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ENTERED AS Swoosh (fuss MATTKR AT THE NEW Yonxffi. Y.. POST OFFICE.

BEADLE m1) ADAMS, Publishers,
Er.) “'ILLIAM STREET. NE“? YURK.

 

Cépyrm—meiflw; m HEAD”! AND ADAMS.

B

 The Unknown Slayer of the Black Cavalry.

 

 

TEN (TENTH A COPY.

VA  A  Vn]. LXXVI.

Bill’g Relentless Trail;

By 001. P. Ingraham.

l'l' I! Ll lill LI) I)" ll" \’
\\' l-IIIN HSIDA Y.

 

 

uffalo

OR

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SILENT 8AM. DR. FRANK POWELL.

 

 

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Copyrighted. 189?. UV UBADLE up ADAMS.

ENTERED AS SECOND CLASS MATTER AT nu: NEWV Yonxj-N: Y.. POST OFFICE.

 

  

July 2x 159?.

 

rl'nusnw EVERY BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers,

“'EDNEBDAY. 9:3 \VILLIAM STREET, NEW' YORK.

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$5.00 A YEAR.

 

 

 

 

n- ew '

BuffalnBlll’_s Relentless Trail;

 

 

OR

The Unknown Slayer of the Black Cavalry.

 

 

By 001. P. Ingraham.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SILENT SAM. DR FRAINK POWELL.

 

 

MAN KILLER.

 

 

 

  
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
   
 
 

.. 

Buffalo Bill’s Relentless Trail.

 

 

 

Buiiele Bill’s Relentless Trail;

on,
THE UNKNOWN SLAYER OF THE
BLACK CAVALRY.

 

BY COL. PRENTISS INC l.'\ll.\l\l,
Atf'ruon or “BUFFALO BILL ” NOVELS, ETC.

CHAPTER I.
AN UNKNOWN NEMESIs.

“ The Black Troops are doomed!

“A vow of vengeance seems to have
been registered against them by parties
unknown, and whose deeds are most mys-
terious, so mysterious, in fact, that I am
at a loss to know what to do.”

The speaker was Colonel Alfred Thorp
of Fort Benham, in the then almost un-
known Territory of Arizona.

lie was seated in his Stunt.“ mbin quar-
ters of the tort, which was situated in a
beautiful valley through which ran a
small stream, a Godsend in that wild
land.

Ifnder his command were over five
hundred soldiers, and yet all lived with
their lives in their hands, so to speak,
for about them, in the mountain fast-
nesses, were merciless red foes, the Mo-
qui Indians ready to take advantage of
the first careless act of the garrison to
sun-op down and sweep their palei'ace
unquerors from the earth.

A splendid type of the frontier soldier,
Co'onel 'l‘horp's face yet wore an anx-
ious look, as he uttered the words that
open this story.

An enemy in the Open he could fight,
but one who struck in the dark and in
the back, one who played the part of an
assassin, he did not know how to meet.

And such a foe had been making life
miserable at Fort Benham for half a
year.

Such a foe had crept up in the night,
and would send a bullet, an arrow, or
drive a knife into the heart of the senti-
nel, causing no alarm, until the failure
of the guard to utter the call:-

“Post Number —. Ten'o’clock and

,all’s well! ”

The silence told that the sentinel on
Post Number —- was dead, that all was
not well.

And so it was shown when the guard
on its round found

“ The sentinel off duty forever.”

Such had been the tragedies at Fort
Benham, and with such boldness that a
sentry had been shot by an arrow even
in the broad glare of day upon an ex-
posed post of duty.

Again, when guarding cattle feeding
in the valley, when hunting stray horses.
at man had fallen under the fire of this
hidden and unknown foe.

What it meant no one could tell, for
it seemed to be to seek a peculiar re-
venge, for, strangest of all, only the
Black Troops were the sufferers.

At Fort Bernham there were three
companies of colored infantry, a. troop of
cavalry, and a battery of light artillery,
also manned by blacks—in all over three
hundred men.

The two troops of white cavalry, the
battery of light artillery, and a company
of infantry, that made up the garrison
had never lost a. man through this un-
known assassin. ’

It'was a blow against the Black Troops
alone.

That was what made it the more mys-
terious. \

If Indians were the secret slayers, why
were not the white sentinels killed?

Surely the palefaces were the mortal
toes of the redskin, worse by far than the
black faces.

And this fact had begun to make itself
felt among the colored troops.

They had begun to feel that a secret
too had doomed them to death.

Over and over'their past deeds they.
as soldiers, to see who they had

/

 

If the redskins dealt these deathhlows,
it did not so always appear, for the ar-
row had not alone been used, but shared
its deadly work with the rifle, revolver,
and bowie knife of the white man, and
even the fatal coil of the lasso had
claimed its victims.

This would indicate that the mind,
perhaps the hand. of the palefaco, struck
at the life of the llluck Troops.

Not once had this secret foe been seen.

Not once had he left a trail.

Not once had a sentinel been left alive
to tell the strange story of the tragedy.

The deadly work was completed ere the
foe left his victim.

He meant not that there should be any
dying confessions—he made no mistakes.

There had been a suspicion upon the
garrison, that the unknown slayer must
surely dwell within the walls of Fort
Benham.

If so, who was he?

’l‘lnrc was not one in the fort upon
whom suspicion could justly fall.

So it was that. when six months had
gone by. and ovm‘ a score of black sol-
diers had fallen on their posts, that
Colonel Alfred 'l‘horp said to one of his
officers, at man with a record, as will be
shown:

“The Black Troops are doomed! ”

 

CHAPTER II.
A MAN wrrn A RECORD.

There was but one officer in the quar—
ters of Colonel Thorp, and to him he ad—
dressed himself, as he had in the opening
chapter.

This officer wore the fatigue uniform
of a surgeon of cavalry, and was a most
striking-looking person, in form, face,
and bearing. .-

His face was one that was attractive,
for its features were well molded, his
eyes were dark and expressive, at the
same time very penetrating, and about
the month there was a look of daring and
determination that was pronounced in
the extreme.

Like the lamented General Custer, and
several other officers of the army who
had seen much frontier service, the sur-
geon wore his dark hair long, and a fine
mustache shaded his mouth.

His form was that of an athlete, and
his moy'ements wsre quick and decided,
while his voice was strangely low and
musical in tone. ‘

The surgeon was a man with a. record,
and he was regarded as being as fine a.
scout and Indian fighter as he was an
adept in surgery and medicine.

On the border he was known as the
Surgeon Scout, to the Indians as White
Beaver, the Great Medicine Chief, and
to his few intimates as Frank Powell
and “Doe.” ‘

The boon comrade of Buffalo Bill,
Wild Bill, and Texas Jack, Doctor Frank
Powell had few equals in border craft
and Indian trailing, and as a man pos-
sessing nerve and ability, while that he
was a dead shot and wild rider and
skilled lasso thrower all knew.

Lately ordered to Fort Benham, Sur—
geon Powell found many there who knew
of his career, and Colonel Thorp had
met him in the northwest, and was well
aware of his cleverness as a. scout, as
well as his being one to do and dare any-
thing.

When the Black Troops, therefore, be-
gan to be the victims of an unknown
and mysterious foe, or foes, and the
scouts of the fort could. find no solution
to the tragic mystery, Colonel Thorn had
decided to seek the advice of Doctor
Frank Powell, the ‘,‘ Man with a Record,”
as some spoke of him.

Having made the surgeon acquainted
fully with‘ the situation, Colonel Thorp,
after expressing himself as he had about
the Black Troops being doomed, eon-
tinned:

“ Now, I sent for‘you, Surgeon Powell,
well knowing what your advice is worth
as an officer and scout, and I wish to
consult with you.”

“I feel honored, Colonel Thorp, and.

will do all in,my power to aid you, for

 

I have myself wondered at this strange
killing of the colored troops.”

“I have not found an officer, scout, or
soldier who could account for it, and
the colored troops do not understand
any reason for their having been picked
out to die, while white sentinels, when
on duty, escape.”

“ it must he faihomed, sir, that is all,”

- was the Surgrcon Scout‘s Stern reply.

i.

All! tlizlt is just it! It must be fath-
omed, yet how? ”

“ That we must decide upon, sir.”

“ ’l hat is just what I wish you to do,
Powell."

“Have you thought of no plan, sir?"

 A hundred, but without results.”

I have two assistant surgeons, sir.
here at the fort.”

“ Yes.”

“There is no sickness to speak 0‘
among the troops, and only a few wound-
ed in hospital.”

“ Yes. the secret foe of the Black
Troops never wounds; he kills.”

“ l‘es, sir.

" But if you can give me leave, and
my own WJY 01’ 5’0ng about this finding
of the slayer of these men, I will be will-
ing to undertake the work, sir.”

“ You shall have your own way, go
about it as you please, call for what
help you need, and in all else I can help

‘ you I will.” .

“I thank you, sir, and let me say that

‘ I can make a good start, for it so hap-

pens that an old frontier pard of mine
is now on the way to Fort Benham to
v1s1t me, he having been given a leave
of absence for some little time, and there
IS no other man that can accomplish What
he does, while, more, he may not come
alone, but bring with him a comrade
scarcely less famous than he is, and
their duty is to carry out in this coun-
try certain work they have in view.”

“ Do I know them, Surgeon Powell?”

“ Yes, sir, by reputation at least, for I
refer to Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill.”

Colonel Thorp sprang to his feet with
almost excitement in look and manner,
while he cried:

"‘ Are those two men coming here? ”

“Yes, sir, at least one of them I am
sage of, the other will come if he can get
0 

“Then, with Buffalo Bill and Wild
Bill to aid you, I need say no more, Sur-
geon Powell, but place the whole mat-
ter in your hands, for it will be done,
these murders will end, and the guilty
will be brought to punishment. '

“Yes, Powell, three men with the
records that you, Buffalo Bill, and Wild
Bill have can almost accomplish impos-
Slbilities.”

“For them, sir, and myself, I thank
yfigrefor yotur complimentary words; but

, are .wo more ‘

services of.” men I Will ask the

“Cranted, before I know who they
are,’ was the colonel’s prompt reply.

 

CHAPTER III.
N THE SECRET TO BE SOLVED. v
If I fail, Colonel Thorp, I certainly.
cannot complain that you did not give'
me every aid,” said Surgeon Powell, in
answer to the colonel’s prompt offer,
321;? he asked for two more men in the

“ Who are the men, Powell. You have
but to name them.” '

“You have here, sir, an old trapper‘
known as Silent Sam?” ~ ‘

“ Yes, a man of sixty, if not more, yet
as agile, strong, and quick as a yOuth.
He is an odd character, spends his time
in trapping, and it is said has put by a
good sum of money. But he knows this
country perfectly, has warned me time
and again when the Indians are‘getting
ready to strike a blow, and yet how he
escapes death at their hands is a. mys-
teryHtoiallhin the fort.” . .

“ 'c s t 6 man I wish, one 
Colonel Tharp." or the two" I ’

“ He is here in the fort now, but you x 

know is not under my command, but I
will see him and try, to get him £630,
With you.” _ ,  .  ~

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

   
 

 

 

 

  

 

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. ,._,_ .4 ....“...- .V‘ ,3

Buffalo Bill’s Relentless Trail.

  
   

3

 

 

 

“ He will go, sir.”
“I am not so sure of that, Surgeon
Powell, for he is devoted to trapping and
is preparing to start upon another trail
now. The man well deserves his name
of Silent Sam, for he never speaks un-
less spoken to, or he has to do so, though
he is not sullen or of an ugly disposi—
tion. Why, he never uttered a dozen
Words in telling me the Indians were
preparing for a raid some months ago.”

“It is his way, sir. But tell him that
I wish him to go with me, and he will
not refuse.”

“All right, sir, I’ll send for him to-
night.”

“ But who is the other man? ”

“The Indian who is known as Man
Killer.”

“Ah! There is another silent man,
and a strange character. He came to the
fort a year ago, and while he wears the
war bonnet of a Ute, he has the trap—
pings of a Moqui, the weapons of a Sioux
and the superb blanket of a Navajo.
Then, too, he Speaks the tongue of each
tribe named perfectly, and his English
has very. little accent. Which is his
tribe no one knows, and it seems his
intmuon not, to allow me to find out; but
he is heart and soul the friend of the
palefaces, and, though We know nothing

~ about him here, we trust him thoroughly,

and his services have been invaluable."

“Well, colonel, I wish Silent Sam and
Man Killer from the fort and I will
surely have as allies Buffalo Bill and
Wild Bill.”

“Certainly the strongest
could have.”

“Yes, sir, it will be a hand full of
trumps. But it must not be known that
I go on this duty, and with these men.”

“ I underst nd, Powell.”

“ Those i the fort must think I have
been granted leave, and will go to visit
comrades at the nearest post.”

“ Yes.”

“The old trapper, Silent Sam, must
start as though on a trapping trail, and
Man Killer, the Indian chief, must be
sent off on a scout.”

6‘ Y‘es.!’

“I will appoint a rendezvous where
we are to meet, and then we can head
off Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill, and my
little band will be complete, while a.
"pack horse I take along will carry, all
the supplies we need.”

“I do not just see, Powell, why you
take your men from the fort, to discover
the perpetrators of crimes committed
here.”

“The assassins, sir, are either in the
fort or out of it.” -

H Yes-9’

“ If here, we can discover it by watch-
ing until the next sentinel is murdered.”

“ Yes.” .

“If the assassin is not in the fort, then
we can find out where he comes from.”

“ You are right.

“ Go ahead in your own way, Surgeon
Powell; but tell me, do you think it pos—
sible that a man, or men, in the fort can
be the slayer of these negro sentinels? "

" It is possible, sir, but not probable.”

“ Now, my theory is that Indians are
the murderers, for it is nothing more
than murder, the manner in Which these
poor sentinels have been killed."

“ If Indians, sir, we will discover the
fact."

“ You do not say what you think, how-
ever.”

“11 have not yet made up my. mind,
sir.’ ‘

“ Well, I have no right to expect you
to express an opinion, especially as you
have undertaken to fathom the mystery
for me, and thus prevent the utter de—
moralization of the colored troops.”

I “ Colonel Thorp,” said Surgeon Powell,
egriously, “I regard this killing of the

team you

.netm troops not as the work of red—

skins,’ for paleface and black face would
‘both'fall their victims. Who is guilty

‘ whas to be found out; but it will be dis-

covered to be the work of envy, muice,

.. bug revenge, more than likely the latter.

--?fl'1ihe causeot this, revenge we do not

I :

No _ any mom'than we. do messenger,

 

    

but the secret will be revealed in some
way, murder will out, and I undertake
the task of solving the mystery. and
bringing the guilty to punishment as a
stern duty, and with a determination to
be successful.

“Now, sir, I will go and arrange for
my departure and the work in hand,”
and Surgeon Powell left Colonel Thorp
much food for thought.

 

CHAPTER IV.
STRANGE PARDS.

To his pleasant quarters went Sur—
geon Frank Powell, and, after pacing up
and down the room for some time, as
though forming his plans of action, he
called his servant and sent him away on
an errand.

In half an hour the man returned with
the word:

“Both the Indian and Silent Sam are
at headquarters, sir, for the colonel sent
for them, but I left word with the orderly
to tell them to come to you, sir, when
they left there.”

“ That was right,” and Surgeon Powell
continued to pace the floor.

It was not long before, without a sound
to denote his coming, the tall form of
an Indian glided into the room.

“Medicine Chief White Beaver want
to see Man Killer?" he asserted, rather
than asked, as he confronted Doctor
Powell. '

“Yes, I sent for the Man Killer. Sit
down and smoke your pipe with me,”
and the surgeon filled a handsome pipe
he took from where it hung on the wall,
and, handing it to the Indian, said:

“I’ll give this to the Man Killer.”

The eyes of the redskin fairly danced
with delight, but he only said:

“ IVhite Beaver good man. Man Killer
his red brother.”

Lighting his own pipe, the surgeon
took a seat, and the two smoked away
in silence for some time, the eyes of the
white man now and then resting upon
the face of the Indian with a searching
regard.

It was a strong face, every feature
strongly stamped with character.

It was not a cruel face, but one of pow-
er, marked with intelligence and de-
termined will.

The hair was long, straight, black as
ink, and combed back, falling below the
massive shoulders, and his only head
ornament were half a dozen eagle feath-
ers.

He wore a buckskin hunting shirt, leg-
gings, moccasins, and a belt with a bowie
knife and a pair of revolvers, while,
when on the trail, he had Slung at his
back a repeating rifle.

Around his neck was a massive neck-
lace of bones from human fingers, and
of grizzly claws, each showing his prow-
ess as a brave chief.

After puffing away in silence for some
time, the chief, for his feathers denoted
that he was one, held out his pipe to be
refilled.

This the surgeon did, and then re-
marked:

“The big chief sent for
Killer? ”

‘6 Yes-D)

“ He told him that he wanted him to
go with White Beaver upon a trail? ”

“ Yes.”

“ The Man Killer will go? ”

“ Yes, go on any trail with the White
Beaver.”

“ I will leave to—morrow night”

“Man Killer ready.”

“ All right, do not- speak of going”

" Man Killer have silent tongue.”

“ I know that well. The White trailer,
Silent Sam, will go with us.”

“ Heap good man for trail.”

“ Yes, and we will meet one, perhaps
two, good men on the trail.”

The Indian nodded. He did not ask
who they were to meet or where they
were going.

“Did the big white chief tell the‘Man
Killer where we Were going?" ‘

the Man

No. . .
, V!‘/'Big.white chief tell Man mud; go,

if
2 .

 

with Medicine Chief. Say, White Beaver
tell him all.”

“I will. We go to find out who it is
that kills the negro soldiers so myste-
riously in this fort,” and Surgeon Powell
looked fixedly at the redskin.

The latter’s face did not show an emo-
tion, as he silently smoked 0n.

“ Does the Man Killer think we can
find out?”

“ White Beaver great chief—maybe so,

‘bime—by, he find out killer of black
g braves.”
“I hope so. The Man Killer has a
good horse?”
“Heap good.”
i “ I will take all that we need for camp-
ng'n

 

  

“Killer of black braves not here?"
asked the Indian.

“1 do not know. That we must find
out, and by going away from the fort
we can do so, I hope.”

“ Maybe so, bime-by,” was the laconic
response, and the Indian, carefully wrap-
pillg'llp his pipe in buckskin, strode out
of the doctor’s quarters.

“ That redskin is as deep a mystery to
me as is this slayer of the negro sol-
diers. I have half suspected him of be-
ing this secret slayer, and yet there is
no reason really for such belief that I
can fasten upon. Still, I will have him
with me, and that will settle that ques-
tion,” and Surgeon Powell turned toward
another person who had just entered his
quarters. as silently as had the Man
Killer, and wholly neglectful of the little
formality of knocking.

The newcomer was as striking looking
a_ personage in his way. as was the In-
man.

It was Silent Sam, the Lone Trapper,
and a rugged specimen of manhood he
was, for he was of massive build, with-
out a pound of useless flesh upon him.
was dressed in Indian-tanned buckskin,
moccasins, blue woolen shirt, and a wolf-
skin cap.

His hair, worn long, and beard were
as white as snow, and he wore a pair of
gold-rimmed spectacles, the glasses be-
ing smoked, as though he suffered with
weak eyes, though he had never been
known to miss anything he drew a head
on with rifle or revolver.

A kindly, yet determined, intelligent
face, make up the picture of a somewhat
remarkable man.

 

CHAPTER V.
SILENT SAM.

“ I’m here.” '

This was the greeting of the old bor-
derman, as he came into the quarters of
Surgeon Powell.

“I am glad~to see you, Silent Sam, for
I wish to have a talk with you. Sit
down.”

The trapper did so, uttering no word.

“ Will you smoke? ” ‘

H No",

“ Have a drink? ”

H No‘)’ .

" You have seen Colonel Thorp? ”

I! Yes.” ‘

d‘;I suppose he told you what he want-
e . 9,

“ No. Said you would.”

“All right. I wish you to go on a.
trail with me.”

“ Colonel said that much."

“ Will you go? "

a Yes.’,

“ When? "

(1 NOW.” l

“I go te~morrow night."

“ I’ll be ready.”

“ I’ll get all needed for the outfit.”

“ All right.” a

“ Do you not wish to know where we
are going? ”

“ That’s your business.”

“ You are willing to trust me?" ‘

“ Every time.”

“ I thank you, Silent Sam.”

“I know you, White. Beaver Powell.”.

“ And, knowing you as I do. I wish you.
along, for we are going upon a. strange

 

trail, and one that may be dangero‘ us-i 2  5
the extreme.” . . l .- -   

  
    
   
   
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
    
   
   
 
  
  
  
   
   
 
   
   
   
    
  
   
   
  
  
  
  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
 
 
  
    
  
  
   
    
  
   
  
   
   
  
   
  
  
    
  
   
    
 
    
   
       
       
     
       
       
       
     
         
      
          
  
  

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'Buffalo Bill’s Relentless Trail.

 

I

Silent Sam made no reply.

He hardly appeared to be interested.

“ I wish to ask you something, Sam? ”

“ All right.”

“Have you ever thought of the mys~
terious killing of the black soldiers when
on duty at this fort?”

“Yes.”

“ What is your opinion?"

" Revenge.”

" That is my idea. But who is the
avenger? ”

“ Nobody knows.”

" Is he paleface, redskin, or negro?”

“ Never thought which.”

“ Well it is to try and find out that I
am starting on this trail, and there is no

. need to tell you not to speak of why
-- we go?”

“ I don’t talk.”

The Surgeon Scout was convinced of
that fact most thoroughly.

“ I wish your valuable services, and I
will take along the Indian chief, Man

v Killer.”

‘ to see me.

“ Just the man.”

“ Then we will be met on the trail by
one or two others.”

For the first time the silent
showed some curiosity, for he asked:

“ Who? ”

" Did you ever hear of Buffalo Bill?"

The man of few words smiled.

“ Everybody has,” he said, after a
pause.

“Well, he is my friend, and is coming
We will meet him on the

man

trail.”

“ We’ll find out what we want to know
then,” and Silent Sam seemed to feel
tired at having uttered such a long sen-
tence, for he sighed.

“ You know of Wild Bill, also? ”

‘ “ He’s another of Buffalo Bill’s kind.”

“ Yes, and I hope will come with Buf-
falo Bill.”

“ Good! ”

“ With those two men, you, the In-
dian, and myself, our little band will be
made'up.”

“ All good men—none better,” and Sil-
ent Sam did not appear to be compli-
menting himself in the least.

He knew what he could do, and he was
well aware that Surgeon Powell and the
others he had selected were the very
kings of bordermen.

“I wish to say, Silent Sam, that, al-

1 though this mysterious killing has been

done at and about thefort, I am going
away from here to find out who the

’ killer is.”

..3.

u Right." .

“ We can certainly thus learn if In-
dians are doing the deadly wor ."

“Yes, can trail ’em.”

“ We can also find out if the murderer
is one of the bands of outlafws which we
know infest the country."

“Can track them, too.”

" When this discovery is made, as to
whether Indians or outlaws do the kill-
ing, we can then look nearer home.”

[I Yes.” ‘

“ Well, now you know my plans, and
we are to start to-morrow night, leaving
the fort secretly, so as not to attract
attention, and let it be known that we
are gone. Should Buflalo Bill and Wild
Bill come by a'diflerent trail than the
one I expect them to take, Colonel Thorp
will' at once send them to a rendezvous
where I will appoint to meet them, and——

. but what is that alarm?" and Surgeon
v Powell sprang to his feet and went to
2 the door, Silent Sam following him.

~L

a...

   

: "like , a spectre, Surgeon Powell walked

There was evidently some cause of ex- V

citement in the fort, for soldiers were
hastening to and fro, lights were mov-

‘ ing, and voices were heard.

"I know,” said Silent Sam.

“ Yes, I think I'do, too." -

“ An er black soldier killed.”

“ Beyond a doubt. I will go to the

 ~.guardhouse and find out."

And, while Silent Sam glided away

; ragidly- toward the guardhouse.

e
A‘.

“scenic-way:
O.” ‘ ' ‘ . .

.}:

 

hisgay he met the Indian Chief,

CHAPTER VI.

THE AVENGER AT WORK.

Surgeon Powell, upon reaching the
guardhhuse, found that the Indian, whom
he had supposed was following him, had
disappeared.

He had quietly dropped out of sight.

The officer at the day was there, and
he told Surgeon Powell that the relief, on
its rounds half an hour before, had found
the sentinel on Post Number Thirteen
dead, an Indian arrow in his heart.

Of course, as there had been no report
of a rifle or revolver, there had been no
alarm, but the sentinel had without doubt
been killed only a short while before,
for the body was still warm.

“ What does this mean, Powell?”
asked the officer of the day, in a depre-
cating manner.

“ It was a negro soldier, captain?”

“ Oh, yes.

“ None of the white soldiers seem to
come under this ban of death.”

“ I suppose the colored troops are feel-
ing very blue over it? ”

“Those 1 have seen are, and I wish
you would go to their quarters and try
and pacify them, for they have much
confidence in you." .

“I will. .

“Of course, the affair has been re-
ported to the colonel? ”

“At once.”

“I will drop in at headquarters, and
then go to the barracks of the Black
Troops. But what is being done?”

“What can we do? The murderer has
of course gone, his trail cannot be found
by night, even if it can by day, and
which I doubt, so all we can do is to
keep the guard upon its rounds often, to
give the sentinels confidence. It you can
suggest anything else to the colonel,
please do so.”

Surgeon Powell walked away. rapidly
toward headquarters.

The orderly told him the colonel was
in his office, and he walked right in un-
announced.

Colonel Thorp was pacing the floor,
his face wearing a troubled look.

“ Ah, Powell, I just Sent for you.”

“I did not meet your messenger, sir,’

but concluded to come and see you."

“ You have heard of this last trag-
edy? ”

i“I just came from the guardhouse,
s r.” .

“ Well, what do you think? ”

“ That this secret slayer is a daring
one, and is determined to carry out his
work of revenge.”

“Yes, and instead of leaving the fort,
I think you had better begin your detect-
ive work right here.”

“On the contrary, Colonel Thorp, I
am the more convinced that I had bet-
ter go.”

“ Why so? ”

“I will then be able to learn more
about the identity of this secret as-
sassin.”

“ Well, have your own way, for I feel
that you know "best."

“ I have seen both the Indian and the
trapper, sir.” .

“ Yes, I sent them to you, for I had a
talk with each 0 hem, and offered them
liberal pay for their services."

“ We have arranged to start to-mOrrow
night, sir, and I am most anxious to get
but of the fort without my going being
known, so will ask to leave by the oili-
cers’ gate, which is kept closed, and
where no guard is on duty."

“ Certainly. I will give you the key;
but I wish you would go over to the bar-
racks of the colored troops and quiet the
poor fellows, for they are doubtless
greatly worked up over this last deadly
blow at one of their comrades."

"I intended to go, sir, and will at
once do so. Tomorrow I will call on
you, sir, and go over our plans,” and
Surgeon Powell was turning to go, when
he said. -

“ May I suggest, sir, that you let me

sendout half a dozen scouts, to leave the
fort by sealing the wall, so that their 30-.
ing is .aotl‘known. end the



 

 

t “16   '

stantly all on the move from post to
post, only not to allow the sentinels to
see them, and thus prevent another mur—
der to-night? ”

“ It shall be done, and I will ask you
to go to the scouts’ camp and pick your
men, sending them to their respective
places of duty; but surely you do not
expect another murder to-night? ” .

“I have a dread that there may be, ',
sir, and I will go at once to the scouts’ ’
camp, then to the barracks of the Black
Troops, and try and pacify them—ah!
there is another cause of alarm! ”

It was the sergeant of the guard, and
he came in, with white face, hastily sa—
luted, and said, excitedly:

“The captain sent me to tell you, sir,
that another colored soldier has just
been killed on his post.”

“By Heaven! but this is terrible!”
cried Colonel T‘horp, with anger and in-
dignation commingled in look and tone.

“On what post was it, sergeant?”
asked Surgeon Powell, calmly.

“ Number One, sir.” ,

“ Ah! right at my quarters, almost.

“You are sure it was a negro soldier,
sergeant? ”

“Yes, colonel, for the colored troops
are only, on guardvto-night, sir."

“All right; return to Captain Banks '
and tell him to put a white soldier on
each post with the man now on duty, and
thus keep them through the night.”

“Yes, sir, the darkies Will be glad of

this, sir,” said the sergeant, as he has- ' '

tened away. .

“And you will go at once to the
scouts, Powell?” '

“I will, sir, and then to the negro bar-
racks, for I wish to know how this last
man was killed, though it must have been
with an arrow, as we heard no shot.”

With this Surgeon Powell hastened
away, and in less than ten minutes half
a dozen of the best scouts were slipping
out of the fort, to take the beats as--
signed them, beyond the line of sentinels. ,

Going then to the barracks of the l
Black Troops, Surgeon Powell met on

‘the way the Indian chief, Man Killer,

who joined him and said:

“One more black brave die—make
two.”

“ Yes, but come with me, Man Killer,
to the quarters of the black braves.”

Without a word the Indian obeyed.

 

CHAPTER VII.
THE FATAL ARROWS.

The colored troops were in a terrible
state of excitement, their white officers
in vain trying to quiet them.

At the appearance of Surgeon Powell
they all turned to him, for there was that
about the man that commanded confi-
dence. '

There was a personal magnetism about.
him which every wounded and sick sol—
dier had been quick to recognize.

In the assembly hall lay the two dead;
bodies of the soldiers that had fallen on
their posts, doing their duty. ~

The hand of the unknown assassin had
cut them off without a. word or warning.

Both had been killed by, an arrow.

One of the arrows had been removed,
but the other was still sticking in the
heart whose pulsations it had forever'
silenced.

The black soldiers greeted Surgeon
Powell with salutes and cries of delight
at his coming.

“ Be calm, men! You are soldiers, and
not men to be alarmed at death," he
said, in his calm, kindly way. .

At once there was a hush in the hall.

Walking straight to the 'two stretcher. '1 .

upon which lay the murdered black sol-
diers, Surgeon Powell bent over them.

His hand rested gently upon the head-I"

of the man first slain.

His body was barely cold, and from 

it the fatal arrow had been taken, and
lay. upon the broad breast of the black“.
soldier. - ' 
The Surgeon Scout took up the arm
looked carefully at it, amid a deetlilik
silence, and with every eye upon -
3 his side stood the Indian

       

6’

   
 

 

 

 

  
 
 

 

 

 

  

  

  

   
   
  
   

“Wing! _,,..:_

..—.¢. .— qua-.rm..7_.»..

Buffalo Bill’s Relentless Trail.  i I 5

 

 

 

gathered about him, he bade them to
aficept the situation as brave soldiers
‘ s

 soldiers was to face death in hidden form.

gab

“"h'EaMurder will, out,” continued Surgeon
KWell. “ There may be more of you to

Having regarded the arrow searching—
ly,‘ for a minute or more, and which
seemed far longer to the lockers-on, Sur-
geon Powell handed it to the Indian.

“ Let the Man Killer tell me who fired
this arrow, paleface or redskin? ”

The Man Killer took it and regarded
it with deepest attention.

He looked at the point, the shape, the
feathered end, and then said, calmly:

“Redskin make him—Navajo—pale-
face may shoot him—maybe so, maybe
110.)!

All heard the Indian's response.

It told them nothing.

The arrow was made by a Navajo In-
dian, may have been shot by a white
man.

Who could tell?

Taking the arrow back from the In-
dian, the Surgeon Scout walked around
to the body of the other black soldier.

Like the other, he was a splendid spec—
imen of manhood.

In his broad breast the arrow that had
killed him still remained.

It was buried some six inches deep.

“Fired just as the other was, from
directly in front of the man, and at a
very short distance from him, as is
shown by the depth it penetrated.

“The soldiers were pacing their beats,
and while going from him the murderer
slipped into position, and upon their re-
turn fired. I do not believe either saw
their foe or knew what killed them.”

Each word spoken by the Surgeon
Scout was listened to with rapt atten-
tion.

The black troops seemed to feel that
he could make no mistake.

What he said was set down as fact.

Taking hold of the arrow, then, Sur-
geon Powell, by a quick, strong jerk,
drew it from the body, the act causing
several dark faces to turn an ashen hue.

The arrow was then looked over even
more critically than had been the other.

Apparently. satisfied with his inspec-
tion of the fatal shaft, Surgeon Powell
handed it to the Indian.

Letting him inspect it from point to
feather, the surgeon placed his hand
upon the pulse of the second victim of the
unknown slayer of the black soldiers.

