CHAPTER IX.
Night.
The dark forms of a group of men were brought out in sharp contrastagainst the fitful light of a small brushwood fire built in a shelteredspot among the hills.
A few faint stars dotted the moonless sky, and the night air was rawwith the frosty breath of late October.
Some of the men were sitting about on scattered blocks of rejectedstone, left in the abandoned quarry years before when the abutment of abridge had been built over a small, swift stream near by, but the greatnumber of raiders stood in careless attitudes around the fire, talkingor smoking.
"Captain's late," one of the men in the foreground said.
"I heard the ring of Black Devil's hoofs comin' up the hill just amoment ago," a raider answered.
As he spoke, he thrust a fresh supply of brush into the fire, andbriskly stirred the bed of embers until it glowed with sudden fervor,while a shower of sparks arose and fluttered into the night like a swarmof fireflies rudely disturbed.
"Be saving of the brush," cautioned one of the raiders. "There may beofficers of the law abroad tonight."
"It is money to them if they bag us," answered the other, with anexpressive shrug of the shoulders and a hoarse laugh. "There's a rewardof two hundred dollars offered for information concerning the raiders,or night-riders, as some folks call us."
"Perhaps some one's after it," suggested another.
"And what good 'd the reward be? It would melt or burn where we'd sendhim."
"Is it the gate at the stone bridge tonight?"
"No, I have heard it's to be another--one more familiar to some of ourmembers," the speaker continued, casting a furtive glance at a number ofthe band standing near.
"Suppose it should be the pole of the New Pike gate, and Milt was chosento do the cutting?" The man at the fire spoke tauntingly.
"The pole of the New Pike gate won't be cut tonight, I'm thinking," saidDerr quietly.
"Not if the Captain commands it?"
"No."
"Listen, you fellows--hear what this man's sayin'!"
"And what's more to the point, I'm willing to bet that he isn't going toinsist on me cutting it, either," added Derr, glancing about him with ahalf-defiant air in which there was also the suggestion of a threat.
Quickly the attention of the others was drawn to the speaker, who hadunconsciously straightened to his full six feet, while the rich color inhis cheeks, augmented by the ruddy glow of the firelight, deepenedperceptibly, and quickly spread to his throat and neck, which werepartly revealed in their robust outlines, where the heavy coat wasthrown back to the warmth of the fire.
"Any special reasons for not wantin' to cut down the pole of the NewPike gate?" asked one of the band, with a wink on the sly at hiscompanions.
"I have," answered Milt frankly and seriously. "One good reason I willstate a little later, the other can be given right now. It seems acowardly thing to do--the chopping down of a gate that's kept by twolone women. Now if it was a man, the case would be altogetherdifferent."
"It ain't the women folks we've got the grudge ag'in," spoke up one ofthe men. "It's the graspin' turnpike companies back of 'em we're after."
"Yes, but it's taking away the living of two worthy women," protestedDerr.
"That can't be helped, though," argued the other raider. "If we're goin'to do away with toll-gates, an' have free roads, we can't playfavorites, you know, by cuttin' down some poles, an' leavin' othersstandin', just on account o' family relations," he said.
"What's the talk?" The deep voice came from the outer gloom, and as themen glanced in its direction, the captain emerged from the shadowshovering close about the circle and joined the group.
An embarrassing silence fell suddenly upon the company, at the leader'spresence, and each man waited for his neighbor to make reply. As no oneseemed inclined to answer, finally Derr spoke.
"It was concerning the New Pike gate. Some one suggested that I would bechosen to do the cutting of the pole."
"Well!" The captain fixed his steel cold eyes full on the speaker, whilethe semblance of a sarcastic smile hovered about his mouth.
"I have good and sufficient reasons for not wanting to cut down thatpole, and especially if I was called upon tonight," continued thespeaker quietly, his eyes meeting the captain's gaze unflinchingly.
"Have your reasons been called for?" demanded the leader with acontemptuous curl of the lip.
"Among other reasons," continued Derr, ignoring the question, "I don'tsee the need of disturbing that gate for the present, when so manyothers around here tonight might claim our attention."
The little groups merged into a large one, and general attention wasquickly centered in the two men, for trouble seemed brewing in thisquarter. As they stood face to face, eyeing each other keenly andcoolly, the spirit of unfriendliness that had long held a place in eachbosom was plainly evident, and a clashing of strong wills appearedimminent. There had ever been a feeling of rivalry, dating far back tothe days they had gone to school together in Alder Creek Glen, andpretty little Sally Brown was the figurative apple of discord betweenthe two.
"His reasons for not wanting that gate disturbed may not be hard toguess," said the captain, a sneer lingering on his heavy lips. "He's inlove with the pretty toll-taker."
"And the captain's rather sore because she's jilted him," retorted Derrin clear, deliberate tones.
The leader's face flushed crimson with anger at the words that carriedwith them the sting of truth, and a look of hatred blazed for an instantin his eyes as he turned them full on the speaker, standing calm anddisdainful, meeting the look fearlessly.
Perhaps this utter lack of fear deterred the captain from his firstimpulse, for he knew that to press his adversary further at this momentmeant a speedy settlement of old scores. Jade Beddow was not ready forsuch a course just yet, indeed he knew a better plan of revenge, sowith strong effort he managed to control the rage that filled him, andto bring himself to a more fitting realization of his present course ofconduct.
"We haven't met tonight to settle personal grievances," he said, lettinghis eyes slowly wander to the men surrounding him. "These can be left toanother time an' place. Our business tonight is to strike another blowfor our just cause, and the New Pike gate is the one to go down. Letthose who are not cowards follow me. To your horses, boys!"
The Night Riders Page 9
