Louis L'Amour Read Online Free Page A

were lost. There are swamps. Even hunters have been lost. And the last one was almost a year ago.”
    â€œHow many others?” I insisted.
    â€œThree,” Macklin replied.
    â€œAll were maids?”
    â€œTrue,” Penney said, “although I had not thought of it so. I thought of them as children—”
    â€œTomorrow,” I said, “I would like to be taken to where they were last seen.”
    â€œThey were gathering herbs,” Macklin said. “Diana knew much of herbs and their worth as food, medicine, or dyes. She was teaching the young miss—”
    â€œIt was a mistake,” Pittingel said sharply, “for which you have yourself to blame. You were warned. The Macklin girl was not fit company.”
    Robert Macklin turned sharply around. “Joseph,” he said quietly, “you speak of my daughter.”
    Pittingel flushed angrily. “Aye! Your daughter, Macklin, yours by birth, but whose in reality? The devil’s own, I say, spawned in your wife’s womb, but the devil’s own!”
    Macklin’s features had stiffened. “Pittingel, you have no right—”
    â€œHere, here!” Penney interrupted. “Let’s not become heated over this. Argument will not get our girls back, and Joseph Pittingel turned out his whole lot, every mother’s son of them to search! We owe him that, Macklin.”
    â€œYou are right, of course,” Macklin said quietly. “If you will excuse me—”
    â€œNo, it is I who must leave,” Pittingel interrupted. “I have business elsewhere.
    â€œSackett, if there’s aught I can do, call on me. I have many men here and a ship due in any day now with her full crew. Anything I can do for my good friend Penney will be done.”
    He went out, and the door closed behind him. For a moment there was silence.
    â€œYou should not incur his anger, Robert,” Penney warned. “He is a man of much influence with both the church and the council. It was only he who prevented them from having Diana up before the assizes. And with the evidence they have against her, it would mean burning.”
    â€œEvidence!” Macklin scoffed. “They have not a paltry bit of evidence. Diana is a good girl, and a God-fearing one.”
    â€œShe was seen gathering mandrake,” Penney reminded, “and she walks alone by night. How much do they need? Did not Brother Gardner’s cow go dry after he spoke angrily to Diana? Did not—?”
    â€œNonsense!” Macklin said. “Purely nonsense!”
    â€œNevertheless,” Penney said sharply, “that is why they will not look, Macklin, and you know it! They do not wish to find Diana, and my Carrie must suffer because of it! I was a fool to—!”
    â€œTalk will not bring her back,” Anna Penney interrupted.
    Pushing back my empty bowl, I got to my feet and drank off the last of the cider.
    â€œIf they can be found, Mistress Penney,” I said, “I shall bring them back, with Yance’s help.” I put down the mug. “One more thing. Do the Pequots have muskets?”
    Penney looked around. “Muskets? I think not, although there was talk of some selling of arms to them. Why do you ask?”
    â€œTenaco,” I said, “the messenger Mistress Penney sent for us, was shot. He was shot only just after he left here, shot by someone who both had a musket and who did not want him bringing help.”
    I lifted the latch. “Now who do you suppose would do that?”
    I stepped out into the night and pulled the door shut quickly behind me. Instantly I rounded the edge of the house and stood quiet to let my eyes grow accustomed to the darkness.
    A moment I listened. Someone, some
thing
was out there. Out there in the darkness, waiting.

Chapter III
    W aiting or watching. The night was a secret place, but the keys to the secrets were the senses. Edging a little along the cabin wall, feeling