Spencer Dair

“ The strain of the terrible night when he knew not what moment might be his last had proved too much for the Scout, however, and when his comrades gained his side, he was jabbering to himself, a raving maniac.
Calling down all the curses of which they could think upon the head of the desperado for his treatment of their fellow, the officer and his men quickly, but tenderly, removed the gag, bandage and rawhide, then lifted the scout from his horse and laid him on the plain, forcing some brandy between his swollen lips, all the while plying him with questions. ”

“ Lighting a torch, of which there were many in this lofty stronghold, the outlaw went from window to window, making sure that the shutters of iron were in place, that no rays of light might be radiated and thus disclose the location of the Old Stockade.
So well had his gang, who were practically his slaves, fashioned them, however, that they were still sound, and, returning to his companions, he removed their bandages, revealing to their eyes a scene of barbaric splendor. Rugs of finest weave and costly furs covered the floor. ”

“ So utterly unexpected was the attack that neither Jennings nor Shaw were able to resist as they were borne to the ground.
Their anger, however, at being tricked by the notorious outlaw a second time—for that their captors were none other than Red Rogers and his band the scouts did not need to be told—gave the frenzy of fury to their strength and they grappled with their assailants desperately.
Naturally powerful, the trained muscles of the scouts enabled them to pitch and toss the outlaws about the plateau. But, strive as he might, neither could break the vice-like hold about his neck. ”

“ Although posses were formed and troopers thrown on the outlaw's trail, he managed to evade them, though several times they got near enough to shoot at him. But, with that perversity of Fate which seems at times to guard and protect wrongdoers, bring suffering upon the honest, he escaped to his fortress on the rock-crowned mountain unscathed.
Yet, in his very hour of gloating, his nemesis was stalking him.
When they awoke the morning after Rogers' departure, Scotty sought out Rose.
"What claim has Red Rogers got on you, that you stick to him?" he demanded.
"No man has any claim on Rose Landon!" ”

“ Quickly obeying his master, Pedro jerked the scout to his side, then clapped spurs to his mount.
As the horse gained the trail, there was a volley of shells, one of which caught Shaw in the shoulder and another ploughed through his breeches, just escaping his thigh.
"Lucky there are no more of us," grinned the outlaw, as he hurriedly bound up Shaw's wound. "Even I shouldn't care about crossing that clearing again. You men at Fort Griswold shoot well, I'll say that much. But when you're on patrol, you act like kids." ”

“ In the excitement, the manhunters poured volleys of lead at everything that moved, determined not to let the outlaw escape again.
But as the foremost of the pursuers gained the side of the disabled horses, they knew that they had been outwitted by the resourceful Rogers.
"He's fooled us!" yelled a trooper.
"What makes you think so?" demanded Lieutenant Fox, who was the first officer to reach the scene.
"Because the horses and their blankets are riddled with bullets," replied one of his men. "No person could have been on their backs and have lived." ”

“ As their companion jumped to his feet, Shaw and Scotty did likewise, following him as he crept along the rock.
"What do you make of it?" queried the veteran of his fellow.
"Somebody's discovered us and is either trying to get away or to warn others," asserted Jennings, with positiveness.
"But how could any one see us in the shadow of the boulder?" demanded Scotty, resenting the indifference of his companions to his presence.
"Men who can travel these hills in the night, don't have to see a man to know he's around, they can smell him," returned Shaw. ”

“ And as he watched, there suddenly leaped into the air a great semi-circular wall of flame.
"By the blood of old Barney! there'll be hot work to-night," snarled the outlaw. "I'd calculated the manhunters would go into camp for the night and instead they're searching with fire and torches!"
If the activity of the troopers alarmed Rogers and his pals, it raised the spirits of the scouts to the highest pitch of exultation and excitement. ”

“ Shall we leave 'em?" inquired Pedro.
"Not much!" returned the outlaw, once more the calculating bandit whose resourcefulness was his greatest strength. "The troopers will be sure to come here, and if they find our prisoners, there'll be just three more against us."
"But we can put them out of the way," suggested the girl, her former compassion vanished.
"Sure, whenever we want. Just now, we need 'em. We'll each put one behind us. They'll serve as a bullet shield." ”

