CHAPTER VII
"TRAPPED!"
Black MacQueen rolled a cigarette and sauntered toward the other outlaw.
"I reckon you better saddle up and take a look over the Flattops, Dunc.The way I figure it Lee's posse must be somewhere over there. Swing aroundtoward the Elkhorns and get back to report by to-morrow evening, say."
Boone looked at him in an ugly manner. "Nothin' doing, MacQueen."
"What's that?"
"I'm no greaser, my friend. Orders don't go with me."
"They don't, eh? Who's major domo of this outfit?"
"I'm going to stay right here in this valley to-night. See?"
"What's eatin' you, man?"
"And every night so long as Melissy Lee stays."
MacQueen watched him with steady, hostile eyes. "So it's the girl, is it?Want to cut in, do you? Oh, no, my friend. Two's company; three's acrowd. She's mine."
"No."
"Yes. And another thing, Mr. Boone. I don't stand for any interference inmy plans. Make a break at it and you'll take a hurry up journey to kingdomcome."
"Or you will."
"Don't bank on that off chance. The boys are with me. You're alone. If Igive the word they'll bump you off. _Don't make a mistake, Boone._"
The Arkansan hesitated. What MacQueen said was true enough. Hisoverbearing disposition had made him unpopular. He knew the others wouldside against him and that if it came to a showdown they would snuff outhis life as a man does the flame of a candle. The rage died out of hiseyes and gave place to a look of cunning.
"It's your say-so, Black. But there will be a day when it ain't. Don'tforget that."
"And in the meantime you'll ride the Flattops when I give the word?"
Boone nodded sulkily. "I said you had the call, didn't I?"
"Then ride 'em now, damn you. And don't show up in the Cache tillto-morrow night."
MacQueen turned on his heel and strutted away. He was elated at his easyvictory. If he had seen the look that followed him he might not have beenso quiet in his mind.
But on the surface he had cinched his leadership. Boone saddled and rodeout of the Cache without another word to anybody. Sullen and vindictive hemight be, but cowed he certainly seemed. MacQueen celebrated by frequenttrips to his sleeping quarters, where each time he resorted to a bottleand a glass. No man had ever seen him intoxicated, but there were timeswhen he drank a good deal for a few days at a stretch. His dissipationwould be followed by months of total abstinence.
All day the man persecuted Melissy with his attentions. His passion wasveiled under a manner of mock deference, of insolent assurance, but as thehours passed the fears of the girl grew upon her. There were moments whenshe turned sick with waves of dread. In the sunshine, under the open sky,she could hold her own, but under cover of the night's blackness ghastlyhorrors would creep toward her to destroy.
Nor was there anybody to whom she might turn for help. Lane and Jacksonwere tools of their leader. The Mexican woman could do nothing even if shewould. Boone alone might have helped her, and he had ridden away to savehis own skin. So MacQueen told her to emphasize his triumph and herhelplessness.
To her fancy dusk fell over the valley like a pall. It brought with it theterrible night, under cover of which unthinkable things might be done.With no appetite, she sat down to supper opposite her captor. To see himgloat over her made her heart sink. Her courage was of no avail againstthe thing that threatened.
Supper over, he made her sit with him on the porch for an hour to listento his boasts of former conquests. And when he let her take her way to herroom it was not "Good-night" but a mocking "Au revoir" he murmured as hebent to kiss her hand.
Melissy found Rosario waiting for her, crouched in the darkness of theroom that had been given the young woman. The Mexican spoke in her ownlanguage, softly, with many glances of alarm to make sure they werealone.
"Hist, senorita. Here is a note. Read it. Destroy it. Swear not to betrayRosario."
By the light of a match Melissy read:
"Behind the big rocks. In half an hour.
"A Friend."What could it mean? Who could have sent it? Rosario would answer noquestions. She snatched the note, tore it into fragments, chewed them intoa pulp. Then, still shaking her head obstinately, hurriedly left theroom.
But at least it meant hope. Her mind flew from her father to Jack Flatray,Bellamy, young Yarnell. It might be any of them. Or it might be O'Connor,who, perhaps, had by some miracle escaped.
The minutes were hours to her. Interminably they dragged. The fear rose inher that MacQueen might come in time to cut off her escape. At last, inher stocking feet, carrying her shoes in her hand, she stole into thehall, out to the porch, and from it to the shadows of the cottonwoods.
It was a night of both moon and stars. She had to cross a space washed insilvery light, taking the chance that nobody would see her. But first shestooped in the shadows to slip the shoes upon her feet. Her heart beatagainst her side as she had once seen that of a frightened mouse do. Itseemed impossible for her to cover all that moonlit open unseen. Everymoment she expected an alarm to ring out in the silent night. But nonecame.
Safely she reached the big rocks. A voice called to her softly. Sheanswered, and came face to face with Boone. A drawn revolver was in hishand.
"You made it," he panted, as a man might who had been running hard.
"Yes," she whispered. "But they'll soon know. Let us get away."
