“Yes, indeed. Uncle absolutely relies on Jeff,” replied Helen.
“Wal, I hate to tell you, Miss Nell,” said the cowboy, bitterly, “thet Mulvey ain't the man he seems.”
“Oh, what do you mean?”
“When your uncle dies Mulvey is goin' over to Beasley an' he's goin' to take all the fellars who'll stick to him.”
“Could Jeff be so faithless—after so many years my uncle's foreman? Oh, how do you know?”
“Reckon I guessed long ago. But wasn't shore. Miss Nell, there's a lot in the wind lately, as poor old Al grows weaker. Mulvey has been particular friendly to me an' I've nursed him along, 'cept I wouldn't drink. An' his pards have been particular friends with me, too, more an' more as I loosened up. You see, they was shy of me when I first got here. To-day the whole deal showed clear to me like a hoof track in soft ground. Bud Lewis, who's bunked with me, come out an' tried to win me over to Beasley—soon as Auchincloss dies. I palavered with Bud an' I wanted to know. But Bud would only say he was goin' along with Jeff an' others of the outfit. I told him I'd reckon over it an' let him know. He thinks I'll come round.”
“Why—why will these men leave me when—when—Oh, poor uncle! They bargain on his death. But why—tell me why?”
“Beasley has worked on them—won them over,” replied Carmichael, grimly. “After Al dies the ranch will go to you. Beasley means to have it. He an' Al was pards once, an' now Beasley has most folks here believin' he got the short end of thet deal. He'll have papers—shore—an' he'll have most of the men. So he'll just put you off an' take possession. Thet's all, Miss Nell, an' you can rely on its bein' true.”
“I—I believe you—but I can't believe such—such robbery possible,” gasped Helen.
“It's simple as two an' two. Possession is law out here. Once Beasley gets on the ground it's settled. What could you do with no men to fight for your property?”