IN THE LAIR OF THE BANDIT.
There was a big lump on Jim Morrison's head, but no abrasions. He could
not account for the pain in his side until Ellen told him that Pizzo
had kicked him while he lay unconscious.
"I'll get even with him for that," Jim muttered as they walked to the
horses. "But, first, I've got to get you out of this."
"I'm not afraid--that is, not very much," she said rather dolefully.
"But these men are rather awful."
They followed a winding path through a fernlike growth and came
unexpectedly into a clearing where a dozen saddled horses were waiting,
in charge of two black men armed with rifles and wearing very few
clothes. Pizzo approached and pointed to a sorry horse which he ordered
Morrison to mount, then smirked at Ellen and started to lead her
forward to a small but efficient-looking mountain pony.
"I deeply regret," he explained in Spanish, "I have no side saddle, for
I did not expect the good fortune of the _señorita's_ company."
"I can't ride astride in these clothes," she replied, "but if you go
slowly I can sit sidewise in the saddle."
"We shall accommodate our pace to your needs, _señorita_," he assured
her, "and I shall ride beside you to assist you in necessity."
She looked at him contemptuously. "I shall not need your help."
He bowed again, a very gallant bandit. "Nevertheless, I shall be beside
you."
He bent his back for her to step upon to mount and she leaped lightly
from it into the saddle. Morrison was already mounted and watched this
courtesy with well founded uneasiness.
If the yellow brute was going to be smitten with Ellen, it would make
their situation much more serious than he had considered it up to the
present.
Pizzo led the way up the mountain trail, and the cavalcade strung out
behind him. Jim glowered as he rode along and vainly sought a practical
plan of extricating them from their peril.
There were two blacks behind him with rifles; three bandits, armed with
revolvers, rode ahead, between him and Pizzo, who rode beside Ellen. If
Jim had been alone he would have risked throwing himself off his horse
and plunging into the dense jungle through which they were threading
their way, but he had to submit to this humiliating progress because of
Ellen. If only he were beside her to cheer and encourage her! But Pizzo
had made sure that they were separated.
If Esteban Pizzo had seen Ellen in Rosa Blanca he would not have dared
lift his eyes to her, but he was general of a small and well armed
band, and she was his captive. He rode a foot behind her so he could
study her, and the more he studied her exquisite profile, the graceful
poise of her fine little head, the perfection of her figure as she
jogged along, the greater grew his admiration.
This was the loveliest creature who had ever ridden into the mountains
of Santa Rosa, and she was his prize of war. He congratulated himself
that he had dared enter the city in response to the invitation of Carlo
Lopez, for not only would he get an enormous ransom for the son of
Thomas Morrison, but he had secured a lovely mistress, perhaps a wife.
Why not? He was a bachelor.
The sun set, and still they rode slowly through the hills. The
character of the vegetation changed, the temperature lowered very
pleasantly, and then it was dark, and Pizzo sent a man ahead with a
lantern to light the way, while one of the blacks fastened Morrison's
hands behind him and roped his feet under the belly of his horse.
Ellen was an experienced horsewoman, but she was half dead with fatigue
and almost hysterical from terror and apprehension, for she had not
missed the attraction she seemed to possess for the bandit leader. But
at last they passed through a narrow rocky defile and came suddenly
in sight of the lights of a settlement in a valley a few hundred feet
below.
"It is my camp," said Pizzo proudly. "In fifteen minutes we shall be
there, _señorita_. I promise you a welcome."
Morrison also saw the lights and knew that the end of the journey was
in sight. He also was very tired, his head hurt, and he thought he had
a broken rib, but he was glad, more for Ellen's sake than his own, that
they would have a chance to rest.
* * * * *
In a quarter of an hour they debouched into a village street, passing
between rows of wooden huts thatched with palm leaves. They were
cheered by several hundred men and women who rushed out of the houses.
Before the largest of the huts they dismounted, and Ellen would have
fallen had not Pizzo grasped her and passed his arm about her waist.
Her strength returned magically, and she tore away from him.
"Don't you dare to touch me!" she exclaimed.
The bandit turned his palms out in deprecation. "You were about to
fall, _señorita_."
"I don't care. Don't touch me."
"Be pleased to enter my poor dwelling. You and the Señor Morrison will
dine with me to-night." He ordered Morrison released from his bonds and
ushered the two prisoners into a large room in which a table was set,
bare of linen, but upon which reposed a cold ham and a huge round loaf
of bread which both Ellen and Jim eyed wolfishly.
"_Señor, señorita_," announced Pizzo. "I go to give some orders, but I
return _pronto_ and then we shall dine."
"Ellen, darling," Jim said when they were alone, "it breaks my heart
that you should be in this predicament."
"It's not your fault," she said crossly, "and don't use endearing terms
to me."
"It's the way I think of you," he muttered. "What brought you to the
hotel at that moment?"
"I wanted some stationery and the shops were closed. Does it matter?"
