The diamond drill., 1920-03-06
CHAPTER ~.
aAln't She the Gamest Little Thor
ouqhbred?v

ouohbred7"
Kate galloped into the ranch plaza
around which the buildings were set.
slipped from her pony. and ran at once
10 the telephone. Bob was on a side
porch mending bride.
"Have you heard anything from
dad?" she cried through the open
door.
Nope" he answered. hammering
down rlvet
Kate called up the hotel where Ma
loney was staying at Saguache. but
could not get him. She asked In turn
for Mackenzie. for Yesler. for Alec
Flandrau.
While she waited for an answer. the
girl moved nervously about the room.
She could not sit down or settle her
self at anything. For some instinct
told her that Fendrick's taunt was not
lie cut out OF whole cloth.
The bell rang. Instantly she was at
the telephone. Mackenzie was at the
other end OF the line.
"Oh. Uncle Mac She had called
him uncle ever since she could remem-
ber. 'What is II they are saying
about dad? Tell me II isn't true" she
begged.
"A pack OF lees, iassie." His Scotch
idiom and accent had succumbed 10
thirty years on the plains, but when
he became excited II rose triumphant
through the acquired speech OF the
Southwest.
''Then is he therein Saguache.
meanr
"No-o. He's not In town."
"Where Is hel"
"Hootsl He'll just have gone some
where on business"
He did not bluff well. Through the
hearty assurance she pierced 10 the
note OF trouble In his voice.
You're hiding something from me.
Uncle Mac. won't have it. You tell
me the truth-the whole truth"
In three sentences he sketched II for
her, and when he had finished he
knew by the sound OF her voice that
she was greatly frightened
Something has happened 10 him.
I'm coming to town. I'll bring Bob.
was to come back. You took the north
road. reckonf"
Eyes"
He put an arm around her shoul-
ders and drew her into the hotel with
cheerful talk.
Come along, Bob. We're going 10
tuck away good supper first off,
While you're eating. I'll tell you aH
there is 10 be told"
Kate opened her lips TO say that she
was not hungry and could not possibly
eat bite. but she thought better OF
IL. Bob had tasted nothing since noon.
and OF course he must be fed.
Curly came into the room. and the
girl rose 10 meet him. He took her
little hand In his tanned muscular one,
and somehow from his grip She gath
cred strength.
I'm so glad you've come" she said
simply.
I'm glad you're glad" he smiled
cheerfully.
He knew she had been crying, that
she was suffering cruelty, but he of
fered her courage rather than maudlln
sympathy. Hope seemed 60 flow
through her veins at the meeting OF
the eyes. Whatever man could do
for her would be done by Curly.
They talked the situation over to-
gether.
"As II looks 10 me, we've got 10 find
out two things-first, what has be-
come of your father and. second, who
did steal that money. don't see Il
yet, but there's some link between the
two things. 1 mean between the rob-
berry and his disappearance"
How do you meanY" Kate asked.
"Well say the robbers were his enc
mies-some of the Soapy Stone outfit.
maybe. They have got him out OF the
way TO satisfy their grudge and TO
make people think he did II. Unfortu-
nately there Is evidence that makes II
look as II he might have done it
what they call corroborating testi-
mony."
what does Sheriff Bolt thinkr
Curly waved the sheriff aside. 'Tt
don't matter what he thinks, Miss
Kate. He says he thinks Luck was
mixed up In the holdup. Maybe that's
what he thinks. but we don't want TO
forget that Cass Fendrick made him
sheriff and your father fought him TO
n fare-you-well."
"rd like 20 talk with Bolt" the
young woman announced.
"All right" Mackenzie assented.
Tomorrow mo'ning-"
"No. tonight, Uncle Mac"
The cnttleman looked az her In sur |
prise. Her voice rang with decision. |
Her slight figure seemed compact with
energy and resolution. Was this the |
girl who had been in helpless tears not |
ten minutes before?
"rll see II he's at his Office Maybe
he'll come up" Curly said.
"No. I'll go down TO the courthouse