CHAPTER XXI.
The raiders were gathered in a small alcove of the quarry, sheltered onthree sides by walls of rough-faced limestone, jagged and broken as thequarrymen had left them years before, and this secluded spot made acounsel chamber little liable to intrusion, and well-suited to itspresent use.
Milton Derr was standing nearest the fire in an angle made by the walls,while others of the band were ranged in a semi-circle across the widerspace opening into the larger part of the quarry, the captain standingat the end of the line furthest from the prisoner.
Above them the girl crouched in hiding, screened by the overhangingdarkness and the fringe of cedar bushes along the edge, yet from hervantage ground she could clearly see what was taking place below, andeasily overhear all that was said.
Steve Judson was called to testify. She heard him coolly bear witnessto having seen the accused stop at the New Pike Gate, and hold earnestconverse with "that Brown gal" as he designated Sally. Steve claimed tohave come up in the darkness and recognized the two at the gate as hepassed through.
He wove quite a plausible story out of whole cloth, saying that onrecognizing Milt, and knowing his fondness for the girl at thetoll-house, he, Steve, at once suspected that the plans of the raidersfor that night were being discussed.
To satisfy himself on this point, after riding along the road a littledistance, he dismounted, climbed the stone wall and crept back quietly,keeping in the shadow of it, until he was near enough to hear a part ofthe conversation that took place at the gate, and then he overheard theprisoner tell of the raid that was to be made a few hours later.
At the conclusion of Steve's story, the captain called attention to thefact that on this same night, before the hour of attack, Milton Derr hadbeen boasting among his comrades at the place of rendezvous that thepole of the New Pike Gate would not be cut down on that night. He,alone of all the raiders, seemed to know that the plans for an attackwere known, and the gate would be under guard. Twice had the captainasked, in the presence of the members of the band, to be given the nameof Milt's informant, and twice had Milt refused to answer.
More than once during Steve's false testimony the listening girl, witheyes blazing forth something of the fierce indignation she felt,nervously sought the pistol at her belt, in a stern resolve to use it onthe accomplished liar, who was thus deliberately swearing her lover'slife away.
She remembered, however, that this man was but the frightened tool ofanother. At heart, the witness did not wish to do Milt an injury. Stevehad admitted as much that afternoon in the ravine, while talking to thecaptain. Jade Beddow was really the one who was at the bottom of thispiece of villainy. His hatred of Milt, coupled with a desire to berevenged on the girl who had scorned him, was prompting Jade to thispresent step.
"This fellow is a liar and an ingrate!" cried Milt fearlessly at theconclusion of Steve's testimony. "The story just told is false in everyparticular."
"Yet the man who declares these charges false is the only one amongst uswho knew that the gate would be guarded," said the captain, turning tohis men.
"I gave you all warning of the fact," answered Milt.
"The warning was likely given more to shield yourself than us," retortedthe leader with a sneer. "If you went, you would be as liable to injuryas the rest of us; if you prevented us from goin' it would serve yourpurpose; if you sneaked out of the affair, it would fasten the guilt ofa traitor on you. This is the sum an' substance of it all."
The captain turned once more to his men. "If it was known that the gatewas to be attacked on this night, it is proof we have a traitor in ourmidst. If this man is the only one who knew the gate would be guarded,it stands to reason he is the only one who told it was to be attacked.Who else but the prisoner had an interest in protecting the New PikeGate? The case is as plain as day."
"I was told under a pledge of secrecy the gate would be guarded. I gaveyou the benefit of that warning!" protested Derr.
"If there had been no traitor there would be no need of any warning,"answered the captain, then his words took on a greater force ofmeaning--
"Brothers! comrades! there is a traitor in our midst. The repulse we metwith the other night proves beyond a doubt that our most secret plansare made known to our enemies. Who, then, is this traitor? Cain't youpick him out? I know of only one person among us who would like to seethe New Pike Gate still stand after all others had gone down. I thinkyou also know who this man is, for the testimony just now given has madeit clear.
