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No. 114.

BUFFALO BILL’S

NEW YORK, November ve 1914.

Price Five Cents.

ICE CHASE:

Or, THE TRAIL OF THE BLACK RIELE.

By the author of “‘BUFFALO. BILL.”

CHAPTER: I,
THE EMIGRANT TRAIN.

- Along a path through an unbroken forest rode. three
persons. . Ahead came an Indian in plain garb, riding
a shaggy little pony. His dress betokened him a Pawnee.
Yet he was not in the Pawnee country, nor did his features
exactly display characteristics fitting his dress. Indeed,
aside from the hawklike nose and deep-set- eyes, he gave
no’ indication in his countenance of Indian blood.

Behind! him rode a handsome young girl, bareheaded

and with her costume stained and rumpled by hard_

travel and hard usage. Indeed, that riding dress: she
wore had served Milicent Larrabee, night and day, for
With the young man who rode in
her reéar,. and-so acted as rear guard of the little caval-
cade, was Raymon Burgess. Miss. Larrabee had been

taken: prisoner by a band of horse-raiding Sioux several.

days before. -The young people—Burgess was. a Capi-
talist from New Orleans and the girl was the daughter
of a rich and eccentric Mississippi steamboat captain—
had been rescued. from the Sioux by the chief of scouts
at Fort Chatlis, where they chanced to be stopping, none
other than William F. Cody, the border king. Aiding
the great scout in the release of the two captives had
been .a strange being known as the Black Rifle, and Texas
Jack, a brother scout of Buffalo Bill’s, who chanced on
the scene while carrying ciehajenc: from General Thomas
to Major Reno.

Texas Jack had lived among the Pawnees so_ long,
and had gained their confidence to such an extent, that

he was known as the White Chief of the Pawnees, and
- Often dressed himself as one of the tribe.

   
   

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He was in

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this guise now, it being easier for him thus to get
through an enemy’s country, for just at this time the

‘Sioux. and Pawnees were not on: intimate terms.

Having released Burgess and the girl from captivity,
Buffalo Bill had returned to watch the immediate move-
ments of: the Indians, and likewise to “round up” the
Black Rifle, whose indiscriminate killing and scalping
of the redmen the department wished to stop. The Black

Rifle was mad upon the stbject of killing*Indians, and

had lately come to the banks of the Niobrara and stirred
the reds to anger against their white neighbars. Be-
catise this maniacal white man, whom they feared as
they. did the devil, killed and scalped indiscriminately,

~ the “Sioux were ready to break out in general warfare:

upon the whites.
As it was partly in Texas Jack’s way, he had agreed :

to guide Burgess and Milly Larrabee to Fort Challis.

They ‘were now within twenty miles of the fort, and.
half expected at any moment to come upon a party of
soldiers who would surely be sent out by Colonel Has-
brouck to search for the absent ‘‘tenderfeet.”

Indeed, as the disguised Texas Jack led the way
through the deep forest trail.and out upon a low bluff
which overlooked the well-watered plain beyond which
lay the fort, he stopped, and, raising his right arm,
pointed'to a ribbonlike brown line that led straight across
the lowlands toward the wooded slope of the opposite
hills. ;

“Wagon trail!” exclaimed the scout.

“Net the trail to Fort Challis?” cried Milly Larrabee,
in delight.

“The very same, miss. All you've got to do is to
ride down there and follow that road to the fort.”

 

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i | NEW BUFFALO

‘Well, 1 must say I’m jolly glad, to see it,” grunted
Burgess, coming up behind them,

“T am glad we have escaped with our lives, Raymon,”
said the girl.

“T never felt more piously thankful in my: life—for
your sake particularly. Old Black Shield would have
made a fine-looking squaw of you, Miss Milicent,”

“And a fine-looking brave of you,’ she returned, laugh-
ing a little.

“See there!” exclaimed Milly Larrabee suddenly.

She had looked back along the trail a bit, and there,
camped peacefully beside the brown ribbon of the road,
was a group of emigrant wagons.

“Bound for Challis, I swear!” exclaimed Texas Jack.

“Then why should we trouble you to go farther with
us, sir?” asked Burgess. “I know you have your duty to
perform, and you have been delayed already because
of us.”

“Waal, I reckon that’s so,” drawled Texas Jack.
got to ‘report to Major Reno as quick as I can.’

“We can ride down and join that party of emigrants.
See! They’re cooking breakfast. We'll join them, for T’m
right starved myself.”

“Oh, that will be delightful!” exclaimed Miss Larrabee.
“T’ve wanted to learn ae the women manage to live in
these ridiculous wagons.”

“Waal, I dunno,” drawled Texas Jack again. ‘“Buffler
asked me to see you safe to the fort. He reckoned you
two folks had got into enough trouble already.”

“Mr. Cody is quite right; we have,” admitted Rue
humbly. “But we can get along all right without you.”

“Pm tempted to leave you,” said Texas Jack, squinting
into the morning sun from under the flat of his” hand,
-as'he viewed the camp of the emigrants.

The camp was some distance away, but it looked as
peaceful as a New England village. There were half a
dozen wagons, arranged in a-circle, and the smoke ‘of
the cooking fire rose from their midst. The scout could
see nobody moving about the camp. It was still tolerably
early, and the children were plainly not astir, and only
“the cooks were busy inside the circle. Straying about
outside the wagons, and feeding calmly on the short
buffalo grass, were several span of oxen’ and mules.
Tt was evidently. a typical emigrant train.

“Tf you go along o’ them you ll reach the forn by arter-
noon,” declared Texas Jack, whose nearest path to his
destination lay at a sharp tangent from the fort.

“And we'll do just. that,” declared » Milly, offering the
scout her hand. We re sorry to lose you, Mr. Texas
Jack; if you come this way again while’ we're at Fort
Challis, I shall want you to meet my father.”

“Oh, I'll be glad to meet old Cap Larrabee again,”
said the scout warmly. “He and I did some business
durin’ the war, and I remember him from the old Mis-
sissippi days, too.”

Burgess shook hands with him cordially, too.

And so the trio separated. Burgess and the girl rode
straight down the bluff, and, after watching them as
far. as the. plain, where it was but a short gallop to the
emigrant camp, Texas Jack twitched his pony’s head
around and loped away on the western trail.

The nearer Burgess and the girl came to the emigrant
encampment the more peaceful it seemed. Not a sound
proceeded from it.

we

»)

No voice hailed them. The horses _
and: mules that raised their heads to look at the coming

Bil) WEERLY

riders, did not even neigh. The oxen were too busy
eating to pay any attention to the newcomers.

The smoke still rose from the center of the encamp-
ment, but lazily. It looked, after all, as though nobody
was up, and as though the emigrant party had set no
guards.

They were now but a few rods from the encampment.
The close circle of the wagons, drawn together for
protection and for purposes of a fortress, made it im-
possible for the man and girl to see within the camp.
Suddenly Burgess uttered a sharp exclamation. He drew
in his own horse, and grabbed at the bridle of his com-
panion’s pony.

“What is it?” cried Milly, stopping likewise.

“Why, they. must have had a fight here! Don’t you
see how that canvas cover is torn—and that one—and
the others! And see the arrows.”

“Oh, Raymon! What has happened?”

“Indians again, Milly. There has been trouble here.”

“And Texas Jack has gone!” cried the girl. Then

suddenly she saw something lying on the ground not

many yards from them. “See there!” she shrieked.

It was the body of a man, lying Tace downward upon

the gras s, scalped.

AS CHAPTER 11 |
IN THE HANDS -OF THE SPOILERS.

The amazed and frightened couple quite unconsciously

urged their. mounts-toward the circle of wagons. - Be-

fore they reached: them they beheld’ another stricken
man, killed and scalped like the first. They knew that
there could be none left alive of the emigrant party; yet
something drew: them to the circle of wagons that Hay
might see the full particulars‘ of the horror.

Burgess andthe girl rode between the two wagons: ‘that

had been left slightly apart to make an entrance into the

camp. The scene fairly made Milly reel in her saddle.*
The Indians had evidently. crept upon. the guards,

butchered. them and- the two-men who had- started. out

to bring in the oxen. and mules, had driven their. arrows

and. rifle. bullets through the. wagons, shooting some. of [
the helpless emigrants: in that way, and then: rushed. the.
camp and hacked down every -living soul-. with their.

tomahawks. .Women lay in their night. clothes, dabbled

in blood and with their scalps torn off_to | deck, some grim

watrior’s bridle rein,

Several: of the “wagon. covers had hee torn. ‘open on:
the camp: side: - Evidently this -was in the Indians’ eager-.

ness to seize those whites who- tried to. hide,.as. well as

to. get at the stores.

when they had been driven away.
By what, or whom?

This question. Burgess aad ie a were not wise
enough to answer..
of the savages were as sharp as those of the eagle. A
figure appearing on horseback a long distance away
would be noted. by the marauders. Three figures would
be of particular prominence in the red men’s eyes.

And unwisely Burgess and Milly Larrabee had ridden
into the trap, which the Sioux had left open.

panion was. well- -nigh | overcome by the scene of murder
and rapine. _
“Come, let us go as he said, 1 in a low voice.

 

The savages had begun -to loot.

- They did not realize that the eyes

The young»
man recalled himself, however, noting that his com-_

 

 

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NEW BUFFALO

But this thought came too late. They had already
placed their heads in the noose, and there was no escape
for them. The drumming of a horde of hoofs broke
upon Burgess’ statement, and suddenly a most fiendish
series of yells shattered the awful silence which had
brooded over the scene.’ The returning Sioux, who had
but hidden in a thick grove a few rods away, came
tearing down upon the beleaguered camp, and from every
side!

“We'll fight for it, Milly!” cried the young Southerner.
“Oh, curse my. folly! Why did we ride into the trap?”

He jerked around his own horse, and Milly’s fol-
lowed. They dashed out of the circle, and, seeing the
most of the wily reds coming from the direction of Fort
Challis, they turned the other way along the wagon trail.

“On! on! ‘Beat him!” panted Burgess, belaboring his
own mount.

The girl did as she was bade. What either could do
to escape the savages they did not stop to ask. them-
selves. It was.just a mad dash toward the thinnest part
of the charging line.

The wild yells of the reds struck terror to their hearts.
Yet Burgess had already shown his indomitable courage,
and he drew the single weapon he possessed—a six-
shooter Buffalo Bill had given him—and held it cocked
in his right hand, waiting until he was close to the line
of redskins before opening fire.

Had Burgess but known it, he had already been rec-
ognized—and the girl, too. Burgess’ own prowess at
the time he and Milly had been previously captured, had
made a deep impression on certain of the Sioux who had
been in Black Shield’s raiding party. They had sepa-
rated from Black Shield and driven their share of the
raided ponies into other villages; some of them had now
joined this war party that had pitched upon the emi-
grant train at early dawn and which was led by no
other chief than the great Gray Eagle himself.

At once, when Burgess and the girl rode toward he
emigrant camp, word had passed among the braves that
these had been Black Shield’s prisoners. How: they had
escaped, Gray Eagle’s warriors did not know, for news
of Buffalo Buill’s raid on Black Shield’s camp had not
as yet reached his brother chiefs. .

Gray Eagle, however, wished to recapture the. white
man who had proven so brave a fellow, and that was
why no flight of arrows, nor: any rifle shots, followed
the young Southerner and the girl at first.. When Bur-
gess opened fire on the Indians that seemed to balk his
escape, however, one of those behind sent a well-aimed
shot which crippled Milly’s horse.

On three legs the animal staggered on a few yards.
Burgess heard her screams, saw what had happened, and,
urging his own mount to her side, he flung out his left
arm, encircled her waist, and lifted her from the saddle
just as her horse tumbled to the earth!

His mount soon began to heave under him, however,
and he knew that the weight and the pace were telling
sadly on the animal.

Suddenly the ar duuning of the ponies’ feet became
louder in his rear. Gray Eagle himself and a party of his
braves were coming up, hand over hand. The others had
gone back to despoil the emigrant wagons and set them
finally afire. The runaway whites were getting up the
trail about as far as Gray Eagle cared to have them go.

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saddle and tried to reach.the girl and her captor.

 

BILL WEEKLY. | 3

With much hooting and yelling, the confident savages
trode down their trembling quarry.

Suddenly a horsehair lariat circled over their heads
and dropped its snakelike coils around them! It was
drawn up taut, pinioning Burgess’ arms, and drawing he
and the girl together; but they were not jerked from
the saddle.

A second rope dropped over the pony’s neck. That,
too, was drawn up warily. The animal’s pace slackened.
He ran slowly, and then—stopped! The Indians rode up
with laughter and many jokes in their own tongue. Bur-
gess and his companion were in the hands of the spoilers!

Gray Eagle, a big, broken-nosed warrior, with a chief’s
headdress and an air of vast solemnity and dignity, rode
near and stared at Burgess with interest. None of the
braves paid much attention to Milly.

“Ugh! Pony run heap hard,” grunted Gray Eagle.
“No carry two.”

He leaned over, unleashed Burgess and the girl with
his own hands, and then suddenly seized Milly and
fairly snatched her from the young man’s arms.

“Curse you!’ roared the Southerner, and, snatching
out the empty gun from his belt, he flung it full in the
chief’s face.

The Gray Eagle dodged the missile, and for one in-
stant a fleeting grin crossed his stern face.

“Ugh!” he grunted.

He said something to one of his braves in the Sioux
language, and tossed Milly, as though she were a sack
of grain, into the man’s arms. She screamed again, and
Burgess tried to forée his pony to the side of the buck
who had caught her. He who held the lariat the noose
of which was about the pony’s neck, drew the line taut,
and the pony stopped, choking.

With a yell of rage Burgess cast himself from his
The
Indians laughed, and forced their ponies into his path.
One buck Burgess leaped upon and fairly dragged from
his pony’s back. Not only that, but he snatched the
knife from the red’s belt, and, in another moment, would
have plunged it into the breast of its owner!

At this Gray Eagle seized his war club, and, leaning
from his pony, dealt the unwise white a glancing blow
upon thé side of his head, and Burgess fell, unconscious. -

CHAPTER IIT.
AN ADOPTION.

Milly Larrabee expected to see Burgess murdered in
some atrocious manner by Gray Eagle’s cutthroats. But
nothing of the kind occurred. Aside from the crack on
the head which the chief dealt Burgess with his war club,
they were really more tender with the young man than
they were with her.

Burgess they picked up and threw over a pony’s back,
spreading a blanket, to make a sort of cushion for him,
and binding him on with rawhide thongs that he might
not get a fall. An Indian mounted into Burgess saddle,
while the red that held Milly made her sit behind him,
and as he knew nothng about sidesaddles—and little
about any other kind, never using more than a blanket
himself—he made the girl sit astride.

They set off then into the north. Gray Eagle did not
choose to join in the loot of the emigrant caravan.. He
had come down to the trail, struck a blow almost within

Tn OR Rl Ne A AEN he Be IR A My RM BRA AOR AR REINS BARN A Ma A Oh

 

 
 

4 _ NEW BUFFALO

sight of the fort, and now his troop would divide into
several parties to return to their villages by such diverse
ways that the pony soldiers, or walk-a-heaps, would have
difficulty in placing the blame of the raid on any one
encampment.

The other parties had the loot of the caravan. He
kept the prisoners for his own share of the booty.

Milly Larrabee was not only sick of body, but of mind
as well. From remarks Buffalo Bill and Texas Jack
had let drop, she realized that the fate Black Shield
had reserved for Burgess, at least, and possibly | for her-
self, was worse than anything either of the captives had
imagined,

They rode until late that night, stopping but once for
rest and food. Milly had to be held upon a pony, be-
hind one or another of the bucks. They fastened her to
their own belts, and she had to hold on to their greasy
bodies or foul clothing with both hands to keep from
being jounced off. Burgess, however, improved steadily,
and when the party finally rode into Gray Eagle’s village
the next noon, he was sitting up and astride his horse.

Seeing finally that he had found some favor in the
eyes of his captors, Burgess, when the party dismounted,
insisted upon Milicent being allowed to go with the
squaws.
ways, he believed, if the girl showed herself useful to
some of the older women, she might be saved from any
indignities at the hands of the bucks.

Burgess himself was given a lodge alone, as he had
been in Black Shield’s camp, and the medicine man and
an old hag came and redressed the wounds that he had
received several days before, as well as the clip. Gray
Eagle had given him on the head with his war club

When these things were done for him Burgess felt better. .

But the medicine man attended him again, and painted
his face black. What this was for he did not know—
and that he was ignorant of its significance added some
hours of comparative peace to his existence.

Gray Eagle’s encampment was many miles up the

Niobrara from that of Black Shield; but it was evi--

dent that the Black Rifle had been getting in his deadly
work hereabout, too. Burgess saw three bodies of young
warriors brought into camp. They were scalped to the
ears—the sign of the Black Rifle—and there was much

wailing among certain of the women that night. One.

squaw especially—the favorite wife of an old chief, wailed
broken-heartedly over the body of one of the slain young

men—a mere youth, her son, who had gone out upon his

first raiding party. These matters were intelligently ex-
plained to Burgess by one of his guards, who talked
English very well.

Gray Eagle finally gave the young Southerner an inkling
of the fate reserved for him. The old chief came to see
him, squatted before the young man, and smoked thought-
fully as he listened to Burgess explain how he had a
great deal of money, and that for the release of Milly
Larrabee and himself he would pay Gray Eagle a great
sum—enough to make him and his people rich. The old
man shook his head finally and said:

“What good white man’s money to Injun? White
man let Injun alone, Injun have plenty. Plenty game,
plenty fish in rivers, plenty pony, plenty everything.”

“But what do you intend to do with me?” cried
Burgess.

“White man heap brave. He show Injun how to die.

From what he had read about Indians and their |

“among the braves,

BILL WEEKLY.

Make my warriors bold to again see a brave man die.
To-morrow. Ugh!’

And, rising, he departed. ii :

Burgess did not see the girl again. He spent a terrible
night and a wearisome day. From his lodge he saw
the stake planted in the midst of the council circle, and
the fagots brought. Indians from other encampments
assembled as the day waned. tlh

The drums had been roaring for an hous Hundreds
of. braves were gathered around, and behind them were
the squaws. When Burgess was led to the green pole in
the center he heard Milly scream most awfully. She had

for the first time realized what this preparation was for. —

Burgess was led to the stake. He did not hold back, but
placed himself without ado to be fastened to it.

Around and around his body the fastenings were
wound, and when he was bound to the satisfaction of the
master of ceremonies, who was the medicine man, the
wood was heaped about him. They piled the fuel as high
as his knees, and all was done slowly and methodically,
so as to give the captive time to break down. Burgess’
head sank on his breast and his eyes closed. He was, in-
deed, offering up a silent petition for strength.

The medicine man, fearing the victim was dying of
fright, pinned him with an arrow point. His scream, how-
ever, elicited something beside the laughter of those near
by. Behind the crowd Burgess heard the strained, but
sweet, voice of Milly Larrabee. In French she was
calling to him:

“Be of good courage, ea
am praying for you!”

The words inspired Burgess with courage, indeed! His
face was dyed crimson, and he threw up his head and
his eyes brightened. In the same tongue, which he knew
the tedskins did not understand, he made his reply:

“God bless you, my dearest girl, and may He save
you! I die loving you, Milly!”

“I know it, Raymon!” she returned, with a note of
fearful joy in her voice. “I know it. And you have my
heart, too! Mayhap you will wait for me only a short
time" :

She broke down there, but Burgess called to her:

“Do’ not fear for me, sweet girl! I can meet death
boldly, indeed, now!”

All things being ready now, the Gray Eagle came
forward, was given a torch which had been freshly
blown up, and, stooping, he set fire to the pyre. The
flames leaped up instantly, as though eager to seize upon
their prey, and the pungent smoke curled in a spiral
into the air. The crackling: of the wood was all that
could be heard for a few moments.

But as the fire burned closer, and Bae felt its
threatening warmth, there came a sudden movement
who were massed about the circle.
A figure broke through—a woman’s figure, with stream-
ing hair and wildly beating hands. Burgess’ wide-open
eyes saw her at once, and for an instant he feared it was
Milly, and that she was bent on some reckless act. —

But it was a red squaw. It was.the woman who had
so bewailed her son’s death. With a shriek, she flung
herself through the ring, ran to the fire, and: with her
own hands scattered the blazing fagots. (No man
stopped her, or tried to. She seemed beside herself, and
the red man has much respect for the person who is in

God will help:you. I

    

  

 

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“words.

 

 

NEW BUFFALO

a maniacal state. He believes that such an individual
is touched with the finger of the Great Spirit.

The woman scattered the fire; then, without opposi-
tion, she turned and harangued the crowd with piercing
Her oration was short, but evidently to the
point. Then she seized a knife from the nearest buck
and began to slash at Burgess’ bonds.

There was some movement against this, but Gray
Eagle himself interfered. He stepped forward and
spoke a few decisive words to the crowd. Then he turned
to Burgess.

“The white man is, indeed, brave,’ he said. ‘He is a
great chief. And the squaw of Lame Bear, whose son,
the Weazel, is dead, demands of the tribe that you be
given to her. It is well. Lame Bear is a great warrior,
and the Weazel, had he not fallen by the hand of the
Black Rifle, would have been a great warrior likewise.
The squaw of Lame Bear makes you her son. It is
well.” Cee

He folded his blanket about his shoulders and stalked
from the council ring. If there was wrath in the hearts
of the other braves, or disappointment felt over the re-
lease of the captive, none was shown. The woman fin-
ished cutting Burgess’ bonds, and he stepped out of the
smoldering pile of wood a free man!

CHAPTER IV.
THE EXODUS.

There are some customs handed down by the various
Indian tribes from a former day and generation that are
more honored in the breach than in practice. In the
old days after a battle, captives were frequently claimed
by the old squaws to take the place of their sons who had
fallen in battle. Under certain conditions these adop-
tions were honored.

The squaw of Lame Bear was a woman of conse-
quence. All her sons had been killed in battle, saving this
last and youngest, who had been slain by the Black Rifle.
Lame Bear was now an old man, and was one of the
wise ones of the tribe. Therefore, Gray Eagle bowed to
the woman’s wish, and Burgess was freed of the danger
of being burned at the stake.

His adoption had come so unexpectedly and ‘so sud-
denly, that the young man did not really understand his
good fortune—if such it might be called. He was saved
from the torture; but he was doomed to be made into
an Indian warrior, whether he would or no! This process,
however, was in the future, and all he could feel now
was delight at his fortunate escape.

The woman led him out of the circle and away to
Lame Bear’s lodge. But he was not quite so free as he
seemed, for four of the braves followed behind, and set
themselves as guards upon the four sides of the old chief’s
wigwam.

