Frank Merriwell's Athletes Part 52

"Look out!" screamed Diamond, suddenly.

A knife flashed in Indian Charlie's hand, and he darted at Frank.

Browning reached out to grasp the furious fellow, but was too slow.

The knife was driven at Frank by the man, who at that moment was crazed with rage.

Merriwell dodged, caught the fellow's wrist, gave it another wrench, and the blade fell clanging to the floor.

Both Inza and Sadie had screamed, but the danger was over before they could draw a second breath.

Then Frank laughed. It was the same old dangerous laugh that those who knew him best understood.

Smack!-with all the force he could command he struck the man.

Indian Charlie went down again, but came up like a ball on the rebound.

Frank followed him up, and was on hand to meet him when he arose.

A second blow landed, and the foreman of the Lone Star was sent spinning over the end rail of the veranda to the ground.

He struck on his head and shoulders and lay still.

Some cowboys who had seen the encounter came running up and bent over the fallen man.

One of them, a little bow-legged fellow, after taking a good look at Indian Charlie, arose, and, placing his hands on his hips, stared in profound amazement at Frank Merriwell.

"Wa-al, may I be durned!" he said. "Ef I ever saw anything like that yar, my name ain't Pecos Pete! He's knocked Charlie clean out, an' he ain't nothin' but a tenderfoot kid!"

"That's whatever," agreed one of the others. "An' I will allow it wur ther slickest job Hank Kildare ever seen done. Say, young feller, I wants ter shake yer paw!"

Then Kildare, who had a face that was like tanned leather, came up on the veranda and grasped Frank by the hand, wringing the boy's arm up and down as if it were the handle of a pump.

"Thar ain't many tenderfeet like you," he said; "an' you kin boast o'

bin' ther fust critter to lay out Injun Charlie."

"But I wants ter warn yer, youngster," said Pecos Pete, as he also came up and shook Frank by the hand. "Injun Charlie is bad medicine, an' he ain't goin' ter fergit ye none whatever. When he gits round from this he'll lay fer yer, an', ef you know what's healthy, yer won't linger round these yar parts."

"That's so," agreed Kildare. "You'll mosey right lively, an' take yer friends with yer, fer he may start in ter clean out ther hull bunch, an'

nothin' but chain lightnin' will stop him next time. You hear me!"

"Thank you, gentlemen," smiled Frank, calmly. "I came here with my friends, being invited to attend the tournament here to-day, and we do not propose to be frightened away. If I have further trouble with that man I shall not be so gentle with him."

"Gentle!" snorted Kildare. "Wa-al, did yer hear that? Gentle! Is that w'at yer calls ther way yer knocked him out, tenderfoot?"

"Gentle!" echoed Pecos Pete. "Why, that last blow o' your'n would hev knocked down a steer!"

"So yer think you'll stay?" asked Kildare.

"Sure."

"Do you carry guns?"

"No."

"Be yer armed anyway?"

"No."

"Hyar, take one o' my shooters."

"What for?"

"You'll need it."

"Oh, I scarcely think so."

"That's right," nodded Pecos Pete-"that's right, Hank. He won't need it ef Charlie draws on him. What show'd he have? Charlie is old lightnin', an' he'd fill the boy full o' bullets afore the kid could think o'

reachin' fer a gun."

One of the men bending over the foreman of the Lone Star spoke:

"It may be as how Charlie won't be in condition to do any shootin' fer some time. He's stiff as a spike."

"I hope I did not hurt him seriously," said Frank, at once. "He forced me to do what I did in self-defense."

"Don't let it worry yer, youngster. You're all right."

Then they lifted the unconscious man and carried him away toward one of the outbuildings.

CHAPTER XXIX-HANS AND THE BRONCHO

Sadie Rodney drew a deep breath.

"I am sorry, Mr. Merriwell," she said, "that this unfortunate affair occurred, and I must express my admiration for the manner in which you disposed of that fellow. I can scarcely believe it now. But I fear it will mean more and serious trouble. I shall speak to father about it, and Indian Charlie shall be watched."

"Don't let it trouble you," smiled Frank. "I do not fear that man, and he will not harm me, unless he does so in a treacherous manner."

Within ten minutes every cowboy about the ranch knew what had happened, and it was not long before they were trooping around to the front of the house to get a look at the tenderfoot who had dared face Indian Charlie and had knocked him out. They stared at the youth doubtingly, and then went away shaking their heads.

"Look at them!" laughed Rattleton. "They won't believe you could do it, Frank. I'll bet that some of them think Charlie was struck by lightning."

"It's quite likely he will think so himself, when he is able to think at all," said Hodge. "I thank you for chipping in, Frank; but I should have tried him a whirl if you hadn't touched him."

"I saw him reach for his gun, and--"