Ranching For Sylvia Volume-554 - Harold Bindloss (best black authors TXT) 📗

Made Up Your Mind?"

 

"Yes; I Must Go On, If I Go Alone."

 

The Man, As The Others Recognized, Had No Intention Of Being Dramatic,

Volume 554 Chapter 12 (George Faces Disaster) Pg 86

But His Quiet Announcement Had Its Effect, And There Was Silence For A

Moment Or Two.  Then Edgar, Who Was Impatient Of Any Display Of Strong

Feeling, Made An Abrupt Movement.

 

"After All," He Said Cheerfully, "You'll Have Mrs. Nelson Beside You,

And I'm Inclined To Think She Would Enliven Any Solitude."

 

Hardie Smiled, And The Lad Continued:

 

"Now We Had, Perhaps, Better Be Practical And Consider How To Get Over

The Difficulties."

 

He Grew Less Discursive When They Fell In With His Suggestion.  George

Possessed Sound Sense And Some Power Of Leading, And For A While They

Were Busy Elaborating A Plan Of Campaign, In Which His Advice Was

Largely Deferred To.  Then There Was An Interruption, For Grierson, His

Hired Man, Came In.

 

"I Was Hauling Hay From The Big Sloo When I Saw The Hereford Bull," He

Said.  "He Was By Himself And Bleeding From The Shoulder.  Thought I'd

Better Bring Him Home, Though He Walked Very Lame."

 

"Ah!" Exclaimed George Sharply.  "I'll Come And Look At Him."

 

The Others Followed And On Reaching The Wire-Fenced Corral They Found

The Animal Lying Down, With Its Forequarter Stained With Blood.  George

Sent For Some Water, And He Soon Found The Wound, Which Was Very Small

And Round.

 

"It's A Curious Mark," Hardie Commented.

 

"Yes," Said George; "It's A Bullet Hole."

 

The Surprise Of The Others Was Obvious.

 

"I Think It's A Hint," George Explained.  "We'll Try To Get Him On His

Feet."

 

They Succeeded, And When The Beast Had Been Led Into A Stall, George

Turned To Hardie.

 

"As You Said You Wouldn't Stay The Night, Would You Mind Starting For

The Settlement Now?  The Livery Stable Fellow Is Said To Be Clever At

Veterinary Work; You Might Send Him Out, An

But His Quiet Announcement Had Its Effect, And There Was Silence For A

Moment Or Two.  Then Edgar, Who Was Impatient Of Any Display Of Strong

Feeling, Made An Abrupt Movement.

 

"After All," He Said Cheerfully, "You'll Have Mrs. Nelson Beside You,

And I'm Inclined To Think She Would Enliven Any Solitude."

 

Hardie Smiled, And The Lad Continued:

 

"Now We Had, Perhaps, Better Be Practical And Consider How To Get Over

The Difficulties."

 

He Grew Less Discursive When They Fell In With His Suggestion.  George

Possessed Sound Sense And Some Power Of Leading, And For A While They

Were Busy Elaborating A Plan Of Campaign, In Which His Advice Was

Largely Deferred To.  Then There Was An Interruption, For Grierson, His

Hired Man, Came In.

 

"I Was Hauling Hay From The Big Sloo When I Saw The Hereford Bull," He

Said.  "He Was By Himself And Bleeding From The Shoulder.  Thought I'd

Better Bring Him Home, Though He Walked Very Lame."

 

"Ah!" Exclaimed George Sharply.  "I'll Come And Look At Him."

 

The Others Followed And On Reaching The Wire-Fenced Corral They Found

The Animal Lying Down, With Its Forequarter Stained With Blood.  George

Sent For Some Water, And He Soon Found The Wound, Which Was Very Small

And Round.

 

"It's A Curious Mark," Hardie Commented.

 

"Yes," Said George; "It's A Bullet Hole."

 

The Surprise Of The Others Was Obvious.

 

"I Think It's A Hint," George Explained.  "We'll Try To Get Him On His

Feet."

 

They Succeeded, And When The Beast Had Been Led Into A Stall, George

Turned To Hardie.

 

"As You Said You Wouldn't Stay The Night, Would You Mind Starting For

The Settlement Now?  The Livery Stable Fellow Is Said To Be Clever At

Veterinary Work; You Might Send Him Out, And Mail A Note I'll Give You

To The Police."

 

Hardie Professed His Willingness To Be Of Service, And On Getting Into

His Buggy Said, With Some Hesitation:

 

"I'm Afraid You're Right In Your Suspicions, And I'm Particularly

Sorry.  In A Way, I'm Responsible For This."

 

George Smiled, Rather Grimly.

 

d Mail A Note I'll Give You

To The Police."

 

Hardie Professed His Willingness To Be Of Service, And On Getting Into

His Buggy Said, With Some Hesitation:

 

"I'm Afraid You're Right In Your Suspicions, And I'm Particularly

Sorry.  In A Way, I'm Responsible For This."

 

George Smiled, Rather Grimly.

 

Volume 554 Chapter 12 (George Faces Disaster) Pg 87

"One Can't Go Into A Fight Without Getting Hurt; And We Haven't Come To

The End Of It Yet.  This Affair Won't Cost You My Support."

 

The Clergyman's Eyes Sparkled As He Held Out His Hand.

 

"I Never Imagined It--You Have My Sympathy, Mr. Lansing.  It Would Give

Me The Greatest Pleasure To See The Cowardly Brute Who Fired That Shot

Brought To Justice."

 

He Drove Away, And George Went Moodily Back To The House With Edgar.

