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_ A-WEEKLY PUBLICATION _
DEVOTED TO BORDER HISTORY

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issued Weekly. By Subscription $2.50 per year. Entered as Second Class Matter at New Vork Post Office by STREET & SMITH. 2395 William St... N. VY.

 

No. 95. Price, Five Cents.

 

 

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BUFFALO BILLS GALLANT STAND

THE InpIANS BAST WISTORY

 

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4 HIDEOUS SAVAGE FORCED HIS PONY FORWARD AND FIRED HIS RIFLE FULL INTO BUFFALO BILL’S FACE, BUT THE BULLET MISSED ITS MARK,
FOR GENERAL CUSTER HAD DELIVERED A SLASHING CUT AT THE NECK OF THE REDSKIN JUST IN THE NICK OF TIMR.
be

 
 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

A WEEKLY PUBLICATION
DEVOTED TO BORDER HISTORY

 

 

 

Issued Weekly. Bs Subscription $2.30 per year.

Entered is second Class Ma'ter at the N.Y. Post Office, 6) STREET & SMITH, 238 Willhiam St., N. ¥.

Entered according to Act of Congres ¢ tn the year 1903, tn the Office of the Librurtan of Congress, Washington, D. C.

 

No. 95, : f

NEW YORK, March 7, 1903.

Price Five Cents.

 

  

 

By the author of “BUFFALO BILL.”

 

CHAPTER I.
THE NINE SAVAGES.

A rushing, brawling river, swollen with winter rains,
sweeping down on its bosom uprooted saplings and the
occasional carcass of an animal drowned trying to cross;
the dark, leafless trees of huge tracts of forest lying in the
background, and straight ahead the vast level prairie,
Ww hich now, in spite ae its being the end of March, was
held fast in grim winter’s bitter grip.

A cheerless and uninviting landscape, with no sign of
life to break the monotony.

Yes, there was one.

_A solitary horseman, in a thick fur overcoat, with mili-
tary overalls, and high boots, his hat pulled well down
on his head, came trotting from the direction of the forest,
and, keeping along the river bank, skirted the great
open prairie.

The rider was Buffalo Bill, world-renowned scout and
hunter, at that time acting as chief of the scouts of the
United States Army.

. It was a time of trouble; the Indians were in arms, and
slaying in all directions.

Sioux, Cherokee and Crow had all ‘united, and the red
warriors roamed in their thousands over hundreds of

square miles, a sanguinary, fiery track ae their

‘progress.

od

They had now got into the vast territory known as the
Rad Lands, and the difficulty was to locate them.

This task Buffalo Bill had undertaken.

As he rode along his eyes roved in all Geet and
little escaped his notice. Of a sudden he drew rein and
gazed steadfastly at the ground; a moment later he dis-
mounted, and on hands and knees examined the sign.

There was Indian sign, plain and freshly made. Work- |
ing systematically, the scout followed the tracks, and
found they led tp from the river, where the impress of a
canoe was still leit on the bank.

Retracing his steps, Buffalo Bill followed the tracks
with all the care and skill of the trained backwoodsman.

“There were nine Indians,’ he muttered, “belonging
to the Sioux nation. They were part of a big war-party,
and were probably on their way to join their companions,
er were engaged upon some minor business.”

No care “had been taken to cover the trail, and Buffalo
Bill followed it easily.

It led him back to another branch of the forest which
he had quitted, and then branched off to the north.

“There must have been more than nine men altogether,”
thought Buffalo Bill.

“Some one took the canoe back; it was nowhere hidden.
that’s certain, and it was not brought with them.”

Everything seemed to point to the fact that some par-
ticular reason had prompted the Indians to land, for

 

   

 
 

a THE BUFFALO
though they made a big sweep, their tr ail led back to a
spot not so very far from the place where they had landed.

About an hour later the ashes of a recent camp-fire were
reached; close to the ashes the broken stock of a gum lay,
one or two feathers were trodden into the damp earth,
ard some thirty yards away a round fur cap, such as is
worn by better-class traders, lay between the roots of a
great tree.

‘Buffalo Bill’s intimate knowledge of woodcraft enabied
him to read the history of what had happened as plainly
as though it ee been printed in a book and laid before
him.
A Whe man had been lying or sitting by a fire, the re-
fection of which had been seen by a par ty of braves going

up strearn in a canoe.

These had landed, made a detour, and taken the white

jan by surprise.

eS ‘had made a fight, the teagilers showing he had
pt one or two about, while the broken gun stock

stifed to his prowess.

wh romn the footprints Buffalo Bill also gathered that he
had been overpowered, captured, and borne off prisoner,

probably toward that big Bert that was known to be on
the warpath.

The scout spent no time in idle conjecture—a fellow-
being was in danger.

Duty and inclination both led him the same way, a ad .
inounting, he on. his search for the perpetrators
of the crime.

So marked was ie ee that as long as the light lasted
it was easy to follow it on horseback, and mile after mile
was left behind.

From the freshness of the marks, jt was evident the
party was not so very much ahead- —four hours at the ut-
most, and Buffalo Bill had the advantage of being

mounted.

When the light got faint, the Lone ed, and
kept on until he could see no longer, then he gave over
until the moon, which was almost ot the full, should rise.

The night was extremely cold, and the scout had as
‘much as he could do to keep his blood circulated as he

sat on the frezen ground waiting for the moon to rise.

At last it got light enough for. him to see the trail, oe
off he started. -

The Indians had hau curse across the pr airie, evi-
dently making for that wild district toward the foot. of the
Rockies where white men seldom set foot.

The ground was very undulating now, and id places
was covered with stunted, scrubby trees. :

In many places the trail was difficult to follow on ac-
count of the nature of the ground; but Buffalo Bill per-
severed, and after about three hours’ work, he was de-.
lighted at seeing straight in front of him a faint glimmer.
shat looked: in “the distance ike ge glowing end: of a
match. © 4

As he? got poser this. appeared and: Oca but.
every time he saw it, it got larger and larger, which
proved he was going in the right direction.

There was clearly uneven ground between him and this
light, which was probably in’ the midst” of the: serubby.
trees before mentioned.

By and by the red glow took : more definite shape, =
if was:seen: ‘to be a fire. a

in number,

BILL STORIES.

Nearer and nearer the scout drew, until he judged the
time had arrived to exercise nore caution, —
He hobbled his steed, saw that his rifle and revolvers

were in working order, ana then star ted on foot to mate

a reconnoissanice.

He was approaching a thick clump of ee buisies,
and among these a fire was burning.

Around this fire several figures were to be seen moving
occasionally to and fro.

Getting around to the windward, ‘Buffalo ‘Bill ap-
pr coached. slowly and cautiously.

As he got nearer he saw that the eneamipment was one
of Indians. Counting them, he found that they were nine

Closer and closer he got, and at length he could. dis-

tinguish the features of the Indians, and could see all that-

was taking-~place ar ound the fire, which was a large ore.

Beside it was a heap of fuel intended to feed it “during
the night, and within the glow of the flames lay a huge
piece of buffalo meat wrapped up in the hide. __.

At some distance further, though still within view from
the fire, lay a figure seemingly lashed to a long pole, and
in such a fashion that it was impossible for him to move.

By the dress Buffalo Bill saw at once the prisoner was a
white man, doubtless he who had been captured the night
before,

The number of Sones lying rant pointed to the fact

_ that the Indians, as is their | wont, had eaten to excess,
and, like gorged animals, would sleep long and heavily.

had wrapped themselves in their.

+ it ankets, and were snoring loudly, while two of them con-

Several, in. fact,
versed in drowsy tones wile they puffed at their pipes.
One man only was thoroughly awake, and he was the
sentry over the prisoner. ea
From time to time, for the purpose of keeping himself
alert, this man would take a turn around the fire, which
he would kick into renewed lite, occasionally throwing
on another log, or he would ages a native ar, ‘staring out
across the prairie. plete

Once he crossed to the prisoner, . he savagely

kicked, and when the «poor fellow cried out, he laughed
gleefully, and in broken English reviled him for sleeping
so soundly, promising he would soon be at his journey’s
end, when he would discover how Indians put the endur-
ance of their prisoners to the test.

By their long hair and their war-paint Buffalo Bill saw

the men were of the Sioux ae ad that they were on
the warpath. :

An hour passed, and the sents ‘occasionally yawned

and stretched himself, being clearly as sleepy as his con
panions, and from the glances he kept throwing at the
moon, anxiously waiting for his term of standing sentry
to expire, so that he might get the slecp he coveted.

- The scout was concealed in a burrow by the side of a
spring by which the Indians had to for Ae sake
of the water. |

An idea occurred to Buffalo Din, ‘and fe Gracentelt to’
put it into execution. With a sapling branch that lay by

him he splashed the water a dozen times, then looked to
see whether the Indian had noticed the noise.

It so, he took no notice, but continued to gaze dreamily
into the fire. In a few minutes’ tine Buffalo Bill: splashed

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

‘THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. 3

the water again, and saw that the redskin had noticed the
unconimon ‘sound.

In a few more minutes the splashing was continued,
aud the Indian pricked up his ears and gazed over toward
the spring, but in the darkness could see nothing.

The spring lay about fifty feet from the camp-fire,
therefore the sound could be only faintly heard.

Still, the scout knew the curiosity of Indians, and was
sure that by and by the man would have’to come across
and see what it was that caused the noise.

The danger was that he might awaken one of his com-
panions, so that he might have company, and this would
have spoiled the scout’s plans. _ -

He proceeded with great caution, therefore, and
splashed gently, ntaking a noise as if some big fish were
caught on a hook and was struggling to get free.

“Presently he had the satisfaction of seeing the red-
sin arise from the fire, and, looking that he rifle was
loaded, come strolling toward the spring,

This was what the scout wanted, and it favored his
plan for effecting the release of the prisoner, that being
the object he had in view. ~

He crouched down as the Indian approached, and kept
entirely out of sight.

The brave reached the spring, ane gazed into the water.

Seeing nothing, however, he strolled along a little way,
and was turning to return to the fire, when -something
black shot up, as though out of the ground, a thin, snaky
object curled in the air, failing round the Indian’s neck,
and in an instant he was on his back with a lasso tighten-
ing around his throat.

“The choking tightness prevented him from crying out,
and before he hardly realized what had happened, a dark
form sprang upon him and forced something into his
mouth which prevented him from uttering a sound.

Arms and legs were bound, and with very little noise
the Indian was made a prisoner.

Buffalo Bill stripped his head-dress a blanket from

him, and, putting them on himself, walked back toward

the camp.
Not one of the Indians moved, and the scout was free
to act. He crossed to the prisoner, over whom he bent.
“Don't make a sound,” he whispered; “I am going to
liberate you.’

The white man was half asleep, and hardly understood
what was happening as Buffalo Bill cut his bonds.

Ile rubbed his eves, and stared at his deliverer.

“Can you stand?” asked the scout.

Great heavens! Bill Cody!” gasped the man.

The scout looked at the prisoner’s fair hair and beard,
but. did not recognize him.

“Don’t you Tgpicnaber Leonard ae asked the pris-
oner.

“What, can 7 he my a ae of. i Sevens Cay

alny 2? said Buffalo Bill.

“T little thought I was following on the trail of an cid

chum. But can you manage to walk?”
Lal teyy” replied Leonard Dare, and he endeavored to
move, but found his limbs were so cramped and dead,

owing to having been bound up so Hehtly, that he could

not move.

-“That’s awkward,” ’ whispered the scout; “but take. Ge

revolver.

st a I Bg ai
A SETS r = SSUES aaa

“If these fellows wake up we shall have to fight for it.”

For some minutes Buffalo Bill chafed Dave's legs and
arms, and presently the man was able to stand on his feet.

They were just about to creep quietly away, when on
the night air a thrilling, ear-splitting cry rang out. It
was the war-whoop of the Sioux!

In an instant seven warriors roused themselves and
sprang to their feet. Seeing the two white men, they
seized their weapons and sprang toward them.

“Fire, and spare not!” cried Buffalo Bill, bringing his
rifle to his shoulder. ‘We shall be outnumbered if they
close with us. \For a moment we have the advantage.”

and, suiting the action to the word, he sent the cen-
tents of his rifle straight at the foremcst savage.

CHAPTER I:
A TOUGH FIGHT—THE ESCAPE.

The redskin who had been shot lay upon the ground,
the blood welling from his wound. .

Six ‘warriors hurled themselves at Buffalo Bill and
Dare, when again the rifle spoke, and although one brave
yelled out and dropped back, he was only slightly
wounded, and continued, after a moment, to fight.

A tomahawk came whizzing by Buffalo Bill’ s arm, the
blade shaving through his coat.

A blow from the scout's rifle-butt beat off the man. but
two others, armed with knives, leaped upon him, and-a
struggle for life began.

Dare shot one of these men with his revolver, and Buf-
falo Bill was enabled to grip the other by the arm that
held the knife and by the throat.

While he and the Indians were struggling a curious
thing happened.
One of the Indians who had been so dead asleep as
not to have awoke at the first noise, sprang to his feet,

tornahawk in hand.

The first thing he saw was an Indian—one of his com- _
panions—standing by the fire, taking aim with his rifle at

Dare’s head:

Still half asleep, and thinking this must be an enemy,
the Indian, without a moment's hesitation, sprang upon
the man with the rifle, and with one blow of his toma-
hawk dashed out his brains.

As the body fell the man recognized ie own com-
panion and saw what he had done, when, with a yell of
horror, he dashed up to Dare, who was gallantly attempt-
ing to defend himself against three attackers.

‘Above the din of the fight the Indian whom Buffalo
Bill had decoyed and bound, continued to utter most
piercing whoops, which cries were answer ed by his com-
eg

Dare was able for a minute to keep his enemies at bey
with his revolver; but when the man who had unwittingly

killed his own comrade joined the other three they all to-

gether flung themselves upon him, and, weak as he was,
he could offer little resistance.

They got him onto the ground, and, while two held hin
another coolly loaded a rifle, and, walking up to the pris-
oner, placed the muzzle to his head, with the intention
of blowing out his brains. .

Buffalo. Bill, though, had seen his friend’s danger, AGE
making a prodigious effort, had forced the brave’s arm

 

 

 
 

 

 

ae _ ‘THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

back until the knife was prevented from doing any dam-

age, and all the while he had gripped the man’s throat
until his eyes were almost starting from his head.

Then, with a sudden moyement, he released the In-
dian’s throat, tore the knife from his grasp, buried it in
his chest, and springing away as his enemy’s clutch re-
laxed, leaped to his feet.

Poising the blood-stained knife a acini in his hand,
he hurled it with all his strength, the point striking be-

* tween the shoulders of the Indian wiih the rifle, the blade
“was buried to the hilt in the man’s back.

The rifle exploded, and so close to Dare’s head that the
flash singed his hair; but as the Indian sank to the ground
with a groan the bullet zipped into the earth.

Swinging his terrible rifle, which he had now recovered,
Butfalo “Bill beat in the skull of one of the men who held
Dare, when the others, terrified at the slaughter pf their

companions, with wild yells darted off into ‘the darkness.

“My horse,” said the scout.
nog ‘they discover him we are lost again, for our means

of escape will be cut off.”

“Where is it?

“Go ahead, old chap ; Y m much betes”

oo) ean run, Pehink /

Away they went, a couple of shots coming after them
from the Indians who had run away. +

But when they got out of the reflection cast by. the fire
fio more shots were fired at them.

It was a good distance to the horse, but at last he ani-
mal was seen quietly awaiting his master’s return.

“We're all right now,” cried Buffalo Bill. “Up into
the saddle.” g

As Dare mounted,
ground and listened. _
i “They're following us,” he said.
foot and they will track us down.”

He had hardly spoken when two flashes spit out from
behind them, and a sharp pain in his left arm told Buffalo
Bill he was wounded.
_ “Quick, Dare! they’re closer than I thought. Give me

-hand up—so. Now straight ahead at top speed. :

The animal, though it bore a double burden, made:a

said Dare.

the scout threw himself on the

“They think we're on

eallant effort, and away. they went, Dare in front, and —

Ruffalo Bill holding on around his waist.

Glancing back from time to time, they saw a couple of

cark . Sa racing behind | them, but there was little

chance of their being overtaken.
Buffalo Bill, with his wounded arm, was unable fo use
his rifle, or he would have made the braves regret their
tenacity.

The horse, however, eS line good. speed, bore. them
out of danger, and after a couple of hours. they both dis- -

mounted,

‘The first ene. to be done was to see to Buffalo Bill $

wvound.

bullet having. ploughed up the flesh pretty. deeply.
» Suid :

aT can spare a drop. of blood; it will ee my. brain

pear,

wy bees the risk Ne fever,” ‘said Dare.

“Not with me; my blood i is pure enough ; but how on.

It was pound up in the scout’s handkerchief, when he

earth did you manage to get into the hands of those ras- _

cals, and how has the world been treating g you since I

last saw you? It must be sixteen years ago.

“It was more. My daughter was a baby. ‘But’ first
let me thank you for the service you have just done me.
I shall never be able to repay you.”

“That you can’t say; and, besides, between such old
friends as we are there should be no mention of repay-
ing.
“In the old days, when we were both in the Seventh
Kansas Cavalry, we had many a narrow shave together,”

“True, Cody, and I often think of it,’

“How is your wife?”

“It’s just about her I have been worrying my heart
out.

“T had to-go down South to see about some business for
her, and left her and the yeungsters all safe and. well.

“I was detained down there ‘longer than | anticipated,
and while [ was away this Indian outbr eak began. -

“Il hurried back to be on the spot, in case of accidents,
for, as you know, our place is pretty close to the Bad
Lands, when, as Fate would have it, my horse stepped
into an ants’ hole and, broke his leg off short below the
knee,

“There was nothing for it but to shoot the poor brute, -
and, carrying saddle and bridle, I started on foot,

“All went well till last night, when I was within fifty
miles of my place, when I was surprised while asleep at

night, and, though I resisted as long as I could, was over-

powered and taken prisoner.” r

“You should not have made such a big fire, Gi man,

knowing Indians were in the neighborhood,”

“How do you know I made a big fire?” :
“I saw your camp, saw the signs of a strug gele, fol-
lowed your trail, and was thus enabled to rescue you.’

Leonard Dare looked at the spout age ag:

oe ou are a marvel,” he said.

*Pooh! it’s. my trade, But, anyhow, it was eels
I chanced upon you, for if you'd once got to the Sioux
villages, nothing short ol a ‘tniracle could have saved
you.

“T suppose not. And now teh all anxiety to get on to
Richmond Ranch, my home.

ae ae know my wite and children are safe I shall

know no rest.”

Buffalo Bill made no reply, but he had a sinking sen-

sation at his heart, for he knew that Dare’s big farm,

Richmond Ranch, lay in the track of Indians coming
from the reservations of the Crees toward the Bad Lands,
and they would spare. neither age | not sex on 1 their devas-
tating niarch, ..

A few mouthfuls of dried Gatto meat were enten, and
then, mounting, they pushed on again, sunrise ‘finding

then many tiles from the scene OF their night s adven-
1 AL, aa!
This was found to be a ‘nasty rip. in. a ae the

The hor Se, tne a double ony to. carry, and bath big

men, made progress necessarily slow, and occasionally

one or the other or both of them would walk, to fey the

-aminal, and in this way they pushed on until near! ly mid-

day, without having seen any one or anything to alarm
their suspicion,

At last they entered the valley in which ‘Richmond
Ranch stood.

 

 

 

 
Eaten up with anxiety, Leonard Dare pushed forward,
Buffalo Bill; who was on foot, having some difficulty in
keeping up with him. —

Across the well-cleared ground they went, around by
the little stream, and then into the winding drive that led

to the house.

- Dare had gone on ahead, and the scout was throwing
keen: glances from side to side as he hurried after his

friend, when suddenly he uttered a cry, ran into a border

of laurel, and, falling on his knees, picked up an object,

which he carefully examined.

It was a piece of colored wampum, and some damp,
sticky substance was smeared on it,

No second glance was required to tell the scout what
Ae AMES.

The wampum was part of an Indian chief's adorn-
ment, and it was smeared with blood!

Casting his eyes around, Buffalo Bill saw the track of
moccasined feet-——one, two, ten, a hundred.

Oh, Heaven! the worst must have happened.

He arose to his feet, a chilly feeling at his heart, when
footsteps came crashing through the “flowers and shrubs
toward him, and Leonard Dare, his face pale as a corpse,
his eyes bloodshot, and his whole form shaking with ex-
citement, stagger ed toward the scout.

“Cody ! Cody! !” he gasped.

“Good Heaven, they’ve been here!
ruins! Help me!”

 

‘The house is in

CHAPTER III
“DARE REGISTERS A VOW.

The agonized appearance of his old friend went straight
to Cady’s heart; he.needed.no such appeal, in faet, aa he
sprang forward and grasped Dare’s hand.
“Take heart, old chap!” he eried.
“Bear up. . Things may not be so. black as they look.
You stop here, and I'll go and have a look around,”
Stunned and dazed, Leonard Dare sank to the gr ound,
- and the scout strode. oif toward the house,
He saw his horse just w here Dare had left it, and there
in front of him stoed the ruins of Richmond Ranch.

set.on fire; furniture had been thrown out of the win-
_ dow and smashed; cattle had beet geuthiessly slaughtered,
and where once had stood a fine“house and outbuildings
nothing was to be seen now but a total wreck.
_ Butfalo Bill steeled his heart and went forward.

 

there little pools of blood gave ominous proof of a strug-
gle having been. waged. -
‘Inside the house the scene defied description. i
To Buffalo Bill, who had only seen it once, when hand:
.-- some Mrs. Dare and two bonnie children made the place
1 with love and laughter, the scene was one of over-
‘Poann sadness, but what would it have been to poor
_ Leonard Dare, the husband and the father, no man could
_ Say,
From room to room the scout went, reading only too
__ well the sad tale.
The place had been taken by surprise, and the Indians
had gained an entrance. Roused from their beds, the

 

 

THE BUFFALO

It had been hacked and battered; part of it had been.

Indian signs abounded on all sides, and every here and

 

BILL STORIES. oS a

hands had made some resistance, but had been overpow-
ered, and either slain or taken prisoners.

TF'rom the appearance of the sleeping apartments of the
women, it appeared that they had dressed, and had either
attempted to escape, or had been immediately seized.

Two dead bodies—those of an elderly woman and of a
little boy—-were found, both brained by tomahawks.

-In the wing that had been burned there were the re-
mains of several bodies, charred and perfectly unrecog-
nizable, and oné man, who was half buried under a heap
of rubbish, had signs of the Indians having perpetrated

-herrible atrocities on him, propa torturing a to

death. .

The next thing was to examine the trail of oe
dians, and this Buffalo Bill did most carefully, and the

conclusion he drew gave him a ray of hope.

‘He returned to Dare, who sat where he had heen. left,
looking the very picture of despair.

“What news—what hope, Cody?” he asked, with the
eagerness of a drowning man who catches at a straw.

“Bad news, but some hope, Dare. Be a man; bear up,
and remember if you cannot Save, you must avenge.’

“Oh, Heaven, Heaven!” groaned the unhappy man,
“and has it come to this? It's only tem years ago I

brought her here a happy bride.”

He bur ied his face in his hands, and. bopeed as oe ¢
man ean. Then for a few minutes he was silent, and
3utfalo Bill left him, feeling himself too much affected to

speak.

Suddenly Leonard Dare leaped to his feet, and, cross-
ing to Buffalo Bill, seized him by the hand.

“Cody,” he said, “you were always a true friend: help
me now, and | will bless you all my life.”

“That’s right, Dare; be a man, “and you can count on
me to the death.”

Tel me what—happened. "i :
“As far as 1 can see the Indians took the place by sur-
prise, and there was little or no resistance till they were in
the house. Then all those who resisted were slain, the
women were captured, and the place given over to ) pillage .

and ite,”
“There are—no---bodies—you know !”

“None, save one or two of the men, who possibly

showed fight, an old woman and a boy. ,
VAI a hoy! Who—not my William: ”

“IT should say not,” said Buffalo Bill, embar rassed by
the question ; “but you can see for yourself, e

Slowly the two men advanced toward the house, Dare
saying never a word.

The place where the bodies were was reached, suit
Dare looked down upon him. :
“Poor little chap!” he said. “He as son of one
of the farmhands, a used to play ihe may ewn chil-

dren.”
Then, suddenly seizing Buffalo Bill's arm, he’ said :
“Come, the place stifies me!” ~

They went out, and Dare took two spades from a heap

of implements w hich lay in a shed.

He and Buffalo Bill then silently sree and dug a
good-sized grave some distance from the hotise, and into
this the remains of the murdered people were placed.

After the grave was filled in, Dare placed a heap of

stones on it; then, falling on his knees beside it, he raised

TASS RUN

 
--no ‘more, give me strength to avenge them! -

    

oo | ‘THE BUFFALO

his Minched hands and pale face to the sky, ane while

- his voice vibrated with the intensity’ of emotion, he
prayed:

“Father of Heaven, Just Master, have mercy upon me!>

Guide me to the rescue of my loved ones, or, if they five

i. listen,
I ord, to the prayer of a broken-hearted man, and grant

_ me their lives; but if it is Thy will to take them, let mine

be the arm to avenge them.”

For some minutes more his lips moved, though no
sound escaped them, and Buffalo Bill stood by with “bared
head, awed by the intensity of that strong man’s passion.

Dare arose to his feet and said to the scout:

“I am ready; let us start.”

The work of picking up the trail was cmicnced, and
Buttalo Bill was busy for more than a hour.

At length he seemed satisfied in his mind, and started
off on foot, Dare*following, leading the horse.

In this fashion several miles were made, until they came

to a narrow stream, which, in the summer, was simply a.

dried-up watercourse, but which then was of consider-
_ able breadth. if

It was easily forded, however, and the two crossed..

On the opposite bank Buffalo Bill examined the trail
very minutely, going to and fro, and up and down, mov-
‘ing with caution so as not to obliterate a mark, and often
studying on his hands. and knees a sign tor several min-
utes.

At last he turned to Dare, who watched him. without -

saying a word.
A smile was on the scout! s face.
“There is hope for you,” he said.
were with the Indians, besides one or two men.
the women wore well- made, pointed-toed shoes, with a
high, sley i: heel, such as your wife would wear in the
. other two wore broad, flat- heeled boots, and.
one had one foot in a stocking only.”
“You cat see all a me ao Dare, with an eager catch
in his voice. —
“Decidedly ; and so can non Come here!
. They both knelt, and Buffalo Bill showed Dare, on 1 the
soft earth:by the bank of the stream, the footmarks he
fad seen; but they were so trodden over and around by
i footmarks of the Indians, that Dare ou not see so
‘learly as the scout. .

“There are also several children with them,”
ialo Bill. e

“One, I should say, was a ‘He, and the others may be
girls; but I am not sure.’

~~ “Oh, God, I thank Thee for this ray of hope ! hy aid
fo Dare; and they moved forward.
Hour after hour they followed. ‘the trail, a hich on

“Three white women

  

eg

- time to time Buffalo Bill stooped” and scrutinized, ana al

* last he turned again to Dare:
“There is a little boy with the Saciene and he. is in
_ charge of a brave who is kind to him.”

“low on earth can you know that?”

“T notice that his footmarks when visible are always :
beside those 6f an Indian, who walks with a limp, or has”
an injured leg. Every now and then the boy’s tootmarks ~
disappear, and the man’s get. deeper and heavier, that ©

points to the fact that the boy is carried.”
“Is that so?”

 

BILL STORIES.

One of

loa Buf: eo

_ around it, Buffalo Bill uttered a cry of delight.

  

\

“T am certain of it. And this brave has taken a fancy

to the boy, which is not uncommon, and so he carties him

when he is tired.”

“What else could he do?” eed Dare.

Buffalo Bill would uae os the question, but Dare /
repeated it.

“In such cases,” said the scout, gently, ‘ ‘many a child
has had its brains beaten out a been thrown aside to the
wolves,”

Dare set his teeth, and then ae yl the remains
of a camp was seen, and Buffalo Bill examined a
portion of it.

The ashes of the fire, the bones, the marks on the earth,

39

the spot from which fuel had been cut, and the pool from
which water had been obtained —all these came in for _

their share of attention. .
“Everything goes to Oe ves I have said,” he ex- |

plained to Dare.

“The Indians are another party of Sioux. They are
pretty numerous, and are under several chiefs.

“The female prisoners had a sort of shelter made for
them, and possibly the children, too; the men were tied
to poles and lay there,”. pointing to a spot where the scant
gr ass was much worn.

“What will be the fate of the captives: ”

“Vhe children will Pee be Agprted into the tr ibe.”

“And the women ?”

“Goodness knows.”

“And the men?”

“Will probably die at the stake.”

“As I thought. And the women will bé _given as
wives to the chiefs, though you will not say so. Let us
push on.’

“We must rest; it will do no good overexerting our

‘strength, We must be ready. to act in an instant if Te-

quired,’
“Iam ready at any moment.”
It was very cold during the night, and snow fell heavily.

Buffalo Bill was delighted.

“This snow is a: godsend ! lie cried.
How: pe
“It will show fe trail plainly. We can illo it on
horseback and shall:soon overtake them ; though when we

_ do, what we are going. to do I can’t say yet.

“Of course we canpot alone attack a hundred of them.”
el cae oth.
“I shall go straight

   

head and join them; SO long as I

. am_with my own people, I don’t care.’

“That would be worse than foolish,’ ie said ‘the, Scout.

kindly.

“We must do better ‘than nak If you cannot help
them as a free. man, do you think yee could do any good

as a prisoner?”

“We shall see.’
With the first ae of tight he ae on, and all

_ day. stuck to it in a way that would have exhausted twice

over any ordinary men; but the scout was a man of iron,
and the intense excitement under which Dare labored fd
not let him feel hunger, cold, or fatigue.

Toward night they came upon the marks. of the. In-
dian’’ camp of the day before, and, running quickly

 

  

 
 

 

THE BUFFALO

a They ate oeaeily one aye ‘march on from us,” he

cried..

ied hey were overtaken by the snow in. thay camp last
night, just as we were. Hurrah! now we are sure of ©
them.” .

‘How so?”

“Why, they will make a big, trond. trail on the. snow,
and, as little has fallen during the day, it won't be cov-
ered up. We can follow it at Speed on porebacl, and
shall soon know what to expect.”

“Ves, that’s right; let us on then in God’s name.’

Hour after hour they pushed forward, now os
mounted on the horse, the trail being easily followed in
the moonlight.

Dare seemed capable of going on forever without tir-
ing, but Buffalo Bill knew . the HpOr ers Bt ing
ft ‘and insisted upon a short halt.

Long before it was light, however, they were on the.
move again, reaching a piace where the party they were
following had made a halt. :

Buffalo Bill made the usual inspection of the spot, ad
after some minutes went off in a direction away from the.
original trail.

ue lere’s been a bit of a split here, * he said to Dare.

- “Never mind that; let us push on after the prisoners.”

ult seems here they were divided,” said Buffalo Bill.

“What do you mean?”

‘Why, among the tracks left I can't see that. of the
—hittle boy, but the limping man went off by himself due
west.”

‘What has that got to do with it} ig

“Fe may have the boy with him.”

“Ha! so he may, but then my wife—nvy poor wife, I
must think first of her,” and he started off on the trail
again.

Buffalo Bill bade him patise.

“7 think 1 should follow this trail a fi ie Sala, Lt
may lead to something important.” :

_ -*“T- don’t know.
“Tf you'll be advised by me you'll tam oft on this mage
trail, 1 have an idea it will be best.”

_ What are your feasons?”" el

“First, there is only one Indian, whom we can easily
secure.

“He has had charee of the boy, and he may ave him:
_ with him now; any how, we are sure to get some informa-

‘tion from him about the prisoners, also particulars of the

war party and of their ae
low the trail.”

There was. a struggle i in 1 Dare’ s mind for some minutes,
then he said:

“As you will—you have been right sO far, 1 will be
fl guided by you to the end.”

Away they set on the trail of the one man, and 2 coupie
of miles along it Buffalo ‘Bill uttered an exclamation ok
Satisfaction. __.

“Look! look !” he said.

“As I suspected, the brave has got the boy; ‘there are
his footsteps.”

_ Dare saw the tiny bopusa ties beside the big. ones, and

examined . them attentively; then, full, of “hope, they
pushed on.

ae

; again

I would rather pursue these wretches.”

a aaree you to fol-

oe

Daylight found them still on the trail, and nearing a
deep ravine on rocky ground.

The footmarks led toward the south side of the ravine,
and, Buffalo Bill, judging by the freshness of the trail,

BILL STORIES.

concluded they must be hot upon the man that they were
following.

“You follow the trail on the horse, Dare, and 1 will

keep you in sight, but move parallel with you on the

flank. If you see an Indian, attempt to get into parley
with him and speak him fair; I suppose you can apeals a
bit of the Sioux language ?”
“A little: enough to make myself understood.”
“Good, then ; mind what you are about, and remember
T shall have you in sight, and shall be ready to come to
your assistance.’

Por nearly an hour after that Dare rode on until the

trail led up the steep side of the ravine, sie seemed ia, "
end abruptly beside a great stone. *

tle was gazing around wondering what ae meaning of

_ this was, when a big’, fierce- looking Indian suddenly ap-
_ peared from behind the bowlder,
proceeded to take a steady aim at the horseman.

ands leveling a rifle,

Seeing ‘him, and remembering Buffalo Bill’s instruc-
tions, Dare held the palms of his “hands toward the Indian

in sign of peace, calling out that he was a friend.

The Indian paused a moment, then dropped his rifle,
to lift it, and take a steady look along the sights,
“Fold, your fire, redskin, Iam a friend,” yelled. Dare.
“Wy hite man no friend to Injun,” said the warr ior, ina
guttural voice. ss as
“What for follow?” ee ies
“I want to see the little ey: you. have oF you.’
“Boy, bey, what for you want boy}: go or Tee- cum-dah
fire.” ,
‘Don’t do that; let us palaver.’”
“Palaver no ood; go, red man ne want ee pafemoe”

At this moment a tall fgure appeared on the ue

just behind Tee-cum-dah and a voice cried:
“Tay down your rifle, Indian, or you are a dead man,’

The redskin turned to see: Buffalo Bill. = cealy - |

aini at him: with Wis rife ls ees tes
“Treachery,” said the Indian. . nes a
“You shall die, -paleface,” and ‘he fired at ‘Dare.

The shot missed the mark, sak the hors se fell, inging

-Dare to the ground...

Before Tee-cum- ok ee rela Buffale: Bi sprang
toward him, and, pointing his rifle full at his heart, he
commanded him to throw down his gun. ce
> "Tire YP" said the Indian, folding his arms.

“Tee-curm-dah is not a squaw.’

Dare freed himself: from the horse a ale made for

the Indian, who stood immovable, though there Was a
~ strange glitter-in his eye.

Cae “that moment there was a. childish scream of fe ddieht
and a little flaxen-headed boy darted. into view, and, run-
ning toward Dare, cried:

“Papa, do not kill Tee- -cum- -dah; he has been ‘so -kind
io me; he is a good Indian.” -

“My boy! ng Neried Dare, catching « up thie. Tittle fellow
and straining him to his breast —" my dear boy, Heaven
be thanked that you at least are saved, HE ate

AQ four stood a moment Totionless, then Buffalo Bil

 
 

 

 

8 | ‘THE BUFFALO

‘advanced to the Indian, his rifle held by the muzzle in
his left hand, his right hand extended in welcome.
“Tee-cum- -dah,” he said, “let there be peace ‘between
us; the white men are not Ungracctyl ey owe e you
thanks.”
Tee cun- dah took the hand. ee
“The Great Spirit can see Tee-cum- -dah’s heart. He
knows there is no anger in it.
“Tee-cum-dah will smoke with ie pale. nen”

. ‘They shook hands, and then. little” Willie Dare ran a

and took the red man’s hand.
“This is my papa,” he said, pointing to Dare. a
-» “He will give you lots of things for being kind to ‘me.
The Indian took no notice. =
“Why don’t you put me on ‘your shoulder like you
used to: ” said the boy. Se
“Why are you so stern now! ae
~“Wach!
“Not so. Saraquat will love you just the same. ,
“You shall Eo home with me and daddy, and we a all
be happy

=

Nou ‘hall beach a me to shoot snd be a hunter, and take (

scalps and all; only we'll live with papa. :
“Tee-cum- -dah,” said Buffalo Bill, “you are a great

warrior. J am a-great: warrior, too; we will smoke and
talk) 2
“Follow,” said the Indian, And, leading the way behind

the big bowlder, he entered a small cave in ae a fire:

of dry. moss was ae

 

CHAPTER IV. |
THE PARTY FALL IN. WITH A STRANGE TROOP.

There was food inside this cave, and the Indian offered
it to the guests who were indeed in want oF it, and ate
thankfully.

Buffalo Bill was well versed in fas criguctte: and
not a word was said during the meal; that being finished,
a pipe was produced, filled with tobacco, and the Indian,
smoking first, it was handed to Buffalo Bill and Dare in
turns, who, after each had puffed, pa it back to Tee-
caum-dah.

“Wagh! began the latter.

“The ax has been dug up, the chiefs at the council have
ordered “the dog dance to be danced, the warriors have
gone out for scalps; why do we talk?” :

“My brother’s heart is angry,’ said Buffalo Bil. |
_ “We talk because we wish to bury the hatchet ; there is
no anger in the hearts of the palefaces toward ‘Tee- -cilm=
dah. -
“They are angry only with those wae. have done
wrongly and broken the peace.”

“Wagh! it was the paleface who drove us to war.

“The Sioux nation wéuld have kept peace.”

This was not true, and Buffalo Bill knew it, but i aa
not want to. further irritate the Indian, who, he sav;
might be useful.

-Rnowing how true it is that a soft answer turneth away
wrath, he said:

“Our red brother doubtless” knows these things bett- Sr
than we do, but there is at least peace between us. He
has saved the son of the white chief,” et Dare,

a

Tee-cum-dah has lost the little. ee : a

BILL STORIES,

“The white men would like to learn particulars of a

and also find out something of the other prisoners.’

“Saraquat,” this was the name the Indian had given
little Dare---"Saraquat has the aoe tongue of a Squaw ;
let him speak.”

Vhus asked, the lad, nestling to the big, » ugly Indian,

said :

a begeber it all. Me and ee was woke up. in
the night by the noise; such awful shrieking and shout-
ing you never heard—just like the red men.do when
they're mad, and then mamma came running into our

d9

room---—-

“Boy,” said Dare, dnable to control his emotion, ‘tere

“4s your motherr. 4

“She's with the Indians, and Emmy and Jem Blake

and Hugh Evans, and——”
“That's ‘enough, y said the poor tien “Is she ‘un-
hurt re”
“Oh, yes. Big Horse, that’s what they call the chief,

manima ‘belongs to him now: He looks after her, and so

_ does Sitting Short Bull.
Dare’s face turned deadly pale, “us hic eyes blazed as /

he turned to Tee-cum-dah.
“Is this true?” he asked.
“Wagh! Saraquat has spoken.
forked.” . ;
“Which chief claims her?’ asked Buffalo. Bill.
- “Both claim her. It will be settled by a council at
our lodges.’
“Cheer up!” said Buffalo Bill to Dare.
that could have happened has happened. Before they
can settle the matter we must rescue her.”
Then Willie Dare went on with his narrative.
“When mamma came into our room she talked quick,
and we dressed ; then all the men started letting off guns,

His tongue is not

and. Emmy hid me went to ee Coe and he began
to cry. fe

“Tittle iE ommy Blake, i was in the next room, went
out on the stairs, and Mts. ‘Wilson took: him with her.

“Then mamma took me and Emmy, and we went to
the top of the stairs, when a lot of Indians, with such
awful faces and feathers, all came yelling and dashing
up; and then poor little Tommy Blake screamed out, and
miamma rushed back with us, but the Indians came after
us, and they pulled us about, and did hurt poor mamma.
She screamed, and
ie Peace, boy—peace, for Hessel s Rate.
me mad!” cried Dare, sjumping up.

~Tee-cum-dah smoke
moving.

rey didn’t fad tick ” said Willie, ‘
tied mamma and Emmy, and she: was taken away; and

 

a lot more Indians came, and I was by myself, and Tee- .

cum-dah, who was shot in the leg, came up and was going
to hit me with his chopper.

“T looked up, and his face was - painted so. doar swith

a white skeleton’s head on his cheek, and as he bawled
out the head seemed to grow long ; so, although I was
awitully frightened, I couldn’t help. Jaughing.

- “Then he put away his chopper and caught hold of my

hand, and I’ve been with him ever since. es
The ‘Indian broke silence.

“Tee-cum-dah would have killed ‘Saraquat se eee

&

“The best

2 ou ‘will dive

silently; not.a A of his face

‘and then they

 

 
 

  

THE BUFFALO

his scalp, but he looked up and enened aad the Great
Spirit whispered to the warrior not to kill, so he took
ot for his son.

