“No, I couldn’t find him anywhere in town. I reckon he abandoned the car and maybe hopped a freight.”
Connie asked Lefty if he had talked with the sheriff.
“Yes, but you know Old Daniels,” the cowboy replied. “He’s lazy as they come. Said he couldn’t do nothin’ unless there was a warrant for Barrows’ arrest.”
“I’m not sure I want to get out a warrant,” Connie returned slowly. “I have no real evidence against him.”
“That’s what I figured,” Lefty nodded. “So I reckon there’s no more to be done.”
In the morning Cecil and Helena complained that they had not yet seen the cliff dwellings. Before Connie could assign either Lefty or Alkali to escort them, the foreman volunteered to serve as guide. While the arrangement did not please Connie she could not protest for Helena immediately accepted Blakeman’s offer.
After the three had ridden away, she took advantage of their absence to drive in to Red Gulch. Upon presenting herself at the bank she was admitted to Mr. Haynes’ private office.
“Good morning, Miss Carl,” he said pleasantly. “Have a chair.”
Connie sat down, feeling very ill at ease. Mr. Haynes was watching her shrewdly. Already she suspected that it would be useless to make another request for an extension to her note.
Hesitantly, she explained her plan to launch forth into a dude ranch.