"I"ll dew it."
"Now in the name of wonder, what does all this mean?" exclaimed the Doctor, as daddy slammed the door behind him.
Edward handed him Little Wolf"s letter, which merely stated that b.l.o.o.d.y Jim was at Chimney Rock, and she was momentarily expecting violence at his hands.
No time was lost in vain conjectures; a constable was engaged, and the friends had already buckled on their armor, which consisted of pistols and bowie knives, when daddy returned with their horses. They were fleet-footed animals, and he was himself well mounted.
Not long were the hors.e.m.e.n in reaching the well-known "Pa.s.s," and as they emerged from the trees, and approached the house, no indication of the threatened hostilities appeared. But still they dashed along over the fallen leaves and faded turf, and drew up in front of Dr. De Wolf"s.
All was quiet about the old brown house. They dismounted and approached the door, daddy leading the way, with the air of a conqueror. He saw in imagination his young mistress triumphing over the discomfited Hank Glutter, and he greatly gloried in the antic.i.p.ated conquest.
His companions were secretly uneasy at the unusual stillness which reigned around, and when he attempted to open the front door, and it resisted his efforts, Edward anxiously stepped forward and knocked loudly and hurriedly.
"Never mind," said the old man complacently, "I guess them women folks have gone out. I"ll just step around the back way, and let you in."
The gentlemen followed him without ceremony into the kitchen, and the first object that met their horrified sight, was mammy, stretched lifeless on the floor.
It would be impossible to describe the grief and terror which took possession of daddy, or the agony of doubt which sent Edward like a madman through the house. As he flung open the door of a s.p.a.cious sleeping apartment on the second floor, clouds of smoke and flame drove him back. A pile of light bedding and other inflammable articles had been set on fire near the centre of the room, but the fire had not, as yet, communicated itself to the building, and Edward, finding water near by, soon succeeded in extinguishing the flames.
While he was thus engaged, Sorrel Top emerged from an adjoining chamber, trembling so as to be scarcely able to stand.
"Where is Miss De Wolf?" exclaimed Edward.
"O, they"ve carried her off; oh! oh! oh!"--and a long shudder shook her frame.
"Sorrel Top," said Edward, a.s.suming calmness in order to allay her fears, "there is no immediate danger, and I want you to tell me as distinctly as you can, all that has occurred."
"O, Mr. Sherman, b.l.o.o.d.y Jim has been here. I expect it was he, and we were watching for him, too, but we didn"t any of us see him come. I was watching on the east side of the house, and mammy was watching in the kitchen, and I could see Miss De Wolf through the long hall, standing right by that window there, looking out, and b.l.o.o.d.y Jim came up behind her sly, and catched her before she saw him at all. She screeched out, and tried to get away, but he held her tight, and hollered, "come on, boys." and two men run right in, and they tied her hands, and stopped her mouth, and just strapped a big blanket around her, and carried her off, and I ran and hid, for I thought they"d kill me if they saw me."
"How long since they were here?" said Edward, eagerly.
"O, it"s only a little while, and may be you can ketch "em," said Sorrel Top, brightening up a little.
Sorrel Top"s reply infused a bright ray of hope into Edward"s highly wrought feelings, and, accompanied by his friends, he immediately started in pursuit.
Just outside the house they met Mrs. Hawley, who informed them, that sometime before she had seen three men going towards the brewery. To the brewery they quickly went. The wily proprietor denied having seen the fugitives, and feigned excessive emotion when informed of their inhuman deeds.
"In what direction would you advise us to search, Mr. Glutter?" said Edward.
"O, you had better strike off among the bluffs. They could hardly take the river by daylight without being discovered. Probably they will reach some point above here after dark, and cross to the other side under cover of night. I will dispatch a messenger to Pendleton for aid. My men, unfortunately, are gone after grain, and I am uncertain when they will return. Dr. DeWolf, I am sorry to say, is perfectly helpless to-day. While I was out a few minutes he helped himself too freely."
Hank Glutter faithfully performed his promises. The same evening officers of justice were sent out from Pendleton, and a party of young men volunteered their services, and like Edward and the Doctor, travelled many miles. But all in vain, b.l.o.o.d.y Jim had escaped with his prize.
