Aunt Jane's Nieces on the Ranch

by L. Frank Baum

  CHAPTER IX--A FRUITLESS SEARCH

  Meantime, Uncle John and big Runyon were bowling along the north road,the lights gleaming from the powerful lanterns of the car andilluminating every object on either side of the way. The road seemeddeserted and it was fully twenty minutes before they came to the firstranch house beyond that owned by Runyon himself. Here Mr. Merrick gotout to make inquiries.

  A tall, slovenly dressed woman answered his ring. She carried an oillamp in her hand and eyed her late visitor severely.

  "Have you seen a woman with a baby pass this way to-day--thisafternoon?" asked the little man.

  "Yes," was the reply; "she stopped here for supper."

  Uncle John's heart gave a great bound.

  "Have they gone on?" he inquired.

  "Yes; an hour ago."

  "Which way, ma'am?"

  She nodded toward the north and Mr. Merrick hastily turned away. Then,pausing as a thought occurred to him, he asked:

  "Was the--the baby--quite well, ma'am?"

  "Seemed so," was the gruff answer and she slammed the door.

  "Of course she was provoked," mused Uncle John, as he hurried back tothe car. "I forgot to thank her. Never mind; we'll stop on our wayback."

  "Well?" demanded Runyon.

  "We've got 'em!" was the joyful response. "They stopped here for supperand went on an hour ago. Drive ahead, and keep a sharp lookout."

  "Who stopped here?" asked the other, as he started the car.

  "Why the woman with the baby, of course."

  "Which woman?"

  "Which one? Oh, I didn't bother to ask. It doesn't matter, does it,whether it's Mildred or Inez. It's the baby we want."

  Runyon drove on a while in silence.

  "Did she describe little Jane accurately?" he asked, in his high, pipingtenor.

  "She didn't describe her at all," said Uncle John, provoked by suchinsistence. "There isn't likely to be more than one baby missing, inthis lonely section of the country."

  The big rancher made no reply. Both were keenly eyeing every object thatfell under the light of the lamps. Presently they caught sight of asmall white house half hidden by a grove of tall eucalyptus. There wasno driveway, but the car was stopped at the nearest point and Uncle Johngot out. To his surprise Runyon followed him, saying:

  "Two heads are better than one, sir."

  "What do you mean by that, sir?" asked Mr. Merrick, sternly. "Don't youthink I'm competent to ask a question?"

  "You don't ask enough questions," returned Runyon frankly. "I'm not surewe're on the right trail."

  "Well, I am," declared Uncle John, stiffly.

  It took then some time to arouse the inhabitants of the house, whoseemed to have retired for the night, although it was still early.Finally a woman thrust her head from an upper window.

  "What's wanted?" she inquired in querulous tones.

  "Have you seen a woman with a baby pass by here?" called Uncle John.

  "No."

  "Thank you, ma'am; sorry to have troubled you," said the little man, butin a very disappointed voice.

  "Hold on a minute!" cried Runyon, as the woman was closing the window."They told us at the last house that a woman with a baby stopped therefor supper."

  "Oh; they did, eh?"

  "Yes; and she came in this direction; so we thought you might have seenher."

  "Well, I might, if I'd looked in the glass," she said with grim humor."I'm the woman."

  "Oh, indeed!" cried Uncle John, feeling bewildered. "And the baby?"

  "Safe asleep, if your yellin' don't wake him."

  "Then--it's--_your_ baby!"

  "I'll swear to that. What do you want, anyhow?"

  "We're looking for a lost baby," piped Bul Run.

  "Then you'll hev to look somewhere else. I've walked all the way totown, an' back to-day, an' I'm dead tired. Are you goin' away, or not?"

  They went away. Neither spoke as they again entered the car and startedit upon the quest. Five minutes passed; ten; fifteen. Then Mr. Runyonsaid in a higher key than usual:

  "There's nothing on a car as handy as a self-starter. All you have to dois--"

  "Oh, shut up!" growled Uncle John.

  They drove more slowly, after this, and maintained a sharp watch; butboth men had abandoned all hope of discovering the missing baby on thisroute. When they reached Tungar's Ranch they crossed over to a lessfrequented road known as McMillan's which would lead them back to ElCajon, but by a roundabout, devious route.

  The nearer they drew to the ranch the greater vigilance they displayed,but the road was deserted and no one at any of the ranch houses had seenor heard anything of a stray baby. As they turned into Arthur's drivewaythey overtook Rudolph Hahn, just returning from a quest as fruitless astheir own. It was now half past nine o'clock.

  Arthur Weldon and Major Doyle had both realized that the route awardedthem was the most promising of all. It was scarcely conceivable thatanyone who had stolen baby Jane would carry her farther into theunsettled districts. Far more likely that Toodlums' abductor would makefor the nearest town or the railway station.

  "If we know which one of the girls had taken baby," said Arthur, "wecould figure better on what she would likely do. Inez would try to reachsome Mexican settlement where she had friends, while Mildred mightattempt to get into Los Angeles or San Diego, where she could safelyhide."

  "I can't believe either of them would steal little Jane," declared themajor. "They are too fond of her for that."

  "But the baby has been stolen, nevertheless," returned Arthur; "we can'tget around that fact. And one of the nurses did it"

  "Why?"

  "Because the nurses disappeared with the baby."

  "Then perhaps they've entered into a conspiracy, and both are equallyguilty in the abduction," suggested the major.

  "No; their hatred of one another would prevent any conspiracy betweenthem. Only one stole the baby away, I'm quite sure."

  "Then where's the other nurse?"

  Arthur made no reply, but the major expected none. It was one of thosemysteries that baffle the imagination. By and by Major Doyle made anattempt to answer his question himself, unconsciously using the sameargument that his daughter Patsy had during her conversation with Beth.

