He was filled with a sullen and savage rage against Pizen Jane and Pool Clayton, and against Nick Nomad. He began to believe that Pizen Jane had guided Nomad and Buffalo Bill; and he now even suspected that Pool Clayton, in joining the band, was moved by a desire to betray it into the hands of officers. He refused to furnish Pizen Jane with a horse, declaring that if she accompanied him she would have to walk. She came up to him, as he swayed weakly on the horse to which he had been helped. “Git out o’ my way,” he mumbled. “If you hang ’round me I’ll kill ye!” “But I want to know if you ain’t goin’ to send Pool away? I ain’t goin’ away myself, but I want Pool turned loose on a horse, with orders fer him to go back to Cinnabar. I’ve been talkin’ with him, and he’ll do it. Aire ye goin’ to let him?” “I’ll furnish you with a horse to clear out on,” he said, speaking with pain and difficulty. “Me? La, I ain’t goin’! But I want him to start now, instanter. Here he’s like a good apple in the middle of a lot of rotten ones. So I----” “Go yourself!” Snaky Pete snarled at her. “No, I stay with you!” “Why?” “Well, jest to please myself.” “To help that old trapper?” “No; jes’ to please myself. I’m yer wife, ain’t I? Er I was, before I divorced ye. I think I’ll stay with you.” “I’ll kill you if you do!” he fumed. “He can’t go! Go yerself, and I’ll be glad to have you git out.” She dropped back, to where Pool Clayton was riding. He slipped from his horse. “Take it, and I’ll walk,” he said, with a guilty flush. “I want you to leave these men instanter,” she urged. “No; I ain’t goin’ to. Why don’t _you_ go?” “Me?” She leaned toward him. “Because I’ve swore by everything that’s good and bad that I’m goin’ to kill Pete Sanborn soon’s I git the chance. He ruined my life, and now he’s ruinin’ yourn.” Her voice was low, but her face flushed as if she had swallowed fiery liquor. Snaky Pete saw her talking with the youth, and then saw her mount the horse which Pool surrendered to her. “They’re ag’inst me!” he grumbled, under his breath. “They’ve planned to break up the band and git me captured. It’s revenge she’s after. Well, I’ll settle her; and I’ll settle him, and that old trapper, too! I see now why Pool wouldn’t shoot the old cuss; it was ’cause he’s in with him. He and she aire in with Buffalo Bill and the officers. Likely they’re to git a reward, if they land me. Well, I’ll settle ’em!” He brooded over this, his anger mounting and his desire to “settle ’em” growing. “Mebbe I can git out of her what the plans of Buffalo Bill aire; er mebbe I can git it out of Pool. I reckon that Cody will try to bring soldiers from Fort Thompson. There’s a nasty fight comin’, I can see. Well, I’m livin’ yit; and long’s I can straddle a horse and give orders, I’m worth a dozen men in a fight. And if Cody thinks we won’t fight he’ll know better when he tackles us.” His thoughts took another turn: