The Black Box Part 62

"Are they trying to take you on a warrant?" she whispered. "Remember you don't need to go unless you want to."

Craig shook his head.

"This is something quite different," he explained. "Leave me for a moment, Marta. I must talk to these people."

She slipped regretfully away from his side and out into the darkness. He sat with his eyes fixed upon the cablegram. Then he turned towards Quest.

"Fate seems to be too strong for me," he admitted. "Leave me alone and I promise you that I'll go at once to New York, settle Mary's future, and then make a full disclosure."

Jim touched him on the shoulder.

"Remember," he told him, "you ain't no call to leave here unless you want to. Those deputies don't go this side of the border. You're safe as long as you like to stay."

Craig nodded gratefully.

"All the same," he said, "I fear that I must go."

The Professor coughed.

"I am sure, Craig," he declared, "that you have decided wisely."

Craig looked gloomily away.

"There is nothing else for me to do," he said. "The child must be met and looked after. Besides, I am sick of it all. You may as well know the truth."

"Why not now?" Quest suggested softly.

"In New York," Craig replied, "and not before."

Quest and the Professor exchanged meaning glances.

"Very well," the former decided, turning away, "in a week from to-day, Craig, I shall expect you to report at the Professor's house."

They left the room together. Long Jim lingered by Craig's side.

"Those guys have been scaring you some, I guess," he remarked. "Forget 'em, cookie. They can't touch you here. Of course, if you go to New York it's your own show."

"I know that," Craig replied gloomily.

One of the girls pa.s.sed her arm through Long Jim's.

"Just one dance," she whispered.

He hesitated, looking out of the window. Then he shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm tired of those guys," he remarked to Craig with a grin. "Guess I'll stay here for a bit."

Craig was left alone for a few minutes. Suddenly Marta glided in and sat by his side. Her eyes were flas.h.i.+ng with anger.

"You know what they said, those two, as they pa.s.sed out?" she whispered hoa.r.s.ely. "I heard them. They are going to board the eight-thirty train to-morrow morning. The dark man turned and said to the other--'If he is not on that, we'll wait till we find him. Once we get him in New York, he's our man.'"

A little exclamation of anger broke from Craig's lips. The girl caught at his arm.

"Don't go," she begged. "Don't go. There are plenty of places near here where you can hide, where we could go together and live quite simply. I'd work for you. Take me away from this, somewhere over the hills. Don't go to New York. They are cruel, those men. They are hunting you--I can see it in their faces."

Craig shook his head sadly.

"Little girl," he said, "I should like to go with you along that valley and over the hills and forget that I had ever lived in any other world.

But I can't do it. There's a child there now, on the ocean, nearer to New York every day, my sister's own child and no one to meet her. And--there are the other things. I have sinned and I must pay.... My G.o.d!"

The room suddenly rang with Marta's shriek. Through the open window by which they were sitting, an arm wrapped in a serape had suddenly hovered over them. Craig, in starting back, had just escaped the downward blow of the knife, which had buried itself in Marta's arm. She fell back, screaming.

"It's Jose!" she cried. "The brute! The beast!"

Craig swung to his feet, furious. Long Jim, cursing fiercely, drew his gun. At that moment the door of the saloon was thrown open. Jose came reeling in, his serape over his shoulder, a drunken grin on his face. He staggered towards them.

"Jose, you beast!" the girl called out, and fell back, fainting.

There was the sound of a revolver shot and Jose reeled backwards and fell with a cry across the sanded floor. Jim thrust his smoking gun into his belt and caught Craig by the arm.

"Say, we'd better get out of this, cookie!" he muttered.

They were hustled out. Apparently Jose was unpopular, for every one seemed only anxious to have them clear away.

"I'll get you into the camp quietly," Long Jim muttered. "You'll be safer there for the night. Then you can make that eighty-thirty in the morning."

Lenora, with her bed dragged to the opening of the tent, eagerly greeted the little party on their return. Quest at once came and sat by her side.

"Where's Laura," he asked, "and the Inspector?"

She smiled and pointed to the rising ground behind them. In the faint moonlight two forms were just visible.

"The Inspector isn't taking 'no' for an answer," Lenora remarked cheerfully, "and honestly, if you ask me, I believe that Laura is weakening a little. She pretended she didn't want to go out for a walk, and mumbled something about leaving me, but she soon changed her mind when the Inspector pressed her. They have been up there for an hour or more."

Quest smiled.

"French has got it bad," he declared, "almost as badly as I have, Lenora."

She laughed at him. Her face was a little drawn with pain but her eyes were very soft.

"I wonder if you have it very badly," she murmured.

He held her hand for a moment.

"I think you know," he said.