KIT MAKES A CAPTURE.
Shan Rhue lay prostrate for a long time, but no one went to his
assistance. As he fell the gamblers raised a shout, and made a motion to
attack Ted.
But the foreman of Running Water sprang in front of them, and as if by
magic the broncho boys and the cow-punchers and other supporters of
Hatrack were by his side.
Ted had leaped to the fore and was standing shoulder to shoulder with
the foreman of Running Water. He heard a ripple of laughter, and looked
up to see Stella standing by his side.
"Bully for you, Ted," she said. "You did that fine."
Ted smiled back at her, then turned his eyes upon the surprised and
angry gamblers. There was something there that demanded all his
attention. The gamblers only needed a leader to make them a dangerous
proposition.
But their leader was down and out by reason of a few neat and handy
blows, and none other had the courage to come to the front. It was the
psychological moment.
Ted Strong took advantage of it. Without a moment's hesitation, he
stepped in front of the foreman of Running Water, who moved back to give
him the place of vantage.
Ted had not even taken his six-shooter from its holster, but stood with
his hands resting lightly on his hips, while his eyes roved inquiringly
over the menacing crowd.
"Any of you gentlemen like to have some of the same sort of medicine?"
he asked, nodding toward the prostrate Rhue.
There was no reply.
"Because if any of you would, I, or any of my friends, will be glad to
accommodate you," he added.
An ominous growl came from some one back in the crowd.
"Would you like some of it?" asked Ted, turning suddenly in that
direction.
He waited for several moments for an answer, but none came.
"Now, you fellows, I want to say that this incident is closed," said he
firmly. "You are beaten every way from the jack, as you would say. You
put up this race to skin innocent parties, and you thought to use my
friends for your purposes, and have failed. The face was fairly won by
our horse, and that goes. If any man doubts it, I will prove it to him
by any means he wishes, from fists up to howitzers. You have made a lot
of fools of yourselves by allowing an old crook like Norris to play in
with you. I haven't a bit of sympathy for you. I'm glad you lost your
money, and I'd feel gladder if you all went broke. This is the end of
this adventure. Where's Norris? We want that magpie horse which we won."
The men dispersed after this speech, which closed with a ringing cheer
from the broncho boys and the cow-punchers and other friends of Hatrack.
But Norris could not be found. He and the horse and the jockey had
disappeared. Ted rounded the boys up, and all were present except Kit.
"Where's Kit?" he asked.
"Don't know," said Bud. "He was around here a few minutes ago. Reckon
he's somewhere about."
The crowd having dispersed uptown, a search was made for Kit, but he
could not be found.
"I wonder if some of that gang hasn't got square with us by some foul
play on Kit," said Ted. "It would be like the coyotes. Kit was the
smallest of the lot, and naturally the cowards would pick him."
"Kit's small, all right," said Stella stoutly, for she and Kit were
great friends, and Stella was always one to stick up for those she
liked. "If they pick Kit for his size, and think they have got an easy
thing, they will find that they have gathered up a red-hot Chile pepper.
He'll give them the hottest fight they ever had, as long as he lasts."
"Hurray fer you, Stella," exclaimed Bud. "You speak for fair. Kit's not
much on size, but he's a whirlwind."
Shan Rhue was slowly getting on his feet. His broad, brutal face was
badly discolored where Ted's fists had come in contact with it.
One of his eyes was bloodshot and rapidly taking on a green-and-purple
hue, and his upper lip stuck out like an overhanging roof. As he looked
around and saw that the broncho boys were alone, and that he had been
left to recover as best he might by those whom he had called his friends
and supporters, he growled deep in his chest.
"The skunks," he muttered, between his swollen lips. "They'd make me
fight an' steal fer them, an' then leave me in the hole, would they?
Well, I'll make them hump fer this."
Then he looked unsteadily at Ted out of his good eye, as if he was
wondering how it all had happened. But while his glance was not as
belligerent as it had been, still there was nothing but hatred in his
expression.
Ted eyed him back fearlessly, but this time his hand rested upon the
handle of his revolver, and Stella, by his side, was on the alert also.
Shan Rhue was not one to be trusted, especially after he had met defeat.
After staring for a moment he spoke.
"I reckon yer beat me fair, young feller," he said, "although I don't
know yet how yer did it. But I want ter say ter yer now that this ain't
the end, by no means."
"That's all right," said Ted easily. "You keep out of my way, and you
will be all right."
"I go where I please, an' do what I please, an' ask ther right o' no
man," retorted Shan Rhue truculently.
"All right, go where you please, but don't run afoul of me," said Ted
sharply. "I don't want to have anything to do with such cattle as you,
and I don't propose to. Keep off my trail if you know when you're well
off. This is a friendly tip--take it or leave it."
"I don't want none o' yer tips," growled Shan Rhue. "Ye've beaten me,
an' I hate yer. Look out fer me next time, that's all."
"Yes, that's all. Skidoo! You're not pretty to look at."
Ted turned his back upon the defeated bully, but Stella did not, and had
Shan Rhue made a motion toward his gun there would have been one with a
pearl handle and trimmed with silver in commission in an instant.
With a long, malignant look after Ted, the bully turned and hobbled
slowly from the fair grounds.
"I'm going to start on the trail of Norris," said Ted. "Want to come
along, Stella?"
"You bet I do," said the girl. "Wait till I catch my pony."
"Ben, you and Bud ride through the town and see if you can't get on to
the movements of that old rip Norris, also, and look out for Kit. If we
don't get Norris, and make him give up that magpie pony, our work has
not been half done. As long as we have won out all around, we might as
well have the fruits of our victory," said Ted.
"What'll we do to ther coyote?" asked Bud.
"Part his coat tails and give him a good, swift kick," answered Ted.
