CHAPTER VII.
BUFFALO BILL’S CHARGE.
When Old Negotiate returned to the Cody Hotel he first sought the parlor, for the Chinese waiter told him he would there find Panther Kate.
“I found Bill, miss,” said Old Negotiate. “I found him at the store, and he will be up heur soon, and ef yer wishes ter see a immortal row, just you lie low in this heur parler an’ wait fer ther music ter begin.”
“Will you allow a number of men to attack your friend?”
“Oh, I’ll be thar, miss, an’ thar shan’t be no underhan’ game played agin’ Bill. But I must leave you. Jist you wait heur a leetle.”
With this remark Old Negotiate left the parlor. Panther Kate, riveted by a fascination she could not resist, remained standing at the window, half hidden by the heavy, coarse curtains, and waiting breathlessly for the coming of what the scout had called a “circus.”
In the meantime Old Negotiate reëntered the bar and found the crowd still drinking heavily and getting more intoxicated each moment.
But he saw that Captain Corduroy and his comrades, though they had seemingly drunk freely, were apparently more sober than when he left them, which further convinced him that they were playing a part and were not allowing themselves to lose control of their faculties.
The reëntrance of Old Negotiate was greeted with a shout of welcome, and of course he had to drink, and Captain Corduroy treated; but Negotiate did not swallow the liquor, and watching closely he saw that the strangers also failed to drink the contents of their glasses, a circumstance none of the drunken crowd observed.