CHAPTER X
AN UNEXPECTED DEPARTURE
Dorothy looked after the fleeing little figure as it disappeared behinda clump of shrubbery in the direction of the laundry.
"A child of one of the workmen, I suppose, but such an odd, quaintlooking child," she thought, and rejoined her mates. They were stillstanding beside the cloistered walk, talking, planning the wonderfultrips which would be open to them now that they owned horses; comparingnotes upon the points of each that they fancied they had alreadylearned, while Mr. Ford declared:
"This really is the most wonderful affair! Not that you have the horses,but that you show no jealousy about them. So far as I can see each ofyou is perfectly satisfied with his own choice and sure it was thewisest. I only hope our good James Barlow will like his Azul as well.Heigho, Dolly Doodles! What a quaint little basket! An Indian one andfine. Where did you get that?"
"A little boy gave it to me. I suppose it is for Lady Gray, and here shecomes."
The lady had walked across from the Barracks, slowly, sauntering overthe beautiful grounds, so fully in accord with them and the gloriousday hat she was humming an aria from pure lightness of heart. She hadnot forgotten the missing lad for whom she had chosen the best horse inthe herd, but it did not seem now that anything could be really amiss.He would surely soon be back, safe and well, and oh! how good lifewas! How dear the world, and how gracious that tender Providence whichhad crowned her life with joy! In this mood she came up to the groupawaiting her and Dorothy put the basket into her hands.
She hadn't expected anything of weight and nearly dropped it.
"Why, dearie, what an exquisite basket! But how heavy it is!What--here--why? See how oddly it's fastened with rushes or somethinglike them. I'll sit right here while one of you open it."
She seated herself upon a carved bench beside a sun-dial and Leslie cutthe rushes which were bound tightly about the basket. As he did so aplaintive little wail issued from it, and Lady Gray and he both jumped.
"A baby! A foundling!" laughed Mr. Ford, pretending to be greatlyfrightened.
"Open it, open it quick, please! I can't wait!" cried Molly.
At the slightest touch now the lid fell off and there, lying on a mat ofsoftest grass, was a tiny, new-born lamb. Ohs! and Ahs! and laughtergreeted it, to which the small creature answered by another feeble"Ma-a-a!" then curled itself to sleep.
"What a pretty present! Who could have sent it?" wondered Lady Gray.
"One of the shepherds, likely; sheep herders they call them here. Andit's the first time I ever saw a lamb 'snow white.' The comparison,'white as a lamb' is generally wrong, for they're a dirty gray. This onehas been washed within an inch of its life--literally. Some of you girlsbetter take it to the dairy and give it some milk," said Mr. Ford.
"Maybe there somebody will know about it or we'll find the little boyagain. He was so cute! Like a small Indian, he looked."
"He might easily be one, Dorothy. There are still many bands of themroaming the mountains. Quite often, the 'boys' say, some come to SanLeon. A peaceable lot, though, mostly, unless they get hold of liquor.But liquor turns even cultivated white men into brutes. Not likely weshall see any of them at this time of year, when life in the forest ispleasant."
"Oh! Daniel, don't talk of Indians at all! I don't like them," protestedMrs. Ford, with a little shudder. "I hope that child wasn't one."
"Well, we don't know that he was. There are many people belonging to SanLeon and other neighboring ranches and a child more or less isn't enoughto set us worrying. Hmm. Here comes the operator with a telegram. I wasin hopes that I might escape them for a few weeks. News, Mr. Robson?"
The clerk's face was grave and the young folks walked away; Dorothycarrying the basket with the lamb, the others following--withmischievous Molly prodding the little creature with her forefinger "tomake it talk."
But the boys were not interested in "young mutton" as Monty called it,and sought the ranchmen at their quarters to learn when they could gofishing, or what was better, hunting.
"I don't see what you want to kill things for!" pouted Molly, whileHelena answered:
"Because they are--just boys! I only hope they won't be allowed tohandle firearms, except for rifle practice under the trainer's care. Sothis is the dairy! What a fine one and away up here, where Milliken saidthere was 'no civilization!' Do you know, Papa is getting quite anxiousfor a stock farm? We think it's so queer for a man who knows nothing butbanking, but some doctor told him it would be fine for his health. If hehas cattle, I suppose we'll have a dairy. I mean now to find out all Ican about such things because I know whatever Mr. Ford does will be thebest possible. Odd! up here the dairymaids are dairymen! How spotlesslyclean that one yonder looks, in his white uniform! I'm going to ask whathe is doing now."
