In Her Own Right Part 52

He took the rope and tied her, likewise.

"Very good, Bill!" he said, and they placed her beside Elaine.

"If you will permit your legs to be tied, we will gladly let you have the seat----"

"No!----"

"Well, I didn't think you would--so you will have to remain on the floor; you see, you might be tempted to jump, if we gave you the seat."

They were running so rapidly, through the night air, that the country could scarcely be distinguished, as it rushed by them. To Elaine, it was an unknown land. Davila, however, was looking for something she could recognize--some building that she knew, some stream, some topographical formation. But in the faint and uncertain moonlight, coupled with the speed at which they travelled, she was baffled. The chief observed, however.

"With your permission!" he said, and taking two handkerchiefs from his pocket, he bound the eyes of both.

"It is only for a short while," he explained--"matter of an hour or so, and you suffer no particular inconvenience, I trust."

Neither Elaine nor Davila condescended to reply.

After a moment's pause, the man went on:

"I neglected to say--and I apologize for my remissness--that you need fear no ill-treatment. You will be shown every consideration--barring freedom, of course--and all your wants, within the facilities at our command, will be gratified. Naturally, however, you will not be permitted to communicate with your friends."

"How nice of you!" said Elaine. "But I should be better pleased if you would tell us the reason for this abduction."

"That, I regret, I am not at liberty to discuss."

"How long are we to remain prisoners?" demanded Davila.

"It depends."

"Upon what?"

"Upon whether something is acceded to."

"By whom?"

"I am not at liberty to say."

"And if it is not acceded to?" Elaine inquired.

"In that event--it would be necessary to decide what should be done with you."

"Done with us! What do you mean to imply?"

"Nothing!--the time hasn't come to imply--I hope it will not come."

"Why?" said Davila.

"Because."

"Because is no reason."

"It is a woman's reason!" said he, laughing lightly.

"Do you mean that your failure would imperil our lives?"

"Something like it?" he replied, after a moment's thought.

"Our lives!" Davila cried. "Do you appreciate what you are saying!"

The man did not answer.

"Is it possible you mean to threaten our lives?" Davila persisted.

"I threaten nothing--yet."

"Oh, you threaten nothing, yet!" she mocked. "But you will threaten, if----"

"Exactly! if--you are at liberty to guess the rest."

"I don't care to guess!" she retorted. "Do you appreciate that the whole Eastern Sh.o.r.e will be searching for us by morning--and that, if the least indignity is offered us, your lives won't be worth a penny?"

"We take the risk, Miss Carrington," replied the man, placidly.

Davila shrugged her shoulders, and they rode in silence, for half an hour.

Then the speed of the car slackened, they ran slowly for half a mile, and stopped. The chief reached down, untied the handkerchiefs, and sprang out.

"You may descend," he said, offering his hand.

Elaine saw the hand, and ignored it; Davila refused even to see the hand.

They could make out, in the dim light, that they were before a long, low, frame building, with the waters of the Bay just beyond. A light burned within, and, as they entered, the odor of cooking greeted them.

"Thank goodness! they don't intend to starve us!" said Elaine. "I suppose it's scarcely proper in an abducted maiden, but I'm positively famished."

"I'm too enraged to eat," said Davila.

"Are you afraid?" Elaine asked.

"Afraid?--not in the least!"

"No more am I--but oughtn't we be afraid?"

"I don't know! I'm too angry to know anything."

They had been halted on the porch, while the chief went in, presumably, to see that all was ready for their reception. Now, he returned.

"If you will come in," he said, "I will show you to your apartment."