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KOWEEKLY PUBLICTIONSS 7 © F_\_ © eiGTED TO BORDER HISTORY

Issued Weekly. By subscription $2.50 per year. Entered as Second-class Matter at the N. Y. Post Office, by STREET & SMITH, 79-59 Seventh Ave. MN. ¥,

 

 

 

No. 254 ~—|T NEW YORK, MARCH 24, 1906. Price, Five Cents

 

 

 

 

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paleface foe, Evil Heart leaped over the precipice, He preferred suicide
to death at the hands of Buffalo Bill.

 
 

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Issued Weekly.

By subscription $2.50 per year. Entered as Second-class Matter at the N. Y. Post Office, by STREET & SMITH, 79-& Sevewtk Avenue,

N.Y. Entered according to Act ef Congress in the year 1906, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D. C.

 

837" Beware of Wild West imitations of the Buffalo Bill Stories. They are about fictitious characters. The Buffalo
Bill weekly is the only weekly containing the adventures of Buffalo Bill, c W. F. Cody), who is known all

over the world as the ing of eee

 

No. 254.

NEW YORK, March 24, 1906.
\

“Price Five Cents.

 

Buffalo Bill's Sha

 

whee Stamped

 

OR,

EVIL HEART’S LAST CALL.

 

By the author of “BUFFALO BILL.”

 

CHARTER 1
AT DANGER DIVIDE,

“Mr. Doyle, let me introduce to you Captain Cody, the
chief of scouts of the Department of the Platte.”

The speaker was a tall, handsome, sun-tanned young
man, whose frank, honest look and kindly, smiling eyes
would at once have prepossessed any one in his favor.
~The man to whom he spoke was old enough to have
been his grandfather. His appearance was distinguished,
but his face bore deep lines that spoke of some great
sorrow which had clouded his life.

The old gentleman rose from the chair in which he
was sitting on the veranda of a little hotel—hardly better
than a saloon, except in name—in the frontier settle-

.. ment of Danger Divide and bowed courteously to the

man who was being introduced to him.

“Any friend of yours, Mr. Mainwaring, honors me by
his acquaintance,” he said. “But it gives me especial
pleasure to meet Captain Cody. Ihave heard much about
his great deeds out here in the West, and now that I

see him I am sure that nothing I have heard has been

exaggerated.”

This frank speech was thoroughly justified by the
bearing and appearance of Buffalo Bill, who returned the
old gentleman’s greeting with a eraceful,
curtsey that explained the nickkname which had been
given to him, “The Knight of the Plains.”

Among a ‘host of bold frontiersmen famous in that
day William F. Cody was generally recognized as the
bravest of the brave and-aiso the most skilful as a hunter
and Indian fighter.

His looks did not belie his character and eopnrnoe!
His tall, powerful frame, well knit and athletic, had been
hardened by a lifetime spent in the open air and the
saddle. His handsome face and bold, piercing eyes were
the sure index of the honor and nobility of his soul.

Looking at him, it was impossible not to feel that here
was a man terrible. to his foes, but as true as steel to
his friends.

“It is an honor to make the acquaintance of the famous
Senator Doyle,” remarked Cody, as, in response to a
polite gesture from the old man, he seated himself in a
chair by his side.

“Then you know me by reputation, Captain Cody?”
said the other, looking up quickly. “I was hoping that

GAO rel ace aR.

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nobody here would identify meas a former member of
the United States Senate.”

“I was unaware of it, sir,” said the young man, Main-
waring, who had made the introduction.

“I heard you make a speech in the Senate two years

ago, when I was in Washington on some business with

the war department,’ Buffalo Bill explained.

“Ah, that. was it! They say that you never forget a
face, Captain Cody, and it appears to be true. “But |
have resigned from the Senate and left Washington for-
even

Buffalo Bill’s face expressed polite interest, but he

made no remark. He could not help wondering, how-
ee how it had come about that one of the most dis-

. tinguished statesmen at that time in America should have
abandoned his great career, and instead of being in his

proper place at Washington should be found at a
wretched little frontier shanty—-which was all that the
best “hotel” in Danger Divide could really be called.

“Yes, [ have turned my back on Washington,” Mr.
Doyle went on, “and I am now on my way to California,
with my two daughters.
and make it my home for the small balance of my days.
I want to leave all the old associations of my life behind.
They have become painful to me.

“My eldest boy died three months ago in Washington.
He was the last of my three sons. My wife died years
ago, and now I have only my two girls left—May and
Gertrude. Like myself, they wish to live in a new coun-
try, among fresh scenes and oe who will not remind
us of the past.”

It. was a strangely frank speech to make to a new ac-
quaintance, but Buffalo Bill was a man who inspired
confidence at first sight, and Mr. Doyle found it natural
to talk to him of his most sacred and private affairs as he
could not have done to another man. :

A smiling, honest-looking negro came out onto the
veranda and said to. the old man:

“Lunch done got ready, massa. Missie Gertrude and
Missie May waiting for you. I ’clar’ to goodness, suh,

I cooked de best lunch I could, but you can’t get nuthin®

more in this place than down in ole Virginny at de end
ob de wah.”

“All right, Norfolk Ben,” replied Mr. Doyle, smiling
kindly at the man.
the best you can, and probably you oe done eae
under the circumstances.”

The honest fellow, grinning his apprecatan of these”

words, vanished through the door.

“That is my servant, Norfolk Ben,”
turning to Cody and Jack Mainwaring. “I don’t think
any one ever had a more faithful one. He has been
with us for many years, and is perfectly devoted to my
daughters. He comes from Noriolk, in Virginia—hence
his name.”

aU good Virginian servant of the old stock is indeed
a treasure,” remarked Mainwaring.

Will you join us at lunch, Captain Cody, and you,

said Mr. Doyle,

too, Mr. Mainwaring? I want to hear some more about.

that ranch of yours in Texas, and my girls will be de-
lighted to meet you, Captain Cody, and listen to some
stories about your adventures.”

“T don’t think it will be easy to induce Cody to tell
them,” said Jack Mainwaring, smiling. “Somebody else
is always the hero of the stories he tells. I have known

THE BUFFALO

Iam going to buy a ranch there ,

‘“Tve no doubt that: you have done:

BILL, STORIES

him for three weeks, but all that I have heard about his
adventures has been from other people.”

Both men accepted Mr. Doyle’s invitation and went —

into the small, stuffy dining-room of the hotel with him.
They found there two girls, of about twenty and
eighteen years of age respectively, whom they were intro-
duced to by Mr, Doyle.
and the younger was Gertrude.
Both Were pretty, but the elder was by far the prettier,
and Buffalo Bill, wise in such matters, could see at a

glance that young Mainwaring was powerfully attracted °

by her. It was the first time they had met, for he had
only made the acquaintance of Mr. Doyle a short time
before he introduced Cody to him.

The party sat down to lunch, Norfolk Ben waiting on
them, and they were soon in the midst. of an animated
conversation.

Jack Mainwaring told stories of his life on his ranch
in Texas. He was a wealthy young fellow, owning one
of the best cattle-runs in that State.
ing a hunting trip in the farther West, and Buffalo Bill,
whom he met some time before, had been able to show
him some very good sport.

As Mr. Doyle had prophesied, the two girls were eager

to hear the king of the scouts tell about his own deeds,

but he evaded their questions and appeals as well as he

could: He was more silent and abstracted than was his~

wont, and something seemed to be weighing on his mind,
in spite of the galety of the little party.

elie Doy le?
versation, “would you mind telling me why you have
halted in this little place on your journey to California?
The accommodations are so bad that I am sure you
would not have done so without some very good reason.”’

“Necessity was my reason,” replied the old gentleman.
smiling.
the wagons was so badly damaged in crossing a deep
gully near here that we had to stop to have it repaired.
From. what they tell me, it will be a pretty long job.

They have few facilities for such work in a little place

like Danger Divide.”

“It is a pity you could not have gone on to Fort Mc-
Pherson, seventy miles farther on,” said Buffalo Bill.
“It is a military post, and they have all the means for
doing such work. The general who commands the post
would have been pleased - to help you.
for I am attached.to the post as his chief of scouts.” ~

“We could hardly get to Danger Divide,”
old man. :

Buffalo Bill thought deeply for a few minutes, hesi-
tating whether or not he should speak out what was in
his mind. Then he said:

“Mr. Doyle, what I am going to say to you will no
doubt sound extraordinary and impertinent, but it is
\prompted by my knowledge of this country.”

“Whatever it is, I am sure it will be well meant, fan
tain Cody,” remarked the ex-senator, looking puzzled.

“Well, then, it is this:

east, instead of trying to cross the Great Plains at pres-

ent. If I were in your position I would wait for a few
months at least before trying to reach California by the

overland route.”
Mr. Doyle and his daughters looked very much sur-

prised at this temark.. AL “shadow of annoyance crossed
the. old man’s face, as if he thought an n unwarrantable

The elder was his daughter May —

He was now enjoy_

he said suddenly, in a lull in the cone

“T have a train of three wagons, and one of.

T-know him well,

replied the

When your wagon is repaired.
qyou would, in my Opinion, be well advised to turn back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

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SS ES gen

liberty was being taken with him and his plans, but it
passed almost as quickly as it came, and he turned to the
king of, the scouts and said:

“What you have just told me, Captain Cody, is cer-
tainly rather strange, but I am sure you must have some
good reason for saying it.”

“I have,” replied the border king. “The Great Plains
are very unsafe for wagon-teams at present—more un-
safe, I think, than they have ever been before in my ex-
perience.”

Mr. Doyle looked surprised.

“I was assured by the officials of the war department
in Washington that the soldiers at the various posts in
this territory had the Indians oT complete control,”
he said.

Buffalo Bill smiled.

“What they don’t know about this part of the country
in Washington would fill a big book,” he retorted. “‘The
troops do their best—they do wonderfully, indeed. But
they can’t be everywhere at once. Sometimes they are
too late to protect and can only avenge.’

The old man looked grave, but at the same time ob-
stinate. He had made his plans, and:he was not of the
kind to give them up readily.

“Of course, I know that. there is always a certain
amount of risk on the overland toute, he said. ““Ehat
must be taken for granted. We have reckoned it in the
plans we have made, and the girls are not at all afraid,
I can assure you.”

“Indeed we are not, father!” exclaimed May, glancing
at Buffalo Bill with some indignation.

“What is the special danger at present?” the old man
asked.

“Tt is twofold. The Shawnee Indians, under their
chief, Evil Heart, are in a very ugly mood toward the
whites, and there is a band of outlaws calling them-
selves Death Riders who have held up several wagon-
trains during the past few months, and even ventured to
raid some of the settlements.”

“The Death Riders!’ exclaimed the old man.
an ominous name.”

“And it fits them well,” returned Cody. ‘They show
mercy to none who fall into their power. They are the
worst gang of outlaws who ever cursed the West in all
my experience.”

Tt 15

 

CHAPTER II.
THE DEATH RIDERS.

“Have you met these Death Riders?” asked Mr. Doyle,
after a brief silence produced by the impressive manner
in which Buffalo Bill had spoken. “Have you had any
personal experiences with them?”

“Yes,” replied Buffalo Bill. “As chief of scouts I
have assisted more than once in efforts to hunt them
down, but those efforts have not yet been successful, al-
though in three little skirmishes we have thinned down
the gang considerably. They have a great knowledge of
the best hiding-places in the hills, and so have been able
to elude pursuit.

“They have a particular hatred of me, because of my
efforts to hunt them down, and they have sent me more
than one message threatening my life. Only six weeks
ago a friend of mine named Wild Bill and myself were

PRE Onee aoe F n . eee
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THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. 3

caught by seven of them in a narrow cafion, and we had
a pretty close call.”

“What happened when you met them?” asked Mr.
Doyle, looking at the king of the scouts curiously.

“Oh, we managed to get away from them,” answered
Buffalo Bill lightly.

“Why don’t you tell the story as I heard it from Wild
Bill, Cody?” said young Mainwaring. “He told me
that he was knocked senseless after two of the men were
down, and, that you killed the other five single-handed.
Isn’t that true?”

The knight of the plains was loath to admit this, for
he had an almost morbid dislike of anything that savored

of boasting, but finally, under the cross-questioning of

the girls, he was obliged to confess that Wild Bill had
stated the facts.

“But the Shawnees are fully as dangerous as the Death
Riders,” the king of the scouts added. “Indeed, I think
they are even more so. I’ve had a good deal of experi-
ence of that tribe during my life on the plains.

“Unlike the tribe which is so nearly related to them—

the Pawnees—they have a most inveterate hatred of the

white man, and they never lose a chance of gratifying it.

“They've always been ugly neighbors for us, but since
their present chief, Evil Heart, has risen to power they
have been worse than ever.

“They have not actually dug up the hatchet and de-
clared war against us at the present time, but there are
nasty reports from our Pawnee, scouts that all is not
right with them in their villages.

“They are talking fight all the time, and Evil Heart
and the medicine-men are doing all they can to encour-,
age it. I have had a*good deal to do with Evil Heart
myself at various times, and we don’t like one another
much. I spared his life once when I had him in my
power, and I think it was a great mistake on my part.”

“Well,” said Mr. Doyle, setting his teeth grimly, “I
am much obliged to you, Captain Cody, for this informa-
tion, but I am afraid that I cannot change my plans on
account of it. The dangers which you mention seem, to
my mind, rather remote, and I should feel myself a cow-
ard if I were to abandon my journey on account of
them.”

Buffalo Bill looked at the two girls across the table,
and thought sadly that they were the ones who were
likely to suffer through their father’s obstinacy.

If the party with the wagon-train had consisted only
6f men he would have had nothing to say. They could
have taken their chances, as men -~should.,

But the thought of the danger to which May and
Gertrude would be exposed worried him greatly. He
was only too familiar with the tortures which the Indians
were accustomed to inflict upon helpless women or any
other white captives who might chance to fall into their
hands.

Yet it was evidently hopeless to try to induce Mr.
Doyle to change his opinion and abandon his journey.
The border king was a good reader of faces and of char-
acter, and he could see quite clearly that there was a
strain of obstinacy in the old man’s nature which would
make him reject the best advice if it did not happen to
coincide with his preconceived opinions.

“How many. men have you with your wagon-train ?”
asked the scout.

“There are four of them, not counting Norfolk Ben,”
replied the old man.

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THE BUFFALO

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“What sort of men are they?”

“They are all old frontiersmen, who have been many
journeys on the overland trail.”

“Who is their boss?’ >

“An old man named Jake Wallace,”

“Jake Wallace! I know him well. He and I have
hunted on the plains together more than once. What
did he say to you when you proposed to make the trip at

the present time?’

Mr. Doyle hesitated for a moment, for this question
had struck home to him.

“T must confess that he took very much the same view
that you do, Captain Cody,” he finally said. “He told
me that it was his business to guide parties across the
plains, and that -he liked to get all the jobs he could. But

‘he added that he could not reconcile it with his conscience

to let me go along with my daughters without giving
me a warning.

“He did not tell me what you have said about the
Shawnees and the Death Riders, but he gave me to un-
derstand that the territory was. particularly disturbed
and dangerous just now.”

“And in face of that—in face of these two warnings
you have received from men who are in a position to
know-—you will persist in this mad journey!” cried Buf-
falo Bill, rising to his feet and facing the old man, with
a look of anger on his face.

Mr. Doyle and the others looked at him in surprise, so
carried beyond himself was he by his indignation at the
thought of the peril to which the girls might be reck-
lessly and needlessly exposed.

May and Gertrude were quick to reply to him. They
were both angry at what they thought was an insult to
their father.

“You are surely forgetting yourself, Captain Cody!’
cried May. “My father is quite able toe judge what is
best. He is quite able to take care of us. I know.you
are experienced in regard to these matters, but I think
you are exaggerating the danger. In any case, if we
have decided to go on we will go on in spite of all your
Shawnees and outlaws.”

Gertrude was briefer in her retort, but certainly not
less explicit.

“T think you are just horrid, Captain Cody!” she
cried. :

Then she got up from the table and swept indignantly
out of the room, followed by her sister.

Their father looked after the two girls quizzically as
they went out.

“Vou-must excuse them,’ he said, turning apologet-
ically toward Buffalo Bill. “I am sure I don’t deserve it,
but as a matter of fact they idolize me, and when you
questioned my judgment you touched them on a sore
point.”

“They are quite right,” said Cody. “I assure you, sir,
that I have no grievance in the matter. But I beg
you, none the less, to think over what I have said, and
to. do what I suggest, if you feel that it is possible.

“Tn any case, if you resume your journey call at Fort
McPherson on your way, and no doubt the commandant
will supply you with an escort of troopers to conduct you
beyond the danger zone.”

“That is not a bad idea,” replied Mr. Doyle. “But I
do not feel that I can abandon my journey.”

Buffalo Bill, seeing that nothing further could be done,
in view of the obstinacy of the old man, now hastened

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= 1 es neh ta ncn te its ca i te AEs ON fan i ame iene ea
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BILL STORIES.

\
to change the subject, and the talk ranged over a variety
of topics connected with frontier life and with Main-
waring’s experiences in Texas,

In the course of the conversation Mr. Doyle begged
that Buffalo Bill and Mainwaring would join his party,
so long as they happened to be at Danger Divide.

He did not expect, he said, to be able to get away
for two or three days, and he and his daughters would be
very glad to have their society while they were staying
there.

The old gentleman was perfectly sincere in this in-
vitation, and his motive was not altogether unselfish.

The other inhabitants of the place were of a rough
type and repugnant to h® polished nature, and he was
delighted at the prospect of the society of men with
whom he felt he had something in common,

Buffalo Bill, feeling that some protection was needed
for the party under the circumstances, accepted the in-
vitation, and Jack Mainwaring-gladly did the same, be-
cause he desired, above all things, to have the chance to:
improve his acquaintance with May.

 

CHAPTER IIL.
THE PRICE OF A FRIEND'S LIFE.

On that same evening. Buffalo Bill and young Main-
waring were sitting on the veranda of the saloon alone,
and the young rancher took the opportunity to cross-
question his friend about the Death Riders. _

' Buffalo Bill told him how he had met them, and of the
danger in which he and his friends stood from them and
also from the Shawnees.

“The scoundrels!” exclaimed the rancher fiercely. “I
have heard a great deal about the doings of these out-
laws, and how they have even dared to defy the author-
ity of the United States and fight American troops.

