Beadle's Dime Library No. 851 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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flanked them, Beating them at their own Buftalo Bill’s Double Dilemma. CHAPTER XXXIV. FOUGHT TO A FINISH, Wuat Wild Bill saw would have caused many a man to slip quietly away, mount his horse and make a wide flank movement to avoid his foes, if he could do so, though the nature of the country just there was such that he could not have gotten by on either side on horseback without discovery, the chances being a hundred to one that he would be seen. Still he could have gotten his Express pouches, and mounting one of the outlaws’ horses have ridden on, Then he could have returned to the relay station at the base of the mountain, five miles back, and gotten aid there to come and capture or kill the outlaws, But Wild Bill was not that kind of a man. The Clovén Hoofs warred upon the Pony Riders because they carried treasure with them about half the time. These men in ambush must be Cloven Hoofs, and they were waiting for him to come along. They should find him he was deter- mined, They were there to kill him as an Indian would, from ambush, without the claim the redskin had to do so as being his natural foe, for these were men of his own race. It was gold they wanted, or its equiva- lent, and Wild Bill determined that he had, instead, lead to give them. Peering at them he saw that they were very safely located from danger approaching them in the opposite direction. One was upon one side of the trail, and he was sitting behind a rock some four feet in height and against which his rifle leaned. The other was just across the trail, per- haps thirty feet from his comrade, and he also had a natural fortification, It was a fine place to fight from if their enemy came from the other direction. But unfortunately for their calculations the enemy had flanked them. They looked for no foe from that direc- ion, for the Pony Rider was due from the eastward. ‘*T say, pard, hain’t he behind a little?” called out the man on the left to the one on the right of the trail. ‘“) guess he may be, but not having a watch I don’t know. ‘* Maybe it seems so because we is anx- ious.” | ‘“ Yas, and if the report come true to us we'll get enough dust to quit this biz and live like gents.” **So we will, and we’ll move away ina hurry, for if the captain or any of the gang were onto our secret racket of gettin’ the plunder and slippin’ away with it they’d roast us alive,” ** You bet they would. ** But we must make no escape this time, but both pull trigger to kill, and’ never halt him, for it's Wild Bill you know.” ‘“¥es, we don’t want no muss with him, for he’s about as quick to draw and hard to tackle as Buffalo Bill.” ; ‘*Shoot when he reaches that pine yon- der.” ‘Don’t mind me, but aim for his head and pull trigger the moment his horse reaches the stone there.” “J Il doit, and you pull for his heart.” *‘T)) get there, never fear,” was the an- swer. | Could they have seen Wild Bill then, the cynical smile on his face, and his revolver in hand it would have sent the blood rushing to their hearts to see how cleverly he had ame. | : : Having apparently eS the situation for a moment, and heard all that was said, listened to the plot of the two outlaws to kill him, rob him and then with their booty to desert the band, Wild Bill was deciding how to ‘fcall them,” when the one on the left said impatiently; _ ‘ Ltell you he’s behind time.” ’ _ ‘* No, pard, just on time,’’ was Wild Bill’s reply and he pesped: fairly out from behind | came the crack of Wild Bill’s revolver and rr TT TTT Tw wT one of them fell never to rise, Quickly he turned upon the other man, who had thrown himself upon the rock and was scrambling over for shelter before at- tempting to fire, for he knew the danger came from behind him, The Pony Rider's revolver cracked a second time and the man gave a yell, but went down behind the rock, while Wild Bill realizing his danger now from the other’s rifle, sprung to cover also. He felt that he had not killed the man, though was sure he had not missed him as the yell he gave was one of pain. The moment he got shelter Wild Bill took in the situation and saw that he could keep under shelter and almost flank the rock his foe was behind. Quickly he sprung across an open space to a rock near by, and just as he got therea rifle bullet cut near him. < But a short run brought him to a high rock which he could ascend and peer over and down open the outlaw. ‘*Hands up, pard, for I’ve got you,” he called out, but the answer was another shot, ‘* See here, pard, I can kill you if I wish, but I want a talk with you, so say hands up!” Another shot was the reply, “ Allright, let me give you a hint that I’ve got vou foul, for you seem to doubt it. ‘Look out for a slight clip.” The revolver of Wild Bill flashed as he uttered the last word and the outlaw yelled out quickly: “Don’t kill me! my hands is up!” “Come right out from behind that rock, and leave your weapons there!” The man obeyed, ee ‘* Now turn your back to me!” Again the order was obeyed, and slippin down from the rock Wild Bill peer around it before going out, for he was not going to be tricked. But there stood his man with his hands raised above his head, CHAPTER XXXV. THE RECOGNITION, For Wild Bill to pass his hands about the man and