CHAPTER XXXVII
THE PIEBALD
The morning of the doctor's departure witnessed quite a ceremony at the Cumberland ranch, for old Joe Cumberland insisted that he be brought down from his room to his old place in the living-room. When he attempted to rise from his bed, however, he found that he could not stand; and big Buck Daniels lifted the old man like a child and carried him down the stairs. Once ensconced on the sofa in the living-room Joe Cumberland beckoned his daughter close to him, and whispered with a smile as she leaned over: "Here's what comes of pretendin', Kate. I been pretending to be too sick to walk, and now I can't walk; and if I'd pretended to be well, I'd be ridin' Satan right now!"
He looked about him.
"Where's Dan?" he asked.
"Upstairs getting ready for the trip."
"Trip?"
"He's riding with Doctor Byrne to town and he'll bring back Doctor
Byrne's horse."
The old man grew instantly anxious.
"They's a lot of things can happen on a long trip like that, Kate."