— A-WEEKLY PUBLICATION. _
DEVOTED TO BORDER HISTORY

 

 

 

tssued Weekly. By Subscription $2.50 per year. Entered as Second Class Matter at New York Post Office by STREET & SMITH, 238 William St., N. Y.

No, 39. Price, Five Cents.

 

 

 

vece0eed

 

 

 

6*t ARREST YOU AS DESERTERS FROM THE UNITED STATES ARMY,’’ SAID BUFFALO BILL, STERNLY, TO THE GANG OF DESPERADOES.

 
 

 

 

ee ee ee ee — Sa
Seg a 2 = Se se =

 

DEVOTED

 

  

A WEEKLY PUBLICATION

 

 

TO BORDER HISTORY

 

 

Issued Weekly. By Subscription $2.50 per year. Entered as Second-Class Matter at the N. Y. Post Office, by STREET & SMITH, 298 Witliam St., 1.
; : : Entered eee ta Act of Congress in ey vear 1902, 1n the Office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D. C.

 

 

No. 39.

NEW YORK, February 8, 1902.

Price Five Conus:

 

 

ING THE

 

By the author of “BUFFALO BILL.”

 

CHAPTER <1.
FOES ON. THE TRAIL.

It was an enviable service to be ordered upon, in
spite of its dangers, and each young officer of the fort
felt sorry that he had not been chosen as the fortu-
nate man,to-command the escort for two pretty girls
down into the mining country of New Mexico.

Lieutenant Adrian Valdos, a man with a romantic
and mysterious life, had been the officer selected,
with Buffalo Bill as the guide and scout, to escort the

two girls—Sue Turpin, a daughter of a rich miner,

and her devoted friend, Marcelite Monastery, the

daughter of the colonel commanding the military

district-—upon their long and perilous trail.
Miner Turpin had written for Sue to join him at
his mining home, and, urged by the young girl, and

permission given by the colonel, Marcelite haa been
most glad to go with her.

It was. also decided, after the colonel and Adrian
Valdos had had a long conversation aside, that Lieu-
tenant Valdos should act as escorting officer, to join
them at their first night’s camp on the trail, while
Buffalo Bill was to go as scout and guide, with a ser-
geant, corporal, and sixteen troopers as a guard.

In addition there was to be Marcelite’s quadroon
maid, a negro cook and a couple of horse wranglers
to look after the ladies’ horses and pack animals, for
a complete camp outfit was to be taken along ee
their comfort.

Both the young ladies had been satisfied with this

arrangement, as far as the officer in charge was con-

cerned, but made no comment upon the fact that he

 
@

 

was to join them the first night on the trail, and not
depart from the fort with them, |

The cavalcade started at the appointed time from
the fort, Buffalo Bill in the lead,. and at the camp, the
first night out, they found awaiting them Adrian
Valdos, the handsome young officer who v was to com-
mand the escort.

Buffalo Bill and the lieutenant had a long talk to-
gether, for both knew that the dangers of the trail

were ereat, and they had a heavy responsibility upon

them in the care of the two young ladies. |

It was the morning after the second night’ s camp
on the trail that Buffalo Bill was s observed to a in a
hurry to get away. —

He had noticed signs the night before which he
did not like, and, though speaking only of his fears
to the lieutenant, he appeared as serene as ever, he
was really anxious, and neither he nor Rit Carrol,
his assistant scout, closed their eyes all night, while
the sentinels were quietly doubled, so as not to give
the ladies any alaring f

The night passed without any disturbance, but
Buffalo Bill

day, and his scouts got all ready to start by the time

had the camp awake at the first peep of

the sun was rising.

“Is there any danger, Lieutenant Valdos?” asked

Marcelite, who had el noticed that something

had caused alarm. -
“Buffalo Bill has discov Sead Tdi signs, and is
aiixious to be on the marc chy was the reply.
As they got some distance away from the ‘camp,
Buffalo Bill, as he went over a ‘rise, turned and
looked back.

As he did so, he distinctly caught sight of a form’

moving in the timber. .

Quickly turning in his saddle, with his glass to his
eyes, he saw several horsemen ridine into the de-
setted camp.

“Yes, they are on our trail, and I only hope they
have not divided and gone ahead to ambush - us.

“Tf they do, it means'the ambush will be at Séntinel
Pass,”’ mused Buffalo Bill, and he rode on over the
ree ; Fane Ln

   

THE BUFFALO BILL ; STORIES.

   
     

Once out of the sight of the Indians in the deserted
camip, he halted and beckoned to the ser geant to na te
on and j join. him. .
“Sergeant, there are redskins already i in ane camp
we left, but how many I do not know, only | saw the
tracks of fully a hundred poiies last night. :
“Drop back and ask Lieutenant Valdos to join me,
and then tell Kit Carrol to hang further back in the
rear and look to be closely followed.” :
eV es, sir,” and the sergeant rode back to obey his
orders. a a e.
In five minutes Lieutenant Valdos .was a the
scout, and asked:
Well, Bill, more signs?” -
“More than signs, sir, for [ saw redskins 1 in our de-
serted camp, Ae as I came over the ridge.”

“A stern chase is oe ee a long one, pe
Bill’

‘True, sir, but the trail I saw last night numbered

a hundred ponies, and that means about as many
warriors.”

“And we need not have any -fear, for we are

twenty-one fighting men, with the two ladies, the two.

horse wranglers and Black Bob to call on in a pinch.”

“We are all right, sir, in the open country, or cor-
ralled; but I believe this is the same force we saw the

trail of at our first night’s as and if so {tf means

that they are following us.’

“All yesterday I steered clear of any - place to : am-

bush, so. they may have come on to. watch. their.

chance and catch us in, a trap, for to-day there are

several places where we can be ambuscaded, notably,

the Sentinel Pass.”

“Any way to avoid it, Buffalo Bill?”

“yes, sit; | can avoid it by a ride ofa dozen ales
out of our way.

“You had better do so; we want no fight if we
can avoid it, for bullets and arrows are no ré especters
of persons.” ae

“True, sir, and to have either of those young ladies
killed would just about break my heart.”

resort.”

 

 

 

“Mine, too; so we wall only stand at bay as a ae

    

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. 3

a have no fear for the pluck of the ladies, sir, for
Miss Monastery, as you know, has been in half-a-
dozen Indian fights, while Miss Turpin has burned
powder and seen men die, too, so they have nerves
that will stand the stfain, only, as you said, bullets
and arrows strike at random.

“You will understand, then, sir, if I branch off
from the trail?”

“Certainly, and I will keep the command well
closed up,’ and Buffalo Bill was left again alone at
the-head of the party. _ 2

For himself, he was a man to love the ring of

weapons, the shouts of a fierce combat, and gloried

in a combat. unto death, but with. two such fair
charges his
he dreaded the fate that might befall them.

along, brow became clouded as
He, therefore, kept well ahead of his command,

and thus held on until the noon halt.

Not another sign of an Indian had been seen, but
Buffalo Bill was too experienced a scout to believe
they had drawn off, so the closest watch was kept,
and Kit Carrol was given his dinner and told to camp
back a mile on the trail.

The foresight of the scout was soon shown in this,
as, just as dinner was completed, Kit Carrol was seen
afar off on a hill, signaling wildly.

The camp was at once in commotion, the horses

being bridled and saddled, and all made ready for a
retreat, just as Kit Carrol’s rifle went to his shoulder
and began to ring out shots rapidly.

A moment after, he was seen to spring into his
saddle and came dashing toward the camp.

Buffalo Bill was as cool as an icicle now, and Lieu-
tenant Valdos as serene as a May morning, while
neither Marcelite nor Sue showed any signs of fear,

“We will push on at a good pace, sir, until the In-

?

dians come in sight and show their numbers,’ said
Buffalo Bill, and, as Kit neared them, suddenly over
the ridge where he had been posted dashed a number
‘of mounted warriors.

“Fifty,” said Buffalo Bill, quietly, as he counted

them, and added:

 

“We may look for fifty ahead, for these are only
intended to drive us into ambush.”

Kit Carrol told how he had discovered the Indians
coming along on the trail, and seemingly in no
hurry until they sighted him, though they knew. there
was a force not far ahead he felt most certain. |

He had stood his ground, after signaling, until they
came within range of his repeating rifle, and then,
aiming deliberately, had opened fire with good re-
sult. co ok

The Indians came on with a rush, as though to
drive the soldiers into a run, or bring them to a halt.
Lieutenant Valdos and the rear squad of troopers
halted and opened fire when they came within range,
while the others, with Buffalo Bill ahead, continued
on their way at a steady pace.

dhe fire of the corporal and his eight men, with the
repeating rifles of Lieutenant Valdos and Scout Car-
rol, brought down several ponies and emptied a cou-
ple of saddles, a check which brought the Indians to
a halt, for their rifles carried little better than their
arrows. | |

“We are all right now, for they will keep at a
more respectiul distance,’ said the officer, and he fol-
lowed on with his men.

All the feints of the Indians failing to bring the
soldiers to a halt, or put them in rapid flight, they
contented themselves with following at a distance
just out of range, singing their war songs, inter-
spersed occasionally with wild yells.

As the party neared the range ahead, in which was
the Sentinel Pass, they came to a valley thickly tim-
bered, and here Buffalo Bill rode back and joined the
lieutenant.

“T wish to say, sir, that we can branch off here to
the left, along the banks of the brook and not be seen
by any lookout on Sentinel Pass, or by those who
are following us.”

“You know best, Bill.” Lo

“You see, sir, we can guard the approach here
easily, and they can be made to believe we have cone.

into camp for the night.”
Ves. 2 5
 

 

 

4 THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

“By following the stream you will come, after a
ride of half-a-dozen miles, to the foothills, and there
you can halt’ for our coming, for I will remain here
half-an-hour with the sergeant and one squad of men.
Kit can go on with you, sir.”

“ATL tight, Bill?

“The Indians, when they believe we have camped
for the night, will signal, with smoke, to their com-
rades at the pass, and they will quietly await our
coming to-morrow.”

“And you really believe that there are more at the
pass?” ;

“Ves, sit, the rest of the one hundred whose trail
we saw. | |

“We have seen no trail left by them.”

‘They flanked to get there, sir’

“Well, Bill, 1 am too old an Indian fighter myself
not to look for anything they might do, so | feei that
you are right.

“T will continue on with the party, and await you
at the foothills.

“Ves, sir; the rest here now will benefit our horses,
and the halt at the foothills will help yours, and I do
not believe we will be closely followed by those now
in oun rear”

So the party rode on, leaving Buffalo Bill, the ser-
geant and eight men. in the rear.

The nature of the ground prevented the Indians
from seeing the party divide, and, as the scout at
once had campfires built and placed sentinels, it gave
the impression that a halt had been made for the
night, at a point which could be well defended.

As soon as the sentinels had been placed upon po-
sitions where they could,be seen by the Indians, and
at the same time have the protection of the rocks,
Buffalo Bill set to work to use a little strategy.

Two extra uniforms were taken and stuffed with
leaves, a face was made of a handkerchief and a hat
put on a manutactured head. .

Two of. the soldiers had carved an imitation car-
bine from the dead limb of a tree, and ‘when: the
dummy soldier was-all ready, a squad: marched to the

two sentinel posts, as though ‘relieving guard, and
placed them on duty in the place of the live sentinels.

The two men just put there had been told not to
move on their posts, and, knowing that the Indians
were watching them, though not visible, as they

camped beyond a ridge, the “dummy sentinels” were

‘left on post.

The campfires were then replenished with wood,

and Buffalo Bill made a short scout toward the red-

skins to see that there were none of them very near.
He returned by the posts of the sentinels, stopped
as though for a few minutes’ talk with each, and then

returning to the camp, mounted his horse and led

‘the soldiers on the trail after their comrades, all en-

joying greatly the strategy of the scout to keep the

Indians from immediately following them.

“They will discover the cheat after night comes,

when they creep up to pick off the sentinels, and
then they will be mad clean through,”

Buffalo’ Bull.

Aiter a ride of six miles they came. to the foothills

explained

when the sun was just an hour above the western
horizon, and their comrades enjoyed also, when told
of it, Buffalo Bill’s strategic joke upon the redskins.
Having disposed of supper, they started on their
climb of the mountain, with Buffalo Bill in the lead,

for he had thus avoided the Sentinel Pass on previous —

occasions, and so knew the trail.

CHAPTER Lh
THE ATTACK OF THE INDIANS.

Buffalo Bill rode to the front like a man who took
life as it camé, and yet he full well appreciated the
ereat responsibility upon him of saving those for
whom he was acting as guide and scout.

He felt full confidence in his commander, for he
knew that he could be depended upon and would
yield to him when he knew the situation demanded it.

Kit Carrol he knew as a thorough scout and a
man who would die by his side bravely if it came

to that, while the sergeant and the soldiers had been

 

 
 

 

 

 

EDIE

Ss

yet he heard not a murmur,

 

ae ae OE TE Ti

‘THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. oS

picked as old Indian fighters and men of nerve and
pluck. 3

With the two maidens not easily frightened, and
also able to lend a hand, as were also the two horse
wranglers and Black Bob, the cook, if called upon,
Buffalo Bill felt that in an open fight he had no
reason to fear the hundred Indians who were, he
was sure, determined to capture his outhit.

He led the way over the mountain by a trail which
many a man would have shrunk from following, and
‘Saw not the slightest
hesitation in any one who was following his lead.
As he had hoped, he got over the worst part of the
trail before night came on, and the descent of the
range on the other side was begun while the glimmer

of daylight yet lingered.

The scout felt certain that he had left the Indians
deceived as to. their having gone, and that those
who were at Sentinel Pass would only discover their
escape from their trap when too late to do more than
purstte.

He saw that the horses were feeling the hard ride,
the climb and descent of the mountain after a good
day's journey, but he was anxious to reach a clump
of timber some miles away, where he had camped
before, and where he knew there was good water,
grass, and a position easily defended as well.

He did not doubt but that the Indians would fol-
low, when they discovered that they had been out-
witted, but as pttrsuers he had much less to fear from
them, and was sute that they would not go a great
deal further away from their own country than their
present location.

It was ten o'clock when the plain was reached on
the other side of the mountain, and so, without rest-
ing the horses, Buffalo Bill urged on the flight for the

camping-place he had in mind.

An hour’s hard riding brought them to the hehee

which the scout boldly penetrated just before going
in with the command.

The place’ was as silent as a grave, and free were
soon lighted, the tents pitched and supper was be-
ing prepared, for all were tired out and hungry. .

The horses had been quickly stripped and staked
out near at hand, and the-sentinels were placed out
upon the plain beyond where the horses were feed-
ing, while buffalo Bill and Kit Carrol scouted around
to see that there was no danger lurking near..

Before retiring, just what should be done in case of
Buffalo Bill-and Kit Car-
rol were to divide the night between them in walking

a surprise was arranged.

the rounds of the camp some distance further out
than the sentinels.

It was just at dawn when Buffalo Bill cantered into
the camp and aroused the sleepers.

“I heard a sound far off on the plain that must be
ae

Indians discovered our escape sooner than we ex-

caused by the fall of. many hoofs,” he cried.

pected, and are coming on, for they know we must
ford the stream at this point, so do not have to fol-
low our trail. It will be well to call the horses in,
sir, and station the men so we can give them a sur-
prise, for, believing that we consider ourselves safe,
they expect to surprise us.”

“T will get everything ready at once, Buffalo Bill
answered Lieutenant Valdos. He went the rounds
of the camp, ordered the horses brought in and cor-
ralled and the men to stand ready to give battle.

Buffalo Bill had awakened iit Carrol, and the two
had gone back together on the plains, nearly halt-a-
mile from the camp.

The sound that had attracted the attention of Buf-
falo Bill, was louder now, a dull, rumbling sound like
far-away thunder. | :

“They are coming, chief, and there are lots of em,”
said Kit Carrol.

“Yes, the sound indicates a heavier force than a
hundred horses, so I judge another band came up
and pushed right on to run over our camp, found i
was deserted and then went on to the Pass.” :

-“That’s just about it, chief.