There was a fire in the middle of the lodge, and the
smoke from it made the young white man’s eyes smart.
Old Lame Bear sat over this blaze, warming his with-
ered hands and paying mighty little attention to what
was going on either in the village or in his own lodge.
The woman sat Burgess down beside the fire and pro-
ceeded to bathe and redress his old wounds, and the stiil
bleeding gash in his cheek. There was no ceremony—
no introductory remarks—nothing. The woman did not
even explain to Lame Bear what she had done. Nor did

 

BILL WEEKLY, 5

the old chief appear at all interested in the fact that
there had been a son adopted into the family.

It was not until the next morning that Burgess learned
he was to be watched and guarded even more closely
than before. When he expressed a desire to speak with
Milly, the chief’s squaw said sternly:

“No. Lame Bear’s son—the son of a chief—forget
paleface squaw.”

“But I love her, old woman!’ exclaimed Burgess des-
perately. “Is she well? Tell me that, at least.”

“Lame Bear’s son never have paleface squaw.
Kill paleface squaw first!”

At that Burgess was afraid to press the matter.

The woman was inordinately kind to him in every other
way, however. She brought him the choicest food in
camp, gave him a warm place by the fire, and wrapped
him in furs at night.

The second day she brought him Indian garments—
new moccasins, leggings, shirt, sash, pouch, and even
a headdress. She forced him to discard his civilized
garments; but as they were sadly soiled and torn, he was
not averse to that. Only the light garments of the
savage left him shivering with cold, and he was glad to
sit most of the time with a gaudy blanket wrapped about
him.

Ugh!

He went out in the sun and sat where it warmed him.

There was a great deal going on in the encampment,
and Burgess soon found that the village was to be
abandoned and the squaws and children, with a few bucks
to guide and guard them, were going farther north and
west- into the country of the Arapahoes. The Arapahoes
would not dig up the hatchet against the whites; but
they had agreed to take care of. the Sioux squaws and
children while Gray Eagle waged a hot war in repara-
tion for the wrongs the Sioux considered done them—
especially in repayment for the acts of that terrible being
—whom the red men feared as more than human—the
Black Rifle.

Some days had passed, and, as far as Burgess knew,
no effort by their friends had been made to aid Milly and
himself. They were completely in the power of the In-
dians, and had he not been so much interested in learn-
ing all he could about them, and in living this new life
which had been thrust upon him, the young fellow would
have gone mad. He saw Milly only occasionally, and
never dared speak to her. She, too, was dressed in the
garb of her captors, and Burgess thought that she looked

actually handsomer than ever!

Gray Eagle and his braves were as busy as bees, making
ready for war. ‘They proposed to strike the settlers
—perhaps the fort itseli—a hard blow and then retreat
after their squaws and papooses if the soldiers followed
them closely. At length the camp was broken up, the
patient pack ponies were loaded, and the shoulders of the
more patient squaws, and the exodus began.

The caravan started away from the old encampment
one forenoon. <A large party of braves accompanied
them for the first few miles of their journey. Burgess
learned that this was done because it was known that
somebody besides the Black Rifle had been lurking about,
spying on the Sioux—some other white man had left his
trace near the old encampment. The braves feared that
the pony soldiers had been planning an attack. But when
the exodus was well on its way toward the Arapahoe
country the braves dropped away, in small parties, bent

PAD li i hc Ae a Pee a aie hp BR Ph Cn ot
Jeol Cua eee

 
  

6 NEW BUFFALO

 

upon visiting certain settlements, or ranches, and whet-
ting their taste for slaughter by killing and scalping such

defenseless whites as they could find.
2 \

CHAPTER V.
SCOUT. VS. ‘SCOUT.

Unless Texas Jack had had the eye of an eagle, he
~could not have seen that the emigrant camp, toward
which he had directed his two charges, was other than a
peaceful spot. It was so early in the morning when the

scout and the Easterners came out on the bluff, that it .

was not surprising that the emigrants were not yet astir.
The smoke of the early fire, too, aided in satisfying dae
mind that all was well.

So, Texas Jack considered his mission of ‘such impor-
tance that he allowed Burgess and Milly Larrabee to leave
him. He turned his own pony. and rode hard for sev-
eral hours before he stopped to rest and eat. He chanced
upon a pleasant glade, with a stream of clear water run-
ning through it, and while his mount rested and cropped
the grass, he lay on the soft sward and chewed at dried
buffalo beef and drank out of his hand. To the scout
any food that satisfied hunger was sweet.

Suddenly, as he stooped to scoop up a palmful of water,
he beheld something in the bot’om of the creek that quite
puzzled him. Although the water was as clear as crystal, it
was plain to his sharp eyes that the bottom of the stream
had of late been much disturbed. The bottom was of
silver sand, with an occasional small, water-worn pebble
scattered over it. There were half-filled hollows in this
sand and. several of the pebbles within his sight had
been turned over, or thrown out of their original mortises.

The action of the water had washed much of the sand
back into the holes, and was doing its best to repair the
damage done its strand. But the scout knew’ that these
displacements and holes did not come by chance. He be-
lieved that horses had made the disturbance. And, jf so,
why had horses been driven down or up the stream?
Were their riders fearful of ‘leaving a trail at this
crossing ? -

Texas Jack was too much interested in this discovery to
either eat or rest. He got up, glanced-shrewdly around
the glade, and began to step softly and carefully, so as
to leave no trail himself.

He noted the direction of the stream. It ran nearly
north and south. He figured at once that if a party of
cavalrymen had, for some reason, made the water trail,
they would have been going north—into the Indian coun-
try. Some party from Fort Challis might have done
this. Yet it did not seem reasonable to the scott that it
was so. Any party out from Fort Challis would be
hunting for Burgess and Milly Larrabee, and would not
be thinking of hiding their trail like a scouting party.
Besides, he was assured by the number of pebbles dis-
turbed, and the holes in the sand, that a large onary
of horsemen had passed through the creek.

He gave the idea of soldiery having made, the trail
second place, however. It was more likely Indians.
And how would Indians be heading? None of his own
Pawnees would come so far this way, he knew, and they
must, of course, be Sioux. All the Sioux were to the
north. These chaps,.then, were going downstream—no
doubt of it!

They had passed no longer than the evening before; of

BILL WEEKLY.

“would fall again into the hands of the redskins.

that Texas Jack was confident.
ing toward Fort Challis troubled the scout.
they had got between the fort and the emigrant train, to

Suppose

which he had directed Burgess and the girl? Not only
were they in danger, but the emigrants themselves. Al-
though but twenty miles from the fort, Indians some-
times had committed atrocities almost beneath the walls
of a strongly garrisoned place.

The man was deeply troubled. He was torn between
his duty to the military government whom he served, and
the fear that those intrusted to his care by Buffalo Bill

“This is a sweet mess!” exclaimed the scout, in deep
disgust. “If I let this go without looking into it, I'll not
sleep for a week. Fool that Tam! Why didn’t I go to the
gates of the fort with those children, as I told Cody I
would, and so have a peaceful mind?”

He caught his horse, cinched the saddle on him, flung
over it the blanket so as to the better appear to accord
with his disguise, and started down the stream, taking
the water trail himself. Within a quarter of a mile he
came to the place where the troop of horsemen had left
the water. That they were redskins, he knew by the
footprints of the unshod ponies; that they were a part of
Gray Eagle’s forces, he was confident; and. their num-
bers added to his perplexity and trouble of mind.

“Those: kids are sure in danger—and the emigrants,
too. Huh! Me for the fort!” exclaimed Texas Jack.

He swung into his saddle, aimed his pony’s head for
Fort Challis, and covered the thirty-five miles or so to
the fort in such fast time that-his pony dropped under
him just as he rode up to the gateway.

The sight of a Pawnee riding full tilt at the fortress,
with a pony so exhausted that he dropped when the red

pulled him in, brought half the garrison to the entrance.

Even Colonel Hasbrouck came running from his quarters.
“It’s Texas Jack!” exclaimed one old campaigner, see-
ing through the paint and disguise which the scout wore.

What's up, Jack?’

“Colonel, I was on my way from General Thomas to
Major Reno, and met Cody up north of here on the
Niobrara. He and the Black Rifle—whom he had in-
duced to join him for the work—were releasing a Mr.
Burgess and Miss Larrabee from Black Shield’s  vil-
lage——”

At this a yell went up from the cuca listeners, and
old Cap Larrabee, ‘his long, gray beard flying behind him
as he ran, burst through the group to the scout’s side,
and grabbed him by the shoulder. :

“Tell. me what you know of her?” he demanded. “Is
she safer”

“She was a few hours ago,” said the scout, and then
turned to continue his report to the colonel:

“We freed them, and Cody asked me to bring them
on their way to the fort as far as I was coming.” (Jack
eased himself a bit there.) “I did so, feaving them
early this morning at Soldier's Bluff, not twenty-five
miles from here, and within sight of an emigrant train
that was camped on the trail leading to this fort. Has
the train been sighted ?”

“Not yet,” said the colonel.

Cap Larrabee burst in again:

“Why the devil didn’t you stay with
reached the fort, you scalawag?
ter take keer of my darter.”

“What else 2”

‘em till they
That puppy warn’t able

And such a force head-

      

 

 
 

 

  

 

 

   
  
  
   
     
NEW BUFFALO

“According to what I saw of Mr. Burgess,’ ’said Texas
Jack sharply,
me that he had acted with so much bravery from the
first that the Indians themselves admired him. At least,
they had planned to send him to Gray Eagle’s village to

be reserved for torture.”

A groan arose from some of the listeners.

“But he and the girl are free now!” exclaimed the
colonel.

“I hope so.”

“You hope so? What do you mean?”

“Why, after I left ’em—this noon, in fact—I come
upon the trail of a big war party. They were Sioux,
Gray’ Basle s gang, I believe. And they were coming
this way.”

“Toward the fort?” cried the colonel.

“Not exactly; but they are not far from here—or
‘weren't far away last night.”

“Last night!”

“Perhaps this morning. I’m bothered about those emi-
grants and—and Burgess and Miss Larrabee.”

“Ah!” exclaimed the colonel, seeing now the full sig-
nificance of the scout’s meaning.

Cap Larrabee uttered a yell of rage.

“Yd oughter shoot you, Texas Jack!” he shouted.
“Why didn’t you bring ’em here?”

“T wish I had, cap!” exclaimed the scout, uh aveitie in
his. tone how. deeply he felt the matter.

- Colonel Hasbrouck immediately summoned an officer.

“T ieutenant Bicksby, mount your Here and ride up the
trail to meet this emigrant train.”

' “And Vil go with them, colonel, if yout! sae me a
fresh horse,” said Texas Jack.

whe II go, too! i

cried Cap Larrabee, and rushed away to
find a mount. ;

The colonel gave his subordinate officer further in-
structions.

“Lieutenant, Aepian 3 your men and beat.as wide a ea
- on both sides of the-trail as is possible. . Don’t be rash,
“but fight, if it is necessary to save the emigrants. If
attacked by a large force,.send back word, and. we'll
depopulate the fort to reénforce you! Do you under-
stand?”

“Yes, colonel ! p

~“Off with you, then!” -

The bugle had called the troop to hibese. They mounted,
and Lieutenant Bicksby, a young but well-experienced
officer, placed himself at their head. Texas Jack seized a
hardy mustang that was brought him, mounted as he
did before, with a blanket to hide his saddle, and trotted
out of the gateway with the command. Behind them came
Cap Larrabee, his whiskers waving in the wind and a
long and heavy Sharp rifle—a veritable buffalo gun—
in his hands. .

They broke into a gallop as’soon as they were on the
trail. Within a mile of the fort Lieutenant Bicksby
deployed his men in scouting order. He kept the scout
and Larrabee by him. Every mile they covered without
seeing any sign of the emigrant train added to Texas
Jack’s despondency. Under ordinary circumstances, the
emigrants should have been. at Fort Challis ere this.
There had surely been trouble on the trail.

“he is no puppy. And Miss Larrabee told

-great scout.

BILL WEEKLY.

“There’s a bit of smoke ahead, sir!” cried one man,
whose route had chanced to take him over a mound.

“Where about?” asked the lieutenant.

“Seems to be right on, or beside, the trail.
way ahead yet.”

It’s a long

They rode hard, and in less than two hours came in
sight of the smoking ruin that had been the emigrant
wagons!

One glance was enough. Cap Larrabee sobbed aloud;
Jack groaned at the sight; the lieutenant and soldiers
were grimly silent as they galloped over the plain to
the funeral pyre of the victims of the redskins’ savagery.

The wagons had been drawn together into one pile,
oil poured over the mass, and such stores as the reds did
not want, or could not carry away, were burned, together
with all the bodies of the unfortunate victims of the
massacre.

It. took Texas Jack -but a short time to decide that,
after the looting of the train, the Indians had broken up
into- several bands, and started northward aa different
routes.

“And my poor gal—and that puppy—was jest etched
yere and suffered’ the same fate,” groaned Cap Larrabee.

“Mr. Burgess and Miss Larrabee certainly came -here
before the Indians destroyed the camp,’ said Texas Jack
hopelessly. “I have found the marks of their ponies’
hoofs coming down from the direction of Soldier’s Bluff.”

He went on to explain, likewise, how the two had prob-
ably become entrapped by the redskins. He saw now
that the comparatively peaceful camp he had seen from
the bluff at daybreak was “peaceful because there was
not a living soul, about it. The Indians had already
killed the emigrants and had retired for a while, ‘So Bur-
gess and Milly Larrabee had fallen into the’ trap. ‘

“No hope of their having been recaptured, Jack?”’'s oe

_ gested Lieutenant Bicksby doubtfully.

-“Edon’t see why they should have been- ‘yal one
the emigrants were:-killed. This was a flying war
party. Gray Eagle—if it were him—wouldn’t hang about
here: long after doing this. And he os not wish..to be
hampered by prisoners.’

» While he spoke,- there was a “pede: movement: among
the soldiers standing about. They all turned: to: look
toward the near-by grove of. cottonwoods--which had
‘served to: mask. a part of Gray Eagle’s band when Burgess
and the: girl had: ridden into the trap. : Ae
A lone horseman rode swiftly from: the -grove into

‘the group. He heard Texas: Jack’s last statement, and his

own voice replied to it—and sharply:

“You are mistaken there, Jack, and it isn’t the ‘fist
mistake you've made. Gray Eagle did carry away pris-
oners from this place—two pre pners And now I know
who they are!” Clg eee

“Buffalo Bill !” exclaimed half a dozen, voices,

Cody replied to none of their greetings. His face was
stern, and his horse showed signs of hard tiding, and his
own garments were torn and muddy,

“Captain Larrabee, keep up your heart!” cried fhe
“I believe that your daughter and Burgess

They. were the two prisoners whom Gray
Eagle and his particular henchmen, toek away with them

are still alive..

~from this spot.”

 
NEW. BUFFALO

CHARTER VI.
BUFFALO BILL'S CUNNING.
” cried Texas Jack. “I
He'd never ham-
He knew he'd

“Youre wrong for once, Buffler,
know that sharp old devil, Gray Eagle.
-per himself with Bees at such a time.
be follered soon.”

“You know a lot, you do!” exclaimed ae ‘Bill,
“How often have I told you not to judge. by what is.
probable? Always investigate a thing just as thoroughly
as though it wasn’t so perfectly plain.”

“Well, haven’t I?”

“Not if you haven’t seen what I have seen.”

“I see where those two pore critters rode into this
irap—and I don’t believe they rode out!”

“There you go—stating your belief without any founda-
tion. Why didn’t they ride out?” AAG

“Thunder, Cody!” groaned Larrabee. “It’s plain enough
every white was killed and burned. You can see where
they dragged in those corpses. that. laid outside, and Hung
’em on the pile. My pore leetle gal!”

“How is it that the horse Miss Larrabee rode got away
and lies dead a quarter of a mile up the trail?” demanded
Buffalo Bill. ee :

“What?” exclaimed the company.

“And her body does not lie there, nor has a body been

dragged in from there to this funeral. pile.”

i Fhey didn’t leave, ae mark, .. that’s all,’ e pas Lar.

rabee.

“No redskin would take the pains ‘to pick up a. | corpse.

They'd have roped it and dragged it at their pony’s ‘heels,
if they wanted to burn it there. I tell you,» Texas Jack
’ made a mistake in leaving those two before he got them
to Fort Challis, as I told him. “And now he’s made the
mistake of jumping at a conclusion that the facts don’t
bear out.”

“Where's Burgess?” ae Lieutenant Bicksby.

“I believe he is with the girl, and that both are, with

the Indians.” -

“Are you sure, Buffler?” demanded Jack humbly.
“Tye looked over this whole field already. I saw you

coming, and first I thought ‘it might be a bunch of reds. a

The country seems to be- suddenly overrun with the
devils. Ill tell you what I found.”

“Go ahead, Cody,” said the Betienent while the others
hung upon his words.

“In the first place, Gray Eagle. himself lead this bit
~T learned’ he: was out with a big party quite by chance. I
“was. following the Black Rifle, trying to. put a crimp. ‘into

the old scoundrel, as I told him I should if he continued

his raiding. I met a Sioux that I’d befriended once.
You can tell Major Reno, Jack, that the whole tribe will

be on the warpath before snow flies, and not to let any

make-believe friendly Sioux into his camp. They'll mean
treachery.

“So, knowing that this bis gang tad started south, Ee
feared for the safety of Burgess and the girl—and Texas

Jack, too. But I-might have been sure the devil would

have looked out for Jack’s useless carcass!” added the

scout, in a tone of disgust.

“That's it—stick it inter me!” snared Texas Jack:

“Mebbe. I. deserve it; but I-swear I didn’t see any sign -

af Injun till. this blessed noon, and then I struck the trail

of this very mob and rode back to Fort Challis—and: —-

killed a derned good hoss doin’ of it, too!” ..

BILL WEEKLY.

- “Too: late. This was all’ over early this morning,”
said Buffalo Bill. “I came upon the trail of Gray Eagle’s
special’ party. four hours ago myself. I didn’t follow
them, for I knew by their gait that they”had made their
raid and were escaping into the hills. I wanted to see
what they had done.”

“But why do you think Miss Larrabee and Mr. Bur-
gess were with them, Cody?” asked Lieutenant Bicksby.

“I saw,’ said the scout quietly, “that one of the In-
dian’s mounts was carrying double, and that another was
being led. I fancy that one prisoner is being carried
behind one of the reds, while the other—probably Mr.
Burgess—is strapped upon another pony’s back. It was
Gray Eagle’s band, because Gray Eagle is a great chief
and very much on his dignity, and he rides alone. In
places where the party rode in a group instead of single
file, one pony always kept away from the others. The
others did not press close to-him.”

“And you tell all this ee oe tracks, do yout eC grunted
Cap Larrabee.

“Not much to-tell when you have studied sue Wiieas
a good many years, captain,” said Buffalo Bill shortly.

“And what else, Cody?”

“Ah, when I got along to the wagon trail I ‘found
Miss Larrabee’s horse. I found, too, where another
horse had been: roped, and where there had “been some
sort of a scrimmage. It struck me that-two prisoners
had tried to escape, and had been overtaken and then
carried on by:Gray Eagle’s: gang. At least, they were
not killed up. yonder, nor anywhere along the ‘Indians’
trail for twenty good miles. Miss Larrabee’s ‘horse lying”
out there points to the fact that it were she and her com- |
panion who: made the - breakaway. They probably rode
into this camp, and the. Indians charged from=behind the
trees: Burgess and your daughter, captain; tried to escape. —

_ Burgess will not be killed at once by the scamps, for they ne

recognize in him a: brave man.
mediate danger, either, I fancy.”-
“You speak blamed — about it, ae ie cried Lar-
tabee, :
“T feel the matter nite ‘hotly scent. just’ the’ same,
captain. I stand ready to accompany a ‘party on the

The eet is in no ior

trail of the red devils—and at once.”

“Come on, then!” cried\the old man, waving his big
rifle. :

“I cannot construe Colonel Hasbrouck’s orders into
such a move, sir,’ said Lieutenant Bicksby. “We must
go back to the fort and organize an. expedition. I take it
that this is the beginning of a general uprising of the -
reds, and: a handful of troops like ‘mine goad be -
eaten up.”

“You are right, . Reulenane” ee Buffalo Bill. ey will

go with yon and get a fresh mount.and some more am-

munition.”

“And Pm. ot for Major Reno! ie exclaimed. Texas
Jack. i

“You might as well: Jack: - You’ve ae harm enough. o

said his old comrade sternly.

“By thunder, Buffer! Don’t you believe a man can
make a mistake?” cried the other scout, _
“I -know. you can; but it wasn't necessary. ee
got to square yourself with me, old man.” a
“And, by Heaven, ir will!” replied Texas Jack, riding
away in some heat, i: a
The’ lieutenant and Buffalo ‘Bul had some dime 4 in

 
O OO wi rhe ms”

   
   
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
   
  
 
   
 
 
 
 
  
   
 
   
   
   

| days.

able to hide its trail marvelously well.

Sea

NEW BUFFALO
persuading Cap Larrabee to go back to the fort. and
await the enlistment.of a proper company to follow Gray
Eagle’s band, but they did so at last. There was nothing

to save of the emigrants’ goods; Lieutenant Bicksby de-

tailed a party to dig a trench and bury such remains
of the victims as could be found. Not a whole body was
there to btiry, and the end of that emigrant party was like
many another which started across the plains in those
Their destination proved to be that bourne from
which there is no return!

The party did not make the fort again until after

") dark. By that time the other searching party had come

in, and the report Bicksby brought filled the hearts of
all with gloom. However, there were brave men there,
and, besides the soldiers themselves, a number of citi-
zens volunteered to join the party to follow Gray Eagle’s
band, and, if possible, rescue Burgess and Milly Lar-
rabee from their unfortunate captivity.

While Colonel Hasbrouck was making up this party of

soldiers wand - rangers,
provisions, and with three of the official scouts—one a
half-breed Sioux, and Cap Larrabee, left the fort before
morning on the trail. These scouts were to follow the
Indians closely—or as closely as _ possible—while the
Jarger party were to By guided by the trail-left by the
‘scouts.
As .we have seen, Howes Gray Eagle’s band was
Even Buffalo
(Bill found it difficult to follow, and finally he gave it
up and struck out ’cross country for the place on the
(Niobrara where he knew the wily chief’s village to have
been that season. He arrived there far ahead of his
companions, and several days’ journey before the rangers
land soldiers.
broken up and the squaws and children and old men
istarted north. Then he had to retreat, in order to warn
phis party of the massing of a large number of: untram-
imeled warriors on the banks of the river.

