THE FLAG OF TRUCE.
Deland and Denton, with their “stool-pigeon” prisoner, were not far
away when this battle opened up.
Hatfield was piloting them to that “trap,” where he expected the
sharpshooters would slay them. But when he heard the crack of those
rifles, he recognized by the reports that they were the guns of some
of the men he had thought were in the “trap.” That they were out
there, firing, told him that something had gone wrong.
“Hear that?” he said.
“Yes,” said Denton; “what do you make of it?”
“Some kind of a fight, I reckon,” said Hatfield.
“You stay here, while I look into that, will ye?” said Deland. “From
the sound of it, I’m jedgin’ that a battle is goin’ on that maybe
we’re int’rested in, er might git int’rested in.”
Denton did not like to remain behind. He had no thought, though, that
his sweetheart was over there where that shooting was going on, for
he did not know where she was, except that he believed she was held
by Panther Pete; and Hatfield had been professing to lead them to
Panther Pete’s lair.
Hatfield looked uneasily in the direction of the firing. Deland was
disappearing in that direction. Denton took out his revolver.
“Remember, no breaks!” he warned, when he saw the eager light in
Hatfield’s eyes. “I’m licensed to shoot you, if you try any.”
Deland rode straight toward the firing, until he came within a
comparatively short distance; and then he concealed his horse in
a thicket and crept forward on foot, taking with him his precious
“grip,” containing the rain-making materials so dear to his heart. He
never let that out of his hands for long.
The outlaws had drawn together, finding one point from which they
could fire best down into the hollow where Wild Bill and Buffalo Bill
had taken concealment.
They could see nothing now but the rocks there, but they were
shooting, nevertheless, hoping to hit something.
Deland was able to take advantage of this, the attention of the
outlaws being drawn to that barricade of stones; and he crawled close
up to them, being higher than they were, on the ridge behind them.
As he looked down he saw ten of the rascals, lying there behind the
rocks, with their rifles pointed down at another group of rocks some
distance below and on the opposite side of the narrow trail.
As he thus looked over, exposing himself, a rifle flamed in the
barricade, and a bullet cut through his hat. He dropped flat, with
remarkable celerity.
“Great floods!” he gurgled. “That rifleman came nigh gittin’ me. I’ll
have to look out, or I’ll have my precious skull perf’rated. Wonder
who’s doin’ that shootin’?”
It took him some time to make out; and he did not thoroughly
understand the situation until he saw one of the outlaws walk out
toward the barricade, waving a white flag, and saw Buffalo Bill come
forth to meet him.
The outlaws had discovered that the scouts held Panther Pete a
prisoner, and they wanted to confer, and negotiate for his release.
The bearer of the white flag had a proposition.
“Release Panther Pete, and we’ll stop our shootin’,” he said, “and
we’ll git out of the country. You can keep the girl. Just give us up
the prisoners you’ve got.”
“How did you know who we’ve got?” the scout demanded, somewhat
surprised.
“One of us has got a field glass, and he saw Panther Pete and
t’others down here. Surrender ’em to us, and we’ll cut out of this
fight and leave the country.”
Buffalo Bill’s answer was a defiance.
“No,” he said; “come and get us!”
“We’ll wipe the whole of ye out, if you don’t surrender ’em,” the
outlaw threatened.
“Proceed with the process,” said the scout. “We’ve got Panther Pete,
and a fellow whose name is Garland, and we mean to hold them. If you
want them badly, come and get them.”
The outlaw retired, and was no sooner behind the rocks than the
sharpshooters opened again. But having discovered that their leader
was held there, they were more careful, and their shooting did no
damage.
More men were coming, for the outlaws had sent runners back to the
camp, and these were hurrying up reënforcements.
Deland, from his post of observation, saw the arrival of these
reënforcements.
“Great fish hooks!” he gasped. “This is ticklish bizness, and I
reckon it’s down in the bills for some one to git hurt. Hope it ain’t
goin’ to be me!”
Then he had an inspiration. He glanced at the sky, gray and cloudy,
as if threatening rain.
“Guess it’s time!” he said; “I reckon that this here dry country is
bad needin’ rain. I might try some more rain-makin’ experiments, only
I hate to waste the material here that I intended to experiment with
down in the town. But----”
He opened the “grip” he had brought, and, as he did so, heard a step
behind him.
He turned, with one of the “bombs” in his hand, intending to hurl it
at any foe he saw there, and was astonished to behold Denton.
“I couldn’t stay back there,” Denton whispered. “So I tied that
villain, and came in, following you. Something’s doing down there.”
He glanced up the trail. “Yes, and more men coming.”
