The Mesa Trail Read online

  CHAPTER XV--MACKINTAVERS MAKES FRIENDS

  Mrs. Crump was grimly jubilant. She had just killed, not far from theshack which she inhabited, a rattler. It was a peculiarly deadlyrattler, a big diamond-back, and its black-and-yellow body looked verybeautiful lying out in the morning sunlight.

  Mrs. Crump had killed that rattler most expertly; she had killed it withone snapping crack of a blacksnake whip. That one whip snap had coiledabout the rattler's head and had neatly decapitated the reptile.Somewhere among the rocks that head lay naked and ugly, jaws wide agape,white fangs gleaming like needles.

  Now, up on the long hogback, Mrs. Crump directed the work of getting outore, Lewis and Gilbert working steadily under her orders. There wasalready a goodly heap of ore ready for hauling. Mrs. Crump was awaitingthe arrival of Coravel Tio, whom she expected hourly; she had writtenCoravel Tio very explicitly, and was looking forward to making somemoney in the near future.

  When Coravel Tio arrived, they would arrange about getting a light truckto haul the ore to railroad, and they would arrange about selling theore. Coravel Tio would handle all such details. Actual production waswell under way, and inside of another month Mrs. Crump hoped to have agood force of men working. Provided, of course, that the mine was notsold outright.

  "Looks like he's a-coming." Gilbert swung out his hand toward the trailfrom No Agua. Shading her eyes, Mrs. Crump perceived a smudge of whitedust. An automobile was approaching.

  It was not Coravel Tio who came, however. It was Sandy Mackintavers,driven in a hired car from Magdalena.

  Mehitabel Crump was stiff-necked and uncompromising. She stood in thedoor of her shack, storm in her eyes, and waited grimly. Outside,sprawled on a bench that ran the length of the shack, Lewis and Gilbertsmoked and also waited, ready to act if called upon.

  Sandy Mackintavers left his automobile and approached the shack, quickto note the arrangements for his reception. He came up to the doorwaywhere Mrs. Crump awaited him. He removed his hat as he came, and moppedhis brow; the sun was pitiless, streaming down with direct and scorchingglare, absolute and insufferable. In another hour or two it would bemuch worse. Sandy Mackintavers held his hat in his left hand; heextended his right hand, square-fingered and strong, to Mrs. Crump.

  "Madam, I have come here as a friend. Will you shake hands with me?"

  "Not by a damn' sight!"

  Mrs. Crump's eyes were snapping dangerously. Her retort did not seem toaffect Mackintavers, however. His square-hewn features assumed an oddlyhypocritical expression of patient resignation. His hand remainedextended.

  "I must explain. Your friend Shea has repaid the money--you understand?"

  "Reckon I do. What about it?"

  "We had quite a conversation, Mrs. Crump. That man is a wonder! Yes'm.Most remarkable! I never did see things so clear as he made me see 'em,aiblins yes. If I may say so, I feel ashamed of myself. I've done someunhandsome things; aiblins, now, I'll turn around. I'm right sorry forsome things, Mrs. Crump. Will ye take my hand?"

  Now, if there was anything which could shake the uncompromisinghostility of Mrs. Crump, it was to hear her bitterest enemy praise ThadyShea. Aside from this, to hear Sandy Mackintavers express penitence forpast sins, even to hear him admit that he had sinned, was an astoundingthing. The incredibility of it was tremendous.

  That mention of Thady Shea softened Mrs. Crump. She realized that Thadyhad made a great impression, had made so great an impression that herewas Sandy Mackintavers, in the flesh, making apologies for past deeds!

  "Well, Sandy," she returned, bluntly, "I will say that I think ye to bemore or less of a skunk. Howsomever, I'll meet any man halfway--evenyou--when he talks that-a-way. I don't guess we'd ever be bosom friends,but I don't aim to be mean or ornery when a man's tryin' to be as whiteas his nature allows him. Here y'are."

  She seized his hand and shook it vigorously. Mackintavers looked ratherred about the face, as though her frank opinion of his character hadbitten into him.

  "Now, if you have time to be talkin' over a little matter o'business----"

  "About this here location?" Mrs. Crump's eyes began to snap again.

