Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 958 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

ee ane Ce ae <“ 1) . Si. ad 7 wr ea — . “T see very faint imprint of any trail, , Burns.” “True, sir; but here the iron-shod hoofs certainly turn to the right, not going over this plateau, but following along around its base, for that way they can reach the lower plateau, and so continue on to Lee’s Ferry.” “Then we will divide our forces, Lute, for the sergeant can take eight men and four scouts, and follow the tracks of the iron-shod horses, while you go with me and the rest of the men over the plateau,” responded Lieutenant Ogden Ross. This being decided upon, for Lute Burns chad said that each party must meet at Lee’s Ferry ;from the way the trails led, and that was the rendezvous appointed with Lieutenant Keyes, the sergeant rode off with his force, the lieutenant following the trail of the Indian ponies up the steep way that led up to the plateau a thousand feet above their heads. It was a very hard climb, and every man made it on foot, even the ponies, as sure-footed as mountain sheep, finding it difficult to pick their way. But the Indians had gone that way be- fore them, and though they saw where one unfortunate pony had lost his footing and been dashed to death far below,~white men would not back down before a danger Indians had surmounted. At last the summit was reached. and a breathing spell was given to horses and men, The summit was a rolling plain, barren and rising thousands of feet above the bed of the Colorado River. The lower plain was visible, a thousand feet below them, with the mighty chasm that marked the way of the Colorado miles and miles distant. Following this up with their eyes, they saw far away the towering red cliffs that overhung the Colorado at Lee’s Ferry, and knew that the trail they were following could lead no other way, descending by a path as steep and dangerous, doubtless, as the one they had climbed to reach where they then were. After resting, Lute Burns again rode to the front, the lieutenant and his men fol- lowing, and one and all impressed by the grandeur of nature all about them. The trail led along the plateau, well back from the eliffs on ether s‘de, for it was a mighty tableland, and soon all trace of it was lost on the hard ground. But it could go no other way than straight ahead, and Lute Burns was push- ing on, when suddenly, out of the ‘very ground, appearing like an apparitien, arose @ horse and rider a couple of hun- dred yards off on his right. CHAPTER XVI. WHAT THE CEDARS CONCEALED. When Lieutenant Keyes had branched off from the pool, following the tracks that led toward the Colorado, Dave Denny found little difficulty in keeping the trail until it came out upon the plateau that stretched away to the Colorado. Here it seemed that the tracks had seat- tered, but keeping along with the greatest number that kept together, they soon came to Jacob’s Pool, and here a halt was made for the night. Here, too, the scattered trail had come together again. Like the command of Lieutenant Ross.. all were up before dawn and ready to start upon the trail. Again the tracks scattered, yet appeared to bend in one direction, and upon reach- ing Soap Spring, they eame together again, Dave Denny accounting for it by saying: “They were hunting for some kind of game, sir, and spread out to find it. “Tt might have been human game, and maybe only game for grub.” Canteens were filled at Soap Spring, a lunch partaken. of, and then it was to be a long march, without food or water for the horses until the Colorado was reached,. if the trails led to the Ferry, and there was every indication that they did. That Buffalo Bill had steadily followed the greater number of tracks thus far was proven by his own trail being seen at both springs, though faintly. All along the tracks were so faint that unless on the search for them they would not have been seen, and the numerous game tracks at the watering place blotted the others out almost entirely. At Soap Spring the tracks seemed fresher, how- ever, than at the other watering place of Jacob’s Pool, and the ashes were there of a fire but recently built. From there the trail led directly back toward Lee’s Ferry, and all the tracks were together save one. That one branehed off on the right to- ward the Colorado’s banks, and it was Buffalo Bill’s. And this trail was the one they followed, for Buffalo Bill had some good reason for deserting the trail he had been following, both Lieutenant Keyes and Dave Denny agreed, It was the middle of the afternoon when they reached the precipice banks of the Colorado River, and but few of the party dared approach near enough to look over the edge down into the foaming current far below. But here and there, close along the edge, Dave Denny reported the trail of Buffalo Bill as leading on toward the