Mason of Bar X Ranch

  CHAPTER VII

  THE RESCUE

  After the ranch owner had been sent back to Bar X the men under Bud'scommand rode until they reached the foothills. Dawn was breaking whenthe cowboys separated, each group going in an opposite direction. Theplan was to make a wide detour and beat the mountains thoroughly. Theleader of each party swore he would bring the halfbreed in dead oralive. They were all convinced that he had stolen Josephine away andthat he had possibly been joined by Powers in the outrage.

  Bud led one group of cowboys with Big Joe Turner in command of theother group. It fell to Mason's lot to go with Turner, and he had ascompany Tex, Scotty and MacNutt, with a few others he was not so wellacquainted with. Big Joe's command was ordered to circle the mountainsand search all available hiding places. Then they were to ride withall possible speed to Ricker's and make inquiry there if they failedto pick up a clue in the mountains.

  Both parties were to report at the Bar X ranch by nightfall and hold aconsultation.

  Bud had with him Buck Miller, Red Sullivan and the rest of thecowboys. The two parties numbered twelve picked men and they were allgood fighters. Big Joe and his men rode all that day beating in andout of the mountains without a halt. MacNutt had kept up with themwith amazing endurance, and even Scotty had begun to treat him with alittle more respect. Mason was firmly convinced that the man had comeamong them with some secret purpose, and he determined to question himat the first favorable opportunity. There were times when MacNutt,thinking himself unobserved, would drop the mask of frivolous gayety,and a hard look would come into his eyes while he appeared to bethinking deeply. It was these sudden changes in the man that hadcaused Mason to regard him with suspicion.

  None of the other cowboys of the ranch had noticed anything peculiarabout the man outside of his levity, and Mason resolved to watch himmore closely in the future.

  It was an exhausted group of men that halted in the mountains thatnight to confer as to their next move. They had failed miserably topick up any clue of the whereabouts of Josephine and her captors.

  The cowboys were in an ugly mood by this time. On their hunt they hadseen nothing of Bud and his men.

  Mason's strength had seemed superhuman as he untiringly urged the menon to greater efforts.

  The shock caused by the halfbreed's bullet had left him, and exceptfor a faint scar on his temple he showed no signs of his close callfrom death.

  Scotty was in a fretful mood and urged them to make Ricker's at oncein the hope of picking up some information.

  "I'll tell you what we had better do," he spoke up eagerly. "We'll goto Ricker's and stand watch all night. We can stay just far enoughaway so they won't get on to us, and maybe the half breed will try tosneak through our line. What do you think of the idea, Joe?"

  Big Joe Turner did some quick thinking.

  "Sounds good to me," he said at last. "Bud wanted us to meet himto-night at Bar X, but if Powers is with the halfbreed, and I amconvinced he is, we can do no better than to watch Ricker's allnight."

  "And there is a chance that one of them may try to sneak back therefor supplies or something, and we will stand a chance of catching oneof them," cut in Tex, giving his belt an extra hitch.

  The plan was agreed to at once, and they pressed their tired horseshard to get to the ranch before it became too dark. Scotty wasdelighted that his plan had been accepted, and listened eagerly as BigJoe explained the methods they were to employ.

  "We will ride up to within fifty yards or so of the ranch," he wassaying, "and we will surround the house and keep watch all night. Ifnothing develops we will draw off in the morning and make for home tohear what Bud has to report."

  A set of signals was then carefully prepared and understood by all. Bythe time they reached Ricker's it was quite dark, but the stars snowedplainly.

  Big Joe placed his men and they all settled down for an all-nightvigil.

  Their horses had been picketed far enough away so that if any of themshould whinny they could not be heard at the ranch. To Mason, who layprone on the ground staring into the inky darkness, for the stars haddisappeared and a faint breeze had sprung up, this watching was dullbusiness. He was stationed next to Tex, and after catching himself onthe verge of falling asleep, he gave a signal that Tex understood andwormed his way cautiously towards him.

  "I nearly fell asleep, Tex," he said in a low whisper as he made outthe form of his fellow sentinel.

  "This is new business for you, lad," the other returned in a likewhisper. "You looked about done up to-day, man."

  It was a fact and Mason admitted it to himself. What with the terrificriding and his constant worry about their failure to find any trace ofJosephine, it all had raised havoc with his nerves. He realized atlast that he was in love with her and the thought that she cared forBud brought a groan of anguish from him. Tex, who had been searchinghis pockets, held a flask towards him.

  "Here, Jack, take a drink of this brandy and brace up," he said in akindly whisper.