  "Yes."

  "Gilbert! Lewis! Come on in here. Meet Sandy Mackintavers. They'remembers o' the company, Sandy. They got claims along the canon, whichsame they turned in for stock. Stock ain't issued yet, but that's allright. Come on inside an' talk."

  The lady was truculent and openly suspicious; the two men werenarrow-eyed, hostile. Mackintavers seemed quite oblivious, and enteredthe shack. All four seated themselves. Mackintavers produced cigars.Mrs. Crump lighted her pipe and uttered a single emphatic word.

  "Shoot!"

  "You have a valuable mine here," said Mackintavers, without preamble. "Iwant to control it. I'm talking frank and laying my cards on the table,ma'am. First, let me give you folks an idea of the railroad situation."

  He briefly described the prevalent car shortage, with the reasonstherefore.

  "You'll get no ore cars until the war's over, and maybe not then," hepursued. "But I have a standing contract that can't be broken, for somany cars a month--and I'm getting them. Ye see? Aiblins, now, thatcontract's worth something; set your own figure on it. For the rest,I'll buy stock at your own price, a controlling interest."

  "Sandy, who'd ever trust you once ye got your nose into this thing?"Mrs. Crump laughed scornfully. "Not me!"

  "Then don't trust me," returned Sandy, meekly, although the veins in histemples swelled into blue cords. "Don't trust me. Hire your own lawyersto draw up the matter, protect your interests fully. Give me charge ofthe actual mine, and then sit back an' draw down the coin from yourinterest; savvy? If I'm not able to make millions out o' this here mine,I'll quit! Ain't that frank talk? Ain't I human? I tell ye, when thatman Shea came along and turned back that money, I learned something!"

  "Where's Thady Shea now?" demanded Mrs. Crump.

  "Went to St. Johns night before last, with Fred Ross and Bill Murray.Said he'd be here later, maybe. I like that man! Something about himkind o' draws you. Aiblins, he'd be grand in the legislature, now! Eh?Well, well, about this mine matter; as I say, use any means ye like. Idon't blame you for not trusting me. But it's a good thing and I'll buyinto it, savvy? Protect yourself, certainly. But why not let me buy intoit? I have a bit of influence; aiblins, now, I'd be able to helpproduction here an' there, and to furnish no end of money for the work."

  The snap had gone out of Mrs. Crump's blue eyes. They were suddenlywarm, kindly, unguarded. Thady Shea in the legislature! Why not? AndSandy was dead right. Everyone seemed to be drawn to Thady Shea.

  There was some subsequent discussion to which Mackintavers himself putan end.

  "Let it hang fire for a day or so, Mis' Crump. If ye don't mind, I'llhang around and look over the place and vicinity for my own self. MebbeShea will get back; the place is in his name, ain't it? Understood so."

  "Yes," assented Mrs. Crump, unthinking. "And each of us owns a thirdinterest, or at least, so it'll be arranged."

  "And the other third?" Mackintavers looked swiftly at her. "I heardsomethin' about a greaser up to Santy Fe making inquiries with Easternfirms about strontianite--that old curio dealer--Coravel Tio! He ain'tthe man, aiblins, now?"

  "Yes. He'll be here to-day, I hope. All right, Sandy, let her hang overa day or so. I don't know but what we might consider it."

  Mrs. Crump felt suddenly cold at that mention of Coravel Tio. How muchhad he discovered? He must have learned through Eastern connections thatCoravel Tio had been making inquiries. Was this pose of honesty a blind,or not? What lay behind this visit? Had anything happened to Thady Shea?

  She cursed herself furiously for having been beguiled even intolistening to Sandy Mackintavers. Yet--why not? His proposal offered noloophole for trickery. Mrs. Crump would have preferred to sell the placeentirely; but to retire in security and draw down fat dividends would bea very comfortable thing.

  Late in the afternoon arrived Coravel Tio. He was mildly surprised
tosee Mackintavers. He was urbane, shy, suave, and professed greatignorance of everything. He readily listened to the plan ofMackintavers, and discussed it; but he reserved any opinion on thematter.

