“Where is he?” she exclaimed, although she plainly observed the figure in the rear. “Now, then—”
Bug Eye brought the car to a stop and Mrs. Ball fairly leaped to the running board.
“The poor soul! The poor soul! The doctor will be here any minute. I sent the girls upstairs and told them to stay there. This is no sight for them. Bug Eye, you take them horses to the back. All right, boys, bring him into the front room. I fixed the cot.” She looked again at the sunken cheeks of the old man. “Ah, the poor soul!” she muttered. “He’s going to have a bad time of it!”
Carefully the Manley boys lifted the sufferer out and bore him into the house. Nell and Ethel, wide-eyed, were leaning over the banisters. Belle Ada was sitting composedly on the top step. She saw Roy, and noticed the cut on his forehead.
“I’m going down,” she announced definitely. Wisely, she said nothing to the others of her brother’s injury. “You two stay here. No use crowding around him.”
Nell nodded, rather white of face. She had no wish to view the proceedings from a closer point.
Belle walked down the stairs calmly and when the man had been laid on the cot she approached Roy.
“What happened to you?” she asked in a low voice.
He turned swiftly.
“Nothing of any account, Sis,” he answered. “Tell you later. I got hurt a little trying to catch Nell’s bronc. Say, you’d better get some water boiling.”