CHAPTER XLIII.
SAVED!
"Death!"
From beneath the black hoods sounded the terrible word, as the manbeheld the black card which was exposed to view.
The boys were doomed!
Frank's heart dropped like a stone into the depths of his bosom, but nosound came from his lips.
Barney Mulloy showed an equal amount of nerve. Indeed, the Irish ladlaughed recklessly as he cried:
"It's nivver a show we had at all, at all, Frankie. Th' snakes had itfixed fer us all th' toime."
"Hold on thar!"
The words came from Muriel, and the boy chief of the moonshiners made aspring and a grab, snatching the card from Miller's hand.
"Look hyar!" he cried. "This won't do! Let's give ther critters a fairshow."
"Do you mean ter say they didn't have a fair show?" demanded WadeMiller, fiercely. "Do you say that I cheated?"
"Not knowin' it," answered Muriel. "But ther draw warn't fair, jes' thersame."
"Warn't fair!" snarled Miller, furiously. "Why not?"
"Because two cards war drawed!" rang out the voice of the masked youth."Look--hyar they be! One is ther ace o' spades, an' ther other is thernine o' hearts."
Exclamations of astonishment came from all sides, and a ray of hope shotinto Frank Merriwell's heart.
"Did I draw two cards?" muttered Miller, as if surprised. "Wal, what o'that? Ther black card war ther one exposed, an' that settles what'll bedone with ther spies."
"It don't settle it!" declared Muriel, promptly. "Them boys is goin' terhave a squar' show."
It was with the greatest difficulty that Miller held himself in check.His hands were clinched, and Frank fancied that he longed to spring uponMuriel.
The boy chief was very cool as he took the pack of cards from the handof the man who had held them.
"Release one of the prisoners," was his command. "The cards shall beshuffled again."
Once more Frank's hands were freed, and again the cards were given himto shuffle. He mixed them deftly, without saying a word, and gave themback to Muriel. Then his hands were tied, and he awaited the seconddrawing.
"Be careful an' not get two cards this time," warned Muriel as he facedMiller. "This draw settles ther business fer them-uns."
The cards were given to the man who was to hold them, and Miller steppedforward to draw.
Again the suspense became great, again the men leaned forward to see thecard that should be pulled from the pack; again the hearts of thecaptives stood still.
Miller hesitated. He seemed to feel that the tide had turned againsthim. For a moment he was tempted to refuse to draw, and then, with amuttered exclamation, he pulled a card from the pack and held it up toview. Then, with a bitter cry of baffled rage, he flung it madly to thefloor.
It was the queen of hearts!
Each man in the room seemed to draw a deep breath. It was plain thatsome were disappointed, and some were well satisfied.
"That settles it!" said Muriel, calmly. "They-uns won't be put out o'ther way ter-night."
"Settles it!" snarled Miller, furious with disappointment. "It warsettled afore! I claim that ther first draw counts."
"An' I claim that it don't," returned the youthful moonshiner, withoutlifting his voice in the least. "You-uns all agreed ter ther seconddraw, an' that lets them off."
"Oh, you have worked it slick!" grated the disappointed Black Cap. "Butthem critters ain't out o' ther maountings yit!"
"By that yer mean--jes' what?"
"They're not liable ter git out alive."
"Ef they-uns is killed, I'll know whar ter look fer ther one as war atther bottom o' ther job--an' I'll look!"
Muriel did not bluster, and he did not speak above an ordinary tone, butit was plain that he meant every word.
"Wal," muttered Miller, "what do ye mean ter do with them critters--turn'em out, an' let 'em bring ther officers down on us?"
"No. I'm goin' ter keep 'em till they kin be escorted out o' thermaountings. Thar ain't time ter-night, fer it's gittin' toward mornin'.Ter-morrer night it can be done."
Miller said no more. He seemed to know it was useless to make furthertalk, but Frank and Barney knew that they were not yet out of danger.
The boys seemed as cool as any one in the room, for all of the deadlyperil they had passed through, and Muriel nodded in a satisfied way whenhe had looked them over.
"Come," he said, in a low tone, "you-uns will have ter go back ter therroom whar ye war a bit ago."
