! { DEVOTED 10 BORDER HISTORY | PUBLICATION LY A WEEK » 79-89 Seventh, Ave., N. Y. Y. Post Office, by STREET & SMITH SEPTEMBER 15 class Matter at the NV. NEW YORK Entered as Second- 50 Per year. tion $2 D By subscr 279 Issued Weekly Five Cents ice, Pr 1906 9 9 No. te BS Ne Mi, SS Ci, i Me HA Ce ul er uy, Pmseneanny Siaict | eee : ; i ME aii paticiorens He its Daa Co — Se ae . if % seit SE BS ae a Sak cae a a ae wa coe eae . a ae ie pens BiH a SaCst Rs ee ESSE oo i i % FA es ss Reese zt hs Dee es ee | pee pick Bees BSS SEE acces } San inchester, and howls and yells followed the reports. WwW. ill’s Crack! crack! went Buffalo B ay te Gye MDT UTE merase aA IMO AAI MP APR i rip abic halk 7 ¢ 5 % + 5 : £ { f j § é & i j > i ‘ i } 2 ; } ; - ; ; 9 LOO IO SN NRT I = a Lae A WEEKLY PUBLICATION DEVOTED TO BORDER HISTORY Issued Weekly. By subscription $2.50 per year. Entered as Second-class Matter at the N. VY. Post Office, by STREET & SMITH, 79-8) Seventh Avenue, N.Y. Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1906, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, Washington, D. C. az v SE Beware of Wild West imitations of the Buffalo Bill Stories. They are about fictitious characters. The Buffalo Bill weekly is the only weekly containing the adventures of Buffalo Bill, (Col. W. F. Cody), who is known all over the world as the king of scouts. No. 279. NEW YORK, September 15, 1906. Price Five Cents. IE ROUND-UP IN H Missio DEN VALLEY. By the author of “BUFFALO BILL,” CHAPTER 1. THE THREATENED OUTBREAK. Colonel Cameron frowned. ‘“Confound it,” he said, in a tone indicative of supreme disgust, “I believe I am “a hoodoo. Went to Colorado three months ago, when all was peace. Inside of a month there was a Sioux outbreak, and for all but two weeks of the time I was in the saddle, fighting. After the outbreak was quelled I was transferred to this post in Arizona, where for a year perfect quiet had reigned. I have been here one. week, and now comes word that the Zuni-Mojaves, supposed to be the most peaceable and inoffensive band of Indians in the West, are preparing to put on war-paint and in- augurate a carnival of blood.” “The. Zuni-Mojaves?’” exclaimed the colonel’s com- panion. “Are you not mistaken? Hasn’t your infor- mant got his tribes mixed ?” “No, Cody, there is no mistake. And the worst of it is, there are hundreds of white settlers near the chief Indian village. If only I could strangle this rebellion in its birth.’ CC ee : “Tell me the story, and perhaps I may be able to sug- _-_- gest something.” x he knows the strange story of the tribe.” The two men were in Buffalo Bill’s room in the leading — hotel of Prescott. The king of scouts had arrived in town a few hours before, and Colonel Cameron, ap- prised of his coming, had ridden from the fort to meet and consult him. The general commanding the district had sent Buffalo _ oe Bill on a mission to the Mexican border, and that mis- sion having been successfully concluded, the famous scout had been ordered to report to Colonel Cameron, who it was thought might desire information concerning the character and customs of the tribes in middle and south- ern Arizona. “It is a repetition of the old, old story,” began the . colonel, after cigars had been lighted. “In a wide cafion, near the Black Mesa and adjoining the Apache coun- a try, these Zuni-Mojaves have long lived. The canon abounds in pocket valleys, there is an abundance of © water, and the region is really one of the few garden — spots in the territory.” C “T have heard of it, colonel.” ee “My information comes from a white settler living on the Mesa. He has been often in the village, and “Let me repeat it to you,’ said Buffalo Bill, with a 5 Suey h : smile, Pages... An excellent idea,’ “Go ahead.” “Very well. erful branch of the Mojayes, 2) returned the colonel approvingly. The fine is the remnant of a once pow- Near a century ago the Zunis of northern Mexico, in their peacetul pursuits and living in their pueblos, held but little intercourse and "had nothing in common with the wild, savage roving tribes of the mountains and plains beyond and about them. One ill-fated day the Mojaves made a descent upon one of the pueblos, and carried off over one hun- dred prisoners, mostly women and children. “Not one of the captives. ever returned home, while tradition fails to show that any were killed. The women, or ‘squaws, were appropriated by Mojave braves, and in course of time there sprang up a tribe of such curious admixture of racial characteristics as to excite not only the wonder, but the contempt, of the savage nations of the West and South. Brave, yet peaceable; prompt and fearless to defend their property, their loved ones, their rights in general,:yet averse to participation in predatory raids or scalping expeditions, they lived such te lives, colonel, as would have profited many civilized na- tions.” ci your ston is as straight as a string as far as you have’ gone,” commented the colonel. Buffalo Bill bowed his acknowledgment of the implied a compliment. "Ns their numbers increased,” he went on, “there grad- ually sprang up between them and the original tribe of ‘Mojaves a coolness which in time resulted in the with- drawal of the Zuni-Mojaves from all intimacy with their more savage relatives, and a removal to the favored canon beyond the Black Mesa. _ “There alone and unmolested they have since re- mained, You have intimated, colonel, that their destiny has been rudely altered.” “Yes. The Zuni-Mojaves are no longer peaceable. They thirst for the blood of the white man; and all’on -accotint of a woman. Listen: Just one month ago, after the grain had been harvested, the nuts gathered, and ‘ample preparations for the winter had been made, a woman without escort appeared in the pueblo. For years there had been intercourse between the tribe and the whites. Roving miners, emigrants, adventurers, and government officials had found rest and hospitality in the village. The chief, a young man, spoke English surprisingly well, and he was greatly interested in the tale told by the woman. It was one of peril and priva- tion. A train; commanded by her father, had been at- tacked by Apaches. a few days out of Santa Fé, and ‘she, alone, had escaped with her lite. For a week she had wandered in the hills, meeting with no one and subsisting on nuts. and berries, and had about given up all hope of reaching civilization, when a government rider saw her from a distance—she was high up on a , hillside “scanning the plains—and waved his hat in salu- tation, | She Spurred ther horse down the hill and rode toward him at the imminent risk of breaking her neck, for the y sight of a white meant safety and ‘protection, food, and 2 - shelter. “He halted as she approached. In hurried words she acquainted him with her forlorn situation. | “He declined to become her escort, for his business. THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. hg order to see whether or not our accounts _ was important and lay in the direction whence she had ¢come. was at hand in the village of the Zuni-Mojaves. “All this and much more, relating to friends in San Francisco who were expecting her, and of whose wealth fabulous stories had reached her old home in the East, _she told the simple-minded, generous-hearted chief, who found it no hard task to believe her, as her loveliness, despite her wanderings and her sufferings, was some- - thing extraordinary. The whole tribe was soon ready to fall down and worship her as a superior being, as a daughter of the sun, whom the great dispenser of all zood had sent to them as a mark Gt divine favor. ees informant, who saw the woman on two occasions, was so impressed by her beauty that his description used up all the adjectives in an exceptionally large vo- cabulary. I will not repeat all he said in this connec- tion. a Venus, voluptuous as a Cleopatra, and fascinating - as a Delilah, you will get an idea of the girl’s charms. “Before a single ‘day had passed the chief had offered to send with her to the nearest settlement a strong es- _ When her stay had been prolonged a week the impressionable, unsophisticated redman would | cort of his Indians. have thrown up his title, bartered his very soul, could he have induced her to remain in the pueblo and become his wife. “He was young, noble-looking, and he was squawless. | “And now I come to the meat in the coconut. Be- fore a word of love had passed his lips, yet while his every ‘look spoke of the fire that was consuming his heart, she artfully broached the subject of wealth. — “He failed to understand her, for gold and precious stones, in his untutored eyes, meant nothing more than so many emblems of beauty. Their value as a medium _ of exchange for commodities of practical benefit was un- _ known to him; and when he artlessly alluded to the store of gems gathered by his forefathers and transferred from son to son as objects precious, sacred, and beautiful to __ look upon, the strange glitter in her violet eyes and her quick breathing astonished, but did not alarm him. “Would he show her the | precious stones? pleasure. “Together they went to tie cave of the high priest, whom the chief passed without ceremony, for the religion of the tribe is an amalgamation of the mystical forms of the Aztecs of old and the ceremonies and observances of the savage nations of the North, and the power of _ he is at all times a_ the high priest has its limitations: subordinate of the chief, whose sway is absolute.. “As the white woman entered the cave a feeling of awe stole over her, and evil thoughts for the moment had no place in her mind. My informant was not per- mitted to enter the cave, but he spoke with the high But her disappointment at his refusal was’ greatly 2 allayed by the statement made by him that an asylum If you can imagine a perfect blonde, shapely as ee With priest, and using what that dignitary saw and putting - two and two together it will not be hard to picture the scene and take proper stock of the woman's emotions and the wiles she used. “She stood in a large, oval hohe whose eu : appointment in the flickering light of the torches seemed ; to have a mystic significance. “From the ceiling depended huge stalactites, sparkling ‘and glittering from the reflections of light like gold and Near the farther end of the chamber, upon a silver. low pedestal, as an image carved in oie so ae THE BUFFALO fect in proportion, so tender and beautiful in expression as would have caused her heart to beat in ecstatic ad- _miration had she been formed in purer clay. “But—for the high priest had his eye on her—she had a mind only for the dazzling ornaments of the statue, which, as she looked in hungry longing, almost blinded her and stilled her breathing. About the waist was a belt of virgin gold encrusted with jewels of every hue. Upon the head rested a chaplet of rubies; sapphires and opals encircled the wrists, while upon the left breast rested a diamond of such brilliant luster as caused all the other gems in comparison with it to pale into insignificance. “T am satisfied from the high priest’s statement to my informant that from the moment the woman’s eyes rested on the wealth with which the statue was adorned she saw nothing, cared for nothing else about her. “The high priest scowled as he gazed upon her rapt, expressed countenance, but at a gesture from the chief he withdrew to the outer air, there to nurse his suspi- cions and discontent. “An hour passed; and during that time the seductive wiles of a heartless, mercenary siren accomplished the object for which she had entered the peaceful pueblo. The statue was despoiled of its gems, and the chief, be- trayer of his religion and his kind, -discrowned, dis- graced, and forever undone, left the village that night in company with his Delilah, and the Zuni-Mojaves never saw him again alive.” Buffalo Bill, who had been listening with intense inter- est, here broke in: “I can guess the end—the fool chief was flimflammed.” “Yes. The discovery of the desecration was not made by the high priest until many hours after the departure of the guilty pair, for he had been sternly commanded by the chief not to reenter the cave until twenty-four hours had passed by. The disappearance of the pair, however, coupled with the uneasiness of the tribe, so excited his suspicions as to make him, for the first time, disobey the command of the higher authority, and in the morning he discovered the truth. His wild shouts and cries brought the whole tribe to the cave, and after the stunning effect of the sight had passed away, an expedition was sent out in pursuit of the fugitives. “For three days the pursuers rode on, before they gained any intelligence of the whereabouts of the ab- sconding chief and the white siren. In the Matanes Mountains, at. the close of the third day, a Mexican _ vaquero, in response to their questions, told a story that saddened their hearts and rendered further pursuit use- less. The day before, in a cafion a short distance away, an Indian had committed suicide. His description fitted perfectly that of Laputo, the false and dishonored chief of the Zuni-Mojaves. The Mexican had found him in his dying agonies and had buried him. Where was his companion? Where was the woman? The Mexican did not know. He had not seen her, and the dying chief had said nothing concerning her. Did Laputo speak? What were his last words? Yes, he had spoken, and his last words were: ‘I have been cheated; I have sold my soul for a smile.’ - ; “Mourntully the Indians, guided by the Mexican, re- paired to the cafion, and tears of pity and regret fell down their habitually stolid faces as they stood beside “the rude grave. “Returning to the pueblo a council was held and feel- ing ran so high that war against the whites was de- nals of America. BILL STORIES. 3 clared. This council was held one week ago, and the Zuni-Mojaves are now preparing for a campaign of blood. There is the story, Cody. Have you any sug- gestions to make? Is there a way to stop the threatened revolt ?” Buffalo Bill looked thoughtfuly at the floor for some moments. When he raised his eyes the colonel read hope in their expression. “There is a way,” said the border king quietly. CHAPTER I. BUFFALO BILL’S BOLD PLAY. “Before I go into the matter of a way of preventing a Zuni-Mojave outbreak, colonel,” continued the king of scouts, “I would like to ask you a question. ascertain the name of this villainous white woman?’ “Yes. She told the chief, whose ruin and death she is responsible for, that her name was Adah. After her departure, an empty envelope was found in the stone habitation which had served as her residence. The en- velope was given to me by the settler who brought the news of the threatened revolt. I have it in my pocket. Here it is.” He handed a much-soiled envelope to Buffalo Bill, who started when he read the superscription, “Adah Lafarge, New Orleans.” ;Do you know her?’ questioned Colonel Cameron quickly. “T have no personal acquaintance with her,” was the reply, “but I know her by reputation. She is the most dangerous piece of feminine goods in the West. She has been the cause of more crime and misery than any other woman whose name appears in the criminal an- She is a devil in human form.” The king of the border spoke with bitter, vindictive feeling. “One of the finest fellows that ever lived,” he went on, “fell a victim to her fiendish wiles, and when honor, reputation, money, all had gone, he did what that Indian chief had done, he blew out his brains. You have heard of Dave Landis, Sure-Bullet Dave, the one-time part- ner of Texas Jack, haven't your” “Indeed I have. He was one of the best scouts and Indian-fighters in the Southwest.” “He was the man. what’s the use of piling up evidence. name I have got all the information I need.” » “What is your plan?” The colonel’s eagerness caused Buffalo Bill to smile. “T shall try to recover the gems. If I can succeed in doing that, I believe the Zuni-Mojaves will be satis- fed. “They will want Adah Lafarge, too.” “They shall have her.” : “But in the meantime, Cody, how will you prevent an uprising whife you are on the trail of this woman?” “By obtaining a truce of, say, one month. I know the high priest and some of the principal men. I shall go - to the village, ask for an interview, state my proposal, talk horse-sense to the Indians, and carry my point. They are hot for war now, but if I can succeed in cool- ing them down a little, I think [ll be able to secure a : the truce.” “It’s a risky business, Cody. eee a Did you IT could mention other cases. But — Now I know her. They may not only re- . a THE BUFFALO fuse the conference, but also take ‘you prisoner and perhaps put you to death!” Buffalo Bill shrugged his shoulders. “T have no fear,” he replied. “The Zuni-Mojaves know me and they know that I have done them many favors in the past. Even if I fail—and I do not think I will—my life will be safe. I shall start for the village this afternoon.” ~ “Do you know in which direction to look for the woman?” “T have a shrewd idea of her place of hiding. She has not gone toward civilization, for the very good rea- son that there are warrants out against her in several States. Not many months ago I heard that she was thick with Brazos Jake, the half-breed outlaw, who herds _with the Navajos, when he is not up to some outside deviltry, I'll bet a hat that Jake put her up to the Zuni- Mojave robbery.” “The Navajos gave my predecessor considerable trou- ble. But they have been quiet for some time. Still [ “They can’t be trusted, eh? My own opinion. But if the woman is among them she must be routed out, by hook or crook. Ill need help, and luckily the man who understands Navajo tricks and ways is on his way to this town. He will be here to-morrow. You know him. I refer to Alkali Pete.” “Next to yourself, Texas Jack, Wild Bill, and Nick Wharton, he is the shrewdest and bravest frontiersman inthe West,” returned the colonel emphatically. “He can beat us all in some things,” said the king ‘of the border. ‘He is not only as true as steel, but he is a fine actor. With Pete as my ally, I'll make the riffle, or know the reason why.” .. There was further conversation, and at the close But- falo Bill made ready for his departure. Night found him within a day’s journey of the Zuni- Mojave pueblo. He stopped at a settler’s cabin and learned something that disquieted him. A Navajo mis- chief-maker, Whirling Tempest, for years a thorn in the side of the government, had been seen a few hours be- fore riding like the wind for the Zuni-Mojave village. The settler, whose name was Johnson, had but one opinion of the Navajo’s mission. He was on his way to add fuel to the flames. No doubt he carried with him assurance of the support of his tribe. ‘ Buffalo Bill, having Adah Lafarge in mind, was in- clined to doubt the reasonableness of this view. If the woman were being sheltered by the Navajos, why should that tribe desire to assist the Zuni-Mojaves whom she had so seriously offended? Yet the appearance of Whirl- ing Tempest, one of the irreconcilables, could hardly have a peaceful significance. “Ve say ye air goin’ ter mosey into ther village, Bill,” said Johnson. “I wouldn’t ef I war you. “Pears ter me yell need an army at yer back ter try a job o’ that kind.” “T’ve started to go and I am going,” returned the king of scouts, in a tone that forbade discussion. “Waal, ye’ve ginerly been able ter take keer 0’ yer- self an’ I’m hopin’ ye'll come out ‘thout losin’ yer skelp.” _ Next morning Buffalo Bill resumed his journey. He saw no one during the day, and just before dark descended a spur of the Mesa and approached the cafon . that was occupied by the Zuni-Mojaves. He was about to pass a jutting rock when an Indian ‘in war-paint and armed with a rifle stepped out and barred his progress. BILL, STORIES. ui He was old, wrinkled, and hideously ugly. Pointing his rifle at the king of the border, he de- — manded in a guttural voice: “White man, where go?” “To the pueblo,’ was the quiet answer. : back.” The border king, who had been observing the old Indian closely, was convinced that he had accepted the new order of things under protest. He showed no vin- dictiveness. In fact, his expression was sorrowful, rather than vengeful. } “My name is Cody,” said the famous scout gently, “and I have always been a friend of your people. Why, then, should I be denied the opportunity to speak with your — great men, with the high priest, and the chief? By the way, who is your chief?” “Prancing Buck, the brother of Laputo, who betrayed us,” was the answer. ~“Prancing Buck is brave and honest. fuse to see his old friend, Buffalo Bill.” “The great white warrior has many friends among the Zuni-Mojaves, but they will not listen to him, Their minds have been turned away from him.’ ‘Tet me pass and I will take the chances.” The old Indian hesitated. _ “Tam an old man,” he said gravely, “and I have lived | e so long at peace with the palefaces that the thought of war fills me with sorrow. But my people will not listen to words of wisdom. Yesterday, maybe, you might have entered the pueblo with safety. To-day, it is different. Whirling Tempest is with my people and he has the _ tongue of a serpent. He has counseled war and prom-_ ised the support of the Navajos. White Eagle respects and admires Buffalo Bill and would save him from death. He must not enter the pueblo. excited my people and they will kill the great warrior ~ of the whites.” “T am grateful for your friendly solicitude, White Eagle,” responded the border king, “but all the same, 1 have not changed my mind. Iam not afraid of Whirling Tempest. Give me five minutes with the high priest and the chief, and the Navajo mischief-maker will have to take a back seat.” “White Eagle sighed, He bowed his head, lowered his rifle, and permitted Buffalo Bill to pass. The scout expected to be stopped, but hoped that he would escape harm, for he intended to make no resis- tance. But once in the power of the Indians he would demand a trial and also a conference with Prancing — Buck and the high priest. His former friendship would operate, he thought, to obtain these concessions. | He was in sight of the village when some fifty In- dians, gathered in front of the largest adobe building, — espied him and made a rush in his direction. “Buffalo Bill dismounted, grounded his’ rifle, and waited. : The Indians came on, a tall, muscular brave with a fierce counteance, and armed with a rifle, in the lead. Suddenly, and to the surprise of the king of scouts, this ted man raised his rifle, took quick aim, and fired. But for Buffalo Bill’s quick movement, the bullet must have pierced his brain. As it was it whistled uncomfortably close to his head. | we The next instant the scout was behind a convenient rock, with his own rifle ready for use. “No go. Heap bad. Zuni-Mojaves much angry. Go He will not re-. Whirling Tempest has . SER a 4 pee The Indians came to a halt. Buffalo Bill, peering a fen “If you shoot me, the report of the pistol will bring the chief and the high priest. here, and you will be ar- rested and punished as a traitor and assassin.” The Indian’s face lighted up with an evil smile. — “Whirling Tempest will use no pistol. He knows how to throw a knife.” As the words were spoken the mur- derous Navajo again showed his teeth. Buffalo Bill met the look of savage gloating with one of calm disdain. He had baited the Indian for the pur- pose of ascertaining the method of attack. Now that he knew it he prepared his defense. “Will Whirling Tempest give his victim a few min- utes before he takes his vengeance?” The tone was one of entreaty. Deceived by it the Navajo answered: “Five minutes, no more.” “Very well.” The king of-scouts drew a deep breath. “I have some questions to ask. Whirling Tempest will speak the truth when he knows that the ears which shall receive his words will soon be closed to all sound.” | “Whirling Tempest will not hide the truth. Speak.” “Do you know where the White Siren is?” SNe “Did you not come from the camp which holds the half breed, Brazos Jake, who for years has lived among the Navajos?” “Whirling Tempest came from the valley of the Nava- jos. The half-breed is with the cave-dwellers.” “Then you have not seen the White Siren?” “Not for many moons.” Buffalo Bill believed that Whirling Tempest spoke the truth. The Navajo did not know that the woman so bitterly hated by the Zuni-Mojaves was being harbored by a branch of his own tribe. | “Think you that the Zuni-Mojaves will look upon you as a friend when they learn that the White Siren is now with the Navajos, and that they are protecting her?” Whirling Tempest heard this revelation in surprise But a thought of his position as regarded Buffalo Bill drove the discomfiting emotions — mingled with fear. from his mind. He laughed queerly. “The white man forgets,” he said, “that the news can come but from one man, and that this man will soon be - dead.” es In Buffalo Bill’s breast, hidden under the buckskin coat, was an empty flask. No sooner had the Navajo finished speaking than the flask came into view. Quick as lightning it left the hand of the border king, and, striking Whirling Tempest in the face, broke into a hundred _ pieces. The blow sent the Indian staggering backward, while from his lips issued a cry of acutest pain. him. c Seized and tripped to the floor, his face covered with blood and his brain whirling, the Indian found too late the use of his faculties. . His enemy prostrate, Buffalo Bill rained blows upon his head until the Navajo’s power of resistance was gone. © Then, using Whirling Tempest’s knife, the king of the - scouts cut strips from the skin suit of his victim, and with them made thongs, which served to bind the wrists = and ankles. Sf Before he could recover himself Buffalo Bill was upon : contemptuously. shall be given to the buzzards.” been for so many years at peace. the stolen as and also deliver into the hands.of the . | PME BUFFALO His work accomplished, the victor arose to his: feet . ane waited for signs of returning consciousness in his ey In a short time Whirling Tempest began to groan, The border king found water, wiped the blood from the Indian’s face, moistened his forehead, and poured some of the liquid down his throat. Then he said quietly: “Made a little mistake, didn’t you? Ready to sing in a different key, eh?” “The white warrior is a devil,’ was the surly, grunting answer. els Buffalo Bill laughed. “I am no saint, Whirling Tem- pest, but I am happy to say I am not in your class, Do you guess what your fate will be?’ The Indian’s eyes were dull. “Whirling Tempest has played his game, ‘He is ready to die,” he stoically re- plied. “Your fate shall be decided by the Zuni-Mojaves.” The countenance of the Navajo lighted up instantly. “You will not kill me, then?” “No; I am no murderer,” replied the scout, coldly and “You deserve death, but I shall not be your executioner.” Whirling Tempest relapsed into silence. Buffalo Bill found a seat and waited impatiently for the coming of _ the high priest. _ A quarter of an hour before midnight Guardar op peared. Although the room was partly lighted by the moon’s rays, he carried a torch. At the sight of the prostrate Navajo he uttered an ejaculation of amazement. Buffalo Bill rapidly explained. He not only. told of the attempt at murder, but said that the White Siren was being protected by ‘the Navajos. The high priest listened, and his countenance was stern and menacing when he addressed the captive assassin. “Traitor and murderer, your hours are numbered. Be- fore the sun rises to-morrow morning, your vile carcass “The Zuni-Mojaves dare not. kill me,’ Tempest defiantly. “The Navajos a descend upon this pueblo, were I to die, and massacre every one of you,’ “The prisoner is in error,” returned Gee Ae said Whirling the acceptance of the proposition. \ “The Navajos will commend the act which removes from among them the brave with the false heart and the lying tongue. Besides, who will tell the Navajos that Whirling Tempest has been slain in the pueblo of the Zuni-Mo- javes? Not any member of the tribe. Not Buffalo Bill, ; Who, then?” Leaving the diseruntled. Indian upon the han Guar- _ dar motioned to the king of scouts, and the two passed out of the door, At the council Buffalo Bill met Prancing Baa a fine- looking, intelligent Indian, who greeted the scout with a grave smile. After the usual harae mete preliminaries, the high priest invited the scout to come forward and state his ‘proposal. It was succinctly nade. The White Siren was not an American, and her crime, he argued, should not reflect upon the great nation with which the Zuni- Mojaves had If the tribe would consent to defer a warlike move for one month, he would, before the lapse of thirty days, undertake to restore BILL. STORIES, ; : Z outraged tribe for punishment the person of the offending white woman. As an act of fairness the speaker urged Tf he succeeded, jus- tice would have been done and a war which might result in the extermination of the tribe would have been pre- vented. Having finished his speech the scout could form. no opinion as to its effect. The faces about hinrwere stolid. _ He was conducted outside, and there remained under guard while the council deliberated over his proposal, _ At the end of half an hour he was informed by the high priest that the council had concluded to defer to his wish. If within thirty days he should return the stolen gems, and déliver at the pueblo the person of the White — Siren, preparations for war would be abandoned and the tribe would resume its former friendly relations with the Great Father at Washington. — Buffalo Bill thanked’ the high priest for the favor which had been shown him. Prancing Buck came out while they were talking, and invited “the king of the scouts to pass the night in his house. _ Though he believed that friendship and not mere polite- ness had dictated the offer, Buffalo Bill did not accept it. He knew that the. members of the council would tegard the situation which the acceptance would bring about. as an evidence of bias. As it was important that he should be regarded as neither enemy nor friend while | the affair upon which he had entered was in abeyance, it would be manifestly unwise to place the chief in a compromising position. fully declined, the border king giving as a reason his desire to make an early start from the calaboza, where he had left some of his effects, The high priest accompanied him to the place of de- tention. The door was partly open. . Buffalo Bill, with an ink- ling of the truth, entered to find that Whirling Tempest had escaped. “What does this meade? he asked. “Has Cae played false with his friend the white messenger?” , The high priest gravely replied: “Guardar has done what seemed to him best. Thete was danger in slaying the Navajo of the lying tongue. It is ‘better that he should escape. will remain in their own territory.” Buffalo Bill was both angry and disgusted. know what you have done?’ he said.. “You have let loose a treacherous dog, who will lie in ambush. to kill me when | shall have left the cafion.’ € oe “Your people have a saying that fits the situation,” returned the high priest imperturbably. “ ‘Forewarned is forearmed.’ A hint is enough | for Buffalo Bill.’ “The high priest talks nonsense,’ border king. “There is only one trail leading out of the cafion. If I follow it, as 1 must, Whirling Tempest will have a dozen chances to pot me. turned the rascal loose.” “Guardar sought the counsel of the Great Spirit, and a acted accordingly,” was the dignified answer. , Buffalo Bill said no more. He gave a curt good night to the high priest, and after securing the door stretched himself on the floor and snatched a “few hours’ sleep. At daybreak he was up, and after making a hasty meal A of the food which had | been left in the room the night — before, unlocked the door and ‘went outside, where he The offer was therefore respect- Now he can do no harm, and the Navajos ce “Do YOu ’ wrathfully spoke the io If you were disposed a : to be fair, you ought to have thought of this before you: a : : fe found his horse.. Remnants of grain and hay upon the ground in front of the animal showed that the Indians had considerately made things ready for the scout’s de- parture. Through the pueblo and down the cafion rode Buffalo Bill, meeting no one until he came to where the cafion debouched into a deep basin, a large portion of which was under water. Here a sentinel halted him, “He had received his in- structions and should have permitted the scout to pass without a word. That he should speak puzzled Buffalo » Bill for a moment. “White warrior must look out!’ he said warningly. “Navajo want Buffalo Bill’s scalp.” “Whirling Tempest?” The Indian nodded his head. “Where is he?. Do you know ?” “Over there,” pointing toward.a narrow cut beyond the basin. ‘The-cut was deeply wooded, and there was a screen of trees about the basin. Buffalo Bill thanked the sentinel, and then dismounted. He led his horse into-the brush and secured it. Then he cautiously skirted the basin and climbed the oe hill on the farther side. It was his design to flank the enemy and ee him by surprise. At the summit of the hill he rested and took stock of his surroundings. From behind a monster spruce he looked down the cut, hoping that the face of Whirling Tempest would show itself from some point in the de- pression. At last his eye lighted up in grim satisfaction. Down the cut, about one hundred yards from his hiding-place, a face was seen. Above the face was a por- tion of a head-dress of feathers. The border king gazed long and earnestly at the face. He was surprised at first to discover that the face did not - move. Five minutes went by and still the face remained stationary. Buffalo Bill shook his head. i “That device is far from clever,” he said to himself. “Whirling Tempest must think I am easily gulled. But where is the bloody-minded scoundrel? He has staked his dummy down there and he must be hiding near it. If I could only Suess where he is at this moment, I would be in clover.” The grass was mo down the slope toward the cut, and after some consideration Buffalo Bill began to crawl downward 4n the direction of the false face. But his eyes were not on that piece of deception. They roved among the trees and brush in front and on either side of it, But he could see nothing, and not a ae broke the . stillness of the scene. With a stick picked up from the ground Buffalo Bill raised his sombrero a few inches above the grass, and lying flat beside the Stick ee the result of his ex- periment. A minute passed in silence. The scout lowered the ( sombrero, kept it out of my a few moments, then raised it again. As he did so there came a sharp report and a bullet cut the crown of his hat. The puff of smoke which ac- companied the report showed the wily scout the location of his eng stood his enemy, Whirling Tempest. He lee the Coe to fall, and ‘THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. rifle for instant use. Minutes went by, and Whirling Tempest did not come out from his place of concealment. Buffalo Bill again raised the sombrero in order that the enemy might suppose. that o- shot had not taken fatal effect. a ves _ The device failed... There was no second report. “He smells a rat and has changed his position,” thought the king of scouts. “I must change mine.’ Below him, and not more than ten yards away, was a clump of mesquit bushes. In their shelter a better view of the cut and its environments could be obtained. Buf- falo Bill crawled carefully on until he was safe behind the clump. Now, looking downward, he saw ‘that the false face had disappeared. “The red devil wants me to ine that he is ele that spot,’ muttered the border king, “but Tl bet a hat he is above it, and close to where I am at this minute.” He crouched low and remained as: motionless as a statue, the while he made good use of his eyes. Fifteen minutes passed, and then a slight noise in his rear made him turn his head quickly. What he saw caused all the blood to leave his face. Not twenty feet away, with rifle cocked and pointed, Buffalo Bill acted, but before his own rifle cracked there came two reports. A bullet whizzed by his head, and then to his amaze- ment he saw the bloodthirtsy Navajo throw up his hands and fall forward on his face. “Wow!” yelled a familiar voice, from the summit, and Buffalo Bill, glancing quickly in that direction, beheld the homely, honest countenance, and the lank, ungainly form of his friend and old-time partner, Alkali Pete. CHAPTER IV. THE DEAD RETURNS TO LIFE. The brave, big-hearted plainsman ran past the dead © body of Whirling Tempest, and held out his bony hand. to Buffalo Bill. “Glad ter see ye, Buffler,” he said, with his face all smiles. a-runnin’. “Alkali,” 9 99 replied the border king, with a little catch in his voice, “you are a daisy! But this isn’t the first time you have saved my life.” » “Shucks! How many times hez Battier Bill waned 4 in We all understands each atwixt me an’ death? Drop it. other.” “T reckon we do,” said Buffalo Bill softly. “An’ now ter biz. . ye! p?? “Suit es Alkali,” was the. reply, given with as- sumed indifference. Pete looked soberly at the king of scouts, caught -2 a twinkle in the left eye, and laughed as he re “Then we're not a- partin’ ter hurt.” “Not this time.’ The two scouts sat down on the ground, and Buffalo Bill asked an explanation of Alkali Pete’s presence. “Most nacheral thing in ther world, Bill. cott ther evenin’ arter you skinned out, seen Kunnel Cameron, an’ got ther ijee thet you needed a partner, an’ needed him immejet. hit ther trail fer ther Zuni-Mojave village ‘fore ther “AHeered ye wuz out here some’r’s, and so I come | Shell I mosey back, or goon with T hit Pies I shore didn’t wait till mornin’, but. ‘pintin’ south. -Mojaves. THE BUFFALO _ mooncome up. Struck ther cafion end of ther Mesa ‘bout three o’clock an’ took a little snooze. Waked up an’ p’inted fer ther village. Sentinel wouldn’t let me pass, an’ I mout hev been obleeged ter kill him ef old Guardar hedn’t put in an appearance. He heered my song and dance an’ got afferble too quick. Said as how he wuz glad: ter mect up with a friend of ther great warrior, Buffler Bill, an’ told me you wuz a-needin’ of me at that blessed minute. “After he hed p’inted out ther trail you hed follered I loped arter you. ‘Ther sentinel at ther basin said as how you hed jest passed him an’ wuz a-scoutin’ on Whirlin’ Tempest. I shore resolved ter do a little scoutin’ on my own account. When I seen ther murderin’ Navajo - sneakin’ through ther bushes I sized up ther siterwashun ter mean thet you wuz down on his books fer a pot shot. So I creeps arter him an’ made my old reliable speak just in time ter spile his little game. An’ now, Bill, what’s ther snap ye air workin’? Old Guardar wouldn’t tell, bein’ as how it wuz a plumb secret atween ther pair. o’ e. 33 Buffalo Bill told his story. Alkali Pete stroked his chin at the conclusion. “Ym shore sartin ye won’t find Brazos Jake an’ ther woman in ther cave kentry,” he remarked. ‘What are your reasons for saying this?” questioned the king of scouts, with a keen look at his companion’s face. “Suthin’ this yer woman reeled off a month asa. 1 seen her a few miles out o’ Santa Fé. She wuz travelin’ with a Navajo body-guard, ther which wuz Brazos Jake’s tools, an’ hevin’ met up with her afore I nacherly worked my jaw when I rides up. JI wuz goin’ north, she wuz ‘It’s good-by forever this time,’ she says. ‘am goin ter skip ther kentry.” “Whar air ye plottin’ ter land? I asks. She closes one eye, an’ says, “That’s tellin’’ ‘How erbout Brazos? Ain't he goin’ with yer oe ““Brazos is all right,’ she answers, ‘he’s ahead. Tl be with him at ther “right time.’ She wouldn’t open up any more, an’ I left her. Now, I shore spots ther scheme. She an’ Jake planned ther robbery, an’ when“I kem across her she wuz on her way to ther pueblo of the Zuni- Jake squatted in ther hills while she worked ‘Arter ther robbery she hurried to ther place an’ now they air her game. they had app’inted fer ther meetin’, shore on their way to Mexico,” “Then we have lost them,” remarked Buffalo Bill, in a tone of acute disappointment. “Mebbe not, mebbe not, Bill,” replied Alkali Pete con- solinely. “With sich a big treasure as they air a-carryin’ _ millions in it, | reckon—they’ll shore meander mighty slow, an’ be mighty keerful. Ady Lafarge wuz,as bold as brass while she wuz workin’ her p’ints in ther pueblo, but now she hev got ther jewels she’s a shakin’ in her shoes. o being interviewed by ther rangers, ‘fer,’ says she, ‘it’s probable thet ther hull kentry knows of ther robbery by this time.’ ~ “Tt’s just as risky along the New Mexican border,” said Buffalo Bill, oe face was lightening under Pete’s words. "shore. An’ over ther Arizony boundary the Yaquis. an’ Chihuahuas air now raisin’ Ned. Ady an’ Jake mean Mexico shore ernuff, an’ they'll try ter git thar by crossin’ ther Pima an’ “Maricopa sections, an’ then strikin’ south Ry She ain’t a-goin’ Texas way an’ run ther chance . BILE STORIES. oe: over ther desert, but near ernuff to ther Colorado ter set- tle ther water question.” “They have had two weeks’ start. we will have to do some tall riding.” ~ “We'll ketch ’em, Bill,” returned Alkali Pete ‘confi- dently. “They’ll go slow, as I hev told ye. they'll take good rest when they come to Covert’s Hole, on ther Gila. Ther place is south of Parker’s Peak, an’ is ockerpied by a peaceable branch of ther Pimas. Why, shore,” Alkali suddenly exclaimed, “Urazos Jake hev a brother who hey been consortin’ with ther Pimas fer ten years.” “You are right,” said Buffalo Bill. Bei bao, all about the Hole, and if Adah Lafarge stops there we will make the riffle.” No more was said. The course was changed from north to south, and at night the two scouts reached Salt River, in the foothills of the Matanes. a? At their camping-place they made a pleasing dis. covery. A small party had comped there not ‘many days he. fore. The evidences were all about them, in the shape of cropped grass and herbage, cast-off tins of meat and vegetables, fragments of Tope, and cuts made by patent : say knife. Best of all, Buffalo Bill fond under some straw, upon which blankets for sleeping had probably been laid, a lady’s handkerchief. In one corner was the initial ‘L.” When this discovery was made Alkali Pete was s down on the shore at the fording-point. The border king was walking toward Pete, when the lanky plainsman’s head appeared above the bank. He was breathing heavily, and his eyes shone with excite- ment. “Thar wuz just daylight ernuff left ter see ther mark,” he said rapidly, as he stopped in front of Buffalo Bill. : “One of ther party wuz in this yer camp ter- day.” This surprising intelligence made Buffalo Bill’s eyes oe “How do you know this?” he asked quickly. “By ther tracks of an Indian pony on the wet sand_ Them tracks wuz:made not more than. The Salt ruths inte? ther Gila an’ is af- Three hours ago ther water ieiVe : near ther water. two hours ago. fected by ther tides. ered ther sand whar them tracks air.’ “Your reasoning is correct, Alkali. party must have gone on several days ago.’ “Thet’s true ernuff, Buffler. hind ter scout. lered, he wuz ter report. Thet’s ther way I sizes it up.” The king of scouts nodded his head. that we nocd camp here to-night.” An’ ef I git ther drift of yer SONG Bill, he'll shone make a mistake, eh?” Pete grinned and regarded his companion expectantly. - ves. camp on the other side. fore we find it. vite an attack before morning.” ee 39 on. If we ah them, An’ I believe: But the rest of the This yer ‘Tnjun stayed bee If Brazos Jake an’ ther woman war fol- “The spy must : have spotted us from the summit an’ then turned about — and rode for his party. He would pateal conclude © We must ford the river ‘Gone away gad hunt. a We may have to go miles be- To stay here would probably be to-in-. We'll swallow a bit a chuck an’ then mosey : Half an hour tee the border king and his companion : : deine ote: THE BUFFALO were on the other side of Salt River, riding along a. ‘deso- late stretch of country... - “About ten o’clock a fair camping-place was ‘found. Tt. was in the bed of a dry creek and a prot distance from the river. “The moonlight enabled them to watch the trail, which tan close to the river bank. As they waited for develop- ments they conversed in low voices. They had talked of one thing and another, and there a ha d come a short period of silence. t yer hat. onto ’em, I never experienced but onct. Alkali. Pete had just stored away a big wad ae to : bacco, when a stone rolled down the sandy wall of the creek and stopped close to their feet. Buffalo Bill looked up with a start, but Pete gave ut- terance to a soft chuckle. —_ “‘Skeered ye, did it?” he said, with a grin, The border king frowned. “I was not scared,’ he protested. “But. as I did not understand the thing it naturally startled me a little.” ‘In the sandy wall was a hole, and out of the hole protruded the head of a badger. Alkali Pete had seen the head before the stone propelled by the little animal had rolled-down. ‘They both now looked at the cause of the disturbance, and Pete, struck by a reminiscence, said: “I ain’t easily skeered, Buffler, and I know that ther word skeer don’t convey any meanin’ ter your mind. But Vil hev ter admit thet onct upon a time I wuz really flusterated. I shorely wuz.’ "Dell us, the’ story,” said Buffalo Bill, pass away the time.” ' “IT never hed any call ter fear death,” returned the lanky plainsman thoughtfully. ‘I must ha’ been born thet away. I ain’t a pious galoot, by a long reckonin’, an’. so 1 don't ever feel that thar sort of ca’m resignation creepin’ over me when I comes to ther pass thet I think my time ter peter hev come. Accordin’ ter my ijee, we ve all got ter be wiped out some time or nuther, an’ cryin’ an’ takin’ on won’t mend matters. At ther same time thet yer kind of feelin’ thet makes yer think yer blood is creepin’. from yer feet ter yer head, thet yer ha’r is shore risin’ an’ yer eyes air a-stickin’ out so’s ye can hang An’ onct cy will help to wuz shorely ernuff, if ye hear me.” ‘For a few moments he worked his j jaw in silence. Then he went on: “It wuz when I wuz a youngster, and long afore I kem ter ther Injun kentry. 1 wuz raised in a _ small settlement on the Red River, Arkansaw, an’ a hap- pier cuss than Pete couldn’t be found in month of Sun-. days. Thar wuz a mob of young devils ‘bout my own age in ther clearin’, an’ all wuz full of fun an’ ther Old ae Nick, an’ I wuz as ‘wild as any of ‘em. Jim Boggs wuz. ther leader’ an’ he wuz as cantankerous an imp as ye ever seen, always up ter some kind of trick, or deviltry.. Thar wuz a skulehouse an meetin’-house combined "bout five mile out of town, an’ every Sunday the church folk held. Sarvices thar. Ther old parson would drive out ina one- horse cart and hitch up in front. “One Sunday Boggs said as how thar wuz a chance ter hev a bar’l of fun by playin’ a trick on old Sanders, ther parson.. Ther boys wuz all ready ter sail in fer thet kind of sport, and so, arter ther parson hed gone in ter spout, we fellers ontied ther old nag, an’ drove ther rig ter a swamp “bout three mile from ther. meetin’-house. Thar we onhitched ther horse an’ led him away ter a spot ioe on a mile from ther cart, an’ tied him ter a tree. ‘BILL STORIES. This pesky mean business over we meandered back ter ther meetin’-house ter watch ther old parson’s maneivers. “Arter awhile out he comes, an’ when he got through i shakin’ hands he started fer his team, but it wuzn’t thar whar he hed put it. He went around ‘ther buildin’, then nae down ther road, but nary hoss an’ cart could he a “Boys will be boys,’ we heard him mutter, ‘but I wish Thad one of ’em here fer a minute. I'd expostulate with him in a way thet would shortly make his head swim.’ “Arter caressin’ his chin fer a minute he went up the road in ther wrong direction, but kem back purty soon, hoppin’ mad. We all wuz up a tree, an’ we seen him cavortin’ around, though he couldn’t clap his peepers onto us. “At last Jim Boggs says: ‘Fellers, I’ll tell ye what I'll do, Ill slide down an’ tell old Sanders whar his team is at. 1 won’t tell him who done ther trick, only as how I seetl some one goin’ off with ther rig. You all just stay here until we move, an’ then you foller. more fun a-comin’’ Well, we kept still an’ trusted ter Jim, fer we knowed as how his head wuz level. a “Jim he got down an’ waltzed up ter ther parson, gin him a song and dance, and purty soon they went down ther road together. Thar’ s a heap We slid down an’ follered. Arter — awhile we seen Jim pilot ther tae onto a stretch of boggy ground, whar I wouldn’t ’a’ trusted a cat onct ther sun wuz down. Ther parson held back at fust, but when he seen Jim spring from clump ter clump of ther stiff bunch-grass of ther bog he started in ter follér.’ Alkali Pete stopped to indulge in a long chuckle. falo Bill tried to speak reprovingly. “Tam ashamed of you, Alkali,” he said. “If TI did not know you had reformed, I would give you a piece of my mind. Er—what happened to the parson?” - _ “What happened? Ther very thing Jim had planned. Buf- Ther old man fell in ther water up ter his armpits, an’ when Jim dragged him out he wuz shorely a sight ter see, a-shiverin’ as if he’d took ther ager. “Jim apologized fer gettin’ him ter try ther bog, sayin’ His black suit wuz kivered with mud an’ he wuz it wuz a cut-off. Now they would hev ter go ther long way round. In about ten minutes they struck ther cart. Ther hoss they hed picked up on ther way. While ther parson wtz busy scrapin’ ther mud off’n his clothes, Jim perceeds ter hitch up. After he got ther hoss fixed ~ Finally he shipshape he began ter fool about ther cart. calls out ter ther parson thet ther rig wuz ready fer use, an’ ther old man gets in an’ drives off, fust thankin’ Jim i fer his kindness an’ consideration. “In a few minutes ther rig comes ter a hill, an’ we fellers, alongside of Jim, then asks him what wd be a comin’ Gere = 6S Just watch thet cart,’ says Jim, ‘an’ then saw on oy We shorely did so, an’ when ther cart got well onter ther hill we seen one of ther wheels of ther cart drop ~ off an’ ther parson hit their sile kerplump. We could hardly keep from roarin’, but Jim cautioned us ter shut up an’ wait for ther next ack on ther peppergram. “Qld Sanders did a heap of mutterin’ while he wuz fixin’ ther wheel. At last he got it in place all right, an’ then he started onct more, but before ten rod of ground wuz passed over off comes the other wheel and over — We yelled then, an’ ther way. Yes. them wuz good old times, Buffler, an’ they, won't never goes ther parson again. we lit out fer safety wuz a caution ter sinners, . Ri (Ne wuz dressed like ther fust, only ther breast of ther thing ~ twinklin’ of a lamb’s. tail, THE BUFFALO come ag’in. But I ain’t told ye yet how I come ter be skeered.”) - “No,” replied the king of scouts dryly, “I am still shy in that respect.” “Tt wuz all on account of a shemale girl,” Alkali Pete went on, “which her name wuz Mary Jane Hawkins, an’ _ she wuz as purty asa posy. I wuz young then, an’ fool- ish ernuff ter go sneakin’ around her father’s house. Jim Boggs thought she wuz all creation, an’ he went as offen as I did. Saturday nights I ginerally drapped in ter see Mary, an’ every tinte I’d go who should I find thar afore me but dog-goned, measly Jim Boggs. Ye see, Jim, though he wuz a wild an’ reckless cuss, war an all-fired coward, an’ ther reason he come when I did wuz ter git a chanct ter go home with me, fer Mary lived ’bout three mile from town, an’ ther road wuz a lonely one, along ther bank of ther Red River. ~“T stood this yer playin’ me fer a sucker fer a right smart spell, an’ then I reckoned I’d shut down, which I did by callin’ other nights in ther week unbeknownst ter . Jim. Ther blame cuss wuz soon froze out, fer he hedn’t ther kurridge ter go it alone.” The lanky plainsman stroked his grizzled chin in smug satisfaction, evoked by the memory of the old days. ie hed fine times, Buffler,” he proceeded, ter Mary an’ sparkin’ her when no ornery Jim wuz round. But ther good times didn’t hang on wuth a cent. One day. Aleck Hanson, one of ther boys, hunted me up, an’ said he’d seen a ghost on ther road ter old Hawkins’ ranch, an’ thet Jim Boggs hed seenit, too. I up an’ in- formed Aleck thet I wuz goin’ thet very night ter see a sartin shemale, an’ thet no ghost wuz goin’ ter stop me. “Aleck etinned an’ said he’d give a million dollars ter have my kurridge. Well, thet night I slicked up an’ started out. I didn’t see nothin’ until I wuz about half- way ter ther ranch, an’ then thar rose a terrific yell ahead of me, an’ somethin’ all in white riz up in ther road an’ commenced wavin’ its hand ter me. I stopped dead still an’ tried ter herd my wits. 1 wuz oneasy, but I wuzn’t plumb skeered. I wuz hesitatin’ whether ter to go on or hit ther back track, when thar comes a second yell, this time nearer, an’ another figger, larger than ther fust, stepped inter ther path within twenty yards of me. It wuz all kivered with blood. [ wuz shorely skeered then. I felt ther cold sweat come onter me, an’ if thar had been a hole handy ye’d hev seen me crawl inter it in ther But ther hole wuzn’t thar, gand I let out a yell myself, an’ then made ther dust fly in ther direction of ther town. “Arter runnin’ away I thought I would look back, an’ when I did I seen a sight thet plumb flabbergasted me. Thet yer ghost number one wuz a-flyin’ down ther road, with a lot of fellers I hedn’t seen afore, an’ arter ’em like mad wuz ghost number two, an’ a yellin’ ter beat ther band. Ther last I seen of °em wuz when they kem ter a bend in ther road, an’ then ghost number two wuz almost up ter ghost number one.’ Alkali Pete paused, and as he manifested no intention to go on Buffalo Bill asked him if he thought he really saw two denizens of the other world. “I shorely did at ther time, Buffler, but ther next day I got ther straight of ther business. This yer ghost number one wuz Jim Boggs, who, with a lot of fellers, put up a job ter skeer me from goin’ ter see Mary. But _the scheme didn’ t pan out as Jim hed ae fer Cap- “fn sittin’ up close. _ big boulder down by the crossing. BILE STORIES: a tain Boggs, Ti s old man, got wind of ther joke, dressed himself up as another shost, an’ liked ter hev skeered Jim outer a year’s growth. Ther boy wuz cured of playin’ tricks fer a long time.” “And how about Mary Jane?” “Thet’s whar ye tech me on a tender spot, Buffler. “Arter all my courtin’ she took a shine ter another feller, an’ finally hitched onter him fer life. I lit out when she went back on me, an’ I hevn’t been back thar since.” “Tt must have been the next year —you were seventeen at the time—that I first met you, Alkali,” said Buffalo Bill. “You came to Kansas while the border struggles were going on.” “Thet’s right, William, an’ we made ther fur fly if we war youngsters.” More might have been said, but at this juncture the comrades heard the sound of hoofs in the near distance. ay the riders came opposite the hiding-place in the dry creek, They were three in number. Two of them were Indians, and Buffalo Bill saw that the third man was Brazos Jake. “Shall we plug ’em?” whispered Alkali Pete. “No. That would be murder. Ina matter of life and death I believe in giving my enemy a fair show.” “Ye're dead right, Buffler; although,” he muttered, under his breath, “these yer enemies air dogs, an’ not men.”’ “We must capture them if we can,” Buffalo Bill went on. “They'll ride to the camp across the river, find we are gone, and then will retrace their way. There is a We'll hide behind that—it’s close to the trail—and hold them up when they come back.” The king of scouts had scarcely finished speaking when a new surprise came. On foot, and stealing after the two Navajos and the half-breed Indian, appeared a tall Indian, in the garb of a Zuni-Mojave. He passed the concealed scouts so swiftly that neither Buffalo Bill nor Alkali Pete could see his face. What did it mean? Pete looked at his companion, amazement in his expression. “Thet redskin is arter blood, or my name’s loco excitedly whispered. ‘Whar did he light down from? He couldn’t hey come from ther pueblo, fer he shows up from ther wrong direction. This yer play gumfoozles me ter a finish.’’ The king of scouts, who had been doing some hard thinking, slowly answered: “There is a queer game go- ing on. I have a dim idea what it all means. We must také.a hand. Come,’ The pursuer and the pursued were out of sight, and the two scouts, mounting their horses, rode toward the crossing. Near the boulder alluded to by Buffalo Bill they dis- mounted, and by a detour led their animals to the shelter of the huge rock. They could see across the stream, and could discern the figures of horsemen not many rods from the opposite bank The pedestrian was nowhere in sight. Half an hour went by, and then Brazos Jake and his two Indian companions were seen returning to-the river. | They were more than half-way across the stream, swimming their ponies, and the border king and Alkali me Pete were waiting for them with rifles ready for use, 33 oy he vOao when the lone Indian was observed to leave a tree near the farther bank and glide down to the water. His actions were a puzzle to Alkali Pete. If he was an enemy of the half-breed and the Navajos, why had he not fired on them? He had had fine opportunity for rifle work, and yet had not availed himself of it. “What’s ther critter up ter, Bill?” he whispered. “Air ye ont” “Not quite, but I suspect his game, Wait.” _ Brazos Jake was the first to reach the shore. He mounted the sloping bank and waited for his companions. Soon all three were in easy rifle-range. The trio did not move forward immediately. There was a consultation. Buffalo Bill, though he could not catch a word, divined the subject of discussion. _. The three allies of Adah Lafarge had come out to catch the two white men in a trap; and now the situation had so changed that they themselves were likely to fall into OMe. “They know we have crossed the river, scouts whispered to Pete, . ahead,” After a delay of about ten minutes the half-breed started forward. The Indians followed. The three were opposite the boulder when Buffalo Bill and Alkali Pete stepped into view. “We've got you foul—throw down your guns!” com- manded the border king, in a voice of deadly meaning. The ponies were jerked to a standstill; Brazos Jake and the two Navajos saw the muzzles of the rifles, real- ized that sudden death lurked behind them, and remained motionless, nerve-paralyzed. At this moment the pursuing Zuni- -Mojave, having _ crossed the river, was crawling forward on his stomach. He heard the second command of Buffalo Bill, “Come, shed your weapons, or I'll shoot!” and instantly let out the ear-piercing war-yell of his tribe. This sudden and altogether unexpected diversion star- tled each opposing force. ” the king of “and they are afraid to go of the Indians and the half-breed leaped forward. When there came a readjustment of ideas, the crack! erack! crack! of rifles announced that the projected hold- up had resolved itself into a, battle. Owing to the nerv- ous movements of the ponies the shots fired by their riders were without effect. Not so with the bullets of the two scouts, The two Indians dropped from their saddles, their ponies dropped also, and Brazos Jake was carried off the field by the lightning dash of his animal. _ Hurriedly mounting his horse, Boitalo “Dill set out in pursuit. Alkali Pete would have followed if his attention had not been directed to the mysterious Zuni-Mojave. _ That strangely acting redskin had witnessed the fight _ without taking part, but when Buffalo Bill rode off he boldly advanced to the boulder. eS 3 he saw fe Pete raise his rifle, : THE BUFFALO The two scouts involuntarily turned their heads, and at the same moment the ponies . people. “Friend!” he called out, BILL STORIES. “Friend, air ye?” said the lanky scout derisively. “A purty sort of a friend ye be!’ The rifle was pointed at the Zuni-Mojave’s head. “‘Drap thet ther sticker, ye obstreperous redskin; then we'll convarse.” The Indian coolly complied. “Now ye may perceed ter eloocerdate yer position, Um shore dyin’ ter hear yer ijees of friendship.” | “My name is Laputo,” spoke the Indian humbly, “ ‘and I am, or was, the chief of the Zuni-Mojaves.” Alkali Pete gazed at the speaker in dumb astonish- ment. When he found voice he said: “What air ye givin’ me? Noodle soup? Ye’re Laputo nit—Laputo is dead!” “Not so. He is alive and before you.” CHAPTER: V, BUFFALO BILL'S TERRIBLE MISHAP. Alkali Pete had never visited the Zuni-Mojave village, ‘and consequently had never met the young chief who had been led astray by the White Siren, Adah Lafarge. But the appearance, the attitude of the Indian before him, the sadness of his voice, all conspired to stamp his statement as the truth. But there was a sae ley to be solved, and the lanky plainsman lost no tinfe in asking: the necessary pertinent questions, : “Ve say ye’re alive, an’ not dead,” Pete began, “an’ | must say ye hev a powerful argymint in yer favyer. But why ain't ye dead? An’ what does thet air grave up on ther hills mean? Ther Zuni-Mojaves hev been horns- wogeled most owdacious. What's ther | vk racket ? What's eatin’ yer, son? Bugs?” a Laputo smiled sadly. Then he said in the English : he had employed in his former speeches: “T am respon- sible for the false report of my death, which has been spread abroad. It was easy to work the deception. The Mexican vaquero is an old friend of mine. He is as true as steel, and he understands my case and deeply sympathizes with me.” ( “A friend’s a friend, my son,” responded Alkali Pete, — with an approving nod, “no matter what his color or sta- tion may be. An’ so ther Mexican stood by ye, eh?’ “He did, indeed. He assisted me in preparing the grave in the hills. I had told him my shameful story. He realized that I had committed a grave offense, that I had cast dishonor on my name and had disgraced my He agreed with me that I must make a deter- mined effort to redeem myself, and that until I had done so I must be regarded as dead.’ fo “What ye hev said is all right as far as it goes,” re- marked the lanky scout, “but ther way ye started ter perform ther redeemin’ act shore ae me a pain in ther neck, * a ae “What do you mean?” queried Laputo, in mild ne a nation. : - prises me more than all else.” _ corral ther same bit of game. _.monkey-shines. “Why just this: Here we wuz, two friends of yourn, tryin’ our everlastin’ best ter round up ther pestiferous shemale woman who put ye on ther pig, an’ what does ye do but waltz in an’ attempt ter bust ther game. Ye must be plumb loco, Laputer, Whar’s yer hoss-sense? - Don’t ye know ye’ve made ther wust kind of a bad break ?” “T made a mistake,” the iidien hia replied. “J did not know you were my friends, I was following Brazos Jake and the Navajos, hoping they would lead me to the place where the White Siren is concealed, when you and your friend suddenly appeared. I thought _you were robbers, and as I did not want my prey killed or detained, I gave the warning which permitted the escape of the leader. Had you been in my place I think you would have done the same thing.” “Dunno about thet. But thar’s one thing thet sur- There was displeasure in his tone. He looked at Laputo curiously. “Don’t ye know Buffler Bill?” “Yes.” The Indian showed marked astonishment. | _ “Was the man who was with you the great warrior of the whites?” “He shorely wuz.” \ “Then I am more than sorry that I acted as I did. I - was too far away to see your faces, and I never suspected the truth. At the moment I was. convinced that you and your friend were desperadoes bent on rey, and ‘mourder,” Alkali Pete, Holifed by the Indian’s manifestation of sincere sorrow and regret, held out his hand. “Yer apology is shore accepted, I git ther p’int of view. So let bygones be bygones, an’ let us remember only thet we air friends an’ air humping ourselves ter We’ve cl’ared ther air an’ know where ° co we air at.” Laputo pressed the hand which he had been holding. “An’ now,” continued the white scout, “ye might as well tell me, while we air waitin’ fer Buffler ter git back, how ye come ter split with ther fascinatin’ Ady.: I reckon - she dealt ye ther hoo-hoo.” “We rode all night,” replied the young chief, “ond _while making ready for breakfast next morning she asked me to take my gun and go up the cafion, where I might find rabbits or er onee ae nothing, : went off as directed,” “Did ye take ther gems with ye?’ asked Alkali Pete, with a queer smile. “No,” There was a black frown on the Indian’s face. “She had them. They were never in my possession after we left the pueblo.” “I shorely put it up thet way,” said Pete. “Go on.” “I was gone from camp more than an hour, and when THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. An’ thar will be no more’ t3 I returned she was gone, and with her my pony as well as her own, Even then | did not believe that she had — deserted me.” ~ ! Laputo paused, hung his head, and seemed disinclined to proceed. Alkali Pete's pitying voice was like healing salve to his shame and discomfiture. | “I understands yer feelin’s, Laputer,” the lanky scout said, “an’ | wish ter remark thet ye shore hev my deep- est sympathy. JI hev hed dealin’s with shemale wimmen myself. Some time I may tell ye about how I kem ter leave my old home in Arkansaw an’ become a wanderer.’ The chief raised his head, and after bestowing a grate- ful look on his companion, went on with his story. “IT went down the trail and called her name, thinking she had taken the ponies out to find a better watering- place than the little hole near the camp. But no response came. Then I returned to camp and had my eyes opened. I found a note which had been pinned to a tree. I read it, to learn of her desertion and of my terrible plight. She wrote that she had no use for me, that she had entered the pueblo for the sole purpose of securing the gems, and that, having succeeded, her interest in me was over.” “Purty hard lines, son,” remarked Pete, as Laputo paused. “But ye war young, ye needed experience, an’ ye got it a hull lot. Was thar anything more in ther note?’ : “A few more words. She bade me an eternal fare- well. She wrote that she had no love for me. I had been but a tool.” Laputo sighed deeply and his head again drooped. : “Ve wuz shore hit between ther eyes,’ Pete gently. up matters. > said Alkali “But thar’s a right smart chance ter even Maybe T would like ter be present, havin’ - - box seat, when ye meet up with ther enterprisin’ dame.” The Indian clenched his hands fiercely. Murder looked out of his burning eves, “Bud fe ae ‘nothing, | “How did ye happen ter spot Pease: an’ strike ther trail ter this yer place?” asked the scout, after a long pause. ““T followed the tracks of the ponies until I met the Mexican. I had known him for many years, and after he had heard my story he suggested the scheme of the death deception. In his opinion the Zuni-Mojaves would send out a pursuing party, and I would surely be over- taken unless I took measures to stop the pursuit. The false-death plan would meet the emergency. Believing _ that I had ended my life, the pursuers would likely return to the pueblo and the incident would be closed as far as the tribe was concerned. And thus I would be left a clear field for operation against the vile woman who so successiully played upon my credulity. I did not relish the trick, but I was in a hole and so consented to try it. “T hev been in holes myself,’ put in Pete, with a sol- — sitated a rest of four days. 72 THE BUFFALO emn shake of the head, “an’ I know what thar feelin’ is. Ye shorely hanker ter git out, an’ ye ain’t allers particker- lar as ter ther means. But this is not a sayin’ thet ye didn’t do puffickly right under ther sarkimstances. I dunno what else ye could hev done.” “When the grave had been made and the story the ‘Mexican must tell had been rehearsed, I left the spot and hunted for the trail of Brazos Jake. The Mexican offered me his mustang, but I refused to accept it much as I needed the animal, for my friend is a vaquero, and without a horse would be unable to perform his. duties. My heart was heavy when I bade him good-by, for I be- lieved that the woman was making for the States. Judge of my delight, then, at the discovery made near the close of the first day, that she had turned her course and was traveling in a southwesterly direction. “I came upon the place where her party had camped, and the trail beyond was fresh. This fact gave me fierce encouragement. It was evident that she was proceeding slowly, and that she had no fear of pursuit. I wondered somewhat at this, but at last concluded that she had made up her mind that I would never attempt to follow her on foot.” “Perhaps she cottoned ter ther ijee thet ye hed done ther very thing thet thar grave wuz meant ter imply.” “I have thought of something that now makes me think you have explained her actions,” returned Laputo quickly. “While we were sitting before the camp-fire on the night after our flight from the pueblo she spoke of betrayals and all sorts of evil conduct. I remember that she asked me what I would do if I were betrayed and disgraced. My answer made her smile. I said that I would commit suicide. Her reply pleased me exceedingly. She said that no one would ever think of deceiving such a good, such an honest person. “But to my story. The next day I met a Maricopa hunter, who said that a white woman answering the Siren’s description had that morning joined a small party of Navajos commanded by Brazos Jake, the half-breed. The Maricopa had witnessed the meeting from a dis- tance, and said that the woman and Brazos Jake seemed to be old friends, for they were seen to embrace. “That day I fairly flew over the trail the White Siren had left, but of course I did not overtake her party. I was terribly handicapped, but I had no thought of giving up the pursuit. It was my hope that the woman and her allies would find a temporary resting-place in the hills and that I might come upon them before the flight ' was resumed.” The Indian sighed, and then proceeded: “A halt was made, as I discovered, and I would have overtaken the White Siren if I had not sprained an ankle while climbing a rocky hill. The sprain was not a bad one, but it neces- Within twenty-four hours after 1 was again able to travel I came upon the Navajo BILL STORIES. - will hope.” camp, broken but a few hours before. have made use of every hour of daylight. At dusk to- day I caught sight of two Navajos and a half-breed, evi- dently Brazos Jake, riding in this direction. I followed in hopes they would lead me to the camp where the White Siren would be found. The result you know.” It was now Alkali Pete’s turn to inform the chief of — ‘the events that had succeeded the flight from the pueblo of Adah Lafarge and her victim. Laputo listened with downcast eyes, “I may never see my people again,” he scornfully re- marked, “but nevertheless I shall keep on as I have be- gun, The gems shall be recovered and the vile woman punished,” “Thet shore is all right,’ said Alkali Pete aie. , His manner was nervous. He was wondering what had befallen Buffalo Bill. of scouts no shots had been heard. Absolute silence reigned over the region in which the aa rider had | entered. Five minutes passed and Pete was about to mount his bronco and follow the trail taken by his friend, when the sound of hoofs was heard. Presently Buffalo Bill rode up, a savage frown on his face. “The rascal slipped me,” he explained, in a grumbling voice. “Down there among the trees it is as dark as the devil’s pit. I was not hunting an ambush, and so I had to do my prospecting under difficulties. I reckon we'll have to wait until morning before starting to do ean business.” : He ceased speaking and gazed at the Zuni-Mojave chief. “Why,” he exclaimed, “if this isn’t Laputo. I guessed you were the lone- oe player, and now Tm glad my guess was the right one.’ “Laputo owes Buffalo Bill an apology,” replied the Indian gravely. The story already given to the reader followed. Buffalo Bill smiled while the Indian was ‘talking. “You are in the dumps now, Laputo,” he said. “but. there’s a bright day in store for you. Your people will yet forgive and forget.” ‘The Indian’s heart beat faster than asial ness for a moment left his face. “I thank you,” he re- sponded, in a broken voice. “You btd me hope, and I There was a short silence. He lifted his head. In his expression oe was resolution and master- fulness. “The white men—my brothers—will sleep until day- light while Laputo goes down the trail and keeps watch.” The border king would have modified this proposal, but the Mojave chief was firm. He had slept during the day, he said, and could stand the watch better than either of his white brothers. So the arrangement was carried out. Nothing out of the ordinary occurred during the night e Since that time I~ Since the departure of the king The sad- y : In the morning, after. Pee the three friends le a serious consultation. “It is my opinion,” said Buffalo Bill, “that Brazos We and his outfit will not attempt to leave the hills where © _ they are now hiding, until they have made a good try to wipe us out. one through which they must pass before they can reach _ the shelter, of the Estrella Chimneys. ° would be in the open. It is therefore to their interest to make an early stand where the country is favorable. Stand, did I say? [Il take that back. The country be- yond this little flat is favorable for ambushes. There is but one safe trail to the valley, and if we follow it we'll. 39 be shot down like dogs, unless He paused and looked at Alkali Pete with a meaning smile. The lanky iui stniled back. few handfuls o’ dirt in their cantankerous eyes.” That's: it. Buffalo Bill spoke respectfully. The Indian’s eyes sparkled. He straibhteried himself and asked quickly: ‘Can either of you imitate the cry of _ the mountain- lynx! Py “I shore can,’ Caeade Alkali Pete, “I believe I haven’t forgotten how to do the trick,”. said _ Buffalo’ Bill. “Good.” The Indian paused, wrinkled his Bras, and remained for some moments in deep thought. At last he spoke. .“Laputo, who is mountain ied will climb the hill and find the ambush if one has been prepared. He will annoutice his discovery by the cry of the lynx. The an- swer will show that his cry has been heard by. his: brothers and has been up derstood: They will then know how to act.” . “Chief, you’re a brick!’ was Alkali Pete’s warm com- ment. “The hills air full o’ lynkses, and ther deception ought to work. shore.” Buffalo Bill accepted the plan, as the best that pout be devised; but had he known something that had escaped the memory of the eager, vengeful chief, he would instantly have discarded the plan as not Holes im-+ practicable, but dangerous. _ After Laputo had departed on his scouting mission the . two comrades rode a short distance into the wooded sec- _tion, then dismounted, and concealed their animals. _ Proceeding slowly, in order that their movements might not be out of accord with those of the chief, they had traversed half a mile of distance, when a up on the hill sounded the cry of the lynx. | Buffalo Bill answered it, and then the two scouts ran forward a few yards and found cover. This was done as a measure of precaution. ee In a moment was heard the crashing of underbrush, and soon afterward the crack of rifles. _ The plan of the Indian chief had pieeartied: THE BUFFALO~ BILL. STORIES. | Beyond the hills are valleys, one large. In the valleys they “Unless ve chuck a Have you anything to suggest, Laputo; ” ground beyond him. Protgcted by an overhanging ey of the: Wil Brazos Jake and his Indians were close to the tree before ‘He saw his enemies, and was raising his rifle to fire, when Buffalo Bill’s trusty Winchester spoke, and the Navajo who had offered his person as a target uttered a hy scream and fell to the. Laputo realized his danger. ground. Instantly Brazos Take ane ihe: ee avait flattened themselves and crawled for a safer place: There was simultaneous action on the a me Buffalo ; Bill. ie Sean to cli shiges so. as to dae we enemy. be Alkali Pete by a zigzag course made for the. tree ee still sheltered Laputo. -This silent warfare went on for. ten minutes. The king of scouts had reached the upper end of the” projecting bank of the: hill where low-growing: buslies were thick, and was peering over the bank, when out of a hole once covered by a monster boulder emerged a young” _ Her beauty was undeniable, but the eyes spoke wotan. not of softness, but glinted murderously. There was a movement in the bushes below, and.the border king, in- tent upon locating Brazos Jake and the Navajo, did not alter the direction of his gaze. His ears, sharp though they were, did not warn him. me the approach of the enemy at his rear... The woman moved noiselessly, like a cat. She was just behind Buf- falo Bill when the scout turned aul, Hhreugh pure in- stinct, and saw her. Too late to act on the delencge for as their eyes Het she leaped upon him and buried a knife in his breast. With a groan the’ ae of scouts eS his head. and lay still. . The spot occupied a ine desauhes uae ie nedaitied could not be seen from the tree behind. which Alkali Pete’ and Laputo: were now oes a rapid. eC con-; versation. - Leaving the body of hee victim, the woman, who was Adah Lafarge, and who was dressed in bloomers, ee “disappeared. Five minutes after her departure from the spot the ery of a lynx reached the ears of Pete and the Zuni- -Mojave. : It was answered, and each cry came from the same direc- tion, and from a locality about a quarter of a mile from the spot occupied by Brazos i and ig ne allies at the time of. the rifle firing. Instantly Buffalo Bill and Alkali Pete were out. ae _ cover, and clambering up the steep hillside. = © 9... = From behind a rock they saw Brazos Take and beweel Indians stealing along the side of the hill toward a mon-_ ster cottonwood, behind which Laputo was concealed... The Navajos and the half-breed were in a position that. rendered their movements invisible to the Zuni-Mojave. _ Once the two scouts saw him Le out and ‘scan ve : Both ‘Alkali Pete and Laputo knew that neither cry” The failure of the Zuni- Mojave’s plan had shown that the enemy understood it. -Laputo had remembered, after the shots, that while the had been given by Buffalo Bill. White Siren was his guest in the pueblo he had amused her by giving imitations of various animals and birds. ‘She had complimented him highly and thought his lynx imitation the best of all. Hearing the cry as he waited behind the tree for de- velopments that should determine his next move, he knew that divided forces of the enemy were communicating with each other, and also that the cries were given for the purpose of tricking himself and his white friends. Neither Laputo nor Alkali Pete was able to guess what the design was. Had they