Beadle's Dime Library No. 826 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

a r ’ “forced to stand at bay | : g a trail bey road to deceive the Sioux, alone back to t Buffalo Bill’s Sharp-Shooters. — 13 er foes, a tribe one had every reason to fear, | and the story of his battle there, and again and yet they suddenly became our friends, ‘* Pray explain that, please.” ‘‘Itisa long story, colonel, dating back to my going upon the scouting trip which caused you to send to look me up,” ‘* All right, Cody, your stories always are interesting, and I shall be glad to listen to zi] you have to tell,” ‘‘Thank you, sir.” replied the scout, and then he went on to tell of his going into the Indian country, and the duel be had been the sole witness of between the two great chiefs, Kuife Killer, the Pawnee, and Death Dealer the Sioux. ‘« The cause of this meeting alone, with no warriors present,” the scout went onto say, ** Knife Killer kept to himself; but each cer- tainly expected to be the victorand win great fame by taking in the scalp, war-bonnet and pony of the keader of the other tribe. ‘* Had I not been there both would have been killed, sir; but I had a greater regard for the Pawnee than for the Sioux, and you may recall, sir, that some time ago I| entered the Pawnee village, to let them know that their foes were about to attack them, as I had seen the Sioux on the trail. *‘] was beld a prisoner to await the truth of my story, but preferred to escape to put Pawnee gratitude to the test, so did so, and since then they have not been such bitter foes of mine as before. “Seeing my chance to again help them I saved their chief Knife Killer from death, dressed his wounds as well as I could, and took him on to his village, being overtaken on the trail by a band of Sioux searching for their dead chief. ‘*To end my story, sir, Knife Killer, made a firm friend, did all in his power for me, and in the pow-wow held made me a chief, at the same time agreeing to bury the toma- hawk with the whites.” ‘“Why Cody, you have accomplished wonders.” ‘ Thank you, colonel, but there is more to , tell.” CHAPTER XXVIII. A SPECIAL MIBBSION, ConTINUING his story Buffalo Bill said: ‘* As ] had noticed in the viage, Colonel Markham, a number of white captives and two negroes, [ told Knife Killer plainly that in making terms with you that you would not consider the matter unless the pale-face prisoners were given up. ‘‘He did not wish to submit to this, especially as one of the captives had become the head medicine-chief of the tribe, und he had with him his young and beautiful daughter, of whom I will speak later. ‘*But I was firm, so Knife Killer, who was still suffering from his wounds, yielded, and I was allowed to bring the captives with me, nine whites and the two negroes, ‘“‘Three of them were women and three children, then there was the medicine-chief I spoke of, two white men and the negro. “The Knife Killer appointed a young chief, Sioux Slayer as my escort, with his band of young braves, ora part of them, and Strange to say they are remarkable lasso- throwers, and I named them my Red-skin Ropers. | ‘Oa the way we were met by a band of Sioux and I stood at bay in a splendid spot to defend, and there Doctor Fairfax, for such was his name, was killed, with several of the Red-skin Ropers. : ‘‘We were ina desperate situation when suddenly we heard a bugle call, and glancing upon a cliff [ first saw a horseman, then an officer on foot, and later came the rattle of a Winchester.” ‘“‘Frank Powell, by the gods of war!” ‘cried the colonel excitedly. “Yes, sir, though I supposed a large force of soldiers were coming to the rescue. “Instead he was alone, but answered the purpose justas well, as he stampeded the Sioux, rescued us, and starting our outfit on the trail for the fort, came for aid as you ‘know, sir.” “Yes anda splendid ride he made of it, ‘Cody,” said the colonel, and Buffalo Bill then - ontinued his story of the retreat. his being ! girl, Singing in the timber, after of Captain eas to go o Mis tS trail a rescue through the courage and endurance of the Fighting Surgeon, ‘“ When I was rescued, Colonel Markham, I knew that my best plan was to make at once to the mountains and get what Pawnees I could to cut off the retreat of the Sioux. “The scalps those with me had received I felt sure would encourage Knife Killer to send me the braves I had sent to him for by Scalp Taker, a young brave who had run the gantlet of the lines about us. ‘*T was not disappointed in my hopes, for,as I have said, Knife Killer sent half a thousand warriors, and they will return with Major Melton, sir, to see you, and thus cement the treaty between them and the pale-faces.” ‘They shall be most warmly welcomed, Cody, and I will see to it that their leaders at least shall receive presents of prisoners, while gifts will be given to the braves and sent to their old chief, who certainly must be class- ed us a very able general. “This treaty of peace with the Pawnees will be worth a‘great’deal to the Government, and save many a brave soldier’s life, not to speak of the good it will do for the settle- ments. ‘‘As forthe Sioux we must fight them still, as they will not yield until thoroughly subdued and it will take years to accomplish that. ‘You have done well, Cody, and deserve the thanks of Congress for your work; but now about those captives?” ‘¢ They will doubtless g0 to the settlement, sir, and find homes, while the two negrees can get employment, I suppose, as servants here in the fort.” ‘‘ Very readily; but the daughter of this unfortunate doctor you referred to,” ‘* Yes, sir, unfortunate she is, indeed, ‘‘Her father was a practicing physician East, a man of refinement and education, also of wealth, I gleaned from the little he told me. ‘‘He must have loss his money and came