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I rap BRS ETOCS TOE a IPT; LEO AINT BEC er RE BNE IG en can ly

 

  

- Devoted To

 

Coy Weekly. Entered as Second-class Matter at the New York Post Office, b) STREET & SMITH, 79-89 Seventh Ave., a aR York,
Copyright, 1918, dy STREET & SMITH. O. G. Smith and G. C. Smith, Proprietors.

 

 

 

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No. 69.

NEW YORK, January 3, 1914.

Price Five Cents.

 

Buffalo Bill in the

Land of Wonders:

Or, THE MAD CHIEF OF THE MODOGS.

By the author of ‘‘BUFFALO BILL.”

CHAPTER I.
att CALIFORNIA JOE.

A horseman, magnificently mounted, and armed with re-
volvers, knife, and Remington repeating rifle, rode slowly
along the mountain trail. His peculiar costume, his alert
and daring air, the searching glance of his eye, would have
attracted attention anywhere.

The horseman was the renowned scout and Indian Aphter,
Buffalo Bill, and the ragged ridges about him were the
lava ranges of California. He held his rifle across his sad-
dle horn, and scanned the trail before him as he rode along.
Above him a hawk soared, circling, in the blue sky.

A rifle cracked. The soaring hawk collapsed ih its flight,
and tumbled headlong toward the earth. Buffalo Bill drew
rein, watched the falling hawk, glanced keenly along the

_ trail, and out over the lava slopes, and sat awaiting devel-

opments. He was in a land of dangers, and his advance
along the trail had been made with caution.

- The Modoc Indians were reported to be in this vicinity,
and on the warpath, which was the occasion of his visit to
the place. The day before, they had made a sudden and
fierce descent on. an outlying settlement, massacring a in-
habitants and running off cattle.

_ It was reported that they had fled in this direction, for
near here were the lava beds, where they could find shel-
ter, and from which it would be difficult to rout them.

- The scout. wondered now if the hawk had not been shot
by some Indian brave, to get its wing and tail feathers to
adorn a war bonnet.

The falling hawk dropped to the eon on the other
side of a low ridge, and the scout urged his horse on, that
he might get a view of the person who had slain it.

Just before reaching the ridge, he slid out of the saddle

Nate PE he CR he ON Ok Oe
Pi Mee BO MM ee

 

8 Sm

 

and crept forward on foot. What he beheld as he peered
over surprised him so much that he rose to his feet with
an exclamation of astonishment:

“California Joe!”

A tall borderman stood in the a the breech of his
long rifle resting against the ground while he rammed home
a ball with resounding thumps of the wooden ramrod. He
turned quickly when he heard the scout and slipped a per-
cussion cap on the rifle tube, lifting the weapon at the
same time. Then he laughed, with a sense of relief.

“Buffler, by all ther gods o’ war!” he cried, throwing the
trifle into the hollow of his arm and stepping toward the
scout, while his hairy mouth expanded in a grin.

, His beard was reddish, and so was his hair; and, though

he looked gaunt and ungainly, he stepped with the alert-

ness of a young man, in spite of his years ot in the
mountains,

The scout hurried to meet him, catching the catelreicned
hand and clasping it warmly.

“Ther same ole Buffler, and ther same ole Californy
Joe!” cried the latter. “‘Put ’er thar, an’ shake! Ain’t seen
ye fer a b’ar’s age! Whar ye been, an’ what ye doin’
hyar?” . :

“First, tell me what you’re doing here, and why you
shot that hawk, which I see you haven’t picked up and
do not intend to?”

“Oh, that hawk! Well, I’d cleaned the ole rifle, ye see,
and, noticin’ that pirate of the air soaring round up thar
lookin’ fer what it might devour, I thought I’d try ther
ole gun on it and see if it was in fust-class shootin’ order.
Fer, ye see, this is Modoc country, an’, though they’ve been
so peaceable they'll feed out o’ yer hand lately, thar ain’t
never any tellin’ when they mout dig up ther hatchet and
go inter the ha’r-liftin’ bizness ag’in. An’ I’ve got some

   

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“2 NEW BUFFALO

considdable ’sponsibility restin’ on my weak shoulders at
jes’ this minute, count of a waggin traim over thar in that
valley. I war lookin’ round some, ter see if ther Modocs
had left any hoofprints of their devils’ feet round hyar.
Didn't find mone, and so cal‘lated that they war still as
peaceful as suckin’ babies. Then I seen that hawk, and
thought I’d test ther ole gun om him.”

“Is your horse near here?”

“No: I’m afoot. Country’s ruther rough, ye see, away
frum the trail, and a feller kin hoof it easier'n he kin ride
it. But, Buffler, Pm glad to see you!”

“Glad to see you, I repeat. But, Joe, the Modoes ‘are
on the warpath!”

California Joe looked round as quickly as if he had
heard a snake give its warning rattle.

“EE that’s so, Buffler, dinged ef I ain’t been an eejit!
Shootin’ at hawks, with Injuns crawlin’ round! But aire
you shore o’ this?”

The scout gave him the source of his information.

“Say, Cody, this. troubles me, fer, ye see, I’ve got a
waggin train down thar—men, weemin, and children!
They’re in fightin’ position, and ther waggin boss is a clever
feller; but if ther Modoes are really

_ He stopped, for wild yells rose from the distant valley
to which he had alluded, mingled with the sharp reports
of riflese

 “Injuns! !” cried California Joe.

“Yes; the wagon train has been attacked.”

 

California Joe swung round, with his rifle at trail, and

started down the slope.

“T got ter git thar, Cody! I feels like a murderer!”

He threw the words back at the scout as he shot aw ay,
running | at rapid speed toward the sounds of the fighting.

Buffalo Bill turned in the other direction, hurrying to
get his horse. By the time he was mounted and again at
the top of the rise, California Joe was far down the hill,
dodging in and out among the bushes that grew in the
crevices of the rocks and lava.

Buffalo Bill held to the trail as far as he could, and then
sent his horse across the tougher ground, following’ the
mountaineer.

_For a brief time, the rattle of the rifles. was like the
snapping roar of firecrackers, and, the Indian yells made a
hideous din. But the rifle fire was slacking, and the In-
dian yells soon almost ceased. All of which caused the
scout the greatest uneasiness, as he rode at headlong and
dangerous. speed toward the scene of the. fight.

CHAPTER I.
IN THE WAGON-TRAIN CAMP.

When California Joe left the wagon train, he was fol-
lowed over the rough oe by a as of bright ee until
he disappeared.

“Mr. Townsend,” said the owner of the bright eyes, ad-
dressing the master of the wagon train, “do-you bélieve in
preséntiments?”

“Presentiments, Miss Lindsay? No, I can’t say that I
do!” aes

He was a young man, and the. flash of those bright eyes
made his heart flutter at times and brought a flush to. his

cheeks, -

“VY ou'’ve had some sort of presentiment?” he went. on
>
coming toward her. - Ee ae

   

   

BILL WEERLY.

 

She was seated on a roll of bedding, near the center of
the camp, which had been pitched in the very heart of
the little valley, that it might be sufficiently removed from
the dark defiles of the ridges, which, in an Indian country,
are always dangerous places.

“T have a presentiment now; have had it ever since the
guide set out, and it’s growing on me! You'll think I’m
foolish,. I know!”

“Pardon me, but I could never think you foolish!”

“Will you mind my presentiment enough to order that
the wagons be placed back in position fora defense?” she
asked anxiously.

He stood before her, smiling down upon her.

“Of course, presentiments are usually foolish things, and
I pay no attention to them,” she admitted. “And maybe
this isn’t a presentiment, but merely that I have been made
nervous by thinking of Indians. But, just the same, I can’t
shake it off.”

“T think the guide will be back within an hour, or less,
and then we are to move on, you know. He has seen no
Indians. And, really, the Modocs have been peaceful now
for months.” ;

“But every one knows what fiends they are when they
get started!”

“Oh, they’re bad enough when they get started,” he ad-
mitted easily. “But we'll continue to believe they'll not. get
started this trip.”

“But won't you Medion, the wagons into a circle, ae
Just to please me?” she urged.

“And. have everybody laughing at you?”

“I don’t care how much they laugh at me,” she said
wilfully. “Perhaps, though, you’re afraid they'll laugh at
you? . But the master of the train shouldn’t be afraid of
comment.when he gives his orders.”

“Really, if. you. wish it very much, Miss. Lindsay?’

“I do wish it very much, Mr. Townsend; and I'll never
get done thanking you. I know that some of the other
women are as nervous and fearful as I am. And that’s
justification, isn’t it? If you relieve our fears, even though
they’re needless and foolish, that’s all the justification you
require. And the guide must be a little fearful himself,
or he wouldn’t have set out to scout about the country
before moving on with the train.”

“Queen of my heart,” said Townsend, pretending to jest,
though he meant it, “you have but to Soni mene to be
obeyed!: I'll order the thing done at once.’

He turned away, smiling and flushing, pleased with him-
self and.with this opportunity to do something that would
please Miss Lindsay.

The men laughed and jested, when they discovered that
it was Miss Lindsay’s fears that had brought the order,
and they threw little quips and jokes at her. They liked
Miss Lindsay, and they knew her story, of a singular
search that had caused her to join this wagon train and
penetrate this wild region. She was different from the
other women of the train.. They were the wives and
daughters of pioneers, almost as stern of fiber as’ their hus-
bands and fathers. Miss Lindsay was a timid woman from
the effete East, in their estimation. So, even the women,
aside from Miss Lindsay, laughed as the wagons were be-
ing parked.

In the midst of the work, they were Whbowe into a flut-
ter of excitement by the: distant report of the rifle of Cali-
fornia Joe, when, with marvelous skill, -he pines the hawk

PE Oh ee a ae ae A Bo cleat All colt tinh

 

 

 

 

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“Sava Rita eM i nse

NEW BUBRATLO

down with a rifle ball, a feat of marksmanship that would
have delighted Townsend, who admired fine shooting, and
thought he was something of a shot himself.

A tremor of fear ran through Miss Lindsay.

She leaped to her feet and stared with shining eyes in
the direction of the sound.

“I think I saw something falling,” said one of the men,
whose eyes were keen. “He’s shot something—some kind
of a bird, I guess.”

“But it may be a warning signal,’ urged Miss Lindsay.

They ceased the: work of parking the wagons to discuss
the rifle shot. s

Miss Lindsay scrambled to the top of the highest wagon
and strained her bright eyes to determine the occasion of
that shot. Then, while the camp was thus giving all its
attention in the direction of the hill occupied at the mo-
ment by California Joe and Buffalo Bill,.who had come
together there, but were not visible to the people of the
wagon train, a chorus of wild yells arose, and half the
men of the train fell dead,. shot down by a volley from

the near-by hills. This was. followed by a wild rush of -

painted redskins, who came on, howling like fiends and
shooting with their rifles and bows.

The surprised men of the wagon train attempted to
rally. The rushed to get their weapons, and began to shoot
at the oncoming redskins. They were demoralized, how-
ever, by the suddenness of the unexpected attack, and,
though they were brave, they were at a terrible disad-
vantage.

The rattle of the rifle fire and the yells of the redskins
made a very pandemonium. Mingled with this were the
screams of the startled women and children. Townsend,
the young wagon master, was as brave as the bravest. He
tried. to get his men down behind the half-formed wagon
barricade and to keep them from wild shooting. He fired
himself with the coolness and precision of a veteran. But,
in order to encourage the defenders, he unduly ,exposed
himself, and fell, shot through the brain.

Miss Julia Lindsay, whose fear of am-Indian attack had
caused the wagons to be partly parked, was standing close
by him when he fell. At the moment, she had her arms
round one of the shrieking women, trying to quiet her.
Now she leaped forward, and, catching up the repeating
“rifle that had fallen from Townsend’s lifeless hands, she
aimed it at the painted face of the redskin who, at the
moment, was climbing over the nearest wagon... With the
explosion of the weapon, he pitched from the wagon,
falling within the barricade, howling as he fell, and then
rolling over on his back, where his upturned, hideous face
lay bathed in the bright sunshine.

At the same moment, the other Indians charged through
and over the barricade, shooting and yelling; and though
the riflemen swung their clubbed rifles and tried to beat
them off, the thing was impossible, and it was all over in
a minute.

A few of the women and children were left alive, hav-
ing been spared by the victorious savages.

Miss Lindsay closed her eyes to shut out the horrid
sight, but opened them, with a shriek, when she felt brawny
arms round her waist. She had been seized by one of the
Indians, and he was attempting to drag her out of the
barricade. She fought him with her nails, and he threw
her from him, drawing a tomahawk, as if he meant to brain
her. A form came leaping toward him—a form as hideous

ey Rinnai — ae . .
ec ay AMMEN: Sat iO PP xc! sive broniteebe

BILL WEERLY. 3

as he was himself, but when he beheld this chief, whose
feathers were of the gaudiest, he fell back. What hap-
pened after that Miss Lindsay did not know, for she
dropped in a dead faint.

CHAPTER II.
AFTER THE FIGHT.

“The one man who had ridden from the barricade and
tried to escape was cut down in his wild flight by a rifle
ball. His horse, running wild, was caught by old California
Joe, as the latter rushed down the hill. Behind him, Cali-
fornia Joe heard the pounding hoofs of the horse ridden
by Buffalo Bill.

Without waiting, the old hunter and guide leaped into
the vacated saddle and rode hurriedly for the camp of the
wagon train, but Buffalo Bill, with a horse that was
speedier, overtook him before it was reached. When they
arrived there, they found the savages gone, the camp
wagons burning, and dead men and dead horses piled about
in confusion.

California Joe groaned aloud.

“My heavens, Buffler!” was all he could say at first.

Buffalo Bill was glancing at the hills and at the plain
trail which showed there. The Modocs, after sacking the
train, had carried away many things, and their trail as they
departed was as plain as a wagon road. ./His eyes were
withdrawn from the hills, and fell on the bowed form of
California Joe.

“Joe!” he said.

“Buffler, I don’t see how I kin stand it!
hyar, er ef 1’d——”

“Tf you had been here, Joe, you would have been killed,
too!”

“It must ‘a’ been my fault, Buffler; I’m afeared it was
my fault!”

“Listen to me, Joe!”
vo Y.es) Butler,’

“Be thankful you were not here. You would have been
wiped out with the others. A few more murdering red-
skins would have fallen, I don’t doubt, but you would have
been killed. Now you are alive, and can help me in the
work that’s to be done.”

“But, Buffler——”

“T know how you feel.”

“You can’t, Buffler! No man kin!”

“Ves, I know how you feel. You were not to blame in
this, and 4

“Buffler, I didn’t believe ther thing was possible.”

“T should have thought the same a few hours ago. But,
you see, the impossible has happened again. The Modocs
have been here and done their bloody work, and are gone.
They’ve carried away some women and children, I think,.
but I believe all the men are killed.”

“Every one,” said California Joe, looking about with
anguished face. _ : .

“The women were the wives of the trainmen, I suppose?”
questioned Cody.

“All but one, Buffler.”

“And who was she?”

“Miss Lindsay. And ther bravest and purtiest young
woman that ever I see. Buffler, she was as handsome and
gritty as an eagle. Townsend, the wagon master, was
dead gone on her, too, Buffler.”

“It would have been better for her if she had been

Ef I’d been

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> ‘ * a
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4 NEW BUFFALO

killed when he was, unless we can, in some way, rescue
her. She was his sweetheart, I suppose?”

“T don’t think she keered fer him, Buffler, though he’

war dead gone on her. She didn’t have any thought fer
any one but a brother that she had come out hyar ter
look fer. And a funny thing about that, Buffler, is that
she believed her brother war with them Modocs.”

“With the Modocs?”

“Ag a pris’ner, Buffer. It war a cur’us story, as she
tole it. He’d gone among them as a sort of medical mis-
sionary, and then had been lost sight of. He war one
o’ these hyar pious gents, | take it, that thinks they kin
make Injun nature over by a leetle prayer-book exercise.
So he went up among ’em, and disappeared, That war a
year er more ago; and when it war found that no track
of him could be got at by anybody, she come out hyar
‘specially to look fer him herself.”

The old hunter and guide began to survey with more
placidity of mind the death and ruin about him. He moved
here and there, talking as he thus inspected the wrecked
camp.

“Queer about that, Buffler, that she.should ’a’ been cap-
tured by ther very tribe that she’d heerd war holdin’ her
brother!”

; “Very. strange, in a sense,’ Said the scout. “It's my
opinion, Joe, that these redskins will make straight for
their holes in the lava beds. Once they are safely there, a
regiment of soldiers can’t drive them out. Ii we bad some
troopers right now to drive a hot pursuit, we might do

9

something, but as it is, Joe, I epee we shall have to .

play a lone hand.”

“Buffler,” cried California Joe fiercely, “Tm ready ter
foller them redskins ter ther jumpin’-off place! If you'll
lead on, Buffler, I’m with ye, no matter what comes of it.’

Hark)’

The scout, who had been about to dismount, straight-
ened in his saddle and put up his hand. The sounds of
rapidly galloping horses reached them.

Sitting silently in their saddles, Buffalo Bill and old Cali-
fornia Joe listened to the noise of drumming hoofs. Then
Buffalo Bill wheeled his horse round and passed quickly
through the broken wagon barricade. The old hunter came
close behind him, and both rode in the direction of the
sound.

“Troopers, Buffler ?”’

“T believe so.”

“Thank Heaven, Buffler!”

“It’s providential, at this time.”

_ Then, over the rise, where they had been themselves a
short time before, and along the beaten wagon trail, came
a cavalcade of mounted soldiers from the nearest military
post, twenty in number, led by a lieutenant.

The troopers halted, recognizing Buffalo Bill, and soon
the scout and the old hunter were in their midst, hurriedly
explaining the situation.

An eager fire flashed from the eyes of the young a
tenant.

“Then we were too late, but still in time for the pur-
suit! We heard the Modocs had broken out and were
threatening this trail, and we were sent to head them off.
We've ridden from the\post since a little before midnight.’

“The Modocs are sure to strike into the San Mateo cut-
off?” said Buffalo Bill, with a questioning inflection, speak-
ing to California Joe.

“Buffler, | think it. It’s ther shortest way fer ’em, and

BILL WEEKLY.

they'll be wantin’ ter hit a bee line now fer the lava beds,

ter git under kiver soon’s they kin.”

“Then we needn't go back to the camp to take the trail
there. We'll turn aside here. If we ride hard, we may
trap them as they emerge from the cut-off.”

This “cut-off? was a deep, cafionlike cleft, which, strik-
ing straight across the country away from the trail, and
bisecting one or two big hills, made a short, though rough,
path toward the lava beds, saving a dozen miles, that
would have to be gone over if the upper, level country
was chosen, ;

Hampered by the plunder from the wagon train and by
their prisoners, the Modocs would not be able to beat a
rapid retreat, and this fact the scout was counting on, for
the route he now thought of taking was much longer than
that of the San Mateo cut-off. But the light-riding
troopers, he knew, ought to cover it in such quick time that
the chances of trapping’ the Modocs as they came out of
the cut-off seemed good.

The scout and the old hunter rode with th he lieutenant,
at the head of the little cavalcade.

They were forced to proceed somewhat sisal through
the rough country bordering the trail. But when they
reached the more level land, where the base of the lava
hills was parklike in its open sweep, they swung into a
swift gallop, that took them over the ground at wonderful
speed,

CHAPTER IV.
AN AMBUSCADE.

But when the farther end of the San Mateo cut-off was
reached, they found that the Modoes, anticipating pursuit,
had hastened so rapidly in their flight that they had al-
ready passed through. The trail was plain there, however,
and they began to follow it, keeping now a sharp watch

against an ambuscade.

Soon they struck the lava ridges. Here the sheet of lava
from an ancient volcano lay spread out over miles of tetri-
tory. Not a bush or tree grew on its gtay-black surface,
which in places resembled pitted, black glass. There were
tifts, ot cracks, in it, some of them deep and wide enough
to bury a house, yet invisible at a short distance.

Many miles farther on were the famous lava beds, filled
with curious cavernlike holes and winding galleries, to
which the Modocs were in the habit of retreating when
hotly pursued, and from which it was ee useless to at-
tempt to dislodge them.

The Modocs, having passed through the cut-off safely,
were evidently making for the lava beds at top speed.

“I’m for riding hot after them, straight across this lava,
and charging them as soon as we see them,” declared
Lieutenant Johnson, the young officer in command.

The scout had dismounted and was examining the lava,
looking for the vanished hoofmarks of the Indian ponies;
henee, he did not hear all of this, and was not paying
much attention to it.

“If you'll permit me to express an opinion,” remarked
the scout slowly, “I will say that 1 think that a straight-
ahead pursuit would be rash just now. They have doubt-
less sighted us from one of those peaks, and their scouts
will keep us in view, you may be sure.”

“Then, what is your advice ?”

“That we follow the trail slowly, picking it up as we
go along, and keeping a sharp watch for an ambuscade.

 

  
ye
le.

 

ee Ie sO Pe,

NEW BUFFAL

There’s likely to be a trap set for us in one of the lava
clefts.”
“And that will let the redskins reach those holes in the

_ Java beds, and thea we're out of the game!”

“We can’t prevent them from reaching the lava beds now,
lieutenant. That was plain as soon as we knew they had
beaten us to this end of the cut-off. They hurried on to
this lava sheet; and now, following them is going to be
almost as difficult as it would be to trail them over asphalt
pavements.”

“Then, what in the name of Heaven are we to do?”

“Tye just told you,”’

“You'd let the Modocs gain the lava beds, here they

could laugh at the best we could then do against them?”

“I'd try strategy against them, hoping in that way to res-
cue the prisoners, even out of the lava beds.
is chiefly of those women and children.”

“So is mine. And straight ahead it is.
here, and that’s my. order.”
“Very well,’ said the scout;

“You will still lead us?”

The lieutenant really hoped Buffalo Bill would refuse
to do that. He thought he knew the way to the lava beds
now, and if he overtook and defeated the Modocs, he
wanted the glory alone.

But, to his chagrin and surprise, the scout answered:

I’m in command

“you ate in command here.”

“It is my duty to submit and obey, when my opinion

conflicts with that of the commanding officer. I will do
my best to guide you in the pursuit and avoid ambus-
cades.”

“Then, forward!” was the command. -

Having, as it were, taken the bit in his teeth,
Johnson Jed the way now with reckless speed.

At his side rode the scout.

In spite of the lieutenant’s desire for haste, wide de-
tours had to be made now and then to get round rifts in
the lava, which lay directly across their path.

Not a sign of the enemy could be detected, and only oc-
casionally could the scout see a place that looked as if a
horse had passed over it, Ahead were some lava ridges,
with bushes. and grass growing in eartth-filled crevices.

“They're waiting for us in those hills, neg if any-
where,” said the lieutenant confidently.

He fancied that his superior judgment was being
for, so far, all had gone well, and they had certainly made
lightning speed across the glassy wastes.

Then they found themselves unexpectedly on the edge
of a sheer rift in the lava rock, the rift forming a big Y
at this point. All unaware of it, they had ridden between
the two prongs of the Y. Thus there was a rift on each
side of them and one in front, and from these three points
a deadly fire was poured into them, without a word of
warning.

The Y-shaped crevice was swarming with Modoc war-
riors, who fired over the edge of the lava rock, adding
their wild yells to the crackle of their rifles. ;

The troopers, caught thus between three fires, huddled
together, some of them falling, with their horses.

Lieutenant Johnson’s horse dropped at the first fire,
pitching the rash young officer to the ground, where he
fell sprawling.