  Mackintavers had sent his hired car back to Magdalena, and would bunkwith Gilbert and Lewis for the night. Coravel Tio had driven his owncar, which was fitted with a camping outfit. He made his own little campdown the canon.

  Late that evening, after all hands had retired to rest, Mrs. Crumppicked her way down the rocky slope and joined Coravel Tio, who satsmoking beside his car.

  "This here location is gettin' right crowded," she began, irritably,settling down and filling her corncob. "No chance even to speak a wordno more! Well, what d'ye think o' this scheme? Don't it look to you likeSandy was tryin' to catch us off balance and topple us over?"

  Coravel Tio showed his white teeth in a slow smile.

  "Senora, let us go slowly. Let us go slowly. I really do not think thatMackintavers intends that we should consider his offer seriously. Ithink he is tricky about it. Well, he is about to come to a very highprecipice, and is about to fall over that precipice; you see, I knowsomething. I have information of which he is not aware. I haveinformation which will prove very dangerous to him.

  "About the mine. I have corresponded with the Williams ManufacturingCompany of New Jersey, who are large manufacturers of chemical products.They will buy this location outright, should it prove up to the sampleswe sent. They are of the very highest standing and reputation; I havedealt with them for years. One of their men is due here any day; infact, he is overdue. His name is James Z. Premble. He will be empoweredto make full negotiations with us. Until he arrives, let us not worryabout Mackintavers."

  "Mebbe that's how come Sandy learned about your stake in the game; heknew you'd been correspondin' with somebody," and Mrs. Crump frowned."My land! He's in with a heap o' them mining sharps, Coravel. They knowall about each other."

  Coravel Tio smiled gently. "Very likely, senora. However, this firm isentirely above suspicion. Now, we must find your friend Shea at once;that is imperative. The property is recorded in his name, you remember."

  "Sandy knows that, too," said Mrs. Crump, her eyes troubled. "He knowstoo damned much, if you ask _me_!"

  "Fear not, senora. He has been meddling with forbidden things, thingswhich bring their own punishment. He has been meddling with things thatI would not meddle with! By the way, I met a very interesting man theother day; one Thomas Twofork, an Indian from the Cochiti pueblo,recently returned from an Eastern college. You would enjoy meeting him.A very fine young man."

  Mrs. Crump grunted. "I'd admire to know just what's laying back in yourmind, Coravel Tio! Now, why the devil would I want to know any Injunbuck like him? What's he to me?"

  Coravel Tio laughed softly and puffed at his cigarette.

  "Ah! I cannot say, senora. I am a curio dealer, no more. I know nothingat all about such things as these. But I know that Thomas Twofork is avery interesting man."

  With the following morning Mrs. Crump took Mackintavers over the groundand the adjacent claims. Coravel Tio complained of the heat, and did notaccompany them. Instead, he stood out in the sun, heedless of the heat,and watched Lewis and Gilbert at work. He talked with them at somelength, and they seemed much interested in his discourse. By this timethey knew a little more about Coravel Tio than they had known at theirfirst meeting with him.

  "What do you figger is goin' to happen, then?" demanded Lewis, when hehad finished.

  "I do not know." Coravel Tio shrugged his shoulders. "But it is well toknow what might have to be done, eh? Ah, yes."

  The morning wore on. Mrs. Crump retired to her own shack to cookluncheon, with much grumbling about the way the country was gettingcrowded up, and if many more folks came in she'd have to seek otherquarters, and so on. Secretly, she was much pleased to exhibit herculinary skill, which was considerable.

  At length she energetically hammered a pie pan, and the four menassembled. Gilbert was the last to come in from the mine over the flankof the hogback.

  "Looks like some puncher is headed this way," he announced, eagerly."Feller comin' on hossback, looks like he's headin' down from that bigcanon north of here."

  "My land!" ejaculated Mrs. Crump in dismay. "Wait till I get anotherplate set."

  "No hurry," returned Gilbert. "I seen him top a rise four mile north.Ain't no rush, ma'am. He'll be quite a spell gettin' here. Lots o' badland in between and no trail."

  They sat down to the meal.

  Outside, the sun was beating down in waves of heat. It was a pitiless,insufferable sun. Few things could stand that beating, merciless sun andstill enjoy it. Out among the stones, what was left of the bigdiamond-back was withered and scorched. Some distance away, the head ofthe rattler lay among the rocks, dead jaws wide agape, white fangsgleaming like needles in the beating sunlight.