The body was not yet cold in death.

But death had come suddenly.

“ What does the Man Killer -know
about that arrow? ” and Surgeon Powell
turned suddenly from the dead negro to
the living Indian.

The Man Killer never moved, other
than to raise his eyes, and after a mo-
ment replied:

“ No Navajo make him.”

“ So I discovered. But the other arrow
was made by a. Navajo? ”

“Yes.”

“ What tribe made this arrow? ”

(l Ute."

“ The Man Killer is right; did a Ute
fire this arrow to kill the black brave? "

“Maybe Ute, maybe Navajo, maybe
paleface," was the reply.

The Surgeon Scout took the arrow,
with the other one, and Said to the white
ofiicer commanding the black infantry:

“ I will keep these, Captain Wayland,
for I have each one of the other fatal
'missiles used, bullets and all, and some
day. they, may tell a story.”

Then, addressing the black troops

ould.
They had a secret foe, but the duty of

 

and some day it would be their‘ turn to
avenge the fatal blows then given them.
gUntil that time came, they must ac-
pt what came to them, meet all danger
raver as had their comrades who
«died upon‘ their posts of duty.

 

6‘
«'13
Q
r9
('0'
[3‘
CD

ask at their unknown enemy.

\

 

but; "meet, your fate as others have.
. stinking. and hide your tune,
, ~ 4 here

 

days, I promise you, you will be avenged
for all that you have been made to suf-
fer.”

And so the calm words of the Surgeon
Scout stilled the excitement, and when
he left the assembly hall the men were
becoming silent and stern, in their de-
termination to bide their time.

 

CHAPTER VIII.

’ ON THE TRAIL.

The bodies of the two dead soldiers
were buried with military honors the
next day, and upon their comrades
seemed to settle a cloud of gloom.

The day passed quietly, however, and
only when the shadows of night began to
creep over the scene did the men of the
colored commands begin to grow uneasy.

Surgeon Powell had been closeted for
a couple of hours with Colonel Thorp
and his adjutant, and the result was
that two men were put on each sentinel
post, a white soldier and a black one,
while several scouts were kept beyond
the line circling around the fort.

But, in spite of this precaution, and
treble force on the outer line, counting
the scouts as well as the sentinels, be-
fore night had settled down an hour a
sudden cry was heard, and the voice of
the white sentinel on duty near head-
quarters rang out almost wildly, shout-
ing:

“Corporal of the guard!

“ Post Number Three—the black sen-
tinel has been killed! ”

Instantly. the fort was a scene of ex-
citement, and only stern military disci-
pline prevented a panic.

At a double quick the guard went to
Post Number Three, the officer of the
day at its head, and there was found the
negro. sentinel, lying on his beat, an ar-
row through his neck.

He was not dead, and in vain tried to
speak, to tell what he had seen, what he
knew.

The white soldier at the same post was
an Irishman, and he was considerably
rattled.

He quickly told the officer of the day.
that he had been at the further end of
his beat, when he heard a dull thud, a
moan, and a fall.

He called to his companion, for he
could not see him in the darkness, and
got for answer a groan.

Then he ran to where he had left him
a minute before, leaning against the
stockade wall, and found him lying on
the ground, writhing in agony.

Calling the guard, he had tried to get
the dying negro soldier to tell him who
had fired on him, but in vain.

He strove hard to speak, but could not.

And in vain did the dying man try to
speak to the officer of the guard, for he
could not.

Surgeon Powell came, accompanied by
the Indian chief, Man Killer, and, kneel-
ing by the negro, he drew the arrow
from his neck, and tried to stanch the
bleeding, to have him speak.

But all to no purpose, for the stream-
ing blood choked all utterance, and the
poor fellow soon passed away, and was
borne to the barracks.

“‘ Great God, Powell, what is to be
done! for the negro troops are becoming
panic-stricken? ” cried Colonel Thorp,
moved by the occasion out of his usual
calm, when Surgeon Powell appeared and
told him all.

" If that man could have spoken, sir,
he would have solved this mystery,‘for
he knew who his foe was and tried hard
to tell.” '

' Then, in answer to the colonel’s ques-
tion, Doctor Powell replied:

“As you ask me, sir, I would suggest
that you take every black soldier off of
sentinel duty at once, placing only the
white men on, and withdrawing the
scouts from the outside.

“ Then you can be certain if this secret
fce only strikes at the black troops,
while, if he should kill a white soldier,
the negroes would feel that they alone
were not selected

 

   
 

 

  

for. death, and thus; res ,

“ You are right, and I thank you for
the suggestion.

“I will at once give the order, before
the black soldiers get into a panic.

“But when do you start upon your
trail?”

“At once, sir. I was all ready when
the alarm was given at Post Three, and
had sent the Man Killer to you for any
last instructions and to report my go-
mg.”

“ Yes, I had told him" that there was _
nothing more to be said, and he had not '

been gone five minutes when I heard the
alarm.” _

A few more words were said, and the
Surgeon Scout left the colonel, grasping
his hand warmly in parting and wishing
him good luck.

Going to his quarters, he locked his
cabin, after putting out the lamp, and
then made his way to the oflicers’ gate
in a secluded part of the stockade.

There an officer awaited, and told him
that Silent Sam and the Indian had
passed out, and had taken his horse with
them.

It was Colonel Thorp's handsome
young aide de camp, Lieutenant Joe
Chamberlin, as he was familiarly called
by his brother officers, and he alone was
in the secret of the going of the Surgeon
Scout and his strange allies to solve the
mystery that had proved so fatal to
the negro soldiers.

“ Good-by, Chamberlin, and let me say
that I believe I am going to win this
game against an unknown foe," said
Surgeon Powell. -

“I told Colonel Thorp you were the
one to fathom this fatal mystery, and I
feel that you will. I only wish that I
was going with you, Powell.”

“ No, you carry out here the plans we
discussed to-day, and you know where
to bring a letter, or find us, if anything
new turns up—

“ Good-night,” and the Surgeon Scout
passed through the gate, Lieutenant
Chamberlin closing and locking it be—
hind him. '

Several hundred yards away from the
fort the Surgeon Scout came upon Silent
Sam and the Man Killer awaiting him.

They were both well mounted, and had
an extra horse belonging to Surgeon Pow-
ell, and which was used as a pack animal,
being well loaded with a complete camp—
ing outfit.

“Now, pards, we are off on our work
of trailing a mystery. Do your duty, and
we will run this foe of the black soldiers
to earth.”

“ We follow your lead, Surgeon Pow-
ell,” said Silent Sam.

But the Indian chief, Man Killer, said
nothing.

 

CHAPTER IX.
IN DEADLY DANGER.

During the day. he was preparing for
his trail, Surgeon Powell had sent a doz- ,
en of the best scouts of the fort to try
and find some trail, track, or clue to the
assassin who struck so boldly and at
will.

The scouts returned before sunset, all
of them, and each one had the same
story to tell.

They could not find the slightest trace
or clue to the murderer.

And yet that very night, with two men
on duty at each post, one of them, the
black soldier, had beenkilled.

If the secret assassin came from afar.
the best scouts could not dicover that
fact. -

Nor did'they know whether it was an

‘Indian or a paleface, that was the

avenger.

With, therefore, little to guide him.
other than what suspicions he might
have in his own mind as to who the
avenger might be, Surgeon Powell start-
ed upon his trail of mystery.

Through the darkness the three rode
for ten miles or more, until Surgeon
Powell turned into a clump of, ti 

at the base of a cliff, where there w ‘ a ,

spring and grass was abundant.  ' .,
._A are _m'bulit, the horses stair ' '
. up v.

as the:

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twith 0 horses, while Man Killer wont

Buffalo Bill’s Relentless Trail.

I r 0.- .-~~‘.‘

 

 

The night passed without disturbance,
breakfast was gotten, the camp outfit
packed up, and once more Surgeon Pow-
ell led the way.

He hoped to meet Buffalo Bill that
day, and Wild Bill, if he accompanied
him.

It was just before noon that they halt—
ed for rest and dinner, in the timber at
the base of a. wooded range, over which
the trail ran.

Seeing some deer, Surgeon Powell left
his pards to care for the horses and get
dinner, while he went up the range to
bring dowu a buck.

He had reached the summit without
a shot, when his eyes fell upon some
moving objects far out upon the plain,
and coming along the trail that led over
the range.

He had his field glass with him, and
he made out two horsemen, leading a
pack animal.

“Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill, I’ll take
oath," he said, and just then, as be swept
the plain with his glass, he saw some-
thing move behind a large rock at the
side of the trail.

At first glance he believed it was a
buffalo or elk lying there in the shade
of the rock, but a moment more the
glass had revealed two men crouching
there, rifle in hand, and evidently lying
in ambush for the coming horsemen.

“An ambush, as I live! Now to save
my pards and catch those two fellows.”
muttered the Surgeon Scout.

He at once began to carefully take in
the situation and note what was in his
favor and against him.

His two pards in the camp were all of
half a mile down the range.

The two men lying in wait were over
half a mile from the base of the range
upon the other side.

The two horsemen, supposed to be Buf-
falo Bill and Wild Bill, were several
miles away, riding slowly, and wholly
unconscious of the danger lurking in
their trail, for what else could the pair
be hiding behind that rock, rifles in
hand, than to kill those they saw com-
ing? .

For a moment Surgeon Powell was in
a. quandary, and glanced about him in
an uncertain way.

As he did so he saw a canyon leading
into the range, and not far from where
he stood.

“ Those fellows must have their camp
in that canyon, and there may be others
there. I must save my pards, but go
slow in doing so, not to make any mis-
take.”

A moment more of thought, and he
bounded back down the trail toward his
camp.

Half the distance was covered when
he hallooed and hailed.

He was answered by Silent Sam.

“ Leave all as it is there, mount your
horses, and come here with all speed! ”

The answer came:

“ All right, sir!” -

Then Surgeon Powell started up the
trail again.

The men were still lying in ambush.

The two horsemen were slowly coming
on toward their lurking foes.

Five minutes passed, and then the
Man Killer and Silent Sam came, leading

. the horse of the surgeon.

“ Man Killer, get down into that can-
yon and find out who and what is there.

“ See those two men lying behind that
rock?

“Well, they are in ambush to kill
those two horsemen -— Buffalo Bill and
Wild Bill.

“ Silent Sam, I will go along the ridge
on foot, you follow, out of sight, with
the horses.”

With this Surgeon Powell started on
foot along the ridge, 'and Just over the
edge, so he could not be seen by the men
in ambush, should they glance up that

B‘ont Sam, still further down, followed

“to reach the‘ canyon, which pene-
6
. um

 

 

What a short distance. x g 

The' head of the canyon was flanked by
the Surgeon Scout and Silent Sam, but
the view down into it was obstructed by
heavy timber.

Reaching a place almost opposite the
rock where the men lay in ambush, and
which was an eighth of a mile distant
from the base of the range, Surgeon Pow-
ell saw that he could go down on foot,
but the horses could not, so he must
leave the animals and he and Silent Sam
go to the rescue of the coming horsemen,
and that must mean to capture or kill
the would-be assassins.

That the horsemen were Buffalo Bill
and Wild Bill Surgeon Powell now dis-
tinctly saw.

He could warn them by a shot of their
danger, but that would also put the
ambushers on their guard, and he wished
to surprise them.

There was little time to be lost, for
to capture the two men, he and Silent
Sam must reach the base of the range
and secure shelter, then warn the ap-
proaching horsemen by calling out and
demanding the surrender of the pair of
murderers, who must yield or fight it
out, with Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill on
one side of the rock and Surgeon Powell
and Silent Sam on the other.

Calling to Silent Sam to leave the
horses and follow him down the range,
the Surgeon Scout was startled by a
clear, loud hail, in a woman’s voice, and
suddenly, out of the mouth of the can-
yon the Man Killer had been sent to
reconnoitre, dashed three horses, one
carrying a. rider.

 

CHAPTER X.
A WOMAN IN BLACK.

The ringing hail had been in the clear,
musical voice of a 'woman.

There was no doubting that fact.

It rang like a bugle note, and went
echoing far over the plain.

It gave warning to the two men in am-
bush, for they sprang to their feet, rifle
in hand, no longer seeking to remain
hidden. ' .

And out of the mouth of the canyon
came three horses, bounding along like
the wind. ‘

Two were riderless, but were bridled
and carried men’s saddles.

They were led by the rider of the third
horse.

That rider was a woman.

She was mounted upon a jet-black
horse, and she rode with a reckless grace
that showed that she was at home in the
saddle.

Her riding habit was black, she wore
a black sombrero, with broad brim and
sable plume, and at first glance Surgeon
Powell cried: ‘

“A negress, by Heaven!”

Then he added:

“ No, I believe she wears a black veil.”

Straight toward the rock she rode, and
the two men were now running to meet
her. '

The hail of the woman had been heard
by the two horsemen, yet nearly. a mile
away from the scene of ambush.

They had also seen the two men spring
from behind the rock and run toward the
range.

They then beheld the woman in black
and the two led horses.

Instantly they had come to a halt, to
take observations.

Surgeon Powell knew that he could
reach the two men flying along on foot,

that his rifle would bring one down at .

that distance.

But he had lowered the weapon he
had half raised to his shoulder.

They were foiled in their intention, and
the Surgeon Scout was not a man to take
life when there was no need of it.

Then, too, he would not fire to kill in
the presence of a woman.

But who was the‘ woman, and who
were the men? .

They wore white men, clad in buck-
skin, wore broad-bummed .hats, and
their hair was long, their faces heavily

. ' '7
’ ._ .-',,...;..~r:~-.,~

 

 

But why should white men fire on
Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill?

Were they. outlaws?

If so, what was the woman doing in
their presence, going to their rescue?

The Surgeon Scout felt that he and
Silent Sam were at a disadvantage.

The two fugitives did not appear to
have seen them.

The Man Killer had doubtless started
the woman in flight out of the canyon;
yet if he had seen her he had not fired
upon her, nor had he prevented her go-
ing to the rescue of her companions, for
such they must be, as she led their
horses to them.

His own horses the Surgeon Scout
could not get down from the range with-
out going back to the trail.

Yet he must make some efiort to halt
those two men.

“ Go back to the horses and ride along
the range, Sam, for they may go that
way when they mount.

“ I will meet you on the plain, and we
may catch them between ourselves and
our coming pards, for the latter are again
moving," cried the Surgeon Scout, and
while Silent Sam ran back to the horses
to obey, Frank Powell bounded on down
the range to its base, and suddenly called
out:

“Halt!

“Hands up there, for you are
cred! ”

The two men, now nearing the woman
and their horses, did halt.

They were taken by surprise.

What had caused the dash of the wo-
man in black out of the canyon they did
not know.

But the voice of the Surgeon Scout
was something tangible to act upon.

So they involuntarily. halted.

The Surgeon Scout appeared as he
spoke, and the two men and the wo-
man, who also glanced toward him, saw
a man in uniform.

COV‘

Soldiers were not wont to go alone 1

far from the fort.

There must be others near. “ '-

At least, such seemed to be the
thoughts of the twofugitives, while the
woman cried:

“ Mount and fly, for the love of God,
 n

The two men were already again upon
the jump for the horses.

Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill also were
coming on at a run.

“Halt, I command you! ” shouted Sur-
geon Powell.

But he did not fire.

He did not care to kill a man who was
not attacking him, nor to fire on them

in the presence of the woman, whoever '

she might be.

Perhaps they. might not have intended
to kill the two coming scouts.

Again the Surgeon Scout commanded
them to halt.

But in vain, and he half decided to
drop their two horses with a shot.

But this thought came to him too late,
for the next instant the woman had met
them with the led horses, and, mount-
ing with a bound, they wheeled straight
across the plain and went flying along“
like the wind.

And the Surgeon Scout could not pur--

sue, for Silent Sam had not yet appeared

with the horses, and the two scouts were

yet some distance away, with Man Killer . (£737

nowhere in sight.

 

CHAPTER XI.
A MYSTERY.
‘ "K complete failure, and through a,
woman’s act!

“ Who is she, I wonder. Oh, that
Silent Sam could get here with the
horses, for we could run dovVn those
fellows with the little start they have.”

So muttered the Surgedn Scout, as he

\

 

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stood watching alternately the woman  l r

in Black and the two men she had saved

approaching scouts, and next' for the ap-
pleat-an1 r so of Silent Sam and the Indian"
c e . . ‘ r V ‘
- As he cased toward the 

.4 ., uh

rapidly riding over the plain, than the,

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a:

    
  

 

 

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hf; ‘

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_ , A .. gr.  "9-1;:

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Buffalo Bill’s Relentless Trail.

 

he had said were Buffalo Bill and Wild
Bill, he saw them suddenly press for-
ward at a more rapid rate.

“They have seen the woman, and
doubtless regard her as a captive oi the
tw0 men. But they are too far away to
be of much service—ah! one of them is

coming on alone.

“It is Buffalo Bill, and he is heading
so as to cut across after those fellows
and the woman. I must head him off.

“Ah! there comes Silent Sam over the
ridge now.”

But not waiting for Silent Sam, the
Surgeon Scout ran rapidly out upon the
plain to head off Buffalo Bill.

He was seen by the latter, and yet no
halt was made by the horseman until
Doctor Powell stopped short and uttered
a long, thrilling cry.

Instantly the horseman drew rein, and
the next moment rode directly toward
Frank Powell, who said:

“I thought he would know that war
cry, even if he did not recognize me.”

The Woman in Black and her com-
rades had evidently heard the war cry
of the Surgeon Scout, also, for they at

once began to press their horses the
harder.

The scout, however, came on, and so
did Silent Sam, as rapidly as he dared
lead the horses down the steep ridge
trail.

The Indian, however, had not yet ap-
peared in sight, and Surgeon Powell be-
gan to dread that there were others in
the canyon and some\harm had befallen
him.

Taking the whole situation in care-
fully, Frank Powell saw that the fugi—
tives would have all of three miles start
by the time Buffalo Bill and Silent Sam
reached the spot where he awaited them.

Their horses appeared to be fresh, and
with the start they had it would be use-
less to attempt a pursuit, with a view to
immediate capture, though they could
be trailed, he felt sure.

After a few moments Buffalo Bill came
up at a run, and threw himself from his

saddle, while he called out:

“ Frank Powell, by the Gods of War!

“I knew that war cry, though I had
not recognized you before.”

“Yes, Bill, I came out to meet YOU,
and was just in time to save you from
riding into an ambush. It is Wild Bill
with you? "

“ Yes, indeed. But what was the am-
bttsh, Pard Frank?”

‘ Yonder tWO men.”

“ There is a lady with them, kid-
napped, I suppose, so we must rescue
her.”

“ The Lord only knows who she is, for
she does not come from the fort, and
more, but for her we would have caught
or killed those two men.”

“ It may not be a woman.”

“ No doubt of that, I feel sure, Bill.”

“The men I saw run from yonder
rock.”

“ Yes, and woe in ambush there, wait-
ing for you and Wild Bill.”

“Who can they be?”

“ I’d like to know.”

" Did no one at the fort know of my
coming? ”

“ No one who would wish to kill you-—
in fact, Colonel Thorp alone knew of it."

“ And the woman? ”

“ She came out of yonder canyon,
whithe}; I sent one of my pards, an In-
dian chief.”

H  ”

“He must have run upon her, and I
fear met with trouble, for he is not in
sight, and she dashed out, calling to the
two men in ambush and leading their
horses. ,

“I had seen you coming, and caught
eight of the men in ambush."

-2"«“r Who is that coming?”

“ Silent Sam, an old trapper, and my
pard on this trail, for I not only came
out to meet you, Bill, but to get your
aid in a most mysterious affair."

' “ I’m with you, Pard Frank, and Wild
. Bill will-be. too.” , ,

 l “Irkwas sure of that, Cody."

 'v‘wexcannot catch yonder fugitives

 

   

before dark, though we can take their
trail.”

“Oh, yes, but I must know the fate of
my Indian pard first, and our camp outfit
is oy'er beyond the ridge.”

“And you have no idea who those two
men can be, Pard Frank?”

“Outlaws, doubtless.”

“ It may be, but the woman?”

“ That is what puzzles me, Bill.”

“I have heard of a woman who has
been seen on various trails, always alone,
dressed in- black, as yo'nder one appears
to be, riding a black horse, as she does,
and the superstitious ones assert that
she always brings trouble, death, and
disaster." ,

“Well, in this case we will bring it, if
we can corral her and her two pards.”

“But your Indian chief may have al—
ready proven that the story about her is
true."

“ Ah! that is so—we must find out what
has become of him,” answered Frank
Powell, just as Wild Bill rode up, lead-
ing a well-laden pack horse.

 

CHAPTER XII.

A MYSTERIOUS WOMAN.

The coming up of Wild Bill brought
together there upon the plain a trio of
most striking—looking men.

Buffalo Bill, Wild Bill, and Frank
Powell!

Where could be found their equals for
magnificent physique, splendid courage,
and nobleness of nature?

They were phenomenal specimens of
true border‘men.

They were men to do and dare any
danger, yet possessed hearts as gentle as
a woman’s, and were ever ready to
stretch forth the right hand of fell'bw—
ship to a comrade or risk life to aid
him.

Buffalo Bill was a picture to gaze upon,
with his graceful form, broad shoulders,
long hair, picturesque attire, and a face
as handsome as an Adonis.

Wild Bill was his counterpart in manly
beauty. '

Surgeon Powell, with a sterner face,
tinged with a certain sadness, tall, erect,
a giant in strength, well matched the
other two border giants.

Wild Bill has crossed the Great Divide
——died with his boots on, but he has left
his name indelibly stamped upon the
page of frontier history.

Surgeon Powell is to—day a prominent
physician of La Crosse, Wisconsin, ad—
mired and beloved by all who know his
real worth.

Buffalo Bill stands to—day as a living
example of what he was capable of, and
seemed to know, from the time he was a
Boy Scout until he had won a. record
that the wide world knows.

Such were the three men who thus
met upon the plains.

Heroes, each of them, and but for the
keen eye and quick act of Surgeon Pow-
ell, two of them might then and there
have fallen under the deadly aim of am-
bushed assassins.

Wild Bill and Surgeon Powell had been
pards in the past, and the two warmly
clasped hands.

Then Buffalo Bill quickly explained
the situation to Wild Bill, and added:

“ You know, Pard Frank, we were on
our way to see you at Fort Benham,
for I so wrote you.”

“ Oh, yes, and I came out to meet yon,
for just now I preferred not to have you
seen in the fort.”

“ As you please; but our motive was a
double one in coming, for we wished
your aid in a mysterious trail we wish to
follow.”

“ It is a coincidence that I need your
aid, also, In a most mysterious affair,
pards.” \

“ Wonder if it can be the same?”

“ Telling is knowing."

" Well, we are on a woman's trail.”

(I  n V

“ I think we have hit her here, too, for
we last heard that she had come dow
toward Berber” . - , -
“Isit myWoinan in Black? .” ._

 

 

in. most thoroughly. , . g

   

" It looks so.”

” You know her, then?” .

“We know that such a woman has
been haunting the neighborhood of sev-
eral forts in the past two years, and it
has been impossible to track her, or to
find out who and what she is.

“ By what we can learn of her, we have
set her down as an avenger, and though
she has never been seen save alone, we
are sure that she has a strong backing.

“First, she appeared up in Utah, then
in Colorado, and now she has come down
into Colorado.

“She has held up coaches single hand-
ed, for no one else has been seen with
her, and after carefully scrutinizing th.
passengers, she has allowed them to go
on unmolested.”

“Does not rob, eh?”

“Yes, but not individuals. She has
robbed coaches of Government money.
and that, only, while on three occasions
she has taken life, but in each case it
has been a negro soldier she has killed."

“A negro soldier?" cried Surgeon
Powell, with considerable excitement in
tone and manner, something wholly at
variance with his accustomed cairn mien.

“Yes, a colored soldier.”

“Were there other soldiers along at
the time? ”

“Yes, in some instances.

“White soldiers, for instance? ”

“ Yes.”

“And she has shot only negro sol-
diers? ”

~55 Yes‘)!

“I will have something to tell you
both upon this Very subject after a while,
and it would not surprise me, after all,
if we had not the same game in view.

“But you came this way, then, to try
and find out something about this mys-
terious woman? ”

“ Yes, Doc.”

“ It would be remarkable if yonder
woman is your game and mine; but when
did you hear of her last?”

“Two weeks ago, when she held up a.
coach, got ten thousand in Uncle Sam’s
money, killed a negro serge-ant, and was
tracked in this direction for two days,
and then her trail was lost.

“We went back determined to come
here, for we next expected to have her
strike a blow at Benham, and I wrou
you we were coming.”

It Yes.i,

“We saw that woman but indistinctly,
and believed she was some .one from the
fort, who had been kidnapped, for never
before did we hear of the one we are on
the trail of being seen except alone.

“Now, what do you know of her,
Doc? ”

“Next to nothing,” and Surgeon Pow.
e21 told of his discovery of the two scouts,
then of the men in ambush, his return
for his two allies. and what had followed,
expressing his fear that harm had be-
fai‘en the Indian chief, Man Killer.

” We will soon know. But could that
Woman in Black have known that we
were on her trail, and have put those
two men in ambush to stop us? ”

“It would seem so; but how could she
have found it out?”

“Oh, there was open talk at the fort
of our coming, and we were days late
in getting off, for we were delayed.”

“Then she doubtless had allies in the
fort who kept her posted. But here
comes Silent Sam,” and up came the
trapper with the horses.

9)

 

CHAPTER XIII.
FOUND.

“ See anything of Man Killer, Sam?"
called out Surgeon Powell, as the trap-
per roue up. ‘

“ No.”

“Sam, I wish you to know two
pards here, Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill."

“ Yes, mighty glad.”

The old trapper fastened his eyes .upon
first one, then the other. ' '
He took them in from head to foot.

He, seemed satisfied with his inspe‘c- '
tion. and offered his hand in silence. » '

The two scouts had alsotaken him;

 

J .

  

 

   
 

 

 

. ...-.. .. .. .v. .. .-,. ..

Buffalo Bill’s Relentless Trail.

'\

 

 

They saw a man who was an enigma
to them from the very first.

“I know you both—who don't?” said
Silent Sam, in his abrupt way.

“And I aiz‘mglad that we are now go-
ing to know you, Silent Sam, while 1 am
sure Surgeon Powell has been Wise in
the selection of an ally in you," said

. Buffalo Bill.

“Don’t know, maybe not.”

“ We think he was,” Wild Bill re-
marked, considerably impressed with the
old trapper.

“ Well, Sam, we were fortunate in find-
ing our friends as we did, and if I mis-
take not, they know more about yonder
woman than we do.”

Silent Sam glanced toward the woman
and her companions, now far in the dis-
tance, but made no response.

“It seems that a mysterious Woman
in Black has been playing the killing
act, and robbing the coaches of Govern-

' ment money, up to the north of us.”

“ That’s not woman’s work.”

“ No, Sam, but this one done it, if, in-
deed, she proves to be a woman."

“Can’t tell.”

“ No. But now let us go and see what
has become of our pard, the Indian.”

Silent Sam made no reply, and, mount—
ing his own horse, Doctor Powell rode
off by the side of Buffalo Bill.

Wild Bill followed, leading his pack
horse, while Silent Sam led the animal of
the chief.

Straight to the mouth of the canyon
which the Man Killer had been sent to
reconnoitre rode Surgeon Powell, telling
Buflalo Bill as they. went along just how
matters stood and expressing the dread
that they would find the Indian had been
killed when they reached the spot, still
half a mile distant.

“ You know the redskin descended into
the canyon from the range, Bill, for I
had an idea, from the two men being
ambushed where they were that their
horses must be back in shelter some-

. where within easy reach.

“ Now, the canyon was not over a mile
away from them, and hence I sent the
redskin there.

“ As Silent Sam and I came down the
range we saw the woman, and she
dashed right out of the canyon and was
leading the two horses of her compan-
ions.”

“ She must have seen you, then.”

“ Now, but I think she saw the Indian,
and that started her after her compan-
ions.”

“Did you hear no shot?”

“No, the wind was blowing toward
her, and in a canyon thick with pines
the sound might have been smothered,
you know.”

“ V ry true.” '

“Then, too, there might have been
others in the canyon, for they could have
left it, hidden by the undergrowth along
the base of the range.”

“ Yes, or still be there.”

“ Ah! It would be well to go slow."

“ Yes. We are on the trail of the we-
man’s horse and the two led animals,

I will dismount and go up the
range to have a look down into the can-
yon, for we do not wish to ride into an
ambush.”

“No. But Silent Sam will go." And
calling to the trapper, the Surgeon Scout
asked him to dismount, go to the range,
and climb up until he could reconnoitre
the canyon.

The trapper at once obeyed, leaving
his horse to be led by Buffalo Bill, when
they went on.

It was not far to the range, and he
soon disappeared in the_fringe of under-

growth at its base.

The scouts out on the plain waited for
him for half an hour, and yet no call
came to them to advance.

“ Can "he, too, have fallen into a trap? "

‘ asked Wild Bill.

“ If he does not soon appear, we will

,mnurselves' find out what the reason is,"

marked Surgeon Powell; who, as an

 

no he the-leader of the party. 
. lit with his old-,rmeasur

comrades, Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill, he
never stood on rank, and they never ad—
dressed him by his title.

After waiting some time longer, they
were about to move forward, when they
suddenly saw Silent Sam come out of the
entrance of the canyon.

He silently beckoned to them, and they
rode on at a gallop. “Well, Sam, have
you made any discovery?” asked Sur-
geon Powell as they drew near.

“ Found him,” was the laconic response
of Silent Sam, and he turned and led the
way back into the canyon, followed by
the others, wondering what they were to
discover.

 

CHAPTER XIV.

IN THE TOILS.

The mouth of the canyon was filled
with pines, and within a short distance
was a meadow, a large spring of water,
yet so situated in the rocky. cliff that it
was not accessible to any animal smaller
than a horse, that could reach up to it.

The overflow ran into a subterranean
passage, and disappeared.

The spot was a good camping place for
men, but not a watering place for game.
And right here was the Indian found.

He was lying on the ground bound
hand and foot.

But he was conscious, and nodded to
the party as they came up, for he could
not speak.

In his mouth was a gag, tied there in
such a way as to prevent all utterance.

Very quickly did Surgeon Powell un—
bind the Indian and relieve him of the
gag in his month, while Buffalo Bill gave
him a drink of water from the spring,
where he had just filled his canteen.

By the side of the redskin lay his rifle,
belt of arms, his bow and arrows, for
they had not been taken by his captor,
whoever that captor was.

When he could speak the Man Killer
did so.

He had risen to his feet, showing no
sign of having been hurt, though his
necklace of human bones had been brok—
en.

“The Man Killer has met many foes,
was caught in a trap, to be thus treated,”
said the Surgeon Scout quietly.

“The Man Killer was caught with a
lariat, while standing there.” And the
Indian pointed to a rock some ten feet
high, and upon which he had halted
when making his way down the steep
sides of the canyon.

“ A lariat caught you?"

“ The .White Beaver speaks straight.”

“ Did you not see the one who threw
it? ”

“ The lasso caught me about the’neck,
and I was dragged into the valley. The
senses of the Man Killer went away with
the fall.”

“Then you did not see the one who
lassoed you? ”

“Yes.”

“When.” i

“Senses came back."

“ Ah!

' “ But while you were unconscious you
were bound and gagged?"

The Indian nodded.

,“ There was a woman here? ”

“Yes.”

“ And she had others with her? ”

The redskin shook his head.

“Do you mean to say that she was
alone?”

“ Only white squaw.”

“ Who threw the lasso? ”

“ White squaw."

“ Who bound and gagged you? ”

“ White squaw." .

The Surgeon. Scout looked incredulous.

Glanclng toward Buffalo Bill, he saw
that he had heard all, but his face re-
vealed nosign of what he thought.

“ There must have been others, Bill,
that the chief did not see."

The Man Killer had taken in both Buf-
falo Bill and Wild Bill with a. look of
greater interest than he was wont to
exhibit. '

 
 

, i

 

He seemed to be mentally. taking th
,1: . ‘ f ,,h he had

heard so much, who were the terror of
hostile Indians.

“ If caught with a lariat and dragged
from that rock, Frank, the chief must
have been badly stunned, and when he
came to found himself bound and
gagged, so could not have seen others,”
said Buffalo Bill.

“Yes, that was it, Bill."

“No, only white squaw,” said the In-
dian.

“ You did not see any one else? ”

“ No one but white squaw here,” con-
tinued the chief.

