“It’s a stone fort at the head of a valley, Buffler. Thar aire trees all round it, an’ I reckon it war built in ther year one by ther Azticks or ther Woodsticks, or some other tribe of flat-headed mavericks.”
Buffalo Bill slapped his thigh. “I know the place now,” he said. “I was there years ago. No one lived there then. The plainsmen called it the Palace of Adam.”
“Hed an idee that Adam lived thar onct, did they?”
“Perhaps. I never asked them. Come, let us talk fast. There is work to be done. How long did you stay in the castle?”
“Didn’t stay thar a minute. The Injuns camped outside, an’ this mornin’ I shore bade ’em farewell. I played possum onto ther thievin’ outfit, an’ believin’ I war sick ernuff ter peter, they made my cords easy ter bear. They made ’em so easy, Buffler, that I beat ’em an’ got away.”
“Did you know when you left the Indians that Black-face Ned and his band were in the castle, and that there were two white prisoners there—Colonel Hayden and his daughter Sybil?”
Alkali Allen blinked his eyes. “Never knowed anything erbout outlaws or prisoners. Ye shore hev got a story ter tell. Out with it.”
Buffalo Bill complied. He spoke hurriedly, and his tale caused the lanky plainsman to exhibit the most intense astonishment.
“Well, I’ll be eternally obfusticated an’ fried inter goose grease ef this don’t beat ther Dutch, an’ ther Dutch beat ther devil,” he ejaculated. “Wild Bill hyer a cahoodlin’ with ther Comanches, an’ you, Buffler, outer as purty a case as you ever tackled. I’ll take a hand myself. I’m mortal glad I kem ter Arizony. Aire ye ready ter mosey? Ef ye aire, take ther lead, an’ I’ll come a-trottin’ arter ye.”
Buffalo Bill considered the situation thoughtfully. After a few moments, he said: “I must go on alone. I will give you a job that ought to be to your liking. I lost one Indian this morning. I don’t wish to lose a second one. I want you to take Greathead here to the cliffs and deliver him over to Wild Bill. Having done that, go out and keep an eye on the trail leading to the cliff. Maybe the Indians are already marching against the Yelpers. I’ll scout about the castle, find out who is there, ascertain if Greathead told the truth when he asserted that Black-face Ned had left, and then I’ll hurry back to take part in the fight between the Apaches and the Comanches.”