Part 21 (2/2)

Jim Williams's voice! It was strange to see Herky and Bud flash up their arms without turning. But I wheeled quickly. Bill, too, had his hands high in the air.

In the sunlight of the doorway stood Jim Williams. Low down, carelessly, it seemed, he held two long revolvers. He looked the same easy, slow Texan I remembered. But the smile was not now in his eyes, and his lips were set in a thin, hard line.

XVI. THE FOREST'S GREATEST FOE

Jim Williams sent out a sharp call. From the canyon-slope came answering shouts. There were sounds of heavy bodies breaking through brush, followed by the thudding of feet. Then men could be plainly heard running up the trail. Jim leaned against the door-post, and the three fellows before him stood rigid as stone.

Suddenly a form leaped past Jim. It was d.i.c.k Leslie, bareheaded, his hair standing like a lion's mane, and he had a c.o.c.ked rifle in his hands. Close behind him came old Hiram Bent, slower, more cautious, but no less formidable. As these men glanced around with fiery eyes the quick look of relief that shot across their faces told of ungrounded fears.

”Where's Buell?” sharply queried d.i.c.k.

Jim Williams did not reply, and a momentary silence ensued.

”Buell lit out after the Greaser,” said Bill, finally.

”Cut and run, did he? That's his speed,” grimly said d.i.c.k. ”Here, Bent, find some rope. We've got to tie up these jacks.”

”Hands back, an' be graceful like. Quick!” sang out Jim Williams.

It seemed to me human beings could not have more eagerly and swiftly obeyed an order. Herky and Bill and Bud jerked their arms down and extended their hands out behind. After that quick action they again turned into statues. There was a breathless suspense in every act. And there was something about Jim Williams then that I did not like. I was in a cold perspiration for fear one of the men would make some kind of a move. As the very mention of the Texan had always caused a little silence, so his presence changed the atmosphere of that cabin room.

Before his coming there had been the element of chance--a feeling of danger, to be sure, but a healthy spirit of give and take. That had all changed with Jim Williams's words ”Hands up!” There was now something terrible hanging in the balance. I had but to look at Jim's eyes, narrow slits of blue fire, at the hard jaw and tight lips, to see a glimpse of the man who thought nothing of life. It turned me sick, and I was all in a tremor till d.i.c.k and Hiram had the men bound fast.

Then Jim dropped the long, blue guns into the holsters on his belt.

”Ken, I sh.o.r.e am glad to see you,” said he.

The soft, drawling voice, the sleepy smile, the careless good-will all came back, utterly transforming the man. This was the Jim Williams I had come to love. With a wrench I recovered myself.

”Are you all right, Ken?” asked d.i.c.k. And old Hiram questioned me with a worried look. This anxiety marked the difference between these men and Williams. I hastened to a.s.sure my friends that I was none the worse for my captivity.

”Ken, your little gun doesn't shoot where it points,” said Jim. ”I sh.o.r.e had a bead on the Greaser an' missed him. First Greaser I ever missed.”

”You shot his ear off,” I replied. ”He came running back covered with blood. I never saw a man so scared.”

”Wal, I sh.o.r.e am glad,” drawled Jim.

”He made off with your mustang,” said d.i.c.k.

This information lessened my gladness at Greaser's escape. Still, I would rather have had him get away on my horse than stay to be shot by Jim.

d.i.c.k called me to go outside with him. My pack was lying under one of the pines near the cabin, and examination proved that nothing had been disturbed. We found the horses grazing up the canyon. Buell had taken the horse of one of his men, and had left his own superb bay. Most likely he had jumped astride the first animal he saw. d.i.c.k said I could have Buell's splendid horse. I had some trouble in catching him, as he was restive and spirited, but I succeeded eventually, and we drove the other horses and ponies into the glade. My comrades then fell to arguing about what to do with the prisoners. d.i.c.k was for packing them off to Holston. Bent talked against this, saying it was no easy matter to drive bound men over rough trails, and Jim sided with him.

Once, while they were talking, I happened to catch Herky-Jerky's eye.

He was lying on his back in the light from the door. Herky winked at me, screwed up his face in the most astonis.h.i.+ng manner, all of which I presently made out to mean that he wanted to speak to me. So I went over to him.

”Kid, you ain't a-goin' to fergit I stalled off Buell?” whispered Herky.

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