CHAPTER XXVII.--SAM'S DEVOTION IS REWARDED.
"Hello!" shouted Collins, as he and his companions dismounted and lookedup at the three famished people on the rock. "How did you three gentsand the dog git up thar?"
It was evident from this question that Collins was not acquainted withthe rock.
"On the other side," said Sam.
"All right; we'll find the way and come up."
"Better save the trouble," said Sam. "We'll come down, and glad we areof the chance."
"Glad!" cried Ike; "dat word don't nigh begin foh to 'spress dis yarchile's feelin's. I'ze full, chuck full ob downright bliss, I is. Comealong, Maj and Wah, foh it does seem powahful like's ef de trouble hadjest 'bout come to an ind."
Down over the ruin of the wall they clambered, and at the foot stoodUlna--the faithful.
The Indian may be a stoic under suffering, but there are no people inthe world so ready to give expression to joy, nor so demonstrative wherethe better impulses of the heart are called out.
"Sam! Sam! My friend, thank God you are safe!" cried Ulna, and his eyeslooked larger and blacker for their tears as he caught his friend to hisbreast and kissed him first on one cheek and then on the other.
Ike and Wah Shin shook hands with every one again and again, and thenthey jointly performed a joy-dance, in which the dog joined, to themusic of his own glad barking.
"Looks like's ef you'd been corralled up thar," said Collins, looking upat the defense and down at the red stains on the stones at the bottom.
"We have that," replied Sam, and then briefly and with characteristicmodesty, he told of the fight of the night before.
"And the paper," said Collins; "the receipt Tom Edwards said he didn'tgive yer father?"
"I've got it here," said Sam, pointing to the saddle-bags slung over hisshoulder.
"Wa'al, I felt most sure it'd turn up. But what became of Badger andShirley?"
"I think they were hurt, but I hope not badly," said Sam.
"Some one's hurt, and purty bad, too," said one of Collins' men.
"How do you know that, Jack?"
"Jest look over thar, Collins," said the man, pointing to a wall somedistance off, at the side of which two men appeared to be sleeping.
On the instant all went over, and they discovered Shirley and Badger.
The former was dead, but an examination showed that he had received nowound that would account for his demise.
"No, boys," groaned Badger, "he wasn't hurt much at all, but I was thefeller that suffered."
"Then how did Shirley come to die?" asked Collins.
"Die! Coz, he was a coward."
"What do you mean, Badger?"
"He said the game was up, so he took poison to finish hisself."
"Poison!" exclaimed all.
"Yes, poison. He wanted me to take some, too, but I'd rather hang. Lookround and you'll find the thing that held it."
The searchers did not have far to look, for clasped in the dead man'sright hand they found a small vial with a death's head and cross-boneson the label, which contained the legend, in red letters, "Sulph.Morphia."
"Badger."
"Yes, Collins."
"What brought you fellows out here?"
"Can't you guess?"
"I can, but I'd rather you'd tell me."
"And you won't think no harder of me for it."
"Badger," replied Collins, "I can't think of anything you coulddo--unless you chanced to be decent--that would make me think anydifferent of you than I do now."
"Wa'al, I reckon I ain't got long to live, so I'll tell the downrighttruth for once----"
"What is it?"
"Shirley, Jake and another feller came out with me to do for youngWillett, but we didn't connect. Thar, that's all I'll say at present,"and Badger closed his eyes and looked to be as dead as the man lying byhis side.
"Men that starts out to make the life-path hard for other folks," saidCollins, with much feeling in his voice, "generally fetches up with ashort turn themselves, and falls into the pit dug for others. Now, boys,what's best to be did next?"
"Thar's nothin' to be did," said the man who had spoken before, "but tosarch the body and then bury it. This is as good a place as back at theGulch. When we've did that we'll tote Badger 'long with us and let himtell his story."
As this advice seemed good, it was acted on at once.
After taking from the pockets such valuables and papers as might castlight on his own life, or be sent to his friends, the men scraped out agrave with their knives, and in it they laid the body of the man who hadruined himself in trying "to make the life-path hard for other folks."
When preparations were being made for the return to Hurley's Gulch,Badger--who evidently thought he was to be left there--lost all thecoarse spirit that once characterized him, and he whined:
"Oh, don't leave me out here to the wolves, boys. Take me to the Gulchwith you and I'll confess all."
"We'll tote you back, never fear," said Collins. "We ain't the kind ofmen that like to see sufferin', even if it's deserved."
The horses of Shirley and Badger were found near by. One of these wasgiven to Sam, who said he would carry Wah Shin behind him if some oneelse would carry Ike.
Ulna, who rode a mule and was the lightest one of the party, gladlyconsented to ride double with Ike. This being arranged, the nextquestion was the conveyance of the wounded Badger.
He was given stimulants from his own canteen, and then lifted into hisown saddle. With a strong man on either side to keep him from falling,the party started back to Hurley's Gulch.
Within two hours they were at their destination, but long before theyreached there they were seen and recognized by those who had been kindlydisposed to Mr. Willett, and an extemporized committee came out to meetthem.
"The paper! The paper! Have you got Tom Edwards' receipt?" was thesalutation that greeted Sam, as dozens of sturdy men gathered round andshook his hand.
He had prepared for this by taking the water-stained paper from thesaddle-bags, to which he had clung through all his privations.
"Here it is!" cried Sam, holding the receipt aloft. "Here it is, and Iwill intrust it to Mr. Collins while I go to my father."
A rousing cheer went up from the men, and that cheer was heard in thedugout by Mr. Willett and Hank Tims, and reading its meaning aright,they raised their tearful eyes and thanked God.