West, settling in the Happy Home Valley, so was one of the victims of the Sioux mas- sacre there some years ago, ‘* All his family save himself and daugh- ter were slain, and he was ruined and taken captive by the Sioux; he was the next day recaptured by the Pawnees after a hard battle. ‘‘The doctor and his daughter were taken to the Pawnee village, where for her sake he at once allied himself with the Indians, and became a medicine-chief, waiting and hop- ing to escape some day.” ‘And was set free only to be killed; but his poor child must be cared for, and she has my deepest sympathy. ‘7 will see what Mrs. Markham can do for her.” ’ “Colonel Markham, read this letter, lease,” and Buffalo Bill handed over Sing- ng Dove’s letter, and told how she had left the camp under Captain Grayson’s com- mand, The colonel read the letter through slowly, and then said sadly: “This is unfortunate. ‘*Can the poor girl have reached the In- dian camp again, alone, as she was?” ‘‘I hope so, sir; but it is my desire to at once set out on the trail to find out. ‘“‘T would have done so, sir, when Captain Grayson gave me the letter, only I had orders to report to you, sir. ‘Tf Ican now go to the village cf Knife Killer, carrying him presents from you, and reporting tha: his braves are coming here to see you, it will doa great deal of good, and I desire to leave to-night, sir,” CHAPTER XXIX. TRACKING A FAIR FUGITIVE. Trg request of Buffalo Bill Colonel Mark- ham deemed it best to grant. He did not like to see the scout, after his arduous services of the past few weeks, start out again upon along trail, but he consider- ed that it was demanded by the circumstances of the case that he should go. First, of all was that the young white Dove, had alone left the camp a Her fate must be at once known, Then, too, the going of the scout to Knife Killer to report the grand victory over the Sioux, and that the Pawnee braves were go- ing to the fort with the pale-face warriors who had fought the fight as their comrades, would be a strong tie to bind more thor- oughty the treaty made with Buffalo Bill. Then, too, the Pawnee braves would tell of their visit to the fort, how the big white chief had treated them and carry back with them numberless presents for their great chief Knife Killer,} When the matter was all talked over, and Mrs. Markham readily said she would give the fair young captive a home with her, for she and the colonel had no children, having lost their only child, a daughter, some years before, it was decided that Buffalo Bill should set off with his Red-skin Ropers af- ter supper that day, and push on to a night camp, ready to make an eurly start the fol- lowing morning. The colonel had a special parade for the Red-skins Ropers to witness, showed them about the fort to impress them with its strength, and, by a clever device allowed them to see the ‘companies twice over, thus giving them the idea that there were twice as many soldiers in the garrison as there really was. When they came to the time of departure a dozen pack-horses were laden with provi- sions, blankets and other presents for their people, their chief was sent a fine horse with officer’s saddle and bridle from the colonel, and blankets and a sword and revolvers as well. They filed out of of the fort half an hour before sunset, delighted with their visit and greatly impressed by the power of their pale-face friends as they had now become. At their head rode Buffalo Bill by the side of Chief Sioux Slayer, who had fared most generously in the way of gifts, and as the scout passed out of the stockade a salute was fired in his honor, in recognition of his winning the Pawnees over as friends, and cheer after cheer was given him, causin his handsome face to flush with pride an gratification. Anxious to get on with all speed, Buffalo Bill did not halt to camp until the fort was twenty miles behind them, Then a rest was made until before dawn, when they pressed on for a couple of hours when they halted for breakfast, the Red- skin Ropersrejoicing in their having made friends with the pale-facee when they enjoyed the provisions which had been brought along by the scout. ) The scout followed the trail they had taken on their way to the fort, asit was his intention to take the trail of the girl Sharp- Shooter just where she had left Captain Gray- son’s camp. Then too Buffalo Bill carried dispatches for Major Melton, to be left with Captain Grayson if the command had not yet reached the reserve position, It was just sunset when the Captain Grayson’s camp, to fin reached ed, but n courier had come in stating that they would arrive the next day, and that the - Pawnces were returning from the chase of the Sioux having come up witha number of — stragglers on foot and wounded warriors” who were very See and summarily dealt with according to the Indian fashion. 3 The dispatch also stated that Surgeon Powell had served as the white chief of the — Pawnees in their pursuit of the Sioux, and _ at the request of thcir own chiefs was to command them until they reached the fort, | as he spoke their Innguage well and was known to them as the ‘‘ Brother” of Buffalo sf. Bill. . Captain Grayson also told the Frank Fenton and the two soldiers supposed to have been captured with him, “T yegret poor Fenton’s fate, Cody, and — only wish it was possible to rescue him in gome way, “He was far above the ordinary, as young men go, and shonld have held a commission — a instead of being an enlisted man, wy ‘‘ Somehow I have always thought that he * was a men with a history, one who bette acloud, perhaps” Pisa re on’ Ol “J have bad the same thought, Captain that the — major and his command had not yet return- scout that there had been no tidings gleaned of Private _ ay “gts Vict a ~ a. ~ 4; : my . : Ja” ‘ a a a 5 “= : S452 r *~ J ¥,