Lost Pueblo (1992) (2 page)

"Janey, you're nothing if not incorrigible," returned Mr. Endicott in despair.

"Dad, I'm your daughter. I don't know whether you've brought me up poorly or I've neglected you. But the fact is all our educators and scientists claim the parents of the present generation are responsible for our demerits."

"Janey, I'm responsible for your conduct out here, at all events," declared Mr. Endicott, forcefully.

"Oh, you are! Well, my dearest Dad, I'm here all right--or else I've been drinking."

"Janey, there'll be no more of this drinking business."

"Dad, you've got me figured wrong. I admit my crowd hit the booze pretty strong. But I never drank. Honest, Dad."

"Janey, I don't know whether to believe you or not. But I've seen you smoke."

"Oh, well, that's different. Smoking isn't very clean, but it's a fashionable vice, and restful at least."

"How about all your men?" queried Endicott, evidently emboldened for the minute. "Lord! When I think of the men you've made idiots! Take that last one--the young Valentino who brags of being engaged to you."

Janey laughed merrily. "Dad, do you think that's nice? Bert Durland is just too sweet for words; also he dances divinely."

"Durland is a slick little article. Like his social ladder-climbing mama. But I'll see that he doesn't dance or climb into your inheritance."

"To think you separated me from him!" cried Janey, pretending tragic pathos.

A slim young Indian girl entered. She was dark and pretty.

"Meester, you room ees ready."

"Thank you," said Endicott, picking up his coat and hat. "Janey, you've got me right. I did separate you from Durland. Also from a lot of other fortune hunters. That's why you're out in this desert for a spell. Except for Bennet and Randolph, whom you can't flirt with, there's not a man within a hundred miles."

Janey eyed her retreating parent, and replied demurely, "Yes, kind, sweet, thoughtful father."

Endicott went out with the Indian maid, and at the same moment a young man entered the other door, carrying a valise in each hand. He had a ruddy face, and was carelessly dressed in striped woolen shirt, overalls and top boots. He wore a big dusty sombrero.

When he spotted Janey his eyes popped wide open and he dropped one valise, then the other.

"Was you addressin' me, Miss?" he asked, ecstatically.

"Not then. I was speaking to my father. He just left the room.... You--sort of took me by surprise."

"Shore, you tuk my wind."

"Do you live here?" asked Janey, with interest. This trading post might not turn out so badly after all.

"Shore do," replied the young man, grinning.

"Are you Mrs. Bennet's son?"

"Naw. Jest a plain no-good cowboy."

"My very first cowboy!" murmured Janey. "Aw, Miss! I'm shore honored. I'll be yore yore first anythin'. Ain't you the Endicott girl we're expectin'?"

"Yes, I'm Janey Endicott."

"An' I'm Mohave. The boys call me that after the Mohave Desert which ain't got no beginnin' or end."

As Janey broke into laughter another young man entered, also carrying a grip in each hand. He was overdressed, like a motion-picture cowboy, and he had a swarthy, dark face. He gave Janey a warm smile.

"Cowboy, reckon you can put them bags down an' get back for more," blandly said Mohave.

"Buenas dias, Senorita," greeted this one, dropping the bags and sweeping the floor with his sombrero. Janey was quick to see that Mohave suddenly remembered to remove his own wide headgear.

"Same to you," replied Janey, smiling as teasingly as possible.

"Miss Endicott, this here's Diego," said Mohave, apologetically. "He's a Mexican. He seen a Western movie once an' ain't never got over it. He's been dressed up all day waitin' for you."

"I'm tremendously flattered," returned Janey.

"Mees, thees are your bags I carry. I peeck them ut weeth your name on."

"Now there, Buffalo Bill, you mustn't flatter me any more," replied Janey, coquettishly.

"Oh, Mees! Senor Buffalo Beel you call me. I have seen heem in the movies."

Here he drew two guns with an exaggerated motion-picture-drama style. "A-ha! Veelian! Een my power at las'! A-ha! Your time ees come. I keel you!"

He brandished both guns in Janey's face. In alarm she slipped off the window seat to dodge behind a table.