“And he is so funny ! He can shoot arrows like any-
thing and make such funny. noises, and he can give you:
fine “rides, only his leg’s bad, and he gets tired. *

The idea of the stern, ugly- -looking Indian making
noises to aniuse the child and carrying ‘him when he was
tired was So strange as to seem impossible to any who
did not know, as Buffalo Bill did, that often redskins get
very attached to white children, and will bring them up
with all the love and tenderness of a father.

After a short silence, Buffalo Bill spoke:

“Tee-cum-dah is a great warrior. He has saved the
life of a paleface child, and the child’s father is not un-
grateful. Tee-cum-dah must bury the hatchet.”

Dare held out his hand to the Indian, who took it.

“Vou have done me a service,” said the former,
as long as you live you shall never regret it.

“When these troubles are over, come and live on. my
farm, and you shall have everything you want to make
you comfortable for the rest of your ‘life.”

“The words of my white brother are good. Tee-cuim-
dah will come and live with his friends ct said Buffalo
Bill.

Not a muscle ef the Indian’s face moved.
 “Yee-curn-dah will die in the midst of his tribe and
will lie with his fathers. His heart is red, ane he does
not love the paleface.”

Buffalo Bill tried further argument, bit Ao no avail,

The Indian arose, and drew lus robe around: him.
~“Tee-cum-dah is not angry with his white brother,”
he said: “he will not harm him. He had reasons for
leaving his people, and was going straight to their lodges,
and. he ‘was taking Saraquat with him - to leave him with
his squaw. Now Tee-cum-dah will go. back to his people.
Will Saraquat go with him?” » :

The boy, thus appealed to, Jooked from one to. the
other.

VII you take me back to mamma?” he a

“We shall go to our people,” said Tee-curn-dah.
“But you will be a prisoner, boy,” said Dare, in anxiety.

“Like: poor mamma ?”’ said Willie to: Tee-cum-daht. ‘l
like you very much, but 1 would rather stay with papa.”
“There is peace between us,” said Tee-cuin-dah, and
without another word: he ee out of the cave “and
stalked away.
“Well, 1 admire a “straight man,’ ond Buffalo” Bill,

“and it’s a bad sign when a man turns against | his own
nation, be he redskin or paleface.”

“Still, 1 would rather have made a fr iend of bit.”
"Tt can't be helped. :
— There’s ‘no seoumting for Facidusy and he'll probably:
do us some good. Remem ber, we had him at our mercy,
and we spar ed him,

“That will count for something: and, besides, you've
recovered your son,” — eae oe

“1. dent. for gets ‘that mercy.
‘with him?

vile will never oe ale a stand. the eae of ae wurney-
ing g with us, and to carry him will tire us. _
Le a pity that chap shot the horse.”

“and

But. what shall “we do

BILL STORIES.

lodges,”

“Tt can’t be helped, but our plans will have to be
altered a bit.

oe Tees cum-dah will roe his people as soon as we can,
and he'll put them on their guard. We shall have to
think of somg other way of circumventing the beggars.”
“But I won't give up the search for my wife,
“If there were ten thousand Indians in the path, I
would still go on.’

Buffalo Bill saw that Dare was a man rather difieutt
to deal with, and that his recent sorrow had a little un-
hinged) Dims.) lw.

He made no teply, but some time ye they

started, and returning along te own trail, continued

their pursuit...”

During the day little Willic got fearfully tired.

In turn, Buffalo Bill and Dare carried him, but the
progress was rather slow, and Dare was quick to per-
ceive it.

That night Buffalo Bill made a proposal.

“Tee-cum- dah said his people were making for their
he said; “their lodges are away up somewhere on
the upper reach ‘of the Yellowstone River.”

_ they are always moving,” replied | Dare.
“Just so; but they will be sure "to remain somewhere
on the banks at this season. of the year.

“Now they ate goiig..by a very roundabout way, as I
should think, to keep out of the way.of any troops who
may be coming down, from Fort ‘Abraham Lincoln.”

OW ell 2?

“In this case I propose that we make a cut across
ey and stfike the ‘Yellowstone.

“We can then make a rough canoe and get up stream
to the lodges, and may then find out something about the
prisoners, and perhaps get.a chance of effecting a rescue,

_ when a boat would be of the gr eatest value.”

“It’s a good idea,” said Dare, “and I’m perfectly agree-
able. It will relieve us of carrying poor little Will, too.”
_ So it was arranged, and they altered has course ac-
cordingly.
-For two days they ese on, and then one. nat while
they were taking a few hours’ rest, the weather still be-

ing very severe, they were alarmed at hearing a terrible

din, the noise plainly coming toward them. Buffalo Bill
listened, and he and Dare saw to their arms.

- The’shouts of men, the tramp of horses and an occa-
oe shot were heard, which all told of a fight being in
progress. Presently in the moonlight Buffalo Bill saw
a long line of mounted men coming “toward them, and he
concealed himself in order to the more elosely So
them. :

“ Soon’ ‘he saw them - quite plainly, and, to his aston-
ishment, saw they were United States cavairynien.

There was no mistaking their uniforms and arms, and
Buffalo Bill, rushing from his hiding-place, a out
to the foremost trooper to stop,

- The man, however, only shouted out to him to stand
aside, and on, the scout not obeying, threatened Die with
his revolver.

. Buffalo. Bill called up- Dare, and: eee hoy waved
their arms, and,at last prevailed upon an officer to- stop.

What on earth is the. matter?" asked Buffalo Bill.
“Why are you all galloping away in this frantic manner ?”

 
10 | | THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

The officer stared at the scout, and cried: _

“Don’t you belong to us? We've had a dust ee the
_yeds, and they’ve given us a most bate licking eae
‘away he went,

Another man Buffalo Bill Soret chad out:
*Vou'd best git on a ’oss, stranger. The reds are on
otir track, shootin’ like thtinder !

This cp to be the case, for the Ba were ¢ plainly |
_ until hé was again with the soldiers. _ By ae ire found

heard.

‘There were sevéral ridertess horses among the rabble,

and one of these Buffalo Bill succeeded in capturing.
-“On it he mounted Dare and his little son, intending to
cateh another horse for himself.

But the riderless horses were so. mixed ‘up with the
‘others, and the men were so panic-stricken, that Buffalo

Bill was twice almost ridden dowii.

Before he had time to effect his purpose the tail end of —

the rout had passed him, and he found himself alone on
foot in the midst of @ band of Savages hanging on the

flanks and rear of the terror-stricken cavalry, like wolves :

after a wounded buffalo.

CHAPTER V.

ORDER RESTORED.

To remain in the opent where the scout stood was sim-
ply to,court disaster, so he immediately ran to the shelter

of the trees.
'+ As he.did so a yell, acer in his ears, and a couple of
savages forced their wity horses from under the shadow
of the trees and came toward oy firing as they ad-
vanced.

Racing at top speed, the scout ran away, going in a line
at right- angles to that pursued by the demoralized troop-

ers, and leading the Indians right away from their cont-

pauions who had followed after the troopers.

Buffalo Bill’s pursuers fired at him several timeés, but
their aim from the saddle was uncertain and the light
was deceptive, hence the scout was unhurt.

_ Being a splendid runner, Buffalo Bill was enabled to
‘nen, stop. em,

kee ‘p ahead for a considerable distance; then he suddenly
appeared to stumble heavily to the ground.

With a whoop of glee the foremost Indian galloped ‘

toward him; but when he was not more than ten yards

away there was a flash, a report, and the brave reeled i

from his saddle..with a bullet in his breast.
The mustang, however, galloped on, going straight for
the scout, wh6é suddenly leaped to his feet, caught the

bridle as the horse pee him, and vaulted into’ the

saddle.

The second aa ‘who saw what had happened, again

fired at the scout, but succeeded only in grazing the flanks

of the horse, rendering him nearly mad with fright,
He dastied away, and Buffalo Bill had to exert all his

skill to keep his seat, such was the temper of the beast.

Buffalo. Bill, though, Ww as a rider in a thousand, and’

though partially disabled in one arm, he kept such a étip

with "ts knees, and used his big spurs with such effect,

that the brute’s s temper was quelled.

The danger was that he might dash after ble Inte eon ©
panions, and thus carry Buffalo ‘Bill Heer into ‘the eee

of his foes.

But, fortnately, he went in a different divection, and

yourselves men, and allow suiel
your very noses ? Come, pull

after 4 time the scout quieted him sufficiently to guide 5

hitn.

Bv keeping. well to the right of the pursters, he was
‘enabled to pass the Indians, ‘when he gradtiatly closed in

luriiself close to Dare.

“Ha! here you are,” said the latter. “ was beginning

to wonder what had becorrie of you.”
“[ had a little expérienceé,” réplied Buffalo Bill, erimly.
“But what on earth aré these fellows going to do?
If they only turned and presented a bold front to the red-
skins they could hold them in chéck.”
“They are sunply netveless. They must. nee had a
bad experience somiewhereé.”’

“Who's in eommarnd, | wonder? We must stop this, at

aiiy rate; it’s a disgrace to our colors.”

Buffalo Bilt managed’ to eet to the head of the coun

and saw one or two officers, ‘but could not tell whiod was
the superior.

He fell back to ne rear again, hee was just in time to
witness a tragedy.

A trooper had his horse shot under him, and both fell
to the grourid and were léft behind. i

Several Indians pounced upon them, and the man’s

brains were dashed out and his, scalp
head.
“Comrades, sonikaded,” érite

tora fr oun his

  
      

ill, “do you call

ngs to be done under
yourselves together!’ |
But the men only muttered ‘some, reply about pushing

on, and Buffalo Bill again spurred M@@rward.

 

He found an officer who, by his shoulder badge, he | saw ue

Was a captain. ise Gane

“Lf we go on in this: way, sir,” he said “by day peak

not a score of men will be left.”
“What can al do: >” said the officer.

“T will. Is there a trumpeter here aon
“Who are you, though?” >
“My name is Cody, ‘and I’m chief of ihe scouts to: the

United States Arniy, with the | tank of enon so ef think

I can claim command here.” ye
“What! are you Buffalo Bill: Bo
“That is what I’m sometimes called.” .

Just: then the scout saw a trumpeter—a ‘mere lad—

pressing forward with the rest.
“Here, boy, sound the halt.’’ hae
“What, sir?” said the trumpeter, ina voice of eae

“Sound the halt, or give me vour bugle, and I will.” -
laced the instrument to ing: Tips and blew ah

‘The boy p
faint call.

Loose as was the discipline, the men: mechanically dy ew

rein.

calls:

well- known call.

When he looked around all signs of the second ‘tate
“had disappeared ; so, being guided by the noise of the
pursuit, which he could still hear plainiy, Buffalo Bill
pr essed on after his companions.

“Ti you can stop the

Buffalo’ Bill benched out for the eile, and. placite eo
¢o his ‘motith, ripped out the halt in a determined tanner.
The men Baa and the scout sue a “attention” -

Date ¢ came up, all is an sellin instinct roused by the iy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  

“Gallop along to the head of the column, Dare, a
prevent any one from straggling,” said Buffalo Bill
return to me.” :

The ex: soldier did so, and Buffalo Bill cried in ring
tones: i

ue

   
   
  

  

save your spurs, and get your ammunition ready.”

| The men obeyed, and the Indians, thinking some move
, was going forward, although from every bit of cover they .

kept popping away, did not attempt to advance.

t The men got calmer, and recovered their reason a little,
IP ‘he officers regained some sort of authority over them,

and order was beginning to reign again.
Buffalo Bill dismounted some of them, and bidding
them bring the axes—which certain men in every troop

of cavalry carried—he sent them to cut down some sap-

lings. ? ¢
With the rest of the mounted men, now in good order,

he covered their occupation and kept the enemy in check.
Twice the Indians essayed an advance in force, but were ~

, repulsed with a galling fire, losing heavily each time.

A This was not at all according to redskin ideas of. war-

fare, and they retired out of sight altogether.

Ay _.., the soldiers, and they set about their tasks with renewed
ee. energy.

b -. Crossing a suitable spot where there was a spring of
i ‘Water, Buffalo Bill made a defense with felled trees, the
horses being placed in thé center. eS
‘he men were apportioned duties, a watch was set,

and something like discipline was preserved.

_ -A number of mien, tired out, fell asleep at once, while
others, now that immediate danger was past, lit-up their

_. pipes and enjoyed a quiet smoke.

i “Captain Cornish was%ene of these, and he approached
Buffalo Bill, - ee Bela

“I say, Cody,” he said, “it was a godsend for. us, pick-

i ing you up, or we should have been wiped otit to a man.

; “But what on earth were you doing out here?”

r ~ “I was on the trail of a big war party, but what ‘6n

earth were you doing, captain?” ae

“Heaven only knows. 322 0 453)

“We'd lost our heads, and that’s a fact. iO

“Yesterday afternoon we attacked two villages of

- Sioux Indians, thinking we were going to knock spots

 

 

five hundred men, as we expected, the beggars turned
_ out over a thousand strong, and when we had just as
much as we could do to hold our. own, a whole host of

“We fought as long as we could, but against such odds
we were no good, and our general—Crook—gave the
word to retire, which we did in good order at first; but
A at last, so hotly were we pushed, that we had to go for.
; our lives, leaving over.a hundred dead behind us.” ~
“It's a thousand pities such a thing should have oc-
, curred,” said Buffalo Bill. “To have died to a man

would have been bad enough, but to run away from them
—it’s awful. - ; Soa

, there will:be no holding them now.

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

: : Sharply.
“Now, my lads, take heart; help is at hand! Close in, ~
-- “Don’t feel offended.

This advantage, slight as it was, put fresh spirit into

ah _ The officers assisted, and soon all were busily at work. .

red devils that one of our men said were Crees, came
- charging down upon us, and we were rolled up like paper.

“Tt will give them more confidence than anything else; .

II

“Mark my words, we shall have trouble with them be-
fore they’ve done; there will be something happen that

& wil! make people turn pale”

“We did our best,” said Captain Cornish, somewhat

‘"There’s no blame to be attached to any one.” |

I’m only thinking of the effect
it will have; besides, the whole country behind us is now
unprotected.” _ i : .
“That’s a fact. However, we'll give them a lesson

~yet that will last them soine time, or my name's not Cor-

nish.” ees
During the remainder of the night they were not dis-~

turbed, but in the morning the Indians made several at-

tempts upon them, but, thanks to the shelter they now, en-

_ joyed, these were beaten off.

Buffalo Bill had set the men to work with the few
spades they possessed, and their position was riow fairly -
strong. Eo a

The old military spirit had been aroused in Dare, and.
for a time he forgot his great trouble in the bustle and
-activity of his early life.

‘The horses were so fatigued that to move the following ~
day was out of the question, so Buffalo Bill determined
to test the whole day and to move early the following
morning. . a

Their greatest trial was want of food and exposure to
the cold, the weather keeping exceptionally severe, snow
falling continually, ~~ - os

The Indians tried several tactics during the day, but.
the scout was too wary for them, and each time they.
were beaten off with loss, until at last they seemed to give ~
it tp as a bad job. eae

“It won't do to remain here too long, though,” said
Buttalo Bile | 7 ene

“Depend upon it, they sent off at once to their villages
to tell their comrades they had us and to get help.

“They'll come on in overwhelming numbers to-morrow,
and every day we stay here we shall get weaker.

“At three in the morning we must move.”

And so it happened, the men saddling up and mounting

as quietly as possible, and then, knocking out one side

7

of their intrenchments, moving off as quietly as they ~
could. ORG in ar es ae
The enemy heard them, though, and came sweeping

: - down upon them, but. the scout had managed to restore —
/ off ‘em; but they fought like tigers, and instead of about

their wonted courage to the troops, and such was the
reception the redskins got that they kept at a safe dis-
tance, hanging on their trail like wolves, and woe to the
uufortuntae stragglers who fell into their hands. ~
The line of retreat was due east, toward Fort Abra-
ham Lincoln, where it was believed troops were massing.
Day after day went by, always the enemy hanging —
on their heels, killing every day one.or two, and occa-
sionally swooping down and inflicting some damage, but
always met by the starved and famished men with a firm.

front. ; :
Always suffering the gnawing pangs of hunger, and
often of thirst, which.they would allay by eating mouth- -
fuls of snow, the little band kept on, occasionally shooting

a horse, which would be a mere racket of bones, the flesh ©
of which would be devoured raw, and often having to
fight for their lives while eating that repulsive meal even.’ -

 

 

  
 

    

 

a THE BUFFALO

The strain told on the men, and day by day they gota
little. weaker and a little more despondent, until things
began to wear a very ugly look.

’ Buffalo Bill and Dare compared views on the subject,
and they agreed that unless something soon turned up,
or they fell. in with Custer’s command, which. should be

starting from Fort Abraham Lincoln, there was not

much chance of their getting through alive.

“We want some one to go right on to the fort, riding

as tight as possible, and hurry out some help to us,’ ’ said
Buffalo Bill,

mle hat Js so, but there's not a horse that is fit for the

journey.
“That Indian horse that I’ve got is ve for anything.

*“‘Reared in the rough Indian Peking, it thrives and fat- .

tens Where these troop-horses starve, and, used to making
long journeys, he keeps fresh and fit.”

“So do you, Cody.

‘Your training has beén as severe as that of an Indian
mustang, and it tells at times like this.” —

Pd guarantee to get to the fort inside two days.

“We can’t be more than a hundred and twenty miles
away now, but I dare not leave the men; they’ d lose their
heads, and then it would be all up with them.”

Dare thought a moment, then he said:

“Cody, if | had that horse, I could get through.

“Since--you knew when—lI don’t know what it is to

get tired. My mind is in such a ferment that my body —

does not trouble me at all; day and night [ean oe on
the go.’
“Dare, if you'll undertake the journey, you'll save us.
“Without vanity I can say that you and I, among the

mien we ve got with us, are the only two that could “hope ¢

for success.’

“There’s only one thing. I don't like oe Will. a

"Leave him to me.

“I promise you his welfare shall be my especial care,
and if you should fail, V1 be a father to him.”

‘More conversation on this head followed, and Dare
made up his mind to undertake the journey.

That night he slept for four hours, then mounting the

mustang, without a word to any one, save Buffalo Bill,

Dare rode off into the darkness.

From the night Dare disappeared things got from bad —

to worse.

The marches got shorter and shorter, the horses _

weaker, the men more despondent, and the Indians more
bold ana venttresome.

At last Buffalo Bill determined to form a camp at the —

first’ favorable spot, and to wait there until either Dare

returned with assistance, or the Indians once and for all

proved their superiority.

 

CHAPTER VI.
e HE LAS eat CAMB.

It was clear ‘ Buffalo Bill that further progress was.
out of the question. If they were attacked in force and

with any vigor, the men were so fatigued that they could ,

not resist. |

Still, behind a good defense they might yet for a day ot
two defy their enemies, so, having reached a suitable spot,’
which was partly defended by a belt of trees, he formed

— numbers, and every sticceeding los

BILL STORIES.

a camp, using the tree trunks for barriers and piling up.
snow between them, which soon froze into walls hard.

enough to resist a bullet.

A space in the center was cleared, ‘the horses placed

therein, and a quantity of wood for fires procured.

To feed the men was the first essential, and a horse,

which was beyond further work, was slaughtered, ‘when
soon someé juicy steaks were grilling over the fire; snow,
melted in the one or two pannikins they possessed, pro-
vided them with plenty of water, and the fare, rough as it
was, yet strengthened the famished troopers.

It was necessary to keep the most vigilant watch both
dav and night, for the bloodthirsty Sioux, fearful that,
after all, their prey might escape them, were continually
on the lookout to catch them napping.

‘Two days elapsed, during which time Buffalo Bill fad
never once closed his eyes in sleep.

By then several horses had been disposed of, but so_

nauseating had this food become that the men chewed bits

of bark, leather straps, or pinches of tobacco, to stop:

the gnawing pains of hunger.
Several of them were down with frost bites, and for
these nothing could be done; pice tag, things were at a

VEE serious pass.

During the second night a heavy fire was epened & tipon
the camp from all sides, and soon the wild yells and
whoops of the Indians proved that an attack in force was
at length to be made.

 
 

The enfeebled troopers made what resistance they! 4
could, firing rapidly from behind their shelter, often using .
‘their ‘clubbed rifles at close quarters. ne :
The scout was in the center of the camp, and éverv tine ye

an Indian managed to scramble over the defenses he
darted to the spot, and his tifle or pistols disposed of the
antagonist ;

But this could not last; the énemy were in too great
Wnty served to further |

infuriate them,
First on one side, then on “another, they advanced,

shooting, hacking, yelling, atid screaming, constantly a
diminishing the little band by one of two, until at last

put a handful remained.
These, rallying round the noble form of the scout, de-
termined to sell their lives bravely.

