Sunset Ranch: A Story of a Boy's Adventures in the West — page 215: what you’re looking at

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

All for Polly. 203 “We consulted hastily, and while he started to fol- low after the party I put for home. I reckon I made the fifteen miles in less than forty minutes, with the horse tired at that.” “How many did you say there were?” asked Mr. Kelly, quietly. “T didn’t count, but I should say not less than five in the bunch.” “H’m. We'll have some warm times yet I ex- pect. And over the Pack Saddle, too! They mean to run for the hills, where some of these despera- does have dens of hiding. Wife, get me another handful of cartridges. My boy, pick out, a fresh mount. There'll be some hot riding before morn- ing, I reckon.” There was a stern look on Kelly’s flushed face, an expression that boded ill for the rascals who had kidnapped poor Polly, when the hour of reckoning came. “No mercy, remember. The border law is death to a horse thief, and this critter has robbed me of something more valuable than all my saddle band. For, hark ye, boys! Mrs. Kelly and myself have learned since he was here that after all he never bore the relation of uncle to our Polly—she was stolen by him from her dying father, a man called Gordon. That was the girl’s secret; she was told to guard it always, because her father had broken the law, and the disgrace would attach to her. So he’s only a rascal and a thief after all, and deserves no mercy at your hands.” “Did you say Gordon?” demanded Cuthbert, pale with a sudden tremendous suspicion, as he caught Mr. Kelly’s arm ere he could turn away, “and was her father’s name Bernard ?” “Why, yes, so Polly said,” declared Mrs. Kelly, in womanly wonder. COMGIOO ‘S C©