After an hour, Farley doubled back and put his horse in the barn. Quietly entering the house he found Chloe and Mona sleeping near the potbelly stove. Mona had her gun holster near. “Mona, wake up.”
Mona stirred from her pallet. “Did you find the mules?”
“I didn’t even search for them. I want to check the bedroom.”
“Whatever for?”
“I have a hunch.”
“About what?”
“Rupert and Chester. All the furniture moving and whispering. Rupert’s obsession with sleeping in the only bed while women sleep on the floor.”
“It’s warmer in here next to the stove. Althea and I wouldn’t have accepted it anyway.”
“Come on and help me. I want to search it before those two get back.
Farley helped Mona up while trying not to disturb Chloe.
“They’ll be gone for hours yet. What are we looking for?”
The two stood in the doorway surveying the room. There was a battered brass bed with a stained mattress. A Standard Oil calendar from 1931 graced the wall and an old chest with most of the drawers missing had been pushed by the bed to act as a night stand. The wooden bathtub, now empty, was turned upright in the corner of the room.
“That’s what the noise was about. They moved the chest over for the lamp.”
“Men don’t take beds from women. It’s unseemly. Rupert demanded this room. If anyone were to have this room, it should have been Althea. We are here on a lark. She saves lives, and a good night’s rest is of the utmost importance.”
“Neither Rupert nor Chester objected to us using the room last night.”
“They didn’t dare.”
“I don’t know why Rupert and Chester would want to even stay in here. It’s cold. It would make more sense to drag that nasty mattress into the main room before the potbelly stove.”
“I concur,” Farley said. “So what were our fellow explorers up to?” He tore the mattress from the bed frame. Nothing.
Mona checked the one drawer in the makeshift nightstand. Nothing. She checked the back. Nothing again.
Farley checked under the calendar. The only thing the calendar hid was cobwebs.
“Maybe they hid something in the walls.”
“I don’t think so. The owners of this house must have been prosperous at one time. The bedroom is wallpapered and there are not breaks in the seams.”
“Could be an illusion. I’m going to check their sleeping bags. Check the walls will you?”
Mona checked the wallpaper seams and knocked on the walls. Just as she thought—the walls were solid. Jumping when she saw a dark figure pass the window, Mona realized it was Farley searching outside. Resigned, Mona pulled the mattress back on the bed.
Clang! Something fell on the floor.
What in the world?
Mona picked up a coin from the floor. “Robert! Robert! Come here!” She heard the front door bang open and running footsteps.
“What is it?” Farley asked, panting.
Mona opened her hand and showed the coin.
Farley picked it up and studied it intently. “It’s a Spanish doubloon.”
“Look at the date.”
Farley peered at the coin closely. “1672. Where did you find it?”
“It fell out of the mattress.”
“Let’s see if there’s more. Feel for lumps.”
“The mattress is nothing but lumps,” Mona said, frowning.
“I’ve got an idea. The metal detectors that you brought, Mona.”
“Rupert and Chester took them.”
“Well then, feel for a slit.”
“I will, but I wish I had gloves. This thing is ghastly.”
“You slept on it last night.”
“There was a blanket between me and it. The floor in the main room is cleaner than this thing.”
“Quit your kvetching, woman. Search.”
After feeling along the striped ticking of the mattress for ten minutes, Farley said, “I think I feel something.” Finding a small slit in the mattress, Farley pulled out several more Spanish doubloons, four English crowns, and several balls of ore with black streaks denoting unsmelted silver.
Mona and Farley looked at the artifacts and then at each other.
“What are we going to do, Robert?”
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking then?”
Mona nodded. “Rupert and Chester are salting the finds. It was no coincidence that I found that nodule of worked silver in the water. I would have had to be blind to miss it.”
“Did Rupert send you in that direction?”
“In a passive fashion. He and I parted near the stream. There was a fifty-fifty chance that I would find it yesterday.”
