Ranson's Folly (Fiscle Part 3) - Richard Harding Davis (reading diary .txt) 📗
- Author: Richard Harding Davis
Book online «Ranson's Folly (Fiscle Part 3) - Richard Harding Davis (reading diary .txt) 📗». Author Richard Harding Davis
"Breakfast!" Stammered Ranson. "No. The Guard Brought Some, But I
Couldn't Eat It. This Thing Has Taken The Life Out Of Me--To Think
Sane, Sensible People--My Own People--Could Believe That I'd Steal,
That I'd Kill A Man For Money."
"Yes, I Know," Said Miss Cahill Soothingly; "But You've Not Had Any
Sleep, And You Need Your Coffee." She Lifted The Lid Of The Basket.
"It's Getting Cold," She Said. "Don't You Worry About What People
Think. You Must Remember You're A Prisoner Now Under Arrest. You
Can't Expect The Officers To Run Over Here As Freely As They Used To.
What Do You Want?" She Laughed. "Do You Think The Colonel Should
Parade The Band And Give You A Serenade?" For A Moment Ranson Stared
At Her Dully, And Then His Sense Of Proportion Returned To Him. He
Threw Back His Head And Laughed With Her Joyfully.
From Verandas, Barracks, And Headquarters, The Four Hundred Pairs Of
Eyes Noted This Evidence Of Heartlessness With Varied Emotions. But,
Unmindful Of Them, Ranson Now Leaned Forward, The Eager, Searching
Look Coming Back Into His Black Eyes. They Were So Close To Mary
Cahill's That She Drew Away. He Dropped His Voice To A Whisper And
Spoke Swiftly.
"Miss Cahill, Whatever Happens To Me I Won't Forget This. I Won't
Forget Your Coming Here And Throwing Heart Into Me. You Were The Only
One Who Did. I Haven't Asked You If You Believe That I--"
She Raised Her Eyes Reproachfully And Smiled. "You Know You Don't
Have To Do That," She Said.
The Prisoner Seized The Palings As Though He Meant To Pull Apart The
Barrier Between Them. He Drew A Long Breath Like One Inhaling A
Draught Of Clean Morning Air.
"No," He Said, His Voice Ringing, "I Don't Have To Do That."
He Cast A Swift Glance To The Left And Right. The Sentry's Bayonet
Was Just Disappearing Behind The Corner Of The Hut. To The Four
Hundred Other Eyes Around The Parade-Ground Lieutenant Ranson's
Attitude Suggested That He Was Explaining To Cahill's Daughter What
He Wanted For His Luncheon. His Eyes Held Her As Firmly As Though The
Palings He Clasped Were Her Two Hands.
"Mary," He Said, And The Speaking Of Her Name Seemed To Stop The
Beating Of His Heart. "Mary," He Whispered, As Softly As Though He
Were Beginning A Prayer, "You're The Bravest, The Sweetest, The
Dearest Girl In All The World. And I've Known It For Months, And Now
You Must Know. And There'll Never Be Any Other Girl In My Life But
You."
Mary Cahill Drew Away From Him In Doubt And Wonder.
"I Didn't Mean To Tell You Just Yet," He Whispered, "But Now That
I've Seen You I Can't Help It. I Knew It Last Night When I Stood Back
There And Watched Your Windows, And Couldn't Think Of This Trouble,
Part 3 Title 1 (Ranson's Folly) Pg 29Nor Of Anything Else, But Just You. And You've Got To Promise Me, If
I Get Out Of This All Right--You Must--Must Promise Me--"
Mary Cahill's Eyes, As She Raised Them To His, Were Moist And
Glowing. They Promised Him With A Great Love And Tenderness. But At
The Sight Ranson Protested Wildly.
"No," He Whispered, "You Mustn't Promise--Anything. I Shouldn't Have
Asked It. After I'm Out Of This, After The Court-Martial, Then You've
Got To Promise That You'll Never, Never Leave Me."
Miss Cahill Knit Her Hands Together And Turned Away Her Head. The
Happiness In Her Heart Rose To Her Throat Like A Great Melody And
Choked Her. Before Her, Exposed In The Thin Spring Sunshine, Was The
Square Of Ugly Brown Cottages, The Bare Parade-Ground, In Its Centre
Trumpeter Tyler Fingering His Bugle, And Beyond On Every Side An
Ocean Of Blackened Prairie. But She Saw Nothing Of This. She Saw
Instead A Beautiful World Opening Its Arms To Her, A World Smiling
With Sunshine, Glowing With Color, Singing With Love And Content.
She Turned To Him With All That Was In Her Heart Showing In Her Face.
"Don't!" He Begged, Tremblingly, "Don't Answer. I Couldn't Bear It--
If You Said 'No' To Me." He Jerked His Head Toward The Men Who
Guarded Him. "Wait Until I'm Tried, And Not In Disgrace." He Shook
The Gate Between Them Savagely As Though It Actually Held Him A
Prisoner.
Mary Cahill Raised Her Head Proudly.
"You Have No Right. You've Hurt Me," She Whispered. "You Hurt Me."
"Hurt You?" He Cried.
She Pressed Her Hands Together. It Was Impossible To Tell Him, It Was
Impossible To Speak Of What She Felt; Of The Pride, Of The Trust And
Love, To Disclose This New And Wonderful Thing While The Gate Was
Between Them, While The Sentries Paced On Either Side, While The
Curious Eyes Of The Garrison Were Fastened Upon Her.
"Oh, Can't You See?" She Whispered. "As Though I Cared For A Court-
Martial! I Know You. You Are Just The Same. You Are Just What You
Have Always Been To Me--What You Always Will Be To Me."
