He dragged his horse to a standstill and leaped off at the same instant.
"Evenin', 'Lissie."
She was busy lacing her shoe and did not look up. He guessed that he was
being snubbed and into his eyes came a gleam of fun. A day later than he
had promised, Jack Flatray was of opinion that he was being punished for
tardiness.
Casually he explained. "Couldn't make it any sooner. Burke had a hurry-up
job that took us into the hills. Fellow by the name of Bellamy, wanted for
murder at Nemo, Arkansas, had been tracked to Mesa. A message came over
the wires to arrest him. When Burke sent me to his room he had lit out,
taken a swift hike into the hills. Must a-had some warning, for he didn't
even wait for a horse."
The dilated eyes of the girl went past the deputy to the man she had
rescued. He was leaning against one of the porch posts, tense and rigid,
on his face the look of the hunted brought to bay.
"And did you find him?" she asked mechanically of the deputy.
"We found him. He had been trampled to death by a cattle stampede."
Her mind groped blindly for an explanation. Her woman's instinct told her
that the man panting on the porch within six feet of the officer was the
criminal wanted. There must be a mistake somewhere.
"Did you identify him?"
"I guess there is no doubt about it. His papers and belongings all showed
he was our man."
"Oh!" The excitement of his news had for a moment thawed her, but a
dignified aloofness showed again in her manner. "If you want to see father
you'll find him in the corral, Mr. Flatray."
"Well, I don't know as I'm looking for him awful hard," the blue
kerchiefed youth smiled genially. "Anyway, I can wait a few minutes if I
have to."
"Yes." She turned away indifferently. "I'll show you your room, Mr.
Morse."
The deputy watched them disappear into the house with astonishment printed
on his face. He had ridden twenty-seven miles to see Melissy Lee and he
had not quite expected this sort of a greeting.
"If that don't beat the Dutch. Looks like I'll do my callin' on the old
man after all, maybe," he murmured with a grin.