VOSE ADAMS
Lieutenant Russell gave no hint to Nellie Dawson of the scheme upon
which he had fixed his hopes, until after she had confessed her love
for him, and he was certain beyond the shadow of a doubt, that he
possessed the sole affection of her heart. Even then he hesitated for
he knew the shock it would cause the gentle one, who was devotedly
attached to her father. But the resolution of Captain Dawson to spend
the remainder of his days at the mining settlement, and his intention
of selecting her husband from among those that had made New
Constantinople their home for years, crystallized the determination
that had been vaguely shaping itself in his brain for weeks.
As he expected, she recoiled shocked by the proposal to leave her
father; but love is eloquent, and he won by convincing her that the
separation would be only temporary. Her father would be quick to see
the great wrong his course would inflict upon his child, and he would
not only consent to the union, but would follow and make his home with
them. It was this implicit belief which made her the companion of
Lieutenant Russell in the flight from the mountain settlement.
The project having been carefully planned and arranged, the
preparations were more complete than those of their pursuers. They
took sufficient extra clothing in the form of wraps and blankets, and
enough food to last for several days. They were well mounted and had
the companionship of the huge dog Timon, with his almost human
intelligence.
The lieutenant's memory of places was good, and, having a number of
hours of daylight at command, he escaped the mistake of his pursuers.
The turn from Dead Man's Gulch was made at the right point, and they
were miles on their way before their flight was discovered by Captain
Dawson and his friends.
Both of the fugitives did not doubt they would be pursued. They knew
the consuming anger that would take possession of her father, who
would probably collect several companions and start after them with
furious haste. He would take frightful vengeance upon the man that had
dared to steal his daughter. Everything, therefore, must be done to
keep beyond his reach until his wrath had time to cool. The intention
was to make Sacramento ahead of him. At that city, the lieutenant
would seek out his future father-in-law and plead his cause.
When night closed around them, they had penetrated to a distance of
perhaps fifteen miles in the Sierras. It was at sunset that they
passed a spot, where horses and riders, the latter on foot, had to
pick their way with extreme care, while even Timon, who clung
faithfully to them, showed timidity, though he had been over the place
before. The sagacious brute knew that a mis-step on his part meant
death. The passage, however, was made without mishap, and Russell, as
he helped his companion into the saddle, assured her that nothing so
trying to the nerves was to be expected during the rest of the
journey.
There was no fear of pursuit until after nightfall, but Russell
frequently pointed his glass backward and scanned the trail over his
whole field of vision. When the gathering darkness shut out
everything, he had seen nothing of enemies, either white or red. He
could not forget that on his previous journey, he and the captain had
desperate fighting with the Indians and the same peril still
impended.
Nellie was eager to cover all the ground possible, while the
opportunity was theirs, and the flight was pushed longer than Russell
would have advised. Finally, he insisted they should stop and rest
themselves and horses for the remainder of the night. The halting
place was selected with much care. The animals were turned loose,
where the grass was growing and a small stream wound its way toward a
larger one. Then the two, accompanied by Timon, pushed in among the
rocks to where the final halt was made.
They were in profound darkness. The lieutenant decided to start a
fire, and, with much difficulty, gathered a sufficiency of dried
branches. They were fortunate enough to find a partial cavern, so open
in front that it would have given slight shelter in the event of a
storm. When the blaze threw out its cheerful light, it served to
dissipate the gloom which in spite of themselves had oppressed them
with the coming of night.
They partook of food and the lieutenant's spirits rose, for he saw
nothing to prevent the full success of the dream which had inspired
and thrilled him so long. His buoyancy was infectious, and he brought
a smile to the beauteous countenance by his merry sallies, and his
picture of the happy future that was close at hand.
"Your father will be angry at first," he said; "it would be strange if
he were not, but he loves you and I think has a pretty fair opinion of
me. When he gains time to think over the matter, he will admit the
wisdom of what we have done and we shall receive his blessing."
It was this assurance, more than all else, that served to lift the
gloom from her. Deep as was her love for the one at her side, it would
not have sufficed to draw her from her adored parent, had she believed
that his resentment against her would last. As it was, she grieved
that even for a brief time, as she thought would be the case, he
should hold harsh feelings toward her.
No chivalrous knight of the Crusades could have been more scrupulously
considerate of lady intrusted to his charge than Lieutenant Russell.
He would have died before offending Nellie Dawson by act, word or
presumptuous thought. When, as the night advanced, the bright eyes
began to grow drowsy, he arranged a couch for her, saw that she was
well provided with blankets and then turned to the immense dog, who
had never left them and who looked as if he understood everything.
"Now, Timon, you are to stay right here," he said, bending over and
impressively shaking his finger at the animal; "you are not to
venture a dozen feet from your mistress without permission. Do you
understand?"
A whine and wagging of the tail left no doubt that the wishes of his
late master were clear to him.
"You have your gun at your side," he added, turning to Nellie; "I do
not think you will have any call to use it. We have not met any
Indians and your father cannot overtake us before morning. Timon will
be sure to give you warning of the approach of danger, and, if your
gun goes off, I shall be here in a twinkling."
