=
A WEEKLY PUBLICATION | DEVOTED TO BORDER HISTORY

 

 

 

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

SINC 0. 145. is Price, Five Cents.

BUFFALO

 

| vezeees |

 

 

A sharp report echoed amid the canyon walls, and the plumed redskin leader toppled from the crag, with.a bullet
from Buffalo Bill’s rifle in his brain.

 
 

: ee SUI IO ALE ei
eer = tai ee

 

 

 

 
 

DEVOTED

   

A WEEKLY PUBLICATION

 

 

TO BORDER HISTORY

 

 

 

issued Weekly. By Subscription $2.50 per year. Entered as Second Class Matter at the N. Y. Post Office, by STREET & SMITH, 238 William St., N. Ye
Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1904, tn the Office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D. C. ‘

 

No. 145.

NEW YORK, February 20,

1904. Price Five Cents.

 

 

 

By the author of “BUFFALO BILL.”

 

CHAPTER I.

1: AT THE END OF THE TRAIL.

For more than four hours the easiest riding horse-
man that ever drew rein had been galloping over a deso-
late Arizona plain at a steady pace, but with occasional
halts for a closer glance at the trail her was following.

The rider was Col. William F. Cody—Buffalo Bill.

Now he slackened the pace of his horse, for just
ahead the monotony of the desert was broken by a string
of low buttes, rising out of the sand like monuments.

At the same point there appeared a few clumps of
shriveled herbage, the leaves of which were as white
as the alkali dust. A little farther on a giant had, so
it seemed, broken up a mass of cliffs and tumbled the
fragments into irregular heaps.

“The ‘sail ends here,” muttered the scout.

He rode more cautiously toward the broken line, ap-
proaching it at a point several hundred yards above

 

 

 

that which he would have reached had he kept on in a:

~ direct course.

 

In, this place there had been water not long ago.
There was a moist groove over the gravel, edged withe —
a growth of vivid green which the horse began to crop
greedily. :

“T feel almost as if I could eat a wisp of ie grass
myself, it is so long since I have seen any,” murmured
Buffalo Bill. as he patted the hot, dry neck of his mag-
nificent horse.

He did not have to follow te moist sully far be-
fore he came to a spot where, in a little hollow, there
was water. Beyond this the gully deepened and a
threadlike rivulet trickled over the pebbles, to leap down
into the deeper gorge farther on.

“This must be nigh the spot,”’ said the scout, with a
keen glance over the scene. ‘And of all the places I
have explored in this forsaken region, I never, never hit
exactly these landmarks before.”’ |

The horse was allowed to drink first, and it seemed
as if the animal would suck up the last drop of the
clear fluid.

The man found another oo and satisfied his thirst

  
      
   
   
   
    
   
  
   
    
  
   
   
  
    
 
    
  
  
  
  
   
  
   
   
   
 
  
   
   
   
   
      
  
      
 

2 THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

from that, Then he left the animal to feed, while he
turned his attention to the trail which he knew he would
find again close at hand.

“It has to end here, for they could never get to the
other side of the gorge,” he said again, as he bent to
his work.

Fe did not have far to go to find hoof tracks in the
sand, and a place where several horses had been allowed
to briefly crop the ribbon of grass. ‘

“The signs are mighty fresh—not an hour old,”
tered the scout,

“And yet, neither redskins nor horses are in sight.
That proves that the whole outht found a way to get
down into the gorge at some point close by. It is some
fiendish work that they are up to; but what it is, is
the mystery. Theres no settlement down on my
chart for this place, not even a dot to stand for a
miner’s shack or a prospector’s burrow.”

Buffalo Bill moved swiftly and silently while he fol-
lowed the tracks leading along the brink of the de eper
gorge, which was close at hand.

He read every sign with the same certainty whith
would have attended the reading of a print ed page.
Not a single false move was made.

Suddenly he flung himself flat, and began crawling
toward the gorge. He was so close to the latter that
he could hear the faint murmur of running water far
below.

He had unslung his rifle from the
s/t the horse by ntself.
ad made sure of this.

The way grew steep, and he had to use extra care to
-eep from loosening pebbles which would have betrayed

n by rolling down the descent.

Suddenly he paused, and slowly raised his head to
peer down into the shadowy depths.

He could then see the opposite wall of the gorge,
which was ruggedly precipitous. He kept back the ex-
clamation of amazement which arose to his lips.

A half dozen plumed and painted Indians were creep-
ing over a zigzag descent along the w all of the shallow
canyon.

‘They looked like monstrous tae with their
sprawling legs and arms, and cautious, hesitating move-
ments.

Their faces made up as ugly and vicious a set as
the veteran scout had ever looked upon; and to his eyes
the various shades of black, brown, copper-hued or
yellowish complexions of the so- -called tedskin tribes
of the great West were almost more familiar than those
of his own race.

They were Apaches; their savage aspect < alo ye would
Their low retreating foreheads and

thnut-

  

saddle when he
His revolvers were ready; he

have told that.
prominent brows, which gave their eyes the look of
being deep-set, gave them a Took of cunning and ferocity

rather than of intelligence.
‘What in the name of wonder are they getting ready
to pounce upon?’ muttered the scout.

* Motionless,

“Their stealthy movements show that they are draw-
ing near their prey. Their hands clutch their euns as
if ‘they might have to use them at any moment. And |
hee I—-now I see!

“A hut built of rocks and chucked close under anf
onc crag that shields it from attack directly
overhead. A little smoke curls up from the stone’ chim- |
ney; but the door—if that flat upright stone is a door '
—is shut tight.

 

“Those redskins have been riding = biggest ea
of the day over a hot and dusty desert ee as a die
toward this spot, which shows. that. a knew what
they were to find here, and that there was a special in-

ducement of some-sort
journ ey.
“Tf they were white, I would eae that it

to make them persevere in the

:
was gold
oo

that they sought. But it isn’t that, at least not for
themselves They’re no painted an renegades; if
they were it would be easy for me to figure out what

they were up to. The Apache works for other ends,
and they work in an infernal way of their own. Ta i
about your city detectives!—an Apache would euchr
the sharpest of them, and do it without bower or joke
in his hands. :
eo ere, they’ ve pausec oe listen with their | keen {
ears... Lets see 11 f they? ee than mune.”

Buffalo Bill made these comments on what he was
observing merely by t oe movement of his lips, for not
even a whisper escaj xed them. Now he bent his head
to listen.

Keen as was the hearing of the red-skinned watchers,
the scout instantly caught the sounds which had brought
them to a pause, although they were much the nearer to
the source of them.

lt was a soit, melodious voice singing, and it. came |
from within the thick walls of the stone hut.

That sound ceased, but there was another sea: cee \
less agreeable—the notes ot a flute, played by one who’
knew “how.
Strange sounds, indeed at that time and in that
place.

Buffalo Bill listened while he kept an eye on the
savages. Sweet as was the music, it had no more power |
to charm their breasts than it had to soften the over- |
hanging rocks. ee
and with cruel, impassive faces, they.
waited. “They did not listen because the sounds were
pleasing to them, but they were waiting with the stoical
patience of their race for the stone door of the hut to
open, as they knew it would men a short time.

The watchful divined this much of their pur-
pose. More, it appeared that they intended to fire upon.
the one who should venture to come forth from the
stone hut.

‘Tt looks as if it was a vengeance trail that they had
been following,” was the partial conclusion of Buffalo .
Bill. }

“And yet IL imagine that isn’t the whole of their §

SCOUT

 

 

 

 

 

 

    
 

 

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game.
of an Apache watrior when he has his war paint on?
There are six of them. If there is only one man inside
of the hut it looks as if they would have a cinch—
counting me out.

“That was the voice of a woman singing, but it
doesn’t follow as a certainty oe it is the same one who
is playing the flute. I reckon otherwise. Ha! the
music stops. Now see the red devils prick up their
ears.’

To a man, the Indians all made the same slight for-
ward movement, and their rifles were clutched more
tightly,

The one in the lead leaned against the rock to steady
himself, and half raised his weapon. As if in obedience
to a signal, the others followed his example.

“Pretty nigh as good discipline as Uncle Sam's sol-
diers could show lip; a they were perched on such a
ticklish crag as that one,” observed the famous scout.

The mystery of it all whetted the curiosity of Buffalo
‘Bill. Indeed, from the moment when he had first
started to follow the trail ofthe Apaches, whom he only
knew were off upon some bloody errand, Col. Cody had
talen an unusual interest in the expedition.

A slight grating noise came from the inner side of

the rocky portal, and then the latter swung inward with
an ease that showed how skillfully it was . placed, for it
must have weighed several hundred pounds.

Then the leader of the red marauders si tlently levelled
his rifle, while his, followers raised theirs.

A sharp report, thudding against the canyon walls,
then a wail of death agony mingled with yells of dis-
may. °

The plumed redskin leader toppled from the crag
and fell in front of the stone hut—a bullet in his brain!

CHATTER IF

- APACHE CHARLEY, DHE RED ATHLETE.

The echoes of the first shot had scarcely ceased be-
fore the rifle of Buffalo Bill spoke a second time, and
another of the dismayed Indians ae a spasmodic
leap down among the rocks.

_ At the same time the door of the oc cabin closed
again, the scout having barely obtained a glimpse of the
human form within.

The four remaining Apaches were beating a panic-
stricken retreat from the trap in which they foundj¢hem-
selves. .At the same time they looked for. the
marksman who seemed to have the power to pick them
off with such deadiy certaizty. :

But the scout had withdrawn from his position suff-
ciently to shield himself behind one of the oo
with which the spot was strewn.

He°could easily have dropped every one of the fed
skins before they could have reached shelter, had he
chosen to do so.

 

 

“Who can guess what is going on in the brain

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. f | -

taught them their lesson ; I don't
he mut-

woh reckor have
wish to use up the targets all in one eee
tered.

The truth was, that Buffalo Bill no ) longer felt satis-.
faction in slaying the red-skinned foe umecessarily.
The time had been, in the old Nebraska days of his
youth, that the great scout used his marvelous skill with
the rifle against the Indians with somewhat of the im-
puise of vengeance behind every bullet.

He had saved the life of the tenant—or tenants, if
there were more than one, as he suspected—of the stone
hut in the gorge, and that was all he had aimed to
accomplish for the moment.

The Apaches reached the summit
ran like so many gophers for cover.

As the tatl-ender in the ae attempted to dodge
around a bowlder the rifle of Buffalo Bill spoke the
third time, and as the Indian scurried o1it of sight it was
with a limp and a yell of pain.

A buiflet had nipped his heel, and he would be lamed
for life!

“They'll keep moving until they have left this spot
a good distance behind them, and that is all I care for
justenow. We'll see what the people in the hut will do
when they glimpse the one who did the shooting.”

As he spoke these words Buffalo Bill stepped into
view, and ee descended into the canyon with a swiit-
ness and ease that seemed to take no thought of danger.

Before the scout had reached the bottom of the gorge,
however, the door of the hut swung open again, and
this aM e one of the inmates stepped boldly into view.

To Buffalo Bill’s surprise, the one who thus appeared
was an Viidian every whit as dark skinned as the ones
who seemed to have taken so much trouble to seek
his life.

In age he was a mere boy, hardly older than sixteen.
His form was remarkably slender, and when he walked
it was with a springy tread, noiseless as that of a pan-
ther, light as a ca

Indeed, in observing him, Buffalo Bill would no
have been much surprised had the fellow skipped -
of the canyon and away over the rocks, so light did he
seem on his feet.

The Indian ‘youth confronted the scout fearlessly,
and at the same time a smile of rare beauty lighted his
face.

“Brttalo Bill! he exeleed,
Apache Charley.”

“Vou have my name rather pat, youngster,”
claimed the scout.

“{ don’t remember ever having seen you, and ‘my
memory doesn’t often fail me, even in Indian faces.”
“That so,” nodded the other. “Never see each other

before. You Buffalo Bill, just same, for I hear of you
many times... He shoot straight, ride easy, has straight
tongue, eyes like hawk, good friend, bad foe.”

“You have the last part of my size-up about right,
whatever may be said of the rest of me. But how hap-

of the ascent and

“caved the life of

Cx;

 

TER

e

 
  
   
 

  

a _. THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES,

pens it that such an ugly crew of your people came all
the way to this forsaken place after your blood? And
why are you hiding here?”

The young Indian hesitated, his keen, dark eyes dart-
ing a quick glance from the face of the scout to the
coe hut, eas door of which was closed as he came out.

“You follow trail here, Buffalo Bill?’ he asked.

“The trail of those Apaches—yes.”’

“You know who they come to find?”

“That was more than I had guessed.”

“You never hear of Apache Charley, then?’

The scout smiled.

“You would shame a Yankee for asking questions

when it is an answer that a man is after,” said Buffalo 7

Bill.

“That all right,” ee the Indian. “Charley have
to be careful, that all. Come, Buffalo Bill.”

Apache Charley abruptly turned to the stone hut and
tapped on the door with the haft of his knife, saying at
the same time:

“Open for friend, Leona.”

The door swung back. To enter,
stoop.

Within, he found the small room of the hut -en-
shrouded in partial gloom, for all the daylight that could
come in found its way through the unfilled chinks be-
tween the rocks of which it was built.

But at one side a narrow hearth and stone chimney
nad been constructed with considerable skull.
here a small fire of sticks sent a flickering: light over the
Scene,

the scout had to

|
t

This was sufficient to outline the graceful figure of

the young girl who had opened the door.

She was white, perhaps a year or two older than the
Indian, and str ney

Her beauty was of Fier which Buffalo Bill instantly
decided could iar sprung from none of the ordinary
white emigrants to that region.

She had the airs of a princess; and yet she met the
eves of this prince of the plains with a glance of frank
welcome. :

“This Buffalo Bill, Leona,” said Apache Chait ley.

“Tt is you who fired those wondert al shots that saved
Charley from his enemies,” said the girl. “Oh, I am

so glad you have come, for I feel sure that you w ill help

ass

me to find my father!”

“T will be glad to-do anything to help you, mniss,”’
said the scout. “But I wish you would begin by telling
me how it happens that a young lady like yourself—
for I can see that you are a lady—is shut up in this
heaven-forsaken spot, with “only this young re

for a companion and protector?’

Minis @ long story, sir.”

66 ct
wearing to a close, and time is of consid
to rie.

“I can make it brief by cutting off the first part of
it, although the first is important as giving a reason for

Ane

beautiful in face and complexion..

dskin’- I heard of him.

Cut it down to a short one, please, for the day is —
erable account

the rest of the happenings. So I will say, as a begin-
ning, that I have been for more than a year a captive
among the Apaches. From the first Charley, here, has
been my friend; a week ago he escaped with mie, bring-
ing me to this place, whic h he had prepared for me to
hide in until he could get word to my father if he could
find him.”

“You have made the yarn a short and plain one,
miss. And is that the reason those redskins came
skulking around. here just now, trying for a shot at
this youngster ?”’

“Yes. He has made of himself a hated outcast from
his tribe by saving me from captivity.” !

“A pretty brave thing to do. But-did he expect that
he could keep you hidden from them here a great while
if he came here himself?”

‘He would not have been found, had he:not gone out
to try to find tidings of my father.”

“Where is your father?”

“T had reason to believe that he was stopping at a

_ settlement some miles to the west of this spot, but near

this very canyon. He is a gold prospector.”

“Another gold-erazed vagabond, to drag a pretty
daughter into desolation and danger in pursuit of a bit
of moonshine!” muttered Buffalo Bill, with a shrug o!
his broad shoulders.

The girl looked at him, sharply,
catch the meaning of his words.

“Your father’s name?’ the scout as iced, aloud.

“Shelby—Merrifield Shelby, from Denver.”

“Merrifield Shelby—-my God!” fell from the lips of
Bitfalo Bill.

The next moment the girl was clutching his arm and
pouring a flood of anxious questions into his eat.

The bronzed cheeks of the famous scout sowed a
pallor which ‘no slight cause could have brought to
them. ae

“What is it?” she cried,
—you know what has happened to him—tell me!”

Buffalo Bill, by a powerful effort brought his face
and voice under control. But it was hard to look into
the lovely, appealing eyes of Leona Shelby, and not teil
her the whole of the fick

To have toid her all would have been harder yet.

“Yes, [think I must have seen this Shelby ee in the
new mining settlement of Placerville. He had a little—
a little trouble, I believe, about a claim”

“And he was hurt—w ounded—killed ?”’ ‘the gir!
breathlessly pursued.

“No, no. He wasn’t so much as scratched the last
He went away from Placerville, and [
have reason to think that he is all right, so far as: health
is concerned.” .

-“Then why did you speak anda look in tig t way when
I spolse his name, Mr. C ody? J fear that you a ire keep-
ing something back.” :

“The name took me by surprise, and I hadn’t thought
of connecting him with a~-a young lady like you. It

although she did not

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“You have seen my father

 
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ould

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is Jacky that I foflowed that band of redskins here to-
Jay. J may at least get you to a safe place now, uil-
less something new turns up. Apache Charley, if that
ig your favorite ae just step outside here for a mo-
ment, will you. We'll plan a. way to help this young
lady out of some of her difficulty.”

The young Indian followed the scout out of the hut.

WwW nen. they were beyond earshot of the inmate ¢
scout asked :

“Can vou keep a secret for the good of Leona, Char-

“Yes, yes. Anyt’ing for Leona.”

“Well, her father, that she is so anxious to see, killed
hi $ partner at Placerville, and I have a warrant for his
arrest!”

CHAPI EI it.
FRIENDS AND FOES.

Apache Charley stared into the face of the So
scout with a ey of emotion that proved that at leas:
one member of his relentless tribe could feel les
tenderer than hate for a fellow | being of the white race.

