Rob went up the glen to the pasture to get his saddle horse. He was gone a long time and came back looking much troubled. "I don't understand it" he said. "The gate is open up there and all the colts are gone. My pony, too." "Rob--who could have done it? Do you think they were stolen?" "I don't think so. There's been no horse stealing round here since that gang was rounded up last spring--just when you came, you remember? No, I can't imagine what's happened unless Boykin opened the gate for spite. Do you know when he went out?" "The day after he attacked you. I heard the sheep crossing the meadow in the morning when I was getting fresh water for you." "Wait until I find Joyce! If he thinks I'm going to put up with such work he's mistaken. I'll have to ride old Rock. What will Jones say when he finds those colts are gone? And how can we ever round 'em up again?" "It isn't your fault. Why doesn't he come and take care of his own stock?" "Something's happened, I suppose. He wouldn't stay off like this for nothing. I ought really to go after the colts instead of the cow." Rob went down to the corral, and soon Harry saw him riding back, not on Rock, but on the sorrel with the ring-and-arrow brand. "I'd forgotten we'd left this horse down in the corral," he said, looking much relieved. "Well, now I shan't be gone a week, as I expected to if I rode old Rock." Harry started to speak and then changed her mind; there could be nothing wrong in Jones's secrets about the horses if Rob did not disapprove of them. Doubtless there were plenty of sorrels with the ring-and-arrow brand, and after keeping this one so long for Jones, there could be no harm in Rob's getting some service from it. So, instead of telling Rob about Garnett, she said, "That's a pretty good pony, isn't it? About how old is he?" Rob had just mounted. "About six or seven years, I should think," he said, as he rode off. He was gone all day, but he found neither the horses nor his cow. "I'll go out to-morrow," he said at supper, "and stay until I find some of these strays." "You--you won't come back at night?" "Probably not. Why?" "Nothing--much. That is, I only thought you might be able to go to town in a day or two. We need several things." Harry twisted her fingers together and tried to control her voice. To have Rob stay away--to leave her all alone! She stood silent, looking up at him. She must not let him see that she was afraid, for she had determined never to complain again. Nevertheless, she waited almost breathlessly for him to answer. "All right, then," he said, after a moment. "I'll come back to-morrow night, and we'll go to town the day after."