“Good-by, Jack. I will not leave you unarmed, so here is your belt again. My compliments to Buffalo Bill, and tell him that some day I’ll get his scalp.”
With a wave of the hand he rode off, leaving Jack Jessop gazing after them, his eyes full of tears at the fate of poor Lucille, whom he was powerless to aid.
But Jack did not hesitate long, for he at once turned his steps down the trail toward Pioneer City, carrying the mails, which had not been disturbed, upon his back. He could not walk fast, ironed as he was, and it was night when he reached the relay station, utterly exhausted.
But he quickly had the iron chain hammered in two by the stock tender, and, mounting a horse, the manacles still about his ankles, he rode on to Pioneer City and reported what had happened, starting out at once again with a harnessed team after his coach.
The stock tender at the station he had sent off at full speed to the fort to report the affair to Colonel Carr.
The stock tender reached the fort after midnight, and, half an hour after, a lieutenant with his troop and six of Buffalo Bill’s scouts had started for Monument Hill to pick up the trail of the outlaws at dawn, and follow it, Colonel Carr believing that he could thus aid Lieutenant Worth and his party who were pushing on to the river to head off the lawless band.
Jack Jessop took his dismantled coach into Pioneer City with all haste, and then went to a blacksmith to get his manacles removed.
He found the town all excitement over the affair, and learned from Colonel Buck, the stage agent there, that a stranger had come into Pioneer City and purchased a sidesaddle and a lot of provisions and other things, remaining but a short while and stating that he was from the Fort Advance settlement.
“That man was the outlaw,” said Jack Jessop.