Then Cohoon, acting as the deserter’s second, led him from the group, which dispersed, and left the lava-bed ranger standing alone.
The men being placed, a pistol was put into the hand of the deserter, and the word was given. The reports of the two pistols blended harmoniously together, and the traitor dropped on his knees then fell forward on his face—dead!
“The old score is settled at last,” said Kit South, lifting the heavy head and beholding the bullet hole in the brow. “Rafe Todd, you sent the red devils to my home. I sent you to the lake of torture. Yes, the score is settled, forever, now. I can tell Gillem, now, that my dream has come true.”
When the twain rejoined the anxious party, the scalp of Rafe Todd the deserter, which at Fort Crook was worth two hundred and fifty dollars, hung at Cohoon’s belt!
Daylight was breaking when the party resumed their journey, and all at once the sound of a heavy gun fell upon their ears. Several seconds later a hissing noise told them that the mortars had opened on the Modocs’ new stronghold, and then they quickened their steps.
The camp was reached in safety, and ’Reesa South felt that she was free once more.
“I’d like to know,” said Kit South, addressing McKay who stood beside the Generals, watching the effect of the shells, “yes, I’d like to know what that young Indian was going to tell Jack that night when Cohoon and I was lying to him about Arrow-Head. You know I jerked him up and killed him.”
“He was the Indian who shot me with an arrow when I started after you Klamaths,” answered McKay, with a smile. “No doubt he saw you and Cohoon ‘fixing up’ by the river, and was following you when he ran against me. I recognized him directly after you had killed him.”
“And so he war going to tell Jack that Cohoon and old Kit war jest playing Klamath,” said the scout. “Well, that would have made a pretty mess; but I reckon he’ll never get to open his news bag.”
“I should think not,” added McKay.