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No. 331 NEW YORK, SEPTEMBER 14, 1907. Price, Five Cents

 

ee

SEEeee
SER CHER

«I warn you that if you come a step nearer I will kill myself,’ she cried to the scout,
lifting the knife.

 
 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

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[=3" 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 ae king of acta,

“No. 334. |

Buffalo

“NEW YORK, September 14, 1907.

Price Five Cents.

 

OR,

THE GHOST FLOWER’S MISSION.

 

_By the author of “BUFFALO BILL.”

 

CHAPTER: £.
BUFFALO BILL'S COMMISSION.

Booted and spurred, General Marlin sat in his tent,
awaiting the coming of the noted scout, Buffalo Bull.
His eyes roved over the sunlit parade-ground, where
some soldiers were drilling, and he watched their evolu-
tions with keen appreciation.

The border forces under the. eee had left their
- comfortable quarters at Fort McKenzie, and were estab-
lished here by the river in the open plains, for the double
purpose of getting them out of the wooden houses for a
time, and so giving them a taste of the real outdoor life,
and to impress certain turbulently inclined Indians with
the power of Uncle Sam’s troopers!

Not many miles distant were the Northern Cheyennes,
but lately lords of the buffalo-ran-e, and now restless
and dissatisfied under the restrictions of reservation
s life,
ennes lately.
=Ah! here he is!” said ‘the ce his eyes lightihg

  

Some ominous Teporis had come from the Chey-

with pride’ as the tall and soldicrly form of the handsome.
scout came into view.

Buffalo Bill indeed looked particularly distinguished
that day, clad in his usual striking garb, as he came
quickly across a corner of the parade-ground toward —
the general. He walked with the peculiar swinging
stride of the plainsman, which resenibles more the space-
devouring lope of the Indian runner than it does the
steady tramp of the man of the military schools. But
he held his head up and his shoulders back, in quite
the true soldierly manner, and as he glanced about it
was apparent that his alert, keen eyes took in every-
thing,

“The best scéut on the border, oe a "gentleman, as
well. ck Ce he brings good news.’

A minute later the general was greeting the scout
warmly, and inviting him to a seat in the marquee.

“What news from the Pawnee country, Cody?” was
one of the first questions. .

“The Pawnees have settled down as if they mean to
remain quiet for a time.”
  

 
  
 

hot, DE subjugated and held to reservations.

. faloes gone the Indians were helpless.

“And yet the loss of the buffaloes is particularly hard
on the Pawnees. They can’t like you very well, Cody,
when they. remetnber that you did your part in the de-
struction of the buffaloes.”

“T have some friends among them,”
swered. “Chief Red Feather is kind enough to de-
clare that I am his brother forever.”

“That is good.”

“The killing of the buffaldes looked to be a cruel thing,

yet it was necessaty,”’ the scout Went on. “As long as
the plains were covered with buffaloes, the Indiats could
When they
became dissatisfied they went on the war-path, and the
buffaloes furnished them food-supplies.
they were practically unconquerable. But with the buf-
They had nothing
to eat, and so had to surrender. The West was intended
by nature for a great stazing and farming country. But
there can be no grazing and farming where millions of
buffaloes roam. They had to go. In the fitst place, they
ate all the pasturage; and in the second, they supported
the warlike Indian ttibes, whose presence was such a men-
ace that permanent settlements were impossible.”

“Wet it Seems a. pity.” : .

“It is a pity. Ina few years a buffalo will be a curios-
ity. . But the thing can't be helped. It simply had to
be, if white men were to occupy this land. It is merely
a question of whether the country, rich as it is, should
be occupied by the teepees of a few wandering tribes
of warlike Indians, or by the houses of orderly white
men. Naturally, I favor the orderly white men.”
“Have you anything from the Cheyennes ?’’
“7 hear. they have become threatening.”

“A scout came in to-day with such serious news that
I have been anxious to see you. The Cheyennes are
dancing again. The old tedicite-man, Wolf Robe, and
some of the young chiefs, seem to be the ones who are
stirring up trouble. There is something about a new
Messiah, which I didn’t undetstand. Perhaps it is an
outgrowth of the new mission school.’

_."The doctrine of the Red Messiah is being preached
in a dozen different tribes,” said the scout.

«Ah, you know something about it: ”
“I know only what I have heard,
the Sioux,
as. far west as the Great. Salt Lake, began to tell his
people. that on the shores of the lake he had met mes-
sengers of a Messiah who was to come soon to the red
men; and that when he came, there would be a new or-
der of things, the. buffaloes would come back, and the
old Indian days would be restored. It is making a’ big

stir. But tell me about this Cheyenne mission?”
“Ab! you hadn't heard? A young. half-breed sil,

the daughter of an old chief, has started a mission and

a Sunday- school. . She. was sent to an Eastern school a

JHE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

d . to be making trouble.
the scout an-

For that reason

_haps that is why;

It started among _
A medicine-man of the Sioux, who had been ©

take this work.

few yeats ago. When she retutned she asked the privi-
legé of beginning missionary work among her people.
Good reports came from it for a time, but now it seenis
I didti’t know but this talk of
the new Messiah might have gtown out of some twisted
interpretation of her mission-teaching.”

“That is interesting. You know her?”

“Yes. She called on me at the fort when she was
ready to begin her work. I was pleased with her. She
is bright and intelligent, and is a handsome girl. She

has enough white blood to make her quite good-look-_

ing. For a long time the Indians called her their queen,
after the death of her father, the old chief. But now
they call her the Ghost Flower; or at any tate some of
them do. She is very white, for an Indian, and per-
or it may have something to do with
her religious teaching.
new agent?”

vy a met him, and I think I dons even know his

name,’

“What I say to you about him, Cody, must be in
confidence. I wasn’t pleased when I heard of his ap-
pointment. His name is Jacob. Wolfgang. He is of
German descent, I think, and is-too hard a man, \and
too much of a money-lover, for the place. The Over-
land Railroad. Company wants.to get a line of track
through the tesetvation, atid I’ve heatd he favors it.

The scout who came in beliéved this talk of a railroad —

had a good deal to do with the Indian uneasiness. |
want you to find out just the state of affairs, and re-
port as soon as possible. You may rest assured I shall
have troopers ready for whatever turns up. We’ i hope,
though, there will be no need of them.”

“So you want me to-go to the Cheyenne reservation ?”
Veit once 2°

“Openly, or secretly?” .

“T shall leave that to yout,
ate there.
cretly.”

“Indians are very uncommunicative. They probably
wouldn't talk if I went boldly among them asking for
information. I think it would be best to go secretly,”

“Will you want a lettér to Wolfgang?” :

“I prefer that he shouldn’t know anything about oe

“Just as you say. When will you start?”

“This afternoon—within an hour. That will bring me
to the teservation after dark. And, by the way, Gen-
eral Marlin, say nothing to any one that I am to under-

Find out just how affairs
If you can do it better secretly, then go se-

One 16 betray te! |

“Very true, Cody; just as you say.
any one here?”

“No. It is just a matter of caution.”

“You will take dinner with me, and we can talk fur-
ther about this. You must not decline the invitation | ie

Do you suspect

You are acquainted with the

i we tftist no one, there will be no *

    
  
 
  
    
    
    
  
  
  
  
   
   
   
   
   
 
  
 
   
   
  
  
 
 
 
  
   
 
 
  
  
  
   
    
   
  
      
   
    
   
   
  
 

 

Seat

 

    
 

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_Robe.

THE BUFFALO

He rose and summoned a servant, to whom he gave
instructions.
~ An hour later Buffalo Bill, sie was on his way.

CHAPTER II.
CONJURING BACK THE BUFFALOES.

Lying on the ground, under cover of the darkness,
Buffalo Bill looked out on a strange sight.
At a distance he had seen the flare of a fire and had

heard the beating of Indian drums; and, having crawled
up, he now beheld more than a score of Indian braves

posturing and dancing before the fire, singing in their
monotonous way to the time of the drum-beats.

- Grouped round these dancers were scores of other In-

dians, among them many women, some seated on the
ground, others standing.

Buffalo Bill had seen many Indian dances, and he
knew at once this was not a war-dance. The feathers
were there, but not the, war-paint; and the dancing
Cheyennes, instead of singing a fierce war-song, were
voicing an appeal to the invisible and mysterious spirits.
What this portended the scout was curious to know,
and he was soon gratified.

An old man stood forth, as the dancing and the drum-
beating ceased. Buffalo Bill recognized him at once as
the celebrated medicine-man of the Cheyennes, Wolf
A robe made of wolf-skins was drawn round his
shoulders, in his hair a single eagle-feather was set, and
down on his breast fell a double row of porcupine-
quills, which came together at the bottom like a breast-
plate. The quills were dyed, and flashed like jewels in
the light of the fire. |

The thing, however, which most attracted the attention
of the scout was the large white object which Wolf Robe
held in his hands. It was the skull of a buffalo, whitened
by long exposure to the weather. The black horns were.
still attached, but they, too, were weathered and un-
sightly.

A murmuring sound and a nervous shifting of’ feet
ran through the crowding ranks of the Cheyennes as
old Wolf Robe stepped forth. Then followed é silence
that was deep and profound.

The old medicine-man broke it by lifting the gleam-
ing buffalo-skull skyward and beginning a prayer to the
Great Spirit—as strange a prayer as the scout had ever
listened to. .The medicine-man was praying for the re--
turn of the buffaloes.

When he had prayed, he a to conjure, making
little leaps and jumps, swinging the head /up and down,
dropping on his hands and knees, and moving along
with his shoulders humped like those of a buffalo. He
gouged the horns into the earth, like a buffalo tearing
at the ground... Now and then he uttered a frightful

a a a

BIEL SUORTES. o

bellow that sounded so like the bellow of an angry buf-
falo-bull that it was startling.

The excitement among the Cheyennes grew intense as
this performance went on. Some of the women screamed
and shrieked, and men here and there began to dance
and leap about, as if bereft of their senses.

Suddenly, the medicine-man stopped his strange per-
formance, and, standing up, with the buffalo-skull held
in his hands, he began to talk.

‘His subject was the new Messiah who was coming
to the Indians, and the new earth that was to, appear.

“The white man has had his Messiah,” the declared,
“and now one is to come to the red man. The white
man has had his flood, and now a flood is to come to
the Indian. The flood of the white man swept away all
the enemies of the one whom their God favored, and so
it is to be with the Indian flood. It will sweep the white
man away, and the waters will bring a new world.
When the waters fall, they will leave a coating of mud,
which will dry. Grass will grow on it; and the buffa-
loes will come again to feed on the grass. The Indians,
who will be saved in this flood, will come forth again
to hunt ae buffaloes ; and the white men shall vex them
no more.’

The yells of excitement increased as the medicine-
man: stopped for breath. After they subsided, he went |
on again, telling of the wonderful things that were to
happen.

A young woman then sprang forth. Buffalo Bill
was astonished. to behold this woman, who, though
dressed in half-Indian costume, had a face which seemed
more the face of a white woman than of an Indian. It
was not necessary for her to begin to speak for the
scout to know who she was—that she was the Indian
queen, called now by the Cheyennes the Ghost Flower.
She began to question the assertions of the old medi-
cine-man. '

“How can this be?” she said. “The Ghost Flower is
but a child in wisdom, while Wolf Roberis a man full of
years and understanding. Will he explain to the Ghost
Flower how this can be? The buffaloes are dead. Can
the dead come back to life? Their bones are whiten-
ing on the plains. They are dead, and they can never
come back again!”

There were murmurs of disapproval, followed by si-
lence, as the anxious Cheyennes turned to Wolf Robe for
a refutation of this and a further bolstering of the thing
they wanted to believe.

The old medicine-man was equal to the occasion. He
turned on the girl with flashing eyes and heaving breast.

lainly, her interference angered him; yet he held his
anger in well.

“The Ghost Flower is the daughter of a chief,” he
said, in a tone of simulated kindness and pity. “When
the great chief, who was her father, died, he asked the

 
 

 

+ : THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

Cheyennes to make his daughter their queen. This
they did, and it was their pleasure to honor and obey
her. But an evil spirit whispered to her strange things,
and filled her mind with dark suggestions. It whis-
pered to her that her people, the Cheyennes, were not
the greatest people of the earth; that the white men knew
more, and she should go away to the schools of the white
men, and get there their strange knowledge. She listened
to the evil spirit, and obeyed it.”

He shook his finger at her, and then again swung
the head of the buffalo, keeping time with it to his chant-
ing words.

“In the schools of the white men she heard of the
White Messiah. She was told that He lived a long time
ago. Is it not’so? She has returned to her people, and
is teaching this strange thing to them. Yet now she
says that the dead cannot come back to life.
strange that the buffaloes should come back than that a
man should come back? Will the Ghost Flower an-
‘swet ?” He

The crafty old medicine-man: had slain her influence
at a blow. She saw she could not make an explanation
that would please the people.

- “In her ‘mission-school,’ Wolf Robe went on, “she
tells the children that once there was a flood; but now
she says there can be no flood.” Besides, she teaches
foolishness to the children, when she says that each day
the world turns over; when any one who thinks. knows
this cannot be, for if it did the lodges would fall off
and the water would all run out of the rivers.”

Cries of delight and of anger arose—delight with the
shrewdness of Wolf Robe, and anger against the girl.

“She tells us that wp in the sky there is a God—the —

iy

But we say there is also a God
for the Indian—the Great Spirit. It is the Great Spirit
of the Indian who is to do the things I have told you;
who will send a Messiah to the red man; who will send
the new flood, and will restore the buffaloes, and drive
out the white man. This is the home of the Indian, not
of the white man; let the white man go back across the
great sea to the country he came from. The red man
will not follow him there, nor trouble him. But this is
the land of the Indian!’

A mighty yell arose, as if every Indian throat had
yelped its approval,

The girl saw she had made a mistake; that she could
say nothing to convince these Cheyennes, and win them
from their belief in Wolf Robe, and she sat down.

“There is the enemy—our enemy!” thundered Wolf
Robe, shaking his finger at-her until the shining por-
cupine-quills on his breast danced and glittered in the
firelight. “She has changed her heart until it is not the
heart of an Indian any longer. She has become white;
and is trying to make your children like the children of
the paleface. She would have them follow the plow

Is it more -

tather than the hunting-trail, and study books in a-

house instead of studying the woods and the open plains.”

He turned dramatically to the yelling and excited
Cheyennes, holding up the buffalo-skull.

“Oh, you Cheyennes!” he cried. “Sons of chiefs and
of warriors! Hear ye my words! [am Wolf Robe, the
medicine-man of the great Cheyennes. The buffaloes
have gone, and no more can we rove the plains for lack
of them. If they do not return, and the white man
does not go, the Indian will swiftly follow the buffaloes.
Seon your bones will shine in the sunlight as did this
biffalo-skull when I picked it up to-day. The white man
grows stronger and stronger, and the Indian weaker. Ye
know that I speak true. Yet here comes the daughter of
a great chief, whose heart has turned white, who has
listened to the serpent-words taught in the schools of
the white’man, and she tells us that we must become
as white men. If that is to be our fate, let us take to
the war-trail, and die like warriors!”

The old medicine-man was pouring forth in this train,
and the wartiors were. writhing with increasing excite-
ment, when the scout saw the girl rise quietly and try to
make her way out of the pressing crowd surrounding
Wolf Robe.

At first the Cheyennes gave way before her. Then
there arose a loud and increasing murmur, which at-
tracted the attention of Wolf Robe. He saw her. It
was his intention to stop her, no doubt, for he lifted his
hand commandingly.

That motion seemed to be taken as a signal by some

of the Indians. A yell lifted. Then a young chief arose,
and with a half-dozen warriors dashed at the girl.

She saw them coming, and began to run, her steps
taking her toward the spot where Buffalo Bill lay in
hiding. He was not given time to get out of the way,
and she struck against him, and was thrown sprawling.

The foremost Cheyenne leaped toward her with a yell

of triumph, only to find his foot caught by strong fin-
gers, and himself thrown to the ground.

The next instant the scout had sprung up. Catching
the girl in his arms as she staggered to get on her feet,
he began to run with her.

The yells that bellowed from the Cheyennes was like
the yelpmg of the wolf pack ‘when that happened. The
girl screamed, and shots flew. Then it seemed that the

_ whole gathering of Cheyennes was in pursuit of the dar-

ing scout and the imperiled girl.

prt caer

Te

CHAPTER: ITT,
BUFFALO BILL AND THE INDIAN QUEEN.

The fleet-footed scout, though hampered by his bur-
den, distanced the Cheyennes, who pursued as a howling
mob, resolyed to slay both him and the girl. ,

 

 

 

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FES ONES SOE ST

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THE BUFFALO

The one who led them, and had been, the first to make
a movement toward her, was a young Indian chief called
Red Elk, who was furious through the combined influ-
ence of whisky and jealousy. Red Elk had tried to make
love to the Ghost Flower, and had been scorned by her,
in favor of another young Indian chief, a half-breed,
named Silver Moccasin.

Red Elk had come to the reservation that night, and
had attended the meeting of the medicine-man in a state
of intoxication. He had no right to depart from the
reservation, but he had done so; and had come back
with reeling walk and thickened utterance.

When the Ghost Flower had called attention to her-
self by questioning the words of the medicine-man, Red
Elk was angered. He remembered that she favored the
half-breed, Silver Moccasin. That she was, also, half-
white he ignored. :

When he dashed at her, his intention was to knife Sil-
ver Moccasin, who stood close beside her. Her flight
and the chase of the Indians changed this; and when the
scout leaped into view and the chase became a wild and
fanatical one, Red Elk still led it.

The girl struggled at first in the arms of the scout,
apparently not knowing his intentions; but her head
dropped limply upon his shoulder before he had run a
dozen rods, and her struggling ceased. The scout’s fear
that she had been hit by one of the bullets which began
to fly was relieved when she moved again and spoke.
She had only fainted, being white woman enough for
that. Indian women of pure blood never faint; they
leave that weakness to their white sisters.

When he shook off his pursuers the scout sought shel-
ter in a rocky ravine. By this time the moon had risen
high, and the slopes of the ravine were almost as bright
as day.

As soon as she was set down the Ghost Flower
bounded up the slope. Buffalo Bill shouted to her in
warning. Then, seeing that she distrusted him, and was
going straight back into danger, he pursued her.

_ Discovering that she could not easily escape, she stood
at bay and drew a knife.

“T warn you that if you come a step nearer I will kill
myself!’ she cried to the scout, lifting the knife as if she
would drive it into her bosom.

He stopped, and she lowered the knife, but she still
held it in her hand. She was trembling, and her face was
flushed. Seen thus in that clear light, which was so like
daylight, she presented truly a handsome picture of femi-
mine grace and beauty.

“I think you don’t understand me,” he said, in a sooth-
ing tone. “I am your friend,”

“You area white man. TI don’t know you. You caught
me in your arms as I ran and carried me away. I fainted;
and then I found you bringing me to this place.”

Her tone was questioning.

I i a aN ne

BILL. STORIES. e

“lll explain that gladly,” he said, in’ the same kind
way. “I slipped up on that Cheyenne gathering, and was
lying there in the grass when Red Elk dashed at you. 1
thought that he or some of those who followed him
would kill you, and I still think they would have done
so if J hadn't interfered. Feeling that they would seek
you out and kill you even yet, I brought you here for
oy :

“You know Red Elk?” she asked in surprise.

“I have seen him, and to-night recognized him as he
ran at you. He was drunk enough to make him a fool
and a dangerous man. What he did was strange, in spite
of the whisky, for jou are the Ghost Flower, and the
daughter of a chief.” ,

“T am the Cheyenne Queen!’ she said proudly.

“Which makes it all the more strange!”

She came a step nearer, stilk clutching her knife, and
looked straight into his face.

