AH SING'S JOSS
"That'll be all on that line," said Red Bill presently. He turned
to his companion.
"Got a pencil and a bit of paper, Buck?" he asked.
The red-sashed one produced the required pencil--a much bitten stub—and
then set off toward the cook house for a bit of paper. He returned with
the fly leaf out of an old account book.
"Good enough," said Red Bill. "Now then younker," turning to Roy,
"you take this pencil, lay that paper on that flat rock and write as
I tell you."
Wondering what was coming, Roy obeyed, while Peggy with wondering
eyes looked on anxiously at the strange scene. It had grown quite
still in the little valley. The only sounds that occasionally
interrupted the hush were the shouts of the men tethering the ponies
and the harsh scream of a buzzard swinging high against the burning
blue of the desert sky.
"Mister Bell, dear sir," began Red Bill, dictating in his rasping
voice.
"All right," said Roy, transcribing the words to the paper. The boy
had an inkling of what was to come, but he didn't wish to make
trouble before he actually had to.
"Got that, did you?"
'Yes.
"Very well. Now write this: 'Me an' my sister is in the hands of
those who are our friends at present. It depends on you if they
remain so. The messenger who brings you this will arrange for the
transfer of the location papers of the mine to these parties. If
you don't do this they will--'"
Red Bill paused and shoving back his sombrero scratched his rubicund
poll.
"Make it 'they will-take other measures.' Jim Bell's no fool an'
he'll know what's meant by that," concluded the outlaw of the
alkali.
"Why you ain't bin writing what I tole yer," he whipped out
suddenly, just becoming aware that Roy's pencil had been idle.
Peggy breathed hard. There was menace in the man's very attitude.
Roy looked up boldly.
"You don't suppose that I'm going to be party to any scheme like
that," he demanded with flaming checks.
Peggy, watching the little drama closely, saw that the ruffian was
plainly taken off his feet by this. He had not expected--or so it
seemed clear--that he would encounter any opposition in carrying out
his rascally plan of playing off the safety of a boy and a girl who
had never wronged him for the sake of gaining the title to a mine.
"What, you won't write it!" he bellowed at length. The great veins
on his neck swelled. His little pig-like eyes gleamed malevolently.
Roy stood his ground firmly, although his heart was beating far
faster than was pleasant, and a mist swam in front of his eyes. But
he had seen Peggy watching, and knew that her trust in his integrity
and honor had never faltered. Right then Roy took an inward oath
that he would not destroy her faith.
"No, I will not," he flashed back; "I don't see how you could expect
me to take part in a plan to trap and trick my own friends."
Red Bill's lip curled up, exposing a row of ragged yellow teeth.
"Not even at the cost of your own life?" he snarled.
Roy had half an idea that the ruffian was "bluffing" him. But even
had he thought Red Bill in deadly earnest his reply would have been
the same.
"No!"
The word was ejaculated like a pistol shot.
"Then listen. Your sister--"
To emphasize his words the outlaw launched his clumsy, thick-set
frame forward. But the next instant he recoiled as if he had
stepped on the edge of a fearful abyss. Simultaneously Roy and
Peggy became aware of a curious buzzing, whirring sound like the
rattling of dried peas on a griddle. A long dark body glided off
through the yellow blades of sun-bitten grass.
"It's--it's a rattler!" gasped Red Bill.
He stooped as if to catch his ankle, and reeling fell in a clumsy
huddled heap on the floor of the valley. As he fell a shot
reverberated through the silent place. With one bullet from his
revolver the tall young outlaw had dispatched the reptile, which had
lain hidden in the grass.
"Get you, Bill?" he asked laconically stooping over his chief.
"Yes. I'm a gone coon I guess, Buck."
His red face, contorted and purple from pain, the stricken man slid
backward. His lips parted and became ashen. The poison was
coursing through his veins with terrific rapidity.
"Let me see. Maybe I can be of some use. Stand aside, please."
