The Coolidge examiner., 1933-03-03

are yOu SoihS ~ uidAIJ hiLh'
Bobby"
"No." She fairly fred the word
at him.
Excuse me for being curious
about your business, Roberta, but |
just wanted to know If you had
reasonable excuse for going back
to New York. You're very welcome
here. Won't you please stay lit
tie longer?"
mo, | think not, Jimmy"
he shrugged. well, suit your
self. But anyhow, wen tie a can
to Dingle and his men before you
CO." He stifled a little yawn.
I'm tired. Bobby. Breakfast at six
tomorrow morning. VIII you join
me? Then we can get an early
start for the old Antrim ranch and
jolt Mr.. Dingle out of his compla-
cency."
She nodded and turned away to
hide the tears OF modification that
were yelling 10 her eyes. Why
couldn't he see that she did not
want TO leave Vale Verde at all?
| Why had he not urged her to stay?
OF course he had urged her, but
then he had not been persistent In
1t. If he had persisted she would
have reconsidered. No. he did not
love her. Absolutely not Out
wardly he was fiery; inwardly he
! was cold.
Roberta felt very miserable as
she babe him good night with lit
tie catch In her throat.
At breakfast Jimmy noted the
faint circles under her eyes and re-
joiced exceedingly thereat When
they worry so about fellow that
they can't sleep. a deaf man with
his ear to the ground may not in
frequently catch the faint sound of
distant wedding bells" he reflected.
They chatted In desultory fash
ion during the meal; then Roberta
went to fetch her coat and hat.
She was waiting for him at the
patio gate when he emerged from
| the ranch Office. carbine In his
hands. belt of ammunition around
his waist and the two pearl-han-
died pistols tied down to his legs.
Julio brought the enclosed car up
and when they climbed in. Roberta
noticed that beside Julio sat Ken
Hobart. He was armed similarly
to his chief and carried a spare
carbine-for the use, In an emer
gency. of the boy Julio. doubtless
An hour later they pulled up at the
Antrim ranchhouse.
Ken Hobart got out. walked to
the front door and banged on IL
loudly. A Chinaman. in a greasy
apron, opened 1t.
where's Dinglef" the foreman
demanded.
HE go ketchnm sheep. No come
back long time"
Hobart walked around the house
and inspected the interior of an
equally dilapidated barn
Il imagine the C'hinaman's tell
ing the truth. Dingles car Is not
In the barn. he reported.
We've had our drive for moth
ing. Ken. Well well go back to
Vale Verde. put couple of sad
die horses In truck and run down
TO the range where the sheep are.
Well 20 as far as we can with the
truck. and this car. then unload
and ride up into the hills. Game
for the Journey. BObby?"
She nodded and they whirled
across the dusty plain TO Vale
Verde. Here four horses were
saddled and led up a ramp into a
large motor truck. and. preceded by
the motor car. they headed down the
road toward Los AlgodoneS
They left the road presently and
broke trail across the sage TO the
foothills. where the ramp was lei
down from the rear of the motor
truck and the horses backed out.
Ken. you and Julio ride in
northeasterly direction" Don Jaime
ordered. Miss Antrim and | will
ride in the general direction of thai
butte yonder 10 the southeast. An
relic. you will remain here with the
truck and motor car. We will meet
here not later than four O'Clock this
afternoon. Ken"
Roberta mounted the hunter Don
jaime had given her. and they rode
steadily into the southeast, gradn.
ally climbing the butte; when they
reached Its crest a wide valley lay
ourspread before and below them.
Don Jaime refined in his horse
With his binoculars he swept the
country for miles in every direction
hut there was no sign of the vast
flock.
"They were in that valley yes
terday and two miles south of II
the day before. There's feed for
week yonder. | don't I'M
derstand." He searched with the
glass again to the south. then hand
cd II to her. ''Dn YOU see q slight
film of white dust in the sky-ris
ing beyond thnse low slate-cOlOred