Brand Blotters

by William MacLeod Raine

  CHAPTER XII

  THE TAKING OF THE CACHE

  It was understood that in the absence of the sheriff Richard Bellamyshould have charge of the posse, and after the disappearance of Flatray hetook command.

  With the passing years Bellamy had become a larger figure in thecommunity. The Monte Cristo mine had made him independently wealthy, eventhough he had deeded one-third of it to Melissy Lee. Arizona had forgivenhim his experiment at importing sheep and he was being spoken of as aterritorial delegate to Congress, a place the mine owner by no meanswanted. For his interests were now bound up in the Southwest. His home wasthere. Already a little toddler's soft fat fist was clinging to the skirtof Ferne.

  At first Bellamy, as well as Farnum, McKinstra, young Yarnell and the restof the posse looked expectantly for the return of the sheriff. It was hardto believe that one so virile, so competent, so much a dominant factor ofevery situation he confronted, could have fallen a victim to the men hehunted. But as the days passed with no news of him the conviction grewthat he had been waylaid and shot. The hunt went on, but the rule now wasthat no move should be made singly. Not even for an hour did the couplesseparate.

  One evening a woman drifted into camp just as they were getting ready toroll into their blankets. McKinstra was on sentry duty, but she got by himunobserved and startled Farnum into drawing his gun.

  Yet all she said was: "_Buenos tardes, senor_."

  The woman was a wrinkled Mexican with a close-shut, bitter mouth andbright, snappy eyes.

  Farnum stared at her in surprise. "Who in Arizona are you?"

  It was decidedly disturbing to think what might have happened ifMacQueen's outfit had dropped in on them, instead of one lone old woman.

  "Rosario Chaves."

  "Glad to meet you, ma'am. Won't you sit down?"

  The others had by this time gathered around.

  Rosario spoke in Spanish, and Bob Farnum answered in the same language."You want to find the way into Dead Man's Cache, senor?"

  "Do we? I reckon yes!"

  "Let me be your guide."

  "You know the way in?"

  "I live there."

  "Connected with MacQueen's outfit, maybe?"

  "I cook for him. My son was one of his men."

  "Was?"

  "Yes. He was killed--shot by Lieutenant O'Connor, the same man who was aprisoner at the Cache until yesterday morning."

  "Killed lately, ma'am?"

  "Two years ago. We swore revenge. MacQueen did not keep his oath, the oathwe all swore together."

  Bellamy began to understand the situation. She wanted to get back atMacQueen, unless she were trying to lead them into a trap.

  "Let's get this straight. MacQueen turned O'Connor loose, did he?" Bellamyquestioned.

  "No. He escaped. This man--what you call him?--the sheriff, helped him andSenor West to break away."

  The mine owner's eye met Farnum's. They were being told much news.

  "So they all escaped, did they?"

  "_Si, senor_, but MacQueen took West and the sheriff next morning. Theycould not find their way out of the valley."

  "But O'Connor escaped. Is that it?"

  Her eyes flashed hatred. "He escaped because the sheriff helped him. Hislife was forfeit to me. So then was the sheriff's. MacQueen he admit it.But when the girl promise to marry him he speak different."

  "What girl?"

  "_Senorita_ Lee."

  "Not Melissy Lee."

  "_Si, senor_."

  "My God! Melissy Lee a prisoner of that infernal villain. How did she comethere?"

  The Mexican woman was surprised at the sudden change that had come overthe men. They had grown tense and alert. Interest had flamed into apassionate eagerness.

  Rosario Chaves told the story from beginning to end, so far as she knewit; and every sentence of it wrung the big heart of these men. The pathosof it hit them hard. Their little comrade, the girl they had been fond offor years--the bravest, truest lass in Arizona--had fallen a victim tothis intolerable fate! They could have wept with the agony of it if theyhad known how.

  "Are you sure they were married? Maybe the thing slipped up," Alansuggested, the hope father to the thought.

  But this hope was denied him; for the woman had brought with her a copy ofthe Mesa _Sentinel_, with an account of the marriage and the reason forit. This had been issued on the morning after the event, and MacQueen hadbrought it back with him to the Cache.

  Bellamy arranged with the Mexican woman a plan of attack upon the valley.Camp was struck at once, and she guided them through tortuous ravines andgulches deeper into the Roaring Fork country. She left them in a grove ofaspens, just above the lip of the valley, on the side least frequented bythe outlaws.