A feathered brave sprang, with desperate courage, out
of the crevice at the junction of the Y and sought to scalp
him, but was shot dead by the redoubtable scout.

Buffalo Bill was about to fling himself out of the sad-

My thought

Lieutenant.

proved,

wehbe onan anile bien saree seem renee adetermteantriihcectecin ie nensahenten

BILL WEEKLY. ae

die and go to the aid of the lieutenant, at the risk of his
own life, when he saw that) officer shot and killed as he
tried to rise. ;

The scout yelled. an order to retreat, be it was hardly
needed. The troopers, panic-stricken, with half their num-
ber down or dead, were jammed together between the horns
of the Y and trying to back away from the rifle fire that
spat at them fromm every side.

Buffalo Bill backed his horse out, following them, though
more troopers fell while this maneuver was being exe-
cuted.

Then, in a tangled mass, the men and horses left alive
escaped from the deadly trap into which they had run.

Buffalo Bill and old California Joe covered the wild re-
treat as well as they could, shooting at the Indians who
now swarmed. out of the Y.

The troopers rode madly, lashing their horses. They
were courageous men, bat they were now demoralized.
Death was behind them, and they thought only of flight,
for flight seemed the only thing possible.

‘Less than ten of them escaped across the lava wastes,

with Buffalo Bill and California Joe still holding back
as well as they could the triumphant pursuit of the Mo-
docs.

“Buffler, we've got ter scatter hyar, whar we kin, er we'll
be all wiped out!’ said the old hunter.

“You're right, Joe!” the scout responded.

His horse was bleeding from a dozen wounds and could
hardly go, and the animal ridden by California Joe was
tottering. Hence, near the point where the cut-off ended,
they abandoned the horses that had served them so well,
and ran for the shelter of the bush-covered ridges.

The troopers, whose horses were still in good condition,
were riding in mad flight through the cut-off. The scout -
and the hunter had sacrificed their own horses and im-
periled their own lives to give them a chance to do this.

Few men were better able to thread their way through a
difficult region and find hiding-places that would baffle
trailers than the scout and the old hunter who was now
his sole companion. They concealed their trail on the lava
slopes, and then, descending into the cut-off, they found
a niche high up on one of its sides, where they crouched,
hoping that they would not be discovered there. A little
later, they saw the pursuing Modocs riding wildly through
the cut-off in pursuit of the few fleeing troopers.

CHAPTER V.
TWO MODOC CAPTIVES.

Buffalo Bill feared he would be blamed at the fort for
the disaster which had overtaken the troopers. In spite
of the fact that the lieutenant in command had insisted
on his own will in the matter, Buffalo Bill was the scout,
whose duty it was to guard against ambush. That he had
not been able to do so, though he had tried hard enough,
was not his fault, yet it might be imputed to him as a
fault.

From their niche, he and California Joe watched the
cut-off and such portions of the lava slopes as were in
range of their. vision. Now and then, on the lava ridges,
they beheld a crawling form, and occasionally an eagle
feather bobbed into view on the slépe over which they had
passed. n

All of this proved that their horses had been found and
identified, and that the Modocs were trying to locate them.

adh ib raineontie OM N

 
 

 

6 | NEW BUFFALO

The day passed slowly. Fewer evidences were seen of

‘the presence.of Indians with the passage of the hours.

Yet the scout and the guide would not venture from their
place of concealment, well knowing the craftiness of the
foe they had to deal with.

Just at sunset, two of the Modocs who had. followed
the troopers came riding back through the cut-off. One of
them carried a bloody scalp dangling on the end of his
long lance. °

Somewhat to the surprise of the scout and the hunter,
these returning Modocs went into camp at the entrance of
the cut-off and there kindled a fire, showing that they
probably meant to remain all night.

“Which shows,” said the scout, “that they feel sure the
main body has reached the lava beds long before this, and
that no other Modocs are now around here. You know
we haven't seen signal smoke anywhere.”

“They ain’t the leastest idee, Buffler, that we're up hyar.”

“T know what you’re thinking about.”

“Could we do it, Buffler?”

The scout’s eyes sparkled with eagerness.

“We may think it worth while to try it later.”

“After ther reds has snuggled down fer ther night and
aire asleep?” :

“Yes, that’s what I mean,”

The scout took out his field glasses, which he had car-
ried through all in a case swung from his shoulders, and,
adjusting them, studied the Modocs in camp.

“They're tired, and so are their horses, and that’s. why
they've camped. They gave the troopers a long chase.”

“And killed and sculped one of ’em, Buffler!”

“We'll slip out of this place as soon as it’s dark enough,”
said the scout, as he put away the glasses. “I see just
how we can get near that camp, ae I think we can do
it without making a noise.”

“It’s ther trick, Buffler, ef we kin work it!”

As soon as the shelf where they crouched was buried
in shadow, they crept down the sides of the cut-off, de-
scending carefully and with difficulty.

It required nearly an hour of hard work for them to
reach the cut-off trail, by merely following which. they
could arrive at the Modoc camp.” The sun had long since
cast his last red light on the high cliffs; and the shadows
in the cut-off were deep when the scout and old California
Joe crept forward.

The Indian camp fire had not yet died out, and the
two Indians were sitting before ee fire, talking and smok-
ing their pipes.

Having sighted the camp, Buffalo Bill and California
Joe lay flat on their stomachs, some distance away, and

« talked in whispers so low that they could not have been

heard two yards off.

“Tf we can make prisoners of those redskins and take
them to the fort, we shall be in position to treat for the
prisoners held now in the lava beds,” remarked the scout,
repeating what he had said a dozen times since it was
known that the Modocs were encamped here for the night.
“They are both chiefs.”

“Right ye aire, Buffler, and I’m wi’ ye to the end!”

For two long hours the scout and the hunter lay there. —

They watched the camp fire as it died out, and they saw
the two Modces dispose themselves for the night.

When sure that the Indians were asleep, Buffalo Bill
and California Joe began their movement, which was a
snakelike crawl, upon the camp. They proceeded so slowly

   

BIL. WEERLY.

that if any one could have seen them, that one might have
been pardoned for thinking they did not move _at all.

They had some rawhide thongs and nooses ready, and
the chiefs were attacked by the two friends at the same
times

The one upon whom Buffalo Bill threw himself was a
giant in size and strength, and, though taken at such a dis-
advantage, he made a fierce fight, sending out a gurgling
cry for help as soon as he knew he was in the grasp of
an enemy. The Modoc attacked by California Joe was
smaller and more wiry. Though not so strong as the big
Californian, he yet possessed a certain slipperiness and
strength that made him a tough customer to deal with,
and the old hunter found himself engaged in about as
fierce a combat as he had ever been mixed up in.

Not until they had been literally choked’ into insensibility
did the Indians cease to struggle.

“Waugh! But this hyar feller fit like a she-b’ar!” the
old hunter panted, as he placed the thongs on the wrists
and ankles of the chief he had subdued, breathing heavily
as he did so. “Buffler, I didn’t know one time but I'd bit
off more’n I could chaw. I fit.a wild cat onct wi? my naked
hands, and he warn’t a sarcumstance ter this critter.”

“The same over here,” said the scout, as he, too, tied
his captive, who lay insensible now, breathing in heavy,
choking snorts. “Watch them, and I'll look to the ponies!”

Having secured his captive, Buffalo Bill now rose to his
feet and walked out to where the Indian ponies were
lariated for the night. The ponies had stopped their nib-
bling at the grass, and were standing with ears pricked
forward, having heard the sounds of the struggles by the
camp fire. They leaped away and ran round in circles
to the length of their tethers, when the scout approached
them.

The scout drew out the wooden picket pins, tied the
ponies together, placed on their backs the rawhide Indian
substitutes for saddles, and, in their mouths, the rawhide-

thong bridles, and then led them, snorting, up to the camp
fire.

By this time the captive chiefs were returning to a
knowledge of the world, discovering that they were pris-
oners of white men, and that the outlook for them was
rather dark, for they, not being in the habit of showing
mercy to prisoners, expected none for themselves. If Cali-
fornia Joe, who sat guarding them with ready rifle, had
stepped forward to drive a tomahawk into their brains,
he would not have done wrong, according to their code.
They would have done that to him, if their positions were
reversed.

But when they now saw that the ponies had been brought
up, they perceived that their fate was not to be immediate
death, but captivity.

The big chief, who had recovered first, and whose facul-
ties were almost completely restored by this time, began
to taunt California Joe, hoping thereby to induce the old
mountaineer to kill him at once, for, to his mind, to be
carried, a captive of the white men, to the white men’s fort
was the worst fate that could befall him.

The other Indian, roused by this, added to the castiga-
tion, both heaping up epithets until imagination and hate
could do no more,

California Joe sat breathing heavily, fingering the trigger
of his rifle, hardly able to withstand this stream of abuse,
but the scout merely smiled at the mad ravings of the

   

 
 

TTA

NEW

ey

BUPFALO

desperate chieftains, and went on with his hurried prepara-
tions.

“Now, up with this one!”
Joe.

The smaller of the Indians was hoisted to the back of
a pony, where he was tied in position by one of the In-
dian lariats. Then the larger Indian was placed on a pony,
and tied in the same way.

The scouts mounted the Indian ponies, thet the pris-
oners, and set out through the pass of the San Mateo cut-
off.

When ee came, the fort was before them, show-
ing a stir of life.

_ Buffalo Bill sang out to the cue, and the latter chal-
lenged:

“Who goes there?”

The answer rang out clearly:

“W. F. Cody and California Joe, with Matec pris-
oners !”

he said, at length, to California

CHAPTER VI
AT THE FORT.

No one was more astonished to behold Buffalo Bill than
Colonel Granger, the commandant of the post.

“Cody!” he cried, coming forward, after-the scout and
California Joe had been permitted to pass Heraugh the
gates with their prisoners.

-Granger’s face was beaming with pleasure, and his hand
was. extended. He had risen but a few minutes before,
and had hardly completed dressing. .

“The troopers, those who got. back, penoried that you
“te been killed near the lava beds! We have made prepa-
rations to send a stronger force in pursuit, and that’s why
I am up so early, and the camp, too. Cody, you're wel-
come!”

The scout satesduced Caeeeaa Joe, and then spoke of -

the prisoners, who sat, silent and sullen, blinking owlishly.

Soldiers had gathered. round them.

“This has been a sad affair, Cody,” Granger went on.
“Truly, a sad affair. The foss of Lieutenant Johnson is
to be deplored. He was a gallant and capable young of-
ficer. Not half of the score of troopers he took out re-
turned. All the rest are killed, I suppose. But won't you
dismount, Cody?” a
“fF should like to have the prisoners held in the guard-
house, Colonel Granger,” said the scout. “And it will be
well to give them breakfast, if they’re not too stubborn
to eat. I have a plan in connection with them.”

“You didn’t capture them in the a i
“No. PU tell you about’ ‘ that soon,’
mounting. —

California Joe slid off the back of his pony, and the
prisoners were taken in charge by the soldiers. -

The animals were led away, to be stabled and fed, and
_ the scout and the old mountaineer followed Colonel Gran-
ger into the post headquarters. There the colonel ordered
breakfast for all, and while they were eating it, Buffalo
Bill told his story, to: which California Joe added sundry
characteristic comments.
 “T dunno, colonel, but itd be ther proper thing fer me
ter jump fer some city, and become a common, no-nose
citerzen, sense this hyar has happened,” old Joe admitted.

“1 feels like a shepherd dog that’s let the wolves git inter.

-his flock... I ain't any excuses ter. make fer myself, I

’ said Cody, dis--

Piet ewttoslpe ai imadhn> iitoaanets iy acovrsastinn Moiese

BILL WEEKLY. OS 7

reckon ef I'd done my whole and bounden duty, ther
Modocs wouldn’t massacreed ther waggin train.

“It's ther women and childern that aire ha’ntin’ me, cun-
nel!” he declared pathetically. “I ain’t had any chance
ter sleep sense ther thing happened, but I know that when
I does close my eyes fer a few winks, ’m goin’ ter see
them women and childern standin’ right in front of me.
But I ain’t give up savin’ ’em yit.”’ Z

“And that’s what we want to talk of,’ urged the scout.
“About those women and children.”

Outside, the blare of trumpets was heard, and men were
moving about hurriedly.

“If you haven’t had any sleep, Cody-———” the colonel. he.
gan, but was cut short by the scout.

“That doesn’t matter in the least. I’m ready. to start as
soon as the troopers are. But we've got to accomplish
the release of those prisoners in some other manner than
by fighting.”

“We couldn’: take the lava beds: » at

“Not without heavy loss, if at all; and that wouldn't
save the prisoners. . The Modocs scene simply kill them,
if they found they couldn’t hold them.

“And that brings. me to explain why California Jos arid
I captured these two Modoc chiefs and brought. them here.
We want to try to exchange them for the white prisoners
held by. the Madocs.” . ,

Colonel Granger’s. face beamed.

“Just the thing, Cody! If it can be done.
in communication -with them?”

“We can try: it.”

Very true, And rl go with. you,
troopers.”

He rose from. the table, and gave an order to a ‘man. be-
-yond the door.

A further eaneuladn was tiow held, ‘which was ded
voted to details; and here it. was finally decided that the
scout and California. Joe should precede a heavy body of
troopers, and. try to: get into communication with the Mo-
docs in the lava beds.

The Modoe. chiefs should be held with. the” troopers, ‘and
the latter would. be under the immediate. command of
Colonel Granger. Points of rendezvous were fixed, -and

Can we get

or go with ‘the

~ times of meeting agreed on.

Not more than an hour was. capes ieee a time
of the arrival of Buffalo Bill and California Joe and. the
time in which they again passed through the -strong gates

-and turned the heads. of their horses toward the. moun-
tains. They had good horses under them, were. well
armed, carried a plentiful supply of ammunition, and their
‘saddle pouches. were filled with food.

CHAPTER VU.
THE MAD CHIEF OF THE Monocs,

‘California has been called the land of wonders. .It.has
marvelous and fertile valleys, and to-day stands: unrivaled
as the home of fruits and flowers; it has, in some sections,
a climate that is almost tropical, and in: other sections great
mountain peaks: and ranges, that are the home of glaciers.
Yet throughout its length and breadth its region 6f ex-
tinct craters and lava. beds is, eit tee as ene as
any other of its possessions. :

Buffalo Bill and old California: Jos: had plunged into
this strange region.

“You has-been ter. Crater Lake, Cody?” asked the ‘old

peal vais sit smears,

 
 

Seen

it
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4

8 a 7 NEW BUBRALO

Hone as they rode on, after many hours of eee
horseback exercise.

“More than once.”

“Waal, it aire cert’in a cur’us one! Thar is a lake, in
a round hole in ther mountaintop, which the book scholars
calls an extink crater. Thar it sets, jes’ like clear water in
a big black cup, wi’ cliff walls risin’ round it, cuppin’ it
in; tremenjous big cliff walls, straight as the sides of a
house. It aire shore cur’us. I been boatin’ on it more’n
once.”

“The same here.”

“And then thar’s the lava beds. Seems as ef ther Lord
made ’em jes’ fer Injuns ter hide in, though it don’t ac-
cord with my idea o’ ther Lord’s goodness. But think o’
them lava beds! Thar is that black lava rock, ye may
call it, lookin’, a good deal of it, like black glass, poured
out by volecaners I dunno how many years ago, and no-
body. don’t know; and thar it is, lookin’ jes’ as ef it had
cooled week afore last, wi’ ‘all ther wrinkles in it, and the
little holes, and ther big ones—little holes rio bigger’n the
pint of a needle, and others big ernough ter be caves:
Did ther good Lord make them lava beds jes’ fer Modoes
tet hide in arter they’d been cuttin’ up ’specially bad?”

“Nature made the lava beds; the Modocs utilize them.”

Cody drew rein.

Before them were lava ridges and rocky
sected by ravines and dry -cafions.

“See suthin’, Buffler?” asked California Joe anxiously:

“No; but we’re now ina dangerous au and 7 wish
I but knew what those hills contain.”

“Rattlesnakes, Buffler, both of the human and the rep-
tile variety. You can’t go wrong in guessin’ that.”

‘The scout surveyed the ridges with his field glasses.

‘ “Nothing visible, at any rate,” he said, yet his tone was
anxious, even though he rode on.

slopes, inter-

It was not until the next day that the scout had in-
dubitable evidence that those bare slopes and hills held
enemies in the shape of Modocs, though he suspected it
long before. He and California Joe were still together,
and the region of the lava beds, where it was supposed
the retreating redskins had taken shelter, was not distant.

Descending into a windy ravine that held in its bottom
some powdery sand heaps, which the wind shifted almost
constantly, the keen eyes of the scout detected moccasin
tracks that the sand had almost covered over.

He sat still in his saddle, studying them, and pointed

~ them out to California Joe. Dy:

The eddying of the sand, which swept to and. fro, mak-
ing the sand seem-to wriggle and crawl, was an interest-
ing thing of itself, and by watching its effect on those
moccasin tracks the scout became convinced that they had

fot been there half an hour, or the sand would have buried -
‘them completely.

“He ventured to run along here, even though there is
sand, because he thought the sand would hide his tracks
in. almost no time.’ > —- .

Thus commented the scout.

“What I’m thinkin’ about is that ther . cuss may be ua
in’ bead on one o’ us at this minute!”

California Joe’s keen eyes swept the ravine and the
sharp, rocky slopes as far as he could see.

Buffalo. Bill drew a revolver. Guiding his horse with
his knees, while his eyes sought the darkest shadows be-
fore him, he began to follow that trail.

LARD MANE ER AO EE ERS ER REIS Bae Re BM DTN
A as gy " yi .

se ee ee

 

~

BILL WEEKLY. ,

At the upper end of the ravine he lost it, for there the
sand had shifted enough to obliterate the tracks entirely.

“T think I’ll prospect ahead a little,” he said, af you'll
stay here with the horses, Joe.”

He slipped from the saddle, alighting with the springy
grace of a youth, tossed his bridle rein to old California
Joe, crept out of the ravine, and vanished from sight.

When hé had gone a half mile or more in what he felt
sure was the direction taken by the Modoc, he found be-
fore him a barren cafion, across which a slender tree trunk
had been blown by some storm, the trunk offering the
only means of. crossing.

He stood back in the hills some time, studying that cafion
and its tree-trtink bridge. .

As he stood thus, he was, all unknown to himself, the
target of a pair of bright, restless eyes, that literally glared
at him from the opposite side of the cafion.

The owner of those eyes was an Indian known as the.
Mad Chief, one of the most implacable of the Modoc
leaders, whose fierceness and vindictiveness were notori-
ous. Even the Modocs believed that at times his mind was
unbalanced; at other times, however, they were ready to

_think that the rages into which he flew, the desperate deeds

he accomplished; and his reckless daring and scorn of
fear were indications that he was not a madman, but a
favorite of the spirits, who protected him in all his rash-
ness.
The Mad Chief had been doing a little scouting on his
own account, for he felt sure that pursuit of. some kind
would be attempted. :

The footsteps seen in the sand of the ravine had been

-made by him. He had not been aware, however, that they

had been detected until he beheld Buffalo Bill coming to-
ward him. Then he quickly crossed the log over the cafion
and dropped down in a little hollow in the rocks at its
farther end, where he lay cunningly hidden, as the scout
came on. :

The wicked little eyes of the Mad Chief gleamed with
apparently the fire of insanity as he watched the scout
now. :

Yet he feared to lift himself out of his concealment and
fire an arrow at Buffalo Bill, The arrow might slip on
the bowstring, or not slay, and then, he felt, he would be —
at the mercy of Long Hair, whose deadliness of aim had
given him a reputation that made him dreaded. ©

After a time, when he could see no foe at the other end
of the log, the scout mounted it and began to cross. He
was in the middle of the log, with the swimming depths
below, and was giving close attention to his footing, when
the Mad Chief, rising cautiously, sent an arrow at his head.

The scout heard the twang of the bowstring and the
flirt of the feathered shaft in time to duck. The arrow,
aimed at his face, scraped the top of his head.

Startled, and momentarily dazed by the scraping stroke
of the arrow, the scout fell from the log, but he caught
the log as he tumbled, and succeeded in stopping his de-

_ scent, though he dropped his rifle into the cafion.

He began to draw himself up, to regain his position, as
the Indian dashed out upon the log, with his tomahawk

- swinging.

Buffalo Bill clung to the shaking and. aisneet log for
dear life, while the Mad Chief dashed forward to brain
him. As it was impossible for the scout to lift himself to
his former position in time to meet this deadly rush, he .
swung under the log, to avoid the blow of the tomahawk

Wes Amt TR be, 8 ie es sa Tn SAN can Lan i mt
¥ 2 ‘ SAO OR GN ge af VE

 

i ie mt CoN ay ON
 

NEW BUFFALO

- aimed at his head, and as he did so, he caught the. chief
by the ankle.

The tremendous jerk and the Buscilar power of the
scout lost the Mad Chief his footing. He went over, top-
pling, but caught the log with one hand and the scout’s
shoulder with the other.

The. struggle that followed was terrific and strange. . Be-
low was the cafion, so that it was practically a combat in
mid-air, with the chief and the scout clinging to the log
by a hand and using the other hand against his foe. The
scout tried to get out his knife. The chief drew closer to
him to prevent this. Dropping the knife, the scout caught
the chief by the throat. What followed was like the writh-
ing combat of two serpents twined in mid-air round the
limb of a tree. The log shook and swayed frightfully,
and seemed about to topple into the cafion and carry them
with it.

That death grip gained by the scout on the throat of the.

Mad Chief told very quickly, for, though the chief writhed
and struggled, he could not break the scout’s hold. .Grad-
ually his struggles grew weaker; his hoarse gurgling told
that his breath had been shut off, and he was choking. |

With a last desperate effort, he now threw both arms
round the scout’s shoulders, and thus he clung, with the
blind tenacity of a dying bulldog, hoping to-carry the scout
down into the cafion with him. But his strength failed in
_the effort, and he fell swiftly through space.

The scout clung, shuddering, to the log, which swayed
and trembled from the rebound when the Indian’s weight
was detached from it.. He beard a heavy thud below,
where the chief struck, and then followed silence. Buf-
falo Bill then began to climb up on the log. He was too
weak, however, even when he gained it, to walk upright,
as at first, but crawled on across, and dropped from. the
log, nerveless and faint, at its farther end.

The great scout lay there, in the hollow which had con-
cealed the Mad Chief so ‘short a time before. Never had
he! been nearer a horrible death, it seemed to him, than a
few minutes before.

While thus trying to get back his spent strength, he

lack of ordinary caution in

He had

blam2d himself unjustly with a
letting himself get caught in a trap so terrible.

heard of the Mad Chief, and recognized that it was he

who had made that reckless attack.
After a time, the scout rose unsteadily to his feet. Cali-
fornia Joe was not in sight, and no Modocs were visible.

“T’ll have to get my rifle and knife,’ he thought, as he
going to .
be a hard climb. That reckless Indian paid for his reck- .

looked down into the cafion. “I’m shaky, and it’s

lessness pretty dearly. And it was ony a chance that kept
me from being down there with him.”

He walked along the edge of the precipice, leoleas for

a way of descent, and found a rough path that led part
way down. A portion of the descent was, however, pe-
culidrly difficult. Yet the scout was so anxious to regain

his knife and rifle that he made his way down, in spite On.

the difficulties.

