"If I could rest here in this peaceful tent, just for a day or two."
"The tent's all right at night, but I've moved Gustav's cot into the engine house, and I'm going to help you over there. It's ten degrees cooler than here. Elsa and Felicia are established there and I won't disturb you for I'm drawing, which act is noiseless."
In a dim corner of the adobe engine house in Gustav's cot Charley spent the day. Elsa, when she was not playing housekeeper sat beside her with her sewing and Felicia visited between the cot and Roger's drawing board.
Once when Charley seemed to be in an uneasy sleep, Felicia asked Roger, "Is Charley very sick?"
"Not really sick at all, chicken. She's just tired. She's worked too hard for you and Dick."
Felicia stared at him with her innocent, speculative gaze so like Charley's, yet so unlike.
"Can't we live here with you, instead of up at the ranch, Roger? I know Charley would like it better."
"You can stay and make us a visit, anyhow. Then we'll see."
At sunset, after the dishes were finished and Charley had moved back to the living tent for the night, Elsa went up to the ranch house. She was gone a long time. Charley was dozing and Felicia asleep. Roger prowled up and down the camp closely followed by Peter until he could bear the suspense no longer. A sudden fear that Dick might have discovered more liquor somewhere started him along the ranch trail. He met Elsa just as the afterglow disappeared and the parching night came down like a star dotted curtain. She came trudging through the sand as if she were tired.
"It does seem as if I'd wilt with the heat," she exclaimed. "You needn't have worried about me, Roger. Dick came back with me till we saw you."