She found herself unable to read. The two dull, uncurtained windows seemed to stare at her like a pair of eyes. Why didn’t they curtain their windows, she wondered? There were noises, too—queer noises.
Suddenly there came the scrape of leather sole on the porch, and the door was flung open. June jerked forward, her hand on the big gun.
Two men stepped inside, looking queerly at her. It was McLeese, the deposed foreman, and Chuck Bell, a big, raw-boned, square-faced cowboy who worked for the Two Bar X. McLeese glanced at the hand and gun on the table.
“Yuh got here, eh?” he said easily. “That’s fine. I was kinda late gettin’ here for my stuff. Where’s all the boys?”
“I don’t know,” said June. “I haven’t been here long.”
“Uh-huh,” nodded McLeese. “I suppose they’re late gettin’ in. Well, I’ll gather up my stuff and head back for town. Did yuh come out alone?”
“Two men brought me,” said June.
She didn’t want to tell McLeese anything, because she didn’t trust him.
“And went back and left yuh alone, eh? Dirty trick. This is a lonesome place for a girl, Miss Meline. If yuh want us to, we’ll stay until the boys come back.”
“No, I’m all right,” said June. “I’m not afraid.”