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018 - Chapter 17 Carried off · Redskin and Cow-Boy - A Tale of the Western Plains

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Speaker 1: Chapter seventeen of Redskin and Cowboy, A Tale of the
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Speaker 1: Western Plains by G. A. Henty. This Littlefox recording is
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Speaker 1: in the public domain. Chapter seventeen. Carried off The next morning,
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Speaker 1: in accordance with the promise they had given Don Ramon,
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Speaker 1: Hugh rode out to the hacienda. Royce sang that they
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Speaker 1: were two great swells for him, and he would rather
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Speaker 1: stop quietly at El Paso. Besides, he said, most likely
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Speaker 1: jose will come this morning and I will stop and
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Speaker 1: fix up that business with him. Hugh did not try
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Speaker 1: to dissuade him, for he had seen that Royce was
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Speaker 1: ill at ease on the occasion of his first visit.
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Speaker 1: On reaching the hacienda, he received a hearty welcome from
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Speaker 1: Don Ramon and his family, and Don Carlos rode with
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Speaker 1: him over a part of the estate where a large
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Speaker 1: number of peons were engaged in the cultivation of tobacco, maize,
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Speaker 1: and other green If you have time, signor Hugh, you
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Speaker 1: must go with me to see our other estates. Our
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Speaker 1: principal one lies twenty leagues to the south. We have
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Speaker 1: five hundred square miles of land there, and big herds
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Speaker 1: of cattle and droves of horses. But I suppose you
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Speaker 1: have seen enough cat Yes, there is the novelty about that,
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Speaker 1: Hugh replied, How many have you there and in other places?
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Speaker 1: We have somewhere around one hundred and fifty thousand head.
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Speaker 1: As to the horses, we don't know. They are quite wild,
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Speaker 1: and we drive them in and catch them as they
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Speaker 1: are wanted. We have about a score of our best here,
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Speaker 1: but these are the only animals we keep here except
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Speaker 1: bullocks for the plow and the teams to take the
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Speaker 1: crops down to market. I hear you have been rather
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Speaker 1: troubled with brigands lately. Have you any fear of them?
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Speaker 1: The scoundrels, the young man exclaimed passionately. It is a
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Speaker 1: disgrace that they are not hunted down. Yes, they have
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Speaker 1: been very daring lately, and my father and several of
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Speaker 1: the other haciendas have written lately to the authorities of
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Speaker 1: Santa Fe complaining of the inactivity of the police here.
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Speaker 1: I have tried to persuade my father to move down
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Speaker 1: to our house at al Paso until the bands have
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Speaker 1: been destroyed, but he laughs at the idea of danger.
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Speaker 1: We have twenty armpaons sleeping in the outhouses and twelve
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Speaker 1: male servants in the house, and indeed there is little
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Speaker 1: chance of their attacking us. Still, one cannot but feel
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Speaker 1: uncomfortable with the ladies here. There are a hundred troops
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Speaker 1: or so stationed in the fort at the other side
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Speaker 1: of the river, and they have joined two or three
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Speaker 1: times in the search for the brigands. But of course
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Speaker 1: they are too far off to be any protection to
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Speaker 1: us here. Besides, they are not of much use among
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Speaker 1: the mountains. The officer in command is fonder of good
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Speaker 1: wine than he is of the saddle. It is a
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Speaker 1: difficult thing to rout out these brigands. Half the peasantry
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Speaker 1: are in alliance with them, and they get information of
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Speaker 1: everything that is going on. And even if we knew
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Speaker 1: of their hiding places, there would be little chance of
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Speaker 1: our taking them by surprise. However, sooner or later I
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Speaker 1: suppose we shall have them. There is a large reward
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Speaker 1: offered for their capture. Someone is sure to prove traitor
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Speaker 1: at last. It is always the way with these bands.
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Speaker 1: Someone thinks himself ill used in the division of the booty,
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Speaker 1: or takes offense with the leaders, or something of that sort,
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Speaker 1: or is tempted by the reward, and then we get
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Speaker 1: them all. If it wasn't for treachery, the country would
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Speaker 1: soon become uninhabit habitable. His host would not hear I
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Speaker 1: Hugh returning that evening to El Paso, but sent a
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Speaker 1: peon in to tell Royce that he would not return
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Speaker 1: until the next day. Hugh spent a delightful evening. The
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Speaker 1: young ladies played on the mandolin and sang with their
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Speaker 1: brother the soft light. The luxurious appointments and the ripple
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Speaker 1: of female talk were strange and delightful after so long
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Speaker 1: a time among rough surroundings, and it was with great
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Speaker 1: reluctance that he mounted his horse and rode back. On
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Speaker 1: the following morning. He found on arrival that his comrade
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Speaker 1: had arranged the matter with Jose and had deposited the
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Speaker 1: money with the priest. As he was standing chatting to
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Speaker 1: him at the door of the hotel, a ragged Mexican
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Speaker 1: boy ran up, placed a scrap of paper in Hugh's hand,
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Speaker 1: and at once started away. It is from the doctor,
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Speaker 1: Hugh said, opening it, and then read as follows, I
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Speaker 1: have something particular to say to you. It must be private.
