CHAPTER XIX.
NELLIE MEETS VORLANGE.
What had that awful cry heard by Dick meant?
To learn the particulars, we must go back to the time when NellieWinthrop started to escape from the cave in the cliff.
The heart of the poor girl almost stopped beating as she saw PawneeBrown face about, ready to defend both her and himself from any enemywho might appear to help Yellow Elk.
Urged by the great scout, she set off on a hasty run for the mouth ofthe cave.
Before the entrance was gained she heard the crack of a pistol, butwhether fired by the boomer or an Indian she could not tell.
"Heaven spare that brave man!" was the prayer which came to her almostbloodless lips.
She looked around in vain for the horse spoken of by Pawnee Brown. Notan animal was in sight. Then she remembered what the scout had saidabout riding down the ravine, and she set off on foot.
Not far from the mouth of the cave the ravine forked into two branches,the smaller fork ending at the distance of quarter of a mile in a cul desac, or blind pocket. Not knowing she was making any mistake, sheentered this fork and kept on running, expecting each instant to findPawnee Brown coming up behind her.
"Oh, dear, I can't be right!"
Such was the cry which escaped her when she came to a halt, realizingshe could go no further in that direction. On both sides and in frontarose a series of rocks, more or less steep, and covered only with scrubbrush, impossible to ascend.
She looked behind. No one was coming. All about her was as silent as atomb.
"Perhaps I had better go back," she mused, but the thought ofencountering an Indian made her shiver. In her life in the open she hadhad many an encounter with a wild animal, but redskins were as yetalmost new to her, and her experience with the hideous Yellow Elk hadbeen one she did not care to repeat.
She had just turned to move back to the ravine proper, when a soundamong the rocks caused her to pause. She looked intently in thedirection, but could see nothing out of the ordinary.
"Hullo, there, miss; what are you doing away out here?"
The cry came from the rocks on her right. Turning swiftly, she saw anevil-looking man scowling down upon her from a small opening under oneof the rocky walls of the _cul de sac_. The man was Louis Vorlange.
Nellie did not know the fellow; indeed she had never heard of him. Butthere was that in the spy's manner which was not at all reassuring as heleaped down to where she stood.
"I say, how did you come here?" went on Vorlange.
"I--I just escaped from an Indian who carried me off from ArkansasCity," answered Nellie.
"An Indian! Who was it, do you know?"
"A fellow named Yellow Elk."
Vorlange uttered a low whistle.
"Where is he now?" he questioned.
"I left him back in yonder hills, in a cave."
Again the spy uttered a whistle, but whether of surprise or dismayNellie could not tell.
"Were you alone with Yellow Elk?"
"I was for a time. But a white man came to my aid and the two had afight."
"Who was the white man?"
Before she gave the matter a second thought, Nellie answered:
"Mr. Pawnee Brown."
"Ha!" Vorlange's eyes gleamed, and the girl felt certain she had made amistake.
"Where is Pawnee Brown now?"
"I left him in the cave with the Indian. I expected him to follow me."
"I see. And what may your name be?"
The man's words were fair enough, but Nellie did not like his manner atall, so she turned upon him coldly.
"And what is your name, and who are you?"
"I am not here to answer questions, miss. I am a government official,let that be enough for you to know."
As he spoke Louis Vorlange caught Nellie by the arm.
"Let go of me," cried the frightened girl, and attempted to pull away,but Vorlange held her tight.
"You come along with me. No one, and especially Pawnee Brown, has anyright in this territory just now, and it is my business to see that allsuch people are kept out. I presume you belong to that crowd of boomers,since you say you were carried off from Arkansas City?"
"I shall answer no more of your questions, sir. Let me go!"
"You'll come along with me," muttered Vorlange. "I take it you knowwhat the boomers intend to do, and, if that is so, your information isjust what the government wants."
So speaking he attempted to drag Nellie up the rocks to the openingbefore mentioned. The girl resisted with all of her strength, andVorlange received a box on the left ear which made that member of hisbody hum for a long time after.
"You little wretch!" he cried, as he caught her up in his arms. "I willget square with you for that."
"You are no gentleman! Let me go!" replied Nellie. Then she attempted toscream, but he promptly clapped his hand over her mouth.
In another moment, despite her utmost struggles, he was carrying her upto the opening. This spot once reached, he took her inside and over to awell-like hole upon one side.
"Do you see that hole?" he said sternly. "I am going to put you in thatfor the present, for safe keeping. I call it my prison cell, and no cellcould be better. It is not a cheerful place, but you will be as safethere as in the best prison in Chicago or San Francisco. I'll be backfor you soon, and in the meantime you had better make no attempt toescape, for at the mouth of this opening is set a gun, with a wireattachment, which may blow you up."
This latter statement was a false one, but Vorlange rightfullycalculated that it would have its due effect upon the frightened girl.
Having thus intimidated Nellie, Vorlange lowered her into the opening inthe rocks, which was about six feet in diameter and at least ten feetdeep. This done, he lit a lantern and hung it so that its rays mightshine down upon his captive.
"You won't feel so lonesome with the light," he said. "Now keep quietuntil I return. If you behave yourself you have nothing to fear. I am agovernment officer and I am holding you as a prisoner only until I canturn you over to the proper authorities."
"It is a--a queer proceeding," faltered Nellie. She could hardly bringherself to believe the man.
"Out here we can't do things exactly as they are done in the bigcities," grinned Vorlange. "We are out here after the boomers just now,and your being here with Pawnee Brown will rather go against you. Butkeep quiet now until I return."
Thus speaking, the spy quirted the opening, leaving Nellie alone. Withhasty steps Vorlange made his way along the fork of the ravine until theopening proper was reached. Here he settled himself in a tree to watchfor Pawnee Brown's possible coming. But, as we know, the scout did notmove in that direction.
For over two hours Nellie was left alone, a prey to the keenest mentaltorture it is possible to imagine. As the day was drawing to a closeVorlange appeared, a peculiar smile upon his face.
He had met the cavalrymen, and Jack Rasco had been captured aspreviously described.
"Well, we are going to move now," he said to Nellie, and threw down arope that he might haul her up out of the hole.
"Where to?"
"You'll learn that later."
As she did not wish to remain in that damp spot longer, she caught therope and was drawn up. Then Vorlange took her outside and sat her downbefore him on his horse, first, however, tying her hands.
It was during the ride that followed that Dick heard her cry for helpand started to her rescue, only to miss her and get lost in the brush.
A ride of half an hour brought the pair to the edge of a heavy timber.Through this they picked their way, until a small clearing was gained,where was located a low log cabin, containing two rooms. The log cabinwas not inhabited, and Vorlange pushed open the door without ceremony.
"You'll stay here over night," he said, as he ushered Nellie into thesmaller room. "You can see this has been used for a prison before, asall of the windows are nailed up. I don't believe you'll try to escapeanyway, for
, let me warn you, it won't pay. Make yourself as comfortableas you can, and in the morning we'll come to an understanding. We've gotanother prisoner besides yourself, and between the two of you I reckonwe'll find out before long just what the boomers are up to."
And with a dark look upon his face, Louis Vorlange stalked out of theapartment, locking the door after him, and thus leaving Nellie to herfate.