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〃THEY won't invite Lahoma to Chicago； not if they are the right sort。〃
〃They will invite Lahoma to Chicago；〃 retorted Willock firmly； 〃and
they are the right sort。 Wait and see； and when you have saw； render due
honor to your Uncle Brick。〃
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CHAPTER XIII
A SURE…ENOUGH MAN
〃Pardner； I sure am glad to see youput 'er there again！ How are you
feeling； anyhow？ Look mighty tough and wiry； I do say； Here； Bill！〃
Willock raised his voice to a powerful shout； 〃Bill！ come and see what's
blowed in with the tumbleweed and tickle…grass。 A sure…enough man；
that's what I call him； and me to fight if any dispute's made to the title；
according。〃
The tall bronzed man who was leading his horse along the road
entering the mountain horseshoe； smiled with a touch of gravity in the
light of his gray eyes。 Willock found his chin more resolute； his glance
more assured and penetrating； while his step； firm and alert； told of
dauntless purpose。 He was no longer the wandering cowboy content with a
bed on the ground wherever chance might find him at night； but a mature
man who had taken root in the soil of his own acres。 Only twenty…five or
six； his features were still touched with the last lingering mobility of youth；
but the set of his mouth and the gleam of his eyes hinted at years of battle
against storms； droughts and loneliness。 He was already a veteran of the
prairie； despite his youth。
〃Everything looks very natural！〃 murmured Wilfred Compton； gazing
about on the seamed walls of granite in whose crevices the bright cedars
mocked at winter's threatening hand。
〃Yes； mountains is lots more natural than humans。 They just sets there
serene and indifferent not caring whether you likes their looks or not； and
they let 'er blow and let 'er snow； it's all one to them。 I reckon when we've
been dead so long that nobody could raise a dispute as to whether we'd
ever lived or not； that there same boulder what they calls Rocking Stone
will still be a…making up its mind whether to roll down into the valley or
stay where it was born。 Wilfred； if you knowed how glad I am to see you
again； you'd be sort of scared； I reckon； thinking you'd fell amongst
cannibals。 Wonder where that aged trapper is？〃 He shouted more lustily；
and a bristling white head suddenly appeared on the summit of Turtle Hill。
〃Great Scott！〃 yelled Bill Atkins； glaring down upon the approaching
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figure； 〃if it ain't Wilfred Compton again！ Come on； come on； I was never
as glad to see anybody in all my life！〃
The young man looked at Willock somewhat dubiously。 〃He's very
much altered； then； since I met him last。 I'm afraid he has a gun hidden up
there among the rocks。〃
〃Oh； nux； nux；〃 retorted Willock。 〃He's a…speaking fair。 Come along！〃
As they ascended the winding road； Wilfred vividly recalled the day
when； from the same elevation； he had watched Lahoma buried in her day…
dreams。 A sudden turn brought the cove into view。 Lahoma was not to be
seen； but there was the cabin； the dugout and the three cedar trees in
whose shade he had made the discovery that he could not regard Lahoma
as a little girl。 It seemed that the cabin door trembledwas Lahoma's hand
upon the latch？ And when she opened the door； what expression would
flash upon that face he remembered so well？ Would she be as glad as
Willock and Bill Atkins； when she recognized him？ Even one half as glad？
He sighed deeplyit was not to be expected。 She had known him only
an hour； since then； many settlers had invaded the country about the
Granite Mountains； a city had sprung up； not far awayother towns were
peeping through the sand； and blooming from canvas to wood and brick。
The air tingled with the electric currents of new life and intense
competition。
〃Did Lahoma marry？〃 he asked abruptly as all three descended to the
lower level of the cove。
〃She never did； yet；〃 replied Bill dryly。 〃Young man； I'm powerful
glad to see you。 It's rather chilly out here。 I'll take your horse and we'll
gather in the dugout and talk over what's happened since we last met。
Brick； don't you begin on anything interesting till I come。〃
〃You give me that horse；〃 retorted Brick。 〃You're too aged a man to be
messing with horses。 You'll get a fall one of these days that'll lay you flat。
You'll never knit them bones together； if you do； you ain't vital enough。〃
Bill clung grimly to the bridle； muttering something that showed no
lack of vitality in his vocabulary。
〃He won't let me take no care of him；〃 complained Brick； as he
conducted Wilfred to the dugout。
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Wilfred cast a longing glance toward the cabin； and again he thought
Lahoma's parlor door quivered。 He even stopped in the path； but Willock
went on； unconscious； and he was obliged to follow。
〃It's a strange thing；〃 remarked Brick； as he descended the hard dirt
steps； 〃how Lahoma has acted on me。 I mean； living with her these past
twelve years； and all the rest of the world shut out； except Bill。 Could I of
been told before I saved little Lahoma from the highwaymen that I'd ever
worry over an old coon like Bill Atkins； as to whether he broke his neck or
not； I'd 'a' laughed； for I'd 'a' had to。 But it sure does gall me to have him
exposing himself as he does。 I never wanted Bill to come here； but he just
come； like a stray cat。 First thing I knowed； he was a…purring at the
firesidewell； not exactly a…purring； nuther； but sort of mewing； and
looking ready to scratch。 He just took up with us and now it's like always
being scared to close a door for fear of catching his tail in the jambI'm
talking in a figger。 Come in； pardthis used to be Lahoma's boudoir before
we built that cabin for her。 See the carpet？ Don't tell ME you're a…walking
on it； and not noticing！ See that little stove？ I brung it clear across the
mountains from a deserted wagon； when I was young。 Two legs is gone
and it's squat…bellied； and smokes if the wind gives it a chance； but I
wouldn't trade it for a new one。 Set on this bench。 I recollect as well as if it
'us yesterday； Lahoma a…setting there with her legs untouching of the floor；
learning 'A' and 'B' and asking thousands of questions and getting herself
civilized。 I couldn't do a finished job； but Bill took her by the hand later；
then a Mrs。 Featherby； what moved over in the west mountain； added
stores from New England and travels in Europe。 When the settlers come；
she gleaned all they knowed； always a…rising and a…looking out for new
country。 That's a wonderful girl！〃 he added with conviction。
When Bill came； they sat about the stove； the light from the famous
window bringing out with clear distinctness Brick's huge form and
bristling beard； Bill's thin figure surmounted by its shock of white hair；
and Wilfred's handsome grave face and splendidly developed physique。 It
was so warm below the ground that the fire in the stove was maintained at
the lowest state possible； but when the western light quickly vanished
from the window； the glowing coals gave homely cheer to the crude room。
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In answer to their questioner； Wilfred told of his experiences on his
quarter…section： how he had broken the prairie land； put in his crops；
watched them wither away in the terrible dry months； roughed it through
the winters； tried again； fought through another drought； staked all on the
next spring's planting； raised a half…crop； paid off his chattel mortgage；
tried again；succeeded。
〃I've stayed right with it；〃 he said gravely； looking from one to the
other as they smoked in si