CHAPTER XXXIV.LURED INTO DANGER.
It needed no very strong invitation to set the crowd at Rainey’s to filling themselves full of “pizen.” A simple hint from Slocum that Rainey was “setting ’em up” was all that was necessary.
Slocum drank with the rest of them; but while the others were soon half intoxicated, Slocum’s red face, growing redder and redder, and the strange and shiny brightness of his prominent eyes, alone indicated that he had been drinking more than his ordinary amount.
While the loafers and the “bad men” of the town were thus celebrating at the Flash Light, a handsomely dressed mounted man appeared in the streets, accompanied by three others.
The cry went forth that he was Buffalo Bill, but in reality he was none other than the scoundrel known to his intimates as Panther Pete.
He had drawn his big hat well down over his eyes, shading them and the upper part of his face, thus making it difficult for even one acquainted with him to say this was not Buffalo Bill.
He did not tarry with his men in the principal street; he had only entered it because he could get into the town and to the place he was going by that main street.
Leaving it, he struck off into a side street, and soon was in front of a small house, that sat at some distancefrom other houses. Here he dismounted, swinging agilely to the ground, and threw his reins to one of his followers.
“I’ll be out in just a minute,” he said, “and when I come be ready, for I’m betting that there will be something doing.”
He ran lightly up the steps of the house, and set his hand to rap on the door. As he did so the door flew open, and in the doorway stood a young man, his face showing an angry flush.
“You’ve come here again, you scoundrel, to see Ellen West!” said the young man.
Panther Pete dropped a hand to the revolver that swung at his hip.
“Is it any of your business?” he asked hotly.
“It is. I’m her friend, and I’ve discovered that you’re a scoundrel, and I came here just now to tell her so.”
“She isn’t here?” was the cool question.
“No. I came here to see her myself, and——”
“Tell me where she is, Denton.”
“Go to the devil!”
“Of course, you warned her that I was coming here this evening, and told her to clear out?”
“Of course, I didn’t.”
“What have you been saying to her about me?”
“Nothing yet.”
“You couldn’t well say to her that I’m what the drunken fools of this town pretend that I am; for she knows that Buffalo Bill has always been a man of honor.”
“I begin to doubt that you are Buffalo Bill,” the youth declared. “I’ve always heard that he was a gentleman, and you’re not; and I’ve always heard that he was an honorable man, and if what I hear now is true, then you’re the blackest scoundrel that ever walked the face of the earth.”
“And you would have told her this? You’ve already talked against me to her?”
Panther Pete’s voice was cool, and even sounded kindly. Whatever his feelings, he had marvelous control of them.
“Not yet.”
“And why not?”
“Because, you see——” He stopped, hesitating.
“Make it as black against me as you please, but I’d like to hear it.”
“Well, I’ve delayed, because I was afraid if I said to her what I think and have heard about you she might think my words were due to jealousy.”
“Kind of you, I’m sure!”
“Oh, don’t thank me for it; I’d like to tell her, and I came here to tell her to-night, and take the chances.”
“Denton, you’re simply crazy jealous. If I take a notion to a girl, I’ve just as much right to do so as you have; and to marry her, if I can. You’re in love with the lady; and so you want to say to me, ‘Hands off!’ But I don’t have to do what you ask. I’ve come here to-night to see the young lady, and I know she’ll be glad to see me. So, if you’ll kindly tell me where she is, I’ll——”
Denton flew into a rage and cursed the tall man beforehim, denouncing him with wild anger and opprobrious epithets. Meanwhile, the men who sat on their horses not far away squirmed with excitement when they heard that outburst.
“See here,” said Panther Pete, pushing back his hat, and showing, as he opened his mouth, cruel white teeth that gleamed like the teeth of the animal whose name he bore, “I’ve killed men for less; and I don’t allow any man to call me such names. So, this—for you!”
Panther Pete’s revolver leaped out, there was instantly a flash and a report, and the reckless young man pitched forward off the steps, falling prone on the walk. Panther Pete spurned him with his foot.
“You fool!” he said; “you got what you needed. Why did you make me do it? I didn’t want to shoot you, but I can’t stand everything. Well, you’ve got your medicine, and you won’t trouble me any longer.”
He looked about, and glanced at the house.
Apparently no other person was in the house, for no one appeared or came forth upon the street to ascertain the meaning of the shot. That was no doubt due to the fact that in Scarlet Gulch there was each night good deal of reckless shooting, which usually meant no more than that the shooters were drunk.
Seeing that he was apparently unobserved, Panther Pete walked quickly back to where the men were holding his horse.
“Now for the other house,” he muttered. “I know where she is likely to be, even if that fool thought I didn’t, and wouldn’t tell me.”
When he mounted he said nothing of the man he had shot, and who lay now sprawled out on the walk in front of those steps. “Into the other street,” was his short command, as he took the reins and sprang tip into the saddle.
