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diff --git a/26389-8.txt b/26389-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8777b11 --- /dev/null +++ b/26389-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6936 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Dorothy on a Ranch, by Evelyn Raymond + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Dorothy on a Ranch + +Author: Evelyn Raymond + +Release Date: August 22, 2008 [EBook #26389] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DOROTHY ON A RANCH *** + + + + +Produced by D Alexander and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + DOROTHY + ON A RANCH + + By EVELYN RAYMOND + + AUTHOR OF + + "Dorothy," "Dorothy at Skyrie," "Dorothy's Schooling," + "Dorothy's Travels," "Dorothy's House Boat," + "Dorothy at Oak Knowe," "Dorothy's Triumph," + "Dorothy's Tour." + + A. L. BURT COMPANY + Publishers New York + Printed in U.S.A. + + + + + THE + DOROTHY BOOKS + By EVELYN RAYMOND + + These stories of an American girl by an American author have made + "Dorothy" a household synonym for all that is fascinating. Truth and + realism are stamped on every page. The interest never flags, and is + ofttimes intense. No more happy choice can be made for gift books, so + sure are they to win approval and please not only the young in years, + but also "grown-ups" who are young in heart and spirit. + + Dorothy + Dorothy at Skyrie + Dorothy's Schooling + Dorothy's Travels + Dorothy's House Party + Dorothy in California + Dorothy on a Ranch + Dorothy's House Boat + Dorothy at Oak Knowe + Dorothy's Triumph + Dorothy's Tour + + + + + COPYRIGHT, 1909, BY + THE PLATT & PECK CO. + + + + +[Illustration: The great animal had now dropped from its upright +position at Dolly's window and was crawling on all fours back along +the wide porch. (_Frontis_) (_Dorothy on a Ranch_)] + + + + +CONTENTS + +CHAPTER PAGE + + + I. THE TRIP IN THE ERMINIE 9 + + II. A SPILL BY THE WAY 25 + + III. THE MIDNIGHT SEARCHING PARTY 45 + + IV. THE WATCHERS AT RODERICK'S 62 + + V. THE CALL OF THE MOUNTAINS 75 + + VI. A MARTINET OF THE ROCKIES 93 + + VII. A RIFLE PRACTICE 110 + + VIII. A CONCERT IN THE MOONLIGHT 127 + + IX. A MODERN HORSE FAIR 142 + + X. AN UNEXPECTED DEPARTURE 157 + + XI. THE SHEEP HERDER'S CABIN 172 + + XII. PLAY THAT WAS WORK AND WORK + THAT WAS PLAY 187 + + XIII. THE HEN OF WUN SING 205 + + XIV. THE GRIZZLY AND THE INDIANS 220 + + XV. A TRIP TO BALD EAGLE ROCK 235 + + XVI. PROSPERITY AND PARTING 250 + + + + +DOROTHY ON A RANCH + + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE TRIP IN THE ERMINIE + + +The "Erminie," private car of "Railway Boss, Dan Ford," stood +side-tracked at Denver, and his guests within it were the happy people +whom, some readers may remember, we left keeping a belated Christmas in +the old adobe on the mesa, in southern California. + +To Dorothy, the trip thus far had been like a wonderful dream. + +"Just think, Alfy Babcock, of owning a real car, going and stopping +just as you please, same's riding in a carriage with horses! Even +darling Aunt Betty, who's been 'most everywhere and seen 'most +everything, in her long life, never travelled 'private coaching' this +way before. I hate to think it's over, that I'll have to say good-by +to her so soon. Seems if I ought not. Seems if she'll be dreadful +lonesome without me all summer. I'm her own folks and I--I believe I +shall go home with her after all, 'stead of into the mountains to that +ranch with the Gray Lady." + +Alfaretta gave a vigorous tug to the shawl-strap she was fastening +about a curious assortment of her personal belongings and answered: + +"That's enough of your 'seems-if-ing,' Dolly Doodles! It's all +settled, isn't it? And when a thing's fixed--it ought to stay fixed. +Mrs. Calvert don't want either of us. She said so, more 'n once, too. +She's tickled to death to think there's such a good time comin' for +us. She's got all that prop'ty that got itself into trouble to look +after, and she's got them ladies, her old friends, that's been in San +Diego all winter, to go home to New York with her. You better stop +frettin' and lookin' out o' winder, and pick up your things. You've +lots more 'n I have and that's sayin' consid'able. The way that Mr. +Ford moves makes other folks hustle, too! Hurry up, do! He said we +was all to go to a big hotel for our dinners and I'm real ready for +mine. I am so! Car-cookin's well enough, but for me--give me a table +that won't go wobblety-wobble all the time." + +Dorothy roused from her idleness and began to collect her own +"treasures." They had accumulated to a surprising degree during this +journey from San Diego to Denver; for their genial host had indulged +his young guests in all their whims and, at the various stops along +the way, they had purchased all sorts of things, from baskets to +blankets, horned toads on cards, centipedes in vials of alcohol, +Indian dolls and pottery, and other "trash," as Aunt Betty considered +it. In the roomy private car these had given but little trouble; now +Alfaretta expressed the thought of both girls as well as of the lad, +Leslie, when after a vain effort to pack an especially ugly red-clay +"image," she exclaimed: + +"A fool and his money! That's what I was. Felt as rich as a queen, +startin' out with all them earnin's and presents in my pocket-book. Now +I haven't got a cent, hardly, and I'd ha' been better off if I hadn't a +had them! There! that paper's busted again! Does beat the Dutch the way +things act! Just plain _things_! If they was folks you could box their +ears, but you can't do a thing to things, not a thing! Only--" + +"Throw them away! That's what I'm going to do with my stuff!" cried +Leslie, from a far corner, standing up and wiping his face, after his +own bit of packing. "This old musket that that man in uniform assured +me had belonged to General Custer--Dad says never saw a soldier's +hands, let alone Custer's. Says he knew that all the time, even when +I was dickering for it. Says--" + +Dorothy looked up from her own task to ask: + +"Why should he let you buy it then?" + +"For experience, likely. That's the way he likes to have us learn, he +claims." + +"Humph! But Aunt Betty says it's wicked to waste money. One ought only +to use it for some good purpose." + +A shout of derision came from both Alfy and Leslie, at this remark, and +they pointed in high glee at a basketful of things Dorothy was vainly +trying to make look a tidy bundle. She had to join in the laughter +against herself and Mr. Ford came forward to lend a hand or offer +advice, as need be. + +"So you're up against a tough proposition, are you, youngsters? How +much of all that stuff do you really want?" + +"Not a scrap!" said Alfaretta, frankly. + +"Good enough! Well, let me tell you. There's a poor old fellow hangs +out just beyond this station who makes his scanty living selling just +such 'trash.' I'll give you just five minutes to select whatever you +really wish to keep, five minutes more to stow them compactly for our +long buckboard-drive, and about as much longer to make the acquaintance +of my lame peddler and give him your leavings. Five seconds wasted +already, taring at me! Begin, begin!" + +The gentleman's face was aglow with happiness and mischief, but there +was a tone in his voice which compelled instant obedience; and long +before the first five minutes had passed all three young folks had +heaped the most of their "things" in a pile in the center of the car. +The rest was quickly strapped in the beautiful Navajo blankets which +Mrs. Ford, or the "Gray Lady"--as they best loved to call her, had +purchased and given them as souvenirs of this wonderful trip. Blankets +that were almost priceless, as only Dorothy knew from Aunt Betty's +explanation, but that Alfaretta considered far less attractive than a +plain white wool one. + +A porter, laden with baskets, appeared at that moment, as if by +previous instruction; and into the baskets were tossed or tumbled the +odd collection, everybody working swiftly yet already half-regretfully +that they hadn't kept more. + +"That horned toad'll get a rush of blood to his head!" cried Leslie, as +Alfaretta threw her recent "treasure" into the mess. + +"Take care, boy! Don't break that alcohol bottle. That centipede mayn't +be as dead as he looks! The horrid leg-gy thing! How in the world did I +ever fancy it? Take care!" warned Dorothy, as Leslie dropped an uncouth +Indian "image" upon the vial. + +"Hi, dere! Massa Leslie! Jed'll do de res'!" cried Mr. Ford's own +especial servant, coolly pushing the lad aside and rapidly making a +better arrangement of the articles. Then he shouldered his baskets and +left the car, Mr. Ford following, with the three young people trailing +after him. At the door Alfaretta turned and rapidly surveyed the +luxurious coach in which she had spent the past few days. To her it +had been a veritable fairyland, and quick tears sprang to her eyes +as she exclaimed: + +"I never had such a good time in all my life as I've had in this +'Erminie,' and I never expect to again! It 'most breaks my heart to say +good-by to it!" + +"Don't say it then! I shan't, though I feel as bad as you do. But our +worst good-by is to come when Aunt Betty starts east and we west. I +can't--how can I?--let her go alone?" + +This was sufficient to arouse all Alfy's sympathy. She promptly forgot +her own regret in soothing her friend, for Dorothy's grief was most +sincere. Ever since that day when she had learned that Mrs. Calvert was +her own kin she had loved the lady with all her heart and had, during +the past winter of Aunt Betty's lameness, felt that she must now take +care of her. She did not realize that the one-time invalid was now quite +well and as independent of aid as ever. Indeed, the Gray Lady had +laughingly declared: + +"Dear Mrs. Betty is the youngest-hearted of us all!" + +After that happy day when Dorothy had helped to bring about the reunion +of the long parted Fords, the "Railroad Boss" had taken his wife and +son away for a little time; but they had soon returned to _El Paraiso_, +that charming home in the southwestern city and had remained as members +of Mrs. Calvert's household till the spring days came. Then Mr. Ford had +announced his summer plans: + +"I'm going to give myself a long vacation. I own a ranch in the Colorado +mountains and I'm going to take you all, each and everyone, to enjoy it +with me. My wife, Erminie, claims it her turn to play hostess, so we'll +all become cowboys and cowgirls, and have a wild-west show of our own, +with a continuous performance for three jolly months. All in favor, say +Aye!" + +"Aye! Aye! Aye!" the youngsters had it, so heartily that, for a moment, +nobody noticed that Aunt Betty was silent. Then, when Dorothy observed +this, with a down-sinking of her own spirits, the lady made haste to +explain: + +"Nothing could please me better for Dorothy, and for myself if I were +able to accept. But I can't. As you know, my business affairs have +become tangled in some way and I must go home to really understand what +is amiss. Indeed, I don't know yet where I may have to be during the +warm weather and I'm delighted for my little girl, and for Alfaretta, to +have such a fine chance. I fancy you'll all come east in the autumn, as +brown as the Indians who'll be your neighbors, and in fine health. How +soon do you leave, Mr. Ford? That I may make some arrangement about this +dear old house, for I shan't want to stay in it after you're gone." + +Then it was his turn to explain: + +"I have felt all along, ever since I found Erminie here with our boy, +that the place should never become again just 'a house to rent.' So I've +bought it. I've found Padre Nicolas, the old priest whom the Indians +love and trust, and deeded it to him in trust for them as a Home. Here +Lazaro Gomez and the other ancients of his race shall dwell in comfort +for the rest of their days. The only proviso is that Father Nicholas +shall admit none who hasn't reached the age of discretion--say, +eighty-odd years, or so! Nor shall any of his charges be compelled to +tame wild beasts and sell them for a livelihood. The good old priest is +ready to take possession as soon as we vacate and will put everything +into what Alfy calls 'apple-pie order,' according to a red man's fancy. +So, when everybody is ready--Don't hurry, please!--we'll board my car, +the 'Erminie,' and take our leisurely way northward. It isn't as if we +had to say good-by, you see, for we'll be all together still. As for +Mrs. Calvert's plan--maybe we can persuade her to postpone business +awhile for a taste of real ranch life. Eh?" + +But Mistress Elisabeth Cecil-Somerset-Calvert was a matron who never +said "No" when she meant "Yes;" and she smilingly kept to her own +purpose, yet took good care that no shadow of a coming separation should +darken her beloved Dorothy's wonderful trip in a private car. Just here +we may recall to the readers' attention that this young girl's earlier +experiences have been told in "Dorothy's Schooling," her "Travels" and +"House Party" and best of all "In California." + +Now those happy days of travel and sightseeing had ended in the city of +Denver. The "Erminie" was to be stripped and renovated and put aside to +await its owner's further orders. From this point the ranchers were to +proceed by a coaching tour over the long and delightful road to the +distant Rockies: while Mrs. Calvert, her black "boy," Ephraim, and some +women friends were to speed eastward by the fleetest "limited" express. +One more short hour together, in a hotel dining-room, and the parting +was due. Aunt Betty and Mrs. Ford had already been driven away to this +hotel as Leslie and his girl guests followed his father from the +"Erminie," and seeing the downward droop of Dorothy's lip he tried to +divert her by exclaiming: + +"There was never such a man as Dad! He never forgets. Never. I believe +he knows every cripple between New York and San Francisco. I do, indeed. +This fellow we're going to give that 'trash' to is one of his pets. I +remember him now. Got hurt in a railway smash but is as independent as +they make 'em. Wouldn't sue the company and wouldn't take money from it +when offered. Claimed he was stealing a ride and only got what he calls +his 'come-uppance' when he got hurt. Dad was so astonished when he heard +about that, he said the man ought to be 'framed and put on exhibition, +as the only case of his kind on record.' Then he suggested this way of +earning his living. He has the 'boys' keep him fixed up in a little sort +of stand just yonder and they see to it that his stock never fails. The +cripple's as proud as Punch. Boasts that any honest man can do well in +America if he tries. He hasn't any legs left and his arms aren't worth +much but his spirit is the bravest ever. It would break his heart if he +guessed that most of the stuff he sells is bought for my father by some +of his employees, all on the sly. But he'll never know it. That's the +best of Dad! His 'boys' love him. They think he's just rippin'! And he +is. Look now. See how that man's face lights up when he hears that +'Halloo'!" + +Dorothy stopped short to exclaim: + +"Bought the stuff and gave us most of it, and now will buy it over again +just to throw away! I never heard anything like that!" + +"Reckon you didn't, for there is only one Dan Ford! But he doesn't have +it thrown away. He has it burned. He says, 'Burned toads tell no tales,' +and the worst trouble the boys have is to get folks enough to buy the +things for them. When they see a likely lookin' tourist edging around +the stand they use him, if they can. If they can't it's a 'short day' +for Cripple Andy, but that doesn't worry him. 'The fat and the lean,' he +calls it. Oh! I say, he's almost as rippin' as Dad himself, he's so +plucky!" + +The cripple's face did indeed light up as Mr. Ford appeared before him +and shouted that gay "Halloo!" + +"Well, well, well! If you ain't the best sight I've had since I saw you +last. Halloo, yourself and see how you like it!" With this attempt at +facetiousness, the seller of notions leaned forward over his stand and +extended his best hand toward his benefactor. + +"How's business, Andy?" + +"Tollable, sir, fairly tollable. Been sellin' a lot o' truck, lately, to +some Cookies, and there was a reduction-school-ma'am-racket that nigh +cleaned me out. See that your man Jed here has got a heap more things. +How'd he come by them? Must ha' cleared the country of rep_tiles_, +judgin' by them samples." + +"Oh, he came by them fairly enough, Andy. These youngsters couldn't live +without the things when they first saw them, but now they'll be grateful +if you'll take them off their hands. Maybe you can make something from +them, maybe not. In any case they're not going to _San Leon_ on a +buckboard with me! Take them off our hands, lad, and do a good deed once +in your life!" + +By this time Mr. Ford had placed his own two strong hands over the +shrivelled one of the peddler and was pressing it warmly, while the two +looked into one another's eyes with mutual respect and liking. Then when +the hands unclasped there was left on Andy's palm a glittering double +eagle. + +Dorothy, watching, wondered at this, after hearing Leslie's boast of the +cripple's independence; and there did a flush rise in his face for a +moment, till Mr. Ford said: + +"For Laddie, you know. If you can't use it--pass it on!" + +The flush died out of the vender's cheek and a soft look came over it. +"So I will, man, so I will. Thank God there's always somebody poorer +than me! Good-by, and good luck, Boss! By that token I never seen you +look that happy as you do this day, man alive, never!" + +"I never had such reason to be glad, Andy boy! Good-by, good-by!" + +Mr. Ford started off at a brisk pace, the young folks trying to equal +his long strides, and Alfaretta asking: + +"Is that cripple crazy? What'd he mean by sellin' things to 'Cookies' +and what's a 'school-ma'am-racket'?" + +Leslie laughed and answered: + +"A 'racket' of that sort has nothing to do with tennis, Miss Babcock, at +your service; and 'Cookies' are just Cook's tourists. All railroaders +call them that; and I suppose the 'racket' was a cheap excursion the +school-ma'ams were taking. Odd, isn't it? That though all Andy's trouble +came from the railroad he claims to belong to it as one of its 'boys.' +He's rippin', Andy is. He told father 't he 'teached school' himself, +once! But he got so tired of it that the sight of a spelling-book made +him sick." + +"It does me, too," said Alfy, with sympathy. + +"So he 'cut and run,' and rode on trains in every direction as long as +his money held out. Then he stole the ride that ended his travels right +here in Denver. Hello! where's Dad?" + +They had loitered along the way and he had simply outstripped them. So +without even a quarter in his purse but in his most lordly air, Leslie +hailed a cab to carry them to the hotel he knew was that habitually +patronized by his father; and a few minutes later they rode up to the +entrance in state. + +An attendant hastened to the curb to assist the "young ladies" out of +the cab, but the hackman laid a detaining hand upon Leslie's shoulder +with the remark: + +"Fares, please." + +"Eh? Just settle that with Mr. Daniel Ford, inside. Here, Buttons, you +find Mr. Ford and ask him to step here. It'll be all right, Jehu, and +let's hurry, girls, else we'll be late for dinner." + +He started to enter the building but the cabman retained his hold on the +lad's shoulder and remarked: + +"No, you don't! You may be all right and so may your Mr. Ford but, as +for me, I never heard tell of him and money talks. Fares, please." + +Dorothy and Alfaretta clung together, really afraid of the cabman who +was now growing decidedly angry. He was a stranger to that city and had +just embarked in a rather losing business, his outfit of horse and cab +being a second-hand one and too shabby for most patrons. + +Also, "Buttons," as Leslie had called the bell-boy, now returned to say +that "no name of Ford was on the register and the clerk wouldn't +bother." + +Here was a dilemma. The trio who had ridden in state now felt very +small, indeed, and glanced at one another in dismay. Then Leslie +surveyed the name over the hotel entrance and exclaimed: + +"Pshaw! This isn't the place at all. That donkey of a driver has brought +us to the Metropole and not the Metropolitan. I might have known Dad +wouldn't put up at such a third-rate tavern as this! Now, you idiot, +we'll get in again and you take us where you were bid! and there, it's +likely, you'll make the acquaintance of Mr. Daniel Ford in a way you +don't like! Get in, Dorothy--Alfy! We can't stand foolin' here!" + +But the cabman closed the door of his vehicle with a bang and calmly +folded his arms to wait. Dolly pulled out her little purse. It contained +one nickel and two cents. She had carefully cherished these because +coins smaller than a nickel are not plentiful in California; but she +tendered them to Leslie who smiled and shook his head. Alfaretta +discovered a dime, but it was her "luck piece," wrapped in pink tissue +paper and carried thus in order that she "might always have money in her +pocket," and she hated to give it up. Both she and Dolly thought +regretfully of the little pocket-hoard they had begged the Gray Lady to +keep for them, lest they spend it on the trip. However, neither the +cabman nor Leslie accepted their offering, and the latter exclaimed: + +"Ain't this rippin'? Lost in a strange city, in the middle of the day, +and not a soul willing to help us out! What in the world will Dad say!" + +"What, indeed! But look here, Leslie Ford, we've got enough to pay for +telephoning that other hotel, if the man in here will let us use his +'phone! Then your father will send somebody after us or do something. +Please try. I feel so queer with so many folks staring at us as if we'd +done something bad!" + +By this time the hotel clerk had become more amiable. The name of Ford +had impressed him if it hadn't the hackman, and though he, too, was new +to the town he bade Leslie: + +"Go ahead! Call him up, if there is such a man." + +With a glance of angry contempt Leslie put the receiver to his ear and +rang up "Dad;" only to hang it up again in disgust, as the answer came +back: "Line's busy!" + + + + +CHAPTER II + +A SPILL BY THE WAY + + +The "line" remained busy for so long that the loungers in the hotel +lobby grew amused at Leslie's impatience while the two girls became very +anxious. + +"It was only an hour or so, Mr. Ford said, before Aunt Betty's train +would leave and I shall be too late to see her--to bid her good-by--and +it's for all summer--a whole long summer! I must go, I must find her, I +shall--I will!" cried poor Dorothy, her own words increasing her fear of +this calamity, and with a sudden burst of tears. For an instant she +tried to keep them back, then careless who might see her crying, darted +outward to the curbstone and to the hackman waiting there. + +In so doing she collided with a gentleman entering, who staggered +backward from the impact, then quietly put his hands upon the girl's +shoulders, to steady her also. + +"Beg pardon, little miss! and hello! What's wrong? Did I hurt you? Beg +pardon twice, in that case!" + +The tone was kindly and to Dorothy it was a case of "any port in a +storm." + +"No, no, sir, you didn't! But I'm--we're--in dreadful trouble. Do you +know--do you?--where that other hotel is, that Metropolitan?" + +"Surely, I know. Why?" + +"Is it far? Can I run there quick? The cabman--we haven't any money--it +was a mistake--and I must go, I must!" + +Leslie laid a soothing hand on Dorothy's, which she had clasped +imploringly before the stranger, and told their story. + +The effect was surprising. This gentleman was the proprietor of this +establishment and he well knew Mr. Ford, by reputation at least. With +one angry glance around the lobby and at the now obsequious clerk, he +wheeled about, strode to the cab, opened the door and lifted Dorothy +within. Then he as promptly settled Alfaretta beside her, himself took +the forward seat and motioned Leslie to follow. Then he ordered: + +"Now, cabby, drive like lightning! It'll be worth your while. Straight +ahead, five blocks--east two--north three! Drive, I tell you." + +And "drive" the man did, as fast as his slow horse could be urged, while +within the carriage the three young folks sat in anxiety, Dorothy +leaning far forward, as if by that means she could reach her destination +sooner. + +Their new friend beamed upon her, asking a few questions which drew out +a brief history of their trip and the plans for their coming summer. +Then almost before the cab was halted before a big hotel he had opened +its door again and taking the hands of the two girls piloted them +straight into it and through some great halls to the dining room. There +he halted and gave the name: + +"Mr. Daniel Ford and party." + +"At dinner, sir, private dining room. May not wish to be disturbed. I'll +send to inquire--step into the reception room please," bowed and +explained the employee the gentleman had summoned. + +"That's all right. Direct us. I'm Darby of the Metropole. These young +people belong to Mr. Ford's party." + +A moment later they had met Mr. Ford himself, issuing from his private +room, vexed and anxious at their delay and starting out in their +pursuit. + +"Well, laggards! What does this mean? Wasting the time when there's so +little of it? Mrs. Calvert's fretting so she can't eat her dinner +and--in with you! In with you! There's but fifteen minutes before her +train starts east!" + +When a good natured man is angry he seems another person and Dorothy +drew back in fear. But Alfaretta's own temper rose and she exclaimed: + +"Don't scold us, please, Mr. Ford, it wasn't our fault!" while Leslie +vainly tried to explain: "A gentleman, a stranger, brought us here and +paid our cab fare. I want a dollar, Dad, to refund him." + +But, for once, the doting father was deaf to his son's words. He did not +even pause in his rapid stride along the corridor, fairly dragging +Dorothy off her feet in his unconscious haste, and finally depositing +her in an empty chair beside Aunt Betty's, with the remark: + +"Here's your 'bad penny' again! She--they all--will learn some lessons +up at San Leon, this summer, or I'm a mistaken man. The one thing nobody +should dare lose is--time!" + +Mrs. Calvert gave him a surprised look but she had also been hurt by +Dorothy's absence during the brief space that remained to them together, +and she hastened to deliver the many last charges and bits of advice +that seemed needful before their parting. + +A waiter placed their dinner before the three young folks and Alfy and +Leslie fell to work upon it with hungry zeal, but Dorothy could not eat. +Her eye had discovered a clock on the wall, with the hands pointing five +minutes to three. At ten minutes past that hour the "Eastern Limited" +would roll out of the station and she be left behind. In a sudden +impulse, she threw her arms about Aunt Betty's neck, begging: + +"Take me with you! Please take me with you! I--I love you best of all +the world, so why shouldn't we keep together?" + +If there were tears in Mrs. Calvert's bright, dark eyes, she did not +allow them to fall. Unclasping her darling's arms and gently laying them +down, she silently signalled to Mrs. Ford and almost as silently left +the room. + +The "Gray Lady" followed and Aunt Betty whispered: + +"I'm getting too old for good-bys. I'm going to slip away in the hotel +stage and don't let Dolly follow me, please, till it's too late. She'll +be all right again, directly, and--and so shall I. Good-by to you, +though, and--that's all." + +Dolly dropped her head on the edge of the table, as Aunt Betty loosened +her arms. She was bravely trying to overcome the sudden loneliness which +possessed her and in this was helped by Alfy's warning: + +"Dolly Doodles! Take your head out of your soup plate! Are you crazy? +There goes your ribbon right into the mess!" + +The head was lifted so suddenly that the ribbon flew off and fell into +the dish and its owner's tears ended in a giggle. Then her face flushed +at thought of her own awkwardness and she looked down expecting a +reprimand from Mrs. Calvert. When none came she lifted her eyes and +found the next chair empty. This was a relief. She'd hide the ribbon +before her aunt discovered it! But already the waiter had whisked that +plate away and was supplying her with another. + +Funny! Where Aunt Betty had gone! But, of course she'd merely left the +room for a minute and would be back to say good-by. Then she picked at +her food for a moment, wondering why Mr. Ford had also disappeared, and +at the eagerness with which Leslie and Alfaretta enjoyed the good things +served to them. + +Gray Lady slipped back to her own place between the other two young +people and began to ask them about the adventure which had delayed them. +Presently they were all talking together, even Dorothy adding her +comments and forgetting to look again at that warning clock. + +Besides, she was listening to the grumbles of Leslie who, for once, was +angry against his father and was explaining to his mother: + +"I never felt so ashamed of myself. The idea of letting that stranger, +and the proprietor of a rival hotel, pay our cab fare! I wish you'd hand +me the cash and I'll send a boy to hunt him up and settle. I--" + +Mrs. Ford stopped his further complaints by a nod of her head and the +odd remark: + +"They must have arrived by this time and the others must be gone. Yes, +they ought to be here. I hope they'll not delay us, too, as you did. +Money? No, dear, I can't give you that. Not in this case when your +father has denied it. Ah! Fifteen minutes after three! Then our friends +must be well out of the city by now." + +Lady Gray, as her son still loved to call her, now took her eyes from +the clock she had been studying and cast a tender look upon the face of +Dorothy. The girl had sprung up from her chair and had fixed her own +gaze upon the time-piece while the color left her cheeks and she +trembled violently. But Mrs. Ford's arm was about the slender waist and +her voice was comforting: + +"Your Aunt Betty thought it was the best. She shrank from the good-bys +for both your sakes. She's a wonderful woman and thinks of everything +that will make people happier. She said she'd just postpone the +farewells till you meet again. She went away as cheerfully as possible +and you must follow her example. Ah! hark!" + +Dorothy's bent head lifted slightly. There was a sound of merry, +youthful voices in the corridor, the genial tones of Mr. Ford mingling +with them, and presently the portieres were parted and the opening was +filled by a group of faces matching the voices and belonging to--Could +it be? Could it! + +"Molly Breckenridge! Helena! Oh! Oh! Jim--you dears!" cried the +astonished Dolly, rubbing her eyes that had been so dimmed by tears, and +gazing at the faces in the doorway as if she couldn't believe her own +sight. + +There, too, was Alfaretta, clasping the hands of all the newcomers, +fairly dancing up and down in her excitement, "hail-fellow-well-met" +with them all, forgetful for once of the difference in their social +positions which had used to make her shy and restrained. + +"Be I awake or asleep? How in my senses have you all got away out here +to this jumpin' off place of all creation? Jim Barlow, you darlin' old +Jim! How's Ma Babcock? How's Pa? How's every single one the precious +folks up-mounting? Oh! I could just squeeze the life out of you, I'm so +terrible glad to see you!" almost screamed the girl, as she now for a +moment forsook the "'ristocratics" of the party to hug and kiss James +Barlow. + +He, poor fellow, rid himself of her clasping arms as soon as possible, +reddening yet laughing, and casting an appealing look upon the lady who +had risen from the table and stood smiling her welcome to them all. + +"Don't mind Alfy, ma'am; she always did have to be the middle of +things," begged the lad, overcoming his own shyness rather than have +that beautiful lady think he was a "softie" who liked kissing girls. +Also, he was thankful that Dorothy had contented herself with merely +holding tight to his hand and simply looking her affection. + +"Oh! that's all right. We love Alfy; and this, I see, is that wonderful +'Jim' of whom I've been told so much. I--we--are delighted that you were +able to take your holiday with us; and though we are not there yet, I +bid you hearty welcome to San Leon," said Lady Gray, now moving forward +and warmly shaking the hand of the "work boy" as Dorothy released it. + +"Isn't it splendid? Is it a surprise? Didn't you know a thing about it, +Dolly Doodles?" demanded pretty Molly, hugging her friend, then standing +back to hold her at arm's length and study the changes which a few +months' separation had made in the beloved face. + +Helena Montaigne, too, was trying to clasp her in equally tender arms, +and Molly reluctantly released Dorothy, while she let Mr. Ford lead her +to his wife, introducing her as: + +"The daughter of my old friend, Judge Breckenridge. He and I were +classmates once, and come here, Leslie boy! I've heard this little lady +spoken of as 'Jolly Molly,' and you must make it your business that not +one day of her coming summer with us shall be anything save 'jolly.' Ah! +Erminie, young people on a ranch!" + +Evidently, Leslie was as much in the dark as Dorothy and Alfy had been, +this visitation of so many young strangers a complete surprise to him; +but he was trained to good manners and at once captivated Molly's +admiration by his cordial greeting. So that, a moment later, she +whispered to Dorothy: + +"Isn't he a dear! I declare he's just a heavenly handsome boy, with his +blue eyes and--and his _air_! He really is too sweet for words, that +boy!" + +Whereat Dolly laughed and answered: + +"Oh! you funny Molly! You don't change a bit! Still 'doting on boys' as +much as ever! How's Melvin?" + +"Melvin's a poke. The invitation included him, too, but he sets himself +up stiff as stiff and said he had no time to waste visiting. He'd got to +learn the business soon as he could, for his mother--Oh! a lot of bosh +about his mother, and her trusting him. Even my father--" + +"Never mind him, then, but tell me how in the world you happened to come +just here and now?" + +The two had retreated to the window and stood with arms about each other +and Dorothy's eyes now free from tears. Indeed, so surprising was this +whole affair that she had, for a moment, forgotten Aunt Betty's +departure. + +"Why, it's this way. Mr. Ford is an old friend of Papa's and when he +found out that you knew us, too, he just planned the whole thing for a +grand treat to you! He wrote Papa that he was under 'lifelong +obligation to you' because--well, of something or other. I wasn't told +what, but it doesn't matter. The thing that does matter is that we're to +be together all summer long, at least for three whole months. Think of +that, girlie, just think of that! He wrote Papa, too, that he'd have +liked to gather the whole 'House Party' together if it had been +practical, but his wife didn't think it would. I reckon she knew she'd +have her hands full enough, chaperoning eight youngsters, without asking +more. We came pretty near not getting Helena and Herbert, though! Mr. +Montaigne fancied it was too much like an imposition to let them come, +because he didn't know the Fords. Helena wrote me that, so I got Dad to +send him a letter to make him stop and think! Besides, Jim--that boy is +just grand! He--" + +"Of course, honey. He's a boy, you know." + +"Laugh away! I'm too happy to care. I do like boys best. Why shouldn't +I? They're heaps more fun than girls--except you. And to think! Helena +and Jim were the real chaperons of our trip, though Helena's governess, +Miss Milliken, was called such. But she's a stick! I had the time of my +life, keeping her scared all the way on. Oh! I'm glad to be off that +train. Mr. Ford says we're to finish our journey in wagons. I like +that." + +"But I don't see Miss Milliken, Molly." + +"No. She knows some people here in Denver and they met her at the +station and carried her off to dine with them. I wish she'd get belated +and left behind. She was a regular kill-joy all the way out." + +"Poor, meek, timid woman! She used to have so little snap that Herbert +nicknamed her 'The Worm.' It was horrid--" + +"Well, she's 'turned,' then. Of course, we were pretty full of fun and +scared her with some of our pranks. But--Ah! there she is now! You can't +lose that woman! Mrs. Montaigne told her that 'the lives of her precious +children were entrusted to her hands,' and the governess feels her +responsibility to the full, I tell you. Even Helena--" + +"Dinner for the newcomers!" called Mr. Ford, interrupting, as a fresh +meal was placed upon the table and they were invited to their seats. The +zeal with which they accepted and the fine appetites they displayed sent +a satisfied smile to their host's lips, and he nodded merrily to his +wife: + +"No invalids among them! Glad of that! But youngsters, eat first, +chatter afterwards! The wagons will be at the door very soon and I want +to get in a good thirty miles before bedtime!" + +They tried to check their eager talk but they were all too excited for +quiet, and presently rose from the table, ready for the ride, while Mr. +Ford said: + +"Now, Erminie, wife, you do the pairing off of the youngsters, and +arrange how we shall divide. First, count noses! Eight youngsters, three +oldsters, two 'boys'--thirteen passengers in all! Miss Milliken, did you +ever 'cross the plains' before?" + +The prim little lady, who had been standing beside Mrs. Ford, appeared +not to hear the gentleman's question, but turned with an air of anxiety +to ask in turn: + +"Madam, did I hear there were 'thirteen,' THIRTEEN?" + +"Yes, Miss Milliken. Why?" + +"Then I think you'll have to excuse me. I might follow you later if +there were some way but I positively decline to make the thirteenth of +any party." + +There certainly was nothing wormlike, or undecided, about the governess, +whose lips had closed in such a thin line of obstinacy as changed her +whole appearance, while her would-be hostess inquired with amusement: + +"Are you superstitious, Miss Milliken? Surely, with your culture and--" + +Helena advanced with an air of authority: + +"Milliken, this is absurd! Please get back your common sense. Remember +we are guests and have no right to object to anything." + +The chaperon bridled, but kept silence, till Mr. Ford explained: + +"Thirteen doesn't mean the whole party. There'll be three drivers, +besides. Possibly more men picked up along the road. Moreover, thirteen +is my 'lucky number,' if 'luck' is anything. Well, Mrs. Ford, have you +arranged the company?" + +"No, I cannot. I know them so slightly, as yet, and the best way is to +draw lots. How many will the first buckboard carry?" + +"Eight, all told. A dozen, if need be. Well, time's precious! Here's a +lot of matches. The whole ones go in number one, the next lengths in +wagon two, and the little ones in the last. See, I've snapped them off, +and Miss Milliken, as head of the expedition, please draw first!" + +The lady flushed and drew. Her lot was in the last and smallest +buckboard which would carry but two more beside the driver; and it fell +out that her companions would be Alfaretta and Monty Stark. The driver +was known as Silent Pete, and it certainly was an odd combination which +had resulted from the first "drawing." + +To the leading wagon the "lots" assigned the three Fords and Jedediah, +their colored "boy," with Molly, Helena and Herbert--their driver, Lem +Hunt, the most talkative man at San Leon but, also, the crack whip of +the ranch. + +The driver of the second team was "Tenderfoot Sorrel," so called because +of his red hair and his comparatively recent arrival from the east. He +was less familiar with the country than the other two teamsters and had +been assigned to the place in the middle of the little cavalcade, so +that "he can't lose hisself afore or ahind, ary way," as Lemuel +explained it. + +Naturally, everybody was disappointed at the result of the lots, Mrs. +Ford protesting that it was inhospitable to put all her family in one +vehicle, and that the best, but that "a Ford should have been in each." + +"Let's change, then," begged Monty, "and let one of the girls settle it +as she knows we'd like it." + +But Alfy gave him such a frown that he ducked his head, avoiding an +imaginary blow, while Miss Milliken as vigorously declared: + +"You mustn't do that. Oh! don't do that! 