  Mason hesitated. He had gotten over the notion of taking any strongdrink, but he knew if he was to keep up his strength he must have somestimulant.

  "Don't be foolish, man," Tex said in a curt whisper. "I know you needit, and we can't have any one lag on us now; the boys are prepared tofollow that devil of a halfbreed for weeks if they have to."

  Mason knew that Tex was right, and took a drink of the brandy. Itproved to be just what he needed and he felt his strength returning.There would be no occasion for anybody to accuse him of lagging behindwhile Josephine was in danger, he resolved, gritting his teeth. Hestarted to return to his former post, but Tex insisted that they keepwatch together. Mason agreed, and they conversed in low whispers asthe night wore slowly away. Once, during their vigil, Tex graspedMason firmly by the arm, and he could feel that the cowboy's muscleswere set rigid.

  "What is it, Tex?" he questioned with set lips.

  "I'm sure I heard something move up there near the house," the cowboyanswered in a scarcely audible whisper. "I'm going to give the signalto find out if the boys heard anything."

  Tex imitated the call of the whippoorwill. The answering signal cameback to them in the negative. The cowboy swore softly.

  "I'm sure something moved up there near the house, but the boys didn'thear or see anything, so all we can do is to watch," he confided toMason in a disgruntled voice.

  The halfbreed had slipped by the cowboys on his mission to Wanedawithout being seen by them!

  Shortly after this incident a light appeared in one of the rooms.

  "Something doing now," Tex muttered tersely.

  A minute later a door opened on their side of the house and to thewatchers' astonishment Waneda, the Spanish girl, appeared carrying alighted lantern.

  "Now, what in thunder is she up to this time of night?" growled Tex,as he gave the recall signal.

  The cowboys grouped around him in answer to the signal. Big Joe pushedforward.

  "I saw the light and the girl," he said guardedly, addressing Tex."What do you suppose it means?"

  "I can't figure it out," the cowboy replied with a puzzled air."Unless some one is sick in the house and she's going to the Post formedicine. Didn't any one of you hear a noise just before I gave thislast signal?"

  They all protested that they had not heard a sound or seen anythingmove during their watch.

  "What did you imagine you heard, Tex?" queried Scotty.

  "I didn't imagine it, I know I heard something move up there near thehouse, and it sounded like a scuffling noise," Tex retorted angrily."I'm watching that light now. The girl is leading a horse from thecorral. Shall we hold her up when she gets a few miles away?"

  "No, let her go," Big Joe answered shortly. "Go back to your stationsmen, it lacks but a few hours before daylight, and keep a closer watchthan ever. If you hear any noise that sounds suspicious again, Tex,give the signal and we will close in on the place and force anentrance."

  By this time both light and girl had vanished. Tex,
who had beenwatching the corral, gave a snort of disgust.

  "I think we made a mistake by not holding the girl up," he said in apeeved voice to Mason.

  "Oh, I think Waneda is too fine a girl to be up to anything crooked,"he answered in her defence.

  The lanky cowboy stared hard at him.

  "Then you don't know the breed," he said with a drawl. "Spanish orMexican, all are greasers to me. Ain't getting sweet on her be you? Iremember now, that you saved her from the halfbreed one day."

  Mason's face reddened.

  "You jump at conclusions, Tex," he said sharply. "No offense meant,Jack," he returned earnestly, "only I wish we had stopped the girl."

  Nothing more was said between them, and they kept silent watch untilthe first streak of dawn appeared. Big Joe gave the recall signal.When the cowboys had assembled he gave the order to mount and makea quick trip home. The big fellow rode with Mason.

  "Jack, I am anxious to hear if Bud had any luck," he confided to himas they pushed their horses into a fast run.

  Mason nodded.

  "We've just got to find Josephine to-day if Bud hasn't already foundher," he answered grimly.

  They reached Bar X ranch at noontime by hard riding. There they heardgood news, the first good news since Josephine's disappearance. Theranch owner called Big Joe and Mason to the house immediately on theirarrival.

  "The Spanish girl from Ricker's came here with a message for Masonthis morning," he burst out excitedly before they got fairly withinhearing distance. "I called Bud and he told her Mason was away. Sheseemed disappointed at the news, but after saying she would leave themessage in Bud's hands, she left. It was addressed to Mr. Mason. Afterwaiting a reasonable length of time, for he didn't know when you werecoming home, Bud opened the message. Well, he almost jumped out of hisboots when he read it. The message told him where to find Josephineand how to capture her abductors. They have been gone about an hournow," he concluded.

