CHAPTER LIII.

BUFFALO BILL’S DEFENSE.

In his private quarters at the fort sat General Canton, the commandant of the chain of forts upon the far frontier. He was engaged in reading dispatches just arrived, and his brow was dark, his look troubled, as though the news therein contained was not pleasant.

Around the general were signs of comfort, and even luxury, for his quarters were well furnished, and books and musical instruments were there with which to while away leisure moments.

Touching a small bell, an orderly soon appeared at the door.

“See if Major Belden is sufficiently recovered from his fatiguing trip to come to me.”

“Yes, sir,” and the orderly vanished, to return in a few moments with the information that the major would come at once.

Soon after the major put in an appearance at the general’s quarters, and was motioned to a seat.

“Major, I am really pleased with your trip, and I feel certain that those Indians on the Southern Agency will behave at least for a few months; but I have sent for you to learn what was the information you had regarding Buffalo Bill.”

“I have information that should hang him, sir,” the major asserted.

“You report that he has committed several murders. It is unbelievable. He may have killed men, in the discharge of his duty, but I shall be slow to think him a murderer.”

“He is a murderer, sir, high as he has stood. He shot two soldiers a year or two since, and what for Heaven only knows. He has shot down Indians by the score, and I believe he is in league with some of the hostile bands, also with the Branded Brotherhood.”

“Yet you know what a number of noble deeds he has performed.”

“They have had that appearance, general, but there has been some underhand reason for it, I assure you. Now, on my return from the southward, as I told you this morning, I passed by the new settlement of Riverside, to see if they longer needed the services of Captain la Clyde.

“There, all of a sudden Buffalo Bill appeared, after an absence of four weeks on some pretended trail, and demanded that I should let him have a dozen soldiers to accompany him upon some trip, which he pretended would rescue a young girl from captivity. I considered it some trap to lead my men into, and told him so, when he deliberately knocked me down. See, sir, here is the bruise on my left cheek.”

“He was most impertinent and daring, major, I must admit.”

“Yes, general; and I arose and rushed upon him with my sword, when, as quick as a flash, he wrested it from my grasp, broke it, and hurled me from him with a strength I believed no man capable of.”

“What did you do then, major?”

“I ordered the men to seize him, but he hurled them aside, drew his revolvers and strode right through their line. I then ordered them to fire upon him, but Captain la Clyde, half a dozen of the settlers, and Miss Conrad threw themselves in front of him, and the troopers could not obey. Then he mounted his horse and rode away. He is a coward!”

“Not a coward, major; he is certainly not that, bad as he may be,” said the general.

“Yes, sir, he is a coward----”

“And you are a liar, Major Belden!”

The sudden reply, breaking into the conversation in a stern, deep voice, caused both General Canton and his officer to spring to their feet and glance toward the door.

There, just inside the portal, stood none other than Buffalo Bill, his eyes blazing and fixed upon Major Belden with a menacing light.

“What, ho, the guard, orderly!” yelled the startled officer.

Again the deep voice of the scout was heard.

“There stands one outside that door who will give up his life at my word, so you call in vain. One cry more from your lips and you are a dead man.”

Then, turning to the commander, the scout continued:

“General Canton, I did not come here, sir, to bandy words with that man. Will you spare me a moment of your time?”

“You chanced to hear Major Belden’s accusations?”

“Yes, I heard him; but I never have raised a hand against the United States troops on this border, who did not first attack me.”

“You slew two soldiers who once attempted your arrest, I learn?”

“I slew two drunken deserters who had boasted that they would take me alive and hang me without trial. They rushed upon me. I warned them back; they would not heed the warning, and I shot them dead. You were not in command here then, sir, and heard only a garbled account of the affair from such as yonder man, who wears a major’s straps, which I will yet tear from his shoulders if he crosses my path with evil intent.”

“You speak boldly, Mr. Cody.”

“I know it, general; it is a habit I have. Regarding my killing of peaceable Indians, it is all a lie, though I made war upon all hostile bands. Now, sir, I desire to state why I sought you here: first, to give the lie to all assertions against me such as have been brought to your ears, and then to say that upon arriving at the new settlement, whither I guided the Conrad emigrant train, I saw with horror that a cruel enemy had been there, and left ruin and death behind.

“Alfred Carter’s wife and son had been murdered, and Carter and his daughter, a beautiful girl of eighteen, had been carried off into captivity. Taking the trail of the bloodhounds, after days of tedious work, I tracked them to their kennel, and found that Ricardo, the chief of the Branded Brotherhood, had done the deed.”

“Infamous!”

“Well may you say so, General Canton, but, to continue: I tracked the renegades to their den, I disguised myself, and by night entered the stronghold, and sought the cabin where the young lady was held a prisoner.”

“You were most daring, sir.”

The scout smiled quietly, and replied:

“I risk my life every day, general. I rescued Rose Carter and her father. Then I returned to the settlement, and, meeting there Major Belden, begged for a few men to return with me to destroy the outlaws. He refused, and insulted me, and I promptly knocked him down.”

“Served him right,” responded General Canton, whose sympathies had been won by Buffalo Bill’s bearing and statements.

“Thank you, general.”

“This girl, Rose Carter, is free, then?”

“Yes, general; she is now in this fort, whither I brought her, with her father, half an hour since, for we were hotly pursued by the Branded Brotherhood.”

“The deuce you were! Well, I will lead my men at once against them,” said the commandant eagerly.

“Hold, general! I have already seen Captain la Clyde, and, by this time he has a troop ready. It was through his kindness I found you here.

“The orderly outside your door is a man whose life I have twice saved, and he bade me enter and clear my character, which Major Belden was defaming. Now, general, if you will just give an order to see that Miss Carter and her father are comfortably looked after, I will guide you in pursuit of Ricardo and his men.”

“Miss Carter and her father shall be well cared for, Mr. Cody, and I will at once follow you. Major Belden, you have, for some reason, I am certain, misrepresented this man’s character to me, sir, for I am confident he speaks the truth. Be more careful in future, and until my return hold command of the fort. Come, Cody!”

So saying, the general walked from his quarters out into the court of the fort, where Captain la Clyde’s troop of horse was drawn up ready for the march.

Presenting the general to Rose Carter, whose beautiful face was most sad looking and pale with fatigue, the officer at once conducted her to the apartments of his wife.

Returning soon after, he mounted his horse, and with the scout by his side, and Percy la Clyde and his troop following, dashed rapidly away from the fort, leaving the crestfallen major swearing hatred and revenge upon all who crossed him, from the general down to the drummer boy.