'Twould be the very worst luck +of all. Something would surely happen!" + +"Well, if there doesn't I shall be disappointed! We're all eager for +adventures, and that's why I took this long, roundabout way to the +ranch. We could have gone there in next to no time, by rail, but that's +too humdrum a thing. Anyhow, I bow to Miss Milliken's prejudices for the +time being. We shall be in sight of each other all the time, I expect, +and meet at Roderick's for our suppers and beds! All off for San Leon +that's going!" cried Mr. Ford, in imitation of a steamboat steward, and +taking his wife's arm led her and her guests out of the hotel. + +The trunks and heavier luggage had already gone ahead in other wagons +and only suit-cases and hand-bags were on hand. These were hastily +bestowed in the boxes of the two less crowded buckboards, and no +attention paid to their ownership, since it was expected that all would +meet at "Roderick's," where every traveller could find his own. + +With a blast on his coach horn, a crack of his long whip over his +four-in-hand, proud Lemuel led the way along the city street, out of the +town, and into the open country beyond. + +All the horses attached to the blackboards were the picked ones of the +San Leon stables, with a record known as well in the far east as in that +wide western land. As one spectator of this gallant start remarked: + +"It goes without saying that Dan Ford will drive no second-rate +horseflesh, any more 'n he will a second-class railroad. My! See 'em +travel! At that gait they'll pick up the stretch 'twixt here and +'Roderick's' long before nightfall, or I'm no judge." + +"Likely enough, likely enough. Only I don't like the looks of that +second span--I mean the one to the middle buckboard. Them blacks. The +boys up to S' Leon hadn't no right to trust a tenderfoot to drive them +critters!" remarked another observer, as the fretful animals passed out +of sight, following their leaders. + +Even Lem Hunt looked back once or twice, as they left the city limits, +and waved a warning hand toward "T. Sorrel," who merely tossed his red +head and continued to draw upon the reins he should have loosened. Also, +Silent Pete opened his lips for once and hallooed to the man ahead: + +"Let 'em out, you fool! Give 'em their heads, I say!" + +Then he relapsed into his normal condition, attending strictly to his +own business and making himself deaf to the timid shrieks of Miss +Milliken, from the rear seat. He was known to "hate silly women" and +felt his fate a hard one in having to escort such a one as the +governess. She, accustomed only to the sedate pace of the fat Montaigne +steeds, felt that the spirited animals before that wagon were simply on +the road to destruction and nowhere short of it! She clung to her +seat-arm with one hand and clutched Pete's coat collar with the other, +frantically beseeching him: + +"Do stop! Oh! you--man--just stop--and let me get my breath! I--I bump +so--I--I can't even think!" + +But this western jehu merely flicked her fingers off as he would a +troublesome fly, while Monty coolly advised: + +"Don't try, Miss Milliken. Fast? Why, they call this mere walkin' out +here. I'm going to take a nap." + +He settled himself sidewise on his seat, folded his arms upon its back, +dropped his face upon them and tried to sleep. He was cross. He had +wanted to ride in the foremost vehicle with the fine four-in-hand. He +hated being put at the tail end of the procession with stupid Alfaretta +Babcock, a speechless man, and a nervous, half-hysterical woman for +companions. But the chuckle that escaped him a moment later proved that +his slumber was only a pretended one. At a particularly rough spot in +the road and a particularly shrill scream from Miss Milliken, the angry +ranchman faced about and rudely ordered: "Shut up!" Then his lips closed +with a click and nothing further escaped them during all that drive. + +Alfaretta giggled; then strained her eyes again to pierce the distance +which she had been studying for some time. Then she laid a hand on +Monty's head and shook it vigorously: + +"Wake up, boy! Look ahead and see if either wagon is in sight! 'Tisn't +so awful dark yet but I wish--I wish I could get a glimpse of Dolly and +Jim. That fool driver might have taken the wrong road where it branched +off a ways back." + +Silent Pete heard and guessed this was the truth, but he ventured no +reply. His business was to drive his own horses and let the tenderfoot +look out for himself. But Monty roused himself enough to assure Alfy: + +"He wouldn't do that! Why, that road is nothing but a trail through the +woods. Dark as midnight. Don't worry." Then he settled himself to sleep +again. + +Now the fact was that "T. Sorrel," as his fellow ranchmen called him, +had more conceit than common sense. He had heard that the branch road +was a short cut to "Roderick's," but not that it was impassable for a +team. A man on horseback might pass safely over it, by daylight and with +a trustworthy mount. Not otherwise; and though the opening was fairly +clear the trail entered a hopeless tangle of underbrush and fallen +timber but a short way further on. To go forward then became impossible, +and equally so the turning back. The lively blacks resented the +scratching of briers and broken branches upon their tender limbs and +pranced and fretted wildly. A molly cottontail scurried across the track +before them and with a mutual, frenzied impulse they shied and sprang +into the air. + +The buckboard flew upward, turned turtle, scattered its load in all +directions, then settled into a broken heap, while the light traces +yielded to the strength of the horses, and they rushed madly forward out +of sight. + +At that very moment it had been, that Silent Pete and his wagon had +passed the entrance of that trail; and even in that dusk his trained +eye had noted fresh wheel and hoof prints. But it was not his business +to stop and investigate. He had been set to bring his party to +"Roderick's", not to take care of a tenderfoot who ought to have a +nurse, the fool! + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE MIDNIGHT SEARCHING PARTY + + +The night was growing late and there were anxious hearts at +"Roderick's." The four-in-hand had arrived hours before, and Silent Pete +had also brought his party safely in--to the mutual relief of himself +and Miss Milliken, the latter really surprised to find she had arrived +sound in body and limb. She had promptly retired to the little chamber +assigned herself and Helena, only to reappear in fresh distress. + +"My suit-case with my night-things! I can't find it anywhere. The one +they gave me has a lot of boys' things in it-all jumbled together. I'd +like my suit-case, please. I'm worn out with that awful ride and if I've +got to repeat it to-morrow, I must get to rest;" but as the buxom maid +to whom she appealed paid her scant attention, she turned to Helena with +her wail: "Oh, Miss Helena! _Won't_ you make them give me the right +case?" + +The emphasis put on the "won't" suggested a desperate need, but merely +annoyed her young mistress, who requested: + +"Don't make a nuisance of yourself, Milly. The loss of a suit-case is +nothing compared to--Oh! if Dolly were only safely here!" + +"She will be, of course. Haven't I, with my nerves, lived through that +ride? But, you don't understand, dear, I _want my things_. I can't wear +a boy's pajamas--all mussed up, at that. I want, I want to go to bed." + +"Then, for goodness' sake--go!" cried Monty Stark, who had come up to +the pair. "That'll give us a rest, too." + +"I shall have to sit up all night, then," still moaned the lady, "for +your case isn't to be found either, Miss Helena." + +Then finding no greater sympathy from her mistress than from that saucy +boy, the governess betook herself out of the way. She was the only one +of the party which had so gaily left Denver that now cared for anything +except the appearance down the road of the missing buckboard. + +Molly and Leslie, congenial spirits, had tried to laugh off their +anxiety and to convince the others that everything was "all right, of +course." + +"Likely Dolly Doodles has discovered some new sort of flowers somewhere +and has wandered off to get them. She's always doing that kind of +thing," Molly assured her hostess, who had gently answered: + +"We'll hope it's only that. But she'd scarcely look for wild flowers at +night, nor do anything to make us anxious by her delay. Our Dorothy is +a very considerate girl and I wish--they would come." + +Linking her arm within Helena's, the lady set her steps to suit the +girl's and resumed the pacing up and down the long piazza. The house was +a one-storied building, stretching along the roadway to a size that was +unusual for such a locality. It had been added to at different periods, +as need arose; each addition being either a little lower or higher than +its neighbor, according to the cash in hand, but invariably with the +continuance of the comfortable piazza. This now afforded a long +promenade, and all the people gathered at the wayside inn that night, +were using it to walk off their impatience at the delay of "Tenderfoot +Sorrel" to bring in his team. + +Supper had been put back till it was spoiled, and having been +telegraphed for beforehand, good Mrs. Roderick had wasted her best +efforts upon it. But, at last, seeing Monty and Molly peering through +the kitchen windows in a hungry sort of way, Mr. Ford ordered it served +and all repaired to the dining room, feeling that the meal would be a +farce, yet something with which to kill time. + +However, the long ride in the keen air had given all a fine appetite and +despite the landlady's laments over the "dried-up stuff," the table was +nearly cleared of its food when they left it. Moreover, everyone felt +better and brighter for the refreshment and so hopeful now for the +speedy arrival of the laggards, that Mr. Ford suggested to the waitress: + +"Just have a few things kept warm for the others. There'll be four of +them. If they aren't here within a half-hour, now, I'll go back in +search of them. Something may have happened to the wagon and they left +to come on a-foot." + +"Dear, did you ask the man you call Silent Pete if he passed them +anywhere along the road?" + +"Surely, I did that the first thing. He had neither passed nor seen +them, he said." + +"Well, I'm going to interview him again. Come on, Miss Molly, to the +stable with me," cried Leslie. + +"'Molly,' without the 'Miss,' please, and I'm ready enough! It seems as +if I must be doing something, for everybody is looking so worried," she +answered, catching his outstretched hand and racing with him down the +long porch and around to the stables in the rear. + +Silent Pete had not gone to the loft where the workmen slept. He had +wrapped himself in a blanket and, with another for a pillow, had settled +himself in a corner of the loose box next the stalls where his team +stood. He was so devoted to them that he couldn't leave them alone in a +strange stable, though from the snores which already came from him he +didn't seem a great protection to anything. + +But Silent Pete was wily. He had heard the voices of the pair without +the building, asking a groom to tell where Pete could be found, and had +resented being disturbed. He had done his day's work, he had no +intention of joining in any search that might be made for the +delinquents, and he promptly pretended slumber. But he hadn't reckoned +upon Leslie's persistence nor his own uneasy conscience. + +"Wake up there, Peter, if that's your name! I'm your boss's son, and I +want a word with you. Wake up, man!" + +The snores deepened. Rarely had the nose of mortal man emitted such +ear-splitting sounds as now issued from the nostrils of the ranchman, as +Leslie shoved aside the sliding door of the loose box and stepped +within. + +"Here, Molly-without-the-Miss, take the lantern and hold it so I can +find the head inside that roll of blankets! Feet are big enough. Can't +miss them," said the lad, stumbling over the protruding boots of the +sleeper. "I'll take this pitchfork and prod him up a bit. Hello, Pete! I +say, Pete, you've earned your name one way--but you hardly deserve it +another. 'Silent!' You'll certainly keep the horses awake and--Wake up, +I say! You shall!" + +Leslie thrust the pitchfork into the boards of the floor so +uncomfortably near that snoring nose that Pete hitched aside and so +admitted himself awake. Molly ran into the box and held the lantern low, +while the boy squatted at the teamster's head and thumped it soundly. +Both were giggling, which incensed their victim still further, and he +suddenly tossed off his blanket with such force that it hit Molly's face +and made her jump away, while Leslie ordered: + +"Quit that! Don't you know how to treat a lady?" + +There was no answer, save a frown directed toward the laughing girl, and +the lad demanded: + +"You're to open your lips and tell us what you think has happened to +that tenderfoot driver and his team. Why doesn't he come in? They say +you're the oldest driver round, know the most about the roads, or +trails, and your opinion's wanted. Give it quick, because--Well, +there'll be some thing doin' if you do know anything and don't tell it. +I don't understand why I suspect you're hiding things but I do; unless +it's that grudge I heard some men say you had against the 'Sorrel' +fellow. Now, you talk. Where do you think that buckboard is?" + +"Gone to smash." + +Molly screamed at this cool answer, and Leslie threatened his pitchfork. +But it was neither of these things which moved Pete to tersely disclose +his private opinion: + +"I know nothin'. I guess shortcut and destruction. Lem knows the trail. +T. Sorrel ain't wuth huntin', nor them boys. Little gal--might--Talk to +Lem. Clear out." + +Having relieved his conscience of this much information the man buried +his face again in his blanket and resumed his interrupted repose. Leslie +wasted one moment of indignation upon him, as a heartless human being, +then hurried out of the place and to his father. + +When consulted, Lem Hunt hesitated for an instant only, then advised: + +"Best get right a-doin' things! No wagons, but fresh hosses and as many +of 'em as want to go. Jiminy cricket! If T. Sorrel branched off where +Pete thinks he did he's done for hisself an' all consarned. Let's be +steppin'!" + +Fortunately, there were plenty of fresh horses at "Roderick's" that +night. A drove of them were corralled behind the inn, _en route_ from a +distant ranch to Denver, and thence eastward to market. All of them were +well broken, to the saddle at least, and the best were promptly led out +for Mr. Ford's selection, leaving his own beasts to rest for the next +day's travel. Also, the drivers eagerly offered their own company, +mounting without their saddles, which they insisted upon lending to the +less experienced riders. + +Excitement followed Lemuel's advice to "Be steppin'," and a very few +minutes' of bustling activity saw the cavalcade lined up before the inn +with him for leader. It numbered Mr. Ford, Herbert and Monty, of that +party; with Noll Roderick himself and three drovers. That Leslie had not +joined the riders was due to his mother's anxiety for his health, though +his father had rather favored his going. The lad had been indignant at +the "molly-coddling" and had hurt the tender heart of the Gray Lady by +some angry words. Then he had walked away to the extreme end of the long +piazza, whence he watched the disappearance of the rescuers down the +moonlight road. As the horses' footfalls died in the distance, his +grumblings were interrupted by a light touch on his arm. + +"Come around this corner, boy! Hurry up!" + +He turned to find Molly Breckenridge beside him, her finger on her lip, +and a wild light in her eyes. She was trembling with excitement and +could scarcely wait to whisper: + +"I'm going, too!" + +"Girl, how can you?" + +"Horseback, course. Roderick's daughter's lending me her own pony. +Mattie, her name is, and she was all for going with the others but her +mother can't spare her. I told her I was just crazy, thinking of my +Dorothy; hurt maybe, lost anyway, and nobody but a lot of men to speak +to, even if they find her. Do you s'pose I'll desert her? That I love +best of all the world? I guess not. I'm a Breckenridge! Good-by!" + +There was mischief in her eyes as she turned to leave him and Leslie +laughed: + +"Course! You're thoroughbred--I saw that right away. And you're my +guest! Could I, as a gentleman, let you ride off alone on a lonely road +at night? Hurray! You're A 1! You're rippin'!" + +Molly sped around the house. She wasn't familiar, as yet, with Leslie's +"rippin'" but she knew he'd approved of her wild prank and would join +her in it. She was a far better rider than he, for in her own southern +home she had been reared to the saddle and was never happier than when +she had a good horse at command. Mattie's pony was swift and easy, and +Molly sprang to its back with the feeling that now she was "really doing +something," and that very speedily she would have her arms about her +missing friend and all would be well. She had also begged Mattie to get +a mount for Leslie, forseeing that he would follow her--exactly as he +did. Another instant, and the pair were off along a little by-path, +toward the main road and the pursuit of the searching party. As they +struck into the smoother going Molly touched the calico pony with her +whip and called to Leslie: + +"Come on! Hurry up! We'll have to ride like the wind to catch up with +the rest!" + +"All right--I'll do my best but--but this--old nag--wait a little bit!" + +Molly wheeled about and did so, but the delay made her extremely +impatient, and with some contempt she remarked, as the lad came +alongside: + +"Why, I supposed you could ride! You looked like a boy who knew how!" + +"So I do! But this thing I'm on--Call this a horse? I'd rather have a +mule! How dared they give me such a thing?" + +In her hurry Molly had not observed the animal which had stood saddled +at the stable door, and that now seemed as ugly and tiresome a beast as +her own little pony was fine. Pity then banished vexation and she +exclaimed: + +"You poor fellow! I don't believe Matty meant you to have that beast. +But, come on, anyway. Maybe he'll warm up after a bit, and I'll take +that back--that I said about your riding. I reckon you're all right. +Anybody must be who can stick on the rack-o'-bones you've got. Touch him +up a little--I'll set the pace." + +Away she sped while the gaunt creature which Leslie bestrode planted his +forefeet firmly on the ground and refused to lift them thence. Molly was +fast passing around a curve in the road and would then be out of sight, +and Leslie's temper rose to its height. He forgot everything except his +own awkward position and the fact that his lively young guest could have +the laugh on him when that night's tale was told. + +"Oh! you hateful beast! You won't go, eh? Well, go you shall! Hear me? +Take that--and that--and--THAT!" + +Blows rained hard and fast, till the lash of the whip gave out, and the +butt took its place. Then, as if the astonished horse had just aroused +to the state of things, it bolted! and the way its old heels picked up +that road was the most amazing thing of all that evening's happenings. + +Then, indeed, did Leslie prove himself a better horseman than he looked, +and, for all time to come, his full ability to "stick." Riding ahead at +a smart pace, but not her pony's best, Molly heard the footfalls behind +her and swerved out of the way--not a minute too soon! Evidently, the +maligned "rack-o'-bones" would otherwise have ridden her down. He passed +her like a whirlwind and then--she after him. Followed, a race to be +remembered! The big horse keeping the lead, the little "calico" +pit-pattering along behind in a hopeless effort to get even. + +Thus for what seemed an endless time, the long dusty road was desolate +of any travellers except this pair of runaways. Sometimes a coyote +yelped in the distance; occasionally some creeping thing barred the +track before them; and a screech owl sent its blood-curdling cries into +their ears. Otherwise they were alone in the wilderness and the night, +and beyond speaking distance even of one another. + +The effect was to set each culprit thinking. How wild a thing they had +done! How thoughtless, how selfish! What fresh anxiety they had added to +the troubled hearts back there at "Roderick's," as soon as their absence +was discovered! How flat their jolly adventure had fallen! + +Molly had bound Mattie to secrecy, and there was that about the western +girl that convinced the other that the secret would be kept. If Mrs. +Roderick did guess what had become of them, and said so, it would be no +comfort to Lady Gray and Helena; and the longer Molly pondered the +matter, the more ashamed and terrified she felt. What would Aunt +Lucretia say? And what her father--could he see his madcap at that +moment? + +In a bitter reaction of feeling the girl dropped her head upon the +pony's neck, though still mechanically urging the willing creature to +her utmost speed. Her thoughts were far away when, suddenly, she felt a +check upon the rein and lifted her startled face. + +"Why, Leslie! You scared me!" + +"Were you asleep?" + +"No." + +"What then? Your head was down. The 'calico' was taking her own way. +What's the matter?" + +"It's none--I mean, if you must know, I was crying." + +"Oh! horrors! Why?" + +"Because I've done such a dreadful thing. It was wicked. I had no right +and--and--" + +"Yes, I know. You were frightened. Well, I was, too." + +Molly straightened her shoulders and pretended contempt, saying: + +"I didn't know as gentlemen--'thoroughbreds,' you know--western +thoroughbreds ever were fr-fri-ghtened. What--was--that?" + +A curious cry had reached them and Molly finished her speech in a +whisper. The horses, also, had heard it and had thrust back their ears +in fear. + +Just there the road skirted the edge of a forest and the cry had come +from its depths. They peered into the shadows but could see nothing, and +edging the pony close to Beelzebub, as Leslie's mount was named, Molly +repeated her question. + +"Likely a wild cat, puma, or wolf. I don't know," he answered. + +"Have you heard it before? Was it that scared you?" + +"No, I was afraid something would happen to you, left behind, alone. I +fancy we're in no danger that way--" pointing forestward. "But--" + +"'But'--what? If you thought about me why didn't you come back to look +for me?" + +"I couldn't. Once he got in motion this beast wouldn't stop till he--ran +down like a clock." + +"Pooh! You should go to a riding school! Let's go on, now, or else back. +I can't stop here with lions and panthers yelling at us! I--I--Oh! do +come on! But keep tight hold of the pony's rein. Don't get away from me +again." + +"I shan't. I can't." + +"Oh! come!" + +"I tell you I can't. We're planted." + +Molly's lip quivered, but she restrained her tears and tremulously +entreated: + +"Oh, Leslie, don't! I can't stand teasing now. This isn't funny--not a +bit. Shall we go back? Or try to overtake the others?" + +"We can't do either one. I tell you we're simply stuck. Settled down and +gone to housekeeping. Beelzebub has finished. He won't take another +step. Fact. We've got to make the best of it. If that pony of yours was +as big as a decent calf we might ride double and leave this wretch to +starve and think it over at his leisure. I don't see why that girl gave +me such a creature. Let's get off and sit down on that rock and wait. +Something's bound to happen--sometime--if we live long enough. The +folks'll come back this same road, course." + +He jumped to the ground and held out his hand to her but, for a moment, +she would not dismount; then as he coolly left her and walked to the +rock he had pointed out, she slipped from her saddle and followed him. +But she still held fast to her bridle rein and the pony offered no +resistance to the leading, though the big brute of the profane name +remained in the middle of the road, his forefeet pointed forward, his +hind ones backward, his whole attitude one of stubborn ugliness. + +Leslie had reached a point where the ludicrous side of things appeared +and he remarked: + +"Looks like the potato-horses I used to make when I was a kid, with +matches stuck in for legs. I wonder how long he'll stand there!" + +Molly smiled faintly. At present there were no alarming sounds from the +forest and the boy's apparent indifference to their lonely situation +relieved her own fears. + +"Well, it's an 'ill wind that blows nobody good,' you know. That Beelzy +thing is the toughest I ever rode. He's bumped me up and down till I +ache all over and this rock is actually soft in comparison. Here. I'll +put some of these big ferns for a cushion for you, and, after all, we'll +meet our folks just as soon by waiting as by going on. They must come +back, you know, sure as fate. This is the only road leads to +'Roderick's', I heard them say. Hello! Why--Beelzebub, good boy!" + +A whim had seized the obstinate animal to approach his late rider and +fawn about his feet, nibbling the scant grass which grew there, as the +pony was already doing. In surprise at this change both Leslie and Molly +laughed and forgot, for the time, that they were in such a desolate +place at so late an hour. + +The horse's action reminded Molly of an animal her father had once owned +and she began to tell stories about him; stories that the boy matched +with marvelous ones of his own. That some of these were fiction made no +difference. Molly disdained to believe them but they served to pass the +time as well as any better ones might have done. Indeed, fear had now +left them. The rest after their hard ride was pleasant and both felt +that they were simply waiting for their friends' return. + +So they sat on, as composedly as if they were safe at home, till Molly's +eyes, fixed upon the distant road, suddenly grew startled again. + +Leslie's latest yarn had been of an Indian outbreak, or uprising, of +recent date and in this neighborhood. He had heard it that evening from +the men at the inn and had not paused to consider how unlikely was such +an incident so near to the city of Denver. In truth, the "boys" had +invented the whole story, just for the sake of impressing the young +"tenderfeet"--Monty, Herbert and Leslie; and it had satisfied the +jokers that these youngsters "swallered it hull." + +But Leslie had a gift for dramatic recital and listening to him the +affair seemed very real to the girl. The scene and the hour suggested a +possible repetition of the occurrence; and as there now came to her ears +the sound of distant hoofbeats on the road, and presently, to her eyes +the sight of a company of horsemen approaching, she gave one terrified +cry and darted into the forest behind her. + +"The Indians! The--Indians! They'll kill us!" + +Moved by his own eloquence and still believing the story he had been +told, the boy followed her flight. He did not even turn to look where +she had pointed but, with a headlong rush, dashed into the wood and into +a mass of briars which threw him face downward in their midst. Also, at +that same instant both the deserted horses set up a continued neighing, +which confirmed the fears of their riders who, both now prone upon the +ground, felt that their last hour had come. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE WATCHERS AT RODERICK'S + + +As soon as Molly and Leslie had ridden away, Mattie Roderick disappeared +within her own room and became deaf to all the inquiries made outside +her door. She was a high-spirited, "wild western" girl, accustomed to +obeying little else than her own impulses. She had a fine record as a +horsewoman and had been disappointed that she could not go with the +searching party. This being the case, it was next better to lend her +pony to that other lively girl who was so like herself. + +But Mrs. Roderick was certain that the missing Molly and Leslie had +followed the first party and could give no comfort to anxious Mrs. Ford +beyond the statement: + +"Things don't happen often, 'twixt here an' Denver. Been one or two +hold-ups, of men known to carry money, but beyond a murder or so, ain't +been no excitement this long spell." + +"Murder!" cried Helena aghast, and folding her arm a bit more tightly +about Gray Lady's trembling body. + +"Oh! yes'm. A few has been. But nobody'd touch to harm them children. +You needn't worry. They've thought it smart to take a hand in the +business, that's all. Mattie won't say 'yes' nor 'no' to my askin', but +the 'calico's' out of the corral and Long Jim's Belezebub ain't hitched +no longer. Ha, ha, ha! If either them kids tries to ride Beelzy--Hmm. +But Chiquita, now, she's little but she's great. Pa and Matt claim she's +worth her weight in gold. She's likely, anyway. An' don't fret, lady. +They'll all be home to breakfast, an' seein's I've got that to cook, +I'll hump myself to bed and advisin' you to do the same. If not, make +yourselves comfortable's you can, and good night." + +After the landlady's departure the house became strangely quiet. The men +who had been talking outside sought their own rest, and the anxious +watchers missed the murmur of voices and the sense of protection which +the presence of even these strangers gave. + +While Mrs. Ford was still restlessly pacing the long piazza, Alfy +slipped within. With her keen observation of details, she had seen where +the woodpile was and that the fire on the hearth in the main room of the +house had about died out. This had been lighted for the guests' +enjoyment, the inn folks caring nothing for it and therefore easily +forgetting to replenish it. When she had gathered an armful of wood, +Alfy carried it to the fireplace and lustily blew upon the embers till a +little blaze started. Then she heaped the sticks upon this and +presently had a roaring flame. At once the room grew cheerful, its +bareness furnished, as it were, by this open fire. + +"Now, dear Lady Gray, please come right inside. You'll get your death +out here in this night air, with not even your cloak on. Come, Helena, +you both come in," said Alfaretta, appearing on the porch. + +But her first words had started the mother's tears. + +"Lady Gray." That had been her son's pet name for her, its use still +more frequent than "Mother," and with a little cry she murmured: + +"Ah! my boy! Shall I ever hear you say that again!" + +"I don't see why not," said practical Alfaretta, nodding to Helena to +help persuade the woman to take a needed rest. "You heard that landlady +tellin' how 't they'd all be home to breakfast. Well, then, she knows. +She's lived here a power o' time and we've only just come. Say, Helena, +let's make a pot of coffee and set the table. I can do it right on them +coals, after the fire burns down a mite. If I can't there, 'twon't be +the first cook stove I've tackled in my life, and I know one thing if I +don't any more: that is, when those searchers and Dolly an' Jim do come +they'll be so tearing hungry they could nigh eat ten-penny nails. Come +on. Let's get supper for 'em. You boss the job, Mrs. Ford, and then +it'll be done right. I saw a lot of chickens in a back room, as I come +through, all fixed to fry. Well now, you both know I can fry chicken to +the queen's taste, and I'll just lay myself out this time!" + +Her energy and cheerfulness were not to be resisted. Mrs. Ford +followed the two girls inside and with a little shiver, from her +exposure outside, drew a chair to the hearth and bent to its warmth. +Then, as if she had been in her own home, Alfaretta whisked about, +dragging small tables from the dining room into this larger one, +ordering Helena to do this and that, and all with a haste that was +almost as cheering as the fire. + +"Now, Helena, here's the dish-closet. You set the table. My! Ain't +these the heaviest plates and cups you ever saw? Ma Babcock'd +admire to get some like 'em; our children break such a lot of things. +But Mis' Calvert wouldn't think she could drink tea out of such. She +wants her 'n to be thin as thin! and she's got one set, 't belonged to +her grandmother--great-grandma, I guess it was--come over from England +or somewhere--that she won't let no hands except her own touch to wash. +I wish you could see Aunt Betty wash dishes! 'Twould set you laughing, +fit to split, first off. It did me till I begun to see the other side +of it, seems if. First, she must have a little porcelain tub, like a +baby's wash-tub, sort of--then a tiny mop, doll's mop, I called it, and +towels--Why, her best table napkins aren't finer than them towels be. +And dainty! My heart! 'Tis the prettiest picture in the world when that +'ristocratic old lady washes her heirloom-china! But this--your hands'd +get tired enough if you had to do much of this. Hurry up! Don't you know +how to set a table yet, great girl like you? Well, do the best you can. +I'm going into that kitchen to cook. I can't wait for this fire to get +low. I surely can't, because, you see, they might be here any +minute--any single minute--and nothing done yet, not even the table set. +Mrs. Ford, you better cut the bread. Here's a lot of it in a tin box, +and a knife with it, sharp enough to cut a feller's head off. You best +not touch it, Helena, you're so sort of clumsy with things. Now I'm off +to boil 'tatoes and fry chicken!" + +It was impossible to retain gloomy forebodings while Alfy's cheerful +tongue was running on at this rate, and as she left the living-room for +the kitchen at the rear both Lady Gray and Helena were laughing, partly +at their own awkwardness at the tasks assigned them as well as at her +glib remarks. + +"I never set a table in my life!" cried Helena, in glee. + +"And I never sliced a loaf of bread!" said Gray Lady; "though I'll admit +it is time I learned. Indeed, I've never had a home, you know, and I'm +looking forward to my housekeeping as eagerly as a child to her +playhouse." + +"I'm wondering what the landlady will say, when she finds how we've +invaded her pantry," continued Helena, carefully arranging the coarse +stone-china upon the oilcloth covered tables. She had begun very +reluctantly but found that the labor was a delightful relief from worry, +and, with the good sense she possessed, now went on with it as +painstakingly as if she expected a fashionable and critical company. +Indeed, her first table-setting, copied, as near as she could remember, +from the careful appointments of her own mother's board, was to be an +object lesson to others besides herself. + +For presently there was the sound of voices in the kitchen; Alfaretta's, +of course, with another equally gay and girlish. + +Mattie Roderick had slept lightly. She had been excited over the arrival +of the Ford party in the first place, and doubly so from the later +events of the night. So as she lay sleepless and listening, she heard +the rattle of cooking things in the kitchen below and soon the odor of +frying. With a little grumble she got up and put on the few garments she +had discarded. + +"It can't be near morning yet. I don't see what's set Ma to cooking, +'less they're on the road back and nigh starved. One thing I know! I +shan't marry no tavern-keeper! It's nothin' but fry, roast, bake, an' +bile, the hull endurin' time. I'm goin' to quit and go east fur as +Denver, anyhow, soon's I get my age. I'd like to look same's them girls +do, and they ain't no prettier 'n me. It's only their clothes makes 'em +look it, and as for that Molly, they call her, that's rid off on +Chiquita, she's just as plain and folksy as get out! So's the red-headed +one with the high-falutin' name, out of that song Pa sings about the +'blue Juniata' and 'bright Alfaretta,' or some such trash. Them +boys--Well, they hain't took no notice o' me yet--but I can show 'em a +thing or two. I bet I can shoot better than any of 'em. I bet, if they +don't hurry off too early to-morrow, I'll get up a match and teach 'em +how a Colorado girl can hit the bull's-eye every time!" + +With these ambitious reflections the inn-keeper's daughter arrived at +the kitchen and the presence of the red-headed girl in it, instead of +the portly form of her mother. + +"What on earth does it mean?" demanded Mattie, scarcely believing her +own eyes. + +It didn't take Alfy long to explain, and she added the warning: + +"You keep it up! Don't you let on to Mrs. Ford that there's the least +misdoubt in your mind but what them searchers will be back, right to +once, same's I'm pretending! Oh! I hope they do! I hope they do! I hope +it so much I dassent hardly think and just have to keep talking to stop +it. If I had hold that Molly Breckenridge I'd shake her well! The dear +flighty little thing! To go addin' another scare to a big enough one +before, and now about that Leslie. He's a real nice boy--Leslie is--if +you let him do exactly what he wants and don't try to make him +different. His ma just sets all her store by him. I never got the rights +of it, exactly, Aunt Betty Calvert--she 't I've been hired out to--she +never approved of gossip. She said that folks quarrellin' was just plain +makin' fools of themselves, or words to that effect. The Fords had done +it and now, course, they was thicker 'n blueberries again and didn't +want to hear nothing about the time they wasn't. Don't leave them +'tatoes in that water so long! Why, child o' grace, don't you know yet, +and you keepin' tavern, that soon's a potato is cooked it ought to be +snatched out the pot and set to steamin', to get dry? Soggy potatoes +gives you the dyspepsy and that's a disease I ain't sufferin' to catch. +It makes folks so cross." + +By this time Mattie had entered into the spirit of the thing and had +never been happier in her life. This Alfaretta was so jolly, so +friendly, so full of talk. So wholly satisfied in her conscience, too, +now that "one of the family" was beside her to share the risk she had +assumed of using other people's provisions so recklessly. + +But in that she had misjudged her genial hosts. Nothing was too good +for their guests, these or any others, and if the chickens meant for +breakfast were pre-empted for this midnight meal, why there were plenty +more in the hennery. + +So, secure in her better knowledge of the elder Rodericks, Miss Mattie +sped about, flew in and out of the sitting-room, to tend the fire or add +some delicacy to Helena's daintily set table; the same that made her +stare at its difference from ordinary. Didn't seem possible that the +mere arrangement of cups and saucers, of knives and forks, could give +such an "air" to the whole place. + +"Like brook trout, Mis' Ford?" asked the girl, upon one entrance. "You +men-folks like 'em, too?" + +Assured that they were considered a great treat, Mattie advised: + +"Well, you just wait! I know where there's a lot, in a basket in the +pool. Pa catched 'em to have 'em ready and I'll hike after 'em to onct. +You like to go along, Helena?" + +Stately Helena smiled at the free masonry of the westerner and glanced +at Mrs. Ford, in inquiry: + +"Yes, dear, go with her. I shan't be lonely, with Alfaretta left, flying +in and out busily. I declare, those kitchen odors _are_ savory! I hope +the wanderers will soon be here, that this new meal won't be kept till +spoiled, as Mrs. Roderick complained of the other." + +Helena noticed that the lady expressed no further doubt about the safety +of the absentees and thus encouraged she gladly accepted Mattie's +invitation. Indeed, this whole trip was full of delightful novelty and +all the affectations which had once made Helena Montaigne disagreeable +to sensible people had been discarded, or outgrown. + +Mattie's first preparation was to take off her shoes and stockings and +she advised the other girl to do the same. "Else you'll get 'em all dirt +going through the swamp to the pool. We don't have none too much water +hereabouts but what we have got is _wet_!" + +"I couldn't go barefooted. My feet would hurt so. I'll have to risk the +shoes. I have others in my suit-case, wherever it is." + +"Well, come on then. You can step light through the ma'sh and 'twon't be +so bad. Wait till I fetch a lantern." + +"A lantern, in this moonlight?" + +"Sure. 