But he had seen. no.white captives in the Sioux camp,
nd this fact troubled him exceedingly. -

‘CHAPTER VII.
. _. THE BLACK RIFLE.
Burgess, unaware of the efforts being put forth for

orth,

   
 
   
 
 
  
   
  
  
  
   

He was never alone, however, and although at

: is. squaw—perhaps ‘kill them and ‘so escape—he ” could
ot find it in his heart to do-so.

It was a hard journey for the squaws at best. The
ld men rode; some of the boys rode; but the women—
ever !
tted to him on which to pack certain of the squaws’

‘burdens. ‘In this way he was able to: relieve Milly of
ers occasionally; but they could speak but a few words

ogether, for “Mrs. Lame Bear” watched them jealously.

he youths laughed at Burgess for taking the part of
€ squaws. There were some grown braves with the.
aravan who were not decrepit—just a few. One of

hese laughed when he saw Burgess take the pack from

filly’s back and put it on the pony, and he flung a>
radded-up blanket he had been carrying himself to the
rhite squaw to tote.

Cody got him a fresh horse and.

He was in time. to see the encampment —

Mhis and Milly’s release, cudgeled his: brain ~ continually -
or some means.of breaking away. fromthe party going

ight he might have tried to overcome the old chief and ~

Burgess refused to ride, but used the .pony al-':

Bear looked “

BILL WEEKLY. 9

At that Burgess grew furiously angry and forgot cau-
tion. . He seized the dirty blanket from the girl, and, de-
spite her low-spoken warning, flung it in the buck’s face!

Instantly the Indian leaped at him, tomahawk upraised.
Burgess met him unflinchingly. He dodged the blow of
the weapon, and, leaping to one side, caught ‘the buck
as he went past with a nasty blow under the ear. The
redskin went down in a heap. The others looked on,
some grinning, some in wonder at the white man’s prowess
with his fists. An Indian knows nothing of the art of
fisticuffs.

Up bounded Mr. Buck with a yell, and, having lost
his tomahawk, he drew his skinning knife and lunged at
the paleface. Again Burgess leaped nimbly aside, and
so the thrust fell short. Once more the Indian plunged
at him. Then Burgess met him squarely. It was a
cruel advantage to take of a foe so unworthy of his
prowess. The white.man doubled his fist and shot it out.
with all his force, to meet the full weight of the In-
dian’s body as he rushed upon him.

The crack of the impact of the white: man’s fist and.
the point of the red man’s jaw was like the snapping of
a snow-laden bough on a frosty morning. The knife flew
from the red’s hand. He wavered on his feet, his eyes -
rolling. Then, with a great sigh, he crumpled up and
fell with his legs drawn up and his arms crooked. It
was as pretty a knock-out as one might wish to see. a

Burgess turned his back on his fallen antagonist,
pitched the dirty blanket across his pony’s back on top
of the other goods, motioned Milly to go on, and
started the pony. himself, leaving the buck lying there.

A wild-eyed squaw dashed back from the front of
the caravan and flung herself on her knees beside the
unconscious redskin. Nobody else touched him, nor did
any one interfere with Burgess. The squaw of Lamé Bear
crept to her adopted son’s side. She looked up at him
in fear and admiration.

“Truly the palefaces teach their. chitdren strange arts,”
she whispered, “fs Red Cow dead?”

“Tf his neck isn’t broken he'll come out of it all right,”
replied Burgess.

“Ugh! grunted the old squaw.

But the caravan passed on and left: the wife of Red
Cow weeping and wailing beside her husband's supine
body. It was the next morning before the revived ware
rior and his squaw caught up- with the caravan again,
and Red Cow ‘looked mighty meek, When ‘Burgess, who.
saw that the wounded ‘man’s. squaw was well-nigh spent,
lifted her to his own pony’s ‘back, Red Cow never said
a word, ‘but plodded along behind her. There was a grin,

however, on the faces of the old men and some of the

squaws, and at night Burgess found that he had the
young squaw on his hands. She came to Lame Bear’s
fire and assisted ‘his squaw: in cooking the food, and
brought it to Burgess. with her own hands. Mrs. Lame
skew-eyed,” but said nothing. Burgess
accepted the food and the woman’s ministrations as a
kindness because he had let the squaw ride his pony.
Later, when. she seemed determined to remain at Lame

-Bear’s tepee, he demanded of his adopted mother what

it meant. She explaind. It seemed that he and Red
Cow having fought, the squaw belonged to him if he
wanted her, and as he had set her on his pony that day,
Red Cow and the squaw herself séemed to consider that
the exchange had been made in good faith!

 
10 NEW BUFFALO
“Oh, herel” cried Burgess. © “Send: her back to her
husband. I don’t want the poor creature.”

Burgess determined, whether or no, to get away. He
knew that the caravan was bound for the Arapahoe coun-
try, and was sure that his friends at Fort Challis would
know where that was. If he:could once make his way
to white people and raise a regiment of rangers, he knew
that he -could search the party out and recover Milly.
By himself he saw no way of helping her; and now they
had traveled:so far, and the weather was so cold, he did
not see how she could walk back to Fort -Challis, even
if he could get. her away from the Indians. - s

As for himself, he had been playing a deep game. He

was a very young-looking man, and the redskins evidently
thought him much younger than he was. They be-
‘lieved that in time he would become enamored: of..their
life and ‘cistoms—there is a strange fascination for most.
- men and ‘youth in the life of all nomadic tribes—and that
he really might become as one of themselves, . At least,
Lame Bear’s squaw had adopted him, and. the tribe: was
inclined to give him a chance. Although. he was not.
trusted with: weapons, they ‘began to treat hini with more
farniliarity; and watch “him less closely. They were pretty
sure, too: that, being so faraway from any country with
which Burgess was familiar, he would not ‘be rash bunt ae
to seek to escape.

Burgess, however, “had ‘been used all his life to the
cypress swamps and~ lagoons of Louisiana.~ He had
hunted and fished in the wilds from a boy. He was no
poor “woodsman. He determined to strike’out alone for

the- south, with the hope of meeting some white man who:

could and would guide him. He knew’ that. all the rivers
they passed emptied into the Niobrara. “The streams
had not yet begun to run the other way, and all’ the water:
shed was in the direction of that river: is

He could follow one of these watercourses to the’ main
stream, and so down the river until hé came to the yicin-
ity. of Black Shield’s old camp, and from there he was
pretty sure of winning his Ney: through the range ‘to Fort
Challis.

This, then, was his plan. And this the means he took
to put it into execution. © i)

Red Cow, the meek one, was sent ahead. to spy out a
certain ford.. Burgess. expressed a desire to accompany
him, and his adopted mother made no objection, Red
Cow. “had it in’? for Burgess, anyway, and was well
armed, and the trail would carry the paleface deeper into
the trackless wilderness; so nobody objected. They were
to start in the morning before dawn, the object being to
discover if the water was too high for the caravan to pass
over. ‘If it was, they would have to go a long day’s jour-
ney out of their way to reach another ford, which would
be sure to be low enough.

Burgess wandered about the camp the evening before,
and came upon Milly—hard at work.

“T’m going to make a try for it in the morning,” he
whispered in French, appearing to stand intently gazing
upon her with his arms folded in his blanket.

_ “What time shall I be ready?” she asked him, confident
that she must. make the attempt, too.

“My. poor girl!” murmured Burgess be oleate “How
éan I take you through: this wilderness? I do not know
the way myself. I have no arms—unless I steal them
from our captors. We have insufficient clothing, and no

BILL WEEKLY.

provisions. You cannot 80, ee Tr must alae the
attempt alone.” — : Bate ia
“I shall kill myself if you leave’ me, Rayos Se eiy

“Don’t say that, dear. Remember that I. go-for your
sake. I will bring help and rescue youl swear I will!”

-“How can I: live among: these SaveRes “without a
presence?” sobbed:the girl.

“Sh! We are observed. . For my sane be eve!
for me, and wait!” —

He turned swiftly and strode away.
weeping to her tasks.

While it was still black night gee came a sp iohing
on thé skin flap of Lame Bear’s tent. The old squaw
rose up, as did Burgess. She gave him cooked food, and
thrust a sharp knife into his belt... It was the first time
he had -been allowed to have a weapon of any. kind. : He
carried likewise a lariat of deer hide. The: ford was .at.
the bend of the river, where the current was swift, and
sometimes drift and snags dammed the stream, and, by
clearing it, the place might be made fordable, The two.
young men- mounted ponies, and- they galloped away.
from the camp while yet only the night. guards were astir.

Until. day broke in the east, Red Cow scarcely opened,
his lips. No ‘Indian. fancies traveling in the night,. for. it
is then that-spirits and- ghosts are afoot. - They. covered
a number of miles, therefore, in silence, and as. el east
reddened reached the riverside, .

_It was clogged with drift upon the shallane as ie old
men had feared. Red Cow declared gruffly that with. the
drift out of-the way, the ponies..and women could. get
across. after a. fashion, and after eating they set to. work
to drag. the logs and tree roots which. had caught on. the
bar over into. deep — “water, and to. release the. drift. of
smaller stuff that, had gathered behind this dam. :

Burgess worked hard, but his mind worked harder than 7
his hands. They set several of the logs free. Then Red
Cow went into the current—wading pretty nearly waist-
deep—and hitched Burgess’ line to:a snag. Burgess had
the end of the line, and stood behind a leaning tree that |
thrust its branches over. ‘the water just beside the ford.

Bray

| The eit ‘went

As. the Indian turned to. retrace his steps, the noose Y
Quick as thought, Burgess jerked ve

slipped. and came free,
it to. land, picked up the noose, spread it, and cast. it
quickly over Red Cow’s head! 5

The buck saw it coming, and dodged, ie eyen Grasped
his tomahawk, and made a motion to throw the keen |

weapon at the paleface. But the noose of the lariat fell |
over his head, and Burgess jerked it tight about the red-
skin’s throat!

The strangling process made Red Cow drop. “his hatchet
into the water, while his hands tore at the coil of the deer
thong. Burgess passed the end of the lariat over a lower 4

- limb of the leaning tree, so as to get a purchase, and then, ig}

throwing himself back, bracing his feet against the trunk
of the tree, he hauled in hand over hand!

Red Cow shot up out of the water, and dangled in the
air, hung by his neck. He kicked a few times, and then
his form stiffened, and he only swung to and fro, Bur-
gess did not look at the corpse; he was afraid of turning
sick if he did so. He fastened the end of the rope to the
tree, and left the Indian upon his gallows.

The jam at the bar was already half cleared. ‘He was)
sharp enough to know that he would be followed, and
followed eagerly, and by trackers who were keen as|
bloodhounds. So he leaped upon a log that they had al-+

 
ee FES A mat Se pan ee ak a Tee ane RR ae TN Hap HN ORT RNa Rls ORR op Cy sae FO AR ete ayes hase kere

NEW BUFFALO

» ready released, and pushed off from the shore with a
guiding pole, and so departed from the spot without leav-
ing as much as a footprint!

He sailed down the river all that day, having some
narrow escapes from overthrows and groundings on
shallows, and finally left the river at about dusk and hid
™ in a thicket, getting to it from the water by stepping on
@ stones, and again leaving no trace. He ate the remainder

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
   
     
 
   
  
  
 
  
   
  

y hi

| of the provender that Lame Bear’s squaw had provided
t+ Whim with. And he slept dreamlessly in this thicket, al-

though he was very fearful of prowling beasts before he

g fell asleep.
W He awoke in the morning because he heard a fire ©
de crackling and smelled wood smoke. He came out of his
1e state of unconsciousness with a sweat of fear upon him.
le He believed he had been discovered by a party of red-
at. skins, and that they were preparing another torture fire
rd for him!
by ‘But more by chance than volition he did not cry out
v0: nor make any other noise. He opened his eyes and
ay.. ‘glared through the bushes into a little open glade at the
ir. fedge of the thicket, where a brisk fire was burning. A
ed ‘big man in dark clothing and with a shaggy cap upon his
alt ead’ was busy over the fire getting a breakfast of
‘ed enison and coffee. He was alone in the camp, but he
ast as heavily armed, and his rifle, painted black, lock,

‘stock, and barrel, leaned against a tree within his reach.

" Burgess knew he was a white man by his clothing and
is movements. But when he chanced to turn so that the
oung man could see his~face, Burgess almost cried out
ith surprise. The man’s face was ‘as black ds a negro’s.
urgess remembered what he had heard Bufialo Bul and
exas Jack say about the Black Rifle, and he knew at
nce that he was looking at that strange being.

CHAPTER: VAL.
THE HARD FROST.

Buffalo Bill had two minds about following the caval-
ade of Indian squaws northward. Yet, as before ob-
erved, he saw no sign of Burgess or Milly Larrabee with

istinguish from the other bucks, and Milly was among
he squaws and. dressed the same, and, as he viewed the

asped arty through his glasses, and from a distance, the scout
keen as for once at fault.

i i ° ° °
t = The warriors, too, were so evidently bent on making
s yed-

Ua descent on the whites, that Buffalo Bill judged it best
. hurry back and meet his brother scouts, and send a
arning to the party coming up from Fort Challis.
| This he did, and, having done so, he came back again
6 watch Gray Eagle. He ‘prought with him the half-
reed. scout from the fort. This man was a Sioux on his
ther’s side, and he could come and go in the various
mps. Buffalo Bill sent him in to learn the fate of the
Wo prisoners. He had seen the torture stake in the
ddle of the encampment site, and he feared very much
t the New Orleans millionaire had been burned alive.
The story the half-breed had brought the scout from
Indian lines surprised Buffalo Bill immensely. He
d heard of such adoptions as Burgess’ among the In-
ns; but he had not suspected that one of the very
cks he had seen start northward with the squaws was
white man in tee togs. The girl was reported
e, too,

atchet
e deer

hem, and he hesitated: Burgess, of course, he could not .

BILL: WEEKLY. 11

“If I’d known this when they started, I’d had both
of them in my hands before now,” thought the border
king. “This is too bad!”

He left the half-breed to watch Gray Eagle, while he
covered the distance between the advance scouting line
and the approaching soldiery in the fastest time a horse
could carry him through that rough country.. So much
time had elapsed now since the recapture of Burgess and
Milly Larrabee that winter was upon them. The column
was prepared for heavy weather; but, although the snow
held off unaccountably, the rivers and ponds froze hard.
Such a hard frost at this early season was previously un-
known. Even the Niobrara was rapidly freezing over,
saving in those places where there was a particular fall
of the river’s level—in other words, at the rapids. And
the elapsed time had given opportunity for Texas Jack
to reach Major Reno and return, joining the expedition
against the Sioux just-as it left the fort. He was in his
usual garb now, and he met Buffalo Bill by saying that
he had come back to save Burgess and the girl if such
a thing was possible.

“Confound you, you old tarantula!” the Texan said to
Cody. “You insulted and maligned me. I gotter get
square somehow, and if I did anything to lead them
two kids astray, I’ll right it by rescuing them.’

-“Come on, then!” said Cody, having fixed matters
with Captain Perril,, who commanded the expedition.
“While you’re under my eye you manage to behave your-
self very well.”

He took Larrabee, too, and, well mounted, provisioned,
and armed, the three started northward by a crow-flight
line, dodged the gathering Sioux warriors, and followed
rapidly on the trail of the journeying squaws.

The pursuers were several times in sight of the Ni-
obrara, and saw that the ice was firm enough already to
hold up a man. This they first learned by seeing a man
crossing the ice ahead of them. It was a gigantic figure,
striding over the ice, rifle on shoulder and a doe slung
across his back by the feet, being tied together in front.
The man carried this weight as though it were a baga-
telie ;

“The Black Rifle!” exclaimed Buffalo Bill, bringing his
horse to a halt, and staring eagerly across the icy river
at the stranger.

“By holy! It looks like him,”

Siteis: Him.”

“What if it is?” snarled old Larrabee, who objected
if they even halted to sleep and eat. “We ain't huntin’
the Black Rifle.”

“T am,” muttered Cody. “That man is the cause of most
of this disturbance among the Sioux at the present time,”
said the sont “I have Ee Colonel Hasbrouck to
bring him in,’

The Black Rifle, if it were he, reached. the farther shore
of the frozen river, and disappeared in the scrub that
lined the bank. If they had but known it, he could have
told them something of importance about at least one
of the Indians’ prisoners for whom they were searching!

For, several days before, and before the hard frost
had set in, Burgess, in his scanty Indian garb, had
squatted in a thicket higher up on the river-bank, and
watched the unconscious Black Rifle preparing his break-
fast. What would not Buffalo Bill have given to have
been in the young Southerner’s place at that moment!

The great scout had. promised Colonel Hasbrouck to

admitted Texas Jack.

 
Ee NEW BUFFALO
seek out the Black Rifle and put a stop to his atrocities.
This strange man’s private war upon the Indians had
made general wars break out in several parts of the West.
He was mad upon the subject of Indian killing, and the
redskins feared him greatly. His endurance was beyond
that of most men. He would follow a trail like a blood-
hound.

From both scouts Burgess had obtained much informa-
tion regarding this strange being whom he watched pot-
tering about the fire: One thing he had drawn from
their remarks: That it was better to put ,on a bold
front with the Black Rifle. Timidity he despised. Cour-
age might win his respect and confidence to an extent.
Besides, the young man was hungry and cold, and the
broiling venison steak and the warmth of the fire drew
him out of his thicket like a magnet.

Fortunately, Burgess chose a moment to step out of
the bushes when the Black Rifle’s back was turned to
him. And he spoke before either the man heard or saw
him.

“Won't you invite me to breakfast?” asked Burgess
cheerfully.

The Black Rifle swung about like lightning, crouching
low and seizing his rifle from its stand against the tree
as he turned.

“Who are you—red or white?” he demanded.

“White underneath, captain,” said Burgess cheerfully.
“But the redskins have daubed me up so that I don’t
wonder you ask. My name’s Burgess. I’m from New
Orleans.”

“What are you doing here in those garments?” was
_ the next question shot at him.

ae vate captured by these Sioux Indians, with a young
lady-——

The Black Rifle stared, and did actually lower the.

muzzle of his gun a bit.
encouraged:

“You'll remember us—Miss Larrabee and I.
already done us a big favor——”

“J never saw you. before, young man,’
posed the other.

“Sure you didn’t! Nor I you. But you'll remember
not long ago Buffalo Bill got you to help him release
two prisoners from Black Shield’s camp farther down
the Niobrara?”

Burgess noted it, and went on,
You've

ee inter-

“You and the girl did not get away, then?” interposed

the Black Rifle.

“Yes, we did. But before we could get to Fort Challis
we weré captured again—this time by Gray Eagle him-
self. There is a general uprising of the Sioux, it seems,
and the squaws are going to the Arapahoe country a

“I, know, I know,” said the Black Rifle, who never
missed a trick of his red neighbors.

“Well, first they were for burning me alive,” said Bur-
gess. “They had me hitched up to the stake, in fact, and
the fire started. Then an old squaw who had lost a lot
of sons in one way or another, and had just had her
youngest brought in dead, claimed’ me as a son. She
adopted me.”

The Black Rifle nodded, understanding the custom.

“And, by the way, I have to thank you for that, too.
You killed her last son, it seems. Otherwise it would
never have entered old Mrs. Lame Bear’s head to adopt
me, and I’d have been jolly well burned to death. So
you see, they dressed me up in these togs, and dressed

BILL. WEEKLY.

Milly like a squaw, too, and started us northward with
the camp folk. But I got away yesterday at a ford up
the river, having to hang an Indian uamed Red Cow to
do it. And here I am!”

The Black Rifle may have heard all this, or he may
not. He merely waved his hand toward the broiled
steak which he had just jerked off the fire and placed on
a hot stone, which he had swept clean with a branch of
evergreen. ‘

“Rat!” he commanded.

He even gave Burgess a pannikin of coffee—hot and
bitter. But all was done without any manner of kind-
ness of good-fellowship. Burgess noted three gory scalps
hung from the Black Rifle’s belt, and shuddered. By
and by the man spoke.

“Burgess, did you say your name was? Well, Burgess,
you can come to my camp. The woods are full of reds.

They'll get you sure if you go alone.”

“But I want to find Buffalo Bill,
will help me release Milly.”

“Huh! Buffalo Bill is far away. Not much use chasing
him. Come with me. I’m going to my camp. I followed
a party of four reds yesterday. Here’s three of them,”
pointing to the scalps. “The fourth jumped into the river
with a rock in each hand, and drowned himself, so that
I couldn’t get his scalp.”

“All right. I'll go with you,” said Burgess, hoping
secretly to work on this strange being’s mind and get
him to help in Milly’s release. He believed if the Black
Rifle went after the escaping squaws and old men, he
could stampede the whole party alone!

“We'll look at my traps on the way,” said the Black
Rifle shortly.

After eating, he put out the fire, scattered the coals
and ashes, covered them with dirt, strewed leaves and
twigs over the spot, and so erased the footsteps of both,
and all other marks, that it would have taken a very
sharp eye to discover that anybody had camped at that
place. The Black Rifle even wiped out the marks of Bur-
gess’ body, where he had lain in the thicket overnight,

or somebody who

and when they finally turned from the spot after an [i

hour’s work, no sign of recent occupancy by human
beings remained. ©

g
CHAPTER IX.
IN THE BLACK RIFLE’S CAMP.

At the first stop, the Black Rifle removed the paint

from his face. ie was no longer the scalp hunter, but
was the peaceful’ trapper. His own and Burgess’ shoul-

_ ders were laden heavily with fresh pelts before night.

Black Rifle’s camp was in a small cavern in a mountain-
side. By instinct, this white man that had reverted to
a savage type, selected caves for dwelling places. It was a
grim enough place to which he brought the exhausted
Burgess. When he had lighted a fire, the young man,
from the place where he had fairly fallen on the floor,
beheld the walls hung with several score of scalps, all
painted black, and arranged in groups according to the
tribes from which the hirsute adornments had been torn.

Much as he trusted and believed in Buffalo Bill, the
Southerner knew that the Indians feared this half-mad
man even more than they did the great scout. And Bui-
falo Bill was not in reach. ‘ oe

So he did not sleep without seeking to interest the
Black Rifle in his quest for Milly Larrabee.

 
 

NEW BUFFALO

h | “Il know with whom she sleeps at night. 1 will con-
p  j@ tinue to wear this Indian dress, and can creep about the
o [fm camp without being suspected. Surely we two could get
Bo her away from those red fiends.”
yj This and more he chattered into the Black Rifle’s ap-
4 (i parently unresponsive ear. Finally the man, as though
nf disturbed by his continual barking, shot at him this query:
5¢ a “What is the young woman to me? I have no part or

(lot with either white or red. Be content that I have
(} brought you here out of danger.”
id. @ ‘“Haven’t you any humanity?” cried Burgess.
d- | “What has humanity*done for me?” snarled the other.
ps ] “Say, rather, what have you done against humanity
ay | Hthat you separate yourself from all men and live this
way?” returned Burgess boldly.
58, a The Black Rifle looked at him with eyes that began
ds. jto flame. ©
mm “You have courage to speak to me thus, young man,’

  

hoy bhe said gruffly.
1 “Nobody ever yet accused me of being a coward,” said
ing the young man quietly.\

“T believe you,’ grunted the other.

