It was almost noon when Katherine saw two horsemen coming along the road
that led from Hot Springs, and her fears returned. But as the riders
approached more closely, a look of almost incredulous relief showed on
her pale face. Hastening from the cave, she stood on the slope of the
canyon, holding out her arms.
"Limber! Limber!" she called, half-laughing, half-sobbing.
The men jerked their ponies suddenly, stared up and exchanged a few
hasty words, then sprang from their saddles and hurried toward her.
"What is the matter, Mrs. Glendon?" Limber was the first to reach her,
and his face was almost as white as hers, as she swayed slightly. Her
outstretched hands were caught in his firm grasp and the touch steadied
her. She tried to smile into his eyes.
"I'm all right now," she said, making a brave effort to control her
faltering voice, "but, you see, the Indians passed here this morning.
Donnie and I hid in the cave. I thought they were coming back when I saw
you."
"Whar's Glendon?" demanded Limber sharply, his eyes narrowing as he
spoke.
"At Jackson Flats with Juan. They will be home tonight."
"He had no business leavin' you alone;" the cowboy's voice was angry.
"He knowed the Indians was restless. I warned him last week when I seen
him down in town, and he promised me he wouldn't take no chances with
you and Donnie."
"Doctor King told us this morning, but we did not think there was any
immediate danger, Limber," she said. The man understood the gentle
reproof.
"I didn't mean to knock Glendon, but it was takin' a heap of chances,
jest the same, and Glen hadn't orter done it when he knowed Geronimo had
jumped the Reservation an' your ranch right on the old Indian trail to
Mexico."
He turned to Powell who had been observing the woman.
"This is Doctor Powell, Mrs. Glendon. We rid across from the Diamond H
to see Doctor King. He ain't home today, though."
Powell clasped the extended hand and felt the quivering nerves, but
before he could speak, Donnie appeared at the entrance of the cave, his
darkly-circled eyes telling the hours of fear.
"Hello, Donnie!" called Limber cheerfully, placing a calloused hand
gently on the lad's shoulder. "You fooled ol' Geronimo that time, all
right. We've got the laugh on him, haven't we?"
A faint smiled rewarded the cowboy, whose glance now rested on the
little pile of cartridges and the pistol. Limber said nothing, but
stooped for the gun and ammunition, then he saw the two cartridges lying
apart from the others. The muscles of his jaws twitched. As he picked up
the last two, he hesitated and looked closely at the ground. His eyes
travelled toward the rear of the cave then past the brushy entrance.
Katherine and Powell were making their way down the side of the canyon
and Donnie's hand was held by the doctor. Limber followed them, lifted
the child to Peanut's back, and with a nod at Powell, mounted the other
pony and rode slowly toward the ranch house, while the doctor and
Katherine talking earnestly together, took a shorter cut.
They found the kitchen of the ranch in chaos. It had been rifled of all
provisions, but owing to the haste of Geronimo nothing but blankets and
some Navajo rugs had been taken from the rest of the house. Limber,
hearing the milk cow bawling at the corral, left Powell, Donnie and
Katherine in the house taking inventory while he announced his intention
of milking the cow.
When the cowboy opened the corral gate, Beauty, the cow, rushed into the
corral and sniffed the ground suspiciously. She caught the scent of
fresh blood and lifted her head, her eyes rolling wildly as she bellowed
rapidly and shrilly, sucking her breath audibly between her cries, like
terrible sobs.
"You may be only a cow, but you know enough to have it hurt you jest
like humans," said Limber pityingly, as he offered feed which she
refused to touch. Gently he stroked her heaving sides, and she paused in
her cries, looking at him with eager, appealing eyes. Then, as though
understanding he could not help her, she resumed her shrill grief.
Limber tied her to the fence, milked her and carried the bucket to the
kitchen. He put it on the table, glanced at the empty wood-box and left
the room. In a few minutes the sound of splitting wood mingled with
Donnie's chatter and Powell's occasional remarks to Limber. From the
kitchen they heard the cheerful clatter of pans and the hum of an
egg-beater.
