v...— .( 1..“

 

 
 
 
  
 
 
   

 

 

 

 

w...-

 

 

you still desire to face your unnatural parents,
you can do so under my protection—your bus-

and’s protection. How sweet to think that we
will soon be married! Tell me, my beautiful
Elise: is it not as Well to do this!”

Had she noticed his grimacing as he urged her
thus, it would have been sufficient to tell her
that he was not Jules Willoughby, so hawkish,
eager, leopard—like, with a burning glitter in the
eyes, and the grin of a hyena round the white
teeth. But she was looking, silent and thought-
ful, down at the carpet. It was evident that
his suggestions had considerable weight with her.

“ In that case, what becomes of my heritage,
Jules?” she questioned, slowly.

“ To the devil with--- No, no, I mean to say,
we can return in a month, in six months, to
prove your claims. Meantime, we will have a
tour of pleasure---a honeymoon---and I can tell
you of my advi-ntures during my faithful search
after you. Your heritage afterward, my dear
Elise-«our marriage first. Eh?”

“ Whatever you say, dear Jules,” she an-
swered; and as she thus readily yielded to the
desire of Varlan Crosier, he could have jumped
to the ceiling in ecstasy.

“ I will procure the minister immediately,” he
said, rising. “ When you are my wife, we will
bid defiance to a host of enemies.’

“I shall feel so safe in your protection, dear
J ules.”

“ Yes, yes. I say I’ll go for the minister, and
have him unite us at once.”

“ Do not be gone long.”

“ Not a minute!” he declared; and within:
“’Sblood! I’ll be back on wings, so as to hold
her in my arms! Joy! joy! She is mine.
Henceforth, to the world, to her, I am Jules
Willoughby, npothecary’s clerk. Glorious. But
I’ll hasten.”

As he turned to depart-"moment of unutter—
able bliss!---Elise, as if to chide him for a for-
gotten something, held him tight and presented
her ripe red lips. Varlan Crosier, with a plea-
sure-dizzied brain, kissed the mouth so tempt-
ingly upheld, and then strode from the room,
fo lowed by W ynder.

In the hallway the half-crazed man flung his
arms aloft and waved them to and fro, shook
his clinched fists in the air, and shook his head
on his shoulders, grinning with ferocious exu—
berance.

“ Ho! it is heavenly! She is mine! Glorious
Elise! It could not be better! Remember,
\Vynder, you dog! I am to be known hereafter
as Jules Willoughby. I have changed my name,
my identity. I am no longer Captain Varlan
Crosier, of the dragoons, but Jules Willoughby,
apothecary’s clerk. Ha! ha! ha! Excellent!
H oil-o!”

“ But I say, hang it! where are you going to
find a minister?" asked W ynder.

“ Here, in this house!” gibbered Crosier, de-
lightedly; “when I entered our names in the
book, I saw, on the line above: ‘ Reverend J ona—
than Wardly.”

“Yours truly. Then we will seize upon the
Reverend Jonathan.”

“ Yes. Come on. What bell was that we
heard a few minutes ago?”

“ Dinner, I guess. And I’m getting wolflshly
hungry again.”

They were gassing the apartment in which
they had left tells ellerayon.

“ See!” cried Varlan Crosier, pausing, step-
ping in, and glancing round. “ I knew she had
left this room. Is it not all lain now?”

W ynder was perplexed. 'e was sure that his
captain had accidentally found the true Elise,
and that he was ignorant of, or blind to, the
fact that the lovely female whom they had just
left was not the one they had brought to the
tavern. While he was confident that Crosier’s
supposition—that Stella had recovered and
wandered to the second room, where they found
Elise, whom he believed to be hen-was wrong,

at the em ty room puzzled him now, when he
Earl seen Stella sleeping there, so recently,
Wltlil‘ the prospect of not awakening for some
hou s.

“ llang it, captain! I don’t understand,” he
said, coming forward. “ I see she ate heartily ”
—--noting the disarranged viands on the tray,
“ and drop )ed her knife ”--«pointing to the knife
which Stel a had essayed to use on her own
throat, “and what has she done with her bed-
quilt‘!”—mnrking the absence of the uilt, “ and
what is this?” finally going to the Window, and
bending to look at a blood-stain; “ blood, cap-
tain—here’s blood, by Jupiter!”

