第57章

Magnus does not approve of it," she declared with energy."He told me so last night."Annixter moved about awkwardly where he sat, smoothing down with his hand the one stiff lock of yellow hair that persistently stood up from his crown like an Indian's scalp-lock.At once his suspicions were all aroused.Ah! this feemale woman was trying to get a hold on him, trying to involve him in a petticoat mess, trying to cajole him.Upon the instant, he became very crafty;an excess of prudence promptly congealed his natural impulses.

In an actual spasm of caution, he scarcely trusted himself to speak, terrified lest he should commit himself to something.He glanced about apprehensively, praying that Magnus might join them speedily, relieving the tension.

"I came to see about giving a dance in my new barn," he answered, scowling into the depths of his hat, as though reading from notes he had concealed there."I wanted to ask how I should send out the invites.I thought of just putting an ad.in the 'Mercury.'"But as he spoke, Presley had come up behind Annixter in time to get the drift of the conversation, and now observed:

"That's nonsense, Buck.You're not giving a public ball.You MUST send out invitations.""Hello, Presley, you there?" exclaimed Annixter, turning round.

The two shook hands.

"Send out invitations?" repeated Annixter uneasily."Why must I?""Because that's the only way to do."

"It is, is it?" answered Annixter, perplexed and troubled.No other man of his acquaintance could have so contradicted Annixter without provoking a quarrel upon the instant.Why the young rancher, irascible, obstinate, belligerent, should invariably defer to the poet, was an inconsistency never to be explained.

It was with great surprise that Mrs.Derrick heard him continue:

"Well, I suppose you know what you're talking about, Pres.Must have written invites, hey?""Of course."

"Typewritten?"

"Why, what an ass you are, Buck," observed Presley calmly.

"Before you get through with it, you will probably insult three-fourths of the people you intend to invite, and have about a hundred quarrels on your hands, and a lawsuit or two."However, before Annixter could reply, Magnus came out on the porch, erect, grave, freshly shaven.Without realising what he was doing, Annixter instinctively rose to his feet.It was as though Magnus was a commander-in-chief of an unseen army, and he a subaltern.There was some little conversation as to the proposed dance, and then Annixter found an excuse for drawing the Governor aside.Mrs.Derrick watched the two with eyes full of poignant anxiety, as they slowly paced the length of the gravel driveway to the road gate, and stood there, leaning upon it, talking earnestly; Magnus tall, thin-lipped, impassive, one hand in the breast of his frock coat, his head bare, his keen, blue eyes fixed upon Annixter's face.Annixter came at once to the main point.

"I got a wire from Osterman this morning, Governor, and, well--we've got Disbrow.That means that the Denver, Pueblo and Mojave is back of us.There's half the fight won, first off.""Osterman bribed him, I suppose," observed Magnus.

Annixter raised a shoulder vexatiously.

"You've got to pay for what you get," he returned."You don't get something for nothing, I guess.Governor," he went on, "Idon't see how you can stay out of this business much longer.You see how it will be.We're going to win, and I don't see how you can feel that it's right of you to let us do all the work and stand all the expense.There's never been a movement of any importance that went on around you that you weren't the leader in it.All Tulare County, all the San Joaquin, for that matter, knows you.They want a leader, and they are looking to you.Iknow how you feel about politics nowadays.But, Governor, standards have changed since your time; everybody plays the game now as we are playing it--the most honourable men.You can't play it any other way, and, pshaw! if the right wins out in the end, that's the main thing.We want you in this thing, and we want you bad.You've been chewing on this affair now a long time.Have you made up your mind?Do you come in?I tell you what, you've got to look at these things in a large way.You've got to judge by results.Well, now, what do you think?Do you come in?"Magnus's glance left Annixter's face, and for an instant sought the ground.His frown lowered, but now it was in perplexity, rather than in anger.His mind was troubled, harassed with a thousand dissensions.