Charlie to the Rescue

  CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

  TELLS OF A CRUEL DEED, AND SHOWS HOW MYSTERIOUSLY HUNKY BEN BEHAVED.

  When Jake escaped from the ranch of Roaring Bull he tried the mettle ofCaptain Wilmot's charger to the uttermost, for well he knew that thepursuit would be instant and vigorous; that his late comrade CharlieBrooke could guide the troops to the cavern in Traitor's Trap, and thatif his companions, who would doubtless ride straight back, were toescape, they must be warned in time. He also knew that the captain'scharger was a splendid one. In order to accomplish his purpose,therefore, he would ride it to death.

  The distance between the ranch and the outlaws' cave was not so greatbut that any mustang in the plains could have traversed it in a day, butthe cruel man had made up his mind that the captain's charger should doit in a few hours. It is not so much distance as pace that kills. Hadany consideration whatever been extended to the noble creature by theignoble brute who rode it, the good horse would have galloped to thehead of the Trap almost without turning a hair. At first he strode outover the rolling prairie with the untiring vigour of a well-made frameand a splendid constitution, leaping the little cracks and inequalitiesof the ground in the exuberance of his strength; though there was noneed to bound, and coursing over the knolls as easily as he cantereddown the hollows, while his flashing eye betokened at once a courageousand a gentle spirit. But when the lower slopes of the hills werereached, and steepish gradients were met with here and there, the horsebegan to put back first one ear and then the other, and sometimes both,as if in expectation of the familiar "well done," or pat on the neck, orcheck of the rein with which the captain had been wont to sanction aslackening of the pace, but no such grace was allowed him. On thecontrary, when the first symptom appeared of a desire to reduce speedJake drove his cruel spurs into the charger's glossy side. With a wildsnort and bound the horse stretched out again and spurned the ground asif in indignant surprise.

  Then the breath began to labour slightly; the sweat to darken his richbrown coat, and the white foam to fleck his broad chest. Still Jakepressed him on with relentless fury. It could not be expected that aman who cared not for his fellows would have much consideration for hisbeast. Murder of a deeper dye than that of a horse was seething in theoutlaw's brain. This to him useless expedition, which had so nearlycost him his life, would be the last that Buck Tom should command.After blowing out _his_ brains he would warn the others of the impendingdanger and lead them away to other and more favourable fields ofenterprise.

  At this point the good horse stumbled and almost threw his rider, who,with horrible curses, plied the spurs and tugged at the bit until bloodwas mingled with the flying foam. Never, save once--when Captain Wilmotwas caught alone in the plains by Cheyenne Indians and had to fly forhis life--had the good charger been urged to anything like such aneffort as he was now called on to make, and _then_ there was no crueltymingled with the urging. The very tone of his master's voice, as hepatted the neck and shook the rein and gently touched him with the spur,must have convinced the intelligent creature that it was a matter oflife or death--that there was a stern need-be for such haste.

  Turning at last into the gorge of the Trap, the charger gasped andsobbed with distress as he faced the steep ascent and tried, with theunabated courage of a willing heart, to pull himself together while theunmerciful monster still drove in the spurs and galled his tender mouth.But the brave effort was unavailing. Stumbling over a root thatcrossed the path, the horse plunged forward, and fell with a crash,sending his rider over his head. Jake, alighting on his face and rightshoulder, lay stunned for a few seconds. Then he jumped up, displayingtorn garments and a face covered with blood.

  Running to the horse's head he seized the rein and shook it savagely,kicking the animal's face with his heavy boots in his anxiety to make itrise, but the poor charger was beyond his cruelty by that time, for itsneck had been broken by the fall.

  Oh! it was one of those sights which are fitted to make even thoughtlessmen recognise the need of a Saviour for the human race, and to rejectwith something like scorn the doctrine--founded on wholly insufficientevidence--that there is no future of compensation for the lower animals!

  The outlaw did not waste time in vain regrets. Bestowing a meaninglesscurse on the dead charger, he turned and went up the narrow glen at asmart pace, but did not overstrain himself, for he knew well that noneof the troop-horses could have kept up with him. He counted on havingplenty of time to warn his comrades and get away without hurry. But hereckoned without his host--being quite ignorant of the powers of BlackPolly, and but slightly acquainted with those of her master Hunky Ben.

  Indeed so agile were the movements of Polly, and so thoroughly was thescout acquainted with the by-paths and short cuts of that region, thathe actually passed the fugitive and reached the head of Traitor's Trapbefore him. This he managed by forsaking the roads, keeping astraighter line for the outlaws' cave, and passing on foot over theshoulder of a hill where a horseman could not go. Thus he came down onthe cavern, about half-an-hour before Jake's arrival. Clambering to thecrevice in the cliff against which the cave abutted, and sliding downinto a hollow on its earthen roof, he cautiously removed a small stonefrom its position, and disclosed a hole through which he could both hearand see most of what took place inside.

