Together at Last--Conclusion
Allen spoke the truth. There, tied by strong ropes to a projecting rock,
was the uncle of the Winthrop boys.
His face was pale and haggard, showing he had suffered much since his
confinement.
Forgetting the woman, Allen dashed forward.
"Uncle Barnaby! How glad I am that we have found you!" he cried loudly.
"Who is that?" The prisoner sprang up from where he was resting.
"Allen!"
"Yes, uncle! Are you not glad to see me?"
"Glad is not a strong enough word, my boy!" was the reply from Barnaby
Winthrop, and as soon as Allen had released him he caught his nephew in
his arms. "I was praying to be rescued."
"They have not treated you well, I can see that, uncle."
"They have used me worse than a dog. They wanted to get my secret from
me, and used every means in their power to accomplish their purpose."
"But they did not succeed, did they?"
"No. I told them I would die rather than allow the scoundrels to get
rich through my instrumentality."
A scuffle behind them stopped the conversation. Ike Watson was trying to
secure the woman, who was struggling desperately to get away.
By biting and scratching the desperate female at last freed herself from
the old hunter's grasp. Then she bounded for the cave entrance. Watson
aimed his gun at her and then lowered the weapon.
"Reckon I won't," he drawled. "Never did shoot at a woman, an' I'm too
old ter begin now. She don't count, anyhow!"
And thus the woman was allowed to escape. She lost no time in quitting
the vicinity.
The old hunter shook hands warmly with Barnaby Winthrop, who was profuse
in his thanks to Watson for what he had accomplished.
"You shall lose nothing by what you have done, Ike," he said. "Just wait
till I open up that new claim."
"Speaking of the claim, there is somebody else to see you," began Allen,
when the talk was interrupted by the clattering of horses' hoofs on the
rocks outside.
"Saul Mangle and Darry Nodley!" exclaimed Allen, as he glanced down the
stony trail. "They are coming here, too!"
"They belong to the gang," said Barnaby Winthrop.
"Reckon ez how we can receive 'em all right," put in Ike Watson, dryly.
As quickly as possible Barnaby Winthrop was provided with firearms.
"My gracious!"
It was Allen who let out the cry, loud enough for those who were
approaching to hear.
"What's up?" asked his uncle.
"Look back of them."
All did so, and then a shout went up. There only a few hundred yards to
the rear, were Chet and Paul, trying their best to run down the horse
thieves, whom they had discovered but a short five minutes before.
"We've got 'em corralled!" said Watson, grimly.
"Look, there is Jack Blowfen, too!" ejaculated Allen, as the cowboy also
came into view.
"Halt!"
Ike Watson uttered the command.
He ran into the open, followed by the others.
A shout went up from Saul Mangle and Darry Nodley, and then another from
those in the rear.
"There is Allen!"
"There is Uncle Barnaby!"
"Capture the horse thieves!"
The two rascals were bewildered and paused, not knowing which way to
turn.
They were quickly surrounded, and it was old Ike Watson who commanded
them to throw down their weapons.
At first they felt inclined to refuse, but a glance at the stern faces
about them caused them to comply.
"The jig is up!" muttered Saul Mangle, and Nodley groaned inwardly.
There was another joyous greeting between uncle and nephews when Paul
and Chet rode up.
In the meanwhile Jack Blowfen assisted Ike Watson in making prisoners of
Mangle and Nodley. The latter asked for his wife and seemed disappointed
to learn she could not share his captivity.
Allen and Barnaby Winthrop were glad to learn that Captain Grady was a
prisoner.
"When I am done with him I warrant he'll not give any of us further
trouble," said the uncle of the boys.
Before the party left the vicinity, Saul Mangle and Nodley were
searched, and from them were taken the seven hundred dollars which had
been stolen from the ranch home, as related at the beginning of this
story.
The prisoners were removed to Daddy Wampole's hotel, and later on were
placed in the hands of the sheriff. The sheriff also took into custody
Captain Hank Grady and Lou Bluckburn. The colored man, Jeff Jones, was,
by the advice of Chet and Paul, allowed to go his own way on promise to
turn over a new leaf. Slavin was taken to a hospital and later on let
go.
Several years have passed since the events above recorded took place. In
that period of time many important changes have occurred.
The horse thieves and would-be claim stealers were all duly tried
according to law, and are now serving various terms of imprisonment. The
ranch belonging to Captain Grady was confiscated by creditors from
Deadwood and sold to Barnaby Winthrop, who turned it over to the three
boys to add to the ranch already belonging to them.
The Winthrop mine is now in operation and is paying very well. It is
managed by Barnaby Winthrop himself, and Noel Urner owns a large block
of stock, which he considers the best investment he ever made.
Caleb Dottery and Jack Blowfen manage the ranch jointly in connection
with their former work, doing this on shares for the Winthrop boys. As
for old Ike Watson, he still roams the hills and mountains. He can have
a good home with Barnaby Winthrop any time he wishes, but says he is not
yet ready to settle down.
And Allen, Paul, and Chet? The three boys are all in San Francisco.
Allen is in college, and his two brothers are preparing to follow at a
well-known private school. Allen is to be a lawyer, and privately has a
notion he may enter politics as the State of Idaho grows in importance.
Paul is inclined to be a doctor. Chet has not yet settled the question
of a future occupation.
"I think I'll go in with Uncle Barnaby," he said a few days ago. "I love
the mountains too well to stick in any city. I'll become a mine owner
and speculator in claims and cattle."
They are all happy together, and, come what may, will never forget their
adventures when they were left alone on the ranch to combat their many
unknown enemies.