“ But, to the amazement of the scouts, they were in a region of the "Bad Lands" never before seen by them.
For several minutes the notorious desperado watched the expressions on the faces of his prisoners as they vainly sought some familiar landmark that would give them an inkling as to their whereabouts.
"If I had time, I'd make a map of these hills and send it to the commandant at Griswold," he chuckled. "It's beyond reason to expect a Mounted Scout or any other soldier to catch a man in a country he don't know anything about. ”

“ As the outlaw had anticipated, Rose's dash had taken the cavalrymen by surprise, but they were prepared for Red and Pedro when they appeared.
After the girl's escape, the lieutenant had trained his field glasses on the trail.
"It's Red, all right! It must be from his shirt! He's got some one behind him. A hundred dollars to the man who drops him!" cried Fox, excitedly, as the outlaw raced along the trail.
After Pedro had passed, the troopers waited several minutes.
"There's no more of 'em," opined Alkali. "We're only losing time here. Better strike for them woods, sir." ”

“ Seemingly divining what had occurred, even as the scouts turned their heads, Red and Rose jammed kerchiefs into their mouths and in a trice they were effectually gagged, after which, the girl repeated the operation upon Shaw.
"Say, you dubs want to remember it's Red Rogers who has captured you—not some fool trooper or Mounted Scout," jeered the outlaw. "Slicker men than you have tried to trick me—and failed. But, don't try my patience too often. Much as I enjoy your company, you may force me to part with it." ”

“ But no other man than Red Rogers ever had hair and beard like that."
"What would he want of our horses, and how'd he know we were here anyway?" asked Scotty.
"Scented us," asserted Jennings, positively, answering the last question first. "I told you a good woodsman or an Injun can always scent a man—and Red Rogers can give any Injun or woodsman cards and spades and then beat him at his own game. As to why he took our ponies, he probably wanted 'em."
"I have it!" cried Shaw, slapping his thigh. "I'll bet Red has just broken jail. ”

“ In order to get the greatest service from the horses, Red had placed the two lightest of the band, Rose and Scotty, upon the smallest horse, assigning Pedro and Shaw to the next smallest, and reserving the most powerful, which was none other than Jennings' own Bonehead, for himself and his human shield.
"We'll ride from the plateau one at a time," instructed the outlaw, when all was ready. "The troopers don't know how strong we are, and when they see one after another dash out, we'll gain time, because they'll wait to find if there are more. ”

“ Shouting and yelling in jubilation at the thought they would soon have the notorious outlaw securely bound and on his way back to the jail from which he had escaped, leaving a trail of Corpses behind him, the troopers swarmed after the half-breed.
"I wish you'd hold 'em back, sir," exclaimed Alkali to the captain, who with several other officers was following close at the scout's heels.
"Why?"
"Because I want to examine the entrance to the Cave to find if Red is really in there. But if them troopers, crowd round, they'll spoil any tracks there may be." ”

“ Won't they remove it or read the note?" asked Scotty.
"Not much," returned Shaw. "That the 'broken staff' is one of the Scouts' signals is known to most travelers of the trails. But, just what it means, they don't know, and they have a mighty wholesome respect for it. Why, I've seen men ride ten feet around one of 'em so's to be sure not to interfere with it."
"But, hasn't any scout told what it means?"
"Not yet!" returned Jennings, with an emphasis that was significant. "And there's a bullet waiting for the man who betrays the secret signals of the Mounted Scouts. ”

“ Despite his bravado evinced before his prisoners and the girl, Rogers did not feel as secure in the "Breathing Cave," as his words made him appear. Consequently, though he was wearied by his unusual exertions after his long confinement behind the bars, he was awake early the next morning.
Arousing Pedro, he bade him keep a close watch on the girl and the scouts, and not to let them converse unless he was within hearing distance.
"I'll watch 'em, never fear," promised the bandit.
"See that you do. Your life is responsible for their safety," returned his master. ”

“ Thoroughly aware of their quarry's resourcefulness, the colonel had struck upon the scheme of throwing out the great semi-circle of fire as an effective stop to the fugitives getting through to the North or West. The East needed no protection, for it was self-evident that the outlaw would not come out on the plains where capture was certain. Only the South—the direction from which the civil posses would come—would be left dark, for the reason that there were none among them who could read the heliograph signals. ”

“ The matter-of-fact manner in which the outlaw, who was, even as he spoke, being hunted by hundreds of men, talked of eluding his pursuers and fulfilling his promise, gave the scouts an idea of his absolute fearlessness which they could not but admire, while at the same time his contempt for the Service galled them. ”

