The Trail Horde

  CHAPTER XXXIX

  SLADE'S PRISONER

  When Ruth regained the use of her senses she was lying on a bed in asmall, evil-smelling room. An oil-lamp burned upon a little stand in onecorner. A door--the only one--was closed--locked. She saw the stoutwooden bar in its sturdy side slots.

  At first she thought she was alone; and with a hope that made herbreathless she lifted herself, swinging around until her feet were onthe floor, intending to leap to the door, open it, and escape. A soundarrested her, a chuckle, grim and sinister, in a man's voice. Sheflashed swiftly around, to see Slade sitting in a chair near the foot ofthe bed. He was bending forward, his elbows on his knees, his knucklessupporting his chin, watching her with a wide, amused grin.

  For a long, breathless space she looked at him; noting the evil light inhis eyes and the cruel, bestial curve of his lips. She saw how his gazequickened as he watched her; how he had drawn one foot underhim--obviously to be used as leverage for a rapid leap should she try toreach the door.

  "It ain't no use, ma'am," he said; "you're here, an' you're goin' tostay for a while." He got up and walked to the door, placing his backagainst it and grinning widely as he looked down at her, as she yieldedto a long shudder of dread.

  During the silence that followed Slade's words Ruth could hear faintsounds from below--the clinking of glasses, the scuffling of feet, a lowmurmur of voices. She knew, then, that they had brought her to a roomabove a saloon--the Wolf, she supposed, for that was where Warden saidhe intended to bring her.

  She watched Slade fearfully, divining that he meant to attack her. Shecould see that determination in his eyes and in his manner. He was stillgrinning, but now the grin had become set, satyric, hideous. It was amere smirk. No mirth was behind it--nothing but passion, intense,frightful.

  She glanced swiftly around, saw a window beyond the foot of the bed witha ragged shade hanging over it. She knew the Wolf was only two storiesin height, and she felt that if she threw herself out of the window shewould suffer injury. But she meant to do it. She got her feet set firmlyon the floor, and was about to run toward the window, when Slade leapedat her, seeing the reckless design in her eyes.

  She had been moving when Slade leaped, and she evaded the arm heextended and slipped away from him. She heard Slade curse. She wasalmost at the window when he rushed at her again; and to keep him fromgrasping her she dodged, bringing up against the farther wall, whileSlade, losing his balance, plunged against the window, crashing againstthe glass and sending a thousand broken fragments tinkling on the floorof the room and into the darkness outside.

  She was alert to the advantage that had suddenly come to her, and sheran lightly to the door and tried to lift the bar. She got one end ofit from a socket, but the other stuck. She pulled frantically at it. Itfinally came loose, with a suddenness that threw her off balance, andshe reeled against the bed, almost falling.

  She saw Slade coming toward her, a bestial rage in his eyes, and shethrew herself again at the door, grasping it and throwing it wide open.She tried to throw herself out of the opening, to the stairs that ledstraight downward into the barroom. But the movement was halted at itsinception by Slade's arms, which went around her with the rigidity ofiron hoops, quickly constricting. She got a glimpse of the roombelow--saw the bar and the men near it--all facing her way, watchingher. Then Slade drew her back and closed the door.

  He did not bar the door, for she was fighting him, now--fighting himwith a strength and fury that bothered him for an instant. His strength,however, was greater than hers, and at last her arms were crushedagainst her sides with a pressure that almost shut off her breath.Slade's face was close to hers, his lips loose; and his eyes werelooking into hers with an expression that terrified her.

  She screamed--once--twice--with the full power of her lungs. And thenSlade savagely brought a big hand over her mouth and held it there. Shefought to escape the clutch, kicking, squirming--trying to bite thehand. But to no avail. The terrible pressure on her mouth wassuffocating her, and the room went dark as she continued to fight. Shethought Slade had extinguished the light, and she was conscious of adull curiosity over how he had done it. And then sound seem to cease.She felt nothing, saw nothing, heard nothing. She was conscious only ofthat terrible pressure over her mouth and nose. And finally she ceasedto feel even that.