Charlie to the Rescue

Chapter Twelve.

Changes the Scene Considerably!

We must transport our reader now to a locality somewhere in the region lying between New Mexico and Colorado. Here, in a mean-looking out-of-the-way tavern, a number of rough-looking men were congregated, drinking, gambling, and spinning yarns. Some of them belonged to the class known as cow-boys—men of rugged exterior, iron constitutions, powerful frames, and apparently reckless dispositions, though underneath the surface there was considerable variety of character to be found.

The landlord of the inn—if we may so call it, for it was little better than a big shanty—was known by the name of David. He was a man of cool courage. His customers knew this latter fact well, and were also aware that, although he carried no weapon on his person, he had several revolvers in handy places under his counter, with the use of which he was extremely familiar and expert.

In the midst of a group of rather noisy characters who smoked and drank in one corner of this inn or shanty, there was seated on the end of a packing-case, a man in the prime of life, who, even in such rough company, was conspicuously rugged. His leathern costume betokened him a hunter, or trapper, and the sheepskin leggings, with the wool outside, showed that he was at least at that time a horseman. Unlike most of his comrades, he wore Indian moccasins, with spurs strapped to them. Also a cap of the broad-brimmed order. The point about him that was most striking at first sight was his immense breadth of shoulder and depth of chest, though in height he did not equal many of the men around him. As one became acquainted with the man, however, his massive proportions had not so powerful an effect on the mind of an observer as the quiet simplicity of his expression and manner. Good-nature seemed to lurk in the lines about his eyes and the corners of his mouth, which latter had the peculiarity of turning down instead of up when he smiled; yet withal there was a stern gravity about him that forbade familiarity.

The name of the man was Hunky Ben, and the strangest thing about him—that which puzzled these wild men most—was that he neither drank nor smoked nor gambled! He made no pretence of abstaining on principle. One of the younger men, who was blowing a stiff cloud, ventured to ask him whether he really thought these things wrong.

“Well, now,” he replied quietly, with a twinkle in his eye, “I’m no parson, boys, that I should set up to diskiver what’s right an’ what’s wrong. I’ve got my own notions on them points, you bet, but I’m not goin’ to preach ’em. As to smokin’, I won’t make a smoked herrin’ o’ my tongue to please anybody. Besides, I don’t want to smoke, an’ why should I do a thing I don’t want to just because other people does it? Why should I make a new want when I’ve got no end o’ wants a’ready that’s hard enough to purvide for? Drinkin’s all very well if a man wants Dutch courage, but I don’t want it—no, nor French courage, nor German, nor Chinee, havin’ got enough o’ the article home-growed to sarve my purpus. When that’s used up I may take to drinkin’—who knows? Same wi’ gamblin’. I’ve no desire to bust up any man, an’ I don’t want to be busted up myself, you bet. No doubt drinkin’, smokin’, an’ gamblin’ makes men jolly—them at least that’s tough an’ that wins!—but I’m jolly without ’em, boys,—jolly as a cottontail rabbit just come of age.”

“An’ ye look it, old man,” returned the young fellow, puffing cloudlets with the utmost vigour; “but come, Ben, won’t ye spin us a yarn about your frontier life?”

“Yes, do, Hunky,” cried another in an entreating voice, for it was well known all over that region that the bold hunter was a good story-teller, and as he had served a good deal on the frontier as guide to the United States troops, it was understood that he had much to tell of a thrilling and adventurous kind; but although the men about him ceased to talk and looked at him with expectancy, he shook his head, and would not consent to be drawn out.

“No, boys, it can’t be done to-day,” he said; “I’ve no time, for I’m bound for Quester Creek in hot haste, an’ am only waitin’ here for my pony to freshen up a bit. The Redskins are goin’ to give us trouble there by all accounts.”

“The red devils!” exclaimed one of the men, with a savage oath; “they’re always givin’ us trouble.”

“That,” returned Hunky Ben, in a soft voice, as he glanced mildly at the speaker,—“that is a sentiment I heer’d expressed almost exactly in the same words, though in Capatchee lingo, some time ago by a Redskin chief—only he said it was pale-faced devils who troubled him. I wonder which is worst. They can’t both be worst, you know!”

This remark was greeted with a laugh, and a noisy discussion thereupon began as to the comparative demerits of the two races, which was ere long checked by the sound of a galloping horse outside. Next moment the door opened, and a very tall man of commanding presence and bearing entered the room, took off his hat, and looked round with a slight bow to the company.

There was nothing commanding, however, in the quiet voice with which he asked the landlord if he and his horse could be put up there for the night.

