De Bray looked over the Forty Thieves Mine, pronounced it a bonanza, bought his half-interest and forthwith began making the property a heavy producer of the yellow metal. Not only did he enrich himself out of the mine, but he likewise made Wah-coo-tah wealthy. The Indian girl and her Cheyenne mother went to live in a “white man’s town”; Wah-coo-tah was educated, and ultimately married a man of good family.
The man who posed as Captain Lawless and carried out the stage-robberies, it afterward developed, was swayed originally by a desire to get his hands on the Forty Thieves Mine. He and Lawless, it was stated by Tex, had often exchanged parts, finding it easy to do so because of their close resemblance to each other. Who the bogus Lawless was was never discovered. Under his assumed name he was sent to a military prison, along with the other prisoners. Tex, of course, was given his freedom, according to the scout’s promise.
Hawk, the Cheyenne, remained in Sun Dance until Cayuse returned the borrowed pony, then left the camp to pick up his deer-meat and go on to the village of his people.
Dell Dauntless, owing to force of unforeseen circumstances, did not at once return to her Arizona ranch, as she had intended. Fate linked her destiny with that of the scout and his pards for a time longer.
Mr. and Mrs. James Brisco left Sun Dance, and Jim gave up the cards, just as he had told Buffalo Bill he intended doing. They went East, and, as the scout had prophesied, Brisco gave attention to his medical practise, and ultimately became a credit to the community in which he cast his lot.
Forty-five is not an advanced age, and no man is really ever too old to begin retrieving an evil past.
Lonesome Pete and Hank Tenny continued to live and mine in Sun Dance Cañon. Always firm friends, their chief delight, for years after the exciting events herein described, was to meet and live over the doings of Buffalo Bill and his pards, when they had sojourned in the gulch and had run out the trail of Captain Lawless of the Forty Thieves.
THE END.
No. 67 of the Border Stories, entitled “Buffalo Bill’s Wild Ride,” is a thriller that takes us right over the plains, and makes us feel the wind rushing through our hair, as we ride with the great scout up hill and down dale.
BOOKS FOR YOUNG MEN