“And I mean that you shall help me in this.”

‘Who are you that tells me what-I shall do or what
shan’t?” cried the Black Rifle fiercely.

His mesmeristic gaze bent upon the young man made
urgess shiver for an instant. Then he, too, stared boldly
back into the giant’s face.
| “Think back in your own life, sir!” he cried. “Think
f what you were before you became an outcast from
our kind. Did you not love some gentle woman? Was
Whot some angel in feminine form kindly enough to love
ou? Then think of me! I am pleading for your help to
escue the woman I love from those foul brutes! You
M@mmust do it! You must!”

  
 
 
 
  
   

oF ™ In his excitment the young fellow rose to face the
very | W@Black Rifle, who was. likewise standing. For the first
that Hime, the man’s countenance, rather than his eyes,

Banged its expression. His features worked with pas-

ion—or with an emotion that Burgess could not under-
and,

Suddenly, with a wild cry, the giant cast himself upon
he floor of the cave. He rolled over and over, jerking
is body spasmodically, rolling into the very fire itself,
ut never feeling the hot coals, foaming at the mouth, his
eeth locked, battering his head upon the hard ground—

   
  
 

e most awful convulsions of the epileptic! Nothing
paint (fh nature is more horrid to view than one of these
, but |Epasms; yet Burgess knew that there was nothing to do
houl- (But to keep the patient from injuring himself—and in this

“ase he did not much care whether the Black Rifle bat-

ntain- red his brains out or not!
ed tO () Part of the mystery of the man was thus revealed.
was 4 | frobably, living as he did in a semisavage state, these
usted "Seizures seldom came upon the man. Little occurred to
man, “disturb his mentality. But something Burgess had said
floor, turbed the Black Rifle so much that this seizure had
9s, all |
fo. the |
ha After a time the man lay quietly. Burgess put a
‘ Bel nket under his head, raked the fire into shape, and re-
ea ‘turned to his own place again. The seizure had been
\f-mad Mg
: Bat y violent; but soon there came the reaction. The
ck Rifle opened his eyes and climbed weakly to his
Ue the t. He glared at Burgess, and stretchd out his hand

his rifle. Then, probably realizing that if the young

BILL WEEKLY.

13

man had meant him harm, he had had plenty of oppor-
tunity of killing him while he was helpless, he let his
gun alone, and squatted down before the fire again. -For
a long time he remained silent, and Burgess watched him
while he gazed into the flames. Finally he sane and
his voice was hoarse, but strong again.

“Young man, you have reminded me of things I had
forgotten. You have stirred the depths of the pool of
my memory. It was not a friendly act. And yet you
would have me help you?”

“I’m sorry if I made you unhappy,” began Burgess.

“Unhappy! Ah, happiness or unhappiness, neither have
a part in my life. Show me how I may increase my
vengeance—that is all I ask!”

“You have a deep hatred for the red men?” asked
Burgess softly.

“No, man more so.”

“Then if I show you how you may increase the num-
ber of those things?” suggested Burgess, pointing at the
taw scalps swinging in the smoke of the fire.

“Very well! I have many scalps to get yet in pay-
ment for my wrongs,” said the Black Rifle wildly. “You
think you love this young woman whom the Sioux hold —
captive?” he added curiously.

“T do, indeed.”

“Ah! But you haven’t possessed hae reel You don’t
know what it is to love a woman—to worship: her—for
just you and she to be alone in the world—a new Adam
and Eve in a new paradise!”

The man’s voice increased in vigor, and his eyes flamed
again. But Burgess said nothing, and he controlled him-
self.

“You don’t know what it means to have her working
about your cabin all day, and greeting you in the evening
with a loving embrace.”

Burgess knew that the strange man was recounting his
own experience; but the young man had no comment to
make. He feared to fling him into another of those
awful convulsions.

“You think you love this maiden, eh?” the Black Rifle
added, more gruffly. “Sleep. We'll talk further of this
to-morrow.”

But he did not—and to Burgess’ vast disappointment.
Instead, he worked Burgess like a slave that next day.
He was building, at the hidden mouth of a creek, a clumsy
sledge, or iceboat. The runners and steering skate were
shod with iron beaten out of wheel tires. The Black
Rifle had evidently come across some abandoned emi-
grant wagon—or the burned remains of one—and appro-
priated the ironwork for his sledge. He stepped a mast
upon it, and Burgess saw that he had made a square
sail of cured hide. He had great bales of furs in his
camp that he had secured that fall, and it was evidently
his intention to sail this cargo down the river over the
ice to some market which he knew of. Evidently he ex-
changed his pelts for ammunition and necessary pro- -
visions and clothing which the forest and plains did not
furnish him.

Finally, after an arduous day’s toil, the Black Rifle
prepared two packs of food and an extra blanket.in Bur-
gess’ pack, with some simple camp equipment. As they
ate supper, he intimated that they would start northward
very early in the morning, and Burgess, tired as he was,
rejoiced. At last he was going to be able to make a
move toward Milly’s release from the Sioux.

 
NEW BUFFALO

CHAPTER UX:
THE CAMP OF THE ENEMY, |

It was long before day when Burgess was awakened
by his strange host. The fire was burning brightly, and
it was evident that the Black Rifle had’eaten. He mo-

tioned Burgess toward the hot food already prepared,
and, sitting down himself with a cheap hand mirror in
front of him—such as traders sell the Indians for about
sixty times their proper value—this strange white man’
proceeded to paint his face black, as a sign that he was
on the warpath!

When they were ready to start, Black Rifle surprised
Burgess by producing a couple of pair of strap skates,
fitted, to be tied upon moccasins. The men then went
down to the riverside. Its surface was like glass. Now
the young man saw why Black Rifle had waited another
day before starting northward.

He was a good skater, although he had practiced little
since he left the northern school where he had obtained
his education.

They left the shore, found it quite strong enough to
hold them, and side by side, though some few yards apart
for safety sake over the thin places, started up the frost-
bound Niobrara.

Tt was the Black Rifle who was first ready to call a

halt, and that was at the ford where Burgess had hung
the Red Cow. The Indian had been cut down, for the
caravan had passed the river at this point just before it
froze over. Marks of their camp upon the farther bank
were visible. If any pursuit of Burgess had been started,
the reds had probably followed the back trail, believing
that the young paleface would try to find it, so as to
follow back their course, and so finally reach his friends.
Burgess, leaving no footprints at all by riding the log
down the river, had nonplused his foes.
The Black Rifle evidently knew well the course the
squaws would follow to the Arapahoe country. In fact,
probably few frontiersmen of that day’ knew the country
so well as this strange being.

-The upper course of the Niobrara ‘was very winding,
‘and, instead of following the trail of the Indians, Black
Rifle put on his skates again, and Burgess was forced to
follow his example. Yet to the young fellow it seemed
‘as though they were going away from the straight path
when they left the ford behind and pursued the river’s
course.

On and on they sped until the darkness fell, and Bur-
gess was so ravenous for food that he could scarcely
wait for the deer flesh to warm through before he was
tearing at it with his teeth, like a veritable savage. He
then’ rolled up in his blankets, and snuggled in the lee of
the warmed rock, against which the Black Rifle had
first built the fire, and then dragged the coals away to
leave a bed for him.

Burgess was not allowed ta sleep for long, however.
There was a late moon, and at midnight, when it flooded
the river as brilliantly as a noonday sun—only more mel-
lowly—the man awoke the young fellow, and, after eat-
ing a cold bite, but drinking a steaming-hot can of coffee,
they set out on the ice again.

More swiftly than ever did they now sail up»the frozen
stream, having worked the stiffness out of their limbs.
Many miles lay between them and the ford, when sud-
denly—just before daybreak—the Black Rifle motioned

BILL WEEKLY.

Burgess to look far ahead, at the same time turning in
toward the bank of the stream.

The young man saw a twinkling light—then another.
He knew what they were.
the camp fires of the party of redskins making for the
Arapahoe country! -

The two trailers went ashore, and when Burgess took

his skates off he found he could not stand. What with —

the cold and the stoppage. of circulation, he scarcely

knew thatyhe had any feet without putting his hands

down to feel them!

It was plain that he could not’walk yet. Black Rifle
broke a hole through the ice with his camp hatchet, and
left his companion to. remove his moccasins and unlace
his leggings, and thrust his feet, one after the other, in
the ice water, to take the frost out of them. They dared
build no fire here.

The Black Rifle hurried away to spy upon the Indian |

encampment, and to learn what watch they were keep-
ing, and in which direction they would head this com-
ing day.

Burgess was pretty well used to the wilds by now, and }
He got the frost #
out of his feet—-and the process was exceedingly painful—

did not so much fear being left alone.

and then bundled his lower limbs up in one of his blank-
ets and squatted in the lee of a brush clump, out of sight
of the river, and so waited the Black Rifle’s return.

It was late in the afternoon before Black Rifle re- i

turned,

Burgess saw that he had a fresh scalp at his belt, and

to his horror, it was that of a squaw!

Black Rifle boldly built a fire now, and they cooked and i :
ate the last of the venison they had brought in their My:

packs. While eating, the man said:

“They have lost one of their number to- ae At night
they will search and find the corpse that wore this,” and
he touched the scalp. “She was a fool.
behind the others, and sang the song for the dead.
somebody will sing for her,’ he added grimly.

Burgess looked at the scalp askance.
think that this hair must have adorned the head of Red
Cow’s poor little squaw. She had doubtless been wailing
for her dead husband,

“They will know who killed her,”
at last.

“That is right—they will,” flashed back the Black Rifle.
“I intended they should. Then there will be few of the|
whelps lurking far from their camp to-night.” |

“But they will keep all the brighter watch.”

“They'll sneak into their lodges like whipped curs,”
snarled the other. “And if there are too many sentinels|
to-night for us to release the girl, I will kill one more,}
and to-morrow night they will all get under cover.”

Black Rifle evidently knew in what fear the red
held him. It was a fact that they really did not beliey
him human, and might hide from him, in their tepees,!
as they would from a ghostly visitant!

“Did; you see her? Is she alive?” Burgess asked)
eagerly.

“The white woman?”

“Of course!”

“I saw none dressed as a white woman.”

“But Milly is in the Indian dress,” cried Burgess.

“I did not see her. But I did not go ae
looking for her to- ~day.” ‘

™

muttered Burgess,

"

I was not!

At last they were in sight of ,

She followed i at
Now i

Tt smote him to-#

 
   

  

Black Rifle seemed to exist without: sleep. They started

im at dusk on the trail of the Indian caravan, and before mid-

oon | night: saw their’ lights ahead. ‘Burgess ‘stuck close’ to his

of ‘€ompanion’ s heels ; now, and was at liberty to observe again
he how cireumspectly the-keen trailer went about his work.

_ Black Rifle seemed to be endowed with the eyesight of a

- ) | cat, or an owl. He-actually saw in the dark, as do some

j albinos. The best Burgess could do was to step lightly
ly | | and © keep within” touching distance of the man, ior ne

ds f actually moved without making a sound! —-

_The moon would be up shortly, and Burgess hoped ‘that
fle 'théy could get down close tothe camp, so that he could
ad my see the different tepees when it first appeared. He had
es fe corned well the marks on the outside of the tepee that
in

iy sheltered the unmarried squaws at night, and it was with
ed m them that Milly slept. There was always a guard before

an @ nothing!

-P-  ©=©6There were two sentinels viding afound the ae One

m- i was a mere youth, and the other Burgess knew to be one
We of the old, but more vigorous, men. Beside the guard

nd Wat the women’s tent, there was S nothing but the Dolties and

ost dogs to rouse the camp.

i a ‘The night was very cold, however, and the ponies had

. mA grouped together in the lee of a copse of timber, which

sht

zat Mi broke the wind, while ‘the dogs—to the last cur=had crept
under the tepee flaps and ‘snuggled down beside their mas-
ters. Black Rifle was very careful to approach the camp
up wind, so that neither the keen noses of horses or:dogs
P would: distinguish: rae white man’s | odor and arouse: the

camp. :
The two mounted sentinels rade shouk i in opposite diree:
tions, passing sometimes with a grunt, again without ‘a
ord. After watching this system a few minutes, Black
ifle whispered in Burgess’ ear’:
““I am going to leave you: Remain behind ‘this ftehe
is’ within striking distance.. Wait; and do not fear,
en the young: redskin comés around’ alone, and the
other is not in sight, leap out and kill him”
my “What with?” gasped: Burgess.’
f “With: the tong knife. which -you ‘have hidden under
our clothes,” said Black Rifle shortly, and eee: ony
ithout further word.

| All this time Burgess had hidden. that knife pile hee
Bear's squaw had intrusted to him when he left. the
famp with Red Cow. He had no idea Black Rifle knew
fe had it. Evidently the strange man had searched him
fOr weapons some time when he was asleep!
“Td hate to have him for my enemy,” muttered Bur-
ss, under his breath. _

 

   
    
    
   
  
    
    
  
  
 
 
   
   
   
  

 

 

It was mighty shivery lying so near the encampment
te. An hour passed, and the moon rose above the hills
d flooded the place with her light.
ar ‘that something had re and that Black Rifle
d deserted him.

Round and round the sentinels paced on their tired
nies, sometimes longer, sometimes shorter, intervals
psing before they came. They usually passed each other
t where Burgess lay.

     
   
  
   
   
 
   
 
    
  

He began to worry over how he should spring upon
> sentinel left to his care, and drive that knife into him!
shrank from the idea of murder, yet he would: have
mitted © such a crime for the sake of getting. Milly

  
   
   
 

muddenly he bieccela that the youthful sentinel was in

 

 

NEW. BUFFALO BILL. WEEKLY.

" that tent, but to He Black ae a guard more or less was -

Burgess began to-

15

sight, slowly pacing around the camp, but that the other
Indian had not appeared from-the other direction.

The discovery electrified him, and he got upon his knees,
seized his knife grimly, ‘and prepared’ to eae out o
covert.

Nearer and nearer came the unconscious boy. | He was
wrapped closely in a blanket, and all Burgess could see sof
his face was his gleaming eyes.

Suddenly he pulled in his pony with a movement of his
-one free hand. His other hand clutched the blanket about
him, and undoubtedly held his rifle, with: ao sawed- off
barrel, beneath it.

He turned in his saddle to look over the vip
dently believing that he had traveled too fast, the other
sentinel not yet being in sight.

It was a better chance than the hidden ‘white. man
would ever get again! He knew it, and he almost. rose
from his crouching position. Eveti the pony’s” head. was
‘turned, as though it, too, looked for the other sentinel,

But suddenly Burgess was held to his place. The tiod-
ding headdress of the aged brave appeared from around
a tepee. The next moment his pony ambled irito view.

The pony acted badly, as though it desired to break
away; but the old Indian in his blanket sat as solidly as
a rock, and, with a twitch of the guiding © rein, brought
the animal ‘to its. senses.

‘He rode on more rapidly. The young Indian ‘started
his pony, too. In a moment they would have passed each
other, the old Indian with his face in the shadow.

‘Suddenly the blanket dropped from the supposed ‘old
man. Burgess saw a flash in the air, heard a stifled moan

‘from the lips of the youth, and saw him, with his head -

cleft from crown to chin by the awful blow: of the toma-
hawk, topple from his saddle!

“Quick, grab the pony!” hissed the- voice of Black
Rifle, and Burgess awoke to the fact that the supposed
aged Indian was none other than that master of intrigue,
the scalp hunter!
 “Hle’s the very devil !” gasped ‘Burgess, springing ‘up
and seizing the dangling thong which the Indian lad had
dropped, and he at it: with an Bie aan belief in that
fact.

CHAP FER XY,
THE ESCAPE.

The eae pony did not wish to remain in the possession
of the white man. It balked and tried to pull away;
but Burgess had handled refractory horses before, and
with a thumb and finger pinching the brute’s nostrils, he
quickly brought it to time.

Meanwhile, Black Rifle was muffled in the Indian’s
blanket again, and looked the part of the other sentinel
to the life. But Burgess had seen a fresh scalp hanging
to his belt. The man did not stop to wrench the prize
from the head of this fallen boy. There was other work
to be done first.

“Adjust your blanket right,” he commanded Burgess in
a whisper. “Walk around the camp, leading that pony.
Afoot, you won’t look so much unlike the other”—pointing
to the dead boy at their feet. __ Q

“Where did you say the girl was kept?”

“With the young squaws.”

“No. She is in another tepee. I have seen the sentinel
before it on the othér side of the camp. She must be
in that tepee. When you come near the man—you will see

 

  
16

him—wait for me to reach him. If he speaks to you, don’t
answer. Don’t let your pony get away.”

With these instructions, Black Rifle rode off. Burgess,
trembling more from nervousness than cold, began to walk
around the encampment, dragging the unwilling pony with
him. Every once in a while he had to shut off the brute’s
wind to keep him from squealing angrily. He did not like
the smell of the white man!

By and by Burgess came in sight of the tepee in ques-
tion.
standing beside the lodge, but the figures SES on the
hide. It was Lame Bear’s tepee!

“Can it be possible that Black Rifle has made a mistake?”
muttered Burgess. “All the time I was in the camp a
guard. was stationed outside the women’s lodge, and Milly
was kept there.. Has Mrs. Lame Bear taken Milly in since
I ran away? She never loved the poor girl any too well,
I hope nothing has gone wrong with her!”

Meanwhile, however, he was approaching the lodge
slowly.
hand, but did not speak. Burgess stalked on with huge
dignity, but shaking in his moccasins.

Where was Black Rifle? He heard no sound of the other
pony’s hoofs, nor did he see the nodding headdress that
his companion had assumed. What should he do? ~

He made his own pony halt, and waited.; To his sur-
prise, ‘the guard at the tent made another—and apparently
more impatient—gesture. ae seemed to _ beckon Pee:
nearer.

The young man did not know what to do. Black Rifle
had told him not to speak; ‘but if the man came to
him———

And actually that was what the strange Indian was do-
ing. When he moved out of the shadow of the tepee,
Burgess saw that he was a very tall Indian, and that he
séemed to be in @ strangely impatient mood.

‘He jerked out his hand again, beckoning Burgess to
approach. The latter looked wildly about for Black Rifle.
He seized the handle of his knife with a tighter grip, and
prépared to spring upon and slaughter this man, if he
could do no better!.

And then suddenly the moonlight fell full upon the
face and figure of the guard. The face was blacker than
any redskin’s face naturally was! With almost an ex-
clamation of amazement, Burgess saw. that he had been
befooled again. It was Black Rifle! ;

“Come!” hissed the strange man, afire with eagerness.
“You are wasting time. The girl is there.”

“T_T thought you were the Indian.”

Black Rifle opened his blanket, A third scalp hung at
his belt.

“Quick, now. Go to the back nae the tent.
upon it, and attract her attention.”

“How do you know she is there?” whispered Burgess,
in an agony of doubt.
“JT heard her crying.”
“This is terrible!”
“Come! obey me ro

“Yes. i

“How many in 1 that family?”
“Only Lame Bear and his old squaw.
“And the pee

“I suppose so.’

-  ‘Do:as. 1 say. If you can attract the

- well and good. If not——

Seratch

Do you know that tepee?”

»

girl’s attention,

NEW BUFFALO.

The moonlight revealed to him not only the brave —

The guard, seeing him, made a motion with his —

BILL WEEKLY.

HAN) TF cav't?? 63 Le

“Then the whole camp may be doe. and we'll. ae
to fight for our lives.” ee

“Where will you be?” vt

“T am going to take your pony to Phe: pide where f
have tied the other, Then I will come back to the front
of the tepee. Wait till I-come, if your scratching does
not attract the young woman’s attention’ We may have
to kill the old buck and his squaw to get her. away. She
may be tied to them.”

- “Oh, I hope not!
crying?”

“An Injun never sobs,”
“Now!”

“But,” said Brice detaining him an instant as he
released the pony’s leading rein, “I hope we will not

And how do you know it is Milly

said Black Rifle succinctly.

have to ae that old chief and the woman who was So" ee

kind to me.”

Black Rifle doled at he oe utter contempt.

“Fool!” he muttered.

“Perhaps I am,” said Burgess, with fire.
some human: feeling.”

“Fither Lame Bear or his squaw would stick a: knife
in the heart of this young woman as quick as ‘scat!’ if
they ‘knew she was 8 to gh released. an
P “Oh! 49?

“That puts: another Tight on it, ch?” sneered ithe strange
man. ° .

“Tt does—I admit it.” * ;

“Then do aS you are bid,” said: Biack Rifle. any ‘and
led the pony away.

Burgess, trembling idee every fiber of his. beings.
crept into the camp and to the back of the tepee of Lame
Bear. In the shadow he came suddenly upon the body.
of the dead guard, and placed ‘his hand upon the raw
head of the poor creature!
faint, or cry out, showed that he had nerved himself up
to a high pitch.

He réached the rear of the epee, and . listened, He
heard the heavy breathing of the old man. Then—faintly
and like that of a child, he distinguished a sob!

“It is Milly—poor, dear. girl!” he thought,

He scratched softly on the hide.
sob, and after a moment he scratched louder.

He thought he heard a third sob cut off. short.
the girl heard him, and did she start?

Once before, while a prisoner in Black Shield’s camp,
Milly had heard a similar scratching on the side of ‘her |
tepee. And that scratching had been Buffalo Bill’s way |

“But I ek

Had

of attracting her attention.. She lay very still now, scarcely |

breathing for a few moments..

Again Burgess made the sound. The: girl rolled over |
close to the place from which it seemed to come. She |
knew that the old man was asleep; but she was not sure |
about the squaw. Mrs. Lame Bear had pounced upon |
her when it was learned that Burgess had escaped, and
had watched her every moment. It was evident that the
old woman believed Burgess might make an attempt to
release the paleface girl, and, if he did, she oc to |
be near to seize her adopted son.

Milly reached out quickly and drew her own iroee. nail
along the taut side. Instantly Burgess responded. He
could scarcely resist breathing her- name, but Black Rifle
had not told him that he could speak, and he was obey-
ing that wonderful man to the letter!