'Twon't shine into the woods. The trees are awful thick and +though I could go straight there and back, without stumbling once, +you're new to the way an' the light's for you. I don't want you to get +hurt just goin' for a mess o' fish!" + +"Thank you, Mattie. That is very considerate of you. Shall I carry it?" + +Mattie was pleased by the other girl's "thank you." Such small +courtesies were almost unknown to her, but she determined to remember +how "good" it had made her feel and to experiment with it upon somebody +else, sometime. Even as Helena's table-setting had also been a lesson in +neatness; and with her eagerness to learn she felt that she had been +amply repaid for giving up her sleep. Chattering as if she had always +known the stranger she led the way safely to the pool, deep in the +woods; and Helena never forgot that scene. Except for the slight +illumination of the lantern the blackness of the forest was intense, and +the rustling of wild things among the tree-tops startled her. + +Mattie looked up and saw her fear, then laughed hilariously: + +"Two 'fraid-cats together, you an' the birds! Likely, they never saw a +lantern before and hate to be disturbed even more 'n I did, listenin' to +Alfaretta in the kitchen. But don't you like it? Ain't it awful solemn +in such woods in the night-time? Makes a body think of all the hateful +things she's done and sort of wish she hadn't done 'em. But there ain't +no livin' thing in these woods'll hurt you, nowadays, though onct they +was chock full o' grizzlies an' such. Now I guess that's enough. Don't +suppose your folks'd eat a bigger mess 'n that, do you? 'Cause I could +take a few more if you say so." + +Helena looked at the big basket of trout and laughed, then shivered at +the echo of her own laughter in that place, which seemed full as +"solemn" to her as it did to the more accustomed Mattie. + +They were soon back at the inn, Mattie at once proceeding to show +Alfaretta that she could do some fine cooking herself; and between them +they made Mrs. Roderick's larder suffer, so eager was each to outdo the +other and to suggest some further delicacy for that wonderful meal. + +Mrs. Ford paced in and out of the living-room, watchful and still +anxious, though greatly amused at the doings of the three girls, and +wondering, as well, how the landlady could sleep through all that din +and chatter. For Helena, too, had gone into the kitchen and seizing a +pitcher of cream Mattie was carrying to the table, demanded a chance to +"whip" it. + +"It's such an improvement, or will be for that good coffee you've made, +and Herbert likes it so much." + +Mattie put her arms akimbo and stared; then demanded, in turn: + +"Can't you do anything sensibler than 'whip' cream? As if it was bad. +You make me laugh, though I don't know what you mean." + +Helena soon showed her, even with a two-tined steel fork beating the +rich cream into a heaped-up, foamy mass, which Mattie declared was the +"wonderfulest thing" she had ever seen. They were still discussing the +matter, and each sampling the delicacy with relish, when Mrs. Ford's +excited voice was heard, calling: + +"They're coming! Oh! they're coming at last! Away down the road! I can +hear them--beyond the turn of the road. Only it seems that they come +slowly. Is it so? Or is it my own impatience?" + +Only Alfaretta stopped to push the pans and pots to the cool, safe end +of the great stove, now glowing red in front from the hot fire they had +made. The other girls rushed outward to see for themselves, and Alfy +reached the piazza just in time to hear Mattie remark: + +"Yes, they do travel powerful slow. They ain't in no hurry to get here. +Somethin's happened. You can just believe me--somethin's happened!" + + + + +CHAPTER V + +THE CALL OF THE MOUNTAINS + + +As the approaching company came around the bend of the road into sight +of the inn, a "calico" pony detached itself from the group of riders and +before those watching on the porch could hear her words, Molly was +shouting to them: + +"We're all right! Everybody is all right--except the one that isn't! And +he--Wait, I'm coming!" + +The three girls ran down the road to meet her, and even Lady Gray walked +swiftly after, and in a moment more they had encircled the truant with +their loving arms, forgetting that she had given them a needless +anxiety. + +"They weren't Indians at all. They were just our own folks, but Leslie +and I were frightened half to death! I don't know what would have become +of us except the pony told our story. And he's only smashed up a little +some way. They had to hold him on the horse--" + +"What! Leslie, my Leslie, my boy!" gasped Mrs. Ford. + +"Leslie? No, indeed! Nothing the matter with him only riding the +rack-o'-bones. The 'Tenderfoot' man, and the cowboys say it served him +right. Only he got off too easy with just a broken collar bone, and a +sprained ankle, and some teeth gone--and a few other trifles like that. +He--" + +"You can get off Chiquita now, Molly. I want to rub her down. Ain't she +the best ever?" said Mattie, calmly lifting the rider down from the +saddle. + +"Indeed she is! And how strong you are, to lift a big girl like me!" +cried Molly, eagerly. "I do believe your little Chiquita saved our +lives, Leslie's and mine." + +"Tell me what you mean, child. Where is Leslie?" demanded the Gray Lady, +placing her hand on Molly's shoulder and peering into her eyes. + +"Why--I mean, what I say, course, Mrs. Ford. But Leslie's all right now. +He's scratched with the briars and torn his clothes and has had to ride +double with a cowboy, or drover, because he couldn't stand Beelzebub +again. Mr. Roderick is riding that creature and--Here, here they are!" + +Once in sight of the house most of the party came up at a canter, Mr. +Ford cheerfully saluting his wife, and the others waving their hats and +showing off a few tricks of their steeds--while Dorothy was handed down +from riding-pillion behind her host. Everybody's tongue was loosened at +once and such a hubbub arose that Mrs. Ford clapped her hands to her +ears, then caught hold of Leslie as he slid to the ground and ran like a +girl to the house. She wanted a chance to kiss him before the rest came +in and had learned long before this that her boy "hated coddling." + +However, he submitted to a little of it that night with a better grace +than usual, understanding that he had given his mother anxiety; and told +her as briefly as possible the whole story. + +"You see, Lady Gray, that 'Sorrel Tenderfoot' was too smart, so came to +grief." + +"A good lesson to remember, son." + +"Course. Well, he drove into a road, a trail, and got stuck. The horses +bolted, the wagon went to smash and he was hurt. Pretty bad, I guess. +The others weren't at all, only frightened and sort of stunned. They +were in a tight fix. So dark in there they didn't know which way was out +and made up their minds to stay till daylight. That Jim Barlow--I tell +you he's great!--he fixed a bed with the wagon cushions and laid +'Sorrel' on it. Then he felt the man all over and saw his legs and arms +were sound. After that he got the box of the buckboard right side up and +made Dorothy get into that and lie down. He covered her with the robes +and made Manuel promise to stay right beside her while he went back for +help. Dorothy wouldn't let him go, at first, till he made her ashamed +thinking about the 'Tenderfoot.' + +"He made his way back all that distance to the main road, just by +noticing the branches that had been broken by their driving in. He was +going to walk back to Denver for help, thinking that was the quickest +way, but when he got out of the woods he couldn't go any further. He'd +hurt his arm some way--Dad says it's broken--and the pain made him +faint. We found him there--I mean the searchers did, and when he came to +be told them the rest. + +"Lem Hunt and Roderick knew exactly where to look. They found the +runaway blacks and captured them, or some of the cowboys did, and they +made a litter of the wagon box, covered it with branches and carried him +out of the woods. They've brought him all the way here for he insisted +on coming. Said he'd be better cared for by Mrs. Roderick than at any +hospital in Denver. He was sort of crazy and they didn't dare oppose +him. That's why they are so slow. But they'll be here soon and he'll be +put to bed. Lemuel says the man'll take a blazed trail the rest of his +life, and will have time to get over his smartness while his bones heal. +But I think it's too bad. I'm sorry for him, and so is Dad. Now, come. +They're going to table and I'm hungry as a bear. Isn't it fine of Mrs. +Roderick to get a meal this time of night, or day, or whatever hour it +is?" + +"It wasn't Mrs. Roderick. Alfy was the moving spirit and the other girls +helped. But not one mouthful shall you have till you confess your own +fault. Why did you, Leslie, run away into all that danger against my +wishes?" + +"Why, Molly--" began the lad, then checked himself for shame. "Why, +Lady Gray, I couldn't let a girl like Molly ride away alone, could I? +And she would go--just would. And the funny part was--we heard 'lions' +or 'panthers', or something in the woods behind us. We'd stopped to rest +and we thought so. Then we saw the searchers coming back and thought +they were Indians! and the way we took to the woods would make you +laugh. That's how I got to look like this. We might have been in them +yet if little Chiquita hadn't stood like a post right beside the rock +where we'd been sitting. Her being there, and Molly's hat and jacket +that she'd taken off because she was too warm, told the truth. Dorothy +saw the hat and knew it at once. So when Roderick came up and recognized +Chiquita they made another search and found--us. But I tell you, Lady +Gray, I've had all the lecturing I need just now from the other head of +the family. I think Dad would have liked me to ride with him, at first, +but he gave me his opinion of a boy who would 'sneak' off and 'leave his +mother unprotected in a strange house at night.' Just forgive me this +once, motherkin, and I'll be good in future; or till next time, any +way. Now, come." + +Such a meal as followed had rarely been eaten even in that land of +hungry people, where the clear air so sharpens appetite; and in the +midst of it came the landlady herself, not even showing surprise, and +certainly not offence, at the liberties which had been taken in her +house. Fortunately, Jim's arm had been bruised and strained, only; not +broken as Mr. Ford had feared. + +Then to bed and a few hours of sleep; another breakfast, as good as the +first; after which buckboards were driven round and horses saddled; +Herbert, Jim, and Manuel electing to ride while Monty was to travel in +the wagon with Silent Pete, as driver. He was the better suited thus +because Mr. Ford and Leslie were to be his companions, the gentlemen +having arranged matters this time without any casting of lots. + +Lemuel drove the four-in-hand as on the day before, having as passengers +Mrs. Ford and Miss Milliken--who had slept soundly through all the +events of the night--with the four girls. Jedediah, Mr. Ford's colored +"boy" also rode beside the driver, for the greater protection of the +feminine travelers, should any need arise. + +But nothing did. All the untoward incidents of this journey to the +Rockies had happened during its first stage. "Tenderfoot Sorrel" was +left behind, of course, but he did not greatly regret that. He felt +that he could more easily endure physical pain than the chaffing of his +fellows at San Leon. + +As before, the start was made with a flourish of whip and horn, amid +good wishes and farewells from the hosts of the Wayside Inn, and a sure +promise to "come again!" Then a day's journey steadily onward and +upward, through river-fed valleys and rocky ravines, with a mid-day stop +at another little hostelry, for a change of horses and a plain dinner. + +Then on again, following the sun till it sank behind a mountain range +and they had climbed well nigh to the top. Here Mr. Ford ordered a brief +halt, that the travellers might look behind them at the glorious +landscape. When they had done so, till the scene was impressed upon +their memories forever, again the order came: + +"Eyes front! but shut! No peeping till I say--Look!" + +Laughing, finding it ever so difficult to obey, but eager, indeed, the +last ascent was made. Then the wheels seemed to have found a level +stretch of smoother travelling and again came Mr. Ford's cry: + +"All eyes front and--open! Welcome to San Leon!" + +Open they did. Upon one of the loveliest homes they had ever beheld. A +long, low, roomy building, modelled in the Mission style that Lady Gray +so greatly admired; whose spacious verandas and cloistered walks invited +to delightful days out of doors; while everywhere were flowers in bloom, +fountains playing, vine-clad arbors and countless cosy nooks, shadowed +by magnificent trees. A lawn as smooth as velvet, dotted here and there +by electric light poles whose radiance could turn night into day. + +For a moment nobody spoke; then admiration broke forth in wondering +exclamations, while the host helped his wife to alight, asking: + +"Well, Erminie, does it suit you?" + +"Suit? Dear, I never dreamed of anything better than a plain shack on a +mountain side. That's what you called it--but this--this is no shack. +It's more like a palace!" + +"Well, the main thing is to make it a home." + +"Is it as good as the 'cabin,' father?" asked Leslie, coming up and +laying his hand on Mr. Ford's shoulder. + +"Let us hope it will be! If the first inmates are peace and good will. +Peace and good will," he repeated, gravely. Then his accustomed gayety +replaced his seriousness and he waved his hand toward the entrance, +saying: + +"Queen Erminie, enter in and possess your kingdom! Your maids of honor +with you!" + +"My heart!" cried Alfaretta, following her hostess, like a girl in a +dream. "I thought 'twould be just another up-mounting sort of place, not +near so nice as Deerhurst or the Towers, but it's splendid more 'n they +are, either one or both together." + +"Wonderful, what money can do in this land of the free!" remarked +Herbert, critically estimating the establishment. "Think of a man having +his own electric light plant away up here! Why, if it weren't for the +mountains yonder one could fancy this is Newport or Long Branch." + +"Without the sea, Bert. Even money can't bring the sea to the +mountain-tops," said Helena, though her own face was aglow with +admiration. + +"It can do the next best thing to it. Look yonder," said Monty, pointing +where a glimmer of sunset-tinted water showed through a hedge of trees. + +"Let's go there. It certainly is water," urged Jim Barlow. + +"Well, Leslie told me there was a strange waterfall near San Leon and I +suppose the same money has pressed that into service. To think! That +'Railroad Boss' earned his first quarter selling papers on the train! He +was talking about the 'cabin' as we came along. It had two rooms and he +lived in it alone with his mother. By his talk they hadn't always been +so poor and she belonged to an old family, as 'families go in America.' +That was the way he put it, and it was his ambition to see his mother +able to take 'the place where she belonged.' That's how he began; and +now, look at this!" + +All the young people had now gathered around the pond, or lake, that had +been made in a natural basin on the mountain side, for thinking that +their host and hostess would better like to enter their new home with no +strangers about them, Dorothy had suggested: + +"Let's follow the boys! Jim's arm ought to be looked after, first thing, +and I'll remind him of it. He'd no business to come on horseback all +that long way, but he never would take care of himself." + +"Has Leslie ever been here before?" asked Molly Breckenridge. + +"No. It is as much a surprise to him as to his mother. But he's mighty +proud of his father," answered Dorothy. "Look, here he comes now." + +He came running across the sward and down the rocky path to the edge of +the lake and clapped a hand on the shoulders of Herbert and Montmorency. +He did not mean to be less cordial to Jim Barlow but he was. For two +reasons: one that Dorothy had extolled her humble friend till he seemed +a paragon of all the virtues; and secondly what he had learned of Jim's +eagerness for knowledge had made him ashamed of his own indifference to +it. Even that day, his father had commended the poorer boy for his keen +observation of everything and read him a portion of a letter received +from Dr. Sterling, the clergyman with whom James lived and studied. + +The Doctor had written that the lad was already well versed in natural +history and that his interest in geology was as great as the writer's +own. He felt that this invitation to his beloved protégé was a wonderful +thing for the student, and that Mr. Ford might feel he was having a hand +in the formation of a great scientist. + +There had been more of the same sort of praise and Leslie had looked +with simple amazement at the tall, awkward youth, who had arrived in +Denver with the rest of his young guests. + +"That fellow smart? Clever? Brainy? Well, he doesn't look it. If ever I +saw a regular clodhopper, he's the chap. But that Herbert Montaigne, +now, is rippin'! He has the right 'air,' and so has the shorty, the fat +Monty, only his figure is against him," he had remarked to Mateo, who +had instantly agreed with him. Indeed, the Mexican _never_ disagreed +with his "gracious excellency, Señor Leslie." + +Mateo's service was an easy one and his salary good. Besides, he was +really fond of his young master and formed all his opinions in +accordance. So then he, too, cast a supercilious glance at Jim, and had +caused that shy lad's color to rise, though beyond that he took no +notice. + +Already as they stood there gazing over the lake, crimson with the last +rays of the sun, Jim was studying the rocks upon the farther side and +squinting his eyes at something moving among them. It was with a +startled return to his surroundings that he heard Leslie now say: + +"My father wants to have you come in, Mr.--I mean James. The doctor is +going to properly dress your arm." + +"The doctor? Is there a doctor here?" asked Dorothy, slipping her hand +under Jim's uninjured arm, and conveying by that action her sympathy +with his feeling of an alien. + +But he coolly drew aside. He wasn't going to be humiliated by any girl's +cossetting, not even hers. He had never realized his poverty so +bitterly, nor been more ashamed of that fact. Just because some richer +boys looked down upon him was no reason he should look down upon +himself. Also, it angered him that he really needed surgical attention. +He had suffered intensely during the ride hither but he had kept that to +himself. He meant to keep it to himself whatever happened, and to join +in what was going on as if he were physically sound as the other boys. + +"It's only my left arm, anyway. I'd be a poor stick of a thing if I +couldn't manage with the other," he had thought, bravely, despite the +pain. Now here was he being made the object of everybody's notice; and, +being Jim--he hated it! There was a surly look in his eyes as he replied +to Leslie's message: + +"I guess not. I mean--there isn't any need--I'm all right. I'm all +right, I say. I'm--Shucks! I'm bully!" + +It was Dorothy who blushed this time, she was so mortified by the +rudeness of her "paragon." Whenever had he used such an expression? She +flashed an indignant glance upon him, then coolly commanded him: + +"You come right straight along, James Barlow. You're Mr. Ford's guest +now and must do what he wants, just the same as if he were Dr. Sterling. +Besides, I know we all ought to be freshening ourselves before supper. +Lady Gray hates untidy people. Come on." + +Again she linked her arm in Jim's and led the way up the slope toward +the house, while at the mention of supper all the others fell into line +behind her. And now Jim was already ashamed of his petulance with her. +After all, she was the prettiest girl of them all; and, so far as he +knew, the richest. She was "thoroughbred;" her family one of the oldest +in its native State; and though the poorhouse boy had no family pride of +his own he was loyal to old Maryland and his earliest friend. What had +not Dolly been to him? His first teacher, his loving companion, and the +means of all that was good coming into his life. + +"Say, Dolly, I'm sorry I said that and shamed you. Sorry I'm such a +conceited donkey as to hate being looked down on. You just keep me +posted on what's what, little girl, and I'll try to behave myself. But +it beats creation, to find such a place as this up here on the Rockies +and to know one man's done it. Kind of takes a feller's breath away, +don't it?" + +They were a little ahead of the rest of the party and able to talk +freely, so Dorothy improved the chance to give "her boy Jim" a little +lecture; suggesting that he must never stop short of accomplishing just +as much as Daniel Ford had done. + +"What one poor lad can do, another can--if he will! _If he will_, James +Barlow! It's just the _will_, you see. There was a copy in my old +writing-book: 'What man has done, man can do.'" + +"Shucks! I'm ambitious enough, but 'tain't along no money lines. What I +want is learnin'--just plain knowledge. I wrote a copy once, too, and +'twas that 'Knowledge is Power.' I made them capitals the best I could +so 't I never would forget 'em." + +"Huh! For such a wise young man you talk pretty common. There's no need, +Jim Barlow, for you to go back into all the bad grammar and chipped-off +words just because you're talking to--me. I notice you are very +particular and careful when you speak to our hosts. Oh, Jim! isn't this +going to be just a glorious summer? Except when I think about Aunt Betty +I'm almost too happy to breathe." + +Jim had stumbled along beside her, unseeing the objects that were +nearest--the lovely shrubbery, beautiful flowers, and quaint little +furnishings of that grand lawn--but with his eyes fixed on a distant +mountain peak, bare of verdure, and seemingly but a mass of vari-colored +rock; and he now remarked: + +"I wonder how much of this country that Dan Ford owns! I wonder if he's +got a claim on the peaks yonder!" + +"Come back to earth, boy! Can't you think anything, see anything +but--stones? Here we are at the door and I fancy this gentleman is the +doctor. Good evening, sir." + +"Is this the lad with the injured arm?" asked the gentleman meeting the +pair, and glancing toward Jim's bandaged arm, with the coat sleeve +hanging loose above it. + +"Yes, sir, but it's nothing. It doesn't need any attention," said Jim, +ungraciously. + +"Behave yourself, Jim. Yes, Doctor--I suppose you're that?--he is so +badly hurt that he's cross. But it's wonderful to find a doctor away up +here," said Dorothy. Her odd little air of authority over the great, +loutish lad, and her gay smile to himself, instantly won the stranger's +liking, and he answered warmly: + +"Wonderful, maybe, but no more so than all of Dan Ford's doings. Step +this way, my son, and Miss, I fancy you'd best not follow just yet. +Nurse Melton will assist me, if I need assistance." + +"A nurse, too? How odd!" said Dorothy turning to join her mates. + +She did not see Jim Barlow again that night. When the examination was +made the doctor found the injured arm in bad shape, swollen and inflamed +to a degree that made great care a necessity unless much worse were to +follow. + +So, for the first time in his healthy life, Jim found himself an +invalid; sent to bed and ministered to by a frail, sweet-faced woman in +a white uniform, whose presence on that far away ranch was a puzzle to +him. Until, seeing his evident curiosity, she satisfied it by the +explanation: + +"Oh! I'm merely another of Mr. Ford's beneficiaries. My brother is an +engineer on one of his railroads, and he heard that I was threatened +with consumption. So he had me sent to Denver for a time, till San Leon +was ready. Then I came here. I'm on hand to attend any sick folks who +may need me, though you're the first patient yet. I can tell you that +you're fortunate to number Daniel Ford among your friends. He's the +grandest man in the world." + +Jim lay quiet for a time, till his supper was brought in. But he could +not taste that. The dressing of his wounded arm had been painful in +extreme, though he had borne the pain without a groan, and for that been +greatly admired by both the surgeon and the nurse. He was now feverish +and discontented. The "happy summer" of which Dorothy had boasted was +beginning anything but happily for him. He was angry against his own +weakness and disappointed that he could not at once begin his work of +studying the rocks of this region. To do so had been his chief reason +for accepting Mr. Ford's genial invitation, for his shyness shrank from +meeting strangers and accepting favors from them. Dr. Sterling had +talked him "out of his nonsense" for the time being, but he now wished +himself back in his familiar room at Deerhurst lodge, with Hans and +Griselda Roemer. They were humble folk and so was he. He had no business +in this rich man's "shack" that was, in reality, a palace; where +pleasure was the rule and work the exception. Well--things might happen! +He'd take care they should! He was among the mountains--for that part he +was glad; only regretful of the debt to another which had brought him +there. + +The hum of voices in and about the big house ceased. Even the barking +dogs were silent at last, and the music from the men's quarters, +stopped. There was where he, Jim belonged, by right. Out in some of the +many buildings at the rear; so many, in fact, that they were like a +village. He guessed he'd go there. Yes. In the morning, maybe the Boss +would give him a job, and he could work to pay his keep. His thoughts +grew wilder and more disordered, his head ached. + +The nurse was sitting silent in an adjoining room. Actual watching was +unnecessary and she understood her patient's mood, that her presence in +his chamber worried him. It was his time--now or never. He crept from +his bed and stepped out of the low window upon the wide porch. + +Even in his delirious confusion it struck him that he had never seen +such wonderful moonlight, nor such a big, inviting world. The vagary of +thought altered. He would not seek the workmen's quarters, after all. +The mountains were better. They called him. They did not seem far away. +He would not feel so hot and then so shivery if he could lie down on +their cool tops, with only the sky above him. Aye, they called him; and +blindly answering to their silent summons the sick boy went. The things +he prophesied had surely begun to "happen." + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +A MARTINET OF THE ROCKIES + + +San Leon ranch was a large one. The dwelling house and many outbuildings +were upon a rich plateau topping a spur from the great mountain beyond. +On one side, the land sloped to the valley of the Mismit, utilized for +the sheep farming; and across the river, or run, rose grassy fields, +climbing one above another till they ended in rocky, verdureless soil. +Here were the cattle ranges, and here the herds of horses lived their +free life. The extent of the property amazed the newcomers, even Lady +Gray herself. + +She was exploring the premises escorted by Leslie and her young guests, +and piloted by the talkative Lem Hunt. For once he had attentive +listeners. There was no fellow ranchmen to ridicule his oft-told tales, +but eager ears to which they were new; and eyes as eager to behold the +scenes of these same marvellous stories. + +All began and ended with "The Boss, he." Evidently, for old Lem, there +existed but one man worth knowing and that was the "Boss, he." + +"I s'pose, Ma'am, you know how the Boss, he come to buy S' Leon. No? You +don't? By the Great Horned Spoon! Ain't that great? Just like him. The +Boss, he never brags of his doin's, that's why I have to do it for him. +Well, Ma'am, I can't help sayin' 'twas a deed o' charity. Just a clean, +simon-pure piece of charity. Yes, Ma'am, that's what it was, and you can +bite that off an' chew it." + +Mrs. Ford smiled. She was always delighted to hear of her husband's +generous deeds but rarely heard of them from himself. Also, she had +supposed that the purchase of San Leon had been a recent one and was +amazed now to learn it had been owned by Mr. Ford for several years. Not +as it then was, for no improvements had been made to the home-piece till +after he had found her that last winter in San Diego. Then, at once, +preparations had been made for this home-coming, with the result of all +the beauty that now greeted her eyes. + +"Tell us, Lemuel. I'm anxious to hear." + +Lem switched some hay from a wagon seat, that stood upon the ground, and +motioned the lady to be seated. The youngsters grouped about her, Lem +cut off a fresh "chaw," rubbed his hands and began. He stood with legs +far apart, arms folded, an old sombrero pushed back on his head, a +riding crop in hand, and an air of a king. Was he not a free-born +American citizen, as good as could be found in all the country? Lemuel +adored his "Boss" but he had not learned the manners which that "Boss" +would have approved in the presence of the Gray Lady; who, by the way, +was never more truly the "Lady" than in her intercourse then, and +always, with the toilers at San Leon. + +"Well, sir, Ma'am, I mean--'twas really a deed o' gift. There was +another railroader, rich once, done somethin' he hadn't ought to. I +don't rightly know what that was. The Boss never told, course, and it +never leaked out otherwise. That's no more here nor there. But he, the +other feller, had his bottom dollar into S' Leon, and some dollars 't +wasn't his 'n. He was countin' on this range bein' chock full o' silver +an' he'd wheedled the rest to takin' his word for it. Silver? Not on +your life. The sheriffs got after him. He hadn't a friend in the world. +He lit out a-foot and got as far as Denver city an' aboard a train. +Leastwise, under a baggage car, stealin' a ride. Course he got hurt. +Happened the Boss, he was on hand. He's a way of bein' when other folks +is in trouble. Heard the feller's story. Had knowed him out east and +'lowed he was more fool than knave. Long-short was--S' Leon swopped +owners. The first named had had to take his medicine an' I've been told +he took it like a little man. The Boss paid in full, on condition 't all +hands round got their level dues. Atterwards, the Boss made this a +dumpin'-ground for all the down-in-the-world unfortunates he knew. + +"The doctor's one. He was just dyin' back yonder, same as Miss +Melton. Doc, he took the place o' book-keeper, sort o' manager--I +claim to be that myself--but to do anything needed. The's always +somebody gettin' broke, legs, an' arms, and such. But as for gineral +sickness, why there ain't never been none o' that to San Leon. No +wonder that Dan Ford's a prosperous man! He lives his religion--he +ain't no preachin'-no-practice-sky-pilot, the Boss, he ain't. + +"Ma'am? Like to see where the boys hang out? Well, come along. If things +ain't the way I'd like to have 'em, you c'n allow 't I'm the only one's +been in the ranks. Yes, Ma'am. I have that. Used to belong to a crack +comp'ny out home and was one the picked men to shoot at Seagirt, New +Jarsey. The National Rifle Range, Ma'am, as maybe you know. I've scored +highest, more 'n once. That's how I come to sort o' set up in business +out here. Shootin' an' hosses; them's my business; and every tenderfoot +strikes S' Leon comes under my teachin' first or last." + +With that remark he cast a critical eye upon the assembled young folks +and noted the kindling gleam of seven pairs of eyes. Only Jim Barlow's +blue orbs were missing; but, of course, that nurse or doctor had made +him stay in bed, which was a shame, the others thought, and Dorothy +loyally expressed: + +"Course! That's one the things we're all wild to do--learn to handle a +rifle. But don't let's begin till Jim gets well." + +A curious expression passed over Mrs. Ford's face. She was the only one +present who knew of Jim's midnight escape. The knowledge had almost +miraculously been kept from Lemuel and by the master's express orders. +Whatever that talkative ranchman knew, all the world knew, as fast as +his tongue could tell it. + +All had been so quiet in the sick room that the nurse had supposed her +patient fallen asleep; and it was not till daybreak that she discovered +his absence. She had immediately informed Dr. Jones, and he, in turn, +the "Boss," who understanding the shy nature of the truant and knowing +how he would dislike to be talked about, had instituted a quiet but +thorough search. Only the trustiest men had been set upon this search, +Mr. Ford taking the most active part in it. By his request the matter +had been kept from his young guests, also; and they were to be made as +happy as possible in their ignorance. As he said to Lady Gray, before +leaving her: + +"Of course, we shall find him in a very little while. He can't have gone +far afield, and we'll have him back in bed before any of those +youngsters get wind of his performance. Nurse says he was flighty and +feverish and I don't wonder. Doctor claims he'd rather have had a clean, +sharp break to mend than all those bruised and torn ligaments. However, +don't you worry. This party is going to be a success--don't doubt. Sorry +to leave you with seven young folks on your hands--a little world in +themselves, of varying ideas and wills. They can easily spend this first +half-day in inspecting the ranch and, if they're as healthy and happy as +they seem, will be too interested to give much thought to Master James. +Good-by, don't worry." + +However, although they felt it would be well to wait for the injured Jim +before beginning their lessons in shooting, Lemuel himself took the +matter out of their hands, explaining: + +"I've lived long enough to know there ain't never but one time to do one +thing, an' that if a feller don't snatch it then, afore it gets out o' +reach, he'll be sorry forever atterwards. We'll go inspect the boys' +quarters first hand. That's a part o' my business, anyway. Makes 'em +mad, sometimes, but it's for their good. Nothin' like the army for +trainin' folks right, an' so I tell 'em. Get jawed for it a pretty +consid'able, but Lemuel G. W. Hunt--I'm named for the Father of my +Country, Ma'am--Lemuel G. W. Hunt always does his duty, let come what +follers atterwards. Right this way, Ma'am. Hep, hep, hep, right face!" + +The odd fellow led off with a military step and catching his humor the +boys did likewise. Then, the girls laughed and marched, Herbert +gallantly escorting Mrs. Ford, as the eighth of the little "Company A," +as Leslie immediately named the new "awkward squad." + +"And I say, Lem, it'll be just rippin' if you'll drill us in regular +'tactics.' Once a day, anyhow. I'll get Dad to furnish the uniforms and +it'll be a help because, you know, I'm bound for West Point sometime," +cried Leslie. + +Lady Gray's face resumed its look of anxiety that had passed for a +moment, listening to Lemuel's talk. This West Point ambition of her +son's was a sore subject with her, though his great desire for a +military life had never been hidden from her. + +"If I can pass the physical exam., and the book one--either," he added, +with a grimace. + +"Well, you'll have to know a power more 'n you do now, if you get into +that place," said truthful Alfy. "I've heard Mis' Judge Satterlee, +up-mounting, tell 't her boy near studied his head off, an' then got +shut out. It's a terrible fine thing, though, if a body could. Why, +up-mounting, we can hear the bands playin', guns firin', and Dolly +there, she's seen 'em drill. Seen the battery-drill, she called it, and +didn't guess how in the world them gray-coated boys could hop +on-an'-off their gun wagons like they did. When I get home, I mean to go +over to the Point myself and see 'em. If you should be there I'd take +you something to eat." + +Leslie was now much more interested in hearing about the place of his +dreams than in the present inspection of San Leon; and encouraged by +this Alfaretta made Dolly tell how she and Molly had once visited the +Academy and Molly's cadet cousin, Tom Hungerford. + +Molly interrupted the narrative with frequent comments and they all +paused at the entrance to the Barracks, as Lemuel had named the long +building of the workmen, while the story was told. Lemuel and Leslie +were the most eager listeners, both faces alight with enthusiasm, as the +two girls described their day at the military school. + +"Tom got leave off, to show us around, and Aunt Betty with Mrs. +Hungerford--" + +"That's Aunt Lucretia, Tom's mother," explained Molly. + +"You tell it, Molly. You can do it better," urged Dorothy. + +"All right. I'd rather. Well, we went down in the morning early, on the +boat, to be in time for early drill. It was summer time and the darling +cadets were all in their white uniforms, fresh as daisies. Do you know +those poor lambs have to change their white suits every day? Some +oftener, if they get a single speck of dirt on them. Their laundry +bills are something terrible. Terrible! poor dears!" + +Lady Gray laughed at the girl's sympathy with the afflicted young +soldiers, and Dolly took up the tale again: + +"Well, they needn't worry. The Government pays for it, really. They just +get a little salary each month and their expenses come out of that. +Whatever else they have their own people give them. But, anyway, it was +just lovely. If I were a boy and didn't want to be a great scientist, +like Jim does, or a banker like Monty, or--or anything else, I'd be an +army man." + +"Bother what you'd be, Dolly. You're only a girl. Go on with the story," +said impatient Leslie, while Lemuel nodded his head in satisfaction. +Talk of soldiering touched the warmest spot in the old sharpshooter's +heart. "Do hurry up." + +"Why, after all, there isn't much to tell--" + +"But there is," cried Molly. "About the luncheon in the church. Listen. +We went everywhere about the grounds, saw the riding-school, the +mess-room, the dancing-hall and all, a lot of places. Oh! yes, the +library, too. Then it got noon and hungry-time and we'd brought an +elegant lunch. Cold chicken and sardines and sandwiches and early +peaches--the nicest we could get, and Tom's 'leave' gave him a chance to +eat it with us. We asked him where we could and he thought a minute, +then said in the church. Aunty Lu thought that was dreadful, to eat in a +church! But Tom said it was the only place on the Point where we +wouldn't be stared at by others. Folks were everywhere else; cadets and +visitors--and oh! It was so pretty. All the white tents on the campus +and the darling boys walking about in their white--" + +"Nighties?" suggested Monty, maliciously. It had been an ambition of his +own to enter the Academy; but his being under age, his size--and several +other good reasons, including his utter want of fitness in the matter of +book learning--had prevented the realization of this fine dream. His +failure had rendered him skeptical of the charms of the famous +institution, and he now always mentioned it as a place quite beneath his +own notice. + +The story promised to be a long one and Lemuel thoughtfully produced a +chair and placed it for Mrs. Ford's use. Her eyes were on Leslie's +interested face and she would gladly have postponed the recital; for, +even more than the disgruntled Monty, she disliked the very name of West +Point. However, in this matter, as in many future ones, her own fancy +was to be set aside by the eagerness of her young guests. So Dorothy +went on: + +"There wasn't anybody else in the church except ourselves. A few +visitors came to the door and peeped in, to see a famous painting over +the chancel, but finding us there went away again. That old church is so +interesting! Tablets to famous generals everywhere--" + +"This isn't a history lesson! Go on with the story!" cried Herbert, who +was so familiar with West Point that he desired no fresh description. + +Molly made him a little mocking face and herself took up the tale: + +"Well, we had our dinners there, sitting in some of the front pews, and +the way Tom walked into that fried chicken and things would make you +open your eyes. We were all hungry, course, after so early a breakfast, +and the sail down, and all; but Tom was simply ravenous. He was so +hungry he took away our own appetites, just watching. When he'd eaten +all he could there was still a lot of stuff left; and Mrs. Calvert asked +him if he knew any place where we could dispose of it; a garbage can, +she meant, or some waste-box. + +"Tom said yes he did, and if she'd excuse him he'd show her. It was what +he called 'slumgudgeon day.' 