CHAPTER IX.
b.l.o.o.d.y JIM"S ADVANTAGES--THE FAINTING CAPTIVE--THE TRAGIC QUARREL--OUTWITTED AT LAST--THE REFUGE.
His intimate acquaintance with the wild region of country, over which he directed his course, gave b.l.o.o.d.y Jim an immense advantage over his pursuers.
While they were floundering in treacherous sloughs, or climbing unknown heights, he was riding safely and swiftly along in company with his prisoner and the two villians, whom Sorrel Top described as having a.s.sisted in kidnapping her mistress.
Little Wolf was so narrowly watched by the trio that escape seemed impossible. As each hour bore her farther from civilization, and nearer to the Red River country, her heart sank within her.
She was compelled to pursue her journey a large portion of each night, and when her captors stopped for rest and refreshment, she was either lashed to a tree, or bound, so as to be unable to rest with the slightest ease or comfort.
Under such rigorous treatment her strength rapidly declined, and, at the close of the third day, entirely failed. They had reached the foot of a beautiful wooded bluff at a bend in the Mississippi, where the town of St. Cloud has since been located. Here they were suddenly brought to a stand; the poor jaded captive had fainted.
b.l.o.o.d.y Jim saw her reeling in her saddle and instantly threw his brawny arm around her frail form. Dismounting, and laying his unconscious burden on a bed of dry leaves, which the wind had gathered under a huge oak, he produced from his knapsack a bottle of brandy, and proceeded to wet her face, and force a few drops into her mouth.
At the sight of the long-concealed bottle, his men chuckled with delight, and as soon as Little Wolf exhibited signs of returning life, they requested a "treat."
b.l.o.o.d.y Jim, now deeming himself beyond pursuit for one night at least, acceded to their wishes, and also himself indulged in his favorite beverage.
Little Wolf gathered from their conversation and movements that they designed to camp for the night at their present station, and their occasional rude allusions to herself filled her with terror. She struggled to throw off the oppressive faintness which she felt a second time stealing upon her, but, when she saw b.l.o.o.d.y Jim approaching her, the horrors of her situation completely overcame her, and she again swooned.
"Ugh!" grunted the disappointed savage, giving her inanimate form a rude kick.
"She wake before morning," suggested one of his comrades encouragingly, as he pa.s.sed him the precious bottle.
b.l.o.o.d.y Jim took it, put it to his lips, drained it dry, and handed it back.
This was too much for his already half drunk consoler; he angrily flung the empty bottle into b.l.o.o.d.y Jim"s face, and in retaliation received in a twinkling his death stab.
Half breed No. 3 observed the transaction with evident satisfaction.
He applauded the murderer and cajoled him into furnishing from, the bowels of his knapsack a fresh supply of the poisonous liquor.
After gratifying their rum appet.i.te to the full, the athletic men gradually became as helpless as infants, and, sinking on the ground as the darkness gathered around them, they fell into heavy sleep.
In about an hour Little Wolf partially recovered, but, supposing herself to be closely guarded, and still suffering from extreme la.s.situde, she closed her eyes, and gradually fell into profound slumber.
The hours glided on. The waning moon looked sadly in through the branches of the old oaks upon the sleepers. There lay the murdered man with his upturned, ghastly face; scattered near him were the fragments of the broken bottle. Yet a little further on were the prostrate forms of his guilty fellows, and still beyond reclined the innocent one.
There was a rustling among the leaves and light footsteps drew near, and Antoinette Le Clare gazed upon the scene. She was still habited in her Indian costume. Softly approaching Little Wolf she as softly awoke her.
Little Wolf looked up wildly into the dark face that bent over her and recognized it in a moment. Antoinette silently a.s.sisted her to rise, undid her fetters, and taking her hand, noiselessly led her from the spot.
The staggering gait of her companion disclosed to Antoinette her extreme weakness hoping to revive her drooping energies she whispered "Courage a little longer, Miss de Wolf, and you are safe."
"I"ve courage enough to put an end to them," said Little Wolf, with a momentary flash of her wonted spirit, "but I"m so dizzy."
"Well, rest here while I bring my pony."
"No, I"ll go with you," and by an act of the will Little Wolf forced herself along until they reached the s.h.a.ggy little Indian pony on the glade.