 

The fact that he did not. Mb :

There was another “g
  

NEW. BUFFALO

  

Suddenly he felt a light touch upon his shoulder. He
e started, and looked up. Like a shadow, Black Rifle had
ome to his side.
He did not speak, but in the ee of the: tepee, Bur-
iMgess. saw his. gestures and understood. He signed: the
it young man to stand ready with his knife to slit up the
ss Wack wall of the tepee far enough for the girl to creep
ef out.. Then he showed Burgess that he was going around
ef to thé front to make some diversion in their favor.
What this last could be Burgess had no idea. .But in
y We moment he heard the whine of a dog at the front flap
pf the tepee, and the animal scratching to get in. It
startled the young man, Here was a new and‘unexpected
Actor in the drama—and one that might cause much
1e ischief !
It flashed into Burgess’ mind almost ee. how-

=

ot
co’. ever, that it was strange, if the dog was about the vil-
; age, why it had not discovered the presence of the
hite men!
@ “It’s Black Rifle!” was the: ‘thought ae shot theoubh
e fipis miind; and, as the whining and: scratching continued,,
Wand he heard the well-remembered voice of Lame Bear’s -
fe ; quaw muttering objurgations at the canine, he saw that
if —now it was his move in the game!

He inserted the point of the keen. blade. under the edge

fof the hide and slashed upward, Old Lame Bear was

ze ffmore than a little deaf, and- snored on, But there was

sharp exclamation from the squaw, who had unlaceéd .
: the flap to drive the dog away.

1d) This cry. was shut off almest in -its. incevie.

- Burgess
. shivered, for he could guess what had happened to. the
g, Hold woman who had shown such tenderness _toward him.

ne fit made him hate Black Rifle, despite. what. the. man was
ty @ccomplishing for Milly.

w Old: Lame Bear started in fifs hee eon. fecal

ot. ver , and began to snore again. He-did-not dream that

1p (he woman who had been his -helpmate so. many years,
Mwho had borne his sons and tended his lodge, fay with.

fe | knife i in her heart and Black. Rifle’s.hand- upon -her wind-

ly @ pipe so that she should not cry-a y wrarairy to him with

 @ her last breath!

| Burgess reached into the opening he: had slit, Beted

7 fomebody’s shoulder, and so drew that somebody forth.

Wthe girl was now sobbing nervously with joy..

“Sh!” breathed Burgess.

‘Oh, Raymon!”

| Black Rifle suddenly stood beside them. oe had the

reshly torn-off scalp of the squaw in his hand, but for-.

 
   
   
   
    
  
  
  

ay (funately Milly did not see it. However, Burgess shrank

aly om him, and the girl came near crying- out, ‘believing
at it was a savage come to attack them..

er “Take the young woman that way!”. commanded Black

he fle, pointing to where he had fastened the two ponies.

   

Then he disappeared again, and Burgess knew he had
ne after his fifth scalp—that of the boy whom he had
otkéd from the -back of the pony. ‘

 

on. |

  
  

The young man led Milly by the hand out from among
e tépees and hurried her through the moonlight: to: the
ce where the ponies were tied. He had. both unloosed
én Black Rifle came bounding to them, -

‘Up with you!” commanded the man, with an ed
rt of joy in his tone and manner. “Take the young
man before you. Let us be off! yr

He leaped astride one of the half-wild sana Bac.
ss managed to mount the other, and then took up the

  
  
  
   
  
   
 
  
 

' which he ate like a famished wolf.

BILL WEEKLY. a7
girl. They rode quietly away from the encampment, but
over the first rise and on heavier sward they lashed the
ponies to their best speed, Burgess had to do this to
keep up with the half-mad scalp hunter.

Black Rifle turned in his saddle and shook his gory

‘tomahawk in the direction of the Indian encampment.

And he began to sing, or chant, in a high voice. What it
was neither Burgess nor the girl knew. This strange
being had developed, or reverted, to savage traits that
were equaled only by those of the red Indians them-
selves!

They rode at the ponies’ top speed to the river where
the Indians had last camped, and where the men had
hidden their camp equipment and the skates. While they
rode, Milly and Burgess exchanged, in broken sentences,
the stories of their adventures of the past few days. Milly
was plainly as fearful of Black Rifle as she had been of
the redskins, and Burgess could not blame her. It was
impossible. for him to feel that ine man was really
human!

At the riverside, the scalp hunter built a fire, made
coffee, and, with this to warm them, Burgess and the
girl lay. down_wrapped in the blankets and slept. It was
an hour after daybreak and a frosty winter’s morning
when Black Rifle awoke them. To show that he had not
slept himself—and it was a fact that he did not close
his eyes from the. time he and Burgess had started from
the cave until their return to it—the strange man had °
ready a sort of sledge, or litter, made of saplings and
withes, and with two long poles like shafts. This was for
Milly to. sit _upon. while Burgess dragged her over the
ice.

In this way they got along famously, and, after camp-
ing twice on the © “river bank, arrived at Black Rifle’s
main. camp.

Once there, as before, the ‘man. first stretched and
dried his scalps. Then he ate heavily of a buck that he
had shot almost within sight of the cave, and after that
lay. down- upon the cavern floor, by the entrance, in such.
a position that if his guests left the place they would be
obliged to step over him.

Not that either Burgess or Milly were inclined to do so.
As much as they feared him, they were dependent upon his
good offices to get them back to their friends.

The wilderness between this place and Fort Challis
was overrun with redskins and wild animals. Burgess
had but a single weapon, and that good only at close

uarters—when Black Rifle lay down to sleep, he had
jealously wrapped all his. firearms in the blanket with
him—and, with Milly dependent. upon him, he dared not
tackle the journey south alone. However, had he known

_ what. was in Black Rifle’s mind as touching him, he

might have tried to run away from that terrible man while
he slept.

Black Rifle slept full thirty-six hours in the cavern,
and his two guests replenished the fire from his heap of
wood and ate of his provisions. Then Black Rifle rose
up as suddenly as he lay down, glared wolfishly at Bur-
gess and the girl, went out and broke the ice in the creek
to get water in which to washsthe black paint off his face,
and possibly to stir his benumbed wits, and then ‘came
back and cooked himself an enormous steak of venison,

Seeing that the larder was somewhat low, the man
commanded them to remain in the cave, or near it, so

  
y

18

as not to attract wandering Indians, and set forth with
all his armament—part of which he hid somewhere until
his return—and crossed the river on the ice in chase of
a herd of. deer. It was on his return from this expedi-
tion that Buffalo Bill, Texas Jack, and old Captain Lar-
rabee sighted the Black Rifle.

ro

CHAPTER XII.
THE STOOL PIGEON.

Black Rifle did not see the three white men who had
seen him cross the river, and he carried the doe he had _

shot up to the cave where Burgess and Milly were await- _

ing his return.

“T have a feeling,” Buffalo Bill said seriously to. his
two companions, “that we’re near that old scoundrel’s
principal hide-out. I HAY Ane one of his temporary
camps before.”

mWihatvoL tune demanded Larrabee. “Remember, Cody,
we're ott arter somethin’ more perticlar than Black Rifles
—or rifles of any other color. I want to find. my gal—
and that pup with her!”

“But this fellow may know something shout that party
of Sioux that went north,” said the scout. “He is always
hanging on the skirts of such parties and pees off
. strays.”

“Not wimmen!” exclaimed the captain. . sa

“All’s fish that comes into his net,” said oonae Jack
dryly. ‘He’s got as many squaws’ scalps as. os Yi.
be bound!”

-“The bloody seounidrel |! Yr
“He’s all of that,” said Jack.

“Boys, weve got to camp pretty. soon, anyway,” said
Buffalo Bil, "While you get supper, I'm going -across
the river.”

“Now, font you waste time Hantie a that . old var-
mint’s burrow,’ objected Larrabee. ea

“Let Buffler alone,” advised Jack. “If he has a feeling
that he’d oughter look up old Mr, Satan, I'd let him do
it. Not me for interferin’,”

“An’ you ain’t got a darter held by the Injuns.”

“Not that I know of, I ain’t!” returned Jack, grinning,
for he had to be cheer tal, whether or no.

Buffalo Bill soon left them and hurried across the river,
He knew whom he had to deal with, but he did not realize
just how shrewd Black Rifle was. The man had no
reason to suppose that anybody—either white or red—
was on his trail; yet he never crossed a long, open stretch
like this frozen river without hiding afterward, and wait-
ing a long time to see if any soul followed on his trail.

Therefore, after dropping the doe before the cave en-
trance, and leaving Burgess to skin it, he went back to
the edge of the bluff, where bushes masked its front,
_and watched the river for a long time. And he was
there when Buffalo Bill came out of the scrub on the
other shore and started briskly across the ice.

Black Rifle recognized the scout almost immediately..
And he remembered what Buffalo Bill had told him when
they had chanced to meet on a previous occasion. Al-
though the scout had engaged him to help in the attack
on Black Shield’s camp, he had told Black Rifle plainly
that the military department desired him brought in and
placed in custody because of his indiscriminate war upon
the redskins. Buffalo Bill was “after” Black Rifle, and
the latter could look upon him only as an enemy.

NEW BUFFALO BILL WEEKLY.

Black Rifle feared that the scout would enter the creek
below the cave and see the boat sledges that he and
Burgess had built. With this as a° clew, the scout would
easily learn where Black Rifle was. Therefore, that in-
dividual first oun to. draw Buffalo Bill off from the
right nest.

And how best could he do this? That which had al-

ready entered into the man’s warped brain shot the igea

into prominence. He would use Burgess!

All this time the young Southerner had been fect
to wear his Indian garments. Black Rifle seemed to have
no others to lend him, and the young man still looked |
the Sioux warrior to the life—at a distance

With consummate cunning the scalp hunter ran back (Bc:

to: the cave and beckoned Burgess forth. The young
man feared at once that the Indians were about to de-
scend upon the camp. ae

“What's the matter, sir?” he asked, in a worried tone.

“Come with me!’ commanded the’ Black Rifle, with
gloomy countenance.

He made no explanation, but led’ the young man out
to the edge of the bluff. There he turned him up the

river, and so the amazed Burgess did not see the scout ea:

come quickly across the ice.
“March on!” commanded Black Rifle, thrusting his gun

forward threateningly.
_“What’s the matter with you?” demanded ‘Burgess.

~ “Do as I command!” cried the man, and there was the i

threat of murder in his wild eyes.

“Why, old man, don’t treat. me like this,’
Burgess. _ .
Do apel says: Aik Velho he falar: “Walk on the {
edge of the bank, and do not look around,” |

“But I do not understand!” objected Burgess. i

“You do not have to understand,’ Tee me Black i
Rifle. “Do as you are bidden.”

~Wendéring much, but seeing that his safety es in obey-
ing the freak of the madman, Burgess walked along the
edge of the bank. He could be seen from the ice—in-
deed, from: across the’ river—but Black Rifle; although |
keeping him covered with his gun all the time, Henaekt
remained out of sight.

begged \

~ Burgess: had no idea that ight was ee the par of
a stool pigeon. A)

He had not walked far, however, when Buffalo Bill,
raising his eyes, saw what he supposed to be an Indian Jj
warrior walking on the bluff, his face turned upstream.

The scout was then about halfway across the river. It
was still broad daylight, and he did not propose to run
into any bunch of reds without knowing their numbers
and intentions. So he turned swiftly and made his way
back to the shore from which he had started, at his
best pace. When he reached it, the. Indian on the farther
bank had disappeared.

Buffalo Bill could imagine no Indian walking so ‘non-
chalantly along the bluff did he not feel the confidence
born of numbers. He began to doubt his own eyesight

and really wonder if the person he had seen erOertns the
ice was Black Rifle!

He found Texas Jack and Larrabee, made them put out
the fire they had just started, covering it so that not even
the smoke would rise, and explained his difficulty to them.

“That was sure a white man we saw, Buffler,” declared
Jack.

 
     

NEW BUFFALO

 

f “Of course it was, Cody,” and the captain was quite

ek
nd (as emphatic. |
iid “But how can it be Black Rifle if that farther bank
in- (as overrun with reds?” demanded the anxious scout. ,
the @ “It was Black Rifle,” repeated Jack.
“Mebbe that was the only Injun—the one you saw,”
al- (suggested Larrabee.
lea I i But both the scouts knew better than that—or thought
ithey did. A lone red man—especially at a time like this—
ed I 4 ould walk more circumspectly. He would have a care
ve Wahow he displayed himself.
ed fm “If that red was erlone, I pity him,” grunted Jack.
W Black Rifle will git him and decorate his cave with his
ick Wicalp before he’s much older.”
ng #@ “I’m free to confess I don’t like the looks of this busi-
Je- ffmess,” said Cody.. “I vote that we cross over to that
Wank to-night and scout around a bit. At least, Jack and
: m will, while the captain remains camp keeper——”
ith # “But this is delayin’ us!” cried the old man, “This ain’t
(follerin my ‘darter !”
sut We You'll have to let us old rangers take our own way
the Wet doing things, captain, I’m afraid,” said Buffalo Bill
Sut ! Weasily. “We can only do things one way, you see. And
(we never go past a thing that we don’t understand with-
out investigating.”

4 ie “We'll never ketch them Injuns,” complained the cap-

Main.

“Oh, yes, we will, cap!” declared Texas Jack. ‘Keep

a stiff upper lip, an’ blow hard. We'll save the gal yet.”

| He, too, saw the advisability of examining the other

Mshore before proceeding upstream. The Indian might
Whave been merely one of a party of traveling braves; but

the Wat they were going up the river it behooved the scouts to

know it.

“Looks bad, don’t you think, Cody?” said Jack, as they

t forth after dark to cross the ice.

© “I hope there aren’t any Indians following after those

Wsquaws. I thought we’d left most of Gray Eagle’s braves

Whehind us,” returned the border king.

in- My “It would-be a nice mess if the whole tribe was re-

Mreating, and we got right into the middle of them.”

‘Well, Jack, we’ve been in hornets’ nests before to-

 
 
 
  
 

the

ed

   

 

   

“Aye! But I am not searchin’ for ’em,”’ said Texas
ck, with a grim chuckle.

   
 

CHAPTER XIII.
THE LIVING SHIELD.

“Pard Cody, I don’t like this for a little bit.”
“It’s darker than a stack of black cats, I admit.’

  
  
   
 

ers
ray fm it's worse than that.”
his “Had we better wait for the moon to rise, Jack?”

   

“Glory be! that'll be not much ’fore morning.”
“Well, I don’t see what better we can do than to crawl
out a bit longer.”

   
  

“But, Buffler, if there was Injuns in this neck of woods
ey’'d sure show up.”

“You anxious to run against. them, Jack?’

“Not that; but this creeping about in a coal hole—or
‘place just as dark—is so plumb spooky!”

Well?”

“We'd ought to see their camp fires, if they’re here.”
“Perhaps they’ve. gone along.”
“They are marching all night, then.”

   
  
  
  
  
   
 
 

Be A ie it ee NR Rn im ote lh

 

msi fata ms PIAA iin iti iain

    
   

BILL WEEKLY. 19
“IT reckon that’s so.”
“And we couldn’t find the tracks of a brigade of foot
soldiers without a light.”

“It’s true, I suppose. But there’s a thing that puzzles me
more than the lack of Indians on this side of the
river.”

“What's that?”

“Where, under the blue canopy of heaven *

“Which it is black to-night,” interposed Texas Jack.

“For purposes of observation we'll call it blue.”

“Call it-yaller, if yuh want to.”

“Well, what’s puzzling me is where Black Rifle went

9
°

 

to
“Into his hole, like any, other ground hog.”
“But where’s the hole?”
“Pulled it in after him.”
‘No nonsense, Jack.”
“That’s sense. He’s disappeared. He always does dis-
appear when he wants to.”
“You still stick to it that he’s more than human, Jack?”
“That I do, Buffer! I’m superstitious about that feller.”
“So am I, But I’m superstitious in a different way.”
i tlow's thate”

“T have an impression that there’s something going to
happen to Black Rifle before he’s much older.”
“Heh?”

“T promised the ‘kern’ I’d bring him in, or--——

“Or what?” >

“Or he’d get me.”

“Pshaw, Bill! You don’t believe that skunk is going
to shoot you?” ey

9

“Not exactly. I’m not superstitious to that. extent,”
returned Cody, smiling in the dark.

“What do you mean, then?”

“TI fear I’m not going to be able to fill my contract.”

Shu?”

“T’m thinking that I’ve bit off more than I can chew.”

“That would be amusin’ for Bill Cody!” exclaimed Texas
Jack admiringly.

“But it’s so. I feel it.”

“Just what do you mean, Buffler?”

“T believe that I shan’t bring him into camp.”

“Lord! you don’t feel that he’ll shoot you ?”

“No. But I’m afraid that he won’t be worth taking.
into camp. He'll be dead.”

“Oh, by thunder! Is that all?

Well, it will be no
great loss.” :

“T know that if ever I meet up with him again it will
be his life or mine. He knows it, too. This country
isn’t big enough for Black Rifle and Buffalo Bill.”

“Well, I'll help bury the old codger with the greatest.
of ‘pleasure, Bill,” said Jack calmly. “Although he saved
my life once, I swear I couldnt feel any gratitude toward
him.”

“And I didn’t thank him for helping us that time at
Black Shield’s camp.”

“Tt’s a strange effect he has on a man.”

“Tt’s because he has cut himself off so from his kind,’

“Tt’s because he’s sold his soul to the devil!” declared
Jack, who had all the superstition of his ancestry in His
blood. “You can take my word for that, Bill Cody!”

The two scouts had been. lying on the frosty ground
near the river bank, after an exhaustive search of the
neighborhood of the place where the border king had

pect ARN Stn te Mince teme en ati
      

BG : : NEW BUFFALO

seen the supposed Indian walking just before dark. Now

Cody said:

_“There’s a bit of a dip down toward what seems to

be a creek or. inlet yonder, Jack. While you stay here
I’m going to have a squint at it.”

“Go as far as you like, pard.”

“T won’t be long,” said Cody; and slipped away.

After the lapse of half an hour he came softly back
to the side of his comrade.

“Well?” asked Texas Jack.

“l’m going to surprise you, old man,”
Bill.

“How so, pard?”

“By telling you something.
hide-out.”

“No! 2?

“Yes, I have.”

“And the old beggar’s at home?”

“More than that. He’s got company, Jack.”

“That old curmudgeon have company ?”

“T hear voices besides his own.”

“Lord bless us! what’s going to happen next?”

“T am not mistaken, Jack,” said Cody firmly.

“How did you find this—this

SIPS a caves

“He always roosts in a cave, I reckon.”

“This has a well-hidden entrance down there toward
the creek.” .

“But you found the entrance?”

“No, I didn’t, But I found the smoke vent.”

“Ha ue

“T heard the murmur of voices. I searched around,
and found a hole between two rocks. It was warm down
there, and the smell of wood smoke came through. And,
likewise, the voices.”

“And you're sure it was Black Rifle?”

“Who else could it be?”

“Tnjuns.”

“They weren’t Indians’ voices I heard.”

“But you didn’t hear them plainly?”

“Not plain. enough to distinguish words;
fied they were not Indians
fire.”

“Then, by thinger | was that an Injun you saw to-
night ?”

“Of course it was!”

“And that close to Black Rifle’s den?”

“Well!”

“He’s a ‘good Injun,’ all right, before this time, then,’
declared Texas Jack, with certainty. “Black Rifle’s got
his scalp.”

“And we've got Black Rifle!” exclaimed Buffalo Bill
exultantly.

“To git!” added Jack, under his breath.

“Come on!” exclaimed Cody. “We'll go back across
the river and stir up Cap Larrabee. By daybreak I want
to get back here—all three of us—and have a closer look
at Black Rifle’s hide-out—and his visitors.” +

said Buffalo

I’ve found Black Rifle’s

 

but I’m satis-
jabbering over a oe

“There’s likely te be a scrimmage, then?’ aged
Texas Jack.

“There will be if there are both Indians and Black
Rifle to meet,” returned his friend and partner.

They crossed the ice again and gladdened Cap Larra-

bee’s heart by selecting a very sheltered place and build-—

ing a fire of dry wood to take the chill out of all their

to talk to us?”

BILL WEEKLY.

But the old man sputtered over the idea of step-
ping aside to look into Black Rifle’s business, and went
to sleep finally.

They routed him out before daybreak, and, breakenstlees

bones.

guided him across the ice to the other shore. He held
back so, and made such a fuss about walking on the ice
that he professed to believe was not safe—it would have
held up a train of artillery ere this—that the sun rose
before they reached the shore. They were spied from the
top of the bluff by the sharp eyes of Black Rifle.

The latter ran to the cave and again dragged Burgess
forth. But bethinking himself now that the young fellow
would see and speak to the whites, the madman threw
him down, bound his hands behind him, and muffled his
mouth so that he could not speak.

In this way he brought him to the edge of the bluff.
He had hoped to use Burgess as an attraction for In-
dians, that he might shoot. them When they approached
to release their seeming brother. But in his warped brain
Black Rifle had got it fixed that Burgess, in his Indian
garb, could aid him in beating off Buffalo Bill and his
two companions.

He appeared, therefore, suddenly upon the bluff over
their heads and shouted for them to go away.

“There’s the pesky old varmint, now!” exclaimed Texas
Jack, raising his rifle.

“What does he mean?” cried Cody.
body with him!”

“It’s an Injun!” yelled Cap Larrabee, and brought his
Sharp to his shoulder.

“It’s an Indian!” repeated Buffalo Bill, in wonder.

“Dern him! Tl send a ball clean through both of
them!” exclaimed Larrabee, knowing the driving power
of his Sharp rifle.

But Texas Jack stayed his hand.

“Hold on, old man! That can’t be no Injun!”

“What is it, then?” demanded Larrabee.

“It’s a blamed good imitation of one, then,”
half raising his own rifle.
last evening.”

“The old devil wouldn’t let an Injun live that long,”
said Texas Jack earnestly.

“Git out! Lemme shoot him!” exclaimed Larrabee.

“No, no!” cried Jack. “Don’t you see the feller’s tryin’

“Ah, there’s some-

said Cody,
“Looks like the one I saw

“Jack’s right, cap! Wait!” commanded Buffalo Bill.

Suddenly Jack uttered a war whoop.

“I see who that is!” he yelled, “It’s Burgess himself!”

“That puppy?” exclaimed Larrabee. ‘“Where’s my gal,
then ?”

“Mr. Burgess?” gasped Buffalo Bill.

‘Then he raised his rifle and drew bead on Black Rifle.

“Drop that man and come down here!” he ordered.
“Quick, or Pll put a bullet through you, you crazy fool!”

But Black Rifle gnashed his teeth, using the bound Bur-
gess as a living shield, and backed away.

But here the young fellow, seeing that he was recog-
nized, put forth greater efforts to free himself, and suc-
ceeded. He burst out of Black Rifle’s arms, and, having
his feet free, ran down the bluff toward the white men.

“Out of the way, boys, and let me shoot him!” cried

Buffalo Bill, and finally sent a deadly messenger at Black
Rifle.

