When No-Man's Land was added to Oklahoma,a pardon was offered to Red Kimball and all his gang if they would come in and lay down their arms and swear to keep the peace--you see,most of their crimes had been committed where no courts could touch them.Well,all the gang came in--But what do you think?That terrible Red Kimball swears that YOU WERE ONE OF HIS GANG,and that as you didn't come in and surrender yourself,THE PARDON DOESN'T APPLY TO YOU!It was all I could do to keep from stepping right out and telling him you were one of the most peaceable and harmless of men and that you just HAPPENED to be riding about when you saw Mr.Gledware's danger,and just HAD to shoot Kansas Kimball to save me and my stepfather.You,a highwayman,indeed!I could laugh at that,if it didn't make me too mad when I think about it.
Then Mr.Gledware talked.He said maybe it was a bluff against him,that standing him up against the moon to be shot at,but it wasn't one he was apt to forget,and he could never be on any kind of terms with Red;besides,he said,if Brick Willock hadn't saved his life,he'd always thought so,so wouldn't witness against him though he had no doubt he belonged to Red's gang.But that was nothing to HIM.And he couldn't understand how Red could have the face to come to him about ANYTHING,but was willing to pay a sum to keep all the past hushed up,as he didn't want any 'complications'from being claimed as a stepfather by Lahoma!The past was over,he said,and Lahoma had a home of her own,and he was satisfied to be free of her--and he would pay Red something to keep the past buried.
Then Red spoke pretty ugly,saying it wasn't the past he was anxious to have buried,but Brick Willock.And he said that Mr.Gledware was a witness to the murder,whether he wanted to be or not,and Red was willing to confess to everything,in order to have Brick hanged.
Then Mr.Gledware,in a cold unmoved voice,said he must go back to the picnic and 'Mr.Kimball'could do as he pleased.
But that wasn't the end.'Do you know,'says 'Mr.Kimball,''that Red Feather is in town,laying for you?'he says.Mr.Gledware gave a dreadful kind of low scream,such as turned me sick to hear.It reminded me of the cry of a coyote I heard once,caught in the trap,that saw Bill coming with his knife.The room was as still as death for a little while.I guess they were looking at each other.
At last Red says,pretty slow and calm,'Would you like to have that Indian out of the way?'Mr.Gledware didn't answer,at least not anything I could hear,but his eyes must have spoken for him,for Red went on after a while--'It's a go,then,is it?Well,that'll take time--but in a few days--maybe in a few hours--I'll deal with the chief.And I want your word that after that's accomplished,you'll go with me to Greer County and stay on the job till Brick Willock swings.'
There was a longer silence than before.It lasted so long,and the room was so still,that after a while I almost imagined that they were gone,or that I had just waked up from a dreadful dream.My nerves all clashed in the strangest way--like the shivering of morning ice on a pool--when Mr.Gledware's voice jarred on my ears.He said,'How will I know?'
'Well,'says Red Kimball roughly,'how WOULD you know?'
There was another of those awful silences.Then Mr.Gledware said,'When you bring me a pin that he always carries about him,I'll know that Red Feather will never trouble me again.'
Kimball spoke rougher than before:'You mean it'll show you that he's a dead 'un,huh?
'I mean what I said,'Mr.Gledware snapped,as if just rousing himself from a kind of stupor.
'Well,what kind of pin?'That was Kimball's question.
Then Mr.Gledware described the pin.He said it was a smooth-faced gold-rimmed pin of onyx set with pearls.And Kimball said boastingly that he would produce that pin,as he was a living man.And Mr.Gledware told him if he did,he'd go to witness against Brick Willock.So both left the room,and pretty soon,from the window,I saw them going away on horseback,in opposite directions.
I mustn't hold back this letter to add any more,it must get off by the mail that's nearly due.The moment I learn anything new I'll write again.Of course I know you're no more a highwayman than myself,but since it's true that you did shoot Red's brother,and since he evidently died of the wound,I suppose Red could cause you a great deal of trouble.You could swear that if you hadn't killed Kansas Kimball,he would have killed my stepfather;and that they had ordered you to kill me,in my sleep.The trouble is that Mr.Gledware seems to be in terror about Red Feather,and if Kimball gets him rid of the Indian,I'm not sure that Mr.Gledware would tell the whole truth.It might be the word of those two against yours.It's certain that if they tried you and failed to convict,Kimball would try a knife or a gun as the next best way of getting even.
My poor dear Brick,it seems that there's long trouble before you,hut the consciousness of innocence will uphold you,and just as soon as I do all I can at this end of the trail,by acting as your faithful scout,I'll come out in the open in my war clothes with my belt well-lined with weapons,and we'll defy the world.In the meantime--better keep hid!Good-by.Think of me when the wild winds blow.
Your little girl,Lahoma.
P.S.Tell Bill he can still claim his share.
P.P.S.Got Bill's note of a few lines,read it with the greatest joy in the world,and guessed at the news.He says Wilfred Compton is there.What for?
L.