“ Have him tell us just what happened,
Doctor,” said Wild Bill, who was deeply
interested in the situation.

“Yes, Man Killer, tell us all you
know.”

“ White Beaver tell me come down
into canyon. Me came.

“ Stop on rock, see nobody, lasso come
quick, catch me here, pull me down
there. Me know nothing—like sleep—
like dead man.

“ Me wake up and see white squaw.

“She take lasso and have me tie tight.

“ Have mouth shut up close—have Man
Killer’s gun and all thene.

“Tell me not to follow her trail, or
Man Killer and his comrade all die.

“ Then she mount horse yonder in
thicket, have two other ponies there, and
go with all out of canyon.

“That all.”

This was plain enough, though told in
broken sentences and in the peculiar
English the chief spoke.

“And you saw no one else? ”

“Only squaw and ponies.

“ See no trail more.”

t Buffalo Bill had been looking about for
rai s.

The soil was such that all trails were
visible

But a search revealed only the tracks
of three horses, those the woman had,
and the footmarks made by a strikingly
small foot.

“White squaw have iron hands-—
strong like big chief-—have black mist
cover over face, but Man Killer see plain
all right.”

“ She wore a black veil, from the Man
Killer’s description, Frank."

“ Yes, Bill, but who and what is she,
for those tracks were made by. the small
feet of a woman—not a man, as we sup-
posed it might be, in disguise; but we
will camp here, for SilentSam will ride
back to our camping place over the ridge
and get the pack animal and outfit."

 

CHAPTER XV.
ON THE TRAIL.

Silent Sam readily consented to go
after the horse and outfit left at the
other camp.

He had uttered no word while the In-
dian had told his story.

What he thought he did not make
known until Buffalo Bill said:

“ Well, Pard Sam, what do you think
of that white squaw who bested our red
comrade? "

“ Bad medicine for womankind.”

“You are right. She is one to 1001!
after.” _

“Yes, bad women are more to fear
than bad men.”

With this Silent 'Sam started off for the
camp over the range, going on foot, as he
felt he could; make better time.

The Man Killer seemed to be consid-
erably broken up by his strange advent-
ure.

The fact that a. white squaw had las~
soed him, bound and gagged him, could
have killed and soalped‘ him, was a very
severe blow to his pride. ‘

He looked at the rock where he had

been standing, then at the one where the n 

small tracks showed that the woman had
been in hiding.

She had evidently discovered him corn- 1
ing down the steep sides of the canypn" ,1; 3

 

and lay in wait for him. ~

 

 

 

.~ .—.__
' aux. .

 

 

  

    

9"»?  ‘ 

v.31," E

 

 

w-n'
- .I

So the Man Killer sat and seemed to
brood over his misfortune most bitterly.

There appeared to be a dread in his
heart that he would not be regarded by
his white comrades with the same re-
spect as before.

This Buffalo Bill seemed to realize, and
he sat down by the disconsolate chief,
gave him a pipeful of tobacco, and talked
with him in a way to reassure him.

In this he was but partially successful,
for the sting of wounded pride remained.

Surgeon Powell meanwhile had made a
thorough search of the canyon, but with
the result that he became convinced that
no others had been in the canyon save
the woman and her two companions.

They had certainly come there with
the purpose of ambushing Buffalo Bill

' and Wild Bill.

In some way they had known of their
coming and had gone there to lie in wait
for them.

Wild Bill had in the meanwhile gotten
wood together and built a fire, after
which he had staked out his own and
his comrades’ horses.

It would be a wait of a couple of hours,
all knew, before the return of Silent Sam,
and it was decided to have supper there
and push right on after the two men and
their mysterious feminine companion.

They might have to make a‘ dry camp
of it for the night, but then the horses
had had a good rest and water and could
readily stand it, while it would put them
miles on their way in following the trail
of the fugitives.

Silent Sam made good time and came
in with the pack animal and half-cooked

' dinner of the other camp.

He reported that the three fugitives
were nowhere in sight from the range,
and he had used his glass in looking for
them. ’

“That means that they have gone into
hiding somewhere. ~

“But we will push on after them until
too dark to see their trail, and then
camp,” said Surgeon Powell.

“ And be half a dozen miles nearer to
them when day breaks to—morrow,” Buf-
falo Bill added.

Supper was soon prepared, the canteens
filled with fresh water, the animals given
all they, would drink, and, with the sun
over an hour above the horizon, the
start was made.

The trail was soon picked up and read—
ily followed, and, intending to halt at
nightfall, the pace set by Surgeon Powell
was a brisk one, to make as great a dis-
tance as possible before darkness came
on.

“ I wonder if they are in hiding some-
where in breaks in the plain and watch-
ing us, knowing that night will compel
us to give up following their trail? "_
said Buffalo Bill as the halt was made,
just as darkness came on.

And the others seemed to be wondering
the same way.

 

CHAPTER XVI.
THE SURPRISE OF A NIGHT.

The spot ohOSen for a camp for the
night was in the open plain, just where
there was a group of large boulders scat-
tered there by nature’s act long ages
before.

The horses would have neither grass
or water, save a little of the former
which the Indian had cut in the canyon
and brought along in a blanket.

They were staked out not far away,
and each animal was given his little ra—
tion of the grass.

Amid the group of.,boulders the men
spread their blankets, and a small fire
was built of dry sticks brought along for
the purpose by Wild Bill from the can-
yon.

,Cpffee was boiled, bacon broiled, and a
light supper was had by the men:

Then Silent Sam went on duty as

: guard,’the Indian to relieve him for half

the night, and the rest rolledthemselves

77111 their blankets and were soon fast
'1 asleep. \ p I - .
 hit was decided to make an early start;

the}, saddle to pick up the trail

I  I a

 

Buffalo Bill’s Relentless Trail.

with the first glimmer of dawn, and so
the Indian, who would be then on duty,
was to call them in time, and they
would press on until a stream was found
and a camp made to have breakfast.

It was not Silent Sam who called the
redskin when the time came for him to
go on .watch, for the Man Killer was
trained to wake at will.

Rising from his blankets. he Walked
.about in search of Silent Sam.

He did not see him near the camp-

Nor did he see the horses.

What had become of the guard?

What had become of the horses?

The latter had not been over a hun-
dred feet from where the men slept.

Their tramping could be readily heard
by any one awake.

But the horses were not there.

The Indian ran back and gave
alarm.

In an instant Surgeon Powell, Buffalo
Bill, and Wild Bill were upon their feet,
their weapons in hand.

“ What is it, Man Killer? ”

“ Silent Sam gone!”

“ Gone! ” '

“ Ponies gone! "

“ The horses gone too? ”

“ All gone.”

It was a surprise and a startling one.

“ But gone where? ” a

“ Man Killer don’t know. Wake up to
watch. No find Silent Sam, no find‘ po-
nies. Then call White Beaver.”

This was all there was to tell.

What had happened was to be found
out.

They all ran to where the horses had
been left.

They were gone. Their stakes had been
pulled up.

It was too dark to see a trail, so Buffa-
lo Bill ran to his pack and got a lantern,
while Surgeon Powell did likewise.

These were flashed over the ground,
and in the sandy soil the tracks were to
be seen.

They led in the direction that the trail
did which the woman and two men had
left.

After advancing a few hundred yards
by the aid of the lanterns, Surgeon Pow-
ell said:

“We must not leave our camp un—
guarded.”

“It would not be wise,” said Buffalo
Bill.

“ Go back, Man Killer, and stay in
camp.” ,

The Indian turned and silently obeyed.

The others then pushed on with the
lanterns, revealing the trail.

A couple of hundred yards further they
came to a_divide..

It- was some twenty feet deep, as many
wide, and the trail led down into and
through a break worn by water when it
rained.

Down into the divide they went, Buffa—
110 Bill remarking:

“This is where they were lying in wait
for us when we halted at nightfall, for
we could not see the divide, while they
had their eyes upon us.”

“Yes, and it was well we halted
where we did,” added Wild Bill.

“ You see, pards, .that the trail of those
we followed, and also of the horses, lead
down into this divide.”

“ Yes, doctor.”

“ This is near the “head of the divide,
so, we can only. go down it."

“ True.”

“ Then we must be careful and put out
our lanterns, for we may walk into a
trap."

“ Right you are, Pard Frank,” said
Buffalo Bill, and he added:

“ But we will go down into the divide
first, and start from there in the dark.”

“That will be best.”

Down the steep way they went to the
bottom of the divide.

There they all came to a sudden halt.

And it was not to be wondered at, for a
form lay in their path.

A flash of the lanterns in his face re-
vealed the fact that it was Silent Sam.

Apparently rot placing confidence in

the

 

       

his powers of silence, whoever hadthus

, ~

 

  
    
  
    
     
  
   
    
   
    
  
    
  
 
   
   
  
  
  
   
   
  
  
  
   
  
  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
  
   
  
  
  
  
   
  
   
  
 
  
  
  
  
    
  
   
  
  
   
  
   
  
   
     
         
       
       
       
   
     
   
         
         
       
     
 
      
    
    
    

left him had securely gagged him be-
yond all power of speech.

And he was securely bound, too, feet
and hands, with a lariat.

But Silent Sam’s eyes were wide open‘
and fixed upon his three comrades as
they hastily went to work to free him of
the gag and unbind him.

 

CHATTER XVII
A STAR’I‘LING DISCU».,DY

When Silent Sam had taken a mu
swallows of water from Wild Bill’s can-
teen he was able to speak.

Yet it was very plain to his companions
that his adventure had not caused him
excitement enough to have him break
out in a quick recital of what had hap-
pened.

More silent than an Indian even, he
calmly waited for Surgeon Powell to
speak.

Half angry at this, the Surgeon Scout
asked:

“Come, Sam, tell us what has hap-
pened, and lose no time about it.”

“ I don’t know.”

The response was so quietly uttered it
was provoking in the extreme.

“ You don’t know? ”

H No."

“Have you no explanation to offer for
our finding you here? ”

“I’ll tell you. Maybe I was asleep, fer
I was leaning on a boulder, and l felt a

blow. Don't know any more, but when I .

came to was like you found me.”

“ Who did it? ”

Silent Sam seemed tired at saying so
much.

He raised his hand to the back of his
head.

The Surgeon Scout put his hand there
and felt a large lump.

“ You were struck from behind, and it
must have been a stunning blow, though
the scalp is not cut, nor is the bone frac-
tured. Your hat and thick growth of hair
saved you.”

“Who did» it?”

“That is for us to find out.”

“How did you know?”

“ The Indian went in search
and, not finding you, awoke us.”

“Where is he? "

“Back in camp.”

“ Horses all right? ”

“ No, they have been run off.”

“Who did it?” .

“We do not know. But here is their
trail, and the woman and her comrades
must have done it.”

“ Maybe so.” And Silent Sam seemed
bewildered.

A short consultation followed, and it
was decided that Surgeon Powell and
Buffalo Bill were to push on dowu the
divide with one lantern, which, however,
was not to be lighted, and Wild Bill and
the Man Killer were to remain there,
keeping the other lantern lit in case of
quick need.

Off started the Surgeon and Buffalo
Bill, going slowly and watchful of all the
{vay ahead.

They did not know at what moment
they might run upon an ambush.

They realized that they were in a bad
way, left on the plain without horses,
and, with many, a mile between them and
the fort. '

They could not blame Silent Sam, for
certainly not one of them had suspected
an attack upon their camp, and really
had seen no need for the guard.

It had been merely a. precaution; that
was all. ~

Whoever had dealt the blow given Si-
lent Sam had seen the party go into
camp, knew the exact situation of those
that had turned in for the night, of the
horses and the guard, and so had acted.

On went the two men on their scout,
knowing that the horses had gone that
way, as, having been led down into the
divide, they. could not get out of it, thus
far at least. ,4 . .
~ As they went along they could see that
the banks of the divide grew less and"
less in height. I ‘ g _ .

of you.

 

  

ah

  
 

   
 

   

 

10‘

 

 5 “Did you

 

'- I

Buffalo Burs Relentless Trail.

 

 

The plain seemed to be sloping the
we. they want.

it length they came to where the di—
vide merged into the plain, save for a.
waterway.

It was dark, but the keen eyes of Sur-
geon Powell and Buffalo Bill, trained. to
night service, could detect a dark line
beyond them they knew was timberfi

If trees, they either Were “Don the
banks of a. stream 0" "“ter was 110‘; far
away. .
_ 0,, ts... went, until they knew that
they were fully two miles from where
they had left Wild Bill and Silent Sam.

Suddenly Bufialo Bill halted and said:

“ There are horses yonder.”

Carefully they approached the dark
line of trees, and came upon a number of
horses staked out.

They were seven in number.

They were the lost horses.

The trees bordered a small stream, and
the animals were feeding upon the grass
that grew upon the banks.

But those who had stolen the horses
and left them there were nowhere to be
Seen.

“ A lucky find this, Bill.”

“ Yes, indeed. I’ll leave your horse and
take the rest back to bring the outfit and
our pards, for this is a good camping
place,”

“Yes, and I’ll wait-here and recon-
noitre,” said Surgeon Powell.

Back went Buffalo Bill, leading the
horses and riding bareback, for the sad-
dles and bridles were in the camp.

He came to where Wild Bill and Silent
Sam waited, explained how he and Sur-
geon Powell had found the animals, and
then all went on to camp.

“Ho! Man Killer, where are you?”
called out the Chief of Scouts as he rode
up. '

But no answer came, and a quick cry
from Wild Bill told that he had made a
discovery.

It was the Man Killer lying upon the

ground.

 

CHAPTER XVIII.

AN UNSEEN FOE.

It was a fact that the Man Killer lay
upon the ground, and yet was not asleep.

He lay by a. large rock, and when Buf-
falo Bill and Wild Bill had sprung from
their horses and bent over him they
found that he had a lariat noose about
his neck. .

It was drawn fairly taut, and he was
breathing hard.

The other end lay coiled near, as
though the one who had surprised the
Indian had supposed him to be dead.

Quickly Buffalo Bill drew the lasso
from about the Indian, poured water
from his canteen upon his face, and
rubbed the neck hard to start circula-
tion.

The scouts were certainly nonplussed
at their discovery, and Wild Bill and
Silent Sam had at once sprung away to
try and get some clue to this most mys-
hrious and unknown foe who thus far
ms certainly showing that he dare
beard even the Border Kings in their
dens. I

It was some minutes before the Indian
revived sufiiciently to move, and then
he suddenly arose to a sitting posture
and looked about him like one returning
from the Averge of Shadowland. -

“ Well, Man Killer, what is it? ”

The scout asked the question in a‘
kindly tone.

The Indian looked all around him, then

‘ said in an inquiring way:

“ Chief not dead?”
“ Oh; no. You are worth a dozen dead
men yet. '
“ What happened? "
t " Me don’t know.”
 " Then who does, for we found you
here on your back, half choked to death
with this lariat about Your neck.”
"‘ Don’t know."
see no one? "

' attacks 3.10?"- I

       

their unseen foe had again played a \
u, unsyhadiett the horses‘smd  ._

 

The chief put. his hands over his head,
as though to feel for a cut or bruise.

“Where were you?”

“Here.”

“ You saw no one? ”

U N3.)Y

" Ym must have been struck
from behind.”

" N0, mt knocked. Lasso come quick
and pull me back on rock. Go to sleel;
then.” 0

“That’s about it.

“You were lassOed from behind and
dragged back hard on this rock, being
choked at the same time."

“ Yes, know now.”

“But who did it? ”

The chief shook his head sadly.

“ Well, Evian Alllel‘, pull yourself to-
gether, for We must get out of this, for
we found the horses two miles away on a
stream, and Chief White Beaver is there.
We haVe got to deal with foes as cun-
ning as foxes and dangerous as a mount-
ain lion, but we'll find them out yet.
They do not seem to wish to kill us and
work in the dark and most mysteriously,
but We’ll catch them yet.”

“ Bimeby, all right.”

“ We will.” And Buffalo Bill called to
Wild Bill, who was just coming back,
and told him that the Indian did not
know who had lassoed him, it had been
done so suddenly.

“ Then he did not see his foe? ”

H N0.!’

“ Too bad, for it giyes us no clue as to
who we have to deal with.”

“That’s so, Bill, but I can vouch for
you and Beaver that we are not to be set
back on account of an unseen foe.

“This Indian and Silent Sam have
been the ones to have to suffer so far,
but I do not believe they will back out
now.”

“ Don’t see bad man. Maybe kill next
time," said the Indian.

“Well, Man Killer, whoever our un-
seen foe is, he is simply playing a game
you have often played to a finish, as all
of us have, and it don’t scare us a little
bit. .

“ We’ll find him yet.” ‘

“ Maybe so, bimeby.”

“ We have got to.

“ That’s our business, and I’m getting
interested," said Wild Bill, but he whis-
pered to his pard:

“I'm afraid that redskin’s two lariat
experiences with the foe are going to
scare him .into taking the back trail,
Bill.” '

“ I don’t think so. But here comes Si—
lent Sam, and we’ll see what he has to
say."

“Mighty little, if what I’ve heard him
say is a sample of his talking powers.”

Silent Sam came up and glanced at the
Indian, as though surprised not to find
him dead, but he made no comment.

“ We resurrected him, Sam," said But-
falo Bill. .

U I 860.)? ‘

Buffalo Bill then told him that the In-
dian could give no account of how he
had been surprised and choked.

“ What do you think, Sam? ”

“ Don't know—yet.”

“ Elou did not see any. cue? ”

N 0-"

“ Well, we’ll pack up and start for the

down

camp, where White Beaver is awaiting

us, for Man Killer appears to be all
right.”

“ Man Killer feel good," replied the
Indian. . I

The packs were soon strapped upon the
horses, the men mounted, and in half an
hour they came in sight of the spot on
the stream where Buffaio Bill had left
the Surgeon Scout.

.Neither White Beaver nor his horse
was to be seen. '

Calling to him, Buffalo Bill received no
answer, and in alarm the four scouts at
once set out upon the search ‘for the
missing Surgeon Scout, dreading that

hold, perhaps a fatal game.

 

CHAPTER XIX.
MISSING.

Under ordinary circumstances Buffalo
Bill would not have been alarmed at the
absence of Surgeon Powell from the place
where he had left him.

He would have supposed that he had
gone off on some scout, from something
he had seen or heard.

But with the experience of the Indian
in the canyon, at the hands of the W0-
man in Black, remembering the low
dealt Silent Sam by an unseen foe, the
running oii of the horses, the finding of
Man Killer unconscious in their camp
while they. were in search of their ene-
ruins. the scout dreaded the worst for a.
minute.

He feared that Surgeon Powell had
also met the unkDOWn foe and had come
to grief.

“ Wild Bill, we must at once see what
has become of White Beaver.

“Silent Sam, you and the Indian both
remain in camp here and keep your eyes
and ears open."

With this order Buffalo Bill and wild
Bill rode off together. ,'

“We have gotten into a whole nest of
mysteries, it seems, Pard Bill,” said
Wild Bill as they rode down the stream,
for above the way was too rugged for
horses.

“ Well, I should think so, from the
finding of the Woman in Black here,
those two men lying in wait to kill us,
and what has happened since, not to
speak of what White Beaver tells us of
the Unknown Avenger, who is of the
Black Troopers.”

“Well, every trail has an end, and
this mysterious one must also.”

“ We will not leave it until we see the
end, Wild Bill.”

“ Yes, the end of the trail or our own
end," was the significant response of
Wild Bill.

“ Not getting superstitious, are you,
pard ? ”

“You bet no, but that redskin is."

“ Yes, he is scared, beyond a doubt."

“ And what about that talkative fellow,
Silent Sam? ”
hi“I don’t quite know what to make of

m.’l

“Nor I. But he wasn’t born in the,
woods to be scared by an owl.” ‘

“ So I think, and I’ll guess he’ll stick."

“ Hope so, for I guess he knows this
country as no other man does."

“And so does the Indian.”

“ Yes, both will be invaluable, if they.
stick, but Doc Powell knows them better
than we do.” '

“Yet Doc Powell did not look for this
turning of the tables upon us, and just
now he’s not to be found."

Buffalo Bill halted suddenly.

“ Bill, we are making a. mistake to go
away from the camp in. this darkness.”

“ Maybe so.”

“ The Surgeon Scout said he would
wait there for me, and, as he is not to be
found, my idea is that he has made some
discovery and is trailing it."

“ I guess you are right.” , .

“ His horse is gone, and that looks as
though he had ridden away, while, if
anything had happened to him, we would
doubtless have found him in camp dead
or as we found the others.” ’ "

With this Buffalo Bill turned his horse
back toward the camp.

They had gone OVer half a mile from -

where they had pitched their camp, and
upon the return, at the suggestiox'i~ of
Buffalo Bill, separated. ‘

One went back up the river bank, the
other on the edge of the timber that
skirted the stream.

   

l

.)h

 

 

Buffalo Bill, following the winding of . Ii" -

the bank, saw that as far as they had.
gone the stream could not be crossed,

there, for it was a dozen or more feet.

down to the water.

“Right where the comp weathers was a t ’.
pressing, for the bank had a break in 15,1? .

‘through which he expected to find a. trail 

leading vwhen light enough to discover it."
- w-Gomingput at last upon the 

  

   
 

I .n -H... W~;A.¢N_f-c.— Ag..—

- :rlvs
xvi-"t!" I

 

 

 

-z- .rs‘
~-_ , _,

 

 
 
 

 

 

 

  

t.._._.—a

 

 

comrades, Buffalo Bill saw the dim out-
line of a horse and rider out upon the
plain beyond the timber.

“ Ho! pard, is that you? ”

“ Yes.”

“But where are the horses and our
comrades, for this is surely the camping
place where we left them,” answered
Wild Bill.

“ You have not seen them?"

“ Not I.”

“Then where are they, indeed? "

“ Say, pard,” called out Wild Bill as
he came forward.

“I’ll just dismount and let you kick
me a few times, to see if am really awake
and not dreaming, for the way things
are going I cannot believe I am awake.”

 

CHAPTER XX.
AN ALARM.

“ You need not have the kick you, Wild
Bill, for you are awake, and so am I,”
said Buffalo Bill, wit-h a light laugh.

“ It’s lucky no black troops are with
us, or they'd stampede.”

“I wonder if Silent Sam and the In-
dian have."

“They surely would not have taken
our cattle.”

“ Oh, no. I was joking, for I have con-
fidence in them both get. But they have
certainly disappeared, and the pack
horses, too.”

. “They have, indeed, and it looks bad.”

“ White Beaver vouched for them, and
that is enough for me.”

“ Me, too.

“ But what is to be done, Pard Cody? ”

“ I hardly know what to say. Let us
see if the outfit is here.”

They dismounted, and a. search re—
vealed the two pack saddles.

Wood had been gathered to build a
fire, the saddles of both Silent Sam and
the Indian were there, their bridles as
well.

Also their roll of blankets, with the
rest of the outfit.

“ Couldn’t have driven the cattle to
water, Pard? ” asked Wild Bill.

“ No, for they could reacn the river not
a hundred yards away.”

“ Then what? "

“ I give it up.”

‘ “ May be the brutes stampeded, and
the Indian and Silent Sam followed
them.”

“ I guess that's about it."

“ Then we stay here? ”

“ I don’t know just what else we can
do foLthe present.”

“ All things come to those who wait is
a. legend [we heard somewhere, pard."

“ Then we’ll wait and see what comes
to us.”

With this they staked out their horses.
Then Buffalo Bill lighted a fire, and a
bright blaze sent its rays out upon the
plain and through the timber.

“ We had better not hug this fire too
close, Pard Cody, for reasons," suggested
Wild Bill.

“Right you are. We’ll keep in the
shadow after the warnings we have had
to-night.”

They lighted their pipes, spread their
blankets back in the timber, and waited,
chatting together in a low tone the
while.

About half an hour passed, and the
night was slowly creeping away, and
dawn was but an hour off.

Suddenly Buffalo Bill saw his horse
raise his head and stand in a listening
attitude.

’v “ He hears something.”

" You bet he does. Some one is surely
coming.”

“ Yes, and not a foe."

“ How do you know? ”

“If it was a danger signal Comrade
would at once try to get that lariat pin
up to come and warn me. He knows
what he is about." w -

The horse then lowered his head again
md‘went on feeding.

“ It was a false alarm.”

“ No, some one is coming—either our
two queer pardsor Surgeon Powell.”

 I; hope theirlatwter, for we could lose

 

 

up our guard, and I did not believe ,Si-

..  -.- a,,~,,_

 

‘ Buffalo Bill’s, R/elentless Trail.

31

 

the other two with any deep grief on
our part,” Wild Bill remarked.

“We will find them when daylight
comes, Bill—hark! ”

The sound came indistinctly to their
ears of a horse coming over the hard
plain.

It grew louder and louder, showing
that the horse was aproaching and
doubtless guided by the firelight.

“ It is the doctor,” said Buffalo Bill.

“Are you sure? ”

1‘ XTes.N

“ How so, pard? "

“ If it was a stranger Comrade would
be uneasy.

“He has scented the horse of White
Beaver beyond a doubt.”

“ You’ve got it down fine, Pard Bill."

“ Wait and see.”

In a few more minutes the iron-shod
hoofs were ringing out clear in the night
air as they fell upon the flinty soil of the
plain. t

Then into the arc of light from the
fire came a horse and rider.

“Good!” cried Buffalo Bill as he rec-
ognized the horseman.

“It is Surgeon Powell, but, by Jove!
that is not his horse! ” cried Buffalo Bill.

“ If it is, he is white with feam from
hard riding,” remarked Wild Bill.

“His horse is a bay; that one is an
iron gray—another mystery.” And the
two pards sprang to their feet and ad-
vanced to meet the Surgeon Scout, call-
ing out a welcome to him as they did so.

 

CHAPTER XXI.
THE SURGEON scours STRANGE ADVENT-
URE.

When Buffalo Bill rode away from the
stream where the horses had been found
staked out, with no one to be seen near,
Doctor Powell was left alone to hold the
camp until the great scout’s return with
the others of the party and the outfit.

The Surgeon Scout listened to the dy~
ing away of the hoof paces upon the
flinty plain, and was just thinking of
hiding his horse in the timber and lying
in wait. to see if those who had captured
the animals would return for them, for
he could not believe that they would
leave them there, when a sound came to
his ear that caused him to listen with
rapt attention.

It was the ring of iron-shod hoofs upon
the plain. -

In an instant he was on the alert.

It could not be the scout returning, as
he at first believed.

The sound did come from that direc-
tion, it was true, but why, should Buffalo
Bill be coming back so soon?

Then, too, there was surely but one
horse, from the ring of the hoofs.

The horse was coming at a gallop, and
straight toward the'spot where he stood.

His horse pricked up his ears, and
seemed uneasy, for, like the animal be—
longing to Buffalo Bill, the one that be-

longed to the Surgeon Scout was thor—,

oughly well trained, and was as good as
a watchdog in camp.

He gave a low whinny, and this con-
vinced the Surgeon Scout that whoever
it was, that was coming was not one of
his party.

“ I have the advantage of pesition and
being forewarned,” muttered Surgeon
Powell as he loosened his revolver in his
belt, for he had left his rifle in camp.

“ All right, Sioux Chief,” he called out
to his now thoroughly uneasy horse, for
he had captured the animal from the
Sioux, after a duel in which he had killed
his rider, the chief.

The horse at once became quiet, and
Surgeon Powell stood awaiting the one
who was coming.

“ Coming back to get the horses he left
here, as I supposed.

" Of course he must be one of the two
men who were with that woman, and
they. captured our horses to stop further
pursuit, yet why they did not kill Silent
Sam I do not know.

“ I’ll give them credit, though, for they
did most cleverly get the horses and, tie

1 l ' \

 

     

lent Sam could be trapped or caught
napping.”

Gazing fixedly out upon the plain, the
piercing eyes of the Surgeon Scout now
caught sight of a horse and rider.

They appeared in the darkness like
specires, but the Surgeon Scout knew
that he had to deal with flesh and blood.

Nearer and nearer came the horse and
rider. to suddenly halt close to the ani—
mal staked out a hundred feet from the
timber.

The stranger seemed to be surpriscd,
for the horse was turned up and down
in part of the timber, as though looking
for the other horses left there.

“He is searching for the others—ah!
he is coming into the timber.”

With this the Surgeon Scout nerved
himself for what was to follow.

“I will not kill ‘him, for if I can take
him alive I may find out what I wish to
know.” And as the horse came within
fifty feet of where the Surgeon Scout
was standing in the timber, by the side
of a large tree, he suddenly called out in
commanding tones:

“ Halt! and hands up, or I kill you!”

The revolver was leveled now, and the
rider of the horse was covered.

But the response to the command of
the Surgeon Scout was a surprise.

It came in an exclamation of alarm
and in a woman’s voice.

This at once disarmed Surgeon Powell
of all intention to fire.

He would not fire upon a woman.

It must be the Woman in Black, who

had rescued the two men lying in am- ;

bush.

But the woman, though startled into
an exclamation of surprise and alarm,
did not lose her presence of mind.

Following her cry came a. word to her
horse and sudden action—so sudden, in
fact, that she had whirled about with
great quickness and was off like an ar-
row from a bow before the Surgeon Scout
could believe that he saw correctly.

“ Halt, I say!

“ Halt! or take the consequences,”
shouted the Surgeon Scout, with no in-
tention, however, of firing. "

But a. mock, though musical, burst of
laughter came back in answer, and the
woman took the consequences by contin-
uing on in rapid flight.

“We'll catch her, Sioux, for you are
king of them all in speed,” cried Surgeon
Powell, and a few bounds carried him
to the side of his horse.

 

CHAPTER XXII.

A FATAL CHASE.
The run of the Surgeon Scout to the
side of his horse startled the animal, but

' a word from his master quieted him.

His stake rope was quickly made into
a bridle, and, barebackedas he was, the
Surgeon Scout lost no time in mounting.

The woman had gained a start by this
time of a good hundred yards, but'that
fact did not disturb the Surgeon Scout
in the slightest.

He had never met a horse at the fort
that could keep company with Sioux
Chief in a run, and he had won many a
bet on his speed.

He would soon overtake the fugitive. I
11 Again, he did not intend to fire upon

er.

He would risk a fire from her and dash
alongside.

That was his intention, and he settled ,

himself down for a short and rapid run.
Sioux Chief seemed to comprehend

just what was expected of him, and he ,

stretched himself out.for a race.

But after a short while the Surgeon

Scout saw that he was not gaining.
“ Come, Sioux Chief, umber-up, old fel-
low,” he said.

The way that Sioux Chief responded '

was most encouraging.
But still he was not gaining.
In fact, a few minutes more showed
the Surgeon Scout that he was losing
ground. ‘ .
Could it be that the house was lame!

going like an «arrow.

     

No, he seemed to be running and,

  
  
   
  
     
   
  
     
  
 
  
    
   
   
   
    
  
 
 
 
 
   
  
    
  
   
   
  
   
   
    
   
 
  
    
   
  
   
  
 
    
 
 
   
  
  
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
    
 
 
   
   
   
    
   
 
 
   
   
 
   
   
     
       
   
     
      
      
        
     
     
    

 

         
            
  

 
 

  

 1'2 

 

’HBufi‘alo Bill’s Relentless Tran. '

 

 

 

Still, that shadowy outline ahead grew
less and less distinct.

“ That horse is pulling away from you,
Sioux Chief. Come, this will never do."

The Surgeon Scout watched for a mo-
ment, and then began to grow anxious
as to the result.

He would try a shot.

“ Halt, or I will bring your horse down
with a rifle shot!”

The response was a burst of laughter
that had a mocking ring in it.

“ Halt, I say, and for the last time! "

The laughter was more mocking than
before.

The shadowy form of horse and rider
had grown more and more indistinct.

Then, for the first time since he had
owned the horse, Surgeon Powell pressed
the spurs into his flank.

Sioux Chief gave a wild snort of rage,
of pain, of reproach commingled.

He did bound forward with still great-
er speed.

He fairly flew over the fiinty soil.

But he did not appear to gain on that
flying animal he was in pursuit of.

The chase had now kept up for a con-
ple of miles or more.

Ahead loomed up a dark line.

It must be timber, perhaps the stream
wound around in front again.

Once there, and the chase was lost to
him, Surgeon Powell well knew.

There, too, the woman doubtless would
find aid.

She had not fired upon him, and yet
her comrades might [not be so merciful.

He must catch her!

Sioux Chief must not acknowledge de-
feat!

With a. determination to drive his
horse to the very utmost, Surgeon Pow-
el'l drove the spurs deep.

But with all this, the forms of horse
and rider ahead did not draw nearer.

The horse the Surgeon Scout saw
ahead must be a. gray, if not white, and
he did not seem driven, in spite of the
exertions of Sioux Chief to his best speed.

At times he would make a spurt of
speed, and then drop back.

But it seemed more the humor of his
rider. for, not once had Surgeon Powell
heard a blow struck or a word urging
him on.

“ Now, Sioux Chief, one more grand
struggle, and if useless, I’ll give it up.

". If it was not a woman I’d try a shot."

The horse nobly responded, and seemed
for a moment to be gaining.

It was a last, dying effort, for the noble '

beast gave a cry, as though of pain,
swayed, staggered, a stream of blood
burst from his wide-distended nostrils,
and he went down head first upon the
plain.

It Was a fatal chase, for he had died
doing his duty. \
CHAPTER XXIII.

REVEALED BY THE FIRELIGHT.

Surgeon Powell felt that his horse was
failing, that he had run his last race,
and he prepared to draw him up to try
and save him.

But in vain.

The end came quickly, and the rider
had just time to catch himself, thus
saving a severe fall for himself.

Agile as a panther, he caught on his
feet, and quickly was by the side of his
noble horse.

The animal gave a low moan, and the
end had come.

f‘ My poor, poor comrade," murmured
the Surgeon Scout, and for a moment his
own position, alone and dismounted, was
forgotten, and the woman was not
thought of.

Patting the horse affectionately upon
the neck, Surgeon Powell arose and
looked about him.

The woman had disappeared.

Strangest of all, there was no sound of
hoof falls upon the plain.

Had She seen his horse go down, and

 

'had she drawn rein?

Had her horse also fallen?

, Had she reached a different soil?
What did it mean, this silence?
Surely, he could have distinctlyheard

9" . // - , f ‘  _ ‘V .‘

 

the sound of the‘ofs if her horse was
still in flight.

It was natural that Surgeon Powell
should be on the alert.

He had only his revolvers, was dis-
mounted and alone, far from help.

After listening for some minutes, and
hearing no sound, he drew his revolver
and moved on ahead. '

If the woman‘s horse had also fallen, it
would not be far away.

He walked one, two, three hundred
yards, and knew that he was far beyond
where she must have been when 'his
horse went down.

He saw the dark line of timber ahead.

It must be all of halfa mile away.

The woman had simply drawn rein
when she saw the chase had ended, and
was going slowly on to the timber.

Perhaps it was to bring her comrades
oack to turn the tables on him.

To have him, in his turn, be the one
to fly.

“ I have the advantage, dismounted as
I am, for I can hear the coming of their
horses long before they see me, and then
hide,” he said.

But he quickly made up his mind to
retrace his way.

He knew that his comrades must have
arrived in the timber by, that time, and
would be anxious about him.

So he set out at a brisk pace upon
his return.

Coming upon his dead horse, he halted,
tenderly rested his hand for a moment
upon his head, and then took off the
stake rope, and, coiling it, threw it over
his shoulders.

Again he resumed his way, with a word
of farewell called back to his horse.

He had gone about half a mile when he
suddenly saw a glimmer of light far
ahead.

He knew that his comrades had reached
the camp and built a fire.

It was a beacon to guide him back
over his way, so that he would go
straight and not make any mistake.

On he went, still further, to suddenly
halt.

As he did so, he dropped down upon
the plain at full length.

He had made a discovery ahead of him.

It was an object that came between
him and the distant firelight.

Was some One in his path, to catch him
upon his return?

He distinctly saw the form of a. horse
revealed against the firelight.’

Another moment, he beheld a human
form, in relief against the firelight.

It was a slender form, clad in a riding
habit, with slouch hat, and the moment-
ary glance showed that it was the wo-
man. v

And more, she was pulling the saddle
from the back of her horse.

What could it mean?

“It is that Woman in Black," mut-
tered the Surgeon Scout.

Another moment and the woman and
the horse moved out of the light.

The Surgeon Scout waited for some
minutes before resuming his way.

Then he advanced with the greatest
caution.

He had seen neither horse nor woman
again.

Moving to the right, he looked to see
if he could bring them into sight again.

He could not.

Moving to the left, he tried also to see
if he could bring horse and rider be-
tween himself and the light of the fire.

He did so.

There was the horse, at least, and the
animal appeared to be staked out.

-But the woman was nowhere visible.

Advancing cautiously, the Surgeon
Scout soon discovered the horse dis-
tinctly.

He was by the side of a large rock, and
seemed to be tied to it.

But the woman was not visible.

Was she crouching behind the rock, ly-
ing in wait for him?

It would naturally be‘ the case, and he
began to circle around the rock, to see if
he was right, drawing nearer and nearer
as he did so. ‘

 

  

CHAPTER XXIV.
MOUNTED.

It was twice that the Surgeon Scout
circled the rock completely, the second
time much nearer to it than on the first.

He walked noiselessly, in a stooping
posture, and kept his eyes riveted upon
the rock.

He saw no movement close to it, to
show that any one was hiding behind it.

The horse was certainly hitched to the
rock, and it stood quietly.

But where was the rider?

If the horse had discovered him near,
he made no sign of it that the Surgeon
Scout could discover.

“1 do not understand it a little bit.
There is a horse, left there for seme pur-
pose, and apparently in my very grasp.
But where is the rider?”

Again he encircled the horse and rock.

But he discovered nothing of the rider.
I“ That rider must be lying in wait to
kill me. I will take the chances, for I
Will approach in the direction of coming
from the camp. Can the woman think I
was killed when my horse fell? Can
she have supposed I gave up the chase
and turned back? I cannot fathom it all.

“ If she wanted to go on foot to re--
connoitre the camp, when she saw the
fire blaze up, why did she hitch her horse
away out here on the plain, over a mile
away?”

The more he thought it over the less
he could get at the real facts of the case.

At last he had gotten around between
the horse and the fire, and began to ap-
proach from that direction.

He went with great caution, crouching
low, and revolver in hand.

As he drew nearer he was certain that
the horse saw him.

The animal was not at all disturbed,
however, at his approach.

Coming still nearer, the Surgeon Scout
muttered:

“It is the gray horse, surely, that led

poor Sioux Chief to his death. But where ‘

is his rider?”

As this question could’not be answered,
the Surgeon Scout crept on.

He was within twenty paces of the
horse, yet could see no form crouching
by the rock.

A moment more and he had reached
the rock.

Quickly he crouched down in the shad-
ow.

He was about to sever the rope that
held the horse, when he saw that it had
been curled around the rocks and tied.

He put 1his knife back in its scabbard
and felt for the knot.

His hand came upon a slip of paper.

It was tied in the knot.

“ Ah! 9. communication, I take it. This
but adds to the mystery, and I’ll keep it
until I reach camp, if I am allowed to get
there, for,good as my eyes are, they are
not capable of reading in the dark.”

He put the paper carefully away, in his
pocket, untied the stake rope from about
the rock, and suddenly bounded upon
the back of the horse.

The animal showed no ill will at a
change of riders.

That it was the gray. that the woman
had ridden Surgeon Powell felt certain,

for the horse was warm from a hard '

run.

He had on no bridle or saddle, only the
stake rope that held him to the rock.

Surgeon Powell was confidently ex-
pecting a shot from off on the plain as
he rode off.

But none came.

Then the slip of paper tied in the knot
of the stake rope reassured him.

He was sure that the horse had been
left there, for him to run upon, on his

return afoot to his camp,'or—it had been

left there for some one else.

The slip of paper would show. 4

Having gotten well away from th
rock, Surgeon Powell put the horse into
a canter, and rode on to the camp.

The movement-of the animal was easy
in the extreme, and without effort. ,‘

A ride of a few’miles brought him to
the camp, where he found Buffalo Bill
and Wild Bill awaiting him, ’ '

,\
I

 

  

 

 

 

      

 

W-.x. h.

 

 

 

 

 

--inibed, an
' “‘er- bu h

4 Buffalo Bill’s Relentless Trail.

.. _.... , _I,,‘,._.. ...Tf’.‘.”‘;~n-.—. ___._V...V.~,.,»_
  - .-  ‘v-- — - > -

13

 

 

CHAPTER XXV.
THE SLIP OF PAPER.

It was with a sigh of great relief that
both Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill welcomed
the return of Surgeon Powell.

It put their minds at rest on his ac-
count, though they were sure, as he came
back upon another horse, that he had
gone through some tragic scene.

He was back again, however, and ap-
parently all right, and the three would
now have to contend with the fact that
the horses were missing, and with them
Silent Sam and the redskin.

“Well, pards, how goes it in camp?"
asked Surgeon Powell, as he dismounted
near Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill.

“With Bill and myself allis right,
Frank, and glad are we to see you back
in safety; but the pack horses are gone,
and Silent Sam and the Man Killer, we
hope, are after them, though we do not
just‘know,” answered Buffalo Bill.

“ The pack horses gone?” asked Sur-
geon Powell, with surprise.

“ Yes, and the horses of Silent Sam and
the Indian.”

“But how and where? "

“ That we do not know; only wish we
did. The truth is, Frank, this has been
a night of surprises, even worse, for
when I left you and went back to the
camp, we found the Indian there with a
iariat about his neck, and half choked
to death, and all he can tell about it is
that some one surprised him, lassoed
him, and yet who it was he did not even
see."

“ Very strange.”

“Then, when we brought him round
and came here, we found you gone, and
the trapper and Man Killer were left to
keep camp, while Wild Bill and I rode
off in search of you.”

“ I was all right." -

“Yes, but that we did not know, and
we had sense enough to return to camp
to await the coming of day, and what
should we find but the horses missmg,
and those two queer pards of yours gone.

“What do you think happened?”

“ Don’t know. Suppose the horses were
stampeded by the mysterious foes who
seem to be trailing us, instead of our
tracking them, and the redskin and
trapper have gone after them, for the
outfit is all here.”

“Unless they got scared at being sur-
prised, and lit out for the fort,” said
Wild Bill.

“They would not do that, and if they
did they would have taken only their
own horses.”

“ Yes.”

" Are their bridles and saddles here,
Cody? ” I

“Yes, and our oultflt complete, and
theirs.” .

“Then they are after the horses, for
my idea is that they are not men to de-
sert us, or shrink from any danger.

“It is too dark to trail them yet, so
we will have to wait until light dawns.”

“ Yes, and meanwhile you can tell us,
Frank, about yourself, for we notice that
you have a different ‘horse, and judge
that you have not had a most cheerful
time, taken altogether.”

“I have not, as you will say When 1
tell you of my very strange adventure."

“Let us have it.”

,“ Who do you think I have been in
chase of?” ’

- “ Did you do any shooting? '-

l‘ No.9I .

“ Then it was that Woman in Black."

“ Exactly, Bill Codynfor you always
have a very clever way of guessing
facts.”

“We heard no shots, and if you have
been on a chase, and did not fire, it must
have been the woman. But that is not
her horse, for she rode a. jet-black animal
when we saw her."

" True. but she rode this gray animal
tO-n‘igh't. as I happen to know, and he is
the fleetest thing in the way of 'horse-

‘. - flesh I know."

“ He’s a beauty, long bodied, clean
looks‘ like a runner and
e’d firo back if naked. 9.

 

 

go with Comrade there,” and Buffalo Bill
pointed to his splendid horse, feeding
near.

“ My dear Cody, I held the same opin-
ion of my noble horse, Sioux Chief, when
I started in. pursuit of this gray.

“ I ‘had no bridle, saddle, rifle, or traps
to weight Sioux Chief down, and yet this
gray dropped him at will.”

“ You don’t mean it, doc.”

"I do, indeed.”

“But where is the woman?”

“I'll tell you.”

With this Surgeon Powell told his
story, just as it had occurred, and he
was most attentively listened to, the
two Scouts glancing again and again at
the iron gray, as his splendid speed was
spoken of.

They both expressed deepest sympathy
for Sioux Chief’s fate, and then the Sur-
geon Scout, stepping nearer to the fire.
took out the slip of paper he had taken
from the knot in the lariat.

“ Now we’ll see what this is,” he said.

Written in pencil, and in a hand that
was feminine, but scrawling, as though
the words had been traced in the dark,
Surgeon Powell saw and read as follows:

“ Death is the certain doom of all who
follow me.
“ My trail leads but to the grave.
“ Go back while you may.
U THE WOMAN IN BLACK."

 

CHAPTER XXV I.
PROPHETIC .Womis.

Surgeon Powell had read aloud what
was written on the slip of paper. Then
he glanced up at the faces of his two
companions.

“Wei-l, pards, what do you think of
that? ”

“ Simply that she is determined not to
be tracked in the deviltry she has under-
taken,” answered Buffalo,Biil.

“Then you think she is on some trail
of evil? ”

“What else, Frank, when she is an
unknown woman here on the frontier?
And she surely is with a band of outlaws,
for you know what we told you of the
strange woman in the country further
north."

“ They must be one and the same."

" Oh, yes, for you could not find two
such women even on this frontier.”

“ I guess her trail will be a fatal one
in the end, but for those with her,” said
Wild Bill, in his quiet way.

“Yes, she simply interests me in her
the more. ,

“But why did she leave me that horse
in place of mine, for I am sure that she
did so? ”

“The ways of all women are beyond
finding out, and especially one such as
she is,” said Buflalo Bill, with the air of
one who had had experience to speak
from. .

“ I, for one, will go to the end of her
trail, in spite of the doom she threatens."

“ Yes, Frank, and I am with you.”

“ I’ll make a third.” added Wild Bill.

Then the fact that thus far those they
were trailing had not done any real
harm to them, though they had bound
both Silent Sam and the Indian, was dis-
cussed.

“ They are like the Mormons in the
war with the United States, whenflen-
eral Johnson attacked them. They would
not fire on the troops, but ran off their
mules, stampeded cattle, and cut out wa-
gon trains, intending to win not by bat-
tle and killing, but by destroying the sup-
plies of their foes.

“ So far not a shot has been fired at
us, and yet we have been made to suffer.”

“ Yes, and have had no chance to hit
back,” said Wild Bill.

“Well, we will get breakfast now,
pards, and by that time it will be light
enough to take the trail of the horses,
and two of us can go after them, while
one remains to guard the camp."

This suggestion of Surgeon Powell was
followed, and by the time the first glim-
mer of light came Buffalo Bill and Wild
Bill mounted t'heirvhorses and took the

trail of the four missing animals, and F

n v ‘ -. » .
. > k > 3;“... ,-u.~" -’_'_,;:
“r V t _r- ... V.. fi'?r.;_v.\ “if “,5 who.  ~

 

which was readily followed up the bank
of the stream.

“Well, Bill, it seems that this is a.
game of our being hunted, instead of
hunting others,” said Buffalo Bill, as he
rode away with his companion scout,
leaving Surgeon Powell to guard the
camp.

“ It not only looks that way, but is
that way, pard.

“ It’s interesting to me, as it’s a new
sensation," answered Wild Bill.

“I cannot believe that Silent Sam and
Man Killer have deserted us, and Doc
Powell seems to feel the same way.
though I believe you doubt them.”

“I do, a little bit.

“ Fact is, Bill, my life has been such
that I trust few men, especially one with
a redskin, and another who, though a
paleface, does not say who and what
he is.

“If we find those two fellows, I’ll ac-
knowledge I am wrong; but you see a
white man who is hiding out here, under
an assumed name, and a redskin who
talks several different languages and be-
longs to no tribe, are men to keep your
eyes on.”

“Circumstances may have driven Sil-
ent Sam from his home, and he may not
be in the wrong, while that redskin may
have lost caste with his people by be-
friending the palefaces.

“ But have you thought any upon this
mysterious killing of black soldiers at
Fort Benham? ”

“ Only enough to know that it’s a case
of revenge for some deed the black sol-
diers have been guilty of, and an avenger
generally knows just the man he is gun-
ning for.”

“ Yes, the black troops may have at-
tacked and wiped out some Indian vil-
lage, and the braves‘ who survived be
the ones who are trying to avenge the
wrong upon them by shooting colored
soldiers only."

“I guess they’d have plently laid up
against white soldiers, as well, from the
same reason, Cody.”

“ Yes, too much, indeed.

“But, then, civilization must advance,
and the army clear the way, so that a
stern duty demands cruel measures
against a cruel fee.

“I pity the Indians, yes; and yet my
duty demands that I must protect the
pionee: and myself from their hatred and
barbarous warfare

“Some day the Indians will be wiped
out, or forced into civilization, and then
their wrongs will be smoothed over in
history, and they will be regarded as
only a race of romance, as the Aztecs
of Mexico are looked upon to-day.

“Yes, Bill, the Indians of this West-
ern world are doomed, and it is a ques- -
tion, in my mind, if the red races the
world over, the Turks, Egyptians, Hin-
doos, Chinese, and Japanese, are not also
doomed to merge into the mighty white
races, while the blacks, from amalgama-
tion, will gradually do the same.

“ In spite of the old Biblical legend of
Shem, Ham, and Japhet, the paleface
will one day be the only inhabitant of
this world, whatever may be the charac-
teristics of the people of Heaven and
Hades.”

“ Say, Bill Cody?"
pard.”
mistook your calling, for you
ought to be on the platform, teaching the
multitudes, not on horseback, trailing
redskins.”

Buffalo Bill laughed, and then replied,
thoughtfully:

“ Perhaps I may be some day different
from what I now am, for I have an ambi-
tion to make a name in "the world.”

And later events have shown that the
army scout spoke with the vision of
prophecy. '

 

CHAPTER XXVII.
A. WARNING UNHEEDED.
A ride of half a dozen miles up the '
banks of the stream had the two scouts
gone, both silent after Buffalo Bill’s dis-

    

sertation upon the coming doom of ‘th

 

 

 

  

14

 

Buffalo Bill’s ‘ Relentless Trail.

 

 

Suddenly Buffalo Bill halted, his com-
panion doing the same.

Listening attentively for a moment,
Buffalo Bill said:

“ Hear them? ”

“ Yes.”

“I hope that our two pards are com-
ing with the horses?”

“ So do I. But let us be ready, should
it be foes that are coming.”

They rode to a fallen tree on the edge
of the bank, and where both their horses
and themselves were fairly well protect-
ed.

The sound of coming hoofs grew loud—
er, and soon there came into sight
through the timber Silent Sam and the
Indian.

They were mounted upon their own
horses, and were leading the two pack
animals.

“I’ll give it up,. Cody. They are all
right; only, how did they come to let the
horses get away? ” said Wild Bill.

“ We will ask them,” and Buffalo Bill
rode out of shelter into the trail.

Silent Sam and Man Killer halted sud-
denly, dreading a foe, apparently.

But seeing who it was, they came on
again at a gallop.

“ Ho, pards, we were on your trail, and
I am glad to see that you got the horses.

“ How did they get away from the
camp?” asked Buffalo Bill.

“ Don’t know. The chief and myself
were not far away, but suddenly heard
the horses go off at a run.

“We followed on foot, and found them
staked out a few miles back on the
trail.”

Silent Sam appeared to feel tired after
his long explanation, and was silent.

The Indian had not spoken.

“Some one cut them out from
camp?”

Silent Sam nodded.

“How did you follow in the dark-
ness? ” asked Buffalo Bill.

“ Guessed at it.”

“ And the horses were staked out? ”

H Yes.” V

“ Were there any other trails?”

(I Yes-ll
' “ How many? ”

H One'll -

“ We noticed that there were the tracks
of five horses.

“ It was the man who ran off our
horses that rode the one that left the
fifth track.”

“ Yes."

“ Well, we are all right again, and
can push on after that woman and her
two pards, who have given usa night
full of trouble.”

“ Hope we’ll catch them,” said Man

the

I Killer.

“We’ll do it,” said Silent Sam, and
Wild Bill muttered:

“ Guess I was wrong—they don’t scare
a. little bit.”

“ Where is Big Medicine Man? ” asked
the redskin. ‘

Buffalo Bill told what had happened
to the Surgeon Scout, even to the slip of
paper and what was 'on it.

Both Silent Sam and Man Killer were
interested, in spite of their seeming in-
difference, and the latter said, again:

“Must catch white squaw with iron
hand.”

A rapid gallop brought the party to
the camp, and Surgeon Powell was found
on guard, and reported having seen no
one.

The trapper and Indian had to have
breakfast, so the horses were all staked

' out to rest and feed, after which a start

would be- made, and once more upon the
trail they were following the day before.

A halt of an hour was enough, and then
the start was again made, urgeon Pow-
ell leading the way to the spot where

; his horse had fallen dead the night he-
, fore.

From there the trail of the mysterious

[‘2 : woman must be picked up.

All seemed bothered at one thing, and
t'Wssuthe fact of the woman? gaging
' "   ,xrsr hm. .. is.  . .
 sh  "

 

 

Then, too, the men who were her com--
rades had been mounted upon bay horses
when seen by day.

Where, then, had the gray horse come
from?

His presence was proof that the wo-
man had received reinforcements from
somewhere.

This could only be determined when
they should pick up the trail again and
follow it to the end.

The. warning of what their fate would
be to follow her trail had not the slight‘
est effect upon those five men, as far
as they were willing to let it be known.

So. straight on the trail to where Sur-'
geon Powell had been dismounted the
night before he led the way.

 

CHAPTER XXVIII.
PICKle UP A TRAIL.

There were trails visible, but indis-
tinctly, upon the plain.

There were the tracks of the iron gray,
when he was ridden 11p near the camp
by the woman, and then away in his
flight.

There were the tracks of Sioux Ohief
in his noble and last race after the gray
and the Woman in Black.

Afar off was seen a number of dark
objects, which all knew to be coyotes.

Of course, they were gathered about the
body of the Surgeon Scout’s dead horse.

“ I wish it were possible to bury him,
for most faithfully has he served me,”
said Surgeon Powell.

But in that hard 'soil it was impossi-
ble.

The iron gray, seen in the daylight,
was a superb-looking animal.

He went along as though he did not
feel the Surgeon Scout’s nearly two hun—
dred pounds, and was satisfied with the
change of riders. ‘

The snarling gang of coyotes scattered
at the approach of the party, and Sur—
geon Powell’s face was stern set as he
rode by the torn carcass of his one true
equine comrade.

Beyond the trail of the gray was taken
up, indistinctly left in the hard ground,
and it was followed for a few hundred
yards, and there had halted.

“If the gray could only tell us," said
Surgeon Powell.

“If he acted square, he wouldn’t tell
on a woman,” Buffalo Bill responded, and
then added:

“ But others met the woman here, for
here are the tracks of ‘three other
horses.”

“You are right, Bill, and the gray’s
trail goes alone back over the plain, by
a flank movement, see, to where he was
left for me.”

“ Yes, and after leaving him, the wo-
man came back on foot to this point, and
met those who were awaiting her.

“ But now to take this trail and follow
it, for there are not enough to make it
dangerous for us yet awhile, though one
must be careful when night comes, or we
may be again bested.”

“ I’ll stand guard this night,” Wild Bill
said.

“ No, let the Indian go on watch until
midnight, and Silent Sam watch him
from cover, and two of us can take the
rest of the night,” suggested Buffalo Bill,
and this was considered the best to be
done.

The trail they now took up was made

'by three horses on the way from the

timber, the tracks showing that they
were the same that were followed the
day before, and made by the horse of the
Woman in Black and the animals rid-
den by her companions.

The track, of the gray horse, now rid-
den by Surgeon Powell, was not there,
but soon after Buffalo Bill found it alone,
and leading toward the camp of the
scouts.

This showed the party that the fugita
ives had gbne on to the timber ahead.

short while, and, from the woman having

found a, change :of. horses, they ,had

‘dodbtles t othéf'fl,*m6“awa1t?dy'

m

 

camped there, evidently, at least for a .

 

How many had been met would be dis-
covered upon finding the camp of the
fugitives in the timber, now but a short.
distance ahead. '

Silent Sam, who knew the country
well, said that the timber was very’
thick, extended for miles back to the
foothills of a large range, and there was
a small stream there, fed by springs, and
the camp of the fugitives would doubt-
less be near.

He further said that the stage trail to

Fort Benham ran over along the base
of the foothills, some thirty miles distant,‘
and what outlaws there were in the coun-
try about the fort were reputed to have
their retreat up in the range, too close
to the Indian village for soldiers to pur-
sue them.

Buffalo Bill listened to what Silent
Sam said, in answer to questions from
Doctor Powell, and remarked:

“Well, three of us, at least, do not
know this country. well, for you, Frank,
have not been long enough at the fort to
get acquainted; but Silent Sam does
know it, and so does the Man Killer, I
take it. and we will have to rely much
upon them for guidance, though it will
not take me long to get an idea of the lay
of the land.”

As they neared the timber, they sep-
arated, extending into a line, each man
well apart from the other, so as to avoid
a fire in group, should foes be lurking
in ambush.

But the timber was reached, and, en-
tering it, a ride of a quarter of a. mile
brought them to an abrupt ridge, from
which flowed several springs, forming a
small stream.

Here was a fire still burning, and this
had been the camp of the fugitives.

Buffalo Bill at once made a search for
signs, while dinner was being prepared,
and just as the meal was ready he came
up and joined the others, with the re-
mark:

“ I have discovered the tracks of just
seven horses here, one of them being
your iron gray, doctor, three of them the
animals we tracked yesterday, and there
were three more, one of them, I fee-l sure,
being a large mule, but shod.

“Leaving the iron gray out, and the
mule for a pack animal, it would make
flve horses with riders, and one of these
riders we know to be a woman.”

“That is a clear statement, Cody, of-

What we may have to' face, and it took
you to read the signs exactly as I believe
we will find them.

“ Thus far we have found the woman
and her companions not inclined to kill,
but anxious to force us off their trail;
but what may follow, now that we have
disregarded their warning, we can only
guess at.

“As for me, I say. go on, for in some
way I will connect those we are after
with the slayer of the black soldiers, and
we‘are five to five, and have nothing to
fear, though thus far we have found our
foes a trifle too clever for us,” said Sur-
geon Powell. '

 

CHAPTER XXIX.

CATCHING UP.

Having expressed himself as he ha
Surgeon Powell, glanced at his compan-
ions, to see what their opinion was.

“ You know me well enough, Frank,
to feel sure I am with you in all you
propose,” said Buffalo Bill, in answer to
the words of the Surgeon Scout.

“I’m in this affair to stay, if it’s a
grave I have to end in,” said Wild Bill.

The three then looked toward the In-
dian and Silent Sam.

They were anxious to know just what
these We wanted to do.

Neither spoke, and neither seemed‘to
feel they were expected to do so.

At last, as the silence was becoming, .
painful, Surgeon Powell said:   “

" Well, Silent Sam, what do you say?"
“ Nothing.”  '

'4’ u
. . - ,,..’l'

y not! ‘ 3.
on;

"No... Ihsven’t." r , y .
um 1m  . l ‘ 

r r

“ You surely have an opinion?   U ;.  ‘

O.
y. . .;,.,

i

 

.3,

 

 

  

.L, .
3‘ l
n, .

 
    

 

 

  

 

 

F] his pace.

th; I

 , surprise them.
‘”"-'}'?‘r:-They would rather have done so in
daylight, instead of then, as darkness

H Yes."

“ I came.”

‘4 Yes.”

“ You are chief?”

“ Well, yes.”

“Then I haven’t a right to say.”

“But I ask you to do so.”

“ Give your orders. I’ll obey."

That settled it as far as Silent Sam
was concerned, and Wild Bill muttered
to his fellow-scout:

“ That fellow gets me every time. I
don’t know 'him a littleybit, Bill.”

“ I find him a study, but an interesting
one,” was Buffalo Bill’s reply.

“ Now, Man Killer, it is your turn? ”
and Surgeon Powell turned his piercing
eyes full upon the immovable face of the
Indian. '

“Chief talk, brave keep still tongue,”
was the laconic response.

“But the Chief White Beaver asks
the Chief Man Killer to talk.”

“ Big Chief say go. Man Killer go.”

“That settles it then; we go, and all
appear of the same mind.

“I hate to have even one along who
is not heart and soul in the work on
hand.

“Come, we’ll mount now and be off,
and Silent Sam, you take the lead as
guide, though we will, of course, follow
the trail our foes left.”

The horses were saddled up at once,
on this order from Doctor Powell, and
in a short while the party was again on
the move, Silent Sam being ahead a cou-
ple of hundred yards.

The trail was a broad one, and when
some soft ground was reached, the tracks
which Buffalo Bill had said had been
made by a mule were seen, and all as-
serted that the scout was right.

It was a surprise to the surgeon and
two scouts, as they went along, mile after
mile, to see that no effort had been made
by the pursued to cover up their trail.

In fact, as the day wore away the
tracks seemed to be fresher, showing
that the pursuers were gaining.

A camp was passed, where the fire was
still burning, and this had been the halt-
‘ing place, doubtless, of the fugitives
after leaving the timber where they had
met the others.

There was no water near the camp,
but Silent Sam said the little river they
had camped on the night before was only
a dozen miles ahead.

“It certainly appears as though the.V
thflllght the warning would scare us off,
and they did not expect us to pursue
further," said Surgeon Powell.

“They will discover that they have
made a mistake.” Wild Bill remarked.

“It is certain that we are much nearer
to them now. than when we started this
morning. and yet we have kept only a
steady gait,” Buffalo Bill asserted, and
the had been most carefully examining
the trail.

“Perhaps We’ll find them encamped
on the river ahead,” said Surgeon Pow-
ell, and, anxious to get there before night-
fall, he called to Silent Sam to quicken

 

CHAPTER XXX.
THE NIGHT WATCH.

The sun was almost upon the distant
horizon, when Silent Sam called back:

“ River yonder! ” .

He might have spared his breath in
this instance, for the well-trained border-
men had long known from the appear-
ances about them that water was near.

All pressed through the timber ahead,
as they approached the stream through a
'narrow swale, for some sign of a camp.

They 'had hoped to come upon their.
toes encamped upon the river bank, and

was. close at hand; but if the camp was
discovered, they would take all chances
of making the best of it.

'But the, banks of the river
reached. and no .one was visible.

were

    

 

 

\

I.
A" r

Yet ,there'wiis’-‘s; camp, orthe remains I,

A- _..U.__.~. I ., '—

Buffalo Bill’s Relentless Trail.

The fire was yet in a blaze, and the
pursued party \had not been gone over a
couple of hours, at the best.

It was too late to push on further, for
Silent Sam said the ford, half a mile
away, was a dangerous one, the stream
running swift and among rocks, so a
camp must be made, especially as the
trail could not be followed by night.

If the pursued pushed on through the
night, it would leave the pursuers well
behind at the start in the morning.

Still, it could not be helped, and Sur-
geon Powell called a halt for the night.

There was a place to water the horses
near, grass grew in abundance, and wood
was at hand, while the camping place
was easily guarded.

If the pursued had pushed on across
the river, as appeared to be the case.
there was no dread of a surprise for
them that night.

Still, Buffalo Bill rode on along their
trail up to the ford, and saw that it led
into the stream and came out on the
other shore.

He saw that Silent Sam was right in
saying the ford was a dangerous one,
for, without a guide he did not care to
risk his horse.

He was anxious, however, to see the
trail of the fugitives on the other shore.

To do this he must go across, and
there was yet light enough for him to
see all that he wished to.

Throwing off his clothes, he plunged
in, and, a. bold swimmer, he picked out
the way. to bring a horse across, though
he had no intention of then doing so.

“I Wish to give Silent Sam a sur-
prise,” he muttered.

Reaching the other shore, he saw the
trail coming out.

Carefully he examined, and, counting
the hoof marks, saw that all were there,
including the mule.

He returned then, picking his way, and
noting just how to ride a horse across
and not have him lose his footing, for
the stream was a trifle over girth deep in
the right crossing, and a horse, by a
false step to right or left, might go far
beyond his depth, and be swept upon the
rapids below.

Resuming his clothes, Buffalo Bill
mounted and returned to the camp, just
as supper was announced by Silent Sam,
who had proven himself a most excellent
cook, and seemed anxious to do the
work.

“\Vell, Bill, did you make any dis-
covery? ” asked Surgeon Powell, as Buf-
falo Bill, having staked out his horse in
a good feeding, spot; came up and joined
the others about the fire.

“They crossed the ford, doc,‘ and as
Silent Sam said, it looks like a very dan-
gerous one, and sure death for one
crossing it without a guide, I should say.”

“Yes, soldiers and Indians, too, have
been drowned there, and many horses,
too,” said Silent Sam;

“ Yes, I have heard of it, and the fort
scouts and soldiers dread it—the Indians
call it Death Waters,” said Surgeon
Powell.

After a good supper, pipes were light-
ed, and then the Surgeon Scout sug-
gested that the night watch be set and
the rest turn in.

