And now here she was bringing home Isita! Not that she could have refused the responsibility. Rob would not have wanted her to do that. Only somehow, Isita seemed to be the last straw that she was adding to his load. A sudden vision rose up before her of Rob traveling endless miles up and down the South Side hunting for hay, hunting for a buyer of her herd. CHAPTER XXII Sunset comes early in the foothills in November, and it was dark by the time the girls reached home. As Harry was opening the big gate at the foot of the lane, Isita exclaimed: "There's a light at the house!" "O goody! Then Rob is here." Harry sent a halloo to give word of her arrival. "You go right inside, Isita," she said when they reached the garden gate, "and I'll take the team to the barn." As she passed the back yard she saw a figure moving there in the dark. "So you got here first?" she called gayly. "Time some one was gettin' here," Garnett's voice answered unexpectedly from the hay that he was forking out to the impatient herd. "Yes. I thought I left you in charge." Rob had come up and was speaking with assumed sternness. "I'd pretty near decided you'd left the country with the Bianes." "How on earth did you know they'd gone?" "As we were coming in we met the sheriff going out. He'd been over there with half a dozen warrants for the old man and Joe. Seems they've been stealing sheep and cattle for a good while. That's where our stock went, of course. Garnett told me about finding the hides. Fine neighbors, weren't they? Well, I'm glad we're rid of them." "Rob," Harry began and stopped. It was hard to tell him. "Rob, they didn't all go. Isita is here." "Isita here! Well, of all things! Where is she?" "Up at the house. I wanted to explain to you before you saw her. She's here to stay, you see. I ought not to have kept her without asking you, but there was no time. And it seemed so dreadful to leave her with that father. I know I'm adding another burden to you, but----" "Yes, it's terrible. I know she'll ruin us; big strapping creature like that. She'll eat as much as two cow-punchers. I'll harness right up again and ship her on the next train." Harry was relieved that he took it so lightly, but she was still more relieved by the new life in his voice. "Bobby! What is it? You've had good luck?" she said as they started toward the barn. "You sold my herd." She felt an immense relief and at the same time her heart sank at having to let them go. "Who took them? Did you get enough to pay Ludlum?" "A thousand." Bob ignored the first question. "A thousand! But we'll need more than that." "Of course, I know. But haven't I been making wages haying and harvesting, besides what I had in the bank?" "But you'll need that and more, too, for hay. Did you get hay?" "A hundred tons of the finest, and we're going there to feed."