“‘Deed it was dat, Marse Frank. But dis nigger am powerful hard for to kill, an’ specs dat’s why I lib. But I’se got lots to tell you, Marse Frank.”
“You have?” exclaimed Frank.
“‘Deed I has. P’raps yo’ kin find it valuable fo’ yo’. I’ll jes’ tell yo’ dat when we went up troo dat pass we jes’ cum out pretty quick in a valley. Dat ar’ valley was a scrumptious one, an’ dar was a trail leadin’ down inter it. But afore the Injuns could ride down inter it along cum six white men on hossback an’ a right pert young lady on a hoss, too.
“Sakes alibe I nebber seen so pretty a gal in all mah life. Well, dese yer men, dey seemed like dey was ‘quainted wid der Injuns. Dey jes’ talked as free like wid old Black Buffalo, an’ I jes’ opened my ears an’ listened.
“Dey said dat de gal was a prisoner an’ dey was takin’ her from a cave in de hills to Ranch V. Dey mentioned de name ob Artemas Cliff. Den dey rode on, sah, an’ mah sakes, jus’ den up from the valley dere came a hull gang ob Ingines and pitched into us. Ob cose yo’ know all de res’.”
Frank Reade, Jr., listened with the deepest amazement to this exciting story.
“A young girl!” he gasped. “Of course those men were Cliff’s, but where on earth were they going?”
“Dey done said it was to Ranch V. sah.”
“Ranch V!” repeated Frank. “That is not very definite. But it must be the headquarters of Cliff and his gang. You didn’t hear them say just where that ranch was located, Pomp?”
“No sah, but I jes’ took note ob de direckshun dey was goin’ an’ it was to de souf-west.”