A
moment longer he looked Fletcher Hill straight in the eyes, then swung
upon his heel.
"We'll get out of this infernal hole straight away," he said, and,
stooping, gripped his fingers upon a ridge of stone that ran close to the
floor. The stone swung inward under his grasp, leaving a dark aperture
gaping at his feet. Bill glanced backwards at his prisoner.
The smile still hovered in the latter's eye. "After you, Mr. Buckskin
Bill!" he said, ceremoniously.
And in silence Bill led the way.
CHAPTER XII
THE BOSS OF BARREN VALLEY
"Oh, my dear!" gasped Adela. "I've had the most terrifying adventure.
I thought I should never see you again. The men are all on strike, and
they've sworn to kill Fletcher Hill, only no one knows where he is. What
became of him? Has he got away?"
"I don't know," Dot said.
She sank into the nearest chair in the ill-lighted manager's office, and
leaned her white face in her hand.
"Perhaps he has been murdered already," said Adela. "Mr. Harley is
very anxious about him. He can't hold them. And--Dot--just think of
it!--Warden--the man we saw yesterday, the sub-manager--is at their head.
I saw him myself. He had a revolver in his hand. You were with Fletcher
Hill. You must know what became of him!"
"No, I don't know," said Dot. "We--parted--a long time ago."
"How odd you are!" said Adela. "Why, what is the matter? Are you going to
faint?" She went to the girl and bent over her, frightened by her look.
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