With the Kidnapers

Sam stared at her, and there was something like real amazement in his
eyes.

"Yer mother or father?" he repeated interrogatively. "Wha--what the
devil can they have to do with this affair? I guess they're askin' a lot
of questions themselves about this time."

"Mr. and Mrs. Crow are not my parents," she said; and then shrewdly
added, "and you know it, sir."

"I've heard that sayin' 'bout a child never knowin' its own father, but
this business of both the father and mother is a new one on me. I guess
it's the chloroform. Give us that booze, Bill. She's dippy yet."

He tried to induce her to swallow some of the whiskey, but steadfastly
she refused, until finally, with an evil snarl, Sam commanded the
giantess to hold her while he forced the burning liquor down her throat.
There was a brief struggle, but Rosalie was no match for the huge woman,
whose enormous arms encircled her; and as the liquid trickled in upon
her tongue she heard above the brutal laughter of the would-be doctors
the hoarse voice of Bill crying:

"Don't hurt her, Sam! Let 'er alone!"

"Close yer face! Don't you monkey in this thing, Bill Briggs.
I'll--well, you know. Drink this, damn you!"

Sputtering and choking, her heart beating wildly with fear and rage,
Rosalie was thrown back upon the straw by the woman. Her throat was
burning from the effects of the whiskey and her eyes were blinded by the
tears of anger and helplessness.

"Don't come any of your highfalutin' airs with me, you little cat,"
shrieked the old woman, rubbing a knee that Rosalie had kicked in her
struggles.

"Lay still there," added Sam. "We don't want to hurt you, but you got to
do as I tell you. Understand? Not a word, now! Gimme that coffee-pot,
Davy. Go an' see that everything's locked up an' we'll turn in fer the
night. Maude, you set up an' keep watch. If she makes a crack, soak her
one."

"You bet I will. She'll find she ain't attendin' no Sunday-school
picnic."

"No boozin'!" was Sam's order as he told out small portions of whiskey.
Then the gang ate ravenously of the bacon and beans and drank cup after
cup of coffee. Later the men threw themselves upon the piles of straw
and soon all were snoring. The big woman refilled the lantern and hung
it on a peg in the wall of the cave; then she took up her post near the
square door leading to the underground passage, her throne an upturned
whiskey barrel, her back against the wall of the cave.