Both Gale and Valerie struggled, but what was the use? They were soon subdued, not too gently, and led away, their hands tied behind their backs, to a cabin, hidden entirely from the trail in a clump of trees.
Chapter VIII
PRISONERS
“What are you going to do with us?” Gale demanded, summoning as much courage to her voice as she could.
In the untidy, sparsely furnished room on the first floor of the cabin the girls faced their abductors, three of the most dangerous, most crafty looking individuals they had ever seen. It was with a pang of fear that both Gale and Valerie recognized the leader as one of the bandits who had robbed the bank in Coxton.
The leader leered at them with a wide grin. “You, my fine young ladies, are to be our safe ticket across the border.”
“You mean--to hold us as hostages?” Gale asked.
“Call it anything you like,” he retorted. “We’re goin’ to put the proposition up to your friends. If they don’t agree, you don’t go back to ’em--that’s all.”
“You wouldn’t dare to harm us!” Gale said staunchly.
He laughed and exchanged glances with the other two men.
“Take ’em upstairs, Mike,” he ordered, and stamped from the cabin.