Aunt Jane's Nieces and Uncle John

by L. Frank Baum

  CHAPTER XII

  CAPTURED

  "Welcome to Hades!" cried a stout little man in a red blouse, stickinghis leering countenance through the door of the limousine.

  "Shut up, Stubby," commanded a hoarse voice from the group. "Haven'tyou any manners? You haven't been introduced yet."

  "I've engaged the dark eyed one for the first dance," persistedStubby, as a dozen hands dragged him away from the door.

  The Major sprang out and confronted the band.

  "What are we to understand by this outrage?" he demanded fiercely.

  "It means you are all invited to a party, and we won't accept anyregrets," replied a laughing voice.

  Patsy put her head out of the window and looked at the speaker. It wasMr. Algernon Tobey. He had two strips of sticking plaster over hisnose. One of his eyes was swollen shut and the other was almostclosed. Yet he spoke in a voice more cheerful than it was when theyfirst met him.

  "Don't be afraid," he added. "No one has the slightest intention ofinjuring any of you in any way, I assure you."

  "We have not the same intention in regard to you, sir," replied MajorDoyle, fuming with rage, for his "Irish was up," as he afterwardadmitted. "Unless you at once remove that barricade and allow us toproceed we will not be responsible for what happens. You are warned,sir!"

  Uncle John, by this time standing beside the Major upon the ground,had been quietly "sizing up the situation," as he would have expressedit. He found they had been captured by a party of fourteen men, mostof whom were young, although three or four, including Tobey, wereof middle age. The atmosphere of the place, with its disorderlysurroundings and ill kept buildings, indicated that Hades Ranch wasbachelor quarters exclusively. Half a dozen Mexicans and one or twoChinamen were in the background, curious onlookers.

  Mr. Merrick noted the fact that the remittance men were an unkempt,dissipated looking crew, but that their faces betokened reckless goodhumor rather than desperate evil. There was no doubt but most ofthem were considering this episode in the light of a joke, and weredetermined to enjoy the experience at the expense of their enforcedguests.

  Uncle John had lived many years in the West and knew something ofthese peculiar English exiles. Therefore he was neither frightenednor unduly angry, but rather annoyed by the provoking audacity of thefellows. He had three young girls to protect and knew these men couldnot be fit acquaintances for them. But he adopted a tone differentfrom the Major's and addressed himself to Tobey as the apparent leaderof the band.

  "Sir," he said calmly but with pointed emphasis, "I believe you wereborn a gentleman, as were your comrades here."

  "You are right," answered Tobey. "And each and every one you seebefore you has fallen from his former high estate--through no faultof his own." This may have been a sarcasm, for the others laughed inboisterous approval. "In some respects we are still gentlemen," Tobeywent on, "but in others we are not to be trusted. Be reasonable,sir--I haven't the faintest idea who you are or what your name is--andconsider calmly our proposition. Here we are, a number of youngfellows who have seen better and happier days, living alone in themidst of an alkali desert. Most of us haven't seen a female formonths, nor a lady for years. Why, last fall Stubby there rode eightymiles to Buxton, just to stand on a corner and see a lot of greasyMexican women go by. We tire of exclusive male society, you see. Weget to bore one another terribly. So here, like a visitation fromheaven, three attractive young ladies descend upon us, travelingthrough our domain, and having discovered their presence we instantlydecided to take advantage of the opportunity and invite them to animpromptu ball. There's no use refusing us, for we insist on carryingout our plan. If you men, perhaps the fathers of the young ladies,behave reasonably, we will entertain you royally and send you on yourway rejoicing. Won't we, boys?"

  They shouted approval.

  "But if you oppose us and act ugly about this fete, gentlemen, weshall be obliged to put a few bullets into you, and decide afterwardwhat disposition to make of the girls. About the best stunt we do isshooting. We can't work; we're too poor to gamble much; but we hunta good bit and we can shoot straight. I assure you we wouldn't mindlosing and taking a few lives if a scrimmage is necessary. Eh, boys?"

  "That's right, Algy," said one, answering for the others; "we'll havethat dance if we die for it--ev'ry man Jack of us."

  Myrtle was trembling in her corner of the limousine. Beth sat stillwith a curl on her lips. But Patsy was much interested in theproceedings and had listened attentively to the above conversation.Now the girl suddenly swung open the door and sprang out beside herfather, facing the group of cowboys.

  "I am Patricia Doyle," she said in a clear voice, "and thesegentlemen," indicating the Major and Mr. Merrick, "are my father andmy uncle. You understand perfectly why they object to the arrangementyou suggest, as any one of you would object, had you a daughter ina like position. But you are arbitrary and not inclined to respectwomanhood. Therefore but one course is open to us--to submit underprotest to the unwelcome attentions you desire to thrust upon us."

