Brand Blotters - Page 133/180

"What's your play? Whyfor did you bring her?" the Arkansan demanded of

MacQueen.

The latter stood balanced on his heels with his feet wide apart. There was

a scornful grin on his face, but his eyes were fixed warily on the other

man.

"What was I to do with her, Mr. Buttinski? She found out who I was. Could

I send her home? If I did how was I to fix it so I could go to Mesa when

it's necessary till we get this ransom business arranged?"

"All right. But you understand she's a friend of mine. I'll not have her

hurt."

"Oh, go to the devil! I'm not in the habit of hurting young ladies."

MacQueen swung on his heel insolently and knocked on the door of a cabin

near.

"Don't forget that I'm here when you need me," Boone told Melissy in a low

voice.

"I'll not forget," the girl made answer in a murmur.

The wrinkled face of a Mexican woman appeared presently at a window.

MacQueen jabbered a sentence or two in her language. She looked at Melissy

and answered.

The girl had not lived in Southern Arizona for twenty years without having

a working knowledge of Spanish. Wherefore, she knew that her captor had

ordered his own room prepared for her.

While they waited for this to be made ready MacQueen hummed a snatch of a

popular song. It happened to be a love ditty. Boone ground his teeth and

glared at him, which appeared to amuse the other ruffian immensely.

"Don't stay up on our account," MacQueen suggested presently with a

malicious laugh. "We're not needing a chaperone any to speak of."

The Mexican woman announced that the bedroom was ready and MacQueen

escorted Melissy to the door of the room. He stood aside with mock

gallantry to let her pass.

"Have to lock you in," he apologized airily. "Not that it would do you any

good to escape. We'd have you again inside of twenty-four hours. This bit

of the hills takes a heap of knowing. But we don't want you running away.

You're too tired. So I lock the door and lie down on the porch under your

window. Adios, señorita."

Melissy heard the key turn in the lock, and was grateful for the respite

given her by the night. She was glad, too, that Boone was here. She knew

him for a villain, but she hoped he would stand between her and MacQueen

if the latter proved unruly in his attentions. Her guess was that Boone

was jealous of the other--of his authority with the gang to which they

both belonged, and now of his relationship to her. Out of this division

might come hope for her.