He expected to find the body of the chief lying in, thie
bottom of the cafion. What he beheld was a small sand
bank, with the impression of the chief’s body, revealing
where he had struck, and footprints showing where he
had walked away. The terrific fall had not killed the Mad
Chief, after all.

“The soft sand broke the fore of the fall ana saved
him!” said the scout.

 

ak I BNR Us a ad SN ERSTE RS are ARLE hast telly Need a a Rl oe a le aeRO Ty

BILL WEEKLY. 9”
He picked up his knife and rifle, wondering why the:
chief had not taken them, and looked about warily.
Then he saw the chief’s knife, likewise the arrow he had

fired, and which, after scraping the scout’s head, had struck

the cafion wall, and, bounding back, had dropped here.

“He was too dazed, after that fall, to know what he
was doing. Otherwise, he would have taken my knife and
rifle, for the purpose of disarming me. His own knife.
and the arrow left here shows he hardly knew what he
was doing when he hurried away.”

The scout warily searched the cafion with his eyes as
far as he could see, and then he began to follow those
footsteps.

They led along the cafion for some distance, and then dis-
appeared.

He heard a movement over his head, and then caught
sight of the Mad Chief disappearing among the bowlders..

The chief was too frightened to take another shot’ at
the scout, or else he had lost his bow and quiver of ar-
rows.

He vanished, and did not reappear, though for some time
the scout stood in the cafion, with rifle ee watching
for him.

“Tf he doesn’t try to ambush me again, or ambush Cali-
fornia Joe, he will-hurry on to the lava beds, with news
for the Modocs. Well, let him go. I’m thankful to have
escaped so easily. But the Modocs will know now that
1 have reached this point, and they will feel sure that sol-
diers are not far behind.”

CHAPTER VIII.
THE CAPTURE OF THE MAD CHIEF,

Old California Joe had left his horse hidden in a ravine
and was exploring among-the rocks near the same canon,
when he heard hurried footsteps advancing. -

“Injun moccasins!’ he said to himself, for that soft -
padding sound of «noccasined feet was unmistakable. E

Then: he beheld a wild-looking Modoc come into view,
his eyes rolling, his clothing torn, his eagle feathers gone, .
and his painted face exhibiting every mark of insanity, or
fright. :

“Ther Mad Chief!” he said. “And he shore looks ‘it
now! I jedge he’s been close up ter a grizzly b’ar, frum
ther appearance of him.”

The Mad Chief, in getting out of the cafion, had climbed
out on that side. He was still wild- eyed and dazed, and the
old hunter heard him muttering almost incoherently.

Owing to ‘his mental state, he did not see old Califor-
nia Joe, and ran almost into him, and then it was too late,
for California Joe had clutched him in a bearlike hug,
with a strength that was crushing.

The startled chief struggled fiercely, but he was, at the
moment, no match for the old hunter, and in a ae while
he was subdued.

‘Lying on the ground, with be hands and feet tied, he
glared wildly at the man Nae had so unexpectedly cap-
tured’ him.

“I know you're ihe: Mad Chick all right, but yer needn’t
think ye ‘can stab me ter death with hard looks!” cried the
old man, as he made the cords tighter. “You war in some
kind of a moonin’ fit, I take it, when you come a-ramblin’

along hyar, and that’s why you proved ter be so oan

1

easy. Now, ef I knowed whar Buffler is!
Then he heard footsteps, and found that Buffalo Bill,

orcs ae aa
acelin eee

 
     

   
 

   
   
 
  
  
   
  
   
    
   
  
 
    
   
  
  
  
 
 
  
   
   
 
   
  
   
   
 
  
  
   
     
    
  
 
   
  
  

 

 

 

 

 
  

   

  
  

    
   

 

10 | NEW BUFFALO

who had also climbed out on that side of the cafion, was
approaching. mae A

The. scdut was almost too astonished for words when
he saw that the Mad Chief had fallen into the hands of
old California Joe.

“But,” he said thoughtfully, “it’s just ee we want.
We can send our message to’ the Modocs by him.”

“And let: him gor ?” cried the old man. -

“Why not?

- They drew aside to confer over ‘oe and the scout told
fully of his nearly fatal encounter.

' Returning, the scout spoke to the Mad Chiet
otted Deer,” he «said, addressing the chief by name,
want to’ have a talk with you.’

   

rT

rhe Mad Chief did not respond, nor appear: ‘to hear.

scout and the hunter sat down before him.

  
   

spotted Deer, the horse soldiers of the white man are
near. They hold as prisoners two chiefs of the Modocs—
Running Elk and Red Panther.”

a iS Mad Chief showed symptoms of eee when he
heard that

hone two chiefs have been captured and are held now,
but will be restored to their people, unharmed, if the Mo-

docs will release the white prisoners they now hold in the »
Now, we are going to let you go, that you may

lava beds.
carty this message to your people.”

The bright eyes of the chief burned strangely and his
bosom téaveden io

California Joe plucked at the scout’s sleeve.

“Look at his eyes! Kin ye trust him, Buffler?”’

“There is one reason that will make him deliver the
message, as I told you--Red Panther is his son.”

For a few moments the. scout and the hunter. sat in
silence, watching the mental strugele of the chief, and
wondering if his mind was deranged, or if his eccentric-
ities were but part of a singular nature.

Then the scout spoke again:

“What does'Spotted Deer say? Red Panther is Spotted
Deer’s son. If the white prisoners are not released, then
Red Panther dies before the rifles of the white soldiers.
Let Spotted Deer think of that.”

Suddenly the chief spoke:

SL wall go!”

The scout bent over him and cut the cords on his wrists

and ankles.

“Spotted Deer,” he said, as the Mad Chief rose to his
feet, “the white horse soldiers will be at.the foot of the red
cliff over yonder to-morrow morning, and will have with
them Running Elk and Red Panther They will wait there
for you. If you bring the white prisoners—all of them—
and deliver them up, Red Panther and Running Elk will
be delivered to you unharmed. You need not surrender the
white prisoners until you have seen that those two chiefs
are with the white soldiers. Now, you may go,”

Buffalo Bill spoke kindly. Harshness could avail noth-
ing, and he would have regretted his combat. with the Mad
Chief but for the. fact that, indirectly, it had driven the
latter into the hands of California Joe,

For a moment the chief stood starit ng ‘straight betote
him, with eyes that burned strangely. and bosom that heaved
with varying emotions, and then he started off, without a
word. i

California Joe drew his long rifle across his knees, to
have it ready, though it did not seem that the Mad Chief

BILL WEEKLY.

°

could find an opportunity to commit an aet of treachery,
and together the two white men es him until’ he was

‘out of sight.

’

“Now we'll go back to our horses,” said pia Fhaut “and
then we'll find the troopers, and report to the colonel what
we have done, Luck rather fell our way when I ran into
that rascal on the log over that cafion, though I thought
at the time that I had met my finish,”

“T think, Buffer, that I'l] look at that arrer scratch on
yer head ’fore we go on, as it’s bleedin’ pornes" California
Joe remarked solicitously.

Like all men of his class, California Joe possessed a
rude knowledge of surgery that was very serviceable at
times. Now he examined the wound made by the arrow,
cleansed it as well as he could, and bound it up with a
strip of cloth from the scout’s hunting shirt. !

“Jes: a scratch, as ye said, Buffler, but, a leetle lower,
and it'd ’a’ sent ye ter kingdom come. I wonder you war
able ter do any fightin’ at all arter gittin’ that, and ‘specially
sitivated as ye war at ther time. I’d ’a’ give suthin’ hand-
some ter ‘a’ seen that aire -fight.”

Buffalo Bill acknowledged that he was not even yet
feeling as well as he should have liked, yet he mounted
his horse, and the two old comrades rode away together,
for the purpose of meeting the troopers and communi-
cating with them in regard to the plans which they hoped
would result in the release of the prisoners of the lava
beds,

CHAPTER IX.
MODOC TREACHERY.

Early the next morning. the troopers from the fort drew
out in front of the red cliff mentioned to the Mad Chief
by Buffale Bill. They were fully armed, and watchful
against treachery. The Modoes, it was known, were not
Indians whe could be trusted.

Buffalo Bill anc& old California Joe were with the
troopers, and there, also, were the two Indian prisoners,
Red Panther and Running Elk,

Shortly afterward, a number of Modoes appeared out
in the distance, as if they feared to approach nearer.
Among them was the Mad Chief. Some hesitation fol-
lowed on the part of the Indians, and then a subchief rode
forward, bearing a piece of white deerskin as a white flag.

“They want to consult about something, Cody,” said
Granger, who had come out with the troopers in person.
“I think I’d better meet that fellow.”

“Be watchful against treachery, if you do,” the scout
advised.

Granger rode forth alone to meet the messenger of the
Modoes, who had stopped when much less aoe halfway
to the troopers.

“I don’t see the women and children,” remarked the scout
suspiciously to California Joe.

“They've got ’em back thar among the rocks ahint ’em,
I reckon, ef they brung ’em at all,”

Colonel Granger was seen to join the Indian messenger
Apparently some wrangling talk followed, for he was ob-
served to gesticulate, and once the Indian appeared to lift
his tomahawk,

Suddenly two other Indian chiefs spurred cut to join
the little group.

“We'll have to even things,”
spurs to his horse.

said the scout, touching
“Come, Joe!”

 
     

 

  
 

ares Te

NEW BUFFALO

The scout and the old hunter galloped forth,
had a look they did not like.

The troopers left behind, under command of a lieutenant,
fingered their carbines nervously.

The Mad Chief now appeared, riding toward the group,
and a stir was observed in the midst of the Indians left
behind.

“If any more Indians ride out there, we'll charge them,”
said the young lieutenant to his men. “I don’t like the
looks of this.”

Yet he had no authority to make a movement until an
order was received from the colonel in command.

The Mad Chief reached the common meeting ground.
almost as soon as Buffafo Bill and California Joe. His
little eyes were burning brightly, and his face showed his
malignant temper.

“How is this, Spotted Deer?” the scout demanded. “We
have Red Panther and Running Elk ‘over there, ready to
exchange them for the white prisoners. Where are the
white prisoners?”.

“T talk not with you,”
with him.”

He pointed to Colonel Granger.

“Well, where are the prisoners you took?” Granger de-
manded. “I have asked this fellow, and received no proper
answer. We are here to make the exchange.”

The colonel was fast losing his temper, for he felt that
he was being trifled with, and perhaps for a purpose.

Other Indians came riding forth, galloping wildly, to
join this group.

“We'd better beat a retreat, colonel,”
“This smells of treachery:”

-“T demand to know where the white prisoners are!”
said Granger, addressing the Mad Chief, Spotted Deer.

“They are where you will be now!” yelled the Mad
Chief, in the Modoc tongue, as he whirled his tomahawk,
striking Colonel Granger with it from the saddle.

Buffalo Bill fired at the Mad Chief almost instantly,
for he had been fearing something of the kind, but the
rearing of his horse caused him to overshoot.

He saw that Granger was only wounded, but that he
would be killed, for his foot had caught in the stirrup,
and his horse was beginning to ruin.

The other three Indians were rushing upon Buffalo
Bill and California Joe, as the scout dashed to save the
colonel from being dragged to death.

The thundering hoofs of the approaching Indian riders
and their shrill yells told more than words could do of
the treachery of the Modocs, but there came the answering
cheers of the troopers, as they charged now to the rescue
of the imperiled white men.

Old California Joe shot an Indian from his saddle, and
then swung his long rifle as if it were a club. Then his
horse and that of the scout went down, slain by bullets,
and the scout, not having yet reached the colonel, found
himself on the ground.

Still desirous of‘ saving the life of Colonel Granger,
he leaped for the dangling bridle rein, but the plunging
horse evaded him and dashed away, dragging its unfor-
tunate rider. -

The scout turned at bay, drawing his revolvers now, but
the movement to save himself had been too late.

for. this

said Spotted Deer insolently, “but

said the scout.

The Mad Chief was leaping on him, striking with his
tomahawk.

The scout threw up his revolver hand and fired. The.

NiO LESSEE San ME i

tateh ME WARES ES Rog halo ESRI

BILL WEEKLY. ih
movement doubtless saved his life, if it did no more, for
it turned aside the edge of the tomahawk, and, though the
weapon struck him on the side of the head, it was the flat
of the tomahawk that delivered the blow.

The scout’s revolver flamed its contents ineffectively, and
then he fell, stricken to the earth.

Old California Joe stood over him, swinging that terrible
rifle and roaring like a madman, while the treacherous
Modocs swarmed round him like howling wolves.

The galloping troopers were near; their yells were ring-

ing, and their carbines were spouting fire.

Then California Joe fell, knocked down by a war club
after he had beaten three of his assailants to the earth.

When the troopers charged over the scene, they “were
too late.

The Indians who had ridden like the wind to the as-
sistance of their comrades were retreating, carrying with
them Buffalo Bill and California Joe, both insensible.

Colonel Granger was seriously injured, but not dead.

The combat that ensued was of the chargé-and-retreat
order, with the Modocs fighting their way back to.the rocky
ground from which they had issued so daringly.

They were led by the Mad.Chief, who seemed, indeed,
mad, but whose apparently insane recklessness had this
time been temporarily justified by its results.

CHAPTER X:
IN THE WHISPERING GALLERIES.

One of the mysterious qualities of the lava beds to which
the Modocs had fled was revealed to old California Joe
after he had been a prisoner in them a day. He had been
thrust into a dark cavern, with his old friend, Buffalo Bill.
The cavern was, in shape, a long gallery, which was
blocked with stones at each end, and had high overhead
some small niches that let in a little light. Those niches
were inaccessible. At least, California Joe could not reach
them, though he had made efforts to do so.

Buffalo Bill had been unconscious for several hours after
he had been brought to the lava beds, and he was still
weak.. The blow of the tomahawk delivered by the Mad
Chief had come near depriving him of life. He lay now
on a pallet consisting of a moth-eaten bearskin that had
been thrown in by their Indian guard. He was still weak,
but no longer delirious. _

“A little more of that water, Joe,” he said, lifting him-
self on his elbow. “No news, I suppose?”

California Joe rose eagerly and gave him a drink out
of a stone water jar which had been placed there for their
use.

The scout drank greedily, showing that he was feverish.

“You had a good sleep that time, Buffler,” said the old
man anxiously.

“Yes; I must have slept like a dan ian.
is it, re a

“Waal, it’s. daylight, and that’s about all I kin tell, not
havin’ any timepiece, and can’t see ther sun. But I reckon
it’s some’at after feedin’ time, in ther middle o’ ther day,
jedgin’ by the condition of my breadbasket. You're feel-
in’ better, Buffler ?” :

“Almost myself again, Joe.”

He lay resting quietly, after drinking from the water
jan.

“No news?”

“None at all, Buffler.”

What time

eee AP mai ates: lig, voids

 
 

 

 

 

12 ‘ NEW BUFFALO

(

“T believe it was the intention of Spotted Deer to kill
all of us. He certainly struck straight for my head.
Granger is dead, I’m afraid.”

“And a pity ‘tis, Buffler. A fine man he, was, ef a bit
peculiar in considerin’ that a soger, and especially an of-
ficer, war jes’ a leetle better than any other man on earth,
But it’s ther way of sogers to think that, you've noticed.”

“I believe the Mad Chief is really mad—that is, insane,
or half insane. Though his son, Red Panther, was a pris-
oner, he did not attempt by negotiation to secure his re-
lease, but only planned to massacre the men who came
forth to talk out there in the open. He intended the death
of us all. I wonder if any of the white prisoners are
alive?”

“Ain’t seen ner heard of one o’ re Buffer.”

“Nor Spotted Deer?”

“Ain't seen hide ner ha’r of ’im, Buffler.
him.”

“How is that?”

“Waal, now, if you'll jes’ listen a minute.”
_ He put up his hand.

“Thar ’tis.”

Then the scout heard words, which seemed to come
from the walls; and a little later there were sounds of
moccasined feet and the clink of stone jars and cooking
utensils,

“Whar’s that come frum, Buffler?”

The scout sat up.

“There must be a hole in the wall here, Joe.”

“That’s what I said, and I s’arched fer it, but, ef thar is,
I cant find it

They continued to listen. Now and then the words were
so distinct that they could be understood. Indians were
talking in the ordinary conversation one might expect to
hear in a tepee, or by a lodge fire.

After a little, the scout rose to his feet, somewhat un-
steadily.

“I’ve got to investigate that, Joe.”

“Aire ye stiddy enough on yer legs, d’ye think?”

“It will give me strength, to walk round some.”

“Hyar, lemme help ye.”

He took Buffalo Bill by the arm, and together they tried

But I’ve heerd

to discover how that conversation could be heard in their.

prison. For an hour they kept up-the search, returning at
the end of that. time to the pallet, where the scout again
lay down to rest.

They had made an astonishing discovery, it seemed. The
place in which they were confined was a natural whispering
gallery. The tunnellike cavern, though blocked at each
end, still had something of the qualities of the receiver of
a telephone, and brought to them sounds from a distance.

“I wonder if they can hear us?” said the scout. “They
might, if we spoke loud enough.”

“*’Twouldn’t ‘be no use ter test it,”
Joe.

“No; but the thing is interesting.”

They, ceased speaking, for conversation of a cei erent
kind came to them now, not the guttural talk of Indians,
but words that were unmistakably English.

objected California

“The other prisoners!”
eagerly.

“It do seem it, Buffler, fer a fac’! But whar aire they?”

“Tt isn’t likely they’re out where the Indians are.”

They continued to listen, and then the words they heard

said the scout, starting up

BILL WEEKLY.

reached them even more distinctly, and were suggestive,
as well as startling:
"hy Henty, Henry! Now that lve. found you, and you

are——”

The rest of the sentence became indistinguishable, like
a voice dying away in a telephone. The old mountaineer
sprang to his feet as if electrified.

“Buffler, that’s Miss Lindsay, shore as shootin’ !”

“The young woman who was with the wagon train?”

“Ther same; I knows her voice. Now, whar is she?”

Again they hearkened.

“The ‘Henry’ she spoke to must have been the brother
she came here to seek,” the scout suggested,

“Tm bettin’ it, Buffer! Ef we knowed whar they war!

“I’m afraid, Joe, even then we couldn’t help them, But
we might be able to talk to them, and that would be worth
a good deal,” -

“Shall I try it, Buffler?”

“Yes, try it; no harm can come of it.”

The old mountaineer lifted his voice:

“Miss Lindsay !”

“Oh, Henry, Henry, if we came the voice.

“Thar it is ag’in; but she didn’t hear me!”

“Try again.”

“Miss Lindsay!”

Silence followed.

California Joe pronounced the name in so loud a tone
now that he feared it would reach the Indians, whose

{??

ed

 

guttural chatter could still be heard.

“Wh-who was that?’ came, in answer to his call.

“Waugh! Buffler, did yer hear that?”

He lifted his voice again:

“Miss Lindsay, this hyar aire ole Californy Joe! Is
that you, Miss Lindsay?”

“Yes; where are you?”

“T dunno whar 1am. Whar aire you?”

“I don’t know where I am, either.”

“Jumpin’ Jehoshaphat! Ye don’t know whar ye aire?”

“No; [’'m in a cave of some kind.”

“Somebody’s with ye?”

“Yes; Mr. Marston.”

“T dunno who he aire, but I'll say this—that we're in a
cave, too, some’eres in the lava beds. We're stopped in,
and can’t git out. Buffler Bill is my companion in mis’ry,
and he’s jes’ gittin’ better of a tommyhawk lick on ther
side of ther head that come nigh sendin’ him over ther
Divide. Ef we could locate ye, we might figger on some
way ©’ helpin’ ye. You can’t git out o? thar, J reckon?”

“I could get out the way I got in, but that would do no
good, I discovered Mr. Marston, and released him, and
then we made our way into this place, and can’t get any
farther, and if we go back, we——’

Here the voice trailed away again, owing to seme shift-
ing of the currents of air or electricity that had made
the words distinguishable.

“Miss Lindsay !”

There was no answer until he had spoken several times.

Then the girl could be heard again.

“What made you stop talking?” she asked.

“I didn’t; but\you stopped listenin’, I reckon.
Lindsay-——”

Miss

“Ask her to pound on the wall where she is,” the scout
suggested.

California Joe made the request.

Thump! thump! thump! came, in return. .

 

 

 

 

Tr)

St
be
th
w

 

 

NEW BUFFALO

“T kin hear ye poundin’, but I can’t tell ther direction
any moren | kin by yer voice. I s’pose you ¢an’t locate
me, either?”

“Nos I can’t tell what direction your voice comes from.”

“Waal, that’s funny.”

They heard her how speaking to the man with her.

“Mr. Marston suggests that you pound on the rocks,
and maybe we can locate you,” she said.

California Joe struck the rocks behind him with his
heavy boot, and then walked to and fro in the tunnellike
space, kicking the walls.

“There! there! Stand right there!’ came, at length,
the voice of the girl, with a certain hysterical one
“That was right in front of us!’

“Waugh! Then you're stopped up in the furder end of
ther same ole tunnel we're in.”

“Oh, now I can hear you so clearly! You seem to be

right before me.”

“T think you are right in front of us,” came, in the
voice of the man, a voice that had a hoarse, wheezy sound.

Buffalo Bill, forgetting his weakness, sprang to his feet
ahd ran to the side of the old mountaineer.

Straight in front of the latter were some stones, that
filled what seemed to be the end of the tunnel.

“Tell ye what!” cried California Joe; “we'll jes’ dig
this hyar ole wall down! And then——”

Ch Vy,

The warning came from the scout.

He had heard a digging at the stones at the opposite
end of the long tunnel. ;

“Ther Injun guard is burrowin’ ter git in ter us,” said
California Joe; speaking to the girl and her companion.
“THe allus comes in by movin’ stuns at that end of this
hyar cavern. He, er some of his kind, stays out thar as
a guard. Jes’ lay low, will ye, till arter he’s gone agin.
We don’t want him ter know of this.”

“What is that? You speak so low!”

“Danger, Miss Lindsay!” he answered, lifting his voice
so that this tite she understood.
uter er two.”

39.

CHAPTER XI.
PRISONERS OF THE GALLERIES.

What tthe Indian guard did to gain entrance to the
cavern whee Buffalo Bill and California Joe were held
was to move aside some stones, which permitted him to
swing a much larger, pivoted stone that served as a door,

This he could do readily enough. The stones to be
moved were on the outside, and not to be reached from
within, a fact which had already baffled some attempts
made by old Joe to open an exit there.

he Indian appeared, bearing a torch, and behind him
stood other Indians, armed with rifles and bows, these
being the escort he had always brought with him to keep
the prisoners from escaping into the outer galleries.

“Ueh!” he grunted, whem he saw that Buffalo Bill had
recovered sufficiently to be up.

_ He stared hard at the prisoners.

“Why for talk?” he said, frowning.

He held the torch high over his head, and looked round
the cavern.

“Heap big talk!” he erumbled.

‘Waal, now, ye see, sense my pard hyar has got back
his thinkin’ machine, we has been doin’ a good deal o’

“Jes’ keep still a min-.

‘on filled them with hope.

BILL WEEKLY: | 13

\

9

talkin’,’ California Joe explained. “Naterly, he’s been
askin’ me a lot o’ questions, and I’ve been explanifyin’
things ter him as well as I could, seein’ *t I don’t know
any too much myself.”

“Ugh!”

The Indian guard began to walk round suspiciously;
but he saw nothing to warrant a thought that all was not
as it should be.

“White man heap big talk!” he said, grunting a re-
proof, as he came back to where stood the prisoners.