. “Can I trust you?” she said. —

“You may trust me with your life!”
given in a tone that carried conviction.

“Who are your’

“The Indians call’me Long Hair;
me Buffalo Bill.”

ae

Her surprise was great, but she still stood staring at
him, as if she would read his very heart.

was his answer,

the white men call

“T have heard even Indians say that Long Hair is an
honest man. I have heard one Indian say that.”

“Who was he?”

“You would not know him. He is Silver Moccasin.

“IT have heard of Silver Moccasin. He is a brave and
sensible young chief. 1 do not know him personally.”

42

23

“He is a half-blood, as | am,” she said. “His mother
was the daughter of a chief; his father was a white
hunter who lived with the Cheyennes, and married there.
Yes; Silver Moccasin is an honest man.”’

She stared hard at the scout.

“Why did you come to that meeting?”
abruptly.

“Thad been at the soldier camp, to see General Marlin.
I beheld the light of the fire and heard the drums, and
crept up, and was watching in the grass.”

“General Marlin is the commander at the fort.
seen him, Does he intend to send troopers here?’

“Not unless he has to.”

“Can I trust you to tell him some things? He ought
to know them, There is a reason for the trouble that has
been started on the reservation. Wolf Robe—you heard
what he said; but there are things back of all that. T
meant to send word to General Marlin myself, but
couldn’t. I want him to know the truth.”

“Twill tell him,”

She spoke English as well as the scout himself, which
is not strange, when it is remembered that she had been

she asked

T have

 
 

ee eR Se ee ee ee

6 | . THE BUFFALO

educated in the white schools es was as much white as
Indian. oe .

“Tt is the railroad. White men want to build a rail-
road through the reservation.” '

-“T have heard that.”

“But you have not heard that these white men have
bribed Wolfgang, the agent at the reservation.”

“Yes?” he said cautiously.

“Wolfgang has in turn bribed some of the chiefs,
among them Red Elk. Red Elk has signed a paper as a
chief of the tribe, giving to the railroad people the right
to build through the reservation. The Cheyennes, who
are uneducated, know nothing of this; they think the
railroad men are simply going to put the railroad through
without asking them.’ Wolfgang has given Red Elk
money ; and he lets him leave the reservation whenever he
likes, and as often as he likes.’’

‘“That’s

“Yes. He went away from the reservation this morn-
ing. When he came back he was drunk. But he does it
often. And he brings whisky ‘to other chiefs, who, I
think, have also signed the paper saying that the railroad
can be built. And Wolfgang has whisky which he gives
to. the chiefs. It is to buy them to favor the railroad.”

“If this is true, Wolfgang has been paid a large sum.
He is keeping the money, and is paying the chiefs with
-cheap liquor.”’ :

Ves,
gang a large sum of money.

how he got liquox”

A white man came last week, and he paid Wolf-
I do not know how much,

but I saw a roll of bills as thick as a man’s arm. I was
hiding in the agency storeroom, when I saw it: I went
in there,before Wolfgang came in with the man. They

did not know I was there, and I kept still, for I suspected
them. Then I heard the talk about the railroad and the
bribing of the chiefs and saw the money. Wolfgang
put it in his safe in the storeroom after the man was
gone. When he locked up the store and went away I
forced a window and got out. The next morning he
arrested an Indian boy for stealing a pair of shoes, and
charged that the boy had forced the window. The
boy hadn’t stolen the shoes, but he is in the agency prison
now.” :

~ Nothing so aroused the indignation of Buffalo Bill as.
a thing like this—the dishonesty of a government agent
in his dealings with Indians. The agent was placed
there to represent the government. He was, for his own
protection, given a great deal of power, which he some-
times abused. When to the abuse of power was added
_ dishonesty, the crime was of a character which the scout
could not forgive. o

“Go on,” he said. ‘This is very important.” —

“Silver Moccasin is friendly to the whites,” she added.
on Yet A is leading 1 in this movement to stir up the Chey-
ennes.’

“Why, if he is a friend of the whites 7”

lieved, and would probably be thrown into jail.

BILL ‘STORIES.

“He is a friend of the Indians at the same time; that —

is the reason. He thinks if he. went to General Marlin,
or any white man, with the story of the bribing that is
being done by the railroad men he would not be be-

gang would make charges against him, and they would
be credited. He would not dare fight Wolfgang in that
way. But if he stirs up the Cheyennes until.they are
ready for a war with the whites, then the government
at Washington, and the general out here, will look into
the thing; then perhaps the truth will come out, Wolf-
gang will be punished, and the railroad will not be built.”

She spoke quickly and passionately, burning with a
sense of the wrong done the Cheyennes, even though
they had scorned her words and threatened her life.

Her manner and earnestness in speaking of Silver
Moccasin told the scout, further, that Silver Moccasin
was her lover, and that she detested Red Elk.

But the revelation of the dishonesty of Wolfgang was
surprising. That the government agent had been bribed
by railroad officials, and in turn was bribing Cheyenne
chiefs with cheap whisky to sign away rights in the
Cheyenne lands, was not to be tolerated. It was a shrewd
movement on the part of Silver Moccasin to stir up the

Cheyennes, so that the government would pay attention |

to. them.

“I’m glad you have told me this,” he said to the girl.
“I shall report it to the authorities, and it will be looked
into at once.
sin arottses the Cheyennes to.an outbreak, they will be not
easily calmed, and a bloody war may result, which will
be a bad thing for them—worse for them than for the
whites. You have been East, a in the white schools,
and know this.”

“But what was he to do?” she said pathetically. “I

wrote letters myself, and they went unanswered. Some- -

times I think they were taken from the mails by Wollf-
gang’s orders. He has not been kind to me, and oe
hindered my work all he dared.”

“I fear Wolfgang is a precious scoundrel!’

“He is a base villain!” she declared, with oe

“T will report what I have heard about him,’ he re-
“peated.
“But you must not mention my name,” she said, as if
attacked by sudden fright.
an agent has to make miserable those who oppose him
on a reservation.”

“Tf these things are true, he will not i on the reserva-
tion long to trouble any one there.”

“You will find they are true. And you must not men-
tion the name of Silver Moccasin, for the same reason.
Wolfgang would have him in jail in an hour, on some
trumped-up charge. You see how we were situated.
Even you would not be here now, to look into this thing,
if Silver Moccasin had net stirred up trouble. Ifa war

Wolf-,

nS

But you must realize that if Silver Mocca- »

“You do not know the power

 

 

slineaiemmminmce ete
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

be safe for you to go back to the Cheyerines.
‘l must take you to Marlin’s headquarters.”

‘ing to follow a trail.

ee down.

THE BUFFA

comes, it will be the fault of the government, which nee-
lects the Indians, and the fault of Wolfgang. He was

‘sent here to treat the Cheyennes kindly and honestly, and
he has abused and swindled: them, and now- is selling

their lands from them through these bought chiefs. Can
hothing be done to stop that?” - a
“Tt shall be stopped.’’

“But only after we have had a war !?

~ “TL will report the matter as-soon as I can ride to the

‘headquarters of General Marlin.”

“You will start now? .
“No; not until you are safe somewhere. It would not

I suppose

“I reftisé to go there. I-am a Cheyenne still, and I
will go back to them. Hf they kill me——” an
She. stopped, for she had heard out in the moonlit,
open ground, some distance beyond, the tread of a es
‘hoots.

“Down hére!” said the scout. “We must not be seen.”

He drew her back behind a rock, and crouched there,

looking out along the slope, with revolver drawn and

teady.

Soon the horseman came in view. He was an Indian,
as could be seen by his feathers, even at a distance.
The girl craned her neck to look at him. Soon she ut-
tered a joyful cry.

“Tt is Silver Moccasin!”

The young half-breed came on slowly, evidently try-
Soon he was close enough for the
scout to see what.a really fine-looking young Indian he
was. He was mounted on a créam-colored bronco that

looked white now, and he sat erect and warrioflike, with-

out a saddle. A horsehair bridle, of Indian style, with
a loop round the bronco’s lower jaw, was held firmly in
his left hand, while his right clutched a long Indian
Jance.. He bent forward now and _ then, scanning the
ground. ‘The eagle-feathets circleting his head looked
at such times like a feathered crown.

“It is Silver Moccasin!” the girl repeated, her voice
trembling.. “He is searching for me.” |

 

CHAPTER TV.
SSTEV ER MOCCASIN,

Before Buffalo Bill could prevent, the girl had slipped

“past him and ran out on the slope, where she stood erect,

a beautiful and romantic figure in the eae and

“called to her lover. .

Silver Moccasin drew in, with a quick jak on the
horsehair rein, and Sat listening.
and came riding toward her.

Then .he saw her,
As he reached her side he

Buffalo Bill followed out oon behind: the: rock; ; but

LO BILL

your trail, and was fellowing it.

eee eye Fe a La et Tae tom Rhea eR

STORIES. og
his coming did. -not. startle. the young chief, As) a eitl
had told him the scout was near. The youth stared, with
his bright eyes that seemed piercing as those of an eagle,
and said:

“The fone Hair is welbaee! ae has been kind to the
Ghost. Flower.”

The speech was Cheyenne, of Shh the scout was a
master. The young chief looked the Indian in every
way, except that his complexion was quite light—as light
as that of the girl. His face was not. painted, but. his
ornaments of quills and feathers, and his white-beaded
moccasins, that glittered in the light of the moon as if
they. were silver, made him very wartiorlike in appear-
ance.

He cast his lance upon the rock: and extended his hand,
palm. outward, in token of friendship.

“T am glad to meet you,” said the scout simply. “I
have heard of you, Silver Moccasin, from the girl who
now stands by you. I carried her away when the
Cheyennes rushed on her, but I did it only to save her
life. Tam a white man, but the friend of the Cheyennes.
She has been telling me many things, and my ears Have
been open to them. Silver Moccasin can tell me many
more.” ;

“The Cheyerines purstied,’ he said, “tryitig to capture
the Long Hair and the girl. Many of them pursued to
rescue her from the white man; others because they
wished to hatm her and me. Tf outrode them, and found
Because the Lone Hair
has been kind to the Ghost Flower he shall be my- friend.”

He placed his atm rotind the waist of the cen
girl as if to protect her. Sa

“Long Hair wishes to be the friend of Silver Mécca-
sin,’ said the scout. “But his heart is pained by what
he has heard, that the Cheyénnes are preparing for” ‘the
war-trail. That is bad.” sea he

“What would Long Hair have us do?” the young chief
retorted, ‘Shall we let the thieving agent steal away
our lands, and steal with his fire-water the hearts ‘Of our
chiefs, so that they are no more men, but his crouching
SIaves te

“You have not said that to the Cheyennes !”

“No. The chiefs and the agent would be at once my
enemies; I should be placed in the log jail of the réserva-
tion, and should be like the rattlesnake with its fangs
pulled out, or the wolf that is caught in a cage. The
Long Hair does not know the treacherous: agent, or

: he would not talk foolishness with his tongue.”

“it 1 ride to the headquarters of General Marlin and
tell him what I have learned, will Silver Moceasin oY to
stop the trouble that is now brewing?” 4

The young chief thought a inoment, the girl clinging to
him; and then shook his head so vigorousl# that the
feathers of his bonnet danced in the moonlight. :

“It is too late.. The arrow has sped—and it was driven

DANS aR a A OTA TSP rg es apy AO Tel he iche romney rman ein agit nae ssh Sey eager toer ah ee iar ang op eo
: st se ts Soar NCS Siti te es

 
 

 

8 oe THE BUFFALO

by the bow of the white men! Wolf Robe makes war
- medicine. He preaches the Indian Messiah, and the new
éarth after the flood, when the buffaloes shall be here
again. He says the white man shall be gone, and the red
man shall have here anew hunting-ground.”

“You do not. believe it—that there will come. this new
‘Messiah aad. the flood, and the buffaloes will return?” .

The chief stood hesitating, as if again thinking.

“Why not?” he said. “The Ghost Flower teaches us
that once there was a white Messiah, who rose from the
dead, and that there was a flood, which drowned all’ who
‘did wrong. -A flood like that now would drown the
white: men, for_they are the wicked ones of the earth.
ey deaden the minds of the Indians with their fire-
water, and then steal their lands, so-that. the red man has
no longer.a home or a hunting- ground, but is ne a caged
old. wolf with his teeth drawn.”

_ The girl began to a to. him, but he would not Le
her.
ol ae dane W vhat I thought best for the Cheyennes!”

he. said, almost defiantly. “If 1 die for it, then I die.”

He stood proudly in the moonlight, with an arm still
round the waist of the girl, while behind him was his
horse, which he held by its horsehair rein.

_. “Silver Moccasin is @ half-breed, but he is a Chey-
enne!”” he added proudly.

He looked down at the girl.

‘He will take the Ghost Flower back to the C heyennee.
She has friends there. Not every Cheyenne is a friend
of Red Elk: there are many who are friends of the Ghost
Flower-and of Silver Moccasin. We will go back to the
Cheyennes.”’ a

“And if trouble comes ?’’

“We will stand with our friends. Silver Moccasin is
a chief; many of the young men obey him, and will fight
for him. We return to the Cheyennes.”

He spoke again to the girl, and helped her climb to the
back of the bronco. He swung up lightly behind her;
‘then pulled the bronco round with a jerk on the rein and
a kick of his moccasined heel.

“The Long Hair is the friend of Silver Mh aoe who
does not forget!” he cried.

Then he set his horse in motion ane Salloped: away
through the bright moonlight.

 

cue CHAPTER V.
THE DESPERADO.

Some minutes afterward, when Buffalo Bill was think-
ing of going back toward the Cheyenne village, to get
his horse, which he had left not far from theresin con-
-cealment, he -heard stealthy footsteps out on the slope
before ham. They were the footsteps of a man, appar-
ently; but they died away soon, as if the man had passed
on.

grip on his throat was relaxed,

aE Le OT LE Te nn oe UR tee aor a Cee te Ee ee enn ene cere nt! Beene eae eerie

 

BILL "STORIES

he scout now emerged from ‘the: ravine. Walking

out. into the moonlight, he glanced. about beyond the ©

rocks, searching for the man’s trail.

As he did so a revolver. flashed, sending a bullet sing-
ing” past his head; and then the man rushed on him,
swinging a knife. The attack came. with such discon-
certing suddenness that the scout was unprepared for it.

_ Nevertheless, he whirled. round, and as the man lunged

for him with the knife he tripped the rascal, hurling him
heavily to the eround. The next instant the scout was
dovn on top.of him, and had him by the throat. .

The man tried to use the knife, striking wildly ; but
choking fingers, whose grip was like iron, , brought, him
into speedy subjection.

_ When Buffalo Bill. could (Hoe down into the man’s
face he be held the villainous features of Dave Stark, one
of the most thorough scoundrels of the border, who was
ready. at any moment to sell himself for the merest trifle.

It seemed a strange thing, that only a moment before
he had been thinking of Stark, wondering if the. des-
-perado did not have something to do with the villainous
work. going on at the Cheyenne reservation. Apparently
Stark had followed him from the Cheyenne dance, hoping
to overtake and murder him. It was but a chance ue
had caused the villain to fail.

Dave Stark was unconscious as he scout looked down
into his face; but he began to stir almost as soon as the
Soon he opened ‘his
eyes; and he was a startled and bewildered man when
he saw above him the face of Buffalo Bill, and realized

that not only had his murderous assault failed, aS that

he was in the scout’s power.
“Let up!’ he grunted.
“7 might ask that of you. How did you know I was
in the ravine? You followed me here; and then, pre-
tending to go on, you dropped down, and took a a) at
me as soon as I came out into the light.”
“It’s a mistake,’ Stark protested.
‘twas you.”
“No? Who did you think it was?’
“T thought it was a Cheyenne. They chased a | gal on
this way, and I follered, to pertect her. I thought
“Take another oe Stark, Youre oS I think
Id better tie you.”

Stark tried to sit up, but ae scout hurled hits back-

1 didint Lat

 

“ward, and then proceeded to tie him hand and foot. As

if to show how completely subdued he was, Stark grum-
bled a great deal, but did not once try to keep the scout
from tying him.

“You don’t believe me?” he said, with pci’ hum-
bleness.

“T’ll believe you just so far as | know you're speaking
the truth. I can tell when you're lying. Now, I’m going
to ask you some questions; and as I know a good deal on
the subject already, you'd better speak straight. Tl say

“What d’ye mean bd this? oh

 

 

 
 

 

 

THE, BUPFALO BELL STORIES

first, that I know Wolfgang is traitorous to the govern-
ment, and has been bribing certain chicis to sign away
land for the building of a railroad that the Cheyennes
“oppose. I know just what is behind the work of Wolf
Robe and Silver ‘Moccasin, and others who are stirring
up trouble.”
-“T reckon you know more’n I do! Stark grunted.
No, I don’t think I do; but I know enough, so that I
can be sure when you lie and when you tell the truth.”
“What you goin’ to do with me, even if I do tell the
truth?” Stark demanded.
Buffalo Bill had been thinking about that.
“You know me, Stark!”
1 do; tomy sorrer
“You'll be sorrier still, if you lie fo me. Now, I'll tell
you what I'll do. If you speak the truth, the whole
truth, and nothing but the truth, I’ll let you go; but if
you lie, I shall take you to General Marlin and turn you
over to him. You're wanted on a dozen-different
charges.”
“There ain't nothin’ agin’ me that anybody can prove.”
“T can produce men who will swear they recognized
you with the road-agents when the Cimarron stage was
held up at Belted Bend a year ago; and I can bring other
men to prove that you were with Cockrell’s ruffians
_when they robbed the bank safe at Soda Springs. I can
get proof enough, Stark, to send you over the road, and
you know it.”
_ “Well, what d’ye want?” the’scoundrel whined.
iS “IT want you to answer my questions.”
“Fire ahead. Ill answer ’em, if I can.’
“How much does Wolfgang get from the Overland
Railroad Company. for bribing the chiefs to sell a right
- of way. through the Cheyenne lands?”
“I don’t know nothin’ about that.”
a think you do. As emphasis, look at this!’
He drew and cocked a revolver, and held the muzzle
at-the raseal’s face. |
“It’s going to be healthier for you, Share if you speak
_ up promptly, and tell no. lies.”
“Well, he got, ‘or he is to git, ten thousand dollars,”
said Stark.
"Is that. all?”
“It’s a good deal, ain’t it! »

“And how much do you get for ‘aes his ae work,

-$uch as stabbing here and there an Indian chief who
doesn’t bribe readily? I heard that Black Wolf was
killed last week, mysteriously ; some one shot. him from
ambush.”

“T don’t know nothin’ about Black Wolf.”

“Ves, you do; for you shot him! ye

Stark -was silent.

“How much did you get for shooting him?”

“You'll let me go, if I tell everything ?”

“Yes. Ive promised I would.”

Pee anek ee amerereaee ee See ee eases

 

“You'll swear to it?’

“You have my oo and that is as good as my
oath.” : : 2

“But you've ce to swear to it,
man.” : i
“You're such a sponte! yourself, eh? Well, I swear
to it. I will let you go, if you tell the whole truth. Only,
you're so in the habit of lying ’m afraid you can’t tell all
of the truth.” |

"Ves, 1 can; jest try me?’

“You shot Black Wolf?”
Veg

“Wolfgang waintéd. bia put out of the way Heetass he
wouldn’t sign the relinquishment of the Cheyenne lands?’

“Yes; and because he was workin: agin’ him?’

“T suppose you were to kill others?’

T don’t oe livin’

“Wolfgang hired: me to’ kill Silver Moceasin and Ot-
ter Tail. I was lookin’ fer Silver Moccasin. That’s the
truth, I seen him ride away’ with the girl, and then |
knowed you was in the ravine, and I laid fer you.” ~~

“How much money was Wolfgang to pay you?’

