The man shook his head and kept it bent a little, and then he began to
edge back nearer to the stragglers, who slowly closed into a group
behind him. He seemed nervous, shifty.
"He can't speak English," spoke up one of them, gruffly.
Dorn looked aggressive and stern. Suddenly his hand flashed out to
snatch off the slouch-hat which hid the fellow's face. Amazingly, a gray
wig came with it. This man was not old. He had fair thick hair.
For a moment Dorn gazed at the slouch-hat and wig. Then with a fierce
action he threw them down and swept a clutching hand for the man. The
fellow dodged and, straightening up, he reached for a gun. But Dorn
lunged upon him. Then followed a hard grappling sound and a hoarse yell.
Something bright glinted in the sun. It made a sweeping circle, belched
fire and smoke. The report stunned Lenore. She shut her eyes and clung
to her father. She heard cries, a scuffling, sodden blows.
"Jake! Bill!" called Anderson. "Hold on! No gun-play yet! Dorn's makin'
hash out of that fellow.... But watch the others sharp!"
Then Lenore looked again. Dorn had twisted the man around and was in the
act of stripping off the further disguise of beard, disclosing the pale
and convulsed face of a comparatively young man.
_"Glidden!"_ burst out Dorn. His voice had a terrible ring of furious
amaze. His whole body seemed to gather as in a knot and then to spring.
The man called Glidden went down before that onslaught, and his gun went
flying aside.
Three of Glidden's group started for it. The cowboy Bill leaped forward,
a gun in each hand. "Hyar!... Back!" he yelled. And then all except the
two struggling principals grew rigid.
Lenore's heart was burning in her throat. The movements of Dorn were too
swift for her sight. But Glidden she saw handled as if by a giant. Up
and down he seemed thrown, with bloody face, flinging arms, while he
uttered hoarse bawls. Dorn's form grew more distinct. It plunged and
swung in frenzied energy. Lenore heard men running and yells from all
around. Her father spread wide his arm before her, so that she had to
bend low to see. He shouted a warning. Jake was holding a gun thrust
forward.
"Boss, he's goin' to kill Glidden!" said the cowboy, in a low tone.
Anderson's reply was incoherent, but its meaning was plain.
Lenore's lips and tongue almost denied her utterance. "Oh!... Don't let
him!"
The crowd behind the wrestling couple swayed back and forth, and men
changed places here and there. Bill strode across the space, guns
leveled. Evidently this action was due to the threatening movements of
several workmen who crouched as if to leap on Dorn as he whirled in his
fight with Glidden.
"Wal, it's about time!" yelled Anderson, as a number of lean, rangy men,
rushing from behind, reached Bill's side, there to present an armed and
threatening front.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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