=S

A WEEKLY PUBLICATION _
DEVOTED TO BORDER HISTORY

Lssued Weekly. By Subscription $2.50 per year. Entered as Second Class Matter at New Vork Post Office by STREET & SMITH, 238 Wiitieam St., NV. Y.

 

 

 

No. 86.

4 Price, Five Cents.

 

 

 

 

vOCeGeE |

 

*‘@O BACK, CHIEF COYOTE, WITH YOUR BRAVE YOUNG MEN,’’ SAID BUFFALO BILL, ‘‘FGR THE WARRIORS
ARE COMING HOT UPON YOUR TRAIL.’?

 
SE " == Se ese ~ ~~.

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

DEVOTED TO BORDER HISTORY

 

 

 

Issued Weekly.

By SUheeotion $2.50 per year. Entered as Second Class Matter at the N. VY. Post Office, by STREET & SMITH, 2398 William St., N. ¥.

Entered aecorine to Act of Congress tn the year 1902, 7n the Office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D. G

 

Wo. 86.

NEW YORK, January 3, 1903.

Price Five Cents.

 

 

 

By the author of “BUFFALO BILL.”

 

 

 

¢

CHAR PRR 4.
CAPTIVES ON THE TRAIL.

It was a curious sight.

Early morning on one of the boundless plains of the
far West.

Strung across the broad prairie was a line of fourteen
horses. Ten of them were ridden by men bound hand
and foot and tied fast to their saddles, their horses being
joined together by a long lariat.

Three more horses carried burdens wrapped carefully
up, but the experienced eye could easily detect that they
were the bodies of dead men.

The last and fourteenth horse was ridden by a figure
familiar to all our readers—Buffalo Bill, King of the Bor-
derland, and chief of scouts at the remote frontier post
known as Fort Faraway at the time of which we are
dealing.

He was on his way back to the fort from an unusually
stuccessiul scout.

The three dead men were outlaws the scout had shot—
nine of the others were members of the same band, two
of the nine being the leaders—Bob Brass the lieutenant
and Jim King the captain. The tenth captive was a cor-
poral who had deserted from the fort after killing a sol-
dier there.

Buffalo Bul had come upon Bob Brass and his fol-

lowers as they were organizing themselves into a band
known as the Mounted Miners of the Overland.

The mining they intended to do was in the pockets of
passengers and in the mailbags and express boxes on the
coaches of the Overland stage line.

Buffalo Bill induced them to surrender to him by bluff- -
ing them into the idea that he had a larger force with
him.

When they laid down their arms he bound the eleven
men—-Bob Brass and ten others—and started for the fort.
Then Dave Strong, the deserting corporal, attempted to
rescue the outlaws, hoping to be made their captain, but
instead he was made a prisoner by Buffalo Bill.

- Another rescue had been attempted by Jim King
ono as an outlaw in the vicinity, and for whom Bob
Brass had been recruiting the band when Buffalo Bill -
came upon, them,

He had come upon the band of men he expected to be
his followers and, seeing that they were prisoners in the
hands of Buffalo Bi I, had attempted a rescue.

In the skirmish that followed Buffalo Bill ae shot three
ef the outlaws and had captured Jim King, the man who
had expected to become their leader. .

Then, with his cavalcade of prisoners, he lost no time
in starting for the fort.

He had a good reason for his haste, and the prisoners
noted that he often looked back anxiously as he hurried
them along the trau.

~

 

 
 

}
}
|

cn

2° ' THE BUFFALO

His reason was that there were hostile Indians in the
vicinity,  .

One of their scouts had struck the camp of Buffalo Bill
the night before. Buffalo Bill had shot him, and it was
on his pony that the body of one of the dead outlaws
was borne.

There was a good deal of humanity in Buffalo Bill, and

he did not like to leave the body of a man unburied in

the wilderness.

The king of plainsmen feared that the Indians were
on his trail and so did not wait to dig any graves.

He was right in his surmise as to the nearness of
hostile redinen.

As the trail led over a ridge he turned again in his »

addle and glanced back over the plain they had crossed.
He did not even start or change color, did not hasten

hi8 pace, or make a comment, but what he saw was enough:

‘o appall even -his stout heart.
The glanée backward had revealed sevéral miles away
‘ally a hundred Indians in full pursuit.

 

CHAPTER II,
REDSKINS IN PURSUIT.

Avene eye than Buffalo-Bill’s had seen the pursuing
‘adians.

It was Jim King, the outlaw leader, and he, too, made

o comment then, as he glanced backward.

He simply watched the scout ride quietly down the
sloping, winding trail, lead the horses into a stream of
‘ ak pass the canteen around among the men for a re-

fe draught, and then look to the girths and straps
ae each saddle, prisoner, and body.

his done he mounted and started on at a brisk trot.

“May I ask if you saw that band of Indians pursuing

s, Buitalo Bill?” he asked.

“Oh, yes!”

“There must be a hundred of them.”
“At least that many.”
“They saw us?”

“Beyond doubt.”

“And are now in pursuit?”

“Of course.”

"What aré they?”

“They belong to the same tribé as the dead oné here.”
“You said nothing about séeing them to any one of us.’
“Why shotild I, when. I considered it the business -

> no one else than myseli.”

“You ate a cool one, and I cannot help admiring you.”

“Thanks.”

“You came slowly down the trail so’ as not to distress
the horses, watered them, looked to the girths and lariats,
and now are off in flight.”

Certainly.”

“With no hope whatever of escaping from those red-
skins, unless you do so alone?”

“IT never desert my party, sif.”

“You will have to this tithe, for those Indians come on
at a pace that shows their ponies are fresh.”

“So I observed.”

“What will you do to escape them?”

“There is a rocky mound a féw miles ahead, and J will
» and them off there, for we could not find a better place

_ skins into a belief that the whole party on, Ww

BILL STORIES.

for men and horses, while there is a spring on the hill,

‘some grass, wood, and a ae provection against a hot

fire.’

“But you are only oné man.”

“The Indians don’t know that.”

MA het 17?

“They will count about a dozen, think we are well sup-
plied with provisions, as they will take the déad bodies
for packs, and they will be very cautious about crowding
us.”

“But they may bésiexe tis for days?”

“No, for the stage goes by to-morrow, and the Pony
Riders’ trail is in sight; no, we will be reported and get
help from the fort.”

“But you will let us help you fight them off?”

“Hardly, as I have no desire to fall into*equally as
cruel hands as though the Indians captured me!”

“Then you expect to stand them off alone?”

“Yes, for I have all of your rifles, revolvers, and—don’t
be frightehed, for I will protect you froni—youtr friends,
I may say.”

The men had heard this conversation with surprise.

‘They had listened with the very deepest attention.

Not one, save the stranger, had seen the pursuing In-
dians when Buffalo Bill had.

At once hope arose in their hearts for escape.

They, however, saw that Buffalo Bill was not to be non-
plused.

He was. not he man to surrender even to what ap-
peared a certainty of release for, his prisoners.

They heard his plan of action and knew that they could
but submit.

What he had said about the coach passing and the Pony

‘Express Riders, several of thent knew was trueg

Also, they knew that one man, and that man Buffalo ‘

Bill, handling a dozen rifles, several of them repeating
weapons, and twice as many revolvers, couldfool the red-.

  

fighting to stand them off,

That the scout wotild ‘hot trust them wer weapons s hig

words very quickly let them know.

“Well, Buffalo Bill, if you get safely out of ene’ dif.
ficulty, atid still hold us. pr isoners, I shall set you down

as a most phenomenal man,” said the leader King.
“As I will also,” put in Bob Brass, while the corporal
called ott :
Oo will I; but it cannot ie done.
“This time, Chief Cody, you have got a larger contract
on your hands than you can master.’
Buffalo Bill's face did not cha ange a‘ muscle.
He still kept the horses at a gallop and appeared to be
wholly utimoved by this new danger threatening.
At last the hill he had referred to came in sight,

It was a rock mound, several hundred feet in height,..4
heavily timbered at the top, with baré slopes, and a couple ,

of acres in size.

All about it was a plain, and no better position could
be found to be defended by a party besieged.

With a dozén men to defend it, even a hundeadl Indians

would be cautious about making an attack.

But there was only one man to fight, half a score sto be
worsé than useless.

7 men were ©

 

ro ape a

 

 

 

 

 

|

Vv
£2 SEE es

tv

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE BUFFALO

“There they come,’ and Buffalo Bill pointed to the
Indians coming over the’ ridge, anu then added:

“And there is our stronghold. e ‘
“What aman!’ muttered King, as he looked into the
face of the scout. .

, CHAPTER HL
BUFFALO BILL MAKES A THREAT.

The scout did not even quicken his pace at sight of the
pursuing redskins, as they came sweeping over ‘the ridge,

all of them miles off yet.

He simply kept the horses up to the same gait and
headed straight for the mound, so opportunely appearing
before them, and now but half.a mile away.

As they approached it the men saw that the base was
almost a wall, only here and there with a break in it, and
some of the party knew it by the name of The Tomb-
stone, for it looked much like a massive monument ever
green with weeds, the trees on the top appearing as the
latter.

Buffalo Bill knew it well, for often before had he
camped there, and several times had it been a place of
refuge against Indians.

A small stream, the overflow of the spring, cut its way
along the plain toward a lar rger one in the valley, and
through this Buffalo Bill led the way up to the summit
of the mound.

He halted his men upon the hilltop, just where. they
could not be seen by the Indians, and then tied the horses,
so that they could not escape or stray.

His next move was to gather the weapons and place a
rifle and revolver at different points, where he would
have them when most needed.

Th is done, he made a circuit of the guns, and looked
them over carefully, to see that all were in good working
condition. :

The Indians meanwhile were coming on at a run, those
lagging behind hastening up to form a compact mass.

The outlaws watched him closely, and could, but admire
his game stand; but, there was‘an expression on the face
of each man which the scout could but remark. It was
a look of decided hope, and he had seen it come upon
their countenances when he returned from the round of
placing the weapons.

The men he had heard there talking in a low tone to
each other, and a whisper had passed along the line that
seemed to mean much ‘. them.

It was the catching of only a word or two that placed
the scout upon his guard, but that much was sufficient for
him to read what was intended, as he had heard the
words:

“You understand their language perfectly, and

That was all, but the words - were addressed to Bob
Brass and by Kine.

He did not appear to have heard anything, but as he
stood ready to meet the charge, Buffalo Bill suddenly
turned and faced his prisoners.

He glanced into the face of each man, and he saw now
that all were radiant with hope of speedy. release.

“Men, I have something to say to you,” he said.

“And I wish to say to you, Buffalo Bill, that our blood
will be upon your head, for you know that we are bound

 

i)

BILL STORIES. 3

hands and feet and cannot protect ourselves, while if you
released us we would help you to defend ourselves and
could no doubt beat the Indians off.’

The speaker was Corporal Strong, the deserter, and :

Buffalo Bill smiled at his words, and replied:

“What I was going to say to you all was that you,
Bob Brass, understand the language of .these redskins,
and several more of you may also do so, and if there
is a call to them from any one of you as they come up,
I shall turn and shoot that one dead in his saddle, bound
as he js.

“Preservation is the first law of nature, and I have my
life to care for, and you men to take as prisoners to the
fort, and I shall do so if it is within my power.

“As you are not defending yourselves, you all know
that.the redskins are the allies of outlaws, and would not
harm one of you, finding that your own people were
against you.

“I have you to defend, and I shall do so to the best
of my ability; but remember my threat, and I mean it, so
help me Heaven, that I shall kill the man that utters a
word when those redskins make their rush upon me.

Ne they are coming!”

   

 

You are warned, so heed

CHAP DER LV.
THE RUSH OF THE REDSKINS.

The threat of Buffalo Bill changed the face of every
man from hope to blank despair.

The different rifles of the outlaws Buffalo Bill had
placed on rocks from twenty to thirty feet apart, and his
intention was to run from one to the other, carrying his
own repeating rifle slung at his back for a last resort.

‘There were the revolvers, too, with each rifle, but these
would only do for close Woe should the redskins reach
the hill.

Standing quietly i in the ene posi tion he nea chosen,
Buffalo Bill waited the advance of the red horsemen, the
rifle of Jim King, and it was also a repeater, in his ‘hand,

As the body of redskins advanced nearer, still walking:

their ponies, still singing their war song, Buffalo Bill

‘raised the rifle of King, and, taking good aim at one of

the three chiefs in the band, pulled trigger.

It was a long distance, and yet the pony of the chief
dropped in his tracks.

The Indians halted quickly, there were loud outcries,
gesticulations, and then a sudden rush forward with de-
moniacal yelis.

-The scout met their start by emptying King’s rifle into
their midst, firing rapidly, but with aim, and not at ran-
dom.

A couple of ponies and a brave were seen to fall, while
another warrior clung to the neck of his horse, evidently
badly wounded.

But on the Indians came. Springing the few paces-to
one side, the carbine of the corporal was seized and fired
rapidly, and others of the redskin band felt the ee

aim of the scout.

Next came the rifle of Bob Bia and in the same
rapid but deadly way it rattled forth its leaden hail and
with disastrous results.

But, on the Indians came, maddened by the attack that

 
 

 

@

4 | ) THE BUFPALO

they had met with losses, which they had not expected at
that. distance.

They had reached the foot of the hill, were crowding
into the narrow trail in the wall of rock to ascend, when
the shots fell thick and fast into their midst, for, just
then, the scout had made a stand and opened with his
own repeating rifle.

CELA a an
ONE MAN AT BAY.

The Indians recoiled under the storm of Shab deadly
repeating rifle, for they could not face it with the odds
of the rugged, steep trail also against them.

The second chief fell, and there was a halt.

Some of the redskins took shelter among the rocks at
the base of the hill, while others turned and stampeded.

Buftalo Bill had fought a grand battle, though it was
from a fort; as it were.

He had brought down a dozen ponies, and how many
braves had fallen no one knew.

They had sent a few shots up at the top of the hill,
and a shower of arrows, but only one had been struck,
and only slightly wounded, while, strange to say, the dead
bodies of the three outlaws, as they were bound across
their saddles, had each been hit by an arrow!

The brave scout did not rest upon his laurels. He had
checked the Indians in their first mad rush, but well he

knew they had come upon but one side of the hill—that

there were several other trails upon different sides.

The braves would not attack again until night, so he

made up his mind to act without delay.

First, he would reload his weapons, and the long range
repeaters he would keep close at hand.

His intention was to take flight at once.
the outlaws had all been kept mounted.

By throwing the dead bodies off of the horses that bore
them, he would have these as extra animals, should aily
fail in the long, hard race which he must make.

The scout saw that he could ride down the further side
of the hill, gain the plain unseen, and thus gain a mile the
start of the reds in the race for life.

They had drawn out of range, but would hold a coun-
cil of war, and that would mean a quick surrounding of
the hill, a state of siege, and then a wait until night for
further action.

The. outlaws: had watched the fight with a frenzy of
suspense. Not even Bob Brass dared put the scout to
the test by callmmg out the true situation to the redskins.

They saw him take the repeating rifles and fasten them
to his saddle, and then untie the bodies from the horses
to which they were securely bound; saw them laid in a
row, the Indian with the three palefaces, and then beheld
the scout tie the horses all together, as for a ride.

As he did so, his name was called, and into their midst
bounded a white man !

Fortunately,

CHAPTER Vi.
THE PONY RIDER.

Every eye fell upon the man who came bounding into
their presence.

He was small, smooth-faced, and youthful in appear-'

ance, while he was dressed in the garb of the Pony Ex-

 

smilingly responded :

BILL STORIES.

press Riders of the Overland. In his belt he carried but
otie revolver to lighten his weight as much as possible.

“Pony Bob! By the gods of war!” cried Buffalo Bill,
with some show of excitement, and he grasped the hand
of the pony rider, one of his warmest friends.

“Yes, Bill, o Id pard, but what the Hee does this
queer outfit mean?’’s

Buffalo Bill recounted his recent adventures in a few
Ww ords.

“You are on your run east, are you not?” he en ot

Pony Bob.
ais,
“And

“Teard the firing, swooped around, found I could dash
to the hill unseen, ‘60 did so, and my horse is at the base
waiting for me, so I will report ae fix at the fort and
send h ‘elp.”

il had decided to ride for it.”

“Don't you do it, for there are other bands of red-
skins between here ais the fort. I am late, from dodg-
ing, and I thought the reds had the coach corralled here,
so I wanted to find out and report.”

“The coach is not due, Bob, for
“The schedule has been changed since you left the fort,

Bill, and the coach is about a here now.”
hoo bad.” é
“IT will turn.it back if it has not already been caught,

so you had best stay right where you are.”

“You are right, and I will.’

‘There are soldiers out, | know, and I may come upon
some, and will send them, for | do not wish night to catch
you here.”

 

 

PNOF do view i ee hus

“Right you are. te ae

“But you can kill the gang and get away alone, you
know.”

The outlaws shuddered. They ‘did not relish Pony
Bob’s way of getting rid of them, should the scout find
he had to leave. them to make his own escape.

Buffalo Bill knew that Pony Bob was joking, and

“Oh, yes; I could get rid of them by k
for there are just two revolver. loads: but | had rather
not, in fact, if it can be done. I shall take them all into
the fort, so report me and .my position to the colonel,

and tell him how much I need help.”
PT erat,”

iN ow, Pony Bob,
do so unseen.’

“I'm off, and look for help as sqon as I can get it hete,”’

With this the Pony Express Rider bounded away down
the further side of the hill, the way he had come, just
as the redskin council of war broke up out on the plain.

They had decided what they would do.

The decision of the redskins had been anticipated by
Buffalo Bill, who knew their methods thoroughly.

Brave as men can be, the Indian is yet cautious and
cunning in all movements to better an enemy.

Those that had followed the scout and his prisoners to
the mound had been repulsed in their first attack, and that

called for a pow-wow.

It took time for braves so slow and dignified in council,
and thus Pony Bob, the express rider, had had time to

you had best get out while you can

<illinge them, Bob, —

 

 
an =

 

Ba
ie

i

 

THE BUFFALO

visit the hill and learn the situation there with a fair
show of soon getting help to the scout in his very terrible
situation.

He had escaped by way of the ravine unseen, and was

' speeding away as rapidly as hoofs could carry him to seek

help for Buffalo Bill.

Having decided just what they would do, and which
the scout could have told them they would do an hour
before, the redskins divided in two single-file columns.

These started to surround the hill, the columns dividing
to join beyond the mound and thus completely invest it.

With great care to keep well out of range of the rifles,
they moved on slowly, making signals to their comrades
hiding under the rocky base ‘of the hill, and when they
met and made the circle complete they dismounted, staked
out their ponies, and sat down with the patience displayed
by Job to await their own time to move.

Buffalo Bill had quietly watched them, and knowing . .

that it was long hours before night, and wishing to rest
both horses and men, he decided to dismount his pris-
oners, get dinner for them, and let the animals get what
cropping they could from the grass on the hilltop.

‘The men were accordingly dismounted one by one and
made secure to a tree, save two of them, whose arms were
freed, and they were set to work with knives and the
scout’s hatchet to dig a grave for their dead comrades.

The scout meanwhile built a fire, got out his provisions
and cooking outfit, and began to prepare a meal for all
hands.

~The scout did not neglect, however, watching ie red-

skins, to see that they made no sudden move, and he par-
ticularly kept his eyes upon the two outlaws digging the

grave.