‘He was to pay me five hundred dollars. He'd already
paid me two hundred.”

“And you were going to kill three men for five hun- ”
dred dollars?” :

“Five men, countin’ you in. 1 see, I’m tellin’ the
truth, fer you’re goin’ to let me go.’

“Who knows about this?”

“Wolfgang and Red Elk, and some more cof the chiefs
that I he’s bought.”

“What did you intend to do when. the Chey enne out:
break came?”

“Do I have to answer that?’

“You have to answer whatever I ask you.”

“Well, I meant to do some raidin’ on my Own ac-
count. There’s good plunder ter be had when the In-
juns air raidin’. a
“You would’have robbed the homes of white people,
and perhaps killed white people, and laid it to’ the. In-
dians? You would have gone about disguised as an
Indian, perhaps?”

“That’s what I figgered on doin’.
te go, you know; so I don’t so much mind tellin’.

“What you intended to do didn’t trouble you?” -

“Ther only things I trouble about is gittin’ caught.
And that ain’t no lie, A man with a tender conscience
ain’t no good in this country, and you ought to know it.”

“You didn’t care how, many white people were killed,
when the Cheyennes began raiding?” ou

“That was their lookout, Cody, not mine; every tub
stands on its own bottom. If 1 pulled my own carkiss
through whole, and made boodle, I wasn’t lookin’ ee
farther.”

“Do you know you're a grand a

9°99

You've got to let.

21/99:

 

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10 THE BUFFALO

“4 reckon; but it ee t trouble me ; :T don’t lose + no o sleep |

over it.

"And some day you'l bring up at the end of a rope.”
ig ain't worryin’ about ‘that, either, Cody. I’ve kept

away frum the rope Se) fur, and Py try to continner doin’

it” \

““What if I should deliver you up now, and should

bring forward the proofs against your”

The rascal started uneasily. —

Bue you ‘promised you'd let me 0, you know!” —

“Ves, T intend to, though it poe a shame. You
ought to be hanged, without mercy...

“That’s as you look at it, Cody. 1 think ae rent.”

“You kriow why T’m here?”

“T could guess. That’s why I -went after you; a and
why others are lookin’ fer you. I figger that you'll lose
your hair a long time before I do that little rope- -dance
on nothin’. You're in a business that’s more dangerous
than anything I ever tackle.”

“When is this Cheyenne outbreak to take place ?”’

“Well, it’s scheduled to be pulled off right away, ub
the braves can be worked up to the fightin’ au Nes

“Where do. they strike firstt’

They, aim to hit the outfit at ‘the Wagoner Ranch,
jest below here; and then they'll sweep along Persimmon
Creek, killin’ a scalpin’ there, aiter which they expect
to break for the hills.
that time, they figger; and theyll make a stand in the
rocks at Soda Creek. They'll ambush the troopers if they
can; and they hope to wipe ‘em out there”

“And after that?’

“Well, a redskin never looks that fur ahead, Cody.
They jest dream of goin’ on scalpin’ and killin’ and
burnin’ until all the whites air cleaned out of the coun-
try... They cale’late it'll be an easy job.

“Injuns don’t know no more than they ought to, Cody.
These Cheyennes air actually thinkin’ they can muster
enough warriors to whip the whole United States. When
you come to size an Injun up he’s purty gin’rally a fool,”
-“That’s because he is ignorant.. He sees only the
white people in these little settlements and on the ranches,
and sone soldiers, and he thinks there are not many
more,’

“An Injun is always a fool, Cody, when he ain’t drunk,
and then he’s a devil.”

“Yet you stand in with them?’

“Jest now I’m standin’ in with Wolfgang, or have
As soon as he hears of this I’ll not be standin’ in
even with him. Tl have ter git out of the country and
hunt a new climate. I expect to emigrate in a hurry,
before the reds git onto the fact that I’ve give their plans
away to you. Where Tl go I ain’t sayin’.”

“That’ s the best thing for you to do—get out of the
country. If you stay you'll be killed. If I capture you

been.

The soldiers will be after ’em by

BILL STORIES.

after to- night I'll. head you over to the officers ; ‘and there

will be other men lookin’ for you.” ae
“Jest give me a good start, Cody; that’s all 1 ask.”
‘The scout went through Stark’s Sine for Weepry

Stark grumbling angrily.

“7 don’t trust you, Stark. You'd shoot me if you
could. And a man like you ought not to be permitted to
carry weapons, anyway. I'll keep them, and let you take
your horse; and if oe "re wise ven 1 get right out, and
go as far as you can.’

Wil slide, as soon as ye let me.”

“You've got a horse? Where is it?”

Stark told him, and the scout brought up the animal.

Buffalo Bill now untied Stark. Pointing a revolver
at him, he ordered him to mount and clear out. ster
obeyed, glad to get off so easily.

Buffalo Bill did now what he had meant to do: sooner
—he set out for the Cheyenne village.

- When near it he found his horse. Shaping his course
by the stars and moon he rode away, to report what AS
a learns | to General Marlin.

CHAPTER VI
THE GHOST ‘FLOWER’S PERIL.

The Ghost Flower returned to the village with Silver
Moccasin. . She did not enter boldly, however, but
slipped in, and took refuge in her lodge, while me

Moccasin rode in boldly and alone.
Quietly as she had come in, her presence in the eee

was soon known. Men and women began to flock round
her lodge, and they called to her at the. entrance. ._

She stepped forth, deeming a bold course the safest.
A fire had been kicked into new life close by, but. its
light was not needed, for a moon so bright that it was
white as a silver disk rode high in the sky. The Chey-
ennes babbled clamorously, many speaking at once.

“The Ghost Flower is the daughter of a chief,” She 7
said proudly, facing them.

“Her blood is white—her heart is white! y shrieked an
old woman, waving skinny arms at her.

“The chief, my father, as you know, was as white ; as 1

am—he was a half-blood. My mother was a half-blood.
But were they not Cheyennes?
enne >’

Still they clamored at her.

“Have I not done good by you?” she demanded of the
shrieking old hag who was so bitter against her. “Did
T not nurse you when you had a fever last winter, and did
I not make a robe for your boy?”

The angry old woman grew angrier when these bene-

fits were recalled.
When they pressed closer, as if they would attack her
or drive her back into the lodge, she began to feel alarm,

 

And am I not a Chey-

 

 

SR ate ne ee eeiss eee eet
 

 

 

e

 

and looked about for Silver Moccasin, or some friend.
to whom she could appeal for protection.

Suddenly they rushed upon her, and she was caught
up in the strong arms of a warrior, who ran with her
to the storehouse of the agent. Wolfgang was nowhere
to be seen. The reckless Cheyennes neither knew where
he was nor cared. He had left the village some time be-
fore, fora meeting with Dave Stark, and had placed in
charge of the store a half-breed whom he trusted.. The
half-breed had been assaulted and overcome by the now
turbulent and rebellious Cheyennes, and after that they
had forced the lock of the door and taken what they
wanted.

The warrior who had caught the Ghost Flower in his
arms hurled her through the open door, so that she fell
sprawling on the floor. Then the door was closed and
secured on the outside by heaping stones against it.

Terrified, sheestood in darkness. The closing of the
door had shut out much of the moonlight. But on the
sides were windows,-heavily barred, and two on the other
end. .

, Running to one of the windows she looked out on a
swarming mass of maddened Indians, wlto shouted at
her in rage and @erision when they saw her face. _

A stone came through the window, showering her with
broken glass. But the bars, set in securely and never
removed, were strong enough to hold the mob at bay
there; ;

Her fears that they. might wish to get in and do her
bodily harm caused her to hasten to the door and bar it
on the inside.

- Two heavy wooden bars dropped down into ie She

had no more than secured them in position when she saw

the wisdom of it, for some of the Indians, having changed
their minds, began to tear away the outer props they had
set against the door, bent on getting in at her.

They howled with rage, when they found the door
barred on the inside, and then began to hew at the heavy
boards with their hatchets: But Wolfgang had built
strongly for defense in case of an uprising or Indian
treachery, and the light hatchets made no impression on
the door. All the while the enraged Cheyennes kept up
a tremendous howling, some of them yelling for her to
come out,

She knew the interior of the store well. In it she had
hidden when she overheard the treacherous talk, Find-
ing a candle on a shelf she lighted it and searched for a
weapon. In the*drawer of Wolfgang’s desk she found
a loaded revolver. She was shaking like a leaf, but the
revolver gave her a sense of greater security.

In spite of the danger of approaching the window, she
looked out again, fonne to see Silver Moccasin. None
of her adherents seemed to be in the mob that howled
round the store.

“Maybe a are gathering together, and fUaane for

SIR ORR SIM at ae Are i a em cy Im am mith et

THE BUFFALO

Sth eoek en Me i chao

Se Neat eRe ee ee ee

BILL STORIES,

IT

my relief,’ was her thought. “I can stay in here until
they come. My enemies cannot get at me here.”

The savage rage of those who were trying,to get at
her showed that Silver Moccasin and those who had
acted with him had sown the wind, when they stirred
the Cheyennes into a spirit of bloodthirstiness against the
whites. Hating the white men, they were in a mood to
wreak vengeance on any one they thought friendly to the
white men.

“Why does not Silver Moccasin come?’ was her wail-
ing thought, as the rage of the Cheyennes outside seemed
to increase. :

They banged and hammered at the door, chopped at it
with their hatchets, and tried to break off the bars that
kept them from getting in at the windows.

She discovered soon that many of them were intoxi-
cated, or becoming so. She saw them tipping bottles to

their lips. Then she remembered that under one end of
the store was a cellar where some liquor was kept. They
had broken into the cellar.

Vip they, got, in there, they will get in here!
startled by the discovery.

(>?

she cried,

More stones came through the windows, smashing the
panes. As they fell near her she put out the light, and
stood listening in the darkness. Her fears had increased.
The lack of friends outside was startling.

A thing that was even more calculated to frighten her

occurred soon. She beheld a flare of fire, heard the
crackle of flames, and discovered that a fire had been
started against the door. The yelling of the Indians grew
louder. Having turned against her, they intended to
burn the storehouse and burn her alive in it.. The frend-
ishness of the thing was appalling.

Rifle bullets and arrows struck against the door now,
and came through the ruined windows. She heard their
vicious spat against the heavy beams, and their crugl
whistling as they swept over her head. An arrow ‘fell
with a clatter at her feet, glancing from the wall.

As the firing continued, it seemed that the infuriated
red men were trying to rake the interior of the room, and
so get her even before the fire could be given time to do
its work. She dropped to her knees on the floor, close

“by one of the windows, keeping low. thereafter.

The roaring of the fire drew her attention most. There
was something horribly fascinating in the sound. She
saw through a small crack the glimmer of the flames, and
out through the window she caught a gleam of them.

eae

     

=

The increasing yells told that the door had caught fire»

from the wood piled against it.

“What shall I do?’ she asked herself, looking round
like a rat in a trap.

There was no way out. She was caged and helpless.
She lifted the revolver, tempted to send the bullet into
her head and end it all. That would be better than a

  
ig fe : THE BUPRALO BILL STORIES.

death by fire, she thought. But she could not.
heart failed her, and her fingers were nerveless.
“What shall I do?’

In spite of the bullets and arrows coming in, she leaped
up and ran round the room like one mad, searching
vainly for a way out.

She might have lifted the bars and gone out by a win-
dow.
arms of her enemies, and in their present angry and
drunken mood she did not doubt they would Gate
hack her to pieces.

But the door did not burn readily, When the fire be-
gan to fail they were compelled to heap on more wood.
At the rear of the building she heard them starting an-
other fire. They started one, also, before one of the win-
dows. At intervals she heard Indians in the cellar, and
fancied they were trying to get at her from that direc-
tion,

She hated and feared the agent, Wolfgang; but now
she longed for his coming. If for no other purpose than
to save his property, he would try to put an end to this
attempt to burn the store.

In her fright she began to scream for help, calling to
her friends. She shouted the name of Silver Moccasin.
Indian yells and derisive laughter came as the answers
to her appeals.

“IT don’t wonder that white men hate Indians!” she
thought, the Anglo-Saxon in her nature coming upper-
most. ‘They are not worthy to live. I was a fool for
ever thinking they could be elevated. I slaved to teach

them some useful knowledge, only to make them my ene-
mies: and now they howl for my life, and are trying to
burn me alive. I don’t wonder that white men hate and
fear Indians. They are brutes! They are savages ! as

The fire in front of the door was roaring again. The
‘one started at the rear of the store, and the other built
in front of the window leaped up, flashing their flames
so redly that they dulled the light of the moon.

She screamed and retreated against the wall when she
heard footsteps in the room close by her, and saw a man
there, of whose coming she had been unaware. How did
he get in? She saw dimly the Indian blanket, and the
dark Indian face, with the eagle-feather sticking up out
of the hair of his head. She wanted to scream again,
but he put up a hand, motioning her to silence.

The blanket slipped back, and she saw the wolf-robe
‘of the medicine-man, who took his name from that gar-
‘“ment; and saw, also, the two gleaming lines of porcu-
pine quills that fell down and met on his breast. Wolf
Robe! He was her enemy and that of Silver Moccasin.
His presence boded her no good.

- She moved along the wall toward the window where
the fire was flaming. She preferred ta spring out through
that window, if she could get the bars down, rather than

   

Her

But she would have only thrown herself into the ©

   

fall into the hands of the eruel old medicine-man, who
hated her so. Wolf Robe had opposed her teachings and —
had been against her from the first; while but that night
she had been foolish enough to try publicly to belittle his -
beliefs and weaken his influence. Her thought was that
he had slipped in by some opening known only to him- —
self and meant to kill her.

‘But he spoke, to her bewilderment;
were English!

“Sh! I have come to save you.”

The voice was that of Buffalo Bill. >

The revelation was the most bewildering in the girl’s
experience.

“I have found a way in, and we can get out!” he said,
speaking hurriedly. “Come! We have no time to lose.
We must be out of this before the fire weakens the door
and the Cheyennes break in. Come! I am here to save
you.” :

The revulsion in her feelings was so great that she
reeled from sheer weakness, He saw it and caught her
by the arm.

“Wrap this blanket round you and draw it. well over
your head. Now, follow me, We must get out of here
quick,” :

He threw the blanket round her shoulders, and she be-
gan to obey mechanically, Her hands trembled so that
she dropped the revolver, He picked it up.

“You may need this,” he said, passing it to her.. “Keep
it, But we haven't a moment to lose, if we get out of
here,”

Then he drew her across the room, away from the
window which the fire lighted.

and the words

CHAPTER VI.
BUFFALO BILL'S DARING.

Buffalo Bill had gone but a little distance on his way
toward General Marlin’s camp when loud yelling in the’
Cheyenne village, followed by the leaping flame of a fire,
told him that something very much out of the erdinaly
was taking place.

He drew rein and rode toward the village, and was
soon close enough to see that the Cheyennes were trying —
to burn the storehouse of the government agent. He
had no love for Wolfgang, and that the Indians should
turn against him seemed no more than poetic justice.

‘But the storeroom belonged to the United States govern- ©

ment, as well as the goods in it.

“The Cheyennes are determined to break with Uncle
Sam,”’ was his thought, as he rode still nearer. ‘When ~
Indians get started in this way nothing will stop them
until they come up against the rifles of Uncle Sam's
troopers. Silver Moccasin may stop the building of ©
the railroad, but at the same time he’s likely to start a

 

 

 
 

 

  
  

the wall was the stump of a big hollow tree,

THE BUPPALO

war that will wipe out his tribe. He ought to have
thought of that. But he’s an Indian, like the rest of
them, and never looks beyond the thing that’s to be
“done at the moment,”

When he had ridden as near as he thought safe, he
dismounted, tied his horse in a thicket of young elms,
and advanced farther on foot.

He was close upon the edge of the village, and was
watching the leaping and howling Cheyennes round the
storehouse, when he heard footsteps, and saw an In-
dian hurrying by toward the fire. The moonlight was so
bright that he recognized the Indian at once as Silver
Moccasin.

“Hello!” he called. |
_ The young half-breed chief stopped and turned toward
the scout, dropping a hand to his hatchet.

“Who calls in the voice’ of a white man?’ he de-
manded.

“It is I—the._ Long Hair 7

The scout stepped forth.

The young chief stared, for he had thought the scout
1 long distance away; then he came forward.

“Yes, itis the Long Hair,” he said. ‘He sees the fire
and hears the yells.”

“Your friends seem to want a big bonfire,” the scout
observed; “so they are trying to burn the government
storehouse.” .

“Tt is not that,” said the young chief hurriedly; “but
the girl that is in it. They want to burn her.”

He started on, and Buffalo Bill fell in at his side.

“The Ghost Flower?” the scout questioned.

“None other. 1 heard) ot a just now,
brave I met. I hasten to try and save her;

irom =a
but my

friends are not here, and the Cheyennes who hate me are

mad with rage, and with the white man’s poison fire-
water,”

“Then they will kill you!

“Even if I die, I must go.” His words came thickly.
He was running now in an Indian lope, but the scout
was keeping up with him easily. “Hear me, Long Hair!
There is a way to get into the storehouse, of which
they may not know. I saw the agent go in by it one
night when he thought no one was looking, Close by
, Boxes
rested on it and against it, and “seemed to be nailed
there, The agent swung the boxes aside, disappeared in
the tree, and a few minutes afterward I saw him in the
storehouse. The stump connects with a hole under the
ground. 1am going to get in the same way.”

“Perhaps I can help you,” said the scout. “You will
have to disguise yourself, or you are likely to be killed.

_And the girl will have to be disguised. The attention
‘of the Cheyennes will have to be drawn in some way. I

am good at disguising. Perhaps I can nap you? I am
a pica of the Ghost Flower.”

 

BILL) STORIES. 13

“The fire burns fast!” panted the young chief, still
running on.

“Tf we had blankets!”

“There are lodges near, Long Hair, and the Cheyennes
are by the fire. Here is the lodge of Wolf Robe. I
do not know where he is, but he was not in the village
when I left it. Nearly all my friends are also away—
they were sent away by a false order. They were told
I wanted them to come to the head of Porcupine Creek
for a big talk, and they went there. But.it was a lie, to
get them out of the village. I heard of it and started
for Porcupine Creek to tell them the truth; and then I
saw the fire and heard the yells. Just now I was told
they were trying to burn the Ghost Flower in the store-
house. It is the treachery of Red Elk. When IT meet
him I shall kill him.”

He turned toward the lodges.

A happy thought came to the scout, who. was still
running at his side.

“Perhaps I can find a robe in there belonging to Wolf
Robe,” he said

They were soon beside the lodges, and entered the
one belonging to the old medicine-man, The moonlight
gave them all the illumination they desired. One of the
medicine-man’s robes of wolf skin lay on his couch by
the lodge ewall; and on the wall itself hung his medicine-
bag, his shield and lance, bow and arrows, together with
certain bags containing various articles.

Buffalo Bill went through the bags quickly. He found
what he desired—paints and feathers, and various ar-
ticles of dress, used at times by the old medicine-man.

Nith the paints he proceeded to darken his face, streak-
ing it red after the Indian fashion. The wolf-robe he
slung round his shoulders. His boots he laid aside, and
donned a pair of Wolf Robe’s moccasins. In addition, to
make the disguise more effective, he drew a pair of the
medicine-man’s leggings over. his trousers. With the
robe and ornaments, the paint, and a feather in place of
his discarded hat, he looked startlingly like Wolfe Robe,
especially when he drew the blanket round his face, still
further perfecting his disguise.

Silver Moccasin stared at him with an Indian grunt of
approval.

“Tt is the medicine-man himself!” he said.’

