The girl, trembling with fear, listened and waited. Would Sonora Jack keep his promise? Was the incentive, which led him to protect her from even himself, strong enough to endure when he had become inflamed by drink?
Slowly the terrible hours passed. It must be nearly midnight. The voices of the men in the next room were becoming louder, more quarrelsome and reckless. Suddenly the frightened girl felt, rather than heard, that front door opening. In the dim light she saw it swing slowly, inch by inch.
She held her breath. She wanted to scream but she dared not. The door swung a little farther and she could see the stars through the opening. Then a dark form slipped into the room as soundless as a shadow. Noiselessly the door was closed.
Cold with horror, unable to move a muscle, the girl cowered on the bed.
The shadowy form moved toward her. It stopped—then came a low whisper.
“Miss Hillgrove, do not be frightened, be very still. I, Natachee, have come for you.”
CHAPTER XXIX
THE RESCUE
And Marta gave a low cry of delight when, far away to the northeast, they saw the blue heights of the Santa Catalinas.
FOR a moment Marta could not speak. Then in spite of herself she gave a low cry of joy which brought another whispered warning from the Indian.
Moving closer, he said: