“Enough to put me on my guard. I suppose he thought there was no one here.”
“What was his object in coming to the cellar? Do you know, or can you guess?”
“I don’t know, and I am not good at guessing. But I do know this: The Indian was Thunder Cloud’s right-hand man, second in command, you understand.”
“He came back to see Thunder Cloud. Something had occurred on the march to the stronghold of the Yelping Crew. An important discovery had been made, or there was a slip of some kind. Maybe he became suspicious of Black Wing, and came back to urge Thunder Cloud to come to the cliff and boss operations.”
This speech was directed to Alkali Pete, who at once replied: “Let’s get ther kunnel an’ light out fer ther cliff. Ef thar’s goin’ ter be a mix-up, an’ it shore looks thataway, I’m hankerin’ ter take a part.”
Buffalo Bill was seized with a cold fear. He had, for the moment, forgotten about the colonel.
“I haven’t yet told you,” he said gravely, “that the colonel went with the Apaches and Black Wing.”
“What fur?” Surprise and dismay were in the tone.
The king of scouts repeated the appalling statement made by Thunder Cloud.
Alkali Pete groaned. “I shore sees ther p’int, Buffler. Ther ’Pache this yer Black Face downed moseyed back ter tell Thunder Cloud that ther order ter hang ther kunnel to ther cottonwood hed been carried out.”