"You"re wasting your time here, Merry," declared Bruce. "Hodge has just told me of the men who wore the wolf masks. There must have been three of them. While you were having that set-to with two of them the third carried Inza off."
"But where is she?" asked Frank hoa.r.s.ely. "Where did he take her?"
"You won"t find her on sh.o.r.e. Look on the lake."
"The lake?"
"Yes."
"Why----"
Immediately Browning told how he had seen one of the men wearing a wolf mask in the canoe which so nearly collided with the one he occupied.
"There was something in the bottom of that canoe. I fancied a struggle was taking place. I thought it mighty singular."
"By Heaven!" cried Frank, "if a hair of Inza"s head is harmed the guilty wretch shall pay the penalty with his life!"
CHAPTER VI.
IN THE GRASP OF DEL NORTE.
There are two large, heavily wooded islands in Lake Placid. Into a little cove of the northern island Red Ben ran his canoe. His companion, still wearing the wolf mask, stepped out and lifted the helpless girl, bearing her along a path that led to a little opening where the moonlight fell brightly. He placed her on the ground and stood gazing down at her, his arms folded. He had removed the stifling blanket from her head and shoulders.
"By my soul she is beautiful!" he murmured, and the words were spoken in Spanish. His voice was soft and musical, quite unlike the growling hoa.r.s.eness of the wolf with whom Inza had conversed at the pavilion.
A silent shadow slipped into the opening and stood near. It was the Indian.
"Much dangerous business," he said. "You tell Ben you want to square old score with Merriwell man. Tell me be ready to take you quick away in canoe. No tell me you carry off gal."
"I did not know she would be there," explained the wolf. "When I found her there my plans I changed. It can make no difference with you. You have been paid, but I will pay you doubly if you stick by me to the end. You know every mile of these mountains and forests. You can help me get away, and by it you shall lose nothing."
The Indian shook his head.
"Much bad! much bad!" he declared. "What you do with gal?"
"I shall keep her."
"How you do it. Mebbe she no want to stay. She have many friend. They hunt you same like a real wolf."
"Then they shall find that the wolf has teeth. I expect her gringo lover will hunt. Ha! ha! ha! It is the joy of my soul to wring his heart and make it bleed! I hate him! Between him and me it is a struggle to the death, and in my body runs the blood of old Guerrero, who feared no peril and never paused to count the cost when he struck at a foe. Could I leave him dead, even as he thought me dead, my path would be clear.
The prize is worth the peril, for it is a double prize, the fairest senorita and a great fortune. Listen, Ben: if by me you stay fast and I slay my enemy, five hundred dollars shall be yours. Think of that. Five hundred is as much as you can obtain as guide in a season."
"But the white man"s law," said the Indian. "I know him. Once I steal a hoss. White man officer arrest me, take me to court, where white man judge say go to jail one year. I go. No want some more like that. Once I "most kill man down at Long Lake. White man officer hunt me long time.
I remember jail. No want some more. I hide. Send word no let um officer take me alive. Bimeby they no hunt me some more. "Nother time I git drunk, burn house. Have to hide again long, long while till snow come, an" n.o.body look for me some more. If I help you do some bad things now, mebbe git officer after me "gain."
"You will not be to blame for anything I do, and the money will pay you so you can afford to hide until the trouble is past. My friends will join us here, as we planned. After that we can get away into the woods.
With you to guide, we can baffle all pursuit. But I pray the senorita"s gringo lover seeks to follow, so that we may meet. I"ll leave him for the wild beasts, with my knife in his heart!"
"But gal she hate you then."
"I"ll teach her to love me. I have sworn she shall be mine, and the oath of a Del Norte is never broken. Leave everything to me. Go back and watch for our friends. They will come as soon as they can get away and reach us without being seen."
Silently the redskin turned away and disappeared into the path.
Then the wolf once more turned to the girl. He was somewhat startled to discover her eyes were wide open and fastened upon him. Quickly he bent over her, speaking softly and with an effort to rea.s.sure her.
"Fear not, senorita; you are not injured, and in my hands you are safe, for I will guard you with my life. A thousand pardons I ask if I have caused your heart to beat with alarm."
With an effort she rose on one hand, holding up the other as if to ward him off.
"Don"t touch me, you monster!" she gasped. "I shall scream!"
"Spare yourself the effort, fair one," he said, "for though you were to shriek with all your strength no one could hear you. You were unconscious, and while thus I brought you here.""
"Where am I?"
"Many miles from the spot where I found you, senorita."
"That voice!" she whispered, shrinking in terror. "It cannot be that you are---- I am dreaming!"
"It is no dream, sweet one. Could you see into my heart you would fear me no longer. Trust me and all will be well."
"Trust you! Trust a monster who has done what you have done! I fear you as I would fear a venomous reptile!"
"Ah! how little you understand, senorita!"
He knelt on one knee before her, holding out his open hands.
"If you would only believe in me and trust me, my beautiful gringo flower! You will learn in time to do so, for I shall teach you. Some day you shall bless your guardian angel that to-night I found you and s.n.a.t.c.hed you from your boastful lover."
To his surprise, she leaned toward him, as if to permit him to clasp her in his arms. A moment later, with a swift movement, she caught at the wolf mask and tore it from his head.
"Porfias del Norte!" she cried, falling back and staring at him as he knelt with the moonlight shining on his face and his bandaged head.
He smiled in that remarkable manner that ever made his face seem handsome to a wonderful degree.
"Yes, senorita," he murmured, with that strange sweetness in his voice, "I am Porfias del Norte."
"Not dead!"
"Far from it, fair one."
"But Frank said----"