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JAKE’S TONGUE, AND THE RUFFIAN FELL WITH A BULLET IN HIS BRAIN, AS BUFFALO
PARDS DASHED TO THE RESCUE OF THE INDIAN QUEEN, ;

ciel ha

 
 
 

 

DEVOTED

 

A WEEKLY PUBLI CATI ON

 

TO Beet HISTORY

 

 

dssued Weekly.

” No. : 125.

by Subscription $2.50 per year. Entered as Second Class Matter at the Ng PF
a bee according to Act of Congress in the year 1903, in the Office of the as ot Congress, WhineTan, DSC.

  

Sf Office, by STREET & SMITH, 238 William St, Wa Ve) 7

 
  
 

Price Five Cents,

 

   

MYaneta, the Indi

  

 

 

 

By the author of “BUFFALO BILL”

 

CHAPTER. I.

CAPT: HY ENA.

“Draw rein! put on your brakes! or I walt kill you and
. lariat your leaders!”

The words rang out viciously, but clear and threaten-
ing, from the lips of a horseman who had just darted out
of the shadow of a clump of timber and wheeled along-
side of an Overland stage as it was going at a brisk
pace along the prairie.

The stage was drawn by six handsome, jet-black mules,
which, at the cry of their driver, had bounded forward
into a run, almost as swift as the flight of a deer.

It was this that had caused the stern command and
threat that opens this story, and as the coach swung
swiftly along the knight of the Overland, who had so sud-

dently appeared, leveled a revolver in his left hand at the
driver, while in his right he whirled a lariat, as though
“about to throw the nodse over thé heads of the leaders.

_ For an instant the driver hesitated, as though not know-
ing whether to obey or take the chances; but, as though
_ convinced that it was certain death to him, he said:

 

“Tl draw ’em in, pard, an’ let yer hev yer leetle pick-
ings, fer I know yer.”

As he spoke he began to draw in his running mules,
and gently put his foot on the brake, which rapidly
checked the speed of his team, while the horseman rode
by the side of the coach, his revolver in hand ready for
use.

Looking out of the coach window were two faces, one

that of a beautiful Indian girl, the other a man, round,
fat, and very much alarmed.

The horseman upon whom their eyes fell was mounted
upon an animal as white as snow, with long mane and
tail and a gait that was easy and graceful.

The rider was dressed in deep black, wore top-boots and
a slouch hat, the sable brim being turned up in front and
held there by a strange mask that-concealed the face from
the mouth up, but allowed the latter feature, shaded by a
long, blond mustache and a resolute chin, to be revealed.

The mask consisted of two scarlet wings, so arranged
as to cover the face, and with holes in each, noe
which two fiery eyes were visible.

The points of the wings extended as high as the crown

   
 

  
 

 

  
   

2
“a

ef the hat, the whole presenting a most nel and
striking appearance. ;

The saddle, bridle and trappings of this strangely
masked rider were of a most élegant description, while
his Spurs were gold witigs on either side of the heel,
with the sharp rowel in the points.

His revolvers and knife were also gold mounted, and
altogether le looked like some fancy masquerader for a
bal masque, rather than a bold knight of the road, who
had daringly darted out of his covert and ordered the
driver of a stage-coach of the Overland trail,. beating
Unelé Sam’s mail, to—
“baer dre

When the driver had brought
he said, sullenly :

“Now, Pard Red Angel, speak your little speech, and be
quick about it, fer I’m late.”

“You have some one inside that I want.”

With this the masked rider rode up to the door of the
coach, threw it open, and looked in. |

Before him were the Indian girl and the fat- faced man.

The girl returned the look with fiery anger in her bright
eyes. She was Indian only as to her features and com-
plexion; her dress showed all the refinement of. civiliza-
tion. She was, in fact, an educated Indian. girl—-a Sioux,
returning from an Eastern school,: where she had been
given a good education.

> Don't harm us, my good man,’ whined the fat pas-
senger, who was thoroughly fr ightened.

his mules to a standstill,

“T don’t intend to,” ao the masked man;
Nolan must’ go with me.’
The stage-driver turned toward him. .
“T reckon that even an Injun woman may be a lady, an’
she looks one. Ii your makes war on my lady passenger,
ll make it so hot fer you an’ your gang, Cap'n Hyena,
as tolks call ver, thet yerll hey ter emigrate ter new
1 orl lies like a tinspeddler.’

“but this

he driver spoke earnestly, but the knight of the road

cae laughed lightly im response and repeated his words :

Pile woman must go with mel”

The driver squirmed. uneasily, then said:

“Tere, pard, I hes a leetle bag o dust o’ my own; thar’s
a bag o’ letters in ther boot, an’ thet old mau in ther
hearse locks as thoigh he were rich, so take what dust
yer kin raise and git!”

“The woman must go!” 3

“I’m durned ef she shall, ef-

-. The bold fellow had dropped his Mahe to his hip, where
was the butt of his revolver, and his fingers were grasping
it to draw, when there came a flash Aud report, and the
driver tell back dead, while the crack of the weapon
startling the mules, they bounded away at full speed, leav-

 

‘THE BUPPALO BILL STORIES.

 

though momentarily taken aback the suddenness of
-what occurred.

in@ the road agent seated. Bper his herse on the trail as

But such was not the case, for Be was nee one 1s be
caught off his guard. His hesitancy for the moment had
been at catching sight of a party of horsemen far down
the trail, and coming at a canter across the prairie.

“By Heaven! I will not be foiled,” he cried, through
his set teeth, and a word to his horse sent him flying in
pursuit of the now runaway team of mules.

The speed with which he rode soon drew him even with
the coach, though at a little distance to one side, as though
he feared a shot from the male passenger, who mght
pluck up courage to fire at him. Se

With his revolvers in, his belt and ‘his lariat whirling
about his head the toad agent showed his plan of action
to check the flving mules. oS

Over the prairie still came the horsemen, five in num-
ber, at the same easy canter, as though they had not yet
discerned that the team was running away and no driver
on the box. They were yet sonie distance away, and
the knight of the Overland was calculating all his he
for success and failure.

Having reached the position he ard he measured
his distance, and was just about to throw thé lariat, when
a shot came from the stage- coach, and his horse. bounded
into the air.

“Curse you! that is your game is it? Ill now play
mine!” he hissed; as he glanced over his shoulder and saw
the face and form of the girl in the stage-coach window,
a revolver in her hand, from which she had just sent a
bullet after him, and was threatening to send more.

As he spoke the road agent sent his lariat whirling for- —
ward; the noose whizzed through’ the air, and the-coil °
caught over the head of one of the leading mules, while
the well-trained white steed threw himself back upon his -
haunches to meet the shock. | cae ee

Instantly it came—the lariat tightened with a loud
twang, and the shock hurling the animal in the snare
fn to. the ground, drapeed his mate with him, and i in

one instant’ ‘piling mules, Stage- -coach, passengers and the
corpse of the driver in one eiand wreck. -

Leaving the struggling animals to extricate themselves
as best they could, the horseman cast the end of his lariat

loose £ trom his saddle-horn, and, springing to the ground,

thru st his revolver into the coach window, while he cried :
“Come out of that, my lovely Indian queen for you
are not hurt.”

No answer came, and tearing open the shattered door,
he dragged out a form. .

It was the fat passenger, wh cried, ae
- “Don't kill me, good man!”

_ “Coward! out of the way, for here is my game.
you mist go with me.”

  

     

 
 

 

 

 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   

  
    

tens call.

te five horsemen
_. An instant they stave:
_ ber pressed on a bee z
whe had robbed 25
"United States cayalryinen |

THE BUFFALO

His ae ee upon the ea s Shoulder ne in silence
she stepped out.
Several of the mules had now cele to their feet,
but were in a tangled mass of harness. This, however,
was quickly severed by a few strokes of the bowie knife
of the road agent, and one of the animals, being freed,

was led out of the huddled, struggling mass.

Then came the order:
“Waneta, I know you, you see—let me aid you to mount

: my horse.”’

The girl made no reply, but sprang lightly into the
saddle, and, seizing the reins, a determined light glittered
in her eyes—seeing which the masked robber said:

“Be careful, for that horse is trained to obey his mas-
Now, I will be ready as soon as I get your
bageage.” . ek

Ti have no baggage,” said the ‘girl, quickly and ner-

vously, but Beanie English pertectly.

“Only this,” and the masked man drew a satchel out

of the wrecked coach.

“That belongs to that gentleman.”
pes, oe is mine, sir, and I beg you not to rob me,
sao man,” cried the fat passenger, his face flushing and

_ paling by turns.

“T am sorry I cannot oblige you, sir, for I shall. have to
take this satchel; but I leave you the mules, what. is left
of the old hearse, and the body of your driver. Good-
aiternoon, sir, and tell those gentlemen who are now spur-
ting. forward at such a furious rate, when they arrive,
that this is some of Capt. Hyena’s work, and if they wish
me, my home is upon the prairies.”

_ Springing astride of the still trembling ton the road
agent started off at a rapid pace, a word to his white horse
causing him to follow, with the most unwilling captive
upon his back.

Hardly had he heen gone two minutes ns up. dashed
vein.

‘\ there, then three of their num-
sunt of the daring road brigand,
a stage in full ee of five

ANG ¢ iY Cw

 

  

 

Those that See oy the wreck ‘stood gazing after

a their comrades and the reckless fugitive and his captive,

and. praying that: at last the Red Angel chief, who had
long defied his foes, would be run to. earth and | ‘have to
answer for his < crimes.

 

‘CHAPTER i
(Esco LIFE. CHASE.

The scene vile the daring act occurred hich has

been detailed: an the eee Sil was pee the open
eo een

Following the trail on with the eye, if was seen to wind

BILL ‘STORIES. 3

over role plains, with des and there a divide, a clump

-of timber and a fringe of cottonwoods or willows on the

bank of some small stream.

- Looking in the porte direction he thicket which
had concealéd the knight of the road until the stage-
coach dashed by, was visible, a mile, perhaps, from the
scene of the wreck.

Then there was a rolling plain for a mile or so, and
beyond a view of hills and forests.

It was toward the latter that the horseman and his
captive were tending, for he made no halt at the little bit
of timber where he had lain in ambush waiting for the
stage...

The girl rode by his side in eens her face bent down-
ward as though she was lost in a deep and painful reverie.

She, however, sat the horse well, in spite of riding on
a man’s saddle, and, apparently resigned to her fate, al-
lowed the horse to run on at will.

Once or twice she cast furtive glances at her kidnaper,
as she saw him turn and glance back at their pursuers,
and then there was a look of mingled hatred, fear and an-
ger. ee
The mule, stripped of his harness, and with only his
blind-bridle on, ran with the speed and ease of the hand-
some white, and seemed both willing and anxious to go.

Mounted upon his bare back, the masked robber ap-
peared as much at home as he had been in the saddle, and
kept the pace not too fast, not.caring, seemingly, to push
the animals to their best speed.

Those who were in chase were an officer, wearing an
army lieutenant’s rank, and. two: soldiers, and they were
splendidly mounted, and pushing their horses at a pace
which gained.on those they pursued.

The officer was a young, handsome man, with de air .
of a dashing cavalryman, and his face was set with a re-
solve to capture the noted Red oc chief now “so near
and yet.far” from him..

‘After passing the Ainber and seeing Lae it was on
Hyena’s intention to make for the hills, the officer spared
not his horses in his endeavor to catch up with the bold

robber, for he knew that the Red Angel chief was re-

potted to have a band of half.a hundred lawless followers,
and why he had alone made the daring .attack on the

-coach he could not understand, but felt. assured he must

have aid not many miles away.

‘We must catch him before he reaches the hills, men,’
ctied the officer, and the determined manner in which
they urged their horses on began to tell, for the ake
was forced to put his mule at his best. |

Yet still the troopers gained, for though the mule was _
fleet of hoof, those horses on his trail were fleeter.

“We are gaining rapidly, and he must soon come to.
Gay” cried the young officer, with glee, as s he saw that

 

  

    
     

4 THE BUFFALO
‘ten minutes more would bring him alongside of the out-
law. 7 ee a
But Capt. Hyena did not look behind him with any
great anxiety, #t seemed, nor any more frequently as his
danger increased, for the soldiers w atched fis every move-
ment closely.

Before him, yet some ou off, lay the hilis.

Could he reach them he would be safe, for he could
soop find a breastwork to fight behind, if he did not find
_ friends there.

Upon the open prairie, if brought to bay, he must stand
and face his foes, three to one, with the woman also to
look after.

That the young lieutenant would be driven off the out-
law could hardly believe, for he knew of what material
the officers on that far border were made, and that the
men would folléw his lead was most certain.

So on he urged the black mule, striving to get as near
as possible, it seemed to his pursuers, to the hills, before
he would turn at bay.

behind him showed Capt. Hyena that the lieutenant had
drawn his revolver and would soon use it.

Instantly the

promptness that showed him a master of the situation.

Slide to a seat back of that saddle, and if you slide oft

I antl kill you! iy
The words were addressed to the girl, and that he meant
what he said she fully realized; so instantly she obeyed.
Then cante the order: .
“Throw away that revolver you carry!

$9)

He saw the ‘gleam in her eyes, and. detected ber pur- |

pose, for he quickly drew his own and covered her, while
he cried : : |
“Drop that ‘revolver, eid then Ill take that empty sad-
dle and show those soldiers what my noble horse can ds.”
The girl dropped the revolver in silence, and riding
closer, the outlaw threw himself from the mule’s back to
his saddle on the white horse with a skill that w ould have
done eredit to a circus rider. _
But just as he made the spring there came the crack
of a revoly er, and the black mule plunged forward with a

wild snort, and fell heaval ly, ‘the bul et havi ing buried itself

in his brain. |
“That officer is a dead shot, for his bullet would have
killed me, had it ie fired an instant sooner; but with
yOu asa shield, 1 have no fear now, e
actually laughed. o
The girl made no reply, a and ‘the white horse, with his
-~ double fond, at the urging of his master, now ‘botinded for-

are et Mar ae ANC

 
 

   

 

- But nearer and nearer came the cavalrymen, and a look

beld bandit acted, and with a nerve and -

hardy

Sor bun
and the outlaw

ised speed, which began to drop the
alm ost pon him When ae change c

 

BILL STORIES.

ert 1 only dared, ” muttered the officer, as he held his
‘revolver ready, as though about to fire.
“No, I must not tisk it, for I might hit the gitt, ‘and if

I dropped the horse the fall would doibtless biel her
’ neck.

“But, oh, what a Dehemies -and he halt poieed the
pistol to a level; but, shaking his head, he returned it to
his belt, and once more urged his tired a in pursuit,
with the words:

“Spur up, men, for that fone horse cannot stand that
double weight long, and will soon Drea his heart under
ae

Conttary to the expectations of the lieutenant, theenlen.
did white horse of the Red Angel chief did not break his
heart under the terrible strain put upon him, but ¢con-

tinued te gain steadily upon his pursuers, until he dashed

in a ravine in the foothills quite a long distance ahead of
them. a er ee

The outlaw had headed for this particular point, seem-
ingly well acquainted with the locality, and once in the
mouth of the ravine, he came to a halt and quickly dis-
imotnted, as though determined there to stand at bay,
rather than push his horse up the hill under double weight.

On each side of the ravine, for a long distance, ran a
‘cliff, which was unbroken, and the nature of the ground
in the rear was such that the man at bay could not be

easily flanked, while, as darkness would come within an_
hour, and knowing the country, he could readily extricate.

himself from thé trap in which he found himself.

“Now I expect vou’to aid me in the little diffieulty I
have gotten myself into on your account,” said the outlaw,
as he = his horse back out of danger. - “Stand there,
please.’

The girl arose, tal king the ait deainst an bank that
reached to her waist.

“Now I-will take my place just Bahia you, ana I hope:
-it-won't. make you nervous to have me fire over your

shoulders, for I shall do so if ‘attacked, and that fool-
young
aeeth.”

OY Ou WwW ould not kill him?’ ‘said. he Indian g ‘et, in a .

low voice.

“As readily as | ered: you, if my he depended en”

it,” was the response, and then, with a revolver in each
hand, the ee stood” at |

Seeing the ‘condition of affairs, the eutenant made up
his mind to dash right into the ravine and have i it Out in
a hand- -to- -hand fight. ;

“Come, men, we must settle this thing tient nee cried
the gallant officer, and he rode at a head! Hs a directly |

for the mouth of the ravine.
oe sir, aoe for he o kill es

4?

cried ws e gil,

Se

officer seems determined fo fun to his

ee the girl directly in front

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

   
 

take my horse,”

-s- from-his position,”

But the soldiers made no 5 feb and then came the crack
of the outlaw’s revolver.

Down, headlong, went the horse ridden by the lieuten-
ant, who tried to save himself from a heavy fall, but was
unable to do so, for he was hurled to the ground with
stunning force, and pues there by the weight of his
dead steed.

As though knowing the result of hig shot, the outlaw

fired again, this time at the nearest soldier, and the man
threw up his arms and fell backward from his saddle,

drepping in a limp heap, while his horse dashed on into

‘the ravine.

Seeing that his officer apd soldier-comrade were both
down, the remaining cavalryman wheeled as though on a

pivot, and darted away from the fatal spot at full speed to
save himself from a like fate, a shot or two from the out-

law following him.

“They will trouble us no more,” the road agent said,

. quietly, and, taking the arm of the girl, he led her back

into the canyon-to where the white horse. was standing,

and by his side—for he had sped right on into the ravine

—~-was the animal of the slain soldier.

