Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 662 — page 15: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“ ™~ie > oes », . s ea > =. A s - ~~ ——_ - ee ee Snare a ~ “— -_ - - i — “ ad = a. 4 ahaa + “ » - a . < ad 7 > . a —— 7 Y ee r = Ss : ~.] ° 4d ~~ ~— ; << 7 e > ; - ‘ : . = 2 NS _~ ; wa SNe ak ee ae: “a , hey — P es o " #7 » ’. * beth a oe,“ ye >< walt a bee ahi ig By 45 mere = 24) : * ; ‘Hullo, Red Dog, don’t you know de nigger who was yer friend in Texas, at massa’s ranch, and yer called Big Black Chief?” ‘‘Me know, and glad to see Big Black Chief,” and Red Dog gave a sigh of relief that his head was not in the grasp of the Evil Spirit. Then Black Sampson, in his own peculiar way told of his coming with his young mistress in search of Sol Soulette, and the surprised Indian - was detained for half-an-hour, until twilight was falling. Then picking up his herbs, which he had let fall in his fright, he went on to the cabin with the negro. There sat Sol Soulette and his wife, hand-in- hand, and as the two approached the Giant said: ** See, Red Dog, I have found my squaw, or rather she has found me, ‘* And, Sampson, 1am a new man now, and from to-day bury my old life of crime, ‘“*T was not myself, [ was mad, desperate, and T have done many a wrong and crime; but [ have confessed all to my wife, and she has for- hee me, so I begin a good work of at once rid- ing these mountaius of the outlaw band known as the Mounted Miners, and then restoring an- other poor woman to one who loves her. ‘‘ This done, we will all four go to the dear old ranch in Texas, and see if happiness will not - come to us.” ‘* But, Sol, how can you do what you say, and rid this country of the outlaws?” asked his wife, ** You know I am supposed to be dead, Ellen, and so I shall play ghost, and thus frighten them off the trail. “Come, Red Dog, build a fire, and you Sampson, give usa fine supper, for I declare hardly feel my wounds now, my joy is so great in feeling that this dear little woman, whom I so sinned against, has forgiven me, has tracked me down, and made a new man of me, for just as soon as I can decide upon the best plot to earry on the good work, I shall begin it.” CHAPTER XXV. A COMPROMISE. THOUGH taken by surprise when captured by the lariat of Butterfly Billy, and with the noose of the scout’s rope around the neck of his horse, the Giant General was not a man to submit tamely, and he had begun a powerful resistance, when the Pony Rider called out: Oye: “ a you do not submit, General, I will kill ou “Ah, it is you, is it, my brave Black Horse Rider? ‘* You are the very man I wish to see, and my hands are up.” The action was suited to the words, and But- terfly Billy had already reached the chasm and looked at the sudden submission of the man with surprise, yet with suspicion also, ** You surrender?” ss With pleasure, for I was hoping to meet ou. ic You say so now.” , **Ob no, I mean it, forIam not the man I twas two months ago, when we met up near my oa Birt you look @ trifle thin ‘But you look a trifle et I am glad m bullet did not ail, ‘tg _arerays ‘‘ Tt was a clever plot of yo Butterfly, and well-nigh ended me, only my ribs are hard and _ the bullet glanced. Butterfly Billy gazed at the man in amaze- ment, : He did not fear him, as he knew Buffalo Bill covered him with his rifle. Then the Giant said: ‘Come, take my anms, and let us tal« to- gree: for I og something to tell you,” is it ‘‘ Who is at the other end of the lariat that holds my horse?” “A tree.” ‘‘ A tree didn’t throw it?” ‘*No; Buffalo Bill.” “AmI your prisoner, or Buffalo Bill’s?” ** Mine,” | . ‘Your word goes, then?” ‘* Yes,” ** Call him here,” Butterfly Billy did so, proached, and the outlaw said: ~ {have a story to tell, Cody, and this youth | the gainer by i . J . and the scout ap- . a RR Butterfly Billy’s Bonanza. ghost, and yet, since I have thus done so, you cannot point to one lawless act of mine. ‘‘TInstead, I have kept the Mounted Miners from robbing the coaches, as you must know, and this change has come about through a wo- man, as you shall now hear,” Then the two listened to the strange story of the remarkable man, and what bad made him a wanderer, and in conclusion he added: ‘*My noble little wife is now at my retreat, with the negro Sampson, wao was her escort and guard, and the Comanche whom I told you was my friend. “Come with me and see them, spending the night there, and to-morrow I will guide you to the cabin of Dermot, the present captain of the Mounted Miners. ‘‘He knows where his chief is to be found, and when you find him you will discover your mother, for I now know that sbe is not dead, ‘But Dermot is a good fellow, and you must let him go, but the others you can hang. ‘‘For myself, I ask to go my way, and let me be still thought to be dead, and thus will I pass out of memory. ‘‘Do you grant my requests, Butterfly Billy, if all is as I say?” sc I do.” ‘*Then come with me to my retreat, and I guess we will find my wife on the lower ridge, for she came after me nearly this far to tell me to whiten my face, which I had forgotten to do. So the scont arid the Overland Detective mounted their horses and rode on to the retreat of the outlaw. As he had said, they overtook at the lower cabin his wife, and then they could doubt no longer, when he said: ‘* Ellen, these were my foes; but I hope they will be my friends, for I bave told them all.” The clever means of hiding his retreat was then shown by Sol Soulette, and that night the cae and Butterfly Billy passed in the outlaw’s ome, The next morning the four started for the cabin of Dermot. The outlaw, in his uniform, went on ahead and surprised Dermot in his cabin, for up to that moment the young captain had believed in the specter of the Giant General, In a few words he told Dermot all, and then called the scout and Butterfly. The outlaw was nervous, for he