9? © 17? e DEC Il “BUFFALO Blkb i OF ss = — = = Buffalo B shouted the bowie-man. ‘“Here’s a full hand of dukes frozen to the wall; five; come and count ’em!’’ " and the F £ AUTHOR NEW YORK 0 BILLS Pawnee Bill &Y TH ‘“This way, FAL 2 Sees DUF / 8000204 | f 4 1 gully in the bleak Arizona hills. stumbled along through the darkness he barked his shins frequently, always pausing to rub the bruises tenderly and A WEEKLY PUBLICATION Issued Weekly. By subscription $2.50 per year. Entered as Second-class Matter at the N. Y. Post Office, by STREET & SMITH, 79-89 Seventh Ave., NV. Y. Copyright, 1910, dy STREET & SMITH. No. 503. NEW YORK, December 31, 1910. Price Five Cents. BUFFALO BILL’S ROYAL = OR, Pawnee Bill and the Five Dukes. By the author of “BUFFALO BILL.” x CHAPTER I. CPTHE DESERT ARABS. \ “Halt, bae Yiminy !’? _ A pedestrian. had turned into the mouth of a narrow to say things that illustrated his state of mind. Suddenly the challenge rang out from the gloom and a figure glided away from the deep darkness of the gully wall. He of the bruised shins halted obediently. “Begorry,” said he, “by th’ voice that ought t’ be Swade Swanson.” ‘‘Ay tank maybe you ban all right,’ (said Swede Swan son. “Sure I’m all roight, Swanson. It’s Kelly.” “Kelly, yo’ skoll give me da password.” Forthwith Kelly chanted: ae “Me name is Bill, from Vinegar Hill, I niver work an’ niver will.” “Ay ban planty sure yo’ ban all right,’ said Swanson. “Come along vid me, Kelly.” Swede Swanson turned, Kelly caught hold of the belt about Swanson’s middle and allowed himself to be towed along the gully. Swanson knew more about the place ie te Laotian la is ota alta ELLE TD It was night, and as he aa oS ea sia las a aT Rahat aa la Tn on ba eee dl car See ae mene ty ey ead al than did Kelly, and thus was able to avoid most of the stones that littered the gully’s bed. A turn in thé narrow defile brought Swanson and Kelly to a rock overhang. At the lip of the overhang a fire of dried cottonwood branches had been lighted. Bacon was sizzling over the fire in a broken skillet, and the fumes of boiling coffee arose from a tin can that was balanced across two small stones. The fire threw a bright glow into the recéss under the shelf of rock, picking out in flaring yellow the forms of three more men who were seated close to the blaze. One was tall and angular, and had a ragged black mustache that seemed to divide his thin, bony face into halves. On one side of him sat a man with one arm, and on the other side of him sat a man with a wooden leg. Kelly was of medium height and had red hair, while Swanson was short and stoutly built. But what distinguished this queer gathering most was the weird assortment of rags and patches with which each man was covered. The lengthy individual with the black mustache was known as “Forty-rod” Meigs. This worthy wore moc- casins, a pair of trousers with cavalry stripes, that were so short they came only a little below his knees, a leather coat, and a knotted bandanna handkerchief for a hat. The one-armed man, who rejoiced in the name of Cut- wing Robinson, wore a boot on one foot and a shoe on the 2 THE BUFFALO other. His nether limbs were covered with patched over- alls, and his flannel shirt had seen better ‘days. His hat was a sombrero, but the crown of it Was missing. — The man with thé wooden pin was Peg-leg Higgins. _ From his clothes one might have imagined him a Mexi- can, for his gear was a ragged apology for flaring trous- ers, short hacieudado jacket, and bell-crowned hat. Sy anson was bareheaded and barefooted. His patched trousers and patched shirt were joined together and held to his person by an old U. S, army belt. A holster with a revolver hung from the belt at the right hip. Kelly was in better condition, so far as clothes went, than any of his companions, and yet his. wardrobe left much to be desired. “Buenos, Red!” called Forty-rod Meize. rising by de- grees until his full length was erect and stepping from the overhang to take’ the last comer by the Sta “How goes it, compadre ?”’ “It’s a sorry rtin av luck ive been havin’,” a an- swered. “Your clothes don’t look it, Red,” and Forty: -rod cast an envious eye over Kelly’s apparel. “Faith,” grinned Kelly, removing the rope of an- oid canteen from his shoulders, “I swiped th’ togs from 4 minin’ camp over Big Bug way. .But, man, man, how can a wanderin’ son. ay th desert: live on clothes? ‘Pickin’ s is poor,” Ne ‘Cute -wing eee set: up’ a ae SL ES Ber yer bottom’: dollar the’s poor, Red . ain’t seen two. bits in.a couple o’ moons. Fer a month’! been livin’ on mesquite beans, same’s a ses. “This here’s the fust real meal I’ve had in sight sence I was told in Mésa that my room was a hull fot. more appreciated, than ‘my com- p’ Oe mf stack up purty nigh ¢ as bad,” eis) “Then tell 1 me, : will yez,’ ’ cried Red. Kelly. sniffing the odors of the bacon and coffee, “where all. this provender come from. Sure, this has a ale” festive look ‘any » by th’ same token, somebody. must’ have’ turned a trick in th’ chuck loine,” “Charge that up to me. aed Sankoe, Red, ” returned F orty-rod Meigs... “On our. way. to. this. ‘meeting place of the Sons of the Desert | we discovered a. freighter mak- ing for a mine in-the hills.. We.tailed.on ta the end of: his wagon and borrowed a can of coffee, a side of bacon, a tin-of crackers, and.a glass jar of jam.’ : He turned to the Swede. “Git the grub” ready, “Swanson,” he added, “and we'll: fall to. When it’s done, I've: got a little: business to put up to the Sons of the ‘Desert. Maybe itll amount to acraetiins, and maybe it won't. We'll talk it over.” ~ Dishes for that repast of the Sons of the Desert were makeshift affairs comprising empty sardine cans, empty ‘tomato cans, and flat stones.. ‘They all drank from the improvised coffeepot, passing the can around i from hand to hand: The jam was the dessert. When the meal was finished, the Sons of the Desert had cleaned up on their visible food supply, but they were of the sort who took little heed for the morrow so long as their present necessities were attended to, i All had pipes, and those who did not have tobacco borrowed from those who had: During the postpran- dial smoke, and while the fire was fed with dry wood from time to time and cast its cheerful blaze around the ‘mourned Peg leg aig: BILL STORIES. overhang, Forty-rod Meigs novncement : - “As Sons. of the Deceit abet and refilling his pipe, “we are having our annual meeting in the same place where we met last year. These annual meetings are good things, for it enables us to keep track of one another, but I reckon we won't be able to keep “em up much longer. There were eight of us met here last year. Three are yeni from our ranks—the Dago, old Persimmon, and the Greaser. The Dago was caught making a getaway with a bar of bullion from the placer camp at Yellow Dog. He didn’t stop when he was told to, and a bullet dropped hin, tte was all to the good, the Dago was, an’ he'll live in memory.’ “He will, he will,” came in chorus from around the fire. . ‘Old Persimmon,” proceeded Forty-rod- Meigs, “sat down to rest on a boulder with a stick of stolen dynamite in his pocket. The dynamite was crystallized, and you all know that crystallized dynamite lets go if you look at it eross-eyed. There was never any method or logic about old Persimmon. What did he want of dynamite, any- how? All the same, he lifted it... He never got up from that boulder. That is, he didn’t get up of his own accord. The dynamite let go, as [ hear, and old Per simmon van- ished > made his momentous an- said Meigs, clearing his asta! muttered Kelly, “Tv ve no regrets t waste over. ould Persimmon.” Ser Gs nutner: fi chimed in Pegsleg mite cost me this missin’ foot.” : ame tor the\ Greaser,’” went on Meigs, “he wot ted hoofin’ it, an’ was ketched with a horse. After that there Was a necktie party. (iis happened two months” ago, over by: ‘Apache Hill. There’ S only five of the Sons teft.” '“ An’ we ain't prosperin’ none,’ scowled Cut-wing.. ~ Forty- trod Meigs fell silent for a space and: sur- rounded himself with a cloud of smoke. “How'd you fellows like to have a full outfit of ¢oim- fortable clothes, from shoes to Headiiees,, he aed fag) |e “We'd like it,” came.a hone of answers. “Along with good mounts and good riding gear?” continued Forty- Tod. a " “That sounds too blame’ good ter be true,” leg. eee doit know ‘what all else there is to be ta but the Swede and I are dead sure of the clothes and the mounts, and guns and ammunition all around, With stich. an outfit, compadres, ” added Forty- rod, “we could do ‘busi- ness on a larger scale, eri ' “We could.” “The Sons of the Deer could ne and take’ (abuie anywhere said tribute happened to be noche around loose.” “Great! cried Cut- -wing, slapping his’ hand on his knee. “Forty-rod,” spoke up Red. Kelly, “I wisht veld: a afther tellin’ us where you‘ an’ Swade Swanson discov- ered the good clothes, the horses, an’ th’ guns.’ “It was just after we levied on the freight wagon, Red,” answered Forty-rod. ‘“The clothes, the horses, and the guns have gone into camp not two miles from here, dlose to the spring at Comanche Peak. There’s men in the clothes i “Tf those men have guns,’ “Tt was: dyna- ‘said’ ‘Peg- ' broke i in Peg-leg, with some -perturbation, “how're we goin’ ter git what we want?” e 6 Ne bee i dl se tO et 1G aS 1€ aS 1¢€ “Catch ‘em while they're asleep, auswered Forty-rod. “Ye don’t mean ter wipe ’em out?” “Nary, [I don’t. There’s an old deserted prospect hole not fat, from the camp. We'll drop the men in the hole and leave ’em there for a while.” “When’re we goin’ ter do all this?’ inquired Cut- wing. “We'll begin now. It’s a two-mile tramp to Co- manche Peak and the spring, and we might as well start. Maybe there’s more to this than just getting the clothes and the horses and the guns. We can tell about that later.” Refreshed by their hearty supper, the five scoundrels broke camp. Led by Forty-rod Meigs and Swanson, they started back through the gully. The night’s work they had in prospect was to Habe far- reaching effects. a CHAPTER Wi. THE FIVE MEN IN KHAKI. These five, who called themselves the Sons of the Desert, might more appropriately have been named the Desperadoes of the Desert. The waterless wilderness was their home. They knew the blighted level places, the bleak hills, the occasional water hole; and wherever they could find helpless travel- ers with portable property, the Sons of the Desert preyed upon them. Sometimes, when the right chance offered, they skulked into a mining camp and made way with dust or bullion; or if they could pick up a horse that was unattached they made the most of the opportunity; or if they could sell to“some unsuspecting tenderfoot a sup- posed prospect in the shape of a mine, they never failed to improve the chance. They were scoundrels, to a man. Two or three of them had committed crimes which rendered it danger- ous for them to show themselves in any good-sized settle- ment. They plied their energies individually, traversing the wilderness on foot, watching for wandering prospectors, ‘or for any one else who might be forced to pay them’ tribute. They had associated themselves together, under the leadership of Forty-rod Meigs, and it was the business of each Son of the Desert, if he heard anything that men- aced another Son, to get word to him in some way. The tie that bound them together was the common one of fear of the law; for law, be it known, occasionally reached its long arm into those deserted places. _Forty-rod Meigs had dreamed dreams of a powerful gang, well armed and mounted, appearing in regions where a quick stroke would result in unlawful gain, and then as swiftly disappearing. Now his dream seemed likely to come true. Like. ill-omened specters the five Sons of the Desert stole up on the spring at the base of Comanche Peak. Boulders flanked the spring, and the gang crawled through the boulders. When they came to the edge of the rocks the desert Arabs were able to take in the lay of the*camp about which their evil designs centred. A camp fire had died down to embers, and the embers THE BUFFALO oth de camer ahem, RH Roan een wh yore pects crm agi caste np ot eptehngs fee ei 8 me ‘i a , i a ety eat BILL STORIES. 3 gave out but little light. Around the dying fire could be seen four blanket-wrapped forms. On a rock, a little way from the sleepers, nodded a fifth man on guard duty. A gun lay across his knees. Beyond the camp and closer to the spring the outlines of five horses could be traced. “First off,’ whispered Forty-rod Meigs to Swanson and Kelly, ‘““we’ve got to get ropes. If those horses are picketed, we'll get the picket ropes; if they’re hobbled, then we'll find the saddles belonging to this outfit and secure one or two riatas. Kelly, you and Swanson creep around the camp and see what you can find in the way of good, stout hemp.” Kelly and Swanson at once crawled away through the boulders to. carry out their leader’s instructions. In half an hour they were back, bringing three riatas. “Aisy, as fallin’ off 2 tog, Meigs, whispered ‘Red Kelly exultantly. “Th’ horses are hobbled, an’ th’ ridin’ gear is close t’ th’ place where they're browsin’.” “The next job is mine,’ murmured Forty-rod Meigs. “I’m to put that guard down and out. He’s sitting on the rock with his back to us, and I think I can work through the trick with ground to spare. The rest of you stay here and wait till I give you orders for further work.” With an art and craftiness that aroused the admira- tion of the rest of the Sons of the Desert, Forty-rod Meigs straightened his long body on the ground and be- gan approaching the man on the boulder by means of a seties of silent, writhing contortions. The gtiard continued to nod over the gun on his knees. Occasionally he lifted his arms and yawned. “I hope ter thunder he’s sleepy enough so’st he won't ~ hear Forty-rod,” muttered Cut-wing. “Shucks !”’ grunted Peg-leg. “He couldn’t hear } Meigs ef he was wide awake. I never see nothin’ neater’n the way Meigs is pullin’ off this play. He ain’t makin’ nary a sound.” Not until Meigs was directly behind the guard and was lifting himself to an erect position was any noise made that aroused the guard’s alarm. The man on the rock started to turn and look behind him. At the same moment Forty-rod’s two hands encircled his throat, and the two dark figures seemed to melt into one and to drop with ominous stillness upon the ground. Five minutes later Meigs regained the boulders and his waiting companions. “The guard won’t give us any more trouble, pards,”’ he reported. “Ve didn’t make him cash in, did ye, Forty-rod?”’ came in a troubled whisper from Cut-wing Robinson. “T didn’t have to,’ answered Meigs: ‘He struck his head on the stone when he went down and lost his senses. All I had to do, after that, was to tie him and gag him. | Now, then,” he added, with some briskness, “there are four out there, and five of us here. Swanson’ll help Robinson, ’cause Robinson’ll need more’n one hand; the rest of us will take a man apiece. If any of you make a miss, pards, it may wind up our little game in a way we won't like.” &% “We don’t want to do anythin’ that'll make a swingin’ job o” this,” cautioned bo Robinson. “No mote we don’t,” agreed Forty-rod. “A rap on the head won’t give any lasting hurt, and it’ll make the tying easy. Now, then, creep out, and each pick your man. ' sea AS erie ede Ah fate ot ea hate PN TED TON A I RED Re ARS AP Ec et ER 6 pt a cet Minott ate ie yc ail 4 | THE BUFFALO “The five “Arabs” began crawling over the bit of level sand that separated the boulders from, the four sleepers. The men of the camp must have been very tired, for the noise made by their creeping foes did not arouse them. When they were all placed, Forty-rod gave a low command—‘‘Now!” Instantly the five kneeling figures dropped forward on the four prostrate victims. There came a dull sound as heavy fists fell; one or two gurgling cries followed the impact of the blows, and three of the awakened sleepers began to struggle. From deathly silence there grew suddenly a quick commotion, and Forty-rod Meigs could be seen hustling back and forth through the gloom, helping those of iis companions who stood most in need of help. ‘In no more than fifteen minutes the ragged scavengers of the desert, with only their own hands for weapons, had secured possession of the camp. The five who had pitched the camp were lying side by side, bound, helpless, and bewildered. “Hooray!” jubilated Red Kelly. aisier job than I thought it would be.” “It’s panned out good color, right from the start!” added Cut-wing Robinson. “Stop your glorying, pards,’ ordered Forty-rod Meigs curtly. “Swanson, get some wood on the fire. Let’s have a light so we can get the hang of things. Why these men were here is what I want to know. From their clothes, they're neither prospectors nor cowboys. They look like a lot of wanderin’ dudes, Fire up, fire up!’ Swanson gathered up some wood from beside the em- bers and replenished the fire. The dried branches broke into flame and a flickering light was thrown over the demoralized camp. The men were all clad in khaki. Only two of them looked to be residents of the country, having tanned faces and rough, calloused hands, The other three had soft, white hands and faces that had not fronted the desert sun or the desert wind for long. “Par Dieu!” cried one of these three, staring at the nondescript gang who had captured the camp. “What is the meaning of this outrage?’ “We're the Sons of the Desert, amigo,’ answered Forty-rod affably, “and you fellows have goods that we require for our own use.” “You are thieves?’ “Faith, it was. an “Oh, no, not at all,’ grinned the leader of the Arabs. | “We just take what we want when we happen to see it.” “Malitzin,’ groaned one of the other prisoners, a fat man with a bushy beard, “we are ruined!” “We shall never see the grand duke again,’ pered another, “Don’t be too sure of that, Sprudel,’ answered the man addressed as Malitzin, “and don’t talk about our being ruined just yet, Gregorovitch,”’ he added to the man who had’spoken just before Sprudel, ‘These scoundrels are after money: If so, we can buy them off.” “Vou have money 2” demanded Forty-rod Meigs, taking quick and deep interest in the talk of Malitzin, “We have,’ was the answer. “Take it and leave us in peace.” “Yes, you sons of sheol,”’ puffed Gregorovitch, “take our money and go.” _ “Where is this money?” demanded Meigs. ‘Under the rock beside the fire.” * whim- BILL STORIES. “Turn over that rock, Swanson,” ordered Meigs, point- ing to a flat stone that lay near the flames. Swanson heaved the rock aside. Underneath it was a hole in the sand, and from this hole Swanson plucked forth a leather case equipped with a strap for carrying over a person's shoulder. The case jingled musically as Swanson swung it at the ends of the strap. “Bae yinks,” bubbled the Swede, “dey tal us de truth, Forty-rod, De panga is here.” Meigs grabbed the case, unbuckled a strap that held the cover in place, then plunged in his hand and lifted it. One by one he dropped a handful of yellow coins back into the case. Yells of delight burst from the Sons of the Desert. “Gold!” they whooped. “We've made a strike,’ declared Forty-rod Meigs, keeping firm hold on his emotions, “but we'll make a bigger strike than this before we are through.” He closed the cover of the case and buckled it securely, then laid the strap over his own shoulder. “Who are you cimiroons, anyhow?” he demanded, “T’m Prince Malitzin, friend of the Grand Duke Ser- gius,’ said the prisoner. “Over there is another of the grand duke’s friends, Gregorovitch ; and close to Gregoro- vitch, who is also a Russian prince, lies Baron Sprudel, his highness’ secretary. The other two men are guides.” “Thunder!” muttered Forty-rod Meigs, awed by the vastness of the haul he and the other Arabs had so un- wittingly made. ‘I didn’t reckon we were going to stack up against the nobility. Let me introduce myself, prince,’ he went on grimly. “I’m the Duke of Pokero- polis; this red-headed Irishman next to me is the Duke of Kilkenny; the fat Swede is the Duke of Hoboken; the one-armed Son is the Duke of Denver; and the’ man with the timber leg is the Duke of Poverty Flat. A royal flush beats three of a kind, eh? Well, you listen to me. I’ve heard of this Grand Duke Sergius, and I’ve got something to say about him and you that maybe will prove interesting.” Forty-rod Meigs dropped down on the ground between ‘Malitzin and Gregorovitch, and proceeded to relieve his mind. And back among the boulders, screened by the shadows of the rocks, was a face with two gleaming eyes that watched sharply all that went on in the captured camp. CHAPTER III. ‘ MEIGS’ DARING PLAN. Forty-rod Meigs was a man of some cultivation. His talents, such as they were, might have earned him a re- spectable competence had he turned them into honest channels. He had chosen, however, to follow a lawless course. There could be but one end for*Meigs, and he was hurrying toward it as rapidly as those other Sons of the Desert had hurried—the Dago, old Persimmon, and the Greaser, “New, observed Meigs, “this grand duke aed three of his Deena. were captured and taken from the stage for Phoenix by ’Paches. Have I got that right, prince?” “Yes,” answered Malitzin. §S; a len Ou er- the ro- lel, 2? he in- ck Lf, ke an ral ot ill en VS at THE BURFALO “You three are the ones who were with the grand duke, _at the time the stage was set upon by the reds?” POM eg? “The reds weren't doing that job for themselves. As I understand it, they were working for a Russian who called himself Fire-eater, and claimed to be a prophet.” “That is true.” “This Fire-eater, I’ve heard further, is a handy boy with bombs and other high explosives, and he hasn't any love for czars or grand dukes.”’ “He is a scoundrel,’ wheezed Gregorovitch, “a nihil- ist. But, kind friend, since you have our money, why not let us go?” “Let you go?” mocked Meigs: “Well, not so you can notice it—at least, not right away. lLet’s go on with our talk. Buffalo Bill took a hand in that deal of the Russians, I’ve been told, and managed to get you fellows and the grand duke away from Fire-eater and his reds.* Is that correct : t. “That is correct, yes,” A “And, at the-present time, the man called Fire-eater, but otherwise known as Golleroff, the nihilist, is im- prisoned in the strong room at Fort Whipple,” “hat is the case.” “And with Golleroff is another nihilist by che name of Melchior, Gospodin Melchior.” “Gospodin Melchior is imprisoned with Golleroff,”’ gurgled Prince Gregorovitch, “and Melchior is a beast. So is Golleroff a beast.” “Where is this grand duke?” went on Meigs. “In Prescott,’ answered Malitzin. “And where is Buffalo Bill and his pards?” ‘Also in Prescott.” Murmurings went up from the other Sons of the Des- ert. They were following the conversation carefully. Although they could not, as yet, discover what their leader was trying to get at, nevertheless they liked little that mention of Buffalo Bill. The king of scouts was, it seemed, a friend of the grand duke, and of these three Russians whose camp the Arabs had captured. Fur- thermore, Buffalo Bill and his pards were at Prescott, and within striking distance of Comanclte Peak. “Bae Yiminy cripps,’ murmured the Swede, “Ay tank we better skip, Forty-rod.” “Buffler Bill ’u’d tie us up inter a bowknot,’ mur- mured Cut-wing Robinson, ‘“‘an’ then stamp it with a ryle kibosh. I move we hike.” “You rawhides make me all-fired tired,’ grunted For- ty-rod Meigs, with a disgusted look at the Swede and the one-armed Arab. “‘I’ll take care of you. This job I’m figuring on will land us all on the sunny side of Easy Street, hands down, Buffalo Bill or no Buffalo PBuL. You ledve it tome. He turned to Malitzin again. The Swede, his brow clouded, threw more wood on the fire.” “Tf what I heard can be depended on,” proceeded For- ty-rod Meigs, “‘there’s a bunch of nihilists at the Vulture mine. Golleroff and Melchior were the boss nihilists, but the gang has been quite a little demoralized since Buffalo Bill and his pards landed the leaders in the guardroom at Whipple. Now, gents, suppose I keep you as prisoners and send word to the grand duke in Prescott that you'll be set at liberty if he’ll kindly oblige *See No. 502 BurraLto Britt Srortrs, “Buffalo Bill's Red Tri- angle; or, Pawnee Bill and the Sign of the Three.” BILL VSTORIES. by handing over fifty thousand plunks. How'd that work?” “Plunks?” murmured Malatzin. “Plunk?” echoed Gregorovitch. ‘What is this plunk?”’ ‘A plunk,” explained Meigs blandly, “‘is a dollar. Fifty thousand plunks is fifty thousand dollars—a mere baga- telle for a man like the grand duke.” The truth dawned upon the prisoners. ‘We are sequestered,’ groaned Gregorovitch, “and held for ransom!” “Mon Dieu!” murmured Baron Sprudel. “That’s about the size of it,’ went on Meigs, “but you needn’t to be in a taking. The grand duke will have -to hand over the funds, so you won’t be anything out of pocket.” ‘Suppose he will not hand over the funds?” palpitated Gregorovitch. “He would not be so hard-hearted!’”’ exclaimed Meigs. “But in case he was, why, I should simply send to the Russians at Vulture camp and tell them to chip in, raise what they could, and come and get you,” “Why would you turn us over to the Russians at V aL ture camp?” demanded Malatzin, “They could exchange you for Golleroff and Gospodin Melchior,” answered Meigs. “If the deal couldn't be made, then the nihilists could plant a bomb somewhere near you and set it off. But we wouldn’t have anything to do about that. We’re just playing both ends against the middle, that’s all,” The Sons of the Desert were mightily enthused by Meigs’ daring plan, The fifty thousand dollars which he hoped to get from the grand duke loomed very pleas- antly on their perspective. The glamour of wealth, se- cured so easily, rather blinded all of them to the pos- sibility of the scout and his pards taking a hand and doing something in the matter. “Divil a bit,” chuckled Red Kelly, “did ye iver hear av stich a play? An’ it looks dead aisy.”’ ‘Ay skoll be rich man,” chirped the Swede. “We'll all be in clover,’ laughed Cut-wing Robinson. Peg-leg Higgins pushed the end of his wooden pin in the ground and walked around it rapidly, whooping delightedly. ‘Have a care!” breathed Malatzin. ‘Remember that 3uffalo Bill and his companions are friends of ours. They have saved us from grievous troubles already, and they will save us from any more that coniés our way.’ The rejoicing among the Sons died down rather sud- denly. “When I communicate with the grand duke,’ went on Meigs, “I shalf tell him that if Buffalo Bill and his pards try to make a move against us, we will break off nego- tiations and hand all of you over to the Russians at ‘Vulture. I reckon that will hold the scout and his outfit. Now, tell me,” Meigs added, “what are you royal yaps doing at Comanche Peak with all that gold?” “We will not tell you of that,’ said Malatzin, “‘no, not though you should hitch wild horses to our limbs and pulls apart. it 19 the grand duke’s business, and we are to keep the matter secret.” Seeing that no information could be secured from the princes or the baron, Forty-rod Meigs turned his atten- tion to the other two prisoners. These men, who were guiding the princes and the baron, looked like miners or cattlemen, although they were dressed in the same brown khaki clothes worn by the other three of the party. THE BUFFALO “Who are you?’ queried Meigs, pausing beside one of the guides and looking down at him. “Never ye mind erbout that part of it,’ the man an- swered. “Go ahead with yer shindig. 