Part 21 (2/2)
He glanced at the man's sinewy throat around which ran a deep red scar.
With one stride Jim Bowles reached the other side of the automobile and seized Mr. Moore's hand.
”Wuz you the gennelman? Stranger, git in and take it easy. We won't do no harm to these ladies. But we'd like to git a lift. I knowed you wuz a brave man as soon as I seen you, and no one kin ever say Jim Bowles forgits a favor.”
Daniel Moore climbed in behind with Miss Helen and the girls who huddled down somehow, while the robbers pressed themselves into the front and Billie started the machine.
CHAPTER XV.-IN THE ROBBERS' NEST.
For an hour the Comet had been toiling upward by a circuitous and intricate way. But he had not lost in speed. Billie had made up her mind not to linger. If they must see these men into a safe hiding place it was well to get it over with as soon as possible.
They had not been permitted to light the Comet's one illuminating eye, but had gone silently and swiftly along. It was now eight o'clock by the motor timepiece, but it was still light enough to see the road winding in front of them like a white ribbon in the blue gray atmosphere.
”We are most there now, young Miss,” Jim Bowles observed respectfully.
He admired intensely this intrepid young woman who drove a car better than most men.
”Most where?” she asked calmly, but with inward quaking. ”It's better,”
she thought, ”to let him think I'm not frightened, but I am just the same.”
”Most to the place we're goin' to,” he remarked mysteriously.
”It's very inconvenient for us,” she replied, gathering courage as she noted his respectful manner. ”We had expected to reach Salt Lake City the day after to-morrow.”
”Salt Lake City,” he exclaimed. ”Young lady, it's lucky you spoke. I know a short cut through the mountains and I've got a friend as'll show you the way.”
”But it's just a pa.s.s, isn't it? Not a road for automobiling.”
”Many a prairie schooner has pa.s.sed that way, Miss, an' wasn't none the worse for it, neither. The road ain't known to everybody, but it'll save you half a day's travel, an' I'll be glad to make you acquainted with it and protect you on the journey, too.”
”Only a few hours ago we were wis.h.i.+ng to find a short cut to Salt Lake City,” she thought. ”Wishes do come true in such an unpleasant manner sometimes.”
The Comet slowed down. The road became very steep and rugged, and straight above them loomed a precipice, like an immeasurable black wall.
As they turned a curve a blast of cold air blew straight into their faces, and they began to feel strangely light, as if they had no bodies and were floating in s.p.a.ce. Presently in the dim light they perceived three silent figures standing across the road, each with a shotgun.
”Draw in, men, it's friends,” called Jim Bowles. ”Take this road, Miss,”
he added, pointing to a broad trail that appeared to have been cut through the rocks.
The motorists gave a start of surprise when the Comet presently slipped into what proved to be later a sort of cup in the side of the mountain, well hidden by the rocky walls surrounding it.
In the dim light they saw a group of log huts huddled close together, as if for companions.h.i.+p. There were lights in the windows, and framed in the doorway of the nearest hut was the figure of a woman whose face was turned anxiously in their direction.
Jim Bowles crawled slowly out of the motor car and began a whispered conference with his confederates.
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