“ ’Sdeath! what can that mean?” exclaimed
Crosier, advancing, and also examining a_ single
drop of blood that was still fresh on the Sill.

“ Captain, the whole thing is very plain to
me__7)

“ HO! it is plain to you! 'Well, what does that
blood-mark mean, hey, rascal?”

“ I told you that our pursuers were on our
heels. You told me that the bearded man said
he had found Elise De Martine, and brought her
to the tavern. Now, while you have stumbled
upon the true Elise, our pursuers have discovered
Stella Bellerayon—come upon her _while she_was
eating, wrapped her up in the quilt, and given
her chloroform besides. She has not been taken
without a struggle; and this drop of blood, and
this stain "—picking up the knife, on the blade
of which he showed a stain, like a Single, streak-
ing Spurt from a small artery—“ these bear Wit-
ness to her bravery and resistance. Don’t you
see!” _

The drop of blood on the sill, and the stain on
the knife, were from the hand of Jules Willough-
by, who had slightly wounded himself when he
stayed the intended stroke of the blade across
the throat of Stella Bellerayon, ‘

“ You lie-—you dog !——-you lie!’ be snapped,
harshly. “ There is but one Elise. Stella Belle-
rayon and Elise De Martino are. the same per-
son. I shall break your neck if you dare to
gainsay it !”

“ De )end upon it,” VVynder hastened to say,
“ I sha 1 not dispute the fact. To satisfy you, I
herewith affirm that they are one and the same
person,” adding inwardly: “The lunatic may

0 on. I am tired of trying to show him his
olly. He is as crazy as a bug,"and aloud again,
suddenly: “ But look there, captain!” '

Crosier followed the direction of his finger.
They saw the burly Thadlis at the farside of the
garden, moving stealthin and skulking behind
occasional bushes. . _

“ That rascal of a stabler!” exclaimed CrOSier.
“ W'hat is that he has on his shoulder?"

“ A man ” said W nder.

“ And a dead manfl should judge. Ho! what
is he doin now ?”

Thadlisghalted at an old, unused well that was
in one of the far corners of the garden. He
placed his burden on the huge pail that was
there, and bound it fast with some remnants of
the quilt strips which he had brought along.

Having lashed the body to the iron handle of
the bucket and to the knot of. the rope above the
handle, he began slowly unWinding the Windlass ,
and when the rope was, all paid out, he severed
' ith a leamin kni e.

It ‘V‘V’Sbloogd! he hEs put a: mean down the well-"a

man! ‘Who can it )e’.

deagynder’s eyes were keener than Varlan Cro-
sier’s in this instance. He had recognized the
face of the inanimate body as that of Jules W 11-
10ughl)y, or the man he had seen in the kitchen,
at Willowold, and since on the arnyal of the
stage, and whom he had heard his captaln
anathematize as Jules Willoughby. But he said
no’I‘thliildglis turned away from the well, and 9:9-
proached the house-«watched by Varlan Crosier
and Worth W nder; watched by a third party,
for the short, fat, shrewd-faced doctor, happenl;
ing to be at the window of the room in whic

lay Wilse De Martipzildettecttpg the whole sus-

' ceedin o e s a .
pigzg‘ulisaltriogue gas murdered somebody!” re-

solved the diminutive physician;“and I shall

take care that he does not leave the tavern until-

have thorou hly overhauled him.”
Wgust then. Cgosier andWVynder heard the5
dull blast of a horn, sounding as if at the frog
of the house, and some distance up the roa t.
The noise of the horn had scarce died on ,
when they heard a thump! thump. thump in

the hall.

“’Sblood! it is the man with a beard. Shut
the door~—quick !”

W ynder closed the door to a crack, and
.through the crack he poked his nose to watch
the bearded man go past.

“ Ha! ha! it’s the stage. The officers have
come,” \Vynder heard him say, to himself, as
he thumped his wooden leg along the passage.

“ Captain.”

“ Well '5”

“ The stage has arrived.”

“ The stage!” echoed Crosier, in surprise;
“ what stage i”

“ Bound for u -countr I 811 ose from
Nashville.” p y, pp ’

“ But it is not due till three o’clock, and now
’tis no more than thirty minutes after eleven.
It cannot be the stage,” and he glanced at his
watch-dial.

“ Yours truly. But you’ve forgotten a little
item.”