  "Yes," cut in his wife, beaming on Mason, "it seems according to themessage that this Spanish girl wants to repay Mr. Mason for hiskindness to her when she was attacked by the halfbreed. She got holdof information of the place where Josephine is held a captive, andhastened here at once with the information."

  "Sounds reasonable," commented Big Joe.

  "Wish we had stopped her now," he added to Mason.

  Josephine's mother was almost beside herself with joy at the thoughtof the safe recovery of her daughter.

  "Her dog Rover whined around the house for her," the ranch owner wassaying, "but soon he disappeared and hasn't showed up since."

  "Where did the message direct them to go and find her?" Big Joequestioned. "They may need help."

  "Devil's Gap," the ranch owner answered.

  "Devil's Gap," Big Joe repeated in wonder. "Why, we were through therethree times yesterday, wasn't we, Jack?"

  "There's something wrong about this," Mason declared, his browsknitting.

  "Bud said that the message read about Josephine' captors moving aboutfrom place to place," ranch owner explained.

  Big Joe was getting impatient.

  "Come on, Jack. We'll go and talk it over with the boys," he said,turning on his heel with an impatient frown.

  Mason followed him. At the bunkhouse they made the cowboys acquaintedwith this new phase of the hunt.

  "I told you so." Tex cried in a matter-of-fact tone after Big Joe hadfinished speaking. "We had ought to have held the girl up as I wantedto. Somebody broke through our line last night, and the girl left theranch soon after I heard that scuffling noise. We don't know if thatmessage is crooked or not."

  Big Joe was plainly impressed by Tex's serious manner. Mason wasleaning against the bunkhouse door listening wearily to their talk.

  "I think we had better get together and make for the Gap. Bud may needhelp, Joe," he said from the doorway.

  Suddenly he straightened up and looked keenly down the trail. His eyeshad caught sight of an object moving slowly towards the bunkhouse.

  "Josephine's dog," he said aloud.

  "What did you say, Jack?" Big Joe called from within.

  "Josephine's dog is coming down the trail and is limping badly," heanswered excitedly.

  "Limping, you say, Jack?" Big Joe asked as he came out of thebunkhouse, the cowboys at his back.

  "Yes," Mason answered, "he must have got hurt some way."

  "Come here, old fellow," he called, for the dog was almost up to themnow.

  The dog gave a whine of delight as he limped up to Mason and crouchedat his feet.

  "Poor fellow, his foot is bleeding," he said as he bent over toexamine the injured member. "Why, what's this?" His eye had caughtsight of something white tied to the dog's collar.

  He hastily unfastened the white object and was holding it up for theothers to see, when a piece of paper fell to the ground.

  "Josephine's handkerchief and a note!" he cried, aghast, staring hardat the white missive.

  Quickly snatching it up he read its contents.

  "For God's sake, boys," he cried, his face blanching white.

  "This note is from Josephine herself. She fastened it to Rover'scollar and sent him home. That message the Spanish girl brought is adecoy, and is leading Bud and his men into an ambush!"

  Exclamations of fury broke from the men at his words. Big Joeinstantly began giving orders to the cowboys after Mason had read thecontents of the note to them.

  "Into your saddles, boys," the big cowboy thundered, his face pale andresolute. "I know a short cut to the Gap, and we'll be in at the deathif we can't head Bud off. Ride, men, as you never rode before."

  The cowboys were in their saddles in a twinkling, and bending low ontheir horses' necks they rode like demons in a race against odds.

  Mason wanted to get his automobile out and join in the race againstdeath, but Big Joe wouldn't listen to his plan.

  "It wouldn't be of any use to us the way we are going into themountains," he said, gritting his teeth.

  Pomp, the dusky cook, had been dispatched to the house with the noteso the ranch owner would know why they had left in such a hurry.Scotty, who had the fastest horse among the cowboys, was drawinggradually away from them.

  "Take the short cut, Scotty," Big Joe ordered him. "When you make theGap if you hear heavy firing, don't join Bud, but start blazing awayat the halfbreed's gang and draw their fire. When we get there we'llopen fire on them from a different direction and hem them in if weain't too late. Do you get me, Scotty?" he yelled after him.

  "I sure do," the answer floated back to them. Scotty was riding low inthe saddle, jockey style. He was making the ride of his life.

  Mason was in a fever of suspense. His horse seemed to be only crawlingalong.

  "Do you think we will be able to head Bud off in time?" There was acatch to his voice as he put the question to Big Joe, who was ridingnear him.