The little dining-room into which Powell was summoned half an hour
later, showed no traces of the hurried visit of the Apaches. The table
was spread with fresh linen and decorated with a bowl of wild flowers.
Despite the raid on her larder, Katherine had managed to provide a
luncheon to tempt even a jaded palate.
"You must have Aladdin's lamp hidden somewhere," Powell remarked
admiringly as he took the place opposite Limber.
Katherine glanced up smiling, as she served a dainty omelette.
"Nothing so magical as that," she said. "The truth is that the Indians
overlooked the springhouse where we keep surplus stores. Limber helped
more than Aladdin, for he milked the cow, found a few eggs and chopped
the wood. With that much accomplished, any woman could manage a meal."
"We must agree to disagree," dissented Powell, but the conventional
compliment was sincere. He was filled with admiration for the woman, who
within twenty-four hours had gone through such experiences, yet retained
her poise. "I wish some of my hysterical women patients could meet you,
Mrs. Glendon."
Her surprise was not assumed. "Don't give me credit that I do not
deserve," she answered simply. "When circumstances conspire against one,
there is no time to plan or think. You just do things instinctively.
Then, too, women living on ranches learn to adapt themselves to many
things that would seem hardships to other women. Beside, you and Limber
reached me just as I was beginning to quake. So I don't feel entitled to
any praise."
"I am thankful that we happened to come when you needed us most," the
doctor responded heartily. "We wanted to see Doctor King; but, finding
him away from the ranch, Limber suggested that we ride down here and
possibly find out when he might return."
"Leon's baby was sick," she explained, and Limber nodded. "He'll be back
in a couple of days, he said."
"I want to find out whether the doctor will consider a proposition of
mine regarding building a sanitarium at the Springs," Powell went on.
"Mr. Traynor said King had such an idea, himself, and needed a
partner-physician. That was how Limber and I came this way today."
"You know our Arizona custom--our homes are the homes of our friends.
You are royally welcome to the best we have until Doctor King returns."
The two men exchanged sudden glances, and Limber hastened to say, "I've
got to get to Willcox this evening, for the boys are on the road with a
shipment of stock. But, Doctor Powell could wait here till King gets
back. I was thinkin' I had better ride down to Leon's and head King back
this way. Then he and Doctor Powell could talk together, whilst I kin
go to Willcox by the San Pedro road instead of comin' back here."
"Don't change any plans on my account," the woman said quickly, sensing
their thoughts. "My husband and Juan will be home tonight, so there is
no occasion for anxiety."
"We'll wait till they come," Powell's voice was decided. "After they
reach here, Limber and I can follow Doctor King. We have a new moon
tonight and Limber says the trail is plain." Then Powell changed the
conversation by asking Donnie if he spoke Spanish, and the child nodded
assent.
"Marmee and I talk with Juan in Spanish all the time."
The doctor continued, "I used to live in South America, so I learned it
down there. It varies a bit, but I have been able to understand and make
myself understood, so far."
Luncheon over, the doctor went on the porch with mother and child, and
Limber sauntered back to the stables to water their ponies. He was
holding the halter-ropes of the animals while they stood by the
water-trough, when he saw Glendon and Juan riding down the trail back of
the house.
"Hello, Limber!" called Glendon as he swung from his saddle.
Limber regarded him with angry eyes. "Well, Glen, you sure kept your
word to me in fine shape," he said in open disgust.
The other man shrugged his shoulders. "There's no danger. I can't sit
around the place all the time holding a gun because some fool rumour is
started about the Indians."
He was unfastening the double cinches of his saddle, but the leather
straps fell from his fingers when Limber said slowly and meaningly; "No.
Thar ain't no danger now! The whole bunch headed by ol' Geronimo passed
here today. That's all!"