Through the trees she could see that there was a light in the cabin and smoke curled from the chimney. Loud voices too, could be heard. Perhaps they were planning something this very minute. Making sure her horse was securely tied to a tree, Gale started slowly toward the cabin. It would be a ticklish business and goodness knew what might happen if she was caught. She approached the rear of the cabin but it was no good to take up a post here. The window was too high for her to see in and the voices were merely an indistinguishable blur through the thick wall.
Before the cabin stood six horses, reins hanging and their heads drooped forward. Six horses! That meant there were six riders in the cabin. Coming around the corner of the cabin, Gale trod heavily on a twig and it snapped loudly. She stood still on the verge of flight, her heart racing. But when no one came she realized that they were making too much noise to hear such a slight sound. Evidently it was an occasion for celebration for they all seemed in high spirits.
The window where she had meant to make her observations was closed but the door stood ajar. It was perilous looking in at the window, for any moment one of them might glance toward the glass and see her. Gale discovered that, pressed flat against the wall beside the open door, she could hear everything being said, though she could not see the occupants. It was the latter position that she took. Making herself as flat as possible against the rough logs, so there was scarcely risk of detection as long as the men remained indoors, Gale strained her ears to make sense of the conversation.
Suddenly their voices lowered, tones became confiding and mysterious. Now Gale could distinguish only snatches of what was being said. She slid a little closer to the open door.
“Pedro will stay here,” one man said sternly. “Three of you will tend to the cows and the two of us will scout around to that dude camp and see what’s goin’ on.”
Gale wondered if there was another party of easterners camping in the hills, or did those words “dude camp” apply to her and her friends? Quite possibly they did. But why were these men interested in what they did?
“They’re too near the cattle to suit me,” one of the other outlaws said in a deep rumbling voice. “Suppose they see us? Then they’ll be able to give a nice little description to the Sheriff.”
He didn’t sound like an original westerner, Gale thought. More like a gangster of the movie type. Another voice joined in, soft and slurring. A Mexican, probably a half-breed, she decided mentally. For a while she could catch no more of what they said and then only a word here and there. But finally she knew enough that they planned to steal more of the K Bar O cattle. Should she go now and tell Jim and Tom so they could forestall the thieves? No, she would wait longer. Perhaps there was something more she could learn. Where they were taking the cattle for instance. As though in reply to her thoughts, the Mexican spoke again.
“You should have the cows across the border by morning.”
But there seemed to be some little dispute about this. Three of the men started arguing. There was a step near her and a man’s shadow fell on the ground where the light from the doorway streamed out. He was standing in the doorway looking across to the trees. If he turned an inch more in her direction he would see her. Gale held her breath and leaned stiffly against the wall. He must hear her heart beating so loudly. It sounded like thunder in her own ears. Tossing his cigarette out to the ground the man turned and stepped back into the cabin again. Gale almost sank to the ground in sheer relief. Pure luck, that was all it had been, that kept the man from sensing her presence. If he had stepped just a bit farther out, or turned just a bit more in her direction, she would have been discovered. And then what would have happened? She refused to think about that. Cautiously she moved a few paces away from the door. There was no need for her to invite exposure.