“ You go on watch, Man Killer, and
move between the h rses and the camp,
and Silent Sam, you fiake up a good posi—
tion to keep your eye on him, should he
get into trouble.

“ Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill have said
they will relieve you at midnight, so
take my watch, Silent Sam, and call them
promptly.”

U Yes.’) .

The Indian and Silent Sam then moved
to their respective positions, and after a
round of the camp, and the horses, Sur-
geon Powell went back to Where Buffalo
Bill and Wild Bill had spread their blan-
kets, and said, as he also turned in:

“ Well, we have a double night watch,
pards, and I guess will not be disturbed
to-night, as the fugitives do not seem

put the fi"l°l’ ‘lehvonn v11: ”

   

to think we are following them, and have ‘

 

"We .wlll'be able‘to ten better when

in

:—

to-morrow comes,” sleepily said Buffalo
Bill, and in a minute he was asleep, and
the others quickly. followed his example.

 

CHAPTER XXXI.
MIDNIGHT VISITORS.

Buffalo Bill was too experienced a
plainsman to slumber quietly when
something was going wrong about the
camp.

He had the same instinct as a faithful
watchdog, to sniff danger in the air.

With confidence in the ability of the
Indian to watch the camp. and of Silent
Sam to watch the Indian, Buffalo Bill
was yet uneasy.

He at first sank into a sound and rest-
ful sleep.

But after several hours he awoke sud-
denly.

Just why he could not tell.

He tried to banish the thought of dan-
ger. but could not.

Had it been Surgeon Powell or Wild
Bill on watch, he would at once spring
up and go to satisfy himself that all was
well.

But he did not wish the Indian or.
Silent Sam to feel the slightest suspicion
that they would neglect their duty as
sentinels.

His prowling about would certainly
cause them to dread that he had a fear
of their not doing their duty.

Again he sank to sleep.

But his dreams were troubled.

At last he sat up, took out his watch,
and by the light of the flickering camp-
fire looked at the time.

It was one o'clock.

He feared that he was mistaken in the
dim light.

He looked again.
hands of the watch.

Why had he and Wild Bill not been
called by Silent Sam at twelve?

Or had Wild Bill been called, and
thought he could stand guard alone, and
so had let him sleep?

No, there lay the form of Wild Bill
not twenty feet away.

There also was Surgeon Powell near.

Both were apparently fast asleep.

Buffalo Bill now arose quietly, buckled
on his belt of arms, drew on his boots,
and softly crept to the fire.

He was right. It was now ten minutes
after one o’clock. -

Quickly the scout strode to where hd
had seen Silent Sam take his position,
about half way between the camp and the
horses.

There was a group of rocks, and as he
approached them Buffalo Bill called out:

“Silent Sam!"

A low moan greeted him in answer.

Springing forward, Buffalo Bill dis-
covered Silent Sam lying on the ground,

One o’clock said the

and, running his hands over him, he‘

found him to be bound hand and foot,
and a gag was in his mouth.

At once the voice of the scout rang
out in alarm:

“Ho, pards!
again!”

It took but a sound to awaken Sur-
geon Powell and Wild Bill.

Then they heard:

“ Silent Sam has been gagged and
bound—here by these rocks and big tree.

“I go to find the redskin! ”

Surgeon Powell and Wild Bill quickly
drew on their boots, buckled on their
arms, and ran to the place designated by
Buffalo Bill. »

There they found Silent Sam, still
bound, as described.

As they set to work to free him, they
again heard Buffalo Bill’s voice, a bun
dred yards away. -

“The Indian is here, just as snent
Sam. and the horses are gone!" ,

This was certainly a surprise." . 4

It was carrying the war into their on
camp with a vengeance.

we have been tricked

Leaving Wild Bill to free silent 8am 9'5
of his gag and.bonds, SurgeonPowéll 

ran to where Buffalo Bill was.
The horses were surely gone, -
‘ But the Indian was lying on

'near. a clump of. cedars,-  Bun.

   

.. twin?
,3, ,

     

. ' - «I ' .  .‘.~.* I
~L‘_‘_:‘..-.  ..

« ‘.;.....a.i_.‘;c-tt.¢.ft .'

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as.

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.71 

Buffalo Bill’s

   

Alw>.

Relentless Trail.

 

 

'was quickly unwinding the lasso curled
about him from head to foot, the noose
being about his neck, for he had evi—
dently been lassoed from behind.

The gag had been taken from his
mouth by the scout, but the Indian could
not yet speak.

Both Silent Sam and himself had evi-

 

r Y ‘dently been prisoners for some time.
i." CHAPTER XXXII.
‘~, UNSEEN.
There was no doubt but that the
horses were gone.
But where?
Their stake ropes were gone with

 

them.

The Man Killer was aided to his feet
by Buffalo Bill and Surgeon Powell, and
helped to the fire, Where Wild Bill had
already taken Silent Sam, and given him
a canteen of water to soothe his parched
and inflamed mouth. .

Throwing some wood on the fire, it
flared up brightly as Surgeon Powell and
Buffalo Bill came up with the Indian.

The faces of the three pards were white
and stern.

They could not but feel that they were
being beaten at their own game of clever
strategy toward a. fee.

The Indian was given a canteen of
.water and drank freely.

Then Surgeon Powell said: .

“ Pards, this is getting a little monot-
onous.”

Neither Silent Sam nor the Indian
spoke, though the surgeon’s eyes were
turned upon them.

“How was it, Silent Sam, for, as our
midnight visitors did not deprive you
wholly of breath, use what they left you
by talking freely.”

“I don’t know."

" You don’t know who surprised you
on your post of duty and gagged and
tied you? ”

“f¢ofl

“ Tell we what you do know."

“ There! ”

The man put his hand to the back of
his head, and when he withdrew it, there
was a red stain upon it. '

“ Ah! you have been dealt a blow from
behind. Let me see it!”

The Surgeon Scout looked at the trap-
per’s head, washed the blood away with
water from the canteen, and exposed a
gash in the scalp a couple of inches in
length and cut to the bone.

“ This was made by some sharp instru-
ment, for it has left a clean cut. It
was dealt from behind, and you were
stunned, so knew nothing?”

Silent Sam nodded, and Surgeon Pow-
ell quickly took a few stitches in the
,vvound and dressed it.

Then the trapper said:

“I was leaning against the tree, hav-
ing just come from where Man Killer
was, near the horses.

“I felt the blow, and that is all I
know.”

“It is a clever fellow, indeed, who can
creep up behind you without your hear—
ing him, and he took big chances."

' “ Maybe he was in the tree,” suggested
Buffalo Bill.

“That might be. Now, Man Killer,

‘ what can you tell us? ” and Surgeon Pow-

 

ell turned to the Indian.

The redskin stood up, took the lariat
that had been around his neck and body,
and crept, without the slightest sound,
up to within a dozen ‘ feet of Silent
Sam, who stood at the fire, with his back
to him, apparently not knowing what
Man Killer’s intention was.

He had not spoken, was acting in pan-
tomime, and the Surgeon Scout and his
two comrades watched him attentively.

- Suddenly the coil was thrown, the
noose caught about Silent Sam’s neck,
and he was dragged backward and down-
‘WBI‘d to the ground, while with a bound
the Indian placed his foot upon the rope,
(which he .drew taut, and thrust a re-

; Nolver into the trapper’s face.
‘i - Had Silent Sam wished to resist he was.

right so thoroughly off his guard that
 Td‘n’ot dope, and Surgeon Powall,
.«y, j W ‘ x \ 3 ‘ ,

 

 

_“ That is not the way to reason, chief.

 
 

seeing that the pantomime was far too
real, sprang forward and cried:

“ Hold, chief! You will hurt the trap-
per!”

The Indian desisted at once, while Si-
lent Sam got upon his feet quickly, his
hand upon his revolver.

But his anger cooled in an instant, and
he grunted:

“ Don’t play with me, redskin.”

The Indian had not yet spoken, but
innocently asked:

“ Paleface pards see? ”

“ Oh, yes, you illustrated it a trifle too
well, at least for Silent Sam,” Buffalo
Bill said, suppressing a laugh at the act
of the Indian.

“Well, I understand how it was done.
and I conclude that if Silent Sam was
Where he could see you, Man Killer, the
two attacks were made at the same in-
stant on both of you.”

“Yes, Frank, and it will go to prove
that there was more than one in this at-
tack.”

“Sure, Pard Bill.” assured Wild Bill.

“Well, the question is now as to
whether our horses have been run off
beyond our reach, or have been taken a
certain distance and left, as before, only
to retard our pursuit," Buffalo Bill re-
marked.

“We will know in the morning, and
we can do nothing until then, so turn in,
all of you, and get what sleep you can
while I stand guard.”

“No, doc, I’ll take -the watch,” said
Buffalo Bill.

“You and Wild Bill can take it to-
morrow night—if we get our horses
back,” replied Surgeon Powell, and the
others at once turned in, and were soon
fast asleep.

Surgeon Powell moved about the camp,
around it, and kept a bright watch.

But the day began to dawn without
any-thing happening to disturb the sleep—
ers until called by their leader.

The attacks seemed to be made only
on the trapper and Indian, and for the
purpose only of running off the horses.

 

CHAPTER XXXIII.
ON THE BACK TRACK.

Breakfast was over with, and Silent
Sam was told to keep the camp, the In-
dian to go with Surgeon Powell and Wild
Bill on the trail of the horses, while
Buffalo Bill was to scout about the neigh-
borhood of the ford and see what he
could discover.

It was just light enough to pick up the
trail when the party started, and Buffalo
Bill went on toward the ford.

The trail of the horses was easily fol-
lowed by the trackers, and led back
toward the fort. v

There was discovered to be the track
of one more horse than those belonging
to the party, and it joined them not far
from the camp.

“From my remembrance of the hoof
mark of that black horse ridden by that
strange woman, I say that this is his
track,” said Doctor Powell.

“Same track. Squaw with iron hand
came again last night,” assented the In-
dian.

Wild Bill also asserted that it Was the
track of the black horse, and, further-

more, showed that it came from the direc—

tion of the ford.

“Then she was alone, unless the oth-
ers came on foot.”

“ Yes, doctor, it looks so.” .

“ And a woman came into our camp,
with two guards on duty, Wild Bill, and
bound and gagged them both."

“ That’s what she did do."

“ It seems incredible.”

“ It does.”

“I cannot understand it.”

“ Know all if the white squaw get grip
on throat," said the Indian.

“It shall be my. desire to keep her
grip off of my throat, Man Killer.”
“ Me kill her 'some time.”

“ Oh, no, not a woman."
“ She have scalp, same as white brave."

I

 

 

I

You must not harm that woman under
any circumstances.”

“Chief hear.”

“And you must heed.” ‘

The Indian nodded, and the three con-
tinued on the trail of the horses at a
brisk walk.

Presently the Surgeon Scout halted.

“What is it, Pard Doc?"

“ See that track? ”

“Yes, it is going bac ."

“ Yes.

“She had lest the horses and turned
back."

The Indian had made the same dis-
covery, that the track of the black horse,
if that animal had made them, had dou-
bled and come back over the trail.

It was seen to branch off from the
main trail just where it had been discov-
ered, and it evidently led to the ford, not
returning by the camp.

The other tracks led on as before, and
the signs showed that the horses had
been in a canter, and evidently Were led,
as they were close together.

After a tramp of half a. dozen miles,
the trail turned suddenly to the left, and
in a little vale the horses were found.

They were staked out upon a little
meadowland, very sparesly overgrown
with grass, and which the kidnapped
animals evidently knew of.

“ It is strange that the one who stole
our horses should show the humanity to
care for them by placing them here
where they could get food, and not stake
them out upon the open plain, which was
devoid of grass,” said Surgeon Powell.

“It’s a queer affair all around, doc,
for the horses were not really. stolen,
only led away to retard our pursuit for
half a day.”

“Yes, and that when we thought these
we were in pursuit of were sure we had
heeded the warning and turned back."

“It’s mighty mysterious all around,
doc; but there is your gray, so the W0-
man of the Iron Hand did not take back
her horse ”

“I am glad that she did not, for it
would have forced me upon one of the
pack animals, and put extra weight upon
all of our horses to distribute the outfit
evenly.”

They had now come to the horses, the
animals regarding them curiously, and
welcoming their approach with a neigh.

“If you only had the power to speak,
what a story you could tell us, good
horses,” said Surgeon Powell.

“Pony see, hear, make war cry, but
no talk," said the Indian.

“I only wish they could. It would
have been a boss way of making a horse,"
if the Lord had only thought about it,
which I guess He didn’t, seeing as they,
don’t talk,” said Wild Bill.

Surgeon Powell laughed at the scout’s
queer conceit, and replied:

“Well, we will have to wait our chance
to learn What they know, Bill. But come,
we’ll get back to camp, have a rest and
dinner, and then push on across the
river and see what to-night has in store
for us.”

“Yes, and see what Buffalo Bill has
found out, for whenever he goes on a
lone trail he strikes it rich nine times
out of ten.”

“ I believe you are right," answered the
Surgeon Scout, and, leaping upon the
back of the bareback gray, he led the
way back to ,camp.

Upon their arrival there, Silent Sain
said Buffalo Bill had not returned.

 

CHAPTER XXXIV.
BUFFALO BILL’S FIND.

When Buffalo Bill went off alone on
his trail of discovery, he came upon the
tracks of a single horse, leading down
from the ford to the camp.

“ That is the track of the black horse
ridden by that strange woman,” he mut-
tered.

He examined it closely, and came to
the conclusion to follow it. .

It led him to a point several hundred
yards from the cam .

p , ..
There the animal  been left 

‘zs

 

 

‘1’“

 

 

     

 

 

Buffalo Bill’s Relentless Trail.

a V
. -J\‘:"

 

 

ing, evidently unhitched, for there was
nothing near to tie to, and no sign of a
stake in the ground.

“Could she have alone caught and
handled both the Indian and Silent
Sam?” he muttered.

'Continuing his musing, he said:

“ Once Silent Sam got a good blow on
the head, and last night it Was a. cut.
while the Indian has each time been
simply dhoked.

“ If it is the woman does it, she evi-
dently does not care to hurt us seriously,
merely to scare us off the trail.

“ As for me, she only. makes me that
more determined to pursue it, and if I
mistake not, doc and Wild Bill feel the
same way, while that queer fellow, Silent
Sam, and the Indian are getting a little
revengeful, I take it, toward their un-
seen foe, but the Women it must be.

“ Now to see Where this trail leads
from here." .

The scout was not long in discovering
that the trail led to those of the other
horses coming from the camp.

Satisfied on this point, and knowing
that the others would see where the trail
went, Buffalo Bill turned back to the
10rd the way he had started.

Before searching there he came upon
the tracks of the black horse going back.

The animal’s rider had accomplished
the work started upon and was re—
turning.

The approach to the ford was dotted
with large boulders scattered about, and
there were large pines and small clus-
ters of cedars.

Picking his way, the scout gained the
same place on the bank he had reached
the evening before.

He could see the tracks of deer, elk,
bear, and other animals leading to the
water, where they had gone to drink, but
to one side were the hoof marks of the
black horse, where he had come out of
the stream, and again entered it, in the
night.

“That is a plucky woman, indeed, to
attempt this ford at night; but she did it,
that is certain, unless it was a man
mounted upon her black horse, and which
_ I am half inclined to believe, for I can
" hardly think a. woman could do what she

has done.

“ Still, she certainly was the one to
lasso the Indian in the canyon, and tie
him unaided.

“ I see no other hoof print, so she must
have crossed alone.

“ But where are her two comrades the
While, I Wonder?

“ It’s all harder and harder to under-
stand."

The scout now stood in a quandary as
to just what to do.

He was tempted to cross the ford, as
he had done the evening before, yet
$0111}: 593 really nothing to be gained

y 1 .

“1’11 just Sit down here in this cedar
bunCh and think it over," mused the
scout; and he suited his action to his
Words.

The SCOUP’S thoufihts turned upon his
haVing demde t0 80 to Fort Benham
to visit his old friend. Surgeon Frank

I Powell, and how his equally as tried
pard, Wild Bill, told him how he had

 

my!“

 

 

been put upon a special duty. to try and‘

find out who the mysterious girl outlaw
of the stage trails was, and where were
her haunts, who [her allies.
“Then we chip in on the work to-
? gether, Wild Bill, far she has left these
‘ parts, as I have discovered, and is sup_
‘ i ' posed to have gone down toward Fort
 Benham, where I am going to visit Doc
Po .9) ‘
‘yv'l‘zhlen it’s a 80. Bill. for I was going
to ask your help.

~ ith you.”
3: $215 rho compact made, a letter was

to Sur eon Powell telling of their
fling andg the two pards started, to
‘be saved from an a-mbush'from two men

cud

 

Who re the comrades of the very wo-
man they. were 11 the track of, and to
be saved, too, 6y the very pard they
,1 'yere going to visit. ,‘ .
,»  l I J. I W
kn . A
g. C3,, .3 A

 

Now the situation was, ran the
thoughts of Buffalo Bill, that they were
being hunted, as it were, by the very
one they wished to find.

That five of them were being most
cleverly outwitted by the woman and her
two comrades, at least thus far on the
trail they were.

While lost in thought, and hidden
among the cedars, Bufialo Bill uncon-
sciously turned his eyes up the riVer, and
be'held a horseman coming down the
bank.

He did not know him, and, from ap-
pearances, supposed him to be one of
the comrades of the woman.

“ If we can’t get pudding, we must take
pie,” he muttered, as he brought his rifle
around for use, for the man must come
within a couple of hundred feet of where
he was in hiding.

 

CHAPTER XXXV.
WHAT BUFFALO BILL saw.

Buffalo Bill was ready for his man,
whoever he might be.

He saw that he was well mounted and
equipped.

The outfit on the horse showed that the
rider was prepared for a long trail, but
the good beast did not seem to mind the
weight, though his master was a man
fully, six feet in height and well built.

He wore no beard, but a heavy mus—
tache shaded his mouth, and his face was
handsome, though very darkly bronzed
by exposure, while his hair was of gold—
en hue and‘hung heavily upon his broad
shoulders.

A rifle was swinging from his back, a
lariat hung at his saddle horn, and he
had a belt of arms.

This much Buffalo Bill took in as the
man came along the river trail.

He then took notice that the bank
shelved back from the river just there,
and the horseman could not yet have
seen the stream.

But as he neared the ford he came to
a halt, dismounted, and, With a caution
gained by. long experience with the dan-
ger, doubtless, dismounted and crept up
to the top of the steep bank and peered
over.

He had seen the trail ahead, leading to
the river, and felt that it-must lead to a
ford.

As he peered over and across the
stream, Buffalo Bill saw by the start he
gave that he had made some discovery.

The scout’s attention had been wholly
upon the horseman up to this point, but
now he quickly turned his head and
glanced across the river.

The discovery that he made was a sur-
prise to him, indeed. '

“I have found more than I want at
one time,” he muttered.

What he saw across the stream was
the Woman of the Iron Hand.

She had come down to the edge of the
water, and was mounted upon her splen~
did black horse.

The animal moved a few steps, and
paused to drink.

The woman’s eyes were riveted across
the ford, and she had raised her black
veil.

But her face was concealed by her
hands holding a field glass up to her
eyes, and with which she was recon-
noitring the other side of the river.

Her hands, the scout noted, were con—
cealed in a pair of black gauntlet gloves.

And the scout made another note of
what he saw. '

The woman, of course, did not see him.
concealed in the cedar bushes, nor did
she see the strange‘horseman.

The latter had discovered her, and his
actions did not go to prove the scout’s
suspicion that he was one of her two
comrades.

The man’s face Buffalo Bill could not
800. but he did observe that his actions
were quick'and excited.

He had slipped back down the steep
bank. leaped into his saddle, unslung
his rifle. and was - slowly advancing
to“Nerd the ford, as though he hoped to

‘39? therejust as the woman crossed.

   

 

That he was excited from some cause
the scout could see.

But Buffalo Bill was perfectly calm.

What was to take place he felt he was
to be a witness of.

He felt that if the two met, as the
man rode out from behind the bank, and
the woman came across the stream, that
he, from his point of vantage, would be
within a hundred fee-t of both of them.

Under the circumstances, Buffalo Bill
did not mind being an eavesdropper, and
he was going to make the very best of
his chance situation.

As the man neared the break in the
bank, Buffalo Bill saw that the woman
had started to come across.

She had swung her feet upon the neck
of her horse, to keep them dry, and, hold-
ing on to her saddle horns, thus rode
and supported herself.

The man had peeped around the bank,
quickly drew back, and, rifle in hand,
waited.

Did he mean to hold her up or kill
her?

Whatever he attempted, the scout was
ready to also act.

But the black horse had evidently
scented danger.

Perhaps he had caught a glance of the
horse of the stranger, as he was quickly
drawn back by his master, so as not to
ride into view.

At any rate, the black gave a loud
snort, as though of fear.

The woman quickly halted him.

“What is it, Black Boy? " and the
question she asked her horse reached the
scout’s ears.

The horseman heard it, also, without
a doubt, for he settled himself in his
saddle, and grasped his rifle more firmly.

The scout did the same as to his rifle.

The woman was about half way across
the stream, and the swift current made
it hard for her horse to stand still.

“\Ve won’t risk it, Black Boy,” said
the woman, and she was about to turn
back, when the strange horseman spured
into view, his rifle at a level, and his
voice rang as he shouted:

“ Halt,4Kate Kennon, or I will kill you
as I would a wolf! ”

 

CHAPTER XXXVI.
QUICKLY DONE.

The words of the horseman, shouted
with savage earnestness toward a wo-
man, be she what she might, fairly
startled Buffalo Bill.

He at once rose from his sitting post-
ure and stood ready to spring into view.

Upon the woman the effect, whatever
she might feel, was not shown by any
great alarm.

She was startled, of course.

She halted her horse as she was about
to turn, and sat in her saddle, gazing at
the man, having lowered her black vail.

That she knew the man was certain.

But she, after a second or two of hesi-

tation, called back, in a voice that had
not a tremor in it, but was musical and
firm:
“ That you would keep your word, Har-
old Cam, I do not doubt. But I would rath-
er be killed by your bullet than be again
in your power, so I shall take the chances
and try to escape!"

“ Hold, I say! I am merciless! ” shout-
ed the man.

The woman laughed deflantly as she
wheeled her horse, then uttered a cry of

surprise, for she had seen Buffalo Bill

spring into view.

She also heard the ’words the scout
uttered:

 Hands up, you coward! "

A cry broke from the man’s lips, and
he turned to fire upon the scout.

But ere he could pull trigger the re-
volver, for Buffalo Bill had thrown aside
his rifle and drawn a revolver, flashed,
and the bullet sped where it was aimed,
net at the life of the horseman, but at
his left hand, upholding his weapon.

With the report the rifle dropped from;
the grasp of the man, going 011' as itdid r“
so, and the bullet narrowly missing But '

1an Bill. j

 

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. Buffers Bill’s Relentless Trail.

I ,_  ~- .. .»
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—<.r- . ,r..-

 

“Want me, white chief?” answered
the Indian from the distant camp.
“No, stay where you are, but all keep
your eyes open, for a visitor came to
camp, and I failed to lasso her.” ’
Walking up to the iron gray, Buffalo
Bill spoke soothineg to him, and soon

. quieted him.

Then he went to his post and waited.

About two hours after Surgeon Powell
came to him on his midnight rounds.

“ What was it, Bill? ” he asked.

Buffalo Bill told him just what had
occurred.

“ Well, you thwarted her, if it was the
woman, which I can hardly believe.”

“ And failed to catch her.”

“ Yes, but I do not think the horses
will be run off to-night, and that is a
great deal.”

‘6 Yes.’,

“ I will go on the rounds, now, and, as
I said before, you do the same before
dawn.”

Surgeon Powell walked on, and visited
Wild Bill, Silent Sam, and the Indian
in camp, telling each one of what had
happened.

The prisoner was awake, and sneering-
ly said: .

“ She gave you a scare, did she?

“ Well, she’ll do worse before this trail
is ended.”

Surgeon Powell made no reply, ex-
amined the manacles on the prisoner,
and, after a few words with Man Killer,
passed on.

He returned to his post, and the time
glided away.

Two hours after Buffalo Bill again
took the rounds.

All was well, and, as it was very near-
ly dawn, he told Man Killer to build up
the fire, and sent Silent Sam to the camp
to get breakfast.

But he, Surgeon Powell, and Wild Bill
'remained guard over the horses until
called to breakfast, just at dawn.

The night had passed without the
horses being kidnapped, but it had kept
the whole camp awake all night to guard
them, and, had it not been for Buffalo
Bill, the midnight visitor, the Woman
in Black, would surely. have gotten the
animals.

 

. CHAPTER L.

THE PRISONER PLOTTING.

At breakfast the alarm of the night
was talked over, and, though the pris-
oner ate apart from the others, where he
could get no chance to “doctor” the
food or drink in any way, he laughed at
the party for having been outwitted by
the woman, though the five had been on
guard, and she had come directly into
their camp. ‘

Surgeon Powell and Buffalo Bill did
not reply to his mocking words, but
Wild Bill said:

“This trail has not come to an end
yet," pard, and when it does I'll gamble
big money. on it that we know all about
that woman, and when we go back you
won’t be with us.”

“ No, I’ll have escaped, as I never saw
the irons yet that could hold me when
I got ready to go.”

“ I wasn’t thinking of your escape."

“ What then? ”

“I was thinking of our leaving you
behind—in your grave.”

The man was silenced at once, and

'having finished their breakfast, all be~

gan .to prepare for the tran. ’

“I’ll tell you what we’ll do, pards,’
said Surgeon Powell, after he had dressed
the cut in. Silent am’s head and the
.wounds of the prisoner.

“ Yes, doc.”

“We’ll keep this camp, leaving the
prisoner here, and Silent Sam here to

guard it.
"‘We’ll leave the horses, too, for we

 “can do better on foot in finding the trail

we are after, and then can follow it."
think you are right, Frank."
, for there will be four of us
for, t, and we will have the day
‘  .I I

 
 

 

“Then, too, we must meet the stage
9030b. for it will pass along this morn-
ing."

This was decided upon, and so the
three pards, with Man Killer accom-
panying them, started off on foot, to
look up the trail of the fugitives, after
it had reached the ridge.

Silent Sam was left in the camp to
guard it and the prisoner, and the lat-
ter Surgeon Powell left with his feet
only manacled, as his wounded hand he
did not wish to retard in its recovery,
for it was doing well.

The chain about his ankles, however,
was wound Once around a small sapling,
so that the prisoner could not move from
his position, and Silent Sam was given
the key to the irons, to let him give the
man a rest at dinner time.

Taking a lunch with them, in case
they should be gone all day, the party
then left together, while Silent Sam took
up his position where he could watch all
the approaches to the camp.

Hardly had the party been lost to sight
when the prisoner seemed to brighten
llT‘

He looked at the form of Silent Sam.
standing a hundred yards away, and then

nguii Lu Lllb xAu u ._y .t..i.,.
The m' cles were too small to slip
over his t, he soon discovered.

Then he began to measure the length
of the chain that held them together.

It was some three feet in length, but
a turn around a small sapling had short-
ened it by a foot.

The prisoner‘s blankets were spread by
the tree, so that he could lie down upon
them, and his saddle had been placed
there as a rest for his back or head.

It was a Mexican saddle, and the stir-
rups were massive and heavy affairs.

Suddenly an id“ flashed upon him,
and with one hand he began to unstrap
a stirrup from the saddle.

He was able to do so after awhile, and
pulled the leather.“ guard ad of the stir-
rup leather, and then put it back again.

This gave him a very dangerous weap-
on, indeed, for he could swing the heavy
stirrup with great force in a blow.

This work done, he put the saddle
back, so as to hide what he had done,
and then waited.

He could do nothing else than bide his
time.

Thus an hour passed, and Silent Sam
walked up to the camp, to see how he
was getting along.

“Say, pard, I want to talk with you."

“ Well? ”

“You know me? ”

“ I guess."

, “I know you.”

“ Maybe.”

“ Surgeon Powell intends to kill me
when he gets good and ready.”

H Yes.’!

“ It’s money in your pocket to let me
go.”

“ How much? ”

“ Call it a couple of thousand."

" Where is it? ”

“ I’ve got it, for, strange to say, I
was not robbed, but allowed to keep my
money.” ‘

“It is not enough.”

" I’ve only got three thousanc .”

“ You won’t need any. if you die."

" That’s so.

“I’ll give you the three thousand if
you let me escape.”

' Silent Sam did not reply for several
minutes, and then said suddenly and
with a. firmness of manner that was
startling: w

“ No, for I know you and all that it
would mean for you to escape.

" You appeal to the wrong one, Harold
Carr, when you ask me to aid you, for I
know all you would do.”

 

CHAPTERLI.
THE ESCAPE.
The face of the prisoner turned pale
at the sudden words of the trapper.
-He did not speak for a moment, and
then said:

 

 
 

 

“ Silent Sam, some day I will even up
matters with you, for I tell you now
that I do not intend to be shot down in
cold blood, or hanged like a dog. The
end is not yet—for me."

The trapper made no reply, and soon
after the prisoner said:

“ Say, I didn’t eat much breakfast this.
morning, so give me a cold snack."

Silent Sam walked to the fire, where
the remains of the breakfast yet were,
and picked up from the frying pan a.
piece of venison steak.

This he carried to the prisoner, who
rose as he approached.

Taking the edibles, he said:

“ Now bring me a cup of
please.”

Silent Sam walked away to obey.

He soon returned, bringing a canteen
of fresh water.

“ They are coming back,” said the pris-
oner, as the water was almost within his
reach, and he looked off toward the
horses as he spoke.

Silent Sam turned to look in the di-
rection indicated, when, with a quick
and hard swing the heavy stirrup was
broulght down with great force upon his
iea .

Silent Sam dropped senseless.

A malignant smile of triumph came
over the face of the prisoner, and he at
once bent over the motionless form and
thrust his hand in his pockets.

The key of the irons was almost the
first thing he found, and it did not take
him long to free himself.

Then he grasped the trapper’s knife,
and seemed about to drive it in his heart.

But, thinking better of it, he said:

“No, if he is not dead, I will not
kill him—that redskin would avenge
him. I'll tie him."

With a lasso he did this, and well,
while Silent Sam lay motionless, the
blood trickling from the gash the heavy
stirrup had cut in his head.

Then the man worked rapidly. _

The stirrup was put back on the sad-
dle, then mbag of provisions was taken
from the supplies of the scouts.

Next his own trappings were gathered
together and put upon a. pack saddle.

With but one hand to work with, for
the wounded one was of little use, Harold
Carr could not get along as fast as he
wished. ,

But he had all ready soon, and, tak-
ing a piece of paper from his pocket, and
a pencil, he wrote:

“Surgeon Powell:

“ I have made my escape, even though
I was the prisoner of such renowned
nBilein as yourself, Buffalo Bill, and Wild
“ I have taken your horses, all of them,
so you will have to take the back trail
to the fort, and you know that some day

water,

'the settlement between you and I will

come, with the chances in my favor.‘.

“ To follow‘the trail of that Woman in
Black is fatal, so give it up.

“I will not say good-by, for we shall
meet again, so au revoir.

“Yours until death,
" HAROLD CARR.”
Then followed a postscript:

“I used my stirrup on Silent Sam,
knocking him out with one blow.

“ I believe he is dead.”

The piece of paper was put on the
breast of Silent Sam, and then the dar-
ing man walked rapidly to where the
horses were.

Pulling up the stakes, he tied the ani-
mals two by two, except the one he in-
tended to ride and use as a pack horse.

All were led up to the camp, and Silent
Sam lay as he had fallen, motionless as
death. ‘

Quickly saddling his own horse and
the pack animal, Harold Carr mounted
and rode out of camp.

He had escaped, seemingly, when all
attempts to do so would have been im-
possible. i , ~

Unable to bribe the old trapper, he had

 

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way, and at once drew rain with great
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Buffalo Bill’s Relentless Trail.

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It

25

 

 

him to deal him a blow that surely looked
to have been fatal, for Silent Sam yet
lay motionless, just as he had fallen.

It was some time after the departure
of the escaped prisoner from the camp
Before Silent Sam showed any signs of

e.

Then his breast began to heave.

He moved his leg, then a hand, his
head turned from side to side, and he
uttered a groan.

Another moment and his eyes opened.

Gazing about him, he seemed for
awhile to be dazed.

Then intelligence came back into his
eyes, and with a sudden motion he at-

‘ tempted to rise.