“Let’s die with arms in our hands, boys,” he cried, ‘ ‘atid ie
let them see that whites don’t always. run away. Re-
member, for prisoners there’ 8 only ie torture-stake and
the fire.” |

The handful of men tated with : ah stubborn shout; and,
excited by the lust of battle, used their weapons ee

deadly effect.

Their ammunition was s expended, and the final strug- is
ele was hand to hand ; rifle butt against tomahawk would
decide the fight.

In the faint light the hideous- -painted forms dicted

an around, darting in, then backwards, employing all the —

wiles of Indian warfare to overpower their foes.
One ugly rush had almost borne the little group from

their feet, but it had recovered, and, bulldog-like, renewed _
the ght, though almost every man was bleeding from a _

wound more or less severe.

‘The scout saw the next rush would ] be. the final one, and :

he nerved hiniself for. this last, effort. |

i
bis i
b
Es
i
4

bs
as
i
i
\
.
bi
Ph
i‘
;

ee

 

 

      
§

 

Paes

sa

 

 

 

  

A momentary lull occurred as each side prepared for
the last grapple.

“Their mounted reserves are coming up to tale part in
the scalp-lifting,” said Buffalo Bill, grimly, for the thud
ef horses’ hoofs ‘could be dimly heard.

The Indians did not advance immediately, as though

waiting for the reinforcements to arrive; then on the

night air a chorus of yells and cties arose, which were
in turn drowned by three ¢rashing volleys of musketry.

Above this again.a shout of white men was raised, and
to the battle-weary few within the inclosure no sound
had ever before sounded so sweet. _

“Ts the troops!” cried Buffalo Bill.
through and brought them back to our rescue.’

Of this there could be no doubt, for soon the cheers of
the troopers, as they smote hard with their swords, were
distinctly heard, and the death-yell of many a brave was
-added to the din.

Buffalo Bill’s men had all had their fill of fighting, and

throwing an armful or two of fuel upon the smoldering
fire, which gooti sprang ifto a blaze, they waited until
their comrades had cut their way through the Indians
and joined them in the camp.

Dare was one of the first to get through, and he made
straight for Buffalo Bill,

Leaping from his horse, he said:

“T’mvery late, Cody; but I did my best.
isuny. boy safe?”
" ‘Sate and sound, Dare.

“T ‘promised you as long as I lived I would protect him,
atid | have done so; but another tén minutes and it would
have been too late.”

And now

 

Together they made for a spot where Buffalo Bill had
erected a small earth defense, banked round with snow,

in the center of which, wrapped up in the scout’s fur coat
the boy lay, shiverifie with. fear, it is true, btit still warm
and comfortable.

Daré was delighted to find the boy safe, and that
weight off his mind, told Buffalo Bill what had happened.
It appeared. he had got throtigh quite safely to Fort

Abraham Lincoln, and had there found General Custer
with a big brigade of soldiers, _
Two squadrons of the Seventh Cavalry, ‘iinder Major

Retio, were at ofice sent out with Dare, and pushing *

forward day and night, me had ae to come up as
already related.

The Indians, unaware of the strength, of the party

they now had to deal with, after a brief stand made for
their shaggy ponies and galloped off, leaving the United.

States troopers masters of the field.
There were otily thirteen of Buffalo Bill’s-men left on
their feet, and of ‘these one or two. were badly wounded.

Theré wete several more lying on the etound who had
received setious hurts, but of whom rons of: recovery. ‘

were entertained.

Each trooper of the rescue party had brought with
him a well-filled haversack, part of which was ‘still leit,
and this, together with a tot of rum each, ‘was served
out to the half-famished men.

Blazing fites were tnade, and everything ‘that would —
conduce to the comfort of the rescued troopers was done;
then, secured by theif companions from all further fear.
of attack, those who were able to do so had a good night’s ~

  

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES...

" Dare has got

ON

  

i3

sleep. In the morning the march to Fort Abraham
Lincoln was resumed, and, after a tiring journey, ‘bafely
reached.

A big force of men was here assembling, for the whole
of the “Bad Lands of the Yellowstone were. as
with war-parties from north to south.

The Crows and the Sioux had joined together, aad,
inducing the neighboring tribes to join them, wer¢ sweep-
ing all signs of civilization before them.

Things looked very serious, and it was clear. there was, -
going to be a very big struggle. The worst of it was that |
some weeks must elapse before they would be able to.

march out on the trail of the hostile Indians, and in that |
time no one could say what would become of Laura Dare

and her unfortunate SOnIpAHONS.

 

CHAPTER vil.
A STRANGE FIRE,

Directly the rescued few had got into Fort Abraham
Lincoln, a tall, handsome soldier of about forty years
of age came to see them, asking particulars of the big ~~
defeat. :

He shook hands with all the men, and had | a few kindly
words for each. _

Noticing Buffalo Bill, who. was leading Jittle Wile
Dare by the hand, the soldier cried out: cw

“Why, Cody, is ‘that you?

va had no idea that you were mixed up in this sad
affair.’
“Ves, General Custer,” replied the scout, ap ve seen
the latter part of it, anyway, and I never want to be mixed

up in another such affair, for of all the Indian fighting

I've taken part in this has been the most disagreeable.”
“I can well believe it, Cody,” said General Custer, for.
that celebrated and ill-fated soldier it was; “and I must _

say I am fot so very much surprised, for there is no

doubt we have fearfully underrated the strength of these
red devils.)

Tat as) 60," sod Buffalo Bill; “and we shall ‘have to ‘
take care that when we march against them we are not _
again caught ina trap.” U

”“T eave that to ane, Cody.
“Anxious as I am to retrieve our honor, we must make

sure that we are going to give them such a licking that
they will never recover from, or we shall have them half

over the States.”
Leonard Dare was “well known to General Custer, hav-

“ing served under. him when he was only a captain in the .
‘Fifth Cavalry, during the war between the North and

South. ‘

The general had a long talk with Dare and Buffalo
Bill, and was full of sympathy for the trouble which had
fallen upon the former, promising to do all that lay in his
power to rescue Mrs. Dare and the other prisoners from

Sitting Bull’s. clutches, though until they could move out

in sufficient force to insure victory, little, if anything,
could be done.
There was no denying this fact, though, to sit inactive

‘duting the weeks which must: “elapse, was ‘more than
‘ Leonard Dare could endure.

General Custer was delighted to have the assistance GE

 
 

 

14

Buffalo Bill and his old comrade, and determined to
avail himself to the full of their services.

It was essential to try and locate the exact position of
the Indians, and to discover whether they were moving
southward, ‘and, if possible, what their future intentions
were.

For this purpose it was necessary to send out trained

scouts, and there was no one who was half so well fittea
or this arduous and dangerous task as Buffalo Bill.

Accordingly, a few days after the rensnant of General
Crook’s force had reached Fort Abraham I .incoin, Buffalo
Bill and Dare started out on a long reconnoissance.

While they had been at the fort, the weather had made
a sudden change for the better; the long winter ended
suddenly, and in one night it seemed as if they had got
into the middle of spring.

Buffalo Bill) always an ardent admirer of nature, rev-
elled in the newly- -budding trees and oe waving green of
the prairies. ~

The only! drawback was the persistent rain, which kept
-the scouts constantly wet...

They headed directly north from the fort, making di-
rect for the Bad Lands of the Yellowstone, traveling by
day, sweeping the country around with keen glances as
they progressed, and carefully choosing their camping
places by night.

Leonard Dare was extremely quiet on the journey, and
at the end of three days he had hardly spoken at all, an-
swering in monosyllables when the scout talked. Buffalo
Bill could see that his trouble was bearing heavily upon
him. and in a dozen different ways tried to attract his at-
tention, but with no success.

Indian sign was very scarce, and it was clear that the
massed bodies of Indians were keeping well together. _

What their plans would be it was impossible to fore-
tell, or in which direction they would make their raid.

On the third night they reached a range of rather steep -
hills, the sides of which in many places were honeycombed
with caves. _

It had poured with rain the whole day, and both horses
and riders were thoroughly drenched; it had, in fact,
been one of the most comfortless days. the scouts had
passed for along time. __

Toward sunset Buffalo Bill discovered. a 2 cave in
the side of one of the hills, and here he. determined mee
they would pass the night. .

The cave was large enough to hold men and hor ses,
and the weather being quite mild, they took off their

sodden outer garments, from which they wrung the wet,

the horses were rubbed down, fuel gathered, “and pre-
-phrations were made to pass a comfortable night.

During the day Buffalo Bill had succeeded in bringing
down a young buck, portions of which were soon merrily
griiing, which provided the hungry men with a substan-
tial supper.

Leonard Dare was dull ah morose as ever, and so after
the teal they sat smoking in silence, each staring into
the fire, intent upon his own thoughts, ~

The weather had cleared ee and 7 night
was a fine one,

From time to time Buffalo Bill went to the mouth of the
cave to look around. »

THE BUPFALO’

BILL STORIES.

|

On the last occasion he noticed a faraway glimmer
in the distance, looking like a red lantern,

Ile watched it intently for some tine, at last coming
to the conclusion that it must be a fire.

A fire in those parts meant men to make it, and men
almost certainly meant Indians. _

It was of great importance to determine what the light

was, and who had made it, so, after calling Dare’s atten- —

tion to the fact, they prepared to go out and investigate
/ the matter.:

Seeing carefully to their arms, they started on foot, and
a long tramp it proved to be before they got sufficiently

ear to determine the fact that it was a large fire made
i: pine jogs.

The fire was made in among a clump of trees, ard by.

the smell of the green wood that greeted their nostrils,

Buffalo Bill was satisfied that whatever wind there was

was biowing from toward the fire to the scouts.
Approaching still nearer, they were enabled to see a

number of Indians, though what their business in that

partic ular locality was had yet to be discovered.

“You had best stay here, old man,” said Buffalo Bill
to Dare, and I will go cautiously forward. 1 understand
their lingo, and if I can get near enough without alarm-
ing them, I may be able ‘to discover news of nuper tence
fo us.’

“Tust as you like,” replied Dare, nonchalantly.

“Don’t move from this spot,” said the scout, “and be
ready to make for the horses if we have to move’ sud-
denly. Don’t trouble about me; I shall know how to
take care of myself.”

With these words he dropped upon the ground, and,
with a steady movement of the experienced backwoods-
man, crawled noiselessly forward.

He soon got near enough to note the numbers and dis.
position of the party.

They were mostly young braves, and were in all ne
ability in search of fresh meat.

Their hunting seemed to have been fairly succersftl, for
several carcasses lay close to the fire, and, judging by the
number of bones strewn about, they ‘had en ee a pretty
plentiful repast.

» As in the case with Indians, when bee eye of the white

man is not upon them, they were chattering noisily, and

behaving with that boisterousness which characterizes
young warriors.

By good fortune the scout was able to get near enough
to listen to their conversation, and what he heard con-
firmed his deduction that they had been hunting for buf-
falo meat, and from the way in which each man boasted
of his hunting, it was clear they had been very successful.
But the prowess they had displayed in the hunting field

did not interest Buffalo Bill, and he was feeling disap-

pointed when one of them mentioned a name with which
he was well acquainted. .

“Tee-cum-dah was a great warrior,”
fell under the spell of the palefaces; now | his heart has
‘turned to water, and he is no longer a man.”

‘Wah, Spotted Eagle,” said another, “you would not

speak thus if Tee-cum-dah were by.
“He carries five scalps, all taken in fair fight.”

“He will take no more scalps—at least, paleface scalps,.

I should say,’ ’ replied wes first speaker,

one a eit) he

 
 

THE BUFFALO

. “THe seerhs to be their champion.”

“Tle took the white squaw ’s part nese Bie Horse, but
they were always ericimiies.

“Wali! ¢Hat is not the reason,” joined in a thitd.

“f know that Tee-cum-dah would take the white squraw
16 his own wiewant, and Sitting Bull favors lim.”

“What need trouble, ’ chimed in. a fourth.

“ Before two more moons we shall have swept our coun-
try free of the paléfaces, and then white squaws wi ill be
as plentiful as berries on the trees in winter.”

“Yes,” asserted Spotted Eagle, “we have beaten their
soldier's, and their: ‘big knives’ availed nothing against our
tomahawks. | :

“When the three nations advance south, we shall sweep
the paletaces before US, and they will mele away like.
snow before the san.’

“Spotted Eagle speaks the words of truth,” said an
lindianh who had not yét spoken, “but we did not take the

“scalps of all the soldiers w ho we defeated by the Crazy
Woman ¢ereek.’

“Bur we should have had ther ail, for they ran like
hares, bit they met Pah-e-hask a—the name Buffalo Bill
was known by among the Indians—and he snatched the
prey from our bande.”

“Wah! we havé enough prisoners, anid the Long-Hair
himself will not be able to stand against us.’

“The warriot who takes his scalp will be a bis chief.”

‘No warrior will take his scalp,” said Spotted Eagle.

“Sitting Bull has said that he is to be taken alive.

“He is a brave chief, and whett all the palefaces have
been destroyed he will be adopted ittto the Sioux tation.

"He will gover 1 with Sitting Bull. 7

‘Buffato Bil could not help smiling
talk of the braves, and of the high
designed for him. -

He had learned sufficient of their plans and views to suit
his purpose, and as noiselessly as he had advanced he
retired to ‘the spot where hé had left Dare. .

. Bidding him silently follow him, they Started oil. their
return fo the cave.

On the joumey he told Dare what he had heard, and
bade him keep his spirits up,

“You may. rest perfectly Sesttred, 7 le said, “that no
harni has befallen your wife or the other prisoners.

“Tee. -cum-dah is befriending them, and thete is evi-
dently a difference of opinion as to who has the right to
claim the prisoners, or at least some. of them.”

Leonard Dare made no answer, and i in silence they re-
turned to the cave, where they found evérything safe, the
fire still burning, and the horses dry and well rested.

Somewhat disappointed at his old friend’s gloomy ‘be-
havior, Buffalo Bill prepared to get a few hours’ rest, and
though deeply sympathizing with Dare’ s trouble, yet re-
gretting that he did not ore a more ny kak view =
the situation. fe

— With this: view ne eee bionsete aftele Mis ted t to
the fire, and, pipe in mouth, courted that slumber which
he rarely sought in vain.

af the extravayant
honor whieh oe

BILL STORIES.
CHAPTER VILL.
BUFFALO BILL PUZZLED.

| Buffalo Bill, though he lay perfectly. qutet, was not ine
clined to sleep; he felt concerned about Dare, and turned -
over in his mind his friend’s peculiar beHavior. :

THis head was in the shade, and Dare possioly thoug ht
he slept. ee,

Buffalo Bill saw that he was certainly ill at ease, ot
presently he asked him if anything was wrong.

“Hello! I thought you were asleep,” said Dare. No,
nothing wrong with me; I don't feel sleepy, that’s alk”

Hg 8 on ought to; we've had a heavy day.”

‘To this Dare rade no atiswer, but preseritly said, abe
ruptly :

“Do you think there is any danger of oe Indias And.
ine us here?”

*Not the slightest.

They will not find our trail till it ets light, wad be-

Tore they could get here we shall be far enough away.

“Vou're certain there’s no risk of our béing surprised * a

“Certain; but why do you ask?”
On, nothing particular : only I was thinking that if
we were both fast asleep, and they should find us here
caoped up in this Gave, we shouldn’t have much chatice

of fite.”’

“Don't worry, old man; I always wéieh all the chances.
We are as safe here as though we were: as miles
away.

Dare
asleep.
His slumbers, though, were light and troubled, and in
about 4 couple of hours he awoke. :

All was silent, and the fire had smoldered down until
it cast only a faint red glow. Buffalo Bill waited for a
moment, then threw on a log, which presently burst into
a flickering blaze, ey the light of which the scout gazed
atouid bin.

In the corner the two horses could be seen, but the
place where Dare had been sitting when Buffalo ‘Bill weilt
to sicep was vacant. Buffalo Bil called him.

“Dare! Darel” but got no answer. as :

He jumped to his feet, threw more wood on the i.

lapsed into silencé, and presently y Buffalo Bill fell

‘and looked around the cave.

“The place contained no other man than. the scout. Dare
had disappeared.

Further sleep was out of the question: is scout towtted
froin the mouth of the cave:

It was the dark time just before the dawn, and the air.
blew cold and danip.

There was no sign of his late ‘companion, abd no re-
sponse came to his call.

Buffalo Bill returned to the cave, and ne down by
the fire, thotight the matter over...

Dare’s behavior had lately been so | daany, that there
was no knowing what.he might have done.

A, faint idea. ‘of the tevthcceurred to the scout, but he
would have to wait foi ‘ht to verify it.

Iu the meantime, hy d up the bones. of. the. deer
rib from the previous 1 : repast.

Dare’s. horse was ne ie) and: it weula | seem he could
not have intended go. _ possibly he had felt uneasy,
and had gone out to rei a

 
    
  
  
  
   
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
     
       
       
       
       
         
       
     
     
       
     
       
     
     
    

16 : _ ‘THE BUFFALO

Yet this was hardly necessary, as Buffalo Bili had al-
ready found out all that could be found out...
AS soon as the first gray streaks began to show in tHe)

and by the time the gray of the oe had turned to red he
had found the trail.

trait he and Dare had made the previous night on their
expedition to discover ‘the cause of the fire.

This seemed to be the case, for it led direct to the ee
dian encampment.

The scout followed the trail eee to the cave, and
worked all around to find another one, ‘but after an hour
spent in fruitless search, was unable to do so.

most niunute attention.

Some-distance further than he had gone the a time
he found that the trail diverged from that made oy bim-
aelf and Dare, and led off by itself.

There could be no longer any doubt thar Dare had

wandered off toward the Indians by himself the night be-
fore, though with what object Buffalo Bill could noi tell.

Again Dare’s footprints joined the trail he and Dare
had made, and this time Dare’s footprints were visibly im
printed over his own and Buffalo Bill’s previous trail.

to have walked straight up to it, but there was no sign of
any struggle having taken place.

‘a ad walked round the ruins of the fires, and had
pew) for a time, probably by the remaining embers
ne of them; but he had certainly not been captured,
Ree a time he seemed to have searched around ior

the trail of the Indian hunting party and to have followed
potr it.
(Ml this Buffalo Bill turned over in his mind, and it
onl ) served to strengthen his already formed opinion.

For some time he. followed the sign left by the Indians
nd after Dare, cue ‘hen he saw what his wisest course
vould he!

i 'e trudged all the way back to the cave.

ele, Oh 1ookmMe arcund, he found that Dare had left
his revolvers and rifle behind him in the corner of
e cave, It became clearer and clearer to him.

“Silly fellow !” he muttered, to himself.

 

pyt

   

help his people.”
The scout then saddled ond led out Dare’s hor se, and

‘oward the camp-fire of the Indians. - :
The day was then well advanced, and the Indians had
a jong start.

Buttalo Bill had little difficulty. in, following ‘the. trail,

being numerous.

could tell by the freshness of the sign that he was not long
behind the chase. 4

hina; even from himself,
For all that, darkne®: s ie ind iim

   

still Boh <

sky, Buffalo Bill was outside the cave examining the trail, -

At first he was not certain of. it, as it was possibly the.

Again he started off along the first trail, giving it his :

On reaching the Indian encampment, Dare seemed |

erte nas gone the worst way to work bh, hie wants to |

mounting his own and leading Dare’s, he trotted. away.
Me chief of the party,
-interr ogated him. ;
The scout knew that Dare understood very little of the
Sioux language, and was. afraid that he would not be able -
which was a large and well- defined one, the Indian party.

Occasionally. he got coun to examine difficult portions, :
but always he’ found Dare’s tracks over those of the In- |
diatis. He followed on until it got almost, dark, and he

He pushed on as as as he could, full of hope, for if
he could come up with Dare he trusted to be able to save.

BILL, STORIES.

He dismounted and considered what was best to be
_done, knowing that some time must elapse before it would:

be light enough to follow the trail with the aid of the moon.

He walked slowly. forward for some time, leading the —

horses by the bridie, when, on getting to the top of a small.

hill, he saw in the valley beneath him the camp-fires of rhe

indians he had been following the whole day.
His: heart gave a throb of pleasure, and he ale

ately retired over the brow of the hill and hebbled the.

two horses, taking care also to muzzle them.

Then he removed his heavy jacket and big boots, leav-
ing his own and Dare’s rifle behind, taking | oe re=
voly Crs.

