Sunset Ranch: A Story of a Boy's Adventures in the West — page 213: what you’re looking at

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

All for Polly. 201 the ranch and insolently demand that the girl, his niece, be turned over to him. That sort of bravado would have availed him noth- ing, save possibly an elegant coat of tar and feath- ers and a Mazeppa ride on the back of a wild broncho. He knew this, and laid his plans accordingly. He could play a game of trickery equal to the most wily Indian. | There were others whose acquaintance he formed —men ready to undertake desperate work at the toss of a hat, or perhaps who entertained a hatred for the owner of Sunset Ranch on account of fan- cied or real grievances. Perhaps Caleb Cross was in the swim. It would not be at all surprising. At any rate the game was laid, and all that re- mained was to find an opportunity. It was one afternoon that Cuthbert came gallop- ing like mad toward the ranch house, a look of deep — concern on his face. “Where’s Polly?” he shouted before drawing rein. Mr. Kelly, smoking at his ease on the porch, had jumped up on seeing that the boy appeared ex- cited. “T don’t know—wife, wife, where’s Polly—have you seen her lately?” he called. Down went the pipe, and he began buckling on his well-worn belt, holding knife and gun. Mrs. Kelly came out, white and trembling. “An hour ago she went flying past the window yonder on her pony, and sent me a merry laugh and a kiss. Oh! what has happened to the child?” “Yes, what do you know, Cuthbert?’ demanded the steady ranch owner, buckling his belt. Cuthbert gave a groan. “Simply that she’s been carried off.” COMGDOO ‘S C©