Whatever happened, they must kill that rattler. He had bitten—he must die. His head must be blown from his body, and they must cut him with lead until his lashings ceased and the tail grew still.
Eyes blazing, Teddy once more bent over. Roy retained his desperate grip on his brother’s wrist. Belle, eyes wide with horror, stepped back. The scene was almost too much for her, Western bred though she was. Teddy, bitten by a crawling death, calmly intent on just one thing—killing the snake that had bitten him! Roy holding back the poison from his brother’s body with one hand, while he steadied him with the other, so that he might not miss!
With her heart in her throat, Belle waited for the shot. After the snake had been killed—what? She could picture Teddy sitting stoically in the car as it careened its way toward the ranch—Teddy, his arm black from the tourniquet, perhaps remarking that Roy would have to take charge of the place for the rest of the week and would he see that Flash got enough exercise, and all the while his lips were twisted with burning pain! Teddy!
Would he never fire? What was he waiting for?
“Shoot! Oh, shoot!” Belle gasped. “Teddy—kill him and come away!”
Still the two boys were bent over, staring beneath the car. Then Belle saw Roy slowly release his hold on his brother’s wrist. A sound strangely like a chuckle came from him. What—what had happened?
“Teddy! Roy!” Belle cried. “What is it? Why are you waiting? The snake—”
For a moment she thought her brothers had gone mad, and well she might, for, straightening up, the boys burst into roars of laughter. They leaned weakly against the side of the car, Teddy’s gun hanging limply, his body shaking with mirth! Roy was pounding him on the back, while he himself was scarcely able to stand. This was more than laughter, it was almost hysteria—the hysteria of great and sudden relief.
Then when Roy caught sight of his sister’s face, he sobered.
“It’s all right, sis,” he declared, tears of laughter still in his eyes. “Don’t look so scared. We’re not crazy—and Teddy isn’t hurt. He didn’t get bitten by a rattler at all!”