the Long, Long Trail (1923) by Brand Max

Author:Brand, Max [Brand, Max]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2011-02-26T22:47:02.763000+00:00

Chapter 12

When she went out at last, she carried her head with a high stubbornness and walked bravely into the living room. Elizabeth was not there; she was tending the wounded man. And the rest of the posse was either gone home or had found quarters in the house. But the two sheriffs sat opposite each other. They scowled at Mary when she came in; only from Morgan Valentine did she receive the faint glimmer of a smile. As for Mrs. Valentine, she turned upon her niece a somber glance that betided no good.

"A pretty night's work for you, Mary Valentine," she said. "Turning your uncle's house into a refuge for outlaws--and getting a man shot. All your work, too, Mary. And I'd like to know what you got to say to Sheriff Claney--and Sheriff Caswell, that's come so far all to be fooled by your doings."

"Hush, Mother," said Morgan Valentine. "That's a little too much."

"Don't bother about me," said Sheriff Caswell gloomily. "I don't hold no spite agin' the young lady--which I never knew womenfolk yet that didn't take the side of the underdog."

"More power to the women!" muttered Morgan Valentine.

"Right!" observed Sheriff Caswell with surprising calmness. "I wouldn't wish my own girl to help corner a man. No, sir. And I don't hold no grudge, young lady, though you did lie most amazing for that fox Dreer."

Mary Valentine stood where the firelight could play full on her face--and there is nothing like firelight to bring out the luminous tenderness of a woman's eyes. She cast out her hands toward the two men she had disappointed.

"How could I help it?" she said. "There were so many of you. And he was alone!"

They would have been more than men if they had not melted to some degree. Indeed, Mary would have done well on the stage.

"And yet I suppose," she said, slipping into a chair, "that he's a scoundrel; a worthless rascal!"

Mary was not very old, and, I suppose, she was not very wise; but she understood that the way to guide a man is to oppose him.

"Really," she said, "the moment I looked at Jess Dreer I knew that he was worthless."

It caused Sheriff Caswell to take fire immediately, and inwardly she rejoiced.

"Then you know more'n I do," he muttered.

"But haven't you chased him a thousand miles?"

"I had to. I dunno just how many thousand they is on his head. It ain't the money I want, but if I can get rid of Jess Dreer--why, they ain't much chance of another bad one ever crossing my trail. They'd keep clear of my country if they knowed that I'd run Jess Dreer to the ground."

Mary Valentine shivered. She gazed with open admiration on the sheriff.

"It must take courage," she murmured, "to follow a cold-blooded murderer!"

The sheriff looked at her. He was not displeased by her admiration, but he felt that he must put this very absolute young woman in her place.

"If you call him cool," he said, "why, I call him that, too.

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