"I used it merely in the technical sense," was the retort. "I believe they do not actually use red paint."
"Oh, what shall we do? What shall we do?" cried Miss Pennington.
"I'm going back to New York at once!" sobbed Miss Dixon. "Make that train come back!" she cried to the lone station agent, who, with a set grin on his face, was looking alternately from the group of picture players to the approaching dust cloud that concealed so many weird noises.
But the train was far down the track.
"We must do something!" insisted Mr. Sneed, nervously pacing up and down. "We men must organize and protect the ladies. I think we had better get inside the station and try to hold it against the savages. Pop, you have some guns in the baggage; have you not?"
"Yep!" answered the property man; "but they ain't loaded, and before we could git 'em out those fellers will be here."
"Well, we must protect the ladies at any cost!" insisted Mr. Sneed. "Come with us, we will protect you!" he shouted as he hurried inside the little shed that answered for the station. Probably he wanted to go first to prepare the place for the others. At any rate he was first inside.
"Whoop-ee!"
"Ki-yi!"
"Rah!"