THE ANCIENT SACRIFICE
The moon was riding high in the cloudless blue of the heavens, tricked out with faintly shining stars, when they rode into the "corral" that surrounded the ranch stable.A horse stood tethered at the gate.
"Hello, a visitor!" cried Cameron."A Police horse!" his eyes falling upon the shining accouterments.
"A Policeman!" echoed Mandy, a sudden foreboding at her heart.
"What can he want?"
"Me, likely," replied her husband with a laugh, "though I can't think for which of my crimes it is.It's Inspector Dickson, by his horse.You know him, Mandy, my very best friend.""What does he want, Allan?" said Mandy, anxiety in her voice.
"Want? Any one of a thousand things.You run in and see while Iput up the ponies."
"I don't like it," said Mandy, walking with him toward the stable.
"Do you know, I feel there is something--I have felt all day a kind of dread that--""Nonsense, Mandy! You're not that style of girl.Run away into the house."But still Mandy waited beside him.
"We've had a great day, Allan," she said again."Many great days, and this, one of the best.Whatever comes nothing can take those happy days from us." She put her arms about his neck and drew him toward her."I don't know why, Allan, I know it's foolish, but I'm afraid," she whispered, "I'm afraid.""Now, Mandy," said her husband, with his arms round about her, "don't say you're going to get like other girls, hysterical and that sort of thing.You are just over-tired.We've had a big day, but an exhausting day, an exciting day.What with that Piegan and the wolf business and all, you are done right up.So am I and--by Jove! That reminds me, I am dead famished."No better word could he have spoken.
"You poor boy," she cried."I'll have supper ready by the time you come in.I am silly, but now it's all over.I shall go in and face the Inspector and dare him to arrest you, no matter what you have done.""That's more like the thing! That's more like my girl.I shall be with you in a very few minutes.He can't take us both, can he?
Run in and smile at him."
Mandy found the Inspector in the cozy ranch kitchen, calmly smoking his pipe, and deep in the London Graphic.As she touched the latch he sprang to his feet and saluted in his best style.
"Never heard you ride up, Mrs.Cameron, I assure you.You must think me rather cool to sit tight here and ignore your coming.""I am very glad to see you, Inspector Dickson, and Allan will be delighted.He is putting up your horse.You will of course stay the night with us.""Oh, that's awfully kind, but I really can't, you know.I shall tell Cameron." He took his hat from the peg.
"We should be delighted if you could stay with us.We see very few people and you have not been very neighborly, now confess.""I have not been, and to my sorrow and loss.If any man had told me that I should have been just five weeks to a day within a few hours' ride of my friend Cameron, not to speak of his charming wife, without visiting him, well I should have--well, no matter--to my joy I am here to-night.But I can't stay this trip.We are rather hard worked just now, to tell the truth.""Hard worked?" she asked.
"Yes.Patrol work rather heavy.But I must stop Cameron in his hospitable design," he added, as he passed out of the door.
It was a full half hour before the men returned, to find supper spread and Mandy waiting.It was a large and cheerful apartment that did both for kitchen and living room.The sides were made of logs hewn smooth, plastered and whitewashed.The oak joists and planking above were stained brown.At one end of the kitchen two doors led to as many rooms, at the other a large stone fireplace, with a great slab for mantelpiece.On this slab stood bits of china bric-a-brac, and what not, relics abandoned by the gallant and chivalrous Fraser for the bride and her house furnishing.The prints, too, upon the wall, hunting scenes of the old land, sea-scenes, moorland and wild cattle, with many useful and ornamental bits of furniture, had all been handed over with true Highland generosity by the outgoing owner.
In the fireplace, for the night had a touch of frost in it, a log fire blazed and sparked, lending to the whole scene an altogether delightful air of comfort.
"I say, this does look jolly!" cried the Inspector as he entered.
"Cameron, you lucky dog, do you really imagine you know how jolly well off you are, coddled thus in the lap of comfort and surrounded with all the enervating luxuries of an effete and forgotten civilization? Come now, own up, you are beginning to take this thing as a matter of course."But Cameron stood with his back to the light, busying himself with his fishing tackle and fish, and ignoring the Inspector's cheerful chatter.And thus he remained without a word while the Inspector talked on in a voluble flow of small talk quite unusual with him.
Throughout the supper Cameron remained silent, rallying spasmodically with gay banter to the Inspector's chatter, or answering at random, but always falling silent again, and altogether was so unlike himself that Mandy fell to wondering, then became watchful, then anxious.At length the Inspector himself fell silent, as if perceiving the uselessness of further pretense.
"What is it, Allan?" said Mandy quietly, when silence had fallen upon them all."You might as well let me know.""Tell her, for God's sake," said her husband to the Inspector.
"What is it?" inquired Mandy.
The Inspector handed her a letter.
"From Superintendent Strong to my Chief," he said.
She took it and as she read her face went now white with fear, now red with indignation.At length she flung the letter down.
