Chapter XVI: Frankie's Secret.—the Invisible Pursuer

"AUNT ESTHER," whispered Frankie, "come out near the breaking pretty soon; I want to see you alone."

The prudent spinster repaired thither without attracting notice.

"Well, what do you want, Frankie?" she inquired.

"About this Mr. Simmons," he replied, coming directly to the point. "I believe he's a bad fellow, and will do us some mischief yet, if we don't get rid of him."

"Have you found out anything?" she asked anxiously.

"Enough to make me determined to find out more," said he. "Did you notice how suddenly he left off eating that day the Swallows called?"

"Yes; and I thought it strange."

"So did I; but I know the reason. He's mighty quick to hear the least sound. He's like a cat watching for a mouse—only he acts sometimes as if he was the mouse, and was expecting the cat to catch him. He heard that woman's voice, and hurried to the stable. I followed without his seeing me. I'm on his track most of the time. He seems to know it, too; and how he glares at me when none of the family see! But he can't shake me off. Well, he hurried to saddle and bridle his horse, and ride away. You know he keeps his in the farther stall from the door. One of our horses happened to be in the way, and this Simmons kicked him terribly in the stomach, and swore like a pirate."

"Right after asking a blessing at the table!" murmured aunt Esther.

"Yes, the old hypocrite! I knew he did that to comb the wool over mother's eyes. Then hastening to mount, he drove to the other side of the grove, and waiting there till the Swallows had gone to bed,—the woman, saying she was sick, had us all retire early,—he drove like blazes across the prairie, the rain pouring down all the while like a deluge.

"But after the Swallows had left, he came back, tied up his horse, and went to work fencing as peacefully, as if he had staid by, and wasn't drenched to the skin in the shower."

"How queer!" ejaculated the lady.

"Isn't it queer, too," continued the dwarf, fixing his large eyes suggestively on hers, "that he's kept that splendid horse here so long? When he agreed for the boys to take charge of the animal, it was for only two or three days, and because, he stated, that the horse had been overdriven, and needed to recruit. But the creature is so ambitious and high, that Simmons will not allow him to be grained. He's in tip-top order. Yet his master never uses him to go out of sight of our cabin, but 'walks' to and from the places where he so often goes. What's all that for?"

"I'm sure I can't tell," she answered, perplexed.

"Well, 'I' can," asserted her diminutive informant; "that's a stolen horse!"

"'Stolen?'"

"Yes!"

"What makes you suspect that?"

"Come with me, and I'll convince you," was the reply.

And the Hunchback, cautiously peering about to be certain no curious eyes observed their movements, led the way to the stable. Then, pointing between the legs to the animal's head, he asked,—

"Do you see that white spot?"

"Certainly."

Then turning a corner of the stable,—

"And that scar on the inner side of the left hind leg? Look sharp."

"I do."

"Mr. Swallow told me that the horse that was stolen from him had those marks, and this animal in all other respects perfectly answers his description."

"That accounts for his hurrying off in the shower," mused the lady. "What do you propose doing about it, Frankie?"

"In the first place, mother and those boys mustn't know what we think about it, for they'd ask him if 'twas so, and thus put him on his guard, and perhaps he'd murder us all. He has a savage disposition, and a man that will lie as he has, and pretend to be pious, and steal a horse, would kill you if you were in his path."

Aunt Esther shuddered and turned pale.

"We are completely at the mercy of this cold-blooded schemer," she exclaimed. "He'll get the land and everything from us; and even our lives are not secure."

"We mustn't let him," interposed the dwarf, fiercely. "It's put upon me to foil this villain, and I will do it." And the piping voice rang out shrill as a fife.

"Be careful!" remarked aunt Esther. "Some one may overhear you. Tell me what your plan is, and if I can assist in it," she added, resolutely.

"He'll be here to-night—it's his time—I've studied his habits. To-morrow he'll leave again, for he only comes now to see if his horse is safe. Then I shall 'follow' him; yes," added the dwarf, his tones dropping to a hiss, and his eyes gleaming, "I'll track him to his haunts, as a hound would a panther, and the instant I get the proof I want, he'll be in the hands of an officer."

"O, what if he should see you following?" she said, in terror.

"He won't. Look, auntie!" And sinking into the grass, he piped, "I can hide at his very heels—almost."

"But you are weakly, Frankie; he can travel faster and farther than you. You would not be able to keep him in sight."

"Wouldn't?" exclaimed the Hunchback, rising, and looking her confidently in the face.

"How do you know you could?"

"Because I've tried," chuckled the dwarf. "I've tracked him mile after mile—been behind him—before him—at his right—at his left—sat down when he sat down—heard him talk to himself when he supposed only the prairie hens and the snakes heard him. O, how lazy he is!" And his face expressed intense disgust. "He walks lazy, and he works lazy. He 'can' be swifter and stronger than the swiftest and strongest man I ever saw? But he won't—only for a little while, to deceive folks. He managed to give those boys the heavy lifting, and the quick moving; but he talked so glib, and bossed them so well, that they thought he was doing his part. He don't expect to get his living by hurry or labor, but by trickery and fraud. I've hovered around the sneaking scamp till every crook and turn of his body is as plain to me beforehand as that the sun will rise and set. Ah, I'll fix him!"