He well knew that with the knives and hatchet they
could be dangerous if they cut the bonds off of their feet,
and at least force him to kill them, for by a hard run of
it they could bound down the hill and escape to the In-
dians.

The scout was not long in detecting that not only King,
but Bob Brass and the corporal, were signaling to them
to free themselves and make an attack on him, or a sud-
den bolt for liberty.

As his cooking kept him occupied he walked up to the
two men, revolver in hand, and said in his decided way:

“If I see any move of you two men to cut your feet
loose, I shall not give you warning, but drop you dead
the moment I detect you in it.

“Thats all I have to say.”

He did not turn and walk away to the fire again, for
none knew better than he how skillfully a knife could be
thrown to ill, ora hatchet either.

‘Having ‘gotten | dinner ready he called the two men
from their work.on the grave to give their comrades their
meals, freeing the hands of two men at a time, while he

kept them covered with his revolvers. -

It was a long and tedious task, a at last it was com-

_ pleted and then two others of the men were put to work

upon the grave.
At last This, too, was finished, the bodies were wrapped

‘in their blankets, and buried decently, after which rocks

were piled upon ‘the grave to keep the coyotes from dig-
ging them up. °
This done, Buffalo Bill again ‘bbund the men securely

BILL STORIES. : 5

to trees, and then with his glass made a careful recon-
noisance of the Indian lines.

Examining the line, he saw that the Indians were scat-
tered, being a hundred feet.apart at least.

As each side of the ravine by which Pony Bob had come
and gone, the nearest redskin was fifty feet away.

To remain on the hill meant death, as it then appeared,
while, by starting the moment it was dark, following the
ravine, and pushing for the open plain, he could get upon
the nearest redskins before they were discovered.

His rifle would quickly drop these, and then he would
have a good start in the long race before the surprised
Indians ‘knew just what had “happened.

“Yes, I will make the venture,’ he said, in his deter-
mined way.

 

CHAPTER VII.
THE SCOUT DECIDES UPON A PLAN.

The outlaws could see that the scout had decided upon
some move, and they grew more anxious, for they knew
that his bold expedients were many.

“T shall leave here as soon as it is dark,” said the scout,

“Better not, for that means sure death to all of us,”
said Jim King.

“I see that I have hit upon the right thing to do by
your not liking it.” —

The outlaws looked at each other in a way that showed
their opinion was the same as the scout’s.

Unheeding them, he began his prepar ations for his
night flight.

Each saddle and bridle was looked to, and the lariats
were looped so as to keep the horses a little over a length
apart, while a short rein was to connect them two by two.

The leading horses were then to be attached by lariats
to the horn of the scout’s saddle, and thus arrayed he felt
he could control the animals thoroughly and ride rapidly. |

The horses nearest to him were to be those belonging to
the dead outlaws, and these were to carry the weapons
and the provisions and blankets, so as.to make as equal _
a weight for all as was possible.

“That fellow is going to get through, Brass,” said King,

‘as he watched the scout at his work.

“But what is that he is doing now?”

‘At the query of King all watched the scout attentively.

He was cutting some small pieces of willow with his
knife, trimming them in a peculiar shape, and’ tying
thongs of buckskin around them, while pieces ot dressed
deerskin were put over one end.

“By heaven, but they are gags!” cried Bob Brass.

“Gags!” echoed the rest of the Pay, in chorus.

eas

“He will thrust that buckskin padded end into our

mouths and tie, them there with the thongs at the back
of our necks.”

“My God!” gasped the corporal.

“T say, don’t let him do it,” remarked Bob Brass.

“What can we do?”

“Resist.”

“Tt is easier to talk than to act.”

“TY will not open my mouth,” one of the men ventured.

“Nor me.’

“T won't.”

“You bet I don’t swallow that.”

 

 
 

 

 

 

6 THE BUFFALO

The determination of the outlaws not to be gagged was
shown by other remarks, until King said, dryly:

“A bowie knife will pry a mouth open very easily.”

This was followed by silence, and all eyes watched Buf-
‘falo Bill as he went on making the gags.

“What are those?’ called out Bob “Brass as the scout
finished his task.

Ga gs 33

es threat to kill the man that calls out would be suffi-
ecient.

“Not at night, Brass, I boule not tell who he was, and

would not wish to make a mistake and kill the wrong ~

man.’
“That would be bad.”
“Now, I shall begin work, for it will take me more
than an hour to get you all ready, and night is not very
far off.”

CHAPTER VIII.
THE TWO SENTINELS.

In every way in their power the outlaws tried to delay
Buffalo Bull.

The scout went quietly on with his preparations for his
flight, and soon began to mount thé outlaws.

One by one he led up their horses, watered the animals,
gave the men a drink from a canteen, and then came the
fateful words:

“You must be gagged now.”

The first man he approached .was the one who had as-
serted that he would not be gagged.

He savagely refused to open his mouth, and quietly
drawing his bowie knife Buffalo Bill said:

“Shall I pry your mouth open with this?

“T warn you that it will not be gentle work.”

The man held out until the point of the blade: was

forced between his teeth, and then he opened his mouth
with a yell that the Indians heard.

Instantly the gag was driven into his mouth, and the
thongs about his neck secured it there firmly.

The man was then aided to mount his horse and his
hands were tied to the saddle horn.

Thus each one was brought up by the scout,
mounted, and bound to his saddle.

The horses were then fastened two by two, the lariat
lines tied from the leaders to the rear animals, on each
side, and the rein across held them in place.

Turning his glance, the scout again swept his eyes
around the Indian line, and let them rest for some time
upon the ravine through which he had-to pass to safety.

It was just dark as he hung the repeating rifles of King
and Bob Brass to his saddle horn, his own at IS, back,
and mounted.

Hie had decided upon a desperate deed, yet not more
so than would be remaining where he was, for the Indians
to rush in upon him under. cover of the night.

Even then those redskins who had been forced to take
refuge among the rocks at the base of the hill might be
preparing to ereep upon him.

Throwing some wood upon the fire, to brighten it up,
Buffalo Bill mounted and set off on his perilous under-
taking, his horses in lead.

Down the s
_ passing along ite bed, moved very slowly.

gagged,

 

 

Dea ACR OTs Ne OE A NMR IMGT TT i De ane Mee Te

steep hill they went, gained the ravine. and/

BILL STORIES.

The bottom of the ravine was of sand and gave forth
no sound of the hoof falls, the scout was glad to see.
He had once before left the mound by way of the

ravine, when he went for a “party of soldiers besieged.

there, but then had gone on foot.

Still, he knew well the way, and, could he pass the two
redskins nearest the ravine, he felt that it then simply
became a race for life, with the chances in favor of their
horses against the Indian ponies,

On he went, through the ravine, until over half a mile
had been gone over.

The ravine was broadening more and more, and he
knew it would so continue until it reached the stream,
where it was not deep enough to hide the horses from
view.

Suddenly he halted. All saw why he had done so.

Boldly relieved against the starlit sky, standing on the
edge of the ravine, was a human form.

An Indian sentinel was there guarding the ravine.

The scout at once dismou nted, crept on ahead, leaving
his own horse to hold the others in position, and, rifle in

_hand, he got to where he could see that another redskin

was on the edge of the ravine bank on the other side.
-“T must get them both, but can I?
lt will take quick shooting, but I will do my best.
“They both must be brought down if I expect to pass
out here.”

So mused the scout, and he stood in the dark ravine,
looking up at the two forms relieved by the sky.

He knew that they had been placed there since the dark-
ness had come on.

As he brought his rifle up to his shoulder, suddenly,
afar back upon the mound he had left was heard a chorus
of wild yells.

They were from Indian lips, and expressed mingled
surptise, rage, and disappointment. °

The scout knew but too well his flight had-been dis-
covered.

Instantly, as the two sentinels turned at the cries, he

. took aim, and quickly came a flash and sharp report.

A Renn shot followed within a second.

 

CHAPTER Px:
FORCED TO ANOTHER REFUGE.

Tt was quick work, but Buffalo Bill was equal to it.

He brought one Indian down into the ravine dead, and
the other fell wounded, and began his-death song, after
one loud cry of warning that the foe was upon him.

With a few rapid horde the scout reached.the horses,
threw himself into his saddle, and at once dashed ahead
in flight.

Down the ravine dashed the scout, and reaching the
stream he plunged boldly in and the lariated horses ° were
soon on the other side.

Once across the stteam, Buffalo Bill kept on through
the timber at a walk.

Feeling that he had certainly eluded his enemies, he

' decided to go to a mountain spur that overlooked the

mound where he had taken refuge, and distant from
it only a few miles.

If aid came to the mound he could attract attention

‘from the spur by firi ing several shots and show where he

was.

 

SS AVA a Neg ae i .
Ypres By ar Sy ENTE ETT EET

 

sf te . BS
Se enero eee on Fan ae |

 
 

 

from the others *here,”

THE BUFFALO

He did not date, with the prisoners in lead as they:
were, attempt to strike for the fort then in the darkness,
as he knew the Indians were scattered along his way, and
he would be liable to run upon them at any time.

By going to the spur he would be in call of the mound,
whither Pony Bob was to send aid.

There was no water there, no wood to cook food, but
the canteens could be filled and the party would have to
live on dry crackers until rescued.

After an hour’s ride he reached the spur at the end of
the range, and rode along until he came to the trail.

In years gone by the spur had evidently been the home
of that strange race of Indians known as the “Cliff
Dwellers,” for ruins of their homes were still there.

Placing the horses now in single file, after watering
them all at a spring at the base of the spur, he led the
way up the trail, and at last reached the summit of the
cliff,

There were boulders there to hide them from view,
and a few scrub pines that might serve for fuel if neces-
sary, but otherwise the cliff was bare.

The boulders concealed the horses and prisoners, and
the scout knew that he could defend the cliff, so could
ask no more, though he realized that both himself and
his captives must suffer greatly if their rescuers were de-
layed in reaching them.

Still, nothing else could be done, and he made the best
of it.

This trail was under confinand of his rifle for over a
quarter of a mile of its ascent, and so narrow that not
over a couple of Indians could come up abreast.

Arranging the horses among the boulders, he dis-
mounted the prisoners, spread their blankets for them and
tied them all together with lariats.

Then he took several blankets, mounted his horse, and
rode back down the trail.

He knew the grass was long arial rich in the va slley, and
he determined to cut sufficient to at least give the horses
a mouthful now and then.

Every canteen was taken also to the spring and filled
with the cool water that flowed from it, and when the
scout returned to the cliff he felt that he could at least
stand a siege of several days if driven to it.

Utterly worn out by his loss of rest and hardships of |

the last two days, he spread his blankets and went at once
into a deep sleep, placing his own horse on guard on the
trail, for he knew his faithful guard would warn him of
danger, if he,had been seen by the redskins to retreat to
the cliff.

The rising stn, casting a ray into his face, awakened
him, and he: sprang to his feet with a start.

“Well, I have had at least half a dozen hours of sleep,
and that, to me, meats a great deal,” he muttered as he
looked about him.

* “Tf I can only get these men to the fort, it wilh be the
great act of my life,” was the thought constantly in his

mind.

His prisoners were just as he had left them the night
before. ¢

To all the scout gave a few swallows from the cantecn
after he had removed the gags.

“Say, Buffalo Bill, I wish to have a talk with you, apart
said King. -

a»,

 

CS

BILL STORIES. 7

“All right; after you have all had your breakfast of |
bread and water, I will hear what you have to say,” was
the answer.

Half an hour after, King was led apart from the others,
and, seated among the boulders, Buffalo Bill asked:

“Now, Mr. King, [ll hear what you have to say.”

“T wish to say to you that it is in my power to pay
you a large sum of money if you allow us to escape.

HONS i 9

“Well, do as I ask you, and you shall ees “a ‘clean ten
thousand dollars, one thousand for each man.’
~ “No, King, Lam a poor man, but I believe 1am honest,
and am not for sale.

“Tam sorry for you, but I cannot help you.

“You must take the consequences of your evil lives.”

CTA fi)
’ THE CAMP.

Pony Bob was as true as steel to his old comrade Buf-
falo Bill.

As he sped along he saw a cloud of smoke sheet otf
him.

He was sure that it was the relay station on fire.

The Indians had attacked the stock herders, run off the-
horses kept there for the stages and pony express riders,
and doubtless the two men had been killed or captured.

Pony Bob dare not go there, so must flank it and dash
on to the next relay station.

It necessitated a further ride of twenty miles, and he
had already pushed his horse desperately hard.

But no mercy was shown to horses in those days of the
Pony Express.

Turning from the Overland trail, on he flew.

His good horse was kept at a full limit of speed, the
spurs in his flanks keeping him up to it.

On, on he dashed.

Night had not yet come on, and he looked eageriy
ahead to see if there was another cloud of smoke, telling
of the burning of the next station.

lf that also was deserted a hard time indeed would he
have of it to continue on to the next with his tired horse.

At dast-he turned again into the Overland trail, and
he could barely refrain from a shout as he discovered no
fresh traces of Indians having gone that way.

The other station, he felt, was safe.

He arrived there with his horse staggering, and tlie
animal dropped dead as he leaped from his back.

‘Pards, the station behind is gone, burned tp Dy red- |
skins, and what the fate of the boys is [ do not know.

“T flanked it and pushed for you; but, thank God, you
are all right,” he said, as the two stock tenders caine out
to meet him.

“Yes. Know’d those reds was a huntin’ scalps, Bob,
and so we turned the coach back to the fort with the news.

“How you got through there God only knows, and poor
Buffalo Bill is right up among ‘em somewhar and alone.
for he passed several days ago a chasin’ of Corporal Dave
Strong, who had been doin’: some killin’ at the fort.”

“Yes, I aim now riding to send soldiers to help Buffalo
Bill.
“Tl tell vou about hin as | eat my grub, and I want

the very best horse in your outfit,’ ' answered Pony Bob,

ie »

Pee

   
 

: .

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

 

a Supper was served for him, and one of the men helped - report, we will need a large force sent out, and lose no
- him to it, while the other went to get another horse time about it, either.”
than the one they had already, for Pony Bob’s request “T will go on at once to Buffalo Bill’s aid, and you can

was to secure an animal noted for his speed and en- report to Colonel Duncan what I have done, and tell him
all that you know as to a movements and doings of the

 

durance.
“We has the critters all in the corral, and ef ther In- Indians.”
HN juns comes, we'll give em a hard fight of it, OV swall sir.” : i
“But I guess they surprised the boys back at t ‘other “And, Bob, urge the importance of not a minute of de-

lay, for the troopers cannot arrive too soon, and by the

station.”

“T fear ‘so,’ and then Pony Bob told of Buffalo . hardest riding they will not reach us before late to-mor-
I and his wonderful achievements, and the two men gave row night.”

| a, cheer. “I am off, sir,’ and with.a bound Pony Bob threw

“Look out for yourselves,” and Pony Bob threw him- himself into his saddle again and was away at full speed.
. : 1 i} is soci oe 3

self into his hada e and was off like an arrow. Looking back as he got well away irom the camp, he

| He had but one aim in view, and that was to get aid Saw the troop ers hastening to saddle up for the ride of
4 rescue.

;

to Buffalo Bill as’soon as possible.

Suddenly he beheld a light ahead; then another. On like the wind rode Pony Bob, and after passing

Ht was a camp-fire. two more relay stations and getting fresh mounts he

“Soldiers?” he shouted, as he caught sight of a camp drew near the fort ; ;
| me ‘half a dozen men in uniform. The stock tenders told him that the party under Lieu-

enant Winter must have taken the lower trail, not to
Turning from the trail he dashed up to the camp and [€"4"t Pa eee ar
eoed ott: have met the returning coach, and, as it had reached the
XL A <
“T am Pony Bob, the Express Rider: fort, doubtless before “that time, Colonel Duncan would
} os Ma aa alee a cat
bs HAN Commande diene , oo of cavalry even then.on the way to meet
bea “Ho, Bob! Anything wrong?’ and Lieutenant Walter ee a. eatsthe for Rony. Ben sa aa ;
| As he drew near the fort, Pony Ww ark ma
ie Winter, a oe cavalry officer, came forward. ee ae ae fis iets A ? . < Ge
i he f him on the plain.
“Yes, sit; all goes wrong, for Buffalo Bill is corraled “<> a
| A a0 ae 4 ie Tete : 4 He drew quickly to a halt and heard the tread of halfa
i at Monument Mound by a hundred Indians, and there hundred horses, along witf the clanking of sabers and
| are more about there, while the Brook Spur relay station =. 0. ee OO aie een ee
has been burned, and I flanked it.” i outrements, (ge ten i,
“Buffalo Bill corraled, and alone, Bob?” oe as troop of cava oe already on the march,
UK . - ° a an 4 1V + + i -
“Worse than alone, sir, for he has ten prisoners with he cried, and a moment after he drew rein and Bp eae
tay three scouts, followed by an officer and a troop of cay-
“Ten prisoners ?” alry.
“Yes, lieutenant; nine outlaws of the Mounted Gold d a ; ae ;
} pw 4 HS storv was tol
Miners’ band, and Corporal Dave Strong.” and quicl ne his story was told.

| ‘ ; 1 4 “Good for yo i, Pony Bob, and bravo for Buffalo Bill
| “And he’s at Monument Mound, or Tombstone, you ee ae ica Seated ;
fs ye Deion Winter will rescue Cody and his prisoners
| { © > tj

i

 

 

  

Sands, I have to make a report, sir,” he cried,

vas doubtless, but get into a trap himself, so [ will push ahead
Yes, Sit; cotraied thetic) andl he beat of one attack, 6 fe aid of all
for he’s got an arsenal to fight ’ em with.” EN IIS TS arenas Teer :
MT & Bufislo Bill. P ae But there are more Indians on the war trail than
: es just now in search of Buffalo Bi ony OP, Colonel Duncan had any idea there were, from what you
for this gentleman here is on a hunt for a party-of lost 421 me, so ask him to please send after me a couple of
miners, as it were, the Gold Dust Jim outfit, and Colonel light guns and two troops of cavalry, with what reserve
Duncan sent me out to find the chet of scouts and dentin Ache He dees he st, for we had better be fully prepared
ue a eee PAA ee eens ee a ; Leet Eee ae?
go on as guide tor lim,” said Lieutenant Winter, refer- and i is well to have » than any men than not enough.”
Hs rine toa ce uHenian who just then came up, and who Fre i +
was a tenderfoot on the plains, as a glance revealed. ag Dalat
is 4 Tt
The stranger spoke pleasantly to Pony Bob, and the a: once ha
latter saw in him a well-knit form, fine, daring face, calm ee wil s i there, and eee a ai on
. y erties RULE, Eto ceieLr eng € > Ay 5
manner, and decided that, after all, who ever the civilian Rios a es Soe Nt ere
eS ag wth 1 qe Ae : os ey ae sane as he sped along.
said he was, he looked to be every inch a man. als he ep.
é alt an hour more a shed into the for
“The colonel wished to find Cody, and if he had cap- first Hedeto hn i uae 6 Coe AO ule te
headd rs,
tured Corporal Strong, to bring the ie back to the fort, an had : ;
A j 1 A = +4
while he went on in search of the Gold Dust Jim outfit He if ae ae jad retired for the night, but told the or-
with Mr. Rupert Rockwell here, who is from the Easé, derly to admit the pony rider, and Ee io heard the story

<=

 

tell ie sir,” and with a salute oe Bob was
at a full run, while he sa iw that the cavalrymen
d quickened their pace.

