Beadle's Boy's Library of Sport, Story and Adventure, Vol. I, No. 1.

by Prentiss Ingraham

  This seemed to do no good, although a number of attempts were made tocapture him, which signally failed, and the reward was increased andadded "dead or alive."

  All this time the Girl Rider often met the Cavalier in her rides, andwhen the moonlight nights came on, he would often, as she was flyingalong, dash out from some thicket, and ride with her ten or fifteenmiles.

  The more he saw of her the more he seemed to admire her, and his timesof joining her increased, and he seemed to so enjoy his rides with her,that he would, when she went into a station to change horses, make acircuit around it, and joining her beyond, continue on for another dozenmiles, for he rode a fleet steed, and one of great bottom.

  One night as they thus sped along he told the Girl Pony Rider that hehad learned to love her, tho' he had never seen her face in thedaylight, and that he had accumulated a large sum, for he had a treasurehiding-place in the mountains, and, if she only would love him in returnand fly with him, he would be the happiest of men, and give up his evillife.

  The maiden promised to think of it, said it was so sudden andunexpected, that she had never loved before, and did not even then knowher own heart, and with this she dashed on her way like the wind.

  The next night the Cavalier again met her, and again renewed his vows oflove, and she told him she had thought of it, and would stand by himuntil death parted them.

  The Cavalier went into ecstasies over this, and an evening was appointedwhen they should leave the country together, which was a night on whichthe Girl Rider knew she was to carry quite a sum of money in huge billsto the paymaster of the company at the other end of the line.

  The night in question came round, and the cavalier road-agent, as he hadpromised, had relays of fresh horses every twenty miles until theyshould have gone two hundred, which would put them beyond pursuit; infact the company would not discover for twenty-four hours just what hadhappened, the outlaw and maiden both believed, so considered themselvessafe.

  At the hour he had agreed to meet the maiden, the Cavalier was on handat the timber, mounted on his finest horse, dressed in his best, andcarrying a couple of large saddle-bags loaded with treasure, consistingof his lion's share of the robberies, and which included watches,jewelry, gold, silver and paper money.

  The maiden asked him to dismount and arrange her saddle-girths, and ashe was stooping, she threw down the rein of his horse which she washolding, and to which she had attached something, and away he started ina run, for the violent motion had frightened him; but he soon came to ahalt.

  Rising to his feet the Cavalier suddenly felt the cold muzzle of arevolver pressed against his head, and heard the words:

  "You are my prisoner; resist and I will kill you; up with your arms!"

  He tried to laugh it off as a joke, but she was in deadly earnest, andhe soon found it out.

  Leaning over she took the weapons of the road-agent from his belt, andtold him to move on ahead.

  He could but obey, for he knew she would kill him if he did not.

  A mile up the trail and the stock-tender's station came in sight, and inthe moonlight they both saw a crowd of men awaiting them there.

  Once more the Cavalier begged for his release; but she was determined,and marched him straight up to the crowd.

  "Well, Billy, you've got him," cried a voice as they approached.

  "I most certainly have, and if you'll look after him I'll go and fetchhis horse, for I've got a hook fastened to his rein and he can't gofar."

  "Billy!" cried the road-agent.

  "Yes, I am Buffalo Billy, and I assumed this disguise to catch you andI've done it.

  "Do you love me now, pard?"

  The road-agent foamed and swore; but it was no use; he had been caught,was taken to the town, tried, found guilty of murdering and robbing andended his life on the gallows, and Buffalo Billy got the reward for hiscapture, and a medal from the company, and he certainly deserved allthat he received for his daring exploit in the guise of a young girl,and a pretty one too, the boys said he made, for he had no mustachethen, his complexion was perfect, though bronzed, and his waist was assmall as a woman's, while in the saddle his height did not show.

  As to the Cavalier, Billy said he deserved his name, and certainlytalked love like an adept at the art, and his lovemaking, like manyanother man's, led him to ruin and death.

  CHAPTER XIX.

  THE DESPERADOES' DEN.

  Shortly after this adventure of the rescue of the stage coach, theIndians became so bad along the line that the Pony Express and stageshad to be stopped for awhile on account of the large number of horsesrun off.

  This caused a number of the employees of the Overland to be idle, andthey at once formed a company to go in search of the missing stock, andalso to punish the red-skins.

  Of this company Wild Bill, who had been driving stage, was elected thecommander, and, as they were all a brave set of men, it was expectedthey would render a good account of themselves.

  Of course Buffalo Billy went along, by years the youngest of the party,but second to none for courage and skill in prairie craft.

  They first struck the Indians in force on the Overland trail, anddefeating them with heavy loss, pursued them to the Powder River, andthen down that stream to the vicinity of where old Fort Reno now stands.

  Pushing them hard the whites had several engagements with them, and eachone of the company performed some deed of valor, but none were moreconspicuous for daring deeds than was Buffalo Billy.

  Permitting them no rest the whites drove the Indians into their village,and although they were outnumbered four to one, captured all of thecompany's stock as well as the ponies of the red-skins.

