She meant to carry it slung across her shoulder on a stick as soon as she was well away from the prying eyes of Echo's inhabitants.

Later, if she felt tired, she could easily hide it behind a bush along the road and send one of her father's cowboys after it.

The road was very dusty and carried the wind-blown traces of automobile tires.

Some one would surely overtake her and give her a ride before she walked very far.
For the first half hour she believed that she was walking on level ground, but when she looked back there was no sign of any town behind her.

Echo had disappeared as completely as if it had been swallowed.
Even the unseemly bay-windowed houses on the hill had gone under.