When the officer
and his companion appeared, they gathered round their leader with simple
words of greeting, and stood silently ready for his word.
Briefly, Brian Oakley divided them into parties, and assigned the
territory to be covered by each. Three shots in quick succession, at
intervals of two minutes, would signal that the search was finished. Two
men, he held to go with him up Oak Knoll trail, after his messenger to the
Sheriff had returned. At sunset, they were all to reassemble at the ranch
for further orders. When the officer finished speaking, the little group
of men turned to the horses, and, without the loss of a moment, were out
of sight in the mountain wilderness.
A half hour before he was due, young Carleton appeared with the Sheriff's
answer to the Ranger's letter. "Well done, boy," said Brian Oakley,
heartily. "Take care of your horse, now, and then get some rest yourself,
and be ready for whatever comes next."
He turned to those he had held to go with him; "All right, boys, let's
ride. Sheriff will take care of the Fairlands end. Come, Aaron."
All the way up the Oak Knoll trail the Ranger rode in the lead, bending
low from his saddle, his gaze fixed on the little path.
Pages:
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418