There was a sound of footsteps on the floor, a creaking of hinges
and the stealthy closing of a door. Then there was absolute quiet.
Bonner was wise as well as brave. He saw that to rush down upon the
house now might prove his own as well as her undoing. In the darkness,
the bandits would have every advantage. For a moment he glared at the
black shadow ahead, his brain working like lightning.
"That poor girl!" he muttered vaguely. "Damn beasts! But I'll fix 'em,
by heaven! It won't be long, my boys."
His pondering brought quick results. Crawling to Bud's cot, he aroused
him from a deep sleep. Inside of two minutes the lad was streaking off
through the woods toward town, with instructions to bring Anderson Crow
and a large force of men to the spot as quickly as possible.
"I'll stand guard," said Wicker Bonner.
As the minutes went by Bonner's thoughts dwelt more and more intently
upon the poor, imprisoned girl in the cabin. His blood charged his
reason and he could scarce control the impulse to dash in upon the
wretches. Then he brought himself up with a jerk. Where was he to find
them? Had he not searched the house that morning and was there a sign of
life to be found? He was stunned by this memory. For many minutes he
stood with his perplexed eyes upon the house before a solution came to
him.
He now knew that there was a secret apartment in the old house and a
secret means of entrance and exit.
Pages:
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184