CHAPTER XXIX.
KIT MAKES A CAPTURE.
Shan Rhue lay prostrate for a long time, but no one went to hisassistance. As he fell the gamblers raised a shout, and made a motion toattack Ted.
But the foreman of Running Water sprang in front of them, and as if bymagic the broncho boys and the cow-punchers and other supporters ofHatrack were by his side.
Ted had leaped to the fore and was standing shoulder to shoulder withthe foreman of Running Water. He heard a ripple of laughter, and lookedup to see Stella standing by his side.
"Bully for you, Ted," she said. "You did that fine."
Ted smiled back at her, then turned his eyes upon the surprised andangry gamblers. There was something there that demanded all hisattention. The gamblers only needed a leader to make them a dangerousproposition.
But their leader was down and out by reason of a few neat and handyblows, and none other had the courage to come to the front. It was thepsychological moment.
Ted Strong took advantage of it. Without a moment's hesitation, hestepped in front of the foreman of Running Water, who moved back to givehim the place of vantage.
Ted had not even taken his six-shooter from its holster, but stood withhis hands resting lightly on his hips, while his eyes roved inquiringlyover the menacing crowd.
"Any of you gentlemen like to have some of the same sort of medicine?"he asked, nodding toward the prostrate Rhue.
There was no reply.
"Because if any of you would, I, or any of my friends, will be glad toaccommodate you," he added.
An ominous growl came from some one back in the crowd.
"Would you like some of it?" asked Ted, turning suddenly in thatdirection.
He waited for several moments for an answer, but none came.
"Now, you fellows, I want to say that this incident is closed," said hefirmly. "You are beaten every way from the jack, as you would say. Youput up this race to skin innocent parties, and you thought to use myfriends for your purposes, and have failed. The face was fairly won byour horse, and that goes. If any man doubts it, I will prove it to himby any means he wishes, from fists up to howitzers. You have made a lotof fools of yourselves by allowing an old crook like Norris to play inwith you. I haven't a bit of sympathy for you. I'm glad you lost yourmoney, and I'd feel gladder if you all went broke. This is the end ofthis adventure. Where's Norris? We want that magpie horse which we won."
The men dispersed after this speech, which closed with a ringing cheerfrom the broncho boys and the cow-punchers and other friends of Hatrack.
But Norris could not be found. He and the horse and the jockey haddisappeared. Ted rounded the boys up, and all were present except Kit.
"Where's Kit?" he asked.
"Don't know," said Bud. "He was around here a few minutes ago. Reckonhe's somewhere about."
The crowd having dispersed uptown, a search was made for Kit, but hecould not be found.
"I wonder if some of that gang hasn't got square with us by some foulplay on Kit," said Ted. "It would be like the coyotes. Kit was thesmallest of the lot, and naturally the cowards would pick him."
"Kit's small, all right," said Stella stoutly, for she and Kit weregreat friends, and Stella was always one to stick up for those sheliked. "If they pick Kit for his size, and think they have got an easything, they will find that they have gathered up a red-hot Chile pepper.He'll give them the hottest fight they ever had, as long as he lasts."
"Hurray fer you, Stella," exclaimed Bud. "You speak for fair. Kit's notmuch on size, but he's a whirlwind."
Shan Rhue was slowly getting on his feet. His broad, brutal face wasbadly discolored where Ted's fists had come in contact with it.
One of his eyes was bloodshot and rapidly taking on a green-and-purplehue, and his upper lip stuck out like an overhanging roof. As he lookedaround and saw that the broncho boys were alone, and that he had beenleft to recover as best he might by those whom he had called his friendsand supporters, he growled deep in his chest.
"The skunks," he muttered, between his swollen lips. "They'd make mefight an' steal fer them, an' then leave me in the hole, would they?Well, I'll make them hump fer this."
Then he looked unsteadily at Ted out of his good eye, as if he waswondering how it all had happened. But while his glance was not asbelligerent as it had been, still there was nothing but hatred in hisexpression.
Ted eyed him back fearlessly, but this time his hand rested upon thehandle of his revolver, and Stella, by his side, was on the alert also.Shan Rhue was not one to be trusted, especially after he had met defeat.After staring for a moment he spoke.
"I reckon yer beat me fair, young feller," he said, "although I don'tknow yet how yer did it. But I want ter say ter yer now that this ain'tthe end, by no means."
"That's all right," said Ted easily. "You keep out of my way, and youwill be all right."
"I go where I please, an' do what I please, an' ask ther right o' noman," retorted Shan Rhue truculently.
"All right, go where you please, but don't run afoul of me," said Tedsharply. "I don't want to have anything to do with such cattle as you,and I don't propose to. Keep off my trail if you know when you're welloff. This is a friendly tip--take it or leave it."
"I don't want none o' yer tips," growled Shan Rhue. "Ye've beaten me,an' I hate yer. Look out fer me next time, that's all."
"Yes, that's all. Skidoo! You're not pretty to look at."
Ted turned his back upon the defeated bully, but Stella did not, and hadShan Rhue made a motion toward his gun there would have been one with apearl handle and trimmed with silver in commission in an instant.
With a long, malignant look after Ted, the bully turned and hobbledslowly from the fair grounds.
"I'm going to start on the trail of Norris," said Ted. "Want to comealong, Stella?"
"You bet I do," said the girl. "Wait till I catch my pony."
"Ben, you and Bud ride through the town and see if you can't get on tothe movements of that old rip Norris, also, and look out for Kit. If wedon't get Norris, and make him give up that magpie pony, our work hasnot been half done. As long as we have won out all around, we might aswell have the fruits of our victory," said Ted.
"What'll we do to ther coyote?" asked Bud.