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Speaker 1: When you have received this, stroll quietly through the town
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Speaker 1: as if you were only looking at the shops. Go
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Speaker 1: down to the river and follow it up till you
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Speaker 1: hear three whistles, then come to them. You had better
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Speaker 1: come alone, the doctor. I wonder what the little man
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Speaker 1: has got to say. Royce Deno, the other said, I
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Speaker 1: suppose you had better go and see you've got your
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Speaker 1: six shooter. Anyhow, Hugh obeyed his instructions and walked along
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Speaker 1: the river bank till he heard the whistles. They came
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Speaker 1: from a small clump of bushes, standing apart from any others.
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Speaker 1: As he approached it, he heard the doctor's voice. Look
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Speaker 1: round and see if there is anyone in sight. No
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Speaker 1: one that I can see, he replied. Then come in.
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Speaker 1: He pushed his way through the bushes. Why what is
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Speaker 1: the matter, doctor, he asked, surprised at all these precautions,
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Speaker 1: I will tell you. Sit down there. It is just
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Speaker 1: as we fancied it might be. I told you that
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Speaker 1: we might be watched. These confounded Mexicans have nothing to
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Speaker 1: do but watch, and they have found out what we
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Speaker 1: are after. How did you learn that, doctor, Well, the
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Speaker 1: doctor said reluctantly. My mate has but one fault. He
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Speaker 1: will sometimes go in for a drink. It's not often,
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Speaker 1: but just occasionally once, perhaps every few months. It has
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Speaker 1: always been so ever since I have known him. Well,
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Speaker 1: last night it came over him. He thought it would
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Speaker 1: be a long while before he would have a chance again.
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Speaker 1: I suppose he's not quarrelsome when he drinks, but you
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Speaker 1: may be sure. I always go with him so as
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Speaker 1: to take care of him. So yesterday evening, seeing that
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Speaker 1: he had made up his mind for it and was
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Speaker 1: not to be turned, I went with him to a
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Speaker 1: little wine shop near where we lodge. There were half
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Speaker 1: a dozen Mexicans in there, drinking and talking, and as
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Speaker 1: they stopped talking directly we went in. I saw we
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Speaker 1: were not wanted. But I noticed more than that. I
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Speaker 1: saw two of them glance at each other. And though
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Speaker 1: I could not recollect, I had ever set eyes on
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Speaker 1: them before I knew they saw us. We hadn't any
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Speaker 1: money on us beyond what was wanted to pay for
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Speaker 1: the liquor, so though I didn't like the look of them,
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Speaker 1: I was not uneasy. We sat down and called for
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Speaker 1: some liquor, and I managed to say to sim, these
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Speaker 1: chaps know us, sim don't you go drinking? He nodded,
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Speaker 1: We drank for a bit, at least he did. I
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Speaker 1: don't touch spirits. Then, talking carelessly out loud, we and
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Speaker 1: whispered assides made out a plan. We agreed that we
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Speaker 1: should quarrel and I should go out, and that he
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Speaker 1: should seem to go on drinking until he got drunk
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Speaker 1: and stupid, and then like enough, he might hear something.
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Speaker 1: So we carried that out. As soon as he had
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Speaker 1: drunk his glass, he called for another, and then another.
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Speaker 1: I got up a row with him and told him
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Speaker 1: he was always making a beast of himself. He said
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Speaker 1: he would drink if he chose, and wouldn't be interfered
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Speaker 1: with by anyone. Then I got nasty and we had
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Speaker 1: a big rout. I went out. Then sim went on drinking.
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Speaker 1: He can stand a lot more than would floor most Mexicans.
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Speaker 1: They got into talk with him, and he could see
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Speaker 1: they were trying to pump him as to what we
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Speaker 1: were going to do, But you bet he didn't let
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Speaker 1: much out. Then he got gradually stupid, and at last
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Speaker 1: rolled off the seed onto the ground. For a bit.
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Speaker 1: The Mexicans went on talking together, and then one of
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Speaker 1: them crept over and felt his pockets and took the
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Speaker 1: few dollars he had in them out that convinced them
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Speaker 1: he was dead off to sleep, and they went on talking.