Ferry. There were ravines now and then to be gone around, and occasionally one that could be crossed, and still sticking to the chief of scouts’ trail, they went as it went, up and down the rugged climbs. “See, sir, there is a clump of cedars in this ravine, and the chief's trail turns to- ward them, instead of going straight on ahead, as he could have done,” said Dave Denny. , “ Better go there, too, Dave, though, of course, Cody had to retrace his steps to get out of this ravine,’ said Lieutenant Keyes. And on Dave Denny went, following the trail to the cedars, There were 4 Score of them growing at the head of the ravine, and as he drew near, riding a bundred feet ahead of the command, Dave Denny was seen to sud- denly halt and hold up his hand. Lieutenant Keyes called to his men to be on their guard, and then spurred: quick- ly to where Dave Denny stood, for he had now dismounted. “What is it, Dave?” “‘ See there, sir.” “A dead body, as T live!” “Yes, sir, there has been trouble right here.” Then the officer and the scout advanced together, and entering the cedar thicket, they beheld the form of a man lying upon the Straw bedding, By his side were some blankets and half a dozen canteens, q bag well filled with provisions, and he lay upon his back, his hands prayerfully clasped upon his breast. the attifude in striking contrast to what had doubtless been his death, for one hand had been shattered by a bullet, and in the eenter of h's forehead was a wound which showed how he had been killed. But a rifle and three revolvers, with his knife, lay by his side, ‘See here, sir.” and Daye Denny took from between the folded hands a slip of paper. It was a pencilled note, and read: 9 “Lieutenant Keyes: “Dear Sir: Please bury this body, for I had not the time. *T will continue to mark my trail, and acquaint you by note with any important discovery I may make. “CODY.” “ Not a word of what happened here to cause this man’s death.” ‘No, sir; that’s Chief Cody’s way.” ‘‘But he must have killed him?” “Yes, sir; it looks that way to me.” “Call the men, and we will bury him, for, fortunately, there is some soil here,” said Lieutenant Keyes. CHAPTER XVII. ON THE TRAIL OF THE BLACK MUSTANG. When Buffalo Bill took up the trail of Little Dick, where Dave Denny showed it to him, he went off with the hope of find- ing out what had been the fate of the boy, and of finding those who had been his cruel foes, for he could not shake the be- lief from his mind that the black mus- tang and his bound victim had gone over the Colorado’s cliff banks together. There was every reason for him to be- lieve so, for had the horse not been run- ning with blind madness toward the cliff and had he not heard that despairing cry ring out in the night, about the time when the animal would have gone over the cliff had he held straight on? Still, Buffalo Bill was determined to do his best to find out just what happened, and if the boy had been slain to make his Slayers answer for it. That the men whom he had seen At Lee’s Ferry, and who had pursued him had been the boy’s captors Buffalo Bill had not the Slizhtest doubt. He would have gone straight on to the Ferry, and there taken their trail, urging Lieutenant Keyes to press rapidly on after him, but he wished to learn first if the black mustang had gone over the cliff, and then to go to the canyon out of which he had come, and press on from there with a better knowledge of what had really happened, To do this he must follow the tra‘l of the boy from where Daye Denny had shown it to him. Going along. with his eyes fixed upon the ground, Buffalo Bill suddenly drew — rein, He did so just where the trail of the spotted pony led by a large rock. There the tracks showed that the pony had made a sudden swerve to one side, and there were signs of a struggle there, such as would be made by a horse trying to free himself from some one who had grasped him unawares by the bridle rein. Dismounting, Buffalo Bill left his horse, and set to work in the quiet, determined manner natural to him. He felt that he had made an important discovery, for he said: “That pony was caught by the rein by some one hidden behind this rock, who sprang out upon him, as he was lassoed. “There are traces of a hard struggle here, and here are blood spots. * Whoever captured the boy hurt him, or got hurt. ‘‘T can trace no boot tracks, but it seems there are moccasin signs upon the hard soil. “Twill look tracks.” But none could be found, and, going on his way once more, still following the trail of the spotted pony, Buffalo Bill made another discovery. which was no more than that the boy’s horse had been led by some one, That some one was revealed by mocca- sin tracks in some soft soil, and the pony, too. had been going at a slow walk, as his trail showed, : about for other pony 4 comicboo 7 in hy ‘x< » yA ; “ . ‘ : + . \ “4, 4 =, » = :_ ie ft a h * -‘@ rm |