They were willing to go back, and it was with no small amount of reliefthat they allowed themselves to be escorted to the apartment.
Muriel dismissed the two guards, and then he set the hands of the boysfree.
"Thar ye are," he said. "Yo're all right fer now."
"Thanks to you," bowed Frank. "I want to make an apology."
"Fer what?"
"Suspecting you of double-dealing."
"You-uns did suspect me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"It looked that way once. It seemed that you had saved us from beinghanged, but that you intended to finish us here."
"Ef that war my scheme, why did I take ther trouble ter save ye at all?"
"It looked as if you did so to please Miss Kenyon. You had saved us, andthen, if the men disposed of us in the regular manner, you would not beto blame."
Muriel shook back his long, black hair, and his manner showed that hewas angry. He did not feel at all pleased to know his sincerity had beendoubted.
"Wal," he said, slowly, "ef it hadn't been fer me you-uns would be gonecoons now."
"Begobs! we know thot!" exclaimed Barney.
"You-uns know I saved ye, but ye don't know how I done it."
There was something of bitterness and reproach in the voice of theyouthful moonshiner. He continued:
"I done that fer you I never done before fer no man. I wouldn't a doneit fer myself!"
Frank wondered what the strange youth could mean.
"Do you-uns want ter know what I done?" asked Muriel.
"Yes."
"I cheated."
"Cheated?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"When I snatched ther first card drawn from ther hand o' ther man whatdrawed it. It war ther ace o' spades, an' it condemned yer ter die."
"But there were two cards drawn."
"No! Thar war one card drawed, an' that war all!"
"But--but you showed two!"
Muriel nodded.
"That war whar I cheated," he said, simply. "I had ther red card in myhand ready ter do ther trick ef a black card war drawed. In that way Iknowed I could give yer two shows ter escape death."
The boys were astounded by this revelation, but they did not doubt thatMuriel spoke the truth. His manner showed that he was not telling afalsehood.
And this strange boy--this remarkable leader of moonshiners--had donesuch a thing to save them!
More than ever, they marveled at the fellow.
Once more Muriel's arms were folded over his breast, and he was leaninggracefully against the door, his eyes watching their faces.
For several moments both boys were stricken dumb with wonder andsurprise. Frank was not a little confused, thinking as he did how he hadmisunderstood this mysterious youth. Even now Frank could not understandhim. It seemed most unaccountable that he should do such a thing for twolads who were utter strangers to him.
A sound like a bitter laugh came from behind the sable mask, and Murielflung out one hand, with an impatient gesture.
"I know what you-uns is thinkin' of," declared the young moonshiner. "Yewonder why I done so. Wal, I don't jes' know myself, but I promised Kateter do my best fer ye."
"You have kept your promise!" cried Frank, "kept it nobly! Muriel, youmay be a moonshiner, you may be the leader of the Black Caps, but I amproud to know you! I believe you are white all the way through!"
"Thar!" exclaimed the youth, with a show of satisfa
ction, "that makes mefeel better. But it war Kate as done it, an' she's ther one ter thank;but it ain't likely you-uns'll ever see her ag'in."
"Then, tell her," said Frank, swiftly, "tell her for us that we are verythankful--tell her we shall not forget her. I'll never forget her."
Muriel moved uneasily. He seemed about to speak, and then checkedhimself.
"You will tell her?" said Frank, appealingly.
"I'll tell her," nodded Muriel, his voice sounding a bit strange. "Isthat all you-uns want me ter tell her?"
"Tell her I would give much to see her again," came swiftly from Frank'slips. "She's promised to be my friend, and right well has she kept thatpromise."
"That's all?" questioned the boy moonshiner.
"That is all."
"Then I'll have ter leave you-uns now. Take it as easy as yer kin.Breakfast will be brought ter ye, and when another night comes, a guardwill go with yer out o' ther maountings. Good-by."
He was going.
"Wait!" cried Frank. "Will you shake hands before you go?"
He held out a hand, and Muriel seemed to hesitate. After a few moments,the masked lad shook his head, and, without another word, left the room.
"Begorra!" cried Barney, scratching his head, "thot felly is worse thanOi thought! Oi don't know so much about him now as Oi did bafore Oi methim at all, at all!"