When Buffalo Bill spoke in Cheyenne, in the heavy
voice of the old medicine-man, even Silver Moccasin
would haye been fooled, if he had not seen the changes
made himself.

“Disguise yourself with a blanket, if nothing more,”
the scout urged. “Tell me further about the entrance
through the stump, Now we will go, and you can talk
as we are on the walk. I will go in through the stump,
You had better remain outside close by it, to help me,
if there are any Indians there to make trouble as I come.
out. Now, we must hurry again,”

 

 
 

 

i - THE ‘BUFFALO

Silver Moccasin talked rapidly as they hastened to-
ward the fire in front of the storehouse.

It was an astonishing thing to him to see the scout
walk into the midst of the raging Cheyennes as confi-
dently as if he were the old medicine-man himself, and
to see them fall back before him, showing that they
credited the clever disguise and fully believed him to be
Wolf Robe.

Silver Moccasin, with blanket drawn around his face,
followed the scout closely and was not recognized.

Fortunately for the success of their plan, the Cheyennes
were watching the fires they were feeding, and were
amusing themselves, besides, by shooting bullets and
arrows through the windows, The din of their yelling
was terrific.

Silver Moccasin stood in front of the low stump and
spread his blanket wide as a screen, while the scout
twisted the boxes aside and slipped down into the hole
revealed, When the scout was gone the young chief
stood listening and waiting, wondering if he ought not
to haye gone into the burning bulding himself.
~ At three points the store was on fire; and as the wind
was freshening, the place was apparently doom ed. That
the Cheyennes were fully determined to roast the girl to
death in it could not be doubted, as the yéung chief
listened to their words and their yelling. The yells
were something demoniac. ‘They did not make him
shudder; they enraged him. _He wanted to draw the
revolver he held under his blanket and shoot at the leap-
ing figures in the firelight.

‘The minutes that followed seemed strangely long. He
began to fear something had happened to the scout; that
some of the Cheyennes were already inside, and had
killed him and the girl.

Just when he was on the point of swinging down into
the hole he heard the voice of Buffalo Bill.

“Do something to draw attention in another Se
was the scout’s request.

Silver Moccasin heard the voice in the hole, but saw
no one,

“The Ghost Flower is safe?”

“Yes; she is here with me.”

“i am, here,’ she answered. for herself, <‘l was
frightened, because I thought he was Wolf Robe. The
fire did not touch me, nor did the bullets and arrows.”

Silver Moccasin moved away from the stump, swing-
ing his hatchet. Then he uttered a yell that sounded as
wild and fiendish as any, and dashed at an Indian whom
he ‘recognized as an enemy of himself and the, girl. He
knocked the brave down with’ the flat of the hatchet,
struck at another who sprang at him, and then turned
in flight, running straight away from the building.

As he ran he cast aside the
In another moment

The ruse was successful.
blanket, revealing who he was.

suspicion.

nearly half of the warfiors who had been howling before

the fires were in hot pursuit.
Buffalo Bill sprang out of the hole in the stump,

pulled the girl up after him, threw the concealing boxes .
~in place, and turned with her in the other direction.

She had drawn the muffling-blanket round her face,

concealing it, and walked bent over like an old woman. -
Buffalo Bill walked erect beside her in the disguise of |

Wolf Robe.

“Out of my way!” he grunted; when some of the Chey-
ennes crowded close to him. He swung his hand im-
periously. “This is Kichinik, the mother of the chief,
Walking Horse. She is feeble, and fell in a faint by the
wall. I take her to her lodge.”

She had given him the name of Kichinik, mother of
Walking Horse; and as she walked on she tried hard
to imitate the feeble gait of the old squaw. The scout
took her by the arm, as if to support her tottering form.
The crowding Indians fell back; and he and the girl
passed on out into the village.

The daring flight of Silver Moccasin, who had run
amuck, with w arriors chasing him, drew so much atten-
tion that the scout! had no trouble in getting away from
the vicinity of the storehouse with the girl.

She directed him toward the lodge of Kichinik to avoid
When they reached it, finding the old squaw
there, they turned quickly in behind it and then passed
on, hurrying to get away as far as possible.

3ut they were now wholly unobserved and in little

danger. The warriors were still in pursuit of Silver
Moccasin. To’ their ears soon came the report of a re-
volver. Silver Moccasin ‘carried a revolver, and it

seemed probable he had fired on those who were chasing
him.

The girl was already trembling, and now she almost
Jost self-control. She drew: back, as if she wanted to
hurry in the direction of the shooting.

“They will kill him!” she said. oy

‘“T think not. He is a good runner. One of them
has perhaps crowded ae hard, and he shot at him, [
guess. He will get away.”

They were near the border of the village, and in her

anxiety she ‘stopped. The scout urged her on,

“Where am I to go?” she asked,

“The friends of Silver Moccasin are at the head of
Porcupine Creek. They were sent there by a lie. Soon
they may be coming back. As for me, I must ride as
soon as I can to General Marlin’s camp. with a report
of what is happening here. I think I shall leave you in
the elms where my horse is now ne Then I will find
Silver Moccasin and send him to you.”

She still trembled, listening to the sounds of pursuit, as’
they passed out of the village and away from the shadows
of the lodges.

   

   

 

 

 

      
=o

   

 

 

 

 

  

ee

“Phe moon fe right, she said ae see a
and can overtake him.”

Again the scout assured her he believed Silver ae
-$in was equal to the emergency...

“Tf you' do not find him? If something happens. to

him ?”. she said, unable to still her anxiety.
_ “If I do not find him you are to remain in the elms
‘until I return. I shall ride hard. It is the best I can do.
But for the fact that I must get word at.once to General
Marlin I would take you on my horse to Porcupine
Creek, But you will be safe in the elms. You are a
Cheyenne, and a Cheyenne woman is as brave as a man,
and quite as clever in a matter of that kind.”

“T am a Cheyenne, yes,” she admitted, “but I am also
a white woman. The white blood in my veins seems
to make me cowardly. I am not like the full-bloods of
the Cheyennes, who can endure anything. Perhaps it is
because I have been to the white men’s schools? They
make women titnid, ||

She stopped again, listening for sounds of the pursuit,
which were dying away.

y YOu area brave girl,” said the scout without flattery.
a know that you can remain hid in the elms,”

They hurried on, and soon the dark outline of the elms
rose before them, close by a small stream. As they ap-
‘proached, the scout! s horse whinnied.

~©That shows no ‘one has troubled him,” said the scout.
“But I dislike to have him whinny at such a time!”

Then they passed under the shade of the elms, where
the girl was to remain in concealment until Silver Mocca-
sin could come to her, or until the scout had made his

“swift ride to and from the general's camp.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE DEATH OF WOLF ROBE.

¥

Wolf Robe was a crafty old dog, and that accounted
for his absence from the Cheyenne village when the tur-
bulent element began to loot and riot.

He was the enemy of Wolfgang, the agent, and was
bitterly opposed to the railroad. | Railroads were engines
of civilization and scared away the game. The buffaloes
were gone, and now the Cheyennes were threatened with
a railroad that sent snorting engines tearing across the

land many times each day, destroying peace and qttiet

and frightening men and horses. A Cheyenne had been
killed on a railroad when he ventured from the reser-
vation some months before.

Seeing Wolfgang lock up the storehouse and leave the
village in a manner suggestive of stealth, old Wolf Robe
followed. He soon lost him, but continued his search for

the agent a long time.

He was still searching when he came suddenly on a
white man, who crouched in the midst of some bushes.

   

THE. BUFFALO

  

‘BILL: STORIES. Ts

The white man was Dave Stark, the desperado, who had
recently encountered Buffalo Bill. and been conauieted By
him, and as a result was weaponless.

The first thought of the medicine-man. was ‘that he had
found Wolfgang. As it was not in accordance with his
purpose to let the agent know he had tried to trail him,
he dissembled, Then he saw that it was not Woligang,
but a white man with whom he had one day seen Wolf-
gang talking. es

As for Stark, he was wondering. chow he could get the
Cheyenne’s weapons. He saw that Wolf Robe carried a
lance and had a very modern revolver belted to his waist.
He had a knife which the scout had not one but he
longed for that revolver.

“How?” he said, giying the Indian salutation indicating
friendship.

“How?” said Wolf Robe; and he stood looking at’ the
white man, wondering if the latter knew where Wolf-
gang was.

“How ae Stark again,
hand.
It was the white man’s form of splitter not the
Indian’s. But Wolf Robe, hoping to secure information
of Wolfgang, incautiously extended his hand,

The next moment he was thrown headlong by ‘the jerk
which Stark gave him. Before he could get up Stark
was on his back, trying to drive the knife into it.

Wolf Robe was old, but for an old man he was wonder-
fully active. As the villainous white man drove thé knife

this time extending his

into his back he turned, tearing the point of the weapon ©

out of the flesh by his quick movement. Then he caught
Stark around the neck and tried to pull his head down.

Stark resisted, and again used the knife. A fierce
struggle ensued, in which for a few moments neither
seemed to have the advantage. But the wounds: the
medicine-man had ,received, together with the fact that
Stark was a younger and ee man, began to tell in
Stark’s favor.

Wolf Robe tried now to escape. He had been stewek
twice with the. knife, and he was bleeding. He pushed
his hand into Stark’s neck, and in that manner tried to
break the latter’s hold.

They rolled over, half rose to their feet, swaying and
striking; and then went down again. This time Wolf
Robe did not rise; and soon he did not even struggle.
The knife had done its work at last.

Stark cast the limp form aside and scrambled up,
panting and winded. He stared down at the Indian,
looking into the painted face by the light of the moon.
Then he sat down on the grass, breathing heavily.

“He would have vit!’ he said, trying to justify his out-
rageous attack on the old medicine-man. “I couldn
let him kill me, could 1?”

He sat still, listening, not knowing but that the sound
of the fight might have reached unfriendly ears. Then
 

THE BUFFALO
ae wiped the knife carefully on the grass and took the

“Tt’s a good thing Buffalo Bill didn’t find my knife
when he searched me,” he reflected. “I had it well hid,

and he didn’t git it, and it saved my bacon jest now. I.

reckon I’ll have to thank him fer that when I meet him
agin. This revolver’s a 44, and has got. cartridges, and
is jest the thing [ want. I'll take his ie too, and his
lance. I wonder what else he’s got?’

He searched the body of Wolf Robe, finding. more Te-
volver cartridges, which he greedily appropriated.

“Tl have the Cheyennes after me fer this, as well as
Buffalo Bill,” he reflécted ‘uneasily. “But what was! to
do? I had to have weapons; and he had ’em, and put
himself in my way. I didn’t go huntin’ fer him, did ie
It was him. come huntin’ ferme, | reckon.”

He sat thinking over the situation, Then ‘suddenly. he
began to strip the clothing from the body of the medicine-
man.

it bay. Injun fer a while, ene. ad

in my hair and paint streaked over my face. Lucky fer
me, I can sling Cheyenne talk same as if 1 was one of

m.. Pll keep out of their way; but if any of em comes
too close: I’ll talk Cheyenne’ back to ’em, and fool ’em
long enough to give me a chance to git away. It'll help
to keep me out of the hands of the soldiers. With paint
on my. face, I.can fool any oe that ever straddled
a hoss.” ; :

‘He worked Butciedly, now that he had mapped out a
plan, and in a little while he had changed himself into
a very clever imitation of an Indian. He did not desire
to be a close reproduction of “Wolf Robe, so he turned
the wolf-skin inside out before stringing it about his
shoulders. Hei also set the feathers in his hair im a
fashion different from that in which the old medicine-man

had worn them, and he was careful to streak his face,

with Wolf Robe’s pigments, in a manner very unlike that
which Wolf Robe had used.

“dd take a look at myself now if I had a lookin’-glass,”
he muttered. “But I reckon I’ll do. So long’s night
holds, anyhow, I can fool the best of ’em. And I can
keep shady in the day-time. I'll do my little travelin’
by night, and that ought to be safe enough.”

He had removed most of his own clothing when he
put on the garments of Wolf Robe. Now, as a matter
of precaution, he rolled the body to a ravine and tumbled
it in. His discarded clothing he made into a bundle and
cached some distance away, covering it with earth and
small stones.

In all he did he was exceedingly clevér, and fiuecn
he was not able to obliterate wholly all signs of his pres-
ence, he believed he had muddled them so that only a
skilful man could make anything of them.

He now set out. for his horse, which he had. oreeied”

BILL STORIES.

 

 

revolver, which had been the. real cause of the murder. ae

“Cody Sone
never look fer me under an Injun blanket, with feathers.

and I know her.

    

not far off; but before he reached it he changed his mind,
and shifted his course toward the Indian village. -He
saw. the fire and heard the yelling, and cunOHe made
him wish to know what was going on. oe

_ As he-came closer. to the village he was given a ines
pendors shock—so great a-one, in fact, that he actually

trembled. The Indian medicine-man he had killed, whose
body he had rolled into the ravine, and whose clothing -
That was”

he was wearing, was coming . toward him! ~
what he thought at first, though he did not see how. it
could be. With the medicine-man, or. the) one who

seemed to be him, was the Indian girl, Ghost. Flower.

Stark had seen her and knew who she was.

He stared at the man who seemed to. be the oe

Wolf Robe. His knees quaked. under him. Temporary

weakness alone kept him from turning about -and ol

ing away in fright. oe

As he stood staring, the. supposed eae -man one
the girl turned toward a grove of small elms, into which
they disappeared. |

on which he rode away..
Stark had dropped to the ground to keep from oe

seen, and he watched the supposed Indian until the latter
Nor did he move until the hoof- beats :
Then he stood up, looking at

was out of sight,
ceased to reach his ears.
the elms. He knew the girl was still in there. _

“Pll find out about that!’ he said.

He was about to walk into the grove when cae aet

thought came to him, and he stopped, sinking down ~

again, a

“Tl fool her! Ill make her think I’m the same fel-
ler, come back. That wasn’t Wolf Robe; it couldn’t have
been! Why, didn’t I kill the old duck, and ain’t he
layin’ dead in the ravine this minute? ‘Course it couldn’t
been hiny. Whoever he was, he’s gone; and she’s in
there.” / : :

Lying in the grass, he turned the wolf-robe again, and
shifted the feathers in his hair so that when he rose up

to enter the grove he resembled ve much the man who

had ridden away.

“Tl jest fool her!” he said, eae.
she'll say when she. sees me? Anyway, itll give me a
chance to know who the critter was that was with her.
Yes, she’s a beaut! She’d make a-ttice Injun squaw;
and I dunno but she’d suit me all right. I’ll jest step in
and have a talk with her.’

He drew his revolver, held it under his blanket, and
then walked into the grove. The girl heard him coming.
Fooled by his appearance, she rose up to meet him.

“Why, Mr. Cody, I didn’t hear you come back!” she
said.

  

“In a little while the man came out
alone, this time leading a horse, which he mounted, and

 

“She’s a beaut,
She won't know me in this rig,
~ though.” :

“Wonder Shae

That gave Stark almost as great a shock as when he

   
  

    

 
  
   

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“had not even strength to try to run.

purty fer that.

in. the village.

~ coming back very soon, and——

 

THE BUFFALO

‘
thought he saw the ghost of old’ Wolf Robe. His knees
grew weak: again He feared Buffalo Bill-more- than
any other man. - But immediately he braced his shaking

courage, remembering that the scout had ridden off and

was now: far away. But he could not at once command
his tongue and give even a crude” imitation of 7 scout’ s
voice.

“My horse stumbled, and I T thong mae come back,’ ane
said clumsily.-

- She retreated with a little cry of surprise and fear.
~“You—you are not Mr. Cody!” she cried. '

‘He flung the blanket aside and thrust the PS MESS into
her face.

“Who -said I was?” he saunted eh didnt)” |

The surprise was overwhelming. VBOr 2 moment she
- He guessed she
might attempt it, and grufily warned her not to.

“TY don’t want to shoot ye,” he said; “and I hope you
won't be so foolish as to make me. I jest want to ask
ye some questions.” om a

“You—you are a white man!”

“Well, yes; sense ye guess it; Vm part white, anyway.
Vd be more white if I rubbed the paint off my face,
That was Buffalo Bill. What did ye come out here with
him fur? And what was you hidin’ here fur?’

She turned ‘as if she would run.

“Set down!” he commanded harshly. “Don’t make me
want to shoot ye. I ain’t goin’ to hurt ye. You're too
I’m jest goin’ to talk with ye.”

“But I—I don’t want to talk with you.”

“That’s sing’lar. I want to talk with you. What did
it mean—him bringin’ ye in here and then cuttin’ out
that way? And what’s the row over there in the vil-
lage? You and him came from that way.”

He pointed the revolver at her again, and she sank
down trembling.

“You'll let me go if I answer ?”

“That’s all I want—jest to know.”

He sank to the ground in front of her, but kept his
revolver in her sight. The trees cut off some of the

moonlight, yet she could see him clearly enough, and
~ could see the threatening gleam of his revolver.

But
she did not know who he was, though she began to
think he was a white man she had once seen talking
with Wolfgang in the storehouse.
_ “YU answer you, if you'll let me go.”” .

Sail oneal ma jistemin 2

“Some of the Cheyennes are drinking and carousing
I was in danger there, and Mr. Cody
took me out and brought me here for ae He is

39

Stark moved uneasily. It would be pleat to have
Buffalo Bill return soon and catch him there. But he
gripped his courage again.

“That's a lie,” he said bluntly,

y

terse Vary P= SIA POON A AB at ata ae ens

“and I ain't wantin’

sss aeauibnaaibi bseimleia hi hehe

BILL STORIES. i: 1

nothin’ but the truth, understand! He ain’t comin’ back
right off, er he woulda’ t have fit the eat he did when he
went. a) :

“He is to be back in less than halé an hour,” _she de-
clared sturdily. “He has gone to meet Silver’ Moccasin
and bring him here. I was ‘but waiting here for them.”

He did not believe her now.

“That’s- all right,” he said. “We'll jest chin” a little,
while you’re waitin’ Wr ’em. You’re the’ half- breed gal
they used” to. call the Cheyenne Queen. N eédn’t” lie
about it, fer 1 know you. aE seen you ‘there in the village.”

. “Ves, I remember ;
Wolfgang.” A

ie started. ee

“Oh, you seen me ‘talkin’ ‘with en did ye? “Well,
that’s all right; I had ao license. to. The _Cheyennes
seem bustin’ up ina row, I “guess it’s this railroad. biz-
ness. There’ll be fightin’ and bloodshed before they git
through with it. How would you like to acnuds A whole
of it and go with me: oe ce

‘when you talked with the agent,

“He bent forward. and ae at her in a manner r that
made her desperately afraid of him.

‘Qh, dont. sit skeered!” he urged, as she tied to
move farther back. “I. aint so bad lookin’ as: some
other men I’ve seen. How’d you like it?”

“T_T. don’t think I. understand you!” .. ae

‘“T’ll make it plainer, then. I’m goin’ to give this sec- .
tion the shake; goin’ away from hete fer good, and in a.
hurry. I ought to been on my way before this. Now
I’m glad I didn’t, for I calce’late maybe you'll like to go
with me. I know the best hidin’-places in two States, and
‘tain’t a day’s ride from this spot. I’ve got it stocked
with provisions and ammunition, and could hide out in
it fer a month, easy. What say?”

“Go with you to that place?”

“Yes. What d’ye say? I figger that you had a mighty
good reason fer gittin’ out of the Cheyenne village; you
cut out because it wasn’t healthy fer you there any longer.
I’m up on the situation, ye see. It was too hot fer you
there, and you won't dare to go back right away. There’s
goin’ to be some fightin’, and that village will be too
hot to hold even a fire purty soon. We could hide out
till the row blew over.”

“Never!

She sprang to her feet.