  Lest any one should wonder at the facility with which the ground lentitself to this manoeuvre, we may as well explain that the bold scoutpossessed one of those far-reaching minds which are not satisfiedwithout looking into _everything_,--seeing to the bottom of, and peeringround to the rear of, all things, as far as possible. He always actedon the principle of making himself acquainted with every road and trackand by-path, every stream, pond, river, and spring in the land. Hencehe was well aware of this haunt of outlaws, and, happening to be near itone day when its owners were absent, he had turned aside to make thelittle arrangement of a peep-hole, in the belief that it might possiblyturn out to be of advantage in course of time!

  The clump of shrubs and grass on the rugged bank, which formed the topof the cave, effectually concealed the natural hollow which he haddeepened, and the overhanging mass of the rugged cliff protected it fromrain and dew.

  What Hunky Ben saw on looking through his peep-hole filled him withsurprise and pity, and compelled him to modify his plans.

  Almost below him on a brush couch, lay the tall form of Buck Tom, withthe unmistakable hue of approaching death upon his countenance. Besidehim, holding his head, kneeled the much-wasted figure of Leather--thereputed outlaw. Seated or standing around in solemn silence were six ofthe outlaws, most of whom bore tokens of the recent fight, in the formof bandage on head or limb.

  "I brought you to this, Leather; God forgive me," said the dying manfaintly.

  "No, you didn't, Ralph," replied the other, calling him by his oldfamiliar name, "I brought myself to it. Don't blame yourself, Ralph;you weren't half so bad as me. You'd never have been here but for me.Come, Ralph, try to cheer up a bit; you're not dying. It's only faintyou are, from loss of blood and the long gallop. When you've had asleep and some food, you'll feel stronger. We'll fetch a doctor soon,an' he'll get hold o' the bullet. Dear Ralph, don't shake your headlike that an' look so solemn. Cheer up, old boy!"

  Leather spoke with a sort of desperate fervour, but Ralph could notcheer up.

  "No," he said sadly, "there is no cheer for me. I've thrown my lifeaway. There's no hope--no mercy for me. I've been trying to recall thepast, an' what mother used to teach me, but it won't come. There's onlyone text in all the Bible that comes to me now. It's this--`Be sureyour sin will find you out!' That's true, boys," he said, turning alook on his comrades. "Whatever else may be false, _that's_ true, for I_know_ it."

  "That's so, dear Ralph," said Leather earnestly, "but it's no less truethat--"

  Just then a noise was heard in the outer passage; then hurryingfootsteps. Instinctively every man drew his revolver and faced thedoor. Next moment Jake entered.
r />   "Here, one of you; a drink--I'm fit to--ha!"

  His eyes fell on the figure of Buck and he shrank back for a moment insilent surprise.

  "Yes, Jake," said the dying man, with a glance of pity not unmingledwith scorn, "it has come sooner than you or I expected, and it will saveyou some trouble--maybe some regret. I've seen through your littlegame, Jake, and am glad I've been spared the necessity of thwartingyou."

  He stopped owing to weakness, and Jake, recovering himself, hastilyexplained the reason of his sudden appearance.

  "Fetch me a rag an' some water, boys," he continued. "It looks worsethan it is--only skin deep. And we've not a moment to lose. Those whohave a mind may follow _me_. Them that wants to swing may stop."

  "But how about Buck Tom?" asked one who was not quite so depraved as theothers.

  "What's the use o' askin'?" said Jake. "It's all up with him, don't yousee? Besides, he's safe enough. They'd never have the heart to hang adying man."

  "An' Leather!" cried another. "We mustn't quit Leather. He's game formany a fight yet. Come, Leather; we'll help you along, for they're sureto string you up on the nearest tree."

  "Don't trouble yourself about me," said Leather, looking round, for hestill kneeled beside his old friend, "I don't intend to escape. Look toyourselves, boys, an' leave us alone."

  "Unless you're all tired o' life you'll quit here an' skip for thewoods," said Jake, as, turning round, he hurriedly left the place.

  The others did not hesitate, but followed him at once, leaving Buck Tom,and his friend to shift for themselves.

  During all this scene Hunky Ben had been intently gazing and listening--chiefly the latter. When the outlaws filed past him he found itextremely difficult to avoid putting a bullet into the Flint, but herestrained himself because of what yet remained to be done.

  As soon as the outlaws were well out of sight Ben arose and prepared foraction. First of all he tightened his belt. Then he pulled the hood ofhis coat well over his head, so that it effectually concealed his face,and, still further to accomplish the end in view, he fastened the hoodin front with a wooden pin. Proceeding to the stable he found, as hehad hoped and expected, that the outlaws had left one or twohorse-cloths behind in their flight. In one of these he enveloped hisperson in such a way as to render it unrecognisable. Then he walkedstraight into the cave, and, without a word of warning, threw his strongarms a round Shank Leather and lifted him off the ground.

  Of course Leather shouted and struggled at first, but as well might akitten have struggled in the grip of a grizzly bear. In his worncondition he felt himself to be utterly powerless. Buck Tom made afeeble effort to rise and help him, but the mere effort caused him tofall back with a groan of helpless despair.

