"Leave him to me," he whispered, in a tone audible only to the farmer.
"Thee has asked the wrong party," he said aloud. "We don"t carry watches."
The pedestrian regarded him with contempt. Whoever he might be, he looked upon a Quaker as a mild, inoffensive person, hardly deserving the name of man.
"I didn"t speak to you," he said scornfully.
CHAPTER X.
THE ASTONISHED OUTLAW.
The pedestrian"s next move was a bold one.
"I am tired," he said. "Give me a ride."
"Will thee excuse us?" said the Quaker meekly.
"Oh, shut up!" cried the a.s.sumed pedestrian. "Quakers should be seen and not heard."
Then, to the farmer, "I am tired. Let me into your carriage."
"There is no room," said the farmer nervously.
"Then tell the Quaker to get out, and I will take his place."
Ezekiel Mason was by no means a brave man, and he did not know what to say to this impudent proposal.
He looked appealingly at Luke.
"I will accommodate the gentleman," said the latter meekly. With the words he rose from his seat and jumped to the ground.
"Shall I a.s.sist thee?" he asked the stranger in a mild voice.
"No; I am quite capable of getting into the carriage without help from a meddlesome Quaker."
"Indeed, thee does me injustice."
The stranger did not immediately get into the buggy.
"I don"t care to ride, after all," he said coolly. "Just hand me your money, you old clodhopper."
The worst had come. The new arrival was evidently one of the Fox brothers, after all.
"Indeed, I have no money," said the terrified farmer.
This was true, for he had put the wallet, containing the five hundred dollars, into the hands of Luke.
"You lie! You have just come from the Emmonsville bank, where you drew a large amount."
At this proof of knowledge on the part of the outlaw the farmer was almost paralyzed.
It appeared to him that the robber must be supernaturally gifted.
"I haven"t got it now," he said.
"You lie!" cried the outlaw sternly. "Come down here and give up the money, or I"ll shoot you."
"You can search me," said Mason desperately.
"Come down, then."
"Thee is very unkind," observed Luke.
"Shut up, you meddlesome Quaker! It none of your business."
"Thee had better come down and let the man search thee," said Luke to the farmer.
Ezekiel Mason had been waiting for a hint from Luke, in whom he recognized a master spirit. His only hope was in his companion.
"Art thee Mr. Fox?" asked Luke in a tone of mild inquiry.
"I"ll let you know who I am," was the swaggering reply.
Though he was but one man opposed to two, he had no fears. The farmer was evidently cowed and terrified, while the Quaker seemed, though large, to be peaceable and harmless.
But in his judgment of Luke the outlaw was very much at fault. When threatening the farmer he had covered him with his revolver, but as he was preparing to leave the buggy he carelessly lowered it. Luke, who was aching to attack him, noticed this.
While Fox, for it was one of the notorious brothers, was standing in careless security the Quaker sprang upon him like a panther upon his prey. He knocked the revolver from his hand with one powerful blow, felled him to the ground, and placed his foot upon his prostrate form.
Never, perhaps, in a career crowded with exciting adventures had the outlaw been so thoroughly surprised.
"What the mischief does this mean?" he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed, struggling to rise.
"It means that thee has mistaken thy man," answered Luke coolly.
"Let me go or I"ll kill you!" shrieked the outlaw fiercely.
"If you try to get up I"ll put a bullet through your head," replied Luke, pointing at him with his own revolver.
In his excitement he had dropped his Quaker speech, and this the outlaw noted.
"Are you a Quaker? he asked abruptly.
"No more than you are," answered Luke. "Farmer, bring out the rope."