“Do you think we had better light out?”

“No, for there is not another good place to stand
them off within twenty miles. we

“We can check them here, and if we have to re-

 

 
 

 

 

6 THE BUFFALO

treat will make a running fight of it, for they cannot
head uy, :

As the sound grew louder, and Buffalo Bill knew
that the Indians were not far off, he sent Kit Carrol

back to the camp to tell the lieutenant he had better

advance a few hundred yards with his men and take

‘position in the first group of rocks. Just then the

shadowy outline of many horsemen coming toward
them became visible.

It was a certainty that the indians were sure that
those they sought had continued their flight through

the night, or were so sure that they would not be

purstied they would not be particularly watchful, for

they came on as though with no dread of discovery.

“They are going to halt at these very rocks and
maneuver from here. When you tte, sit; let tne
men retreat quietly by fours, and they will still think
you hold this position,” said Buffalo Bill. “When
daylight reveals to the contrary, our guns can reach
them from the timber, while they cannot reach us.”

“Now, sir,” and Buffalo Bill pointed to the shad-
owy horsemen just visible in the gray of dawn, and
within range. a

“Ready, men! Fire!’ cried Lieutenant Valdos,
and eighteen carbines and three repeating rifles
crashed together, bringing the redskins quickly to a
halt and revealing the fact that their foes had been
brought to bay. ,

The moment that the volley rang out, the sol-
diers were ordered to retreat rapidly and take up a
position in the timber, the lieutenant, Buffalo Bill
and Kit Carrol remaining with their repeating rifles,
which they continued to empiy at the redskins.

The latter hastily retreated out of range, but they
had suffered loss in both braves and ponies, and there
was little doubt but that they had been taken wholly
by surprise, when they had expected to surprise their
foes. |

Having emptied his rifle, Lieutenant Valdos also
retreated to the timber at the suggestion of Buffalo
Bill, leaving the two scouts alone to hold their stand
among the rocks, and not at the timber.

The redskins could only await the rising of the sun,

BILL STORIES.

which would reveal the situation completely, and the
palefaces even more anxiously awaited the coming
of light, that they might behold the strength of the
enemy. | a

At last the first rays of the rising sun fell over the
plain. All seemed quiet in the timber and among
the rocks. | .

The Indians were a quarter of a mile beyond the
rocks, and had taken their dead and wounded with.
them, but half-a-dozen ponies lying upon the grass
was proof that equally as many warriors, if not more.
had fallen, for the carbines and rifles had been aimed
high, to strike human targets.

The first glance of the palefaces showed that Buf-
falo Bill had been right in his surmise that the In-
dians had been reinforced, for they could count now
over two hundred warriors in full view.

The reinforcements had evidently come up with
the party awaiting near the camp of the day before,
and, confident in their numbers, had advanced, hop-
ing to drive the soldiers upon their force in ambush
in Sentinel Pass.

This had shown that the enemy had flown, and a
fire had revealed the direction the trail had gone.

So they followed over the mountains, after send-
ing a courier to bring on the party from the Pass.
and all had united and come directly toward the
ford, knowing that the enemy could only cross there.

Feeling assured that the palefaces had moved
steadily on in their flight during the night, the Tn-
dians had been taken wholly by surprise when fired
upene 77 3 :

Such was Buffalo Bill’s idea of what had been their
movements, and it was the correct one, but, to his

regret, he found that they had more than doubled in

force, so were all of eight to one against the sol-

diers.

When the dawn revealed the position of the sol-
diers in the woods, a very secure spot for defense,
where water and grass were at hand, the Indians
broke forth in a shrill yell of triumph.

The expression of Buffalo Bills face did not
change, but he said quietly: yu

 

 

 

 

 

 

ae

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

  
    

 

RETIN eR RE OT SE NE RE

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. 7

Sits 529
BN es, chief, ef

' They do. not "eaow bie that we met ther soldiers

here, so go back and say to, Lieutenant Valdos that

a would be a good idea to move the men about ia

‘the. timber, in squads, and singly, SO. that we can

‘appear

to have three or four times the force we
have.”
 itS a.good idea, sir,” answered Kit, and he’ was
starting off, when Buffalo Bill Sa out:

Say, ae ae

TGs, Sir,

“Tell the lieutenant that he can hat sticks, and

with the lariats and a couple of logs make a dummy

cannon.” —

“A Cannon, sir?’

“Ves, the soldiers can soon rig up a dummy that
will look like a cannon, and haul it into a position
where the Indians will see it, for you know they are
more afraid of what they call the ‘wheel guns’ than

anything else.”

SL nats 60) Sit.

“But they must get the ladies to cut up a red
blanket, and stripe their uniforms with it, as well as
alter their hats to caps, for you know redskins are
cunning, and know that red trimmings mean the ar-
tillery service.”

“Kit laughed and replied:

“You are a dandy, chief.””

“You might tell him to rig up ‘two dummy guns,

and by making a show of artillery and force, they +

will think we have at least a hundred men, and you

bet they won't charge us with those guns in sight.”

Sy Kit Carrol hastened back to the timber, and,

finding Lieutenant Valdos bree with the two

young ladies, he told him of Buffalo Bill’s ruse. All

laughed at this conceit, but the officer at once set out

to carry it into effect, while Marcelite and Sue went
to work cutting up a red blankét for the men to put
the stripes on their uniforms to aid the deception.

_In a few minutes a dozen of the troopers came

dashing in on horseback. They had stolen. off

quicily to a considerable clistance, and looked as
though they were fresh cay alry just coming tg

Ten minutes aiter, twenty men marched the rounds
of the timber, as though placing guards; and squads
of half a dozen were seen going here and there.

The horses were led about, too, and the strip of

woods, a couple of acres in size, seemed to be alive

with men. , | :

The Indians were carefully watching every move-
ment of their foes, as was Buffalo Bill from the rocks.
The scout smiled erimly as he muttered: ,

a They are playing the game well, for I could swear
that there are a hundred men in that clirmp of tim-
ber—ah! there comes the artillery into position.”

As the scout spoke four horses were swung up to

the edge of the timber with what certainly appeared

to be a light gun and limber, with the artillerymen in
attendance, and a short while after a second “gun”
moved up irom another point, and was placed for
service... / oe

The effect upon the iu: was electrical, and the
stern face of Buffalo Bill broke into a broad smile as
he saw the success of his the

ruse, for redskins

quickly fell back beyond the ridge for safety from the

ee

wheel guns” that looked so threateningly at them

from the shadows of. the timber,

CH APTER TI.

SOME SECRET POWERS.

Ww hile Bia Bill, was busy regarding fe ian
guns through his glass, Kit Carrol cantered ue to
him, say ing >

: “We did it, chief.” 2

“Ves, and well, for I could swear that there was
quite a force in the timber. We must build a dozen
es fires for breakfast, so as to keep up the de-
coi He

: “There i is not a redskin j in sight,” said Kit. “They
want you to come to breakfast.” . :

“PIL go now, and you remain here: I do not

think we will be attacked now, but they will lay a

 
  

 
 

 

 

   
  
  
  
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
  
  
   
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
  
  
  
  
  
 
  
 
 
 

 

 

       

a BIR I Ra Sta eat mal

oo. THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

siege to starve us out,” and Buffalo Bill went back to
the timber.

He was congratulated for his successful ruse by
both the heutenant and the young ladies, and, as he
looked at the “guns,” he could not but see that they
had been most skillfully: made, for yellow blankets
had been fastened around logs to look like brass
euns, and the wheels had been made of sticks and
saplings, bound securely with lassoes.

The men had ‘the red stripes on their uniforms,
and when Buffalo Bill suggested the building of a
dozen fires, it was quickly done to add to the appear-
ance of numbers.

“What do you think they will do now, Mr. Cody
asked Sue, as she handed the scout a cup of coffee.

ef pe)

“Thank you, Miss Sue; Tam indeed honored—
why, Miss Marcelite, this is breakfast enough for a
he said, as he took from Marcelite his
but, answering Sue’s question, he

grizzly bear,”
well-filled plate;
said :

“As I look upon you young ladies as aides to the

commanding officer and know that you possess
nerve cnough for any men, I'll tell you frankly that
I believe the Indians will set in to starve us out.”

“But we have plenty of provisions.”

“Ves, Miss Marcelite, but they can surround this
place, getting to cover from a quarter to half a mile
away. :

“Now, the grass within our range will last the
horses about two days, though water is plentiful;

but we do not wish to remain here besieged, so it~

is for Lieutenant Valdos to say what is to be done,
for I can run the gantlet of their lines and go to the
fort to the southward sixty miles after aid.”

_ That means perhaps three days before a comes¢
Bill, and seeing you depart would be an evidence of
weakness, so that the Indians might make an at-
tack, and if so, it would show that our guns were

useless and our force small.”

“You are right, lieutenant, and I suggested the
other course only in case you felt you could hold out
here.”

“You have another plan, then?”

Wess)

“Let us have it, then, for you know how thor-
oughly I rely upon you for aid, Buffalo Bill.”

“Thank you, sir, for the compliment. My plan
would be to move out after dark, well spread out, to

 

FE EP NS RO UO Ce

show a larger force than we have, and to rig the
guns so that we can carry them along.

“We can head for the fort, and by dawn be forty
miles away, and then camp for the day, $0 a5 not to
show our weakness, and I hardly believe the In-
dians will charge us, from fear of the supposed guns.
If they do, we must fight them off as best we caf.”

Lieutenant Valdos made no reply, and all gazed

‘anxiously upon his face.

As he remained silent so long, Marcelite said :

“You do not approve of this second plan, then,
Lieutenant Valdos?”

“Tt is the best, | believe, with one exception.”

exc Wat ist.

“T will see what I can do to drive
olf.”

From this remark it seemed-as though the lieuten-
ant had lost his head with vanity, and Buffalo Bill
was the only one who did not smile at his words.

But Marcelite said:

“Now, if you know any way in which you can
stampede ee redskins, Lieutenant Valdos, i Deg
ye Lo try ity

“Yes,and we will pray for your sticcéss in os
world and salvation in the next,’ added Sue, with a
simile.

“T am not sure oo success, but I will do my best,
young ladies. If I fail you have a good commander
to depend upon in Buffalo Bill,” and Lieutenant Val
dos arose and walked over to w here pack-saddle
was.

They saw him take something from the saddle-
bags. Whatit was they did not know. He ordered
his horse saddled and brought to hin.

those redskins

The two girls and Buffalo Bill watched him closely.

He waved his hand pleasantly and said:

“You are in command, Buffalo Bill, until my res

tu.”
Gea Si):

aa
Leaving the timber, he rode directly toward the

and the scout saluted as the officer rode

ridge, yet avoiding the rocks where the scout Carrol

was on guard. :
Every eye was upon him, and as he neared the

ridge they saw hint) make some movements with his

hands and arms, and remove-his hat.

Then above the ridge appeared scores of feather-
bonneted heads, as the Indians watched him ap-
proach, so daringly, right into their midst.

 

 

  

 

 
 

 

ETN SL GES GO FE SO RTT ES NAN POO TET ea NS EA RRR TEESE eo

}

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. a

Nearer and nearer he went, until he ascended the

ridge, and not once looking back toward his own

camp, went out of sight, just as the Indians gath-
ered around him in scores. —

.“That man has some secret power, some hold
upon them, as I have always felt he had,” muttered
Burfalo Bill.

“Buffalo Bill, what do you mean ?”

So asked Marcelite, as she stood with Sue Turpin
and the scout, watching the strange scene that had
taken place—an army officer riding boldly into the
midst of a band of hostile savages.

“Yes, Mr. Cody, what can it mean?” asked Sue.

Every soldier’s eye had been upon the lieutenant
as he rode away from the timber.

They were completely mystified as to his actions.

_ They had seen the Indians come upon the ridge |

and receive him, and he had not been shot or dragged
from his horse.
In fact, he seemed to have been received not as a

foe.

Answering the questions of the two maidens, But-

_falo Bill said:

“Yous may have heard, Miss Marcelite, that when
Major (then Captain) Canfield was caught in a trap
by the Comanches, and Lieutenant Valdos rescued
him, all then said that he was friendly with the red-
skins?”

Nes, a pareuily ew friend, yet their foe, and |
heard it explained afterward that he, having been a
physician by profession, had rendered them great

service when an epidemic was ravaging their vil-

lag Co:

“But these are not Comanches, you know.”

“Very true, but you récall that he afterward saved
your party by his knowledge of the country and the
friendship the. Comanches held for him.”

“True, but, as | said, these Indians are Sioux.’’

“But there exists among all tribes a sign language,
and they all know the signs when made them in token

fot peace:

“And you think. that Lieutenant Valdos knows

these signs?”
“Tl am sure of it.” >

“Else he could not have gone among them as he
has, and if they withdraw, then you need no further
proof.”

“No; yet why do you think he knows their secret
signs, known to the Indians alone! ee : oe

“Well, he could not believe his brother was killed,
as Major Canfield and all reported, and told your
father that he felt sure that he had given some sign
that protected him from death.”

“But that was his brother, the outlaw.”

“True, and when asked if he also knew the signs, I
noticed he gave an evasive answer to the le

CA ;

“That convinced me that he did know the secret
power, or signs, to exert over the Indians. Now, I
am sure that he has taken the chances, taken his life
in his hands, to see what power his | Row eae of the
secret signs will have over the Indians.”

vise 1S a ae fellow, and Heaven grant that he
be not harmed.’

“The way he was received by the redskins did not
look to me as though he would be harmed, but only
the greatest nerve can save him.’

“And that he possesses,’ Sue Turpin remarked.

“To a wonderful degree,” said Marcelite.

“Yes, to a most remarkable degree,” added Buf-
falo Bill, and he cast his eves anxiously over -to-
ward the ridge.

At last Buffalo Bill walked out to where Kit Is
rol was still on watch.

“What does it mean, chief?’ eagerly asked the
scout.

“T have always felt sure that Lieutenant Valdos
knew as much about Indians as they did themselves,
and now Lam convinced of it, for he has gone among
them to try lis secret stgns on them.” |

“Ti it was his brother, the outlaw, then he would

rule the roost; but [ don’t know what hold Lieuten-

ant Valdos has on them,” said Kit. .

“Nor I, but had he not felt that he did have power
he would not have gone, but he is plucky and took
the chances.’

“Vou bet he did.”

Aen saw his advance better from: here than we
did.’ :

Yes.

“What did he do?’

“Tt struck me that he put something over him in
front, face and all, and then waved his hands in a pe-
culiar way.”

“Yes, but the Indians did not BU pee hostile to-
ward him?”

“Not in the least, as he went over the ridge.”

“Well, Kit, keep your eyes open, and at the first

 
 

 

ey a ae PAE OTR AES

   

sign of trouble break for the camp, for they may
come with a rush, you know.’
“Til be wideawake, chief,” "answered Kit Goel
and Buffalo Bill walked back toward the camp.
“Well, Buffalo Bill, w hat does Seout Carrol say?”
asked Marcelite as he came back and joined them.
“He is as much mystified as we all are, Miss Mar-
celite.”’

“It is certainly time the lieuteant should have re-

turned,” anxiously said Sue Turpin..

“Yes, though redskins are very deliberate in their
councils, Miss Sue, and take a long time to decide
what they will do, quick as they are in doing it, alter
their minds are made up.”

“Ah! there he comes now, * cried Marcelite, and
as she spoke a group of horsemen were seen mount-
ing the ridge.

“Tt is Lieutenant Valdos, and he is surrounded by
Indians,” said Buffalo Bill, and his voice rang out in
a command to stand ready to resist an attack.

GEAR DEI Ty,
THE SACRIFICE,

The Hebe was certainly coming back, but
then he was accompanied by a dozen redskins, two
of whom wore the feathered bonnets of chiefs.

