“I reckon I got here what you want, Clint,” Black said evenly.
He lowered Ruth from the saddle and she ran to her father. Clint swung down and caught her into his arms with a sound in his throat that was like a dry sob. He murmured broken endearments while he fondled her.
“Oh, daddy, my daddy!” Ruth wailed.
Betty swung from the saddle and ran to them. Clint passed the child to her. They clung together, Betty crooning little love words of happiness. “Ruthie—Ruthie—darling—precious!”
Between hugs and kisses Ruth explained. “A bad man tooked me ’way ’way off on a horse ’n’ we rode ’n’ we rode. ’Nen anuvver man comed ’n’ said he’d bring me home, ’n’ he did bring me, the nice man did.”
Reed strode across the road to the man who had brought back his child. “I’ll hear your story, Black,” he said sternly.
“I don’t reckon I’ve got any story to tell, Clint—none in particular. She was lost. I found her an’ brought her back. Ain’t that enough?”
“No. Where did you find her? Who took her?”
“Nothin’ doing on that witness-stand stuff,” the other answered. “Jake Prowers an’ me was lookin’ for strays up on Elk Creek when we found her. Jake told me to tell you here she was with his compliments. That’s all I know.”
“You and Jake found her?”