“I wish you would kindly go and see if Mr. Cody is wounded, and----” “Lordy! What hev yer thar?” Old Negotiate’s eyes had discovered the prostrate and bound prisoner. “A present for Mr. Cody.” “Waal, he are a healthy one, and one o’ ther Calamity gang, too--yas, he are ther one thet never treated, but allus drinked when t’others treated. I guess he are a sneakin’ cuss, miss.” “Yes, for I captured him in some deadly work.” “I’ll fetch Bill, miss, an’ he will be more than pleased. Ef he don’t kill ther varmint, guess he’ll mark him.” Then Negotiate went in search of Buffalo Bill, while Panther Kate and her prisoner breathlessly waited, the former fearing that the scout had been killed or fatally wounded, the latter fearing that he had not. It was certainly a surprise to Buffalo Bill, upon entering the parlor of the hotel, to find Panther Kate standing guard over a man lying prostrate upon his face and bound securely with the girl’s scarf. “Mr. Cody, I am so glad to see that you have not been wounded,” and she stretched forth her hand. “No, strange to say, I escaped unhurt, and I am surprised at their wretched firing; but whom have you there, Panther Kate?” “One of your foes, who, fearing to face you, ran in here, and would have shot you from the window had I not prevented him.” “Pard, pretty as her mouth are, it’s a-dodgin’ truth now,” put in the prisoner. “Silence, sir! Are you one of Kent King’s gang?” the scout demanded. “Who are he, pard?” Buffalo Bill stepped out of the parlor and soon returned with Old Negotiate. “Is that one of them, Negotiate?” “He are.” “That settles it, and I have to thank you, Panther Kate, for saving my life. Now, what shall I do with your prisoner?” “I hope you won’t kill him,” said Panther Kate. “No, I never hit a man when he’s down.” “Better mark him, Bill,” suggested Old Negotiate. “No, as he has done me no harm, I’ll let him go, and I will send a message to Kent King by him.” “I’ll carry it, Pard Bill, an’ I’ll rastle in prayer for yer,” cried the villain. “Prayer from such as you is a mockery,” said Panther Kate, with a look of contempt. “I suppose you know, sir, that Captain Corduroy, as you call him, escaped?” said the scout. “No, pard, fer I came in heur, not wishing to shoot yer or git hurted myself.” “I have no doubt that you wished to escape injury yourself, sir, and it is well for you that you came in here, for three of your comrades lie dead out there; but it would have been the end of me, your coming in here, had not this lady been here to thwart your little game.” “An’ she are a screamer, pard. She jist took me in out o’ mischief, an’ yer see she hev got me fixed.” “Yes, and you are fortunate to escape death at my hands, for I was sorely tempted to shoot you,” said Panther Kate indignantly. “Lordy! I’d ’a’ sot heavy on your conscience, miss; but yer do look as though yer’d hev clipped my spurs fer me, ef yer didn’t let daylight inter my head.”