Sky and the Starlets

Fiction by Frank Knebel

Chapter 11

arlene slipped the shoulder strap of Amy's bra over her right index finger and playfully spun it around several times. She stopped and, with a grin at the naked, re-bound deputy in the chair in front of her, tossed the bra into the pile of Copper and Gloria's clothes on the table. She bent over and picked up Amy's panties from the floor where the deputy had been forced to drop them.

        "You know, Deputy," drawled Arlene as she rose, "I'm getting kinda used to stripping you and tying you up." She strolled the couple of steps to Amy, leaned over and cupped one of her beasts in her free hand, her index finger toying with Amy's nipple. Her voice dropped to a breathy whisper. "Used to it, and real fond of it, too."

        Amy regarded Arlene coolly.

        "I try to keep a poker face when I put the cuffs on some bad guy or bad woman," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Of course, I won't deny that I sometimes enjoy it."

        Jones laughed as he secured the ends of Copper's gag tie at the back of her neck.

        "That's what I like!" he said. "A gal deputy with spunk!"

        Arlene glared at him. The grin vanished as Jones completed his work. Arlene took her hand from Amy's breast and examined the panties. She smiled coyly.

        "These feel a bit wet, Deputy. Are you the type that gets a little randy when you're all tied up? There are some girls like that, you know."

        "It's also close to ninety degrees outside and Jones has been ogling me all morning. I'd think that you could understand why I'd sweat a little."

        Jones looked up sharply, but said nothing. Arlene wadded the panties into a ball.

        "I may just add these to my collection of articles from frigid good girls."

        Amy raised an eyebrow.

        "Wouldn't collecting coins or stamps be more intellectually stimulating?"

        Jones guffawed again.

        "Gag her, Jonesey!" Arlene ordered crossly. She tossed the balled panties to him. "You can use those if you want."

        Jones spread out the brief, lacy garments.

        "Nossiree!" he said. "Baynes left us plenty o' cloth, so I'm gonna add these to my souvenirs."

        He stuck the panties into his right hip pocket, grabbed some cloth wads and strips from a pile on the table and began gagging Amy.

        Arlene paced between Copper and Amy a couple times, regarding the two prisoners thoughtfully.

        "And now there's the question of what to do with you two. Now you've seen our faces, you've seen Gloria's and she knows the rest of us." Arlene strolled to the bedroom door and looked in at Gloria. The traitor remained on the bed, naked, hogtied, gagged and blindfolded just as Amy and Copper had left her. "I tried to warn Dugan that you weren't any good for anything but check forging and minor con games, Gloria. Now I'm sure that our you'd sell out the rest of us in a minute, wouldn't you?"

        Gloria shook her head emphatically and tried to reply despite the gag.

        "Well, I think I've got just the thing for you," Arlene said softly.

*     *     *     *     *

        Sky Ryder leaned over to take a closer look through the window on his side of the plane.

        "See something, Sky?" asked Julie.

        "What's that look like to you?" he asked pointing to a grove of trees below.

        Julie raised the binoculars and peered at the area he indicated. In a recess in the rocky hills was a small stand of trees. Two horses were tethered there. Julie lowered the glasses.

        "It looks like someone's trying to hide a couple horses," said Julie

        "Take a closer look," Sky said grimly.

        Julie looked again.

        "One of them's a pinto." She jerked the glasses from her eyes and looked at Sky with an alarmed expression. "It could be Paint!"

        Sky nodded.

        "And that means that Copper's somewhere down here. That bay could be one of our horses, too. And the likeliest person I can think of to be out riding with Copper in this rough country is Amy Cole."

        "You think they were out here watching the stagecoach?"

        "Yep. So the only question is whether they're hiding their horses from someone they've seen or that the gang caught them and is trying to hide the horses from us."

        "We've got to find out which it is!" Julie said urgently.

        Sky nodded again as he reached for the radio handset.

        "And no matter which one it is, we'll need help on the ground."

*     *     *     *     *

        Deputy Harry Tyler took up the handset.

        "This is Car Five, Hummingbird. We read you, Sky. Over."

        "There could be some trouble here, Harry. Where are you? Over."

        "We're headed for Fraser's Corner to meet Sergeant Boyer and some of his men. What's up? Over."

        "Copper may have run into some trouble. There's someone with her, and it could be Amy. We need some help on the ground. Over."

        Deputy Rivera behind the wheel glanced at his partner. Tyler's body tensed and straightened in the seat.

        "Give us a location, Sky. Over."

        "I'm going to take a look at Sam Gorman's hunting cabin. Do you know where that is, Harry? They can't be very far from it. Over."

        "Roger, Sky. We'll pick up the State Troopers and head for the closest spot on the highway. Over."

        "Good. Their horses are hidden in a little draw about half a mile north of the cabin. We'll let you know what we find. Sky out."

        As Tyler hung up the handset, Rivera pointed to the right side of the road ahead of them.

        "Sergeant Boyer's waiting, Harry."

        "Good. I have a feeling we'd better get there fast, Andy."

        "I'm driving like I've got lead in my right shoe, compadre."