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Speaker 1: What he gathered was this. The fellows were the spies
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Speaker 1: of one of these bands. They had noticed you, particularly
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Speaker 1: when you came in, because it seems their captain was
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Speaker 1: in the town and recognized your horse and told them
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Speaker 1: he didn't like your being here, and they were to
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Speaker 1: watch you sharp. They were in the crowd when there
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Speaker 1: was the row about the horse, and they saw us
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Speaker 1: having our talk with you. They followed you out to
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Speaker 1: the donson back again, and when you rode out in
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Speaker 1: the morning to meet us, they sent a boy after you,
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Speaker 1: and he kept you in sight and tracked you up
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Speaker 1: to the hut, and then crawled up close and overheard
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Speaker 1: what we were saying. They sent off word at once
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Speaker 1: to their chief, and we were to be followed by
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Speaker 1: two men when they have traced us to this place,
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Speaker 1: want us to ride back to some place where a
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Speaker 1: dozen of them will be waiting to attack us on
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Speaker 1: our way back. That is bad, you said, What is
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Speaker 1: to be done? This has got to be put a
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Speaker 1: stop to the doctor said calmly, though I don't see
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Speaker 1: how yet at any rate, sim and I think we'd
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Speaker 1: better not hurry. A few days won't make any difference,
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Speaker 1: and something may occur. He picked up from their talk
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Speaker 1: that the villains had something else in hand just at present,
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Speaker 1: some stroke from which they expect to make a lot
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Speaker 1: of money. But they talked low and he couldn't catch
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Speaker 1: much of what they said. Maybe it will go wrong
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Speaker 1: and the country may be roused and hunt them down,
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Speaker 1: and if so, you bet will be in it. We
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Speaker 1: have got chances enough to take in this job as
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Speaker 1: it is. We don't want to reckon on brigands, not
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Speaker 1: that there is any much fear of them, now that
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Speaker 1: we know their plans. We have only got to ambush
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Speaker 1: the men they send after us. Still, we ain't going
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Speaker 1: to take any chances. These fellows may follow direct They
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Speaker 1: are sure to choose someone who knows the mountains well,
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Speaker 1: and they may judge by our direction the course we
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Speaker 1: are taken, and go by other paths. They would know
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Speaker 1: pretty well we are not the sort of people to
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Speaker 1: fool with. Still, it is better to wait a little
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Speaker 1: while and see if there is a chance of putting
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Speaker 1: a stop to it. Here. It is not that we
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Speaker 1: are feared of the skunks. If we could not throw
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Speaker 1: them off our trail. We could fight them anyway, but
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Speaker 1: one don't want to have them on one's mind. We
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Speaker 1: have got plenty of things to think about without them. Oh, yes,
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Speaker 1: I think it much better to stay here for a bit. Doctor,
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Speaker 1: There is no hurry about us start on our expedition.
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Speaker 1: I should certainly like to take a share in routing
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Speaker 1: out these bandits, especially as from what you say, it's
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Speaker 1: seams that the men at their head are the fellows
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Speaker 1: who murdered Don Ramon, Paralys's son and sold me his horse.
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Speaker 1: I wonder which hacienda it is that they are meaning
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Speaker 1: to attack. Yes, it is pity sim didn't manage to
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Speaker 1: find that out. We would have caught them. Then, have
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Speaker 1: you any idea how strong the band is? They are
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Speaker 1: not often over twenty, the doctor replied. Twenty is enough
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Speaker 1: for their work, and if there were more, the shares
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Speaker 1: of the plunger would be too small. But as I said,
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Speaker 1: they've got friends everywhere and could probably gather thirty or
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Speaker 1: forty more if they knew the troops were going to
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Speaker 1: attack them. A Mexican is always ready, on principle to
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Speaker 1: join in if there is a chance of getting a
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Speaker 1: shot at an American soldier. I suppose you have not
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Speaker 1: the least idea in what direction these fellows have their headquarters. Well,
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Speaker 1: I have some sort of an idea. At any rate.
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Speaker 1: I know of one place where there is a party
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Speaker 1: who don't care about being interfered with by strangers. Two
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Speaker 1: or three months ago, when sim and I were about
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Speaker 1: forty miles over to the northwest, we were in a
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Speaker 1: village just at the mouth of a bit of a valley,
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Speaker 1: and the girl who waited on us at the little
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Speaker 1: wine shop whispered in my ear when the landlord's back
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Speaker 1: was turned, don't go up the valley. Well, we were
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Speaker 1: not thinking of going up the valley, which was only
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Speaker 1: a sort of gulch leading nowhere, But after that we
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Speaker 1: thought that we would have a look at it. We
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Speaker 1: took a goodish look round so as to get above it,
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Speaker 1: and looked down, and we saw a house lying among
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Speaker 1: some trees, and lower down near the mouth of the
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Speaker 1: valley made out two men sitting among some rocks on
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Speaker 1: the shoulder. The sun shone on their gun barrels. But
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Speaker 1: that didn't go for much. For the Mexicans out in
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Speaker 1: the country pretty well, always go armed. We watched them
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Speaker 1: for a couple of hours, and as they didn't stir,
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Speaker 1: we concluded they were centuries. The girl wouldn't have given
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Speaker 1: us that warning unless there had been something wrong. And
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Speaker 1: I expect that house was the headquarters of one of
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Speaker 1: these gangs. What made her do it? I wonder, doctor
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Speaker 1: that I can't say, Latining. It is never easy to
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Speaker 1: say why a woman does a thing. She may have
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Speaker 1: thought it a pity that sim and I should get
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Speaker 1: our throats cut, though I owned that wouldn't be thing
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Speaker 1: likely to trouble a Mexican girl. Then she may have
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Speaker 1: had a grudge against them. Perhaps they had shot some
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Speaker 1: lover of hers, or one of them may have jilted her. Anyhow,
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Speaker 1: there it was. And if we hear of any attack
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Speaker 1: of brigands upon a hacienda, we will try that place
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Speaker 1: before going any further. And now, Lad you had better
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Speaker 1: be going back. I shall lie here quiet for an
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Speaker 1: hour or two in case there should be anyone watching you,
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Speaker 1: as is likely enough. He returned to the hotel and
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Speaker 1: told Royce what he had heard. That will suit me,
11:21
Speaker 1: Bill said, I'm death on border ruffiends, and if ever
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Speaker 1: I see two of them that were to them fellas
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Speaker 1: as sold you the horse at McKinney, and so it's
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Speaker 1: their intention to follow us and wipe us out and
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Speaker 1: get our swag. Well, maybe it will be the other way.
