A Horse for Mandy (Chapter 7)
"Seen her? No! I mean, yes . . .," Mandy stammered. "Late last night."
"What time? Where?" Mandy's father asked.
"Down by the stables. She came to check on Solana and me . . ." Mandy couldn't go on. She couldn't tell him about their fight. Where could Laura have gone? What had Mandy done?
"This is strange. She know better than to go riding at night alone. It's very dangerous. Come on up to the house and talk to her parents. They're worried sick."
Mandy faced the Callahans and told again of Laura's late visit to the stables. "I don't like this," Mr. Callahan said, shaking his head.
"Martha, you call the Sheriff's Department. Bud, you come with me. We'll go round up some help and get a search party going."
"What if she's hurt?" asked Laura's mother.
"Don't think that way. We'll find her," Mr. Callahan assured his wife.
Mandy followed the two men out of the house toward the car. "Maybe I can help, too . . ."
"Honey," her father said, "Solana's fine. But don't push her. Give her light excercise today. And stay put!" Then they were gone.
Mandy paced up and down the stable yard. Solana ate some hay and snorted eagerly to be let out. But Mandy's mind was in a whirl.
What had Laura been doing out so late last night? Had she really come down to the stables to check on Solana? Was she planning a night ride all along? Or had Mandy pushed her into it with her cutting words?
David was right. Laura was different. Ever since Mandy could remember, Laura had wanted to ride in the show ring. And Mandy had always been there helping her to go after her fream. But this summer, things had really been different. Mandy had spent all her time with her own horse, having fun instead of working and training with her friend.
And then there was David. It was obvious that they both had dreams about David. And it was obvious that David had choosen Laura. Well, no time to think about that, thought Mandy. He understands Laura. And I come barging into their privacy just the other day. No wonder Laura had been so upset.
"Well," said Mandy to Solana, "I can't stand around here all day wishing the past away. Nobody knows the trails better than me and Laura." She thought about all the horseback exploring she and Laura had done over the years. No rescue party could find half of the places she and Laura knew about.
"Solana, we're going on a little trip." She slipped on Solana's rope rein and swung up onto the buckskin's smooth back. Then she headed out of the gate into the adjoining grassy fild. She would have to make peace with her father later.
The sun beat down relentlessly. But the little Paso Fino gaited along without tiring . It was hard to believe that only yesterday she had been down with Founder. Mandy said a silent prayer that the ride wouldn't hurt Solana.
It seemed like hours passed. Up one trail. Down another. Mandy could hear the sounds of the search party. "Laura! Laura!" the men called. But their only answer was their own echoes fading in the summer air.
Mandy's stomach reminded her that she'd missed breakfast--and very likely lunch, too. But she couldn't go back. Suddenly, she heard the sound of talking and horses snorting. She rounded a bend in the trail and came on some of the search party having lunch. She looked directly into her father's surprised face.
"What the blazes?" he asked.
"I'm sorry, daddy," Mandy said, sliding off Solana's back. "But don't you see? I just couldn't wait back at the house, doing nothing. Besides," she hurried on, "I dnow all of Laura's favorite places in these woods. I really think I can help."
He stared at her for a minute, then nodded. "You win. Come have some lunch and then we'll all take off again. How's Solana doing?"
"Fine, I think."
Dr. Wilson checked Solana over and nodded in satisfaction. Mandy sat down on the ground gratefully and quickly ate two sandwiches. She had started on an apple when her father finally spoke to her again.
"Got any ideas about where to look?"
"We used to like to go down by the creek a lot."
"We've looked there already, covered every inch above and below. Right now there are four separate parties out, mostly friends and neighbors. If we don't have any luck by morning, the sheriff will send in a group with dogs."
"Morning?" asked Mandy weakly. "Do you really think something's happened to her?"
"I don't know. But the longer it takes, the worse it looks."
Suddenly, a lone rider came trotting into their view. It was someone from another search party. He reined up short in front of Dr. Wilson. "We found her horse. He was grazing in a field about a mile from here. He has a slight limp. He must have thrown her. No telling how long he's been wandering out here."
Mandy's stomach lurched. "Saddle up! Dr. Wilson ordered his group. "She's hurt all right."
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