*     *     *     *     *

        A kneeling Arlene took the end of the rope Jones passed to her and circled Gloria's body and the upright post one last time before tying it off on the other free end just below and between Gloria's breasts. She pinched a cheek of the bound woman.

        "There you go, Gloria," said Arlene. "I always said you were too pale. Maybe a few hours like this will put some color in your cheeks."

        "And some color in other parts, too," Jones added with a chuckle.

        Gloria, her blindfold removed but still naked and gagged, was seated on the ground with her back against of one of the two three-foot uprights of the hitching post that stood near the cabin. Arlene and Jones had tied her securely to it, facing south with her bound legs stretched out. The lowering October sun was to her right and front. The helpless woman looked imploringly at Arlene, her eyebrows looking more arched that ever. She shook her head and mumbled a string of pleas. Arlene put a hand behind her ear as though straining to listen.

        "Nope," she said shaking her head. She rose to her feet. "Can't make out a word of what you're saying, Gloria." Her expression hardened as she took a menacing step toward her former accomplice. "Not that I'm really in a mood to listen to someone who tried to sell us out."

        Gloria shook her head again, trying her best to look surprised.

        Jones joined Arlene.

        "Save it, Gloria," he said. "We decided to keep an eye on yuh while we sent Baynes on to join the others. It's a good thing, too."

        Arlene nodded.

        "It was hard to hear, but we got most of what you said to the deputy about hoping we'd get caught and having her and the Ryder girl testify for you. We were really hurt by that, weren't we, Jonesey?"

        "I was plumb devastated," Jones said dryly.

        "So we figured you needed a good lesson." She turned to Jones. "Bring Ryder's niece out to join the party. I think I oughta do a little more work on Gloria's legs."

        Jones sauntered back to the cabin, stopping a couple times to grin at the helpless Gloria. Arlene bent Gloria's legs back, forcing her thighs almost against her breasts as she had done to Amy and Copper in the cabin. As Arlene connected the seizes in Gloria's knee bonds to the loops around her chest, Gloria again shook her head and pleaded into the gag. Arlene finished her knot and smiled.

        "Oh, is Gloria sorry for what she did now?" The angelic smile turned to a snarl. She grabbed Gloria by the hair and forced her head back against the post. Gloria's eyes were wide with fear. "You're just lucky we decided not to rope you to the post around your neck!"

        She released Gloria's hair and stood up again. The cabin door slammed. Jones was coming, carrying Copper over his right shoulder. Gloria closed her eyes and began crying softly.     

        "We're letting you off easy, all things considered," said Arlene.

*     *     *     *     *

        "Is that the cabin, Sky?" asked Julie, pointing at the faded whitewashed building a short way ahead.

        "That's it," said Sky. "Use the field glasses and tell me what you see."

        Julie looked through the binoculars and twisted the focussing drive. She let out a sharp breath followed by:

         "Oh, my Lord!"

        "What is it?"

        "There's a man and woman tying another woman to a post in the yard. There's a woman already tied to the other post." She hesitated. "The woman being tied is a blonde." She paused again. "She's also naked." She hesitated once more. "I think it's Copper."

        "What!" exclaimed Sky. He reached for the glasses. "Let me see those."

        Julie handed over the binoculars and took the controls while Sky searched the area. He put down the glasses and reached for the radio.

*     *     *     *     *

        "Roger, Sky," said Deputy Harry Tyler. We're at the bend in the road south of the Gorman spread. Sam's cabin is only a mile or so from where we are. What do you want us to do? Over."

        "Get there as fast as you can, Harry. Copper and Amy need help and there's no place anywhere close where I can land. It's up to you. Over."

        "We'll be there in half an hour. Over."

        "Make it twenty minutes, Harry. Hummingbird out."

        Tyler hung the handset back in its cradle and looked up at the semicircle of faces outside the open door of his patrol car. Deputy Andy Rivera, Sergeant Boyer of the State Police and three troopers were looking expectantly at him.

        "Are you ready, Sarge?" Tyler asked.

        Boyer, tall, muscular and lantern-jawed nodded.

        "We'll follow your lead, Deputy. You know the country around here better than we do."

        Harry pointed to a trail leading between two rocky hills.

        "That's the way to the cabin. It's not an easy climb."

        Boyer turned to his men.

        "Check your weapons, boys. Davis, you stay here to monitor the radio and watch the cars in case anybody gets past us. Miller, you and Geary are with me."

        The troopers checked their pistols. When they had all nodded or answered, Boyer nodded to Harry.

        "Let's go then," he said.

*     *     *     *     *

        Jones tied a last knot in the ropes keeping Copper's knees pulled up in front of her chest.

        "Come on, Jonesey!" Arlene urged. "We'd better get out of here!"

        Jones rose from one knee to his feet.

        "What about me an' the Deputy? After all this, yuh gotta let me have at least a few minutes with her."

        Arlene looked at the man as though he were mad.

        "Didn't you see that plane? That had to be Ryder. Unless he's suddenly gone blind, he knows where we are and that we've got two women tied up here. He'll have every deputy and state cop north of the Mexican border headed this way."

        "I don't care," said Jones. "You kept making me wait, an' now waitin' time is over. That deputy gal is one ripe little piece, an' I aim t' get mine. Ryder can't land that plane close t' here, an' it'll take the cops hours t' reach this place."

