Part 30 (1/2)

”We cannot afford to take any chances,” Walter said decidedly.

”But you are taking chances, chances on the life of your friend,” said the outlaw sharply. ”I can cure him, I tell you. I studied medicine and I have a few things in my bag.”

”Can we risk it?” said Walter, wavering, and turning to the captain for advice.

”We can risk anything for Charley's sake,” said the old sailor, eagerly. ”We can shoot him at the first sign of treachery. Let him in, Walt.”

”I have got to go back for my things,” interrupted the outlaw, whose keen ears had caught the low conversation. ”I'll be back again in a minute. I'll fix up some excuse to return. I guess pretending that you are considering surrendering will do as well as anything else.”

Walter gazed after the young fellow's retreating form with reluctant admiration. ”He moves like a trained athlete and he hasn't got a bad face,” he admitted. ”I pray he does not prove to be our undoing.”

”We must take the chance, lad,” said the captain. ”Better remove the post so he can get inside quick.”

In a few minutes the outlaw strolled carelessly back towards the hut.

A yell of rage went up from the convicts behind the wall as he darted through the opening into the building.

Walter quickly replaced the post and turned to watch the newcomer.

Without a word, he had marched over to where Charley lay and knelt by his side with his finger on the lad's pulse and his keen eyes searching his face.

After a moment's examination he turned to face the others. ”Your friend is nearly dead,” he said quietly.

CHAPTER x.x.x

THE ATTACK.

”He has a bare chance yet,” declared the outlaw, noting their looks of grief. ”I will do what I can for him, but I wish I'd been here an hour sooner.”

He took a little package from the bosom of his s.h.i.+rt and spread the contents out upon the table. ”I couldn't bring much without arousing suspicion,” he said regretfully, ”but I guess I can make out with what I've brought.”

With deft fingers, the newcomer measured out a powder from one of his packages and administered it to the unconscious lad and next turned his attention to the wounded leg. Emptying a spoonful of liquid from one of his bottles into a gourd of water he began to bathe the inflamed limb.

The hunters could not but admire the deftness and skill with which the stranger worked. His long tapering fingers seemed to have the suppleness and deftness of a woman's and his whole attention seemed concentrated upon his patient.

The hours pa.s.sed slowly away, each seeming a day in length to the anxious hunters. The convicts remained hidden behind the wall and there was nothing to do but to keep a sharp lookout. At noon the watchers made a light lunch on the smoked venison and water, but the young outlaw waved away the offered food and remained engrossed by the patient's side. At intervals of a few minutes all during the afternoon, he administered medicine to the sufferer and repeatedly bathed the wounded leg with the solution he had prepared.

The sun was barely an hour high, when he arose from the side of the couch with a weary sigh. ”I think he will live,” he announced, ”he was almost gone for a while, though. I gave him enough strychnine during the first few hours to have killed a normal man, but his heart had weakened so that the stimulant hardly raised his pulse a single beat.

The heart action is better now, and with close attention he had ought to pull through.”

”How can we ever repay you for what you have done?” said the old sailor, with tears of thankfulness in his eyes, while Walter wrung the stranger's hand warmly.

”The saving of many lives will hardly atone for one I took once, though the deed was done in self-defense,” said the outlaw gravely. ”I am glad to have been of help in this case.” He glanced around the room with a return of his former light careless manner and nodded approvingly as he noted the stores of provisions and water. ”Good,” he exclaimed, ”you are better prepared than I expected and certainly in much better shape than my former gentle companions dream. Why, it will be impossible for them to take this place by force.”

”Can you tell us of their plans, Mr.----,” inquired Walter, hesitating for want of a name.

”You may call me Ritter, James Ritter,” supplied the outlaw promptly.

”I am not ashamed of my real name but my relatives had cause to be ashamed of its owner in his present condition. Their plans are almost self-evident, my lad. They will wait until dark and then slip over the wall, some will stop in that big building while the balance will make their way around to a building on the other side of you. They will then have you surrounded and have only to watch and wait to starve you out. They have plenty of provisions with them and can get that spring behind the fort without exposing themselves. It is only a question of time before you will have to give up, and then may the Lord grant us all a speedy death.”