I had moved close behind Lane, and fancied I heard him say softly to himself: "I'll fix you so you'll be sorry for your little jokes by-and-by."

A diversion followed. Goodwill to myself, hatred of the usurer, and excitement, may perhaps have prompted them equally, for after the would-be purchaser's challenge those of my neighbors who had escaped better than the rest cl.u.s.tered about Steel, who had hard work to record the rolls of paper money thrust upon him. Hardly had his rival laid down a capacious wallet upon the table than Steel deposited the whole beside it.

"I guess that ought to cover my call, and now I want to see the man who called me irresponsible," he said. "That's enough to raise me, but to hint that any honest man would back up the thief of a mortgage holder is an insult to the prairie."

A roar of laughter and approval followed, but the laughter had an ominous ring in it; and I saw Sergeant Mackay, who had been sitting still as an equine statue in his saddle on the outskirts of the crowd, push his horse through the thickest of the shouting men. He called some by name, and bantered the rest; but there was a veiled warning behind his jest, and two other troopers, following him, managed to further separate the groups. The hint was unmistakable, and the shouting died away, while, as the auctioneer looked at the money before him, the man who had been bidding glanced covertly at Lane.

"If you are satisfied with the good faith of these gentlemen, I'll let my offer stand," he said.

"It doesn't count for much whether he does or not," said Haldane languidly. "I'll raise him two hundred and fifty."

"I'm not satisfied with his," broke in the irrepressible Steel. "I can't leave my money lying round right under that man's hand, Mr. Auctioneer.

No, sir; I won't feel easy until I've put it where it's safer. Besides, he called me a friend of the mortgage holder, and I'm waiting for an apology."

The stranger from the cities grew very red in face, and a fresh laugh, which was not all good-humor, went up from the crowd; but, as the auctioneer prepared to grapple with this new phase of affairs, a man in uniform reined in a gray horse beside the speaker, and looked down at him. There was a faint twinkle in his eyes, though the rest of his countenance was grim, and he laid a hard hand on the other's shoulder.

"Ye'll just wait a while longer, Charlie Steel," he said. "I'm thinking ye will at least be held fully responsible for anything calculated to cause a breach of the peace."

Thereafter the bidding proceeded without interruption, Haldane and his rival advancing by fifties or hundreds of dollars, while, when the prairie syndicate's united treasury was exhausted, which happened very soon, a few other strangers joined in. Meanwhile, the suspense had grown almost insupportable to me. That I must lose disastrously was certain now, but I clung to the hope that I might still start at Crane Valley clear of debt. Haldane was bidding with manifest indifference, and at last he stopped.

The auctioneer, calling the price out, looked at him, but Carson Haldane shook his head, and said, with unusual distinctness: "The other gentlemen may have it. I have gone further than I consider justifiable already."

I saw Lane glance at him with a puzzled expression, and next moment try to signal the stranger, who was clearly in league with him, and fail in the attempt to attract his attention. Then I held my breath, for, after two more reluctant bids, there was only silence when the auctioneer repeated the last offer.

"Is there anyone willing to exceed this ridiculous figure? It's your last chance, gentlemen. Going, going----" And my hopes died out as he dropped the hammer.

"Nothing left but to make the best of it," said Steel; which was very poor consolation, for I could see nothing good at all in the whole affair.

There was much brisker bidding for the implements, working oxen, and remnant of the stock, which were within the limits of my neighbors, and who did their best; but the prices realized were by comparison merely a drop in the bucket, and I turned away disconsolate, knowing that the worst I feared had come to pa.s.s. All the borrowed money had been sunk in the improvement of that property, and now the mortgage holder, who had even before the sale been almost repaid, owned the whole of it, land and improvements, and still held a lien on me for a balance of the debt.

Haldane met me presently, and his tone was cordial as he said: "Where are you thinking of spending the night?"

"At Crane Valley with the others," I answered shortly. "Steel and my foreman are going to help me to restart there."

"I want you to come over to Bonaventure for a few days instead," he said. "A little rest and change will brace you for the new campaign, and I am all alone, except for my younger daughter."

I looked him squarely in the face, seeing that frankness was best. "My wits are not very keen to-day, and I am a little surprised," I said.

"May I ask why you bid at all for my recent property? You must have known it was worth much more than your apparent limit."

Haldane smiled good-humoredly; but, in spite of this, his face was inscrutable. "'When I might at least have run the price up,' you wish to add. Well, I had to redeem a promise made somewhat against my better judgment, and I stopped--when it seemed advisable. This, as you may discover, Ormesby, is not the end of the affair, and, if I could have helped you judiciously, you may be sure that I would. In the meantime, are you coming back to Bonaventure with me?"

He had told me practically nothing, and yet I trusted him, while the knowledge that his daughter had bidden him take measures on my behalf was very soothing. After all, Beatrice Haldane had not forgotten me. "It is very kind of you, and I should be glad to do so, sir," I said.

I found Lane at the table as soon as the sale was over, and he held out a sheet of paper. "You can verify the totals at leisure, but you will see it leaves a balance due me," he said. "It is rather a pity, but the new purchaser requires immediate possession, though he might allow you to use the house to-night. Ah! here he is to speak for himself."

The stranger, who indorsed the statement, looked first at Lane and then at me in sidelong fashion. There was nothing remarkable about him except that he had hardly the appearance of a practical farmer, but the malicious enjoyment his master's eyes expressed, and something in his voice, set my blood on fire. Indeed, I was in a humor to turn on my best friend just then.

"Nothing would induce me to enter a house which belonged to--you," I said, turning to Lane. "So far you have won hands down; but neither you nor your tool has quite consummated your victory. I shall see both of you sorry you ever laid your grasping hands on this property."

