Captives
The auto containing the three girls came to a dead stop. The driver turned to his companion, an old woman in a dress resembling a Gypsy’s gown.
“This the place, Cleopatra?”
The woman nodded. Then she turned on him fiercely.
“My name Clovita! You no call me that other. Clovita my mother’s name, and her mother’s name before her. You no—”
“All right, all right! I’ll call you Clove for short. That do? Cloves would just about suit you.”
The woman made no reply, but, instead, turned and gazed stolidly at the three girls who sat in the rear seat and who were listening to this conversation with wildly beating hearts. Half an hour ago they had known that the man driving was not taking them home, but he had put them off with excuses that he had to stop some place first. Now Belle leaned forward and looked at him squarely.
“Mr. Richmond,” she said firmly, “we want to know the meaning of this. We are not going home. This is nowhere near the X Bar X. Where are you taking us?”
“Well, now, I wouldn’t just say you’re not goin’ home,” the man drawled. “Let’s say you’re not goin’ home yet. That sounds better. Now what else did you want to know?”
Belle felt the blood leave her face. She turned to the others.
“Don’t be frightened,” she said in a low voice. “He may be just trying to scare us. He won’t dare keep us away long. Dad would kill him!”
“He would, hey?” The man laughed nastily. “So sure of that, Miss Spitfire? Maybe there’s others around that can do a little killin’ on their own hook.”
Ethel gave a slight scream and began to tremble. Nell, taking her cue from Belle, clenched her teeth and remained silent.
The man spoke to the woman at his side.
“When were they coming?”
“T’ree ’clock.”
“Well, it’s four now. Sure this is the right place? If you’re foolin’ me, I’ll—”
“Listen!”
The man bent his head sideways. In the distance sounded the beat of horses, evidently traveling toward the car, as the noise increased rapidly. The woman, not troubling to speak, jerked one thumb in the direction of the approaching ponies. The man nodded.
Belle, taking her courage in both hands, suddenly alighted from the car. She saw, out of the corners of her eyes, that the man had opened the door on his side and had slid himself out a bit from under the steering wheel. Belle knew that any attempt at escape would be met with instant violence, and she had no notion of giving this man an opportunity of tying her up. She simply stood by the side of the car and looked about her.
The place they had come to was familiar. It was the entrance to Thunder Canyon. Belle felt her heart give a jump of anxiety, for this was many miles from the X Bar X. She had known that something unusual was happening as soon as the car had stopped and had taken on the old woman, whom the driver explained by saying she was a relative of one of the cowboys and was going over to see him.
The woman, thinking such subterfuge unnecessary, had cackled shrilly, only to be silenced by a fierce frown from the man. It was then that Belle realized the turn affairs had taken. But she had refrained from alarming Nell and Ethel, both because it would be useless and because she hoped that if their driver could be lulled into thinking his motives were unsuspected, the girls might have a chance to escape. For it was certain that Richmond was no puncher on the X Bar X.
It had all happened so casually and so naturally that it was some time before the girls had become suspicious. The man had called at the 8 X 8 in the flivver with a note which Belle Ada was certain had been sent by her mother. The explanation, too, was natural.
The girls, eager for a change, had hurriedly packed and gotten in the car, chatting merrily and not paying much attention to the driver who, it was remembered now, had regarded them grimly as he drove off with them.
So merry had the trio been, anticipating much fun with Roy and Teddy at the Manley ranch, that they scarcely noted the direction taken by the driver. It was not until he stopped at a hut in a lonely place and the gaudily attired woman came out that Belle Ada glanced at Ethel and Nell strangely.
Then, with the woman in the car with them, had followed a long ride with suspicions increasing.
Belle realized that they were in a serious predicament—just how serious she could not yet tell, for, except for the knowledge that the driver was not connected with the X Bar X Ranch and that the note had been a forgery, the girl was as much in the dark as ever. But she did not lose heart.
Swiftly she glanced about her. Those hoofbeats were coming closer, and she knew if an escape were to be attempted, it must be soon.
“Mr. Richmond,” Belle said slowly, turning toward the front seat, “I suppose it is useless to ask you for an explanation.”
Before the man answered, he hitched up his belt, and Belle saw the butt of a revolver protruding over the door of the car. She pretended not to notice, and waited for his reply.
“What’s the matter—ain’t you comfortable?” the man countered. “I even brought Cleopatra along to—all right, Clovita, then! Don’t go bitin’ my ear off. I say I brought Clove along to keep you company. She’ll make a fine travelin’ companion, won’t you, Cleo—won’t you, Clove?”
Ethel, who was almost as pale as her white collar, put her hand to her throat.
“Traveling—traveling companion?” she faltered. “What do you mean? Where are you taking us? Oh, Nell, I’m so frightened!”
