I'm sure that is Rodway's。〃
Rowdy thanked the Lord and followed her。 They came up against a fence； found
a gate； and passed through。 While they hurried toward it； the light winked
welcome； as they drew near； some one stirred the fire and sent sparks and
rose…hued smoke rushing up into the smother of snow。 Rowdy watched them
wistfully； and wondered if there would be supper； and strong； hot coffee。 He
lifted Miss Conroy out of the saddle； carried her two long strides； and
deposited her upon the door…step； rapped imperatively； and when a voice
replied； lifted the latch and pushed her in before him。
For a minute they stood blinking； just within the door。 The change from
numbing cold and darkness to the light of the overheated room was
stupefying。
Then Miss Conroy went over and held her little； gloved hands to the heat of
the stove； but she did not take the chair which some one pushed toward her。
She stood； the blanket shrouding her face and her slim young figure； and
looked about her curiously。 It was not Rodway's house； after all。 She
thought she knew what place it wasthe shack where Rodway's hay…balers
bached。
From the first； Rowdy did not like the look of thingsthough for himself it
did not matter； he was used to such scenes。 It was the presence of the girl
which made him uncomfortable。 He unbuttoned his coat that the warmth might
reach his chilled body； and frowned。
Four men sat around a small； dirty table； evidently the arrivals had
interrupted an exciting game of seven…up。 A glance told Rowdy； even if his
nose had not； that the four round； ribbed bottles had not been nearly
emptied without effect。
〃Have one on the house；〃 the man nearest him cried； and shoved a bottle
toward him。
Involuntarily Rowdy reached for it。 Now that he was inside； he realized all
at once how weary he was； and cold and hungry。 Each abused muscle and nerve
seemed to have a distinct grievance against him。 His fingers closed around
the bottle before he remembered and dropped it。 He looked up； hoping Miss
Conroy had not observed the action； met her wide； questioning eyes； and the
blood flew guiltily to his cheeks。
〃Thanks； boysnot any for me；〃 he said； and apologized to Miss Conroy with
his eyes。
The man rose and confronted him unsteadily。 〃Dat's a hell off a way！ You too
proud for drink weeth us？ You drink； now！ By Gar； I make you drink！〃
Rowdy's eyelids drooped； which was a bad sign for those who knew him。
〃You're forgetting there's a lady present；〃 he reminded warningly。
The man turned a brief； contemptuous glance toward the stove。 〃You got the
damn' queer way to talk。 I don't call no squaw no lady。 You drink queeck；
now！〃
〃Aw； shut up； Frenchy；〃 the man at his elbow abjured him。 〃He don't have to
drink if he don't want to。〃
〃You keep the face close；〃 the other retorted majestically； and cursed loud
and long and incoherently。
Rowdy drew back his arm； with a fist that meant trouble for somebody； but
there were others before him who pinned the importunate host to the table；
where he squirmed unavailingly。
Rowdy buttoned up his coat the while he eyed the group disgustedly。 〃I guess
we'll drift；〃 he remarked。 〃You don't look good to me； and that's no dream。〃
〃Aw； stay and warm up；〃 the fourth man expostulated。 〃Yuh don't need t' mind
Le Febre； he's drunk。'
But Rowdy opened the door decisively； and Miss Conroy； her cheeks like two
storm…buffeted poppies； followed him out with dignityalbeit trailing a
yard of red…and…yellow Navajo blanket behind her。 Rowdy lifted her into the
saddle； tucked her feet carefully under the blanket； and said never a word。
〃Mr。 Vaughan；〃 she began hesitatingly； 〃this is too bad； you need not have
left。 II wasn't afraid。〃
〃I know you weren't；〃 conceded Rowdy。 〃But it was a hard formationfor a
woman。 Are there any more places on this flat marked Unavailable？〃
Miss Conroy replied misanthropically that if there were they would be sure
to find them。
They took up their weary wanderings again； while the yellow eye of the
window winked after them。 They missed Rodway's by a scant hundred yards； and
didn't know it； because the side of the house next them had no lighted
windows。 They traveled in a wide； half circle； and thought that they were
leaving a straight trail behind them。 More than once Rowdy was urged by his
aching arm to drop the lead…rope and leave Chub to shift by himself； but
habit was strong and his heart was soft。 Then he felt an odd twitching at
the lead…rope； as if Chub were minded to rebel against their leadership。
Rowdy yanked him into remembrance of his duty； and wondered。 Bill Brown's
question came insistently to mind； he wondered the more。
Two minutes and the lead…rope was sawing against the small of his back
again。 Rowdy turned Dixie's head； and spoke for the first time in an hour。
〃My packhorse seems to have an idea about where he wants to go；〃 he said。 〃I
guess we might as well follow him as anybody； he ain't often taken with a
rush of brains to the head。 And we can't be any worse lost than we are now；
can we？〃