"If you hadn't come I was going in to kill him."
She noticed the hard glitter in his eyes as he spoke, the crouched look ofthe padding tiger ready for its kill. The man was torn with hatred andjealousy.
Already they were moving back through the rocks to a dry wash that ranthrough the valley. The bed of this they followed for nearly a mile.Deflecting from it they pushed across the valley toward what appeared tobe a sheer rock wall. With a twist to the left they swung back of a faceof rock, turned sharply to the right, and found themselves in a fissureMelissy had not at all expected. Here ran a little canyon known only tothose few who rode up and down it on the nefarious business of theirunwholesome lives.
Boone spoke harshly, breaking for the first time in half an hour his moodysilence.
"Safe at last. By God, I've evened my score with Black MacQueen."
And from the cliff above came the answer--a laugh full of mocking deviltryand malice.
The Arkansan turned upon Melissy a startled face of agony, in whichdespair and hate stood out of a yellow pallor.
"Trapped."
It was his last word to her. He swept the girl back against the shelter ofthe wall and ran crouching toward the entrance.
A bullet zipped--a second--a third. He stumbled, but did not fall.Turning, he came back, dodging like a hunted fox. As he passed her,Melissy saw that his face was ghastly. He ran with a limp.
A second time she heard the cackle of laughter. Guns cracked. Still thedoomed man pushed forward. He went down, struck in the body, but draggedhimself to his feet and staggered on.
All this time he had seen nobody at whom he could fire. Not a shot hadcome from his revolver. He sank behind a rock for shelter. The ping of abullet on the shale beside him brought the tortured man to his feet. Helooked wildly about him, the moon shining on his bare head, and plunged upthe canyon.
And now it appeared his unseen tormentors were afraid he might escapethem. Half a dozen shots came close together. Boone sank to the ground,writhed like a crushed worm, and twisted over so that his face was to themoonlight.
Melissy ran forward and knelt beside him.
"They've got me ... in half a dozen places.... I'm going fast."
"Oh, no ... no," the girl protested.
"Yep.... Surest thing you know.... I did you dirt onct, girl. And I'vebeen a bad lot--a wolf, a killer."
"Never mind that now. You died to save me. Always I'll remember that."
"Onct you 'most loved me.... But
it wouldn't have done. I'm a wolf andyou're a little white lamb. Is Flatray the man?"
"Yes."
"Thought so. Well, he's square. I rigged it up on him about the rustling.I was the man you liked to 'a' caught that day years ago."
"You!"
"Yep." He broke off abruptly. "I'm going, girl.... It's gittin' black.Hold my hand till--till----"
He gave a shudder and seemed to fall together. He was dead.
Melissy heard the sound of rubble slipping. Some one was lowering himselfcautiously down the side of the canyon. A man dropped to the wash andstrutted toward her. He kept his eyes fixed on the lifeless form, rifleready for action at an instant's notice. When he reached his victim hepushed the body with his foot, made sure of no trap, and relaxed hisalertness.
"Dead as a hammer."
The man was MacQueen. He turned to Melissy and nodded jauntily.
"Good evening, my dear. Just taking a little stroll?" he askedironically.
The girl leaned against the cold wall and covered her face with her arm.She was sobbing hysterically.
The outlaw seized her by the shoulders and swung her round. "Cut that out,girl," he ordered roughly.
Melissy caught at her sobs and tried to check them.
"He got what was coming to him, what he's been playing for a long time. Iwarned him, but the fool wouldn't see it."
"How did you know?" she asked, getting out her question a word at a time.
"Knew it all the time. Rosario brought his note to me. I told her to takeit to you and keep her mouth shut."
"You planned his death."
"If you like to put it that way. Now we'll go home and forget thisfoolishness. Jeff, bring the horses round to the mouth of the gulch."
Melissy felt suddenly very, very tired and old. Her feet dragged likethose of an Indian squaw following her master. It was as though heavyirons weighted her ankles.
MacQueen helped her to one of the horses Jackson brought to the lip of thegulch. Weariness rode on her shoulders all the way back. The soul of herwas crushed beneath the misfortunes that oppressed her.
Long before they reached the ranch houses Rosario came running to meetthem. Plainly she was in great excitement.
"The prisoners have escaped," she cried to MacQueen.
"Escaped. How?" demanded Black.
"Some one must have helped them. I heard a window smash and ran out. Theyoung ranger and another man were coming out of the last cabin with theold man. I could do nothing. They ran."
They had been talking in her own language. MacQueen jabbed anotherquestion at her.
"Which way?"
"Toward the Pass."
The outlaw ripped out an oath. "We've got 'em. They can't reach it withouthorses as quick as we can with them." He whirled upon Melissy. "March intothe house, girl. Don't you dare make a move. I'm leaving Buck here towatch you." Sharply he swung to the man Lane. "Buck, if she makes a breakto get away, riddle her full of holes. You hear me."
A minute later, from the place where she lay face down on the bed, Melissyheard him and his men gallop away.