"I dread to have you follow this man," expostulated his aunt, "for if he 'should' discover you—"

"Aunt Esther," interrupted the dwarf, "look at me once more. Am I not ugly, misshapen? Can I run, leap, wrestle, or swing the axe and scythe? Doesn't every one wonder that I endure to live? If he throttles me, better me than the beautiful and the able-bodied. He cannot, however. But if I were too cowardly and selfish to risk it, who would? And who can imagine what mischief might fall on the family! It's 'put upon me' to do this, and I must."

"How far would you be obliged to follow him?" she asked.

"Somewhere from twelve to eighteen miles—can't judge exactly."

"Frankie, dear, I suppose I must trust you on this strange and perilous mission. It's hard, though," and the tears fell; "and you are so noble about it! I shall pray for you. Here's a little money," handing him a bill. "You may need it to get out a warrant, or secure the services of an officer,—I don't understand these matters,—or for your own expenses." And struggling to appear cheerful, she reentered the cabin.

Mr. Simmons, as Frankie predicted, tenanted his shanty that night, and on the succeeding fore-noon, after patting Georgie and praising Ferdie for their smartness and ability at fencing, hinting at the reward in store for them for acting as hostlers, and lamenting that little Frankie was such a burden to them, took his departure, swinging along at a masterly gate, till an ample space with was between himself and the Willards. Then, with indolent saunter, he moved at the other extreme of pedestrian locomotion.

Behind him, in the distance, had he looked critically back with a magnifying glass, perhaps he would have detected a black speck moving after in the distance. It was the dwarf's cap in the prairie grass.

Mr. Simmons's well-developed figure stood distinctly outlined against the sky, but the pursuing pygmy was too near the earth to be easily discerned. The Hunchback's eyes were clear, determined, alert, though more than ever deep and thoughtful. His face expressed mingled satisfaction, wariness, and resentment. The unconsciously pursued instinctively hated his pursuer, and had he been aware of the latter's propinquity, how quickly he would have crushed him, with no hand to interpose!

But the Hunchback, though bodily contemptible, compared with Mr. Simmons, had a "head,"—you need not be certified of that, were you to meet him,—and his physical minuteness was, under the circumstances, to his advantage. Blessed are short legs when one on the prairies must not be seen! With his singularly precocious intellect, sharpened by sorrow, and roused by the emergencies of his present undertaking, Mr. Simmons had in the despised dwarf no mean antagonist.

What a scene! In front loomed Mr. Simmons's towering form; in the rear was the squat proportions of the pertinacious young Hunchback. And thus they proceeded for miles—the leader, in his careless indolence, barely putting one foot before the other, often stopping to gaze skyward, or at the various points of the compass, or to cast himself at length on the plain; the follower, steadily gaining on him, yet maintaining a discreet distance.

Across Mr. Simmons's route there flowed a shallow creek. Here he was accustomed to solace himself with a smoke. Of this circumstance the little hunchback seemed aware, for striking into the luxuriant growths lining the banks of the stream, he curled himself up triumphantly within a few rods of his enemy. Evidently this was a feat he had before accomplished, and of which he was particularly proud.

Mr. Simmons rested, and the dwarf waited. An hour glided by, then another. Hunchback became impatient, he was so anxious to reach the end of his pursuit and face the villain, as he felt confident he was to do with the fist of justice—not his own fist that lacked knuckle. Why did the man "laze" so? The dwarf obtained information on this point by a method on which he did not reckon.

"I see you, old boy!" said Simmons, suddenly resuming an upright position, and looking the direction of the lad.

The dwarf trembled. Had the cunning horse-stealer been cognizant of his pursuit, and permitted him to approach, that he might deal out summary vengeance? His impulse was to rise and defend himself to the last extremity—a forlorn extremity indeed, for him. Flee he could not with the least chance of escape.

But something held him quiet. How fortunate!

For Mr. Simmons, forming a tube of his hands, shouted as if to some one remote.

"Ahoy, there!"

"Ay, ay!" was the response.

And the Hunchback, assured that he had not been seen, noiselessly turned to ascertain who the last speaker was. The long strides of the new comer soon brought him to view—a rough, ill-visaged customer, with bushy whiskers, and carrying a gun. Approaching obliquely, his course lay directly across the Hunchback's hiding-place. Nor did the dwarf dare move, for Mr. Simmons stood overlooking his concealment, and the least motion or rustling might betray him. He had, however, escaped one danger by keeping still; this encouraged him not to precipitate his fate by useless action. The friendly sedges put their blossoming tops together to screen him; but already he lay exposed to the advancing foot of the stranger, when the latter, springing aside, exclaimed,—

"A rattlesnake, old hoss, sure's you're alive!"

