" he said caustically; then with
deliberate malice: "None of them even pretended to faint."

The evil bolt, although all unwittingly shot, came close home and she
could have struck him in her shame and fury. How much did he know? And
how dared he couple her with those nameless creatures! Taken at a
disadvantage, the retort courteous failed her for once, and she was
devoutly glad for the timely intervention of Red, who thrust his carroty
shock into the door at that moment.

"Miss Cahtah," he said with solemn gravity. "I'm almighty glad yuh ain't
daid!" At her reassuring laugh of relief he added admiringly: "Yuh
suttinly are quick on yuh feets, ma'am! Thet hoss was goin' some when
yuh was standin' on yuah haid!" He had been quick to appreciate the
strain she was laboring under and Red's panacea for any suffering was to
make fun of it. She laughed again, a bit hysterically.

"Did I look particularly ridiculous?"

Red's protest was suspiciously grave: "Ridic'lous! suttinly not, ma'am.
Yuh looked just like a angel, floppin hes wings--upside down."

They all shouted at that, their hilarity exciting the antelope kid into
a rear charge upon Red, who used the incident to cover his retreat. He
turned at the door to impart some good news.

"We've got the whole bunch corralled. Reckon thu shootin' an' yellin'
you done, Ken, scared 'em in. I got thu bars up befoh I missed thu blue;
fact is I didn't see him break, thu dust were so thick."

A minute later he returned with the additional good; tidings that Abbie
was in sight; ten minutes more and he strode into the room, bearing in
his arms a struggling, scratching, scolding burden which he deposited
with much aplomb on the sofa besides Miss Carter.

"Reckon I'm some pumpkins on thu carry, mahself!" he said with much
unction, grinning at the scandalized Abbie, who was quaintly
anathematizing him. "No use yuh yowlin', Miss Abbie. The fashion's been
sot an' yuh cloth is cut. But yuh shore got to gentle up a heap or Ken,
yeah, will hev to do thu totin'."

Quick as a flash the old woman's arms went around Grace and the fair
head was pillowed upon her bosom.

"What is it, honey?" she cooed, gently stroking the silken hair and
entirely ignoring the men. The tensely strung nerves gave way and in the
reaction the tears were softly welling. The two cowpunchers sneaked out
sheepishly and once out of hearing, Red swore wonderingly.

"Well, I'm damned! Never peeped till it was all over