one o'clock
The ladies wondered to see Ralph McCrea coming towards them with a strange child in his arms , but they were all sympathy and loving-kindness in a moment , so attractive was her sweet face . `` Mrs. Henry , this is Jessie Farron . You know her father ; he owns a ranch up on the Chugwater , right near the Laramie road . The station-master says she has been here all alone since he went off at one o'clock with some friends to buy things for the ranch and try some horses . It must have been his party Sergeant Wells and I saw way out by the fort . '' He paused a moment to address a cheering word to the little girl in his arms , and then went on : `` Their team had run away over the prairie -- a man told us -- and they were leading them in to the quartermaster 's corral as we rode from the stables . I did not recognize Farron at the distance , but Sergeant Wells will gallop out and tell him Jessie is all right .