“Search her!” said Black John, grinning in a knowing way.
The man sprang upon the frightened girl, and the next moment it seemed that he would tear her clothing from her body.
It was too much for Nomad. Regardless of the revolvers leveled on him, he leaped to Lena’s aid. With a blow of his fist he laid the miscreant on the ground. At the same time his shrill whistle to Nebuchadnezzar sounded, and the old horse came jumping to his side.
“Git on him!” Nomad yelled to the girl, as he fought with another outlaw who assailed him.
Lena tried to obey, but her skirts were caught by the fallen rascal, and she was thrown down.
Black John came to the assistance of the man who was battling with Nomad, and in a few moments the old man was conquered; and then his hands were bound, while he was held down.
“Shoot him!” snarled the rascal who had been bowled over by Nomad’s gnarled fist.
“Not yit!” Black John commanded. He put up a hand for silence. “Mebbe that’ll draw Cody and Pawnee Bill,” he said; “and if they come we’ll have a fight, er mebbe we can capture ’em here. Listen!”
But if the sounds had reached Buffalo Bill, there was nothing to indicate it.
Nomad looked regretfully at the girl, who, frightened and trembling, was standing close by, one of the outlaws grasping her by the arm.