Old Cap. Collier Library No. 379: The Lawyer Detective — page 12: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

12 THE LAWYER DETECTIVE. ‘+ That’s it, Sidney.” ‘‘Then this ‘ere Ragsdale’s an honest chap, after all. You see, Benay, I reckoned webbe the feller was a-lyin’ to me, but I guess he told a straight story. He must be at the kunnel’s, ’cause he left word ’at he was goin’ there.” ‘*We can soon ascertain.” Benay Flash accompanied the boy to the house. Mrs. Redhart was sure the man from Den- ver had not been there since the previous evening. Sid Gidley was disappointed. ‘“We might go over to his aunt’s,” sug- gested Flash. ‘* Who's that ?” ‘Mrs. Tripp.” “ All right.” But arrived at Mrs. Tripp’s, the searchers were again disappointed. ‘‘T’m sure Mr. Ragsdale hasn’t been here in the last twenty-four hours,” said Rena. She then called Sid into the house and ques- tioned him. He told her of Ragsdale’s visit, and of his unexpected departure on the previous hight. Rena seemed interested, and not a little ex- cited. ‘‘T am afraid something has befallen him,” she said, tremulously. ‘‘An attempt was made on his life only last night. There are some bad people in this community, and I do wish the honest homesteaders would organ- ize and punish some of the outlaws.” ‘°Twon’t be long,” declared the boy, ‘ be- fore you'll hear music in the air. The cow- boys are on the trail, and mean business.”’ ‘‘T sincerely hope so.” ‘‘ And I’m on the trail, too!” exclaimed the young homesteader, laying his brown hand on the shoulder of the beautiful Rena, ‘I believe as you do, ’at somethin’s happened to Ragsdale. He’s been murdered, like enough, by them as wants the killin’ of Miss Chester covered up. I’m bound to find the gent from Denver ef I hev to go to Mexico.” Then the lad turned and rushed from the house. He met Flash outside, and expressed him- self in similar terms to that individual. ‘‘T wouldn’t be silly, Sidney.”’ ‘‘ What do ye mean by that, Benay ?” ‘Tt’s all nonsense to suppose any one has harmed Mr. Ragsdale. He will turn up all right in a day or two, never fear.” ‘“T don’t believe it, all the same.” ‘*See here, my boy.” Sid had now vaulted into the saddle, and was anxious to be off. ‘‘T can’t stop to argue the p’int,” declared the young homesteader. ‘‘ There’s goin’ to be a big smell stirred up in these parts before you're many hours older, Benay, 80 just keep yer smeller in trim till I see ye ag’in.” And then the lad galloped away. ‘*Confound him,” grated the half-breed, turning on his heel and walking fiercely away toward the creek. He had not gone far when he heard his name pronounced, Turning, he beheld Rena Tripp coming to- ward him. He was always ready to listen to her, so he at once held his steps. ‘“ Benay, this is strange news I hear.” ‘* What have you heard ?” “‘ About Mr. Ragsdale.” “Well, what about him ?” “You knew well enough. He has disap- peared, and something must have happened to him.” ‘* Nonsense.” -*No, it is not nonsense.” ‘* What is this white-livered fellow to you, Rena Tripp ?” The black eyes of the half-blood fairly snapped as they fixed their gaze on the face of the beautiful girl. “‘A friend—my cousin, as you must know,” asserted she. ** Sol” The word was a hiss, ‘‘Now Benay, y~u have no call to be angry,” she said, soothingly. ‘‘You know what happened near the colonel’s house last night.” ‘‘ Nothing of consequence that I am aware of, Rena.” “It might have been of consequence,” she said, sharply. ‘‘It was not the fault of the lynchers that Mr. Ragsdale was not mur- dered.” _ ‘‘T assure you you speak in riddles, Rena.” ‘“‘T am quite sure you know that an at- tempt was made to murder Ragsdale last night in the grove near the colonel’s house. Weren’t you one of the lynchers ?” She bent a keen glance into his face as she put the question. ‘‘ Certainly not,” returned he. ‘I heard some shots fired, but I never once suspected that unlawful work was going on. Iam sure I don’t see why the lynchers should turn upon the gentleman from Denver. No one suspects him of wrong-doing, that I am aware of. If it had been Demming, now, I should not have wondered. There is a feel- ing against him since the remains of Olive Chester were found, and he came near being lynched at the shanty just after the inquest. However, he made his escape, assisted by Ragsdale and Colonel Redhart.” Benay Flash spoke rapidly, and with ap- parent sincerity. ‘‘T hope you were not with the gang, Benay ?” ‘Really! Pray, why should you care, Rena Tripp ?” He bent toward her, unmistakable admira- tion depicted in his black eyes. She recoiled from his intense gaze, and seemed confused. He put out his hand caressingly and smiled, while his even, white teeth fairly glittered. ‘‘I am glad, Rena, to hear that you do feel an interest in me. I will always hold your friendship in high esteem, and hope you may look upon me in a nearer light than that of friend ——”’ ‘Sir, not another word like that.” She brushed aside his hand, and turning, sped back to the house, leaving him standing alone in the narrow path. “So!” Again that word came as a hiss. Turning on his heel, Benay Flash strode an- grily from the vicinity. * x * * * * We must not lose sight