THE DRIVER'S LETTER.
After several days' stay at the fort, Buffalo Bill started upon his
return to his secret camp near Last Chance trail. He took with him
another packhorse, well laden with bedding and supplies, for the weather
was growing steadily colder and winter would soon be upon the land.
He knew that little snow generally fell as far down as the Last Chance
trail, but it would be well to be prepared for any emergency, and as the
coaches ran through the winter, the road-agents would by no means take a
rest.
Riding leisurely on the back trail, not caring to push his horses too
hard, Buffalo Bill reached his basin camp in the mountains on the third
day, and the animal he left there pranced like a colt at seeing him come
back.
His first work was to make his quarters more secure and comfortable, and
this took him a day, and the following, having strengthened the barrier
in the pass, to prevent his horses from breaking out, he started off on
foot for the W---- and Last Chance stage-trail.
He would not ride, as he did not wish his trail to be seen by any
prowling road-agents, and on foot he could accomplish more and be
concealed far better than if he had gone mounted.
Before parting with Surgeon Frank Powell at the fort, Buffalo Bill had
drawn a map of the country, marking the trail the surgeon-scout was to
follow, and also just where he was to meet him, the place of rendezvous
being the deserted camp where was the grave of Black-heart Bill.
When Buffalo Bill approached the trail, at the scene of the Dead Line
tragedies, he went most cautiously. But no one was there, and going up
to the little cross, the scout bent over and thrust his hand into the
spot where, as old Huckleberry, he had his "post-office" with Harding.
He took out a slip of paper, and read it with clouded brow. It was as
follows:
"I slip away at night from Last Chance to leave this
here for you. It was unfortunate that you should have
had to go to the fort when you did, as on my run back I
was held up here by the agents.
"I had taken your advice, and pressed through the other
end at night, thus escaping men lying in wait for me.
"On my return I had a young lady passenger, a Miss
Celeste Seldon, coming out here to find her father, a
miner, and a young man whom she had sent in search of
him. It was the young man I told you of who had been
wounded and had never regained his reason.
"I had a large sum of money, which was taken, and Miss
Seldon was carried off as a captive, to be held for
ransom.
"The miners have subscribed the ransom money, and she
is to be released. I will let you know particulars more
fully as soon as I get the opportunity, endeavoring to
have a letter here for you when I come to make the
exchange, paying the ransom and receiving the lady from
the outlaws.
"Doctor Dick will come with me; but the outlaws
threaten to kill Miss Seldon if others come, or if any
one else leaves Last Chance to pursue them, and that
chief will keep his word.
HARDING."
Then there followed a postscript, which read:
"The young messenger, Bernard Brandon, has most
mysteriously disappeared, and no search can find him.
"H."
Buffalo Bill read this letter over twice, and said in a musing way:
"Those outlaws are becoming bold, indeed, when they deliberately rob a
young girl and make her their prisoner. The man Brandon was her
messenger, sent in search of her father, and his mysterious
disappearance, _to me_, means that he has been captured by the
road-agents.
"Now, I dare not halt the coach on the way to receive the girl, if the
road-agents give her up; but I will be on the watch, see it go by, and
be as near this spot when the ransom is paid as I dare be, for from here
I may be able to track those devils to their lair."
So saying, the scout set out upon his return for his basin camp.