“ Forgotten l—what?"

“You told me the bearded man said there
would be oflicers out here in the next stage. A
few dollar 3, you know, considering the business
they’re on --”

“ Yes, to carry out the plan of some miserable
adventuress who has concocted a story to prove
herself Elise De Marcine.”

“ Exactly. That may have brought the stage
ahead of time,”concluded \Vynder. “Take my
advice, captain, and marry your Elise as quick-
ly asypossible.”

“ es; we will not delay aminute. When she
is my wife, then we shall confound the adven-
turess, whoever she is, and spoil the plot of this
man with a beard—«death on him! Come. Fol—
low me. ’Sblood!”

Crosier jerked open the door and strode
away.

As he turned into the entry leading to the
forward staircase-"turned sharp and swift—-
he came face to face with the burly stabler,
Thadlis.

(To be continued—commenced in No. 434.)

 

MY LOVE AND I.

BY M. H.

 

 

Hand in hand together

In golden autumn weather

We watched the eastern sky,

And all the world grew strangely still
As slowly in the distance

The moon rose o’er the hill.

The shadows passed us by,

The moon rose slowly as of old,

This night it seemed of purer gold;
We often watched it—he and I, ,
And whispered words so lowly spOken
That only hearts could hear,

For love’s own token

Needs not the herald’s cry.

All nestled close. I listened

To the sweetest story

That e’er was told on land

Or sea. Ah, me!

That autumn’s glory! The cricket’s chirp,
The song of Chickadee.

We never mourned the summer weather.
Hand in hand, my love and I,

In autumn‘s gold we stood together
And watched the eastern sky.

 

 

[All Dramatic Rights Reserved]

Red Butterfly,

THE SPY OF THE OVERLAND;

on,
The Nine Scouts’ League. ‘

A Story or Real Characters' of Wild
\Veuern Life.

BY COL. PRENTISS INGRAHAM.

CHAPTER LX.
THE TRAIL’s END.

PARSON PAUL was as deliberate in all he did
as a man who knew that there was no hurry
and that haste might spoil a well-laid plan.

He halted at dawn until the stranger had
gone on for a long distance.

Then he took the mufflers off of the hoofs of
his horse and followed the trail unerringl y.

He knew the ground well, and he stuck to
that trail as a hound would have done only he
did not wish to gain upon the one who ed.

All day long he followed, and now and then
he would come to a ridge with a plain beyond,
and he could have a view for miles ahead.

And then his glass showed him the man he
was tracking.

As dark came on, the parson pressed on a
little more rapidly until he could no longer see
the trail.

Then he halted for much-needed rest for man
and beast. I

The next morning, with the first glimmer of
dawn, he was again on the trail, and, after go-
ing along for a couple of hours, branched of! in-
to a canyon, then went ahead on foot.

He was gone for several hours. _

Then he returned to his horse, and, mounting,
went on the back trail at a lively gait. I

He went straight to his cabin, arriving late in
the night, and set to work cooking prov1s10ns in
great quantity.

Then he sat down and wrote three separate
notes, and, this done, he looked to his weapons,
got out some more ammunition, and, saddling
his horse, threw his bag of provisions across his
back, along with a roll of blankets.

Then he set off on foot through Miner’s Roost,
where he went to the hotel-stables and got one
of Landlord J err ’s best horses.

An hour after ound him camping in a canyon,
where, after staking his horse out, he mounted
the led animal and dashed away at a rapid pace
just as dawn began to break. .

All day he was gone, but after nightfall he
returned and on foot.

Then he mounted his own horse, rode down
the Overland Trail until he came to where the
Stranger had turned off, and pressed rapidly on

b O h the ni ht.
t Jug? at dawgn he sought a hiding-place and

nt into cam .

W‘It was noonp when he awoke, and he went
away on foot, leaving his horse and traps. .

What he went for he seemed to have discov-
ered, for he came back and settled down for an-
other rest. , ,

At night he changed his camping-place, and
everv now and then, as he walked along—for he
spared his horse all in his power—he halted and
seemed to stick something _in the ground. _

Finding another camping-place, he again
went ofl? on foot, and after a walk of a couple
of miles came in sight of the glimmer of camp-
fires. .

He went cautiously now, and after consider-
able difiiculty got a view of what appeared to
be a camp of soldiers, for a number of tents
were in view.

