The Forbidden Way

Berkely paused a moment. "We have no intention of dodging any issues," he said quietly. "If any of you gentlemen want to see Mr. Wray or me, you can find us both at the Wetherall Ranch to-morrow."

CHAPTER XXVI

THE CALL OF THE HEART

Larry caught up with Jeff outside the elevator shaft, where he found him striding up and down like a caged beast. Jeff entered the car in a daze and followed Larry blindly across the huge lobby downstairs and out of doors to a motor which was waiting for them at the curb. Larry was still bewildered at the surprising conclusion of their visit and eyed his companion sharply, but Jeff sat with folded arms, looking neither to the right nor left as they whirled through the city streets and out into the highroad. The hunted look in Jeff's eyes warned Larry not to speak, so he sat beside his partner patiently and waited.

Suddenly, without moving, Jeff's great hand shot out and clinched Larry's knee like a vise.

"He – he's my father, Larry," said Jeff hoarsely, "my father – do you understand? I didn't want him to know."

Larry put his hand over Jeff's and gripped it hard. He knew what other people in Mesa City knew of Jeff's birth, but no words occurred to him. The information had taken his breath away.

"I didn't want him to know," Jeff went on. "I wanted to wait – to tell him myself when things had broken right for us. I wanted to win – to show him I was his master – not to come crawling and licking his boots for mercy. I'll not do it now, either, by G – d. He can break me to bits, but he'll never own me – I never was his – I never will be – "

"He hasn't broken us yet, Jeff. He can't keep us out of Pueblo. We're going to win, I tell you."

"We've got to win, Larry," groaned Jeff. "We've got to win. That conspiracy charge – "

"Mere piffle," said Larry. "Don't worry. They've bought Fritz Weyl. He's not a competent witness. I can prove it."

Jeff sank back again, his gaze on the mountains. "He'd send me to Cañon City – to the penitentiary – if he could – and he's – my father."

Larry bit his lip, but didn't reply, for his mind was working rapidly. He had a perspective on the situation which had been denied to Jeff, and the vista did not seem unpleasant. He was prepared to fight for Jeff's interests and his own to the bitter end, but he was too keen a lawyer and too sound a philosopher not to know the value of compromise, and, in spite of himself, it was his legal mind which grasped the essentials of Jeff's relation to their common enemy. What would be the effect of this astonishing revelation on the mind of General Bent? He did not dare speak of this to Jeff, who in his present mood could only misinterpret him; but he was still thinking of it when the car drew up at the steps at Wetherall's big bungalow palace. Gretchen and their hostess met the arrivals at the door, and Jeff followed them in slowly. He wanted to be alone again to think – and here was sanctuary. Gretchen paused at the entrance to the morning room, and, taking Jeff by the arm, opened the door, pushed him in quickly, and closed it behind him. And while Jeff was wondering what it all meant he heard a step beside him, felt the timid touch of a hand on his sleeve, and found his eyes looking down into Camilla's.

"Jeff," she was whispering, "they told me you needed me, and so I came to you. Do you want me?"

He looked at her mistily, for the misfortunes which hung about him had dulled his perceptions. It seemed strange that she should be there, but he experienced no surprise at seeing her.

"Yes, I want you," he said absently. "Of course I want you." He fingered the hand on his sleeve and patted it gently, as he would have done a child's, but she saw with pain that the tragedy of his birth now overshadowed all other issues. If he was thinking of her at all, it was of the other Camilla – the Camilla he had known longest – the gingerbread woman that she had been. It hurt her, but she knew that it was her own fault that he could not think otherwise. She took his hand in her own warm fingers, and held it closely against her breast.

"Jeff, dear, look at me. I'm not the woman that I used to be. I'm the real Camilla, now – the Camilla you always hoped I'd be. I'm changed. Something has happened to me. I want you to understand – I'm not a graven image now, Jeff, I'm just – your wife."

He looked at her, bewildered, but in her eyes he saw that what she said was true. They were different eyes from the ones he had known – softened, darker – and looked up into his own pleadingly, wet with compassion, the tender, compelling eyes of a woman whose soul is awakened. She released his hand and threw her arms around his neck, lifting her face to his. "Don't you understand, Jeff? I want you. I want you. I've never wanted anybody else."

His arms tightened about her, and their lips met. She was tangible now – no mere image to be worshipped from afar, but a warm idol of flesh and blood, to be taken into one's heart and enshrined there.

"Camilla, girl. Is it true?"

"Yes," she whispered, "it has always been true – only I didn't know it. I love you, Jeff. I love you – oh, how I love you! Better than myself – better than all the world. Do you realize it now?"

He took her head between his hands and held it away so that he might look deep into her eyes and be sure. Their lashes dropped once or twice and hid them, but that made them only the more lovely when they opened again. For in them he read the whole measure of his happiness and hers.

