Ramona began to whimper. Her father's arm found and encircled her. "It's all right, honey. He can't git us now."
"I'm goin' out by the back door. Mebbe I can put salt on this bird's tail," said Jack. "You stay right where you are, Mr. Wadley. They can't hit either of you in that corner."
"Oh, don't! Please don't go!" wailed the girl.
Her words were a fillip to the Ranger. They sent a glow through his blood. He knew that at that moment she was not thinking of the danger to herself.
"Don't you worry. I'll swing round on him wide. Ten to one he's already hittin' the dust fast to make his get-away."
He slipped out of the room and out of the house. So slowly did he move that it was more than an hour before he returned to them.
"I guessed right," he told the cattleman. "The fellow hit it up at a gallop through the brush. He's ten miles from here now."
"Was he after me or you?"
"Probably me. The Rangers ain't popular with some citizens. Looks to me like Steve Gurley's work."
"I wouldn't be a Ranger if I was you. I'd resign," said Ramona impulsively.