"Any day, er night. Things have been lookin' that way for some time
now. I reckon she's due with the next big cloud-burst that sails this
way."
It was evident that, for some reason, Nick was trying to frighten his
young employer. Perhaps he himself really wished to get away from the
mountain with the bad name; and took this means of accomplishing his
end without showing his hand. If that were true, then he was gaining
his end, for Peg certainly gave evidence of increasing uneasiness.
"But why didn't you tell me all this before?" he demanded, indignantly.
"What was the use, boss? Ye was sot on comin' here, and ye made Joe
and me a rattlin' good offer. 'Sides, it didn't matter much to me. I
had my life insured. A rope might have skeered me; but say, I don't
keer that for landslips," and Nick snapped his fingers contemptuously.
But Frank, who knew the sly cow puncher so well, believed that more or
less of his indifference was assumed.
"Well, I do!" declared Peg, with emphasis; "and if I'd only known about
that sort of thing before, blessed if I'd a come. I've heard what
happens when the side of a mountain tears away, and how everything in
the path goes along. They showed me the bare wall where one broke
loose up in Colorado. Say, it was the worst sight ever. You'll have
to excuse me from nosing around here another day, if that sort of thing
is hanging over this place. Me for the ranch on the jump.
Pages:
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119