"Diego, you locoed cowpuncher, get on the job," ordered Mohave, forcibly. "Ray is comin'."

Diego evidently had respect for Mohave. Hurriedly sheathing his guns, and picking up his sombrero he recovered the two valises. Meanwhile Janey emerged from behind the table.

"Mees, Diego will act for you again," he announced grandly.

"Ye-es. Thanks. But please make it someplace where I can dodge," replied Janey.

Diego left the room, and Mohave, taking up his load, turned to Janey.

"Miss Endicott, don't trust Diego, or any of these other hombres. An' perticular, don't ride their horses. You'll shore get throwed an' mebbe killed. But my pet horse is shore gentle. I'll take you ridin' tomorrow."

"I'd love to go with you," returned Janey.

Then Mohave made swift tracks after Diego, just in time to escape being seen by a third cowboy, who entered from outside, carrying a trunk as if it had been a feather. He set it down. He was bareheaded, a blond young man, not bad looking, in size alone guaranteed to command respect. And his costume struck a balance between that of Diego and Mohave.

Janey gazed at him and exclaimed, "Well! Tarzan in cowboy boots, no less."

Ray stared, then walked in a circle to see whom she meant. But as there was no other man present he seemed to divine the truth, and approached her straightaway.

"Wal, for Gawd's sake!" he broke out, in slow sepulchral tones.

"Oh, yes, indeed, it's you I mean," returned Janey, all smiles. "I'll bet when your horse is tired you pick him up and carry him right home."

"Wal, for Gawd's sake!" ejaculated Ray, exactly as before.

"Are there any more verses to that song?"

"Wal--for Gawd's sake!"

"Third and last--I hope."

"First time I ever seen an angel or heered one talk," he declared.

"Please don't call me an angel. Angels are good. I'm not. I'm wild. That's why I've been dragged out West. Ask Dad, he knows. Say, that reminds me. I'm dying for a smoke. Dad's old-fashioned and I don't carry them when he's around. Could you give me a cigarette?"

Ray merely stared.

"Please, handsome boy! Just one little cigarette."

"Ain't got nothin' but the makin's," he finally ejaculated.

"Thanks. That'll do," replied Janey, receiving the little tobacco pouch he handed her.

It fascinated Ray to see Janey roll her own. He was so absorbed that he failed to note the entrance of a fourth cowboy, who was burdened with hatboxes and more grips. He was the handsomest of the lot. With his fine intent eyes straight ahead, not noticing Janey, he crossed the room and went into the hallway. Janey had watched him pass in a surprise that grew into pique. He had never looked once at her. He would have to pay for that slight.

"Wal! Yore shore some pert little dogie," remarked Ray, lighting a match for her.

"Dogie!... Say, Mr. Cowboy, explain what you mean!"

"A dogie is a calf or a colt that ain't got no mother."

"Where did you learn anything about me?" asked Janey, a bit wary.

"Shore any kid with a ma couldn't ever roll a cigarette an' smoke it like you do."

"Indeed! Ray, are you a desert preacher?" queried Janey, distantly.

"Sorry, Miss. Shore didn't mean to hurt yore feelin's. But it kind of got me--seein' you smoke like thet. Yore so damn--'scuse me, I mean yore so shore pretty that it goes agin my grain to see you up to dance-hall tricks."

"You don't like women to smoke?" returned Janey, curiously.

"Perticular, I don't like to see you smokin'."

"Then I won't," decided Janey, and walking to the fireplace she threw the cigarette down.

"Jes--jes 'cause I don't like you to smoke?" ejaculated Ray, rapturously.

"Jes 'cause you don't like me to."

"An' you'll forgive me fer talkin' like I did?"

"Surely."

"I'm askin' you to prove thet."

"How?"

"Go ridin' with me tomorrow," suggested Ray, breathlessly. "You can ride my pet hoss. He's shore gentle. You don't wanna ride any of these hombres, horses. You might get throwed an' hurt. They're shore mean."

"I'd love to go with you," responded Janey, dreamily.

At this moment the handsome cowboy returned, and was again crossing the room, straight-eyed and hurried, when Ray hailed him. "Rustle now, you cowboy. Fetch them bags in."