"No one but Milt Derr seemed to know the gate would be guarded the othernight, no one but the girl at the gate knew it was to be attacked. Itwas to the interest of each that the other should know the plans ofraider and officer,--a touching and mutual exchange of confidence," thespeaker suggested sneeringly.
"If the prisoner was warned, as he says he was, who but the girl at thegate could have warned him? If this was the case, how did she know thegate was to be raided unless told by her sweetheart? Who else but theman in love with the toll-taker would run the risk of betraying hiscomrades, knowing full well the penalty of the act?"
Then the captain broke into a fierce tirade as he shook his handmenacingly at the prisoner. Jade possessed a certain rude power oforatory that could at times be made strongly effective on hisfollowers--the peculiar magnetism of a fierce, headstrong nature thatover-powered and controlled weaker ones.
"There stands the traitor before you! Your liberty and lives arethreatened by a constant danger so long as it lies in this man's powerto betray you. He has already used that power--he will use it again ifhe can. As you each and every one know, there never was, and never canbe but one sort of a safe traitor, an' that is--_a dead one_. It is yourliberty, or his--which shall it be? The hour to decide is at hand. Thereis no time for delay. Choose!"
When the captain had ceased speaking, a deep silence fell upon the groupof waiting men, and so deep did it seem in the stillness of the nightand the great loneliness of the spot, that the listener, crouched inthe shadows above, was almost won to the belief that the loud beatingsof her heart, or her stifled breathing, would be heard by those gatheredbelow, and her hiding-place revealed.
The captain waited expectantly, looking closely from one face toanother, noting keenly and exultantly the dawning of distrust and fearthat slowly overspread each countenance, as troubled waters communicatetheir motion until the whole silent pool is disturbed; then he spokeagain, slowly, deliberately:
"The case is in your hands, comrades! We have a common interest in theprotection of our liberty an' ourselves. Shall it be freedom for him, orimprisonment for us? What shall be done?"
"Draw for the red bean!" a voice called out sharply and discordantly. Itwas Steve Judson who spoke.
"Yes! yes! the red bean!" a chorus of voices clamored, quickly seizingthe suggestion as a solution of the problem confronting them. A look ofapproval came to the captain's face, while his eyes flashed forth amalignant triumph.
"You shall draw for it," he answers briefly, taking from his pocket asmall leathern pouch, which he shook vigorously, then untied and opened.
"Draw!" he commanded, holding out the pouch to the man nearest him. Theraider hesitated a moment, then put his thumb and forefinger into thepouch and drew forth a bean, which he concealed within the palm of hishand without a glance at it.
Stepping aside, the first man gave way to another member of the band,and thus in succession the drawing continued until each raider, save theprisoner, had drawn from out the leathern pouch a bean, and held itwithin the hollow of his hand, while neither he nor his neighbor knewwhether it was a bean of white, or the fatal one of red that had beendrawn.
Steve was the last to draw. As he stepped forward, no one saw thecaptain slightly relax the fingers of the hand holding the pouch, norsuspected that the small object they had retained until this moment wascovertly released and dropped to the bottom of the pouch as it was heldout to Steve.
"Hands up! your oath!"
Each man obeyed,
the last man to draw holding his left hand aloft as hisright was in a sling. Thus, with hand upraised, every man swore to astrict performance of his duty, taking upon himself the oath that if heheld the red bean he would visit upon the traitor wherever found,whoever he might be, the punishment that a traitor's act justly merited,or that having failed in his oath, the same judgment he had withheldmight be visited on himself who had foresworn his oath.
Then each man came singly before the captain, and opened the palm of thehand that both might know who held the fatal red bean.
The fire had been replenished and stirred into renewed brightness whilethe drawing was taking place, and as Steve came forward and opened hispalm, a bright flame suddenly shot up from the fire, a slender, waveringtorch, shedding a momentary light on the group, and on the two standingtogether.
As the captain and Steve looked downward into the latter's outstretchedpalm, each saw a round, red object lying there like a great drop ofblood.
A TYPICAL NIGHT RIDER.]