She left the other girls to do so and from another worker in thisup-to-date, sweet-smelling place, Dorothy begged a basin of milk fortheir new pet. It still remained in the basket, which was so soft and ofsuch exquisite fineness that it could be folded like a cloth.
Alfaretta still held the soft cover, which had slipped off when Lesliecut the rushes binding it on, turning it idly in her hands. Suddenly shestopped and stared at its inner side, then excitedly stooped whereDorothy was feeding the lamb and pointed, exclaiming:
"For the land sakes, Dolly Doodles, look at that!"
"Take care, Alfy! You're scaring this timid little thing so it won'tdrink. It hardly knows how, anyway. What? What do you say?"
"I say look a there! _Jim! Jim!_"
Dorothy snatched the cover from Alfy's hand and there, surely enough,was the letter D done in the curious handwriting which James Barlow hadacquired; quite different both girls knew from that of any other theyhad ever seen. Then they stared at one another, not knowing whether tobe glad or sorry.
"What does it mean?" cried Dorothy at last, while Molly drew near tolearn what had happened to surprise them. For answer Alfaretta handedher the cover and fairly gasped out:
"Jim--our Jim--wrote that--or painted it--or--or--It's Jim, true aspreachin'!"
"Huh! then all I can say is that this paragon of a Jim has a mightypoor style of writing. Looks more as if that lamb had bumped itsitsy--witsy--heady--and made it bleed. That's some Indian 'mark' thatthe maker of the basket put on it. Don't try to get up any excitementover that."
Alfy shook her head but Dorothy did not look up. She was searching thesoft, wilted grass that lined the basket; and, in the bottom, tied to abunch of faded flowers was a little glistening stone. The pebble wasmarked by another D, traced in the red juice of some plant.
The basket went one way, the lamb another as Dorothy sprang to her feetand danced for very joy.
"Yes, it's from Jim--it's from Jim! And he's alive--somewhere he isalive! Oh! I am so glad, so glad!"
Alfy was glad, too, of this reminder of the lad's existence, but she wasalso ashamed of him.
"Huh! I don't see what there's to be so tickled over, for my part! JimBarlow's actin' like a regular simpleton. And he's mean, too. He'smeaner 'n pussley, makin' everybody such a lot of trouble. Folks ridingnight and day to hunt for him--some out scourin' round this veryminute--and him just stayin' away 'cause--'cause--"
"'Cause what, Alfaretta Babcock?" demanded Molly sternly. As always shewas loyal to her beloved Dorothy whose joy Alfy was rapidly spoiling byher contempt for the truant.
"'Cause, I s'pose he hasn't any decent clothes to come home in. Hedidn't take his with him and clothes don't grow on trees, even inColorado. But--if I knew where he was I'd take 'em to him and give him apiece o' my mind along with 'em."
"Give it to me, instead, missy. I'm kind of sort of hungry for it!" saida familiar voice behind them, and there was Captain Lem leaning on thesill of the dairy window and looking at them with that amused expressionof his. He seemed to find a lot of young folks the most entertainingcompany in the world. He had hated their coming and had instantly veeredaround to be thankful for it. Already his mates were teasing him
aboutit and prophesying that Lem had done his last job on the ranch.Hereafter, if he was missed, all the "boys" would have to do would be tohunt up Dorothy, or her chums, and find him.
"What's a doin', younkers? Hope your ridin' round didn't tire ye none.Hello! Gone to raisin' sheep, have ye? Mighty pretty little creatur',that one is. Where'd you find it?"
Even Helena left off learning dairy work and hurried with the others tothe window to learn his opinion.
He took the cover and the stone and carefully studied the inscriptionson them. Cocked his head sidewise, put on his spectacles, screwed uphis eyebrows and his lips, and ejaculated:
"That's a poor fist--whoever done it!"
"Maybe it is; but both Alfaretta and I recognized it at once. You seepoor Jim almost taught himself to write. He'd begun that even before Ifirst saw him and it's hard to unlearn things, you know. Else, Jim's sosmart he'd have written better than any of us by this time. Yes, indeed!Poor Jim is very, very clever!" said Dolly warmly.
Captain Lemuel shook his head, and remarked:
"I 'low you call him that by way o' compliment. But back home when wecalled a feller 'clever' it meant he hadn't much sense. I've seen thatsort, 'clever' souls 't scurcely knew enough to come in out the rain.This here one 'peared the same to me. Course, I hadn't been acquaintedwith him longer 'n next to no time but if he was so smart, as I s'poseyou're meanin' to state, he hid it amazin' well. Hmm. But--but--if thisis a handwrite o' his 'n, our business is to take it straight to the'Boss.' What you goin' to name your lamb, Little One?"