He bade her good night and departed. Enough wood had been flung on the
fire to keep it going for an hour or two, but long before it sank to
ashes, the girl had drifted into dreamland.
The lieutenant carefully selected his own sleeping quarters. He
finally fixed upon a large flat boulder, at the rear of the cavern
occupied by Timon and his charge; but, although beyond sight, he was
near enough to reach the spot on the instant needed. Spreading out his
blanket, he lay down upon it.
"This recalls the old days in Virginia, when mud a foot deep, with the
rain dashing in our faces, was what we had for weeks at a time. This
couch doesn't equal a feather bed, but it will answer."
The night passed without incident and it was hardly light when the
young officer was astir. He visited the horses and found them cropping
the grass, but he waited until Timon came to him before calling upon
Nellie. She, too, had been awake for some time and they partook of
their morning meal with rugged appetites.
She was so eager to hurry on that he lost no time in taking the road
again. Neither could doubt that their pursuers were on their trail,
and, with the aid of his small glass, he carefully studied the country
behind them. It was not long before he made the discovery he dreaded:
four horsemen were following their footprints, and beyond them were
the five Indians picking their way along the ledge in the opposite
direction.
The lieutenant passed the glass to his companion who scrutinized the
party with the keenest interest.
"They must have traveled all night," remarked her escort, while she
still peered through the instrument.
"That shows how dreadfully angry father is; I hope it will not last."
"Can you make out the members of the party?"
She studied them a minute or two more before answering:
"I think that is father who is close to the man on a mule."
"The one on a mule must be Vose Adams, for he is more accustomed to
that sort of animal. I am sorry he is with the party."
"Why?" asked Nellie, lowering the glass and looking at him.
"He is so familiar with the trail, that it will be hard work to outwit
him; he isn't the man to make mistakes. Did you recognize the
others?"
"I cannot be sure, but I suspect they are Mr. Ruggles and Mr. Brush."
"I have no doubt you are right,--not because I was able to identify
them, but because the two are partners and your father would naturally
go to them first. I do not think any one of the four has a glass, so,
despite their sharp eyes, we have a big advantage in that respect."
"But they know the route better than we, and we are losing time."
The course of the trail took them out of the field of vision of their
pursuers. It was at the suggestion of Russell that the two turned
aside from the canyon into the fissure-like gorge. This would have been
a serious mistake, except for the plan he had in view, for it must
place the pursuers in advance, the very thing which it would seem the
fugitives ought if possible to prevent.
The lieutenant had believed from the first that Vose Adams, in
threading his way through the mountains, traveled a good many miles
more than was necessary. It was quite likely that, if he could follow
a straight line, he would shorten the distance one-half. Although this
was impossible, the young man, nevertheless, was convinced that by
changing the route, a good many miles could be saved: and it was in
his mind to do that thing.
The lieutenant's experience in campaigning had taught him the danger
of going astray, when picking his way through an unfamiliar country,
but the little compass attached as a charm to his watch chain would
help him to keep track of the variations and windings, and he was
confident of coming out right. He and Nellie were well mounted and
armed, all of which being impressed upon his companion, she offered no
objection to the radical change of plan which took them out of the
canyon into the ravine that led them they knew not whither, but it was
ominous of disaster that at the top of the fissure, when the two were
leading their animals, a grievous mishap occurred. The pony of Nellie
slipped and sprained his ankle so badly that he whined with pain and
paused with his weight supported on three legs.
[Illustration: THE LIEUTENANT PASSED THE GLASS TO HIS COMPANION, WHO
SCRUTINIZED THE PARTY WITH THE KEENEST INTEREST.--PAGE 269.]
"That's a bad go!" exclaimed the dismayed Russell; "it will be several
days before he is able to travel."
She examined the ankle, as best she could, trying to soothe the pain
by passing her hand over the injured part, but it was plain that
neither she nor her companion could give any help.
"Poor fellow," she said sympathetically; "you cannot go any further;
what shall be done, Fred?"
"Only one thing seems possible,--take you on my horse."
"And what will become of Cap?"
"We must leave him behind."
"What will happen to him?"
"Some one will pick him up, or, after his leg recovers, he may find
his way back to the settlement."
The impulsive girl flung her arms about the animal's neck and touched
her lips to the silken nose.
"They shall not part us, Cap," she exclaimed with tears in her eyes.
The lieutenant watched this by-play, full of sympathy for the girl,
but he was in a quandary. Prudence seemed to demand that everything
should be sacrificed to speed by abandoning the pony. In all
probability, the latter would serve as a dinner for some of the bears,
wolves or other denizens of the mountains, who would quickly harry him
to death. To wait where they were until the animal was able to travel
rendered certain a speedy meeting with their pursuers. The woodcraft
of Vose Adams would enable him to discover with slight delay the point
where the fugitives had left the canyon, and he would guide his
companions with the skill of one of the mountain Indians themselves.
On the other hand, the plan he had in view imposed prodigious work
upon his own animal. Between the halting place and Sacramento were
many miles of easy traveling, over which he could walk, but for long
distances the beast would be compelled to carry double. In the event
of close pursuit, this must prove a fatal handicap.