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Speaker 1: If I was you Latin and I would ride over
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Speaker 1: to Don Ramon's this evening and give him a hint
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Speaker 1: to be on his guard. There's no reason why it
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Speaker 1: should be his place. They have gotten their mind more
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Speaker 1: than any other. But the fact that they stole the
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Speaker 1: son's horse, to say nothing of killing him might turn
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Speaker 1: their thoughts that way. If you do a fellow one injury,
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Speaker 1: I reckon that, like as not, you will do them another.
11:54
Speaker 1: I don't know why it is so, but I reckon
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Speaker 1: it's human nature. I will ride over at once you
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Speaker 1: said I wouldn't do that, Hugh. You don't know who
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Speaker 1: may have been watching you. And if it is known
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Speaker 1: that you had been meeting the doctor quiet, and the
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Speaker 1: doctor isn't made of sims, and sim was in that
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Speaker 1: wine shop, they will be putting things together. And if
12:13
Speaker 1: you ride straight over to Don Ramon now, they will
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Speaker 1: think it is because of something the doctor has been
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Speaker 1: saying to you. Then if it's a chance, as that
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Speaker 1: is the place they are thinking of it are long
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Speaker 1: odds that sim and the doctor get a knife between
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Speaker 1: their shoulders afore bedtime. You go quietly off in the
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Speaker 1: cool of the evening, just jogging along as if you
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Speaker 1: was going to pay a visit of no particular account.
12:33
Speaker 1: They ain't got no interest in us except as to
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Speaker 1: this expedition to find gold, and they won't concern themselves
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Speaker 1: in your movements as long as I'm here at the hotel,
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Speaker 1: and the others ain't getting ready to make a start.
12:43
Speaker 1: They've learned all they want to learn about our going.
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Speaker 1: Just as the sun was setting, Hugh set out. It
12:49
Speaker 1: was dark when he reached Don Ramone's hacienda. After chatting
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Speaker 1: a while with Don Ramon, his wife and son, the
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Speaker 1: two girls, their father said being somewhere out in the garden.
12:58
Speaker 1: Hugh said quietly to the Mexican that he wanted to
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Speaker 1: speak to him for a moment in private. Don Ramon
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Speaker 1: lighted a fresh cigarette and then said, carelessly, it is
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Speaker 1: a lovely evening. We may as well stroll outside and
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Speaker 1: find the girls. I don't suppose they know that you
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Speaker 1: are here. Don Carlos followed them into the broad veranda
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Speaker 1: outside the house. Your son can hear what I have
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Speaker 1: to say, Hugh said in reply to an inquiring look
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Speaker 1: from Don Ramon, and then reported the conversation that sim
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Speaker 1: had overheard. Father and son were both much excited at
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Speaker 1: the statement that the horse had been recognized. Then poor
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Speaker 1: Estephan's murderers are somewhere in this neighborhood, the Don exclaimed.
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Speaker 1: That is the part of the story that interests me most.
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Speaker 1: Signor as to attacking my hacienda, I don't believe they
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Speaker 1: would venture upon it. They must know that they would
13:42
Speaker 1: meet with a stout resistance, and al Paso is but
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Speaker 1: three miles away. Daring as they are, they would scarcely
13:48
Speaker 1: venture on such an undertaking. But I will, of course
13:51
Speaker 1: take every precaution. I will order four men to be
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Speaker 1: on guard at night, bid the others sleep with their
13:57
Speaker 1: arms ready at hand, and see that the shutters and
13:59
Speaker 1: doors are barred night. But the other matter touches us nearly.
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Speaker 1: If Estefant's murderers are in the province, we will hunt
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Speaker 1: them down if I have to arm all the vocaros
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Speaker 1: and peons and have a regular campaign against them. You
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Speaker 1: were quite right not to mention this before my wife,
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Speaker 1: She and my daughters had better know nothing about it.
14:17
Speaker 1: By the way, I wonder where the girls are. They
14:20
Speaker 1: are not generally as late as this. I suppose the
14:23
Speaker 1: evening has tempted them. It is full moon tomorrow. He
14:26
Speaker 1: raised his voice and called the girls. There was no reply. Carlos,
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Speaker 1: do you go and look for them and tell them
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Speaker 1: for me to come up to the house and now, Signor,
14:35
Speaker 1: we will have a cup of coffee in a quarter
14:37
Speaker 1: of an hour. Carlos returned, I cannot find them, father,
14:41
Speaker 1: I have been all around the garden calling them. Don
14:44
Speaker 1: Ramon rose from his seat and struck a bell on
14:46
Speaker 1: the table. They must have gone up to their rooms,
14:48
Speaker 1: he said, without coming in here. When the servant appeared,
14:51
Speaker 1: he said, Rosita, go up to the Senorita's rooms and
14:54
Speaker 1: tell them that Don Hugh Turnstall is here. They are
14:57
Speaker 1: not there, Signor, I have just come down for their rooms.
