“i wish that buffalo bill were back,” said the commanding officer at fort mcpherson. “the report that indians are thick between here and the loup is not agreeable. it seems to me that if they are not checked in time we’ll have a general indian war on our hands this summer. and buffalo bill is the best man to go out and talk to the chiefs and try to drive some sense into them.
“the redskins are getting too bold, and if they make a raid on the railway or some of the frontier settlements we’ll have all the trouble on our hands that we’ll know how to handle.”
while he was thus speaking to the post adjutant an old man, pale and feeble, approached him, leaning on a staff.
“ah, mr. doyle! i’m glad to see you out. i trust you are feeling better at last. we are looking with hope for the safe return of your daughters, for it is quite time that the troop which i sent out under captain meinhold returned and reported to me.”
“i have hoped until hope seems a mockery,” replied the old man. “my sons died long since, and sometimes, when i think what may have happened to them in the hands of those cruel redskins, i almost wish that i knew my daughters were dead, also. then i could bow my head to god’s will and go to my grave conscious that i had nothing left to live for.”
“look—look, general!” cried the post adjutant. “no man save buffalo bill rides like that!”
a man, with his long hair flowing out in the sunlight from his bare head, waving a big white sombrero in his hand and sitting his horse as if he and the animal were one, came riding like the wind toward the fort.
as the three men looked they heard a cheerful bugle call sounding from the direction of the platte.
“company b is coming in!” cried the adjutant.
“what is the news?” asked the general hastily, as buffalo bill rode up to him. “what is the news, colonel cody?”
“the very best, general. we have wiped out one of the worst band of outlaws this country was ever cursed with—the death riders.”
“my daughters? you don’t say a word about them!” groaned old mr. doyle. “are they dead?”
“they are alive and well, sir. they are just as happy as they can be, and it won’t be many minutes now before they are here with you. i rode on ahead to bring in the news.”
“quick! lift him up! the old gentleman has fainted!” cried the general.
he had fainted from sudden and excessive joy, and not until his daughters arrived did he fully come back to his senses and to a realization of the fact that there was yet happiness in store for him.
by this time the general was receiving the report of captain meinhold, who had not only done the country the great service of breaking up a most dangerous band of desperadoes, but had managed so well the care of his command, aided by buffalo bill, that he had brought it back efficient in men and horses and ready for immediate service. but the gallant soldiers were not needed again for immediate active service, although the captain himself was wanted at once for special duty with a surveying party on the great lakes.
mr. doyle gave up all idea of going across the plains and the mountains of the far west to california. the perils to which his daughters had been subjected and the great anxiety he had suffered on their account had thoroughly cured him of his desire to do that.
on the second day after the return to the fort mainwaring sought out the old gentleman, told him that he had won the love of his daughter may, and asked his consent to their marriage.
“if the dear child loves you she must do as she likes,” mr. doyle replied. “i would not stand in the way of her happiness. but it seems rather hard that i have got to lose her again after just getting her back.”
“you need not lose her, sir,” replied mainwaring. “neither may nor i would wish that. you have decided not to go on to california, have you not?”
“yes. i have quite made up my mind on that matter. i have been very fortunate in getting my dear girls back, and i won’t tempt providence a second time. i will expose them to no more dangers.”
“then why not come to texas with me, sir? it is a glorious country, especially the section where my ranch is located. you could buy a ranch near by my place, and see may as often as you wished. we could all be happy together.”
the old gentleman caught eagerly at this idea, and it was carried out without delay.
mr. doyle, with his great wealth, bought a handsome estate, and at his death, several years later, it passed by his will to the eldest son of his daughter, mrs. mainwaring.
jack mainwaring himself handsomely rewarded the scouts and troopers for the work they had done in rescuing him and the girl who became his wife.
as buffalo bill and wild bill could not, of course, be offered money for such work, he sent them each one of the finest remington rifles he could buy, as a keepsake.
his old adversary, simon ketchum, did not return to danger divide, and was not heard of in that part of the boundless west for several years.
then his fate was discovered by buffalo bill, who rode into a little frontier settlement in utah and saw a man swinging to the limb of a tree, surrounded by a party of vigilantes, who had just hanged him for horse stealing and murder.
the dead man was simon ketchum, who had met with his deserts at last.
