Part 38 (1/2)
A tail chase is a long chase, and so The Kid found it, for the speed and endurance of the Swallow were both fully tested before the advance party were overtaken.
As he came in sight of them he pulled himself up with the question, ”What am I doing here? What is my business with that party?” For a mile or so he rode slowly, keeping out of their sight, trying to find such answer to this question as would satisfy not so much himself but those before him, to whom, somehow, he felt an answer was due. The difficulty of explaining his presence became sensibly greater as he pictured himself attempting to make it clear to Crawley.
”It is none of his business, anyway,” at length he said impatiently.
”She doesn't want him around. How did he know?”
Crawley was a man of some parts. He had money and ability. He was a scholar, and could talk well about rocks and plants. The Kid had heard him discourse to the Old Prospector and Marion many a day on these subjects, and intelligently, too.
”Well,” he said at length, ”I may be of some use, anyway. Surely a fellow has a right to offer his services to his friends in trouble.”
With this explanation on his lips he sailed down upon the company.
Marion and the half-breed were riding far in front, Crawley following as closely as he could with the wagon. Some distance in the rear were Shock and the doctor in the backboard. The Kid could hear Crawley pointing out to Marion in a loud voice the striking features of the beauty that lay around them in such a wealth and variety of profusion.
The words of Ike came to his mind, ”mighty ingraciousin'.”
”Confound his impudence!” he growled. ”I wonder if she knows the kind of snake he is? I believe I'll tell her, for her own sake. No, that won't do, either. Well, I guess I must wait my chance.”
Put the chance seemed slow in coming.
”Thought I would ride after you and offer--see if you--if I could be of service.”
”And we are very glad to have you,” said Shock heartily.
”Yes, we found you useful on occasion before, and doubtless shall again,” said the doctor, in a tone of pleasant sufferance.
The Kid reined up behind the buckboard, waiting for an excuse to ride forward, but for miles finding a none.
”I wonder now,” said Shock at length, ”if we had not better stop and have tea, and then ride till dark before we camp. If Marion is not tired that would be the better way.”
”I'll ride up and ask,” said The Kid eagerly, and before any other suggestion could be made he was gone.
The proposition found acceptance with Marion and, what was of more importance, with the half-breed guide.
If The Kid had any doubt of his reception by the girl the glad, grateful look in her eyes as he drew near was enough to a.s.sure him of her welcome; and as he took the guide's place by her side she hastened to say, ”I am glad you came, Mr. Stanton. It was very kind of you to come. It was awful riding alone mile after mile.”
”Alone!” echoed The Kid.
”Well, I mean you know he cannot talk much English and--”
”Of course,” promptly replied The Kid, ”I am awfully glad I came, now.
Wasn't sure just how you might take it. I mean, I did not like pus.h.i.+ng myself in, you understand.”
”Oh, surely one does not need to explain a kindness such as this,” said the girl simply. ”You see, the doctor and Mr. Macgregor are together, and will be, and the others--well, I hardly know them.”
The trail wound in and out, with short curves and sharp ascents, among the hills, whose round tops were roughened with the rocks that jutted through the turf, and were decked with clumps of poplar and spruce and pine. The world seemed full of brightness to the boy. His heart overflowed with kindness to all mankind. He found it possible, indeed, to think of Crawley, even, with a benignant compa.s.sion.
Far up in the Pa.s.s they camped, in a little sheltered dell all thick with jack pines, through whose wide-spreading roots ran and chattered a little mountain brook. But for the anxiety that lay like lead upon her heart, how delightful to Marion would have been this, her first, experience of a night out of doors. And when after tea Shock, sitting close by the fire, read that evening Psalm, breathing a trust and peace that no circ.u.mstances of ill could break, the spicy air and the deep blue sky overhead, sown with stars that rained down their gentle beams through the silent night, made for Marion a holy place where G.o.d seemed near, and where it was good to lie down and rest. ”I will both lay me down in peace and sleep, for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety.”
And that sense of security, of being under tender, loving care, did not forsake her all through the long watches of the night, and through the weary miles of the next day's travel that brought them at length to the Old Prospector's camp.
As they neared the camp the trail emerged out of thick bushes into a wide valley, where great pines stood, with wide s.p.a.ces between, and clear of all underbrush. The whole valley was carpeted thick with pine needles, and gleamed like gold in the yellow light of the evening sun.