Which was no news at all.

Their search had been as barren of results as the sheriff's, and Mary V's eyes, when they turned from face to face, were hard to meet.

Little Curley, who had been Johnny Jewel's especial admirer and champion when that youth was spending his days more or less tumultuously at the Rolling R Ranch, was seen to draw his shirt sleeve hastily across his eyes after he had confronted Mary V for a minute's questioning.
She watched with painful interest a car that came bouncing toward them over the rough trail they had taken.

When it arrived their fears might become a terrible certainty.

Two men occupied the dusty roadster, and neither was Johnny, and their haste implied great urgency.