They were two weary days reaching Carson City, travelling along the
open trail yet meeting with no one, not even a mail coach passing them.
Evidently the Indians were so troublesome as to interrupt all traffic
with Santa Fé and the more western forts. The slowness of their progress
was on account of the General, whose condition became worse in spite of
Fairbain's assiduous attentions. With no medicine the doctor could
do but little to relieve the sufferings of the older man, although he
declared that his illness was not a serious one, and would yield quickly
to proper medical treatment. They constructed a rude travois from limbs
of the cottonwood, and securely strapped him thereon, one man leading
the horse, while the doctor tramped behind.
Keith, fretting more and more over this necessary delay, and now
obsessed with the thought that Hawley must have rejoined his party
on the Arkansas and gone south with them, finally broke away from the
others and rode ahead, to gather together the necessary horses and
supplies in advance of their arrival. He could not drive from his mind
the remembrance of the gambler's attempted familiarity with Hope, when
he had her, as he then supposed, safe in his power once before in that
lonely cabin on the Salt Fork. Now, angry with baffled ambition, and
a victim of her trickery, there was no guessing to what extremes the
desperado might resort. The possibilities of such a situation made the
slightest delay in rescue an agony almost unbearable. Reaching Carson
City, and perfectly reckless as to his own safety there from arrest, the
plainsman lost no time in perfecting arrangements for pushing forward.
Horses and provisions were procured, and he very fortunately discovered
in town two cowboys belonging to the “Bar X” outfit, their work there
accomplished and about ready to return to, the ranch on the Canadian,
who gladly allied themselves with his party, looking forward to the
possibilities of a fight with keen anticipation. Keith was more than
ever delighted with adding these to his outfit, when, on the final
arrival of the others, the extra man brought from Sheridan announced
that he had had enough, and was going to remain there. No efforts made
revealed any knowledge of Hawley's presence in Carson City; either he
had not been there, or else his friends were very carefully concealing
the fact. The utter absence of any trace, however, led Keith to believe
that the gambler had gone elsewhere--probably to Fort Larned--for his
new outfit, and this belief left him more fully convinced than ever of
the fellow's efforts to conceal his trail.
The party escorting Waite reached the town in the evening, and in the
following gray dawn, the adventurers forded the river, and mounted on
fresh horses and fully equipped, headed forth into the sand hills. The
little company now consisted of Keith, Fairbain, who, in spite of his
rotundity of form had proven himself hard and fit, Neb, having charge
of the single pack-horse, the scout Bristoe, and the two cowboys of the
“Bar X,” rough, wiry fellows, accustomed to exposure and peril. It was
emphatically a fighting outfit, and to be trusted in emergency.
They followed the cattle trail south toward the Salt Fork, as this
course would afford them a camp at the only water-hole in all that wide
desert lying between. With this certainty of water, they ventured to
press their animals to swifter pace, although the sand made travelling
heavy, and the trail itself was scarcely discernible. It was a hard,
wearisome ride, hour after hour through the same dull, dreary landscape
of desolation, the hot, remorseless sun beating down upon them,
reflecting up into their blistered faces from the hot surface of sand.
There was scarcely a breath of air, and the bodies of men and horses
were bathed in perspiration. Not a cloud hung in the blue sky; no wing
of a bird broke the monotony of distance, no living animal crept
across the blazing surface of the desert. Occasionally a distant mirage
attracted the eye, making the dead reality even more horrible by its
semblance to water, yet never tempting them to stray aside. After the
first mile conversation ceased, the men riding grimly, silently forward,
intent only on covering all the distance possible. Late that night they
camped at the water-hole, sleeping as best they could, scourged by the
chill wind which swept over them and lashed grit into exposed faces.
With the first gray of dawn they swung stiffened forms into the saddles
and rode on, straight as the crow flies, for the Salt Fork. They
attained that stream at sundown, gray with sand dust, their faces
streaked from perspiration, feeling as though the sun rays had burned
their brains, with horses fairly reeling under them. According to
Keith's calculation this cattle-ford must be fully ten miles below where
the cabin sought was situated; two hours' rest, with water and food,
would put both horses and men again in condition, and the travelling
was easier along the banks of the Fork. With this in mind, cinches were
loosened, the animals turned out to graze, and the men, snatching a
hasty bite, flung themselves wearily on the ground.