He could not do so, and realized that
he was bound hand and foot.

He uttered a moan, as though of men-
tal, rather than physical, pain, and his
eyes closed again.

But as he did so he heard a shout, and
his name was called in a loud tone.

 

CHAPTER LII.

HELD UP.

When SurgeOn Powell left the camp
with his two long—tried comrades and the
Indian, they made their way up to the

,top of the range to the point where the

trail of the fugitives, and their own in
following, came out upon the summit.

“There are four of us, so we can di-
vide here,” said the Surgeon Scout.

“Yes, two of us can take this side of
the range, one going each way, and two
the other.

“ We can thus cover a long distance,
if need be, and if we find a trail, where
those we are after have 'left the range,
we can come back and notify each other
by shots,” said Buffalo Bill.

“ Yes, that will be the way, Bill. But,
we must not go over half a dozen miles
from this point,” the surgeon said.

“ And the coach? ”

“Yes, Bill, we will take the way. to the
right here, to meet it first, while Wild
Bill and Man Killer go to the left. If
we make any discovery, Wild Bill, we
will send word to you by the driver of
the coach.”

So it was arranged, and the
parted.

Buffalo Bill and Surgeon Powell went
up the ridge, one on each side, Wild Bill
and Man Killer down it.

The summit of the range was very
nearly level, and it was from a couple of

four

[hundred yards to half a mile in width.

The surgeon and Buffalo Bill walked
briskly to their posts, as the others did,
and the start was made.

All were to follow the windings, clear
to the edge, to discover just where the
fugitives had gone over, if possible, and
they then continued on their trail, hav-
ing, as they doubtless supposed, thrown
their pursuers off the scent.

One mile, two, had the surgeon and
Cody gone, keeping very nearly the same
pace, when there came to their ears the
sound of approaching wheels. ~

They knew that it was the coach.

The hard soil of the ridge made the
wheels rumble loudly, and the two men
moved away from the edge of the range
toward the centre.

Even there the coach trail was but
faintly marked, owing to the rocky track
it followed.

“ Ho, Bill, you heard it, too,” called
out Doctor Powell, as the two came
within. hailing distance.

“Yes, Frank. It will soon come in
sight, for the driver is sending his team
along at a good pace," answered the
scout. ‘

A moment after, around a bend a few
hundred yards away, came the coach.

‘ . The six horses were at a good pace,
‘ihndlthe. driver was urging them.
‘ _,.He was alone on the. box, and, glancing

ahead, saw the, two. men barring his

."It' s. Fred Fletcher, and he thinks he'
orbs-held $19.9: said Surgeon Powell,
‘ ‘ mam driver. ~

     
 

 

‘ ther same game." . ,

Then he took off his black army som-
brero, and waving it, shouted:

“ Ho, Fred, we are friends! Come on! ”

The driver then waved his slouch hat,
gave a shout, and brought his team along
at a slapping pace.

As he neared the spot where the two
friends were standing, he drew down
to a slow pace, until he finally halted.

" Well, Doctor Powell, I am jist awful
glad ter see yer,” he said, in an earnest
voice, dropping his reins on the backs
of his wheel horses and leaping to the
ground.

“Why, Fred, you look as though You
had seen a ghost,” said the Surgeon
Scout.

“ No, but seen two ghosts made, Sur-
geon Powell."

“ What do you mean?”

“ Two kilt.” _

"Ah! Passengers?"

“ Sogers.”

“ Then you have been held up? "

H I has.”

“ And two of your passengers were
killed? "

“ Sure.”

“This is bad. Where was this?”

“ Back on the trail half a dozen miles,
sir.”

“ Soldiers, you say?,”

“ Black cavalry, sir.”

“ Ah! you had two black soldiers as
passengers? ”

“Yes, sir. The road-agents held up
the coach, and I told ’em they’d git nixie,
for I traveled light. But they said as
how they’d take a look inside ther hearse,
and there they found the two black sol-
diers.”'

“ And a fight followed? ”

“No, sir. They jist told them two
poor tellers ter git out, and they had a
good look at ’em, and the result was
they tarned ter me and said:

“‘Fred Fletcher, yer lied ter us, for
yer does carry a rich find, as we wants
these two men, fer reasons they knows
well, when we tell ’em we recognizes ’em
as havin’ been in ther Perdido raid.’

“ Then ther two sogers looked scared
awful, and ther two road-agents tarned
to ther chief and asks what was ter be
done.

“ Ther reply come quick and sharp.

“ ‘ They must die!’

” Now, Surgeon Powell, who does Yer
think' their leader was? ”

“A woman,” said Buffalo Bill, speak-
ing for the first time.

 

CHAPTER LIII.

.. A WOMAN’S DEADLY HAND.
At the words of Buffalo Bill, Fred

Fletcher, the stage driver, looked him

squarely in the face. .

He had observed him before, and been
impressed with his very striking appear-
ance.

Now he said:

“You knows her then, pard;
doesn’t know you.”

“It is my friend, Buffalo Bill, Fred,
the great Chief of Scouts of whchn you
have heard so much.”

“ Lordy! Does yer mean it, doctor?"

“I certainly do, Fred — William F.
Cody, Buffalo Bill, and the King of
Plainsman,” said Doctor Powell, with a
smile.

The driver appeared to be taken
aback, for he beheld before him the man
he had so longed to meet, of whom he
had heard so much.

«But Buffalo Bill stepped forward. and,
offering his hand, said, in his frank
way:

"I have heard of you, Pard Fletcher,
as one of the crack drivers of the Rock-
ies, and I am glad to meet you.”

They shook hands warmly, and then
the driver said:

“ So you knows it was a woman who
held me up? ”

" Yes, I guessed it, for she has been
raiding the stage trails in the north, and
is a bold and cleVer one”. * '

i “ Well, she’s down here now playin’

but I

O

 

, , Fletcher. V

“ Yes, my pard, Wild Bill, and I came
down this way to find her.”

“Whar is Wild Bill, pard?”

“ Not very far away.

" You will pass him on this ridge.”

“I have heard of him often, and if
you and him is along with Surgeon Pow-
em on a trail, yer’ll catch what you is
after, if it’s- ther Devil himself.”

“ We hope to do so, Fred, though from
all accounts it appears to be a she devil
we are after. Tell us more about your
being held up.”

“ Yer see, gents," began Fletcher,
“ when I seen ther road-agent tarn to
ther woman, I kinder thought thar would
be mercy shown.

“ But, Lord love yer, she took me
aback, clean off my feet, when she says:

“ ‘ Them nigs must die.’

“ Ther two black sogers seemed all
broke up, and says I to her:

“ ‘ Does yer mean it? ’

“‘I does,’ says she.

" ‘ And you a woman,’ says I.

" ' Yes, a woman who has suffered,
and by those men and their comrades.

“ ‘ A woman as knows how ter avenge
a wrong,’ says she.

“Waal, gents, I begged for them two'

black sogers, and they went me a little
better in ther beggin’.

_“ But it were all for no good, for that

woman sat there on her black horse,
dressed as black as a undertaker, and
with a veil over her face, and she tells
me thet them two men must die.
_ “Poor fellers, .I felt that sorry for
them I jist concluded I’d fight ther lay.-
out, seein’ only ther two men and ther
woman, and expecting ther sojers ter
help me.

“ But when I called to them ter chip in
with me, they would not draw a weapon,
and one of ’em said, sad like, and in a
way I’ll never forget: ‘

“ ‘ No, boss, we has ter die, fer thar is
a doom writ down ag’in us black cav-'
alry out here, jist because a troop made
thet Perdido raid.

“ ‘ We thanks yer, boss, and says good-
by, for we has got ter go, and thar is
plenty more of these fellers in hidin’, as
we is sartin.

“‘We is sogers, boss, and though we
was scared, and don’t want ter be kilt,
we has got ter die, and we is ready.’

“ Gents, I was that sorry and mad I
jist concluded ter see if there were more
of ’em about, and I began ter feel fer
my gun, when that woman covered me
thet quick I never see ther like.

“‘Hands up!’ says she, ‘or thar will
be three dead corpses instid of two,’ and
she called out:

“ ‘ Men, shoot thet driver if he moves
a finger.’

“She ’peared ter be talkin’ to some-
body out of sight, and I caved; I didn't
move a finger.

“ Ther next I know’d, gents, was hear-
in’ two quick shots, and if yer will be-
lieve me, it was ther woman who tired
'em, and them tWo poor black sogers
dropped dead in ther tracks, and ther
bullets hed hit ’em squar in ther fore-
head atween ther eyes.”

It was with intense interest that the
surgeon and Bufialo Bill listened to the
driver’s story of a woman’s cruel deed.

They could hardly believe it of one
who had given Surgeon Powell a horse
in place of his own, had treated them
mercifully, never once harming them se-
riously, and had only kidnapped their
horses.

But in this case she had been merci-
less to two negro soldiers, and her very
act certainly connected her with the
mysterious killing of the black cavalry
at Fort Benham, the perpetrators of

which Surgeon Powell had taken the trail , 

to hunt down.

 

CHAPTER .LIV.

TO PUSH THE PURSUIT HARD. ‘

Surgeon Powell, when he hadhearjdeisll’
that had been. witnessed tied

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Buffalo Bill’s Relentless Trail.

 

 

“ I almost regret not allowing that
fellow Carr to have fired on her that day

' at the river, for it would have saved

the lives of those two poor soldiers.”

“ Yes; but I have an abiding faith that
we will yet run her and her road-agents
down.”

“I feel the same way, Frank,” and,
turning to the driver, he asked:

” Pard Fletcher, how long ago was
this?”

“ Little over an hour.”

“And how far back? ”

“About half a dozen miles, sir."

" What was done with the homes? ”

“ They is in ther coach.”

They stepped to the coach, opened the
door, and there were the bodies of the
two negro soldiers.

The bullets had entered the very cen—
tre of their foreheads.

“ That shows nerve, Frank, and a very
steady hand with the revolver, woman’s
though it was.”

“Yes, Bill. The Man Killer properly
named her when he called her the W0—
man of the Iron Hand.”

“Did she rob you, Pard Fletcher?”
asked Buffalo Bill.

“Well, she didn’t, ’cause why? I
hadn’t nothin’ of value along. Her two
companions searched ther dead blacks,
and got a little money, their watches,
and some trinkets they was takin’ to
their pards at ther fort.”

“Poor fellows! and then?”

“They just rode away and left me.”

“ And you came right along? ”

“ I put ther bodies in ther coach, and
then made ther critters step lively.”

“ And which way did the woman go? ”

“ Right or. down ther ridge.”

“ Did you see any one else?”

“Not a soul.” I

“Then if there were others they kept
hidden? ”

“They did. But I’m of ther idee
they. was all.” '

“Frank, we’ll go back with Par‘d
Fletcher here, to where we turn off to
our camp.” *

H Yes.,)

“.You can write your letter there to
the colonel, while I push on to camp and
get all ready for a quick move after these
fellows.” .

“That is just it, Bill.”

“ And then Pard Fred can push on
fast, and if he finds Wild Bill and the
Indian a long way off, he will, I know,
pick them up and drive them back a few
miles, so we can lose no time, for the
road—agents will then find us on their
trail much sooner than they expect, and
we will have the better part of the day
to rush them.”

“ The very thing, Bill, and we’ll be off
at once,” replied Surgeon Powell, add-
in :

gI begin to feel merciless toward that
woman now, since I’ve seen her latest
work.”

“ As I do.”

“But I do not just understand one
thing, Bill.”

“ Well? ”

“ She came down from the north coun-
try, just before you and Wild Bill.”

1 I! Yes.” i

“ Her act to-day in killing those men
shoWs that she is the one who hunts the
black troops.”

“ Sure.” ‘

“And yet when she was in the north
country the murders of the black sol-
diers at Fort Benham were going on."

“ That is so.”

“ How do you account for it? ”

“ She had her allies here.”

“ That is just it.

“ But, Fred, remember. you are not to
speak to any one, save- Colonel Tharp,

' , about having seen us on the trail.”

“I won’t, doctor.”
' “ Give him the letter I will write, when
we halt where Buffalo; Bill turns off to
0' to our camp, and bring an answer
'ck,’ leaving it for me where I will show
on, for we will not ,be very far from
“ .1 , a: ,my ~ opinion, as these

 
 

 

' ‘ unlit. have .a’ retreat near 

“I guesses they has, sir, for each time
I has been held up it has been on this
ridge, or in the valley near it.”

The two pards then got upon the coach
with Fred Fletcher, and Buffalo Bill took
the reins, with the remark:

“I’ll send ’em along for you, Pard
Fred.”

“Yer can handle six of ’em, then? ”

“ I guess so,” and Buffalo Bill was not
long in showing Fred Fletcher that he
could handle the reins with a skill that
was wonderful, for he had driven stage
in the Rocky Mountains when he was
not out of his teens.

The team soon realized that a master
held them in hand, and they traveled at
a very lively gait.

Reaching the halting place, Buffalo Bill
drew them up quickly, causing Fred
Fletcher to say, with enthusrasm:

“Well, you can do it—no one better
have I ever seen.”

Springing from the box, and leaving
Surgeon Powell to write his letter to
Colonel Thorp, Buffalo Bill bade the
driver good-by, and started town the
trail to the camp.

After a rapid walk he came in sight
of the camp, to suddenly stop and cry:

“Where are the horses? ”

Walking rapidly on, he saw the ani-
mals nowhere in sight, nor did he see
the prisoner, as he neared the camp, so
he called loudly the name of Silent Sam.

 

CHAPTER. LV.
THE scours DISCOVERY.

Buffalo Bill felt a dread that all was
not right in the camp the moment he
saw that the horses were gone.

He hastened on to the camp proper,
and then beheld the prostrate and bound
form of Silent Sam.

What did it mean? Could it be that
in the bro-ad glare of day that strange
and daring woman had entered the camp
and gotten the best of a man who had
the reputation that Silent Sam had as
a thorough plainsman?

At all events, he was there, and bound.

The horses, too, were gone.

The cut on the trapper’s head, made
by the heavy stirrup when the prisoner
had dealt the blow, met the eye of the
scout.

Instantly he set to work to free the
bound man.

His lips alone could tell the story.

Buffalo Bill saw that the man had been
dealt a severe blow.

His face was white, the stirrup had
cut to the bone, he had lost considerable
blood, and the blow had been one of
such stunning force that it had rendered
him unconscious for a considerable length
of time. o

In a very short while Buffalo Bill had
Silent Sam free, and then he gave him a
drink from his canteen, bathed the
wound, and chafed the hands and lower
limbs, rendered stiff from their being
long and tightly bound.

It was not very long before Silent Sam
rallied, for he began to show color in
his face, his eyes lost' their glassy look,
and at last, with an effort, he said,
huskily: '

“He got away with me, didn’t he? ”

H  ’r

“ The prisoner.”

“ Then it was not the woman?"

I“ o"!

“The prisoner escaped?”

“ Yes.

“ Did he take the horses?”

" They are gone.”

“ All of them?"

M Yes."

“ He kept his word, then.”i

“ What was it? "

“ To leave us afoot.”

“ 'IN‘he’ woman was not here, then?”

u 0' .

“ He mastered you alone? "

u Yes." .
“That is strange, in irons, :as he was."
“ It was trickery an - treachery." '
“ Tell me about it.” ‘
I",He tried to bribe ma”)

s. .,,.V I , - _

I‘.
_ hr '

 
 

 

“Then he played the game of being
hungry and thirsty.” .

“ I see.”

“ He had stripped his stirrup off of the
saddle, and stood up as I approached,
and dealt me a blow he meant should
kill, I guess.”

“It was a severe one.”

“ I tried to dodge, but too late, and I
went down under it.”

“I should think so.”

“ It seemed to crack my skull, hard as
it is—to crush the bone.”

“ It did not, though, for I have exam-
ined it well. - '

“It was a severe blow, however, but
Doctor Powell will soon fix it up all
right for you.”

“Where are the others? ”

" On the ridge.

“ They will wait there for me, so I will
go after them, as we cannot follow the
road-agents now, as we had hoped to do.”

“ Why not? ”

“ The horses are gone.”

Silent Sam muttered an oath, and Buf-
falo Bill, rising quickly, said:

“I will go at once to the ridge, for I
may be able to catch the coach."

With this he started ofl at a run.

Arriving at the ridge, where he had
asked Surgeon Powell to await him, he
found that he was there, as also were
Wild Bill and the Indian.

All seemed surprised at beholding him,
and listened with amazement to the story
he had to tell.

“Now, Man Killer, can you catch that
coach, for if you do I’ll give you the
finest outfit on the border?” asked Buf-
falo Bill.

“Will try,” and the Indian sprang to
his feet.

“It has a long start, Bill, for Wild
Bill and Man Killer were on their way
back when they met Fletcher, and they.
have been here a. couple of hours,” said
Surgeon, Powell.

“If you catch it, go on to the fort,

and bring us back horses, for we can '

only wait here.

“ If you cannot catch it, wait where you
are and I will meet you with provisions,
so you can continue on to the fort on
foot, and Surgeon Powell will write a.
letter for you to carry to Colonel Thorp,”
said Buffalo Bill.

Man Killer put down his rifle, drew ‘his
belt tighter, and bounded away along the
trail.

“ Now, Frank, you write another let-
ter to the colonel at the fort,'while Wild
Bill puts up a bag of food for the Indian
and hastens back 'here with it, where I
will wait. for I can then start off after
Man Killer.”

The words of Buffalo Bill were quick- -

1y acted upon, for Surgeon Powell and
Wild Bill started rapidly down the slope
to the camp.

In just half an hour Buffalo Bill‘ saw
Wild Bill coming back.

He ‘had the Indian’s blankets and a
bag of provisions, also a letter Surgeon
Powell had written to Colonel Fred
Thorp, as his own regiment loved to call
their popular commander.

Buffalo Bill took up the rifle of the
Indian, to carry it on after him, and
with the other things brought by Wild
Bill, started off at a. long, swinging walk.

 

CHAPTER LVI.
THE INDIAN RUNNER.
Before leaving Wild Bill, Buffalo Bill
had advised him that he had better start
at once on the trail of the horses, so

that he could see just how rapidly they. .

had traveled and if there was any sign
that the escaped prisoner, not dreading
pursuit, intended to belt. 5

He also said he would like to know i
the prisoner wound around to the ridge

again, as though he intended to go on

the trail of the road-agents.
If so, he certainly must know where

of them or not, \ . _
’ Just what he was to the roads

grind Buffalo Bill could not; :4th  - as

1 e knew, from hi

their retreat was, whether he was 1' one

I 35‘).

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After he, had‘ a; long tramp back to camp,
UV\'~§nn

Buffalo Bill’s Relentless Trail.

27

 

 

the man would have killed the Woman
in Black had he not prevented.

“ Some former member of the band,
and a discarded lover, I take it,” was “his
comment to Wild Bill, and he added:

“If we can follow that horse trail,
while waiting for the Indian’s return
with recruits for us, we may be able to
track the road-agents to their lair.

“They, knowing we are dismounted,
will naturally suppose we have all re—
turned to the fort, and by giving that im-
pression, by. changing our camp, we will
be able to learn something, perhaps.

“ That Indian is a fleet and tireless
runner, and may overtake the coach.”

“Silent Sam told me when I was in
camp that it was down grade for forty
miles, and Fred Fletcher would put his
team to it all the way, for the relay sta-
tion was that distance off, as they are
very few and far between in these mount-
ains,” said Wild Bill.

“Well, the Indian can get a horse at
the stage station, if he does not over—
.take the coach before getting there.

“If I had known that it was down
grade for such a distance, I would not
have started the Indian to catch the
coach, but let him push on for the fort
direct.

“ I do not believe he can catch it with
the start that Fletcher has."

With this Buffalo Bill had gone on
the Indian’s track, while Wild Bill re-
turned to camp, to pick up the trail of
the stolen horses.

Buffalo Bill was as good a walker as he
was a rider.

Often, from earliest boyhood, he had
made many a long tramp on foot, and he
had copied the swinging trot of the In-
dian, a pace that carries them very far
in a day, and was not very fatiguing.

Dropping into this swinging gait, he
left the miles rapidly behind him, and
when his watch told him that he had been
two hours on the run, he knew that he
had covered a dozen miles.

Another two hours passed, and the
sun was drawing close to the horizon.

Still an0ther hour he went on, and
then Buffalo Bill said:

“That Indian goes well, for I know I
have made thirty. miles.”

He had just come to a bend in the
ridge, where he had a View of the trail
several miles ahead.

Far in the distance he saw the Indian
runner trotting along.

It was white man against Indian, and,
as usual, the paleface was the victor.

Spurting rapidly, Buffalo Bill began
to overhaul the redskin, and drew near
enough for him to hear a shot, he felt
assured.

Taking his rifle, he fired, without stop-
ping in his run.

The Indian heard the shot, turned,
seemed to be satisfied, and halted.

In ten minutes Buffalo Bill came up,
and both showed the effects of their
rapid run.

“No catch him,” said Man Killer,

“No, he drove too fast for you, and
had too long a start.”

“ White chief run like deer.”

“I can get along a little bit. But, here
are your provisions, blankets, and rifle,
and you can get a horse at the stage sta-
tion, a dozen miles ahead, and should
reach the fort, changing animals at the
three stations Surgeon Powell says are
on the coach trail, by to-morrow night,”

“Man Killer get there.” '

"I do not doubt it. But, yonder is a
stream, so we will camp there, have sup-
per, and then you can push ahead, while
I go back to our comrades."

“ Great chief know.”

The two then went to the bank of the
dittle stream, a fire was lighted, supper
gotten, and after a smoke they arose to
start on their separate way.

It was dark now, but darkness did not
disturb them in the least, so they grasped

'hands‘in. farewell, and started, the In-

‘dian in his dog trot, the scout at a walk,
Rivas uphill,- work for  now.

      

 

CHAPTER LVII.
A CHANGE OF CAMPS.

It was yet a couple of hours before
dawn when Buffalo Bill heard the chal-
lenge, when nearing his camp:

“ Halt! hands up!”

“Ho, Frank, you are on the alert, 1
see.”

“Yes, Bill. What luck?”

“ I caught the redskin, after a thirty-
mile chase.”

“ No other man could have done it.”

“Thanks. But, he had not caught
the stage, tnough I do not blame him, as
the trail was excellent for wheels, and
all down grade, while Fletcher doubt-
less pushed ahead hard, being some
hours behind time.”

“Yes; he‘s a hard driver, anyway.”

“We camped and had supper, then
Man Killer pushed on, and, getting a
fresh mount at the three stations, he'll
pass the coach by dawn, and get to the
fort by night.”

“Yes, but it will be a four days’ de-
lay for us here, at least.”

“ No doubt. But where is Wild Bill?"

“ He set off on the trail of the horses
as soon as he got to camp, and has not
yet returner.” '

“He camped on the trail, and will
turn up to-morrow.”

1‘ Yes.!’

“How is Silent Sam?"

“Better, but that was a hard blow
he got, and a narrow escape from
death.”

“ I thought so myself. But, there is no
need of standing guard, so turn in, for
I'm as tired as I can well be.”

“ I do not wonder, after standing guard
all last night, tramping hard all the
morning, then having a thirty-mile run,
and a climb back of the same distance.
You are a pine knot, Bill.”

“We are two of a kind, Frank, for
toughness.”

“ Physical, I hope you mean, not moral
toughness, Bill,” and the Surgeon Scout
laughed, while suddenly before the two
appeared the tall form of Wild Bill.

“Well, pards, I am back again,” and
Wild Bill dropped wearily down by the
side of his companions.

" Any discovery, Bill? " asked Surgeon
Powell.

“ I took the trail, and that fellow light-
ed out lively with those horses, I can
tell you. Why, I’ve been sixty miles
since I left here.” -

“So has Buffalo Bill.”

“Did you catch the redskin, pard?”

1‘ Yes.!’

“Did he catch the coach?"

“ No.” .

“You did your part.”

“He will do his now. But, what did
you discover, Bill?” asked Cody.

“The trail led down into the valley,
up it along the stream, and 'he kept up
a telling pace for twenty miles, as the
tracks showed. Guess he thought We
were runners, and might overtake him.”

“Wish you could have done so.”

“ Couldn’t.

“ He slackened speed after about twen—
ty miles, wore around, and up to the
range again, climbing it by the stage
trail. I got to the stage trail, and saw
where he had crossed it, going toward
the valley on the other side of the range.

“It was sunset then, and, having
found that he had thus doubled on his
tracks, and really come back nearer to
us, I determined to camp for supper and
return. This I did, and here I am; but
I have a piece of advice to offer.”

“ Well? " .

“ About a. mile from here, down in the
valley, is a canyon, and there is a good
spring in it, and plenty of wood. I
could hardly pick up the trail until I
had passed it, and I went in there, won-
dering if the prisoner had gone that

way.

“ It is a blind canyon, I found, and the
soil leaves no trail at its entrance, but a
short distance up the canan it is a per-
fect garden, so I say take» up traps and
go'there to-night. . :

 

“ 0n foot we cannot be tracked there,
and I believe we can climb up to the
ridge and stage trail out of the canyon,
so be as near it as from here.

“You see, the Indian won‘t be back
with horses for some days, so we need
only watch for him about the time to
expect him.”

“A good idea.
falo Bill?”

“By all means go, and at once,” was
the answer

Silent Sam was aroused, and the camp
outfit gathered and put on a pole between
Cody and Wild Bill, while Surgeon Pow-
ell carried a large bundle and Silent Sam
the weapons.

So they started, and in half an hour
had entered the canyon.

\Vild Bill led the way through the
darkness to the spring, which was shel-
tered by a thick growth of small pines,
and here the tired party spread their
blankets to get a few hours of rest.

It was late when they awoke, the camp
was put in good shape, breakfast gotten,
Silent Sam’s wound dressed, and all
shade comfortable for a stay of'several

ays.

Later, Surgeon Powell, leaving Wild

Bill in camp with Silent Sam, asked
Buffalo Bill to accompany him, and the
two started up the canyon, to try and
reach the ridge.
‘This they did, finding an easy way,
and as it was only a couple of hours'
walk to where Wild Bill had said the
escaped prisoner'had crossed the stage
trail into the other valley, they decided
to go there and see just where he had
gone after leaving the range.

What do you say, Buf-

 

CHAPTER LVIII.
THE FUGITIVE'S TRAIL. _

“ Frank, I’ll tell you what is best to
be done? ”

It was Buffalo Bill who spoke,-and he
addressed Surgeon Powell.

It was a little after noon, and the two
were seated in the valley into which
Wild Bill had trailed the escaped pris-
onen

They had struck his trail at the ridge,
where it turned off, fol-lowed it down
into the valley, and there found that he
had gone into camp, doubtless for the
night, as he had reached that spot by
dark.

Here they halted and had a cold .din-
ner, and Buffalo Bill uttered the words
that open this chapter.

" Well, Bill, what is it? ”

“ My plan is for you to return to camp
from here, I taking what food we both
need, and you remain all night, then
start out to-morrow with several days’
supplies.

“I will spend the rest of the day, on
this trail, and when you get here to-
morrow, will be on hand to meet you.

“If I have made any discovery, well
and good, but if not, we can continue
the hunt the balance of the day, and the
next, when one of us can go to met the
Indian with the horses."

“I believe your plan is a good one,
Bill, and I’ll go back to camp. You need
a rest, so you turn in early to-night, and
I’ll be here by nine o’clock to-morrow,
and learn what you have discovered, it
anything.”

“ All right, so it will be,” answered
Buffalo Bill, and, having taken a lim-
ited supply of food, he started upon the
trail of the escaped prisoner once more,
while Surgeon Powell, at a brisk step,
went off on his return to the camp in the
canyon.

Buffalo Bill had little difficulty in fol-
lowing the trail, for no effort had been
made by. Harold Carr to conceal it, ap-
parently. .

He evidently thought that he had left
the scouts helpless, utterly unable to do
anything else save go back to the fort.

The idea. did not occur to him that.

p

.4'

they might send one of their party, to;
the tort for horses! and the,others res "

main there.

He looked for a week to elapse 

th

before he need haVe any, fear of
. 9' - V‘ i k. is;

 

lava-.3... v. . _ i. , .

s «.111.» a..er « — . '.

v-«J- w,“

 ‘_ .» w, _ ‘ i .

-. y. r'

Buffalo Bill’s Relentless Trail.

 

 

 

 

   

For several miles Buffalo Bill followed
the trail down the valley, and then came
to where it had crossed a large stream.

It was fordable, and, with his clothes
and weapons held above his head, Buffalo
Bill lost no time in getting over to the
other side.

There began a barren plain, and a
y - short distance from the stream the trail
 was lost sight of.

' But the scout did not despair.

He noted the way the trail was going
when he lost sight of it, and then he
stopped to study the nature of the range
toward which it went.

The range was over a score of miles
away, and the scout’s field glass picked
out a break in it, where there was a
canyon.

“ That fellow knows this country well,
I am sure, and yonder canyon is the
place he headed for.

“I cannot get back to meet Frank
Powell in the morning if I go there, but
I can leave a note here for him, fbr he

;,, will come on my trail the moment he
 sees that I did not return to the camp
“ where we had dinner.”

A note was written, in a cypher which
Buffalo Bill knew that Surgeon Powell
and a few others alone understood, and
fastened on a stick, it was stuck up just
where the trail of the fugitive faded out
of sight in the “hard, barren soil of the

plain.
 Taking a large stick, then, with sharp-
l v ened end, Buffalo Bill started, dragging

it after him.

It left but a slight trace, one barely
noticeable, but the scout knew that Sur-
geon Powell would see it and fcllow it.

Every now and then, as he advanced,
he would turn a small stone over, that
ii", was along the way, and thus more thor—
r... - oughly marked his trail.

It was nearly, dark when he reached

, the‘ verge of the range, and he could see
". that quite a considerable stream flowed
there.

As he neared it, the plain became less
., barren, and to his delight he saw that
H; be had very closely followed the trail of
~24, the stolen horses, for the tracks came
' into sight again, and led directly toward
the canyon entrance, and which pene:
trated the range.

 . Arriving at the bank of the stream, he
“:1; found it fordable, and at once began to
35‘ ' ' prepare to cross it, as he had the other.

that it branched into tWO canyons, each
narrowing as they penetrated the range.
__ _- But he took the one the trail entered,
i, and held on until it was dark, for he
 had his canteen full of water, and in-
tended camping when too dark to travel
further.
 At last he began to look about for a
 camping place, for he could hardly see
' i‘ the‘ trail, but halted suddenly, as, he
" came in sight of the glimmer of a camp-
fire ahead.
“Ah! at last! ” he muttered, as he
kept on his way, for the flrelight was ,2.
beacon now to guide him.

 This he did, and thus he took the now
‘35,: broadly marked trail up the canyon.
.11}; Forever a mile he followed it, to find

 

 

 7 . CHAPTER LIX.
' ‘ THE REDSKIN MESSENGER.
Colonel Alfred Thorp sat in his pleas-
T‘ ant quarters, enjoying an after-supper
cigar, though his face wore a troubled
expression.
j Half an hour before, and just after
-‘ nightfall, he had been startled by the re-
port that two negro soldiers had been
_ found dead on post, each with an arrow

5
p-
5"
S
g
5"

 Since the departure of Surgeon Powell
to-hunt a clue to this unknown and mys-
wterious, murderer of the colored troops,

there had been no fatality‘among them.
For somo days the guards had been
bled-by night and doubled by day.
en they :had begun once more to
’ at one ,inan, on,dutr.. commenc-
ery night , thetwomurders-
' . “than t at

 

 

 

alone with the horses.  . 
’ '  “KW! Man Killer
' Hi h the

 

ored sentine’ls with only a dead man
there.

Colonel Thorp had been at supper
when the report was made to him, and
he at once gave the order to have the
guards trebled again by night.

It was done, and then he sat down to
enjoy his cigar, and to wonder that no
word had come to him of Surgeon Powell,
Silent Sam, and the Man Killer.

The Surgeon Scout certainly had not
yet tracked down the mysterious slayer
of the negro soldiers, as the two deaths
that night went to prove.

Had he met Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill
as he had anticipated, thought Colonel
Thorp.

The stage coach would soon arrive, he
hoped, for it was due that night at dark,
and perhaps Fred Fletcher would bring
in some news of the Surgeon Scout.

The coach, which had its terminus
station at Fort Benham, had a run of
two hundred miles, which Fred Fletcher
alone made, preferring to draw double
pay for the work, and go clear through,
as he was allowed forty hours to make
it in, and there was but one round trip a
week.

