the noon sun
Until full day came Tula rode the burro , and slipped off at a ravine where she could walk hidden , on the way to Palomitas . `` Buntin ' , '' said Kit , watching her go , `` we 'll have pardners and pardners in our time , but we 'll never find one more of a thoroughbred than that raggedy Indian witch-child of ours . '' He took the slanting cattle trail up over the mesa , avoiding the wagon road below , and at the far edge of it halted to look down over the wide spreading leagues of the Mesa Blanca ranch . It looked very sleepy , drowsing in the silence of the noon sun . An old Indian limped slowly from the corral over to the ranch house , and a child tumbled in the dust with a puppy , but there was no other sign of ranch activity . As he descended the mesa and drew nearer the corrals they had a deserted look , not merely empty but deserted . The puppy barked him a welcome , but the child gave one frightened look at Kit , and with a howl of fear , raced to the shelter of the portal where he disappeared in the shadows .