by Clair Blank
Chapter XVI
ALARM
The moonlight turned the ground to silver dust and gave the girls theappearance of ghostly white riders as, single file, they started ontheir journey back to the K Bar O ranch house. They were feeling atrifle sad and regretful that it was almost time to leave these wideopen spaces they had grown to love, when all thought of the approachingparting was jogged out of them.
Janet, who had been riding behind Gale, turned her horse from the lineto come up beside Phyllis. At the same moment something, presumably asquirrel or jack rabbit, darted across from the side of the trail infront of her horse. She had been riding with loose reins, her horse'shead drooping forward, and now, when her horse reared in sudden fright,she was almost unseated. The horse stood for a moment balanced on hishind legs, pawing the air wildly with his forehoofs, then came down toearth and raced away, Janet trying frantically to retrieve her reins.
Jim had joined them again for the return to the ranch house, and now theminute he saw Janet's horse was a runaway, urged his own mount after thegirl's. Tom was a close second, with Gale right behind him. The othersstrung out behind the first three, all bent on catching the runaway orsaving Janet from an accident.
The wild dash of her horse, taking her utterly by surprise, had knockedall thought from Janet's head and now she could do nothing but clinggrimly to her seat. Darn the horse! she thought exasperatedly. He wassupposed to be tame and used to the wild life of the plains and hills,yet a little jack rabbit could scare him out of his wits! She flung ahasty glance over her shoulder and saw her friends bearing down on her.But as if her own horse decided he didn't want to be caught, he put on asudden spurt and widened the distance.
Janet could see the reins dangling over the horse's head, just out ofher reach. Murmuring soothingly in his ear, Janet endeavored to catchthe elusive reins but failed. One hand clinging desperately to thepommel on her saddle, Janet rose in her stirrups. For an instant shefelt the reins in her fingers and then she had lost them again. She wasquite well aware what the consequences would be if her horse threw her.She might suddenly find herself with a broken shoulder or arm or afractured skull. The thought wasn't at all pleasant and she set herteeth grimly, determined to stop the fool horse before something didhappen to both of them.
They were coming out onto a wide plain where her horse had the bestchance of all to run himself out. But she didn't propose to stick to himuntil he was tired. She wanted him stopped now before he jolted all herbones loose. Clinging to the saddle and rising in her stirrups sheleaned as far forward as possible. The horse lurched suddenly and it wasby the merest piece of luck that she wasn't thrown off on her face. Butshe clung to her saddle and persisted in her attempt to reach the reins.Finally her fingers closed on the left rein and she hung onto itdesperately. She pulled with all her strength but the horse didn'tslacken in speed, not a fraction. He seemed bent on reaching someinvisible object ahead and nothing could swerve him from his purpose.Janet braced her feet squarely in the stirrups, put both hands on therein and continued to pull.
Phyllis, who was behind Gale in the race to reach Janet, saw the runawayswerve suddenly, an act all of them had been unprepared for. Janet'shorse raced parallel to its pursuers and it was a moment of lostprecious time before either Jim or Tom could change the course of theirown mounts. Phyllis, by the time Jim was after Janet again, had sent herhorse at an abrupt angle from the group. If Janet's horse did not swerveagain, and she herself kept on at the present line, the two were boundto come together. Perhaps if they collided it would bring Janet's horseto a halt, she reflected with a bit of humor.
For all of Janet's tugging at the rein her horse was adamant. He did notslacken his speed until he began to feel tired. He had swerved from hiscourse, but he would not stop. Janet, her whole attention claimed by thehorse under her, did not see Phyllis until horse and rider loomed upbefore her. She felt herself suddenly hurled over her horse's head as hemade a mad attempt to stop himself, and the next second she foundherself on top of Phyllis on the ground.
Janet rolled off her friend and sat up. She felt herself all over to besure she was still in one piece. It had been quite a jolt, that landingon the ground. Then she turned to Phyllis. Her chum had not stirred andJanet feared the girl might be seriously hurt.
"I say, Phyll, are you all right?" Janet asked anxiously.
Phyllis opened her eyes and grinned through the dust and grime she hadacquired when she pitched headlong to the ground.
"Yes," she said thickly through a mouth full of dust. "I s'pose I'm allright, but you knocked all the wind out of me. I also saw several starsI never knew existed. But we stopped him, didn't we?" she demanded,gazing at Janet's horse which was standing meekly beside Phyllis' own,all trace of rebellion gone.
"He ought to stop now, the crazy thing," Janet said, getting stiffly toher feet. "You know, Phyll," she said with a laugh, "you aren't at allsoft to land on. I'm all bumps and bruises."
