Mona and Farley hurried to the shack they called base camp. They waited in the tree line observing the house before they decided it was safe to proceed.
Farley pulled his pistol out and cocked back the hammer.
Mona did the same with her gun.
Cautiously, they approached the house.
Taking hold of Daisy’s mane, Farley leaned over and pointed at the dirt pathway leading to the house. “Look, Mona. Tracks.”
Mona followed Farley’s gaze. “And wagon wheels, too. It looks like Chester was right. Someone was following us.” She jumped off Shaggy and ran into the house.
Farley followed. “Mona, stop. Be careful.”
Mona threw the door open. “Chloe. Chloe!” The poodle was nowhere to be seen. “Robert, they took my dog!”
“Mona, calm down. What would anybody want with an injured dog? Maybe Chloe ran out when our vultures entered.” Farley looked about the room. “Mona, we have a greater problem than finding your dog.”
Tearful, Mona said, “WHAT?”
“Someone has taken all our provisions. Look about. They have taken every scrap of food we had.”
Flummoxed, Mona replied, “Our tools. Our clean water. Our medical kit. They even ripped out the potbelly stove and the hand pump.”
“It has to be more than one person. No one man could do this by himself in this short amount of time. It took the five of us over an hour to unload.”
“The thieves must be close by. A wagon can’t move in this terrain fast.”
Farley added, “One thing is certain. They are determined not to leave any witnesses.”
Mona swirled around. “What was that? I heard something.”
Farley put his finger to his lips and then pointed at the closed bedroom door. He gingerly stepped over to the door, pointed his gun, and threw the door open.
To both Mona and Farley’s surprise, there stood Chloe on the filthy cotton pinstriped mattress wagging her tail.
Mona rushed over and hugged Chloe. “Oh, thank goodness, you are safe.”
Farley refrained from making a face. He was glad Mona had a tender heart, but at the moment, he was more worried about their safety rather than the dog’s.
A shot sounded in the distance.
“That sounded close.”
“Robert, perhaps we should make a stand here.”
“I’ve got twenty bullets for my pistol not counting my rifle. How many do you have?”
“Just about the same.”
“We don’t know how much ammunition our thieves have or how many there are. There could be five of them for all we know. We can’t fight those odds. What if they try to starve us out? We have no water and no food. How will we protect our horses? If I were them, I would take the horses and leave one man to guard the house to mow us down when we try to escape.”
Another shot echoed off the hills.
“Getting closer.”
“Too close. Whoever killed Chester is still out there.”
“I bet they are shooting at Rupert. It’s gotta be him. I don’t hear any returning fire. I never thought I’d root for him, but I am.”
“At least, he’s distracting them for now. We need to leave fast. I’m going to the barn to see if they left the horses’ feed. Be ready to go in a few minutes. See if you can find anything.”
Farley ran to the barn while Mona searched the house. Everything had been stripped. There was nothing of value to take.
Mona coaxed Chloe out from the house and waited with her on the front porch.
Farley hurried back, looking disgusted. “They even took the grain and oats for the horses. These thieves never intended us to leave this mountain—alive.”
Another shot sounded.
“They are backtracking and getting closer. Let’s go,” Farley said.
“Can Chloe walk?”
“Not for long. She’s still pretty weak.”
“Then it makes sense for you to take Shaggy and hold Chloe. You weigh much less than I.”
“How am I to hold her?”
“Do you have a tote sack in your saddlebag?”
“Why didn’t I think of that?” Mona rummaged through her saddlebag and found the sack.
Farley helped Mona mount and then slipping Chloe in the sack with her head exposed, lifted her to Mona. The dog whimpered and snapped at Mona.
“I know it’s uncomfortable, Chloe, but we’ve got to go.” Mona pulled the sack over Chloe’s eyes. “I wish I had her sleeping powder, at least,” Mona said to Farley.
“We’re doing the best we can, Mona. Come on, old girl, chin up and all that.”
“You’re right. Let’s hurry.”
Farley mounted Daisy, and reaching for Mona’s hand, pressed it for a moment. His unshaven handsome face was ravaged from dirt, blood, and worry. “Whatever happens, you keep on going. Understand?”
Mona nodded.
Farley took one of Shaggy’s reins while Mona tied the loose one around her saddle horn, so she could hold on to Chloe. Gently, Farley led the way down the path, hoping whoever was stalking them would stop for the night while they made their escape.
But it was not to be.