_ They rode toward the rocks, where Kit Carrol was
stationed, and, seeing this, Buffalo Bill moved out of
the timber toward them, making the remark:

“They are-coming for a powwow, Miss Marcelite,
and, if necessary, to show-a force of officers, the. ser-
geant and corporal, yes, and two or three of the men,
must be. rigged up w ith shoulder- “straps and all you
can lay hands on to look like captains and lieuten-
ants, and erouped where they eg be seen. | b will
see what it means, for they are not nearer than the
rocks.” ; .

“Be careful, Buffalo: Bill, for we cannot lose you,
too,” said Marcelite. —

“I don’t wish to be lost, either,’ was the smil-
ing reply, and Buffalo Bill continued on toward the
rocks, where Kit Carrol still held his position. *

The party of redskins, with the lieutenant in their.

midst, halted within revolver range of the rocks, and
Adrian’ Valdos called out:

Eo, Carrol, a Buffalo Bill to come here—ah!
there he is now.

Buffalo Bill advaneed quickly to the eae halted

   

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

ae an instant for a word with Kit Carrol, and then
boldly advanced beyond, his repeating rifle across
his ara...

“Buffalo Bill, you speak Spanish, j believe?” called
out the lieutenant.

“Yes, sir, after a fashion.”

“T will speak to you in that language then at times,
for I have an idea that sev eral of these braves speak
E nglish fairly well.

VVes Str t, v

“I went among them with signs of peace, which
they understood, and asked them to allow us to go
on our way unmolested.” .

“But they refused?”

“They wish pay for it, and I have told them that
they should have it, though ey demand ten thou-
sand dollars.”

“Promise them a million, sir

a said Buffalo > Bil,

quickly.

“Yes, but it has to o paid, aes yet 1 will pay it, as
Iam able to do upon my return to the fort.”

“But now, sir?” .

“That is the question, for they deta that I re-
main with them as a hostage until the amount is
paid, for they h have a renegade white chief among
them, and it is his doing.” 3

ece, sir; | thought as much,” ee a

“He demands that the sum ne brought, vane
thirty days, to the Canfield battlefield, where I joined
you, and they give their pledge not to harm. the-
bearer, but to. put me to death if a force eames. 7

“They’ Il do it, too.”

“Ves: the renegade chief wishes to Kill me now, , but
they, having honored my signs of peace, will not al-
low it, so there is nothing to be done but to go on to
the mines, and, returning to the fort, send out the
money, which, tell Colonel Monastery, I will refund.
I will be then set free; but I wish you to send out
now my pack horse, and you can then go on your.
way unmolested as soon as we depart, for I will get.
them away HUE, so as not to reveal your small force.’’

“T don’t half like this sacrifice on your part,-Lieu-
tenant Valdos.” a

“Don’t mind that, Bill, old pard, for I do not.”

“Tf those ladies were not along I'd fight it out,
onee l.could get you back in the lines again.”

“It would be madness, for there are two hundred
and fifty of them, and they are enraged now at the
losses we inflicted upon them,

You must do as they

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

POLY RE LN PIO ENON yr ee SRA ioe

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. 11

Say, SO go ones arzl get my pack horse, rifle aed belt
of arms.’ ee

“T ean bat obey, Str, but 1 - not like the sacri-
fice you are making at all, sir.

“Don't mind me, for lam at hoa. among ie ne

dians; but go, now, so as to delay no longer and not

let ce change their minds.”

The scout shook his head ominously, Bak at once
turned and walked back to the rocks, where stood
Kit Carrol, who, also understanding Spanish, learned
during his. scouting life along the Rio Grande, had
heard all.

Back to the camp went Buffalo Bill, and as he was
met by Marcelite and Sue he said:

“We are all right, but the lieutenant must run the
risk, for it is a case of a renegade white chief of the
Indians, who demands ten thousand dollars, and he
must remain until it is paid.”

“Then return to Fort Blank at once, for my father
will gladly pay it,” said Marcelite.

“No, go on to the mines, and my father will pay
it,” generously remarked Sue.

“No, the lieutenant has the money, or can get it,
he says, though of course, he will not be allowed to
pay it all, and I am to go back to the fort after tak-

ing you ladies to the mines, and meet a messenger at

the Canfield battlefield and pay over the cash. I
have thirty days in which to do it.” Oe
“This is a shame, and to think of the sacrifice
Lieutenant Valdos makes,” said Marcelite.
“It is better than to sacrifice us all, Miss Marcel-

ite, and I rather like the terms, except for his captiv- —

ity, though I do not believe they will harm him.”

“We can only agree to the demand then?”

“Ves, Miss Marcelite, and I will lose no time.”

“Convey our deepest gratitude to Lieutenant Val-
dos, and tell him how we all appreciate his noble sac-
rifice,” said Marcelite, and soon after Buffalo Bill
left the camp, leading after him the pack horse.

Buffalo Bill’s face was very pale and stern, as he
walked back toward the outpost, leading the pack
horse of Lieutenant Valdos. ;

He was agreeing to terms he was forced to, having
no alternative; but could he have gotten hold of
Lieutenant Valdos again, nothing could have forced

him to yield, for he would have fought to the death

rather.
He went past Kit Carrol with the remark:

“Keep your eyes open for ¢reachery, for it may be
a game of trick after all with those redskins.”
“Yes, chief, and if they make a break, the first to

20 under will be those two chiefs on the spotted

ponies,” was Kit’s response.

The group of Indians had sat silently upon their
ponies, while Buffalo Bill had gone after the pack
horse, and Kit had not heard them utter a word, nor
had the officer spoken.

He was in full view of Kit Carrol, sat with one foot
thrown over the horn of his saddle, and his face was
unmoved by the danger he was in, the sacrifice he
was making for others.

When the chief of scouts was seen approaching
again, the Indians uttered a few low tones, for they
beheld the pack horse.

It was evident that they feared the two dummy
guns, and felt that the soldiers were nearly one-third

their own force, at least.

“Tl am back again, ‘Lieutenant Valdos, having
obeyed your orders, sir,” said Buffalo Bill, halting
some hundred feet from the group.

“All right, Buffalo Bill.”

“In thirty days send the money to the Bers ap-

pointed, and I’ll be a free man once more,” said the e

officer, cheerily.

“Will you come forward and get the horse, sir?”

“No; Vll ask one of these chiefs to-do s |

He turned and addressed one of the chiefs, speak-
ing now in English, and the one he spoke to rode to-
ward Buffalo Bill, yet very cautiously.

The scout handed him the rifle and belt of arms,
placed the lead-line in his hands and remarked:

“I'd just like to raise your scalp, redskin.”

That he believed so, the chief showed by not delay-
ing an instant, and Buffalo Bill called out:

“T’ll be on hand with the dust, lieutenant, and the
young ladies wish me to say they more than apEke
ciate your sacrifice, as all of us do, sir.” |

“Present them my regards and thanks. Now,

good-by, old pard, and if | should go under, I know .

you will have a scalping tournament to avenge me.
Adios amico,” and, with a wave of his hat, the lieuten-
ant turned and rode away, surrounded by the In-
dians.

Buffalo Bill watched Mere until they went out of
sight over the ridge, and then, with Kit Carrol,
started back to the camp. :

“A brave man that, Kit.”

a OS

 
a NIT OO TE OE MARY EE

i2

oN Ou bet, and I guess I'll get. to liking him, chiei,
as soon as I cease to regard him in the light I al-
ways held his brother.”

“Tt is a most marvelous resemblance, surely; but I.

believe we are safe now, so we will push on for
Oona RSS Mine to prevent the temptation of treach-
ery.’

“Yes, but the lietttenant said after they had gone.”

“Yes, that is so, and we can see them if they puil
out.”

“They are doing that now,” said Kit, turning as
they reached the timber.

“You are right,’ was, Buffalo Bill’s reply, as he
gazed about the horizon and saw that the Indians

were really raising the siege, or at least appearing

to do so.

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

CHAPTER ie

MOONLIGHT MINING CAMP.

Moonlight Mining Camp was located ina wild spot
in the mountains, just across the line of New Mexico.

It was in the midst of beautiful scenery, and the
cliffs that overhung the camp had the appearance of
being bathed in moonlight, hence the name given
to it.

The camps extended for many miles from the
“Moonlight Cliffs,’ and there were hundreds of
miners within half-a-day’s journey of what was
known as “Mascot City,’ a bevy of camps in which
saloons were more numerous than gold mines, and
where there were several stores, a blacksmith shop, «
stage office, for there was a coach running cnce 4
week to Santa Fe and back, and several scores of
cabins, |

 

They had crossed the ford early in the morning,
and had been seen taking up positions in every direc-

Doe

It was in Moonlight Mines that Miner Hugh Tur-

 

tion around the clump. of: Ee
ridges.

Now they were moving igsingle file toward a com-
mon point, the fort, and, watching their movements,
suffalo Bill counted them, to see that there was no
treachery intended, for he had a slight dread that
they might be leaving a small force behind them
from each party that had taken up positions. It was
noon when they at last disappeared, having joined
forces, and the column of nearly three hundred war-
riors was seeti slowly moving back toward the moun-
tain range in the direction of Sentinel Pass.

In their midst the glasses had revealed at the head
among the chiefs the form of Lieutenant Valdos,
leading his pack horse. He was watched until the
column looked like a large black snake winding its
way over the plain. ! :

Dinner having been disposed of, the party, now
under the command of Buffalo Bill, mounted their
horses and started once more upon the trail, though
with saddened faces at the fate that might yet befall
the brave officer who had offered himself as a sacri-
fice for their sake.

Having had a good rest, with plenty of grass and
water, the horses moved briskly, their riders anxious
to get beyond all chance of’a change of mind on the
part of the Indians as soon as possible. Before camp
was pitched at nightfall, fully forty miles had been
covered.

on the distant -

pin had struck it rich, having gone there three years
before, a accompanied by his little daughter, Sue, and
in whose honor Mascot City had been named.

There was no more popular man in the mining
eountry than Hugh Turpin when he went to the
mines, and Sue but added to his oe aes and be-

-came the idol of the mines.

It was with deepest regret the miners ‘had ¢ seen her
depart for the East to be educated, feeling certain
that she would forget all about them and Moonlight
Mine.

Returning several years after to settle up his busi-
ness in the mines, Hugh Turpin had shown himself
the same good fellow he had always been, and,
though he had become a very rich man, he was not
in the least spoiled by his successful ventures, but
treated all his old chums with the same generous
spirit that he had always shown when a poor miner.

As he would be compelled to remain much longer
than he had anticipated, and the miners were wild to

“Little Sue, the Mascot of Moonlight Mine,’
Hugh Turpin had decided to have her come to him,
especially as he knew how anxious she was to re-
visit the scenes of her girlhood, which she had loved
so well. : f

In the old days she was wont to go dashing along
the valleys at full speed upon her swift pony. She-
would hunt all day in the mountains, and always
bring home game, and every miner had regarded her
as his especial pet.

The cainps had changed since those days, for many _

 

 

 

 
 

 

   

ese

SSE SS

i= eee

eres se
SSS

SSS
ae

 

Bee

béen built, other “finds”

 

teen Tagen SSO

ERT Se EE IE Ee PTET SETS NWS SPS NEST SEE

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES, 13

strange faces were there, a number of new cabins had
been made, and Mascot
City had added several hundreds more to its popula-
tion. :
Many miners had made fortunes and gone away,
and new ones taking their places, Hugh Turpin had
soon found that there were half the people there who
knew him in name only.

When he decided to have Sue come there, the
miners were delighted, and, holding a council, it was
decided that they must do all in their power for her
comfort. ©

Moonlight ‘Valley was.a canon of picturesque
beauty, and the end of it nearest the mountain was
the sole property of Hugh Turpin.

Here, in a beautiful grove, bordering a swift-flow-
ing stream, was the miner’s cabin, a sunny little home
of three rooims, and from which a grand view could
be obtained,

But this would not do for the Mascot of Moonlight
Mine, it was quickly decided, and, knocking off work
in their mines, the men set to work to build a cabin
that would be a home worthy of Sue. |

Many hands make light work, and trees were soon
cut down, the logs hewn and drawn to the hilltop,
and a cabin of four rooms put up in front of the other
one, while by voluntary gifts from the old friends of
the Mascot, and the purchases of Hugh Turpin at the
country stores, the new home was made most at-

tractive and comfortable.
In the letters he had received from his daughter

Hugh Turpin had been told of her devotion t
celite, her schoolmate, and several times |
written him to the effect that she would dea 1
to visit him and bring Marcelite Monastery with her,
as the latter would gladly come if the opportunity
offered.

“It, therefore, struck Hugh Turpin that.it was pos-
sible that Marcelite might accompany his daughter,
and, to be on the safe side, he had in making his DEPP:
arations, arranged for her also.

   

That there. was great danger in the trip the miner
did not believe, when Buffalo Bill was the guide and
scout, and he had asked Colonel Monastery to kindly
allow his daughter an escort.

“Waal, Pard Turpin, yer is all ready fer yer dar-
ter now, and ye c’u'dn’ hey did more if she were a

queen, and she’s desarvin’ of it; but we is all afeerd.

she has been a leetle spoilt in her notions, sence she

were our Mascot,” said Ben Bronson, an old miner
who had pegged industriously away for years in the
mines, but still had his fortune to find.

“Wait and see her, Ben, and judge if she is not the
: : ah! there comes a party on
horseback far down the valley, and I am sure that
Sue is coming, for they are soldiers,” and at Hugh
Turpin’s words Ben Bronson gave a war-whoop of
joy.

As the miners in Moonlight Valley were aware of
the coming of Sue Turpin, all were awaiting her ar-
rival with a keen anticipation of pleasure. ,

It was about the middle of the afternoon when
3uftalo Bill, some hundred yards in the lead of his
party, enteted the gap that led in from the plains
among the mountains in which were the various min-
ing camps of Moonlight Valley.

The old familiar scenes came back to Sue Turpin
with a flood of remembrance at the life she had led
there when a girl just entering her teens, and she
pointed out to Marcelite various points of interest
that they came upon.

Halting for the others to come up, Buffalo Bill
said:

“Well, Miss Sue, yo# are once more in your old
training ground, so | am under your orders now.”

                       

“We will go right up to. the old home, Mr. Coy,
for there is a fine camping-place near for the sol-
diers,” answered Sue, her face radiant with pleasure,
and, as they moved on once more, she continued:

“There is Eagle Cliff Mine, Marcelite, and Hang-:
man’s Cafion, where so many poor fellows have met
death, while you see Vigilante Rock is that black
cliff ahead. :

“That clump of trees you see up on the: mountain
side is called Sue’s Folly, for I once risked my life
to climb up there, and from the remembrance of that
day I think it was properly named.

“Now we are going to tyrn into ie valley, for
yonder rise the Moonlight Cliffs,” and Sue pointed
out the line of cliffs that gave the valley and mines
their name, and the sight of which caused Marcelite
to exclaim:

“Oh, how beautiful!
fect!” |

Just then several miners were seen, and, upon dis-
covering the party, they dropped their tools and ran _
out to the trail, cheering as they waved their hats.

“The Mascot has come!’

And how strange the ef

 
Te See RE eee ered!

 

PRG

14

“Welcome to the Mascot of Moonlight Moun-
tains!” came the cry, and it rung through the val-
ley, notifying the others of the arrival of Sue Tur-
pin. ae

Crowds began to run toward the trail, and as the
party rode along they were greeted with the wildest
cheers of welcome.

Buffalo Bill was known to some of the miners, and
he also came in for a welcoming cheer, as did Uncle
Sam’s Boys-in Blue.

Sue returned the salutes by waving her hat, and
yet now and then was forcibly halted and had to
shake hands all around with a group more enthusias-
tic than the others.

‘dow 1s yer, Littl Suer

“Hooray for ther Mascot!”

“Welcome home, leetle gal!”

“You bet we is glad ter see yer.”

“Then her hain’t forgot us, Miss Sue?’

“We is right down tickled ter see yer.”

- “And yer pretty pard thar is welcoine.”

And so on went the expressions of welcome, as
Sue rode on up the valley with Buffalo Bull in the
lead, Marcelite Monastery by her side, and the sol-
diers and others following in close order, all amused
and pleased with the welcome the miner’s daughter
was receiving.

