger I'd contest this mysterious Nevadian'
s
right. Where is the confounded lucky jackass?"

Hettie looked back from the doorway, through which Alice wa
s
leading her.

"I do not know," she replied, sadly.

When the door closed she heard the judge burst out: "Did you hea
r
that, Van? It explains a lot. . . . Well, doggone me for a thick-
h
eaded fool! And I'll gamble Ben Ide is the same."

At breakfast next morning Judge Franklidge seemed to have undergon
e
a subtle change. His interest in Hettie had increased, but h
e
dispensed with the mischievous bantering. Hettie felt that in hi
s
estimation she had grown into a woman overnight, and that she ha
d
found a friend in him.

"Hettie, I'm going to be sort of a dad to you," he said, a
t
parting. "I'm ashamed of the way Arizona has treated you and Ben.

But listen, lass. Have faith in us and this grand country. Hav
e
patience with your brother. Try to persuade him not to spend mor
e
money just now. We may have a year or two, or more, of hard times.

But take the word of an old cattleman who has been through mor
e
than one rustler war. We will come out of it. These outlaw
s
destroy themselves, I've a hunch some hard-shootin' gunman wil
l
come along and do for the ringleaders. It's happened here before.

It happened lately in New Mexico. So do not lose your nerve an
d
come to hate this beautiful country. We want you Ides to love it.

We need such fine people. We are pioneers, Hettie. I've lost
a
million on cattle. But it'll come back. And so will your losses.

Likewise your happiness."

"Judge Franklidge," answered Hettie, smiling through her tears
,
"despite my weakness for NEVADA--I reckon I'm Arizona's for life."

"Whoopee! That's the game lass! . . . Come to see us often
,
Hettie. Adios."

One of the Franklidge stable hands drove Hettie into town, so tha
t
she had time for thinking how best to approach Ben. It had no
t
occurred to her that Ben might get a warped version of the affai
r
from Dillon. She felt grateful to Judge Franklidge for his kindl
y
counsel and advice. Indeed, she had felt, too, with a woman'
s
keenness, something in regard to the judge's attitude toward Dillon--
s
omething he did not confide. Yet she sensed his friendship. H
e
would very likely take her side, if the issue came to an argument.

She decided to wait and see if Dillon had approached Ben.

Hettie, upon arriving in town, went about buying the supplie
s
usually ordered twice a month. She and her mother had preferred t
o
keep house in their own little cabin, a proceeding that Ina and Be
n
had opposed. But Mrs. Ide vowed she would never be a mother-in-la
w
to anybody.

After she had finished her ordering, Hettie passed on down street
,
presently to encounter Ben. He did not look in a very good humor.

There was a dark shade on his face which Hettie had learned t
o
regret, long ago back at Tule Lake Ranch. Her heart sank a little
,
despite her fortitude. What if she had offended Ben?

"Ina is at the dressmaker's," he said, after greeting her. "Recko
n
it's a good time for you to go to the bank with me."

"Bank. What for?" she queried, as she yielded to his hand an
d
turned back up the street.

"I'm having a certified check made out for your interest in th
e
ranch."

"Ben!" she cried, in amazed reproach.

"Yes, Ben," he returned, a little testily. "Hettie, I can't hav
e
you doing things without my knowledge. Besides, to be honest wit
h
you, I don't want to see you lose that money. And I'm prett
y
certain I'll lose all I put in cattle."

"But, Ben, it was an investment. I played to win or lose wit
h
you," she protested.

"I know, dear, an' you sure are a thoroughbred. But this was
a
crazy deal of mine. I don't regret it," he added, hastily. "But I
c
an't feel right to have you in with me. Maybe some day, whe
n
these bad times are over."

"Ben, something has happened since I saw you," said Hettie
,
quickly.

"Reckon it has," returned Ben, dropping his head so she could no
t
meet his eyes. "California Red is gone!"

"Gone? Oh no, Ben!" she cried, poignantly.

He nodded disconsolately. She saw his lips quiver.

"Stolen?"

"We don't know. He disappeared from the pasture. Raidy swears Re
d
was stolen, that he couldn't jump the fence. I know he could jum
p
over the moon if he took a notion. Dillon agrees with me that Re
d
just got away."

"But you don't KNOW?" queried Hettie, sharply.

"That's the rub, Hettie. We don't. And there isn't a man in m
y
outfit who could track Red. Sure disgusted me. I tried to trac
k
him myself. Had to give up. . . . Reckon there never was but on
e
horse hunter who COULD have done it."

"Ben, you'll get Red back," replied Hettie, earnestly, an
d
forthwith she launched into an eloquent speech, drawing upon th
e
judge's advice and optimism, and adding considerable of her ow
n
hopeful and persistent opinions as to their ultimate success an
d
happiness in the future.

"You're game, Hettie," he returned, squeezing her arm. "With yo
u
and Ina and the kid I can an' will beat this rotten deal. Recko
n
it'll help some if you consent to withdraw from it."

"I'll consent to anything that will relieve or help you."

They reached the bank, where presently Hettie received a certifie
d
check for her share in the transaction. She immediately deposite
d
it to her account.

"For the time being I'll leave it there," she said.

"Yes, do. I might have to borrow from you," he laughed, then wit
h
serious brow he drew her to a seat and said in a low voice, "Dillo
n
just told me you'd discharged him."

"Yes?" queried Hettie, lifting her chin, while the tingle and hea
t
of battle ran along her nerves.

"Hettie, I had to countermand your order," he went on, gravely.

"Now we won't argue about it. Dillon is the best man available. I
c
an't get along without him. He knows it, too. I had some troubl
e
conciliatin' him."

"Oh, indeed!" retorted Hettie, biting her lips. "May I ask wha
t
Mr. Dillon told you."

"Not much. He was sore, but he laughed, at that. Said he love
d
you an' had been coaxin' you to look upon him favorably. Then las
t
night--at the dance--he asked you to marry him. Said you weren'
t
very encouragin'. Then he tried to kiss you, an' you made a fus
s
an' took it upon yourself to fire him."