“Tt’s nateral that we should talk considdable, on ac-
count er ther fact that we been short o’ talk fer some
time, owin’ ter the condition o’ my pard hyar.”

“No sabe!” said the Indian.

Old Joe began to fire this same thing at him then in
Modoc, speaking the Indian language really better than
he did English, a thing strange to say, as English was his
native tongue.

“And we should like something to eat,’ he concluded.

The guard gave no heed to this, but made a further
search of the cavern, and then went out; and they heard
him and the other Indians again blocking in position the
stone door.

A good deal of noise was made by them in this work,
and, under cover of it, California Joe and Buffalo Bill
again opened communication with Miss Lindsay and a
companion.

“Miss Lindsay,” said. the old man, “we've detarmined
ter begin at once ter undermine this end o’ ther gallery;
and we think maybe you kin do some work on ther stuns
on your side. Mebbe we kin git a hole through hyar by
considdable grubbin’. But we want ter do ther work
soft and easylike, ter keep ther murderin’ Modocs from
knowin’ what we’re up to.”

“Yes—yes |”

“We'll report progress frum time ter time;
less talk, ther less danger, in my ‘pinion.’

but ther

Buffalo Bill forgot, or ignored, the fact that he. was in
no physical condition for heavy labor, and set himself to
the task of lifting away those heavy stones, laboring by
the side of the big mountaineer.

They worked as quietly as they could; but now and
then a loosened stone rolled down with such a clatter that
they expected to have the guard and -his escort in upon
them.

At intervals, as they stopped to rest, they spoke in low
tones to the woman and Marston; and the fact that it
was becoming easier for this conversation to be carried
But what were they to do,
and what could be accomplished, even if they succeeded in
removing the stones?

Two hours or more passed before, they were in a con-
dition to test this question. By that time the last stone
necessary had been removed, and they stepped through the
opening, and met there a haggard woman and a man even
more haggard, a man whose thinness and weakness were
so apparent that he seemed almost a tottering skeleton.

Having been so long accustomed to the faint light,
Buffalo Bill and California Joe had no trouble in dis-
cerning the features and the physical condition of. this
man. They shook hands with him, and spoke encourag-
ingly to him, and to the woman, who was now trembling
so that she could hardly stand.

“T reckon, Miss Lindsay, that you ain’t seen nothin’

 
St RE ene getter aga ee genres OM ree I nlite

 

 

 

  

 

   

ei eT THT RR Pte BLS?

14 NEW
o’ yer brother, though?” “But
we'll find ’im!”

Miss Lindsay laughed, but it seemed hysterical.

“Joe, this is my brother—or the one I told you about.
Really, I wasn’t looking for my brother, but for the man
I had been engaged to marry. I felt a hesitancy in say-
ing that, and so I spoke of him as my brother.”

“Waugh! Yer don’t mean it? Then shake ag’in!”

He pumped the hand of Marston once more.

“I’m very glad to meet you,” responded Marston, “and
to know you both. Mr. Cody, I’ve heard of you often,
and I’ve heard nothing but the praises of California Joe
since Julia found me and we have been together. She

is a wonderful woman—a heroine. I’ve been buried in

here nearly a year. She found me, and we've reached
this spot in our attempt to escape, but could get no far-
ther. I'd like to tell you my story, but it’s a long one,
and we'll take a time when we can have more leisure.’

“Waugh! Leisure has been the thing that’s been trou-
blin? me ever sense | struck this boardin’ niga I’ve
had too much of it.”

“And you can find no way out?”

“Unless we down that guard and fight eur way out
through his escort, when he appears again,” the scout
suggested. “You’re sure there’s no chance the way you
came?”

“Absolutely none,” said Miss Lindsay.
in there for two or three hours.’

She stopped, to’ assist Marston across the stones that
still choked the opening.

“{ think we'd like to hear that story,” the scout sug-
gested. “How did you find him? And why can’t we go
back the way you came? The chances would be, prob-
ably, as good there as here And we might find an open-
ing. You see, we hadn’t learned, until we heard your
voices, that these stones could be removed and a way
opened to this section of the gallery.”

“Let’g go at once, then,’ she urged nervously.
there, you say,-is where the guard comes in?
appear at any moment.”

“T’ve been wondering why there hasn’t already been
an outcry about my escape,’ said Marston. “I think my-
self we'd better retreat from here, as it seems a dan-
gerous position. We have no weapons, and the guard’s
escort could shoot us all down without trouble.”

“Shall we have light enough to see by?” Buffalo Bill
asked.

“A little light comes through crevices, as here,”
ston answered. (

“We can try it, though I’m almost persuaded that our
best chance would be to arm ourselves with stones and
attack the guard and the Indians with him when he ap-
pears.. But -there’s a big“ risk in that, of course.”

said the old mountaineer.

“We have been

”

“Over

He may

Mar-

This was the thing the scout would aah urged strongly
Hut*for the sake of Miss Lindsay.

“I tell you how I found Henry,” she said, as she. set
out with him, leading the way now. “We'll have to go
careful here,” she warned, pointing to the roughness of
the route. “Il came here to find him, you know. Not
into the lava beds, of course. The Modocs brought me
here, after the attack on the wagon train. What has
become of the other prisoners I don’t know, except that
some of the women and children are dead. The march
here was a terrible one, and some of the women and
children became exhausted, and were killed, to get rid of

 

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Ste da mee

BUFFALO

BS kt Ba

     

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BILL WEEKLY.

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them. How I bore up I don’t know, but I think the very
thought that perhaps my capture was providential, and
that it might take me to where Henry was held, if a
prisoner, gave me some strength.

“But it was only to-day that I found him. It came
about through the singular qualities of these strange gal-
leries. I heard him walking about, and then heard him
talking to himself.”

“A habit a man: falls into when much alone,” said
Marston apologetically. “But a lucky habit for me.”

“T heard him, and then I began to call to him, and he
answered. It-was like a voice from the dead. I could
have shouted for joy. But I didn’t.”

“No,” said Marston; “she was caution itself.”

“And the strange thing of it was that we were really
in the same cavern, or in the same part of this big cay-
ern, only he was high up over my head, and had to
climb down to get to me.”

“T’d been down in that. part of the cavern before, many
times, when I was stronger than I am now, and had
never found anything in it,’ explained Marston; “so that
lately I’ve paid no attention to it. It’s a long and diffi-
cult climb; and perhaps the Modocs believe I couldn't
make the descent, in my weakened state, and that she
would not be able to climb up to where I was. More
likely\ though, they knew that if we did meet, or communi-
cate, it would amount to nothing, so far as our getting
out was concerned. Really, it seems fo me a waste of
time to go to that part and make a search there. I’ve
been all over it dozens of times, long ago. There’s noth-
ing but the solid walls, and the terraces of stone that lead
up to the higher galleries. This is a limestone cavern,
filled over, or buried, al some time by a lava flow; and
we have, hence, a strange physical phenomenon, as you
see In some places the lava flow entered the galleries
and sealed them up, and that’s the way we'll find it here,
when we go a little farther. It makes a splendid hiding
place for the Modocs, and a fine prison for any poor
devil who falls into their hands.”

They came to the place he had mentioned, and found
it even as he had said. . se

“L really think,’ he urged, “that the only chance is to
make an attack on that guard.”

“And be killed!” she objected.
fight nor run!”

“Henry, you can neither

“T should have been killed long ago,” he went on, “but
for my medical skill. I came into this section, you know,
as a medical missionary. I opposed the medicine men
of the tribe, and I fell, finally, a victim to their blind hate.
They wanted to kill me, but I had made a few cures
which had baffled them, and some of the chiefs were op-
posed to it. I really think at first the chiefs wished to
aid me. Perhaps they feared to; I think by and by the
medicine men turned all the people against me, even in-
cluding the chiefs. Even then, as I judge, they still
feared to kill me, lest I should be able to haunt them, or
cast some deadly spell on them. They have queer ideas.
1 don’t understand them myself. I only know that after
being received cordially for a while the medicine men felt
I was displacing them, and turned against me. And |
was made a prisoner, and have been here ever since.
But now I feel that I shall escape.”

His voice was weak, but his tone was hopeful.

“When a woman proves herself to be such a heroine
as my Julia, here, it must mean something. Yes; we

  
    
 

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-shall all escape!
‘sure she:will accomplish it.”

NEW. BUFFALO
She came here to save me, and I feel

“You're exciting yourself, Henry!” che said.
“Not at all, my dear; I’m merely saying things that I

feel to be true; and it makes me feel stronger to. say
Tm ‘in: favor of, at- ’

them. Yes; we're going to get out.
tacking the guard.”

Wrought upon by hie weakness and his emotion, ie
trembled, yet strove hard to seem calm..

“Henry, you're exciting yourself!” she protested.

“Then,” said Buffalo Bill, “you feel sure that we shall
only waste time by seeking farther in this direction?”

“Cody, I know it. I’ve been all through here, time
and again, and I have sounded every foot of these walls.
Remember that I’ve been in here for months.’

We might iry along here,” suggested the scout, and
he began to tap the walls near him.

“Buffler,’ said California Joe, who had walked. toward
the stone-choked spot they had burrowed through; “that
pesky guard has come back ag’in,’

“Then the time has come for us to do something,” de-
clared the scout, his voice showing a faint trace of ex-
citement. “Like’ Marston, I favor attacking the guard
and his escort. What will come after that I don’t know.

“Still, if Miss Lindsay wishes, we'll go in the other direc-

tion; or California Joe and: I can return to. the: place
where we were, Jeave you and Marston here, and so try
to keep the guard from knowing that we have met and
have broken that hole through.”

But their hesitation lasted only for an instant.

The manner of the guard and his assistants was dif-
ferent from what it had been before, indicating haste and
excitement; and then there came to their ears the wolflike
howl of Indians, in the direction of the prison gallery
which Miss Lindsay had occupied.

CHAPTER XIL

A DESPERATE SITUATION.

The escape of Miss Lindsay and her lover from their
prisons had been discovered. A strong hand was required
in this emergency, and Buffalo Bill took command. Re-
sourcefulness, courage, and leadership of the highest type
were needed now.

“We'll attack the
through,” he said.

He pushed Miss Lindsay and Marston along in front
of him toward the point where the sound .of serie
stones was heard.

“Arm yourselves with whatever you can lay hands on,”
he whispered. ‘We'll have to make a desperate fight to
get through, but we can’t afford to be caught here be-
tween two forces.”

It began to seem, however, that the yelling Modocs
who had discovered the flight of the prisoners would ar-

guards when they open a way

tive before the way was opened by the — and his

‘assistants. -
The yells came nearer and nearer, and then was heard

‘the soft pattering of moccasined feet coming toward them.

‘The stone door, which was merely a sliding oe ground
and creaked: with a dull, grating noise.

“Ready !” whispered the scout.

He put his hand on Miss Lindsay’s arm, to reassure
her, and saw that she was clinging to Marston. The lat-

ter had assumed the attitude of a fighting berserker. A

 

»

BILL WEEKLY. 15

ponderous stone held. in his hand was half poised ready

for the throw, and
sudden rage.

The stone door flew open.

“Not yet—steady!” whispered’ the scout

Behind them, and: drawing so near: that the: pattering
footsteps filled the gallery, while the yells were deafen-
ing, came the Modocs from the other chambers.

The guard jumped through the doorway, and after
him came his ee: two of whom carried torches.

“Now ! 17? 4

The scout shouted the command, and hurled the stone
he had gripped, striking the guard to the floor.

Marston screeched like a madman as he hurled the
stone he held, and the roar of old California Joe was like
that of an enraged mountain lion.

Taken by surprise in this manner, with half a num-
ber beaten down, the guards tried to scramble back. The
torches lay smoking on the floor, and the Indians jammed
the hole in their efforts to get through.

The scout and those with him dashed upon them, fight-
ing with stones and with naked fists. |

The yells of the pursuing Indians rose darorsusth: and
then, from farther away, came other yells, showing that
other Modocs had been aroused and were hastening to
the scene of the fight.

Miss Lindsay fell, and was dragged on by the scout.
California Joe assisted Marston, who,- though upheld by
a smoking rage, was: yet ee by reason of his weak-
ened condition.

his. whole frame shock as witha

Then they found themselves through the opening and
in a dark gallery, and were running on, they knew not
whither, while behind them almost immediately arose
yells of furious rage and sounds of pursuit.

Stumbling, falling, and bruising themselves in their
wild flight, the little party came to a well-lighted, narrow
gallery, which at first gave them hope, because of the
light.

Here there was a deep gape. up a glassy ieee. at. an
angle of forty-five degrees. What was above they did
not know. High over them were some ragged holes at
the top of perpendicular walls, and these let in the grate-
ful light.

“Up with you!” said Buffalo Bill.

He assisted Marston to scramble up, and. then lifted
Miss Lindsay bodily in his arms and began to climb,
helped by the big hunter. Apparently, the scout had re-
gained his strength. At least, there was now no sign of
weakness or hesitation,

But when they had ascended the slippery ledge with
difficulty, being but a short distance ahead of the pur-
suing Indians, they found themselves in a veritable pocket,
from which, apparently, there was no way of escape.
The place was almost circular, though the shape was ir-
regular, and the walls all round of solid stone,

Many bowlders and small stones had fallen at different
times from the sides of the walls and“lay in confused
heaps on. the floor.

The perpendicular walls gave no hope, of ascent, and
that light above was so ign that it ats never be reached,
apparently.

' Here they were forced to stand at bay. ‘The co
seized one of the heavy stones at his feet, and his eX-
ample was imitated by the others.

 

 
   

 

 

  
   
   
 

 
 
    
  
  
 
   
 
  
 
 
   
    
 
 
   
   
  
   
    
    
 
  
   

   
    
  
 
    
   
 
    
 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
  
   
   
 
 
 
     
    
  

 

-hands and heaps of stones piled at their feet.

POS aaa ee BR acl ae ip met erie hear atbease ibe TREE: See Scare ee ny evn

SS

16 ,

   

The pursuing Modocs had stopped at the foot of the
incline,

A moment later, with desperate courage, they were
climbing up. A shower of stones greeted them, hurling
them back, bruised and bleeding.

California Joe’s wild yell, so like an Indian’s in its

piercing quality, seemed to shake the walls, and Marston

yelled with him, wrought to a frenzy.

Even Miss Lindsay hurled down stones upon he Mo-
docs. Groans and cries of pain resounded through ‘the gal-
leries, together with shouted commands and yells of rage.

“Then arrows came whizzing into the circular room .

where the whites stood at bay, these arrows striking
against the walls and rebounding to the floor.

The increasing hubbub below told that more Modocs
were gathering there. The scout thought’ he recognized
the voice of the Mad Chief, urging some of the warriors
to make another attempt to’scale the slippery incline.

The refugees thus penned in stood for a time in silence,
which was broken only by their deep breathing.

“How are we ever to get out of this dreadful place?”
said Miss Lindsay finally, but not expecting an answer.

“Ther outlook aire ruther juberous,’ California Joe ad-
eas “But I has been in wuss scrapes, and I’m livin’
wit.

“We can hold them at bay here -said Buffalo Bill.

“And they can keep us in here!. Oh, this is dreadful!”

“My dear,’ said Marston, “when I think of what I
have already lived aeuen it seems wicked to ~~ that
we shall ultimately escape.’’

That repulse had taught the Modocs a lesson. in cau-
tion. Though the uproar continued below, there was no
repetition of that wild attempt to climb the slope. Even
the desperate Mad Chief appeared too sensible to think
of that. fit

The whites dared not look down, for that would have
been to invite a bullet, or an arrow; and they could only
guess by the confused sounds and cries what was going on.

As for themselves, they stood ready, with stones in thei:
Marston
stood close by the side of the woman he loved, and who
had risked so much for him, and now and then he glanced
at her, with a look of admiration and affection. She’ was
proving herself. a heroine, indeed; for her attitude was
now as defiant as that of her male companions.

Buffalo Bill, however, was the heroic figure of the group,
and his lionlike bearing was a source of strength to all.

Half an hour or more passed without any indication
of the intentions of the Modocs: and then an arrow, shot
from the opening high above, struck the wall by the head
of Buffalo Bill, missing him by barely an inch.

The Modocs had sent bowmen out to those holes, and
they were now to try to shoot down the refugees within
that little room.

“Back!” shouted the scout, when he heard the stroke

and wind of that arrow, and he pushed Miss Lindsay ,-

close up against the wall. i

He jumped close up against the wall himself.

Marston and California Joe did the same.

Then other arrows came whizzing down into the cir-
cular room, and the Modocs who were at. the openings
above were clearly visible.
faces, peering down, to sight the whites.

“The tactics of the Modocs were now revealed in their
entirety. Those at the foot of the slope again tried to

NEW BUFFALO BILL WEEKLY,

They were lying on their

ORR amabiges en enna cy otras ~ mnie Lape CN ra pe

      

scale it, knowing that when the whites rushed out to hurl
their stones they would be exposed to the arrows of the.
Indians from above.

The sitttation was desperate, but the occupants of the
room could not hesitate. They rushed to the defense of
the slope, with hurling stones, and Buffalo Bill himself
smashed in the head of the one daring Indian. who gained
the crest without being stricken down.

The Modocs above shot their arrows and yelled fiend-
ishly, but fortune was for the moment with Buffalo Bill
and his companions

The effort to scale the incline was frustrated, and the
occupants of that little chamber were still untouched by
the arrows.

Yet the scout knew that this could not go on forever.
One by one, he and his companions would be struck down
by arrows, as they sought to stem the charges up the
slope. It was a mere matter of time.

CHAPTER XIII.
A STARTLING INTERVENTION. ©

An arrow, glancing on the walls, struck Miss Lindsay
to the earth, apparently killing. her.

It was a moment of horror. Marston seemed eoed
to a madman by the sight. He rushed to her, gathered
her in his arms, showered her with frantic kisses, beg-
ging her to tell him that she was not dead.

Suddenly he dropped. her, and then, rushing. to the
edge of the incline, he seemed about to hurl himself head
foremost down on the Indians. He was utterly oblivious
to danger at the moment. The scout started forward to
draw him back.

Marston raised his hands high over his head, and
shrieked curses down on the heads of the Modocs.

They could have shot him dead as he stood thus before
them, but his frantic manner, his theatrical attitude, and,
above all, the reputation he had enjoyed as a medicine

.man, held them spellbound and filled with a certain fear.

He was calling down on them the vengeance of the
white man’s God, and their superstitions were for the
moment aroused, f

Then a singular thing followed with such suddenness
that it seemed his prayer was answered.

The walls rocked, pieces of stone fell from above, ter-
rible noises came up from the depths of the galleries,
and then the whole earth trembled with successive earth-
quake shocks.

It was a natural phenemence the like of which re-
cently shook the city of San Francisco to the ground,
reducing it to ruins in a few seconds. But that did not
make it the less astonishing and frightful.

The Modocs fled, screaming with terror, and Buffalo
Bill and his companions were for the moment almost para-
lyzed with fear, while the walls about them swayed and
cracked, stones fell, and great seams opened in the very
floor itself.

Buffalo Bill, even in the midst of the confusion, lifted
Miss Lindsay in his arms, seeing that now was the time
to escape, if ever.

“We can get down now!” he shouted. -

Marston recovered his faculties as by’a jerk, and rushed
to clasp the form of the woman he loved; and Buffalo
Bill yielded her into his arms.

“We must get down right now!” said the scout. “We

  
  
 

    
    

 

 

  

 
 

 

 

ge TOR ara

4

NEW BUFFALO

may be crushed here, or anywhere, but this is our time.
Joe are you ready ?”

“Aye, Buffler, ef I’m still livin’ !”

The superstitious old hunter had been mentally as
badly affected as the Modocs themselves and crouched at
the moment close by the wall, with an arm held over his

‘thead-to protect him from the falling stones, while he

muttered strangely, as if praying.

But he sprang up at the scout’s words, and then they
scrambled down the incline.

Not a minute had elapsed, yet the time seemed  inter-
minable. The shocks had already passed, but the gal-
leries. were piles of broken stones, with the walls bulged and
racked.

“The Indians went that way,” said the scout, “and here
seems to be a fairly open and lighted passage.”

Marston stumbled, regardless of his weak condition,
and the scout caught the woman from his arms.

“I must carry her!” he insisted. “Now, come on!”

Then they ran blindly forward, not knowing whither
they went, but only desirous of finding a way out of those
undérground chambers of horrors.

In a little while they crossed a trickling stream, where
no stream had been before, and then descended into a
cavernous place. It did not look inviting, but nothing else
was before them.

They spent many minutes in ce darkness down there,
trying to find a way out.

During that time Miss Lindsay regained consciousness.
Théy had already found that she was not dangerously
wounded, but that the stroke of the arrow on the side of
the head had made a bruised: place and-reduced her to
unconsciousness.

But even when she came back to herself she was weak.

Old California Joe insisted that, as he was really stronger
than any other member of the party, he should be the
one to aid her, and carry her ‘when she needed to be
carried; and Buffalo Bill now gave her into his hands.

“We've got to go back, after all,” the scout announced
finally, in a tone of regret. “This is a blind passage that
leads nowhere.”

Then they found that they were, if ces in a con-
dition worse than before, for when they sought to re-
turn they discovered that the trickling stream they had
crossed had become, in the meantime, a roaring torrent,
and that water from it was pouring into the cavern where
they were through an opening at one side.

The stream filled all the passage through which they
had come, and. this overflow, running into the place they
occupied, threatened soon to fill it and drown them.

They rétreated, in dismay, but’ the rising water fol-
lowed. To escape it, they began to climb up the ledgy sides
of the room, hoisting themselves and Miss Lindasy up with
difficulty.

Not a sound was heard now but the roaring of the
water. The Indians had fled, probably out of those un-
derground galleries altogether.

Foot by foot the water mounted, driving them higher
and higher.

When they could go no higher, be) sat on the ledge
they had gained and watched its slow mounting. The
light that came in through some inaccessible rifts re-
vealed its insidious advance, and it was with a strange
fascination they watched it, counting the time as mo as
they could.

EE A RH REE LPI SE OS EOE EE. SLT TE TS

BILL. WEEKLY. , 17

Marston sat with head bowed in his hands. He had
believed that a direct intervention of Providence had been
made in his behalf, but this was shattering his faith, If
that water continued to mount, here was no way of escape.
It was worse than the Indians, for in resisting the Modocs
there was excitement to keep up the spirits. Here there
‘was nothing but a slow waiting for what seemed the
inevitable end.

Miss Lindsay was reduced by it to a donde of help-
lessness.

California Joe stared, with agonized face. “Buffler, I
reckons ther eend has come fer. ole Californy Joe,” he
said slowly; “but thar’s this, Buffer: When-we goes over
ther Divide we kin feel that we went tryin ’ter do our. duty
ther best we knowed how. ~And a better companion than
you, Buffler, in life er in death, no man could ever have.
I’m old, and kin go, but I’m sorry fer you, and the woman
and her husband-that-war-ter-be. Man proposes, Buffler,
and God disposes. But I’m ready.”

California Joe’s words were interrupted by another
earth tremor. Seldom is there an earthquake shock with-
out another following’ a few minutes later.

And so it was now. The walls: rocked and quivered
again, those terrorizing subterranean noises came as be-
fore, and the falling of small slivers of stone was as if
a shower of pebbles had been thrown into the water. This
was followed by a deep and strange gurgling.

Miss Lindsay had-clasped Marston round the shoulders,
believing that the end had come.

Buffalo Bill shouted when he heard the gurgling and
saw what was taking place.