        "This is no time to let your brains fall into your pants, Jonesey. We have to leave now." She turned and pointed to the trail. "That's the way out and I'm going, with or without you."

        She turned back to discover Jones grinning at her. She looked lower. He had a pistol aimed at her chest.

        "I had t' take a lot from you the last few days, Arlene. After I'm done with the deputy, I think I might like t' have a little fun with you, too. Let's join the deputy inside."

*     *     *     *     *

        "We've just spotted the stagecoach, Winch," Sky Ryder said into the handset. "It's headed south on the Stagecoach Road about six or seven miles north of town. Over."

        "They're behind us now, Sky," Winchell's voice answered. "The only way they could have done that is to have pulled off the road and hidden while we went past. Anything look suspicious besides the fact that Joe's not driving it? Over."

        "There's a Jeep following it. Julie's taking a look now. Wait one."

        Julie Ryder took a close look through the binoculars.

        "The driver's a tall man wearing a suit and a hood over his head. The Jeep driver's a husky man, strong looking." She lowered the glasses and looked intently at Sky. "I think it's probably Dugan. The man driving the stage could be the one who played the pilot on the day we were ambushed. And I can't see anyone in the coach. At least no one's sitting in the seats."

        Sky took up the radio.

        "Winch, it looks like the same gang that's been causing all the trouble has hijacked the stagecoach. We can't tell if the women are on board or not. Over."

        "Roger, Sky. We're on our way to intercept them. I'll call Hansen find out where his group is. Over."

        "No need to call, Sheriff," the young deputy broke in. "This is Hansen. We've been listening. We're on the old Stagecoach Road about three miles from town heading north. Over."

        "Good work, Lew. All right, everybody. Let's get that coach. And no gunplay until we find out where the women are. Sheriff out."

*     *     *     *     *

        Sheriff Winchell handed the radio to Deputy Norris. Joe Bailey sat in the front beside the youthful, freckle-faced deputy.

        "All right, men," the Sheriff called. "Let's get turned around. The coach should be about three miles south of us. You all heard what I said. We know they've got guns, but we can't risk any shooting. Let's be careful. Get 'em going, Al."

        Deputy MacKeever led the posse back south. Ken Moore, who had been holding the reins of Winchell's horse, handed them back and swung into the saddle. Winchell leaned over to the patrol car window.

        "You doin' all right, Joe?" he asked.

        Bailey rubbed his head gingerly but nodded.

        "I'm fine, Sheriff. I'll be a lot better when we catch them fellers."

        Winchell looked earnestly at Norris.

        "Keep your rifle handy, Ben. If we have to take a shot at those varmints, I want you to be the one doing the shooting."

        Norris appeared gratified at the compliment, then gulped.

        "You sure, Sheriff?"

        Winchell smiled.

        "You're the best we have. Let's go. Be careful on this road. It's not made for cars."

        Winchell mounted his horse as Norris swung the car in a slow circle and headed after the posse.

*     *     *     *     *

        "You have to take me along!" demanded Virginia Gregory. "Those monsters have my girls again, and I must know what's happening out there!"

        Mayor Holmes and Deputy Bob Falk exchanged a glance.

        "Ma'am," said Falk slowly, "this might be a very dangerous ride. We're going to have to drive on a very rough road and probably off-road, too. It's going to be very slow and very bumpy and we just might have to face an armed gang at the end. It's too dangerous for you."

        "You mean you won't take me because I'm a woman!" She pointed at Mayor Holmes. "And you'll take the Mayor along simply because he wears pants! With all the men you have converging on the stage it can't be that dangerous. I want to be there for Joan and Diana."

        Falk looked at Holmes once again. The Mayor nodded.

        "We'd better let her come, Deputy."

        "All right," Falk said reluctantly.  "But you stay close to Deputy Johnson, ma'am." He pointed at Bonnie. "Don't let her get more than three feet from you, Bonnie."

        "Yessuh, Bob," said Bonnie with a little salute.

        "Keep everybody else in town, boys," Falk told Deputies Barlow and Ames. "Shoot out their tires to stop them if you have to."

        The two men touched their hatbrims in salute.

        "Right, Bob," said Barlow.

        Deputy Keller was driving. Falk slid into the front seat. Mayor Holmes, Virginia Gregory and Bonnie Johnson took the back. Keller pulled onto the dirt Stagecoach Road and headed cautiously north.

*     *     *     *     *

        Dugan put his foot down on the accelerator and swung the Jeep to the left of the coach. Fortunately for him, the ground was hard and smooth under his wheels. He took a quick look back at the rising dust cloud from the group of horsemen and the Sheriff's patrol car gaining on them from behind. Jarvis had not seen them. Dugan honked his horn. When Jarvis turned to him, Dugan pointed to the posse.

        "You'd better stop the coach!" Dugan yelled. "We've got to get out of here!"

        Jarvis looked at the posse. He slowed the team and swung his arm in an arc in front of the coach.

        "Go in front of me and get on the other side!" he shouted.