“Leona’s father kill another white man!” he ex-
claimed. “Dey hang him for thet?’

“That is just what they're precious anxious to do up
at Placerville. They'd hardly wait for a trial if «hey
got their hands on to him.”

.“What you do “bout it, Buffalo Bill?”

“Nothing, unless I find Bes man. But I shall find
him, for I never fail when I strike a trail of murderer
er horse thief. And then he will ae to take his
medicine. But we'll have to ke eep that part of it from
the girl. . We will get her to some other one and
if she REVEL sees her father again she ne edn t know

t him out of
But Ace Charey woe sorry for
u have had the girl hidden here for about
a week oo

yes

“And have you been about here all the while?”

“I stay outside most the time, to watch. I ’fraid my
father and some of his warriors come here.”

“Was that murderous redskin that I shot first your

_ father, then?”

“Ne. He not 1
way, he go another.’
. “Then more.of them. are likely to be here before
long?

NEG

with that party. He-send them this

ct amy time. Better a you shoot all dem that
were here, then none of them left to eo tell the others.”
“That's so, youngster. Bu it you see I didn’t know

how it was. The whole affair looked mighty mysteri-
ous to an outsider. Ail] knew was that those pai nted
warriors were aiter bload, and IT was bound to be a

33

friend to their enemies.

   

ae POP TALO RIP S ORES. & a 5

“Good! And you come just in time.”

“Go back to the girl and chipper her up, for she has
confidence in you, as she ought to have. And I will go
up and see to my horse and make observations. By the
way, will you try to get back to your tribe after you get
the girl safe?”

The head of - Apache Charley drooped.

“Dey kill me hundred times if 1 go back.”

‘“Vhen you are a sure outcast from.the tribe?”

Yes, And some of them on war path now against
white settlers in the mountains. I hever go wi dem,
a, .

“Wel , you will find-it rather tough, I reckon, playing
a lone h ag in this region. You are a limber, strong-
appearing young fellow. I rather need a partner for a
while. W ould you like to help me?”

"Lo eatch Leona’s s father?”

“No, I won't ask you to take a hand i in that business.
But you can help me in other ways

“Good! nodded Apache Chat ‘ley *, and Buffalo Bill
Hee that the con apes ct was made.

A. little later the scotit was the side of his horse,

while his eyes eae the allali plain over which he
ee pursue ed the trail of the ada skins an hour before.
The stun was nearing the ru igged western horizon,
and within an hour a moonless Arizona night would
lot out the la ahdssape.

Suddenly a low ejaculation escaped the lips of the

L
£
¢
AN

{

now— from the
exclaimed.

Nike smoke, that
ainly made out a

  

af had first observe
onsiderable party of ho
The declin ing’ sun are ie just right to show

their nodding plan 1€S as sy. came at a dashing pace

directly toward the spot where Buffalo Bill was stand-

 

ing. :
1b looks cs as if 1 was in forit. There is more than a

—

score of them, and there are marks -here too plain for
them to miss.

“If I go down into the gorge, it will insure nen
spotting the stone hut, and they’ ll guess who is insid
of it, That young Indian has made himself the coe.
hated redskin in Arizona by every member of his own
tribe, for, as they reckon it, he has played them false.
They would show him no mercy. Likely they have

sworn to wipe him out.

“Well, they'll have me to reckon wi ‘th before they <o
it: But there promises to be a rather warmer stir-up
right here than | counted on. It would be easy for me
to slip away from pce after paying them a compil-
ment or two. But to get the al é ae her young com-
panion clear isn’t so easy a proposition.”

The scout had seldom found himself confronted by a

nore perplexing problem. hae w what was more, he
seul have to decide and act at once, for the savage
band was sweeping toward him like a whirlwi-:d.

 

eS
THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

““There’s one way—lI can try leading them off in an-
_ other direction. I'll mount and flee, and see if they will
follow.”

Buffalo Bill instantly acted upon his own sitapestion,
Leaping upon the back of his splendid horse, which
was much refreshed, he dashed madly forth from among
the sheltering rocks and raced across the plain as
though he were panic-stricken at the ) of the In-
Gians.
At first he thought the ruse wo work, for the
whole band started after him, yelling like demons and ~
firing at him as they rode.

Their rifles were short in range, and he was safe as
long as he maintained that distance between them.

Wheeling in his saddle, he sent a hasty shot back at
them.

There was a wild yell, and a riderless pony cantered
wildly out of the bunch, while two of the Indians halted
to see if their comrade were killed or only wounded.

Buffalo Bill slackened the pace of. his horse a trifle,
so as not to discourage the pursuit.

But even as he’ ‘did so the leader of the savages sud-
denly halted, and his companions drew about him ina
semicircle.

The next moment a dozen of them fired their rifles
in the direction of the scout, and then the whole party
turned and rode furiously back toward the gorge, yell-
ing derisively.

“Likely the ones that I saw stealing upon the hut
in the gulch and spared, managed somehow to join
this crew, and they seem to see through my scheme to
lead them away from their prey. Heavens! I hope they
won't catch the girl and her companion unawares. It
will be all day to them if they are napping!”

Buffalo Bill did not stop to debate the bieon of
prudence so far as his own safety was concerned.

He wheeled his horse and rode just as furiously back

toward the gulch as he would have done had there been
only a single foe to meet.

He was already within a long range of fe foe, and,
presently, his fifle sent another messenger after them
—and the message found its mark, and made another
pony riderless.

A hasty volley from the savages was the response;

_ but the shots all went short or wide of their mark.

The scout succeeded in making two shots more tell
upon the foe before’they could reach the protection of
the rocks near the gulch.

Of the victims, one fell to rise no more, while the
others were so seriously wounded that they could not
again sit in their saddles, and required the attention of
their comrades.

By this time the Apaches understood the kind of pur-
surer they had to deal with, and they could not have

been more anxious to gain cover had they been chased

by a company of Gen. Miles’ soldier Indian-fighters.
For it should be understood that these events from

the wonderful career of Buffalo Bill all occurred at the

period of the history of the great Southwest when not
only the Apaches, but several other tribes of Indians
“roved at large, ungathered upon the reservations which
were then being established.

At that time “settlements and mining camps were in
constant peril from wandering bands “of Indians who
were as ready to murder, pillage and burn as were their
red brothers, who painted with blood the pages of bor-
der history in the earlier days of Kentucky and Ohio.

This most exciting period in the life of Buffalo Bill
does not yet belong to the “old times’ of our grand-
fathers.

Nor are the thrilling events of Western life at an end

~ even yet, although the spirit of savagery in the Indian

nature seems to be either subdued or slumbering.

- The red race is by no means extinct; indeed, it has
ce stated that their actual numbers have been ‘but lit-
tle, if any, reduced during the last forty years.

Since so many of them have been fed and clothed as
wards of Uncle Sam they have become less aggressive.

Tt is likely that they behave better because they. are
more fairly treated; and if an attempt were made to

"crowd them, or to treat them with undue severity, they

would doubtless make new material for stories of In-
dian ferocity and cunning that would be equal to any
in the past.

But for the special hatred of Apache Charley, whom
they regarded as a traitor, the party would hardly have
tafried in the vicinity after finding that they had to deal
with a marksman who was so deadly even at the longest
range of his rifle. 7
_ As yet they had not seen enough of the scout to: rec-
ognize in him the redoubtable Buffalo Bill, whose fame
had started in the States and Territories farther to the
north and east. Pe a

Having reached the shelter of the broken country

near the guich, however, they believed that they, could

easily keep their single, deadly foe at bay, and doubtless
there would be an opportunity to pick him off from am-
bush if he were so bold as to approach near enough.

Meanwhile, the inmates of the stone hut in the gulch
were warned of their danger by the shots of the enemy
which were sent back at the pursuing scout.

* “More of your brothers have come!” exclaimed
Leona, her face Stowine white with renewed terror as
she heard the yells and shots from the foe.

“They never take you, Leona!” returned the young
Indian. “Buffalo Bill great scout, never miss when he
shoot, never turn his back on a fight. He good for
hundred Apaches!’

: CHAPTER IV.
A STRANGE FIGHT IN THE GULCH. .
Apache Charley did not over-estimate the prowess of
the great scout. It was merely a question of the latter’s

_being on the spot in time to do the wonders: ne were
expected of him.

 

 
  

 

 

 

 

 

“father once more,

The bloodthirsty erew of redsking were even then

skurrying’ in among the rocks to shelter themselves

frem the deadly aim-of Buffalo Bill’s rifle.

At the same time the leader of the band, who was a
subordinate chief in the tribe and the father of Apache
Charley, had been directed to a point from whence ne
could look down upon the stone hut.

“There hides Cocheco, the traitor son of Manahah,”
said an Indian, who showed the way to the spot with a
limping gait and a bandaged heel.

He was the one whom Buffalo Bill had nipped with a
bullet t, as has been already deseribed,

“And-a traitor shall never live to boast of having
outwittéd Manahah,” exclaimed the petty chief, who
was as. vain as he was merciless.

“Ti he would come forth and beg for pardon, and
freely give up the paleface girl, would not Chief Man-
at spare Cocheco’s life ?’’ questioned the other.

“Call him forth if you can, and promise him mercy
in my name,” said the chief, while a faint curl of treach-
erous cunning showed upon his cruel lips..

The other Indian complied, really believing that the
chief was making the pledge in good faith.

The voice of the savage rang so clear and loud

through the gulch. that his words penetrated to the in-

terior of the stone hut with the greatest distinctness.

Apache Charley looked into the face of Leona.

“T would die before I let Leona go back,” he said,
resolutely.

She laid one hand on the young Indian’s arm.

“You are a brave friend to me. But I do not wish
to be the means of bringing the vengeance of your
father upon you. Would it not be better for you to
go out and answer your father? He may not be so
merciless as he would have you believe.’

The young Indian hesitated,

The bisod ef many sartations: of warriors coursed
in his veins, and the. np ght of turning his back for-
ever on the wild, free lif ia his race was not an agree-
able one to him. :

Not that he was tempted to comply with the terms
effered, by which Leona would have to be returned to
the hated captivity.

But for the. moment he could not believe that his
father, who had been proud of his wonderful agility
eo courage, would be a foe to his death because he

d Pspleased 3 ad disobeyed him in this one act

“T avould like to see his face again, and speak to

~ hum,” he said, in a yes ting voice.

At that instant the voice of the decoy redskin ag ain

‘sounded from the rocks overhead.

“Come, Cocheco.. Your father comes to treat with
his only son face to face, and Manakah would show
wierey.

‘Fhe words decided Apache Charley.

“Keep door shut close, Leona, Charley see his
He come back quick.”

Leona did not at tempt to deter him from going out.

THE BUFFALO

  

BILL STORIE . ’ 7

During her captivity she had observed what seemed
to be the deepest affection and pride on the part a
Manahah for the young athlete of the tribe. She eve
hoped that some terms might be made by which he
should be restored to her father without a return to
the captivity which she felt would eventually become
more to be dreaded than death.

Charley opened the door cautiously and slipped
through.

It closed after him.

As he raised his eyes to the point from which the
voice had sounded he beheld his father standing in
the midst of a half dozen of his followers, who, in
obedience. to a sign from him, had sprung to his side.

Every man of ther, save the one with the ee
heel, leveled a rifle at the breast of Apache Charley

“Stand where you are or you die like a dog that bites
his master,’’ commanded the deep tones of Manahah.- —

The young Indian compressed his lips.and a defiant
gleam shot from his dark eyes as he turned them upon
the face of the speaker,

“Cocheco will die like an Apache, and the son of
Manahah, not like a dog!” he exclaimed, in a voice

which did not betray a quiver of fear.

“Call forth the white ‘sister,’ ordered the chief,
sternly. : :

Apache Charley did not open his lips nor stir a

muscle. :

“Ts the traitor son of Manahah deaf and dumb?”

Still there was no response.

The dark face of the chief became yet blacker with
the rage which he could not keep down.

He made a quick signal to one of his warriors and a
the same time uttered the command:

“Seize the traitor youth, bind him so that he cannot
move hand or fot. If he refuse to listen and speak

ve will have his eats cut off and hus tongue pulled out,
for they will be of no use to him!

The redskin to whom the order was given was a
powerful and well-built warrior, to all appearances
much stronger in his maturity than the mere boy who
stood so defia intly in front of the stone hut.

The brave leaped lightly down the jagged wall of
the gulch and a sproached the Indian youth oe : run.

Apache Charley did not stir, until the other let a hand

fall on his arm to carry out the orders of the chief

He well knew that the slightest move to escape would ©
have brought a storm of bullets upon his breast,

But the moment that he was sure that the marks-

men could not fire without endangering the life of the
one who had come to seize him, the form of the young
Indian athlete suddenly became animated by a life and
movement which were fairly bewil dering and mar-
yelous. .

He leaped quickly upon the shoulders of his antag-
onist and bore hin) to the ground, ‘There the two
forms rolled over and over with such rapid evolutions
that it was not easy to distinguish one from the other.

  
“the aim of a foe ina fight.

       

  
  

| ae BUEFALO BILL STORIES.

The warrior had well-trained muscles, and it was
evident that he was much the stronger of the twain.

_ But strengtly alone could not avail against the mar-
‘velous quickness of the Indian youth’s movements.

He would slip from the grasp of his assailant in the
most unexpected ways. Now he was at the bottom,
but in a flash he came to the top again, like a bubble in
the water.

Apache Charley’s fists. played about the face and
ears of his opponent until the latter was fairly blinded
and deafened, and so bewildered that he had not the
- power to use his superior strength successfully.

So rapid and uniqtie was the combat that the chief
and his followers forgot everything else in the interest
with which they observed the combatants.

The rifles no longer threatened the young Indian.

~ Indeed, it would have been impossible for them to have)

shot at him without incurring as great a liability of hit-
ting one as the other of the antagonists.

The chief was the first to observe that Apache Char-
ley was likely to get the better of the fight, despite his
youth and inferior weight.

He could see that the warrior was beginning to

breathe hard from exhaustion, while Charley was slip-

ping away from him altogether.
Instantly another Gomimnand came from the lips of the

chief, and in,obedience to it four stalwart warriors

sprang to the aid of their comrade, who was being
worsted by a mere boy of half his years.

At the moment that they were almost within arm’s
length of Apache Charley, the latter suddenly slipped
tree of the clinging grip of his foe and with a lightning
cap alighted on the top of the stone hut, skipped across
ii and dropped from sight on the opposite side, under-
neath the projecting crag next to the wall of the canyon.

It all happened in a twinkling.

The warriors would have paused in admiration of the
marvelous feat, but a yell of rage from the chief, with
another fierce word of command, impelled them to at-
tempt a pursuit of the young red-skinned athlete.

But even as they clambered clumsily upon the stone
roof which the other had mounted at a bound, they
heard the crack of a rifle, a howl of pain and. yells of
warning from their comrades who were on the watch
with the horses. °

The chief sprang up the ascent from the crag on

which he had been perched while watching the strange
contest,

He found the warriors who had been left with the
horses skurrying for cover and abandoning the steeds,
which they had-not taken the time to stake ‘out,

One of them hurriedly made the chief understand
that the deadly marksman who had followed them was
close at hand, and that a shot from his unerring weapon
had laid one of their number low. ; ‘

_. The chief was not a specially brave warrior—at least
he always took care to shield his precious person from
But on the present occasion

he was in an unusual fit of rage, and slightly reckless in
consequence.

- The wonderful marksman had picked off several of
his: best warriors, and they had tried in vain to give
him a nip in return. Now, when the chief supposed
that the white enemy had fled from superior numbers it
was aggravating to find him audaciously attacking them
single- handed.

‘This, coupled with Apache Charley’s successiul re-
sistance, made the old chief furious.

He cast a swift glance out over the plain in quest of
the lone horseman. - He was in time to see the latter in
the act of drawing rein at a point only a few rods up
the eulch.

“My warriors are all women—they are so fright-
ened at the sight of that man that their eyes see
crooked -when ‘they sight their guns!” muttered the
chief.

Up went his own rifle—his gleaming eye sighted the
barrel by the dying sunset glow—the heavy ues, rang
out.

Buffalo Bill fell among the rocks beside his hore

VORP EE BA Vv
THE HERMIT PRERST.

On the dreary ‘Arizona plains the last flush of day-
light is extinguished like a candle in a puff of wind,
and the deepest gloom of night settles upon the land-
scape before the unwary traveler has time to prepare
for it.

So, almost at the very moment that the vengeful

Apache fired upon Buffalo Biull, and the latter” tel

darkness descended upon the scene like a pall.

The redskin saw. the scout’s horse wheel and gallop
away from the spot with a cry such as only a horse can
utter when in pain or terror.

-Theschief approached the spot where the scout had
fell, cautiously, his weapon ready for a second shot.
He paused: two or three times to listen, then dropped
upon all fours, oppressed by a strange sort of reluctance
to look upon the face of the white man whom he be-
lieved he had slain.

So he crept on and on until he was sure that he
should be at the place where the scout had fallen. His
keen eyes swept the rough ground, his hands roped,
he searched over every square yard of it, up to the very
brink of the canyon—all in vain!

Then the courage of the redskin slumped as suddenly
as it had risen. He sprang to his feet and with a howl
of superstitious terror dashed madly back to the spot
where his followers were gathered.

As he joined them, the warriors who had attempted
to seize Apache Charley came scrambling up out of the
gorge. “At,a word from the chief they tumbled into
theit saddles and rode away from the spot.

They might return ae by daylight to wreak ven-

 

coe mM Roe

 

 

 

 

 

   

tet ae

ce of Ue) COUT
ee SE ee

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘enshrouded in an inky blackness.

nd
‘scended over the pathway which he

 

 

Tam BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

¢

geance on Apache Charley; but they found the spot too
uncanny by night to remain.

For Buffalo Bill it had indeed been a close call.

At the moment when he drew rein and prepared to
dismount, his attention was concentrated upon the point
where he had seen a number of the redskins skulking
among the rocks.

So it chanced that he did not observe the chief as the
latter dashed toward him until the very instant the
shot was fired.

The redskin was a poor marksman, and he fired
hastily. Yet the range was so close that he could
hardly have missed altogether if he had tried.

The scout flung himself to the ground as an act of
precaution at the very instant his assailant discharged
his weapon. The bullet grazed Cody’s temple, partiall y
stunning him, while the impact sent him rolling down
the incline toward the brink of the gorge.

There his body lodged in a sort of niche from which
a bowlder had been dislodged. In his hasty search for
the body of his victim the redskin had not in reality
come within a half dozen yards of the spot where Buf-
falo Bill was lying.

It could not have been many minutes later when the
scout recovered his senses, and found himself lying as
we have described.

He sprang to his feet, and he heard the sounds of
the mounted Indians es swiftly away over the plain
at the same time.

“Did I come too late to save Apache Charley, after
all?’ murmured the scout, as he turned to look for his
horse.

But the animal, usually so trusty, was not to be
seen. As he tried to move about he scout ee
a sense of dizziness and nausea, probably as an effect of
the impact of the bullet upon his temple.

He was obliged to sit down on the rocks for a few
moments until the feeling should pass away. As soon
as he could do so, he made his way along the brink of
the gorge until he reached the spot where the In dians
had Valted and made their assault upon Apache Charl ley.

By this time the bottom of the shallow canyon was
Hvery object was
obscured.

Buffalo Bill listened’ briefly, and then cautiously de-
had already trav-
ersed.

At the same time he lighted his small pocket lantern
and focused the rays so that.it should show him the

way to the stone hut.

“The red devils got scared at a —or, per-
haps, it was at nothing—and lit, out asthe last
of daylight faded, I reckon,” muttered E scou

“We will soon see what they left behind them. If
the fugitives stayed close inside the hut it doesn’t seem
as if it was possible for them to have been dislodged in
the time they were about it. Besides, there was no
shooting that I heard, and I fancy that young redskin

t glim: mer

eee nn Fl ERS BI SGT ETT EA

would put up the best fight he could before he would
sell his own life or give the girl up to captivity again.

“The poor youngster is dead in love with the girl, I
can see that.
times over if he could. And, like any girl, she either
doesn’t suspect the cause of, his devotion, or pretends
that she doesn’t.

“We'll soon know if they are e all right. If they hear
my voice they will dare to open the door, so I will call
to them instead of Se on the door.”

He did as’ suggested ; but there was no response.

“You are safe, Leona and Charley; it is Buffalo Bill
speaking,” he said, in his deep, persuasive tones.

Still there was no’ response. As he stood, waiting
and listening, he again experienced that sense of sudden
nausea which he had felt first after recovering from his
brief unconsciousness. _

“This weakness is persistent!” he exclaimed. ‘‘T’ll
have to keep quiet a little while till I get fairly
over it.”

He pushed against the stone door and it swung open,
somewhat to his surprise. He was yet more aston-
ished upon entering to find a bright fire burning on the
hearth in the hut, anda form crouching with hunched
shoulders and projecting face close within the glow of
the fire’s warmth.

The person was neither Leona nor Apache Charley—
this it took only a glance to make out.

The stranger's: head was bare and tonsured oe a
priest’s—that is, shaven on top, leaving a fringe of hai
around the edge of the scalp.

Te was slowly moving his head up and down and

mumbling some Latin phrases as if she were uncon-
Selous of the presence of a visitor.
For a moment Buffalo Bill gazed upon the strange
= speechless with amazement. He forgot his own
unpleasant sensations under the shock of surprise at
Lae this person here in place of the beautiful Leona
and Apache Charley.

‘Well, Father Ambrose,” exclaimed the scout, ven-
turing the first name that came into his head.

“Vou seem to have either come down out of the sky
or up out of the earth. Do you claim these quarters
as yours?”

The crouching figure did not ap
the remark until after he had finished the Latin lingo
which he was muttering.
lifted a swarthy face toward the scout.

“Who is it that intrudes on the holy reflections of
Father Ambrose?” he asked, in a sonorous voice.

Buffalo Bill flashed his focused light full upon the
dark ee of the man. And, more searching than the
light were the eyes of the scout.

Not § by so much as the quiver of an eyelid did Cody
betray the fact that he had detected the unmistakable
signs of a disguise about the head and face of the pre-
tended priest.

“Tf you are Father Ambrose, how would it do to call

2

He would give his life for her a dozen

 

ppear to have heard ’

Then he turned slowly and

Se

 
  

ee ETE

i
i

  
 

 

@ Se THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

me Rob Roy?” said Buffalo Bill, his lips curling in a
smile.

The other seemed to shrink and ahiver as With a sud-
den chill,

Fé hastily turned his face toward the fire again as
he réplied :

“One of my calling i
and frivolous speech.
are ashamed to speak, well and good.
you here to disturb ny feditations >

“Is this your sanctuary, Ambrose?

not to be eifled with in false
if you have a famé that you
But wliy come

, pars sued Buffalo

Bill. :
“Yes. 1 am known as the hérmit, priest.”
‘Arid have -you dwelt here long'?’’
“Vor tany yeats. «1 seldom leave the place.”

‘“Atid have you been here all the w hile to-night, and

through the day just past?”
“Not once have I gone otitside.”’

Slap—fell the hand of the sCoat and man- “hunter on
was shoulder of the pretended priest.

“You old har!’ thundered Buffalo Bill.

The other sprang to his feet with a labored attempt
to Appear indignant. But he could fot a Buffalo
Bill in the eye ard insist upon the truth of the state-
ments hé had just made.

His limbs shook under his weight, and his hands,
looking pale and shriveled in the ‘dim light, trembled
with an overpowering terror. )

He tried to speak, but his tongue seemed gle lued to
tl e roof of his mouth.

“Where are the ones who were i the hut when you
got here—it couldn’t have been twenty minutes ago?”
‘There was no one here.”

“Then you didn’t see Leona Shelby els
scout.

The pretended priest fell back with a husky cry.

Then Buffalo Bill knew the truth. This was Le
ofia’s father, the fugitive assassin from Placerville.

asked the

CHAPTER VI.

THE HEIR OF POVERTY PAUL.

Placerville was new ;
never become very old, for it was likely to be abandoned
because the diggings were petering out so rapidly..

On the same day that was marked by the strange ad-
ventures of Buffalo Bill, which have just been related,

a big, raw-boned miner, who walked with a limp, called
at the door of the neatest shack in the camp, standing
hn from its mates.

‘The miner knocked on the door ceremoniously.

It was opened by €@ man who was young and strik--

ingly handsome, with an expression of sorrowful
dignity.

vay Like! Come i. lim right wld to see you,’
said the young man, heartily.

“Thank ye, Paul ia said the big miner

the chances were that it. would ©

‘The latter limped into the little room and dropped
awkwardly on to a chair, sprawling his long legs over

_a great deal of unnecessary territory.

*Tharik ye, Paul,” he said, again, seeming too baah:
ful to scare up anything tore original in the way 67
a refiark.

“Flow are affairs going dows in the guigh?” waked
the young tan, aiming to encourage the othér to do
his Ate whatever that might be.

“Moderate, Paul, tarnal moderate, for a new camp.
Pair moveinent of stocks at Humble Hank’s Hal ylujah

Cafay, and the faro bank busts and gits busted reg’lar
enough. But the diggin’s ain't what ay ee be,

Paul—-not what they orter be.”
“No hew strikes have been made, then?’-
“Nary as ai ,

‘Brenci en doing well?’

PI uty Ww alk take it all ae His claim ain't
panned nothin’<-ain’t panned nothin’. But he did weil
to raffle it off the way he did down to Hank’s last night.
When a claim that ain’t showed a sign of color raffles
off for a hoss and two full quarts of red-eye, | et it
doin’ mighty well—pretty mighty well.”

The young man called Paul smiled, as he said:

a. that is probably as good a trade as he could
expect, Luke. But perhaps it wasn’t altogether for the
purpose ‘of telling me these items of news that you catne
in ere. Was there attything itt particular that you
wished to see me about?”

Limping hs e faced slowly about ‘and spread his
long legs over a new area of space.

“Waal, I Men whether or
or not. And I don’t like to go probin’ inter any sote
that may be sort of stabbing over, so to speak.”

“Thén it was something about my father, or his
fugitive partner who took his life?”

The voice of the young man was firm, yet with «
note of tenderness in it when he spoke of his father.

“Yas, it was sort of hinging on that topic, Paul. Ye
knew that Buffalo Bill—Willyam Cody; Esquire, 1
s ay lL .orter call him—started out to find that hellyon,

helby, = day afore yisterdy ?

“T knew. Has he been heard from;

“Not seaaly Paul, so fur as the ketchin’ af the
varmint is concerned. But he sent back a messenger

399

yisterday that arrived at the camp this mornin’, sayin’
that Shelby wasn’t among the Apaches, as he sorter
reckoned in the first place that he might be. But he

said that the ¢edskins themselves was daubin’ on the
war-paint like all git-out, and a gang of ’eim was settin’
out on some sort of devil ment in the direction of this
yere gulch. 6

“In the writin’ that Buffalo Bill
zactly specify that he thought the Injuns meant to at-
tack Placerville camp. But he seemed to throw out
sich an inference. He suggested that it mought be a
pious plan for us to be on the lookout and keep our
powder dry.”

no ye’d call it partick’lar-

sent he didn’t preé-.

 

 

 

tt

a5 = es SH -—-—
SRT

 

 

 

 

“I hope they won’t trouble us, Luke. I have had
trouble enough, take it all in all.” | :
' “So you have, Paul—trouble enough. At the same

time, ye orter be thankful that Poverty Paul—I beg yer
parding, for I ortn’t to call yer father by his nickname
now he’s in glory: and richer’n I ever expect to be in
the next world, let erlone this one—but, as I started to
say, ye orter be thankful that yer father’s claim, that he
held in pardner ship with Shelby, has panned out so
slick, when ther ain’t any other one in the whele gulch
that shows color ey to make a brass nickel out of
cast-iron.’

“The claim is a good one, and my grief for the death
of my father is all the greater that his end came just
when hé was to be relieved of the worry of grinding
poverty. By a hard experience did he come by the
name of Poverty Paul. And I, with sickness and an
accident, had no chance to help him any.”

“And now a hundred thousand wouldn’t buy yer
claim in this yere gulch,” said Limping Luke.

“No, that sum would not buy the claim.”

“And howsomdever they mought laugh at Poverty
Paul, the laugh is on t’other shoe when it comes to
Poverty Paul's. heir.’ 7

“IT do not feel so jubilant over it as I should have
felt had that cowardly partner of my father’s not
brought the partnership to such a tragical close.”

“Naturally, it makes ye sore.”’

“How about the danger from the Apaches? Do you
think there really is any?”

“Buffalo Bill ain’t the sort to send out a scare with
nothin’ back of it.”

“That is so. And the Apaches are an ugly set. But
what can have stirred them up to send them on the war
path at this particular time?’

“When there’s a fair show of gittin’ white scalps the
Apash air tarnal easy to stir up. Apash is like hor nets
—always more or less mad about suthin’.”’

“And what do you think of the location of
ville for self-defense?”

“Tt is durned poor.
here are a poor sort to fight Injuns. Leavin’ out
Shelby and Parsons’ claim, there ain’t no diggin’s here
to speak of exceptin’ grave diggin’s, and they’re jest
the sort to suit Apash.”’

“T suppose all the citizens of the camp have been in-
formed of the warning from Buffalo Bill; we

“Vas. 99

“And there is plenty of talk about it, and some

j

lacer-

scare: >”

“They mostly laff. ‘“What’s Apash to be afeard on?’
says they. ‘Skeer ’em off with a twenty-two snap
pistil,, says they.”

“Ts Col. Cody likely to be here to help us out in case
OF an attack?”
: “I don’t know. You knows whose trail he’s lookin’
Ores

“Y es—Shelby’s.

And the crowd that hangs out:

And may the fates lead him true!” -

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. | r1

“Buffalo Bill won’t need any help from the fates, I
reckon. He’s the keenest man on a trail that the big
West ever made. He’s sure’n a bloodhound. And I
reckon he’ll make somethin’ out of the idea that Shelby
was with the Apash yet. A sort of instinct seems to
lead that man in the right direction, same as a hoss
on a dark night.”

“T confess - that I hardly know. Col. Cody, whom they
call Buffalo Bill, except by reputation. I know that
he makes the finest appCaance in the saddle of any
rider that I ever saw. 1 judge that he is the right sort
of a man to have for a friend, but that it wouldn’t be
comfortable to feel that he was your enemy.”

“That's about the right size-up, as fur as it goes.”

“It is this matter of the threatened attack by the In-

dians that you called to tell me, Luke ?”’
“Yas. Your diggin’s bein’ the most valuable, and
jest havin’ had considerable trouble, and you not bein’
of the sort that hangs out at thé Cafay of Humble
Hank, I reckoned you w ould like to know if there was
any danger glidin’ this way.’

“You may be sure that I am interested, and I thank
you for Eas g the trouble. Since my father was mur-
dered, you know, I have felt like keeping close to my
cabin, unless I was busy at the claim. And I shall not
work that now.”

“Ye won't work the claim?’
‘ENO: +9
“May I axe ye why not?”

“T have no heart for i, a flet what has happened.”
hen aL will ye do with it?”’

“Sell out at the first good chance.”

“Ginger! ie I reckon I'd like to buy. Queer how
your father's luck. turned at last, after everything had

. gone ag’in him all his life.”

A bitter smile wreathed the ak of the young man.

“And did it really turn at last?’ he asked.

Tie strti ck it rich, when he ae had enough to
eat afore.

“Struck it rich—yes, and then had a knife pl unged

into his breast belore he had a chance to enjoy even the’

first fruits of Fortune’s turn. No, Luke, the same old
black luck followed him until it landed him in his grave.
It is ever so with some. It is enough to make a man
who is otherwise sensible grow superstitious.”

“Fact, Paul. Ive seen ’em go the same way myself.
I ain’t kickin’ at luck because I’m poor as Job’s turkey.
I’ve struck a good claim afore now, and then gone on a
spree and raffled the whole thing off for nothin’. Bein’

*a durned fool and havin’ black luck foller ye air two

different sorts of experience.”

“One thing I would like to speak to you about, Luke,
now that you are here and there is no one else near to
hear. You are the only man in the camp that I feel
any confidence in. You—-you were kind to my father
when he was at his tightest pinch. You know how I
feel about that, and I will speak no more of that matter
now.”

ss a app Nl tit: pa ne ap re ib TS I

 
 

“But about that Shelby. You knew that he ae a
daughter ?”

“T hearn that they was both ketched by Apash when
they fust come out to this country, a
to git away, was shot.”

“The report, | suspect, I saw the

was not true.

young lady once, and she was very beautiful. It was
after that that the Indian capture occurred. “Shelby

told two or three stories about the affair, and. they
won't hang on the same string,”

“T can’t? make out why he should’ make ‘em out
crooked. Even a man that'll stick a knife into his pard
ginerly has a soft spot in his heart for his daughter.”

“It is all a mystery past solution forme. But I be-
heve more and more that Merrifield Shelby’s daughter
lives, and that he knews that she is held a captive by
the Apaches. In some w way [ believe that he has been
in league with the Indians.”

Limping Luke leaped to his fect, a red flame in his
cheeks.

“That explains somethin’, Paul, that I overheered,

“Qne night, when he fust come here, your pa was
“ away from. the camp, and. it was afore you had come.
I. cotne to Shelby’s shack to axe him somethin’ about
some picks that he agreed to sell to me. He was inside
alone, and as | come in he was talkin’ to himself. |
hearn him say :

‘*“Leona’ll never dream that 1 meant to have her held
by the Injuns till somethn——' Then he heered me,
and pee 1 to hawk and spit at a terrible rate, jest as a
man’ll do when he’s ketched talkin’ to himself .and
wants to pretend that he wasn’t.”

“You heard that, Luke!” cried the young man.
“That confirms it. The infernal wretch! But Leona
shelby shall be saved, if not too late.

{??

life on it!

 

CEA ies eG

THE MYSTERY OF LEONA’S DISAPPEARANCE,

In the moment of silence during which the startling
conviction of the hermit priest’s real identity was fixing
itself in the mind of the prince of the plains, Buffalo
Bill, the latter had to decide what should be his next
act in the strange drama.

Merrifield Shelby, the murderer of Poverty Paul of
Placerville, was at the scout’s mercy.

Buffalo Bill 1 had but to stretch out his hand and the
criminal would be caught. —

It looked almost too easy. While the fugitive stood
shaking with a strange emotion, which was certainly
a kind of fear, yet ] Buffalo Bill was certain that it was
not a fear of intra ie eapture.

Shelby did not suspect that he was recognized,
neither had he the slightest reason to suppose that the
handsome scout was an officer in pursuit of him.

Bild. Sls

and the gal, in tryin’

I will pledge my ©

RIES.

His emotion was due entirely to the mention of his
de -ughter’s name, and in this there was a new mystery
which excited the curiosity of the great scout.

The face of the latter was like that of a Sphinx—it
gave no clew to the thoughts which busied his brain.