All but Fairbain were asleep when Keith aroused them once more, a little
before nine, unable in his impatience to brook longer delay. Within ten
minutes horses were saddled, weapons looked to carefully, and the little
party began their advance through the darkness, moving cautiously over
the uneven ground, assisted greatly by the bright desert stars gleaming
down upon them from the cloudless sky overhead. The distance proved
somewhat less than had been anticipated, and Keith's watch was not yet
at eleven, when his eyes revealed the fact that they had reached the
near vicinity of the lonely island on which the cabin stood. Reining
in his horse sharply, he swung to the ground, the others instantly
following his example, realizing they had reached the end of the route.
Hands instinctively loosened revolvers in readiness for action, the
younger of the “Bar X” men whistling softly in an effort to appear
unconcerned. Keith, with a gesture, gathered them more closely about
him.
“If Hawley is here himself,” he said quietly, watching their faces in
the starlight, “he will certainly have a guard set, and there may be one
anyhow. We can't afford to take chances, for there will be five men, at
least, on the island, and possibly several more. If they are looking
for trouble they will naturally expect it to come from the
north--consequently we'll make our attack from the opposite direction,
and creep in on them under the shadow of the corral. The first thing
I want to do is to locate Miss Waite so she will be in no danger of
getting hurt in the _mêleé_. You boys hold your fire, until I let loose
or give the word. Now, Doctor, I want you and Neb to creep up this bank
until you are directly opposite the cabin--he'll know the spot--and lie
there out of sight until we begin the shooting. Then both sail in as
fast as you can. I'll take Bristoe and you two 'Bar X' men along with
me, and when we turn loose with our shooting irons you can all reckon
the fight is on. Any of you got questions to ask?”
No one said anything, the silence accented by the desert wind howling
mournfully in the branches of a near-by cottonwood.
“All right then, boys, don't get excited and go off half cocked; be easy
on your trigger fingers. Come along, you fellows who are travelling with
me.”
The four crossed the stream, wading to their waists in the water, their
horses left bunched on the south bank, and finally crawled out into a
bunch of mesquite. As they crept along through the darkness, whatever
doubts Keith might have previously felt regarding the presence on the
island of the party sought, were dissipated by the unmistakable noise
made by numerous horses in the corral. Slowly, testing each step as
they advanced, so no sound should betray them, the four men reached the
shelter of the stockade. The older of the “Bar X” men lifted himself by
his hands, and peered cautiously over.
“Eight hosses in thar,” he announced soberly; then turned to Keith.
“Say, Jack, what do you figure this shebang to be, anyhow? You don't
reckon it's old Sanchez's outfit, do yer?”
“Likely as not, Joe, though I never saw him around here.”
Joe filled his cheek with tobacco, staring about through the darkness.
“Wall, if that ol' cuss is yere now we'uns is sure in fer a fight,” he
commented positively.
They rounded the corral fence on hands and knees, crawled into a bunch
of bushes somewhat to the rear of the silent, desolate-appearing cabin,
and lay down flat behind a pile of saddles, from which position they
could plainly discern the rear door. There was no movement, no evidence
anywhere that a living soul was about the place. Keith could barely
distinguish that it was Bristoe lying next to him.
“Had their camp over there in the corner of the corral when I was here
before,” he said in a whisper. “Where do you suppose they can be now?”
The wary scout lifted his head, sniffing into the darkness like a
pointer dog.
“West o' ther cabin thar, out o' ther wind, most likely. I smell
tobacco.”
Even as the words left his lips a man came sauntering slowly around the
eastern corner, his outlines barely visible, but the red glow of a
pipe bowl showing plainly. He stopped, directly facing them, yawning
sleepily, and then turned the other corner. Another moment, and they
distinctly heard a voice:
“Hustle up thar now, Manuel, an' turn out; it's your watch; wake up,
damn yer--maybe that'll bring yer ter life.”
The remedy applied to the sleeper must have been efficacious, as,
an instant later, another figure slouched into view, the new arrival
rubbing his eyes with one hand, the other clutching a short-barrelled
gun. From the high peak of his hat it was evident this new guard was
a Mexican. He walked to the corner, glanced along the east side wall
toward the front of the cabin, and then, apparently satisfied the coast
was clear, started toward the stream, shuffling along within a foot of
where Keith lay flat on the ground. A moment later the men heard him
splashing softly in the water, and Keith rolled over, his lips at
Bristoe's ear.
“Slip down there; Ben,” he whispered, “and quiet that fellow. I'll find
out how many are on the west side. Do the job without any noise.”
