And within it was no Mary V.
Johnny tapped Bland's shoulder for a circle to the north, hoping that she might be riding back that way.

He strained his eyes, and saw tiny dots of horses feeding quietly, but no rider moving anywhere.

He sent Bland swinging southward, while he leaned a little and watched the swift-sliding panorama of arid land beneath.

It was a rough country, as Tex had said.

To look for one little moving speck in all that veined network of little ridges and draws was enough to tax quicker, keener eyes than Johnny Jewel's.
But Johnny would not think of failure.