“Don't be a d——d fool,” said the man quickly. “Thar's fifty agin' you down thar. But why in h-ll didn't you wipe out old Nixon when you had such a good chance?”
“Wipe out old Nixon?” repeated Ruth.
“Yes; just now, when you had him covered.”
“What!”
The bar-keeper turned quickly upon Ruth, stared at him, and then suddenly burst into a fit of laughter. “Well, I've knowed you two were twins, but damn me if I ever thought I'd be sold like this!” And he again burst into a roar of laughter.
“What do you mean?” demanded Ruth savagely.
“What do I mean?” returned the barkeeper. “Why, I mean this. I mean that your brother Rand, as you call him, he'z bin—for a young feller, and a pious feller—doin' about the tallest kind o' fightin' to-day that's been done at the Ferry. He laid out that ar Kanaka Joe and two of his chums. He was pitched into on your quarrel, and he took it up for you like a little man. I managed to drag him off, up yer in the hazel-bush for safety, and out you pops, and I thought you was him. He can't be far away. Halloo! There they're comin'; and thar's the doctor, trying to keep them back!”
A crowd of angry, excited faces, filled the road suddenly; but before them Dr. Duchesne, mounted, and with a pistol in his hand, opposed their further progress.
“Back in the bush!” whispered the barkeeper. “Now's your time!”
But Ruth stirred not. “Go you back,” he said in a low voice, “find Rand, and take him away. I will fill his place here.” He drew his revolver, and stepped into the road.