Dorothy lifted the little animal and gave it to him through the window.He caressed it tenderly enough in his strong hands, for he loved allanimals, though horses best.
"Why, I hadn't thought. I mean we hadn't. And it isn't ours, anyway, ifit was sent to the Gray Lady."
"Your Gray Lady's name don't begin with a D. It's plain as the nose onyour face who it's meant for," he answered, promptly.
"Then if it is really mine--how lovely!--I'll just call it Snowball."
"Pshaw, Dolly Doodles! If I had a lamb sent to me by a poor lost fellerlike Jim, I'd name it after him and not so silly like that. Do call itJim, junior," argued Alfy.
"Yes, sissy, but--but it ain't that kind of a lamb," observed theCaptain, siding with his favorite at once.
Molly giggled and even Helena smiled, but Alfy simply pouted.
"Huh! Well, then if Jim won't do, call her Jiminetta--that'd be after meand him, too, same's I'm Alfaretta."
Dorothy laughed, too, now, and stopped studying the rude letters tracedon the cover and the stone. They but deepened the mystery of Jim'sdisappearance and present whereabouts. She remarked:
"We don't often enough take time to say your whole name, child. It'sgenerally 'Alfy.' Let's compromise and call our lamb Netty."
"Good enough! And if the little creatur' takes after most Colorady folksor flocks, she won't care a mite what name she has so she ain't calledlate to dinner. Haw, haw, haw!"
Laughing at his own ancient witticism, Captain Lem started housewardwith "Netty" in his arms, the little thing nestling down in them as ifit knew it had found a friend. But his face was troubled. He didn'tlike this secret signal from the missing James and he liked less thefact that the lad's messenger had been a small Indian. However, thisseemed a small matter to what was awaiting him, as Mr. Ford came towardhim, walking rapidly, and, apparently, in deep thought.
"Lem, do you think you can run San Leon without me for a few days?"
Captain saluted his "chief" and replied, a trifle testily: "That's whatI have been doin' for a purty consid'able spell, ain't it, Boss?"
"Yes, but you hadn't eight youngsters on your hands then, to keep happyand out of mischief. Boys you know, Lem--"
"I know. I've been one. Wish 't I was again. What's up, Boss?"
The girls had followed the Captain, slowly, and eagerly discussing Jim'smessage--if it was such--and its probable meaning; but they paused at alittle distance, not wishing to interrupt the men's interview which,from the expression of their faces, was a serious one.
But Mr. Ford saw them and beckoned them to come up; and then explainedto them as well as to the old ranchman:
"We have had telegrams that call us east. Away east, as far as New York.I feel that we must leave you young folks--for a few days--as few as wecan possibly make them. It isn't business or I'd depute somebody elseto act for me. It's this: A wireless dispatch has been received that avery old lady, an aunt of Erminie's, will arrive in that city on thesteamer which is due in just three days. She has lived abroad for manyyears and is now very feeble, helpless, in fact, from paralysis orsomething of that nature. She brought Erminie up and has been the bestand truest friend my wife ever had. We owe her everything, and feel thatwe cannot leave her to land in a strange city, broken in mind and body,without her 'daughter' to care for her. We must go, for I don't wantLady Gray to take the trip and responsibility without me. If all goeswell, we should be back in less than a fortnight--could be much soonerexcept that Lady Gray wants to bring Aunt Rachel to San Leon; and wewill have to make the return journey by very easy stages, as herstrength will allow. It is trying, too, that, having learned of our tripeast, Miss Milliken insists upon returning with us. She hasn't beenhappy here and I find she's worrying about her heart. The altitude ofSan Leon is bad for her, she thinks, and since she puts it on thatground neither Erminie nor I can urge her to remain. But--"
"'But,' don't you worry a minute, dear Uncle Dan!" cried Dorothy,clasping her hands around his arm and using the title he had asked formany times, though she had rarely done so before. All along, despite hisgreat generosity and kindness, she had stood just a little in awe of the"Railroad Boss," and he had been simply "Mr. Ford" to her as well as toall his other young guests. But it needed only one look of anxiety onhis noble face to rouse all her loving sympathy. She repeated: "Don'tyou, nor sweet Lady Gray, worry one single minute about us or things uphere at San Leon. We'll be as good as good! Helena, here, is a bettercaretaker than poor Miss Milly. Between ourselves, we're glad she'sgoing. She's been a burden to Nell, all the time, instead of a help. I'msorry about her heart but--I'm glad she's going. Now--when do you start?Isn't there something I--we--can do to help you off? Do let us help!"