She dropped exhausted upon a chair.
"My father will arrange ransom for us both, but it's dreadful you
should be held in a place like this even for a minute."
She smiled. "I suppose this is what is known as adventure. I don't like
it. That Pizzo is appalling. However, General Carlo Lopez will have us
out of here in a day or two. The whole army may be on the march at this
minute."
"He might do it for you," said Jim, "but I don't think he would bother
his head about me, and I'd rather be ransomed than be beholden to him."
"Upon my word," exclaimed the girl, "when I begin to like you you make
the thing impossible. Carlo Lopez is my friend. I admire him."
"Well, he doesn't admire me. Say, wasn't it very queer these bandits
were able to come into the heart of the city? And they knew the
passwords. Who gave them to them? I wouldn't be surprised if your
friend Lopez--"
"Jim Morrison--" she began angrily and then blushed violently.
"That's the first time you have called me Jim," he declared.
"And it will be the last. A slip of the tongue."
"Please don't let's quarrel," he pleaded. "I don't know why I always
get your goat. You're not really interested in Lopez, are you?"
"It's none of your business," she retorted.
"It is too. I love you and want to marry you. He knows it, and I
wouldn't be surprised if he got me kidnaped."
She sprang to her feet and glared at him. "And had me kidnaped too, I
suppose!"
"No-o. I expect that was Pizzo's private enterprise. Ellen, is there
anything I can do to make us friends?"
She was still angry. "You might try keeping quiet."
He sat down and felt of his head.
"Does it hurt very much?" she asked quickly.
Jim nodded. He felt of his ribs.
"Do you think they are broken?" she asked, still more gently. "It was
the most brutal thing I ever saw."
He sighed heavily.
"You poor boy," she cooed. And then General Pizzo had to enter.
"_Señor, señorita_, at table," he commanded. "I am of a great hunger
myself."
Nothing loath, they seated themselves, and, despite the atrocious table
manners of the bandit, they ate heartily of ham and bread, but neither
could drink the goat's milk, which Pizzo observed, and ordered a ragged
servant to bring in a bottle of wine.
The bandit was in superb spirits and evidently wished to make an
impression on the girl by his gallantry. Fortunately Jim did not
understand most of his remarks or he might have met a violent end, but
Ellen's cheeks were red and she answered in monosyllables.
* * * * *
"How much ransom are you going to ask for me?" asked Morrison when the
general sank back in his chair surfeited with food.
"Two hundred fifty thousand dollars," replied Pizzo, his eyes agleam at
the thought of so much American money.
"Double it," said Jim. "That includes also the young lady."
"Ah, you have interest in the young lady?"
"She is my fiancée--" He glanced at Ellen, read danger signals, and
added hastily, "almost."
"_Sí, sí._ I do not know that. I think that over. I ask perhaps five
hundred thousand dollars for you, maybe with, maybe without _la
señorita_."
"The minister of war, Carlo Lopez," said Ellen in Spanish, "is a very
great friend of--my father. If you do not release me without ransom,
you will have the whole army of the republic to fight."
Pizzo shrugged his shoulder. "I do not care for the army of the
republic. In the mountains I am king. But I would do very much for the
beautiful _señorita_."
"Then let me go," she pleaded.
He smirked at her. "I consider that. Maybe you will like it here. It is
very nice here. Cool. Not hot like Rosa Blanca."
"What's he talking about?" demanded Morrison for Ellen had shuddered.
"Nothing," she lied. "Don't anger him."
Pizzo understood and laid down his knife; he had not used a fork.
"Señor Morrison, you are worth much money to me. I treat you well, but
if you anger me, look out. I shoot quick and I shoot to kill."
"You're a regular hot tamale," sneered Jim. "If you injure a hair of
this lady's head--well, you see what will happen." His finish was lame.
Pizzo rose, went to the door and shouted and in a few seconds three or
four savages with rifles entered the room with much stamping.
"Take the _señor_ to the empty _casa_ opposite and lock him up for the
night. Put a double watch around the house. _Buenas noches_, Señor
Morrison," he said mockingly.
Jim jumped up and clenched his fists. "Be careful," warned Ellen. "You
must do as he tells you."
"But I won't leave you alone with this--this--"
"Don't say it. I am sure General Pizzo knows how to respect a
_señorita_."
"No man in Santa Rosa is a greater _caballero_," declared Pizzo. "Take
him away."
Jim obeyed the prayer in her eyes and went silently. At the door he
looked back, his face working with emotion.
"Good night, Jim," she called to him. "Don't worry. I shall be all
right."
When she was alone with the bandit she faced him fearlessly.
"I am tired. I wish to sleep, general," she said coolly.
Pizzo opened a door to an inner room and showed her a bed.
"It is my chamber, _señorita_. None shall disturb your slumbers. I
shall have a bed made up in this room."
Ellen managed a smile. "General, I think you are a true _caballero_,"
she said gratefully.
The little man swelled at her words. "You shall see," he declared.