He returned with the graders to their camp; and it was no
surprise to him to find the wagon-train, that had tarried near, gone
in the night. He trailed that wagon-train to the next camp, where on
the busy road he lost the wheel-tracks. Next day he rode horseback
all the way in to Benton. But all his hunting and questioning
availed nothing. Gloom, heartsickness, and despair surged in upon
him, but he did not think of giving up. He remembered all Allie had
told him. Those fiends had gotten her again. He believed now all
that she had said; and there was something of hope in the thought
that if Durade had found her again she would at least not be at the
mercy of ruffians like Fresno. But this was a forlorn hope. Still,
it upheld Neale and determined him to seek her during the time in
which his work did not occupy him.
And thus it came about that Neale plodded through his work along the
line during the day, and late in the afternoon rode back with the
laborers to Benton. If Allie Lee lived she must be in Benton.
20
Neale took up lodgings with his friend Larry. He did not at first
tell the cowboy about his recovery of Allie Lee and then her loss
for the second time; and when finally he could not delay the
revelation any longer he regretted that he had been compelled to
tell.
Pages:
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313