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I'm sorry he quit us." "It's the girl," said her husband sententiously. "Yes. But" smiling grimly "one furse don't make a parting." "She's same as promised Sam Woodhull, Molly, and you know that." "Before he got whipped by Colonel Banion." "Colonel! Fine business for an officer! Woodhull told me he tripped and this other man was on top of him and nigh gouged out his two eyes.
They rode side by side, past more than a mile of the covered wagons, now almost end to end, the columns continually closing up. At the bank of the river, at the ferry head, they found a group of fifty men. The ranks opened as Banion and Jackson approached, but Banion made no attempt to join a council to which he had not been bidden.
"Gentlemen," he said after a time, "you don't know what you are asking of me. It would be painful for me to take that work on now." "It's painful for us to see our property lost and our families set afoot," rejoined Caleb Price. "It's not pleasant for me to do this. But it's no question, Major Banion, what you or I find painful or pleasant. The question is on the women and children.
Banion caught at the rein too late, ran after too slow, of course. The girl was silent, shaken, but still riding. No footman could aid her now. With a leap, Banion was in the saddle of Woodhull's horse, which had been left at hand, its bridle down.
In the morning Price, Hall and Kelsey rode over to the Missouri encampment and asked for their leader. Banion met them while the work of breaking camp went on, the cattle herd being already driven in and held at the rear by lank, youthful riders, themselves sp'lin' fer a fight. "Major Banion," began Caleb Price, "we've come over to get some sort of understanding between your men and ours.
Through it passed three savage figures, one a staggering, stumbling man with a rope around his neck. They came into the guard circle, into the dog circle of the encampment; but when challenged answered, and were not stopped. "Here, Jackson," said Banion at length, "take the rope. I'm going to our camp. I'll not go into this train. Take this pistol it's loaded now.
"Why, yes." "So do I," said Banion simply. "He was in our regiment captain and adjutant, paymaster and quartermaster-chief, too, sometimes. The Army Regulations never meant much with Doniphan's column. We did as we liked and did the best we could, even with paymasters and quartermasters!"
He sat in sullen silence for a long time, all the venom of his nature gathering, all his savage jealousy. "You mean since you met that renegade, traitor and thief, Will Banion! Tell me, isn't that it?" "Yes, that's true. I'm older now. I know more." "And you'll marry me without love. You love him without marriage? Is that it?" "I'll never marry a thief." "But you love one?"
Puzzled, she turned again to the victor in the savage combat. "You!" Will Banion caught up his clothing, turned away. "You are right!" said he. "I have been a brute! Good-by!" An instant later Molly found herself alone with the exception of her brother. "You, Jed, what was this?" she demanded. Jed took a deep and heartfelt chew of plug.
Until he's married, a man's powerful set on having a woman. If he don't, he thinks he ain't paid, it don't scarcely make no difference what the woman does. No, I don't reckon he'll forget. About Will Banion " "Don't let's mention him, mother. I'm trying to forget him." "Yes? Where do you reckon he is now how far ahead?" "I don't know. I can't guess."
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