  They were to lie low until they should receive from her a signal that mostof the gang had left to take West to the place appointed for the exchange.They were then to wait through the day until dusk, slip quietly down, andcapture the ranch before the return of the party with the gold. In caseanything should occur to delay the attack on the ranch, another signal wasto be given by Rosario.

  The first signal was to be the hanging of washing upon the line. If thisshould be removed before nightfall, Bellamy was to wait until he shouldhear from her again.

  Bellamy believed that the Chaves woman was playing square with him, but hepreferred to take no chances. As soon as she had left to return to thesettlement of the outlaws he moved camp again to a point almost half amile from the place where she had last seen them. If the whole thing werea "plant," and a night attack had been planned, he wanted to be where heand his men could ambush the ambushers, if necessary.

  But the night passed without any alarm. As the morning wore away thescheduled washing appeared on the line. Farnum crept down to the valleylip and trained his glasses on the ranch house. Occasionally he coulddiscern somebody moving about, though there were not enough signs ofactivity to show the presence of many people. All day the wash hungdrying on the line. Dusk came, the blankets still signaling that all waswell.

  Bellamy led his men forward under cover, following the wooded ridge abovethe Cache so long as there was light enough by which they might beobserved from the valley. With the growing darkness he began the descentinto the bowl just behind the corral. A light shone in the larger cabin;and Bellamy knew that, unless Rosario were playing him false, the menwould be at supper there. He left his men lying down behind the corral,while he crept forward to the window from which the light was coming.

  In the room were two men and the Mexican woman. The men, with elbows farapart, and knives and forks very busy, were giving strict attention to thebusiness in hand. Rosario waited upon them, but with ear and eye guiltilyalert to catch the least sound. The mine owner could even overhearfragments of the talk.

  "Ought to get back by midnight, don't you reckon? Pass the cow and thesugar, Buck. Keep a-coming with that coffee, Rosario. I ain't a miteafraid but what MacQueen will pull it off all right, you bet."

  "Sure, he will. Give that molasses a shove, Tom----"

  Bellamy drew his revolver and slipped around to the front door. He came inso quietly that neither of the men heard him. Both had their backs to thedoor.

  "Figure it up, and it makes a right good week's work. I reckon I'll godown to Chihuahua and break the bank at Miguel's," one of them wassaying.

  "Better go to Yuma and break stones for a spell, Buck," suggested a voicefrom the doorway.

  Both men slewed their heads around as if they had been worked by the samelever. Their mouths opened, and their eyes bulged. A shining revolvercovered them competently.

  "Now, don't you, Buck--nor you either, Tom!" This advice because of atentative movement each had made with his right hand. "I'm awful carelessabout spilling lead, when I get excited. Better reach for the roof; thenyou won't have any temptations to suicide."

  The hard eyes of the outlaws swept swiftly over the cattleman. Had heshown any sign of indecision, they would have taken a chance and shot itout. But
he was so easily master of himself that the impulse to "draw"died stillborn.

  Bellamy gave a sharp, shrill whistle. Footsteps came pounding across theopen, and three armed men showed at the door.

  "Darn my skin if the old son of a gun hasn't hogged all the glory!" BobFarnum complained joyfully. "Won't you introduce us to your friends,Bellamy?"

  "This gentleman with the biscuit in his hand is Buck; the one so partialto porterhouse steak is Tom," returned Bellamy gravely.

  "Glad to death to meet you, gents. Your hands seem so busy drilling forthe ceiling, we won't shake right now. If it would be any kindness to you,I'll unload all this hardware, though. My! You tote enough with you tostart a store, boys."

  "How did you find your way in?" growled Buck.

  "Jest drifted in on our automobiles and airships," Bob told him airily, ashe unbuckled the revolver belt and handed it to one of his friends.

  The outlaws were bound, after which Rosario cooked the posse a dinner.This was eaten voraciously by all, for camp life had sharpened theappetite for a woman's cooking.

  One of the men kept watch to notify them when MacQueen and his gang shouldenter the valley, while the others played "pitch" to pass the time. Inspite of this, the hours dragged. It was a good deal like waiting for abattle to begin. Bellamy and Farnum had no nerves, but the others becamenervous and anxious.

  "I reckon something is keeping them," suggested Alan, after looking at hiswatch for the fifth time in half an hour. "Don't you reckon we better goup the trail a bit to meet them?"

  "I reckon we better wait here, Alan. Bid three," returned Farnum evenly.

  As he spoke, their scout came running in.

  "They're here, boys!"

  "Good enough! How many of them?"

  "Four of 'em, looked like. They were winding down the trail, and Icouldn't make out how many."