- He decided to wait a little before securing His pris-
LEP,

Wf For ane thin - he was not prepared to make air im

miediate disposition of the culprit. At the same time,
believing, as he did, that Leona was likely to put in her
appearance at any moment, it would have entailed a

painful explanation and a scene which it would be hard °
to witness,

=o, instead of taking advantage of the man’s seli-

betr ay al, he spoke in a tone of pretended solicitude.
What is the matter, F ather Ambrose? You look as
if you were sick,”

The disguised prospector seerned to “pull himself to-
gether’ by an effort. It was the mention of the name
of Leona, of course, which had agitated him: Now he
remembered that the scout had asked him a question
which he had not answered.

“Who is Leona Shelby?” he returned.
has been no one else here.

“No, there
Vm not sick; but there is

trouble with my nerves, and some think there is some-.

thing wrong with me just because I start suddenly and
turn pale. ‘T-have those spells, but I’m all right.”
It was a clumsy explanation, and the man knew it.
oe Buffalo Bill appeared to be perfectly satisfied.
Ane pretended priest grew confident and bold.
Vhat about Leona Shelby ?”’ he demanded.
thought she was in this stone hut, that is all.”
“Is she a woman or child? And what sort of look-
ing person: =

“She is a young lady whe was captured by the In-

escape.”

“Escaped, eh? Well, that will be good news to her
- friends, if she has any. But what have I to do with it?
You interrupted me when I was at my devotions,” .

“Too bad, Father Ambrose! Rather tough, I expect,
to have them broken into and then have to begin them
all over again. But really I had no idea of finding
anybody of your cloth in this place. And just now you
lied to me i saying that you had been here through the
day and all the present evening. You knew better:
why are you so particular about such a simple ques-
tion?’

“I have been here—or very close to this spot, during
all the period that you have named. I didn’t say that
‘IT had been in this hut, in plain sight, as | am now, all
the while.” (

This answer might have some foundation of truth in
it, in Cody’s judgment, for the scout could not think
how the pretended priest could have gotten into the
gulch at any time since the arrival of the Indians, with-
out being observed.

Buffalo Bill decided to give the man.the benefit of

aw

dians about: a year ago, and who has just made her -

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
i's

 

 

 

 

‘had not obtained a fair s

the doubt, and leave the point opt to be settled by
later investigation.

The scout was convinced ef one thing, however.

This was, that the pretended priest was genuinely
surprised by the statement that Leona Shelby had es-
capéed from the oo and that she had been in the
stone hut during the day just passed.

The only explanation of the situation that seemed
plausibie to the mind of Buffalo Bill was that the fu-
gitive assassin had been concealed in some natural re-
treat near the hut, and tha it the presence of the young
Indian and his companion in the small abode had kept
Father Ambrose away from the hut.

At the Ste time it was probable that the fugitive
sight of Leona, and therefore
he had failed to recognize her,

For certainly the statement that Leona had been re-
cently an inmate of the hut excited genuine surprise in
the fugitive.

“There appear to be some queer questions about this

Hite
th

yclia

business, and I can't quite see ny way through. But
we'll try and get at something. You say that you have
been near this spot for at least a number of hours.
“Now I cre to know that you were not inside ot
this stone shelt er oe that time, or for any nae
it, expecting only a short while since, about the suns
hou r. a
“Will you 1 admit this much to be true, now. that you

Bet

know that you can’t fool me about the matter?”

Father Ambrose .hesitated. A reputation for tell-
ing the truth comes in handy at times—-a fact that the
disguised fugitive had seen demonstrated in his own
experience.

Tere seemed a good time to do a little truth-telling,
just as a matter of record, and there seemed to be no
danger in it.

So he said:

“No, Vl admit that I did not come into the hut until

a few minutes ago.’

‘Then where were you hiding ?”: :
“There are many nooks and crannies among these
recks where a man may hide himself when he is in fear
of merciless savages.

“Then you were keeping out of sight on aceount of
fear wf the redskins?”’ *

“Yes. I was once captured by them and had a nar-
row escape froma terrible death at their hands.”’

“And didn’t you know that there were other fugitives
in this vicinity--within this hut?

“T saw an Indian youth steal in and out of the hut
several times. I thought my shelter was more safe
than his, and besides I didi n't care to make my pres-
ence known to any one.’

“Did you not know that he had a companion ?'

“Yes; but the only glimpse I had of her was of a
a wrapped in an Indian blanket, with her face hid-
den. I thought her to be a young squaw.’

“That was the young lady who has just escaped

   
   
   
 
  
   
  
   
  
   
   
   
  
  
  
  
    
  
   
     
   
   
     
  
   
   
    
    
  
 
   
  
 
  
  
  
  
   
  
 
  
  
  

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. 13

from the Apaches after a year of captivity. Her name
is Leona Shelby, and she is the daughter of Merrifield
Shelby, a prospector, whom I last heard of as having
staked’a claim at Placerville.’’

Buffalo Bill purposely stated these details to see what
the effect would be on the fugitive assassin.

He-glanced furtively at the face of the latter; but the
man bent to replenish the fire on the hearth at the mo-
ment, and his expression, with all its agitation, was
con Sealed? >

“It is well if she escaped from the heathen,” the man
ne with an attempt to mai batuih his character of

a pri fest.

“The villain . as pretty good nerve,’

la was the mental

comment of the scout
At oe same ce the ¢ great border man-hunter de-
cided what course to pursue in regard to the man whont

he duane: oO secure.

Before going back to Placerville Buffalo Bill wished
to make sure of the safety of Leona and her brave
von | rescuer, and in looking after her welfare he did

not wish to give | {

2

her the pain of knowing that her
father ~was a prisoner under, the terrible charge of
murder. °

The scout stood cic
he quietly Jaid one firt

Father Ambrose would have sprung back, as if he
had been stung; but the hand on his arm closed there
and he could not get away.

“Vou will have to tarr y with me for a bit, my good
ore said Buffalo Bill.

1
|
4

ose to the pretended priest. Now
rm hand on-the fugitive’s arm.

 

“Now de on't make atty row over it, for, let me te

e

you, you aren't safe for a minute without somebody. to

protect y« A party has just started out trom a cer-
tain mining camp not far dway, as I happen to know,

if they run across a pilerim + who has a suspic ou

look, and who can 't give a straight account of himself,
1
L

%
roe
a
oC

eae a
ha

oS oO

ke yourself, for instance, they might fill him all of
lead without waiting to investigate. —

“Perhaps you don't know, being a man of holy or-
ders, how amazingly excitable the miners are. Why,
they’ Il hang a man on suspicion.and give him a fair

-trial afterward—a sure way of getting at the truth,

though yather hard on the man if he happens to be in-
pocent A

When Buffalo Bill began Poe he could feel the
nerves of the fugitive quiver under his hand.

But suddenly the arm he was grasy eo
rigid as iron, aod the next instant a dis sas
sin turned upon the scout like lightn ng < ae med a ter
rible blow at the face of the noted bor« oa

But the blow ngver landed.

Buffalo Bill ducked in time to elude it; at the same
time his arms encircled the pretended priest, raised him
aloft, gave him a whirl and then flung him to the stone
floor of tae hut.

The man lay as. still as

“ a Q
co
er
iw
MD
rs
as
$

wD
wn
5a)
op

E

though dead. He wua

 

  

     
THe BUFRALO BILL STORIES.

stunned and bleeding. Before he recovered conscious-

ness he was handeuied

But Buffalo Bill did not attempt fo strip his pris-

oner of his disguise. He momentarily expected Leona
Shelby to appear and he wished to spare her as long as
he could the terrible knowledge of her father’s crime.
_ Cody flung a blanket over the heavily breathing pris-
oner, having laid him close to one side of the hut.

Just then Apache Charley came into the stone retreat.

CHAPTER Vil
THE PICKETS FROM PLACERVILLE.

As the eyes of Buffalo Bill met those of the Indian
youth he observed that something was wrong.

Not that Apache Charley showed any marks of the
fight which he had had with his Indian assailant, for
in that fight he had come off almost without a scratch.

But his face looked haggard and his eyes bloodshot.
THe seemed to be shaking from head to feet.

“Why, youngster, what has gone wrong with you?”
asked the scott. :

“Leona—Leona—lost!”’ moaned Apache Charley, in
a tone full of such grief as an Indian is seldom known
to express.

“Blasn’t the girl been with your:

“Not since Indians here. She in stone hut when they
come, then I s’pose she hide up in place I find for her.
But she not dere. I ’fraid she slip and fall down—

down!’

_ The speech of the Pe Indian ended with a moan of
despair.

Buffalo Bill motioned for him to step outside.

When the door of the hut was closed between, them

and the prisoner the scout said:

“The one in yonder, that I have put the handcuffs on,
is Merrifield Shelby, the father of Leona.”

Apache Charley, aiter the stoical manner of his race,
evinced the surprise which he must have felt merely by
a silent nod,

“Where you ketch?” he asked.

“Tie was in this hut, crouching over a fire which i
had just kindled with fresh fuel.

A sudden flash darted from the eyes of the young.

Indian.
“He know where Leona gone!’’ he exclaimed.
“I think you are wrong this time. He was a scared
and surprised-looking scoundrel when I told him that
Leona had escaped from the Apaches, and that she had
been here. It was a genuine surprise, too, I can vouch
for that. No, I don’t think he knows where she is.
But you say she went into a place that you had prepared
for her in case of danger. Tell me where that place 1 ae
“We have to go into hut. There I show you.’
When they had again entered the rock retreat Buffalo
Bill flung the end of a blanket over the face of his
prisoner.

wy e won't dea him any ot your secrets if we can
help it,” said the scout.

_ Apache Charley drew aside a wolf skin which was
hung so as to shut one corner of the iittle room off from
view.

Beyond was a hey of skins which Leone had ied
as her couch, while her faithful friend had crouched
on the rocks outside of the hut as a sentinel.

The couch was much disarranged, and, throwing
the skins aside, the young Indian showed wisat appear ed
to be a square section of wood flooring. eS ‘

This proved to be a sort of trapdoor, which Apache
Charley lifted up, disclosing a dark, on os space
underneath.

“Dat where she go to hide!’’ he said: pointing ‘down
into the black, yawning space. cS

Buffalo Bill dropped upon his knees and peered down
into the darkness. %

At the same time he. foe

“I can see nothing, but I can hear running water.”

oes, it1s underground creek. It make a big cave.
But Apache Charley g go all over it, and this the only way
to get in or out, ‘cept one. That a narrow place where
anybody not too big just crawl t’rough. Leona not
down dere. I took all round, I call her name, 1 crawl
trough odder way out. No find Leona!”

The scout unhesitatingly descended into the under-
ground chamber, and, with the help of his small lan-
tern, made a thorough search of the place.

It was as Apache Charley had said.

While the chamber was quite spacious, there were no

places around its walls where it was possible for a per-

son to find concealment, except by a narrow opening at
the opposite end, leading to the open air under a jutting
rock on a wall of the gulch.

This passage was too narrow for the body of Buffalo.

Bill, although at that time he was not so ce in form
as he became e later in life.
A stream flowed through the cavern, but it coe

and went out through passages which would not have

petmitted the passing of a boat or even a raft.
Buffalo Bill returned to the stone hut without having

discovered any clew to relieve the anxiety of the sree

Indian athlete.

They discussed the affair for some time, and oer:
ward went up the gulch together and examined the
other exit of the cavern from the outside,

Not a trace of light was thrown upon the mystery of
Leona’s disappearance, which, indeed, had excited some
curiosity in the mind of the scout when he had first
found Father Ambrose in the hut.

“Little can be done before daylight, ” said the scout.
“TI shall camp here until then. This is a piece of black
luck that I wasn’t looking for. I counted on getting
back to Placerville with my prisoner in good season to-
morrow. I was extra’ anxious to do so on account of
the mischief that I believe the Apaches are plotting
against the camp in the gulch. a

 

where

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“Ves,” said Charley, “dey going to wipe out the gold

an
‘ - 3 c ee c
' camp. I hear them say that ‘fere [ eome away trom
aS sf ‘their with Leona.”’
mM Leaving the young Indian to guard Shelby, Buffalo

Bill spent more than an hour in exploring the gulch,
ed § both above and below the little stone hut.

ed _ Still no trace of the missing girl was discovered.
At last the scout went in queers of his horse.
1g He found the jaithful apimal standing near the ae
od -where Buffalo Bill had fallen under the ies from the
Indian chief.
1€ The horse ore thither as-soon as the redskins:
ae had gene from the vicinity.
Staking the animal in the safest spot he could find,
n Buffalo Bill returned to the stone retreat to remain until
the first streak of dawn should relieve the izttense’ dar}
n ness of.the dreary Arizona jandsc ye
Then he prepared to go up the guich to Placerville.
Apache Charley cor nsented to accompany him only for
9 1

a short distance: his bly purpose being to make a
search for Leona in every place where, there was the
faintest possibility of. finding a trace of her.

The fact that the whole night had passed without
atly tidings of the nmussing girl having been received
made Buffalo Bill suspect that she might | in some way
have betrayed herself again into the hands of the In-
dians, and been carried away by them.

Of the cunning of the Indian there ig uo Hmit. With-
out appearing to possess great mental capacity, yet the
race is a never-ending source of wonder to the palefaces,
weeinee riendly or otherwi ise, for the new: evidences of

craftiness which are constantly cropping out of their
nature.

Buffalo Bill was familiar with their ways from oS 1+
hood. In his time he had formed several quite intima
friendehips with individual Indians from various tribe ES
along the oe Far. Westeri border.

So he had been schooled from boyhood in their craft,
until, with his siiperior intelligence, he was more than
a match for them even in cunning, as well as in marks-
manship and general prowess.

conceived by the brain of a redskin which caught him
Sinawares, and araavel him by its cunning.

Therefore the great scout never trusted to appear-
h «= anc or ordinary probaly lities when dealing with them,
whether in a trade or it hostilities.

 

6
i In the case of the missing girl, in the present instance,
h he was not ppared to make a definite move for her

rescue until he found something in the way of a clew
i more positive than anythin ¢ that had yet turned up.
The mind of the scout was busy on the mystery,
however, even while he said very little about it.

in the morning, when he went-for his horse, Buffalo
Bill found one of the Indian ponies, whose rider had
‘beén shot by the scout, rubbing noses with his own
splendid horse.

Se ni ope he ot am A

THE BUFFALO

Yet every i. ee while he was treated to some trick.

BILL STORIES. 2 te

Nothing. could have happened to please the scout
more. :

Ele had been bothered over the problem of transport-
ing his Cae to Placerville at a decent rate of Speed,
for | he did not wish to make his horse earry double

Indeed, the pretended priest had a rather por te pet-

son, and would have made a heavy extra burden far
the steed. ;

Shelby was in a sullen mood when the scout stitred
him up and informed him that né would have to take a
ride.

WNT] {

Where are you going to ner me?” he growled.

i hor a xide? was the laconic answer.

“T asked where?

“Tf there are any questions to be asked they will come
from meé, not you. Get on to that horse, and mind that
you make no fuss about it.”

he wae hands were still handcuffed. although
Cody had released them long enough to allow him to eat
a hasty breakfast of dried meat aid hard biscuit.

Buffalo Bill hdd-to assist him to mount the Indian
pony, and = élby hung back so that it was fo easy
matter ms se him to the saddle.

“Help 5 our freee, ts ordered the scout, sharply.

“How can 1 with nm 7 hand is fastened by these in-
fernal bracelets? And whet ig more, [ want to know
who you are, and what you are treating a holy man in
this fashion for? I si lippose you belong t6 the gentry
that hold up travelers for a bit of gold, wherever they
lig ;

ye
©
he
is

ect By

“You will find out in dué season what sort of gentry
IT belong to. Now help boost yourself into that saddle.

Still the prisoner hung a ack.
Suddenly Buffalo Bill ¢ his hunting knife and
gave the villain a sha rp prick ‘with it on the rump.

With 4 yell Pathe es gave a spring that
landed him high and dry in the saddle:

At this moment they ‘neat the clatter of hoofs com-
ing down the gulch.

The horsemen soon came into view, and at a glance
And he exclaimed in a

1D

Buffalo Bill recognized them.
low tone -

‘‘Now for it. Yonder come the Pickets from Placer-
ville!”

GHAPIER LX.
CLOSE WORK FOR BUFFALO BILL.

Had the party coming down the gulch consisted
of the:same number of painted and plumed Apaches
the problem oe ented for solution by the scout would

aple to him by contrast with the one

have see med

which was act all y before him.

The re ets ae Placerville were in reality a sort of
vigilance committee formed by a number of the miners
in the eu ie camp.

TT 1,

This camp, as has been intimated, was not made up

            
       
 
  

 
     
 
  
   
   
  
 
   
  
   
 
    
   
   
  
  
   
  
    
  
    
    
  
   
  
  
   
      
     
         
   
     
 

    
  

 

\

oi the most trustworthy elements of the mining frater-

nity.

There were good men among them, but even these

belonged to the class who had. in the Lee been unlucky

in the quest for gold.
Many of the oth ers were little better than bums or

gamblers, of the sort who flock to every new camp to

fee ce the industrious ones of their hatd earnings.

Yet, even among this class, Poverty Paul, who had
been treachere idly. murdered by’ his partner, was
liked, and they were as eager as any to bring the mur-
derer to a rope’s. end for his crime.

Prom such men as these, to a large extent, the Pickets
were made up. The most level- ‘headed man among
fies was Limping Luke, who has been already intro-
duced as the warm friend of the son of Poverty: Paul.

Buffalo Bill was acting as an officer of the law, and
it was his purpose to bring Merrifield Shelby to a
fair trial, according to the just laws of the country,
no. doubt but the deserved penalty for,his crime would
be inflicted by that means.