known of the terrible disaster that had overtaken Buffalo Bill they would have acted : differently. As it was they separated, and, moving in directions away from the spot where lay the body of the king of scouts, were soon lost to view. Fifteen minutes went by, and then Pee Jake, Adah Lafarge, and the Navajo appeared above the projection on the hill. The half-breed looked at the motionless body of the famous scout with an uneasy expression on his dark and not unhandsome face. “The beggar is alive,” he whispered to the woman. “That’s a small matter,” was the cold, merciless reply. “Cne more stroke of the knife and he is done for.” The Navajo drew a tomahawk from his belt. “This better—cleave skull,’ he said coolly. CHAPTER Vip BRAZOS JAKE'S ALARMING DISCOVERY. The Indian had raised the tomahawk, and was about to make murderous use of it, when Brazos Jake HS _his hand. . _. “No,” he said firmly, “killing is bad policy. If Buf- falo Bil pulls oe he me be a gold-mine as a Bee oner.’ dah Lafarge frowned. “You are talking nonsense,” she scornfully eH eat “He will be worse than a dead weight on our hands.” “TI haven’t time to explain,’ returned the half- breed. “When we strike a safe place I’ll open up, and if I can’t make you look at the matter as I oe then out ee But- falo ‘Bill’s light.” : , 180 sayinig, he examined the wound of the border ne It was in the left breast, but at some distance from the heart, 7 re : oie come all right if he is properly attended to,” was Brazos Jake’ s comment. “Loss of blood has weak- ened him so that he hasn’t strength enough to think.” THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. replied. After the flow of blood had been stanched, and the — wound dressed, the outlaw poured some whisky down the | This done, cords were produced wounded man’s throat. and Buffalo Bill was bound hand and foot. “Now, said Brazos Jake,” the trail and tie him on his own horse. plugs are, for I spotted the head of one awhile ago.” As the limp form of the king of scouts was being carried down to the trail, the half-breed relieved Adah Lafarge’s anxiety by saying: “The wild-goose chase. that Laputo and that other scout is now on gives us all the time we want. after us, they'll discover something that will give them the heart-disease. They'll find the broncos gone and will have to go footback while we will be horseback.” The outlaw chuckled, and Adah Lafarge smiled. An hour later, when Brazos Jake and his outfit were miles away from the scene of Buffalo Bill’s undoing, the half-breed turned to Adah Lafarge and made his ex- planation. “We have got to make the San Estrella Cine and then halt for a week at least. Some one of us will have to go ahead and see if the road is clear for Me nae to. Mexico.” “There is no safety among the Chance” “It will be death to stay there.” Brazos Jake laughed. “You are not Se on the secrets of the place, or you would sing a different tune. I am going to show you a hole that is attack-proof. An army would have no chance at us once we are in there.” Adah Lafarge breathed more freely. Long before this talk Buffalo Bill had recovered con- sciousness. Strapped to the back of his own steed, and lying on his side, he could watch the faces of the half- breed and the woman who rode ahead of him. Behind came the Navajo, mounted on his own poriy and leading the pony of his dead comrade and the fleet and seasoned map tang of Alkali Pete. The King of scouts suffered greatly from the pain of his wound, but not a single groan escaped his lips. All day the party pressed forward, and late in the eve- ning came to a halt at a spring midway between the Salt and Gila Rivers, and but a few Lee aes from ‘e rocky Estrella hills. Here the wounded scout’s wound received attention, and he was nursed as carefully and skilfully as if he had been a friend, instead of an enemy. It was while Buffalo Bill was wondering over ne treatment that Brazos Jake condescended to explain. “We are going to a spot that spells ‘no thoroughfare’ to your friends,” he said. “It’s a dead-sure asylum. But as dead things sometimes crawl, I am going to clinch the safety proposition by having you in readiness ae a winning play i in case of emergency.” eae ‘we will take him down to ~ I know where the > ‘When they get back to the trail and start the woman Y r i i i ft it ; j = reece pee en xe i oe : : THE BUFFALO “1 fail to see how you are going to make use of me,” returned the border king. oe “You'll understand when we get to the cage. Your. friends are not likely to find it. If they do, it’s a sure shot that they won't profit by the discovery. Let them come. Then you'll come in as an inducement for them to quit the field and leave my outfit alone. Get the pidea : ae Brazos Jake grinned, and Buffalo Bill understood. If Alkali Pete and Laputo should discover the retreat of the outlaws, they would be given to understand that : the life of the wounded prisoner was conditioned upon | the acceptance or rejection of the proposal which Brazos Jake would make. | That proposal meant a free, unmolested journey to _ Mexico of the woman who had stolen the treasure of the Zuni-Mojaves. Listening to the words of his captor, Bufalo Bill pre- tended to be filled with dismay and disappointment. As -amiatter of fact, his spirits revived while Brazos Jake was speaking. It was evident that the half-breed did not know that the companion of Laputo was Alkali Pete, a man whose fame as a scout and trailer, fighter and tac- ticlan, was second only to that of Buffalo Bill himself. Brazos Jake was above the average of his class in learning and intelligence. He had had the advantage of half a dozen years’ schooling at Santa Fé, and had min- gled much with the whites. But he did not possess the knowledge of human nature, the natural ability, the shrewd common sense, and the indomitable perseverance of the old-time partner of the king of scouts. And, be- : sides this, it was apparent that the half-breed placed a i discount on the power of the disgraced chief of the Zuni- Mojaves. Laputo had exhibited shameful weakness, and probably neither Brazos Jake nor Adah Lafarge appre- hended serious danger from the chief’s pursuit. But _ Buffalo Bill, having better knowledge of the chief’s char- acter, believed that danger was written in large letters upon the countenance of the cunning, vindictive, remorse- less foe, whose faith in Caucasian womankind had been _tudely shattered by his experience with the White Siren. i i { A 4 i i i t vain the; middle of the forenoon of the next day Brazos _ Jake’s party stopped upon a sandy flat, in front of two massive pinnacles that stood like es overlooking the desert. For fifty feet above the sand there was no passage be- _ tween the towering rocks. Lo SS ee e — —< One double pedestal with vertical front, minus seams or protuberances, stared the beholder in the face and seemed to say: “No man may mount here.” _ “We are going over there,” announced the half-breed to Buffalo Bill, as ps pened to the cut between the pinnacles. : 2 he king of scouts was ee on the sand. He had BILL STORIES. 17 the use of his hands, but not of his legs. In spite of the long, uncomfortable ride, his wound was healing rap: idly. Nature was performing her work easily and. quickly, thanks to his strong constitution and ee : muscular development. } oy ou may be able to fly,” he dryly responded, “but amy wings are not yet dry.” With a superior smile on his dark face oe Jake’ knelt down on one side of the vertical wall and began - to throw up the sand. Io hasten his labors he used a scoop, made of cottonwood, which he fashioned in the morning before leaving camp. aa Two feet down the scoop struck a hard substance. Soon the surface of a flat rock, about we a square, was disclosed. With the aid of the Navi the slab was lifted, and, Buffalo Bill, crawling forward, saw to his astonishment a deep cavity had been opened. Man’s handiwork was shown i in the stone stairs, which led downward. Where did the hole lead to? Brazos Jake asked this question. “You'll learn all in due time,” said the half- breed, with a Satisfied grin. Without more words he descended the steps and was gone half an hour. : His eyes” looking up Be On his return he said: “Everything is as I thought it. Long Arm,” speaking in Navajo to the Indian, “take Buffalo Bill by the a while I take his head and we'll tote him to the cage.” “Why not move he ‘nite first: a cee the border king, who wanted to delay the trip if he could. Brazos Jake snickered. “The animals are not going down that hole. I could not make them go if 1 wanted to, which I don’t.” | “Are you going to turn them loose?” questioned Buft- falo Bill, satisfaction exceeding astonishment. “See here, William,’ said the outlaw, in. high good humor, “you are getting blamed inquisitive. But as there is no call to be secret I’ll expose my hand a little more. The animals are going to Covert’s Hole, on the Gila. There is a village of the Pimas there, and in that vil- lage is a brother of mine. Long Arm will tell his story, and the Pimas will come here in force sufficient to lay out a double score-of such people as your two friends. But I don’t think I shall need help ir in my little game. You'll see? Down the stairs the ae a scouts was carried, A the bottom was an immense chamber. This was traversed, and then began a climb upward. Steps cut in the rock wound in and out, and after a time the bearers paused upon a wide shelf on the brink of a subterranean lake, There was a crevice in the rocky ceiling. It was half a foot in width and extended to the surface. Throughout it the light fell, os ee x Buffalo Bill heard the noise made by the rushing water over the concealed rocks, and gazing downward into the black coe ao a ee rut Lae his 2 | - length anda quarter of a mile wide, and was surrounded: | frame. Beyond the shelf was an ot turn. Brees Jake out: “How’s this for an ambush?” The border king guessed what the question meant. In the half-breed’s position one man could hold his own against dozens. The passage leading to the shelf was so narrow that only two persons could use it at the same time. Once on the shelf they would be at the mercy of an enemy around the turn. Dead or disabled their bodies would be hurled’ into the bottomless lake. “Vou now understand what I meant when I said this. place is no thoroughfare,” said the half-breed, as he came from cover. “Wouldn’t like to have your friends come up to this shelf, would you?” Buffalo Bill did not reply. Brazos Jake went on, a malicious delight shining in his eyes: “Don’t borrow trouble, William. They are not likely to come up here. Because why? They won't guess you are up this way. Did you notice that it was blowing good and hard when we left the plain? You ought to know what that means. tell you. It means that every vestige of the trail. will be swept away from the sandy approach to the. pin- nacles. When Long Arm leaves with the horses he will have the satisfaction of knowing that the slab over the entrance to the hole has been replaced and that it has | been covered with two feet of sand. The wind will give the spot its every-day appearance. friends going to know that you are up here? And even if they do suspect that you are hidden beyond the pin- nacles, how are. they going to reach you? They can’t know of the secret entrance, for until to-day I was the only person living who knew of it, I was informed by my mother and she alone at the time possessed the secret. ing it. He was a descendant of the Aztecs who. built these steps, and who lived for generations in the little” valley to which we are going, and which lies among the pinnacles unknown to the world.” _ Brazos Jake’ S party was well supplied with the neces-. saries of life, and the knowledge of this fact made the outlook for the unfortunate scout the more discouraging. He might be kept a prisoner until his tends had left that part of Arizona for good. | Before going farther on the way to the vale the half-breed had spoken of, the party waited until the pro- visions had been brought into the cave and Adah La- farge had joined her husband. 'The Indian then departed; and Buffalo Bill, fteed on _ the cords which had bound his ankles, was oe a of the cave and into the valley. Che BUFFALO BILL STORIES, - ‘stepped down it and, when he was out of sight, ea -- —* with an underground outlet. If you don’t, I will- How then are your My grandfather, in turn, told her all concern- He was. so weak at progress was necessarily slow, [. . - but at last he reached hard ground. a The valley. surprised him. Iti was hali a wile in mn on all sides by lofty, impassable rocky walls. be Along one side of the valley trickled < a ae stream At the upper.end of the valley were many stone habi- ; tations of peculiar design, the work of Oy Aztec dwell- ers, hundreds of years ago. oy ito one of them Buffalo Bill was conducted. The floor and the walls were of stone, and scattered about were rude domestic implements. In the middle of the room was a large hollow space which had evidently been used for a fireplace, for directly above it was a hole in the tiled roof for the smoke. Se ‘There were apartments beyond, but the king of oan had no stomach for immediate investigation. He was tired and ill, and when blankets had been brought by Brazos Jake, he stretched himself upon them and was : soon in the land of dreams. ) Adah Lafarge and the falehreed sat in the doorway u and contemplated the sleeping prisoner. _ | “T’ll never feel safe while that man is alive, with a shiver. «“Sick or well, he is dangerous.’’ [ she said, “Pshaw, Adah, your late picnic has got on your nerves. I tell you, he is our salvation if by any chance Laputo or the white scout discovers the secret of this valley.” “Shall you watch by the lake to-night?” she asked. “Yes. It is a needless precaution, but I won’t take the chance of being surprised. : can't possibly get to the pinnacles before to-morrow.” “Tl watch with you.” ee She spoke with determination. _ “You aré a fool to waste. your sleep, butt ‘t you can stand it I reckon I can,” said her husband. “You ought to thank me for bearing you company.” Brazos Jake put his arm around the waist of the beau-- tiful young woman and kissed her. “I ey ani of your welfare,”’ he said softly. “You are a good boy, Jake.” affectionately. a Buffalo Bill, ‘opening his eyes, beheld the action ind coughed gently. ae The woman instantly fixed a eyes on him. bie did ; not blush, but smiled in a brazen, unconcerned way. . “Don’t you wish you were in Jake’ s place?” she aauee with an ill-becoming giggle. — “No,” replied the king of scouts ecotty.: prefer my present position.” Adah Lafarge bit her lip. A hot retort arose in fier a throat, but she repressed it.. Her expression, however, _ was one of murderous hate. [a Buffalo Bill’s friends . She patted tik chee: ot : | ey on | Jake apologetically answered. | straighten out this matter.” Buffalo Bill stared at her so hard that at last she turned her face away. : “You and Adah don’t seem to hitch very well,” i marked the half-breed, as he leisurely prepared a ciga- Tee, The prisoner. laughed lightly. “Perhaps it is because we are not in the same class,’”’ he responded, The words, coupled with the tone and manner of de- _ livery, so infuriated the woman that she again faced the | prostrate scout and launched into a torrent of invective. | In her coarse, violent vituperation she forgot her sex. ), Buffalo Bill’s countenance wore a broad smile while she )) was making this repulsive exhibition of herself. Brazos. 4 Jake frowned as he listened to her billingsgate. “Cut that,” he commanded harshly. “You are ma- o king a fool of yourself. Buffalo Bill is no friend of mine, ) but he is a gentleman. / you are not in the same class with him.” He’s dead right when he says “Do you know what you are saying?’ the woman de- _ manded, as she bent a steely look on the half-breed. » Brazos “Come outside and Vl “T am not saying anything to call you down,” _ Adah Lafarge’s expression Adenia a clange. . She rose, and after casting a contemptuous glance at the king of scouts, followed her husband out of doors. Five days passed without incident. Buffalo Bill’s wound was rapidly healing. It was less dangerous than had been at first supposed. In a few days he would be able to give a good account of himself. But he did not permit his captors to know how rapidly he was recov- » ering. He affected extreme weakness, and never walked | woman, : | advantage of her perturbed state of mind, went on: “It about when either Brazos Jake or the White Siren was in sight. Every night the half-breed watched by the lake, taking his sleep between daylight and noon. The woman took the alternate watch, and while both were cut of his presence the prisoner lay in the stone house _ securely bound. On the sixth day his captors looked for the return of Long Arm and the coming of a detach- ment of Pimas. ‘Night arrived, and Long Arm had not appeared. The next day Brazos Jake, ill at ease, said to Adah Lafarge: “I am going to risk it. The failure of Long . Arm to get back here shows that something is wrong. . I want to take a look out and see if all is straight up the trail. There is only one point of observation and that lies between the two pinnacles. I must take the chance of being seen, but I’ll be careful.” ; “Why not wait a day or two longer?” suggested the She was very nervous, and Brazos Jake, taking may be more dangerous to wait than to make the break now.” he ove no more and watched him with anxious eyes © as he set forth. waited for his return. THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. ag . On the coign of vantage by the subterranean lake she © And while she waited Buffalo Bill, believing that the time for action oe come, was making strenuous efforts to break his bonds. » It took some time for Brazos Jake to reach the point of observation between the pinnacles. He stood at the top of the fifty-foot wall that formed the base of the twin sentinels of rock, from which station his OF could sweep the country for miles. But he had no sooner arrived at the lookout-point than he beheld something that drove all the blood from his face and sent a thrill of fear through his frame. : His first glance had been directed to the stretch of sand immediately below him. The secret of the under- ground passage had been discovered. The sand over the stone covering had been scooped away, the slab had been lifted, and the cavity was now exposed to view. CHAPTER VIL. A TICKLISH SITUATION. ‘An hour after the departure from the Salt River hills © of Brazos Jake, Adah Lafarge, and Long Arm, the Na- vajo, Alkali Pete and Laputo, the disgraced chief of the Zuni-Mojaves, stood in the trail near the spot where Pete’s and Buffalo Bill’s animals had been concealed, and looked at each other with countenances expressive of supreme disgust. “Outplayed, by ther great horn no said the wrathy plainsman. “I mought ’a’ guessed it, but what could we do? Thar wuz ther chance of overhaulin’ ther rapscal- lions by meanderin’ in ther direction. I shore feel meachin’ ernuff ter bite off ther end of my tongue.” “We are alive,” returned the Indian calmly. have our rifles and the trail before us. bine. | “Whar’s Buffler, I wonder?” | Laputo looked at his companion a moment and then, without a word, sprang up the bank and was soon out of sight. Alkali Pete did not follow him. He knew his com- pany was not wanted. . In ten minutes the Indian returned. His face was graver than usual. “Buffalo Bill is wounded, and a prisoner,’ nounced, “How do ye know that, Laputo?” “T found the spot where he rested. There was blood there, but no body.” “Perhaps he crawled away and ee “No. He was carried away. The marks are there. His captors carried him down here.” The Indian ceased speaking and began a hurried