THE FORGED LETTER.
Lucille Fallon was surprised when she received a letter by mail,
posted at Pioneer City, and addressed in the well-known hand of her
lawyer.
It was short, and merely told her that certain legal technicalities
having arisen that required her signature, and her father’s, to
papers he held, he had decided to come himself and get them, and had
reached Pioneer City, where, on account of an attack of rheumatism,
he was compelled to halt and ask the sergeant and herself to come to
him.
Lucille expressed her surprise that any business had been so
important as to bring the lawyer out to the wild West, but she
concluded to go, and regretted the absence of her father.
Perhaps she could do without him, and, if not, she would urge the
lawyer to return with her to the fort, where he would be well cared
for.
There were no other passengers, and with a small satchel as her only
baggage, she mounted to the box with Jack Jessop and rolled away
from the fort. She enjoyed the bright morning and beautiful scenery
immensely, and Jack was glad to entertain his fair companion.
The bridge was crossed over the river, and then began the pull up a
long hill.
Suddenly, as though by magic, a score of forms arose, it appeared
from the ground.
They came from behind trees and rocks, and they came like so many
apparitions.
They were all dressed in buckskin, wore slouch hats and masks, while
they carried rifles in their hands and were armed with a belt of
weapons as well.
They were all on foot, save one.
That one was mounted on a fine horse, and came out from behind a
group of rocks. He sat his horse splendidly, wore a belt of arms, but
carried no rifle. A broad sombrero sheltered his head, his hair fell
upon his shoulders, and he was dressed in a black suit with gold-coin
buttons. His face was masked completely, and his hands were covered
with red gauntlet gloves. There was no mistaking the man, for it was
Captain Eagle, chief of the Red Hand Riders.
“That imp of Satan, ther chief o’ ther Red Hands, by all that’s
holy!” growled Jack Jessop.
Lucille turned pale, yet remained perfectly calm, while she said:
“He has little to rob me of, Jack.”
Up to the coach rode the chief, while he bent low in his saddle and
said:
“We have the pleasure of meeting, Miss Fallon.”
“The pleasure is all yours, sir.”
“And, Jack, you and I have met before,” resumed the chief, paying no
attention to Lucille’s sarcastic reply to his salutation.
“Yes, and some day we’ll meet once too often for your good, cap,”
said Jack.
“Well, what have you aboard to interest me, other than the fair lady
on the box with you?”
“Nothing, for I’m running light; but I was in hopes you was dead.”
“Oh, no; I am still on deck, as you see.
“But have you no dust from the mines on board?”
“Not an ounce.”
“No money?”
“This ain’t after pay time, as you know, so no money goes East on
this run.”
“Well, I believe you, but I shall search your old hearse, all the
same.”
He called to his followers, and they completely surrounded the coach.
Then he began the search personally.
“What is in these boxes in the rear boot?”
“Weapons sent to Colonel Buck from the fort sutler; he ordered them.”
“They are treasure. Give me your hatchet.”
The driver passed it down, and, knocking open the boxes, the chief
said:
“Good! repeating rifles and revolvers--just what I need; yes, and
ammunition, too, with bowie knives and belts. Ah! here are a couple
of fine saddles and bridles, too, and a roll of superb serapes. Why,
Jack, I am in luck, especially as a decoy letter I wrote got Miss
Fallon into my power, though I regret to see that her father is not
along. Miss Fallon, the letter from your lawyer I forged. It has done
its duty.”
When the outlaw chief spoke of the letter Lucille’s face flushed, and
her eyes brightened with indignation and anger. She knew that she
was the victim of a plot, and quick as a flash she whipped out from
her belt a small revolver and threw it forward, her finger upon the
trigger.
There was no tremor of the hand, the act was one of determined
intention to kill the man, and she would have done so then and there,
for he was caught wholly off his guard, had not Jack Jessop struck up
her hand just as she pulled trigger.
The bullet, as it was, cut through the corner of the chief’s sombrero.
“A close call, that! Jack Jessop, you saved my life, so I’ll not kill
you, as I intended to do; that act saved you.”