“T can’t think what has come to our government, that
it does not make them either obey the law or wipe them
out. ‘If we only had some of them on our ranches down
in Texas for a few weeks we’d make them precious sorry
for themselves, I can tell you!”

“T wish you had them there,” said Cody, with a laugh.

“Pardon me, gentlemen, but I don’t think you knew ~
very much about these people you are talking of.”

The two friends looked up hastily.

They had thought that they were alone on the veranda,
but a man had stolen up to them as silently as a cat
while they were talking, and he stood at the young
rancher’s shoulder, less than a yard away.

He was a big, broad-chested man, with a coarse,
bloated face, a swaggering figure, and a bristling red
mustache,

Buffalo Bill recognized him at once. ne

He was Simon Ketchum, known to everybody as a
professional gambler and suspected to be the spy and
agent of the Death Riders in the settlement of Danger
Divide.

“T think I ought to know something about the Death
Riders,” said the border king, after he had looked at the
man in silence for a few moments. ‘I am in their black
books, as you probably know very well.”

“How should I know anything about it?” asked the in-
truder quickly. “The Death Riders? There are no such
people. It is an old story that they tell around here to
scare tenderfeet.”

me
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THE BUFFALO

“Tt’s hard to prove, isn’t it?” said the king of the
scouts, giving the man a significant look. ‘Dead men
tell no tales.”

“You seem to be quite nervous about these imaginary
Death Riders,’ sneered Ketchum. “I should not have
thought that a man with Buffalo Bill’s great reputation
feared anything.”

Buffalo Bill did not“%reply, for he did not care to as-
_sert his courage in words. But his companion faced the
swaggering stranger and said hotly:

“Cody and one of his friends managed to account for
a gang of your rascally assassins between them. You
had better send ten times the number next time if you
want to make sure of your bloody work!

“But you had better be careful. You are suspected,
and if we can only get some good evidence against you
you will find that there is some law and justice in the
West, after all!”

The swaggerer’s red face grew as black as night with
rage, and he seemed about to spring at the throat of his
bold challenger, but Cody stepped in between them and
eyed him calmly and steadily.

Ketchum tried to meet his gaze, but he could not do
so. He read the menace of death there, and his cheeks
turned pale.

“Get out of here!” said the border king. “We under-
stand one another perfectly, I think. You can do your
worst, and we will be ready to defend ourselves—and to
strike back!”

Frightened by these words, Ketchum turned on his
heel and left the veranda. He knew Buffalo Bill weil
by reputation, and thoroughly understood, that he was
not the kind of man to speak at random.

“Vou had better not meddle in this affair, old fellow,”
said Cody to Mainwaring when they were alone again.
“That man Ketchum is a coarse brute, and I’ve been in-
clined to insult him publicly and make him fight me. But
I don’t think it would be the wisest course, I have other
plans for meeting his murderous schemes.”

“Count on me’to help you in any way I can, ” said the
brave young rancher, setting his lips in a stern line. “It
is of no use for you to tell me to keep out of thiy busi-
ness. I am in it, and I’m going to stay in it.

“Let me tell you one thing. T love May Doyle, and I
mean to try to. win her for my wife. It is true I have
only just met her, but I fell in love at first sight. Now,
do you expect to persuade me to keep out of this trouble
in order to save my own skin?’

“No, I don’t,” admitted the border king, smiling cheer-
fully at his friend. “I wish you luck. You couldn’t find
a better girl than May Oe if you searched all through
the West.

“But let me give you a word of advice shou: Ketchum.
He is a foros bully, gambler, and duelist. He has
killed several men in duels and has the reputation of be-
ing one of the best pistol-shots in this section. If you
meet him again don’t let him draw you into a quarrel.”

An ominous bending of the rancher’s dark brows was
his only reply.

Just then May and her father came out to call the two
men in to eat the roughly cooked dinner, which was the
best that this frontier hostelry had to offer, and Main-

wating instantly forgot all about the au in the pleas- _

ant society of the girl he loved.

But later in the evening the hot-headed young fellow
met Ketchum again.

  

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DON race e ote
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BILL STORIES. oe

May had gone to hed, after sitting out on the veranda
with him for some time, and he was wandering about
the saloon disconsolately, when he happened to stroll
into the card-room at the back of the bar. It was full
ef men, sitting around little tables and playing poker,
écarté, and other games.

Mainwaring sat down by the open window to smoke
a cigar before going to bed, and presently, happening to.
turn. around, he saw that Ketchum was playing poker at

a small table near- by him with another of the men stay-

ing at the saloon.

‘Obeying the instinct of pees observation which had
been bred in him by his life on-the ranch, the young man
began to watch the game with close attention. -

Ketchum did not seem to like this. He was still sore
perhaps at the memory of the meeting earlier in the eve-
ning, for he shot angry glances at Mainwaring now and
then.

The other player was having a run of the very worst
kind of luck, After winning a trifle, the cards went
steadily against him. He lost. once—twice—thrice—four
times running.

He was just about to at down a fifth stake when
Mainwaring jumped up from his chair and stopped him.

“Foul play!” he shouted. “Throw up your hand, sir!
This game must not go on! You are being cheated!”

Instantly an excited group of spectators came pressing
around them.

Ketchum rose to his feet, trembling with passion, and
asked fiercely:

“Whom do you accuse of foul play, you. young
whelp ?”

“You-—you card sharper and thief!” cried the young
rancher.

Tearing the cards from the bully’s hand, he dashed
them in his face with such violence that the blood started
from his cut cheek.

The two men sprang at one another’s throats, and in
a moment they would have rolled down on the floor, per-
haps not-to rise again, but the other men standing around
closed in and dragged them apart by main force.

Such a dispute could have but one ending, even with-
out the deadly insult in which it had culminated,

In. those early days in the West dueling was com-
mon on very. much smaller cause than this quarrel af-
forded. Any one who had dared to dissent from the
custom and refused to meet his enemy on the “field of
honor” would have been publicly branded as the most
cowardly of men,

“You will meet me to-morrow morning!’ hissed the
bully, choking back his rage with an effort.

“Certainly—whenever and wherever you like,
the young rancher.

At this point Buffalo Bill, who had been smoking on
the veranda and had heard the scuffle, entered the room.
He took in the situation at a glance and went up to
Ketehum.-:-

“T don’t like your face or your manner, Mr. Ketchum,”

9)

replied

he said, in a hard, clear voice, which every man in the

room could hear. “It will give me great pleasure if you
will meet me in the morning before you fulfil your en-
gagement with my friend here,”

Ketchum looked into the eyes of the border king, which
were filled with a somber and dangerous light, and he
quailed before them.
>» “Thave no cere with you,”

he muttered. “My

 

ce tine aoa Leno BESERN ea BBE N

 
 

  

    

RRs ah i a pe i a

6 THE BUFFALO

quarrel is with your friend. He struck me in a most
unwarranted manner.”

“Oh, is that all? Well, he’s not the only man who
can do it.”

‘Buffalo Bill stepped lightly forward and struck the

_ bully a smashing blow between the eyes, which sent. him

reeling to the floor.

“Have you got a quarrel with me now?’ he asked, as

the mar got up and wiped away the blood that was
streaming from his nose.

“Yes, curse you! I suppose I must fight you, but I in-
sist on my right to fight this young whelp here first!”

“And so do. I!” cried Mainwaring. “Cody, you mean
well, but I won’t let you také up my quarrel in this way.
I can fight my own battles, and I will. But [ll be very
much obliged to you if you will act as my second.”

“Certainly I will,’ said Cody, seeing that it was hope-
less tO try to prevent the duel, now that the quarrel had
gone so far. “And if you fall it will not be long before
I avenge you. But, you hot-headed young ass, why
couldn’t you leave him alone, as | warned you to do?”

> * k *K * * *

It was a clear, bright, beautiful morning when the two
men went forth from the little frontier hotel to kill or
be killed.

The sun was rising in cloudless glory over the green-
clad prairie. All nature seemed peaceful and glad and
bright around these two men who had murder in their
breasts toward one another.

All the men who had witnessed the quarrel on the
previous evening were present. One of them consented
to act as a second for Ketchum, who seemed to have no
friends of his own.

As the insulted party, Ketchum had not only the choice
of weapons, but also the decision as to the manner in
which the duel should be fought out. He chose the
French “barrier” method, in spite of the protest of his
second that it was altogether too bloodthirsty.

A rope was stretched between two small posts driven
into the earth. Each combatant was to stand at a dozen
paces from the rope barrier on either side and to ad-
vance toward it to meet the other. One shot only was
allowed, and it rested with the duelists to fire when they
chose as soon as the signal was given by one of the
seconds dropping his handkerchief.

Thus the duel, while perfectly fair, was almost certain
to end in the death of at least one of the combatants.

The man who fired first, before he got to the barrier,
would be absolutely at the mercy of his opponent if he
missed, for he would be obliged to walk up to the rope
and be shot at a few inches’ distance—unless, of course,

he chose to confess himself a coward by refusing the.

ordeal.

It was a thrilling moment when Ketchum’s second
dropped the handkerchief.

The toughest old fire-eater present felt his heart beat
quicker when the two men began to move slowly toward
each other, step by step, gradually raising their weapons
as they advanced, and eying each other like panthers.

Crack !

There was a flash—a puff of smoke—the whistle of a
bullet—a quick, short, indrawn breath from all the on-
lookers, breaking the tense silence like a hiss.

Mainwaring had fired—and missed!

He advanced steadily until he touched the rope. Fling-

 

i 1 e
Si a ph ee ne digo hh hg SEB AIA RL igri a en apna null manent nie aot gl tk-nn cmtomm hn ts ent mlaC a bbe ts AK: ttn ut chien So Ate Mandarin Nemes

BILL. STORIES.

ing down his useless pistol, he folded his arms on his
breast and stood facing his enemy, motionless as a rock.
There was not a tremor on his lips.

“It’s all over now!” whispered one of the spectators,
who was standing near Buffalo Bill. “Ketchum can hit:
a silver dollar at ten paces, and no man could miss under
these circumstances.”

The bully eyed the doomed lad with the grin of a
demon, and then advanced toward him, step by step. It
seemed an age before he reached the rope and held his
pistol right against the breast of the young rancher.

“Now, then, you young fool, take back that lie you
told about me, or IJ’ll shoot you on the spot!” he said
loudly enough for all the men standing around to hear.

“Shoot!” replied Mainwaring sternly. “I said you
cheated,.and I say so still!”

The spectators held their breath, for it now seemed
that nothing could save the brave young fellow.

But Ketchum looked around the circle before he pulled
the trigger, and he caught the steely glance of the king
of the scouts piercing him through and through.

That look said as plainly as any words could have
done:

“Shoot him, and I will shoot you within five minutes!
Spare him, and I will spare you.”

Fear conquered even the mad passion of hatred that
was raging in the breast of the bully.

“The young fool is mad! He doesn’t know what he
is saying!’ he muttered, and he fired the pistol in the air
and folded his arms sullenly. ;

“Now, I am ready for you, if you wish, Buffalo Bill!”
he said.

The border king walked up to him and replied, in a
high, clear voice that all could hear:

ey will stand up to you and fight you, if you wish; but
first I wish to offer you an apology for striking you last
night. If. you care to accept it our duel need not take
place. It is for you.to decide.”

The men standing around were ee ad not least
among them young Mainwaring. Buffalo Bill apologize
and try to avoid a duel! It cloned incredible, but his
courage was so well known that he could afford to do
what would have branded any other man as a coward.

It was the price he paid for Mainwaring’s life, al-
though the young man never knew it.

Ketchum did not share the duinptige of the rest.
understood perfectly. J

“I accept your apology, sir,” he said, with a clumsy”
attempt at dignity. “As you suggest, the duel need not
take place.” :

The two men bowed to one another, but did not offer
to shake hands.

The whole party then strolled home to breakfast at the
little hotel.

Buffalo Bill and Mainwaring walked together, arm in,
arm.

The young rancher tried to find out what had induced
his friend to apologize to Ketchum, but the border king
dodged*the subject.

“T wonder what made the fellow spare me when he had
me at his mercy,” the young fellow said, as they walked
onto the front veranda of the saloon!

_ “T wonder!” Cody echoed, smiling inwardly.

“T suppose it must have been because there was some
slight streak of decency in his nature, after all—though
_I confess it seems hard to believe,’ said Mainwaring.

He

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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THE BUFFALO BILL SIORIES. 7,

“Ves, it daes seem-hard to believe when you know the
man,” Cody remarked, smiling now openly, somewhat
to the surprise of his friend.

As they sat down to breakfast with the Doyles May
remarked brightly:

“Vou two were out early this morning, were you not?’

“Ves; we took a little stroll for the benefit of our
health,” the knight of the plains replied.

“T suppose you feel that it has done you good?”

“Oh, yes! It has given us a good appetite.”

Not a word was said about the duel, for Cody had a
suspicion that the girl returned the love which Main-
waring confessed he felt for her. He did not wish to
alarm her more than was absolutely necessary, and he
felt that he had only played the first game in the rubber
with the Death Riders.

‘The stake that, hung upon that rubber, as he well knew,
was nothing less than life or. death; but he believed that
he could play out the game successfully. 0

Later in the day, on making. inquiries, Buffalo Bill
found that Ketchum had taken his horse, sold all his be-
longings, and driven away from Danger Divide.

He evidently had not cared to stay in the place after
the proceedings of the early morning, or perhaps he
feared that the king of the scouts would still call him
to account in a manner that would prove fatal for him.

Everybody in the place was agreed that his departure
was “a good riddance of bad rubbish,” and the only peo-
ple who felt any regret at his vanishing were his cred-
itors. a
paired, Mr. Doyle and his party set out from the little
settlement to resume their journey.

With much regret, Buffalo Bill and young Mainwaring
bade adieu to them, wondering whether, among the curi-
ous chances of life, they would ever see them again.

The young rancher had almost made up his mind that
he would go to California later on, seek out the party,
and renew his acquaintance with them.

He had not dared to speak to May of his love, after
knowing her only for such a brief time, but it was none
the less ardent. .

Buffalo Bill, noticing how despondent he seemed after
the wagon-train had lumbered off and disappeared from
view over the prairie, invited him to ride with him next
day to Fort McPherson. : nONE

“We are going to have a big hunt,” the king of the
scouts said. “The supply of food for the soldiers of
the fort is running low, and we are going out to see if
we can fall in with a herd of buffalo. There is a chance
of some fine sport. I am to take a band of scouts with
me, as well as some Pawnee friendlies.”

Jack Mainwaring’s eyes shone with delight. He was
a sportsman through and through, and he knew very
well that Buffalo Bill could show him better hunting
than any other man in the West. _

“Nothing would please me better than to come,” he
said. : ne

“And there is another thing that may be.an induce-
ment to you,” Buffalo Bill added slyly. “If Mr. Doyle
has taken my advice in the matter of getting an escort
of troopers we ought to strike Fort McPherson about
the time he gets there. — .
“Te has the start of us, but we shall travel faster on
horseback than the wagon-train. Besides, the general

at the fort is a hospitable fellow, and he will be sure to

Two days later, the damaged wagon having been re-

detain them as his guests for a day or two. Visitors of
the type of the Doyles are not common at a lonely mili-
tary post on the edge of the Great Plains, and when they
do arrive they are not allowed to go in a hurry, if it can
be helped.’

At this idea Jack Mainwaring was more delighted than
ever. He might have a chance of seeing May again, and
he was consumed with impatience to start on the jour-
ney to the fort. .

But Buffalo Bill had some business to finish up in the
settlement, and it was not until the following morning
that they mounted their horses and rode away.

Buffalo Bill, being in a hurry to reach the fort, took a
shorter route than that ordinarily followed by wagon-
trains, so that the’ two men did not come up with the
Doyle party, and when they reached the fort they found
that it had not arrived there.

 

CHARTER LY.
A STRANGE DISCOVERY.

Two days passed, and still the wagon-train did not
arrive at the fort. Sy,

It was then evident that Mr. Doyle, true to the ob-
stinacy which was so strongly ingrained in his nature,
had decided not to take the advice of Buffalo Bill, but
had pushed on, with his small force, across the plains,
reckless of the dangers he might meet with.

Buffalo Bill hastened the preparations for his big hunt,
for he thought it was quite possible that in the course of
it he might fall in with the Doyle party.

“And if you do, Cody,” said the general in command
of the troops at the fort, “there is one thing that I want
to ask of you. You must bring that man and his party
back, even if you have to do it by force.”

Buffalo Bill smiled queerly. ’

“That’s a hard proposition you are putting up to me, «

general,” he said. “The man is a free-born American
citizen. If he wants to travel over any part of the
United States I suppose he has a perfect right to do so.
I don’t see what authority I have to stop him.” —
“Consider the position for a moment, Cody,” said the
general, leaning over his desk and addressing the scout
with intense earnestness. “‘This man Doyle is a national
character. He was a United States Senator, and a great
one at that! We can’t afford to allow him and his
daughters to get scalped by the Indians, for the sake of
our own reputations as the guardians of the frontier—
without taking account, even, of the humane aspect of
the matter.
“Tf the man is foolish it is for us to save him from the
consequences of his folly. If we don’t do that there
will be a national scandal that will reflect bedly on the
reputation of the troops who are supposed to guard tray-
elers by the overland route.”
“You are right, general,” said Buffalo Bill, “L see
the point of your argument perfectly. I will let the
hunting slide until I deal with this matter. All our ef-
forts shall be devoted to hitting the trail of that wagon-
train and coming up with it. Cal
“And when we do reach it I will engage that we'll
bring Mr. Doyle back, even if we have to tie him with
rawhide ropes and throw him down on the floor of one of
his:own wagons.”

 
 

3 THE BUFFALO BILL. STORIES.

The general rose up from his chair and ees Cody
warmly by the hand.

“That’s like you, Bill!’ he exclaimed. “You know as
well as Ido that you must necessarily take all the re-
sponsibility in this business. If Doyle gets mad about it
and complains to Washington you stand to lose your
position as chief of scouts and all prospects of future
employment in the government service. And yet you
are willing to do it!” .
ak here is no other way, general,” replied Buffalo Bill

simply. “It is clearly my duty—for the sake of those
two girls, if not for that of the obstinate old man.’

“Well, Cody, I won’t forget this in a hurry—and if
you get into any trouble over it you can rely on me to
help you through, if I can possibly do it.”

Buffalo Bill, after bidding farewell to the officer, ha-

stened out to complete the preparations for the start- _

ing of his hunting-party.

In view of the new task he had before him—the end
of which he felt that he could not possibly foresee—he
was particularly careful to choose the best men among
his corps of scouts and Pawnee friendlies.