'Slumgudgeon' is a kind of stew made up of +the leavings of lots of other meals and the poor, darling cadets just +hate it. He said 'cold victuals' never came in as handy as ours did +then. So he unbuttoned his jacket, that fitted him as if he'd been +melted into it, and began to pad himself out with the leavings. Cake and +chickens, pickles and sardines, boiled eggs and fruit--you never saw +such a mess! And the way he packed it in, so as to keep an even sort of +front, was a caution. You know the poor dears have no pockets in their +uniforms. Not allowed. So that was the only way he could take it. He +wanted to share it with his cronies after we'd gone and told Aunty Lu +that it would have been a perfectly wicked shame to have thrown it away, +when it would do him so much good. Oh! we had a glorious time. I do just +love West Point--" + +"The cadets, you mean! I never saw a girl that liked the boys so well +as you do, Molly Breckenridge. But I s'pose you can't help it. If 't +wasn't for that you'd be just splendid, and _they_ don't seem to +mind--much--anyway," remarked Alfaretta, beaming upon pretty Molly +with loving smiles. Molly's liking for "boys" seemed to honest, +sensible Alfy the one flaw in an otherwise lovely character. + +But Molly tossed her sunny head and laughed. Also, she flashed a +mischievous glance into all the boyish faces turned toward her and on +every one she saw a similar liking and admiration of herself. She was +quite satisfied, was Jolly Molly. + +"Now, if we are to 'inspect' the 'Barracks,' isn't it time? So that we +can get back to the house by the time James Barlow is ready to see us. I +suppose the doctor won't keep him in bed all day; do you, Mrs. Ford?" +said Helena Montaigne. + +She had already learned that the Gray Lady was bitterly opposed to +Leslie's plans for the future and wanted to put aside the unfortunate +subject of West Point. To her surprise, instead of lightening, the +lady's face grew still more troubled, as she turned to scan the +landscape behind her with a piercing gaze. + +"That story was just rippin'! When I get to the Point the first place I +shall go to see will be that church! Hear me, Dorothy Doodles?" demanded +Leslie, catching her hand and swinging it lightly as he led her forward +into the first room Lemuel had opened. "Will you come over there and +bring me just another such a luncheon, girlie?" + +"Well, yes. I don't like to promise things but I guess this is safe +enough. When you get there--_when you get there_--I'll come, and you +shall have the finest dinner Alfy and I can cook. We'll do it all by +ourselves--_when you get there to eat it_!" + +"Oh! I'll be there, never fear. My! isn't this rippin'? How does the old +soldier make the men keep such order, I wonder! Lem Hunt must be as +great a martinet as he is talker. Look at him." + +The ranchman was in his element. He had long before marshalled the +entire working force of San Leon into a "regiment." Any newcomer who +declined to join it was promptly "left out in the cold." The "soldiers" +were jolly company for themselves and none at all for any outsider who +refused to obey the unwritten laws which honest old Lem had laid down +for their benefit. "Captain Lem" was the neatest man of all, but he +required the rest to come as near his standard as the disadvantages of +previous bad training permitted. + +Now, in imitation of that West Point discipline he admired, he had +pulled from his pocket a white linen handkerchief and was passing +it gently but firmly over the few simple furnishings of this first +apartment in the long row. It belonged to Silent Pete, just then engaged +breaking to harness a spirited colt, exercising it around and around the +smooth driveways of the "home piece." He was not so far away that he +could not perfectly see what was going on at the "Barracks," and even at +that distance his grizzled cheek flushed. He had risen late and been +remiss in his room-cleaning. He hoped old Lem would forget to mention +who was the occupant of that cell-like place, and, for once, he did. + +There was dust on the chest of drawers which held Peter's belongings, +the cot was just as he had crawled out of it at daybreak, a horsewhip +and blankets littered the floor, and the "Martinet" was so ashamed of +the whole appearance of things that, after one hasty test with the +handkerchief, he withdrew carrying the company with him. Yet, before +leaving, he had drawn a piece of chalk from the band of his sombrero +and made a big cross upon the dusty chest. Silent Pete would know what +that meant: mounting guard for three nights to come! and a grim smile +twisted Lemuel's lips, reflecting what that meant to one of his "Squad." + +The visitors had smiled, too, but with amusement at this odd old +ranchman's discipline; and Monty had whispered: + +"What makes 'em put up with it? What right has he to order them around?" + +But Leslie, the young master of San Leon, was as much in the dark as any +other stranger, and could only answer: + +"Suppose it's because he's a leader. Born that way, just as my father +was, though it's a different way, of course. Otherwise, I can't guess. +But I'm wild to get at the shooting lessons. I hope the rest of you are, +too. The first step to becoming a real 'wild westerner' is to know how +to handle the 'irons.' He's rippin', Lem is. But come on. He's getting +away from us. I wish poor old Jim was here. It's a pity anybody has to +be sick in such a place as this. I tell you, boys, I was never so proud +of Dad as I am now, when I look around and see what a ranch he's +got--earned--right out of his own head-piece! I don't see where he is! I +wish he was here. I'd ask him about those uniforms and I'd get him to +let old Lem off every other duty, just to teach us. Dad's a sort of +sharpshooter himself. Once he--No matter. That story'll keep. Lady Gray +is calling us." + +They had lingered to inspect some of the ranchmen's belongings, as they +passed from room to room, Lady Gray and the girls going forward in +Lemuel's company. She was beckoning her son and asked, as he came +running up: + +"Please go across the lawn and ask Miss Milliken to join us. She went to +her room to write letters, immediately after breakfast, but I see she's +come out now and I don't want her to feel lonely nor neglected." + +Leslie darted away, but returned again to say: + +"She doesn't want to come, just now. She wants Jim Barlow. Says she went +to his room but the nurse said he wasn't in. Jim knows about some books +she wants to send for, when the mail-bag is sent out. Do you know where +he is? Or father? 'Tisn't half-fun, this inspection of San Leon without +Dad here to tell us things. I haven't seen him this morning, any more +than I have Jim. Do you know where they are?" + +Poor Lady Gray was not much better at keeping secrets than old Lemuel +was. She had had to put a great constraint upon herself not to reveal +the anxiety which consumed her. Hours had now passed since Mr. Ford had +ridden away, with a couple of men attending him. All the other men not +absolutely required to look after the place had been despatched to +search on foot. Their long-delayed return seemed to prove the matter of +the sick boy's disappearance a more serious one than at first imagined. +Her answer was a sudden wringing of her white hands and the tremulous +cry: + +"No, no, I don't. Pray God, no tragedy marks the opening of our home!" + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +A RIFLE PRACTICE + + +"Mother, what do you mean? Don't turn so white and do speak! What +'tragedy' could have happened up here in this lovely place?" demanded +Leslie, putting his arm around the lady's shoulders and wondering if she +had suddenly become ill. She was slender but had never complained of any +weakness, nor shown the least fatigue during her long care of him at San +Diego. Since then, she had been like a happy girl with him and his +father but something was amiss with her now. + +In a moment she had calmed herself and was already blaming herself for +her disobedience to her husband's request for silence. However, this +last matter was a small one; for, if the missing lad was not soon found, +all would have to know it. Indeed, it might be better that they did so +now. They knew him better than his hosts did and possibly might give a +clue to his whereabouts. So she told them all she knew, and the surmise +that he had wandered away in a fit of delirium. The very telling +restored her own courage, and, as yet, there was little fear showing +upon the faces of her young guests. + +Except on Dorothy's. Her brown eyes were staring wide and all the pretty +color of her cheeks had faded. As if she saw a vision the others could +not she stood clasping and unclasping her hands, and utterly sick at +heart for the loss of her early friend. Longer than she had known any of +these here about her she had known poor Jim. He had saved her life, or +she believed so, in her childhood that now seemed far away. But for Jim, +the poorhouse boy, she had never escaped from Mrs. Stott's truck-farm +when she had been kidnapped and hidden there. He had stood by her in all +her little troubles, had praised and scolded her, and known her through +and through. It was her talk about him which had made Mr. Ford invite +him to San Leon--to his death, maybe. + +That thought was too much. Clinching her small hands and stamping her +little foot she defied even death to hurt poor Jim, good Jim, brainy +Jim, who was to astonish the world some day by his wisdom! + +"Oh! If you'd only have told me before! I would have had him found long, +long ago! To think of that poor fellow wandering around alone, sick, +crazy, suffering--not knowing where he was or what he was doing! And we +strolling around, looking at old 'Barracks' and things, and telling +silly stories of silly picnics! It was cruel, cruel! Come, Alfy. You +like him, too. You don't look down on my poor boy--you come and help me +find him!" + +She seized her old friend's hand and ran toward the house, which now +looked anything save beautiful in her sight; and, turning, she saw the +lake, gleaming in the noonday sun as it gleamed in the red rays of +sunset with Jim there to admire it. + +"The lake! He's drowned! That's where he is, our Jim! In the bottom of +that horrible lake!" + +Catching Alfaretta's hand more firmly she drew that frightened girl +along with her to the edge of the pond and to a little boat that was +moored there. Both lake and boat were merely toylike in proportion and +the bottom of the pond was pebble-strewn and plainly visible through the +clear, shallow water. + +"He ain't--he--ain't--he can't--you could see--him--He isn't--Oh! Dolly, +Dolly Doodles! I'm sick! It makes me feel terrible queer!" wailed +Alfaretta. "But Jim can't--Jim can't be drowned! _He can't!_" + +"Yes he can, too. Shut up. Help me untie that rope. Get in. Take an oar. +Row--row, I tell you," snapped Dorothy, distraught. + +"I can't. I dassent! I never touched to row an oar in my life. Not in my +whole life long, and--I--I shan't do it now!" retorted the mountaineer +with equal crispness. + +But she had no need to try. The whole party had followed Dorothy to the +water's edge and had divined her intent. Not one believed that Jim was +drowned, though they could have given no good reason for this disbelief. +Only that was too horrible. Such a thing would not have been permitted! +Yet Herbert, as the best oarsman there and also as the loyal friend of +the missing lad, assumed the place Alfy would not take. Without a word +he did what Dorothy desired. He slipped the painter from its post, +helped the girl to take her seat in the little "Dorothy," even smiling +as he observed that it had been named for her, and quietly pushed out +from shore. + +It was just as Alfy had said: the bottom of the lake was clearly visible +everywhere, and no frightful object marred its beauty. Dorothy was +utterly quiet now but her searching gaze never lifted from the water, as +Herbert patiently rowed around and around. The group on the bank waited +also in silence, though certain after that first circuit of the pond +that Jim was not there. + +When they had gone around several times, and had crossed and +criss-crossed in obedience to Dorothy's nod, Herbert brought the boat +back to the little landing and helped Dorothy out. + +"He isn't there, Gray Lady. May I go to the doctor?" + +"Surely. I'll go with you. And don't look so tragic, darling. The boy +will certainly be found. There will nothing else be done at San Leon +until he is. Both my husband and myself agree on that point--that Jim +Barlow's safety is our first consideration. He will probably be found +near at hand, although--" + +"Hasn't he been looked for 'near at hand,' then, dear Gray Lady?" + +"Certainly. At the beginning. We didn't think he could have wandered +far, yet when they failed to find him on the home-grounds, the searchers +spread out in all directions. Here is the doctor coming now, if you wish +to speak with him." + +"Thank you, I do." + +The gentleman came toward them and Dorothy ran to meet him. + +"Oh! sir, have you found him?" + +A negative shake of the head answered her. Then she plied him with all +sorts of questions: how long could a sick boy live exposed to the night +air, as Jim had been; without food or medicine; and couldn't he think of +some place that nobody else had searched, so she might go and try it? + +He laid his hand upon her head and gently asked: + +"Was he your brother, little girl?" + +"No. I haven't any brother. I haven't anybody but Jim, that has known me +always, seems if, and--and dear Doctor, won't you please, please find +him?" + +Clasping her hands about his arm she looked up piteously into his face, +and his own grew pitiful as he answered: + +"I will do my utmost. What I hope is that he will wander back, of his +own will, just as he wandered away. Be sure I shall keep a sharp +lookout, but it is Mr. Ford's wish that I do not leave the home-place +till--at present. If he is found, I mean _when_ he is found, he will +need my care and it wouldn't do for me to be away then. Else I should +have gone out with one of the searching parties." + +That "when he is found" was reassuring. Evidently, the doctor expected +the speedy return of the lad and all were relieved, even Dorothy. +Alfaretta expressed her own feeling by saying: + +"Out here in this Colorado, seems if there wasn't anything but folks +gettin' lost and other folks searching for 'em. I never heard anything +like it," she finished with a sigh. + +The sigh was echoed by all the rest; then Mrs. Ford suggested: + +"Let us have luncheon now, then call on Lemuel to give us our first +lesson in rifle-firing." She assumed a cheerfulness she did not really +feel, but felt that the happiness of so many should not be spoiled by +the absence of one. + +"Oh! Lady Gray, will you practice with us?" asked Leslie, eagerly. + +"To be sure. I'm going to 'play pretend,' as children say, that I'm +just as young as any of you. In my busy life I've not had much time for +'playing' but I mean to make up for lost time. Come, I'm sure that Wun +Sing has made something nice for us. He--" + +"Wun Sing! _Wun Sing?_ Why that was the name of Aunt Betty's cook at _El +Paraiso_! How odd that yours should have the same name!" exclaimed +Dorothy, forgetting her troubles for the moment. + +"Not so odd, dearie, because it is the same man. He came to Mr. Ford one +day while we were still in San Diego and confessed his regret for his +behavior at Mrs. Calvert's home. And my good Daniel can never turn his +back upon any penitent; so the result is the Chinaman reigns in our +kitchen here. Doubtless he'll be pleased to see Alfaretta who taught him +so many fine dishes." + +"Oh! good! May we go see him, Mrs. Ford?" demanded that young person, +eager not only to see Wun Sing because he was one more familiar +acquaintance but because she wished to settle a few old scores. "I'm so +glad! I'll make him toe the mark here, see if I don't. Come on, Dolly +Doodles, he's an old friend of yours, too." + +Alfy's eagerness infected even anxious Dorothy and gave an agreeable +turn to the thoughts of all. So, at a nod of consent, the girls sped +along the cloister, seeking the great kitchen and the salaaming +grinning Chinaman within it. + +"Oh! how good you look, Wunny! Same old purple sack! same old shoes; +same old twisted cue around your same old shiny black head! Same old +nasty messes cooking! and same old Alfaretta to get after you with a +sharp stick!" cried Leslie bursting in with all the others. + +Even Dorothy was laughing now, Jim quite forgot, while the cook held +such a reception as had never been his before. Leslie went through some +formal introductions, beginning with the lady of the mansion and ending +with Miss Milliken, who had followed unseen till now. + +Wun Sing's back must have ached, so often and so low he bowed, while his +tongue mumbled compliments to the most gracious and honorable visitors; +but a look of real delight was on his swarthy face and one of great +affection for smiling Alfaretta. + +"My heart! Ain't it just grand to find an old friend up here on the +mountains! I declare, it does beat the Dutch!" and to this, her +expression of greatest wonderment, Leslie added his own: + +"Just downright rippin'! He's worth all he costs just to make our Dolly +forget that horrid Jim Barlow. I can't forgive him for running away and +stirring up all this mess, sending Dad off on a tiresome ride and +spoiling sport this way. He was good enough, I'd have treated him +decent, all right, but I wish now he'd never been heard of." + +But the most of this was whispered in his mother's ear, as he stood +beside her, his hand upon her shoulder, in that familiar, loving +attitude which always made her so happy. + +Then she demanded of the proud _chef_ how soon he could have lunch +ready, and he replied with another gesture of profound respect: + +"Light away, this instlant! By my honorable forefathers it is fittee for +the most bleautiful!" + +Then he bowed them out of the place and they wandered to the pretty room +where the meal would be served, and which because of its simple, +cloister-like effect, Helena at once named "The Refectory." + +It had been a trifling incident, but it had had a happy effect. All +tongues were talking now, planning, anticipating, wondering over the +things they meant to do and to learn; while a man was sent across to the +"Barracks" to tell Lemuel that they would like to begin their rifle +lessons that afternoon. + +Mrs. Ford suggested naps for everybody, on account of their previous +long journeys but none wished to sleep just then. + +"How can anybody be tired in this glorious air?" asked Helena, burying +her nose in a beautiful bunch of wild flowers somebody had placed beside +her plate. + +Even Miss Milliken was wide awake now and as happy as she ever could be +anywhere. Her one complaint was that it was "so far from civilization." + +"But you knew that, Milly, before you came. Mamma stated everything to +you as plainly as could be. You knew you were going to an isolated ranch +on a mountain, so how could you expect daily papers, visitors, and such +things? You've always said you loved quiet and, now you've got it, do be +satisfied," begged Helena. She was really fond of the nervous little +governess but sometimes lost patience with her. + +"Yes, dear, but suppose--suppose something happened? Illness at home, or +something serious." + +Lady Gray gently interposed, and made, also, her little speech. It was +her first and last advice, or request, to her guests and most of them +were impressed by it. + +"Dear Miss Milliken, don't be troubled by 'being so far from +civilization.' You aren't that, at all. My husband has brought +civilization with him. I am amazed at all he has accomplished. We have a +telegraph line--that he found necessary for his business, but that can +be used by any of us. Bad news travels fast. Be sure if 'anything +happens' we shall hear of it all too soon. And now I have but one +suggestion to make for our life together, and I mean to apply it to +myself first of all. It is: Let us put everything unpleasant under our +feet, as far as possible, and each do his and her share to make this a +wholly joyous summer. I'm inclined to 'worry' and it's a most +unfortunate inclination. This is the first time I have had a chance to +make a 'home' for Daniel and Leslie and I want it to be perfect. Will +you all help me? Will you all take my dear husband's words for a summer +text and make life at this dear San Leon a synonym of 'Peace and Good +Will'?" + +Lady Gray's beautiful face was very earnest, there was even a suspicion +of tears in her long-lashed eyes, but they did not fall, and, after a +moment's silence, Leslie sprang to his feet with a: + +"Hip, hip, hurra, for the Gray Lady and her maiden speech! All in favor +of following her lead, say 'Aye'!" + +All the company rose and the deafening "Ayes" which those young throats +emitted were as flattering as confusing to the "speech" maker. Then she +waved them back to their chairs and Wun Sing's perfection lunch was +served. + +Of course they all missed their jolly host, and their hearts were still +troubled because of the missing Jim; but each strove with the other to +keep these feelings out of sight. This was hardest for Dorothy, who +guessed that the lady's suggestion was meant for her most of all; yet +she bravely tried to smile at every witticism made by her mates and to +respond in sort as far as she could. They had been a little company of +eight and because one was away should the seven be made to suffer? She +would try not, and contented herself with one final question, as the +hostess rose from the table and, the others hurrying "Barracks"-ward, +she could whisper: + +"Even if they don't find my poor boy right away, you won't let them give +up looking, will you, dearest Gray Lady?" + +Mrs. Ford drew the child close into her arms and kissed her tenderly: + +"Don't fear that, for a moment, darling. As if James Barlow were our own +Leslie, the search for him would never be given up till he were found. +Scouts will be looking for him everywhere; though, of course he's sure +to be found near home and soon. Now, my dear little girl, shorten up +that long face and trust to older heads to do the right thing. Your +business now, as it has always seemed to be, is to make your playmates +happy. Jim shall be found; and soon--I do believe. You've heard the men +say that whatever 'Dan Ford, Railroad Boss' undertook he accomplished. +Now let's put that matter aside and learn how to handle a rifle." + +"Captain Lem" had made great preparations for his "shooting school." He +had called upon his own company, as far as he could find it, to help +him. Most of the "boys" had gone searching, but the few who were left +soon had a row of benches set out, a target placed, and the finest guns +available stacked in readiness. It was really a very business like +arrangement and the would-be students soon found Lemuel's rule was +business only. For the boys he had placed arm-rests and they were to +fire from the ground, aided by these slight supports. + +"The females can stand and shoot, on account o' their petticoats +worryin' 'em, lyin'. An' as I can't do nothin' unless it's by rule an' +rod, I lay it this way: Mrs. Ford, bein' she's the eldest--though she +don't look it, Ma'am!--she'll begin. Nobody can have more 'n two tries +to a round. Then Number Two takes it. The schoolma'am next, an' mebbe I +mistook in that matter of age. But that's not here nor there. Mrs. Ford, +Number One; the schoolma'am, Two; the rest the females follerin' in +order. Then the boys. One, two, three--attention! Step right here, lady, +and I'll show you the first position--how to hold your rifle." + +Captain Lem had put on a rusty uniform, a relic of former grandeur "back +home," and carried his bent shoulders with a military precision that +quite transformed him. He gave Gray Lady a salute, moved forward and +placed her "in position" and handed her the rifle. + +"Hold it just this way, scholar, and sight your bull's-eye. Keep your +eye on that, allowin' for a little play in the carryin', and now--pull +your trigger--let her go!" + +Mrs. Ford obeyed, or thought she did. The result was that the gun +kicked, she screamed, and threw it as far from her as she could. What +became of the bullet she never knew, but she firmly declined any further +lessons in the fine art of sharpshooting. + +"Look at Lem's face!" whispered Herbert to Molly who giggled and +returned: + +"Wait till it comes my turn, I'll show him something!" + +The Captain, as they henceforth called him tried to hide his look of +disgust by turning his back upon the group, and asking in a sarcastic +tone: + +"Any more females want to take a try? The schoolma'am lady, for +instance?" + +She ignored his question and sat down by her hostess to soothe that now +abashed person for her failure. Captain Lem had withered even the lady +of the ranch by his contempt. + +"Helena next!" cried Molly, fairly dancing about in her impatience. + +So Helena tried and made out fairly well. That is she succeeded in +keeping the rifle in hand, she did not scream at the discharge, and she +came within a hundred feet of the target. The lads applauded, noisily, +and she mocked back at their pretended admiration, though she made one +effort only and subsided on the bench beside the ladies. + +"All the same it's wonderfully exciting! And I mean to try again, +to-morrow, if they'll let me," she remarked. + +"Let some of the boys try before we do, so we can see how it's done. Or +you, Captain Hunt, you show us!" begged Molly. + +This was what he had waited for. With a strut he marched across the +space between them and the target and carried that much further back. He +longed for a target bearing an arrangement of letters that he could hit +and cause to disappear, as at his boasted Seagirt, instead of a plain +affair such as this he had to use. + +Strutting back to them he lay down, wriggled himself into position, +muttered something about the sun in his eyes, hemmed and hawed, took +final aim and--let her go! + +But she didn't go--not in the least. All unconsciously, he had taken an +unloaded piece! + +There was no strut left in him as he rose to his feet, rather slowly, +and faced his laughing audience; but he rallied after a moment and +good-naturedly joined in the laugh against himself. + +However, discipline was over for that lesson. Without regard to any +rules the youngsters rushed to the stack and took whatever gun was +fancied. Then began an indiscriminate firing till Mrs. Ford grew +frightened and implored them to stop. They did so, all but Alfaretta and +Molly, who had both been fascinated by the sport and felt sure that +they could hit the bull's-eye--which nobody else had done. + +"Come on, Alfy! Let's get down on our tummy, same's all marksmen do, +let's!" + +Down they flung themselves and now, as eager for their success as they +were, old Lem handed each a fresh rifle and sang out: + +"Let her go! A silver dollar to the gal that wins!" + +They fired--and the unexpected happened. Alfaretta's untaught hands +succeeded where greater skill had failed. Her bullet went straight into +the bull's-eye, into its very centre. + +"By the Great Horned Spoon! What an eye you've got, child of mortality! +Why I couldn't ha' done better myself! Glory be!" shouted the excited +ranchman, fairly dancing in his pride and glee. Then he helped Alfy up +from the ground, where she still lay, wondering at the excitement about +her, and peered critically into her blue orbs. + +"However could you see it? That fur away?" + +"Why--why, I didn't see it at all. I got scared and shut my eyes when I +pulled that thing on it!" + +Captain Lem staggered as if he had been hit instead of the target and +softly marvelled: + +"Such--dum--luck! She done it--with her eyes--shut! +She--done--it--with--her--eyes--shut! Somebody take me out and lay me +down. I'm beat." + +His ludicrous manner amused the others but frightened the too successful +Alfaretta. Also, her attention was claimed by Molly's expression. That +ambitious young person was looking very white about the lips, and was +clasping and unclasping her hands in evident distress. + +"Molly, what's the matter?" cried Alfy, shaking her partner in the +affair. + +Molly lifted one shaking finger and pointed into the distance: + +"I--I hit something, too!" + +Other eyes than Alfy's followed the pointing finger and a groan of +horror burst from more than one throat. + +Indeed, and all too surely, Molly had "hit something, too!" + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +A CONCERT IN THE MOONLIGHT + + +Night fell on San Leon; and the searching party which had gone out in +the morning, sure of prompt success, returned tired and dispirited. But +their places were immediately taken by fresh recruits, Mr. Ford +announcing that the matter would not be dropped, night or day, until all +hope had to be given up. + +Except that Jim's clothes had been left in his room it might have seemed +that the lad had run away, feeling himself out of place at San Leon. But +the folded garments placed on the chair beside his empty bed told a +different tale. + +"No, he has wandered off unknowing what he did. Well, when he comes back +he shall find his place ready for him and the warmest of welcomes +waiting. While we have tried--and will still--to visit every cabin and +ranch within reasonable reach, there are many such little shacks dropped +here and there among the mountains; and we have probably overlooked the +one in which he is sheltered. Open hospitality is a feature of the west. +Anybody who comes across the boy will be good to him. Now, let's have a +little music and then to bed. A whole day in the saddle tires me, though +I'm bound to get used to it yet, and so shall all of you. Come, Erminie, +give me a song; and Dorothy dear, get out your violin." + +Thus said Mr. Ford, when their evening dinner had been enjoyed and they +had all gone out to sit upon the wide veranda, the moonlight flooding +the beautiful grounds, and the soft spring air playing about them. + +Dorothy felt that she could not play a note, and even Alfaretta was +quietly crying in the retired corner she had sought, in the shadow of a +pillar. But Mrs. Ford at once obeyed her husband's wish, and as her +wonderful voice floated over them it banished every thought save the +delight of listening. + +The "boys" came over from their "Barracks" and sprawled on the grass, +entranced. Hitherto, their life on the ranch had been one of toil, +lightened by sports almost as rough, with the evening diversion of +swopping stories over their pipes. They hadn't been greatly pleased at +the prospect of a lot of strangers living so near them, but already all +that was changed; and though they didn't know, till Lemuel informed +them, and this singer was one of a few famous _artistes_, they were +moved and touched by the marvellous beauty of her voice. + +"You know, boys, it'd be worth ten dollars a ticket--gallery seats, at +that--just to get into an opery house an' hark to yonder lady. An' now +you're just gettin' it for nothin', free, clear gratis, take it or leave +it, ary one. Fact. The 'Boss's' lady is an A 1 singer if she is a--I +mean, a poor show at a rifle." + +The songs went on till the Gray Lady dared sing no more. Like all +trained singers she was careful of her throat and unused, as yet, to the +air of this region at night. But when she laughingly declared: + +"No more this time; not if I'm to sing again," there was a murmur of +dissatisfaction from the group of men about the fountain; and old +Captain Lem begged, in their name: + +"Just one more, lady, to sleep on. That kind o' music makes a feller +hungry for more and sort-of-kind-of sets him thinkin' 'bout things back +home." + +But Mr. Ford interposed: + +"No, Captain, not to-night! I want to have a lot of just such concerts +so we mustn't put the _prima donna_ out of condition. But I've a little +girl here with a fiddle and I tell you she can just make it talk! Come +farther forward, Dolly dear, and stand close to me. Then 'rosin your +bow' and get to work. Show these cowboys what a little girl-tenderfoot +can do. Maybe, too, who knows? Maybe our Jim will hear it wherever he +is and hurry back. At it, child, and call him!" + +Lady Gray feared this was a trifle unkind to the girl, who she wished +might wholly forget the boy, but the master felt it not so. He knew that +nothing would more thoroughly inspire her than this possibility. + +"Oh! do you think so? Then I'll play as I never did before--I will, I +will!" + +She stepped out from the veranda upon the broad walk before it, and with +the moonlight pouring down upon her white-clad little figure, her face +uplifted to the sky, and her precious violin beneath her chin, she +played, indeed, "as she had never done before." + +On and on she played; one ranchman after another softly suggesting some +desired melody, and her eager little fingers rendering it upon the +instant. The men ceased sprawling and sat up. If they had found the Gray +Lady's voice a marvel, here was a greater. That any child--a despised +"female" child--could evoke such music seemed past belief; and when, at +length, Mr. Ford bade her render the beloved "Home, Sweet Home" as a +finale, there was a reluctant rising of the audience to its feet, +ordered to it by the Captain who, in rather husky tones, stated: + +"Ladies and gentlemen, and mostly the little gal, I give the sentiments +o' my regiment, to a man, when I say all you tenderfoots is welcome to +S' Leon. We wasn't very tickled before, thinkin' all our free livin's +an' doin's was to be interfered with, but we are now. Three cheers +for the company an' the treat they've give us, more especial for the +Little One, and--Long may she wave! Hip, hip, hurrar!" + +The cheer was given with a will, and then again came the Captain's +order: + +"Fall into line. Right about face. March! hep, hep, hep--hep!" + +But as they filed away Dorothy had another inspiration and, acting upon +it, sent the delighted cowboys marching to the lively air of "Yankee, +Doodle, Doodle Doo." + +"And now to bed!" advised the hostess. So within a very few moments all +were in their rooms, tired and happy despite the worries of the day, and +sure that all would come right at last. + +The four girls shared two rooms, facing one another and with two dainty +beds in each. Milliken's chamber was at the end of the long passage +beyond theirs, and those of the rest of the household across a wide hall +which cut this wing of the house in two. In structure the building was +very like _El Paraiso_, which the Gray Lady had admired and where the +happiness of reunion had come to her; and it seemed to those who had +wintered in the old adobe that they had but stepped into another home. + +Of course, sleep did not come at once. Four girls, even if together all +day long, find much to chatter about at night, and this had been a day +of "happenings" indeed. + +Dolly and Alfy came across to sit on Helena's bed and watch her dainty, +slow preparations for retiring. Molly was already perched in the middle +of her own white bed, hugging her knees and proclaiming for the +twentieth time, at least: + +"Oh! I am such a thankful girl! After I fired that rifle and saw that +purple mass of stuff lying on the ground I thought I was a murderer! I +did so. Yet I was mad, too, to think Wun Sing had been such an idiot as +to go between me and the target." + +"Herbert claims the safest place for others, when a girl shoots, is +right behind the target. But it wasn't when Alfy hit the bull's-eye. How +did you do it, child? It was wonderful and at that distance--which +Captain Lemuel fixed for himself!" said Helena, brushing out her hair +preparatory to loosely braiding it. + +"Oh! Nell, you're lovely that way! In that soft nightie--you do have +such lovely, lacey things. I wish Aunt Betty would buy me some like +them, but she won't. She's too sensible, and oh! dear! I wish I had my +arms around her neck this minute!" + +"Put them around mine, Dolly Doodles, and quit wishin' for things you +can't get. Do you s'pose I'll ever do it again?" asked Alfaretta, +drawing one of Dorothy's arms about her own shoulder. + +"Do what again, child?" + +"Child, yourself. I mean fire right into the middle of the thing, and +'honest Injun', I did do it with my eyes shut. I wonder if that ain't +the rightest way to sharpshoot, anyway. The rest of you couldn't hit it +anywheres near, with your eyes open. What say?" + +Molly yawned and stretched herself luxuriously, and Helena remarked: + +"Molly, you make me think of a Persian kitten! She does just that when +she feels particularly good." + +"Well, I ought to feel good. I didn't kill Wun Sing. I just made a hole +in his old purple blouse and I can give him another new one. If I can +find one like it, and have money enough, and--and other things. If I had +shot him instead of his clothes what would they have done to me? Would I +have been hung by the neck till you are dead and the Lord have mercy on +your soul? Would I?" + +"Oh! Molly, how horrible and how wicked! That's swearing!" cried +indignant Dorothy. + +"Well, I like that! I mean I don't! I never swore a swore in my life and +you're horrid, just horrid, Dorothy Calvert, to say so," retorted Molly, +suddenly sitting up and flashing a look of scorn at her beloved chum. + +"It was really swearing, you know, though you didn't mean it." + +"It's what the Judge says--my poor father's one--when a man is condemned +to death." + +"Aunt Betty says that any taking of the Lord's name _in vain_ is +swearing and--" + +Foreseeing a childish squabble, due to over-excitement and fatigue, +Helena gently interposed: + +"That's enough. Neither of you knows what she is talking about. They +don't hang people nowadays, they electrocute them, and Wun Sing wasn't +hurt. He was only badly scared and will keep a good distance from our +rifle-range hereafter. Alfy did hit the bull's-eye, no matter whether +she meant to do it or not. We've had a perfectly lovely evening and a +perfectly lovely summer is before us. I mean to get up, to-morrow, and +see the sun rise, so--off with you, girls. Molly and I are sleepy. Good +night to both of you. What friends we shall be before this summer ends!" + +"Why, I thought we was now. I'm sure I don't feel much above any of you, +even if I can shoot better 'n the rest," said practical Alfaretta, +moving slowly toward the door. + +A shout of laughter greeted her words and Molly indignantly retorted: + +"You aren't one bit smarter than I am. You only hit an old target and I +hit a man, and we didn't either of us mean to do it. But good night, +good night. Wake early, 'cause Leslie says we've a great doin's before +us, to-morrow. Something better than waking up to see the sun rise. +Helena'll get over that, though. Such fine resolutions don't last." + +"You'll see. I--I think I shall keep a diary. Take notes of what happens +up here on the Rockies. If I succeed I may--I _may_ write a book, +sometime," said Helena. + +Molly and Dolly stared, seized with sudden awe of this ambitious young +person, and Alfy stared, too; but she was not impressed and her comment +was a not unkindly but perfectly sincere remark: + +"Why, Nell, you couldn't do that. It takes brains to--" + +"Young ladies! I am amazed at your disturbing the house like this, after +retiring hours! Lights out, or off, silence at once!" ordered Miss +Milliken, appearing in their midst. And at this apparition silence did +follow. + +Back in their own room, Dorothy and Alfaretta pushed their little beds +close together and knelt down to say their prayers. In the heart of each +was an earnest petition for "poor Jim," Dolly's ending with the words: +"And let me see his face the first thing in the morning." + +But Alfy reproved this. + +"We haven't any right to set times for things to be done and prayers to +be answered, Dolly Doodles, and don't say no more. It's sort of saucy +seems if, to ask for things and then keep thinkin' in your insides that +they won't be give. You've asked and the Lord's heard you--now get up +and go to bed." + +"Oh! Alfy! I wish you had--had--a little more spiritually!" wailed +Dorothy, rather stumbling over the long word but obediently rising from +her knees and creeping between the snowy sheets. "And I don't feel as if +there was any use going to bed, any way. I know I shan't sleep a wink." + +"Fiddlesticks! You just do beat the Dutch! As if great Jim Barlow hadn't +a decent head on his shoulders and needed the use o' your 'n! He +wouldn't thank you for makin' him out such a fool. Good night. I'm goin' +to sleep." + +Dorothy felt that this was simply heartless and sighed: + +"I wish I could! But I can't!" + +Then she drew the covers about her shoulders, stared through the open +window at the moonlit ground, felt the scene a trifle dazzling, and +closed her lids just to rest her eyes a minute. + +When she opened them again Alfaretta's bed was empty and neatly spread. +Except her own belongings the room was in perfect order for the day, the +sun shone where the moonlight had been, and the cathedral clock on the +cloister wall was striking-- + +"Oh! Oh! It's morning! It's _late_ morning, too, that's six, seven, nine +o'clock! Oh! how could I sleep so? I never did before in all my +life--except--well, sometimes, but I'm ashamed, I'm awfully ashamed of +myself." + +As she sprang to her feet there was a tap at the door and a +white-capped, white-aproned maid appeared, saying: + +"Good morning, Señorita. The Señora sent me to serve you and help you +about your bath. It is ready, yes, and the other señoritas have +breakfasted and gone out, _si_. By my Lady's orders you were not to be +awakened till you roused yourself." + +"Oh! but I am sorry. I didn't mean to do this, for I know one of Mr. +Ford's rules is early rising. I found that out at _El Paraiso_ and--yes, +yes, please do help me. But tell me, what shall I call you?" + +"Anita, niña. Anita Mantez I am, from the dear City of the Angels, _si_. +This way, _carita_, do not fear displeasure. They are all beloved, the +fair young things, but you are nearest, dearest, so my Lady tells. For +you will never be blamed, believe me." + +Dorothy made short work of her toilet and felt so refreshed by her night +of sound sleep and her delightful morning bath, that the world outside +seemed even lovelier than she remembered it. Also, she was hungry--so +hungry! It was quite as Mr. Ford had said; that the mountain air made +people almost ravenous, at first. Afterwards, one's appetite sank to the +normal and to be out and doing was the one great desire of life. + +Anita led her to the refectory and served her with a dainty breakfast, +disposed on exquisite "individual" dishes, and oddly enough, bearing the +initial "D." Dolly lifted a cup and stared at it, wondering while Anita +glibly explained in her patois of Spanish-English, that yes, indeed, it +was the Señorita's own. + +Dorothy's heart was touched and grateful. Charming as her hosts were to +all their guests, in many little ways they had singled her out as in +this; and she understood without explanation from them that it was +because of the part she had played in bringing together the once divided +family. Very humbly and gravely she accepted these attentions, thankful +in her deepest heart that she had been "inspired," on that past winter +day, to lead the father and son across the mesa to the little cabin +where Gray Lady dwelt alone. It had been a daring thing to do--an +"assisting Providence"--such as wise Aunt Betty wholly disapproved; but +that time it had been a fortunate one for all concerned. + +Now as the girl sipped her cocoa, turning the egg-shell like cup to +catch the light, she wondered what she could still do to help her dear +Gray Lady and to prove her own love. Then her dreaming was cut short by +a hubbub of merry voices without, and, a moment later, a crowd of young +folks tumbled through the big window, laughing, teasing, exhorting: + +"Lazy girl! Just eating breakfast and it's nearly time for lunch, seems +if!" + +"Oh! The loveliest thing in the world!" cried Molly, clapping her hands. + +"Thank you," said Dolly, demurely, lifting her face for the other to +kiss. + +"Oh! not you, Miss Vanity, but a beautiful thing on four legs!" + +"We're to take our choice and the white one's _mine_, for--" declared +Alfaretta. + +"No white one for me! Dad says we're to do our own grooming and white +ones have to be washed just like a poodle dog and--" began Leslie. + +"I had one once. His name was 'Goodenough,' and he was good enough, too. +Could walk on its hind legs--" interrupted Herbert. + +"Oh, Dorothy! If you aren't going to finish that buttered toast, do give +it to me! I never was so hungry in all my life. I simply can't get +filled up, and--" + +"Montmorency Vavasour-Stark! You ought to be ashamed! After eating four +chops, three boiled eggs, five helpings of potato, to say nothing of +coffee enough for the regiment, and strawberries--" + +"Well, Mistress Molly Breckenridge, I don't know who set you to keep +tally on my appetite! and I hate to see good things wasted. Want the +rest of those berries, girlie? I know you don't. You're real unselfish, +you are; and you wouldn't eat all the nice-ripe-red-strawberries- +raised-under-glass-ripe-red-strawberries and give your neighbor none. +And give your neighbor none, you-shan't-have-any-of-my-nice-ripe-red- +strawberries-who-gives-his-neighbor--Molly, give it back! Aw, now, +Molly! You wouldn't eat all the nice-ripe--Hold on! Bert Montaigne, +that's a beastly shame! After I had to warble in that dulcet way for +a plate of poor, left-over, second-hand strawberries, to have 'em +grabbed by you and Molly--that's too much. Just one drop too much to +fill my bucket, but I say, 'Little One,' I wish you'd get up late +every morning, and have just such a superfine breakfast as this saved +for you, and not be hungry at all yourself, but save it for a poor +starved little boy who hasn't had a mouthful in an hour--" + +Monty was running on in this absurd way, yet holding his own in a three +cornered scramble for possession of a dish of berries he had pre-empted +from Dorothy's table; till, without saying anything, Helena calmly +walked up, took the disputed dish from the contestants and, shoving +Dolly aside to give up half her chair, sat down and began to eat them +herself. + +"Two spoons with but a single dish! How touching!" cried Herbert, posing +in pretended admiration of the pair, yet covertly watching his chance to +add a third spoon to the two and get his own taste of the luxury. + +Not but that all had been served likewise, at the regular meal earlier +in the day, and Monty's boasted appetite was but a part of the happy +foolishness of their youth and high spirits. + +For they were all evidently greatly excited over something, and the talk +fell back upon "choice" and "points" and "colors" with a comparison of +manes and tails, till Dorothy sprang up, clapped her hands over her +ears, and demanded: + +"One at a time! One at a time! Do tell me what you're all jabbering +about and be quick! Just because I was lazy--I admit it, all right--I +don't want to miss all the fun! Tell me!" + +But her answer did not come from any of the lively group about her. A +shadow fell across the floor and Captain Lem appeared at the window. +Leaning his elbows on the low sill he surveyed the interior with a +quizzical smile, then observed: + +"If everybody's et all they can and has got time for somethin' elst, +please to step over to the corral behind the Barracks. Time there was +somethin' doin'! Come on, Little One. I'd like to have you head the +procesh, for 'twas the Boss's orders, first pick for you. Hep, hep, +hep--march!" + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +A MODERN HORSE FAIR + + +They departed as they had entered, by way of the window, Dorothy lifted +through it by her admiring Captain Lem, whose heart she had wholly won +by her music the night before, and by the deference she paid to his +talk. She was eager to find out the cause of all this excitement and +placed herself alongside him, as he led off with a military tread and +tensely squared shoulders. It wasn't for him to admit that rheumatism +commonly bowed those same shoulders, when he was "off duty" and secure +in the shelter of his own room. + +"Hep, hep, hep,--hep," said the Captain marking time, and scowling at +the irregular pace of the excited youngsters behind her. At which +Dorothy promptly echoed his "Hep, hep, hep," and the others took the +hint, pairing off into a compact little company and following their +leader like soldiers on parade. + +Captain Lemuel smiled and nodded: + +"Good, Little One! 'Tis you has the head of sense, and fingers for the +fiddle bow. The boys are all just proud to have you up at S' Leon, and +anything you want done--say the word! All I want is to see you shoot +well as you can fiddle. Ride, eh? Can you ride a horse, Little One?" + +"My name is Dorothy, Captain Lemuel, and I can--a little. Helena, too, +is fine on horseback. She's the yellow-haired girl, you know. But why? +What makes you ask?" + +They had come across the grass as far as the end of the Barracks, and +still drilling his "awkward squad," the old ranchman wheeled about and +ordered: + +"Halt! About--face!" + +Alfy giggled, but seeing the faces of all the rest, especially +Dorothy's, sober and set in imitation of the Captain's, she stopped +laughing and applied herself to the business in hand. + +"Hep, hep, hep--March!" + +They might have been veterans, instead of an awkward squad, so perfectly +they now kept step and so fully they entered into the old man's whim. +For only a whim they supposed this drilling to be, though in reality he +had taken note of all their figures and, with the exception of Herbert's +and Dorothy's, saw that each could be improved. Especially was there +need of this in Leslie's case; and having been told of the lad's +delicacy by his beloved "Boss," he had conceived this scheme of drill. + +"You see, Boss, I can easy enough cure that boy by 'whipping him over +the others' shoulders,' so to speak. You've heard tell of that before, I +'low. He's all right. He's a real likely, well-growed lad; and that West +Point 't he's hankerin' for'd be the best thing ever happened to him. +Exceptin' course 't it would nigh break his mother's heart, so he told +me. Well, that's no more here nor there. A little drillin' in this +Colorady air'll do 'em all good and set him up to a dandy shape. Yes, +siree! You or your lady best just drop the hint to that there little +fiddler-girl, 't seems to lead the rest of 'em round by the nose--though +they like it, they like it an' her too! Couldn't help it, you see. +Nobody could; eh, what?" + +"Indeed not! A daughter of our own could scarcely be dearer than little +Dorothy. I'll have Mrs. Ford speak to her, and I'll make it worth your +while, Captain, to do your utmost for Leslie's improvement. He has lost +his cough; he does seem to be well, now; but--there is still enough +delicacy about his appearance to make us anxious. You do your best, Lem, +and so will I." + +The captain had drawn himself up with a little pride, but with an +adoring look in his old eyes, and had answered: + +"Drop that, Boss, drop it! Of all the unfortunate, down-on-their-luck +fellers 't this S' Leon ranch shelters now, I was the downdest! I ain't +never forgot what you done for me, takin' me out the gutter, so to +speak, and settin' me on my pins again. And if there's a single mortal +thing 't I can do for you--that debt's paid an' overpaid, a hundred +thousand times. A hundred thousand times, sir, yes, sir." + +"A hundred thousand is a sizable number, Lem--but we understand each +other. Shake hands and--God speed your efforts!" + +This little talk had taken place on the night before, and Lady Gray had +taken an opportunity to relate it to Dorothy. This was why she so +eagerly fell in with Captain Lemuel's idea, though she forebore to +mention it to any of the other young folks at San Leon. Lady Gray had +warned her: + +"I would rather Leslie did not himself know, and if the others did he'd +be sure to find it out. It would make him conspicuous, maybe worry him +and set him brooding over himself, so I'm trusting you to keep it +secret. And, in any case, what better amusement could you have? The +regular exercise in this perfect air will be as good for you girls as +for the boys." + +Now as Dorothy fell into step with the Captain, she realized that here +was one thing, however slight, that she could do to prove her love for +sweet Lady Gray. She could use her influence to keep up what the others +considered a temporary game, entered into merely to gratify the vanity +of an ex-sharpshooter; and as she now marched along by his side, she +begged: + +"Do please, Captain, set a regular hour for this drill, and make us +stick to it, just as in the regular army. I promise I'll not oversleep +again--I'll try not, I mean. Will you?" + +"Sure, Little One, and I'll app'int you First Leftenant, Company B, San +Leon Life Guards. Halt!" + +He stopped and faced his followers: + +"It has been proposed 't we make this a regular company, same as Company +A, of the boys. I second the proposition. I'd be proud to train ye, if +so be you'll hold up your end the musket. I mean, no shirkin' duty and +bein' marched to the guard house, or sentinel work, for bad behavior. +Put on your thinkin' caps and keep 'em on a minute. Down to West Point, +where some of us is hankerin' to be, they don't allow no lyin'. A broken +promise is the worst kind of a lie. So before you pledge your word, gals +and boys alike, you--_think_. Think hard, think deep. I'll time ye. When +one minute is up, to the second, I'll call for your answer. Everybody +turn their eyes inside themselves and--_think_." + +With that the wise and shrewd old fellow pulled his silver time-piece +from his pocket and placed it in the hollow of his hand. Then he fixed +his eyes upon its white face and stood motionless, watching the second +hand make its little circuit. When the sixty seconds had been counted, +he held up his hand with profound gravity and called: + +"All in favor of forming a new Company, say 'Aye!' Contrary 'No!'" + +Every hand went up--but Leslie's. Every voice uttered an earnest "Aye!" +save his, and Dorothy flashed an indignant, as well as disappointed +glance upon him, exclaiming: + +"Oh! What a mean--I mean, what a rude boy! When all your guests are just +suffering to be soldiers, you go and spoil the whole business. Why do +you do that?" + +The lad flushed. He had been duly instructed by both parents in the +duties of a host, even a young one; and he knew it was his business to +see that all his guests were helped to enjoy themselves as they, not he, +desired. It was the first time that he had had any responsibility of +this sort and it didn't greatly please him. Now when he found they were +all looking at him in that aggrieved way he tossed his head, thrust his +hands into his pockets, and answered: + +"I know I proposed it and thought I'd like it, but I've changed my mind +and now think it would get to be a confounded nuisance. I've never done +anything, regularly, as you talk about, and I don't see any use in +beginning at this late day when--" + +"When you're getting so old and infirm, poor dear!" said Molly, +interrupting. In reality she cared little what they did at San Leon, so +long as they were all together and having a good time. But she saw on +Dorothy's expressive face a keener disappointment than the affair seemed +to warrant and loyally placed herself in support of her chum. + +Leslie went on as if she hadn't spoken, though he glanced her way with a +promise in his eyes to "get even" with her for that mockery: + +"We're up here on the mountains for a summer holiday. What's the use of +making it a work day, then? It would be work--sure enough. There'd be +lots of mornings when every one of us would hate it. Oh! you needn't +look that way. You all would, sure. What's fun when you feel like it is +quite the other thing when you don't. And nine o'clock comes pretty +early in the morning. Doesn't it, Miss Dorothy?" + +The laugh was upon her and she joined in it. Yet she hadn't one whit +abandoned her plan of helping Leslie against himself. But there was no +use in arguing, and, small woman that she was, she tried strategy +instead. + +"Well, Leslie, you make me think of Mr. Seth Winter's story about the +eleven contrary jurymen. All 'contrary' except the one who couldn't get +his own way. No matter, nobody wants to force you into hard work. Though +I suppose you'll be willing, we, your guests, shall do as we please?" + +"Certainly," he replied with an absurdly profound bow, to which Dorothy +merrily returned a sweeping courtesy. + +"Then the rest of us who have given our word will keep it. We will be on +hand every morning, Captain, to be drilled in the noble tactics of the +soldier. Aunt Betty says everybody always finds use for all the +knowledge he possesses. Aunt Betty knows. She's lived almost as long as +all our ages put together, and she's the very happiest person I ever +saw. I don't know anything about soldiering yet but I'm going to learn +what I can with this splendid teacher to instruct me--" here she made +another profound obeisance to Captain Lem, who returned the courtesy by +his finest military salute, mentally appraising the earnest little girl +as the best of them all. + +"So that I shall have one more thing to put in my knowledge-box, ready +to use if I ever need it. And while we are drilling you can amuse +yourself otherwise, Leslie dear. Now, Captain, can't we go on and find +out what wonderful thing is hidden in that corral behind these +Barracks?" + +"Sure. Forward, march!" + +He faced forward again and even Leslie fell into step behind the others, +willing to join in such "foolishness" as a temporary amusement. + +In fine order they reached the further end of the long building, marched +around its rear, and came upon what Dorothy thought was a most beautiful +sight. Within the wide paddock, or corral, as these westerners called +it, was a small herd of young, thoroughbred horses. From a little stand +outside the paling, Mr. and Mrs. Ford were watching the handsome +creatures and talking with the grooms that attended them, concerning +their good, and possibly, bad qualities. + +But at the sound of the approaching "squad" Lady Gray turned an eager +face and called out, reprovingly: + +"Oh! my dears, how slow you have been! If I were your age and had been +promised a horse for my very own, I shouldn't have tarried on the way!" + +"Our very own? What do you mean, dear Mrs. Ford?" asked Dorothy, +hastening to bid her tardy "Good morning," before she more than glanced +across the fence. + +"Just what I say, dear. Mr. Ford has had eight horses brought in for you +young folks to use. Each is to make a choice for herself or himself, +subject to change if any necessity for it. Your choice is to be your own +property and I hope will give you lots of pleasure. Captain Lem and some +of the other good horsemen will teach you anything you need to know. +Why, my dears! How astonished you look! Didn't you understand? Didn't +Leslie tell you?" + +For, indeed, surprise had kept them silent. None had guessed of having a +horse of her "own," supposing from Leslie's words that they were only +to have the loan of an animal during their stay at San Leon. Alfaretta +broke the silence, explaining: + +"No, he didn't say any such thing. He said we was to come choose horses +to ride, and when he said one was white I picked that out at once. +I--can't really believe you mean it, Mrs. Ford, though--course--Ma +Babcock--I never heard o' such folks--never--never--in my life. It +certainly does beat the Dutch. I--Alfy Babcock--Dolly Doodles--Jolly +Molly--Helena--to have horses of our own--it makes me cry! I, Alfy +Babcock, ownin' a whole horse! Oh! My!" + +"Then I shall be very, very sorry the idea ever entered my husband's +mind, of making such a gift. We don't want tears--we just want +happiness, perfect happiness, up here at San Leon!" said beautiful Gray +Lady, smiling, and looking fairer than ever in this new delight of +making gifts, as freely as she wished. Her own life had grown so much +happier, these last months, that she longed only to "pass on" happiness +to all whom she knew. Alfy's tears really hurt her, for a moment, till +Dolly explained, with an arm about the weeper's waist: + +"I reckon these must be what I've heard of as 'happy tears,' dear Lady +Gray. Alfy is too pleased to do anything else--even to say 'thank +you'--yet." + +Queer little Alfy had dropped her head on Dorothy's shoulder and was +repeating in a low tone: + +"A whole horse of my own! Mine, Alfy Babcock's! A whole horse--a +whole--livin'--horse--A--whole--horse!" + +"Well, you wouldn't want a half one, would you, Miss Babcock? Nor one +that wasn't living?" demanded Monty, laughing. "Quit crying and let's +choose, for that's what Leslie said we were to do. Is that correct, Mr. +Ford?" + +"Entirely. But--see to it that your choice falls each on a different +animal! Suppose you begin, alphabetically. Alfaretta first." + +Such a group of radiant faces as now peered over the paling! while +without a second's hesitation, Alfaretta announced: + +"I choose that pure white one for mine!" + +"All right. Captain Lem, lead out Blanca and put on her side saddle," +directed Mr. Ford. + +A passage was opened in the paling and the beautiful Blanca was led +forth, amid a murmur of admiration from everybody, except the girl +herself. She could only stand, clasping and unclasping her hands, and +gazing with dim eyes at this wonderful possession. The handsome saddle +cloth was marked Blanca, and Mr. Ford explained that each animal was +registered and its name had been chosen by its breeder. Most of these +names were Spanish and suited well; as that Blanca meant "white," which +the gentle little mare certainly was. To another corner of the saddle +cloth, Captain Lem slowly attached the initial "A," as mark of +ownership, then beckoned to Alfy that she should mount. + +All her mates watched her curiously, expecting to see her timid and +reluctant. She treated them to a fine surprise; first by running to Lady +Gray and rapturously kissing her hand, then returning to Lemuel, and +letting him swing her up to the saddle, without an instant's hesitation. +Dorothy stared, amazed; but she needn't have done so: Alfy was "her +mother's daughter" as the saying goes, and inherited that good woman's +love of horseflesh and fearlessness; and as she settled herself and +received the bridle reins she kept murmuring the marvellous fact: + +"A whole horse--mine! And Ma Babcock's only got Barnaby!" + +"Who is 'Barnaby,' Alfy?" asked Leslie, going round to her side and +critically inspecting her treasure. + +"Oh--he--Why, he's a mule!" + +A shout of laughter greeted this announcement and Lemuel moved away. He +was disappointed that the beautiful Blanca had not fallen to Dorothy's +share, for he believed the white filly to be the best as well as the +handsomest creature in the corral. However, her turn was next, and he +listened anxiously to hear what it might be. He wished she wouldn't be +so over-generous in offering the choice to her mates, and in saying +that if she disappointed them she wanted to change. + +"All are so fine. It can't make a bit of difference to me." + +"Choose! Choose! You dear old slow-poke, for I'm just dying to do so, +too. I can't wait--do choose!" cried impatient Molly, skipping about and +trying to cut short Dorothy's hesitation. + +"All right, then. I choose the 'calico'. She's so like another Portia +that I used to ride 'back home.'" + +"Zaraza, for Dolly. A Spanish title, too, dear, and means 'chintz'--a +'calico', if you please. Lead her out, Lem!" + +The pretty creature was brought out, arching her graceful neck and +lifting her dainty hoofs as if she were dancing to music, as she was now +to the clapping of hands and lusty cheers of healthy young throats. Then +she was saddled, a decorative "D" attached to her saddle-cloth, Dorothy +put upon her back, to take her stand beside Alfaretta on Blanca, while +the others chose and were mounted. + +"It has been a real ceremony and a delightful one! Here's to the health +and happiness of our young equestrians! Hip, hip, hurra!" cried the +master of the ranch, with a boyish heartiness that sent the hats of the +ranchmen from their heads and their voices echoing the gay "Hip, hip, +hurra!" + +But, despite her happiness, Dorothy's face was thoughtful. There had +been eight horses in the corral, as there had been, at first, eight +young guests at San Leon. To Helena had been allotted a fine bay, big +and powerful as well as comely, by name Benito; to Herbert a black, +chosen by him for its resemblance to his own "Bucephalus," "back home" +where Portia was, and from a sentiment similar to Dolly's. Then Lady +Gray was asked to choose for the absent James Barlow, and did so as +calmly as if he had but stepped around the corner and had deputed her to +act for him. + +But it was noticeable that of all the splendid thoroughbreds within the +paddock one was by far the finest. That was a dappled gray, perfect in +every, point, and looking as if he were king of that four-footed +company. + +"For Jim, I choose Azul, the Gray! You all know I love gray in color and +I love the 'blue,' as his Spanish owners named him. Captain Lemuel, +please saddle Azul for Jim Barlow, and, Daniel, will you use him, +please, till Jim comes back?" + +Dorothy flashed a grateful look upon her hostess, then glanced at +Alfaretta, sure of finding sympathy in that girl's honest eyes. But Alfy +nodded, well pleased, and Mr. Ford rode to the head of the little +cavalcade and took his place at Dorothy's side, while the others +followed, two by two, to make a circuit of the grounds and test their +mounts. + +The men cheered again and again as the procession started, Mr. Ford and +Dorothy leading; then Leslie on the sorrel, Cæsar, with Alfy on Blanca; +Helena on Benito, with Monty on the chestnut, Juan--a mount well suited +to his stature and requirements. Last rode Molly on Juana, another +chestnut, and a perfect match for her brother--Monty's Juan; while +Herbert's Blackamoor finished the caravan, last but by no means least in +the creature's own proud estimation. + +They paced and they cantered, they trotted and they galloped, even the +most inexperienced without fear, because of the vigilant attendants who +raced beside them, as well as the high spirits of the others. Around and +around the spacious grounds they rode, Captain Lem pointing out several +fences and hedges he would have them leap, later on, and finally +bringing up before the stately front of the house to dismount. + +As they did so Dorothy noticed a queerly dressed little boy sitting +beside the fountain holding a basket in his hand and eagerly watching +the cavalcade. Nobody else seemed to observe him, amid all the clatter +and laughter. He looked to the sympathetic girl as if he were very tired +and, leaving the rest, she crossed to him and asked: + +"Who are you, little boy? Do you want something?" + +Instantly, he offered her the basket, and as instantly vanished. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +AN UNEXPECTED DEPARTURE + + +Dorothy looked after the fleeing little figure as it disappeared behind +a clump of shrubbery in the direction of the laundry. + +"A child of one of the workmen, I suppose, but such an odd, quaint +looking child," she thought, and rejoined her mates. They were still +standing beside the cloistered walk, talking, planning the wonderful +trips which would be open to them now that they owned horses; comparing +notes upon the points of each that they fancied they had already +learned, while Mr. Ford declared: + +"This really is the most wonderful affair! Not that you have the horses, +but that you show no jealousy about them. So far as I can see each of +you is perfectly satisfied with his own choice and sure it was the +wisest. I only hope our good James Barlow will like his Azul as well. +Heigho, Dolly Doodles! What a quaint little basket! An Indian one and +fine. Where did you get that?" + +"A little boy gave it to me. I suppose it is for Lady Gray, and here she +comes." + +The lady had walked across from the Barracks, slowly, sauntering over +the beautiful grounds, so fully in accord with them and the glorious +day hat she was humming an aria from pure lightness of heart. She had +not forgotten the missing lad for whom she had chosen the best horse in +the herd, but it did not seem now that anything could be really amiss. +He would surely soon be back, safe and well, and oh! how good life +was! How dear the world, and how gracious that tender Providence which +had crowned her life with joy! In this mood she came up to the group +awaiting her and Dorothy put the basket into her hands. + +She hadn't expected anything of weight and nearly dropped it. + +"Why, dearie, what an exquisite basket! But how heavy it is! +What--here--why? See how oddly it's fastened with rushes or something +like them. I'll sit right here while one of you open it." + +She seated herself upon a carved bench beside a sun-dial and Leslie cut +the rushes which were bound tightly about the basket. As he did so a +plaintive little wail issued from it, and Lady Gray and he both jumped. + +"A baby! A foundling!" laughed Mr. Ford, pretending to be greatly +frightened. + +"Open it, open it quick, please! I can't wait!" cried Molly. + +At the slightest touch now the lid fell off and there, lying on a mat of +softest grass, was a tiny, new-born lamb. Ohs! and Ahs! and laughter +greeted it, to which the small creature answered by another feeble +"Ma-a-a!" then curled itself to sleep. + +"What a pretty present! Who could have sent it?" wondered Lady Gray. + +"One of the shepherds, likely; sheep herders they call them here. And +it's the first time I ever saw a lamb 'snow white.' The comparison, +'white as a lamb' is generally wrong, for they're a dirty gray. This one +has been washed within an inch of its life--literally. Some of you girls +better take it to the dairy and give it some milk," said Mr. Ford. + +"Maybe there somebody will know about it or we'll find the little boy +again. He was so cute! Like a small Indian, he looked." + +"He might easily be one, Dorothy. There are still many bands of them +roaming the mountains. Quite often, the 'boys' say, some come to San +Leon. A peaceable lot, though, mostly, unless they get hold of liquor. +But liquor turns even cultivated white men into brutes. Not likely we +shall see any of them at this time of year, when life in the forest is +pleasant." + +"Oh! Daniel, don't talk of Indians at all! I don't like them," protested +Mrs. Ford, with a little shudder. "I hope that child wasn't one." + +"Well, we don't know that he was. There are many people belonging to San +Leon and other neighboring ranches and a child more or less isn't enough +to set us worrying. Hmm. Here comes the operator with a telegram. I was +in hopes that I might escape them for a few weeks. News, Mr. Robson?" + +The clerk's face was grave and the young folks walked away; Dorothy +carrying the basket with the lamb, the others following--with +mischievous Molly prodding the little creature with her forefinger "to +make it talk." + +But the boys were not interested in "young mutton" as Monty called it, +and sought the ranchmen at their quarters to learn when they could go +fishing, or what was better, hunting. + +"I don't see what you want to kill things for!" pouted Molly, while +Helena answered: + +"Because they are--just boys! I only hope they won't be allowed to +handle firearms, except for rifle practice under the trainer's care. So +this is the dairy! What a fine one and away up here, where Milliken said +there was 'no civilization!' Do you know, Papa is getting quite anxious +for a stock farm? We think it's so queer for a man who knows nothing but +banking, but some doctor told him it would be fine for his health. If he +has cattle, I suppose we'll have a dairy. I mean now to find out all I +can about such things because I know whatever Mr. Ford does will be the +best possible. Odd! up here the dairymaids are dairymen! How spotlessly +clean that one yonder looks, in his white uniform! I'm going to ask what +he is doing now." + +She left the other girls to do so and from another worker in this +up-to-date, sweet-smelling place, Dorothy begged a basin of milk for +their new pet. It still remained in the basket, which was so soft and of +such exquisite fineness that it could be folded like a cloth. + +Alfaretta still held the soft cover, which had slipped off when Leslie +cut the rushes binding it on, turning it idly in her hands. Suddenly she +stopped and stared at its inner side, then excitedly stooped where +Dorothy was feeding the lamb and pointed, exclaiming: + +"For the land sakes, Dolly Doodles, look at that!" + +"Take care, Alfy! You're scaring this timid little thing so it won't +drink. It hardly knows how, anyway. What? What do you say?" + +"I say look a there! _Jim! Jim!_" + +Dorothy snatched the cover from Alfy's hand and there, surely enough, +was the letter D done in the curious handwriting which James Barlow had +acquired; quite different both girls knew from that of any other they +had ever seen. Then they stared at one another, not knowing whether to +be glad or sorry. + +"What does it mean?" cried Dorothy at last, while Molly drew near to +learn what had happened to surprise them. For answer Alfaretta handed +her the cover and fairly gasped out: + +"Jim--our Jim--wrote that--or painted it--or--or--It's Jim, true as +preachin'!" + +"Huh! then all I can say is that this paragon of a Jim has a mighty +poor style of writing. Looks more as if that lamb had bumped its +itsy--witsy--heady--and made it bleed. That's some Indian 'mark' that +the maker of the basket put on it. Don't try to get up any excitement +over that." + +Alfy shook her head but Dorothy did not look up. She was searching the +soft, wilted grass that lined the basket; and, in the bottom, tied to a +bunch of faded flowers was a little glistening stone. The pebble was +marked by another D, traced in the red juice of some plant. + +The basket went one way, the lamb another as Dorothy sprang to her feet +and danced for very joy. + +"Yes, it's from Jim--it's from Jim! And he's alive--somewhere he is +alive! Oh! I am so glad, so glad!" + +Alfy was glad, too, of this reminder of the lad's existence, but she was +also ashamed of him. + +"Huh! I don't see what there's to be so tickled over, for my part! Jim +Barlow's actin' like a regular simpleton. And he's mean, too. He's +meaner 'n pussley, makin' everybody such a lot of trouble. Folks riding +night and day to hunt for him--some out scourin' round this very +minute--and him just stayin' away 'cause--'cause--" + +"'Cause what, Alfaretta Babcock?" demanded Molly sternly. As always she +was loyal to her beloved Dorothy whose joy Alfy was rapidly spoiling by +her contempt for the truant. + +"'Cause, I s'pose he hasn't any decent clothes to come home in. He +didn't take his with him and clothes don't grow on trees, even in +Colorado. But--if I knew where he was I'd take 'em to him and give him a +piece o' my mind along with 'em." + +"Give it to me, instead, missy. I'm kind of sort of hungry for it!" said +a familiar voice behind them, and there was Captain Lem leaning on the +sill of the dairy window and looking at them with that amused expression +of his. He seemed to find a lot of young folks the most entertaining +company in the world. He had hated their coming and had instantly veered +around to be thankful for it. Already his mates were teasing him about +it and prophesying that Lem had done his last job on the ranch. +Hereafter, if he was missed, all the "boys" would have to do would be to +hunt up Dorothy, or her chums, and find him. + +"What's a doin', younkers? Hope your ridin' round didn't tire ye none. +Hello! Gone to raisin' sheep, have ye? Mighty pretty little creatur', +that one is. Where'd you find it?" + +Even Helena left off learning dairy work and hurried with the others to +the window to learn his opinion. + +He took the cover and the stone and carefully studied the inscriptions +on them. Cocked his head sidewise, put on his spectacles, screwed up +his eyebrows and his lips, and ejaculated: + +"That's a poor fist--whoever done it!" + +"Maybe it is; but both Alfaretta and I recognized it at once. You see +poor Jim almost taught himself to write. He'd begun that even before I +first saw him and it's hard to unlearn things, you know. Else, Jim's so +smart he'd have written better than any of us by this time. Yes, indeed! +Poor Jim is very, very clever!" said Dolly warmly. + +Captain Lemuel shook his head, and remarked: + +"I 'low you call him that by way o' compliment. But back home when we +called a feller 'clever' it meant he hadn't much sense. I've seen that +sort, 'clever' souls 't scurcely knew enough to come in out the rain. +This here one 'peared the same to me. Course, I hadn't been acquainted +with him longer 'n next to no time but if he was so smart, as I s'pose +you're meanin' to state, he hid it amazin' well. Hmm. But--but--if this +is a handwrite o' his 'n, our business is to take it straight to the +'Boss.' What you goin' to name your lamb, Little One?" + +Dorothy lifted the little animal and gave it to him through the window. +He caressed it tenderly enough in his strong hands, for he loved all +animals, though horses best. + +"Why, I hadn't thought. I mean we hadn't. And it isn't ours, anyway, if +it was sent to the Gray Lady." + +"Your Gray Lady's name don't begin with a D. It's plain as the nose on +your face who it's meant for," he answered, promptly. + +"Then if it is really mine--how lovely!