Becky and Julia looked on in amazement as they finally got to see their tormentor face to face. Ned and Sam held them tightly as they looked into the face of Charles Bradford.
Julia recovered first: "I suspected you were responsible for all of our problems, you... scoundrel!" She shouted as Bradford grabbed her and led her into the tent. Ned and Sam shoved Becky into the tent as well. "I'm surprised you have the nerve to show you face in public with your two flunkies!" Julia continued.
"We weren't until you two showed up." Bradford said as he removed a kerchief from his pocket and formed it into a gag. He then stuffed the middle part into his step-sister's mouth and then knotted tightly behind her head.
By now, Becky's shock had subsided a bit. It had been clear from the first Julia and Charles did not get along, yet she had ignored it. No doubt Charles stood to gain an inheritance on his father's death, which could well be many years off, and if there would be another financial panic as there had been several years before, he could stand lose a substantial fortune.
Shock changed to anger, and Becky knew why. "You mangy polecat!" she cried as Charles tied Julia's wrists "I thought I loved you!"
Charles turned only long enough to say "One of you boys gag her."
Sam complied and Becky felt the all too familiar taste of cotton as Ned knotted the bandanna behind her head.
Bradford went back to Julia. After binding Julia's wrists in front of her, he pushed her down. He then tightly bound the captive's booted ankles, taking delight when Julia winced. After that, he looked around the tent until he found what he wanted: a good sized piece of rope. Bradford took a knife and cut it to length. He took one end and secured it at Julia's ankles. He then pulled her until she was almost bolt upright. The other end of the rope was pulled up between Julia's elbows, then looped in front of her wrists. Satisfied, he formed it into a knot, then stood over his captive.
In the meantime, Sam and Ned had tied Becky's wrists in the same manner as Julia's. As soon as Charles had finished with Julia, the pair set Becky down next to her cousin and quickly tied her ankles and added the connecting rope. As they did, Charles looked at Julia and noticed her indignant expression. He was surprised by the rapid change only a few weeks had done to Julia. No longer a Beacon Street Brahmin who cared only for fripperies and other silly things, she had become a determined woman of the West. She even had followed Becky's lead and worn trousers-- something which he would never have expected before she made her trip out West.
"Well, you two have had a bit of luck, but I'm afraid it's run out." he gloated, looking directly at Julia "I doubt your friend on the reservation will come wandering around, but we have Barlow keeping an eye on things just the same. Your obstinacy has been detrimental. Had you been reasonable, you could have lived nicely back in Boston, or any place you chose. However, since you have been difficult, you shall not live nicely. Or at all". He ended the speech with a wicked smile.
Henry Fulton and Daniel Webster Cahill, United States Marshall, sat down at a dinner of chicken stew and biscuits. They discussed current events and plans.
Cahill lifted his glass of Bourbon and said "Let me toast the success of the First Bank of Cedar Springs"
"I'll take all the success I can get." Fulton said as his glass met Cahill's. "It's the best chance I've had since I graduated Princeton last year."
"No colleges in California?"
"There's talk about Leland Stanford setting one up, but nothing comes of it." he broke off, then said. "Isn't that the hand from the Sterling ranch?"
Cahill turned and said, "That's right."
Burke approached their table and Tommy came up to them.
"Hello Tommy" Burke said.
"Is Miss Becky or Miss Julia around?" Tommy asked.
"Not that I've seen."
"They took a ride and didn't return to the ranch. Tonight being a Saturday, I thought they might stay here the night then go to church tomorrow."
"Sorry son, haven't seem 'em." Henry looked at Cahill "Think we can get that drunken fool of a sheriff interested?"
"Doubt it, but we'll have to." the Marshal replied.
As soon as she was reasonably certain Charles and his thugs were gone, Becky began to pull at Julia's gag. After a great deal of fumbling, she finally managed to loosen the gag to the point where Julia could wiggle it free. Julia then repeated the process with Becky .
As soon as she was able, Becky said "We'll have to get out of here."
"How, unless you have a knife secreted on your person" Julia commented.
"As a matter of fact, I do. Right boot, outside part of the leg. Considering what we've been through lately, I thought it could be useful."
That was an understatement, and Becky was conveniently to Julia's left. Julia slid her way next to her cousin and reach for the boot. Becky tried to facilitate things by lifting her legs, but her legs tired quickly and they had to rest. Slowly, Julia pulled the tool from the boot. To her dismay, it was not very big.
"You expected a Bowie knife?" Becky said. "I had our blacksmith sharpen it, so it should work."
