CHAPTER XXVIII
FOREBODINGS
Almost at once they struck a fresh trail, made by a number of horsemenriding in a bunch, which led diagonally across middle pasture. It was easyto follow, and Hardenberg pushed his men hard to make up for delays whichwere likely to come later on. For a time Buck rode beside the sheriff,discussing their plans and explaining the lay of the land. Then he fellback a little to chat with Jessup.
"I'm sure glad of one thing," Bud said emphatically, after a few desultoryremarks. "Miss Mary won't be bothered no more now with that son-of-a-gunhangin' around an' makin' eyes."
Stratton turned on him suddenly. "Who the devil do you mean?" he demandedsharply.
"Why, Tex, of course," shrugged Jessup. "He used to put in considerabletime soft-soapin' around her. A hell of a nerve, I'll say, makin' up tosuch as her."
Buck scowled. "I never saw anything like that," he said brusquely, "exceptmaybe once," he added. With a sudden recollection of that afternoon theymoved the herd out of south pasture.
"Likely not," returned Bud. "He wasn't so bad till after yuh went. I gotthe notion he took to courtin' her, yuh might say, as a kind of last hope.If he could figger on gettin' her to marry him, he'd have the ranch an'everythin' on it without no more trouble at all. You'd think even ascoundrel like him would see she wouldn't look at him."
"Did he-- Was he--"
"Oh, no! Nothin' raw a-tall," returned Bud, divining the thought inStratton's mind. "He just hung around the ranch-house a lot, an' was awfulsweet, an' used them black eyes of his consid'able. Sorta preparing theway, I reckon. But he didn't get far." He chuckled reminiscently. "I'lltell the world, she didn't waste no time sendin' him about his business."
For a time Buck rode on in frowning silence. The very thought enraged himand added deeply to the score that was piling up so rapidly against thescoundrel.
Presently Bud's voice broke in upon his savage reverie.
"Funny we didn't see nothin' of the Mannings back there," he commented."The lady couldn't of known yuh was around." He glanced slyly at Buck."Besides," he added, seeing that his friend's expression did not lighten,"with somethin' like this doin', you'd think his lordship would want tostrut around in them baggy pants an' yellow boots, an' air his views onhow to go about to catch the gang."
Stratton turned his head abruptly. "But they must be there!" he saidsharply. "They surely can't have gone away."
"There wasn't no talk of it when I left," shrugged Bud. "Still, an' all,me an' his nibs wasn't on exactly confidential terms, an' he might haveforgot to tell me about his plans. Yuh got to remember, too, I've beengone over a week."
A worried wrinkle dodged into Buck's forehead. All along he had taken thepresence of the Mannings so entirely for granted that the possibility oftheir having left the ranch never once occurred to him. But now, in aflash, he realized that by this time, for all he knew, they might be backin Chicago. As Bud said, it certainly seemed odd that neither of them hadappeared when the posse rode up to the ranch-house. What a fool he hadbeen not to make sure about it. Why hadn't he asked the questionoutright?
"But I did mention it while we were talking," he thought, trying toreconstruct that brief interview with Mary Thorne. "Hang it all! No, Ididn't. I was going to, but she interrupted. But she must have known whatI referred to."
Suddenly there came back the vivid recollection of the girl's face as shesaid good-by. Outwardly cheerful and composed, that faint pallor and thefew lines of strain etched about her mouth and chin struck him now with atremendous significance. She had known what was in his mind, but purposelyrefrained from revealing the truth for fear of becoming a drag and hamperto him. She was game through and through.
The realization brought a wave of tenderness surging over the man,followed swiftly by a deepening sense of trouble and uneasiness.
"I don't like it at all, Bud," he burst out abruptly. "I wish to thunderwe'd found out for sure about those Mannings. If they have gone, one of usat least ought to have stayed."
