NOT YET!
With a groan Deadwood Dick fell to the ground, blood spurting from a
wound in his breast. The bullet of the elder Filmore had indeed struck
home.
Loud then were the cries of rage and vengeance, as a score of masked
men poured out from the thickets, and surrounded the stage.
"Shoot the accursed nigger!" cried one. "He's killed our leader, an'
by all the saints in ther calendur he shall pay the penalty!"
"No! no!" yelled another, "well do no such a thing. He shall swing in
mid-air!"
"Hey!" cried a third, rising from the side of the prostrate
load-agent, "don' ye be so fast, boys. The capt'in still lives. He is
not seriously wounded even!"
A loud huzza went up from the score of throats, that caused a thousand
echoing reverberations along the mountain side.
"Better let ther capt'in say what we shall do wi' yon cuss o'
creashun!" suggested one who was apparently a leading spirit; "it's
_his_ funeral, ain't it?"
"Yas, yas, it's his funeral!"
"Then let him do ther undertakin'."
Robber Dick was accordingly supported to a sitting posture, and the
blood that flowed freely from his wound was stanched. In the operation
his mask became loosened and slipped to the ground, but so quickly did
he snatch it up and replace it, that no one caught even a glimpse of
his face.
In the meantime Clarence Filmore had discharged every load in his two
six-shooters into the air. He had an object in doing this; he thought
that the reports of fire-arms would reach Deadwood (which was only a
short mile distant, around the bend), and arouse the military, who
would come to his rescue.
Dick's wound dressed, he stood once more upon his feet, and glared up
at the two men on the box. They were plainly revealed in the ghostly
moonlight, and their features easily studied.
"Alexander Filmore!" the young road-agent said, a terrible depth of
meaning in his voice, that the cowering wretch could but understand.
"Alexander Filmore, you have at last come out and shown your true
colors. What a treacherous, double-dyed villain you are! Better so;
better that you should take the matter into your own hands and face
the music, than to employ _tools_, as you have done heretofore. I can
fight a dozen enemies face to face better than one or two lurking in
the bushes."
The elder Filmore uttered a savage curse.
"You triumph _now!_" he growled, biting his nether lip in vexation;
"but it will not always be thus."
"Eh? think not? I think I shall have to _adopt_ you for awhile. Boys,
haul down the two, and bind them securely."
Accordingly, a rush was made upon the stage, and the two outside
passengers. Down they were hauled, head over heels, and quickly
secured by strong cords about the wrists and ankles.
This done, Deadwood Dick turned to Bill McGucken, who had ventured to
clamber to the seat of the coach.
"Drive on, you cowardly lout--drive on. We've done with you for the
present. But, remember, not a word of this to the population of
Deadwood, if you intend to ever make another trip over this route.
Now, go!"
Jehu needed not the second invitation. He never was tardy in getting
out of the way of danger: so he picked up the reins, gave an extra
hard crack of the long whip, and away rolled the jolting stage through
the black canyon, disappearing a moment later around the bend, beyond
which lay Deadwood--magic city of the wilderness.
Then, out from the thicket the road-agents led their horses; the two
prisoners were secured in the saddles in front of two brawny outlaws,
and without delay the cavalcade moved down the gorge, weirdly
illuminated by the mellow rays of the soaring moon.
* * * * *
Clarence Filmore had hoped that the report of his pistol-shots would
reach Deadwood. If so, his wishes were fulfilled. The reports reached
the barracks above Deadwood just as a horseman galloped up the
hill--Major R----, just in from a carouse down at the "Met."
"Halloo!" he shouted, loudly. "To horse! there is trouble in the
gorge. The Sioux, under Sitting Bull, are upon us!"
As the major's word was law at the barracks, in very short order the
garrison was aroused, and headed by the major in person, a cavalcade
of sleepy soldiers swept down the gorge toward the place whence had
come the firing.
Wildly around the abrupt bend they dashed with yells of anticipated
victory: then there was a frightful collision between the incoming
stage and the outgoing cavalry; the shrieks and screams of horses, the
curses and yells of wounded men; and a general pandemonium ensued.
The coach, passengers, horses and all was upset, and went rolling down
a steep embankment.
Major R---- was precipitated headlong over the embankment, and in his
downward flight probably saw more than one soaring comet. He struck
head-first in a muddy run, and a sorrier-looking officer of the U.S.A.
was never before seen in the Black Hills as he emerged from his bath,
than the major. His ridiculous appearance went so far as to stay the
general torrent of blasphemy and turn it into a channel of boisterous
laughter.
No delay was made in putting things ship-shape again, and ere morning
dawned Deadwood beheld the returned soldiers and wrecked stage with
its sullen passengers within its precincts.
Dick and his men rode rapidly down the canyon, the two prisoners
bringing up the rear under the escort of two masked guards.
These guards were brothers and Spanish-Mexicans at that.
The elder Filmore, a keen student of character, was not long in making
out these Spaniards' true character, nor did their greedy glances
toward his and his son's diamonds escape him.
"We want to get free!" he at last whispered, when none of those ahead
were glancing back. "You will each receive a cool five hundred apiece
if you will set us at liberty."
The two road-agents exchanged glances.
"It's a bargain!" returned one. "Stop your horses, and let the others
go on!"
The main party were at this juncture riding swiftly down a steep
grade.
The four horses were quietly reined in, and when the others were out
of hearing, their noses were turned back up the canyon in the
direction of Deadwood.
"This will be an unhealthy job for us!" said one of the brothers,
"should we ever meet Dick again."
"Fear him not!" replied Alexander Filmore, with an oath. "If he ever
crosses your path shoot him down like a dog, and I'll give you a
thousand dollars for the work. The sooner he dies the better I'll be
suited."
He spoke in a tone of strongest hate--deepest rancor.