The Rider of the Black Horse/Chapter 10
CHAPTER X
THE CONTEST
A shrill whistle on the part of Claudius Brown speedily assembled his men about him in the room, and for a moment there was a half-formed determination in Hannah's mind to call to her mother to follow her in a precipitate flight from the house. The faces of the men, their evident anger at their failure to discover the man for whom they had been searching, as well as the reputation for cruelty and brutality which the band had already gained in the region, were all sufficient of themselves to alarm the two women. A second thought, however, quickly convinced the intrepid girl that to flee would reveal their weakness, and they would be no more likely to escape the ruffians than if they should remain in the house. Their very boldness thus far had protected them, and their best plan, she hastily decided, was to continue the effort to appear indifferent to the presence of the marauders, whatever their true feelings might be.
Accordingly, Hannah took her place beside her mother, who was standing near the two rifles, and quietly watched the men as they assembled about their leader.
"The fellow is here. I know he is," said Claudius Brown savagely.
"Why don't you get him then, Claud?" demanded one of his followers.
"Why don't I? Because I 've got a lot of men who can't see a barn door right before their eyes!"
"Just tell us where to look, Claud, and we'll string him up for you before he can get time to wink."
"The women know where he is," said the leader, as he glanced wickedly at Mrs. Nott and Hannah.
"Well, if they know they can be made to tell," replied the man.
"So they can, Jim," said another. "What's the use in wasting our time here when we could make them tell in three minutes?"
The face of Mrs. Nott became deadly pale as she turned for an instant to glance at her daughter, and almost instinctively both moved a little nearer to the guns.
"It won't be the first time, Claud," said the man who had first spoken. For a moment the leader hesitated, while his followers made as if they would advance and seize the two terrified women.
"Not yet. I'll tell you why," replied Claudius Brown after a momentary hesitation. His followers drew closely about him, and a whispered conversation followed which neither Hannah nor her mother was able to hear. The result of the conference became apparent when all the men except the leader at once turned and departed from the house, leaving Claudius Brown behind. What the abrupt departure might mean Hannah could not conjecture, but it soon became evident that the men were gone, for she had stepped to the door and had seen them as they swiftly sped down the road.
Somewhat emboldened by their departure, she turned back into the room, and with her eyes flashing, she said, "Why don't you go, too, Claudius Brown? Your room was always better than your company."
"Never you mind, my lady," retorted the leader. "You 'll know more before you are twenty-four hours older. You may be glad that I'm here."
"Well, if we 're to have the pleasure of your company, all I can say is that you 'll have to entertain yourself. I 've got my morning work to do, and I don't intend to let any cowboy or Tory"—
"Hannah!" interrupted her mother warningly.
"I don't care, mother!" retorted Hannah sharply. "I 'll take that rifle with me and go on about my work, and you'd better do the same.'
"Not yet, my lady!" laughed Claudius Brown brutally. "I 'll have a bit to say about that myself."
"Say it, then!" said Hannah sharply.
"You 'll hear it all in good time! Never you fear about that!"
"What is it you want? What are you staying here for?"
"I want that sock."
"What sock?"
"The one you have somewhere hereabouts. If you 'll give it up quietly, there won't be any trouble; but if you don't"—
"You 'll have to look for it yourself," interrupted Hannah angrily. "You must think we 're rich! If there's a sock here filled with money, it must be that the man you 've been looking for took it away. I have n't seen any money around here since the redcoats took New York; but if you really think there is some, I 'll help you look for it. I would n't mind finding a little myself."
"That's all very well for talk. The man has got away from us, but the money does n't run. Now, if you 'll give up that sock, I 'll give you my word of honor"—
"Your word of honor!" exclaimed Hannah scornfully.
"Yes, my word of honor that you won't be troubled any more."
"Oh, we 're not troubled. It's a pleasure to have you here. Won't you take a chair, Mr. Brown? My father and the boys may come home any time now, and I know they 'll be delighted to find you here."
"I know where your father is, and I know where he will be, too, before he's many days older," said Claudius Brown savagely. He was a man in middle life, with huge shoulders and every evidence of great physical strength, though his form was short and ugly. The scars of smallpox were thick on his coarse features, and as he spoke it seemed to Hannah that she had never before looked upon a man so utterly repulsive as he. The expression of rage on his face was so disgusting and threatening that for a moment she heeded the unspoken appeal of her mother, and resolved not to rouse the vindictive spirit of the man any further.
"You seem to know all about us," she said more quietly. "If you are sure there is a sock full of gold here, and you know where it is, then there is n't any need of my staying here any longer."
Stepping past the man, she took her gun in her hands and at once went to the kitchen. Outside the kitchen door was a box or kennel in which the huge dog that had greeted Robert the preceding night was confined. The entrance of the kennel had been barred by Hannah early in the morning, for she was fearful of the dog's attentions to Robert, and for the safety of both she had shut the animal within his house. Why it was that he had been silent or not discovered during the visit of the members of the band she could not understand, but it would be safer to release him now, and accordingly she unfastened the strap and, bidding the dog follow her into the kitchen, began to prepare his breakfast.
