Beadle's Boy's Library of Sport, Story and Adventure, Vol. I, No. 1.
Page 9
But they saw that they were double the force of the whites, and weredetermined upon a fight, and their chiefs reconnoitered carefully theirfoes' strength and position.
Buffalo Bill also volunteered to go out and get a closer look at them,to see what they were up to, and General Merritt told him to do so, butnot to venture too near and expose himself.
As he left the line two Indian horsemen also rode out from among theircomrades, and one was some lengths in front of the other.
At a glance Buffalo Bill saw that the two were full chiefs, and they hadnot advanced far toward each other when he discovered that he was theespecial object of their attention.
But though one halted, the other came on, and the scout and the chiefcame within a hundred yards of each other.
Then the Indian cried out in his own tongue:
"I know Pa-e-has-ka the Great White Hunter and want to fight him."
"Then come on, you red devil, and have it out," shouted back BuffaloBill, and forgetting General Merritt's orders not to expose himself, andto the horror of the regiment, every man of whom saw him, as well as didthe Indians, he dashed at full speed toward the chief, who likewise,with a wild yell rode toward him.
Together both fired, the chief with his rifle, and Buffalo Bill with hisrevolver, and down dropped both horses.
Buffalo Bill nimbly caught on his feet, while the Indian was pinned byone leg under his horse, and with his war-cry the scout rushed upon him.
As he advanced the chief succeeded in releasing his leg from beneath hishorse and again fired, as did Buffalo Bill, and both of them withrevolvers.
The Indian's bullet cut a slight gash in Bill's arm, while he struck thered-skin in the leg, and the next instant sprung upon him with hisknife, which both had drawn.
The hand-to-hand fight was hardly five seconds in duration, and BuffaloBill had driven his knife into the broad red breast, and then tore fromhis head the scalp and feather war-bonnet, and waving it over his head,shouted in ringing tones:
"_Bravo! the first scalp to avenge Custer!_"
A shout of warning from the cavalry caused him to turn quickly and hebeheld the second chief riding down upon him at full speed.
But Bill turned upon him, and a shot from his revolver got him anotherscalp.
But hardly had he stooped to tear it from the skull, when the Indians,with wildest yells, charged upon him.
They were nearer to him than was the regiment, and it looked bad forBuffalo Bill; but the gallant Fifth charged in splendid style, met theIndians in a savage fight, and then began to drive them in wildconfusion, and pushed them back into the Agency a sorely whipped body ofCheyennes, and grieving over heavy losses.
Upon reaching the Agency Buffalo Bill learned that the two Indians hehad killed in the duel were Yellow Hand and Red Knife, and Cut Nose, thefather of the former swore some day to have the scout's scalp.
But Buffalo Bill laughed lightly at this threat, evidently believing theold adage that "A threatened man is long lived."
CHAPTER XXXI.
CONCLUSION.
Having gone over many of the thrilling scenes in the life of W.F. Cody,Buffalo Bill, from boyhood to manhood, and shown what indomitable pluckhe possesses, and the pinnacle of fame he has reached unaided, and byhis own exertions and will, I can only now say that much remains to betold of his riper years, from the time he stepped across the thresholdfrom youth to man's estate, for since then his life has been one longseries of perilous adventures which, though tinged with romance, andseeming fiction, will go down to posterity as true border history ofthis most remarkable man, the truly called King of Prairiemen.
THE END.
* * * * *
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