Buffalo Bill's Weird Warning; Or, Dauntless Dell's Rival

by Prentiss Ingraham

Before Blake and the others reached the top of the path, Lawless had ridden over the edge of the wall and laid his course among the boulders. Blake’s account was with Lawless himself, and the miner drew one of his brand-new revolvers and ran after the leader of the outlaws.

Pete, Tenny, and Cayuse, on the other hand, were thinking only of rescuing Nomad and Wild Bill; so, crouching among the rocks, they waited for the first Cheyenne to climb off the slope, and then gave their attention to the two Indians behind him.

Pete selected one of the two Indians, and Tenny the other. As they rose from behind the rocks to use their weapons, they were seen by the Cheyennes.

A furious yell from the savages spread the alarm. The Cheyenne ahead turned back, but Lawless already had his hands full with Blake and could give no help to the rest of his gang.

The crack of six-shooters began instantly, while the yell of alarm was still on the lips of the Cheyennes. Of the two with the prisoners, one fell at the first fire; the pony gave a frightened jump, and Nomad, who was laid across the pony’s back, tumbled to the ground.

Cayuse had lost his rifle at the time he had had his encounter with Clancy and Coomby. Pete had given him back his knife, but a knife was of little account in such a combat.

The instant the Cheyenne dropped from his pony, Cayuse leaped to the side of the savage and drew a couple of six-shooters from the belt at his waist.

Meanwhile, the other Cheyenne with Wild Bill behind him, had dug his heels into the sides of his cayuse and was making a terrific effort to get away. He used a revolver, by way of holding his white foes in check, but his shooting, owing to the plunging of his horse, was anything but accurate.

The Indian who was not hampered with a prisoner had whirled his pony about, thrown his rifle to his shoulder, and was drawing a bead on Tenny.

As Cayuse straightened up, after securing the revolvers from the slain Cheyenne, he saw the leveled rifle and realized Tenny’s peril. The only thing that would save Tenny was a quick shot.