He put out his foot and tripped her as she started to
run, and before she could rise he had her by the wrists
and was holding her. She fought him then, tooth and
nail; but he threw her down, knocked her almost un-
conscious with a blow of his mighty fist, and before she
recovered he had her bound hand and foot.

She lay back almost in a faint, her shoulders and head
propped against a tree, just as he placed her, She
looked at him in helpless fear.

“Tf you don’t go with me Beet you go with me

pasiabspenteiaance SO

 

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sti til eta Sth a A St ANF MN a PS IE ATRL NCAT ANTE ANE ITE
 

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

vanyhow. I’ve got ‘to git: opt. off here, as 1 said; and
‘Eve took a notion to have you go ‘long fer company.
[ve eer a hoss eae ae and two can ride him ¢ as well
as one.’ eee

When she did not answer he rose to. his feet.

“That's all right,” he said, -“‘It’s the privilege of a
“woman to keep her mouth shut when she wants to.
Gin’rally they can’t do it: I’m going fer my hoss, It
ain't fur off, and I'll be. right back” :

As soon as he was gone she began to struggle to cast
the cords off her wrists, working with feverish and pain-
ful energy. Then she called loudly the name of Silver
Moccasin, hoping that Buffalo Bill had ou him and
he was approaching and near.

“Cll crack her on the head fer a Stark grunted,
hearing her.

‘Then he broke into a run, heading for his horse.”

CHAPTER AX,

oe "BATTLING |CHEYENNES, |
Buffalo Bill did not let the grass grow under. his
hor se'a, feet. Following in the. direction of the Cheyenne
pursuit, but keeping out-of the way of the Indians, he
spent. an hour or more ina search for Silver. Moccasin,
finding the young chief at last and sending him to the
elm grove.

_ Having done that he shaped his cqurse for the camp
of General Marlin, and put his horse at its best gait. By
hard riding he reached the camp before daylight and
reported to the general,

He ordered a fresh horse, ate a hearty meal, caught a
few winks of sleep, and before the sun was up he was
again in the saddle, riding back toward the village. of
the Cheyennes. There was a bustle of hurry and prepa-
ration in the camp as he left, and the troopers were to
fo Nlow him without delay.

Buffalo Bill rode as hard now as if he had not been
so long in the saddle. By ten o’clock he was in the
vicinity of the village, and drew his horse in.

Soon he heard Indian yells, but not from the direction
of the village. Turning toward them, he discovered,
after a while, a band of Cheyennes in the rocks at the
crossing of Porcupine Creek. Another band of Chey-
ennes was on the other side of the creek, but well back,
and some of them had oe to shoot at the Cheyennes
amid the rocks.

“An Indian ee fight |! Le he said, when he made the
ese

He rode his horse to the top of the knoll where he
could look down upon the belligerent parties. Though
he was still in the Indian disguise he had assumed when
he went into the village, he had under his blanket his
field-classes, and he leveled them first on one pay pile
then an the other.

“Moceéasin., -

“Veg: ape and. pile: for a brush with each
other !”’ a oo

~ With the marty out in the open he soon saw Siiver
The young chief was on a cream-colored
pony, and though his face.was not painted, feathers flut-
tered from his lance-pole, and he looked very warlike.
He was riding to and fro, as if urging his party to attack.
_. Turning his glass on the,Cheyennes sheltered by the

-rocks ‘the scout soon located Red Elk, whom he knew
to be the enemy of Silver Moccasin. Red Elk had

craftily concealed a portion of his force, to give the

‘Cheyennes under Silver Moccasin the idea that he had
not many warriors with him. And he was trying to pro-
voke Silver Moccasin’s followers into making an assault.

Another thing the scout soon discovered. Some dis-

tance beyond Red Elk’s forces was a mob of women and :

children, who had with them a large herd of ponies.
Many. of the ponies bore lodge-poles. Others were
harnessed between lodge-poles, as between the shafts of
a buggy, the free ends of the poles trailing on the ground,
Across and upon the poles were lashed the buffalo-skin

lodge coverings, blankets and robes, and all the various

articles to be found in an Indian village. Even dogs
were harnessed between poles and made to draw loads.
The Cheyennes were moving ; the village had been broken
up hastily, and its occupants were in full flight. ae

Buffalo Bill understood the situation now. A rumor of
the approach of troopers had reached the Cheyennes, and
had stampeded them, Perhaps they feared punishment
for the burning of the agent’s storehouse. Perhaps they
had learned of the scout’s hasty ride to Marlin’ s camp.

Silver Moccasin and his warriors had apparently ap-
proached the crossing of the Porcupine for the purpose
of joining the rest of his tribe. Red Elk and his men
had thrown themselves in the way, and were now trying
to draw Silver Moccasin’s forces into a trap. Not know-
ing this, Silver Moccasin was urging his 1 men to an at-
tack.
In vain Buffalo Bill looked for the Ghost Flower. He
searched, also‘in vain, for the old medicine-man, not
knowing that Wolf Robe was dead. :

He soon rode down from the hill and galloped toward
the Cheyennes who were out in the open. They stared
at him as he came.on in his Indian disguise. Then Sil-
ver. Moccasin detached himself from the others.and gal-
loped forth to meet him, having discovered who he was.

~ They came together > well beyond )rifle- -shot of the
Cheyennes in the rocks.

“The Ghost Flower?” said Silver Moccasin, voicing
first the question nearest his heart.

“1 sent you to her,” said the scout. \

“She was not there—she was not in the elms! I
searched for her, but could not find her. Then I went
boldly into the ee and could not me her.”

“That is strange,”

 

Th

Pn ate an A
Pe eee a CPR SITES RAMEE TORR PRA sla SOO ISNA ps or EE I gt oe fees gh NU, a ep Sl A gin

doe BUPPALO Bill STORIES,

“The storehouse had been burned and the Cheyennes
were frightened. Word had come that troopers were on
their way to make an attack. Red Elk had taken many

of his friends and departed. My friends were at the
head of the Porcupine, waiting for me there, as you
know.

“I told the Cheyennes that the taoepess would not at-
tack them; that you had ridden to make a report, and I
knew you would hold the troopers back. But that only
frightened them more. I left and made another hunt for
Ghost Flower. When I could not find her I rode to
my friends on Porcupine Creek. As we came down the
creek and tried here to join the people of the village,
Red Elk put himself and his friends in the rocks and sent
out a challenge that he would fight us,

_“The girl-is missing!’ said the scout.

lt distressed and bewildered him.
. “Why does Red Elk want to fight your” he asked the
y young chief. :

“Enmity» and jealousy. It is not the railroad now.
That is forgotten. , We will have to fight him out of the
- tocks.. | am hoping that the Ghost Flower is with
the women and children over there, and that is why I
_ wanted to reach them, when Red Elk’s men interposed
and challenged for a fight.”

He had spoken very hurriedly and he now turned his
horse about. :

_ “The troopers are not coming?” he asked.

“They are coming—to keep the peace, not to break it.
They will not attack any Cheyenne Who does! not want
to fight ous But let me wart? you that Red Elk has a
trap for you,”

_ He set his horse at a ‘gallop, riding at Ae young chief's
side toward the Cheyennes.

el ae not know how they will oe this Indian dis-
guise,” he said. “You understand why I adopted it, but
they will not. I ought to have taken it off when I was
at the camp, but I left most of my clothing, you will
remember, in the lodge of Wolf Robe when I made
the change there. Youll have to explain it to your
friends. as well as you can; ae let them know I am a
friend.”

-— But before the scout and Silver Moceuain reached the
Cheyennes, Red Elk uncovered his hidden force, which
dashed on horseback across the river and came riding
with furious yells to attack.

There was no time for explanation, nor for a talk of
any kind. Silver Moccasin’s men bunched together, and
with the young half-breed chief at their head, they rode
with wild yells to meet the charge of the warriors under
Red Elk. Buffalo Bill fell in with them, and seemed
but an Indian riding with other: Indians on a wild war
charge.

His sympathies were naturally with Silver Moccasin.
And it seemed just then that the young chief would need

. gang was all this time.

whatever help he could get, in spite of the fine courage

which he displayed in meeting Red Elk’s attack, for Red

Elk’s force was greatly superior in numbers.
The opposing forces came together with wild ie

'with a whistling of lances and crashing of shields, which

was followed almost instantly by hand-to-hand combats
with hatchets and knives.

Buffalo Bill was provided with a short-barreled rifle,
which he had carried under his blanket, but which he
now used as a club. It was an admirable weapon for
close work, and with it he unhorsed more than one red-
skin,
Silver a singled out Red Elk and dashed at —
him, Their horses came together with a ‘crash that
threw the lightweight pony of Silver Moccason to the
ground. The young chief landed on his feet and swung
his hatchet with a whirling motion that shot it at the head
of his foe. It crashed against and splintered the lance-
pole of Red Elk, whose blade was at the moment being
driven straight for Silver Moccasin’s broad breast/

Dropping his broken lance, Red Elk drew his hatchet
and hurled it. Silver Moccasin dodged and then, with
a jerk on the horsehair-rein that circled its lower jaw,
he threw Red Elk’s horse sprawling on the ground.

Red Elk rose to his feet, and the fiery young chiefs
came together, each yelling, and with knife in hand.
including Buffalo Bill, had
drifted on beyond them, leaving them alone as they
dashed upon each other. But Buffalo Bill, drawing out
of the ruck, came riding back and saw the end of the
fight. :

It was the finish, too, of Red Elk, and because of it,
the finish of the combat; for when Red EIk’s men saw
that their leader had fallen they were seized with a panic
and broke, fleeing in all directions.

Silver Moccasin caught the horse of Red Elk and
sprang to its back.

“We go now to hunt for the ‘Ghost Flower,” he said,
speaking to Buffalo Bill almost as calmly as before the
terrible fight had taken place. “If she is not over there,”
—he pointed toward the dust-cloud indicating the position
of the women and children—“we will go back to the elm
ator and there get her trail and follow it till we find
Nera a)

, He seemed to feel sure of the scout’s sympathy aad
assistance.

The other combatants,

CHAPTER AX)

, WOLFGANG S CRIME.

The reader, no doubt, has been asking where Wolt-
Dave Stark had expected to :
meet him. Wolf Robe, the medicine-man, had seen him ©

lock his store and give it in charge of one he trusted,

 
CS i
Hi

GAEDE ata RES i tt

Loe rae BURFALQ. BILL STOniES

and depart from the village; and Wolk Robe had tried to
trail him. oe

In departing from the village, Welleane’s first object
was to meet his desperado tool, Dave Stark. Not find-
ing Stark at the expected rendezvous, he had ridden on
to another, thinking Stark had probably been frightened
by the Indian hub-bub and had gone there, This took
him a good distance from the’ village. :

The agent was much perturbed. Not because he had
missed meeting Stark, though that was disturbing, but
over the very recent turn of affairs. He had neyer seen
anything like it. When he agreed, for a consideration,
to bribe the Cheyenne chiefs into favoring a railroad

across their reservation, he had not anticipated much

trouble,

As a railroad is popularly supposed to be a civilizing

agency, he expected no opposition from the government.
He wrote some letters to his superiors, saying the road

would be a good thing for the Indians, as it would help.
and then he tried to‘earn his bribe

to civilize them;
money by corrupting every chief of the Cheyennes he
could.

But there were some who stood out against him. Three
youne ‘chiefs made themselves particularly offensive,

They were Silver Moccasin, Black Wolf, and Otter Tail.

To. stop them, Wolfgang called on his hireling ruffian,
Dave Stark, and ordered him to put them out of the way.

Stark obeyed by assassinating Black Wolf and attemp-
ting the life of Otter Tail; and for a week he had been

hanging about the village try ing to get a chance to kill

Silver Moccasin.

“It seemed almost as if the Cheyennes knew this, for
they grew suspicious and violent against the agent and
derisive in their treatment of certain drunken chiefs and
purchasable warriors. Then came signs of an outbreak,
The preaching of the Indian Messiah by Wolf Robe was,
for Wolfgang, an unpleasant coincident, [t aroused the
Cheyennes, made them recall the days of the buffaloes,
and stirred them to hatred of white men.

Wolfgang had thought to make some money without
danger and trouble, and he found his position and his
life in peril almost before he knew it.

Certain that the unrest of the Cheyennes would be in-
vestigated by General Marlin, he was thinking of riding
to Marlin’s headquarters to square himself with the gen-
eral after he failed to find Stark, when his purpose was
changed temporarily by seeing the distant fire.

Ile at once suspected that the Indians had risen in
wild and drunken revolt and had put the torch to the
storehouse. He turned the head of his horse toward the
village. and galloped away to ascertain the meaning. of
the fire. When he drew nearer he heard the fierce In-
dian yells; and when he was closer still he saw the crazed
Cheyennes leaping and dancing. The store was a heap
of burning ruins. ;

. that was astounding.

Wolfgang was shocked by the discovery. It meant a
swift investigation by the government.
go into the village while the Cheyennes were in that

state, and with the necessity of squaring himself with

General Marlin more pressing than ever he rode now

toward Marlin’s camp.

In making this ride he was much later than Buffalo
Bill, so that daylight came while he was yet a consider-
able distance from Marlin’s headquarters.

As he drew near the camp he saw General Marlin
ride forth alone from a grove of trees. Apparently the
general was taking an early morning canter, for as he
rode along he took off his hat and held it in his hand,
that» he might better enjoy the fresh breeze, Thoughts
of Indian troubles seemed far from his mind,

Wolfgang was pleased to be able to meet the general

away from headquarters. It promised to make easier

what he wished to say. Usually, there were young lieu-
tenants and other officers hanging around Marlin’s mar- , /

quee, whose presence was to Wolfgang always annoying.
“Tll tell him what I’ve got to say tight out here!’ ”
He stunk the spurs into his horse and rode to meet the
general. Marlin saw him and drew rein. As they came
together Wolfgang assumed an expression of excitement
and anxiety he did not wholly feel, though in other
directions he was anxious enough.

He began to report the rising of the Cheyennes and

the burning of the agency storehouse, declaring that he

_had barely escaped with his life, and had ridden post-

haste to make his report.

If he had not been so @ntent on making an impression
he might have noticed that Marlin showed small excite-
ment over happenings so momentous. He might have
observed, too, that the general eyed him with a certain
critical coldness.

Marlin was awake to Wolfgane’s iniquities, for he had
not many hours before received the report of the faithful
and accurate scout, Buffalo Bill. He looked now upon

Wolfgang as a scoundrel and murderer, as well as a

base traitor to his government.

“This is not news to me,” he said, with a calmness
“And I think that you ought to
have expected it wouldn’t be.”

“Expected it? I? Why should 7 have expected ee

He stared and flushed.

General Marlin put down his hand and quickly drew

from his saddle-holster a revolver, which he leveled at
Wolfang’s head.

“Your black iniquity is known to me, you scoundrel i
he said. “I have had a report from Buffalo Bill of your
doings. You will surrender to me now and go with me to
the camp, or——”’

Though Wolfgang was taken so completely by surprise .

he was not yet mastered and overthrown, As if by a
flash of lightning he saw his position. Buffalo Bill had

 

He. dared not.

i resist

ak

) speal
P ine te
:

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x

a

ul
BY
:

| speaking as if ene! was near to hear.
© me to camp I’d have been hung.

“his case would be, quite hopeless.
' flashed in his eyes.

THe DUrEALO Clb STORIES.

The fire of desperation
So quickly did his thoughts move

) that before Marlin had finished his sentence Wolfgang

resistance, pulled the trigger; but the bullet flew wild

-over Wolfgang’s head. Wolfgang’s blow, striking the

general on the cheek, nearly hurled him out of his saddle.

Both horses jumped at the report of the revolver, and
Marlin was pitched farther over. His horse began to
rear and buck. The general’s foot got caught in the stir-
rup and he was dragged along the ground.

Wolfgang wheeled his own horse and gave chase,
drawing a revolver as he did so, Marlin’s stirrup-leather
broke, dropping him to the ground, and Wolfgang, wildly
desperate, rode up and deliberately shot him through the
body.

Marlin’s teohiened horse was galloping off toward
the camp which, owing to the trees, was not visible
from that point.

Wolfgang pulled in and Vea down beside Marlin.
The general seemed to be dead, and lay in a crumpled
heap, his face against the ground. A sudden feeling of
terror shook the dastardly traitor when he looked down
at the man he had shot.

“This will hang me!” he said, half- oud

He could hardly realize that he had committed a deed
which a few minutes before was so far from his thoughts.
He had never in the least intended to kill General Mar-
lin. Even the thought of it would have given him a
shock of fear, And now, apparently, it was done. That
it was the deed of a fool, or’'a madman, he was sure.
But what is done cannot be undone! His eyes grew
bloodshot as he stared down at the limp form. His
horse, sniffing the blood, grew restless and backed, tug-
ging at the bridle-rein.

172.

“Whoa! you fool!” said Wolfgang. “But you ain’t as

big a foolas | am!”

Yet he asked himself if he could have done other ng
he did. He might have let Marlin lie where the broken
stirrup-leather had dropped him. But Marlin would have

| regained his breath and strength and would have returned
, to the camp. Then troopers would have been sent to get
) the agent who had not only proved traitorous, but had
| resisted arrest.

“iL had to do it; 1:had ta dat!” iwetieane declared,
“Tf he’d taken
I had to do it! But

’ breathed a deep sigh of relief.

- had sent the chief to find her,

now I’ve got to get out of this, and get out quick.
There'll be no fooling in a case like this if I’m caught.”

He glanced around anxiously.

“Nobody saw me do it! I can deny it. I can say
that I don’t know anything about it; that I wasn’t even
here, or near here. I can deny the whole thing, Nobody
saw me!”

He looked in all directions to i sure of this, and
Still, he did not feel that
he dared to go now to the camp. Flight appealed to him.

“T’ll just drop out of sight. If I do, and keep out, it
will be the general opinion that the Cheyennes killed me.
Yes, that’s what [’ll do. Then I’ll go to some other place
and start life over, under another name. It’s a good
thing I cached most of the money the railroad agents
paid me; I’m likely to need it. Yes, Ill slide; and I'd
better do it at once.”

He swung back into the saddle and pulled his horse
around. Marlin’s horse was out of sight beyond the
trees. With a last glance at the crumpled form on the
eround Woligang rode away at furious speed.

a

CHAPTER XI.
BUFFALO BILL'S SKILL.

Silver Moccasin did not count in vain on the assistance

of Buffalo Bill. When the scout knew that the Ghost
Flower was strangely missing, and was not with the
moving village, he was almost as anxious as the young
chief to begin a search for her.
Silver Moccasin relied greatly on the skill of the fa-
mous scout who, it was reputed among the Indians, could
follow a trail even in the dark. So he gave certain or-
ders to his warriors, telling them he would later join
them, and rode away with Buffalo Bill.

Their objective point was the grove of elms, in which
the scout had left the Ghost Flower, and to which he
That she should not have
been there when the young chief went to the elms was
very stratige.

Silver Moccasin had not been able to find a trail lead-
ing from there, and only the trail of an Indian pony
some distance away. He had followed it, and then had
lost it: He believed, however, that the rider of the pony
had not been in or near the elms.

The elms were approached shortly after mid-day and
carefully reconnoitered. No hoof-tracks entered or leit
them, except those of the horses of the scout and the
young Indian. Neither could human footprints be seen,
as they circled the grove. But the ground round the
elms was hard-baked clay, with many rocks and little
grass, and a man might pass over it without leaving
tracks.

When the grove was penetrated, Buffalo Bill soon came
on signs that in his haste Silver Moccasin had over-

 
 
  
 

22

looked, The most bran was a stained T D pipe,

which Stark had dropped, probably ‘because he was not
used to carrying things in Indian clothing. Many In-
dians are inveterate smokers of tobacco, but Buffalo Bill
had never known one to smoke a T D clay pipe. That
had plainly belonged to a white man.