A few expressions made Sue and Marcelite laugh
heartily, for one miner cried out:

“Ther sight 0’ you is good fer sore eyes,” avhile
another frankly confessed :

“TI gits drunk in yer honor, Miss Sue, this very
night.”

The noisy welcome brought all the miners “out
along the trail up the valley, and cheering and hat
waving, with a fusillade of revolver shots as a salute,
continued until the party reached the cabin of Miner
‘Turpin. :

As she leaped from her aa her father eis
Sue, and then gave a most cordial welcome to Mar-
celite, to whom he said: |

AL TOD Ets yet scarcely dared believe, you would
come.’

vob, wes, 1, came done as guardian for Sue—l
never in-my life saw a girl with so many lovers, Mr.
Turpin, as Sue has,” responded Marcelite.

Buffalo Bill was also warmly welcomed by vite
miner, as were also the soldiers, who were directed

 

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

to a grove on the str eAm near by, where there was
fine grass for their horses and wood for camp-fires.

The scout declined Mr. Turpin’s invitation to be-
come his guest in the cabin, saying that. he would
camp with the men, but take his meals at the cabin,
and he led the way to the camping- aoe while Sue
said:

“Father, we owe everything to Buffalo Bill, noble
fellow that he is, for he has saved us from death, or
capture by the Indians, and the only thing that mars
the pleasure of my coming is that we left Lieutenant
Valdos as a hostage among the redskins.”

“May I ask, my daughter, if it was the brave of-
ficer who passed through here with Buffalo Bill, on
his way to the fort, for I know his story, or his
brother's.”

“Tt was Adrian Valdos, father, and a brave man he
is, and he must not pay the amount of ransom which
a renegade white man demanded, for you must pay it
and deduct it from my wedding present.”

The miner laughed and asked:

“What, are you to be married, then, Sue?”

“Oh, no! no! I meant when I got the chance to
marry, cried Sue, blushing.

“You are worth to me all the ransom any y peeale
will demand, so it will be my pleasure to pay it,” was
the generous response, and he led the maidens into
the cabin to show them all that the miners had done
for their comfort, and said:

They are as glad to see you, Sue, as though sou.
were their own child, while all feel highly honored at
Miss Monastery’s coming with you,

   

CHAPTER VI.

THE DESPERADOES’ “NEST, -

Buffalo Bill knew that Lieutenant Val dos had se-
cret orders from Colonel Monastery to remain some
time in the mines, apparently to rest his cattle, but in
reality to hunt for several deserters from the army,
who were suspected of being there, lured to desert by
the hope of digging out fortunes, and also particu-
larly to hunt down half-a-dozen or more desperadoes
who had made themselves liable to the military law

of the department.

Of course, in these still hunts Buffalo Bill was to
be the real mover, but the orders had been given to
the lieutenant in the presence of Marcelite, and upon
had asked the scout if the officer had

the trail she

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. 15

made him Hee with W hat he was. e: ee to.

do in the. matter.

oe

a negative . reply caused Marces ite to Savi L

suppose that he intended to tell you later, but, as he
Isa prisoner now, and. J heard it all, I will tell you
what it was, and I can even give you the names of the
deserters and the desperadoes referred to.

“IT tell you this, as I deem it my duty, for I know
my father expected more of this expedition than that
it shotild be an escort party merely, and, but for the
fact that Lieutenant Valdos had instructions for you,
he would have given them to you personally, so if
you carry out his wishes, it will be a service that will
be appreciated, and win fame for you as well,”

“I thank you most kindly, Miss Marcelite, and will
receive my orders from you the same as from Lieu-
tenant Valdos, who, doubtless, forgat to tell me, or
could not do so, when captured,” answered the scout.

This conversation occurred upon the trail, and
when the party had: arrived safely at the miner’s
home, Marcelite sought, the next morning after
breakfast, an interview with the scout, at which Mr.
Turpin and Sue were also present.

“Mr. Cody and I had some talk over a matter. on
the trail, which I happen to know Lieutenant. Val-
dos had orders to et our Mr. Turpin, a and I wish
you to hear what it was,” said Marcelite.

She then went on to explain just what the instruc-
tions were that were given. Lieutenant Valdos by her
father, and added:

“Knowing the miners as you fa sir, you ‘may a
able to put Mr. Cody upon the Hehe track, for I
have written down the names of the deserters.

“Here also are the names, as given by my father,
of several noted lawless men and desperadoes.”

And she handed over the list, WwW which Buffalo Bill
tead. aloud.

There were the names of fe eS with the
regiments they belonged to, and a description of the
men and the time of desertions. The mext list of
names Buffalo Bill read as follows:

“Mephisto Mike, charged with several murders,
and being an all-round bad man.

“Red-Hand Romeo, a dandy of the frontier, al-
ways quoting Shakespeare: his left hand reddened by
a birthmark extending to the wrist. Is left-handed, Al
dead shot, is wanted for numerous murders, while

there is a price offered for him, dead or alive, by the

Governor of: California.”

\

‘
Then followed the names of several who belonged
to a band: of tlesperadoes known as_ the. “Outlaw
Owls.’ This ®st ended with:
“Dick Dash, the Desperado Duelist, a gambler
who always seeks personal difficulties, and is a dead
shot, defying justice and right—the most dangerous
man in the mining LONE, and one w ho i is the mor-
tal foe of soldiers.
“They are a sad lot, and the mines will be the a
ter for their removal, for they are suspected of
erimes that cannot be proven on them here. I can

point the desperadoes out to you, Bill, but am not

sure of the soldier deserters,” said My. Turpin.

“No, it will only get you into trouble, sir, and [
can pick them up by degrees in a quiet ‘way.

“T have heard of the Owls, and also of Mephisto
Mike, Red-Hand Romeo, and Dick Dash I know,
for we have a little débt to settle between us, He
killed Scout Sykes, a dear pard of mine.”

“T am sorry to be the one to put you upon a red
trail, and one that must prove fatal to some,” said
Marcelite; “but then I know how anxious my father

s to put down this lawless element, and he feels that

wit the picked soldiers sent along, and Lieutenant.
Valdos and yourself, he has the very ones to Stree.

a blow that will be felt, and which the command-
ing general has been urging. y ae
“T shall be glad to go upon the trail, Miss Monas-
tery, a red one though it may be, and do my duty as
I understand it, and I know that in,the sergeant and
his men I have the best of allies,” answered Buffalo
Bill, and he added: a |
“Tl take in the city to-night for pointers.”

Finding themselves most comfortably located, en- :
joying the serenade of the miners given them during
the night, and their warm welcome, with -unsurpased
scenery about them, and a fascination in'the wild life.

of a mining camp, both Marcelite and Sue were glad

that they had come, and were determined to enjoy —

their stay, though they could not but dread that there
was great danger to Buffalo Bill in the: red trail he
was to start upon that night.

Buffalo Bill was‘a man of the malice ‘demeanor
even when aroused.

He was in no sense of the eo a ay aon
though many stories had gone the rounds concer.
ing his personal difficulties, some told by those who

should have known better, he was not a.man to seek

trouble, but rather to avoid it.

ee

 
 

Spey ee ST M9 < PS gcse cmtah ate SOO CIS —

#3

When brought face to face with an encounter that
must prove fatal, he never shrank from death, but
met a foe as a brave man should; always taking great
chances, rather than be thought of as taking an ad-
jantage.

A man of herculean strength, quick in his move-
ments, cool and determined, he was a most danger-
ous adversary to meet, and when in the discharge of
his duty shrank from no danger, however great.

A better man to have gone upon the desperado-
hunting mission could not have been found, and
Colonel Monastery was glad to have such a cool and
daring person as Buffalo Bill in command in the
hazardous work of running down deserters and out-
laws, while the sergeant, corporal and the men had
been picked for their courage, coolness and ability—
the ablest aides possible to their leader.

Having “done themselves proud,” as they ex-
pressed it, in their welcome to Sue Turpin and her
guest, the miners wished to taper off their enthusi-
asm with a little spree, and the second night the sa-
loons were more than usually crowded, while the
gambling-tables were well filled.

The presence of Buffalo Bill and the solders
camped in the valley had a depressing effect upon
quite a number of miners who loved lawlessness, and
who were only a detriment to the good of the coun-
try. .

Men branded with crime had no love for keepers of
the law, and those were the ones depressed by the
presence of the noted bordermen and the soldiers.

Why they did not at once start back upon their
trail to the fort they could not understand.

They had done their duty as an escort, so let them
return, they argued. - ~

Then came the rumor that
until the miner Turpin left, and escort him,
daughter and their fair guest back to the fort, for it
was whispered that the miner would carry back with
him a very large sum in gold dust.

his

Unmindful of what was said, Buffalo Bill rode
through the camps, apparently greatly interested.

He enjoyed chats with several miners, and whea
night came, wended his way on foot with Sergeant
Dean to Mascot City.

They dropped casually in at the different gambling
saioons, and at each one Buffalo Bill played a few
games of chance, without any good fortune attend-
ing him.

they were to remain

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

He was asked to play by several men who made
gambling their trade, but said he would be glad to do
so some other night, but he was only a his luck
then with small sums.

It was late, however, when he walleed back to th

camp with the sergeant.

As they got clear of the cabins, Buffalo Bill siiae

“Well, sergeant, what luck?”

“| picked out three, sir.”

“And I two.”

“leet us see va we hit upon the same men.’

“Mine were all infantrymen, sir.”

“Good! One of mine was a cavalryman, the other
belonged to the artillery, so that makes the very five
the colonel wanted.” :

Pes, Sit,”

“You don’t think they suspected your”

“They knew ime, sir, but they felt. safe in their
change of appearance, for a full beard, long hair and
miner’s dress, with a couple of more years added to
their lives, makes a great change from a smooth-
shaven, short-haired soldier in uniform.”

“You are sure of your men, then?”

“Tam, sir, for [ remembered them ee ae and
had what fa I needed.”

CAnd I ani sure of-mine, nee they deserted from
McPherson, and were bad men.’

“Now, to get hold of them.”

“Tt will raise a row, sir.”

“Oh, of course, there will be pards to take up for
them, but that don’t scare me. I wish to- be safe,
though, so as to get the whole five at one haul, so we
must decoy them.”

. “How can-we?”

“ll tell Miner Turpin who they are, and find out
from him what fellow I can get as a decoy duck to
get the five of them together at a certain place,
where we can capture the outfit.”

“A good idea, sir,”
pleased at the prospect.

When he went to breakfast at the cabin in the
morning Buffalo Bill told Miner Turpin just who the
deserters were, for he had gotten the names that
each was known by. Mr. Turpin at once said that,
though they were gold diggers, they had bad names
in the mines, and he knew one man, who, for pay,
would entrap them in some way.

This man Buffalo Bill at once ep in search ‘of,
and found him taking his “eye-opener” at the bar.

and the sergeant seemed

 

 

 

 

 
   

 

 

 

livin.

 
 

 

SE ieee ite gyri na al stitial nears

N,

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. | 17

“Drink with me, pard,”’ he said, and cigars fol-
lowed at the scout’s expense also, after which the
two had a little game of cards together, in which
Hank Hall, as he was called, won a little money.

“The game, with a couple of more drinks, made

the two apparently good friends, and Buffalo Bill
Sade ee

“You have a lead, I believe?”

“Yas, pard, it’s up beyond your camp, but it pans
out so trifling, [ has ter do other work fer a honest

DES

“See here, do you really wish to do some honest
work?”

“Vey. me,”

“I will give you some dust, and you can put it in
your mine, as though you found it there.

“Then go and ask five men I will give you the
names of to come there and see it.”

“Yer is after lassoin’ somebody?”

es.”

“Maybe I'll git bored.”

“No, Til lasso you, too, as you call it, to prevent
your being suspected, and have others afterward to
prove you are not the man I want, so will let you

gO. :
“Good! What’s ther job worth to yer, pard?”
“Just one hundred dollars.”
“Vi doit, Whom yer came?”
“Tl tell you, and you can have your men there at
four o'clock this afternoon.” :
leo yer,” was the emphatic response.

It was just four o'clock when five rough-look-

ing men passed up by Miner Turpin’s house and
halted under the cliff half-a-mile beyond, at a spot
where some work had been done on a gold find.

This was up a narrow cdfion in the cliff, and there
stood Hank Hall to welcome them.

‘‘L_tell yer, pards, I have struck it rich I knows, so
I kin sell out quick and make no noise about it, as 1
doesn’t like those soldiers in ther valley, for all ther
time I has cold chills chasin’ each other up and down
my back, fearin’.I is wanted, yer see, so I'll sell
cheap and git out o’ here on thersjump.

“Here are ther yellow dirt jist as I find it, when
I struck my pick in thar, so make me a bid, and
when t’others come I has axed, I’ll let her go to them
as wants it most and has ther cash down ter pay.”

Such was Hank Hall’s little introductory to the

 

sale of his mine under the pretense of having that
morning unearthed quite a rich find of gold.

The men looked at the dirt and one grumbled: ©

“itit holds at this, it's tely dirt; Hanis, but 1 hait
got much cash ter give.”

“Me nuther, though I kin rake up a leetle.”

“Me, too, for I keeps a few hundreds handy about
me. /

“Tl chip in with some also.”

“Count me one-fifth buyer,’
Ve |

“That's the tall, and it’s why I asked the five of
you, as I knowed yer allers had cash.

“Now, I could sell to Miner Turpin mighty quick,
only I thought I'd give poor men a chance.

’

said the last of the

“T tried it on ther sergeant of ther soldier outfit,
but he said he wasn’t buyin’, but would tell Buffalo
Bill, and maybe he had some cash ter spend—there
they comes now.”

“But we takes yer mine, so cail it sold, for we
hain’t lingerin’ here to powwow jist now.”

“Durn ’em; what did yer tell them hawks fer?” ex-
claimed one, and the five men looked uneasy and
were turning to go, just as Buffalo Bill and Sergeant
Dean came into the narrow cafion.

‘Hold on, gentlemen, don’t be in a hurry, for it’s
my treat

“Hands up, all of you!”

The scout’s two revolvers, one in each hand, were
leveled at the men, and each one of the five seemed

 

to feel that the muzzles pointed directly into his face.

They were all armed, quick to draw, and were bad
men when they held the advantage, but they stood
now so“that not one could take refuge behind the
other, a movement of a hand would be a signal for a
death-shot, and the scout’s deadly aim. was well
known, as well as the fact that he was not one to
count odds.

It seemed also that Hank Hall was wanted, as well,
for he had quickly raised his hands at the stern com-
mand of Buffalo Bill. |

“What ther devil does yer mean?” growled one of
thé men, yet he had his hands raised over his head.

“Il explain later.”

“Sergeant, present those six gentlemen with a
pair of your extra fine steel bracelets, with snap
locks.”’

The sergeant also had his revolvers drawn, but, re-
placing one in ‘his holster, he took from his pocket
 

1%

Six pairs of steel manacles, and stepped up in front of

the nearest man.

. cas must we put up with this?” asked one.

6é

           

      

ead 0: take your choice,” said But-
falo Bill, and the men shuddered at his words, and
click of the spring as it snapped upon the hands oi
the man-the sergeant ‘had put the manacles upon
first.

 

“Don’t be fools, pards, for our friends will soos
set us free,” said one of the men, and he held out his
hands for the manacles.

‘“That’s so,’ said another, cheerfully, and the
others were quickly ironed and disarmed, Hank Hall
among the rest, and who seemed to take it most to
heart, judging by his actions.

“What has we done, pard?” he whined.

-“T arrest you as deserters from the United States
army,” was the reply. |

Instantly the face of Hall hi aned. while he

said: .

“Then I hain’t in it, pard, for | never were a sojer
Way dates

“No more was I,’’ growled one of the others.

“No doubt you are all innocent; but I happen to
believe [ have the right men, and when you get to
the fort and meet-your old comrades there, then you
will be able to prove whether you deserted or not.

“Now, sergeant, march these men off to the camp,

and keep them under guard.”

