They parted on the little porch of the hotel, and her eyes followed his upright figure till he entered one of the shops. He had precisely the look and bearing of a young lieutenant in the regular army, and she wondered what Greggs demand meant. In his voice was both menace and contempt.
She returned to her own room, strangely heartened by her talk with the ranger. If I stay here another night this room must be cleaned, she decided, and approached the bed as though it harbored venomous reptiles. This is one of the things that must be reformed, she decided, harking back to the rangers quiet remark.
She was still pondering ways and means of making the room habitable when her mother came in.
Howd you sleep last night?
Lee Virginia could not bring herself to lie. Not very well, she admitted.
Neither did I. Fact of the matter is your coming fairly upset me. Ive been kind o used up for three months. I dont know what ails me. Id ought to go up to Sulphur to see a doctor, but there dont seem to be any free time. I pear to have lost my grip. Food dont give me any strength. I saw you talking with Ross Cavanagh. Theres a man and Reddy. Reddy is what you may call a fancy rancher goes in for alfalfy and fruit, and all that. He isnt in the forest service for the pay or for graft. Hes got a regular palace up there above Sulphur hot and cold water all through the house, a furnace in the cellar, and two bath-rooms, so they tell me; I never was in the place. Well, I must go back I cant trust them girls a minute. She turned with a groan of pain. Pears like every joint in me is a-creakin to-day.
Cant I take your place? asked Lee Virginia, pity deepening in her heart as she caught the look of suffering on her mothers face.
No; you better keep out o the caffy. It aint a fit place for you. Fact is, I werent expecting anything so fine as you are. I laid awake till three oclock last night figurin on what to do. I reckon youd better go back and give this outfit up as a bad job. I used to tell Ed you didnt belong to neither of us, and you dont. I cant see where you did come from anyhow, I dont want the responsibility of havin you here. Why, youll have half the men in the county hitchin to my corral and the males out here are a fierce lot o brutes. She studied the girl again, finding her so dainty, so far above herself, that she added: It would be a cruel shame for me to keep you here, with all these he-wolves roamin around. Youre too good to be meat for any of them. You just plan to pack up and pull out to-morrow.
She went out with a dragging step that softened the girls heart. It was true there was little of real affection between them. Her memories of Eliza up to this moment had been rather mixed. As a child she had seldom been in her arms, and she had always been a little afraid of the bold, bright, handsome creature who rode horses and shot pistols like a man. It was hard to relate the Eliza Wetherford of those days with this flabby, limping old woman, and yet her daughter came nearer to loving her at this moment than at any time since her fifth year.
III
LEE VIRGINIA WAGES WAR
In truth, Lize had risen that morning intending to whirl in and clean up the house, being suddenly conscious to some degree of the dirt and disorder around her, but she found herself physically unequal to the task. Her brain seemed misted, and her food had been a source of keen pain to her. Hence, after a few half-hearted orders, she had settled into her broad chair behind the counter and there remained, brooding over her maternal responsibilities.
She gave sharp answers to all the men who came up to ask after her daughter, and to one who remarked on the girls good looks, and demanded an introduction, she said: Get along! Id as soon introduce her to a goat. Now you fellers want to understand Ill kill the man that sets out to fool with my girl, I tell you that!
While yet Lee Virginia was wondering how to begin the days work, some one knocked on her door, and in answer to her invitation a woman stepped in a thin blond hag with a weak smile and watery blue eyes. Is this little Lee Virginy? she asked.
The girl rose. Yes.
Well, howdy! She extended her hand, and Lee took it. My names Jackson Mrs. Orlando Jackson. I knew yore pa and you before the war.
Lee Virginia dimly recalled such a family, and asked: Where do you live?
We hole up down here on a ranch about twenty miles stayed with yore ma last night thought Id jest nacherly look in and say howdy. Are ye back fer to stay?
No, I dont think so. Will you sit down?
Mrs. Jackson took a seat. Come back to see how yore ma was, I reckon? Found her pretty porely, didnt ye? She lowered her voice. I think shes got cancer of the stummick now thats my guess.
Virginia started. What makes you think so?