in- spection of the ground above and below them. Presently he said: “Here and here are blood-marks, “We Better luck next he an- He wag lifted. — _ trail over which he rode with his captors. a 20 THE BUFFALO ! on his mustang and there are no more marks along the See for your- selt.” Alkali Pete was forced to admit that Laputo’s solution of the problem was the correct one. The trail was at once taken up and followed all that day. It was Alkali Pete's opinion that the fugitives were making for Covert’s Hole and the protection of the Pimas, Long before daylight next day they were again ma- king fast time along the trail. Night found them but a few miles from the pin- nacles. They passed them in daylight without a thought that beyond them and hidden deep in a shut-in valley were the captors and the captive. Within a radius of half a mile beyond the base of the pinnacles the sand showed no tracks of either man or beast. The wind had done its work well. As there was nothing suggestive of a hiding-place about the lofty rocks, the scout and his Indian com- _ panion pressed on until they came upon the trail of Long _Arm and the animals. Alkali Pete, trailer by instinct ond experience, and gifted with remarkable powers of observation, soon picked out the hoof-marks made by his own pony and the mus- tang of Buffalo Bill. He was now convinced that they were on the right track, | But Laputo soon called his attention to something that made him admit that the Indian could give him points. “We are following the trail of but one person,” he said, with a positiveness that made Pete look at him in made by Buffalo Bill’s mustang at Salt River. amazement. “Flow in ther name o’ Goshen do ye make thet outr” ~ he asked. “By a comparison of the pele T noticed the ie They are not like the tracks we see here.” “But I say they air. Consarn it, don’t ye think I know ther plug’s marks when I see ’em?” Alkali Pete spoke testily. Laputo paid no attention to this exhibi- tion of disbelief. He went on composedly. — “A horse with a man on his back makes a heavier track than a horse without a burden. Now these tracks before us are light, not heavy. In fact, there is but one heavy track, and that shows that there was but one rider for all these animals. things before,” he added, in a matter-of-fact tone. Alkali Pete scratched his head. “Shouldn't wonder if ye were right about this yer business, Laputo,” he reluctantly conceded, _“T know I am right,” stiffly replied the Indian. I have taken note of such” BILL STORIES. “Then whar air Buffler, an’ ther rest of ther out t An’ who is ahead on ther pony § a oA Navajo-% “What gives ye a hunch thataway ? “ ‘the way be rides, The eae of his bony. ferent from the other animals.” “In what respect, Laputo?” “It's a single-foot gait. The Navajo ae te lope or single-foot,” : “Wouldn’t this yer pony do ther single-foot act with ther White Siren or Brazos Jake onto his back ?” Pete thought he had stumped the Indian. He was chagrined when Laputo said quietly: “It is out of rea- It’s dif- _ son to suppose that either the woman or her confederate would ride a strange pony when his or her own animal was at hand,” “Thet’s shore so, Laputo. I caves. ther ha’r is short. Thar wuz but one person, an’ thet air one a Navajo. What does it mean?’ “It means that we have gone ahead of the other mem- bers of the party.” “Then we must turn back.”’ “No; bad move. In that gulch ahead is a good hae place. We must stay there and wait.” Alkali Pete looked thoughtfully at the ground for some moments. Then he said: “‘Laputo, ye shore hev a head onto yer shoulders as is a head. I spots yer scheme an’ I gits yer ijee. It’s clever, it’s shore plumb outer sight. Fer some reason or other—Buffler’s con- dition, want o’ help, or some sich matter—-Brazos Jake hey concluded ter halt an’ send ther Injun on fer grub I reckon he expects ther Pimas ter show aD afore we git on to ther hole whar he an’ ther woman an’ an’ Pimas. Buffler air hidin’, We'll fool him a bunch. We'll over- haul ther Pima outfit an’ spile the little reenforcement game, eh?’ — i Laputo nodded his head. 4 “'Tain’t likely ther Navajo’ll fetch along more’n half f a dozen Pimas, an’ we shore kin manage thet number! Ef we kain’t then it’s time ter pull down our signs an’ go inter ther business of raisin’ cabbages or sellin’ corn Medicine,” + _For several days the scout suid the Indian waited foe the coming of Long Arm and the Pimas. The gulch where they had taken up their station was wooded in places, and they found a spot secure from observation which permitted a good view of the trail. One forenoon the Indian, who was then on the look-_ out, announced that a band of horsemen was approach: ‘ing. Alkali Pete gave a grunt of satisfaction. With rifles ready they waited for the coming combat. To the agreeable surprise of the watchers the band _ became resolved into three ae the Navajo ang two Pimas. You hev me whar THE BUFFALO _ “We've shore got a picnic,” whispered Pete to Laputo. | “It’s a shame ter tackle sich a dinky layout.” The Indians came nearer. The foremost was opposite the hiding-place of the trailers when Alkali Pete rose | up and with rifle raised shouted in te Pima tongue: _ “Han’s up, or ye lose!” _ The command was not obeyed. Quick as a flash Long Arm slid from his saddle to the ground. His pony, obeying a sharp command, sank to its knees and thus offered a living barricade for his master. | One of the Pimas held up his hands. f to imitate Long Arm, but before he could secure a place | of temporary safety, Laputo’s rifle spoke and the Pima’s | life was instantly cut short. | Quick upon the report of Alkali Pete’s rifle a bullet _ grazed the brave scout’s temple. Long Arm, from his barricade, had acted. As Pete, dazed by the shock, lowered ‘his cite stag- | gered, and fell, the Pima, who had had his hands up- | raised, suddenly dropped them and, giving his pony a MM sharp prod with his Span spurs, sent the animal over h the bank. | At the moment of this Nes ton Laputo, with rifle in hand, was s crawling toward a better point of vantage. There was not a sharp descent into the guich.. The ‘bank sloped and the Pima’s pony on the first leap down- ward cleared the body of Alkali Pete and thus defeated the purpose of the rider. The Zuni-Mojave chief ad as the animal’s hoofs struck the gravel. He saw the Pima draw a tomahawk, » and though from his position he could not see the pros- | trate scout, he understood what was contemplated. The tomahawk did not fly from the Pima’s hand, for, as it was raised, two. shots were fired. They came close together and the ally of Long Arm dropped from his saddle, his skull bored in two places. Before rushing forward Laputo crawled up the bank, and without making himself a see for a bullet, looked toward the trail, _ Long Arm was gone. Taking advantage of the divertisement inaugurated by the Pima, he had mounted his pony and ridden swiftly away from a dangerous spot. He might or might not have killed the white scout. But even if he had suc- ceeded in putting one of his foes out of the way, there was the other, the cunning and vindictive Zuni-Mojave to contend with, And this remaining enemy had the advantage, for he was hidden from view in the gulch, Long Arm was looking out for his own scalp, and without any consideration of the predicament of the Pima _ he galloped away from the scene as soon as possible, Laputo sent a bullet after the retreating Navajo, but without eect, The fugitive was out of range. BILE. STORIES. The other tried 21° ~The dead Pima’s pony was mounting the bank as La- puto moved ‘toward Alkali Pete. Uttering a peculiar whistle, the chief ran after the animal, The pony reached the top of the bank and halted. Laputo whistled again, and then ascending the Pans, caught the pony by the bridle. 5 The Indian was in sight from the gulch, and at this — ' moment ne heard a familiar VOICe say: : “Bully fer ye, Laputo. Ridin’ shore puts walkin’ outer business. Whar’s the other pony?” The chief cast his eyes downward and beheld Alkali. Pete sitting up and rubbing his head. “He’s down the trail a little way, grazing.” “Good. Reckon we'll give shanks’ mare a holiday.” He rose to his feet as he ee and staggered toward Laputo. The Indian’s black eyes were dimmed as he assisted his companion up the bank. ee “Not much hurt?” he asked sympathetically. “Ain’t hurt a bit. Bullet hit a funny-bone an’ rattled my think-works fer a minute.” He wiped the blood from his temple and disclosed the extent of the injury. “Huh!” remarked the Indian, “it was a close shave.” “Thet’s shore so, son. An’ we both fetched ther mur- derin’ Pima, eh ?” “I was surprised at your shot,” said rae with a look of admiration. “Which I desires ter remark thet I wuz surprised at myself. My peepers wuz jest openin’ when T seen thet air .Pima monkeyin’ with his tomahawk. I shore felt something all in a holy second bresh the cobwebs from my brain. Then ther rifle riz up an’ my finger pressed ther trigger.” ~The lanky plainsman looked down the trail. Arm was a mere speck in the distance. With the same thought in the mind of each of the Long trailers the chief mounted the Pima’s pony, Pete strad- dled behind, and they made as fast time as was pos- sible until the other pony was reached, ee Now, each mounted upon an animal of he own, the pursuit was briskly renewed. Pete was in fine spirits and gave it as his opinion that the escape of the Navajo was the best thing that could have happened. “For why?” said he. “He'll lead us to the hole whar Brazos an’ ther woman air holdin’ out. He’s shore ther. monkey thet’ll yank our chestnuts outen ther fire.” As they rode on they were pleased to discover that they were gaining on their quarry. But soon Laputo began to shake his head. “He is allowing us to gain on him,” was his com- ment. ‘“What’s his Object Pe “T don’t know, an’ I don’t keer, Laputo. Ef he’s up to any sneakin’ aaa we may be able ter copper it. Give ther hound rope an’ he'll shore hang himself,” : : ey Suddenly, when not more than half a mile in advance of his pursuers, Long Arm was observed to stop and dismount. The spot was in front of the two pinnacles. The two trailers spurred their ponies to greater speed. As they came nearer they were astonished at the spec- tacle that was presented. Long Arm had scooped a big hole in the sand and was lifting a slab of rock. He ducked his head as two bullets clove the air. The two trailers saw him no more. They approached the base of the pinnacle cautiously. When within a few rods of the spot the chief dis- mounted and, after speaking rapidly to his companion, flattened himself on his stomach and wriggled forward - toward the hole the Navajo had exposed. Alkali Pete on his pony held his rifle at.his shoulder. But no hostile demonstration followed the approach of the Zuni Mojave. He reached the excavation, saw the stone stairs lead- ing downward, and a light of ees came into his eyes. Turning his head he beckoned to Alkali Pete. The long-limbed scout quickly dismounted oe came to the aid of the Indian. “Ther jumpin’ jewhillikins!” he ejaculated. “What- ever hev we bumped inter? Maybe it’s a second edition of ther “Rabyin’ Nights’ an’ this yer is Aladdin’s cave.’ “Aztecs,” responded Laputo sententiously. “Made long, long time ago.” “Do ye know whar ther cave leads ter?” ; “I can guess. valley beyond from the grandfather of Brazos Jake.” “Then Jake an’ ther woman air in thar fer a eee dollars.” The chief's brilliant eyes gleamed savagely. ‘‘They are,” he said, and then he rose to his feet. “Let us secure our ponies,” were his next words. We won't need them for a long while.’ As there were no trees about, the ne were hob- bled. This duty Beeopeicd the two men sat down by the hole and considered the situation. Laputo told the strange story of the hidden valley and the dangers of the _ journey through the cave as it had been given to him by the grandfather of the half-breed ae the hus- band of Adah Lafarge. The thought of an ambush by the subterranean lake sent the cold chills down Alkali Pete’s back. A braver man never lived, but the prospect of death under cir- cumstances pictured by his imagination made him shiver. But soon his superb courage and disregard of self rose superior to his fears. “It’s a tough proposition,” he remarked, “but I reckon I hev got ter tackle it.. Bill would do as much fer me. I heard the story of this cave and the THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. _ Many’s ther time he’s snatched me outer ther jaws QO’ death, Maybe we kin beat ther ambush. Clap on yer thinkin’-cap, Laputo, an’ see ef ye can’t trot out a scheme thet’ll do ther business fer us.’ . “Tt’s ten chances to one that the Navajo left this hole open so as to lure us down into it, and it is a hundred chances to one that he is now in ambush by the lake. I am going to act on the one chance ‘in a hundred.” So saying, Laputo went down the stairs to the large chamber, beyond which rose and zigzagged the path to the wide shelf overlooking the lake. Alkali Pete followed him. They were without can- dles, but Pete struck a match and as the light flared up they were enabled to see all parts of the chamber and the opening to the upward passage. Moving noiselessly to the opening, Laputo crouched and listened. For ten minutes he remained in this position. Then he turned and whispered to Pete, who was by his side: “The Navajo is at some distance away. He must be at the lake.” Vail what-up ten us?) ¢ “There is only one thing to do—go forward until we come to the point just below the shelf by the lake. There, out of sight, we must stay and wait for either the Pima or Brazos Jake to show himself. They will be puzzled at our non- ADDS ance: and one of them may leave the ambush to investigate,” “Thet’s. whar ae ‘re off, Laputo,” said Alkali Pete: “They'll know we're in ther cave an’ they won’t take. ther chance of runnin’ inter a trap. What’s ther mat- ter with one o’ them slippin’ down from ther wall above ther hole an’ back-firin’ us? Hedn’t thought o’ that, hed ye?” a The Indian frowned. “My friend is as shrewd as he is brave,” he replied. “He has what Laputo lacks. He shall watch by the hole outside while Laputo guards the approach to the shelf.” : ' This program was acceptable to Alkali Pete, and each immediately proceeded to take his designated station. Buffalo Bill’s partner was on the stone steps of the _ entrance when a movement above his head caused him to look up quickly. | He could see no one, but the shadow of a man’s _ form thrown upon the sand told him that an enemy — was on top of the wall over his head. He instantly retreated to the chamber. He did not think he had been observed, for a rifle or pistol-shot would likely have followed a discovery ~of his presence. But the fact was borne home to him that the enemy knew that he as well as Laputo was in the cave. The ponies were in plain sight, and information must a been given by the Navajo. . In the darkness of the chamber, with his eyes on the | Jake was starting to circle the rock. H) weapon of some kind. #) comfort. stairs upon which the daylight fell, Alkali Pete ee for developments. And as he waited, Brazos Jake, i his elevated position between the two Dinuacles,, ‘tied to decide upon a course of action. © ‘Suddenly his eyes fell upon the Indian ponies hich, had been ridden by Alkali Pete and Laputo. He did not know that Long Arm had entered the cave, and, therefore, the sight of the ponies caused him to believe that Long Arm had returned bringing with him not a force of Pimas, but only one of them. -Probably the Navajo and the Pima had just entered the cave. His fears gone, the half- oe turned his face toward | & | the valley. As he did so there came a quick return of fear. : ; ger from an unexpected direction confronted him. | Running from the stone house and making for the : ‘upper outlet of the cave was Buffalo Bill. The king of scouts saw his enemy just in time to . avoid a bullet. He flung himself on the ground and, i ) crawling forward, sought the protection of a large rock. He was CLM at and his situation was a desperate _ an open space of twenty feet. © at the hands of the half-breed, who was rapi idly ad- i vancing in the direction of the rock. Cautiously looking out, the border king saw that Brazos “What is he afraid ofr” was his thought. “Perhaps he fears that I have a | follow his example.” ( Watching every movement of the half- bree the (che H of scouts kept changing his position so that his body Was never once in sight of the enemy. At last Brazos Jake stopped. He understood the game that was being played, and though it seemed to indicate that the man in hiding was unarmed, still so great was his respect for the famous scout and Indian- ue that he declined to rush forward. . _ While the half-breed stood in a "hesitating attitude, Adah Lafarge came out of the cave. She had met Long Te Arm, had heard his disquieting story, and leaving him cat the ambush, had come out to confer with her hus- a band. Buffalo Bill saw her, he her presence did not tee The danger of his position was increased. ‘He could show himself, hold up his hands, and return a prisoner to the house, but his soul revels at 2 an (alternative. _ ‘His eyes were on the woman who was walking rapidly toward Brazos Jake, when a blood- -curdling ee saluted his ears. : e a came » from the mouth of the cave. THE BUFFALO Dane To reach the shelter of the cave he must traverse To remain where he was would be to invite sure death If he is playing for oF BILL STORIES, | 7 | a CHAPTER NAD BUFFALO BILL'S STRATEGIC MOVE. After leaving Alkali Pete, Laputo noeeteesly eoest along’ the passage Hale Oo a chamber to: oe sub- terranean lake. . a Og Turning the last bend, he saw he shelf; whh was 5 half in daylight.” Within a few feet of it, secure from obser- vation, he halted. Above the low rumbling of the ede in the lake he could hear the sound of human voices. ‘ One was a man’s, the other a woman’s. Lap clenched his hands and gritted his teeth. He recognized the woman’s voice. It was’ that of the White Siren. The two spoke in the Navaie tongue. Laputo’s ears were very acute and he was able to catch the most of the conversation. - “T left the Hee, open, 4 co ee said, “ond our en- emies will not think I did it purposely. They. will con-. clude that I had not time to close it, Hor ay were in sight swhen I went down.’ Adah Lafarge shivered with deend, Though the. posi- tion she occupied might be impregnable; yet the very thought of the near presence of the person she had so terribly wronged aftrighted her. ‘ “T wish you had killed Laputo,” she said. At ee words the Zuni-Mojave chief felt an almost overpow- ering desire to rush forward and strangle her.” al he kept his place and waited for more points. After a pause the woman said: “Jake must be warned, He vey think up some plan to make a quick end o these spies.” i CAT right,” rejoined Long Arm. ‘“‘T’ll stay here while you hunt up Jake.” : Adah Lafarge walked away a few steps and then turned and spoke these parting words: “Take no ~ chances. If Laputo or the white man showed himself — on the shelf shoot and then spring out... The grave. of the enemy must be the: dark, bottomless Jake.”