When Margaret pointed out of the window, Virginia sprang up and looked down toward the bunkhouse. Was it possible that the sheriff did suspect that Tom was one of the three who were supposed to have held up the train in Rattlesnake canyon and was he about to arrest the lad? If so Virginia determined that she would try to save the young outlaw even as he had saved the girls the night before on lonely Second Peak.
She stood gazing intently out of the window ready to run to the bunkhouse if she felt that her presence were needed, but instead, when the sheriff drew rein, and hailed, it was the cow-boy Rusty Pete who appeared in the doorway. Slim quickly joined him, and, from their smiling faces and the hearty way in which they shook hands with Mr. Rizor, Virginia realized that after all the sheriff’s mission had been a peaceful one.
“He is a proud and happy father,” she said as she turned from the window, “and he wants all of his friends to rejoice with him, and so, after all, Tom is safe here, at least for the present.”
Then, glancing at the clock, she exclaimed. “It is nearly noon, and brother said that he would surely reach V. M. at that hour and I just know that he will be as hungry as a wolf.”
Virginia went to her room and Margaret to the one adjoining and they visited through the door that opened between while they changed from their khaki riding habits to fresh pink and blue gingham house dresses. Then arm in arm, they marched to the kitchen.
“You set the table, Megsy,” Virg directed, “while I produce the viands. That is easily done on the desert where we have to depend upon canned foods.”
As she talked, she climbed up on a low step-ladder in the adjoining pantry and selected several cans. “Can you open them, Megsy, while I go to the cooling cellar, and skim some nice thick cream for us?” she inquired.
Margaret looked doubtfully at the can opener which Virg was handing to her, but she replied confidently enough. “Oh, I am sure that I can. I have often seen our Dinah wield that weapon.”
“It’s easy enough,” Virg told her. “See, I’ll do this one to show you how.”
“Oh, I can do that, I am sure I can,” Megsy declared, and so Virg taking the skimmer and a big bowl, went out the back door and descended to the cool walled-in cellar where the milk was kept.