Well, I knew a woman who went just that way. Had that same flabby, funny look and that same distress after eatin, I told her this mornin shed better go up to Sulphur and see that new doctor. You see, yore ma has always been a reckless kind of a critter more like a man than a woman, God knows an how she ever got a girl like you I dont fairly understand. I reckon you must be what the breedin men call a throw-back, for yore pa want much to brag of, ceptin for looks he certainly was good-lookin. He used to sober down when he got where you was; but my good God! werent they a pair to draw to? Ive heard Lando tell tales of yore mas doins that would fright ye. Not that she fooled with men, she hastened to say. Lord, no! For her the sun rose and set in Ed Wetherford. Shed leave you any day, and go on the round-up with him. It nigh about broke her up in business when Ed hit the far-away trail.
The girl perceived that in her visitor she had one of these self-oiled human talking-machines with tongue hung in the middle, as the old saying goes, and she was dimly conscious of having heard her many times before. You dont look very well yourself, she said.
Me? Oh, Im like one o these Injun dawgs cant kill me. Ive been on the range so long Im tough as dried beef. Its a fierce old place for a woman or it was before the war since then its kind o softened down a hair.
What do you mean by the war?
Why, you remember the rustler war? We date everything out here from that year. You was here, for I saw ye a slob of a child.
Oh! exclaimed Virginia. I understand now. Yes, I was here. I saw my father at the head of the cowboys.
They werent cowboys; they were hired killers from Texas. Thats what let yore pa out o the State. He were on the wrong side, and if it hadnt a been for the regular soldiers hed a been wiped out right hyer. As it was he had to skip the range, and haint never been back. I dont spose folks will lay it up agin you bein a girl but they couldnt no son of Ed Wetherford come back here and settle, not for a minute. Why, yore ma has had to bluff the whole county amost not that I lay anything up agin her. I tell folks she was that bewitched with Ed she couldnt see things any way but his way. She fought to save his ranch and stawk and but hell! she couldnt do nothin and then to have him go back on her the way he did slip out twixt two days, and never write; that just about shot her to pieces. I never could understand that in Ed, he peared so mortally fond of you and of her, too. He sure was fond of you! She shook her head. No, cant anybody make me believe Ed Wetherford is alive.
Lee Virginia started. Who says hes alive?
Now dont get excited, girl. He aint alive; but yet folks say we dont know hes dead. He jest dropped out so far as yore ma is concerned, and so far as the county is concerned; but some thought you was with him in the East.
The girl was now aware that her visitor was hoping to gain some further information, and so curtly answered: Ive never seen my father since that night the soldiers came and took him away to the fort. And my mother told me he died down in Texas.
Mrs. Jackson seemed a little disappointed, but she smoothed the dress over her sharp knees, and continued: Right there the good old days ended for yore ma and for us. The cattle business has been steadily on the chute that is, the free-range business. I saw it comin, an I says to Jackson, Camp on some river-bottom and chuck in the alfalfy, I says. An thats what we did. We got a little bunch o cattle up in the park Uncle Sams man is lookin after em. She grinned. Jackson kicked at the fee, but I says: Twenty cents a head is cheap pasture. Were lucky to get any grass at all, now that everybodys goin in for sheep. Pears like the sheepmen air gettin bolder and bolder in this free-range graft, and Im a-bettin on trouble. She rose. Well, Im glad to ve had a word with ye; but you hear me: yore ma has got to have doctors help, or shes a-goin to fall down some day soon.
Every word the woman uttered, every tone of her drawling voice, put Lee Virginia back into the past. She heard again the swift gallop of hooves, saw once more the long line of armed ranchers, and felt the hush of fear that lay over the little town on that fateful day. The situation became clearer in her mind. She recalled vividly the words of astonishment and hate with which the women had greeted her mother on the morning when the news came that Edward Wetherford was among the invading cattle-barons was, indeed, one of the leaders.
In Philadelphia the Rocky Mountain States were synonyms of picturesque lawlessness, the theatre of reckless romance, and Virginia Wetherford, loyal daughter of the West, had defended it; but in the coarse phrase of this lean rancheress was pictured a land of border warfare as ruthless as that which marked the Scotland of Rob Roy.
