The Rustler by Frances McElrath

Author:Frances McElrath [McElrath, Frances]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-8032-8284-1
Publisher: Bison Books
Published: 2015-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Jim Kidnaps Hazel

“‘There’s no use fighting me, you’ve got to go with me.’”

Jim was getting off the horse. She made a quick snatch for the reins, gave the horse a sharp cut across the shoulder, and bounded off with a triumphant smile.

A low, clear whistle sounded, and immediately Jim’s pet horse, at the well-known signal from his master, stopped short.

Hazel struck him fiercely. “Go on!” she commanded.

Whitefoot quivered, but stood firm. Hazel had scarcely administered a second lash before Jim stood beside her.

“Whitefoot knows me too well for that,” he said. He patted the horse encouragingly and led him back to where he had started.

Without more ado he lifted Hazel from the horse and carried her down the steps into the dugout. Hazel was too proud to increase the indignity of her position by making a useless display of her weakness in a struggle against Jim’s strength. She submitted quietly, and suffered him to place her in a chair, where she sat with a feeling of helpless rage.

Somehow she did not doubt Jim’s assurance as to her own safety, but, however little might come of it, she resented his ruthless conduct. She could not comprehend his extraordinary solicitude for her safety, and what did he mean by trouble at the ranch that night?

“What did you mean in saying that it would not be safe at the 70L to-night?” she demanded haughtily.

“What I said,” returned Jim. “You’ll be safe here, tho. Tips’ll look after you. Here, Tips!”

Tips followed Jim up the steps and out of doors.

Hazel, finding herself alone, glanced eagerly about for some way of escape, but she saw disappointedly that the one means of egress was the doorway through which came all the light admitted into the dugout. Jim’s dugout, she also remarked, was as tidily arranged and as scrupulously neat as everything that came within Jim’s province.

“I do wonder what all this means,” sighed Hazel, “and how soon I’ll be set free!”

She knew the hopelessness of attempting to bribe Tips to free her against Jim’s orders, and even set free without a horse she was helpless, and indeed with one nearly as helpless, as she had no idea of the vicinity she was in.

She could only quietly sit and wait for developments.

After a few moments she regained her usual philosophical spirit. Since she could not alter the strange situation by resistance, she must regard it as one of the multitude of unusual experiences she was having on the range, and accept it cheerfully.

After quarter of an hour’s absence Tips came back alone. He had helped Jim get a hay-wagon out of a low, concealed stable cut in the hillside, and harness a team of horses to it, and had seen him drive off. Tips wanted to go with him, but Jim had said he must remain at the dugout that night and look after Miss Clifford.

That was a funny thing! Jim to have Miss Clifford on his hands! Jim never before had brought any one to his dugout. Tips shook his head perplexedly.

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