The sergeant at once ranged them in line, slung

their belts of arms over his arm and started off.

As they came out of the valley there was some

‘low whispering among them, for they caught sight

of several miners, and one of the men broke out in a
wild cry: : ee

‘Ho, pards, ther blue-coats has got us.

Le them rescue, comrades |’

ahe cry rang loudly down the va alley and beached
many ears, for
sight.

a dozen men at once appeared in

“Repeat that ery any one of you, and [ll send a

bullet throtgh your heart,” sternly said the scout, as

he came rapidly after the prisoners, and seeing that
the call was being responded to he continued:

“Come, double-quick, march!’

REP ne Rtas Redes A dabctiie ta Sl

THE BUFF ALO BILL STORIES.

“CHAPTER VIL,

AC EO CEE eee

The miners who had heard the cry of one: or he
deserters saw the cause as they looked at the six men
marching along in charge of the ak a Buf-
falo Bill. poe

Who these men were they did Hot jaw at .
glance, but the call was for help, and, shouting to
others to follow, ay came at a run toward the
scene.

It was a quarter-of-a-mile to the military camp, and
from its position it was not in sight. Buffalo Bull
had made a clever capture of his prisoners, and was
anxious to get them under the protection of the sol-
diers, so oe the order to double-quick. .

The men at once came to a standstill, refusing to
move, but the scout drew his bowie-knife, sprung be-
hind the rear man, and, pressing the point against
his back, ordered:

“Now, double- quick, 1 march!”

‘For God’s sake, boys, obey, for the knife is ae
ting into my. back,” cried the man threatened with
the bowie, though the point had not touched his
flesh.

Thus urged, the men obeyed, and went off at a
steady double-quick, which only training could have
accomplished, all except Hank Hall, who could not
keep the step.

He was at once dragg ced out of fe place, and put
in the rear, with the remark of the sergeant:

“He never was a soldier, sir.’
“T believe you are right, sergeant ; but there come
the rescuers.’

“Halt!”

The halt was made, and up dashed a man of almost :
giant size, with a red, evil face.

“Hold on there, pard, you is a trifle previous,”
shouted. .
“I know my day sis. 1 Bese nes from
the army, and I have arrested them,” was Buffalo »
Bill’s reply. ee

“And I. know my pards, and that means I says they
is ae. , and you can’t come no grab game on them
and me.’ | ey

“Do you intend to iietidea®:

OR be a oe, : :

“Better think better of it, and not do so.”

“[m a-goin’ ter set them men free
pards?).

he

 

hain’t-ave,

 
 

COLD: SOBRE BS BR RN ats a tea me
BEES AREA SIS RS PN OSA ERS I OES

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

He turned toward the score of men now gathered
there, and saw with pleasure others quickly coming
upon the scene.

At his question a number of voices answered in the
affirmative. :

“Gentlemen, [ am :~ discharge of my duty as a
government officer, and I warn you to keep hands

off,’ said Buffalo Bill. . “These men are deserters,
and ui they can prove that they are not, that will set
them tree,

“1 says they goes free now, and what [says goes,”
the big man remarked, while one of the crowd said:

“Better let em go, Buffalo Bull, for that is. Her-
cules Harry, and he is no man to fool with.”

“Thank you for your advice, friend; but if Her-
cules Harry wants these men he’ll have to fight for
them,” was Bill’s quiet rejoinder.

“Is that yer game?’ roared the big fellow, sav-
agely.

“T seek no trouble, but if you attempt to rescue
these men, why oy and I will come together, that is
aie

Buffalo Bill kept his eye upon the big fellow, for
he could see that he was a dangerous man, and he
was ready for any move upon his part.

It was well he was watching him, for the Hercules
suddenly dropped his hand upon his revolver, yet
before he could show it the scout had him covered.

“Don’t do it, for you love life, I know,” said Bill,
in the calmest tones possible.

“T do love life too well ter throw it away,”
Hercules Harry, “and yer is quicker than greased
lightnin’, but I come here ter set them men free, and,
says I, if yer wants ’em, fight for ’em.”

“T will, if I am forced to do so!”

“Will you have it out with me squar’ ?”’

“Do you mean that I am to fight you a duel?”

“Just that.”

“I have no quarrel with you, and tiseek none, 2
am in the discharge of my duty, so I warn you off,”
said Buffalo Bill.

“Then yer backs down?”

“I fear no bully such as you are, so stand aside, for
I pass on with my prisoners.”

Buffalo Bill stepped toward the man as he spoke
still holding him covered.

The Hercules did not move, did not dare drop his
hand upon his revolver.

The scout réached him, and then, with a rapid

said

WS aac ON NI | ll yes ceri cooertom et gi

19
movement, which even the quickest eye was unable
to follow, he had dealt the bully a blow in the face
with one hand, while with one foot he tripped him,
hurling him to the ground with a force that hali
stunned him.

The spectators could not believe their eyes at see-
ing their Hercules thus easily done for, and they
gazed at Buffalo Bill in wonder, while he said:

“Now, sergeant, we will move on.”

“No, you don’t!” roared the fallen man, stagger-
ing to his feet, revolver now in hand, and firing as
he bounded forward.

With a shriek of pain, Hank Hall fell dead in his
tracks, for he stood just behind the scout, and min-
gling with his cry was the sharp report of a second
shot.

This time it was Buffalo Bill who fired, and his
aim was true as ever, for his bullet crashed in be-
tween the eyes of Hercules Harry, who fell his length
at the scout’s feet, a dead man.

“T hope this killing will have to go no further,” said
Buffalo Bill, as he glanced over the crowd, many of

whom were now beginning to show a very ugly ak
toward him.

“its. got ter go further, .Butialo Bill; tor no man
sha’n’t come inter this mining camp, arrest our com-
rades and kill a pard of mine; and I not hold him re-
sponsible.”

The speater was a small, wiry man, dressed in top-
boots, and a suit of black clothes.

A glance showed Buffalo Bill that the man must be
Mephisto Mike, for he looked like the man described
to him as bearing that name. a

He did not wish more bloodshed, but was not a
man to be driven from his duty, though he saw now
that a number of the crowd were ready to back the
man. —

“See here, pard, don’t be a fool, for the fool-killer
is around to-day, and you don’t wish to be singled
out by him.”

“Ts you the fool-killer yer speaks of?”

“Tf I have to kill you, yes, for you are chipping in
where it is not your game.”

“T chips in when I sees fit to do so, and ef yer has
killed Hercules Harry, 1 hain’t afeered of you.”

“Well, ey your hand, for life’s too short to fool
away time.”

“Will yer set them mentiveer’

“Not in a thousand years.” :

 
 

 

FN RGAE eT NESE NR High Taye gy ea ELS RG

Fin fe

THE BUFFALO

“Ell play yer a @ame for em.”

“Then step out of the crowd and draw.”

“I mean with cards.”’

‘And I mean with revolvers,
and I hold a full hand.

“Do you pass?”

Mephisto Mike saw that the laugh was upon him.

He had challenged for a game, and the scout had
taken him up, but with revolvers instead of cards.

for sixes are trutps,

jis look over the crowd showed that, he must
inake a bold stand or lose his prestige.
The fate of Hercules Harry had cowed many into

submitting to the will of the scout, and they were

surprised when Mephisto Mike had chipped in, game

as he was khown to be.

Now it looked as though he would stand a bluff.

But Mephisto Mike was a man with unbounded
confidence in himself, and he would not back down
before men who had always feared him; so he said:

“T don’t pass, but orders you to let them men go.”

“And I refuse, while, to give you a hole to sneak
out of) I warn you that you are intetiering sey a
government officer in the discharge of his duty.’

“What does yer arrest them for?”

“As deserters from the army.”

(Has verther proott”

“TD nave

UShow, 1b townie.

“Il recognize these two im
knows those three.”

“What does a Say P”’

“We denies it,” caime in chorus from the five men.

“I take their word.’

“Well, what
Mickey ?”

“Pards, are vou with me?’ and Mephisto Mike
glanced over the crowd.

en, and Sergeant Dea

are you eae do ‘about it,

There were fully a hundred men in the crowd now,
and, though some of them felt that Mephisto Mike
was weakening in calling for aid from the crowd, yet
a number were determined to stand by him.

There were others. present, the law-abiding men,
ip the crowd, who wanted to back up the scout.

They felt that in the loss of Hercules Harry the
camps had suffered no misfortune, that Hank Hall
would be missed by no one, and that it had been a
lucky thing that he had been in the way of the bully’s
bullet aimed at Buffalo Bill.

If Mephisto Mike was killed by the scout no crepe

20g CMO Nap Ra a Rage NG

aay

elise glia? i ag lg lg ue Aa”

BILL STORIES.

in token of respectful regrets would be hung to the
latch strings of any of the cabins, but instead there
would have been a fervent delivery of thanks that
another brave had passed in his chips.

But, seeing that in that particular crowd the worst
element predominated, the better class of men kept
in the background. It seemed to them that Buffalo
Bill had developed a remarkable a of taking
care of himself.

Mephisto Mike’s question had to be answered, for
he had glanced around the crowd, his eye falling
upon those whom he knew would hardly dare decline
—some of them would respond from sheer love of
seeing more killing, others from fear of being held
to account by the desperado if he escaped death.

“T says, pards, is yer with me in pertecting our
friends?’ repeated Mephisto Mike, in a louder and
more threatening tone.

A chorus of voices answered in the affirmative, and
the crowd came closer.

But Buffalo Bill's face did not change in expres-
sion, unless it was that a grim smile hovered about
his mouth, and his voice was firrn and distinct, as he
said:

“Vou make a mistake, gentlemen, for I have the
right to arrest these men, and I shall shoot to kill,
ia amvdriven 4610,"

“We kin shoot to kill, too, Buffalo Bill, and Me-
phisto Mike says so,” yelled the

That another moment would have brought on a
deadly encounter all knew, for Buffalo Bill’s face now
showed the spirit of a man determined to do and die _
right there, and the crowd wavered to give way for
those who meant to engage in the deadly conflict.

crowd,

But as they wavered, into their midst glided a slen-
der form, and the clear voice of a woman cried:

“Cowards! do you dare fire on me, too, for I take
sides with Buffalo Bill?”

It was Sue Turpin, the Mascot of Moonlight Mine,
that spoke, and hardly had she uttered the words
when Marcelite Monastery glided up to the other
side of Buffalo Bill. Both girls had repeating rifles
in their hands ready for use.

Sue Turpin and Marcelite had just come in from a.
hunt down the valley and in the mountains, and the
negro cook was taking the game they had brought
back with them, when he said:

“I think somethin’ is goin’ wrong up the valley
with Mr. Bill, Miss Sue.”

 
 

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

gazed up the valley,
where the crowd surrounding Buffalo Bill and his
prisoners Were in sight.

“Come, Marcelite, for Mr. Cody is surely in some

“Why, what is it?’ and Sue

trouble there,”’
she continued : 7

“Run down to the troopers’ camp and tell them to
mount quickly and come on up the valley.

she cried, and, turning to the negro

“Come, Marcelite,” and the two girls dashed away
at the full speed of their horses.

They were compelled to leave their horses before
reaching the spot, on account of the uneven nature
of the ground, and Sue said, as she threw her rein
to her friend:

“Here, Marcelite, you wait here, please, for 11
stop that trouble!”

She glided forward as she spoke, overheard the
words, saw the situation at a glance, and appeared
upon the scene, her presence unsuspected until she
faced the crowd, rifle in hand, as she placed herself
. by the side of the scout. -

The coming of the two ladies in the way they did
caused a surprise like the fall of a bombshell among

the miners, and every atom of fight was taken out oi
them.

The lawful men of the crowd greeted them with a
rousing cheer, which was soon joined in by the
others,

As for Mephisto Mike, he was glad to see a chance
of escape, though Sue evidently recognized him as
the leader, and her eyes flashed defiance upon him.

Thinking that he now saw his chance to get out of
a bad scrape with some degree of honor, he said:

“We cannot go against you, Miss Sue, so passes.”

“Vou are wise; but what did this attack mean? It
has not been a bloodless one, I see,” and Sue glanced
at the dead bodies of the unfortunate Hank Hall and
Hercules Harry.

“Tt means that I artested these deserters from the
army, Miss Sue,” caid the scout, “acting under orders,
and that the men now dead sought to rescue them,
while Mephisto Mike, not profiting by their expe-
rience, still pressed me. He should thank you for
saving his life, for, had you not come, he would have
been a dead man now, though I, too, might have
gone vee so you have done me 2 great service,
miss,’

“Well, there will be no more trouble, for ie
come the soldiers, and my father is with them, I see.

21

Mephisto’ Mike, you make a great mistake to bully
a government officer.”

“Beg pardon, Miss Sue, but I didn’t want to see
the boys taken off to be hung, maybe.”

“It is about all you can do to take caré a your own

neck,’’ was Sue’s retort.

Just then up came Miner Turpin, with the soldiers
at his back, the corporal by his side, for they had dis-
mounted from their horses.

“Men, if you are not satisfied, if these ladies will
retire, we can settle the question of my right to ar-
rest deserters right now,” said Buffalo Bill, facing
the crowd.

“Who disputes your right,
Miner Turpin, hotly.

“It seems no one now, sir, for Miss Sue and Miss
Marcelite have stampeded the fighters,” was the an-
swer of Bufialo Bill,
phisto Mike and his immediate backers getting out
of view behind the now thickly gathering crowd.

_ Buttalo Bille’ cried

Miner Turpin was a power in Moonlight Valley,
and his coming had a quieting effect, equaled only by
the arrival of Sue and Mareelite, and the presence of
the soldiers also poured oil upon the troubled waters
for the majority, no matter what a few hotheads
might wish to do.

“Take your prisoners to camp, sergeant, and keep

two men on duty constantly—one over these five,
-men, the other to watch the camp.

“T will walk back with Miner Turpin as soon as |
have arranged for the burial of these bodies,” said
Buffalo Bill.

“Leave that to Vaughan, Bill, for he will see to it,
von’t you, Vaughan?” said Miner Turpin, addressing
one of the men, who answered:

“Oh, yes, sir, I'll see “em planted o. k., but, ser-
geant, you'd better unchain Hank Hall now, for he'll
not get away,’ and the sergeant quickly removed the
handcuffs from the dead man.

“You have done the camps a great service, Buffalo
Bill, in killing Hercules Harry, while few will mourn
for Hank Hall, for he was a bad one; but how did it
all happen?” said Miner Turpin, as they walked along
back to the cabins, accompanied by the two maidens,
one of the soldiers leading their horses.

Buffalo Bill told the story of the affair in his mod-
est way, and the miner said:

“Let me warn you to look out for Mephisto Mike,

for he will strike you in the back, 1f he can.

and he laughed as he saw Me- —

 
 

 

“He is one of the desperadoes on your list, and
Hercules Harry was another, for he was the leader
of the Owls, and Hank Hall was one of his gang, :so
you have done a fair day’s work, I think; but look
out for Mephisto Mike, for he is a bad one, and t
heard several say you backed him down squarely, and
that means he will seek revenge.”

CHARTER Vii
A CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.

Marcelite Monastery felt blue over the outcome of
her having told Buffalo Bill what her father’s orders
had been to Lieutenant Valdos. It had already re-
sulted in the death of two men.

Being the daughter of the commandant, however,
and frequently aiding him in his work, answering let-
ters and dispatches, she had learned much of what
duties he was expected to perform. For years it
had been the desire of the government to check de-
sertion, when the temptation of the mines was at
hand, especially as the nren who deserted were the
worst element in the army and became outlaws al-
most invariably.

Marcelite knew, too, that there was a renegade
element among the Indians that ‘the commanders
were anxious to lay a violent hand upon, as they
urged the hostiles on to greater deeds of deviltry
than they would otherwise be guilty of.