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Speaker 1: What can have become of them, Carlos, Don Ramon said,
15:05
Speaker 1: I have no idea. Father. They had lion with them.
15:07
Speaker 1: He was asleep here when they called him from outside,
15:10
Speaker 1: and I saw him get up and dash through the
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Speaker 1: open window. I can't understand it, the dawn said anxiously.
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Speaker 1: For the evening is cold. Besides, they would scarcely go
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Speaker 1: outside the garden after nightfall. They might be down at
15:22
Speaker 1: Chaquita's cottage. Father, Oh, yes, I didn't think of that.
15:25
Speaker 1: Carlos Don Ramon said, yes, they are often down at
15:28
Speaker 1: their old nurses. Rosita. Tell Glonde to go down to
15:31
Speaker 1: Chakita's cottage and beg the young ladies to return as
15:34
Speaker 1: I want them. In ten minutes, the servant came back.
15:38
Speaker 1: They are not there. Signor they left there just as
15:40
Speaker 1: it was getting dark. Surely there is nothing to be
15:43
Speaker 1: uneasy about, Ramon. His wife said. The girls are often
15:46
Speaker 1: out as late as this on a moonlight evening. They
15:48
Speaker 1: are sure to be about the garden somewhere, but Carlos
15:52
Speaker 1: has been around. Don Ramon said, well, we will go
15:55
Speaker 1: and have another look for them, followed by the two
15:57
Speaker 1: young men. He stepped out onto the veranda. Carlos, he said,
16:01
Speaker 1: go round to the men's quarters and tell them your
16:03
Speaker 1: sisters are missing, and that they are all to turn
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Speaker 1: out in search. I don't like this, he said to
16:08
Speaker 1: Hugh after his son had left. I should have thought
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Speaker 1: nothing of it at any other time, but after what
16:13
Speaker 1: you have just been telling me, I feel nervous now
16:15
Speaker 1: let us go round the garden. They traversed all the walks,
16:18
Speaker 1: Don Ramon repeatingly calling the girl's names. They were joined
16:22
Speaker 1: in their search by Don Carlos and a number of
16:24
Speaker 1: the men. They are certainly not in the garden, Don
16:27
Speaker 1: Ramon said, at last, Now let us go down towards
16:30
Speaker 1: Chaquita's cottage. They may either have followed the road on
16:33
Speaker 1: their way back, or have come along a bypath to
16:35
Speaker 1: the garden. We will go by the path and return
16:37
Speaker 1: the other way. The path lay through a shrubbery. Just
16:41
Speaker 1: as they entered it, a man met them running. Well,
16:43
Speaker 1: what is it, haun, Don Ramon asked, as he came up,
16:46
Speaker 1: and he could see his face by the light of
16:48
Speaker 1: the torches some of the men were carrying. I don't
16:51
Speaker 1: know signor, but we have just come upon some fresh
16:53
Speaker 1: blood on the path. With a cry of alarm, Don
16:56
Speaker 1: Ramon ran forward with his son and Hugh. Fifty yards farther,
16:59
Speaker 1: they saw two of the men standing with torches in
17:02
Speaker 1: the middle of the path. Here is blood, signor, one
17:04
Speaker 1: of them said, We passed it without noticing it on
17:07
Speaker 1: our way to the cottage. We were not examining the ground,
17:10
Speaker 1: but on our way back. The light of the torches
17:11
Speaker 1: fell upon it. Don Ramon stood staring in speechless horror
17:15
Speaker 1: at the large patch of blood on the path. There
17:18
Speaker 1: has been a struggle here, Hugh said, examining the ground.
17:20
Speaker 1: See there are marks of large feet, some of them
17:23
Speaker 1: have trodden the blood. See Don Carlos, and he pointed
17:26
Speaker 1: to a line of blood drops leading to one of
17:28
Speaker 1: the bushes. Search Hugh. The young man groaned, I dare not.
17:33
Speaker 1: Hugh motioned one of the men with a torch to
17:34
Speaker 1: follow him. The father and son stood gazing after them
17:37
Speaker 1: as they entered the bushes. A moment later, Hugh called out,
17:40
Speaker 1: it is the dog, Signors, there is nothing else. An
17:43
Speaker 1: exclamation of joy broke from the two Mexicans. They were
17:46
Speaker 1: at least relieved of the overpowering dread that had seized
17:49
Speaker 1: them at the sight of the blood, and at once
17:51
Speaker 1: joined Hugh. The dog of fine Cuban bloodhound was lying dead,
17:55
Speaker 1: stabbed in a dozen places. What can it mean? Father,
17:59
Speaker 1: Don Carlos said, in a low voice. I can hardly think,
18:02
Speaker 1: the Mexican said, passing his hand across his forehead. I
18:06
Speaker 1: am afraid, Signor. It is too evident you put in
18:10
Speaker 1: this is the explanation of what my friend heard. The
18:12
Speaker 1: brigands did not intend to attack the hacienda. They have
18:15
Speaker 1: carried off your daughters, and the hound has died in
18:18
Speaker 1: their defense. That must be it. Don Ramon exclaimed the
18:22
Speaker 1: deepest anguish. Oh my poor girls, how can it have happened?
