“Will your wife be all right alone? She won’t—”
“She’s a thoroughbred,” Mr. Ball answered shortly. “After she’s had her little cry she’ll be as cool and collected as any man. Your folks will know about it before we get there, Roy, an’ Mrs. Ball will get our bunch together an’ send ’em on over. Bet you she’ll remember to send an extra horse by Bug Eye, too, for me. She’s a great little woman—a great little woman—” His voice trailed off into silence, and once more the three sat staring intently at the road ahead.
To Roy’s mind there came the picture of another ride taken not so very long ago, in from Eagles. That was the day their horses had been stolen and Nell and Ethel had been in the car with them. Roy remembered how Nell had exclaimed excitedly when they reached Bitter Cliff lookout, that high, mountainous point halfway between the town and their ranch. Eagerly he had pointed out the 8 X 8, where the two girls were going to visit. And that had been but a few short months ago! Now—now—
“Looks like rain,” Teddy said, in a voice so low Roy scarcely heard him.
“Can’t tell—” Roy scanned the horizon with obvious carefulness. “Those clouds aren’t quite black enough for rain. Guess we’ve had our share of it.”
As if it made any difference! Yet it was something to talk about, something else than Belle and Ethel and Nell. Worrying would do no good. They must keep calm and work coolly and determinedly, rather than allow the rage in their hearts to seep through and warp their judgment.
Roy glanced at Teddy out of the corner of his eye. He noticed that the boy’s face was set in stern lines and that his eyes never wavered from the road. Small bunches of muscles stood out just above his jawbone, like solid hickory-nuts. Teddy was all right. Almost, Roy could see the cold, silent determination within his brother’s mind. The anger which possessed Teddy was a white anger—the kind that drives men on over all obstacles, oblivious of pain, of danger, until they have won through. Roy bent slightly to the left until his shoulder touched his brother’s. A sort of electric current passed through the two boys. They were together, shoulder to shoulder, nothing could stop them! In that moment Roy knew they would never rest until the three girls had been found.
When the car pulled into the yard of the X Bar X, Mr. Manley hurried from the house and came toward it. Silently he held out his hand to Peter Ball, then, as the boys alighted, he drew nearer and threw an arm about each for a moment.
“Mrs. Ball telephoned,” he said quietly. “Glad we got the line mended in time. I’m having Nick and Gus get the horses ready. Mrs. Ball said that Bug Eye and four other men were on their way over with a bronc for you, Pete. We’ll start right out as soon as they come.”
“Where’s mother?” Teddy asked quickly.