CHAPTER XII.
UNDER THE MASK.
When Corkey Joe had almost come up beside Drudge, the latter exchangeda knowing glance with him, and, drawing a sheet of tarpaulin aside fromthe doorway in the rocks, glided like a serpent within. As the canvasfell behind him, the bandit captain's representative calmly took thesentinel's place.
Drudge entered a kind of passage between rocks, covered over with treestuff and mud, with the snow heaped on that again to hermeticallyroof it in. Thus to a second doorway of a cave, he found a hanging ofbuffalo robes fastened on a cottonwood rod.
He hemmed and hawed a couple of times to give a polite notification ofhis approach, and after making sure he was alone, stepped within thefur _portiere._
Prairie travellers are like the Turks in carrying with them suchfurniture as may transform a cave or a hut into a nest of luxury.Captain Kidd had, therefore, had a delightful snuggery made of thedugout, lined with rugs, blankets and furs, so that cold, damp, andwind were excluded. In the centre of this lair, too, a large silverchafing dish, which might have been stolen from some Central Americanchurch treasury, contained clear pine knots, which diffused rather anagreeable and, certainly, a wholesome odour. The low seats were allfolding, to be transported readily, but were heaped with furs. A couchof the same valuable material was occupied by a sleeping girl: it waspoor Miss Maclan, making up with a prolonged rest for her exhaustion.
In a hammock of grass cloth, hung low, another girl, younger andslighter, with a truly American complexion and contour, gently wasswinging. She was well within her teens; a sweet and lofty type ofbeauty such as Raphael and Murillo painted in their most inspiredmoments. Her large black eyes seemed to reflect thoughts oftener ofheaven than of earth; her transparent skin, fine as satin, showed theblue network of the delicate veins, and offered a violent contrastto black hair in thick and long tresses. Her irresistible charm washeightened by the permanent sadness which covered her lineaments andcompelled pity. She smiled faintly on beholding Drudge, and bade himwelcome in a tuneful voice as she gave him her little hand.
"But I ought to scold you, friend," she said, "for coming too often. Ifthat hateful man, whose very slave I am, should catch you here, whereyou could find no excuse to be, ill would befall you."
"That's so, senorita," the youth replied, lightly enough, "but youneed not be alarmed about me this time. My only danger is that youwill think me intrusive. Captain Kidd has left the camp, and the depthof the snow makes going so slow, that I should not wonder if he madea long stay of it. They have been having another jangle, all in myhearing, for," he went on, with a bitter smile, "they reckon me as anidiot, and go on as if nobody were by."
"Poor Leon!" she sighed, kindly.
"Don't be sorry about that, senorita," he hastened to proceed, "forthat's my safeguard. Otherwise I could not watch over you as over asister. The hour is nigh for me to prove my devotion, methinks."
"I very well know that I can count on Leon with entire trust. Is notour cause, our hope, the same? Misfortune unites us. But I must ownthat, knowing your implacable hatred for this wretch who holds usin his power, I am often afraid that you will burst out into someimprudence that will destroy you and leave me without a friend in theworld. Unless," she added, with a glance at the sleeper, whom theirsubdued tones did not affect, "this is a new friend whom heaven hasaccorded me in my distress."
"Rather a spy whom the odious captain thinks to plant in yourconfidence," returned Leon, with jealousy and doubt. "Coming from thecaptain, I would not take an angel as a being of light."
"You are wrong there. We have not exchanged many words, Leon, butalready we are sisters. Think! She has lost a father lately, and hasbeen hunted by Indians! Poor girl! Her fate is at least as dreadful asmine, and her heart wounds still bleeding. We can trust her, though Ihave not told her all."
"Tell her nothing superfluous," he cried. "The slave must be cunningand prudent, or he will never have the chance to obtain his freedom.Many a time, though, I have let go the chance to obtain it alone."
"You were right! For what would have become of a boy like you in thesedeserts in a storm such as shook the earth last night? You would be amite!"
Leon the Drudge smiled disdainfully, and his pale face was set in anexpression of energetic will.
"That is not the fear that held me, senorita," he replied. "I am young,but Indian boys go on the warpath at my age. I have broken in horsesthat great men about this camp have shrank from backing, and can back amule or fire a shot to the centre with any of them. But for my doubleoath, I should have been alone--yes, but free on the prairie, longbefore this!"
"Explain! For you speak beyond my comprehension."
"Senorita, I made a vow to be revenged on this horde of villainous men,and not to fly save with you. You have not been spared so long but forsome fiendish end which a man of honour is bound to loathe beforehandand baffle when discovered. That is why I remain, and why, howevertempting the opportunities to slip away, I shall remain until it ispossible for you to follow me."
"Alas! I am too closely guarded for that. A princess could not be morenarrowly watched if she were affianced to the grandest king on earthand by her hand her father would be saved from ruin."
"Maybe you are more free than you imagine, senorita."