The gentleman's face had lightened. His girl guests had accepted thesituation beautifully, and he could but hope as much for the lads. Inany case he must go; and, indeed, at once. He was so pressed for timethat they disliked to trouble him with the message the lamb had brought,and watched him walk swiftly away without a further word.
"Huh! He needn't be afraid we'll do anything we oughtn't! And I don'tsee as we're going to be so much alone, after all. There's the trainednurse, and though the doctor's gone to Denver he'll come back."
"She's sick herself, this last day or so, Alfy. We mustn't count on hernor on Dr. Jones. But there's Mr. Robson, Captain Lem, Anita, WunSing--and lots of ranchmen left. Oh! we'll be all right!" said Dorothy."But the Captain has walked off with 'Netty'--forgotten all about her, Iguess."
"Well, I must go to poor Milly. She never can keep her head whenanything happens suddenly, like this. She has complained, incessantly,that she could hardly breathe up here and I'm glad she has the chance togo now. But I can fancy my dear mother's face, when Milly walks into theTowers without me!" said Helena, hurrying away.
A half-hour of activity followed, the girls taking Lady Gray's simplepacking out of her hands, although that much-travelled _prima donna_ wasnever disturbed by sudden changes from place to place. Indeed, she washappy over this coming trip, under her husband's escort, and to meet herdearly loved Aunt Rachel.
Jedediah had his master's suit-case ready in even shorter time and itwas only Miss Milliken who delayed matters by her fussiness.
However, the buckboard came around, Silent Pete holding the reins overthe four-in-hand, and Captain Lem rather jealously regarding him; untilhis eye fell upon his "awkward squad" and he remembered the greaterresponsibility placed upon himself. Then
he was reconciled to seeanother man drive his horses, reflecting:
"Well, I needn't grumble, I'm the one Boss trusted most. Sevenyoungsters in hand and one in the bush--land knows where!--is a biggerjob 'n just drivin' a four-footed team. I ain't no call to feel lonesomebut just to feel sot up. Funny, ain't it, Lem! You a regular,dyed-in-the-wool old bach to find yourself suddenly playin' daddy toseven strappin' boys an' gals! Seven an' there'd ought to be eight.Ought to be--_must be_--that's what it spells to Captain Lemuel Hunt.For if--if--as I reasonably suspicion--that there Jim Barlow, poorwriter, has fell into the hands of a passel of Injuns, his cake's dough,lessen I can rake it out their oven into mine."
The departure of the buckboard, with solemn Silent Pete in charge, had adepressing effect upon the group left watching it. Everything would goon just as usual, of course. Why should there be any difference?But--how lonesome it was! How they would miss Lady Gray's sweet voiceand presence, and the "Boss's" jokes and laughter!
The thought was too much for tender-hearted Alfy, and after aspluttering, and sniffling to stem her own grief, she burst into anaudible boo-hoo, that promptly started Molly's tears, though she shedthem silently. All, indeed, were very sober and Leslie's face was pale.He hadn't realized till now how necessary his mother had become to hishappiness, and he felt sorely inclined to follow the example of theweeping girls though rather indignant against them. It wasn't theirLady Gray who had left, nor their beloved Dad. He exclaimed, testily:
"Girls, quit that! I'm your host now and I say--no crying! What Ipropose is--do something. Let's ride to Bald Eagle Peak--or Rock. You'llneed clear eyes to follow that trail, but there'll be just time enoughto do it before bedtime. Hurray for 'Boots and Saddles!'"
Captain Lem answered quickly:
"Lad, you can't do that! You mustn't take that road till you know moreabout ridin' 'n you do now, nor unless you start by daybreak. I wouldn'ttry it myself, old mountaineer as I am, at this hour, lessen it was acase of life and death. No, you can't go."
Leslie's temper rose and he retorted:
"I'm 'Boss' here now and don't you dare say 'mustn't' to me!"
The sharpshooter laughed ironically; and this enraged the boy stillfurther. His riding whip was in his hand and, with a furious look at theCaptain, he lifted it and brought it down upon the old man's head--whostaggered backward, then fell to the ground as if he were dead.
"Leslie! Leslie!" shrieked the onlookers, "what have you done?"
"Killed him--I--guess!" he gasped and threw himself beside the prostrateranchman.