“Buffalo Bill’s down there,” said Deland, “and they’ve been trainin’
their batteries on him. I think I seen the flutter of a woman’s dress
down there, too, and----”
“Ellen!” gasped Denton, immensely excited.
“I dunno. Seems as though it may be. And there comes more
reënforcements; so they’s goin’ to be a lively time round here mighty
quick, and in the end the folks down there will be killed, I reckon.”
“We must go to their aid!” Denton panted, his eyes shining.
“Jes’ what I was thinkin’ o’ doin’! But don’t holler ’bout it and
give ’em warning. See this here?” He held up the “rain bomb.” “And ye
see them men down there?”
Denton nodded.
“Well, now you’ll see some fun, fer this ain’t ezactly ther same kind
as I fired into the crowd in the town. This will wake ’em up.”
He lifted himself and hurled the bomb, with such true aim and force
that it struck right in the midst of the hidden riflemen. There was
a flash and a deafening roar, and a blinding cloud of white smoke
covered everything.
Out of that white smoke men leaped, some of them tumbling and
falling, all thoroughly frightened.
When the smoke lifted, three of them were seen dead on the ground,
for the bomb this time had been a genuine one.
“Ho, ho!” chuckled Deland. “When I chip into a fight of this kind
something’s happenin’ right off.”
The outlaws did not tarry there for their remaining reënforcements;
they fled, vanishing into the hills.
Buffalo Bill and his companions were relieved thus quickly of their
enemies, and the big battle they had anticipated was not fought.
Down in the town of Scarlet Gulch, less than a week later, Deland had
an opportunity to try his rain-making bombs. He claimed the benefit
of the “shower” that followed.
Before that time Buffalo Bill had landed his prisoners, and had added
to them Bug-eye Slocum and saloon-keeper Rainey.
The fake Buffalo Bill had suddenly reached the end of his tether, and
his “Border Ruffians,” who had fled ignominiously, were scattered
throughout the hills.
THE END.
No. 83 of the BORDER STORIES, entitled “Buffalo Bill’s Pursuit,”
will take the reader on a long run, and through lots of adventures
that he will never forget.
WESTERN STORIES ABOUT
BUFFALO BILL
Price, Fifteen Cents
Red-blooded Adventure Stories for Men
There is no more romantic character in American history than
William F. Cody, or as he was internationally known, Buffalo Bill.
He, with Colonel Prentiss Ingraham, Wild Bill Hickok, General
Custer, and a few other adventurous spirits, laid the foundation of
our great West.
There is no more brilliant page in American history than the
winning of the West. Never did pioneers live more thrilling
lives, so rife with adventure and brave deeds as the old scouts
and plainsmen. Foremost among these stands the imposing figure of
Buffalo Bill.
All of the books in this list are intensely interesting. They were
written by the close friend and companion of Buffalo Bill--Colonel
Prentiss Ingraham. They depict actual adventures which this pair
of hard-hitting comrades experienced, while the story of these
adventures is interwoven with fiction; historically the books are
correct.
_ALL TITLES ALWAYS IN PRINT_
1--Buffalo Bill, the Border King By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
2--Buffalo Bill’s Raid By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
3--Buffalo Bill’s Bravery By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
4--Buffalo Bill’s Trump Card By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
5--Buffalo Bill’s Pledge By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
6--Buffalo Bill’s Vengeance By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
7--Buffalo Bill’s Iron Grip By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
8--Buffalo Bill’s Capture By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
9--Buffalo Bill’s Danger Line By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
10--Buffalo Bill’s Comrades By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
11--Buffalo Bill’s Reckoning By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
12--Buffalo Bill’s Warning By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
13--Buffalo Bill at Bay By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
14--Buffalo Bill’s Buckskin Pards By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
15--Buffalo Bill’s Brand By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
16--Buffalo Bill’s Honor By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
17--Buffalo Bill’s Phantom Hunt By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
18--Buffalo Bill’s Fight With Fire By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
19--Buffalo Bill’s Danite Trail By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
20--Buffalo Bill’s Ranch Riders By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
21--Buffalo Bill’s Death Trail By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
22--Buffalo Bill’s Trackers By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
23--Buffalo Bill’s Mid-air Flight By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
24--Buffalo Bill, Ambassador By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
25--Buffalo Bill’s Air Voyage By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
26--Buffalo Bill’s Secret Mission By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
27--Buffalo Bill’s Long Trail By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
28--Buffalo Bill Against Odds By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
29--Buffalo Bill’s Hot Chase By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
30--Buffalo Bill’s Redskin Ally By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
31--Buffalo Bill’s Treasure Trove By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
