Sunset Ranch: A Story of a Boy's Adventures in the West — page 212: what you’re looking at

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

200 All for Polly. compelled to accompany him once more in his wan- derings. Mrs. Kelly had a long talk with the girl, and the ranch owner was also called into consultation, as though matters of moment were being discussed, while Polly related facts having a bearing on her _ history, which she had thus far kept to her- self. . Apparently they had nothing to fear. This dis- turber of the peace of Sunset Ranch appeared to be single-handed, and would probably keep clear of the range lest he run across a squad of the indignant cowboys, who would not hesitate to jerk rope with him. At the same time, he might be in touch with some of the tough characters, or “bad men,” who for various causes had been run out of the settlements, so that a raid was possible. For a time Polly haunted the vicinity of the house, and all went well. By degrees, however, the scare passed away, and the beautiful weather of Indian summer enticed her to resume her former free life, gathering the fall ‘flowers, chasing jack rabbits, watching the cunning antics of the prairie dogs and all the various pleas- ures to be found at this season of the year, when the October days bring bright sunshine and crisp ozone. Even the boys, who had constituted themselves into a guard of honor, gradually lost their fear of trouble. | | That was where they failed to give the man full credit for dogged perseverance—had they known the full nature of the game he was playing they might have expected his return. For the inveterate uncle came back. This time he did not ride boldly up to the door of connicloooks.conn