Sunset Ranch: A Story of a Boy's Adventures in the West — page 160: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

148 Taking French Leave. It was a pleasant thought, but Cuthbert did not have much opportunity to take consolation from it. He suddenly became aware of the fact that the cowboy did not look or act dejected—his manner, instead of crestfallen, appeared to be jaunty, as though he were glad to be there. Cuthbert was surprised, but his feelings grew even stronger when he saw Caleb Cross meet old Stand- ing Elk as though they were friends of long stand- ing. (One last dim hope flashed feebly up—had Caleb, presuming upon some past friendship between the old chief and himself, entered the Sioux village with the idea of negotiating for his release? This thought died almost instantly. He did not believe the man one to take any trouble or risk un- less he could see a way clear to lining well his pockets. Cuthbert seemed to feel the shadow of some com- ing disaster—to realize that in some way not yet clear this visit of Caleb Cross had to do with his own detention there. He believed portentious events hung in the air, which concerned his own interests. So he kept back and watched all that went on. Apparently the crabbed cowboy could be genial enough when he chose to let down the = as | was the case when he met Standing Elk. They beamed on each other and talked in low tones, as though business of great importance was demanding their attention. | _ What could the Sioux chief and one of Kelly’s cow punchers have in common? Could it be Cross was a traitor and in league with these notorious cattle thieves, eager to put them in possession of facts that would make easier the next raid that brought them swooping down from their secret fastness in the north? ConniclooOolkks.€©