32--Buffalo Bill’s Hidden Foes By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
33--Buffalo Bill’s Crack Shot By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
34--Buffalo Bill’s Close Call By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
35--Buffalo Bill’s Double Surprise By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
36--Buffalo Bill’s Ambush By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
37--Buffalo Bill’s Outlaw Hunt By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
38--Buffalo Bill’s Border Duel By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
39--Buffalo Bill’s Bid for Fame By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
40--Buffalo Bill’s Triumph By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
41--Buffalo Bill’s Spy Trailer By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
42--Buffalo Bill’s Death Call By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
43--Buffalo Bill’s Body Guard By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
44--Buffalo Bill’s Still Hunt By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
45--Buffalo Bill and the Doomed Dozen By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
46--Buffalo Bill’s Prairie Scout By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
47--Buffalo Bill’s Traitor Guide By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
48--Buffalo Bill’s Bonanza By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
49--Buffalo Bill’s Swoop By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
50--Buffalo Bill and the Gold King By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
51--Buffalo Bill, Deadshot By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
52--Buffalo Bill’s Buckskin Bravos By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
53--Buffalo Bill’s Big Four By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
54--Buffalo Bill’s One-armed Pard By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
55--Buffalo Bill’s Race for Life By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
56--Buffalo Bill’s Return By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
57--Buffalo Bill’s Conquest By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
58--Buffalo Bill to the Rescue By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
59--Buffalo Bill’s Beautiful Foe By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
60--Buffalo Bill’s Perilous Task By Col. Prentiss Ingraham
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| SPORTS |
| |
| |
| Everybody is interested in some sport or other these days. |
| |
| The stories in the Merriwell Series and in the Sport Stories |
| Library, both of which lines sell at 15 cents, are devoted to |
| sports of all kinds, so if you love the great outdoors and the |
| healthful exercise which goes with outdoor sport, buy these |
| stories and make the acquaintance of some very fascinating |
| athletes. |
| |
| |
| PRICE 15 CENTS |
| |
| _See pages 2 and 25 for lists_ |
| |
| |
| Street & Smith Corporation |
| 79 Seventh Avenue :: New York City |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| The Dealer |
| |
| who keeps a good line of the STREET & SMITH |
| NOVELS is progressive. |
| |
| The STREET & SMITH NOVELS represent the |
| favorite reading matter of ten million |
| Americans. They are up-to-date, attractive in |
| contents, and are greater value for the |
| money than can be purchased anywhere else. |
| |
| A few of the authors whose copyrighted works |
| we publish exclusively are-- |
| |
| =Charles Garvice= |
| =E. D. E. N. Southworth= |
| =Georgie Sheldon= |
| =Bertha M. Clay= |
| =Nick Carter= |
| =Burt L. Standish= |
| =Effie Adelaide Rowlands= |
| |
| You can readily see from this list why the |
| STREET & SMITH NOVELS are popular. |
| |
| _Price 15 Cents_ |
| |
| |
| STREET & SMITH CORPORATION |
| 79 Seventh Avenue :: :: New York City |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
_Adventure Stories_
_Detective Stories_
_Western Stories_
_Love Stories_
_Sea Stories_
All classes of fiction are to be found among the Street &
Smith novels. Our line contains reading matter for every one,
irrespective of age or preference.
The person who has only a moderate sum to spend on reading matter
will find this line a veritable gold mine.
STREET & SMITH CORPORATION,
79 Seventh Avenue,
New York, N. Y.
Transcriber’s Notes
The Table of Contents at the beginning of the book was created by
the transcriber.
Inconsistencies in hyphenation such as “would-be”/“would be” have
been maintained.
Minor punctuation and spelling errors have been silently corrected
and, except for those changes noted below, all misspellings in the
text, especially in dialogue, and inconsistent or archaic usage,
have been retained.
Page 2: “A Congress of the Rough-riders” changed to “A Congress of
the Rough Riders”.
Page 31: “Latimer stared blanky” changed to “Latimer stared
blankly”.
Page 45: “Latimer!” he called, tapipng” changed to “Latimer!” he
called, tapping”.
Page 76: “He had not kown” changed to “He had not known”.
Page 116: “gold had come to her was the strangest think” changed to
“gold had come to her was the strangest thing”.
Page 137: “slip over into the Moonlight Mountans” changed to “slip
over into the Moonlight Mountains”.
Page 138: “gold nuggets of the medcine” changed to “gold nuggets of
the medicine”.
Page 154: “concealment and up-ended against the fall” changed to
“concealment and up-ended against the wall”.
Page 220: “in the very busiest secton” changed to “in the very
busiest section”.
Page 247: “and if Wild Bill interefered” changed to “and if Wild
Bill interfered”.
Page 271: “and for you it woudl” changed to “and for you it would”.
Page 291: “seeemed to have gained” changed to “seemed to have
gained”.