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She guessed that if it were not for the presence of her brother Jed near by this man would declare himself unmistakably. If the safety of numbers made her main concern, perhaps that was what made Molly Wingate's eye light up when she heard the hoofs of Will Banion's horse splashing in the little stream. She sprang to her feet, waving a hand gayly. "Oh, so there you are!" she exclaimed.
"He means there are moonshiners on this ridge of Lieutenant Wingate's," answered Miss Briggs. "Huh! Brown Eyes, don't you worry about Tom. Any fellow who is slick enough to say a thing without saying it, is slick enough to outwit the whole breed of feudists and others up here." Grace said she was not worrying, but that they must start as soon as they could replenish their stores.
"Oh, yes, I do," moaned Nora. "My wheels are all turning the wrong way. Don't mind me." "We won't," promised Emma. Washington, aroused from a day dream, was directed to hustle himself and make camp. While he was busying himself at this, the girls held a further conference. At its conclusion, Grace paid another visit to the scene of Lieutenant Wingate's undoing.
After Tom Gray had finished his government survey, it was their purpose to proceed with him to Lieutenant Wingate's tract, where Tom was to make a survey and examination of it, so that Hippy might learn whether or not the property possessed any particular value.
She gave a quick, startled glance down at what lay under her hand, and her face went ghastly pale. Uttering a hysterical scream, Emma Dean toppled over backwards, crashing to the cabin floor. As she went over, Emma Dean's feet hit the under side of the table. Her plate of venison slid off to the floor, and Hippy Wingate's coffee landed in his lap.
Nora uttered an anguished wail, and in an instant her arms were about Lieutenant Wingate's neck. "Let go and give him air," commanded Tom. Hippy lay as he had fallen, half on his side, one arm doubled under his head. A red welt across his forehead showed where the blow that felled him had fallen.
Plans of action were mapped out, but not without some bitter attacks upon the enemy. Mr. Wingate's proposal to surrender for the sake of averting bloodshed, if possible, however, prevailed.
He rose finally and clambered out, his face wearing a stern expression, and Grace saw at once that the guide was trying desperately to control his temper. Without so much as looking at the Overlanders, Hi Lang began nosing about, now and then bending over to peer at the ground, stepping cautiously, following a crooked course, all of which excited Hippy Wingate's merriment.
Call it stubbornness or steadfastness, at least Jesse Wingate's strength of resolution now became manifest. At first almost alone, he stayed the stampede by holding out for Oregon in the council with his captains. They stood near the Wingate wagon, the same which had carried him into Indiana, thence into Illinois, now this far on the long way to Oregon.
To tell you the truth, your coming this afternoon was a little inopportune. If you had been a single minute later, I honestly believe that he would have said unforgivable things." Wingate's eyes flashed. "If I could have heard him!" he muttered. "But, dear friend, you could have said nothing nor done anything," she reminded him soothingly.
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