"Now, pray do not fill me with any baseless hopes. And talk less loud,lest you awake that poor slumberer. Alas! I weep, it being only agirl--a child who is incapable of doing anything but wail and pray fordeliverance."
"Your defenders, if not deliverers, are at hand."
"At hand? I see no one but you, poor boy, and this sorrowing woman, whocan only pray with me."
"I talk of men--men determined, able, and daring--one of whom you haveseen."
"The man they call the Wolverine!" she ejaculated, hiding her eyes likea child to whom Bogey was promised to appear, "A man that terrifies me!He is the second self of this horrid Captain Kidd. His name pourtrayshim, and his sight fills me with dread."
Drudge smiled softly.
"What has his name and his appearance got to do with it?" he cried."Both may be put on! The gem and gold are not at all prepossessingwhen natural. How does the domestic dog escape being devoured bythe prairie wolves when abandoned at a camp? He joins them, friskswith them, and howls more loudly than they! If Corkey Joe resembleda missionary, he would stand pretty conspicuous out from our gang ofBorder Terrors. It is by putting on their style that he has hoodwinkedthem."
"Oh, if I could be sure that you are not cheated, and that this frightof a man is truly what you say!"
"I say so straight. The Carcajieu may or may not be a beauty, but hislook is only skin-deep anyhow. I'll answer for his faithfulness with myown head. I know what he is worth."
"Then, tell me--"
"No, I cannot, senorita," he interrupted sharply. "I promised to keepthe secret. No more, beyond his being your most devoted."
"Now, Leon, do not fill me up with a belief of which the removal wouldbe heartbreaking!"
"No fear of that, senorita!"
"Very well; spite of the repulsion he causes, I will be polite to him,kind--I will even speak to him--"
"Why not at once?"
"Oh, not at once!"
"I say that is best, for it's a first-rate chance, the captain and thechiefs being out of the camp, and Joe the ruling spirit. Do you consentto receive him?"
"But I would rather--that is, a little preparation. Let me consult withthis young lady."
"It is not her secret! Do you waver? Do you recoil?"
"No!" she cried, at the taunt, with a decisive tone, which startled andthrilled him; "Let him come! Go, bring him, Leon!"
"He waits yonder, as the sentry in my stead."
"Let him come, and heaven grant that you are not deceived!"
As Drudge departed the young girl leaned breathlessly forward with ananxious gaze for the person who replaced him in the doorway.
Behind Corkey Joe the screen fell, forming a dark background to seth
is figure off. The right-hand man of the gold seekers' leader hadnot modified his aspect or apparel, and yet there was a change whichelicited an exclamation of surprise from the girl. His step was firm,his usually stern and spiteful face beaming with pity and frankness.The features that had originated invincible repulsion were stillthere, but, with the morose and mocking expression, had vanished allfoundation for distrust and dread. He stepped forward and saluted herrespectfully.
She glanced towards the sleeper.
"Let her repose," he observed, with even more sympathy in his eyes ofcold steel blue; "she will need her strength restored for what we allmay have to pass through."
"No doubt," she sighed. Fixing a clear gaze on the man, she smiledfaintly, and promptly held out her hand, saying, "Heaven bless you,unsuspected friend, for being alone in this host of heartless men, totake some interest in a poor orphan!"
"Senorita," answered Joe, in Spanish-American, which tongue she hadused, "I have only joined this bad set at the peril of my life, inpursuance of my duty, incidental to which comes in the rescue of you."
"Leon told me so."
"Then he spoke the truth."
The brief silence was broken by the prisoner.
"I am almost sorry, though, that you have ventured to speak to me,"she said; "the captain is so jealous a tyrant, that anything makes metremble. Still, your voice inspires a confidence of which I was verymuch in want, and, notwithstanding your not engaging appearance--" forthe sunshine seemed to have left Lieutenant Joe's countenance again, sothat he glowered unpleasantly as ever--"something within tells me thatyour heart is too good to deceive me, and that you really intend to dome a good service."
"The little bird in your bosom sings the truth, senorita. If needsmust, I shall lay down my life to save yours--though that's no morethan an American is brought up to do for the fair sex. As for my looks,those artist fellows don't come out here to paint tailor's models andopera lobby heroes. Besides, if you ever saw a church procession inMexico, you may remember the Devil that the monks flog and the boyspluck by the tail. He's no pattern of manly beauty; but, very often, heis the widow's son and the best young man of the town, come to shuckoff his mask and shear off the claws. 'Shouldn't wonder," he went on,smiling, "but that, without paint and powder, your bridegroom would bepretty jealous if he had me for best man and I drew the bridesmaids'eyes to my corner. At present, my ugly mug, and my talk, and my warpathgait are too useful to be laid on the shelf. I thank you sincerely,young lady, for the confidence you are kind enough to put there, in myhand, and it will not be a parrot's age before I shall try to justifyit."
"I believe you, senor, and I, too, shall be glad to have the time come."
"And now, moments being counted, to business! We may never get such achance again."