Wild Bills Last Trail | Page 9

not make you a widow or deprive you of a future
husband when he comes under my fire, if he should be fool enough to
come back."
"He comes now. See for yourself. He has tamed the horse--now comes
your turn, coward and braggart!"
Bill was white with anger; but she was a woman, mind no matter what
he felt, too well he knew the chivalry of the far West to raise a hand or
even speak a threatening word to her. But he heard men around him
murmur her name.
It was Addie Neidic.
And then he turned his eyes upon the black horse and rider. The animal,
completely under control, though flecked with foam, came down the
street slowly and gently, bearing his rider with an air of pride rather
than submission. As he passed the German restaurant, the rider raised
his hat in salutation to Willie Pond, who stood in his window, and said,
in a cheerful voice:
"Remain in your room. I have news for you and will be there soon."
Without checking his horse the rider kept on until he was within half a
length of the horse of Wild Bill, then checking the animal, he said, in a
mocking tone:
"You spoke to me just as I rode away. I've come back to hear you out."
What was the matter with Wild Bill? He stood staring wildly at the
Texan, his own face white as if a mortal fear had come upon him.

"Where have I seen that face before?" he gasped. "Can the dead come
back to life?"
The Texan bent forward till his own face almost touched that of Wild
Bill and hissed out one word in a shrill whisper:
"Sister!"
It was all he said, but the instant Wild Bill heard it, he shrieked out:
"'Tis him--'tis him I shot at Abilene!" and with a shuddering groan he
sank senseless to the pavement.
In an instant Bill's friends, who had looked in wonder at this strange
scene, sprang to his aid, and, lifting his unconscious form, carried it
into the saloon where Bill had met Californian Joe, Captain Jack, and
the rest of their crowd.
Left alone, the young Texan said a few words to Addie Neidic, then
dismounted and told the stable-keeper to keep that horse saddled and
bridled, and to get his own Texan mustang ready for use.
"I must be out of town before sunrise, or Wild Bill and his friends may
have questions to ask that I don't want to answer just now," he said.
And then, he walked a little way with Miss Neidic, talking earnestly.
But soon he left her, and while she kept on in the direction of her own
house, he turned and went to the German restaurant.
Entering the room of Willie Pond, he said, abruptly:
"If you want to go to the Black Hills with me on your own horse we'll
have to leave this section mighty sudden. Wild Bill has set his mind on
having the horse I bought and broke for you, and he has a rough crowd
to back him up."
"If I had known Bill wanted the horse so badly I could have got along
with another," said Pond, rather quietly.

"What! let him have the horse? Why it hasn't its equal on the plains or
in the mountains. It is a thoroughbred--a regular racer, which a sporting
man was taking through to the Pacific coast on speculation. He played
faro, lost, got broke, and put the horse up for a tenth of its value. I got
him for almost nothing compared to his worth. On that horse you can
keep out of the way of any red who scours the plains. If you don't want
him I do, for Wild Bill shall never put a leg over his back!"
"I'll keep him. Don't get mad. I'll keep him and go whenever you are
ready," said Pond, completely mastered by the excitement which this
young Texan exhibited.
"Well, we'll get the horses out of town and in a safe place to-night. And
for yourself, I'll take you to the house of a lady friend of mine to stay
to-night and to-morrow, and by to-morrow night I'll know all I want to
about the movements of the other party, and we can move so as to be
just before or behind them, as you and I will decide best."
"All right, Jack. I leave it to you. Are you sure the horse will be safe for
me to ride?"
"Yes. A horse like that once broken is broken for life. They never
forget their first lesson. A mongrel breed, stupid, resentful, and tricky,
is different. Be ready to mount when I lead him around, I will send for
your traveling-bag,