        Dugan circled the slowing stagecoach, putting it between him and the posse. But Jarvis did not stop. He urged the team to go faster again.

        "What're you doing?" yelled Dugan.

        "Let's make 'em chase us a while!" Jarvis replied.

        He shouted to the horses. Having no whip, he snapped the ends of the reins at them.

*    *     *     *     *

        Summer Merrill wondered why the coach was slowing. She heard shouting between the man driving and another. Something must be going on. Perhaps they were being pursued.

        She wormed her way along the seat, trying to get her head close enough to the window to look out. Even though she was perspiring freely, her bare skin kept sticking to the leather-covered seat, slowing her progress. Being hogtied made moving difficult enough as it was. She finally managed to inch herself to the window. The gang had left the bag containing their clothes at the end of the seat, and Summer was able to prop her shoulder on it and see over the lower edge of the window. When she saw the mounted men coming toward the coach she cried loudly into her gag. Though she could form no words, the other women were able to read her message.

*     *     *     *     *

        "We've got 'em, boys," yelled Rusty Cline, drawing his pistol.

        "No, Rusty," ordered Winchell. "No shooting. Let's just catch 'em."

        "Look, Sheriff!" hollered Cliff Patterson. He pointed to the coach. "One of the women in the window!"

        They could just see the top of a woman's head in the front window.

        "After 'em!" shouted Winchell.

        The men of the posse kicked the sides of their horses for more speed.

*     *     *     *     *

   Dugan now saw dust rising to his right front. Shielding his eyes with his hand, he could make out horsemen and a Jeep coming toward them. He turned to Jarvis and honked.

        "More of them coming from town!" he shouted to Jarvis, pointing at the new threat. "We've got to stop now!"

        Jarvis grinned at him.

        "What's the matter, Dugan? Losing your nerve?"

        Dugan looked at the coach. He could see the top of a woman's head at one of the windows on the other side. He pointed again.

        "They can see the women!" he yelled. "Stop the team and get down from there!"

        Over the noise of the Jeep engine and the coach Dugan heard the sound of motors to his right and rear. The big man turned just in time to see a Cessna 310 roaring at him at an altitude of no more than a hundred feet. He ducked involuntarily as the plane went over him.

        The stagecoach horses had shied and pulled up at the close approach of the plane. Dugan stopped the Jeep.

        "And now we got Ryder after us!" he told Jarvis. "Let's get out of here while we still can."

        Jarvis grinned again.

        "You got no guts at all, Dugan," he jeered, pulling a pistol from his coat pocket.

        To Dugan's surprise, Jarvis turned and began shooting at the mounted men behind them. The posse men halted. Some dismounted while others bent low in their saddles, but there was no return fire.

        "See, Dugan," called Jarvis. "There's nothing t' be afraid of. Ryder can't do anything from his plane and the deputies can't shoot while we have the women. Take some free shots."

        Dugan pointed at the dust cloud in the other direction.

        "Don't be a fool, Jahvis. They're coming from all sides!"

        Jarvis broke open his pistol and reloaded.

        "Let's see who Patricia wants in charge after this!" cried Jarvis.

        He turned back and fired at the trailing posse.

*     *     *     *     *

        Sheriff Winchell's group had dismounted and taken whatever cover they could find behind rocks, stunted trees or cacti, or their own horses. Deputy Norris drove his cruiser up close to the group and slid out of the driver's seat, followed by Joe Bailey. They took cover behind the car. Winchell bent low and made his way to them.

        "Do you think you can get that fella, Ben?" asked the Sheriff.

        Norris took a look over the hood of the car as a bullet thunked into the other side. He raised his .3030 Winchester.

        "Do you want him dead or alive?" the young Deputy asked coolly.

        "Alive, if you can keep him that way."

        Norris sighted the rifle.

*     *     *     *     *

        Jarvis reloaded for a second time.

        "Come on, Dugan. Haven't you ever wanted to shoot up a cop's car? Watch this!"

        He had just started to raise his arm when he recoiled as though hit by a strong electric shock. Immediately, Dugan heard the sharp crack of a rifle shot. Jarvis' body stiffened and he tumbled forward out of the driver's box, falling onto the last set of two horses. The pistol in his hand discharged as he fell. The shot went into the ground, kicking up dust under the horses, and spraying bits of dirt and gravel. The shock of the loud report and being struck by ricocheted material and the body of the falling man were too much for the team. With loud screams of fear, the horses bolted. Jarvis fell to one side and narrowly missed going under the wheels of the coach as it rushed by.

        Dugan threw the Jeep into gear and slammed his foot to the floor. He spun the wheel hard to his right and headed in the direction of the highway. After two minutes' flight, he looked back over his shoulder. The patrol car had drawn up to where Jarvis had fallen and several of the Sheriff's men were tending to him. Some of the horsemen had taken off in pursuit of the runaway coach. No one seemed to be following him.

        But he took no chances. Despite the jarring ride over the desert floor, he kept going at top speed.    

*     *     *     *     *

        Julie Ryder swung her eyes from the runaway stagecoach heading east to the Jeep fleeing west, then looked inquiringly at her husband.

        "What do we do now, Sky?" she asked. "The coach has a good head start on both of the posses and so does the man in the Jeep. Which one do we follow?"

