“Say,” he sputtered, “this hyar reminds me some o’ ther way Buffler went inter the Sioux kentry an’ took ole Lightnin’-thet-strikes right out from ther middle o’ his band. Waugh! Er-waugh! An’ our pard left them fellers back ter back, handcuffed ter each other, an’ with their men thicker eround ’em than what fleas is in ole Siskiyou county! I’d like ter lay off fer a hull day an’ enjoy thinkin’ erbout thet. I would so!”
“That was just my kind of a play,” commented Wild Bill regretfully. “Wish I could have been in on it myself.”
“Let me know, Buffalo Bill,” requested Perry, “how you knew I was at the H-P ranch? Phelps was trying to keep that quiet.”
The scout explained in a few words.
“Certainly,” murmured Perry, “I ought to be thankful that I have friends like you and your pards to lend me a helping hand at this critical time. Every man on the Brazos seems to have been against Dunbar and me!”
“Not every man, Dick,” protested Jordan. “Only Benner and Phelps are really against you. The rest of the cattlemen are so completely dominated by Benner and Phelps that they don’t dare take sides with you openly.”
“We know the stake Benner is playing for,” said Wild Bill, “but what does Phelps hope to make out of this rascally work?”
“For one thing,” replied Perry, “Phelps wants the Star-A range. He tried to buy out the man who sold to me. Maybe it would have been better if I had gone elsewhere for a location and let Phelps have the Star-A range. We can never tell about these things until it’s too late.”
“Then, too,” spoke up Jordan, “Phelps is a bosom friend of Benner’s. That’s the principal reason, I suppose, why he’s taking a part in this rascally work. But prosperity is back of it all—too much prosperity for men who do not understand how to make the best use of their wealth.”
“Isn’t there something we can do for Hattie?” asked Perry tremulously. “Must we stay cooped up in this coulee, guarding against an attack from the H-P outfit, while my girl is in the hands of that scoundrel, Benner?”