Julia sliced away at the ropes, but her bound hand and the length going from her hands to feet didn't help, but she eventually severed the long rope. from there, Becky took on the slow, laborious process of Cutting through Julia's long rope, then wrist bindings.
Once her hands were finally free, Julia rubbed them and wiggled her fingers to restore circulation. She then went to work on Becky and in a relatively short time, cut her cousin loose. When completely free, both stood and stretched
"We're losing the light." Becky commented. She meant daylight. The kerosene lamp Bradford had lit still burned. They crept outside the tent and Becky pursed her lips and whistled three notes. It was answered by a whinny.
" The horses are over that way." she said. Sure enough, on the opposite said of the tent Lillybelle and Atalanta were tied to a tree, still saddled.
"Good girl" Becky said, as she stroked Atalanta's neck, then mounted.
"Listen." Julia whispered. "Hoof beats."
Becky nodded. "And getting closer."
"A searching party from the ranch?" Julia suggested in a not so reassuring tone.
"Our luck isn't good enough for that."
The two riders had only just reached the road when they spotted six riders. They heard the clicks of revolvers being cocked followed by Charles Bradford's commanding voice saying "Hold it right there. Back in the tent." The cousins reined their horses and dismounted.
Cahill tried to get a posse together, but the sheriff and his deputies were more interested in the Averill brothers, who had been released from their cell while the sheriff was in a drunken stupor.
"Zeke and Zach Averill are the two most incompetent criminals known to man." Burke explained to Cahill. "One holdup, they shot their brother Zeb by mistake."
Cahill was not too pleased. All he could get for his posse were Henry Fulton, Mr. Burke, Arthur Brown, and Tommy. He was resigned to what he had "We'll set out at first light tomorrow." he said.
Bradford knew enough about the Averill boys not to trust them to guard the captives. Ned, Sam, and the sixth man --Barlow-- each took turns guarding the captives with a shotgun, who through sheer exhaustion had fallen asleep.
At about three in the morning, Charles roused the whole camp, including the captives. Becky and Julia were not even allowed a hint of breakfast. They were once again gagged, though this time, their hand were tied behind their backs and ankles were bound. They suffered the further indignity of having to be tossed over the saddles of their horses, face downward, as the horses were led to their final destination.
The mine.
Becky and Julia were yanked from their horses and released.
"What do you want from us?" Julia demanded as soon as the gag was removed.
"You'll see," Bradford said. To the Avarills: "You tie their horses to the nearest hitching post, then stay outside." He then motioned Ned, Sam, and Barlow to take the captives inside the mine.
The villains marched the captives into the shaft and lit the lamps as they went.
"This is far enough," Bradford announced as he encountered two support pillars and a cross beam. He turned to Sam and Ned and said "Get the things from my saddlebags."
The cousins had their hands tied behind them and were made to stand against near the support posts opposite each other. Neither post was completely flush with the cave wall, so it would be easy to secure a captive to one of them. Before either of the two villains could do this, Bradford unceremoniously gagged Becky.
"The gags won't be needed." Barlow objected.
"So?" Bradford scoffed.
Barlow shrugged and secured a bandana around Julia's mouth. He then took a strand of rope and used it tie her to the post at chest level. Once again, he paid undue attention to Julia's bosom.
Bradford, meanwhile looped the rope between Becky's arms and back, securing her to the post. Once fasted to the heavy timbers, each captive then had a strand tied at her knees and ankles.
"Here's the stuff you wanted, boss." Sam said. "What's with the gags?"
"Oh I just wanted my step-sister's last hour on Earth to be as unpleasant as possible," Bradford said nonchalantly. He then flourished what his minions had brought him. Both captives let out horrified groans.
"Mister Nobel's little invention." he said, as he held a bundle of about a half dozen sticks of dynamite in one hand and a candle in the other. "I cut a little notch near the bottom." he explained. "In about an hour, the candle flame will reach this point , where it will ignite the fuse and well, the damage won't be permanent, and besides, there are other shafts." He motioned his cohorts to go outside, then set the dynamite down between the two captives. After a few minutes, he was able to place the fuse into the notch. Satisfied, he stood up and admired his handiwork. "Farewell, my dears." he said. After a quick glance at his pocket watch, he lit the match, then the candle wick.
The posse had assembled in the pre-dawn darkness. Although Cahill had said first light, he saw no point in waiting. The posse moved out while it was till dark.
"Any ideas on where we should go?" Henry asked.
"All these troubles seem to be related to their mine. We might as well head that way." Cahill replied.
Bradford decided to wait down the road for the explosion. The mine entrance was hidden from view by some trees, but Bradford would know when the time came. He checked his watch. A half hour to go. He smiled broadly at the prospect.
