CHAPTER XXXIV.
THE BOBWHITE'S CALL.
The discovery that Lieutenant Barrows had lent himself to such anenormous crime in the sight of all cowmen as to attempt to poison a herdof cattle, served to keep them all silent as they rode homeward, butaround the fire that night their tongues loosened as they discussed it.
They told Hallie Croffut nothing about it, as they wished to save herpain, for as far as any of them knew she was still betrothed toLieutenant Barrows, who was proving himself an enemy indeed.
"I see how it is, and how easy," said Ted. "They have been following usever since we have been on the trail, but from a secure distance,generally riding parallel with us, out of sight in coulees, watching uscontinually."
"But how could they poison our cattle, without our seeing some of themsometimes?" asked Kit.
"Easy enough. Probably there are only two of them, for more would be inthe way, and run more risk of being seen."
"But about the poisoning part of it? I don't understand how they coulddo it."
"That's easy, too. They are probably a day ahead of us all the time,guessing at our probable direction of march. If they guess it wrong,they try it over again, for they are never more than a mile or so away.When they pick out a place where they think we will graze, they scatterthe Paris green on the grass for the cattle to lick up. It takes agood-sized dose of the poison to affect so large an animal as a steer,and that is probably why we have not lost more of our stock by thatmeans. They could never get quite enough, that is, the most of them, tokill them. Such as are dead did get enough to make them loco first, andkill them afterward."
"Another thing," said Kit: "We have had several heavy rains in the earlymorning lately, and that has served to run the poison off."
"I wouldn't wonder, also, if they haven't missed our route severaltimes, and left the Paris green to poison some other herd," said Stella.
"Their salvation, I am convinced, is also due to the peculiar quality ofthe water they have found to drink. Who knows but that it is a perfectantidote for the Paris green?" said Ben wisely.
"Oh, slush!" interposed Bud. "I reckon ther truth is they haven't begunter poison in right earnest yet. From ther letter, I would think thatthey had just received the stuff and were trying it out before theybegin the big poisoning stunt. I'll bet Woofer is the chief actor, andthat he's just met ther feller what brought ther poison out with him.Having found that it worked on a few o' ther cattle, they'll spread iton thick ahead o' us. An' ther wust part o' it is, thar don't seem noway ter circumvent 'em, onless we go hunt fer 'em, an' put 'em out erbusiness quick."
"Well said, Bud," was Ted's comment. "There's no way of discovering theconfounded stuff. We can't go ahead with a microscope and a chemicallaboratory to analyze every blade of grass along the route for Parisgreen. The best we can do is to take our chances and keep going north.But I think we'd better establish outside picket lines which will staywell in advance, and off to the flanks. If it can be done, this systemwill succeed in at least frightening them off for a while. Everybodyprepare to stand extra hours in the saddle."
A line of outriders was established at once, and the herd pushed on, andfor several days there were no evidences that any more of the cattle hadbeen poisoned.
They were nearing the river, as they could tell by the gradual slopingof the land to the east, and the flatness of the country.
One afternoon about four o'clock Brock, one of the hired cow-punchers,came riding into camp as fast as his horse would run, and fell out ofthe saddle. He had been shot through the leg, and was almost insensiblefrom loss of blood when he succeeded in getting in.
When he was able to speak, he said to Ted:
"I was riding picket about two miles off to the west. As I topped a hillI saw a body of men about a quarter of a mile away. With my glasses Isaw that they were soldiers, and wondered what they were doing so farfrom a post, as there isn't one nearer here than Fort Felton."
"Soldiers, eh?" asked Ted. "Cavalry or infantry?"
"Cavalry."
"How many of them were there?"
"I should say about fifty."
"Did they see you?"
"They must have seen me, for I saw them brought to a halt, and remainthat way for several minutes, while the officer was looking at methrough his binoculars. After they had satisfied themselves as to what Iwas, they galloped to the north, and I soon lost sight of them behindthe hills."
