“And also, that you explain in some way to their satisfaction how we come to return in your car instead of on our horses.”
“All right, all right, my fair Princess; I’m great at explaining things.”
“Well, I will start from the beginning and then you will understand the whole story, won’t he, Ethel?” Josephine began.
“Ethel and I wanted to take a nice long ride this morning, so we finally decided just before we reached Trader’s Post to branch off the trail and go on to Smoky Point. I knew of a short cut we could take, so we didn’t go through Trader’s Post—”
“No wonder we couldn’t get any news of you there,” Mason cut in, looking at her in surprise. “Bruce and I came through that town and inquired for you there.”
“Well,” Josephine resumed, “when we arrived at Smoky Point we made a few simple purchases at one of the stores, after which we walked about the place as Ethel wished to see all there was to be seen of the town. You know she had never been there before, but I went there once before with Dad and knew all about the famous resort run by Duke Williams. In a spirit of mischief I led Ethel to this place and we were standing near one of the windows of the dance hall innocently listening to the music when we were suddenly attacked by two men. They had thrown blankets over our heads to stifle our cries. We both fainted from fright and when we came to our senses we found we had been locked in a room and were prisoners. We were guarded by an old Mexican woman. She warned us not to make an outcry and held a glittering dagger before our eyes. I tried to buy her off and was making some impression on her with the promise of gold, when one of our captors unlocked the door and strode into the room. He snarled some orders to the Mexican woman as he covertly watched us frightened girls. Then a whistle sounded somewhere in the building and the man’s face seemed to blanch white. He ran to the door and flung it violently open; then came the sound of blows, and we rushed out into the hall just in time to see you knock him downstairs. Believe me, you looked good to us just then. I don’t know what became of the old Mexican woman; anyway she disappeared during the excitement.”
“I have a score to settle with that spotface cowboy,” Mason said grimly. “What do you suppose his object was in making you girls prisoners?”
“I heard the old Mexican woman say we were to be held as prisoners out of revenge for Ricker’s arrest, and they were going to demand money from Josephine’s father for our safe return to the ranch,” Ethel spoke up; “the two cowboys had been drinking heavily and were in a revengeful mood.”
The rest of the ride was made in silence, all three being busy with their own thoughts.
“I would advise you girls to go to your room and rest up,” Mason said as he drove the car in front of the house. “Just act as if nothing had happened, and when Bruce arrives we will figure out some means of rounding up this spotface cowboy and his pal. I’ll tell the folks that I kidnapped you girls at Trader’s Post and brought you home in my car. Remember, we have to get in shape for the dance at Bruce’s ranch, and I am going to demand some extra dances from you girls by way of punishment.”