   

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
|
4

 
 

ing like a mountain sheep down the steep slope.

Se Ya a a arora Sa oy AER SR

CHAPTER XIV.
THE ICE CHASE.

But as Buffalo Bill fired, Black Rifle dropped out of
range—and out of sight. Burgess came plunging down
the bank, and, his hands being tied, he could not balance
himself, and he fell heavily to the ice, striking his head
on its glassy surface. When the three ran to pick him
up they found him wounded seriously in the head and
unconscious—quite unable to tell them anything about
Milly.

Meanwhile Black Rifle retreated to the cave. His com-
ing back in such haste and without Burgess frightened
the girl terribly. He motioned her out of the cave,
seized a bale of furs, and ran with her down to the creek,
where the ice sledge lay. When she asked him where
Burgess was, he would not answer her. The poor girl
believed they were attacked by Indians, and that her
lover was dead.

Black Rifle fairly picked her up and flung her upon
the skins forward of the boat’s mast. Then he raised
the sail, spread to its full height, and pushed the sledge
out of the creek, A bend of the river hid them from the
place where Burgess had fallen.

But suddenly there was an angry yell from the heights
above the creek. Milly looked up and saw a figure bound-
Black
Rifle saw it, too, and uttered a yell of rage.

Buffalo Bill had left his friends to attend to Burgess,
had climbed the bluff, and started toward the place where
he had heard voices through the smoke hole of the cave
the night before. On his way he had suddenly caught
sight of Black Rifle’s unwieldy craft pushing out into
the main stream.

The two enemies took potshots at each other. Black
Rifle’s bullet cut through Cody’s sleeve but did not wound
him; the scout’s shot, taken flying as he came down the
hill, grazed his enemy’s head and brought him to the ice,
stunned for the moment.

Cody could not take advantage of this fact, however.
He was coming down the hill so fast that he had to use
his rifle to stop himself. It collided with a standing tree
and the lock was broken. It was useless. He landed
upon the ice just as Black Rifle was rising.

The sled, feeling the strength of the morning breeze,
was already moving from the shore. Buffalo Bill chanced
to be nearer to it than Black Rifle. The scout made two
mighty leaps and caught the sled. He leaped aboard,
shouted to Milly to lie low, and, seizing the tiller, put the
unwieldy craft before the wind.

Instantly it shot out from the shore toward the center
of the river. With a shriek, Black Rifle followed, running
as man never ran before on such a slippery surface.

The scout had his hands full for a time, for the wind
was sharp and the sail caught it finely. The big sledge
began to creak and groan under the pressure, and it fairly
flew.

Suddenly Milly glanced ahead, and shrieked. In their
path was a strip of what at first seemed to be black ice;
but at second glance she knew it to be open water!

Buffalo Bill understood the meaning of her cry too late.
The heavy runners crunched through the thin ice, the
sled jarred all over, Buffalo Bill had just time to thank
his stars that the sled could not very well sink, and—

  

Se ee sansa RHE Eleni as ouayea sera erect onnen oa

NEW BUFFALO

“ORSt

Ee eee artes ae TRS

 
   

BILL WEEKLY. aI

\

and they were over the place and gliding away faster
than ever down the river!

The scout looked back. On came Black Rifle blindly,
and never paying the least attention to what was under
his feet. His whole endeavor was to overtake the sled.

In a minute he had reached the thin ice. The weight
of the sled had already crushed it, and the madman
slumped through at once!

He tripped and fell forward. There was a crash of
splintering ice, and then Black Rifle shot forward on his
face and dived into the open water!

He plunged in with such force that he went clear under
the firm ice. When Buffalo Bill managed to drop the
sail and stop the iceboat and run back, the man had sunk
to the bottom. He could not even see him through
the clear ice. He never reached the air after that fatal
plunge!

« * * * K 3K 7

What is one man’s misfortune is another’s gain in this
world. Black Rifle had built his sledge to transport his
pelts to market, and it had brought about his death. Now
Buffalo Bill and his party made use of it in escaping
from the Indian country.

Burgess was picked up unconscious and brought to the
sledge. They loaded it down with robes from the cave—
there were several hundreds of dollars’ worth.

Then all five piled onto the vehicle, the sail was raised,
they broke out the runners that had frozen to the ice, and
slipped down the river at a speed that delighted all hands.
Meanwhile Milly told the story of her adventures, and of
Burgess’, as he could not speak for himself.

They brought the young man safely through the redskin-
infested country to a land of physicians, however, and a
month later he was as well as ever. He and Milly and
Cap Larrabee did not return again to Fort Challis; but
several months later all their friends at that. post re-
ceived invitations to the wedding of the New Orleans
capitalist and the steamboat captain’s daughter.

Meanwhile Gray Eagle had been taken into custody
and quite a number of his braves. The uprising had
been put down, and the Arapahoes reprimanded for aiding
the Sioux in the least.

Peace again reigned along the Niobrara, and the Indians
considered Long Hair a greater man than ever, for had
he not wiped out the great Black Rifle?

“Tt had to be either him or me, colonel,” Buffalo Bill
said to the commander of Fort Challis, in discussing the
matter after it was all over. “Buffalo Bill couldn’t very
well have a rival in this neck of woods. Still—I rather
wish his end had come about differently. He certainly
was a wonderful man, and we never had a fair chance of
measuring our skill, after all!”

THE END,

“Buffalo Bill’s Gold Hunters; or, The Clan of the Skull
and Crossbones,” is the title of the story that you will find :
in the next issue of this weekly, No. 115, out November
It is a story of such an absorbing nature that the
most casual reader will find that his attention will become
so fixed upon it that, after once having started the story, ©
he will be unable to lay it down until the last line has
been read.
   

Me NEW BUFFALO

A CALL TO DUTY;

Or, The Young Guardsman on Detached Service.

By LIEUT. LIONEL LOUNSBERRY.

_(This interesting story began in NEW BUFFALO BILL WEEKLY
No. 110. If you have not read the preceding chapters, get the back
numbers which you have missed from your news dealer. If he can-
not supply you with them the publishers will do so.)

CHAPTER XII.
GERMANTOWN.

When George Lee, somewhat weary with his hard ride,
reached Germantown, he made straight for the Crown Inn.
This was the inn, if Todd’s information was correct, in
which Lord Loudon was to secure refreshment while tarry-

-. ing in the town.

A word with the landlord revealed the fact that his
“lordship was there. Yielding his steed to a hostler and
giving instructions that the animal was to be well rubbed
down and baited at the end of a half hour, George went
into the house.

Bradwin was ata table in the public room and started
up as the young captain entered. Plainly, the encounter
was a surprise to the lieutenant. George walked up to
where he was standing.

“Why have you followed me here?” asked Bradwin,
flushing.

“T did not come here following you,” George replied.

“You saw Leslie and Collinson in the governor’s woods?”
queried Bradwin.

eyes.”

“Was there an encounter ?”

“There was.”

. Bradwin started and looked at George as though he
doubted his word.

“Faith,” said he, “you seem to have come well out of
it. Cousin Amy will be well pleased, no doubt:’”’

George leaned toward the lieutenant with flashing
eyes, : :

“You will not use Miss Randolph’s name again in con-
nection with that affair,” said he sharply.

“I do not have to come to a fellow like you for my
rule of behavior,’ answered. Bradwin, in his.usual sneer-
ing tone. “If you met Leslie in my behalf, please under-
sn that it still leaves the matter open between you and
me,”

“That is as you will; ‘but I advise you to talk with
Lieutenant Leslie before you press the matter further.”

“If you.did not follow me, why are you here?” asked
Bradwin, biting his lips.

“Business has brought me. I wish to see Lord Loudon.”

“Lord Loudon has no time to give to you provincials,”
was the lofty response.

“Will you go to his lordship and tell him Captain Lee
is here with an important communication from Governor
Dinwiddie and Colonel. Washington?”

“T am not his lordship’s orderly.”

Up to that moment the two had been alone in the
public room. Just then the landlord entered, and George
turned to him.

“Will you have the kindness to inform Lord Loon
that Captain Lee, of the Young Guardsmen, wishes to
consult with him on a very important matter?” George
asked,

   

BILL WEEKLY.

 

“His lordship is upstairs, and left word that he was
not to be disturbed. He arrived late last night, and is
sleeping late to-day. He has a hard ride before him this
afternoon.”

The landlord was kindly, but inflexible.

“T tell you this is important,” persisted George.

“T cannot help it,” returned the landlord.

“Where is his lordship’s orderly?”

“Abroad somewhere, looking to the shoeing of the
horses.”

George again went back to Bradwin, who was enjoy-
ing the young captain’s discomfiture,

“Bradwin,” said George, in a low tone, “I entreat you
to get word to his lordship at once. This matter on which
I come means much to him.”

“T can give you no aid, Captain Hotspur. Take my ad-
vice and ride back to Philadelphia. Bide there for his
lordship.” ‘Bradwin again seated himself, eying the youth-
ful captain insolently.

George bent his eyes on the lieutenant for a moment,
then turned on his heel and went back to the landlord.

“Which is his lordship’s room?” he asked.

“The front chamber, directly over this; but——”

George was ‘already at the stairway, and the landlord
ran toward the passage and barred his path.

“T tell you his lordship is not to be seen!” cried the
landlord angrily. \

“Will you take my message to him?” asked George
sternly.

“I dare not. His word——”

“I care nothing about what he told you,’ was the sharp
retort. “If you will not act, stand aside and I will be
my own messenger.”

“Hoity-toity! This is my house, young man.
care lest you go too far.”

“I will go as far as the front eee. sone stairs,”
and George grabbed the landlord about the middle and
incontinently hustled him out of the way. A moment
more and he had reached the upper landing and was
knocking at the door of his lordship’s chamber:

Two emphatic raps failed to rouse his lordship. By
that time the landlord had clattered angrily up the stairs,
with Bradwin close behind.

“Begone from this house, sir!” fumed the landlord.
“How dare you lay hands on me? I am the master
here! 1 will not have his lordship disturbed.”

“Hold your distance, landlord!” answered George firmly.
“I will rouse his lordship-——”

Just then the door of \the room opened and a night-
capped head showed itself.

“My word!” cried the man in the nightcap. “A pretty
how d’ye do, I must say! Cannot a man take his rest
in this house without having the peace disturbed in such
unseemly fashion? Gad! I should have put up at the
other inn.”

“I cannot help it, sir,” cried the landlord, beside him-
self. os -unmannerly. fellow would come up in spite
Of me,

“Take him away! take him away!” _

“His lordship would then have withdrawn, but George
thrust his foot between the door and the casing.

“What’s this? What’s this?” cried his lordship.
“Where’s my orderly? Here, Bradwin, show this fel-
low downstairs, Zounds! a pretty pother, indeed. I'll
be so roused I can’t sleep.”

Have a

 

Sa

667

to
NEW BUFFALO

“Bradwin. will not interfere with me, your oe, e
said George: “Lam Captain: Lee——”:

“Who in the fiend’s name.-is Captain ee ”

“Of the Virginia Guards, your lordship.
a message from Colonel’ Washington——”

“Pest take the Virginia Guards and Colonel Washing.
ton! Will you ‘leave here; sirrah?” '

“Not till I finish my business,” was the cool rejoinder.
“You would best let me into: your room: What Ihave
to say,is for your ears alone.”

“Plague take the fellow! J-—~” ae ;

“Governor Dinwiddie,” began George, “has commis-
sioned me jointly with Colonel Washington to— ~~

“What of Dinwiddie?” cried: ps lordship. You aay you
come from him?”

“IT am Governor Dinwiddie’s econ wd Colonel Wash-
ington’s aid,” proceeded George, noting that he~ had
at last made afi: impression: on ‘his stubborn: aerdoton., he
am the bearer of an important letter-———”

“Then why ‘did you not say so?”*asked Lord houdon:
“I was expecting to receive the | message in Philadelphia.”

“Tt was mnsanigetl for me to come here late it, cee
lordship, sirice -I Bn ena She wg

“Have done,-sir, afd igi ‘me the letter.”

George handed*the letter in to. ‘his. Aoidship.:
“You will please give me a writing to state: thee you
have received the communication,” said he:

“Will not’your uncle; the: governor, take your word

“Tt is but business, your lordship.”

I come seth

 

“Hold your peace, Sie
when I come down.”

“But I havea ee for you.”

“Is it in writing?” ye ie

“T must deliver “it orally, your lordship. It concerns
you much—I may say it is of vital ee

“Te can wait.”

‘Without more ado” elas. applied his strength ‘to the
door, pushed it open; and passed into the room. His lord-
ship was white with anger. :

Twill give you the writing

“T shall ‘make it. tmy business,” quoth he, “to notify
your unclé of your “unseemly conduct. Would that my
orderly were here, or some one else who could do omy
will, Will you begone ?”

“Not until tes acquaint ‘your lordship with a plot’ that
is aimed | against your ‘personal safety.”

“Out on you, young. man! What can menace me in
this colony ? The French are not at the doors of Phila-
delphia, I take it?”

“Tt is not the French you have to fs, but renegade
English.”

“Colonials, eh?”

“Not colonials ; but your own countrymen from across
the sea.”

“Moonshine! Your fears mislead you, Captain—er—

er?
“Lee,” suggested George.
“Well, Lee. :
the province.”
“You will be in danger. fraps the time you leave Ger-
mantown, An’ you will, I should like permission to ride
with you.”
A ee crossed. his. lordship’s face.
“I choose: my own company, ‘sir.
not such as to entitle you to my confidence.

Your actions are
Lieutenant

I am in no danger, here in the heart of

23

They ' will

BILL WEEKLY.

Bradwin and fay orderly ride with me.
suffice,”

“Very well, sir.’

George left the room, joined Bradwin and the land-
lord outside and passed down to the office, the other two
following. The landlord was loud in his complaints at
the young captain’s behavior. So much so, in fact, that
George ordered his horse to be brought, paid. his reckon-
ing, and rode to the other inn, where he had his dinner.

He had had a sorry experience with Lord Loudon, but,
truth to tell, he was not much surprised. From all ac-
counts he had received of his lordship, not much better

_ could have been expected of him.

Early in the afternoon George mounted and rode back
to the Crown, ‘Three horses were in front, a redcoat
astride of one and holding another with empty saddle,
while Bradwin sat a third. As George drew to a halt, his
lordship, resplendent in gold lace and finery, came forth,
prepared to mount and ride. He caught sight of the young
colonial. ee La

“That receipt you “wanted, _Captain—er—er-—~

“Hotspur,” said Bradwin.

“That receipt you wanted, Captain Hotspur,”
his lordship, “is in the hands of the host here.”

Thereupon his lordship gained the saddle and set out
on the road to Philadelphia, Bradwin and the pay
trotting behind. .

George went in and got his. receipt, stowed it away
in his pocket, then came out, mounted and trailed after
the three who. had ridden before.

Well was it for Lord Loudon that the courageous young
provincial happened to be such a short distance behind,

$

went on

CHAPTER XIII.
ON THE ROAD,

George had. it in mind that his services might be
needed, so he did not suffer himself to drop far behind
his lordship and the two who rode with him, although
he contrived to keep himself out of sight.

It well might be that Skull-and-crossbones Todd and his
rascally companions would not show their hands, being
mistaken in the hour his lordship was to fare forth
on his journey from the Crown Inn. Yet, on the other
hand, they might attempt to carry out their plans, and,
so far from harboring any resentment, the young captain
was anxious only to be of service, if needed. _

Beyond Germantown the road struck into a thick wood.
The course wound hither and yon, the bends being thickly ,
grown with dense timber, so that two parties might ride
less than a hundred yards apart and see nothing of each
other.. It was in this wood that George looked for the
blow to fall, if fall it did, and when he struck into it,
his eyes and ears were keenly on the alert. ,

He had no pistol, but the trusty blade loaned him by
Friend Tobias was still at his side, and the good horse,
also loaned by the Quaker, was under him. The youth
would have felt more content if he had had a pistol,
knowing well how fully supplied Todd and his miscreants
would be with such weapons.

George was not disappointed in suspecting the wood as
a place of ambush. Suddenly he heard a sharp cry
ahead, followed by the explosion of a pistol, the fright-
ened neighing of horses and other sounds indicative of a
disturbance.

 
 

8

24 | | NEW BUFFALO

Putting his horse to the gallop, he rounded the curve
ahead and came full upon an exciting scene. Bradwin
was unhorsed and lying at the roadside, tugging to get
at his pistol. The orderly was also down, his left arm
hanging limp at his side, while he pluckily laid about him
with his sword. Lord Loudon was still mounted, but a
man clung to his horse’s bridle, while another presented
a pistol at his head, holding him inactive, his hand on his
sword hilt. Two other men were threatening Bradwin
and the orderly.

The attacking party were all in farmer’s smocks, but
it was not difficult for the young captain to recognize
them, It was Todd who held a pistol to Lord Loudon’s
head, and McLevy who clung to the bridle of his lord-
ship’s horse. Hornby was standing over Bradwin with
drawn cutlass, and Clapham’s eye was ranging along a
pistol barrel, whose point was within a few feet of the
orderly’s breast.

A trick suggested itself to George, by the working of
which he hoped to take the rascally crew-by surprise
and gain an advantagesthe same sort of an advantage
that. had been gained by the breaking of the lanthorn on
Windmill Island.

Waving his sword above his head, George shouted :
“This way, Jads! His lordship is in danger! Forward—
double-quick !”

That clarionlike cry struck terror to the hearts of the
villains. Oaths leaped from their lips. Hornby and Clap-
ham turned to see whence the shout proceeded, and thus
Bradwin and the orderly were given their opportunity.

Bradwin pulled trigger and Hornby fell back, cursing,
a bullet through his sword arm and his cutlass falling to
the ground. The orderly used his sword with right good
will, and Clapham received a thrust in the shoulder. that
sent him reeling backward with a howl of agony. |

“It’s young Lee!” roared Todd. “Fiend take him!
Stand by, ye lubbers! He’s alone—there’s no one with
him.”

Todd turned the point of his pistol and sent a ball
through the brim of George’s hat.
anathema, his lordship sought to draw his blade, but the
shot and the commotion so frightened his horse that the
animal shied, throwing the commander in chief into the

road, He was hurled against Todd, who fell under him.

McLevy released the bridle of the horse and flew: toward
George, who had jumped out of the saddle and raced for
the scene.

McLevy sought to use a firearm, but he piece Syeoted
fruitlessly. Hurling the weapon from him, he. brought
out his cutlass and fell to with the youth. The mate
was a poor swordsman, and George had small trouble in
planting his point in the rascal’s side. A

“I’m done for!” groaned McLevy. |

“No!” cried George; “you'll do well enough, McLevy!
IT would not cheat the gallows of such prey.”

Thereupon the youth turned to see where next his

sword could be of most service. A glance showed him.
Hofnby, gripping his cutlass in his left hand, was stand-

ing over Bradwin, murder in his eyes and his face fiendish

‘with rage. The cutlass was lifted.
“This for ye, my gamecock!” roared Hornby.
Bradwin saw his peril, but could only look mutely
up at the fate in store for him. A second more and the
blade would have descended. But George, springing for-
ward, caught the falling blade with his own steel; at the

With a muttered

BILL WEERLY.

same time striking Hornby a blow with his left fist.
Hornby reeled and fell sprawling. . |

His lordship was struggling furiously with the burly
Todd. Theskipper, rendered desperate by the total failure
of his plan, brought about entirely by the timely arrival
of the young captain, would have taken the commander’s
life. George gave help at the critical moment, the com-
mander was freed, drew a weapon from the breast of his
coat, and threatened the skipper weit com in case he
attempted to flee. :

It was sharp work while it lasted. Thanks to George,
however, the tables were turned. Hornby and Clapham,
when there came time to look for them, were found to
have vanished, their injuries-not being such as to interfere
with the use of their legs.

But Todd and McLevy were made a A supply

of stout cords was found on the person of the mate, in-
tended supposedly for use in making his lordship and the
orderly secure. These cords were used on the persons of
Todd and McLevy.

“By gad!” exclaimed the - bewildered i oudone as his
orderly led up his horse. “What a whirl we had of it!
The rascals would have carried the day Oe but for

this young man, Captain—er—er——”
“Lee,” spoke up. Bradwin, rising painfully con the

ground.
“It may be he saved my life,” went on his lordship,
eying George fixedly. “Lee, you’ve done yeoman service

for the cause to-day. You ought to be in the- regular

army. There’s no sense in a fellow like you training
with these provincials.”

“He saved the lieutenant’s life, too, your exceileuey” i
‘spoke up the orderly, as he stood near binding a hand-

kerchief about his injured arm. “For that matter, his
coming saved the lives of all.of-us, I take it. I never
saw a man who could handle a sword like he does.”
Bradwin said roving to George directly. “Our mounts
have run away,’ he remarked: to: his lordship. : “Perhaps

Captain Lee will take his horse and recover the animals —
for us? He seems the only one who is: able to do much

work at this moment.” i
“Tit get them,” said George.

A moment .more he was astride. his own animal and

galloping back along the road.

He returned in half an hour. with the runaways. While

he chad been gone,’ the orderly had bound up McLevy’s

wound as well as he. was- able. The mate- was seriously,

but not mortally; hurt. ~
“Captain Lee,”
you warned me against ?’”
“Yes, your excellency.”
“What were they trying to do?” ~

“Make a prisoner of you, get you to the Delaware,

and then drop downstream under. cover of night. They

_ have a ship about New Castle, somewhere, and they were

-going to-put you aboard and ey deliver ae to the
.French at Louisburg.” :

Loudon listened to this..with distended eyes.
“By gad!” he gasped.

leave on here, and we. can’t very well! carry them
with us’

“If you will wait here with your: friends, your excel-

tency,” said George, “I will ride on to the next farm-

 

 

 

 

 

said his lordship, “are these the rien

“That such an attempt should
‘be made in these parts is one of the seven . wonders!
What are we to do with these prisoners, Lee? We can’t.

 

 
 

ESE RS a palsy Fu weg ob Oe ag wt

   

house and see if I can get a wagon. “The prisoners can
be put into the wagon and carried forward to Phila-
delphia.” :

“That’s the only thing to. be -done. We 1 wait here,
captain, while you go. for the conveyance.”

George had. not dismounted after recovering the horses,
and he now turned: and* made off along the road. An
hour later he had secured a team and wagon, with a
countryman to drive it, and returned to the point in
the road where his lordship had been left.

“Now, your excellency,” said the young captain, “you
and your friends ean proceed safely on to your destina-
tion. I will follow with the wagon and the prisoners.”

