Then, rising, he added, “Nine o’clock, girls, and I want you to be ready for the saddle by five tomorrow morning. It’s a long, hard ride to Douglas and back. Good night.”
The girls soon heard him whistling in another part of the house.
A sudden glad hope had awakened in Malcolm’s consciousness. Perhaps, just perhaps, he might not have to live alone after all.
CHAPTER XXXIX—LONG DISTANCE PHONE MESSAGE.
The sun was just appearing above a range of misty gray mountains far across the desert on the eastern horizon when the three young riders reached the top of the mesa trail and drew rein to watch while the glory of the dawn flamed the mountain peaks with rose and gold.
“A wonderful day has come and surely that is a good omen,” Virginia said. “I feel as excited as though something very unusual were about to happen.”
Virg was right! Something very unusual and unexpected was about to happen, but the nature of the something was very different from that which they anticipated.
It was nearly noon when Douglas was reached and Malcolm declared that the girls must go at once to the Inn and rest for several hours before making the return trip. Virg consented, declaring, however, that she wished to remain with Malcolm until she knew the result of his endeavor to get in touch with the Wilson Ranch, so together the three young people went to a long distance telephone. Red Riverton postoffice soon responded and the postmistress inquired, “Do you say that you wish to communicate, if possible, with someone from the Wilson Ranch? Harry Wilson was in here about half an hour ago. He always hitches his horse in front of the postoffice. Hold the wire and I will see if it is still there.”
While Malcolm held the receiver he rapidly told the girls what the communication had been.
“Oh, I do hope he hasn’t gone,” Virg said when Malcolm’s attention was again called. “No, Harry Wilson hasn’t left town. His horse is still in front. I will have a small boy stand there and tell Harry to see me when he returns. Where will he be able to get in touch with you?”