Ive met hunters who claim this mainherd will reach
here this spring, along in May.
Tom caught glimpses of broad brown backscleaving
the brush down the river slope.
But he did not vouchsafe to explain what he meant.
Well water an get wood there, an go on, returned Jett,briefly. For a man ofhis
tremendous strength and endurance the extreme of toil was nohindrance. Reckon they
WAS thick this mornin, returned the scout, dryly.
Fiveweeks with this stepfather had taught her much,
and she feared him.
A wide strip of sand ran along the oppositeslope.
Theplace appeared pleasant and sheltered.
Ivebeen six months at this hide-huntin an I know
what Im talkinabout.
Milly, Im goin to be rich, he said in low hoarse
tone.
Youll find thebest grass along this strip of
timber.
It was asa skinner, however, that Tom excelled all
of Hudnalls men. It appeared to be an open wagon, with one man in the drivers seat.
A kingfisher flew swiftlydownstream, glinting in the sunlight. These thoughts became
torture for Milly, but only so long as shestrove against them.
Thus her habitual morbid brooding cameto have a
rival for the possession of her mind. You an Milly keep your eyes open, an if you
see Indiansor anybody, slip off in the brush an hide. Milly could see the bright sky
line barred by blacktrunks of trees.
The announcement did not create any particular
interest in hiscomrades. She knew his nameand the names of all the Hudnall party.
All right, boss, easy it is, he replied, as he twisted a peg outof the keg. He wasof
the opinion, and Dunn agreed with him, that the buffalo had atlast made for the Red
River. He was the only one in the outfit that she could orwould talk to. Halt had
been made at the edge of a clump of trees in a dry arroyo.
I dont knowwhen, but in a few days well cross the
line into the Panhandle ofTexas.
While Milly was busily engaged helping
Mrs.
Milly could see the bright sky line barred by
blacktrunks of trees.
Trembling and panting, Tom watched with strained
sight.
Im not your mother, replied the woman,
tersely.
Jane, you ride with Catlee an let Milly come with
me, said Jett.
Yet she could harbor no doubt of this
fine-spoken,clear-eyed young man.
Last night his insulting speech before Tom Doan had
created inMilly the nucleus of a revolt.
Thus she managed to avert utter panic, and as
themoments passed her fears began to subside.
Wouldnt you like that fine now,Rand
Jett?
Run out of cartridges, he said,
laconically.
To Toms surprise, Hudnall took Dunns story lightly.