It was plain that Luke was not in a communicative mood. Some rogues, when they find themselves brought up with a round turn, become penitent, and are willing to relate all the circumstances attending the commission of their crime, but our prisoner did not belong to that class. He was sullen and morose, and had no doubt made up his mind that he would say nothing that could be used as evidence against him.
We were a great deal disappointed at this; for there were one or two incidents connected with the loss of the money and the disappearance of Black Bess that we should like to have had explained, but as Mr. Redman was not in the humor to gratify our curiosity, we were obliged to leave the unraveling of the mysteries to time and future events.
At this moment it seemed to strike the robber that he had been a prisoner long enough, and, having in some measure recovered from his fatigue, he began to test the strength of the straps with which he was confined.
He was a powerful man, and his struggles to free himself were furious and determined indeed. He rolled about on the ground, gnashing his teeth with rage, his face reddening with his exertions, and the muscles on his arms standing out like cords of steel.
He threatened to take a most terrible vengeance on us when he succeeded in liberating himself; and as we stood watching his contortions, we trembled with the fear that some of the straps would slip or prove too weak to hold him. But, although we had done our work in great haste, we had done it well, and Luke was finally obliged to submit to his fate.
“Now, I’ll just tell you what’s the matter!” exclaimed Sandy, who had stood with his hat off and his sleeves pushed up, ready to pounce upon the prisoner the instant he saw the least probability of his freeing himself from his bonds; “give it up, don’t you? Them straps are purty strong, I reckon—hain’t they? You’re fast, an’ thar’s no use of wastin’ time in fussin’ about it.”
“What are you goin’ to do with me?” asked Luke Redman, in savage tones.
“We’re going to take you to the settlement, and put you where you’ll never have another chance to steal money and horses,” I answered.
“I’ll bet you somethin’ big that you don’t take me to the settlement. I’ve got friends clost by who won’t let harm come to me. If you expect to see daylight ag’in, you had better turn me loose. I’ll pay the hul lot on you fur this, mind that.”
We began to prick up our ears when we heard this, and to see the necessity of taking our prisoner to a place of safety with as little delay as possible. We did not really believe that he had companions in the neighborhood who would attempt to rescue him, but we did not like to run any risks.