or me there," he
rasped. "Pedro, my whip's on my pony; bring it to me. I'm havin' this
out with Cotton-picker, alone! When I'm through with him, I'll bring
him on up. One of yuh ride up to the herd and tell Slim to let
Gentleman John know we've got 'em. He'll finish with Cotton-picker
when I'm done with him. Savvy?"

A blacksnake was brought to McCoy, and the others roughly surrounded
Lefty and Red, herding them through the timber and out of sight.

"Take the skin offn him, Black!" an outlaw yelled back.

The others laughed. And then Kid Wolf and his captor were left alone.

CHAPTER XIX

THE FANG OF THE WOLF

"Well, yuh'd better get ready to take yore medicine," sneered the
outlaw, his voice shaking with rage. "I'm goin' to make yuh crawl on
yore hands and knees, Cotton-picker!"

He holstered his gun, watching Kid Wolf cunningly, and drew back a
little to give himself leeway with his whip. Then he began to roll up
his sleeve.

"I'll make yuh beg, Cotton-picker," he taunted insultingly, as he bared
his brawny right arm. "And if yuh run, I'll shoot--not to kill; that'd
be too easy. I'll blow yore legs in two!"

Kid Wolf had been pulled from his horse by the others, and the faithful
snow-white animal had been taken along up the pass with the two
prisoners. There seemed no way of escape. Blacksnake had him, and the
gang leader grinned confidently.

"Yo're a bully, sah," drawled the Texan. It was as if he were
deliberately trying to get his enemy aroused to white-hot fury.

The words seemed to have that effect. With a loud oath, Blacksnake
cracked his whip like a pistol shot. The whip was as strong and tough
as a bull whip, with a loaded stock and a long, braided lash, thick in
the middle, like a snake. The outlaw had aimed for The Kid's thigh,
and he was an expert with it. The lash landed with such cutting force
that it cut through the Texan's clothing and tore into his flesh.

"Now take off yore shirt!" Blacksnake bellowed. "I'm goin' to flay yuh
alive! Take it off!"

There was no sign of pain in Kid Wolf's face. He was still smiling
agreeably. Blacksnake McCoy did not know what was coming. The Texan
was not entirely disarmed. True, his Colts had been taken away, and he
was apparently helpless. The Kid, however, had his hole card that was
always in the deck. This was his keen bowie knife, which more than
once had saved his life. Cleverly concealed in its sheath sewn down
th