“The water is falling!’ he cried.

It was subsiding rapidly before their eyes, sinking into
some hole which this last shock had opened.

With thankful hearts, they beheld it draining away.

“God is still with us!’ cried Marston fervently.

CHAPTER XIV.
é
A DARING PLAN.

Within half an hour they were able to climb down
from their precarious perch, and a little later they walked
almost dry-shod out of the cavern in which the rising
water had penned them.

There were no signs of Indians. Therefore,’ they con-
cluded to try to find their way out in the direction of the
flight of the Modocs.

The question of whether they could get out at all, even
though unopposed: by the Indians, had yet to be settled;
but they were more hopeful now, since that miraculous
escape.

Miss Lindsay was much changed in spifit by this last
happening, it seemed so providential. Marston declared
his fervent belief that it was a direct interposition of
God in answer to prayer.

They had gone but a short way when they came upon
the body of a dead Modoc, who had apparently been
killed by a falling stone as he fled along the gallery.

They stopped to examine the body.

“He was going in that direction,” said. Marston, “and
that indicates to us the course we'll be safest in follow-
ing. Even if the Modocs are out there, we will not
be any worse off than if cooped up in here. And I have
a feeling that after what has happened they will be so
superstitious about it that they will not even oppose us,

ey
»

Pa
t
z

aS ra mc ey Rien at 1 i
Posey elie ties: persue yoni tk

 
   

 
  
   
 

   
 
 
  
  

  
 
 
 

   
  

   
  

   
  
 
 
  
   
 
   
   
  
    

 

18

but will let us pass on out. These quakes will’ make them
think that the earth gods are angry with them. No one
is SO superstitious as your untamed Indian.”

“These things may come handy,” said the scout, as if
he did not hear this, and he began to strip off the Modoc’s
head feathers and much of his clothing.

As he did so, he was given a gratifying surprise. Within’

a fold of the Indian blanket was a loaded revolver, which
rolled out with a clatter on the stone floor as the scout
pulled the blanket away. The scout caught it up, with a
glad cry, and inspected it,

“A revolver, in good condition, and loaded—every cham-
ber containing a portridge ! ll warrant it was taken from
some dead trooper.”

The touch of that revolver did mote to ean him feel
that the victory over Modocs and all the ills. of their con-
dition and of nature was as good as won... He. threw
the blanket and head feathers and the other things taken
over his arm, putting the Indian’s paint pot in his pocket,
and then, swinging the revolver, he moved on, leading the
way.

Some time afterward they came in sight of a bales.
ing fire. Indian voices reached them at the same time.

They discovered that here was an opening. out of the
cavern, but that a large force of Modocs was gathered
there. There were men, women, and ‘children, and they
were making a good deal of noise.-

By close listening, the scout learned that the warriors
among them were about to sally forth, probably: for the
purpose of attacking the troopers.

Apparently, the Modocs had reached this point in their
efforts to get out of the earthquake-shaken galleries, and
then had learned that troopers were out in front. _

After a little thought and consultation with his friends,
Buffalo Bill resolved on a daring plan.

With the help of old California Joe,-he transformed
himself into a pretty good imitation of an Indian \war-
rior. He painted his face, striped it elaborately, donned
the headdress of eagle feathers taken from the dead brave,
together with the dead Indian’s leggings and moccasins;
and then, with the Indian blanket over all, and held up
to half cover his face, his best friend could not have told
him from an Indian, for in thus holding up the blanket
he covered the telltale mustache and imperial.

“Ugh!” he grunted. sayagely, in so excellent an imita-
tion of the Indian guttural that Miss Lindsay wanted to
scream. “Me heap big Modoc!”

“Buffler, it’s a resky ondertakin’.
ceed?”

“I must succeed!”

“Yas; but, ef yer don’t, aire we ter rush ter help ye?
We ought ter have some signal, yer know.”

“It will be just this: If you are to remain back here
in hiding, I will swing my hand up so. If, in addition,
I want to inform you that I think the chances are good
for me to get through to the outside, and you are to
remain here until you hear. from me, I will. make that
motion twice. 1 promise you that.if man can do it, I’m
going through that group of Indians, and will get to the
troopers, We can't hope to fight our way out of here,
and our case looks hopeless unless I can get through. I
will get through!

Ef yer don’t suc-

“You must take no chances. There is plenty of space
back here to hide in, and, as the Modocs probably think
we were all killed in the earthquake, they will not trouble

NEW BUFFALO

  

 

BILL WEEKLY.

 
  
 

to look for us. Besides, they are too frightened by what
has happened to think of ane but getting out them-
selves. Now, I am ready.” 3
“Good-by, Buffler !” tee
The old hunter held out his hand.

“May the Lord prosper the undertaking!” nal: eee
fervently.

“Mr. Cody, you are a brave man—a man in a thou-
sand!” was what Miss Lindsay said.

“Good-by. Keep brave hearts in your bosoms. I’m going
through.”

The brave scout lisaed away, sad in the dim light
of the gallery they saw him move along at an Indian
shuffle, in a stooping posture that seemed to decrease -his

magnificent height by more than a foot.

They watched him as he. quietly, joined the excited In-
dians.

Miss Lindsay’s heart ateione ceased. beating, so great
was her anxiety then, But nothing occtirred to show that
in thus going boldly into. their midst the scout was: even
suspected by them.

A little later he reappeared on the edge of the c lam,
orous. group, and they saw him make the twe: gestures,
indicating his belief that he could get through, and that
they were to remain secreted in the galleries.

“Waugh!” grunted old California: Joe.  “Buffler’ Bill
ferever! Thar never war another man like him fer pure

grit and cleverness!

CHAPTER XV.
WHAT CAME OF IT,

As for Buffalo Bill, he was finding the masquerade
even easier to carry off than he had anticipated, But he
had not joined the Indians a moment too soon. The Mad
Chief was preparing to sally forth with the warriors, to
attack the troopers, who, it appeared, were to be taken
unawarés. Another Indian trap, seemingly, was being set
for them.

Buffalo Bill did not make himself conspicuetis, but kept

as much as possible in the background, and he was helped

by the dim light. He judged, from things he heard, that
the place was darker than before the earthquake, and he
saw a great heap of fallen stones near the exit, over
which the Indians would have to climb when they issued
forth.

The Mad Chief had not. been subdued by any fear

of the earth demons, even if he believed in them, yet not
more than half the force that ought to have been about
the Mad Chief was gathered there. Some had doubt-
less escaped by other passages, and some had been kill led.
That there had been a good many deaths, the scout
learned by the moanings and mutterings of the Indian
women.
_ The women were so terror-stricken that but for the
warriors, who had plans of their own, they would have
rushed pell-mell out of what they. now believed to be a
demon- infested place.

The scout clutched the revolver concealed in the folds
of the blanket, and crept, crouching and stooping, with
the warriors, who followed the Mad Chief, as he i ereetecs
from the gallery opening.

It was good to be out in the sunlight again. The day
was far spent, and the sun was over the western moun-
tains, yet there were still two-or three hours of. daylight. ©

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No troopers were visible, but the scout learned that they
were near, and that the Modocs proposed now to slip
on them, rain down on them a shower of bullets.and ar-
rows, and then charge them when they had been thus
thrown into confusion,

The scout was anxious now to discover just where the
troopers were, and then leave the Indians and try to give
the troopers warning. But it was not a thing to be done
easily, even after the position of the troopers became
known to him, as the advance on them went on. To at-
tempt to sneak away would be to draw attention to him-
and expose his true character.

Fortunately, the attention of the Mad Chief, and of all

“the other Modocs, was centered on the creeping advance

they were making. Otherwise, the masquerade of the
scout might have been discovered. He kept his’ face turned
to the earth, to hide his features, so that only his blanket-
clothed form, his head feathers, and his leggings and
moccasins were visible; and he spoke not a word.

Now and then he looked up quickly, to inform him-
self of the progress being made, and to try to determine
what he had better do.

Suddenly he found himself, with the Modocs, on the
edge of a ravine in which the troopers were, the troopers
being all unaware of their danger.

The Mad Chief began to dispose his men, putting the
riflemen at the front, choosing from among the best
marksmen, and ordering each to make sure of at least one
man.

He motioned to the scout go to one side, seeing that
he had no rifle.

The time for desperate action had come; and, as the
scout, crawled with shuffling movement along, in answer
to the motion of the Modoc chief, he fell, with apparent
clumsiness, and his revolver roared, as if it had been dis-
charged accidentally.

A yell of rage broke from the throat of the Mad Chief.
But the alarm had been given, and Buffalo Bill heard
the quick commands of the officer below.

Then the Indians began to fire down into the ravine,
but they had not gained the best positions, and the ex-
citement of that unexpected disclosure of their presence
made them bad shots.

The Mad Chief yelled again, no longer desiring to
screen his attempt, and he was joined by all the Modocs.

In the midst of the uproar Buffalo Bill tried to crawl
farther along, hoping to get into a little hollow he saw

there, and so escape from the Modocs altogether.

The rallying troopers returned the Indian rifle fire, and
then, with characteristic dash, began to charge up the
slope of the ravine on the attacking Modocs. ©

The Mad Chief tried to rally his panicky followers,
whose shooting was so ineffective that scarcely a trooper
was hit.

In doing so, he dashed along near Buffalo Bill, who was
still trying to make a secure retreat. Something in the
scout’s appearance, or manner, or in his movement toward
the hollow, aroused the Mad Chief’s suspicion, and he
rushed upon the scout, swinging his tomahawk as if to
brain him.

It recalled to the scout that other frenzied dash made
on him by this chief on the tottering treé trunk over
that cafion

He wheeled about and threw up his revolver to shoot
the Modoc, but the tomahawk was whirling through the

 

NEW BUFFALO

   

  

BILL WEEKLY. . | 19

air. It struck the revolver, instead of the scout’s head,
and knocked the weapon to the ground, numbing the scout’s
arm. Then the roar of rage which came from the Mad

Chief indicated that he had discovered Buffalo Bill’s de-
ception.

An instant later he had rushed on the scout, with drawn
knife, and the combat was hand to hand and of the deadli-
est character, for the chief forgot the warriors he had
been trying to rally, forgot the charging and~ yelling
troopers, and remembered only that he was face to face
with the hated Long Hair, whose life more than once
he had sworn to have.

Buffalo Bill heard dimly the rushing of moccasined
feet, the yells of the warriors, and the charging cheers
of the troopers, the twanging of bowstrings, and the
crack of rifles and revolvers; but it was all a swimming
medley, like a section of a dream, for he was now bat-
tling desperately with an Indian, who was not only a
skilled fighter and a powerful man, but, whose half-crazed
brain seemed to give him ee strength and ter-
rible recklessness.

Having lost his revolver, and ine no other weapon,
the scout caught the chief’s knife hand, and then fol-
lowed a struggle for possession of the weapon.

-To and fro they reeled, like drunken men, as they bat-
tled for that knife. The scout had gripped the chief’s
wrist with a strength that could not be broken.

Reeling thus, they stumbled together into the hollow.
It was a backward movement for the chief. Catching his
heel in the grass, he fell, the scout dropping on top
of him.

The scout’s blanket had fallen off, together with his
headdress, and, though his face was still painted, he was
revealed clearly now as a white man.

He was still trying to get possession of the knife, and
had set the fingers of one hand to the chief’s throat, when
the chief gave a sudden lurching jerk, and then fell
back, dead.

A bullet fired by a galloping trooper had struck him
in the head, and the fight was in that instant ended.

Buffalo Bill staggered to his feet, stared a moment at
the dead chief, and then ran to get his revolver.

The fight with the Mad Chief was ower, yet not in a
manner he had planned. But he was not sorry it was not
his hand, after all, which had slain the half-insane Modoc
chieftain.

CHAPTER XVI.
CONCLUSION,

To California Joe and the others with him in the gal-
leries of the lava beds there came more than a hint of
what was going on outside.

For one thing, they heard, though faintly, the crack-
ing of the rifles and the Indian yells.

Then some of the frightened Indian women and chil-
dren dashed back along the passage, as if seeking shelter
in the event of the defeat of the warriors; and as they
hurried along, passing the fugitive whites in hiding, the
latter heard snatches of their talk, which was a revela-
tion of the purpose of the warriors.

“Marston,” said California Joe, “I’m longin’ powerful
ter be out thar!”

“Don’t you think we might make it?” Marston asked
eagerly. :

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20 - NEW BUFFALO

“Ther warriors aire all outside, seems ter me.”

“And we needn’t fear the women and children.”

“T dunno about that, for in my experience an Injun
squaw with a knife in her hand is as dangerous an
animile as ther world affords. But, Jes: ther same, I’d
like ter try ter see ef we can’t git out o’ hyar while that
hullabaloo is goin’ on. Buffler said fer us ter stay in
hyar, but allers it ain’t posserble ter give orders ahead
that’s got ter be obeyed liter’ly. Ef he could give an
order now, he mout say fer us ter break out while thar
seems ter be a chance.”

- Marston glanced at the trembling woman by his side.

“Your opinion, Julia?”

“I’m sure I don’t know,’ she said. “I’m so confused
1 haven’ an opinion. Whatever California Joe says is
best to do I’m willing to try. Oh, what is that?”

“More of ther Injun women comin’ back. Seems ter
me ther fight is goin’ ag’inst ther Modocs.”

They still hesitated, until, at last, California Joe de-
clared his belief that the time for an effort to escape had
come.

“Ther women may diskiver us hyar, and then we'll
have trouble. I’m a lover of women, but not Injun

squaws, with their mad up and meat knives in their hands. |

I allus prays fer ther good Lord ter send me fast in
another direction when them kind of critters aire rampin’
round. And they'll be fierier than peppers ef the fight
goes against ther bucks.”

They slipped along the gallery, keeping close to the
walls; and, seeing that they would have to make a bold
dash, they rushed, yelling, at the small group of women
and children gathered near the exit; and, as they thus
charged, they hurled stones for missiles.

aK % ok * % % **

Buffalo Bill was running at the head of the troopers,
springing along like a youth, as he guided them toward
the point where he had emerged from the galleries with
the Modoc braves,

The warriors ‘had been scattered in flight, and many
of them lay dead on the black lava slopes and on the
edge of the ravine.

As the scout thus ran along, guiding the troopers, he
witnessed an astonishing sight.

Old California Joe popped up out of the ground, ap-.

parently, beset by an Indian squaw, who tore furiously at
his hair, and yelled like a demon with every dig she gave
him. Her skinny claws were working like automatic
hooks.

Right behind California Joe emerged Marston and Miss
Lindsay, each fighting back Indian women, who seemed
to be trying to seize them.

“Waugh!” yelled the old hunter. “Stop it—stop it!
Great Jehoshaphat! leave. me a litile ha’r, can’t ye?
Waugh!’

Other women seemed to be following the three white
people, but they dropped back inte the gallery and dis-
appeared when they saw the troopers.

Buffalo Bill caught the skinny squaw by the arm and
sent her whirling away from the old hunter, who sank
down, breathing heavily.

The squaw. fell, thus bringing herself to a halt; and
then she leaped up, with a screech, and dived into the
gallery opening like a prairie dog descending into its
hole.

in meh iy ger Pl ecg i rhe cgeti criireer orate Asie bs ane tenis a ae nen ayy ae

Pe aee eer

BILE ve

The oiee squaws imitated this example.

“T’m all right, Buffler,’ said old Joe, coughing, and
then trying to laugh, with a sense of relief. “That female
cyclone is gone, and I’m all right. I’m truly a lover of
women, but——”

He shook his head sadly.

The Modocs tried to. rally again, and they made an-
other fight for possession of the lava beds.

But they had already lost some of their best warriors.
The death of the Mad Chief, even though in so many
of his actions, he seemed insane, deprived them of their
most capable leader. He was almost a madman at times,
yet he was daring, and in his better moments he was a
clever commander.

The women and children held as prisoners in the lava
beds were’ rescued; and, though they had been badly
frightened by the earthquake shocks, they emerged from
their imprisonment practically unharmed.

Thus ended the Modoc uprising.

A few months later, in the city of San Francisco, young
Marston and Julia Lindsay were united in marriage.
Conspicuous among the wedding guests were old Cali-
fornia Joe and Buffalo Bill,

THE END.

In next week’s issue, No. 70, out January roth, you
will find “Buffalo Bill and the Traitor Soldier; or, Fair
Inez, the Pearl of the Post.” Here is a border story of
stirring incident and quick movement, which gives a
vivid picture of army life at a frontier fort in the Indian
country, with Buffalo Bill as the hero and leading figure.

TWO WESTERN EPITAPHS.

Remarkable are two epitaphs, the first of which is
upon a tombstone in the city of Sacramento: “Here is
laid Daniel Borrow, who was born in Sorrow, and Bor-
rowed little from Nature except his name and his love
to mankind and hatred to redskins; who was neverthe-
less a. gentleman and a dead shot; who, through a long
life, never killed his man except in self-defense or by
accident; and who, when he at last went under, beneath
the bullets of his cowardly enemies in the saloon of
Jeff Morris, did so in the sure and certain hope. of a
glorious and everlasting Morrow.”

The other, which belongs to a Nevada burying place,
is a noteworthy achievement in this line: “Sacred to
the memory of Hank Monk—the Whitest, Biggest-hearted,
and Best-known Stage Driver of the West, who was kind
to All and Thought Il} of None. He Lived in a Strange
Era, and was a Hero, and the Wheels of his Coach are
now Ringing on Golden Streets.”

AN UNEXPECTED PRESENT.

Louis XI., when young, used to visit a peasant whose
garden Biodnede excellent fruit.

Soon after he ascended the throne, this bea waited
on him with his little present, a turnip of an extraordinary
size, the produce of his own garden. The king, smiling,
‘remembered the hours of pleasure he had passed with him,
and ordered a thousand crowns to be given to him.

The lord of the village, hearing of this liberality, thought
within himself; “If this peasant gets a thousand crowns

fi

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Re ree ty meee

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NEW BUFFALO
SS tanec
for a turnip, I have only to present his majesty with a
handsome horse, and my fortune is made.” ith

Arriving at court he requested the king’s acceptance of
a horse.

Louis highly praised the steed, and the donor’s expecta-
tions were raised to the utmost, when the king exclaimed:
“Bring me my turnip!” arld added, as he presented it
to the nobleman: ‘There, this cost me a thousand crowns,
I give it you in return for your horse.” a

 

THE KING’S MESSENGER;
Or, THE FALL OF ‘TICONDEROGA.
By Captain Frank Ralph, U. S. A.

SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS.

While hunting along the New York shores of Lake
Champlain, in the spring of 1776, Robert Masters and
his companion, Eben, rescue from wolves a messenger,
bound for the British headquarters at Fort Ticonderoga.
The messenger falls unconscious from the tree, in which
he had sought safety, just as Robert and Eben, who are
lads of sixteen, drive off the wolves. Both boys are
natives of Vermont, and followers of the patriot, Ethan
Allen, They suspect that the messenger may have papers
of importance, ‘and they rifle his pockets. Finding that
they are right in their surmise, they take the papers
from the unconscious messenger, whom they revive and
set on his way. Hastening to their boat, they cross to
the Vermont shore.

The papers, which were quickly delivered into the hands
of Ethan Allen, told of the defeat of the British at Con-
cord and Lexington, in the first battles of the Revolu-
tionary War. As a reward for their valor and patriotism,
Ethan Allen promises the boys that they shall be with
him when he scales the walls of Fort Ticonderoga.

The past life of young Masters is clouded. Years be-
fore, a demented woman had carried him, as a baby, to the
door of old John Masters. Here she had died before dis-
closing anything about the child’s birth.

Recently, one Percival Kent, a stranger in the little
town where young Masters lived, had stopped the boy
several times and questioned him.

Upon the night that the papers were delivered to Ethan
Allen, young Masters is taken by force to a “haunted”
cabin by three boys and Percival Kent. One of the boys
is Walter Griffen, the son of a wealthy Tory.

When Masters accuses Kent of being acquainted with
the secret of his mysterious past, Kent admits that the
boy has made a good guess.

CHAPTER V.
AT THE HAUNTED CABIN.

It was very natural that young Robert should feel
strangely thrilled by the words of this man, who had
broken so suddenly into his life.

He could not believe the other was any friend of his,
or that he bore him anything but ill will.

It did not affect his natural boldness in any degree.

While he would have met the boyish spite of Walter
Griffin and his evil companion without flinching, the same
spirit caused him to grapple with this new condition of
affairs, and see how it could be turned to his advantage.

“Why have you done this? Ii I was happy before, in
my ignorance, what cause is there to drag me away from
my friends? . Have I injured you Does my being alive
harm you?” he asked, taking a step nearer the other.

Again the dark look settled over Kent's face.

BILL WEFELY. ~~ as

“Yes, that is the truth, though perhaps I should hesi-
tate to admit it in the presence of these others. I have
that litthe love for you and yours that, if 1 were more
bloody-minded, I should have hired some Indian brave
to have done you to death. Perhaps this tender-hearted
foolishness may be the death of me yet. I often curse
it. But of one thing rest assured. When he comes to
seek you, his search will be in vain.”

Again Robert felt emotion, only this time it was some-
thing approaching joy.

Who could Percival Kent mean by referring to “him’?

Could it be possible that earth held such a blessing for
him as a father?

He had always called the honest blacksmith by that
sacred name, even while knowing that not a drop of
kindred blood ran in their veins.

Strange thoughts arose and chased one another in riot-
ous confusion through his brain.

Not for worlds would he have had the clock put back.

Though his fate seemed uncertain, he could face it stead-
ily, happy in the thought that at last the curtain which
had so long baffled him gave promise of being raised.

‘Who seeks me?” he asked, trying to appear calm,

“It matters not—a mere:slip of the unguarded tongue,”
replied the other, endeavoring to recover himself.

“Then, seeing that I am not to be butchered in cold
blood, why bring me here?” persisted Robert.

“That is mot for you to know. Let it suffice that I
considered it dangerous to my peace of mind to have you
remain longer under the care of that rank rebel, who: will
surely come to an untimely end. Here you are, and here
you shall remain until those for whom I have sent come
to take you away,. far into the wild Western wilderness,
whence you return not again. Be content.”

Walter and his two companions heard this with round-
eyed wonder.

“They had not realized, when giving in to the demands

of the stranger, how closely they trod upon the heels of

a tragedy.

It was not in the least unpleasant.

The squire’s hopeful realized that in some way he was
about to get rid of one who had long been a thorn in

the flesh:

What became of Robert? Who the unknown might
really be, other than what he pretended? These things

- gave him little concern.

He saw his path cleared.

That very day, he had ground his very teeth in rage
at seeing Robert made a hero by young and old.

He had been angry because Annetta had shunned his
society and sought this nobody. :

Now the tables had turned.

It was his time to laugh.

Robert had sunk so low that he did not appear to have
a friend in the world.

With this spirit moving him, Walter was in just the
mood to do whatever the stranger might demand.

As for his companions, they were ef a breed ready to
sell their souls for a guinea: © .

The man turned now upon them.

His manner was quick and businesslike, showing, that
underneath the velvet there were claws.
“You tell:me no one ever comes this way?” he asked.
“Not often. It has a bad name. There is another road

~

te atti Hele ines Geshe be pean |

Up Leek Nia oe Sas ee Diem

 
 

22 v NEW BUFFALO
just as short, and every one seems to take that,” replied
Walter, speaking only the truth.

