Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1895-01-21
CHAPTER XIV.

CHAPTER XIV.
Harkins at first saw only the four
renegades as he peered around the cor
ner of the rock. Looking again, he dis
covered a female seated at the foot of a
tree not far away. Her back was to-
ward him and her head was held down,
and he could not make out whether she
was young or old, a white woman or a
squaw.
Il say, curse the Iuck!" exclaimed
one Of the men in brutal voice. "It
looks as if they might also have heard
Of the cave and gold, else why would
they come SO directly to this spot?"
Glow many did you COUNT" asked
another.
"Three wagons and ten or twelve
men, replied the other. u didn't dare
go TOO clus, you know"
''Too strong for Us to wipe out, eh?"
queried one of the men who was lying
down.
''But they've got to go somehow"
growled the man who had first spoken.
eve haven't come this fur and taken
all these chances to be scooped out of
that gold. With the redskins on the
one side and these fools on the other
we dasnt show hand or head"
"Whars all yer brains, Bob?" asked
one of the men with laugh.
Give US some head work and say how
we are going to sarcumvent the wagon
folks
Its got TO BE head work, and I've got
it all thought ont. I'm going down
among en- tomOrrer. Is that gal all
right"
He rose to his feet SO that he could be
sure she was still sitting at the foot of
the tree, and one of the men growIed:
''She's right huff, blast herl | only
wish we'd hev let the wolves pick her
bones! never knowed any such foolin
around with wimmin folks to bring
luck
''Then III give We something new,"
sneered Bob as he sat down. I've got
plans about that gal, and them as don't
like my plans had better go further and
work on their own hookp'
ooh, come off with yer quarrels!
called the fourth man as he rolled off
the bed of brush and sat up. lis there
any move by the party below"
Nothing except they hev gone into
camp for the summer, blocking our road
out!" answered the leader.
"And they are going to stay right
thar, eh?"
''Not after tOmorrer-not if my name
is Bob, and | reckon it ar"
''They don't suspicion u.s."
mot the least. None Of 'em hev cum
up this fur yet, and so they hewitt seen
the wagon tracks"
"Hev we made any mistake about the
canyon?"
Mary one. I'll stake my life on it.
went fur huff up today to be sartain.
All we want is clear road for day or
two, and we'll load the wagon and be
off"
Harkins had gathered enough to be
certain that Bridger's cave and its treas
ures were known to the renegades as
we'll as to himself and Taylor The
dying old hunter had said that he alone
possessed the secret, but it was evident
that it had been talked of to others.
These four men, outlaws though they
were, and probably as brave as that
class of men usually are, would not have
penetrated into the Indian country thus
far with no stronger force had not val
liable stake depended.
So the female was a girl and pris-
oner?
If prisoner, then there must have
been an act of violence to make her so.
Perhaps it was Bess The father shiv-
cred at the thought, and the thought
would have led him to do some desper-
ate thing had it not been put away
almost Immediately. The prisoner
raised her head and looked around, and
it was a face he had never seen before.
It betrayed anxiety and suffering, and
be instantly resolved that he would take
any risk to help.
The sun was now hidden behind the
mountain and it was twilight around
the campfire. The men sat smoking or
thinking for a quarter of an hour with
put word, and then one of them rose
and disappeared. Ten minutes later
ne returned with bag of provisions and
! bottle of whisky, and Bob said:
Eyes, we might as well hev bite
now as any other time. Give the gal
aer share. If she's still too mulish to
sat let her throw it away"
The man carried some bread and meat
20 the girl, but she gave him no heed.
More wood was thrown on the fire, the
bottle passed from hand to hand. and
" the time darkness had settled down
he four renegades were in good spirits
lad seemingly good natured.
Then Harkfns could no longer see tn"