Mrs. Dean had heard Panther Pete’s declarations that young Denton had already departed for West’s mining claim in the Blue Hills; and, of course, this was seen at once to have been a lie.
Hence, it was believed that the statement that the girl’s father had asked her to go out there was also a lie.
A tremendous excitement was created.
The half-drunken men at the Flash Light heard the news of the abduction, and of the shooting of Denton. They roared their rage, and the vigilantes rushed about as if they hoped to capture the man they had already determined to hang.
While this tremendous excitement was at white heat, Buffalo Bill rode leisurely into the town.
Riding up to the hitching rail in front of the Flash Light Saloon, where, as he saw, something exciting was occurring, he calmly tied his horse, and was on the point of entering the place when he was seen.
A wild roar of surprise and rage rose. Then a swarm of men stormed out of the saloon and quickly surrounded him.
He could not at first understand the nature of their clamor, but he saw them fingering their weapons, and saw that their tones and manner were threatening in the extreme.
“What’s the trouble, friends?” he asked.
“It’s you!” was bellowed at him.