Jennie Whitney looked around in the darkness and saw the glimmer2 of the rustlers' camp-fire, fully4 two hundred yards to the rear, with the shadowy figures moving to and fro.
"They may change their minds," she added, recalling the words of Larch5 Cadmus, "and decide to bring me back. Let them do it if they can!"
The intelligent pony6 acted as if he understood what was expected of him. With a light whinny at the pleasure he felt because of the opportunity of stretching out his beautiful limbs he broke into a swift canter, heading straight for the point where his rider believed the friendly camp was to be found.
She held the reins7 loose, knowing the danger of attempting to guide him where it was impossible to keep the points of the compass in mind. The way was smooth and even, although there is always danger in going at such speed in the night. She deemed the stake warranted it, however, and did not check the rapid pace.
Night on every hand and not a shining star overhead. If she could find the party of stockmen in time, so as to bring them back to her home, their strength would overawe the rustlers, and the whole difficulty could be arranged without the conflict which she looked upon with unspeakable dread8.
"It will save him, too," she added, hesitating to pronounce the name that was in her heart, which would have throbbed9 more painfully had she known that in a brief while he would be helpless in the power of the men eager for his life. "I am glad he did not venture out of the house, when his friend could have done him no good. What will he think of me on learning what I have done? He will say that I am rash and foolish, and perhaps I am; will he suspect that it was to save him that I undertook this errand, which, after all, is attended with no risk to me worth mentioning?"
These were pleasant musings, but the task before her was too serious and made too close demands on her mental and physical energies for her to indulge in them. The delightful10 reverie could be deferred12 to a more convenient season.
Jennie Whitney had lived long enough in the West to understand that in times like the present it is safer to depend on the instinct of one's heart than upon one's reason. It seemed now and then that Jack was following the wrong direction, but she was wise in not interfering13.
The gloom was so deep that she could see barely a few paces beyond the pointed14 ears in front, but when the ground showed an abrupt15 rise she recalled the location and knew he had followed the exact course she desired.
She pulled slightly on the reins and he dropped to a walk. At the same moment something dark moved aside, the pony diverting his own steps to avoid it. She experienced a slight shock of fright, but recognized the object as one of the cattle probably belonging to their own herd16. Others showed dimly here and there as the horse carefully picked his way forward.
"Halloo, who's that?" called a gruff voice from the darkness, the hail proving more startling than the first surprise.
"It is I, Jennie Whitney," replied the young lady, "and I am searching for help."
"Well, I'll be hanged! What's up, Miss Jennie?"
It was Budd Hankinson who came forward on foot, his figure appearing of gigantic proportions in the gloom. He was more alarmed than she, as he had warrant for being, knowing, as he did, that some extraordinary cause must have brought the girl to this place alone at that hour of the night.
She quickly told her story, explaining that Fred was held a prisoner by the rustlers, else he would have hastened back to secure the assistance for which she was looking.
"You're a brave girl," said the honest fellow, as he laid his hand on the reins of the pony; "there are mighty17 few that would have done what you've done to-night."
"Never mind about that, Budd, but tell me what to do."
"Why, you mustn't do anything; I'll do the rest."
"No, you may help me, but what is it to be?"
"Luck's running your way, Jennie; the stockmen have moved their camp since Fred left this morning."
"Mercy! I thought I had only two or three miles farther to go."
"Their camp isn't more'n half a mile off, right over the swell18 yonder; we'll be there in a jiffy."
"And you will go with me?"
"Wal, I reckon; what sort of a chap do you take me for?"
"Where is Weber?"
"Three miles to the south, which is in t'other direction; we won't have time to look him up, and it wouldn't do any good if we did. We made a change of grazing grounds, as I s'pose Fred told you, but some of the cattle strayed off here and I was looking 'em up when I heard your pony."
"Where's your horse?"
"Not far; wait here and I'll be right back."
He was gone but a few minutes, when he returned in the saddle.
"It won't do to go too fast," he explained, moving forward with his animal on a walk, "but we can keep beside each other."
