Finally I withdrew to the shelter of a
_barranca_ where I could light matches. Then I had no difficulty in
identifying a nice compact little hypodermic outfit, which I slipped
into a pocket. I then deposited the bag in a safe place where I could
find it easily.
Leaving my horse I approached the ranch under cover of the willows. Yes,
I remembered this time that I left tracks, but I did not care. My idea
was to get some sort of decisive action before morning. Once through the
willows I crept up close to the walls. They were twelve or fifteen feet
high, absolutely smooth; and with one exception broken only by the long,
narrow loopholes or transoms I have mentioned before. The one exception
was a small wicket gate or door. I remembered the various sorties with
torches after the chirping frogs, and knew that by this opening the
hunting party had emerged. This and the big main gate were the only
entrances to the enclosure.
I retired to the vicinity of the willows and uttered the cry of the
barred owl. After ten seconds I repeated it, and so continued. My only
regret was that I could not chirp convincingly like a frog. I saw a
shadow shift suddenly through one of the transoms, and at once glided to
the wall near the little door. After a moment or so it opened to emit
Old Man Hooper and another bulkier figure which I imagined to be that
of Ramon. Both were armed with shotguns. Suddenly it came to me that I
was lucky not to have been able to chirp convincingly like a frog. They
hunted frogs with torches and in a crowd. Those two carried no light and
they were so intent on making a sneak on the willows and the
supposititious owl that I, flattened in the shadow of the wall, easily
escaped their notice. I slipped inside the doorway.
This brought me into a narrow passage between two buildings. The other
end looked into the interior court. A careful reconnaissance showed no
one in sight, so I walked boldly along the verandah in the direction of
the girl's room. Her note had said she was constantly guarded; but I
could see no one in sight, and I had to take a chance somewhere. Two
seconds' talk would do me: I wanted to know in which of the numerous
rooms the old man slept. I had a hunch it would be a good idea to share
that room with him. What to do then I left to the hunch.
But when I was half way down the verandah I heard the wicket door
slammed shut. The owl hunters had returned more quickly than I had
anticipated. Running
|