--I'll just call it Snowball." + +"Pshaw, Dolly Doodles! If I had a lamb sent to me by a poor lost feller +like Jim, I'd name it after him and not so silly like that. Do call it +Jim, junior," argued Alfy. + +"Yes, sissy, but--but it ain't that kind of a lamb," observed the +Captain, siding with his favorite at once. + +Molly giggled and even Helena smiled, but Alfy simply pouted. + +"Huh! Well, then if Jim won't do, call her Jiminetta--that'd be after me +and him, too, same's I'm Alfaretta." + +Dorothy laughed, too, now, and stopped studying the rude letters traced +on the cover and the stone. They but deepened the mystery of Jim's +disappearance and present whereabouts. She remarked: + +"We don't often enough take time to say your whole name, child. It's +generally 'Alfy.' Let's compromise and call our lamb Netty." + +"Good enough! And if the little creatur' takes after most Colorady folks +or flocks, she won't care a mite what name she has so she ain't called +late to dinner. Haw, haw, haw!" + +Laughing at his own ancient witticism, Captain Lem started houseward +with "Netty" in his arms, the little thing nestling down in them as if +it knew it had found a friend. But his face was troubled. He didn't +like this secret signal from the missing James and he liked less the +fact that the lad's messenger had been a small Indian. However, this +seemed a small matter to what was awaiting him, as Mr. Ford came toward +him, walking rapidly, and, apparently, in deep thought. + +"Lem, do you think you can run San Leon without me for a few days?" + +Captain saluted his "chief" and replied, a trifle testily: "That's what +I have been doin' for a purty consid'able spell, ain't it, Boss?" + +"Yes, but you hadn't eight youngsters on your hands then, to keep happy +and out of mischief. Boys you know, Lem--" + +"I know. I've been one. Wish 't I was again. What's up, Boss?" + +The girls had followed the Captain, slowly, and eagerly discussing Jim's +message--if it was such--and its probable meaning; but they paused at a +little distance, not wishing to interrupt the men's interview which, +from the expression of their faces, was a serious one. + +But Mr. Ford saw them and beckoned them to come up; and then explained +to them as well as to the old ranchman: + +"We have had telegrams that call us east. Away east, as far as New York. +I feel that we must leave you young folks--for a few days--as few as we +can possibly make them. It isn't business or I'd depute somebody else +to act for me. It's this: A wireless dispatch has been received that a +very old lady, an aunt of Erminie's, will arrive in that city on the +steamer which is due in just three days. She has lived abroad for many +years and is now very feeble, helpless, in fact, from paralysis or +something of that nature. She brought Erminie up and has been the best +and truest friend my wife ever had. We owe her everything, and feel that +we cannot leave her to land in a strange city, broken in mind and body, +without her 'daughter' to care for her. We must go, for I don't want +Lady Gray to take the trip and responsibility without me. If all goes +well, we should be back in less than a fortnight--could be much sooner +except that Lady Gray wants to bring Aunt Rachel to San Leon; and we +will have to make the return journey by very easy stages, as her +strength will allow. It is trying, too, that, having learned of our trip +east, Miss Milliken insists upon returning with us. She hasn't been +happy here and I find she's worrying about her heart. The altitude of +San Leon is bad for her, she thinks, and since she puts it on that +ground neither Erminie nor I can urge her to remain. But--" + +"'But,' don't you worry a minute, dear Uncle Dan!" cried Dorothy, +clasping her hands around his arm and using the title he had asked for +many times, though she had rarely done so before. All along, despite his +great generosity and kindness, she had stood just a little in awe of the +"Railroad Boss," and he had been simply "Mr. Ford" to her as well as to +all his other young guests. But it needed only one look of anxiety on +his noble face to rouse all her loving sympathy. She repeated: "Don't +you, nor sweet Lady Gray, worry one single minute about us or things up +here at San Leon. We'll be as good as good! Helena, here, is a better +caretaker than poor Miss Milly. Between ourselves, we're glad she's +going. She's been a burden to Nell, all the time, instead of a help. I'm +sorry about her heart but--I'm glad she's going. Now--when do you start? +Isn't there something I--we--can do to help you off? Do let us help!" + +The gentleman's face had lightened. His girl guests had accepted the +situation beautifully, and he could but hope as much for the lads. In +any case he must go; and, indeed, at once. He was so pressed for time +that they disliked to trouble him with the message the lamb had brought, +and watched him walk swiftly away without a further word. + +"Huh! He needn't be afraid we'll do anything we oughtn't! And I don't +see as we're going to be so much alone, after all. There's the trained +nurse, and though the doctor's gone to Denver he'll come back." + +"She's sick herself, this last day or so, Alfy. We mustn't count on her +nor on Dr. Jones. But there's Mr. Robson, Captain Lem, Anita, Wun +Sing--and lots of ranchmen left. Oh! we'll be all right!" said Dorothy. +"But the Captain has walked off with 'Netty'--forgotten all about her, I +guess." + +"Well, I must go to poor Milly. She never can keep her head when +anything happens suddenly, like this. She has complained, incessantly, +that she could hardly breathe up here and I'm glad she has the chance to +go now. But I can fancy my dear mother's face, when Milly walks into the +Towers without me!" said Helena, hurrying away. + +A half-hour of activity followed, the girls taking Lady Gray's simple +packing out of her hands, although that much-travelled _prima donna_ was +never disturbed by sudden changes from place to place. Indeed, she was +happy over this coming trip, under her husband's escort, and to meet her +dearly loved Aunt Rachel. + +Jedediah had his master's suit-case ready in even shorter time and it +was only Miss Milliken who delayed matters by her fussiness. + +However, the buckboard came around, Silent Pete holding the reins over +the four-in-hand, and Captain Lem rather jealously regarding him; until +his eye fell upon his "awkward squad" and he remembered the greater +responsibility placed upon himself. Then he was reconciled to see +another man drive his horses, reflecting: + +"Well, I needn't grumble, I'm the one Boss trusted most. Seven +youngsters in hand and one in the bush--land knows where!--is a bigger +job 'n just drivin' a four-footed team. I ain't no call to feel lonesome +but just to feel sot up. Funny, ain't it, Lem! You a regular, +dyed-in-the-wool old bach to find yourself suddenly playin' daddy to +seven strappin' boys an' gals! Seven an' there'd ought to be eight. +Ought to be--_must be_--that's what it spells to Captain Lemuel Hunt. +For if--if--as I reasonably suspicion--that there Jim Barlow, poor +writer, has fell into the hands of a passel of Injuns, his cake's dough, +lessen I can rake it out their oven into mine." + +The departure of the buckboard, with solemn Silent Pete in charge, had a +depressing effect upon the group left watching it. Everything would go +on just as usual, of course. Why should there be any difference? +But--how lonesome it was! How they would miss Lady Gray's sweet voice +and presence, and the "Boss's" jokes and laughter! + +The thought was too much for tender-hearted Alfy, and after a +spluttering, and sniffling to stem her own grief, she burst into an +audible boo-hoo, that promptly started Molly's tears, though she shed +them silently. All, indeed, were very sober and Leslie's face was pale. +He hadn't realized till now how necessary his mother had become to his +happiness, and he felt sorely inclined to follow the example of the +weeping girls though rather indignant against them. It wasn't their +Lady Gray who had left, nor their beloved Dad. He exclaimed, testily: + +"Girls, quit that! I'm your host now and I say--no crying! What I +propose is--do something. Let's ride to Bald Eagle Peak--or Rock. You'll +need clear eyes to follow that trail, but there'll be just time enough +to do it before bedtime. Hurray for 'Boots and Saddles!'" + +Captain Lem answered quickly: + +"Lad, you can't do that! You mustn't take that road till you know more +about ridin' 'n you do now, nor unless you start by daybreak. I wouldn't +try it myself, old mountaineer as I am, at this hour, lessen it was a +case of life and death. No, you can't go." + +Leslie's temper rose and he retorted: + +"I'm 'Boss' here now and don't you dare say 'mustn't' to me!" + +The sharpshooter laughed ironically; and this enraged the boy still +further. His riding whip was in his hand and, with a furious look at the +Captain, he lifted it and brought it down upon the old man's head--who +staggered backward, then fell to the ground as if he were dead. + +"Leslie! Leslie!" shrieked the onlookers, "what have you done?" + +"Killed him--I--guess!" he gasped and threw himself beside the prostrate +ranchman. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE SHEEP HERDER'S CABIN + + +When, in the delirium of fever, Jim Barlow strayed from his room at San +Leon, the one idea in his mind was that the mountains called him. One +distant peak, in especial, seemed imbued with life, using human speech +and gesture--warning him to come, and come at once, lest some terrible +thing befall him. He must obey! He must--he must! + +He set off at a run, his bare feet unconsciously seeking the smooth +driveway of the home-piece, and following it at breakneck speed till it +ended in the road below the mesa. There the rougher going hindered him +somewhat, but not greatly, and he kept to the highway till it reached a +river and a bridge. + +Beyond the bridge the road divided into three forks, the northern one +ascending steadily toward the peak to which his fancy still fixed itself +and he struck off upon this. How long he travelled he did not know, +though his unnatural strength due to his fever must have lasted for +hours. Gradually, that fierce, inward excitement that drove him on gave +place to a sudden weariness, and he dropped like a stone on the spot +where it overcame him. + +As the morning rose, clear and bright, a company of horsemen, riding in +single file toward a distant pass, came upon a prostrate, nearly naked +figure lying in their path. The horsemen were Ute Indians, and like many +of their white brothers, were prospecting for gold. All sorts of +precious metals were to be found in these Rocky mountains, and were +their own rightful inheritance. They were peaceably inclined to share +and share alike with the pale faces. For years there had been friendship +between them and the red men had learned many things from the white. Not +the least had been this craving for gold; and where once they would have +toiled only in the chase, to shoot and kill the game with which the +mountains abounded, they now longed for the glittering stones hidden +within them. + +But they were in no haste. The gold was hidden--it would keep, and they +had ridden all night long. So, at sight of poor Jim, lying motionless, +they dismounted and discussed him. + +"He is dead," said the foremost, in his own tongue which, of course, the +lad would not have understood, even if he had heard. + +Another stooped down and turned the boy's face upward. It was scratched +with the underbrush through which he had made his way and the light +garments he wore were in shreds. His feet were swollen and bruised and +the bandages had been torn from his arm. + +"Not dead. Might as well be. Heap bad," said another Indian, gravely +shaking his head. + +There were four in the party and one of them filled a cup at a nearby +spring and dashed the water over the lad's face. His fit of exhaustion +was about over, anyway, and the shock of the ice-cold water revived him, +so that he opened his eyes and looked into the dark face bent above him. + +But there was no intelligence in this look and presently his lids +drooped and he was once more oblivious to all about him. + +The Indians held a consultation. Three were for going on, after they had +breakfasted, and leaving the vagrant to his fate. One was for giving +help and, being the leader of the party as well as a red-skinned "Good +Samaritan," his counsel prevailed. + +When they resumed the trail, Jim Barlow was carried with them, very much +like a sack of meal across a saddle bow. But carried--not left to die. + +When he again opened his eyes, and this time with consciousness in them, +he was in a small shanty, rude in the extreme; and his bed a pile of +hemlock boughs spread with a woollen blanket. He lay for some time +trying to think where he was and what had happened to him, and idly +watching the bent figure of a man sitting just outside the doorway of +the hut. The man was smoking and a little boy was playing in the sand at +his feet. + +Jim couldn't see anything interesting in these two strangers nor in the +cabin itself and, with a feeling of great weakness, closed his eyes once +more, and for many hours of sound, refreshing sleep. When for the third +time he awoke his senses had returned and only the weakness remained. He +tried to speak and after several efforts succeeded in asking, audibly: + +"Where am I?" + +At sound of his voice the man outside rose and came to the boy, nodding +his head in satisfaction but in silence. + +"Where--am--I?" asked Jim, again. + +The man shook his head. By his appearance he was Mexican, but he wore an +Indian costume of buckskin, once gaily decorated and fringed but now +worn and very dirty. His straight black hair hung low over his forehead +and his hands looked as if they had never seen water. His face was not +ugly, neither was it kind; and he seemed more stolid than stupid. + +"Where--am--I? Who are you?" again demanded Jim, trying to get up, but +instantly sinking back from utter weakness. + +There was no answer; but, after a long contemplation of his guest, the +Mexican crossed to a little stove, wherein a few sticks were burning. +From a rusty coffee pot which stood upon it, he poured some liquid into +a tin cup and brought it to the lad. + +Jim tried to sit up and take the cup into his own hand but he could not; +so, with unexpected gentleness, the man slipped his arm under his +patient's shoulders and raised him to a half-sitting posture. Then he +held the cup to Jim's lips, who drank eagerly, the muddy coffee seeming +like nectar to his dry, parched throat. + +The drink refreshed him but he was still too weak to rise, or even care +to do so. Dozing and waking, wondering a little over his situation yet +mostly indifferent to everything, the hours passed. + +Jim's interest was next aroused by the man's dressing of his arm. He did +this with real skill, removing the big leaves of some healing plant, +with which it had been bound, and replacing these with fresh ones, +confining them in place by long strips of split reeds. + +The soft, cool leaves were wonderfully comforting and with the easing of +the pain serious thoughts came. To the injured lad everything now seemed +a blank from the evening meal at San Leon, after his arrival there, +until now. Why he had left that ranch and why he had come to this queer +place he could not imagine; but the picture of the beautiful, +mission-like house was distinct, and of Dorothy walking across its lawn +beside him. + +Dorothy! It seemed a long time since he had seen her or heard her sweet +voice chide him for his misdoings. Why--now he remembered--he hadn't +said good-night to Dorothy, his first faithful friend. But it is +needless to follow the gropings of Jim's mind back to the realization of +his present situation. Yet the first and strongest feeling which +possessed him was that he must tell Dorothy where he was. Dolly was such +a hand to worry, silly Dolly! And she was his best, earliest friend. + +The Mexican brought him his breakfast of bacon and corn bread, with +another cup of that coffee which always stood upon the stove. A child +came with the man and gazed at Jim with solemn, wondering eyes. + +Jim returned the stare with interest. This was the first small Indian he +had ever seen and to judge by the little fellow's face he might have +been an old, old man--he was so grave and dignified. + +"How are you, sonny?" said Jim. + +The midget simply blinked. + +"Can't you talk, kid?" again questioned the stranger, holding out his +hand. + +The little boy did not answer, save by placing his own chubby, extremely +dirty hand on Jim's extended palm. + +"Good. You're friendly, if you are dumb. Sort of needs washin', don't +it? Water. Can you bring me some water? I'm thirsty." + +The child walked to a big tank, or half-barrel, outside the door and +dipped the tin coffee cup within it. But he was too short to reach the +low supply and giving himself an extra hitch upwards, over the edge, the +better to obtain the draught, he lost his balance and fell in head +first. + +Jim's low bed commanded a view of this and he started to rescue the +youngster, but the man was before him. He treated the accident as if it +were an ordinary occurrence, pulling the child out by the seat of his +leather breeches, shaking him as one might a wet puppy, and setting him +on his feet without a word. Indeed, words seemed the most precious +commodity in that queer shanty, so rarely were they used. But the +father, if such he were, himself filled the cup with the stale water and +gave it to the child, who carried it to Jim as calmly as if no trouble +had attended his getting it. + +"Thank you, boy. What's your name?" + +"Name--José," said the man answering for him. He pronounced it "Ho-say," +and Jim was pleased. Knowing that he might meet people who spoke +Spanish, in this trip west, the studious lad had brought a Spanish +grammar along with him on the train and had glanced into it whenever he +had a chance. Of course, he could not speak it himself, nor understand +it well, nor was the dialect here in use very much like the correct +language of the grammar. + +"José, where is this place?" + +The child stared. Then suddenly went out of doors and returned with a +baby lamb in his arms. He plumped this down upon Jim's breast and smiled +for the first time. The lamb was his latest, greatest treasure and, in +his childish sympathy, he offered it to the "hurted man." With his good +arm, Jim made the little animal more comfortable, while José vanished +without again. This time he returned with a fine basket of Indian +workmanship, and this was filled in part by glittering stones and in +part by flowers. All these he deposited on the bed beside the lamb, and +folded his arms behind him in profound satisfaction. He had done his +very best. He had given the sick one all his things. If that didn't cure +him it would be no further business of José's. + +The man of the house had now seated himself beside the stove. He placed +an earthen pan beside him on the clay floor and laid a bundle of rushes +beside it. Also, he took down from a peg in the wall an unfinished +basket, and reseating himself, proceeded to weave upon it. He used only +the finest of splits, torn from the reeds, almost like thread in their +delicacy and he worked very slowly. From time to time he held the basket +from him, studying its appearance with half-closed eyes, as an artist +studies a picture. Frequently, he lifted the coffee pot to his lips and +drank from its spout. + +Jim watched him in silent admiration of his deftness with the weaving +and in disgust at his use of the coffee pot--thinking he would want no +more draughts from it himself. All the time his mind grew clearer and he +began to form plans for telling Dorothy where he was--though he didn't +know that, himself; but, at least, of letting her know he was alive. She +would have to guess at the rest and she would surely trust him to come +back when he could. + +When the weaver looked up again Jim beckoned him to approach. Rather +reluctantly, he did so. For his own part he was getting tired of this +helpless lad, left in his hut by White Feather, his Ute brother-in-law. +If Moon Face were living, the Ute maiden who had been his wife and +little José's mother, it wouldn't have mattered. To her would have +fallen the care. Nothing had gone right with him, Alaric, the sheep +herder, since Moon Face fell ill and died, though he went often to that +far place in the forest where her body had been secretly buried in the +crevice of a great rock. Moon Face had left him for a few days' visit to +a camp of her relatives and there had taken the small-pox and died, +despite the fact that she had been treated by the wisest medicine men +and immersed in the sweat-box, the Indian cure for all ills. If he had +been near enough to such a thing, or had had energy enough to prepare it +up here at his home, Alaric would promptly have subjected poor Jim to +similar treatment. + +As it was, the isolation of Alaric's hut and his laziness saved the +wanderer from this. Now, as he obeyed the boy's summons, he was brooding +over his misfortunes and was more grim even than usual. + +"Well, young man?" + +Jim was surprised. The man had been so silent, hitherto, that he +imagined they two had no language in common. + +"So you speak English! That makes it easy. I want to send a message to +the place I--I left. Will you take it?" + +Alaric shook his head, firmly declining. + +"Don't get ugly. If you won't go, will you send somebody?" + +The Mexican pretended that his English did not go so far as this. He +obstinately would not understand. + +Then followed a long argument which greatly wearied Jim and simply +failed of its object. At last, he named "San Leon" and Alaric's +expression brightened. That was the place where there was plenty of +money and the sheep herder loved money. He had been there. It was not +far away, by a road he knew, yet he did not care to go there again, +himself. There had been a transaction of horses that wasn't pleasant to +remember. Old Lem Hunt had accused him of being a thief, once on a +time, when some thoroughbreds had been missing from the San Leon +corrals, and Alaric had had hard work to prove his innocence. He had +been obliged to prove it because, in Colorado, men were still sometimes +inclined to take justice in their own hands and not wait for the law to +do it for them. + +The truth was that the sheep herder had not, personally, taken a single +steed from San Leon. He had merely "assisted" some of his Indian friends +to do so. He had even carefully kept all knowledge of the affair from +the ears of his brother-in-law, White Feather; a man who indeed loved +fine horseflesh, as all the Utes did, but preferred to increase his +herds by legitimate trading. + +The other Indians, whom Alaric had "assisted," had paid their assistant +in honest gold--he wouldn't take any other sort of payment--and there +had been more gold changing hands in order to secure the real thieves. +And because he loved the gold Alaric had thus assisted both sides and +received double pay. Also, he had left an unsavory memory of himself at +San Leon as well as offended his Ute relatives; and White Feather not +only prevented harm being done to his Mexican brother-in-law, but also +used the occasion to make Alaric subject to himself. Thus it was that he +had made the sheep herder take in the sick lad he had found on the trail +and swear to be kind to him. + +"San Lean? _Si_.... _En verdad_. Well, señor?" + +If this injured, half-naked youth had hailed from that rich man's ranch +it might be worth while to hearken to what he wished. + +"I want to tell a girl there that I am not dead. I want to send just +that message, till I can go there myself. Do this for me and I +will--will pay you--when I can." + +Alaric considered. From present appearances there seemed small chance of +Jim's ever paying anybody for any service. Yet--there was White Feather +to please and there was possible payment at San Leon. He nodded +acquiescence. + +"Then get me somethin' to write on!" begged Jim, vastly excited by this +chance to set himself right with his friends. + +He might as well have asked for the moon. Writing was not an +accomplishment of Alaric's and he had never owned a scrap of paper fit +for such use. Yet the longer he pondered the matter the more willing the +man became. Finally, he took José upon his knee, and, emphasizing each +word of instruction by a stern forefinger and a threat of fearful +punishment for disobedience, he instilled into the little fellow's mind +the fact that he was to go to San Leon ranch; to find there a pretty +girl in a white dress; a girl with big brown eyes and dark curly hair. A +girl who was always laughing and who always wore a red bow on her head. +He, Alaric, would go with his son as far as the cypress hedge, +bordering the west side of the lake. There he would wait for the child +to do his errand and return, and would himself be out of sight of that +old sharpshooter, whom he feared. + +He had another inspiration--of generosity and greed commingled. That +lamb of José's. He could afford to give that away because it wasn't his +own, nor even really the little one's. It belonged to the rich ranch +owner whose sheep he herded, up here on the lonely mountain. The girl +for whom this sick boy wished a message might like the lamb and give the +papoose money for it. Money would be far better for José than any pet. + +After this course of silent reasoning, Alaric bestirred himself to +action. He had often had to make his "mark" upon some paper of +agreement, the nearest to writing that he could come. He understood that +Jim wished to make his own now. So, selecting a bit of glittering stone +that was fairly smooth, he handed it to the lad, and afterward crushed +the stem of a plant which exuded a red juice. With this other sharp +pointed bit of stone dipped in this juice, anybody might make as many +"marks" as he chose upon the flat stone. + +Jim was quick to understand the suggestion but real writing was out of +the question. The best he could accomplish was that D which was in his +peculiar hand. By signs, more than words, Alaric expressed the whole +matter; and Jim eagerly caught at the suggestion. The lamb would be a +pretty gift for Dorothy and would tell her better than words that he +remembered her and was safe. Only--the little animal was like everything +else seen in this cabin--so dirty! He couldn't send it to dainty Dorothy +in such condition. In a few words he explained to the shepherd his ideas +about it and was amused by the infinite contempt shown on Alaric's face. + +However, he made short work of that matter. He was now impatient to be +off, the sooner to get that possible payment of gold; and remembered +that White Feather had commanded him to serve the sick stranger to the +best of his ability. With a flippant gesture he seized the lamb and +carried it to the tank outside the door; and sousing it up and down till +its dusty fleece was white and itself nearly drowned, he threw it on +Jim's bed to dry. + +José found his voice and jabbered in a mixture of Spanish and Indian, +expressing his pity for his pet; then brought handfuls of grass and +leaves to rub it with. This vigorous attention, in which Jim used his +own sound arm, soon restored the lambkin to a beauty that surprised them +all. More grass and flowers were put in the bottom of the basket with +the marked stone, the lamb upon this cushion, and the cover fastened on. + +Alaric informed Jim that such a basket was worth a great deal of money. +He had learned the art of making such from Moon Face, who had travelled +sometimes to the distant railway line and sold them to tourists. It was +so tightly woven it would hold water; and in his pride over his +handiwork the weaver would have poured a dipper of it into the basket to +prove his statement. + +"No, no! The poor little thing has had more than its share of water! +Best save the rest for yourself!" protested Jim, with a feeble attempt +at a joke. + +Alaric desisted then, hung the dipper back on the tank, seized the +basket in one hand and José in the other and strode away. The last +glimpse Jim had of them showed poor little José's fat legs being swung +along, touching the ground only now and then, as they utterly failed to +keep up with his father's pace. + +Left alone, Jim lay still a long time, idly fingering some bits of rock +which the child had scattered upon his blanket. He felt very cold; and +again, in another moment, he seemed to be burning up. He thought of the +water in the tank. He was desperately thirsty, his throat growing dry, +his lips swelling; and alternately he longed to dip his head in that +barrel and drink--drink--drink! then shivered with disgust remembering +the various uses the stale fluid had been put to. Finally, sleep, or +unconsciousness, overcame him and for many days he knew no more. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +PLAY THAT WAS WORK AND WORK THAT WAS PLAY + + +The silence that followed Leslie's frightened cry, as he hurled himself +to the ground beside the old man he had struck, lasted but an instant. +Then, recovering their scattered wits, Herbert and Monty stooped and +lifted the Captain's head. + +The movement roused him and he opened his eyes, drawing a long breath as +he did so and trying to speak. But he couldn't do that yet; nor, indeed, +till Dorothy had come back with a glass of water, for which she had +instantly run to the house as Captain Lemuel fell. + +Dipping her fingers in the water she moistened his lips, and when he +parted them as if demanding more, she gently dropped some between them. +He swallowed with an effort but, presently, his strength returned and he +tried to rise. The lads helped him and were overjoyed when he said, +quite clearly and with a touch of his native humor: + +"Ain't so tough as I thought. Eh, what? Lessen a little tenderfoot +like--Why, what's he down for? Tried it on himself?" + +At the sound of his victim's voice an infinite relief surged through +Leslie's heart and he lifted a very white face to look at the ranchman. + +"Oh, Captain Lem! I--I was wild to do that! I beg your pardon--please +forgive me--if you can!" + +The petition ended with a sob, that was really a gasp for breath, due to +the excitement of his rage, and the anger of his mates changed to pity +for him. + +"His weak heart! How ill he has made himself!" thought Helena, +compassionately putting her hand under his arm and helping him to his +feet, where he stood trembling and still breathing with much difficulty. + +Dorothy had told her of this weakness of the lad's and that his parents +had been somewhat doubtful if he could endure the rarefied air of that +high region. If he could it would cure that other weakness of his lungs +and they hoped for the best. She was frightened by his appearance and +inwardly resolved to oppose any sort of fun which might bring on a +return of this attack. She had already heard her brother and Monty +proposing a bear hunt on the more distant peaks of the mountains and +decided that it should never take place. + +But Captain Lem was answering the boy and she listened to his words: + +"Course, sonny, I shan't lay it up again' you. An' I allow 't there's +one thing decent about you: if you're quick to get r'iled you're just as +quick to own yourself in fault. I'm willin' to wash the slate all clean +now, an' start over again with any little problems we may meet, same's +when I was a little shaver, an' 'tended deestrict school an' got my sums +wrong, the teacher made me do. I'm no hand to lay up malice just 'cause +a feller's got more 'n his share o' temper, specially not again' your +father's son. Anybody 't spells his name Ford can do most as he's a mind +to with Lemuel Hunt. Only--_don't you dast to do it again_; 'cause I'm +some on the temper myself, an' I ain't much used to bein' struck. +So--so--just don't show off any more o' that there little playfulness +again. That's all." + +Too proud to show how really shaken and miserable he felt, the +sharpshooter retired to his own quarters at the Barracks and was seen no +more that night: but he sent word to Dorothy, the "Little One," that +Netty, the lamb, had been given a soft bed close to his own and would be +carefully attended. + +The hours passed quietly till bedtime, which all the young strangers at +San Leon felt inclined to make early that night. Seven young people, +with all the means of enjoyment at hand which these had, should have +been very merry, but these were not. The absence of their hosts made the +great house seem very empty. Nobody had heart for any music, though +Dorothy bravely brought out her violin and Helena took her place at the +piano, ready to accompany. But, unfortunately, the first melody which +came to Dolly's mind was one that Father John, Aunt Betty, and poor Jim +had each loved best--"Auld Lang Syne." + +She mastered a few strains and the tears rose to her eyes. She suddenly +felt lonely and helpless, so far from all who had hitherto made her +happy world. So, rather than break down completely and let the tears +fall, she nodded to Helena and put her beloved Cremona "to bed," as she +called its placing in its case. + +"Let's play 'Authors,'" suggested Molly. + +"'Authors' is the dullest game going," objected Monty. + +"That's because you're not well read. If you knew as much about books as +Jim Barlow--" she retorted, teasing, then stopped abruptly. That was an +unfortunate reference, for who, alas! could tell if that too studious +youth were alive or dead? + +Alfaretta hurried to cover this mention by demanding: + +"Let's sing 'rounds,' 'Scotland's burning,' or 'Three Blind Mice.' Now +don't stop to object or say nothin' but _just begin_. I will, and Nell, +you follow. Then the boys, if any of 'em can sing a note. Sometimes +their voices go 'way up in Q and sometimes 'way down suller. But they +can try. Now--here she goes: 'Three Blind Mice--Three Blind Mice--For +mercy's sake, Helena Montaigne, why don't you take it up? I sing one +line, you know, then you sing the same one over--and we each do it three +times then change to 'They--all--run--after--the--butcher's--wife--who-- +cut--off--their--tails--with--a--carving--kni-i-ife!--You--never--see-- +such--a--sight--in--your--life--as--Three--Blind Mice!' By that time +Dolly'll be ready, over cryin'. She can sing real nice if she's a mind +to. Listen! Everybody do it real solemn, no giggling, no forgettin' +your parts, where you go in and come out at and doin' that part about +the butcher's wife and the tails just as fast as you can speak it and +the end--as--s-l-o-w--a-s--s-l-o-w. Begin!" + +Alfy's rich, though untrained voice, started the song and Helena +followed on time, singing very sweetly, indeed, until she came to that +tragic part about the tails, when she burst out in a giggle and a vain +effort to race along as rapidly as Alfy had done. + +Herbert could sing well. He helped Alfaretta carry the thing through to +a triumphant finale, they two alone; for all the others had laughed +themselves out of place and tune, with Monty interspersing the melody by +outrageous cat calls and screechings of "Maria Maouw, come and catch +these Three Blind Mice!" + +"Maria! Maria! Pussy, pussy cat Maria--Come to supper!" echoed Leslie, +laughing as he rarely laughed. To him this company of young people was +wholly delightful--except when he felt it his duty to entertain them. +When they were thus willing to entertain him everything was all right. +He had had so few young intimates in his life that each of these +youngsters seemed wonderful to him. Their nonsense and good natured +chaffing of one another kept him amused at all times and was doubly +pleasant to him that night. + +For, like Dorothy, he felt oddly forlorn and deserted in this great +beautiful home that was practically his own; and he wished as he had +done before that he might step into that cottage of the Babcock's, +"up-mounting" where Alfaretta belonged and where she said everyone was +as jolly as the day was long. He hadn't liked Alfy at first and he +still rather looked down upon her. She wasn't of his station in life, +she _would_ not see that money made such a great difference, whether +one had it or had not. She was greatly lacking in delicacy of speech, +but she was honest to a fault. Not honester than Dolly, perhaps, but +in another way. She hadn't hesitated to give him one of those generous +"pieces of her mind" with which she regaled anyone she considered at +fault; and the "piece" she had cut for him that day had been: + +"Well, Leslie Ford, if bein' rich as Croesus--whoever he was--or havin' +all creation to wait on you can't make you no better 'n a coward--I pity +you. Yes, I do. That was the lowest-down, orneriest trick to hit an old +man like Captain Lem, without givin' him a chance to help himself. Why, +a boy that hadn't a cent, an' never looked to have, couldn't ha' been no +meaner. An' just sayin' 'Forgive me' don't undo that job. Worst is, you +raised a bigger welt on your own insides, on that thing Mr. Winters +calls your conscience, 'n you did on his old head, an' it won't heal so +quick, neither. I sure was ashamed of you, I sure was." + +This lecture had been in response to his appeal, as they chanced to +stand together in the cloistered walk, waiting for supper: + +"You don't think very badly of me, do you, Alfaretta, for getting so +angry?" + +The lad was very unhappy and very ashamed. He hoped to recover his own +self-respect by hearing his mates declare the recent affair had been +"nothing." Herbert had gone so far, indeed, as to say that he, too, +would have resented being told "must" and "mustn't" by a mere hired man, +but Leslie knew that Herbert would never have struck anybody under any +provocation; and Monty had simply remarked: "Well, if you really liked +to soil your hands that way, all right." + +Alfy was the first of the girls he had interviewed, though he had +gratefully recognized Helena's compassion and Dorothy's distress--for +himself. Molly--he guessed he wouldn't question Molly. That young +person had a flippant tongue and she was always inclined to "call a +spade a spade." He couldn't imagine her calling a coward a hero--and his +own heart told him he had not been that. But Alfy was poor and intensely +grateful for all his parents were doing for her. She would be the one to +soothe his self-esteem and overlook the episode, he thought, and so he +appealed to her. + +Alfy's opening remark had been: + +"I can't say I think very well. You might ha' done worse, course, you +might have used that pistol I saw you cocking round, this morning, if +you'd had it handy; and that you've got no more use for than a cat for +two tails. You beat the Dutch, Leslie Ford. You're feelin' mean as +pussley and you're coaxin' me to contradict you." + +Then had followed that larger "slice" of the girl's opinion, recorded +above. It hadn't left a very pleasant "taste" in the lad's "mouth." + +Summons to supper was an agreeable sound, just then, and nobody referred +to the event again. Yet, as has been told, the evening was a dull one +for most of the party, the singing of the "rounds" its greatest +amusement. Just as this ended, Dr. Jones appeared to read family +prayers. + +Mrs. Ford had instituted this on her arrival at San Leon, and Mr. Ford +had conducted the little service with a dignified sincerity which could +not fail to impress his young guests. On leaving, he had requested the +doctor to take his place, saying: + +"No ceremony that will help to bring a blessing on our home must be +omitted just because I am away." + +But, to-night, they missed the master's earnest voice and Gray Lady's +wonderful singing of just the familiar, common hymn which everybody +knew. The house-servants, and such of the ranchmen as would, filed into +the spacious music-room and took their seats in reverent quiet. This was +new business to most of those rough westerners and they came partly from +curiosity, partly from admiration of "Dan Ford, Railroad Boss"; so great +a man in their opinion that whatever he did they felt must have some +merit in it. + +Helena took her place at the piano and the other girls stood beside her; +and Herbert, obeying a nod from Dorothy also came forward. Monty and +Leslie reluctantly followed. They had grouped themselves thus when the +master was present but had hesitated now from a foolish shame before +these untutored workmen. + +Dorothy's face lighted with gratitude and between the lines of the hymn +Molly murmured, "Good boys," while Alfy sang with even greater vim than +her beloved "rounds." + +Then swift good nights and rest. It had been a busy, an exciting day; +and Dorothy was soon asleep, though again her mind had been full of +wonder concerning absent Jim and she had meant to lie awake and, as +Alfy expressed it: "Cipher out where he could be." + +But still she could not worry greatly. The arrival of the lamb with his +message assured her that he was alive and, she argued, must be well +since he had not forgotten her. + +But in one room there was no desire for sleep. Leslie was still restless +and excited. His heart bothered him. He missed his parents more than he +would acknowledge even to himself. He was fractious and tried Mateo's +patience sorely. + +"No, Mateo, I shan't go to bed till I get ready. No matter if my mother +did say ten o'clock, it was because she didn't understand. You can't go, +either. I want you to talk." + +"Certainly, señor." + +But when silence followed Leslie impatiently inquired: + +"Well, why don't you?" + +Poor Mateo sighed. Commonly his tongue would run so fast that his young +master would order him to be quiet. Now, when requested, the valet could +find no word to say. He stood behind his master's chair, idly turning +with his foot the corners of a mighty bear skin which lay upon the +floor. It was the skin of an enormous grizzly, that had been shot by +Captain Lem and another _caballero_, or horse trainer and had been +mounted by themselves with infinite care, as a gift to their employer. +The head was stuffed to the contour of life, and the paws outspread and +perfect. It was, indeed, a most valuable skin and Leslie had admired it +so greatly that it had been spread as a rug upon his floor. It annoyed +him now to see Mateo toying with it and he bade him stop. + +The Mexican flushed and sighed: + +"It is that _el señor_ is not well, _si_?" he suggested, suavely. + +"Yes, I am well, too," retorted the boy, who felt wretched, with a +curious oppression on his chest. + +"Imagine, Señor Leslie, what it must be to kill, to slaughter such a +monster!" + +"Ah! a monster, indeed! But I shall kill just such another, you'll see. +What's the use of a ranch on the Rockies and not go bear hunting? They +can't keep me done up in cotton wool just because I used to cough a +little." + +"Certainly not, señor." + +"Oh! shut up with your everlasting 'certainly nots!' You're as tiresome +as an old woman. I wish you'd stayed in San Diego, where you belong." + +Mateo was amazed. He was really devoted to Leslie and they had rarely +disagreed. He scarcely knew the lad in such a mood as this and realized +that something must be done to give a pleasanter turn to things. A bear +hunt? Was that what the young señor had set his heart upon and been +denied? An inspiration came to him. + +"_Caramba!