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GARTY WONDERS IF THIS plan will work? The ladies seem smitten by these thugs, who are now acting like proper gentlemen!
Garty dismounts and ties Brill to a tree branch nearby. His hands are chilled by riding through the dense bush without sunlight. He longs to rush to the glowing fire and warm up. Instead, he slips behind the tree and moves to the back of the camp.
Bubba may be in the second tent. It is smaller than the other tent and shut up. That is his only clue. He ponders that thought.
Black Mack had looked at Brill. That is another small clue. Brill stepped away from him when he approached. Another clue, Garty adds this to notes in his head. He wanders a little through the trees and bushes and loosens his belt as a pretense of needing a toilet relief.
“Are you having a drink? Sir?” The voice of Black Mack sounds behind Garty.
“Excuse me,” said Garty, buckling his loosened belt. Black Mack steps backwards a little to allow Garty a moment’s privacy.
“Do I know you?” asks Black Mack, stepping forward again, peering at Garty’s face. Garty shakes his brain and attempts to change his dialect a little. He pulls the scarf a little more over his face as he replies.
“You too, fella!” Garty says in a humorous voice, laughing a little, because he is rather nervous. The plan is fading fast!
“Love a drink, rum,” he said.
He looked away at the women.
“Them feisty women are getting on fine with your men!” Garty said.
Black Mack hurries towards the camp, staying in charge of everyone, now shouting back at Garty, “You get back here too, or I shall be unhappy!”
“Sure Boss, in a tick!” Garty replies, then turns away again.
I need to see inside the second tent.
Garty slips past the trees and comes to the backside of the tent. He sees it has rips in a few places on the rear side. He looks inside. Something moves.
“Bubba,” he whispers and waits.
There is a sickening silence. He hears Black Mack and the other two jesting with the women, who are enjoying their attention.
Garty looks at the structure of the tent and sneaks out the small knife he brought with him tucked inside his boot. In one swift move, he cuts the cloth on the rear side at the ripped spot. Is Bubba alive or not? Ripping the cloth a bit more, he sees. Garty believes his eyes! A small person lies curled up in the fetal position. He doubles up and steps inside the ripped area and kneels beside her.
“Bubba,” he calls out, placing his finger near her throat to find a pulse.
She is hog-tied. He cuts the ropes around her wrists and feet, knotted together. I am disgusted! His heart fills with pain.
Her eyes pop open. She notices him, terrified, then tears rush into her eyes!
“Garty, it’s you,” Bubba cries out, throaty.
Garty heaves a sigh of relief.
“We’ve got you,” Garty says, helping her to her feet. She stumbles. “Can you walk?” He asks.
“Yes,” she says.
“Come with me,” he says as she holds his hand and they duck and weave along the tree line next to the camp.
Garty knows that the gypsy men will be close right now, as they arranged.
“Go through the thicket and use this!”
He hands her a silver flute.
“This is the sound they are waiting for,” he said.
“Go.”
She runs into the thicket, keeping low.
Garty returns to the camp and joins the party.
The ladies are enjoying drinks with three merry men.
Garty said, “Our journey is long.”
“Why are you wearing a mask, fellow?” Asks Black Mack.
He pulls Garty’s silk scarf off.
“Hey, I know you. This joker was our recent guest.”
He aims his rifle.
“Why are you here?”
“We killed him,” said Barley Rock.
Crystalina reaches under her silk folds, finds her pistol.
Janda gives Baddy Pin a clout in his cheek that sends him spinning.
Black Mack fires his rifle into the air. Six gypsy men holler and shout as they join the fray.
Garty strikes Black Mack with his fist and then joins the others in a fist and wrestling fight.
As the fight continues, the gypsies are winning hands down. Thugs are on the ground, groaning.
Garty slips away, taking Brill by the reins, and runs through the thicket, seeking Bubba.
He listens for a flute and finds Bubba with her back to a tree.
“You have done well, Bubba!”
“Come on, up you get!”
He helps her onto Brill’s back and then mounts behind her.
He encourages the beast to carry on.
“They are down for the count,”
Garty holds Bubba around her tiny waist.
In the distance, he hears the gypsies enjoying the fight of their lives and winning this battle for Bubba’s life.
“The first thing we must do is take you home,” he says.
The trio races through laneways, grasslands and through woods heavy laden with bright new leaves, giving them the coverage they need.
Brill is keen to race home again with his most beloved persons, Bubba, and Garty.
An hour later, they arrive at the village of Scatt and head for home.
“Something’s strange here,” says Bubba.
He knows what is going on, and his heart sinks.
“First, you need a drink.”
Bubba, who is her old agile self again, sliding from Brill, landing.
The town is deserted.
“The invisible townsfolk. Where is everybody?” she asks.
“I might have some idea.”
He leaps up the steps at the entrance. The door is open; the place deserted.
Garty pauses as he remembers what the proprietor and himself had discussed finding Bubba, and how frustrated he had become.
Mrs. Bouchée with her posse is out there searching!
Ellie appears from the kitchen. She almost drops a plate.
“What are you doing here?”
“He set me free,” said Bubba. “I was captured.”
“I know. Everyone in town who owns a gun or horse has now ridden away searching for you. And you are right here. Why didn’t you tell me...”
“Sorry Ellie, but I had to make a move,” said Garty.
“Is anybody else here with you?”
“Only a couple of ladies who have retired into boudoirs,” she said.
She puts her plate down and looks at the man.
“I am so sorry. I should have offered food.”
“Yes, please,” says Bubba.
She is starving.
“Right away, miss.”
Ellie leaves her meal on the plate and hurries away.
“I shall make sandwiches!”
“Sit down here,” said Garty.
He lifts a chair for Bubba.
“I cannot eat with guests. What will Ted say?”
She was a victim. Garty sways his head.
“You will eat with me.”
He is surprised at his own passion for this young woman’s humility. He knows humility is not his virtue.
Garty and Bubba relax for a while in the comfortable chairs provided for patrons.
Bubba’s head rests on Garty’s shoulder.
They doze and relax together for an hour.
Ellie retires to the servants’ quarters, taking her plate of food with her and bid the pair goodnight.
Garty stirs, and Bubba opens her eyes.
“You must tell me what these marauders did to you? They must be punished.”
He knows how cruel they were towards him.
“I will tell all of my story to you.”
Bubba tells her story.
Garty failed to hear the ruckus when Mrs. Bouchée bustles through the door with some locals on her heels.
“Garty and Bubba, you are here?” Mrs. Bouchée said.
Garty looks towards the door and stands to greet her.
“Please take a seat, Madam!”
“We made it here at last, thank Heavens! Thank you, Garty.”
“We were out of our minds with worry! What a night we have had!”
“We are sorry,” Bubba said.
She stands at Mrs. Bouchée’s side. “Can we get you a drink?”