“I didn’t do it for you, but to save her,” grunted Jack.
“Oh, I know your intention, but the act was the same, for you saved
me from death.
“Miss Fallon, you are as quick as a flash as a drawer, and a ready
hand with a revolver. You owe it to Jack Jessop that you do not
suffer for your intended taking of my life, for my men would have
been quickly revenged upon you. Give me that weapon, please.”
Lucille sat, white, silent, and almost despairing. But she turned and
handed the weapon to Jack Jessop, who in turn surrendered it with his
own weapons to the chief.
“Get off the box, Jack.”
The man obeyed.
“Now, Miss Fallon, do you also alight.”
She also obeyed.
“Jack, I shall put these irons on your ankles. You can walk with
them, for the chain is a foot long, but slowly. You will have to walk
to the next station, and you’ll hardly reach there before night. I
need your horses, so will take them, and I have pack animals along,
too, for the plunder.
“Miss Fallon, I have a horse with sidesaddle for you, so you see
I came prepared, even to good food for you, a canvas shelter and
blankets.”
“You intend to take me a prisoner?” said Lucille.
“I certainly do, and hold you until I get the big ransom I shall
demand.”
“My poor, poor father.”
“He is fortunate in not having come with you.”
“Jack, there is no help for it, so I’ll make the best of it,” said
Lucille, turning to the driver.
“Tell my father what happened, and to arrange for the ransom, as he
can do, provided it is not too large, for there is a limit, you know,
and I am not of age yet, so funds cannot be readily gotten beyond
a certain sum. Tell him not to delay, for I wish my freedom, and
attempt no rescue, but pay the ransom. Good-by, Jack.”
Lucille held out her hand.
“You is the gamest leetle gal I ever seen,” said Jack Jessop, and the
tears came into his eyes. Turning to the outlaw, he continued:
“Some day there’ll come a settlement for your red deeds and your
cruel treatment of this lady, and I’d show you no more mercy than I
would a snake.”
The chief laughed, snapped the irons on Jack’s ankles, then continued
his search of the coach, taking several things of value.
Then he called to his silent men to bring up the horses, and to strip
the team of the harness.
They quickly did so, and a horse was led up with a lady’s saddle.
Lucille sprang to her seat without aid, making the remark in an
indifferent tone:
“It is lucky I wore my riding habit, fearing some accident.”
The things from the coach, arms, and other articles, with the
harness, cushions, and rubber coverings, were soon packed on the
horses, the chief mounted, and, turning to the driver, said:
“Good-by, Jack. I will not leave you unarmed, so here is your belt
again. My compliments to Buffalo Bill, and tell him that some day
I’ll get his scalp.”
With a wave of the hand he rode off, leaving Jack Jessop gazing after
them, his eyes full of tears at the fate of poor Lucille, whom he was
powerless to aid.
But Jack did not hesitate long, for he at once turned his steps down
the trail toward Pioneer City, carrying the mails, which had not been
disturbed, upon his back. He could not walk fast, ironed as he was,
and it was night when he reached the relay station, utterly exhausted.
But he quickly had the iron chain hammered in two by the stock
tender, and, mounting a horse, the manacles still about his ankles,
he rode on to Pioneer City and reported what had happened, starting
out at once again with a harnessed team after his coach.
The stock tender at the station he had sent off at full speed to the
fort to report the affair to Colonel Carr.
The stock tender reached the fort after midnight, and, half an hour
after, a lieutenant with his troop and six of Buffalo Bill’s scouts
had started for Monument Hill to pick up the trail of the outlaws at
dawn, and follow it, Colonel Carr believing that he could thus aid
Lieutenant Worth and his party who were pushing on to the river to
head off the lawless band.
Jack Jessop took his dismantled coach into Pioneer City with all
haste, and then went to a blacksmith to get his manacles removed.
He found the town all excitement over the affair, and learned from
Colonel Buck, the stage agent there, that a stranger had come into
Pioneer City and purchased a sidesaddle and a lot of provisions and
other things, remaining but a short while and stating that he was
from the Fort Advance settlement.
“That man was the outlaw,” said Jack Jessop.