And as he watched them, men were seen
striking camp, and a large cavalcade of horse-
men and pack-animals moved aWay in a norther-
1 direction. .

yThe parson followed on foot until he saw them
file into a narrow canyon leading into the very
heart of the mountains. _

Then he returned to his horse, and mounting,
rode rapidly up a valley toward a lofty range.

He gained a high ridge before dawn, and then
again went into camp, as though to wait for
some one, for he took up a position on a rock
with his glass in hand.

Dawn came, and still he watched. ' _

Then he saw more horsemen come in Sight.-

They rode along a shelf of rock. overhanging
a deep canyon, some seventy feet in width.

The shelf ended there, and they could go no

r. .
fulfil]: two men appeared on the other SKIS} and
one of them shot an arrow across to w ch 9.
string was attached. .

Then the larger crowd drew on the string un-
til a rope came over, and the two men on the

 

 

other side began to push at some long black ob—
ject until the others had drawn it across the
chasm and made it fast to the pines that grew
along the edge of the canyon.

Ropes were stretched out then on either side
and made fast to trees, and the parson’s glass
revealed a strong bridge across the chasm.

Soon after other horsemen appeared in sight,
and a number of pack-animals.

One by one the horses were led across the
seemingly frail bridge, aid without a single ac-
cident.

Then all but two men on foot had crossed,
and these let go the lines and cables, and the
bridge was drawn slowly back to the other side
and disappeared.

Then the two men went back down the trail.

But the parson was on their track and afoot.

He followed them for miles until they came to
a place where they could cross the canyon.

Still he tracked them, and when they reached
the 3 0t where he had last seen the crowd drag
the ridge over, there were horses awaiting
them, which they mounted and rode away.

But the parson followed and at night again
came in sight of the glimmenof camp-fires.

He crept forward and lay for a long while
taking in the situation.

At last he started upon his return to his horse,
and wearied out arrived at daybreak. .

After a rest of some hours he took out his
note—book and wrote something upon it.

This he fastened to a stick, and riding to the
spot where the bridge had been stretched across
the canyon he stuck it up in a place where it
wou‘ld be seen by any one coming to the ledge of
roc 5.

Having done this he went at a rapid pace
down the trail the horsemen had come, rounded
the mouth of the canyon and went upon the
other side toward the place where he had last
seen the camp.

It was a long ride, and a hard one, for he fol-
lowed his own ideas of the direction.

At last he came near the other side of the can-
yon where the bridge had been stretched across,
and going into camp went about on foot as
though searching for something.

His search was successful, for he returned to
his camp with the remark:

“ I have done my duty and _they must do
theirs.”

 

CHAPTER LXI.
THREE SLIPS OF PAPER.

“ AT last!” cried Jack Crawford, as going his
rounds after a letter from the Surgeon Scout, he
found there a slip of paper.

He had never missed his dangerous mission of
going the rounds once every two weeks, but,
except in two instances, he had each time met
with disappointment.

Now he opened the‘slip of paper and read:

“ The League is needed at once.

“ Also force of soldiers. not less than forty.

“Avoid coming through mining-camps and meet

- at Death’s Canyon

" If no one there to meet you, find slip of paper by
marble cross under ground, and follow directions. ’

Away went Jack Crawford with all haste to
the ford to give the slip of paper to Buffalo Bill
and tell him that the Surgeon Scout was not
dead, as all had again begun to fear was the
casc.

That same day Sunset Sam was driving along
on the Overland, when he drew rein by a large
tree not far from Miner’s Roost.

A branch of the tree extended over the trail,
and, standing upon his‘box, Sunset Sam put his
hand over the limb.

It returned with a slip Of paper found there,
pinned securely to the limb.

He at once opened the paper and read:

“ If you meet Red Rider, tell him to give you his
pouch to take back to Jumping Off City while he
waits at Death’s Ranch for company.

“ He will find slip in his office.”

Sunset Sam drove rapidly on, and there was
an expression on his face as though he felt satis-
fied with himself, and that evemng he arrived
at Hard Times two hours ahead of his usual
hour.

Along the Overland Trail, flying like the very
wind and approaching the most dismal part of
the road, was a horseman. '

It was Red Butterfly, mounted upon his fleet-
est and best horse.