In his perplexity, the lieutenant again examined the hurt of the
pony.
"It would be cruel to make him take a single step, but he may soon
recover. I am afraid to leave him behind and to continue our flight
with only my horse. You know how dangerous it is to linger, Nellie,
when it is certain _they_ are not far off----"
She caught his arm and whispered:
"Look at Timon! he has discovered something!"
The dog was standing a few paces in front of them, with his nose
pointed toward the canyon. He emitted several growls and pricked up his
ears in a way that left no doubt that he was angered. The lieutenant
had hardly time to place himself in an attitude of defence with his
Winchester, when a soft footfall was heard, and the next moment Vose
Adams emerged from behind the pile of rocks and approached them.
It was proof of the guide's woodcraft that he was able to come thus
close before being detected by Timon, who advanced threateningly
toward him. A word, however, from the lieutenant stayed the dog.
"Well, Vose," said the young man, "this is unexpected."
"So I jedge and I've a 'spicion that you ain't tickled half to death
to see me."
"We were always friends, but I can't say that either Nellie or I am
glad to meet you under the circumstances; for in truth, we have been
doing all we could to prevent such a meeting."
"Things has that look," added Vose, standing on guard as may be said,
for he was not free from misgiving concerning the young lieutenant
whom he had managed to run down. His positive orders forbade him to
assume the aggressive, but no one could forbid him to defend himself,
and he did not mean that this handsome officer should catch him
unprepared.
"Whom have you with you?" asked Russell.
"The captain, Wade Ruggles and the parson."
"What we suspected; I presume no one of the three feels specially
affectionate toward me."
"It is all the captain can do to prevent the other two from quarrelin'
as to which shall have the first chance to shoot you."
"Why does Captain Dawson prevent them?"
"'Cause he means to have the first chance himself."
"How about _you_?" grimly asked Lieutenant Russell.
"I'm left."
"How's that?"
"A low down trick was played onto me; as near as I can find out, the
captain comes first, Wade and the parson next and me fourth. You can
see for yourself that there won't be any chance at all left for me
after them three is through."
"It doesn't look so,--that's a fact. But where are the three?"
"Along the main trail, down in the kenyon."
"Why did they not come with you?"
"I advised 'em to wait till I found out how the land laid and they
won't leave the spot till I get back."
Lieutenant Russell gave no expression to the thought that flashed
upon him. Why not keep Vose Adams a prisoner? The loss of his services
to the party would be irreparable, for, as it was, the present hiding
place of the fugitives never would have become known to them without
the help of the guide. It was a daring scheme, but there were so many
objections to carrying it out, that the officer dismissed it. In truth
he thought of a much better plan.
"You have told me enough, Vose, to prove that the four men--for I may
as well include yourself--feel bitterer toward me than I suspected: do
you think this enmity of theirs will last?"
"Not for long."
"How long?"
"They'll let up as soon as you're shot."
Lieutenant Russell could not restrain a smile at this way of putting
it, while Nellie was so horrified that she gasped and stared and
listened in silence.
"There can be little doubt that you are right, but I meant to ask
whether you do not think the captain will moderate his anger when he
is given time to think it over."
"He has had all night to do that, and this mornin' he was hotter if
anything, than at any time since he larned what you had done."
"When did he learn it?"
Thereupon, Vose told the facts which have already been made known to
the reader, the most interesting feature of which was that Adams was
not an original member of the pursuing party. But, although the guide
was so pronounced in his opinion of the continuance of the enmity of
Captain Dawson, the lieutenant believed otherwise. He was confident
that if he and Nellie could reach Sacramento before meeting the irate
father, the latter would be open to reason, and all would turn out
well.
Vose turned to the young woman.
"Nellie, do you want a little advice from me?"
"I am glad to have it at any time."
"Howsumever, what I say is as much for the leftenant as for you, which
the same is that both of you should give up this bus'ness."
"But," said Nellie, "you have just told us that father is so angry
with Lieutenant Russell that he will shoot him the moment they meet."
"We can fix that easy 'nough; let the leftenant stay here while you go
with me; I think we can explain matters to the captain and the others
so they won't bother the leftenant."
"And what am _I_ to do?" asked Russell.
"Push on to Sacramento as fast as you can, for though I think I can
fix it, I wouldn't advise you to take too many chances."
"In other words, after Nellie and I have fled from the settlement and
got this far on the road to safety, you urge me to give her up
forever."
"Wal, that's lookin' a little further ahead than I meant to, but I
'spose it amounts to that."
"You mean well, Vose, but do you imagine that Nellie and I did not
count the cost before turning our backs on New Constantinople? Don't
you suppose we knew we should be pursued and were prepared for the
consequences?"
"I can't say as to that, but it strikes me that the plan I laid before
you is the only one there is."
"Why?"
"You cannot get away from the captain and the men with him."
"Well, there is no call for me to repeat my opinion, but I will say
that the decision shall rest with Nellie herself. If she wishes to go
with you I will interpose not a word of objection."
He looked toward her as an invitation for her to speak. There was a
world of affection and faith in the lustrous eyes, as she walked
resolutely forward and placed herself by his side.
"Only death shall separate us!"