  Having been so successful Wild Bill gave the order to return, and theIndians had been too badly worsted to follow, and they reachedSweetwater Bridge in safety, and without the loss of an animal they hadretaken or captured.

  The stages and Pony Express at once began to run again on time, andBuffalo Billy was transferred to another part of the line, to drivethrough a mountainous district.

  But anxious to return home, after his long absence, he resigned hisposition, determined to take advantage of a train going east, and inwhich he could get a position as assistant baggage-master on thehomeward-bound trip, which would pay him for a couple of months'service, thereby giving him a larger sum to carry to his family.

  As it would be several days before the train started, Buffalo Billydetermined to enjoy a bear-hunt, and mounting his favorite horse, theroan he had captured from the Indian chief, he set out for thefoot-hills of Laramie Peak.

  After a day of pleasure, in which he had shot considerable game, such asdeer, antelope and sage hens, but not a bear, he camped for the night ina pretty nook upon one of the mountain streams.

  Hardly had he fastened his roan and begun to build a fire, by which tocook his supper, when he was startled by the neigh of a horse up in themountains.

  Instantly he sprung to his horse, and, by his hand over his nostrils,prevented him from giving an answering whinny, while he stood in silencelistening, for he knew that he might rather expect to see a foe therethan a friend.

  As the neigh was once more repeated, Buffalo Billy resaddled his horse,hitched him so that he could be easily unfastened, and, with his riflestarted cautiously on foot up the stream.

  He had not gone far when in a little glen he beheld nearly half ahundred horses grazing and lariated out.

  This was a surprise to him, and he was most cautious indeed, for he wasconvinced that they belonged to some prowling band of Indians.

  Presently, up the mountain further, he caught sight of a sudden light,and his keen eye detected that a man's form had momentarily appeared andthen all was darkness once more.

  On he went in the direction of the light, going as noiselessly as apanther creeping upon its prey, until presently he dimly discovered theoutline of a small cabin, built back against the precipitous side of anoverhanging hill.

  Hearing voices, and recognizing
that they were white men, he steppedboldly forward and knocked at the door.

  Instantly there followed a dead silence within, and again he knocked.

  "Who is there?" asked a gruff voice.

  "A pard."

  "Come in, pard."

  Billy obeyed.

  But instantly he regretted it, for his eyes fell upon a dozenvillainous-looking fellows, several of whom he recognized as having seenloafing at the Overland stations, and who were considered all that wasbad.

  "Who are you?" asked one who appeared to be the leader.

  "I am Bill Cody, a stage driver on the Overland, and I came up here on abear-hunt."

  "You're a healthy looking stage driver, you are, when you are nothingmore than a boy."

  "Yes, Bob, he tells ther truth, fer I hes seen him handle ther ribbons,and he does it prime too; he are the Pony Rider who they calls Buff'lerBilly," said another of the gang.

  "Ther devil yer say: waal, I has heerd o' him as a greased terror, an'he looks it; but who's with yer, young pard?"

  "I am alone."

  "It hain't likely."

  "But I am."

  "Yer must be durned fond o' b'ar-meat ter come up here alone."

  "I am."

  "Waal, did yer get yer b'ar?"

  "No."

  "Whar's yer critter?"

  "My horse is down the mountain."

  "I'll go arter him," said one suspiciously; but Billy answered quickly:

  "Oh, no, I'll not trouble you; but if I can leave my rifle here, I'll goafter him."

  "All right, pard; but I guesses two of us better go with yer fercomp'ny, as we loves ter be sociable."

  Buffalo Billy well knew now that he was in a nest of horse-thieves anddesperadoes; but he dared not show his suspicions, as he felt assuredthey would kill him without the slightest compunction.

  So he said pleasantly:

  "Well, come along, for it is pleasanter to have company, and I'll staywith you to-night if you'll let me."

  "Oh, yes, we'll let yer stay, fer we is awful social in our notions.Here Ben, you and Tabor go with my young pard and bring his horse up tothe corral."

  The two assigned for this duty were the very worst looking of the band,as far as villainous faces went; but Buffalo Billy's quick brain hadalready formed a plan of escape, and he was determined to carry it out.

  Down the hill they went until they came to the horse, and both eyed hisfine points, as dimly seen in the darkness, with considerable pleasure,while one muttered:

  "The Cap will be sure to fancy him."

  "There is a string of game that might come in well for supper," saidBilly, as he pointed to a dark object on the ground.

  "They will, fer sure," was the eager answer, and the man stooped to pickup the game when Billy suddenly dealt him a blow that felled him to theearth.

  At the same time he wheeled upon the other, who already had his handupon his revolver, and before he could fire, his own finger touched thetrigger, and the desperado fell.

  Bounding into his saddle he turned his horse down the mountain side,just as the door of the cabin was thrown open and he saw the bandstreaming out from their den, alarmed by the shot.

  In hot pursuit they rushed down the mountain side, and for a short whilegained upon Billy, for he dared not urge his horse rapidly down thesteep hillside.

  But once in the valley and the roan bounded forward at a swift pace, andnot a moment too soon, for the revolver shots began to rattle, and thebullets to fly uncomfortably near.