_ Behold! I have a fine thought, me. Will it please _el señor_ +to listen?" + +"Of course. That's what I said to do--to talk." + +Then Mateo did talk. For five, ten minutes, with many a gesture and +mixture of Spanish and English, till his listener's face grew radiant +and he sprang from his chair with a hip, hip, hurra! All his crossness +was over and he now allowed Manuel to settle him for the night with a +good nature not to be exceeded by anybody. + +The morning found all the young folks happier than they had been on the +night before; and, nobody was late for breakfast. It had been explained +to them that each one should attend the grooming of his or her own +horse. There would be men to wait upon them, of course, and for the +girls but little labor. Yet Mr. Ford believed that they would all be +benefited in health by this pleasant task and that the intimacy which +should exist between horse and rider would be thus furthered. + +Breakfast was scarcely over when Captain Lem appeared on the porch. He +looked older than usual and uncommonly pale under his weather toughened +skin, and he had put on his "specs," which he disliked. However, his +manner was as gay as ever and he began: + +"You cert'nly are the laziest set o' youngsters I've met sence I was +knee-high to a hop-toad. Reckon if anybody'd give me a horse when I was +your ages I'd ha' beat the sun a-risin' to see if 't had lived over +night. The boys is waiting in the stables, and gettin' pretty cross. +Some on 'em sort-of-kind-of feel 's if they was playin' nurse to you +kids, and the notion don't go down none too good even to oblige Dan +Ford, Boss. They've lived in the open, most of the boys has, and are +better used to roundin' up stock than to tendin' tenderfeet youngsters. +Eh, Little One? Ain't you nowise curious to hear how Netty passed the +night?" + +One thing was evident to them all--the sharpshooter's ready tongue had +suffered no hurt from the unhappy incident of the day before. + +Dorothy ran to put her hand in his, exclaiming: + +"How dreadful of me! I had forgotten that darling thing. Actually +forgotten. How could I when she came from Jim?" + +Away she sped toward the Barracks, her white frock and scarlet ribbons +making a pretty spot of color on the wide shaven lawn; but practical +Alfaretta remarked: + +"If that ain't just like Dolly Doodles! Make her think she's neglected +somebody and off she flies, forgettin' things better worth rememberin'! +The idea! She'll go right to cleanin' that calico filly, Zaraza, an' +never think a mite about her clean clothes. Not till she gets 'em +dirty--then nothing'll do but she must put on fresh. White frocks ain't +so easy did up, either, so I'll go get our high aprons, that Mrs. +Calvert had made for us to dust the house in, at Paradise. We've got +quite a lot of 'em and, girls, if you'd like, I'll bring a couple for +you, too." + +"You dear, thoughtful little caretaker! I'll be ever so obliged for the +loan till I can make one for myself," answered Helena gratefully, giving +her mate a smile that made Alfy happy. + +Eager to see their horses but not so pleased with the idea of grooming +them, the lads sauntered toward the stables and corral, Leslie +intimating that he thought "a quarter judiciously applied would be +better than soiling himself by stable-work." + +Neither Herbert nor Monty knew Leslie well enough yet to understand this +shirking of what they anticipated as a delightful task. Herbert had +always been used to horses, and to fine ones. He loved his own +Bucephalus, "back home," as a dear friend, and looked forward to equal +enjoyment in his new Blackamoor. With a little laugh he glanced at his +young host and remarked: + +"If I could help it I would never let another hand than mine touch that +superb animal your father gave me. I hardly realize it yet, that it is +truly my own. Why, I mean to train him to hurdles and high jumps, and +when I go back east, this autumn, I'll get myself proposed for the +Highland Valley Hunt and--elected, if I can. I say, this is just a +glorious chance to learn what I couldn't at home, where houses are thick +and farmers so stubborn they will object to one's riding to hounds +across their property. Howev--" + +Monty interrupted, rather jealously: + +"Oh! Quit that riding-to-hounds talk! I don't know a thing about +horses--except a saw-horse, that my mother insisted I should work on to +reduce my--" + +"'Too, too solid flesh!'" broke in Leslie, laughing now and eager to +watch the inexperienced "fat boy" make his first attempt at grooming a +spirited beast. + +But they were apt to break in thus upon each other's remarks and no +offence taken, and they were soon at the stables, where the girls were +already assembled. One glance at his sister, covered from neck to foot +by a brown gingham apron, reminded the fastidious Herbert that he was +not fixed for dirty work, and he promptly begged a set of overalls from +the nearest workman. The other lads followed his example, discarding +jackets and vests, and beginning on their new tasks with a zeal that was +almost too eager. + +Even Leslie had done the same, willing for once to try this new game and +see if there was any fun in it, as Herbert seemed to think. But his +fingers shrank from handling the curry comb and brushes, absolutely new +and clean though they were, and the best he accomplished was a +roughening of Cæsar's coat which disgusted him as well as the horse. At +last, with a remark that "looking on was good enough for him," he +tossed his brushes aside and signalled an attendant to finish the task +so badly begun. To his amazement, the hostler declined: + +"Sorry, Master Leslie, but the Boss's express orders was--have you do it +yourself." + +Leslie's eyes flashed. This was insubordination, indeed! Wasn't he +master at San Leon, now? Then Captain Lem drew near, to pick up the +brush and explain in a matter-of-fact way: + +"Best never rub anything--nor anybody--the wrong way, lad! This sorrel, +here, 'd be sp'iled in next to no time if his hair ain't smoothed the +way natur' meant it should lie. There. That's how. See how it shines? +And just look at Herbert and his black! By the great horned spoon! Them +two is cronies a'ready--hand-in-glove, pals! And let me say right here +an' now; there ain't no comfortabler love nowhere in this world than +that 'twixt a horse and his owner--if the last has got sense. Now pitch +in, sonny, and don't let nobody get ahead of you on that line. No, +siree! What'd the Boss say?" Then turning toward Monty, valiantly +struggling with this new business, he inquired in real kindness: "Want +me to lend a hand, youngster?" + +Poor Monty would have given many "quarters" to say "yes." But he was too +plucky. His face was streaming with perspiration, he had worried the +chestnut, Juan, till the creature threatened to kick, and he ached from +head to foot. But he had glanced across to that open space where four +girls were making a frolic of this "horrible mess" and manliness held +him to his duty. But he couldn't refrain from a snappy: + +"No, I don't! And how long at a time does a fellow keep at it? How tell +whether a horse is groomed or isn't?" + +"Ginger! Do you know when your shirt's buttoned or when it ain't? Just +look at Herbert's piece o' work an' do accordin'. But keep cool, Monty. +Don't get r'iled an' don't rile your nag. You'll do all right--you've +got the makin' of a horseman in ye!" + +Thus encouraged, Montmorency Vavasour-Stark renewed his efforts, though +with less force and better judgment. There is always a right and a wrong +way to everything and the worried lad had, at last, fallen upon the +right. He "would be a horseman!" Hurray! That opinion from such a source +was worth lots! + +Well, that first lesson was over at last. Seven tired youngsters +stripped off aprons and overalls and proceeded to mount the horses they +had groomed and most of them were happy. It had been worth while, after +all, to get thus familiar with the animals; and the girls, at least, +remembered that their hosts had spoken of how beneficial it would be for +their beloved son to be with such creatures as much as possible. Like +the rifle practice, it was all for Leslie and Leslie's health; and they +would have been willing enough to help this good work along, even if +they had not got all the fun out of it for themselves, which they did. + +They rode "off bounds," that morning; following Captain Lem, with a +couple of trained horsemen riding at their rear. Perhaps of all the +company, Herbert and Molly were happiest. They were as much at home in +the saddle as any cowboy of them all, and their high spirits spread to +their mates, so that even they regretted the order that the leader gave: + +"Right about, face! Rifle practice--nine o'clock, sharp!" + +They hadn't a minute to lose; yet when the "awkward squad" repaired to +the Barracks only the four girls answered to roll call. The lads came +straggling up, later, their heads close together, an air of profound +mischief and mystery about them, and Dorothy heard the words "Bear Hunt" +escape from one of them. + +Her heart sank. Leslie was, indeed, coming to take the place he had +declined in the "ranks," rather going with the crowd than be left out +alone; but there was something in his manner that Dolly did not like. +Were the three boys planning to steal off by themselves, despite Captain +Lemuel's warnings? + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +THE HEN OF WUN SING + + +But whatever wild schemes were hatching in the heads of the three lads +nothing seemed to come of them. + +Days followed one another in such peaceful routine that Dorothy felt +ashamed of her fears, as well as ashamed of her composure regarding Jim +Barlow. The longer he was absent the less they spoke of him. That he was +alive, somewhere, all were sure, and that he would return sometime or +"when he gets good and ready," as Alfaretta coolly observed. + +"He seemed like a very odd chap, the little I saw of him," said Leslie, +and did not regret the stranger's absence. + +Herbert was loyal and insisted that "Jim was a royal chap--once he shook +off his awkward shyness a bit. Why, the yarns Jim Barlow could spin +about woodsy things and habits of wild creatures would make you sit +right up and take notice. Oh, Jim's all right--only bashful." + +"That's so. Why, that fellow, don't you know, that fellow really plans +to go sometime, to Africa, or some other place and live with monkeys +just to hear them talk. He--" + +"He might have stayed right here with us--or you, Monty dear," said +Molly, sweetly. + +Monty merely frowned at her but continued: + +"There is a man did that. True. Went into the woods and lived in a +cage--" + +"All that trouble and expense for nothing," again remarked Molly; and +this time Monty changed the subject, asking: + +"Have you heard about Wun Sing and his hen?" + +"Oh! never mind hens. What do you say, folks? Suppose we get old Lem to +go with us into the mountains yonder and look for Jim?" said Herbert. + +"You needn't do that. You'd not find him. He's hidden himself on +purpose, I believe, and only sent back Netty to let us know he was alive +and well. Even Molly thinks that," said Helena; "and I, for one don't +care to hunt up boys who don't want to be found. I think Jim's shyness +is at the bottom of the matter. It's kindness to let him alone and--" + +Dolly looked serious and shook her head while Monty again demanded: + +"Have you heard about Wun Sing's hen?" + +"I wonder what he's going to give us for supper! I'm nearly starved. +There never was such a place for appetites--eating doesn't stop that +hollow, all-gone feeling a bit!" calmly stated Alfy, with a tragic air. + +"Alfy, you little pig! It isn't more than an hour since we finished +dinner," reproved Molly, laughing. + +"Well, I can't help that. I wish 'twas supper-time. Let's go in the +kitchen and ask for a piece--like the children home do, bless 'em!" + +"I say, you better not! Wun Sing's hen--" + +"Monty--quit! Let's all go ask for a 'piece'!" cried Leslie, throwing +his arm around the "fat boy's" shoulder and forcing him along with the +others. + +Herbert pulled out a jew's-harp--procured nobody knew where--and headed +the procession with a vain attempt to render "Yankee Doodle" so that it +could be recognized for itself. Then all fell into line, with the +laughter and nonsense natural to a company of care free "youngsters" as +they were now known all over the premises. + +But as they passed a room just beyond Leslie's own, he poked his head +through the window, to demand of Mateo, lying within: + +"Any better, boy?" + +"_Gracias_, Señor Leslie. Much better. Only, the hen of Wun Sing; the +omelette--Ah! I suffer, _si_. I groan--I am on fire. The heathen +creature and his foul fowl!" + +"What's the matter, Les? Is that your pert valet laid up in yon? What's +up?" + +"Rather--what's down? The boy hasn't been well, or says he hasn't these +three days. That's why I had to put off the bear--" + +"Mum! Dorothy's just behind us and she has ears all round her head! But +we'll do it, yet; either with or without him. It'll be rippin' fun, but +if that girl gets wind of it she'll stop it, sure." + +"I wonder if we'll see Wun Sing's hen!" said Monty again. + +"Stark! I tell you if you mention that fowl again I'll stuff her down +your throat!" cried Herbert, dropping his jew's-harp and engaging with +Monty. But the latter was round and easily slipped through Bert's +fingers, and the scrimmage was playful, anyway. + +Resuming their march they entered the great kitchen, now wholly deserted +save by the Chinaman, who cowered in a corner, praying lustily to his +honorable forefathers and burning some sort of stuff before a little +image on the floor beside him. Like a good many others of his race, Wun +Sing was "good Chlistian" when it suited him to be, but a much better +devotee of his ancient gods when real trouble overtook him. + +Wun Sing was in trouble now. Bottomless trouble, he feared, and so +wholly engaged in his devotions that he didn't take any notice of the +noisy youngsters foraging his stores. Until, from the corner of his +eye, he saw Alfy poking into a little wall-cupboard that was his own +property and used to shelter his dearest treasures. + +"No, no, Missee Alfaletta! No, no. Wun Sing's chalm no wolkee if lill +gels meddle!" + +He rose from his prostration on the floor and fairly flew to the girl's +side, pushing her hand aside from the key she had almost turned, his +whole manner expressing great agitation. + +Of course, she desisted at once, even apologized for her action, but her +old co-worker in Mrs. Calvert's kitchen begged pardon in his own turn +and after his foreign fashion. In his broken English he eagerly +explained that he and his belongings had been _bewitched_. + +His hen--the so beloved hen of Wun Sing, that he had brought from far +away California, along with some garden seeds and roots, the hen had +been entered by an evil spirit and the days of Wun Sing were numbered. +Already he felt the dread sickness stealing over him, as it had already +stolen upon his old neighbor of San Diego--the so afflicted Mateo. He +had been praying and offering gifts to his little clay god but so far +no good had come. Within the cupboard on the wall he had placed a +"charm"--a terrible charm, in his opinion and if that failed not only +he but all at San Leon were doomed. Would that he had never heard of +the place, even for the extra big wages the rich owner had offered. +He-- + +When he had reached this point, Alfy shook him demanding: + +"What makes you such a fool, Wunny? That little old image on the floor +is enough to make you sick, course, it's so filthy dirty. I hope you'll +scrub your hands good with soap before you touch any food for other +folks to eat. What's the matter with the hen, anyway?" + +Having put this question, Alfaretta walked to the sink and turned the +spigot over her own hand, which suddenly felt soiled by contact with the +Chinaman's shoulder. Then she remarked: + +"We're all hungry. Tell us where we can find something to eat." + +The cook shook his head and Alfy foraged for herself: presently securing +from the pantry a box of crackers and a jar of cheese. Armed with these +refreshments she felt she would be sustained until the regular supper +time, and invited her mates to accompany her on a visit to this +wonderful hen whose name was in everybody's mouth. + +Wun Sing protested; but when they were determined, he tremblingly +presented each of the youngsters with a bit of red paper, inscribed in +black with a few Chinese characters. Laughingly, they pinned these on +and so protected from "evil chalms" sought the little wire enclosure +which the Chinaman had made for his petted fowl, upon his first coming +to San Leon. + +The hen had been the gift of his opulent kinsman, Der Doo, and was far +too precious to its new owner to be allowed with the other poultry. It +had lived in state within its little wire-covered yard, supplied with +fresh grass each day and fattening upon the best of food. For its night +accommodation, Wun Sing had constructed a tiny pagoda-like house +imitating a temple of his native land. Here the pampered fowl slept +luxuriously, and for a time had been the delight of its owner's eyes. + +"Let's sit down on the grass and watch it awhile. We can eat our +crackers here, first rate, 'cause if we get thirsty we can drink out of +the spigot o' running water that cooky has fixed for the hen," suggested +Alfy. + +So they ranged themselves in a semi-circle, with the crackers and cheese +in the centre and awaited developments. + +"Cock-a-doodle-doo!" crowed Herbert, in excellent imitation of a +rooster. + +"Oh! hush! Hens don't do _that_; they just +say--cut-cut-cut-cut--cut-tarket!" corrected Molly. + +Immediately the rest took up the mocking cries, to the evident distress +of poor Wun Sing, who stood in the background, his face yellower than +common and his hands clasping and unclasping nervously. + +But neither cat-calls, crowings, nor cacklings, coaxed the invisible +fowl from her palace-like retreat. So, soon tiring of this, they fell to +talking of other things and forgot the creature; till, suddenly, from +within the temple came a crow that beat even Herbert's noisy ones. It +was so loud and so sudden, and was so closely followed by a jubilant +cackle, that all of them were a trifle startled while Wun Sing threw +himself down in real terror. + +The cackling continued a longer time than is usual and ended in another +masculine crow. Then there solemnly stalked into the little yard a very +handsome fowl, of the Plymouth Rock species, who strutted about as if +she were the queen of all hens. + +"Huh! Nothing the matter with that biddy, Wun Sing! I wish 't Ma Babcock +had her in our hennery, up-mounting. What's wrong with her, you think, +Wunny?" + +"Missee Alfletta--_eggs_!" + +"Well, what's a hen's business in life but to lay eggs?" demanded +Herbert, laughing at the Chinaman's curious expression. + +Then it came out. That hen did lay eggs--such eggs! She was a big hen +and her eggs so small, and so many! Ah! she was bewitched. She was +bewitching Wun Sing. She had already bewitched Mateo, yes. It began the +very day the master left. On that sorrowful, august occasion that pent +up, solitary fowl deposited two eggs in her softly lined nest. + +"That might be. Ma's hens do that, sometimes, good breeds," said Alfy, +in answer to the Chinaman's impressive statement. + +With all this company of doubters around him Wun Sing felt secure enough +to go on and state that on the day following there had been four eggs! +Then one--then again seven--the mystic number. Latterly there had been +eight, nine, as high as ten! All in one twenty-four hours! Could a fowl, +free from an evil spirit, so conduct itself? No. No, indeed. Wun Sing +knew what he knew. Disaster was coming. There was trouble on the wing. +It would light upon San Leon. They were doomed--doomed--doomed! + +"I don't believe it!" declared Leslie. "But a hen of that character +_ought_ to crow as well as cackle. How much'll you take for her, cooky? +I'll buy and start a hennery to stump the world. Anybody want to go in +with me on this deal? San Leon Chinese Poultry--Warranted to Make +Possessors Rich! The Egg Trust of San Leon! I say, boys, the thing's +just rippin'!" + +"Undo that little gate, Wunny. I'm going in to collect the eggs. Come +on, Alfy, or anybody," cried Dorothy, laughing. "That empty cracker box +to hold them in. By the way, Wunny, when did you empty the nest?" + +He assured her that he had done so the last thing before retiring on the +night before. He had already taken two from it this day. Now by the +cackle--there must be--Ah! he finished his speech with a wild flourish +of his hands, then put them before his eyes to shield them from an +uncanny sight. + +Those outside the little poultry yard waited in curiosity for the others +to come back. The two girls within it had their heads close together +peering into the hen-temple, while Monty had squeezed his plump body +through its little door with the cracker box in hand. + +"Oh! I say, come out of there! How many have you found?" called Herbert. +"Hurry up! Nell and Molly are getting scared. Fact!" + +"I'm not," denied Molly, but Helena said nothing. It was absurd, but she +was actually catching some of the Chinaman's nervousness over this most +uncanny fowl. And a moment later, she was relieved to see the +egg-hunters turn around and Monty emerge from that "heathen temple," the +cracker box held tightly in his hand. He carried it as if it were heavy +and his face was almost as solemn as the Chinaman's. The box contained +eleven eggs! + +Wun Sing gave one glance and fled, and trying to take the box into his +own hands, Leslie dropped it--with the natural result. + +"Well, they may be bewitched eggs but they can break 'allee samee!' I'm +sorry, Wun Sing, but I'll pay for them! And say, did anybody ever hear +of such a thing before?" asked Leslie, astonished. + +Nobody had; and seeing Dr. Jones crossing the grounds at a little +distance they ran to him with the marvellous tale. He listened +attentively and even walked back with them to see the hen for himself. +His decision put bewitchment out of the question. + +"The bird is a freak of nature. I have read of such before, but they are +rare. Either that--or--are you quite sure that no practical joke has +been played by any of the boys--or by yourselves?" + +His keen study of their faces revealed nothing mischievous on any. They +were all as honestly surprised as himself, and he then made a close +inspection of the little place. The pagoda stood exactly in the centre +of the yard, so far from the wire-netting on every side that no arm +would be long enough to reach it and drop eggs into the nest at the +back. Wun Sing always kept the key of the Chinese padlock on the wire +gate and entrance through it without his consent could not be made. + +"It doesn't look like a hoax, and it's not to be wondered at that the +Chinaman was scared. We all are--at the unusual and unexplainable. But +this is simple. It is a freak of nature and the hen will probably die +soon, of exhaustion." + +The Doctor walked away and Molly made a funny little face behind his +back. + +"I call that real mean, to take the mystery out of it in that way! I've +been getting delightfully goose-fleshy and creepy, just to find the +spook is nothing but a silly old hen that's outdone herself. I hate to +be disappointed like that. I wish something would happen, real +hair-raising, as Indians, or bears, or even a few catamounts!" + +"If they did, I'd like to be on the spot. I bet you, Molly Breckenridge, +you'd run faster than anybody if those things did happen," teased Monty. + +Saying that, he exchanged an odd glance with Leslie, who nodded and +said: + +"Come along, boys, let's visit Mateo in a body. Force of numbers you +know. He lays it to eggs--Wunny's bewitched eggs, but I lay it to +cowardice. There's nothing the matter with my valiant valet but +downright scare. After proposing the thing, too, and being the best +figure of all to do it. Ta, ta, ladies! We shall meet again--at feeding +time. Eh, Alfy? I mean Miss Babcock!" + +"Huh! Don't you think I didn't notice 't you ate more 'n anybody else of +the crackers and cheese. Good-by!" + +They separated, the girls to their own rooms to freshen themselves for +the evening and for a long talk over the delights of this wonderful +summer; yet in all their happiness, a deep regret was in their warm +hearts for Jim Barlow's absence and the wish that they might know where +he was and that he was well. + +The lads sought Mateo in his room, and though the valet pretended +slumber he was promptly roused by the energetic attentions of his +visitors. + +"Look here, Mateo, we know you're shamming. The fact is that after +getting us all wrought up to this bear business and agreeing to take the +chief part, you're afraid. Either you think the 'boys'll' get lively +with their shooting-irons and hunt the bear too well, or else--I don't +know what else. Only this, you can't pretend to be hoodooed or +'bewitched' with any of Wun Sing's omelettes. That's all up. The +doctor's taken a hand in that and I know it isn't indigestion you're +bewitched with--it's plain sneak. Now, boy, get up!" + +After Leslie's long speech, that ended in the terse command, Mateo +raised himself on elbow and protested: + +"But it is of the illness, I, señor, _en verdad_. The omelette of Wun +Sing--" + +"May have been a little too rich for you, Matty lad, but don't worry. +That wonderful fowl has shortened her life by her own ambition. I +suppose she had a certain number of eggs to lay during her earthly +career and she concluded to get the job over with. She's an all right +Chinee hen, but _she's_ the one that'll die, not you nor Wunny Sing. +Doctor Jones said so. We've interviewed him on the subject. Doctors know +a lot. So, be decent! Get up and practise a bit." + +Thus adjured by Herbert, for whom the valet had a great admiration, +Mateo threw off the light covers and rose to his feet--fully dressed. He +had only lain down, professing himself ill, whenever there was danger of +his young master appearing. + +With a swift change of front, he now fell in with the lads' notions, and +thereafter followed an hour of "practice," accompanied by curious sounds +and growlings. All this behind locked door and tightly shuttered +windows--something almost unknown at peaceful San Leon. + +At supper time there was a subdued air of mystery about the three lads, +which Dorothy noticed, if none of the other girls did. Also, they were +so extremely courteous and thoughtful that it was rather overdone. +However, politeness was agreeable, and there followed the happiest +evening the young guests had spent since the departure of Gray Lady for +the east. + +The fading moonlight was now supplemented by the electric lights, making +the wide lawns brilliant as day, save where the deep shadows fell, black +in contrast. At midnight, Dorothy awoke. Something had startled her and +she sat up in bed, shivering in fear. How queer! she thought and peered +through the window as if expecting some unwelcome sight. There was +nothing unusual visible and, except for a curious creeping sound, as of +some large body moving stealthily on the veranda floor, nothing to +hear. + +Strange that brave Dorothy's heart should beat so fast and she turn so +cold. She wished Alfy would awake. She wanted to hear somebody speak. +Then she scorned herself for her foolishness, wondering if she, too, had +caught the Chinaman's terror of "bewitchment." Oh! this was horrid! Alfy +would go right to sleep again, even if she were awakened, and she must, +she must hear somebody human! + +She opened her trembling lips to call: "Alfy! Alfy dear, please wake +up!" + +But the words were never uttered. Something had come into view at her +open window which froze them on her lips. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +THE GRIZZLY AND THE INDIANS + + +For a moment Dorothy sat still in bed, afraid to move or cry out while +the great animal at the window remained equally motionless. Then she was +able to shriek: + +"Alf! Helena! Somebody--help--help! HELP!" + +Alfy leapt from her little bed with an answering cry, frightened by +Dorothy's screech, and hurriedly demanding: "Why--why--what?" then +rubbed her eyes and stood transfixed with horror. + +A moment later the whole house was in an uproar. The lads came running +from their rooms, yelling in sympathy with the cries of the girls, the +doctor rushed from his office-bedroom clad only in pajamas; the nurse +forsook her sick bed--which she had not left before since first stricken +with a chest attack; Anita--Wun Sing--kitchen boy--all the household +gathered in the great corridor upon which the girls' rooms opened. + +Such an uproar had never been heard at peaceful San Leon since its +foundation stone was laid; and the sounds carrying clearly in that night +air, out from the Barracks rushed a horde of cowboys and workmen with +Captain Lem in lead. + +"A bear!" + +"The Grizzly! The Grizzly!" + +A grizzly it was sure enough. All the feminine portion of the household +retreated to the empty chamber of Miss Milliken, slammed down its window +and locked themselves within; then from curiosity opened the door a +little way, to peek through the crack. + +"Oh! Oh! It's coming this way--why doesn't somebody shoot it!" cried +Helena, running back to look through the window panes. + +The great animal had now dropped from its upright position at Dolly's +window and was crawling on all fours back along the wide porch. It +certainly was coming that way but--it couldn't get in! + +"Could it? Can bears--open--open--things?" gasped Molly, retreating to a +wardrobe and hiding within it, whence she demanded in a torrent of +questions information of all sorts concerning bears and why nobody +killed it before it killed them! + +Oddly enough, nobody had interfered with the creature's movements thus +far, though some of the men had run back to the Barracks for firearms, +and just then unlucky Wun Sing came round the corner of the building and +met it face to face. He had run at top speed in the opposite direction +from that the beast seemed taking when he had first espied it, issuing +from his room beyond the kitchen. Seeing it headed that way he had +instinctively chosen the other, not reckoning that even bears can change +routes. + +Then the yell that rose belittled all which had gone before. + +Grizzly uprose on his hind feet and rushed to meet poor Wunny, squeezing +him in a terrible embrace that checked the Chinaman's yell instantly. +Until a touch of Bruin's teeth upon his thinly clad shoulder and a bite +of sharp teeth awoke it again. A clutch of his queue from the great paw +brought forth greater shrieks and seemed to give the victim an +extraordinary strength. By some means he wrenched himself free and +escaped, the grizzly pursuing on all fours again--and both headed toward +the lake. + +Whether Wun Sing's purpose was to throw himself within it he didn't know +himself, but the road toward it was the clearest and offered his best +chance. Half way to the water his feet caught in his long night blouse +and he tripped. Instantly the grizzly was upon him. The great furry +creature sprawled over the prostrate cook, growling and snapping his +teeth but as yet inflicting no further injury, and the man underneath no +longer knowing anything, for his terrified senses had taken leave of his +quivering body. + +Slowly the bear got upright again and, for a moment towered above his +helpless victim. Then seeming to have satisfied his rage in that +direction, he resumed his natural position and moved back toward the +house. He kept his great head well lowered, wagging it from side to side +and, altogether, conducting himself like a half-blind or greatly +bewildered bear. + +By this time the men from the Barracks had reappeared, well armed; but +as the grizzly climbed upon the veranda floor again they hesitated to +fire because the low windows opening upon it were full of peeping faces. +Silent Pete, alone, dared approach the creature as near as the other end +of the veranda. This man had been a mighty hunter in his youth, when +Colorado was an almost unknown country with few settlers and big game +plentiful. His old blood had warmed to the conflict now, though he was +silent as ever and paid no heed to the warnings called to him by his +ranch mates. Creeping stealthily forward toward the encounter he watched +his grizzly enemy with exultation, his thought being: + +"He's tough! He's an old one! His hide's thick--I must make no mistake. +When I get nigh enough to hit him through the heart--wish he'd rise up +again--queerest actin' grizzly I ever met--likely my last one--so +anxious to meet me he come a-visitin'--he, he, he! Ah! he's +risin'--I'll--" + +Out on the electric lighted grounds the men were grouped with their +rifles, all anxious to fire and all eager to delay till the last moment, +watching this wild beast so uncommonly near at hand. Why, from its +movements it might almost have been a tame animal escaped from some +menagerie. Besides, the trophy belonged to Silent Pete. He was first and +hardiest to face the brute and only if his famously sure shot failed +would they fire to the rescue. Yes, the bear was the old hunter's +legitimate prize--they'd wait, guns ready-- + +"Don't shoot! Oh! men, don't shoot! DON'T SHOOT!" + +To the utter amazement of everyone, up flew Dorothy's window and out she +leaped, so close behind the creeping grizzly that she almost touched +him: she was gesticulating wildly and her repeated cries of "Don't +shoot!" startled old Captain Lem almost to numbness. + +What was that she was saying? + +"He isn't a bear! I see his feet! Bears don't wear--SHOES!" + +Alas! Her cry came too late. As bruin reared himself old Peter's shot +rang out. An instant later, with such a cry as never issued from the +throat of any bear, he dropped to the veranda floor and lay there +motionless. The great bear hunt was over. + +Five minutes later the grizzly rug was back on the floor of Leslie's +room and the lad who had masqueraded in it to frighten a few girls, +the over-zealous Mateo, lay on his own little bed with Doctor Jones +probing for the bullet which had entered his shoulder. + +Fortunately, it had not lodged there but passed straight through leaving +a clean flesh wound which would promptly heal, the doctor said, but that +would keep unhappy Mateo in bed for a few days. He had feigned sickness +when there was none, dreading to act the part he had just so +unfortunately done. But the young master's will had been too strong and +the suggestion had been Mateo's own. + +"The punishment, for once, has fallen upon the guilty person. You'll +have time to reflect, Mateo, that frightening timid people is scarcely a +manly pastime. I trust there'll be no more skylarking till Mr. Ford is +home. You will be kept upon a rigid diet till I order otherwise, and +good night." + +So said the doctor, leaving his patient to his own thoughts and assuring +himself that all the young folks had retired to their rooms again. He +had administered no further reproofs--nor needed to do so. It was an +exceedingly crest-fallen trio of lads who disappeared from view, when +once the extent of Mateo's injury was learned, and a very quiet one. + +But the excited girls were not so quiet. They had to talk it over, +simply had to! + +"I thought it was queer all the boys were in their day clothes," said +Helena, with her arm about Molly, who was still shaking with fright, now +and then, despite the fact that the affair was all over. + +"I noticed, too, but I thought they'd just dressed awful quick. But +suppose it _had_ been a real one--would it have eaten us up?" she begged +to know. + +To which Alfy replied from her own room: + +"No, Molly Breckenridge, don't be a goose. _We'd_ have eaten _him_ +up, course. We'd have had bear steak for breakfast--Some say it's +good. Don't s'pose with all them men around they'd have let it live +very long? No, indeedy. But Matty did it real cute, after all, didn't +he? Must ha' been terrible hot, trampin' around under all that skin. +Well, we ought to go to sleep, but seems if I'd never catch another +wink. I wonder what became of Wunny! Last I saw him he was lyin' flat +on the ground--thinkin' he was et up, I guess. Dolly--My heart! Dolly +Doodles is asleep a'ready. Did you ever see such a sleepy head, Nell?" + +There was no answer from the room across the hall, so Alfy curled down +among her pillows and composed herself to sleep. But her mind wasn't at +rest. She kept seeing, in her fancy, the prostrate figure of Wun Sing, +and hoped some of the men from the Barracks had looked after him. She +felt as if she must get up again and go to see for herself. But--out of +doors at night didn't seem quite the same, even to this sensible girl, +as it had done before the bear scare. Besides--something really was the +matter with her eyes. They felt as if they were full of sand--she'd just +shut them a minute to-- + +She was asleep at once. A body simply could not stay awake after +bedtime, in that Colorado air! And it was well she could not. Else, the +warm-hearted girl would have suffered fresh alarm. + +It was a belated household which struggled out of heavy slumber the next +day, and as Dorothy lazily yawned and stretched her arms above her head +it seemed as if all the exciting events of the night must be part of her +dreams. Alfy woke, too, as reluctantly as her mate and just as Helena +appeared from her own room, looking a little heavy-eyed but fully +dressed. She bade them good morning, but waited for no response before +she added: + +"The house seems unusually still, and I don't smell coffee. I generally +do, the first thing. I sometimes think it's the odor of that wakes me. I +wonder if Wun Sing's fright and his worry about his poor hen has made +him ill! I'll go and see; and if the boys aren't up I'll call them." + +The lads answered sleepily to Helena's summons, yet were not long in +appearing on the porch, where the other girls promptly joined them. As +if by common consent nobody mentioned the escapade of the night, though +it was in the minds of all and all were really longing to discuss it. +The boys because they wished to "explain," and the girls thinking that +to treat the "joke" with silent contempt would be their severest +punishment. Nobody even mentioned unlucky Mateo, who had lent himself to +the furtherance of the affair, only to be the one to suffer most from +it. + +"Hmm. Isn't it past breakfast time?" asked Monty, at last. + +Herbert looked at his watch, and exclaimed: + +"Ten minutes to nine! Who'd have believed it? Horses to be groomed +before drill, and time up already. I wonder--But here's Nell. She's +coming from the kitchen and looks important. What's up, Sis?" + +"Several things. First, the hen of Wun Sing lies dead in her coop." + +"O-oh!" "Ah!" "Unwise, ambitious hen!" were the exclamations which +responded; and Molly added: + +"That isn't all. There's something worse on Helena's mind than the death +of a bewitched hen! Out with it, child! After--I mean--my nerves won't +stand any more." + +"Didn't know you had nerves," laughed Alfy. "What's happened, Helena?" + +"Wun Sing has disappeared." + +"W-h-a-t?" + +"It is true. He has gone, nobody knows where. There's a man from the +Barracks, the one who does the cooking over there, getting breakfast. +Captain Lem is flying around in a terrible state of mind. He's angry +with you boys, says there'll be neither drill nor rifle practice to-day, +but the horses _must_ be groomed just as soon as we get our breakfasts. +He's sent a half-dozen men looking for the cook, now, and they expect to +find him soon." + +"So they did Jim! Seems if there wasn't anything doing on this ranch but +just getting lost," wailed Alfaretta, turning a little pale; while Molly +nervously begged: + +"Somebody tie me fast! Tie me fast! It'll break my father's heart if I +get lost, too!" + +Captain Lem came up at that moment. He looked so stern and unlike +himself that the young folks were all of them awed by his manner. Even +light hearted Monty slunk back, "shaking in his shoes," while Leslie +dropped his eyes and lost all his bravado. + +"Hark to me, Squad! Every mortal son an' gal of ye! I'm riled--I'm mad. +Here am I left in charge, so to speak, of your doin's, and of the work +on the ranch, anyways. Your smart-aleck work has turned everything +topsy-turvy. Men took from their reg'lar jobs to go hunt worthless +Chinamen, and take his place a-cookin'. Hens dyin' to right an' +left--pizened by some your doses, likely--" + +"Oh, no! Captain, I'm sure nobody would do such a cruel thing as poison +helpless creatures!" protested Dorothy, running to clasp his hand. + +He had on his "specs," which they had already learned he used mostly +when he was angry, and they were very glittering just then. But Dorothy +would not be put aside. She clung to him till his mood softened and +removing the menacing "specs," dropped them in his blouse pocket. Then +he smiled upon her, rather shamefacedly, though he felt that he still +had good cause for offence. + +"Well, Little One, you've got ways to win a feller, 'spite of himself. +If they was all as good as you--" + +"Oh! they are, and even lots better! 