At first thought it seemed impossible that the girl could have left camp, unaided, and it seemed quite as certain that no one could have taken her away by force, without rousing Ross.
As he considered it, however, Ross realized that exhaustion would come quickly to one chained to the rock and exposed to the sun without food or water. Recuperation would probably come quite as quickly. The girl had had both water and nourishment the evening before, and it would have been quite possible for her to have gained sufficient strength to leave, had she so chosen. There seemed to be no other explanation.
"Well, Archibald," said Ross, falling into his whimsical habit of addressing the burro, "when I started this trip I thought that you and Percy were the only asses in the party. Now I am convinced there are three of us. I have just been craving adventure for months. Yesterday I blundered right onto the craziest kind of a mystery, and then I go to sleep and let the whole thing get away from me! Fools can't think, but I suppose they've got to eat," he finished to himself.
He set about preparing his breakfast, meanwhile pondering the affair. The more he pondered the more mysterious it became.
Breakfast finished, he washed his dishes and thon stepped over to gather up-his bed-roll. Instantly he stopped short. There before him, scratched in the level sand of the canon floor, was a message:
"Please go away. There is only great danger if you investigate further."
There could be no denying the sincerity of that message. Coupled with the silent testimony of the inhuman shackles, it meant that the girl, whoever she might be, was in real peril.
Regaining her strength, she had quietly slipped away in the night, but before going she had left behind a warning to the man who had released her. It was evident that she did not wish to draw a stranger into a danger which she considered hers alone.
The warning, however, reacted on Ross like a red rag on a bull. It was a challenge to his manhood, to his thirst for adventure. Somewhere up that narrow canon was mystery; and somewhere, too, was a girl in unknown danger, a girl who patently enough needed assistance and a friend.
It took but a few minutes to round up the burros and rope on the packs.
"We will now proceed to rescue the fair maiden."
"Stick 'em up, an' do it quick!"
Ross whirled at the sound of the gruff voice—and found himself looking squarely into the muzzle of an ugly six-shooter. Behind it, was the most villainous-looking countenance Ross had ever seen.
"Come on! H'ist 'em up!" again jerked out the owner of the gun.
The situation was too unreal to be taken swriously.
"Ah, Archibald, the plot thickens! First we meet Beauty; now we meet the Beast. Point that gun the other way, my friend. It might go off and frighten my long-eared friend here. He's delicate, and I don't like to have his nerves shocked."
"H'ist them mits before I drill ya!"
Ross felt the muzzle of the gun jammed into his ribs, and a practised hand quickly searched his body. His automatic, carried for the sole purpose of exterminating rattlesnakes, was transferred to the other's pocket.
The vicious attitude of the gunman was far too real to be taken lightly. There was no doubt that he meant business.
"Ya can let 'em down now," said the gunman, stopping back.
Ross turned and surveyed his captor.
"If you don't mind telling me," he asked coldly, "to whom am I indebted for this early morning call?"
"Stow the flip gab. All I know is tha big boss said to bring ya in, an' I'm bringin' ya."
"Then I'm to understand that I'm a captive?"
"Understan' anythin' ya please. Now 99 git travelin'."
Resistance was hopeless. His air of reckless bravado gone, boiling inwardly at the indignity forced upon him, Ross swung and trudged off up the canon trail.
For perhaps a quarter of a mile the narrow canon cleaved straight through the rock. Then it suddenly began a series of intricate turns, as though it had attempted a passage and had been baffled and forced to take a new direction about every fifty feet.
For a while, Ross stalked on without speaking. Suddenly he turned his head and spoke.
"Just where are you taking me, and who is the 'big boss'?"
"Never mind askin' dam" fool questions. Keep movin'!"
After another quarter mile of sharp turns, the canon suddenly broadened, and Ross found himself looking out into a basin bounded on all sides by high, perpendicular rock walls, smooth and straight.
The basin was oval in shape, and near the center was a group of 'dobe buildings, five in number. Toward these the captor directed their progress.
As he advanced, Ross looked keenly for signs of life; but though he sought every possible nook and cranny with his gaze, he could see neither man nor beast. The place seemed to be absolutely deserted.
At the first building, a small 'dobe structure that stood somewhat apart from the others, Ross was ordered to halt. Opening a heavy door, the man motioned with his gun for him to enter. Ross stepped over the threshold, and instantly the door clanged shut behind him.
He heard the heavy bolt drop into place. Then he heard his captor walking away.
Then, for the first time, it dawned on Ross that he was actually a prisoner, and that he had been captured with some definite object in view.
The room in which he found himself was about twelve feet square. The walls were of 'dobe; the floor was of the same material, hard packed and smooth. There were two small windows, but both were heavily protected with thick iron bars, set deep in the hard-packed 'dobe. The furniture consisted of a crude table and chair.
A single test of strength showed Ross that he could never hope to open the door. A crowbar or an axe would be necessary for that, and there was no implement of any kind in the room. The walls were fully eighteen inches thick. Under the fierce heat of the desert the 'dobe had grown as hard as cement. Unless he received help from outside, there seemed to be no possibility of escape.
Time passed. Finally he ceased his idle wandering about the room and sank into the chair.
His pipe and tobacco still remained in his pocket. He took out his pipe, lighted it, and fell to considering his strange predicament.
It seemed that ages had passed before he detected approaching footsteps. The bolt was raised. The heavy door swung on its hinges. His captor stood outside, gun in hand. Behind him was a Chinaman, carrying a tray on which was food.
The Chinese entered the room, placed the tray on the table and arranged the food. As he was performing this service, he said in a low whisper, so low that his companion could not hear, "Missee say Wong flix good dlinner."
"Come on, Chink, make it snappy!" snapped the man with the gun.
The door slammed. The bolt fell into place. Ross was alone again.
