CHAPTER XVII.
BUCK AND WINNIE.
Shortly after nightfall, Badger started again for the residence of
Fairfax Lee. He had no definite plans, but rather blindly hoped
something might turn up to favor him. He confessed to himself that he
was "all gone to pieces," but he had no desire to go into some liquor
den and load up with bad whisky, as he was once accustomed to do when
trouble or disappointment struck him.
"It was red-eye that got me into this, I reckon, and I'll let the stuff
alone hereafter. I've promised to, and I will, no matter what comes.
That's whatever!"
And when Buck Badger put his foot down he usually put it down hard.
"I'd feel better if I could only meet Don Pike and swell up his eyes for
him," he continued to growl. "But the coward has sloped."
It did, indeed, seem that Pike was making an effort to keep out of the
way of the Westerner. The very sight of the Lee home quickened Badger's
heart-beats. He felt that he would give anything to know if Winnie was
in the house, or had been spirited away.
"Like enough, her father has locked her in her room! But there ain't any
keys whatever that are made strong enough to keep me from seeing her.
I'll do it sooner or later."
Fortune favored the Westerner--fortune and his sweetheart, Winnie Lee.
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