“Wild Bill, ride to that cliff over there. Call half a dozen men to go with you as you pass,” said Buffalo Bill nervously. “Mainwaring said that he saw women there, and I didn’t believe him. He went with only Norfolk Ben in his company, and neither of them knows much about Indians. Go quickly, old fellow, for I feel uneasy.” “You left the girls with four braves?” said the captain to the Ute chief. “Can you not call them in now?” “If I do what will the paleface chief give for the girls whom Bear Killer took from the Shawnees? They are mine by a red man’s right. I took them from the red men--not from the palefaces.” “I will give you cold steel and lead, and plenty of both, if you don’t give them up!” was the hot retort. “I shan’t waste any more time in talk. Talking is not my trade. I had rather fight.” “The paleface has seen that the Utes can fight,” said Bear Killer proudly. Then he glanced uneasily toward the hill whither Wild Bill and half a dozen scouts were galloping, as Buffalo Bill had directed. “You will soon see--and feel--what my soldiers can do if these girls are not produced and given up!” said the captain. “I am in no mood for trifling. I have not ridden so far for nothing.” Bear Killer saw with alarm that the cavalry, evidently impatient, were remounting their horses. “We will talk,” he said. “We do not want to fight you palefaces. You have good guns that shoot a great many times, and we do not want to lose many braves for the sake of two women. You may take them.” “Then send one of your braves back with orders to your people to stay where they are, and go up with us to get the girls. My people shall not move unless yours do.” Bear Killer had a struggle with his pride before he could agree to this, but he knew very well what well-armed and mounted white troops could do, so he sent a warrior back, and leaving the truce flags flying between the parties, he rode on toward the cliff with the captain and Buffalo Bill. Wild Bill and his men were there searching rapidly from rock to rock for signs which might lead to the discovery of the girls. Four dead Indians, unscalped, lay upon the ground, pierced by rifle balls. They were seen when Captain Meinhold, Buffalo Bill, and the Ute chief rode up. “Who has killed these braves?” demanded Bear Killer angrily. “These were the guards I left with the girls.” “Mainwaring and Norfolk Ben must have done it,” said Buffalo Bill, turning to the captain. “Were they not at our lines when you passed?” He asked this last question of Wild Bill. “No. The last seen of them was on that cliff, when they got your permission to ride over this way and search.” “These men are cold,” said the captain. “They must have been dead a good while. They were killed before you came near the ground, Wild Bill.” Bear Killer, whose looks showed his passionate indignation, burst out: