 Chapter 20 of Camp Fire Girls in the Allegheny Mountains This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Camp Fire Girls in the Allegheny Mountains by Stella M. Francis Chapter 20 – 12 Girls in the Mountains Ethel Zimmerman and Ernestine Johnson fainted. All of the rest of the 12 girls who had been decoyed into the Buckholz House by the sympathetic Mrs. Eddie were thrown into a panic, and the terror at the situation was not mollified in the least by the sudden appearance on the scene of five men. Where the men came from so suddenly was not at all clear. Undoubtedly they had been hidden somewhere, but that place could not be determined, for none of the girls remembered from what direction they had made their appearance, north, south, east, west, up or down. They were just there, and that was all there was to it. The men did not look like ruffians exactly, although they were not clad in gentlemen's clothes. The girls were huddled together in the dark, scantily furnished front room, which at some time probably had served the purpose of a combined parlor and reception room. The next apartment, probably designed as a living room, was lighted by a single gas jet turned low. Ethel and Ernestine fainted in the midst of the address of warning and command from the spokesman of the plotters. This was a signal for a rally to their aid on the part of the other campfire girls, best gifted with presence of mind. Marion led this move and was quickly assisted by Ruth Hazelton, Juliette Hyde and Marie Crismore. No objection was offered by the men to this proceeding, as they were intelligent enough to realise that the success of their plot depended largely on a careful guard against a noisy panic that would attract attention from without. Somebody get some water quick, Marion directed, as she proceeded to go through the reviving formula in which all of them had been thoroughly drilled. I'll get some, Mrs. Eddie volunteered, indicating by her offer and actions that she was an efficient ally of the kidnappers. She hastened into the kitchen and soon returned with a large dipper of water. Marion took it from her and sprinkled some of the liquid on the faces of the unconscious girls. The latter quickly recovered and sat up. But meanwhile the five men were not idle. The leader addressed the girls again with more gentle words and manner, realising as only an intelligent criminal may do that a confidence man's method is the best method for producing a desired illegal effect. In a degree he was successful, attempting to reassure the captives in the following manner. Now girls, you have nothing to fear from us if you obey orders. We don't wish to harm a hair on any of your heads. We are merely determined to get what we have set out for and we are going to use you to help us get it. If you try to balk our purpose you must take the consequences. Otherwise you will suffer only such inconveniences as go naturally with the experience of being kidnapped. And try to realise this, that being kidnapped isn't such a terrible thing if you are in the custody of gentlemen kidnappers. That's what we are, gentlemen kidnappers. All we ask of you is that you prove yourselves to be what gentlemen kidnappers prefer above all others, namely real lady like prisoners. Now he added after a pause during which he surveyed his audience as if to determine the effect of his words. As soon as the two young ladies who were so unfortunate as to make the mistake of connecting a tragic prospect would disappear have fully recovered we will proceed. That fellow is disguised, declared Marian in a whisper to the girls nearest her. In fact all of them are. Observe that every one of them wears a beard, mustache or short side whiskers. Watch their eyes and mouths and every expression on their faces so that we may be able to identify them if we are ever called upon to do so. Now girls, said the spokesman with well simulated gentleness, no more of that. We don't want to be unduly rude with you but if there is any more whispering we'll have to resort to measures that will make it impossible. Now I think you are all ready so just follow the leader and some of us will bring up the rear. We will proceed first into the basement. Trembling the twelve campfire girls followed two of the men down the cellar steps. It was evident to them that resistance would be worse than useless. A single blow from the fist of one of those powerful men would stun any of the girls if it did not knock her unconscious. In fact their captors could make quick work of them if necessary and cooped up as they were in this isolated prison. They could scarcely hope to send forth an effective cry of distress before they were rendered physically incapable of sounding further alarm. All of the gentlemen kidnappers were supplied with electric flashlights with which they illuminated the cellar and revealed to their captives a hole three feet in diameter in the ground floor and seemingly a flight of steps leading downward. Don't be scared young ladies, advised the gentlemanly leader of the gentlemen kidnappers softly. That hole is merely the mouth of an old coal mine. We will conduct you through the mine to the other end which is concealed from public view at a distance and there we will find four automobiles waiting for you. Lead the way comrade kidnappers. The two head men descended into the hole and the girls followed Indian file. The spokesman and one other man descended last as a rear guard. One of the men remained in the cellar with Mrs. Eddy and together they hurriedly replaced the old door over the mouth of the mine. Shoveled some loose earth over this and then covered the earth with eight or ten thicknesses of scrap lumber loosely tossed in a heap. Meanwhile the girls guided by the lights ahead and aided by the two lights behind which were directed helpfully along their path made their way laboriously down the slope and along the many angled gallery to the opening at the other side of Holy Hill as the high rounded elevation on and around which the city was built was called. Under different circumstances undoubtedly they would have been much interested in this experience as a subterranean exploration and they had all the time they might need for such exploration for the dusk of evening had not yet developed into darkness and they had to wait in the mine over an hour before it was deemed safe to venture out with the captives. Near the opening at the foot of the bluff behind the abandoned flour mill gags were tied tightly over the girls' mouths and their hands were bound in front of them and they were assisted one by one down a gradual but rough incline and into the waiting machines. Snow falling in millions of huge flakes a fact that evidently caused the kidnappers more worry than the possibility of detection by persons in the vicinity. For remarks escaped some of them relative to the importance of haste before the roads became impossible to automobiles but the storm served them one good purpose if it menaced them in another respect. It rendered the darkness of the night more impenetrable and kept the streets almost free of pedestrians. Moreover the plotters were well supplied with means and methods of guarding against escape or rescue. The gags and cloth manacles were so well made that one might have expected them at being products of a manual training school at burglar's vibes. During the passage from the mine to the automobiles each of the girls were ashore thrown over her head and pinned close in the front thus concealing both the gags and the manacle condition of their hands. At last they were all in the machines each of which was in charge of a driver. Three of the girls were put into each automobile and one of the men got in with them to see that their conduct was as per schedule program. Then the start was made. On, on they went out into the country and along a road that Marion knew led into the heart of the mountains. She could see the dim shadowy form of high peak in the distance. Meanwhile as she peered out eagerly into the darkness with the irrational longing for rescue from some miraculous source, for this was the only kind of rescue that seemed possible under the circumstances. She kept working at the bonds about her wrists and the gag in her mouth slowly and without obvious effort until with joy she realized that she was at least partly successful. I am certain I could shove that thing right out of my mouth and give the most piercing scream ever heard if anybody would only come along and hear me, she told herself. The snow kept on falling heavily, much to the alarm of the kidnappers and the joy of the kidnapped, but the automobiles reached the mountains before there was any serious delay. It looked indeed as if the trip would be successful from the point of view of the captors of the campfire girls, but at last the snow became so deep that the girls could feel that the automobiles were laboring under almost insurmountable difficulties. Marion heard several curses uttered by the chauffeur and the man inside the car echoed them once or twice. Finally the automobile came to a full stop and the driver could force it along no further. A consultation with all three of the men taking part was held. In the midst of their debate something happened that changed the aspect of things almost as completely as might have been accomplished if Marion's dream of a miraculous rescue had been realized. Other persons were on the scene and they were talking to the driver, inquiring if they could be of any assistance. We're a patrol of Boy Scouts, one of the new arrivals said. We've lost our way, but that doesn't need hinder our helping you out of your scrape. Maybe you can direct us how to find our way back. Marion never felt a more intense thrill in her life than she felt at the sound of that voice. She looked out the window and saw a group of eight or ten boys, each of them carrying a gun close to the automobile. With an effort that had behind it all of the power of the most joyous impulse of her life, she swung her bound clinch fists right through the pain of glass, pushed the gag from her mouth and shouted, Clifford, Clifford, this is Marion. All of us girls are being kidnapped by these men. Shoot these rascals and shoot to kill. End of Chapter 20. Chapter 21 of Camp Fire Girls in the Allegheny Mountains. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Camp Fire Girls in the Allegheny Mountains by Stella M. Francis. Chapter 21. Thirteen Girls in the Mountains. Marion's plea for aid did not reach Clifford and the other boys' scouts to whom it was addressed without interruption. The latter half of it came in jerked and disjointed phrases, and the tone of utterance was one of extreme fear and distress. Clifford, an Ernie Hunter, the leader of the patrol, although amazed beyond description, realised that this appeal for assistance was no idle one, and it was up to them to do something quickly, or action on their part might soon be too late. You boys take care of the men in front, and Clifford and I will settle this affair back here. Ernie shouted, don't let them escape. With these words, the patrol leader seized the latch at the nearest auto door and pressed down on it. As he did this, the door flew open with a heavy swing, and Ernie jumped aside just in time to ward off a body lunge blow from the fist of a man who sprung out of the machine like a beast leaping with all force. In less time than it takes to tell it, two of the men had broken through the cordon of boys' scouts around the automobile and disappeared in the darkness. The third, Mr. Stanock's chauffeur, was not so desperately courageous. The menace of two or three gun muzzles held within a few feet of his face was more than he cared to oppose, so he remained a prisoner. Look out boys, called out Hazel Edwards. There are three more automobiles coming along behind with desperate men in them. Each of those autos has three girl prisoners in charge of two men, one of them the driver. Miles, Ewen Howell and Jerry stay here and guard the prisoner and protect the girls against those