Farley said, “That’s why Rupert was so upset that Althea and I were not taking part in the search. Someone had to find that silver.”
“The question is why?”
“I don’t care about why. Let me saddle Shaggy, and let’s get out of here.”
“How are we to transport Chloe?”
“I’ll carry her on my horse in a sack.”
“We still can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Althea,” Mona said.
“Althea is not even here.”
“But she will be.”
“We’ll go after her.”
“We don’t even know what direction she took. What if we take off and go back to the Frontier Nursing Service?”
“I’m with you.”
“And what if Rupert has a nefarious intent? He might go after Althea thinking we went to join her and finding her alone, harms her.”
“He doesn’t know where she is any more than we do.”
“But he knows she’ll be back here sooner or later. He might be waiting for her, and she will be walking into a trap.”
“First of all, I don’t think what is going on here has anything to do with Althea. Rupert would not harm Althea. There’s no reason to. At the moment, Rupert is salting sites. While it is highly irregular and possibly criminal for an academic to act in such a way, both you and I know it is not unusual for someone to do so when making a name for himself. It’s been done before. I can tick off a list of accomplished men who gave destiny a little push.”
“This goes much deeper than Rupert wanting to make a name for himself.”
Farley said, “Enlighten me, oh swami.”
“Let’s look at the facts. Rupert wanted the bedroom so he and Chester could hide their loot.”
“And protect it, but I think they had nothing to do with the mules missing. It threw them for a loop, so they had to hide the money where they felt it was safe. They considered someone might be watching, so hiding the money outside was a no go.”
“That’s why they were upset with Althea. They thought she would be staying at the cabin while we all supposedly were searching, thus protecting their stash if someone was indeed watching.”
“Are we sure Chester is mixed up in this?”
Mona said, “I doubt Rupert could have hidden the coins and silver in the mattress without Chester knowing about it. The whispering was them trying to decide a place to hide their loot. Chester is Rupert’s accomplice.”
“No matter what Rupert’s intent is, you need to protect your name. Once we get back to civilization, cut the funding for this expedition and put the word out that you are no longer associated with it.”
“I agree, but what is the expedition’s real purpose?”
“Mona, this is a great intellectual exercise, but I think we should flee this fleabag joint. It will take us three to four days to return to Wendover. The horses are in good shape and shouldn’t have any problem getting back. Once you’re safe, I can turn around with a fresh horse and be back here in two days traveling light. That’s five to seven days. Althea said she would be back in nine.”
“What will you tell Rupert?”
“I’ll tell him that you took a turn for the worse, and we went in search of medical assistance. If we take too long, I can leave you with Mrs. Fugate and head back.”
“Okay, Robert. I think you’re right. Let me give Chloe another sleeping draft before we start. I’m going to make a sling out of a blanket for her that can be hung over the saddle horn, so you ride Shaggy. She’s the strongest of the horses and can take the extra weight.”
“You’re going to ride an English saddle on my stallion?”
“The stallion named Daisy?”
“I’ll ask you not to insult my steed.”
“I’ll make do riding Daisy. Let’s pack enough food and water for two days. We can restock at the Fugates.”
“Let’s put this stuff back. I don’t want Rupert knowing that we stumbled upon his stash.”
Mona turned her head and cautioned Farley. “Hush. Do you hear that?”
“Bloody hell. I think they’re back. There goes our plan to sneak away quietly.”
Mona and Farley hurriedly straightened the bedroom and rushed into the main room.
Rupert threw the front door open. “Come quick! Chester has fallen into a ravine.”
“What happened?” Mona asked.
“His horse became skittish and threw him. I think the panther was nearby.”
Farley asked, “Can he climb?”
“He’s hurt. If Chester could have climbed, I would have gotten him out.”
Farley turned to Mona. “Stay here. I’ll go.”
“No. I’m coming as well.” She turned to Rupert. “Fill up the water canteens and get the first aid kit out of that box there. Is Chester conscious?”