"You can be glad I was here to land on," Phyllis said, "you might havepicked a cactus, you know."
"It isn't everybody has a runaway," Janet said with satisfaction. "I'vecertainly something to write home about now," she declared, as the twoturned to greet their friends.
"All right?" Gale asked anxiously as the others flung themselves fromtheir horses and gathered solicitously around.
"Yes, but I'm going to sue Janet for damages," Phyllis declared, rubbinga bruised place tenderly. "She had no right to knock me off my horse."
"You had no business running into me," Janet laughed in turn.
"Our hearts were in our mouths when we saw Janet fly through the airover her horse's head," Val declared.
"She floats through the air with the greatest of ease----" Carol startedto sing when Janet glared at her.
"Riding, especially runaways, gives me an appetite," Virginia said."Suppose we have a bite of lunch."
"You are indeed my friend," Janet declared to Virginia. "You always knowjust what I need."
A half hour later the ride was resumed. Janet and Phyllis, to theamusement of their friends, both lowered themselves gingerly into theirsaddles. Their experience had left them jolted and bruised and beforemuch riding they began to coax the others to camp for the rest of thenight.
"We might as well," Tom said. "It's already nearing morning and thisafternoon will see us at the K Bar O even if we take our time."
They camped on the plains and decided not to put the tents up for thefew hours that they meant to remain there. The girls rolled in blankets,feet toward the campfire, and in a few moments all but Gale and Virginiawere dozing.
Lying flat on her back, the earth warm beneath her, staring up at thestars overhead, Gale felt suddenly tiny, so infinitesimal. The plain wasso wide, the sky so near, the stars so bright----
"What are you thinking about?" Virginia asked from beside her.
"The stars," Gale answered. "Didn't somebody call them the windows ofheaven?"
"Are you looking for the angels with their golden harps?" Virginialaughed.
"Yes," Gale agreed with a smile. "Do you think I'll see any?"
"Never can tell," Virginia said, smothering a yawn. "Which one is yourwagon hitched to?"
"Which angel?" queried Gale.
"No, silly, which star?"
"That one up there, see it? The little one, all sparkly. Oh!" Galelaughed, "It winked at me."
"Not very big," Virginia commented, squinting at the sky. "Whyn't youpick a big one?"
"Wait until it grows up," Gale murmured. "Just like me, wait until Igrow up!"
"Won't that be sompin'," Virginia giggled. "What are you going to be? Afemale Lindbergh?"
"Never can tell," Gale said. "Maybe I'll be another Columbus."
"I don't know whether there are any lands left to discover, so you mighthave a little difficulty along that line," was Virginia's opinion."Meanwhile--I'm getting sleepy."
She fell silent and Gale, to
o, pulled her blanket closer for a cool windhad sprung up. The last thing she remembered before Tom brought them allwide awake with a loud banging on the frying pan was the wild, untamedhowl of a coyote.
With the first dancing rays of the sun, the riders were up and abouttheir business. Packs securely fastened on the pack horses and the girlsmounted, they started on their way. As always when riding their spiritsrose with the sun. Tom was playing his harmonica and Janet and Carolboth insisted on giving voice to the tune Tom was playing until theother girls threatened dire punishment unless they stopped.
Noon found them riding into the valley with the K Bar O ranch house justahead of them. To the girls it seemed as though there were a great manymen gathered about the bunkhouse and the corral. The very air seemedtinged with suspense and mystery. Unconscious that they did so, all theriders spurred their horses on at an increased pace. Why should there besuch activity where usually there were peace and orderliness unlesssomething had happened? It was as if a cloud of trouble had descended onthe K Bar O.
"I wonder what's the matter?" Virginia murmured to Gale. "I hope nothinghas happened----"
"We'll soon find out," Gale answered as the horses trotted up to thecorral and the girls dismounted. "Look, isn't that the Sheriff?"
"Hello, there, youngsters!" Gale's uncle came forward and at his heelscame Sheriff Colman.
"What's up, Dad?" Tom asked anxiously.
The Sheriff looked a bit sheepish and Mr. Wilson frowned in annoyance.
"It's the--rustlers," the Sheriff said finally. "They'veescaped--vamoosed!"
"Gone?" Valerie asked incredibly. "But how----"
"We locked 'em in the bunkhouse last night; when we came to thebunkhouse--they were gone."
"The three of them?" Virginia asked.
Mr. Wilson nodded. "We think they are hiding somewhere around the ranch.They couldn't have gone far."