"You may be right in one way," answered Lane. "You'll remember what happened to the fool bullfrog, and you're looking tolerably healthy yet."

I had hardly spoken before I regretted it. The words were useless and puerile; but my indignation demanded some outlet. In any case, Lane shrugged his shoulders and the other man grinned, while I had clearly spoken more loudly than I intended, for several bystanders applauded, and when I moved away Sergeant Mackay overtook me. "I'm surprised at ye, Rancher Ormesby," he said. "Ye have not shown your usual discretion."

"I would not change it for yours," I answered. "It is evidently insufficient to warn you that there are times when preaching becomes an impertinence."

Mackay only shook his head. He wheeled his horse, and, with two troopers behind him, rode towards the wagon which Lane was mounting. A deep growl of execration went up, and the farewell might have been warmer but for the troopers' presence. As it was, he turned and ironically saluted the sullenly wrathful crowd as the light wagon lurched away across the prairie. Then I was left homeless, and was glad to feel Haldane's touch on my arm. "Light this cigar and jump in. The team are getting impatient, and Lucille will be wondering what has kept us so long," he said.

CHAPTER XIII

AN UNFORTUNATE PROMISE

Haldane could command any man's attention when he chose to exert himself, and, I fancied, made a special effort on my behalf during his homeward journey. As a result of this I almost forgot that I was a homeless and practically ruined man as I listened to his shrewd predictions concerning the future of that region, or occasionally ventured to point out improbabilities in some of them. The depression, however, returned with double force when we came into sight of Bonaventure soon after dusk, and with it a curious reluctance to face the young mistress of the homestead.

Lucille Haldane was my junior by several years. Indeed, on our first meeting I had considered her little more than a girl, but since then a respect for her opinions, and a desire to retain her approval, had been growing upon me. Perhaps it was because her opinions more or less coincided with my own, but this fact would not account for the undeniable thrill of pleasure which had followed her nave announcement that she believed in me. Hitherto, with one exception, I had figured before her as a successful man, and I positively shrank from appearing as one badly beaten and brought down by his own overconfident folly. I remembered how she once said: "You must not disappoint us."

This seemed wholly absurd, but the worst bitterness I had yet experienced made itself felt when Haldane pulled up his team, and, pointing to a figure on the threshold of his homestead, said: "Lucille must have been getting impatient. She is watching for us."

I allowed him to precede me by as long a s.p.a.ce as possible, while I lingered to a.s.sist the hired man with a refractory buckle, and then it was with an effort I braced myself for the interview. Haldane had vanished into the house, but the slight, graceful figure still waited upon the threshold, and I wondered, with a strange anxiety, what his daughter would say to me.

The question was promptly answered, for, as I entered the hall, feeling horribly ashamed and with doubtless a very wooden face, Lucille Haldane held out both hands to me. Her manner was half-shy, wholly compa.s.sionate, and I stood quite still a while comforted by the touch of the little soft fingers which I held fast within my own. Then she said very simply: "I am so sorry, but you will have better fortune yet."

A lamp hung close above us, and it was, perhaps, as well that it did, for the relief which followed the quiet words that vibrated with sincerity was more inimical to rational behavior than the previous causeless hesitation. Lucille Haldane looked more girlish than ever and most bewitchingly pretty as, glancing up at me, partly startled by my fervent grasp, she drew her hands away. She seemed the incarnation of innocence, freshness, and gentle sympathy, and, perhaps as a result of the strain lately undergone, there came upon me an insane desire to stoop and kiss her as, or so at least it seemed, a brother might have done.

She may have grown suspicious, for feminine perceptions are keen, and, though the movement was graceful and not precipitate, a distance of several feet divided us next moment, and we stood silent, looking at each other, while my heart beat at what appeared double its usual rate.

"You have given me new hope, and those were the kindest words I have ever heard," I said. "I think you meant them."

Lucille Haldane's manner changed. The change was indefinite, but it existed, and it was with a smile she answered me. "Of course I did. One does not generally trouble to deceive one's friends; and we are friends, are we not, Mr. Ormesby?"

"No one could desire a better, and I hope we shall always remain so," I answered, with an attempt at a bow; and the girl, turning, preceded me into the big central hall.

"What kept you so long, Ormesby? One could almost have fancied you had become possessed of an unusual bashfulness," said Haldane, when we came in; and I glanced apologetically at his daughter before I answered him.

"Something of the kind happened, and my excuse is that I had very little cause for self-confidence. Now, however, I am only ashamed of the hesitation."

"You deserve to be," said Haldane, with a mock severity which veiled a certain pride. "Fortunately, the young mistress of Bonaventure atones for her father's shortcomings, and so long as she rules there will always be a welcome for anybody in adversity here, as well as the best we can give to hara.s.sed friends. It is a convenient arrangement, for while, according to my unsuccessful rivals, I grow rich by paralyzing industries and unscrupulous gambling upon the markets, Lucille a.s.sists me to run up a counter score by proxy."

The girl's face flushed a little, and it was pleasant to see the quick indignation sparkle in her eyes. "You never did anything unscrupulous; and I do not think we are very rich," she said.

One might have fancied that Haldane was gratified, though he smiled whimsically and turned in my direction as he answered: "The last a.s.sertion, at least, is true if it proves anything, for it is tolerably hard to acquire even a competence nowadays by strictly honest means, isn't it, Ormesby? You, however, do not know the inconvenience of having an uncomfortably elevated standard fixed for one to live up to, and I am seriously contemplating a reckless attack on some national industry to prove its impossibility."

The girl's confidence in her father was supreme, for, though this time she laughed, it was evident she did not believe a word of this. "It is well you are known by your actions and not your speeches," she said.

"There are commercial combinations which deserve to be attacked.

Why"--and her tone grew serious enough--"do you not crush the man or men who are doing so much mischief in our vicinity?"