"Jim said there'd be others to follow--the Bar O is in town; we're sorta stealin' a march on 'em." She raised her hands in dismay at the prospect and darted away. He followed her to the door.
"Say, can I help?" She laughed again. "Yes, if you can peel potatoes."
"I can skin an ox, so I guess I oughta be able to shuck the hide off'n a measly vegetable," he replied.
So when Sudden, Reddy, and Shorty arrived, sounds of mirth greeted them from the kitchen.
"Sloppy musta recovered," Reddy remarked.
"That's Dave," Sudden smiled. "Set him down in the middle o' the Staked Plain an' he'll be callin' all the rattlesnakes by their first names inside an hour." A moment later the young man entered, wiping his hands, and grinning widely. "Yu fellas ever tried peelin' spuds?" he asked. "I'm tellin' yu it's an art. First two or three I held all wrong, an' Mrs. Gray said if she cooked what I took off yu'd get more to eat, but after she showed me, I got along fine."
"What yu done to them fingers?" Sudden asked.
"The durned knife slipped a few," Dave admitted. "I came near bein' shy some digits." The arrival of the meal put an end to conversation for a time, but when appetites began to wane, tongues became busy again. The Bar O men wanted to hear the story of the Pinetown affair in detail, and then Reddy told of the shooting match, and the fight with Mullins, despite Sudden's attempt to head him off.
"Why didn't yu blow his light out?" Dave demanded, and as he saw the expression on his friend's face, added softly, "Yu of Piute. What yu need is a guardian." With the advent of more customers, they went away, leaving their hostess overwhelmed by their praise. She refused Dave's offer of further assistance, Sloppy having turned up, painfully lame, but deaf to all her protests.
"We can't have them boys goin' away disappointed," he said. "I can work settin' down."
Chapter VIII
As was generally expected, Jake and his adherents, though they had returned to Welcome, had no intention of continuing to honour it with their presence. At Dirty Dick's, the same evening, the matter was discussed.
"I'm goin'--but not very far," Mullins announced to his own little circle. "No, sirree, I'm aimin' to even up with this place, as well as that swine, Owen, an' fill my pockets at the same time. We'll have to live rough an' take a risk, but the profits will be han'some. Any of you can come in, but it's gonna be understood that I give the orders."
"I'm game," Javert said. "I've a few debts in these parts an' ain't leavin' till they're paid--in full." Sloppy brought the news to the marshal in the morning. "Jake is clearin' out."
"Did yu figure he'd stay?"
"No, but he's tryin' to sell his business."
"Yu wanta buy it?" Sudden asked sardonically.
"yeah, but I ain't got the coin," was the unexpected reply. "An' run in opposition to Mrs. Gray?"
"No."
"Then--by Jupiter, yo're right, an' I must be dumb. She ain't got enough room, an' ... I'll see Morley, he's the fella to deal with this." Forthwith he sought the banker and explained his mission. "He's askin' two hundred an' fifty, but I guess he'll take less; he ain't servin' five meals a day that's paid for."
"Leave it to me," the banker said.
He found his man at home, and came to the point at once. "I'm told you're selling out; what's the figure?"
"Three hundred, an' cheap at that." Morley raised his eyebrows. "For the shack, some bits of furniture, cracked crockery, and old pots and pans?"
"Yo're forgettin' the trade." The banker repeated what the marshal had told him, and walked from room to room, appraising the contents. When he was satisfied, he turned to the vendor.
"One hundred and fifty--cash, and dear at that," he said shortly.
Take glared. "I can do better."
"Suits me," the other replied indifferently, and turned tc go. "To-morrow my price will be one hundred only." Mullins gave in; he was no match for the financier. Already he had sounded every possible purchaser and met with refusal.
"Hold on," he said. "It's sheer robbery, but I'll go you. I wanta take the trail to-night." Morley found the marshal in his office, and showed him the document.
"Good work," Sudden told him, and reached for a pocket.
"That can wait. Now, we have to put this thing over so as not to hurt the little lady's self-respect. I have a scheme, but perhaps you'd like to explain it to her yourself?"
"Not on yore life," the marshal said hastily. "I ain't used to women--I'd make a botch of it." The young widow welcomed the banker with a smile; she liked this grey-haired, sedate little man who had been well spoken of by her uncle.
"I hear your trade is increasing," he opened.
"Thanks to some good friends," she said.
"No, largely to your own efforts," he corrected. "But there are complaints." A look of concern replaced the smile. "Oh, not about your cooking, but the accommodation."
"The room only holds four," she murmured regretfully. "But what can I do?"
"A favour to Welcome, and to me," he replied. "Mullins is leaving in a few hours for good--our good, and I've purchased his business, lock, stock, and barrel. I want you to move in there." Her eyes shone, but she shook her head. "It would be fine, but I couldn't afford it."
"All you'll have to pay will be a small rent to me," he pointed out. "Won't you give it a trial?"
"But of course," she cried. "It's a chance I've longed for, and I don't know how to thank you." The banker stood up. "Well, that's settled, and I'm glad. This town will have a feeding-place to be proud of."
"I'll do my best," she promised.
That evening, in the Red Light, Nippen drew Sudden aside. "Jake's went, an' it's all over Welcome that Mrs. Gray is takin' over his eatin'-house. It's a blame' good move, an' I s'pose we have to thank you for it?"
"No, Sloppy, though he don't want it knowed."
"Where did he git the money?"
"He didn't; I fixed that with Morley," the marshal explained, and told of the arrangement the banker had made.
"First-rate," Nippert agreed, and then, "Jim, havin' found yore friend, you ain't thinkin' o' goin' back to Pine-town?"
"Where they wanted to hang me?" The saloon-keeper had a sense of humour. "But we damn' near did it," he grinned ruefully.
Sudden laughed too. "Allasame, I'm stayin' put; the trees is too handy in Pinetown."
"An' Masters?" The marshal's face sobered. "I dunno. Mebbe he'll get a job with the Bar O; Owen seemed to like him."
"I've bin thinkin' you need a deputy."
"It's mighty good o' yu, Ned, but it would be just charity."
"I forgot to mention when you took hold that we'd had a couple o' marshals bumped off in twelve months."
"I knew--Gowdy's girl told me."
"You certainly fetched yore nerve along," Nippert said. "Well, you may figure you got this town tamed, an' mebbe that goes for two-thirds of it, but the rest is a craggy lot; they'll fear you, but bein' scared of a man don't make you love him, none whatever. Mullins has gone, with some o' the worst, but he's left friends behind, an' he ain't forgettin'. Nor will Sark, an' he's got poison 'stead o' blood in his veins." Sudden gave in. "Awright, Ned," he replied. "yu know the people an' yo're the doc. O' course, I'll be tickled to death to have Dave workin' with me." At that moment the man himself came up. "Yu both look as solenn as owls," he grinned. "Must be discussin' some-thin' serious."
"No, we were talkin' 'bout yu," his friend countered. "Fact is, Ned thinks I oughta have a deputy, an' he's suggestin' yu."
"If Mister Masters will take it," the saloon-keeper put in politely.
"Mister Masters won't, but Dave will, with both han's," was the smiling reply. "But not till after to-morrow; I've somethin' to do."
"What fool-play yu got in mind now?" Sudden wanted to know."
"Me an' Sloppy is goin' to make a yaller dawg's kennel into a fit place for a lady to live in," Dave replied lightly.