Then she stopped and walked over to her husband. She rested her hands on his shoulders and looked in his eyes.
“Pete,” she said in a low voice, “listen to me! You know I love you better than anything in the world. We’ve been together now for twenty-six years. We’ve seen this old ranch grow up from a little cattle farm to a place we can be proud of. We’ve had lots of hard times, you and I, and we’ve weathered them all. I’d rather die myself than have anything happen to you. But now—” her voice rose, and took on a vibrant tone—“Pete, bring back those girls! They were our guests. They were under our very roof, under our protection, and I love every one of them like a daughter. If you have to give your own life to do it, Pete, bring—back—those—girls!”
CHAPTER XIV
Off on the Chase
Quite simply and unaffectedly, Mr. Ball kissed his wife on the forehead. He said not a word, but stood for a moment looking down at her. Then, motioning to Roy and Teddy, he made for the door.
“We’ll get ’em,” Roy declared brokenly. “We’ll get ’em, I vow it! Teddy—”
For a moment tears welled up in the older youth’s eyes, but they were tears of sudden, violent emotion, and Roy wiped them away, unashamed. He saw his brother standing in the center of the room, shoulders drooping, a dull, leaden look of deep despair on his face. When Roy touched his arm he started.
“Teddy, let’s be going,” the boy said softly.
“Belle!” Teddy muttered, “Belle gone—”
Suddenly Mrs. Ball saw that her speech had brought the blow home to the boys with deadening force. She shook her head sadly and grasped an arm of each.