Part 24 (1/2)
”And what will Helen and the other girls say?” cried Tom.
”I wish I had thought,” murmured Ruth. ”I would have warned Jib not to let Mary know.”
”What's that?” asked Tom, in surprise, for he had but imperfectly caught Ruth's words.
”Never mind,” returned the girl from the Red Mill, quickly.
The others were discussing what should be done. Ruth still stood in the doorway and now a murmur from the bed called her turn back into the shack to make the unfortunate on the couch more comfortable-for in his tossings he became more feverish and hot. When she returned to the outer air the others had decided.
”Darcy and I will remain, Ruth,” Tom said, with decision. ”We'll bring the water, and cook something for you to eat out here, and stand guard, turn and turn about. But you are a very obstinate girl.”
”As long as one is in for it, why increase the number endangered by the fever?” she asked, coolly. ”You are real kind to stay, Tom-you and Darcy.”
”You couldn't get me away with a Gatling gun,” said Tom, grimly. ”You know _that_, Ruth.”
”I know I have a staunch friend in you, Tommy,” she said, in a low voice.
”One you can trust?”
”To be sure,” she replied, smiling seriously at him.
”Then what is all this about Mary c.o.x? What has _she_ got to do with the fellow you've got hived up in that shack?” shot in Master Tom, shrewdly.
”Oh, now, Tommy!” gasped Ruth.
”You can't fool me, Ruth--”
”s.h.!.+ don't let the others hear you,” she whispered. ”And don't come any nearer, Tom!” she added, warningly, and in a louder tone.
”But The Fox has something to do with this man?” demanded Tom.
”I believe so. I fear so. Oh, don't ask me any more!” breathed the girl, anxiously, as Jane Ann and the cowboy rode up to say good-bye.
”I hope nothing bad will come of this, Ruth,” said the ranch girl. ”But Uncle Bill will be dreadfully mad.”
”Not with me, I hope,” rejoined Ruth, shaking her head.
”And all the girls will be crazy to come out here and help you nurse him.”
”They certainly _will_ be crazy if they want to,” muttered Tom.
”They would better not come near here until the man gets better-if he ever _does_ get better,” added Ruth, in a low tone.
”I expect they'll all want to come,” repeated Jane Ann.
”Don't you let them, Jane Ann!” admonished Ruth. ”Above all, don't you let Mary c.o.x come over here-unless I send for her,” and she went into the shack again and closed the door.
CHAPTER XXIII-BASHFUL IKE TAKES THE BIT IN HIS TEETH
There was great commotion at Silver Ranch when Jib Pottoway (on a fresh horse he had picked up at the riverside cow camp) rode madly to the ranch-house with the news of what was afoot so far away across Rolling River. From Old Bill down, the friends of Ruth were horror-stricken that she should so recklessly (or, so it seemed) expose herself to the contagion of the fever.