"Nell, I see horses," whispered Bo, excitedly. "There, to the side of the road... and here comes a man.... Oh, if he shouldn"t be the one they"re expecting!"
Helen peered out to see a tall, dark form, moving silently, and beyond it a vague outline of horses, and then pale gleams of what must have been pack-loads.
Dale loomed up, and met the stranger in the road.
"Howdy, Milt? You got the girl sure, or you wouldn"t be here," said a low voice.
"Roy, I"ve got two girls--sisters," replied Dale.
The man Roy whistled softly under his breath. Then another lean, rangy form strode out of the darkness, and was met by Dale.
"Now, boys--how about Anson"s gang?" queried Dale.
"At Snowdrop, drinkin" an" quarrelin". Reckon they"ll leave there about daybreak," replied Roy.
"How long have you been here?"
"Mebbe a couple of hours."
"Any horse go by?"
"No."
"Roy, a strange rider pa.s.sed us before dark. He was. .h.i.ttin" the road.
An" he"s got by here before you came."
"I don"t like thet news," replied Roy, tersely. "Let"s rustle. With girls on hossback you"ll need all the start you can get. Hey, John?"
"Snake Anson sh.o.r.e can foller hoss tracks," replied the third man.
"Milt, say the word," went on Roy, as he looked up at the stars.
"Daylight not far away. Here"s the forks of the road, an" your hosses, an" our outfit. You can be in the pines by sunup."
In the silence that ensued Helen heard the throb of her heart and the panting little breaths of her sister. They both peered out, hands clenched together, watching and listening in strained attention.
"It"s possible that rider last night wasn"t a messenger to Anson," said Dale. "In that case Anson won"t make anythin" of our wheel tracks or horse tracks. He"ll go right on to meet the regular stage. Bill, can you go back an" meet the stage comin" before Anson does?"
"Wal, I reckon so--an" take it easy at thet," replied Bill.
"All right," continued Dale, instantly. "John, you an" Joe an" Hal ride back to meet the regular stage. An" when you meet it get on an" be on it when Anson holds it up."
"Thet"s sh.o.r.e agreeable to me," drawled John.
"I"d like to be on it, too," said Roy, grimly.
"No. I"ll need you till I"m safe in the woods. Bill, hand down the bags.
An" you, Roy, help me pack them. Did you get all the supplies I wanted?"
"Sh.o.r.e did. If the young ladies ain"t powerful particular you can feed them well for a couple of months."
Dale wheeled and, striding to the stage, he opened the door.
"Girls, you"re not asleep? Come," he called.
Bo stepped down first.
"I was asleep till this--this vehicle fell off the road back a ways,"
she replied.
Roy Beeman"s low laugh was significant. He took off his sombrero and stood silent. The old driver smothered a loud guffaw.
"Veehicle! Wal, I"ll be doggoned! Joe, did you hear thet? All the s.p.u.n.ky gurls ain"t born out West."
As Helen followed with cloak and bag Roy a.s.sisted her, and she encountered keen eyes upon her face. He seemed both gentle and respectful, and she felt his solicitude. His heavy gun, swinging low, struck her as she stepped down.
Dale reached into the stage and hauled out baskets and bags. These he set down on the ground.
"Turn around, Bill, an" go along with you. John an" Hal will follow presently," ordered Dale.
"Wal, gurls," said Bill, looking down upon them, "I was sh.o.r.e powerful glad to meet you-all. An" I"m ashamed of my country--offerin" two sich purty gurls insults an" low-down tricks. But sh.o.r.e you"ll go through safe now. You couldn"t be in better company fer ridin" or huntin" or marryin" or gittin" religion--"
"Shut up, you old grizzly!" broke in Dale, sharply.
"Haw! Haw! Good-by, gurls, an" good luck!" ended Bill, as he began to whip the reins.
Bo said good-by quite distinctly, but Helen could only murmur hers. The old driver seemed a friend.
Then the horses wheeled and stamped, the stage careened and creaked, presently to roll out of sight in the gloom.
"You"re shiverin"," said Dale, suddenly, looking down upon Helen. She felt his big, hard hand clasp hers. "Cold as ice!"
"I am c-cold," replied Helen. "I guess we"re not warmly dressed."
"Nell, we roasted all day, and now we"re freezing," declared Bo. "I didn"t know it was winter at night out here."
"Miss, haven"t you some warm gloves an" a coat?" asked Roy, anxiously.
"It "ain"t begun to get cold yet."
"Nell, we"ve heavy gloves, riding-suits and boots--all fine and new--in this black bag," said Bo, enthusiastically kicking a bag at her feet.
"Yes, so we have. But a lot of good they"ll do us, to-night," returned Helen.
"Miss, you"d do well to change right here," said Roy, earnestly. "It"ll save time in the long run an" a lot of sufferin" before sunup."
Helen stared at the young man, absolutely amazed with his simplicity.
She was advised to change her traveling-dress for a riding-suit--out somewhere in a cold, windy desert--in the middle of the night--among strange young men!
"Bo, which bag is it?" asked Dale, as if she were his sister. And when she indicated the one, he picked it up. "Come off the road."