But the chances were that I was nothing to him at that moment--a mere floating bum whom Rale had picked up to do this job; and just then his whole attention was concentrated upon the half-conscious girl, and his desire to get her safely out of that neighborhood.

My presence meant nothing of special interest.
Gaskins brutally jerked the shrinking mulatto forward, and forced her to mount one of the horses.

She made some faint protest, the nature of which I failed to catch clearly, but the fellow only laughed in reply, and ordered her to keep quiet.

Eloise uttered no word, emitted no sound, made no struggle, as the two other men lifted her bodily into the saddle, where Kirby held her, swaying helplessly against him, while Rale strapped her securely into place.
The entire proceedings were so brutally cruel that it required all my strength of will to restrain myself from action.

My fingers closed upon the pistol in my pocket, and every impulse urged me to hurl myself on the fellows, trusting everything to swift, bitter fight.