“Why, no—” Connie said, and then recalled that she had spoken to Jim Barrows. He had warned her that she was acting unwisely, but she had taken his advice lightly.
“Several persons were standing near when I cashed the check at the rodeo office,” she ended, “but I don’t remember anyone in particular.”
“I reckon your money is gone, Connie,” the rancher admitted, buckling on his gun belt. “But there’s a chance the sheriff may catch the fellow.”
The Slocer brothers loaned the girl a horse so that she might ride on to Rainbow Ranch while they went to join the sheriff’s posse.
When Connie finally rode into the courtyard Marie came running out to meet her. The Mexican girl was relieved to see her young mistress, for some minutes before Silvertail had galloped up to the gate without a rider.
“Oh, I’m glad Silvertail came home,” Connie said in relief. “But I thought he would.”
She told Marie what had happened and asked if the cowboys had returned from Red Gulch. No one was back.
Connie took the borrowed horse to the barn and unsaddled him. Then, feeling discouraged and fairly ill, she went to her own room. Marie rapped a few minutes later and brought in a tray of food and a hot drink.
“You are so kind, Marie,” Connie said gratefully. “Perhaps food will make me feel better.”
She had eaten no lunch or supper, yet she did not feel hungry. But rather than disappoint the Mexican girl, she made a pretense of enjoying the food.