  On, at a swift gait the roan went, and though Billy heard the clatter ofhoofs in chase, he had no fear, as he well knew the speed of the animalhe rode.

  After a few miles' pursuit the desperadoes gave up the chase andreturned toward the mountains, while Buffalo Billy urged the roan on,and a couple of hours before dawn he reached the station, roused themen, and in fifteen minutes two score horsemen were on the way to themountains, led by the boy, though Alf Slade himself went in command ofthe company.

  But though they found the dug-out, and the grave of the man Billy hadkilled, the birds had flown, leaving one of their number in his lastresting place to mark the visit of the youth to the desperadoes' den.

  CHAPTER XX.

  A MAD RIDE.

  Back to his home in Kansas went Buffalo Billy, to cheer the heart of hismother and sisters by his presence, and win their admiration by hisrapid growth into a handsome manly youth.

  To please those who so dearly loved him he again attended school for acouple of months; but with the first wagon-train bound west he went ashunter, and arriving in the vicinity of the Overland again soughtservice as a stage-driver, and was gladly accepted and welcomed back.

  He had been driving but a short time after his return, when he carriedeast on one trip a coach load of English tourists, whose baggage loadeddown the stage.

  Although he was driving at the average regulation speed, to make time ateach station, the Englishmen were growling all the time at the slow pacethey were going and urging Billy to push ahead.

  Billy said nothing, other than that he was driving according to orders,and which was, by the way, by no means a slow gait, and then listened totheir growling in silence, while they were anathematizing everything inAmerica, as is often the case with foreigners who come to this country.

  Billy heard their remarks about the "bloody 'eathen in Hamerica," "thegreatness of hall things hin Hingland," "slow horses," "bad drivers,"and all such talk, and drove calmly on into Horsehoe.

  There the horses were changed, and the six hitched to the coach werewild Pony Express animals that had been only partially broken in as astage team, which Billy delighted in driving.

  As they were being hitched up Buffalo Billy smiled grimly, and said:

  "I'll show those gents that we know how to drive in this country," andthose who knew him could see the twinkle of deviltry in his eyes.

  At last, the Englishmen, having dined, took their seats, Billy gave theorder to let the animals go, and they started off at a rapid pace.

  But Billy reined them down until they reached the top of the hill, andthen, with a wild yell, that suddenly silenced the grumbling of theEnglishmen, he let the six horses bound forward, while with utterrecklessness he threw the reins upon their backs.

  Frightened, maddened by the lash he laid upon them, they went down themountain at a terrific speed, the coach swaying wildly to and fro, andthe Englishmen nearly frightened out of their wits.

  Glancing out of the windows and up at Billy they called to him to stopfor the sake of Heaven.

  But he only laughed, and tearing the large lamps from the coach threwthem at the leaders, the blows, and the jingling of glass frighteningthem fearfully.

  "For God's sake stop, driver!"

  "He is mad!"

  "We'll all be killed!"

  "Stop! stop!"

  Such was the chorus of cries that came from the coach, and in reply washeard the calm response:

  "Don't get excited, gents; but sit still and see how we stage it in theRocky Mountains."

  Then, to add still greater terror to the flying team and the frightenedpassengers, Billy drew his revolver from his belt and began to fire itin the air.

  As the station came in sight, the man on duty saw the mad speed of thehorses and threw open the stable doors, and in they dashed dragging thestage after them, and tearing off the top, but not hurting Billy, whohad crouched down low in the boot.

  The passengers were not so lucky, however, for the sudden shook of haltsent them forward, in a heap and the arm of one of them was broken,while the others were more or less bruised.

  A canvas top was tacked on, the coach was run out, and a fresh teamhitched up, and Billy sung out:

  "All aboard, gents!"

  But he went on with an empty coach, for the Englishmen preferred to waitover for another driver, and one of them was heard to remark that hewould rather go in a hearse than in a stage with such a madman holdingthe reins.

  But far and wide Bi
lly's mad ride was laughed at, and he received noreprimand from the company, though he richly deserved it.

  CHAPTER XXI.

  WINNING A REWARD.

  Driving over the trail through the Rocky Mountains, the drivers wereconstantly annoyed by road-agents, whose daring robberies made it mostdangerous for a coach to pass over the line.

  If the driver did not obey their stern command: "Halt! up with yourhands!" he was certain to be killed, and the passenger within whooffered the slightest resistance to being robbed, was sure to have hislife end just there.

  So dangerous had it become to drive the mountain passes, as severaldrivers had been shot, the company found it difficult to get men tocarry the stages through, and offered double wages to any one who hadthe courage to drive over the road-agents dominions.

  Buffalo Billy at once volunteered for the perilous work, and his firsttrip through he met with no resistance.

  The next he was halted, and promptly obeying the order to throw up hishands, he was not molested, though the gold-box was taken from thecoach, and all the passengers were robbed.

  After this it was almost a daily occurrence for the road-agents to rob astage-coach, and the Overland Company offered a reward of five thousanddollars for the capture of their chief and the band.

  One day Billy drove away from the station with a coach full of women,not a single man having the pluck to go, and promptly, at their favoriteplace, the road-agents appeared.