“Well, then, you come with me an’ perhaps you’ll learn something.”
“My horse is tied over there.”
“Don’t worry about your horse. Come on.”
Herbert obeyed. There was no question as to the seriousness of Sheldon’s intentions and there was no question about the deadly power of his loaded gun. He led the way slowly and cautiously down through the woods toward the house. Did he mean to corral Elizabeth also? Even in his terror and despair Herbert hoped that Elizabeth was not at home. Surely she could have no paper which belonged to these desperadoes!
Before they reached the edge of the woods where they could look out on the old house, two men met them. One was a shorter man than Sheldon with glowering eyes and a black beard which made him look like a pirate. Elizabeth would have recognized him as the “Black Smith” whom Colonel Thomas had described. The other was “Bud.”
“She’s went off,” Black Smith announced. “She’s far down the road.”
“Come on,” ordered Sheldon. “We’ll find that paper.”
He marched Herbert into the kitchen and made him open the doors of the cupboard. Then they went through the house, from cellar to attic. Confident that he would find nothing, Herbert searched thoroughly. Under Elizabeth’s bureau cover, he found the two warning papers. His eyes blazed.
“I never saw these. I should think you’d be ashamed of yourselves, big men trying to frighten a girl!”
“And a little mammy’s boy!” said Sheldon in an ugly tone.