Barney McGee looked up at this and Peter himself opened his eyes and regarded them all steadily with what Mary described to herself as “a long brown look.”
“You’re caught, you see, young feller,” said Barney, smiling amiably. “You shouldn’t have doubled on your tracks. Sometimes that trick works, but not in this country of wise men.”
Peter looked into the lean brown face of the cowboy and smiled so delightfully, that immediately his captors felt the magnetism of his glance and stirred uncomfortably.
“What do you take me for, a thief?” he asked.
“What else are you, young man?” asked Barney. “Didn’t you steal upon five helpless and unprotected ladies in the night and take their automobile. And this ain’t the first time you’ve robbed them, either.”
Peter made a sudden effort to rise and fell back helplessly, finding himself bound hand and foot.
Then a look of recognition came into his eyes.
“It’s Miss Campbell and the young ladies,” he exclaimed. “So it was your automobile. I had no time to examine it, but I remembered the color was red.”
“If you are feeling quite yourself, now, young feller,” interrupted Barney, “I think we’ll be taking you along to the next village where we can leave you to be dealt with according to the law in these parts.”
“I suppose you won’t believe me, Miss Campbell,” began Peter in a rather weak voice, “but I give you my word of honor I’m not a thief. The real thief has my own car.”