‘EX

EX ¥

Bob.” of Bufialo Bill’s brave capture of the outlaws and the
) “May I ask how many men you have, sir?” corporal, and the danger the scout was then in,
NS eit ot eile Colonel Duncan sprang from his bed in a hurry, sent

“Enough to give: the Indians a scare, sir, and to cut the orderly for his adj: utant, and rapidly dressed as the
through their line into the mound, while I suppose you pony. rider talked,
wish to have me take word to Colonel Duncan.” “I will send force enough, for this is serious, and Cody
“Yes, indeed, for if the Indians are in the numbers you. must be rescued at all hazards,” cricd Colonel Dunean,

a

———. , Soa Ieee

 

 
Pee Lr a oe

 

 

 

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. 9

and then he complimented Pony Bob upon what he had
done. ‘

The adjutant now arrived, other officers were sent for,
and just one hour after the arrival of Pony Bob the
troopers were off to the rescue.

CHAPTER XE
MORAY OR. a OPE.

King, the outlaw, felt that he had played his last card
for escape, when Buffalo Bill could not be tempted by
the large price he had offered for the freedom of himself
and companions.

While King was musing, Buffalo Bill stood near gazing

 

through his glass down the valley and also sweeping the.

surroundings of the Tombstone Mound.

He had discovered that the Indians were encamped
there, and in larger force than on the day before.

“T must rig some signal to let the soldiers know my
whereabouts, should they come in sight,” he thought.

He had taken from the Indian he had killed a new

-and brilliant red. blanket, and one of the outiaws had a

bright blue one, he had observed.

In a little while he had strung. on a aa his red and
blue blankets, and a white cloth, and found two scrub
pines he could tie them between-at a height of some dozen
feet from the ground.

One end was made fast, and the other passed over a
limb of the tree, ready to draw the line taut and dis-
play the signal.

Up he pulled the signal, and almost immediately he
saw that it was discovered by the redskins about Tomb-
stone Mound.

There was much excitement visible among them, riding
to and fro, and in a short while a mounted force of a
hundred braves moved at a gallop toward the cli Le

““Now we have another chance,’ said Bob Bras

“Yes, they must take this cliff now or we wal nev
escape,” the corporal said.

“This position is more easily defended than was the
Monument Hill yonder,. and ra man will beat them
back,” remarked King.

“We might hail them, for fe has forgotten to gag us,”
said Bob Brass. :

“Yes, if they knew we were prisoners, that they did not
have to fight us, but one man, and that man Buffalo Bill,
for whose scalp they would sacrifice a hundred war-
tiors, then I believe’ they would-take the cliff at all
hazards,” said King.

“T will call out to them in their own tongue as soon
as they get®near enough,’ responded: Bob Brass.

“Good! See, Buffalo Bill is taking his position to
command the trail, and looking to his weapons.” >

‘‘And has forgotten to gag us,” added the corporal, with
great glee at the thought, while a cheerful look of hope
stole over each outlaw’s face.

The hope of the outlaws was short-lived.

A couple of large rocks, which the outlaws thought

_beyond his power to move, he with apparently no gr “cat

exertion rolled to the edge of the cliff where the trail

came up.
Smaller ones were added to these, and the scout had

a good- breastwork built, w vith not m 1uch nee

Then he walked over toward the outlaws, the Indians
being but a quarter of a mile away, and coming in a walk.

‘Men, get up,” he said.

“We can’t walk.”

The men were in an ugly mood, and Buffalo Bill
realized it.

He calmly drew a revolver in each hand ag said very
quietly :

“You know that I make no idle threats.

“Now, I tell you again that the man that utters a cry
to those.Indians I shall kill.

“Tf I do not know which one did so I shall turn and
fire half a dozen shots upon your gang, and fire to kill,
too.

“You know the alternative, so act as you deem bes

“Now, I have told you to rise, and you refuse.

“IT have my revolvers in hand, and mark my words,
the man’ that remains seated, after I give the order to
rise, gets a bullet thro ugh his right ear, as my special
brand.”

The Indians were drawing dangerously near, yet Buf-
falo Bill seemed not to heed the fact.

“Attention, men!

“One! two! three! rise!

As one man the outlaws scrambled to their feet, as
best they could, bound hands and feet.

Buffalo Bill then turned toward the Indians, and gave
his wild warery, which was so dreaded and well known
among the tribes of the Northwest.

The Indians hal ted for a moment, looked searchingly
upward, and*returned an answering cry of defiance.

But they saw the scout and the outlaws.

It was to show his pretended force that Buffalo Bill
had made them rise.

He had driven the prisoners to obey him, thus gaining
his point.

The men saw that the man held the power to do as he
threatened, and from King to the meanest wretch of the
gaps they were subdued ‘thoroughly.

Leaving them, the scout walked to his barrier, and
picked up his own trusty rifle

The chief of the band he noted through his glass, was
a young man, large, and bedecked in a most gorgeous
costume.

He was mounted upon a fine
as snow.

Taking deéliberate aim at the head of the white ani-
mal, Buffalo Bill pulled the trigger.

It was a long range shot, a shot of warning, and it
was an unerring one.

The white horse dropped dead beneath his gorgeously
bedecked -rider.

(7?

merican horse, as white

(ORLA FR Eh
A. GATSLANT BAND).

The deadly aim of Buffalo Bill brought the band of In-
dians to a sudden hait.

The white horse was dead, and the young chief was
pinioned beneath his weight, so suddenly had he fallen.

Warriors quickly dismounted and drew him from be-
neath the dead horse, while one brave led forward an ex-
tra animal and the saddle and bridle or the eniet was put
on him, a “

 

 
 

i

10 THE BUFFALO
The Chick was slightly hurt only, and mounted quickly.
‘They turned to ride back out of range of that terrible

rifle, .

What they then decided. upon they would do, of at least
attempt.

But as they turned: they saw the tall form of their
dreaded foe appéar upon the very edge of the cliff.

They all knew Buffalo Bill by sight. ee

There was no mistaking that magnificent form.

But what was he doing?

Actually waving his sombrero round and round his

head.

They halted for a moment in their backward ee
and then they saw him put his field glasses to his face.

‘‘Far-look eyes,” they called the field glasses.

The scout had them to his eyes and was looking down
the valley. ti

What he saw the redslitis also saw.

Buffalo Bills “far-look” eyes were turned upon a party
of soldiers just entering the lower end of the valley.

They were four miles away at least.

The band of Indians had some three miles to reach

@

the Tombstone Mound, where the remainder of their

force was.

They lost no time in starting to join them.

In fact, they went off as one man, and in a sweeping
run, while they uttered cries of wild disappointment and
rage.

Of course they supposed that the soldiers were the an
vance guard of a large force.

Buffalo Bill had the same idea, and called out to -
prisoners, with excusable exultation:

“The troopers are entering the valley.”

The prisoners groaned in agony of spirit.

Buffalo Bill kept his eyes fixed upon the soldiers.

His face was a study, for he had made some discovery.

What he saw seemed to puzzle him.

“That is the boldest advance guard I ever saw in the
face of a foe so nurierous,” he “muttered. e

‘There must be a large force waiting in the timber at
the end of the valley, though my glass does not show
any.

“Why, there is only a couple of scouts, an officer, a man
in civilian attire, and half ; a dozen soldiers, with several
pack horses.

“Their horses are jaded, too, but they are putting the
spurs to them hard—ah! the Indians have halted, seeing
that they have no support, and the band is coming back
to cut them off.

“Now, ride for it, men, ride for your lives!” shouted
Buffalo Bill.

But his voice could not reach half - distance to the |
gallant little band.

 

CHAPTER: XIII.
THE RIDE FOR THE CLIFF.

ach man in the party of rescuers saw his danger, and
noted well the distance they had to ride to the cliff, and
the distance the Indians had to | come to head them off.

“Tt is chances even for us,” said Winston, the com-
mander.

And on the party flew, the pack horses oe well

ics ie Mee the others.

ee

BILL STORIES. |

But the Indians were now urging their horses’ at full
speed. ;

If the advance guard reached the cliff Gaal the In-
dians knew. that they were safe, for they supposed that

the men on the cliff would open a deadly fire to aah

port their climb up the trail.

It thus became a question of life and death for the
little party.

Lieutenant Winston and all ont him realized this fact.

“Don’t falter, men!

“Keep your horses well in hand and drive your spurs
deep,” came in the cool voice of the gallant young officer.

“There stands Buffalo Bill, rifle in hand, and he will
support us, ’ he said a moment aiter, and added:

“Now, Mr. Rockwell, you will be able to see the ‘great-
est of bordermen in action, and it will be a revelation
to you.’

“T shall be glad to see him, for I am strangely drawn
toward the man, from all you say of him,” replied Ru-
pert Rockwell.

So on the little party flew, and on the Indians came.

To the coolly calculating eyes of the young officer it
seemed that as he reached the base of the cliff the In-
dians would be upon them.

To prevent this he decided to strike a blow that would
be felt by the redskins.

‘Men, we will have to fight for it.

“Get your carbines ready, soldiers.”

“Lieutenant Winston spoke calmly, yet decidedly.

He had determined to push the pack horses ahead
with Mr. Rockwell, have the two scouts guard them,
while he halted and delivered a fire in the face of the
coming Indians with his half dozen cavalrymen.

But just here arose a question, for Rupert Rockwell,
armed with a splendid repeating rifle, and a man who
had shown to all that he knew no such word as fear,
replied to the lieu*cnant’s order to go to the front with
the pack animals and scouts: “

“Iam not one to be protected, Lieutenant Winston,
at the risk of others.

“1 will fire with your men, sir.”

They were yet half a mile from the cliff, and the In-
dians were an equal distance.

Then all saw Buffalo Bill take off his broad-sombrero,
and wave it around his head, as a means of encourage-
ment to the little band of flyers.

They answered with a cheer as they ran, and instantly
followed the scout’s wild warcry.

This the coming redskins replied to with mad yells,
as they urged their ponies on.

Back about Tombstone Mound were now seen several
hundred mounted braves, ranged in line of battle.

They were showing their force, having come down
from the Mound.

Another moment, and when within a quarter o a mile
of the cliff, the feitenaae shouted :
“Attention!

“Wheel into line and halt!

“Ready, aim, fire!”

Ten rifles flashed together, the men having obeyed the
order well, and wheeled to the right into line, Lieu-
tenant Winston also carrying a repeating rifle slung to
his saddle, for he was fond of hunting.

"

 

 

 

 
 

ee THE BUFFALO

The ten bullets met the charging Indians full in the
face, and ponies and braves went down.

Momentarily the redskins were checked, just long
enough \for their foes to get again on the run, the sol-
diers reloading their carbines as they sped along. ;
’ As they neared the cliff a loud voice rang out, as
though coming from the clouds:

“The trail leads up between those two large rocks.

“Fire as you reach them, and then climb on foot, lead-
ing your horses.

“‘T will do what I can to beat them back!”

DANG ay, Cody.

“Three cheers for Buffalo Bill!” shouted the lieutenant.

The cheer was given with a will, as the party dashed
on, and all knew that a few moments more would tell
the story.

They were within a ee of hundred yards of the
cliff, the redskins about one-half more that distance away,
and, ten to one against them, matters certainly looked
dubious as to their escape.

The Indians, mad at the losses they had suffered, yet
flushed with hope of revenge, were yelling like demons.

They believed that their triumph was assured.

Upon the cliff, looking like a statue, so still did he
stand, leaning upon his rifle, was Buffalo Bill.

His eyes were taking in the whole situation.

He was taking in the situation just as it was, and
like a skillful general he knew just when to act.

He had already brought the weapons of the outlaws
to where he could grasp them quickly.

Another minute and the order came:

“Halt here!

“Pitre

They had reached the rocks, and halted together.

All ten of the men firéd almost as one.

The leaden hail did good work, for the Indians were
not a hundred yards away now, and coming with a rush.

But the volley did not check other than the, braves and
ponies that went down under it.

“Why does not Buffalo Bill fre?’ came in a gasp from
Walter Winston’s lips.

No one could answer him.

The horses were rushed between the two rocks for the
steep trail.

The pack animals went first, led by Scout Ball.

But the Indians were firing now, and three of the riding
horses fell dead.

Then Scout Sands threw his hands over his head and
fell his length.

Rupert Rockwell seized his body in his arms and bore
him up the trail.

One soldier, then another, went down, and Lieutenant
Winston received a wound in the arm.

Another soldier got an arrow in the shoulder.

Matters looked desperate now. f

All felt it, all knew it.

“Why does not Buffalo Bill fire >”
well. :

‘Why does not Buffalo Bill fire?”

The answer came at once.

_ The scout bounded before them, his arms filled with
firesrms.

He had come dewn the trail from the cliff.

again cried Rock-

was once more asked.

~Y
nS

BILL STORIES. II

He had come to share the danger personally of those
who had boldly risked their lives ‘to rescue him.

He was in their midst now, and had halted behind a
boulder, breast high, that covered the trail,

He had with him his own and the repeating rifles of
Corporal Strong, King, and Bob Brass.

Then, too, he had other rifles, those of the outlaws, and
was weighted down with revolvers.

“Men, take these arms, and two of you reload your
weapons!” he shouted.

_ They gave him a cheer. Hope was renewed, and into
the very faces of the Indians was flashed the leaden bul-
lets, doing work most deadly.

The ponies went down, braves fell in numbers, and
the force of Indians were hurled back like a giant wave
striking against a rocky shore.

They could not reach their foes, their comradés were
dropping from their ponies, and death was playing sad
havoc upon all sides. =: ‘

CHAPTER XIV.
THE RESCUERS RESCUED.

The fight at the foot of the cliff trail was a desperate
one.

With a score of dead, and as many dying, while nearly
half of their ponies had fallen, and their chief among
the slain, the Indians, who had come on as recklessly as
demons, turned at last in desperation and stampeded.

It was a mad run for life with them now.

But not a shot followed them.

Buffalo Bill’s command had been when they Enos

“Don’t add to the slaughter, pards!

“Don’t fire on flying men!”

“You are right, Cody.

“But God bless you, old fell low, for the work you
have done, for you saved us,’ and Lieutenant Walter
Winston wrung the scout’s hand with both his own.

The others, too, came forward, and the officer said:

“Cody, I wish to present you to Mr. Rupert Rockwell,
a gentleman from the East, who has come out here on
an “important mission, and Colonel Hughlets sent me with
him as an escort to find you, for he wishes you to go

-with him and aid him in carrying out his plans.

“Mr. Rockwell you need no longer regard as a tender-
foot, after what he has done to-day, for he is as good
a pard as any one would wish in danger.”

The scout and Rupert seemed to take to each other at
once, and after seeing that the Indians were not to be
supported in another attack by their comrades about the
Tombstone Mound, the party began to look to their losses.

Sands, the scout, and two of ‘the soldiers were dead.

The lieutenant and two more of. his men had received
slight wounds, while three of their horses had been killed.

“We will leave the dead here, sir, and can look after
your wotnds when we get upon the cliff, where I have
some prisoners to look after,” said Bufialo Bill.

“Yes,.Pony Bob told me of your splendid achievement,
Cody; but we'll talk that over later.

; But, can we do nothing for the redskin wounded ?”

AL little, sir, perhaps, after we have seen to our own
safety, for I noticed scouts dash away. down the valley
yonder, and they have gone to see if there are other. sol-

 
 

12 THE BUFFALO

_diers coming, and how far off they are, so they can at-

tack us with their whole force if they have the time.”

“Ah, that will be bad.”

“Only so far as our having nothing on the cliff for
our horses to eat, and I am out of provisions, sir.’

CatPard, } have plenty of provisions along ; but the horses’
will have to sutter, | tear.

“We can cut them some grass to keep them fice starv-
ing, sit; but first we will ‘eet all safe aloft.”

his Tee done, for the pack horses and other animals
were led up the steep trail, one of them carrying a sol-
dier who had been wounded in the leg and could not walk.

The dead were laid side by side behind a boulder, and
then the party went up to the summit of the cliff.

The prisoners already knew the result of the battle
beneath them.

‘They knew that all hope had fled for them.

With scowling faces they watched the scout and his res-
cuers comé up on the cliff, and they remained silent when
Lieutenant Winston spoke to them.

To the corporal he said nothing, and the fugitive mur-
derer remained silent and sullen.

The wounds of the lieutenant and soldiers were dressed
by Rupert Rockwell, who had received his degree of M.
D., yet never had practiced medicine, though why he did
not state.

. Taking the canteens, and a. couple of the Roidiers and
Seout Ball with him, Buffalo Bill descended the cliff to
ve spring and filled them.

They were all given water around, and holding up the
heads of the horses, a canteen was emptied into the mouth

» each one.

Several trips were thus made, some grass was cut for
the horses, and a little wood gathered for the building of
a fire to cook a good meal.

Under the euard of the three soldiers, the prisoners
were relieved of their bonds for one hour, to give them
relief and allow them to eat their supper.

As they all finished their meal, Buffalo Bill called out:

“The Indians are coming to attack us in force.”

‘They were coming in full force from beyond the Tomb-
stone Mound, and a dread body they appeared.

They rode in one vast mass, and they sang a war song
as they came, their horses at a walk.

The band that had been beaten back from the cliff was
in the rear.

_ Their wild, weird song was heard by those on the cliff,
and yet no one held dread of the result.

Buffalo Bill had said that a dozen men could hold that
trail ‘against a thousand.

And they believed him.

They were not a dozen men, only seven to fight, all
told, and the Indians were not a thousand.

But they had the cliff, they kad had a good meal, and
they were ready for the ‘fight.

They had, too, the weapons of the outlaws, and those
of the soldiers and scout who had fallen.

Then, too, Buffalo Bill had gathered several muskets
from the fallen Indians, and nearly two score bows and
many arrows.

These would come in well in such a battle. .

“Have no fear, for we can beat them back, ke my
words,” Buffalo Bill had said,

BILL STORIES.

All the defenders, few as they were, felt one

They had climbed the steep, zigzag trail.

They had made a breastwork of rock across the edge
of the cliff, wide enough to protect all, and it commanded

the trail from base to summit.

They were ready for them. All the weapons were
loaded, the bows and arrows placed at hand, and small
rocks gathered up and piled along the front edge of the
cliff.

There were four of the prisoners to be freed to use
them.

The chief of scouts had proposed that they should.

Not to be trusted with weapons they would have their
legs still bound, with space between to move about, their
arms free, and they were ordered to throw rocks upon

the Indian mass below.

This would be a new kind of warfare, and very demor-
alizing, Buffalo Bill thought, to the redskins.

Corporal Dave Strong had asked to be one of the four
Tien
The scout had sternly refused, as had also Lieutenant
Winston, to whose company he had belonged.

Bob Brass had also been a volunteer.

So had King.

But Buffalo Bill had ads refused.

He selected the four men who had given him the least
trouble.

“Do your duty, men, and it will act in your favor at
your trial.

“Think what you are ordered to do, and Tl assure
you that you will not suffer the more.

“I shall keep my eye upon you, and the man I see
playing off, and not throwing those rocks as they should
be thrown, and can be thrown to kill, I shall remind him
that I am watching him by clipping him with a bullet

“We'll do right, you bet,” said one.

“You bet we does,” another added; “we do jist right.”
_ “Tt will be the first time you-ever did, so it will be well
to make the exception, if you don’t wish a finger or ah .
ear clipped off.”

The four men looked downcast at this threat, and one
voiced the sentiment of all when he said:

“I guess it’s easier ter throw stones at Injuns, than
to nurse a gone finger or ear.’