Having thus prepared Nintedle he advanced toward the

fires, making a sweep, so as to een from ve side

turthest from hit.

lt was a long way, and he oud quickly, although
silently, the darkness favoring him.

He wanted to get clase to the cainp before the moan

was up, so he hurr ied along.
Soon he was near enough to see the redskins busy 1 in the

glare of the fires, preparing the evening meal.
All were moving about, and although Buffalo Bili*
scatined each one separately, he could seé no sign of a.

white man among them.

What, then, had become of Dare, and why was he hang-

Ing, alone on the track of the Indians?

3utfalo Bill watched every movement of the Indians,
but he saw no sign of his friend, and it was. pet iectly clear
that he was not among them. ‘

Their supper being cooked, they began to devour it:
having fiidshed, sat down to anioy their smoke and boast
aver past deeds.

‘the scout, knowing that the moon would sooa rise, was

now miore puzzied i hag ever, when he noticed a sligh’

movement. among the Indians.

_ Then. from out the darkness a tall form stepped, and
‘the Indians saw a white man coolly walk into their nudst.

Many sprang to their feet, gripping their weapons and
giving the war-whoop; but the white man held out his

hands to show he was unarmed, and then made a motion —-

with his out-turned palms from his chest toward them,
which is understood on the prairies as a sign of peace.

AA babel of voices arose, and Buffalo Bill could see by
the fact that the white man’s lips were moving that he

. was saying something to them. By that time a dozen:

hands had seized: him, and he was firmly held, while the
partly by signs ou by speech,

to make himself understood.

By the way in which the redskins node her hens
and gripped their weapons this. fact was pretty apparent;
but the white man, his arms folded upon his chest, looked -
calinly around. him, appearing constantly to be fepca a
‘some set phrase and making negative signs. _ o
_ At last.a big brave raised a. glittering tomahawk, and
made as though to bury the blade in the white man’s
brain. Buffalo Bill, though the distance was great, cov-
ered. this. man. with his. revolver, and was, just about to~
pull the trigger, when the chief who had been questioning

-

 

        
     
     
     
     
       
         
       
   
       
     
       
       
       
     
      
a

eel
Se ae

 

 

- picions were confirmed.
calmly walked into the Indian ce and given himself

THE BUP Pauo
the prisoner interposed, and spoke angrily | to one or two
of his followers.

The white man was dragged nearer to the fire and thor-
oughly searched, as though the Indians were looking tor
concealed weapons.

While this was being done the flickering light from the.

camp- -fires fell upon the man’s face, and Buffalo Bill’s sus-
‘This white man who had so

up was Leonard Darel

The chief gave a sign, and sever braves with rawhide
thongs fastened Dare’s arms behind his back.

He was then forced to sit upon a log, and though no
further indignity was offered to him, two Indians, both
fully armed, took up their positions one on each side of
him, and it was clear he was going to be kept a‘close pris-
oner. . ;
There was half a hundred warriors altogether in the
camp, and the scout knew that, single- handed, he could
not hope to tackle them with success.

Think how he would, he could see no way to extricate
his friend from the dangerous position he had voluntaril y

placed -himself in; so, with a last look toward him, he

crept away and made the best ot his way back to the
horses. ~

Hlere, while he gazed on the ee down at the bright
glare of the camp-fires, he threshed the whole matter out.
For quite a couple of hours he remained thus, and then
he suddenly turned away, his mind made Hees to what his
duty was.

“No,” he said, sadly, to himself, “Dare has apparently
pianned out a course for himself, and he will follow it.

1 cannot turn him; it would simply be to run risk for noth-

ing to attempt to rescue him.
“Yet T will not abandon him to his fate, though I must
think of some ot her way.in whicli to extricate him from

lus peril.”

Then mounting his own horse, and leading the other, on
which he had hoped to be accompanied by Dare, he dashed
in the spurs and galloped away in the darkness, making
straight for the cave from which he had the morning be-
fore started, .

 

CHAPTER IX.
OMINOUS PREMONITIONS.

Buffalo Bill’s mind was in a state of excitement, and he
kept his horse at a gallop, dismounting every now and
then to change from his own horse to Dare’s, but never
pausing in his wild ride until again he had reached the

cave from which his friend had disappeared.

He passed the rest of the night there, and slept-on until
the stn was high in the heavens the next day.

From thence he made his - way back to Fort ih atramn
Lincoln, having little of importance to report.

The mobilization was going along merrily, and there
was, now sufficient force ‘assembled to tackle, the allied
tribes of hostile Indians. —

A number of Crow Indians, who’ had refused to join

their rebellious comrades, had come into the fort, bring- :

ing with them alarming. news, confirming the worst re-

ports of the raidings, sealpings, and burnings: that had
taken place.

~ mois.

BILL STORIES. as

One fine morning in early May the troops, with their
baggage-wagons and ambulance train, were paraded, —
General Custer, mounted on a magnificent thoroughbred.
horse, rode up and down the lines to inspect the fine men
under his command. —

Custer was a man close upon six. feet high, active dod
handsome, and intensely popular with the soldiers,

His own regiment, the Seventh U. S. Cavalry, wor-
shiped him as a hero, and would follow him to the death

» if occasion required.

This regiment was divided into two columns, and. in-
tended to act as the advance guard of the party. — Aa
With Custer and his staff rode Buffalo Bill and some of

the Crow scouts, who were to be the eyes and ears a the
expedition.

For the first few days nothing was seen of the enemy,
but as they got nearer to the Indian country ominous
signs were visible on every hand.

“Camping -place after camping-place was found ; the
grass had been closely cropped by herds of ponies, and
the ashes of a hundred camp- -fires By gray on the bare ©
ground.

About a fortnight after they had started the column.

_reached a great camping-place, and Buffalo Bill, riding —

over the sround, found some of the Be of a huge lodge
still standing. » oy

Against one of these es the a ofa white man flut-

tered in the wind.

It was now evident that they were getting close to the
cnemy, and great caution had to be observed.
On the march no talking was allowed, and at night no
fre burned, and nothing was done likely to attract the eye

of any Indian who might ates to be roaming about in 7

the vicinity.

Lying, wrapped in their fone on the bare around, he ‘

men of the Seventh Cavalry spoke in whispers, and told
dark stories of scalpings and burnings at the stake. |

Even the red scouts caught something of the prevailing
current of expectation, and begged of their medicine-men
charms against the cruelty of the dreaded Sioux. —

At last they reached the banks of the Rosebud River, |
and here General Custer decided to form his base camp.

Buffalo Bill, who had found plenty of Indian signs,
went out on the scout, in order, if possible, to discover |
the. ntfnerical strength of the foe, and where they had
pitched their lodges.

From the signs, it was evident that vast. hordes of red-
skins were on the warpath, and it was clear to him that.
the fight, happen when it may, would be a big one.

__ It was impossible to get very close, for in the wooded
country they were now in every clump of trees might
conceal an Indian ambush.

On his return he reported to General Custer, and after
a consultation, it was decided that the Seventh Cavalry,
commanded by Custer in person, should set out on the
trail, overtakesthe pre corner them, and bring about a
fight.

“This was much, Against Buffalo Bill's advice, ;
“Pm afraid, general,” he said, “you are underrating
woefully the strength of the redskins. es

“They are flushed with victory, and will fight like de-
They are. moreover, ‘fairly well armed. and in

 
 

o ie suRrito

thits casé we ee not reckon too ntuch on ene superior ny
of white soldiers.”

“What, Cody,” cried the general,
to turn: croaker? e

““T shall move out with. seven “hundred sabres, and I
think we shall be able to cope with more oa than. we
are. likely to meet.”

_ For all that, Buffato. Bill was ill ae ease,

His advice was to move with the whole column, to form
camps as they went along, and not to advance against the
enemy until they were well assured of their numbers.

The scout could not éxplain to himself the peculiar
premonition of evil that possessed him, and so earnest was
“he in his warnings that Custer seeme ed to catch something

of his doubts.

It was a peculiar thing, too, that that night the gei-
eral’s Headquarters flag was blown down, and on being
replanted again blew down and fell to the rear.

-. Inthe ranks of the Seventh was an old sergeant named
Ryland, who lad fought in the Civil War. :

This man Buffalo Bill knew well, and often chatted
witli otr the line of march.

That night he and Buffalo Bill lay side by side on the
ground, and ee Hee some time before they went to
SRD i ie a te ee ‘ae
E it 1 Gay.” sai! the sergeant,
f the old type, “that I’m
mé.6' the boys ate mad ter
yom, but I kin 7 oe it’s

‘are you, too, going

 
 
  

goin’ ter be a blamed Ae fight.”
le And Buffalo. Bill was ey of the old sergeant’s
‘Opinion,

Next morning - the ee up the Roses was hewuth,
_and all day signs of the Indians, wlio ce retreating be-
-. fore them, were met with, ag

That,.might the column was divided Soto Pe, Major
Reno commanding one, and Custer the other.
A forced paarety. was: made before dawn, so that the dust
the column made should not betray their whereabouts.
In the mor ning, although they were unable to locate the
actual camping ground of the Indians, great herds of
- ponies were seen; “and on the other side of a ridge of hills
_ that lay. immediately in front of them columns’ of smoke
“were seen to be-curling up, and the barking of innumer-
able dogs denoted the presence of the villages we a vast
number of Indians.

It had been Custer’s intention to remain quietly flere

he was with his command until night fell, when he would
advance his forces, and-in the gray of the morning sweep
dowh upon the Sioux. But this plan miscarried.
Buffalo Bull, who had been out some miles in advance
of the regiment, came suddenly upon three Indians.

“Without ‘a moment’s hesitation he unsling his rifle, and.

brought one fo the ground witha bullet through his body,

but the other two wheeled: around their shaggy Ponies and

galloped off at full speed. ©

Pursuing them at 7a: gallop, Buffalo Bill fired” several
nore shots, bringing down one more, but the third man

  

ed; ‘and: disappeared over the ridge of the hills.

   

 

ported what had happened.”
“The redskins are now aware’ of our. pre
doubt,” he said, “and a idea of a surprise’is over.’

 
  

 

Buffalo Bill immediately returned fo. Custer and re-

BILL STORIES.

er hen I wil “abteck ab aioe, <r said the eemere, oo ce
trumpeters sounding, the whole command fell im, and
marching some distance down the valley, separated, if
tending to strike the villages at different points.

Custer himself, with Hoe hundred men, determined to —

strike the first blow, and with him Buffalo Bill marched.

Major Reno, w ith four hundred men, was to move for=
ward at as rapid a pace as he thought pradent, and charge
the village afterward.

These: arrangements being made, Custer’s party trotted
gayly forward.

They went on, atid réactied the top of the hull, ached
the sight iliich met their gaze was one, indeed, to appal
the stoutest heart.

Instead of a village of some ciehtt. hundred or a thous.

sand warriors, which they had expected to find, @ veri«
table city of wigwams lay before them.

‘The smoke from thé fires Clotided the sky; great héfds
of penies extended as far as the eye could see; thousands
of painted Sioux, armed and astride their inustangs, gab
loped around in circles, working themselyes into a frenzy
of fury to fight the whit e man.

Medicine-men danced arid yelled their incantations, and
the squaws were seen busily striking their tents and hur-
tying away with the swarms of dusky cae out ot
harii’s WEY as : Le

Tt was clear a mistake had been made, but it Was now
too late to rectify it.

Even as they paused the crack of rifles on their: lett

told them that the Indians had already attacked Reno, 4

fe thus retreat was out df the question.
There was nothing for it but to go forward.
Pausing for a Taoist, Se Tepolk- off his hat, and
turning to the troopers, he saidi«
aNien, a big fight hee before us, but my luck will not
desert mes You Whos have followed me know that I have

never lost a gun, never lost a: color, and never been de- >.

feated. Close the ranks, and, holster to holster, charge!”

A wild shout that must have struck terror into many.
ated man’s heart rang out upon.the warm summer air;
three hundred sabers flashed in the sunlight, and, with
set teeth and determined hearts, the devoted troopers
plunged. down into the shrieking, shouting, seething mass
of painted and befeathered red men.

The Indians could not stand. against the shock of their
heavier and better-mounted enemy, and. the band of sol-

diers penetrated farther and farther into the seething
mass, shooting and hey wing its Way, and Jeaving a bloody
track behind it.

But the redskins hung on to then like wolves upon a

stag, and those that weré wounded and hurled from their
ponies slashed and cut at the horse’s legs, and woe betide
the unfortunate oe who once reached the ground.

“General Custer and Buffalo Bill rode at. the head’ of
their men, each performing prodigies. of valor, and striv-
ing with heroic ‘purpose to cut a way, through the ie
hordes.

"The: patty was. entirely surrounded, ‘and as fast as ‘one

cnemy was beaten to ‘the cae a dozen. seemed to Jeap.

into his place. ~

The din of the battle was ee “and above, all the
horrid war- “whoop, half-yell and | half-scream, rang upon
the “air

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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oy

. handful remained alive.
_ Why on earth does not Reno come?” cried Custer to

Once or twice it seemed as if all was lost, but the troop-

ers with mighty arms carved their way farther and

farther, until at last with a burst they were through the
mass, and emerged, weary and panting, the other side.

Not all, though; only a part of that gallant band had
succeeded. in getting thus far, more than half lay. on the
ground among the whirling pomies of the hordes of red-
skins.
“My Ged!” eried Custer.

“Tt has been a mistake! We shall never get back

“Cannot Reno come to our assistance?’ asked Buffalo
Bill, ae

“We can hold our own here, and the redskins will not
stand any more such charges.” :

“He is himself, engaged,” answered the generai.

‘That is so,’ said Buffalo Bill; “but see, he has crossed
the Little Big Horn and dismounted his men. The en-
emy have left him entirely free. There is no reason why
he should not come to our assistance.” :

In the breathing space that was allowed them, a
was made to Reno: |

“Overmatched. Come en at ence! Bring up reserves
froni camp.” se ae

Half a dozen men, too, were dispatched to try and skirt
the Indians and get back to Reno with a message; but
they were all pursued, overtaken, and killed.

The enemy, their blood now being aroused by the losses
which had been inflicted upon them, surrounded the sur-
vivors, circling madly. around and around them on their
shaggy ponies, and firing into their midst. é

“This will never do,” said Buffalo Bill. ‘We had best
charge through them, and try and cut our way back to
Reno,” " v oe

“It is our only chance,” said Custer. “Boys,” to the
men, “we have this time met our match.
certain death. We must cut our way through.’

The men, game to the last, cheered him to the echo,
and at full gallop they charged again upon their blood-
trsty toes. a7: a se

It was but a repetition of the previous shock, only this

y?

signal

time the white men were fewer, and the Indians seemed

more numerous, :

Time after, time they essayed to carve their way
through; but the hordes of painted demons beat them
back, and every time their numbers got less, until but a

Buffalo Bill, who stuck persistently by the general. :

“He either did not understand our message, or has his
own hands full,” was the scout’s reply; and this was all
they could manage to say, for a fresh body bore down
upon them, and the tide of battle forced them apart.

They. were now so far reduced in numbers that they
were pressed this way and that, and the shrieks of the
victorious Indians showed that it was only a question
of a short time before not a man would be left alive.
_ Strangely enouzh, the young officer who bore the flag
was still unhurt, and he, with Custér, Buffalo Bill, and
‘some twenty more, found themselves on a little hillock,
the sole survivors of the ill-fated band. .

Many of them were unhorsed, and these, from behind
the shelter of their companions’ horses, kept up a fire

 

THE BUFFALO

To stay here is:

  

BILL STORIES,

1

upon their enemies. Presently the standard-bearer fell,
pierced to the heart.

Another man snatched up the colors, only in turn to
fall with a tomahawk in his brain, q

Sergeant Ryland took up the flag and shouted out in
cheery tones to his companions: © | re

“Rally around the old flag, boys!” ean

And so the band of herees, now reduced to eleven in
number, and all on foot, closed in back to back, while the
merciless crowds of redskins pressed on in overwhelming
numbers. Ae)

It was a grand sight to see those few white men calmly
facing death, selling their lives dearly to the savage foe,
each man ready to lay down his life to save his frietids.

One by one they fell, until only General Custer, Buffalo
Bill, and the old sergeant were left.

A hideous little savage forced his pony forward and
fired his rifle full into Buffalo Bill’s face, but although his
hair was singed by the flash, the bullet missed its mark,
for Custer, who was bleeding from a wound in the head,
and whose left arm was nearly severed from his body, had
plunged his sword into the neck of the savage just in the
nick ef time. ee

Another Indian aimed a blow with a tomahawk at the
general, but the sergeant, who still gripped the flag-
pole, brought him down with a shot from his revolver.

Several Indians on foot rushed in at Buffalo Bill, but
he kept them off with his sword, until at last the blade,
striking the haft of an ax, shivered to atoms. :

Custer came to the scout’s assistance, and just as three
or four of the red demons pressed forward to give Buffalo
Bill his finishing blow, the general stepped in front of
him, only to be immediately transfixed with the lance of
the foremost Indian,

It was the redskin’s last blow, though, for Sergeant Ry-
land blew out his brains with the only cartridge in his pis-
ME and hurled the now useless weapon in another one’s
ace, :

Buffalo Bill, with the broken sword-blade in his hand,
endeavored to stand over the general’s body, but a swarm

“of mounted men hurled themselves upon the last sur-

vivors of the terrible massacre. cae
A great weight seemed to fall upon the head of Buffalo

Bill, and with the fiendish yells of the red men ringing in

his ears, he seemed to fall through black space, until
with a crash he remained stationary, and consciousness
leit hin.

 

CHAPTER X,
NIGHT ON THE BATTLEFIELD,

When Buffalo Bill again opened his eyes on his sur-
roundings it was night. The moon shone down coldly
and brightly on the battlefield, toning down the ghastly
sights ang shading the red shambles that the daylight
would 4. oe is

The scout tried to move, but found he could do so only
with difficulty. : oe

A red man lay across him, and he was entangled with
his dead horse. et ae Ge

The effort caused him considerable pain,’and he fell
back, uttering a faint groan. ae : ‘
There were wild sounds ringing around. the triumphant

{

  
 

20

yell of fhe savages celebrating their victory in the camp

‘hot far from the battlefield, and the discordant cries of
squaws as ainong the heaps of slain they discovered the
forms of husbands or sons. _

Moving about in the field were numbers of Indians—

the squaws, as before-mentioned, searching for missing -

relations, while parties of warriors stripped the dead of
their belongings, and, as is their savage custom, tore the
scalps from the corpses.

Cool and brave as he was, Buffalo Bill could not help
shuddering as he contemplated the ghastly work, and
lay thinking how soon his turn would come.

Every now and then a sharp ery Of pai told that the
savages had found some unfortunate in whom life still

lingered. :

A stab with a scalping este or blow with a tomahawk
soon settled the business, and the braves moved on to
other groups. .

The Indians were in small parties, roving about all over
the field, and presently a lot of about six approached the
scout.

and as the body fell back again upon the ground, and the
moonbeais shone upon - the: face,’ Buffalo Bill feces
the old veteran, Sergeant Ryland.

“His presentiment was pretty right,” he muttered, and

then a warrior stopped and seized the belt in en Buf-
falo Bill carried his revolvers. a

He tugged roughly at it, and caused Pubale Bil Tniigh,

pain, so that he groaned again,

the ‘Indian gave a Savage @ty, and one or two of his
onl anions, with knives and tomahawks ready, crowded.

  

Pp
around to deal the wotinded man his death-blow. y
_ One man. seized the scout’s hair and dragged his head
up from the ground, while another raised his tomahawk
to crash the blade into his brain. It seemed that the
scout’s luck had at 1 st deserted him, and that now his
time had really come*

He kept his eyes fixed in a sort of fascination, upon the

  
 

gleaming steel, but before it could fall, a harsh voice aes

out in Sioux :
“Stay your hand, Wa-non- gnwe.”
The brave paused, and the speaker sagged Pee
Buffalo Bill, looking wp, saw it was Tee-cuth-dahy
It was clear he had authority over his countrymen, for

although they grumbled at the interference, none at-

tempted any violence against the Seoul!

“Wa-non- -gnwe found the paleface lived. The scalp
belongs to him!” grumbled the Indian.

“Peace! It is the White Buffalo! ‘Bate Bull has
said he shall not die. Go, Wa-non-en e, and tell the
chief. Fetch him hither.”

_ The Indian departed, and some of fie others eee Ole:

on their errands of mtirder and robbery, but Tee-cum- -dah
and another warrior stayed by the scout. __

ae is yo, Tee-cum-dah ?” said Buffalo Bill. @
_.“Towe you my life, I think.”