At the same time he knew that, if Shelby were. to
fall into the hands: of the. -Placerwille Pickets, they,

knowing who he was, would hang him as soon as

they could find an available place in that treeless. dis-

rick. “

The scout -was determined to avoid such an outcome
alee hazard.

Hence his: anxiety to hide the es of his
prisoner from the men who were approaching was sec-
ond only to that of Shelby himself. .

The scout was the first to observe the Pickets.

fH le spoke quickly to his prisoner.

Ope you care to face your doom in a square, civilized
style,’ said Buffalo Bull, “it will. be for your interest

to do just as I’say, and let me do all the ee. whe

the crew coming yonder gets up to us.
“If you prefer to try a feat of fancy rope dancing

ight here and now, you can have your wish mighty

easy by trying to make out your own case. While I
don’t profess to be a bosom friend to your sort, I, at
the same time, want 'to see you have a square deal, and
Vil do my part if you'll just keep your mouth shut.’

By this time Father Ambrose. had observed the
swiftly approaching horsemen.

His face was stained to represent a dark oles com-
plexion, like that of a Mexican of the darkest type.

- This added greatly to his disguise; and, with his
priestly garb, tonsured crown and other affectations,
the foe -up of the fugitive was excellent, ie

But as the scout looked keenly at him now he could
see that his skin paled underneath its stain, while he
trembled so violently that he could hardly retain his
seat in the saddle.

“My God! I am lost!’ mumbled the pretended pr iest.

The keen ears of the scout caught the words.

“If you will mind strictly what I tell you, I will try

well

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

1

rs

and keep them from stringing you up to the first tree

we come to, though you deserve it richly.

“You are well made up as a priest, and you look to be
a Mexican. Can you ve a little Spanish lingo: oF

“Ves—yes!”

“Well, pretend that you can understand nothing
else. Bode that, make out that you are deaf.
your part with good nerve and I will back you up in it.
It may be that I’ can pull you through. But it is a
ticklish thing to try.”

“Save me—save me! There is nothing I will not
do for you. If you want gold—money—promise -to
set me free and you shall have it, any price you may ask,
iy at beggars mel”
down in the excess of his sudden terror.

For the first time he felt certain that his captor knew
who he was, and of the | crime which he had committed
in’ Placerville.

“You can’t buy me that way, pilgrim!” exclaimed
Buffalo Bill, ster nly.

“And I’ve a mind to turn you over to the mercy of
the men yonder’to pay you for taking me for the sort
that a little gold may buy off.”

No, no! I do not know you. 1I—I oasit

“Tam William F. Cody, just now acting’ deputy mar-
shal, as well as a deputy sherifi—according to the terri-
tory that I may be required to patrol. “But you might
recognize me quicker as Bufialo Bill, of Nebraska.
That's the title that suits me best, too.’

The prisoner seemed to shrink into a smaller space as
he cast a swift, terrified glance into the face of the
scout.

 

But the latter recalled him to the danger which just

then impended, and which it would reget all his nerve
to face.

‘The horsemen were already within Betlcue distance,
and several of them recognized the scout.

They waved their hats in greeting, and their shotits
were borne to ay ears of both Buffalo Bill and his com-
panion.

‘““Ho!—he’s got Shelby, the galloot!” some of them
yelled, ae jumped to this: conchision.

“Now play the part of a deaf old Mexican priest, and
don’t wobble so as to fall off your horse,’ " admonished
the border man-hunter.

Shelby braced himself for the effort, aad knowing g
that his life—or at least a repriey ve-—depended on it,

ne made a fairly successful show of the: part he was
playing.

The scout had found a place where the horses could
be led down into the gorge, which, as has been stated,
was not very deep at that point, where it began to
widen into the gulch proper.

Having gotten his prisoner. onto the ineen pony,
he had released his hands upon seeing the delegation of
miners approach.

 

If the prisoner attempted to escape Buffalo Bill could °

have betrayed his real character instantly to the Pickets,

.

Play

pleaded the man, ready to break

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
  
  
     
  
  
    
  
 
   
   
  
   
  
 
  
 
   
   
    
  
   
  
   
    
   
  
   
   
   
  
   
 
   
   
  
  
  
  
    
  
   
      
ec

be

{0D

and the chances of the fugitive would be reduced to
rather less than a cipher.

The scout sprang into his own saddle just after his
last low-spoken direction to Shelby. | Both horses
started forward at a gallop.

Buffalo Bill leaned toward his prisoner and said:

“Now mind that you follow close and attempt no
) tricks, for Pll drop you out of that saddle if you do,
i and leave you no time for prayers!”

Then he rode ahead to meet the Pickets from Placer-

 

  
 
  

Limping Luke was in advance,

_ He pulled up short as his horse came alongside that
| of the scout.

' “Don’t let your men touch that old fellow
) want them to hang the @:ong man.”

| These were the words of Buffalo Bill.

|. “We thought ye'd got the galloot what put the knife
_ betwixt the ribs of Poverty Paul. Haven't you hearn
) nothin’ of him yit?”

# “Yes, he is where I can put my hand on him just as
» soon as the time is ripe. But there’s something else
"in the wind, Luke, connected with the case that makes
m it necessary to wait for a bit. Ill tell you about it
when I have a chance, and, meanwhile, you try and coax
your Pickets back to the gold camp.

 

you don’t

 

# sip. But. it wouldn't do for me to take him int6
| Placerville just yet. You know that I want a squar&
} game, Luke, and that no other kind can go around
# where I am.”
| “All right, Cody, but the boys’ll raise a howl, for
) they're countin’ on a hangin’-bee, with eatlhy at the
7 end of the hitch.’
“Go back and explain to them, Rule
to put off-the fun.”
“But that pilgrim on the hoss o
“Don't you know a Mexican priest when you see
one? And deaf as a post. But rustle back-to the boys
and don’t let them lay a hand on the old fellow.”
Limping Luke had great confidence in Buffalo Bill,
i but there was som ething about the situation that he
| did not understand.
: At the same time he oy that the Pickets
hard to restrain.
' They had their mouths all made up for a hanging
and having patronized Humble Hank’s Hall lelujah
Cafay pretty liberally before starting forth on the ex-
pedition, there was a chance that they might wish to
console themselves for their disappointment | by string-
ling up the old Mexican priest.
| eepey understood the possibilities of the case better
‘than did the scout, and that was why he was talking so
pmnany precautions. .
Just then they came up to the. Pickets of Placerville,
who, at a halt, were being harangued by Limping Luke.
A howl of mingled rage and disappointment went up
rom the throats ‘of the men.

They'll have

 

 

 

vould be

   
  

  
  
   
    
   
  

 

‘

“Merrifield Shelby is where he can’t give me the .

    
 

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. | 7

At the same time they espied the pretended priest.

Half a dozen put spurs to their horses and dashed
forward with yells. One of them, more skillful than
the rest, flung a lasso for the head of the priest.

The quick eye of Buffalo Bill saw the noose descend-
ing true to the mark.

With a lightning movement he raised his rifle and
fired at the lariat just as the noose dropped over the head
and shoulders of the prisoner.

_ The sharp ping of the rifle cut the air.

The rope dropped apart, cut in twain close to the

neck of Merrifield Shelby !

CHAPTER X,
APACHE CHARLEYS LONG RUN.

A moment of almost breathless silence ensued after
the feat of Buffalo Bill.

The noose writhed over the head of Shelby, bie like
a beheaded snake, it rested harmlessly on his shoulders.

he eyes-of the scout were on the man’s face, for
he expected that an involuntary exclamation might es-
cape him and betray, by voice or words, that he was
not what he seemed.

Shelby met the scout’s glance, and, although he shook
with a terror which he could not wholly hide, he merely
crossed himself as he uttered a pious exclamation in
Spanish. :

“Well done! Shelby is a fraud, but a mighty clever
one,” was the mental comment of Buffalo Bi I

The pretended priest took the noose off over his head
and flung it from him with a gesture of disgust.

The big miner who had throw n the lasso then ut-
tered a howl! of rage.

THe turned fur iously upon Buffalo Bill and cried:

“Tell me why ye did that thing, Bill Cody ?”’

The steady eyes of the scout met the gaze of the

enraged speaker.

“Suppose I ask the same question, Dave. Langley.
Why did you throw the noose?”

“Yo ketch the game and string him up—that’s why.’’

“Well, | stopped the play because that’s a sort of
sport that doesn’t go when I’m around. Does that ex-
planation cover, the case?”’

There was a subdued growl of hostility from a part
of the men, who were of the kind to stand by Dave
Langley.

At the same time several others gave utterance toa
faint murmur in approval of the action and words: of
Buffalo Bill.

Langley spurred his horse ee the scout, at the
same time growling some kind of a threat.

The horse which he bestrode was a powerful animal,
not remarkable for speed, but fully three hundred
pounds heavier than the li the, handsome steed of Buf-
falo Bill

The big rufhan’s intention was quickly manifested.

sf

  

 
 
   
 

   

  

With his horse spurred up fo its best, he fede devin
upon the scout ina
dowti the lighter horse by the force 6f the collision.

But Cody was quick to divine the other’s plirpose.

“He reined his owii steed to one side with marvelous
_celerity, and at the sa ime time bent forward in his-saddie
and caught at the lee of the giant as he passed.

“@ Phere w
big’ miner.

Up went the
down went the great hulk of a
his saddle,
“gulch.
There he lay ioe motionless, gasping, the breath
knocked out of him by the fall; while his. ae thun-
dered down the gulch.

Lan igley ’s backers started to ride Sonn ‘dese the scout
in a body. a

At the same time Limping Dake
the other faction of the Placerville Pickets to interpose
in behalf of Cody. o

But there was no need for then ¢ to do so.

Wheeling so as to place himself with his horse be-
tween the miners and his Prisoness Buffalo Bill pulled
a revolver and cried:

“Halt, evety man of you!’

‘They had seen one example of his “mnarksmanship,
and his fame with the revolver was a matter of iamullat
note through out the gr eat W oF

They pulled ip their ne ses with a suddenness that
almost flung them oe their anche

By this time the ree came tip, and a savage alterca-
‘tion broke out ieee n them as to whom of the crowd
was the greatest * salle. ae

It might have taken some time fr this question to
have beén settled had Langley not recovered his feet

eo whieh Buffalo Bill es seized, and
man, dragged clear OE.

at that stagé of the dis spute and declared that ev ery man |

of them was a galoot to let his horse run away.
This view of the matter sent one of his friends, who
_ was the best moutited, in purstiit of the runaway.

‘Buffalo Bill held a brief consultation vith Limping

Luke, As a result, by the time Langley’s horse was

“brought back, they were persuaded that the best thing
for all hands to do was to return as fast as they could
to Placerville and prepare to defend the camp from an
attack by the Apaches.

There was not a great quantity of gold in the camp
which they were in ‘danger of losing; but some of the

iners had their wives with theri, and this was enough

to take them more interested to put the settlement in
as good a condition as possible for defense.

“Go back as fast as you can ride with your Pickets,”
was Buffalo Bill advice. “The red devils are out for
bioad. :

SE happen to knew that they have sworn to wipe out
_ every mining camp im this part of the territory.”

With but little loss of time: the entire party made
Hank tracks for the camp. :

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

a fashion that was éalculated to throw

asa toar of rage ad eonstet: jation from the.

and leit to spraw! on the roc ze Moor of the:

_palaver.

attempted to rally
ey res,
scout afid pulled th
sight the weapon.

he reeied in his saddle.

XN

Buffalo Bill, with his prisoner, lagged in the rear un
til, in a short time, the party of miners had disajs-
peared.

Then Merrifie id Shelby rode up té the side ‘of the
ee
“You saved my life that time,”

“What of that 2”

“Do you mot care for the prat! itude of an-“an un-
fortunate man, who is the victim of a—a ¢ conspiracy ?”’

“Yes,.[ would like the gratitkde of that sort of a
man. But, you don’t fill the bill, Shelby. If there is
any conspiracy about this you'te not the ‘un-
fortunate Se a bit of it. So none of your

he éxelaimed,
business,

“T saved your neck from that unlawful noose just

¥
now, in order that you might havé another more
fectly fitted by the due course of law.

“Put out your hands now, for you’ve got to wear the
bracelets |”

The oth il t 1 | ! his

ihe other recoiled, and an ug ly gleam 1 shot dies I

By.a movement w shich was as deft as it was une
pected, he snatched a revolver from the holster of the
e trigger le any attemipt to
But ffalo Bill felt a hot streak across his shoulder and
‘At the same time Shelby wheeled his horse and
started down the guich at a furious pace.
The scout. did not fall.
the bullet dazed him for a single instant only.
Then he turned - hotse and rode in purst
treacherous prisonet
At the same ae he 4a ised his ee and calle d out to
hii:

Wit GE the

“Stop, you infernal wretch, or ae wing you!”
For answer the fugitive turned in his saddle, re-
volver in. hand,

id the rifle of. Buffalo Bill, the prince of bor.
en, spoke its message.
Shelby yelled with the sudde STi, biting paitt.

The fingers that held the. revolver were shattered
and the weapon fell upon the racks. j

A moment more and the scout aad averaken “athe
fugitive, brought his harse to a stop and ee went
about. bandaging the fingers. which his shot. had
striashed,

Hardly a sound escaped the
The pain and loss of blood Lok Pall re py of resist-
ance out of him for the time, and the invincibility of
his captor overcame him with a serisée of utter hel pless-
Hess 3 : 3

The seout was as eilent as his prisoner.

Their journey was presently resumed again, and for
some time they rode on at a moderate ae
Ad last Sl hel iby asked :

“Will you tell me, Buffalo Bill, where you
to take me? en

  

Cipy..
J
4.

are goilg

   

The shock and impact of

 

 

   
or

is

 
    
   
  
      
  
   
 
 
  

“You are particular to know?”
_ “Towant to know if you iritend to take me to Placer-
, ville?” .

“No.”

“Whither, then?” as

“Where you will have a fair trial. But you will
_have to face your accusers just the same, and meet jus-
tice. At Placerville you would get only a Judge Lynch
trial, and you know what that means.”
_ Shelby became silent again. As he revived some-
hat from the effect of the wound his spirits seemed to
evive, although he said nothing.
His eyes, veiled by heavy, black lashes, had an ex-
pression in them that indicated anything but submis-
on to his fate.
| At length, as Buffalo Bill cast a precautionary back-

 

It was Apache Charley, the Indian athlete.

_ Buffalo Bill retned up his horse. As he did so the

Apache youth made a signal for him to keep on.

a “Apache—coming!”” shouted the young Indian.

' The scout waited coolly. In another moment the

| youth had caught up with him. °

) “They’re coming—tride fast—hunderd of ’em!’’ he

!, gasped, for he was well-nigh spent with his long run.

” “Did you come ail the way from the stone hut to

| warn me?’ exclaimed Buffalo Bill.

«Yes, all way from stone hut. “But you goon. Dey

ride fast, horses fresh. Dey go to ’tack miners’ camp.

i Dey only little ways behind Apache Charley.”

» <And you think there are a hundred of them ?”
“Yes—yes. More than hundred.”

> “Well, youngster, you have done a big thing to run

| this far to warn me and the miners of Placerville. But

| 1 wasn’t going to the camp. Now, however, it looks

jas if I might have to, to pass on the warning.”

' “Yes, and go quick. Dey bound to revenge on Buf-

' falo Bill for Injun he kill yesterday. Go quick.”

| “What will become of you? They want your life

more than they do mine.”
“Apache Charley hide among the rocks.

He must
go back and search for Leona. Poor Leona—lost!”

_ The youth ended with the same mournful wail as
that with which he had first announced that the girl
was missing.

Shelby, a little way in advance, could not hear what
| passed between the scout and the young Indian athlete.
Buffalo Bill sent a keen glance into the face of the

youth.

But before he could speak the question which was on
his lips Apache Charley cried:

“Go on, quick—quick! I hear Injuns coming!”

The scout listened. The sound of a large body of
} horsemen approaching at a rapid pace pulsed in his ears.
_ “T reckon it will be a race for life this time!’’ he mut-
tered, as he wheeled his horse and overtook his prisoner.

 

i
ee:
}
t
t

i nga

‘
is

oe THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

i
CHAPTER XI.
BUFFALO BILL’S RIDE FOR LIFE.

Had Buffalo Bill not been hampered with the prisoner
the problem of escape from the overwhelming party of
Indians would have been greatly simplified.

He well knew that for a considerable distance the
sides of the gulch would not permit of their turning
out from it with their horses. And to abandon the lat-
ter was something which the scout would not do except
as a last resort.

Apache Charley had said that the Indians’ horses
were fresh.

Uhat meant, probably, that the party had been in
camp overnight at some point not very far from the
gulch, and that they had not, therefore, been riding
more than an hour or so.

The horse of the scout had rested through the night,
but on the previous day he had been pushed over an
unusually wearisome journey.

So it was likely that the steeds of the foe were in the
better condition for the race up the gulch, since Buffalo
Bill had been riding’ that morning as long, certainly,
as had his pursuers.

Tf the war party of Apaches had not numbered more
than one-quarter of the figure that the young athlete
had named, the scout would not have cared much for
their pursuit.

With his deadly long-range rifle he would have
counted on making it a costly business for them to try

to get close enough to make their shots dangerous to

him.

But a hundred warriors would feel more confident,
and he could not count on bluffing them off because he
dropped half a dozen of their number from their
saddles.

“Well, Charley,” said the scout to the youth who
had taken such a long run to warn him of his danger,
“you must make for cover before they get a glimpse
of you. You know they would show you no mercy if
they got.a sight of you. The time may come when I
can return the service you have done me to-day.”