They clattered away and were soon in a street which ran parallel with the one left behind them.
Apparently luck favored Panther Pete, for, as he rode up in front of a larger house, he saw a young woman come down the walk and through the gate. He reined in, and called to her.
“Ellen!”
She had already seen him, though she had not observed him closely; now she stopped, and then turned toward him, but hesitated.
“Ellen,” he said, “I’d like to speak with you.”
Ellen West, all unaware that her lover had been shot down but a few moments before in front of her home by this man, advanced to where Panther Pete sat on his horse.
“Why, it’s Mr. Cody!” she said, in a tone of pleased surprise. “I didn’t know you were in the town.”
“I just came in.”
She glanced about, and at the men who were with him.
“I can speak safely?” she asked.
“Yes; and glad to hear your voice, no matter what you say,” was his flattering answer.
“Well, they’re telling awful stories about you, Mr. Cody; and you’ll not be pleased to hear them.”
“I’ve already heard them,” he said, “and they annoy me. Your father sent me here to-night.”
“Father sent you?” She had come quite close up to his horse and now looked up into his face, while he bent toward her from the saddle.
“Yes, I heard these reports this morning. Your father was with me at the time; and he told me to come here at once. You know I’ve advanced him money to work that mining claim out in the Blue Hills?”
“Yes, I knew that,” she said frankly.
“I was out at the claim when the news came to me. The accusations are against your father as well as against myself; and the vigilantes that organized to-day at the Flash Light Saloon intend to hang him, as well as me, as soon as they can catch us.”
“Then you’re in great danger!” she cried. She was startled, and her tremulous voice showed that she was concerned for the safety of her father.
“Yes, I know it,” he answered; “but I’ve braved it to bring this word to you from your father. He wants you to take one of these horses and ride out with me to that claim to-night. We’ll be your escort, and you’ll be perfectly safe.”
“Out to the claim to-night?” She was amazed. It would be a long and wild night ride.
“That was his request; and I’ve come at his request. He is to be hung by the vigilantes, if they catch him; and he fears that they will even treat you harshly, and so he wanted you to get out of the town at once.”
She hesitated. She did not like the thought of thatlong night ride, even though she did not yet distrust this fake Buffalo Bill, for she believed him to be the real Buffalo Bill. It seemed strange to her that her father should ask her to do this thing, for she reasoned that he ought to know she would not personally be in any danger in the town.
“I think I ought to see Mr. Denton first,” she said.
Though Panther Pete’s anger flamed at that name, he still maintained his outward composure.
“I have already met him and sent him out there!” he said.
“Mr. Denton has gone out there?”
“Yes; he was in as much danger as either your father or myself, and I told him so. He was riding, beyond the town, and I urged him to hurry on to the claim. I told him I’d get you, with this escort, and see you safe to the claim to-night.”
The thing seemed so impossible to her. She did not, however, have the least inkling of the truth—that this cold-blooded and smooth-tongued villain had shot Denton but a few minutes before on the very steps of her own home.
“Come!” said Panther Pete, as she hesitated, “I can’t stay long. Those vigilantes will know soon that I’m in the town, if they don’t know it already, and then I’ll be in peril of having my neck stretched so long that it would be easy to tie bowknots with it.”
His words were flippant, but his manner was not.
“Oh, is the danger so great as that?” she cried.
“I’ve risked my life to come to you,” he said, withpretended earnestness. “Please hurry,” he urged; “for I’m in danger every minute we delay.”
One of his men slipped to the ground.
“We haven’t a sidesaddle to offer you,” said Panther Pete to her, “but this will do; and you’re a good rider.”
“Oh, I can ride well enough,” she declared. “So father thinks I ought to ride out to the claim to-night? It seems strange; and stranger still that Mr. Denton should ride on in advance. I should have thought he would wait for me.”
“He had to take a message in a hurry,” lied the pretended Buffalo Bill.
“I’ll go,” she assented; “just wait for me a minute.”
She ran back into the house, and when she reappeared a woman came with her.
“It’s too bad to take a ride like that in the night,” said this woman; “and for my part I don’t think Ellen is in a bit of danger here. I think she oughtn’t go.”
“But if father says for me to?” she objected.
“He’s scared at nothing, so far as you’re concerned. There ain’t a soul in this town would hurt you, Ellen.”
“You know what a wild lot some of the men are!” the girl urged.
“There ain’t one of ’em would say a harmful word to ye!” the woman protested.
Nevertheless, assisted by the dismounted horseman, the girl climbed into the big saddle, and then she took the reins and was ready to ride away.
“Good-by, Mrs. Dean!” she said. “I’ll be back soon, perhaps to-morrow. This trouble won’t lastlong. I don’t feel that I’d be in danger here, but if father says for me to come out to him I must do it.”
“You’re a sensible girl and an obedient daughter,” said Panther Pete, as they moved along the street, leaving the dismounted man behind.