“ We've not only got to trail him, but we've got to get back our ponies!" rejoined Jennings. "If it should get out how Red tricked us, and then we didn't recover the cayuses, the Mounted Scouts would never be able to hold down the gun men, horse thieves and outlaws ever again.
"It's the knowledge that the Mounted Scouts never let up when they want a man that makes 'em feared!"
"That's what!" chimed in Shaw. "You're working for the honor of the Mounted Scouts now, not merely for Uncle Sam, Scotty. Remember, if you get done to death, there'll be another to take up the task from where you dropped." ”

“ Wearied with the labors of the strenuous day, now that they felt they had the notorious outlaw in their power, or at least where he could do no more harm, the troopers rolled themselves up in their blankets and were soon fast asleep, while a solitary sentinel stool guard over the crevice, at the two ends of which fires had been kindled. ”

“ This way!" yelled a voice. "Red's gone this way! Here's the body of a man he's killed!"
Instantly the troopers who had been scouring the mountainside surrounding the horses gave up their efforts and hastened up the trail.
"That's Faro Pete," announced Sheriff Black, after an examination of the body. "I'd rather have lost a dozen other men than him."
"Why?" demanded Captain Smythe, forcing his way through the group about the man whom the outlaw had killed.
"Because, as a member of Red's old gang, he knew all his haunts. ”

“ Glancing from girl to outlaw, he shifted uneasily.
"Shall I fetch him?" he finally demanded of his chief.
Breathlessly the others awaited Red's reply.
But, ere he could speak, there rang out a sharp "ping"—and a bullet flattened itself against the cliff above Rosie's head.
"Where's that from?" roared the desperado, wheeling.
One glance from the edge of the plateau answered him.
Seeming no bigger than ants, a file of men wound in and out among the rocks far below.
"It's the troopers! Quick, saddle up!" commanded the bandit. "They're shooting at such an angle they can't hit us here. ”

“ But, I'm not going to begin by whining because I haven't a man for every rock and tree," rejoined the young officer. "If Red Rogers is such a tricky customer, here's the chance for you to show some of your cleverness, Alkali—and win fame and money into the bargain."
Before the lieutenant had ceased speaking, several of the troopers had come up and as they heard their superior's sarcastic words, they grinned appreciatively, for the half-breed was not popular, and was always boasting of his prowess on the trail. ”

“ Let him get far enough onto the plateau so the second one won't turn back. I'll take him. Rosie, you cover the third fellow with your six shooters. When Pedro and I have bound our men, we'll attend to yours.
"Careful, now. Pedro, bring the lariats. Down on your bellies. There are some rocks we can hide behind. Remember—a sound may spoil the whole game."
With consummate stealth, the desperadoes gained their hiding places and, every sense alert, awaited the scouts' appearance.
In utter ignorance of the trap laid for them, Jennings, Shaw and Scotty toiled up the trail, in the order named. ”

“ It's a part of our unwritten code. You'll find, kiddo, after you've served a bit, that there's more in our unwritten rules than in the ones the colonel beat into your noddle."
"But, how can I learn them?" the youngster inquired, his eagerness to master the mysteries of his calling evident in his voice.
"By keeping your eyes and ears open when you're on patrol," replied Shaw.
During the latter part of this conversation, the trio had made their way, for a second time, down to the plateau, whence their horses had been spirited away. ”

“ Dismount and walk, Pedro. We can make better time and help the horses more."
Instantly the outlaw's commands were obeyed, and the dash for the "Breathing Cave" and temporary safety, at least, was begun.
Maddened to think they were powerless to disclose the whereabouts of Red Rogers, the scouts racked their brains for some expedient by which they could manage to retard the fugitives. But in vain. And to their helplessness was added the inability even to see how close their comrades were. ”

“ He's probably hiking it to his old hiding place, and, coming across our ponies, helped himself."
"But they're army horses. They'll be recognized by any one who sees 'em," objected the youngster.
"Little Red cares," returned Shaw. "Possession is no nine-tenths, it's the whole law to him—and he's quick enough with his gun to defend anything he decides is his."
"I suppose we ought to be thankful Red didn't need shooting irons, or he'd probably have helped himself to our rifles," exclaimed Jennings, as they found their weapons and blankets undisturbed. ”