  They listened silently to this frank speech, and some of their faceswore crestfallen expressions by the time she had finished. Indeed,one of the older men turned on his heel and walked away, disappearingamong the buildings. After a brief hesitation a delicate youngfellow--almost a boy--followed this man, his face flaming red withshame. But the others stood their ground.

  "Very good, Miss Doyle," remarked Tobey, with forced cheerfulness."You are quite sensible to submit to the inevitable. Bring out yourfriends and introduce them, and then we'll all go in to luncheon andprepare for the dance."

  "I won't submit to this!" cried the Major, stamping his foot angrily.

  "Yes, you will," said Uncle John, with a motion preventing his iratebrother-in-law from drawing a revolver, "Patsy is quite right, and wewill submit with as much dignity as we can muster, being overpoweredby numbers."

  He beckoned to Beth, who stepped out of the car and assisted Myrtleto follow her. A little cheer of bravado had arisen from the group,inspired by their apparent victory; but when Myrtle's crutchesappeared and they saw the fair, innocent face of the young girl whorested upon them, the shout died away in a hush of surprise.

  "This is my cousin, Elizabeth De Graf," announced Patsy, with colddeliberation, determined that the proprieties should be observed inall intercourse with these people. "And I present our friend, MyrtleDean. Under ordinary circumstances I believe Myrtle would be excusedfrom dancing, but I suppose no brute in the form of a man would haveconsideration for her infirmity."

  This time even Tobey flushed.

  "You've a sharp tongue, Miss Doyle, and it's liable to lead you intotrouble," he retorted, losing for the moment his suave demeanor. "Wemay be brutes--and I imagine we are--but we're not dangerous unlessprovoked."

  It was savagely said, and Uncle John took warning and motioned Patsyto be silent.

  "Lead the way, sir," he said. "Our chauffeur will of course remainwith the car."

  Wampus had kept his seat, motionless and silent. He only nodded inanswer to Mr. Merrick's instructions and was entirely disregarded bythe remittance men.

  The man called "Stubby," who had a round, good-humored face, steppedeagerly to Myrtle's side and exclaimed: "Let me assist you, please."

  "No," she said, shaking her head with a wan smile; "I am quite able towalk alone."

  He followed her, though, full of interest and with an air of deeprespect that belied his former actions. Tobey, content with hispresent success, walked beside Mr. Merrick and led the processiontoward the ranch house. The Major followed, his tall form upright, hismanner bellicose and resentful, with Beth and Patsy on either side ofhim. The remittance men followed in a straggling crowd, laughing andboisterously talking among themselves. Just as they reached the housea horseman came clattering down the road and all paused involuntarilyto mark the new arrival. The rider was a handsome, slim young fellow,dressed as were the other cowboys present, and he came on at abreakneck speed that seemed onl
y warranted by an errand of life anddeath.

  In front of him, tied to the saddle, appeared a huge bundle, and asthe horse dashed up to the group standing by the ranch house the ridergracefully threw himself off and removed his hat with a sweepinggesture as he observed the young ladies.

  "I've got him, Algy!" he cried merrily.

  "Dan'l?" asked Tobey.

  "Dan'l himself." He pointed to the bundle, which heaved and wriggledto show it was alive. "He refused to come willingly, of course; soI brought him anyhow. Never yet was there a fiddler willing to beaccommodating."

  "Good for you, Tim!" shouted a dozen voices. And Stubby added in hisearnest way; "Dan'l was never more needed in his life."

  Tobey was busy unwinding a long lariat that bent the captive nearlydouble and secured him firmly to the panting horse. When the bondswere removed Dan'l would have tumbled prone to the ground had notwilling hands caught him and supported him upon his feet. Our friendsthen observed that he was an aged man with a face thickly furrowedwith wrinkles. He had but one eye, small and gray and very shrewd inexpression, which he turned contemptuously upon the crowd surroundinghim. Numb and trembling from his cramped position upon the horse andthe terrible jouncing he had endured, the fiddler could scarcely standat first and shook as with a palsy; but he made a brave effort tocontrol his weakness and turned smilingly at the murmur of pity andindignation that came from the lips of the girls.

  "Where's the fiddle?" demanded Tobey, and Tim unhooked a calico bagfrom the saddlebow and held it out. A laugh greeted the gesture.

  "Dan'l said he be hanged if he'd come," announced Tim, with a grimappreciation of the humorous side of the situation; "so I hung him andbrought him along--and his fiddle to boot. But don't boot it untilafter the dance."

  "What do you mean, sir, by this rebellious attitude?" questionedTobey, sticking his damaged face close to that of the fiddler.

  Dan'l blinked with his one eye but refused to answer.

  "I've a good mind to skin you alive," continued the leader, in asavage tone. "You'll either obey my orders or I'll throw you into thesnake pit."