1 reckon ye'll do some o’ the dancin’ afore it’s all over.” “Ye ain’t nothin’ but a lot o’ desert rats, anyways,” cut in the other guide. ‘I reckon I’ve seen ye afore, hangin’ arotind the camps an’ lookin’ fer somethin’ ye could swipe. Oh, thar won’t a thing happen ter you!” ‘A whole lot will happen to you,” scowled Meigs, “be- fore anything happens to me or my pals.” He turned to his comrades, ‘‘Swanson,” he added, “you and Kelly take all their guns, then release the prisoners, one at a time, an’ make ’em peel off those nice brown clothes.” In spite of horrified protests from. the two princes and the baron, Meigs and his men relentlessly carried out their plans. The five suits of brown khaki were appro- priated by the scoundrelly gang, and their own nonde- script clothes»cast aside for the better garments. Then, one by one, the prisoners were carried to the abandoned mining shaft and lowered into its depths with one of the riatas. The shaft was thirty feet deep, and the sidés were straight up and down, and smooth and slippery. It would be impossible for the prisoners to escape from the shaft without help from above. A solitary canteen was filled at the spring and dropped down to them, and this was followed by a few cold rations. “Now,” chuckled Forty-rod Meigs, “we'll get the gear on the horses and ride.” “Where'll we be after ridin’?” asked Red Kelly. “To that cabin in the gully—old Gaspard’s hangout. Gaspard’s not there, and we'll use the place as a hang- out while we're bringing matters to a head with the grand duke.” Half an hour later the desert Arabs, better clothed and better equipped than they had ever been before in their lives, were mounted and galloping away through the night. Another was also leaving the camp at Comanche Peak. Stealing from among the boulders, he had mounted his waiting horse and had turned the animal’s head in the direction of Vulture. CHAPTER 1. THE GRAND DUKE’S ENTERPRISE. Buffalo Bill had received a good many surprises in the course of his career, but perhaps he was never more sur- prised than he was, on a certain afternoon in the city of Prescott, when he made his way from the corral to the Palace Hotel and was met on the veranda by Grand Duke Sergius of Russia. The noted scout had been absent from Prescott, with all but one of his pards, for three days. At the time the grand duke and his friends had been rescued from the nihilists and the Apaches, the nihilists had been captured, but the Apaches had escaped. Colonel Geer, commandant at. Fort Whipple, desired particularly that the Indians who had escaped should be recaptured. Detachments of troops penetrated the bar- ren hills in all directions looking for the renegades, and the scout and his pards went with the detachments. BiCL: STORIES, Wild Bill and Pawnee Bill scouted with two separate bodies of troopers, as did Buffalo Bill; and the baron, who was a good fighter, but not much of a scout, accom- panied the Laramie man’s party, while Little Cayuse went with the scout, and old Nomad, suffering from a wound, was compelled to keep his bed. Three days in the hills had resulted in nothing worthy of record. The renegades, to the number of seven, had not returned to the reservation, and they had hidden themselves so well that they could not be apprehended. The scout’s party was first to get back to Fort Whipple, and the scout and his little Piute pard immediately turned their faces toward Prescott. Cayuse remained at the corral to look after the horses, while the scout, as has been stated, went on to the hotel, and there was astounded at meeting the grand duke. When the scout and his pards had left Prescott for Fort Whipple, they had bidden farewell to the ducal party, and it had been the intention of the royal Russians to take the first train northward, on their way to the Pacific coast en route to Russias Now, upon return- ing to Prescott after a three days’ absence, the scout en- countered the smiling Sergius on the Palace Hotel ve- randa! ; “You are surprised, yes?’ cried the grand duke heart- ily, clasping the scout’s hand. “Surprised?” echoed the scout. “Why, Sergius, that’s a mild name for it.” “Neither are you pleased!” chuckled his highness, pok- ing the scout with his finger. ‘‘Oh, I can see that much, my friend.” : “You are taking chances with your life, Sergius,” said Buffalo Bill, “every hour you remain in this part of the country. Golleroff’s friends, out at the Vulture mine, lay most of Golleroff’s troubles at your door. They’re mad for revenge against you.” “They have not harmed me yet, Buffalo Bill,” smiled Sergius. “Not yet, highness, and.I hope they won’t. There's - evening train, and I’m going to bundle you off on that.” “That is not possible,’ said the grand duke, with a display of the willfulness that often came uppermost in his character. “TI reckon,” returned the s¢out coolly; “that 1 can make it possible.” Fire smoldered in the grand duke’s eyes for a mo- ment. He was not used to such peremptory talk. But the glow of displeasure died out and his highness dropped a hand on Buffalo Bill’s arm. “My friend, my good friend,” said he, “you would not have me depart from this town without Gregorovitch, Malitzin, and Sprudel ?” The scout started. “Aren't they here with you?” he demanded. “No, they are not here. I expect them back in the morning. When they come,” and the grand duke laughed softly, triumphantly, “they will not come empty- handed,” “What do you mean?” “I mean, friend Cody, that I am an enterprising grand duke. I have an eye on business, and I have invested ‘one thousand of your American dollars in a deal that - will bring down a hornets’ nest about’ the ears of the nihilists now in Russia. Ah, ha!” and he clapped the yal rn- 21- ve- rt- eNOS Ne ee peel THE BUPPALO scout jovially on the shoulder, “lam up to tricks, as you will find,” A slow smile worked its way over. the scout’s. face. The big, boyish grand duke had a propensity for doing ill-advised things, but there was no use finding fault with him. “What sort of tricks have you been up to, Sergius?” asked the scout. “You will be pleased and delighted when you hear,’ answered Sergius. “Come, sit down with me and I will go into the matter and make it plain to you.” They got a quiet corner of the veranda to themselves and took a couple of easy-chairs. His highness offered the scout a fat cigarette bearing the royal monogram, but the scout begged to be excused and lighted a cigar. ‘We were intending to leave on the very day you rode from Prescott, Buffalo Bill,’ began the grand duke, “Our luggage, what little we have with us, was packed, and Sprudel had wired for accommodations on_ the steamer from San Francisco to Yokohama, ‘sailing. on the sixteenth “You can still catch that steamer if you leave here to- morrow, or the day after.” “Pardon! First hear me out before you suggest steam- ers onthe sixteenth. Well,. before train time, I. was) informed. by the hotel clerk that a young lady wished to see me in the public parlor.” The grand duke straightened his shoulders and pulled at his mustache. - “I suppose,’ commented the scout dryly, “that that hooked you, eh?” “I try .to be chivalrous,’ said his. highness, “and so I. went. to the parlor. . There, indeed,.was a. beautiful young lady, one of my own countrywomen, and a loyal subject of the czar. She had important news for me. The scout already was scenting a trap. - “What sort of news, Sergius?” he queried. “This young lady was from the Russian settlement at ‘Vulture, that hotbed of the Golleroffs.. She told me that ‘this group of nihilists was sending money to ariother ' active group in St. Petersburg, and that it was con- ‘stantly corresponding with this other group. The young lady said that she would arrange, providing I would pay over one thousand dollars in gold, to give me a list of the people in Russia who are at this moment planning outrages against the reigning house. Wee do og think of. that: re ~“You agreed to pay over the thousand dollars?” “Was it not an enterprise of which I should take ad- vantage? Naturally, when I saw such a chance to do a good stroke for my country, I agreed. But there were conditions.” “Tell me the conditions, highness.” “First I must go into the mountains, toa place called Comanche Peak, in person. I refused.” “T am glad you refused.” “But we compromised when I agreed to send Malitzin, Gregorovitch, and Sprudel.” “So they went with the gold?” . “Yes, my friend, they left Prescott to-day, on good horses, and took the gold with them. I hired two reli- able men as gttdes, and the whole party was clothed in serviceable campaign uniforms.” Very complacently the grand duke straightened back BILL. STORIES. in his chair. He had the air of a person who has met - an emergency in a thoroughly businesshke. way. “This party. with the thousand dollars in gold leit f 9 Comanche Peak to-day? “Yes. The young lady stated that it would take a day or two at the headquarters of ‘the Vulture group to compile the list, and that she would meet my patty at Comanche Peak some time to-night, hand over the list, and get the money. The young lady did not want the money for herself, Buffalo Bill, but it was to pay the man who was to risk his life securing the records.” "Any “So that is why I remained a few days longer in Pres- cott,’ went on the grand duke.” ‘“To-night the money will be paid and the list secured, and to-morrow morning Malitzin, Gregorovitch, and Sprudel will be back, and we can then think about the steamer from San Fran- CISCO. 