Or The Horse May Talk — Louise Moeri

The Great Depression of the 1930's was not the end of the world, but it might as well have been for the men and women on the drought---stricken ranches of Central Oregon. Add to that-being a sixteen-year-old girl abandoned at one of those ranches---with apparently no one there---and the stage is set for a grim struggle to survive. Late on an October day Soda Somerville finds herself alone on a crumbling, isolated ranch where the only living things, besides cattle and horses, is a farm dog.

Soda searches desperately for someone---anyone---and finds no one at home. Frightened by mysterious lights and sounds, she barricades herself and the dog in the deserted ranch house, forced to wait---for whatever is going to happen. The next day she catches sight of an unknown man but is forced to wait until events bring them together to find out who he is. She enters into a struggle not only for herself and her future, but for the survival of others too...