“You men will pay for this high-handed proceeding!” scowled Bloom.
Wild Bill laughed.
“You were the only one who did anything high-handed, sheriff,” he returned.
“How did you find out all this, Wild Bill?” queried the dazed Dunbar. “I had a notion that Lige Benner was back of the play, but there wasn’t any way I could prove it. I seemed to be tied up hard and fast in circumstantial evidence.”
Wild Bill told what had happened to him at the Circle-B ranch. He protected Ace Hawkins, however, by failing to mention his name in the presence of the sheriff. Bloom was manifestly a friend of the Benners, and not to be trusted with any information about Hawkins. The Laramie man let it appear as though he had effected his own escape by way of the chimney.
“That sounds too good to be true,” said Bloom sarcastically.
“I reckon it does, to you,” returned Wild Bill.
“If you know when you’re well off, sheriff,” said the scout, “you’ll let this matter drop. You don’t show up very well in what has happened. I’m ready to meet you, though, on any grounds you care to cut out.”
Bloom made no answer, but stared stonily at the scout.
“Nate,” pursued Buffalo Bill, “you’ll march out of here arm in arm with your good friend, the sky pilot; Wild Bill, you’ll personally conduct Abe Isaacs back to the hotel office where we can get his testimony in writing; I’ll bring up the rear of the procession and stay company front with Bloom, ready to begin on him whenever he makes the proper sign.”