“Do you suppose it could be our friends?” Valerie asked.
“Too many,” Gale said immediately, but she was uncertain.
Were the outlaws as uneasy over these new arrivals as they seemed? Or was it pretense to trick the girls? Gale wished she knew. To her the terror of the outlaws seemed real enough. There was no mistaking the fear on the face of Pedro when a bullet entered through the window and pinged against the fireplace alarmingly close to him. They feared these men, but why? Were the new arrivals officers of the law or a band of rival outlaws? Were there such things as rival groups of bandits?
Gale pulled Val against the wall beside her. It was safest out of range of any gun that might shoot in the window. Suddenly from the rear of the cabin came a shout. Another voice took it up. A hasty glance out the window showed men running from cover and toward the door.
“Use your gun,” screamed one of the outlaws.
“No,” Gale said firmly. “We’ll see who they are--first!”
Chapter XV
CAPTURE
Walking to the door Gale threw it open and stepped into the arms of the two men who rushed forward. She recognized them with a great overwhelming joy.
“Tom! Jim! How on earth did you get here? Who----”
“We’ve brought the Sheriff and his men,” Tom said breathlessly. “Looks as though you had the situation well in hand,” he added after he had greeted Valerie and taken in the sight of Pedro and the other two.