  "Bud has only got about an hour's start on us, and with the short cutwe're taking I have hope of saving him. If Scotty follows myinstructions, everything will go all right, but I am afraid he willattempt to join Bud and get wiped out along with the rest of them.He's such a hot-headed chump that if he runs into the halfbreed's gangbefore Bud's men do, it would be just like him to tackle themsinglehanded," came the unpromising answer.

  The cowboys had turned off the main trail and had struck into thefirst range of foothills. Here, the climbing was extremely difficult,and a false step or a loose stone would send man and beast to certaindeath.

  They were following a trail leading up into the mountains on the brinkof a deep gorge.

  Once, Mason's horse stumbled and he gave himself up for lost with aprayer on his lips, but the faithful animal caught a secure footingagain, although he could feel the horse quiver under him.

  "Close call, old top," he said cheerfully to his horse, as he pattedhim on the neck.

  After an age, as it had seemed to Mason, of this kind of travel theyreached a small plateau high in the mountains. Big Joe, who was ina
dvance, called a halt, and raised a warning hand.

  "Keep quiet as possible, men," he said as the cowboys dismounted andcrowded around him.

  "There is Devil's Gap just to the right of us a within good rifleshot. Scotty must be close by, too. Now, if the halfbreed and Powersare waiting there for Bud, they will keep under cover until he and hismen show themselves through the pass. What we have got to do is topick off the halfbreed's men before they can get in their deadly work.I figure that they will show themselves just as soon as Bud getsthrough the pass. We won't be able to see Bud's men from here, butthem devils will have to show themselves to us, and it's up to you mento get them first."

  The men silently unslung their saddle guns. They each carried athirty-thirty Remington repeater. Lying prone on the ground, theycovered the plateau of Devil's Gap while the minutes passed slowly. Itwas a range of about four hundred yards.

  From a point of rock which they had their eyes glued upon, they sawthe form of a man rise up with a leveled rifle in his hands.

  "Bud must be coming through the pass, get that fellow!" Big Joe criedin a hoarse whisper.

  Before the words had died from his mouth a shot rang out and the manwith the gun pitched forward.

  The shot that laid him low had come from somewhere on their left.

  "That's Scotty getting in some of his fine work," Big Joe said with achuckle.

  Instantly five other men sprang from behind the rock and the firingbecame general. At the first shot Bud and his men had charged throughthe pass and taken to cover. Scotty's shot had warned Bud thatsomething was amiss and had put him on his guard. The firing hadbecome too hot for the halfbreed and his cut-throats, and they haddropped back behind the rock again.

  What they had intended for an ambush had been turned into a siege andthey were the besieged.

  The one who first rose up from behind the rock still lay where he hadfallen. Big Joe commenced signaling to Bud to let him know of theirpresence.

  "There were six men in the halfbreed's gang, wonder where he got themall?" pondered Mason.

  "The fellow that dropped first is one of them four men that joinedRicker's lately. They are the men that Bud rounded up and sent toprison five years ago," answered Tex.

  "I believe you're right," agreed Big Joe. "It would be an easy matterfor the halfbreed to get them to join him if they thought they had achance to get Bud."

  A long silence followed, to be broken by a shot still farther off totheir left. The firing increased to a volley of shots.

  "Scotty is making it warm for them again," said with a grin. "He isworking around rear of them."

  "They can't stand that hot fire much longer," declared Big Joe. "Getready for the men, they will make a charge soon."

  Five minutes later the halfbreed and his men broke cover and chargedinto the open, intending to fight their way through. Bud and his menadvanced to meet them, and the rifle fire grew so hot that Powers andthe halfbreed broke and ran. The men that Bud had sent to prison heldfirm, and walked straight into his fire with curses on their lips. Budhad been slightly wounded, and with bullets kicking up the earth allaround him, it was a wonder he was not killed outright. Bud and RedSullivan had dropped to their knees and were pumping a hail of bulletsinto the survivors of the halfbreed's gang. Slowly they crumpled upand the fight was over.

  "Get after Powers and the halfbreed, they are trying to escape," Budcalled to Big Joe.

  Mason, who had been trying to get a shot at the ringleaders, saw thembreak and run like the cowards they were. He immediately set out afterthem in the hope that they would lead him to Josephine, and heintended to pick up Scotty, who had worked around in the direction ofthe fleers.

  Big Joe had seen Mason mount his horse and start. He shouted somethingafter him, but Mason was too far away to hear. Mason had determined tocapture the halfbreed and Powers, and rescue Josephine, if it cost himhis life. He kept a sharp lookout for Scotty, but could see no sign ofhim. Just ahead of him was a break in the mountains, and as he swungthrough it his keen eyes caught sight of his game. Powers and thehalfbreed were only a short distance ahead of him.

