The double dagger or, Nat Ridley's Mexican trail
All the rest of that day they marched, halting only when the sun was
hottest. They found another Mexican farmer who supplied them with
food, and at night they reached a small village where they stayed for
the night in an unoccupied adobe hut. But their quest for horses was
unavailing.
"Better luck to-morrow," suggested Nat as they rolled in their
blankets, for they had brought their packs with them when they slid
down the rope at the cliff.
The detective's prophecy was borne out a little later, for a traveling
horse-dealer came into the village the next day and offered to sell
three steeds at prices which the cowboys said were outrageous.
"This is no time to haggle," declared Nat in an aside. "We want to get
back to Rolamotaza. I've got to do what I can to save Miss Ardell."
So the ponies were purchased, together with saddles and bridles, and
though Jim and Ike bewailed the fact that the animals were nothing like
the ones they had lost, still it was the best that could be done under
the circumstances.
Once more mounted, the three, having purchased food, started off,
intending to head back to the village to which Cora Ardell had
indicated she was being taken by her abductors.
How it happened none of them knew, least of all Nat Ridley, but toward
the evening of the third day after their escape over the edge of the
cliff, the three were riding down a trail amid the hills, and, rounding
a turn, Ike suddenly exclaimed:
"Look where we are!"
"By jinks! What do you know about that?" cried Jim.
"Where are we?" asked Nat.
"On the trail back to the cave!"
"You mean the black cave?"
"Surest thing you know! Say, this is luck!"
"Maybe not so much as you think," suggested the detective. "If that
same gang is in there----"
"They're out. They're after us!" chuckled Ike. "This is the best ever!"
"Are you sure you're right?" asked Nat, as the two compared notes about
landmarks.
"Certain sure!" answered Ike. "We'll be at the cave in ten minutes.
This is the back trail leading to it."
In even less than the time mentioned the two cowboys gave shouts of
delight and pointed to the same dark hole in the overhanging rocks that
Nat had viewed several days before.
Slim Jim kicked his pony in the sides to spur it forward and approached
the cave with a rush. But, just as he reached it, to the horrified
surprise of Nat and Ike, a Mexican rushed out, thrust a long pole
between the legs of Jim's horse, bowling that none too steady animal
over, and bringing the rider to the ground.
With a yell of rage, the Mexican, raising aloft a long knife, rushed
at the prostrate man, who was stunned from the fall. And, with a thrill
of terror, Nat Ridley recognized in the Mexican's hand the dreaded
double dagger.
"Look out, Slim!" yelled Ike. But his shout did no good.
Like a flash, Nat Ridley drew his automatic and fired in the nick of
time. As the report rang out, the Mexican, with a shriek of pain and
rage, dropped the two-pointed knife from a hand that was reddened with
blood.
Nat had shot the weapon from the assassin's fingers, and not a moment
too soon. A second later and it would have been buried in Slim's heart.
CHAPTER XXII
THE TOLA EMBLEM
But if the detective and the cowboys with him thought they could
silence this raging Mexican with one shot, they were soon to find out
to the contrary.
"Dogs and pigs!" hissed the man as he leaped to his feet, for the shock
of the bullet in his right hand had sent him spinning around so that he
fell. "Pigs!"
"Seems to be their pet word!" chuckled Nat, as he eyed the fellow.
The detective did not give the Mexican credit enough for brute courage
and indominable grit. But no sooner was the Mexican on his feet than he
made a rush for the double dagger that had fallen to the ground near
Slim.
"Grab that knife!" yelled Ike, sensing the fellow's intention.
But Slim was still dazed by the fall from his tripped horse, and not
capable of action. It might yet have gone hard with him had not Nat
Ridley fired again.
This time the sleuth did not risk shooting at the hand which held the
double-pointed knife--the left. It appeared that the Mexican could use
either fist for stabbing. Instead Nat aimed at his head.
Such an accurate shot was the detective that he could have sent a
bullet through the assassin's head, but he was more merciful than was
the member of the Tola gang, and only shot off one ear.
As the bullet gave him this injury, the Mexican, with a scream of
terror and pain, dropped the double dagger the second time and then
fled down the road that ran in front of the black cave.
"That's the last we'll see of him!" cried Ike.
"There may be more," observed Nat. "Get your gun ready while I go take
a look at Slim."
Ike drew his heavy revolver, but no others of the gang came from the
cavern, and while Ike stood guard Nat bent over the stunned cowboy.
Luckily he was only stunned, and when he had recovered the wind that
had been knocked out of him he looked up at Nat, started to rise and
murmured:
"Thanks, old man. Hope I can do the same for you some day."
"I don't want to be in as tight a place as that," remarked Nat. "I like
a little bigger margin."
"I sure thought he had you!" exclaimed Ike while Nat walked to where
the emblem of the Tola gang had been dropped by the murderous Mexican
and picked up the double dagger.
"A nasty weapon," observed Slim as he got to his feet, little the
worse for his fall. The horse was not hurt, and after scrambling up
and running on a little way, was now cropping grass. "He sure did me a
dirty fall," he added, dusting off his clothes.
"You're lucky," commented Ike. "Mr. Ridley fired just in time. Look
out, sleuth," he added as he heard the detective give a surprised
exclamation. "Cut yourself?" he asked.
