Beadle's Dime Library No. 851 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

16 Where Buffalo Bill never showed a trace of anxiety on his own account, he was seen to look quite uneasy now at his friend not being on time. ‘*Ten minutes late, sir,” he said, glancing again at his watch, Thus the minutes went by until nearly balf an hour pussed, and the Pony Rider did not appear. At last Buffalo Bill said: ‘* He is just halfan hour behind, sir. ‘* May I take Lone Star and his two pards, and go up the trail to see what is wrong?” ‘* Certainly, more men, if you like.” ‘* No, sir, four of us will do,” and telling Juniper to take Red Devil back for his Ex- Cpe press ride, and bring him another horse, Buf- ne falo Bill waited until it wasdone, and with Blas 4 Little Lone Star, Happy Harper and Devil Dan, who came up mounted just then, rode off on the trail of the missing Pony Rider. CHAPTER XXXII. WILD BILL’S TRAIL. Witp Bruu’s trail led along two valleys, across a plain and over a high range of mountains, : It was a Jong run of a hundred miles, bu except ascending and descending the moun- me tains, it was an easy one for the horses. ‘ne It wasso mapped out that it could not be made much shorter, and the Pony Riders who had been on that run bad never objected to it on account of the beat being some miles ee longer than the others were. Jah Buffalo Bill had been the last to ride it, be- fore Wild Bill was put on, and the former met him at the other end, and Pony Bob was still further on.’ us, The deaths along the run between Head- it! quarters Ranch and Valley Farm, caused rar uffalo Bill to be placed there, with Wild Bill on his beat, and Pony Rob to meet him at the other end, thus having the three sworn pards to mect each other and be on acon- tinuous arin g, on the three most dreaded runs on the whole Pony Trail. To climb the mountain, Wild Bill always rode a large, strong horse, taken at the sta- tion just at the foot of the range, Upon the other side at the base of the mountain was another relay station, and the two men but ten miles upart, but then that made up in hard climb what the run lacked in distance, Wild Bill had started on his return run to hoes a A Ranch with a very valuable ’ freight. ‘Tt was all in money too, going through to California, where a man had ordered it gent in that way. Dy 5! “You've got enough to tempt ALY a man to bolt with it, Wild Bill, and I’m glad that you are the man to take it through. Phen it goes into Buffalo Bill's hands ae Shade turns it over to Pony Bob, so it’s all _ gare, — ._ ** It came through with a force of soldiers _. to where it struck my -division, and Pony __ Bob is to leave itat Fort Utah, soit can go a on from there in company with a force of cavalry going westward, so, if you, Buffalo Billand Pony Bob get through without be- ing killed, it’s likely to reach its destination in safety, but the man was a fool to chance __, it, and Thope no one else will send such a stm over the line.” | ____ So said the agent of the division that join- ed Captain Starbuck’s, and who had come on with halfa dozen Pony Riders asa guard _ until he reached the station where he would a meet Wild Bill, and which was the end of ») bis line, He was anxious to get the money across his division in safety. ¥ _ “STow much money is there, captain?” asked Wild caanbyeig oe mas ‘onlas va Ah! I forgot to give you the way trans- ayes r, Py _ “Here it is, and you see there is thirty __ thousand dollars in greenbacks there.” “All right, you got her through your -_ division in safety and I guess we can get her through ours.” atPy. _ _ “Yes, I hope so; but then yours is proper- pes The Deadly Division’ you know.” Ae am ready, sir.” . j 2 = _ * b f ‘ + Sus Q o chs ae SY ad . * ¥ Seats ts ; e . Be bos } > , —" * pe § ia ee | 4 “ ad . * -) the 8 Vo; Buffalo Bill’s Doub nd it has earned its name, captain; but ddle W Id Bil patel) what was expected of them, and, nervous at delay, after they were brought out of the stable, they were away the moment the rider’s foot touched the stirrup, or they saw him about to leap into the saddle.* It took a wonder‘ully active man and splendid rider to mount one of the horses of the Pory Express, when they started off from a station on their run. Wild Bill held his horse at his speed mile after mile, and from relay to relay. The changes of the saddle and Express pouches at the stations was a minute’s work, and only a word was had with the stock- tender. The station atthe base of the mountain was reached on time, and one of the two men then said: ‘*T’ll detain you a minute, Wild Bill, to tell you something.” ‘All right,pard, out with it.” ‘‘T was up on the mountains yesterday looking for one of the horses that run off, and I found him on the range, just at dark. ‘* As I looked over the trail you go, I saw a firelight.” © Yes: ‘‘Tt was just on the trail and all of five miles from the base of the mountain.” ‘“Could you place it closer than that, pard?” ‘* You know the Pinnacle Rocks?” ‘¢ Yes.” ‘‘There is aclump of timber just to the right of the Pinnacle Rocks.” ‘*T know it.” ‘*As near as I can place the camp-fire it was there.” ‘* All right, and thank you, pard, ‘‘Being forewarned is being forearmed— good-by,” and Wild Bill was away. Wtth great bounds the horse began the ascent of the mountain and only when he reached the summit showed signs of weak- ening, for Wild Bill had pushed him harder than usual. He wished to gain a little