“I thank you, sir,” and the stranger joined the surgeon and the scout, who were going to headquarters to report their return.
Colonel Dunwoody was seated upon the piazza of his headquarters smoking an after-dinner cigar and was alone when the party arrived, for the two other passengers had come along also, Henry Raymond remarking that they were friends of his.
“Ah! Powell, glad to see you back, and you, too, Cody, for after getting word that you had gone off on the trail of a dream I began to fear that after all the redskins might have gotten hold of Buffalo Bill.”
“No, sir, the redskins did not catch him, for we have not seen an Indian; but, strange to say, colonel, my dream was not all a dream, after all, for I found him in a very tight place. But I’ll explain later, as this gentleman, whom Horseshoe Ned introduced as Mr. Henry Raymond, for he and his comrades came in on the coach, desires to see you, sir.”
The colonel turned at once to the strangers, and said, addressing the leader of the three:
“How can I serve you, Mr. Raymond?”
“I desire, sir, to present my card and this letter,” said Raymond, and he handed over a card and letter. The former had on it:
“Henry Raymond,
“Pinkerton’s Detective Agency,
“Chicago, Ill.”
The letter bore the official stamp of the military headquarters at Chicago, and was as follows:
“Sir: A question having arisen between the civil and military authorities, regarding the right for you to hold and try the prisoner now in your keeping, known as Silk Lasso Sam, the outlaw chief, and now under sentence of death, I have consulted the attorney-general through the secretary of war, and the result is that you are hereby ordered to turn over the said prisoner to Detective Henry Raymond, upon his presenting to you the requisition from the governor of the State of Illinois for his body, through the authorized officer of the law.”