        Sky glanced anxiously in both directions. He took only a few seconds to decide.

        "We're going after the coach," he said firmly, nodding that way.

        "But the man in the Jeep will probably get away if we don't go after him!" said Julie. "And maybe he's the one who knows what this is all about!"

        Sky nodded.

        "But Winch and his men caught the man who was driving the stage. He may know as much or more as the one who's getting away. And if Joan and Summer and the others are in that coach, we've got to stop it."

        "But why? Won't the horses just tire themselves out and stop?"

        Sky nodded again toward the east. His face was grim.

        "Maybe they won't before they reach that."

        Julie looked where Sky had indicated. The ground appeared flat and harmless in the area just ahead of the coach, but Julie could see a rusty, reddish-brown cast to a rugged-looking area a mile or two away. She gasped.

        "That isn't ---," she stopped.

        Sky nodded.

        "Red Gorge."

*     *     *     *     *

        Deputy Harry Tyler scurried from the cover of one rock formation to the next and held up a hand to keep Deputy Rivera and the three troopers waiting while he surveyed the area around the cabin. There was no movement or sound except the wind blowing sand across the rocky ground. The front door of the cabin faced away from Tyler and, from where he stood, he could see only one side window, covered by a curtain. Using a hand signal to tell the others to wait, he bent low and ran a few steps to the shelter of a tree several yards closer to the cabin. From his new vantagepoint, he could see a corner of the porch and one of the hitching posts in front of the cabin. His blood chilled when he saw blond hair and a bare female back circled by ropes. After another long look, he crouched again and hurried back to join the others.

        "Well?" asked Sergeant Boyer. The three troopers gathered around Tyler to listen. Rivera watched the house.

        "I don't know what's going on in the cabin, but there's at least one woman tied to the hitching post in front," he reported. "I think it's Copper Ryder, and if it is, that means that Amy's probably close by."

        "We have to move in to help them," said Boyer. "But some of the gang could still be around, so we'll have to do it carefully."

        Tyler wiped his mouth with the back of his arm.

        "Okay. Andy and I'll circle to the left. You take your men and go to the right behind the cabin to keep them from running that way."

        Boyer looked at the cabin.

        "This place faces south. Is there any other way out over there?"

        The deputy smiled grimly.

        "Sam faced the place south to keep out the wind in the winter. The drop out there's so steep you'd have to be half mountain goat to go that way. The trail we're on is the only one."

        Andy Rivera stepped over.

        "Harry. A man just looked out the window."

        "Did he see us?" Tyler asked.

        "I don't think so."

        "We'd better get started," said Tyler. He took out his pistol.

        Boyer nodded and drew his revolver.

        "I'll give you one of my men since it's more likely they'll come at you. You'd better give us a little start." He looked at his two men. "Geary, you're with me. Miller, you go with the deputies."

        The two troopers nodded and drew their weapons. Boyer and Geary started their circling move around the back of the cabin. Deputy Rivera checked his revolver.

        "Ready?" asked Tyler.

        The two men nodded and followed as Harry led them toward the front.

*     *     *     *     *

        "See, Arlene?" said Jones gesturing toward the window. "Not a sign of Ryder or the Sheriff or anybody else out there. We got lots o' privacy here."

        He leaned over the bed. A naked Arlene lay on her back, hands tied behind her, arms bound to her torso and legs spread wide and secured to the bedposts. Jones put the index finger of his right hand just above the ropes around her right ankle and ran it up her leg. When he reached her knee, he let the finger stray along the inside of her thigh. The blonde shrieked into her gag and thrashed wildly. Jones stopped and laughed as she continued with a stream of unintelligible invective. Several times she tried to rise to a sitting position but failed. Jones watched with great amusement.

        "Can't get up, can yuh?" he said with a smirk. "But it shore is fun watchin' yuh try. Those boobs o' yours bounce almost as good as those beauty contest girls' did."

        He put the palm of his hand on her hip and stroked over to the area below her navel. Arlene's eyes narrowed and her brows furrowed in anger and frustration as he moved up to her breasts. He played with each for a moment or so as she struggled and protested.

         "Yuh know, Arlene, you're one right fine lookin' woman," he said softly. "I shoulda done this a long time ago."

        She made an indignant noise into the gag.

        "I got t' get the deputy all spread out like this in the other room," he continued dreamily. "And after I get done with both of yuh, I might jus' hogtie yuh, put yuh on top o' her and watch fer a while." He smiled. "Yeah! That'd be a lotta fun."

        He roused himself from his reverie.

        "But first things first. Too bad yuh can't watch, Arlene, but I'm sure you'll hear us."

*     *     *     *     *

        Copper Ryder heard the soft sound of approaching feet in the sand behind her, and struggled to look over her shoulder. Deputy Harry Tyler was moving toward her, using what cover was available. The girl turned to her right and saw Deputy Andy Rivera taking cover at the corner of house. A state trooper was concealing himself behind a small tree between her and the house. Rivera and the trooper had a clear look and field of fire at anyone coming onto the cabin porch. Keeping a close watch on the cabin, Tyler knelt behind her and untied the gag knots. The blonde spat out the wad.

