Earliest dawn found the young man seated composedly upon one of the flattened outcroppings of the bill of stone that lay like an island between the outer plain and the sheltered cove.As yet,there was no sign of life within the cove--both the dugout and the cabin of cedar logs were as silent and as void of movement as the rocks behind them.The young man watched first one,then the other,as tireless and vigilant as if he had not been awake for twenty-four hours.
It was the dugout that first started from its night's repose.Before the sun showed itself over the rim of the prairie,long before its rays darted over the distant mountain-crest,the door was thrown away from the casing,and a great uncouth man,strong as a giant,and wild of aspect as a savage,strode forth,gun in hand,his eyes sweeping the landscape in quick flashing glances.Almost instantly he discovered the figure perched on the granite block overlooking his retreat.He raised his gun to his shoulder.
The young man fell sidewise behind the rocks and a bullet clipped the edge of his barricade.Remaining supine,he fastened his handkerchief to the end of his whip and waved it above the rampart.Having thus manifested his peaceful intent,he rose,still holding the flag of truce above his head,and remained motionless.Brick Willock stared at him for a moment in hostile indecision,then strode forward.At the same time,an old man,thin,tall and white-haired,issued from the dugout evidently attracted by the gunshot;and soon after,the cabin door opened,and the girl of the cove looked out inquiringly.
In the meantime the young man slowly descended the hill to the oval valley,while Willock hurried forward to meet him.
Don't you come no futher!Willock commanded,threatening with his gun.Keep your hands above your head until I can ship your cargo.
Obediently he stood while the great whiskered fellow took the weapons from his belt,and dived into his hip pockets.
That'll do.Now--what do you want?
It's hard to put it into a few words,the other complained.I'd like to have a little talk with you.
You are one of them fellows that come here to run us out of the country,ain't you?I don't remember seeing you,but I guess you belong to the bunch over on Red River.Well,you see we're still here,meaning to stay.Are your pards outside there,waiting for a message?
Nobody knows I'm here,or thought of coming.Let me put that affair in its true light.The boys are all under our boss,and when he lays down the law it isn't for us to argue with him--we carry out orders--
Unless there's a Brick Willock involved in them orders,returned the man,with a grim smile.
But it's our duty to TRY to carry out the orders,whether we like 'em or not.So you won't hold that against me--that little scrimmage of last month,especially as you came out best man.
I used to have a boss,myself,Willock spoke uncompromisingly.But when he give me certain orders,one particular night that I recollect,I knocked him on the head and put out for other parts.You must of thought yourself in PRETTY business coming over here to take away the land and all on it,that's belonged to me for nine years,and nobody never having tried to prize me out of it except some trifling Injuns and horse-thieves.Ain't they NO honesty in the world?Hasn't no man his property rights?I guess your boss knowed this wasn't HIS land,didn't he?What's going to become of this country when man isn't satisfied with what is his'n?Well,now you've had a little talk with me,and hoping you've enjoyed it,you can just mosey along.I'll send your weapons after you by a messenger.
The young man cast a despairing glance toward the girl who stood like a statue in her doorway,gravely listening.The man with the bushy white hair had drawn near,hut evidently with no thought of interfering.
Willock,the voice came so eager,so impetuous,that the words were somewhat incoherent,I've GOT to talk to your daughter--hold on,don't shoot,LISTEN!--that's what I've come for,to see her and--and meet her and hear her voice.I can't help it,can I?It's been two long years since I left home,back East,and in all these two years I've never seen anything like your little girl and--and what harm can it do?I say!Have pity on a fellow,and do him the biggest favor he could enjoy on this earth when it won't cost you a penny,or a turn of your hand.Look here--hold on,don't turn away!I'm just so lonesome,so homesick,so dead KILLED by all these sand-hills and alkali beds and nothing to talk to from one year's end to the next but men and cattle....