“We are both mounted again, you see, my dear. Please
said the outlaw, with sarcasm, as he
caught the rein of the other steed.
_ “Will you ride off and leave that officer to. die,” she

asked.

“T will; so be good es to mount, cand eke no.

time,” was the warning rejoinder.

. The gir! leaped lightly to her seat in the saa for the

outlaw offered her no aid, and, springing upon the back
of the horse he held, bs said :

“You lead the way.”
_ “Where?” - i
- “Out of the canyon and. up into the hills.” 2

She seized the reins and obeyed, glancing earnestly ©
_. down upon the dead soldier, and-at the officer, who was _
moving his hand across his brow, as though striving to

recall his sénses.

He lay upon one side, his left leg pinned foun under
the body of the horse, and aredoatly had fallen heavily.
‘Fe can do you no wei k so at least release hint
urged the girl, |
“T shall do nothing of the kind...

“No; he is my foe; he sought my life, and he. may die
cae there, or become food for the w ‘oly es, for all . care. That
_is our way, up that trail.” ce
She turned her horse into the ‘trail ‘he pointed to, and

_ he-followed. her on up the hill, :

_ After riding a mile the nature of the ground became
wild and rough in the extreme, and they had to pick. their -

way. e ey
‘Suddenly | the outlaw, a eyes” were F oucdane

é

ready done so,’

Xe BUFFALO BILL STORIES. 5

watching on all sides, spurred to the side of the girl, and,
seizing the rein, said, hoarsely:

7 “Quick! Come with me!”

She wondered at his excited manner, and glanced about
her for a cause for it; but he urged both horses into a
fissure in the hillside, which was partly concealed by a few
stunted trees. .

But a curse escaped his lips as he saw that the ravine
abruptly terminated within a few feet, and did not extend
into a ye, penetrating far into the hill, as he had
hoped:

“By Heaven! I must take the chances, for to go out
again would be to have them see me, if thev have not al-
said the man aloud. :

“Who?” asked the girl, her face flushing with hope.

“Wait and see,” was the curt answer, and then a mo-_
ment after. came the tae joyous cry from the road
arent: : ;
“Saved | for now my trail will be det ie pe
Then there came a hurried tramping sound, and a band

of elk sped by the mouth of the ravine, and within a few

paces of where the outlaw and his victiin sat side by side
upon their horses, ‘ally concealed by a Tew oe trees
that grew at the ravine’s entr ance.

‘The hoofs of the elks did indeed destroy any trace left
by the horses, for there was a lar ge band of them, and the ~
cloud of dust floated into the hiding place of the outlaw,
temporarily concealing’ it from view.

_ The woman had held high hope when’ she ean those
trampling hoofs that aid was near; but when she saw
what made the sound, her face again paled, and she won-

~ dered at the excitement shown by her captor.

But he still remained in hiding, a revolver in each hand,
and she felt that he knew other cause for danger was
near, and had not been frightened by a band of eik.

CHAPTER IH.
A CLOSE CALL

Sey eral moments went by in eath less. suspense to the

_ girl, and to the road. agent it seemed, for he appeared ill

at ease, and then the sound of hoofs was heard, followed

by a. laugh in a man’s voice—a voice full a ee
_ ness. ae

“Then the outlaw aa. in 2 a low, sav ‘age tone:

+ “Oh! how 1 would like to turn that laugh into a wail
of woe!
__ Tarning to the woman, pte continued: in the same sup-_
pas voice:

But PU bide my time.”

Vy oman, one word, one act ‘from you now will seal
your doom, whatever my fate may be, for those eoming
are Buffalo Bill and two of the Powell brothers.’ :

i

 

  

 
Zs

 

 

    

6

‘the border born,”

As he spoke he pressed his revolver hard against the
“head of his prisoner, who sat motionless upon her horse.

The next instant there appeared in ee a horseman
of striking appearance.

He was mounted upon what is known as a buckskin or
“claybank” horse, with snowy mane and tail; even a
more beautiful animal than the white horse of the border
bandit. :

The horseman was a man who would rivet we gaze in
any assemblage.
carriage that of a soldier, while he rode with the air of
one born in the saddle, so to speak. Any one who had
ever seen him would recognize him at once as Buffalo
Bill, the great scout. :

The man riding next foe him was also splendidly
mounted and thoroughly armed. He was dressed in
buckskin hunting shirt and leggings, wore a 2 sombrero of
gray felt and cavalry boots.

His form was slender, but tall and. full of power, and
his face most attractive, for his features were stamped
with strength of character and well cut.

His hair was jet black, without the shadow of a wave
in it, and hung down his back almost to his-belt, and he
rode with the bold freedom and ease of a Comanche.

He was known on the plains as Night Hawk George
Powell.

The third rider was ae ee brother, Bice
Bill.
He was a younger man cs the ae tel possessing
smaller stature, but one that possessed strength’ and ac-
tivity, while his movements were as graceful as a

woman’ Ss.

His face was also dark-hued, but a sunny expression
rested thereon that never deserted it, even in danger, and
yet which could turn fo a shadow of eas sympathy
for one in sorrow.

His hair was the same sable ie as was his ration s,
but his eyes were as blue as turquoise—large, full of ex-
pression, in which lurked” a ee of mischief and a

trace of recklessness.
He was dressed also in buckskin, top Boots and a som-

brero, and “armed to the teeth.” while he bestrode a
restive, wiry roan stallion, that had poet indication OF

speed and great endurance.

It was a most critical moment for the een of the road
and his victim, for those three horsemen were “‘men to
and might cast ‘their ee at fe in-

stant into the ravine. eae a
In fact, nothing would be more natural than for hein

_ to do so, ever a as ee -were for ee in. their

re path. 5
The game bebmd their saddles see that the had
raph off on] a hunt, and, al {tho ough the band of elk, ee

 
  

   

ie ee

His manner was easy and graceful, his

‘THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

by their coming, had run near them in their “fight down

the hill, they had not fired upon them in sheer wantonness

to kill, for they had an ample supply of meat with them,
Most fortunate was it for the outlaw that the elk had

dashed over his trail, or assuredly the eyes of that ees

trio would have detected them.

But now they seemed unsuspicious of danger, or mis-
chief brewing, and were chatting pleasantly, for when
in front of the outlaw’s hiding place, the laughter of the

-rearmost horseman again broke forth at some remark of
the one next to him. :

“In that breathless moment of stispense to the outlaw
and girl—of fear with one and hope with the other—the
two sat motionless, as did also their horses.

A neigh, the stamp of a hoof, would betray their hid-

ing place, and then all would be lost for ee man, all

would be gained for the girl.

And there they sat, the outlaw with one revolver ready Lee
to fire upon his foes, the other pressed hard against the.

girl’s head, to awe her from movement or outcry.

Another second and the three horsemen would be out

of sight, when, suddenly, came in startled tones, deep
and strangely silver-toned:
“Ho, boys! look! there is doaicny going on down yon-
der! 42? :

At these words the three horsemen drew. rein, the last
one being still in full view of the Red Angel and his vic-
tim, to whom the suspense now became awful.

- The moment that the three horsemen sat on thetr horses
in front of the ravine,

gazing upon the prairie below
them, was one full of peril to other than the knight of
the road, for his revolver covered the breast of the last
of the trio, and had they turned, as though to retrace their

_way, he, at least would have fallen, however ques he
might have been avenged by the others.
But after the words that told that some aie had

been made by the one in the lead, the three horsemen
spurred forward and went down the hillside at a gait

that tested their horsemanship. and the sure-footedness of

their steeds.

In spite of his nerve, the outlaw gave a a af elie€
while from the lips of the girl came a groan, for hope
with her fled,.as it brightened. with her captor. ._

“Now We are safe!” he ejaculated...

EN ou are,’ ? she responded.

“Ah, yes, I am, and my dear Waneta is ale. Bee me

assure her,” and there ‘was a sneer in his look and tone.

- She, looked at him steadily, fear and curiosity in her

dark eyes.
“How do you iow my name? ©?” she a

“Capt. Hyena knows everything. I know you are a 7
Sioux, educated and ee
beautiful.

‘The hyena needs a mate.”

       
  

 

 

I see that you are .

—=y

wz SP ee a — -
fees mares De ae en eC eT ee SERENE

 

 

 
Sos

 

 

 

: Tee COUP ALO

“Tt thought as much.”

‘She turned from him.

“Who were those men?” she questioned.

Capt. Hyena gave her the information.

While they were speaking he rode out of the ravine cau-
tiously,/the girl following, and as he turned once more
into the-trail he saw what it was that had attracted the
attention of the Powell pards, as he had called the three
horsemen, for his eyes fell upon the tragic scene he had
left upon the prairie, and he saw that the soldier who had

fled to save his life had returned and was aiding his off-

cer, who was still pinned down by his dead horse.
Still some distance irom the spot, but riding rapidly

toward it, were the three horsemen, and the road agent

remarked, quickly: ‘
“Come, my dear, those three men may soon be back
here. on our trail, so we have no time to lose.”

With this he rode on ahead as swiftly as the nature
of the ground permitted, and, calling to his white horse

to follow, the faithful animal trotted. close behind him,

and the girl fully realized that she was now wholly at the

-mercy of her desperate captor. +.

’ For several hours the two pressed on in ie the
eg following the trail readily in the darkness, and
-simply riding by the side-of his prisoner after the sun
went down, as though sttspicious of an attempt upon her

part to escape, and confident of her abies, to -do-so if he /

relaxed -his watchfulness. -
The hills into which they had penetrated were not ver

-extensive, and, crossing the ridge, the outlaw held re

way along their base upon the open prairie until it was

after midnight; then he turned sharply into the dense—

shadow of the hills once more, and, penetrating a can-

-yon, suddenly halted s at eee :

“Halt! who comes?
“ite captain, ? Was the answer, and. the outlaw was
moving on when again care bus W ords :
“Halt! who is tother one?”
“The other ts my prisoner. Is that vou, Dead Knife?’
5 ERS, ‘ay, cap, it are what are left 0’ me,” answered
a voice in the darkness. ae |
“You are on the alert, I am glad to-sée.’
ST allus is awake; cap'n, when thar i is. duty ter be’ did’
“T know that, Jim, and 1 intend yout shall step into
Vati's shoes as second in command of the band.”

 

““Thankee, cap'n, an’ Van were a durned fool ter per
secute thet scout, fer he are fatal lightning every time.”

ae came fear being struck by that lightning this after-
noon, Jim, tor 1 wer Buffalo Bill, Night Hawk and
Broncho Bill, hunting in the hills. It was a narrow miss.’

Yer was in duck, cap f, fer if you is a dandy on ther

tampage in a scrimmage they in lick their weight in

BILL STORIES. : oe

any man flesh I ever seen; but ain’t thet a female woman
yer hes thar?

“Yes, it is a prisoner I capeated from the Overland
coach. But be on the watch, for Buffalo Bill may have
struck my trail and followed me here.”

“VH be awake, cap'n, you bet.’

CHAPTER AY.
IN THE HOME OF THE RED ANGELS.

The knight of the road now moved on up the canyon,
and after a ride of half a mile came to where it widened
into a vale, and here suddenly burst upon the view of the
prisoner a number of cantp-fires, dimly burning, but with
glimmer of light enough left to show 1 in the background
a row of rude tents. :

“Here, my love, is the paradise of the Red Angels, and
I bid you welcome,” said the outlaw, cieclanee and
riding up to the door of a cabin that was larger than the
others and stood apart some. ‘tods by itself, He called out:

Ho; Brick

“Vas, massa; Brick am here, sah,’ was the answer, as
a huge negro came out of the hut. ae
“Give me a light-and then take these horses.”

“Yas, sah. Been ter supper?”

“No, get supper for two, as I have a lady friend: with
fe. oe
- “Yas, massa, and a moment after a light shone in tHe
cabin, and the outlaw leader led the Indian ¢ girl ve
saying in the same sneering tone:

Be Hyena welcomes you, my dear, to his outlaw
den.” - A Ore Gy
The hut of. the outlaw was by no means a , tempting
abode; vet it was not uncomfortable, and some attempts

-had been. made to have-it as pleasant as such home could

be, for the Red Angel band lived in the saddle and were
constantly on the move, “bag and baggage.”

Who their chief was no one knew, for it was said .
his followers that his old negro servant, Brick, was. the
conly-one that had ever seen his face. _

Bearing the name of the Red Angel, on. account Cor the
scarlet mask he wore, he soon became known. as Capt.
Hyena, from his cruelties, while his men mee him simply
as Capt: Kit.. 5

How many men he hed in ote hand no one ae
seemed to know, for it was reported.to number all the
way from twelve to a hundred.

. Ti he had any regular retreat, or stronghold, the hast
scouts had been unable to find it, for he seemed to dwell
upon the prairie with his outlaws, horses, pack mules and
baggage, and camped-but a short while at-any place. .-

The soldiers from the fort had often been on his trail

for weelss, to return disappointed and find that he had at-

 
13 a | THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. ?

tacked some train, or robbed the stage-coach, almost in
sight of the military post.

Some time previous to the opening of this story, Capt.

Kit had attacked an emigrant train, robbed it and slain
several of the party.

One of the emigrants who petned was a boy, Te
Wildfire, who had so proven his courage at the time, and
later, that Buffalo Bill had called him his boy pard.

In pursuing the outlaws at that time, Buffalo Bill had
seriously wounded Capt. Kit, but had then been taken as
a prisoner by the outlaws.

Surrounded by a hostile. band of Sioux, and their chit
lying” wounded, the Red Angels were forced to call upon
their prisoner to save them, they knowing’ his desperate
courage and skill as a plainsman and Indian fighter.

He had extricated them from their peril, but in spite
of this and their promise to release him, they had tried to
assassinate him, —

One of the men chosen to kill him was Dead Knife
fim, who was bribed by a jealous sub-officer called Van.

* Buffalo Bill put a bullet in Jim’s shoulder, but was
afterward so kind to him that Dead Knife Jim became
his true friend.

Then Capt. Kit planned to have the scout bog ied
as he left the camp; he was this time saved from death by
Dead Knife Jim.:

- Having made these es let us oe up the
thread of the story.

Capt. Hyena did not long absent himself from the In-
dian girl.

“While Brick is getting some supper for us, we may as
well become better acquainted,” he said. “Do you re-
member to have seen me before?” f

“Your mask hides your face so that I cannot tell.”

“Ah! well, as I do not remove it before my men, I
shall not before you.”

“The Indians know of you only too well,” she declared,
bitterly and frankly. “My people, while they are un-
tamed and uneducated, commit many crimes; but a)
that such men as you commit are laid at their door.”

' He laughed in an amused way.

“My dear, you are frank. Yes, it. De us sometimes to
lay our misdeeds on the noble redman.”

While Capt. Kit was talking and the Indian girl lis-
tening uneasily, the negro cook appeared at the door.

“Massa, he said, and he seemed startled, “dem scouts
iS projecking round down in a evel De men says you

better be lookin’ out fer um.” ‘

“Buffalo Bill!” exclaimed Capt. Kit, and at once left
ho the: house.

rps 4

if he

a M &
an oir) hac
sD

COM TS COON marae NADL,

hountiful supper put before her
it’s departure; but, though she

 

 

 

questioned the black, as she ate, she gained no informa-

tion.
But Capt. Kit did not return, and as the hours wore on

the Indian girl began to plan an escape.

_. The satchel containing money, taken by the outlaw from ;
the fat passenger of the stage, had been left in the: room.

Apparently it had been forgotten by the chief, in his ex-
citement, and the other outlaws seemed not to know it
was there. ae

Waneta, for that was the name she had borne in the
Eastern school she attended, was possessed of much of
the Indians’ natural stealth and craftiness, so that, though
the cabin was watched, she contrived to steal out of it,
and to take with her the satchel. 8

Once out of the camp, she made a search a and
found, the horses of the outlaws.

On one of these she placed a saddle—a man’s saddle,
for no other was to be had—and led the horse carefully to
a point well beyond the camp.

It was daylight when the Indian girl halted at a stream ~

that lay in her way.

Leaning against a tree, she dropped into a deep slum-

ber, from which she’awoke with a start to behold half a
score of horsemen coming over the prairie, ee on
her trail, yet still over a mile distant.

Instantly she knew that they must ‘be the Red Angels

in chase, and the sun. showed | het that she had tarried

there several hours.

To bridle her horse, draw up he lariat stake and mount
was the work of a minute, and then away she went, the
outlaws, with yells, coming on in swift pursuit. a

The horse which the Indian girl rode was a good one,

and held his own without being pushed to full speed.

The rest he had had also aided him, and the rider
seemed fully capable to keep the lead.

The girl began to drive her horse at the top of his
speed,

While she was looking back ft her pursuers Ve noe
stumbled and fell heavily.

The Indian girl, nimble as a cat, leaped and landed on |

her feet as the horse went down,

The horse did not escape so fortunately, for the ani-
mal got to his feet with an effort, and was thoroughly
lame.

Springing back into ihe saddle, however, the fugitive

urged him on, though the movement seemed most pain-

ful to the ‘poor horse.

 

_ CHAPTER V.
THE DEAT LOTTERY.

- Waneta became more and

more ‘convinced, as she
neared the rougher ee ee LCDS was > well-nigh i im-_
possible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
  

 

 

 

Sree

 

   

bch”

PEE URE ALO)

Yet she kept on, desperately, urging her horse to the
limit of his speed.

Hope came again when she reached the low, timbered
hills. But just as she was disappearing in the timber a
shot came from the leading one of the pursuers and the
horse went down with a groan, the bullet having shattered
his leg.

Again the Indian girl saved herself from a fall by her
agility, and at once feeling that those on her path meant
mischief, she bounded away up the hill, to trip and fall
heavily against a tree.

