Robber's Roost (1989) by Grey Zane

Author:Grey, Zane [Zane, Grey,]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2011-02-28T06:15:58.203000+00:00

Chapter 10

It was dark as pitch toward the grove of cottonwoods, which were shadowed by the bluff, here very close. The rustling of the leaves and the tinkle of water guided Jim. There was also a first tiny peeping of spring frogs.

At length Jim located gray objects against the black grass. He stole closer.

"Where are you, Miss Herrick?" he called in a tense whisper. "It's Jim Wall."

He heard a sound made by boots scraping on canvas. Peering sharply, he finally located her sitting up on a half unrolled bed, and he dropped on one knee. Her eyes appeared unnaturally large and black in her white face.

"Oh, you must be careful! He said he'd shoot any man who came near me," she whispered.

"He would--if he could. But he'll never kill me!" Jim whispered back. "I want to tell you I'll get you out of this some way or other. Keep up your courage. Fight him--if--"

"I felt you'd--save me," she interrupted, her soft voice breaking.

"Oh, if I had only listened to you! But I wasn't afraid. I left both my door and windows open. That's how they got in. I ordered them out. But he made that Sparrow man point a gun at me. He jerked me out of bed--tearing my nightgown all but off--throwing me on the floor. I was half stunned. Then he ordered me to dress to ride. I ran in my closet. But he kept the door open. . . . He-- he watched me--the unspeakable beast!"

"I saw him pawing you," said Jim, under his breath.

"Yes--yes. He never loses an opportunity. I--I'm sick. I begin to fear this talk of ransom is only a blind. If he robbed me-- which he did--certainly he would rob Bernie. And it takes weeks for money to come by stage. Meanwhile--"

"I tell you to keep your nerve," interposed Jim, with a backward glance toward the camp fire. "But I'll not deceive you. Hank Hays is capable of anything. His men are loyal. Except me. I'm with them, though I don't belong to the outfit. I could kill him any time, but I'd have to fight the rest. The odds are too great. I'd never save you that way. You must help me play for time--till opportunity offers."

"I trust you--I'll do as you say. . . . Oh, thank you."

"You said he robbed you?" went on Jim, with another look back at camp. Hays was standing erect.

"Yes. I had four thousand pounds in American currency. It was hidden on the top of my trunk, which they broke open and searched.

The Sparrowhawk man found it--also my jewelry. . . . Another thing which worries me now--he made me pack a bundle of clothes, my toilet articles--"

"Ahuh. But where was Herrick all this while?"

"They said they had tied him up in the living-room," she went on hurriedly. "I remember now that I heard considerable noise and loud voices. But it didn't alarm me. What a complacent imbecile I was! Oh, I should never, never have come to Utah!"

"How much money did Herrick have on hand?"

"I don't know, but considerable.

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