“They went into the mountains to look for Stacy Brown and Jim. We haven’t seen them since, and we are worried,” replied Grace.
“A-huh! How’d they know whar to go?”
No one answered, and Judy gave them a quick searching look.
“Tryin’ to hide up on me, eh? Wal, I don’t reckon as it’s any good for you to do so, ’cause mebby I can tell ye some things that may be good fer ye to know.”
“You know something about them, Judy?” demanded Miss Briggs.
“A-huh. Did they go up to Red Gulch?”
“Yes, yes!” cried the girls in chorus. “Judy, do you know where that place is?” questioned Emma.
“Reckon I could find it if I tried, but I don’t reckon whether I want to try or not. It’s a long, hard hike up thar, and thar won’t be no picnic when you get thar. My Pap says it ain’t a fit place fer folks to be, but Pap was mad with me afore he went away this mornin’ and threatened to give me a punch in the jaw, but he changed his mind when I pulled my gun and told him to try it. Wal, Pap didn’t. He went away madder’n a busting bronco. Said he wouldn’t be back fer a few days. He said some things ’bout ye folks that I don’t ’low nobody to say ’bout my friends, an’ I said so right out in meetin’, and added a few other things, and that started the row. Say, I got some news fer you folks.”
“Then for heaven’s sake tell it!” begged Emma. “You are killing us with suspense.”
“I reckoned that way,” nodded the girl. “Wal, I heard it this mornin’ fer the first time, ’bout your folks goin’ up in the mountains, and why they went thar and all ’bout it. Funny, wasn’t it, that I should hear it? I ain’t going to tell you whar I heard it, but I did. You don’t reckon anythin’ happened to them, do you, Pap Bindloss?”