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They began to feel, as John had said, that "nothing save disaster was meant for Sobrante folks;" yet, after a moment, "Forty-niner" perceived another side of the matter, and expressed himself thus: "What's got into the pack of us? Seems if we'd lost our gumption. After all, couldn't anything have happened likelier, so far forth as I see.
John Benton had nearly covered the distance to Marion, when he perceived two men slowly advancing toward him along the level road. For a moment, engrossed by thoughts of recent happenings, he paid slight attention to the fact, though idly wondering what strangers might be having business, and on foot, with Sobrante, at which point the road ended.
He was instantly and heartily on the shepherd's side, and demanded, excitedly: "Begging pardon for plain words, as you are a woman with growing children, can you sit there calm as molasses and say 'you wish you could do something about it, yet say no more. 'Wish! Why, land of Goshen! this ain't a wishin' sort of business, this ain't! It's 'Hurray for old Sobrante!
Benton and "Forty-niner" would faithfully perform their duty toward him, they elected to do it along lines of their own. Events crowded one another at Sobrante.
And he so expressed himself, as well as his surprise, over the belated breakfast which Mrs. Benton served him when the service was over and the household dispersed. "Yes, I think it's the nicest thing there is about this dear Sobrante. There's always been the best sort of inflooence here and that's why I like my boy, John, to belong.
George is a typical ranchman, and my husband used to point him out to visitors as what a man might be, who grew up, or old, where 'there was room enough. Big-hearted, full of fun, tender as a woman, but intolerant of meanness and evil doing. It would be a dark day for Sobrante if ill befell our 'Marty." "Well, I don't know. Something's going to go wrong somewhere.
That mattered little, however, since the point was all that he wanted; but it was just as well to have that money he had seen through the window, that night of his first appearance on Sobrante grounds. That, too, was easy to get if one watched his opportunity in that cactus tunnel Ferd had scooped for his brother's convenience.
To make the treachery more secure, some sprays of wild grapes had been tightly stretched beneath the whole, and this showed a deliberation of evil that turned Ephraim sick, but the other man furious. "Who did that will pay the price! I swear it!" he cried. "It surely was meant for a Sobrante man, for they're few besides who ride this way," answered "Forty-niner," thoughtfully. "And, Atlantic!
Over this part of the canyon wall none of the Sobrante ranchmen had ever come; though below it, along a smoother portion, ran the flume that watered the ranch in the valley. Darkness found the shepherd still among the overhanging crags, and with true Indian stolidity he rested for the night.
So it was done. A blanket was speedily fastened about two poles drawn from the corral, and over these Pedro's hard mattress was laid; and thus, placed as comfortably upon it as might be, Antonio was once more conveyed to his old home at Sobrante. And there, that Sunday night, was wild rejoicing and much speculation concerning the outcome of his confession.
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