  "Let him alone, Algy," said Tim, carelessly. "The old scoundrel hasbeen tortured enough already. But I see we have partners for thedance," looking critically at the girls, "and I claim first choicebecause I've brought the fiddler."

  At this a roar of protest arose and Tobey turned and said sullenly:

  "Come in, all of you. We'll settle the order of dancing later on."

  The interior of the ranch house was certainly picturesque. A greatliving room ran all across the front, with an immense fireplacebuilt of irregular adobe bricks. The floor was strewn with skins ofanimals--mostly coyotes, a few deer and one or two mountain lions--andthe walls were thickly hung with weapons and trophies of the chase.A big table in one corner was loaded with bottles and glasses,indicating the intemperate habits of the inmates, while on the chimneyshelf were rows of pipes and jars of tobacco. An odor similar to thatof a barroom hung over the place which the air from the open windowsseemed unable to dissipate.

  There were plenty of benches and chairs, with a long mess tableoccupying the center of the room. In a corner was an old square piano,which a Mexican was trying to dust as the party entered.

  "Welcome to Hades!" exclaimed Tobey, with an absurd gesture. "Be goodenough to make yourselves at home and I'll see if those devils ofChinamen are getting luncheon ready."

  Silently the prisoners sat down. The crowd poured in after them anddisposed themselves in various attitudes about the big room, allstaring with more or less boldness at the three girls. Dan'l thefiddler was pushed in with the others and given a seat, while two orthree of the imitation cowboys kept guard over him to prevent anypossible escape. So far the old man had not addressed a word toanyone.

  With the absence of the leader the feeling of restraint seemed torelax. The cowboys began whispering among themselves and chucklingwith glee, as if they were enjoying some huge joke. Stubby had placedhimself near the three young ladies, whom he eyed with adoringglances, and somehow none of the prisoners regarded this childishyoung fellow in exactly the same light as they did his comrades. Tim,his attitude full of grace as he lounged against a settle, was alsonear the group. He seemed a bit thoughtful since his dramatic arrivaland had little to say to anyone.

  Mr. Merrick engaged Stubby in conversation.

  "Does Mr. Tobey own this place?" he asked.

  "By proxy, yes," was the reply. "It isn't in his name, you know,although that doesn't matter, for he couldn't sell his desert ranch ifhe had a title to it. I suppose that is what his folks were afraidof. Algy is the fourth son of old Lord Featherbone, and got into adisgraceful mess in London some years ago. So Featherbone shippedhim over here, in charge of a family solicitor who hunted out thissequestered spot, bought a couple of thousand acres and built thishut. Then he went home and left Algy here to keep up the place on apaltry ten pounds--fifty dollars--a month."

  "Can he manage to do that?" asked Uncle John.

  "Why, he has to, you see. He's got together a few cattle, mostlystolen I imagine; but he doesn't try to work the land. Moreover he'sestablished this community, composed of his suffering fellow exiles,the secret of which lies in the fact that we work the cooperativeplan, and all chip in our remittances to boil the common pot. We cankeep more servants and buy more food and drink, that way, than if eachone of us lived separately."

  "Up in Oregon," said Mr. Merrick, "I've known of some very successfuland prosperous ranchmen among the remittance men."

  "Oh, we're all kinds, I suppose, good and bad," admitted Stubby. "Thiscrew's mostly bad, and they're moderately proud of it. It's a devilof a life, sir, and Hades Ranch is well named. I've only been here amonth. Had a little property up North; but the sheriff took it fordebt, and that forced me to Algy, whom I detest. I think I'll move on,before long. But you see I'm limited. Can't leave Arizona or I'll getmy remittance cut off."

  "Why were you sent here into exile?" asked Myrtle artlessly.

  He turned red and refused to meet her eyes.

  "Went wrong, Miss," he said, "and my folks wouldn't stand forit. We're all in the same boat," sweeping his arm around, "doingpunishment for our misdeeds."

  "Do none of you ever reform?" inquired Patsy.

  "What's the use? We're so far away from home no one there would everbelieve in our reformation. Once we become outcasts, that's the endof our careers. We're buried in these Western wilds and allowed justenough to keep alive."

  "I would think," said Uncle John musingly, "that the manly way wouldbe to cut yourself off entirely from your people at home and go tosome city in the United States where honesty and industry would win anew name for you. Then you could be respected and happy and become ofuse to the world."

  Stubby laughed.

  "That has been tried," he replied; "but few ever made a success of it.We're generally the kind that prefers idleness to work. My family iswealthy, and I don't mind taking from them what little they give mewillingly and all that I can screw out of them besides. I'm in forlife, as the saying is, and I've no especial ambition except to drinkmyself to death as soon as possible."

  Patsy shuddered. It seemed a horrible thing to be so utterly hopeless.Could this young fellow have really merited his fate?