For a moment she was dazed, as the blow upon her
head had been a severe one, and she staggered when she
arose to her feet and once more sought to fly and seek
some hiding place.

But it was useless, for the next instant the leading out-

law dashed up with the words:

“Hold a thar, woman, for my weepin might go off an’
hurt yer.”

Waneta halted and turned ee the horseman, who
just then threw himself. from his oe and contronted
et a
“Who are you, and what do you iki “OE me?’ she
asked.

_“T ar’ one of the Red Angel gang, sent arter ver by
Cap'n Kit, an’ here comes t’other boys, seven 0’ us in all.’’

He took hold of the satchel she held in her hand.

“You dare not rob me.”

“Boys, she says we dasn’t rob her,” cried the man,
turning to his comrades, who just then came up.
“Yes, we dare, you bet,” cried one, and all sprang
from their horses and surrounded her.
“Well, what is it you wish?” she asked.

“We wants the gold,” said the first speaker.

"T have no gold with me.”
“You has paper, an’ that calls for the yaller dust, you

“Would you rob a woman?”

“Now .you is talkin’, we would.”

“But you shall not ae the money.”

We will”

“Til resist to the last.”

“Better not, fer yer might get shooted.”

“You surely would not kill a woman?”

“Waal, it kinder looks as though we would.”

“Base villains !’’

“Oh, we knows our characters well, an’ knowin’ our
wants, we says ter you, give up thet leetle satchel o’
dust.”

Lhe Se will punish you when he knows you took
this money.”

This was a poser for the outlaws, and they were silent
for an instant, when one asked:

BILL STORIES.

“How’ll he know it?’

“I shall tell him.”

“Oh, you will a

eee

“Waal, pards, ef she is gwine ter tell on us, we hed
better keep her from doin’ it.”

“But how kin yer stop a woman’s tongue, Jake?”

“IT admit there be but one way.”

“And how. are thet ?”

“Dead tongues don’t wag, pards, even if they is
women’s.”

The intelligent Indian saw that she was in oe peril.
For a moment her courage failed.

.““Take the nioney and spare my life,” she urged.

_ The outlaw who seemed to be the leader looked at her;

“Boys, we wants this money ourselves; and ter keep
ther chief from knowin’ we took it we’ll have ter kill her,
and pertend that somebody else done it.”

“Yes,” another agreed, “fer a woman ain't ter be trusted
with a secret. She’s ae but her tongue will wag jes’
ther same as if she was a white female.”

“All right, Jake, if you says so,’ was the answer; “but
I hates ter kill a woman.” i

“Whar’s ther difference, pard, atween a man an’ a
woman, whar killin’ is ter be did?”

This argument seemed to be unanswerable, and the out-
laws nodded consent to the devilish act, while one asked:

“Who are ter do ther killin’ ?”

No one answered, and again came the question:

“Who are ter do ther killin’, pards ?”’

“Waal, let us draw lots fer who are ter do ther work,”
said Jake. .

Each man then took a piece of gold of a like sum from
his pocket, and, making a mark upon one piece, threw all
into a tobacco pouch.

Then the gold was shaken up and each man put in his
hand and drew a piece out.

During this scene of drawing lots to see who should
be the murderer the-Indian girl stood like a statue.

One by one they drew for the fatal coin, in that death
lottery, and at last all had drawn but Jake.

“You is elected, Jake.”

“Yer has ter do it, pard.”

“Take.a ee fetit, Jake, fer it are more pleasanter ter
die thet way.’

“No, shoot her, Jake.”

“Drown: her in the creek, pard.”

“Yas, hold her under the drink, ia any’ ’ she’ Il scon
give up her life-grip.”’

“Pizen) her, pard’

“Make her shoot herself, so’s: yer won't be guilty an’
see her ghost o’ dark nights.”

Such was the advice that Jake received, and he stood

 

  
 

     

10, See BUPRALG

calmly through all until the last, en he “was threatened

‘with seeing the ghost of the girl.

At this he turned pale and hesitated. Observing it,

his comrades began to nag at him: wag? jests that soon
forced him to say:

“‘Pards, | has drawed ter be élected fer ther work, an’
durn me ef I ain’t got ther sand ter do it, thou eal I never
hilt a female afore.

“Now, girl, jist tell me how yer prefer ter die, for I
are a marciful critter, an’ wants ter obleege yer as ter
ther style o’ death yer think yer would like best,” and the
villain turned toward Waneta with a lock in his face that
showed he had fully made up his mind to kill her. |

At this moment, seeing that they meant to murder her,
-Waneta, who had not left the outlaw camp unarmed,
whipped a revolver out of the folds of her dress, and as
quick as flashes fired several shots and bounded away avith
the speed of a deer.

The outlaws were not only astounded, but one of them
Sar dead, a bullet through his heart, and a second had
been slightly wounded, and amazed at the act and aim of
the ‘piel they were momentarily demoralized, and Waneta
had a good start before they began a pursuit.

Mounting their horses, then, in hot haste, they spurred

stripped their dead comrade
about him, and leit

en ih chase, having hastily
of any money and valuables he had
his. body to the coyotes.

Of course, hampered with her skirts, the Indian girl
could not keep up the speed she held at starting, nor
could she hope to outrun the horses of her captors.

Still she held her own for a while quite well, until she
struck the peek leading to the top of a heavily-wooded
ridge.

Here her strength began to fail, and the outlaws gained
rapidly.

Fifty yards more and she w ould reach the cuee and
the line of trees, and then could turn at bay on her foes
and at least sell her life dearly, perhaps BRS one or
more of her pursuers.

But those on her track were not a hundred yards be-
hind, and, yelling like demons, they were pushing their
horses hard, Jake shouting to his comrades:

“Let's. skeer her ter death, an’ then I won't hev ter kill
ner :

Panting, staggering and frightened to desperation, Wa-
neta ran on; but human nature could stand no more, and
she sank to her knees, raising her revolver and facing her
enemies to the last.

A wild shout came irom the outlaws, and a moment
after they had surrounded their victim.

“Come, pards, I gives a hundred dollars ter each man
p with me an’ fires on this “ooman at ther

 

BILL STORIES.

 

word,” cried Jake, who had been the one to whose let it

fell to kill the Indian girl.”
“T speaks for a hundred.’
‘Me too,”
The cries came from two of the Worst of the band, and

Jake promptly took out his wallet and counted out the -
money, the prisoner kneeling the while and gazing breath-

lessly into the merciless faces of her capiors.

“Thet’s it; now we'll jist stan’ heur an’ fix this up

rime, fer I doesn’t want ter “know thet I kills her all
3 “

alone,” said Jake, feeling no compunction at the diabolical
act, but a dread of seeing the ghost of his victim after-

vard. oe

The three men now took their stand three paces away
from Waneta, who still rae where she had sunk down in
her flight.

She was calm now, for she had given up hope, and with
hands tightly elecond faced her intended executioners.

Apart from the tragic group were the rest of the out-
laws, holding their horses and gazing on with interest.

‘“Pards, is yer ready?”

owas s

ois:

“Waal, when. Ig

37

‘ives ther word fter——

A pistol shot Sea his tongue ere the sentence - was.

completed, and over the ridge bounded three men, a re-
volver in each hand. |
“Buffalo Bill and his pards!” was the warning cry.
As one man the outlaws bounded to their horses, sprang
upon them and rode down the slope like mad, without fir-

ing a single shot at the enemy, though a horse went down .

and a rider was wounded by the rattle of the revolvers in
the hands of the scouts, who had come so unexpect tedly

upon the scene.

From the brink of the grave to life was such a change
for the Indian girl that she could not speak as her pre-
servers ran up to her.

Buffalo Bill was first to break the silence.

“Thank Heaven, my dear madam, we were in time, and
had the nature of the ground permitted us to ride our

horses over the ridge, we would run yonder scoundrels to

32

earth; but, as it is, we have one for a souvenir,’ and

the scout pointed to Jake, one of the outlaws, who had

fallen by his revolver, the bullet entering his brain, al-

though the shot had been a long one from the top of the

hill, x
In a trembling voice Waneta began to tell her story.

She was, she said, the daughter of a well-known Sioux

chief, on her way home from an Eastern school, to which
she had been to be educated.

She had taken passage in the stag ee that passed oa
this wild section,

 

  

 

a
eae

 

     

 

 
EE

 

Sao

a

La

 

 

 

THE BUFFALO

The stage had been held up by Capt. Hyena, who
killed the driver and made her a prisoner.

“He forced me to go with him,” she continued, “and
when we were pursued by the lieutenant and his men he
beat them off,

“Then we were hidden in these hills when you three
gentlemen rode by within a few feet of us, and, discoy-
ering the lieutenant down on the prairie, you went rapidly
to his aid, while Capt. Kit carried me on with him.

“Whether it was that they did not think it possible
for me to escape or not I cannot tell; but. I did make my
escape last night, took the satchel of money from the spot
I saw the chief hide it, and left the camp, to be pursued
and overtaken as you saw.”

“And these men meant to kill you?” said Buffalo Bill.

“Yes, sir, and go back and tell their captain that I es-
caped, while they meant to divide the money between
them.”

i ihe canhroa:s

“Well, es you have had a rough time and a close
call from death.

“We went to the aid of the lieutenant, and he told us
what had happened to the coach, so as soon as we had
gotten him in shape to go on to the fort, we took the
Hyena trail and were following it, when a shot fired some
time back caused us to leave our horses and come to the
top of this ridge.” :

“Tt was the rifle shot that brought my horse down.”

“Doubtless, and when we got here we saw your gallant
tace for iis. But these fellows have left. you a horse
there, lp see.’

The Indian girl. looked at ae seauts oaietily and as if
she desired to say something further.

“T will turn this satchel and its contents over to you,”

she said, “for it belonse to the passenger who was with

me in the stage.”
“We will see that he gets his property,” Buffalo Bill

" promised.

“And another thing,” she said, Heat naey, » “Word
reached me that my people, the Sioux, are suffering ter-
ribly from smallpox. I heard it at the stage station. I
shall go on and do what I can for them. But isn’t there
somebody connected with the army service who. could

know, but
She stopped, still hesitating.
Buffalo Bill and his comrades. looked ieee.
“T will see about it,’ he promised. “And now we will
set you on your way, if you will mount that horse; and we
will act as your escort until you reach a section of the
country where it will be safe for _you to go on to your
people alone.”
The Indian girl \ was profuse i in her thanks, but at in-

 

   

BILE STORIES: II

tervals, as they rode on, she returned to the subject that
was uppermost in her mind—the condition of her people,
the Sioux.

 

(CHAPTER VI.

BUFFALO BILL’S SACRIFICE.

Buffalo Bill and his pards accompanied Waneta far into
the Indian country.

On their return to the fort the scout had a remarkable
story to communicate to Maj. Benteen, the post com- |
mandant.

He told first the story is Waneta, he he said, was
practically a queen among her own people, for which
reason she had been sent to an Eastern school to be edu-
cated.

Running hastily over the story of the robbery of the
stage and the incidents which followed, all of which are
known to the reader, and relating also Waneta’s story of
the smallpox scourge that was destroying her people, But-
falo Bill unfolded the story in which he seemed to be more
interested than in all the rest.

“Major, I have made a discovery,” he said, “and it was
in this way, and it impressed me even more than what
the Indian girl told me.’

The major was giving the scout his undivided atten-
tion, for the reports of Buffalo Bill, whenever he re-
turned from one of his long rides, were more interesting

_ than any fiction.

“On our return trip, Will’’—by which the scout meant
Broncho Bill Powell—“saw a Soe eae’ out of a
thicket and shot him.

“The report called George and myself to the spot, for

we were in a dangerous position, and we found Will be-

moaning the fact that he had shot a sick Indian.
“The redskin was not dead, and Will was bending over

him, trying to do what he could for him, as the redskin

had been hiding from us and not trying to shoot us.

“A glance showed me what was the matter with him,
major,” : ae

“And: what was that? oy .
“Smallpox.”

The officers present all started, and iavoluman they

| moved farther off from the scout, who said, with a smile:
come to their ae It is asking a great deal, I

“Have no fear, gentlemen, for you may remember that

I have a secret camp in the hills, where I keep a hidden
stock of clothes, provisions, blankets and ammunition, and.
- we went straight there, after leaving the Indian, and

changed our attire throughout, besides we have all been .
vaccinated, and used every preventive in. our power
against contagion.” on

“Go on with your story,” said the major. “Broncho
Bill oS the Indian a service by putting him out of his
misery.” .

  
“He certainly did, sir, for the redskin was a foathdante ‘

sight, and, knowing that the disease ‘was  coritagious,
séemed to take a delight, while dying, in the thought that
we would contract it from him and die, too.”
“And did you see him die?”
“Oh, yes, sir, fer I would not leave a a to on alone.
_ “sent George and Will on to our secret camp, and
then had a talk with the rédskin i in his own tongue. °

7 ‘He told me that the villages of his people were being

 

oo THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

ravaged with the disease, hundreds being down with it,

and hundreds dying, and that their medicine men were un-

able to do them any good, while, to excuse. themselves,
these redskin quack doctors told them that the great spirit

was cursing them because they did not strike a severe
blow against the whites.
cera
than he intended to, for as I spoke in the Sioux tongue,
J led him to believe that I was a comrade and friend.”
“And you thereby made some important discovery.”
“Yes, Maj. Benteen, I made the discovery that the
jnediciné men. were instigating an attack upon the settle-
ivonts, tanches and this. fort.” ]
“The deuce they are!” cried a major.
“They certainly are planning such an attack, Sir; and

sre anxious to bring upon the whites not only fire and

calping knife, but also the disease that is now a curse ~

i their villages, for they will leave their dead. unburied,

Vow their wounded. to fall into. the. hands. of the sal-
ciers, and thus cunningly sow. the seeds of a terrible epi-
demic along the border,”

zhe Indian was partly delirious, and told me more_

ore, are getting together w hat warriors they can, and |

“My God, this is fearful " cried Mai. Benen, ee

oughly alive to the possibilities. of sucha eatastrophe,..

while the officers who wefe present gave vent to their
amazqnent and horror in very strong language, for,
though ready to meet any foe face to face with weapons,

or to risk ambush and torture if captured, brave as they

were, they shrank from meeting a foe armed. with the

dread and loathsome disease of smallpox.
After all had expressed their views upon the aibiece

Maj. Benteen turned to Surg.. Powell, who had -sat in.

silence after his startling communication, and asked: .
“Well, what are we.to do against this new enemy | pe
UT believe that it can be successfully met, sir,’
“hideed| but how?” ~
“There is but one way.”

“And that?” 5

“To check the apidemio?

“But, in Heaven's name, how 2” -
“Well, major, I have thought of a plan.”

-

“Tell it to us, and if I can do aught in ‘the matter to :

carry out your views, I will gladly do so.” |. ‘

Well, major, trom what I. have gleaned from the

cers.
“I feel sure that no one else will go, trom the fort or
~ elsewhere, * Buffalo Bill went on.
is true; but I can take a supply of vaccine viruis and vac-
cinate the Indians, and in that way do something—per- —

 

dying Indian, I came to the conclusion that it would be

fully a week before the warriors started upon their raid
in this direction, for it is no easy matter for them to get
the requisite force, with their braves dying as they are.’

“And when do you expect them to start ?”

“Within four days, a Benteen, eae pernaes in three
from the present time.”

“We have little time to lose, then.”

“Not much to throw away, sir, but 1 expect a :

there in time to check them.”

“You hope to arrive where?” asked the major, empha-
sizing every word.

“At the Indian camp, sir.”

“At the what?” —

“The Sioux village, major.”

“I do not quite get your meaning.”

“Let me make myself plain, then, Maj Benteen.”

“IT wish you would, for you hint that you are going
among the Indians.”

“T am going, sit, to the village that is suffering with
the smallpox.” a

There was no mistaking these words. =

They were uttered in the calm manner habitual to the —
scout, and he meant just what he said.

“Great God! Are you mad?’

“No, Maj. Benteen, I am sane,’

“You -cannot be.”

“My pulse is normal, major; I feel in perfect health :

aud — is not the slightest symptorn of insanity about

me,”

“My dear Cody, what can be your purpose in thus
throwing your life away, and what eogs will it do?” .

“Let me explain, major, my purpose.”
_ “In the first place, I believe that I can go to the al.
lage camp and check the epidemic.”

“They will kill you at. Set

“TI must fisk that.” an

‘ithe redskins do not kill you, the sinattbow! will’?

“T must take my chances on that, too, major.”
Major Benteen cakes. skeptical, | as as ne one offi ‘

“YT aim not a doctor, e

haps as much as a doctor could—to stop the scourge. I

_. shall do it, to help the Sioux, as well as to do something

to protect the settlernents. It will be something, major, :

if I can get the good opinion of those Indians.” ve
“And when do you start?” the major asked.
“To-morrow, or rather to-day, for it is only a couple

of hours to dawn.”

“You cannot be persuaded from making this sacrifice es

I

 

 

 

 
 

 

  
  
 

Te j is my duty, major, and not a sacrifice.”

“By ue flag! but I mye half a mind to order you not
to od.’

“No, Maj. Bonen you.are not the man to stand be-

tween me.and what I deem my duty.

“Tt is no whim of mine, no seeking after notoriety, that
1 go; but from a stern sense of duty, in the belief that
I can do good.”

“] believe you, Cody, and ve any man can accomplish

the task you propose, you are that man.