"Well, of course I'm only guessin'. Quite likely they're there yet, onlyit just seemed funny not to see them. But even if she is left alone withonly Mrs. Archer, yuh ain't worryin' about anythin' really happenin' toher, are yuh? It'll be darn lonesome, an' all that, but Lynch an' thewhole gang has beat it--"
"How do we know where they have gone?" cut in Stratton curtly. "They had agood hour's start, and more. It'll be getting dusk pretty quick. What's toprevent one or more of 'em circling back by the southeast? Lynch iscapable of anything, and after what you've just told me--"
Bud's eyes widened. "But what would he have to gain--"
"Gain?" repeated Buck irritably. "How the devil do I know what's in thatpolecat's mind? He's quite capable of hiding behind a woman's skirts. He'seven capable of carrying her off and trying to force her to marry him, orsomething like that. I've half a mind to--"
He broke off, frowning. Bud, now thoroughly alarmed, stared at himuneasily. "You'd better let me go back," he said quickly. "They'll needyuh more."
"I don't give a damn whether they need me or not," retorted Buck swiftly."I've got a better idea, though. We'll hit Las Vegas inside of tenminutes. The 'phone's still working, isn't it?"
"It was the last I knew."
"I'll take a chance. There's been nothing to put it out of business. Bycalling up we'll know how things stand a whole lot quicker. If she andMrs. Archer are alone, I'll chase back at once and you can show Hardenbergthe way into the mountains."
Though Bud's face showed no particular pleasure in the plan, he made nocomment, and they rode on in silence. Presently the sheriff turned andcalled to Stratton. The trail was spreading out, he said, and growing moreand more difficult to follow in the waning light.
"I don't understand why they rode so far apart," he said, "unless it wasto make it hard for any one to track them. Looks to me, though, as if theywere heading straight for that cut into the mountains you told me about.Is it much further off?"
"About a quarter of a mile below the little 'dobe shack we're coming to,"Stratton answered. "The creek takes a sharp turn to the southeast, andright at the bend you cross and ride straight west into a narrow draw thatdoesn't look like it went anywhere. Further on it twists around and leadsinto a short canyon that brings you through to a sort of valley lyingbetween the hills. After that everything's plain sailing. It's almost asplain as a regular trail."
"Good," nodded Hardenberg. "Anything to mark the draw?"
Buck thought a minute. "As I remember, there's a low ridge on the northside, and a big clump of mesquite on the right just before you leave theflats."
"Well, you'll be with us to act as guide. I wish we'd had an hour'searlier start, though. It won't be any cinch traveling through thesemountains in the dark. Still, at the worst, we can count on Dick Jordan'sbunch to nab them as they come out."
Buck nodded. "I'm not sure I can stick along with you much longer," headded briefly. "But Jessup can show you the way quite as well. There seemsto be some doubt now about those people I spoke of being still at theranch."
"Humph! That would mean that Miss Thorne would be there alone?"
"Yes, except for her aunt. I may be worrying unnecessarily, but with ascoundrel like Lynch--"
"You never can tell," finished the sheriff as he hesitated. "That's trueenough. We mustn't take any chances. But how--"
"Telephone. There's a line from the ranch-house to Las Vegas camp justahead." Buck pointed where, through the gathering dusk, the outlines ofthe adobe shack showed dimly. "If I find there's no one with her, I'llride back."
"Go to it," nodded the sheriff. "If you don't show up I'll understand. Ata pinch I reckon we could find the trail ourselves from your directions."
As Stratton pulled off to the right, he waved his hand and swept onwardwith the posse. Buck reached the door and swung out of the saddle,flinging the reins over Pete's head. Then he found that Bud had followedhim.
"I'm goin' to wait an' hear what yuh find out," the youngster
statedresolutely. "I can catch up with 'em easy enough."
"All right."
Buck hastily entered the shack, which was almost pitch-dark. A faintglint of metal came from the telephone, hanging beside one window; and ashe swiftly crossed the room and fumbled for the bell, there stirred withinhim a sudden sense of apprehension that was almost dread.
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