hardly knew what to expect, but at last he said: ‘*The lady is the chief’s wife, sir, and he has been living with her, and playing the part in Omaha of a rich cattleman, while he was spy for our band, ‘**He told me he was going to give up the life and made me chief, and plotted with me to take the life of his wife, and I carried out half the es in sending Ben Bolt and his stage over reakneck Cliff, but I took the lady out before- hand, and she has returned to Omaha, while I pretended she was inan empty grave in the canyon, for I buried the driver and other pas- sengers. \ ‘I can take you to her address, sir, for I could not kill a woman.” Butterfly Billy was deeply moved, and asked: ‘* And your chief?” ‘‘T tracked him, sir, and he has gone to Fort M——, where he is known as Don Emilio Soto, a Mexican, but heis none other than Captain Coyote, who was an outlaw in Mexico, then in Texas tor years, and kidnap ing your mother, he forced her to marry him, I believe,” Butterfly Billy. asked to hear no more, but said: “JT will go with youto Omaha at once, and you, Pard Bill, can goto Fort M—— and tell all to Colonel Carter and Captain Allen, for Miss Ivy must be saved from that demon. ‘¢ When he is your prisoner, I will be back to deal with him. “Now, Mr. Soulette, you are free to go your way, as | promised, and I advise you to depart from this country at once, making your way as you best know how. ‘* Farewell,” He held out his hand and it was by Sol Seulette, who suddenly turned on heel and walked away in silence, Ten minutes after Butterfly Billy was on his way along the Overland Trail to Omaha, ac- companied by Dermot, ‘ CHAPTER XXVI. \ & 15 fresh horse and accompanied by Captain Allen and a dozen soldiers, Don Emilio Soto had also accepted the invi- tation of Captain Allen to accompany bim, and some days after the party returned to the fort with two prisoners, the last living members of the Mounted Miners band. And Captain Don Emilio was not with them, for, so the story went, he had been killed in ac- tion with the outlaws. And this was true, as to his being killed by an outlaw; but Buffalo Bill had taken good care to put the pretended Mexican in a position, after he had discovered the outlaws in camp, where a volley from them would kill him. ‘** Tf they fail, I will be a little reckless in my shooting, for Miss Ivy’s secret shall be kept from all who would sneer at her having loved an out- law,” the scout muttered. But the volley of the outlaws, when surprised, did the work, and Don Emilio was buried where he fell, and even Ivy Allen never knew his true character. Nor did she mourn much, as she had never loved the man, and within a year she married a handsome young lieutenant on the staff. Then Buffalo Bill went on the trail for Omaha, and rode through with Bob Burt. He soon found Butterfly Billy there, and the first question asked was: ‘* Pard Bill, what of him?” ** Don Emilio is dead,” and Buffalo Bill told his story. ‘* Now, Bill, let me take you to see my mother, for she is here, and Dermot has gone his way. ‘* But first let me say that which cuts me to the heart, for that man was Wolf Royal, my own father! ‘* He treated my mother shamefully, deserted her when I was but four years of age, so you see I remembered his face, and we went and found a home in Texas, ‘‘ When he raided our home with his outlaws and I captured him, leaving my mother to guard him, he told her that he would have his men kill me if she did not go with him. “She went, to save me, as she believed, and all these years she has suffered torments, and — all to keep him from carrying out his threat and going to Texas to kill me, for he never knew in Butterfly Billy his own son. ‘‘ Now you know all,so come and meet my mother.” ’ And the scout did meet the almost broken- hearted woman, and when he told her of the fate of her husband she said fervently: “ Thank God!” And once more did Butterfly Billy disappear mysteriously from the Overland. But he went to his Texas home with his mother, and they were welcomed by Major Mabrey, who was as happy as a boy at their return. ** And Yankee Kit?” asked Butterfly Billy. ‘Ts still a prisoner in my home,” ** Well, he told me the truth, and through it I found my mother, so let him go.” And Yankee Kit did go, and once more took to the life of a peddler. 7 As for the Giant General, he also returned to Ranch Eden with his wife, Sampson and Red Dog, and the latter developed into an Indian cowboy, while the negro became the Major Domo of the ranch, and not one of their neigh- bors ever suspected the eventful story of the lives of that strange quartette, so Strangely — linked together, ; As for Butterfly Billy he accepted a lieuten- ancy in the army, and two years after reaching Fort M—— was ordered then on the staff of — General Carter, for that officer had meanwhile — been promoted. Rtn a: Not long after the handsome young hero- officer made pretty Mattie Carter his bride, and resigning his commission returned to Texas to ei _ ’ ‘eet p Wg i * 1% oe > 2 pa 5 ‘* + Slew P ‘ 47.27% * a y 7 ~ 4 i479 Chm the home he loved so well, and where he would — ¢ is te will be t. eee, — “T do not defend my — but I shall tell you Berd) 8 she whole truth, and all that made me a! Ke _. “ You see me now, with whitened face, and _._ india-rubber belting on the hoofs of my horse, | see Buffalo Bill come back alone, and then, after to deaden all sound, thus playing the part of a | a long talk with Colonel Carter. to depart on a “ ae 1 5 - , 7 a” cate ‘ s * - “ » : Ai , ; iF . we as v se . 1 7 , . [ ¥) ‘ A *) J * -_—" - ; / . i, 4 7 ‘. +f os a q ‘ * erat’ , » a *) “pt oe ‘ . . wt : ‘. Wh a . ‘ 7 f ie ete Bi Uh d fe As . « = 7 ‘ > i , a 6 < a > . 4 ‘ 7 ' . f . r . - _ * bd fi . 6 ® . s P ‘ ¥ ; <% re, .» be near his mother, who had at last become Mrs. Mf Martin Mabrey. 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