The Emerald Trail by Max Brand

Author:Max Brand [Brand, Max]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Western
Publisher: Roy Glashan's Library
Published: 2020-11-03T23:00:00+00:00

VII. — CHUCK RIDES ALONE

A MESSENGER was there with a sweating horse behind him. He jerked up the brim of his hat when he saw her and presented a note.

“From Joe Purchass,” he said. “How are ye, Miss Harvey?”

“Fine. Come in, Charlie.”

“Can’t do it. Got strict orders. Minute I get this into your hands, I’m to turn around and come back to Purchass pronto. Can’t even stop for a drink of water or”—here he craned his neck and sniffed enviously—“coffee. So long and good luck, Miss Harvey.”

He was into the saddle in a flash, and the broncho wheeled in true cow-horse style and darted out of view. The girl ripped open the envelope anxiously. She read with a frown at first and then with an exclamation of wonder. She tossed the letter aside and faced Chuck with heightened color.

“I wonder that you’re still sitting there,” she cried, “after the way I’ve treated you … and after what you’ve done for me. I’ve a letter from Joe Purchass there. He tells me everything … in short … that you’ve done. Well … what you’ve done is fine … mighty fine.”

She went straight to him and shook his hand with almost the strength of a man. And all the time her eyes were shining with such a light that Chuck found it hard to meet them squarely. All in a moment, then, she released his hand, made him sit down again, and took the opposite chair.

“I’ve been ready to think that everybody except Joe Purchass is a crook. But now I see I was wrong … and, oh, I’m glad of it. But he barely hinted at what you’ve done. I want you to tell me everything … everything.”

Chuck shook his head. “Can’t do it,” he said. “I just sort of followed my nose, and here I am. You see?”

The girl laughed, delighted again.

“Sometimes I think that men and women are a good deal alike, after all. But just when I’m almost convinced of it, along comes someone like you, Chuck Neilan, and shows me that I’m a thousand times wrong. Well, don’t tell me, then, if you don’t want to … but let’s go back to what you said about The … The Wolf.” She hesitated before she could enunciate that nightmare name. “Did you mean what you said about him?”

“It’s what I got out of Chalmers,” confessed Chuck. “And he … well, when Chalmers was talking, he wasn’t in no mood to tell no more truth than he could help. Maybe he just threw in that about The Wolf by guess work. He said that he simply thought it might be The Wolf, because The Wolf worked so plumb smooth, and this gent that’s bothering you ain’t any bungler himself.”

“Was that the only reason?” said the girl, sighing with relief.

“It was enough to start me going,” said Chuck Neilan gravely. “It was enough reason to seem sound to me. And here I am ready for work, Miss Harvey, if you’ll put me to work.

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