BUFFALO BILL’S DEFENSE.
In his private quarters at the fort sat General Canton, the commandant
of the chain of forts upon the far frontier. He was engaged in reading
dispatches just arrived, and his brow was dark, his look troubled, as
though the news therein contained was not pleasant.
Around the general were signs of comfort, and even luxury, for his
quarters were well furnished, and books and musical instruments were
there with which to while away leisure moments.
Touching a small bell, an orderly soon appeared at the door.
“See if Major Belden is sufficiently recovered from his fatiguing trip
to come to me.”
“Yes, sir,” and the orderly vanished, to return in a few moments with
the information that the major would come at once.
Soon after the major put in an appearance at the general’s quarters,
and was motioned to a seat.
“Major, I am really pleased with your trip, and I feel certain that
those Indians on the Southern Agency will behave at least for a few
months; but I have sent for you to learn what was the information you
had regarding Buffalo Bill.”
“I have information that should hang him, sir,” the major asserted.
“You report that he has committed several murders. It is unbelievable.
He may have killed men, in the discharge of his duty, but I shall be
slow to think him a murderer.”
“He is a murderer, sir, high as he has stood. He shot two soldiers a
year or two since, and what for Heaven only knows. He has shot down
Indians by the score, and I believe he is in league with some of the
hostile bands, also with the Branded Brotherhood.”
“Yet you know what a number of noble deeds he has performed.”
“They have had that appearance, general, but there has been some
underhand reason for it, I assure you. Now, on my return from the
southward, as I told you this morning, I passed by the new settlement
of Riverside, to see if they longer needed the services of Captain la
Clyde.
“There, all of a sudden Buffalo Bill appeared, after an absence of four
weeks on some pretended trail, and demanded that I should let him have
a dozen soldiers to accompany him upon some trip, which he pretended
would rescue a young girl from captivity. I considered it some trap
to lead my men into, and told him so, when he deliberately knocked me
down. See, sir, here is the bruise on my left cheek.”
“He was most impertinent and daring, major, I must admit.”
“Yes, general; and I arose and rushed upon him with my sword, when, as
quick as a flash, he wrested it from my grasp, broke it, and hurled me
from him with a strength I believed no man capable of.”
“What did you do then, major?”
“I ordered the men to seize him, but he hurled them aside, drew his
revolvers and strode right through their line. I then ordered them to
fire upon him, but Captain la Clyde, half a dozen of the settlers, and
Miss Conrad threw themselves in front of him, and the troopers could
not obey. Then he mounted his horse and rode away. He is a coward!”
“Not a coward, major; he is certainly not that, bad as he may be,” said
the general.
“Yes, sir, he is a coward----”
“And you are a liar, Major Belden!”
The sudden reply, breaking into the conversation in a stern, deep
voice, caused both General Canton and his officer to spring to their
feet and glance toward the door.
There, just inside the portal, stood none other than Buffalo Bill, his
eyes blazing and fixed upon Major Belden with a menacing light.
“What, ho, the guard, orderly!” yelled the startled officer.
Again the deep voice of the scout was heard.
“There stands one outside that door who will give up his life at my
word, so you call in vain. One cry more from your lips and you are a
dead man.”
Then, turning to the commander, the scout continued:
“General Canton, I did not come here, sir, to bandy words with that
man. Will you spare me a moment of your time?”
“You chanced to hear Major Belden’s accusations?”
“Yes, I heard him; but I never have raised a hand against the United
States troops on this border, who did not first attack me.”
“You slew two soldiers who once attempted your arrest, I learn?”
“I slew two drunken deserters who had boasted that they would take me
alive and hang me without trial. They rushed upon me. I warned them
back; they would not heed the warning, and I shot them dead. You were
not in command here then, sir, and heard only a garbled account of
the affair from such as yonder man, who wears a major’s straps, which
I will yet tear from his shoulders if he crosses my path with evil
intent.”
“You speak boldly, Mr. Cody.”
“I know it, general; it is a habit I have. Regarding my killing of
peaceable Indians, it is all a lie, though I made war upon all hostile
bands. Now, sir, I desire to state why I sought you here: first, to
give the lie to all assertions against me such as have been brought to
your ears, and then to say that upon arriving at the new settlement,
whither I guided the Conrad emigrant train, I saw with horror that a
cruel enemy had been there, and left ruin and death behind.
“Alfred Carter’s wife and son had been murdered, and Carter and his
daughter, a beautiful girl of eighteen, had been carried off into
captivity. Taking the trail of the bloodhounds, after days of tedious
work, I tracked them to their kennel, and found that Ricardo, the chief
of the Branded Brotherhood, had done the deed.”
“Infamous!”
“Well may you say so, General Canton, but, to continue: I tracked
the renegades to their den, I disguised myself, and by night entered
the stronghold, and sought the cabin where the young lady was held a
prisoner.”
“You were most daring, sir.”
The scout smiled quietly, and replied:
“I risk my life every day, general. I rescued Rose Carter and her
father. Then I returned to the settlement, and, meeting there Major
Belden, begged for a few men to return with me to destroy the outlaws.
He refused, and insulted me, and I promptly knocked him down.”
“Served him right,” responded General Canton, whose sympathies had been
won by Buffalo Bill’s bearing and statements.
“Thank you, general.”
“This girl, Rose Carter, is free, then?”
“Yes, general; she is now in this fort, whither I brought her, with her
father, half an hour since, for we were hotly pursued by the Branded
Brotherhood.”
“The deuce you were! Well, I will lead my men at once against them,”
said the commandant eagerly.
“Hold, general! I have already seen Captain la Clyde, and, by this time
he has a troop ready. It was through his kindness I found you here.
“The orderly outside your door is a man whose life I have twice saved,
and he bade me enter and clear my character, which Major Belden was
defaming. Now, general, if you will just give an order to see that Miss
Carter and her father are comfortably looked after, I will guide you in
pursuit of Ricardo and his men.”
“Miss Carter and her father shall be well cared for, Mr. Cody, and I
will at once follow you. Major Belden, you have, for some reason, I
am certain, misrepresented this man’s character to me, sir, for I am
confident he speaks the truth. Be more careful in future, and until my
return hold command of the fort. Come, Cody!”
So saying, the general walked from his quarters out into the court of
the fort, where Captain la Clyde’s troop of horse was drawn up ready
for the march.
Presenting the general to Rose Carter, whose beautiful face was most
sad looking and pale with fatigue, the officer at once conducted her to
the apartments of his wife.
Returning soon after, he mounted his horse, and with the scout by
his side, and Percy la Clyde and his troop following, dashed rapidly
away from the fort, leaving the crestfallen major swearing hatred and
revenge upon all who crossed him, from the general down to the drummer
boy.