“After all, then, this may do as well as the next place,
only I pray there will be no ghost disturb us. How say
you, lads? May I depend upon you to guard the prisoner
with me? A guinea a day to each, to be paid in advance.
Does it strike you favorably, young sirs ”

Now, Walter cared nothing for the gold, since it was
no stranger to his purse.

Revenge dwelt in his soul, and he felt that it would
just about suit his case to lord it over Robert for a time:

His companions, of course, were dazzled by the rich
bait held. out so temptingly, and would have even per-
jured their immortal souls for gold.

“We will agree, if so be the time is not too long.
What limit may you set?” asked young Griffin, stealing a
look of triumph at the object of this bargaining.

“T cannot just say. Every morn and eve will I go to
the appointed rendezvous. They may be awaiting me now,
and then, again, perchance it may take them a day or two
longer to arrive. But Indians never break their word, you
know.”

“It is well. You may count on us. We shall hardly be
missed from town, since the fools are that filled with
pride, and puffed up over the doings of their fellows at
Lexington, they count not noses. If you leave us arms, we

promise you this young cock-of-the-walk shall not easily

slip through our fingers.”

Hardly had these boasting hopes i uttered than they
seemed in a fair way to be shattered.

Robert had been observing.

He saw that the door of the cabin had only been partly
closed, and well did he know that beyond lay liberty.

True, he was weary and sore.

Given his chance, he would sooner have lain down on
the hard puncheon floor to sleep, rather than engage in any
foot race with these fresh fellows.

And yet he could not refuse the opportunity.

He had always been known as the best runner among
all the lads of the famous Green Mountains; perhaps, be-
ing spurred on by necessity, he could, in spite of such
drawbacks, set a pace the best of these fellows might
find it difficult to equal.

So, even while Walter was boastfully declaring how
easily himself and his companions could guard the pris-
oner, that worthy was measuring the distance and drawing
himself together for a desperate leap.

Had he been able to tear the old, stubborn door open
speedily enough, he would have had a start, and it must
have taken considerable energy on the part of the quartet
to have overhauled him along the road.

The hinges were so rusty that it required a great deal
of pulling to drag the door back enough to allow him
free passage. \

And these three seconds of time permitted one of the
scalawags of the town to leap upon his back.

Of course, it was all over then.

Robert made a gallant struggle, but a minute later had
his three former companions sitting upon him, as the
easiest way to keep him down.

The man pushed the door shut. »

‘Tet him up. He cannot escape now,” he exclaimed,
hardly knowing whether to be alarmed because of the
sudden danger, or filled with admiration at the magnificent
courage of the young patriot. a

BILL WERKLY.

Robert arose breathing hard, but the flash of ae eyes
announced that he was still undaunted.

“Another time I may be more successful,” he Dares
looking the man straight in the eye.

He saw that. Percival Kent was confused, and plainly
heard him mutter, as to himself:

“Gad, it certainly runs in the blood!”

Robert realized the folly of making ‘any further attempt
to escape while his enemies were on guard.

He walked over to the fire and calmly held out his
hands to the blaze.

It looked as though he meant to make the best of a
bad bargain—to accept things as they came.

Thus, he would be serving a double purpose, putting
the suspicions of his enemies to sleep, and, at the same
time, giving himself time to think.

So much had occurred of a startling nature, and his
dreams of years seemed on the point of being realized.

No wonder the boy felt that, desperate though his con-
dition might seem, he would not have it otherwise, if
the price of security was ignorance.

The man was talking now with Walter, and from time
to time they looked over to the other, as if he might be
the object of their consultation.

Robert was inexperienced in the ways of the world, but
he could, after a measure, read character.

This man, whom he believed to be some relative of his,
interested him greatly.

And from what he saw, as well as Percival Kent’s
ewn admission, he judged him to be more inclined toward
weakness than wickedness.

It was as if fortune had suddenly thrown in his way
an opportunity whereby he might profit, and he had been
tempted beyond his powers of resistance.

Now, Robert knew something of the Indians living far
to the west, as all boys of that time did.

Occasionally, roving bands of the red men had turned
up in Bennington, and on several occasions he had even
hunted in their company, thinking it fine sport.

The prospect of being carried away to their distant
village, there to be kept virtually a prisoner, was some-
thing, however, that did not give him any joy.

He was quite determined not to go, if by any means he
could baffle the plans of the man who seemed so desirous
of getting rid of him.

Time passed on.

An hour had gone since their arrival at the old cabin
on the deserted post road.

And there was no movement on the part of his captors
looking to a separation.

Robert regretted this.

He had been surveying the situation in his usual clear-
headed way, and came to the conclusion that if he should,
by chance, be left in charge of one or two of the boys, he
would accept the first opportunity to try conclusions.

There were many ways in which this might be done
with a prospect of success. f

Of course, so long as they all chose to’ remain, there
was no use of his thinking of such a thing.

A few hours more would bring daylight.

Then, at least one of his guards would leave, since the
man had spoken of keeping an appointment.

a

Perhaps either Lige or Hiram might be sent to town
to secretly buy food.

PE Scat

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If there was a chance of their being- cooped up in’ this
place several days, they could not go hungry.

Robert’s hopes did not die.

He was simply waiting. —

And as nothing would be gained by remaining awake,
while his exhausted frame called for relief, he lay down
in a corner, without bothering his head about the lack
of a blanket.

Tired though he was, he could not sleep.

His mind seemed to be on fire.

A thousand things kept chasing back and forth, and
he imagined that some kindly hand was unrolling the
scroll a the mysterious past, showing him the wonderful
truth.

Yes, he even shack he could see a face dimly ap-
pearing in the midst of the hazy smoke that had gathered
against the rafters of the room, just as though one of
his ancestors looked down upon him in pity.

What was this? Surely the face moved, and he saw a
grin appear upon it.

Robert was wide awake now.

There was no delusion about this thing. It was no
imagination on his part.. The face was there, and as he
looked again, he saw one of the eyes close in a very
familiar way.

Why, only Eben did that, and yet, how could Eben. be
here?

It was very strange, But ae everything that had hap-
pened on’ this night was on that. order.

Youth does not spend much time-puzzling over the rea-
son for things,

It accepts facts.

Well, Eben was there—had followed them by some for-

tunate chance. What then?

Would he hasten to return to town and bring help?

That would seem to be the proper method of meeting
the conditions.

And yet Robert saw no sign of departure. Eben was
making some mysterious passes with his hands, as though
bent upon giving him due warning,

He knew of, old that his comrade seldom did what was
expected of him, and. that if he had any plan of action,
it would turn out to be an extraordinary one,

It. was not hard to guess how Eben had reached his
present position,

Many a time had Robert climbed to the roof of this
same old ramshackle cabin, and, passing-through a trap,
let himself into the shallow loft.

he hole through which he now saw Eben’s face was
also well known to our young friend, since he had him-
self fallen through the rotten flooring at a point where
water from the opening had entered in summer and: snow
in winter.

None of the others could, i any chance, see the boy
in the loft, for they were sitting in various positions, with

their backs propped up against the side of the building.

The three boys seemed as though they might be asleep.

After making this survey, Robert looked again for some
sign of his comrade’s face above, but, while able to see
the gap fairly well, it was vacant.

Had it been only imagination, then?

The thought gave him a cruel stab.

And yet the hope that had been aroused within him re-
fused to subside.
He never knew the minutes to drag as they did now.

NEW BUFFALO

 

 

BILL WEEKLY. 23

Several times he thought he heard a slight shuffling
noise from the loft, although it might be only the night
wind rubbing the oye nee branch of a tree against
the roof.

‘Was Eben gone?

If he ran all the way, he might reach town in less than
an hour, though the poor fellow must be tired, too.

Then another hour must elapse before the rescuing party

could come up.

That must bring it almost to dawn.

Robert hoped their coming might not be too late, and
find him on his way into the wilderness.

He shuddered at such-a prospect, hideous enough at any
time, and doubly so, now that his patriotic young spirit
longed to be counted a factor in the desperate struggle,
already opened, between England on one ‘side and her
oppressed colonies on the other.

It must not be.

In some way, this miserable plan of Percival Kent Sout

be defeated.

Again he began to wrestle with the puzzle, - as if
Eber was not to be counted at all in the matte

It was the natural independence that marked his nature,
a desiré not to rely upon another for agsistance. _

While he was in the midst of his vagiie groping, Robert
suddenly became conscious of an exceédingly dismal sound,
that filled the apartment.

It was in the nature of a groan, but such a groan as
never mortal éars had heard before.

His first inclination was to shiver, and this was suc-
ceeded by a sensation of satisfaction, for he remembered
that Eben was there.

CHAPTER VI.
THE COMING OF THE GHOST.

The others had also- heard the. fluttering sound,

Already the boys were scrambling to their feet,
looking toward each other apprehensively.

Percival Kent also arose in undignified haste.

He had not forgotten what was said about the cabin be-
ing haunted, and, as he, at the time, as good as confessed,
the thought of spirits from the other. world gave him a
bad turn.

He was superstitious.

It had not been such a very great time before that the.
belief in witchcraft had so strong a hold upon the people
of the king’s colonies that they burned women as_ evil
witches at Salem,

Eben had long practiced his part. :

As Robert now rememberéd, he had, some fae since,
arranged to play a practical joke upon certain of the boys,
who were to be induced to spend a night in the old cabin,

This had been in the preceding autumn.

Other things of a more serious nature had conspired
to put this boyish prank out of mind, but Eben, son of
the best known leech and doctor in town, had made all
his arrangements, little dreaming how fate would enable
him to profit by them.

It was not Robert’s place to lie there unconcerned while
these uncanny things were going. on.

He must add his little mite to the excitement.

Accordingly, he, too, scrambled to his feet,
deavored to look thoroughly alarmed.

When the groans ceased for a brief ‘interval, the fellows

and

and en-

  
 

 

24 NEW BUFFALO

breathed easier, but Robert noticed that Walter had edged
nearer the door. :

He knew what that signified.

Once a soldier begins to look over his shoulder, his
heart is no longer in the battle.

By the time they had taken a couple of decent breaths,
there was a strange clattering sound above, and the groans
started afresh.

This time they were positively fearful, and seemed to
come from the side where the ladder stood, fastened to
the wall, by means of which the cabin loft was gained.

It was evident that the spirits did not rest easily, and

thought it necessary to make a demonstration.

If rash mortals invaded their domains, they must pay
the penalty in some manner. ~

Robert was waiting for what was to come next, and
wondering whether Eben would have nerve to carry out
the full program, as previously paetes for the surprise
of his. boy friends.

At the same time, he pretended to be worse frightened
than any of the others, running about. the room, pulling
at the plank fastened over the window, and uttering cries,
that, of course, added tothe confusion. :

It was already quite interesting, and..promised to be
‘more so when the thing had developed to its limit.

Robert kept watching that ladder.

He reckoned that something was about due yonder, some-
thing that was cal¢ulated to startle the vision, even as
thosé amazing groans had the hearing.

Nor was he mistaken.

Another rattling sound, more painful than before, as
of dried bones knocking together, and then there came
into view a fearful apparition.

This was nothing more nor less than a skeleton figure,
which Eben had stolen from the closet where his father
kept the old relic of mortality.

The boy, bent upon giving his fellows the best scare

of their lives, had, with bits of wire, mended the frame- ©

work wherever broken, and so arranged the bones of the
arms and legs that it was easy to set them in motion,

Actually, it seemed as though the hideous thing were
clambering down the ladder with ridiculous. haste.

And, to add to the ghastly nature of the whole, the lad.
had rubbed some species of phosphorus all over the
skeleton, that caused each particular bone to stand out dis- :
tinctly in a pale yellow light.

Robert secretly confessed that he must certainly have.
been alarmed himself, did he not know who it was who
jerked the cord that vibrated the bony joints.

This did not prevent him from adding his little. mite to.
the confusion that existed. ,—

With five persons all shouting at once, it may an be
understood that things must have been rather lively around
that region just then.

Walter, being closest to the ‘door, was the ae to. beach

that mode of departure.

Terror gave him unusual strength. . ie

While it had taken two of them to push. the door bak,
he seemed to have little trouble in tearing it open.

Fear, as well as insanity, sometimes acts that way.

Eben was, meanwhile, doing his, best to imitate such
sepulchral groans as an tineasy ghost might be supposed
to make, and, at the same time, causing his father’s ana-
tomical specimen to execute all manner of ghoulish dances
in mid-air. :

BILE WEERDY:

The reputation of the cabin had much to do with the
demoralization that came upon its inmates.

They did not think it worth while to stop and figure
out how absurd it all was.

Just then they wanted a charice to’breathe the outside
air, and apparently they wanted it badly, too, if Robert
could judge from the way they pushed and scrambled
through that doorway.

Percival Kent was, with the rest, just as sadly demor-
alized, despite the fact that he was a man of fairly mature
age.

He actually pushed the others ahead of him, when they
blocked the way in their flight.

Robert shouted close behind them, determined that noth-
ing should be left undone to add to their enjoyment.

He remembered that they had been more or less rough

in their handling of him, when transporting him to this

place.

The shoe was now on the other foot, and it looked as
though his hour had come.

Judging from the ability they displayed, as they passed
from sight through the open door, the lot of them were
good for a foot race down the road, that might not come
to an end until they found themselves out of breath.

Robert thought he could spare them easily.

At the same time, he felt strangely attracted toward the
man who had it in his power to lift the curtain of his
mysterious past, and put him in communication with those
who were of his own. kith and kin.

Never mind; perhaps they would meet again.

And if not, at least he had learned certain facts that

"were calculated to be of value to him.

So he turned once more into the cabin.

The dreadful skeleton was apparently climbing upward
again in all haste, as though the time limit of its liberty
in the sight of mortals had become exhausted.

A hand reached down impatiently and lifted the clatter-
ing nightmare of a specimen through the opening.

Then a pair of sturdy legs were thrust into view, im-
mediately followed by the figure of a half-grown lad;
and Eben Hopper dropped to the floor.

His face was as red as his hair, and there were various
daubs of glowing phosphoresence about his person, due

_to working in the darkness of the loft. | ,

The first thing he did was to double up and begin to
laugh, as only a boy with a pretty strongly developed taste
for the ridiculous could do.

Nor could Robert keep from joining him, the whole af-
fair. had been’ so: comical. ue

If those who ran down Ee road in such mad haste gave
any heed to the sounds that burst out from the old cabin,
they must have believed there was a whole company of
ghosts making merry over the situation,

Robert was the first to recover.

“It was, indeed, well done,” he said, taking the other’s
shining hand and squeezing it warmly.

“This pays for all my trouble. Who would think that

old castaway of father’s would play such a part? Was

the ghost’s dance to your liking, Robert?” asked the doc-
tor’s hopeful, recovering with an effort. os

“Finer than any minuet I ever saw, in faith. Never.

can I forget it. “But I wot it is foolish of us to remain

here longer, now that the way of cee ape is open. They

may get over their fright and return.”
“Little danger of that in‘a hurry. I can hear their shoes

 

 

W.
kn

gC

it

S
 

 

 

ce NEW BUFFALO
on the road still. But I plainly see you do not take kindly
to the idea of visiting our Indian friends away out yonder
in the. Mohawk valley. To me it would be a rare treat,”
sighed Eben, who longed to travel, but was intended to
succeed his plodding father and become a doctor. i

“IT am wondering how you chanced-to come here?” said
Robert, looking around once more ere quitting the place.

“In truth, I rode, as well as yourself.”

“Not in the wagon, surely?”

“Underneath the same.”

“But how did you know I was there?”

“I was not certain until I saw you in this place by the
light of the fire yonder. By accident, I saw the boys carry-
ing a burden through the streets. It excited my curiosity,
and I followed.

“Then came the man, who bargained with them and

threatened, until one went and secured the horse and~

wagon, I think it belongs to Hiram’s father, who, you
know, has the bakery, and draws wood for his ovens. Then
it was easy to hang on behind.” 2

“T can understand the rest. Now we must, indeed, be
gone, lest they should return.”

“Tt is a long way to town,’ remarked Eben.

“And I am sore, as well as weary.”

“That settles it for me.”

“We ride, forsooth.”

“Why not, when the opportunity beckons I am de-

termined from this time on never to miss a chance. to.

accept the favors of fortune.”

“What you say warms my heart. The walking is good.
Let those who prefer it wear out good shoe leather. It
will be all the merrier for Mr. Heeltap, the cobbler.”

“Unless we make good time,’ laughed Eben, as he fol-
lowed his friend through the door, “I fear we shall reach
town too late to welcome our brave Walter and_his Tory
band. They run amazingly well.”

Knowing just where to look, they speedily found ie
horse and heavy wagon that had been used to transport
Robert and his captors to the cabin.

While Eben turned the outfit around, so that the animal
headed toward home, Robert procured several stout withes,
that might be made useful in the effort to goad the thick-
skinned animal to his topmost speed.

It was not their intention to be stopped on the road, if
hurry could take them through.

And, having mounted the wagon, they a the pace, we
ing the astonished beast on at a gallop.

Robert. did the driving, he being somewhat fearful of

his companion’s reckless ways, and not in the least de-

sirous of a smash-up on the rough road.

It was not a great while before they heard loud ex-
clamations of astonishment from the bushes alongside the
road, followed by shouts and demands that they pull up.

They only laughed at the audacity of the thing, and
Eben plied his switches in a more lively manner than
before. F
Reaching town, they made for the cake shop of Firs
father, in front of which they tied the old white horse,
almost exhausted after his merry chase.

The adventure was over.

Robert felt that a wonderful thing had happened to him
since the sun went down.

He now knew beyond all doubt that somewhere he had
a father, who was, it seemed, actually looking for him.

' to abate an iota. i

     

BILL WEEKLY, Lian

What: joy this gave the heart-hungry lad!

How he longed to find this one to whom he was re--

lated, only those who have never known the love of par-
ents may understand.

One thing he was deed on, oad this, to ia a
sharp lookout against the coming again of Percival Kent,
the man whose tender heart could not descend to remov-
ing by violence one who stood in his way, and yet would
not have hesitated to condemn him to a life of exile, away
from the friends of his boyhood, :

‘When another day came, such a person : as Percival Kent
was not to be found within the borders of the town.

He had taken warning from the failure of his plans, |

and gone away, either back. to Albany or else to the great
English fort across the lake, where, perhaps, he might
have friends.

Robert thought best to say nothing about what had
happened, save to the kind old blacksmith.

Here he was sure to meet with sympathy, for all along
had John Masters been positive that this child, coming
to him in such strange fashion, had good blood in his
veins, if the truth were only known.

The drilling went on apace.

Every man seemed full of enthusiasm; that is, with
the few exceptions, such as Squire Griffin and his allies.

One of these,had been brought back from the lake early

in the morning, and while he carried not a scrap of. writ-

ing in evidence, it was surmised by Allen and Arnold that
the fellow intended taking warning to the British,

So several days wore on.

It was a good sign that the enthusiasm did not seem

These men jumped not to ssncueons

Long had they been making up their minds as to the
course they meant to pursue, and the glorious news that
came from the south was only the match that fired the
train.

Robert kept as near the leaders as possible.

He hung upon their every word, and drank of the well

of patriotism that bubbled up in their bold hearts.
He had time enough, besides, to see much of Annetta.
Between these two young people there was a friendship

that in later years promised to develop into a more serious

bond.
It had always been so, more or less.

And yet Annetta, looking back, could see how, on her.

part, it had suddenly taken on new vigor.

This had been a few years back.

Robert, even at that tender age, had been wont to shoul-
der the long gun of the blacksmith and scour the woods
in search of game.

Not often did he come back without a generous reward,
but on this day, somehow, luck seemed to have been against
him,. and he was, as natural, passing up a back street to
avoid the jeering remarks of other boys, when he heard
a most tremendous racket.

Women shrieked, men and boys ran, and Robert stood

there, lost in sore amazement.

He heard Annetta calling to him to run or find shelton

in some doorway.
There was Hiram climbing a friendly tree with frantic
zeal, and shouting to Robert to follow suit.
Just then some one uttered the thrilling words:
“Mad dog!”

*

dectien dla ws. Ga. tes eels A ohm ch Vp a cick MEER. Cet apm atsncae AR neti ammcneec te EE ew iN at ce

 
 

» BS

\

others. of his kind did at Bunker Hill,

NEW BUFFALO

And Robert saw the brute coming up the street.

He recognized old Towser, a fierce beast at any time, and
looking particularly dreadful now, sagging from side to
side as he came on, snapping his great, foamy jaws, and
evidently in search of a victim.

Now, Robert had plenty of time to run.

He confessed that he was sorely tempted, the beast
looked so ferocious, and he was hardly more than twelve
himself at the time.

But he could not move.

Tt was not fear that paralyzed his limbs, for his hands
were quite steady. .

Conscience spoke within.

Something seemed to shout in his ears that it was his
duty to slay that monster.

At any moment the mad beast was apt to come “upon
some innocent, prattling child, without a shadow of fear
toward any dog, and the result—it made Robert grit his
teeth hard to even think of it. .

So he dropped down on his knee, just as, years later,
and awaited the
coming of the foe.

Many called out to him, and entreated the lad te run

ere it was too late.

He never flinched.

~ Deliberately he looked along that ite aveets.
. For this, perhaps, Heaveti saved his ammunition this
very. day.

And he did not mean to miss.

The ugly beast was now only ten paces away, and. com-

ing straight. at him, with savage growls.

Every voice was hushed. |

Even the children seemed to know it was a time to
hold their very breath, lest a cry disturb the aim of that
wonderfu! little hero, eee so calmly in- the dust of
the road. :

And then the gun roared.

‘They saw the.dog lurch forward and roll, almost at the
very feet of his slayer.

Then, from shops and houses ‘men and. women came
flocking, cheering or crying. im their excitement.

Little Robert was quickly seized and examined,
he might have received a scratch

lest

They bore him on théir shoulders, did those admiring
men, to the door of his adopted father’s smithy, where
the story of his valor was told’ again and again.

_And all this under Anneétta’s own eyes.

Do you wonder ‘that her friendship fot the hero of that
red-lette® day grew stronger ? ;

Robert recalled how she had warned hits. against those
who seemed disposed to hate him, because. of the bold

manner in which he had secured the royal message, in-
tended only for the British commandant’s eyes.

He saw that it would be ny tight to take Annetta into
his -confidence.

“Besides, now that it es to ae as thoes the re- -

ptoach that had hung over his unknown birth was likely
to be removed, he wanted to share the glad tidings with
this dear ‘girl, who “had always. Been $0 ilies and truly
concerned about his welfare. .

Nor did he mistake.

- Annetta hung upon his words deneay on when he .
“was through, questions. him, -as Saueals her: ee erin
than his, was at stake: : ns

 

but the blind,

_ sound of his footsteps in what lane; or court,

 

BILL WEEKLY.

"4

And, strange to say, she hardly smiled at the ridiculous
episode of the haunted cabin, though Robert painted the
scene of Eben’s triumph most ardently.

Annetta was thinking of more serious things.

She ‘had a kind father, and it was the wish of her loyal
heart that Robert might also find a similar protector.

TO BE CONTINUED,

THE FIRST COUNTERFEITFER.

So far as known, the first counterfeiting was done in
1738 by a man named Richard William Vaughn. Vaughn
was engaged to a young lady in Stafford, England, and
desiring to impress her favorably with an idea of his
wealth, he employed a number of-artists, each to execute
a portion of a Bank of England note. Through one of
the engravers the discovery was made known. Vaughn
was arrested, and his offense was deemed to come within
the scope of the law punishing counterfeiting the king’s
coin.. Vaughn was hanged, but the ease with which he
demonstrated how counterfeiting could be done soon led
to numerous imitations.

