XV The Mountain Trail

As Stewart departed from one door Florence knocked upon another; and Madeline, far shaken out of her usual serenity, admitted the cool Western girl with more than gladness.  Just to have her near helped Madeline to get back her balance.  She was conscious of Florence’s sharp scrutiny, then of a sweet, deliberate change of manner.  Florence might have been burning with curiosity to know more about the bandits hidden in the house, the plans of the cowboys, the reason for Madeline’s suppressed emotion; but instead of asking Madeline questions she introduced the important subject of what to take on the camping trip.  For an hour they discussed the need of this and that article, selected those things most needful, and then packed them in Madeline’s duffle-bags.

That done, they decided to lie down, fully dressed as they were in riding-costume, and sleep, or at least rest, the little remaining time left before the call to saddle.  Madeline turned out the light and, peeping through her window, saw dark forms standing sentinel-like in the gloom.  When she lay down she heard soft steps on the path.  This fidelity to her swelled her heart, while the need of it presaged that fearful something which, since Stewart’s passionate appeal to her, haunted her as inevitable.

Madeline did not expect to sleep, yet she did sleep, and it seemed to have been only a moment until Florence called her.  She followed Florence outside.  It was the dark hour before dawn.  She could discern saddled horses being held by cowboys.  There was an air of hurry and mystery about the departure.  Helen, who came tip-toeing out with Madeline’s other guests, whispered that it was like an escape.  She was delighted.  The others were amused.  To Madeline it was indeed an escape.

In the darkness Madeline could not see how many escorts her party was to have.  She heard low voices, the champing of bits and thumping of hoofs, and she recognized Stewart when he led up Majesty for her to mount.  Then came a pattering of soft feet and the whining of dogs.  Cold noses touched her hands, and she saw the long, gray, shaggy shapes of her pack of Russian wolf-hounds.  That Stewart meant to let them go with her was indicative of how he studied her pleasure.  She loved to be out with the hounds and her horse.

Stewart led Majesty out into the darkness past a line of mounted horses.

“Guess we’re ready?” he said.  “I’ll make the count.”  He went back along the line, and on the return Madeline heard him say several times, “Now, everybody ride close to the horse in front, and keep quiet till daylight.”  Then the snorting and pounding of the big black horse in front of her told Madeline that Stewart had mounted.

“All right, we’re off,” he called.