“Wach! the White Buffalo held the life of Tee-cum-
dah in his hand, and he did not take. |

“The réd man always pays back.”

. “How. is it with the prisoners, Tee-cum-dah? Ate

they all well??
“Some are dead.” i

‘THE BUFFALO

A man she lay besiae him was stripped and scalped,

ing out his hand.

BILL STORIES.

Buffalo Bill’s heart gave a thud.

“The white man who was with me when we first met

you, and who now is in your hands—is he dead?” |
“No, he lives; but few of the other men are alive.”
“And his squaw—the mother of Se eatal ri
“phe Byes,’
The scout felt considerably relieved, but being terri-
bly weak, could ask no further questions.
So he lay wondering why Reno had not come up to Cus-

ter’s assistance; whether the gallant general was dead;

why the rest of the troops had’ not come up and joined
in the battle, and if unable to rescue the unfortunaté cav-
alry, at least have avenged them.

But he was no more ‘able to explain this point than the
hundreds of others since have been able to, and while he

was still wondering several Indiatis returned ; the dead ‘

man was lifted off his chest, and he was disengaged from
his horse.

Not ungently they raised ‘him and ‘bore him away, «

feaving the field with all. its horrors behind, and passing
through the Indian camp.

The scene of mad revelry which the: scout saw there
told him that. the red man’s success had been perfect—begy

yond their wildest hopes it must have been, and he had lit-"
tle hope for himself or any of those other unfortunate
prisoners who were in the Indians’ power.

No insult was offered to him as he was borne alone ?
through, which was possibly due to the fact that Tee-cum-
They .
reached a lodge almost in the center of the camp, and hate

ABs

dah stalked solemnly at the head of the procession.

Buffalo Bill was laid upon a pile of ‘skis.

Flis liurts were examined by Tee-eum-dah, and it | was
found he had a very nasty gasH. inthe head, inflicted by

a tomahawk, and that he had beth pe eed. in as shoulder
by an arrow.

These wounds were washed and Sontid up, and ‘ies
the Indian adiministered a drink of native décoction,
which, although bitter to the taste, had the effect of Sap
ting the scout into a deep: sleep.

It was late the next day before he awoke, ahd. then he

“was given some broth, his wounds again dressed, his Q
wants attended to, and again he sank to sleep,

After that some little fever must have set in, for Buffalo |
Bill remembered nothing of what had taken place for the

next day or two, though afterward he was dimly con-

scious of having seen several people. passing in and out

of the lodge.

At last he opened his eyes to find ee -cum-dah standing | ip |

looking down upon him, while a female ihe sat on a lit-
tle stool beside him .

He stared hard, then Ered:

“Am I dreaming ?”

“No, you are not dreaming. any mote,” said a sivbet
voice; and the scout knew that Leonard Dare’s handsome
wife sat beside him. |

“Thank goodness you at least are safe!” he said, one
“But how is it we are here?
been rescued?” Mm e

“No, we are both an the power of thage dreadful people.

 

- But you were very ill, and they were afraid Jon. mel
die, so they sent me to nurse you, as Sitting: B

  

ious for you to live.”
“And my old iriend Leonard?”

Have we

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

  

; | THE BUFFALO

The tears gathered in a Mrs. Dare’s eyes.

“Poor Leonard! Hie 2 isa Pasonre also, but I am never |

allowed to see him.”

All this was very strange to Buffalo Bill, and he won-
dered much at the turn affairs had taken, but he still felt
too weak to talk much, so he scon fell asleep.

But the crisis had now passed, and the scout, who had
been very severely wounded, began tapidly to mend.

During his convalescence he had many a talk with
Latira Dare, who continued to nurse him.

ie learned all that had happened at her house as he

concluded; the servants. had made what defence they
could, but had been overpowered, and either killed or
taken prisoners.

She and her daughter Emily had been seized and car-
ried off, and her son, Will had been captured by Tee-cum-
dah.

She was most delighted to hear that the little fellow
was safe at Fort Abraham Lincoln. Her own condition
was father pectiliar.

It appeared that the chief, Big Horse, claimed having ©
captured her, and insisted that she should go to his wig-
_ wam as his first squaw ; but Sitting Bull--who, although
- not the war chief, yet was certainly the political head of

the great Sioux nation—would not agtee to this.

The matter was to have been settled at a big palaver oi
the chiefs, but that palaver had never taken place.

The success over General Crook’s men, and the idea of
driving all the whites out of the country, had turned the
minds of the Indians from all minor matters, and the ques=
tion was still unsettled,

Pending the decision, Mrs. Dare was under Sitting
Bull’ $ protection. :

While the scout was tapidly gaining stréngth, he

thought these mattets over, and to a certain extent saw .

the driit of the wily old Sioux chief’s ideas.

Everything would depend upon how he should play his
cards when the time came and he threshed the pros and
cons out in his mind.

Mrs. Dare was no longer allowed to come to him, be-
ing confined, as before, in the wigwam of Sitting Bull’s
squaws, where she had not much to complain of.

Her daughter Emily, a beavitifid girl, was with her, and
many a young chief cast longing glances toward the “pale
maiden.”

Sentries were always kept at the front and rear of the
wigwam in which the scout was lodged, but no bonds con-

ed him, and he was free 2 to wander about the hut, but
os

to leave it.
One morning several warriors approached, and behind
them the squat figure of Sitting Bull was seen. —
The old chief and Buffalo Bill knew one another well,
and the latter had once performed a service for the chief.
Sitting Bull advanced alone into the hut, in which he
sat down without sayitig a word, the scout, from his pile

of skins, watching him, but not speaking. Solemnly the
chief lit his caltumet and smoked, after a while passing it _

to Buffalo Bill, who also smoked and waited in silence.
_ At last the chief opened the conversation. :
“There is peace in the heart of Sitting Bull toward his
brother, Mite Biatng
“White Buffalo is iad,

“Sitting os white brother has. bees very near tthe

 

-old enemy, the Sioux.”

BILL STORIES. a

happy hunting-grounds of his fathers.
have nurséd him gently.”

“White Buffalo i is grateful to his ted brothers.
not forget.” —

“Many white men have gone a4 the happy’ hunting-
grounds.”

“Many red men went with them.”

“Wagh! it was a big fight. The déad bodies ley’ on:
the ground like leaves in autumn, but there were many
scalps.in the Wigwams of the Sioux. No white man es-
caped, ‘ Fae

ves day of retribution is at hand, Sitting Bull.”

The old chief gave a sinile of inexpressible cunning.

“Sitting Bull thinks not,” hé said. “He is the chief of
a very mighty nation, a he Crows and the Cherokees ,
have joined hitn; other nations only wait to be asked;
the red men have banded together, and the white man
must go. We have twice met the soldiers, and twice we
have beaten them} once they fled, and once we killed then
all; the others would not fight.”

“Did not the other soldiers come to the assistance of the”
party with me who attacked you down from the hills?” -

“No, they fought from the woods, and at night made
acamp. Next day we attacked them and killed them all.”

This was not true, but Buffalo Bill did not know that till
some weeks later. Reno did make a camp, and was at-
tacked, suffering but he managed to retire with
best part of his men ried the news of the massacre’
back to Fort Ab In.

But at the tune tl » seamed bad enough, and Buf-
falo Bill was impressed wit ht ne vast’s success the redskins
had achieved. ;

He. waited for Sitti Bull to continue.

“My white brother can see that his countrymen are
driven out of the Indian lands forever. Now the red men
have combined they can defy their foes.”

“Sitting Bull knows that is not so. He knows that the

His red brothers

He will

Oo Mie 1OS*

   
 
 

white men will avenge the death of those who have fallen.”

Lhe combined nations will eat them up as they did the
valiant Custer.”

“Bah! White Buflalo knows the nations willequareh

Whien did the Sioux and Cherokees sit down to the same
fire for long, and where are the Pawhees, and the Black-
feet, and the Comanches ey sey will all help against their

“My white brother makes mistakes. The red men will
not join with the white men against their own pact

“They have done so before.” :

“And if they did what would be the result! Pe

“You would be simply wiped out.” |

“It will not be so,” said the chief; “but Sitting Bull
will humor his white brother, and will suppose that the
Sioux would be defeated. What would they do with Sit-
ting Bulle?) 3

“Such ‘a renowned. chief would, ‘at course, aie: (anv a
“hawk in hand, at the head of his nation,”

said Buffalo
Bill.

“Sitting Bull wottld know how to die, * said the chief,
stiffly ; “but he might be taken prisoner.”

“Then he would be shot off- hand,” said the scout,

~~ bluntly.

The chief: cinoked for some singles: in silence, then

Buffalo Bill said to him:

 
22 THE BUFFALO

“What is Sitting Bull going to do with his white
brother ?”

“Why does the Buffalo ask? Has he any complaint?
Has he not food, has he not wees a lodge, slaves to wait
on him?” i

“White Buffalo is not complaining, ba he knows there |

is some reason why he is not led to the torture post.”

“Sitting Bull has a memory.
falo once befriended him, and he wants to repay him.”

“How ey

Again there was a silence, then the chief said:

«Siting Bull is head of a mighty nation, but he has
many enemies who envy him his power. There i is no red
man whom he can trust, and he wants some one to help
him govern.
than their red brothers, and they know many things.

“Who is there among the white man better than Sitting
Bull’s friend, White Buffalo? He shall live with Sitting
Bull and help him govern. I have spoken.”

The scout whistled. After all, there had been a deal of
truth in what he had overheard the Indians talking about

when he had discovered the hunting oe He thought

a moment, then he said :

“You offer me to join with you in governing the
Sioux ?”

“To be Sitting Bull’s friend.”

“And if I refuse ?’

The chief shrugged his show iden’

scalp.’

“Let him take it.”

“Consider what I have sald.” "

“I cannot be false to my own color.”

“Listen further; Sitting Bull will tell you a ale

“Two moons ago his warriors captured a white squaw
and her pappoose, a beautiful girl; there were other pris-
oners, too, but those do not matter. Big Horse wanted

the white squaw and her daughter, but Sitting Bull pre--

vented him.

“He wanted to see how the big fight would go; G it had -
gone against the Sioux the whites “would: have been’ use-_

ful as hostages.”’

“Downy old scoundrel,” thought Buffalo Bill.
“Then a strange thing happened ; a hunting-party of my
braves brought in the white squaw ’s husband, and itis

said that he is mad, but Sitting Bull knows he is not.

Big Horse would take his scalp, too.”
‘Big Horse is an ambitious man.’

“He is very powerful, and if White Buffalo does not

agree with Sitting Bull’s ideas, the white squaw and her

daughter will go to Big Horse’s wigwam and the pris-

_ oners—all the prisoners, will die at the torture stake,”
and the chief grinned pleasantly.

will come and avenge these deeds.”

“If the Buffalo will not help him what can he do? Of
course if anything should happen afterward, and the Buf-

falo is Sitting Bull’s friend, he would not forget that a

life was given him by his red brother.”
In a flash the scout saw the chief’s meaning.
“My white brother will consider over Sitting Bull's |
words,” and the chief strode from the. hut,
: t

He remembers the Buf

The white men are wise; they see farther

“Big” Horse is.a mighty war-c. tel; he wants your

BILL aoe.

CHAPTER Xi
BIG HORSE GETS MUTINOUS. |

There was much to be considered in the words of
Sitting Bull.

It was clear the redskin was playing for safety. 2

He had seen enough of the whites to know their
strength, and to feel sure that a terrible vengeance would.
be exacted ; he also knew full well the fickleness of his own’
countrymen, and knew that it was only a question of
time before the Crows and Cherokees would desert hign.

Hence he must enjoy his power while he had it, and by. -

“making Buffalo Bill his friend, insure his safety in case
the whites should defeat him, when he relied upon ‘Buffalo

Bill to use his influence to save his life.
It was a clever scheme and worthy of Sitting Bull’s
well-known foresight.

On the other hand, Buffalo Bill cer tainly owed ine this
life, and he would be doing no harm by SST ECED to Sits
ting Bull's suggestion.

If he did not fall in with them he knew the fate of the
Dares was sealed.
He sent word to Sitting Bull that ie required two aot
to consider the matter, and he asked to be allowed to. talk —
over the position with his friends.

Sitting Bull himself came to him next: moning. toa: oe
making signs of peace himself, conducted Buffalo Bill -
from the tent and led him, around the huge camp. The
scout had seen many encasipments in his life, but never
such a huge assemblage as now appeared before him.
There were simply thousands of warriors, while squaws >
and children seemed innumerable, the barking of dogs
and cries of the pappooses resounded on all sides, while
hordes of ponies were to be seen out on the plains.

Buffalo Bill gazed sadly at the hill from which the
three hundred sabers of the Sev enth Cavalry, with their
ill-fated leader, had charged down upon the foe, to die,
but to win for themselves an ever lasting place on the
world’s roll of heroes.

He was not allowed to visit the field where the bodies
still lay, but could picture to himself the scene.

That night he went to Sitting Bull’s lodge, a fine large
one, and here, to his joy, he found Mrs. Dare and Emily.

‘He chatted with them for some time until suddenly the
flap of the tent was raised, and Leonard Dare. conducted
inside, guarded by two warriors.

He looked pale, his beard was long sod iis hair une

kempt, but he was still a handsome man.
The meeting between him and his wife was ee
“Teaura!” he cried, and, with one bound, leaped to her
side and folded her in his arms.

The Indians would have torn him away, ee Bufiato

_ Bill said, ‘let them be,” and Sitting Bull nodded assent.
Sitting Bull would not allow that ; he knows the whites
other, while their daughter,
~ turn,

For one minute they poured out their hearts to each
Emily, clung to each in.

Sitting -Bull at length spoke, and Dare was seized by.
the Indians ; they only secured his legs, though, and then,
at a sign, withdrew. There were now only present the
chief, his first squaw, and his son, a bright lag epout oe
teen; Buffalo Bill, and the Dares. © =

The whole state of affairs v was, discussed, and | in: 1 the

ety ioe

 
THE BUFFALO

bee Buftala Bill agreed, for the sake of his friends, more
than for his own, to fall in with the views of Sitting Bull.

After the prisoners had been removed the chief had a
talk with Buffalo Bill, in which he very plainly gave out
his views and told him he expected, in case of anything
going wrong, that Buffalo Bill would make his casé all
right. with the government at Washington.

“Phis Buffalo “Bill promised to do as far as lay in | his
power. a :

The next day Siete Bull sonvened a big palaver, in
which he told his followers that the White Buffalo had in
previous days befriended him, and that now he was deter-
mined to show the gratitude of a red man toward him.

That Buffalo was a mighty warrior, and now that the
white men had been defeated, once and for all, the white
chief had determined to throw in his lot with his red
brethren, and Sitting Bull was going to ae him into
. the tribe.

There was great diversity of opinion shot this, and
Big Horse, a fierce, truculent chief, made a nee speech
against it.

It was a remarkable thing that, although Sitting Bull
was. no goad in the field—in fact, he always kept far
enough out of harim’s way—he was able to sway the
opinions of his followers in the camp, and for fiery and
perstiasive oratory he had no equal.

Therefore, in the speech which he made in answer to
Big Horse he carried the opinion of the redskins with
him, and he pointed out in stich glowing terms the ad-
vantages that were going to accrtie from their having
associated with them such a mighty warrior as Buffalo
Bill, that the Indians were ready to welcome hin.

x big feast was held that night, and it was proposed
to put a couple of the white prisoners to death to cele-
brave the occasion. —

‘Buffalo Bill had great difficulty in persuading sitting
Bull to put a stop to the nefarious plan.

After that Buffalo Bill was allowed to roam about
within the precincts of the camp at his own pleasure, and
he noticed that there were plenty who regarded him with
very black looks,

Bie Horse was evidently brewing mischief, for he kept

aloof from Sitting Bull, and a ncimnber of the Slat Y

braves followed his lead.

That night, too, the whole of the Cherokees deserted,
and there seemed to be a general feeling of uneasiness
among the Indians. ~

The completeness of their victory and the very absence
of all signs of pursuit seemed to frighten them, and small
parties | ‘began to pack off aid start toward the uP
regions of ‘the Yellowstone by themselves.

‘Sitting Bull thought it would be as well to retreat

also, and away they went from the scene of the massacre,

inarching for several days, Buffalo Bill taking care that

the prisoners were cared for on the march. |
At last they pitched camp upon some old hunting-

grounds; but by then it was found that their party was

still further reduced in aguumbers, . ;
Big Horse, who all the way had been holding meetings
among his. followers,

tofu.
‘Sitting Bul Dee Buffalo Bill what shoud cc Gone.

then came and demanded that the _
white. squaws, Mrs. Dare and Emily, should be yen mp

BILL STORIES, 25

“They must not be givert up on any account,” said the
scout, “or I will sever my connection with the tribe at
once.”

“What can I do?”

“Leave me to settle with Big Horse.
and we will argue it with him.”

Sitting Bull agreed, and Tee-cum- -dah was taken into
Buffalo Bill's confidence.

At the palaver Big Horse advanced his claim, as having
béen in command of the party that captured the Dares.

‘Yee-cum-dah opposed his claim as having been the
actual watrior who laid hands upon the prisoners, and
there the dispute stood until Buffalo Bill stood up, and,
speaking the Sioux language fluently, made the following
speech:

‘My brothers, most of you know me; I am the White
Brrffalo—I am a ttmter and a warrior.
taken the White Buffalo by the hand; they are brothers.

“The White Buffalo has come to live among you-—to be
your chief and assist at your councils. But he ‘must have
a squaw, and he will take one of his own color. —

“My brothers, the white squaw and her daughter
shall go to the wigwam of the White Buffalo. Sitting
Bull has said that it shall be so, and I will fight any man
who denies my right. I have spokert.” i

At buzz of surprise at the very audacity of this speech
ran around the ring of Indians, and Fioegh voices rose; but
Sitting Bull quelled them.

Phen Big Horse sprang up and, in a fiery speech, chal-

Call a palaver

. lenged Buffalo Bill to fieht for the prize.

7 he scout accepted, and would have ventured the com-

baton the spot; but Tee-cum=dah spoke up.

cs he White Buffalo is not yet fit,”
“Tee-cum-dah will fight for him.” |
Many of the warriors cried out that T ‘ee- -cum- -duh had

he said.

a right to the squaw, and might fight.

“T give up my right to the White Buffalo,” said Tee-
cum- -dah.

Big Horse would not fect the brave, however, and i
Sitting Bull again arrangéd matters.

“The combat shall take @ place this day week,” ‘he said,
and the palaver broke up angrily. ‘
After that there was very bad feeling between the two
patties of Sioux—Sitting Bull’s followers and Bie
Horse’s—and it was as much as the former could do to |

prevent the parties coming to blows.

Day after day there were desertions, and the party went.

farther toward the upper reaches of the Yellowstone.

Ugly rumors were about, too, that a large number ot

soldiers were following on the trail, and that already ..
several parties of Indians had been met with and. pretty ‘

well exterminated.
The feeling against. the whee got worse and worse,

and one morning three of the white prisoners, two ‘men. 7
., and a woman, were found murdered and scalped, and this —
. seemed: to be the ok that | set fire to the smoldering
wrath.

The two parties: became quite estranged, and Bobale o
Bill took Mrs. Dare and Emily into his wigwam, and
Leonard Dare being smuggled 1 in and being supplied with
arms by Buffalo Bill on the. quiet, guarded his” treasures
witli a jealous eye. ue

Nothing further «was said about the combat, though :

 

Sitting Bull has.
24

Buffalo Bill was keeping himself prepared; and so the
days passed till the night before the trial was to be made.
On this particular night Buffalo Bill and Dare were
enabled to have their first quiet talk since the scout had
throw nin his lot for the time being with Sitting Bull.

“Why on earth did you give yourself up ?” Buffalo Bill
asked.

“T could not heip it, Cody; if I had not, I should simply
have gone raving mad.

“T could not endure wa iting all those weeks till the
troops were ready to start, and I felt that I didn't care
what happened so long as I was with my wife and Emily.

“There was just the chance that I might be able to help
them—at any rate, I was close to them, though a prisoner,
and I have been happier since I have been captured than
Iwas while wondering what happened to them.”

“It was a risky thing to do, and your life would cer-
tainly have paid the forfeit had not the very audacity of
the thing puzzled the redskins.

“They thought you must be mad, and as they never
harm mad persons, they spared you.”

“I was awfully sorry to have to leave you as I did, but
IT knew you would never agree, and you assured me
there was no danger of the Indians surprising you as you
slep pt, so I sneaked off.

“J missed them at their camp, though, and had to fol-
tow their trail all the next which was to me a difi-
cult job. .