But he halted suddenly as he drew in sight of
the marble cross erected on the spot where the
stage-coach had been wiped out of existence,
and, throwing aside the leaves and some loose
earth, took out of the ground a slip of paper.

It was as follows:

“Have made the discovery, and notified League,
and soldiers.

“ You are to send your pouch through by Sam, if
you have not yet met him and seen his slip of pa-

er.
p “ Then go to Blue Rock and strike my trail and see
how it is marked.

“Return here and await coming of League and
cavalry, and guide them by marked trail, lead where
it may.

“ The end is at hand."

The Red Rider of the Overland read this slip
of paper several times, and then, mounting his
horse, set out to obey orders.

That night he returned to the Death Canyon,
and sought a secure hiding-place to camp, but
from which he could see the marble cross and
any one going there. ,

It was nearly dawn when he was awakened
by the sound of hoof-falls, and he knew that
those he expected had arrived, so he gave the
Pony Rider’s call peculiar to him.

It was promptly anewered, and advancing he
beheld a number of horsemen. '

“ Bravo. Red Butterfly, you are here,” cried
Buffalo Bill, meeting him.

“ Yes, sir, and I am glad to see you here so
soon.” ‘

“ We pushed hard; but here is Lieutenant
Ames and his company, besides my League.” .

They all greeted the Red Butterfly, who said:

“ I will et my horse and go at once and camp
on the trans until dawn, for it will be best not to
be seen.”

So he led the way, Bufl'alo Bill by his side,
and who asked:

“ But who sent you there to await us, Red
Butterfly?”

“ I received secret orders from one whom I
always obey.” ‘

So on they rode, the Red Rider leading the
way, until they reached the point where he had
gone upon receiving the slip of paper, and mark-
ed the trail.

Going into camp for a few hours, they then
mounted and pressed on, "the Red Butterfly
following the trail which the parson had
marked.

The pace was not too fast to jade the horses,
and frequent stops were made to rest men and
beasts.

But it was noon of the following day when the
Red Butterfly led the soldiers and the scouts,
true as a hound on the trail, to the chasm where
the bridge had been thrown across.

“ You have gone wrong, pard,” said Buffalo
Bill.

“ N o, for see there!”

Across the canyon a form appeared, and those
who knew him recognized the Pistol Parson of
Miner’s Roost.

He held in his hands a bow and arrow, and
the latter came flying across, a string attached
to it.

Then he called out:

“ Butterfly, follow my marked trail down to
a crossing—place, and bring several men with

on.”

y The order was obeyed, and a couple of hours
later they appeared upon the other side, With
the parson, and all were rolling along some
heavy object. , _ _

Need I tell the reader that it was the swmging
bridge so cleverly manufactured by those whom
the parson had seen cross over upon it?

The soldiers quickly seized the ropes, brought
over the arrow line, and dragged the bridge
across, when, unmindful of its swinging and the
dizzy height, the parson walked across and was
greeted by Lieutenant Amos, Buffalo Bill and
the'Powell brothers,who had met him in Miner’s
Roost.

 

He showed the soldiers how to make taut the
ropes and then started across leading Lieutenant
Ames’s horses.

Red Butterfly followed with his horses, then
Buffalo Bill, Jack Crawford and the others, un—
til the last soldier had gone across in safety.

CHAPTER LXII.
THE BUZZARDS’ BOOST.

“ NOW, parson, let me know just what all this
means, for we expected to meet here Surgeon
Powell to guide us,” said Lieutenant Ames, after
the force had gone into camp across the
brid e.

“ on will meet the Surgeon Scout later,

Brother Amos, for he is on the trail, and I must
say that it is owing to him that I am now here
to guide you.
. “ The truth is, the Red Buzzards got worsted
in a fight with the Indians, and you know that
they were beaten off from attacking the
coach 3”

“ Yes, I remember.”

. “ It cut them up considerably, and the chief,
in disguise, went to Miner’s Roost to spy, and
came very near being hanged there.

“ But I saved his life, and then, in doubt my-
self if he was Quantrel or not, I trailed him.”

“ And it was Quantrel?”

“ Yes, sir; and he seemed to have had enou h
for awhile, as he returned to his men, bro e
camp, and led them up into these mountains,
where no horse can come save by the swinging
bridge which the outlaws made to throw pur-
suit ofi’ their track.

