Honoré Willsie

“ No one spoke until Red Wolf and Fred were established on the lockers beside the stove.
Then Fred said, “Looks to me like getting to be governor hardly paid, Hughie. I don’t like your looks.”
“I’m tired,” said Hugh.
“Old Sioux Tract, it ain’t big enough pay for that.” Red Wolf rolled a cigarette deftly.
“I’ll be all right after a rest with you two. I ought never to have left you. Never.”
A long pause, then Fred said: “Well, us three old timers has wintered and summered together till we’re closer than the marriage tie. You can get rid of most anything easier than you can get rid of us. ”

“ After a long time, Red Wolf said, “White women like squaws. Never take one that has brain. Make trouble. Fool woman makes best wife.”
“Don’t dally with any of ’em, is my motto,” grunted Fred. “I hope she dies, the Jizebel. Hughie, let ’em all go to the devil. You come back to your work.”
“Yes, Fred,” replied Hugh slowly, “I’ve come back.”
This was all the reference made to Hugh’s trouble during his stay. The next morning the outfit was on its way soon after sun-up and a day later made camp at the foot of the low mesa on whose top rested the remains of Jimmie’s dinosaur. ”

“ I’m not that man. I belong to the plains. And I shall return to them.”
“I love you, you, you! Hugh Stewart. The man!” She burst forth “And you belong to me. Always.”
“Listen to me, Miriam. No woman can possess me who can't possess my soul as well as my body.”
“You are mine, soul and body, as I am yours,” she sobbed. “I shall never let you go!”
The sweat beaded Hugh's forehead.
It was on this picture that Jessie opened the door. She came slowly down the room. Hugh looked up at her Miriam went on sobbing. ”

“ Jessie paled. Her eyes flashed with tears, but she did not speak.
“No woman,” Hugh said slowly, “can ever get under my skin again. That’s done with, thank God. But,” with sudden fire, “they’ll never build the dam at Thumb Butte. Not while I’m governor of this state or after I’m returned to my work. Mark it, Jessie.”
“I’ll mark it, Hughie I’ll mark it all.” She turned the collar of her riding coat up around her ears. “If Miriam Page turns your enemy, she’ll stop at nothing. It’s very cold tonight. Good night, Governor!” ”

“ It becomes the very heart’s blood and may not go without leaving a ghastly blank behind it.
The hours slipped by Hugh till dawn. Then he rose wearily from his chair and made up a light pack for a camping trip. He left The Lariat just as the sun came up. He saddled Fossil, tied the pack behind him, mounted and rode slowly through the quiet town toward the bridge.
Marten, coming out of his tent, yawning, called to him: “Where to, Gray Stallion?”
“I’m off for a rest, Marten. Tell anybody who asks that I’m camping with Fred and Red Wolf up above the cave. But tell ’em not to follow me.” ”

“ It is wine, flooding the veins, thrilling the heart, tinting the world with rose. And like the exhilaration of wine, its lift and urge must go, its poignant rapture ebb, leaving youth none the worse for its visit. But love that comes with middle age is not wine. ”

“ She—— Furious with himself for the thought, Hugh exclaimed tensely:
“Johnny, your suspicions are infamous—inconceivable!”
“I knew you’d feel like that. But, Hughie, if she is working with the Eastern Electric while apparently all for you, there’s some kind of a double-cross waiting for you, and I ain’t going to rest till I get to the bottom of it. Hughie, aside from caring for her, do you trust her? A man can love a woman, every hair of her head, without trusting her.”
“I couldn’t!” replied Hugh. “I trust Miriam Page as I would my own mother.” ”

“ They were grubstaked only for a week, but Hugh found that they could save much of the fossil in that time. Red Wolf and Fred, weary as they were after their prolonged trip afield, were delighted to see him finding relief and plunged into the heavy task with enthusiasm.
Young Jimmie Heckle appeared on the third day, with Grafton in tow. Both their faces expressed profound astonishment as they rounded the base of the mesa and came upon the camp. Hugh, tape measure in hand, returned Grafton’s look of half-embarrassed surprise with one of half-concealed contempt. ”

“ The three men stared at each other. “What’s the great idea?” demanded Johnny. “They’d better hobble that kid or he’ll run himself to death.”
“They’ll lose me a perfectly good dinosaur if they keep it up,” said Hugh. “I suppose that fool of a Grafton thinks he’s going to bribe me with the handsome gift of an alleged fossil discovery!”
“I’m going out to pump young Jimmie dry,” exclaimed Johnny. He disappeared abruptly.
“Lord, I’d like to go out and see that job!” Hugh turned to Principal Jones with a smile.
The old man nodded. “Tempts you, doesn’t it, Hughie?”
“Yes. You can’t dream how much! ”

“ Why had he kept on when he might have alighted at Indian Wells? What was it that had earned him the overwhelming plaudits of the Mormons? He had not phrased the answer before, but he knew it well enough. Nothing appeals more strongly to the human mind than the quality of steadfastness. Loyalty in a peculiarly independent and virile form was a marked characteristic of Hugh. ”

“ There’s a fossil there that I want to look at.”
Red Wolf grinned with satisfaction and turned the mule.
They followed Hugh steadily until the sinking sun warned Fred not to temporize longer with Hugh’s mood.
“Hughie!” he roared, “these horses are tired and hungry and so are we. Turn into that draw to your right.”
To Fred’s surprise, Hugh obeyed without protest. He sat in his saddle waiting while the sheep wagon rattled up and came to rest in the lee of a sand dune. Nor did he attempt to dismount when the team had been unhitched and was munching oats at the tailboard of the sheep wagon. ”

“ Pink stared at Johnny truculently.
“Do you?” shouted the cowman with sudden exasperation.
“I ain't saying. This isn’t a court of justice.”
“It sure ain’t,” roared Johnny. “You know what it is. Do you remember the cave and the gray stallion?”
“Yes,” replied Pink “Don’t get so het up, Johnny.”
“Well, I am het up. Now, listen, Pink! So far Hughie has no information about those matters. And I don’t plan to give him any if you’ll come through on something else. How did you get in touch with the Eastern Electric Corporation?” ”

“ She and the lady have had several sessions. Hell sure has been popping this week. I’m afraid they’ve got you on the Old Sioux Tract, Hughie.”
“Running for the governorship was exactly the sort of thing Uncle Bookie wanted to come from his will!” exclaimed Hugh.
“But you apparently chucked everything to return to your dinosaur!” Johnny jerked a contemptuous thumb toward the recumbent giant. “Lord, Hughie, were you off your head?” ”