Carol cocked a speculative eye in the direction of Gale and Valerie. "Iwouldn't want to be in your shoes with the three of them loose."
"You're cheerful," Gale told her.
"It does make me rather uncomfortable," Valerie said, uneasily glancingover her shoulder as if she expected the Mexican to rise up behind her.
"Don't let their threats frighten you," the Sheriff said heartily."There are enough of my deputies here on the ranch to subdue an army.You'll be safe."
"I hope so," Valerie said, but her tone wasn't very confident.
"How about some lunch?" Tom put in. "You can tell us about what'shappened then."
"Where's Mother?" Virginia asked.
"She's gone into town to stay with the Johnsons a few days--until wefind these bandits," her father replied. "I wish you girls hadn't comeback right now."
"We thought we were coming to peace and quiet," Phyllis laughed."Instead we walk into a----"
"Riot," supplied Janet.
Luncheon was a spasmodic affair, interrupted by deputies wanting aconsultation with the Sheriff, and with discussions as to where the menmight be hiding. The hours between luncheon and dinner passed and stillthe outlaws were not found. They eluded capture with the elusiveness ofghosts. The Sheriff was angry and chagrined. It didn't speak well forhis prowess as an officer of the law to have criminals escape him soconstantly.
The girls were worried. Each believed that the bandits would try to seekrevenge on the two who had been responsible for their capture. Valerieespecially had unpleasant memories of Pedro and his knife.
Gale and Virginia alone held the opinion that the outlaws wouldn'tlinger near the ranch when there were so many officers about. Why shouldthey risk their freedom for revenge? It seemed silly to fear the angrythreats made when the Sheriff and his men captured the bandits. Thosekind of men were notoriously brave talkers, but when it came to puttingtheir deeds into words they were slow in action. Gale believed theirbluster had been a mere attempt to cover up their fear of the law. Sherefused to be worried over their escape.
"I'll wager they are in Mexico by now," she said confidently to Valerieas the two stood at the window of their room preparatory to jumping intobed.
"The Sheriff doesn't think so," Valerie said bluntly. "Or if he does,why didn't he follow them?"
"Because they didn't leave a trail," a jolly voice said behind them andJanet and Carol trailed into the room through the communicating door.Both were clad in flowing pajamas and robes and seated themselvescross-legged on the bed.
"I happen to know," Carol said in a mysterious whisper, "that theSheriff and his men trailed the outlaws to the creek and there the trailwas lost."
"Isn't that always the way?" Janet said wearily. "I thought we weregoing to have some excitement but all the fun is over before we gethere."
In answer to her words a volley of shots rang out from the ranch yard.
Valerie frowned on her friend. "All the fun is over, eh? I wonder whatthat was?"
"I'm going to find out," Gale said and ran from the room with Valerie ather heels.
Carol and Janet remained calmly on the bed. When Gale and Valeriereturned Janet looked up in inquiry.
"Merely one of the patrolling sentries shooting at a shadow," Gale saiddryly.
"Hm," Janet yawned. "Those fellows are so nervous if they suddenlylooked in a mirror they would shoot themselves!"
"How come you didn't run when you heard the shooting?" Valerie wanted toknow. "For all you know it might have been a lot of excitement."
Janet shook her head. "I've got a sixth sense that tells me when thereis excitement in the air."
"It doesn't tell you when your horse is going to run away though, doesit?" Carol asked teasingly.
"Please," Janet begged, "that is a painful subject. Let's not talk ofit--I've still got a couple of bruises. I'm going to bed," she announcedsuddenly.
"It's about time," Carol declared, jumping up.
"Why do you say that?" Janet demanded. "If you're so sleepy why didn'tyou go hours ago?"
"Because I can't go without you, darling," Carol said sweetly. "I can'tsleep even if I do, because when you come in you are sure to fall oversomething and scare all sleep out of me."
"I do not," Janet protested.
When the two, still arguing, had closed the door to their room Gale andValerie prepared for bed.
"I shall probably dream of Pedro," Valerie said as she jumped betweenthe covers. "That fellow haunts me!"
"Nonsense," Gale laughed. "Don't let your mind dwell on it. Anyway," shesighed, "we'll be going home in three days and then you can get all thesleep you like."
"Just the same," Val murmured, "I won't ever forget that knife."
When the lights were out and sleep had come to the girls, Gale sleptdreamlessly, peacefully. But Valerie tossed and fretted, pursued in herdreams by Pedro and his knife, which, with the fantasy of dreams, hadgrown to new and large proportions.