"Yes, it's true. I know it now. You've never looked at me like that – never before." He bent her head forward and would have kissed her – as he sometimes used to do – on the forehead – but she would not let him.

"No, not that kiss – the cold kiss of homage, Jeff. I don't want to be venerated. You're not to kiss me like that again – ever. My lips – they're yours, Jeff – my lips … No one else – no, never … they're yours."

So he took them, and in their sweetness for a while found forgetfulness of his bitterness. At last she led him to a big chair by the window, made him sit, and sank on the floor at his feet.

"You're not going back to Kansas?" he asked anxiously.

She smiled. "Not unless you want me to."

He drew her into his arms again. "I'll never want you to. I want you here – close – close – my girl."

"You must never leave me again, Jeff – I've suffered so."

"I couldn't stand seeing you. I thought you loved – " She put her fingers over his lips and would not let him finish.

"No – not now – don't speak of that, it's all a nightmare. But you must never leave me again. I want to be with you always. I want to take my half of your troubles."

His head bowed, the grasp of his hands relaxed, and his eyes stared into vacancy.

"My troubles – yes, there are a lot of them. Perhaps you won't care for me so much when I'm down and out, Camilla. I suppose I ought to tell you. He – my father is going to have me indicted for conspiracy – about the mines. He's going to try to jail me – if he can."

She started up, terror-stricken.

"Oh, he couldn't – even he – couldn't do a thing like that."

"Oh, yes, he could," grimly. "He has bribed Reimer and Fritz Weyl. They swear I tried to murder Max."

"But you didn't, Jeff – tell me you didn't," she said tremulously. "You know you never told me what happened, and I've feared – you were desperate in those days – and lawless."

"I'm desperate and lawless yet," he muttered. "But I'd never try to kill a man just for money. We offered Max Reimer a share in the mine – a good share – but he wanted to hog it all. I told him he was a drunken fool, and he tried to shoot me. Mulrennan struck him, and knocked him out. I wouldn't be here now if he hadn't. I don't know why I never told you. I suppose I thought you wouldn't understand. I left Mulrennan trying to bring him around – and went down and bought that lease. That's all."

"Thank God," she crooned. "I've been so afraid. There have been so many stories."

"Lies – all lies – circulated by him. Now he's got Reimer to swear to them."

She threw her arms around his neck and searched his face anxiously.

"Jeff – he can't make people believe – "

"He wants to ruin me – and he'll do it if he can. There's no telling what money will do. He squeezed Conrad Seemuller and made him a bankrupt. Seemuller drank himself to death. Jimmy Ott blew out his brains. Oh, don't be afraid – I'm not going to do either – I'm not going to be crushed like a worm. If he ruins me, he'll pay dear for the privilege. I'll drag him down with me, and he'll drop farther than I will. I wanted to keep things quiet – but I won't any longer. I'll tell the world my story – his story, and let the world judge between us."

He tramped up and down the floor like a madman until Camilla interposed and led him to a divan. He followed her like a child and let her sit beside him while she questioned him as to what had happened. Jeff had looked for sanctuary, and he had found it at last. The other people in the house did not disturb them, and they sat for a long time alone, exchanging the confidences which had been so long delayed; but they were none the less sweet on that account. Late in the afternoon Camilla questioned Jeff again about the happenings of the morning. Rita Cheyne's part in the situation did not surprise her. She knew that Rita had heard everything and had decided to continue to play the game with Fate in Jeff's behalf. But she did not tell Jeff so. When he questioned her she told him what had happened at the Kinney House after he had left.

"Oh, Jeff, I don't know how I could have misjudged you so. Rita opened my eyes – why she chose to do it, I don't know. She's a strange woman – I can't quite make her out even now. She's half angel, half vixen, but I'll never forget her – never!" Camilla put her hand over Jeff's suddenly. "That money – Jeff – you must pay her back that money – if you have to sell the mine."

"I can't sell the mine – not now. It would clean me out."

"I don't care," she pleaded. "I don't want money. It has brought nothing but unhappiness to either of us. I want to begin all over again. I've learned my lesson. I look back to the old days and wonder what I could have been dreaming of. I've seen all I want of the world. Happiness belongs in the heart – no amount of money can buy it a place there. I want to be poor again – with you. Give him – give General Bent what he wants, Jeff – that will satisfy him, won't it? Please, Jeff, for my sake! Sell out the smelter and the mine – "

"Never!" Jeff's jaw set, and he rose, putting her aside almost roughly.

"I'll never give them up while I've an ounce of blood to fight!"

His tongue faltered and was silent. Camilla followed his startled gaze through the open window at an automobile, from the tonneau of which a man hurriedly descended.