"
Phil rode into camp, shook hands with Stanford cordially, and was
presented to Mrs. Manning, to whom he spoke with a touch of
embarrassment. Then he said, with a significant look at Patches, "I'm
glad to meet you people, Mr. Manning, but we really haven't much time
for sociability just now. Mr. Baldwin sent me with an outfit into this
Granite Basin country to gather some of these outlaw steers. He expects
us to be on the job." Turning to Patches, he continued, "When you didn't
come back I thought you must have met with some serious trouble, and so
trailed you. We've managed to lose a good deal of time, altogether. That
steer you were after got away from you, did he?"
Helen spoke quickly. "Oh, Mr. Acton, you must not blame Mr. Patches for
what happened. Really, you must not. No one was to blame; it just
happened--" She stopped, unable to finish the explanation, for she was
thinking of that part of the incident which was known only to herself
and Patches.
Stanford told in a few words of his wife's danger and how the cowboy had
saved her.
"That was mighty good work, Patches," said Phil heartily, "mighty good
work.
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