“ Quantrel is full of these clever schemes, and
unless trailed close an army could notcatch him,
for he can take his band and horses anywhere
with the contrivances he has.

“ He is now encamped six or seven miles from
here, not once suspecting danger, and tO-night I
Will guide you down upon his camp and we can
make short work of them, for trees are plenty
and ropes can be had for the asking,” said the
parson, si niflcantiy.

“ What is his force?”

“ He has over a dozen wounded men, a pris-
oner, a couple of negro servants, and his band
of fighting men in camp number just twenty-
one.

" And we double him.”

“ And surprise him too, sir.”

“When will you move?”

“About midnight, and the Red Butterfly will
lead you by one pass, while I guide the scouts by
another.”

“ But does the Red Butterfly know the way?”

“ Oh, yes, for he has been here before.

“ He will make no mistake, Lieutenant
Ames.”

“ I can well understand that; but where is
Sur eon Powell?”

“ on will find him when you take-the roost
Of the Red Buzzards.”

“ Ha! he is the prisoner then.

“ By Jove, I pity poor Frank Powell if he has
been in the hands of those fiends,” said Lieuten-
ant Ames feelingly.

Then as the parson walked away the young
commander, gave his orders for the night attack.

As the parson walked away the Indian youth
joined him, and they went on in silence together
until they had gotten beyond the line of the
camp. '

“ on have seen the camps, sir?”

“ Yes, Red Butterfly.” ,

“You were near enough to note who was
there, for I heard you say that Quantrel still
had his prisoner?”

“ I saw him last night, Red Butterfly.”

“I feel contented now, and I only have to seek
my revenge upon that one man.

“ The Indian in me will show itself, for I am
revengeful and when I am avenged, by the death
of that man, Kit Quantrel, 1 will, I believe, he
almost happy.”

“I hope so, and perhaps with time, change
and seeing you he may yet regain his reason;
but now we must prepare for the march, and
you know our signals agreed upon, so you will
ead the soldiers to the upper 58, while I will
guide the Scouts’ League to t e lower cut and
we cap hem them in so that no man should es-

“ It should be so,” was the response of the In-
dian youth, and the two parted.

An hour after the two mysterious guides, the
parson, and the Red Butterfly mounted their
horses and rode away at the head of the respect-
ive commands, the soldiers and the scouts.

It was dark, but Red Butterfly showed no
hesitancy about leading the way, greatly to the
pleasure of the young commander, who had felt
doubtful, as he had no idea where it was that
the Indian youth had learned the country as he
seemed to know it.

The ride was a slow one, and over an hour
passed before the Indian guide came to a halt
and said:

“ I will go ahead alone, sir.”

He glided away on foot, and soon the shrill,
mournful sound of the whippowil was heard.

It was kept up for a dozen notes, and then si-
lence followed, when far off down the canyon
came the same cry, faintly heard.

Then the Indian youth returned, and said:

“ IVe will move now, sir.”

“ How far off is the camp, Red Butterfly?”

“ Not a quarter of a mile away, sir.” ,

The soldiers moved on, and at length, after a
word from the Indian in a low tone, the lieuten-
ant gave the order for the soldiers to close up in
fours.

“ Now, sir,” said the Indian youth, as again
the notes of the night-bird were heard.

He repeated it she. and clear, and then came
the command from Lieutenant Ames:

“ Forward! trot—char e!”

The troopers sprung orward like an ava-
lanche, and out of the dark canyon into a valley
they went, where the white tents of the outlaws
were before them.

And with wild yells, their ringing war-cries,
from the other pass came the scouts, and the
outlaws Were between two fires.

Hemmed in, though strong men, and sur-
prised, the outlaws yet came from their beds
armed for the fray.

There was a rattling of fire—arms, and min-

gling with it were the cheers of the soldiers,war- ,

cries of the Scouts’ League, the rattling of ac-
conterments and trampling of hoofs.

Dawn was breaking, and the fighting, strug-
gling forms in the gray mists looked like grim
specters.

And when the sun rose over the mountain-
tops, it shone upon a strange scene, one only to
be found in wild Western warfare.

The battle had ended, and many had bitten
the dust.

There were soldiers lying here and there, and
many dead outlaws.

