THE HUT OCCUPIED
Virginia did not pause in her mad gallop over the hard, sandy trail
toward the mountains until they were near enough for Margaret’s
untrained eyes to see clearly the old adobe. Then, turning in her
saddle, the western girl asked: “What do you see now?”
“Something white waving on the roof,” the eastern girl replied.
“Yes, and the something is being waved by a small boy, and so the
occupant is not an outlaw as we feared at first. I believe that the
little fellow is trying to call for help.” Then gazing intently at
her comrade, Virginia said: “Margaret, I will ride on alone, and you
remain here. It may be a trap laid for us, but still it may be
someone in trouble. I cannot pass without knowing which it is.”
“But, Virginia,” the Eastern girl pleaded, “I wouldn’t want to
remain here and let you go alone into possible danger.”
“Margaret,” the other said earnestly, “you would be a far greater
help to me if you would wait here. If it is a trap, and if I do not
quickly reappear, gallop as fast as you can back to the ranch and
bring Slim to my rescue, but if all is well I will wave to you and
then you may come to the hut in safety.”
Margaret felt that Virginia was planning this to protect her, and
her heart was filled with conflicting emotions as she sat on Star
watching as the western girl rode alone toward the crumbling adobe
hut. The boy was no longer on the roof, nor was there smoke coming
from the chimney. A vulture, sweeping in great circles overhead, was
the only sign of life.
Margaret fairly held her breath when she saw Virginia dismount and
enter the open door. Would she come out again? What would she find
in there? Margaret shuddered at these thoughts.
One minute passed, then two, and Virginia did not appear. Ought
Margaret to race to the ranch for help? Another minute, which seemed
an hour long to the waiting girl, and then, to her great relief,
Virginia appeared in the open door and beckoned to her. By her side
was the small boy who had been on the roof.
As Margaret rode up, Virginia hastened out to meet her and there
were tears in the eyes that were lifted to her friend.
“What is it, Virginia? Is someone in trouble?” Margaret asked
anxiously.
“Yes, dear, in great trouble,” was the reply. “A little mother is
lying in there, unconscious, and the three babies, the oldest but
nine, are almost starved. Oh, how thankful I am that we did not pass
them by.” Then, brushing away her tears, she added: “Margaret, dear,
please ride home as fast as you can and ask Slim to come at once
with the car. I will take this little family back to the ranch.”
Margaret did as she was told, and was soon riding as she had never
ridden before. Suddenly she saw a horseman appear on the sand hill
trail. He was riding slowly when she first noticed him, but upon
seeing her, he urged his horse to a gallop. Margaret was terrorized!
What if it should be that dreaded outlaw? She tried to urge Star to
greater speed, but although she did not turn, she could tell that
the horseman was overtaking her.
A few moments later, when the galloping tread of the pursuing horse
was close behind her, the eastern girl, drew rein and whirled about
that she might know the worst or the best, and it sure was the
latter for the supposed “outlaw” was no other than Slick Cy, the
kindly cow-boy from the Slater Ranch.
“Miss Margaret,” he exclaimed as he rode alongside, “yo’ all look
scared like. Didn’t yo’ all know who ah was?”
[Illustration: She tried to urge Star to greater speed for the
horseman was overtaking her.]
“No, I didn’t ever think that it might be you, Cy, but Oh, how glad
I am that you have come, for something terrible has happened.” And
then the girl hurriedly told of the sick woman and the nearly
starved children whom Virginia had found in the crumbling old adobe.
“They all must be strangers hereabouts,” the cow-boy said, then he
added: “It’s well I met up with yo’, Miss Margaret, for Slim is
riding north to the Dartly Ranch. Ah passed him this hour back.”
“Oh, what shall we do, then?” Margaret dolefully exclaimed.
“Virginia told me to send Slim to her at once with the car. How I
wish now that I had learned to drive, but all I can do is start a
car and stop it.”
“Wall,” said the cow-boy hopefully, “if yo’ all can start it, like
as not ah can steer it, and then Miss Virginia can be drivin’ it
back.”
Five minutes later they were down by the corral and the big
automobile was taken from its shelter. Then, with many misgivings,
Margaret told Slick Cy what to do and they started so suddenly that
the girl feared that they would plunge down into the dry creek
before the machine could be controlled, but, although Slick Cy knew
much more about the management of wild horses, by following
Margaret’s directions, he was soon driving slowly and the danger of
a wreck was passed, for the present, at least.
Virginia saw them coming and hurried out to meet them. “Why, Slick
Cy,” she exclaimed, when the car stopped, “I didn’t know that you
could drive.”
The cow-boy drew out a big, red bandana and wiped his flushed face.
“He did splendidly,” Margaret put in before the cow-boy could reply.
“I am so thankful he happened along, for Slim has ridden over to the
Dartley Ranch.”
They were walking toward the old adobe as they talked and when they
entered the dark, damp room Margaret glanced at the hard board bench
and saw a frail little woman lying there so white and still that the
girl feared she had died while she had been gone. Nearby stood a
hollow-eyed boy of 9, and, on the floor, clinging to each other were
two small girls of about 3 and 5.
The younger one was crying softly, but the older girl looked as
though she had suffered and starved so much that she could cry no
more.
Slick Cy took off his hat. “How came the pore things here, Miss
Virginia?” he asked.
“The little lad has told me the whole sad story,” that girl replied,
“and I will tell it to you when the brave little mother is cared
for. Cy, can you carry her to the car?”
For answer the young giant of a cow-boy stooped and lifted the frail
woman, who moaned but did not open her eyes.
Soon they were all in the car, which Virginia drove slowly and
skillfully toward the V. M. Ranch.