Percy gave the rope a kick to tighten it.

“Now get onto your feet and I’ll march you to town,” he ordered, adding pressure to the twist upon their wrists and drawing them back upon their knees Thus assisted, they struggled to their feet.

“I am afraid you will have to drive home alone, Miss West,” began Percy, when Adelaide interrupted with: 

“No, no, if you are going back to town, I will follow you.  I can easily turn the team and I will keep close behind.”

Thus tied together, Percy almost ran his prisoners toward the village, still holding each firmly by the wrist.  As they reached the “depot hotel,” he called for assistance, and several men quickly appeared.

Percy made a brief report of the attack as they moved on to the town house, where the villians were placed in shackles and left in charge of the marshall.

“Will you drive, please, Mr. Johnston?” asked Adelaide as he stepped to the carriage; for Adelaide had followed almost to the door of the jail house.

“Yes, please,” he replied, taking the seat beside her.

“I hope you will pardon my calling you a coward, I felt so desperate, and it seemed to me for the moment that you were leaving me.”  Adelaide’s voice still had an excited tremor to it.

“I heard you say ‘coward,’” said Percy, “but I didn’t realize that you referred to me.  I saw the two brutes almost at the same time, the one who attacked you and the other on the same side near the horses’ heads.  I struck the one as best I could from my position, and as he yelled and the horses reared, I ran up the slope ahead of the team and came down at the other brute with a blow in the neck, but I was surprised to find them both sprawling on the ground; and under the street lights I saw that one of them had an eye frightfully jammed.  I am sure I struck neither of them in the eye.”

Adelaide made no reply, but she knew now that the piercing, beastly cry from the negro reaching for her was brought forth because the heel of her shoe had entered the socket of the brute’s eye.

“You’re mighty nigh too late for supper, said grandma West, as they stopped at the side gate.  Adelaide hurried to her father who took her in his arms as he saw how she trembled.

“My child!” he said.

Yes, child she was as she relaxed from the tension of the last hour and related the experience of the evening.

“I cannot express our gratitude to you, Sir,” said Mr. West:  “I am glad you landed the devils in jail.”

“I am only thankful I was there when it happened,” replied Percy.  “I am sure no man could have done less.  I have promised to return to town in the morning to serve as legal witness in the case.  I hope your daughter need not be called upon for that.”

“Probably that will not be necessary,” Mr. West replied.

CHAPTER X