“But you have to risk your life, invading the village
of hostiles who thirst for your scalp, and, if the warriors
receive you with confidence, you'll have their medicine
men to fight, while; if you escape these two evils, then
comes the fear of contagion, and the thought that you
may lie down to die among those you strive to serve.

“But go, Cody, and my prayers will follow you, and
be it your fate to fall in doing the noble duty you set for
yourself, as you will not be forgotten by those vou leave
behind you.” 5

All were touched by the kindly-spoken words of the’

gallant major, and, ee opine. his hand, Buffalo Bil said
in his quiet way:

“Thank you, major. Now, as { wish to get what rest
I can, 1 will say good+by.”

And, es hands with all present, Buffalo. Bill left
the major’s quarters and sought his own, where he threw
himself’ upon his cot and was soon sleeping soundly,
wholly oblivious of the self-sacrifice he had determined to
make.

CHAPTER Vit.
WHAT THE FIRELIGHT REVEALED.

The dying redman whom Will Powell had shot had not
exaggerated the state of affairs in his village, for the

scourge was making wild havoc among his people.

The village was a large one, and its chief, Wolf Fang,
was one of the most noted braves upon the border, and a
bitter foe to all whites.

He had a powerful band of warriors at his back, when
he brought them all into the field from the outlying camps,

and he was feared by soldiers, settlers and outlaws alike.

A young chief, the son of Loud Thunder, a famous

chieftain before him, he had partly inherited his. position,

and partly won it ‘by. his desperate deeds.

Anxious to gain still greater fame, he had led small
bands of picked braves down into the white settlements,
and committed his depredations almost within sight - the
fot,

Several times he had been thwarted by Buffalo Bill,
who had gained an inkling of his intended red work,
and sent the warning from tanch to ranch.

On one occasion, Buffalo Bill, when a prisoner to the

THE BUFFALO

    

   
    

 

 

BILL STORIES. 13

Red Angels, had saved them from Wolf Fang and his
braves, and also beaten him off, aided by those same men |
of Capt. Hyena’s band, when they were attacking with a
fair chance of success a military outfit from the fort,
which they had besieged and were overwhelming. with
their superior numbers. ee

Under these circumstances, it will be seen that the scout
had become well known to the Sioux, and they hated him
with the most intense hatred, and longed for his scalp. —

To get possession of Buffalo Bill, the Sioux would have
contributed a finger each all around, and this he well
knew, and yet he calmly set out from the fort to carry out
his desperate purpose. —

The village of the Wolf, Fang was most charmingly ~
situated, in the midst of a Cotiic. hill-land, where erystal -
streams glided through the valley and bluffs protected it
from the chilling winds of winter.

There was an abundance of grass and water for the
stock, numerous canyons, vast quantities of wood and
game of all kinds within easy reach. a

Like a pandotama the tepee village lay before one eflunice
of the eye, from one end of the valley, and here and there
were huts built of bark or poles, that were the chief’s

quarters, council lodges and medicine lodges.

At the time that the village is brought before the view
of the reader there was a strange excitement and yet a
hush resting upon all.

lt was just after sunset, and the light of day was fad-

“ing away, leaving darkness in the valley.

Hurrying forms of half-grown children and squaws
were seen hastening to and fro in silence, and warriors |
stalked about here and there, and yet seemed to be mak-
ing for one center, the grand medicine lodge of the vil-
lage.

The tum-tum of the Indian drum rolled continuously A
from various tepees where sickness and death had vis-
ited, and scattered about were little groups, evidently be-
longing to one family, discussing some queen of fa
moment to them. oe

As I have said, it was a scené of excitement, and yet a
feeling as though all loud Boron Tans were to a sup-
pressed...

At length a camp-fire was lighted in front of the snd:

cine lodge, where the score of medicine men were assém-

bled under their leader, Death Killer, an old- chief w hose
hair was white, but whose herculean frame was unbent
‘by the years that had passed over him.

One strange thing about this old chief was that he pos-
sessed a beard, long and white.

He was dressed in the full toggery of a great chief, and
carried im his hand a staff, with the skull of a white

man at one end and a bunch of scalps, fully a score in

number, and representing the hair of old age to childhood,

  
 

14 THE BUFFALO

for there were long white locks, evidently torn from the.
head of some old woman, and the silken blond hair of the
infant.

The face of the old medicine cacee was paled ae
red, white and black paint, and the hands had Le
dyed crimson, a sure sign that he meant war.

Such was Death Killer, the medicine chief of the Sioux
village I have attempted to describe, and the power he
held was equal to that of Wolf Fang, and, in fact, he was
more feared. . .

His followers in the medical fraternity were chips of
the old olock, and an ugly lot of scamps, as a glance would
show.

When the camp-fire, a very grand affair, was lighted
in front of the medicine lodge, these worthies were dis-
covered seated in a line, their backs to the tepee, their
heads drooped and the old chief in the center.

With the lighting of the fire the battle chiefs and war-
riors of the village began to move toward the medicine
lodge, singly and in pairs.

Reaching the fire, they seated themselves in a semi-
eocle around it, and facing the medicine men and those
of higher rank forming the inner circle. ae

All was silence, not a word being spoken, and only the
beating of the death drums through the village broke the
stillness. v

Soon a tall form advanced and took the seat of honor
facing the medicine chief, Death Killer.

This late comer was Wolf. Fang, and a finer specimen
of savage manhood could not be found.

He was as straight as a soldier, his shoulders broad,
waist small, and being over six feet in height, he possessed
a form that was full of strength and activity.

His leggings and moccasins were richly beaded, his
headdress of plumes of various colors was gorgeous.
His body was bare from’the waist up, excepting the sil-
ver armlets he wore and the necklaces of ‘bear claws that
encircled his neck, around which hung a fringe of scalps,
two-score in number.

until he took his ue then every eyé was turned upon
him. 2
His face was a ene one, but full of ee ae and
sternness, and it was devoid of paint. | ;
For some moments aiter his arrival. a silence. followed:
and then the old medicine chief ue in a ee Bee
voice, addressing Wolf Fang:

“Has the great battle chief of our ee a, his.

ears to the words of Death Killer and his medicine men?”
he asked.

“The ears of Wolf ee are ever open to ae that

which is good for his people.”

“The Death Killer and his medicine men howe ince

 

BILL STORIES.

These gory trophies were his pride,
As Wolf Fang approached. all but Death Killer arose

    

among the braves of the tribe, and fd half a thousand
watriors, as the palefaces count them, who can go upon
the warpath with the coming of dawn. Ae

“Will the Wolf Fang lead them?’ :

“The Wolf Fang will lead his braves to battle; but
the Wolf Fang’s people are sick; they fall as the leaves
fail, and the Death Killer and his medicine men do not.
save them.

“The braves, the women and children all die, and the
sickness seizes upon more and drags them down.

“The Wolf Fang would not fly from his people in their
sorrow, he would not lead a band of sick warriors to:
stagger upon the warpath and be cut down by the pale-
faces, but he would remain here to nurse them back to
health, and then, with strong feet and arms, to have his
braves go and fight our white foes.

“The Wolf Fang has spoken; he has told his wishes;
but if the great medicine chief, Death Killer, says that
the Great Spirit will not make our people well unless we
go, sick, worn out and with unhappy hearts, upon the
warpath, then Wolf Fang will lead his warriors, if it be
to death only.”

The young chief had begun to speak in a low tone,
and while seated, but after a few words he arose to his
feet and what he said fell with telling force upon his
braves, who simply sided. with the views of the old medi-
cine chief from fear of the mysterious powers he held.

But. Death Killer was not to be put off.

Ee saw that the scourge was seizing fresh victims
hourly, and his medicines were of no use to may the dread
disease,

Could he get Wol f Fang and his five hundred ee off
for a couple of weeks, he would remove all the well to the
hills, let the sick die and thus try to arrest the epidemic.

If. he could not do this his power was gone.

And mote, he had hopes that the warriors would re-

turn victorious, and thus show that he was. right in send- —

ing them. ©

Seeing the Wolf Fang would go a he said it was rent
to please the Great Spirit, the cunning old medicine chief
arose to his feet, and said in solemn tones:

“The Great Spirit demands that the blood of the pale-
faces be shed.

“The Wolf Fang must lead his warriors to battle, and
death will fly from our village in fright.”

Then silence fell upon all, broken only by a cry from: a

' hundred lips, as ae. upon the eke flashed Hp a

bright flame.

It was in full view of the niles, and upon the trail
leading down to the medicine lodge.

There, in the full glare of the fire, which had so a
denly flared up, stood Waneta, the Indian girl. |

Yet her appearance had been almost wholly changed.

 

 

  
 

 

 

 

4

    
 
  
 

THE BUFFALO

Slipping into the. village after nightfall, having con-
cealed her herse in the hills, she visited certain lodges
whose inmates she knew would treat her kindly.

-There she had learned the awful details of the ravages
of the scourge that was destroying her people, and like-
wise learned of the power and plans of the medicine man,
Death Kier,

Knowing that a spectacular entrance into the village
would produce'a great impression in her favor, she had
arrayed herself. in Indian attire, adorned herself with
beads, feathers and paint. Then she had slipped out of
the village and just at the entrance had ignited a bonfire.

Now, as the Indians tuned toward her, she stood in
its light, presenting a most remarkable spectacle.

“People of the Sioux,” she said, addressing them in

her native tongue, “] am your daughter, the daughter of

your great chief, Wolf Fang. I have hurried from the
distant lodges of the palefaces that I might be with you
in this time of trouble... For tr ay : love you, and would
help p you all in my power.”

Wolf Fang, who had stared at her as if te belicld a
vision, moved toward her now, with arms outstretched.
“My daughter is welcome,” he said, simply.

At onee there was a hum of voices,

“Many of the voices were raised in anger, for Death
Killer and his friends were shrewd enough to see that her
coming might have power to disarrange their plans.

Tn spite. of this, Wolf Fang took Waneta by the hand,
and as gravely as if issues of life and death depended on
his movements, he conducted her before the council.

Then he turned to face the Indians, having seated Wa-
neta by his side. - . :

“My daughter, who went away many moons ago to
learn the things of the white man, is with us again >and
she is welcome.” ;

Waneta stood before the fiery-eyed savages with quiet
demeanor, though her bosom was heaving with suppressed
emotion and excitement.

“In the lodges of the palefaces I have heard of the
trouble that has come to my people,”
that all might hear her. “I have brought with me a little
charm that will work against the disease.”

She held up some small pieces of vaccine virus hick
she had obtained at the stage station.

To the eyes of the savages it was some fetich or charm.

“It is evil!” shouted Death Killer, working: himself
into a rage, for he fancied he saw his power and influ-
encé falling from him. “It is a charm of the palefaces,
and will kill whoever touches it. Are not the white men
our enemies? Has not this girl been with them, and
changed her heart so that it is no longer red? And now
she brings this deadly thing from our enemies that she
may kill us with it.”

 

 

she said, speaking

  

BILL STORIES. | 15

Wails arose on the ce of ithe throng, and the In-
dian mob swayed as if rustled by a wind.

In the midst of the tumult es voice-of Wolf Fang w as
heard :

“My daughter ae ‘$s not aes a crooked tongue, and he
Ww ho says so lies!” =

The w ords seemed to be hurled ci at the medi-
cine man, who shrank. back as if he had received a blow.

“It was her mother’s wish—her mother, who had once
lived with the white men—that she should be sent to learn
of the things which the white man knows, but of which
the Sioux are ignorant. If she says that the thing she
brings is good, it is good!”

His words rang out like a trumpet. :

Death Killer seemed about.to reply, when a roar of ex-
citement sounded off at the right, in the direction of the
bonfire, which was -still blazing,

All turned and. saw a horseman.

Horse and rider were motionless, and the latter had
his hands raised above his head, the palms turned toward
the Indians, as a token of peace.

“Buffalo Bill, the paleface scout!” cried a number of
warriors, recognizing the horseman by the bright glare of
the fire, and one and all sprang to their feet in dire alarm.

CHAPEER Vill.

BUFFALO BILL'S COURAGE.

The Indians saw that the horseman appeared to be not
only unaccompanied, but was coming alone to their vil-
lage. :

At a word from his master, the noble animal which the
white man bestrode moved stew! y down the trail, toward
the Indian village. ie

Upon his back, upright and calm, and with his hands
raised above his head, as when first discovered, Cody sat,
coming to dare Indian fury and treachery.

Out of the glare of the firelight he rode.

All of the Indians looked to Wolf Fang for orders, but
his lips moved not, and then old Death Killer spoke:

“Let the young braves meet and Shige their wits foe,
and drag him here for us to look upon.”

At his words, a dozen warriors bounded away, but a
loud call from Wolf Fang brought them back.

“Do my braves fear one man, when he comes alone to_
our village? oe

“Let my warriors wait, for the great scout of the pale-
faces cores with his hands empty, and places hims self in
our power.”

This seemed true, as far as the braves had discovered,
and they waited in patience, though all saw that old
Death Killer had hoped the white man would have been

  
 

 

- moved.

16 : THE BUFFALO

killed by some of them, and not be brought alive into their
midst.
The eyes of the entire village were now upon the daring
paleface, who came alone into the midst of his enemies,

. They saw him coming like a shadowy phantom, and

hed him ride slowly up to the council lodge and dis-

mount. ;
Leaving his horse standing untied, with uplifted hands
he calmly advanced, the warriors giving way before him

and closing in behind him, their hands grasping their
knives.

Waneta was as much astonished as any Indian there.
Though she had urged upon Buffalo Bill the terrible con-
dition of her people, and he had listened attentively, she

‘had not really believed he would'try to do anything.

- Straight up to Wolf Fang the scout walked, halting
before the chief and Waneta. :
‘Then he spoke.

_ “The scout of the palefaces has come to Wolf Fang
and to his people, to drive death from their tepees, to save
their braves, their women and children, and to bring back
laughter to their hearts where now are only wails of
sorrow. :

“Will the Wolf Fang and his warriors let the scout of -

the palefaces prove that his tongue is straight, that he will

-do as he says, or will they kill him and start on their war-

trail against their white foes, leaving death in their vil-
lage? Will they return to find their people dead because
their medicine men are fools and know not how to kill

the sickness that is destroying this Sioux tribe?

“The white chief has spoken, and he is ready to heal his
Plan foes, or to die "by their hands.

“ek the Wolf Fang speak.”

Not a sound other than the crackling of the burning
wood was heard during the words of Buffalo Bill.

What he said fell upon them like a voice from the happy

hunting grounds.

They were dazed by his boldness, amazed by his claim
to cure them, and astounded that he knew of their in-
tended raid upon the settlements and ranches.

He had come alone into their midst, which showed that

he did not fear them.

Fle knew of the plague upon them, and yet came to face
it and cure them.

He called their great eatin men fools, and told them
that he was ready to die, if so they willed.

All eyes turned upon Wolf Fang, and then = old
Death Killer.

The latter was nervous and Broepen his knife con-

_ vulsively, while his medicine men did the same.

As for Wolf Fang, he had folded his arms upon his
broad chest, and stood as did his white oe calm and un-

 

BILL STORIES.

This was one sign that he meant no hostility toward him

just then.

Having spoken, the scout stood in cence as ee as

an Indian, awaiting the result.

“Will the great chief, Wolf Fang, hurl words into the
face of the white dog, or shall Death Killer speak?” sud-

denly cried the old medicine chief, too excited to longer
remain silent. ce
“The Wolf Fang has 4 tongue,” was the answer.

“He does not sit like a child in council when there are.

words to be said. ee as
“He has heard the words of the mighty scout of the
_palefaces and he will reply to Rim, and the Death Killer
will remain silent when the battle chief talks.” i
These words fell like a thunderbolt upon all, for they
showed that Wolf Fang would allow no interference, even
from Death Killer, and that he was impressed by what the
paleface had. said.

Then again fell a silence upon all, and the eyes of the»
warriors rested on the unmoved face of Buffalo Bill with

an admiration at his courage which they could not hide.

Some of them looked at the silent figure of Waneta, as

if they would question her.

The Indian girl was staring into the face of oes ay
as if fascinated.

After a long silence, always impressive in an adic
council, Wolf Fang again turned to Buffalo Bill and
asked:

“The scout of the palefaces is the redman’s foe, when

the warrior faces him with arms in his hands to kill him.
“But when the redmen are sick and in sorrow, when

their people are falling like the leaves from the trees in
autumn, then the white scout is their friend,’ was the

answer, Buffalo Bill, as before, speaking’ in the Sioux

tongue, which he had mastered perfectly.

“And what says the white scout he can do for my
people?”

“He can drive sickness and death from their village,
if they will do as he commands them.”

‘Does he say that he can do that which the great Death
Killer, the medicine chief of the Sioux, cannot eo Fe

PY Ost 3

“The Death Killer is the greatest of ce men.”

“The Death Killer is an old fool,’ was the contemptuous
reply of Buffalo Bill, and the Indians fairly started at his
bold words, fearing the old medicine man as they did.

“No, the Death Killer is a great medicine man—his
head is right—his tongue is straight, ” said Wolf Fang,

not liking to hear a man whom he had oe as aoe a

called a fool.
“Then why does not the Death Killer save tis pele ?
“Why does he not drive the ee Les among them?

aan

“Ts not the great ae scout the foe of the potas 2

 

 

 

Sa

    

 
   

 

  

 

 

  
   
 
 

“Why does he not cure the sick, instead-of sending the

_ Wolf Fang and his brave warriors off to fight the pale-

faces, wher: he knows that they will be cut to pieces, sick

‘and wretched as they are?

“No, the Death Killer has no power to cure his people,
and the white medicine man has.”