18:26
Speaker 1: I expect they were in hiding here, Hugh said, and
18:29
Speaker 1: sprang up suddenly and seized and gagged the signoritas before
18:32
Speaker 1: they had time to scream. The hound doubtless sprang upon them,
18:36
Speaker 1: and as you see, they killed it with their knives.
18:38
Speaker 1: What is to be done? Don Ramon asked hopelessly. The
18:42
Speaker 1: first thing is to follow the path down to the road,
18:44
Speaker 1: Hugh said, probably they had horses somewhere. Will you tell
18:48
Speaker 1: the men to go along cautiously with their torches near
18:50
Speaker 1: the ground. Don Carlos gave the order in Mexican. One
18:54
Speaker 1: of the party, who was the chief hunter at the hacienda,
18:57
Speaker 1: went a little ahead of the others with a torch,
19:00
Speaker 1: stopped a short distance before he reached the junction of
19:02
Speaker 1: the path with the road, which they could see ahead
19:04
Speaker 1: of them in the moonlight. Here are fresh marks of
19:07
Speaker 1: horses hoofs, he said, see and he held the torch
19:10
Speaker 1: above his head and pointed to the bushes. Twigs have
19:13
Speaker 1: been broken, and there are fresh leaves upon the ground.
19:15
Speaker 1: The horses must have been hidden here. Do not move
19:18
Speaker 1: until I examined Down to the road. He went forward
19:21
Speaker 1: alone and returned in two or three minutes. There are
19:23
Speaker 1: faint tracks from the road to this point. They came
19:26
Speaker 1: along at a walk. There are deep ones down to
19:28
Speaker 1: the road, and along it they went off at a gallop.
19:31
Speaker 1: There were six of them. What is to be done?
19:33
Speaker 1: Signor don Ramon said to Hugh, My brain seems on fire,
19:37
Speaker 1: and I cannot think I should imagine your daughters can
19:40
Speaker 1: be in no immediate danger. Signor you said quietly, the
19:43
Speaker 1: brigands have doubtless carried them off in order to wring
19:46
Speaker 1: a heavy ransom from you. They must have got two
19:48
Speaker 1: hours start, and I fear pursuit would be useless tonight,
19:51
Speaker 1: though I would send three of the men accustomed to
19:53
Speaker 1: tracking on at once to follow their traces and to
19:56
Speaker 1: learn the direction they have taken after leaving here. Of course,
19:59
Speaker 1: it will be for you to de whether you will
20:00
Speaker 1: go down to the town and see the alcalde and
20:03
Speaker 1: obtain a posse of men to join your Vicaro's in
20:05
Speaker 1: a search for them, and then to cross the river
20:07
Speaker 1: to the fort and get help of the troops and
20:10
Speaker 1: scour the whole country. Or whether you will wait until
20:13
Speaker 1: you hear as you doubtless will from the brigands, let
20:16
Speaker 1: us go back to the house. Don Ramon replied, We
20:19
Speaker 1: must think it over. We must not do anything rash,
20:21
Speaker 1: or we might endanger their lives. The news had reached
20:24
Speaker 1: the house before they arrived there. Donna Maria was completely
20:27
Speaker 1: prostrated with grief. The women were crying and wringing their hands,
20:31
Speaker 1: and the wildest confusion prevailed. Don Ramon had by this
20:34
Speaker 1: time recovered himself and sternly ordered silence. He then proceeded
20:39
Speaker 1: to the room where his wife had been carried, and
20:40
Speaker 1: endeavored to assure her that there was little fear for
20:43
Speaker 1: their daughter's lives, for the brigands could have no purpose
20:46
Speaker 1: in injuring them, and had only carried them off for
20:48
Speaker 1: the purpose of exacting a ransom. What do you think
20:52
Speaker 1: really had best be done, my friend, Don Carlos, asked
20:55
Speaker 1: Hugh when they were alone together. Of course, whatever ransom
20:58
Speaker 1: these villains asked must be paid. Although I have no
21:01
Speaker 1: doubt it will be something enormous. But it is terrible
21:04
Speaker 1: to think of the girls being even for an hour
21:06
Speaker 1: in their hands, especially when we feel sure that these
21:09
Speaker 1: men are the murderers of my brother, I should say,
21:13
Speaker 1: He replied, that whatever they demand must be paid. It
21:16
Speaker 1: will not do to risk the Senorita's lives by doing
21:18
Speaker 1: anything as long as they are in their hands. But
21:21
Speaker 1: I should advise that the moment they are free, we
21:23
Speaker 1: should fall upon these scoundrels and exterminate them and recover
21:27
Speaker 1: the ransom. I think that I have a clue to
21:29
Speaker 1: the place where they are likely to be taken. One
21:32
Speaker 1: of my minor friends was speaking to me of a
21:34
Speaker 1: place that would be likely to be used for such
21:36
Speaker 1: a purpose. He could lead a party there, but it
21:39
Speaker 1: would never do to attempt it. While the ladies are
21:41
Speaker 1: in their hands. You may be sure that a careful
21:44
Speaker 1: watch will be kept, and at the first alarm the
21:46
Speaker 1: villains might murder them. We will hear what your father
21:49
Speaker 1: says when he returns, and if he thinks as I do,
21:52
Speaker 1: that we can attempt nothing until he receives some communication
21:55
Speaker 1: from the brigands. I will ride back to El Paso
21:58
Speaker 1: and consult my friends there. Don Ramon, on his return,
22:01
Speaker 1: said that he was strongly of opinion that it would
22:03
Speaker 1: risk the girls lives were any movement made until he
22:06
Speaker 1: heard of them, as he could be of no utility.