 

"That's A Man Who Has Had To Choose Between His Duty And His Interest,"

George Said; "But Just Now We Have Other Things To Think About.  It's A

Pity I Can't Get The Bullet Out Until Help Arrives."

 

The Livery Man Turned Up On The Following Day And Succeeded In

Extracting It; And Flett Made His Appearance The Morning After.  He

Examined The Wounded Animal.

 

"It May Have Been Done By Accident; But, If So, It's Curious The Beast

Should Have Been Hit Close To A Place Where It Would Have Killed Him,"

He Remarked.

 

"What's Your Private Opinion?" George Asked.

 

The Constable Smiled.

 

"As We Haven't Gone Very Far Yet, I'll Reserve It."  He Took Up The

Bullet.  "Winchester Or Marlin; Usual Caliber; Nothing To Be Made Of

That.  Now Let's Go And Take A Look At The Place Where The Shot Was

Fired."

 

They Traced Back The Path Of The Wounded Beast From The Spot Where

Grierson Had Found It, By The Red Splashes That Here And There Stained

The Short Grass Of The Unfenced Prairie.  At Last They Stopped Where

The Ground Was Broken By A Few Low Sandy Ridges Sprinkled With Small

Birches And Poplars, And Flett Pointed To The Mark Of Hoofs In A Strip

Of Almost Bare, Light Soil.

 

"This Is Where He Was Hit," He Said.  "You Can See How He Started Off,

Going As Hard As He Could.  Next, We've Got To Find The Spot The Man

Fired From."

 

It Proved Difficult.  The Dry Grass Revealed Nothing, And They Vainly

Searched Several Of The Neighboring Hillocks, Where It Grew Less

Thickly.  Scorching Sunshine Beat Down On Them And A Strong Breeze Blew

The Sand About.  At Length Flett Pointed To A Few Half-Obliterated

Footprints On The Bare Summit Of A Small Rise.

 

"The Fellow Stopped Here With His Feet Well Apart.  He'd Stand Like

That While He Put Up His Gun.  Sit Down And Smoke While I Copy These

Marks."

 

He Proceeded To Do So Carefully, Having Brought Some Paper From The

Volume 554 Chapter 12 (George Faces Disaster) Pg 88

Homestead.

 

"Have You Any Reason For Thinking It Was A Standing Shot He Took?"

George Asked.

 

"I Haven't; I Wish I Had.  Quite A Lot Depends Upon His Position."

 

George Nodded.

 

"So It Struck Me.  We'll Look Round For Some More Conclusive Signs When

You Have Finished."

 

Before This Happened.  Flora Grant Rode Up.

 

"I Was Going Back From Forster's When I Noticed You Moving About The

Hills," She Explained.  "I Made This Round To Find Out What You Were

Doing."

 

George Told Her, And Her Sympathy Was Obvious.

 

"I'm Very Sorry; But My Father Warned You," She Said.  "I'm Afraid

You're Finding This An Expensive Campaign."

 

"I Can Put Up With It, So Long As I Have My Friends' Support."

 

"I Think You Can Count On That," She Smiled.  "But What Is Flett's

Theory?"

 

"If He Has One, He's Clever At Hiding It," Edgar Broke In; "But I'm

Doubtful.  In My Opinion, He Knows The Value Of The Professional Air Of

Mystery."

 

"When I See Any Use In It, I Can Talk," Retorted Flett.  "What's Your

Notion, Mr. Lansing?  You Don't Agree That The Fellow Shot Your Beast

From Here?"

 

"No," Answered George.  "Of Course, There Are Only Two Explanations Of

The Thing, And The First Is That It Was An Accident.  In That Case, The

Fellow Must Have Been Out After Antelope Or Cranes."

 

"There's An Objection: It's Close Season; Though I Wouldn't Count Too

Much On That.  You Farmers Aren't Particular When There's Nobody

Around.  Now, It's Possible That A Man Who'd Been Creeping Up On An

Antelope Would Work In Behind This Rise And Take A Quick Shot,

Standing, When He Reached The Top Of It.  If So, I Guess He'd Have His

Eyes Only On What He Was Firing At.  Suppose He Missed, And Your Beast

Happened To Be In Line With Him?"

 

Flora Smiled.

 

"It's Not Convincing, Mr. Flett.  Seen From Here, The Bull Would Be In

The Open, Conspicuous Against White Grass And Sand."

 

"I Didn't Say The Thing Was Likely.  Won't You Go On, Mr. Lansing?"

Volume 554 Chapter 12 (George Faces Disaster) Pg 89

 

"The Other Explanation Is That The Fellow Meant To Kill Or Mark The

Bull; The Place Where It Was Hit Points To The Former.  If That Was His

Intention, He'd Lie Down Or Kneel To Get A Steadier Aim.  We Had Better

Look For The Spot."

 

They Spent Some Time Before Flett Thought He Had Found It.

 

"Somebody Lay Down Here, And The Bull Would Be Up Against A Background

Of Poplar Scrub," He Said.  "I'll Measure Off The Distance And Make A

Plan."

 

He Counted His Paces, And Had Set To Work With His Notebook, When Flora

Interrupted.

 

"Wouldn't A Sketch Be Better?  Give Me A Sheet Of Paper; And Has

Anybody Another Pencil?"

 

George Gave Her One, And After Walking Up And Down And Standing For A

Few Moments On A Low Mound, She Chose A Position And Began The Sketch.

It Was Soon Finished, But It Depicted The Scene With Distinctness, With

The Bull Standing In The Open