"Part his coat tails and give him a good, swift kick," answered Ted."But don't get into any fights with these town gamblers. We can't affordanything of that sort, you know."
"All righty; but I'd shore like ter git a crack at some o' themmavericks," said Bud grudgingly.
"They're all licked in their minds already," said Ted. "Of course,they're sore at losing their money, and if a dozen or more of them wereto tackle you, you'd have a hard time getting away with it. When thefight comes off, if ever it does, we all want to be in on it."
They parted, and Ted and Stella rode into the town.
"Say, friend, have you seen anything of that old skin Norris?" askedTed, meeting one of the Running Water outfit on the street.
"Yep. I wuz jest goin' ter look yer up an' post yer," was the reply.
"Which way did he go, or is he still in town?"
"Jest after yer put ther finish onto Shan--an', say, that wuz a beaut,if any one should ask you--I see Norris an' ther jock makin' fer thergate, leadin' ther magpie bronc. I thinks they're goin' ter put him inther corral fer yer, an' didn't pay much 'tention ter him."
"Then he's up at the corral?"
"No, he ain't. He's foggin' along to'rds ther Wichita Mountains as fastas he kin go."
"How do you know?"
"I met one o' our outfit a bit ago, an' he was sore because yer let therold feller git away with ther magpie, after yer won him fair. Yer see,he thinks ye flunked on collectin' ther pony."
"Not on your life. We don't do business that way."
"That's what I was thinkin', so I ast him whichever way ther ole man washeadin'. He says inter ther east, tickity-brindle."
"Which road?"
"Right out ther east end
o' ther main street."
"Thank you, pard."
"Yer almighty welcome. Good luck. If yer ketch up with ther coyote,bring him in an' let us have a good squint at him."
"Oh, I'll bring him in, all right, if I get him."
"So long!"
"So long! Come on, Stella, we'll have to kick dust if we're going toconnect with that old party."
They dashed down the street, followed by an equal mingling of smiles andfrowns. Smiles from the cow-punchers and townspeople whose champion hehad been, and frowns from the gamblers.
But they saw neither, for they were intent upon their business. Theymade a mighty handsome couple as they dashed along, for they were wellmounted and both were perfect riders.
Many a young girl walking along the street looked enviously afterStella, and wished she could ride as well and was as beautiful. And manya lad looked after his ideal of a hero of the West, dashing and braveTed Strong, who had so lately vanquished the bully who had been fearedof all men, and who could ride like a centaur, and shoot perfectly.
It did not take long for them to clear the town, and dash out onto theprairie road which led into the Wichita Mountains.
They did not spare their horses, for Ted knew that if Norris oncesucceeded in reaching the mountains it would be almost impossible tofind him among the many fastnesses and deep and rough canons whichabound in those most picturesque hills and peaks.
While Ted knew the Wichita Mountains well, he was also aware that eventhe most expert scout did not know all about them, and that there wereplaces in them that had never been explored, unless, perhaps, byrenegade Indians and white outlaws, with which the mountains had attimes been infested.
They had ridden an hour or more when Ted pulled in his pony.
"No use riding our ponies to death the first heat," he said to Stella,with a smile.
"My cayuse is good for another hour," said Stella; "I can tell by theway he's going under me."
"Yours would last because you're such a light and easy rider. You takeweight off a pony. But I'm a good deal heavier, and I can feel thisfellow tiring, although he'd go until he dropped in his tracks if I'dlet him."
They walked their ponies over the springy sod beside the road, which wasbecoming fainter the farther they got from the town. In the distancethey could see the mountains, a dark mass against the sky.
"Some one on the road," said Stella, pointing ahead.
"It is a little hazy. Dust, I guess," said Ted. "I think we better hitit up a bit. Perhaps it is Norris and his precious 'grandson,' and if itis we'll get to them before they get to the mountains."
They put their ponies, at a lope, and seemed to be catching up with thedust cloud rapidly. Soon they were able to distinguish two riders.
"By Jove, I believe we are on the right track," said Ted.
Stella's bright eyes had been watching the riders in front of them forsome time.
"Ted, it's not Norris. There are two riders, one behind the other, andthey are coming this way," she said.
Ted reined in his pony, and took a long look.
"You're right, Stella," he said. "But, perhaps, we can get some news ofthe fugitives from them."
Again they spurred forward.
"Ted, that's Kit, as sure as you live," cried Stella, "I'd know himanywhere."
In a few minutes they were within hailing distance, and Ted gave thelong yell, which was answered, and in a few minutes they were reining inbeside Kit. Behind him, securely bound to the back of Magpie, was oldman Norris, who looked very crestfallen.
"Hello, Kit, you rascal, I see that you got him," said Ted.
"You bet, and a merry chase I had after him," answered Kit.
"Why, Kit, what's the matter with your arm?" cried Stella.
Kit's arm was hanging by his side, and his coat sleeve near his shoulderwas stained with blood.
"Shot!" answered Kit laconically.
"Bad?" asked Stella anxiously.
"Not so very. Just touched the bone. But it has been bleeding like thedeuce."
"Ted, take charge of the prisoner. Kit, get off that horse and let mesee that wound."
Stella's commands were promptly obeyed, and Kit groaned slightly asStella helped him off with his coat and cut away his sleeve. He hadreceived a nasty flesh wound near the shoulder, made by a ball of largecaliber, which had passed clear through.
As soon as she had washed the wound with water from Ted's canteen, andhad bound it up, Kit felt much more comfortable.
"How did it happen?" asked Stella.
"I heard that the old man and the jockey had made a sneak from thegrounds when Ted was having his fun with the big fellow, and I got mybronc and followed them. I came up with them a ways back, and made theold duffer halt, but the jock potted me and got away. That's all."
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