“Good!” was the answer of the young Indian. .

And, like a shadow, he disappeared.

Alongside of his prisoner, Buffalo Bill said:

“Now we must ride for it Shelby. That horse you
are mounted on happens to be an extra good one, un-
less his looks belie him. See if he can keep up with
mine.” |

“Apaches in

toveg?

“How many?”

“T can tell better after I have had a chance to count
them. All you have to do, my pilgrim, is to keep that
horse ambling at his prettiest gait. If you don’t make
him keep up I’ll use spurs on you, not on the beast, so
have a care!”’

pursuit?” the prisoner asked.

 
THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.:-

The heavy lashes of the. fugitive hid the gleam of
cunning which his eyes expressed.

The scout, nevertheless, was on his guard against
treachery on the part of his prisoner. |

The man had already had a pretty good lesson in the:

lacerated fingers which he had to car ry to pay for his
bold attempt to escape.

Next time he would not make a trial after just that’

fashion, although Buffalo Bill did not think ior a mo-
ment that his prisoner had given it up.

Knowing, as the man did, that death by hanging
would be the penalty of a fair trial for the murder of
Poverty Paul, he was
than to face such a trial.

The pursuit of the Apaches seemed to offer fre a
possibility of escape, for he well knew that, as a rene-
gade from the mining camp, they would protect him.

The horses sped forwa wd neck-and-neck, and it was
plain that both were capable of a telling pace.

It was merely a question of Buffalo Bill's horse being
able to hold up, after the fatigue of the previous diy.

It was a fine animal, and yet, in the-matter of en-
durance, it was not the best that the scout owned, being
a recent purchase out of a bunch from which he had
first choice. eS

The gorge ran for a cansideratle distance on an al-
most perfectly true curve.

Therefore for a time there. was no danger of their
pursuers getting a sight of them.

When the Indians should come into view the music
would be pretty sure to begin in earnest.

« Buffalo Bill soon obser ved that the horse of his pris-
oner was beginning to lag in the pace. He fell bebing
half a length.

The scout was too good.a judge of bores to believe
that this loss was necessary.

He bent toward the pretended priest and said:

“Keep up, Shelby! y

The other pounded the flanks of his steed with his

heels, but the alert eyes of the scout observed that the
spurs, with which the boots of the man were provided,
aid not touch the horse at all.
- “Keep up!” was the crisp command.
"The beast is doing his best.”
“You know better.
me again I will shoot both you and the horse.” .

able ?”’ 1
“Manage any way you like, pilgrim, but I’ve given
you my word as to what will happen if you fall behind
half a length, What I say will go, and you mustn’t
take any chances on the other, side of the argument.” _
Immediately the horse of the prisoner began to gain,
and although Buffalo Bill’s steed was doing close -to his
best, that of Shelby began to forge ahead.

This turn to affairs seemed to give the prisoner an-

other idea, and as a consequence be was soon a whole
length in the lead,

ready to take any. risk rather

lf you fall a half length behind

“Flow can I make the animal do better than he is

A faint smile cuvied the lips of Buffalo Bi “Ul,

“Now he is going to try to outride me and give me

the slip in that way,’ muttered the scout. . a

“But he is up against something that he has never: |
had'a chance before to: fairly measure up. I wonder if
he thinks I won't shoot in one direction as quigk ast:
would in another ?’ .

He allowed Shelby to gain three full lengths, and
then up went the revolver ‘of the scout and tie report.
whipped the air.

A cry went from the prisotier,
hand—neither having been confined since one of therm —
had been wounded—-went up to his leit ear.

A piece of the ear had been nipped off, and
dripped down, upon the fat neck of the victim.

His horse slowed down at the same time, and, while
not a word escaped his lips, it was plain that he under-
stood the hie warning from | his captor. For, after
that, he was careful to keep is horse at an even pace
with his ae nion.

There was no sign of the Apaches having gained any.
as yet in the race. But the cotrse of the gorge became |
straighter, and presently a ack Sad glance showed

the. blood .

Buffalo Bill the foremost of the pursuing horsemen.

Almost at the same instant that the scout discovered
the first of his pursuers the latter sent back a signal to
his followers showing that he had seen the fugitives.

Then the hideous yell s of the savages sent their wild
notes up the gorge, and at the same time the pursuing:
horses were whipps ed wp to-a more furious pace.

It was evident that they had either recognized Bui--

falo Bill even at this distance, else they were pretty
well informed as to the scout’s position, and therefore
were expecting to see hint at that point.

The scout urged his horse to a still better pace, in the ©
hope that they “might reach a point where they could _
leave the confines of the gorge before the eee
with the foe should actually. begin.

But this was a vain hope. He had been through the
gorge but once before, and on the other occasion “darks
1ess had come on while he was traversing several miles
along that section of the rock-bound passage. There-
fore he had but a slight idea concerning the landmarks
and peculiarities of the road.

For,a short time it could not be seen that the Indians
gained on the two horsemen whom they were pursuing.

But prese ntly the fastest of the Indians’ horses be-
gan to forge ahead of their companions, and at the same
time it was plain that they were going faster than Cody
and his prisoner.

“Now for it!’ muttered the scout. oo

The range was yet a long one, but Buffalo Bill knew > |
that he could not begin to pick off the overwhelming
odds which were opposed to him-any too soon.

He sighted his rifle more carefully than usual, and
before he fired he sa w puffs of smoke from several of
the weapons of his foes.

When the report of his own rifle ese upon ioe 5

 

and his uninjured
THE BUPFALO BILL STORIES, - oe

he saw the foremost of the pursuers reel in his sad-

and then sink forward upon the neck of his horse.

t was evident that the redskin, who was a-chicf,
wounded rather than killed, for the other warriors
d up their steeds and gathered about their stricken
er.
his was just what Buffalo Bill had intended. Had
lled-the savage outright t the others would not have

bped to act for his relief. Now there would be a

time gained while they were stopping to ascertain
xtent of their leader's hurt.

fe did not fire again then. The more furious he
le them, at this stage of the pursuit, the harder
uid they press in the following.

To gain time—that is the only point to be gained
7,’ was his reflection. 3
ily the foremest of the savages halted at all, how-

The others, as they came up with their wounded
r, pressed on. But the fact that they were in the
ot the fist division of the cavalcade proved that
horses were not so swift.
t the next few moments Buffalo Bill gained a little
is-horse was standing the test nobly.

adeed, he could see that the mount of his prisoner

ised to get tagged first, after all.
hen he next glanced back he saw the whole party
ee sweeping up the gorge at a great pace, and
yells and scattering shots m rade a din which might
e Sc ppalled the stoutest heart.
he Prince of Bordermén had been raced for his life
‘than once dtring his eventful career. Those su-
horsemen, the Comanches of the Southwe
s the Sioux of the North, had ridden hard upon
ail,‘and with fearful odds against him. ~
t he was in this case to find himself in as close a
as had ever fallen to his lot.

ie shots of the foe mostly went wide of their mark.’
?

igh there appeared to be a few long-range rifles

g@ them.

4 just as the scout turned to begin his deadly re-
re—a return which was sure to empty a saddle at

Pad every shot—a spent bullet from one of the

y struck Buffalo Bill’s horse on the hock.
e noble animal was brought almost to a pee.
was crippled for the race!

CHAPTER XIL

TO THR DEATH!

as characteristic of the great scout that he should
irst of the injury and pain of his horse, instead
critical situation in which the mishap placed his
ite.
ck went the shot which he was directing at the
mt; then he leaped from his saddle and almost at
fice took in the extent of the injury to his horse.

Sl, as

It was too serious to admit of a hope that the animal
would ever regain the full use of the injured limb.

“None of the lead of the infernal wretches shall end
your life, or add to your misery, anyhow!” exclaimed
Buffalo Bill.

Aad, without hesitating for an stant, he placed the

muzzle of his heavy revolver to the animal's head and
fired.

The horse dropped in his tracks, his death a painless
one.
Shelby had gotten a little ahead as the pace of Cody’s
stee ad slackened, but he dared not keep on for fear of
another reminder of his captor’s command.

Fle halted, and, looking back, saw what had hap-
pened.

A gleam of triumph leaned into his eyes.

He believed that Buffalo Bill was now at the mercy
of the overwhelming party of redskins, and that his
own escape was, theref ‘ore, assured.

“Ee laughs best who laughs last,

It was all he could do to restrain |
audible expression of his exultation over the turn of
affairs

But his feeling of triumph was short lived.

The gleaming eyes of the scout met his, and the s
command came:

“Dismount!

“Then you will force me to share your fat er’ he
cried, a quaver in his voice.
“Down from that horse!”

Another glimmer of hope came to the prisoner.

Perhaps his captor intended to appropriate his—
Shelby’s—-steed, and so win out in the race, or at least
stand a good chance of doing so.

That would leave the pretended priest to fall into the
hands of the redskins, which was precisely what he de-
sired, a

But the next words
likewise.

“Yonder there looks to be a “way of clambering to
the top-of the gulch wall. Maybe we'll never reach the
summit, but it is the only show we have. Lead te
way, lively, and I’ll follow at your heeis,”

“No, no!—save yourself, Buffalo Bill!’ cried the
other, as if he was under an impulse to sacrifice him-
self for the scout.

The latter smiled grimly.

“You have your orders, Shelby.
Ill find a way to prick you on,”

The oe obeyed. He was finding out that this ~
handsome, quiet-spoken man of the border was as in-
vincible as ite por

And, as he realized this, he began to sweat under
the conviction that he was doomed to suffer the penalty
for his crime, just as the scout had ordained,

No matter what the obstacles might be, no matter
how many foes disputed the way, the will of the Prince
oi the Border seemed to rule everything.

” quoted Shelby.

tern

of Buffalo Bill killed that hope

Amble lively, or

ches ata nae NEED RI Pte

 

himself from some. -

ee
ao THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

1 Wasa eae climb,

At the same time the on-coming meddene: were near

enough by this time to make their marksmanship a
great risk to Buffalo Bull.

But, clambering up among the jagged rocks, the fugi-
tives were par tially shielded. They could hear the bul-
lets chipping the rocks on all sides of them, and the dust
and splinters spattered their faces.

The danger to Shelby from the shots of the enemy
was nearly as great as that of his captor, for the In-
_ dians were not particular about whom they might hit.

Halfway up they came to a spot where it seemed as
if they could go no farther.

Shelby was inclined to be fat, and the ie exer-
tion made him gasp for breath.

vi cant climb any further, “he panted.) ~ We're
trapped here, and they'll shoot us down as they please.
(They'll fill us full of lead.”

Buffalo Bill squeezed himself between a loose bow!der
and the solid wall of rock. Here he faced about,
brought up his repeater and began to rain lead down
upon the Indians, who were now within easy range.

Then Shelby, with daring eyes, saw the scout draw
a revolver with each hand and begin to pump the
deadly messengers down upon the horsemen.

Every shot seemed to tell. The warriors toppled
from their horses as if they were being mown down by
an invisible scythe.

Their yells of dismay, their wails of death agony,
their howls of rage, all made up a strange chorus that
seemed to be taken up and echoed by a thousand
demons hidden among the rocky: niches of the gorge,

A. panic seized them.

Riderless horses galloped wildly up and down the
gorge. Apaches whipped their ponies into a frantic
flight.

It seemed to them that they were under a rain of
leath—they half-believed that the scout, whom they
had been pursuing, had reached a rendezvous where a
Bcore of his comrades were hidden, and — all had
ppened fire upon the red foe.

Of course, they would soon discover their mistake;
end then they would resume the pursuit of Buffalo Bill,

the terrible dead-shot plainsman, with a yet more oe

ful determination.

But a little more time was gained, and again the
Bcout turned to Merrifield Shelby and said:

, ve climb. You know what it will mean to hang
ac 99

Shelby glanced helplessly up the almost smooth face
pf rock above the spot where they stood.

Buffalo Bill seized the man by the hips in a eee of
ron.

“There is a ledge just Ghote that will give you a
foothold,” he said. “I will help you get to that, and
beyond the way looks easy. You will have to give me
a lift from above when you get up there. Mind and

e

mate no line for I would trust one of those. painted ¥ ?

Apaches further than I would you.’

The scout lifted, and Shelby clambered upon the.
projection. which otherwise would have been just be
yond his reach.

“Now give me your hand,” ordered the scout.

The other obeyed.

In a moment the twain stood upon the narrow ledge,
Shelby on the inner side, Cody on the outer.

It seemed to the former that a quick push might send
his captor headlong down into the gorge. His muscles
and nerves tightened for the desperate trial.

Then he chanced to look into the face of Buffalo Bill
and saw that he was smiling. Another glance showed
him the ae muzzle of a revolver covering his
heart.

The first treacherous move would have been his
doom.

“No, my pilgrim,” said the scout, “I wouldn’t try
to do that tine for you mightn’t be able to dodge the

_ bullet.”’

The other fell back against the face of the be
white as death.

“You have the wit va a fiend, the eye of hawk! Y? mut-
tered the man.

“Perhaps. siya se ‘Il be on the safest side not
to try to win your trick when I hold all the trumps. ot
you have a chance it will have to come later.”

“T didn’t believe any human could get ‘out of the
trap you were in down there in the gorge ten minutes
ago with his life. And yet I believe you will escape
that crew now, and not lose your grip on me at that.”

“You seem to have as good an opinion of my. abilities

as my friends hold,” smiled the scout.

“I—I wish you were of the sort that gold auld
buy,” muttered Shelby, as if speaking to himself.

“Don’t you think I am?”

“it is said that every man has his pe

“Perhaps I have mine.’

“Name it.’

ot Bolas :

“Yes, in gold, of in anything that sold § salt buy.”

The color was creeping back into the cheeks of the
prisoner. Hope was being born again in his brain.

“If you think, Cody, that I am a poor man because
IT have been spending many months in this desolate |
region prospecting for gold,-then you are mistaken.
Counting our—Poverty Paul’s—claim at Placerville
out of the reckoning, Iam a rich man, I have heard
it said that you were not—that you didn’t have the gift |
of getting wealth like some mem less able than you in
other ways. What is the use of being poor, Cody?
Here is your chance. I will, in the hour that you tell
me I am free, put a paper in your hands that will make
you independent for the rest of your life. ae

“Come, what do you say? It may be a long day )
before such another chance comes your way.”

 
he
hs,
pe

Eyole,
*

es

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

Let’s get cleat of this devil’s hole,” said the scout.
len we'll talk.”
6 Buffalo Bill had reckoned, the balance of. the
int from the gorge was comparatively easy.
hey soon found themselves on the slope ‘above the
sc, amid rocks, sand and sage brush.

Now we'll move on,’ was the scout’s next order.

Wait, Cody. A man will pay a high price for his
m0 you know it?

¥és, arid sell it mighty cheap sometimes.

I would. give you iwenty thousand déliars.”

FP Not high enough,’

eT hitty, ‘thousand ?

Pd,

Shelby’s face glowed.

UN ame your price,’ he whispered.

“An even billiontiot a@ bit léss-cash ‘down?
“My God, oo Shoot me how. I can’t face my
a{””

CHAPTER XII.

Soe GHARLEY S LEAP FOR LEONA,

Back to the stone hut in the gorge.

There, by the flickering glirnmer of a small fire on
s hearth sat Leoria Shelby. And near her stood
pache Charley, her dusky -skinned rescuer.

It was the day following the events of the preceding
japters.. :
Where liad Leora been
wery which will be most naturally a
counts, the Indian youth had report
It is easy to explain, although the

during all this time? is the
— bor, at last

1 her as “‘lost.’’
explanation indy

sontain something of a surprise.
| The girl was concealed in a small cavern a short

tance. from the stone hut all the while that Buffalo
Bill was searching for her, and Apache Charley knew
t, for he directed het to the place of concealment and

charged her to remain there until he should teil her it

was safe for her to comé out.
That he should take these means to hide the girl
rom theif red=skinned foes is easy to understand. But
nay not be so easy to see why he should pretend to
Butialo Bill that Leona was missing, and that he did
fot know what had become of her.
It may be said that the scout 6ncé or twice more than
lf f-suspected that the Apache youth knew more than
would tell about the disappearance of Leona. But
1ething happened each time to prevent his speaking
A
t.
ii any case, the wily craft of the young Indian had
served her from recapti re by the Apaches. But
€ was at this moment no nearer a place of absolute
ity among her people than she had been on the
nd day aiter her escape from the Indians.
Why may I not be taken now to the mining camp
you have spoken of, up in the eile ch?” she asked.

/ 23

“Tnjuns go there last night—big war party. Maybe
camp all wipe out.”
“Then why not go to the town further om toward

the fac spettps ? Iam tired of staying here.”
shadow crossed the brow of Apache Charley.

4 net tired stay here, if Leona sing and me play

fiute,”’

“You have been very kind to mé, and always réspéct-
ful, and ready to do anythi ng [ asked. But now | want
to go t6 my father if he can be tound.”’

“wi hat if wé fy find him?’
“We surely will 1f we can get to t
iMay inquire.”

Th he other shrugged his slender shoulders.

““Mayhe not,” he said.

Then he suddenly added:

“You like your father a heap lot?’

“Yes, I loved my father.”

He alw ays good to Leona?”

“Usually, yes. He was a Strange man in some
ways. Sometimés I felt that I did not know him.
fé were both captured by your people and

the big towns where

And when w
he es¢e i lw Jered that | oe pas a 5 a f
1€ escaped, 1 woncerea that ne never sent atly force o
soldiers or scouts to rescue me.”
“Your father maybe not care it you stay with my
per opie
“What makes you think that?’
You know Buffalo Bill sav he in mini
“Vou know Buffalo Bill say h
ago, have trouble, go away. So he not s
my people that kéép you prisoner. W1
with men to get you free?”

