Читать книгу Buffalo Bill, Peacemaker; Or, On a Troublesome Trail онлайн

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A scornful laugh broke from Red Steve’s lips.

“You fellers ’u’d play hob puttin’ a kink in this game o’ the cattle barons,” he taunted. “The’s half a dozen of ’em an’ two or three hunnerd cowboys. Oh, yes, ye’ll play hob stoppin’ ’em!”

A look of fierce helplessness crossed Nate Dunbar’s face.

“If we can’t stop the lawless work,” he cried desperately, “there are still bushes at the trailside where a man can lurk and pick off some of the demons who’re causing this trouble.”

“That’s not the talk for a brave young chap like you to put up, Dunbar,” said the scout sternly. “We’ll see what we can do to end this rough situation by more honorable methods.”

“Who are you?” demanded Dunbar, facing the scout squarely.

“Buffalo Bill is what I’m usually called,” was the reply.

The words caused a sensation. Dunbar jumped, and stared; Red Steve also jumped, but in the direction of the ladder.

“Catch that man!” called the scout. “I’ve got a horse outside, and I don’t want him to get away with it.”

Dunbar caught Red Steve and jerked him roughly from the ladder. The spirit seemed to have been all taken out of Steve. His greatest desire now, it seemed, was to keep as great a distance between him and the scout as he could. Pushing against the earthen shelf on the farther side of the room, he watched the scout with weasel-like eyes.