She Thrust Her Hand Toward Him And He Seized It In Both Of His, And
Then Released It Instantly, And, As Though Afraid Of His Own Self-
Control, Backed Hurriedly From Her, And She Turned And Walked Rapidly
Away.
Captain Carr, Who Had Been Ranson's Captain In The Philippines, And
Who Was Much His Friend, Had Been Appointed To Act As His Counsel.
When Later That Morning He Visited His Client To Lay Out A Line Of
Defence He Found Ranson Inclined To Treat The Danger Which Threatened
Him With The Most Arrogant Flippancy. He Had Never Seen Him In A More
Part 3 Title 1 (Ranson's Folly) Pg 30Objectionable Mood.
"You Can Call The Charge 'Tommy-Rot' If You Like," Carr Protested,
Sharply. "But, Let Me Tell You That's Not The View Any One Else Takes
Of It, And If You Expect The Officers Of The Court-Martial And The
Civil Authorities To Take That View Of It You've Got To Get Down To
Work And Help Me Prove That It Is 'Tommy Rot.' That Miss Post, As
Soon As She Got Here, When She Thought It Was Only A Practical Joke,
Told Them That The Road Agent Threatened Her With A Pair Of Shears.
Now, Crosby And Curtis Will Testify That You Took A Pair Of Shears
From Cahill's, And From What Miss Post Saw Of Your Ring She Can
Probably Identify That, Too; So--"
"Oh, We Concede The Shears," Declared Ranson, Waving His Hand
Grandly. "We Admit The First Hold-Up."
"The Devil We Do!" Returned Carr. "Now, As Your Counsel, I Advise
Nothing Of The Sort."
"You Advise Me To Lie?"
"Sir!" Exclaimed Carr. "A Plea Of Not Guilty Is Only A Legal Form.
When You Consider That The First Hold-Up In Itself Is Enough To Lose
You Your Commission--"
"Well, It's My Commission," Said Ranson. "It Was Only A Silly Joke,
Anyway. And The War Department Must Have Some Sense Of Humor Or It
Wouldn't Have Given Me A Commission In The First Place. Of Course,
We'll Admit The First Hold-Up, But We Won't Stand For The Second One.
I Had No More To Do With That Than With The Whitechapel Murders."
"How Are We To Prove That?" Demanded Carr. "Where's Your Alibi? Where
Were You After The First Hold-Up?"
"I Was Making For Home As Fast As I Could Cut," Said Ranson. He
Suddenly Stopped In His Walk Up And Down The Room And Confronted His
Counsel Sternly. "Captain," He Demanded, "I Wish You To Instruct Me
On A Point Of Law."
Carr's Brow Relaxed. He Was Relieved To Find That Ranson Had Awakened
To The Seriousness Of The Charges Against Him.
"That's What I'm Here For," He Said, Encouragingly.
"Well, Captain," Said Ranson, "If An Officer Is Under Arrest As I Am
And Confined To His Quarters, Is He Or Is He Not Allowed To Send To
The Club For A Bottle Of Champagne?"
"Really, Ranson!" Cried The Captain, Angrily, "You Are Impossible."
"I Only Want To Celebrate," Said Ranson, Meekly. "I'm A Very Happy
Man; I'm The Happiest Man On Earth. I Want To Ride Across The Prairie
Shooting Off Both Guns And Yelling Like A Cowboy. Instead Of Which I
Am Locked Up Indoors And Have To Talk To You About A Highway Robbery
Part 3 Title 1 (Ranson's Folly) Pg 31Which Does Not Amuse Me, Which Does Not Concern Me--And Of Which I
Know Nothing And Care Less. Now, You Are Detailed To Prove Me
Innocent. That's Your Duty, And You Ought To Do Your Duty, But Don't
Drag Me In. I've Got Much More Important Things To Think About."
Bewilderment, Rage, And Despair Were Written Upon The Face Of The
Captain.
"Ranson!" He Roared. "Is This A Pose, Or Are You Mad? Can't You
Understand That You Came Very Near To Being Hanged For Murder And
That You Are In Great Danger Of Going To Jail For Theft? Let Me Put
Before You The Extremely Unpleasant Position In Which You Have Been
Ass Enough To Place Yourself. You Don't Quite Seem To Grasp It. You
Tell Two Brother-Officers That You Are Going To Rob The Stage. To Do
So You Disguise Yourself In A Poncho And A Red Handkerchief, And You
Remove The Army-Stirrups From Your Stirrup-Leathers. You Then Do Rob
This Coach, Or At Least Hold It Up, And You Are Recognized. A Few
Minutes Later, In The Same Trail And In The Same Direction You Have
Taken, There Is A Second Hold-Up, This Time Of The Paymaster. The Man
Who Robs The Paymaster Wears A Poncho And A Red Kerchief, And He Has
No Stirrups In His Stirrup-Leathers. The Two Hold-Ups Take Place
Within A Half-Mile Of Each Other, Within Five Minutes Of Each Other.
Now, Is It Reasonable To Believe That Last Night Two Men Were Hiding
In The Buttes Intent Upon Robbery, Each In An Army Poncho, Each
Wearing A Red Bandanna Handkerchief, And Each Riding Without
Stirrups? Between Believing In Such A Strange Coincidence And That
You Did It, I'll Be Hanged If I Don't Believe You Did It."
"I Don't Blame You," Said Ranson. "What Can I Do To Set Your Mind At
Rest?"
"Well, Tell Me Exactly What Persons Knew That You Meant To Hold Up
The Stage."
"Curtis And Crosby; No One Else."
"Not Even Cahill?"
"No, Cahill Came In Just Before I Said
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