Commonplace as the little town looked at the moment, it had been the scene of many a desperate encounter, as the girl herself could testify, for she had seen more than one man killed therein. Some way the hideousness of these scenes had never shown itself to her perhaps because she had been a child at the time, and had thrilled to the delicious excitement of it; but now, as she imagined it all happening again before her eyes, she shivered with horror. How monstrous, how impossible those killings now seemed!
Then her mind came back to her mothers ailment. Eliza Wetherford had never been one to complain, and her groans meant real suffering.
Her mind resolved upon one thing. She must see a doctor, she decided. And with this in mind she reentered the café, where Lize was again in violent altercation with a waitress.
Mother, called Lee, I want to see you.
With a parting volley of vituperation, Mrs. Wetherford followed her daughter back into the lodging-house.
Mother, the girl began, facing her and speaking firmly, you must go to Sulphur City and see a doctor. Ill stay here and look after the business.
Mrs. Wetherford perceived in her daughters attitude and voice something decisive and powerful. She sank into a chair, and regarded her with intent gaze. Hett Jacksons been gabblin to you, she declared. Hett knows more fool things that aint so than any old heffer I know. She said I was about all in, didnt she? Prophesied Id fall down and stay? I know her.
Lee Virginia remained firm. Im not going by what she said, Ive got eyes of my own. You need help, and if the doctor here cant help you, you must go to Sulphur or to Kansas City. I can run the boarding-house till you get back.
Eliza eyed her curiously. Dont you go to countin on this chivalry of the West which story-writers put into books. These men out here will eat you up if you dont watch out. I wouldnt dare to leave you here alone. No, what Ill do is sell the place, if I can, and both of us get out.
But you need a doctor this minute.
Ill be all right in a little while; Im always the worst for an hour or two after I eat. This little squirt of a local doctor gave me some dope to ease that pain, but Ive got my doubts I dont want any morphine habit in mine. No, daughter Virginny, its mighty white of you to offer, but you dont know what youre up against when you contract to step into my shoes.
Visions of reforming methods about the house passed through the girls mind. There must be something I can do. Why dont you have the doctor come down here?
I might do that if I get any worse, but I hate to have you stay in the house another night. Its only fit for these goats of cowboys and women like Hett Jackson. Did the bugs eat you last night?
Virginia flushed. Yes.
Elizas face fell. I was afraid of that. You cant keep em out. The cowboys bring em in by the quart.
They can be destroyed and the flies, too, cant they?
When youve bucked flies and bugs as long as I have, youll be less peart about it. I dont care a hoot in Hades till somebody like you or Reddy or Ross comes along. Most of the men that camp with me are like Injuns, anyway they wouldnt feel natural without bugs a ticklin em. No, child, you get ready and pull out on the Sulphur stage to-morrow. Ill pay your way back to Philadelphy.
I cant leave you now, mother. Now that I know youre ill, Im going to stay and take care of you.
Lize rose. See here, girl, dont you go to idealizin me, neither. Im what the boys call an old battle-axe. Ive been through the whole war. Im able to feed myself and pay your board besides. Just you find some decent boarding-place in Sulphur, and Ill see that you have ten dollars a week to live on, just because youre a Wetherford.
But Im your daughter!
Again Eliza fixed a musing look upon her. I reckon if the truth was known your aunt Celia was nigher to being your mother than I ever was. They always said you was all Wetherford, and I reckon they were right. I always liked men better than babies. So long as I had your father, you didnt count now thats the Gods truth. And I didnt intend that you should ever come back here. I urged you to stay you know that.
Lee Virginia imagined all this to be a savage self-accusation which sprang from long self-bereavement, and yet there was something terrifying in its brutal frankness. She stood in silence till her mother left the room, then went to her own chamber with a painful knot in her throat. What could she do with elemental savagery of this sort?
The knowledge that she must spend another night in the bed led her to active measures of reform. With disgustful desperation, she emptied the room and swept it as with fire and sword. Her change of mind, from the passive to the active state, relieved and stimulated her, and she hurried from one needed reform to another. She drew others into the vortex. She inspired the chambermaid to unwilling yet amazing effort, and the lodging-house endured such a blast from the besom that it stood in open-windowed astonishment uttering dust like the breath of a dragon. Having swept and garnished the bed-chambers, Virginia moved on the dining-room. As the ranger had said, this, too, could be reformed.