“IT do not know, unless he

dead.”’

“Ugh!” grunted Apache Charley, with a look of dis-
gust.

The gitl sprang up and seized his hand, looking tip
int to his face.

“Tell me what you know about my father.

sure you are keeping something back.”

“Vour father and mine both have hard heart. They
not love their children as they should. ‘They both
cruel, kill own friends.”

Leona srew pale. She besan to understand that
there was a dark secret in the life of her parent of
which the Indian youth had some knowledge.

It. was but natural that she should wish to know the
character of that secret; and yet there was something
in the manner of her companion that made her feel
a sort of dréad of asking more.

After a brief silence, during which the mind of the
girl was intensely busy, she said:

“I khow now that you have not told me all that
you know about my father. You ate Reepitie some
thing back that vou think would take me feel. badly
t6 know.

hg camp while
eat way from
he not came

ot
a
ia,

has been told that I am

1 2in

In this you intend to be kind.

“But you must riot think that [ am like a baby, to
cry. and Wal il because SOHime thing male es meé unhappy Tt
is harder for mé i6 think ahout this mystery ad to

 
a ; , THE BUFFALO BIL SLORLED.

worry about my father than it would be for me to.
iknow the whole truth, no matter what it may be.”
“Buffalo Bill think Leona better not know “bout her
ect just yet. Wait till we see great white scout
gain, maybe he tell her all ‘bout it.”
ae tried hard to prevail upon her friend to dis-
close the secret.
determination.
So she had to give it up.

But her original request was unsettled. It seemed

to her that ihe time had come for her to be conducted ,

away from the lonely hiding place in the gulch. She
could not understand the young Indian’s apparent re-
luctance to leave the place.

It could not be fat he remained because it was com-
fortable for himself, for there was not a night that he
had not spent every hour of the time out in the gulch,
without any shelter from the cool mountain breeze.

Sometimes he patrolled up and down ata little dis-

tance from the hut for an hour at a’ time.
Then he would crouch outside close to the door and

doze, as a cat sleeps, opening his eyes at every slight

noise.

“Tet us start for a town to-day, Charley,” she urged.

“Injuns not come back from raid on Placerville ‘Vet.
Might meet some of them.”

“You say the nearest town is in another econ

“Injun all round, watch for Apache Charley and
Leona. Not safe to go for two, three days yet.”

oT believe you like to keep me here as long as you
can.’

The young redskin laid a hand on hers.

‘Why not like to stay with Leona?) Why Leona not
like to stay with Charley? We sing, play flute, be free
like birds. Charley hunt for Leona, make her better
house, be heap happy always.”

Then for the first time the girl suspected the truth.

Her young rescuer loved her, and would make her.

his wife, young though he was.

The realization caused her heart to beat swift with
a new fear.

But as she looked into the eyes of the youth she saw
nothing there that should cause such a feeling.

His expression was full of kindness and love.
once had he shown any other feeling.

It might be, that by treating his sincere offer with
scorn, his love would turn to hatred. In that case even
his naturally gentle nature might become savage and
dangerous.

But there was no reason why she should treat him in
that way. That she could ever be the wife of the
young Indian Leona Shelby well knew to be impossible.

But that was no reason why she should not respect
the feeling which he had manifested for her. He had
sacrificed all his kindred and the wild, free life of his
race, all to save her from a hated captivity.

_ She could now feel nothing but tenderness and grati-
tude toward the noble-hearted Indian youth.

Not

But he could not be moved from his

She looked frankly into his eyes. There were tears |

jn hers as she spoke the words which she knew must

give him pain. But she uttered them as gently as she
could; and showed him at the same time that she felt |

really proud that he should- Ne offered her such an |

honor.

Her words were so frank and sincere thes a under
stood that her feeling was genuine.

But his face fell, and he turned away and was silent
for several moments, not wishing her to see the emo- '
tion which he could not wholly hide.

Fle was disappointed more than it would be easy to |
realize, because he had come to believe that'it was but {
natural that the beautiful white girl should love one
who had sacrificed so much for her.

Besides, he was the son of a chief in his tribe, and

~ was famed far and near as a great athlete, all of which,

in his estimation, should have Vee in the girl’s
heart in his favor. j

He soon faced her again, and his tones \ were sad as
he said:

eee will take Leona to her people and then bid
her good-by. He will go into the mountains and do
battle alone with the wild beasts and the deadly foes of |
his own tribe. Then Leona will be happy.” :

“T will not be happy if Charley goes away like that.
I want you to stay near me and be. my friend.”

The other shook his head.

But he did not refer to the matter again at that time.

“T tell Leona truth now,” he said, with a faint smile.

“What. is, it?”

“Charley keep you hid from Buffalo Bill because I

‘not want him tale you away. Charley fool the great J

scout, after all.”

Leona could not find it in her heart to complain of |
her rescuer’s deception. And, had she but known the |
truth, she had cause to be thankful that she had not |
accompanied the scout at that time, for it might have |
been difficult for him to have gotten her to “place of 4
safety in the face of all the dangers which he was to en- |
counter.

ie day passed uneventfully, the young Indian ath-
lete promising to do all he could toward taking her to
a white settlement on the morrow. It was true that
he did not think it prudent yet to start on the journ 1ey,
which at best would be full of peril.

The wisdom of his judgment was soon to be demon-
strated. :

Early the next morning he ascended out of fie gorge
to reconnoiter.

To his dismay he beheld a small war party of Apaches
just breaking camp only a short distance below. _

Several of them were advancing, as.if to see what
they might discover in the gorge, and Charley had to
make his way to a point some distance farther up or
be seen by them.

It soon became clear that they would go down into

 
ont ‘i

ae.

le.

at

he |

At

tO
OL

to

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. 25

gorge. The young Indian knew that they could
dly fail to discover Leona in the stone hut.

or him to return to her by way of the easy descent
ch he had just used in coming up was impossible.
a he must et to her without an instant’s oe of

He looked aoa from the spot where he cee
was a sheer, precipitous descent. Yet he began to
down, clambering with his wonderful agility.
alfway down he had to stop. He could find foot-
dno farther. Yet he did not hesitate.
‘Fle made a desperate leap, landing on the roof of the
one hut.
Bruised, bleeding, in pain, he crawled into the hut!

CHAPTER XIV.

BUFFALO BILL'S DOUBLE CINCH AT PLACERVILLE.

double duty devolved upon the shoulders of Buf-
lo Bill, and at the same time he was by no means out
danger on his own account.
While it would be difficult for the redskins to get up
the open plain with their horses, yet there was a
ance that some of them might succeed in doing so
some point a little farther up the gulch.
Then it-would be easy for them to cut off the flight
Df the scout with his prisoner, for it will be remem-
dered that they were now both on foot.
The distance to Placerville from that point was not
eat. But the scout knew that there would be a big
ance that Shelby would be hanged without a regular
al if he were to bring him into the mining camp.
Yet there was nothing else possible for him to do
der the circumstances.
So he directed their steps in the direction of the min-
ing camp, gruffly ordering his prisoner to move as lively
he knew how.
Shelby obeyed.
| The man had little hope now of escaping from his
captor. At the same time, when he came to be turned
over to other hands it might be that an opportunity
would come.
. His greatest fear was of Buffalo Bill, for the latter
tould not be bribed nor cajoled.
_ They pursued their way toward Placerville, follow-
ng the course of the gorge.
As they drew near the downward slope that led to
e spot where the mining camp was located they were
rtled by the sound of yells and rapid firing from the
rge close by the camp.
The scout knew the cause. The La had at-
ked Placerville, and he would be just in time to take
hand in the defense of the town.
He struck into a loping run, and, although it made
HS companion sweat and puff from the unusual exer-

t on, Shelby was forced to keep up.

i ale LU aL ak oe ee ees pa SES es

The Indians had not.yet attempted to surround the
town, but had merely made a dash up the gulch, firing at
ali the miners who were in sight, and preparing to set
fire to the nearest cabins.

But Limping Luke with the Placerville Pickets were
soon rallied to the defense, although the leader found
it difficult to keep the miserable crew under sufficient
discipline to make the fighting effective.

There were a few good marksmen among them, how-
ever, afid they met the redskins in a fashion which
drove the latter to cover.

The Apaches expected to take the town wholly by
surprise.

Not succeeding in this, they retreated to a safe dis-
tance for consultation, and to prepare to make an at-
tack from all sides at once.

Spies from the tribe, in the guise of friendly trad-
ing Indians, had visited the mining camp, and the at-

tacking party, therefore, well uriderstood the character
of men with whom they had to deal.

They felt sure of making a complete clean-out, and
it was for this purpose that they had started out with a
party large enough to overwhelm the white foe without
a lurking chance of a slip in the programme.

Buffalo Bill approached the camp in the gulch by a
detour which brought him in on the side where the
cabin of Paul Parsons stood.

As they came in sight of the shack Shelby suddenly
halted.

“Tl not go a step farther!’ he groaned.

The sight of the scene of his crime was more than he
could endure, and his face was as white as death.

“There's no help for it. But I won't ask you to
go into that cabin. There is another hut near it which
has been deserted, and I will smuggle you in there, if
I can, without anybody seeing you.

“The men are mostly engaged now on the lookout
for the redskins at the lower end of the camp, and
you will be safe here until the row with the Apaches
is Over.

“I think too much of your safety, my pilgrim, be
sure of that, to neglect any precaution. So rest easy
for the present. I’m not going to stop trying to have
you hung regular when the Tight time arrives.”

Shelby submitted with a groan. It seemed to him
that all the fates were conspired to force him to stand
the victim of the invincible scout’s sense of justice.

Buffalo Bill took the prisoner into the deserted hut
referred to, put the manacles on the man’s wrists, bound
his legs, and left him.

A moment after the scout was at the door of the cabin
which had belonged to Poverty Paul, and which was
then occupied by the son and heir of the dead pros-
pector.

Paul Parsons was hot within. But just as the scout
knocked the young man came running up.

Bika leche Been Re ee ta kc wee diethoe ee

 
  

oO. tHE BUPFAL

“Ah |—Col. Cody, I believe?’ he exclaimed.

“Yes, or Buffalo Bill, if it suits you as well, Mr. Par-
sons. I am here in time to take a hand in the picnic
that the Apaches have gotten up for your benefit, I
hope?”

“Yes. There seems to be an overwhelming party of
.them in the gulch below here. Three of our men were
killed in the first attack. The miners are under poor
discipline, and the outcome worries me.”

“The redskins will be likely now to try strategy, or
perhaps attempt a siege, for they hate to risk their
precious bodies in an open battle.

“Are Limping Luke and the Pickets on
defense ?” |

“Yes. But too many of them have been spending
their time in Humble Hank’s Cafay, as the place is
called, for their own good. It is hard to keep them
down to good work.”

hand for the

“T would like to see you for just a moment, Mr. Par-
sons, and then I will take a hand in the row with the
Apaches.”

The next moment they were alone together in Paul’s
eabin.
“You knew,” said the scout, ‘‘that I started out two
or three days ago to find Merrifield Shelby, who mur-
dered your father?’

“Yes, I knew.

“T have arrested the man.”

“What!”

“You know the citizens of the camp would be likely
to hang him with seant trial if they got their hands on
him at this time. You, who have most cause to seek
vengeance for his crime, I judge, would rather that the
law should take its course ?’’

And have you found a clew?”

“Yes, yes, by all means
your prisoner?”

But where have you taken

“He is in the deserted hut next to yours, I have him
secure, and the only danger is that he be discovered
by some of the miners, T must go and lead in the de-
fense of the camp, for I judge that I will be needed,

and I will look to you to see that no one enters that

nat,”
“You may depend upon me, Mr. Cody.”

A little later Buftalo Bill was in consultation with the
Jeader of the Pickets of Placerville.

it was agreed on all sides that the miners should not
allow themselves to be driven away from their canip

O BILL STORIES.

" concealed pretty completely among the rocks.

We must not wait fer them to get out of the gulch

and one hanging on either side.

 

by the redskins. At the same time, unless the latter
were repulsed before nightfall there appeared to be a
good chance tha at a successful attack on the camp might | ce
be made by the wily foe. , a

“My idee is, that if they're driv at all, it will have
to be afore the infernally dark Arizony night sets in,”
was the opinion of Limping Luke.

“And it is my idea,” added Buffalo Bill, “that you
would find it a tough job with your crowd to drive close
to a-hundred Apaches out of the gorge by daylight,
when there’s a chance for them to observe every move
that you make, and at the same time to keep ne es

 

 

“Then what is your plan? Night ain’t fur off, and

Vil feel oneasy to have the black night shut down and oe

know that them hellyons is wat tehin’ fer a chance to Ue

BOUNCE on us -

In a few words the cool- “nerved scout of t
outlined his scheme.

a

the plains

“It is best,” he remarked, in conclusion, “that you
should mention this only to three or four of your most
trusty men. Otheravise, they are so reckless, that they
might become over-confident of sticcess and give it all
away to the enemy. You can see the need of caution.’’ ~

“You bet!
breechin’.”’

 

 

Count on me, Cody, clean up to the

The preparations for the execution of Buffalo Bill's
plan were compieted before the sun reached the horizon,

 

During the interval of time thus occupied, the savaged Eo
in the gulch below were ominously quiet. |
“They'd like to have us believe they had
the durned racket,”’ vied Luke.
“Yes. They're waiting for the dark. T kn they wit
steal upon you frem several directions at the same timé.

given a}

STON

    
 
  
  

 

We want thenvall in a’ bunch.” ao
A little before sunset a doleful-looking . pack mauie
was driven out.of the camp from the end at which Pa
Parsons’ cabin was located.
The animal was accompanied by Buffalo Bill and two |
of the steadiest miners in Placerville. Limping Luk
had to remain behind to keep the Pickets in order. |

oO

The mule had something packed on his back tha
looked like a couple of city milk cans, hitched togethey,

   

Ta
They were covered by sacking, and faste ned on very a
carefully. (

   
   

PB OM

 

 

 

The mule went at a cautious cae Buffalo Bill did

n | the driving, and he was as careful of that mule as

pie the beast was his best friend.

_ They arrived at the brink of the gorge directly over
where the Apaches were encamped just as darkness be-
: gan to shut down upon the scene.

_ The mule was’led to the very edge o€ the declivity,
where he seemed resigned to stay until the next act on
he programme should be called.

| The two miners retreated to a ook dence and
Buffalo Bill stood off about sixty paces away from the
mule.

  
   
 
 
    
  

ee He raised his rifle and took as careful aim as he ever
_ did in his life, and there could be no doubt but that
= the patient old mule was doomed toa sudden and pain-
~ “less death.
The rifle cracked. The mule swung over and fell to
he bottom of the gorge, right among the Indians.

      
   
   
 
 

 

_ Boom!—the walls of the gorge seemed to close like a
pair of monstrous jaws. The redskins were swallowed
up in its giant maw!

- The cafs slung over the mule’s back ee nitto-
glycerine, from the miners’ stock of explosives stored in
the Placerville camp.

 

~ It was Buffalo Bill’s day at the unlucky camp in the
e us

a ‘ CHAPTER XV.
CONCLUSION.

Probably fully one-half of the Apaches camped in the

‘ gulch, and, awaiting the fall of darkness before mak-
- ing an attack on the miners, were killed or disabled by

4 _ the explosion. :
To them, it was as if the crater ‘ab a volcano had

é opened in their midst, and the hills closed upon them.

The survivors did not wait to meet the sally of the
Placerville Pickets which was made as soon as the
dust and smoke from the explosion had cleared.

_ Most of their horses had been tethered below their
camp, so there were more than enough to go around
. when they made their precipitate flight.

Altogether, the expedition of the Apaches had ned
out to be their Waterloo. And it was not strange that
_ they connected the disaster, which they did not un-

 

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

: derstand, with the escape of. Buffalo Bill, whom they

    

 

ai

once thought they had safe in their cas baie his
dead horse in the gorge.

For the Prince of Bordermen it was what he called
a “double cinch’ at Placerville, for he had made sure
of Merrifield Shelby and slaughtered and repulsed a big)
band of Indians all in the same running fight.

Meanwhile, down at the stone hut, Apache Charley
had done a brave deed in the daring leap upon the
rocks, taken to warn Leona of her peril.

He had been able to crawl into the hut, to tell the
girl of their danger, and to descend with her into the
cavern underneath the stone house before the inquisi-
tive Indians could poke their ugly faces into the shelter,

Finding no signs of the fugitives in the place, the
redskins took it for granted that they had fled to some
other place of refuge, and they spent but a brief time
in exploring the spot.

‘he hurts sustained by Apache Charley from the dar-
ing leap were painful rather than serious, and it is
certain that he had a sympathetic and tender nurse in
Leona, whom he had again saved from death or capture
at the hands of the persistent Apaches.

Before nightfall Buffalo Bill and Paul Parsons ar-
rived, well mounted, at the stone hut, and with two led
horses.

The young Indian, sore from his hurts, was not
sorry to see them, although he well knew that he could
no longer have the beloved Leona all to himself.

The recognition of Paul and the young lady was
mutual, and the soft flush that stole into her cheeks,

-as she met his respectfully admiring gaze, told the pre-

lude to a love story.

They made a slow journey back to Placerville, for it
was very painful for the young Indian to sit in the
saddle and endure the motion of the horse.

On the way Paul and Leona rode a little ahead ‘as
they neared the mining camp, while Buffalo Bill and
the young Indian athlete were were left to themselves.

