For a few minutes the two old hags remained in close conversation, the one who had come with the girls never for a second relaxing her vigilance or allowing the gun to point in any direction but toward the horses. With that blue barrel menacing them, the girls knew that escape was out of the question. They seemed in no present danger, however, and Ethel had largely recovered from her first fright. Belle, tight-lipped, was occupied with furious thoughts.
That such a thing could happen in a civilized country! They were kidnapped—neither more nor less! Kidnapped! Belle bit her lips and her face clouded. Mother! How she would worry when she found out! They must escape somehow, and get back home before her mother heard they were missing!
It was characteristic of the girl that she gave her own safety scarcely a thought. Richmond had said they were not to be harmed, but that they were to be held until her father did the rustler’s bidding. Belle smarted at the indignity of being a weapon in the hands of the horse thieves, for she now realized who her captors were.
Of course she had heard of the note her father had received, and gradually the conviction had grown on her that this was the means the rustlers had taken to “square up” matters between them and the X Bar X. The cowards! To use girls to effect their revenge! Belle’s lips curled in contempt. If that was the kind they were, they couldn’t stand up long against the punchers on the X Bar X! Why, Teddy and Roy would soon send them running for cover.
As the girl thought of her brothers, her heart beat rapidly with hope. They would hear of their disappearance and ride after them. If they only knew which way to head! All sorts of wild ideas surged through the girl’s brain, but she realized that it would be impossible to send word to the ranch. All they could do was to wait and pray that the boys started in the right direction, when they took up the chase.
All this time the two women were talking. Now and then their guard would nod in the girls’ direction and the other woman would grin evilly. Of the two, Belle much preferred the one who was riding with them. Somehow, she seemed more kind, even though, thus far, she had treated them with small consideration. Still, Belle felt that she would do nothing cruel as long as they made no attempt to escape.
At last the conversation was concluded and Clovita returned to her horse. After several attempts, and with much grunting, she succeeded in regaining the saddle, her sister, if such the other women were, watching her amusedly, making no offer of assistance. Then, with the gun pointing at their backs, the girls continued their weary ride.
Nell made several efforts at finding out their destination, but each question was received in stony silence. At length she desisted, and the girls talked in low tones among themselves. As they rode on, their courage returned to them, and even Ethel seemed brighter. Belle Ada comforted her with the declaration that Teddy and Roy and her father and Peter Ball would soon be aware of their capture—she preferred that word to kidnapping—and would ride in search of them. With both ranches, the X Bar X and 8 X 8, in pursuit, their rescue was but a matter of time. But even while she was speaking, Belle realized how slim was the chance of any one finding them in this wilderness, and her heart sank within her.
Mile after mile along the canyon the girls, followed closely by their guard, rode in silence. As night approached and they still went on, Belle saw Ethel’s shoulders shake with dry sobs. The woman in the rear gave no sign, but Belle rode to her friend and, reaching out, seized her hand.
“Don’t give in, Ethel dear,” Belle whispered. “Look at Nell! She’s taking it like a veteran. After all this is over and the boys are with us again and those rustlers are back in jail, think of the experiences we’ll have had. Why, when you go back to New York and tell people that you’ve been captured by a bunch of real outlaws and made to ride for miles along a canyon, to—to—”