"Yes, a little; it mostly rained."
"It stormed up on the divide like a January blizzard. When did Moore and
his party arrive?"
"About ten o'clock this morning."
"I'll ride right up and see them. What about the outfit? That's at the
lake, I reckon?"
"Yes, I was just sending Tony after it. But, father, if you go up to
Moore's camp, don't say too much about what has happened. Don't tell them
just when you took the back-trail, and just how long Wayland and I were
in camp."
"Why not?"
She reddened with confusion. "Because--You know what an old gossip Mrs.
Belden is. I don't want her to know. She's an awful talker, and our being
together up there all that time will give her a chance."
A light broke in on the Supervisor's brain. In the midst of his
preoccupation as a forester he suddenly became the father. His eyes
narrowed and his face darkened. "That's so. The old rip could make a
whole lot of capital out of your being left in camp that way. At the same
time I don't believe in dodging. The worst thing we could do would be to
try to blind the trail. Was Tony here last night when you came?"
"No, he was down the valley after his mail."
His face darkened again. "That's another piece of bad luck, too. How much
does the old woman know at present?"
"Nothing at all."
"Didn't she cross-examine you?"
"Sure she did; but Wayland side-tracked her. Of course it only delays
things. She'll know all about it sooner or later. She's great at putting
two and two together. Two and two with her always make five."