Beadle's Dime Library No. 851 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

os ee —— the place while Happy Harper and [ looked over all signs about the rock. ‘ The ground behind it was soft and the tracks revealed that Fearless Frank had stood there for some time. “On top of the rock was the mark ; where a bullet bad struck, and from the resting on the rock when it was fired, and the was waiting in ambush. ‘* Blood-stains were upon the ground and sinotber man’s track, and also the hoof-marks of two horses, one coming from in front, from the Pony Trail, the other horse. ‘The tracks of the two led away toward the cliffs bordering the stream, where Buf: fulo Bill must bave hidden the body when he continued his run,” ‘* You have given a very clear account, Little Lone Star, and I would ask your two comrades if they concur in it.” ‘*You bet I do,” said Devil Dan, while Happy Harper remarked: from | 4he thicket where Fearless. Frank left his | “a 2 Buffalo Bill’s Double Dilemma. —_—remumen 2 ee =e a CHAPTER XXVI. | AN ANONYMOUS ACCUSATION. BuFraLo Brut did not flinch under the | half a hundred pairs of eyes turned upon him, when Devil Dan said that he would like to know how he had gotten through | Wolf Den Pass with it occupied by outlaws wder-burn there a rifle, or revolver, was | . : pewale ? ‘in ambush, and who had evidently been ly- , ing in wait there for days, until convinced inan who pulled the trigger was the one who | /28 1 Wal FC AYS, UNUM C that their presence there was known and no Pony Rider would come through, ‘* Buffalo Bill, will you answer the ques: tion of Devil through Wolf Den Pass with the outlaws encamped there?’ said Captain Starbuck, who was also mystified by what he had | heard, ‘*] did not go through the pass, sir,” was the quiet response ‘* How could you do otherwise?” “There was a way, sir,” * ‘* You did not go through the epass either time?” ‘* No, sir.” “There is no other way, forethe cliffs on Dan, as to how you got! Lot | 13 ‘* Well, Cody, what have you to say to that letter?” 4 ‘“]t is anonymous, you said, sir, hence the charge of a coward, and any man who would do a cowardly act will lie or steal. H ‘As it is a stab in the back. a shot from A ambush, I cannot answer it, nor do I intend . to more than to say that I put my record against any such charge.” ‘That is well said, Buffalo Bill; but the fact remains that suspicion is bad seed to i sow, for, like weeds it takes root rapidly, | and you should do or say something to show . us how you came to avoid Wolf Den Pass. ox and the manner in which you did so, as also A the reason for it, for if aware of the presence there of any of the Cloven Hoofs, you must have ‘earned it from one of the band.” Captain Starbuck spoke seriously and earn. estly. ia He seemed auxious to shield Buffalo Bill, and annoyed that he would not answer the | questions asked him, | AC There was a chance for him to explain all, yet he refused to give that explanation, and under such circumstances the unwitnessed either side for miles are solid walls to the killing of Fearless Frank, the charge of his pass, as half the men here know,”’ hati : ‘ es gy murdered him, and the anonymous It was Rocket Rob who spoke and it was | letter, all certainly militated against him. ; evident that half the men in the room, if not : : ’ ‘i | ore, -agracdinitiy niin | Buffalo Bill making no rep'y, @ deep — «i > ‘* Yes, and more too,” ‘* What is your opinion, Little Lone Star, from what you saw, regarding the killing of Fearless Frank by Buffalo Bill?” « s Lf %, ’ a ‘ / ; \ + i , ‘‘ Tl give it flat-footed, though I hate to “ww Saka tai - ‘silence fell upon all, which was broken at say anything against a dead man; but then pi oe ie at pone ot ee de last by