22:09
Speaker 1: Hugh rode over to El Paso Don Carlos, saying that
22:11
Speaker 1: he would let him know the instant they received any
22:14
Speaker 1: communication from the brigands, but that he should anyhow see
22:17
Speaker 1: him in the morning, as he should ride over with
22:19
Speaker 1: his father to report the matter to the authorities. It
22:21
Speaker 1: was past ten o'clock when Hugh reached the hotel. It
22:24
Speaker 1: happened to be a festa, and the square was full
22:27
Speaker 1: of people, and the cafes and wine shops open. Royce
22:30
Speaker 1: was in the barroom of the hotel. Royce, do you
22:32
Speaker 1: know where sim and the doctor are likely to be found?
22:35
Speaker 1: I saw them sitting in front of the wine shop
22:37
Speaker 1: in the corner of the square, not more than ten
22:39
Speaker 1: minutes ago. Come along with me, then, Bill, But I
22:42
Speaker 1: thought we weren't to be seen with them. Roy said,
22:45
Speaker 1: There could be no reason against it. Now, he replied,
22:48
Speaker 1: they have learned all they wanted to learn about it,
22:50
Speaker 1: and know that we are going together. At any rate,
22:52
Speaker 1: our meeting would seem to be accidental. Is anything up,
22:55
Speaker 1: Hugh Royce asked, as they made their way through the
22:57
Speaker 1: crowd in the square. You look troubled. We'll tell you directly. Bill,
23:01
Speaker 1: There they are. They are still at the same table. Hugh.
23:04
Speaker 1: There were two empty chairs at the table. Hugh nodded
23:07
Speaker 1: carelessly to the doctor and sim and sat down beside them.
23:10
Speaker 1: After what you told me this morning, doctor, there could
23:12
Speaker 1: be no harm in our being seen together. I want
23:14
Speaker 1: to talk to you badly. There are too many people
23:17
Speaker 1: about here. Do you mind both coming down to the river.
23:20
Speaker 1: We can talk as we go. Directly they were out
23:22
Speaker 1: of the square. He told the three men what had
23:24
Speaker 1: happened carried off those two young ladies. Royce exclaimed, by thunder,
23:28
Speaker 1: that is too bad. What is to be done? Boys?
23:32
Speaker 1: Let us wait until we know all about it, sim replied,
23:34
Speaker 1: while the doctor said in his quiet way, this has
23:37
Speaker 1: really got to be put a stop to. Let us
23:39
Speaker 1: wait until we are down by the river. We must
23:41
Speaker 1: hear all this quietly, lightning. Four men can't talk as
23:44
Speaker 1: they walk. They soon gained a quiet spot away from
23:47
Speaker 1: the houses. Now tell us how it came about, the
23:50
Speaker 1: doctor said, And while we are talking, each of you
23:52
Speaker 1: keep his eyes and ears open. We have behaved like
23:55
Speaker 1: fools once and let ourselves be overheard. We won't do
23:58
Speaker 1: it again. Hugh told the whole story of the girl's
24:01
Speaker 1: abduction and stated the determination arrived at by Don Ramon
24:04
Speaker 1: not to attempt to pursuit, but to pay whatever ransom
24:07
Speaker 1: was demanded, and then to hunt the brigands down. That
24:10
Speaker 1: is all very well, the doctor said, But when they
24:13
Speaker 1: have once got the money, and you may be sure
24:15
Speaker 1: it will be a very big sum, they will divide
24:17
Speaker 1: it and scatter and there won't be one of them
24:19
Speaker 1: in the district twelve hours after the girls are given up.
24:22
Speaker 1: But what is he to do, Doctor sim Howlett said
24:25
Speaker 1: he daren't move until he gets the gals. They would
24:27
Speaker 1: cut their throat sure if he did. My idea was
24:30
Speaker 1: sim Hugh said that if this is the work of
24:33
Speaker 1: the band in that house the doctor was telling me
24:35
Speaker 1: about this morning, we could be in hiding near it,
24:38
Speaker 1: and directly the men who take the girls back to
24:40
Speaker 1: their father return with the ransom. We could fall upon them,
24:43
Speaker 1: destroy the whole band, and get back the money. We
24:46
Speaker 1: should want a big force to surround the place. Sim replied,
24:49
Speaker 1: and there would be no getting it there without being seen.