“T know all your movements,” said the scout.
lowed on your trail, and saw you give yourself, up; I was
almost in time to prevent you.”

He related all that had happened.

The faces of the captives grew grave when ay heard
about the crushing defeat of Custer

“What will happen to us, and how will it all end?”
asked Mrs. Dare, who sat by her husband’s side.

“We must escape the first opportunity, that’s certain,”
said the scout, emphatically.

“It will not be difficult, I think, with the facilis T
have, and the end will be that the Sioux nation will be
scattered over the face of the continent, and will never
be allowed tg win another victory like that of the se
Big Horn.”

At the word * “escape” the faces brightened up, and
means and ways were being discussed when, silently, the
flap of the tent was raised, and a warrior, fully armed,
was seen in the entrance.

Buffalo. Bill. snatched up -his- ries -but the. warrior
spoke.

“Why does my white brother ice his gun? Tee-cum-
dah should be welcome in his wigwam.”

THE BUFFALO

33

CHAPTER XI 7”
A NIGHT SCUFFLE.

Room was at once made for the Indian, who, with less

ceremony than.usual, began to speak. He had been out
on the scout, and had made important discoveries.

A large number of white soldiers with “long knives’—
swords—and “fire death-carts’”—field guns—was follow-
ing hotly on their trail, and would soon be up with them.

This news was indeed important, and ‘Buffalo Bill
talked the matter over with Dare.

‘Esto

BILL STORIES.

“We must escape without delay,” he said.

“Tt will never do to be here if the soldiers do atiick:
In case of a defeat the exasperated Indians would sacri-
fice us for a certainty.”

Tee-cum-dah was taken into confidence, and it was ar-
ranged that ponies should be brought down to the cutside
of the camp nearest to Buffalo Bill’s lodge, and that then
all the prisoners, in Indian disguise, should steal off

‘toward the pursuing soldiers.

If they got a good start, they would be’ able to defy
pursuit until they reached ‘the soldiers, and might ] per-
haps be the means of bringing some of the tribe to justice.

Buffalo Bill meant to “send word by Tee-cum-dah to
Sitting Bull, telling him that directly the soldiers ap-
oe he and his tribe must throw down their arms, a

aat he would do what he could to get them pardoned ; i
no case must he show fight.

All were so busy in “the lodge, arranging blankets
around their shoulders, staining ‘their faces with ochre,
and in other ways making their disguise, that the footsteps
of three men who sneaked up outside the tent were un-
heard.

One of these, aft er listening intently, began very
quietly to slit with his knife the buffalo skin of which the
lodge was made.

Soon he had got a hole big enough to glide through,
and he was followed by another man. _

-The first intimation Buffalo Bill had of the fact was a
dark form springing suddenly upon him and striking with

-all his might at his chest.

From the stooping position of the man Who ate the
blow, it struck the scout right on the big steel clasp of his
belt, and with such force as to send him staggering back-
ward,

The clasp, though, had saved his life, for the ik
which had struck the blow was shivered, and ere the
would-be assassin could strike another blow. Buffalo Bill
had grappled with him. :

Ashe did so the second man sprang to his Fest and
attacked Dare, who, totally unarmed, had a difficult task.

‘Tee-cum-dah, who had been to see to thé horses, had
fortunately returned, and he came to Dare’s assistatice.

~ Meanwhile, Buffalo Bill and his foe, locked in a deadly
embrace, were rolling about the floor of the lodge, each
trying to disarm his antagonist, but- neither bei ing able to
do so. =

The females screamed with fright at the tertibte oc-
currence, and the wildest confusion reigned for a: minute
or two. ae

Then Buffalo Bill was enabled te get a gtip on his
enemy's throat, and he gave it such a squeeze that the.
man’s tongtie protruded, and his grasp relaxed.

“As he fell back there was a sickening thud, and Tee-_
cum-dah buried his tomahawk in his countryman’s skull.

Buffalo Bill, thus released, whipped out his revolver,
and springing to Dare’s aid, sent a bullet into his adver-
sary’s head.

Tee-cum-dah was at that moment coolly proncedise to
scalp the Indian he had killed, and as he placa the cep
in his belt, he said, mance

“Big Horse.” . eee

“Ant I: thought: this was Some of his. work, - ” panted
the scout.

 
“THE BUFFALO

“He did not want to meet me in fair fight, so he tried
to murder me and carry off the prisoners.’

Dare satisfied himself that his wife and daughter were
unhurt. :

“We must get off at once,” said Buffalo: Bill.

“The alarm will have been given.”

‘They hurried from the lodge, Tee-cum-dah, giving a
low whistle as of warning, following them.

They had not got very far, when they saw a dozen or :

so forms hurrying toward them.

The third Indian. who had been with Big Horse had
hurried off, alarmed his companions, and was returning
to. avenge his chief. :

Buffalo Bill and Dare stepped in front to Gefend the
females; but they would have stood little chance had not
Tee-cum-dah with half a score of warriors, for whom
his whistle was intended, suddenly opposed the other
watriors. -

With angry « cties the two parties met, nud for a few
minutes a sharp conflict was waged. .

Buffalo Bill seized the opportunity of poking: for the
horses, knowing where Tee-cum-dah had brought them.

But when they got there, to their disappointment, the
horses were no longer there; they had been removed.

_ The scout did not intend being defeated at the last mo-
ment and, leaving Dare to guard the females, he started
back to get Tee-cum-dah’s. assistance.

-He found that the brave.had driven off his foes: on

ing that the horses had been taken, he expressed a

ely made for the spot where the bulk of

es were tethered, and were securing fresh mounts,

_a large party of Indians came rushing upon them.

By ‘that time more of Tee-cum-dah’s followers had come

up, and at the chief’s orders fell upon their own tribes-
men,

There were no saddles i be obtained, and geht num-
bers of Indians kept pouring in, and the conflict waxed |
hotter and hotter, the shouts of the combatants being
deafening.

~In the midst of it Sitting Bull came ‘up. and soon saw
what was going on.

He accused Bats. Bill of treachery, but a scout
told him bluntly that he was not pouns to him in any way,
and that the game was up.

The SGidiers will be down on you very shortly, and
it is no time for dallying. Call off your men, and don’t let
them oppose the soldiers.”

Sitting Bull was inclined to carry matters with a hich
hand, but it was no time for wasting moments.

The scout had managed to get his friends mounted,
and vaulted on to a horse himself.

The struggle, which had surged. away from them, was
rapidly returning, and there was no time to lose. a
Sitting Bull saw that it was useless for him to attempt
to quell the riot that ‘had arisen, so, to the scout’s sur-.
prise, he leaped on a horse and announced his intention of

escaping with Buffalo Bill, —

Without any further delay they galloped off, but it was
soon discovered that they were pursued, and they settled
down to a long and rough ride,

Buffalo Bill kept in the rear with Sitting Bull, and
every now and then the former would senda shot toward

BILL STORIES.

oS

the pursuers, which appeared to keep them in heck. and
presently the pursuit ceased altogether.

They did not slacken speed, however, and for some
hours pursued their way, until at length they were
brought up sharp with a challenge from a United States
cavalryman.

Dare was able to aout out that they were friends: be-
fore the soldier fired, and soongthey were sale within

their own countrymen’s lines.

The feelings of the prisoners on finding themselves
once more free can be better imagined than described, :

Dawn was just breaking am the party were led to the
place where the commanding officer lay sleeping, Sitting
Bull’s form Bein regarded with much attention by the
troopers.

Major Reno, the commander of the pan was: well
known to Buffalo Bill, and he stared at the scout and

- rubbed his-eyes, stared again, then exclaimed:

“Great snakes! can it be Cody? Why, man I thought
you were lying dead down on the Little Big Horn!”

“No,” replied Buffalo Bill; “but I believe I am the
only survivor of that massacre,” and he proceeded briefly
to relate what had happened.

‘The officer had no idea he was so close to his enemy,
and he soon had the camp astir.

There were the remainder of Custer’s regiment, the
Seventh, and another cavalry corps, with a- ‘battery of
field artillery, and these were soon on the move toward
Sitting’ Bull’s late camp.

The chief himself was very carefully planted: but no
indignity was offered to him, as Buffalo Bill represented
that he had befriended the prisoners, ae had himself
voluntarily surrendered.

Soon after they were on the move in the morning a .
large party of Indians were seen to be making toward
them, and the cavalry was extended so as to overlap them,
while the guns trotted forward and were trained upon
them. All hearts beat high with the Prospect of a ae
with the hated red men. —

. Buffalo Bill, anxious to do what he could to save Tee-
cum-dah and those prisoners who still remained in the
hands of the Sioux, galloped forward, when, to his sur-
prise, he recognized Tee-cum-dah right in front of the
party. He signaled to him to come on by himself, and’
soon learned from him that the fight of the night. before
had been stubbornly contested, and that the victory had
been with the followers of the late Big Horse.

Tee-cunf-dah managed to get away with some huh
dred or so of Sitting Bull's es ane ae had fol-
lowed that chief.

Buffalo Bill learned ie at in time to save the exter-
mination of the party, for the guns were laid, and the
cavalrymen were simply waiting the word to Swoop down
upon their foes.

The soldiers were bitterly dea ppbinted at not being
able at once to avenge Custer’s death, but they learned
later that their real foes were following close on the heels-
of Tee-cum-dah, and soon they would be engaged... ]

Major Reno, the officer in command, asked Buffalo Bill
if he thought the Indians could be trusted, and. being.
assured that they could, an ambush was arranged, for pe

_redskins who were in pursuit.

¥ A little further on was some nooles country, ahd in.

 
oo ee BUFFALO

among the trees the guns and the mae tpuien were hid- |

den, while the Indians dismounted and made believe they
were camping, so that they. ie Hts their foes on to
destruction.

- Some time after noon herdes Or Hon were ‘seen to be

advancing, having possibly spent the remainder of the
past night dancing around the scalps of the dead, and
then started after Teécum-dah at daybreak.

The ambush was ae! laid, and the redskins fell :
all the others, and to-day a handsome monument marks

Seeing Tee-cum-dah’s men ahead, they Fushed on and _ the spot w here the wild red man of the West achieved his

attempted to surround them, T hey were so full of zeal to
effect this that they did not notice that they were in turn

easily into it.

surrounded, and that an ever- oe ring was hems
drawn about them.

fire, and the shells, plumping among the dense masses,
exploded and did hotrible execution.

Horribly afraid of cannon, they attempted to gallop
away, but tongues of flame burst out, and they were sur-
rounded by a ring of fire, while'a hail of bullets scat-
tered wounds and death among them. a

Tee-cum-dah and his men charged through the terrified

ranks of their foes, and took up a position of safety be~

hind the guns, and they the rain of death continued.

No matter at what point the doomed savages tried to.

_. break through the cordon, they were driven back into the
ring of fire, and fell until men and horses lay in heaps.
: hree Indians lay dead for every trooper of the Sev-
enth who had perished, and General Custer was avenged.
With a squadron of men under a subaltern, Buffalo

Bill pushed on to the Sioux camp, which was seized, with

all the squaws, children, old men, and baggage. All the

other white prisoners were rescued, and the ayw er of the

great nation was broken HOrCVeL
* ake ee * oe ee

There was no other: big: fight aiter that..

The government at Washington took such steps a as to.

render a repetition of the occurrence impossible.

True to his word, Buffalo Bill was enabled to procure
Sitting Bull’s pardon, for i in reality the chief had not been:

the ringleader, after all.
He was taken on. to Washington, and. from there, ith

a party of senators, made a ‘tour through the big towns

“of America.

When the ragect: child of nature saw the Hee He ue

works and resources of civilization, he was. thunderstruck,

and on his return to his people did more toward con-

yincing them forever of the uselessness of struggling

against the almighty white man than the fighting and con-

earings of the past fifty years had been able to effect.
-.. Buffalo: Bill accompanied) Dare, with his wife and

es daughter: to Fort Abraham: Lincoln, and here Willie»
Be Dare’ was found, well and happy, being. made a gr eat fuss

of by the rough troopers.

After a brief stay of some. sees the party ee e ‘ . bra

now once more the happy and light- hear is ma.

' delighted with him.

   

BILL STORIES.

 

At the expiration | af a pasate Buffalo Bill had: to return
to the fort to resume his post.as chief of scouts, 7 .
From the soldiers who had gone out to avenge muster’s

 

defeat. and who were the first whites to visit the battle-
field, Buffalo’ Bill learned that: old Sergeant Ryland had
pean found lying dead across General Custer’s body, ANC:

strange enough, the general was the ony man who had
been neither scalped nor mutilated.
They were buried with military os as‘were, in fact,

last great: victory. over. the invader of his soil.
He ae xf vk “ak SO oe
Ty less than taal months’ aiter the events here relatea

Buffalo Bill was once more in the neighborhood of Rich-

‘Their first intimation. was lee the field guns opened _ mond Ranch.

It was by that time all rebuilt and strengthened against
the chance of any further attack.
Dare had a number of men working fot ie and these

were trained to use a rifi He and wield a sword as well as atty 4

trooper,

Mrs, Dare was looking handsome as ever, and though ©

it was not likely that the recollection of the black days

she had passed through among the Sicux would ever
pass away, she had to a certain extent got over the first

shock.
Emily had erown: into a beautiful girl, and little Willie
bade fair to become as tall and handsome as his father,

   

been of yore,

After the dispersal of the Sioux Tee-cim-da hn had w an-

dered about for some months, but one night, to. the sur-

prise of all in the ranch, he arrived, with” his squaw and

two pappooses.
Dare made him thoro

   
  

The Indian stayed: for: Some weeks, disappearing as

suddenly as he had arrived, but retur ning again after a

month or two to take up his abode in the Laon hut

which Dare had given to him.

Tt seems now that the Indian has so. o dale, to his
white friends and to a civilized mode of living that he

intends to spend at least the greater portion of the year _

among them, and his delight is to teach: the little Dare to
shoot "and ride, to track the deer and wolf, and to read the
hundred and one signs of ‘the forest: that are as an a

‘book. to these wild children of nature.

Buffalo Bill spent some weeks amid the boneti scene,
and they were some of the happiest days of his life,

When at last he took his departure, it was only on the

nderstanding that he should repeat his vi t at least once

“-in-every twelve months, a promise that, when he is enabled
to do’so, he most solemnly keeps, and these visits form the
“most peaceful breaks in the can eerons ae exciting career
The ik of ae bibde Scouts.”

“THE END

gether to Dare’s ruined house, and although his. loss in.

property had been very great, there was not a happier =
a ee the Black Mustang
A mysterious black horse running wild on the prarie, a
and, with the help of a Bae of ‘hired hands, the: work.

_ man in all America than Buffalo Bill’s old comrade.
They set to work to get the big house again in order,

went merrily foanare

 

Death. - ads like a good story.

Ne ext resies issue, Nee 96, will canter “Buffalo Bill

; or, Phil Dearborn’s Death Ride.”

man ‘bound fast to his back. - Buffalo. Bill te the; rescue.
Iv IS A CORKER.-

y oleae: and Saraquat was

 

 
 

 

 

 

-. and sod, and erected a breastwerk.

comes marching down upon us.

eyes’ for. no. other.

him. I admire his coolness.

~ goes down, but he does net falter.

| The contest is over. :
fae The list of prize winners will be published in three weeks,
ny Now for a new one! :
Let us all p'tch in and make it a howling success,
For full particulars, see page 31.

 

 

ave Killing ‘a Man.
(By J. F. Snow, Brunswick, Me.)

‘This is what I dreamed after going to a theatre:
_Here’is a brigade of us in battle line across an old
meadow; our right and left join other brigades. We
have thrown down the rail fence, gathered logs and brush
It is only a slight
one, but enough to shelter us while lying down.
vision of the enemy breaks cover half a mile away, and

They: are going to charge us. Orders run along the
line, and we are waiting until every bullet, no matter if

fired by a soldier with his eyes shut, must hit a foe. I

select my man while he is yet. beyond range. 1 have
He is a tall. soldierly fellow, wear-
ing the stripes of a sergeant. As he comes nearer, I
imagine that he is looking as fixedly. at me as I am at
He looks neither to the

right nor to the left. The man on his right is hit and

Tam going to kill thatman I have a rest for my gim

on the breastwork, and when the erder comes to fire, [ can-.
“not miss him. He is living his last minute. on earth!
‘We are calnily waiting until our volley shall prove a veri-
table flame of death.
- cam hear the shouts of their officers as they make ready
-to charge. My man is still opposite me.

Now they close up the gaps and we

to he looking at me and no one else. I know the word is

coming in a few seconds more, and 1 aim at his chest.
_ IT could almost be sure of hitting hint with a stone when

we get the word to fire. There is a billow of flame, a
billow of smoke, a fierce crash—-and four thousand bul-

lets are fired into the compact mass of advancing men.
“Not one volley alone, though that worked horrible de-

struction. but another and another, until there was no
longer a living man to fire at.

A dix

He still seems

The smoke drifts slowly away; men cheer and yell; we
can see the meadow beyond heaped with dead and dying
men. We advance our line. As we go forward I look
for my victim. He is lying on his back, eyes half shut
and fingers clutching the grass.. He gasps, draws up his
legs and straightens them out again, and is dead as I pass
on. I have killed my man! My bullet struck him,
tearing that ghastly wound in his breast, and I am en-
titled to all the honor. Do I swing my cap and cheer?
Do i point him out and expect to be congratulated? No!
I have no cheers. I feel no elation. I feel that I mur-
dered him, war or no war, and his agonized face will
haunt me through all the years of my life.

 

Turned Into a Rabbit.
(By Louis Kreig, Brooklyn, N. Y.)
Last election day my father and myself went out hunt-

‘ing on Long Island. We stayed for a week. One day

we came home with some rabbits. I was tired and went
to bed early. I went right to sleep and I thought a rab-
bit had me by the hand walking across a field to its home.

When we came to its home we went in through a hole.

I dreamed we kept falling and falling, until my head hit

_something and I went to sleep. When I awoke I found
myself and some of my friends in a wood, hopping
around, eating. When I looked at myself I found I was

a rabbit. By and by some men came with guns. One
came up to me, and said: “How do you like getting shot,
like you and your father shot us when we were rabbits?
50 I am going to shoot you, take you home, and eat you.”
I tried to tell the man not to shoot me, but I could only
squeak. So I made up my mind to run. I started off,

but I had gone but a few steps when a loud noise rang

out. I felt something sting me, and I fell over, kick-
ing yny feet. He \put me in a bag and took me to a

(
i
i

)

  

 
 

    

28

house. A lady held me by the ears and said I would
make a good stew. She laid me on a hoard.
-run, but could not. I tried to talk, but could not.
little while she came back with a knife and was about to
cut my head off when I woke up. I told my father the
dream next morning and he said: “No more rabbit hunt-
ing for you.”’ So we took the next car home.

Cured of Swimming. :
(By Harry QO. Baker, Evanston, Ill.)
One afternoon, last summer, I had been in swimming

for quite a while, and got very tired, so I decided to go.

home.

_ That night in bed I thought about people getting
drowned, when suddenly I got up, told my mother I was
going swimming with some boy friends of mine. She
said I had better not, but off I went. After I had been
swiniming a while I started towards the pier. All at
once I’ began slipping backwards. I was stepping into
a large hole. As I could not swim well, I began to
scream: ‘Help! Help!” I had come up the second
time when somebody threw a rope to me.
it, and finally reached it. You can imagine my surprise
when I was awakened by my father shaking me violently,
trying to find out. what was the matter.
waking everybody up in the house by my yelling. You
cannot think how thant T was when I found it to be
only a dream.

 

The Dream that Came True. .
UE By Frank R, Jackson, Belden, Ohio.) _

In the year ’88, I was peddling a line of notions. 1

earried my stock in a large pack adipon my back, I
usually confined my business to the rural district, stopping
overnight with whatever farmer from whom I could se-
cure hospitality, paying for the same in trade whenever
possible. About dusk one evening I arrived at a small
country village, situated in a valley,
composed of a-few old-fashioned houses,.a store

dilapidated blacksmith shop. The sun was just setting

behind the western hills and the windows in this old wa

lage were bathed in blood, and quiet reigned supreme.

At the first house I came to on the Buteldees ot the vil-.

lage. ] secured accommodations for the night.
consisted. of two old maiden sisters, both
ugly and with harsh, unpleasant voices...