And making a circuit to avoid the reptile, he avoided the Hunchback too.

"Even a rattlesnake can do some good," thought the dwarf, breathing freer.

"How 'are' yer, Grimes?" said the stranger. "Give us yer paw!"

"Ah, 'Grimes!'" soliloquized the dwarf. "Then Simmons isn't his true name!"

"And you, Scroggs? They haven't nabbed you yet, hey?"

"No, nor you nuther. But jist you see here! Isn't that a purty toy?"

The Hunchback, peering from his nest, saw that it was a gold watch and chain.

"Took the critter from a cabin not more'n two hours ago. Door was open—walked in. Nobody there. This thing hanging agin the logs. Says I, 'It's no place for jewelry, in a log cabin,' and having an affection for sich trash, jist tuck it 'long. Scare up any 'game' out here, old fellow?"

"Slim picking, compared with better. 'Tain't like the Mississip," replied Simmons. "Got a horse to sell, and some geese to pluck. Tell yer what, that animal is wuth five hundred dollars, if it's wuth a cent. Belonged to a rhinoceros in hat and boots—travelling for his lady's health. Isn't she a screamer? Took the horse off while she was trotting her man round doing family chores. Stabled him way off on the prairie, where he'll be safe from his 'former' owner till the excitement's over; then he's on the market. Don't fancy waitin' 'fore realizin'; but I gets free gratis. The boys take care of the animal because they love me like a father; they've put me up some hay,—that's already engaged—and have fenced 'my' breaking to help me jump 'their' claim—ha, ha, ha!"

"'Ha, ha, ha!'" mocked the dwarf, in the grass, too angry to contain himself.

"What's that?" exclaimed Scroggs, turning around. "Did you hear that laugh?"

"Yes," replied his companion, "plain enough!"

Rising, they gazed silently about them.

"Wal, one thing's sartin," observed Scroggs, as they seated themselves again; "there's not a 'human' on 'this' prairie."

"But, Grimes, you spoke on the boys; whar's the old uns?"

"Wal, fust comes their dear mamma—the piousest shemale afloat—'twould do your gizzard good, old boss, to hear me pray over her cooking!"

"You didn't try 'that' on!"

"I did, though; but it didn't come a mite natural. I expected an invitation to say grace, as they call it, and having a minister in tow, I jist noticed how he went on, and repeated it word for word—shut eyes—clasped hands—went the whole figger."

"Ha, ha, ha!" they roared, slapping their sides.

"Ha, ha, ha!" shrilly echoed the irascible dwarf.

"There's that sound agin—it fairly chills me," said Scroggs. "What you s'pose it is, hoss?"

"It must either be an echo or a bird, I judge," replied the other, deliberating.

"Next is an old maid, aunt Esther, my 'sweetheart,' you understand—don't swaller soft soap as easy as the other. Then a miserable imitation of a human with a hunch back. Blast him—his eyes follow me everywhere. I'd 'strangle him' if I had a chance!"

"Eny money there?"

"Not much show. Don't know, though, 'bout the old maid. She's close-mouthed as an oyster. That's what I'm courting her for—to find out."

"You ain't mentioned the old man."

"Haven't any. That weasel of a Hunchback told me, when I fust introduced myself to the interesting household, that they left 'him' behind. So they had, with a vengeance. The mother opened her innocent heart to me pretty free. He was robbed on the steamer, and thrown overboard."

His comrade rose, and laying his freckled red hand on Grimes's shoulder, said,—

"Who do you s'pose did that job?"

"'Twasn't you?"

"Me and Brooks. That's why I'm here. I'm doubtful if 'twas done thorough. His wife was a callin' to him, an' his brat was comin' to see whar he was, an' me an' Brooks clutched him in a hurry, and I relieved him of his valuables, and touched him up with the steel, and histed him out of the boat all at onst, as you may say. An' Brooks stands to it he saw him arterwards hugging a snag. Now, boss, 'ef' that's so, and he was helped off by some one, I wouldn't jist like to light upon him among folks. So I've taken to travelling on the prairies till it blows one way or t'other.

"But ain't you going to jine our company? You're skittish, come to the scratch; a reg'lar born coward; but you're cute. There's 'leven of us. Has our headquarters on the river. Have a woman to cook, an' wash, an' spy for us; she's a buster—fight like a tiger—cry like a baby."

"Where's your hiding-place?" asked Simmons.

"'Bout three miles an' a half, 'bove Cole's whiskey shop. Cave under the bluff. Nobody can scent it. Small island just opposite—big tree on't—dead—struck by lightning."

"What's the password?"

"Whistle three times—so!" And he made the sounds. "Our fellars 'll be mighty glad to see yer. Shall go back soon myself—dry pickin' on the prairies."

"Well, I must start on," said Simmons.

"So must I," answered Scroggs; "good-by, hoss." And the latter went his way, and the former his—accompanied by the vigilant and dewless dwarf.