  They had seen him at the same instant. Mason's eyes glittered. Hepulled a heavy Colt revolver, emptying its chambers after them. A yellof defiance was flung back at him. The halfbreed was ridingJosephine's horse and, pulling sharply around, returned his shots.

  The bullets sang uncomfortably close to his ears. His horse wasbehaving badly and he suddenly determined on a ruse. Powers had haltedand was taking careful aim at him. Mason abruptly checked his horseand flung himself to the ground, pulling his saddle gun with him, justas Powers commenced firing.

  His horse had been hit and let out an agonizing cry. The outlaws gavea cry of exultation when they saw him fall, thinking he had beenkilled. Mason had dropped near a large rock and kept a firm grip onhis gun. Lying on his shoulder, he drew the rifle to his cheek andtaking steady aim, fired.

  The halfbreed reeled in the saddle and toppled off. A yell of surprisecame from Powers, which quickly changed to alarm as one of Mason'sbullets nipped his face. He wheeled his horse and was off in a flash.It was Mason's turn to be in an exultant mood. Running swiftly to wherethe halfbreed had fallen, he caught Josephine's horse and sprang intothe saddle.

  The halfbreed cursed him as he mounted. He paid no attention to thecut-throat's blasphemies as he urged Fleet to top speed.

  "Now, Powers, we're on something like equal terms," he gritted tohimself.

  He began to rapidly overhaul the outlaw. The fugitive was gettingdesperate, and fired back at him several times, but his aim was poor.His grim pursuer was fast cutting down the distance between them.

  Powers had his eyes set on a pass to a canyon just ahead of him andwas making frantic efforts to reach it ahead of his pursuer. Mason sawhis purpose, and spoke encouraging words to his panting horse.

  "Faster, Fleet, faster, old boy, we're going to save your mistress!"

  The noble beast responded with a fresh burst of speed. Powers hadreached the pass, and abandoning his horse took to his heels,disappearing through the pass. Mason quickly made the pass,dismounted, and looking to his weapons, plunged after him. He couldhear his man from an occasional stone he dislodged. He was climbingthe steep side of the gorge. Soon, the faint sounds from the outlawceased. Mason was puzzled and afraid the fugitive would give him theslip, but he determined to keep on climbing the steep side of thegorge, while running a chance of getting shot from ambush.

  After a laborious climb he reached a small plateau where he beheld asight that brought a cry of rage from his lips. It was Josephinestruggling in the arms of the outlaw!

  Mason instantly threw his rifle to his shoulder.

  "Hands up! Powers, or I'll fire," he called sharply.

  Powers looked up startled, and with bloodshot eyes.

  "Shoot!" he cried savagely, swinging Josephine in front of him as ashield.

  Mason lowered his gun in dismay.

  "Why don't you shoot?" Powers taunted him, still holding the girl infront of him.

  "You coward!" Mason flung the words at him, his eyes blazing withfury. "Drop the girl and fight me like a man. I'll fight you emptyhanded." Suiting the action to his words, he threw his rifle andrevolver on the ground.

  Powers sneered.

  "If you value this girl's life, don't move from your tracks," he said,with a brutal oath, holding a knife up to Mason's horrified eyes."I'll kill her with this knife if you don't leave your guns here. Goback down the gorge and give me thirty minutes' start and you can saveher life. I am going to the coast with her and we'll get married."

  "Powers, you're crazy," Mason answered to gain time. "If you harm thatgirl, I'll hound you to your grave."

  Josephine had given a cry of delight when Mason first had borne downon Powers. Now, she had ceased struggling and was watching Mason withimploring eyes.

  Powers showed signs of uneasiness. He was in fear his other pursuerswould show up any minute.

  "Come, give me thirty
minutes' start or the girl dies!" he threatened.

  Great beads of sweat started on Mason's forehead. He had about made uphis mind to obey the fiend's demand and take a chance of rescuing thegirl later, when the sharp crack of a rifle broke the awful stillness,followed by a yell from above them.

  Powers clapped his hand to his side and pitched forward on his face.Mason looked up to see where the yell and shot had come from, and sawScotty standing on a huge boulder holding a smoking rifle in his handsand waving his hat at them. The girl stood looking down at Powers asthough in a daze.

  Mason leaped quickly to her side.

  "Oh, Jack," Josephine cried, her eyes swimming with tears, andcollapsed in his arms.