"I wonder what troops are doing out here. I haven't heard of any troublewith the Indians, and there is no gang of outlaws this far north that itwould take troops to subdue."
Stella looked at Ted significantly, and he read her thoughts.
Could it be that Lieutenant Barrows had been able to use his influence,or his cunning, to bring a detachment of troops so far away from thepost to attend to his own personal affairs, while ostensibly on thegovernment's business?
He dismissed the thought, however, as soon as it was conceived. Itappeared to be too ridiculous.
However, they were all on their guard now. They realized that there wereothers on the range, and they were aware that a powerful and vindictiveenemy was close at hand.
"How did you come to receive the shot in the leg?" asked Ted, breakingthe silence.
"As I turned to ride to camp to report what I had seen, something moveddown in the coulee. At first I thought it might be a wolf or coyote, butas I drove the pony into it a shot was fired, and it got me in the leg.I didn't wait for any more, as I did not know how many men there mightbe, and I deemed it wise to get to camp alive with the news."
"The poisoners!" was Ted's brief comment.
"They've got us pretty well hemmed in," said Ben. "They mean business."
"Yes, but we'll break through, and beat them yet," said Ted, withconviction.
But they were a long ways from being out of danger yet as they were soonto know.
That evening Ted, accompanied by Stella and Hallie, rode out of camp.Ted wanted to spy out the land in advance to see if there were any signsof the troops and the poisoners.
They were riding along out of sight of the camp, talking cheerfully andfeeling perfectly safe, when they were brought to a sudden stop by acommand, "Halt!" given in a gruff tone.
They stared in amazement when they saw that they were surrounded by adetachment of soldiers, and that the command had been given by asergeant. A dozen carbines were leveled at them.
"What's the meaning of this?" asked Ted, with a smile.
"Orders for your arrest," answered the sergeant gruffly. "Disarm theman."
Several soldiers stepped to Ted's side, and the one who attempted totake Ted's rifle from its boot on the saddle received a kick on thechest that sent him sprawling on his back.
But as the kick was delivered, and before he could do anything furtherin his defense, Ted was struck a ringing blow on the head with the buttof a carbine, and was dragged from the saddle.
As he went down he heard a shout of alarm.
"Don't shoot!" he heard the sergeant cry. "Let her go. We don't wanther, anyway."
Then Ted knew that Stella had escaped, to carry the news back to theboys, and to bring assistance.
"I wish the Indian girl had been along," the sergeant said to one of themen. "We'd have all we wanted, then."
"Oh, we'll get her later," was the reply.
Ted was hoisted to his feet in no gentle manner, and then he discoveredthat his arms had been bound. Sitting on her pony was Hallie Croffut,pale but calm, regarding the scene with an expression of contempt.
"What is the meaning of this, Brown?" she asked, addressing the sergeant
"Orders from a s'perior officer, miss," said the sergeantapologetically, saluting respectfully.
"Well, you and your superior officer will be sorry for this day's workwhen the colonel hears of it," was all she said.
The sergeant saluted again, and ordered the men to march.
Ted was lifted into his saddle, and, in the center of the detachment,was
marched away.
They rode thus for several miles, when, in the gathering dusk, Ted sawahead of him a small cabin.
In a few moments they were in front of it, and Ted and Hallie wereassisted to the ground and bade to enter.
In the center of the room, seated at a table, was Lieutenant Barrows,who scowled at Ted, but hadn't the courage, apparently, to look at hisfiancee.
Hallie Croffut did not address him, but he felt the glance of scorn shegave him, for he winced under it.
"For what am I arrested?" asked Ted coolly.
"You will discover when your trial comes," was the cold reply.
"And why have you dared to detain me?" asked Hallie.
"Your father's orders, Miss Croffut," he said almost inaudibly.