“And it may be more than a lost finger or ear, for I
am not just sure my aim will hold good, after the trouble
you have all given me,”’ significantly returned the chief of
scouts, and the four men understood his meaning but too
well,

In the meanwhile, the mounted army of redskins was
nearing the cliff.

nl

CHAPTER XV.
AWAITING THE STORM OF DEATH.

It was a brave sight, indeed, to see that little batid of
seven men, three of them ah wounds, standing at the
rock breastwork at the head of the trail, and waiting to
face a force of nearly a hundred to one against them.

Seated on the cliff, a hundred. feet from the breastwork,
were their forced allies, the four outlaws, who had their
arms freed for the work they had to do.

 

 
 

 

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

Their legs were bound with a ae ng space, so that

they could move about readily, yet not run off along the
cliff, though escape in that direction was in spossible.

The steep trail was the only way ef reaching or leav-
ing the old home of the Cliff Dwellers, unless they
sprang off from the dizzy height of several hundred
feet

By each outlaw was a pile of rocks, ranging in weight,

from three pounds to twenty, and which would be sure
death to the brave or pony whose head it dropped upon.

-About the base of the cliff there would be hundreds of
Indians, while as many more would be crowding up the
steep trail.

With each pile of stones, numbering several hundred,
they would prove a most able ally in the battle of the
chff, if the four outlaws threw them as they were ordered
to do.

lf they did not thes Buffalo
just what to expect.

The rest of the gang of outlaws envied these fo
they were free.

They had been tied securely again, and could but wish
that it had not been so.

They were sullen now, and almost hopeless of rescue.

So often had Buffalo Bill foiled ail attempts at escape,
all efforts at rescue, they began to feel that he was not
to be downed by any danger, obstacle, or numbers.

‘That man Cody is not to be w hipped,” said King, dis-
consolately.

“A stray bullet may yet do the work for him,’
the more hopeful Bob Brass.

“The lead is not mined yet for the bullet that will kill
him,” Corporal Strong’ said.

“Well, 1 wish it were all over one way or another,
for suspense 1s worse than hanging,” King rejoined.

“Can’t we get a sign to those four lucky devils yon-
der to play off and,-not hurt an Indian?” asked Bob
Brass.

“Don’t you know they dare not with Buffalo Bill’s
eye upon them?’ was King’s remark.

“hat is so, captain.”

“And more, they will work to please Cody, for they
will hope to have it help them on hanging day,” the cor-
poral said.

So they talked on, while the advancing redskins got
so ¢losé to the cliff, though yet some distance off, that
they could no longer see them.

They still heard the rumble of the ponies’ hoofs, ming-
ling ‘with their shrill, discordant war song, as they con-
tintied to still advance.

“They look dangerous, Mr. Cody,’
well.

“Yes, and we would find them terribly so, sir, if we

Bill’s orders they knew

ur, for

* added

said Ripert Rock-

» were not up here, for no better position could be had for

us.” :

“Right you are, Cody, and your wonderful knowledge
ofthis country enabled you to pick your fighting places,”’
the lieutenant remarked.

“The Tombstone is the best place, sir, if we had a
larger force to defend it, as there is water, wood and
grass there.

“Here we could not stand a very long siege without

+3

giving up, but ioteanately help will soon: be here, and I
only hope it will be force enough.

“I wish now that I had ridden out while I endl to
meet the command and send back for more soldiers.”

“You would have had to take desperate chances to és-
cape from the valley, Cody, and dodge the scouts sent
by the Indians.”

“Yes, lieutenant, but I think I could have made it,
and I feel certain that the Indians we see are not all
there are to come, for that is the old head chief they
call Colonel Coyote, and when he leaves his village he
ae has a thousand braves or more within close call of
1m,

“T hope, indeed, that Colonel Duncan has sent a large.
force, and he would quickly do so if he knew or suspected
that it was the old chief, Colonel Coyote, out on the war-
path, for we all know what that ancient red devil is ca-
pable of, Cody:”

“He loves to fight palefaces better than
on. earth,” was the reply of Buffalo Bill.

In the time that this conversation was
Indians had advanced to within range of
rifles of the palefaces.

But there was no desire to show what they could do.

They could wait until no shot would be thrown. away
upon the crowded mass of red riders.

‘The wounded redskins had crawled near to the cliff
to get out of the way of the coming braves.

The ev had felt the power of the whites, and they knew
that a desperate battle must be fought to subdue them,
that the antuber of dead and wounded would be largely
added to.

But they had hope in their Se TESS would win.

anything else

going on the
the repeating

 

CHAPTER: XVI.

SEL, Ben Se Eats, So ey lab GS Gey Grin ig is a

The Indians rode boldly forward, their wild war song
reaching the ears of the few on the cliff to oppose them,
yet blanching no cheek, causing no tremor of fear.

Those were brave men there to face the odds against
them.

Even Rupert Rockwell seemed not in the least dis- -
turbed, though such scenes were doubtless new to him.

Buffalo Bill was quiet and watchful, yet not in the least
disturbed, if his face was a criterion of his feelings.

Expecting the palefaces to open at long range, the red-

skins held their reins in hand and were ready for a grand

dash the moment a shot was fired.
But no shot. came.
Lieutenant Winston had said:
“This is your play, Cody, for I am only an aider and
abettor in this fight.
“Run it to stiit yourself and call upon me to do what
I can to help you, and you know that means those with
me.
“You have done mt uch phenomenal work thus far 2]
wish you to keep it up.”
“Thank you, lieutenant, and | know well weal I may
expect in your aid.
“T shall not fire on the Indians until the
come up the trail’
“l believe it is best, and then do. quick and deadly work,
for that will tell. 2

attempt to

 
 

14 . 0 THE BUFPALO.

“Help from the fort should be here by sunset at least.”

“T only hope help sufficient will come, sir:

“See, those reds are puzzled because we do not fire
upon them.” ‘.

‘They are as uneasy as cats in a strange garret, 1 can
See. .

The Indians were singing their war song, but every
eye was_upon the cliff. .

All seemed to be waiting for a surprise.

They were now almost under the shadow of the cliff,
and suddenly, as though to break the suspense of the
palefaces, they uttered one wild yell and dashed up close
to the spur.

Still there came no shot from the cliff.

The redskins were certainly uneasy.

‘The old chief shouted an order, and his braves dashed
between the rocks to ascend the trail on horse aos

“They don’t like climbing,” said the ‘scout dryly, and
he continued:

in let the outlaws open the fight. ©

“Ho, there, stone throwers, start in on your work, for
if you can stampede the gang it will save many lives.”

The four outlaws set to work with a will.

Four large stones went flying over the cliff, followed

' by others in quick succession.

There was a whirring sound above the Indian’s heads, -

and right into the crowded mass of humanity the deadly
missiles began to fall.

The shock was terri a and for a moment it seemed
as though this novel mode of warfare would stampede the
band.

Warriors fell from their ponies with crushed skulis.

Ponies went down with broken heads.

All were momentarily thrown into a panic.

But the thunder tones of the old chief, Colonel Coyote,
ralli bd his braves, and they moved out of range of the
stones, then made a rush for the steep trail.

Then Buffalo Bil shouted:

“Now let them have the lead!”
There was a volley of firearms, foilowed by the crack-

‘ing of the repeating “rifles ra attling forth their deadly dis-

charge. ¢
The braves went down by the half dozen, and ponies

“were piled high at the foot of the trail.

The whole band recoiled before the terrible fire, and
this gave the palefaces a chance to reload their weapons.

But the old chief's s deep tomtes rallied his warriors, and
they rushed to the trail once more, now on foot, as they
were ordered to do.

The trail was black with them as they bounded up the

steep way. ;

But again the rifles rang out, and once more the head
of the Indian column melted away.

A third time they came up the trail after their recoil,
this time led by old Colonel Coyote, who seemed to pos-
sess a charmed life.

Again the rifles opened, and now. the Indians had got-
ten further than before up the trail.

But again they melted away.

There in the midst of his dead stood old Colonel Coyote,
shouting to his braves to come on.

“Don’t kill that brave old chief,” shouted Buffalo Bill,
his admiration being great for the brave Indian leader,

BILL STORIES.

“This is slaughter—why. will they come on ie he said
a moment later. ;
The Indians who could not get to the trail were firing
with their rifles, and the air was filled with clouds of
arrows.
But few reached the top of the cliff, falling short.
The outlaws were hurling stones down upon the In-
dians, and suddenly Buffalo Bill shouted:
“Stop that! it is barbarous work, and we can keep
them off without it.’
A moment after he cried:
“This. is terrible!”
“Yes, Cody, can it not be stopped?” asked Lieutenant
Winston.
wall try? 3
With this he sprang over the rocky barrier down. the
trail, and advancing with hands’ upraised, the palms
turned toward the redskins, he called out in their own
lange uage:
“Go back! the Great Spirit is angry with his red chil-
dr: oe
“He will not jet them destroy their paleface brothers.
“Go back, Chief Coyote, with your brave young men,,
for the warriors of eo great white chief are coming
hot upon your trail!’

 

 

CHAPTER XV i.
THE DYING AVENGERS.

The act of Buffalo Bill in suddenly appearing before
the Indians, and walking boldly down the trail, while
he called out to them, was a complete surprise.

Every voice was hushed instantly.

Kvery Indian ceased firing.

A silence : death followed, and every eye was upon ~
the bold scou

He spoke a language well, his voice was loud, clear,
and resonant, and each w ord he uttered they heard,

They seemed to feel that it was no trick, for the
dead about them showed how they were suffering, and 4
yet they had not gotten halfway up the trail.

The Indians appeared to take the scout’s humane act
just as. it was intended, at least Chief Coyote did.

He, too, raised his hands. .He was at the head of his
warriors in the forlorn hope, and yet was untouched by a ;
bullet,

On foot, too, he had been climbing the steep nae his
braves falling about him in numbers.

vale great white chief, Pa-e-has-ka (Buffaio, “Bill's
Indian name) has spoken well.

“T will go with my dead and my dying young men, eo
the Great ‘Spirit protects Pa-e-has-ka.”

But as he ae e, Buffalo Bill glanced down the val-
ley, and far off he saw a moving mass of horsemen. ¥
‘He pointed a toward the coming Horsemen and .
cried ;

“My eyes see the white braves coming to ae at Chief
Coyote, for leading his young men ae the warpath. ,

“Others will follow—see !”

But the redskins had already seen the soldiers in the
distance, as the scout first pointed them out.

Their scouts sent in that direction had not returned to.
give an alarm, so they had not looked for trouble from
the soldiers. : ee

 
 

 

THE BUFFALO

The old chief knew now that he had to fight, and to
do so successfully he must seek the Tombstone Mound.

Instantly he thundered forth his orders to his braves,
and there was mounting in hot haste by all save those
he ordered to carry off their wounded and dead com-
rades

But this was no easy task, and the Indians found that
if they could carry the wounded with them’ they would
accomplish much, - .

But the soldiers had already discovered them, and were
forming in line of battle to thus advance.

They looked in large force to the redskins, but seen
from the cliff, Buffalo Bill knew just how many there
were, and said:

“There is but one troop.

“If more are not foliowing, Lieutenant Winston, it will
be a wipe-out for them,

“I will go and meet them,,sir, so messengers can be
sent back for reinforcements, and that troop must make
a bold bluff to get here for protection, as Colonel Coyote
is rapidly getting more warriors, you see,” and Buffalo
Bill pointed to where other bands were coming down
the Vv say

The seout’s horse was quickly saddled and bridled, and
Piesielant Winston said:

“Let me go, Cody, for you cannot be spared here.”

“No, sir, [ will go, for it may be that I shall have to
ride on to the fort, as I’know the short cuts.’

Calling to lis horse to follow him, Buffalo Bill started
down the steep tra 111 on foot.
He knew if discovered the
motive and try to head him off,

He was not long in. being. discovered, and
hundred warriors were thrown forward to intercept him.

But he continued on down the trail, reached the dead
braves that blocked it, and rode over them, and further
down had to leap across the slain ponies.

Here and there he saw amid the slain braves a wounded
one who had not been carried off by his comrades in their
hasty flight, and he had just time to cry out. in the In-
dian tongue:

“If you let that arrow fly I will kill you !”

The Indian warrior had fitted an arrow to his bow to
kul the scout.

He was badly wounded in the body, but te was game
to the last, and had half risen on one arm to kill his foe.

But the threat did no goad, had no effect on the dying
avenger, and the arrow was fired.

Tt struck
no harm.

But for that knife in his belt the arrow would have
pierced the body below the heart.

With a bound the scout was upon the dying redskin
before he could fit another arrow t6 the bow, for he would
not carry out his threat to kill him.

Tearing the bow from his hands he cast it beyond
his reach “just as a shot came from the cliff, and an arrow
fell almost at the feet of the scout.

Buffalo Bill saw there another wounded Indian, fifty
feet away, fall forward from a kneeling position upon his
face and then roll over.

In his hands he grasped a bow.

The shot had been fred from the cliff that killed him,

Indians would divine his

6
fully a

the knife hilt of the Beont glanced, and did

BILE SUORIEG( 1 ae

and it had saved the scout’s life, for the bullet had struck
the redskin just as he was about to let the arrow go, hence
its force had been destruyed.

Buffalo Bill glanced upward and beheld Rupert Rock-
well.

He had seen the wounded Indian’s intention and to him
the scout owed his life.

CHAPTER  XVLL,.
TE ts COULD? So RN.

Buffalo Bill waved his hat to Rupert Rockwell for
his act, and Lieutenant Winston and the others gave
three cheers for the man from the East who had followed
the scout part of the way down the trail.

It was slow work making his way down the dead-
strewn trail with his horse, for the Indians were riding
hard to intercept him.

But he reached the base, and what he saw caused him
to murmur :

“This is sickening.

“War. is indeed appalling,
redinen are piled up here.

“There will be weeping and’ wailing in old Chief Coy-
ote’s village, and the end is not yet.”

Leaping into his saddle, and grasping his rifle, Buffalo
Bill dashed off in his desperate ride.

It was a dread gantlet he had to run, but he did not
shrink from: it.

On, on he went like the wind, while a elance up at the
clifg showed him that there stood his friends watching his
ride for life.

The Indians were riding at full speed, straight across
the valley, to head him off.

Could ‘they do it?

The troop of cavalry was coming up'the valley along
the base of the range, and toward the cliff, for they had
seen the scout’s signal there.

They were at a trot, and could see that the Indians
were assembling about Tombstone Mound in very oe
force.

They had heard and seen the fight about ie cliff and
the retreat.

Now that the Indians were returning at a run, a band
doubling the troop in numbers, ‘they could not -under-
stand it, unless the redskins meant to cut therm off.

At this Captain Sands smiled grimly,

A hundred braves would do little against his troop he -
well knew.

Suddenly one of the scouts of the troop called out:

“There is a horseman yonder coming toward us at full
speed.”

“That is what those fellows are riding for, to head him
off,” said Captain Sands, and he raised his glass to his
eyes and shouted:

“It is Buftalo Bill!

“We must ride for it!’

The troop uttered a cheer as one man, and at once
their horses were put to a gallop.

Buifalo Bill was seen, meanwhile, to put his horse to
his full speed and he fairly flew along the valley.

The pace was a terrific one, and the watchers on the
cliff shouted with admiration.

for just see how these poor

 
 

16 THE BUFFALO

The race now became a gantlet, indeed, and all realized
it, the scout, those on the cliff, and the troopers.

The braves were lashing their ponies and yelling like
demons, as they believed they would head the scout off.

But the horse Buffalo Bill rode was the fleetest on the
border, and he went like a bird.

The scout was seen to raise his rifle, as he drew nearer,
and then shortly after a puff of smoke shot from the
muzzle, and the sharp, ringing report was heard.

Down went the ponies, but no brave fell, that was seen.

“Cody is killing the ponies.

“Tt serves just. as well, and he is ever merciful,”
Lieutenant Winston.

lhe band of horsemen were not checked, however, but
came on like an avalanche.

The soldiers were yet over half a mile away, the scout
could press no further to the right, as a ravine ran there,
and the Indians were not three hundred yards from him..

If they held straight on they would very nearly head
the scout off.

It seemed a desperate moment for the scout and he
knew it.

Suddenly he wheeled his horse to the left, and darted
away straight toward the Tombstone Mound.

What could he mean. There was halting quickly by
the Indians, turning about, and then a race back the way
they had come.

But the scout had gained much while the Indians were
halting and turning in disorder, and again turning his
shots upon them and bri inging down the nearest ponies,
he bore away straight for Tombstone Mound, whegled
suddenly, and started down the valley toward the tr oop.

it was a most clever ruse, and successfully executed,
the redskins howling in rage at having been outwitted
and showering upon ‘him a fire from their guns and bows.

But, though the bullets flew thick, none touched him,
and, as he sped on, his foes now had to turn to face the
troop.

“Halt! Fire!” were the orders from Captain Sands,
and as the carbines rattled the troop was given the fur-
ther command :

“Charge!”

But the volley had been a deadly one, and the Indians
were in full flight at once, while Colonel Coyote was
bringing other braves up to attack the troopers.

“Have you a courier to send back for reinforcements,
sit, for the Indians are a thousand strong and more to
come?’ shouted Buffalo Bill, as he rode toward the troop.

“Troops are coming
brave Cody, to hasten ‘them on.

“Do you know a place to which I can retreat?”

“Yes, sir,’ and as Cody dashed up and halted by the
side of the captain, while the soldiers gave him a eae
cheer, he continued:

“To the cliff yonder, sir, and which you can hold
against ten thousand Indians; but the courier, sir!”

“He shall start at once,” and one of the best-mounted
men of the troop was called up and given his orders as
to what he was to tell Colonel Duncan, but, if he met a
force on the way, to report to the commanding officer, and
leave it to his discretion as to what was best. to be done.

said

Off went the courier at a run, while, turning to Captain —

but I will send a courier, my

BILL STORIES.

Sands, Buffalo Bill, who had been Guichiag the move-
ments ‘of the Indians, said: —

“Now, sir, you will have no time to lose in reaching
the cliff, as it will be well to halt to water the horses and
fill canteens before going up.

«Old Colonel Coyote is the chief of that band, and he
is determined to throw his whole force upon you, and
his braves are desperate now.”

CHAPTER XIX.
THE) REEREAT:

Captain Sands knew that Buffalo Biil was seldom at
fault in his prognostications of Indians’ intentions.

He was aware that the scout understood the situation,
and he at once gave the order to ride for the cliff at a
gallop.

At the: base a halt was made to fill the canteens and
water the horses, and as fast as the latter drank they
were rtin up the steep trail to the top.

Lieutenant Winston meanwhile had had the men lead
the animals already on the cliff down to water, and refill
the eer while each was allowed to crop a few
mouthfuls of grass.

This gave them a hold against starvation.

Some dry wood was cathered by the troop at the base
of the cliff, and as fast as the men could they took posi-
tion among the rocks to fight back the redskins, now
charging upon them with full force.

Buffalo Bill had asked for half a dozen men to be sent
to the top of the cliff, to report to Lieutenant Winston
and fight from there with the outlaw guns, while he re-
mained below. — .

The men that led the pack animals up and the horses
of the troopers did this, and all were in position to give

the Indians a check as they advanced.

“Well, Cody, you have had hot work shere, Pee the
looks of the dead braves and ponies,” said Captain

Sands.
“Yes, sir, it was red-hot for the Indians, but we were
comparatively safe.” . @

“You deserved to be, fighting the odds you had to.”

