第58章

"Don't you worry, miss.We'll be on the trail in two hours.And look here, we'll want beddin' and lots of things, so hustle." And Ike set off with long strides."Hustle's the word for her.Got to keep her busy, poor girl!" he said to himself."Guess he's a goner.You bet that old chap don't weaken for no belly-ache.He's right bad."The only wagon in the place belonged to Carroll."Want your wagon and outfit, Carroll," said Ike briefly."Old Prospector's pretty bad.Got to get him home."Carroll growled a refusal.He had never recovered his wanted good nature since his encounter with Shock, and his resentment against the one man, seemed to poison his whole nature against all.

"What!" said Ike, amazed at Carroll's refusal.In that country men in need of anything helped themselves without reference to the owner.

"Why, sure, Carroll," interposed Crawley hastily."You'll let Ike have that wagon.I tell you what, I'll drive it for him.Shut up, Carroll!" he said in an aside."When do you start, Ike? Two hours?

I'll be there."

In an hour and a half, true to his word, Ike was back with Shock and the doctor.Before another half hour had gone past they were all on the trail, Marion riding her pony, Shock and the doctor in the buckboard, and Crawley driving the wagon, in which, besides mattress and bedding, were saddles for use when the trail should forbid wheels.

After long hesitation Ike decided that he ought not to join the party.

"That there Crawley," he argued to himself, "aint to be trusted, especially when he's goin' round lookin' like a blank hyena.But Iguess I'll have to let him go and git back to the ranch." And so with an uneasy feeling Ike watched them set off.

Half-way back to the ranch he met his boss.

"Hello, Ike," saluted The Kid gaily."You're needing a powder.Off your feed, eh?""Howdy, boss," replied the cowboy gravely.

"I'm feelin' proper enough, but there's others not so frisky.""What's up, Ike? Your grandmother poorly?""Well, do you know," said Ike, watching The Kid keenly with his half shut eyes, "there's been a great mix-up at The Lake there.A breed, half dead with the saddle, came from the Old Prospector askin' for the preacher.Guess the old chap's about quittin' the trail."The Kid's hand tightened on the reins.

"Hit him there, I reckon," grunted Ike to himself, but the other paid no attention."So," continued Ike, "they've all gone off.""Who?"

"Why the hull town, seemingly.There's the preacher, and the doctor, and that there Crawley, with Carroll's wagon outfit.They looked a little like a circus, except that there want any wild animals.

Unless you'd count Crawley for a monkey, which would be rather hard on the monkey, I guess."Ike chuckled, a rare chuckle that seemed to begin a long way below his diaphragm and work slowly up to his lips.

"What the deuce are you talking about?" enquired The Kid."What has Crawley got to do with this?""Why," said Ike in a surprised tone, "dunno, onless he's a friend of the old man's.They do have a lot of business together seemingly.Or perhaps as company for the gel.""The girl! Steady there, Swallow," to his mare, for Swallow had given a sudden spring."What girl?" demanded The Kid."Why don't you talk sense? You didn't say anything about a girl.""Why, didn't I mention about that gel? Well, I'm gettin' forgetful.

Why, what gel do you think? They aint growin' on rose bushes or old willows round here, so far as I've seen.Now, how many gels have you observed in your pilgrimages round that town?""Oh, blank you for an idiot!" said The Kid wrathfully."Do you mean that the--Miss Mowbray has gone off with the rest?" In spite of his splendid self-control, as The Kid spoke the name a red flush on his face could be suddenly seen through the brown tan.

Ike nodded gravely.

"Yes, she's gone.But she'll be all right.The preacher's there.

He'll be busy with the old man, of course, but he'll find some time for her.And then there's the other chap, you know.He's been mighty kind to-day, mighty kind, and considerable, too.Can't say as I'd just cotton to him, but when he likes he's ingraciousin' ways, mighty ingraciousin' ways.""Oh!" roared The Kid."Crawley" Then he looked at his cowboy's face.

"Confound you, Ike! So you were pulling my leg a little, were you?

Never mind, my day will come."

With this he turned the Swallow toward the Lake and set off.

"Good-bye," called out Ike."Where you going?""Oh, I say," cried The Kid, wheeling the Swallow.

"What trail did they take?"

"You mean Crawley?" inquired Ike.

With a curse The Kid bore down upon him.

"Which way did they go?" he demanded.

"Okanagan trail," said Ike, with a slow grin."So long.""Good-bye, Ike.You'll see me when I come back."And The Kid waved his hand, and gave the Swallow her head.

Ike looked after him, and allowed himself the very, unusual indulgence of a hearty laugh.

"Well," he said, "I tried to help Crawley a little, but somehow it didn't seem to go right."A tail chase is a long chase, and so The Kid found it, for the speed and endurance of the Swallow were both fully tested before the advance party were overtaken.

As he came in sight of them he pulled himself up with the question, "What am I doing here? What is my business with that party?" For a mile or so he rode slowly, keeping out of their sight, trying to find such answer to this question as would satisfy not so much himself but those before him, to whom, somehow, he felt an answer was due.The difficulty of explaining his presence became sensibly greater as he pictured himself attempting to make it clear to Crawley.

"It is none of his business, anyway," at length he said impatiently.

"She doesn't want him around.How did he know?"Crawley was a man of some parts.He had money and ability.He was a scholar, and could talk well about rocks and plants.The Kid had heard him discourse to the Old Prospector and Marion many a day on these subjects, and intelligently, too.