LITMIR.BIZ

Скачать книгу

been informed there are others," said Frank.

      "Informed? How?"

      Frank told how Miskel had shot the message into the mouth of the cave.

      "I have seen her hundreds of times," slowly spoke Old Solitary. "She has a good face. It does not seem possible that she is his daughter—the daughter of Uric Dugan. I think the memory of her face has spared his life at times. But it will not be ever thus. The time will come when I shall steel my heart."

      "We have just seen the Danites bear a captive into their village, and that captive is my guardian."

      "A small man with reddish hair and beard?"

      "Yes."

      "I saw him captured. He had wandered from others. From a height I saw them all."

      "How many are there?"

      "There were four, but two of them are Danites."

      "What's that?"

      "It is true. The man of the sandy beard and the boy came here with two of Uric Dugan's wretched satellites."

      "Howly saints!" gasped Barney.

      "He must mean the explorers, Graves and Kerney," said Frank.

      "They were not explorers; if they said so, they lied. Caleb Kerney is one of the old band of Danites, as bloodthirsty and relentless as the worst of them. Colton Graves is the son of Pascal Graves, once a leader of the Destroying Angels—a man whose hands were dyed with innocent blood. They went forth, with others, to bring provisions from the settlements. All of the others have returned before them."

      "And they led Walter Clyde and Professor Scotch into this snare!" said Frank. "They found out that Walter was coming this way to search for the retreat of the Danites, and they led him here, with the intention of destroying him."

      "Thot's roight, me b'y," nodded Barney.

      "Kerney slipped away, and hastened ahead to tell Uric Dugan who was coming," said Old Solitary, who seemed to know all that had taken place. "Graves remained to guide the victims to their doom."

      "Is it possible such monsters can continue to live and carry on their murderous work?" exclaimed Frank.

      "Some day Ko-pe-tah will find the way in here," laughed Old Solitary.

      "Who is Ko-pe-tah?"

      "A Navajo chief who hates Uric Dugan, and has tried to kill him. Twice within two years has Ko-pe-tah brought his braves into these mountains, searching for some access to this valley. The last time he was here, he found the passage by which you entered. Four of the Danites held the passage against a hundred warriors, and the Navajoes were repulsed. But Ko-pe-tah swore he would come again. If he ever gets in here, woe unto the Danites!"

      "How did it happen that we came through that passage without being stopped?"

      "You were alone, two boys. You were seen, and were allowed to enter, for they knew you could not escape. They made sure of you by letting you walk into the trap."

      "But Ko-pe-tah was held out."

      "Because he had a hundred warriors behind him, and he would destroy the Danites if he got inside."

      This was logical enough, and, at that moment Old Solitary scarcely seemed like a person deranged.

      Frank spent some moments in thought, and then asked:

      "Are Clyde and Graves still together?"

      "They are."

      "And Clyde has no knowledge that Graves is other than what he represented himself to be?"

      "It is not likely that he has."

      "He must be warned."

      "It is too late.'

      "Why?"

      "Before you can reach him the Danites will have him in their power."

      "That is not certain," cried Frank, starting up. "Come, we will try to save him. Lead us to him."

      "You shall see that what I say is true," said Old Solitary.

      He motioned for them to follow, and led the way back along the passage, the torch having been relighted.

      Through the main chamber they passed, and came to another passage, which finally brought them out far from the mountain pocket in which was the home of the Danites.

      "Look," directed Old Solitary, touching Frank's arm and pointing across the wide canyon. "Away there you see figures moving amid the rocks. They are human beings with hearts of beasts. They are Danites, and they are creeping like panthers upon their victim, the boy you call Walter Clyde."

      CHAPTER XXII.

       PROFESSOR SCUDMORE RETURNS.

       Table of Contents

      "We must aid him!" cried Frank.

      "Thot's right," agreed Barney.

      "It's too late," declared Old Solitary.

      "Too late—why?"

      "Long before we can get down into the valley the boy will be killed or captured."

      "And must we remain idle and witness the butchery? It is terrible! I feel that I must do something."

      "An' Oi fale th' soame, Frankie, me b'y."

      "Look again," directed the strange man of the mountains. "The boy has discovered his enemies. See—he has leaped behind some rocks! Graves is with him. The man is playing his part still. It must be that the boy has called on his enemies to halt. They are hiding. See there! one of them is preparing to shoot at the boy. Watch! The boy will be killed! No, he has changed his position. The man fired too late."

      Frank and Barney were intensely excited as they watched what was taking place in the canyon. Clyde, after leaping to the shelter of the rocks, had changed his position just in time to save himself from being shot. One of the Danites took careful aim, a puff of smoke shot from the muzzle of his rifle, and, some time later, the report of the weapon reached the ears of the trio at the mouth of the cave.

      But Providence must have watched over Walter Clyde then, for the boy moved a moment before the rifle sent forth its dead messenger, and he escaped the bullet. Whirling swiftly, he brought the butt of his rifle to his shoulder, and fired straight into the midst of the puff of smoke.

      "Hurro!" shouted Barney.

      "He nailed the wretch!" cried Frank, with satisfaction.

      It was true, Clyde's bullet knocked the man over in a twinkling, and he lay writhing amid the rocks.

      "He is a brave boy," muttered Old Solitary. "It is a pity he cannot escape! He is but one of hundreds of brave hearts butchered by the Danites."

      There was a lull far across the canyon.

      "What is coming now?" speculated Frank. "The Danites seem dazed."

      "Look, and you shall see what is coming," said Old Solitary, his fingers again closing on our hero's arm. "You can see Clyde's companion, the treacherous Graves. Watch; ah! I knew it!"

      Graves was seen to rise behind Clyde, uplift some weapon in his hand, and strike the boy prostrate.

      Then, with a yell that faintly reached the ears of the watching three, the Danites scrambled over the rocks.

      "The tragedy is over," said Old Solitary, solemnly. "The deadly work is done. Poor boy!"

      "Poor boy!" echoed Frank.

      "It's dearly th' spalpanes will pay fer this noight!" grated Barney Mulloy. "It's nivver a bit will Oi hesitate about stoppin' wan av th' divvils from b'rathin' av Oi get a chance."

      "I do not think my conscience will trouble me much if I am forced to finish one of them,"

Скачать книгу