Riding thus carefully, he questioned her about the stirring incidents at the house, and she gave him the particulars. The sagacious fellow had seen before this how matters stood between her and Monteith Sterry, and he knew her anxiety, but his good taste prevented any reference to it further than to say:
"I hope Mont will be too wise to try to slip out of the house, for if he does he's sure to be grabbed up by them, and they won't give him a chance for his life."
"Do you think he will make the attempt, Budd?"
"No, now that he knows you have started, for you've got a mighty sight better chance to succeed than he could have. Of course he has too much sense for anything of the kind."
It was well that neither of them suspected the truth.
"There they are!"
They had reached the top of the elevation19, and saw before them the twinkling lights of several camp-fires. The stockmen, fully understanding the nature of the work they had undertaken, conducted themselves like a force invading a hostile country. Regular sentinels were stationed, to prevent the insidious20 approach of an enemy.
The couple rode down the hill, and, as they expected, were challenged on the edge of the camp. Inasmuch as Budd had visited the men during the day and formed numerous acquaintances, he had little difficulty in making himself known. All, excepting the guards, had retired21 for the night, but the visitor was conducted to the place where Maj. Sitgraves was asleep, Jennie remaining on the outskirts22 with one of the sentinels, who treated her with all courtesy.
Maj. Sitgraves was a brave man, who had only to hear the story brought to him by the honest cowboy to understand the urgency of the case. It was now near midnight, and the attack at the ranch23 was liable to be made at any moment. The stockmen could not reach the scene of danger too soon.
Almost instantly the camp was astir. It looked as if the men had received orders to attack a force of Indians, whose location was just made known to them, and, in point of fact, the situation was somewhat similar, for a brisk fight appeared inevitable24. Three rustlers whom the major was particularly anxious to arrest were Ira Inman, Larch Cadmus and Duke Vesey, and he especially wanted the first two. They were with the party not far off, and, aside from the call for help of the imperilled stockmen, the prospect25 of capturing those fellows was sufficient warrant for a prompt movement.
Within half an hour after Jennie Whitney's meeting with Budd Hankinson the party of half a hundred were galloping26 westward27, she riding at the head, with Maj. Sitgraves and Budd, who acted as guide to the expedition.
Hope arose with every rod advanced, for if fighting had begun the reports of the guns would be heard, but the listening ears failed to catch the first hostile sound from the Whitney ranch. By and by a point was reached which would have shown them the flash of the guns, but the gloom remained impenetrable.
The twinkling camp-fire, at the base of the ridge28, gave just the guidance needed, and, with Budd Hankinson's intimate knowledge of the country, enabled the force to tell exactly where they were.
Maj. Sitgraves decided29 to defer11 his attack until daylight, unless the safety of the beleaguered30 cattlemen should force him to assault sooner. In the darkness, with the open country around, and the excellent animals at the command of the rustlers, most of them would escape upon learning the strength of the assailants. At the earliest dawn the stockmen could be so placed that, as the commander believed, nearly if not quite all of the law-breakers would be corralled.
Accordingly, a halt was made while yet a considerable way off, and Budd Hankinson went forward on foot to reconnoitre. Upon his report must depend the action of the stockmen.
The fellow was gone more than three-quarters of an hour, and when he came back he brought astounding31 news.
Hardly able to credit the fact, Budd picked his way to the building, knocked, and was admitted. There the amazing truth was made known. Capt. Ira Inman and all his men had been gone for an hour, and were probably miles distant at that moment.
The detention33 of Duke Vesey as a hostage for the safety of Monteith Sterry proved the key to the whole situation. When Inman learned how he had been outwitted he was enraged34 to the point of ordering an attack at once, with the resolve to give mercy to no one. He even threatened to visit his fury upon Fred Whitney, who had shown such punctilious35 regard for his parole, for it would seem that under the circumstances he would have been warranted in staying behind with his friends.
But before taking so rash a step, the cooler judgment36 of the leader came to his rescue—He placed a high value on Duke Vesey, who had been associated with him in several dangerous enterprises, and he knew that any harm done to Sterry would recoil37 on him, just as the grim Capt. Asbury had threatened.
