PLOTTING WITH A FOE.
The outlaw leader seemed pleased with the idea of his ally’s hatred
for Sergeant Fallon, and said, when he was told that he would serve
him:
“Well, you will have to go slow, and there is much to be done.”
“I am ready.”
“I’ll tell you just what my plan is, and see what you think of it.”
“I’ll frankly tell you what I think.”
“I believe you, for the chief speaks of you in the highest terms, in
fact loves you as a brother, and the only thing I had against you was
that, after being a renegade, you went back to your people.”
“It was, as I said before, for a purpose.”
“Ah, yes; but now to my plot with you.”
“I am all attention.”
“You, of course, know the sergeant’s daughter?”
“I do.”
“She is an heiress, you know?”
“I have heard so; in fact, I know that it is the case, from the
sergeant.”
“I had her a captive, with others, but Buffalo Bill guided Lieutenant
Worth, Sergeant Fallon, and others to my retreat and rescued the
prisoners, destroying my band and making me fly as a fugitive for
shelter with my good friend, Iron Eyes.”
“I see.”
“Now, I wish to get possession of Lucille Fallon, the sergeant’s
daughter.”
“Ah!”
“And that is what I wish you to aid me in.”
“I can do it if any man can.”
“My plan is for you to notify me, by a letter left at a certain spot
on the Overland trail, which I will describe to you, when I can get
possession of her. She can be called to Pioneer City through an
excuse of some kind to meet a lawyer there who will not come farther
on, and I will hold up the coach and capture her.”
“But your men are all dead or prisoners?”
“Yes, but I am organizing another band out of new material, men who
will serve my purpose even better than the others did.”
“You wish to capture the girl and get a big ransom for her?”
“That is just it, and Sergeant Fallon with her.”
“You wish both?”
“I do, the one for revenge, the other for gold.”
“Well, I believe I can arrange it.”
“You must understand the whole situation, the name of the girl’s
lawyer in New York, something of the facts of the case of her
inheritance, and just what to do. Now, when she was my captive,
I looked over her papers, and I have the name and address of the
lawyer, in fact, one of his letters, and I can forge his writing
perfectly.
“I will write the letter to her, mail it from Pioneer City, telling
her that, writing as the lawyer, I cannot come any farther, as I am
suffering with an attack of rheumatism, and that she and her father
must come to me, the lawyer, mind you, by return coach. I will then
lie in wait on the trail and capture them.”
“A good idea.”
“There is another thing: You must see to it that the girl’s jewels
and money are taken along, though she must not know this. Smuggle
them on the coach in some way, for you can get possession of them,
intimate as you are at the sergeant’s home, and I will share with
you.”
“Thank you. I know where the money and jewels are kept, and I can get
them, and will see that they go through with the sergeant and his
daughter, never fear.”
“Is Jack Jessop, the star driver, driving now?”
“Oh, yes.”
“It will be his last trip, for I’ll bury him on Monument Hill. He is
too plucky a man to be in the Overland coach-driving business, and so
he goes under.”
“It is just as well, I guess, though I rather like Jack.”
“Well, now, we’ll go over the whole matter again, and just as soon
as you return to the fort notify me by letter what you think can be
done, or if you can think of any better plan. The place to leave the
letter is under the end of the third board of the Cañon River bridge,
where it projects over the land, as I suppose it must, though I have
not seen the new structure. At any rate, look well for a spot there,
and I’ll find it, for I’ll take to the trail soon with my new band.”
“I’ll prepare the way for you, Captain Eagle, never fear,” was the
answer of the sergeant, and then the two went all over the same
ground again, the outlaw asking many questions about the fort and its
people, and coming to what he considered was a thorough understanding
with the man whom he little dreamed to be his foe.
This conversation being ended, the sergeant held a powwow with his
old friend Iron Eyes, the outlaw, Death Face, and Fighting Bird being
present.
It being then a couple of hours after midnight, Sergeant Fallon
suggested that he would make a visit to the ford to see if the enemy
had sent their scouts across, and send back word by a couple of
warriors who would accompany him, as he would then be compelled to go
on back to the command where he was expected to serve as the Indians’
spy.
Two young braves were, therefore, called to accompany him, and Iron
Eyes said that he had increased the force of guards at each ford by
fifty men, while several hundred more braves under Death Face would
camp at the first mountain pass on the trail, where they could give
battle to the soldiers, and be reënforced readily from the village.
Iron Eyes himself would return to his village, and Captain Eagle was
to remain at the ford, being at liberty to go where he pleased.
Assured by these facts, and accompanied by the two braves, the
sergeant set out upon his return.
He left the braves on the ridge, advanced alone to the river, and
discovering, by the sign agreed upon between them, that Buffalo Bill
had been there, he went back and told the warriors to return and
report to Iron Eyes that a scout from the soldiers had been across
the river, so that they could come back into their camp again.
Then he rode into the river to cross.
The sergeant was greeted by Buffalo Bill as he rode out of the water,
the two friends clasping hands warmly.
“I am glad, indeed, to see you again, sergeant, for I was becoming
very nervous about you.”
“I was delayed, as I did not dare appear anxious to get back.”
“I found Iron Eyes, Death Face, and the outlaw in camp when I went
over, and a number of warriors, as well, so I decided to get them
well out of the way at once, and would not delay for the time agreed
upon.
“I found, upon my return to the ford, that you had been there and
crossed. I gave the chief a great ghost story about the soldiers, and
I had an hour’s chat with the outlaw,” and Fallon related all his
conversation with the outlaw.
“When he holds up the coach he will not only find Sergeant Fallon in
it, but Buffalo Bill, Lieutenant Worth, and a few good scouts and
soldiers, with others following on behind, and a few more to head
off the outlaws, so that we will catch the whole outfit,” said the
sergeant.
“The very thing to be done, sergeant; but who has the outlaw chief
for a band?”
“That is the question, Cody.”
“Doubtless redskins?”
“I had that idea at first, but he spoke of going to Pioneer City,
where he had friends, and I believe he will get men there, and more
than he had before, from what he gave out in the way of hints.”
“Then, to be sure, we will have to be well provided with men, say one
on the box with Jack Jessop, who is also to be counted when it’s a
scrimmage, and a dozen can pack away in the coach. Then a few scouts
and soldiers on the trail behind the coach, some more of my men ahead
and we’ll rope in the entire outfit, as you suggest.”
“We’ll do it, and arrange with the lieutenant, but keep it as secret
as the grave. When the letter comes we will then be ready to go out
on the first coach, and the man who rides on the box with Jack Jessop
can wear a hat and clothes to appear to be my daughter, for she rode
all the way through on the box, you know. But here we are at camp.”
Day had dawned, and the camp was astir, though the men were not
building any fires, but were preparing to eat a cold breakfast.
Having washed off his paint and changed his clothes, the sergeant and
Buffalo Bill went directly to the quarters of the lieutenant.