Page:J Allan Dunn--The Girl of Ghost Mountain.djvu/164

146 on her jealousy. She may know of some hideout. If she does, she'll tell it," he said grimly.

"If she knows, I bane make her tell," said Thora. "You leave her to me."

"If we draw blank there we may round up some dope in Metzal," suggested Jackson. "I know where to try. An' I'll try my damnedest."

"Hollister's first."

The mare and the roan still stood up well but they were forced to accommodate their pace to Thora's horse or leave her behind. This she saw and her face betrayed her struggling agony of mind.

"I bane got to talk to that girl myself," she said once, urging the poor brute to efforts beyond its capacity.

At the end of the Gap they crossed Ghost Creek and rode west towards the Lazy H. They had gone less than a mile when they saw some one coming towards them on a bay horse at a fast lope.

The two men jerked their heads at each other. Thora, coming alongside, sensed their gesture.

"It bane her?" she asked.

The rider came on fast, straight towards them, a girl in a waist of orange silk and a divided skirt of dark stuff. She was hatless and her black hair streamed on the wind. They caught the flash of her eyes before they could define her features. It was Juanita Lopez. A short way off she set spurs into her fiery little mount and then brought him to a standstill, his forefeet plowing the turf.

"So," she cried. "You know. Dios! You go after them. Bueno!"