"Be vera careful! Dey mean to shoot you eef you try de escape."
He did not start or betray any emotion whatever. It hardly seemed that he had heard her whispered words. Later, however, he gave her a look which conveyed to her the assurance that he had not failed to understand.
As she worked about the fire she called upon him to replenish it with more fuel, which he did. He was putting[Pg 109] wood on the fire when she again whispered to him:
"I weel drop by you a peestol. Tak' eet; you may need eet."
He made no retort, but watched for her to keep her promise, which she afterward found opportunity to do.
Merry was lying carelessly on the ground when the weapon, a tiny revolver, was dropped at his side. Immediately he rolled over upon his stomach, in a lazy fashion, hiding the weapon, and shortly after he succeeded in slipping it into his pocket.
Frank wondered how this strange girl happened to be with those ruffians. It seemed a most remarkable and mysterious thing. He also wondered why she had been led to give him the pistol. Having led him into the trap, she had suddenly changed so that she now seemed to wish him to escape without harm.
The truth was that his coolness and nerve, together with his handsome, manly appearance, had quite won Gonchita's heart. She was a changeable creature, and had quickly come to regret leading this handsome youth into such a snare.
When the food was prepared all partook heartily. Two of the men, a big fellow with an evil face, called Brazos Tom, and a thick-shouldered brute hailed as Mike Redeye, had been drinking freely from a flask. Brazos Tom was given to chaffing the others in a manner that some of them did not appreciate, and this inclination grew upon him with the working of the[Pg 110] liquor. Redeye was a sullen, silent fellow, and Frank regarded him as a very dangerous man.
Once or twice Cimarron Bill gave Tom a look, and, at last, the big fellow seemed to quiet down.