“You have now tremendous odds to meet, also, sir, for
there are a thousand reds yonder, if there is one.”

“And you think there will be more?”

“Yes, sir, for Colonel Coyote always travels with a
small army.

“T guess he wanted td make a grand sweep of it before
he retired from. control of the fighting forces, for the

“younger chiets are anxious to come to the front; but here

they are.’
Buffalo Bill stood by the side of Cn Sands, be-
hind a boulder, and where every man could be seen by

~ them.

The troopers were scattered about on the steep side of
the hill, behind rocks and where they could do deadly
exectition with their carbines and with revolvers should
the Indians come near enough.

iach man knew this danger, and — it must be a fight
to the death.

“If they gain the base of the cliff, sir, the men can re-
treat up the trail, while Lieutenant Winston on the sum-
mit can protect them, ” Buffalo Bill had said.

 

 
 

 

“THE BUFFAL@

Each man had been therefore given his orders as to
_ just what he was to do, should. they, not check the red-
- skins at the first volley.

The redskins were now in a mass, rushing directly for
the-clitt. > =:

They felt confident that the fifty troopers and the men
on the cliff were all that they had to deal with, and twenty
to one against them, they were determined to wipe the
palefaces out.

Colonel Coyote, the old chief, was determined to end
his career in a blaze of glory, or fall there on the field,
and thus atone for his defeat.

His braves were with him heart and hand.

“Now, sir, they are coming within good range,”
Buffalo Bill.

Captain Sands gave a glance at his scattered men and
shouted :

“Throw_no shot away, men!

“Rar e! {??

The carbines flashed, and the leading braves and
‘horses seemed to melt away.

But on they came.

“We cannot check them here, sir, but on the cliff we
can.

“We can cover the retreat with the officers’ repeating
rifles, those of the four scSuts and mine.’

The captain saw that Buffalo Bill had covered the sit-
uation well.

Nothing could check that tremendous force from car-
tying the position, and so he ordered a retreat up to the
top of the cliff, just as the mass of redskins were near
its base, and were throwing themselves from their ponies
to make the climb to where the soldiers were.

The ordet was given, and the troopers began to run
for the trail, which they had been told was not wide
enough to allow of more than two men abreast.

With his own repeating rifle, for the officers carried
such weapons for sport, he had two lieutenants and his

surgeon also armed with them, while in addition there
were four scouts in his command, belonging to Buffalo
Bill’s Rangers in Buckskin, as they were called.

These rifles, with that of the chief of scouts, made nine
of these deadly weapons to cover the retreat of the sol-
diers with.

And nebly these nine men stood their ground and
pumped the lead into the faces of the Indians, thus giv-

ing the soldiers good time to retreat.
Be still the redskins came on, and the weapons were
_ empty. :

Showers of arrows, and bullets from the rifles and

muskets of the redskins that had them filled the air.

Several of the soldiers in the rear fell, and then one
of the lieutenants.

Next one of the scouts dropped dead, and: the revolvers
were drawn and emptied as the little band retreated.

But just then from over the cliff came showers of
rocks, and Lieutenant Winston was heard distinctly as he
ordered :

“Now cover the retreat of those noble fellows!”

From the cliff came pouring down a rain of bullets,
and the redskins about the captain and his little party
were cut down by the score.

said

 

BILL STORIES, ae,

“Now we can run for it, sir,” cried Buffalo Bill, and,
carrying their dead with the em, the men began to climb,

But just then Captain Sands reeled and fell, wounded
at the same time by a bullet and an arrow.

Instantly Buffalo Bill sprang back to his side, and
raised him in his arms.

“Leave me, noble Cody, and save yourself,” said the
wounded captain.

eat carry you to the top, sir, if you are dead when
I get there,” was the plucky reply of the scout.

 

CHAPTER XX.
THER BLGHT  WoON..

Buffalo Bill kept his word, for he carried the wounded
captain to the top of the cliff, and Rupert Rockwell and
a number of soldiers came bounding down the trail to
help with the dead the little band wag carrying.

Close upon them came the panting braves, and there
were hundreds in number, but strung out all along the
steep trail two abreast.

Seeing that Captain Sands had fallen, Lieutenant Win-
ston rallied the troopers as they came up, and carbines
were hastily reloaded and two lone men stood ready to
defend the summit of the cliff.

_Others were placed with the four outlaws to hurl stones
over upon the crowded imass of redskins below and to
gather more of the deadly missiles to throw over, and aid
them in the work of death.

The scout relinquished .the wounded captain to his

» men, and wheeling quickly releaded his repeating rifle,

the others of his little party doing the same.

Then did the Indians discover their fatal error in mak-
ing that desperate charge, for they were fairly mowed
down while yet a hundred yards from the goal of their
hoped-for triumph and revenge.

They could not stand that galling fire of death.

No human nature could do that, while upon the heads
of their comrades below fell the hail of rocks.

With wild yells of hate, terror, revenge, and despair,
they surged back from the fatal cliff, and those on the
trail turned back again in a wild stampede.

“Cease firing !’’ shouted Lieutenant Winston, as i saw
the wave of humanity surge back in retreat, and Buffalo

. Bill said, admiringly :

“You are the kind that make great soldiers, lieutenant.”

“Thanks, Cody, I appreciate the compliment from you,

but. l could not fire upon my worst foe with his back to
me.

The firing ceased suddenly, the rocky rain no longer
fell, and upon the plain a th ousand braves were flying
for their lives from the terrible carnage they had rushed
into, leaving a hundred or more dead or dying com-
rades, and as many ponies, as a proof of their splendid
courage and how well they had done their duty. ©

The moment of the retreat Buffalo Bill had gone with
Lieutenant Winston to see Captain Sands

The surgeon of the troop had alrea ay extracted the
bullet from his hip and the arrow from his shoulder, and
said that the wounds were not ‘fatal,

The dead had been collected, and were a lieutenant,
scout, and half a dozen soldiers, and the thorough dis-

cipline was not long in getting all in perfect order in a
 

Dy es

very few minutes, Rupert Rockwell devoting himself to
the wounded along with the troop’s surgeon.

“I guess there are some of the Indians you can help,
gentlemen, as soon as you have finished here,” said Bul-
falo Bill. Ph |

“With pleasure, Mr. Cody, I will go with you now,”
feturned Rupert Rockwell. :

*T also, Cody,” the surgeon said.

“T will go ahead, sir, with a small guard, for Ihave
had convincing proof that an Indian is dangerous up to
his last breath—but be guarded!” 3

le pointed far down the valley, and all eyes turned
in that direction to behold a large body of soldiers just
coming into view.

“You go, Cody, and report what bas happened, and the
exact situatic,” said Lieutenant Winston, who was now
in command.

The scout was pleased at the honor done him, got his
horse, and, as one of his own men and a dozen soldiers
had already gone down the trail to clear it of the dead
and wounded redskins, he at once followed.

It was well that a guard had gone with Rupert Reck-
well and the surgeon, es they found a number of Indians
yery much alive, though badly wounded, several of whom
had to be shot before they could be disarmed, though not
until one of the soldiers had been killed.

“We will have to look to them, Cody,” said the sur-
-geon, as Buffalo Bill passed, and having reached the base
of the cliff the scout leaped into his saddle and darted
away toward the command now forming line of battle at
the entrance to the valley. |

Buffalo Bill felt sure that he would have another race

 

tor it, but in this he was mistaken, for Chief Coyote real-
He saw

ized now that the tables were turned upon him,
a couple of hundred soldiers in sight, besides those on
the cliff, and he knew now that it was to be a hattle
royal for mastery, and he formed his braves about Tomb-
stone Mound with the skill of the able general he was.
. Down the valley swept Buffalo Bill, watched from the
cliff and with the eyes of the soldiers in line of battle
upon him. ;
Night was not far off now, and Major Burbank, in
~ command of the reinforcements, called out to his officers:
“Now we will know itrall, gentlemen, for there comes
Buffalo Bill, and he can tefl us of the hot fight we heard

a couple of hours ago,” and, as Buffalo Bill deshed up, .

the whole line burst forth in a cheer of grecting to the
king of bordermen.

CHAPTER XAT.
THE MAJOR AND THE SCOUT.

[he salute so spontaneously given the chief of scouts,
he returned with a military salute to Major Burbank,

and a wave of his sombrero to the men.

“Well, Cody, I am. glad to find you well, after what
Pony Bob reported of your situation, though I must con-
fess that you look as though you had been through a
siege,’ and Major Burbank grasped the scout’s hand, the
latter replying:

“T have been through the mill, sir; in fact, it has been
- the toughest trail of my life; but 1 am glad to see you
and your men, Major Burbank, as you can see for your-
self they are needed.”

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

“Ves, and like the Texan who needed a revolver, needed
it bad,’ answered the major. i

“Vou have about two hundred men, sir?” and Cody
glanced over the line.

“To hundred: and ten, all told, Cody, consisting of
two troops of cavalry, two compani¢s of mounted in-
fantry, and two light guns, while Sands has fifty, 1 be-
eve,” aie:

“There are fifty-five at the cliff, sir, including mryselt;
but old Colonel Coyote, the chief, has over a thousand
braves now in the valley, and I saw couriers ride oft for
other bands, doubtless.

“FTe sent scouts toward the fort, but Captain Sands
ran upon them, and so they were killed. eee
“YT wish more troops were coming, sif.”’ :

“There are, for when I heard the report of the courier
from Captain Sands I pushed a man for the fort with
full speed, to bring more men, and a couple more light
guns, with supplies for several weeks, as I knew that the
Indians must be out in heavy force.”

“They will not be here before to-morrow, sir.”

“No, about noon to-morrow, if they push as I did, for
you can see by my horses and men that T lost no time,
Wodye”

(i is your Way, major =

“Well, when messages are serit by /you 1 know what
they mean.

‘We heard the fighting two hours ago, and lost no
time in getting here. ;

‘Now, tell me the situation as it was and is,”

This Buffalo Bill did, and it was decided to send one

© gun and a company of mounted infantry to camp at the

spring under the cliff, while the main force encamped
where it then was, at the entrance to the valley, so that
constant communication could be kept open to the fort.

As the Indians were still at Tombstone Mound, and
had not retreated, Buffalo Bill said they would either
remain there to await other bands, or steal away in the
night, ae
He believed, however, that old Chief Coyote was rather
disposed to fight it out in the open, with his largely supe-
rior numbers, than to acknowledge defeat and retreat
thus to his village. ;

The gun and mounted infantry company were at once
ordered to the cliff, the picce of artillery being concealed
in the march by the horsemen, so that the Indians would
not suspect that “wheel guns” had been brought along.

Having started the force on its way Major Burbank
asked Buffalo Bill to tell him of his remarkable capture
of the ten prisoners, and his bringing them thus far on
the way to the fort unaided.

In his modest way Buffalo Bill told his story, from the
coming upon the outlaws to the last fight on the cliff, and
the major said:

“Well, Cody, am determined that you shall go through
alone to the fort with your prisoners, for you deserve all
the glory you can get out of this remarkable capture and
tough trail that you have been on.

“Get a good night’s rest, feed up your gang of gallows
birds, and you can start with them in the morning.”

“And leave you in face of a largely superior foe, sir’

“Weil, 1 know that will go hard for you to do; but I

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

THE BUFFALO

wish you to harvest the crop of tares you have gath-
ered.”

_. “They will be safe, sir, and I’ll delay until we see what
Chief Coyote is about, for now I think of it, he is not
the redskin to retreat and leave a hundred dead and
wounded braves behind him, when he has a show of
avenging them.” :

“You met Mr. Rockwell, you told me, Cody?”

“Yes, sir; he is on the cliff.”

“Then you must know, now I come to think of it, that
his mission is an important one, for he is in search of a
brother who came West and joined the band of Gold Dust
Jim’s gold-mining outfit.

“Ves, sir, and he said that he had received a letter,
written over a month ago, but not signed, saying that his
brother was held a prisoner by a band of outlaws up in
the Sunset Range, and if not found he and others would
be slain, unless they gave up the secret of where their gold
was hidden.” :

“That is just it, and this Mr. Rockwell brought strong
letters from officers of the army East, urging Colonel
Duncan to do all he could to aid him, and hence Winston
was sent out with him to find you, and together voti were
to go,on the search for this missing outfit, for the letter
stated that two men, or one, could secure the party, where
a large force could not.” ie ‘

“So I. understand, sir, and the letter further said that
by going to a certain cliff upon the Overland trail, that
we would find further directions there, though how or.
what was not made known.”

“Then, Cody, in the face of this, and as delay might
prove fatal, it will be best for you to leave with Mr.
Rockwell to-morrow, and see what you can find, while
we will be within a short distance if you need aid, or,
escaping with the outlaw prisoners, are pursued.”

“T expect you are right, sir, for though Mr. Rockwell
has not urged it, I have seen the delay has tried him
greatly.

“T will start with him to-morrow, sir, but I would like
to ask you to send my prisoners through to the fort to-
night, for one of my scouts and two soldiers would be
guard enough.”

“Bring them here, and. they shall go through,’

was
the answer. ae :

 

CHAPTER XXII.
obs OR AMT AS ACM BUS sa.

Buffalo Bill returned to the cliff, as the shadows of
night settled in the valley.

The soldiers sent by Major Burbank had already
reached the camping-place near the base of the spur, and
were going into camp, with plenty of grass, water, and
wood at hand.

The troop of Captain Sands had come down from the
cliff to join them, Lieutenant Winston remaining in com-
mand of the home of the Cliff Dwellers, where the
wounded captain and others were with the dead and the
outlaw. prisoners,

About the Tombstone Mound all was darkness.

All knew that the Indians were there, however; and a
double line of sentinels was placed about the camp.

Far down the valley gleamed the camp-fires of Major
Burbank’s men, and upon the cliff a fire had been lighted

_ one passing to and from the cliff to the lower end of the

‘diers who were to form the rest of the guard on the long |

BILL: STORIES, 1g
of wood carried up for that purpose, by which supper
could be cooked. . Wes
Arriving at the camp, Buffalo Bill sent several of his
scouts to patrol the distance between the two camps, well
knowing that Indian scouts would creep in to kill any

valley.

_ Upon his arrival upon the cliff, Buffalo Bill found that
hiis prisoners had been humanely freed from all bonds,
as they were under guard, to give their cramped limbs
a rest.

They had also been given a good supper, and were
turning in for the night when their captor arrived.

“Men, [ am glad you have had a couple of hours’ re-
spite from your bonds, and also a good square meal, for
you have a long ride of it before you to-night,” said Buf-
falo Bill.

“That means that you are afraid the Indians will whip
your whole force to-morrow, so intend to run off te-
night,” sneered Bob Brass. j

“It means that the force under Burbank will remain
here to whip the Indians in the morning, and more troops
are now on the way here to drive your red friends to their
village; but you go to-night to the fort, so I’ll prepare
you for your ride now.”

“That hangs us, pards,” said Bob Brass, and several of
the gang groaned.

Calling two, of his men to aid him, Buffalo Bill had
the hands of the prisdners soon firmly bound again, and
then started down the steep trail, their horses having been
already taken to feed in the valley a couple of hours be-
fore. :

Bidding Captain Sands good-by, and telling Rupeft
Rockwell to await him in the camp below with his own
and his pack horsés, Buffalo Biil mounted one of the ex- © 4
tra horses, to give his own a rest, and the prisoners being”
now bound to their saddles, he started with them for the
encampment of Major Burbank, accompanied only by
one of his men in guard, whom he intended to send
through to the fort with the captives, and the twe sol-

night trail. ee au
He had ridden about half the distarice and had passed +”
two of his men on the watch, when, as they were winding, {
around a group of boulders along the ravine which the’
scout had ridden in his race for life in the afternoon,/),
two shots flashed forth, almost under the feet of: his) )
horse. ee
Dead from his saddle fell the man in buckskin riding: )
by the side of Buffalo Bill. While the horse of the chief,

‘

See

of scouts sprang up into the air and fell backward upon 8

  

his rider. .

With his rifle slung at his back, and the startling anda
sudden death of his comrade, his own horse falling and .
catching beneath his weight, Buffalo Bill was unable to —
grasp a revolver. ae

In fact, to have done so would have been his death,
as a man bounded toward him, firing a revolver as he did.
so, and crying:
. “This ends you, Buffalo Bill, and now, pards,
free?

A yell burst from the prisoners, a man sprang upon

you are

 
“A
290

THE BUFFALO

the horse of the dead scout, and another appeared,
mounted and leading another arrival.

With a yell the prisoners greeted their rescuers, and
ete Buffalo Bill could free himself from beneath his dead
horse, the two men had dashed off with the outlaw band
they had evidently been on the watch to try and save.

When Buffalo Bill staggered to his feet, bruised and
half dazed, the prisoners were disappearing in the dark-

' -néss and out of range of a revolver.

He swung his rifle around from his Wack and browghe
it to his shoulder.

But instantly he lowered it, and said:

“T am supposed to be dead, for that fellow said he
- ended me,

“Tt is best that they think so; But I am a rather lively
corpse they'll find out yet.

‘Those two bullets the fellow fired came pretty near

ending me, one just grazing my head, the other glancing -
upon my belt buckle; but a miss is as good as a mile.

“But wasn't | lucky not to ride my own horse ?

“Ah, my poor comrade: Ball, they have done for you,”
and he knelt by the side of the slain scout. A bullet had
pierced his brain.

Heating coming shots, ihe sprang to his feet.

Then up dashed from two directions two horsemen,

They were his scout sentinels, and they called out to-
gener.

“Ho, chief, are you there?”

“Veg, pards, and the prisoners are gone to join the In-
dians, rescued by two men who were in hiding here
atnong these rocks, and killed poor Ball.

‘They shot my horse, and he fell upon me, while one
of them gave me a few shots that were close calls and
went off with that gang of gallows fruit.

“It was well done, and plucky; but they hit us hard
in killing our comrade here.

“Pl borrow your horse, Dan, arid go in to Hae to
Major Burbank that my prisoners have escaped me and
Scout Ball has been killed.”

Mounting the horse, Buffalo Bill admonished the two
scouts. to keep a bright watch, and then rode on to the
camp at the end of the valley.

It was a cruel, a bitter disappointment to him to know
that he had lest his prisoners, after all he had to do to.
capture and hold them; but he took it coolly; and riding
at a gallop came upon another of his men, and to him
told the .story.
py "I heard the firing, sir, and was going to see what the
~ “trouble was.’
®  “Tt’s all over now, Betts.

“Keep a bright lookout, and Pll return this way soon,’
and Buffalo Bill tode on to the camp to report his mis-
forttine to Major Burbank,

 

ORR NE GE Ta A Es

The report was made to Major Burbank of the loss”
of the prisoners, and the scout then said:

“T feel confident, sir, that old Coyote is receiving more
reinforcements constantly during the night, and these es-
caped outlaws add to his force by a dozen desperate men,
counting the two who made the clever rescue from me.”

 

BILL STORIES.

“Tt. may be ms Gad, and I am confident he you know
best,” answered the major.
“Now, sir, the man they ¢all King is a very able fellow,

I feel certain, while both Corporal Strong and Bob Brass
ey aes allies, and can advise the old chief just what
to do;

“That is so, and bad advice for us they will give him.”

“Yes, sir, for they know our exact force,”

ob hey do?”

“Yes, sir, as th ey heard all that was said when they
were tipon the cliff.”

