United States or Nauru ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Sucatash and Dave, finding that the girl was a capable horsewoman and apparently able to bear any reasonable amount of fatigue, had pushed their first day's travel relentlessly, covering the twenty miles between the ranch and the mountains, and aiming to penetrate another ten miles into the hills on the first day. There had been little conversation.
Neither Sucatash nor Dave actually had any real conviction that Solange would venture into the Esmeraldas at this time of year to look for a mine whose very existence they doubted as being legendary. Yet neither tried to dissuade her from the rash adventure as yet. In this attitude they were each governed by like feelings. Both of them were curious and sentimental.
Slowly Banker subsided into his seat as he saw that neither Solange nor Sucatash apparently had hostile intentions. He tried to twist his seamed features into an ingratiating grin, but the effort was a failure, producing only a grimace. "W'y, here's ole French Pete's gal!" he exclaimed, cordially, though there was a quaver in his voice.
De Launay gazed down upon the fire, and his face was bitter as though he tasted death. Solange slowly reached behind her again and dropped the heavy weapon upon the log. Then, in a choked voice she struggled to call out: "Monsieur Wallace! Will you come?" In the next room there was a stirring of hasty movements. Sucatash raised a cheery and incongruous voice. "Just a minute, mad'mo'selle!
The lanky Sucatash looked at him askance, catching the note of sentiment. "Yeah?" he said, a bit dryly. "Well, folks change, you know. They grow up." "Yes," said De Launay. "And this Marian Pettis, she done growed up. I ain't sayin' nothin' against a lady, you understand, but she ain't exactly in the fairy class nowadays, I reckon."
He did not stop for this but urged his horses steadily on until he had come to the windswept and comparatively clear divide and headed downward toward the cañon. The efficient Sucatash reported back to Solange the details of De Launay's escape, making them characteristically brief and colorful. Then, with the effective aid of MacKay, he set out to prepare for the expedition in search of the mine.
"But any one would know enough to camp near water," said Solange, surprised. "Yes'm," agreed Sucatash, solemnly. "Any one would! But them prospectors ain't human, that a way. They lives in the deserts so much they gets kind of wild and flighty, ma'am. Water is so scarce that they gets to regardin' it as somethin' onnatural and dangerous.
But, ma'am, I know better'n you do how you really feel. You think you want him killed but you don't." Solange abruptly straightened round and rode ahead without another word. Morosely, Sucatash followed. They came into the cañon at last and turned downward toward the spot where camp had been pitched that day, which seemed so long ago, and yet was not yet a week in the past.
"He has," said De Launay, shortly. "More than you know." Again the cow-puncher was silent for a space. "Reckon he beefed Dave?" he said at last. "Shouldn't be surprised," said De Launay. "I searched for him but couldn't find him. He wouldn't get lost or hurt. But Jim Banker's done enough, in any case." "He sure has," said Sucatash.
It was in her eyes that Sucatash read meaning. Somewhere in their depths he found a knowledge denied even to her, perhaps. He heaved a profound sigh and turned to yell at Dave. "Get a wiggle on, old-timer! You an' me are just hired hands on this pasear. Madame de Launay will be gettin' hungry before we make camp." Dave swung quickly around, catching the slight emphasis on the strange name.
Word Of The Day