He also saw to it that all the men were well mounted,
with spare horses, and that they carried an ample supply
of ammunition and dried meat for food.

This last detail surprised his great friend and comrade,
Nick Wharton, who formed one of the party, as did also
Wild Bill, the famous scout who at that time was only
second to Buffalo Bill himself in reputation as a hunter
and Indian fighter.

“What are ye thinkin’ about, Buffler?” growled old
Nicki 7 oT never: seed sich a gol- durned lot of meat
stocked up by a huntin’-party in all my born days. We
might be goin’ ter hit the trail right across the plains
ter Californy. Don’t ye think we know enough by this
time ter be able ter shoot fur our grub?”

“Everybody knows that you can, Nick—if there’s any
game around,” Buffalo Bill replied to this protest, smiling
enigmatically. “But you never can tell whether we'll
find any. We may not see hoof or hide of a buffalo for
several days. Besides—other things may happen.”

Nick Wharton, unconvinced, went off, growling, to
attend to the saddling of his horse.

Buffalo Bill did not wish to take even his two best
friends, old Nick and Wild Bill, into his confidence con-
cerning the delicate task with which he had been eh-
trusted.

If he came up with the wagon-train—regarding which
he had very little doubt, as he knew the course it must
take, and it would necessarily leave a broad, clear trail—
ie hoped to be able to persuade Mr. Doyle to return
without having recourse to actual violence.

That being the case, it would be unwise to tell any-
body of the lengths to which he felt authorized to go in
case of necessity. He allowed all the men, even Jack
Mainwaring, to think that there was nothing more in the
expedition than a simple hunting trip.

On the day after leaving the fort Buffalo Bill found
the trail of the wagon-train.

Much to the surprise of his party he had Headed on
a course which would take them clear away from the
region in which buffaloes had been last reported by the
‘Pawnee friendlies.

They thought he was losing his skill as a hunter, but
his dicipline over them was so good that they made no
open protest, though they growled among themselves.

They could not know that Buffalo Bill was not leeks
aiter game, but after the Doyle party.

“We'll follow this trail, boys,” said Buffalo Bill, Fone
ing to the broad tracks left by the wagons. . “It’s pretty
fresh, and perhaps the folks will be able to tell us where
the buffaloes are ranging. Anyway, we can pass the
time of day with them.”

“Is Buffler goin’ suddenly crazy?” asked Nick Whar-
ton, in a hoarse aside, of Wild Bill. “What in the name
of the everlastin’ hickory do we want ter pass the time
o day with people fur? I thought wé cum out from
the fort ter hunt meat.

“It seems we didn’t. We cum out fur a nice sociable
ride, payin’ polite calls on wagon parties! It beats all
in my knowledge o’ Bill. As if a wagon-train wouldn't
scare away all the.bufflers within ten miles of it!”

Old Nick only voiced the feelings of the other men.
Even the stolid Pawnee friendlies, trained from their
boyhood not to express their emotions, looked at Buffalo
Bill in sheer amazement—but they said nothing in oppo-
sition to his command, and neither did any one of his
white comrades.

They all knew him well—and knew that when he gave
an order he meant to have it obeyed.

The conduct of the border king was fully justified to-
ward the evening of that same day.

As they were cresting a rise in the prairie the scouts

saw the wagons of Mr. Doyle’s train about two miles
away.
- Buffalo Bill’s keen eye at once perceived that some-
thing was wrong. The covers of the wagons were torn,
the horses and mules were on the ground, prostrate, and
one of the wagons itself was overturned.

The cheeks of the king of the scouts blanched almost

as soon as he topped the “tise and got his first glimpse of

the wagon-train.

“They have been attacked!” he gasped, between
clenched teeth. “Heaven alone knows what has hap-
pened to them! Forward, boys, at the gallop!”

Setting the example, he dug the spurs into the horse—
a thing which he did only under stress of the direst
necessity—and shot forward from his party like an arrow
from the bow.

They were a hard-riding set—those scouts and Paw-
nees—but the Texan beat them all. Jack Mairiwaring
alone kept up with Buffalo Bill in that wild ride across
the prairie toward the wagons.

Even Wild Bill, one of the hardest riders ever known
on the Great Plains. was left well behind.

But Jack Mainwaring had the spur of love to urge

him on, and to make him take out of his horse all the

speed it had—even at the risk of killing the animal.

When, in an incredibly short time, they came up to the
wagons and leaped off their panting horses, a terrible
sight met their eyes.

All the horses and mules attached to the train were
dead. Some of them Had been pierced by bullets, others
by Indian arrows.

The frontiersmen who had driven the teams and

guided the party were stretched on the ground beside the

animals in attitudes which showed that they had died
only after making a bitter and desperate fight for their
lives.

This, indeed, was proved by even plainer evidence; for

around them were the bodies of more than a score of
dead redskins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

9
THE BUFFALO

“Shawnees!’’ exclaimed: Buffalo Bill, after a single
glance at one of these bodies. “This is Evil Heart’s
work.” :

_ “Where is May?” gasped Jack Mainwaring.

Buffalo Bill looked at the young man, and saw that his
lips were quivering under the stress of his strong emt-
tion. He dared not answer him, for he felt that he could
give him no reply which would hold out any hope of the
safety of the girl he loved. | mie

Instead of speaking, he started to search around, in
the long grass of the prairie, for the bodies of the girls.

In this search he was speedily assisted by Wild Bill
and the rest of his party, who came dashing up after him.

Five minutes passed, and then Buffalo Bill came up
to Mainwaring, who was standing like a man dazed, and
said to him:

‘Neither. of the girls
are not to be found.”

“And that means?’

The young man was pale to the lips as he asked this
question. Cody did not reply.

“Vou know what it means, Buffalo Bill! They have
been carried off by the redskins, They will be exposed
to a fate worse than death. They will be tortured with
the fiendish cruelty of which only the Indian squaws are
capable.”

“Steady! Brace up, old fellow!” said Buffalo Bill.
‘Don’t give way to despair at’ once. All is not lost.
We can follow the trail of the Shawnees, and the chances
are good that we may rescue the girls. The redskins
cannot have a big start of us.”

Mainwaring’s face lost its look of blank despair when
he heard these words:

“Thank Heaven, Cody!” he gasped. “You have lifted
a load off my mind. Yes, we will follow. We will
rescue the girls, and we will make the redskins pay dearly
for what they have done.”

Before Buffalo Bill could reply he was amazed by hear-
ing a feeble voice calling to him: |

“Marse Cody!”

Turning on his heel, he saw a black face peering out
at him from the upraised tent of one of the wagons.
It was the face of Norfolk Ben, the negro servant of
the Doyles.

“Marse Cody!” the faithful black repeated, beckoning
to him.

Buffalo Bill had been rooted to the spot in amazement
for a moment, but now he rushed eagerly up to the
wagon. vo

He jumped into it, and a new surprise awaited him.
There, stretched out on the floor, he saw the form of
Mr. Doyle, pallid as death and covered with blood from
a gunshot wound through the breast and another through
the lee) a)

Bending down swiftly, Buffalo Bill placed his hand
over the man’s heart and felt his pulse. To his joy he
found that he still lived, and by a swift examination of
the wounds, which he dressed and bound up, he convinced
himself that he even had a fair chance of recovery.

While he was attending to the wounded man in this
manner, with Mainwaring looking eagerly on through
the flap of the wagon tent, Norfolk Ben said nothing.

_ The poor negro was in a bad way. He had been cut
over the shoulder with a tomahawk, which had inflicted
a mere flesh-wound, but one which nevertheless had
cost him the loss of a great deal of blood.

Hes been tolled = Dicie batics

BILL STORIES, g

It was also plainly to be seen that he had been hit
over the head with the butt of a gun with a violence
that would have cracked the skull of any one but a negro.

He sat on the floor of the wagon, nursing his sore
head, until Buffalo Bill rose up from his ministrations to
the unconscious old man.

Then he said: ‘

“Marse Cody !—dem two sweet gals! Dem two cheru-
bims! Whar am dey?”
“T don’t know, Ben.

king sadly.

Ben gave a groan which evidently came from the bot-
tom of his heart and gave the plainest proof of the sin-
cerity of his affection for his young mistresses.

“Flow did this happen, Ben?” asked the king of the
scouts. “How does it come about that you and your
master aren’t killed and scalped. It’s one of the
strangest things I ever heard of.”

“T ’clar’ to goodness I don’t know, Marse Cody. Dem _
Injuns rushed on us ‘fore we knowed it. De men with
de teams fought like debbils, but dey went down in a few
seconds. I was in dis wagon wid de massa, who was
feeling some sick, so he couldn’t ride a hoss.

“T rushed in front ob him, but I was jess too late. He
got hit by two bullets in the first. volley. Then a ter-
r’ble man struck me wid a ax, an’ I felt stars; an’ anodder
hit me wid a gun.” ,

“But how was it that the Indians went away without
finishing both of you and then scalping you? It wasn't
like them to do that.” ae

“T seed de reason ob that jess before I fainted off,
Marse Cody. Soon as dem Injuns struck me, dere was
a loud yell outside, an’ dey turned at once an’ run off.
I crawled to de side ob de wagon an’ looked out.

“All de red mens was ridin’ off like as if de debbil was
behind them. Anodder red man was tearin’ down on his
hoss from de top ob de ridge, ‘way off, an’ wavin’ to dem
wid his arms.” .

“That explains it,’ said Buffalo Bill. ‘They had a
scout out there, and he signaled the approach of our
party when he saw us at a long distance off. Evil Heart
at once gave the yell for his band to mount and ride.
But still it is strange they did not wait to lift the scalps.
That would only have taken them a few moments.”

The border king assisted Norfolk Ben from the wagon
and told him to point in the direction from which he
had seen the solitary Indian scout riding and waving his
arms.

To his surprise the negro pointed in the opposite direc-
ae to that from which his party had ridden, to another
ridge.

“You must be making a mistake, Ben,” said the border
king. “We came from the other side.”

“Tt dunno whar you came from, Marse Cody,” pro-
tested the black man. “But he was thar.’

He stuck to this so firmly that Buffalo Bill was com-
pelled to believe him. It was evident that the Indians
had not been scared away by the approach of his party.
They had been alarmed by some other danger which
threatened them.

“I give it up,” the scout confessed finally. “But it
really makes no difference. Our course is clear. We
must follow the trail of these Shawnees and rescue the
girls, if it can be done.” ,

“An’. Norfolk Ben will come wid you, Marse Cody,”
said the faithful negro. ae

I wish I did,’ replied the border

Se, Sura a ME Pe castes sik pecan

 
  

 

this time, after all:

LO

 

“No, Ben,” reptied the king of the scouts. ‘You are
wounded.. I must send you to Fort McPherson with
your master in one of the wagons. We can hitch up
some of our spare horses to it.”

“No, massa, Ben is all right. He mus’ jess go wid
you an’ try to find dem sweet cherubims.”.

He pleaded so earnestly that Cody had no alternative
but to give in to his wish.

The wagon was hitched up, and Mr. Doyle, still un-
conscious, was sent off to the fort in it, under escort of
three scouts.

The bodies of the slain frontiersmen were then quickly
buried, and Buffalo Bill led his party at a swift pace on
the trail of the Shawnees. :

 

CHAPTER VV;
EVIL HEARTS SUICIDE,

Although the Indians had obtained only a short start
of the border king and his men, the chase was a long
and difficult one.

As the scouts and their Pawnee allies followed the
trail, it became more and*%more evident that every ex-
pedient of redskin craft had been employed to hide it.

Even Buffalo Bill’s skill was often at fault, and some-
times for hours—once even for a whole day—the tracks
weré lost completely and only recovered after the most
arduous search. ,

“Evil Heart is one of the best chiefs on the plains,
both in fighting and in running away,” said Buffalo Bill
to Wild Bill, as they were riding side by side on the
fifth day of the chase. “But I think we shall get him
The trail is freshening all the time.”

“Yes, that is so,” Wild Bill replied, “and, of course,
you must have noticed one thing—that during the last
few hours not a single effort has been made to hide it.
That strikes me as being rather strange, for they have
done all they could to conceal their tracks up to now.”

“Yes, I have noticed that,” said Buffalo Bill, knitting
his brows in some perplexity, “and it has seemed peculiar
to) me” \

It was not long before this mystery, which so much
puzzled the experienced scouts, deepened.

They had not ridden more than a mile when Buffalo
Bill, who was in front, pulled up his mustang, with a
cry of astonishment.

“Here is another trail!” he exclaimed to. Nick Wharton
and Wild Bill, who instantly pushed their horses up
alongside of his.

It was a fact. Another body of Indians, who had
evidently ridden across the prairie from the left at a
tangent, had met with the Shawnees.

The tracks plainly showed that the new party outnum
bered the first by more than four to one. The Shawnees
had been held up, but there were no signs to indicate
that a fight had taken place.

There had been a halt and a palaver, but evidently that
was all.

The newcomers: had not joined the Shawnees. An-
other trail showed that they had ridden off in a different
direction, while the Shawnees had proceeded on their
own course. me

What had happened? This was a question which all
the experience and ingenuity of the scouts failed to an-
swer, ;

&

 

 

THE BUBPALG Bil STORIES,

From
the fact that no fight had taken place, there was some
reason to suppose that this was the case; but, on the other
hand, if they were Shawnees, why had they not joined
the party under Evil Heart, the paramount chief of that

Was the second party composed of Shawnees?

teibe?

The scouts examined all the tracks with the greatest
care, but they could not solve the riddle. oe

“Certainly there is more in this than meets the eye,”
said the border king. “It is difficult to know what to
do.”

“You mean that it is hard to decide which of the two
parties to follow?” asked Mainwaring.

“Yes. It is just possible, you see, that the stronger
party forced the weaker to give up the girls to them,
under threat of attack in case they refused to do so. The
chances are against that having happened, but still it is
a possibility.” . /

“Could you not divide our party and follow both
trails ?”

“No. I am afraid that is out of the question. We
have few enough men, in all conscience, to attack the
Shawnees, and we could do nothing against this stronger
party. If we divided our force we would be helpless
against either when we caught up with them. We must
take our choice which we will pursue.” <5

“I can’t speak as an authority,” said Mainwaring, “but,
if I may offer an opinion, I would favor going after
Evil Heart’s band. We know he has the girls—or, at
least, that he had them; and the chances are that he
would not give them up without a fight.”

“That is just my way of looking at the matter,” agreed
Buffalo Bill. “But let us hear what the others have to
say. It is such a dubious question that it ought to be
decided by the general voice.”

The king of the scouts called Wild Bill, Nick Whar-
ton, and several of the most experienced scouts and
Pawnees around him.

With one exception, they were all in favor of keeping
on after the original band they had been pursuing. The
exception was an old Pawnee warrior named Dead Eye.

“Ugh!” this veteran grunted. “What for other Injuns
ride after Evil Heart? What for they make him stop
and hold palaver? ‘They not do it for nothing. They
took no scalps. What else they take? White squaws!”

Having delivered himself of this opinion, in opposition
to all the others who had spoken, the old brave sat
stolidly on his horse, as-if the matter had no further
concern for him. Indeed, it had not. He was quite
willing to follow either party, for there would be a fine
fight at the end of the chase and a rich harvest of scalps
—both of which things would satisfy his savage nature.

Buffalo Bill looked at him undecidedly.

“How many summers is it since you followed your
first war-trail and took your first scalp, Dead Eye?” he
asked.

Dead Eye made no reply in words, but he held up the
fingers of both hands five times. He had been a full-
fledged warrior for fifty years. .

“And how many scalps have you taken?”

Dead’ Eye handed his tomahawk to Buffalo Bill with-
out a word.

The border king examined it with curious interest. It
was covered with small -notches from the blade to the
end of the helve. Each notch, of course, stood for a
scalp taken. . ‘

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

THE BURRALY
“All braves!” grunted Dead Eye. “Me no kill women
or children.”

Here was a man, thought Buffalo Bill, whose opinion
was worth taking.

“We will go after the larger party,”

But Dead Eye interposed.

“You no do that,” he said. “You have called council.
All but me say go ‘after Evil Heart. You must do that.
How Dead Eye feel if other band no have girls and you
follow it?”

Buffalo Bill could not but admit that this view of the
matter was a just one. He ought to abide by the gen-
eral voice of his advisers, even though Dead Eye’s brief
arguments had impressed him so strongly.

He gave the word to follow the Shawnees at the best
speed possible.

After a few hours the trail left the level prairie and
wound up into a range of foot-hills which led up into
frowning mountains beyond. The scouts now knew,
from the exceeding freshness of the trail, that they were
almost on the heels of their enemies and might expect to
catch sight of them at any moment.

Suddenly, as they turned a,corner of the broad but
rough trail that led up into the hills, they were startled
by a loud yell from Buffalo Bill, who, as usual, was
riding in advance.

“There they are!” he shouted. :

- The Shawnees were not more than half-a-mile in ad-
vance. They were toiling slowly and painfully up the
trail; for their horses were evidently much fatigued. -

~ Although they largely outnumbered the scouts, they
tried to get away without a fight; but Buffalo Bill’s party
gained on them so rapidly that they soon saw the attempt
was vain and gave it up.

As they turned and scattered out along the trail to
take such cover as they could find, Buffalo Bill saw, to
his chagrin and horror, that the two girls were not with
them.

“You were right, Dead Eye!’’ he said remorsetully, to
the old Pawnee. “T ought to have! insisted on taking
your advice against that of all the others, as I was in-
clined to do.”

“Uenl: erunted the Indian. “Take scalps of Shaw-
nees first —then go back and take scalps of others.”

This was obviously the only course now to be adopted.
Buffalo Bill. gave the word to charge, and the scouts.
swept up the trail at a gallop, recking nothing of the hot
but ill-directed fire of the Shawnees.

The redskins had the advantage of position and num-
bers, but that was more than counterbalanced by the su-
perior marksmanship of the scouts and the dash with
which. they made their assault.

Buffalo Bill’s men had the great advantage of being
the attackers, and under his fine leadership they tools full
benefit of it.

Twice the number of Indians could hardly ite with-
stood their furious charge. In a few minutes they were
in the midst of the Shawnees, whose cover then availed
them nothing.

Several of the braves, their guns having been emptied
vainly, tried to get at close quarters and use their deadly
oe but they were shot down before they could

oO so

The fight was brief and bloody, but nearly the whole
loss was sustained by the Shawnees.
In a few minutes those who had escaped the first on-

he said.

BIEL USLORIES: II

slaught turned to retreat up the trail. The retreat was

; soon turned to a rout, and the rout into a veritable stam-

pede.

But, with their fagged ponies, the Indians could not
escape the well-mounted scouts. They were ridden
down, one after another, until only one man was leit
toiling far ahead on a spent horse up the mountain.

“T know him,” shouted Buffalo Bill, who had taken
the leadership in the pursuit. “He is the chief, Evil
Heart. Let no man but myself follow him. There is an
old account to be settled between us, and I will settle it
now, hand to hand, with this!”

The king of the scouts flourished a tomahawk which
he had taken from one of the Shawnee braves whom he
had slain.

In deference to their leader’s command, the other
scouts held back, and Buffalo Bill on his fine mustang
pursued the Shawnee chief at a gallop. But soon the
track became so rough that he had to slacken his speed
to a trot, and then to a walk.

The foot-hills had now been left behind, and the way
wound steeply up into the mountains beyond.

From time to time Buffalo Bill lost sight of the man
he was following, for the track, with a sheer cliff on one
side, had many turnings. Yet he was confident that he
would catch up with Evil Heart before long, for he had
noted how tired the horse of the chief was.

Presently the trail became so rough and encumbered
with boulders that his own mustang could barely keep its
footing, and he was thinking of dismounting and follow-
ing on foot, when he came suddenly on the dead horse of
the Indian.

It had stumbled over a rock and fallen, breaking its
leg. Evil Heart had then promptly stabbed it to death
with his knife and fled onward oni foot.

Buffalo Bill had too much affection for his own animal
to expose it to the same risk, so he dismounted, ordered
the faithful animal to stand still and await his return,
and then ran up the trail at a good speed.

Turning the next bend in the cliff he saw the Shawnee
ahead of him, not more than five hundred yards away.

Yelling at the top of his voice, the border king chal-
lenged the redskin to turm and fight him hand to hand.
He. emphasized the command by waving the tomahawk
which he carried in his hand.

Evil Heart looked round as the king of the scouts
came swiftly toward him, gaining at every stride; and
when Buffalo Bill came near enough he saw that sheer
terror was written plainly on the redskin’s face.

To a man deeply imbued with Indian superstitions, as
Evil Heart undoubtedly was, it may have seemed that
Death itself was following on his trail—so unremittingly
and relentless had been the pursuit.

Whether this was the case or not, it was plain that.
Evil Heart, renowned for many years as a famous war-
rior, had at last lost his nerve.

He faced Buffalo Bill and flung his tomahawk at him
when he was within about forty yards. But his arm was
palsied with fright, and the weapon did not go within
a yard of the intended mark.

Then the Shawnee gave up hope entirely. There was
a deep chasm on one side of the trail and the cliff on the
other.

Yelling defiance to his paleface foe, Evil Heart leaped
over the precipice. He preferred suicide to death at the
hands of Buffalo Bill.

iat cs ant ATRYN ATTN at NT ies ai ent Salt ht aa cata ta

 
 

 

 

CHAPTER VI.

THE RESCUE OF STEVE: HATHAWAY.

  

The border king ran to the edge of the cliff and peered
over. .He saw that there was a sheer descent of more
than five hundred feet, with no\trees or shrubs to break
a fall—nothing but a smooth face of bare rock.

Far below, lying upon a heap of fallen boulders, he
could see, through his field-glasses, the body of the Shaw-
nee chief,

_ There could be no doubt that he was dead. Every
bone in his body must have been broken by that fearful
fall.

Cody promptly returned to his horse and-rode back to
the scene of the fight, where his companions were await-
ing him. He briefly told them of the fate of Evil Heart
and ordered them to mount and ride back on the trail.
He wished to follow the other trail of the larger Phdian
party without delay and do what he could to recover
the girls,

“Wait a. moment, Cody,” said Mainwaring, who had
distinguished himself in the fight.
here, and Il want to know what you are going to do with
Hay

“A prisoner!” exclaimed Buffalo Bill, in amazement.
“How did you get a chance to take one in such a fight
as this, here quarter is neither asked nor given?’

“Here he is,” said Mainwaring, pointing to a young
Shawnee, who was sitting upon the ground, closely
guarded by two Pawnees with tomahawks in their hands.
“T guess-he was a young brave just out on his first trail.
Anyway, he got scared when I had the drop on him. He
threw down his tomahawk and begged for mercy, and I
hadn’t the heart to shoqt him then.”

“A strange thing for an Indian to do,” remarked Buf-
falo Bill. “Well, it’s a nuisance. I don’t see what we
are going to do with him.”

“The Pawnees were keen to kill and scalp him,” said
Mainwaring. “I had a good deal of trouble in prevent-
ing them.”

“I dare say you had,’ commented the border king
grimly. “They don’t approve of such mercy.”

It was plain from the looks of the two Pawnees who
were guarding the brave that they did not. Their fingers
clutched their tomahawks with a nervous grip, as though
they yearned to send the deadly weapons crashing into
the skull of the captive.

The Shawnee looked up beseechingly into the face of
the border king. He was evidently afraid to die, and he
knew that his fate rested in the hands of the renowned
Long Hair,

“White Feather wi tell the great chief about the pale-
face maidens if he will spare his life,” he said. ‘ “He will
tell how they were taken from Evil Heart and who took
then,

He spoke in his own tongue, which Buffalo Bill un-
derstood.

“That's another matter,’
“Let White Feather speak straight words and tell me all
I want to know, and he shall not only have his life, but
he shall go free. He is not a warrior we need fear.”

The Shawnee was too nervous for himself to resent or
even notice tHe last cutting remark. He plunged into
his story eagerly. |

It appeared that the Shawnees had fled from the

’

?

~. Wrecked wagon-train because one of their scouts had

 

 

 

 

“Tve got a prisoner .

replied the king of the scouts.

Se SEE aN Ne NT ea UN ee tL ISI ee PSEA TS es HN Te

 

TUE BUPFALO BILL STORIES:

signaled the approach of a strong war party of Utes,
far outnumbering their own. As the Utes, like the
Apaches, had their hands against almost all the other
tribes, Evil Heart had feared to meet them.

The Utes had not seen them, apparently, but they had
done all they could to hide their trail, without knowing
that the white men were after them.

But, nevertheless, quite by accident, the war party of
Utes had sighted them later on the prairie and ridden
up to them, compelling them to halt. This explained

the mystery of the two converging trails,

The Utes were under the command of a famous chief
named Bear Killer, and they were out on the war-path
against the Snake Indians, having traveled far from their
own lodges for that purpose,

Bear Killer and Evil Heart had held a palaver, the
result of which was that the Ute chief had demanded
that the two white maidens should be handed over to him
as the price of his letting the Shawnees go on their way
without a fight,

Evil Heart had been loath to grant this, but his braves
had prevailed on him to'do so, for the Utes so far out-
numbered them that a battle would have meant their
almost certain extermination,

The Ute chief had ridden away with his followers,
saying that he would hunt for the Snakes, and after he
had vanquished them he would return to his home far
across the great mountains, and make the eldest white
maiden his squaw, while his brother, who was. with his
wart party, would take the other to his lodge.

This was valuable information, and Buffalo Bill did
not grudge the captive his liberty as the price of it.

Grateful at having saved his life, even at the price of
showing cowardice, White Feather departed on foot to
seek the lodges of his people.

Buffalo Bill gave the word to ride as swiftly as possi-
ble back to the point where the Utes had met the Shaw-
nees.

When they got there the scouts scattered around and
examined the tracks carefully in order to estimate the
strength of the Utes as nearly as they could.

The result was to show that it was a party of such
strength as it seemed almost foolish to try to tackle.

While they were busy in this work Wild Bill heard a
low moan coming from a small clump of bushes near-by.
He called Buffalo Bill to him, and together they hastened
to the spot. : :

There they found a man lying on the prairie. He had
been staked out on the ground, so that he would perish
of hunger and thirst.

Buffalo Bill cut him loose, helped him to his feet, re-
vived him with a drink, and asked: .

“How long have you been here?”

“About five hours, I reckon, pard.”

“Who did it?”

PUtes.”

“A large party?”

“Noo.

_ “Any white girls in it?’

i Now

“How many braves?”

hens ‘

“That can’t be Bear Killer’s gang,” said Buffalo Bill,
turning to Wild Bill. -

“There are Utes all over the country,” said the rescued

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

THE BUFFALO

man. “Several bands. They are spread all over, look-
ing for the Snakes.”

“T know you now,’ remarked Buffalo Bill, looking
keenly at the man. ‘You are Steve Hathaway.. You
used to be a government scout, but you turned outlaw.”

“That’s right, Buffalo Bill,’ said Hathaway, who was
an old man, hanging his head in shame. “But I’ve got
tired of the life and want to be an honest and decent man
again. I joined the Death Riders, but I couldn't stand
for their ways, so I left ’em at the risk of my life, an’ I
was trying to reach the settlements when the Utes caught
mies . - Zo
“Tf you want to turn over a new leaf, I’ll do all I can
to help you, Steve,” said the chivalrous knight of the
plains: “You used to be a goodman in the olds days.
Now, listen.

“We are chasing the Utes to recover two white girls.
If they are as numerous as you say we shall want help.
I am going to send a man.to Fort McPherson to ask
for a troop of cavalry. Will you go and guide them to-
me? I will send two scouts back later on to meet you
and help to direct you.”

“Sure, pard,” replied Steve.
to do better. If you will trust me I won’t betray your
trust. You have saved my life, and it is yours. I will
go to Fort McPherson and_bring the troopers. along, or
die in the attempt.”

Hathaway stopped only to eat and drink a little, and
then, being supplied with a horse, he rode off to the
fort.

When, after some hard riding, he reached there, he
gave the commandant a letter with which Buffalo Bill
had entrusted him, explaining the position of affairs.

“Ordes Captain Meinhold and Company B to go at
once,” said the commandant to his adjutant. “They are
the boys for this kind of work. Tell Captain Meinhold
to spare no effort to bring the girls back. That is the
first consideration. Even the punishment of the Indians,
is a secondary matter.”

“There’s nothing Id like

 

CHAPTER Vil
TROOPERS ON THE TRAIL.

Captain Meinhold was an old Indian campaigner, and
his lieutenant, a gallant young fellow named Lawson,
although much younger in the service, took to the work
naturally.

They were fortunate in having all the essentials of
a good troop. They had good horses, well seen to and
in fine order. Next, they had good men, well disci-
plined, who liked their officers, and consequently were
ready to endure hardship and extra duty without mur-
murine.

No company, therefore, was better prepared than Com-
pany B of the Third Cavalry to make.a good record
whenever it had a chance. :

Pushing on by night as well as by day, and taking
only such time to rest and feed as was actually neces-
sary, even Steve Hathaway himself—an old ‘Over-
lander” who was used to getting through at all costs,
even if the stock went under in doing it—was satisfied
with the progress made by the soldiers.

On the third day out from the fort they had news from
Buffalo Bill, for the scouts he had promised to send back

Paging are orienta a a Fins DNS

BILL STORIES. | - 13

met them, and now the order to “hurry up” did not re-
quire to be repeated. ©

Feeling almost certain that an Indian fight was before
them, the seasoned troopers were as keen as wart-horses
who snuff the smoke of gunpowder. There. was no
hanging back on the part of any one of them,

Taking a route described to them so minutely by the
scouts that Hathaway, with his experience, knew exactly
where Buffalo Bill must be, they pushed on at the top of
their speed. Steve told Captain Meinhold that they
would see the tracks of Buffalo Bill and his party, if
nothing more, inside of twenty hours.
_ “We-must do that-—or else stop to hunt,” replied the
officer. “Our rations are all out.”

“Men who can’t go twenty hours without eating have
got no business to come on the Great Plains at all,” re-
sponded the tough old scout, who was himself thoroughly
familiar with all the hardships of Western life.

The course now lay directly over the almost boundless
plains, with no water except some half-stagnant pools
met with now and then in a buffalo wallow, and it was
a weary journey for both men and horses. But toward
night the blue of the hills once more greeted their eyes,
and when at last the grateful evening air, cool and pleas- |
ant, came to them, the hills were in full view.

A short halt at sunset by some poor water and yet
poorer grass gave the animals and men a brief rest, and
then the forced march was resumed, not to be broken by
any ordinary circumstances until the hills and good water
were reached,

This occurred after a long night ride, just at dawn,
and the two hunter scouts, riding ahead, had the good
luck to come upon a herd of elk in the mouth of the pass
which first opened up before them.

Three of the animals were shot down before they
could get out of range, so that meat was plentiful for
the soldiers when they made their morning halt. The
grass was good, too, and both men and horses had a good
chance to recuperate after their hard travel.

The two scouts, after a brief rest, taking from Steve
Hathaway the course he meant to travel, started off to
find Buffalo Bill and to carry to him the news that help
was at hand. .

Before they left, Captain Meinhold arranged a code of
smoke signals with them which would aid his move-
ments—signals that/would tell him when and where Buf-
falo Bill and his men were found, and whether they were
fighting.

A halt of about three hours gave both men and animals
sufficient rest and feeding-time to make them quite fit
for another rapid journey. :

It was now deemed best, to skirt the base of the hills
until the trail was found. Hathaway became more and
more eager as they went on, for he felt confident that
Buffalo Bill would have the prudence to wait, and, there-
fore, that they would soon join him and his own good
faith be proved.

“The man had lived a hard and criminal life but he
now saw a chance to redeem the past and he was eager
to seize it.

About noon they came upon the trail where Buffalo
Bill and his party had entered into the hills.

Captain Meinhold asked Steve how long it was since
the king of the scouts had passed.

“The trail is cold,’ was the reply. “The night dew

has fallen on it. He must be a long way ahead, if he has

 

 

Sgn per utane apeeeleeon Te Tpmbea-caeeas GTR nausea nN Hane
 

  

THE BURRALO

 

‘14

not halted to wait for us. He is on a trail almost as
fresh as his own—and the trail of a bigger crowd, many
times over. If he and all with him are wiped out, it is
his fault. He should have waited for us, for I told him
I’d guide you straight to his trail, and I’ve done it.”

“Halt!” cried the captain, turning to his men. “There
are smoke signals rising. They must be from the scouts
who left us. Yes, it is so. Three quick smokes half-a-
minute apart. That means that a fight is going on.

“But it is strange. There is no long, steady smoke
lasting five minutes—the signal which I arranged with
them to show that Buffalo Bill was there. They must
surely have forgotten, or else misunderstood me. Ah,
there is another smoke spiral—another and another—
but they are farther off!”

“And they are not made by those two scouts or by
their friends,” said Steve. ‘Those last puffs of smoke
came from the vicinity of that devil’s hole they call
Nick’s Cavern.”

“I don’t know the place. Who is there?” asked the
officer.

“Tt is the favorite resort of the Death Riders—and a
strong place. They are a gang of cutthroats and out-
laws, sir—one of the worst in the West. I know them
only too well! They have seen these signals, and the
men probably think they are signs of their own com-
rades.

“They'll be moving down to help them, too. What-
ever gang are fighting over there will get help from
them if they are fighting Buffalo Bill. They hate him
so bitterly that they would gladly risk their lives on the
chance of wiping him out.”

“Then we will move on. If there is a fight going on,
the sooner we get into it, the better.”

And the captain at once put his command to a trot.

 

CEA Elo VR

CAPTURED BY WHITE RUEFIANS,

May and Gertrude had now been for three days in
the power of the Ute chief, and so far, though closely
watched and guarded, they had not been badly treated.

He seemed to have complete control over his braves,
and as band after band joined him in answer to the sig-
nal smokes he sent up and the scouts he sent out, until
he had gathered a large party, this was very remarkable.
For discipline in an Indian tribe is as much to be ex-
pected as it is in a newly recuited regiment of volun-
teers, where every private feels as big as his captain, and
sometimes bigger, having no responsibility to settle him
down.

But how long this kind treatment would last the poor
girls did not know, for the chief and his brother often
spoke of them as their squaws to be, when the present
{war trail was at an end.

For now, with his force augmented, the Ute chief was
keener than ever to hunt down his tribal enemies, the
Snakes, and kill and scalp all of their war party.

_ When he got within sight of the plains, upon a trail
that led nearly back to where he had emerged from
them when he came upon his expedition, only one great
mass of hills intervening, the eyes of Bear Killer flashed
with a glad fire.

“Now the paleface girls shall see how the Ute warriors

 

BILE STORIES...

can fight!” he cried. “The Snakes are seeking us, and
they shall find us soon enough.”

He pointed away to a plain at the foot of the hill
slope where they were, and the girls saw that a large band
of Indians were indeed there, apparently well mounted
and armed. *

The keen eyes of the chief had detected at the instant
he saw them that they were not of his tribe, and he knew
that the Snakes would be sure to keep the war-path
‘until the quarrel was fought out. They would be just
as keen for battle as he was himself.

“We are strong now, and we will make a big fight,”
said Bear Killer. “We will not leave a single Snake dog
alive to bark. The paleface girls shall see us. fight.
They shall see what brave men they will have for their
husbands.”

Bear Killer now chose four braves, and gave them
strict orders to guard the young girls and to allow no
harm to come to them, but to keep them safe until the
fight was over. He posted them on the side of the hill
beneath a lofty cliff, down which a small stream. wound
its silvery way in crystal beauty.

From this place they could look in safety over all the
plains below, and the coming fight would be decided be-
fore their eyes.

Perhaps there was, without his knowing it, a small vein
of chivalry in the savage’ nature of Bear Killer—hence
his desire to do battle and distinguish himself before the
eyes of the beautiful girl whom he destined to share his
lodge.

The girls, guarded by braves who did not understand
English, or, at least, appeared not to do so, spoke to one
another freely as the Utes in column began to descend
the hills, deploying farther down as they were discovered
by the Snakes. :

“Tf our horses had been left we might escape now,”

said May, whose mind was ever busy in studying how to.

get away from her captors.

The wily chief had had all the horses taken out of
reach of both the captives and his enemies, excepting only
those which he and his warriors rode as they went down
to fight. 7

The battle soon commenced.

The Utes, forming a scattered line as they went
nearer to where the Snakes were massed to receive them,
closed but little more when within rifle-shot ; but adopted
the usual plan of circling around at a gallop and picking
off an enemy at every chance.

The Snakes soon met this maneuver by extending their
lines and charging here and there till the mélée became
so universal that the girls—now anxious witnesses of the
battle—could hardly tell one band from the other, or
know which was victorious.

