“But I’m coming back—in an hour or two.”
“My father went away. Are you going to the ‘north’ as he did, brother?”
“A little way ‘north,’ and you’re to tell nobody till I come riding back on a new Benoni. Now, Adios, niña![12] Watch out for me—thus!”
He waved his arms above his head, kissed his finger tips to her as Miguel would have done, and darted northward. She watched him through her tears and with a sinking heart, yet tried to remember his promise: “In an hour or two.” Then she rejoined the others and kept a faithful “watch out” all that long day; but even when the sun went down her brother had not returned.
CHAPTER XX
THE SIEGE OF CORK
Even the possession of his broncho could not long fill the mind of Dennis to the exclusion of his “little lady.” Having missed her from the party in advance of the wagon he halted and let that pass, then retraced his way to where she was slowly approaching, alone.
“Sure, Miss Carlota, this is the botherin’ beast! If I wants him to go forard it’s backard he will; an’ if backard—then forard’s the word. What would ye be doin’ to him if he was yours, if ye please?”
“I don’t know. I never ‘broke’ a horse, though I’ve often seen others do it. Miguel says that either a man or his horse must be master and that there’s no peace till it’s settled. He believes in making a final thing of it, once for all.”
“Faith, I’m not thinkin’ I’d like the ‘Greaser’ overmuch but, all the same, a body must give—um, um—his due. I’ll have to tussle the thing out, bime-by, I trow.”
Then he looked at her wondering to see traces of tears on her face. Pulling the forelock which dangled below his sombrero, he asked: