The Rainbow Trail by Zane Grey (best sales books of all time txt) 📗

“Saw you in the hall,” said Joe. “Hell—wasn't it?”

“Joe, I never knew how much I dared say to you, so I don't talk much. But, it was hell,” replied Shefford.

“You needn't be so scared of me,” spoke up Joe, testily.

That was the first time Shefford had heard the Mormon speak that way.

“I'm not scared, Joe. But I like you—respect you. I can't say so much of—of your people.”

“Did you stick out the whole mix?” asked Joe.

“No. I had enough when—when they got through with Mary.” Shefford spoke low and dropped his head. He heard the Mormon grind his teeth. There was silence for a little space while neither man looked at the other.

“Reckon the judge was pretty decent,” presently said Joe.

“Yes, I thought so. He might have—” But Shefford did not finish that sentence. “How'd the thing end?”

“It ended all right.”

“Was there no conviction—no sentence?” Shefford felt a curious eagerness.

“Naw,” he snorted. “That court might have saved its breath.”

“I suppose. Well, Joe, between you and me, as old friends now, that trial established one fact, even if it couldn't be proved.... Those women are sealed wives.”

Joe had no reply for that. He looked gloomy, and there was a stern line in his lips. To-day he seemed more like a Mormon.

“Judge Stone knew that as well as I knew,” went on Shefford. “Any man of penetration could have seen it. What an ordeal that was for good women to go through! I know they're good. And there they were swearing to—”

“Didn't it make me sick?” interrupted Joe in a kind of growl. “Reckon it made Judge Stone sick, too. After Mary went under he conducted that trial like a man cuttin' out steers at a round-up. He wanted to get it over. He never forced any question.... Bad job to ride down Stonebridge way! It's out of creation. There's only six men in the party, with a poor lot of horses. Really, government officers or not, they're not safe. And they've taken a hunch.”

“Have they left already?” inquired Shefford.

“Were packed an hour ago. I didn't see them go, but somebody said they went. Took the trail for Bluff, which sure is the only trail they could take, unless they wanted to go to Colorado by way of Kayenta. That might have been the safest trail.”

“Joe, what might happen to them?” asked Shefford, quietly, with eyes on the Mormon.

“Aw, you know that rough trail. Bad on horses. Weathered slopes—slipping ledges—a rock might fall on you any time. Then Shadd's here with his gang. And bad Piutes.”

“What became of the women?” Shefford asked, 'presently.

“They're around among friends.”

“Where are their children?”

“Left over there with the old women. Couldn't be fetched over. But there are some pretty young babies in that bunch—need their mothers.”

“I should—think so,” replied Shefford, constrainedly. “When will their mothers get back to them?”

“To-night, maybe, if this mob of cow-punchers and wranglers get out of town.... It's a bad mix, Shefford, here's a hunch on that. These fellows will get full of whisky. And trouble might come if they—approach the women.”

“You mean they might get drunk enough to take the oaths of those poor women—take the meaning literally—pretend to believe the women what they swore they were?”

“Reckon you've got the hunch,” replied Joe, gloomily.

“My God! man, that would be horrible!” exclaimed Shefford.

“Horrible or not, it's liable to happen. The women can be kept here yet awhile. Reckon there won't be any trouble here. It'll be over there in the valley. Shefford, getting the women over there safe is a job that's been put to me. I've got a bunch of fellows already. Can I count on you? I'm glad to say you're well thought of. Bishop Kane liked you, and what he says goes.”

“Yes, Joe, you can count on me,” replied Shefford.

They finished their meal then and repaired to the big office-room of the house. Several groups of men were there and loud talk was going on outside. Shefford saw Withers talking to Bishop Kane and two other Mormons, both strangers to Shefford. The trader appeared to be speaking with unwonted force, emphasizing his words with energetic movements of his hands.

“Reckon something's up,” whispered Joe, hoarsely. “It's been in the air all day.”

Withers must have been watching for Shefford.

“Here's Shefford now,” he said to the trio of Mormons, as Joe and Shefford reached the group. “I want you to hear him speak for himself.”

“What's the matter?” asked Shefford.

“Give me a hunch and I'll put in my say-so,” said Joe Lake.

“Shefford, it's the matter of a good name more than a job,” replied the trader. “A little while back I told the bishop I meant to put you on the pack job over to the valley—same as when you first came to me. Well, the bishop was pleased and said he might put something in your way. Just now I ran in here to find you—not wanted. When I kicked I got the straight hunch. Willetts has said things about you. One of them—the one that sticks in my craw—was that you'd do anything, even pretend to be inclined toward Mormonism, just to be among those Mormon women over there. Willetts is your enemy. And he's worse than I thought. Now I want you to tell Bishop Kane why this missionary is bitter toward you.”

“Gentlemen, I knocked him down,” replied Shefford, simply.

“What for?” inquired the bishop, in surprise and curiosity.

Shefford related the incident which had occurred at Red Lake and that now seemed again to come forward fatefully.

“You insinuate he had evil intent toward the Indian girl?” queried Kane.

“I insinuate nothing. I merely state what led to my acting as I did.”

“Principles of religion, sir?”

“No. A man's principles.”

Withers interposed in his blunt way, “Bishop, did you ever see Glen Naspa?”

“No.”

“She's the prettiest Navajo in the country. Willetts was after her, that's all.”

“My dear man, I can't believe that of a Christian missionary. We've known Willetts for years. He's a man of influence. He has money back of him. He's doing a good work. You hint of a love relation.”