“Him Fire-hand, Cap’n Lawless.”
This was a big surprise for Buffalo Bill. He began now to understand why Wah-coo-tah was so much more comely than the usual Indian girl. Her father was an American, her mother a Cheyenne.
And it was the girl’s father who had sold her, for five ponies, to Big Thunder! That proved to Buffalo Bill, more than anything he had yet heard against Lawless, what a thorough scoundrel the man was.
“I will protect you against Lawless, Wah-coo-tah,” said the scout.
“Him got plenty Yellow Eyes to help um,” returned the girl.
“Well, he hasn’t reached the camp yet. I have been told he won’t be here until to-morrow, or next day.”
“Him all same in camp now, Pa-e-has-ka.”
“Where?”
“Him stay in hotel. Me see you talk with um in front of hotel.”
The scout was even more startled than he had been before.