“See here!” he said, pointing to the discoloration on
one side. “It makes almost a man’s face.”

The stain on that side of the pipe did take on a some-
what fanciful resemblance to a human face.

“Tt is the pipe of the White Wolf, who came to talk
with the agent. I saw him in the storehouse, and they
talked long together.”

But soon Buffalo Bill-found other articles, which made
the young chief think his first guess must be incorrect.
One was a moleskin pouch which held a small quantity
of dry red paint, and the other was a tuft of wolf-hair
that a jagged bough had torn out of the wolfskin-robe of
the old medicine-man, worn by Stark.

Silver Moccasin stared at these with a certain degree
of mental helplessness. Their discovery bewildered him.
He recognized the moleskin pouch as the property of
Wolf Robe, and he could easily guess that the wolf-hairs
had come from the medicine-man’s robe,

“Wolf Robe!” he said, staring, “But I do not under-
stand it. Was he with the white man?”

He pointed to the pipe.

The scout asked some questions, From Silver Mocca-
sin’s further description of the man he called the White
Wolf, Buffalo Bill came_to the conclusion that the man
was Dave Stark. But Stark had promised to depart im-
mediately! Had he broken that promise and come here?

There were also some faint shoe-imprints that looked
to be those of a white man; but of these the scout was
not certain.

“We'll now find the pony tracks that you followed,” he
said.

_ “Which I followed and lost again,” Silver Moceasin
corrected,

He was eager to be doing something; and when it |

seemed the elms could give no further information they
departed for the point where the young chief had discov-
ered the pony trail.

The tracks at that point were quite clear. As soon as
Buffalo Bill saw them he was almost convinced they had
been made by Dave Stark’s pony. Yet he had seen the
pony only by moonlight, and’ could not be positive. But
he pointed out one thing. That the tracks were so plain
here, where the soil was soft, was due probably to the
fact that the pony bore a double load; and, if so, the girl
-as well as the man might have been on its back.

It was easy to follow the trail to the point where it
had been lost by Silver Moccasin, forthe chief’s pony-
tracks ran close beside it all the way. Where he had lost

ap

THE BUPFALO BILL STORIES.

SSE Une wat lero ape gh entre ae a

  

@

it the tracks of his own pony disappeared, the ground
there being too hard to retain them. 2
Buffale Bill’s hardest work began here.
an hour to decipher the trail across the baked clay, and
even then his success was due largely to pure reasoning,
by which he divined the course a man would take we
moved by the impulses that were supposed to be moving

“this man,

When the trail was found again it was not hard to
follow.--Stark was relying on the hard ground, which he
had purposely passed over, to baffle any pursuer. But he
had on his track now a veritable human bloodhound.

Buffato Bill and the chief had not gone a long dis-
tance from the elms when they saw a trooper riding furi-
ously toward them. He came to meet them. They
pulled in their horses and waited for him to come up.

He had ridden so hard that his horse was covered with

foam. He was a scout and a courier, whom Buffalo Bill

knew, and his name was Benton.

“I’m lucky to find, you,” he said, after saluting. He
looked curiously at the feathered young half-breed. “I
was sent out to find you, and report to you that General
Marlin was shot down, out on the prairie, this morning.”

“Killed?” erjed the scout. :

“No, not killed; but mighty nigh it.
through the upper part of the lungs. His horse came
galloping into camp, with a stirrup gone, and men were
sent out at once, and they found him, He came to con-
sciousness about the time they reached him, and he told
a startling story. It seems he tried to arrest Wolfgang,
the Cheyenne agent, and it was Wolfgang who shot him.
Marlin’s horse ‘threw him first, and tried to run with
him, and that gave Wolfgang his chance.”
(It was an astounding report.
“A detachment was sent out to take Wolfgang’s trail,

f

but though they struck it and hung to it a while, they lost~

it in the rocks of the Verdigris River, and couldn’t find
it again. They’re all at sea; and so I was sent to find
you, and ask you to go to their help,”

Silver Moccasin’s black eyes snapped with dissent; he
had understood the nature of the request, and did not
approve of it. He wanted the scout to follow the trail
they were now on.

“This is startling—almost unbelievable!” said Buffalo
Bill. “But we can be thankful that the general is living.
Do the surgeons think he will pull through?’

“They hope so; yes, they think so. He has a fine
constitution, and that works wonders sometimes. You
will come at once, sir?”

“Wolfgane’s trail was lost in the rocks by the Verdi-
gris, and when he struck the rocks he was riding from
the direction of the camp. We're following a.pony-trail
here, and you will observe the direction it is pointing. If
Wolfgang kept straight on after leaying the rocks, his

trail and this, you can see, will come together after a
{

Tt re ee

He was shot>

    
    

  
 

 

 

 

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the
the
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THE: BUFFALO BILL STORIES. oe 23

while, The ‘shooting -occutred early this morning, “and
Wolfgang, of course, ‘rode hard after that, for he would
In my opinion, we are nearer Wolfgang
"right now than we would be if we were at the Verdigris;
and we'll strike him quicker by hanging to this oa than
by" trying to pick up his, which | is. lost.” o ;

* The courier stared. Z
“How do you make that out? This isn’t his trail a
A “This, isn’t his trail, but we believe it to be: the. trail

> of Dave Stark, Stark and: Wolfgang seem to.be heading

for the same point... Each has good reason to go. into
hiding, and probably each has in mind. the same: hiding-
place. This trail, -you will notice, is heading toward the
Cumbres. Hills,
‘There isn’t a better hiding-place in the whole country.”
He explained more fully, telling the courier why he

1 and Silver Moccasin: were following the. trail they: be-

lieved to be Dave Stark’s, and he asked. the courier: to
return to the troopers at the Verdigris, and tell them to
proceed in the general direction Wolfgang had been go-
ing, and to meet him at, the Twin Buttes, a noe ae
dJandmark in the Cumbres Hills. :

“rey have gone on from there, when ehiey arrive they
will find a’ note pinned in the crotch of the little’ oak
sapling that stands at the base of the et of the: oe
pes Her eeiG ba ae i

When the courier had departed, Buffalo Bill and the
young chief again pursued the pony-trail leading toward
the Cumbres Hills, and pushed on so rapidly that before
thé middle of the afternoon’ they | were in ae hills, with
the pony-trail still guiding Hem,

"CHAPTER XII.
IN THE CUMBRES: HILLS,

As the reader knows, or has guessed, the pony which
bore Dave Stark’ bore” also. the halt- breed Indian girl,
Ghost Flower. mu

As a matter of ‘caution. he had not brought the pony

| into the grove, but carried her to the pony, choosing a

course that would concéal his trail. Then he set her in
front of him on the pony, with her hands still tied.

He did not reach his hiding- -place in the Cumbres

} Hills until some time the next morning. As he was tired
| out and wanted a rest, he did not at once untie the girl,

} but bound her feet at the ank les, and put her behind him

  

} in the cave, while he lay across the entrance as he slept.

The ‘cords were set so cleverly that she’ was not able

| to cast them off, though she made furious and desperate
®@ efforts, that tore the skin | on her wrists and reduced her’
| to despair. eu

The noon hour had passed, and Stark still shored

which are full of caves, big and little.

in‘ the-entrance ‘of the * ‘cave, when: ‘a shadow ‘fell theré,
The girl could hardly stifle. a cry,” for ‘she ‘believed a res-
cuer was a hand. . But the man was ‘Wolfgang, who had
left. his hor se in a ravine. and had. come.-to. ae cave.on
“Hello! 1 he said, stepping ‘actoss: “Stark and staring « at
him, and then seeing the girl, ne ee

"Stark sprang up with : a cry, ‘of alarm ‘that made Wolt-
gang laugh. |

“What 3 you. doing bore e ‘Starke. Gaede :

OD might ask what you're doing ‘here,..in that tig? a
thought.at first you were.an:Indian,, .:I. looked for you last
‘What
did you ae the girl ae Fie looks like ‘Wolf Robe’ S
clothing 7 a %

night.and couldn’t find you, and now:you’re here!

     

“now “he
dropped back against the wall, and sat looking wolfishly at
the man before him,

’ Stark “had ete -risen from the stofie ‘floor?

“What: you. got. her tied. i 2? ae. oleae “And

why are you dressed and painted up like that ?... ‘
“T’ve a right to; if: 1 want to,” ne scoundrel grumbled:

“Vou dollered mé-here?2.0 eee | .

“I didn’t. This is my cave, “you'll recollect.”

“Any more than it’s mine?” |

4 furnished the stuff, for it, didn’t, ie ae a

“And I packed it here on hosses and put it j in here.”

He looked at the

“We can’t afford ‘to; Stark; and that's

the: truth. Everything’s broke’ loose, °

“Well, we. won't quarrel aboutitl”:
girl curiously.’
1 ‘suppose “you
know it, and likely that’s why you're here, the same as
myself. And likely that’ S why you disguised yourself, i!
came here because I’m getting out of the country, and
think it will be wise to stop a little while where. LP He not

be easily found. I suppose it’s the same with your”

ten

“Yes itis!” Stark snarled unpleasantly,._. oe
“But you was a fool to bring that girl with you!’ a
“Was 1? Well; I don’t have to ask. you about: it
“Don’t be ugly, Stark.
thing for us to hang together, so that we won't: hang sep-
He tried to laugh at his little joke, , t
to bé followed, and you do; but this is a ‘good place. ay

I reckon it may bé a ‘goed

arately.” :

told you about Me and that’s w hy i considered Ite my,

cave; but: we won't quarrel about it. I’m serry you
br ought the girl; but ‘it won't be. safe'to let her go now
We'll have ‘to hold

He walked on, past the girl.

And blab on: us.

oon hungry,” he said, getting out his pocketknife,

“and I think I'll get me ‘something tO eat.”

 
   

 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
  

 

fere about the girl.

thing to eat myself yit.

You keep out of my a

| There” was a ham strung to the. wall, and. near it some
nay crackers, and. he helped himself. | Stark got up
and walked outside, to look. round, and think. He seemed

to need the fresh outer’ air to, set his mental machinery.

going. a oe
_ “Now, what a he foller. me e here fur . Starke peum-
bled. ot wasn’t wantin’. his company any. He'll inter-
And one is better than two, when. it
comes, to makin’ a run frum the officers. I reckon it’s
war between us, ‘or give. her. up,” ae
He inspected. his revolver, the one which had belonged
to Wolfe Robe. i Ce
“He's suspicious about this Anjun ate! What's. i it
Dil finish him, like I did Wolf Robe, if a
monkeys with me, is comin’ here increases the. dan-

“Buffalo a is onto him, I reckon, same as he’ S

We bizness } ?

ger, too.
onto me; and ‘prob’ ly troopers, or officers, ‘air chasin’
this way after him. Why d didn’ t he keep away frum this
aver.

Wolfgang: was talking with the Ghost Flower, and she
was begging him to release her, when Stark reentered the
cave. Stark stood in the entrance, darkening it, and
looked hard at the agent. o : ae

“You'll find it healthier it "you don’t jump into my
game!” he warned. Ae

Wolfgang: een again, ee it was a mirthles¢ laugh,
like the Omets. 6 oe. Le

“You: ‘might | give “her Nomcihing to eat, anyway,” “he
said. “There’s plenty back there.
ten, but the meat’s all right.

The crackers are rot-
She says you ‘te _starving
“That’s all right.

I don't intend to. a ain’t fede any-

Tit treat her right; and you ain't

got any call to interfere.”

“You've changed a bit, Stark!” Woligang 1 reminded, his
face flushing.

“Vm my own boss, and lookin’ ‘out ‘fer myself now.
TW see that she has oes

to eat.”

‘He walked back into he ¢ cave, while Wolfgang strolled
to the entrance, ‘as if he felt that he, too, needed the fresh

air to enable him to think clearly.

He was quite as much disconcerted as Stark, for hef Bad

some bags of gold hidden in the cave, and he did not

want Stark to know about them.

“The. caye’s a. good. size, but it. ain’t big al iat
both of us!” was his thought.

24 | THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

said, . “Did he trail, me here?
Stark! Mec

trembled.

_ Having taken a few turns before the entrance, he was.
about to walk back into the cave, when he caught sight

of an Indian, who had crept across a rock and dropped

down to get out of sight. _

ne discovery was so startling that he wanted to run. |
" “Where there’s one Indian there’ S usually another,” he

he trailed Stark, on account of the girl;
and, of course, he’s got friends with him, Stark was an
idiot, to take that girl.” 4 oe

He moved out from the cave in a "stooping po
hoping to uncover other Indians, that he might have some
idea of the force backing Silver Moccasin. —

ee Stark had shot that young half-breed, as | a
him to, the rascal wouldn’t be here now to trouble us!”

- he was thinking.

He stopped and stared, and eoaa to back toward the

cave; for he had seen the flutter of another feather and: |

a painted face. That painted face wore a mustache and
imperial—the blanket had been withdrawn from it; and
he knew it as the face of Buffalo Bill. But he did not
know it had been shown purposely.

aH He fied back into the cave, trembling:

Stark met him: in the entrance, suspicion and anger in
his eyes.

“This cave ain’t big enough fer both of us,” said Stark,
voicing eee ee thought of a few minutes be-
fore ada :

peece here, Stark ie Wolfgang spoke quickly. THis 46
no time: for | a quarrel, 1 don’t care anything about that
girl; nor you won't, when [tell you that we’ re hemmed

in here. Buffalo Bill and Silver Moccasin are outside,

and they’ ve eot Indians and troopers with ’em: The Tn-
-dians under Silver Moccasin followed you, and likely

Cody came with ’em. We're up against it hard, and if
we go to fighting each other we re sure to go. under. Can
we hold ‘em back, do you think! ie

_ Though he had seen only Buffalo Bill and Silver Moe-

casin, his fears made him certain that the scout oO ie
young chief had followers.

_ The face of Dave Stark paled even under its paint.
: “They re right outside?” he said, “and his voice
“I hid my, trail good, “crossin’ the baked
ground ; they must have tracked you! Ve
3 pouver, Moccasin wouldn’t care to track. mie ; he fok

lowed you, because yo have the girl. You can see that,

it was but a brief look he ~
had, but he recognized the Indian as Silver Moccasin.

He must have followed

     

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SO Fons wed

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GC

y1-
at.

But ‘we've no time for words about it..

had more courage ‘than Wolfgang.

‘
- However they

got here, they’ re here.
going to do about it?”
6 about ite ye “welll fight’ ‘em! Vs said ‘Stark
fiercely. -

Murderous scoundrel and desperado as he was, he + now

And the Auestion is, What a are ‘we

1?

: _ “Help here!” he commanded. « “We'll pile § some stones
up here, which” they’ ft have to cross when they come at
us. That will give us ‘a chance to git ‘em “We ought to
be able to hold back a hundred men here, Se) Tong a as Our
nerve and our ammunition lasts.” , coe

“Wolfgang began to ae him heap i stones in the en-
trance. 6 ae aH
sane

-“There’s one branch of this-cave I never ex-

“Perhaps ae ae _way out back?”
suggested:
plored; it’s the only long one. I meant to go through it
some time. We might do it now, while they're skirmish-
ing round out’ there, trying: to geta line on ts. We could
leave the girl where she is, and——" ;

“1 don’t: intend to leave her. “I’ll- git out of-this, you

o bet! And toenight Vib be moyin’ agin’ @. 2 6

But Stark was not as confident:as his words.’ They
were, in fact, words cf craft. He was already: planning

to deliver Wolfgang up and thereby save himself.

> CHAPTER XIII.
THE FIGHT IN THE CAVE.

Sheed ‘by the darkness of the cave, Stark lee some
distance back from the opening, watching the barricade.
By his side was W olfgang, breathing heavily. from his
exertions ; and farther "back the halt-breed girl.
ide ‘still be-
lieved that troopers and Cheyennes were outside in large

Stark was trying to work out his plan.
numbers. Unless there was a hole. somewhere in the
rear of the cave the chances of getting out alive, or with-
out being captured, were not good.

But cunning sometimes wins where fighting and hard
knocks fails. Stark’s thoughts were of the stealthy and
cunning order. He was wondering if he could not make
a pretense of searching for a hole at the rear of the cave.
That would give him a chance to get back to where
the girl was. Then he could kill her, by hammering her
on the head with his revolver; and if it was done deftly
enough he could leap back and capture Wolfgang.

If he succeeded, he could go to the entrance and shout

4

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

dered him to?

to Buffalo Bill, and he cotild ‘demand safety for ‘himself

if he would give up Wolfgang. tie could claim that fie-

had found Wolfgang i in the cave ‘with the girl: that Wolf-

gang” had killed her, and now he had: captured Wolt-

gang, and stoody ready to deliver him up.
“He did’ not balk at the’ thought of killing the’ girl, ‘and
he believed he could capture Wolfgang ; but he’ feared a

failure of any effort to. deceive Buffalo’ ‘Bill, of. whom he

had’a wholesome dread. “How ‘could he explain why ‘he

had not left the country © at ‘once, as ‘the scout had or
' He had promised, and had disobeyed.

a would, of course, denounce ‘him, and ‘deny
vhat he: said. Would the scout be able to tell ‘who lied?
WwW hile he ‘cul thought | of this, ee ‘call came from be-
It sounded
SO near that before he replied to it Stark. sneaked close

V ond the entrance, in the voice of Buffalo, Bill...
up to the opening and tried to. look out. _ There were
some chinks between the heaped- up rocks, ‘and through
one of them he saw..a feather and . a painted face, tec:
ognizing < a. ‘moment later that it was ‘the face of Buffalo
Bill.
: “Cody: 5 ae Tae, too!” he said,
Then he answered, demanding to “know. what - “was

W wanted.

“That's stark, eh). said the scout, ree out tof ey
owe “Wolfgang is there with you, and SQ, is. the girl
called the Ghost Flower.

“And then what?” |
“We simply, ask you to “surrender.”
“If we don’t?”
Well take you).
“We Il kill ‘the gal, ‘if you try ee

We ask you to surrender.”

ATE you harm her, Stark, youll, be. ‘hong. ee, of
twenty- -four hours.

“Who's with you?”

ve got force enough to take the cave.’

et bear it in mind.” - oe

Olt we give up the gal will you go away?” a

“No. We're after you and Wolfgang. Your 4 better
surrender, Stark. We want Wolfgang more than you.
He shot General Marlin this morning, and | we' re > going
to, have him, dead or alive.” :

This was news to Stark—startling news.

“You'll let me go if I surrender - he asked.

“No, But it will be better for you.
sense at all you'll not injure the girl. Don’t you think
you'd better come out : here and. surrender while you

can?”

it you have any

so
   

   

 

 

 

(20 THE. BUF *RALO °

Wolfgang had listenéd with niuch interést and anxiety
+o this. talkie -Bellevins Stark was: weakening; he came
crawling up to the: barsicadé, afid now: ealled ‘out:

f “What's that about me! ae ee
“Oh, that’s you, Woltgang?
Wea are demanding your surrender.”
: “What's it for? What. was that. you one about Gen-
af didn't understand that.”

Glad to hear your voice,

eral Marlin: t

“You ‘aoe. ‘Marlin this moming--shot him treacher-

ously, while. he was. tr rying | to arrest. you,’

iL Wolfgang thought. Marlin. was dead. ante oes
It’s a lie. Why should
I shoot Marlin, and why should he want to. arrest ‘me?

. “Who charges me with that?

