“Be careful there,” Barlow cautioned.
“What ye got?” was the question.
“A girl—a woman. She’s fainted. Steady there!”
He clambered over the top of the wall, and with Barlow’s help began to slide down to the ground.
At this juncture May Arlington came suddenly out of her swoon. The descending motion made her think she was falling, and she screamed.
Apparently the time for action on the scout’s part had come. Buffalo Bill sprang forward, a revolver swinging in his right hand.
“Halt there!” he commanded.
The girl screamed, and a curse of rage broke from Barlow.
“Halt!” said the scout. “Surrender that girl, whoever she is, and whoever you are.”
Smallpox Dave was unfortunately so frightened by this that he gave a wild jump backward, away from the wall; and in this jump one of his flying feet struck the end of the scout’s extended revolver.