These bold words were listened to with amazement, and
furtive glances were cast at the man thus denounced, and
who had held the Sioux under a kind of holy terrorism
for years.

The questions were unanswerable, and Wolf F ang, im-
pressed by them, asked:

“Does the white chief say that he can save my people?”

“Yes, came the unhesitating response.

“How ??

“He has the art of healing that saves the palefaces, and
he will save the redmen, too.”

“How?” asked the chief.

Buffalo Bill produced irom his hunting shirt some small
packages and held them up to. view.

The Indians recalled the “fetich” which had been shown
by Waneta, and could not resist the inference that this was
the same.

Death Killer voiced their thought:

“Tt is the white man’s bad medicine, brought here to an
the Indians. The Indian girl with the white heart

~Wolf Fang arose and shouted at him in a rage, at the
same time drawing a knife, and the medicine man did not
finish his accusation against Waneta.

 

Yet the looks that went around the Indian circle showed

that what he had said was not without effect.

“When this disease comes to the white people,” said the
scout, addressing Wolf Fang, “they put those who are
stricken with it in places by themselves. Then all those
who have not been stricken are treated with the medicine
T hayez’ .

“The white man’s bad medicine!” said Death Killer,

“You do not need to let me use it on you,” responded
the scout, contemptuously, “but if vou do not, you are
likely to get this disease and die. I will save all who will
obey me. Some of them may fall sick with the disease,
but they will not have it so severely but' that they will get
well. The others—those who will not let me work this

- charm on them—when they take sick are very likely to

die. J am among you unarmed. If | ba not come to do
you good, | would not have come so.’

The Indians were completely shaken out of their equa-
nimity by the bold words of the white man. © /

“What has the Death Killer to say ?”

“He has heard the words of the great medicine man of
the palefaces,’ and Wolf Fang turned to the old chief,
who looked as though he was about to blow up with fury.

 

THE BUFFALO

    

BILL STORIES. | 17

But curbing an outburst, he said, while his voice quiv-
ered:

“The white medicine man is a lying dog of a paleface.
“His words are not straight, his tongue is crooked.
“He has come as a spy to our village, and talks, while

he looks, so that his warriors can come in and a us while

our people are sick and dying.”

This seemed a new way of accounting for the visit of
Buffalo Bill, and it had its weight at once, as the scout
saw. .

But he was quick to check the tide against him by

saying :

“The white chief has come alone, sae he faces the
sickness that kills your people, and confronts your war-
riors in their anger.

“He is here to prove that his tongue is not crooked,
that his words are not a lie, and he will begin his work
at once to save his Sioux brothers.

“Tf he fails, they have him here to torture him to death
and to place his scalp on the lodge-pole of the Death
Killer, their great medicine chief.

‘Will the Sioux warriors believe the words of the white
man ?”

“No; the white dog shall

But Wolf Fang sprang before the infuriated old medi-
cine chief, and clutched him in his firm grasp, while he
said sternly:

“The Wolf Fang is chief here.

“Tet the Death Killer not anger him.”

Again a silence fell upon all, while the old medicine
chief turned and walked moodily into the lodge, followed
by his medicine men, who, with him, were wild with rage
at the words of the white man. :

Then Wolf Fang spoke, and all listened with deepest
attention to every word that fell from his lips.

He said:

“The white scout is a great chief, and he is a mighty
watrior.

“If his heart is black, his face does not show it.

“Tf his words are false, his eyes look true.

‘He says what he can do.

“Tf he does what his words say, the Wolf.Fang will
let him go free.

“Tf he speaks crooked, the Wolf Fang will give him into
the hands of the Death Killer and his medicine men to
torture.’

‘Tv accept the pledge of the Wolt Fang ; wee he must
help me to heal his people.”

“The Wolf Fang will do as the white chief asks.

“Do my warriors say that their chief has spoken well?’
and he turned to the braves about him.

A great grunt of assent followed, many of the warriors

 

  
  

18 - THE BUFFALO

looking toward Waneta, as if they fancied she interpreted
for them what they were hardly able to interpret for them-
selves.

CHAP GE ix.
FACTLENG Wit DEATH :

Buffalo Bill was born with more nerve than generally
falls to the lot of man,

Tt will therefore not be wondered at that he went to
work in the Indian camp with promptness, decision and a
determination to get at the root of the evil and take the
plague by the throat, as it were.

He knew that failure was death, and yet this knowledge
did not make him nervous.

His first duty was to at once ask Wolf Fang to select
for him the best nurses he had in the village; young or
old, and of either sex

One of the first aclecied, and jailed she volunteered for
the purpose, was Waneta, Wolf Tang's talented and edu-
cated daughter, who was called by
Queen.

Waneta had a conference with the scout, in which the
general situation and their perils were discussed frankly ;
then she took up her task cheerfully and bravely.

Buffalo Bill, having been given a free hand by the chief,
began energetic measures.

To his amazement, he found the situation far worse
than he could have believed, and the dread plague was
seizing upon new victims almost hourly.

Having made this discovery, he decided to first strive
to check the spread of the evil.

To do this he must vaccinate, and he expected trouble
at once where he had to do this with a redskin.

To Wolf Fang and others of the more intelligent among
the Indians, he explained as well as he could, to their
untutored minds, the uses of vaccination as a preventive
against catching smallpox, and the chief promptly stepped
forward and bared his brawny arm for the scout to work
on.

This was half the battle, and Buffalo Bill smiled at his
SUCCESS. -

But there were rumors going around ‘that the white
medicine man was putting poison in their veins, to kill
them all, and this at once checked the coming of the
patients. . :

Dark looks and grumblings were heard upon all sides,
and a storm was brewing, when Buffalo Bill at once bared
his own arm and performed the operation on himself,
while he said, qtuetly:

, i will die with them.”

and bared her plump

scouts keen knife blade.

“See, it my red brothers die
Then Waneta caine
brown arm to the scratch of the

forward,

BILL STORIES.

many the Indian

This at once reassured the Indians, and again the stream

of red humanity flowed toward the Mecca of hope.

And on. they came, through the hours of the night,
the white man seated in his tepee, by a rude table, a rush-
light burning brightly within, a large ecamp-fire without,
while the stream marched in and flowed out:

Old warriors on crutches, cld squaws with sticks, braves
in the full vigor of manhood, maidens in the perfect flush
of youth; mothers with babes, and children by scores,
trooped along in superstitious awe of the white man who
had daringly come into their village, to drive death out,
a befriend his bitterest foes.

All night long the crowd poured in, until, at last all who
Conta walk had gone through the—to them—1 reird pers
formance that must save their lives.

What it meant they could not tell, but their chief trusted,
while their own medicine men hung back, sneered, and in
erim silence looked on.

When the red villagers had been gone through with, ex-
cepting the medicine men, Buffalo Bill turned to them.

Looking into the faces of several, he saw that they had
already contracted the disease, and would soon be down
with it, and he determined to make a point of this, and of
others he had noticed also afflicted.

“Will my brother let the white scout keep ‘him from
death >” he asked, turning to Death Killer, who stood near,

Death Killer gave a contemptuous grunt and turned

away, while his followers also showed contempt for the
white chief.

“So be it; the white chief has spoken and you refuse

Then, fixing his eyes upon those whom he knew to be
already suffering, the scout continued:

“Vou will be sick soon, and you, and you,
and thus he pointed out those among

and the erowd, who would be victims.

and you,”
the medicine men,

His words sent an awe through the hearts of all: but
unheeding this, the daring white man began his work on
those already down and suffering.

Under the instruction of the scout, the village was soon
made as clean as possible. New tepees were pitched
further up the valley, and the well people all moved there,
leaving their traps, old robes and all disease-contaminated —
material, to be burned.

Many of the Indians clung desperately to their blankets ;
but the scout was not to be moved, and Wolf Fang,
with perfect confidence in him, came to his rescue in all.

cases and carried the point in his favor.

Day and night the indefatigable man worked, giving
medicines, nursing and doing all in his power to check the
spread of the disease, as well as to cure those who were
sick,
Waneta boldly and earnestly seconded him in all his

   

 

 
"efforts

 

 

THE BUFFALO

and her influence, together with that of Wolf
Fang, was invaluable.

Under this rigid work the good result ie to show
itself at once, almost, and the second day very few deaths
occurred, while in the upper village, where the well had
been removed, only a case or two had broken out... These,
with their blankets and rebes, had been hustled off to the
hospital village, as they called the lower camp. e

No man ever undertook a greater thing, and as for
daring and nobleness of heart, the deed remains unsur-
passed. ie
 Untiring, snatching: a nap here and ae Babals Bill
continued on in the good work. Soon his Indian nurses
became skilled in his mode of treatment, and did much to
help along in the good cause of curing the sick, and pre-
venting the spread of the plague.

When one after the other of the medicine men were
taken down, and the very ones whom the “Mighty Medi-
cine Man’’—as the Indians now called Buffalo Bill—had
pointed out, he was first at their side doing all in his power
for them. They were not averse to his services, while
several others even submitted to being vaccinated by him.
Old Death Killer and two or three of-the older ones still
held out, however.

Through the scourge thus far the ‘medicine men had

miraculously escaped contagion ; but when at last half their -

number got down with the dread ailment, it broke down
the lingering hope of a number of the Indians who still

a clung to them in preference to the white man, and they

acknowledged ‘ ‘Mighty Medicine” the King on Death.

Thus days passed away and death no longer stalked
through the Indian village with his destroying scythe.

The little parties that were often seen going up into the
hills with their dead kindred were rarely seen now, and
the invalids were getting well, where, under their native
medicine men, one who was taken" Sick ee died
soon after. At

Many who had been: vaccinated remained in perfect
health, and the wailing of squaws and crying of children
came to an end.

At Jength no new cases occur ay aed Butalo. Bill felt
that the end of his labors had come. His heart. told him
that he had nobly done his duty to those who were his

foes, and also to his own race. His brave act had kept

back the plague-cursed warriors from rushing down upon
the settlements” and ranches to spread death, Juin 1 and

disease among the palefaces.

&

‘With this thought. he sank. to py one on, ieee
mined upon the morrow to demand of Wolf Fang the |

keeping of the pledge he had made him.

@ “
BILL STORIES. 19

CHAPTER X
| THE GIFT OF THE WHITE BEAVER.
‘Wolf Fang cz came to the tepee of the “Mighty Medicine,”
the very morning following, just as Buffalo Bill was think-
ing of looking up that individual to have a chat with him.

Fle knew that the chief was friendly to him, and ap-
preciated all he had done. He had reproved a number

of his people for believing» that none of the sick should

die after the white scout had given his eo omise to check
the epidemic.

Wolf Fang was no ik but possessed - wood common
sense, and, though a superstitious Indian, he did not«ex-
pect miracles, and was not disappointed.

He had observed the acts of the scout closely, and ob-
served that the death-rate decreased ten per cent. the
first few days and fifty per cent. before the week was out,
while those who fell ill after the coming of the white man
were even of a smaller percentage.

He also observed that many of the very si¢k got well,
a thing that had not occurred in a single case under his
own medicine men. <

Seeing ali this, he realized that the scout had saved
the lives of hundreds of his people, many of them his best
warriors, and the visit to his tepee was to) so tell ‘him,
and prove his appreciation thereof. .

With the chief came all the several ane of the tribe,
all in their full war bonnets and attire, mounted upon

their best ponies, also in gorgeous trappings, and followed

by one hundred picked warriors.

Then there were four maidens, radiant i in. buckskin at-

tire, and they represented the four “moons,” or seasons,

of the year—spring, summer, autumn and winter. :
Spring , was represented by Waneta herself, who. ap-

peared as the leader of the Indian girls, because of her

_ beauty and her position as the daughter of a great» chief.
Her attire was wholly Indian, and her dress and head.

gear were worked in green beads, emerald-stained quills,

and feathers dyed the same hue, to denote the budding

forth of the leaves and grass.

“

The summer moon was represented by a ae ace :

orated in red, to indicate the warmth of the sun. |
fall moon had yellow decorations, while white beads and
white robe and feathers showed the snow, or winter
moon. ie Pag) See

and behind the chiefs.

furry object was lying.

jhe:

These four biieue iced) ee oe dee warriors,
They carried between them,- each ;
one holding a corner, a large white oe fo winch some

Arriving at the tepee, the scout came out and: gared vies

surprise at the sight.

The chiefs, some twenty in number, divided in two |
lines, facing inward, and the warriors, a huridred strong,

 
 

  

THE BUFFALO

20

   

formed a semicircle around them, the maidens meanwhile
walking up the lane made by the great braves

Wolf Fang had now dismounted and stepped in front
of Buffalo Bill, the maidens close at his heels.

“Well, chief, you are out in force.

“Ts it my scalp you are after; do you want me to vacci-
nate you over again, or have you all been taken suddenly
with the smallpox?’ coolly said Buffalo Bill, not at first
grasping the situation.

He looked into the smiling, intelligent face of Waneta,
and comprehended that if an honor was to be bestowed on
him, this Indian girl was the active cause of such recog-
nition.

Education will do much for any one. ‘ It had done so
much for Waneta that Buffalo Bill found it difficult to
believe she could be the daughter of this chief.

He had known Wolf Fang, and had fought him.

Wolf Fang was unmerciful to a foe, a butcher of
women and children, if his enemies, and was as cunning
as a fox, savage as a tiger, as vicious as a snake and re-

vengeful as an Italian. .

Still, he admired pluck even in a foe.

THe would have been ‘delighted to torture Buffalo Bull
to death, and would have laughed to hear his groans of
anguish.

But he had it in him to honor high courage, and to
prove his appreciation of a service ioe him of his
people. >.

He owed Buffalo Bill bitter grudges, and knew that

several of his warriors had bitten the dust at the crack of |

the scout’s rifle or revolver. -

- But he owed him a debt he could not regard too highly,
in what he had done ee him and his oe as he had
come to pay it.

Stepping forward with the majestic dignity natural to

him, and looking every inch the aes Be he was, he

said, in-his deep voice:
“The Mighty Medicine will listen to the words of
Wolf Fang.”
“Yes, let my red brother speak, for the ears of | Mighty
Medicine are open,’ answered the scout.

+2

“The Mighty Medicine is a Sreat chief, though “his

plood is white, and blood of Wolf Fang and his people is
red,” and the chief paused, as though to give Buffalo Bill
time to digest the idea of having white blood, which,

however doubtful a compliment, upon the principle of a

coward being ‘‘white-livered,” was macans as2 praise by
Wolf Fang. oe

“The Mighty Medicine ies long hece the foe of Wolf.

Fang and his people, and my warriors have longed to
have his scalp upon our Jodge-poles.

“But he dared to come to our village, dared to face ~

death when we were in sorrow, when the Great Spirit had

  

BILL STORIES.

 

 

turried his face from 1 us in anger, when our medicine men A
were like children in the fight against the foe that was
destroying us. :

“Ves; the Mighty Medicine of the palefaces came to: us,
and he cared for us, healed us in our sickness, laughed at
out medicine men as fools, and serit Death, the Destroyer,
from our village.

“The Mighty Medicine has done this, he his shown us
that his words were not crooked, and he has not spoken .

“with a slit tongue, and the people of the Wolf Pang re-

spect him for what he has done.”

“T did my duty only, Wolf Fang,” said Buffalo Bill,
modestly.

The Wolf Fang did not master the words of the white
man exactly, and went on in his oratorical way:

“The Mighty Medicine must know that among our
people only the greatest chiefs can wear the robe of the
white beavers’ skins!

“It is allowed to no. chief who has not reached his half
a hundred years, or slain that many foes in battle.

“The Wolf Fang does not yet have power to wear it,
though his father, the great chief, Rolling Thunder, wore
it and left it for his son to wear. :

“See, there is the white beaver robe. it has. twelve

_ skins in it, and on each one is written, in the Indian. sign.

language, the story of the lives of the twelve greatest
chiefs of our people.

- “Here, too, is the white | beaver bonnet belénging to the
robe, with a necklace of grizzly bear claws, and the plumes
of the eagle of the mountains.

“To the Mighty Medicine, Wolf Fang gives these, be-
cause he is a great chief, and has saved the lives of our
people. _

“Wolf Fang has ‘spoken, and the white scout is free
to go his way, for no arrow of our people will be turned —
upon him, no warrior of our tribe will strike his trail ne
he has gone to his people.” 3

“Then, if the white scout unburies the hatchet, he will
again be the foe of Wolf Fang and his warriors.’

Buffalo Bill bent his head, more deeply touched than
he cared to admit: The chief placed upon his head the
really handsome piece of work, while the four miaidens
threw over his shoulders the robe of white beaver skins, a
furry mantle that a king might envy him, with its re-
versée\side well dressed, full of strange hieroglyphics, in
gaudy colors, and telling the stories —biographics—-of the
lives of ed ee of the tribe.

 

CHAPTER AL
THE FIGHT BY PROXY.

The duty that called | him to the Indian village being
ended, Buffalo Bill was anxious to get away.

    

 
 

 

  

2 THE BUFFALO

It was his intention to return to the secret retreat where,
on his: way, he had left His clothing, and there destroy

every vestige of what he had worn in the Indian camp, and -
aiter Tumigating all else, and remaining until he was as-'
sured all le of contagion was over, to go back to the

fort.

for no Indian scouts had been sent out, and hé had dis-
couraged the idea of sending them by saying that they
might be taken ill and die alone on the prairie.

Having made all his arrangements to leave, and been
presented by Wolf Fang with the best horse of his herd,
‘to act as a pack animal for his robes and provisions, he
badé farewell to the redskins and-rode -out of camp one
morning at sunrise.