“Pree?

“Your force is.a large one, ‘Maier Burbank, were the
Indians orly a thousand in nitniber, but if they double
that, why you will be put upon the defensive. a ,

“T’ feel sute of it.”

‘Now, may I make a suggestion, sir ?”

“Certainly, for all your>-advice I certainly know the
worth of, Cody.”

“It is not yet ten o’clock, and, a3 you wished me to go
on with Mr. Rockwell to find Gold Dust Jim’s camp, I
thought I would return to the cliff for him, get my own
horse and his pack animals, and then start directly on
the ‘trail toward the forti”’

“Lo the tort?’

“No, sir, toward the fort, for I know a short cut I
can emilee that will save me over a dozen miles, and by
taking it 1 can head off. the reinforcements coming to
you.’

“But why head them off?”

“To. guide them off this trail by a flank movement to
the head of this valley and then hem the redskins in be-
tween three fires, as it were, counting the command at
the cliff,”

“I think I begin to see your plan.”

“Tt will take us until noon to get into position, perhaps
until night, for it is owing to the distance away the com:
ine relief force is,’

ae

“And you mean that I am simply to make a bluff of .

attacking the Indians, to hold them in check until the re-
lief reaches the head of the valley ?”

“Yes, sir, for you will not be strong enough to veriture
far from your camp at the fort here, and I can send a
courier to you telling when and where I reach the relief,
and about the time it will take us to reach the head of
the valley, making it a specified time for your atttack,
with the cliff force joining you, and the last arrivals to
come in at the proper moment to aid you.”

“Cody, you are a born general, and if your plan is car-
ried out, if only a hundred men and a couple of light
guns come to our aid, we will give these redskins a whip-
ping they will long remember—yes, the Tombstone
Mound will serve as a monument to many an Indian
brave.

“But, what about Mr. Rockwell ?”

“He will go with mé, sir, for when we reach the head
of the valley, we will be that much upon our way toward
the Sunset ‘Range, wheré Gold Dust Jim is supposed to
be.”

“Right you are; but send me word by one of your
scouts of just the force that is in the relief and all other
information you deem necessary.”

“{ will, sir, and now I must be off.” q.

 

 

 
f

 

 

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. (at.

“Again, Cody, I must express my sympathy for tte

loss of your prisoners, after all you did to capture and»

keep them.”

“Thank you, major, but 1 hope to catch them again,”
and Buffalo Bill spoke hopefully.

“T trust so; but I am glad that it was no worse, and
that your life was spared. e

“IT always seem to be in‘luck, sir} ibut you wit send for
the body of my poor pard, and allow mea horse to ride
back to the cliff camp?”

The necessary orders were given and the major warmly
grasped the scout’s hand in parting.

At a rapid gallop Buffalo Bill rode back over the trail,
leading the horse he had borrowed from one of his men,
and arriving at the spot where he had so nearly lost his
life, he found the scout awaiting by the body of his dead
comrade.

A short halt there and he pushed rapidly on to the cliff
camp, and quickly told Lieutenant Winston, who was
talking with Mr. Rockwell, just what had happened, and
what his-intention was.

“Well, Cody, your fortunate escape is worth a thou-
sand outlaws’ escape, so do not mind it,” said the lieu-
tenant. Kr

“T have a sneaking idea, sir, that I shall get those fel-
lows back again,” replied the scout.

“I hope so, indeed, aftd I believe you are going the right
way about it.

“T shall keep the way open between my camp and Ma-
jor Burbank’s, and you may be certain it will be sweet
‘music to me to hear your rifles at the head of the valley,
for, like you, I believe Chief Coyote is collecting a large
force; but I will not detain you now.”

Rupert Rockwell and the scout wére soon after in the
saddle, having had a substantial supper, and with’ the
pack animals of the former in lead they started on the
trail that was to prove of so much importance to all.

. Passing through Major Burbank’s camp just after
_midnight, the scout set the pace and led the way by the
cut-bff trail, which would save him all of a dozen miles
on his way to meet the reinforcements coming from the
fort.

 

~ CHARTER KXLY.
PUPPAT O STULL Ss bie e4

“Look there, Mr. Rockwell !”

“Yes, Mr. Cody, camp-fires !’””

“Yes, sir, and it is what the boys call ‘Buffalo Bill’s
Luck,’ for we have come upon the relief command just
as we are turning into the regular trail, so we will be able
to quickly be on the march for the head of the valley.”

“You are lucky, Cody, as I have noted in our short ac-
quaintance a score of times.”

“T believe I am, sir, for somehow I escape many_a bul-
let aimed to kill me.’

“And may you always do so; but that appears to be a
large force.”

Yes, sir, I have been folie it over, and from the
camp- fires would say there were fully two hundred men.’

_ then that means a wipe out for the Indians ?”

“If we strike them right, it does, sir.’

“Lieutenant Winston seemed to think their force sould

_ be doubled Py, morning.” -

 

ae

“So: I think, sir; but with five hundred soldiers to meet
them, we will quickly win, especially as we will have four-. -
wheel guns, as the Indians call the cannon, for I suppuse
yonder force has brought artillery along.”

The two had been riding aleng fer ever two hours on
their back trail threugh the darkness, and they had come
upon a hill, frem which they had discovered a number -
of camp-fires a couple of miles away.

The scout knew that it was the camp of the relief, and
congratulated himsélf upon coming upon the command
so much sooner than he had anticipated doing.

On the two rode at a trot, and, knowing how anxious
Rupert Rockwell felt to be on the trail to rescue his
brother, Buffalo Bill said:

“Now, we will not be delayed much longer, Mr. Rock-
well, for as soon as we get the relief into position at the
head of the valley, we wai strike off for the tanch Of the
Gold Dust Jim outfit.”

“T shall be glad when we can, Cody, I assure you;
but [ would not do anything to prevent you from render-

»ing valuable service now when your presence is worth so

much.
“The truth is, my brother left home to make his own
way in the world unaided, and because he was under a
cloud with our father.
“After he had been gone-a year, the secret came out
that he had shielded a friend in a crime, and was not
guilty as accused.

“This friend was caught in a lawless act one e day, ar-
rested, tried, proven guilty, and sent to prison ae a long
term of years.

“His private papers fell into the hands of his sister,
whom my brother Ramsey greatly loved, and she, dis-
covering through them just who had been the euilty one,
came to my father and told him all.

“Father at once sought to find my brother, but died
soon after, and left him half heir with myself to all his
wealth, where he had cut him off without a legacy even,
when: he had believed him guilty.

“As soon .as I could settle up the estate, I set to work
to find my brother, and at last got a trace of him in the
far West here, so started out to look him up.

“Receiving my mail, forwarded to the fort, I found an
unsigned letter addressed to me, telling me that my
brother had gone out with Gold Dust Jim’s Gold Hunters,
and he, with others, were held by outlaws for ransom,
and to be put to death, if it was not paid, or, rather, they
did not make known where certain treasure was hidden.

“Now, Mr. Cody, you know just why I wish your aid,
and am anxious to find my brother before harm befalls
him, and | have perfect confidence in your ability to dis-
cover and save him, and will show you the letter I have
with the directions given by the writer.”

“We must find him, Mr. Rockwell, and I will ay and

- show that your confidence in me is not misplaced, ” said

the scout.

They had now drawn near to the camp, and a sentinel,
hidden in a clump of pines, sang out sharply:

“Halt! Who goes there?’

The scout answered the challenge by giving his name,
and they were soon taken to where Captain Keyes, the
commander of the relief force, was having a late supper,

 
   

22

for he had only halted for a couple of hours in his rapid
march to aid those sent before.

The captain greeted Buffalo Bill warmly, and having
met Rupert Rockwell at the fort, extended also to him
a most cordial welcome.

Then he heard the scout’s report, condoled with him

upon the loss of his prisoners, and congratulated him upon
the rescue he had accomplished thus far.

“You have certainly had a hard time of it, Cody, and
you, Mr. Rockwell, will soon become a thorough border-
man the way you have begun, and in our chief of scouts
here you have the ablest tutor upon the frontier,” said
Captain Keyes.

Then he added:

“But to my force, Cody # that you asked about.

“I have three troops of cavalry, two companies of
. mounted intantry, four light guns, and ten scouts, three
hundred in all.”

“Good! then there is nothing to fear, should old Coy-
ote have five times your fofce, sir.’

“Do you think I had best send a gun anda troop to
Major Burbank, Cody?”

“A gun and a troop would be just what the major
would need, sir, and one of the scouts can guide them
there by dawn,

“The Indians would not know of their arrival, and I
would like to send a scout ahead, sir, so that Major Bur-
bank would know of their coming and could dispatch
one of his guns to Lieutenant Winston at the cliff, for
that would equalize matters.”

The very thing, Cody.

“But as.to ourselves, now?” —

“You can move in half an hour, sir, and I will guide
you to the head of the valley, and we can get there in
six hours’ hard march and surprise the redskins, hem-
ming them in between three fires.”

“We'll do it, and we will move within half an hour,
Cody,” was the answer of the gallant captain.

Just on time the command was on the move, the force
for Major Burbank going straight on the trail, and Buf-
falo Bill riding by a oF movement ‘to the head of the

valley.

 

CHAPTER XXV,
THE BATTLE IN THE VALLEY.

The scout led the command of Captain Keyes at a brisk
pace by a very passable trail.

The men had been greatly pleased that Buffalo Bill
was to guide them, for all had perfect confidence in the
chief of scouts.

That there was trouble ahead, that the Indians were in
large force, that something had gone wrong, they well
_ understood, else five hundred men would nothave been
sent so quickly from the fort.

They soon were on their way, and croneine a stream -

soon after, a halt was called for breakfast.

Buffalo Bill pushed on ahead with his dozen scouts,
and strung them out in a line back to the command, each
one making a well-defined trail that the soldiers might
follow readily.

Another halt at noon; then Captain Keyes would go
on slowly, awaiting reports from the chief guide. —

They soon came—that the Indians were eee Ma-

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

jor Burbank’s forces, as the firing cos be heard over
the mountain.

Buffalo Bill saw By the trail that more Indians had
gone into the valley than he had thought, so he sent a
scout back to hasten the command on.

Buffalo Bill was then in the upper entrance to the val- ,

ley, and leaving his horse he ae a steep hill for a
survey of the situation. y

The main force of Tee. was about Tong

Mound. Large numbers of braves had been thrown out= |

on each side to harrass the two camps of soldiers as
much as possible.

There had been a rush upon each camp, but te one

and dead braves scattered about showed that it had been
repulsed.

“They did not attack with all their force, but found onit,
the strength of the soldiers, and are preparing for a grand ©

charge.

“Yes, they have considerably over two ean war-
riors here, and they are now moving to the attack.

“Captain Keyes must push on, or they may overwhelm
“poth. commands in the valley, desperate as they have be-
come from their losses, and thirsting as they do for re-
venge. Ah! there comes the captain now.”

Hastening down to the trail again, Buffalo Bill met
Captain Keyes and Rupert Rockwell, who had ridden to
the front with him.

Ee men will soon be up, Cody.
covered ?’

“We-have a large force to fight, sir, and—hark ! they
are moving now with every brave upon the two camps!”

The yells of the savages were deafening, and the
thunder of the troops of ponies could be distinctly heard.

Another moment and the three light guns began to

What have you dis-

open from Major Burbank’s and Lieutenant Winston’s

commands, and then followed the rattle of rifles and car-
bines.

The fight had begun. :

Would the Indians sweep over the brave bands of splay
dier boys before help came up?

No! Into sight came a troop of cavalry, then anoter:
then the mounted infantry and the guns.

They came at a trot; they wheeled into line across the
valley, a gun upon either flank, one in the center; the
mounted infantry, dismounted now, protected a flanks,
and they came just in time.

The hundreds and hundreds of warriors were pressing

the two forces hard now, and it had come to a fight for *

life, indeed, for the old chief, Colonel Coyote, was ‘willing
to lose five hundred warriors to wipe out the foes there
before him.

- Interested in the battle before them, and with the din
of battle in their ears, the redskins, a hundred in num-

ber, most of them wounded, the rest a guard left at

Tombstone Mound, did not see or hear the reserve party
in their rear until a volley from the infantry mowed them
down.

Then upon the crowded mass of braves and horses in
the valley the guns opened, hurling shells 1 in their midst
the T Smbstone Mound was carried, and the position
gained for a stronghcld, all the outfit of the Indian army
thus being captured, and that fateful line of battle upon
the rear of the fighting warriors attained.

 

  
 

 

 

 

 
 

Tang

 

 

THE BUFFALO

The infantry fired deadly rounds; the carbines of the
cavalry flashed: incessantly ; the guns roared death from
their rifled rims, and the old chief, who, a moment be-
fore, had victory almost in his grasp, saw his braves go
down by the score, saw them turn in dazed fright, beaten,
demoralized, and crowding Hoge enes in dismay as they
knew not which way to turn.

. They. were hemmed in, and the shidiers were throwing

a band of steel about them, for Major Burbank and Lieu.
tenant Winston were advancing to meet Captain Keyes!

Old Colonel Coyote was struck by a shell and torn to
pieces; other chiefs had fallen; still that circle of steel
pressed closer and closer.

‘Suddenly a hdrseman dashed to the font and rode to-
_ watd the redskin band then huddling together with des-
= perate resolve.
~The horseman was Buffalo Bill!

 

CHAPIER XXXVI.
THE TWO CHIEFS.

“Cease firing !”

The order came from the commander of the guns in
Major Burbank’s command, from the captains of the cav-

alry, and from those of fhe mounted infantry.

The order was followed by Captain Keyes and Lieu-
tenant Winston, also willing to stop the carnage, and, as
Major Burbank was the commander, his order was
quickly carried out.

The horseman rode straight toward the Indians
crowded together in the center of the valley, silent and
desperate, standing at bay to be attacked, to die then, as
they supposed.

It was a bold thing for Buffalo Bill to do, but he did
not hesitate.

He rode in a sweeping gallop, his hans isda above
his head in token of peace, and halted within easy revolver

ge of the Indian mass.
“y come to my red brothers in peace; no arms are in
my hands. I come for a talk with the chiefs of their
young men!”

The words were spoken in the Indian tongue, and were
uttered in a loud, clear voice.

A moment of awful suspense; then one chief rode out
of the mass.

He was young, mounted splendidly, and rode straight
toward the scout, holding in his hand a torn and bloody
war bonnet.

Halting, he held it up, a sadeee in thunder tones:

“Does the great white chief Pa-e-has-ka come with the
words of peace upon his lips, when I hold up to his eyes
the blood-stained war bonnet of my dead father, the great
chief, Colonel Coyote, who has been killed by ‘the wheel
guns of his people?”

All awaited the reply, and it came boldly and defiantly:

“The braves of the great chief, Coyote, are away from .

their village, looking for paleface scalps. The old chief
led them upon a trail of death, so let his son be the great
leader to bid them follow him upon the trail of peace.

“My red brothers have suffered terribly; their young
men lie dead and unburied; their braves lie groaning with
‘wounds upon the field; their ponies have gone down by
the hundred.

“The palefaces are about them; their wheel guns are

 

BILL STORIES. 23°
ready to tear through their ranks; the white warriors are
ready to send bullets into their hearts and to cut them
down with big knives that kill by, a blow.

“Let them listen to my words! Let them hear that
the white chief of my people is here to bid them keep
their weapons and their ponies ; to have them look to their
wounded, to bury their dead, to eat ef the food he has
brought with him, and to say to them:

“Return to your village and live in peace with your
brothers.

“Has the young bee the son of the great Coyote,
heard? Will he heed, and become a leader ‘ot his people
for peace, as his father led them to war, or will he close
his ears and then hear the roar of the wheel guns, the
rattle of the rifles, and see Ms young braves cut down
by the knives before his eyes?

“Pa-e-has-ka has spoken!
young Ghier,(/

Every word uttered had sunk deep into the heart of
the young chief. His braves had heard also.

He had a large band of young braves, yet there were
older chiefs who would now wish to rule the tribe.

The son of Coyote saw his chance, for the braves were
ae in heart and frightened. He would seize upon

the opportunity and become the apostle of peace, at least
for the time being.

To his people a word would tell his true ae They
were at the mercy of the whites then. They could be
wiped out, and their tribe would no longer hold power.

ie turned and rode toward his people, pa and ut-
tered a few words—a very few.

Then a chief cried:.

“The Red Bear had a.great father.
Coyote had a coward son. My young men will fight!”

The young chief, Red Bear, rode slowly toward the
one who had called him a coward son of a brave father.

He halted near him, poised his lance, and cried:

“It is better that one chief more should die than my
people be shot down like buffalo.

“T will kill the chief who wishes to see my braves die.”

He gave a wild warcry and spurred forward, his lance
already leveled.

The chief was ready to meet him, and soba his ground
firmly. The braves sat breathless upon their ponies.

The result of this duel would decide them as to what
they would do.

He awaits the reply of the

e

The great Chief

 

CHAPTER XXVIL.
TURNED BACK ON THE TRAIL.
Buffalo Bill had not moved from his position, in full
view of the Indians and the commands surrounding them,

and his eagle eye was watching the situation.
Did the “Red Bear fall in the duel, Buffal lo Bill knew

-how great was his own danger.

The braves, still very strong, would make a rush to
break the line of soldiers and escape from the valley.

They would leave hundreds of dead and wounded be-
hind, would get no scalps, wottld have to sacrifice their
outfit, go a couple of hundred miles to their village with-
out food.

And what a tale they would have to tell, while the
soldiers would be on their trail to attack their village.

Major Burbank wondered at Buffalo Bill’s bold move .

 
 

oe

of Captain Keyes upon

Pil OPN ic Aaa nso SREME Gee PRS Rae Utne AG ey eo oN

THE BUPFALEO

He had not been consulted, in fact could not have been,

as matters then were.

Captain Keyes must have had some good reason, Ma-
jor Burbank thought, for ordering Buffalo Bill to do as
he had. Lieutenant Winston had the same thought.

But Captain Keyes was as much surprised as was Ma
jor Burbank, for ‘the pee of scouts had acted: witout
his knowledge.

A. couple ‘ot scouts had been seen to dash up to Buf-
falo Bill, a hurried consultation had followed. Ma ajor
Burbank ae then had ordered his men to cease firing,
and then the chief of scouts had ridden with uplifted
hands toward the Indians huddled together and preparing
for some desperate move.

This was all that was known, and events following
were eagerly watched.

Every eye was upon the two chiefs who were to fight
the duel then and there for mastery.

The young chief, Red Bear, settled himself well in his
saddle, gave his defiant warcry, and went at his rival
with deadly intent in his eye.

The other prepared to meet him, poised his lance, and
the two chiefs met.

The lance of one was struck up, the keen point oF his
foe pierced his breast, and he was hurled backward from
his saddle.

The victor wheeled his pony, faced Buffalo Bill, and,
riding slowly toward him, lifted his hands above his head
and cried:

“My -people lay down. the hatchet! Let my white
brother prove that he speaks with a straight tongue.”

“Pa-e-has+ka is glad.’ He has spoken straight. He
will bring the white chief to speak with him.”

Wheeling his horse, Buffalo Bill dashed straight off
to where Major Burbank was seated upon his horse.

“Major Burbank,’ said the scout, saluting as he rode
up, “I have to report, sir, that the Indians, now under
young Chiet Red Bear, have surrendered.

