Lund saluted and withdrew. The colonel went into the house.
“What in the world is the matter?” clamored Mrs. Colonel. “It must be something mighty important, colonel, to keep you from supper. We’ve been waiting for you for half an hour.”
“Business first, supper afterward,” said the colonel.
“Renegade bucks have jumped the reservation at Fort Apache, that’s all.”
Mrs. Colonel was all in a twitter in an instant.
“Not Geronimo?” she fluttered. “Don’t tell me that Geronimo has----”
“What’s Geronimo but a scoundrelly, skulking red ruffian? He’s no more to be feared than any other renegade.”
But the very name of Geronimo carried with it a terror for Mrs. Colonel. She clasped her hands convulsively and collapsed into a chair.
“Let’s get right out of here!” she wailed. “If we don’t, we’ll all be killed and scalped. Oh, dear! Colonel, aren’t you going to do something to save your family?”
“My family is safe enough right here. Where’s Dell?”
At that moment Dell came hurriedly into the room. The colonel noticed that she had her revolvers in her belt-holsters. She was also carrying a pair of silver spurs.
“One good thing about me,” said she, “is that I travel light. Whenever I decide to make a move, I don’t usually have to rustle even my spurs or my hardware.”
Seating herself, she began buckling the spurs to her small heels.
“My goodness, child,” cried Mrs. Colonel, “what are you going to do?”
“Ride,” answered Dell, bending down and pulling at the spur-straps.
“Ride!” palpitated Mrs. Colonel, with a wild look at her husband. “Why, haven’t you heard Geronimo is loose, and that----”
“You’re mad,” almost screamed Mrs. Colonel.
“The Double D Ranch isn’t in danger, Dell,” said the colonel.
“Not with the Double D boys to take care of the cattle and the ranch-house. I don’t think that for a minute.”
“Because Buffalo Bill and his pards _may_ have escaped, and because, if they have or have not, they may need me. I told you I was Buffalo Bill’s girl pard.”
“What good can you do Buffalo Bill and his pards?” he demanded. “Cody is an old Indian-fighter, and so is Nick Nomad. The little Piute, too, has been in the army, and all that an Apache knows he knows.”
“Nevertheless, colonel,” said Dell resolutely, “I’m going.”