He was seldom late, and now, as the
time passed, and the coach did not ar-
rive, Colonel Thorp began to grow anx-
ious.

He was just about to call the orderly
and ask if its lamps were in sight across
the plain when he heard voices outside.

Then the orderly came in, accompanied
by an Indian. I

It was Man Killer, and the colonel
gave him a hearty welcome.

Whatever the Indian had passed
through, in his rapid ride, he was per-
fectly composed, and said:

“Man Killer come back.

“Has talking papers for great white
chief.

“The White Beaver, Great Medicine
Man of the Palefaces send talking pa-
pers.”

He had taken out of a hidden pocket
the two letters, the one given the driver,
Fred Fletcher, and later the one given
him by Buffalo Bill and also Written by
Surgeon POWell.

Colonel Thorp read them both through
without comment, for they told him that
Surgeon Powell was pushing ahead on
the trail of the Woman in Black and her
road-agent comrades, and all that had
happened, to the holding up of the coach.

The letters also made known the fact
that Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill were
with the Surgeon Scout, the mysterious
kidnapping of the horses of the party,
and all that followed, as well as the
capture of Harold Carr and his escape
with all their animals.

The Surgeon Scout also asked ,Colonel
Thorp to kindly send out by the Indian
a horse for each of them, and two pack
animals, along with a few extra supplies.

Colonel Thorp congratulated the In-
dian upon his quick ride, and was glad
to hear from him that the coach would
belalong in a couple of hours, and why
it was behind time.

“ You will need rest to-night, so you
can start back in the morning,” said
Colonel T‘horp.

But Man Killer asserted that he was
not tired, needed no rest, and wished to
get back with all haste to White Beaver
and his companions. .

He'asked the colonel to let the horses
be gotten at once, and also the supplies,
ind he would be ready «to go within the

our.

This Colonel Thorp was only. too anx-
ions to have him do, if he was willing,
for he did not like the idea of the party
being dismounted in that wild country
longer than was necessary.

But he offered to send a scout along
with the Man Killer to help him with
the horses. '

This the Indian refused, and in a way
that showed that he considered it a re-

flection upon his ability tolgo‘ through

he colonel! saw
I , .,

»'d

ed to «an:

 

 

had only intended to relieve him in his ‘ 3
hard task. ’

“Talking paper ask for more scouts? ”
questioned the Indian.

‘1’ No.1! 7

“White Beaver don’t want more scout 
then,” was the reply. 5

So the colonel sent the Indian off to ‘4
get supper, ordered the horses and sup- ‘ r
piles, and in one hour he was ready for
the start.

A letter was written to Surgeon Pow-
ell by Colonel Thorp, who gave it to the
Indian, grasped his hand and saw him
ride away, leading the half dozen fine
horses selected for the party, and him-
self mounted upon a splendid animal.

An hour after his departure the coach
lamps were seen dancing across the
prairie, and when Fred Fletcher came in
he reported having met the Indian and
his horses going leisurely back on the
trail, and then he gave Colonel Thorp
a description of his hold up by the W0-
man in Black and her comrades.

A couple of hours after the arrival of
the coach, there was a shot heard, a cry
of alarm from one of the posts, followed
by a call for the guard.

Then the news spread through the fort ’ v- ‘1 ,
like wildfire that another negro soldier ' ’
had been killed on his post, though with ‘
him had also been two white sentinels. ,

He had been shot through the heart, .1.
and the flash of the murderer’s rifle had '
come from only a short distance away.

It was the third victim that night at
Fort Benham.

 

CHAPTER LX.

TRACKING BUFFALO BILL.

Surgeon Powell returned from where
he had left Buffalo Bill to the summit
of the range, and made his way back 
down into the canyon. 

He found Silent Sam not so well; his ‘
wound was inflamed, and he had some
fever.

He did what he could for him, and
made preparations for an early start
the next morning to follow the trail of
Buffalo Bill.

With Wild Bill he talked over mat-
ters fully, and stated that he expected
one of them would be back within twen-
ty-four hours, and he hoped to have
made some discovery of importance.

If neither Buffalo Bill or himself did
return within that time, he suggested
that Wild Bill keep watch for the com- .
ing of the Man Killer with the horses,
and instead of taking them down to the
camp in the canyon, that they bring the
outfit up to the range and push on after
their trail, adding:

“I will leave good signs for you to
follow, Wild Bill.”

“I'll get there, doctor; but do you
think Silent Sam is going to be ill from -
that wound? ” "’

“ I hope not, though it is possible that I
he might. We will get him into a camp
nearer operations as soon as Man Killer
returns,” was the answer.

Turning in for the night, Surgeon Pow- ‘ .
ell slept well and long, and upon rising ,. l
early was glad to find that Silent Sam I A
was no worse, if not better. i ,

He again dressed his wound and gave
Wild Bill instructions how to do it, and
left medicines for him to give the trap-
per. .

Then he started off with a good sup-
ply of food and ammunition for Buffal
Bill and himself. ‘ g, :

He reached the summit of the-range 
by sunrise, took a short rest, and went ' )5
along the stage trail to where that of , 
the road-agents had turned off. v  Vi '

It was just at the hour he had ap- ' 1 1
pointed when he walked into the may  i  .
thicket where he had left Buffalo Bill. ‘
To his surprise there was not only no
sign of the Chief of Scouts, but no fire
or other indication that he had been?
there all night, ,  ,

What did it mean, he wondered. If: 

.At first he. feared harm had
.311 com  I  ' ' 

we

*Z‘Lmn.)

 

 

     

   

‘ground and a

 

 

Wire”

Buffalo Bill’s Relentless Trail.

‘ l

  

29'

  

 

 

ways argued that Buffalo Bill was not
doomed to die with his boots on, after
all he had passed safely through.

It then flashed across his mind that
the scout had struck some trail he would
not give up to return and meet him, and
the best thing he could do would be to
follow him.

It was not a light load he had to carry,

‘ as may be imagined, but he shouldered

it and set out on the trail of the road-
agents, and which Buffalo Bill had gone
upon. .

He walked at a steady pace, and at
last came to the (stream.

Here be halted, but only to gather

. some driftwood, tie it together with a

lariat, cut a sapling for a pole, and
start anew.

He reached the other shore some dis-
tance below the ford, but with dry feet.

He dragged his raft ashore, unfastened
the lasso, and left the driftwood for
use again, if needed.

He soon came to the end of the trail,

’ as far as seeing the tracks of the road-

agents’ horses was concerned.

But there was the note left in the
stick by Buffalo Bill.

“I did the right thing to follow
promptly,” he said when he had read
the short note.

He then pushed on once more, his keen

' eyes detecting the slight trace of the

pointed stick dragged by Buffalo Bill,
and the stones here and there turned

. over by the scout to mark his way.

He reached the other stream at the
base of the range beyond the large val-
ley he had crossed, and here he set to

work to build another raft.

This done, he crossed the tream safe
and dry, as in the other case, and then
pushed on once more. '

At length he came to a spot where he

' halted.

But for the fact that he was closely
Watching his every step he would have

~ failed to observe a small mark that was

a. faintly traced arrow.

It pointed off the trail.

He went in the direction it pointed,
and found himself in a. thicket, right
where the canyon narrowed and branch-
ed in two directions.

Here, too, he found a stick stuck in the
small paper folded
around it;

The note was written in cipher, but
well understood by Surgeon Powell. It
read as follows:

"I have made an important discov-
ery.

“Went from here last night to recon-
noitre, camped here until this morning
and now start again.

“Remain in hiding here until I re-
turn, and lay low, for camp of road-

. agents is in canyon to the right.”

There was no address or signature,
but Surgeon Powell knew that it was
for him, and that Buffalo Bill had writ—

. ten it. ~

 

CHAPTER LXI.
TRACKING THE SURGEON SCOUT.

Wild Bill felt the loneliness of his po-
sition in the little camp, with Silent
Sam in distress on his hands, more than
he would had he been alone.

He took good care of the wounded
trapper, however, gave him his medi-
cines, killed some birds for himlto eat,
and at night tenderly dressed his wound.

He was glad to see that Silent Sam

' grew no worse.

His fever did not increase, and his
wound appeared to be less inflamed.

But the old trapper had certainly had
a severe blow. for he was more silent
ygn. than was his wont, spent most of
ill? [time lying down and appeared to be
ts. times but semi-conscious.

 
  
  
   

  Wild Bill felt that it was growing

atop the coming of the Indian, who

‘ “Minimal” better time than was anti-

 with his, coming the camp
ism-ill." he dietemined the

    

 

go up on the ridge, carrying the saddles
along with him.‘

He made a trip well loaded down, hid
the saddles, waited for some time and
then retumed to camp.

Wild Bill got supper, and leaving Si-
lent Sam sleeping, took another load up
to the ridge, though it was now night.

Taking up his position to command
the trail, where they had gone down to
their other camp. he smoked his pipe and
waited with the resignation of an In-
dian.

The hours went by, midnight came,
passed, and still he kept watch.

The Indian must be along soon, he felt
certain.

At last he heard a sound that at once
brought him to his feet.

There was the sound of hooifalls.

Soon, as the sound grew louder and
louder, there came dimly into view a
horse and rider.

Other horses follow-ed, but with no
riders.

“ Ho, Chief! ”

The horses halted, and the Indian
asked, for it was the Man Killer:

“ Is it the White Beaver? ”

“ No, Wild Bill.”

Explanations followed, the horses
were staked out on the slope, and the
scout and the Indian walked along the
ridge to the place which led down into
the canyon camp.

Silent Sam was still sleeping, and
seemed not to be disturbed, while the
two carried more of the outfit up to the
ridge.

At last breakfast was ready, and Wild
Bill aroused Silent Sam. though with
some effort, and once more tenderly
cared for him.

The trapper seemed very quiet, ate lit-
tle breakfast, but was able to walk up
the steep trail, while the scout and the
Indian carried the last of the traps.

Securing all these, in the early dawn
the two went after the horses, and they
were found as they had been left, and
much rested, for the Man Killer had
pushed them along well in his coming.

They were soon saddled, the packs
put on, Silent Sam and the others mount-
ed, and the start was made to follow
in the trail of Buffalo Bill and Surgeon
Powell.

The latter had, as he had' promised,
left “ signs,” and Wild Bill found no dif-
ficulty in following.

He found at the camp where Surgeon
Powell had expected to join Buffalo Bill
a. note which told him that he had not
goined him there, and so they pushed
on once more.

Reaching the stream, the driftWOod
was discovered, and quickly made into a
raft, for the Indian swam across and
brought it back.

On this Silent Sam and the pack sad-
dles crossed over, and the trail was
again resumed.

The second stream was reached before
sunset, and the raft, left by the Surgeon
Scout, was brought into use.

Once more the saddle horses were led
over by Wild Bill, Silent Sam, who was
growing weak, and who seemed to be
in a bad way, being sent over on the
raft.

Again ready to mount, Silent Sam was
found to be really too much fatigued to
ride alone, so, as it was now nearly
night, a good camping place was sought
and found.

The trapper was first called for, and
Wild Bill found that he was suffering
greatly.

His wounded head was more inflamed,
his fever higher, and he seemed barely
more than conscious.

The blankets were spread for him, and
refusing supper he dropped oil! to sleep,
Wild Bill remarking;

" I guess the trapper is done for, Man
Killer.”

“ Feel heap bad. Maybe- die bimeby.”

“I am pretty sure that he will die
bimeby, pard,!’ responded'Wild Bill, dry-
ly. and he added: . -‘ t .

. f'Well. we momma 

\
plies, while we are much nearer our
pards here than in the camp we left.

“ We will see what the morrow has
in store for us, and meet what comes
as best we can,” and the frontier philos-
opher turned in for rest, the Indian tak-
ing the first watch.

 

 

CHAPTER LXII.

BUFFALO BILL ON THE RIGHT TRAIL.

“At last,” Buffalo Bill had said, when
he looked at the light glimmering ahead _
of him up the canyon. ' .

He concluded to go ahead, and make
a thorough reconnoi-sance of this canyon,
and also of the camp which he now was
sure he had come upon.

“ It is a quiet place, the plain is track—
less leading to it, and the road-agents
have chosen wisely in having their re-
treat here.

“ But I happened to have followed, and
I believe the end is not far off."

So mused Buffalo Bill, as he moved
ahead.

As he advanced, he saw that the light
was much further off than he had sup-
posed it to be.

Another thing was that if he stepped
either to the right or left, he lost sight - 'r
of the light. '_

His eyes were blinded by it to a. slight "
degree, and he turned his back and be.
gan to look over the way. he had come. -.

He felt that something was wrong. 3"

With the light no longer in his eyes, v, f
he began to see clearly about him, al-
though it was now night, and the high
walls of the canyon shut him in with
greater gloom.
iAs he looked he uttered an exclama-

t on.

On his right was a precipice, not three '
feet from where he stood. ,

It looked far down into blackness and 
death. \~ f;

A step or two in that direction and
he would have gone to his doom.

He now looked on the other side.

There, too. was a precipice.

It looked down also to death.

The canyon there was not over a hun-
dred yards wide, and in its centre was a
ridge of rock, with the two yawning
chasms, one on either side.

Only this narrow ridge in the centre,
and it not five feet wide, scarcely so .
much in places, though wider here and » 
there. . ’ 

With all his nerve, Buffalo Bill felt
the shock of his narrow escape.

He turned again.

There was the light.

“ That is the beacon to guide the band
by night to the camp.

“Others attempting to follow would
be dashed to death.

“It looks to me that these chasms
are very deep, and it would be a. bad
place to travel by day, if one’s head was
not level.

“I made a narrow escape, but as I
have come this far, I will venture on."

With this he now moved forward, feel-
ing every step, and keeping the beacon
ahead constantly in sight.

A half a mile did he thus go over,
with death on either side, when he came '-
to a barrier. -"

It was a tree that had fallen across 1.“
the ridge.

But along the tree to the right was.
plenty of space for him to pass. ~'

He did so, and at the other end found. '-
bars put across. 

Getting over them, he saw that he was
in safety now, for the canyon spread out,
was dotted with trees, a stream wound
through it, and tumbled over the edge 
of a clifl.’ into the precipice on one side 1“
of the ridge.  ‘

'3;

  
  
   
 
   
  
     
  
  
 
 
  
 
   
    
    
   
 
  
 
 
 
 
   
   
 

yo

1 Axis: .tf. Edi 32:.» ' '

 
 
  

A

     
     
    
     
    
  
  

h He felt, t5), that the soil :was
ewassan ngonacarpetofgrass. v
The light ahead was several hunde
yards awaY, so he still advanced.
He realized that he was taking 1;
chances, with no light at the other . 4
to guide him back. ‘- - .  ‘ 

 
 
  
  
 

      
 
  

   
  

    
 

   
 

 

  
 

 
 

a”.

e.
g 
II 1‘
’4.

’J
x
v.

If
is

  
    
   
   
   
   
  
   
   
 
   
 
  
   
  
 
 
 
  
  
 
  
 
       
 
   
    
    
    
       
     
       
 
       
    
 
   

 
 

   

“w est-are ,-

.~     ,N'i".  

Beetle Bare Relentless Trail. '

‘.

 

 

extra'weight he left at the tree, and took
his bearings well from the high cliffs
upon either side.

Then he moved forward toward the
light.

As he did so he saw objects moving
about.

b They were horses, over a score in num-
er.

He knew now why the bars were put
up.
Catching one of the horses without
trouble, he used him as a foil.

He walked by the side of the animal
until he get near to the camp.

There were a couple of rude cabins
there, sheltered by a grove of pines, but
the light he had seen he now discovered
Was a large lantern on a rock.

The cabins, he was sure, could not be
seen from the ridge trail to the retreat.

Going nearer, he gained the pines, and
he saw a party of four persons seated
at a table at supper.

, There was a campfire near, and a man
was busy cooking.

Three of those at the table were men,
the fourth was the Woman in Black.

A lantern swung from the limb of a.
tree over the table, and lighted up the
faces of those seated there.

For one hour did Buffalo Bill watch
them, and then, as he was preparing to
go, he heard the sound of hoofs. '

A horse was coming at a gallop across
the level valley, as he had come.

A moment more, and a man rode up,
dismounted, gave his horse to one of
those at the table, who came forward to
meet him, and advancing to where the
others were, sat down.

T e man at the fire at once began to
ser e his supper, and as the light of the

.lantern fell upon. him, Buffalo Bill rec-

ognized Harold Carr, the e'scaped pris-
oner.

The man
drew off the saddle and bridle,
turned him loose.

Then he took the beacon lantern off
the rock and joined the others.

The lantern had evidently been put
there to guide him to the retreat.

Buffalo Bill was too far off to hear
what was said, but he ‘had found the
Woman in Black, the escaped prisoner,
Harold Carr, and their retreat.

There were. as far as he had discov-
ered, six persons in the band, one being
a woman.

“ I'll go back and get help.

“I only need the rest of our party to
rope in this layout,” said Buffalo Bill.

But to get back was a difficulty which
the scout overcame after a moment of
thought.

He caught a horse to make him his

who had taken his horse
and

guide.

 

CHAPTER LXIII.
THE MYSTERIOUS CAMBIHZS.

It was a clever thing in Buffalo Bill to
make one of the outlaw’s horses his
guide.

He knew that where a horse had been
ihe could go again, however dark and

‘ dangerous the way.

He made a bridle with his lariat, used

, the ends as reins, and led him through

the bars upon the ridge.

Then he took up his traps left there,
and, putting up the bars again, got be-
hind the horse and drove him, as it were,
along the perilous trail.

When he had safely passed over the

 ridge, .with the guidance of the horse,

Buffalo Bill determined to take the ani-

 ;. mal back again, nog1 caring to make a
' .‘mistake of having

im missed in the
morning by. the outlaws. «
Looking about him, he found, after a

' ml'ong search, two long sticks, and in going
' back used them for guides on each side,

leepi‘ng them over the edges of the precé
pice.
_He also watched his way most care-

ddlly, as the horse we t along. I
‘ v tifthe bars'he let t 9 horse into the.

 

.‘athen, with his sticks, began to

\ I ‘. 'v 'I I
, .

 

. two of you," and Buffalo Bill laughed. ,

It was slow work, but he made it in
safety, and came to where he had left
his traps.

Taking these up, he went back through
the canyon, reached the little river, and
went down it for a camping place.

He found a good one, ate a cold sup-
per, and turned in.

As he lay down his eyes beheld the
glimmer of a light.

At once he arose and began to recon—
noitre. I

It was the light of a campfire, he was
sure.

He went on down the stream for some
distance, and at last came upon a scene
that surprised him.

Camping right on the river bank was a
small party. ,

They had evidently just gone into
camp, the building of the fire having
attracted his attention. Seeing that he
could get nearer by. getting under the
river bank, he did so, and soon gained a
position within twenty feet of the camp—
ers.

What he saw fairly startled him.

 

What he overheard startled him the‘

more.

About the campfire were five persons,
and staked out not far distant was a
group of horses.

There was a small tepee of Indian
manufacture, a couple of pack saddles
well filled, and altogether a good outfit
for the campers.

But the campers.

There were two white men, a young
man and one with iron gray hair, both
fine specimens of manhood.

There was a large negro man and a
negress.

The fifth of the group was the Woman
in Black.

Her veil was raised now and her hat
cast aside, and Buffalo Bill saw a
bronzed, but really beautiful face, a
slender, graceful, and wiry form.

The negro was cooking supper, the
negress setting a table that had been
taken from one of the pack saddles, and
was in sections. '

There were campstools, several ham~
mocks swung in the trees, and altogeth-
er the scene was a comfortable one,
while two large dogs, too busily watch-
ing the cooking of supper to ‘know the
scout was so near, were lying near the
Woman in Black.

Buffalo Bill was glad to see that the
wind blew from the dogs toward him.

What he heard was as follows:

“We made a mistake, Kate, in not
uniting our force with Buffalo Bill and
his party, when we found out who they
were, for then there would have been no
trouble in corralling Carr and his cut-
throat gang.” .

“ Yes, father; but we can surprise them
in their retreat, and that is half the bat-
tle, and they do not greatly outnumber
us,” said the \Voman in Black.

“Yes, we are near their retreat, for I
am sure you have made no mistake,
Kate, and we must attack them to-mor—
row night; but, as you say, father, we
did make a mistake in not joining forces
with Buffalo Bill and that officer we saw
with him,” said the young man.

“ It is not too late to do a good deed.”

Buffalo Bill uttered the words as he
swung "himself over the bank, and strode
into the full glare of the firelight.

There were startled cries, two savage
yelps from the dogs, and they bounded
toward the scout. .

But a stern command from' the W0-
man in Black cowcd them, and she cried:

“Father! Brother! it is Buffalo Bill!”

“ At your service, lady,” and the scout
politely raised his sombrero.

"I am so glad to meet you again, sir,
for We were just wishing foryou.

“ The last time you met you saved my
life, and I ran away from you. n

“ But how did you find us? ”

“I have been, as I supposed, .upon
your trail for‘a week, miss, but it seems
I am mistaken, for there appears to be

 

 

 

“I do not wonder that you have been
deceived, Mr. Cody, for others have
been; but let me present you to my
father, Andrew Kennon, some years ago
a captain in the army, but now a miner,
and this is my brother, Wilber Kennon,
also a miner.”

The father and brother of the woman
warmly shook hands with Buffalo Bill,
after which she continued:

“ And you must know our whole party,
Mr. Cody, and explanations will follow
later.

“ This is my maid, Quickstep, and Toby
is her husband, and devoted friends they
are to us, as you will know.

“There are our four-footed friends,
Sentinel and Guard, and they are worth
their weight in silver.”

Buffalo Bill shook hands with both
Quickstep and Toby, patted Sentinel and
Guard upon the head, and took the seat
placed for him by Wilber Kennon, ac-
cepting the invitation to have supper
with pleasure. for he had eaten but
sparingly of his scant provisions. that
day.

 

CHAPTER LXIV.
HER DOUBLE.

As Kate Kennon had said to Buffalo
Bill, explanations did follow.

It was after supper that Buffalo Bill
heard the strange story, and it unfolded
mystery, wrong, and crime to his ears.

He heard how Andrew Kennon had
been a captain in the United States
Army, but resigned because he had been
financially ruined by a friend whom he
had trusted with all of his business in-
terests.

Stationed upon the frontier, from Texas
to Colorado, both of Captain Kennon’s
children, his son Wilber and daughter
Kate, had been born in a border fort, and
reared among wild life until the youth

was eighteen, the girl sixteen, when they l

were sent to New York to be educated.

Two years had been spent there when
the crash came, Captain Kennon finding
his fortune swept from him by his trust—
ed friend, Harold Carr, having lost all
in speculation.

Resigning from the army, Captain
Kennon had gone to the mines, to try
and win a fortune, and there his two
children had joined him.

After a year of hard luck, they had
struck it rich in an obscure camp, and
all had gone there, their faithful black
ervants accompanying them.

But another misfortune had dogged
them.

Harold Carr, Junior, the son of Cap-
tain Kennon’s false friend, had fallen in
love with Kate Kennon when she was
East at school, but was refused.

He had threatened her that she should
marry him alone, and soon after she
had gone to join her father in the West
he and his father and brother had to
fly for their safety, having all been en-
gaged in a fraudulent transaction.

Reaching the West, they went from
bad to worse, and turned road-agents.

They allied themselves to Indians and
evil characters, and one day a raid was
made upon Captain Kennon’s frontier
home, in his absence, and Kate was kid-
napped and carried to the outlaw re-
treat, to make her father pay largely of
his new-found gold for her release, or
force her into a marriage ‘with her hated
lover. .

But, through the aid of one of the
outlaws, whom the Kennons had.once
befriended, she escaped and returned to
her home, while in the pursuit that fol-
lowed Andrew Carr, Senior, had been
killed by Captain' Kennon, who thus
avenged in part the wrong done him by
his false friend. 1

To get revenge on the Kennons, Hare

old Carr, Jr., had dressed his younger
brother up, as Kate was wont to dress,
in a black riding habit, and the two,
with their allies, going 11an
trails, it became the belief that the minor,

his daughter, and son were acungi‘w  I

. I

 

road-agents.

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lawless * ' H I.

 
  

 

 

 

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‘ Buffalo Burs Relentless Tran.

 

31_

 

 

 

 

As these rumors gained a wider cir-
culation, Captain Kennon at length made
up his mind to go on the hunt for his
foes.

He did so, to learn that they were
leaving the upper country to go back to
their old retreat in the country adjacent
to For: Benham.

he Ingan to trail them, and one day.
While in camp, beheld from a mill" two
horsemen coming, and mistaking them
for Harold Carr and one of his men, he
and his son lay in ambush for them.

The discovery that they were not those
they sought, but Buffalo Bill and a com-
panion, caused them to take to flight,
and Kate had come to their rescue, she
[having meanwhile captured the Indian,
Man Killer, in the canyon, as has been
seen, for she could ride splendidly, throw
a lasso with wondrous skill, was a dead
shot, and as strong as a man.

Not caring to be followed by Buffalo
Bill and those with him, and thus thrown
off the trail of Harold Carr, they had
determined to cover up their tracks all
in their power.

It was while reconnoitrl'ng the scouts’
camp alone that Kate Kennon had been
seen and pursued by Surgeon Powell, to
Whom, when she saw that his horse had
gone down, she had gIVen the iron gray
she rode, and written the note of warn-
ing.

Again, when mounted upon her black,
and returning to see if the scouts were
still following, she had, in crossing the
river, been met by Harold Carr himself.
and but for Buffalo Bill would have been
captured.

She had believed that Buffalo Bill had
killed Harold Carr, but they determined
to still track down the band, and the
youth who was playing the part of her.
double, and so she had been the guide
,to the outlaw’s retreat, where she had

once been their prisoner. '

To let the outlaws not suspect their
intention, they had made a wide circuit,
and were then in camp to await until
the next night, and move on their re-
treat.

And that very day, from a distant
range, they had seen Harold Carr come
out of the canyon, ride across the plain,
and toward night saw him returning,
but to capture him then they found
would be impossible.

“He had gone back, doubtless, after
reaching his camp with our horses which
he had stolen, to see if we were still on

' his trail, or had gone back.

“ As he did not find us in the camp, he

must think we had returned to the fort."

said Buffalo Bill.

“And with your aid, Mr. Cody, we can
readily capture their camp,” said 081*
tain Kennon.

“We must make no mistake, sir, and a
little longer delay will make sure of it.

“I have back on the trail, Surgeon
Powell, who leads our expedition; Wild
Bill, my comrade in scouting, and two

others from Fort Benham, though one,

is away now, having gone to the fort
after a. fresh mount for us, and the
other, I fear, is badly. wounded, for Har-
old Carr dealt him a.severe blow in es-
caping, but with the Surgeon, my pard,
and the Indian, Man Killer, even with-
out Silent Sam we can make a com-
plete success of our attack, for they will

' ‘ be along, I feel certain, very soon.”

“You spoke of an Indian whom you
aged Man Killer, and a wounded man

by the name of Silent Sam?” said Cap-.

tain. Kennon.
' " Yes, sir."

“Do you know those two men, Mr.
Cody? n z' ‘

"only as freque'nters of the fort and
the allies of Surg on Powell, sir.”

,, f‘ Well, let me ell you what I know

27;, Ahem, having just discovered all that

 

,thexfire before I left my camp, and I
intended notifying the commandant at

as. ,i'thefiort, ‘
“ “‘The. Indian

is part Pawnee, part
310% addiqhas white blood in his veins,
“mm? 1.19  lived with half a. dazen

. .‘ 311*? "Vb-beg as: wen.

 

 

1 “ He is desperate, fearless, and merci-
ess.

“The white man, Silent Sam, is his
devoted pard, though they do not appear
to be such, always pretending to be
alone.

“Silent Sam came West long years
go, a good man, and made his home,
;.1ving his family with him.

"‘I‘Iic Indian, Man Killer. his squaw.
and child made their home with them,

“One night a. band of Indians, who
had massacred a party of troops, taken
their uniforms, weapons, and equip—
ments, blacked their faces with war
paint and attacked Silent Sam’s home
and the Man Killer’s cabin, the two men
being absent.

“The wife and squaw and the chil—
dren were killed, scalped, and the houses
robbed and burned.

“ The squaw lived long enough to greet
Silent Sam and Man Killer on their re.
turn, and told them that negro cavalry
had done the appalling deed.

“From that, day Silent Sam and the
Indian became avengers, and have killed
the negro soldiers whenever they could
do so, and I have learned that they even
pretended to be friends to all at the fort
to carry out their murderous plans.

“So you see, Mr. Cody, you have two
very dangerous men with you, while the}
are also allies of Harold Carr’s outlaw
band,‘ report the movements of valuable
freight by the coaches, and aid them in
many ways.

“ I feel sorry for them, but they Will
take no man’s word against that of the
dying squaw, that black cavalry raided
their home, and more, it was Silent Sam
who aided my daughter to escape from
Harold Carr, for he is not bad at heart,
only a monomaniac on the subject of
killing the black cavalry.”

 

CHAPTER LXV.
THE TRAIL'S END.

Buffalo Bill was never more surprised

in his life than when he heard the
strange story of wrong and treachery 311
which Silent Sam and Man Killer were
connected.
2 He could not doubt it, and he at once
made known all that Surgeon Powell
'had told him about the Indian and the.
trapper.

He also told how they had been bound.
gagged, and surprised on post, and Can-
tain Kennon said:

“ All their own work against them—
selves, for they are adepts at trickery.

“That you and, the others were
drugged was their work, though Harold
Carr doubtless furnished the drug put
in your coffee and pipes.

“They took your horses back on the
trails, gave you warnings, and did all
they could to force you to return, because
they, did not wish to kill you.

“As for the fact of Surgeon Powell
knowing Harold Carr, I think I can ex-
plain that by saying that once they were
friends, and Carr visited Powell at the
fort for months, then robbed him and
fled.

“ Then Carr was wont to lie in wait for
Surgeon Powell to kill him, and very
nearly was successful; but Surgeon Pow—
ell, I have been told, was so hurt by the
act of his false friend that he never spoke
to any one.
of it to any one.

“Now, I
other, and my advice is to first get your
grip on Silent Sam and the Indian, and
th<n we willhave no trouble in captur—
ing Harold Carr, his brother Burt, who
is impersonating my daughter, and his
sompanions in crime.”

“It is the right plan to pursue, sir,
and we may as Well wait here, for, know-
ing Surgeon Powell and Wild Bill as I
do, I am sure that they will follow me
very quickly, assoon as the Indian re-
turns with horses, for that,he will be

sure to do, even ifhe and Silent Sam ,
' -— l .. I . .

Ttook somefiother plan to thwart us in

think we understand each "

    

 

 

pursuing this trail."

Soon after, as it was now growing
late, they all retired to rest, Kate Ken-
non and Quickstep retiring to the Indian
tepee, while Captain Kennon, Wilber,
and the negro, Toby, turned in in their
gammocks, Buffalo Bill taking his blan-

ets.

The two dogs were put on guard, and
good ones they were.

It was the next night when Surgeon
Powell was owrraken by Wild Bill, the,
Indian, Silent Sam, and went into camp
together, that Buffalo Bill appeared be-
fore thenf like an apparition, for he had
been on the watch for their coming, hav-
ing just met the Surgeon Scout, and. ar-
ranged to join him later, when the oth-
ers had come up.

 

CHAPTER LXVI.
CONCLUSION.

It was a surprise to Man Killer when
he suddenly found himself in the power
of the three scouts, and was made a.
prisoner; but he accepted his fate in
silence, while Slli‘llt Sam, now rapidly
passing from life to death, rallied for a
few moments, and confirmed the whOIe
story told by Captain Kennon of his
own and the Indian’s revenge upon the
black troops.

.Ind mom. he said that he felt sill":
that Man Killer had not gone to the fort
without killing others.

This the Indian proudly admitted was
the truth, as he had left his horse, gone
ahead, and killed two men, then ridden
on to the fort, and when leaving with the
horses had gone back on foot and shot.
another black sentinel.

That night Silent Sam died and was
buried, while Captain Kennon and his
party, uniting camps, Kate and Quick-
step, with the two dogs, being left to
guard the bound Indian, while the soouts
and their newly found allies took up their
trail for the outlaw retreat.

Buffalo Bill, guided by his two sticks,
led the way along the narrow ridge, the
others following, and on foot they crept
up to the two cabins and surrounded
them. When dawn arrived, and Har-
old Carr and his men appeared, a de~
mand was made by Surgeon Powell for
their surrender, and at once a. quick,
sharp fight was precipitated.