  Swiftly his captor bore Leather up the side of the hill till he gotbehind a clump of trees, into the heart of which he plunged, and thenset his burden down on his feet. At the same time, throwing back hishood and flinging away the horse-cloth, he stood up and smiled.

  "Hunky Ben, or his ghost!" exclaimed Shank, forgetting his indignationin his amazement.

  "You're right, young man, though you've only see'd me once that I knowof. But most men that see me once are apt to remember me."

  "Well, Hunky," said Leather, while the indignation began to return, "youmay think this very amusing, but it's mean of a big strong man like youto take advantage of a fellow that's as weak as a child from wounds an'fever. Lend me one o' your six-shooters, now, so as we may stand onsomewhat more equal terms and--but a truce to boasting! I'm sure thatyou wouldn't keep smiling at me like a Cheshire cat if there wasn'tsomething behind this."

  "You're right, Mr Leather," said Ben, becoming at once grave andearnest. "There _is_ somethin' behind it--ay, an' somethin' before ittoo. So much, that I have barely time to tell 'ee. So, listen wi' bothears. There's a bunch o' men an' troops close to the Trap even now, ontheir way to visit your cave. If they find you--you know what thatmeans?"

  "Death," said Leather quietly.

  "Ay, death; though ye don't desarve it," said Ben.

  "But I _do_ deserve it," returned Shank in the same quiet voice.

  "Well, may-hap you do," rejoined the scout coolly, "but not, so far as Iknow, in connection wi' your present company. Now, there's Buck Tom--"

  "Ay, what of him?" asked Shank, anxiously.

  "Well, in the nat'ral course o' timings, death is comin' to him too, an'that'll save him from bein' strung up--for they're apt to do that sorto' thing hereaway in a loose free-an-easy style that's awkward sometime.I was within an inch of it myself once, all through a mistake--I'lltell 'ee about that when I've got more time, maybe. Well, now, I'm keento save you an' Buck Tom if I can, and what I want you to understand is,that if you expect me to help you at a time when you stand considerablein need o' help, you'll have to do what I tell 'ee."

  "And what would you have me do?" asked Shank, with a troubled look.

  "Remain here till I come for 'ee, and when you meet me in company saynothin' about havin' met me before."

  "Can I trust you, Hunky Ben?" said Shank, looking at him earnestly.

  "If you _can't_ trust me, what d'ye propose to do?" asked the scout witha grin.

  "You're right, Ben. I _must_ trust you, and, to say truth, from thelittle I know of you, I believe I've nothing to fear. But my anxiety isfor Ralph--Buck Tom, I mean. You're sure, I suppose, that Mr Brookewill do his best to shield him?"

  "Ay, sartin sure, an', by the way, don't mention your Christian namejust now--whatever it is--nor for some time yet. Good-day, an' keepquiet till I come. We've wasted overmuch time a'ready."

  So saying, the scout left the coppice, and, flinging open his coat,re-entered the cave a very different-looking man from what he was whenhe left it.

  "Hunky Ben!" exclaimed Buck, who had recovered by that time. "I wishyou had turned up half-an-hour since, boy. You might have saved my poorfriend Leather from a monster who came here and carried him awaybodily."

  "Ay? That's strange, now. Hows'ever, worse luck might have befel him,for the troops are at my heels, an' ye know what would be in store forhim if he was here."

  "Yes, indeed, I know it, Ben, and what is in store for me too; but Deathwill have his laugh at them if they don't look sharp."

  "No, surely," said the scout, in a tone of real commiseration, "you'renot so bad as that, are you?"

  "Truly am I," answered Buck, with a pitiful look, "shot in the chest.But I saw you in the fight, Ben; did you guide them here?"

  "That's what I did--at least I told 'em which way to go, an' came on inadvance to warn you in time, so's you might escape. To tell you theplain truth, Ralph Ritson, I've bin told all about you by your oldfriend Mr Brooke, an' about Leather too, who, you say, has bin carriedoff by a monster?"

  "Yes--at least by a monstrous big man."

  "You're quite sure o' that?"

  "Quite sure."

  "An' You would know the monster if you saw him again?"

  "I think I would know his figure, but not his face, for I did not seeit."

  "Strange!" remarked the scout, with a simple look; "an' you're sartinsure you don't know where Leather is now?"

  "Not got the most distant idea."

  "That's well now; stick to that an' there's no fear o' Leather. As toyourself--they'll never think o' hangin' you till ye can walk to thegallows--so cheer up, Buck Tom. It may be that ye desarve hangin', forall I know; but not just at present. I'm a bit of a surgeon, too--bein'a sort o' Jack-of-all-trades, and know how to extract bullets. Whatbetween Mr Brooke an' me an' time, wonders may be worked, if you'rewise enough to keep a tight rein on your tongue."

  While the scout was speaking, the tramp of cavalry was heard outside,and a few minutes later Captain Wilmot entered the cave, closelyfollowed by Charlie Brooke.