of the most promi- nent personage in our story for even a brief space of time. Hilton Ragsdale felt lonely enough after the departure of his young friend, and for several minutes he walked up and down the floor in a restless way. He thought of many things during the few minutes of his enforced lonely stay at Dead- water Ranch. He had, perhaps, crossed the floor for the dozenth time, when a most unexpected catas- trophe took place. His back was toward the door, which stood open, when something dropped as from the ceiling, and fell about the body of the man from Denver. The object proved to be a lariat, and the moment it reached his waist it was drawn taut at one jerk, thus pinioning the lawyer’s arms at his sides. The whole movement had been so sudden as to give no warning to Ragsdale. Four men crossed the threshold and con- fronte’ the prisoner. Each face was masked, so that it was im- ‘| possible for Ragsdale to recognize one of them. ‘Not a word!” hissed a voice in the ear of the Denverite. At the same moment a cocked revolver was thrust into his face. The masked villains meant business, sure- ly. One of them went through the pockets of Ragsdale, securing his revolver and pock- et-book. And now the young lawyer-detective was glad tc know that Sid Gidley had not permit- ted him to have the locket with its important pictures. ‘‘Treckon we’ve found all he’s got, boss,” said one of the searchers. “ Allright. Now mcve out before we are discovered.” Three of the men passed into the open air, leading their prisoner, whose hands they had sung securely behind him with a buckskin cord. The fourth mask remained long enough to pen the note found by Sid; then he joined his eompanions, who hurried their prisoner away in the darkness, CHAPTER XI. STRANGE PROCEEDINGS. ‘* Now be quiet, will ye?” Five men, mounted on mustangs, were rid- ing swiftly over the prairie. One of them was a prisoner, and sat in front of the foremost horseman. He had ventured to ease his position by a movement, that brought out the remark made at the opening of this chapter. ‘‘T am as quiet as I can be in this uncom- fortable position,’ declared Ragsdale. ‘‘I can't see the object in keeping my arms bound so closely.” ‘“‘ You'll find that out soon enough,” growled the mask. ‘‘ You ain’t wanted in this coun- try nohow, and the sooner you git out the surer you'll be to live to green old age. Un- derstand ?” ay No.” ‘‘Tll soon make it plain to ye.” Ragsdale listened intently to the accents of the voice. He was trying to catch a familiar intona- tion, He was disappointed. This was easily explained. No doubt his captors disguised their lan- guage as well as their faces. Ragsdale was not alarmed, since, had these men meant to murder him, they would not, it seemed to him,.have taken the trouble to carry him such a long distance. What, then, was the motive for this forcible abduction ? It was impossible for the young man to conjecture at this stage of the proceedings. He might be able to understand later on. It was a long ride before the marauders came to a halt among the hills, no doubt the outskirts of the Wind River Mountains, Entering a dense copse the men picketed their horses, and Ragsdale was permitted to dismount, or rather, he was assisted to do so. for, with his hands securely bound, it was impossible for him to help himself to any ex- tent. The prisoner was led past a small log- house into an open spot, where the bare rock glistened in the now morning light. Just beyond his position was a black hole, from the depths of which came the murmur of water. ‘‘Here we are,” said the leader of the masks. ‘‘ We may as well proceed to busi- ness at once,” ‘‘The sooner the better it will suit me,” said the prisoner, ‘‘for Iam a business man myself, and hate delays.” ‘‘Hear im!” exclaimed one of the masks. ‘¢ A business man, eh? Wal, mebbe we've made a mistake, but we ‘lowed you was a peeler.”’ ‘¢T am an honest citizen I hope.” ‘Kf you was you wouldn’t come so many hundred miles ter snoop inter other people's business.” ‘‘T am not doing so.” ‘* Hear ’im!” ‘¢ This is nonsense,” declared the first mask. ‘‘ Hilton Ragsdale, we know your business in Wyoming, and we hain't the gents to hesi- tate when our necks are in danger. Under- stand ?” ‘‘Not yet.” ‘Wal, ‘twon’t take me long to make it plain to you, my man. You have friends in Denver ?” ‘‘ Yes, a good many of them, and some in Wyoming, I hope.” ‘‘ Not enough to save your neck if you re- fuse to do as we tell you, young man. ‘‘T am listening.” ‘* You must leave Wyoming.” ‘‘ T shall be glad to do so.” ‘That is censible, and will save us much trouble. You will depart this day and never return—this you must swear to.” ‘¢T could not think of going so soon,” said tagsdale. ‘‘ Ihave some business to transact before I go that may require a month’s time, perhaps longer. I’m not in love with Wyo- ming, however, and will get out of it as soon as my business will permit, so I think, with this little exception, we can agree.” ‘¢- You are determined to misunderstand me, I see,” growled the mask, exhibiting impa- tience. ‘‘ You must leave Wyoming at once, and swear to never return, Isn’t that plain enough ?” (C(O) AMUG 6) Oy Q) SS (C(O)