CHAPTER XV.
AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.
"Yes, it's settled, Powell; and as soon as we are done here with theboomers, I'll get to work and find out what the claim is worth."
"How about being shadowed in the affair?"
"I'm not afraid--I'm laying my plans too well," answered Louis Vorlange."I would go ahead at once, but to throw up my position under thegovernment just now might excite suspicions."
"Have you the papers with you?"
"No; I left them at the cavalry camp. They are too valuable to carry inone's coat pocket."
"Supposing the camp moves?"
"I have my belongings secreted in a nearby cave where they are as safeas in a deposit vault of a bank."
"Well, Vorlange, what am I to do now I am out here?"
"Remain in Arkansas City for the present and take it easy."
"You promised me a hundred dollars on my arrival."
"And there it is."
There was the rustle of bank notes.
"New money, eh?" was Dike Powell's comment. "Been printing some outhere?"
"Not much. I know better than to go into the counterfeiting business."
Dick clutched Rasco's arm. The youth's face was full of concern.
"My father's money was in new bills," he whispered into his companion'sear. Rasco nodded, but quickly motioned for silence.
"I reckon this is drinks on me," said Powell, arising. "Come down to thebar before you go back to the cavalry camp."
"I'm in a hurry, Powell, but I'll take one glass," concluded LouisVorlange, and the two men hurried from the reading-room.
"He is the man--I feel certain of it!" burst from Dick's lips, when hefelt safe to speak. "Rasco, there is some mystery here. My father----"He stopped short and bit his lip.
"I know wot's in yer mind, Dick. I've heard yer father go on in hissleep, and war talkin' ter Pawnee Brown about it. An' Pawnee knows thisair Vorlange. The two air enemies from school days. Pawnee saidVorlange wasn't squar nohow!"
"He is evidently in the employ of the government."
"Yes; a land-office spy, now workin' ag'in the boomers fer the cavalryas intends ter keep us out of Oklahoma."
"It will be hard to bring such a man to justice, without some directevidence against him, Rasco."
"Don't yer try ter do it--yet, lad. Take my advice an' watch him. An'afore yer come down on him yer hed better question yer father aboutVorlange."
At this Dick winced.
"Rasco, my father's manner is against him--I know that. But I'm certainhe never committed a crime in his life."
"I believes yer, Dick. Yer father's a gentleman, every inch o' him; Iseed thet the fust I clapped eyes on him. But knowin' the truth is onething an' provin' it is another, especially in the wild west. This airVorlange may hev yer father in a mighty tight hole, and if you show himup as the thief who stole the deeds an' the money, he may turn on yerdad and squeeze him mightily, see?"
"I see. But what shall I do just now?"
"Follow Vorlange and spy on to him all yer can. It ain't no ust terhurry matters, with your father flat on his back. Powell will remainhere and Vorlange will be with the cavalry, so yer will know whar terclap eyes on ter both of 'em if it's necessary."
A moment's reflection convinced Dick that this was sound advice, and hesaid he would follow it, mentally resolved not to accuse Vorlange ofanything until he had gotten his parent to confess to the true state ofaffairs.
By this time the boy and the man of the plains had left the veranda andwalked around to where Rasco had left his horse. A moment later they sawLouis Vorlange hurry from the barroom of the hotel, leap upon his ownanimal, and strike out of town in a westerly direction.
"If I had a horse I'd follow him," began Dick, when Rasco motioned theyouth to hop up behind. Soon they were riding after Vorlange, but notclose enough to allow the spy to imagine that he was being followed.
"If you go after him you'll get no chance to hunt up your niece," beganDick, when the city was left behind.
"That's true, lad." Jack Rasco's face grew troubled. "I don't knowwot's best ter do. It ain't fair ter let yer follow Vorlange alone; an'with only one hoss----hullo, wot does this mean? Carl Humpendinck, an'wavin' his hand to us like he war crazy."
Rasco had discovered the German boomer sweeping up a side trail.Humpendinck had made out Rasco but a second before and now shouted forthe man of the plains to halt.
"What is it, Dutchy?" called out Rasco, when they were within speakingdistance.
"Vot ist it? Donner und blitzen, Rasco, it vos der vorst news vot eferyou heard!" burst from Carl Humpendinck's lips. "I chust here him apoutquarter of an hour ago, und I ride der horse's legs off ter told yer."