time. Springing from his horse, and keeping him back in shadow, he took a small field-glass from the case swung to his belt, and peered over the valley through which the trail ran from the base of the mountain. , He saw the winding Pony Trail, followed it along until his eyes fell upon the Pinnacle Rocks and there rested. For a couple of minutes he swept the sur- rounding space about the rocks, and then said in his cynical manner natural to him: ‘*That’s a game that two can play. **T’m onto you, gentlemen,” With this he went back to his horse, mounted, and went over the summit at a run, slacking up only when he came to the descent on the other side. CHAPTER XXXIIL. THE GAME THAT TWO COULD PLAY. Down the steep trail rode Wild Bill, his face as calm as a mill pond, his eyes on the lookout, his thoughts busy, The relay station at the base of the moun- tain was where he was allowed to stop of fifteen minutes for breakfast. The men could see him coming far up the mountain-side, and sv had breakfast ready for him upon his arrival. They were ready for him this time, and as he dismounted one of the three men took his horse and remarked; , oa _ ** You've been pushing him some, Wild Bill?” ) . | ‘* Yes, Iam a little ahead of time,” . ‘Breakfast is all ready, Wild Bill, bacon, hoe-cake, venison steak and coffee.” ‘‘And I am ready for breakfast, for the mountain gave me an appetite.” ‘* Any news back on the trail, Bill?” ‘* | heard none. ‘*Have you seen any one on the trail since I passed?” ** Not a soul. j “‘T guess all is clear.” said St cass oaaan relish, and not like a man over whose head hung a dread of death, that within one hour he might be a corpse, He then mounted his fresh horse and was off like a flash, Pressing his horse even harder than usual he drew rein when within a quarter of a mile of the Pinnacle Rocks and said: ‘*T’m just twenty five minutes ahead, and I hope I won’t be delayed longer than that. ‘*Old horse, I must hide you here, and if I don’t turn up again Buffalo Bill will find ou, ‘**T’ll just leave a note for fear I might go under.” He had gone off the trail to a thicket, and there dismounting, muzzled his horse aud hitched him securely. Taking a pencil and slip of paper from his pocket, he wrote: ‘* Give this to Buffalo Bill, who will find the Express pouches, which are valuable, hidden where he killed a grizzly bear three months ago, near Pinnacle Rocks, ‘“*Witp Bru.” This slip of paper was fastened to his saddle-horn, and taking the Express and mail ‘‘ freight,” as the Pony Riders called it, Wild Bill walked rapidly away, going down toward a dry creek bed. Following this for a short distance, he came to a pile of rocks. ‘‘Tt was upon that one the grizzly was sunning himself when Bill saw him and brought him down, ‘‘ T’ll leave the freight up there, for no one will see it in passing, but Buffalo Bill will know where to look for it if 1 go under,” With this he hid the saddle pouches on the rock, and then walked rapidly on up the bed of the stream. By this means he made a flank movement of a mile, coming out in the trail beyond Pinnacle Rocks. - Reconnoitering carefully, he began to ap- proach the rocks, which from this side he was enabled to do under shelter, while from the other direction he could not have done 80. Looking at his watch, after going a short distance, he said: ‘Tf I had ridden straight on, I would just be due here now on time. ** But, it is worth being behind if I do what [ hope to. ‘‘ How many are tbere I soon will know, for their horses are in yonder thicket of pines.” He turned his glass upon the thicket, searched it carefully, and then moved on, When he got to the pines he saw three horses hitched there. ‘‘Three of them, are there? “Well, I’ve met three men before and came out on top—no, one is a pack-horse, so [ will have only two to handle.” He glanced at the horses; saw that two of them were saddled and a third carried a pack, All three were hitched to trees, and ready for departing quickly if need be. It was just tbree hundred yards from the pine thicket tothe Pinnacle Rocks by which the Pony Trail led. _ These rocks were odd in shape, like steeples, and were at 'the end of a ledge running out from a range beyond the pine thicket. - Along this ledge Wild Bill crept, for it offered a good protection to him, and at last caine to within a hundred feet of the group of rocks, ; There he knew that the ones in ambush were awaiting him, and they had been en- camped in the pines awaiting his return. Nearer and neared he crept, going from rock to rock, his revolver in his band, as though he was about to flush some game and was ready to shoot on the wing. Presently he halted behind a rock which he knew, if he passed beyond, would bring | him in sight of his foes, _ He knew the place they must be, for often _ Wild Bill ate his breakfast with a decided | had he passed there before. * Jo Bill onee won a lar 46 Pontes be stati-g that the wunid o through the run riderless, and on time from stati Dee bac idelS, € ‘There were ten horses entered in the run, fresh bs: als bein Sa died and s-nt ff at each relay and dred ™ OF tim » by | a 2 W rs LU LEeOL ‘ we ; Wee e wager on his made twenty min- | fait ; _ When he was ready to act he passed around the rock and his face lighted with a ‘a ae. ' > 4 °Y ae * , | af t. i im smile. The game t 0 begin, the etre | er Ya * Ly hat two could play Was, were byt ind Ay PRL 4 f & s ee ‘ a os ‘”, / > OE ee bout icbooks.com