. _ Wee Although the Zuni-Mojave chief could not see the: Navajo he believed that while the woman was speaking the eyes of her ally were turned in her direction. Quick. to act on-this belief Laputo was on the shelf and sli-. — ding across it before the White Siren had turned. o back on the Navajo. o oe The shelf was a half-moon in thane and Taputo. was. concealed near the end from which came the sharp turn into a pocket that served the purpose of an ambush, at. the moment Long Arm resumed his vigilant attitude. At the spot where Laputo rested were a number of small stones. Picking up one of them the Zuni-Mojave flung it with all his force against the rocky: oe over the mouth of the watery abyss. : Owing to the gurgling and foaming of the water the : 2a THE BUFFALO noise produced by the stone was not loud. It was suffi- cient, however, to cause the startled Navajo to project his head a few inches beyond the edge of rock, the extremity of the miniature promontory which had been sheltering him. This action proved his vane Ouick as fohoine Laputo’s knife descended and the Navajo rolled over with the blood gushing from his neck. os Another moment and the ne was + contemptuously kicked into the lake. ne Now, with head erect and eyes gleaming with savage anticipation, the chief of oo ele went for vad out of the cave. - At the mouth he Babee’ dou the ialtey and a oe breath was drawn as his ohn oo BG the tableau be- fore him. From his position she could see Buffalo Bill as well as Adah Lafarge and Brazos Jake. It was at this moment that the woman espied the head of Buffalo Bill. : | She was about to raise her revolver and fire when Laputo, divining her intention, uttered the yell which startled the king of scouts as well as Brazos Jake and his evil-minded wife. The woman turned, saw Laputo, and a scream of ter- ror issued from her lips, The next instant oe was run- ning like a deer for the stone house. The Zuni- Mojave chief’s rifle cracked and the half- _ breed, in the act of raising his own weapon, dropped it and pitched forward on his face and lay still. o With a shout of triumph Laputo dashed forward to take the scalp of the fallen enemy. Buffalo Bill arose to his feet from behind the boulder. He was looking at Laputo and the prostrate half-breed when Brazos Jake, who had been shamming, got quickly to his knees and pressed the trigger of his rifle. The aim was not a good one, otherwise the Zuni No: jave’s career would have ended then and there. : As it was, the bullet passed within an inch of. the chief’s head. Upon the heels of the report came a shout from the ‘mouth of the cave. Alkali Pete stood there and ‘was waving his arms wildly, “Pinas! !”’ he yelled. Va nat Se hull mob comin’ toward ther pinnacles.” Laputo, startled in the act of taking his revenge upon Brazos Jake, lost his chance, and a second bullet would in all probability have done fatal execution, had not a stone, thrown by the practised hand of Buffalo Bill, struck the villain squarely between the 27 and knocked all the sense out of his body. Alkali Pete witnessed the act and then called out: “I am goin’ back to ther lake. got. time fera converzashony.” _ Jake’s game. Told ye what’s up. Ain’ te BILL STORIES. _As he disappeared from view the border king ran up to the prostrate half-breed and quickly secured his hands and feet. Then lifting iE body in his strong arms he started for the cave. Laputo stood still with his eyes on the stone owes In the doorway could be seen the form of the ee Siren. ‘ I reckon you had better stay here and a an eye on the woman while I and Pete are holding the fort underground.” The chief hodeed his head. The lanky plainsman was found at the ambush by the lake. After depositing the body of Brazos Jake upon the floor of the passage, Buffalo Bill pat down besige his comrade. “Tell me what you discovered,” he said. “T wuz lookin’ outer ther hole outside when I seen a band o’ Pimas ridin’ teward me. Thinks I ter myself, these air Injuns air shore ther second instalment . ther reenforcements fer Brazos Jake.” _ "There has been a first instalment, then?” “Hedn’t ye heerd of it?” Hevn’t ye talked ae La-_ puto?” : “No. I have been a prisoner and I know nothing. No Pimas have entered the valley.” Alkali Pete chuckled. “I shore reckon Laputo is re- sponsible fer ther disappearance of ther last one of ther murderin’ contingent. Ain’t got time ter reel off ther yarn, now... Second instalment’s too near.” \ Silence followed these words. The two scouts listened with all their ears for sounds that should announce the coming of the enemy. Ten minutes went by and the silence remained un- _ broken, : “They must hev seen ther hole,” whispered Alkali Pete. “An’ bein’ Pimas, they must be onto Brazos Til bet a peanut gin a flapjack thet Jake’s brother is headin’ this second redskin outfit. Copper Steve we calls him, an’ he’s slicker’n goose-grease. 1 got a notion ter slide down an’ investigate.” oe “Don’t do it,” urged Buffalo Bill. “If Copper Steve is with the Pimas he will be ve for just such _a break.” . “But something hev got cr be done, Bill,” grumbled Pete, “We kain’t stay here all day an’ suck our thumbs.” — “Tf I-had a riata I would make a play that would spoil the game these Pimas are playing,” said the king 2 of scouts. . “What would ye aim ter do?” “Td go to the top of the wall between the two pin- nacles and with the aid of the riata drop down, if the - conditions should be favorable.” : “Thet’s shore ther Deiicet trick of all.. An) ten. agi in, : ye hevn’t got no riata.” e Ten more minutes passed. Buffalo Bill occupied the time by gazing at his buckskin suit and re ao head. it, but have got to.” “Got ter do what? Tumble of er wall an’ persent yet skelp to ther waitin’ Pimas?’’ we mine ” Then he sided before his companion could voice an emphatic protest: “I will go out and take a look up the valley and then come back. If the situation shall have shown no important change, I will have to a p 6the coat.” m it was but a short distance from the place of ambush. » During his absence, should any disturbance occur at ae lake, he would become aware of it. @ From his post of observation Buffalo Bill could see ®@ but one human being in the ay and that was La- We puto. a | The Indian was moving about the stone boise, the door of which was shut. 7) The border king smiled. ‘The woman’s inside,” ran his thoughts, “and she has barricaded: herself.. The chief wants to get inside and can’t. Well, he’ll make )) a good sentinel while I am prospecting this new danger.” ye He returned to his comrade and was informed that | nothing had happened while he had been away. Without a word the king of scouts divested himself m of his buckskin coat, and then drawing out his hunting- ) knife, began to slit the garment. # with strips half an inch in width. The buckskin was @) thick and strong, and in a short time Buffalo Bill had: ® a stout, serviceable rope, nearly fifty feet in length. — It )) had been doubled and twisted and would support a weight 4 «of several hundred pounds. Alkali Pete gravely observed the preparation. ] “Suppose ye find ther Pimas in ae cave? What @@ then?” he asked. : | “Then is some time from now. )) by circumstances. %) will not oblige me to enter the cave.’ | Alkali Pete looked hard at the smiling po a mo- ment, then he slapped his leg understandingly. » “Pm shore on,” he said, with an appreciative grin. j L “Ye hope ter find ther Pimas in ther cave an’ then it'll j ) be ther play ter clap down ther slab an’ shet ’em in.” | “That's the idea.” | “By ther jumpin’ jewhillikins, but it’s a SiHootee Bill. « Go it, my son, an’ I'll roost ee hyer eatin’ a hearf out : because I kain’t be wuth ye.” mene Buffalo Bill departed alter: promising to return as soon s possible. “Alkali, ” he eid breaking the » silence, “TI hate to do I have got to make a rope out ne this coat of © The king of scouts went to the mouth of the cave. Soon his lap was filled | dangling rope. I shall be governed But I hope to ae conditions oe toward the mouth of the cave. ward. THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. | - He reached the top of the wall and, in a niche of rock secure from observation, looked down upon the sandy y space in front of the pinnacles. ‘The hole was uncovered and tracks ose te showed that the Pimas had recently been there. _ Shifting his— gaze so as to take in the surrounding country he was gratified to observe that a number of ponies, ten in all, were hobbled a short distance below the pinnacles. Two of the animals had been ridden to the place by Alkali Pete and Bante, but this fact was unknown to him. - : - For a few minutes - he waited with ears alert and then began preparations to descend. a There were many rocky projections on the side be one of the pinnacles just beyond the face of the wall, and to: one of these he secured one end of his rope. Before at- tempting the descent he thoroughly: tested the buckskin. Satisfied that the knots would hold and that the rope _ possessed sufficient strength, he grasped the buckskin ° and let himself slowly down, keeping a wary eye mean-: while upon the exposed entrance to the cave. _ _ The outlook being encouraging, he went down with: more rapidity and struck the sand about five feet from the cavity. Without an instant’s pause he ran to the bale! There was not a moment to be lost, for at any moment he might be discovered. He reached the slab and was ee to move it when the head of an Indian showed at the foot of the stairs. Crack! went a pistol, and bang! went the slab. The heavy cover was provided with a lever- lock, and | when Buffalo Bill threw the lever forward and heard the snap of metal he knew that the slab would resist all the pressure that could be brought to bear oe it . from below. With a satisfied expression on his handsome face he arose, drew a deep breath, and then started for the Up it he went with the agility of a monkey. us At the top of the wall he cought a screen and looked ; out toward the valley. eae To his consternation he saw Adah Lafarce hurrying q A moment later and she oO was out of sight. | What had Hapneneee Where was Laputo? Bad i - fallen a victim to the woman’s murderous. craft? Like a deer he ran for the cave. CHAPTER IX. THE VICTORY ACHIEVED. Hoping and yet fearing, the brane scout pressed. for- i If the woman, upon entering the iindeeuetid pas- . 2 26 THE BUFFALO sage, should proceed slowly he oh be able to overtake and spoil her murderous game. But if she hurried | on —he dared not think: further. : ve - He was at the’ entrance to the cave when several oo reports were heard. He divined aaa what was - happening. ue trapped Pimas were endeavoring to rush the ambush. Down the dark passage he plunged, his blood tingling in his veins, and a fierce resolve gripping his heart. Alkali Pete, attacked from before and behind, might lose his life. If so, that loss should be terribly avenged. He was more thanchalf-way tothe spot where he had left his. comrade, when a Perey cracked in front of him, wi two bounds he came in. sight, of the shelf ae the sate terranean lake: He saw Alkali Pete lying prone in the place of ambush, and Adah Lafarge stooping over the bound form of Brazos Jake, while beyond arose the faces of Indians swarming upon the shelf. Crack! crack! went his Winchester, and howls a oie: followed the reports. Then he ducked his: head: and, gliding ed _ snatched the pistol from Adah ad s:- hand. and hee - it into the lake. A faint voice sent joy to his heart. “I ain't dead,. Bill,” it. said. “Attend to ther Pimas an’ [’lt hold ther she-devil level,” Alkali Pete raised himself to a: sitting ae sud spoke just in time, for the woman had a knife and was about to throw it at Buffalo’ Bill’s’ head. The sight of the lanky plainsman’s revolver, the muz- zle of which was on a line with her baa made her pause. : All was still send: the dele The Bimnas hed ae drawn from sight. The presence of Buffalo Bill and the. work of his death- fe rifle had oS the. a of rushing the ambush. cs ? “Are you hurt, Pete?” asked his friend, in ‘great con- cern. ? “Nary a hurt,” was the cheerful reply. “Mought ’a _ been but, fer thet air silver plate I wear over my heart. Ther bullet struck ther plate an’ took Hk breath away. Thet’s shore all.” 2 Adah Lafarge, who sat in ios of he two scouts with the knife in her hand, bit her lip and scowled. “Alkali, reach over and ba that knife. Pll a ee you don’t get hurt.” Quick as a flash the knife left the woman’s hand and the point would’have entered Buffalo Bill’s neck if he had not dodged in expectation of i such a demonstra- con® : _ ‘The weapon struck the rocky bun and then. re- bounded and fell at the border king’s feet. o. He picked it up and. flung it into the lake. BILL ae ee 2 i _ “T am not much on souvenirs,” he said, with a twinkle in his eye, “or I might place more store on a weapon belonging to the most dangerous woman in America.” _ “Vil get you yet,” she hissed. ; ce | “Not if I can help it,” replied the scout. “You'd have been a dead man before if I could hase had my way,’ she went on vindictively. Then she added: “You have fixed Brazos Jake, you think you have fixed me, But just wait and I'll fix you as I have fixed that spying lunkhead of a Zuni-Mojave.” Buffalo Bill’s face paled. Had she killed the chief? Her presence in the cave seemed to support this theory. _ She laughed like a fiend as she noted the expression ef the scout’s countenance. ‘“He’s where no. one will ever find him,” she proceeded. “He is in his grave, and that’s the truth.” With a nod to Alkali Ban Buffalo. Bill arose and stretched his arms. While Adah Lafarge was regarding him with a look of mingled fear and doubt he suddenly sank to his knees, threw out his arms and caught her wrists. She tried to a use her teeth, but before she could do so her head was forced back and a hand of iron was gripping her throat. “T hate to use violent measures with a woman,” the king of scouts remarked, “but in your case Ill have to unless you behave yourself and quietly submit to the inevitable. Come to think of it, you are a woman only in external appearance. You have the soul of a fiend.” She ceased struggling. Of what avail, she told herself, _ “to pit herself against this a and ce en- on the wall of the pinnacles. With it he bound the woman, hand and fou “When ae ease up a bit Vl make a- search ay the gems,” he quietly remarked. “No, you won’t,” she exclaimed fiercely. “Tf I don’t it will be because you will make up your mind’ to produce them,” he coolly replied. : A look at Brazos Jake showed that the cords which bound him were intact. | and there was in them a look of dread, . “How are you feeling, Jake: Pe inquired Buffalo Bil coldly. : “TY am feeling that you owe me- something,” strange reply. tae “Ves? And what is the nature of the oplisation 7) 7 . “Tf it-wasn’t for me you’d been dead days oO. a HN wife wanted to kill you and I wouldn’t have it? = _ “Was this action of yours prompted by love of n me, or | was it in the nature of a postponement?” Brazos Jake had no answ@r ready. en ae teckon the postponement idea is the correct. “one, | was the : Wrapped shout Buffalo Bill’s waist was the buckskia | : rope which had served to make possible a descent from & The half-breed’s eyes were oo . 0’ jabberin’ an ¥ port of a pistol was heard. ~ | else you wouldn’t have tried to pot me in the valley a | little while ago. Any other es circumstances | you can conjure up?” Release me and I will tell you where the gems are hidden,” replied Jake. “I know where they are hidden.” “No, you don’t,” retorted Buffalo Bill. “Want me to show where they are?” eo Ves: Buffalo Bill made a move as if to place his hand upon Adah Lafarge’s shoulder. She shrank back and hissed out the words: “Keep your hands off. Don’t dare touch me", en The border king laughed. “I didn’t intend to touch you,” he said. “I only wanted to sy your husband that I knew where to look for the gems,” “You haven’t got them yet,” she said spitefully. “No, but I have Bor the casket, and the casket is not going to run away.” Alkali Pete, who had been watching the shelf, now ™ spoke in a low whisper. “Something is goin’ on down yon. Mine 2 —- He stopped suddenly. I just heard a lot The faint re- The two scouts were gazing at each other in surprise | when there came the quick rush of feet up the passage )) leading to the shelf. Buffalo Bill shot the first Indian that showed his : 1 head, but the shot did not deter others from pressing ' : forward. Below other shots were fired. The Indians had been attacked from the rear. Adah Lafarge forced herself into a sitting posture i and was craning her neck to look beyond the promontory )) when a tomahawk, missing the crouching figure of Buf- ) falo Bill, struck her between the eyes, knocking her ( backward, and ending her evil career. There were now three Indians on the shelf, and one ( was about to pass the extremity of the promontory ‘ when, spat! went the rifles of the two scouts. Each shot took effect, but before either Buffalo Bill a or Alkali Pete could fire again, the third Indian had © leaped upon the king of scouts, © He was a powerful fellow, and the leap sent Buffalo : Bill backward and against the body of Adah Lafarge. _ The collision caused him to stumble, and the Pima was on top of him before the scout could use his arms. For a few moments the two combatants struggled fiercely, Alkali Pete looking on with Eee ioe in- erest. The lanky plainsman knew that the Pima was the last of the band, for the person who had inaugurated the fight below had followed the Pima across the shelf, hat person was Laputo, the chief of the Zuni-Mojaves. e stood with folded arms by Alkali oe side and aited for the end, THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES. a It came soon. | The king of scouts was as strong as a bull and as slippery as an eel. As the Pima tried to clutch his en- emy by the throat Buffalo Bill twisted his head and, catching the Indian by the wrist, gave a sudden twist, heard the bones crack, and then disengaging his hand, doubled it and sent it upward into the pit of the Pima’s stomach. As the Pima howled and squirmed, the resolute, clear- brained athlete and fighter grasped his foe by the throat — and thigh, and then, exerting all the power of his mus- cular body, rose staggering to his feet, and raising his wriggling human burden, flung it over his head. The body of the Indian struck the rocky wall and then descended with a fatally suggestive thud upon the prostrate form of Brazos Jake. The spectators heard one muffled groan and then all was still. Alkali Pete stepped forward and dragged the body of the Pima away to one side. Examination showed that both men were dead. The Indian’s skull had been crushed by the terrible impact with a wall, and the heavy fall of his body upon the helpless half-breed had ended the life of the last mem- ber of the band of enemies. The king of scouts, panting from his exertions, was sitting on the edge of the promontory when Laputo stooped beside the body of the White Siren. For some moments his hands were occupied. : _ When he arose and faced the two scouts he held in his hands a small oilskin bag. Opening it he glanced at the contents, then refastened it and tossed it to Buffalo Bill. “The gems are all there,” he said quietly, though his dark eyes were gleaming with triumph. The border king was placing the bag in his breast when Laputo turned, lifted the woman’s a and moved toward the yawning abyss. The two scouts looked at him, but no word passed the lips of either. Arrived at the shelf, Laputo paused at the brink a the foaming pit long enough to utter solemnly a few sentences in the tongue of his race. Then the body of Adah Lafarge was hurled downward. _ Similar disposition of the other bodies was made. It was not until the three friends were outside of the cave of death that Buffalo Bill asked a question that had been uppermost in his mind ever since the strange reappearance of the Zuni-Mojave chief. _ “The woman said she had put you in a grave. What did she mean, and how did you get to the chamber in the cave, in the Pimas’ rear ?’’