0 “Why was it necessary, Sergius,” inquired the scout, “for you to send your friends to Comanche Peak? Why could not the young lady have brought the list here, to the hotel, and taken the thousand dollars?” The grand duke’s face went blank. “Me foul he exclaimed, "1 did‘not ask her that. . She merely suggested the plan, my friend, and I fell in with ie “The simpler way. would have been for this’ young lady to get the list from the man who was to make it, and to bring it here to you. This ‘roundabout method was proposed for some purpose.” His highness’ brow began to grow eloady, and he lost some of his jaunty assurance. “Did the young lady,” continued the scout, “say any- thing about me?” one “Why, yes,” reflected the grand duke, “T believe she asked where you and your pards were. ree Xow told here “T did, yes. Why should I not tell her?” “Did you also tell the young lady that we ‘should be gone for several days?” “It is'my impression that I did. What of that?’ “Nothing, Sergius, only the young lady wanted to make sure that your friends and. protectors were not around where they could interfere.” “Impossible! My dear Cody, you suspect a treach- erous trick, a plot. Yotu-are. wrong, believe me,’ Ma the young lady’ gave you her true name,’ went on the scout, “it was Natalia.” “Mille tonnerre ! Upon my “word, that was the very name she gave!” “Didn't -you remember, Sergius, when: she gave it, that it was a person named Natalia. who made so. much trouble for us. when we were trying to bag Golleroff?”’ “T think of it now, but I did not-think of it-then!: And this was the same Natalia?’ “Undoubtedly.” “And my enterprise 1s likely. to prove rds teil to my good friends and comrades, eae: Gregorovitch, and Sprudel ?” . “T doubt if theyll get back inere | in dhe morning, Ser- gius. Perhaps they’ IT not. get back at all if I-and my pards do not help them.” The grand duke fell back in his chair, and the ciga- rette dropped from his lips. A look of horror and de- spair contorted his face. > ier ia mat aI cOe ae GE aa Co CHAPTER Y. THE SCOUT BEGINS TAKING A HAND. Buffalo Bill leaned forward to lay a friendly hand on the grand duke’s knee. “Don't take m.so hard, Sergius,’ said he. “I got here in time. The treachery is on the bills for to-night, and probably it won't be due until quite late to-night.” “What will you do, my friend?” gasped the grand duke. “T will begin taking a hand.” “But how? Will you ride like the wind to Comanche Peak and put my friends on their guard?” “No. I will ride to Vulture camp and put Miss Na- talia under guard. By keeping tight hold on the girl we shall save your friends at Comanche Peak. No one will appear there to deliver the list and take your money. They’ll have to eome back to Prescott.” “But if this young lady is really planning treachery, what could she do alone against the five in the party that went with the money? They are all armed, they are ready for emergencies. The girl would. have to take some of the Russians with her to Comanche Peak.” “Of course. However, I know the superintendent at Vulture, and can be certain of his aid. Every Russian at the mine will be watched and made to stay in the set- tlement. No harm will reach the party at Comanche Peak from the mining camp. So rest easy, friend Ser- gius. You sent your friends into a trap, but the trap has not been sprung; and I and my pards will, see to it that it is not sprung.” “But why should there be a trap?” The grand duke brushed a handkerchief over his forehead. “It is me against whom this group of nihilists has an enmity. The plotting Russians would not injure my friends—they have no cause to injure them. What is the purpose of the trap?” “There is a purpose back of the girl’s move, be sure sor that.” “Then.I foiled it by refusing to go to Comanche Peak myself,” “You could not have foiled the girl’s designs, for she agreed that your three companions should go to the Peak in your stead.” “Diable!”’ muttered the grand duke, in irritation. “What it is all about is hard to understand.” “Natalia is keen’ and clever. She would not de- vise such a plan unless she hoped to accomplish a great deal by it. You do not know,the girl as well as I do. Se is the one, you remember, who feigned illness and had Pawnee and me carry her into an adobe where a trap had been laid for us. She played her part to per- fection, that night.” . “And she played it to perfection in the parlor of this hotel when she called on me,” murmured his highness. “In fact, she acted so naturally that it is difficult for me to believe, even now, thatsthere is any trap.” “You will have to take my word for it, Sergius. I am as sure of it as I am that I am alive this moment.” “Suppose, after all, you should be mistaken? No man is infallible, my good Cody. If you ride to Vul- . ture and make a prisoner of the girl, at once all will be known to the nihilists there, and her‘ life would be in danger.” oy The scout tossed his hands. “Better that,’ said he, “than that you should have your friends at Comanche Peak run the slightest risk.’ THE . BURFALO ° ibid. STORIES: “Very well,’ sighed his highness. “It seems to me, sometimes, that 1 am a very great fool.” The scout arose. ay “We are here in time to copper Natalia’s game, what- ever it is,” said he, ‘so don’t fret over the outcome. I'm going in to get cleaned up, and to have a few words with my old trapper pard. -By that time, supper should bé ready. If any of my other pards get here before | come down, tell them what you have told me and ask them for their verdict. I think theyll bear out my in- terpretation of: what has been going on.” The scout was half an hour getting rid of the dust and grime of his long ride, and in exchanging a few words with old Nomad. The trapper was gloomy. For an active man like Nomad, a sentence of two weeks in bed was harder to bear than two weeks in jail. Buffalo Bill cheered him up and left him, finally, in much better spirits. When the scout returned to the veranda, Sergius was talking with Pawnee Bill, and Little Cayuse was sit- ting on the veranda rail, within hearing distance. “I have told Pawnee Bill,” said“his highness, turning to the scout. “And what does Pawnee Bill say?” inquired the scout. “You've heard the yarn, necarnis?”’ questioned the bowie man. The scout nodded. “Well, it’s. my notion that Natalia is up to her old tricks,” declared the prince of the bowie. “Why do you think that?” “We know her pretty well, you and I. She wouldn’t attempt a thing like this unless there was something to gain for ‘free Russia!’ ”’ ; “That is my idea, Pawnee.” : “What's more, she’s not the kind of a moharrie to turn traitor to the Golleroffs.”’ : “T don’t think she is.” “lf she’s pretending to turn traitor, you can bet a _ blue stack she’s pretending for a purpose.” The scout turned to the grand duke. “You see, Sergius,” he remarked, “that Pawnee Bill’s opinion is the same as mine.” “You must be right,” admitted the grand duke, “but I'd give a thousand rubles, this moment, to know what the young lady’s object is.” ! “You're planning to take a hand in this, necarnis?’’ asked the bowie man. “We can’t very well abandon Gregorovitch, Malitzin, and Sprudel to the tender mercies of those nihilists,”’ re- plied the scout. “Hardly. What’s the move?” “We'll ride to Vulture and make sure of Natalia.” “Good! And we'll also make sure that no Russians get away from the camp. Natalia never would have tried this if she had thought that you were around to take the grand duke’s part. She banked on your being away. I'll gamble my spurs that she knew we had left to help the pony soldiers look for reds before she ever o blew in here with that yarn for Seroigs | : The grand duke was very much troubled when he went in to his supper with the scout and the bowie man and Little Cayuse. He believed that Buffalo Bill and his pards would prevent any evil befalling Gregorovitch, Ma- litzin, and Sprudel, but he was worried to account for AY ' EN et 2 er & THE BUFFALO Natalia’s motive, and he reproached himself for what he had been pleased to call his “enterprise.” “The longer I remain in this country,’ he remarked glumly, “the more I get into trouble. As soon as my friends are with me again, we shall take the first train for San Francisco, no matter what happens.” “That’s an excellent determination, Sergius,” approved Buffalo Bill, “but just to be om the safe side, I’m going to stick around and make sure you live up to it.” Following the meal, the scout, the bowie man, the grand duke, and Little Cayuse sat on the vetanda. It was necessary to give the horses a little time to rest, and the pards felt that if they left by eight o’clock they would still be able to reach the mining camp in plenty of time. Besides, there was a chance of Wild Bill and the baron showing up and joining them. But the Laramie man and the baron did not present themselves, and the scout,-the bowie man, and Cayuse started for the corral promptly on the stroke of eight. The grand duke accompanied them to see them off. “T should like to ride with you, my friends,” he said. “T’ll feel a heap easier about you when you get back in your room, with the door locked,” averred Pawnee Bill. ‘Whenever I’m moseying around in your vicinity I’m always looking for bombs.” The grand duke laughed. “T’m a dangerous character, then?’ said he. “In a way, yes.” “Pawnee Bill’s right, Sergius,’ observed the scout. “You're a marked man, and we can only be sure of your safety when you begin putting the miles between yourself and this group of bomb throwers.” “I suppose you are right,’ acknowledged the grand duke. “See what it means to have been born into a royal family! Id willing trade places with any one of your pards, Buffalo Bill.’’ : “Not with me, highness,” laughed the bowie man. “It takes two to make a bargain like that.” : Bear Paw, Chick-Chick, and Navi were led out of the corral and the riding gear was. quickly buckled into place. “ “You are going inte the hills,’.said the grand duke, as the pards mounted, “to undo a mistake of mine. I am grateful, and, naturally, 1 wish you much good for- tune. : -“T do not think we are going to have much trouble adjusting the difficulty,” returned the scout. “If Wild Bill comes breezing along, just tell him what we are up to. If he wants to trail after us, he’s welcome.” “T’ll tell him, Buffalo Bill.” The light over the corral gate shone full on the grand duke’s gloomy face as the three pards rode away into the night. He waved his hand after them, and they saw him turn and start back toward the hotel. “T wouldn’t be in his shoes for a million double eagles and all the crowns in Europe,” said Pawnee Bill. “Nor I,” returned the scout. “Ugh!” grunted Little Cayuse, “more better to be a pard of Pa-e-has-ka.” Pawnee Bill laughed. “Vou don’t talk a whole lot, Cayuse,” said he, “but when you do open up you certainly twang te string.” BILL SEORIES. % CHAPTER Vi; \ VULTURE CAMP. For three days, with now and then a few hours for rest, the pards had been in the saddle; but riding leather was home to them, and their powers of endurance had _ long since reached a point where they responded to every demand. As with them, so with their mounts. Speed and “bot- tom” distinguished the war horses of Cody and pards, and although the animals had been often tried never yet had they been found wanting. THe miles separating Vulture camp from Prescott were covered in a little less than two hours, and it was ten o'clock when Buffalo Bill slid from his stirrups and stepped to the door of the super’s house. There was a light in the window, and four men could be seen at cards. Neither of the four was the superin- tendent. ! A rap brought one of the card players, and won for the scout his first disappointment. The super was not in the camp. He had left the day before for a region thirty miles away to tide over certain troubles which Mexican wood haulers, collecting ~ fuel for the stamp mill, had got into with wood haulers for another mine. '“My name’s Brown,” said the scout’s informant, “and I’m the ‘assistant super. “Can I do anything for your” “T reckon we'll have to call on you if the super’s away,” answered the scout. “Come out and close the door.” When the door was shut and privacy assured, Buffalo 3ill gave Brown the main points of the situation. It was necessary that he should understand what was going on in order to assist the pards intelligently. : “By jings!” exclaimed the assistant super. “I thought these Russians were done with that sort of thing, now that Melchior and Golleroff have been jugged.”’ “Vou haven’t noticed any undercurrent of excitement among the Russians?” asked the scout. “No; but then, even if there was something important going on, you could never tell it from the way they act.” “No one has left the camp—no considerable body of men ?” “They'd have to take horses if they went to Comanche Peak, and the horses are all in a bunch. Come over to the corral and I’ll tell you in a minute.” The corral, which the Russians used in common, was located in the rear of their huddled quarters. Brown climbed up on the fence and counted the dark forms of the animals inside the inclosure. “They're all here,” he declared, dropping down from the fence. “I know just how many horses the Russians have, and there’s not one missing. That means,” he finished, “that no one has started from here for Co- manche Peak.’ “And here’s something else that means that some of them are intending to start,’ spoke up the bowie man. “Here’s a heap of saddles, quirts, bridles, and blankets.” The horse furniture was laid out near the corral fence, and the prince of the bowie had stumbled over it. Brown took a close survey of the accouterments. “By jings!” he breathed, “you're right. The Rus- sians always keep their riding fixings at home. This has been brought here for a purpose, and don’t you for- get it. Ten saddles,’ he added, after groping around TO DHE BUPPALO and making a count. “That means that ten of them have been intending to sta¥t somewhere just as soon as they thought it ‘sate. Well, ‘they won't start. Three of the foremen are at the house, and I'll have them over here in a brace of shakes. Ii the Russians try to leave, you can bet they'll have a fight on their hands.” ‘i. he assistant superintendent turned to retrace his way to the house and bring the three foremen. The scout reached out a hand and stopped him. “That's all right, Brown,” said the scout. “We'll leave you to take care of the horses and see to it that the Russians don’t leave here. But we want Natalia. Where is she?” “Since Melchior was taken to the Prescott jail,” Brown answered, “Natalia has been staying at his house. If you'll wait till I get the foremen I’ll show you where Rae ea “We know where it is, so we won’t have to trouble you. + “All right, then. You can bank on my taking care. of this end of the business, Buffalo Bill.” “Is there any one at Melchior’s besides the girl?” “No, not that I know of,” oan Brown hurried away in one direction, and the pards glided off through the gloom toward the farthest adobe on the south side of the camp. There was no light to be seen at any of the windows. "Ten* to: one,’ muttered the bowie man, ‘“‘she’s not there.”’ “We'll soon find out, Pawnee,” said the scout. ‘“Ca- yuse,” and he turned to the little Piute, ‘‘watch the rear door of the house. As for you, Pawnee,’ he added to the bowie man, “keep an eye on the windows. If Na- talia is there she may try to get away when she hears some one at the door.” Silently the little Piute’ faded into the night toward the rear of the adobe, and Pawnee Bill took up a posi- tion closer to the side of the windowed wally The scout ' stepped to the door and knocked. There was no answer to the summons. He repeated the knock, using the butt of one of his forty-fours. He could hear the sound echoing away in the cavernous in- terior, but it aroused no one. . He tried the latch, but the door was. bolted. That a bolt was used to secure the door, and not a key, he proved by running the edge of his bowie along the crack at the door’s edge. ; : “Not here, eh?” called Pawnee Bill, from the corner of the house. “I’m pretty sure there is some one inside,’ the scout answered. ‘When a person leaves a house they usually go by the front door; and, if they do leave by the front, they can’t very well bolt the door on the inside. Wait a minute.” Bracing himself, Buffalo Bill put his shoulder against ‘the barrier and heaved with all his strength. The bolt yielded, and he could hear fragments of it flying across the room. He went in headfirst and alighted on. his hands and knees. All was blank gloom around him—blank gloom and deepest silence. As he started to his feet and reached for a match, the silence was broken by a fall of hurrying footsteps. The next moment a hand gripped the scout’s sleeve in a convulsive clutch, and another hand struck at him with a dagger. will against you, Natalia. BILE STORIES: He felt the blade’s point. slip through his coat at the shoulder, just grazing the skin. “None of that, Natalia!” he cried sternly, and caught the girl by both wrists. “II could kill you!” hissed a woman's voice. “You mean that you would if you could;” said the scout, “but you can’t. Pawnee!’’ he called. . ‘Here,’ answered the bowie man promptly, from the threshold. “Come in and strike a light.” Pawnee Bill scratched a match, found a lamp, and lighted it. Natalia—for the light showed that it was really the girl—was fighting like a wild cat to get away from the scout. “Get something to tie her hands,’ said Buafflo Bill, The bowie man snatched a piece of muslin from one of the windows, twisted it into a rope and fastened the girl’s hands behind her. The same makeshift bonds served to secure her feet, and the scout then lowered her, panting and breathless, into a chair. : “I’m surprised to find you still keeping up your old tactics, Natalia,’ rémarked Buffalo Bill, standing in front of the girl and looking her steadily in the eyes. “And I’m surprised to find Buffalo Bill breaking into a house in such a way.” This proved that Natalia was rapidly getting the whip hand of her anger. “Why did you attack me with a knife?” asked. “Because I thought you were a thief.” “Is that the only reason?” ‘How could there be any other reason 2” The fury had all left the girl’s face. It was a pretty face, and looked very calm and innocent in the lamp- light. “Why didn’t yoti answer» my knock?” went on ‘the scout. “I was asleep,’ Natalia replied. “Do you sleep with a mantilla over your head, com- pletely clad and with spurs at your heels?” inquired the scout. A slight tinge of color, showing the girl’s vexation, man- tled her face. She wore small boots, after the Russian fashion, and to the heel of each boot a spur was buckled, “Don’t try to dodge responsibility, Natalia,” put in the prince of the bowie. ‘We know what you're up to.” The girl looked around uneasily. : “You want to be the death of me?” she breathed. “No, said the. scout. “We don’t cherish any ill If we had wanted to. make trouble for you, we could have turned you over. to the colonel at Fort Whipple to answer for .what you have already done.” “You mean well,” went on Natalia, still speaking in a guarded tone, “but if any of the other Russians knew. what I had promised to do for the grand duke, how long do you think I would live? How long would the Golleroffs spare a traitor?” ek “Come, come,” the scout : _ Said the scout sarcastically, “you: don’t think we're foolish enough to believe that you're turn- ing against these Golleroffs ?” “IT had intended to. One of the Russians—I will not tell his name—has drawn off a list of the active nihilists for the secret police of Petersburg. He and I were and vas vay sill. ne the ids ‘ed in 1tO Na Ce THE BUFFALO @ to take it to the Russian nobles at Comanche Peak to- night. That is why I am ready to ride.” “You and this other Russian were going alone?” “Certainly. It was not necessary to take any one else. I should not have dared to say a word to any one else.” “Where is that list, Natalia?’ “1 haven't it... Phe other has: it.” “Why were ten saddles laid out by the corral fence if only two of you were going to Comanche Peak?” Again the red of vexation ran into Natalia’s face. She had no answer ready. Stunned by the scout’s knowl- edge of what was taking place, she could frame no ‘ex- cuse to account for the ten saddles. “I am sorry, Natalia,’ went on the scout, “but the only way we can be sure of saving the grand duke’s friends is by keeping you a prisoner and : At that juncture, from the rear of the house, where Cayuse was on guard, came sounds of a scuffle, of a smothered cry, of a blow, and of a fall. e Pawnee Bill darted toward the back door, drew the bolt, and flung the door open. CHAPTER VII. >» AMAZING NEWS. “What's wrong, Pawnee?” called the scout, keeping close to Natalia. “On-she-ma-da!”’ answered the surprised bowie man, peering through the rear door. ‘Nothing seems to be wrong; at least, necarnis, there’s no one here.” “Not even Cayuse?” “No.” /Pawnee Bill stepped outside and began looking around. While he was hunting to determine the cause of the trouble, Cayuse entered the house by the open front door. “Here’s Cayuse, Pawnee,” shouted the scout. The bowie man at once came in and closed the rear door. “What happened, boy?” asked the scout, noting that there was a bruise on the side of Cayuse’s face and that a trickle of blood was running from it. “Cayuse make um watch at back door,” said the Piute, ‘all same Pa-e-has-ka’s orders. White man come, no see um Cayuse. Cayuse.make um grab, white man make um grab. Cayuse jerk knife from belt, hit um white man. White man make um yell, hit um Cayuse with fist. Cayuse fall, then jump up and run after white man. No ketch um.” “Now, by my medicine,’ muttered Pawnee Bill, “but that’s queer. Was the white man a Russian, Cayuse?” “No sabe. Mebbeso. No see um plain.” “That’s a little bit of a mystery,’ remarked the scout. “Who was that man, Natalia?’ he asked, turning on the girl. : “How should I know?” snapped Natalia. “You might make a guess.” ; The girl remained silent, glaring hatefully at the scout. “Natalia,’ went on Buffalo Bill, in a kindly tone, “we'd like to be your friends if you’d let us. The fact that you’re a woman has saved you from the same fate that has overtaken Golleroff and Melchior, but if any harm comes to Gregorgvitch, Malitzin, and Sprudel through your schemes this night, you'll pay for it.” BILL “STORIES. Il “What can I do, now that I’m a prisoner?” asked Na- talia. “T don’t think you can do anything, and I believe we have arranged matters so none of the other Russians can do anything; but if your plans reach farther than we think, it won’t be long until we find it out.” ‘Then wait and see what happens.” “That's what we are going to do. We have given you fair warning, so that you can save yourself if there is any call for it. At least you can explain why you are aiming your plans at the grand duke’s friends and not at the grand duke himself.” The girl pondered for a little. Evidently she made up her mind that there was no further use of concealment. “T wanted nothing but to secure the release of Gol- leroff and Melchior,” said she. “How were you intending to accomplish that?’ “By making prisoners of Gregorovitch, Sprudel, and Malitzin, and then threatening that they should die un- less Golleroff and Melchior were given their liberty.” Pawnee Bill muttered under his breath. “Colonel Geer couldn’t have been forced to give up Golleroff and Melchior by any such threat,’ said the scout gravely; “and if you had carried out the threat, Natalia, it would have been a bad piece of business for you.” “That is as may be,” said the girl defiantly. “1 am ready to die for free Russia; and how could I help Rus- sia more than by winning freedom for Golleroff ?”’ “You're a fanatic,” said the scout, At that moment Brown, the assistant superintendent, showed himself in the door. ‘“How’s everything here?” he asked. “Everything is going well,’ the scout replied. “Have any of the Russians showed themselves at the corral ?” “Not one. I reckon they know we're there and are scared out.” ‘ “It will be just as well to-watch the corral until morn- ing a ‘‘T intend to do that.” “Ts there a woman in camp who can come here and stay with Natalia?” ao “You want an American woman, eh?” queried Brown. “That would be better. A Russian woman might connive at Natalia’s escape.” “T reckon Mrs. Shepard would come. Shepard’s one of the foremen at the corral.” “All right, Brown. Send Mrs, Shepard here.” In about half an hour Mrs. Shepard came. She was a tall, powerful woman, and looked as though she could manage Shepard with ease in case of any domestic call to arms. “Brown told me ye wanted some un ter come here an’ take keer 0’ that wild cat, N atalia,’”’ said Mrs. Shepard. “That’s what we want, Mrs. Shepard,” returned the scout. “If you'll take charge ofgher for the rest of the night, I and my pards will bur down in this front room and see that you are not disturbed.” “Tf we was distarbed, I reckon I could fight some if I had ter,’ came grimly from Mrs. Shepard. She stepped over to Natalia. “I’m ter look arter ye, Natalia,” said she, “‘so yell keep nice an’ quiet, understand? If ye try ter git away, thar’ll be ructions.”’ Natalia laughed. ie ghee en ae Los eat: ® BILE, STORING, 12 | THE BUFFALO “T won’t try to get away from you, Mrs. Shepard,” said she. “‘What would be the use?’ “Thar wouldn’t be any,” and, with that, Mrs. Shep- ard picked the girl up in her strong arms and disappeared with her through a door that led into a sleeping apart- ment. “Now, pards,” said the scout, when the door had closed upon the two women, “well make ourselves as com- fortable as we can and see what happens to-morrow, if anything. I’ve got a foreboding that we're not at the end of this affair.” “Same here, necarnis,” said Pawnee Bill, closing the front door and bracing it shut with a chair. “But I’m glad of a chance to sleep. Hunting ’Paches is hard work, and when you follow it up with a ride like we took to Vulture, it’s some trying on a man’s conistitu- tion.” “You'd better go and make sure that our horses are properly cared for, Cayuse,” said the scout. ‘‘When you do that, came back here.” “Wuh,” said Cayuse. He left by the rear door. There was a couch in the room, and Pawnee Bill in- sisted that the scout’ make use of it. The bowie man found plenty of comfort in stretching out on the floor, his revolver belt unbuckled and lying beside him, and — his head on his rolled-up coat in lieu of a pillow. “Do you think,’ he asked, “that Natalia was giving us straight talk when she said she was trying to capture Malitzin, Gregorovitch, and Sprudel in order to make an exchange for Golleroff and Melchior ?”’ “It was a wild scheme,” the scout replied, “but I be- lieve Natalia was planning to try it.” “It would have been like her. Well, if we have pulled the fangs of this Russian outfit, what is there left to - happen to that party at Comanche Peak?” Li AVE TE aps? “So do I. For all that, though, I’ve got a notion that all is not going well with the baron and those two princes. | wonder who they took along as guides?” - “I didn’t have time to find out.” “If the guides were common riffraff, same as you'll find kicking around a lot of towns in the Southwest, maybe they'll have an eye on that thousand in gold, and try to get it.” “The Russians are well armed, Pawnee, and ought to be able to take care of themselves against a couple of treacherous guides.” “That’s the way it would look, but this fat man, Gre- gorovitch, strikes me as being somewhat of a coward. Malitzin isn’t much to brag about, either. Sprudel, I guess, would fight if he had to. The grand duke himself. is the strongest proposition in that outfit of Russian no- bles, if I’m any judge.” “He is,’ agreed Buffalo Bill. The scout continued to talk, but Pawnee Bill went to sleep under the droWésy conversation. Cayuse returned and reported that the assistant su- perintendent had looked after the mounts and the riding gear. The little Piute curled up in a corner, and was in the Land of Nod almost as soon as he had dropped on the floor. . Nothing happened to disturb the slumber of the three paris—at least, not during the night. When the scout roused up it was growing day, and some one had pushed on the door and overturned the chair Pawnee Bill had placed against it. Cayuse was on his feet in a twinkling, and the bowie man was not much longer in struggling up and reaching for his guns.’ Buffalo Bill swung his feet ovet the side of the couch and assumed a sitting posture. Wild Bill stepped into the room. “Tf it aint Laramie!” exclaimed the prince of the bowie. “Keno,” grinned Wild Bill. “I just blew in from Pres- cott with a report.” “Report?” echoed the scout. “Yes. A horse without a rider reached town, and it happens to be the caballo Malitzin rode when he trekked away on that precious enterprise of the grand duke’s.” This was surprising; but the biggest surprise was yet to come. “There was a note pinned to the saddle horn with a dagger,’ continued Wild Bill, “and that proves that the caballo was turned loose in the hope that he’d make for home and that the note would be discovered.” “What did the note have to say ?”’ “Read it for yourself, Pard Cody.” The Laramie man took a badly soiled sheet of paper from his pocket and handed it to the scout. The latter ran his amazed eyes over the following: “To THE GRAND DUKE SERGIUS+ " “This is to inform you that we have thrown a very neat kibosh over Malitzin, Gregorovitch, ‘Sprudel, and the two guides, and that we are holding them pending an agreement with you. We want twenty-five thousand in cold cash. Put it in a kerosene can and leave the can by the spring at the foot of Comanche Peak, If it’s there to-night (Tuesday) we'll let your noble friends and their two guards go early Wednesday morning. If it’s not there, we’ll sell the prisoners to the Russians at the Vulture mine; and if Buffalo Bill tries to mix in this little dicker we'll find it out and turn the whole blue-blooded posse over to the Vulture Russians, whether we get anything for it or whether we don’t. A word to the wise is sufficient. (Signed ) “DUKE OF POKEROPOLIS. “DUKE OF KILKENNY. “DUKE OF HOBOKEN. “DUKE OF DENVER. “DUKE oF Poverty Frat.” CHAPTER VHT. FAIR SHAKE OR FALSE ALARM ? The scout read that queer note over twice to himself, then twice aloud for the benefit of his pards. “Deserted Jericho!” muttered Pawnee Bill, ‘Here's ee else putting their brand on this bunch of trou- ie “What do you think of it, Hickok?” inquired the scout. cor) 1 39 ° 4 Um by, answered the Laramie man. “I’ve been roll- ing that thing over in my noddle ever since the grand duke sprung it on me, and I’m no nearer understanding it than I was along at first,” » “When did you get this?” Soe ge ee pt a gk PGS fk AS ted eR tee cat eet ee ~ it ec ret he Or 26D a ae THE BUPEALO “I got in from Whipple about three a. m. and had just put up my horse and got comfortably in bed when some- body slammed a fist against my door. It was the grand duke, and he was in one grand state of excitement, I want to tell you. The all-night man at the hotel corral had made a hurry-up call on his dukelets, reported the return of Malitzin’s horse with an empty saddle and a note speared to the saddle horn, and had got the royal Russian in a royal splurge. Some one told him I had arrived—the all-night man, I reckon—so Sergius rushed me. What could I do but get up, get into my clothes, and get started for Vulture? I tried to explain to the duke that if Buffalo Bill was on the job there was no use. for any one from Laramie to apply, but when I got the sleep out of my eyes and had imbibed the contents of that note, I reckoned it would be just as well for me to comé anyway. So here | am, and there’s the note, . and you can call it a fair shake or a false alarm, just whichever you feel inclined. I’ll agree either way.” “It’s signed by five dukes,’ remarked Pawnee Bill. “That's what makes it look like a false alarm.” “But Malitzin’s horse brought it in,’ countered Wild Bill, “and that’s what makes it look like a fair shake.” “The note itself,’ observed the scout, “is fairly well constructed, correctly spelled, and neatly written. Some educated man was the author of it.” “That means,’ inferred the bowie man, ‘‘that it wasn’t a Russian.” “T don’t see How it could have been a Russian. The note itself indicates an American. There’s no Russian missing from Vulture.” “One might have slipped away,’ man. , “We'll admit that, Pard’ Hickok, but no one Russian could have captured the three Russian nobles and their two guides.” “Shades of Unk-te-hee!” exclaimed Pawnee Bill. “This brings us back to something | mentioned last night. Maybe the-guides turned on the nobles, necarnis! Maybe they got the thousand in gold, and are now making a play for twenty-five thousand more.” “That looks possible,’ agreed the scout. “Not at all,’ declared Wild Bill. ‘The two men who went as guides couldn’t write half a dozen words and spell six of ’em right. The grand duke told me who they were, and I’ve met them.” “Who were they?’ “Tack Bleeker and Rasmus Pritchett—old rawhides who’re good enough as rawhides go, but mighty shy on book learning.” 9 suggested the Laramie “And besides,’ added the scout, “Jack Bleeker and. Rasmus Pritchett have a reputation in Prescott for hon- esty. They wouldn’t turn\on Malitzin, Gregorovitch, and Sprudel.” ) “Queer thing about the affair is,’ proceeded the Lara- mie man, “that, while Natalia may have planned to do “the same thing, some one else got ahead of her.” “But who else? That’s the question.’ “There’s a way we can find out,” said the bowie man. “What’s the ante?” asked Wild Bill. “Why, take a kerosene can to Comanche Peak to- night, then get off somewhere and wait. 1 “And scare the dukes out ‘Work it so the dukes will think there’s nobody wait- ing.” “T think they’re too keen to be fooled. Any one who Bibb, STORTES: could work such a game, Pawnee, wasn’t born yester- day, or the day before.” “Listen to me,’ came a shrill voice. The door of the sleeping room opened and Mrs. Shep- ard strode out. “By gorry!’’ murmured Wild Bill. “I didn’t know there were any ladies around.” “Dis dady has been takin Keer. o the. Russian gal explained Mrs. Shepard. ‘“She’s in thar now, listenin’ an’ chucklin’ while you all are chinnin’ about what’s hap- pened.” “Do you think she knows anything about the men who . did this?” asked the scout. “No more’n you do. But I got an idee.” “What is it, Mrs. Shepard?” “Vou ever met ole Gaspard, him that has the adobe in the gully an’) comes up from Wickenburg oncet a y’ar ter work assessment ?” “No,” said the scout, “I’ve never met him.” ‘Waal, don’t meet him onless ye hev to,” went on Mrs. Shepard. “What’s the matter with him?” Mrs. Shepard leaned forward and laid the edge of her hand alongside her mouth. “He's muy malo,’ she declared, in a husky whisper. “What do you mean?” queried Pawnee Bill. “Jest that,” insisted Mrs. Shepard. “Muy malo. Sabe greaser’ “Why, yes,’ returned the scout, “we understand the meaning of the words muy malo—very bad. But just how do they apply to Gaspard?” Mrs. Shepard heaved a deep breath. “He was here to this camp oncet,” said she, “an’ 1f he ever blows in again I'll dodge him quicker’n I would a case o’ measles. That time he come right ter our house. ‘I’d like fer ter borry a pound o’ coffee,’ he says, ‘bein’ out an’ a-needin’ the same.’ Now, I didn’t hev no coffee ter lend, an’ I tells him so, flat. Then he— he looked at me; oh, he looked at me!” ‘Mrs. Shepard, overcome by that look, although more than a year had passed since 'she received it, sank limply down in a chair. ‘What happened?” asked Wild Bill, mildly excited. “T don’t know, but when I come to all the coffee in the house was gone, an’ all the sugar, an’ all the sour- dough bread. Gaspard was gone, too. Shepard he wanted to chase arter him, when I told what had hap- pened, but I told Shepard ter hush an’ keep away from that cabin in the gully. I says to you, therefer, that Gas- pard is muy malo.” “Well,” said the scout, “granting that Gaspard is muy malo, what has that to do with the horse that reached Prescott with an empty saddle and this note?” “Buffler Bill, fer land’s sake, kain’t ye put two an’ two tergether? Comanche Peak ain’t so blame’ fur from Gaspard’s cabin, an’ it was at Comanche Peak this trou- ble happened, last night. I wouldn’t put it past Gas- pard none bein’ all five o’ them dukes.an’ the Ole Boy throwed in.” Wild Bill snickered. Pawnee Bill laughed. -