  "For the sake of argument, and to try to get somewhere near the truth,"said he, "let us concede that, after we had gone to town, the two nursesquarreled. That would not be surprising; I've been expecting an openrupture between them. Following the quarrel, what happened? In view ofthe results, as we find them, two deductions are open to us. One girlmay have made away with the other, in a fit of unreasoning rage, andthen taken baby and run away to escape the consequences of her crime. Ifthat conclusion is true, Inez is the more likely to be the criminal andit is Mildred's dead body we shall find in a clump of bushes or hiddenin the cellar. That Mexican girl has a fierce temper; I've seen her eyesgleam like those of a wildcat as she watched Mildred kiss and cuddlelittle Jane. And she was so madly devoted to baby that she'd sooner diethan part with her. Mildred is different; she's more civilized."

  "To me, her eyes seem more treacherous than those of Inez," declaredArthur, who had liked the little Mexican nurse because she had been sofond of Toodlums. "They never meet your gaze frankly, those eyes, butseem always trying to cover some dark secret of which the girl isashamed."

  "Nevertheless, I maintain that she is the more civilized of the two,"insisted the major. "She has a calmer, more deliberate nature. Shewouldn't be likely to hurt Inez, while Inez would enjoy murderingMildred."

  "What's the other hypothesis?" asked Arthur.

  "The more sensible one, by odds. After the quarrel, Inez grabs up babyand runs away, determined to escape from her hated rival and carry Janebeyond her influence. Soon after, Mildred discovers the flight of theMexican and, impelled by her duty to you and her desire to circumventInez, rushes away in full chase, forgetting to leave any word. Perhapsshe thought she would be able to return with baby before we arrived backfrom t
own; but Inez has led her a merry chase, which Mildred stubbornlyrefuses to abandon. I'm an old man, Arthur, and have seen a good deal oflife, so mark my words: when the truth of this affair is known, it willbe something like the story I've just outlined. I believe I've hit thenail on the head, and I'll admit it's bad enough, even that way."

  "Then," said Arthur, more hopefully, "we may find Mildred and baby athome, when we return."

  "Yes; and we may not. If they are home, Arthur, there are plenty thereto look after the wee darling, and Louise will be comforted. On theother hand, if they don't return, it must be our business to find them.I can imagine Mildred, fagged out, in some far-away corner, resolving tostay the night and return to the ranch in the morning."

  They remembered to have passed along this road before, that afternoon,on their way home from town. At that time they had seen no sign of thenurses or the baby. But to make assurance doubly sure Arthur stopped atevery house to make inquiries and the road was inspected carefully. Whenthey reached town they first visited the local police station and thenthe telephone office. Here they arranged to have every ranch housewithin a wide radius called and questioned in regard to the missingbaby. Arthur also tried to get his own house, but the wire was still outof service.

  Then to the telegraph office, where messages were sent to all theneighboring towns, giving descriptions of the missing baby and thenurses and offering a liberal reward for any news of their whereabouts.

  By this time it was necessary to go to the depot, as the evening trainwas soon due. While they awaited its arrival Arthur and the majorclosely scanned every member of the group gathered at the station.Weldon even managed to have the train held, on its arrival, until he hadpassed through all the cars and assured himself that neither Mildred,Inez or baby Jane was aboard.

  That automobile would have carried two despairing men away from thelittle town had it not been for the ray of hope suggested by the majorthat they would find baby safe at home on their arrival. However, thatno chance might be neglected, they took another route, as originallyarranged, and patiently continued their vain inquiries all the way backto the ranch. As they entered the driveway at El Cajon the clock in thebrilliantly lighted hall of the mansion was striking ten.

  Arthur rushed in and was met by Patsy.

  "Any news?" they both cried eagerly; and then their expectant facesfell.

  "How is Louise?" faltered Arthur.

  "More quiet, now," answered the girl. "She became so violent, after youleft, that we were all frightened; so Mrs. Hahn jumped into your littlecar and drove home, where she telephoned for the doctor. He happened tobe at the Wilson place, so she caught him there and he came directlyhere. He is upstairs yet, but he gave Louise a quieting potion and Ithink she is now asleep."

  Arthur started to mount the stairs; then hesitated.

  "Are the boys back yet?" he asked.

  "Yes; they are now out in the grounds, helping the Mexicans search theshrubbery."

  The young man shuddered.

  "I--I think I'll join them," he decided, and the major merely gave hisdaughter a solemn kiss and followed the bereaved father.

  At the back of the mansion the lights of the lanterns were twinklinglike fireflies, although the stars shone so brilliantly that all near-byobjects were easily distinguished. Arthur and the major joined the menand for two hours longer the search was continued--more because they allfelt they must be doing something, than through any hope of success.

  Finally, at midnight, the chief searchers met in a group near the house,and Rudolph said: "Let's go in and rest a bit, and have a smoke. I'mabout fagged out and, as a matter of fact, we've covered every inch ofthese grounds several times over."

  Arthur silently turned and led the way into the house, where Patsy, Bethand Helen Hahn, all three worn and haggard, met them in the hall.

  "Louise?" asked Arthur.

  "Sleeping quietly," replied Beth. "Marcia is sitting beside her."

  "Has Dr. Knox gone?"

  "No; he's in the library, smoking. Eulalia is getting him something toeat, for it seems he missed his dinner."

  "Why, so did I!" trilled big Runyon, in his clearest tenor. "I've justremembered it."

  "You must all eat something," declared Patsy, "else you won't be fit tocontinue the search. Go to the library--all of you--and Beth and I willsee what we can find in the kitchen."