"No wonder. I saw that. . . . But now you must get clear-headed. I've no time to lose."He led her to the door.
"John, it's Bo that's gone," he called. "Since yesterday. .
. . Send the boy to get me a bag of meat an' bread. You run to the corral an' get me a fresh horse. My old horse Ranger if you can find him quick. An' rustle."Without a word John leaped bareback on one of the horses he had just unsaddled and spurred him across the courtyard.
Then the big cougar, seeing Helen, got up from where he lay on the porch and came to her.
"Oh, it's Tom!" cried Helen, and as he rubbed against her knees she patted his head with trembling hand. "You big, beautiful pet! Oh, how I remember! Oh, how Bo would love to --""Where's Carmichael?" interrupted Dale. "Out huntin' Bo?""Yes. It was he who missed her first. He rode everywhere yesterday. Last night when he came back he was wild. I've not seen him to-day. He made all the other men but Hal and Joe stay home on the ranch.""Right. An' John must stay, too, declared Dale. "But it's strange. Carmichael ought to have found the girl's tracks.
She was ridin' a pony?"
"Bo rode Sam. He's a little bronc, very strong and fast.""I come across his tracks. How'd Carmichael miss them?""He didn't. He found them -- trailed them all along the north range. That's where he forbade Bo to go. You see, they're in love with each other. They've been at odds.
Neither will give in. Bo disobeyed him. There's hard ground off the north range, so he said. He was able to follow her tracks only so far.""Were there any other tracks along with hers?""No."
"Miss Helen, I found them 'way southeast of Pine up on the slope of the mountain. There were seven other horses makin' that trail -- when we run across it. On the way down we found a camp where men had waited. An' Bo's pony, led by a rider on a big horse, come into that camp from the east --maybe north a little. An' that tells the story.""Riggs ran her down -- made off with her!" cried Helen, passionately. "Oh, the villain! He had men in waiting.
That's Beasley's work. They were after me."
"It may not be just what you said, but that's close enough.
An' Bo's in a bad fix. You must face that an' try to bear up under -- fears of the worst.""My friend! You will save her!"
"I'll fetch her back, alive or dead."
"Dead! Oh, my God!" Helen cried, and closed her eyes an instant, to open them burning black. "But Bo isn't dead. Iknow that -- I feel it. She'll not die very easy. She's a little savage. She has no fear. She'd fight like a tigress for her life. She's strong. You remember how strong. She can stand anything. Unless they murder her outright she'll live -- a long time -- through any ordeal. . . . So I beg you, my friend, don't lose an hour -- don't ever give up!"Dale trembled under the clasp of her hands. Loosing his own from her clinging hold, he stepped out on the porch At that moment John appeared on Ranger, coming at a gallop.
"Nell, I'll never come back without her," said Dale. "Ireckon you can hope -- only be prepared. That's all. It's hard. But these damned deals are common out here in the West.""Suppose Beasley comes -- here!" exclaimed Helen, and again her hand went out toward him.
"If he does, you refuse to get off ," replied Dale. "But don't let him or his greasers put a dirty hand on you.