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On the skill of my comrades I could confide on Sure-shot with all the certainty which his soubriquet expressed; and I had seen enough of the young hunter, to know how he handled his rifle. About the Irishman alone was there a doubt only of his coolness and his aim of his courage there was none. In this, the infantry was perhaps equal to any of us.
My surprise changed to indignation as I saw him step forward to the line, and stand facing me evidently with the intention to fire! "Cowardly traitor! he has accepted life upon some base condition. Jeph Bigelow! Sure-shot! whom I thought true as steel! I would not have believed it." Such was the reflection, to which my gag prevented me from giving utterance.
Bob swung down from the saddle in front of the bunkhouse. Reeves came to the door and waved a hand. "'Lo, Sure-Shot! What's new in Bear Cat?" "Fellow thinkin' of startin' a drug-store. Jim Weaver is the happy dad of twins. Mad dog shot on Main Street. New stage-line for Marvine planned. Mr. Jake Houck is enjoyin' a pleasant visit to our little city. I reckon that's about all."
Viewing it from my elevated position, this attitude appeared all the more ludicrous; though it was easy to perceive that it was not voluntary. The numerous pegs standing up from the sward, and the cords attached to them, and leading to the arms and limbs, showed that the spread-eagle position was a constrained one. That it was Sure-shot, I had no doubt.
"You h-hotfoot it right to my office or I'll throw you in the c-calaboose for c-contempt of court, Tom Reeves." The puncher turned to Hollister, grinning. "Come along, Dud. Might 's well learn how it's done, ol' Sure-Shot." The range-riders jingled into the office at the heels of the justice. Blister inquired for the names of the principals and introduced the witnesses to them.
Then suddenly from all sides of the beleaguered camp arose a yell to shake the stoutest courage, and with that the wood-covered slopes began to spit fire, not in volleys, but here and there in irregular snappings and cracklings as the sure-shot riflemen saw a mark to pull trigger on. The effect of this fine-bead target practice for it was naught else was most terrific.
If this was true, there would be but little chance of my overtaking the escort in time. I had no longer a hope of being able to effect the rescue of my comrades. The delay, no doubt, would be fatal. In all likelihood, both Wingrove and Sure-shot had ere this been sacrificed to the vengeance of the Arapahoes, freshly excited by my escape.
The little incident had made me aware of a new danger hitherto unthought of. Up to that hour, my chief anxiety with regard to Lilian Holt had been the companionship of the Mormon. This had been heightened by some information incidentally imparted by the deserters chiefly by Sure-shot.
By this agency, a communication might be effected with Lilian herself; the proximity of her sister made known; the perils of her own situation of which no doubt the young creature was yet entirely ignorant. Her scruples once overcome by a knowledge of her own danger, she would herself aid in contriving a plan of escape! For such a purpose, Sure-shot was the man adroit, crafty, courageous.
Sure enough, it was the track of a man's knee; and the plastic mud exhibited on its surface a print of fretted lines, which must have been made by coarse threadbare cloth! "By Gosh!" exclaimed Sure-shot, "that eer's the infantry overall the givernment cloth to a sartingty. Petrick's been abeout heer. Lordy, tain't possyble he's still living?" "Shure-shat! Shure-shat!
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