“There ain’t no doubt about Bohm’s bein’ ready to kill him; he was on
top then and reachin’ for his throat. I didn’t stop to ask no
questions. I jest grabbed him, and pulled him off of Ted. He was white
as chalk and ready to eat us both alive, but I hung on to him while
Ted got up cryin’, ‘Look what he’s done, Bill, look what he’s done,’
and pointed at somethin’ on the ground.”
Bill’s eyes were like two live coals. “Bohm was cussin’ like a steam
engine ’bout the kid’s jumpin’ him when he was puttin’ out poison for
the prairie-dogs. I just took one look around and seen all them piles
of poison wheat there by the corral when there wasn’t a prairie-dog
within two miles. I—well, I aint goin’ to tell you what I said, Mrs.
Brook, ’taint fit for you to hear.”
[Illustration: FACING DEATH EACH TIME THEY RIDE A NEW HORSE.]
Bill looked down and turned the glass on the table around and around.
He looked up again and smiled, but his brows contracted as he went
on—“We had words then, sure enough. All of a sudden Bohm made a lunge
and caught the handkerchief round my neck with one hand and reached
for somethin’ with the other, and the first thing I knew he was
slashin’ at me with a pocket knife. I guess I saw red then, ’cause I
knocked him down and nearly pounded the life out of him.”
Bill stopped a moment—“His eyes was rollin’ back in his head and his
tongue was hangin’ out and there was a pool of blood ’round us, three
yards across.” Bill’s description was so vivid I shut my eyes. “I
reckon I’d killed him if Ted hadn’t tromped my legs and kinda brought
me to myself. He’d oughter been killed, but I let him up then and told
Ted to go for my rope. We tied his hands and legs. I guess he had
about all he wanted for he wasn’t strugglin’ much.” Bill smiled
grimly. “We carried him into the cabin, and there was the Mexican
lying in his bunk—doped. We knew who done it all right, and I tell
you we didn’t handle Bohm like no suckin’ infant when we laid him
down, neither.”
Bill’s face was stern and set and I shared his indignation too much to
trust myself to speak.
“We left him there and went to get the wheat out of the way before we
opened the corral gates for the sheep. Thanks to Ted, Bohm hadn’t had
time to put much around. He’s a great little kid, that boy.” Bill’s
voice broke.
“Bless his heart,” I said, my own heart filled with gratitude and
tenderness for the plucky little chap in the other room. Bill’s eyes
were moist, but his voice was steady again.
“Steve and Charley came up just then with the supply wagon, so Steve
set Charley to herd the sheep. We loaded Bohm into the wagon and Steve
took him over to the railroad. He said he’d see he got on the train
all right.” Bill grinned, “You’re rid of Bohm for good now, Mrs.
Brook, for I kinda think he gathered from what me and Steve said the
ranch wouldn’t be no health resort for him if he ever showed his ugly
face round here again.”
“Oh, Bill, I’m so thankful; it makes me sick when I think what might
have happened.”
“Don’t thank me, Mrs. Brook, I ain’t done nothin’.” Bill’s face was
red with embarrassment as he stood up. “Ted’s the one to thank, he’s
some kid, believe me,” and Bill’s eyes were very tender.
“Let’s go in and see how he’s making it.” Bill followed me into the
room.
Ted was sitting up on the couch, regarding his battered visage in my
hand-glass with the greatest interest. I could see at once he was in
no mood for emotion or petting.
“Hello, I’m all right,” he murmured with a one-sided grin. “Say, Bill,
wasn’t it great? I wouldn’t have missed it for a million dollars.”
He sank back with a sigh of supreme satisfaction. “I just wish I could
remember all the things he called me. I want to spring them on the
fellows when I go back.”
Bill looked at him with genuine concern. “See here, kid,” he said
decidedly, “you want to forget all them things as quick as you can.
Don’t you go springin’ any such language back where you come from. I’m
no innocent babe myself, but I’m here to tell you old Bohm’s cussin’
made anything I ever heard sound like a Sunday School piece. You
forget it now, pronto,” he commanded as he went out of the door. “It’s
a reflection on me and Mrs. Brook.”
After Bill had gone, Ted looked at himself again, then at me. “What do
you suppose Aunt Elizabeth would say if she could see me now?” We both
laughed.
“I would be a ‘disgrace to my family and position’ now, sure enough.”
He felt his blackened eye tenderly.
I sat down on the couch beside him. “You will never be more of a
credit to your family than you are at this minute, Ted, nor more of a
man.”
He looked up, for my voice shook a little. He knew what I meant and
his lips twitched as he patted my hand gently, and turned his face
away.