She was sharply interrupted by the sudden growling of the beast as well as by the sounds that came from the room where she had left her mother. A struggle of some kind was going on there, and instantly seizing her gun Hannah opened the door and the dog with a fierce growl darted before her. On the floor she saw two men who were engaged in a desperate conflict, and one glance was sufficient to show her that the contestants were Robert and the leader of the Thirteen. Over and over upon the floor they were twisting and turning, but before she could speak the dog flew at them. Growling, snarling, he seized one of the men by the leg, and instantly the man relaxed his hold upon the other and shouted for help.
"Let him get up, Robert," said Hannah quickly. "I 've my gun. He can't get away. Stop it, Lion! Get away! Get away!" she added sharply, as she seized the dog and tore him away from his hold. The dog, still growling and with every hair on his back on end, slunk into a corner of the room, where he lay watching the men and evidently eager to spring at them again.
"Let go of him, Robert," she said again.
"Make him stay where he is, then," said Robert breathlessly, glancing up at the girl as he spoke, but making no movement to comply. Claudius Brown was no longer struggling, for the words and actions of Hannah were not to be disregarded.
"He 'll stay right where he is, Robert," said Hannah. "Do you get up and we 'll see what's to be done. What was he doing? How did you happen to be here?"
"He was going to strike your mother," explained Robert, rising as he spoke. "I was listening and watching from the head of the stairs and I thought 't was time for me to take a hand. What shall we do with him?" he added, looking down at the man who was still lying upon the floor.
"Take his pistol away, first of all," suggested Hannah, and Robert stooped and drew the huge pistol which projected above the belt of the prostrate leader.
"Now, Claudius Brown, what were you doing?" she demanded.
The leader glanced malignantly at her, but did not reply.
"You ought to take him with you to Fort Montgomery," said Hannah. "Are you hurt any, mother?" she added quickly, turning to Mrs. Nott as she spoke.
"Not hurt, only frightened, Hannah," said the woman. "He was going to make me tell where the sock was hidden and he tried to get the gun."
"He won't try any more now, anyway. What shall be done with him, Robert?"
The girl was still holding her rifle in her hands, and the man on the floor still made no attempt to rise, evidently having a wholesome fear of what might befall him.
"Let me search him first," said Robert quickly. "I may find my letter."
A thorough search, however, failed to reveal the missing letter which had been taken from Robert in the preceding evening, and a smile of malignity passed over the leader's face when the young express said, "It is n't on him. When do you expect your father, Hannah?"
"Any time."
"Would n't it be a good plan to tie this fellow up somewhere, and let your father deal with him when he comes?"
"No, no," said Mrs. Nott hastily. "We don't want him here. Let him up and let him go."
For a moment Robert hesitated and glanced inquiringly at the girl by his side.
"I think mother is right. Let him go. But if he ever dares to come back here, he 'll know what to expect. You must tell my father and the boys all about it, Robert, just as soon as you get into the fort."
"I 'll do that," replied Robert quickly.
"Get up, then!" said Hannah to the prostrate man. "Take yourself away and tell your friends that the next time they come here there 'll be some men to give them a welcome."
Claudius Brown waited for no second invitation. Leaping to his feet he darted through the open door, and began to run toward the road in the direction in which his recent companions had disappeared. He limped somewhat as he ran, and it was evident that the attentions which the dog had bestowed upon him had not been without effect; but the man did not once glance behind him, and soon could no longer be seen.
"Now you take your horse and go, too, Robert!" said Hannah sharply.
"I don't like to leave you here alone," began Robert. "I"—
"Never mind what you like or what you don't like! We 're not alone, and we 're not afraid, either!"
"I know," began Robert hesitatingly, for his own duty was indeed apparent, but he disliked to leave the women unprotected.
"Did the cowboys come because we were here, or you were here?" demanded Hannah sharply.
"I suppose it was because I was here," admitted Robert.
"Well, then, if you go, there won't be anybody here that will trouble us, will there? Besides, I want you to tell father and the boys that some of them must come home to help us," she added illogically.
"If it was n't for this letter"—
"You 've got the letter, and General Clinton will need it, too."
"Yes, that's so."
"The sooner you get it to him the sooner he 'll know, and the sooner my father and the boys will know about us, too. I 'll get you something to eat," she added quickly, "but you must n't stay to eat it here. Eat it on your way. Come, and I 'll go with you to look for your horse."
Robert turned for a moment to thank Mrs. Nott for what had been done for him and to express the hope, which was not strong in his own heart, that the home would not be molested again, and then quickly followed Hannah as she led the way to the place where his horse had been concealed. The huge dog was growling and plainly objecting to his presence, but a word from Hannah quieted the savage brute which was left to guard her mother, and then the two young people hastened into the woods.
In a brief time they arrived at the place where Nero had been left, and Robert quickly perceived that his faithful horse was rested and apparently ready for the hard ride that awaited him. At once he was made ready for the departure, and as Robert leaped upon his back he turned to Hannah and said,—
"I 'll be back soon. Then I 'll thank you for what you 've done for me."
"You look like a heap of ashes," laughed Hannah, apparently ignoring his words.
"It was pretty nearly dust to dust and ashes to ashes, was n't it?"
"Good-by," said Hannah abruptly.
"Good-by," responded Robert; and then, speaking low to his horse, he began to ride swiftly across the lots toward the lower road.