I took. refuge here because some Indians chased me. it
thought they were still hanging. round, I meant to. come
out as.soon as I thought.it safe, and then go to the camp
of the troopers and report.on what has happened.” -
Why don’t you come out, then?” ue
 "Becatse’ you say I’m wanted for the nitirder of Mar-
Who's -got ae Beer pate Pa Marlin?’ I
deny. it.”

lin.
“Marlin will furnish the proof himself, © He’s alive, and
Avil pull through, and he’ll be able to appear against you
in person. “He isn’t'dead. You’d better come out and
surrender and take your medicine. You can’t ey
See a te) don’t
know anything alout it; and T refuse to surrender,”
All this while,
the Ghost. Flower had ‘been making: “prodig ious efforts

‘to free” herself.

Tea Tel” Wolfgang screamed.

in the tarther darkness of the cave,

“Her previous struggles having failed,
‘she tried a new plan, pushing her back up close to the
‘wall, atid sawihg the wrist cords across the edges of the
rock. Cutting through cords in that way would be slow
work at. any time, but how her trembling fear and her
She ‘scratched
her hands and wrists, tearing them against the rocks.

févetish eageriiess: hindered: her efforts.

‘The pain was “forgotten ee ‘she | felt one m the: ae
roe: Oe
Sark and Wolfgang were still parleying with Buffalo
‘Bill’ when the Ghost Flower freed het hands and bean
to try to free her feet. Her efforts at haste still caused
her. to waste time: Fortunately her captors “had not
‘Heard. her movements. “Her busy brain was planning
what to do as her fingers worked. :
When she hadat last tntied her ankles, and sought to
stand up, she almost fell, for her: ankles’ seeed’ to have

 

heaped-up stones in the opening.

‘to'find Wolfgang,

‘the batticade, and was outside.

 

BILE STORIES.

lost all strength. But she picked up a stone as a weapon,
and stood with it in her hand, listening. She knew from
what was said that Wolfgang and stark were about ready
to. retreat from the barricade. sa a
: _ Wolfgang turned about. Before he saw “her, “she
hurl led the stone at his head. Then “she ran toward
the entrance, trying to pass him and ‘Stark, and at the
same time she screamed loudly, to bring assistance. “She,
too, from what she had heard, believed there \ were many
Indians outside with Silver Moccasin. |

__ Made weary by long experience, Buffalo Bill did not
respond at once to this, for though ‘it stirred his. blood
to know that ‘the girl felt she had cause to scream, he

yet. feared a bullet if he rushed at the barricade,

But Silver Moccasin was not to be, held. back by. any
considerations of personal safety. When that scream
sounded he bounced from his hiding- place, with lance in
hand, and. darted straight for the opening into the cave,
and at the same. time his yell Hes encourage her and

startle his enemies...

‘That Indian ‘iy was ee ia W eee

thrown by the girl had missed his head and he was un-

harmed. He did not try to stop her as she ran for the
barricade ; but veered and passed her, and with flying feet
ran for the tunnel, which he. had never thoroughly ex-
plored, but which he hoped would furnish an exit. —
Dave Stark tried to stop the girl: He turned to meet
Silver Moccasin as the young chief sprang over the
He fired at the young
chief with Wolf Robe’s revolver, missed him, and ducked

to avoid the. lance which Silver Moccasin hurled, At

struck against the rocks with a ¢lattering sound.

The Ghost: Flower screamed again, with fright and

‘hervotisness, and tan on, begifining to climb the barricade

as the young chief and the Seat ae came el esi in

the half-darkness. -

‘Then she saw: Buftalo Bill, who had fottewed Silver
Moccasin. ‘Fhe scout was climbing over the ‘stones.
~~ ARY he said. Where is Wolfgang 2”
When she did not answer he ran on into the cavern.

“Vou aré sate?

He saw Silver Moccasin and Dave Stark come together,

and, thinking he saw Wolfgang, he tan on, and was soon
‘it the tunnel into which Wolfgang had gone.

When he returned, but a few seconds afterward, unable
he saw Stark’s body sprawled against

the wall. Silver Mocéasin had followed. uD girl Across

  

The stone.

        
     
          
     
   

   
    
  
    
   
  
  
  
 

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CHAPTER XIv.
CONCLUSION.
Wolfgang found a hole at the rear of the cave and
escaped by it. Buffalo Bill, being entirely unfamiliar
with the cave, and, being under the necessity of guarding

against a trap, did not find it until many minutes after-

werd. oo

_ Seeing that Wolfgang had gone out by that hole, and

that a further pursuit of him would be necessary, the

scout returned again to the entrance. — :
When he took up the trail of Wolfgang he went alone.

_ Silver Moccasin placed the girl on Stark’s pony, and set

out with her on the backward way, commissioned by the

_ scout to report to the troopers at the Twin Buttes, where

already a note had been left for them.

Buffalo Bill was on foot now, as Wolfgang was. It
made the trailing safer, and he discovered that Wolfgang
had wandered about at first, as if uncertain of what
course he ought to take, and then had.settled into a steady
walk that hurried him rapidly southward.

‘Night was approaching before he came in sight of the

man he followed, and then he saw him only as he joined

a band of Cheyennes, who were going into camp. The

scout’s field-glasses made him believe that these Chey-

Red Elk had been
an ally of Wolfgang, and though he was dead his sym-

ennes belonged to Red Elk’s faction.

pathizers would be friendly to the former agent.

There were upward of twenty of these Cheyennes, all

warriors, and the manner in which they posted sentinels

signified that they feared troopers. They were by a

small stream, where they watered their ponies, after which

they drove them back into some scrubby bushes for the
night. They built no fires and put up no lodges, but
camped without shelter, and lay down on the sand when
they went to sleep.

The moon rising later each night gave an hour or more
of darkness before it came up, during which time the
scout crept close in by the camp. He heard the Chey-
ennes talking, but could not make out what was said. He
could not hear Wolfgang.

But when the moon came up he saw the white man
talking with one of the Indians, who was doubtless a
chief. The scout was sure the former agent was telling
hair-raising stories of danger to the chief.

Close by the scout was one of the guards of the camp,

i By ff } ° 3 °
squat on the ground, with lance across \his knee, and his

THE BUPRALO

eyes turned toward the open country. The moonlight |

BILL STORIES. : a7
grew so bright that it seemed to be impossible to move
without attracting the attention of this guard. But the
scout-had long ago learned how to bide his time. —

Hour after hour the scout lay there, watching the

camp and this guard. Now and then, to keep himself

from growing sleepy, the guard rose and walked to and
fro along a short beat which brought him close to the
scout. 4 :

Each time that the guard turned his face in the other
direction the scout hitched forward a few inches, or feet,
and thus drew steadily nearer the guard, keeping himself
screened as well as he could by a low bush. He kept his
revolver ready, too, for use if discovered and forced to
fight or?run,

He wanted to get Wolfgang. Against the warriors he
had no enmity. They were metely misguided and ig-
norant. They would discover this in time and come back
to the reservation.
General Marlin deserved punishment, and the scout was
resolved to deliver him alive in the general’s camp. To

that end he was willing to take a good deal of risk.

Fortunately before the. guard sat down the scout had
covered the distance that had separated them. Only the

bush now intervened. The brave dropped to the sandj

with his back to this bush. Soon he heard: what he
thought was the movement of a rabbit behind him; but
when he turned he felt his throat clutched by stronger

fingers, which closed down so quickly that he could not

yell.

He was hurled backward, and though she tried to make
a fight the surprise had been so bewildering, so aston-

‘ishing, and the strength of those fingers was so great that

he sank into unconsciousness even while trying to throw
them off.

Having choked the guard into insensibility, the scout
lay low for a while, to see if the camp had been alarmed.
When he knew that no sound had reached it, he pro-
duced cords he had prepared, and’ proceeded to bind
the Indian deftly and gag him.

Leaving him lying by the bush, Buffalo Bill now crept
stealthily over the sand into the midst of the sleeping
Cheyennes.

Wolfgang was lying in the midst of the Cheyennes,

who lay here and there, just as they had rolled in their
blankets and dropped down. The Cheyennes were asleep.
No doubt he was thinking of his
position and wondering as to the outcome.

Wolfgang was awake.

But the man who had tried to murder

  
  

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RYH gOB > dosent pase athe A ey iro BERNA eh ae seertecaees 3 Satara ioacs x are

Buffalo Bill saw that the white man was awake; but

at the same time Wolfgang’s staring eyes fell on the face

of the scout—that curiously. striped face, that looked $0

like the face of an Indian, yet which showed mustache
and imperial. Wolfgang was not given time to cry out,
nor to defend himself, before the giittermg muzzle of a
revolver was thrust under his nose.

“Sh! warned the scout. “Move or make a sound and
you're a dead man!”

Wolfgang’s strength seemed to leave him, and a sweat
of feat-broke out on his face. To have the scout appear
in this way, in the midst of the Cheyennes, at a time
when he was sure he was mary miles away, was a thing
so astounding that it seemed impossible. Yet he could
not doubt his eyes, and the cold touch of the revolver
muzzlé was equally convincing.

“Get up!” the scout whispered. “You are going with
me. If you make a sound I shall shoot you dead, and
then run for it.. ve come for you!”

He held the revolver straight at the face of the terrified
man.

Wolfgang rose silently. He seemed hypnotized. In
fact, he was hynotized with fear. The scout rose at the
@me time, silently, keeping the revolver pointed at the
agent’s face. | |

It was a singular sight. The Indians lay all about,
some of them snoring heavily. Off at the right, and
toward the north and the south, were Indian guards; and
on the left was the guard the scout had captured and

gagged. |
“Walk on!” whispered the scout.

He pointed out the direction. |

As if in a dream Wolfgang obeyed. He walked softly,
as if he feared to awaken the sleeping Indians. They
passed the guard, who rolled his black eyes at them. Out
from the camp they walked, and then on across the
open plains. And still the moonlight flooded them with
a light almost like that of day.

“What are-you going to do with me?’ Wolfgang asked
at last.

“Tie you!”

The announcement came as a surprise, and for the
first time Wolfgang seemed a man who was not walking
_ ina dream. But if he had thoughts of fighting or of
| flight the threatening revolver drove them away. He
submitted to being searched, and then submitted to being

THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES.

tied. The scout did not finish until he had gagged him

      

as he had gagged the Indian.

Buffalo Bill left the helpless man lying on the ground,
and ‘then hastened off without explanation, disappearing
in the moonlight. When he returned he brought two of

the Cheyenne ponies.

“We'll not steal these,’ he said to Wolfgang, “we'll
just borrow them. They do not belong here, but at the
Cheyenne reservation, and we'll return them to the reser-
vation when we’re through with them. Don’t you think
you'd like to take a ride?” |

He removed the gag, and the cords that held Wolf-
gang’s ankles, and compelled him to mount one of the

ponies. To the pony the scout tied his prisoner. When

ready, he set out with him for the Twin Buttes, where
he believed he would find troopers, or their trail,

Daylight came before he reached the troopers, and
delivered to them his prisoner, who before that time had
apparently collapsed mentally and physically.

With these troopers the scout found the half-breed In-
dian girl, Ghost Flower, and Silver Moccasin and some
of his adherents. .

A rest was taken hére; but before nightfall the camp

_ of the troopers was reached.

General Marlin was improving, and it was said he
would soon be out of danger.
% * xk * oe x

A month later the Cheyenne troubles had all blown
over. There,had been no outbreak against the whites;
though in fighting among themselves a number of Chey-
ennes had been killed.

The death of Wolf Robe ended the preaching of the
New Messiah; and the exposure of Wolfganeg’s plans

- and his downfall defeated the efforts of the railroad-

agents to get a right of way through the Cheyenne lands.

In due time, with her faith and courage restored, the.

girl known as the Ghost Flower started her mission work

again among the people she called her own. And she,

has since worked wonders.

She is now the wife of the young chief called Silver
Moccasin, but she is still their Indian Queen.

As for Jacob Wolfgang, it may be said here that in
due season he received the punishment he so richly
merited.

THE END.

Next week’s issue, No. 332, will be “Buffalo Bill and

‘the Mad Marauder; or, A King for a Foe.”

Log nese pe htm tl ms ec i tT rt

 

 

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BUFFALO

 

NEW YORK, September 14, 1907. 1

 

 

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Georce C, Smits,

; Proprietors.

 

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AROUND THE CAMP FIRE.

THE INDIANS OF LONG ISLAND.

‘If you were to ask the average New Yorker how far it is
to the nearest Indian reservation he would be likely either to
give it up or else to guess something like the Indian Territory.

In any case it’s 10 to 1 he would guess wrong. Then, after
he was through guessing, if you told him that the nearest Indian
reservation was a scant seventy miles away it is more than
likely that he would listen to you with the smile of incredulity.

Yet there is an Indian reservation barely seventy miles from

Broadway, and while there isn’t a full-blooded Indian living on
it, it is the nearest approach to the real thing to be found here-
abouts. The reservation is that of the Poosepattuck tribe of In-
dians, at Mastic, L. I.
It consists of 170 acres of land. The Indians who live there
are the remnant of the old Poosepatuck tribe, which dénce
ranged the south shore from Patchogue to Good Ground and
Canoe Place, a stretch of thirty-five miles.

The Poosepatucks—accent the middle syllable—were once. a
pretty powerful tribe... At the present day they have dwindled
to less than forty souls. So far as is known-there is not a full-
blooded Indian among them, and the predominating strain of
blood seems to be about two-thirds negro and one-third Indian.

The reservation lies on the level land.along the banks of
the quiet Mastic River. It is réached by a .short drive from
Mastic roadroad-station along a sand and shell road. When the
visitor arrives there is little to see. beyond the church, the small
schoolhouse, and a few frame cottages and cabins.

* * * * * * *

The Indians, or, rather, their descendants, own the reserva-
tion absolutely. It is the simplest form of a commonwealth.
Colonel William Smith, the lord of Smith’s manor, whose
heirs still own some thousands of acres at Mastic on the big
point of land jutting out into the Great South Bay, first deeded
the reservation land to the Indians in July, 1700. The deed con-
veys 175 actes together with the right to plant and raise erops
as well as to burn underbrush.

The consideration which the Indians were to pay for the land
was a yearly tribute of “two yellow Eares of Indian corne,”
which might be omitted if there was a hard year and crops were

BILL STORIES. oe

poor. The two ears of corn were faithfully carried to the manor-
house each year up to about thirty years ago, when the for-
mality was by mutual consent allowed to lapse.

Colonel Smith’s deed conveys the land to “Wisquosuck José,
Wionconow, Pataquam, Steven Werampes, Penaws Tapshana,
Wepshai Tacome, and Jacob, Indian natives of Unquachock,” and
their heirs, All these gentlemen were the lineal descendants of
the Sachem Tobacus, who is not only the.earliest head of the
tribe that we know of, but spelled his name in more ways than
Shakespeare ever dreamed of.

The present head of the Poosepatucks is Mesh, or Deacon
Bradley, a lineal descendant of Tobacus, though not a full-
blooded Indian by any means. He is, by virtue of his position,
first deacon of the little church, and, ponlated by three trustees,
he rules the reservation.

David Ward, son of Richard Ward, who was chief ne the tribe.

for fifty years, is a leading citizen among the Poosepatucks. He
has the reputation of being the best hunter among them all, a
very Nimrod as it were, for every Poosepatuck, no matter how
poor, owns a rifle and a setter or hound-dog. In the winter-
time the Indians practically live on the fowls and game they shoot
or trap and the skins they sell.

 

* * EY x * 2 *

 

The Poosepatucks are not the only Indians on Long Island.
About twenty miles farther east and just west of Southampton
village are the descendants of the Shinnecock tribe, which gave
its name to the Shinnecock Hills. The Shinnecocks live on a
small neck of land near Shinnecock Bay, having sold their rights
on the hills to the real estate man some years ago.

Although there are something like two hundred of the Shiin-
necocks on the teservation they are decreasing in number as fast
as the Poosepatucks, and it is only a matter of a few generations
when they will no longer exist.

In point of fact there is little to distinguish the Poosenatiel:

or Shinnecock of to-day from a full-blooded negro. His hair is

_ generally straight and long like Indian hair instead of short and

kinky like that of the African, and his cheek-bones are noticéably
high. Aside from this only his laziness and his taciturnity reveal
his Indian ancestry,

There are men and women living to-day who can remember
in their childhood going to visit Mary Ann, an old Shinnecock
squaw who lived in her solitary wigwam on the hills. There she
wove baskets which she sold for a small sum, but such baskets!
There are some in existence to-day, and the weave is as good
and firm as ever, although the baskets are half a century old.

If the romance seems to have died out among the Indians
on Long Island there was a time, some seventy-five years ago,
when it had a vital hold upon them: ‘Toward evening one day
in midsummer a little sloop coming from the northward cast
anchor near the shore of P@éonic’ Bay, which borders the Shin-
necock Hills on the north. Indians fishing near-by could’ see
a white man and a ‘negro in the boat.

After dark a light was seen in the cabin of the loon. and a
woman could be heard singing, Early in the morning a noise
was heard on the sloop and the woman screamed for help.
Those on shore caught the sound of the anchor being hoisted
and when dawn broke the sloop was seen headed out to sea. As
it sailed out of the bay a man standing in the stern threw some-
thing white overboard. —

Jim Turnbull, an-Indian; known as the Water Serpent, who
was one of the watchers on shore, swam out to the white object
floating on the water. It was the body of a woman, face down-
ward. Her throat had been cut and a dagger thrust into her
heart.

Turnbull and his companions buried her near the head of
Peconic Bay. The next day the Water Serpent disappeared and

if

  
     
   

     

 

 

 
     
 

 

   

THE BUFFALO

\

\

did not return to the Shinnecock Hills for a number of weeks.
When he did he said nothing about his absence, nor did he tell
where he had been. Many years later, on his death-bed, he told
this storys: = ae

In a winter storm several months before the murdered woman-
was found in Peconic Bay the Water Serpent, together with
some other members of his tribe, were cast ashore,in a wreck
off the Connecticut «coast. The Water Serpent alone escaped
alive.

A farmer named Turner found him lying unconscious on the
beach. He carried him to his home, and the farmer’s daughter,
Edith, nursed him till he regained his strength.

The Water Serpent cherished undying gratitude for the girl

who saved his life. He did not see her again till the day he
found her body floating in Peconic Bay. When he had found
her murdered he set his heart upon avenging her death.

He went to the home of her parents and learned that she
had eloped with an Englishman. The Water Serpent had seen
this Englishman, and he remémbered his face.

It was not long before the Englishman disappeared. Some
months later his body was found in a patch of woods near-by.
There was a dagger in his heart; and it was the dagger which
the Water Serpent found in the heart of Edith.

But days of deeds like these are long past. The Shinnecocks
and the Poosepatucks are the only remnants of the numerous
Indian tribes which once divided the whole of Long Island.

The only sign of the presence of most of these tribes is in
‘the Indian names of Long Island towns. There were the Canar-
sies, the Rockaways, the Merrikokes or Merricks, from whom
the village of Merrick takes its name; the Massapequas, the Ma-
tinecocks, the Setaukets, the Corchaugs, whence comes the name
of the town of Cutchogue; the Manhansets of Shelter Island,
the Secatogues, and the Montauks. Almost every one of these
tribes has a Long Island town bearing its name.

Long Island indeed was among the Indians of eastern America
accounted the richest of regions, for it abounded in seawan, or
Indian money. Seawan was of two kinds, the wampum, or
white, and the paque, or black currency.

Wampum was made from the stock or stem of the periwinkle,
which is very abundant on the island. Paque was cut from the
purple heart of the quohaug,*or hard-shelled clam. The Indian
name for Long Island among the tribes of the mainland, who
“were envious of its wealth, was Seawanhaka, the Island of
Shells, a name which still survives in the title of a yacht-club.

Good Ground falls in the territory of the Poosepatucks, but
the new arrivals will need to bring much wampum with them,
for Long Island Indians were rich in coin, and of them all the
Poosepatucks were perhaps the richest.

* * * *

ae CHEVENNES’ PIBGRIMAGE.

