‘Well, who in hell fired the shot?’
‘I’d like to know. You stay here and I’ll see what I can find.’
Sleepy got a basin of cold water and began treating his eyes, while Hashknife went outside. He was back in less than five minutes, and with what little sight Sleepy had left he could see that Hashknife was greatly perturbed.
‘What do yuh know?’ he asked.
‘There’s hell to pay, Sleepy. I took a shot at what I thought was the bushwhacker on a horse—and I killed one of Lane’s saddle horses—the one Nan said she used. It has got her saddle on it.’
‘What do yuh make of that, Hashknife?’
‘Somethin’ has happened to ’em.’
‘Mebby she got throwed. Say, who in hell do yuh suppose took that shot at us?’
‘I wish I knew. They almost got you, pardner.’
‘They shore condensed me for a moment,’ grinned Sleepy. His eyes were swelled almost shut.