        "Thank God you're here, Harry!" she gasped.

        "Is Amy in there?" asked the stocky deputy as he drew out his knife and began cutting the ropes holding Copper to the post.

        The girl nodded.

        "Yes. And she's in bad trouble. One of the men of the gang's in there, and he's had his eye on her all day. He keeps talking about how much fun he's going to have with her."

        Tyler cut the line holding Copper's bound knees to her chest and started working on freeing her hands and arms. He nodded at Gloria, tied to the other post.

        "I don't seem to recognize your friend."

        "That's Gloria. She was one of the gang until she decided to help us escape, but they caught us."

        "Pleased to meet you, ma'am," Harry said dryly. He had finished cutting Copper's hands and arms free. He handed the knife to her. "Here. You finish up, then untie her and get clear until we're done." He looked her up and down and smiled faintly. "Sorry I don't have a spare uniform with me right now."

        Copper did not try to cover herself in any way. She even returned the faint smile as she sawed at the ropes holding her knees.

        "Just get Amy out of there. But watch out for Jones. He's dangerous."

        "We'll be careful."

        He waved to Trooper Miller to follow him and started for the porch.

*     *     *     *     *

        "Yessiree, Deputy," drawled Jones. "This is one time with a cop around when I'm shore gonna enjoy myself."

        Amy tested the bonds Jones had just finished tying on her spread ankles. Finding that they were secure, she twisted and struggled as she searched for a weakness in the ropes on her hands and arms.

        "Yore one mighty cute little bundle wigglin' like that," Jones continued. His voice came softer. "Well, wiggle all yuh want, Deputy. I know how t' tie a gal so she stays put." He laughed. "Yuh can ask Arlene. O' course that gag might get in th' way."

        Amy stopped struggling. Her efforts were useless, and it seemed better not to do anything that would arouse her captor any more. She tried to look steadily at him, but found it difficult not to show her fear and loathing. She made a muffled mew of alarm as he unbuckled his belt.

        "That's real fetchin', that is," Jones practically whispered. "We're gonna ---"

        The cabin door flew open hard enough that the knob thudded loudly into the wall. Two uniformed men appeared at the door. A second or two later, the glass of one of the front windows was broken. A pistol was thrust through the opening.

        "Kermit Sheriff's Department and State Police!" yelled Harry Tyler. "Just stay where you are and keep your hands in sight!"

        Jones turned and looked over the situation for what seemed a long moment. He looked at the three men and then his eyes went to the pistol he had left on the table in the cabin's main room. He hesitated as though slowly calculating his chances in going for it.

        "Don't try it!" called another voice.

        A tall Trooper with a strong, rectangular face had joined the Deputy standing in the doorway. Jones looked at him as well.

        Without a word, Jones lunged for the table and his revolver. From the window, Deputy Rivera fired. Jones staggered back. Blood appeared on his left shoulder, but he tried again to reach the gun. Tyler fired. The impact of the bullet on the right side of his chest hurled Jones against the wall between the two bedroom doors. This time, he sank to the floor with a groan.

        Amy Cole flung her upper body forward into a sitting position and put her fists against the mattress to keep from falling back. She saw Harry rush to Jones and kneel beside the wounded man. Boyer, Miller and Rivera were close behind. Tyler looked up and saw her.

        "Get something on this wound, will you, Sarge," Tyler called.

        He rose and came to her side as the two troopers hurried forward to tend to Jones and Rivera entered the other bedroom to release Arlene. Amy hummed something into the gag. He pulled down the ties and helped her remove the sodden wad from her mouth.

        "Are you all right?" he asked anxiously.

        Amy nodded.

        "I'm fine," she said. She tried to smile bravely. "You cut it kind of close this time, so in the future I hope you'll…"

        She stopped. She looked into his relieved face and suddenly could no longer keep her pose of breezy courage.

        "Oh, Harry!" she cried. Her head fell against his chest and she began to weep softly.

*     *     *     *     *

        Sky pulled back on the yoke and banked to the left to observe the effect of his second pass in front of the stage horses. The team slowed slightly for a moment then resumed their frightened race in the direction of Red Gorge.

        "Oh, Sky!" Julie said anxiously. "It's not working!"

        Sky shook his head.

        "We'd have to get right in front of the team to stop them, and it'd be too dangerous to go any lower. Any sign of the posse or the outlaws?"

        Julie looked back toward Kermit.

        "The posse's coming up fast, but there's no way they can get to the coach before it reaches the gorge." She looked to the other side of the plane. "The Sheriff and the outlaws are closer, but I don't they'll be in time either. What can we do?"

        "There's one other thing we can try." He looked at her searchingly. "I'll need your help."

        "What do I have to do?"

        "You're going to have to fly the Hummingbird close enough to drop me on the coach."

        Her eyes widened and both brows shot up.

        "You can't be serious! It's been twenty years since you did any wing walking, and I'm not a stunt flyer!"

        He smiled grimly.

        "But I'm the only old wing walker here and you're the best pilot available. It's our only chance to save those girls. Are you game?"

        Julie gulped. He gave her a slight nod. Her features became composed.