“T acted as I did, sir, without authority, as two of my
scouts repor ted that fully a thousand more warriors are
on the march for this valley, and not twenty miles away,
sir 1 q

“By heaven, Cody, you did just right! Ill guard the
ies sses into the valley at once, Captain Keyes’ force the

pper-one, mine the lower one, and Winston as a support.
I will go and arrange with the chief.”

up
Now
The major gave the necessary orders to go into camp in
the passes, but the mento keep their arms ready and re-
main in line of battle.
Then he met the Chief Red Bear, and it was arranged
that the Indians were to camp in the center of the valley,
upon a small stream, have their outfit sent to them, and
provisions given them from the soldiers’ supplies
They were to collect their dead and bury them;
white surgeons Were to care for their wounded, and, after
a iew days they could start on the way to their villages.
This attended to, as night was coming on, a couple of
the guns, a troop of cavalry and a company of mounted
infantry were slipped quietly away to the head of the
valley and placed there to meet the coming warriors,
while a scout who spoke the Indian tongue well, accom-
panied by two of the redskins captured in the first attack
Tombstone Mound, were sent off

 

Indians, but not one had been found.

the ’

 

BILL STORIES.

to meet the band that was coming and tell them what had
Eee endeavoring to turn them back to their village.

This had been Buffalo Bill’s suggestion to Major Bur-
bank, for, did the large band arrive, they might influence
an outbreak of those who had submitted, feeling confident
in their increased strength to overwhelm the "soldiers.

After most anxious hours of waiting the scout. re-
turned, accompanied by one of the Indians who had gone
with him, and a chief and half a dozen warriors from
the coming band. :

They had heard the sad story, and the chief had come
to see for himself the exact truth of the situation.

He was fully convinced, as the scout whispered to Buf-
falo Bill

‘There are not two hun ee able-bodied warriors in
the lot, Chief Cody, the rest being old men and boys.
They only come to get booty, as they were sure that oid
Chief Coyote was going to wipe the palefaces off of the
face of the earth.”

i fiten, Charlie,. this investigating chief will be only
too glad to get off and report to his people the situation,
taking great credit to himself for bringing his command
back. in safety,’ said Buffalo Bill, adding

“Now, [ am about used up, but must start at once with
Mr. Rockwell on our trail to find Gold Dust Jim, for if I
leave camp by day I may be followed by some of these
redskins.”

CRAB TER  ORMVEE,
AGAIN ENT 2B 126 1h S.

To.the surprise of the officers and the scout, the es-
caped outlaws had not been fotind among the Indians.

If they had joined them at all, and this they must have
done after their escape, they did not remain with them.
The braves professed to know nothing about them. ~ eae

Buffalo Bul, however, was détermined to have proct,
and each orié of his scouts had been ordered to go among
the braves looking for white men painted and rigged as

ae is cunning and clever, and knew
s well aware that more troops
the redskins would be bagged ©
We will next hear
said Buffalo

hat fellow, King,
when to desert, for he wa
were on the way, and tha
or severely whipped, so he skipped.
of them at their old work on the trails,”

ing

int

Bill.
“You are right, Cody; but n ow I desire to express to
you my great appreciation of your most. valuable ser-

vices,” said the major commanding.

“But for you Captain Keyes would not have reached
us in time to save us, and by leading him to the head of
the yallcy, you simply hemmed in the Indians.

“By your boldness in going to meet them, you forced
their s surrender, and then « checked the advance of the pand
coming to their aid.

These services you have rendered all of us, and your,
government, while before my coming, you certainly did -
a great. deal for Lieutenant Winston, then for Captain
“orcas! wale your capture and keeping possession of your

 

 

 
 

 

 

4 | THE BUPPALO BILL STORIES. (26

prisoners as you did, was a most remarkable act of
heroism, endurance, and nerve unequaled.

“Now you’are going upon a very dangerous trail, and
I wish to let you “know before you go, and in the pres-
ence of my brother officers and Mr. Rockwell, who is to
be your companion, just what we soldiers, one and all,
think of you.’

Buffalo Bill doffed his sombrero and bowed low at the
very complimentary words of Major Burbank, who
added:

“Let me say that I send a courier to-night to the fort
with a full report to Colonel Duncan, and you are the
one to whom | give full credit for all that has been ac-
complished.

“Now, as you deem it best to start to-night, with Mr.

Rockwell, I say good-by to you both and wish you good »

luck. We will at least be here for some days, should
you have to call upon us for aid.”
“I will remember it, sir, and I hope to have to do so,”

replied Buffalo Bill, “for i have not given up the idea of

catching those Stitlaws again.’
Ten minutes later Buffalo Bill and Rupert Rockwell
rode out of the valley leading their two pack animals.
“We will go a dozen miles, Mr. Rupert, then wait to
see that we are not followed. If not shadowed, we will

seek a good camp and have the rest we both so much

need,” Buffalo Bill explaineds (47

After a ride of a couple of hours Buffalo Bill turned
out of the trail to a canyon, where he knew there was a
good camping-place, and leaving Rockwell to unsaddle

~~ the horses, stake them out, and spread the blankets, he

returned to lie in ambush upon the trail to see if they had
been dogged from Tombstone valley.

For ten minutes the scout had been in ambush behind

ier nn the trail, his revolver and rifle ready, and
y tis side,.when he saw a horse and rider coming

‘i ti n on the trail leading to the Sunset Mountains,

© same that he and Rupert ” Rockwell were following.

came on aot, but Buffalo Bill felt sure he
A ae “wing him.

Another moment and the scout’s lariat had been thrown
unerringly, and settling over the head of the rider, it was
drawn fant, while, with a bound, Buffalo Bill grasped the
rein of the startled horse, and a revolver held in the other
hand covered his man.

“Surrender, or die!” »

“I surrender, Buffalo Bill, for it seems my fate to a
led to the gallows by you,” was the quivering response.
ead YOu are Corporal Dave Strong ?”’

owes: *

“And your outlaw comrades ?”

“Deserted me; left me, among the Indians.”

“Hold out your hands for ‘these j irons.’

The man obey ed. -

CHAPTER XX1IX
THE MANACLED MESSENGER.

The spirit of the captured corporal seemed crushed,
and he obeyed the scout as meekly as a lamb.

It was a great surprise to Rupert Rockwell, of course,
but explanations followed and the scout proceeded to
question his ‘prisoner.

“Now, Strong, I want the truth from you. Who aided
those outlaws to escape from me?” :

“Two outlaws, members of the band, who found out
from the Indians that their comrades were your pris-
oners.

“They suspected you would send your prisoners to the
fort at, night. They laid an ambush for you, and you
know the test.”

“They did not remain with the Indians ?”

“They left yesterday, and so deserted me. I remained
with the Indians, intending to live with them; but finding
that you had them hen nmed LEY, oe

“TI took the trail after the outlaws, but camped and saw
you come along, for I knew you even in the dark.

“I then followed you, sure that you were upon the
outlaws’ trail, and that more was to follow, so I made
up my mind I would get ahead and warn them, thus mak-
ing myself solid with them.

“They have gone to Sunset Mountains, where the man
you know as Bob Brass has a retreat and some allies. I
do not know where this retreat is, but I intended to fol-
low their trail.”

“Dave Strong, I believe you have told me the truth,
and I feel sorry “that I cannot in some way tepay you. I
feel sorry for you; but my duty i is to take you back to the
fort, if I can get you there, and then I will say all in your
favor I can, if you will aid us now all in your power.’

‘T thank you, Chief Cody, but I do not expect any
mercy. I killed the sergeant in a fit of anger, and then
had to take the life of the sentinel to make my escape.

“TL will not be any both ler to you, though you know if
I can escape I shall do so.’

Buffalo Bill and Rupert Rockwell made the man as
comfortable as they could; then they turned in for the
half dozen hours of sleep they so greatly required.

It was sunrise when they awoke. The horses were
watered and staked in fresh grazing ground, a fire was
built, a good breakfast prepared and eaten, and then they
started upon the trail once more.

So sure had the now eleven outlaws been that the In-
dians would drive the soldiers back to the fort that they
had made no attempt to cover up their trail.

Noting this fact, and conscious that he could track the
outlaws to their lair, Buffalo Bill decided to make an ef-
fort to send back word for aid.

He did not wish to be hampered with the corporal,
and, glancing at the prisoner as he drew rein, he said:

“Strong, Tam going to send you back to the ‘command
on my oe to bear a message to Major Burb a ;

“You will trust me, then: 2

“In a measure I must, and what you tell Ge major
will go far toward gaining mercy for you in your trial.

“My horse is-as obedient and sensible as a human be-
ing. I will change your saddle and bridle to him, and
dispatch him to the camp.

“He will go there at a gallop, and, ironed as you will
be, and tied ‘to your saddle, you cannot check him if you

would.

“You are to tell Major Burbank to send my scauts
after me, twenty of them at least, and, if he will do so,
have Lieutenant Winston also come along.

“They are to follow my trail. I will mark it well, and
either Mr. Rockwell or myself will head them off on it.

 
  

ea a es De ee

a nee en aa eyecare ate = ta aN ee ray A TSN Ry vest ene

26 THE BUFFALO

“If the major cares to send a surgeon along, also, I will
be glad to have him do so, for I anticipate red work,
 “T shall write this all down and pin it upon your breast,
in case some Indian might put .an arrow in you, for my
horse will take you to camp, dead or alive.”

The letter to Major Burbank was written, pinned on
the corporal’s coat, and his saddle having been Rut upon
Buffalo Bill’s horse, the intelligent and faithful animal
was led back on the trail, turned loose, and then told to
go to camp with his manacled rider.

At once he started off at a gallop, apparently ee un-
derstanding what was expected-of him.

CHAPTER AAR:
FOUND.

The manacled messenger started back for camp; Bue
falo Bill and Rupert Rockwell started on their trail. The
Sunset Mountains were just before them, and along their
base ran the stage trail, and the coaches only went each
way once each two weeks.

One was due, Buffalo Bill knew, upon the following
day, and he felt sure that the outlaws would hold it up,
as it often carried considerable gold.

The two men went along this stage trail, which the
outlaws had also used, for their. tracks were plainly vis-
ible.

It was well on in the afternoon when the scout drew
rein.

“Look there!” he suddenly cried, pointing to a cliff a
short distance off, and near which stood'a man.

“Come! I can catch him with my lariat if he remains
where he is until we get near him; if not, a bullet will halt
him.”

‘He has not discovered us yet, you think:

“Not yet, and he seems to ‘be very deeply’ engaged in
cutting into the cliff.”

They pressed on toward the cliff, but the man con-
tinued his work, not seeming to hear the hoof falls of the
horses.

As they approached closer the man was seen to be
roughly clad and uncouth looking in the extreme, with
his unkempt hair and beard. More, they saw that the
man was cutting into the soft stone that formed the cliff
the words:
re ave as

That was sufficient to show that the man could not be
a very dangerous character, or one of the outlaw gang;
so Buffalo Bill called out:

“Ho,.pard! you request is answered, for we are here
to save you!”

3)?

9

 

The man started, dropped the instrument he was work-.

ing with, turned quickly, his face blanched with fear, and
beheld the two horsemen.

One look he gave, and then from his lips broke the
chy:

oe pra a¢ is answered! You are Buffalo Bill!”

“Ves. but T fail to recall where I have met you before,
A lease, for I am quite deaf!’
ie a ight,” and Buffalo Bill repeated his words.
“| was a soldier at Fort Kearney when you were there;

| but | turned to wold hunting when I had served out my
enlistment.”

 

 

Billi, STORIES,

a think I recall you now as Ned Roberts of the ar-
tillery.

Bhat s my name, Mr. Cody, and I was desig by the
bursting of a gun.”

“Ves. I know you. now ; but what are you doing here”

“IT am a prisoner.’

“Whose prisoner are your

“The leader of the Mounted Gold Miners, as the out-
law band call themselves.”

“Tell me your story.
to go free?’

“They do not-—-see there!” and he held up a pair of
steel manacles for the wrists and pointed to another pair
for the ankles.

“T have a key that fits them, and between the visits of
my guard, | free myself and go out on the trail, hoping
to meet some soldiers or a party. to save me. I know
that the coach passes this cliff, so was cutting here a sign
the driver would notice and so send us help.”

“Who is with your”

“Gold Dust Jim and a young man We call Rocks, but
that isn’t his real name.’

; What is his real names’.

“Rockwell.”

“Ah! Where is he?”

“He and Gold Dust jim are in the canyon where the
outlaws have their camp.’

“How far from here?”

“About five miles.”

“Tow many outlaws are there?”

“There were only three until last night Captain King
came in with a man who is his spy in the mining camps,
and about a dozen men they had gotten together for hold-
ing up coaches and pony riders, and for robbing miners.

‘1 see. But why do they keep you a prisoner?”

“You see, I belonged to Gold Dust Jim’s outfit, and we
struck it rich, getting a big strike of paying gold for all _
of us by placer mining. We hid our treasure and started”
out for horses to pack it to the fort, but were fired upon
from ambush and four of our boys were killed.

“We three were spared and made prisoners, and they
have been trying to force from us by torture and threats
to tell where our gold was hidden.

“One of the outlaws was a wagoner at the fort when I
was there, and I saved his life, so he sent a letter out for
Rocks”: brother, telling how we were fixed.

“Now you know it all, Chief Cody.”

“And rest assured that you shall soon be set free, Rob-
erts. Now go back at onde to your camp and tell your
companions that you have seen me, and that Mr. Rupert
Rockwell got that letter and is here with me.

Tell them that I have my band of scouts coming, and
if they arrive to-night we will rescue you all. If they
do not arrive, you are to look for our coming each night.

‘‘Now tell me just how to reach your camp.”

“Tt is hard to direct you, sir, but i *

“Never mind; we will g° into camp and I will accom-
pany you on foot. Then I will know.”

The camp was found, and, half an hour after, Buffalo
Bill was on the trail to the outlaw retreat, leaving Rock-
well to await his return and watch for the coming of the

2

How is it your captors allow you

 

scouts, for he did not doubt but that his horse had: 3 .

reached camp with the manacled rider.

 

 

 
 

 

eo THE BUFFALO

CHAPTER XXXI.
CONCLUSION.

Buffalo Bill returned to. camp in the night, and found
Rupert Rockwell on guard.

“I have been to the outlaws’ retreat, and at a distance
have seen them. They are all there, King, Bob Brass,
and twelve others, fourteen in all. They are preparing to
hold up the east-bound coach to-morrow.

“They are in a canyon, with two entrances that are
mere crevices in the cliffs, but it widens out when you get
inside.

“We can approach by each end, or go down by foot
by way of the cliff, the trail Ned Roberts comes and
goes, and which the outlaw who wrote that letter told him
of. This trail one man can guard, so no escape can be
made by it. ~

“Hemmed in, they will fight hard, but we will have a
dozen more men, and every one of the bandits will be
killed or taken prisoner.

“I also found that King is a man who was known in the
Red Willow mining settlement as Rex Ridgeley, and who
disappeared, Bob Brass coming to take his cabin, while
he went into the road agent business.

“Tf my ‘scouts arrive to-night we will make the attack,
for delays are dangerous.”

_ It was just an hour after that the quick ear of the
scout detected the thud of hoofs. Quickly placing himself
in hiding on the trail, he heard a voice say:

“We won't go no further to-night, but camp here.”

“Lieutenant Winston!’

“Ay, ay, Cody! I know that voice!”

“My horse went true, then, sir?’

“Indeed he did, for here we are, Surgeon Taylor,
‘twenty-one of our scouts, four soldiers and myseli,
twenty-seven all told.”

“Good! For, with Mr. Rockwell and myself, we will
double the band in numbers.”

“Have you discovered anything?”

“Everything, sir.”

“Excellent; but how lucky you captured the corporal;
but who killed him ?”

“Was he dead ?”

“Yes, he had been shot through the head.” #

“Poor fellow, though it was better so; but he left us all
oright, sir.” :

“So your note to the major said, but you have come in
on the run into camp, as though frightened.”

“Some Indians, doubtless, shot him, sir; but, shall we
make the attack to-night >”

“At once, if you wish.” —

OM eS, Sit} It iscbest/

In ten minutes the little command was on the march,

and after going several miles Buffalo Bill showed where

they were to divide their forces, Lieutenant Winston go-
eC

ing with one party. @.

 

 

BILL STORIES. a7
A scout and a soldier were led to the trail down the
cliff by Buffalo Bill, who then went around with the rest
ef his men to the other entrance to the canyon.
Leaving their horses in the entrances to the canyon,

with one man to guard them, the two parties, under Lieu-

tenant Winston and Buffalo Bill, led the way to the cab-
ins, and a loud knock at the doors was followed by:

“Turn out, men! The prisoners are escaping.”

It was Cody who spoke.

The doors opened, and the outlaws came swarming out.

It was a quick, sharp, deadly fight, men going down
on both sides, killed and wounded.

But it was a complete triumph for Buffalo Bill and his
men. Bob Brass and six outlaws were killed, while King

and the others, several of them wounded, were taken pris-
oners,

The attacking party suffered the loss of a scout and sol-
dier killed and half a dozen others wounded.

In one of the cabins, apart from the others, were
found the three prisoners, Gold Dust Jim, Ramsey Rock-
well, and Ned Roberts, and happy indeed were they at
their release.

Half a hundred horses and some booty were the results
of the victory, while that da y the prisoners led the way
to where they gold was hidden, and it was carried into the

“camp of. Mau Burbank, along with the prisoners and

captured horses. ~

The Indians then had taken up the march for their
villages, carrying their wounded, an@ as there was no
longer need for the troops to remain in the valley, the
march was taken up for the fort.

This, Buffalo Bill’s toughest trail, made him more than
ever a hero and the idol of the army on the frontier.

With the execution of King and his followers the
Mounted Gold Miners were wholly wiped out.

The Rockwell brothers started upon their return East,
where Ramsey soon after married the woman, he had
ever loved, and whose confession of a brother’s crime had
taken the shadow off of his life.

In their happy homes to-day Ramsey and Rupert Rock-
well often entertain as an honored guest the great Scout
of the Border, the man whom they knew as he was in all
his bold deeds and adventurous life, and often tell of the
terrible trail he followed in his pursuit of the Mounted
Gold Hunters of the Overland.

THE END.

Next week’s issue (No. 87) will contain, “Buffalo Bifl’s
Tenderfoot Pards; or, The Boys in Black.’ How a
couple of tenderfeet in the Wild West became the pards
oi Buffalo Bill»together with their adventures fighting
outlaws and Indians, will be told in this story, which is

full of thrills and interest all through.

 

 
 

 

Now then, boys!
It’s up to you!

Send us your dreams and win a prize.

For {ull particulars, see. page 3}.

 

A Bear Dream.
(By Edmund A. Kellogg, New York City.)

One night I dreamed that I was playing about in my
bathing suit with a friend of mine named Ralph. We
weré playing tag, and 1 was “it.”
to tag Ralph a great number of bears filed up and began
chasing Ralph and myself.

Ralph saw a vé@ssel out at sea and called, “Come on,
Ed, lets swim out to it.” So we jumped into the water
and started to swim, but the bears followed us, and were
just going to catch me when I awoke. A

A Simple Dream. :
(By Charles Kennery, Milford, N. J.)

Tt was a dark, rainy, dismal night, and I retired early
‘and [ soon drifted away into dreamland.

I fancied a companion and myself had become sepa-
rated from our friends and guide up in “The Great North
Woods.”

f imagined we were treading our way through the
woods and could hear the bark of wolves, and thought
there were ail kinds of wild animals around us, but not
near enough to us to do any harm.

