She paused on that, recalling suddenly what she had heard at Thompson’s of Marion’s nursing Haig back to life, and intuitively associating her appearance there with his. Marion saw the thought reflected in the woman’s honest face, and knew that after all the happenings of the summer, and the gossip that had followed, her better course was to be frank with Mrs. Murray from the start. Besides she could not wait to ask her questions by any indirection.
“Have you seen him?” she demanded eagerly.
“Yes, he was here––about noontime. The look on his face!”
She threw up her hands in a gesture that indicated the abandonment of all hope for such a man.
“And Sunnysides?”
“Long before him. The critter almost run over my two babies, playin’ there before the door. Poor dears, scared almost out o’ their skins!”
“What did he say?”
“Nothin’. That is, not much. About the horse first. My man told him it ain’t no use tryin’ to ketch him, an’ it’s foolish to try to cross Thunder Mountain. Murray’s been here ten years, an’ ain’t gone much further’n the edge of it. Storms allus drove him back. An’ what’s the use, when he’s got wife an’ childer to look after? Of course Haig–––”
“What did he say then?”
“He says he c’n cross if Sunnysides can, an’ if they can’t they’ll fight it out up there. My man asks why he didn’t go ’round a safe way an’ wait for Sunnysides in the San Luis, if he thinks the horse’s goin’ back home. Haig says he’d made up his mind to cross 218 Thunder Mountain some time, an’ now’s as good a time as any. But it’s–––” She was checked at last by the look of anguish on Marion’s face. “But you just come in. It’s supper time, almost, an’ you must be right hungry. Murray’ll be here soon, an’ he’ll put up your horse.”