“’Course not. I’m too anxious to talk to him to hurt him.”
“Well, plenty trouble come now,” the Basque said sadly. “Roddy, Gallup, and Kent ees just go ’way. They look for you. Sheriff, hee’s got warrant for you, Johnny.”
“What?” Johnny pulled on his boots with a savage tug. “What’s he after me for?”
“Kent say hees daughter ees gone; that you stole her.”
“For the love of God!” the boy cried, his face paling. “It’s a lie. I was here at midnight. I couldn’t ’a’ got to the ranch and back since then unless I’d had wings. Just what did Kent say?”
“Say the girl ees gone; room all mussed up; tracks outside the door.”
“I can’t believe it, Vin. It’s a trap to git me. If Molly’s gone, they took her themselves. Where is Madeiras? I counted on him to look after her.”
Vin shook his head as he saw Johnny lash himself into a rage.
“If Gallup is back of this I’ll bust him. Ain’t they tryin’ to find the girl?”
“Sí! Gallup say she be weeth you. Eef they fin’ you, they fin’ her. They come here look for you. They try fin’ your horse, too. Horse ees gone, so they think you gone.”