“You nice lady,” came from the old woman, who was grinning widely. “You no get scared. Everyt’ing all right. You maybe go on a visit for a little while with me, and I show you pretty things. See!” and she held out her hand. Nell took from it a bracelet, apparently of finely wrought gold. Out of curiosity the girls examined it until they felt Richmond observing them strangely. With a shudder Nell handed it back. The moment the woman had it in her hand again Richmond seized it viciously.
“Tryin’ to get away with somethin’, hey?” he snarled. “We was to go fifty-fifty on all stuff you picked up, an’ you know it. Where’d you get this, hey? Some fool lady who wanted her fortune told, I reckon.”
The woman nodded, and grinned. Then she shrugged her shoulders and spread her hands wide—disdainfully.
“What would you? I must live. People say Clovita has the gift of prophecy. As to that—”
She was interrupted by the arrival of four men on ponies. They rode swiftly up, looked at the car and its occupants for a moment, then turned to Richmond.
“Good work,” one of them said. “Yuh shore know yore doggies, Jack. We all set?”
“Yep. Hey, Clove, pile out. Here’s where you get yore liver shook up good. Sheldon, slide off that war horse an’ let a lady up. Come on, Cleo, shake yore stumps. When you get up there, hang on. Don’t let ’er throw yuh. Ready? Alley-oop!”
With a groan, the old woman, assisted by Sheldon and Richmond, climbed to the back of the pony Sheldon had just quit. Once in the saddle, she took the reins with a practiced hand and settled her dresses about her with supreme confidence. Evidently she had been a rider in her day, but now she made a strange picture sitting proudly on the horse, her head thrown back, surveying with a scornful eye those on the ground.
Richmond grinned widely.
“Quite a gal,” he said to Sheldon. “Feel O.K., Clove? That bronc’s gentle, an’ you won’t have no trouble with her. If she rears, sock her on the head.”
“Clovita know,” the woman replied with dignity. “But I not hit a horse on the head—never. They die from that. Clovita rode horses before you were born. Wild horses, that ran like fire! No one could ride like Clovita, I—”
“Hang it up,” Richmond said brutally. Then: “Miss Manley, I must ask you to change cars at this station. Sorry, but the road ain’t so good fer autos. The other young gals too. Boys, pile off. We go back in the car. You girls ride with Clove. We’ll see you later, so don’t pine too much when we leave. And now—adios.” He bowed mockingly.
“What do you mean?” Belle demanded, the blood coming to her cheeks like a flame. “You won’t dare take us! We must go home immediately! If my father hears about this, you’re life won’t be worth a plugged nickel!” Unconsciously she had quoted Roy. “Dad’ll kill you!”
Richmond looked at her, a grudging admiration in his eyes.
“Just take it easy, girlie,” he said gently. “Nothin’ is goin’ to happen to you or your friends. You’ll be as safe here as if you were home. This is just a little matter between yore father an’ us, an’ we take this way to settle it. See? But don’t get fretful. We may be rustlers an’ all that, but we’re men. I just want to add one thing.” His eyes narrowed.
“As long as you behave yourselves, you can do pretty much as you please an’ nobody will touch you. But if you try to escape—” He took a heavy gun from his pocket and handed it up to Clovita as she sat on the pony. “Clovita,” he continued sternly, “take a pot shot at that hunk of wood stickin’ out by that rock.”
The gun roared. Wide eyed, the girls looked to where Richmond pointed. The stick had disappeared.
“That white blaze on the tree over there.”
Another roar. A tiny dot appeared in the center of the blaze.
“I guess you girls see she can shoot some. Clovita, you know what I told you. Let ’em ride ahead an’ keep their distance. If they bolt, bring down the horse an’ let ’em walk the rest of the way. If they start to run, just nip ’em a leetle bit. Then you won’t have no more trouble. You know where to head for. We’ll meet you there later.”
He stopped and looked at the girls, who stood by the car, Belle defiant, Ethel frankly trembling, Nell pale, but game.
“I’m sorry to have to do this, but you’ll understand why later,” Richmond went on. “When we hear from yore dad an’ if he answers the way we think he will, you’ll be home right soon. If not—” He shrugged his shoulders. “But I’m not worrying about that. Now, climb aboard, you girls. I guess you all can ride. If not, you’ll have to learn quick. The ponies are gentle an’ won’t buck none. Come on, boys.” He entered the car. From behind the wheel he stuck his head out. “Clove,” he called sharply, “remember what I told you! Don’t let ’em get funny, or you’ll wish you hadn’t! Keep that gun out! Hop in here, you birds. We got to get this car back. Well, girls—” and he grinned and removed his hat—“see you later! So long! Have a nice trip!”