A Debt of Honor

“Go back to bed, you old witch!” shouted the thief contemptuously.

If he had known Mrs. Peters better he would have hesitated before speaking in this strain, and above all he would have felt it prudent to get out of the way.

She took no time to parley, but raising a rifle which she carried at her side, aimed at the foremost ruffian, and an instant later a sharp pain in his shoulder told him he had been hit. With an imprecation he dropped to the ground, and his companion, striking Gerald’s horse sharply, prepared to seek safety in flight, leaving his companion to his fate. But Mrs. Peters was ready for him, too. A second shot struck him in the leg, and he slid off the horse.

By this time Peters and his two boys showed themselves, roused by the sound of firing.

“What’s up?” asked the old man.

“Two hoss thieves are down!” answered Mrs. Peters.

“Hoss thieves?”

“Yes; they was makin’ off with the strangers’ hosses. I’ve given ’em a hint not to come round here agin.”

The groans uttered by the two fallen men confirmed her statement.

CHAPTER XXI

ON THE STEAMER ROCK ISLAND

The horse thieves struggled to their feet, and stood apprehensively, but defiant, facing the old man who eyed them with stern and threatening glances. They were too much disabled to think of escaping.

“Why, you poor contemptible hoss thieves!” ejaculated Peters, “what have you got to say for yourselves?”

The two men looked at each other, but the right words did not seem to occur to them, for they remained silent.

“Serves you right to be tripped up by a woman! You ain’t men, you’re sneaks!”

The thieves turned their eyes toward Mrs. Peters, who, tall and gaunt, stood looking on with her thin gray hair floating down her back.

“She ain’t a woman! She’s a witch!” said one of them bitterly.

“You’ll have to answer for that to me!” cried Ben, and with a stride he struck the man with his huge fist, and prostrated him.

“Dad, shall we string ’em up?” he asked, turning to his father. “He’s insulted mother.”

What Mr. Peters would have said is problematical, but Noel Brooke interposed earnestly, “No, no, Mr. Peters, let them go! They’re both wounded, and that will be punishment sufficient.”

“Just as you say, stranger! It’s your hosses they tried to steal.”

“But they insulted mother,” insisted Ben.

“Let ’em go!” said Mrs. Peters contemptuously. “They’ll remember the old witch for some time, I reckon!”

The men looked as if they would like to strangle her, but they were prudent enough to keep their mouths shut.

“Now scoot!” exclaimed Peters, in a threatening tone. “If I ever catch either of you within a mile of my cabin, I’ll shoot you down like dogs.”

The two thieves waited for no further hint, but, helping each other as best they could, struck into the woods.

“Mrs. Peters,” said the tourist, turning to his hostess, “I feel very much indebted to you for your prompt action. But for you Gerald and I would be forced to walk till we could secure fresh horses.”

“You’re welcome, strangers,” responded Mrs. Peters, coolly reloading her rifle. “I ain’t enjoyed myself so much for six months.”

And indeed the old woman appeared to be in high spirits. The adventure, which would have terrified most women, only exhilarated her.

“I reckon we’d better be gettin’ back to bed!” said Peters. “Gettin’ up at midnight is too early risin’ for me.”

His feeling was shared not only by members of his family, but by his guests, and all betook themselves to bed again, and in half an hour were sleeping peacefully. The rest of the night passed without adventure, and at seven o’clock the next morning they sat down to breakfast.

As they were about to start on their journey Noel Brooke tendered a ten-dollar bill to his hostess.

“Mrs. Peters,” he said, “allow me to offer you a slight gift in acknowledgment of your kindness and of the signal service you did us last night.”

“I don’t understand all your high words, stranger,” said the old lady, as with a look of satisfaction she pocketed the money, “but I’ll be glad to see you again any time. You’re one of the right sort.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Peters.”

So amid farewell greetings the two rode away.

Two months later Gerald and his English friend found themselves on a river steamer floating down the Mississippi from Davenport to St. Louis. They had kept on their way west as far as Salt Lake City, then struck up to the northwest, without any particular plan of proceeding till they reached the Mississippi. They had once been in danger of capture by the Indians, and once by highwaymen, but had on both occasions been fortunate enough to escape.

Noel Brooke had become more and more attached to his young secretary, whom he not only found an agreeable companion, but intelligent and an eager learner. He had voluntarily given him oral lessons in French and German, so that Gerald was able to make use of both languages to a limited extent.

At Davenport Mr. Brooke learned that the steamer Rock Island would start at ten o’clock the next morning on her way down the river to St. Louis and New Orleans, and on the impulse of the moment he decided to take passage.

“I have heard so much of the Mississippi,” he said to Gerald, “that I should like to see something of its shores. How will that please you?”

“I should like nothing better,” said Gerald eagerly.

“The boats are running pretty full,” said the landlord of the hotel. “You may not be able to secure a stateroom.”

“We will try at any rate,” rejoined the tourist. “If we don’t succeed we can wait till the next boat. Our time is not of great value.”

“Ah,” said the landlord, “that is where you have the advantage of me. You rich Englishmen are not obliged to turn time into money like us poor landlords.”

Noel Brooke laughed.

“I sometimes wish I had to work for a living,” he said. “I am inclined to think that I should enjoy life more.”

“In that case,” remarked Gerald with a smile, “suppose you exchange places with me.”

“Would you give me a place as private secretary?” asked the tourist.

“Yes.”

“My dear Gerald, envy no man the possession of money. You are young and healthy, and with an excellent prospect before you. You will be happier than if there were no necessity for your working.”