“Do you dance so badly as all that, Sir Jack?” Josephine flung back saucily at him as she took Ethel’s arm and disappeared into the house.
In the two remaining days before the dance, Bruce, Bud Anderson and Mason scoured the country for the spotface cowboy and his pal, but those worthies had disappeared. Inquiry at the ranch where they had worked revealed the fact that they had quit their jobs and departed for parts unknown.
Mason had almost forgotten the affair at Smoky Point, and the evening of the dance found him waiting patiently at the ranch door with his racer. He had planned to take the girls over to the Gaylor ranch in his car, the cowboys having left long before on their horses. Soon, two visions of beauty greeted his eyes, and with a satisfied smile he tucked the girls comfortably in their seats for the ride.
“This is the night that Percy Vanderpool will shine,” he said with a laugh. “I saw him leave this afternoon with the cowboys, and he was dolled up like a Christmas tree.”
“I hope you will treat the poor fellow with a little more respect when we get to the dance,” his sister said, with a severe look at him.
“Well, Percy is a lucky cuss at that,” he answered whimsically. “I only wish I had two such fair champions as he has in you girls.”
Their cries of protest were drowned in the roar of the motor as he set a fast pace for the Gaylor ranch.
CHAPTER XVI—THE SHOT IN THE NIGHT
It was dark when they drove into the grounds of the Gaylor ranch, and the girls gave a gasp of surprise when they saw a regular avenue of Japanese lanterns leading up to the main entrance.
“The Gaylor people certainly do things in style,” Mason said in admiration, as he brought the car to a stop in front of the porch.