“Lad, you can’t do that! You mustn’t take that road till you know more about ridin’ ’n you do now, nor unless you start by daybreak. I wouldn’t try it myself, old mountaineer as I am, at this hour, lessen it was a case of life and death. No, you can’t go.”
Leslie’s temper rose and he retorted:
“I’m ‘Boss’ here now and don’t you dare say ‘mustn’t’ to me!”
The sharpshooter laughed ironically; and this enraged the boy still further. His riding whip was in his hand and, with a furious look at the Captain, he lifted it and brought it down upon the old man’s head—who staggered backward, then fell to the ground as if he were dead.
“Leslie! Leslie!” shrieked the onlookers, “what have you done?”
“Killed him—I—guess!” he gasped and threw himself beside the prostrate ranchman.