  "All right, boys. Steady, now, till they get down from their horses. Hal,out with the light when I give the word."

  It was a minute to shake nerves of steel. They could hear the sound ofvoices, an echo of jubilant laughter, the sound of iron shoes strikingstones in the trail. Then some one shouted:

  "Oh, you, Buck!"

  The program might have gone through as arranged, but for an unlooked-forfactor in the proceedings. Buck let out a shout of warning to his trappedfriends. Almost at the same instant the butt of Farnum's revolver smasheddown on his head; but the damage was already done.

  Bellamy and his friends swarmed out like bees. The outlaws were waitingirresolutely--some mounted, others beside their horses. Among them weretwo pack horses.

  "Hands up!" ordered the mine owner sharply.

  The answer was a streak of fire from a rifle. Instantly there followed afusillade. Flash after flash lit up the darkness. Staccato oaths, cries, amoan of pain, the trampling of frightened horses, filled the night withconfusion.

  In spite of the shout of warning, the situation had come upon the banditsas a complete surprise. How many were against them, whether or not theywere betrayed, the certainty that the law had at last taken them at adisadvantage--these things worked with the darkness for the posse. A manflung himself on his pony, lay low on its back, and galloped wildly intothe night. A second wheeled and followed at his heels. Hank Irwin wasdown, with a bullet from a carbine through his jaw and the back of hishead. A wild shot had brought down another. Of the outlaws only MacQueen,standing behind his horse as he fired, remained on the field uninjured.

  The cattlemen had scattered as the firing began, and had availedthemselves of such cover as was to be had. Now they concentrated theirfire on the leader of the outlaws. His horse staggered and went down,badly torn by a rifle bullet. A moment later the special thirty-twocarbine he carried was knocked from his hands by another shot.

  He crouched and ran to Irwin's horse, flung himself to the saddle,deliberately emptied his revolver at his foes, and put spurs to thebroncho. As he vanished into the hills Bob Farnum slowly sank to theground.

  "I've got mine, Bellamy. Blamed if he ain't plumb bust my laig!"

  The mine owner covered the two wounded outlaws, while his men disarmedthem. Then he walked across to his friend, laid down his rifle, and kneltbeside him.

  "Did he get you bad, old man?"

  "Bad enough so I reckon I'll have a doc look at it one of these days." Bobgrinned to keep down the pain.

  Once more there came the sound of hoofs beating the trail of decomposedgranite. Bellamy looked up and grasped his rifle. A single rider loomedout of the darkness and dragged his horse to a halt, a dozen yards fromthe mine owner, in such a position that he was directly behind one of thepack horses.

  "Up with your hands!" ordered Bellamy on suspicion.

  Two hands went swiftly up from beside the saddle. The moonlight gleamed onsomething bright in the right hand. A flash rent the night. A jagged,red-hot pain tore through the shoulder of Hal Yarnell. He fired wildly,the shock having spoiled his aim.

  The attacker laughed exultantly, mockingly, as he swung his horse about.

  "A present from Black MacQueen," he jeered.

  With that, he was gone again, taking the pack animal with him. He had hadthe audacity to come back after his loot--and had got some of it, too.

  One of the unwounded cowpunchers gave pursuit, but half an hour later hereturned ruefully.

  "I lost him somehow--darned if I know how. I seen him before me oneminute; the next he was gone. Must 'a' known some trail that led off fromthe road, I reckon."

  Bellamy said nothing. He intended to take up the trail in person; butfirst the wounded had to be looked to, a man dispatched for a doctor, andthings made safe against another possible but improbable attack. It was tobe a busy night; for he had on hand three wounded men, as well as twoprisoners who were sound. An examination showed him that neither of thetwo wounded outlaws nor Farnum nor Yarnell were fatally shot. All werehardy outdoors men, who had lived in the balsamic air of the hills; ifcomplications did not ensue, they would recover beyond question.

  In this extremity Rosario was a first aid to the injured. She had betrayedthe bandits without the least compunction, because they had ignored theoath of vengeance against the slayer of her son; but she nursed them allimpartially and skillfully until the doctor arrived, late next day.

  Meanwhile Bellamy and McKinstra, guided by one of the outlaws, surprisedJeff and released Flatray, who returned with them to camp.

  With the doctor had come also four members of the Lee posse. To the deputyin charge Jack turned over his four prisoners and the gold recovered. Assoon as the doctor had examined and dressed his wound he mounted and tookthe trail after MacQueen. With him rode Bellamy.