I thought, as we were moving hopelessly around, we

came upon a deserted cabin, in a small clearifig, and ‘that

we entered, glad to get in shelter. .
As we entered, we thought we heard a groan coming
from some one inside, and hurried to where we thought
the sound issued frem, and, to our astonishment, found
an old man suffering for feed, and as my friend had a
small lunch with him, he gladly offered it. The old man
-almost grabbed it from him. : eae .
We stayed there that night with the old gentleman, and
next-day our friends and guide came upen us, but, best
« all, Limagined the old gentleman was the father of one

Just as I was going.

‘land in—the Halfway House.

of my friends, who had been reported dead for a couple
of years, and just then I awoke and laughed to myself
at the experience I imagined I had just passed through.

A Tragedy in the Upper World.
(By Ray F. Anson, Lockport, N. Y.) |

It was in the city of S——, N. Y., in which there was
to be a great event known as the N. C. Fair, which lasted
three days, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Friday be-
ing woman's day.
cend above the clouds in a balloon with a chum of mine,

 

being an Irish man, who was superstitious, and bad luck

to them who told him he would never come back, but
So he came to me and
said, “I will not go in the balloon with you, for Mike
says I will never come. back,” and for me to get some one
else. This happened at one-thirty P. M., and we were

And it was this day that I was to es--

x

to ascend at 2 P. M. sharp. So I asked a good many of -

‘my friends to go up with me, but they all had their girls

and couldn’t leave them, bad luck to them.

So I called for volunteers, and out of thousands only
one maa responded, so 1 had to take him, though I did
not like his looks. So we put on our. suits, for it was

time to ascend, and it was getting cooler and looked like»

rain.. As we got into the basket they cut the ropes, and
as we shot in the air there was a great shout beneath us,
but it soon died away.

And as we ascended, the man —
who had volunteered to go with me, kept throwing out the

sand-bags till we were so far above the clouds that I had

to don:my fur coat and also replace my cap with a fur

one, but still he had nerve enough to keep throwing them — -
out. I was so scared that I could hardly speak. Ithink —

it was on account of the celd, but finally I plucked up

h

 

nerve enough to ask him how much further we wefe go-_ -
ing, at which he only laughed, scowled, and then said to
. And then I saw he ee frothing at the mouth, :

 

 

 

 
 

Se er

 

 

- police-station and charged with murder.

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. es ti

and 2 knew the nian who was above the clouds with me
was mad, and at any moment he might take it into his
head to kili me. So I exerted all my strength I had and
jumped upon him, thinking 1 would bind him hand and
foot and then descend. But I had run up against a
stone wall, for the man picked me up and lifted me over
the side of the basket, and rocked me to and fro, where

he kindly informed ime that when he counted three he

would drop me to the earth below. And then he counted

~ one, twice, twice and a half, thrice, and I dropped down,

down, down, and struck my head against the bed-post,
op which | awoke, only to find niyself in bed, rubbing iny
sore head. | think Mike was about right, and bad luck
to the mad man above the clouds,

en ene eree mnt

A Curious Dream I Had. _
‘. (By Fred Schlegel, Chicago, Ill.)

One night all our family were sitting in the reading-
room, talking about curious dreams they had, when ail
of a sudden I thouglit of a dream which [ am going to
tell you about: One night I was dreaming I was awak-
ened by a knock on the window. I looked out and saw
a man with a pillow cover over his head and a glass-
cutter in his right hand; in his left hand he had a pistol.
Me pointed it at me and I fainted. When I recovered
iny senses, I found myself in a dark and damp place. I[
thought it was a basement, but whem I got my senses bet-
ter, | found out I was in an old Sewer.

I did not know how long I was there, but, all of a sud-
den, 1 saw a eleam of light. It came from above.

~ When I looked up, I saw a face, and a man came down.

He asked mie if I would have something to eat. I said I
would. I ate what he brought, and he unbound my hands.
I saw a slugshot in his pocket, which I kept my eye on

until _Isaw a chance and I grabbed it.” I hit him with

it, and he dropped senseless tc the bottom of the sewer. I
took off his clothes and put them on me, I climbed the lad-
der and got out. I walked away, when I was pulled by
the shoulder. T looked around and I saw an officer, who
said: “You are under arrest,’ and I was taken to the
I said I was
innocent of the charge, but the sergeant said: “Take him
to the dungeon and have him watched well.” I was put

-in a dark room, and a cup of water and a loaf of bread

were placed on a stool.

In the morning I was awakened by the click of a lock.
I was taken to the court room and I was dismissed. I
awoke and I knew I had been dreaming all the time.

 

A Realist’c Dream.
(By Frank Conneil, Kansas City, Mo.)

One Thursday night in the year of to00 I went to
bed as usual, and slowly dozed into sleep. Weird
thoughis came before my mind and I began to dream of
sebberies and murders, and of Indians. At last I began
to think that our heuse was being robbed. 1 slept on, and
I theught that I heard the striking of matches and the

_ breaking of a piece of @lass or crockery. I dreamed that
I got up and went into the bathroom and turned on the

yon,
; oe

é
bathtub fatcet as hard as I could, and, after letting it
run a few minutes, turned it off. I then heatd walking
downstairs and I went back to bed and went to sleep. I
slept on, dreaming that our valuables were stolen and that
I would find many things missing in the morning, such as
painted china. I dreamed on, sometimes thinking I heard
footsteps and sometimes that I was being attacked. At last
I dreamed I was freezing, and was awakened by some
one calling my name. I dressed quickly, for it was bitter
cold and ] wanted to get downstairs and sit by the kitchen
stove. When I did get down, it was to learn some news.
Qur colored servant, who had come ta get breakfast,
found the front door open and, thinking that we had been
warm during the night and had opened the door, she went
on with breakfast without- shutting the door. When
mother came down she asked her if we had been hot
during the night. Mother told her that we were nearly
frozen and, when the girl told her that she had found the
door open, that accounted for us being cold. But our
spirits were revived when we had shut the door and
found that nothing had been taken. So you see that part
of my dream was realistic, for we also found burned
matches on the floor. .

ge.
A Railroad Dream.
((By G. M. Miller, Washington, D. C.)
At the time of this dream, I lived in a small town in

‘Colorado, and had been ridine: on cattle cars all da
, 3 y;

having a good time.

I went to bed early that night, and dropped off to sleep
immediately, and soon found miyself nearing a railroad
crossing. An express train was flying along toward me,
being about four hundred yards distant at the time and
being in a hurry about something, I ran to cross before
it reached me.

ln my hurry I stumbled and fell in the middle of the
track, and, trying to get up, it seemed as if my knees stuck
to the ties. Grasping a rail, I tried to pull myself off,
but my knees still stuck to the ties. The express was
getting nearer every second, and I gave myself tp for
lost.

When the cowcatcher was about six feet off, | woke
up to find my hands grasping the edge of the bed (an
imaginary rail). The strain from pulling being relaxed,
I shot over the edge of the bed, landing about three feet
away on my ear and bruising my shits on the edge of the
Bede. ase

 

A Visit to a Planet.
(By W. He M,, Hoosick Falls, N. Y,)

The following is an account of a dream I once had:

I became acquainted with an old man, who asked me
if I would like to visit one, of the planets, saying that he
believed one of them, Mars, to be inhabited.

1 ariswered in the affirmative, whereupon he started off,
sayin : . |

“Come on, then, | bave a centrivance, which I con-
structed myself, by means of which I can overcome the at-
traction that the earth has for it and whatever is con-
nected to it, provided it is not too great; and when we

 
 

3°,

are in the carrying car of this contrivance, which will be
started toward the planet Mars, we shall move right on
until we come to the planet, where we can stop.”

We came upon this invention of his a short distance
from where we had been talking. Stepping into the car,
which was of strong basket-work, he inquired if I was
ready. I told him that I was, and he blew a whistle.

Immediately after he had given this signal, we were
started off by an unseen power and we flew through space
at a frightful velocity. |

After traveling for quite a length of time, we came to
Mars, and there it was, inhabited, as he had thought.
The inhabitant’, however, did not differ much from the
people or our own world; although we could not under-
stand their language or read their books, for they had a
system of writing. In general, though, they were very
much the same as our earthly inhabitants. They treated
us royally and conveyed us in carriages, drawn by curious-
looking animals as far and in whatever direction we
wished to go. My friend had a camera, and he took a
number of pictures. Among these pictures was one of the
carriage in which we had been riding. We began to think
that it was about time to start back, so we coilected a lot
of curiosities, and, packing them away in our conveyance,
started. It did not take us very long to reach home, and
I awoke, saying:

“Wait a minute and you will see the books and some
of the pictures.”

THE BUFFALO

| My Adventure With a Mountain Lion.
(By J. L. Rosebaum, Crewn Peint, Ind.)

My little dog Jip and I were out one day in the wilder-
ness of the Catskill Mountains, when all at once we heard
a loud cracking of twigs and bushes. Jip was shiver-
ing, and 1 was not far from it, even if I did kave a .30
magazine rifle. But I gave a jump when I saw that
huge thing come out from behind some large rocks. I
raised my gun to my shoulder and aimed, at least I
thought I did, and fired. This missed, and the beast
thundered down at us.. The dog ran and hid, but I just
said, “Either I or the beast must drop,” and I pulled once
more, and this time hit it in the shoulder, enraging it more
than ever. It jumped at me with force enough to have
killed an ox had it struck. I just stepped aside and let
it pass: Then I took good aim-and fired once more,
and killed it. I was just ready to skin it and sell the skin
when I woke up. Say, but I was mad when I found out
that it was only a dream.

My Adventure With a Robber.
(By Charles W. Martin, Martin’s Ferry, Ohio.)

I had been absent from home about five years. Dur-
ing that time my mother had moved from the country to
the city of W— i had never been in this city. before,
and, of cotirse, was anxious to wall around and see the
sights. I! was strolling along the streets one bright after-
noon, when I discovered I was in the slums of the city.
I was walking along looking at the dirty buildings aud
the dirty mass of human beings moving to and fro like
huge rats. Suddenly I was confronted by an old lady.

 

 

BILL STORIES.

She said she was lost, and asked me if I would show her
to No. — Tenth street. I told her I was a stranger in
the city, but I would help her try to find the place. We
started, and had walked about two blocks when she said
she would like to stop in a store a few moments. We
walked a little farther, and came to a dirty-looking
store. She said she wanted to make a purchase, and
asked me to go in with her. She walked into the store
and I followed, but I had no sooner got inside the door
than she turned around and seized me by both wrists and
pulled my arms behind me. Just then a man jumped up
from behind the counter and started to go through my
pockets. He took my pistol and then took out my watch
and started to unfasten my chain. I decided it was time
for me to do something, so I yelled, “Fire!” with all my
might. The yell startled the old woman so that she let
go of my wrists. I then gave a sudden jump backward,
which knocked the old woman flat on her back. I then
gave the man a blow straight from the shoulder, which
sent him spinning against the wall. I then ‘made a
bound for the door, which was not locked. I got out on
the street and ran about a half a square. I looked back,
but gu sée nobody following me, so I walked on honie.
Mother was upstairs when I got home, so I sat down
to rest and thought I would tell her my story when she
came dowh. I had been sitting there about a half an hour
when I heard a knock at the door. I went to the door.
A man was there with some books. He said he was a
book-agent, and would like to show me his books. He
was the same man tM&t had robbed me of my pistol and
watch in the little store.. He was in disguise and thought
I would not recognize him. I told him to come in and
I would go upstairs and get mother: I ran, upstairs and
told mother to telephone for the police, that there was a
robber downstairs. I came back downstairs and the man
was taking the silverware out of a drawer in the side-
board. I started toward him, he tarned quickly and lev-
eled his revolver at me and told me to move another step
and I would die in my tracks. Just then mother came
downstairs with a pokér in her hand. When she got
almost to him, he turned his pistol on her. -When he did

that I made a beund for him and gave him a blow which.
Before he could rise, mother hit -

sent him to the floor.
him with the poker and that settled him.
and bound his hands and feet together.
policemen came in the door.
in his face aud breught him to his senses, and then
started to the station with hin. And then I awoke.

I got some rope
Just then two

——

 

A Narrow Escape.
(By Roy Leibengood, Mt. Vernon, It.)

Some time ago I dreamed that I was captain of a com-_
pany of boys and we were being attacked by a larger

force of cavalry. We were behind an earthwork which
the cavalry charged repeatedly, but, finally, they shot a
chum of mine and then I started to him, when a bullet
hit me in the shoulder and I fell on the floor and woke up.

 

BO gy. tiny $1 worth ef Tricks & Ks ce-upe sent poo ipa.d fee $i eeute saengy er
eee) Op Silver. A nica Mouatashe o¢ full Board, Irish ox Bide Whiskers ong
is | let, bovtle Spirit Guu te stisk them ow. Box of Burat Cork to diackon

© forming

  

     
  

up, Im. Rubber Mouth, big tooth, seorot & apparatzs for
4 the grant vauishing half-éellar wiek.Thio big offer aa

  

is to get yeur eddresn te send my large ills. eat’
“Guage. plays. wigs orieke & agts. latect novoliies. Momiion pape
you vay this im ned 1 will also put fn & Meavy GOLD plate Since
Bing FRE no22 cine. Addeans Chas, Maachall,

They threw some water |

 

 

 

 
Rh

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OU all know what a success the last contest was. We ptopose to make this |
even bigger, LOOK AT THIS SPLENDID PRIZE OFFER

  

 

 

 

 

 

developing and printing photographs

 

including an EASTMAN BROWNIE CAMERA and a complete outfit for taking,

;

 

 

. CET INTO THIS CONTEST
whether you were in the last or not. All you have to do is to remember any
Curious Dream you have ever had, write it in five hundred words, or less, and

send it with the accompanying coupon, properly filled out, to

   

=

BUFFALO BILL WEEKLY, Gare of STREET & SMITH
238 WILLIAM Abel: REW YORK CITY

 

 

 

 

THE PRIZES WE OFFER THis TIME
are about the FINEST EVER GIVEN in acontest of this kind. The cameras

 

asm ate beauties—simple in operation and
COUPON 4
old cartridges with film enough for six |
Buifalo Bill eee. Contest, No. 2 ee
INAUNG UUs foc udPesuedsacadi bac guess stbCh anes tabiSGaWeGsy chlwaacedseddate sees EXPOSsUres without reloading. A car-
IOs castes ace Mee ee ev eysatveeseaiveiiestosssesees tridge and a complete outfit, together
Ory Oe Mawr ei hase ccnectevtcttattupectngecsero seine with a book of instructions as to how
Se i aes - | to take and develop photographs go
Title of ee es oe senooe with each camera. 7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

(LARGE SIZE.)

 

Containing the Only Stories Authorized by Hon. WILLIAM F. CODY (‘‘Buffalo Bill’).

58—Buffalo Bill’s Mysterious Trail; or, Tracking a Hidden Foe.
&59—Buffalo Bill and the Masked Higeat. or, Fighting the Prairie Bie
60—Buffalo Bill’s Blinds; or, Running the Death Gauntlet.
61—Buffalo Bill and the Masked Driver: or. The Fatal Run Through Death

Canyon.

62—Buffalo Bill’s Still Hunt; or, Fighting the Robber of the Ranges.
63—Buffalo Bill and the Red Riders; or, The Mad Driver of the Overlands,
64—Buffalo Bill’s Dead-Shot Pard; or, The Will-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 Ranson.
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 Rock.
69—Buffalo Bills Spy Shadower; or, The Hermit of Grand Canyon.
70—Bufialo 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 et or, The Wipe-Out at Last

Chance.

73—Buffalo Biil’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 Rafile of Death.
76—Bufialo Bill’s Road Agent Round-Up; or, Panther Pete’s Revenge.
77—Buffalo Bill and the Kenegade Queen; or, Deadly Hand’s Strange Duel,
78—Buffaio Bil’s Buckskin Bands or, Forcing the Redskins to the Wall.
79—Buifaic 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—Bufialo Bill's Texan Team; or, The Dog Detective. :
82—Bulfalo Bill’s Water Trail; or, Foilng the Mexican Bandit.
83—Buffalo Bill’s Hard Night’s Work; or, Captain Cooihand’s Kidnapping Plot.
84 -Bufialo 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.

 

Back numbers always on hand. If you cannot get them from your newsdealer, five cents a copy

will being them to you, by mail, postpaid.

STREET & SMITH, Publishers,

2S WILLIAM ST... NEW YORK CIry.

 

 

 

t
|
|
|

+ *

e 4

eR a af at oe pn

 

: ie

<

eee

=

re ee

ss

 

 
 

 

e $ 4 4 . Z ae 4 %

—e oe z ee a — = “=
— pest Sees : SS a a ee
a eae a Serer ==
SS . ~

Se a ree
 

 

— EE Surat er aatnnenniaenaanakasabackannenacnaeel
See SEEN Ie a eas a RSS SEES E OR

Bays ij if
ei <3)

 

 

 

 

16 PAGES—FULL SIZE—ILLUSTRATED WEEHLY

 

Five Scrial Stories of | Also Short Stories, In-
Romance, Adven- This is the Paper That is Giving Away Solid Gold. © teresting Informa-

f | tion and Special De-

partemnts for young

. c | i \ men,
now running. = : = 2

ture, Detective,

Comic and Sporting,

The Stories are well - A Y ES-OF-R CAND ADVENTURE e2—— BOYS OF AMERICA
up-to-dat te and “KTit- ; Lesecd Weekly and Ewtered According to Act —— —— — ae - ian Librarian of Congress, af Washington, D.°C. : F LEAGUE.

Se Williams Brest” NEW YORK, APRIL 5, 1902.

ten by the boys’ = aa cae If you are a reader of.
deeotitc. Chane. DANI U U U |. Or, Lostint in the Heart the BOYS OF AMER-
of New York. ICA you are a member

We will mention here a es | of the Boys of.

 

 

 

only one in partic- : Fiery re America League,
ular entitled The (Ba i ae é i | and entitled to wear
' ‘ | the emblem of the or- |

: der. One of the most
et SEDs pe a , . \ attractive features of
: = the emblem or badge
is the reproduction of

Record Breakers of

ee the face of President
This isa rattling base- I; we , Z| Roosevelt from a-pho-
ball story, written : ct | tograph taken when
exclusively for Boys | De ‘| he was a boy. — Here
of America by the | certainly is a typical

celebratcd Yale Ath- boy ae mie

<q s se . .
2 has worked himself
lete ‘ ~ Boss Bob seized the ro th his teeth and released block. ‘The mder each arm, he launched himself int . °
tape pees ee Cs ee al ¢ pear eta up through sheer grit:

 

Bpectators ‘saw the boy’s daring act.

FRANK MERRIWEL | and pluck.

 

 

 

PRI 7} Among the recent prizes given away ‘to readers of Bovs oF America are 75 Solid Gold Hunting Case
Ja Watches. Smaller prides Bactballs, Baseball Mits, Imported ee Knives, etc.

BOYS OF AMERICA’S LAST PRIZE CONTEST WAS $500.00 IN GOLD
DIVIDED IN TWENTY-FIVE CASH PRIZES OF $20.00 EACH. ot

 

 

Something New in Stories, Prizes, etc. Always Appearing.
THE BEST ILLUSTRATED BOYS WEEKLY.

Sample Copy Sent on Application.

STREET & SMITH, Publishers,