The company knew at once, from the cut of the stranger’s tweed suit, as well as his tongue, that he was an Englishman, not much used to the ways of the country—though, from the revolver and knife in his belt, and the repeating rifle in his hand, he seemed to be ready to meet the country on its own terms by doing in Rome as Rome does.

On being told that he could have a space on the floor to lie on, which he might convert into a bed if he had a blanket with him, he seemed to make up his mind to remain, asked for food, and while it was preparing went out to attend to his horse. Then, returning, he went to a retired corner of the room, and flung himself down at full length on a vacant bench, as if he were pretty well exhausted with fatigue.

The simple fare of the hostelry was soon ready; and when the stranger was engaged in eating it, he asked a cow-boy beside him how far it was to Traitor’s Trap.

At the question there was a perceptible lull in the conversation, and the cow-boy, who was a very coarse forbidding specimen of his class, said that he guessed Traitor’s Trap was distant about twenty mile or so.

“Are you goin’ thar, stranger?” he asked, eyeing his questioner curiously.

“Yes, I’m going there,” answered the Englishman; “but from what I’ve heard of the road, at the place where I stayed last night, I don’t like to go on without a guide and daylight—though I would much prefer to push on to-night if it were possible.”

“Wall, stranger, whether possible or not,” returned the cow-boy, “it’s an ugly place to go past, for there’s a gang o’ cut-throats there that’s kep’ the country fizzin’ like ginger-beer for some time past. A man that’s got to go past Traitor’s Trap should go by like a greased thunderbolt, an’ he should never go alone.”

“Is it, then, such a dangerous place?” asked the Englishman, with a smile that seemed to say he thought his informant was exaggerating.

“Dangerous!” exclaimed the cow-boy. “Ay, an will be as long as Buck Tom an’ his boys are unhung. Why, stranger, I’d get my life insured, you bet, before I’d go thar again—except with a big crowd o’ men. It was along in June last year I went up that way; there was nobody to go with me, an’ I was forced to do it by myself—for I had to go—so I spunked up, saddled Bluefire, an’ sloped. I got on lovely till I came to a pass just on t’other side o’ Traitor’s Trap, when I began to cheer up, thinkin’ I’d got off square; but I hadn’t gone another hundred yards when up starts Buck Tom an’ his men with ‘hands up.’ I went head down flat on my saddle instead, I was so riled. Bang went a six-shooter, an’ the ball just combed my back hair. I suppose Buck was so took by surprise at a single man darin’ to disobey his orders that he missed. Anyhow I socked spurs into Bluefire, an’ made a break for the open country ahead. They made after me like locomotives wi’ the safety-valves blocked, but Bluefire was more’n a match for ’em. They kep’ blazin’ away all the time too, but never touched me, though I heard the balls whistlin’ past for a good while. Bluefire an’ me went, you bet, like a nor’-easter in a passion, an’ at last they gave it up. No, stranger, take my advice an’ don’t go past Traitor’s Trap alone. I wouldn’t go there at all if I could help it.”

“I don’t intend to go past it. I mean to go into it,” said the Englishman, with a short laugh, as he laid down his knife and fork, having finished his slight meal; “and, as I cannot get a guide, I shall be forced to go alone.”

“Stranger,” said the cow-boy in surprise, “d’ye want to meet wi’ Buck Tom?”

“Not particularly.”

“An’ are ye aware that Buck Tom is one o’ the most hardened, sanguinacious blackguards in all Colorado?”

“I did not know it before, but I suppose I may believe it now.”

As he spoke the Englishman rose and went out to fetch the blanket which was strapped to his saddle. In going out he brushed close past a man who chanced to enter at the same moment.

The newcomer was also a tall and strikingly handsome man, clothed in the picturesque garments of the cow-boy, and fully armed. He strode up to the counter, with an air of proud defiance, and demanded drink. It was supplied him. He tossed it off quickly, without deigning a glance at the assembled company. Then in a deep-toned voice he asked—

“Has the Rankin Creek Company sent that account and the money?”

Profound silence had fallen on the whole party in the room the moment this man entered. They evidently looked at him with profound interest if not respect.

“Yes, Buck Tom,” answered the landlord, in his grave off-hand manner; “They have sent it, and authorised me to pay you the balance.”

He turned over some papers for a few minutes, during which Buck Tom did not condescend to glance to one side or the other, but kept his eye fixed sternly on the landlord.

At that moment the Englishman re-entered, went to his corner, spread his blanket on the floor, lay down, put his wide-awake over his eyes, and resigned himself to repose, apparently unaware that anything special was going on, and obtusely blind to the quiet but eager signals wherewith the cow-boy was seeking to direct his attention to Buck Tom.