"But what is it--out with it?"
"It's apout dot girl you vos lookin' for. Rosy Delaney, dot Irish vomansvot haf such a long tongue got, she tole me der sthory. Gott im himmel!it vos dreadful!"
"But tell me what it is, Dutchy!" exploded Rasco. "Wot is dreadful?"
"Der sthory she tole--I can's most believe him."
"See here, out with the whole thing, or I'll swat yer one on thecocoanut, Humpendinck!" roared Rasco. "Yer as long-winded ez a mulethet's gone blind."
"Gracious, Rasco, you vouldn't hit me, afther I ride me dree miles undmore ter tole you?" wailed the German, reproachfully. "I dink me you vosmine pest friend, next to Pawnee Prown, ain't it?"
"There'll be a dead Dutchman here in another minute if yer don't open upclear down ter the bottom!" howled Rasco, who had never before sufferedsuch exasperation.
"Tell us the exact trouble," put in Dick, calmly. He saw that excitingHumpendinck still more would do no good.
"Der Indian haf carried dot girl avay!" exploded Humpendinck.
"Carried the girl away!" ejaculated Dick.
"My Nellie?" yelled Rasco.
"Dot's it, Rasco. Ain't it awful! Dot Irish vomans seen dot Indian mitdot girl in his arms, flying der trail ofer like a biece of baber peforea cyclone alretty!"
"Humpendinck, are you telling the truth?"
"I vos tole you vot dot Irish vomans tole me. Mike Delaney und dreeudder mans vos lookin' for you."
On the instant Louis Vorlange was forgotten, not only by Rasco, utalso by Dick. It made both shudder to think that Nellie had been carriedoff by a redskin. They turned into the trail from which Humpendinck hademerged, and were soon on their way to the camp.
Here Rosy Delaney was found very much disturbed. She came up to Rascowringing her hands.
"To think o' the red rascal a-takin' thet young leddy off!" she cried."I know her by thet photygraph! Och, the villain! An' it moight havebeen Rosy Delaney, bad cess to him!"
"Show me the exact trail he followed," said Rasco, and this the Irishwoman did willingly. Soon Rasco was tearing over the prairie, followedby Humpendinck, Delaney, Clemmer and by Dick, who borrowed a horse fromanother boomer.
The trail left by Yellow Elk was easily followed to the vicinity ofHonnewell, but here it led away to the southwest and was swallowed upamong the bushes and rocks leading down into the ravine previouslymentioned.
"Oi reckon thot's the trail," said Delaney, after an examination.
"And I vos dink dot ist der trail," put in Humpendinck.
"An' I calkerlate this is the trail," added Cal Clemmer.
Each pointed in a different direction, while Rasco and Dick were of theopinion that none of them were right and that the trail led up theravine, just as it really did.
An interruption now occurred. There was a stir in the bushes above theirheads, and an elderly scout peered down upon them, rifle in hand.
"Hullo, Jack Rasco, wot's the best word? Whar is Pawnee Brown?"
"Dan Gilbert!" cried Rasco. "Come down, Pawnee ought to be somewhereabout here."
In a moment more Dan Gilbert, a heavy-set, pleasant-lookingfrontiersman, stood among them. A hasty consultation immediatelyfollowed. Dan Gilbert was on his way back to where he had left the blazeon the tree, and it wa
s decided that Rasco and Dick should accompanyhim, while Clemmer, Delaney and Humpendinck went to reconnoitre in theopposite direction. A double pistol shot from either party was to bringthe other to its aid.
In less than five minutes the first party was on its way to the blazedtree. Dan Gilbert feeling certain that if Pawnee Brown had passed thatway he must have seen the sign and left word of his own.
"If Pawnee was down here you can bet he spotted that Injun if he camewithin a hundred yards of him," said Gilbert. "He can smell a red likea cat can smell a rat."
The tree reached, the frontiersman threw back the flat rock and broughtforth the message left by the great scout. He read it aloud.
"Following Yellow Elk!" cried Jack Rasco. "I know the rascal! And it washe as stole my gal! Jess wait till I git my hand on his windpipe, thet'sall! Whar's thet cave, Gilbert?"
"I don't know, but it must be somewhere up the ravine. Come on."
And away went the trio, on the hunt for Yellow Elk, Pawnee Brown andpoor Nellie Winthrop.