CHAPTER XII.
CAUGHT IN THE ACT.
Buffalo Bill followed on the trail of the coach, with no desire to be seen again by the woman whom he was watching. He had not intended to be seen, but the firing had quickly taken him to the rescue.
“If she goes back to Pocket City she means mischief of some kind, for having failed to rescue her brother by strategy she will do so by force, I feel sure. If she was really the ally of her brother it is certain that the outlaw she wounded did not know it, for no look passed between them that I could see, and she would not have fired on him had she known him. I would find it hard to believe that Bonnie Belle is in league with outlaws.”
Thus mused the scout as he rode on after the coach.
It was night when he reached the station where Horseshoe Ned’s run ended, and he went at once to the hotel. He found Ned there and learned that his passenger had taken the outgoing coach eastward.
“That settles it,” mused the scout. “She goes East and not to Pocket City. She has given up the idea of rescue as impossible. Poor girl, I pity her, and only wish she loved one in some way worthy of her deep regard.”
Then he said aloud:
“Well, Ned, what do you think of Miss Arden?”
“I think she is just the dandyest girl I ever crossed ther trail of, Bill. What a team she and Miss Clarice Carr would make together, for thar’s another one I sets great store by. But, Bill, ef yer hed seen Miss Arden work up thet lettle racket to a climax yer’d hev died o’ joy.
“Yer see I give up all for gone, when she talked ther same way and invited thet sarpint ter take ther things. She opened ther satchel and out come a gun, and oh, my! Bill, she’s ther deadest shot I ever seen, barrin’ you and Surgeon Powell.”