see that he had no weapons con- cealed on his person, was the work of an in- stant, He also saw that he had been wounded by each of his shots, once in the neck slightly, and which had been the ‘‘hint” for him to surrender, and also in the arm, also a flesh wound, ‘‘ Well, pard, I'll dress your wounds as well as I can, and then you will have to do some rapid riding with me, for already I’m a quarter of an hour behind time, and it will be that much more before we can start,” and in talking to his prisoner Wild Bill look- ed him over carefully, He was a full-bearded, long-haired man of forty, with a face which crime had stamped all over with evil. His eyes glared at his captor, and he look- ed Jike one who was completely crushed. you is Wild Bill.” ‘Yes, you guess well. “Waal, your style is about like what you’ve just done, from all I’ve heerd of you. Pony Boy is the wu’st on the trail.” “Oh, no, we’re not bad; but come, off death.” ; ‘No, you want ter keep me for hangin’.” Maybe,” and Wild Bill bound his own handkerchief around the wound, which was in the fleshy part of the arm, and then tied the “Now we'll see.to your friend,” and he walked to where’ the body outlaw lay, a bullet wound in his temple. Come!” “What made you think Tf was Wild Bill?” risoner’s hands behind his back with the silk scarf he took from about his neck. of the other They went to the thicket, and aiding the man to mount, Wild Bill ticd his feet be- hidden. eee EE EEO al ‘“T pever secu you before, but I guesses | the prisoner fairly groaned as he sawthem, = “They say that you and Buffalo Bill and mistake in saying what he did, and kept with your coat and I'll look at your wound- his companions gave a yell, waved the ed arm, for I don’t wish you to bleed to hats, and came tearing forward to mect ‘Now, pard, we'll go after the horses, ‘ congratulate you,” ~ 17 - _ ee eee ee ee —_~—- Strapping the dead form to his saddle, and tying the weapons of both men to the pack-horse, Wild Bill leaped upon the latter and said: ‘*Come right along, for I’ve got no time to Jose.” He rode quickly back to where he had left his own horse, and mounting him set off for the rock where the pouches were hidden, These were soon secured, and as Wild aes regained the trail at Pinnacle Rocks he said: ‘‘T am just thirty-five minutes behind, and I willlose more time, hampered as I am by a prisoner, dead man and _ pack-horse; but you all go through with me, you bet.” The prisoner did not appear to like the arrangement, but he could but submit, ae The dead body of his comrade was thereto . remind him of how close had been his call, and his wounds, though not severe, were painful. ‘‘T don’t think I kin ride very fast, pard,” he said. ‘*T only ask you to ride as fast as the horse goes, and I'll see that he don’t loaf,” was the reply. ‘“ Whar is yer goin’ ter take me?” ‘“‘To the Pony Riders’ Headquarters of this district.” | ‘* What will they do with me?” “Hang you, I guess.” ‘*Oh Lord! ‘* What has I done?” ‘** Nothing of course,” ‘**T hain’t so bad, pard,;” ‘‘T don’t just see how you could be worse.” _ ‘* Maybe I could buy my way free,” ie ‘What have you got to offer?” “You want to know something about the Cloven Hoofs?” ‘*T think I know enough about them,” ‘*-You don’t know what I can tell you.” “What can you tell?” oie “‘Enough to make you think it is worth — more than hanging a poor devil like me.” ay ‘*We shall see later just what you are worth,” said Wild Bill and he pushed the — horses as fast as he could go,” hampered as he was with the body, the prisonerandthe pack-animal, : AS The next station was reached three quar- ters of an hour behind time, but he smiledin = his grim way when one of the men at the relay said: | aa ‘*What’g being behind, Wild Bill, to car- 4 ie ryingin with you what youdo andsaving your own life, too? Bole As he wished to carry in his capture, just as it was, and the next halting-place was the = Home Ranch, Wild Bill only changed his own horse for a fresh arrival, letting theout- law’s horses make the whole distance. = _ ahh ; ‘* Well, if there is not Buffalo Bill co ‘. ants after me. i Laan ‘‘T might have known he would do so when I was not on time,” said Wild Bill ashe suddenly saw come around a bend in the trail Butfalo Bill, Little Lone Star, and two other = horsemen, a »F ( They were coming on at a rapid pace, and — » i r ; 7 i ow} ag and said: PS)...' “It's Buffalo Bill, and that cooks my - But the man seemed to feel he had made ‘: us ‘ quiet, ; Sy os ek): In a few min anc fl ‘Se start ~ - » s more Buffalo Bill ‘view Bill, who called out: }? ae Iwas detained by company.” ** Yes, and you’ve brought your compan; va 1g along, I see. Naas. ral eouae “Vou had a elose call, old man, and I ‘fi ; ‘And you were going to look me up?” ‘Yes, for I feared trouble; but, do you — know this man, Wild Bill?”' — ~All hoe ‘* Not intimately,” : . ). Buffalo Bill had his piercing eyes fixed — upon the prisoner, who tried to keep his face ~ ‘the large rock at had sheltered him, de- | neath the horse, a then released h hands, | “Do you know him, pard?”” _ termined to take allchances, § = | _ ‘‘‘ Here, you lead the pack-horse,” he said. ‘* Yes, it is Kit Kirby, the man known as” _ their tee pyeeepe Ak their Titles, <5 it there the other animal back to where he body lay. “Thain nosuchthing, ee AUR Wn Aaa Ree eC | ~-c€omicbooks.co er) See a