CHAPTER XVII The Passionate Pilgrim
Ralph Marshall's pilgrimage was in vain. When he reached the place wherethe men had been in hiding, every trace of them had disappeared. He mighthave thought that he had made a mistake in the spot, except that therewere marks on the ground where the camp fire had been, and he clearlyremembered the circle of small hills.
After remaining in the neighborhood for half an hour or more and seeingno human being, Ralph knew that his task was not to be so easilyaccomplished. But he had no inclination to return and loiter about hishotel. Even failure was better than boredom, and the last few days hadbeen intensely dull. Ralph was weary of sightseeing and seldom took aninterest in viewing things alone. He was no longer friendly with TerryBenton and Howard Brent, whose expressed opinions of him had not beenflattering. And, in spite of Peggy's generosity, he felt himself cut offfrom the companionship of the Camp Fire girls.
Perhaps Ralph did not realize it, but the fact was that he did not carefor the society of the other girls, now that Peggy's was denied him.
Moreover, even if it were but slight, an ambition had been stirred in himby Mrs. Burton. Actually he wanted to succeed in what she had asked himto do. Rarely in his life had he been stirred by this emotion, exceptperhaps by the desire to win a game of tennis, or be elected to somespecial college fraternity.
Getting on his burro again, Ralph started off in another direction. Heknew that he was traveling toward the line of railroad and supposed hewould find more signs of life there. Certainly he could not discoverless. It was also possible that he might run across some one who wouldhave known of the dissatisfied men and might at least offer a suggestionas to what had become of them.
Of course, in finding the strikers one would not necessarily obtaininformation of Billy Webster's proceedings. But, so long as one was underthe impression that he might be spending his time in their society, theymust first be hunted out. Afterwards, if Billy were not with them, thenone could pursue some other idea.
After reaching the railroad line, Ralph jogged along on the road that ranalongside of it.
The road had been cut through somewhat more open country, nevertheless hemet no one in passing. At present it was past noon, but, although Ralphwas usually fond of his own comfort, it had not yet occurred to him thathis prospect for food was a very poor one.
Then, half an hour later, when he was not in the least expecting to reachany such place, Ralph came upon a railroad station. There was a smallframe building beside a platform and near it a typical western grocerystore, which means that it held a great many other things besidegroceries.
Ralph was feeling tired and a little hungry. If he was to continue ridingabout the country all day in this vague fashion, it would be as well tosecure food for himself when he could. There was never yet a countrystore without cheese and crackers.
Ralph tied his pony to the hitching post and strolled up to the door ofthe store. The door was partly open and he could see a man inside who wasprobably a customer, as he did not appear to be the proprietor, and wastalking with some one.
Ralph walked in and the man stopped talking. He was smoking a short pipeand looked curiously at the newcomer. Ralph's appearance was a surprise.He looked so exactly like the old-fashioned western phrase whichdescribed the Eastern youth as a "tenderfoot." Ralph's riding costume wastoo new, too clean and too fashionable ever to have seen real service.But he knew how to make himself acceptable to most people.
He bowed a curt but friendly nod to the other man as he moved up towardthe counter.
"I am a stranger in this part of the country," he announced, "and I havebeen riding all morning. I wonder if you can let me eat a littlesomething here?"
The grocery keeper was friendly enough and began shoving out the varioussupplies that the newcomer had asked for, conscious of the fact that hewas a good customer.
Then Ralph climbed up on a stool and began eating his lunch and drinkingginger ale out of the glass bottle. He was enjoying himself a good dealmore than he had at many a fashionable luncheon served at an expensivehotel.
By and by he turned to the other man who had not left the store.
"I wonder if you would have a bite with me?" he suggested. "I never didlike having to eat alone."
The man hesitated and then came forward.
"Don't care if I do," he answered in a somewhat surly fashion, but Ralphobserved that he ate hungrily, and they had to have the supplies reneweda second time.
When they had finished they both strolled out of the store together and,without any discussion of the matter, sat down beside each other on therailroad platform. Each man looked as if he had no other interest oroccupation in life except just to wait until a train passed by.
"There isn't much excitement in this neighborhood, is there?" Ralphfinally said.
His companion stared straight ahead of him.
"Oh, you can't sometimes always tell just by the outside looks ofthings."
Ralph hesitated a moment.
"Been any fun lately?" he inquired.
The man shook his head.
"Not much; nothing except some fellows been trying to blow up the trackout this way. I'm on the lookout for them for the railroad, as I'm one ofthe company's men."
"Who are they and what is the matter?" Ralph asked, trying to show noespecial interest beyond a perfectly natural one.
But his companion showed no sign of wishing to be secretive.
"Don't know," he returned. "If I did, I'd have had them out of mischiefbefore this. There has been a gang of strikers hanging around somewherein this neighborhood--no one knows the exact place. But there is noreason for suspecting them, except that they are down on the company.Funny, I've been watching around here for several days and haven't evenrun across anybody to talk to before! At least no one but a boy wholooked like he ought to be home with his mother."
Ralph laughed.
"A kind of a tenderfoot like I am?"
The other man grinned.
"Oh, he was a good deal younger than you. We have so many travelers fromthe East out in this neighborhood now, that we have forgotten to call 'em'tenderfeet.' This boy was a kid--a real kid--tall and sick looking, withlight hair and blue eyes and nice manners."
Ralph nodded.
"Funny, what was he doing around here? There is no hotel very near, isthere?"
The older man shook his head.
"Not for several miles back. The boy said he was out here for his healthand kind of liked to stay by himself. He said he would keep his eyes openfor me. But he was a dreamy kind of kid. I don't believe he would knowtrouble if he saw it."
Ralph whistled.
"I don't believe he would. Seen him lately?"
"This morning early."
"Think he'll come back this way?"
The man had refilled his pipe and was smoking.
"How'd I know?" he returned. "I ain't seen him any time, except one ortwo mornings."
The man then got up and stretched himself.
"Well, so long; I can't waste any more time around here, much as I'd liketo stay and talk. I've got to get up and down the track a piece. I wishyou would keep an eye open on your way back."
"Certainly," Ralph answered, "only I'm not going back just yet. I am kindof tired and I thought I'd sit here awhile and rest."
The two men nodded and the older one walked away.
Ralph waited for two hours. Then, as the man in the grocery store wasbeginning to look suspicious, he got up and strolled about. In themeantime the station master had reappeared, after having spent some timeat his own midday meal.
Ralph tried to give him the impression that he was expecting some one onthe next train.
But between four and five o'clock his patience gave out. It was eitherthis, or he had lost all hope of Billy Webster's returning the way he hadevidently gone, not only this morning, but on several others.
Ralph then made up his mind to ask Mrs. Burton
to allow him to remain allnight at Sunrise camp.
The wanderer should not disappear the next day without his seeing him go.