The boys were given much food for conversation. They made themselves ascomfortable as possible, and talked over the thrilling events of thenight.
"If Kate Kenyon had not told me that her brother was serving time as aconvict, I should think this Muriel must be her brother," said Frank.
"Av he's not her brither, it's badly shtuck on her he must be, Oidunno," observed Barney. "An' av he be shtuck on her, pwhoy don't he gitonter th' collar av thot Miller?"
That was a question Frank could not answer. Finally, when they had tiredof talking, the boys lay down and tried to sleep.
Frank was beginning to doze when his ears seemed to detect a slightrustling in that very room, and his eyes flew open in a twinkling. Hestarted up, a cry of wonder surging to his lips, and being smotheredthere.
Kate Kenyon stood within ten feet of him!
As Frank started up, the girl swiftly placed a finger on her lips,warning him to be silent.
Frank sprang to his feet, and Barney Mulloy sat up, rubbing his eyes andbeginning to speak.
"Pwhat's th' matter now, me b'y? Are yez---- Howly shmoke!"
Barney clasped both hands over his mouth, having caught the warninggestures from Frank and the girl. Still the exclamation had escaped hislips, although it was not uttered loudly.
Swiftly Kate Kenyon flitted across the room, listening with her ear tothe door to hear any sound beyond. After some moments, she seemedsatisfied that the moonshiners had not been aroused by anything that hadhappened within that room, and she came back, standing close to Frank,and whispering:
"Ef you-uns will trust me, I judge I kin git yer out o' this scrape."
"Trust you!" exclaimed Frank, softly, as he caught her hand. "We haveyou to thank for our lives! Kate--your pardon!--Miss Kenyon, how can weever repay you?"
"Don't stop ter talk 'bout that now," she said, with chillingroughness. "Ef you-uns want ter live, an' yer want ter git erway frumWade Miller, git reddy ter foller me."
"We are ready."
"Begorra! we're waitin'!"
"But how are we to leave this room? How did you enter?"
She silently pointed to a dark opening in the corner, and they saw thata small trapdoor was standing open.
"We kin git out that way," she said.
The boys wondered why they had not discovered the door when theyexamined the place, but there was no time for investigation.
Kate Kenyon flitted lightly toward the opening. Pausing beside it, shepointed downward, saying:
"Go ahead; I'll foller and close ther door."
The boys did not hesitate, for they placed perfect confidence in thegirl now. Barney dropped down in advance, and his feet found some rudestone steps. In a moment he had disappeared, and then Frank followed.
As lightly as a fairy, Kate Kenyon dropped through the opening, closingthe door behind her.
The boys found themselves in absolute darkness, in some sort of anarrow, underground place, and there they paused, awaiting their guide.
She came in a moment. Her hand touched Frank as she slipped past, and hecaught the perfume of wild flowers. To him she was like a beautiful wildflower growing in a wilderness of weeds. The touch of their hands waselectric.
"Come."
The boys heard the word, and they moved slowly forward through thedarkness, now and then feeling dank walls on either hand.
For a considerable distance they went on in this way, and then thepassage seemed to widen out, and they felt that they had entered a cave.
"Keep close ter me," directed the girl.
"Here, give me your hands. Now you-uns can't git astray."
At last a strange smell came to their nostrils, seemingly on the wingsof a light breath of air.
"What is that?" asked Frank.
"Ther mill whar ther moonshine is made."
"Oh!"
Now the boys recognized the smell.
Still she led them on through the darkness. Never for a moment did shehesitate; she seemed to have the eyes of an owl.
All at once they heard the sound of gently running water.
"Is there a stream near?" asked Frank.
"Lost Creek runs through har," answered the girl.
"Lost Creek? Why, we are still underground."
"An' Lost Creek runs underground. Have ye fergot that?"
So the mysterious stream flowed through this cavern, and the cave wasnear one of the illicit distilleries.
Frank cared to know no more, for he did not believe it was healthy toknow too much about the makers of moonshine.
It was not long before they approached the mouth of the cave. They sawthe opening before them, and then, of a sudden, a dark figure arosethere--the figure of a man with a gun in his hands!