For the second time Mrs. Crump came to a decided and bewildered halt.

She was entirely convinced that to take the money was legitimate; she was convinced that it had been lawfully won, that Thady Shea was actually ent.i.tled to it. She had chuckled over the coup a hundred times.

She had chuckled a hundred times over the grimly delightful irony of cashing that check, of giving Mackintavers a counter-thrust that he would remember. Yet, although she was presenting her argument with entire conviction, she was conscious that it was like presenting her argument in the face of a stone wall.

Somehow Thady Shea was ignoring her argument. Its point seemed quite lost upon him. He stood before her, flinty, untouched, unheeding. The slight glint of scorn in his eye, real or fancied, flicked Mrs. Crump on the raw; it lashed her into real and una.s.sumed anger.

"All that is quite true," he said. In his manner was a gentleness, a frightful gentleness, a gentleness so entire and calm that it was hideous. One would have said that he was speaking to a little child.

"All that is true, Mrs. Crump. Of course your intentions were whole-souled and generous, and from your viewpoint the action was justified. I didn't mean to call you a thief, heaven knows! I didn't mean any such thing.

"But-the money was to be given in exchange for something. The exchange did not take place. Therefore, to keep the money would be theft. That is the way I look at it. That is all I can see to it-all! The money must go back."

There was a terrible simplicity in the man's face, in the words he used, in the argument he used. It was a simplicity which nothing could change.

It was a simplicity above all argument or question. It was a simplicity that stood up like a gray naked rock. Against this implacable front Mrs.

Crump was impotent and knew it.

Thady Shea reached out and took the check book from her hand. He opened it. He stripped one check from the book and placed this check in his pocket. Then he took the check book, tore it across, and flung the pieces away. He did it casually, impatiently, carelessly.

Now, to tear a check book across is not an easy thing. To do it carelessly, casually, is a most unusual and significant thing. It jerked at Mrs. Crump's attention. She wondered just how strong Thady Shea was.

Yet, the thought that the one check in Shea's pocket was destined for Mackintavers fired the anger within her, and fanned the flame. She could deal gently, pityingly, with a weak man. With a strong man, strong as Thady Shea was strong, she had but one argument.

"I'll write out that check--" began Shea.

"You're a coward!" said Mrs. Crump, savagely. She knew the words were fearfully unjust, but they rose within her and she said them. The thought that Mackintavers would deem her weak and silly enough to return that money maddened her. "You're a coward!"

She leaned forward and struck him in the mouth. She struck a man's blow, a full, hard-fisted, strong blow, a blow that might have felled another man than Thady Shea. Under it he reeled. Then he came upright and stood motionless, looking at her. He did not speak. Slowly he lifted his hand to his mouth, and his eyes shifted to the red smear upon his hand. Then his gaze went again to her face.

Under his look, Mrs. Crump shivered a little. The anger went out of her suddenly and utterly. Before his calm, hurt strength she recoiled. Her brittle, false hardness was broken and shattered. He did not speak, and his silence frightened her. She went to pieces.

"Thady!" The words came from her in a breath, a groan. Her burning blue eyes were gone dull and lifeless, dumb with misery, as she realized what she had just done. "Oh, Thady! I-Heaven forgive me, Thady, I didn't mean to do it. I wanted you to have that money."

"I wonder if you really think I'm a coward?" said Shea, curiously calm.

"I am one, of course, but I don't see how a desire for justice can be cowardly."

"I don't!" she burst forth impetuously, pa.s.sionately. "Thady, I'm sorry-I never meant it; it didn't come from the heart, Thady! I'm an old fool of a woman, that's what I am. An old fool of a woman! Don't look at me that way; I tell ye I can't stand it-it's awful! I'm sorry for it, bitter sorry."

"I'm sorry, too," said Shea, simply. "Listen to me, now. You've given me something real; a purpose. Maybe Ross was right. Maybe I had to wait till it came to me. Now I'm going to find Mackintavers and give him his money, make things right. I may be a coward in physical things, but--"

"Don't talk that way!" she broke in, harshly. "Thady, I'm sorry. Come back to the mine with me; forget this foolishness. I'm a fool of an old woman, that's all. I need ye at the mine, Thady."