Captain Starbuck saying, inalmosta =~ the life of another man is at stake and so I coming,” calmly replied Buffalo Bill | pleading voice: ; Ne Pil give it as my opinion that Fearless Frank “ey say that there is not.” yelled Rocket | “Once again I ask you, Buffalo Bill, if a got tired of making money by drawing pay you will explain more fully the killing of asa Pony Rider, and set out on his own hook to scoop in a big barrel.” ‘* How do you mean ?” ‘“T mean, captain, that he slipped away from camp, took up his position in am- bush, and waited for Buffalo Bill to come along.” ‘For what purpose?” ‘* Por only one or all signs lie.” ‘*Say what you think,” ‘‘ [thought I had done so, but V’ll come out plain. ‘‘{ believe Fearless Frank intended to shoot Buffalo Bill, rob him, skip back to camp and let the Cloven Hoofs get the credit «of killing another Pony Rider, the best man Rob. “‘Don’t fling the lie in my teeth for you may have to eat your words, if I am not proven guilty of murder at this trial,’ and Buffalo Bill’s voice had a threatening ring to it. ‘You'll never go free, for the testimony will hang you; but if you do, threats don’t scare me.” ‘* Silence, sir, for I am trying this case, and if you speak again, unless called upon by me to do so, I’ll place you in the lock-up for ten days,” This stern command from the captain completely silenced Rocket Rob, and was a lesson to others, who felt sure the case would be tried on its merits, Bill,” cried a voice by an open window, and . 14 4 ‘* a Fearless Frank, how you came toavoid Wolf f Den Pass, and how you did so,and knew | that the outlaws were there?” as ‘*T cannot answer, Captain Starbuck.” ve Be ‘“Then I will answer for you, Buffalo _ \ a Q a moment after 2 woman, closely vailed,en- tered the frontier court-room, me CHAPTER XXVIII. AN UNEXPECTED WITNESS, Au started as the rich-tohed and clear voice fell upon their ears, and had a bomb- — shell fallen into the room those gathered = there would not have been more startled and ie rk’ surprised thay toseea womanenter tbe door | 'and walk straight toward Captain Starbuck, > a ‘1 have come to be a witness in this trial, | Sir Judge, to tell what Buffalo Bill is | pledged not to do, and to save him from ~ 1 what looks very much likea plot to destroy that ever rode this trail, ‘Is that plain, captain?” ‘* Decidedly.” ‘‘ Do you have the same opinion Harper?” ‘‘T have.” ‘‘ And you, Devil Dan?’ ‘‘Down to bedrock the same, Captain Starbuck, as Little Lone Star has.” ‘* Have you more to state, Lone Star?” ‘*]T have, sir, or rather Devil Dan has, for he made the discovery, though it does not bear on Fearless Frank exactly.” ‘What is it?” ‘*T said that I sent Devil Dan off to re- Then turning to Buffalo Bill Captain Star- buck said: ‘* Buffalo Bill, I wish you to tell just how and where you got around the pass, and why you did not speak of it before?” ‘*T cannot tell you, sir, for it is a secret I am iat . pledge sey to gteulge. | ““But 1 left the trail and by a secret way ; : | flanked the pass going and baton and 4 him, for I have listened to the trial as 1 stoo BAY re : outside by that window,” | Nee Hale cp eluded ‘the outlaws who were Every word was distinctly uttered and her ds , ; : reason for coming no one present could doubt paged rig BROMe: Haat . hay after having heard her, re «T cannot tell that, sir,” Buffalo Bill seemed more nonplused ab =~ “Why did you not report this before your seeing her than at the charges that had been Happy were connoiter?” ” made against bim, | | eae returh to camp? 5 ’ ek Dalen Yes, “That I could not do, sir, without making |, She was dressed in a black riding-habit — that revealed her faultless, willowy form to — | 24 | perfection, ON a Upon her head wasa black sloucharmy ‘hat with & gold cord about it and a hea y sable plume upon one side, ee | + ‘‘ He went toward Wolf Den Pass.” * Well?” ‘What’ did you find, Dan?” In answer to Little Lone Star’s question, Devil Dan said: ‘IT found, cap’n, I» means judge, that ‘there had been camped at the pass for some days a band of no less than a dozen horse. men, known how | flanked the pass after knowing Bae: the outlaws were there,” — | ‘‘T am sorry, Buffalo Bill, that you cannot tell this, or will not, for though I place little ; faith in any communication that the writer Around the front of the hat was adark, is too cowardly to put his name to, I yet find | ,, ; i vei TCT that your rotdatnd to answer places just such | ola gy tes dn artic BR mee ae 4 suspicion upon you as this paper, mys-! ott of her habit, the other a riding-whip, leriously left upon my desk to-day, im-| Vite in a belt about her slender waist were MM > I ; ete sy rel an fica iy eho eee ai a pair of revolvers Nhs ot there, for their fires among the rocks as : ir?” : f , ‘onle ja wena still burning.” ha, Fr Pent eat ts Captain Starbuck arose immediately with ey yy wif ‘* This is surprising. «Tt says; | ’ marked politeness, for the sight of a woman | — , ‘* Were they Indians?” FAY | in that wild Jand was a novelty, a luxury, | ‘Not an Injun; they was palefaces, | _ ‘‘‘ You will find out that where other Pony * especially such a woman, NRA, ‘Cloven Hvofs, for I found a mask on the | Riders are killed and fired upon, Buffalo Bill | The whole crowd followed ae court's © ; ground, Here it is.” goes free, | example and were on their feet in an n- ‘** Where other riders fear to go on their | stant, i Ne ob ND ae runs, sureof certain death, Buffalo Bill gges, ; . The * judge offered her his chair, but _ and gets through in safety. | she a . her sweet, yan khan 4 Parry s bc “er been there for som vy “<The mystery of this is that he hag! “Thank you, no, 1 will not sit down. 4. — rhey had e eC days you friends in the. outlaw camp, and among the | for I came ere merely as a witness, anc \ ae A 9”) , ri say, Dent redskins, who spare him, but kill others, this having given my testimony, I wish to re ‘Yes, sir, for their grazing ground for ; : for BR Spe retir Ria their horses proved that, as did the ash-heaps | being a compact between them for informa. | to the hotel, for fT will’ claim y our DORR ay ‘He banded the mask over for inspection. It was black, and had on it just above the eye-holes a cloven hoof in scarlet, a eee wv—yaOeO0OoeeS SS SS SSS 0 SS A ety Pp é , ity to-night—perhaps.” 2 Oh ea 4 of their fires.” | oe ahah | ’ “Th el is ; but may 1 . | th : 3 | -'*The hotel is yours, miss; but may 1 ~ e _, But, they could not have been, as Buf-| ‘Such is the communication, Cody.” | ask who it is that we have the howor OBR : ‘falo Bill has four times been through that: The reading of this anonymous letter, | welcoming?” ve she Peet) ‘pass of late. . mysteriously left upon the desk of Ca ‘*T will tell you later, if necessary, togive | po | : : 4 | : yall with amaze- | you proof that my testimony is trothful, — “$8 would like ment, not unmixed © with indignation, , * Now let me ‘tell you thn it was [who — he got through,” said Devil’ many told Buffalo Bill that the. Cloven Hoofs hi Id Buffalo Bill's pee eas vec Wolf Den Pass, 4 J ) y . ' ey VA. . - 83 ‘ a tat get PN Ge Ann eg 2 pe 7 A> AEs ey) see SP : FA ? Peis Tr, 7 - ’ ‘ ~ 7 3 . mt. ' 4 ‘ A PS a £ il ond ‘ ® 40% ; ~ & i =~ ae ee if ee he ¢ — 20 _ ** That is just what me and ny two pards | Starbuck, was listened hy eet em could not phaeend, judge, and ARS 9 tos ktnow now : . y -Dan, and every eye was turned upon Buf. is <7 bt date, y rie 4? “aw ah. " a ¥ ‘3 ae 43 ryt 4; _ “2 ‘ fi ‘ Sw ee > | ihe \ > ah Be! io yf Pp