“After the Custer massacre on the Little Big Horn,” said
John H. Seger, who has lived among the Cheyenne Indians in
Oklahoma for more than thirty years, “a part of the Cheyennes
who expected to be punished severely by the government came
down to Arapaho and joined this southern band of Cheyennes
on the Washita River. :

“The climate was new to them, and the fever and chills
took away many of them. They longed for their old associates
and haunts and determined to return.

“These 900 Cheyennes, led by Dull Knife, Wild Hog, and
Little’ Chief, scattered out in three bands and made the raid.
The settlers opposed their march, and the whole available mili-

tary was brought into the field against them. Had the Indians ,

been allowed to pass peaceably there would probably have been
no trouble, but every man along their path took a shot at them,
and the Indians returned the fire, and several on both sides were

 

BILL STORIES.

 

 

  

killed. But the Indians exhibited remarkable ability in their

march across Kansas, Nebraska, and two great lines of railroad.
Two of the bands got through all right, but one was captured.

“It was a religious craze that impelled these Indians to go.

They believed the evil spirit was punishing them for running
away when they should have stayed to fight it out.
ligiously believed that if they stayed here the evil spirit would
put the last one of them into his grave.

_ “The authorities and the people did not understand the move-
ment, and it resulted badly all around. But the fact that two
@f the bands got through in the cold part of a bad winter and
only one band was captured after almost reaching its .destina-
tion showed great strategy. When it is remembered that the
women and children were carried along with all the camp bag-
gage; it was a remarkable march.”

oy ok Rk

COLLEGE COWBOYS AT SEA. >

Cattle-boating to England is rapidly becoming the summer
outing favored by the collegian.

From early spring of the present year shipping-agents along
the Atlantic seaboard were deluged with applications from col-
lege men for positions as cattlemen.

Every craft which in June put out of Montreal, Boston, New
York, or Philadelphia, with a shifty cargo of steers for the

British markets, carried a delegation of highly educated youths to |

attend to the wants of the longhorns. | Reservations in the fore-
castle became almost as common as in the first-class area.

The romance in the idea of donning corduroys and playing
master to wild Western bullocks may be cited as part of the
motive for the appearance of numbers of collegians in the cattle-
pens ‘tweendecks. Then, too, for many it was the beef route
alone which made wanderings abroad possible.

SEHK haa 2 ak

INDIAN WEALTH. FROM OIL.
The tremendous production of oil in the Glenn pool, Okla-

~homa, is making the Creek Indians as rich as the Osages. A

citizenship in the Osage nation is now worth about $25,000, but
the Creeks are coming fast.

The average daily production in the Glenn pool is 125,000
barrels. The Indian owners of the land get 12,500 barrels, one-
tenth. The oil is worth about 41 cents a barrel. This gives the
Indian lessors of the 10,500 acres comprising the pool $5,125 a
day. This amounts to $1,872,625 a vear. This is the royalty
which is paid as long as the oil is in the ground. Then there
is the money for the lease and the bonus which frequently runs
$5 and $10 and sometimes $20 an acre. This is all profit for the
Indians,

The Indian never gets the worst of it in the oil-game, because
the government looks after him and sees that. the bonuses and
the royalties are paid when due. Further than this, the goy-
ernment sees that the Indian gets the full benefit of the market
price. It’s the white man who is putting up his money to
develop the country and make the Indian rich who has to stand
all the chances of failure.

There are 120 Indian owners of the leases in the Glenn pool
getting the $1,872,625 a year. This makes an average of $15,650
each on royalties alone. That is more money than a Cabinet
officer of the United States or a Justice of the Supreme Court
receives as salary. The beauty of it all is the Indian does not
have to work to get the money. The Indian-agent comes
around and hands it to him.

Just for speculation a statistician was figuring.the life of the

Glenn pool with the life of other pools, and he came to the ©

tatal of $35,000,000, which will be paid out to the Creeks in

 

 

So Ne eT OR Fay itt FM ere nena

 

They re-

royalties before the pool passes the stage of marketable produc"

 

 

 

    
   
   
   
  
   
  
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
  

 
  
   

    
   
 

  
 

 

 

 

 
   

  

1S” that the royalty is in the shape of an annuity on a monthly
payment plan.
cannot sell them or make a contract to sell them.
“ment looks after ‘that.
money after she gets it every month.
as anybody who ever lived.

The govern-

And he can ‘do: ‘that as well
Ho Sk ok Ok

MON TAUK INDIANS SUE,

 

Montauk Indians, to recover possession of Montauk Point. If
in the action is a demand for an accounting for the rents and

during a long term of years.

Chief Wyandank Pharaoh claims to be ine of the tribe by
right of being thé eldest son of the laté David Pharaoh, who
was the eldest son of Sylvester Pharaoh, a descendant oi a long
line of kingly chiefs. Through Lawyer Charles O. Maas, of 87
Nassau Street, New York City, Chief Phataoh had started the
action in the Supreme Court of Suffolk County, naming. the
following persons and companies as defendants: Jane Ann Ben-
son and Mary Benson, as executors of Arthur W. Benson; John
J. Pierrepont ahd Henry R. Hoyt, as executors of Frank Sher-
man Benson; Mary Benson, the Montauk Company, the Mon-
tauk Dock and Improvement Company, Alfred R. Hoyt, the
Montauk Extension Railway Company, atid the Long Island
Railroad Company.

The chief appears to claim title prior to February, 1661, by

tight of eminent domain, claiming that his forebears had existed
on and owned Montauk Point time out of mind. He cites an
agreement with the State, defining the rights of the tribe, made
in 1670.
4 Some time prior to 1878 an action was instituted in the Su-
P preme Court looking to the division of Montauk Point. The
a point was split up and divided, to the great damage of the orig-
. inal owners, Chief Pharaoh says, and he and his wife and
a children and subjects want the State to return to them their land.
a It was found necessary to have an act of the legislature passed
Bi authorizing the instituting of the, oe action,

BY LIEUTENANT 3 MURRAY.

People who now travel over that Bordon of our conti-
nent lying between Kansas and Colorado by the great Pa-
cific railroad, have little idea of the slow and epee
mode of crossing those dreary prairies which prevailed
before the iron hots was introduced upon them. The
journey from Atchison to Denver by the mail-stage line
—Halliday’s—occupied six days and six nights, without
@ the possibility of a stoppage for rest of more thar half
® an hour. These, days and nights were passed by the
a traveler necessarily in an upright position, in the Con-
® cord stage-coaches, and were wearying in the extreme.
| Ten to one a running fight was also involved with some
{ straggling band of Indians, and perhaps a sad massacre
4 ‘of all the whites in the party, was the result. At every
twelve or fifteen miles were stations,. mud cabins, atd
stockades, where a change of horses were kept, and a
score of men well armed, also, to protect them from
those banditti of the prairie—the ae ep

eer

 

 

THE BUFFALO
tion. That will make évety Indian rich, And the beauty of it -
‘The: Indian cannot anticipate his, royalties. He

All the Indian can do is to spend the

a suit. has been started by Wyandank Pharaoh, chief . of the.
successful, the stit. will make the tribe. very rich, as included .

profits which have been derived by the defendants from the land

  

At these © -dobe. J
tidfis except for the animals afid the few men kept to re
tect them, consequently the traveler, when he entered the

coach at Atchison, virtually kept his seat tmtil he arrived .

at Denver, just at the foot-hills of the Rocky Mountains.
Now the iron horse and steam power perform the ‘dis
tance in twenty-four hours.

Duty called me to Colorado. in 1866 to join a survey-.

ing-party at Guys’ hill, a station midway between Denver
atid Black Hawk, the commencement of that lofty ratige
forming the backbone, as it were, of this continent. As
we passed in the stage-coach the headwaters of the ‘Lit-
tle Blue,’ a well-known fiver of the plains, we had a
skirmish with the Atapahoes, who found a shelter in the
narrow belt of cottowood which draws life from the banks

of the puny stream. . But as we had anticipated the a

ger, and were all well armed with repeating rifles, the
passengets drove them off. One of our horses and the
driver were wotinded, and the coach had several arrow
holes to show aiter the skirmish, but that was all.

Having artived at our destination,.the. business. ‘of the
survey on which we were engaged catried us far up, the

Soulder stream through Mammoth Gulch to St. James’
Peak: Here: we were located in the Cordilleras, which
extended from Mexico to the Arctic Ocean.
or grander scenery have we ever met, even itt the Tyrolese
Alps. There are loftier mountaits, to be stire, in Switz-
erland and South America, but none more striking. _

After the week’s work was: faitly summed up and re-
corded, our patty usually took Saturday afternoon as a
sort of half-holiday, and joined in a hunt for such game
as should supply us with a good Sunday dinner, the only

meal inthe week over which we spent any length of time,.

or for which we took pains to provide with special atten-
tion to our appetites. A half-dozen of the party had gone
out tipon St. James’ Peak for the purpose of securing
grouse, tabbit, or whatever might present itself, one Sat-
urday in early July, when we met with. the adventure
which is here recorded. The Ute Indians had brought in
several white grotise, rather a rare bird, and we resolved
to add ne to out store, ee found them. delicious
eating.

Attached to our sity was a young man named Hart ¥
Morrison, about twenty-five: years of age, whio hailed
from Albany, New York. He was to circle round the

capé of the mountain and drive. up the game toward us,

which remained together on a little plateau commanding
a good view. Morrison. took Nero, a large Newfound:
land dog, with him, one of the pets of our camp. Nero
was a knowing creature, as docile as a kitten with any of
olir patty, but very suspicious .of strangers, and the 1 mor-
tal enemy of all redskins.

After Harry Morrison had been absent from us half
an hour, and we began to expect to hear from him, or to
seé Somme gatne driven over to our side, we were sud-
denly aroused by the discharge of his gun not far away.
Now, as it was not designed for him to fire upon the
gaine at all, but only to start it and thus get’ it together
on the side where we were, we at once suspected that
something wrong had happened, and, jumping up from
the ground, where we had been patiently waiting, we all
hurried forward round the hill to meet him. In three
mintites we were in full sight of our companion—and
such a sight we beheld!

Sitting, Ly Aha us “was: a Tange. black _ beat.

+

BILL. -STORIBS.”, : at

houses there were no accommoda- ~

No wilder.

       

     
      
      
        
       
         
     
   
   
      
       
      
    
    
       
   
   
 
        
     
   
     
    
      
        
         
 
        
    
      
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
  
  
   
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
   
  
 
   
   
   
   
 
     
     
 

 

 

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cas

Hanging to his ear, and half-swung round upon his back,
was Nero. Upon the ground lay Harry Morrison, evi-
dently disabled, but striving to raise himself upon his
arm to loose his revolver. A little farther off were a
couple of cubs, who seemed in their babyhood. They
were gazing bewildered at the strange scene before them.
The whole was a most startling tableau. It has required
some minutes of’ time and some lines of writing to de-
scribe this vivid picture, but no such delay took place
-among the comrades of the wounded hunter.

as we rushed forward.

The reader will now go back with us, and we will de-
scribe that which we afterward learned, as to how Harry
came to be: in this startling situation, the great danger
of which can hardly be overrated, A wounded bear
is at any time a most dangerous enemy; but when it hap-

pens to be a female with cubs, she is terribly furious in.

her attack upon any one whom she considers an enemy.
A fight with a tiger or a lion would be no more critical
or dangerous than one with a bear who has cubs,

It seemed that Harry Morrison had pursued his orig-
inal purpose to ‘flush’? some game for us, and was pro-
ceeding round the peak, when. suddenly his attention was

“attracted by a low growl from Nero, the hair upon whose
back stood up in a most significant manner.

At the same moment they turned round a projecting
rock, and came full upon a bear and two cubs,

Harry instinctively cocked his gun, raised it, and fired
full in the face of the monstrous creature, who at once
reared upon its hind legs. But little cared bruin for that
charge of small bird-shot; though, as we found after-
ward, from the close proximity at which it was fired, it
put out one of her eyes.

Harry now reached for his bowie-knife. He was a
young fellow of. good pluck and presence of mind; but
before he could get his arm in position to use the knife
with effect, bruin was upon him and had him pinned in
that terrible embrace peculiar to the species. The pres-
sure was awful, and he felt as though every rib in his
body were breaking, while the creature’s hot breath al-
most stifled him as it poured like the blast of a furnace
in his face; and the jaws were distended to tear his
throat.

Thank Heaven! Nero was. there.

The dog at that instant sprang upon the bear’s back,
and, with a terrible grip, seized her ear close to the skull,
biting it through and through, and with all his strength
wrenching at it. This must have been agonizing to the
bear, furious as she was, for she was compelled to give

up her embrace of Harry to relieve herself from the tear-_

ing of the dog’s teeth almost to her brain.

Nero held on; but Harry dropped almost lifeless upon
the ground. The bowie-knife had wounded the bear,
though but slightly, for the hunter had been so closely
bound over both arms that he could scarcely use the
blade; and yet he managed, as the huge beast closed
upon ‘him, to make her embrace the point of the blade
inwardly.

This was the state of affairs when we came upon the
scene in such haste, and at such an opportune moment,
while Nero was struggling with the bear. The dog knew
that to come within the clasp of those paws would be
his death, and so strove to keep upon the back of his
enemy, but yet never ceased to madly wrench and tear

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THE BUFFALO BILL STORIES, ed

Every-
bowie-knife was loosened and each revolver was cocked -

iy eT arate ceil nr a Nicos itinerant ce ats nicsnerenienten pines hens tener heteattvelteimterneetimevengtinttae mathe rcotnmlty

at the ee ncied ear. Had he stopped for a moment bruin
would at once have been upon Harry again.
There were five of us who came rushing a8 upon

the fight at this juncture.

As we have said, a she bear is a terrible enemy under
such circuinstances; we all knew that, but net one hesi-
tated for a moment, Strong in numbers and weapons,
we felt more than a match for the common enemy.

“Give him your revolvers, boys, as you get close to.
Fire at the body, and spare his es for Nero’s Sa
said old Bumpus, our guide.

“Blaze away!” he continued, letting on his own pistol
shot after shot, into the creature’s side aS we ran up.

The four other revolvers were quickly emptied, and it
may be doubted if a shot failed to hit the creature, judg-
ing by the number of bullets we cut out of her carcass af-
ter all was well over.

Nero tumbled off the back of bruin as the shot brought
her to the ground, and, strange to say, the dog had not
received a scratch.

Bumpus said:

“Stand back, boys, the critter is dangerous in its death- ‘

throes !”

And while we took up Harry and carried him a fey
paces in the rear, the guide stood close by the huge
creature as it now rolled in its agony upon the ground,
biting the soil in its fury, and digging deep into the earth
with its claws.

A touching sight followed.

The motherly instinct, strong even in death, caused
the poor dying animal, weltering in its blood, and with
the tide of life nearly exhausted, to drag itself toward
the two cubs, who had remained at a short distance,
whining,

Nero would have rushed at them, but the guide held
him back by the collar, fearing that he would yet re-
ceive the dying but fatal embrace of the bear. Bruin
could not stand upon her legs, but she dragged herself
quite to the side of her cubs, and even tried to lick
them with her tongue! While these poor, ignorant little
things nestled in her arms, her head fell back, and she
was dead.

In the meantime a couple of our party tad given
Harry all possible help in the direction of our camp.
It was found that probably no bones were broken, though
he was terribly sore, and his body began to swell and turn
black and blue, We succeeded in getting him to camp at
last, and he was taken good care of, being rubbed with
liniment and carefully nursed after the rude way of

~woodsmen in the mountains.

Bumpus, the guide, wanted to keep the cubs. They .
were perfectly harmless at their age, and as playful as
kittens, but if we tried to do so, we should have to keep
Nero chained, for he already showed a wild desire to get
at them. It was, therefore, concluded to kill them, and
Bumpus did it in the most ‘merciful naanner possible, by
cutting their throats with his sharp bowie-knife,

Harry Morrison was unfit for duty° from the effects
of that fearful hug, but yet received no lasting injury,
and was able to practise his profession of civil engineer-
ing in Chicago.

Our party had all the bear meat it could consume for
the next ten days, and good eating it is among those ue)
summits of the Rocky Mountain range,

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Se ey

 

 

 

 

 
 
SSS SSS ee SSS Sa ——— Rm Sea

BUFFALO

ILL STORIES

 

ISSUED EVERY TUESDAY

BEAUTIFUL COLORED COVERS

 

Buffalo Bill wins his way into the heart of every
oné who reads the strong stories of stirring adventure on
the wide prairies of the West published in this weekly.

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 LATEST TITLES:

300—Buffalo Bill’s Rival; or, The Scalp-hunter of the
Niobrarah.

301—Buffalo Bill’s Ice Chase; or, The Trail of the Black
Rifle.

302—Buffalo Bill and the Boy Bugler; or, The White
Flower of Fetterman Prairie.

303—Buffalo Bill and the White Specter; or, The Mys-
terious Medicine-man of Spirit Lake.

304—Buffalo Bill’s Death Defiance; or, The Bad Men of
diimber Bar 7.

305—Buffalo Bill and the Barge Bandits; or, The Demon
of Wolf River Canon.

306—Buffalo Bill, the Desert Hotspur; or, Pizen Jane, of
Cinnabar.

307—Buffalo Bill’s Wild Range Riders; or, The Venge-
ance of Crazy Snake.

308—Buffalo Bill’s Whirlwind Chase; or, The Mustang
Catchers of Bitter Water.

3090—Buffalo Bill’s Red Retribution; or, The Raid of the
Dancing Dervishes.

310—Buffalo Bill Haunted; or, The White Witch of the
INiovnanay

311—Buffalo Bill’s Fight for Life;
Cave of Lions.

312—Buffalo Bill’s Death Jump; or, The Ogallalas’ Last
Stand.

313—Buffalo Bill and the Pit of Horror; or, The White
Queen of Paradise Valley.

314—-Buffalo Bill in the Jaws of Death; or, The Strange
Sacrifice of Uncapah.

or, Caught in the

315—Buffalo Bill’s Aztec Runners; or, The Hate of the

Gilded Mexican.

 

316—Buffalo Bill’s Dance with Death; or, Peril on the
Golconda Gold Trail.

317—Buffalo Bill's Redskin Rovers; or,
Nomad’s Wolf Trick.

318—Buffalo Bill’s Fiery Eye;
Last Battle.

319—Buffalo Bill’s Mazeppa Ride; or, The Robber
League of the Panhandle.

320—Buffalo Bill in the Land of Spirits; or, The Witch
Hunters of the Hoodoo Mountains.

321—Buffalo Bill’s Gypsy Band; or, The Queen of the
Road Wanderers.

322—Buffalo Bill’s Maverick; or, The Man with the Steel
Arm.

323—Buffalo Bill, the White Whirkaad: or, Dashing
Dan, the Border Decoy Duck.

324—-Buffalo Bill’s Gold Hunters; or, the Clan of the
Skull and Cross-bones.

325—Buffalo Bill in Old Mexico; or, The Red Priests
Ci Zatachin,

326—Buffalo Bill’s Message From the Dead; or, The
Mystery of the Dagger of Gold.

327—Buffalo Bill and the Wolf-master ;
Dogs of the Hills,

Old Nick
Or, Red Thunderbolt’s

or, The Wild

328—Buffalo Bill’s Flying Wonder; or, Zamba, the King -

On Hire:

329—Buffalo Bill’s Hidden Gold; or, The Ruse of the
Red Serpent.

330—Buffalo Bills Outlaw Trail; ot, The Mystery of the
Teton Basin.

331—Buffalo Bill and the Indian Queen; or, The Ghost
Flower’s Mission.

If you want any back numbers of this publication and cannot procure them from your news-

dealer, they can be obtained from this office direct.

Postage stamps taken the same as money.

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