“I shall not forget this service, Captain Lee,” said
Loudon. “I was-going to write Governor Dinwiddie about
you’—he smiled as he spoke—“but when I do write him,

my letter shall be of a much different tenor from what

1 had intended.”
George bowed. ;
“Would you not like to see active service in the North?”

his lordship asked. :

“Tl am a Virginian, your excellency,”
“and serve under Washington.
in the South.1f we retake Du. Quesne.”

For a moment the commander looked far from pleased.
Then his face cleared again and -he gave the youth: his
hand,

“Perhaps,. after all,” said he,-“you-can be of more
service. on the frontier of Virginia than “elsewhere.
you are a eel youth, and I ‘would ‘give much to have
you with- me.”

Thereupon he fanned ‘and rege of, the’ orderly and
Bradwin galloping after..
George, not even-a- look.

answered George,

"CHAPTER xIV.
CONCLUSION. :

It was Ane that evening when the big “Conestoga wain”
rumbled: into Philadelphia .with. the two prisoners. Brad-
win had already been aboard the Pallas and reported the
capture, and George was met by Leslie with. a request
from Captain Culver that the prisoners be. sent to him.
George. was pleased to be-rid of the men thus quickly, and
gave them over into the care of the boat’s crew who
had come ashore with the officer. .

“You have done wonders this day, Captain Lee,’
Leslie.
Loudon’s orderly says you saved the lives of all three.”

“T think no harm. would have befallen his lordship,”
said George. “His life was not. in jeopardy.”

“But his liberty was. That crack-brained scheme of
Todd’s might have been carried through to success, reck-
less and daring as it was. .Todd will swing from the
yardarm for this, and McLevy, too, if he ever gets over
that thrust you gave him.

said

“He'll get over it,” said George. “I had no mind to

cheat the gallows of its due.”

The boat’s crew had already gone off with the prise

oners, and Leslie. started.to follow, but halted and re-
turned to George’s ‘side.

“I think that the little affair ee you and Brad-

win is a thing of. the past.
again,”

“Bradwin ‘should mention it, Leslie,”

It will never be mentioned

answered the

}

NEW as pO

We shall have much to do -

But>

Bradwin had .no word ‘for.

“Bradwin says you saved his life, and Lord.

sword,

 

 

      

BILL WEEKLY.

young captain, “to the extent of an apology, at least.
You were in the cabin of the Pallas that night, off Wil-
liamsburg. You know the insult he offered me was
gratuitous and about as insolent as well could be.”

~ “He is a cad if he does not apologize handsomely,”
said Leslie. “You have acted the part of a gentleman
all through the affair. My one regret is that I took
sides with Bradwin. But he is a brother officer, and——”

“Well,” laughed George, “we'll forget it. Bygones shall
be bygones,”

“That is generous of you, captain.”

The two then parted, George galloping on to the
Quaker’s house near Dock Creek. Friend Tobias was
there to receive both the horse and the sword.

“How is Lieutenant Vernon, Tobias?” was George’s first
words.

“As well as any man can be, I take it, George, with
a twisted ankle and a fair girl to watch over him.” Tobias
spoke slyly.

“Nimble Ned brought the young lady here to see
Frank ?”

“Nimble Ned brought two young ladies, one of whom -
inquired most particularly concerning thyself. I could
but fence with her about where you had gone and what
was your purpose. When the ladies left, thy friend was
taken with them.”

“To Master Pemberton’s house?”

“Phat is the place: I trow Lieutenant Vesnca wee’ do
well enough in such hands. But, tell me, Friend George,
did: the horse serve thee well?”

“The horse could not have served me better.
I have given the animal a hard day of it.”

“He has had many a hard day, and his mettle is ‘such
that he does not mind. About the sword,” he added,
as -George unbuckled the belt and tendered him the
weapon; “did: that serve thee as well as did the horse?”

“I have no cause for complaint. The sword did good
work for the king to-day, Tobias.”

“T shall look forward to the time when it. shail de
good. work for. the colonies. But, softly! I am going
off on one of Marmaduke Lee’s tangents, which is not
well ina Friend. Wilt not come in and have sup with
me?”

I fear

“Thank you, no, Tobias. I must on to Master Pem- -
berton’s to see how fares it with the lieutenant.”

“And with the lady. who: inquired so solicitously about.
thyself. Ah, George, George! Such a pair of eyes. ea
are well worth fighting for.”

Whether the shrewd Quaker had eeleed his purpose
in going forth that morning with borrowed horse and.
the young captain never knew. But his words .
pointed somewhat in that direction. a

At Master Pemberton’s George received a bright’ wel-
come. Nimble Ned was there, and the captain was called
upon to relate his adventures to a little circle comprising
the ladies, Frank, and Ned.. As may well be supposed,
George had naught to say concerning the affair in the gov-.
ernor’s woods, but dwelt in some detail on his journey to -
Germantown and the danger to Lord Loudon. Modesty— .
a very pronounced trait in the Young Guardsman—kept ~
George from giving himself full credit, and it was not
until some days later that. Amy and Jeane got a ae “
report from Alfred Bradwin.

' Bradwin was most humble when: he called at Adster
Pemberton’s. He acknowledged the wrong he had done

 
bo | NEW BUFFALO
the young captain, apologized before the ladies, and de-
parted from the house a sadder—and, let us hope—a wiser
and a better man. Of a certainty, both he and the officers
of the Pallas had received a good sample of provincial
mettle. There were at least two Young Guardsmen who
were thereafter appreciated by the king’s men.

After his call at Master Pemberton’s, which lasted until
well on toward midnight, George and Ned went away
together, and took up their quarters with Marmaduke Lee,
on High Street.

George’s mission to Philadelphia had now been satisfac-
' -torily performed, and the only thing to keep him in the
city was the injury to his comrade. He thought he could
snatch enough time from his duty to remain a fortnight
in the Quaker City. At’ the end of that time Frank was
sufficiently recovered to be able to proceed homeward on
horseback.

Many days before the youths started for Williams-
burg, the Pallas weighed anchor for Boston, with Lord
Loudon and his orderly as passengers.

When Todd and McLevy were taken aheae the man-
o’-war,. the boat dropped downstream as soon as the tide
favored, _and made search for the Black Rover... ie

Todd, however, had left a man in charge of the vessel
who had instructions as to what he should do in case of
‘any untoward event befalling. It:is doubtful whether -the
man in charge heard of the capture of the skipper and

the mate, although it may be that Hornby and Clapham -

reached him in time with a warning. In any event. the
Black Rover was not to be found. Months after she was
heard of on the Spanish. seas, with a black flag at the
peak, and orders were given to his -majesty’s navy to
‘sink her wherever encountered.

-As Leslie had said would be fhe case, Todd. ane a
Levy ended their evil lives at the yardarm of the Pallas—
te examples for. others of their kind.

‘McLevy made a confession, in which he told. ‘ot: hate
gaining: with the French for the letter Dinwiddie and
Washington were to send to Lord Loudon; and. also for
the person of Lord Loudon: himself, in case. hands could
be laid on him. :

- No doubt the captain ‘ond mate au have ue. ak,

' richly paid for their work if: it had succeeded. A -traitor,

however, loses not only the respect of his own country-
men, but of those who pay him for his disloyalty as well.
In the War, of Independence, which was the dream: of
Marmaduke Lee, and: which followéd: the French. War,
‘the case of Benedict. Arnold furnishes sufficient example.

The expedition against Louisburg, long in the planning,
was finally embarked and reached Halifax in June. A
squadron from England with additional forces had. sailed
in. May, but did not arrive at the rendezvous until July.
The French, it was discovered, had learned of the whole
affair through spies, and twenty-two ships of the line
were drawn up in Louisburg harbor, awaiting the attack.
- Loudon. had with him ten thousand troops and sixteen
ships and frigates, which he thought to be of no avail
against the forces mustered by the enemy. So the Eng-
lish returned to New York, the squadron from England
was disabled by a. storm, and the English troops ex-
perienced a repulse which gave much glory to the French
- Loudon continued to busy himself with plans which
amounted to nothing, and thus were not even worth the
paper they were sketched on. History says that at last he

‘BILL WEEKLY.

came to be regarded as a “mere trifling Penny and

-in the spring he was recalled.

“Under his leadership the depth of deca a had
been sounded. The French were in successful occupation
of five-sixths of the continent, while England held less
than half of the remaining portion. Louis XV. and his
Indian allies controlled not only the two great waterways
of the St. Lawrence and the Mississippi, but they actually
held every portage between them; by way of Waterford
to Fort Du Quesne, by way of the Maumee to the
Wabash, and by way of what is now Chicago to the
Illinois. The unsuccessful general returned to England,
sure that the colonies had been the root of his failure,
and that the first necessity was for Parliament to assume
administrative and fiscal control. A stamp act for a a
would have been one of his remedies.” ae

All this time there was one on the frontier of Vir-
ginia who could have assumed command of the English
forces and wrested instant Success from’ defeat. “But this
man was a colonial, and the command had gone forth that
colonials could only serve “when subordinate to those coin-
manders who were sent out by the king. “That man was
Washington, as impatient ‘and festive under all. these
failures of the English commanders as a man well could. be,

But the hour of the French was close at hand. And
it was Pitt, the most virile mind in England, who was
to fire the train ‘that brought victory-to his countrymen.
In all that followed, Captain: nee a ae Guardsman,
Boer a Sonen evens. part.

THE. ‘END.

SOME FUN. rai
A fond mother sent her small boy | into the Cy a

Sa] ork all ene sd 1 (recs write before. It
is a very nice place to have fun. A fellow and I went
out in a boat, and the boat tipped over, and a man got me
out, and L was so full of -water. pee I -didn’t: analy mens

‘for a-leng ‘while. .

“The other boy has. to: be Garicd. Won oy and. a
His. mother came from. her home, and. she cried all the

‘time.- A: horse kicked me over; and. Te have got: to have
‘some money to. pay. the-doctor.. oer amendin’ my. Brady “Tt

Was. broken a. bit. '

“We are going to set an: old ne on ae oie. lane
I am not your :son ‘if I. don’t have some teal fun. .I lost
my watch, and I am very sorry. I shall bring home some
snakes and a toad, and I shall bring home | a. tame crow, if

a can Liat em in my trunk, i

HE PAID THE BILL. :

A certain dentist made many futile efforts to collect a
bill which a customer owed him. After sending and call-
ing again and again, with no result, he finally met the
man on the street one day, and stopped him, saying: “I
‘don’t intend to send you any more bills, and: I don’t intend
to sue you. Every time you cut off a piece of beefsteak
and pass it te your wife, 1 want you to remember that
she is not chewing that beef with her teeth, nor Fasc “
teeth, but with my teeth.” :

‘In:two or three days ‘the revelved 5 a: Hoa The. motion
-of those doubly false teeth in his-wife’s mouth » was too
much: for, the obdurate ‘debtor.- os:

 

QO -x»- nf.

——

by
an

ca.
th
of
su
WI ODE Ee

—

NEW BUFFALO BILL WEEKLY.

27

Te NEWS OF THE WORLD.

 

Tulips Instead of Wheat,

On account of the scarcity of wheat in Holland, the
Association of Dutch Bakers has sanctioned the use of
a so-called “tulip bread,” in which one-third of the flour
used is made from ground tulip bulbs. The bread is said to
be very nourishing, and the war ministry has recom-
mended its use in the army,

Slain Hen Resumes Laying.

“Oh, papa,” excitingly shouted little Willie Lenardo,
running into Louis Lenardo’s place of business at
Coatesville, Pa., “one of those Sah gh you killed last
night has come to life and laid an egg.”

Much to Lenardo’s surprise, one of the hens which he
had stuck the night before, and which he had left for
dead, was really alive and standing by its nest cackling.
The hen had laid a'good-sized egg. Lenardo caught the
chicken, and examined it, and, sure enough, it was the
hen which he had attempted to bleed with a penknife.

Umbrella is His Aeroplane.

Sam Lloyd, a farmer, raised his umbrella when a storm
came up as he was driving to Atchison, Kan. in a
wagon. A gust of wind caught the umbrella and carried
it forward before Lloyd could think to let loose. He
still clung to the lines, and the frightened horses fur-
nished the motive power that kept him in the air for
a distance of twenty feet. When he at last fell to the
ground he was dfagged through the mud for a con-
siderable distance before he could get the team stopped.

‘This Canine Eats Tobacco.

John Hodgson, of Monongahela, Pa. has ‘a dog that
chews tobacco, not only chews but eats it. Hodgson once
or twice, in a spirit of fun, offered the dog a “chew,”
but never took notice of what the dog did with the weed.
But one day recently he left a ten-cent package on the
window sill when he went to eat his dinner. When he
returned, the dog, a fox terrier, was eating the last bit
of the tobacco.. The dog has not suffered any ill effects
so far, and is evidently in the best of health.

‘Another Knock for Smoking Habit.

Who will stand up and declare that the tobacco habit
is not injurious? That the tobacco habit is sometimes in-
jurious, at least, was proved- when A. Vandever, of
Chapman, Kan., dislocated. his wrist while shaking the
ashes from his pipe.

Some Inventions Not for the Public Good.

There seems to be no limit to the schemes employed
by a distinct class of street beggars to gain the sympathy
and loose change of the charitably inclined or “easy
marks,” as the mendicant’s victim is often inclined to
call himself. Country people as well as residents of
the large cities have come to anticipate the appearance
of the much-bandaged and plastered individual who is
sure to turn up very soon after every big casualty by

flood, fire, cyclone, mine horror, and the like, and who

_in weak, trembling voice’ proceeds to tell you of his

terrible experience and narrow escape.

In} fact,
metropolitan centers, headquarters where these whisky-
soaked “bums” consult and arrange with each other as
to the various beats to be traveled and the nature of the
fake make-up to be employed by each. Some of their
inventions bear evidence of real genius. These gangs -
of repulsive pests are known to pass their nights in joy-
ous revelry until their club is finally broken up and
routed by other clubs—hard-wood clubs in the hands of
brawny policemen.

The author of probably the ieee begging scheme is
Joseph Bartlett, a Philadelphia beggar, who just now is
doing three months’ time in the workhouse. He was
discovered to have simulated paralysis in his right arm
by twisting a piece of copper wire tightly above the elbow.
The circulation was stopped and the man’s arm hung
white and limp, exciting much sympathy from passers-by.

A turnkey in the cellroom at the central station discov-
ered the wire and it was-removed. Gangrene would soon
have developed had the wire. been allowed to remain, ac-
cording to a police surgeon who examined the man.

Thete’s no U. S. Mineral Rod.

Any one claiming to operate a mineral rod on behalf
of the United States government is an impostor. The
government has issued this statement in reply to a num-
ber of queries concerning the use of such rods. Re-
ports came from several Southern States that a man who
was going about with a rod, in an endeavor to locate
minerals, had stated that he was employed by the gov-
ernment, and had to give it half of all he found.

The United States geological survey has announced
that while an ordinary compass, or “dip needle,” will be.
attracted to ores of iron, nickel, and cobalt, which are
magnetic, it will be affected by no other metals or
minerals.

Some New Inventions.

A Western inventor has been granted a patent on a
combination salt &nd pepper shaker of very convenient
design and construction. The salt is in one compartment
and the pepper in the other, both being combined .in the
same shaker, but having different outlets. A further
improvement is a small ball situated next to the holes
through which the salt. passes. . This serves the purpose
of breaking up any masses of salt which may form in
the holes, due to moisture.

An electrical machine has been perfected which counts
and wraps coins at the rate of 1,500 a minute. The ma-
chine is accurate and throws out all mutilated coins,

A New Jersey inventor’ has obtained a patent-on a
packing case made of waterproof canvas over a steel
frame, which can be folded compactly for shipping when
empty.

Recently*invented electrical ovens have wire-glass a
to enable the process of cooking within them to be
watched.

there are in Chicago, as well as in ae re

 
28 NEW BUFFALO

A new individual drinking cup is divided by a parti-
tion which is formed of material that filters water.

For cooking small articles, a Minnesota inventor has
patented a pan to be clamped on a gaslight burner.

A medicine-glass cover, recemtly _ invented, is a saucer
with a fluted rim, marked with the hours and quarters,
holding a spoon in such a position as to indicate the
time for the next dose.

Trap Set for Fox Gets Man,

Byrd Shiriers, of Big Laurel, Va., was losing some
of his fowls from the poultry house, and, believing a
fox to be the thief, he set a large trap. The next night
he heard a great commotion at the poultry house, and
- some one cry out as if in great’ pain. Mr. Shiriers
dressed himself hastily and ran out to investigate. He
caught the thief, but the marauder was no fox, but
proved to be'a man, who promised to never do the like
again, and was allowed to go to his home and plaster
his wounds.

Tiny Country Still Safe.

There is one European country that has not been
heard from in the present conflict. It is the republic of
Maresnet, also called Klemis, and sometimes Alterberg,
on the border of Belgium and Germany, between Ver-
viers and Aix-la-Chapelle, It has an area of 1,400 acres
and a population of 3,500.

Maresnet owes its independent existence to the fact
that it is so small the European powers haven’t even
taken the trouble to notice it. At one time, it is true, it
belonged to Austria, and was later annexed to France.
But in 181s, when the powers rearranged the map of
Europe, nobody thought of Maresnet, and to this day
the country is an independent republic, It has an ad-
ministration composed of a burgomaster and ten. mem-
bers of a council. The burgomaster is both a German
and Belgian subject. The inhabitants decide individually
whether they will perform military service for Germany
or for Belgium.

We Mortals Eat to Keep Up the Heat,

The amount of food we have to eat to get the energy
to move and work with our hands and brains is so small
that if that were the only necessity one could live on
about a cent a week, says one food scientist. The real
reason for the eating we have to do, which liberates so
much energy, is to maintain the heat df the body,

The body is usually hotter than the surrounding air,
and is constantly losing energy to the air. It is just like
a stove being stoked and run all the time. If it had
been decreed by nature that the body should be main-
tained at a much higher temperature than its present
98 2-5 degrees we should have to be eating practically all
the time.

Such is actually the case with most birds, They are
eating nearly all the time because they have to. Their
body temperature is about. 120 degrees, a temperature
which the human body, as at present constituted, could
not stand, Not only is this the case with birds, but they
also lose more heat in proportion than do human beings,
on account of their surface exposed.

A hot body radiates (loses) heat in proportion to the
surface on the outside. Now the surface of a body
varies as the square of its dimension while the weight

BILL WEEKLY.

of the body varies as the cube. Take two birds, for
instance, one weighing one pound and the other weigh- ©
ing eight pounds. The one weighing eight pounds is
twice as long as the other one, but he has four times
as much surface and weighs eight times as much. So,
if the little bird. has ten square inches of surface, then
the big one would have forty square inches of surface.
The little one would have only a pound of body to
generate heat for ten square inches, while the big one
would have two pounds of body to generate heat for ten
square inches (forty square inches to eight pounds). So
small birds will be found to eat more in proportion to
their size than large birds, and large birds more than
men. ;

A baby has to eat a great deal more in proportion than
an adult,

Wonderful Fish Discovered.

In the North Atlantic Ocean several new varieties of
fish have been discovered which live at a depth of 3,000
feet, but which, during the night, come as near the
surface as 300 feet, The facility with which they adapt
themselves to the wide difference in the water’s pressure
near the ‘surface and at great depths is considered re-
markable. .

They Sang for $1,600 a Night.

‘Lucien Muratore and Vanni Marceaux, opera singers,
got $1,600 a night apiece when they were singing in
America less than a year ago. They are now in the
front ranks of the French army, and instead of grand
opera they sing war songs to inspire soldiers of France
to greater efforts.

To Utilize Tobacco Stems,

Should the exportation of tobacco stems from the
United States to Europe be prevented by the war, Amer-
ican growers of tobacco may utilize the stems to good
advantage as fertilizer, it is announced by the United
States department of agriculture.

It is explained that leaf tobacco of superior burning
qualities and texture can be produced in soil fertilized
by these stems, which contain considerable plant food,
especially potash.
_ Quantities of the stems for some time have been used
in Germany and other parts of Europe in the manufacture
of low-grade smoking tobacco, and as a _ source of
nicotine.

Film Men Work in Armored Cabinets.

The “movie” men, as was to have been expected, have

been trying hard to get pictures of the war. One of the
big producers, arriving at New York recently, told of
photographers in armored cabinets endeavoring to ob-
tain actual scenes of battle.
“Getting long films of actual fighting has been prac-
tically impossible,’ he said. “Sometimes the cameras,
fitted with electric batteries, were placed in trees and
elsewhere on spots where it seemed likely there would
be a struggle. Wire’s were carried to distant protected
points, whence the operators could start and stop the
film revolutions. That was mere guesswork , and I have
seen nothing worth while come of it. Photographers tried
to get close by using armored cabinets, but even where
there was battle action it was too distant and indistinct
to be valuable.”

Thousands of feet of moving pictures have been taken

 
  

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re

on the battlefields, he said, but they will not be ex-
hibited. ‘They show for the most part mere heaps of
slain men and horses,’ he said. “In many cases they
reveal frightful wounds and Geheurement and broken
cannon. It would be impossible to remove the most
shocking features and leave anything to the films. As it
is, the pictures are too horrible.”

Nothing can prevent moving-picture companies ftom”

staging their own war scenes at home, if they are willing
to fool the public. This has been done before, and there
are several cases of remarkably good “faking.”

Gtoaning With Thirst, but Dare Not Drink.

Passengers in the day coach of a train between Enid,
Okla., and Wichita were enabled at no extra cost to ex-
perience the discomforts of the traveler in the desert
who runs out of water. - But in this case they were
starving in sight of water, because an insect about four
inches long was on guard at the water can.

The water cooler in the rear of the car was empty
when the panic began, but the forward one contained
an ample amount. A tall, dignified-looking man walked
to the cooler with his drinking cup ready to enjoy a
cooling draft. He retreated in rather undignified haste.

Three or four other passengers attempted to quench
their thirsts, but each time imitated the example of the
dignified man who made the first attempt. The colored
porter was appealed to, but after one look at the in-

truder he pronounced it a South American cossack bug,

a most poisonous insect, he said.
as he fled to the baggage car.

Then a shrill, piercing scream aroused every one in
the car. A. young woman was becoming hysterical.

Finally a small, meek-looking little woman without
hurry or haste walked to the water cooler. She calmly
picked up the insect and turned to the surprised
passengers.

“Ladies and gentlemen,’ she said in a very school-
ma'am tone of voice, ‘this insect belongs to the cicada
family, and is perfectly harmless.”

And the passengers, including the dignified man, were
too ashamed to even look thirsty.

“Excuse me,” said he,

Grapes from Hickory Limb,

What is considered one of the most remarkable freaks
of nature ever found in Worth County was discovered
recently, when a bunch of wild grapes was found grow-
ing on a hickory tree, The freak grapes were found
by J. H. Vaught, of Grant City, Mo., who was in the
timber hunting-for wild grapes.