After prolonged discussion with Cadmus and others, it was decided to offer to exchange Sterry for Vesey. The proposition was accepted, and the exchange faithfully made, though considerable more delay was involved.
But while it was under way Inman learned of Jennie Whitney's flight toward the Big Horn Mountains. Keener of wit than Larch Cadmus, he suspected the truth at once, though he knew nothing of the proximity38 of the stockmen.
Before making the attack and attempt to burn the building he sent out two of his best mounted men in the direction taken by her, to investigate. They did so with such skill that neither Budd Hankinson nor any of the stockmen suspected them. They returned with news of the approach of a body too powerful for them to think of combating. They therefore fled in the darkness, the promptness of the leaders probably hastened by the knowledge that they were the parties for whom the stockmen were looking.
And so ended the campaign. The situation had been critical for a long time, and there were moments, time and again, when the most trifling39 incident intervened to avert40 a fearful conflict between men of the same race and blood; but all had now passed, and it may be said that not so much as a hostile shot had been exchanged.
The main events of the troubles in Wyoming between the cowmen and rustlers are too well remembered to require recital41 at our hands. The expedition referred to in another place left Cheyenne in April for Nolan's Ranch, a hundred or more miles distant. Within the following month, the Sixth U.S. Cavalry42 brought all of them back to Cheyenne as prisoners of war, thus saving them from extermination43 at the hands of the indignant rustlers, who had them hemmed44 in on all sides.
Fred Whitney sold out his ranch, near the headwaters of Powder River, and moved eastward45. He was not actuated by fear, for it will be conceded that he proved his courage, but he desired to take his loved mother and sister away from the sorrowful memories that must always cling to the place.
It will not surprise the reader to learn, further, that Monteith Sterry found it quite convenient to make his home in the same neighborhood with the Whitneys, and it was but a short time after this removal eastward that a most pleasing incident occurred in the lives of the young man and Miss Whitney, of the nature of which we are sure the reader does not need to be told. the reader does not need to be told.
The End
The End
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1
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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2
glimmer
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| v.发出闪烁的微光；n.微光，微弱的闪光 | |
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rustler
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| n.[美口]偷牛贼 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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larch
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| n.落叶松 | |
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pony
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| adj.小型的；n.小马 | |
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7
reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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8
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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9
throbbed
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| 抽痛( throb的过去式和过去分词 )； （心脏、脉搏等）跳动 | |
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10
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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11
defer
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| vt.推迟，拖延；vi.(to)遵从，听从，服从 | |
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12
deferred
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| adj.延期的，缓召的v.拖延，延缓，推迟( defer的过去式和过去分词 )；服从某人的意愿，遵从 | |
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13
interfering
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| adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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14
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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16
herd
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| n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起 | |
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17
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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18
swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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19
elevation
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| n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高 | |
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20
insidious
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| adj.阴险的，隐匿的，暗中为害的，（疾病）不知不觉之间加剧 | |
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21
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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22
outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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ranch
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| n.大牧场，大农场 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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26
galloping
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| adj. 飞驰的, 急性的 动词gallop的现在分词形式 | |
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westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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28
ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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29
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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30
beleaguered
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| adj.受到围困[围攻]的；包围的v.围攻( beleaguer的过去式和过去分词)；困扰；骚扰 | |
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31
astounding
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| adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词) | |
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32
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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33
detention
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| n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下 | |
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34
enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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punctilious
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| adj.谨慎的，谨小慎微的 | |
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36
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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37
recoil
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| vi.退却，退缩，畏缩 | |
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38
proximity
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| n.接近，邻近 | |
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39
trifling
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| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
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40
avert
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| v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等) | |
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41
recital
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| n.朗诵，独奏会，独唱会 | |
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42
cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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43
extermination
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| n.消灭，根绝 | |
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44
hemmed
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| 缝…的褶边( hem的过去式和过去分词 )； 包围 | |
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45
eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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