He smiled a little. "Do you really mean it, Mrs. Crump? May I come back-after I have seen Mackintavers?"

"Come now! Don't go chasing off like a dratted mule. Come back with me now!"

"No." Shea looked away from her. He motioned toward the horses, their tails switching in the arrogant sunlight. He motioned toward the half-plowed field. "I'll finish this job first. Then, in a few days, I'll go and see Mackintavers. You see? I have to do it. The purpose has come to me; maybe it'll lead into something else. I don't know. After that, I'll come back to Number Sixteen and go to work, if you still want me."

"Yes," she said, humbly. "I'll need ye, Thady. I'm sorry ye won't come now."

She turned from him and walked down the canon. Around the bend, out of Shea's sight, she leaned against a bowlder. She was a woman, and G.o.d has given tears to women. Great sobs shook her for the first time in years.

Pa.s.sionate sobs were they, holding the pent-up emotion of a deep spirit that had broken through its mask of cynic harshness.

Presently Mrs. Crump recalled that, although she was beyond the sight of Thady Shea, she was in full view of the distant shack. Muttering that she was a dratted old fool, she wiped her eyes. She tucked in loosened wisps of hair about the edge of her bonnet. She pulled her bonnet straight and started for the dust-white flivver, beyond the shack.

Mrs. Crump found Fred Ross cheerfully whistling "Silver Threads Among the Gold" and finishing his house-cleaning.

"That there Thady Shea," she stated, harshly, "is the most amazing human critter I've ever run up against!"

Ross grinned amiably. "Meaning, ma'am?"

"Meaning you can figger it out for yourself. Adios!"

"Hold on, ma'am. Ain't you goin' to set a while?"

"I am not. I got work to do. So long, and good luck to ye!"

Ross insisted upon cranking the dust-white flivver, and she departed with no more words.

An hour later Thady Shea brought in the horses, and put them up for the night. He came into the house and helped Ross get supper. He commented on the house-cleaning with admiration. He discussed, from an amateur's standpoint, fencing the upper end of the canon against the proposed flock of sheep. He seemed to enjoy his supper hugely.

The meal over, both men lounged outside, smoking and watching the crimsoned peaks that overhung them.

"Mrs. Crump," observed Shea at last, "is the most generous, whole-souled woman I ever knew. She's a wonder, Ross!"

"She is," a.s.sented the rancher, dryly. "I suppose you're goin' to leave me?"

"Yes," said Shea, gravely. "After that upper flat is plowed."

"Tell you what. Wait till Sunday. I'm goin' to Magdalena then, to see a lady friend. Take ye in the car if you're goin' that way. Then I'll pay you-got to give you something for the work, Shea. So go to Magdalena with me Sunday."

"Mackintavers' ranch lies over there, doesn't it?"

"North. Yes."

"All right. That'll suit me."

CHAPTER XII-THE STONE G.o.dS VANISH

The loss of ten thousand dollars was not a negligible matter, even to Sandy Mackintavers, who was accustomed to gambling on a large scale.

Like a good gamester, he swallowed the bitter pill and said nothing.

However, the loss left a scar which, contrary to the custom of scars, grew more red and angry with each pa.s.sing week.

The realization that he had been outwitted and outgamed by the despised Mehitabel Crump was bad enough; the actual monetary loss made itself more gradually felt. However, Mackintavers knew that he would recoup tenfold once his hands gripped Number Sixteen. So, by means of various reports from Eastern sources, he discovered that Coravel Tio, the curio dealer of Santa Fe, was negotiating for the sale of the property, and held an interest in the mine. Over this, Mackintavers laughed long and loud-and perfected his plans for taking over Number Sixteen.

In the meantime, he gave his attention to the seven stone G.o.ds and his scientific reputation.