"I believe that you are lying. If you are, Heaven help you, for there isnot a decent man in all the army who will not hound you to disgrace. Tothink that you would countenance this outrage against your colonel'sdaughter is almost past belief. But now I know you for what you are, youcur."
Barrows went white as a sheet as she said this, and his lip curled backfrom his teeth, like those of an angry dog, as he half rose to his feetwith a gesture as if he would strike her. But he thought better of it,and sank back.
"Brown, take them away," he said to the sergeant. "I will hold youpersonally responsible for them."
The sergeant saluted, and, catching Ted by the elbow, marched him intothe next room.
Hallie Croffut started to follow him, when she was stayed by Barrows.
"Hallie, won't you come back with me?" he pleaded. "If you will, I willrelease Strong and let the rest of it go."
"I wouldn't trust you out of my sight," said the girl. "Oh, how happy Iam that I have found you out in time. You are the most miserablespecimen of a man I ever heard of, and to think that you have calledyourself an officer and a gentleman. But this is the last for you. Ifyou were brave enough you ought to kill yourself to save the army fromthe disgrace of having had you in it."
"Curse you!" he cried, in impotent rage. "If you were not a woman Iwould knock you down."
"If you feel like it, don't let so small a matter that I am a girl andyour colonel's daughter interfere with your pleasure. Strike me!"
But Barrows only stared at her with a white face, and with a mutteredcurse left the room.
"This way, miss," said the sergeant. She entered the room into which Tedhad been taken, but he was not there.
In the middle of the floor was an open trapdoor.
"I must ask you to go down there," said the sergeant. "You will find aladder. You will be safe, and it is not for long. We start for the postsoon, I am told."
Hallie made no reply, but did as she was bid.
The cellar was as dark as a pocket, and she could see absolutely nothingas her feet touched the earth floor.
But she found a box, and sat down upon it. The trap was closed, a boltshot in it, and she was in Stygian darkness.
She was terribly frightened at first, but there were no rats in thecellar, which she had at first feared, and she fell to thinking what itall meant. Surely the army must have gone entirely mad that she, HallieCroffut, its pet, should be under arrest in a dark and musty cellar.
But presently her heart stopped beating. In a far corner she heard afaint noise.
Something else was in the place with her. What could it be? Where wasTed? What did it all mean?
Then she heard a groan, and an uneasy movement.
"Who is it?" Hallie asked, in a trembling voice.
"Is that you, Hallie?" It was Ted's voice.
"Yes, it is I. Where are you?"
"Over here in the corner. Those brutes threw me down the ladder, and itstunned me. Come here. Perhaps you can untie my hands. Then we will seewhat chance there is for escape."
Ted was soon released, and, climbing the ladder, tried the trapdoor, butfound it securely fastened.
There had been no sound above them for some time, and Ted came to theconclusion that the soldiers were gone.
He was right. When the prisoners had been thrust into the cellar,Barrows and his men rode away, leaving them alone.
Hours dragged along in the dark, and they scarcely spoke to one another,both lost in their thoughts.
Suddenly Ted started up. Outside he heard a whistle, and he listened forit to be repeated. It was the whistle of the bobwhite. He knew thatthere were no quail in this region at this time of the year. He knew,too, that it was an Indian signal which Stella and Singing Bird had usedbetween them. Could it be that Stella was outside, and that she wassignaling the house, and thinking it occupied, did not dare come to it?He answered it as well as he could, knowing, however, that the soundwould not get beyond the cellar.
For several minutes the whistling continued, then stopped. What if theyhad gone away?
After a long time, it seemed, he heard a stealthy noise overhead. Someone was crawling through the window. Then there was a light stepoverhead.
"Ted! Hallie! Where are you?" It was Stella calling to them, and theyboth raised their voices in a joyous shout. Then the bolt slipped, andthe trap was raised.
"Come up out of there," cried Stella, "unless you like it. Singing Birdand I started out after you. I met her on the way, and she trailed youhere. She has just started back for the boys."