  Inside the shack, the heat was intense; it filled the canon as heatfills an oven, and here was no cool adobe walls to break its force. Theheat had odd and curious effects upon the five people gathered there. Itdid not seem to touch Coravel Tio or the two miners in the least.Mackintavers it coarsened and reddened and thickened with pitilessbreath. Mrs. Crump it softened; flushed and perspiring from cooking, sheseemed to have become less harsh, more feminine, altogether transformed.

  Suddenly, while they were eating, Coravel Tio looked up sharply andappeared to be listening. Then, one after another, the others glancedup, surprise in their eyes. The sharp and staccato pulse of anapproaching automobile was to be heard. Another car!

  Mrs. Crump led the exodus. Beside her own car and that of Coravel Tio, athird car was standing; a hired car from Magdalena, the same which hadbrought Mackintavers on the previous day. From this car alighted a manwho carried a suitcase and bag, upon each of which were printed theletters J. Z. P. He was a man of citified aspect, and he approached theparty clumped around the shack doorway with a stiff gaze and abusinesslike air.

  "I am looking for a lady by the name of Crump, Mrs. Crump," said he,setting down his suitcase and doffing his hat to the lady in question."I presume that you are the lady named; if so you may be expecting me.My name is James Z. Premble."

  Mrs. Crump recovered from her surprise and stepped forward.

  "I'm her," she announced. "Glad to meet ye, Premble. Here, let me heftthem grips inside the shack."

  Gilbert, however, was ahead of her in the task. But James Z. Prembledisregarded them both. He had come to a staring pause. Across hiscity-pale features swept an expression of amazement and gusty anger. Hiseyes were fastened upon Sandy Mackintavers, and back at him was staringMackintavers, wearing a look of consternation. Mr. Premble lifted onearm and shook a milk-white fist in air.

  "You low-down hound!" he snapped at Sandy. "Didn't I warn you to keepaway from me? What are you trying to----"

  "Shut your fool mouth!" roared Mackintavers. "No need of airing thingshere."

  "I'll say what I dashed please!" affirmed Premble, glaring. "I supposeyou own this place, eh? I suppose you told some lying tale and thesepeople swallowed it! Well, you can't shut me up. You can't gag _me_!You're about the worst swindler that ever kept out of State's prison,get that? You may be running this place, but you'll not run me."

  "Hush up, pilgrim!" Mrs. Crump stepped in front of Premble and assumedcharge of the situation. "Hush up! Sandy don't own this place, and heain't runnin' nothin'. You a friend of his?"

  "Friend? _Friend?_" Mr. Premble hoarsely gasped the word. "I wouldn't behis friend if he would give me a million dollars! I wouldn't be hisfriend if I was the last man and he was the last woman on earth! Why,that rogue played the worst low-down trick on me over in El Pasothat----"

  "Well, repress the sentiments," urged Mrs. Crump, calmly. "I guess wecoincide with your feelin's, more or less, but at the present momentSandy is a guest on this here prop'ty, which same prop'ty belongs to me,more or less. You're a guest likewise and I don't aim to have no ructionstart between two o' my guests. I don't know you, Mr
. Premble, and Idon't know as I want to know ye, having a mean and rollin' eye like youhave; but you're here on business and that goes as it lays. No war talk!Savvy?"

  With a mighty effort Mr. Premble composed his features.

  "Very well, madam, very well," he returned, stiffly. "You may dependupon it, there will be no more trouble--unless I meet this man the otherside of your property line."

  "You won't," said Mrs. Crump, grimly. "Come on in and set to dinner.Gilbert, you done? Then call that there driver to come up and have abite, will ye? No words out'n you, neither, Sandy Mackintavers. Gents,come inside an' smoke up and entertain Mr. Premble. I'll get them'tatoes het up in a mite."

  First to enter the shack was James Z. Premble. He passed Mackintavers,standing at the door, and glared at him. Then, as he passed on into theshack, the features of Mr. Premble relaxed into the fleetest and mostmomentary shadow of a grin.