“I came to bring it,” said Wild Bill, “and you’ll say it’s important. Half a hundred young Cheyennes broke from the reservation last night and have gone on the warpath. I’ve got news for you, too, Cody; but I reckon it’ll have to wait.”
The news of the outbreak stirred the fort. But the sensation it created was not so great as that caused by the discovery that Lieutenant Barlow had departed in that wildly sensational manner, bearing with him the young woman who had been brought into the fort but a few hours before as a prisoner, charged with the theft of a gold nugget belonging to Colonel Montrose.
That they might know more of this, the troopers gathered round Smallpox Dave, asking him questions. But by this time Smallpox Dave had become cautious. He was frightened. In telling of the wickedness of Barlow he saw that he was only incriminating himself, for he had assisted Barlow in the things he had done. So now he refused to talk, and refused to answer the questions that were hurled at him.
He was taken to the prison where Ben Stevens had for some hours been held.
Buffalo Bill went to that prison and succeeded in getting Clendenning to release Stevens.
The young lover was frantic when he learned what had befallen his sweetheart, May Arlington.
“Give me a horse,” he begged, “and I will follow him alone!”
It was the cry that had been made by Buffalo Bill.
Already the scout had made up his mind to set forth, if in no other way, mounted with Wild Bill on the back of Wild Bill’s horse.
But Clendenning now relented.