rascals if they return. Ernie directed. The rest of us will run back a short distance and meet the next machine before they suspect something wrong. As he finished speaking, Ernie led the way, followed by four other boys, back through the snow twenty or thirty yards, and then stopped and listened. A short distance further, they heard a sound the cause of which could not be mistaken. It was the rapid pulsating chug-chug of an automobile engine. They waited a few minutes, but it appeared to be coming no nearer. The snow has stopped this one too, said Clifford. Come on and we'll give them a surprise. A few paces farther brought the boys in view of the machine with the engine running idle and no driver visible in front. Naturally, this made them suspicious and a halt was called for a little circumspection. Then carefully, cautiously, they advanced toward the automobile, keeping nervous watch on all sides to avoid a surprise. They reached the machine which they had been able to locate by the noise of the engine and found it also deserted, saved for the three prisoners bound and gagged in the car. While the other four in the party of rescuers kept watch against a surprise, Clifford cut the bonds on the wrists of the girls and removed the gags from their mouths. Where did the villains in charge of this car go was the first question he put to the released prisoners. They skipped, replied Violet Monday. Two men who had been in the machine ahead came back and said the game was up, that they were discovered by a force of Boy Scouts armed with guns and they couldn't afford to put up a fight. For even if they won, the whole country would be aroused and they couldn't hope to carry out their original plans. They went back to warn the other men, no doubt you'll find the other machines abandoned too. All right, said Ernie, you girls stay here in the car and keep warm. We'll be back as soon as we can find the others. The boys found the other two automobiles also abandoned and released six more campfire prisoners. Now let's return and get the head auto started back first, Ernie proposed. This plan was adopted. Arrived at the machine in which Marion, Hazel and Julieta had been prisoned passengers, they found an important development in affairs. Jake, the chauffeur, had confessed. He had offered to conduct the boys to Helen's place of detention and effect her release if the boys would let him go. It was less than half a mile away. The boys agreed. Clifford suggested that the girls remain in the automobile while the Scouts made the proposed raid, but they objected strenuously. In a short time the rest of the girls were brought forward, informed of the plan and the start was made. All of the girls insisted on taking part in the expedition. In less than half an hour they were at the door of Helen's prison where Jake gave the open sesame knock. An uncouth woman opened the door. Behind her stood a man who proved to be her husband. Jake pushed the astonished pair aside and went directly to the side of the room opposite the entrance and lifted a bar across a door opening into another department. As he opened this door Marion rushed forward and was first agreed a slender, pale-faced girl who stepped out eagerly toward her rescuers. Helen cried the girls in a chorus. Jake slipped out and was seen no more. End of Chapter 21 Chapter 22 of Campfire Girls in the Allegheny Mountains This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Campfire Girls in the Allegheny Mountains by Stella M. Francis Chapter 22 A Slay Ride Home That was a meeting not soon to be forgotten. It was a signal for the casting away of every element of secrecy and Helen told her story. She told the story of her brother, of his sickness when a child of the resultant distortion of his character into that of a man of strange and incongruous genius and weakness and of the embarrassment he had caused her and her mother. He, it was, she said, who had written the skull and crossbones letter. Who wrote the other anonymous letter that you received at the Institute? Hazel Edwards inquired. I don't know. Helen replied with a faint smile. Perhaps these boys can answer that question. I must plead guilty to that. Announced clippard advancing with a bow. But what's the surprise you were going to spring? Inquired Ruth Hazel to the mischief easily. Is this it? Now never you mind, said clippard. Things didn't go just right. This kidnapping affair interfered with our plans and they are hereby called off. We didn't want you to know we were here. Two of the boys had been dispatched as messengers to Holy Hill for vehicles to take the girls back to Marianne's home. About two o'clock in the morning Mr. Stanlock, several of his neighbours and three policemen, led by the two scout messengers, burst into the room and announced that they had brought three bob sleds to give them all a sleigh ride. And a glorious sleigh ride home it was for all except the two prisoners whom the police took him to custody. The story of the campfire girls in the mountains is told, all but the subtitle. A Christmas success against odds. There was a real success in store for them. The police made a raid but found that the criminal element that had gained a throttle hold on the labour organisation in the mines had cleared out so clean that not a living vestige of them could be discovered. The way was now clear and the campfire girls carried out their original plans successfully and much to the benefit of the poverty-stricken families of the strikers. But the history of Flamingo Campfire is by no means complete with this narrative. It seemed to be a peculiar lot of these girls to become associated or in touch with events of novel, interesting and sometimes thrilling character and those who would follow their further experiences along these lines should read the second volume of this series entitled Campfire Girls in the Country or The Secret Aunt Hannah Forgot End of Chapter 22 End of Campfire Girls in the Allegheny Mountains or A Christmas Success Against Odds by Stella M. Francis