In a few minutes the landlord found the paper he wanted, and began to look over it.

“The company owes you,” he said, “three hundred dollars ten cents for the work done,” said the landlord slowly.

Buck nodded his head as if satisfied with this.

“Your account has run on a long while,” continued the landlord, “and they bid me explain that there is a debit of two hundred and ninety-nine dollars against you. Balance in your favour one dollar ten cents.”

A dark frown settled on Buck Tom’s countenance, as the landlord laid the balance due on the counter, and for a few moments he seemed in uncertainty as to what he should do, while the landlord stood conveniently near to a spot where one of his revolvers lay. Then Buck turned on his heel, and was striding towards the door, when the landlord called him back.

“Excuse my stopping you, Buck Tom,” he said, “but there’s a gentleman here who wants a guide to Traitor’s Trap. Mayhap you wouldn’t object to—”

“Where is he?” demanded Buck, wheeling round, with a look of slight surprise.

“There,” said the landlord, pointing to the dark corner where the big Englishman lay, apparently fast asleep, with his hat pulled well down over his eyes.

Buck Tom looked at the sleeping figure for a few moments.

“H’m! well, I might guide him,” he said, with something of a grim smile, “but I’m travelling too fast for comfort. He might hamper me. By the way,” he added, looking back as he laid his hand on the door, “you may tell the Rankin Creek Company, with my compliments, to buy a new lock to their office door, for I intend to call on them some day soon and balance up that little account on a new system of ’rithmetic! Tell them I give ’em leave to clap the one dollar ten cents to the credit of their charity account.”

Another moment and Buck Tom was gone. Before the company in the tavern had quite recovered the use of their tongues, the hoofs of his horse were heard rattling along the road which led in the direction of Traitor’s Trap.

“Was that really Buck Tom?” asked Hunky Ben, in some surprise.

“Ay—or his ghost,” answered the landlord.

“I can swear to him, for I saw him as clear as I see you the night he split after me,” said the cowboy, who had warned the Englishman.

“Why didn’t you put a bullet into him to-night, Crux?” asked a comrade.

“Just so—you had a rare chance,” remarked another of the cow-boys, with something of a sneer in his tone.

“Because I’m not yet tired o’ my life,” replied Crux, indignantly. “Back Tom has got eyes in the back o’ his head, I do believe, and shoots dead like a flash—”

“Not that time he missed you at Traitor’s Trap, I think,” said the other.

“Of course not—’cause we was both mounted that time, and scurryin’ over rough ground like wild-cats. The best o’ shots would miss thar an’ thus. Besides, Buck Tom took nothin’ from me, an’ ye wouldn’t have me shoot a man for missin’ me—surely. If you’re so fond o’ killin’, why didn’t you shoot him yourself?—you had a rare chance!”

Crux grinned—for his ugly mouth could not compass a smile—as he thought thus to turn the tables on his comrade.

“Well, he’s got clear off, anyhow, returned the comrade, an’ it’s a pity, for—”

He was interrupted by the Englishman raising himself and asking in a sleepy tone if there was likely to be moonlight soon.

The company seemed to think him moon-struck to ask such a question, but one of them replied that the moon was due in half an hour.

“You’ve lost a good chance, sir,” said Crux, who had a knack of making all his communications as disagreeably as possible, unless they chanced to be unavoidably agreeable, in which case he made the worst of them. “Buck Tom hisself has just bin here, an’ might have agreed to guide you to Traitor’s Trap if you’d made him a good offer.”

“Why did you not awake me?” asked the Englishman in a reproachful tone, as he sprang up, grasped his blanket hastily, threw down a piece of money on the counter, and asked if the road wasn’t straight and easy for a considerable distance.

“Straight as an arrow for ten mile,” said the landlord, as he laid down the change which the Englishman put into an apparently well-filled purse.

“I’ll guide you, stranger, for five dollars,” said Crux.

“I want no guide,” returned the other, somewhat brusquely, as he left the room.

A minute or two later he was heard to pass the door on horseback at a sharp trot.

“Poor lad, he’ll run straight into the wolf’s den; but why he wants to do it puzzles me,” remarked the landlord, as he carefully cleaned a tankard. “But he would take no warning.”

“The wolf doesn’t seem half as bad as he’s bin painted,” said Hunky Ben, rising and offering to pay his score.

“Hallo, Hunky—not goin’ to skip, are ye?” asked Crux.

“I told ye I was in a hurry. Only waitin’ to rest my pony. My road is the same as the stranger’s, at least part o’ the way. I’ll overhaul an’ warn him.”

A few minutes more and the broad-shouldered scout was also galloping along the road or track which led towards the Rocky mountains in the direction of Traitor’s Trap.

