"Oh, I'm so glad someone heard me," she cried. "My pony slipped and threw me. I ride quite well, but I suppose I wasn't noticing. I've damaged an ankle."
"Can yu stand up?" the puncher asked.
From beneath the short, divided riding-skirt, she thrust out a slim, silk-clad leg and wriggled the dainty foot.
"Ouch!" she gasped. Then the red lips parted, showing the perfect white teeth as she tried to smile. "It hurts like--the devil. I hope nothing is broken." It was an invitation, but Sudden did not accept. "I guess yu couldn't 'a' moved it," he said. "I'll go chase yore broncs' "And leave me alone?" she queried in dismay.
"I'll call my partner to keep cases on yu," he smiled.
A tiny frown indicated that the suggestion did not please her. "The animal is half-way to Deadwood by now, and while you are catching it, I am in pain," she pouted.
Sudden looked contrite. "Which I'm shorely a bonehead not to remember that," he said. "Yu can have my hoss."
"That great black?" she cried. "I never could stay on him with a crippled foot."
"He'll be all right with me along," Sudden assured her.
The smile of thanks he received was sweet, but there was a tinge of contempt in it; how easily a pretty woman could lead a man! But her strategy was not so successful as she had assumed. When the puncher returned he was leading two horses, his own, and the piebald mustang which Gerry called "Joseph" because its coat was of many colours. Sudden solved the problem of mounting by lifting her without effort into the saddle. For a brief instant one soft arm encircled his neck, her face temptingly close to his, and then she was looking down at him from the back of the big horse.
"You must be frightfully strong," she said, a little breathlessly.
"Shucks," he smiled. "I s'pose ropin' long-horns mebbe toughens a fella's muscles some." He spoke one sharp word to Nigger. whose ears had gone back at the strange burden.
"It looks a long way to fall," she said, her eyes on the smaller animal.
Sudden swung into the piebald's saddle and for a while they paced slowly along in silence, the woman covertly studying a companion about whom she was getting new ideas. Somehow the task Paul had set her did not seem quite so "amusing." He had not told her why he wanted this man, but she divined it was for no good. Also, it was not going to be so easy as she had anticipated; this product of the plains appeared to possess a severely practical mind; so far, she had not received even one glance of approbation.
Sudden was similiarly occupied. It seemed incredible that such a woman could have slain a man because he insulted her, and yet it was true--or all the town lied. He felt the allure of her despite the fact that he knew she was playing a part. Why had she come to seek him, and why the pretended injury?--for he was fully aware that both her shapely ankles were well able fo support her equally shapely body. Why did she desire his company to the settlement? What had her brother to do with it? His fruitless search for answers to these questions was interrupted by the lady;
"So you got tired of punching cows?"
"I allus was a restless fella--never could stay put nohow," he replied.
She made one or two tentative efforts to probe into his past, but the puncher was on his guard and she learned nothing. As they rode through the town more than one pair of envious eyes followed them; Lora Lesurge had plenty of admirers. Paul, from the shelter of the Monte, saw them pass.
"Good, she's hooked him," he muttered.
When they reached the house, Sudden lifted her down and carried her in. He declined to stay, though she urged that her brother would wish to thank him.
"It don't need speakin' of," he told her. Mary Ducane had come in and was regarding him with something very like repulsion. "Gerry is up in the gulch there all alone."
"You are anxious about your friend?" Lora asked.
The cowboy detected the sneer. "I don't have many, so I gotta take care of 'em," he smiled. "Gerry's a pretty ornery cuss, but I'd hate to find some wandering war-whoop had took a fancy to his curly locks." He noted the younger girl's instant look of alarm and smothered a grin as he took his leave.
"It doesn't seem to trouble him," Mary remarked, and seeing she was not understood, "I mean, killing that man." This, though the girl did not know it, was a home-thrust for her companion.
"Why should it?" Lora retorted. "The fellow purposely picked a quarrel as an excuse for shooting him. Did you expect Green to let him do it?"
"I suppose not, but it is--terrible," was the lame reply. Lora shrugged her shoulders. "Nothing of the kind," she said callously. "This is a lawless land and bloodthirsty brutes like Logan--he had already murdered ten men--must be dealt with. All this claptrap about the sacredness of human life makes me tired; when men behave like mad dogs they must be treated as such." Mary, Western-bred, knew that, to a large extent, she was right, but it was somewhat of a shock to hear a young and lovely woman express such a drastic doctrine.
* * * * When Sudden returned to the claim he found a very impatient partner awaiting him.
"Yu took yore time," was the greeting he received.
"Did yu expect a lady with a sprained ankle to gallop?" was the sarcastic retort.
"S'pose not. How d'yu get her on the hoss, Jim?"
"Made him lie down," Sudden grinned. "To tell yu the truth "
"Don't strain yoreself," the other begged.
"I don't savvy the game," Sudden continued. "She stampeded her pony and her ankle ain't damaged none whatever."
"She's fell in love with yu, Jim, an' I'll bet brother Paul don't know neither."
"Talk sense--the whole town saw us ride in."
"That's so. Shore looks as if he's in on it. Was Miss Ducane pleased to see yu?"
"I've had warmer welcomes," was the sardonic admission. Gerry laughed delightedly. "She's one fine girl," he exulted. "I'm goin' to marry her." Sudden stared at him in undisguised amazement. "Well, I'll be damned," he said, and heedless of the other's cordial agreement, continued, "Have yu informed the lady or is it to be a surprise?"
"I done told her--right away."
"An' yu still live?" Gerry grinned widely. "I lit out before the storm broke," he confessed.
"No wonder she treated me like I was an infectious disease," was Sudden's comment.
Chapter X
It was the second evening after Lora's adventure that Sudden encountered her brother. He and Gerry were in the Paris when Paul came up to them.
"Green, I want to thank you for coming to my sister's aid," he said. "It might have proved serious."
"Nothin' to that," the puncher replied. "But she didn't oughta been there."
"So I told her, but Lora is of a daring disposition," Paul answered. "It takes a lot to scare her."
"I hope her foot is mendin'," Sudden said politely.
"Better call and ask--women expect that sort of attention, you know," Lesurge smiled.
Sudden looked at his companion, of whom no notice had been taken. "That's a bet we overlooked, Gerry. We'll pay that visit to-morrow." Paul's face darkened--he was getting more than he bargained for, but his tone showed no trace of annoyance:
"Lora will be pleased to see you, Green, and remember, if I can do anything ... We Waysiders ought to hang together." The cowboy's eyes twinkled. "Well, Mister Lesurge," he drawled, "if it comes to hangin' I dunno that company'd be any comfort to me." Lesurge studied him sharply for a moment, then decided it was a joke, and laughed as he went.