“Why is she so bitter against me?” breathed Dell. “As she puts it now, I am standing between Nomad and Wild Bill and safety.” She whirled on Wah-coo-tah. “How can Pa-e-has-ka send me away, Wah-coo-tah? We are in the mine—there is no way out, for you have taken away the rope.”
“Mebbyso me go back, let down rope, then Pa-e-has-ka and his pards get ’way, huh? Injun girl more able to do things than white squaw. Wah-coo-tah save Pa-e-has-ka, Nomad, and Wild Bill, you promise go ’way never see Pa-e-has-ka again?”
Wah-coo-tah bent her hard, stony eyes on the white face of Dell.
The Indian girl must have understood the struggle that was taking place in Dell’s breast, for a gloating exultation overspread her face. Dell was her enemy, and she exulted in the torture she had caused.
“Yes,” said Dell slowly: “if you will save Nomad and Wild Bill, and then let down the rope so that we may all get out of this mine, I—I will leave Buffalo Bill and never see him again.”
At that instant, Wah-coo-tah’s keen ear detected something that led her to snatch the torch from Dell’s hand and crush out the flame under her moccasins.
“Good!” she muttered, in reply to Dell’s promise. “Me save um. Just now Lawless come; get in here, quick.”
With her hands, Wah-coo-tah pushed the scout and Dell through the mouth of the “drift.”
While they crouched there, the scout fingering his revolvers, they heard stealthy movements along the tunnel in their direction.
“Pa-e-has-ka make parley with Lawless,” whispered Wah-coo-tah to the scout. “Pa-e-has-ka tell um Lawless Pa-e-has-ka kill um Wah-coo-tah if Lawless no get back through secret door. Sabe?”