THE MINER'S MISSION.
The gold-hunter, Andrew Seldon, rode on his way from his retreat in the
canyon, determined to risk his life by returning to Fort Faraway and
reporting the presence in the Grand Canyon of the masked outlaw band.
If recognized as Sergeant Wallace Weston, under sentence of death, he
would be at once arrested and his execution would follow.
But he knew that Wallace Weston was believed to be dead, reported as
dying of starvation in the desert at the time of his escape.
As Sergeant Weston he had been an erect man of martial bearing, with a
face smoothly shaven and hair cut short. As Andrew Seldon he wore his
hair long, and his beard fell half-way down to his belt, while he
further had a pair of spectacles to disguise his eyes with, and had
manufactured a hump in the shoulders of his coat that gave him a changed
form, like one who stoops badly.
"But come what may, I shall risk it," he said firmly, as he went on his
way.
After his night in the deserted camp where was the grave of Black-heart
Bill he struck out for Fort Faraway. Suddenly he drew his horse to a
halt as he saw a dust-cloud far ahead. It was approaching him, and it
was made by horses crossing a sandy part of the country.
Out of the dust suddenly emerged a horseman, and behind him followed a
pack-animal.
Hidden in a clump of timber Andrew Seldon saw that it was a white man,
and that the trail he was following would bring him near his position.
"I believe that it is Buffalo Bill," he muttered, as he saw that the
horseman was clad in buckskin and wore his hair long. But as he came
nearer he said eagerly:
"It is the surgeon-scout--Doctor Frank Powell!"
The coming horseman eyed the timber carefully as he approached.
Something had evidently made him suspicious of danger there, and,
turning to the left, he was about to flank it, when Andrew Seldon rode
into view and waved his hat.
Then he rode forward once more, but cautiously, for the chances were
that the man he saw might be a foe, he well knew.
But Andrew Seldon raised his hands above his head, in token of peace,
and Surgeon Powell rode straight toward him.
"I dare not let him know who I am, though I would trust him, Heaven
knows. He knows me as well as any man, and I'll see how I stand the test
of his piercing eyes," muttered the gold-hunter, and, as the
surgeon-scout drew nearer, he called out:
"Are you Buffalo Bill, sir?"
"No, I am Surgeon Frank Powell, of the army."
"I see now, sir, that you are not Buffalo Bill, for I met him once when
he was in a tight place with road-agents. Are you from Fort Faraway,
sir?"
"I am."
"I was on my way there to see Buffalo Bill, when I saw you coming, sir."
"And I am on my way to seek Buffalo Bill, for I have an appointment to
meet him not many miles from here at a deserted camp, where there is a
grave."
"I know it well, sir, for I made the grave, and I stopped there last
night."
"You made what grave?"
"The grave of Black-heart Bill, the desperado, who is buried there."
"You killed him, you mean?"
"I did, sir, for he had wronged me greatly."
"Who are you, may I ask?"
"My name is Andrew Seldon, sir, and I am a miner."
"It seems to me that Buffalo Bill has spoken to me of you, in fact, I am
sure of it now, for you it was who saved him from Headlight Joe and his
outlaws."
"Yes, sir."
"But Cody believes you to be dead."
"How so, sir?"
"He wished to find you, so tracked you into the Grand Canyon, to find
your house buried beneath a fallen cliff, and he thought you were
beneath it all."
"No, sir, I escaped; but as you are going to seek Buffalo Bill may I
join you?"
"You may join me, Mr. Seldon, and I shall be glad to have your
company," said Surgeon Powell, as he rode along by the side of the
gold-hunter.
"I will be your guide to the deserted camp, sir; but do you expect to
find Mr. Cody there?"
"I hope so, but should he not be I shall await him."
"I am glad to hear you say that, sir, for I am most anxious to see him,
and I will tell you why."
"If you care to."
"I know your secret, Surgeon Powell, and am delighted to feel that I
will have your aid as well as Buffalo Bill's in what I wish to do."
"And what do you wish to do, Mr. Seldon?"
"I will have to ask you to keep my secret, sir."
"I will do so."
"Well, Surgeon Powell, I am a miner, and I strolled into the Grand Canyon
of the Colorado in my prospecting tours, and there discovered several
rich gold claims. On my way there it was that I came upon a camp, and in
it I found an unfortunate fellow who was wounded, yet bound securely.
"He had gone out in search of gold with a desperado by the name of
Black-heart Bill, and, finding gold, the other sought to rob him of it,
so shot him. Failing to find it, he was anxious to have his victim
recover and show him where it was, intending then to kill him.
"It was while Black-heart Bill was away from his camp that I came to it,
and I heard his victim's story. Upon the return of the man I recognized
him as an old foe of mine, one to whom, with others, I owed a wicked
life.
"I forced him to fight me a duel, and he fell. I buried him and cut his
name on the quaking aspen near his grave, and then, nursing the wounded
man to life, we went to his gold find. It did not pan out very rich, so
I went to one I knew of, down in the Grand Canyon.
"While I was away at W---- to get provisions, my partner heard the cliff
cracking, and so moved away, up the canyon to another mine we had. He was
just in time to save his life, for the cliff fell, and Buffalo Bill was
in the valley that night with a comrade and heard the terrific roar of
the falling cliff.
"They believed that my comrade and myself were buried beneath the
mountain of rock, but we were gazing at them the while and watched them
ride away. Some time after I found that others had come into the canyon,
and I discovered that it was a camp of outlaws, while more still, I saw
that they had a female captive.
"I crept near enough at night to hear and see all, and I saw a young and
beautiful girl, and the outlaw lieutenant held her a captive for his
chief, until a large ransom was paid for her by the miners of Last
Chance.
"I at once decided to act, and, having seen them start with her to give
her up for ransom, I came on my way to find Buffalo Bill and guide him
to the retreat of the outlaws. That young girl, sir, gave the name of
Celeste Seldon. She is my daughter.
"Now, Surgeon Powell, you have my story, and my comrade is in my camp,
awaiting my return!"
Frank Powell was greatly impressed with the story of the gold-hunter, to
which he had listened with the deepest attention. After he had heard all
he said:
"My dear pard, you have made a very valuable discovery indeed, and
Buffalo Bill will be only too glad to have you guide him to the outlaw
camp, for that is his mission and mine here. I sincerely hope that your
daughter will be given up in safety to the miners, and that her ransom
will be recovered."
"She will be given up in safety, sir, I am certain, for I have perfect
confidence in the outlaw lieutenant, who told his story to Celeste, and
I only ask that he may not share the fate of the other outlaws," and the
gold-hunter made known what had occurred between Wolf and Celeste, and
Doctor Powell replied:
"I agree with you, and if he acts squarely toward Miss Seldon, I will
urge that he be allowed to go free, when his comrades are to hang."