He waited until the scout had disappeared like a snake, not even a
rustling leaf telling of his passage, and then silently crept forward
himself, yet with less caution, until he was able to peer about the
corner of the cabin and dimly distinguish the blanketed forms of several
men lying close in against the side wall. They rested so nearly together
it was difficult to separate them in that darkness, stars giving the
only light, but he finally determined their number at five. Five; the
Mexican would make six, and there would surely be another guard posted
out in the front--seven. But there were eight horses down there in
the corral. Then the eighth man--Hawley, without doubt--must be in the
cabin. At the thought Keith's teeth clinched, and he had to struggle to
control his passion. But no; that would never do; he must discover first
exactly where the girl was located; after that they would attend to
the curs. Before creeping back to the others, he made quick examination
along the rear of the cabin, but could find no visible point of
weakness. He tried to recall from memory the nature of the lock on that
back door, but could remember nothing except an ordinary wooden latch.
If he could insert a knife into the crack that might very easily
be dislodged. He drew his hunting knife for the attempt, and, first
glancing about, perceived a man creeping toward him. It proved to be
Bristoe.
“Fixed the greaser all right, cap, and I reckon he'll be quiet for an
hour or two. Look whar he slashed me; struck a pack o' playin' keerds,
er I'd a got my ticket.” The front of his blouse was cut wide open, and
Keith thought he perceived a stain of blood.
“Pricked you as it was, didn't he?”
“Opened the skin. Thought the cuss had give up, an' got careless. What's
'round to the west?”
Keith's lips closed, his hand shutting hard on the knife.
“Five, and another out in front; that leaves the eighth man inside.
Bring our fellows up closer, and post them where they can cover those
fellows asleep, while I make an effort at breaking in here.”
Bristoe crawled back like a snail, and confident the others would do
their part, Keith thrust his knife blade deep into the narrow crack,
and began probing after the latch. In spite of all caution this effort
caused a slight noise, and suddenly he started back, at the sound of a
woman's voice:
“What do you want? I am armed, and will fire through the door if you do
not go away!”
His heart leaping with exultation, Keith put his lips close to the
crack.
“Hope,” he exclaimed as loudly as he dared. “This is Keith; open the
door.”
He could hear a little smothered cry break from her lips, and then the
sound of a bar being hastily removed. An instant, and the door opened
silently, just wide enough to permit her slender figure to slip through.
She grasped him with her hands, turning his face to the light of the
stars, and he could feel her form tremble.
“Oh, I knew you would come! I knew you would come!” she sobbed, the
words barely audible.
The man's lips set firmly, yet he held her close to him, begging her not
to break down now.
“It's all right, little girl,” he said pleadingly, “we've got you safe,
but there is a fight to be attended to. Come with me; I must ask you a
question or two.”
He drew her back into the fringe of bushes, placing her safely behind
the stack of saddles. She was not crying any more, just clinging to him,
as though she could never again bear to let him go.
“Oh, Jack, it is so good just to feel you near again.”
“Yes, dear,” soothingly, “and it is good to hear you say Jack, but tell
me one thing--is any one else in the cabin? Is Hawley here?”
“No, no! He left us early the first morning. I haven't either seen or
heard of him since. The men have left me alone since we got here; I have
had the cabin all to myself until to-night. I have not suffered,
only mentally--from dread of what they intended doing with me--until
to-night. Three men rode in here just before sundown--two Mexicans and
an Indian. One of them was an awful looking old man, with a scar on his
cheek, and a face that made me shudder. He didn't see me, but I saw him
through the window, and he had such strange eyes. All the men acted as
though they were afraid of him, and I heard him say he didn't care what
Hawley's orders were, he was going to sleep inside; if the girl didn't
like it she could take the other room. I didn't know what to do--oh, I
was so afraid of him; but what he said gave me an idea, and I went into
the back room, and put up a bar across the door. When he came in he
tried the door; then he spoke through it, but I never answered; and
finally he lay down and went to sleep. I sat there in the dark so long,
and when I heard you--I--I thought it must be some of the others.”
He stroked her hair, whispering words of encouragement.
“That is all done with now, Hope, and we'll have those fellows at our
mercy in another half-hour. But I must go now to the boys; lie down here
behind these saddles, and don't move until I come for you. I can trust
you to remain right here?”
“Yes.” He was bending over, and her eyes were upon his face. Suddenly,
obeying an irresistible impulse, he clasped her to him, and their lips
met.
“Sweetheart,” he whispered softly.
He could not hear her answer, but her arms were about his neck.