should I missy? These city boys, maybe they’d buy you for more than Calumet here.’
He began to laugh and pushed her from him, telling her, ‘You get ready, missy, ’cause you comin’ with your pa. No city boys is gonna take that nice sweet cherry o’ yours, nobody, not ’less I say so – and I ain’t sayin’ so unless it’s for more money than yo’ worth. And then maybe nobody’s gonna get you at all. I might just keep you for me and the Lord.’
It was very nearly more than Sam could bear. He was about to say something but Hannibal headed him off by speaking up first. He asked for a rifle to be left with them for protection against bear and mountain lion. The three backwoodsmen actually laughed at him. It was then that Hannibal realised that they had been playing with him and his friends all along. The girl had been right. Dangling before them the promise of more money than they had ever seen at one time was the only hope of getting out of there.
Andrew, Sam and Hannibal watched Ed push Chadwick along by prodding her with his rifle butt several times while giving her instructions. ‘Girl, you get those feet movin’ for home, and fast.I’m hungry and dog tired and I want a hot meal when I come through that door. That’s what you tell your ma. She vanished into the bushes while they were still making ready to follow her.
It was almost a relief to hear and see the last of them. The vileness of man, his capacity for cruelty and lovelessness gone, a kind of peace and serenity descended upon the wounded men though the shock of being involved with these aspects of life and these people still lingered.
‘What scoundrels. Do you think they will come back?’ asked Andrew.
‘I honestly don’t know. Frankly I think it’s a matter of mood. If they’re in the mood to work at getting us out, they will. For the money, of course,’ answered Hannibal.
‘That poor child. She seems way above her father, smart as a whip, courageous, kind. One thing is certain, she tried her best for us,’ said Sam, taking his pistol from its hiding place under his shirt, shoved down his belt at the small of his back. Andrew took his from the pocket of the seersucker jacket he had been forced to wear in place of the shirt he had used for bandages.
The men closed their eyes and tried to sleep. No one said anything but the three were very much aware that if Ed and his friends returned within the next few hours, it very well might be to shoot them. The dozing men were certain to hear them coming through the undergrowth. Chances were, hunters or not, they would be less cautious than if they were stalking an animal because they did not suspect the city boys were on to them or that they had firearms. The trio were banking on that and ready to fight it out if it came to that.
They didn’t have long to wait. No more than an hour later they heard a rustling in the undergrowth. The sun was still high in the sky but unable to burn through the still-lingering mists. It was steamy and jungle-like and very still except for the rustling. Sam Kane heard it first and poked Hannibal who shook Andrew awake. Before they could remove the safety catches from the pistols, much to everyone’s relief Chadwick burst through a tangle of dogwood.
‘Chadwick! You did give us a turn,’ said Sam who looked as if he were about to faint.
She collapsed at their feet. Her hair was wet with perspiration, she was scratched on her arms and legs from the bushes as she’d gone racing through them and she was panting, wanting a drink to quench her thirst. Finally she smiled and told them, ‘They won’t be back, not for hours and hours. But they will come back, looking for me. Only I won’t be here and we’ll all be safe. Well, safe till Pa finds me – and he will find me. He hates me too much to let me go. Now we got to get a move on.’
‘Move on, how? Where to? What’s happened? Why have you returned?’ asked Hannibal.
‘Oh, I guess it’s best if
He began to laugh and pushed her from him, telling her, ‘You get ready, missy, ’cause you comin’ with your pa. No city boys is gonna take that nice sweet cherry o’ yours, nobody, not ’less I say so – and I ain’t sayin’ so unless it’s for more money than yo’ worth. And then maybe nobody’s gonna get you at all. I might just keep you for me and the Lord.’
It was very nearly more than Sam could bear. He was about to say something but Hannibal headed him off by speaking up first. He asked for a rifle to be left with them for protection against bear and mountain lion. The three backwoodsmen actually laughed at him. It was then that Hannibal realised that they had been playing with him and his friends all along. The girl had been right. Dangling before them the promise of more money than they had ever seen at one time was the only hope of getting out of there.
Andrew, Sam and Hannibal watched Ed push Chadwick along by prodding her with his rifle butt several times while giving her instructions. ‘Girl, you get those feet movin’ for home, and fast.I’m hungry and dog tired and I want a hot meal when I come through that door. That’s what you tell your ma. She vanished into the bushes while they were still making ready to follow her.
It was almost a relief to hear and see the last of them. The vileness of man, his capacity for cruelty and lovelessness gone, a kind of peace and serenity descended upon the wounded men though the shock of being involved with these aspects of life and these people still lingered.
‘What scoundrels. Do you think they will come back?’ asked Andrew.
‘I honestly don’t know. Frankly I think it’s a matter of mood. If they’re in the mood to work at getting us out, they will. For the money, of course,’ answered Hannibal.
‘That poor child. She seems way above her father, smart as a whip, courageous, kind. One thing is certain, she tried her best for us,’ said Sam, taking his pistol from its hiding place under his shirt, shoved down his belt at the small of his back. Andrew took his from the pocket of the seersucker jacket he had been forced to wear in place of the shirt he had used for bandages.
The men closed their eyes and tried to sleep. No one said anything but the three were very much aware that if Ed and his friends returned within the next few hours, it very well might be to shoot them. The dozing men were certain to hear them coming through the undergrowth. Chances were, hunters or not, they would be less cautious than if they were stalking an animal because they did not suspect the city boys were on to them or that they had firearms. The trio were banking on that and ready to fight it out if it came to that.
They didn’t have long to wait. No more than an hour later they heard a rustling in the undergrowth. The sun was still high in the sky but unable to burn through the still-lingering mists. It was steamy and jungle-like and very still except for the rustling. Sam Kane heard it first and poked Hannibal who shook Andrew awake. Before they could remove the safety catches from the pistols, much to everyone’s relief Chadwick burst through a tangle of dogwood.
‘Chadwick! You did give us a turn,’ said Sam who looked as if he were about to faint.
She collapsed at their feet. Her hair was wet with perspiration, she was scratched on her arms and legs from the bushes as she’d gone racing through them and she was panting, wanting a drink to quench her thirst. Finally she smiled and told them, ‘They won’t be back, not for hours and hours. But they will come back, looking for me. Only I won’t be here and we’ll all be safe. Well, safe till Pa finds me – and he will find me. He hates me too much to let me go. Now we got to get a move on.’
‘Move on, how? Where to? What’s happened? Why have you returned?’ asked Hannibal.
‘Oh, I guess it’s best if
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