Virg in the lead, opened the front door and then stood staring in amazement at what she saw within.
CHAPTER XXVIII—A JOLLY SURPRISE.
“Tom!” Virginia’s manner of uttering the name seemed almost like a cry of joy and the lad who was wearing a white apron chef-fashion, turned toward the open door with a pleasant smile of greeting. If he noted the surprised expression on the faces of the two girls, he did not attribute it to its real cause. He supposed that they naturally were surprised to behold the fine supper that was spread on the living-room table which had been drawn close to the grate where a cheerful log was burning.
“Oho! What a feast!” Margaret exclaimed hurriedly, to cover their all too evident amazement at finding the outlaw calmly preparing a meal when a posse from Texas was supposed to be searching for him. “Where did you get the young rabbits that you have fried such a crispy brown?”
“I took my gun as soon as you were gone,” the lad told them, “and went a-hunting, and, as you well know, Miss Virginia, it takes only a short time in the sage to bag as many young rabbits as one may desire. Tomorrow, if we are still cooks of the V. M. Ranch, I will vary the menu by bringing in quail.”
While they were eating Tom asked: “What news did you hear while you were away, or perhaps you didn’t see anyone who had news to tell.” He was looking at Virginia and his eyes seemed to hold an eager inquiry. What should she say? Ought she to tell him the truth and give him an opportunity to ride to the north where the mountains were wild, rugged and desolate and where he could hide with greater safety?
“Yes, we did hear news,” Virginia replied. “At the Junction we heard that a posse from Texas is searching for someone who is supposed to be hiding about here.”
Then impulsively she leaned toward the lad and placed a hand on his arm as she said pleadingly, “if you were my brother I would suggest that you ride to the north where the mountains are nearly impenetrable and stay there in hiding until this search is over. I do wish that you would go, Tom, this very night.”
The lad shook his head. “I can’t go—not tonight, Miss Virginia,” he said. “You two girls are all alone on V. M. Ranch and your brother trusts me to look after you. I will stay right where I am until your brother returns or until—well—until I am found.”
When the repast had been cleared away the three young people sat about the fireplace watching the burning log. They talked little. The eastern girl felt strangely uneasy and every little while she would glance at one of the uncurtained windows as though she expected to see a face peering in at them.