All they could see was bands of mounted Indians
whirling here and there, striking and firing at one an-
other in terrible confusion. Clouds of dust rose con-
stantly as they rode over some dry and sterile piece of
ground.

The-braves who guarded them, in spite of the exciting
nature of the fight, stood stolid and calm at the posts
assigned to them in front of the girls, for the rear was
a wall of solid rock. So far as the expression on their
faces went, it seemed as if it mattered nothing to them
how the fight went.

May would have questioned them if she could have

done so, for she thought that their experienced eyes 1

 

  

 
 

 

THE BUFFALO

  

told them which side was so far victorious, but unfortu-
nately she could not speak their language.

Suddenly one of the braves turned, and his. lace
showed anxiety. He seemed to have heard something
to alarm him, for his eyes ranged back to the rocks in
their rear.

Almost at the same instant a sharp volley from unseen
riflemen came rattling from the back, and the four braves
were stretched out dead on the ground.

A band of white men, only six in number, with evil, -

repulsive faces, which indicated that they were ruffians
of the worst type, came rushing forward from among the
rocks at the point where the stream came trickling from
above. :
“Gals! White gals—and beauties, my boys!” shouted
their leader, as he sprang forward. :

 

CHAPTER IX,
UTES AGAINST SNAKES.

“The trail is hot now!” cried Buffalo Bill, as the sight
of the distant plains met his eye once more and he saw
the stones yet damp where the water had dripped from
the Indians’ horses as they had crossed and emerged
from a brook. “‘‘We’ll soon have the rascals before us,
and then we'll save the girls and teach the redskins a
lesson they. badly need. We'll give them a hot time if
we can do it without risking the girls’ lives.”

“There’s a hot time going on already. Look downy
there!” said Wild Bill, who was ahead and had halted
on the crest of a steep descent.

He pointed to the valley, where all who were up to
him could now see that a terrible Indian fight was
going on.

“Good!” cried Buffalo Bill. “It’s dog eat dog. We'll
let them fight it out, and then we'll settle with the win-
ners.”

“But the girls? Where are they?” asked Mainwaring
anxiously.

“Hidden away, most likely, while the fight is going on.
They are not there, so far as I can see.” ~ ee

He had been looking over the scene through his field-
glasses. _

“Tf.qwe had any men we could spare or risk I’d like
to take a hand in that fight,” the border king remarked,
after a few moments. “Those are Snakes who are fight-
ing the Utes, and they’re getting the worst of it, too—
_ but that’s not our lookout. The Utes have got the girls
—that we know quite well—and they have most likely
hidden them up here in the hills somewhere under
guard.”

“Tet us look for them!” said Mainwaring eagerly.

“Not till we see how the fight ends; then we can be
ready to play our own hand,” replied Buffalo Bill
quietly.

“T ook back, pard, and tell me what that means!” ex-
claimed Wild Bill, whose eye, ever wandering about, had
caught sight of several columns of smoke rising away to
_ the north.

“Ts 4 conundrum to me,” said the king of the scouts,
“It may be Indians signaling or smoke made by those
white ruffians, the Death Riders. Their chief hang out,
Nick’s Cavern, is over in that direction !” chee

He turned again to watch the fight going on below.

BILE STORIES. 15

“Those Snakes fight well, but they'll be clean whipped,” .
he said after awhile. “The Utes are too many for them ~
and they’re fighting better. There'll be a big feast for
the crows and the coyotes.” :

“A good thing, too!’ growled old Nick Wharton.
“The fewer live Injuns on the plains the better.”

“Hello! Look up there! Ha, they're gone!” sud-
denly cried Mainwaring, pointing to a cliff far over to
the right of the party, fully two miles away.

“What’s gone? Your senses?” asked Buffalo Bill,
noticing -how wildly the young rancher gazed at the
place where he himself could see nothing but bleak, bare
rock.

“No, no—the girls! I saw them plainly over. there
on that rock: and it seemed as if a party of men was
hurrying on with them!” said Mainwaring.

“T think you must have been mistaken, or some one
else would have seen them, too,” replied Buffalo Bill.
“They could hardly have got out of sight so soon either,
for you see there is neither tree nor bush on that rock.”

“T certainly \did see them, and they disappeared so
quickly that it looked as if they had sunk right down
into the earth.”

“Yye had just such visions,” said the border. king,
smiling. “And it was when I was in love, too.”

“Tt was no vision; it was real,” persisted Mainwaring.

“Well, after the fight is over down there we'll see
what we can find in the way of tracks up there,” said
the king of the scouts.

Then, his face all aglow with pleasure, he cried:

‘“Tere’s some news coming for us now! Here are
the men we sent to meet the soldiers coming back !”

He spoke truly. The two scouts who had communi-
cated with Steve Hathaway and the troops were hurry-
ing toward him, having sent up smoke signal to hasten
the soldiers forward.

Their report decided Buffalo Bill to remain where he
was until the cavalry got up, but to satisiy Mainwaring
he suggested that the latter should take a couple oi fresh
men and go over to the cliff to see whether he could
find any tracks where he said he had«seen the two
girls. on

Norfolk Ben, however, volunteered to go, and Main-
waring said he would take him and let the scouts re-
main. oS

As Buffalo Bill had no belief that there was really
any one where Mainwaring said~he had seen people he:
made no objection to this arrangement. He did not
know. that the young rancher was really rushing into

. deadly danger, or he would not have let him go out of

his sight.

But his attention was soon drawn away from the
fighting Indians and everything else by the sight of the
carbines and sabres of cavalrymen glittering in the pass”
to the north, and he rode up to greet Captain Meinhold
and Lieutenant Lawson, and to take Steve Hathaway
by the hand and tell him that he had done. nobly and
well.

“I did my level best, mate,” replied Steve. “I had my

life to pay for. Now that I’ve done it, I suppose [ll be

no more use to you.”

“Ves Stéve, you will. Ill enroll you in my band of
scouts of the Department of the Platte, if you wish, and
you can ride and fight alongside of me if it suits you.

 
ee een ert IR TE RE et hav bee Ne promo pt

  

 

Pe EE SRT A LC TAT ERR TE RTE fg OT

 

16

If it doesn’t, Pll do anything else I can to help you. All
you've got to do is to say what you want, and you shall
have it if I can get it for you.”

“Thank you, Bill. I know I’m not deserving of much
in the way of kindness after the life I’ve led, but Ill
try to turn over a new leaf, and we'll see how things
work out as we go along. Has there been much of a
fight down there?”

“IT reckon there has, and it isn’t over yet. If they
keep on for awhile longer there won’t be much more of
them left than there was of the Kilkenny cats after their
scrap.”

“What are they?”

“Snakes and Utes. They’re both just crazy to fight each
other, and always were since I’ve known anything about
them. Captain Meinhold, you had better let your com-
mand rest and feed till it’s over down there, and then
we can sail in and finish the job. 1 see the Utes are
getting the upper hand, and it’s them I want to settle
with. We've traced the two captives we want to rescue
to their trail, and they'll have to give them up or go
under.”

The captain was Aye too glad to oe the chance to
rest his men and horses, and the necessary orders were
at once given, while he and his lieutenant, through their
field-glasses, watched the fight which was still going on
down below. :

The Snakes were fast becoming disheartened, for their
foes were not only nearly double their number, but bet-
ter armed and better disciplined. The Utes fought as if
they were directed with better generalship than the red
man usually has to give.

As a matter of fact, Bear Killer had a great deal of
military skill, and he was excelling himself now, for. he
was fighting under the eyes of the white girl whose love
and admiration he wanted to win.

As the Snake braves fell or tried to retreat out of
the battle the Utes redoubled their efforts, until in a short
time the fight seemed to the gallant officers who were
looking on little better than.a massacre.

“It really seems to me that it would be a mercy for
us to interfere now,’ said Captain Meinhold, turning
to Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill, who were watching the
battle, like himself. |

“A mercy to the Snakes, but not. to ourselves, cap-
tain,’ replied Buffalo Bill. “The Utes are very strong
yet. Every one who falls strengthens us, and the Snakes,
knowing they need expect no quarter, will account for
a pod many more of them yet before they all go
under.”

“Yes; and the Utes are so hot now 7 that they wouldn’t
stop if they could, and they couldn’t if they would.
They are like tigers who have tasted blood,” said Wild
Bill. “They’d pitch into us in a minute unless they had a
little time to cool off.”

 
 

AR ae RT a SL

ec nether htt an einen ett amp A pnt hp pia aed ahem nag ob he bce

So en RR

THE BUFFALO BILE STORIES.

39

“Well, we'll have our horses ready,” said the captain.
“One thing is quite certain—it can’t last much longer.”

He was right. The Snakes were almost all slain, and
the few remaining ones were completely disheartened.
They only kept up their resistance so that they might die
with weapons in their hands.

“That warrior’s a great fighter!’ exclaimed Buffalo
Bill, as he saw a Snake Indian, evidently a chief, dis-
mounted and fighting hand to hand with five or six of
the enemy—only falling when struck from behind with a
tomahawk after he had slain three of his foes.

It was the last of the leader of the Snakes, and soon
after he fell the sole survivor of the Snake braves drove
his own knife home to his heart rather than let a Ute
do it.

Then the fierce yells of victory rose louder than ever
from the throats of the victorious Utes.

But suddenly these were hushed.

For Bear Killér and his warriors—his brother had
been slain in the battle—saw the troops drawn up in line
on the hill, their arms and accouterments glittering in

‘the noonday sun, and the scouts, under Buffalo Bill, on

their flank.

It looked as if another battle was going to be fought,
with fresh and well-armed soldiers against braves who

were tired with a long and bloody fight, ae most of
them wounded in addition.

“Now’s the time to wipe them out, a !” cried
Wild Bill, eager to dash forward.

“T'd like to see whether we can’t get them to give up
the girls without a fight first,” said Buffalo Bill. “I
they saw that there was no chance they would be sure
to kill them.”

“My orders are to save the captives, if I can
captain. “That is the first consideration.’

“Then let me try a palaver with the Ute chief, ” sug-
gested Buffalo Bill.

“Certainly—try it first, by all means.”

Wild Bill and some of the other men: looked disap-
pointed at this decision, for their hearts had been set on
a fight, and they a they had the Indians at their
mercy.

,” said the

But when they saw Buffalo Bill borrow a spear from
one of the Pawnee “friendlies” in his band of scouts and
tie a white handkerchief on the end of it they realized
that the matter was going to be settled by talking in-
stead of by fighting, if it was possible.

The arrangements were soon made. Buffalo Bill, with
the truce-flag, dashed boldly down the hill, followed
more slowly by Captain Meinhold and Wild Bill, the lieu-
tenant holding the company ready to charge if a sign .
of treachery on the part of the Indians demanded it.

The Utes, at first astounded at this unexpected dem-
onstration in their tear, were now seen to gather for
consultation, and when Buffalo Bill was well. down the

iy doe ame ap ab ae,
4

 

 

 

 

   
 

 

‘Wasatch. Many braves follow him——

 

THE BUFFALO
hill toward them three of them were seen to ride out
from the rest.

The first was Bear Killer himself, and a little to his
rear, on his right and left, rode two Ute braves.

The one on his right carried a rather a ee
white flag.
- Buffalo Bill planted the spear vith his flag on it in
the earth, and sat motionless on his horse close by, until
the. Ute brave, leaving his chief behind, dashed forward
and. planted their flag by the first.

Then, seeing that Buffalo Bill neither dismounted nor

put down his weapons, the Ute chief rode forward,
armed and blood-stained from the recent battle.

 

CHAPTER X.
: A PALAVER WITH BEAR KILLER.

Buffalo Bill opened the palaver.

“I have not come to smoke the peace-pipe, but to talk,”
he said. “If the talk of the Ute is good then we may
smoke the peace-pipe. If not, the soldiers and the scouts
are ready for battle. They are many, and there will be
more behind to come if they are not enough.”

“What has the paleface chief to say to Bear Killer,
the chief of the Wasatch Utes?”

“The Wasatch? If you belong away over there in
Utah what are you doing on this side of the Breat moun-
tains?”

“That is the business of Bear Killer—not of the pale-
face. Bear Killer is like the wind; he goes wherever
his spirit wills, and asks leave from no man. What is the
talk of the paleface?”’

“This chief will speak,” said Buffalo Bill, waving his
hand toward Captain Meinhold, who came riding up
with Wild Bill, thus making the conferring parties eae
in numbers.

“Where are the two white captives—the girls ce
were in your possession?” asked the captain sternly.

The chief glanced off quickly toward the base of the
cliff, where Mainwaring had declared he had seen the
girls, and a look of pleasure lighted up his face, for he
had supposed the whites had recaptured them already
while the fight was going on.

“Why does the paleface chief ask?” he said, now ; ready
to prevaricate or do anything else in order to gain time,

for he believed that the four braves he had left in charge

of the girls had been crafty enough to retreat with
them.

“Because he has a right,” was the a “The father
of these girls mourns for them at the fort of the white
soldiers. And they must go back to him, safe and well,
or not a red man here shall live to say he has seen them!
I speak straight and plain. Where are they? I want
them, and mean to have them.”

“Bear Killer is a great warrior. He is chief of the

39

‘mine by a red man’s right.

-both, if you don’t give them up!

BILL STORIES. 17

“Bear Killer, if that’s your name, will be a head less
in height very soon if he does not give me a straight
answer!’’ cried the captain angrily. “Where are the
girls? Speak—or I pull up that flag and my troops will
ride you down!”

“Bear Killer, before the battle, sent them away out of
danger,” said the chief, again glancing toward the spot
where they had been left.

“Alone?” asked Buffalo Bill, wie had detected the
look.

“No; with four braves to guard them from harm.”

“Wild Bill, ride to that cliff over there. Call’ half-a-
dozen men to go with you as you pass,” said Buffalo Bill
nervously. “Mainwaring said that he saw women there,
and I didn’t believe him. He went with only Norfolk
Ben in his company, and neither of them knows much
about Indians. Go quickly, old fellow,. for I feel un-
easy.”

“You left the girls with four braves?’ said the captain
to the Ute chief. ‘Can you not call them in now?”

“Tf I do what will the paleface chief give for the girls
whom Bear Killer took from the Shawnees? They are
I took them from the red
men—not from the palefaces.”

“I will give you cold steel and lead, and plenty of
!” was the hot retort.
“T sha’n’t waste any more time in talk. Talking is not
my trade. I had rather fight.’ ae
“The paleface has seen that the Utes can uae ” said
Bear Killer proudly.
Then he glanced uneasily toward ie hill whither Wild

Bill and half-a-dozen scouts were galloping, as Buffalo
Bill had directed.

“You will soon see—and feel—what my soldiers can
do if these girls are not produced and given up!” said
the captain. “I am in no mood for trifling. I have not
ridden so far for nothing.”

Bear Killer saw with alarm that the cavalry, evi-

dently impatient, were remounting their horses,

“We will talk,” he said. “We do not want to fight
you palefaces. You have good guns that shoot a great
many times, and we do not want to lose many braves for
the sake of two women. You may take them.”

Then send one of your braves ‘back’ with orders to
your people to stay where they are, and go up with us to
get the girls. My people shall not move unless yours
do.”

Bear Killer had a struggle with his pride before he
could agree to this, but he knew very well what well-
armed and mounted white troops could do, so he sent a
warrior back, and leaving the truce flags flying between
the parties he rode on toward the cliff with the captain
and Buffalo Bill.

Wild Bill and his men were there searching rapidly

eae carat man Mn Rn oe rahe cn ee i le

 
THE BUFFALO

from rock to rock for signs which might lead to the dis-
covery of the girls.

' Four dead Indians, unscalped, lay upon the ground,
pierced by rifle-balls.

They were seen when Captain Meinhold, Buffalo Bill,
and the Ute chief rode up.

“Who has killed these braves?’ demanded Bear Killer
angrily. ‘These were the guards I left with the girls.”

“Mainwaring and Norfolk Ben must have done it,”
said Buffalo Bill, turning to the captain.
not at our lines when you passed?”

He asked this last question of Wild Bill. :

“No. The last seen of them was on that cliff, when
they got your permission to ride over this ae and
search,”’

“These men are a ” said the captain. “They. must
have been dead a good while. They were killed before
you came near the ground, Wild Bill.”

Bear Killer, whose looks showed his passionate indig-
nation, burst out:

“The palefaces speak with double tongues! My braves
have been killed with big bullets, such as the palefaces
use, for lead does not cost them so much as it does the
red man. They ask me for the girls after they have
killed their guards and taken them.” |

“Tt is not so,” replied the captain, “Your braves were
not killed by our men, neither have any of us seen the
girls.”

“Tt looks very dark. I cannot see my way clear,” said
Bear Killer. “My braves are killed—and killed by white
men, who do: not take ey The women are gone.
Who did it?”

Buffalo Bill, who had joined Wild Bill in the search,
cried out:

“There have been men here who don’t belong to our
crowd—white men, too! They wore moccasins, and all
_ of my men wear boots—so do the soldiers of the \cap-
tain.
hid behind the rocks and shot the braves in the back.
Their tracks tell the story.”

“Where, then, is Mr. Mainwaring and that man Nor-
folk Ben you spoke of?” asked the captain.

“They must be on the trail of the men who carried off
the girls, for beyond here I see no track of the girls,”
said Wild Bill. ,

“Go to the top of the hill, some of you, quick!” cried
Buffalo Bill. “That is where Mainwaring said he had
seen them. If only I had believed him then he should
not have gone alone.”

Wild Bill and some of the other scouts, by aa
routes, hurried to reach the indicated spot. Those who
foliowed the bed of the little stream were there first.
Wild Bill was not among them, but he was not far be-
hind the rest.

His report was quickly made. In one spot, where

“Were. they:-

Those men came down the hill in the water and»

BILE. STORIES.

dry sand had blown into a gully, there were the tracks
of the girls, of men in moccasins, and over these the
small, slender bootmark made by Mainwaring and the.
broader track of Ben’s brogan. -

Just beyond this strip of sand there was a sudden de-
scent—a kind of channel between two cliffs—and then
the tracks were lost, for it was hard, solid rock in every
direction for a considerable distance.

“The girls have been taken by these white ruffians
who killed their guards,” said Buffalo Bill, who went up :
himself and examined the tracks. /

“They must be followed,” said Captain Meinhold.
“But it is singular that Mr. Mainwaring and the man
who went with him have not returned. Surely he would
not beso rash as to follow on the trail alone.”

The captain had come. up the ascent with Bear Killer.

“There is no trail here to find,’ remarked Wild Bill.
“If he has followed them he must either have seen them
or else gone off on a blind chase.”

“We've got to find out. I wouldn’t have him hurt for
anything!” cried Buffalo Bill.. “Captain, you can settle
the truce with the Ute chief, I reckon, while I try to
hunt up Mainwaring and the girls.”

“There is nothing to settle,” said Bear Killer ana
“T have had a big fight and have killed many men. I
have lost a great many braves, too. My brother is among
them. I do not want to lose any more. The palefaces.
can go their way in peace, and I will go mine in the —
same way if they will let me.” ee

“We have no war with you,” said Captain Meinhold.
“Only when the red man raises the hatchet to strike at
us do we strike back.”

“It is well. Bear Killer will go bury his dead, and
then he will go back over the mountains to the Wasatch,
for there will be great mourning in all his villages. But
we have many scalps to carry back.” :

The chief rode away, and then Captain Meinhold
joined Buffalo Bill again.

The latter had just returned from an unavailing search
for the trail of Mainwaring and the others, but Wild
Bill and the other scouts were-still looking for it.

“Tm afraid Mainwaring has met with bad luck, or we
should have heard from him before now,” said the border
king. “Brave and rash, he has hurried on, and perhaps
been shot down by those villains who have now got the
girls in their power., I dreaded to keep on looking, for
I feared that I would come across his body.”

A shout from Wild Bill, who came hurrying back,
told them he had news of some sort for them.

“I’ve found where’ they took their horses,” he said.”
“It was a pretty strong party, for some of them re-
mained behind while the rest went forward and attacked
the four Indians.”

“Have you seen any sign of anya ?” asked But
falo Bill eagerly.

 

 

 

 
fae Be i J) a Gh SO CI *
Bak RAs a CL te

LEN 7

‘Yes: he and Norfolk Ben have been taken and car-

p ; ried along. Their tracks are plain where the horses were

 

kept.”
“It is strange that they were not killed on the spot...

But we must take the trail at once—that is if Captain
Meinhold will do it.” a

“Of course,’ answered the brave officer. “I came to
help you out of a scrape, if you were in one, and I and
my men will see this business through.”

“Thank you, captain. Some day I hope to repay you.
aS See of Mainwaring means more to me than I can
say.’

“I never knew Buffalo Bill forget to pay a debt, either
to a friend or an enemy,” said Wild Bill- “But we are
losing time. Suppose I take the scouts and get along
on the trail? I don’t believe there are more of those
rascals than we can handle if we should chance to come
up with them.”

“Tl join you with the rest of our fellows, and then
the captain and the troopers can come along at their
leisure,” said Buffalo Bill.

“We had better all try to keep together,” suggested
the captain. “They cannot have much start, and we
surely can overtake them.’

“We'll do it!” said Buffalo Bill, with grim determina-
tion;-“‘or there’s one of us here who'll break his neck
trying! If young Mainwaring has been lost or killed I
won't be able to forgive myself easily for letting him go
off in that way, with only Norfolk Ben to accompany
him. I made a serious error in eee in not credit-
ing what he said about seeing the girls.”

This was a thing which the border king very Sloe
had occasion to confess, but like most men who are not

~in the habit of making mistakes he was perfectly ready

to admit them when he did.

The captain now sent back orders for the troops to
ride around to where the trail could be taken, and then
went with Buffalo Bill to the point, guided by Wild

Bill.

Sure enough there were tracks showing where a large
band of horses had stood for some time, for the ground
was all trodden up, and then on the thus sor ground
the tracks of men could be seen.

Among these the keen eye of Buffalo Bill soon de-
tected the boot marks made by Mainwaring, the brogan
tracks of Ben, and in one place the small impressions left
by the girls’ feet.

“We're surely on their trail now,”
made this last discovery.

By the time all the horses had been brought up from
the place where they had been leit at the foot of the
cliff the troop, with the rest of the scouts, were there.

he said when he

Steve Hathaway came with them.
When he saw the tracks he shook his head,

 

Settee

STORIES. : 19

om
EA

‘Boss,’ he said to Buffalo Bill, “you might as well
count your friend and Norfolk Ben dead and the girls
safe in the hands of those fellows. Bill Harkness, the
boss of the Death Riders, has been here. Do you see
that track? ‘That big track? His foot is the biggest in
the gang.”

“T’ll soon have the measure of it,” said Buffalo Bill,
springing from his horse.

“Be a little easy, mate, and listen to me, for I may help
you more than you think of. These chaps are strong, and
they can lay for you in a dozen places between here and
Nick’s Cavern, where they quarter.”’

“Let them lay, Steve!” said Buffalo Bill.
tltem out as soon as we get within range!’

“We'll lay

“T can’t see him ride right into the jaws of death!”
cried Steve Hathaway. “He. saved me once, and ['ll
save him now!”

And he rode on at a gallop to join Buffalo Bill at the
head of the column.

eee aS

‘CHAPTER XL
TRAPPED BY THE DEATH | RIDERS.

So certain was Mainwaring that he had seen the girls _
that he was determined to satisfy himself on the point,
and he never took thought of the danger into which he
might be plunging.

The track which he and Norfolk Ben took to reach
the top of the cliff did not lead them past the bodies of
the Ute braves, or the young rancher might have got
some idea of the peril into which he was walking so
blindly.

They rode to a spot where the ridge seemed most ac-
cessible on horseback and attempted to ride up, but they
found it too steep for the horses and hurried up on
foot. : |

They soon reached the crest of the cliff, and not see-
ing any one there Mainwaring went on a little way and
shouted. He thought that if the girls were near they
might answer. Indeed, he even imagined that he heard
a cry in response coming from some way farther on, and
he pushed forward at his best speed.

“Marse Mainwaring, I wouldn’t go dar out ob sight
o’ de odders,”’ said the thoughtful Ben. “I ’clar’ to good-
ness, 1 wouldn’t! You dunno what dar is in dem rocks.
Maybe painters—maybe wolves.”

‘There were wolves, indeed—but they were wolves in
human shape, and Mainwaring soon found them, as he
hurried on despite of Ben’s entreaties.

“You can go back if you’re afraid,” he said, most un-
justly, to the faithful fellow.

“T’se mighty “fraid, Marse Mainwaring,”
sponse. “But I’se comin’ with you.”

Ben followed doggedly, willing to share the danger if
he could not get Mr. Mainwaring to shun it,

was the re-
     

20 THE BUPEALO®

Just where. a small chasm opened in the rocks, and
Mainwaring stepped in to see if there was any sign of
the girls there, he was confronted by half-a-dozen men,
with leveled guns.

Ben cried out from behind:

“Look out, Marse Mainwaring!
shootin’-irons !’’

Sure enough they were caught in a trap.

A man of tall stature, with all of his face hidden ex-
cept his nose and eyes by a tremendous black, bushy
beard, cried out:

“Stranger, you're caught in a ity If you’ve got
any prayin’ ter do, do it quick —an’ then shell out!. I
see you wear a watch--an’ somé diamonds. We'll také
them first an’ yer life afterwards!”

“Tt might pay you better to think twice about taking
my life,” said Mainwaring, growing suddenly calm,
though at first he had been momentarily startled.

“T can’t see that!” growled the leader of the gang.
“Boys, knock that black man on the head! He’s not
doing any good standing there |”

‘Don’t do dat, Marse White Man!
You'll spoil dat gun if you do!”

Ben’s ,expostulation—his look and his words—spoken
as one of the men raised his rifle to strike him down,
created such a roar of laughter from the gang that the
man could not strike.

“An’ it’s no use killin’ such a good cook an’ servant as
Tis. ’Fore de wah I'd have brought a heap o’ money—
you bet I would!”

Another laugh showed that Ben’s appeal had put his
captors in something like a better humor, or else the rich
spoil they had taken from Mainwaring had done it.

~For the man who seemed to lead the gang had found
a full set of diamond shirt studs on the rich young
rancher, a diamond ring, a fine watch, and a wallet full
of money.

“Rich—this chap sure is rich!” said the outlaw leader

Dere’s men wid

~, gleefully, as he showed the plunder to his mates.

“Maybe he’s got more that could be. reached, Bill
Harkness. Let’s keep him till we find out about that,”
suggested one of the men.

“Well, Til agree to that,’ said the leader.” “We can
make use of this black man, anyway, when we get to ws
cave. He says he can coo

“T jest kin do dat, Marse White Man!”

“Well, move on! We can’t stay here long, for some
of your gang may likely be on our track.”

The next moment a ery of surprise broke from the
lips of Mainwaring and one of real joy from those of
Ben.

Two young girls, very pale and fatigued, but even so
very beautiful, stood near some horses guarded by three
or four armed men,

“’Clar’ ter goodness, dere’s de cherubims!” shouted

Don’t do it! ¢

BILE SiORIns,

faithful Ben, breaking away from all restraint and rush-
ing up to the girls, whose hands he seized and kissed,
while he aciually wept with joy to see them alive. “Qh,
Missie May an’ Missie Gertrude! Jest to think I’m
with you once more! Ben’s ready to go now when Ga-
briel blows his horn—he is dat! Oh, honeys, is it you—
all sure alive?’

“The darky knows you?” asked the leader of the
band.

“Ves,” said May. “He is my father’s servant.”

“Ves—I is his serbant, an’ yours, too, Missie May.
Your old fadder is alive, an’ he jest would give a hun
derd t’ousand dollars—an’ he’s got it, too—to see you
an’ Missie Gertrude alive!”

“A hundred thousand dollars! Do you know what
you are saying, darky?” cried the leader of the bandits,
while the rest of the gang talked eagerly among them-
selves.

“Yes, Marse White Man, I jest do know what I’m
sayin’! And de old boss has done got it, all in hard
coin.”

“Where is he now?”

“Away back at de fort. He’s dere sure, an’ so is de
money. I know he’d give it all to see dese young ladies
back with him.”

“Does this man speak the truth?’ asked the bandit
leader sternly of Mainwaring.

“T believe he does,” said the latter, who had hardly
let his eyes move from the face of May all this time. “If
there is any doubt of the father of these ladies having
the money [I know who has it, and who will give up
even that large sum to see them restored, safe and un-
harmed, to their father.”

“You mean yourself, I suppose?”

“For such a purpose I can command that sum.  f
happen to be a fairly rich man.’

“That’s as it may be.
own life?”

“Because I would rather ce be safety than my own.
I am young and single—and not afraid of death.”

“Well, you certainly take things pretty coolly! The
things you wear show you are rich. What do you say,
boys? Shall ~we take them all on to the cave and hold
them to ransom? I guess we can make more by that
than by our regular business.”

Why don’t you paroagn for your

“Ves; take them to the cave!” cried one of the men,

and.all the rest shouted their approval of the proposition.
“We must hurry up. There’s a lot of men down be-
low the cliff, and they aren’t in that Indian fight,” said
one of the outlaws, who came up at this moment.
“Mount at once! We are lucky to have fresh horses!”
shouted the leader of the band. “Mount and away!”
Then turning to Mainwaring he said:
“Stranger, I'll treat you well if you’ll act square. If
you don’t you'll die without having time to pray!”

aE Raa ee it iia gal roa

Sl Oi

 
 

al i

ee

JHE BUPPALD

“Treat those girls well, and you shall have every dollar
I have in the world, if necessary,” replied Mainwaring.

A grateful‘look from both girls, but especially from
May, made him feel that his fortune could not possibly
be better expended.

“They shall be well treated—if we are well paid,”
the bandit.

Now they were all mounted and were moving off up
among the rugged hills at a sweeping trot, which was
increased to a gallop when the road got better,

Mainwaring now had a good chance to-look at the.
party, for he and the girls were placed in the center,
Norfolk Ben following close behind them.

There were in all about twenty-five or thirty men, all
well armed and mounted, and all looking what they were
—outlaws and murderers of the worst type.

For a time they kept on in silence, the route being
through a wild and picturesque country, which Main-
waring would have admired under any other cireum-
stances,

But now he was busy thinking what Buffalo Bill would

said

do when he missed him. Would he discover the trail?

And if he did, would not the very fact of his following
it up be fatal to the hopes, if not to the lives, of the
captives?

He thought that he would explain this to the leader of
the band, and get his permission to ride back and prevent
the border king from following until the ransom, matter
was negotiated. But.the thought of leaving the girls,
even for an instant, with such men deterred him from
that course.

He was wondering what to do, when one of the rear
guard thundered by him and rode to the front. After

he spoke to the leader the pace was increased to a swilt

gallop, and _theri/the leader of the party dropped back
along the column to Mainwaring.

“Young man,” he said, “I’ve got a few questions to
ask you, and if you don’t answer them we'll not bother
about that ransom. What party were you wih when

you happened to hit on our trail?”

“A party of scouts, commanded by Buffalo Bill—
whom you have probably heard of.”

“Ves: I’ve heard of him!” growled the bandit.
were there no troops—no cavalry—in the party?”

“None when I left, but they were expecting some to
come ap. They Wei expecting them to come every
hour.”

“But

“Young fellow, I believe you have told me the truth,
and now I'll tell you some news. These scouts and
cavalrymen are on our trail; but you needn’t think it
will help your case much. I’d drop you, Indian fashion,
with a bullet before I'd lose you.

“Tn about. half-an-hour you'll see them the worst-
whipped crowd you ever heard of. By that time we'll

“safe,

  

25 > eee mney . ve TR ee : eye ome noe a A 3 ree
— “ Preeti es ses Sean am Te ean oe

~

BILL STORTES. 25
be in a place where their cavalry will have about as much
play as a horse in a hen-coop.

“So you'd better keep cool and remain quiet,- without
trying to escape, and then you and them gals will be
Remember, I’m not foolin’ in this business. A
sign or word that looks to me like getting away—-and it
means a bullet through your heart!”

Mainwaring knew that every word the man said was
meant, and that any attempt to escape would not only
bring death upon himself, but upon the helpless girls,
whom he longed to protect with his own life, if neces-
sary.

The horses were kept to their full speed now for sev-
eral miles, and they seemed to have left pursuit far be-
hind, when they suddenly rode into a gorge so deep and
dark that it seemed as if twilight had descended when
they entered.

The leader of the bandits here checked the speed a
little, and. Mainwaring looked up, almost awe-stricken by
the sight which met his eyes.

Great rocks, red as if burned by volcanic fire, hung
from/either side, almost over their heads, showing only
a narrow strip of sky as he looked far oy the dark
chasm.

And narrower yet seemed the pass as oe kept on,
until suddenly they came to a place where it was only
possible to ride in single file. Here the leader halted and
made the rest pass on.

Mainwaring saw the girls go just before him, and
then he followed, just as the crack of a rifle-shot and a
loud, ringing shout reached his ears. :

Only too well did he recognize the ring of the long-

range rifle of the border king and the sound of Buffalo
Bill’s voice.

 

CHAPTER “Xi.
EN NICK Ss CAVERN}

Mainwaring glanced back when he heard these sounds,
and he saw the last man of the party, who rode just to
the rear of where the leader sat in his saddle, reel and

‘ fall from his horse.

At the same moment he saw Bill Harkness, the bandit
chief, spur on into the narrow pass, bringing up the rear.
As he did so he managed, by some contrivance which
Mainwaring did not understand, to.detach a huge mass
of rock. This completely blocked up the road, so that
pursuit was made impossible until it was cleared out of
the way.

Not being able to stop even had he desired to do so,
Mainwaring had to keep on with the others a little far-
ther, and then he found himself in the place he had al-
ready heard so much about—the far-famed “Nick’s Cav-

n,” the principal stronghold of the Death Riders, or of
what now remained of that villainous band,

 
   

22 THE BURP ALO
It was an@mmense cleft, or yawning mouth, beneath
the mountainside, which seemed to have been hollowed
out by a river of fire, so lavalike were its curious and
fantastic walls.
The main cave was large enough for a regiment to

have maneuvered in handsomely, while away off into the

mountain ran dark halls and avenues. How far these
went only a few of the outlaws, who had explored their
secret recesses, knew.

Mainwaring had no time to see more than that there
was quite a large party of men there already, and that
fires were burning, which not only served to partially
light up the vast place, but gave several men and a few
women the opportunity to do some cooking.

A cheer greeted the arrival of the leader of the band,
who seemed to be popular with most of his men. . They
greeted him as ‘‘Gallant Bill Harkness,” “Brave Bill,”
and by other complimentary terms.

The only answer which he made was a shrill whistle-

call, which brought all the men from the interior of the

cavern to the spot where he had seated himself when he
dismounted from his horse.

As soon as they were all gathered around him he
raised his hand to command silence and said:

“Men! We have been followed closely by scouts, some
Indians—Pawnees, I think—and a troop of cavalrymen
from the fort. I’ve dropped the cliff rock in their path,
but if they’re as spunky and clever as I think they are
they'll try to get us out of here.

“ve left a dozen men at the pass. The next thing
to do is to fill the range above with our best shots and
try to clean them out.

“So get up there—about thirty of you—and take care
of things there so that you’ll make our visitors feel too
sick to stay. As soon as I and my crowd have had a

bite to eat Pll go up there and look after things my-
self.”

The only reply to this speech was a general cheer, and
Mainwaring saw the men—all armed—scattering away
to obey orders.

“Who have you got there, Bill?” asked one man, who
seemed as rough as Harkness himself, approaching the
spot where Mainwaring, the two girls, and Norfolk Ben
were standing.

“Prisoners—to be well treated for the present, unless
they try to get away. Then the men are to be shot, and
—well, we'll make the girls stay somehow!”

“Yes,” said the man, with a sardonic laugh.
£00 pretty to be let go easily.”

Mainwaring could have choked the leering wretch with
a good will, but unarmed as he was, and at the merey
of armed ruffians, what could he do? :

He made up his mind, however, to remain near the
girls all the time, and if an unkind hand was laid upon

 

 

““They’re/

BILL STORIES.

them, or any a8 violence offered, he would die in their
defense.

With every new glance that he daected at May he
felt his love for her grow stronger, until it filled his
whole heart and mind, to the utter exclusion of all
thoughts of his own safety.

He had now the chance to say a few words of com-
fort to her and to her sister. The ruffan Harkness,
however, did not seem to like this. He looked at them
suspiciously, and then calling a stout, red-faced woman
to him he said:

“Here, Lize! You take them two bids to your corner
of the cave over there, and keep them under your own
eye. Feed ’em well and treat ’em well, but don’t let any
man talk to em or bother ’em. Mind, now, and do as
I say! Hold on! That black man there has been their
servant and cook. He can wait on them and help you.”

“Thank you, Marse White Man. De ole lady’ll jest
find me handy.”

“Who do you call old, you black idjit?’ cried Lize
angrily.,

Norfolk Ben quailed before the aes of the termagant.

“Beg pardon, missis! I hadn’t looked at you afore.
I ’clar’ to goodness, you is younger an’ han’somer dan
any lady I done see eber since I left ole Virginny!”

“That'll do!” said Lize, completely mollified. “There’s
dishes to wash. You ’tend to that, an’ then get some-
thing to eat for the young ladies.”

Ben, ‘only too glad to be near May and Gertrude, went
right to work, while Bill Harkness beckoned Mainwar-
ing over to him.

“Stranger,” said he, "make yourself comfortable here
nigh by this fire. After I’ve attended to them cusses
that have followed us T’ll see to that ransom business.

“Ttll take some time, I suppose, for some one of us
will have to go for the money; but we’ll make you com-
fortable as long as you keep quiet and take things easy.
We'll have something to eat and drink soon, an’ then
I'll have to be going.

“If those friends of yours push on for a fight they’ll
get it—an’ a great deal more than they’re looking for, .
too!”

“They're fighting now, aren’t they?” asked Mainwar-
ing. “I hear guns firing.”

“Maybe they’re wasting some powder. They couldn’t
do anything with us here, not if they tried for six
months. We're walled in from the east, for I had it. all
fixed to tumble forty tons of rock down right on the trail.
I meant to wait a little longer, so that the rock would
fall on some of them, but the trap worked too easy.

“West from here there’s no opening that isn’t guarded,
and only an eagle could get up the cliffs on that side.
So you can make your mind easy about those friends of
yours. You needn’t worry yourself with any hopes that
they are going to save you.”

irsieenentiedalinnttiaieieataec cain Sag TA RIO TT a ———-
r

 
 

But Mainwaring could not make his mind easy. He
loved Buffalo Bill as well as a brother, and he had been
a. good comrade with the rest of the border king’s party.
And he feared now, seeing how strong the place was
‘that the knight of the plains and his fellow scouts would
lose their lives in trying to rescue him.

Supper was now set out on a rough slab of stone for
Mainwaring and Harkness, and a very good meal it was,
too, considering the situation.

Mainwaring saw that there was a great deal of dried
meat and some fresh game hanging up in the place, and
he also noticed that there was forage for the horses
stacked in the upper end of the-cave, where they were
tied, to the number of about two hundred.

There was no lack of water. It dripped in springs on
every side, finding its way off in little trickling streams
as bright as silver. :

The bandit chief noticed how observantly Mainwaring
took in ‘the general features of the place, and he said
sarcastically : |

“Study things out as much as you like, stranger.
You'll never have a chance to tell outsiders how we look
ot live.”

“What do you mean?” said Mainwaring, in surprise.
“You are going to release me if the ransom is paid, aren’t
you? That was our bargain.”

“VYes—but we sha’n’t let you go till the money is paid
over. And even then, before we let you leave, you'll
have to swear by an oath that you dare not break never
to expose what you have seen here. We've got snug
quarters here, and we intend to keep them.”

“If I gave you my promise to keep anything secret it
would be as good as any oath,” replied Mainwaring,

looking the chief straight in the eye.
Ves, you look honest,” muttered Harkness. “Too
honest for this crowd, I reckon. .But for all that you’ll
have to. take the oath. I would be willing to let you go
without it, but the men wouldn't. They wouldn’t trust
you or anybody on his bare word.”

Mainwaring had now finished eating, and he asked if
there was any objection to his smoking.

“None at all. Eat, drink, and smoke when you feel
like it. If you are sleepy there are blankets for you.
But mark me—you must not do any cruising about! If
you go over where the horses are you'll get a dose of
lead through your carcase!

“You can go one hundred yards up this avenue here
but no farther than that. If you go to where a light
burns beyond that point you'll be dropped dead in your
tracks. We've got rules for our prisoners, and they
have to be obeyed.”

“T shall not break them,” said Mainwaring. “It would
be foolish. I’m not going to throw away my life while
I feel responsible for looking after those ens You
need not be afraid.’

BS Ce en

THE BULEPALO

Pare

BILE STORIES.

“I’m not, stranger.”

“Tt seems to me they’re firing pretty often “outside,”
remarked the young man.

“Ves. J must go and see.

Your aenes are only
wasting powder.”
As Bill Harkness left the place Mainwaring saw a man
brought into the cave, evidently badly wounded.
“That doesn’t look like wasting powder,” he muttered

to himself, taking care not to be overheard.

 

CHAPTER XIII.
A HARD TASK.

It is now time to go outside and see how Buffalo Bill
and his crowd get along.

When the trail was taken, Buffalo Bill in the lead,
Steve Hathaway following, the horses of the whole party
were put to their full speed. For Buffalo Bill argued
that to save the life of Mainwaring and the honor of
those helpless girls, they must not give those white
ruffians any time to rest or to think.

Steve Hathaway was of this opinion, as far as that
went, but he knew the country and the stronghold so
well that he told Buffalo Bill if the ruffians got to the
cave safe there would be no use in trying to attack them,
and no hope to drive them out, except by starvation—
and that would be. difficult—for they had plently of pro- ,
visions.

Disguising himself by tewine away his Indian coat
and taking a jacket from a soldier, changing hats with
Buffalo Bill, Steve now felt no fear of recognition
from the band, and, finding no words of his could restrain
Cody from charging right on, he rode on with him, show-
ing him short cuts to gain on the others.

Thus it was that Buffalo Bill, coming in sight taal
before the band\reached Nick’s Cavern, got a shot with
his long-range rifle, which dropped the last ruffian in
the crowd dead from his saddle.

Steve, who knew the secret of the trap, and the peril
if the rocks were sent tumbling down, dashed his horse”

- forward at its maddest speed, and got the horse of

Buffalo Bill by the rein just in time to rear him back
on his haunches and save the heroic rider from being
crushed by the terrible avalanche which fell and blocked
the way.

Anger flushed the face of the scout for an instant
when the horse reared back ; but in the next second, when
he saw what a terrible death he had been saved from, he
turned and said: :

“Steve, I owe my life to you.
ever pay the debt.”

“Say no more about it.
mate. Them hounds are safe now.
we're shut out.”

I don’t know how Ill

We’re no more than even,
They’re shut in, and

 
 

 

  
 

, asked the captain.

“Ts the trail entirely blocked?”

“Ves; entirely. They are all in Nick’s Cavern, where
there is enough feed for man and beast kept all the
time to last for months. It is shut in every way now.’

“Good! Then they can’t ee out ?”
“No, but you can’t get in.’
“We'll see! They went in, and so will I.’

“But they'll get to the top of the cliff over us, and’

make it too hot for us here.”

“Will they? Then we'll make it too hot for them
there. If they can shoot at us, we can return the fire.
If I see a gun flash, lead will g° very near where | see
that flash.”

oe oo hurt any of them, they'll murder the pris-
oners.’

“How are we to know they have not done that :
ready? I tell you what it is, Steve—l’ve ‘done fooling!
I have not come this far to go back with my hands down,
leaving them here to crow. They’ve got to be wiped

39

out.

“It will be a hard job!” .

“Then I’m just in for it. Here comes Captain Mein-
hold. What shall I tell him?”
. “That you’ve holed your game, but diggin’ for it in
a rock will be hard work.”

“Well_why don’t we go on?” asked the captain, who
had not been able to hold the wild pace that Buffalo
Bill had kept for a few miles back.

“Rocks caved in our way, and the enemy can in be-

hind them,” said Buffalo Bill.

“Can you see them?”

“No, but I hear them,” said Buffalo Bill, as a bullet
flattened against a rock within a foot of his head. “Tf
you'll get under cover, we'll talk with Steve here and see
what we can do.” .

“T don’t like this,’ said the captain, as they fell back
a little to where some rocks and trees sheltered them
partially. From away up.in the cliff, out of sight of
them, a fusillade was now opened which made it neces-
sary for all hands to take cover.

Two wounded men, a scout and a soldier, proclaimed
this necessity.

“Is there no way of getting in.and making a charge?”
“Hand to hand, saber and revolver,
I’ll risk meeting them three to one!”

“Just about the odds, I reckon, captain, but the get-
ting in is the question. There is a passage in and out,
besides the one they’ve filled up, where a man can creep,
but not where horses can go. But only Bill Harkness
and two more know anything about it. It was always
kept from the rest for fear of an at a time like
this,” said Hathaway.

“Tt can and must be found,” said Bultaio Bill Pia
going to look for it.”

 

24 THE BUFFALO

must have shielded his breast, for he was evidently a

   
    
  
   
    
   
   
 
 
 
 
   
  
  
   
    
  
  
  
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
  
 
     
   
   
     
      
     
     
     
     

BILE] SPORIES,

The brave scout handed his rifle to Steve.

“Take care of it,” said he. “If I don’t get in there, i
sha’n’t need it any more. If I do—I’ll make music with
it when they’re on the run amongst the hills.”

Buffalo Bill started out, determined to climb the cliff.’
But the instant he was seen near the face of the rock but-
lets rained at him. That Providence which seems ever
to shelter and protect the bravest when cowards fall

target for at least twenty marksmen.

Coolly he dropped back.

“Climbing just now in the face of a leaden hail-storm,
isn’t in my line. But I’ve got the dot on one fellow.
Vil take the rifle again, Steve.”

Hathaway handed over the rifle to him.

The latter went on to tell Steve that he had seen one
gun flash from the limb of a pine which almost over-
hung the spot where they had first stood.

“T’m going to creep for him,” said Buffalo Bill. “If
‘I can get him between me and va sky, he’ll be dead meat
after my rifle sings her song.”

The scout crept from rock to rock under the bushes
for some little time, while the scouts and soldiers kept the
men above occupied, for the former fired every time they
saw a gun flash.

This shooting, however, was entirely at random, and
there was no certainty of their hitting a man.

But when the border king’s rifle was heard to crack
at last, almost simultaneous with the report came a shriek
of agony. : :

“Buffalo Bill first, last, and forever!’ shouted Wild
Bill. “Did you hear that wildcat howl? He'll not keep
his den in them rocks any more. I reckon he’s gone
ap ;

“‘No—he came down, like Captain Scott’s coon!” said
Buffalo Bill, who now crept back. “I let him down out
of that tree nicely. But he fell on the bank above. I
was in hopes he’d drop over!” -

The firing was still kept up, though it was now quite
dark, but apparently to no effect, except to show that
powder was plentiful on both sides.

 

CHAPTER: X1V.
_ STORMING THE CAVERN.

After Bill Harkness left Mainwaring, to go up where
the firing was now pretty regular, the latter thought he
would look around as far as the bounds named by Hark-
ness would allow. |

So, aiter taking a long, earnest look at May, who sat
with Gertrude near the fire listening to some droll talk
from Ben which kept Lize roaring with laughter, the
young rancher strolled back toward the avenue, or cham-
ber, which he was told he could use for a promenade of
a hundred yards, if he liked.
to know for my own satisfaction,

THE BUFEALO

It was dimly lighted by the distant fires and. torches,
but the floor was level, so he walked on and thought.

Thought about home—his good mother,
brothers, and the fair sisters who might never see him
more, and then, walking back where he could see May
with the firelight at play upon her beautiful face, he
thought he would risk his very life to get her out of
the hands of these ruffians.

Suddenly he became aware that he was one
a man; and thinking it might be the sentinel who stood
at the death-line, he began to retreat.

“Halt! Come here, I want to talk with you!’ said
the man, whoever he was, seen indistinctly in the gloom.

‘Mainwaring recognized the voice. It was that of the
man who had spoken to Harkness, asking who his pris-
oners were, and what he intended to do with them.

So he made up his mind quickly, as he knew this man
was well armed, that it would be folly to refuse his
invitation to advance. .

He came forward until he was close to a man, who
then said, in a low tone:

oR ver re near enough. Speak low; and answer
my questions.”

Mainwaring halted, for he head the click of a pistol
as it was cocked. He thought it was rather unnecessary,
since he was unarmed, but he made no comments.

“Bill Harkness means to hold you to ransom, don’t
he?” said this man. ° 3

“T think I heard him tell you so!” said Mainwaring.

“Ah—you’ve sharp eyes in the dark. I didn’t think
you’d know me. But it don’t make any a ae much
are you going to give him?”

Mainwaring hesitated. He did not ore if it were
prudent to tell this man. If Harkness knew it, it might
make him a bitter enemy.

“Come, speak out! It may be the best thing you ever
did for yourself. You needn’t fear my telling—I want
and’ because”—the
stranger spoke in a whisper now—“it might better your
bargain.”

Mainwaring did not hesitate any longer. He felt in
a moment that there was a man before him whose
treachery might be bought.

“One hundred thousand dollars,” said Mainwaring
promptly, “for the freedom of those two girls, oo
and the negro Ben!’

“Whew! Bill lied to me! You've got the spots, sure?”

“Tf you mean the money, yes. I’ve got it where, for
this purpose, I can command it.”

“You could have it paid into a man’s hand, ‘in the
border settlements, wherever he named, and you went
quiet, so nobody but him would be the wiser ?”’

“Yes, I have no doubt of it.”
“Stranger—I can do you a turn, and I can do it twenty-

Sa) a as A Schad emp IAMS eer sal ly

his dear

 

x

a casond nip: sues eee urn octet teh i bri nan ob etapa se aie a aN Ee ER PINT EN

BILL STORIES. 25

five thousand cheaper than he. I can get you out of

here—and the gals, too, for I know a secret passage.

There’s only Bill and me and one other man knows. of
it, and that other man is about past knowing anything—
for ‘twas him they brought in dying just now. | He is
shot through the throat, and he can’t speak !’.

“Can I trust you?” asked Mainwaring eagerly.

“You've got to, you can’t help yourself. And I’ve got
to trust you, too, for the captain told me he cleaned you
out of all you had on you. But I loooked in your eye
out there by the fire, and there isn’t any lie in ibe

“Thank you.” .

“Pm not talkin’ for thanks—I’m talkin’ for money!
I’m sick of this kind of'life. I haven’t been treated
fair, anyway. They made me captain and then broke me,
because I wouldn’t go down to the railroad and run
trains off. But that isn’t business. Swear that if I'll
get you clear, you'll give me seventy-five thousand, good
money.”

“T will, on my sacred honor and by my soul!”

“Well, I s’pose that is as good as an oath.
next thing is the plan to get you out.”

“You understand the girls and the man.Ben are in
the bargain?”

“Yes—and Hire s the trouble.
from here in twenty minutes.
as a ferret. Bill knew what he was about when he told
her to look out for ’em.”  ~ Ms

“T will not move without them.”

“There’s but one other way—and I hate to do that.
But there isn’t one in a hundred of them that wouldn't,
if they had the chance.”

‘Wouldn’t do what?” asked Mainwaring.

“Hush! Don’t speak so loud! If ’twas known we were
talking here and about this, we’d be burned alive. What
I was thinking of was the letting in of your friends
in here. If I did, our fellows would have to git, or go
under. And then you and the girls would be safe enough,
so safe that if you wanted to go back on me [ might
whistle for my money!”

“T have sworn that if you help me and the other

(7?

three away, you shall have it!

“T might get killed, as I surely would, if Bill Hark-
ness could get one sight of me, and then I’d be where
money wouldn’t do me any good. I want to get out in
the world and ie honest once more—and I can’t do that
without money.”

“Why not go out, have an interview with Buffalo Bill,
show him how to get in, and then stay where you will
be safe?” urged Mainwaring.

The

I could get you off

“T’l] be as safe here as there, if the party was in, and
safer, too. It'll never do for Bill Harkness to know,
while he lives, that I’ve done this. He must be snuffed
out first thing. Have you anything to write with?

“Yes—a pencil and memorandum-book.”

But that Lize is as sharp —

 
   

 

 

x

Sa ee

POOR a lA SARIN RR PP RGA ei OEY tern in ts ne ile) apse neater a tenia base NE Dra Oy Cheer AN tO Ralf EN QI ERO CPt TSP RD NET RLY AEE ARE RE PRI SIN aA TE ERIE EIDE SN ARENT TCT SUPE NP NE REI CREE

26 CHE BUPEALO

“Then write a note to Buffalo Bill, telling him what
I will do and what he can do. I'll get it to him. After
that, you go and sit down where’he told you to sleep—
keep cool and be ready to help yourself when others are
ready to help you. Here is a revolver. Keep it out of
sight till you need it.”

“T will,” said Mainwaring, rejoiced once more to have a
weapon in his hand.

“And be quiet. Don’t let Harkness, should he come
down from above, see that you’ve got a bit of hope.
He is keen, and if he suspects anything the whole job
is gone up; for he could block the secret passage just
as easy as he did the pass out there.”

“Do not fear for my betrayal by look or word. I will
be apparently asleep, should you return, but wide-awake
enough to do any duty which comés up.”

“All right. ‘Trust me now, as 1 trust you.”

The man took the hasty note which Mainwaring wrote
to Buffalo Bill, and in another moment he was out cf
sight.

Mainwaring, acne the fredered: revolver in his
pocket, now went back to the place where a heap of
blankets had been pointed out by Harkness as his sleep-
ing-place.

Here he sat down, and drawing his hat well over his
brows watched, as calmly as he could, the faces of the
girls, the comic looks of Ben, and the mingled expres-
sions that came and went on the face of the creature
Liz—for it would be an insult to the sex to call her
woman.

And he waited—for what he could hardly tell. If the
man, whose name, even, he did not know, for it was so
unimportant he had not asked it, was faithful to his
promise in a little while his friends would be there, able
and willing to rescue and protect those who had become
the objects of his dearest interest.

He had not known May long, yet his whole heart had
gone out to her, and he felt as if he would rather die
with her there than live and leave her behind.

He could see her beautiful, intelligent face, with the
flickering light of the fire now making it a glory and
then leaving it in shadow; her eyes, despite all this
trouble, so full of womanly expression, telling that no
matter where the soul is its mirror is the eye—and he
felt as if he could worship her.

A noise from men advancing attracted the attention
of Mainwaring now, and he turned, to see Bill Harkness
coming toward him, leaning on the arm_of one of his

men.

“T’ve been hit, stranger, and have lost a little blood,
but it is nothing bad, only a flesh-wound. I stayed too
long before I had it seen to,” said the robber, as he sank
down near Mainwaring on a pile of buffalo robes.

