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Page 46
"According to these words, it is the will of God that nothing
shall sever the marriage-bond," were the words that fell upon
Allen's ears as he stooped to look in the window at the
wedding-party.
"The Sky Pilot's taking a long time to make the hitch. Darned if
I couldn't hitch up a twenty-mule team in the time that he's
takin' to get them two to the pole," said Allen, speaking to
himself.
Dick had grown impatient at Jack's absence, and wandered back
from the garden to the front of the house. Spying Allen, he
greeted him with "Hello, Uncle Jim."
"That's my name," answered Allen suspiciously. "But I ain't
uncle to every stranger that comes along."
"I'm no stranger," laughed Dick. "You know me."
"Do I?" replied Allen, unconvinced. "Who are you?"
"The poor orphan you took from an asylum and made a man of--Dick
Lane."
"Dick Lane!" repeated the astonished ranchman. "Come back from
the dead!"
"No, I ain't dead yet," answered Dick, holding out his hand,
which Allen gingerly grasped, as if he expected to find it thin
air. "I wasn't killed. I have been in the hospital for a long
time. I wrote Jack--he knows."
"My God!" Allen cried. "Jack knows--you wrote to him--he knows."
Over and over he repeated the astonishing news which had been
broken to him so suddenly. Here was a man, as if back from the
dead, standing in his own dooryard, telling him that Jack knew he
was alive. No word had been told him. What could Echo say?
This, then, explained Jack's strange request, and his distress.
"And Echo?" Dick questioned, glancing toward the house.
"Echo." The name aroused Allen. He saw at once that he must act
definitely and quickly. Echo must not see Dick now. It was too
late. The secret of his return on the wedding-day must be known
only to the three men.
"Look here, Dick," he commanded. "You mustn't let her see
you--she mustn't know you are alive."
Dick was growing confused over the mystery which was being thrown
about Echo Allen. First Jack had told him he must wait to see
her, and now her father tells him he must never see her again, or
let her know that he is alive. His strength was being overtaxed
by all this evasion and delay.
"Dick," said Allen, with deep sympathy, laying his hand upon the
man's shoulder. "She's my daughter an' I want her life to be
happy. Can't you see? Do you understand? She thinks you're
dead."
"What are you saying?" cried Dick, trying to fathom the riddle.
"You've come back too late, Dick," sadly explained Allen.
"Too late," echoed Dick. "There's something back of all this.
I'll see her now."
He started to enter the door, but Allen restrained him. "You
can't go in," he shouted to the excited man, and pushed him down
the steps. It was an easy task for him for Dick was too weak to
offer much resistance. "No, you won't," he gently told him. His
heart bled for the poor fellow, whom he loved almost as a son,
but Echo's happiness was at stake, and explanations could come
later. More to emphasize his earnestness than to indicate
intention to shoot, he laid his hand on the butt of his revolver,
saying: "Not if I have to kill you."
Dick began to realize that whatever was wrong was of the greatest
consequence. It was a shock to him to have his oldest, his best
friend in the West treat him in this fashion.
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