"Ever cross there yourself?"
"Wal, no," stroking his beard; "but Stutter come back thet way onct,
from a hunt or something. He never said nothin' when he struck in, but
yer could 'a' scraped alkali off him with a hoe, an' he drunk a whole
bucket o' water without takin' breath. So I reckon it wa'n't no
pleasure jaunt."
"Then it's got to be Stutter," decided Winston, rising to his feet,
"for we must get word to San Juan. I 'm going inside to see how Hayes
is feeling."
"I reckon thet's the ticket," agreed Hicks, gloomily, "but I 'm blamed
if I like losin' him. He 's a fightin' man, thet Stutter, after he
onct gits his blood stirred up, an' I 'm sorter expectin' a lively time
yere when it gits dark. It 'll be Farnham's last chance ter put us out
o' the way, an' he 's likely ter take it. I 'll bet Stutter won't go,
leastwise without the gal; he 's natural bull-headed, besides bein' in
love. Thet makes an ornery combination."
Within the cabin, the door closed behind him, the single small window
shedding a dim light across the apartment, Winston turned, his hand
still upon the latch, and confronted Beth Norvell and Mercedes. Their
presence there was so unexpected that the young man paused in sudden
embarrassment, ready words failing him. The two were seated close
together on rude stools beneath the window, where they had evidently
been in intimate conversation. The former, her gaze lowered upon the
floor, did not glance up; but Mercedes flashed her black eyes into his
face, recognizing his confusion, and hastening to relieve it.
Warm-hearted, impulsive, already beginning to experience the value of
true love, the young Mexican was eager to bring these two into a better
understanding. Her quick smile of welcome swept away for an instant
all memory of the other's apparent indifference.
"Ah, eet vas good you come, señor. See, ve shut up here like
prisoners; ve see nottings, ve hear nottings, ve know nottings. Now ve
make you tell us eet all, de whole story. Miladi here, she tink eet
all ver' bad; she cry, de tear yet in her eye, an' I know not vat to
tell to make her feel bettah. She 'fraid for ever'ting, but most I
tink, she 'fraid for you, señor."
Miss Norvell hastily laid her hand upon the girl's sleeve in
remonstrance, her face showing grave in the dim light.
"No, no, Mercedes; you must not say too much, or Mr. Winston will think
us both very foolish."
"Eet vas not foolish for us to vant to know, vas eet, señor?"
"Assuredly not." He walked across the narrow room, glanced into the
face of the sleeping sheriff, came back beside them, and leaned against
the wall. The movement served to yield him confidence and
self-control, to decide him as to his future course. "What is it you
are so desirous of knowing?"