“You see it is I.” She forced a little smile to her trembling lips, and looked at him, half afraid.
“Yes, yes,” he whispered, “it really is. And you came to me. Don’t go away, will you? Don’t ever, ever leave me!”
CHAPTER XIV
Yelling wildly through the night, the other Palo Verde riders came pounding over the sand. Sandy Larch, who, with Mrs. Hallard, had been investigating the extent of Broome’s injuries, straightened up.
“Where’s Westcott?” he shouted. “Any of you seen the black hound? Wing Chang said he had something to do with this business.”
Broome gave a sort of howl, whether of pain or of protest, no one heeded, no one cared. The new-comers crowded around the foreman.
“Where is he?” They demanded, excitedly, “Which way’d ’e go?”
“Search me,” was Sandy’s reply. “He must a’ drifted before I come up. All I know is Wing Chang said he was one o’ the devils after Gard.”
Hickey, who had been taken with the others, roused from his drunken slumber at the sound of Westcott’s name.
“He ain’t here,” he muttered, “Weshcott’s in Sylvania, takin’ care of ’s health. Thash where he ish.”