Harold Carr dropped dead under the
fire of Surgeon Powell, his brother, Burt,
still wearing his feminine disguise, was
killed by Wilber Kennon, and Buffalo
Bill and the others wiped out the rest
of the band, not one surviving. -
‘ A few slight wounds were received by
the attacking party, but that was all,
and what they had accomplished was
much.

The booty was packed upon the horses
found in the canyon, the cabins were
set on fire, and the whole party returned
to their camp, where it was found that
the Man Killer had ended his own life
by taking some of the drug he had se-
creted about him.

By the side of Silent Sam he was bur-
ied, and the next day the whole party
took the trail for Fort Benham, where
the story was told, and Colonel Thorp‘
was glad to welcome Captain Kennon.
Kate. and Wilber as guests.

Furthermore, he urged that Kate
should remain at the fort, while the
father and brother returned to their
mine, and right there in Fort Benham
Kate Kennon met her fate, as she later
became the wife of Colonel Thorp’s
aide, Lieutenant Tyler.

Back to their posts of duty .went Buf-

falo Bill and Wild Bill, to win new lau- .

rels as scouts, while Surgeon Frank
Powell soon after resigned from the

, army, and now dwells in La Crosse, Wis—

consin, of which city he has been severa
times the mayor. '. .
Wild Bill lies buried near Deadwood,

THE END._ 

 

and Bufialo Bill ,to-day is known. the 
world over as the King ot,Bordermen.' 2.3;»:

  

.33", .'   3 ‘ :- 
W' ‘ a.-5a§:’5'2.~"‘.‘".r “. '1, ':.-..‘ 

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IBE‘Apmslpl‘MEflBnm.‘

, Published Every Wednesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Ten Cents. No Double Numbers.

  
  

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.~ BUFFALO BILL NOVELS.
a” By Colonel Prentiss Ingrahuui.

, 964 Buffalo Bill‘s Invincibles.

l ‘ 960 Buffalo Bill’s Blue Belt Brigade.
 956 Buffalo Bill’s Volunteer Vigilantes.
'; 950 Buffalo Bill at Bay.

- , 943 Buflalo Bill’s Block Game.
‘1‘ 936 Buffalo Bill‘s Black Pard.

:. - 927 Buflalo Bill’s Bluff; or, Dusky, Dick the Snort.
921 Buffalo Bill‘s Quandary: or, elvet Bill’s Vow.
915 Buffalo Bill and the Surgeon-Scout.

909 Buffalo Bill’s league; or, Red Butterfly.

904 Budalo Bill‘s Tangled Trail.

900 Buffalo Bill’s Rough Riders.

895 Buffalo Bill’s Secret Ally.

890 Buffalo Bill’s Life-Stake.

882 The Three Bills: Buffalo Bill.Wild Bill and Band-
box Bill; or, The Bravo in Broadcloth.

874 Buffalo Bill's Buckskin Braves.

869 Buffalo Bill‘s Road-Agent Round-up.

863 Buffalo Bill’s Death Charm.

857 Buffalo Bill’s Royal Flush.

851 Buffalo Bill‘s Double Dilemma.

845 Buffalo Bill’s Redskin Ruse.

830 Buffalo Bill’s Bovs in Blue.

826 Buffalo Bill‘s Sha Shooters.

822 Buffalo Bill’s Best ower.

816 Buffalo Bill‘s Red Trail.

812 Buffalo Bill’s Death-Knell.

794 Buffalo Bill’s Winning Band.

787 Buffalo Bill’s Dead Shot.

781 Buffalo Bill's Brand.

777 Buflalo Bill’s Spy Shadower.

769 Buffalo Bill’s Sweepstake.

765 Buffalo Bi ll’s Dozen; or, Silk Ribbon Sam.

761 Bufl’alo Bill’s Mascot.

757 Buffalo Bill’s Double.

750 Buffalo Bill‘s Big Four; or, Custer‘s Shadow.

748 Buffalo Bill's Flush Hand.

739 Buffalo Bill's Blind: or. The Masked Driver.

735 Buffalo Bill and His Merry Men.

731 Buffalo Bill‘s Beagles: or, Silk Lasso Sam.

727 Buffalo Bill’s Body Guard.

722 Buffalo Bill on the “'nr- ath.

 716 Buffalo Bill’s Scout Sha owers.

 710 Buffalo Bill Baffled: or. The Deserter Desperado.

' ., 697 Buffalo Bill’s Buckskin Brotherhood.

691 Buffalo Bill’s Blind Trail' or, Mustang Madge.

I , 667 Buffalo Bill‘s Swoop; or. The King of the Mines.

 c 658 The Cowboy Clan; or, The Tigress of Texas.

a, v 653 Lasso King’s Leaguezor. Buck Taylor in Texas.
 A ,, 649 Buffalo Bill's Chief of Cowbo s; or. Buck Taylor
. ' 644 Buflaio Bill’s Bonanza; or. S Iver Circle Knights.

‘ 362 Buffalo Bill’s Gri ; or. Oath Bound to Custer.
. 829 Buffalo Bill’s Ple ge: or. The League of Three.
189 Wild Bill’s Gold Trail; or, The Desperate Dozen.
I 175 Wild Bill’s Trump Card: or, The Indian Heiress.
 168 Wild Bill. the Pistol Dead Shot.

By Buffalo Bill.

969 Texas Jack, the Lasso Kim“.

839 The Ranch King Dead-Silo .

8% White Beaver ‘s Still Hunt.

897 Wild Bill. the Wild West Duelist.

800 Wild Bill, the Dead-Center Shot.

639 Buffalo Bill’s Gold King.

599 The Dead Shot Nine: or, My Pards of the Plains.

414 Red Renard, the Indian Detective.

401 One-Armed Pam; or. Borderland Retribution.
The Wizard Brothers: or, White Beaver’s Trail.

894 White Beaver, the Exile of the Platte.

} 319 Wild Bill. the Whirlwind of the West.

1‘4 304 Texas Jack. the Prairie Rattler.

; ' 243 The Pilgrim Sharp: or. The Soldier‘s Sweetheart.

' 88 Gold BulletSoorr: or. Knights of the Overland.

; 2:1,;- “.5;

, :4' 52 Death-Trailer. the Chief of Scouts.
7‘. ., By Leon Lewis, Ned Buntllne, etc.
i." ’ 773 Buffalo Bill’s Ban; or. Cody to the Rescue.

, 682 Buffalo Bill‘s Secret Service Trail.

» ,' 629 Buffalo Bill‘s Darin Role; or, Daredeath Dick.

my 517 Buffalo Bill’s First rail; or. The Express Rider.
r" ‘. 158 Buffalo Bill, Chief of Scouts.

.'._ v‘ 117 Buffalo Bill 5 Strange Pard’ or,
it. , 92 Buflalo Bill, the Buckskin King.

1‘ ‘ BY HAROLD PAYNE.

 ‘ 883 The Man from Mexico in New York.

 , 872 The King-Pin Shark; or, Thad Burr’s Ten Strike.
 861 The Tenderloin Big Four

853 The Quaker City Crook.

844 Tracked to Chicago.

836 The Policy Broker‘s Blind.

829 The Frisco Sharper’s Cool Hand.

821 The Tramp Shadower’s Backer.

813 The Sham Spotter‘s Shrewd Scheme.

. $6 The Grand Street GoldDust Sharpers.

'  ' Detective Blu'r’s Lunatic Witness

" ‘* 792 The Wall Street Sharper's Snap.

 2 , i 784 Thad Burr’s Death Drop.

742 Detective Burr Among the New York Thugs.
734 Detective Burr’s Foil' or, A Woman’s Strategy.
728 Detective Burr. the Headquarters Special.
718 Detective Burr’s Spirit Chase.

706 Detective Burt’s Seven Clues.

698 Thad Burr, the Invincible; or, The “L ” Clue.
690 The Matchless Detective.

680 XX. the Fatal Ciew: or, Burr’s Master Case.

BY LIEUT. A. K. SIMS.

914 Snowflake Sam’s Double.
8!?! The Six-Shot Spotter.
887 The Stranger SpOrt from Spokane.
878 The Sport Detective’s Colorado Clew.
860 The Spangled S rt Shadower.

The Crescent C ty Sport.
839 Gid Gale's Block Game.
'804'The King Pin of the Leadvllle Lions.
786 Chicago Charlie’s Diamond Haul.
776 Chi 0 Charlie, the Columbian Detective.
L‘hc lzarl King Detective.
Beam-tor Tom, the Boomer Detective.
Axlestone Lem, the Chain ion of Chestnut Burr.

m etective. '
, ; o Detective from ‘Way Back
~ Stuttering Sam the Whitest Sport of Santa Fe.
9‘ W'xm‘ti‘é’nemt?“  '
,  ‘1 a V8 . , ,
" « I »  gas Flower of the Flock.
, - 1 ocean» Detective.  I «

Dashing Dandy.

 

   
   
   
   
   

 
 

 

  

 

    

  
  
   

 

  
  

BY CAPTAIN HOWARD HOLMES.

929 Gentleman George, the Showman Sport.
912 Genteel Joe‘s Lone Hand.

903 The Train Detective.

896 Kent Keen, the Crook-Crusher.

888 Nightshade in New York.

879 Falcon Flynn, the Flash Detective.

871 The Crook Cashier.

859 Clew-Hawk Keene‘s Right Bower.

847 Hiram Hawk, the Harlem Detective.

810 Major Bullion, Boss of the Tigers.

831 Shadowing the London Detective.

817 Plush Velvet. the Prince of Spotters.

803 The Bogus Broker’s Right Bower.

788 The Night~H~i wk Detective.

779 Silk Ribbon‘s Crush-out.

766 Detective Zach. the Broadway Spotter.
751 The Dark Lantern Detective.

736 The Never-Fail D«-tective.

724 Captain Hercules. the Strong Arm Detective.
711 lian Damon, the Gilt‘Edge Detective.

701 Silver Stew. the Branded Sport.

694 Gideon Grip, the Secret Shadower.

684 Velvet Van, the Mystery Shadower.

678 The Dude Desperado

671 Jason Clew, the Silk-Handed Ferret.

664 Monk Morel, the Man-Hunter.

654 So] S hinx. the Ferret Detective.

642 Red ard and Yellow.

608 Silent Sam, the Shadow Sphinx.

592 Ca tain Sid, the Shasta Ferret.

579 01 Cormorant, the Bowery Shadow.

569 Captain Cobra. the flooded Mystery.

559 Danton, the Shadow Sharp.

550 Silk Hand, the MolinVe Ferret.

513 The lllagnate Detective.

5‘12 Jack Javert. the Independent Detective.
523 Reynard of Red Jack: or, The Lost Detective
512 Captain Velvet’s Big Stake.

505 Phil Fox. the Genteel Spotter.

496 Richard Redfire. the Two Worlds’ Detective.
48? Sunshine Sam. 8. Chip of the Old Block.

480 Hawkspear. the Man with a Secret.

468 Coldgrip in Deadwood.

460 Captain Coldgrip. the Detective-

45‘1 Captain (.‘old rip's LOng Trail.

447 Volcano. the risco Spy.

441 The California Sharp.

434 Lucifer Lynx. the ‘w onder Detective.

421 Father Ferret. the Frisco Shadow.

413 Captain Coldgrip in New York.

407 Captain Coldgrlp’s Nerve; or. In'nn Nick.
400 Captain Coldgrip: or. The New ork Spotter.
392 The Lost Bonanza: or. The Boot of Silent Hound.
382 The Bonanza Band: or, Dread Don of Cool Clan.
374 Major Blister. the Sport of Two Cities.

365 Keen Kennard. the Shasta Shadow.

352 The Des rate Dozen.

347 Denver like. the Man with “ Sand."

340 Cool Conrad. the Dakota Detective.

335 Flash Dan. the Nabob: or, Blades of Bowie Bar.
321 California Claude. the Lone Bandit.

294 Broadcloth Burt. the Denver Dandy.

941 The Shadow Sport from Frisco.

BY WILLIAIVI H. MANNING.
948 The Red-Gloved Detective.
931 Frisco Frank at Glory Gulch.
920 The Montana Miner in New York.
908 The Doomsday-Den Detective.
899 The Double-Quick Detective.
893 Yellow Gid, of Dark Divide.
885 The EXpert DetectiVe’s Shake-up.
875 Trap ' ing the Race-Track Judge.
864 The 01106 Special’s Dilemma.
849 The Genteel Sharper‘s Combine
841 Graydon’s Double Deal.
838 The Sport Detectist Grip]:
823 The Athlete Sport About own.
808 TheCrook-Detcctive‘s Pull.
790 Plunger Pete, the Race Track Detective.
782 Royal Rock, the Round-up Detective.
774 Steve Starr. the Dock Detective.
764 The New York She 1’s Shadower.
738 Detective Clsxton. t e Record Breaker.
714 Gabe Gall, the Gambolier from Great Hump,
703 Spokane Saul, the Samaritan Sus .ct
692 Dead Shot Paul, the Deep-Range x lorer.
655 Strawberry Sam. the Man with the irthmark.
646 Dark John, the Giim Guard.
6'38 Murdock. the Dread Detective.
623 Dan erous Dave, the Never-Beaten Detective.
611 Alkai Abe, the Game Chicken from Texas.
596 Rustler Rube; the Round-Up Detective.
585 Dan Dixon’s Double.
570 Steady Hand. the Napoleon of Detectives
563 Wyoming Zeke, the Hotspur of Honeysuckle.
551 Carry Kean the Man with Backbone.
539 Old Doubledark, the Wily Detective.
531 Saddle-Chief Kit. the Prairie Centaur.
521 Paradise Sam. the Nor’-West Pilot.
513 Texas Tartar, the Man With Nine Lives.
506 Uncle Honest. the Peacemaker of Hornets’ Nest.
498 Central Pacific Paul. the Mail Train Spy.
492 Border Bullet. the Prairie sharpshooter.
486 Kansas Kitten. the Northwest Detective.
479 Gladiator Gabe, the Samson of Sassajack.
470 The Duke of Dakota.
463 Gold Gauntlet. the Gulch Gladiator.
455 Yank Yellowbird, the Tall Hustler of the Hills.
449 Bluff Burke. King of the Rockies.
442 Wild West Walt. the Mountain Veteran.
437 Deep Duke: or, The Man of Two Lives.
497 The Rivals of Montana Mill.
415 Hot Heart, the Detective 
405 Old Baldy the Brigadier o uck Basin.
297‘Colorado Rube. the Strong Arm of Hots ur.
279 The Gold Dragoon, or, California Bloo ound.

BY LEON LEWIS.
967 Wind River Clark, the Gold Hermit.
797 Pistol Tommy. the Miner Sharp. ,
785 the Down East Detective in Nevada.
773 Buffalo Bill's Ban: or, (‘ody to the Rescue.
699 The CowboyvCouriei-s.
686 Th On-the- lug Detectives.
624 Th , Submarine Detective;or, The Water Ghouls.
484 Captain Ready. the Red Ransomer.
481 The Silent Detective: or, The Bogus Nephew.
456. The De non Steer. ' - .
.428 The-Flying Gllm: or, Thoflsland Lure.

. _/ . '. ,
{5 ‘ \y  . gigs

 

l

l
1

7 876 Gold Button S ort; or

ALBERT W. AIKEN’S NOVELS
Dick Talbot Series.

741 Dick Talbot’s Close Call.

737 Dick Talbot in Apache Land.

7 3‘3 Dick Talbot. the Ranch King.

729 Dick Talbot’s Clean-Out.

72.3 Dick Talbot in No Man’s Camp.

354 Dick Talbot: 01, The Brand 0 Crimson Cross
36 Dick Talbot; or. The Death-Shot of Shasta.

Alken’s Freak of Frisco Series.

825 Fresh, the Race-Track Sport.
660 The Fresh in Montana; or, Blake's Full Band.
652 The Fresh’s Rustic at Painted City.
647 The Fresh at Santa Fe; or, The Slranger Sharp.
556 Fresh, the Sport: or, The Big Racket at Slide Out..
537 Fresh Against the Field: or, Blake. the Lion.
497 The Fresh in Texas; or. The Escobedo Millions.
461 The Fresh of Frisco on the Rio Grande.

97 The Fresh in Big Walnut Camp; or. Bronze Jack

Alison’s Joe Plienix Series.

965 Joe Phenix‘s Mascot.

959 Joe Phenix’s Double Deal.

954 Joe Phenix in Chicago.

949 The Doctor from Texas; or, Joe Phenix’s Clue.

944 Joe Phenix’s Right Bower.

865 The Female Barber Detective; or, Joe Phenix in

Silver City.
799 Joe Phenix’s Great Blue Diamond Case; or, The
New York Sport at Long Branch.

793 Joe Phenix’s Decoy: or, The Man of Three.

760 Joe Phenix’s Lone Hand.

749 Joe Phenix’s Big Bulge.

745 Joe Phenix’s Mad Case.

708 Joe Phenix‘s Siren; or, The Woman Hawkshaw.

700 Joe Phenix’s Unknown; or. Crushing the Crooks

681 Joe Phenix’s Specials or. The Actress Detective

637 Joe Phenix in Crazy Camp.

632 Joe Phenix’s Master Search.

628 Joe Phenix’s Combine; or,the Dandy Conspirator

620 Joe Phenix’s Silent Six.

601 Joe Phenix’s Shadow; or.the Detective‘s Monitor

419 Joe Phenix., the King of Detectives.

161 Joe Phenix’s Great Man Hunt.

112 Joe Phenix, Private Detective; or, The League.
79 Joe Phenix. the Police Spy.

Aiken’s Misc clinneous Noweis.

940 Captain Jack, the Scalper

935 The Hawks and Wolves of New York

932 Detective Gordon’s Grip.

926 Old Sunflower, the Silent Smiter.

923 Old Sunflower. the Hayseed Detective.

901 The Hotel Swell-Sharp; or, The Siren Shadower.
892 The Countryman Detective.

The Minor Sharps. '

842 Teton Tom. t e Half-Blood.
835 The King—Pin Detective.

' 814 The New Yorker Among Texas Sports.

 

775 King Dandy, the Silver Sport.
753 Gideon’s Grigiat Babylon l’ar. ‘
717 Captain Pat cGowen, the Greencoat Detective.
674 Uncle Sun Up, the Born Detective.
670 The Lightweight Detective.
665 The Frisco Detective; or, The Golden Gate Find.
613 Keen Billy, the Sport.
607 Old Benzine, the “Hard Case ” Detective.
594 Fire Face, the Silver King's Foe.
586 The Silver Sh arp Detective.
577 Tom, of Calif ornia; or, Detective’s Shadow Act.
570 The Actress Detective: or. The invisible Hand.
562 Lone Hand. the Shadow.
520 The Lone Hand on the Caddo.
490 The Lone Hand in Texas.
475 Chin Chin, the Chinese Detective.
465 The Actor Detective.
440 The High Hon-e of the Pacific.
421 The Lone Hand; or. The Red River Recreants.
408 Doc Grip, the Vendetta of Death.
381 The Gy sy Gen tleman: or. Nick Fox. Detective
376 Black cards: 01. The Rio Grande High Horse
370 The Dusky Detective: or. Pursued to the End.
363 Crowningshield. the Detective
320 The Genteel Spotter: or The N. Y. Night Hawk.
252 The Wall Street lllood; or. The Telegraph Girl.
203 The Double Detective: or.'l‘he Mid night Mystery.
196 La Marmoset, the Letectlve Queen.
101 The Man from New York.
91 The Winning Oar: or. The Innkeeper’s Daughter.
84 Hunted Down: or, The League of Three.
81 The Human Tiger: or. A Heart of Fire.
75 Gentleman George: or. Parlor. Prison and Street.
2 The Phantom Hand: or, The 5th Avenue Heiress.
56 The indian Mazeppa; or, Madman of the Plains.
49 The Wol Demon; or. The Kanawha Queen.
42 The California Detective: or, The Witches of N.Y.
31 The New York Sharp: or, TheFlash of Lightning.
27 The Spotter Detectivez'or. Girls of New York. -

NEW ISSUES.
977 Cyclone Pete. By Wm. B. Eyster.
978 Monte Cristo in New York By J, C. 001611)
979 Buflalo Bill’s Relentless Trail. By Ingra
980 The All-Around Athlete. By A. W. Aiken.

I 981 The Gold-Lace Sport. By Joe. E. Badger.

 

  
 

982 Chris Crowley’s Winning Hand. By A. P. Morris

JUST ISSUED.

971 “D;" or, Branded for Life. By K. F. Hill. .\
972 The Captain‘s Enemy By Col. P. lngraham.
973 The Dread Shot Four

974 The Man from Denver. By Jos. E. Badger.

975 Freelance, the Buccaneer. By Col. Iain-shun. ‘ ’

    

976 Overland, Kit. By Albert W. Aiken. ~ 1
.‘t A mm mm chmodm , ’
run nmn LIBRARY is for 
Newsdealers. ten cents 1‘ copy. or sent
ace 13 AD . '

 and. f“

ByBulfalo Bill; 1 

 

 

 

 

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Buffalo Bill's Relentless

Trail. 115'
l’ren tiss lngraha m.

(‘olonel'SL’o “'hite Heaver's Still Hunt;

‘- 1
973 The Dread Shot Four; or, My I-HMS of the 916

215‘)
11-111

93'}

1127

1121

1.915

5 out;

{JUL

1100
8115
8110

882

H74

8t!)

imam. .  t 11. \.. 1". (‘ody. .
Buffan Bill's lnvlnt'ililt-s: or. The Sallie. Shad—
onr s buhlime Sacritit-e. By (Vol. 1'. ingra-
«11:.

Buffalo Bill‘s 111w“ Bell Brigade; or, Sun~1
iltth-r Sam 11’ Shasta. By ("11. 1’. Ingrzrham.
TKufl‘alo ltill's Volunteer Vigilantvs; or, The
Mysterious Man in Blue. By ('ol. 1’. lngra-~

1mm.

Buffalo 12111 at. Bay; or, The Gold Seeker's!
1)n|.lll. 12y ")1. 1'. ingraham. ‘

luffan Bill's illm-k (lame; or, The Mounted;

.912
07

1-107

or, The Miner
Maraudcr's l)eath-'l‘:ack. By Buffalo Bill.

""”"i‘u Bill's lit-d Trail; or, The Road-Rider
litquadc's ltun Down. By Col. P. ingruham.

 

653 The Lasso King's League; or, The Tigers of
By Colonel
649 Buck Taylor, the Saddle King. Buffalo Bill's

Chllff of Scouts.

Texas.

“mu. 1111's lu-;.111_l\’nq~11; on The Ilml Band 644. Buffalo

I l.

Baird's ol' the Rut’liit‘s. By (3111. 1’. ingraham.
Mascot of Moonlight mlnv. 11y Bunalo Bill.
Wild Bill. the Wild Wurst Hut-11st; or, The Girl
(irande Ralph. the Cowboy Chlt‘f. By Buf-
i‘alo Bill.

BuTalo Bill‘s “'innlmz llnnd; or, The Masked
Woman of the ('olorado (‘anyon. By (to). P.
Ing‘raham.

Buffalo Bill's Dead Shot : or. The-Skeleton Scout
of the t‘oiorado. 11y (Yol. i'rt-ntiss lngraham.

Miner-:1 of lim (Ht-r11 n 1. B ' (3 l. 1’. l " -1
ham. t 1 ) H “Ma 1781 Buffalo Bill's Brand; or, The Brimstone
Brotlwrhomi. By t‘ol. Prentiss ingrahani.
Buffalo l'ill’s Black 1’; r - " - 1' , ,
Boomers 1:1 1111,- 1:1,; Hum} dl';y':r:(',l [finingykj 777 Buffalo Bill‘s Spy-Shadower: or, 1119 Masked
ham. ' ' ‘ Mon at Grand (‘anyon. By (‘ol. 1’. lngraham.
hurrah, “up” “1””. m. Duqky Dirk the 771 Buffalo lllll‘slllan; or, ("ody to the Rescue.
Sport. By (M. P. ingraham. , pf. “51.1‘mm .l‘l.:wm.' k T} “N
3 i -. ( ;  . v, . . nil Bufialo 1111 s Swet-psta e; or, re 190-111”
\'::$_LIUBVIH(l-lnr 1311:1133]:)l'ng‘xih‘baz;hot m“ s at Last Finance. By (‘ol. Prentiss lngraham.
Buffalo Bill and th.- Surgeon Scout‘ or (1o- 76" “mull” “1.11.3 “Um”; “1" Silk Ribbon sum'
wan-go, u..- ltc-tlskin amt-r. By t‘ol. 1'. in- "-" "'1‘ ""“”““ I“”"”“'"" _ ,
graham. 761 Buffalo Hill's Mast-tut; or. The lh-ath \alley
nun-“1” Burs League: “r, Red Butterfly. “V Victim No. 13. By Col. Prentiss lngraham.
(fol. Prentiss lngrahum. ' 737 Buffalo Hill's lloulvlvz or, The lH-spvrado lit--

Bui‘falo [1111's Tangled Trail; or, Gentleman
Jack, the Man of Many Masks. By t‘ol. 1'.
lngrahum.

Buffalo Bill's Rough Riders; or, Texas Jack‘s
Sliarp~Shootvrs. By Col. Prentiss lngraham.
Buffalo lill’s Seervt Ally; or, The "l‘cxan's
Double. By (‘oL Prentiss lngraham.

Buffalo Bill's Life-Stake; or, The I‘ledgt-d
Three. By Col. 1’. lngrahtun.

The Three Bills; Buffalo Bill, \Vild Bill and
Band-Box Bill; or, The Bravo in Broadcloth.
By Col. 1’. Ingraham.

Buffalo Bill's Buckskin Braves; or, The (‘ard
Que-:n's Lust Gone. By t‘ol. P. lnuraham.
Buffalo Bill's Bond Agent ltovmd-l'p; or, The
Mysterious Masked Man in Black. By Col.
I‘. lngraham.

Buffalo Bill‘s Death-Charm: or, The Man
With the Scar. By t'ol. Prentiss Ingraham.
Buffalo Bill's Royal Flush; or, The Pony Ri-
dur‘s Death-Run. By L‘oi. Prentiss ingro-
ham.

Buffalo Bill's Double Dilemma: or. The Great
Scout's Big Three. By Col. 1'. lngraham.
Buffalo Bill's Redskin Ruse; or. Texas Jack's
Death Shot. By (301. Prentiss Ingrahum.
The Ranch King Dead-Shot; or. Texas Jack's
Proxy. By Buffalo Bill.

Buffalo nlil'a Boys in Blue; or. The Brimstonn
Band's Blot-out. By (‘01. P. Ingrnham.
Buffalo Bill's Sharp-Shooters; or, The Surgeon
Scout to the Rescue. By Col. P. Inxruhum-
Buffalo Bill's Best Bower: or. Montehello the
Gold King. By Col. Prentiss Ingrahum.

 

 

 

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7.10
743

731)

785

(158

 

 

te-etivv. By t‘ol. l‘rentisx lngraham.

Buffalo Bill’s Big Four; or, (‘ustvr's Shadow.
By (‘01. i‘rt-uti»: lngraham.

Buffalo Bill's Flush lland; or. Texas .ltu'k's
liraros. By ('oI. Prentiss lngrahaxu.
Buffalo Bill's Blind; or. The Masked Driver

of Death's t‘anyon. By (‘oi. Prentiss Ingra-
ham.

Buffalo Bill and His Merry Men: or. The
Rollin Hood Rivals. By (‘01. Prentiss Ingra-
haln.

Buffalo Bill's Beagles; or. Silk Lasso Sam,
By (‘ol. Prentiss inuruham.

Buffalo Bill's Body Guard; or. The Still Hunt

of the Hills. By Col. Prentiss lngraham.
Buffalo Bill on the- iVar l'ath; or, Silk Lasso
Sam.’ tho \\'ill-o'-lhe-Wisp. By ('ol. P. In-
graham.
luffl‘lo 11111".
aid Ed of Devil's Acre.
Buffalo Bill llama]: or.
perudo'l Denuuw. By
Buffalo Bill's nut-kskln
Opening Up a Lost 'lt'uil.

graham.

Buffalo nm'a min Trail: or. The Daughter

of the Regiment. 3 Vol. Prentin ingraham.

Buffalo Bill's Secret Service Trail. 13y Major

Dangerfield Burr.

Buffalo nlil's Swoop: or. the King of the
ines. By Col. Promise lnzruham.

The Cowboy Clan; or. The Tigress of Texas.

By Colonel Prentiss Inmham.

ficmlt Shudowern: or. Timer-
By Col. 1’. Ingraham.
The Dt-Herter lies-
Col. P. Ingraham.
Brotherhood;
By Col. P.

or,
In-

 

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MAI—AA

1

I
1
1
1

 

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1

 

 

HE DIME LIBRARY is for sale by all Newsdealers,
ten cents per copy, or sent by mail, pro-paid. on re-
ceipt of price. .

BEADLE dz ADAMS, Publishers,

.8 WILLIAM STREET. NEW roux.

cent.
629 Bufl‘alo

Plains.

Bill‘s
the Silver Circle.
\\ 111 Hi 1. ti 0 ‘Vild \\'es‘ 1 “P114: 11‘. The (.111 639 The Gold King; or, Montebello, the Magnifi-
By Buffalo Bill.
11111.8
Dick, King of the Cowboys.
599 The Dead Shot Nine:

1111111111.

Prentiss Ingrahum.

By (‘01. P. Ingraham.

Bonanza; or,
By (‘01.

P. lngraham.

Daring Role; or,

or, My Pards of

By Buffalo Bill.

Borderland.

397 The \V i zard

Tru 11.

31M \\'hiie Beaver.
. Wronged Man’s Bud Trail. By Buffalo.
i

111.

1
362 luffaio Bill‘s Grip; or. 0ath~bound to Custer.
1

.517 Buffalo Bill's First Trail; or, “'111 (‘ody, the
Pony i'prress Rider.
414 Red Renard,
Gold Buzzards of Colorado.
401 The Ono-Armed T’ard; or, Red Retribution in

By Ned Buntiine.

the Indian Detor‘th‘e; or,
By Buffalo 1

By Buffalo Bill.
nl'othé‘l'ti:

By Buffalo Bill.

the Exile of the Platte;

{y Col. Prentiss lngraham.

3211 Buffalo
Throw.

Bill’s
By ('Hl.

Pledge;
P.

or, Tho Laigue
lnm'aham.

31‘.) \Viid 11111. the “'hirlwind of the \\'est.

Buffalo 1:111.
Jack.

Queen of the Wild Riders.
243 The Pilgrim Sharp; or, The Soldier's Sweet-
Government. Scout

3114 Texas

lu'a rt.

and
189 Wild

Dozen.
175 \Vild

My

Guide.
Bill‘s Gold Trail;

By

Heiress.

Dozen. By Dr. Frank Powell.
117 Buffalo Bill's Strange Ford: or. Dashing
Dandy. the Hotspur of the Hills. By Major

1).

Burr.
83 Gold
()vvrlan

and Lth: in a. Frontier Fort.

Burr.

92 Buffalo Bill,
Amazon of the West.

Ll.

Bill's
By (‘01.

168 \Vild Bill. the Pistol Dead Shot; or. Dagger
Don's Double.

158 Buffalo Bill, (‘hief of Smuts; or. The Doomed

Bullet Sport;

the Prairie Rattler: or,

Buffalo Bill,
or,
Ingrnham.
Card; or.
Prentiss Ingraham.

(Sol. P.
Trump

By Col. Punt.” Ingraham

the Buckskin King:, or.

or. The Knights 01’

By Buffalo Bill.
52 Dr‘ath Trailer, the (‘hlef of Scouts; rr. Life;

NEW’
081 The Gold Lam- Sport; or, The Texan Sam-

5on's Wide swath.

9S2 (‘hris

Morris.

083 Kid Glove Kris. the S ort.
Ready August
984 Buffalo Bill's Life Raffle: or.
By Col. P.

dl'lt‘k.

Three.

7

 

ISSUES TO COME.

or.
By A.

"3.

Ingraham. Ready Sept

 

The Knights of

Daredeath
By Leon Lewis.

The

The
By Buffalo Bill.

The Desperate

The Indian

The
By Major Dungeriiell

By Jos. E. Badger, Jr.
(‘rewley's \‘i’inning Hand;
itasvaliy \‘ulet‘s Double Game.

V“/

the

1.11.

4.’4V~ M ‘f‘\/“V V V

or, White Denver's.

or, 1

of

133'

\/\r\mN~\N\f\/‘ \er \/A \/u«\/4A

the '\

By Buffalo t

The

By J. C. Cow-

The Doomed

 

 

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