“Yes, but he thinks his arm is broken.” Noticing Mona’s and Farley’s fallen faces, Rupert offered, “I’ll make some splints.”
“Help me with my horse,” Mona said to Farley. “She’s awfully high for me.”
“Hurry,” Rupert said, gathering supplies and water.
Mona and Farley made their way to the barn to saddle Shaggy.
Farley led the horse from her stall and threw a saddle blanket on her. “I don’t like this.”
“Neither do I. Could be a trap of some sorts. They were supposed to go where I found the silver. There is no ravine in that area.”
“Make sure your gun is loaded, Mona.” Farley tipped Mona’s face up with his fingers. “And don’t be afraid to use it.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
“Are you guys ready?” Rupert asked, standing in the barn doorway.
“Just about,” Farley replied, throwing the saddle over the blanket.
Mona said, “Bring Shaggy up to the house. I’ll make sure we have everything. Rupert, come with me.” Mona and Rupert made their way back to the house.
She asked, “Where is Chester’s horse?”
“It bolted and ran off. I hope we find it. We’ll need it to bring Chester back.” Rupert said wistfully, “I wish Althea was here.”
“If all Chester has wrong with him is a broken arm, Robert can set it. I can give him some of Chloe’s sleeping drafts to provide some respite from the pain.”
“Don’t we have morphine?”
“I’d rather not give Chester morphine unless his injuries are critical. Morphine is addictive.”
“How many vials do we have?”
“Althea left two.”
Rupert looked concerned. He seemed very upset.
Mona didn’t think Rupert was that good of an actor. Maybe Chester was really injured just as Rupert said. “Let’s not worry about that until we assess Chester’s injuries. He could have just sprung his wrist or twisted a muscle.” She put on her gun holster and checked the cylinder. All six bullets were there. She snapped the gun shut and placed the gun in her holster.
“Why are you taking a gun?”
“Didn’t you say Chester’s horse might have bolted because of the panther?”
“Yes. Yes. I did.”
“Don’t you think a gun is needed then?”
“Quite so. I’m not thinking straight. I’m so upset. I tried to get him out, but I couldn’t lift him out without a longer rope.”
“Where exactly is this ravine?”
“We found the spot where you found the silver. We looked around for about an hour and found nothing else, so we separated. Chester was to ride up the mountain, and I was to check down the stream. I rode in the water when I ran into thick brush. However, the stream was too cold and my horse began to suffer, so I rode to join Chester.”
“So you didn’t see the accident?”
Rupert shook his head. “No. Chester told me that’s what happened.”
“How did you find him?”
“I heard him calling for help.”
“Why didn’t he shoot three shots from his gun? He wears a shoulder holster.”
“I don’t know. All I know is I heard Chester call out for help and that’s how I found him. We must hurry.”
“Have we got everything we need?”
“We’ll need rope.”
“There is abseiling rope packed in the crate with the Mooncrest logo on it. See it. It’s over by the back wall.”
Farley entered the room. “Shaggy’s ready.”
Mona picked up the tote sack with the supplies. “Let’s do this.”
“Rupert, you take point,” Farley said grimly, grabbing his rifle. “I’ll take the back position.”
“Okay. Let’s hurry though,” Rupert said again. “Chester is in great pain.”
All three mounted and made their way toward the stream.
Mona occasionally turned and glanced at Farley. Each time she turned, Farley was further and further in the distance. She realized that she might turn again, and Farley would not be seen. He was putting space between himself and Rupert in case this was a trap. It would give Farley room to maneuver in such an event.
Mona unbuttoned her gun holster and folded back the flap as she rode behind Rupert. She wanted to be able to use the gun quickly if needed. She hoped Rupert was telling the truth. Not that she wanted Chester to be injured, but everything Rupert said was suspect.
She prayed she and Robert weren’t about to fall victim to Rupert’s subterfuge.