Sunset Ranch: A Story of a Boy's Adventures in the West — page 214: what you’re looking at

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

202 All for Polly. “That uncle of hers " “T reckon he was with them.” “Wait: tell me when I come back. Now for the boys to have a chance to stretch rope,” grimly. With that Kelly sprang to the alarm bell, upon which he beat such a fierce tattoo that it could have been heard for miles around. Instantly from various directions horsemen were seen in full speed; they headed one and all toward the ranch as spokes turn toward the hub of a wheel. Perhaps in five minutes a dozen cow punchers might be on the spot, eager to participate in the chase that would begin. Back again to where Cuthbert was talking with the good wife, Kelly skipped. He was as cool and clear-headed as though giv- ing orders for a grand round-up, and in an emer- gency such as this it were worth something to have so collected a man in charge. “Now, tell me all,” he said: Cuthbert had mastered his excitement; he seemed to find Kelly’s nerve contagious. Besides, he knew that time counted for some- thing, and the occasion called for a brief and com- prehensive statement upon which Mr. Kelly could found his plan of action. “It was this way: We were coming home from Cutler’s Creek with a few head of stock for ship- ment when we caught a glimpse of a squad of horse- men just passing out of sight beyond the queer ridge known as the Pack Saddle. Something white flut- tering among them caught my eye, and I was sure I saw a woman or girl waving a pocket handker- chief before they dropped out of sight. “Karl stood ready to declare it was Polly. You know his wonderful eyes, and that this uncle of hers was one of the raiders. connicloookks.conn