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Updated: June 5, 2025
Howard snapped out a curt admonition to Barbee to mind his own business and flung himself into the saddle. As he spurred away to the outer fringe of his herd he was not thinking over-much of Carr's warning; somehow Barbee's stuck closer in his mind. A spurt of irritation with himself succeeded that first desire to slap the message-bearer's face.
Barbee shrugged and spat and answered Blenham with a curse and a grunted: "Nobody's askin' your opinion, Blenham." But Steve saw and Blenham must have seen the gleam of triumph in Barbee's eye. "What are you goin' to do with me?" asked Blenham presently. "Nothin'," replied Barbee. "Jus' keep you where I got you until Steve Packard comes back. Which ought to be mos' any time now."
From the moment in 1862, when at Barbee's they raised the loud resounding Marseillaise, while fighting the enemy in front and rear, to this fall of 1864, when they had strewed a hundred battle-fields with dead men and horses, these "swarthy old hounds" of the horse artillery had vindicated their claims to the admiration of Stuart; in the thunder of their guns, the dead chieftain had seemed still to hurl his defiance at the invaders of Virginia.
Yellow Barbee's eyes fairly invaded Helen's as he jerked her his bow. They were two youngsters, and in at least, and perhaps in at most, one matter they were alike: she prided herself that she 'knew' men, and to Barbee all women were an open, oft-read book.
It was broken by Bill Royce's joyous laughter as Bill Royce's big hand smote his thigh. "Right again, Steve! An' the ol' board's still there. Go look at it; it's still there." Again all eyes sought Blenham. For a moment he stood uncertain, looking about him. Then abruptly he swept up his hat and went out. And Barbee's laughter, like an evil echo of Royce's, followed him.
"Call me?" came Barbee's cool young voice, impudent now as always. "Yes, come here a minute, will you?" Barbee came, his wide hat far back upon his tight little curls, his swagger pronounced, his sweet blue eyes shining softly his lips battered and bruised and already swelling. "Come in and shut the door," said Packard.
If she were only here to rejoice with them. Steve snorted his disgust with himself, got on a horse and went streaking across the fields, riding hard as was a habit here of late, yelling an order to Barbee as he went. Barbee's innocent blue eyes followed him thoughtfully: then Barbee shrugged and spat and thereafter called to his men to "get busy." The round-up began immediately.
"And it is up those cliffs that we are going," Terry announced when, having drawn nearer, they stopped again to gaze upward. "There's a trail climbing straight up from the bed of the pass; a trail to go hand-and-foot style. Once on top we'll be among Barbee's herds, Barbee guessing nothing of our coming since he'll be busy watching the other ways in. And Look!"
"I never heard a man say," muttered the astounded Barbee, "that there was stair-steps up here! For a man an' girl to come up " "And for our cows to go down!" cried Steve, on his feet now and coming to Barbee's side. "You heard everything, Barbee? You know what has happened?" "Yes," said Barbee.
Any kind you can lay your hands to in a hurry; quirt or buggy-whip or bull-whip!" Blenham watched Barbee go. Then, drawn back into a corner of the room, sullen and vigilant, he stood biting nervously at a big, clenched, hairy fist. Bill Royce, hastily and but half dressed, came promptly to the house, stumbling along at Barbee's heels.
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