“Well, they’ve organized a vigilantes committee fer ter hang ye soon’s you put foot in ther town; and I’ve rid forth ter tell ye about it, so’s you won’t git caught too easy.”
“To hang me?”
“That’s what ther vigilantes was organized fer, and they——”
“And you was in it?”
“But I’m explainin’, Panther Pete, and——”
“Stop!” The command was shot out like a bullet from a gun.
Bug-eye Slocum stopped as suddenly as if he had been cut down by a rifle bullet.
“What is it?” he gasped, his mouth open, looking nervously at the chief, who was fingering a revolver.
“It’s that name—Panther Pete! Use that again, any time or anywhere, and I’ll pump a bullet straight through you. You know me—I’m Buffalo Bill!”
“Ye—yes!” stammered Bug-eye. “I knowed it, only I forgot.”