Several scouts were wounded, yet none seri-
ously, and Surgeon Schufeldt was busy, aided
by hthe parson, who had figured grandly in the
fig t.

And over by the chief’s tent sat the prisoner
of the outlaw chief, poor Daniel Darwin, while
near him stood the young Indian, striving in
vain to force him into conversation with him,
for all he could get from the poor unfortunate
was the plaintive wail:

“ I don’t remember.”

 

CHAPTER LXIIl.
CONCLUSION.

LIEUTENANT Amss‘s face wore a bright smile
over the victory gained.

The band of Red Buzzards had been almost
wholly wiped out, and their horses, their bag-
gage and tents had all been taken.

A few bold men had mounted their horses and
dashed boldly through'the soldiers’ line.

They had been pressed so hard by Red But-
terfiy, the parson, and Buffalo Bill and his
scouts, that they had not time to take the trail
they had wished, and so had driven down the
canyon, which ended at a precipice, overhang-
ing a foaming torrent, many feet belOW.

‘ Drive them to their doom!

“ The deserve it!” came in the ringing voice
of the Butterfly, and the words were an-
swered by the war-cries of the scouts.

The outlaws saw their fate, it seemed, for
they drew rein; half turned, as though to stand
at bay, and then, beholding that whirlwind of
avengers, turned again in flight.

The Indian youth, side by side with the par-
son, pressed them close, and behind were Buf-
falo Bill and his matchless men.

With a wild shriek, like a death-cry, the out-
laws took the fatal leap.

Over they went into the darkness, and down
into the rushing torrent below.

The Red Butterfly and the parson drew rein
suddenly, as did the others, and the scouts in
chorus uttered their cries of triumph.

After gazing down into the depths for a min-
ute in silence, the parson said:

“ You are avenged, Red Butterfly, for Kit
Quantrel led his band over that cliff to death.”

“ So be it, I am content,” was the lOw reply,
and he turned his horse back up the canyon to-
ward the camp.

As they returned Lieutenant Ames called out:

“Parson, the Surgeon Scout is not here as a
prisoner, nor is he among the dead or wounded.

“ N 0 one knows aught about him, though that
poor fellow Darwin is here.”

“Yes, Ames, I am here,” and off came the
wig of long white hair, the gold—rimmed spec-
tacles, and then it was that the once full-bearded
face of Doctor Frank Powell was recognized,
and shout after shout rent the air, for the “ par-
son” was found to be as he expressed it himself:

“A wolf in lamb’s clothing.”

It was a couple of days before the soldiers
started back from the outlaws’ retreat, and all
noticed the kind devotion of Red Butterfly for
Daniel Darwin, until the story came out that he
was the adopted father of the Red-Skin Rider.

Reaching the Overland Trail the Red Rider
stopped with his adopted father for the comin
along of Sunset Sam’s coach on its eastwar
run.

Lieutenant Ames urged him to go on to the
fort, but he said that he must return eastward at
onCe, and resigned his position as Pony Rider.

Buffalo Bill and Surgeon Powell waited with
him, and saw the two safe aboard of Sunset
Sam‘s coach.

And away rolled the coach, and gazing after
it Surgeon Frank Powell said:

“ Bill, old fellow, I am going to tell you a
secret.”

“ Yes, Frank!”

“ No one else upon the border knows it except
myself.”

“I will not betray the secret, Frank,” said
Buffalo Bill.

“ I know that, and so I tell you, and with the
consent of the one concerned.

“ Do you know that the Red Butterfly is a
woman?”

Buflfalo Bill started, and his face showed that
he had never suspected the secret.

“ It is true, and she is the daughter of the old
mad Sioux chief, Patolla,who was killed defend-
ing Daniel Darwin from Quantrel and his out-
laws, and he adopted the girl, had her educated,
came West after more gold, was captured, and
that splendid, brave girl, dressed as a man,
came here to rescue or avenge him.

“ Now, Bill, you understand how it was that
Red Butterfly knew the country so well.”

“ Yes, the mystery is solved, and it is a secret
worth knowing,” said Buffalo Bill, earnestly, as
the two sworn pards started on their trail to
the fort.

After some minutes of silence Buffalo Bill
sai :

“ Frank i”

H Yes.”

“You ought to go into the ministry, for I
never saw your equal as the Fighting Parson of
Miner’s Roost.”

THE END.

 

 

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