“Scrap nothing! You just about as dumb as Smiler. All the same, some day I kill that big blow-hard Brenchfield. Maybe he Mayor; maybe he got all kinds of money. Dirty son-of-a-gun, that’s all! I know him,––see! Next time he tie Sol Hanson up, by gar!––I finish him. He what you call,––all cackle, no egg.”
Phil laughed.
“All right!––you laugh away. Some day I get drunk––good and drunk––just for fun to break his big fat neck. You watch me,––see!”
“Forget it, Sol! You can’t afford to do that kind of thing now. You’re a married man, you know.”
“Sure I am,” he answered proudly. “And my Betty, she says, ‘Go to it!’ Anybody hurt Smiler, hurt Betty,––see! Anybody hurt my Betty,––well,––by gar!––he only hurt her one time,––that’s all.”
Truly Phil had his hands full, and when he got back home he met with further disquieting news, Jim Langford, with his horse, and a cheque he had just received that day in payment for some of his dime novels, was off on the rampage.
For the three days following, Phil tried hard, but could find no trace of his chum.
On the fourth day news reached him that Jim was out on the race-track, a mile from town, racing a band of Indians for their horses. He hurried over, and got there just in time to see the last horse added to the lot, tethered to a fence, that Jim had already won. The moment Jim set eyes on Phil, he put spurs to his mare, vaulted the fence right on to the highway, and set off full tear for Vernock, leaving his live winnings behind him without a thought.
This foolish act was characteristic of Jim, and it suited the Indians splendidly. The losers at once started out to claim their horses. But Phil got there first, strung 226 the animals together, pushed his way boldly through the protesting crowd and trotted nine horses back with him to town. He stabled the lot in Mrs. Clunie’s spacious barn, then set out on foot to search for Jim once more.
He did not have far to go, for on passing through the Recreation Park he came on a scene that he positively refused to disturb. Instead, he dropped on his hands and knees, and stalked stealthily behind the trees and among the bushes until he could both see and hear all that was going on.