Then turning to the man who came with him he said:

“Hunt up Dolph Lowell, and tell the cuss to go up

 

BILL STORIES.

above and watch them fellows, or some of ’em will climb 2
the Gif. They're thé sharpest crowd I’ve ever had
dealin’s with. There’s one fellow there that shoots the
closest I ever knew.”

“Wild Bill, eae is the man you mean, said Main-
waring. ‘He is one of the best shots on the plains.”

“?Twas him that hit me, and I didn’t think they could
see a square inch when I crept up where I could see what
they were doing, for they seemed to be holding some
kind of a palaver, but I didn’t get my head out before a
ball raked my shoulder.

“Jeff Perkins is dead; he got an ounce ball through
his neck while he was in a tree. They’re wide-awake ;
but when it comes to daylight we'll have a fair show—
we can pick them off till they’re sick of staying around
here.”

The man whd went for Dolph Lowell came back and
reported that he couldn’t find him.

“The lazy cuss has gone to sleep, I suppose,” said

33

Harkness, “or hid away somewhere. Since he couldn’t
be captain he hasn’t wanted to be anything. Go up
above yourself, Jake Durn, and look to the boys. After

I’ve had my wound dressed and taken a nip to bring the
life back T'll try and crawl up again myself.» I wish it
was daylight—we'd make that crowd sick then in a
hurry:”

The man called Jake Durn now hurried away, and
the robber called Lize over to dress his wound.

She did this with a speed and skill that told she was
used to such work, and after the wound was dressed she
brought a bottle of liquor to Markness.

“Stranger, after you!” he said, as he proffered the bot-
tle to Mainwaring.

“Thank you—I don’t drink,’ said the young rancher.

‘Don’t drink whisky?” cried Harkness, in surprise.
“Don’t drink whisky and come from Texas? Why, I
thought “twas nat’ral born for a Texan to drink! And
you told me you was one!”

“T’m proud to be an exception, SO don't wait for me,’
said Mainwaring.

“Well, I’m beat!’’ said Harkness, as he raised the bot-
tle and took a pull that was ample for both, had Main-
waring been a drinker.

“Hark! What was that?’ said the robber. “I heard
something clash.”

“T saw a horse kicking out over there,” said Main-
waring, whose heart throbbed wildly now, for he had
recognized the clatter of a saber against the rocks.

The robber appeared to be satisfied, and he called out
to Lize to get him a bite to eat to keep that “forty-rod”
whisky from going to his head.

The woman cut him off.a huge slice of venison from
a roasted haunch and was in the act of handing it to
him when her eyes, looking back into the gloom, flashed.
like those of an angered tigress, and she screamed:

6 eam t oa

é ee ee oa es
Ss ea a eI aim el eat os

 
 

 

on

THE BUPFALO BILL STORIES, 27.

“Bill, ye’re betrayed! Look—the soldiers e
“Kill them gals!” shouted Harkness, as he sprang to

his feet, leveling his pistol at Mainwaring, who, with his -

revolver out, was on his feet just as quickly,
Mainwaring, hearing the cry, “Kill the girls!” id
sprung between them and the woman, and Bill Hark-
ness, following his body with his pistol, fired just as the
woman turned, and his ball, instead of hitting Mainwar-
ing, pierced her body.
In a second, with a terrible cry, Buffalo Bill sprang

forward. As the woman fell, Harkness, turning to meet

the onset, received a blow from the knife of the daring
scout, which sent him reeling to the earth, while the cav-
ern, filled with soldiers, Pawnee Indians, and scouts, rang
with- rapid shots as the robbers came rushing out to ‘de-
fend their stronghold.

“Up above—up above, and wipe ’em all out, now your
hand is in!’ cried Steve Hathaway, who knew the route
to the top of the cliff.

“Traitor, your place is below!” cried Bill Harkness,
raising up, with a dying effort, and firing his last shot.

_ As he saw Steve Hathaway fall he dropped back, with
a gurgling death-rattle in his throat.

“He wasn’t the traitor!” yelled the woman Lize, who
had crept up to Bill in her dying agony. “There he
stands!”

And she wrenched the revolver from the hands of the
dead man and fired at Dolph Lowell just as he, seeing
his danger, leveled his gun at her and fired. |

Both shots were sure, and while Mainwaring rushed
to the girls, to see that they were unharmed, he saw the
man fall who would have held a seventy-five-thousand-
dollar claim on him. |

»But it was wiped out now.

Yet the fight was not all over. The men who were
above, hearing the shots below, rushed down in a body,
thinking to take the soldiers from the rear, while they

supposed Bill Harkness and the others held them in

front.

But they reckoned beyond their knowledge.

They were received as brave Captain Meinhold
wanted to receive them, and hand to hand, with saber
and revolver, while the Pawnee “friendlies,” Buffalo Bill,
and Wild Bill, with battle-shout and whoop and yell,
went through them as fire goes through dry grass.

The robbers, asking no quarter,
fought without heart and were completely wiped out.

When the light of another day dawned men were busy
clearing out the narrow road that led from the cavern.

Mainwaring was now happy. He could talk to his
rescued love, May, all that he wanted to.

Ben, too, was in what he termed “de sebenth hebben.”
His young mistresses were free; he had heard that his
old master was alive and getting well, and he was out
of the hands of the bad men.

.the old man.

fought, but they

There was not a great deal of plunder in the place,
except in arms and horses, and these were indeed quite
a capture.

CHARTER XV.
THE HAPPY RETURN.

“T wish that Buffalo Bill were back,”
manding officer at Fort McPherson. “The report tat
Indians are thick between here and the Loup is not
agreeable. It seems to me that if they are not ch ecked
in time we'll have a general Indian war on our hands
this summer. And Buffalo Bill is the best man to go
out and talk to the chiefs and try to drive some sense
into them.

“The redskins are getting too bold, and if they make
a raid on the railway or some of the frontier settlements
we'll have all the trouble on our hands that we'll know
how to handle.” : :

While he was thus speaking to the post-adjutant an
old man, pale and feeble, approached him, leaning on a
sfath.« & wee

“Ah, Mr. Doyle! I’m glad to see you out. I trust
you are feeling better at last. We are looking with hope
for the safe return of your daughters, for it is quite time
that the troop which | sent out under Captain Meinhold
returned and reported to me.”

“T have hoped until hope seems a mockery,
“My sons died long since, and sometimes,
when I think what may have happened to them in the
hands of those cruel redskins, I almost wish that I knew
my daughters were dead, also. Then | could bow my
head to God’s will and go to my grave conscious that I
had nothing left to live for.”

“Took—look, general!” cried the post-adjutant. “No
man save Buffalo Bill rides like that!”

A man with his long hair flowing out in the sunlight
from his bare head, waving a big white sombrero in his
hand and sitting his horse as if he and the animal were
one, came riding like the wind toward the fort.

- As the three men looked they heard a cheerful bugle-
call sounding from the direction of the Platte.

“Company B is coming in!” cried the adjutant.

“What is the news?” asked the general hastily, as
Buffalo Bill rode up to him. “What is the news, Cap-
tain Cody?” : :

“The very best, general. We have wiped out one of
the worst bands of outlaws this country was ever cursed
with—the Death Riders.”

1

“My daughters? You don’t say a word about them!
groaned old Mr. Doyle. “Are they dead?”

They are just as happy

said’ the com-

4

99

replied

“They are alive and well, sir.

as they can be, and it won't be many minutes now before
they are here with you.
news.”

I rode on ahead to bring in the —

 

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“Ouick! Lift him up! The old gentleman has
fainted!” eried the general.

He had fainted from sudden and excessive joy, and
‘not until his daughters arrived did he fully come back to
his senses and to a realization of the fact that there was
yet happiness in store for him.

By this time the general was receiving the report of
Captain Meinhold, who had not only done the country
the great service of breaking up a most dangerous band

of desperadoes, but had managed so well the care of his

cominand, aided by Buffalo Bill, that he had brought it
back efficient in men and horses and ready for immediate
service.

And this was fortunate, for it was speedily to be needed
again under circumstances that will be recounted in the
next number of the BurraLo BILL STORIES.

Mr. Doyle gave up all idea of going across the plains
and the mountains of the far West to California, The
perils to which his daughters had been subjected and
the great anxiety he had suffered on their account had
thoroughly cured him of his desire to do that.

On the second day after the rettfn to the fort Main-
waring sought out the old gentleman, told him that he
had won the love of his daughter May, and asked his
consent to their marriage,

“Tf the dear child loves you she must do as she likes,”
Mr. Doyle replied. ‘I would not stand in the way of her
happiness. But it seems rather hard that I have got to
lose her again after just getting her back.” _

“You need not lose her, sir,” replied Mainwaring.
“Neither May nor I would wish that. You have decided
not to go on to California, have you not?”

“Yes. I have quite made up my mind on that matter.
I have been very fortunate in getting my dear girls back,
and I won’t tempt Providence a second time. I will ex-
pose them to do more dangers.” \.

*Then why not come to Texas with me, sir? It is a
glorious country, especially the section where my ranch
is located. You could buy a ranch near-by my place,
and see May as often as you wished. We could all be
happy together.”

The old gentleman caught eagerly at this idea, and it
was carried out without delay.

Mr. Doyle, with his great wealth, bought a handsome
estate, and at his death, several years later, it passed by
his will to the eldest son of his daughter, Mrs. Main-
waring.

Jack Mainwaring himself handsomely rewarded the
scouts and troopers for the work they had done in res-
cuing him and the girl who became his wife.

As Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill could not, of course, be
offered money for such work, he sent them each one of
the finest rifles he could buy as a keepsake,

His old adversary, Simon Ketchum, did not return to

28 DHE BUFFALO

“Foe; or, The Black Panther of the Sioux.”

  

Bilt STORIES.

Danger Divide, and was not heard of in that part of the
pdundless West for several years.

Then his fate was discovered by Buffalo Bill, who rode
into a little frontier, settlement in Utah and saw a man
swinging to the limb of a tree, surrounded by a party
of vigilantes, who had just hanged him for horse-stealing
and murder.

The dead man was Simon Ketchum, who had met with
his deserts at last.

; THE END.

The further adventures of Buffalo Bill and his com-
rades, in conjunction with Captain Meinhold and ‘his
brave troopers, will be told in next week’s story in this
library. The story will be entitled “Buffalo Bill’s Worst
It will be
full of the most exciting adventures and thrilling inci-
ents, and no boy who likes Western stories should miss
it. Do not forget the number—255.

 

 

    
 
 

 

 

 
 

About the e
Early f ;
Numbers of WP 3 Op
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asking if we can supply the early mumbera of Tip Top contain-
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that numbers 1 to 300 are entirely out of print. ‘
We wouid like to call the attention of our readers to the fact
that the Prank Merriwell Stories now being published in book
form in the Medal Library are inclusive of these early numbers.
The first book to appear was No. 150 entitled “Frank Merriwell’s
Schooldays.’’

We give herewith a complete list of ail the stories that have
been published in book form up to the time of writing, We will
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receipt of a one-cent stamp to cover postage. ae

The Prica of The Merriwell Books is Tea Cents per Copy, At all Newadealers

      
     
   
   
   
   
   
       
     
     
    

 

 

 

 
    

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@ Frank Merriwell’s Champions. ' Medal No. 240. 10c.
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Frank Merriweill’s Trip West,
Frank Merriwell’s Vacation,

BN Re OR Nk AEL QE
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The best stories of Western adventure are now
being published in the RoucH RipER WEEKLY,

These are the rattling adventures of Ted Strong,
aptly styled «King of the Wild West.”

Get acquainted with Ted.

You'll be glad to

know him and will certainly thank us afterward for

introducing you.

The current number is a good long

one and only costs five cents at your newsdealer's.

PRICE,

F IVE. CENTS

 

 

HERE ARE SOME. OF THE ‘LATEST TITLES”

80—King of the Wild West’ s Camel Hunt; or, Young
Rough Riders in the Mojave Desert.

81—King of the Wild West and the “Bad Men’; of,
Putting a “Lid’’ on the Territery.

82—King of the Wild West on Guard; or, In the Cause
of the Governor’s Son.

ie of the Wild West’s “Bounties”; or, The

~ Young Wolf Hunters of Montana.

84—King of the Wild West’s Sapphire Mines; or, The
Smugglers of Yogo Creek.

85—King of the Wild West’ 's Crooked Trail; or, A Trip
into Old Mexico.

86—King of the Wild West’s Human Map; or, The
Treasure of the Magic Cave Trail.

87—King of the Wild West in the Corral; or, Teach-

- ing the Law to Custer, the Wild Horse.

88 King of the Wild West's Dangerous Game; or,
The Win-Out in Idaho.

89—King of the Wild West’s Strange Find; or, The
Lost City of the Sangre de Christo.

go—King of the Wild West’s Militia; or, Breaking the

 

oi—King of the Wild West’s Justice; or, The Sheep
War of the Las Animas.

92—King of the Wild West’s Saint; or, The End of
Polygamy in Utah.

93—King of the Wild West’s Hold; or, Capturing the
Big Timber Thieves.

94—King of. the Wild West's Submarine; or, The
Search for Sunken Treasure.

95—King of the Wild West's Finish; or, The Great
Stone Door,

96—King of the Wild West’s Peril; or, The Cannibals
of Tiburon Island.

97—King of the Wild West’s Strange Quest ; or, The
White Princess of Sonora. .

o8—King of the Wild West’s Horsethief; or, The
Enigma of Lost Springs.

99—King of the Wild West’s Chase; or, The Rescue
of Yuen Ho.

100—King of the Wild West’s Meteor ; or, The Race for

the Klondike Diamond.

1o1—King of the Wild West in Siberia; or, Castaway on

the Arctic Ocean,

 

Strike in Leadville.

EEE

EES €

These may fre fed fein any equal: x ae cents per copy, ¢ or

ee Te
Se ee Eg an REE

if your newsdealer cannot supply you, we will send them direct postpaid

| upon receipt of price.

| STREET & SMITH , Publishers, NEW YORK

NAb slat aOR in nt henson ey eet lO th aR A APN hms apt ae Deen. AER ENR Ne EN
  
  
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  

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BOYS!

 

 

 

 

 

TI

 

 

 

FREE POST CA

 

 

 

  

 

 

ame
VK)T the present time over

one hundred thousand
lias copies of TIP TOP
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We have prepared a set of six
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with us when we say that
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contains the best stories of

Western adventure that
ever were written. The —

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We will send a set of

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Wild West in Siberia ; or,

 

 

 

 

 

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astaway on the Arctic Ocean. ’

- hese cards are highly attractive, being printed in many colors,
showing just what fed Strong, the King of the Wild West, and his com-
rades look like. They are equal to the kind you pay five cents each
for and are just what every boy, who is making a collection, will want.

Remember, they are entirely free and every boy who says a good
word for Rough Rider will receive a set.

PUBLISHERS
NEW YORK

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

HE old pepciae favorite, Frank Merriwell, has signalized his triumphant return to
the pages of TIP TOP, beginning with No. 512, by opening a novel

where hé designs to put into practice some clever schemes he has long entertained,
with the idea of building up the constitutions of backward lads. Here, there naturally
opens up a glorious opportunity for meeting new characters; while the strange adven-
tures and thrilling situations connected with up-to-date American sports are handled as
only Frank Merriwell knows how. |
_ The famous TIP TOP promises great things from this time on to its world-
wide circle of admirers, and with this novel field open to such a talented pen, you may
_ rest assured, boys, Burt L. Standish will spread such a feast before you as has never
before been dreamed of.
Tell all your young friends that Frank has come bak to bie own, better equipped
than evet to arouse the interest and enthusiasm of his vast army of boy readers. —
Consult the catalogue below for titles.

512—FRANK MERRIWELL’S NEW IDEA;
Or, THE AMERICAN SCHOOL OF ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT.

513—FRANK MERRIWELL’S TROUBLES;
Or, ENEMIES OF THE SCHOOL,

514—FRANK MERRIWELL’S PUPILS;
Or, THE WIZARDS OF WATER POLO.

3 {5—DICK MERRIWELL’S SATISFACTION; °
Or, HOT WORK AT INDOOR BASEBALL.

Price, 5 Cents

é
For sale by all newsdealers, or sent postpaid by the publishers
wpon receipt of price.

STREET @ SMITH, Publishers, | NEW YORK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 
THE FAVORITE LIST

OF FIVE-CENT LIBRARIES

 

 

 

 

BUPPALO BILL STORIES

ee Buffalo Bill is the hero of a thousand exciting adventures among
the Redskins. These are given to our boys only in the Buffalo Bill

 

 

Stories. They are bound to interest and please you.

 

 

“TOP WEEKLY NICK CARTER WEEKLY

"| Frank and Dick Merriwell are We know, boys, that there is

‘|two brothers whose adventures | no need of introducing to you

| | in college and on the athletic field | Nicholas Carter, the greatest

tare of intense interest to the | sleuth that ever lived. Every
American boy of to-day. They | number containing the adven-
prove that a boy does not have to | tures of Nick Carter has a peculiar,
be a rowdy to have exciting | but delightful, power of fascina-
sport. tion.

 

All sports that boys are inter- Do not think for a second, }
ested in, are carefully dealt with | boys, that these stories are a lot i= =
in the All-Sports Library. The | 0f musty history, just sugar- |
coated. They are all new tales of |
exciting adventure on land and |
sea, in all of which boys of your |
sy pastimes. own age took part. :

stories deal with the adventures
of plucky lads while indulging in

 

 

| Every boy who prefers variety Ted Strong was appointed dep- [ ng
in his reading matter, ought to | uty marshal by accident, but he

he ieader of Brave and Bald. | feselves 10. use His auchonty and :
rid his ranch of some very tough }
bullies. He does it in sucha slick |
way that everyone calls him
g/| of telling boys’ stories. Every | “King of the Wild West” and he |
| tale is complete in itself. certainly deserves his title. :

 

 

| All these were written by authors
who are past masters in the art

 

The demand for stirring ores The adventures of a poor waif [
of Western adventure is admir- | Whose only name is ‘‘Bowery
ably filled by this library. Every Se aoe 7 oe ae Bee

ee - of the streets of New York. O
ye ca oy ovat to vead |ust boy can read the tales of his trials
without imbibing some of that re- |
source and courage that makes
the character of this homeless boy |,
stand out so prominently.

how law and order are estab-
lished and maintained on our
Western plains by Diamond Dick,
Bertie, and Handsome Harry.