"Yes, sir. 'Don't let 'em git away er they'll rouse the town.' 'What'll
we do with 'em?' asked the feller who held both of us. 'Kill 'em?' Gosh,
I was skeered. Neither one of us could yell, 'cause he had us by the
neck, an' he was powerful strong. 'Chuck 'em in here an' I'll tend to
'em,' said the driver. Next thing we knowed we was in the front of the
sleigh, an' the whole outfit was off like a runaway. They said they'd
kill us if we made a noise, an' we didn't. I wish I'd'a' had my rifle,
doggone it! I'd'a' showed 'em."
"They drove like thunder out to'rds Boggs City fer about two mile," said
Bud, who had been silent as long as human nature would permit. "'Nen
they stopped an' throwed us out in the road. 'Go home, you devils, an'
don't you tell anybody about us er I'll come back here some day an' give
you a kick in the slats.'
"Slats?" murmured Anderson.
"That's short fer ribs," explained Bud loftily.
"Well, why couldn't he have said short ribs an' been done with it?"
complained Anderson.
"Then they whipped up an' turned off west in the pike," resumed Bud. "We
run all the way home an' tole Mr. Lamson, an' he--"
"Where was Rosalie all this time?" asked Anderson.
"Layin' in the back seat covered with a blanket, jest the same as if she
was dead. I heerd 'em say somethin' about chloroformin' her. What does
chloroform smell like, Mr.
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