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Vigor was in the look of him as he stood, a slow grin on his face, beside Barbara Morgan at the entrance of the patio of the Rancho Seco ranchhouse. Barbara was sitting on a bench that ranged the front wall of the building.
He kept stepping back, until he brought up against the rear wall of the ranchhouse; and there he stood, watching Woodward, his eyes bulging with dread wonder. Harlan saw his lips move; heard his voice, hoarse and throaty: "It's a frame-up a frame-up. Both of you are out to get me!" "Frame-up!" This was Woodward.
"Say," he muttered to himself; "but you're a right one, bo," and wheeling to the north he clapped his spurs to his new mount and loped easily off into the night. IT was a week later, yet Grayson still was growling about the loss of "that there Brazos pony." Grayson, the boss, and the boss's daughter were sitting upon the veranda of the ranchhouse when the foreman reverted to the subject.
In spite of his exceeding slenderness, Owen seemed to possess the endurance and stamina of a larger and more physically perfect man. For though he was always seen about the ranchhouse during the day helping at odd jobs and appearing to be busy nearly all the time each succeeding night found him stealthily mounting his horse to ride to the Bar D, there to watch Dale's movements.
Apparently he was willing to forgive and forget, for he grinned at Owen, who was watching him from the door of the bunkhouse, and he politely doffed his hat to Mary Bransford, who met him at the door of the ranchhouse. "Well, Miss Mary," he said, "how does it feel to have a brother again?" "It's rather satisfying, Dale," smiled the girl. "Won't you get off your horse?"
She saw his lips form her name, and then she waited demurely until she saw him coming out of the ranchhouse door toward her. He had quite recovered from his surprise, she noted; his manner was that of the day before, when she had seen him riding the black horse.
For both men had seen that Latimer had left his friends at the stable door and was coming slowly toward the bunkhouse. "You'll have to be slick," warned Rogers. "He's comin'. I'll be moseyin' out of the way." He moved slowly from the bench, passed the group of card-players, and walked to the ranchhouse, where he hung the cinch buckle on a nail driven into the wall of the building.
You can tell that damned son of yours that! Understand? He's aimin' to get even for what I'm doin' tonight, he'll find me at my place alone waitin' for him! Now, get goin'." Mrs. Lawler did not answer. She took up the reins and sent the horse forward, past the bunkhouses and the corral and the ranchhouse through the valley and up the long rise that led to the great plains above.
When he reached the ranchhouse he saw none of the men, for he had set them at tasks inside the buildings; and he rode down to the ranchhouse, resolved to have a talk with the girl. When he rode around the near corner he saw that the patio gate was open.
He stood beside the boulder until he saw them disappear around the wall of the canyon. Then with a satisfied grin he walked to his pony, mounted, and was off through the draw toward the Circle Bar ranchhouse. Rumor, that mysterious disseminator of news whose tongues are legion, whispered that the Dry Bottom Kicker was to come to life.
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