The Indians were quiet, thankful for what he had done,
and glad to see him go, and Wolf Fang alone had grasped
his hand at parting and said, earnestly : é

“The white medicine man will not be forgotten.”

Now, Buffalo Bill was a perfect ‘student of human
nature, and nothing escaped his keen eyes, and he knew,
as he departed froni the village, that the end had not es
come.

He had seen a forced friendship shown him, and-he was
not deceived by it. ce

He had restored to health the be who were

ill, but had not gained their friendship thereby, but rather
their envy at his knowledge, and hatred that . had done
what they could not do.

Old Death Killer had a strong following,
they were of the most unruly members of the band.

Watching Death Killer closely, though not appearing to

do SO, he had observed that the old rascal was. engaged 1 in
some plot against him,

In a woody growth some distance beyond the. a
Buffalo Bill came unexpectedly face to face with Waneta.

She stepped out into the trail, her fingers to her lips ;
then retreated into the Covet of the bushes, .. 5

“Do tot follow me,” she said, speaking g in English,
“but listen, Sit there on’ your horse, or ride close up to
this bush. and pretend to be ae a, switch. from. it
while I-talk.” - .

Buffalo Bill was too w ary to show the surprise. he felt.

Without turning his. head. toward her, he urged his

horse to- the. side of the trail,. and there hegan to make | a

pretense of breaking a a switch from the bush...

Sitting thus he could look straight into the face of fie
Indian -girl, who yet could not be seen from any point in
the immediate vicinity.

“We must be cautious,” she urged,

“Yes,” he said, in answer. “It may be that you were
seen when you stepped out to attract my attention.”

9

 

Not a word had-he heard of what was going on at the
fert and ranches since his going to Wolf Fang's village,

it will yet draw you again into civilization.,

ce -? Savage, really loves me. ;
he Gen and :

- what might face him. .

 

BILL STORIES, , et

“y had to take risks, to warn you. You will be fol-
lowed, I fear. Death Killer and his friends are bitter
against you, ope 1 think they will make some attempt to”

-Waylay you.”

“T have thought as much myself, so : shall be Ww atch-

ing for them.”

“T was afraid you had been blinded by the apparent
friendliness of some of those men,” she declared. “Tam
glad to know you were not. And I want to thank you
for coming here and doing what you have done. I did
not dare to say this in the village. An Indian’ wornan |
may see and under stand many things, but it is best for her
to keep her lips closed.”

“You ought not to live here,”
what bluntly.

A look of pain crossed her face.

“They are my people,” she said, simply.

Then, after a moiment’s pause:

“I sometimes think it was a mistake to send me away
and educate me; it will make my life here unhappy, Tam
afraid. But it was the wish of 7 mother, who wee
something of what the white man’s education means.’

“and I think
If it does,
come to me to the fort, and I will see that some place is
made for you—a home of some kind among good people.”
She was pleased, evidently, yet she shook her head.

“For the present my duty is here, and here I shall of
stay. My. father—though you, think him but a bloody
‘He fights, as he believes, for
the best good of his people. And he is a brave ane

“He is a braye man!” the scout assented.

“Now, good- -by!” she said, CY

said the scout, some-

“It means a great deal,” said the scout;

You should not stay. ew
too long. And look out for traps and tricks.”

Buffalo Bill thanked her; then rode on. his way, not.
venturing once to look behind at the bush which | hid the

. Indian girl, but slapping his horse with the switch which

he had there secured. : oe

Notwithstanding Waneta’s w arning, he took. the
straight trail back, disdaining to go out of his way to avoid
danger, but his every sense was on the qua vive to meet

He had brought his repeating rifle with Le and Rie.
revolvers, while his belt of arnmunition. he had never.
parted from for an instant, so he knew iat had not been.
tampered with. oe

The loads in his rifle and pevolvers he etn not voaee 8
for on that score, and he took the first chance to halt. — ,
unload them, putting in fresh.

Then he rode on with more confidence.

He had gotten some miles from the camp when he saw -
that he had’ to pass through a canyon, narrow, long and
 

   

22

    
 

stunted irees that would readily hide a hundred Indians.

On the watch, he rode into the canyon, .to suddenly see
step out before him none other than old Death Killer
himself.

The medicine man made no hostile demonstrations, and
Buffalo Bill did not raise his rifle, but came to a halt,
with a quick glance over his shoulder, as though he ex-
pected to see redskins behind him. .

“What does Death Killer want, in standing in the path
of the white medicine man?” said Buffalo Bill, calling
himself by his Indian title in a spirit of mischief, as he
felt that it would hurt the old Indian’s pride.

“The paleface dog has said that Death Killer, the

great medicine chief of his tribe, is a fooi,” savagely an-
swered Death Killer.

ae it hit you hard, old man, to tell the truth about
you,” was the offhand reply.

“The white man is a coward,” hissed the ee

“We say in English, old man, that the proof of the:

pudding is in the eating of it, and you can prove your

words by meeting me, hough. I do hate to fire ona Was

head.”
“Will the paleface fight ?”

“Just try me on ae see if I don’t fit, though I may be |

a trifle large for you,” was the quaint reply.

“Death Killer buried his weapons long moons ago; he
is a medicine man, not a warrior, though the time was
when he'took paleface scalps by the dozen.”

“Those are big words, old man.”

“The white man talks like a fool.”

“Then get out of my way and let me pass on, if I fail to
entertain you.”

“The paleface said he would fight.”

“I'd rather not; and especially have to strike one who is
as feeble as a squaw; but a wounded buffalo is danger-
ous, and T’ll not let’'even your white hairs bar my way, so
move on, old man.”

“Will the white-face dog fight like the brave he claims
to be?” almost shrieked the old Indian.

“Say, old man, I really wish you had died with the

smallpox; but it wouldn’t take to your old hide, though if

it had, it would have been a eS for your tribe.
“Now move, or I’ll ride over you.’
“The paleface is a coward, for he refuses to fight!”
again shrieked the old sinner.

“Show me something I can get a grip on, and I'll un-
deceive you, you heathen herb-crusher.’

“The Tiger Killer will meet the white medicine man,”
said a hoarse voice, and from the thicket stepped out a
brave whom Buffalo Bill had often seen in the camp and
admired for his grand ae

with precipitous wall-sides, along the hase of which grew

   

THE BUFFALO ye STORIES.

He was almost a oe with broad shoulders, heavy
hips and arms that were huge and muscular.

In the village he was feared by all for his ‘ungovernable
rage and great strength, though to Wolf Fang and old
Death Killer he was most aoe thus keeping himself _
out of trouble.

He had never spoken to the scout, though addressed by
him several times, and seemed to hate him with all the
venom of his nature.

Upon seeing’ him, Buffalo Bill did not cree color, but
said in his dry way, speaking to the old chie?: :
“You better keep that fellow as a specimen of what you

ean raise, and not get him killed.”

“Does the white man say that he can kill the Tiger
Killer ?”

“T cah make a pretty strong try of it, old man.”

“Will he fight the big warrior?’

“Does he stand up for you, old man?”

“The Tigers Killer will fight for the Death Killer,”
the answer.

was .

“Then consider yourself killed by proxy, old gentle-
man,” and Buffalo Bill coolly dismounted while he asked:

‘““How does the big Injun want to fight?”

The huge warrior stepped forward, a knife in hand, and
his eyes gleaming wickedly, for, afraid of the scout’s re-
volvers, he thought if he could get him to fight with
knives, once he got him in his powerful grasp, he oa,
crush him.

im well used to knives, old man, so ee better get
your little friend to try some other weapon.” —
“The Tiger Killer fights with his knife,” was the stern
reply of the large warrior.

“All right, let me get my Arkansas ee out, ” and
drawing his bowie, he rubbed the edge gently across his
hand, and continued:

“Pi stand with my back ee seein this high bank,

- where no trees grow, so that I can see that there will be

no funny business going on behind me.

“Now, Death Killer, if I kill you by proxy, how many
more braves have you got lying in wait to ight mer”

“The white man can go if he kills the Tiger.”

“T shall. certainly not ask permission of you, ana I warn
you I’ll shoot at sight if any other Indians appear.”

“The white man must lay his weapons down, as the
Tiger Killer does, at the feet of the Death Killer.”

“You labor under a strange hallucination if you think .
so, old man, for I shall keep my weapons—see, I place.
my horses here, and I take py stand here. Unchain: ae :
Tiger and set him on me.’ Be

Death Killer was disappointed, as was sles: the Tiger,
and ‘they showed it in their faces; but their desire to kill _

the white man, and belief that he was no match for the

  

 

 

 
   

 

 

 

 

  
 

adversary he
foe should have his own. way at the start. .

As Buffalo Bill bared his wrist for the fight, the ‘Seer
Killer, with a wild yell, sprang upon him without other

varming. |

What occurred Was done so rapidly that ae old ae
cine chief did not understand it all, for in a second’s tune,
it seemed to him, he beheld his giant defender dying on
the ground, a knife thrust in his heart, and the scout in
his ance, a revolver in each hand, about to. ride on
his way.

In frenzied rage he shouted:

“Let my braves take the white dog alive for torture!’

“Ha! as I expected!” cried Buffalo Bill, and his re-
volver flashed as a young medicine man, one he had cured
when sick, sprang into view.

At the crack of the weapon the medicine man went to
grass; but a score appeared in his place, and Buffalo Bill
knew that he had a desperate tragedy to play in.

CHAPTER Addl.
IN THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMIES.

A number oi the Indi ans who now attacked Buffalo Bill
were mounted. They swarmed toward him, firing guns
and arrows.

“You're the devil who is responsible for this!’ shouted
the scout, and pointed one of his revolyers at Death
Killer.

The end of the Old Medicine would have come then

nd there but for the fact that a warrior, rea ilizing the
danger, recilessiy threw himself in front of the old ic edi
cine chief and received the bullet in his own bosom, .
Siich an act on the part of an Indian was so. surprising
that Buffalo Bill’s attention was distracted for a moment.

As he lifted his revolver again, his horse was struck

violently by a pony that, wounded, charged madly by.
The result was fatal to the scout’s plans; for the force

of the collision knocked the revolver from the hand - of -

Buffalo Bill just .as he was again pulling trigger.

He fired with the other hand, but in. trying to catch and
save himself from a fall, he missed his aim, which was the
broad breast of old Death Killer. oe

The next instant he was on the ground, partly thr ough
the accident, and partly through the courage of a brave

who seized hold of one of the ‘scout’s legs and ee to.

get. him out of the saddle:

Buffalo Bill half rose to his feet and succeeded in cast-)

ing this Indian aside, and tried to draw his knife.

Over all he heard the cries and commands of Death:

Killer, urging the braves to take the white man alive. — @
Under the influence of the medicine man, they fought
like fiends, utterly regardless of wounds and death.

 

THE. BUPRALO

vas eo i made them consent that their

   

  

BILL STORIES. 23

No mortal man could oe up long before so terrible
an attack, id

Buffalo Bill was but Re and though he went down
fighting, he went down at last, hurled to the ground, with
a dozen fierce warriors on top of him.

Though he struggled, cords were knotted and looped
about his arms and legs, and he was rendered helpless.

“It was a great trick,” he said, as he lay there panting,
“and a great fight. I have been through many, and I
never saw a hotter. Now that you've got me, what are
you going to de with me?”

It was hardly necessary to ask
knew the ways of Indians. :
Death Killer and these, his adherents; had been ren-.
derec l insane with hatred by the occurrences at the village,
t mattered not that Buffalo Bill had saved many lives
there. He had defied and scouted the medicine men and

their friends, and for this old Death Killer was fesclved
that he should die.

Something of this kind was w hat Waneta had feared
when she gave ‘Buffalo Bill that w arnine

If the scout had held any doubts as to itiee intentions
concerning him he would have been quickly undeceived.

Old Death Killer adyancec 1, with a look of triumph, and,

the question, well as he

pointing to him, said:

“There, my young inan, is the one who says that Death
Killer i$ a fool! He wiil see who is the fool now. He
will not be so brave when he is put to the torture.”

Buffalo Bill, oe he was now hielpless
expect neither aid nor
as if'no peril aoa.

and could
ercy, was yet as cool and collected

As the Indians crowded
and threats, he

about him with gesticulations
answered. them,

In their tongue, he taunted them with cowardice. and.
jealousy, stating that the reason they. disliked him was
because he had gone into the village and-done what the
medicine men were powerless to do. |

“Let the ies man talk,” said Death Killer. “By and.
by he will howl.’

ee with horrid grins, spok e among themselves of.
a “good time’ they would now have, pointing at hirn,
hoping to see him turn pale with terror,

But whatever his feelings may have been, there. were no
signs of fear to bring pleasure to those savage hearts. .

What that ‘good time” was, though, Buffalo Bill we
knew, for he had seen prisoners tortured, and had no

“reason to believe that they w ould neglect any art of tor-

turing him which their devilish natures could itvent.

He well knew that he would be placed upon his back
upon the ground, lariats tied to his hands and feet, which
would be stretched apart, and then fires built upon his
breast to eat down into his heart.

lil fed, cruelly treated, bound so tightly that the bonds

 

  
24 THE BUFFALO
gave him great pain, Buffalo Bill was hurried away by
the Sioux. &

But he had a nature that did not repine, a frame to
endure, and a courage to meet all that was heaped upon
him in abuse, and not once did the redskins hear a groan
or a sigh from his lips.

On the contrary, he laughed at them, jeering them as
squaw warriors, and drove them nearly crazy with his
taunts.

Having reached a spot that seemed to please their ideas,
the Indians stopped.

Here a number of the braves gathered around the
helpless prisoner.

One of these Indians was a young chief, as his eagle
feathers proclaimed.

Glancing around on the indiane with contempt, Buffalo
Bill turned to this chief.

“What am I to do, chief, to prove your warriors are all
squaws?’” he asked, tauntingly.

“The white scout is fleet of foot, the palefaces say ?” 1

“Yes, I can get over ground pretty ey when en-
couraged by anything awful behind me.’

“How would: he like to race with a nniber of our fleet-
est braves ?”’

“Well, what if I beat the fleet-running to in the
race?’

“The scout is a great white chief.”

“And you area great villain,” said Buffalo Bill.

“te has won the heart of the Red Flower, the cea
of Wolf Fang.”

“You don’t mean it?

Waneta was called by many of ee people: the
Flower.

“TI speak true!’ said the young chief,

Buffalo Bill laughed in scorn. ;

' “Pm afraid it’s the first time you ever struck the oy
then.” :

“The Red Flower wishes to marry the white man,’
the young chief. :

Buffalo Bill looked at: him keenly.

“You're a liar,’ was his blunt declaration. oa

He saw that this young chief had fallen in love with
‘Waneta. Jealousy was prompting the'chief to make these
statements. He had conceived the idea that the girl was
really in love with the white scout, and by asking these
questions and making these statements he hoped: to find
out.

gravely: :

* said

This discovery also explained to Buffalo Bill the pres-.
ence of so many warriors as followers of Death Killer,

The crafty old medicine man had worked on the jeal-
ous feelings of this young g chiet, aie so had enlisted him
in his service. : j : siey

“Tm afraid Waneta fe a ‘bard cme in ia

BILL STORIES.

village, if she stays there,” was the scout’s thought. “But
she can leavefias I advised her to, and if she does and
comes to the fort, the major will see that she is taken
care of and given a good home somewhere.”

He turned again to the young Indian.

“She sends a healthy young sinner to tell me of it,” he
declared.

“The Red Flower can marry éniy a oS chief.”

“And I hope she will.”

“But she wants the paleface chief, and asked her father
for him”

“And what did Wolf Fang say?”

“The Wolf Fang says,” continued the old ecicie
chief, who did not master half of what Buffalo Bill said,
“that if the white chief can beat the fleetest.of his young
braves in the race, he shall have the Red Flower as. his
squaw.”

Buffalo Bill knew this was another lie; that Wolf Fang
had no knowledge of the plans of old Death Killer.
Nevertheless, he answered ;

“He is very kind; but if I don’t beat the ee ay

“The Red Flower will have no love for him.”

“Oh, is that all? Well, if she shouldn’t, I suppose I
can stand; and’’—here he looked the young chief straight
in the eye—‘I suppose you will be all the happier.”
Sounds and signs of exceeding activity had been no-
ticed by the scout even while he was carrying on this con-
versation. .

From the point-where he lay bound and helpless he
could not see much, but from the talk of the young chief
he felt pretty sure that he knew what was going on.

In a little while S discovered ‘that his guesses were
tight. -
A course had been laid out, and along it the braves
were stationing themselves with clubs of various kinds.

When his bonds were cast off and he was led to the
head of this course, the scout found that his legs were so
swollen from the effects of the Hgatures that he could
hardly -walk. .

~The Indians had Ueneel on this, ae he a

_ing produced in his iegs by the tightly-drawn cords would

make it impossible for him to do more than. hobble along,
and thus they would be able to enjoy without much
trouble the highly pleasureable game of beating him to
death with the clubs and bludgeons as he struggled to run
between the lines which they had laid out for the pur-
pose.

Buftalo Bill looked grimly loa the lines.

If he felt fear he did not show it; yet, as he looked,
not a thing that could offer the least hope escaped his
attention. He saw the position of every Indian, saw old
Death Killet stationed at one side on a small eminence, a
grin of triumph on his withered face, saw the ponies, as

 
 

  

     

  

well as the features of the surrounding country, so far as
these were to’ be. seen.

So long a time did the scout wait there at’ the head of
the two lines that the Sioux began to grow impatient.

He was delaying, though, for a purpose.

Every moment of delay was infinitely precious, for
every moment brought back. strength and feeling to his
numbed limbs.