'Twas just lads' foolishness that +they mistook for smartness. And they, we, all of us will do all we can +to help. Where can we look for Wunny? He's the first one to be thought +of. And I'm sorry he was so scared. Also, he'll be sorry himself over +the poor hen. What can I do?" + +"Go along an' eat what breakfast you can get. Then tend to your horses. +Likely, they're hungrier 'n you are and I'll go see 't they're fed. But +hear me! Not another mite o' foolin' with serious things till Dan Ford +gets back an' takes the reins into his own hands. 'Twas the mercy of +Providence--nothin' else--that that jabberin' shallow-pate Mateo wasn't +killed plumb out. Silent Pete's used to grizzlies. He's used to +_killin'_ 'em. It's his trade, a deal more 'n 'tis to tend horseflesh. I +wouldn't like to stand as nigh hand to his gun as that Greaser did last +night. Now, hurry up and eat. Then report for duty. I'm off to mine." + +"Where do you suppose Wun Sing is?" asked Helena, of anybody who chose +to answer. + +Nobody did: it may be stated right here that he was never again seen at +San Leon. The "bewitched dead fowl" was duly buried in her own +courtyard, the little gate to this locked, and its key hung up in the +cook's wall-cupboard. But Wun Sing came no more. Everything belonging to +him was left as if he meant to return at any minute, but he did not +come. + +They searched the pebbly bottom of the lake, thinking he might have +drowned himself in his superstitious fear, but he was not there: and +after days had been wasted in the fruitless search, Captain Lem had his +belongings packed together and sent to his relative, Der Doo, in San +Diego. Whence, at the very end of the summer word came back that he had +reappeared in that city, a wreck of himself, but it was hoped that with +time and good Chinese cooking he would recover his scattered wits and +his own culinary skill. + +Meanwhile, many messages came from the travellers in the east. The +expected old aunt had duly arrived but in no fit condition to travel +further for the present. Gray Lady sent dearest love and hoped all her +big, new family would find San Leon the happiest place in the world, +and the most peaceful. She had lived long enough to understand that +peace and harmony were the most precious things in life. She longed to +be with them and would be as soon as it was right. Meanwhile, let all be +patient as possible over her enforced absence and just feel that she was +with them in spirit all the time. + +"Odd, isn't it? That she who so longed to have this home and so enjoyed +it should have to leave it to us, a lot of strange youngsters, to use +instead?" said Helena, one evening some time later, as they all had +gathered about the fountain in the soft sunset light, to talk over +happenings and plan things for the coming day. + +Since the escapade of the false bear hunt there had been a notable +absence of pranks. An ominous peace had settled over the whole young +company, remarked by the astute Captain Lem as the "'ca'm before a +storm.' 'Tain't in natur' for 'em to be so demure an' tractable. No +siree. They've 'tended to their groomin' like reg'lar saints, an' +they've learned to drill amazin' well. They don't shoot none to hurt, +yet, 'ceptin' that Leslie himself. Sence he's waked up an' took an +interest he's done fine. He's the best o' the lot and his knowin' that +is what inspires him to do better yet. That, an' hopin' to please the +Boss. But--I hope the storm'll blow over--the one they're brewin'. And I +wonder what in creation ever did become o' that first boy, or of +Wunny." + +For as yet no news had come of the latter and the former had almost +dropped out of thought--save now and then in Alfy's, and always in +faithful Dorothy's. + +Now that they were better riders and had become what their teacher +called "pals" with their horses, they were daily given larger liberty. +In company with him, and sometimes without him, they rode long distances +over the roads, the narrow trails, and the almost imperceptible paths +which led over the mountains and through the forests. + +The wild flowers of Colorado are innumerable, almost, and most of them +were new to Dorothy, the flower-lover. In search of these she was +tireless and many hours were spent after her return from her rides, in +pressing her "specimens" and preparing herbariums. In this delightful +work she had the company and help of Dr. Jones, himself a well-read and +enthusiastic botanist. + +Helena spent hours over her journal: "taking notes" for future literary +labors. Alfy and Molly were content to do nothing save be happy. As Alfy +expressed it: + +"I never was so lazy and I likely never will have a chance to be again. +I can work when I have to and I can play just as hard." + +The lads fished, rode, hunted small game, and tried various feats of +horsemanship, lariat casting, and even--when they were especially +energetic, played ball. There was a fairly good team among the ranchmen +and they entered into the sport with vim. Only Leslie found the exercise +too violent and was content to lounge and watch the rest. + +This evening, sitting together so cosily, the peace of the beautiful +scene gradually soothed them all to quiet. They had settled the plans +for the morrow and were as happy as such care-free children could be. +Helena picked up her guitar and played soft melodies upon it, the others +humming them under their breaths--not to disturb the player, only Alfy +presuming to fit real words to the music but not interfering with it. + +Suddenly Dorothy raised her eyes from the playing fountain, on which she +had been dreamily gazing and thinking of lost Jim. A sound, faint, of +horses' footfalls had entered her dream. With a silent gesture of alarm +she sprang to her feet, staring with wide eyes at a company of Indians +ascending the hill. They avoided the hard driveway, their horses +treading with velvety softness upon the shaven lawn. They were many in +number, twenty perhaps, and they were in gala dress. Head-dresses of +eagles' feathers, gaily colored, hung from their crowns over the sides +of their mounts, to the length of a man's height. They uttered no +sounds, looked neither to the right nor left, but like a dreadful, +phantom procession moved straight forward toward the fountain. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +A TRIP TO BALD EAGLE ROCK + + +Molly gave one glance and screamed. Then flung herself to her knees and +buried her face in Helena's lap, who pityingly drew her light skirt over +the child's head. Nobody else moved nor spoke. All felt their last hour +had come. + +"An Indian raid!" + +This was their thought and then of their helplessness. This company was +only the forerunner of more! + +"Massacre! Oh! to die like this!" + +Even the lads' faces blanched, but resolution flashed from their +observant eyes, and these beheld a strange spectacle. + +The superbly mounted Indians, in their gaudiest attire, bead-decked +shirts and fringed leggings, their supple feet clad in embroidered +moccasins, outshone even the most magnificent of "Wild West" shows; and +without a spoken word each understood the desire of their Chief. They +rode to the semi-circle of concrete before the main entrance to the +great house and ranged themselves around it, the Chief in front, alone, +and as the last hoof fell into position where the rider wished, they +became as rigid as a company of warriors carved in stone. + +"What will they do next!" was the wonder in all the observers' minds, +as they gazed in fascination at this curious sight. + +What they would do next seemed long in coming. Though it was but a few +moments it seemed like ages while the redskins waited, stolid, immovable +before the doorway of the mansion. But, at last, the spell was broken. + +Across from the Barracks, around the corner, through the cloistered +walk, came Captain Lemuel, whistling. He was in good spirits; ready to +join his "Squad" beside the fountain and have an evening's "gabble" with +the youngsters. They had been abnormally good that day. Wholly obedient +to his restrictions in the length of their rides, eager to improve in +their shooting--which was so far removed from "sharp"; and in every +respect so "decent" that he puzzled his brain to find the best story to +tell them of old days in Colorado and of his own prowess therein. + +But, as he passed the corner, his whistling ceased. The story was told! +And a far better one than any his memory could furnish. + +The young watchers caught their breath. Poor Captain Lem! Rushing thus +to his own undoing! But still they had to gaze and gaze--they could not +turn their eyes away; and gazing they beheld a stranger thing than any +which had gone before. + +That was the jolly Captain clapping his hands as if in glee, bowing +before the silent Chief, almost prostrating himself, in fact. Afterward +a brief clasping of hands between the two and the Captain beginning a +long harangue in a strange tongue, interrupted now and then by grunts +and gutturals from the attentive Indians. Then giving the Chief his +finest military salute, the Captain "right faced" and silently marched +away. The Indians as silently followed him, the Chief first, and the +others in single file, till they all disappeared toward the Barracks, +and the youngsters were left gasping in amazement. + +A sigh of relief rose from them in unison and, hearing it, Molly lifted +her face. She only had seen nothing of the pantomime, or such it seemed +which had been enacted, though she had heard through her terror the +whistling of the Captain and its abrupt ceasing. + +"Is--is--he--dead?" she whispered. + +"He's the liveliest dead man I ever saw. Come on, boys! That's the sight +of our lives! Who's afraid?" cried Herbert, springing up and eager. + +But his sister clutched his arm. "No, no, Bert! You mustn't! You +shan't!" + +"I shall and will! So should you--all! Whoever they are they're +friendly. Else old Lem wouldn't have seemed so pleased and led 'em off +with his best 'hep, hep, hep,' that way. I'll bet they're Utes, good +neighbors of the white ranchers, but they're genuine Indians all the +same and I'm going to see them. My! But I did feel mighty weak in the +knees for a minute! I thought it was all up with yours truly. Come on, I +say!" + +He really wished to follow but, evidently, he also wished to have his +courage bolstered by the presence of his mates. + +Oddly enough it was Monty who first joined Herbert. He was still half +afraid, yet also wild with curiosity. His was the least war-like spirit +there, but he couldn't withstand this knowledge at first hand of real, +live Indians. + +One after another they all followed. In any case they would be safer +among the ranchmen than here in this lonelier spot, and Lemuel's manner +had been quite different from fear. + +As they slowly passed around the house, whose corner hid the Barracks +front view, they were wholly reassured. The lawn was wide and a good +distance was still between them and the red-skinned visitors, but they +could see all that was going on. The Indians had all dismounted, a lot +of the cowboys had come forward to meet them, and the fine horses they +rode were being led off to a still more distant and disused corral. +Here the animals were turned loose, their blankets and trappings +removed, and the ranchmen themselves at once setting to work to rub the +fine creatures down and to supply them with ample fodder for the night. +A big trough in the corral, through which running water was always +piped furnished them with drink; and the entrance being secured, the +attendants went back to the Barracks' porch, that extended from one +end to the other of the long, low building. + +Upon the porch floor the blankets were spread and the Utes squatted on +them, greatly pleased at their reception. Pipes were lighted and smoked, +Captain Lem and several others joining in what looked to be a ceremony +of welcome. A few of the ranchmen hurried to the Barracks' kitchen and +prepared supper for the visitors, and after this was eaten by the +strange guests, sitting where they were under the porch roof, the +discarded pipes were again resumed and some sort of palaver followed. + +In this talk Silent Peter took the leading part. He was escorted by +Captain Lem to the side of the Chief, none other than White Feather, and +placed upon another blanket, handed a fresh pipe, and left to do the +honors of the occasion. Meantime Captain Lem sent a messenger across to +the watching youngsters, that they should come quietly to his own room +at the Barracks and observe matters from that nearer point. + +"But--is it safe? What does it all mean?" demanded Leslie of the man. + +"Safe as can be. Why, that's White Feather, Chief of a band of Utes and +one of the best friends your father has. Fact. He's awful disappointed, +too, to find the Boss away. Came on a visit of ceremony, with the finest +bucks in his band, to get acquainted and do a little horse-trading. +That's all. Silent Pete can talk Injun and has travelled not a little +with this crowd, afore he settled at San Leon. Huh! Did you think they +was from the Plains?" + +"What's the difference? An Indian is an Indian, isn't he? Not to be +trusted, any of them. I don't think my father would like to have the +boys treat those fellows as they're doing. You men ought to arm +yourselves and drive them off the ranch." + +The young ranchman regarded Leslie with a look of amused contempt, then +retorted: + +"Well, you may be a rich man's son but what you don't know about your +own country'd fill books! All the rest afraid, too? 'Cause if you are, +you'd better get out o' sight. Captain Lem has asked White Feather to +let him bring you over to meet him an' the old feller's said yes. He +said it as if he hated to but was willin' for Lem's sake to do you the +honor. Great Scott! Why, you young idiot, White Feather's a great Chief, +a king among his people, feels he ranks with our President, or the Czar +of all the Russias! Well,--well, I'm beat. I thought 't they had schools +back east where you tenderfeet come from. I supposed you'd learned that +there's more 'n one kind of Indian in this big country. Why, sir, the +difference 'twixt the Arapahoes, or the Cheyennes, and them peaceable +Utes yonder--humph! Well, are you comin' or not?" + +Leslie had resented the talkative ranchman's comments on his own +ignorance but had the grace to conceal it. He had even jested a little +at his own expense and said that he must "read up on Indians." Then he +led off his party toward the Barracks and, arrived there, found Captain +Lem vastly relieved. It was greatly to Mr. Ford's advantage to be on +cordial terms with all his neighbors, in that isolated region, and the +loyal Captain realized this. Both he and Silent Pete had to regret the +fact that, at present and in their employer's absence, they could not +venture on the trading; but at the old hunter's suggestion they had +assumed the responsibility of giving White Feather the finest horse in +stock. This was a magnificent black stallion which had never been broken +to harness and with a temper that threatened ill to any man who +undertook the task. + +The youngsters came up and filed before White Feather, standing now, and +gravely accepting their timidly proffered hands, as the name of each was +mentioned. His own response was a friendly grunt but he was evidently +bored by the affair and passed the girls over with the slightest notice. +His eye lingered a bit longer upon the lads and it seemed that he was +measuring their heights with his eye. But he let them go, almost as soon +as he had the girls, and as Molly exclaimed when they had retreated to +Captain Lem's room: + +"I never felt I was such a litty-bitty-no-account creature in all my +life! I wouldn't be an Indian squaw for anything! But wasn't he just +grand--and hideous?" + +Then Captain signalled to them that they would better return to the +house. The Chief evidently considered the presence of females an +intrusion and that of such slender, white-faced lads but little better. +Upon Leslie, as son of the ranch owner, he bestowed several grave stares +but no more speech than on the others. + +So from the unlighted music-room they watched for a time in silence; +till everything grew quiet at the Barracks, all lights out, and the +strange guests asleep on their blankets upon the porch. Then they, too, +went to bed, greatly stirred by the fact of such uncommon acquaintances +so close at hand, and with entirely new ideas of Colorado red men. + +By daylight the visitors had gone, so silently that nobody in the house +itself had heard their departure. With them, too, had gone Rob Roy, the +black stallion; and, what seemed valueless to the givers some old +garments of the ranchmen. From one a coat, another a sombrero, a +blanket, shoes, underwear, and from Silent Pete himself a complete +hunter's outfit. + +All his comrades were surprised at this, for he kept the buckskin suit +as a souvenir of earlier days, when he was as free to roam the forests +as any Indian of them all and the blood still ran hot and wild in his +veins. He was an old man now. He pondered much on the past and he spoke +little to any man. But he talked with the Chief in that warrior's own +tongue and in tones not to be overheard by any others. When that bit of +talk was over he had brought out the precious suit, neatly folded and +bound about with a marvellous lariat--also another dear possession--and +had placed them in White Feather's hands. + +Then he relapsed into his usual quiet and the life at San Leon resumed +its usual routine. The visit of the Indians became as a dream, but news +of the early return of the absent hosts sent new life and ambition into +the minds of all their young guests. + +Drills no longer were irksome. Were they not to show Mr. Ford how well +they could carry themselves? As for rifle practice, there was such +prolonged and continual popping of guns that Dr. Jones lamented his +disturbed quiet and Nurse Melton had often to seek the most remote +quarters to escape the startling sounds. + +Riding, also, was kept up with great zest. It had proved true that the +more one learned of his horse, the better he loved it, the greater the +silent understanding between it and himself. They now had races of all +sorts and daily. Hurdles had given place to great hedges and ditches, +which most of the animals distinguished themselves in leaping. Monty was +still the hindmost in everything, yet showed his pluck in sticking to +his saddle at all risks, and sometimes with startling success. + +So well, indeed, had they learned horsemanship that on a certain +glorious morning before sunrise, the seven youngsters were already in +saddle, alert for the long-coveted ride to Bald Eagle Rock, under the +guidance of Captain Lem himself, with Silent Pete and another ranchman +to carry the luncheon upon two soberer steeds. It was to be an all-day's +outing and a goodly little company which would enjoy it. As soon as +possible after arrival in New York Mrs. Ford had procured and sent back +to San Leon, readymade habits and riding clothes for her girls and boys, +not forgetting to include one for absent Jim, which Dorothy had +carefully placed along with his other belongings in his own room; so +that now arrayed in these gifts they all looked fine and fit. + +"We might be going for a ride in the Park instead of a climb through +woods and over rocks! I do hope we won't tear our clothes!" said careful +Helena; while Molly returned with native carelessness: + +"Well, I think a ride to the top of the Rockies is worth at least one +habit!" + +"I shan't spoil mine, not 'nless I get tumbled off Blanca, someway. +I've got dozens of safety-pins and I shall pin my skirt--I mean +drawers--whatever they call these 'divided' things--so tight they can't +get torn. I never had a habit before. Course not. I never even had a +horse," said Alfaretta. + +"Well, without the horse you wouldn't have needed the habit, dearie. +But I do like this riding astride, as Lady Gray thought best we should +do on hard trips. And aren't we happy? Only--only--if poor Jim was +here!" answered Dorothy, with a little cry of delight that ended +rather drearily. + +But now they were off! And no further thought of anything or anybody +except the pleasure of the moment rose in any mind. + +Captain Lem had not over-rated the difficulties of that trip. The +beginning was fairly easy, the road or trail wide enough for two to ride +side by side, and one had leisure to admire the surroundings. But when +they came to that same turn of the roads, beyond the river, and took the +route which unhappy James had followed in his delirium, they could no +longer travel in pairs. + +And now was proved the good judgment of Captain Lem in training them to +a familiar knowledge of their horses and in their close friendship. + +"Guide 'em--point out the way you want 'em to go--then trust +the creatur's to do the best for them and you!" advised the old +sharpshooter, halting at the top of the first steep climb, to breathe +his own horse and let the stragglers come up. "More 'n that you can't +maybe all follow just the same track. Blanca there, is goin' to pick +her way, cautious an' careful as a gal in a nice new white frock, like +them the Little One wears. She ain't goin' to tear her white dress, +Alfaretty, so don't you get scared if she falls a good ways behind the +rest. She's a sociable beast, is Blanca, and she'll get to the top all +right, give her time. But Dolly's calico'll nigh bust herself to be +first. More 'n that she's the keenest nose for a shortcut of any horse +in the batch. She's little and she's light, and she'll trust herself in +places 't no bigger creatur' would tackle. All right, everybody? Girths +tight? Stirrups to suit? Then--trust your horses' wits and--let her go!" + +It had been planned to have lunch on the Rock itself, and to be back at +San Leon in time for a late supper. An early breakfast had been taken, +of course, but not with the usual heartiness, for they were all too +excited to eat. Bald Eagle Rock was the highest point in that region and +it would be a fine thing to remember if they held out to reach its +summit. + +Meanwhile the road thither lay through a deep forest; down and along +ravines; steep climbs of slippery rocks; and over masses of ferns and +underbrush. After Captain Lem's halt and harangue they all became +silent. They had all they could do to keep in their saddles, and, as +he had prophesied, the animals they rode chose each a slightly +diverging route. + +However, they frequently called out to one another, their gay halloos +and yodels echoing along the mountain side, to the glad assurance of +themselves and the affright of the forest wildings. But the lads who had +hoped to sight some big game, preferably a live grizzly and had brought +their guns with them, were disappointed in that. Nothing fiercer than a +coyote crossed their path. It was as if the forest had anticipated their +invasion and put itself on guard. + +Dorothy obeyed Captain Lem's advice implicitly. She did not try to guide +Zaraza but let the pretty creature follow her own will, so long as that +will pointed straight upward. This gave the girl time to study the +flowers and ferns along the way and sometimes she slipped from her +saddle to gather and closely inspect them. She did not herself call out +but contented herself with listening to the shouts of the others, and, +for some reason, her thoughts were more upon the missing Jim than they +had been of late. + +"Oh! how that boy would like this ride! How he'd pull out his little +hammer and peg away at these wonderful rocks! What specimens he'd +collect! and how his sharp eyes would see every little bird and beast +that moves through this wilderness! Oh! I hope, I hope, he is still +alive and safe. If I could only see him!" + +Suddenly, the forest seemed strangely still. Zaraza stopped to breathe +and Dorothy listened keenly for the halloo of her mates. Hearing none +she ventured on a little shout herself which, low as it was, awoke a +thousand deafening echoes all about her. Or so it seemed. With a thrill +of horror, she remembered how Molly had once been lost in a far away +Nova Scotian wood, and the girl's description of her terror. She wished +she hadn't thought of that tale now. But, of course, this was quite +different. They were many in this company, ten all told, and somebody +must be very near. It would all come right. She mustn't be a goose and +get frightened just because, for a moment, she heard nobody. Yet, Alfy's +words rang in her head: + +"Seems if there was nothing happens but somebody gets lost up here at +San Leon!" and Molly's absurd appeal: "Tie me tight!" + +After a moment when Zaraza seemed rested she urged the docile creature +forward, and now the "calico" had certainly discovered a smooth and easy +way. That was good. It must be a well-traveled road, though it was still +but a "trail" to her eyes. Probably this was the final stretch of the +trip, and in a moment she would come face to face with the gigantic +Rock. + +Instead, the way grew smoother all the time and now quite level. A +little way farther she could see a wide plain, or mesa, with sheep +grazing. How odd! that anybody should feed sheep upon a mountain that +looked all rock and forest, seen from below. The sun was hot. It must be +noon. She hoped she wouldn't be late for that famous lunch they had +talked about so much. + +Zaraza trotted around a last clump of trees, as if she knew her task was +ended, and her own feeding time at hand. + +Then Dorothy brought her up with a sharp, silent tug upon the reins. +Yonder in that open space was a small hut, or cabin; and sitting on the +ground before it was an Indian, with a little Indian child beside him. +Evidently, they also were having a mid-day meal, for she saw the child +lift a tin dipper to his lips and drink. + +Zaraza whinnied. She was thirsty and scented water, and at that sound +the man sprang up and turned around. For one astonished moment he gazed +at that girlish apparition and Dorothy at him. Then with a cry of +ecstasy she sprang to the ground and sped toward him. + +"Jim! O Jim!" + +"Why--Dorothy!" + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +PROSPERITY AND PARTING + + +They were both so excited that at first they couldn't talk, but could +only stare at each other in speechless delight. Jim was trembling, for +he was still weak from his long illness, and he steadied himself by +attentions to Zaraza and by bidding José in Spanish to bring the +stranger a drink. + +Dorothy dropped down upon the stones where they had been sitting and +watched the child. + +He did not now dip water from the tank at the cabin door but from a +nearby spring, which Jim had found and cleared of rubbish. The spring +had always been there; but it had been easier for lazy Alaric, the +herder, to fill the barrel now and then--or let the rain do it for +him--and use from that till the supply failed. He did not yet understand +how the stagnant water had had anything to do with his own fever, that +had followed on Jim's partial recovery. + +Children are quick witted. José came running back with the dipper, after +having carefully rinsed and filled it at the spring, as Jim had taught +him. His eyes were bright and there was a winning smile on his chubby +face, now clean. He recognized Dorothy as the girl to whom he had given +his pet lamb and promptly demanded: + +"_El cordero? Donde?_" + +Dorothy stared at him, then put her hands on each side his chubby face +and kissed him. The child screamed with delight and repeated his +question. At which the girl also laughed and turned to Jim, asking: + +"What does he say? What does he want?" + +"I reckon he wants his lamb. He's asking you where it is," answered the +lad, gladly using this chance to air his own new knowledge. + +That broke the spell of not knowing how to begin and their loosened +tongues wagged fast enough after that. Dorothy forgot all about her lost +company and seizing a piece of the coarse bread her old friend had been +eating devoured it as if it had been a great delicacy. + +Jim laughed, glad to see her so hungry and so eager, and obeyed her +command: + +"Now begin just as we used to do at home at Deerhurst. 'I went from +here' and don't you miss a single thing until you come to 'and here I +am.' I'll help you start. You went from San Leon the very night you got +there. Now why?" + +"I shall never know why, girlie. I was crazy with fever, I guess. I +hadn't been real well before I came west and that was one reason Dr. +Sterling made me come. He thought the change would cure me. It didn't. I +must have got out the window but I don't really know, only I half +remember that. Then the next thing I did know I was in Alaric's cabin +yonder with him and little José here. I was pretty sick. I couldn't +write but I was wild to tell you where I was and not to worry nor think +me terrible mean. I didn't want to act that way, you know, even though I +did find myself in the wrong box with those other rich boys----" + +"No such thing, Jim Barlow! That was all your own self-consciousness. +They're the nicest boys in the world and the friendliest. And it seems +you can remember some things--bad ones--even if not how you ran away and +got away up here to this peak. Jim, I'm ashamed of you. I certainly am!" + +But the way in which she reached out and clasped his hand in both of +hers disarmed the words of all offence. Jim threw back his head and +laughed as he hadn't done in many a day. It was just glorious to be +scolded again by his old comrade! It was so homelike that he felt "more +himself" than any softer speech would have made him. + +"Well, go on! Do go on!" + +"Alaric isn't half bad. I reckon I'd have died but for him. An old +Indian chief, of the Utes, White Feather Alaric called him--his +brother-in-law----" + +"Oh! I'm well acquainted with him. Don't stop to tell that part, but +just do go on." + +Jim stared and retorted: + +"Oh! you are, eh? But I've got to tell about him 'cause it was he who +found me and brought me here. Picked me up on the road somewhere. I've +had a suspicion--just a suspicion, don't you know?--that Alaric wasn't +any too glad to see me. It's a mighty little house and he's a mighty +lazy man. But he had to do it. He's afraid of White Feather, though I +tell you, Dolly Doodles, he's a splendid Indian. If all red men were +like him----" + +"I don't care at all about Indians. Go on." + +"Alaric dressed my arm with leaves and stuff and fed me the best he +could, but after I'd got that basket sent to you with the lamb and the +stones--Did you get it? Did you understand?" + +"Yes, I understood--part. I knew that only Jim Barlow could make such a +curious D as was on the stone and the basket. I supposed you were alive +somewhere and I tried to think you were all right. By the way, the +lambkin is thriving and we've named it after you--Netty!" + +"What? Why Netty, if you please?" + +Dorothy laughed and explained. She was ready now to laugh at anything +and so was he: she made him finish his story, which he promptly did. + +After he had sent the basket-message he had grown worse. He was +delirious and did not know what went on about him. He thought it was +the bad water from the old tank that increased his fever, and was sure +it was that which had made the sheep herder himself fall ill. So before +his strength came back he had to turn nurse himself and attend upon +Alaric. He had now recovered enough to go away to his employer's ranch +for a few days. Meanwhile Jim was keeping the sheep for his host with +little José for company. + +Dorothy listened, asking questions now and then, and finally inquired: + +"Is this Alaric an Indian?" + +"No. A Mexican, a Greaser. He married an Indian princess, the sister of +White Feather." + +"How came you by that Indian rig? costume, I mean." + +Jim laughed. "White Feather again. At first I hadn't anything to wear +but a ragged pair of trousers which Alaric lent me, though he hated to, +and a blanket for a coat. But a few days ago White Feather and his +braves came this way again. He brought quite a collection of old duds +and gave 'em to Alaric. That paid him for what he'd lent me, I guess. +And some of White Feather's folks have always given little José his +Indian fixings, too. Else--Well, he wouldn't have had much to wear. +Ain't he cute?" + +"Indeed, he is. Looks exactly like a tiny White Feather himself. The +dear!" answered Dorothy, helping herself to another piece of bread and +breaking it in bits to feed the child, who smiled and swallowed in great +glee. "But your suit? You haven't told about that yet." + +"Isn't it fine? I begin to feel like a red man myself, wearing it. White +Feather gave this to me with his own hands. It looks as if it had been +worn a long time but it's a mighty comfortable rig, especially after a +fellow's had--nothing at all." + +Then Dorothy talked, her words fairly tumbling over each other in her +haste to tell all that had happened at San Leon while he was gone. She +ended with the question: + +"Will you go back with me now, Jim? or with all of us, when we find +them! My heart! How glad, how glad they'll be!" + +Jim shook his head. + +"I can't, Dolly, not yet. I've got to stay till Alaric comes. Nobody +knows when that'll be, he's so lazy; and so sure now that I'll do his +work for him. Besides--I've got something on my mind. Even if--even +if--Well, I shan't go back to San Leon till I take a peace offering with +me. I think--anyway I hope--I've--No matter. Where are the others, do +you think? How did you get so far away from 'em, alone?" + +"I don't know. But I wish--I wish they'd come. Ah! Hark!" + +Dorothy stood up and listened. They could hear a horse moving +somewhere, the dull thud of hoofs on soft ground, and a whinny of +recognition to Zaraza feeding near. A moment later Silent Pete came into +sight, and in another moment had dismounted beside them. + +He hadn't a word to say but stared at Jim with what would seem reproach +except for a kindly gleam in his blue eyes. Up and down the lad's tall +form the old man's eyes roved many times and then he gave one of his +rare laughs. + +"Fits good, hey?" + +"First class! Did you ever wear an Indian costume?" asked Jim. + +"Huh! I've wore that one more years 'n you're old," said the ex-hunter, +and sitting down helped himself to the bread. + +Perhaps the man had never talked so freely as he did now. Of hunting, of +savage fights, and of mining--of anything and everything connected with +Colorado's past as he had known it. Because he had never had such +interested listeners. Jim's eyes shone, and when the subject touched on +mining, he got up and went into the shack, coming back a moment later +with some bits of stones lying on his palm. He held these out to Silent +Pete who accepted them with sudden interest. Until he finally exclaimed: + +"Glory! Where?" + +Jim walked a little distance from that point of the mesa and the others +followed him wondering. Then digging away some earth from the small +hillock where he had paused, pointed downward. + +Silent Pete gazed without speaking for a full moment. Then he stooped +and gathered a few fragments of insignificant stone, while Dorothy +watched him wondering. Presently the hunter looked up--his face +transformed--the brilliancy of youth restored to his faded eyes. + +"Silver! by gum! And--and--_all the land this side that shack belongs to +San Leon_! Of all the dum luck--Let's go home! Let's go home!" + +He couldn't move fast enough. The youngsters followed him at an equal +pace so excited that they scarcely knew what they were doing. Jim had +found silver! Jim had discovered a mine! This meant untold wealth to +their beloved host! + +There was no thought in their minds of a possible mistake. It could not +be. It was all as clear as daylight to Dorothy, whose reverent heart +always traced "leadings" in that chain of events which we call life. + +Jim had been "led" to all and through all that had happened. If he +hadn't wandered here--no use thinking about that. He _had_ wandered, he +_had_ found the silver, it _had_ been ordered, even the pain and +suffering and grief. Oh! to get back to where they could send the good +news flying to the absent owner of San Leon! + +"Let's go home!" cried the girl, running to the Zaraza's side and trying +to saddle her. + +But Jim would not let her do that, though he did not seek to hinder her +from going, and when she had sprung to her seat upon the filly's back, +he held out his hand, saying: + +"I'll come soon's I can, Dolly Doodles! This is a big day for me!" + +"Why--why--aren't you coming too? You can ride part of the way and I +part." + +"No, girlie. I promised Alaric I'd take care of José and the sheep. I've +got to--duty, you know." + +"Oh! Duty! I hate duty! Oh! Jim, you ought to be the one, the very one +to carry the good news straight to 'Boss Dan!' It should be you to send +this glorious message!" + +But Jim shook his stubborn head. + +"I'd like to--shucks! But I ain't never seen how neglectin' the duty 't +lies to hand helps a fellow to do the one 't is further off. It's all +right, Dolly. You speed the good word and watch out for Jim. He'll be +coming--sure. Good-by--good-by." + +Meanwhile Peter had placed the lunch baskets on the ground, leaving them +for Jim and the child. + +Not until they had passed out of sight and were well on the downward +trail did Dorothy remember her absent mates and to ask how Silent Pete +had chanced to find her. He scarcely paused to reply; for though he +spoke no word, except to answer her questions, he was fairly quivering +with excitement. It isn't every day one stumbles on a silver mine, even +in Colorado! + +"Oh! I saw where you'd passed by the trompled brush. I knew the calico's +tread. I saw 't you was off the line an' I blazed that so's the rest'd +see and not get scared. We shan't see no more o' them till nightfall, +only you an' me--we must get home. Don't waste breath talkin'--_just +travel_." + +Travel they did and, their own dispatches sent from San Leon, another +came flashing back--crossed each other on the way, so to speak. + +"Reach the ranch to-morrow. D. F." + +Well, this story is about told. Such a wonderful home-coming that was! +Messengers had been quickly sent to the sheep herder's hut to act as +substitutes for Jim in his "duty" and to bring him and José "home," +where he found himself welcomed as a hero--he who had thought himself +despised. + +Thus was discovered the famous "Bygum Mine," so named for the first +words uttered by Silent Pete, when Jim showed him the site. Those who +remember the energy of "Dan Ford, Railroad Boss" will understand how +promptly matters were set in motion for the opening of "Bygum;" and +those who know his generosity will guess how he made each young guest a +sharer, to some degree, in this fresh prosperity. All except Jim Barlow: +for that too independent youth promptly refused any further benefit +from his great discovery than a simple "Thank you." How that refusal +affected the lad's pursuit of "knowledge" will be told in another story +of "Dorothy's House Boat," upon which, a few weeks later, he had to +"work his passage." + +But now, with Lady Gray's dear presence among them and the master's hand +at the helm, there was nothing but happiness for all at San Leon: until, +all suddenly it seemed, the three months of their stay had passed and +the parting came. If there was sadness in their hearts that morning, +when they mounted the buckboards for their journey back to Denver, there +was also anticipation and delight; for, to quote the words of their +genial host: + +"The world is but a little place. We have met and loved each other--we +shall meet and love again." + + THE END + + + + +TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE: + + +Minor changes have been made to correct typesetters' errors; otherwise, +every effort has been made to remain true to the author' words and +intent. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Dorothy on a Ranch, by Evelyn Raymond + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DOROTHY ON A RANCH *** + +***** This file should be named 26389-8.txt or 26389-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/6/3/8/26389/ + +Produced by D Alexander and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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