“Well, Charley,” smiled the scout, “I reckoned you
would find Leona after I got well out of the way.
Don’t feel cut up about it now, for I knew you wouldn’t
let harm come to her. I never should have gone off
as I did if I hadn’t caught an inkling as to where she
was hidden, and that you knew she was safe. You
know I hated to have her get a glimpse of her father,
and I had my hands about full.”
 

 

28 | THE BUFFALO

“Charley never let harm come to Leona,” said the
other.
“She has told me of the leap you made, and your

fame as an athlete has reached me in more ways than

- one. I shall need a pard while I stay in this desolate

region, and I reckon you will show up a good record as

my feather-weight. Thefe is many a wild adventure in

store for me, I know, and, as you are an outcast from

your tribe, won’t you link your luck with mine for a
~ 3eason ?” ‘

A grateful flash came into the Indian’s handsome
eyes.

“Apache Charley glad to be Buffalo Bill’s Injun
feather-weight!’’ he said, with a faint smile.

In truth these two were to have many a thrilling
rxperience together.

At Placerville one of the best cabins in the camp was
vacated for Leona Shelby.

Her arrival in the place seemed to serve as a signal
for the beginning of an era of better behavior on the
part of the rougher element of the miners.

Most of the loafers went to work, and all became

“nore prosperous except Humble Hank, of the Halle-

ujah Cafay.

Buffalo Biil succeeded in getting Merrifield Shelby
iway without his presence being suspected by any of
che citizens of the camp. And, what was better, L ona
was spared the pain of seeing the miserable man, who
actually pleaded that he might not be forced to face

the daughter whom he had wronged.

In this connection Shelby made.a confession to Buf-
falo Bill, which the latter ev entually communicated to

Leona

It was to the effect that Leona was not his own chive,

vat the daughter of his wite by a former husvand.

shelby had mar ried her mother when Leona was too

young to have remembered the change... Her mother

' dying soon after, Leona never knew that S! helby was

«slotted to allow his own and Leona’s

not her own. parent.

Her m other had-a considerable fortune in her own
right, and it was to get possession of this that Shelby
He did not:i

Apaches. ntend that she should ever get

and in a short time Buffalo Bill took him

capture by the ~

BILL STORIES.

away alive, and had it not been for Apache Charley ara
“his love for her the villain’s designs would have been

fulfilled in that respect.

Shelby had his trial for the murder of thie elder Paul i

Parsons—Poverty Paul—in the nearest seat of justice
for the Territory, and met the fate which he cer ey.
deserved. |

Before Leona was informed of the whole matter Paul \

Parsons told her that Shelby was not her own parent, \
“ ?

and she was at the same time apprised of his treachery
toward her. : |
Therefore, the shock of knowing his fate was not a
heavy one for her.
Later she went to Denver where she had distant rela-
tives, a
Patl Parsons disposed of the mining claim at Placer-
ville, and took up his residence in Denver.
There, in due course of time, Leona became his wife.
Apache Charley soon recovered from his injuries,
“under his

wing,” and off they went on an expedition together.

“Vou started out to fool me once about Leona’s

being lost,” said the scout, one day, wishing to

straighten out one matter concerning the young Indian’s
trustworthiness.

i ® ;

“Vou succeeded for a while, but I soon saw through

the game. You meant well that time. But remember
this:

a deal with me in the future.

nothing but the straight truth will go down in
aq want to feel perfect
confidence in the word of a pard, whether he is red or -
ay :

‘Can I depend on that, Pentheraweight?”

YYee--—ves, Apache Charley remember. His tongte | ie

always straight!”
“Thet's all,” said Butal lo Bil,

THE END. -

146, will ane “Buftaio
Drover from Dead

ext week’s issue, No.
Bill’s oie Foes or, Darrell, the

This story opens a new series of tales containing
some 0 of Buffalo Bill’s more recent adventures. Darrel
is a character you must be sure to read about.
wonder in his way.

a

Heese 17

 

 

 
    

  
 

 

 

  

Containing the Most Thrilling Adventures of the Celebrated
Government Scout “BUFFALO BILL” (Hon. William F. Cody).

 

 

 
 

104—Buffalo Bill in Disguise; or, The Boy Boomer at Danger Divide.

f°. 105-——Buffalo bill's Ordeal of Fire; or, The Siege of Longhurst Ranch.

A . 106—-Buffalo Bill on a Renegade’s Trail; or, The White Queen oi the Mandans.

t 107—buffale Bill’s Balloon Trip; or, Foiling the Apaches.
r08—Buffalo Bill’s Drop; er, Dead Shot Ned,-the Kansas Kid,

~yo9-—Buffalo Bill's Lasso-Throwers; or, Shadow Sam's Short ‘ Stop.
t10—Buffalo Bill’s Relentless Trail; or, The Unknown Slayer of the Black Cavalry.
111—Buffalo Bill and Silent: Sam; or, The Woman of the Iron Hand.
112—Buffalo Bill’s Raid on the Midnighters; or, Fol lowing a Specter Gnide.
113——Buffalo Bill at Beacon Rock; or, Drawing Lots with Death. oe
114—Buffalo Bill and the Wolves of Mexico. :
115—Buffalo Bill and the White Buffalo; or, The Black Horse Rider.
116—Buffalc Bili and the Prairie Hercules; or, The Spectre Soldier of the Overland.
117—Buffalo Bill and the Doomed Thirteen; or, Out on the Silver Trail.
118-—Buffalo Bill’s Ride “fer Life; or, A Hard-Won Victory.

~1ig—Buffalo Bill’s Grim Guard; or, The Chinaman in Buckskit
120—Buffalo Bill’s Discovery; or, The Mystery of the Gold Treasure.
121—Buffalo Bill’s Clean-Up; or, Routing the Rascals of Gold Dust City.
122—Buffalo Bill’s Pards of the Plains; or, The Dread Shot Four.

123—Buffalo Bills Helping Hand; or, The Secret of Kid Glove Kate.
124-—Buffalo Bill’s Boy Pard; or, Captain Hyeria and His Red Angels

_125——Buftalo Bill's. Sacrifice; or, Waneta, thie Indian Queen.

_ .126—Buffalo Bill’s Red Trail; or, The Unmasking of Captain Hyena.
127—Buffalo Bill's Death-Deal; or, The Wandering Jew of the West.
-128—Buffalo Bill’s Double; or, The False Guide. _

- 129—Buffalo Bill at Advance City; or, The Wolves of the Mountains. |
130-—Buffalo Bil and the Black ‘railers; or, White Coyote, the Renegade Chief.
131—-Buffalo Bill's Dead- Shot Dragon; or, The Man-Killer of Perdition City.

132——Buffalo Bill’s. Trump Card; or, The Indian Heiregs,... -

| _. .133-—Buffalo Bill and Old Buckskin; or, Hugh Harcourt, the Man of Mystery.

‘(~~ 134-—Buffalo Bill’s Gold Trail; or, The Desperado Dozen.

v35—Buffalo Bill in Arizona; or, The Black Brotherhood.

136—Buffalo Bill and the Revolver Riders: or, Kent King, the Cini Guide

137—-Buffalo Bill in the Black. Hills; or, pe eee. the White Mystery.

 
   
  
   
   
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

138—Buffalo Bill’s DEBE: Or, The Branded Brotherhood. | ae ae ae

 

 

 

Se : Zi : <r : MGT ET z scene mp

 

 

cents a copy will bring them to you by mail, postpaid.

SBR

- STREET & SMITH, Publishers, 238 William Street, New York.

A nD
te

Be

All of the above numbers always on ie If you cannot get them from your newsdealer, five. /¥

     

 

 

 

 

 

 
   
     
         
 

 

 

   
  

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PEALLIBOEVCUS SOOO

2eeee

-342——Nick Carter Within an Inch of His Life; or, The Mystery of the Pretty Typewriter.

- 355—Nick Carter Hemmed in by Enemies; or, Where Mystery Followed Mystery. —

2,

QOS OVEY

 

 

WEE YVOBB DO

 

 

VOY GOR OOD

 

THE BEST DETECTIVE STORIES IN THE WORLD

 

333—Nick Carter and the Red Masks; or, The Mystery of Cab 21.
334—Nick Carter’s Crooked Trail; or, The Plot for the Glassford Millions.
335—Nick Carter’s False Clew; or, Playing the Dupe for Big Game.
336—Nick Carter's Drag Net; or, Forcing the Hands of the Secret Six.
337—Nick Carter ’s Death Photo; or, Revealed by a Camera.

338—Nick Carter and the Will For gers; or, Playing for a Fortune.
339-—Nick Carter and the Living Mask; or, Murdered Without a Mark.
340—Nick Carter’s Night Watch; or, Working in the Dark.

341—Nick Carter’s Chemical Test; or, Animal Blood ‘or Human?

343-——-Nick Carter and the Phantom of Pover ty Lane; or; A Bundle at Tangled Clews.
344—Nick Carter Winning a Close Game; or, Bomb shelte in the Camp.

345—-Nick Carter and the Prince of Stranglers; or, The Black Cord of the League.
346—Nick Carter On and Off the’ Scent; or, The Mysterious Tragedy of Herald oquare,
347—Nick Carter on a Parisian Trail; or, In the Death Trap of the Silencers.
348—Nick Carter’s Battle Against Odds; or, The Mystery of the Detroit Pawnbroker,
349—Nick Carter on His Mettle; or, The Trapping of Cool Kate.

350—Nick Carter’s Life Chase; or, The Shot from Ambush.

3si—Nick Carters Chain of Guilt; or, The Robbery of Express No. 5.

3 52—Nick Carter and the Langwor thy Treasure; or, The Strange Doings at the Ruined Fort.
353——Nick Carter Forging the Fetters; or, The Outwitting ofa Clever Villain.
354—Nick Carter from Peril to Peril; or; The Crime of the Stagecoach.

356-—Nick Carter and the Yellow Spider's Web; or, “Frisco’s Most Sensational Case.
357-—Nick Carter in a Finish Fight; or, Hunting Down the Mining ae ers.
358—Nick Carter and the Triple Identity ; or, Unravel! ling Mystery ‘ i es

‘2s9—Nick Carter and the Queen of Diamonds; or, The Turns of Fortune’s Wheel. ;

360—Nick Carter and the Missing Jewels; or, A Tale of Uncertain Clews.

— 361—Nick Carter’s Great Success: or, The Hunting Down of Insurance Frauds.

362—Nick Carter’s Search for a Motive; or, Why Mission Mike was Murdered.
363—Nick Carter’s Double Capture: or, Seeking the Banker’s Assassins.

364—Nick Carter’s Capture of the Jenkins Brothers: or, The Whereabouts of Mr. Morton.
365—Nick Carter’s Three Perils; or, A Story of Hypnotic Power.

- 366—Nick Carter in the Hidden Chamber; or, The Hunt for the Lost Mienite

367—-Nick Carter’s Suicide Mystery; or, Playing a Master Stroke.
3208—-Nick Carter and the Grave Vandals; or, The a of St. Paul’s Church.

 

 

. All of the above number always on hand. | If you cannot get them from your neweieaee five”
cents a copy will bring them to you by mail, postpaid.

STREET & SMITH, Publishers, 238 William Street, New York.

seassesesessonsspesseseessesessT808s vevsssesseesesoessesessse;TeTEsesEReRTESEIES:

a:

  
 
 
 

  
   

ASOSSSR IR 1SGOSAESEDTSTSIOSSI9SS0096905800000889089990080980800008.

  

    

S2

SPSSESSSSESSSESS

 

 
 

Contains Biggest and Best Stories of All Descriptions.
fr DIFFERENT COMPLETE STORY EACH WEER.

26-+-Jockey Sam; or, Ridine g for Fortune. By Gee A. Your 1g.
a7—-Trank Warren, Alchemist; or, The Diamond Makers. By Weldon J. Cobb.
28—The Jai] Breakers of Shirley; or, The Boy Who Dared and Won. “By Matt Roya
29-—Robert Brendon, the Bell Boy; or, Utider the Hypnotic Spell. “By John De Morgan.
3o-—The Mysterious Mill gt or, The Queerest Job on Record. By Matt Royal.
31+-Saved by His Luck; o What Fo owed the Yacht Race. By Cortielitts Shea, -
32-——The Chance of His tite: or, The Messenger Boy Who Got There. By Howard Haskins.
33--Upright and Honest; or, Harry Hale's - Struggle to Success. By ieniy: dagrrison Haines.
34——T wo Young Inventors; or, oe Treasure of Three River Mountain. a William Bennett.
357 the Life of the School ee , Out for Fun and Fortune. By author of “Bicycle Boys of
, Blueville.” er a ee
36—Tom Hamlin, Mesmerist; or, The Boy With the Tron Will. By Matt Royal, Ae
37-—The ‘Puzzle. of Panther’s Run; or a Gates Triumph, By Prank Earl ae
38—A Girl Crusoe; or, The Wonder oh he Isle of Gnomes.- By Cornelius Shea.
39-—The Cash Boy; or, From Prison to Fortune. By . ratio Alger, Jr: .
jot 1é¢ Electre Eye; or, Helped by the X-Rays. By Weldon J. Cobb,
41—The Boy and the Deacon; or, Enemies is. ae By Harrie Irving Hancock.
42—Louis Stanhope, Hero; or, The Boy Who Disa ppeared. By John De Morgan.
43—Mat, the Fugitive; or, The Witch Doctor’s Prop! recy. By John H. Whitson.
era e, Boy Broker; or, Fighting the Financiers. By Paul Rand.
45—Adrift in New York: or, ‘Dodg er and. Floren ice Braving the World. By Horatio: Alger, cs
46—A Lad of Steel; or, Running Down the Tiger. By Matt. oe
oct is Which? < or, Winning a Name by. Proxy. .. By. Weldon: J. Cobb.
48—A> Dashing Fire Laddie: or, The Heroism of Dick Macy. By John De. Morgan.
 49—-THe Boy ‘Wonder; or, Dick Gray’s Marvelous Pump. By Matt Royal. ek
~§0-—Labor’s Young ee or, ihe Great’ Mill Strike. By the author of “A Lad of
Steel.’
51—Into Unknown Lands; or, ve Garret of the Enchanted Diamond. By Cornelius Shea. -
s2—Two Brave Chums: or, The Outlaws of Blackwater Gap: By the author of “Dick.
Hazel, Explorer.’
53——The Crimson cage OF, The Myster ry of His Birth. By Bernard Mewnell
es Dunham; or, The Waterford Mystery. By Hora eo Alger, Jr.
5s—-Among. Russian Nihilists; or, The Great Assassination Plot. By Jacques Simon.
s6—The Boat Club; or, The Bunkers of Rippleton. By Oliver Optic | ,
57--Ned Newton; or, The Fortunes: of a New York Bootblack. By Horatio Alger, [r-

fe
1%
be

All of the above numbers always.on hand, If you canmot get them from }
your newsdealer, ave cents a Sony will bring them te you by mail, pestpaid,

STREET a SMITH, Publishers, 238 William St., New York, |

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘As transcribed from the great expert’s journal of amazing cases, by
his private secretary, and revised and edited by his assistant,

 

 

for the authorized edition prepared under the direct supervision of
Nicholas Carter, and by and with his consent, for Street & Smith,
Publishers, 238 William Street, New York : : ; :

 

AUTHORIZATION.
To STREET & SMITH, Publishers. New York City, Nov. 25, 1903. | f
L hereby certify, that the stories of detective adventures, | |
published by your establishment and révised and edited by my —
assistant, Chickering Carter, are officially transcribed from my -= =} §.
diaries and journal of that class of cases which I enter under the
term “amazing,” and are without exception, truthful records of my
personal experiences; and I ‘further certify that your firm alone
POseee nee the right to oe these stories.

y Cee rLeo | 3 (Err —

 

 

 

 

This new series of Nick Carter Stories, especially edited and revised by
Chick., will open with No, 372 of the Weekly, which is out on February
-15. Here are titles of the first four stories in the new series:

372. Dazaar, the Arch Fiend; or, The House of the Seven Devils
373. The Queen of the Seven; or, Nick Carter and the Beautiful Serceress
314. The Sign of the Dagger; or, The Crime Without a Name

375. The Devil Worshippers; or, The Defiance of Dazaar

Be on the watch for the first of the new series, No. 372, issued February
15. They can be purchased for Five Cents from all newsdealers, or from

ee @ Smith, Publishers, 239 William St, N, ¥. |

   

 

  
 

 

 

 

 

 
ee ii a

 

 

## Adventures in the Wild West Be ]

THE BUFFALO BILL cial

32. Large Sized Pages Handsome Colored
Clear Type . 5c. Covers

 

 

LATTES: FIT lesS

Le Buffalo Bill’s Triple Duel; mols
or, Red Plume, the Boy Hermit.
144—Buffalo Bill’s Boy Scout;
or, The Phantom Spy of the Praia
145— Buffalo Bill’s Featherweight ;
or, Apache Charley, the Indian Athlete.
146— Buffalo Bill’s Fire Fighters;
or, Darrell, the Drover, from Dead Easy.
147—Buffalo Bill’s Boy Beagle;
or, New York Ned’s Redskin Trail.
| 148— Buftalo Bill’s Five Friendlies;
or, Wallie Burt, the War-Hawk of Tomo Club.
149—Buffalo Bills Banner Play; |
or, Cripps, the Canon Centaur.
150 Buttalo Bil’s Pawnee Pard;
| or, The Comanche Captive.
151—Buffalo Bill, The Spotter Scout;
or, The Saddle Knicht of Siskiyou.
152—Butialo Bill’s Danger Line;
or, Snake Eye’s Silent Signal.

 

 

To be had from all newsdealers, or sent upon receipt of
price, Five Cents, by the publishers.

STREET & SMITH, 238 William St., New York

 

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