. Laputo gravely answered: “The Great Father looked out for me. It was never meant that the White Siren should destroy me. She planned my destruction, little a THE oe aowing that the plan was directed against herself. - She did not know when she saw me fall in a hole she. had prepared she was pointing out the way for oy own downfall.” “What hole? Whar wuz it? An’ how did Ve come ter tumble inter it? Settle down ter business, Laputo,” put in Alkali Pete impatiently. The chief, with a flicker of a smile about hie Aips, : went on calmly: “I was scouting about the stone house when I heard a door softly open. and saw the White Siren peering out. I sprang for- ward and succeeded in reaching the door before she could shut it. I know now that she had no intention of shutting it. The opening was a lure. “As I pushed the. door wide open and rushed in I. stepped into an open trap in the stone floor. not been in a hurry I would have avoided it. There were stone steps, and striking them I slid down to the bottom, where all was darkness. My rifle never left my hand. As I regained my feet I heard a mocking laugh and then the stone door dropped and I, as I thought, was left to occupy a living grave. “Luckily, I had flint and steel, and in my breast some oiled reeds, With a light I soon made an astonishing as well as an agreeable discovery. I had not been pre- cipitated into a cellar from which I could not escape, for at the farther wall was a tunnel. Where it led I could not guess, but I felt convinced that it led to. freedom. “The discovery of the tunnel caused me to believe that my remorseless enemy did not know of its existence. She had found the trap, and without investigating it, had concluded that it was a cellar. “Once in the tunnel I followed it for a long distance until it brought me to the outlet near the large chamber of the cave. The passage to the larger opening from the chamber was narrow and cunningly masked. When I reached the end of it I saw that I would have to drop the length of my body. I was about to do so when I heard voices in the chamber. I instantly es my light and waited. / “Soon I was able to catch the words and understand _what had happened. The Pimas had artived and were about to go on to the assistance of Brazos Jake and the White Siren. When the last one had passed my place of concealment I dropped down and followed them. “They were preparing to rush the ambuscade beyond the shelf when I opened on them. You know the rest. The Pimas who escaped me went down before the oe aim of my two brothers. The great fight is over.” ‘ Thet’s shore so, Laputo, an’ it’s up ter me ter say that ther Zuni- elev: ak is wuz in it with both “feet |. There were ponies and to spare for the return _jour- ie ney to the Indian pueblo. : I looked toward it! If I had . Times at Bubble- Ay pee STORIES. ‘The three friends did not hurry. They went forward by slow stages. . Buffalo Bill had been ae a month tor the carry- ing out of his promise to restore the gems and bring in the White Siren. His work had been so quickly per- formed that he had made use of but little more than half the time which had been at his disposal. C The death of Adah Lafarge would prevent fulfilment to the letter of the promise he had made, but he believed that the restoration of the stolen treasure, coupled with the appearance of the rehabilitated chief, would more than suffice to satisfy the demands of the tribe. Y The king of scouts was right in his conclusion. The high priest and the members of the tribe, without excep- tion, welcomed Laputo as one risen from the dead, and when Buffalo Bill had in eloquent and highly eulogistie words told the story of the chief’s steadfastness and _ bravery they set up a shout that made the woods ring, He had sinned, but he had made ample atonement. When the suggestion was made that he assume his former position of authority ee refused to listen to it. His good brother, Prancing Bee had beg ahoeh chief, and as chief he must remain. Laputo would be © content to live in the pueblo a faithful and modest subordinate. Prancing Buck, in a spirit of generosity and self- sacrifice, tried to alter Laputo’s decision, but to no avail. And so the matter was allowed to rest. : A big feast followed the return of Buffalo Bill ane his friends. Speeches of peace and good-will were made, — and when the two scouts left the pueblo of the Zuni- Mojaves, they. carried with them the assurance that the Indians would continue to be the friends of the whites. It may be said here that the it was oo id kept. | The king of scouts presented his documents to Colo- io nel Cameron and told his interesting story. 7 Alkali Pete heard it and stoutly asserted that Buffalo a Bill had exhibited a modesty that gave a colorless com- plexion to many of the important facts. Whereupon _ he furnished a supplemental account that did full justice, — to the hero of this tale. | At the conclusion of the report the colonel grasped the famous Indian-fighter by the hands, : : “Cody, ” he said, in a voice charged with deep emo- tion, medal. By your remarkable skill and nes you sa ‘ saved thousands of precious lives. You : VOR cute, | broke 1 in the gallant border king. smoke,” “Let's ‘THE END. The next whee issue of the Burrato Biti Bromus. No. 280, is entitled “Buffalo Bill’s Ghost Raid; Of, a “the United States Government owes you a gold 4 ) ISSUED EVERY TUESDAY. BEAUTIFUL COLORED COVERS © Buffalo Bill wins his way into the heart of every one who reads these strong stories of stirring adventure on the wide prairies of the West. Boys, if you want tales of the West that are drawn true to life, do not pass these by. PRICE FIVE CENTS PER COPY For sale by all newsdealers, or sent, by the publishers to any address upon receipt of price in money or postage stamps HERE ARE THE _ \) 255-—Buffalo Bill’s Worst Foe; or, The Black Panther a of the Sioux. . 250—Buffalo Bill On a Desert Trail: or, The Mystery of _ the Mojave. )) 257—Buffalo Bill’s Rio Grande Feud; or, The Giant of oo) the Apaches. ® 258—Buffalo Bill in Tight Quarters; or, The Ruse of md the Jumping Tarantula. 259—Buffalo Bill’s Daring Rescue: or, ay Wolves. : | ) 200—Buffalo Bill at the Torture Stake: or, A Close Call Among the Utes. _261—Buffalo Bill’s Treasure Train; or, The Doom of _ the False Guide. § 262—Buffalo Bill Among the Blackfeet: or, The Wizard : of the Wind River Mountains. | 203—Buffalo Bill’s Border Beagles; _ Gold and Death. |) 264—Buffalo Bill and the Bandits in Black; or, The Wild q Riders of the Wilderness, Hunted by Of Uhe stra of 1 265—Buffalo Bill and the Indian Tiger; or, The Leap | ee for Life. |) 266—Buffalo Bill on the Deadwood Trail; or, Cat-Eye, a the Sioux Renegade. 267—Bufialo Bill in the Cafion of Death; or, Ringed In by Navajos. a 68—Buffalo Bill and Billy the Kid; or, The Desperadoes iof Apache Land. 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A : 276—Buffalo Bill Running the Gantlet; or, The Wolves of the Emigrant Trail. 8 277—Buffalo Bill’s Leap in the Dark; or, The Outcast of Santibell. 278—Buffalo Bill’s Daring Plunge; or, The Grisly Ghost of Mahoe. 279—Buffalo Bill’s Desperate Mission; or, The Round- up in Hidden Valley. : 280—Buffalo Bill’s Ghost Raid; or, Hot Times at Bubble Prickine. 281—Buffalo Bill’s Traitor Guide; or, The Vengeance of Alkali Pete. 282—Buffalo Bill’s Camp-fires; or, The Bad Man of Snake River Crossing. §=—s 8 _(@) POSTAGE STAMPS TAKEN THE SAME AS MONEY. ) STREET & SMITH, Publishers, 79 Seventh Avenue, New York City. een heathen nee tonne ce tka deen needa wn0490 | 4 Gentlemen :—Enclosed find.....-.....- cents for which please send me: ; 5 es. .-copies of TIP TOP NOS, ON cade ceusouee Aieioeta. oe eae aks copiesof BUFPALO BILL —Nos......-- ee Ft. NICK CARTER NOB veces, Nene Crh io ceee es CAN OA ool ue o SBRAVE AND BOLD Bos. soccs ccs eel ae i 1 | DIAMOND DICK. | Nos ae a, Ree NAME... 0... seen ee een a2-,ss0tkGOb ad NO... .0...2255. Sau Bese «© ROUGH RIDER NOS Gabe ucke Nueces ee emcee ck ay ede hOWUiboeda sian ceee cece State. ...+-.anesnconancenuene icon JF YOU WANT ANY BACK NUMBERS of our libraries and cannot procure them from newsdealers, they can be ebtained from this office direct. | Cut out and fill in the following order blank and send it to us with the price of the books you want and we will send them to you by return mail. TS eekly ISSUED EVERY SATURDAY. HANDSOMEST COLORED COVERS ence with all kinds of criminals, to cover. —he uses his wits. newsdealer. PRICE FIVE % No other detective library contains stories that are half so inter- esting. Nick Carter has been all over the world and has had experi- _ That’s why, boys, his adventures tilde one’s interest from cover There ts no brutality in Nick’s make-up—he does not need it Do not fail to get the latest number from yout se eaia ‘PER COPY For sale by all newsdealers, or sent, by the publishers to any address upon receipt of price in money or postage stamps HERE ARE THE 483—Nick Carter’s Murder Problem; or, A Hide-and- Seek Game with the Dead. 484—A Battle Among the Clouds; Criminal Client. 485—The Veiled Princess; or, Nick Carter’s Secret Ac- complishment. -486-—-The Conquest of a Kingdom; or, Nick a: Fight for a Throne. 487—The House of Skeletons; or, Nick Carter’s Greatest Find. : : 488—A Queen of Inferno: or, Nick Carter’s Giant Foes. or, Nick Carter’s 489—Nick Carter’s Foxy Adversary; or, The Lures of the Bird of Paradise. 490—Three Times In Peril; Night. or, Nick Carter’s Busiest 491—The Gold Lettered Dagger; or, Nick Carter’s Most Tragic Case. 492—That Mysterious Affair; Twelve Hours Work. or, Chick’s Wonderful 493—A Dead Guardian of Millions: or, Nick Canee Un- covers a Mystery. 494—The Mysterious Treasure Hunters; ter’s Bargain With a Crook. or; Nick Car- 49o5—The Klondike Bank Puzzle; or, Nick Carter’s Nar- row Escape. j eae LATEST TITLES: - 496-—The “Bad Man” of Nome; or, Nick Cites Hunt in Alaska. - So he Black Flag of Piracy; or, Nick Carter’s Dane Rescue. 498—Following An Ocean Trail; or, Chase Aiter Pirates. 499—A Clue From the Clouds; or, Nick Carter’ S Mys- terious Evidence. 500—Praxatel, of the Ironarm; or, Nick Carter Follows an Open Trail. 501—The Man From Montana; the Cavern of Gold. y 502—Ismalla, the Chieftain; or, Nick Carter Among the Barbarians, 503—Nick Carter’s Earthquake Clue; or, Amidst Falling — Walls, 504—Nick Carter Among the Bad Men; or, The Mys-_ tery of Injun Pete. §05-— Ihe Man of Many Faces; or, Nick Carter Behind the Scenes. 506—A Letter From the ee or, Nick Carter’s Proud- est Moment. 507—Bare-faced Jimmy, the Gentleman Crook; or, Nick - Carter’s Amazing Experiment. | 508—The Gentleman Crook’s Last Act; or, Nick cies and the Haunted House. . Nick: CG neers or, Nick Carter ne IF YOU WANT ANY BACK NUMBERS of our libraries and cannot procure them from newedoaions ie can be cbhtained thon this office direct Cut out and fill in the following order blank and send it to us with the price of the Me you want and we will send them to you by return mail. POSTAGE STAMPS TAKEN THE SAME AS MONEY. STREET & SMITH, Publishers, 79 Seventh Avenue, New York City. ee RUE ERAN ane Son oC SOG OLN Be Moda Vucewmacee os s pai eiscen 190 : Gentlemen :—Enclosed find...........-! cents for which please send me: ke ensenwas copies of TIP TOP OS AN MLE RO UA Seca en copies of BUFFALO BILL NOS Aes, ceeiee Mupenteeonmreeee| m1 Wiieance eu “« “NICK CARTER a eau als fo S BRAVE AND BOLD ONOs) (oo occ: soe ee annie, “DIAMOND DICK © {0 ROUGH RIDER | | Noa... bee Uere eater eeaae SSUED EVERY THURSDAY. plains, ‘miners. BEAUTIFUL COLORED. COVERS Diamond Dick and his son, 1, Bertie, are true men. of the Weston They are noble-hearted fellowsywho don’t impose on. the weaker ‘man and who don’t let anyone else do it if they can help it. You ought to read how they clean up a mining camp of the dis ‘honest gamblers and other Behe who MA prey on the uneducated PRICE FIVE CENTS PER COPY. For sale by all newsdealers, or sent, by the publishers fo any address upon receipt of price in money or postage stamps Ls eond: Dick’s. Mesa Hands or, The Battle of the Green-Eyed Demon. Savers of Vancouver. © 95—Diamond Dick’s Lucky ACE ; OF, eine the Trump eS an a beard) Gane. 4: B00 eae Dick’s Death Chase ; ! ‘Weasel to Earth. 497—Diamond Dick’s Vampire Trail: Horseman of Thunder Mountain. 1498—Diamond Dick On the Dead Line: or, A Close Call Among the Utes. a Oregon. 500—Diamond Dick’s Midnight Duel; or, The Girl Ban- dit of Powder River, ° o1—Diamond Dick On His Nerve; or, The Oath of the Inner Circle. o2—Diamond Dick At the Wheel; or, A ae With Death on the Mississippi. _ Man’s Bluff. 04——Diamond Dick’s Strange Guest; oF, The Outlaw Marksman of Arkansas. 05—Diamond Dick’s Hit and Miss ; or, The Man With Six Notches On His aD, HERE ARE THE 94—Diamond Dick in the Breakers ; or, The Life on Running a “OT, The Mad 499--Diamond Dick’s Lost Trail; or, 4 \ Queer Hunt in 03—Diamond Dick's Show-Down; or, Calling a Bad LATEST TITLES: : cepa: Dick’s Fight For a Girl; or, The Tender: _ foot of Bellair Gulch. 507—Diamond Dick’s Underground Trail; or, The Yel- 2 low Demon of the Sierras. 508-—Diamond Dick’s Cross-Counter; or, A Big Battle for the Belt. 509—Diamond Dick’s Good Right Hand; or, A Dark Plot in Chinatown. 510—Diamond Dick’s Bravery; or, The Three Amazons of the Mojave. : 511—Diamond Dick’s Double Trail; or, The Apparition , of the Big Tree, ‘ ‘s12—Diamond Dick in the Saddle; or, The secret - the Steel Glove. 513—Diamond Dick’s Greatest Peril; Hobo of Death Valley. 514—Diamond. Dick’s Outlaw Duel; buster of the Pecos. 515—Diamond Dick’s Mystic Mark; or, The HandRer-- chief Man’s Vendetta. 516—Diamond Dick’s Race Riot; or, A Hot Brush in Mexico. 517—Diamond Dick’s Ghostly Round-up; | or, The Plane | i tom Steer of K-Bar-6. S Si Uraon Dick’s Big Drive; or, Holding Hem or, The Cee or, The Bronco-. Down in a Blizzard. \ TF You WANT ANY BACK NUMBERS out and. fill in the following order blank TAGE STAMPS. TAKEN THE SAME AS MONEY HET & SMITH, Publishers, 79 Seventh oe ne York City.. _ Gentlemen :—Enclosed find.. seeceiees -cents for whieh mene send me: of our - ihpaniea and pennok rocure them from newsdealers, they can be cuted from this office direct. and Apad it to us 8 with, the a of the ‘hooks you want and ¥ we mae send, men to yon by return mel mamersesemeranansasnae renenatenanannascaneanaenach OQ --Gopies of TIP TOP NOS. -visaseunneeinavsthareears-yiee sre > 2). copies of BUPRALO BILL © Nose... soenenunnnnenignnenenenn “ “NICK CARTER Nose ee < . BRAVE AND BOLD Nos...,.....:..1-2s5-deuyseungetuescunece . “DIAMOND DICK FNS eR Cee ee nes Ber Fl a OVA Ul. «¢ “ROUGH RIDER : Aa aii vol a aecesceaaae eanew coe na tnenanenanen sesane ceseenener BOON and No ee .aalLOWD i Behe os nm . State. a mahacme ISSUED EVERY FRIDAY HANDSOME COLORED COVERS| ing in this weekly. PRICE FIVE Never has Burt L. Standish written such interesting tales of the’ adventures of the Merriwell brothers, Frank and Dick, as are now appear- § Mr. Standish has a world-wide circle of friends and , he is putting forth his best efforts to amuse and entertain them. you have no idea of what a grand feast he is preparing for you, Top’s stories are going to astonish you. CENTS PER For sale by all newsdealers, or sent, postpaid, by the publishers upon receipt of price In money or postage stamps Boys; y| Tig Do not fail to get it. COPY '§16—Dick Merriwell’s Discernment; or, The Heroism of a Coward. 517—Dick Merriwell’s Friendly Hand; or, The Boy Who Was Saved. 518—Frank Merriwell’s New Boy; or, The Folly of Dale Sparkfair. 519—Frank Merriwell’s Mode; or, Winning the Conti- detice of a Wild: Lad. 520—I'rank Merriwell’s Aids; or ‘“The Secret Order : Scalp-Lifters.”’ 521—Dick Merriwell’s Visit; or, Hot Times at Farnham Hall. 522—Dick Merriwell’s Retaliation; or, Fardale Against Farnham Hall. oe Merriwell’s Rival; or, Dale Sparkfair at Far- dale. 524—Frank Merriwell’s Young Crew; or, The Mystery of the Boat-house. 525—Frank Merriwell’s Fast Nine; or, Champions of the County. §26—Frank Merriwell’s Athletic-field; or, The Great Meet at Bloomfield. i§27-——Dick Merriwell’s Reprisal; Champions. eo Merriwell Dared; or, The Groote at Wells- utes 2) or, he Clash of a HERE ARE THE LATEST TITLES: 541—Dick Merriwell’s Heart; or, Breaking the Bat » 529—Dick Merriwell’s Dismay; or, The Depa. of| June. 530—Frank Merriwell’s Son; or, The Mark of the Shi 531—Frank Merriwell’s Old Flock; or, The Reunion at | Mersy House. 532—Frank Merriwell’s House-Party; or, The Rusti! with the Rovers. 533—Dick Merriwell’s Summer Team; or, Baseball j the Blue Hills. 534—Dick Merriwell’s Demand; or, The Draw at Mz4 awaska. 535—Dick Merriwell’s Slabmate; Bloomfield. 536—Frank Merriwell’s Summer Camp; or, The Athletic. | school in the Woods. 537—Frank Merriwell’s Proposal; or, Sta dine the Sport] ' in the League, 538—Frank Merriwell’s Spook-hunters; terious Island of Mad Lake. 539—Dick, Merriwell’s Check; or, The Hot Bunch From, Happy Camp. 540—Dick Merriwell’s Sacrifice; or, Peart. Work That; Told. or, The Boy from | or, The Mysf Luck Streak. IF YOU WANT ANY BACK NUMBERS of our libraries and cannot procure them from newedealers, they can be ebtained from this office aire! : Cut out and fill in the following order blank and sone it to us with the price of the books you want and we will send them to Me by return ma { _ POSTAGE STAMPS TAKEN THE SAME AS MONEY STREET & SMITH, Publishers, 79 Seventh Avenue, New York City. Ce Sa a a coon 196% Gentlemen :—Enclosed find............ cents for which please send me: ie ne. eces---.Copies of TIP TOP Noes Ge oe copiesof BUPFALO BILL Nos... ic eae seus « “BMICK CARTER NOB eo ee A ates uel te BRAVE AND: BOLD Nos:: 302220006200 ee ‘eonesses “ DIAMOND DICK NO ee i a See « « § ROUGH RIDER Nos ule On a MMO ieee ci acecc circ cecees scces 2. Vcore Sirect and NoO...ccccesn0-- eo ceweecon Reeeeeeeesees eso ce DOW cucwesceseseaceeucwencs Stalecc es wees dette Pecaerlhak cupolas + ee FAVORITE LIST 'OF FIVE-CENT LIBRARIES eg THR STRONG ARM a OF us Boose King the Redskins. Bick STORIES. BUFFALO BILL STORIES Buffalo Bill is the hero of a thousand exciting adventures among These are given to.our boys only in the BUFFALO They are bound to interest. and please you. MIGHT AND MAIN These are stories of the adven- tures of boys who succeeded in climbing the ladder of fame by honest effort. No more inter- esting tales can be imagined. Each number is at least one-third longer than the ordinary five- cent library. NICK CARTER WEEKLY ‘We know, boys, that there is no need of introducing to you Nicholas Carter, the greatest sleuth that ever lived. Every number containing the adven- tures of Nick Carter has a peculiar, but delightful, power. of fascina- tion. one AND BOLD Every boy who prefers variety in his reading matter, ought to be a reader of Brave and Bold. All these were written by authors who are past masters in the art of telling boys’ stories. Every tale is complete in itself. ROUGH .RIDER W Ted Strong was appointed dep- | py uty marshal by~accident, but he resolves to use his authority and rid his ranch of some very tough bullies. He does it in sucha slick way that everyone calls “King of the Wild West” and he certainly deserves his title. | f TED STRONG KING $< WILD WEST | ox HINAINE Tow bY a Ride him || The demand for stirring stories of Western adventure is admir- Peeve! Mines ne ex THELORE BANDIT OF [xe ee | ably filled by this library. | up-to-date boy ought to read just Every | how law and order ate estab- | lished and maintained on our Western plains by Diamond Dick, | Bertie, and Handsome Harry. BOWERY BOY LIBRARY _ The adventures of a Poor waif 7 whose only name is Billy.” of the streets of New York. No boy can read the tales of his trials without imbibing some of that resource and courage that makes the character of this homeless boy stand out so prominently. Billy is the true product | : “Bowery | | DW THE TIP TOP WEEKEY Boys, Frank Merriwell has opened a school of physical devel- He has gathered all of his old-time comrades about him and their adventures are wonderfully interesting. opment. tainly the best tales of athletic adventure. These are cer-