 

HOW THE BLIND “FIND THEIR WAY ABOUT.”

The blind man has to depend almost ‘entirely on the ac-
curacy of his ears to guide him wherever he may wish
to go, and it is remarkable in what a short time he be-
comes familiar with a new locality and fresh surround-
ings. Few people are aware of the powers of the ear,
through constant exercise of that organ,
are able to discover objects almost as rapidly as a seeing
person. For instance. when walking in a perfect calm,
he ean ascertain the proximity of objects by the feeling
of the atmosphere upon his face; it would seem at first
that the echo given back, were it only from his breath-

ing, might be sensible to his ear; but it has been as-

-certained by experiment, that a blind man with his ears

stopped can tell when any large object is close to his
face, even when it approaches so slowly as not to cause
any sensible current of air. When he is walking along
the street he can tell whether it is wide or narrow, whether
the houses are high or low, if an opening, which he may
be passing, is a court closed up at the end, or whether it
has an-outlet to another street; and he can: tell by the
or sqtiare
he-is. He goes along boldly, seeming to see with hig ears,
and t6° have landmarks in the air.. Of course, no blind
man likés to go over a new toute unattended, but after
che has traversed it once he: knows every point of im-
portance to him, and could walk over it, as we should
say, “in the dark.”

 

IMPRESSIONS OF COINS.
Impressions of coins,
in this way:

medals, et cetefa, can be made
Melt a little isinglass glue with brandy,

-and potr it thinly over the coin or medal so as to cover

the. whole surface. Let it- remain on for a day or. two,

till it-has thoroughly dried and hardened, and then. take

it off, when -it will be fine, clear, and hard, and will pre-
sent a very er impression: of the coin. - It. will also
resist the effects of damp air, which occasions all other

_ kinds.of glue to soften and bend if not prepared in. this

way.

PA ae a ae TA Ae he ak Se

 

mn
 

Lal la 2 ang! Gna scan grape N yd fas aN Soa WS ie

: _ NEW BUFFALO BILL WEEKLY. 2

THE NEWS OF THE WORLD.

 

Clock Stops; Upsets Town.

Everything went wrong in Lafayette, Indiana’s, retail
business district the other day, when the big clock in
the courthouse tower stopped for the first time in more
than a decade. So accustomed have merchants and their
patrons become to depending on the clock they could not
believe their eyes when repeated glances at the dial showed
the hands motionless.

Street-car conductors and motormen, instead of depend-
ing on their watches, have been running their cars from
the public square on a schedule based on the courthouse
clock time. Cars were held ten minutes longer than
usual as the street-railway men waited for the hands of
the clock to indicate the leaving time. Many persons who
noticed the time registered on the clock thought their
watches had gone wrong, and they went to jewelers to
have the watches tepaired.

Abel Field, colored, has wound the big clock every Sun-
day for more than thirty years. He did not fail in his
duty that Sunday, but one of the big springs broke and
the mechanism came to a standstill.! Clock experts worked
an hour before they succeeded in getting the clock going
again.

Looks for Sea-level Canal.

Philippe Bunau-Varilla, who used to be chief engineer
for the Panama Canal in the days of the French on the
isthmus and was later envoy of the Panama Republic in
Washington, is sti} firmly convinced, after his first and
last visit to the Panama Canal, that the waterway ought
to be and will some day be a strait.

M. Bunau-Varilla said that his visit to the canal a few
weeks ago was really the first he had paid to the isthmus
since he left there twenty-five years ago, in spite of the
fact. that he had conducted the early negotiations in
Washington for the Republic of Panama. In this last
visit he saw the dredges passed through the Gamboa locks.
He praised the work of Colonel Gorgas and of Colonel
Goethals, and said that now that dredging was not only
practicable but easy, with water all the way across the
isthmus, this government ought to. start at once upon
digging a wide sea-level canal, which, he asserted, would
not hinder the operation of the lock canal, though it
would necessitate four or five years of construction work,
which might have been attended to during the work of
digging the canal as it is, and which would now require
four or five years to complete.

“Within a very short time—perhaps in fifteen years,” said
M. Bunau-Varilla, “the Panama Canal will have become
inadequate to meet the increasing and gigantic demands of
the commercial and military fleets of the world. Accord-
ing to the most recent, and best calculations, the limits
of its carrying capacity will be 50,000,000 registered ton-
nage a year. That is the limit imposed by the water sup-
ply. It will begin operations with 10,500,000 tons a year.
Statisticians foresee that its traffic will be at least 40,000,-
000 tons for the twentieth year of its operation, and one
must not forget that at the Sault Ste. Marie Canal traffic
has risen from 10,500,000 to 45,000,000 tons in fifteen years.

The Suez Canal is a different proposition altogether.

Its tonnage has risen to only 10,000,000 in thirty years. The
Suez Canal simply united the white with the yellow and
brown-races. The Panama Canal will unite branches of
the white races. As for its adverse effect upon the Suez
Canal, that will be of little account. The ultimate effect
will be that both will serve to carry the currents of a
greatly stimulated commerce.”

Bars Black and Tan Bouts.

Boxing promoters of the State of Wisconsin have
reached a working agreement whereby no bouts between
whites and blacks will be staged. The managers of the
different clubs of Milwaukee, after having given the sub-
ject considerable thought, have come to the conclusion
that mixed contests do the game no good, and for that
reason have barred them. :

Stefansson Heatd From,

-Vilhjalmar Stefansson’s Canadian arctic expedition has
been heard from at the northernmost point of Alaska. At
the geographical survey offices recently it was announced
that advices received by mail stated that’ the Kariuk, the
Mary Sachs, and the Alaska, bearing the explorer and his
party, passed Barrow Point on August 8, August 15, and
August 20, respectively. The expedition, hearing from
the natives that no ice had been reported, hoped to reach
Herschel Island by August 24. Allon board the three ves-
sels were well, it was stated.

Stefansson, on behalf of the Canadian government,
is in search of an “unknown continent” in the arctic, which
since his departure has been reported to have been discov-
ered by Russian explorers. Stefansson planned to divide
his expedition at Herschel Island, pushing on himself as
leader of the exploring party, and leaving behind a
group of scientists headed by Doctor R. M. Anderson, who
were to study copper deposits and the “White Eskimos.”

Produce Myriad of Fish.

A total of 1,207,255,120 fish were distributed in the waters
of New York State during the fiscal year ended September
30, according to the reports filed with the conservation
commission by the foremen of the nine State hatcheries.
This is an increase of 550,000,000 over the hatchery output
of last year, and the largest distribution ever made by, any
State. It compares favorably with the output of the United
States bureau of fisheries, whose hatcheries outnumber
New York’s about five to one.

This enormous restocking of State waters is supple-
mented by a strict enforcement of the protection laws by
the conservation commission. All that is required now to
insure a bountiful supply of food and game fish through-
out the State is an improvement in legislation looking to
the elimination of harmful pollution of streams.

Will be Biggest Man on Brooklyn Team.

Pitcher Charlie Schmutz, or as Steve McKeever insists
upon calling him, Mike O’Brien, will be the tallest man
in the Brooklyn squad next year. The Vancouver recruit
stands 6 feet 114 inches and weighs 195 when in condition.
He is a right-hander. There has been a lot of good-na-

 
NEW BUFFALO

tured chaffing over this lad because of his name, but he
is apt to prove anything but a joke.

The Brooklyn club bought “Mike O’Brien” on the recom-
mendation of Tommy Sheehan. Tommy one time essayed
to play third base for the Pirates and later the Superbas.
He is now out on the coast. Any budding baseball talent
he runs across he jots down for the Brooklyn club and
promptly wires President Ebbets.

That Tommy knows a ball player when he sees one is
evidenced by the fact that it was he who dug up George
Cutshaw. Little George is one of the best little prize pack-
ages in baseball flesh that the Brooklyn club has picked
up in many a day.

Radium Boon for Deaf.

Doctor Hugel, of Berlin, in an article on the treatment
by radium of diseases of the ears, some of which have
hitherto defied treatment, points out the interesting fact
that the emanations which in the treatment of cancer
destroy the tissues, in this case rejuvenate both nerves
and tissues.

The doctor treated almost all kinds of deafness—gradual
decay and chronic disease, as well as deafness resulting
from sickness or accidents—and it is stated that almost
all forms benefited by the treatment, which has the merit
of being painless and requiring very small quantities of
mesothorium, as the radium preparation is known.

Eight to twelve applications, and a total of one to five
milligrams of mesothorium are sufficient in most ‘cases,
so that doctors and hospitals can easily apply the’ treat-
ment.

Govetnment Killing Off Ground Squirrels,

Using poison, twefity-one experts in the employ of the
government “have within the year killed many thousand
ground squirrels in the Monterey, Santa Barbara, Korn,
and Sequoia national forests of California. The squirrels
of the Pacific coast are, along with rats, the most danger-
ous carriers of bubonic plague infection.

People living in the eastern part of the United States
little realize what a nuisance are the ground squirrels in
the Far West. Aside from the fact that they are a menace
to public health, because they carry fleas, which in turn
carry bubonic plague, these little animals destroy thou-
sands of dollars’ worth of agricultural products each year.
Settlers owning land near the national forests keenly ap-
preciate the work which the government is doing. Most
of them have cleared their land of the squirrels at the
same time that the work has been conducted in the national
forests, and in the opinion of the government experts it
will not be many years before the squirrels are completely
exterminated by wholesale poisoning.

Fice-damp Whistle to Protect Coal Miners,

The Emperor William has inaugurated the new Kaiser
William Institute of Experimental Therapy at Dahlen.

His majesty afterward visited the neighboring Institute
of Physical Chemistry, where a surprise awaited him. Act-
ing on a hint given last year by the emperor the men of
science were able to show his majesty an ingenious de-
vice, which by means of the various tones of a whistle
indicated the state of the air in mines.

Air blown through a whistle pipe, if pure, produces a
continuous ordinary whistle tone, but if it contains 1 per
cent of dangerous explosive gas a broken and uneven

BILL WEERLY.

note results. The effect increases in pfoportion to the
amount of gas until the danger point of 5 per cent is
reached, when a succession of rapid-throbbing notes are
produced, which warn the miner of his danger.

The device is the invention of Professor Haber, who
has christened it the “fire-damp whistle.” \

_ ‘This Baby Some Athlete.

A wonderfully developed baby is Lucy, the 9-months-old
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Romano, of Winsted,
Conn. She weighs seventeen pounds and can lift the
tray of her high chair and push it over her head, playing
peek-a-boo as she does it.

Given a chair weighing thirteen pounds she held it
up free from the floor without dropping it. Romano
said the child had lifted the chair with five pounds of
shoes piled into it. Mrs. Romano caught the baby up
and allowed her to catch hold of a clothesline stretched
across the room, and there the baby hung in mid-air for a
minute,

Next Mrs. Romano put out her hand and the baby stood
erect on it in mid-air without a thing to support her but
her mother’s hand under her feet.

Pegoud May Fly Atlantic.

Adolphe Pegoud, the topsy-turvy aviator, intends, if
he manages to keep alive, to give exhibitions of upside-
down flying in the United States at the conclusion of his
present tour. ~

He has severed his connection with Bleriot, from whom
he received a mechanic’s salary of $10 a week, and is
charging each aérodrome where he appears $6,000’ for a
series of flights, covering three days.

Before going to. Vienna, M. Pegoud stated his purpose
of going to America, and also expressed his willingness to
attempt a flight across the Atlantic, provided a proper
naval patrol was guaranteed.

M. Pegoud is small and dapper,. with brilliant eyes,
scintillating good humor. He cultivates a dark mustache
a la kaiser, He is a great joker, even on the subject of his
own thrilling performances. While he cannot be called a
man without nerves, he undoubtedly does not know the
meaning of danger.

“You ask whether I would attempt a transatlantic flight.
I have not studied the question sufficiently to make“a com-
plete answer concerning the possibility of success, but I
think that such a flight will. be accomplished in the near
future. Certainly it will be the greatest feat in aviation.
I hope to be among the first to attempt it, even though I
do not succeed.

“My present engagements call for exhibitions in Europe
and South Africa, and possibly. South America. In any
case, it is my present intention to go to the United States
some time in I9r4.

“America has produced the discoverers and the greatest
pioneers in flying, although France has been the greatest
developer of the science. All Frenchmen desire to see
Americans only second to themselves.

“Persons talk about the foolhardiness of my upside-down
flights. If I thought them foolhardy I would not do
them. That is why I say I would attempt a transatlantic
flight now only with a guarantee of proper naval patrol,
because I am sane enough to desire to try it again if I
fail the first time.

“From a superficial study of the situation I believe that

 
NEW BUFFALO

the flight might now be attempted across the shortest route,
from the west coast of Ireland to Newfoundland.

“A waterplane of sufficient size, an extraordinarily pow-
erful motor, and wireless equipment could to-day nego-
tiate a large part of the trip without descending for gaso-
line. Given fair weather, the craft could rest on the waves
until help afrived. With the wireless, it could keep its
whereabouts known. It would be necessary to fly much
faster than the fastest patrol boats.

“As transatlantic liners would probably be expensive and
impracticable, I believe that torpedo boats and destroyers
would be the best craft obtainable. If any government
wished to test the possibilities sufficiently to have a convoy
of stich craft, starting a couple of days before the flight
and spreading themselves across the ocean, I think it would
not be long before the greatest prize of the air would be
won.”

Pegoud got his first experience of danger when a soldier
with the colonial army in Morocco. There he had several
fierce bush fights with Moors and Arabs. On one occa-
sion he was ambushed and nearly an entire detachment
was cut to pieces. He had a hand-to-hand conflict with
the foe with sabers.

He is now 25 years old, has good habits, leads a quiet
life when not aéroplaning, and is a great favorite with
children.

Pegoud carries hundreds of postcards of himself, which
he readily signs and gives to those asking for them, but
with a legitimate pride that has an element of modesty
withal.

Cobb Doesn’t Want to Quit Detroit.

Printed reports that Tyrus Cobb, the hard-hitting center
fielder of the Detroit American League Baseball Club
was anxious to be traded caused Frank J. Navin, presi-
dent of the Detroit team, to make public recently a letter
from the champion batsman, in which Cobb said he was
anxious to play in Detroit as long as the management and
public were willing to have him.

Cobb’s letter also indicated that there would be no dis-
pute over the terms of*the 1914 contract. Last season he
did not sign until two weeks after the opening game. The
letter from Cobb to Navin reads in part:

“T am entirely satisfied with conditions, and I want to
end my playing days in Detroit. The fans have treated me
fine, and I want to be loyal to my club.

“The understanding we reached pleased me immensely,
and I will surely give my heart to playing with Detroit
next year. I certainly do not want to change.”

President Navin said “the understanding” referred to
concerned Cobb’s salary for 1914. Mr. Navin intimated
the Georgian would receive the largest salary ever paid to
a player in the history of baseball.

On-side Kick Great Cround Gainer.

Football fans. looking for the spectacular are having
their fill this season. The on-side kick again made legal,
is being used as one of the greatest ground gainers in the
championship games.

The present open-field style of game gives the on-side
kick a big chance of gaining. While the play is hazardous,
if not properly timed, it is, nevertheless, a powerful means
of advancing the ball if the defending team is strung out
in a wide formation at the time.

Gridiron authorities figure that the on-side kick has

“booter receives a direct pass from the center.

sik, ccna ii heh 0 pa

BILL WEEKLY. 29
three chances to one of going through successfully. This
is based on the advantage the kicking side has of recover-
ing the ball. The play, while depending a lot on luck,
is simple. ; ;

The attacking team elects to try an on-side kick. The
The entire
backfield—three players—take their places to the side of the
kicker. Each man on the line, of course, takes care of his
opponent. The scheme is to shoot the ball over the line
to one side, out of reach of the secondary line. With the
kick the opposing end is sucked into the play and the three
men on the kicker’s side break through to recover the ball. _

If correctly executed the ball is placed out of reach
of the defending backfield, the only man having a chance
to get to it being the half back on the extreme end. The
odds are three to one in favor of the kicker’s team recov-
ering the ball, based solely on the ability of either one of
the three men to outrace the defending half getting the
ball. The element of success is large for the attacking
eleven if the ball bounces either ahead or in back. If it
jumps too far it is likely to travel out of bounds, in which
case the defending side would receive it. If the ball
bounds in toward the scene of play it is probable that
the defensive half back would be the first to catch it. This
year the rules allow the ball to be kicked for all distances
—there are no limitations.

The tricky on-side kick has had a stormy cateer. It”
was originally invented by Doctor Carl Williams, the old

Penn coach, became so proficient in the play that the Red

and Blue stood its opponents on their heads with this
play. Coaches, claiming the on-side kick too dangerous,
refused to take it up, and it wasn’t used until 19007, when
Eddie Harlan, of Princeton, accomplished miracles with it.
Harlan could boot with the accuracy of a pitcher throwing
a baseball, and the Tigers reeled off many yards’ gain on
this play.

_ Opportunities in Afaska.

Three great advantages which the paper manufactur-
ers say they find in Alaska are abundant supplies of tim-
ber, cheap hydroelectric power, and the tide-water trans-
portation—all of these in one and the same locality. Areas
offering these attractions adjoin deep water and it is —
probable that plants will be so located that ocean freight-
ers can be loaded right at the mills. A cutting period of
twenty years will be allowed, with two yeats additional
for construction work. The prices may be adjusted at five-
year intervals to take care of possible advances in lumber
values.

Woman and Children on Long Hike.

Just to prove that Edward Payson Weston has nothing
on her, Mrs. Marie-B. Chester, the mother of ten children,
has started to stroll from New York to Minneapolis. If
she follows her schedule she will beat the Weston rcords,
and this, she says, she has ample faith in doing. Weston
walked for the glory of being called the champion pe-
destrian. This woman, who has brought ten children into
the world, is making the trip for the double purpose of
showing a good part of the U. S. A. to her boys and to
earn money with which to rebuild a home that was burned
down.

Mrs. Chester is 45 yeats of age, and is accompanied on
her trip by two of her sons, Henry and Charles, aged 14
and 13, respectively. Mother and children are experienced

 
 

 

NEW BUFFALO

39 :

campers. They started from the city hall after shaking
hands with the mayor, who gave them a letter requesting
persons along the route to show them every courtesy.

Mrs. Chester wore a short skirt, a loose, comfortable
waist, a broad straw hat, and stout, thick-soled shoes. She
carries a satchel swung over her shoulders and carries
a stout walking stick. Her boys are dressed in loose, com-

-fortable outing costumes, and each of them carries a

satchel and a stick. They will stop at Middletown, N. Y.,
their home, where they will pick up a trained dog they
have taught to draw a wagon. The wagon will be used
to carry the camp equipment.

They will be independent of hotels on their trip, and
will “camp out” all the way. Mrs. Chester plans to com-
plete her journey of about 1,500 miles in sixty days. After
the fire which destroyed her home, Mrs. Chester lost her
health and was unable to get work. She regained strength
and health by systematic walking, and she has taught all
her children to walk long distances and to take care of
themselves in the open.

New Warship the “Arizona.”

Battleship No. 39, which will be built at the New York
Navy Yard, probably will be named for Arizona. Arizona
and New Mexico, the two newest States, are the only
ones which have no war vessels named for them.

Senator Ashurt, of Arizona, has begun a movement to
have the new battleship named after his State.

Greatest Gas-well Fite is Put Out.

After having burned incessantly for six years, consum-
ing from 25,000,000 to 100,000,000 feet of gas a day, the
wild gas well at Oil City, La., has been conquered. Ex-
perts had reported it was impossible to harness the “vol-
cano,” but three months ago M. L. Alexander, president
of the Louisiana conservation commission, said “I’ll do
it,’ and to-day the well is as tame as any in the great
Caddo oil fields.

The subjugation of the wild well of Caddo is probably
the most important achievement that has been recorded
in the-development of the oil and gas resources of the

United States and certainly it was the most picturesque. —

Victory finally was won at a cost of approximately $6,000,
less than one-tenth of 1 per cent of the loss in the burning
of the “gasser” during six years. This fire was the great-
est of its kind in history.

After sevetal experiments had failed the conservation
commission hit upon the plan of a relief well, which was
sunk at a point about 150 feet from the geyser. The drill-
ers went down for 920 feet—then began the batttle be-
tween the forces controlled by man and those controlled
by nature. They began to pump water into the relief well.
This water had a pressure of about 300 pounds at the sur-
face, and added to this was the pressure of the well itself
—a gasser—estimated at 700 pounds. Therefore, the pres-
sure on the water which filled the cavity at the bottom of
the well was about 1,000 pounds, and this pressure was
sufficient to force the water through the gas rock, a sandy.
substance, and toward the wild gas well.

Thousands of tons of water were pumped through the
relief, well. Finally the forces of man were victorious,
pushing their way through the enemy’s weakness, grap-
pling with the gas pressure in a mighty struggle, and
surging up and up until it burst and literally smothered
the flames at their source. It was a hard-fought battle,

 

BILE WEEKLY.

and when it was over a whoop of exultation went up from
the crew.

It was a great victory for conservation—not only be-
cause it stops the waste of 25,000,000 feet of gas a day,
but because it demonstrates that no longer need man be
afraid of burning gas wells. It establishes the fact that
the wildest gasser may be controlled—not at an enormous
expenditure, but for a comparatively small amount—and it
fixes a definite line of procedure for the future.

Louisiana lost over $5,000,000 through the escape of nat-
ural gas last year, the loss for the entire country being
estimated at $23,000,000. Fire is responsible for a great
deal of this loss in the Caddo oil field.

A few years ago the “killing” of a burning gas or oil well ©

would have been regarded as a miracle—now the wildest
in history has been throttled easily.

Legally Dead, He Finds Wealth Gone.

When John Simpson, a Choctaw Indian, returned to
his home, at Soper, Okla., after an absence of eight years,
and found that legally he was dead, and that property he
owned when he left worth $100,000 has been sold, all he
did was utter a grunt. That’s a jolt that would make
‘most any one do more than grunt, but apparently that is
all John intends to do about it. It is all he has done so
Tar

Eight years ago Simpson and Monroe Ischommer were
two of the most wealthy Indians in their section of the
Choctaw nation. They were in the land business, and
under the conditions existing at that time acquired much
land.

Simpson and Ischommer disappeared. Later they turned
up in New Mexico. A few years ago it was reported that
Simpson had died in Mexico without heirs.

This statement was accepted as true, as Simpson did not
return, and provision was made for disposition of his
estate under the laws of Indian descent. Half of the
property went to children of Simpson’s dead mother by
a former marriage, and the remainder was sold through
the court, with the approval of the district Indian agent.
And John Simpson was forgotten.

e

The other day Simpson showed“ up in Soper as one |

returned from the dead.
friend told him what had happened. Then he left town
again. He did not say where he was going or when he
was coming back.

» Included in the property Simpson owned and which was
sold is 170 acres adjoining Hugo, 100 acres adjoining the
town of Soper, and a large tract adjoining the townsite
of Tuttle. .

“Man of Mystery” Drops from Sight.

The sudden disappearance from the Rochester State
Hospital, at Rochester, Minn., of “J. C. R.” the “Man
Who Was,” has added another page to the case which has
been shrouded in mystery from the beginning.

