A CLEVER DISGUISE.
While riding Pony Express the road on Buffalo Billy's run became
infested with road-agents, who were wont to halt every rider they could
catch, and also rob the stages.
The chief of these outlaws was noted as a man of gallantry, for he never
robbed a woman, no matter what the value of her personal effects might
be.
Ladies with valuable diamonds in their ears, and rings that were worth a
small fortune, were always spared by this man, who became known by his
forbearance to the fair sex as the "Cavalier."
Poor men were also exempt from being robbed by the Cavalier; that is if
he really thought a man was poor and not "playing possum," to get off
from paying the toll demanded.
In halting a stage the driver was never robbed, but Government and the
Company's moneys were always taken, and well-to-do travelers had to pay
liberally.
Pony Express Riders were never robbed of their pocket money, but the
mail was invariably searched for money.
Once only had Buffalo Billy been halted by the Cavalier, though the
other riders had frequently been brought to a halt and made to pony up.
That once Billy had shown fight, had tried to run by, and his horse had
been shot; but he slightly wounded the Cavalier in the arm, and for it
he was told if he ever attempted resistance again he would be promptly
killed.
This did not trouble the young Rider in the least, but he made up his
mind that he would not be caught; and after that the road-agents found
it impossible to bring him to a halt, and his mails always went through
in perfect safety.
At last it became rumored that Buffalo Billy had been removed to another
part of the road, and that as no riders could be found to take his long
night rides, a daughter of one of the stock-tenders had volunteered for
it, and the company, knowing her ability as a rider, accepted her
services until another could be found.
The first night on the run she arrived at the other end on time, though
she reported that she had been halted by the Cavalier and four of his
men.
The road-agent seemed greatly surprised that a woman, in fact a young
and very pretty girl, should be riding the road, but she made known the
circumstances, and he told her she should always go through unmolested
by him and his men.
But he made the mails, carried by the other riders, and the stage-coach
passengers, suffer for his leniency to the Girl Rider, and the
Government and both the express and stage companies offered a large
reward for the capture of himself and men alive.
This seemed to do no good, although a number of attempts were made to
capture him, which signally failed, and the reward was increased and
added "dead or alive."
All this time the Girl Rider often met the Cavalier in her rides, and
when the moonlight nights came on, he would often, as she was flying
along, dash out from some thicket, and ride with her ten or fifteen
miles.
The more he saw of her the more he seemed to admire her, and his times
of joining her increased, and he seemed to so enjoy his rides with her,
that he would, when she went into a station to change horses, make a
circuit around it, and joining her beyond, continue on for another dozen
miles, for he rode a fleet steed, and one of great bottom.
One night as they thus sped along he told the Girl Pony Rider that he
had learned to love her, tho' he had never seen her face in the
daylight, and that he had accumulated a large sum, for he had a treasure
hiding-place in the mountains, and, if she only would love him in return
and fly with him, he would be the happiest of men, and give up his evil
life.
The maiden promised to think of it, said it was so sudden and
unexpected, that she had never loved before, and did not even then know
her own heart, and with this she dashed on her way like the wind.
The next night the Cavalier again met her, and again renewed his vows of
love, and she told him she had thought of it, and would stand by him
until death parted them.
The Cavalier went into ecstasies over this, and an evening was appointed
when they should leave the country together, which was a night on which
the Girl Rider knew she was to carry quite a sum of money in huge bills
to the paymaster of the company at the other end of the line.
The night in question came round, and the cavalier road-agent, as he had
promised, had relays of fresh horses every twenty miles until they
should have gone two hundred, which would put them beyond pursuit; in
fact the company would not discover for twenty-four hours just what had
happened, the outlaw and maiden both believed, so considered themselves
safe.
At the hour he had agreed to meet the maiden, the Cavalier was on hand
at the timber, mounted on his finest horse, dressed in his best, and
carrying a couple of large saddle-bags loaded with treasure, consisting
of his lion's share of the robberies, and which included watches,
jewelry, gold, silver and paper money.
The maiden asked him to dismount and arrange her saddle-girths, and as
he was stooping, she threw down the rein of his horse which she was
holding, and to which she had attached something, and away he started in
a run, for the violent motion had frightened him; but he soon came to a
halt.
Rising to his feet the Cavalier suddenly felt the cold muzzle of a
revolver pressed against his head, and heard the words:
"You are my prisoner; resist and I will kill you; up with your arms!"
He tried to laugh it off as a joke, but she was in deadly earnest, and
he soon found it out.
Leaning over she took the weapons of the road-agent from his belt, and
told him to move on ahead.
He could but obey, for he knew she would kill him if he did not.
A mile up the trail and the stock-tender's station came in sight, and in
the moonlight they both saw a crowd of men awaiting them there.
Once more the Cavalier begged for his release; but she was determined,
and marched him straight up to the crowd.
"Well, Billy, you've got him," cried a voice as they approached.
"I most certainly have, and if you'll look after him I'll go and fetch
his horse, for I've got a hook fastened to his rein and he can't go
far."
"Billy!" cried the road-agent.
"Yes, I am Buffalo Billy, and I assumed this disguise to catch you and
I've done it.
"Do you love me now, pard?"
The road-agent foamed and swore; but it was no use; he had been caught,
was taken to the town, tried, found guilty of murdering and robbing and
ended his life on the gallows, and Buffalo Billy got the reward for his
capture, and a medal from the company, and he certainly deserved all
that he received for his daring exploit in the guise of a young girl,
and a pretty one too, the boys said he made, for he had no mustache
then, his complexion was perfect, though bronzed, and his waist was as
small as a woman's, while in the saddle his height did not show.
As to the Cavalier, Billy said he deserved his name, and certainly
talked love like an adept at the art, and his lovemaking, like many
another man's, led him to ruin and death.