The desperadoes of the mining camps and settle-
ments were also another bad lot, so that Marcelite,
having heard her. father’s talk and instructions
to Lieutenant Valdos, felt justified in telling Buffalo
Bill what that officer had expected to accomplish on
his visit to Moonlight Valley, the going with troops
as an escort being the nominal work for which thev
were sent there.

ine miner told Marcelite, as did also Sue and But-
falo Bill, that she had only done her duty in telling
the latter what had been the orders of Lieutenant
Valdos, as that officer had not been able to inform
the scout, and hence she should not feel blue over
the fatal results.

The scout had said to her, in his quiet way:

“You don't know what precious lives you may
have saved throigh my putting Hercules Harry cut
of the way, for he has a long list already to answer
for, and if he killed Hank Hall with a stray shot, from

 

  
  
   
  
  
   
  
     
  
  
   
   
  
   
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
   
 
  
  
   
  
   
  
  
   
  
   
  
   
    

Ze ae BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

all accounts, it was a good deed, to get rid of him,
tcw>.

“Now you know, Miss Marcelite, that we men oi
the border lave to carry our lives in our hands, and:
in the discharge of duty must take big chances of
being killed, and stand ready to kill, too, though
wanton killing is to me the basest of crimes.

“Leta man kill a few desperadoes in the discharge
of his duty and to save his own life or the lives of
others, and before long he is branded as a man-
killer—a name that no one who has a true heart cares
to bear. Like’the official executioner, he must stand
ready to take life when the occasion demands it.”

“You are right, Bill, and your argument is a good
one, for you have been one to suffer yy just such
reports,’ said Hugh Turpin.

“Yes, and will have to do the same thing again and
again, as long as I lead this wild life,” said Buffalo
Bill,-#f a tone of extreme sadness; but in an instant
his manner changed, and he added:

“No, no, Miss Marcelite, don’t you feel blue over
the death of any man whom your telling me my or-
ders caused me to kill, and who was, really speaking.
tree fruit, from the crimes he was guilty of. ae

“Now I must go up.to the city and look around.”

“You will take some of your ao. with you?”
asked Sue.

“Qh, no, miss, for that would surely cause trouble,
as it would be said that 1 was afraid to go alone, and
was looking for a fracas.

“Why, they’d doubtless tell me to come and get
you and Miss Marcelite to protect me,’ and the scout
smiled, while Miner T urpin said:

“You are right, Bill, it would cause trouble to
take your,men, for there is a very ugly element in
these mines, and this afternoon’s arrest has started
the fire.”’

Butfalo Biil soon after leit the cabin and wended
his way on foot up to Mascot City. :

The “city” was in full blast, for the occurrences of
the afternoon had caused all the miners to assemble
in the various saloons, at the Stagecoach tavern
and in knots, discussing the affair.

The discussions, fired by liquor, ran hot, and when
Buffalo Bill dropped into “The Exchange,” as the
main gambling and drinking saloon was known, he
found that there had already occurred one killing
scrape and another in which a participant had been

badly wounded. o

 

 

 

  
   

The “hero” in each case was Mephisto Mike, and
he was enjoying a game.of cards when Buffalo Bill
sauntered. into the saloon, :

F lushed with his deeds, and half-full of. ae the:
moment his eyes fell upon the scout he dropped his
cards and called out, ma voice that silenced all noise:

“Ho, Buffalo Bill, you oe come to. have out your
He with me, | suppose?’

“T have no quarrel with you, unless you see fit to
make one,’ was the calm repay.

‘Well, I do see fit.to demand.an apology ae yout
insulting me this afternoon, or give me satisfaction.”

“T have no apolog ry to offer, but all the satisfaction
you may desire.”

The trouble which had ae in Mephisto Mike
killing one man and wounding another, had origin-
ated in the fact that several miners had criticised his
interfering with the arrest of the deserters.

They upheld the scout, and said that he had done
just right in killing Hercules Harry, and added that
but for Sue Turpin’s timely arrival, the scout would
haye killed Mephisto Mike.

The moment he beheld the tall form and hand-
some, stern and. cynical face of Buffalo Bill, it
aroused the Satan in his nature, and he had hurled
down a challenge for an apology or a fight. :

When Buffalo Bill entered, every eye was upon
him, and many drew a long breath, for they felt that
another tragedy was to be enacted.

“Why had not the scout aed away 2”
asked, |

Yet, why should he hide himself in a free country,
a6 was he not entitled to go w here he pleased?

Phe truth was, Buffalo Bill had gone in the dis-
charge of his duty. oo

He was on the trail of the desperadoes Lieutenant
Valdos had-been given orders to hunt down.

tle wished to find them, to spot them, to track
t] em, so that when the time came to act, he could
do so.

The crowd - became breathless. with expectation
as Buffalo Bill replied to the challenge of Mephisto
Mike, and all eyes were upon him and the desperado.

The latter at once attempted to draw his revolver,
but he was covered with a ae that brought a

cheer from the crowd.

some

How Buffalo Bill did it, no one saw or knew, but

Mephis to Mike had a revolver leveled at his head in

   

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

23

  

a twinkling of.a ‘second, W hile the scout called out,
sternly :

“Hold! no game ‘of life and death here in this
crowd, for, like Hercules Harry, another cowardly
bully of your stripe, you will wound or kill an inno-
cent man,

Cheers greeted this announcement, and Mepiist
Mike turned livid with rage, while he said, fiercely:

“You said you would meet me, and now back down
because you have the drop on me.”

“You are a liar, for | do not back down, but say
that if you wish to meet me it must be fair and

‘square, so choose your seconds, and, as I have no

friend pe I must ask a kindness on the part of
some one.’
Another cheer erected the words of the deoui and
it was very evident that Buffalo Bill’s stock was rap-
idly rising above par.
Cornered as he was, by his challenge, and it
prompt acceptance, Mephisto Mike called out:
“Drop your revolver. from covering me, and I'll
talk to you.” :
“Don’t trust him,’ came in a chorus of voices.

“ZT will trust him, for I have confidence-that there
are too many honorable men about me not-to kill him
on the spot did he shoot me down.”

‘Loud rang. the cheers at this trust in: the crowd,
and many voices called out:

“You can trust’ us, ne shall act
square.”

Buffalo Bill, on this pledge, which seemed to have
come fr om two-thirds of those” ‘present, at once low:
ered his revolver and said: i a

bet oe -

a ee you,
me?

A score of men sprang forward, but recognizing
one he knew to be a friend of Miner aa ee the scout
said: .
“Thank you, I will accept your services, so please
find out what the pleasure of Mephisto Mike is.”

Te é has taken Red-lland Romeo for his second,
and says that he will meet you to-morrow some
time.’ was the answer.

gentlemen. Now who will act for

“He has also asked Dick Dash, sie dead-shot duel-
ist of the mines, to help Red-Hand,” reported : ati-
other miner. : hee ae

“Phen 1 will ask you also to. aid my friend here,
and I shall be pleased to see both the seconds you

 
 

24
name, but the fet shall take place at once, for I am
the challenged party.”

In vain did. Mephisto Mike try to put it off until
the morrow, but Buffalo Bill would not hear to it.
‘The outlaw was forced to come to the scout’s terms
as the challenged party.

It was no easy task to bring Mephisto Mike to
terms, for he had hoped, as it was to be a duel and
not an encounter on the spur of the moment, to put
off the meeting until the morrow.

‘That there was some trick in this all who knew
the desperado felt assured, and everyone hoped that
Buffalo Bill would not yield.

Mephisto Mike had first selected one second, Red-
Hand Romeo; and just at that moment Dick Dash
had entered the saloon, and he also was chosen.

These two seconds were as well known in the
mines as Mephisto Mike, and even more to be feared.

They also had a “record” as man-killers, and an
encounter with them was always regarded, as in Me-
phisto Mike's case, as fatal to their adversary.

It was Red-Hand Romeo who approached Buffalo
Bill and said in his most courtly way:

“Pardon me, sir, but | come from my friend, Me-
phisto Mike, to learn your wishes for this meeting
to-morrow with him.”
for the meeting is for
to-night, and I refer you to my friend here,” coolly
said Buffalo. Bill. :

“But, sir, my friend with the diabolical Trish name
insists upon to-morrow.”

“You are known as one of the desperado duelists

of the mines, I believe, tor | have so heard you
pe

“You are imisiniormed, sir,

Spee ot .

“TL have oat honor, sir.”

“Then you should know that the chailenged party
has the right to appoint time, weapons and place ot
meeting.” a

“You are right, sir; hut, here in the mines, we are
nat ae for ne fine points of etiquette 1 inthe
duello :

“Tam a stickler for justice, and I shall insist upon
my rights, knowing the kind of a man I have to deal
with.”

“T will consult my brother second, sir,”
Hand Romeo walked away.

Going apart with Mephisto Mik e and Dick Dash,
the three held a whispered conversation, for some

and Red-

T epresentatives ol Mephisto Mike stood by:

~meo,

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

time, and then the latter came up to the saloon where
Buffalo Bill was waiting. a

“Pardon me, you are Buffalo Bill, the scout, ibe:
lieve, sir?” he said, in a gentlemanly Way.

“You are well known to us, sir, and I honor a
brave man; but just now I represent Mephisto Mike,
and he demands that ‘his meeting with you should be .
put off until to-morrow.”

“As the party who has the right, I decline, sir.”

“May I ask why, sit?’

-“T sought no quarrel with your principal; ‘T was in-
hee ed with by him when in the discharge of duty,
and coming here to- night he deemed hin nself insulted
and demanded an apology: Now, stop this delaying
matters, arrange with the two gentlemen here who
represent me, and let the matter be settled at once;
otherwise I shall take affairs in my own hands and
settle it to please myself.”

There was no doubting this way of putting the case
by Buffalo Bill, so Dick Dash returned to his cam-
rades, and after a few minutes more came back to
the scout’s seconds and arranged that the meeting
should take place right there in the saloon.

Buffalo Bill was wholly unmoved in appearance,
chatted quietly with those about him, and turned to
his seconds when they announced how all had been
arranged.

“We | have decided that each one of you cine apart
the length of the saloon, facing the wall, the distance
being fifty paces, and the lamps hanging along the
center from the roof will give you light to see how
to aim,” said one of Buffalo Bill’s seconds, while, the
“T have
won the toss-up for me w on and | will call out as

‘follows:

“Ready! Right bone ence hwnd ee

When you have | both advanced ten paces, I will give
the word: ‘Fire!’ From that moment you can ad-
vance, firing at will. Do you understand?”
PPetlectly. | Ss ee | pe
“The crowd will range themselves upon either
side, and should be in no danger certainly, for this

saloon 1 is sixty feet wide.”

“Is this satisfactory, sir?” ed Red-Hand Ro-
in a tone so insulting that all noticed it and
awaited Buffalo Bill's answer.

It came with the calmness natural to him wien
deeply moved:

“I could only ask one greater joy, Red- Hand.”

It was.a cut.at fis red hand, his crimes, and it was
meant, and understood, for the desperado oe
and asked, quickly: ce

“And what is tat, scour?
“That you were in Mephisto Mike’s place.”
The shot told, and the men cheered, coe Red-

Hand Romeo turned white, but made no reply.

 
 

 

 

 

He had called forth an attack by his insulting man-
ner toward the scotit, and he had | been very quickly
silenced.

When the principals were in position, facing the
wall, and with their backs te each other, the two sec-
onds nearest to them menves back to the line of the
crowd.

‘Then came the cy of Buf
~ing by Dick Dash

“Ready! Right about—wheel! forward, march!’

The two men obeyed promptly, Buffalo Bill with
military precision, and as the steps were told off to
ten, bringing them within thirty paces of each other,
amid a silence that was deathlike, the second called
out:

he e! 2 =>

Mephisto Mike had anticipated the command a
second or more, and his revolver was lev eled by the
time the word was uttered.

Buffalo Bill halted at ne shot, and before a sec-
ond pull on the trigger vy Mephisto Mike, he an-
swered.

When the puff of smoke cleared on the. muzzle
of Buffalo Bill’s revolver, he saw the desperado lying
upon his face, while quickly turning him over, as he
ran to his side, Dick Dash called out:

“Dead! Shot between the eyes—-a magnificent
shot, indeed!”

The board roof rattled as the words of Dick Dash
brought forth a roaring cheer, which was at once fol-
lowed by hisses and groans from the admirers of Me-
Po Mike.

‘Don’t cheer at a man’s death, pards,” came in
Buffalo Bill’s calm tones, and -he spoke reprovingly,
while Red-Hand Romeo was seen coming Gniclly
toward him, and a cry of warning arose.

But if the desperado meant to open fire

falo Bill’s second stand-

he was

checked when he saw the ugly looks about hint a1 |

that. Buffalo Bil was on Hie guard, SO he said, sav-

agely:
Now, scout, | am ready ‘to. st tep into Mephisto
Mike’s place and meet you.”

“Ts this a challenge?”

“Certainly, for it means your life or

“Tam willing —let the samé terms ¢
Buffalo Bill, sadly.

But before cee revolver. could be forced upon
Buffalo Bill, the doors at each end of the saloon were
‘thrown open, and into one came Mr. Turpin, the
corporal and eight soldiers... .

“Hold men! Our mines s shall not be disgraced by
your murdering a government officer and my fri end.
Red Romeo, and you, Dick Dash, | arrest, ‘and call
upon all good men to back me up, and the desperado
leaders here will be out of the way,” said Miner
By
Covered by the repeating He of the soldiers, the

mine.”
govern us,’ said

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

two desperado leaders surrendered, and the ser-
geant quickly had them in irons, where they were led
off to the soldiers’ camp.

There it was proved that Sue and Marcelite were
guarding the five deserters while Miner Turpin went
te the rescue of the scout.

So ended the carrying out of the orders given
Lieutenant Valdos by Colonel Monastery, and told
to Buffalo Bill by Marcelite.

Several days after, Buffalo Bill and the soldiers
set out upon the return to the fort with their pris-

ners, and Miner Turpin insisted upon sending along
the ransom for Lieutenant Valdos. |

After a week on the trail, Buffalo Bill and his party
reached the fort, and the prisoners were in safe
hands, and later suffered punishment for their crimes.

At the time agreed upon Buffalo Bill, having the
ransom money, went to an oppointed meeting-place,
and there met the yee chief, the lieutenant and
a score of redskins.

The money was paid, the officer pelea the ren-
egade keeping his contract, and the lieutenant and
the scout started upon their return to the fort.

On the way Adrian Valdos said: ‘

Fells any. eood friend, | have found out that my
unfortunate brother is really dead, for he died of his
wounds -in the Indian village. We were twin.
brothers, but he seemed to be born bad, and dogged
my steps continually, causing me no end of unhap-
piness and trouble. Once, w hen Thad a eattle ranch,
he captured me and held me a prisoner for two years,
to force my property from me, having squandered his
share of our inheritance. It was there that I learned
the Indians’ secret signs, and I used them for pro-
tection. It was to see Sif he was dead, 1f he was really
in the grave of those killed after the big fight six
months a ago that I went ahead of our party. He was
not on but died later, as I said. . Now, we will
drop the remembrance of my poor brother.”

Moonlight Mines became quite a respectable place
aiter what was called “Buffalo Bill’s Clean-out” of.
the toughs; but Miner Turpin decided to sell out
his claims and moye East, and Buffalo Bill, Lieuten-
ant Valdos and a squadron of cavalry escorted the
miner and young ladies to the fort.

Nearly a year “alter, Sue Turpin became the wite of
Lieutenant Valdos, at the same time that Marcelite
was wedded to a handsome young aide on her

father’s stati; and Butfalo Bill sent as wedding gifts,
a valuable lot of border souvenirs to each bride,

with best wishes for all happiness through lite.
THE END.