“J. C. R.” had been given the freedom of the institution
and no attention had been given to the thought that he
would run away, as he appeared completely satisfied with
his treatment and took great interest in the efforts: of the
officials to learn his identity. When he was seen on the
streets of Rochester the day he dropped from sight there
was no suspicion that he was planning to go away. After
he had been absent two days the authorities began to
search for him, but it was believed he would return, as

He just gave one grunt when a,

 
 

NEW BUFFALO

his inability to talk and his lack of funds would not allow
him to travel far.

“J. C. R” had exhibited intense disappointment over
the failure of the hospital officials to learn his identity.
Six years ago he was found on thé railroad tracks in Waur
seca, fifty miles west of Rochester, He had to all appear-
ances suffered a stroke of apoplexy. Not a mark of iden-
tification, not the slightest clew to his identity, was found
on him. He had lost his speech and his entire past had
been snatched from his memory. With no sign of tecovery
the county: officials decided a place must be found for him.
It was not a case for the poor farm. As a last resort he
was officially committed to the hospital at Rochester and
taken to that institution in April of 1908, his commitment
being made as “Richard Roe, an unknown.”

How did he become known as “J. C..R.”? Officials of
the hospital endeavored to teach the man to write with
his left hand,.and he has progressed sufficiently to make
a sctawl of a few letters of the alphabet. By this he
at first signified that he knew the initials of his name
were “J. C. R” He gives the date of his birth by taking
a calendar and pointing to November, and then to 24. He
writes “1864” to show the year.

When little hope was left of revealing his identity there
seemed but one chance—an operation,
might remove a pressure on the brain, where J. C. R. de-
clared he was struck, and where there were marks of a
sear. The operation was performed, but the hoped for
result was not obtained, and the mystery of the man’s
identity was not solved.

Thoughtful Yeggs.

Yeggmen who robbed the post office, at East Rochester,
N. Y., of a large quantity of stamps were careful to avoid
harming a bowl of goldfish and a pot of flowers which
were on a desk next to the office safe. Before blowing
the safe, an operation in which they used four charges of
nitroglycerin, they went to the trouble of putting the fish
and flowers on the floor. The force of the explosion shook
the neighborhood and brought at least a hundred citizens
out of bed. They saw five yeggs fleeing.

Big Hawk Taken by “Aviator” Cat..

For months hawks have swooped: down on the farm
of John Walker, near Plainfield, Conn. and have made
away with nearly all of Walker’s poultry. Complicated
traps. and numerous scarecrows had: no effect upon the
bold hawks, which even pulled the derby hat from the
head. of one particularly ferocious-looking dummy. -

Now, however, the cloud of gloom that had developed
the Walker hen yard has been lifted. McKinley, the
family cat, has captured one of the biggest hawks ever
seen in that section.

While the Walkers were at breakfast ie heard a
commotion in the hen yard. Members of the family hur-
tied out and saw the cat volplaning to earth on the back
of the hawk. The bird had attempted to fly, but found
McKinley too heavy a passenger. A shotgun ended the
hawk’s career. The cat received a three-course meal.

Friend of Hermit Loses $100,000,
John T. Culavin, of Omaha, is the heir to the $100,-
000 estate of John O'Connor, the Hastings, Neb., recluse
ho died August 18, leaving no known heir, but Culavin
a never inherit the money, for the will left 1s unwit-

aah ety li AR. a i AE al llpenRtoe tn. Me tren tine neth

The surgeon’s skill _

BILL WEEKLY ag

nessed and invalid. The will, after a search of two months
for heirs to the estate, was discovered in Hastings, after
having been stolen and secreted since August 1, when it
was written.

O’Connor’s real name was John Brady. He wis
in the Northwest, then fled from a mysterious crime, com-
ing to Nebraska in the late *7o’s. Here he managed to
have published an item that John Brady had been killed.
Then he changed his name to O’Connor. For more than
thirty years he lived at Hastings, accumulated $100,000,
then died, apparently leaving no will. Nearly two thou-
sand persons put in claims for the estate as-a result of
the countrywide search for an heir.

Culavin is a rich real-estate man who befriended O’Con-
nor in the hermit’s early days in Nebraska. He refuses
to tell much that he knows about O’Connor’s earlier life,
but has revealed the whereabouts of O’Connor’s two. grown
sons, who are farmers in the Northwest. They will in-
herit the $100,000 and Culavin will not contest the will.

Harmonica in His Throat.

A man was found on a pile of molding sand, at Sel-
kirk, seven miles south of Albany, N. Y., early. one morn-
ing recently, black in the face and unable to articulate. He
pointed to his mouth, and those who looked in saw a piece
of metal alongside his palate. They tried to extricate it
with ordinary pliers, but were unable to do so. Then
S. G. Whitehead got a large pair from his automobile and
pulled the object out.

It proved to be a harmonica, eight and a half inches
long, an inch and a half in width, and three-quarters of
an inch thick. One side was loose.

When he had recovered sufficiently, the man said he
was an Italian, and his American name was John Mullen,
that he came from Rockford, Ill, and was om his way to
Naples, his native place. He said that he was pushed off
the train at 9:30 o'clock the night before by three other
Italians, who jammed the harmonica down his throat and
then robbed him. He was unable to extricate the instru-
ment, and in his agony he wandered about, leaving~ his
coat, vest, and hat alongside the railroad track. Finally
he had collapsed on the sand heap.

_The robbers did not take his steamship ticket from
New York to Naples, nor his watch. His rescuers brought
him to Albany on the first train for hospital treatment.

Unearth Old Poon

Au old brass cannon, discovered in western Yakima
County, near the summit of McClellan Pass, by Washing-
ton State engineers running the line for the new State
highway, will be dug up and set at the top of the pass, if
the. recommendations of M. D, Mills, in charge of the
surveying party, meet approval.

The gun is believed to have been abandoned fifty-eight
years ago, when an expedition under Brevet Major G. O.

- Haller, which set out from Fort Dalles, Oregon Territory,

against the hostile Yakima Indians; encountered an over-
whelming force and was compelled to retreat. According
to the local tradition, the gun was lost by Captain George
McClellan, but in response to a query from Mr. Mills the
war department states that the piece, a howitzer, undoubt-
edly is the one abandoned by Major Haller after a battle
with the Yakimas, October 6, 1855.

The State engineering force surveying a route across the

Soqualmie- Pass made a more grisly discovery recently,

f

 
 

a | NEW BUFFALO

‘when in their line they found first a human skull, then
vertebree and other bones, and finally a leg bone incased
in shoe and stocking. The flesh had been gnawed from
all other bones by animals. This find was reported to
the coroner.

City Receives Decoration.
The fortified city of Peronne, France, not far from
Amiens, was decorated .with the Cross of the Legion of
Honor recently at Amiens. M. Klotz, minister of the

interior, announced that the president had decreed that .

henceforward the municipality of Peronne should have the
right to insert the cross in its civic coat of arms. At an
interval of over 300 years the newly decorated city sus-
tained two famous sieges. In 1538 Peronne, under its
‘governor, D’Estourmel, was besieged by the -Comte de

Nassau, lieutenant of, the Emperor Charles V. The siege, |
though it lasted only thirty-two days, counts as one of.

the most murderous in history. The city had to sustain
three terrible assaults before the Comte de Nassau gave
up the siege in despair.

In the war of 1870 Peronne was besieged by the Prus-
sians from November 30 to January 3, when it capitulated
after a terrible bombardment, and when half its buildings
were in flames. So intense was the heat that the bells
in the church melted, and’the coins in the prefecture were
changed into ingots.

Eye fot an Eye, Indian’s Plea.

An TIndian’s idea of justice, an eye for an eye and a tooth
for a tooth—ahe Mosaic law—was recently illustrated in
the Southern Ute country, where a mix-up took place

between a red man named White Rabbit and a Mexican

sheep-herder. .

“My brother was shot twice by Vigil; Vigil was shot
only once while being captured, so I shot Vigil again.
Then Vigil was shot twice, my brother was shot twice, and
everything was even. Why, then, do the white men ques-
tion me for avenging my brother’s injuries?”

This startling exposition of the Mosaic law of an eye
for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, which prevails even
to-day as the Southern Ute Indians’ idea of justice, was
propounded to Special Investigator W. F. Daly, of United
States District Attorney Kelley’s office, recently. by Asa

’ Toyup Hamlin, better known as White Rabbit, when Daly
went to the reservation to investigate the shooting.

And the chiefs of the tribe,.who were in conference,
grunted approval, but consented to White Rabbit’s being

“taken into custody by the palefaces upon the promise of .

the White Father at Washington that the prisoner should
be given a fair trial.

Otherwise, White Rabbit and his tribesmen vente dis-
appear in the rugged wilderness of the Big Blue Ute Moun-
tain, near Cortez, and would defy capture.

Daly was sent to tlfe Ute reservation some time ago,
after the Federal government had promised the Utes that
White Rabbit should be defended from prosecution by the
district attorney, representing the Federal government. He
returned a few days ago.

White Rabbit was wanted for the shooting of Joe Vigil,
a Mexican sheep-herder, as Vigil lay wounded and a pris-
oner in the tepee of Lorenzo Hamlin, a full-blood Ute and
a brother of White Rabbit.

The initial trouble occurred last January, when Vigil
drove his sheep across the line of the public reserve onto

BILL WEEKLY.

the Ute reservation, and when he and his oS were found
there by Lorenzo Hamlin.

Hamlin ordered Vigil to leave the reservation: The In-
dian’s English was faulty, and his smattering of Spanish
could not be understood by Vigil, so the Ute gesticulated
a great deal, unfortunately using the right hand, “in which
was clutched a woven rawhide whip. i

During the altercation, Vigil declares, he feared the In-
dian would beat him with the whip, so the Mexican shot
Hamlin, one bullet passing through the right lung, the other
bullet plowing its way through the back over the right
shoulder and lodging against the vertebre.

There was great excitement in the camp, and William
Coyote, who is Hamlin’s father and a high chief of the
tribe, gathered some of the young bucks of the tribe and
set out to learn the cause of the shooting.

Armed. with Winchesters, the Indians easily could have
killed their man, but.that was not to be thought of. Ham-

lin was wounded, but not dead, and the fault might have

been with the Ute; so they pursued Vigil, keeping up a
running fire, so that the bullets finally drove him to cover,
where they might capture him alive.

Vigil, armed with a Colt’s .45, proved to be too dan-
gerous a marksman for them to approaclt closely, however,
and Coyote, as father of the wounded Indian, was given
authority to wound Vigil. A sharp report of his Win-
chester as Vigil momentarily exposed himself and Vigil
was wounded, shot through the leg. The pain of the
wound caused him to stagger and drop his revolver. Be-
fore he had recovered from the shock some of the younger
bucks closed and captured him.

The Utes bound Vigil on a pony taken along for the
purpose, and he was returned to the Indian village and
placed in the same tepee with his victim, Hamlin, who
meantime had recovered consciousness.

White Rabbit returned soon afterward and got the story
of the shooting from the lips of his wounded brother.
Calmly the avenger walked over to Vigil, who was bound
and fastened to a stake that he might not escape. Exam-
ination of the prisoner showed that the only wound he
bore was one in the right leg. Lorenzo Hamlin had two
wounds.

Obviously that-was not fair, so White Rabbit drew his
own revolver, took careful aim, and shot Vigil through
the nose, the bullet destroying part of the nose and a por-
tion of the left side of the sheep-herder’s face, ae

After that all was well. The prisoner was well cared
for, in the Indians’ own way, and as soon as his wounds
had healed sufficiently and it was certain that Lorenzo
Hamlin would not die, Vigil was escorted to the edge

of the reservation aad released, with instructions not to _

teturn.

Vigil swore out warrants for the arrest.of White Rab-
bit.

Students Eatn $56,773 at Harvard.

Students at Harvard earned $56,773 while pursuing aca-
demic courses during the last year, according to the report
of the secretary for student employment. The students
acted in all sorts of capacities, from iceman to aftist’s
model, 1,926 positions being provided for them.

The largest amount earned during term time was $1,800,
by a supervisor and tutor.
received $600.
total of $23,760.

During the summer, 529 men earned a

ii ie PI Rae

A newspaper correspondent _

 

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:

 

 

 
 

 

 

a i wii iti
SR AE Stems tak la tia li high pO CB NE PREAH ENS

 
New Buffalo
Weekly

ISSUED
Bove Roy:
TUESDAY

Bill

BEAUTIFUL
COLORED
COVERS

 

 

There is no need of our telling American readers how interesting the stories of the adventures of Buffalo Bill,

as scout and plainsman, really are.

voted to be masterpieces of Western adventure fiction.
Buffalo Bill is more popular to-day than he ever was, and, consequently, everybody ought to know all there is

to know about him.

great man, as by reading the New Buffalo Bill Weekly.

We give herewith a list of some of the back numbers in print.

These stories have been read exclusively in this weekly for many years, and are

In no manner can you become so thoroughly acquainted with the actual habits and life of this

You can have your news dealer order them or

they will be sent direct by the publishers to any address upon receipt of the price in money or postage stamps.

451—-Buffalo Bill and the Horde of Her-
mosa.
452—Buffalo Bill’s Lonesome Trail.
453—Buffalo Bill’s Quarry.
454—Buffalo Bill in Deadwood.
455—Buffalo Bill’s First Aid.
456—Buffalo Bill and Old Moonlight.
457—Buffalo Bill Repaid.
458—Buffalo Bill’s Throwback.
459—Buffalo Bill’s “Sight Unseen.”
460—Buffalo Bill’s New Pard.
461—-Buffalo Bill’s ‘Winged Victory.”’
462—-Buffalo Bill’s Pieces-of-eight.
463—Buffalo Bill and the Hight Vaqueros.
464—Buffalo Bill’s Unlucky Siesta.
465—Buffalo Bill’s Apache Clue.
466—Buffalo Bill and the Apache Totem
467—Buffalo Bill’s Golden Wonder.
“68—Buffalo Bill’s Fiesta Night.
469—Buffalo Bill and the Hatchet Boys.
470—Buffalo Bill and the Mining Shark.
471—Buffalo Bill and the Cattle Barons.
472—-Buffalo Bill’s Long Odds.
473— Buffalo Bill, the Peacemaker.
474—Buffalo Bill’s Promise to Pay.
475—Buffalo Bill’s Diamond Hitch.
476—Buffalo Bill and the Wheel of Fate.
477—Buffalo Bill and the Pool of Mystery.
481—Buffalo Bill’s Ultimatum.
482—Buffalo Bill’s Test.
483—Buffalo Bill and the Ponca Raiders.
485—Buffalo Bill’s Hnigma.
486—Buffalo Bill’s Blockade. :
487—Buffalo Bill and the Gilded Clique.
489—Buffalo Bill and the Boomers.
490—Buffalo Bill Calls a Halt.
492—Buffalo Bill’s O. K.
494—Buffalo Bill’s Transfer.
495—Buffalo Bill and the Red Horse
Hunters.
498—Buffalo Bill at Tinaja Wells.
499—Buffalo Bill and the Men of Mendon,
500—Buffalo Bill at Rainbow’s End.
501—Buffalo Bill and the Russian Plot.
502—-Buffalo Bill’s Red Triangle.
503—Buffalo Bill’s Royal Flush.
504—Buffalo Bill’s Tramp Pard.
506—Buffalo Bill’s Crow Scouts.
507—Buffalo Bill’s Opium Case.
508—Buffalo Bill’s Witchcraft.
509—Buffalo Bill’s Mountain Foes.
510—Buffalo Bill’s Battle Cry
511—Buffalo Bill’s Fight foe the Right.
512—Buffalo Bill’s Barbecue.
513—Buffalo Bill and the Red Renegade.
514—Buffalo Bill and the Apache Kid.
515—Buffalo Bill and the Copper Barriers.
516—Buffalo Bill’s Pacific Power.
517—Buffalo Bill and Chief Hawkchee.
518—Buffalo Bill and the Indian Girl.
519—Buffalo Bill Across the Rio Grande.
520—Buffalo Bill and the Headless Horse-

man.
521—Buffalo Bill’s Clean Sweep.
522—Buffalo Bill’s Handful of Pearls.
523—Buffalo Bill’s Pueblo Foes.
525—Buffalo Bill and the Pawnee Prophet.
526—Buffalo Bill and Old Wanderoo.
527—Buffalo Bill’s Merry War.
528—Buffalo Bill and Grizzly Dan.
529—Buffalo Bill at Lone Tree Gap.
5380—Buffalo Bill’s Trail of Death.
531—Buffalo Bill at Cimaroon Bar.
5382—Buffalo Bill and the Sluice Robber.
533—Buffalo Bill on Lost River.
534—Buffalo Bill’s Thunderbolt.
535—Buffalo Bill’s Sioux Circus.

PRICE, FIVE CENTS PER COPY.

dealer, they can be obtained direct from this office.

536—Buffalo Bill’s Sioux Tackle.
537—Buffalo Bill and the Talking Statue.
538—Buffalo Bill’s Medicine Trail.
539—Buffalo Bill and the Knife Wizard.
540—Buffalo Bill and the Red Bedouins.
541—Buffalo Bill and the Prairie Corsairs.
542—Buffalo Bill’s Scarlet Pick-up.
543—Buffalo Bill’s Mental Magic.
544—Buffalo Bill and the Lost Indian.
545—Buffalo Bill’s Conquest.
546—Buffalo Bill’s Waif of the ve
547—Buffalo Bill’s Juggle With Fate.
548—Buffalo Bill and the Basilisk.
549—Buffalo Bill and the Klan of Kan.
550—Buffalo Bill and the Sorceress.
551—Buffalo Bill in the Ute Outbreak.
552—Buffalo Bill and the Border Belle.
553—Buffalo Bill’s Lost Trail.
554—Buffalo Bill’s Clever Capture.
595—Buffalo Bill and the White Chief,
556—Buffalo Bill and the Gambier.
5 7—Buffalo Bill and the Black Parson,
558—Buffalo Bill and the Toll Takers.
559—Buffalo Bill and the Blue Masks.
560__Buffalo Bill and the Valley Terrors.
561—Buffalo Bill and the Ranchero King.
562—Buffalo Bill and the Affair of Honor.
563—Buffalo Bill and the Ranger Robbers.
564—Buffalo Bill’s Blizzard Pards.
565—Buffalo Bill’s Indian Allies.
566—Buffalo Bill Snowbound.
567—Buffalo Bill’s Chivalry.
568—Buffalo Bill on the Mexican Border.
569— unale Bill and the Conspirator Cap-

570— Buitalo Bill and the
Ranchero,

71—Buffalo Bill on the Salt Lake Trail.

eae Bill and the Overland Out-

law
573——Buffalo Bill and the Boy Regulators.
574—Buffalo Bill and the Red Buzzards.
575—Buffalo Bill and the Red Butterfly.
576—Buffalo Bill the Valley Vigi-
lantes.
577—Buffalo Bill and the Silk Lasso.
578—Buffalo Bill and the Gold Boomers.
579—Buffalo Bill in Lost Valley.
580—Buffalo Bill and the Apache Dwarfs.
581—Buffalo Bill and the Red Rattlers.
582—Buffalo Bill’s Outlaw Allies.
5838—Buffalo Bill’s Queer Pard.
584—Buffalo Bill’s Strange Prisoner.
585—Buffalo Bill’s Daring Drover.
586—Buffalo Bill’’s Young Trailer.
587—Buffalo Bill and the War Hawk.
588—Buffalo Bill’s Strange Pursuit.
589—Buffalo Bill’s Death Trap.
590—Buffalo Bill’s Hard Chase.
591—Buftalo Bill in the Black Hills.

Mysterious

and

NEW SERIES
New Buffalo Bill Weekly

1—Buffalo Bill’s Blind Lead.
—Buffalo Bill’s Bold Work.

an Buffalo Bill Besieged.
4—_Buffalo Bill Turns the Tables.
5—Buffalo Bill at Bay.
6—Buffalo Bill’s Defense.
7—Buffalo Bill and the Amazon.
8—Buffalo Bill’s Escape.
9—Buffalo Bill’s Blockhouse.
10—Buffalo Bill’s Cafion Cache.
11—Ruffalo Bill’s Dead Drop.
12-—Buffalo Bill’s Government Mission.

13—Buffalo Bill’s Blindfold Duel.
14—-Buffalo Bill’s Mexican Feud.
15—Buffalo Bill’s Still Hunt.
16—Buffalo Bill’s Fiercest Fight.
17—Buffalo Bill’s Navaho Ally.
18—Buffalo Bill’s Best Shot.
19—Buffalo Bill’s Girl Pard.
20—Buffalo Bill’s Eagle Eye.
°1—Buffalo Bill’s Arizona Alliance.
22—-Buffalo Bill’s Mexican Adventure.
23—Buffalo Bill After the Bandits.
24—Buffalo Bill’s Red Trailer.
25—Butffalo Bill in the Hole in the Wall.
26—Butffalo Bill and the Bandit in Armor.
27—Buffalo Bill and the Masked Mystery.
28 —B uffalo Bill in the Valley of Death.
29—Butfalo Bill’s Great Knife Duel.
30—Buffalo Bill in the Nick of Lime.
3 Buffalo Bill’s Sacrifice.
32 2 Buffalo Bill’s Frisco Feud.
33—Buffalo Bill’s Diamond Hunt.
34—Buffalo Bill’s Avenging Hand.
3: 5—Buffalo Bill at War With the Danites.
36—Buffalo Bill’s Deadshot Pard.
37—_Bufts alo Bill and the Death
hood.
Se eae Bill’s Fiery Trail.
9—Buffalo Bill’s Sioux Foes.
ill’s Cold Trail.
et oeaaaaie Bill’s Iron Fist.
42-__ Buffalo Bill’s Race With Fire.
43—Buffalo Bill’s Florida Foes.
44-_Buffalo Bill’s Grim Climb.
45—Buffalo Bill’s Red Enemy.
46—Buffalo Bill on a Traitor’s Track.
47—Buffalo Bill’s Terrible Odds.
48—Buffalo Bill’s Air Voyage.
49—Buffalo Bill’s Death Thrust.
50—Buffalo Bill’s Kiowa Foe.
51—Buffalo Bill’s Terrible Throw.
5 2—Buffalo Bill’s Wyoming Trail.
3— Buffalo Bill’s Dakota Peril.
54 Butalo Bill’s Tomahawk Duel.
55—Buffalo Bill’s Apache Round-up.
56—Buffalo Bill’s El Paso Pard.
57—Buffalo Bill’s Rio Grande Feud.
58—Buffalo Bill in Tight Quarters.
59—Butffalo Bill’s Daring Rescue.
60—Buffalo Bill at the Torture Stake.
6i—Buffalo Bill’s Treasure Train.
62—Buffalo Bill Among the Blackfeet.
63—Buffalo Bill’s Border Beagles.
64—Buffalo Bill and the Bandits in Black.
65—Buffalo Bill on the Deadwood Trail.
66—Buffalo Bill in the Cafion of Death.

Dated December 20th.
67—Baffalo Bill and Billy, the Kid.

Dated December 27th.
68—Buffalo Bill and the Robber Ranch.

Dated January 38d, 1914.
69—Buffalo Bill in the Land of Wonders.

Dated January 10th, 1914.
70—Buffalo Bill and the Traitor Soldier.

Dated January 17th, 1914.
71—Buffalo Bill’s Dusky Trailers.

Dated January 24th, 1914.
72—-Buffalo Bill’s Diamond Mine.

Dated January 31st, 1914.
73—Butffalo Bill and the Pawnee Serpent.

srother-

If you want any back numbers of our weeklies and cannot procure them from your news
Postage stamps taken the same as money.

STREET & SMITH. Publishers, 79-89 Seventh Aves, New York City

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