Hemmingway tentatively suggested that a ride through the gorge toward
the Kelso Basin might simplify matters for himself and Taylor; it
might, he said, even seem to make the defending of their position
unnecessary. But his suggestions met with no enthusiasm from Taylor,
who lounged among the rocks of his place of concealment calmly
smoking.
Taylor gave some reasons for his disinclination to adopt Hemmingways
suggestions.
Norton will be back in an hour, with Bothwell and the outfit. And
now he grinned as he looked at Bud. Miss Harlan told me to be careful
about my scratches. I take it she dont want no more sieges with a
sick man. And Im taking her advice. If Id go to riding my horse like
blazes, maybe I _would_ get sick again. And she wouldnt take care of
me anymore. And Id hate like blazes to run from Keats and his bunch
of plug-uglies!
So Hemmingway said no more on that subject.
They smoked and talked and watched the trail for signs of Keats and
his men; while the sun, which had been behind the towering hills
surrounding the gorge, traveled slowly above them, finally blazing
down from a point directly overhead.
It became hot in the gorge; the air was stifling and the heat
uncomfortable. Taylor did not seem to mind it, but Bud, with a
vigorous appetite, and longings that ran to flapjacks and sirup, grew
impatient.
If a man could eat now, he remarked once, while the sun was directly
overhead, why, it wouldnt be so bad!
And then, after the suns blazing rays had begun to diminish in
intensity somewhat, Bud looked upward and saw that the shimmering orb
had passed beyond the crest of a towering hill. He looked sharply at
Taylor, who was intently watching the back trail, and said gravely:
Norton ought to have been back with Bothwell and the bunch, now.
Hes an hour overdue, said Taylor, without looking at Bud.
I reckon somethins happened, growled Bud. Somethin always happens
when a guys holed up, like this. It wouldnt be so bad if a man could
eat a little somethinto sort of keep him from thinkin of it all the
time. Or, mebbe, if there was a little excitementor somethin. A man
could
Therell be plenty of excitement before long, interrupted Taylor.
Keats and his gang didnt go very far. I just saw one of them
sneaking along that rock-knob, down the gorge a piece. Theyre going
to stalk us. If youre thinking of riding to Kelsowhy He grinned at
Buds resentful scowl.
Lying flat on his stomach, he watched the rock-knob he had mentioned.
Slick as an Indian, he remarked once, while Bud, having ceased his
discontented mutterings, kept his gaze on the rock also.
And then suddenly the eery silence of the gorge was broken by the
sharp crack of Taylors rifle, and, simultaneously, by a shriek of
pain. Report and shriek reverberated with weird, echoing cadences
between the hills, growing less distinct always and finally the eery
silence reigned again.
Theyll know they cant get careless, now, grinned Taylor, working
the ejector of his rifle.
Bud did not reply; and for another hour both men intently scanned the
hills within range of their vision, straining their eyes to detect
signs of movement that would warn them of the whereabouts of Keats and
his men.
Anxiously Bud watched the rays of the sun creeping up a precipitous
rock wall at a little distance. Slowly the streak of light narrowed,
growing always less brilliant, and finally, when it vanished, Bud
spoke:
Its comin on night, Squint. Somethins sure happened to Norton. He
wriggled impatiently, adding: If were here when night comes well
have a picnic keepin them guys off of us.
Taylor said nothing until the gorge began to darken with the shadows
of twilight. Then he looked at Bud, his face grim.
My stubbornness, he said shortly. I should have taken your advice
about going to Kelso Basinwhen we had a chance. But I felt certain
that Norton would have the outfit here before this. Our chance is
gone, now. There are some of Keatss men in the hills, around us. I
just saw one jump behind that rim rock on the shoulder of that big
hillthere. He indicated the spot. Then he again spoke to Bud.
Theres a chance yetfor you. You take Spotted Tail and make a run
for the basin. Ill cover you.
What about you? grumbled Bud.
Taylor grinned, and Bud laughed. You was only funnin me, I reckon,
he said, earnestly. You knowed I wouldnt slope an leave you to
fight it out alonenow didnt you?
But if a man was hungry, said Taylor, and he knew there was grub
with the outfit
I aint hungry no more, declared Bud; Ive quit thinkin of
flapjacks for more than
He stiffened, and the first shadows of the night were split by a long,
narrow flame-streak as his rifle crashed. And a man who had been
slipping into the shelter of a depression on the side of a hill a
hundred yards distant, tumbled grotesquely out and down, and went
sliding to the bottom of the gorge.
As though the report of Buds rifle were a signal, a dozen vivid jets
of fire flamed from various points in the surrounding hills, and the
silence was rent by the vicious cracking of rifles and the drone and
thud of bullets as they sped over the heads of the two men at the
bottom of the gorge and flattened themselves against the rocks of
their shelter.
That sound, too, died away. And in the heavy, portentous stillness
which succeeded it, there came to the ears of the two besieged men the
sounds of distant shouting, faint and far.
Its the outfit! said Taylor.
And Bud, rolling over and over in an excess of joy over the coming of
the Arrow men, hugged an imaginary form and yelled:
Oh, Bothwell, you old son-of-a-gun! How I love you!