Janey had taken a few steps forward. The cowboy glided round the table to avoid encountering her, and then bolted out of the room.

"Well, I never!" exclaimed Janey. "You'd think I was Medusa. He didn't see me... He simply didn't see me!... Who is he?"

"Thet's Zoroaster. Mormon cowpuncher. Fine fellar, but awful scared of women. Ain't never seen any but Mormon girls. He'll never look at you!"

"Oh, he won't!" replied Janey, with a threat in her voice.

"Shore not. An' don't you ever talk to him. He'd like as not drop dead. Last year a girl from the East asked him to dance, an' he run right out of the hall. Didn't show up for a week."

"It's an awful chance to take, but that boy needs reforming," declared Janey. Ray stared at her a moment before he took to his defense--"Wal, for Gawd's sake!"

Mohave came in with a sly grin on his ruddy face.

"Ray, Mr. Bennet is askin' fer you," he said.

"Where?" asked Ray, in both doubt and disgust.

"He's gone out to the post and wants you pronto."

Ray went out grumbling and Mohave approached Janey with evident profound satisfaction.

"Looks like you're goin' to be as popular as stickin' paper with flies," he said, meaningly.

"Mohave, after flies take to flypaper they struggle to get away. That's not a pretty compliment."

"Say! Did you know you called me Mohave?" he asked, in amazement.

Janey feigned surprise. "Did I?"

Then she was electrified at the entrance of still another cowboy.

"S-s-scuse me, f-f-folks, w-w-w-where's Ray?"

"Tay-Tay, he's gone to the post an' I wish you wouldn't."

"Like h-h-hell he has," interrupted Tay-Tay.

"Bennet is lookin' fer him."

"L-l-last I saw of Bennet he was runnin' the car in the shed."

"Good. Then he won't be right back an' Ray'll have to find him."

Janey stood fascinated by Tay-Tay's struggle with words.

"B-b-b-bad I'd say! For you an' Ray! The cows are yore job, an' yore both locoed b-by this d-d-dame. It's g-g-goner rain like hell!"

Janey turned to Mohave. "Perhaps you b-b-better go.... Well, I hope to die if I'm not stuttering too!"

Here Diego, filling the doorway, struck a dramatic pose and fixed sentimental eyes on Janey.

"Por ultimo! Senorita mia!" he said eloquently.

"Too many languages around here for me," returned Janey.

"Here's Diego to give a hand. I was jest tellin' Miss Endicott how you could ride. An' she's shore ailin' to see you round up the cows."

Diego's look of fiery pride slowly changed to one of suspicion; and Tay-Tay stared from him to Mohave. The next thing to happen was Ray shoving Diego into the room, and stalking after him, to transfix Mohave with menacing eyes.

"Wal, for Gawd's sake! So you was jest gettin' me out of the way. Said Bennet was lookin' for me. Wal, cowboy, he ain't."

"Don't you accuse me of no sneakin' trick," replied Mohave, flaring up.

"Bennet was askin' fer you. He's plumb forgot. He's gettin' absent-minded, you know. Ask Tay-Tay here if Bennet didn't send him lookin' fer you to fetch in the cows."

"S-s-smatter with you, Mohave?" retorted Tay-Tay. "B-B-Bennet didn't send me nowhere. I c-c-ame fer myself."

"Tay-Tay, yore tongue's not only more tied since you seen Miss Endicott, but yore mind is wuss," complained Mohave.

Then followed a silence which Janey hugely enjoyed. What a time she was going to have! Wouldn't she turn the tables on her tricky father? Mohave backed away from the threatening Ray. The other boys edged nearer to Janey, who thought it wise to retreat to the window seat. The suspense of the moment was broken by the entrance of Zoroaster, who swung two pairs of boxing gloves in his hands. Behind him entered the Indian maid.

"Mees, your room ees ready," she announced, and retired.

Janey was in no hurry to follow. Something might happen here too good to miss.

"Thar you are!" announced Zoroaster, indicating Tay-Tay. He might be a Mormon, but he was certainly good to look at, decided Janey.