Chapter Thirteen.

Hunky Ben is Sorely Perplexed

It was one of Hunky Ben’s few weaknesses to take pride in being well mounted. When he left the tavern he bestrode one of his best steeds—a black charger of unusual size, which he had purchased while on a trading trip in Texas—and many a time had he ridden it while guiding the United States troops in their frequent expeditions against ill-disposed Indians. Taken both together it would have been hard to equal, and impossible to match, Hunky Ben and his coal-black mare.

From the way that Ben rode, on quitting the tavern, it might have been supposed that legions of wild Indians were at his heels. But after going about a few miles at racing speed he reined in, and finally pulled up at a spot where a very slight pathway diverged. Here he sat quite still for a few minutes in meditation. Then he muttered softly to himself—for Ben was often and for long periods alone in the woods and on the plains, and found it somewhat “sociable-like” to mutter his thoughts audibly:

“You’ve not cotched him up after all, Ben,” he said. “Black Polly a’most equals a streak o’ lightnin’, but the Britisher got too long a start o’ ye, an’ he’s clearly in a hurry. Now, if I follow on he’ll hear your foot-falls, Polly, an’ p’raps be scared into goin’ faster to his doom. Whereas, if I go off the track here an’ drive ahead so as to git to the Blue Fork before him, I’ll be able to stop the Buck’s little game, an’ save the poor fellow’s life. Buck is sure to stop him at the Blue Fork, for it’s a handy spot for a road-agent, (a highwayman) and there’s no other near.”

Hunky Ben was pre-eminently a man of action. As he uttered or thought the last word he gave a little chirp which sent Black Polly along the diverging track at a speed which almost justified the comparison of her to lightning.

The Blue Fork was a narrow pass or gorge in the hills, the footpath through which was rendered rugged and dangerous for cattle because of the rocks that had fallen during the course of ages from the cliffs on either side. Seen from a short distance off on the main track the mountains beyond had a brilliantly blue appearance, and a few hundred yards on the other side of the pass the track forked—hence the name. One fork led up to Traitor’s Trap, the other to the fort of Quester Creek, an out-post of United States troops for which Hunky Ben was bound with the warning that the Redskins were contemplating mischief. As Ben had conjectured, this was the spot selected by Buck Tom as the most suitable place for waylaying his intended victim. Doubtless he supposed that no Englishman would travel in such a country without a good deal of money about him, and he resolved to relieve him of it.

It was through a thick belt of wood that the scout had to gallop at first, and he soon outstripped the traveller who kept to the main and, at that part, more circuitous road, and who was besides obliged to advance cautiously in several places. On nearing his destination, however, Ben pulled up, dismounted, fastened his mare to a tree, and proceeded the rest of the way on foot at a run, carrying his repeating rifle with him. He had not gone far when he came upon a horse. It was fastened, like his own, to a tree in a hollow.

“Ho! ho!” thought Ben, “you prefer to do yer dirty work on foot, Mr Buck! Well, you’re not far wrong in such a place.”

Advancing now with great caution, the scout left the track and moved through the woods more like a visible ghost than a man, for he was well versed in all the arts and wiles of the Indian, and his moccasined feet made no sound whatever. Climbing up the pass at some height above the level of the road, so that he might be able to see all that took place below, he at last lay down at full length, and drew himself in snake fashion to the edge of the thicket that concealed him. Pushing aside the bushes gently he looked down, and there, to his satisfaction, beheld the man he was in search of, not thirty yards off.

Buck Tom was crouching behind a large mass of rock close to the track, and so lost in the dark shadow of it that no ordinary man could have seen him; but nothing could escape the keen and practised eye of Hunky Ben. He could not indeed make out the highwayman’s form, but he knew that he was there and that was enough. Laying his rifle on a rock before him in a handy position he silently watched the watcher.

During all this time the Englishman—whom the reader has doubtless recognised as Charlie Brooke—was pushing on as fast as he could in the hope of overtaking the man who could guide him to Traitor’s Trap.

At last he came to the Blue Forks, and rode into the pass with the confidence of one who suspects no evil. He drew rein, however, as he advanced, and picked his way carefully along the encumbered path.

He had barely reached the middle of it, where a clear space permitted the moonbeams to fall brightly on the ground, when a stern voice suddenly broke the stillness of the night with the words—

“Hands up!”

Charlie Brooke seemed either to be ignorant of the ways of the country and of the fact that disobedience to the command involved sudden death, or he had grown unaccountably reckless, for instead of raising his arms and submitting to be searched by the robber who covered him with a revolver, he merely reined up and took off his hat, allowing the moon to shine full on his countenance.