Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 964 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

io we { vee a ro i 4’ ¥ . 20 ae ans \ Buffalo Bill’s Decoy. fore long he opened his eyes, fixed them upon the scout, and, after a moment, said: ‘*Tt is you,. sir.’ ‘‘ Yes, your friend of last night.’’ “But Pete Stone came here to kill me.” gah 6 ‘‘He fired three shots at me as I went out of the cabin and ran, supposing he had killed me, but he did not hit me, though he came very near it.” * And then?” “TI sprang for shelter, and then ran out with my revolver to fight him, for I Was unarmed at first, and going with a bucket to-get water from the spring.” “He had evidently been lying in wait _for you to come out.” ‘That was just it, sir.” “ And you went after him?’ “T called out to him to halt and have it out, and he seemed frightened, supposing I was dead.” ~ “But he halted?’ ' Yes, and we had it out, for L am sure as” killed him, and when on his knees, fall- ing, he gav @ me this wound. “It came pretty near finishing me, too.” “Tt did indeed.” “But how did you get here, sir, and in the nick of time to help me?’ “T rode out here to see you.” “To see me?” se Yes.” ‘“Oan I do anything for you, sir, for I most gladly will?’ ‘Well, yes, I guess so. ‘But we will talk of that later. ‘Now, if you have a handkerchief, I will dress your wound, as I have some arnica with me in my saddle. *T will go and fetch my horse.” This the scout did, and when he came back the youth handed him a clean and fine cambriec handkerchief, on one corner of which his quick eye detected the in- itials: ST dae But Buffalo Bill said nothing about the letters, and set to work to dress the wound with a skill past experience had given him, CHAPTER XIV. GETTING ACQUAINTED. When he had finished dressing the wound, Buffalo Bill said: “Now, how do you feel, pard—by the way, what is your name?” “Call me sport, if you will,” was the guiet answer. “ All right, sport. y ‘Does your wound pain you?’ ‘Tt feels sore, but I don’t mind that, for I have been accustomed to hard knocks.” ‘* You don’t look it.” “ Appearances are deceitful often, you know.”’ Pate: cl” IV Es half suspected you of be mie Ing 'a nla ’ and Buffalo Bill looked the --- young sport fixedly in the eye. “But I am not, and God pity the girl who would have to do what I do,”’ was the sad reply. » “You certainly know how to take care of yourself.” ts. “ Well, I have had to do so ee force of | circumstances.’ “Where did you learn that leap and blow with your feet?” . “T have been an athlete from babyhood, ae ce may say.” “You used Red Sam up pretty badly.” “T had to, for he had a knife in his oS 2 shirt, as I knew, and he had threatened. to cut my ears off to mark me, as a man whispered to me he had. overheard him say sO. “T was therefore harder. with him than _ T intended to be, though he certainly de- _ served no mercy, | ¥ 2th nan, Mr. — Beawy —. I forget the name you for he’s a very bad a - , o of “ iw . one . f ° 4 - . a. i . \ ; ie “ - ran Ske peel OF a) a? <> a a Ba : Yee, (Oars } ~a «/ yy .* ‘ ag - a oe ve ey? Pe —. , ot ane , ere . 4 M7» x oe eg LRA eee eee el : ro oe dees! ~ k% ¥ . * a , : z , - ‘. m <r "Rea 7 . ba eet =” ws + Bees 7 » ¢ ; ~ i bee reds arias ; ‘3 Wags" : : oa, * ; i ae ~ oh Gee 9 Ee Dae ae Ss é ae halle oS! lil Ses 7 ae a ae called yourself by last night; in fact, hard- ly heard it.” “ Cody; but call me simply Bill.” * Cody, and Bill. “See here, I have heard of a man by the name of William Cody, who was known as Buffalo Bill, and is a famous scout and Indian fighter. “T have much admired him.” * Yes?’ “Yes, I have. ‘Do you know him?” “T have met him.” Where?” “Up in the Northwest.” “Are you Buffalo Bill?’ “Why, do you suspect me of being Buf- falo Bill simply because my name is Cody?” ‘Well, many people bear the same name, it is true, but you have another claim to the title of Buffalo Bill other than your name.” “What is that?” **Your pluck, your looks, your face be- ing stamped with heroism.” “You are so complimentary I must ac- knowledge my identity.” “Then you are Buffalo Bill?’ ‘““T am.” “Tam glad to meet you. “T have often hoped I would do so. * But if you are Buffalo Bill and here in Devil’s Canyon, you are not here, as I heard last night, as a gold hunter.” “* You.don’t think so?” sé No. 9 “Why not?’ “Well, that is not your calling, and, knowing you now as I do, I feel sure you are here for some Secret Service work, such as hunting deserters from the army, or other bad men who have been guilty of some crime.” Buffalo Bill laughed and replied: “Well, you are a pretty clever youth, L.may_ say.” “Thank -you.” “ Suppose I tell you that I am not to be known here as Buffalo Bill, as I am here on Secret Service?” ‘Well, Pll not betray you, sir.” “T believe that. * But now, as you have identified me, let me see if I Cannot find you out.” “That will be impossible.” “Why?” “T am no one to find out, place.” “T beg to differ with you.” iy as *“T am but a boy, for I am not yet twenty, though hear it, but look younger than I am,’ “Yes, I supposed you were about seyen- teen,” “No, I am nineteen, though I have gone through enough to make me look muc older.” ‘‘You will tell me about Yourself?’ “No, not now.” “When?” | “Perhaps some day. “But can I help you here, for I know this country perfectly?” “ You gh but what is your calling?” “Tam a hunter.” “What are you hunting fov?” * Well, gold, say.” “That is not all.” * Why do you think so?” in the first “Some other motive than to find gold brought you here to this wild land.” “You think so?” *T know it.” “Well, I am like you, on a trail i do not wish known. “You are prospecting for gold, and something else in particular, and so am I, Jet me admit, and if I can help you T will gladly do so, for you have already helped me more than I can ever reRET: fe ~ * -. Qe 4s, . See, ~ Re ‘ a Sai © gs tr aE be eat # Hii te Ar ’ 4 > = ts ay. . , Ack ? a) =F | oe gee } oF gS Ae oy AON Gs Pare yt Lite » Fa" ek cS. w\4 » £2S-¢ KA, 20 a pe ee ; Oar ace ae as ot 8 het oS ks were a! Ses ae = ti, ORS — > Ves : geen’ Bs; — > A . ws . ( 7 * ) a_ Ss : : M ‘ ’ : 4 - ‘ i-” . =~ a 4" ae | 4p eh a oy 4af > : F; fat awieas a a oo 4. ‘4 ts ‘ ; My i WM. 7 e aA ~ I i - . s * "ale ay . a - ii & %; Fe » (te. = ' = | y ee a “ef, ot Nii - 7 re Gis " @2@ | \ / \ \ a _ \ \ , donuts & = = < 06 Oh | | a Q (@] | | Ss aC (@] | bt, Le ze . J jot es ani * Poe e “We'll let that go.” “But tell me, why did that man, Peté Dunn, seek to kill you?” “Ah! I had forgotten him, ' “It was because he was one of Re | Sam's pards, I suppose; but do you kno we must look after that body, as4t would | cause some trouble if found there, and am not looking for more trouble just no as I have plenty on my hands,” and th sport’s face wore an anxious look, th scout noticed, CHAPTER XV. A TELL-TALE MARK. Going out of the eabin with the scou the sport led the way to where the body Pete Dunn lay, just as it had fallen. While in the cabin, Buffalo Bill had n ticed almost every object. It had two rooms, ‘one used as combine kitchen and eating room, the other to sled in. There was a cot bed there, and the blan kets were good ones and clean. Some clothing and a hat or two hun upon the wall, and there were a rifle an shotgun in addition to the weapons th youth carried. | There were also extra revolvers an knives, a saddle, bridle, ax, hatchet a pick and shovel. The cooking utensils were plentiful an well burnished up, and the table was whit and clean. In fact, all about the cabin indieated neat inmate. Without the cabin, in the rear was ; shed for a horse, the animal, a wiry roa pony, being staked out near, feeding. “You live here All alone?” suggested th scout. “ Yes, with Whalebone, my pony.” * Don't you get lonesome?’ “ Well, no; I am more contented alone i my. cabin than with, such company .as find at Devil’s Canyon. “They are a bad lot, ain’t they?” “ About as tough as I ever saw.” ‘* But here is your enemy.” ““ Yes.” “You shot him through the heart, fro this wound.”’ ‘““T aimed to do so. What was he?” “Gambler and hard citizen in general, and that’s saying nothing of the dead vie tim.” “You play cards yourself, a little?” “ Yes, when I have a motive for doing So.’ - “To win money?” “No, I care nothing for the money; in fact, I give all I win at cards away te those who need it more than I, do, But see here.” The young sport had tofcen a slip o | paper from a pocket of the dead Copan, and held it up. “What is it?” { “This slip-of paper.” 7 ‘What does that mean?” “Here is a pin, you see, and on the papet is written: ‘Avenged! 4 “‘THE SILENT SLAYERS.’ “Bunco told me something of a seer band of murderers.” - “Yes, they have done a great deal of deadly work, and this is the badge they pin on their victims. “Yes, here is the number, twenty-two,) and that was intended for me, Iam sure. | “I have suspected Pete Dunn of being ohe of the band, and this is proof, for see, — here is the knife that was to go with it, and it bears the number also, you see twenty-two.” “You are right, and you took it from his pocket?” | / ape with this slip of eer