At about the same time Bradford checked his watch, the posse was closing in on the mine. They reined in their horses and contemplated their next move.
"The mine's around the next bend." Tommy said.
Cahill nodded. "Then it would be a good dismount once we get there, tie our horses to a tree, and go the rest of the way on foot."
"Are you sure?" Henry asked.
"If there is anybody around there, I don't want to advertise our coming."
They all dismounted at the appropriate place and went the rest of the way on foot. It seemed as if there was nobody around, but they moved steadily closer. Two horses were visible.
"That's Atalanta." Brown remarked.
"Yes, I recognize her." Burke confirmed.
"And Lillybelle's with her." Tommy said "That's Miss Julia's favorite mount."
"Then let's not dawdle." Cahill said. The men then quickened their step and arrived outside the shaft.
"Lamps are burning inside." Henry said "Follow me."
Becky and Julia had watched their lives literally burning away as the candle shrunk. Julia had resigned herself to her fate and the lack of sobbing from Becky indicated her cousin had done likewise. Julia shut her eyes every prayer she knew and when she exhausted those, she began with hymns. I have seen the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword crossed her mind, mingled with a male voice exclaiming "Good God Almighty!"
Her eyes flew open, just in time to see candle snatched away by Henry Fulton, the flame the barest fraction of an inch from the fuse.
Soon the entire posse was at their side and the captives released , but only one man mattered to Julia. She threw her arms around Henry and kissed him on the mouth.
"Damnation!" Bradford thundered. The explosion should have happened by now, but nothing had happened. Angry, he ordered his men to mount up and go back to the mine. He'd light the fuse himself, then run like hell this time.
Becky and Julia explained their ordeal to their rescuers, and took their time leaving the mine. Charles Bradford would be wanted for attempted murder, and would be have a large reward out for his capture, one posted by the cousins themselves.
They emerged from the mine just as Bradford and his bunch were about twenty yards from the entrance. The villains saw immediately they were in trouble. They made for their horses, but the members of the posse were in pursuit. Henry struck one at Ned, hitting the man with a shoulder at the hip. Ned rolled on the ground and clutched his right knee in pain.
"You learn that at Princeton?" Cahill asked as he grabbed Barlow by scruff of the neck.
"Football team." Henry said.
"What's football?" Becky asked.
"A game played at some colleges back East." Julia explained, though Becky was still confused, there were more pressing matter than college games.
"Charles is getting away!" She exclaimed, then noticed all the men in the posse were busy with a criminal. Becky wasted no further time. She quickly unhitched and mounted Atalanta and rode off in pursuit. She didn't see or hear, or even sense that Julia and Lillybelle were right behind her; somehow, Becky simply knew.
The gap between Bradford and the cousins narrowed. Charles was cornered, and Becky picked up a lariat. After a few deft turns, she let it fly and it gracefully draped over the miscreant. Becky tied her end to the knob on Atalanta's saddle.
She and Julia dismounted, the latter taking the lariat from Lillybelle's saddle.
"Ladies, can't we be reasonable?" He pleaded.
Julia undid the knot on the gag that still dangled around her neck. "We certainly can, Charlie Boy." she said. Charles hated being called that, but Julia stuffed the gag into hismouth before he could protest.
The cousins gleefully turned the tables on their tormentor and were finishing up their ropework when Henry and Marshal Cahill rode up on the villains' horses.
"We thought we'd help." Cahill said.
"But it looks like you've got things wrapped up quite well." Henry quipped.
Becky and Julia graciously held an impromptu but lavish dinner for their rescuers. Mrs. Brown came along as well, also grateful the men who had given her grief were out commission. Cahill made sure there were competent guards on hand before the miscreants were brought to Denver.
Becky had eaten sparingly and left the table early. Otherwise , it was a perfect night for lovers to stroll about.
Julia broke herself away from Henry. They had their whole lives ahead of them, and a few minutes now wouldn't hurt anything. She spotted Becky sitting on a rail of the corral, gazing forlornly at Atalanta.
"You going back to Boston?" Becky asked as Julia approached.
"Only long enough to see the family and get things in order." Julia said. "I'll be coming back."
Becky said nothing further. Julia saw a tear on Becky's cheek, the first time she had seen her cousin cry. "Look, Charles never cared one wit about you." Julia said. "Save the tears for those who need them."
Becky smiled. In a matter of weeks, Julia had gone from stranger who had been kin to a very dear friend. "You're right." she said. "Charles Bradford has no cause for my affections."
"That's the spirit. Besides, everybody's has had their full and a piece of Magada's cherry pie is going to waste."
Becky smiled and said. "All right. soon as I've stabled Atalanta."
THE END