It was Peggy. The group of outlaws that had gathered about the
recumbent man gave place respectfully. From a bag at her waist
Peggy drew out a little oblong leather case. It had been a present
to her from Mr. Bell before they set out to cross the reptile-haunted
desert.
Opening the case she drew out a fairy-like little squirt, trimmed in
silver. It was a hypodermic syringe. From a case she produced some
crystals of a purplish color.
"A cup of water, please," she begged.
It was in her hand almost as quickly as she made the request. In
the meantime, with a handkerchief she had deftly bandaged the
outlaw's leg above the bite. This was twisted tightly with a stick
and prevented the poison circulating above the wound.
On Red Bill's ankle the reptile's bite was plainly to be seen. Two
tiny blue punctures, fine enough to have been done with a needle.
Yet through the fangs that gave the bite had been delivered enough
poison to kill a strong man.
With flying fingers Peggy immersed the crystals in the water,
turning it a deep crimson. Then filling the syringe she pushed its
needle-like point under the outlaw's skin and just above the wound.
Then she injected the antidote which she had mixed--permanganate of
potassium--and old plainsmen will tell you there is no better
opponent of a rattler's poison than the one Peggy used, the method
of utilizing which had been opportunely taught her by Mr. Bell.
Red Bill's lips parted. His voice came through them painfully,
hissingly.
"Thank 'ee," he muttered, and then closed his eyes.
They carried him into a shack a little way up the valley and laid
him on a cot.
"Anything else to be done, miss?" asked one of the outlaws in an
awed tone.
"No," answered Peggy with quite the manner of a professional nurse;
"he'll do nicely now. In an hour or so he ought to be better. You
can call me then."
"Wa-al, I'll be all fired, double gosh-jiggered," Roy heard one of
the men say as they left the shack and emerged into the late
afternoon sunlight. The outlaws were all in the shack of their
leader. All, that is, but the Chinaman, who had been an interested
observer from the outskirts of the crowd. As the boy and girl came
out of the shack he glided up to them as softly and silently as
ever.
"Me see. You welly good. Allee samee doctor. Joss he helpee you,"
he said in a low voice. Then glancing about he sank his voice to a
whisper:
"But you no tlustee Led (Red) Bill. Him plentee bad mans. He
feelee sick now. Him plentee thank yous. When he well he do you
muchee harm."
"He could not be so ungrateful," exclaimed Roy; "my sister saved his
life."
"Umph. That plentee big pity. Why not let him die. Good
liddance," opined the cold-blooded Ah Sing. "Listen, Melican boy
an' girl, helpee you escape to-night you do one littlee ting for
me."
"You'll help us escape?" echoed Peggy, the blood beating in her
ears. "How? We'd need horses, water, food and--"
"Me catchee eblyting. Leve him all to Ah Sing, he git um."
A cunning smile overspread his features.
"But Ah Sing wantee some leward he do dis."
"Of course. Any money you want you shall have in Blue Creek," burst
out Roy.
"Me no wantee monee. Me want lillee misses joss. Him plentee big
joss my countlee. I have that joss I have plentee eblyting I want."
"He means the little god that Clara gave me," whispered Peggy. "All
right, Sing, you shall have it. You shall have it when you are
ready to send us out of the valley."
The Chinaman's face changed just the fraction of a muscle. That was
as near as he came to permitting himself to show his gratification
over the promise of the joss.
"Allee litee," he said, "bymby he get dark. You wait in missees
shack. When I ready I give one, two, tree knocks-so!"
As silently as he had glided up he glided off again just as the
crowd began pouring from the shack where the injured outlaw lay.
Roy and Peggy could only exchange wild glances of astonishment at
the surprising turn affairs had taken.
But presently Peggy spoke.
"I knew when I prayed in that terrible valley, Roy, that a way would
be found," she said, and her voice was vibrant with reverence and
faith as the brother and sister turned away.