While passing under a hickory tree he noticed the
grapes hanging on a small branch. Wondering how the
bunch came there, he proceeded to pick it off, and was
surprised to find it firmly attached to the hickory limb,
where it had grown to full maturity and ripened.

The grapes were as finely formed and had the same
flavor as those grown on a near-by vine.

Canada Warns Aeroplanists,

Aéroplanists in the northern part of the United States
have been warned to be careful not to cross the border
into Canada during the war. This explanation was is-
sued by the state department:

“The department has been advised by the American
consul general at Montreal that an aéroplane was re-

  

NEW BUFFALO

 

BILL WEEKLY. : 29

cently fired upon by Canadian guards while near the
Long Sault Canal. This was done, the consul general
stated, in compliance with a general order of the Do-
minion government. regarding the use of air craft in
Canada.”’

Mete Boys in Armies of Germany and France.

Reports from Bordeaux, France, tell of boys fighting
in the armies of both Germany and France. In a hos-
pital there a correspondent found a German: soldier who
was only fifteen years and nine months old. He was
a student in the technical school at Mannheim, and was
wounded and made a prisoner at the battle of the Marne.
The correspondent says he declared that all the stu-
dents of. his school who were over fifteen were taken
into the army.

Boys under twenty have been called to the colors in
France. A decree issued at Bordeaux permits the mother
or guardian of a youth under twenty years to act as a
substitute for the absent father in authorizing the young
man to volunteer for the war. In the case of the death of
the mother or the guardian, the local magistrate may
authorize the enlistment. - This decree is designed to
make it possible for a large number under the legal
age to join the army.

s

Plan Red Cross “Flag Day.??

Red Cross headquarters announce that preparations
are being made for a Red Cross “flag day,” which will be
determined shortly. Nation-wide codperation of women’s
organizations, charitable associations, and the Boy Scouts
is being arranged. The plan is to sell white flags bearing a
red cross and the legend: “American Red Cross European
War Relief Fund.”

Onward, Christian Brothers.
“Onward, Christian brothers,
Praying still for peace,
That the love of Jesus
Make all wars to cease!”

Reverend Philip W. Yarrow, associate superintendent
of the Chicago City Missionary Society, speaking before
the members of the Ravenswood Congregational Church,
proposed a revision of the church’s vocabulary, elim-
inating warlike expressions.and military terms. He cited
as an example the favorite hymn, “Onward, Christian
Soldiers,” and suggested it be changed to “Onward, Chris-
tian Brothers,” as quoted above.

Illinois Cobbler Was Port Arthur Heto.

Edward Garfield, Russian engineer, who blew up the
battleship Reivizan at the fall of Port Arthur to prevent
its capture by Japan, is a shoe cobbler at Galesburg, Ill.
As a subject of the Czar, he gave seven years to mili-
tary service and gained distinction during the Russian
war with Japan. He was severely wounded three times.

The Retvizan, he relates, was built at Philadelphia, and
cost Russia $7,500,000. For a time she ably defended
Port Arthur from attacks of Japanese warships, but after
it had become evident that the Japanese would take the
port, an order was given to blow up the great war ves-
sel. Garfield was chief engineer of the vessel, and it
was he who fired the magazine and destroyed her.

Garfield says Russian soldiers are brave, but that the

   
      

30 NEW BUFFALO

officers live in idleness, luxury, and dissipation, and re-
gard privates as so many beasts. The peasants, who com-
pose the rank and file; he says, are sent to slaughter with-
out hesitation. They are underclothed, underfed, and
paid but a trifle, according to Garfield, while the officers
high in authority acquire wealth.

After the war, when Garfield returned home, he as-
serts, ‘he found the land which his mother owned was so
heavily taxed that the tax amounted to confiscation. He
later came to America, and has no desire to return. He

exhibits two medals which were presented to him by

the government as a tribute to his bravery during a
battle.

Champion Plow.

Forty-seven farm tractors competed at Fremont, - Neb.,
recently for the championship of America, and the win-
ner made three world’s records. A “caterpillar” tractor
of huge size pulled the biggest plow on record through
dry gumbo soil. There were twenty-four plowshares,
which cut a swath twenty-eight feet wide to the ordinary
plowing depth.

The world’s records which were established were: The
percentage of its own weight that the tractor pulled,
the size of the plow, and the horse power exerted on one
drawbar. The tractor pulled 80 per cent of its weight, or
21,600 pounds. It was estimated that the pull on one
bar was nearly 116 horse power.

‘Teddy a Big’ Eater.

Somewhere in Germany is Teddy Bobs, Englishman,
“eating his head off.” The United States diplomatic and
consular service, which since the opening of the war has
_ had the duty of looking after British subjects in hostile
- territory, is trying to find Teddy. The circus agency
which booked him for a German tour last spring has
informed American Consul General Skinner that ~it should
be easy to locate him, as he is a rather conspicuous figure,

being over eight feet tall and having a left lame leg.
“Teddy Bobs, whose real name is Frederick Kampsted,
has an enormous appetite, and is expected to aid his
country by reducing Germany’s war-food supply. His
actual height is eight feet seven and a half inches, and
he is only nineteen years old. He is advertised as the
tallest man in the world.

Bread of the Arrnies,

Rations of the armies of the various nations differ
widely, each nation having its own kind of war bread.
The light-colored war bread of the British army is kept
in good condition in small soldered tin boxes. A sith-

ilar method is used by the Swiss, their bread being car-:

ried in pasteboard boxes. Each of the packages contains
five small loaves. War bread is intended to be eaten if
necessary while on the march.

The German soldier receives as his bread a zwieback,
in which are mixed together roo grams of raised dough
and 10 grams of cooked rice, together with . salt.
Beaten eggs and sugar are added to the dough in order
to improve its. flavor and to increase the nourishing
power. Potato flour is used, it is said, to prevent the
bread from growing stale too easily, and caraway seed
gives it the necessary spiciness.

The Austro-Hungarian soldiers carry their durable
ration of bread packed in small cotton bags. This bread

BILL WEEKLY.

tato flour, eggs, unskimmed milk, salt, raion, nut-
meg, and yeast.

In France each soldier receives as his queue ration
ten loaves of bread, each of which is 70 millimeters long.
The “piou-piou,” as the French infantryman is called,
must be satisfied with a loaf which\is made only of
flour, yeast, and water. The water bread of the Italians
and Roumanians is very similar to that of France. It is,

though, somewhat darker and has a uniformly smooth —

crust.

The Belgians give their soldiers a war bread made of
flour, sugar, and eggs, each loaf having forty punctures.
Holes are also pierced through the ‘Turkish war bread,
which is made in round disks, with a very thick, brown
crust.

Mud Votes to Stick in Mud,

The town of Mud, in Travis County, Texas, voted down
a fifteen-cent road tax that was sought to be levied in
order to pull the town and other sections out of the
mud. Only one man, it is reported, voted in favor of the
proposed tax. .

Same Old Tuttle Turns Up.

Forty-three years ago, while residing at Jefferson,
Towa, E. P. Davis, of Boulder, Col., caught a turtle, on
whose shell he carved his name and the date, 1871. In
the years that followed he saw the same amphibian sey-
eral times, the last in 1801.

Davis later moved to Colorado, and the incident of the -

carving his name on the shell of the tortoise was tem-

‘porarily forgotten. He has just received a letter from a

nephew residing at Jefferson, who said that he had re-
cently captured the same turtle and placed his initials and
the date on its shell. Davis says that he would not be
surprised to hear of some one encountering the same
reptile ten years from now.

Aeroplane Fuel Supply Short.

Many German army aéroplanes are reported to have
been put out of action through lack of gasoline. Reports
from Germany are that this condition is to be rem-
edied, but how jis not stated. It is the general belief that
there is a grave shortage of gasoline in Germany.

The German retirement in France is said to have been
largely due to the difficulty of getting supplies. The in-
vasion had proceeded so rapidly that food and ammuni-
tion supplies were not equal to the consumption, many
of the automobile transports having been stalled by lack of
gasoline.

Windmills as War Signals,

Near the village of Assche, Belgium, German cavalry
dynamited six picturesque Flemish windmills on suspi-
cion that the peasants were signaling information to the
enemy by maneuvering the long arms of the mills.

Doctot’s Mistake Fatal.

Dacion Luther E. Wysong, of Kansas City, Mo.,
stepped in at the Manual Pharmacy, on his way home
from his office,

“I want some one- eae haa morphine tablets,” he
told Otto Lang, the clerk in charge.

“You know where they are, help yourself, [’'m busy,”
replied Lang.

is shaped like a suasage and consists of wheat flour, po-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

       
 

   

Doctor Wysong went behind the

and passed out of the drug store

ward, leaving a dime on the counter.

He went to his home, took eight of the

sat down on the front porch to read.

up the steps just as he dropped his
u

prescription counter
immediately after-

le

tablets, and
His wife came
paper, and was seized

ust now
“bat. they

for some mor-
must be strychnine.

the drug store
ne told her,

1e
into the house,” said his wife.

“Come

Neighbors helped carry him in. Physicians were called
and worked on the doctor for half an hour, but were
unable to save his life

Days of Sea Clippers Back.

The romance of the days of American clipper ships
is to return. Assistant Secretary of the Treasury Pete ers

mat eight of the finest square rig-

gers 6n the Atlantic are“coming tnder the Stars and
Stripes as soon as details can be arranged. The square
riggers belong to ingen He nt & Co., of Boston. hey

American. trade, taking down lum-
Saas ports and bringing in return
cargoes of hides. The ships are of steel construction,
and said to be the equal of any. of their class in the
ent they sail under the English flag.

“Made Easy Targets.”

A British- soldier wounded-in France and brought: to
Southampton, England, had this to say of-the German
fighting: :

“They. made the-easiest targets I’ve ever had to fire
at, and after I’ve been patched up I hope IJ shall-be sent
out again to have another pot at.’em. We simply mowed
we couldn’t -help doing it, because they: came
at us in great big masses which no one could-miss.

“The dead bodies of the Germans were piled up in
heaps, and served-.as cover: Be the thousands who still
pressed on from be hind them.’

‘em down;

big n

Aztecs First Chewed Gum,.

The Aztecs of “Mexico are said-to have been the first
gum chewers: known. --The: followers of Cortez reported
that-the Indians chewed a gum to quench thirst and re-
lieve exhaustion. - They obtained it from the sapote. tree
by tapping, ‘and to-day the manner of ‘gathering the sap

is in-close analogy to the process of Se eeRe: oe

sugar in New. England. -

The tree is indigenous to the northern countries of
South America, Central America, and especially Mex-
ico, the last named furnishing about six-seyenths of the
entire supply consumed annually in the United States.

Kills Twenty-seven Bitds at One Shot.

City Councilman William Poole, of New Castle, Del.,
killed twenty-seven reed birds with one shot. The birds
had been driven from the matshes to his lima bean vine,
which they literally covered on one side.

Duli Hues on Battlefield.

The new mode of warfare puts the ban on nearly
everything that glitters, even the rifle barrels, bayonets,
There are many instances of grease aad

and sabers.

   

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NEW BUFFALO

 

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BILL WEEKLY.

 

 

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Vhile at Yank

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toad in

 

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Odd Wedding in Delaware.

and daughter-in-law are now husband
and wife. Joseph C. Robinson, fifty-seven years old, a
retired farmer, and Mrs. Bessie M. Robinson, thirty-
three’ years old, widow of Mr. Robinson’s son Frank,
were married at their home at Smyrna, Del., recently.
The bride of her father-in-law has five small children,
eleven. The bride-
The infant of

Father-in-law

ranging in age from one year to
groom has a half dozen adult children.

 
 
32 NEW BUFFALO
j
the bride and likewise grandchild of the bridegroom
sat in its high chair while the ceremony was performed.
The marriage makes the grandfather the stepfather
of his son’s children. “The bride changes from sister-

‘in-law to stepmother of her husband’s sons and daughters.

Heir to Wealth Killed.

Joseph Green, twenty-five years old, believed to be the
son of a wealthy New York merchant, died at Rock
Springs, Wyo., as the result of being struck by a caboose
propelled by a switch engine while he was attempting to
catch the “Overland Limited,” with the evident intention
of stealing a ride. .

Although he was horribly mangled, he was still con-.
scious when picked up. His head was almost severed
from his body, his right arm was severed at the shoul-
der, and one of his ears was found with his hat on the
drawhead of the caboose. How Green came to be in
Rock Springs is a mystery.

Values Babe’s Foot at $50,000.

Valuing at $50,000 the right foot of his daughter,
Katherine, six, Philip J. O’Keefe, of No. 914 South
Eighth Street, Camden, N. J., filed suit in the supreme.
court against the Public Service Railway Company. The
_ girl was run over by a trolley car in Camden on August
26th last, and her right foot was so crushed that it was
amputated.

Cotton-buying Plan Wins Many Friends.

Thousands of Chicago people got their first sight of
real cotton fresh from the fields when a bale arrived
from Comanche, Okla. where it was grown, picked, and
ginned, and was put on exhibition on a street corner
to aid the now famous “buy-a-bale” movement.

The “buy-a-bale’ movement has spread all over the

country. The cotton is bought at ten cents a pound,
the cost per bale averaging fifty dollars, and is stored
in warehouses to remain until spinning and buying is
generally resumed. The official warehouses in the South
store a bale for twenty-five cents a month. The “buy-a-
bale” plan is a big help to planters who had everything
invested in the crop, demand for which was temporarily
stopped by the war. lt is also good business for the
buyers, as the price will go up.
_ Big business houses have already. bought many bales.
The National American Woman Suffrage Association. has
joined the “btuy-a-bale” movement, authorizing: its treas-
urer to invest a reserve fund in cotton.

It is not -éxpected that the movement will ee

of all the cotton, but it will aid planters who. need’ the
cash now, having everything in the ‘crop.

Boy Heid Captive by a Gypsy Band.

Hansford Lockridge, fifteen years old, of Jerseyville,
Ill, once had an appetite for adventure, but he hasn’t
now. His story of how he was kidnaped and held pris-
—oner by a band of gypsies for a week is as coe as
any that can be read in books.

The boy had gone from home one day recently to look
for work. He got a place on a farm east of Jerseyville,
and was to begin on the following Mcnday morning.
With this understanding, Lockridge got on his bicycle
and started back for Jerseyville.

Near the city limits a band of gypsies had their camp.

forwarded two footballs to the prisoners.

BILL WEEKLY. .

They were preparing to leave as the Lockridge boy ap-
proached, and had their horses hitched to the wagons. -

“Where ya gona?” questioned one of the men.

Hansford replied that he was returning to his home
in Jerseyville. At this, the gypsies seized the bicycle and
compelled the boy to get into one of the wagons. They
then began driving toward Alton. There they got a
supply of whisky and other liquors, and started for the
ferry near Grafton. Whenever the band would pass
through a town they would compel the boy to sit be-
tween two of the men.
women in the party. The women answered to the names
of Mary and Christina, but Hansford did not learn the
names of the men.

At Grafton the band crossed the Illinois River on a
ferry and entered Calhoun County. They told the boy
that they were taking him to Colorado, where mad
would make him work on a: farm, ~

Two nights before his rescue, Hence d attempted to
escape. The gypsies ran him down, however, and gave
him a beating, After that the band kept one of their
number on guard over the boy all of the time. At night
the other men would go out and steal from farms.

One day the gypsies were driving along a country road
when they met a man driving a team hitched to a wagon
load of apples. The boy recognized the man as an
uncle, Wesley Quinn. Hansford called to him, shouting
that_ he was a prisoner.

Quinn. got off the wagon in a hurry. The leader
of the band met him halfway and with an oath demanded
what he wanted. Quinn replied by knocking the gypsy
down. Hansford in the meantime had got away from the
clutches of his guard and reached his uncle’s side. See-
ing the downfall of their leader the remainder of. the
band retreated and the bicycle was secured from the
wagon. The boy reached his home the following after-
noon and related his story. His mother, who is a widow,
had ee that he was working.

Prisonets to Play Football,

College football stars of former days now imprisoned |

in the lowa State Reformatory at Anamosa want to re-
sume their experience on the gridiron this fall. Convict
No, 7,008 has written to Coach Hawley, of the Towa
team, asking for a football, with which to play gates in a
prison league sanctioned ‘by Warden McClaughrey. Haw-
ley has turned. the letter over to Manager Kellogg, who
No. 7,008- has
himself played on a college football team, and says ‘that

there are a half dozen others in the prison who have
“been members of college football squads.

He asks that:

their names be kept secret, however:

 

 

I will send—as long as they last—my 25e. Book

STRONG ARMS

For 10c. in stamps or coin

Illustrated with 20 full-page half-tone cuts showing exer-
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F PROF. ANTHONY BARKER | ;
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Get Posted. CLARKE &: ere Box oe LE ae

 

There were four men and two —

1g

 
 
ew Buffalo Bill

i3.3'U 2% .D
BV ERY
TUESDAY

Weekly

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.

466—Buffalo Bill and the Apache Totem.
467—Buffalo Bill’s Golden Wonder.
468—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.
481—-Buffalo Bill’s Ultimatum.
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.
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.
507—Buffalo Bill’s Opium Case.
508—Buffalo Bill’s Witchcraft.
512—Buffalo Bill’s Barbecue.
513—Buffalo Bill and the Red Renegade.
515—Buffalo Bill and the Copper Barriers.
516—Buffalo Bill’s Pacific Power.
519—Buffalo Bill Across the Rio Grande.
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.
531—Buffalo Bill at Cimaroon Bar.
533—Buffalo Bill on Lost River.
534—Buffalo Bill’s Thunderbolt.
535—Buffalo Bill’s Sioux Circus.
538—Buffalo Bill’s Medicine Trail.
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 West.
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.
553—Buffalo Bill’s Lost Trail.
555—Buffalo Bill and the White Chief.
557—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.
564—Buffalo Bill’s Blizzard Pards.
567—Buffalo Bill’s Chivalry.
576—Buffalo Bill and the Valley Vigi-

lantes.

578—Buffalo Bill and the Gold Boomers.
581—Buffalo Bill and the Red Rattlers.
582—Buffalo Bill’s Outlaw Allies.
584—Buffalo Bill’s Strange Prisoner,
588—Buffalo Bill’s Strange Pursuit.

NEW SERIES
New Buffalo Bill Weekly

1—Buffalo Bill’s Blind Lead.

2—Buffalo Bill’s Bold Work.

3—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—Buffalo 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 Hye.
21—Buffalo Bill’s Arizona Alliance.
22—Buffalo Bill’s Mexican Adventure.
23—Buffalo Bill After the Bandits.
24—Buffalo Bill’s Red Trailer.
25—Buffalo Bill in the Hole in the Wall.
26—Buffalo Bill and the Bandit in Armor.
27—Buffalo Bill and the Masked Mystery.
28—Buffalo Bill in the Valley of Death.
29—Buffalo Bill’s Great Knife Duel.
380—Buffalo Bill in the Nick of Time.
31—Buffalo Bill’s Sacrifice.
32—Buffalo Bill’s Frisco Feud.
83—Buffalo Bill’s Diamond Hunt.
84—Buffalo Bill’s Avenging Hand.
35—Buffalo Bill at War With the Danites.
386—Buffalo Bill’s Deadshot Pard.
37—Buffalo Bill and the Death Brother-

hood.

388—Buffalo Bill’s Fiery Trail.
39—Buffalo Bill’s Sioux Foes.
40—Buffalo Bill’s Cold Trail.
41—Buffalo 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.
52—Buffalo Bill’s Wyoming Trail.
53—Buffalo Bill’s Dakota Peril.
54—_Buffalo Bill’s Tomahawk Ducl.

55—Buffalo Bill’s Apache Round-up.
56—Butftalo Bill’s El Paso Pard.
57—Buffalo Bill’s Rio Grande Feud.
58—Buffalo Bill in Tight Quarters.
59—Buffalo Bill’s Daring Rescue.
60—Buffalo Bill at the Torture Stake.
61—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.

67—Buffalo Bill and Billy, the Kid.
68—Buffalo Bill and the Robber Ranch.
69—Buffalo Bill in the Land of Wonders.
70—Buffalo Bill and the Traitor Soldier.
71—Buffalo Bill’s Dusky Trailers.
72—Buffalo Bill’s Diamond Mine.
73—Buffalo Bill and the Pawnee Serpent.
74—Buffalo Bill’s Scarlet Hand.
75—Buffalo Bill Running the Gantlet.
76—Buffalo Bill’s Leap in the Dark.
77—Buffalo Bill’s Daring Plunge.
78—Buffalo Bill’s Desperate Mission.
79—Buffalo Bill’s Ghost Raid.
80—Buffalo Bill’s Traitor Guide.
81—Buffalo Bill’s Camp Fires.
82—Buffalo Bill Up a Stump.

3—Buffalo Bill’s Secret Foe.
84—Buffalo Bill’s Master Stroke.
85—Buffalo Bill and the Skeleton Horse-

man.

86—Buffalo Bill and the Brazos Terror.
87—Buffalo Bill’s Dance of Death.
88—Buffalo Bill and the Creeping Terror.
89—Buffalo Bill and the Brand of Cain.
90—Buffalo Bill and the Mad Millionaire.
91—Buffalo Bill’s Medicine Lodge.
92—Buffalo Billin Peril.
93—Buffalo Bill’s Strange Pard.
94—Buffalo Bill in the Death Desert.
95—Buffalo Billin No-Man’s Land.
96—Buffalo Bill’s Border Ruffians.
97—Buffalo Bill’s Black Eagles.
98—Buffalo Bill’s Rival.
99—Buffalo Bill and the Boy Bugler.
100—Buffalo Bill and the White Specter.
101—Buffalo Bill’s Death Defiance
102—-Buffalo Bill and the Barge Bandits.
103—Buffalo Bill, the Desert Hotspur.
104—Buffalo Bill’s Wild Range Riders.
105—Buffalo Bill’s Red Retribution.
106—Buffalo Bill’s Death Jump.
107—Buffalo Bill’s Aztec Runners.
108—Buffalo Bill’s Fiery Eye.

Dated October 10th, 1914.
109—Buffalo Bill’s Gypsy Band.

Dated October 17th, 1914.
110—Buffalo Bill’s Maverick.

Dated October 24th, 1914.
111—Buffalo Bill, the White Whirlwind.
Dated October 31st, 1914.

112—-Buffalo Bill in Old Mexico.

PRICE, FIVE CENTS PER COPY. If you want any back numbers of our weeklies and cannot procure them from your news

dealer, they can be obtained direct from this office.

Postage stamps taken the same as money.

STREET & SMITH. Publishers, 79-89 Seventh Ave., New York City