4 u family
extremely

my room, - One of the old women went. into another

/jefeom and returned. with a small hand-lamp that was

greasy and vile smelling, and burned with a sickly tittle
yellow flame. “Opening a door. she disclosed a narrow
stair and bade me follow her.
attempted to follow up the stairs, whieh was impossible
with the pack, as it was square and several inches larger
than the stairway.

were, ] left the pack at the foot of the stairs, and was
ue shown to my room.
ings as to the safety of my eoods. -
that I saw gs two old women looking through my goods

“THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

I tried to.
in ay

I grabbed at

He said I 4vas.

midnight, and the moon was shining br ightly.

great scout.

_My teeth chattered,
The village was. calmer.

arid a.

struggled, and—awoke..
Tnmed any streams.

- after supper, being quite tired, I requested to be shown to. -

Picking up my: pack, I
Of the neighberheod,

would like to be a fireman.
side, but Jast night I happened to turn over on my left,
_As soon as I was asleep, according to my estimation, I

After being assured by the old.
woman that my goods would be perfectly safe where they .

I went to bed, not without misgiv-_
That night I dreamed

and discussing the quality of the several articles.

Whenever they caine to something they wanted they

would lay it on a chair to one side, I distinctly saw. them
put stockings, towels and ribbons on the chair. They
then proceeded to closé the pack, which was a large
leather telescope satchel which fastened with buckles
and had no lock, Then I noted particularly that they
put the stuff in the bottom drawer of an. old-fashioned
bureau that stood in the room.

In the morning a glance showed me that my pack had
been tampered with, and as I was alone in the room I went
ever to the bureau and pulled out the bottom drawer, and
there, right on top of a miscellaneous lot of wearing ap-
parel, were my goods. I gathered them up and put
them back in my pack where they belonged, and had the
pack buckled up before one of the old “women came in
to announce that breakfast was ready, After breakfast
I asked for my bill, which they said.was fifty cents and
ey cheap at that. As thev absolutely refused to take
i: in trade or look at my goods, I a them in cash aud

: went my way.

 

Fighting Ghosts With Buffalo Bil. :
(By Eric H. Bremer, Brooklyn, Nyy.)
My strangest dream, took place less than a year ago,

“and was of such an odd character that I take pleasure i in

describing it, In my fancy I was on a low prairie,
with a cluster of trees in the distance. The time was
Suddenly
I was startled by the touch of a hand upon my shoulder.

Turning quickly, I saw behind me a handsome man, clad

in buckskin, At once I recognized Buffalo Bill, the
Of course I was pleased’ to meet so brave
and gallant a man, and I said so. Soon: Buffalo Bill and,
I became very friendly and we rode across the prairie
together, We Aes the. cluster. of trees, and
were suddenly startled by the appearance of several
ghastly apparitions, who sprang fromthe trees. Ghosts!

my limbs shook, Buffalo Bill was
He drew his revolver and fired six shots, which
made no ae upon or new and. unwelcome a
quaintances. ‘They rushed at us and pulled us from our
horses. Oh, how frightened 1 was! Other ghosts ran’

i out from the trees and one of them muttered something

A minute later the 2 host who held me lifted a knife in
the air and down it came toward my heart! Li shrieked.
The sweat poured off me in
No more stich dreams for me; this one was
quite. sufficient. oe

 

A Dias at Fire, : ee
(By Harrison Dri ew, Philadelp! hia, Pa)

T had just come in from playing firemen with the. boys
T ate my supper, ineluding three
large pieces of pie. and retired, thinking how mach ]
1 usually slept on my | right

dreamed that our house was on fire and that I was tied

down in my bed with strong cords which 1 could not

break. As ‘I was about to ‘stffocate, I awoke to find

  

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

THE BUFFALO

Roh

‘that my head was buried beneath the pillow. I quickly
pulled the pillow off my head, and was all right afterward.
1 have not wanted to be a fireman since, and always
make it a rule not to eat over two pieces Of pie, because

I believed it was the pie that made me dream.

A Queer Dream.
(By Lawrence Polster, St. Louis, Mo. y

One Tuesday evening I sat by the fire watching the
flames, when my mother came in and told me to go to
bed, as it was nine o'clock. Soon I was in dreamland.

| f that ught it was Christmas, and | had got a rifle, and,

- accompanied by five or six other boys of the neighbor-
‘hood, I went on.a bear hunt, On our way we imet
President Roosevelt coming home from a bear hunt, and
he told us where the most bears were to be found. At
night we camped on the bank of a little stream, and I was
ete “keep watch for the forepart of the night. As I. was
_-not used to the work, I soon fell asleep, and when I awoke
in front of me was a huge bear, standing upright, sur-
veying our camp. I was so scared that "I didn’t know
what to do, but in a minute I gathered enough nerve to
draw an old revolver [ had with me. But it seemed
as though there were no bullets in it, for it would not
shoot. Then I dropped the gun and started to run, but
J could not. Then | started to cry out, and, to my
amazement, I could not do that, either. Then, crack!
_erack! two rifle shots*rang out, and the bear fell over,
apparently dead. Out from the bushes an Indian walked,
_ clothed in buckskin. Then to my surprise the Indian and
bear both vanished, ‘The first thing I did was to wake
up my comrades,
my mother over me saying, ‘‘Get up; it is time to get up,”
My! I was glad my experience was only a dream,

A Marder Gea

(By James yy. Stephenson, Toronto, Canade.y
‘TJ. had just finished reading the dreams in the latest

Buffalo Bill when I suddenly went on a journey to dream- ©

land. I dreamed that I was with my brother going along
the street when he said, “Come on in here.” So i did
not think any more about the house, but I went in and
there was an old woman sitting by the table on a chair,
sewing, and there was a wild, inhuman light in her eyes.
1 heard my brother give a kind of chuckle, and I turned
around to look at him and there was the same inhuman
light in his eyes as was in the woman’s eyes.
turned around to look at the old woman, and she had
got up and was going toward a kind of coop, and then
she fetched out a boy about my size and gave him to my
brother, who pulled out a long knife with a fiendish grin

on his face, and started to run it into the boy’s legs ‘and
I started toward him to stop him, but
when he saw me coming he drove the knife into the boy's
side, and the boy fell to the ground with the knife in his —
My brother then pulled it out and drove it into his .

arms and body.

side,
neck; and the boy started to screech for all he was worth.

Then I looked at the old woman and she was on the chair ©

with a fiendish grin om her face, and was chattering away
to herself. I then knew I was between twe maniacs. i

Je BRR

When of a sudden I woke up, to find

‘Then I

BILL STORIES. 29
sited toward my brother, who was wiping ee long,
black-handled knife on the old woman’s sewing, but
when he saw me he uttered a yell and started toward me
with the knife in his hand and upraised. I felt for my
revolver, but it was gone. I grappled with him, but he
was too strong for me. He threw me on the table near
the window, and started to run the knife in my legs. I
kicked out the window and tried to get out, but he grabbed
me and pulled me back. I then saw my chance. I gave
him a hard rap onthe wrist, and, whizz! the knife
skimmed my head and went through the window.. He

then laid me with my head on the sill, and started to .

pick up a hunk of glass and run it across my throat. | I
reached down for the knife, but could not get it. Then
I raised myself up and the knife was in my hand, but how
it got there I do not know. Anyway, I saw my chance
‘and I put all my force in that arm and drove the knife
into his side, and he fell to the ground, shrieking and
screaming. Then the old woman yelled, “You have ‘Killed
your brother,” and she grabbed my throat. Then I drove
the knife into her neck and she fell down on the floor.
I stood like one dumb, but it was all over. I felt a
heavy hand laid on my shoulder and a gun thrust in my
face, and there was a big bluecoat there, and he said:
“Come along, now; you murdered those two people,”
Wien allo1 a sudden rip, bang; my father was sha-
king me and was saying: “It is half- -past eight; get up,”
and my sister's baby was bawling for all it was worth.

 

The Panther:
(By C. M.. Beggerly, Meridian, Miss. )

It was a cold December day when one of our neighbors
had killed a beef, of which we were to get one-fourth.

My aunt started me off early in the morning so that
I could get back before dinner.
When I reached my neighbor’s house I found the
Englene boys fixing the camping outfit te go fishing. I
stayed around and talked until a little before sundown,
then I threw my piece of beef across my back and started
off.

When I got about three- Suaruis of a mile 1 heard
a curious noise. The farther 1 got the plainer the noise
became. :

When at last I reached a small road that branched into

the main road, I saw a big thing standing in the road.
At first I didn’t know what to do, but I knew the thing
would catch me if I startéd home, because it was ty 0
miles. So I cut out to the branch road as fast as my legs
would carry me.

At last I reached Uncle Jim Dawson’s house.

Over

the rail fence 1 went and on to the gallery, striking the

door and knocking it yace open, but still had my beef. with
me.
Before I could get upon my feet Uncle Jim said:
“Hey there. boy, what’s the matter with you?”
I could hardly answer, but I managed to say:
“Some kind of a thing got after me. He was as big
as a young yearling.” "
“T ‘don’t believe you,” *he said.
| Well; let's see,” spoke. up Aunt Sallie.
So. Unele Jim got his old rifle, and Aunt Sallie fixed
a torch, ! zt

 

 

 
 

Just as they left the door I head Uncle Jim say:

“A panther, upon my word.”

As he said that I heard his rifle crack.

And then a painful howl.

Unele Jim and Aunt Sallie came into ihe house.
Jim said:

“My boy, it was a panther, and you had better stay
here.”

I stayed there that night, and the next morning he car-

ried me and my beef home in his wagon.

There was nothing heard Of the panther until about
a week after my scare.
had killed two sheep and a calf.

By twelve o'clock that day there was a big @owd of

men there with their dogs, determined to kill or run him
away, Sol thought I would go with them.
an old muzzle- loader. I loaded it pretty heavy with nails.

We stuck to the frail until about four when we found |

him lying out on a big tree that had fallen on another.
One of the men raised and fired, but the panther
leaped to the ground.
That evening, about five-thirty o s*clock, we ran him into
a big hole in t the ground.

We punched and shot down in the hole, but all in vain.»
t. We had the smoke _
going all night, but nothing happened until the sun was

At last we decided to smoke him out.
about three hours high. Then something burst through
the fire sending it everywhere.
my gun and fire, but my game got away.
So. this ends my stery, as I awoke.

 

A Bad Fall. -
_ (By Roland Boening, Cao Ill.)

I was driving a wagon when I had my dream. I fell
asleep, and dreamed that I was walking across a high
bfidge. The wind blew my hat off.
but could not, as it had fallen over the edge of the bridge.
_ Looking over, I could see my hat hanging on a large log
which projected out from under the bridge.
around for a means to get down to the log. Seeing a
rope lying nearby, I picked it up and fastened it to the
bridge.
halfway, when the rope broke. I came down
crash. And when I awoke, I found myself lying in a

ditch at the ‘side of the road. The horses had- shied at -
: proper numbers.

something in the road, and, going too far to one side, had
caused the wagon to fall over.

 

A Greedy Boy.
(By Leon M. Hecht, Nashville, Tenn.)

The day was a very wet one and the rain was pouring
down in torrents.
sleep at first, but after a while I fell off to sleep.
to work at my grandma’s store every Saturday, and I al-

ways wore an apron, and that night I dreamed that If.
was. down one. Saturday, the rain was pouring in torrents, ~~.
but after awhile it changed into gold coins, and ‘people ”
were running out into the streets to pick up the money, §
and, of course, I ran out, too, and was soon filling my

apron full, and I had gathered so much that I could not

THE BUFFALO

When he was heard of next he ©

I borrowed

T could, and woke up.
and they had.a good laugh on me.

I was ae first to raise

(a tried to catch it,

I started to lower myself, and had gotten, about. .

with a -
in England. My news agent tells me that lots of times he

o Aheiw:

-I went to bed and could not go to ©
a used |

BILL STORIES. .

stir but I kept on till the gold coins were up to my slr

ders and | tried to rise, but could not’ As I made one
more effort, my apron burst and fell ever on my head,

Aad 1 awoke te find my mother and aunt running toward
Uncle

me. My. head was. bleeding from a bruise.

 

A Burglar. ©

(By Oscar Werner, San Antonio, Texas. )

Sunday it was cloudy and warm, and toward night it
got a little cooler. At night | went to the opera, and

when I got out a nice, cool norther had blown up.) When

I got home I went to bed, It was about eleven o'clock,

and I tell asleep in a little while; and, all at once, felt

that I was getting chloroformed. The man was just

getting mé to sleep, but L could scream a little yet, and
I started to do so.
felt him squirting more chloroform on me.

“Get out of here,” 1 cried, and then
Il felt the
cold strearn on my hands, and then I yelled as loud as

I told my people the next might

 

SPECIAL.
We have so many letters of applause and approval, that,
as a tule, it is impossible to print them. But we have
decided to minke an exception in the case of the following —

' from England, which seems to us will be of peculiar in-
terest to our readers:

‘175 Caledonian Road, King’s Cross, ©
Islington, N., England.
j January 14, 1903.
M essrs. Street & Smith:
GENTLEMEN :—It gives me great pleasure to send. you
these few lines, and “tell you that I have received great

- enjoyment from reading your books entitled “The Bui-
~ falo Bill Stories.” /

I laced oe

Buffalo Bill has always been my hero from the very
first time I heard his history. I may as well tell you that
he is in England with his Wild West Show, and I have
made up my mind, if I get the ‘chance, to see him.

You wouldn’t believe what a rush there is for your book

cant get them fast enough, and I can’t get them in their
I only wish your offices were much
nearer than they are. If you had them in England, for
instance, it would be nice. - should come to see you

We are having very cad weather now and snow with it,

_Thaven’t any more news to tell you now, but I hope your

books will have a wider circulation than. ever, and believe
me to he: your constant. reader,
Harry, Barren Cunane,

 

 

nae Bok Have: you: any’ pian’ of Gotden Pease If so,'see if

the following are among them: 134, 135, 156, 566, je?

‘368, 169 to 192, 296, 389,” Twill pay Tiberal prices,
Address, WILLIAMS, Box 192, New York City.

 

 

 

 
be

MZ NY et ee Oe CF

or:

 

 

‘|| HOW TO ENTER THE CONTEST.

_ All you, have to do i is to remember any
|. in five hundred words, or less, and send:
erly filled out, to BUFFALO BILL

a. WEEKLY, care of Street & Smith"),
| 238 wiles Street, et Yor City.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cons isting of an A-1 NATIONAL LEAGUE BASE- i
BALL, a SPALDING LANCEWOOD BAT of the
finest quality, and a SPALDING LEAGUE MITT? |

 

 

 

 

 

 

Xf You Do, Read the Directions Below and Get Into This Contest.

TEN BOYS WILL EACH RECEIVE A BAL , BAT AND MIT

 

 

 

= HE Baseballs are the Spalding Oficial lo Ball used exclus-
ively by the National League and by all the college teams.
Geepoeseesesoe

 

 

- Each ball is wrapped i in foil and put in a separate box and sealed

ee in accordance with the regulations of the National League. @
The Bats are A-r Le eague Bats. They are the best in the —

_ market, made of the very finest timber of the latest model, and

 

 

Seba rongne a “0

 

 

 

caefily cont for two years. Oa Da @ oe 2 eo 2@ wo)

The Mitts are. made of extra quality asbestos huck, extremely tough |

and» durable; well-padded; lace back; re- -inforced at thumb with: double | 1
‘row. of. stitching. on heel pad and a laced thumb. The very, ‘finest made, Ty

 

You need one of these Outfits. The Ten Boys who send in the Best |
Stories oa this nay Contest will each receive a Hate Mitt and bogunke nce :

 

 

This Contest Ends Jely Sat, 1903.

Buffalo Bill Dream Contest No. 2 |

 

 

Curious Dream you ever had, write it

it with the accompanying coupon, ‘prop- |

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

oc ONTAINING
THE ONLY STORIES AUTHORIZED by HON. WILLIAM F. copy (“Buffalo Bill”

 

 

 

Rtpdacecaneceniel

 

64—Buffalo Bill’s Dead-Shot Pard; or, The W ill-o’-the-Wisp of the Trails.
65——Buffalo Bill’s Run-Down; or, The Red-Hand Renegade’s Death. ©
66—Buffalo Bill’s Red Trail; or, A Race for Ransom.
| 67—Buffalo Bill’s Best Bower; or, Calling the Turn on Death Notch Dick.
_ 68—Buffalo Bill and the Gold Ghouls; or, Defying Death at Elephant Rack.
- 69-—Buffalo Bill’s Spy Shadower; or, The Hermit of Grand Canyon.
. go—Buffalo Bill’s Secret Camp; or, Trailing the Cloven Hoofs.
: 71—Buffalo Bill’s Sweepstake; or, Hunting the Paradise Gold Mine.
72—Buffalo Bill and the Black Heart Desperado; or, The Wipe-Out at Last Chance.
73—Buffalo Bill’s Death Charm; or, The Lady in Velvet.
74—Buffalo Bill’s Desperate Strategy; or, The Mystery of the Cliff.
75—Buffalo Bill and the Black Mask; or, The Raffle of Death.
76—Buffalo Bill’s Road Agent Round-Up; or, Panther Pete’s Revenge. _
77——Buffalo Bill and the Renegade Queen; or, Deadly Hand’s Strange Duel.
78—Butffalo Bill’s Buckskin Band; or, Forcing the Redskins to the Wall,
79—Buffalo Bill’s Decoy Boys; or, The Death Rivals of the Big Horn.
80—Buffalo Bill's Sure Shots; or, Buck Dawson’s Big Draw.
81—Buffalo Bill’s Texan Team; or, The Dog Detective.
82—Buffalo Bill’s Water Trail; or, Foiling the Mexican Bandit.
83—Buffalo Bill’s Hard Night’s Work; or, Captain Coolhand’s Kidnaping Plot, :
-84—Buffalo Bill and the Scout Miner; or, The Mounted Sharps of the Overland
85—Buffalo Bill’s Single-Handed Game; or, Nipping Outlawry in the Bud. |
86—Buffalo Bill and the Lost Miners; or, Hemmed in by Redskins. :
87—Buffalo Bill’s Tenderfoot Pards; or, The Boys in Black.
88—Buffalo Bill and the Man in Blue; or, The Vol unteer Vigilantes of Siiver hie City. .
 89—Buffalo Bill and the Outcasts of Yellow Dust City; or, F ighting for Life in the Blizzard,
9o—Buffalo Bill’s Crippled Crew; or, Sunflower Sam of Shasta.
o1—-Buffalo Bill and the Boy Scout; or, The Tenderfoot Tramper of the Overland.
92—Buftalo Bill's Young Double; or, A Yankee Boy in the Wild West. :
93—Buffalo Bill and the Silent Slayers; or, The Arizona Crack Shot.
94—Buffalo Bill’s Water-Gauntlet; or, The Myster y-Man’s Talisman.
93—Buffalo Bill’s Gallant Stand; or, ie Indian’s Last Victory.
96-—Buffalo. pil and the Black Mustang; or, Dick Dearborn’s Death Ride.

 

 

ee

All of the above numbers always on hand. If you cannot get then from your newsdealer, five
cents a copy will bring them to you by mail, postpaid.

STREET & SMITH, Publishers, 238 William Street, New York.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

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— = < — eas : =

 
 

 

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‘HERE can be no question about
the advantage of being able to
box well. When called upon to defend
yourself you are always ready and
the manly art of boxing if practiced
as set forth in the pages of the book
entitled “The Art of Boxing and Self
Defense” will bring the muscles into
play and transform a weak man into

———
AO

ge

 

a OO I IO IP tf I I
Sa ———

ssi x
oe a so

McGOVERN GROSS-COUNTERS WITH HIS RIGHT. a noble specimen of his race. .

SST

 

 

 

Nt

 

 

By PROF. DONOVAN

 

 

 

he only authentic work on Boxing now on the .market.

DIAMOND _ | : ae
THE CONTENTS AND ILLUSTRATIONS WILL ERE
HAND BOOK Ag HAND BOOK
INTEREST THE MOST INDIFFERENT PERSON.

No. 9 : a No.

T is profusely illustrated with 37 elegant half-

». tone cuts, showing the different positions and

‘blows. The originals of these illustrations are

such noted pugilists as James Jeffries, Robert

Fitzsimmons, James J. Corbett, Ferry McGoyern,

Young Corbett, and all the heavy and light-weight

fighters who have ever held the championship of
their class.

The book is printed on good paper, clear, sharp

type and bound in attractive illuminated cover.

PRICE 10 CENTS

ALL, NEWSDEALERS

 

 

es

if sent by mail, 35 cents additional for postage.

STREET & SMITH ew ee YOUNG CORBETT GETS IN A STRAIGHT
\

So e

ennai note A ce a

Pearce am en ne

LEFT ON McGOVERN’S STOMACH.