“Why does not the white coward start?” old Death
' Killer shouted, in a taunting tone.

“Tf I had a weapon in my hands, old man, I’d make
you start!’ was Buffalo Bill’s defiant answer.

“Let the white man come on!” yelled the paves: swing-
ing their clubs.

_ “Tf he gets through shies lines alive, he will be at
liberty to depart in peace,” said the young chief, who had
talked with the scout. :
“Well, that’s good, ” said the scout.
chance.”

At the same time he knew that even though he should
penetrate to the farthest end of those deadly lines, these
savages would not permit him to leave. They had de-
termined that he should die, and only his death could
satisfy their murdercus desires.

-“Let the white coward start!”
Killer.

_As if he had been waiting for those words as a signal,
Buffalo Bill leaped into action.

But, instead of darting down between the lines, he
seized a club from the Indian at the head of the double
row, laid its possessor out with one blow, and then ran
like a deer toward the horses.

Instantly the yells of the braves rolled out in a ais
Coe. and they started in pursuit, even though. the
action of the scout had astounded them.

“It gives me a

again ‘shouted Death

 

CHAPTER XIIL
THE POWELL BROTHERS: ~

Let us return upon the thread of this story for a few
moments to see what some other actors in this drama, of
Western life were doing.

To say that the act of Buffalo Bill in going to the In-
dian village created a sensation at the ke sa the case
but mildly.

His pards, the Powell biothiers, were oe dis-
tressed and anxious concerning him from the moment of
his departure, knowing, as they did, the treacherous char-
acter of the Indians in whose behalf he had gone forth.

Otte day, when Buffalo Bill had been absent some time,
and the anxiety concerning him was increasing, Night
Hawk George Powell went to the major ae asked o
mission to 0 off on a oS a

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

ae ee as ay Pa

 

“Do you go alone, Powell?”
“No, sir, my Brother Will accompanies me.”

“He is here, then?”

“Yes, he came in this morning. We are both too
anxious about Buffalo Bill to stay quietly at the fort any
longer.”

“You intend to look non up?”

-“That is our intention.”

“Well, I-am glad that you are to do that, for I am
anxious about him myself. You.are liberty to take other
scouts, and, if you a ee will go with you with
a couple of companies.”

“Thank you, Maj. Benteen, but it would not be wise,
for they might contract the disease that is now ravaging

the Indian camps, and a small force would do no good,
-while a large force cannot be had.

“Will and myself will go alone, and see what is the
exact situation of affairs.”

Well, Powell, I am glad to have you go, i T have .
wanted to know, but would not ask you to take such a
risk. When will you start?”

“Within the hour, sir, and I will stop at Monkton
Ranch for supper, and breakfast with the major’s nephew,
so if there is any mail for the ranches we will carry it.”

“No, there is nothing; but good-by, and luck go Ve
you.”

Tha evening Maj. Monkton had the two brothers to
supper with him, and Paul Monkton was also present, and
knowing their mission, insisted on accompanying them.

Night Hawk, under the circumstances, could raise no
objection, and Broncho Bill whispered:

“Frank says that he has a pene of pluck, and is a per-
fect plainsman, so I say yes.”

Paul Monkton was a young ranchman, He son of an
older ranchman known as Maj. Monkton.

At Maj. Monkton’s a boy, who had become known to
many as the boy scout, and to others as Butfalo Bills boy
pard, had his home.

‘This boy’s name was Jack Wildfire, and Buffalo Bill
had no truer friend on earth.

As it chanced, Jack Wildfire was not ak Montetdn’s
Ranch when the Powell brothers reached there. He was
away somewhere, at the head of a band of negro cow-
boys, hunting, as some supposed, but others half thought
he had headed, with the black cowboys, in the direction
of Wolf Fang’s village, with the intention of being in
that vicinity if Buffalo Bill should by any chance come
to need aid. oO

Paul Monkton, who now asked the Powell brothers for
permission to accompany them, was a handsome fellow,

-tall and straight as an arrow, a dead shot, quick with the

knife, active as a cat and as full of fight, when Behn

  
   
 

FALO

26 a. THE BUFF

He was well thought of by the people at the fort.
Nevertheless, there was something about him, something
about certain things he had said and done, which had on
several occasions caused Buffalo Bill to = hin almost
with suspicion.

It was a suspicion which sopescn ey had no justification,
but which, in the long rtn, proved that it had good- reason
for existence. 3

Acquainted with every foot of the way, Night Hawk
acted as guide, after leaving the young ranchero’s homie,
just as the sun arose the following moraine .

They were all mounted on their best horses, cattied an
extra animal with stores and ammunition, and an animal
trained to follow and keep well up with his mounted com-
panions.

Going cautiously,.they at last struck the hill country,
and then camped, watching their own trail to see if they
had been seen and were being followed.

But they saw no signs of redskins about, and once
more started on their way, penetratitie surely but slowly
into the dangerous Ladin country, and at a pace that
would not fatigue their horses, so that they would fot be
ready when called on to go.

In this progress several days passed, and still - no signs
DE redskins about were, discovered. : ; :

oe is very evident that there is great trouble in “the
‘Indian village, or they would be scouting’ an d hunting
through here in numbers,” said Broneho Bill. oe

“Yes, there's something up there; but we'll hint a Se-
cure hiding place,
to the village on one leaving you, Will, and Mr. Monk-
ten in camp to fall back on,” remarked Night Hawk

George, and the three set out in search Of the desired
camp. ee ee | oe Pe

Their Jucky star led them to ts top ye a ee almost
inaceessible, and pierced through by a canyon.

The stintmit of the ridge was sheitered by a thick ¢ growth
of trees, and in a ravirie was found a spring that sent a
trickling stream into the carivon bel ow.

Grass was in abundance, the water was pure, oe ibe
position was just such as three men of their ilk co held
against half a hundred attacking them. e

“You look as*though you had come fo stay, Some,’
said Paul Monkton, addressing Night Hawk, who was
cutting down saplings with his knife, and preparing to
build a shanty.

« “I have come to stay until I-know whether Buffalo Bin
is alive or dead,” was the answer. oe

“Tf alive, we'll stay until we. get him free; if dead, we ll
camp. right here until we avenge him,” coolly answered
Broncho Bill, and lis handsome blue eves burned with.
feeling. until they appeared cblack. -

Then the three aren went to syork with a will, and by

BILL STORIES.

go into camp, and then Lil scout. closer

the three men saw no sign of Indians.

     
 

nightfall had erected not only a comfortable shanty, but a
very fair little fort, as, 2 pro otection ‘for themselves and"
horses if driven to it. :

“How far is it to Wolf FE ang’s afte bron here, Night
Hawk?” asked the young ratichero.

“T will tell you the exact distance when I return to-
breakfast in the morning,” answered the scout, as he made
his preparations to take the trail alone. os

Thev had arranged a plan for their fire, to cook by night,
so that the light was hidden, and there would, therefore, he
no smoke by day to be discerned afar off. aa

Shortly after Night Hawk Powell departed upon his
ight scout, Broncho Bill and Paul Monkton turned in,
and were not long in having slumber come to them.

With nothing to disturb them, they slept until aroused —

_ by the return of the scout at dawn.

Night Hawk had evidently had a night OL it, and looked
wearied.
As it was not yet good ‘light, his brother quickly buil t a
fire and gave him a cup of strone coffee, which greatly
refreshed lim.
“Well, Night Hawk, what discoveries?” asked the
‘ranchero, seemingly impatient to know ail. :
“T willtell you, now tet IT have rested a little; “but Z
have had a hard night Of fig
iV ou look it, George,” sald Broncho Bille
“Well, Buffalo Bill is alive.”
~ “Thank God!” ejaculated Broncho Ball, ;
tanchero said: : :
oe. is glad tidings, and half the battle.”
 “¥es, he is alive and well, for J was within a hundred
fee ol him. sages
“You see, | made my w vay to ‘the lice village, around
by the northern hills, so that it was a long jaunt: but I felt
that I could approach with more safety from that direction,
and I did not wish to be seen and: spoil Bee
“T saw Buffalo Bill in his tepee, and then he left it cand
seemed | to go the rounds ‘of the ‘village. - oe
pay watched him by the light -of the different fires, clad
saw him return to the tepee. cae
“T intended to risk it and go there, but Sa We the chiet,
W olf Fang. enter, and so gave it up. ie
“After a long wait, I concluded to ‘enn es I was
satisfied that Bi iffal o Billwas not a prisoner in the village,
but, on the contrary, as a white medicine chiet, was looked
upon as a great a ;
~ “Anyhow, we will wait a few days and see what: turns
up, and thei I will make another scout and try and com.
municate with hini‘in some way.
“But, I tell vou, next time 1 Igo on’ ‘hor Seba ar that
was the roughest road on foot 1 ever traveled: =
And in that ‘little camp séveral days passed away, and
Night Hawk had

while | the

made up his mind to go on the foliowing night again to.
the Indian village. :
The next morning they heard the sound of hoofs, and
theh of voices. fe
testanty Vier Ww ere on the- wats a it did not take
‘

 
    

 
 
 

them long to discover that quite a party of Indians had

  

 

 

THE BUFFALO

a

halted in the canyon below.
Watching them from their point of observation, they

saw two warriors ride off with the ponies of the entire:

party, and disappear from sight further down the canyon.
“They are planning an ambush,” said Night Hawk.
“Who is there to ambush?” asked the ranchero,
“That I do not know; but the old white-haired Indian
with. straggling gray beard I know.”
“Who.is her’
* “Death Killer, the big medicine of the tribe
“What can he want here?”
“I guess he’s laying for Buffalo Bill, who may be start-

ing for home, after showing the tribe old Death Killer

didn’t. know beans when the bag was opened,” said
Broncho. Bill.

“Ah, you think he may mean to get even with Buffalo
Bille?

“Tt looks as though he meant to get even with some-
body, for he has sent the ponies off with two warriors.

Do you want that job, Will?”

“To take in the horses ?”
“Ves. a9
“Vl take it,” was the cool reply.

“But they have two warriors as guards,’ urged the

-ranchero.

a ‘That is all right, Pl get their scalps along with the
ponies,” answered Will Powell,

But scarcely had Will Powell started than hie came
hurrying back.

And right at his heels came a rider, who was none other
than Waneta.

 

CHAPTER XEV.
WANETA, THE INDIAN QUEEN,

The Indian. girl looked earnestly into the faces of the
three men as she rode-up. ..

“You are friends of Buffalo Bill?” she asked.

“None better,” Night: Hawk George answered.

“I thought so. I saw you from that. ridge over: there.”

. Night Hawk stared at her.

And slipped upon. us, and on horseback, ‘too, “without
our. seeing you!”

“I aman Indian, you see!’ “she explained, with a smile.
“But we have no time to lose. Buffalo Bill is. coming
along the trail, and the Sioux medicine man, Death Killer,
is lying in ambush for him over there. 1 warned your
friend of danger as he left our village.
out just what threatened him, I took a. “horse and tried to
get word to him by hard riding. But f-was too late.”

It was evident that she was much agitated..

_ The scouts were moving toward their horses. |
“Lead the way,” said Broncho Bill. “We. would just
as soon have a brush with those fellows as not.”

Even.as he spoke there came sounds of a ‘fight, showing
that already. Buffalo Bill had been attacked.

_ “While we were lying here sunning ourselves like lazy
lizards!” said Night Hawk, with a sniff of anger. “But
we didn’t think that peril was so near.”

The girl had wheeled her horse to ride back along the
way she came.

“Don’t you es you'd better keep out of sight, miss ?”

Then, finding

   

BILL STORIES. : 27

said Night Hawk. “If they’re your people who are doing
this, they won't think kindly of you for leading enemies
against them.” 8

But she was already leading the way, and an instant
later they were in their saddles following her.

Even the young ranchero seemed to “feel the thrill of
excitement which the sounds of the fight communicated
to the scouts.

But rapidly as the bal rode and they followed, they
were too late to be of immediate assistance to the great
scout.

Before they could’ come in sight of the point where
the conflict had taken place, Buffalo Bill was Death
Killer’s prisoner, and was being conducted along the back-
ward trail.

“Let’s charge them !”’ cried Broncho Bill, roused to fury
by the sight and by the feeling that-perhaps the delay of
himself and the others had contributed to the scout’s cap-
Ure.

Night Hawk smiled grimly and fingered his revolvers.

“There’s nothing I should like better, brother mine,
than to do that very thing. Only it would savor of a lack
of judgment, when the red devils are more than ten to
one against us, and have Buffalo Bill in their power. It

. we rush upon them, they will simply shoot him, and then

either make a stand or run away.
mean the death of Buffalo Bill.”

Broncho Bill saw the weight of his brother’s words.

Waneta, whose dark face was marked by excitement,
which, however, she tried to control and conceal, remarked
quietly, as she drew in sharply on her bridle:

“We must follow. And we must. do it so quietly that
Death Killer and his friends will not know we are near.”

The wisdom of her words was so apparent that her
advice was followed, though the ranchero protested that
the thing to do was.to ride straight ahead and make a bold
attempt “to rescue the scout.

“And get him killed?” she said, giving him a an eee

The Indians under the lead of Death Killer traveled
rapidly, and pursuers followed the trail, but at some dis-
tance to the rear; and as they rode along Waneta related
the incidents of Buffalo Bills work in the: Sioux: village,
and explained the cause of Death Killer’s enmity to him.
' “The old rascal fears that his influence is gone,’ said

In either case it would

: Nett Hawk.

“It is gone, with a great many of the Indians,” said the
a “Bit others still believe in him.”

“As we can see by the crowd he’s got now at his back.”

In this way the pursuit was kept up until the Indians
halted.

From a safe point . observation the scouts watched the
preparations made by the Sioux to force Buffalo Bill to
run the deadly gantlet.

“Now,” said ‘Night Hawk, Straightening in his saddle
and drawing his revolvers, “we charge those devils, if
every man of us here dies for it. Forward!’ :

Broncho Bill opened his lips, as if to utter a yell.

A yell came, followed by a ringing cheer, as Buffalo
Bill made his dash for liberty, turning aside from the
clubs that were uplifted by the Indians to beat him down.

But that yell was not from the throat of Broncho Bill.
In fact, he was,as much surprised when he heard it as
were the Indianss themselves.

  
 

     

28

‘Then, over the top of a rise on the ote side of the out-
stretched Indian lines, appeared the form of a boy, at the
head of aeband of negro cowboys. —

Boy and cowboys were riding like centaurs, yelling and ©

‘shooting as they came.

‘Forward!’ Night. Hawk now yelled. -
Wildfire.
you can!’

‘The scouts and the ranchero sped forward, riding like
mad; but, when they swung into, the wild mélée that had

“Tt 48 Jack
Forward, and shoot down every red devil that

broken like a storm upon the startled followers of Death —

Killer, Waneta, known as the Indian Queen, was not with
them.
* * a * XK XK *

When Buffalo Bill heard those wild yells and cheers,
accompatiied by the rattle of rifles and revolvers, and knew
that help had come to him m the moment of his desperate

need, he ceased to run, and whirled about as if ae meant |

to stand and give battle where he was.
hat, however, was not his thought. He was looking
for Death Killer, the Indian whose “jealousy had brought
him so near to torture and death.

Seeing that old redskin off at one side and making
tracks for a place of safety, the scout hurried in that di

rection
His friends, the scouts, and the cowbovs, led by Jack
W ildfire, were dashing into the Indian lines, throwi ing
them into confusion and firing at the savages in a Way to
create a veritable death panic.

‘Seeing that Buffalo Bull was coming for tine old Death
Killer developed a ‘speed that would “have done credit: to
a youthful sprinter; and, being joined by some of the
braves who bad fled before the charging foe, he ‘disap-

peared with them in the direction of the canyon where the

Indian ponies had been concealed.

~~ Buffalo Bill halted for the’ purpose of turning back;

“then uttered an'exclamation of stirprise, as off at. one side,

and riding in almost the direction taken’ by Death Killer

and his friends, he’ beheld the mounted fistire of Waneta,

“whom he‘had supposed’ miles away in the Tndian village.
“That girl!” was his exclamation. “I don’t doubt that

she has come here and put herself tnto danger in order.

~ to'be of assistance to me. ALT good. poe are not dead
ones !” a
It was not in the scout’s yetnie

as ce between Indians and his friends without having a

hand in it; and, seeing now that he could not hope at
that time to overtake-and punish Death Killer, he grasped :
where it had fallen dro the -

a rifle from the ground,
ule ine fingers of a
joined -in the ‘fight.
it was a fight. ae lasted but ; 2 ae moments.

redskin, who had. been shot, and

tame.so brief as to be almost. incredible,
‘The Indians who had not fled with Death Killer or lay

dead on the ground, were scattering in “every direction

that promised “safety.

XN te
The surprise had been complete and their defeat and

_ demoralization thorough,
Jack Wildfire came riding toward Bude Bill

“VV orre alive and all ‘right the boy cried, with so ~

hearty a ring to his words that the ‘great scout’s heart
was touched. es °

  

THE pot BILL STORIES.

cient faith in the superiority of

to see a fight. taking

Jn fact
all that has been here set down oceurred in a space of

“And you! ?” said Buffalo Bill.
“Got-a bullet through my hat, and an arrow cbrogt
my coat; but not touched otherwise. And there are your
friends , Buffalo Bill, the Powell brothers!”

a happy. as well as an unexpected, meeting,
scout. -

” said the
“I wish we had time for words, but we haven't.

‘If I’m not mistaken, the Indian girl I saw riding away in
We ought to go. to

that direction is in a danger.
her aid.”