        "Just tell me what to do."

        Sky unbuckled his seat belt and slid between the seats into passenger area.

        "First, you'll have to slide over here so I can use the door."

        He reached over her right shoulder to hold the yoke steady as she moved from the right-hand seat into the left. She quickly took the controls while he climbed into the right front seat. He dropped his wide-brimmed Western hat onto the passenger seat in the rear.

        "We're getting awfully close to the gorge, Sky," said Julie, trying to remain calm

        "We'll have to get it right on the first pass. Come up from directly behind while reducing your speed gradually. I'll be as ready as I can. Then steer a little left to put me over the top and throttle back as we pass over. Just keep the nose up and be careful you don't stall."

        Julie brought the plane up behind the speeding coach. Sky turned the door handle and opened it slightly.

        "Seventy five feet," reported Julie. "I'm going in."

        Sky nodded and smiled reassuringly at his wife.

        "Ready when you are."

*     *     *     *     *

        "We're not going to catch them in time!" yelled Deputy MacKeever.

        Sheriff Winchell looked ahead. The coach was nearing the edge of Red Gorge. He waved his arms to the other riders.

        "Go on ahead, you men!" he shouted. "Stop that team!"

        Ken Moore, Rusty Cline and Cliff Patterson, the best riders in the group, pulled away from the others at maximum gallop. But it looked hopeless. They were too far away and their horses were too close to played out to have much chance of catching the coach. Winchell looked to the south. The posse men were much too far away to help.

        "What's Sky trying to do?" shouted MacKeever, pointing behind the coach.

        They had watched the Hummingbird make two low passes in front of the stage in an unsuccessful attempt to slow or stop the team. Now the Cessna was coming up from behind and dropping dangerously low. As the astonished men watched, the plane slowed and passed directly over the coach. The tall frame of Sky Ryder dropped from the plane onto the coach roof.

        "He did it!" hollered one of the men.

        But no sooner had Sky landed than he was nearly jolted off when the coach wheels went over a sizable bump. Only by grabbing the luggage rail with one hand and bracing himself against the opposite rail with a foot did he stay on. With the seconds running down, Sky scrambled into the driver's box then jumped onto the last horse on the left of the team. Grabbing the flying reins, he pulled on them. The team began to slow, turning in a circle to the left. The coach was now moving across the line of pursuit. Rusty Cline had to pull up his spent horse, but Moore and Patterson were able to intercept the slowing leaders and bring the coach to a stop. Winchell and the other men reined in their winded horses as they neared the coach. Sky secured the reins to the brake and hopped down to the ground.

        "I guess you can't keep an old barnstormer down, can you?" called a grinning Winchell.

        Sky returned the grin.

        "I wish you'd been there to talk me out of it. I'm getting a little old for stunts like that."

        Winchell swung himself down from the saddle. The rest of his men were dismounting as well, some tending to the horses, others heading for Sky or the coach.

The roar of a Jeep engine on the other side of the stage drew their attention. Deputy Tom Willard pulled around the coach close to Sky and stopped. Burt Metford did not wait for the vehicle to stop before he jumped from the rear compartment and sprinted toward the coach door.

        "Are they in there?" he yelled. "How are they?"

        Sky intercepted Metford at the door and put his hand on the handle.

        "Are you sure you want to look, Burt?" Sky asked gently.

        "I want to know that … that…" began Metford.

        Sky nodded and opened the door. The eyes of Summer Merrill, Joan O'Connor and Sue Kendall were wide over the bands of their gags. Diana Malloy looked back over her shoulder and mewed in relief. Summer and Sue tried to speak. Joan looked up at Burt, blushed and lowered her eyes.

        "Oh, my God!" cried Medford, as wide-eyed as any of the prisoners. He looked at Sky. "Why they're all…."

        Sky clapped him on the shoulder with one hand as he drew out his folding pocketknife with the other.

        "I know, son, I know. Happen to have a knife with you?"

*     *     *     *     *

        Virginia Gregory stopped her pacing to glare at Mayor Holmes and Deputy Bob Falk.

        "I really don't know why you people stopped the car to make us wait here," she said in her usual irritated fashion. "I want to know what's happened to my girls! I want to be out there with them!"

        Falk and Holmes were leaning their backs against the car. Deputy Keller remained behind the wheel holding the radio handset. Dispatcher Bonnie Johnson sat in the backseat with her legs dangling out of the open door.

        "I'm just following the Sheriff's orders ma'am," Falk said calmly.

        "From what we've heard," added Holmes, "there seems no cause for alarm."

        "Well, I certainly think that something's wrong!" said Miss Gregory. "If everything was according to plan, the stagecoach would be on that road over there." She pointed to the west. "But if the stage is returning from this way---" she swung her point northeast --- "then something's very wrong."

        Deputy Keller leaned over to the passenger side of the car.

        "They're coming, Bob," he said.

        A dust cloud was approaching from the northeast. They could see a good many mounted men, the stagecoach, a Jeep and two patrol cars.

        Falk turned to the north and pointed.

        "Here come some more."

        Another dust cloud had appeared on the stage road. In a few minutes they could see two more patrol cars making their slow way down the rough road.