Miss Conroy said no dispiritedly； and they swung about and followed Chub's
leadership apathetically。 It took Chub just five minutes to demonstrate that
he knew what he was about。 When he stopped； it was with his nose against a
corral gate； not content with that； he whinnied； and a new； exultant note
was in the sound。 A deep…voiced dog bayed loudly； and a shrill yelp cut in
and clamored for recognition。
Miss Conroy gasped。 〃It's Lion and Skeesicks。 We're at Rodway's； Mr。
Vaughan。〃
Rowdy； for the second time； thanked the Lord。 But when he was stripping the
pack off Chub's back； ten minutes later； he was thinking many things he
would not have cared to say aloud。 It might be all right； but it sure was
strange； he told himself； that Chub belonged here at Rodway's when Harry
Conroy claimed that he was an Oregon horse。 Rowdy had thought his account
against Harry Conroy long enough； but it looked now as though another item
must be added to the list。 He went in and ate his supper thoughtfully； and
when he got into bed he did not fall asleep within two minutes； as he might
be expected to do。 His last conscious thought was not of stolen horses；
however。 It was： 〃And she's Harry Conroy's sister！ Now； what do you think of
that？ But all the same； she's sure a nice little schoolma'am。〃
CHAPTER 3
Rowdy Hires a New Boss。
Next morning； after breakfast； Mr。 Rodway followed Vaughan out to the
stable； and repeated Bill Brown's question。
〃I'd like to know where yuh got this horse；〃 he began； with an apologetic
sort of determination in his tone。 〃He happens to belong to me。 He was run
off with a bunch three years ago； and this is the first trace anybody has
ever got of 'em。 I see the brand's been worked。 It was a Roman fourthat's
my brand； now it looks like a map of Texas； but I'd swear to the
horseraised him from a colt。〃
Rowdy had expected something of the sort； and he knew quite well what he was
going to do； he had settled that the night before； with the memory of Miss
Conroy's eyes fresh in his mind。
〃I got him in a deal across the line；〃 he said。 〃I was told he came from
east Oregon。 But last night； when he piloted us straight to your corral
gate； I guessed he'd been here before。 He's yours； all right； if you say
so。〃
〃Uh course he ain't worth such a pile uh money； apologized Rodway； 〃but the
kids thought a heap of him。 I'd rather locate some of the horses that was
with himor the man yuh got him of。 They was some mighty good horses run
out uh this country then； but they was all out on the range； so we didn't
miss 'em in time to do any good。 Do yu know who took 'em across the line？〃
〃No；〃 said Rowdy deliberately。 〃The man I got Chub from went north； and I
heard he got killed。 I don't know of any other in the deal。〃
Rodway grunted； and Vaughan began vigorously brushing Dixie's roughened
coat。 〃If you don't mind；〃 he said； after a minute； 〃I'd like to borrow Chub
to pack my bed over to the Cross L。 I can bring him back again。〃
〃Why； sure！〃 assented Rodway eagerly。 〃I hate to take him from yuh； but the
kids〃
〃Oh； that's all right；〃 interrupted Rowdy cheerfully。 〃It's all in the game；
and I should 'a' looked up his pedigree； for I knew。 Anyway； was worth the
price of him to have him along last night。 We'd have milled around till
daylight； I guess； only for him。〃
〃That's what；〃 agreed Rodway。 〃Jessie's horse is one she brought from home
lately； and he ain't located yet； I dunno as he'd 'a' piloted her home。
Billythat's what the kids named himwas born and raised here； yuh see。
I'll bet he's glad to get backand the kids'll be plumb wild。〃
Rowdy did not answer； there seemed nothing in particular to say； and he was
wondering if he would see Miss Conroy before he left。 She had not eaten
breakfast with the others； from their manner； he judged that no one expected
her to。 He was not well informed upon the subject of schoolma'ams； but he
had a hazy impression that late rising was a distinguishing
characteristicand he did not know how late。 He saddled leisurely； and
packed his bed for the last time upon Chub。 The red…and…yellow Navajo
blanket he folded tenderly； with an unconscious smile for the service it had
done； and laid it in its accustomed place in the bed。 Then； having no
plausible excuse for going back to the house； he mounted and rode away into
the brilliant white world； watching wistfully the house from the tail of his
eye。
She might have got up in time to see him off； he thought discontentedly； but
he supposed one cowpuncher more or less made little difference to her。
Anyway； he didn't know as he had any license to moon around her。 She
probably had a fellow； she might even be engaged； for all he knew。 Andshe
was Harry Conroy's sister； and from his experience with the breed； good
looks didn't count for anything。 Harry was good…looking； and he was a snake；
if ever there was one。 He had never expected to lie for himbut he
had done it； all right and because Harry's sister happened to have nice
eyes and a pretty little foot！
He had half a mind to go back and tell Rodway all he knew about those
horses； it was only