All that the lawyer could think at the moment was that a substantial commission, together with the opportunity of vastly increasing it, were disappearing like a dream. He flogged his brain to discover some flaw in the evidence which would restore a glimmer of hope.
`Your facts about Miss Darrell may be correct, but you have not proved, as yet, that your claimant is that person,' Seale said.
The girl spoke for the first time : `Did you ever see Mary Pavitt before she left home, Mister Seale?'
`Many times,' he replied absently.
She rose and moved forward into a better light. `Would you say that I resemble her?'
He raised his head, and his mean little eyes opened to their fullest extent. `God! You're her living image,' he cried, shocked into speaking the truth.
`I have been told so,' she said quietly. `Are you satisfied?'
He was, but would not admit it; even now, there might be some way out. `You certainly have a case,' he said. `It will take time to examine it thoroughly.'
`Don't worry if yu lose that certificate,' Sudden said sardonically. `The original an' the man who wrote it can be produced. Yu will inform the Governor, o' course?'
`No need--at present,' Seale said hurriedly. `The matter is in my hands. As soon as I have come to a decision, I will take the necessary steps to put Miss Darrell in possession of the property.'
With which pompous statement he took his leave. The puncher accompanied him to the door. `Speed is what we want, ol'-timer,' he said in a low voice. `The lady has been without her inheritance long enough. Remember, yu can pay too high a price even for a thousand bucks.'
His face a pasty yellow, the man scuttled out of the house, scrambled into his conveyance, and grabbed the whip. Sudden's amused gaze followed him.
`Hell ! I oughta mentioned the nearest way to the Big C,' he soliloquised.
Sudden's prediction as to the lawyer's destination was correct, and he proceeded there as quickly as the raw-boned beast he was driving could take him. Only when the buckboard was within sight of the Big C ranch-house did he slacken pace; he was not looking forward to the interview; the rancher's tongue was two-edged, and he never troubled to conceal his contempt for those he used.
`Well, what foul wind has blown you here?' was his greeting.
`I've news--bad news, Greg,' the lawyer replied.
`You shore look it. Bad for you, or for me?'
`For both of us--we've lost the S P.'
Cullin's frown deepened. `Which means you've made a mess of things, I s'pose. How come?'
The missing heir has turned up.'
`Well, with yore knowledge of how to evade the Law you oughta oe able to upset the claim.'
Seale shook his head. `It's as straight as a string--they have the proofs. I haven't said so--yet, but there isn't a doubt.' `Who are they?'
The claimant and the chap who found her--a cowpuncher from the Mexican Border.'
`Found her?' Cullin repeated. `You told me the Pavitt woman had cashed, an' nhat it was her son you were lookin' for. You better spill the beans.'
The lawyer was ready enough; he knew that if there should be a means of evasion, the cattleman, with his acute, unscrupulous brain would find it. Cullin, poker-faced, listened without comment until he finished.
You oughta done as I suggested--searched her out yoreself,' he said. `Then we could've arranged that no claim would be made. What you gotta do now is make a friend o' the gal, put her in possession as soon as maybe, an'--not pointedly, slam the S P; it's been neglected, badly managed, the profit small, an' the outlook for the cattle trade generally--gloomy. Get her to let you sell an' invest the coin, leavin' her free to have a good time an' no anxiety. Play yore part right an' she'll fall for it, an' my offer to you still stands. By the way, where is that letter?'
`Burned--it was dangerous,' the lawyer lied. `As for your plan, it's good--you still have the gift--but it will fail; the girl won't lack advisers; I forgot to mention that at present she's living in Shadow Valley.'
Cullin sprang from his seat. `So it's that girl?' he cried. `How'n hell did she get there, an' what's she doin'?'
`She skedaddled from her last job, and Drait found her adrift in the wilds,' Seale explained, adding with a sneer, `As to what she's doing, it doesn't need two guesses.'
He got a black look. `I wouldn't repeat that, Seale,' came the warning. `I've seen her, an' she's not that sort.'
This left the man of law speechless; Cullin defending a woman's character was something he never dreamed of witnessing. He had expected an eruption, and here was the human volcano seated again, and wearing a slow smile of satisfaction. Indeed, the rancher had reason. The luck was breaking for him; the woman he wanted, the ranch for which he had schemed, and the man he hated, seemed no be almost within his grasp. He found himself wondering about the girl, for although he had closed Seale's evil mouth, it had been no tribute to her, but merely an automatic gesture--he would not permit a slur on one he intended to make his own. Presently he spoke again:
`Forget all I've said, Luke, except puttin' Miss Darrell in possession as quickly as possible. An' she's to have a straight deal. You can leave the rest to me; I'll see you don't lose by it.'
Fortified by a stiff dose of whisky, the lawyer set out for Midway, where he would stay the night and catch the coach in the morning. It had been a tiring day, both physically and mentally, and though cheered somewhat by the reflection that all was not yet lost, he was far from sanguine. Worry his wits as he might, utter failure resulted from his efforts to fathom Cullin's reaction to the news, but obviously the rancher had a plan, and the Weasel promised himself that he would discover and profit by it. The missing letter troubled him; he had only learned of the loss some days after it had been taken. The cowboy's farewell remark he put down as a shot in the dark, for he had completely forgotten the temporary absence of his keys.
Meanwhile, the man he had left was striding up and down his room, busily building a pleasing picture. Ownership of the Big C and the S P would make him the wealthiest cattleman for many miles round, and bring the corresponding power. Bardoe would have to be abolished, and Vasco eventually bought or squeezed out. Shadow Valley could be made use of.
`Might put up a fine house there, if she's keen on the spot,' he muttered. His thoughts went to this woman he had seen but once and desired so desperately. `Beau said she don't care none for the fella, so she won't miss him.' For Nicholas Drait was condemned; he was in the way.
**
Despite the fact that the day was young, Jack Gilman lay supine in the shade of the veranda, stretched out in a comfortable chair, feet on the railing, eyes closed and mouth open. He was awakened by a sharp command :
`Stick 'em up !'
He came alive instantly, started to obey, and then paused when he saw no weapon threatened him; the man who had given the order was merely regarding him with contemptuous amusement.
`You'd be easy, wouldn't you?' Cullin said, for he it was. `One o' these days somebody'll take the ranch away from you.' `Not while I got my health,' Gilman grinned. `I had a hard day yestiddy.'
Cullin got down and stood surveying the range. It pleased him, but the neglected condition of the buildings had the opposite effect. He reached out a cigar, passed one to the foreman, and took a seat.
`Ol' Sam certainly had an eye for a location,' he remarked. `Well, he was here first, an' it's on'y to be expected he'd get the best. You'll be sorry to leave it.'
`Leave it--me?' Gilman ejaculated. `What's yore meanin'?'
Cullin shrugged. `you don't appear to have heard the news. O' course, it ain't known but to a few yet.'
`Did you come to tell me?'
`No, just a neighbourly call--I allus had a fancy for this place,' the rancher replied. `I certainly thought Seale would have sent you word.'
`Word of what?' the foreman snapped. `If that dirty little runt is tryin' to put anythin' over on me....'
The suspense was putting an edge on his temper as the visitor intended. He now struck--hard : `There's no question o' that. The lawful owner o' the S P has turned up in the person o' Sam Pavitt's gran'daughter; 'Frankie' wasn't a boy after all.'
He saw the man flinch as from a physical blow, and it gratified his delight in giving pain. But Gilman soon
