“And Kitty,” added Hardy, in a hushed voice. Not since they had come had he spoken of her, and Lucy had respected his silence. Except for the vague “Perhaps” with which she had answered Bill Lightfoot’s persistent inquiries he had had no hint that Kitty might come, and yet a vague uneasiness had held his eyes to the trail.
“Tell me, Lucy,” he said, drawing her back to his side as the party dipped out of sight in the interminable 473 thicket of mesquites, “why have you never spoken of Kitty? Has anything dreadful happened? Please tell me quick, before she comes. I––I won’t know what to say.” He twisted about and fixed an eye on the doorway, but Lucy held out a restraining hand.
“It has been a great secret,” she said, “and you must promise not to tell, but Kitty has been writing a play.”
“A play!” exclaimed Hardy, astounded, “why––what in the world is it about?”
“About Arizona, of course,” cried Lucy. “Don’t you remember how eager she was to hear you men talk? And she collected all those spurs and quirts for stage properties! Why, she wrote books and books full of notes and cowboy words while she was down here and she’s been buried in manuscript for months. When she heard that you were having the round-up early this year she was perfectly frantic to come, but they were right in the midst of writing it and she just couldn’t get away.”
“They?” repeated Hardy, mystified. “Why who––”
“Oh, I forgot,” said Lucy, biting her lip. Then in a lower voice she added: “She has been collaborating with Tupper Browne.”
“Tupper Browne! Why, what does he know 474 about Arizona?” cried Hardy indignantly, and then, as Lucy looked away, he stopped short.
“Oh!” he said, and then there was a long silence. “Well, Tupper’s a good fellow,” he remarked philosophically. “But Lucy,” he said, starting up nervously as the sound of horses’ feet came up from the creek bed, “you’ll––you’ll do all the talking, won’t you?”
“Talking!” repeated Lucy, pausing in her flight. “Why, yes,” she called back, laughing. “Isn’t that always the woman’s part?” And then she fell upon Kitty’s neck and kissed her. Hardy came forward with less assurance, but his embarrassment was reduced to a minimum by Judge Ware who, as soon as the first greetings were over, brought forward the mild-mannered gentleman in khaki and introduced him.