        "Why don't y'all have a seat ovuh heauh, Miz Gregory," suggested Bonnie. "Yuh'll feel much bettuh out o' the hot sun."

        Virginia Gregory said nothing. She began chewing on a thumbnail.

*     *     *     *     *

        Deputy Bill Harrison started the patrol car carrying the wounded Jarvis, guarded by Deputy Cooley, back toward the road. They passed a civilian car headed toward the gathering where the Mayor's car had stopped. The stagecoach and its tired team, two more patrol cars and the Jeep had drawn up facing the waiting Mayor, and the posse and outlaw re-enactors and their horses ringed the vehicles. The big sedan drew up beside the Mayor. Somehow, the entire City Council had squeezed into it: Norman Barrett was at the wheel with Herb Vidor and Roberts in the front. The back seat was well filled by McClain, Eckhart and Bayer. As the councilmen unloaded from the car, Sky and Burt Metford helped the women, all of them once again dressed in their costumes, from the coach. Sheriff Winchell stepped out of his patrol car to join Sky and the women.

        Mayor Holmes was beaming at them.

        "Well done, Sheriff!" he said heartily. "Deputy Falk here has been rather close-mouthed on the situation, but from what we can see, it's obvious that you've foiled an attempt to make off with the stagecoach. And all the ladies are in remarkably good health. I'm glad to see it. And I'm also glad that the other Council members are here to offer their thanks as well."

        "Beg pardon, Mr. Mayor," interrupted Winchell. "But we owe most of our thanks to Sky and Julie. Without them, these young ladies would be at the bottom of Red Gorge right now."

        "Fortunately, Sheriff," Roberts said genially, "we're pretty used to voting thanks and commendations to Mr. Ryder and his family. Well done, Sky!"

        "Hear, hear!" shouted Herb Vidor.

        The Councilmen all applauded. Sky raised his hand to stop them.

        "Unfortunately though, Mr. Mayor," said Sky, "there's one person in this group who needs to be singled out for making all this possible."

        Holmes kept smiling but was obviously puzzled.

        "I don't understand, Sky. What do you mean?"

        "I mean the person who set all this up."

        Holmes and the councilmen looked around.

        "Who?" demanded McClain.

        Diana Malloy stepped forward and pointed.

        "Why our beloved agent, of course!" she said with heat as she indicated Virginia Gregory. "Just a little harmless publicity, you said! We'll just make it look like you're in danger, you said. Well, getting tied up, having some of my clothes taken off and being carried around a little is one thing, but being driven over a cliff is another!"

        Virginia Gregory tried to look astonished.

        "You don't know what you're saying, Diana! This is absurd! Why would I go along with something like this? It must be your scheme, yours and Joan's!"

        "Joan didn't know anything about it," declared Diana. "It's all your doing, and mine, I guess, since I went along with it." She looked earnestly at Winchell. "I'm giving myself up, Sheriff, but take her in, too. She was the brains. She and that Patricia woman she hired."

        Virginia looked imploringly at Winchell.

        "You can't believe this girl, Sheriff. You can't take the word of a publicity-seeking little starlet on a matter like this."

        "Oh, it's not just her word, Miss Gregory," said Winchell. "That wounded man, Jarvis, said that he was hired by the woman Miss Malloy says you hired."

"And there's another man and two women being brought in by some deputies and the State Police who say the same thing," added Sky.

"But the other day at the Armory!" protested Virginia. "The gang grabbed me and tied me up as well. And surely you can't believe I'd try to have the girls burned alive for publicity!"

"That fire starting arrangement looked pretty convincing until I noticed that the lens they set up was concave," said Sky. "And a concave lens won't start a fire, even if the gas and the turpentine aren't watered-down like the stuff your men used.

"You did a pretty good bit of acting that day, Miss Gregory," he continued. "It made you appear to be a victim like the others. But my drama critics---" he indicated Joan and Summer--- "said that you made an amateurish mistake: you overplayed your part."

Winchell gestured to Bonnie Johnson.

"Acting Deputy Johnson, would you do the honors with Miss Gregory?"

The brown-haired beauty drew the handcuffs from her belt and stepped forward.

"I'd be right glad t', Sheriff."

She twisted the still-protesting agent's arms behind her and applied the cuffs. Winchell turned to Diana.

"I afraid that we'll have to arrest you too, Miss Malloy."

"I understand, Sheriff," she said. She put an arm around Joan's waist. "But I agreed to help Joan with Wild West Days and there's one more day to go. Can't it wait until they're over?"

"She could sure be a help, Winch," said Summer.

 "And waiting a day or so would avoid a lot of negative publicity, Sheriff," added Burt Metford.

The Sheriff stroked his mustache thoughtfully.

"I don't see any reason that we can't release her into Miss O'Connor's custody for a day or two," he said.

"It'll probably take more than one day to undo all the bad publicity I've made for the town," Diana said ruefully.

"All right, everybody!" called Winchell. "Let's get back to town!"

Burt Metford waited to help Joan into the stagecoach. The blond beauty sighed happily.

"I'm so glad that it's all over now."

But Sky Ryder, who overheard the remark, was not so sure it was over.

To Be Continued

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