24:52
Speaker 1: You bet there are a score of them on the lookout,
24:54
Speaker 1: and their friends would bring them word long before we
24:56
Speaker 1: got there of such a force being on the way. Besides,
25:00
Speaker 1: there's no surety that it is the place where the
25:01
Speaker 1: gals are, and even if it is, the whole band
25:04
Speaker 1: may leave. When they send the gals away, they may
25:06
Speaker 1: scatter all over the country and meet again at not
25:09
Speaker 1: fifty miles off. Another thing is, you may bet your
25:12
Speaker 1: boots there will be a lot of trouble about handing
25:14
Speaker 1: over that ransom, and they won't give them up until
25:16
Speaker 1: after they've gotten the money. I see that there are
25:19
Speaker 1: all sorts of difficulties before us, sim but I am
25:22
Speaker 1: sure you and the doctor will see some way out
25:24
Speaker 1: of it. I am deeply interested in rescuing these poor girls,
25:28
Speaker 1: and we are all interested in this band being wiped
25:30
Speaker 1: out before we start. Have you any plan at all,
25:33
Speaker 1: the doctor asked, You've had longer time to think this
25:35
Speaker 1: over than we have. Well, doctor, my idea was that
25:39
Speaker 1: we could start tonight and get to some place among
25:41
Speaker 1: the hills where we could hide our horses. A mile
25:43
Speaker 1: or two from this house where we suppose they are.
25:46
Speaker 1: We should lie quiet there Tomorrow the next evening we
25:48
Speaker 1: should make our way down and try to ascertain for
25:51
Speaker 1: certain whether they are there, and see whether it is
25:53
Speaker 1: possible to carry them off. Of course, that couldn't be
25:56
Speaker 1: attempted unless we are absolutely certain of being able to
25:59
Speaker 1: protect them. If we could get them out without being seen,
26:02
Speaker 1: we might try to do it. If it is not
26:04
Speaker 1: certain we could do that and get off without being seen,
26:07
Speaker 1: I should say one of us should ride back next
26:09
Speaker 1: morning to Don Ramon and get him to bring up
26:11
Speaker 1: twenty or thirty of his men, or, if not a
26:14
Speaker 1: body of troops from the fort, we should guide them
26:17
Speaker 1: at night to appoint as near the house as it
26:19
Speaker 1: would be safe for them to get. Then we four
26:21
Speaker 1: could crawl down to the house the moment we are
26:24
Speaker 1: in a position to protect the girls. That is to say,
26:26
Speaker 1: if we can get into the room where they are kept,
26:29
Speaker 1: we will fire a pistol shot out of the window
26:31
Speaker 1: as a signal. Then we shall have to make as
26:33
Speaker 1: good a fight of it as we can till the
26:35
Speaker 1: others come up to help us. You may be sure
26:37
Speaker 1: that the brigands will be all pretty well occupied with us,
26:40
Speaker 1: and the other party will be able to surround the
26:42
Speaker 1: house and then rush into our assistance. That looks like
26:45
Speaker 1: a good plan by thunder. Sim Hallett said, what do
26:48
Speaker 1: you say, Doctor, Well, I think it might be worked
26:51
Speaker 1: somehow on those lines, said doctor agreed. I don't think
26:54
Speaker 1: there is much danger for the ladies, because if the
26:56
Speaker 1: brigands did come upon us when we were scouting, some
26:58
Speaker 1: of them would attack us, and the rest would carry
27:00
Speaker 1: the ladies off to some other hiding place. I don't
27:03
Speaker 1: say if they were surrounded and saw no chance of escape,
27:05
Speaker 1: they mightn't kill them out of revenge. But they would
27:08
Speaker 1: never do that until the last thing, because they would
27:10
Speaker 1: reckon and truly enough that as long as they are
27:13
Speaker 1: in their hands they have gotten the means of making
27:15
Speaker 1: terms for themselves. But to one thing, I agree, anyhow,
27:19
Speaker 1: let us get our horses and start at once. Don't
27:21
Speaker 1: let us go together. We will meet at the first
27:23
Speaker 1: crossroad a mile to the west of the town. No
27:26
Speaker 1: one is likely to notice us going out. There are
27:28
Speaker 1: plenty of people who have come in from the country
27:30
Speaker 1: to this vesta. Besides, just at present they won't be
27:33
Speaker 1: watching us. They know what our plans are and that
27:36
Speaker 1: we don't intend to start for another week and they
27:38
Speaker 1: won't be given a thought to us until this affair
27:40
Speaker 1: of the girls is settled. What do you say, sim
27:43
Speaker 1: That is right enough, Sim said, But we must be
27:46
Speaker 1: careful about the roads, doctor, like enough, they will have
27:49
Speaker 1: a man on every road going anywhere near the place,
27:51
Speaker 1: and perhaps miles away. Yes, we must make a big circuit,
27:55
Speaker 1: the doctor agreed, Strike the hills fifteen or twenty miles
27:58
Speaker 1: away from their place, and then work up through them,
28:00
Speaker 1: so as to come down right from the other side.
28:03
Speaker 1: Shall I get some provisions at the hotel? He asked, No,
28:06
Speaker 1: we will attend to that. There are plenty of places open,
28:09
Speaker 1: and we will get what is wanted. Now, do you
28:11
Speaker 1: and Bill go back by yourselves. We will follow in
28:14
Speaker 1: a minute or two. End of Chapter seventeen, read by
28:17
Speaker 1: Dori Smith.