Next week’s issue (No. 40) will contain “Buffalo
Bill and the Prairie Wolves ; or, Hunting the Bandits
of Boneyard Gulch.” The true story of the great
scout’s experience with the strangest band ie des-
peradoes ever unearthed in the Vee -

  
sd lag em cig pale” NE Ba ERIE Sar BRE er erY

ATTENTION

Another Contest—WV

 

Here: is another Prize Anecdote. Contest, Boys. The last was such | a. oe success that we just had
to have another. We want

Yo ou: ienow. what exciting stories of ‘hair- breadth escapes and thrilling experiences you “have been reading
in the BUFFALO BILL WEEKLY lately. You want to read more about them, don't you? Well,send §&
them in. Whether you find yourself a winner or loser inthe last contest, you have a splendid chance for
the splendid prizes we offer in this néw contest. You have all had some narrow éstapes, some dangerous
adventures in your lives, Perhaps it was the capsizing of a boat, or the es of a ey ora close nave
‘ina ents pees or ae else equally thrilli ng! ee

Write It Up Just As it Happened —

We offer a handsome prize for the most - exciting: and best written anecdote sent us by any reader of _§
‘BUFFALO BILL WEEKLY. Incident, of course, must ioe to na an that een to the writer
himself, and it must also be strictly true. as

It makes no difference how short the articles are, but no contribution must be. fonver than 500 words.

This Contest Will Close May 1

Send in n your anecdotes at once, boys. We ane going to publish all of the best ones aude t the progress

of the contest. ie
Three Spalding Catcher's Mitts.
HERE ARE Three Spaiding Infielder’s Gloves.
THE PRIZES ) Ten Spaiding Gasehali Bats.
ee oe Spalding re Distance Meaenhores.

The Three Boys Who Seve Us. : : To aamee Contestant for these Prizes

} ‘ : Y i ~~ cut out the Anecdote Contest Coupon, printed her ewith, fill it out ly”
t “eu pon, p it out properly.
The Best Anecdotes : : and send it to Buffalo Bill Weekly, care of Street & Smith, 238 William i+:

will each receive a first-class Spalding Catcher’s Mitt. Made throughout St. New York City, together with your anecdote.. .No anecdote will be
of a specially tanned and selected buckskin, strong and durable, soft and _ considered that does not have this epupon accompanying, it, :
: pliable. and extra well padded, Has patent ace back.

“The Three Boye Who Send Coupon Buffalo Bill Weekly Anecdote Contest
The Next Best Anecdotes ao

will each receive a Spalding Infielder’s Glove. | Made throughout of

selected velvet tanned buckskin, lined and correctly ies with finest felt. is hag : es ea ae

Highest quality of workinanulsip throughout, © = 4 ee tae en i Date. teee . ies e Re wipe «Hi evar

ihe oo Boys Who Sond ; i (ike Name ae oe
The Next Best Anecdotes Bde | ie

will each receive an Al Spalding League Baseball Bat. Made of the City or town.....5....4. PERS WSO tiesle ane i
very best selécted second growth white ash. timber, ¢ grown on-high land, HS : St t bat
~ No swamp ash is.used in making these bats. Absolutely the best bat made. e Bee

The Ten Boys Who Send Us : i cody Title of anecdote. Ma etal aifel Welles ke 8 ee e's
The Next Best Anecdotes ‘ oe acres!
will each receive a Spalding 12-inch “Long Distance’? Megaphone. Made | ie "Watch for announcem rent of the Prize Withers in:
of fireboard, capable of carrying the sound of a human voice one mile, 8 ‘the Contest just closed. Their names will appear '.
and in some instances, two miles. More fun than a barrel of monkeys. m §©60lin No. 41. ne poe

 

PRIZE CONTEST No, a

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FOUR NG CHCA Gees ee wanes css wiles wamey aie ACs

 

 

 

 

 

 
Ea te ee

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== Wasa oy ae ae ietaonatt ae eh

‘PRIZE ANECDOTE DEPARTMENT. —

 

 

2 Just look at the announcement of the new contest on the opposite page before you ‘tead any further.
The old contest closed last week with a whirlwind of letters that just missed being too late. Some of these
late arrivals may win a prize; almiost ‘all of them are interesting and exciting stories. We will print a few, ©

which are too good for you to miss, boys,

 

How It Feels to be Drowned.
(By Maurice D. Merrill, N. H.)

One day I took my fishpele and started to fish around the
pond (about three miles). When I got about half round I came
to a neck of land jutting into the water. T cut across this neck
and came out on a shelving piece of rock about fifteen feet
above the water. I stood on this ledge gazing at the ‘‘shinners””’
darting back and forth, when the rock, rotten with age, broke,
and I was thrown into the water. I landed on-my stomach
with such force that the wind was knocked from my body.
Although I could swim a little before I couldn’t now, for my
boots were full of water and my breath gone. I sank at once.
My readers can imagine how I felt drowning without any one
to help me or even see me to know where I had ended my
life. I went downtwice. The third time I struck a tangle of
roots at the bottom. I didn’t know anything aboutit at the

time for I was insensible. The next thing I knew I was in bed

done up in warm blankets. Wasn’t that a narrow escape? I
had been rescued by a friend who saw me sink and who dived
down and freed me from the roots which held me below
water.

A Fall from a Cliff.
_. (By Robert E. Holley, St. Louis, Mo.)

It was the ist of December; the day had commenced with a
diizzling rain which had finally turned into snow, and as I sat
there before a cheerful fire in my father’s cabin away owt
among the Blue Ozarks, listening to the wind as it howled
and whistled around the corners, I felt in my coat pocket for
my constant companion, the Buffalo Bill Weekly. I had just
started to read it when I was startled by a long, loud scream
_ which sounded so human like that I stopped and listened. I

thought at first that it was some traveler who had lost his
way inthe storm. I did not hearit again, so I began to think
that I might have been mistaken, when it was repeated longer
and louder than before. I did not wait any longer, but put on
my overcoat, took my rifle down from the rack and left the
eabin. I started on a run toward a hill, called the ‘‘Tall Pines,”
where I thought the sound had come from. I reached the hill
and started to climb an almost perpendicular cliff when I sud-
denly lost my foot and ‘shot downward like a cannonball, I
tried to stop my downward flight by grabbing a piece of
shrubbery, but it snapped off and I gave up all hope. I felt
myself sinking down, down into darkness. I had closed my
eyes, éxpecting that my time had come, when I struck the bot-
tom with such force that it stunned me fora few seconds,
When I came to I began to look around me to see what kind of
a place I wasin. I found that I was in a den of some wild ani-
mal, and I felt very much seared. There were only two open-

 

the rest of my life.

ings to the cave, one twenty feet above me, the one I had
fallen through, and the other in the rear of the cave. I goton
all fours and started to go out that way when I saw some-
thing that made me jump back, striking my head on the
rocks. 0 : ees
There coming toward the opening was a big, black, ugly-
looking grizzly bear! I quickly rolied a large stone into the
opening which partly blocked it-up, and I could see Mr. Bear
prowling around and trying to move the stone away. I soon
found out that. | was in a pretty serious position as Mr. Bear
had no intention of going away, so I began to pile stone after
stone, one on top of the other, until I reached the top of the
opening, but it was a long and hard job, and it was only as
night began to fall that [made my.escape, and as I reached
the open air I gave a lusty shout that fairly shook the woods
so good it seemed to be safe once more. And as the old log
cabin came into view and I was home I forgot all about the
seream which I had heard and which was the cause of my ad-
venttire. ‘

Run Over by a Street Car.
(By Thos. Sidham, Chicago, Iil;))

A few years ago I was selling papers at the corner of High-
teenth street and Wabash avenue. I jumped ona car going
south, and while selling a paper to a man on the car was car-
ried about one-half a block. I crossed the street with the in-
tention of riding back to Highteenth street on the first car that
came along. I jumped on a car going that way, and while still
on the lower step the conductor came out.of the car and
pushed me off.

The city at that time was digging up the street with the
intention of laying .water pipes and the dirt was piled’for
about a block, along and near the track. When I was pushed
off the car by the conductor I fell on this pile of dirt and
slipped down the dirt pile and under the car. I tried to keep
myself from going tinder the car by catching a hold of the car
and pulling myself up. I pulled myself up far enough to draw
all but my right foot from under the car. The car ran over
the toes of my right foot and crushed them so badly that four
of them had to be taken off. When the car ran over my foot I
did not feel any pain, only a numbness that you will feel very
often in winter when your feet are cold. This all happened so
quickly that I really did not know that I was run over until
the car was about a block away. :

_ I was then taken to a doctor’s office and when he had bound
up my foot Iwas taken to the hospital, where I was in bed for
about six weeks. I have decided to stop jumping on ears for

 

ight

 
 

 

 

 

 

28

My Adventure on the Water.
(By Morris Brokaw, N. J.)

When I was ten years old, my father being a wealthy mer-
chant, sent me to Hude’s Academy, a large school on the Hud
Son River. I was a restless and disobedient boy, so my father

thought it best for me to go away from home, where I would
become better,

After I had been at the academy two or three weeks I be-
came very friendly with a boy named Weston Hoagland. ©

One hot day in July after school was over Weston said to
me:

“Willie, will you go and have a sail with me unbeknown to
the master?”’

At our school we had two fine boats. One was a sloop, and
the other a catboat. The rule was for no one to go out sail-
ing without telling the master.

Yes, I will go,” I replied,

ER tes

“Come on, then,’ he said, so we both went down to the

dock and jumping into the sloop, pushed her off. Weston
asked me if I knew howto tunasaitboat. He said he had
sailed in a sloop many times. All went well going up the river.
We sailed about ten miles, having a very delightful time.
About five o’clock we turned the boat around, heading for
home. The current was going with us, and Weston could not
eontrol the boat. The boat went so fast that we went right by
the school, and would have been lost if one of the teachers
had not jutuped into a rowboat and taken us ashore.

An Adventure with a Panther.
(Loomis Pugh, West Virginia.)

On the 3d of January, 1901, Martin B. Taylor and I were out
on a hunting expedition in the mountains of New River, about
twenty miles east of Thurmond, W. Va.

We had gone but a short distance when the scream of a
panther attracted our attention, and thinking ourselves
equipped for any emergency we sat down to await the coming
of ott animal. On he came closer and closer, screaming more
terribly than ever until he was within about thirty yards of
us, when we both emptied our revolvers in that direction,
thinking it would be an easy task to slay our antagonist,
When the smoke had cleared away we found to our horror
that we had only crippled him, and now it seemed that he was
more determined to devour us than ever béfote. With one
yreat effort, he sprang toward us, but fortunately for us, I
struck him on the head with my gun stock, and he fell upon
the ground apparently dead. Befove we had time to think he
was upon his feét, and sprang up again, thistimeit was u fierce
struggle which lasted for somé moments, but after receiving a
nutber of seratches we sueceeded in ending his life by pound-
ing him with our puns,

A Perilous Yoyage.
(By H. Stone, Chicago, 111.)
During the summer of 1899 William Jacoby, Polak Buck and
I started in a sailboat from Chicago to Waukeegan. We got as
far as Grose Point, Ill., when a terrible hailstorm, from the
north, struck us,
We let go the anchor to ride through the storm. We had

been anchored about five minutes when the anchor cable

broke.

‘shifted the ballast.

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

We set the jib and mainsail, and ran before the storm. When
we were off Randolph street, between the erib and the light-
house, we tried to put up the sprit, when the sail jibed on us,
In trying to haul in the sail, Bill let go the tiller. A strong
wind caught the sail, threw us over on our beam ends and
We lay over so far that the force of the
water split the mainsail. A rettrn wave righted us, otherwi ise
we would have capsized.

We ran tinder the jib to Kighteenth street, while Buck and I
bailed the water ouf. We lowered the jib and raised the fore-
sail and ran, as far as Highty-seyenth street harbor, where we
tried to run in. But as we were going through he opening, the
current was so strong that itcarried us back about twenty feet.
As we had lowered the sailin trying to go through the open-
ing,we now raised it again. The wind filling the sail drove
the boat against the pier, breaking the bowsprit, ne shock
knocking the combing loose.

We had no oarlocks, so I held the oar while Bill row ed, and
Buck kept the bow from striking the pier with the other oar
till we got to the end of the pier. We raised the sail and sailed
inte the hatbor at Thirty mere street, and so-ended our peril-
ous Voyage.

Almost Burned to Death.

(By Geo. Jones, Augusta, Ga.)

I was living on the outskirts of the town with my grand-
mother in a very ancient house. I was six years ofage. One
day my grandmother told my cousin and myself to go out and
get some wood and pat it on the fire. We got the wood and
began to putiton. When I was putting it on a string which
was tied around my leg caught afire.

Assoon as I discovered that it had caught fire L ran out of
the door with my cousin, both of us screaming. The kitchen
was separated from the house and my grandmother and others
were in the house.

Hearing our screams, they ran ott of the house. The wind
was blowing, and by that time I was aflame from head to foot.
My grandmother tried to smother the fire, but it was no use.
My cousin got a bucket of water and threw it at me, but it
missed me. By that time my skin was burning, The second
time she threw the water at me the flames were put out.—_I
was taken into the house half dead.

 

Our Oil Well Scare.
(By Hodge Mason, Los Angeles, Cal.)

Last vacation I was working on an oil well. We were driil-
ing on top of a hill and had reached a depth of about 500 feet,
when we lost our drill, a big piece of iron screw ved into a cup
at the end of the rope.

Losing a drill is nothing unustial, and we set about recover.
ing it, but could not get it, so we had to postpone work until
we got another drill.

The next morning we went tq the well, and imagine our
surprise when we found the driil lying upon the platform. We
did not try to explain the mystery, but set to work again.

Soon afterward we lost a wrench down the well, and ‘the

next morning we found that upon the platform. * The
“Greasers’”’ or Mexicans working with us began to get seared,
and the next night (we worked at night sometimes) when the
drill came up covered with phosphorus and shining like fire

 
  

the Greasers thought we had made connections with that land
with a warmer climate, and accordingly quit work, and the
~ rest of us were feeling pretty puzzled, not to say bcared.

In this way things went on, tools being lost in the well and
showing up mysteriously again, until ey erybody began to
think. the well was ‘‘un poco loco,” as the Greasers say.

At last one night an explosion took place at the bottom of
the well, sending dirt and stones high into the air, and then
the authorities thought it time to investigate.

The hill was examined, and a smail opening was found con-
cealed behind arock, Going in we found a cave with the oil
well shaft going through it.

Some boys had discovered the cave and soe ed the tricks,
taking off the drills and returning them some night when we
were not working.

This was a pretty tame ending to our scare, but the well still
bears the name of ‘‘El pozo loco’’—The Crabs Well.

Nearly Blown to Pieces.
(By John J. Ogle, N. H.)

Iam now thirteen years old and although I was but a‘‘kid”
at the time this accident happened I can remember it dis-
tinetly. My father worked on the railroad and had purchased
some large dynamite caps, which he put in his tool chest, but
I found one and hid it ina drawer. Not long afterward I was
trying to make an awl from a piece of steel which was sharp
at both ends and could not be used to much advantage. Sud-

_denly a bright idea came to my mind. I got the cap and put it
over one end of the steel, hammering the open end down
around the wire, but when nearly finished I hit the wrong end
and it ‘went off.’

What happened after that I do ont remember, for I was
rolled up in bandages and put to bed. My hands, face and legs
were filled with pieces of brass, and although never removed
they have never doné me any harm. Tll never monkey with
capsagain,

A Ghost Story.

(By Glen McCracken, Iowa.)
IF had been toa party, Wehad been telling ghost stories till
it was past one o’clock. :

I was feeling as if a ghost was ready to jump in front of me
at any time when I left the house. I had about three miles to
walk through some timber. There was one house I had to pass
onthe way home. It had not been in use for years because
people said it was haunted by aman who had been killed
there. He was a miser, they said, and was killed for .his
money. Since his death his spirit had returned at night and
made the night wild with its screams. ;

As I neared the place I was shaking with fear. It was a
moonlight night, and the pale light gave the house a weird
aspect. When about twenty feet from the house I heard a
sound of rattling window glass and a sound like ‘‘chomp
chomp. 0 At the same time something w hite came around the
corner of the house. Its shining eyes glittered in the moon-
light. I took one short look, and I was gone, running for life.
T never stopped tilll reached home. I told the folks iny ex-
perience, They laughed at me, but I was firm. I did not sleep
that night.. Next morniag my father came in saying that
there was an old white horse by the house, with a halter with
bright brass fixtures.

