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Let me ask once more, do I owe you anything now?" "No, sir, you do not," replied the older man. "And do you owe me anything?" Wingate did not answer. "Name what you like, Major Banion," said a voice at his shoulder Caleb Price. Banion turned to him slowly. "Some things have no price, sir," said he. "For other things I shall ask a high price in time. Captain Wingate, your daughter asked me to come.
"Span in six fast mules for a supply wagon, such as kin gallop. I'll sleep in that a hour or so. Git yore men started, Will. We may be too late. It's nigh fifty mile to the ford o' the Green." It came near to mutiny when Banion ordered a third of his men to stay back with the ox teams and the families. Fifty were mounted and ready in five minutes. They were followed by two fast wagons.
Banion could not realize that now, young though he was, he was a rich man. He climbed down the side of the ravine, the little stones rattling under his feet, until he stood on the bared floor of the bed rock which had proved so unbelievably prolific in coarse gold.
The gallant horse headed for the center of the heavy current, but his master soon turned him downstream and inshore. A hundred yards down they landed on a bar and scrambled up the bank. Banion rode to the circle and sat dripping. He had brought not speech but action, not theory but facts, and he had not spoken a word.
"Oh!" whispered Will Banion to himself, hoarsely. He held his two scorched hands each side her face as she drew back, sought to look into her eyes, so that she might believe either his hope, his despair or his contrition. But she turned her eyes away. Only he could hear her outraged protest "Oh! Oh! Oh!" "It was the wind!" Will Banion exclaimed. "It was the sky, the earth! It was the fire!
I heern there's a sheriff round yere some'rs." "I'll fight him any way he likes, or any way you say," said Banion. "It's not my seeking. I only slapped him because he abused me for doing what he ought to have done. Yes, I rode his horse. If I hadn't that girl would have been killed. It's not his fault she wasn't. I didn't want her to ride that horse."
The three advance figures the girl, Woodhull, her brother Jed broke away and raced over the remaining few hundred yards, coming up abreast, laughing in the glee of youth exhilarated by the feel of good horseflesh under knee and the breath of a vital morning air. As they flung off Will Banion scarce gave a look to his own excited steed.
"What does Major Banion say?" spoke up a voice. "Nothing!" was Banion's reply. "I'm not in your council, am I?" "You are, as much as any man here," spoke up Caleb Price, and Hall and Kelsey added yea to that. "Get down. Come in." Banion threw his rein to Jackson and stepped into the ring, bowing to Jesse Wingate, who sat as presiding officer. "Of course we want to hear what Mr.
"I'd not turn even a black Secesh away hungry not even a man with your record in the Army." "No, I'll not eat with you." "Wait then! I'll send the girl pretty soon, if you are here by her invitation. I'll see she never invites you again." Wingate walked toward his wagon. Banion kept out of the light circle and found his horse.
Had not their fathers worked with rifle lashed to the plow beam? Indians? Let them come! Founding his own future on this resolute spirit of his men, Banion next looked to the order of his own personal affairs.
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