"No," Nat answered. "But this is a trick dagger. Look here!"
He held out in his hand what seemed to be only the handle of a knife.
Both blades had disappeared. But, as the cowboys watched, the shining
points of steel sprang into view again.
"What's the idea?" asked Ike.
"The blades appear and disappear by pressure on a spring hidden here,"
Nat said, indicating where, amid the carving on the handle, a little
head of a grinning Aztec god appeared. "Look!"
The detective worked the mechanism, which he had discovered by
accident, causing the blades to shoot out and in with a sinister
suggestion of the injuries they could cause in the hands of a Tola.
"That's a bad knife," remarked Ike.
"The Tolas have a miniature one like it, which they use as a pin to
fasten their cards on the bodies of their victims," Nat informed his
friends. "The points of the little dagger are doped in some way so the
person about to be murdered is rendered helpless."
"Better look out that the points of that double dagger aren't smeared
with dope," advised Slim.
"I'll be careful," Nat promised. "I'll sheath the blades before I put
it in my pocket," and he suited his action to his words.
"What are you going to do with it?" asked Slim.
"I don't know yet," was the answer. "But I have an idea that with it
I can get hold of some of the secrets of the Tola gang. Now at last
we're at the cave where we wanted to hide. But I am in two minds about
it. Since getting this dagger, I have half a notion to go back to
Rolamotaza and have a look for Miss Ardell."
"Let's rest a bit," suggested Slim. "I don't feel as chipper as I
might."
"Oh, I didn't mean to rush off now," remarked Nat. "We'll spend the
night here in the cave."
"Maybe we'd better find out first," suggested Ike, "whether there are
any more of the gang in there."
"It is hardly likely," said Nat. "They would have come out after what
has happened--the shooting and the talking."
They picketed their horses--Ike said it was an insult to good cow
ponies to call the three "crow-baits" by that name--and started for the
cavern. But they had no sooner entered it than they became aware that
it was inhabited, at least by a voice.
Out of the depths, in which showed a glow from either a lantern or a
candle some distance in, echoed a pleading voice:
"Help! Help! Don't leave me alone this way! Help!"
Something like an electric shock went through Nat Ridley. He uttered an
exclamation, drew his powerful flashlight from his pocket, and ran back
into the cave, while the cowboys, after a startled look at each other,
followed.
"Miss Ardell--Cora!" cried Nat. "Is that you? Are you here?"
"Yes! Yes! I am! Oh, is that Mr. Ridley? Thank heaven you have come to
save me! Oh, help me!"
"That's just what we'll do, lady!" declared Slim.
"Surest thing you know!" added Ike, and both cowboys began rearranging
their neckerchiefs, though the cave was too dark, even with the glow of
a lantern and Nat's flashlight, to show any personal adornments.
"This must be the girl the sleuth was telling about," murmured Ike to
Slim.
"That's right--the one kidnapped in Paloma. He sure is playing in great
luck!"
Cora Ardell it was, a bound prisoner in the black cave. Nat Ridley soon
freed her of the bonds.
"What happened and how did you get here?" asked the detective, when the
girl had been given water to drink and led to a seat on a rude, wooden
bench.
"That night after you came in late at the Paloma boarding house,"
related Cora when she had recovered her composure, "I fell asleep. I
was awakened by feeling a hand over my mouth. I tried to get up, to
scream, and to fight my assailant, but I was not able. I guess they had
drugged me. I remember dimly that they asked me certain questions and
that I answered, though I don't know what I said.
"Then they made me walk with them out of the house--two men in masks.
It was as if I was in a daze. I dimly remember being put into an
automobile, and then I came to my senses in this cave. I have been a
prisoner here ever since, and the men have taken turns in demanding
that I sign papers giving them back the oil wells."
"Did you?" asked Nat.
"I did not! They said they would kill me unless I signed, but I said my
friends would rescue me. There were a number of men in this cave all
the while. I think it must be the headquarters of the Tola gang."
"It begins to look so," admitted Nat. "But they must have only recently
taken over this place, for you saw no signs of them when you two were
here before, did you?" he asked the cowboys, and they answered in the
negative.
"The other day," went on Cora, "there seemed to be a sudden alarm. All
the men rushed out and I was left alone with an old Mexican and his
wife. He has been my jailer ever since. I must say he did not treat
me cruelly, though he kept me bound. Then the woman went away this
morning, and I did not know what to think. A little while ago I heard
horses approaching."
"They must have been our nags," remarked Ike. "And that rush the other
day was after us."
"Yes," assented Nat. "Well, what happened then, Miss Ardell?"
"My Mexican guard suddenly rushed out a little while ago," the girl
reported, "and then I began to work the gag from my mouth. I heard
shots, and I struggled to free myself and shouted for help. Then you
came in."
"I'm glad we did," replied Nat Ridley emphatically. "Your guard is out
of the way," and he told something of what had happened. "The gang of
Tolas left this cave to chase us," he went on. "But we gave them the
slip and got back here by a roundabout way. They haven't returned yet,
it seems."
"And will we be here when they come moseying in?" asked Ike.
"Not if I know it!" declared Slim. "I don't like the looks of their
double daggers!"
"No, we sha'n't stay here," decided Nat Ridley. He had quickly made up