CHAPTER XV.
IN DEADLY PERIL.

As for Waneta, as soon as she saw that aid for Buffalo
Bill was to be. given promptly, she turned her horse and

tode away from her w hite companions, and was just dis-

appearing in a rocky, reed-clad ravine, when sighted by
Buffalo Bill.

The Indian girl knew well enough that nothing would
so arouse the fury of the Indians who followed old Death
Killer as to know that she had given warning of their plans

and had directed their white enemies.

She knew, too, that she was already darkly suspected by

. Death Killer of being too friendly toward the whites.

Friendliness tor white men meant, to him, een to

- the Sioux.

And even though she was thé daughter of a chief and

held. by many_of the Sioux in high regard, that fact might
not, save her from Indian vengeance.

So it was with feelings of fear that she fled away when
she heard the charging yells of the white men and the
crack of firearms.

Entering a hollow not far from the point where the
Indian ponies had been concealed, she rodé along at a
rapid gait, anxious beyond words to express to know how
the fight was going, j yet knowing it would be folly to turn

‘back for the purpose. of finding “out.

Nevertheless, she drew her horse down into a’ walk,

aiter a time, and then stopped him dead still, while she sat
listening
. She knew that the fight was over, and she had suffi-
white methods and
weapons to believe that the white men, aided by the black
cowboys, had triumphed.

She was turning on again, when the cc of pony
hoofs reached her.

She stopped once more to listen; and was startled when

‘she discovered that the ponies were coming toward her.

“Some of the Sioux,” she thought. OP hey must not

‘know-—must never know-—that I came Weve!” ee

Alarmed by the” per il that “— now come: to. her, she
urged the’ horse’ on.

A short. while served to convirice her: powers that
whoever was riding those ponies was ‘following her trail.

She’ put her: hand into” uy Creek and: oe out-a little

revolver.

Tt ow ould be dreadtul to have to fight my people,” she
whispered. pee

Yet the tight in her eves 5 shower that she would not
hesitate to-do this if tt seemed necessary.
“Why did ‘T ‘ever: think: of: returning to the: villaze? se
she asked herself. ~“I am an Indian no longer, except as
to blood and complexion. - he schools of the white peo-

 

  
   
  

 
  
 
    
   
  
     
 

i
i

  
   
 

  

 

 

    
      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE BUFFALO

ple have made me white in everything but looks. My
sympathies are with the white men and against my own

“= people.”

Yet her features hardened into a very Indian-like ap-
pearance of fierce determination even while these thoughts

went through her mind,

“T can shoot myself, if need be!” she declared.

Then she rode on, urging her horse into a still more
rapid gait. .

Half a mile farther, at a point where the country be-
came more open, she was able to see her pursuers.

“Death Killer and some of his most faithful followers,”
she said.

Unfortunately, at this moment, they also beheld the fu-
gitive.

They did not yell, in the usual Indian way, for the white
meti were so near that such a course was not wise; but
they began to lash their ponies, and soon were sweeping
toward her at a pace that was sufficiently alarming.

“Go, Flyer!” she said to her animal, and began to ham-
qmer the horse's sides with the revolver and at the same
time to urge it on with voice and heel.

The obedient pony sprang on at her command.

It was a good runner and the girl herself was not a

heavy weight.

So that when the race settled down into one of speed
atid endurance, as it did very quickly, it still seemed that
Waneta might yet distance old Death Killer and his fol-

_ lowers.

The Indians now in pursuit swung their rifles, and
would have opened on her with them if they had not still
held a healthy fear of the white scouts. _.

“Take her!’ the old medicine man vociferated, mad with
rage at the beautiful Indian girl who had, as he felt sure,
thwarted him and brought about the death-of many of his
stanchest followers. ~V Te will show this Sioux with the

white heart that she cannot be both white and Indian.”

Waneta, glancing far back along the trail, looked in
yain for the white men, who might help her.
It was soon apparent to the Indian girl that her pony

‘was not a match in speed for those ridden by her pur-

suers, Already te was breathing heavily and showing

signs of distress. He was a good runner for a short -

distance, but could not hold out at top speed for any great
while. ae

Her fears were increased by this discovery, for she was
well aware of the implacable character and spirit of the

_old medicine man.

Tf he could overtake her, he would not hesitate to slay

her, even though she was the daughter of a chief, but
would perform his bloody work and trust to craft to con-

_eeal the crime from the knowledge of Wolf Fang.

Seeing an opening in the rocky way. before her, and
feeling that her situation was now desperate, Waneta

. turned her pony into it.

It was merely a rocky lane between high, rough hills;
but at its farther end it opened into a brush-covered tract
of land. : oe os

The Indians were so sure of her speedy capture now
that one of them could not hold back the yell that had
been for so long a time quivering on his lips.

Tt rolled -through the ravine like the howl of a wolf,
striking terror to the heart of the Indian girl.

  

BILL STORIES. 29

Nevertheless, she sped on, dtiving her pony at his best
gait. :

When she gained the end of the ravine, she wheeled the
pony sharply to the right. This change of direction
seemed to her to hold out hope. .

“Oh, if I could just reach some point where the white
men could see me, or see those who are after me!’ was
the exclamation that arose to her lips.

With this thought she still further altered the porty's
course, for as yet the Indians were not out of the ravine
and could not angle across her track and so shorten the
cistance. aoe

But Buffalo Bill and his companions were nowhere to
be seen, though her keen Indian eyes sought for them —
longingly.

Another yell broke from the Indian who had already
given tongue, as the band led by Death Killer cleared the
ravine and came on like a pack of pursuing hounds.

“They will not let me escape; they intend to kill me?’
was the thought that oppressed her.

Then het pony bounded over a slope and down toward
a little valley, where grew some stunted sage brush and

‘where gigantic bowlders reared their heads. It was a

wild-looking place, but it was better than the more open
country. mae

The pony ridden by the girl was showing more and
more distress, and it was evident to her that he could not
hold out much longer. To ride straight on would, there-
fore, be only, to put herself at last in the hands of her
pursuers.

So, with Indian cunning, when some bowlders hid her
and the pofy from the view of Death Killer and his fol-
lowers, she slipped to the ground, permitting the pony to
run on unburdened.

For a moment she crouched on the ground, listening
intently, then erept into a crevice in the rocks.

She remembered her experience with the Red Angel
chief, when he had executed a trick like this and had held
her trembling at the point of a revolver while the scouts
rode by withiti close hearing distance.

But Waneta was not fated to be so fortunate as the chief
of the Red Angel outlaws. :

Instead of riding straight on. past, as she had hoped
and expected, when they reached the spot where she had
taken concealment, the Indians stopped their panting
ponies. le s ue

Old Death Killer leaped to the ground, showing remark-
able agility for one of his years, and advanced without
hesitation to the crevice where she was hidden.

“ANIL the Sioux with the white heart come forth?” he
asked, mockingly. > a

For answer Waneta threw up the little revolver she

held in her hands and took a snapshot at the medicine

man.
_ She was trembling and her aim was thereby spoiled, but
the ball, nevertheless, tore through the old man’s buck-
skin hunting shirt and scratched the skin of his shoulder,
drawing blood. Be

With a howl of fury he now dashed upon her, tore the
weapon away, just as she was trying to fire it the second
time, and with a heavy blow of his hand laid her pros-
trate and helpless. eo :

  
 

 

00 oe THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

CHAPTER XVI.

CONCLUSION.

“«Pards, “Said: Buiaio Bill, when he had ce out te
peril in which the Indian girl had evidently placed her-
La ‘we must move lively, “it we expect to be of any help
to her”

Jack Wildfire and the black cowboys came riding up,
the cowboys: yelling lustily when they approached the
great scout, for their Oe of Buffalo: Bill was un-
bounded.

Some of their number lay upon ihe ground, however,
with the bodies of the slain Indians, and would never
again follow their boy leader into a battle with the Sioux.

“We are ready,” said Jack Wildfire, speaking to the
scout. “We are here to help you in anything, Lead on.”

Night Hawk George advanced with a horse he had
captured, and threw the bridle reins to Buffalo Bill,

It was a good horse, large enough to bear his mag-
nificent form, and looked to be speedy also.

“Right over there is where I saw her,” said the scout,

oT he leaped into the saddle and rode toward the rocks,

-arrying the gun which he had taken from the dead
i han

The Powell brothers and Jack Wildfire rode at his side,
the black cowboys bringing up the rear.

“She passed along here,” said the scout, whe he
reached the point where he ‘had last seen the girl.

All looked at the ground.

It was badly cut up by oe marks,

“Two parties passed along here,” said Night Hawk, re-
ierring to the tracks. _ ie

| said the scout; “for, see, there go some tracks

. that direction.” ae

"Which means that we must divide our little Torce,/
said Broncho Bill, “for the way this ground has been cov-
-ered there can be no oe which, ‘one oi those Pa
tollowed the girl.” ,

It was not a time tor ie

Without command, the little squad of whe and black
men divided into three almost equal parties.

Jack Wildfire kept with the | party which flibwed Buk.
falo Bill. Buffalo Bill was his beat ideal of a@ scout, and

his admiration for the man was-so great that he did not -

, want to be separated from him. Besides, he believed that
the trail which Buffalo Bill would take would be more
likely to be the right one than either of the others.

Having chosen his route, Buffalo Bill put spurs to the
Indian horse he rode, and Jed along’ the dim: gorge at a
rattling gallop, ee the ground closely’ and: at: the
same time keeping a sharp lookout fora possible ambush,
for the Sioux might be expected, to. ty 'Y. something of the
kind.

In the meantime, having. captured the fale ae as
already shown, Death Killer, who did not believe that the
white men would attempt a- pursuit, but would: ‘be satisfied
with releasing Buffalo Bill, was preparing to oe on the
person of Waneta his great rage.

“The Indian girl with the white heart | has ‘deen’ ‘kind

to her white brothers,” he said, with an accusing sneer,

«as she lay on the ground, where she had fallen by the’ blow

from his hand, “She has forgotten that in her veins runs
the blood of the Sioux, 2nd-—-”

 

~

Manele looked into- his glaring and ‘vengeance-filled cae
eyes.
=.’ And Death Killer forgets that I am the daughter of

Nolf Fang.”

3 Wolk Fang i is also a traitor to the Sioux,” he declared.
‘He

Again she Mterrupied:. Ce

“Wolf Fang and the white scout saved the tives of

 

many Sioux, when they were stricken by the terrible dis.

99

ease, and

“Death Killer would have driven away ie denier that
made the sickness,” he said. “The white scout came and
put spells on his medicine, so that it was not good; and he
stole the heart of the daughter of Wolf Fang.”

“Tt is a lie!’ she declared, making a motion to. rise to
her feet.

Somewhat to her surprise the angry cnetne: man did .
not strike her again, as she oS On oy contrary,
he said:

“Let the red girl with the Wiike heart stand up!”

She stood facing him, looking at the Indians who were
gathering about.

If she hoped for ‘mercy or any show of kindness in
those dark and forbidding features, ous was od to
disappointment.

“Wolf Fang, my father, will wreak an fae vengeance
on the man that does me harm!” she declared, looking
straight at them.

Suddenly her glance shifted, and she strained her eyes

up the pass which lay behind them. :
_ Her manner was so dramatic, yet so natural, that even’
Death Killer turned to look in the same direction, be-
lieving for the moment that she had discovered the ap-
proach of the dreaded white man and their black allies.

The movement was but a rtise on the part of the girl,
whose wits seemed to be sharpened by the . pou “she
was in.

With a quick es she picked up the fe re- —
volver she had. dropped when Death a s blow sent her
reeling to the earth.

Its. spiteful little report stabbed upon i air, and. hie
Indian behind Death Killer threw up his. hands with a
yell and fell backward.
_ She had meant to slay Death Killer a again, but again her»
aim had been bad.

Without stopping to fire again, she eg around the
tock by which she had been standing. |

In another moment she was running for her. life, hed
ing for the darkest part of the valley, and pass.

The death of the Indian brought a howl of rage. from
his companions. Old Death Killer hurled after her. his”
knife, . and two of the braves, forgetting their caution
altogether, fired at her with their rifles. .

Some started in pursuit on foot,. while others ae ‘time
to climb to the backs of the ponies ; and. quickly: a vel
chase was again 1 in Per : oe

3k Be eee SPR ci ae

 

 

Park r a ae Wildfire, Le in. “Indian yells

and rifle’ shots,”

The young leader of the Black cowboys and his com- ce

panions were less than a mile away; and, fortunately. for,

the Indian girl, she was now running in their’ direction.

SS said Buffalo Bill, also drawing 1 rein,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

  

saddles like images of ebony.
oo Were weeded,” said the boy, and put spurs to his
horse.

Then, over the slight rise of ground which had hidden
them from the scene of the girl's peril, they came at
headlong speed. —

Waneta screamed her joy when she beheld them, and
ran in their direction with. redoubled energy.

‘The Indians pursuing her halted in hesitation.

Old Death Killer, standing on a low knoll, turned to
take a look at the oncoming horsemen.
“We must fly!” he cried; though he was choking with
baffled rageé and hate.

One of the black cowboys leaped suddenly to the
ground.

"Massa," he said, addressing his boy captain, “gimme
leaf an’ I believes I can hit dat Ted nigger f’om here.”

‘There was no answer, for Buffalo Bill and the young
captain were riding straight on.

For a moment the black cowboy knelt on one knee,
sighting his long-range rifle.

A putt of smoke and keen report followed.

It was a long shot, a the aim of the black cowboy was
true.

Old Death Killer straightened his slim form with a
“netvous jerk, threw up his hands and fell backward,
while his death yell echoed along the slope.

“Ride them down!” cried Buffalo Bill.
oi the red devils escape.’

He had no mercy in his heart for any irimnde Fhe
could so far forget the benefits he and the Indian girl had
conferred on the’ Sioux. :

And literally was the scout’s order obeyed.

The Sioux, seeing the death of their leader, were so
panic-stricken that they thought only of flight.

But one of the band of Death Killer lived to earry back
to the Indian village the story.of how W aneta had sought
to help Buffalo Bill.

She was out of breath and in an almost fainting con-
dition when the great scout rode up to her, while the
cowboys and Jack “Wildfire rode on after the fugitives.

“Oh, I thank you!’ she cried.
saved—"

“Saved your ‘life, yes; and in return for ‘some services

to me which I shall never forget, Waneta. Thanks are
due from me to you, rather than from you to me.’

When it was all over, and she knew that now she could
return in security to the: village, for no witness was left
to betray her there, the scout asked her if she would
not prefer to g6 of to the fort, where, he assured her, she
would receive every kindness and ‘consideration.

““No,” she said, “these are my people. AS an educated
Sioux, 1 hope to be able to do them some good, now that
Death. Killer and his friends will not be able to hinder and
hamper me. And, any way, I am an Indian, even though
educated. .

She pointed toward the far-off Indian village.

“My home is there, and my father is there.

“Don't let one

And if he

takes the ‘warpath again, as I fear he fe remember

Waneta.” — - ee
“And if he ever falls?” said Buffalo Bill. op
_ She. hesitated. | ee

   

The few colored cowboys at their backs stiffened in their |

“Red Trail; or, The Unmasking of Capt: Hyena.”

“You—y ou—have—

THE BUPEALO BAL STORING 6 31

“Then, I shall follow my feelings, rather than my duty,
and become in reality as I am in heart, a white woman, so
far as education can make me one.”

And so they parted; Waneta riding away toward the
Sioux village and the scout and his friends taking the.
backward trail, ae led in the direction of the fort.

THE END,

' Next week’s issue, No. 126, will contain “Buffalo Bill’s
In this
story the notorious outlaw leader, known as Capt. Hyena,
has the mask of red wings torn from his face and his
identity. is revealed. ‘The reader will be pleased to meet
again in these pages Dead Knife Jim, the outlaw friend
of Buffalo Bill, as strange and contradictory a character
as was ever Trev ealed in fiction. The Powell bfothers also
play principal parts; Jack Wildfire, the boy pard of the
great scout, makes a reappearance, while Buffalo Bill him-
self. plays the star role.

 

 

LIST OF PRIZE WINNERS.

 

The following thirty boys have each won a football.
We offer them our heartiest congratulations,

Freddy Odell, Auburn, N. Y.
W. B. Willis, Jr., Hartford, Conn.
Irving Kutscher, New York City.

A.M. Rublis, Meadville, Pa.

Chas. R. Hulse, Philadelphia, Pa.
H. Fisher, Hagersville, Ont.
Louie L. Slimp, W ellington, Kan.
Cecil: Shea; Chicago, Til.

HH. W. Mullins, Palestine, Texas.
Thomas Maney, Geneva, N. Y.
Horace E. Wolcott, Weatherford, Okla.
Thomas Williams, Richmond, Va.

Albert Forsyth, Burlington, N. J.
Sam Bokritzky, Atlanta, Ga.
E. M. Whitcombe, Harrisburg, Texas.
James Cleve, Humboldt, Kan.
A. A. Taylor, Bridgeport, Conn.
James F. Brady, Brockton, Mass.

J. E. Manion, Glendale, Pa.
James R. Shine, New York City.

~#H. O. Connor, Brooklyn, Nios

Walter Roth, Wilkinsburg, Pa.

Roy Karnes, Mitneapolis, Minn.

Albert Kneger, Pittsburg, Pa.

H. Q. Bannister, High Point, N. C.

Frank Poynton, uit, D. é.

Harold Scheuerman, Minoa, N. Y.

Willie Anderson, Chicago, Il.

Howe K..Cassavant, Albany, N. Y.

Wm. A. Ross, St. Albans, Vi

  
 

 

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