A few scattered drops of rain came pattering down. The Pardners without another word hurried over to Edwards’ cabin.
The younger man, who was coming up the path from his work, greeted them with a cheery, “Hello, neighbors--looks like we’re going to have a shower.” Then as he came closer and saw their faces, his own countenance changed and the old look of fear came into his eyes. “Why, what’s the matter--what has happened?” He glanced quickly around, as if half expecting to see some one else near-by.
“Did she say anythin’ to you about bein’ specially late gettin’ back to-day?”
“No, she said nothing to me about her plans. But really, there is no cause for worry, is there? She always stops at the Burtons’ with the mail on her way back, you know. Perhaps she stayed longer than she realized. Come on in out of the wet,” he added, as the pattering drops of rain grew more plentiful. “She will be along presently, I am sure.”
With a glance at the fast-approaching storm, Thad said quickly:
“You don’t understand, son, we ain’t worried about the gal gettin’ wet.” And then in a few words he explained the grave possibilities of the situation. “If she stops at Saint Jimmy’s, it’ll be all right, but if she’s a-tryin’ to make it home and gets caught in the cañon----“
A gust of wind and a swirling dash of rain punctuated his words.
Old Bob started for the cañon trail. The others followed at his heels. When they reached the narrow road a short distance away they halted for a second.
“There’s fresh hoss tracks,” said Bob. “Somebody’s been ridin’ this way. ’Tain’t the pinto, though.”
“It’s the Lizard probably,” said Edwards. “I saw him pass on his way up the cañon this forenoon.”
Half running, they hurried on. Before they reached the first turn in the cañon, a fierce downpour drenched them to the skin. The falling flood of water, driven by the blast that swept down from the mountain heights and swirled around the cliffs and angles of the cañon walls, hissed and roared with fury.
“There goes any chance of strikin’ her trail,” shouted Thad grimly.
The three men bent their heads and broke into a run.
At the beginning of that stretch of the trail which follows the bed of the creek, Bob stopped abruptly.