 

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. i ee

Off Block Island in a Gale.
(By Harold A. Lover, Dayton, Ohio.)

Last August while spending the summer at Block Island, I
went sailing with two young men. Including the skipper and
mate of the boat, our party numbered five persons. The boat,
which was a thirty-three footer, went scudding along in a fine
breeze for about an hour when the skipper noticed some
clouds low down on the horizon. Those clouds told me noth-
ing, but to the skipper they meant a gale, and very soon it
came, wind, rain and waves that tossed our boat about like a
cork. To make matters worse, we lost our rudder, and after
tossing about the boat finally capsized.

Ifound myself in the water. All was dark, but I-soon dis-
covered that 1 was under the upturned boat. This scared me,
and I began to planameans of escape. I decided to dive
under the gunwale, which I did, and this being sticcessful, [
came up outside.

Now began a battle with.the waves. Istruck out for shore,
but seemed to make but little headway, but at the end of what
seemed a long time I heard the surf pounding on the beach.
This gaye me a new fear. I pictured myself thrown violently
up on the beach and killed perhaps, but I struck my head ona
large rock, which I afterward found to be about two hundred
feet from shore, and then everything became black.

‘When I came to I was lying by a fire of driftwood and my
friends wete arotind drying themselves.

Out about half a mile from shore floated ottr boat on a calm
sea, for the waves had receded and the wind had gone down.
To say I was thankful that it was nob worse ds putting it
mildly.

A Fearful Accident.
(By Roy Smith, Groton, 8. Dak.)

One Friday afternoon about 2 o’clock I started out hunting
with my new gun, which I had just bought. I.was hunting on
an artificial lake about two miles from home. I did not geta
shot at any ducks, and I was waiting for some to fly over,
when I saw a ficck of blackbirds. I thought that I would take
ashotatthem. I. was just going to raise the gun up te shoot,
when the right hammer caught on the crossbar on the boat
and discharged the gun, which was loaded with five drams of
powder, and one and one-eighth ounces of number two shot,
which shattered my right arm from the elbow to the shoulder.
I did not think I was hurt yery badly, but I could not row the
boat, so l jumped in the water, which was not deeper than up
to my hips. I began toshout and a hired man on the farm
heard me. By the time he reached me I was so weak from
the loss of blood that I could hardly walk.

He got me to the house and then took a horse and aay
and drove me to town, about four miles away.. On my way to
town I stopped and told my mother that I had shot myself,
and was going to see the doctor. The doctor was not there at
the time, but he came in about an hour. I was placed on his
table and chloroformed. When I awoke from the influence of
the drug my atm had been taken off. In about a weeks I
was able to be seu MS again. fee

An Adventure with a Mustang. |
(By Aaron Sweze, Philadelphia, Pa.)
While I was away in the country last summer I went toa
horse sale with my uncle. He bought a pair of unbroken mus-
tangs that looked as gentle as lambs, and did not have life

 

 

   
    
 

 

 

 

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

enotigh in them to buck. I said I would ride the smaller of the
two home. Ino sooner got fairly seated than he commenced
to buck. When he found he could not throw me that way he
lay down and began to roll down, but I happened to be a little
too quick for him that way, and thus got through all right.

When he gotup Iwas on his back again and he started
torun. The harder I pulled on his mouth the faster he ran.
He ran about five miles as hard as he could go and then he
stopped short and I went over his head into a puddle of water
about three feet deep. I thought my neck was broken. When
I got my wits about me I looked around for him and found
him eating the grass along the sides of the road. I then
caught him, but you can bet your sweet life I did not get on
him again. I would not go through it again fora hundred
dollars. Thisis a true experience. Fellows who read Buffalo
Bill stories if you ride horses, take my advice and do not ride
a horse you do not know anything about.

A Murder Case.
(By R. Maker, Mass.)

On the second day of August a number of friends and my-
self were passing a large boarding-house when we hearda
woman’s scream inside. AS you may imagine, we ran up the
steps jmuping three ata time. When we opened the door we
were struck aghast by seeing a woman witha large Mexican
dagger in her throat and catching a glimpse of a man disap-
pearing through the window. I just had time enough to grab
the villain by the collar. I hung on to him like a tiger until
a number of us got him down, and then we cailed for a police
officer who happened along just then. He put the handcuffs
on the murderer and took him to jail, and the man was after-
ward hanged,

A Close Call.
(By Ralph B. Norris, Brooklyn, N. Y.)

When I was five years old I lived at Ridgewood, N. J.,a
town situated on the Erie Railroad four miles west of Pater-
son. I was possessed with a desire to linger around the rail-
way station and see the trains comein. Although forbidden
by my parents to gonearthe track, I constantly disobeyed
them, such was my craze to watch the engine come snorting
and puffing in, and to dream of one day becoming an engi-
neer.. My home at that time was but five minutes’ walk from
the depot, so I that I had not far to toddle to reach the scene
of my longing.

One day 1. ventured on to the track, a thing I had never

previously dared to do, and stood gazing first up and then
down the narrow, shining rails that seemed to stretch so far
away into the unknown world where I longed to go. Sud-
denly around the curve a mile away came a black, swiftly
moving thing with a ribbon of smoke curling backward from
its head. Secarcely realizing that it was a locomotive, I
turned to flee, when (such is the swift punishment that overtakes
the transgressor) my foct caught between the boards that
divide the two tracks and a rail, and I was a prisoner—a help-
léss, struggling prisoner. For, try as I would, my foot would
not come free. Do not think I was too young to realize my
position. I felt, I knew that certain death was near. I can
feel now the wild beating of my little heart, and the choking
gasp of my breath that seemed as if it would tear my terrified
little body in pieces. Nearer and nearer came the big, black
monster. Oh, how swiftly he was gliding toward me on those
shining rails that I had thought so beautiful only a brief mo-
ment before! I cast a despairing glance around, but no one
was in sight; but I could catch a glimpse—just a glimpse, no
more—of the chimneys of my home, and this sent a kind of
sharp agony through me that I can feel even to this day. A
shrill scream burst through my quivering lips; another, and—
Oh, joy beyond all words!—the portly form of Mr. D.——, the

well-known plumber and tinsmith of our town, appeared.
round the corner of the depot. I stretched my trembling arms
out toward him. Seizing the situation at a glance, he ran to”
me, and wrenching, with his strong grasp, my foot from its
trap, literally tore me from under the wheels of the Kast-
bound limited express, the fast ‘‘flyer,”’ whose only stop was
Paterson, four miles away!

Poor Mr, D--—! He was pale as ashes, and so wasI. My.
hat was gone, lost in the mad rush of the throbbing monster,
and I neversawitagain. But what mattered that? I was safe
—I was alive, and I needed not the reprimand of the excited -
Mr. D.—— (who was of Hibernian birth, and, as he was wont
to say, ‘‘proud of the job!’’) to start for my home instanter.
Only he put it in rather different style, something like this:
‘Run home, ye red-headed little divil! An’ if I catch ye near
this thrack again, P1M——”’

I did not wait for more. Poor, kind, brave Mr. D——! He
has gone to his last home, but I shall never forget him, nor
the day he rescued me from a swift and terrible death,

A Storm on the River.
(By James Phillips, Pa.)

This story of out adventure on the Monongahela river is the
truth, and nothing but. the truth. It occurred in the year of.
the great Galveston horror, when, if you recall it; the tail end
of that great storm struck Pennsylvania. Myself and a friend
of mine were out on the river in an old fiatboat, the sides of
which were cracked all the way along. When you didn’t sit
in straight water would pourintoit. We were rowing about
the river for pleasure, when all of a sudden and without a
minute’s warning, the wind began to rise and in less time than
it takes to tell it waves were breaking on the river ten feet
high. The wind first struck us on the side, and was gradually
blowing us right into death’s jaws. I wasa good rower and
swimmer, too, but neither accomplishment was any good just
at the time, and to make matters worse for us one of our oar
locks pulled out, and it took me about two minutes to get it in
again and adjust it. AsI got it and started to pull the wind
changed and started to push us right into shore again and
when about twenty yards from shore our boat went all to
pieces and we were both thrown into the water, but I man-
aged to grab my companion under the arms and-finally after .
a very hard tussle landed him safely on shore. I receiveda
reward from him and his parents for saving his life.

A Narrow Escape from Death.
(By Gus Doughty, Ind.) .
Tom was.a youth of fifteen, who lived with his parents near >

‘Anderson.

One Thanksgiving Day I went to his home to .ask him to.
spend Thanksgiving with me. ! 4
**Y would, Gus,” he said, ‘‘but I have to go out in the coun-
try and buy some corn this morning.’’ After a silence of a few
minttes he added, “If you will go with me to buy the corn I

will spend the remainder of the day with you.” oes

I told him I would be ready to go in an hour.

We started about an hour after the above conversation, and
arrived at our destination in due time. When the corn which
Tom bought was loaded into the carriage (we. went in a car-
riage) we started home. |

When we had rode about a mile we came in sight. of the
bridge over Fall Creek. os BS

Tom looked at his watch and said, ‘‘Gus, I am going to see
how long it will take us to get to the bridge.” cs

_When we were crossing the bridge I saw a covey of quails fly
out of the field by the roadside, and I pulled on Tom’s arm to
attract his attention to them. :

When I pulled on his arm the horse turned and would have
run over the edge of the bridge and pulled both of us into the
creek nearly twenty feet below, where we would both have
been drowned. If I had not seen our danger, pulled on the®
other line and turned the horse back in the road. Was it not
a narrow escape from death?

 
 

 

 

  

(LARGE SIZE.)

 

Containing the Only Stories Authorized by Hon, WILLIAM F. CODY (“Buffalo ‘lr:

10—Buffalo Bill’s Bravos; or, Trailing Testor the Land of Death.
~41—The Lost Stage Coach; or, Buffalo Bill’s Long Search. :
-12—Buffalo Bill’s Secret Mission; or, The Fair Hermit of Mystery Valley. \
13—Buffalo Bill’s Boy Bravo Pard; or, On the Texan Terror’s Trail.

14—Buffalo Bill's Saddle Sharps; or, The Pledged Pards of the Pony Express. .

15—Buffalo Bill’s Unknown Ally; or, The Brand of the Red Arrow. |
16—Buffalo Bill’s Pards in Gray: or, On the Death Trails of the Wild West.
17—Buffalo Bill’s Death Deal; or, The Queen of Gold Canyon. f
-18—Buffalo Bill at Graveyard Gap; or, The Doomed Driver of the Overland,
19—Buffalo Bill’s Death Grapple; or, Shadowed by Sure Shots. ,

20-Buffalo Bill in the Nick of Time; or, The Lost Troopers. fe
21—Buffalo Bill in the Valley of Doom; or, Crossing the Dead Line. ee
-22—Buffalo Bill’s Race for Life; or, The Attack on the Wagon Train.

.23-—Buftfalo Bill on the Trail of the Renegades ; or, The Masked Marauder Se

eee, Bill’s Lone Hand; or, Fighting Bandits and Redskins.
25—Buffalo Bill’s Warning; or, Malo, the Mexican’s Death Deal.
mee —Buffalo Bill and the Prairie Whirlwind; or, The Three Avengers.
_27—Bufialo Bill Entrapped; or, The Phantom of the Storm.
28—Bufialo Bill in the Den of the Ranger Chief; or, One Chance in a Thousand.
- 29—Buffalo Bil?s Tussle with Iron Arm, the Renegade; or, Red Snake, the
Pawnee Pard.

ee Bill on the Roost Trail; or, The Redskin Heiress. :

—Buffalo Bill’s Peril; or, Going It Alone in Dead Man’s Gulch. :

Boe Buffalo Bill in Massacre Valley; or, The Search for the Missing Banier. of
-33—Buffalo Bill in the Hidden Retreat; or, The Captives of Old Bear Claws... | —
34—Buffalo Bill’s Disappearance; or, The Stranger Guide of the Rio Grande. | o

35— Buffalo. Bill's Mission; or, The Haunt of the Lone Medicine Man.

| 36—Buffalo Bill and the Woman in Blacks or, In League with the Toll- -Takers. 4
ac Buffalo Bill and the Haunted Ranch; eo The Disappearance of the

- Ranchman’ s Daughter.

Back numbers always. on: hand. If you cannot get them from yout newsdealer, five cents. a er |

will bring them to you, x mail, ae

a we ah, ea, q 2: eo ; : Y :
REE Publishers

ey SRE 4a : bea Bed

BD BL ad - ™®

 

STR

  

 

| 23s. WILLIAM ST., ae YORK CIry. |

 

 

 

 
 

  

 

Not Gold Filled Watches
Not Gold Plated Watches

BUT ABSOLUTELY | ee :

 
  
   
  
 
   
   
   
     

 

 

WARRANTED UNITED STATES ASSAY.

FULL PARTICULARS IN NU!
BOYS OF AMERICA.

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

    

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34

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Prize Contest This Week!

 

   

a
x
3 PRICE, 10 CENTS. e | | ee
3 ie s @ In this volume, every phrase of letter writing is ? '
x Here is a book that every young man should have. Look at some e treated, and innumerable samples of correctly-writ- |
oo ae ae a ten letters are given, showing how a young man ¢ 1
#  Uhe Symptoms of Love—Getting Acquainted—When to § may address a banker or a teacher, a friend or a '
su. Miarry—The Age to Marry—Love Producing Qualities— & stranger, a bridegroom or. a widower, etc., etc. .
% Imaginary Love — Flirtatton — Prudery — Deception — S oa oN ea oe

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4 S idow—Lovers’ Quarrels—Long and Short Engagements Letters—A Father's Letter to an Erring Son—A

i 3 —The Rejection of a P roposal— ‘The Rejected Lover— ig Brother's Warning to a Sister-—-The Sister's Reply ‘

it x =—- Pleasing a Sweetheart — Courtship — Love Gifts—Love & BU otlerd of inte diction 1 elteeeot Condolence

i a Signals and Signs—Embsaces— The Art-of Kissing—Love is Lettersof Congratulation —Love Letters—Wedding i

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x These are only a few of the best subjects treated, and which a es and Regrets—N otes of Ceremony and Com- a
x makes the book not only a-valuable guide to the young lover, but & pliment—Business Letters—A pplication in Answer |
S$ also fascinating reading for any oe inan. S to Advertisement— Miscellaneous Letters, etc., etc. 4
28 for sale by all newsdealers. If ordered by mail, add four cents = z fs, 3
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s STREET & SMITH, 238 William St., New York City i STREET & SMITH, 238 William St., N. Y. City.

  
 

 

 

 
 

   
  
 

 

 

 

 

(St.George for Englattd) [roma eanuiaee | le Forest.
| GAHENTY «(Mee | SS UNelatieal| eagaerbamere

 

 

 

THE BEST AND MOST FAMOUS BOOKS
WRITTEN FOR BOYS ARE PUBLISHED IN

Price, 10 Cents. All Newsdealers

 

These books are full size. Bound in handsome illuminated covers. The authors of
the stories published in the Medal Library hold first place in the hearts of the youth of our
land. Among the many writers found in this library may be mentioned the names of

OLIVER OPTIC G. A. HENTY GEO. MANVILLE FENN FRANK H. CONVERSE
HORATIO ALGER, JR. JAMES OTIS ARTHUR SEWALL W. H. G. KINGSTON
LIEUT. LOUNSBERRY EDWARD S. ELLIS GORDON STABLES CAPT. MAYNE REID
GILBERT PATTEN WM. MURRAY GRAYDON CUTHBERT BEDE JULES VERNE
LEON LEWIS CAPT. MARRYAT MATTHEW WHITE, JR. BROOKS McCORMICK

 

STREET & SMITH, Publishers, 238 WILLIAM ST., NEW YORK

 

 

 

From Canal Boy | The Boy Slaves | figjge Adve e Young Yagers
to President | sYCAPT.MAYNE REID | if Roe N CAPT. MAYNE REID ae Mi

2

®T HORATIO ALGER, JR.