“I was just wonderin’, Marion. There’s so many dogs around here that nobody pays much attention to ’em. Anyway, the sheriff says that even if they can prove away the dog, they’ll have to show him where they were the night of the robbery.”
“But they can’t—except their word, Tex. They were back on Yellow Horn mesa, and no one saw them back there.”
Tex smiled.
“Makes it kinda tough. If yo’re aimin’ to ride to Blue Wells, I’ll ride back with yuh.”
Marion looked at Jimmy, who was sitting on the edge of the curb, his sore feet encased in a pair of Buck’s woolen socks.
“I suppose I’ll have to go,” she said slowly. “But I don’t like to leave the ranch alone. If Mr. Legg will stay here until I get back—”
“That won’t hardly do,” said Tex quickly. “You don’t know this man, Marion. We can get some one in Blue Wells—”
“Oh, I don’t mind staying,” said Jimmy earnestly.
“But you can’t stay here with a strange man.”
“I meant—until I got back,” said Marion coldly. “And how long since you started running the Double Bar 8, Tex Alden?”