"But don't get into any fights with these town gamblers. We can't afford
anything of that sort, you know."
"All righty; but I'd shore like ter git a crack at some o' them
mavericks," said Bud grudgingly.
"They're all licked in their minds already," said Ted. "Of course,
they're sore at losing their money, and if a dozen or more of them were
to tackle you, you'd have a hard time getting away with it. When the
fight comes off, if ever it does, we all want to be in on it."
They parted, and Ted and Stella rode into the town.
"Say, friend, have you seen anything of that old skin Norris?" asked
Ted, meeting one of the Running Water outfit on the street.
"Yep. I wuz jest goin' ter look yer up an' post yer," was the reply.
"Which way did he go, or is he still in town?"
"Jest after yer put ther finish onto Shan--an', say, that wuz a beaut,
if any one should ask you--I see Norris an' ther jock makin' fer ther
gate, leadin' ther magpie bronc. I thinks they're goin' ter put him in
ther corral fer yer, an' didn't pay much 'tention ter him."
"Then he's up at the corral?"
"No, he ain't. He's foggin' along to'rds ther Wichita Mountains as fast
as he kin go."
"How do you know?"
"I met one o' our outfit a bit ago, an' he was sore because yer let ther
old feller git away with ther magpie, after yer won him fair. Yer see,
he thinks ye flunked on collectin' ther pony."
"Not on your life. We don't do business that way."
"That's what I was thinkin', so I ast him whichever way ther ole man was
headin'. He says inter ther east, tickity-brindle."
"Which road?"
"Right out ther east end o' ther main street."
"Thank you, pard."
"Yer almighty welcome. Good luck. If yer ketch up with ther coyote,
bring him in an' let us have a good squint at him."
"Oh, I'll bring him in, all right, if I get him."
"So long!"
"So long! Come on, Stella, we'll have to kick dust if we're going to
connect with that old party."
They dashed down the street, followed by an equal mingling of smiles and
frowns. Smiles from the cow-punchers and townspeople whose champion he
had been, and frowns from the gamblers.
But they saw neither, for they were intent upon their business. They
made a mighty handsome couple as they dashed along, for they were well
mounted and both were perfect riders.
Many a young girl walking along the street looked enviously after
Stella, and wished she could ride as well and was as beautiful. And many
a lad looked after his ideal of a hero of the West, dashing and brave
Ted Strong, who had so lately vanquished the bully who had been feared
of all men, and who could ride like a centaur, and shoot perfectly.
It did not take long for them to clear the town, and dash out onto the
prairie road which led into the Wichita Mountains.
They did not spare their horses, for Ted knew that if Norris once
succeeded in reaching the mountains it would be almost impossible to
find him among the many fastnesses and deep and rough cañons which
abound in those most picturesque hills and peaks.
While Ted knew the Wichita Mountains well, he was also aware that even
the most expert scout did not know all about them, and that there were
places in them that had never been explored, unless, perhaps, by
renegade Indians and white outlaws, with which the mountains had at
times been infested.
They had ridden an hour or more when Ted pulled in his pony.
"No use riding our ponies to death the first heat," he said to Stella,
with a smile.
"My cayuse is good for another hour," said Stella; "I can tell by the
way he's going under me."
"Yours would last because you're such a light and easy rider. You take
weight off a pony. But I'm a good deal heavier, and I can feel this
fellow tiring, although he'd go until he dropped in his tracks if I'd
let him."
They walked their ponies over the springy sod beside the road, which was
becoming fainter the farther they got from the town. In the distance
they could see the mountains, a dark mass against the sky.
"Some one on the road," said Stella, pointing ahead.
"It is a little hazy. Dust, I guess," said Ted. "I think we better hit
it up a bit. Perhaps it is Norris and his precious 'grandson,' and if it
is we'll get to them before they get to the mountains."
They put their ponies, at a lope, and seemed to be catching up with the
dust cloud rapidly. Soon they were able to distinguish two riders.
"By Jove, I believe we are on the right track," said Ted.
Stella's bright eyes had been watching the riders in front of them for
some time.
"Ted, it's not Norris. There are two riders, one behind the other, and
they are coming this way," she said.
Ted reined in his pony, and took a long look.
"You're right, Stella," he said. "But, perhaps, we can get some news of
the fugitives from them."
Again they spurred forward.
"Ted, that's Kit, as sure as you live," cried Stella, "I'd know him
anywhere."
In a few minutes they were within hailing distance, and Ted gave the
long yell, which was answered, and in a few minutes they were reining in
beside Kit. Behind him, securely bound to the back of Magpie, was old
man Norris, who looked very crestfallen.
"Hello, Kit, you rascal, I see that you got him," said Ted.
"You bet, and a merry chase I had after him," answered Kit.
"Why, Kit, what's the matter with your arm?" cried Stella.
Kit's arm was hanging by his side, and his coat sleeve near his shoulder
was stained with blood.
"Shot!" answered Kit laconically.
"Bad?" asked Stella anxiously.
"Not so very. Just touched the bone. But it has been bleeding like the
deuce."
"Ted, take charge of the prisoner. Kit, get off that horse and let me
see that wound."
Stella's commands were promptly obeyed, and Kit groaned slightly as
Stella helped him off with his coat and cut away his sleeve. He had
received a nasty flesh wound near the shoulder, made by a ball of large
caliber, which had passed clear through.
As soon as she had washed the wound with water from Ted's canteen, and
had bound it up, Kit felt much more comfortable.
"How did it happen?" asked Stella.
"I heard that the old man and the jockey had made a sneak from the
grounds when Ted was having his fun with the big fellow, and I got my
bronc and followed them. I came up with them a ways back, and made the
old duffer halt, but the jock potted me and got away. That's all."