Night.
The dark forms of a group of men were brought out in sharp contrast
against the fitful light of a small brushwood fire built in a sheltered
spot among the hills.
A few faint stars dotted the moonless sky, and the night air was raw
with the frosty breath of late October.
Some of the men were sitting about on scattered blocks of rejected
stone, left in the abandoned quarry years before when the abutment of a
bridge had been built over a small, swift stream near by, but the great
number of raiders stood in careless attitudes around the fire, talking
or smoking.
"Captain's late," one of the men in the foreground said.
"I heard the ring of Black Devil's hoofs comin' up the hill just a
moment ago," a raider answered.
As he spoke, he thrust a fresh supply of brush into the fire, and
briskly stirred the bed of embers until it glowed with sudden fervor,
while a shower of sparks arose and fluttered into the night like a swarm
of fireflies rudely disturbed.
"Be saving of the brush," cautioned one of the raiders. "There may be
officers of the law abroad tonight."
"It is money to them if they bag us," answered the other, with an
expressive shrug of the shoulders and a hoarse laugh. "There's a reward
of two hundred dollars offered for information concerning the raiders,
or night-riders, as some folks call us."
"Perhaps some one's after it," suggested another.
"And what good 'd the reward be? It would melt or burn where we'd send
him."
"Is it the gate at the stone bridge tonight?"
"No, I have heard it's to be another--one more familiar to some of our
members," the speaker continued, casting a furtive glance at a number of
the band standing near.
"Suppose it should be the pole of the New Pike gate, and Milt was chosen
to do the cutting?" The man at the fire spoke tauntingly.
"The pole of the New Pike gate won't be cut tonight, I'm thinking," said
Derr quietly.
"Not if the Captain commands it?"
"No."
"Listen, you fellows--hear what this man's sayin'!"
"And what's more to the point, I'm willing to bet that he isn't going to
insist on me cutting it, either," added Derr, glancing about him with a
half-defiant air in which there was also the suggestion of a threat.
Quickly the attention of the others was drawn to the speaker, who had
unconsciously straightened to his full six feet, while the rich color in
his cheeks, augmented by the ruddy glow of the firelight, deepened
perceptibly, and quickly spread to his throat and neck, which were
partly revealed in their robust outlines, where the heavy coat was
thrown back to the warmth of the fire.
"Any special reasons for not wantin' to cut down the pole of the New
Pike gate?" asked one of the band, with a wink on the sly at his
companions.
"I have," answered Milt frankly and seriously. "One good reason I will
state a little later, the other can be given right now. It seems a
cowardly thing to do--the chopping down of a gate that's kept by two
lone women. Now if it was a man, the case would be altogether
different."
"It ain't the women folks we've got the grudge ag'in," spoke up one of
the men. "It's the graspin' turnpike companies back of 'em we're after."
"Yes, but it's taking away the living of two worthy women," protested
Derr.
"That can't be helped, though," argued the other raider. "If we're goin'
to do away with toll-gates, an' have free roads, we can't play
favorites, you know, by cuttin' down some poles, an' leavin' others
standin', just on account o' family relations," he said.
"What's the talk?" The deep voice came from the outer gloom, and as the
men glanced in its direction, the captain emerged from the shadows
hovering close about the circle and joined the group.
An embarrassing silence fell suddenly upon the company, at the leader's
presence, and each man waited for his neighbor to make reply. As no one
seemed inclined to answer, finally Derr spoke.
"It was concerning the New Pike gate. Some one suggested that I would be
chosen to do the cutting of the pole."
"Well!" The captain fixed his steel cold eyes full on the speaker, while
the semblance of a sarcastic smile hovered about his mouth.
"I have good and sufficient reasons for not wanting to cut down that
pole, and especially if I was called upon tonight," continued the
speaker quietly, his eyes meeting the captain's gaze unflinchingly.
"Have your reasons been called for?" demanded the leader with a
contemptuous curl of the lip.
"Among other reasons," continued Derr, ignoring the question, "I don't
see the need of disturbing that gate for the present, when so many
others around here tonight might claim our attention."
The little groups merged into a large one, and general attention was
quickly centered in the two men, for trouble seemed brewing in this
quarter. As they stood face to face, eyeing each other keenly and
coolly, the spirit of unfriendliness that had long held a place in each
bosom was plainly evident, and a clashing of strong wills appeared
imminent. There had ever been a feeling of rivalry, dating far back to
the days they had gone to school together in Alder Creek Glen, and
pretty little Sally Brown was the figurative apple of discord between
the two.
"His reasons for not wanting that gate disturbed may not be hard to
guess," said the captain, a sneer lingering on his heavy lips. "He's in
love with the pretty toll-taker."
"And the captain's rather sore because she's jilted him," retorted Derr
in clear, deliberate tones.
The leader's face flushed crimson with anger at the words that carried
with them the sting of truth, and a look of hatred blazed for an instant
in his eyes as he turned them full on the speaker, standing calm and
disdainful, meeting the look fearlessly.
Perhaps this utter lack of fear deterred the captain from his first
impulse, for he knew that to press his adversary further at this moment
meant a speedy settlement of old scores. Jade Beddow was not ready for
such a course just yet, indeed he knew a better plan of revenge, so
with strong effort he managed to control the rage that filled him, and
to bring himself to a more fitting realization of his present course of
conduct.
"We haven't met tonight to settle personal grievances," he said, letting
his eyes slowly wander to the men surrounding him. "These can be left to
another time an' place. Our business tonight is to strike another blow
for our just cause, and the New Pike gate is the one to go down. Let
those who are not cowards follow me. To your horses, boys!"