The lanky plainsman raised his head and told Buffalo Bill what had been said. “Go down,” was the reply, “and tell Hickok that I’ll follow presently. The chief will return in a minute, and I must be here when he comes in.” Alkali Pete, without hesitation, lowered himself to the cellar. There was a heavy thud as he struck the ground, and at the same moment Thunder Cloud opened the door and pushed Sybil Hayden into the room. CHAPTER XIV. STRANGE HAPPENINGS. The girl was very pale, and there were signs of recent weeping. But a look of relief came into her lovely countenance when her eyes fell on the king of scouts. “You are Mr. Cody, are you not?” she asked, as she came up to him with outstretched hand. “Yes, and how is your father?” “I do not know. I haven’t seen him for over an hour. I—am afraid——” She paused, and looked tremblingly at the chief, who was standing, grimly, by the door. “Trust in me,” the scout whispered. Then he turned, and a revolver was pointed at Thunder Cloud’s head. “I am sorry to again place myself in opposition to you, chief,” he said sternly; “but it’s a case of white blood against red. You must give up this girl’s father.” The Apache chief’s eyes flashed savage defiance. “Never,” he replied, and with a quick movement his hand went to the tomahawk at his belt. Buffalo Bill fired, but to wound, not to kill. The bullet struck the hand that was gripping the handle of the tomahawk, and the grip instantly relaxed. But the Indian never flinched. Not a cry issued from his lips. “Must I kill you, or will you surrender?” demanded the king of scouts coldly. The head of a white man showed itself above the hole in the floor. Sybil Hayden saw the head, and uttered a shriek of fear. Instantly Buffalo Bill whirled, and at the same instant a tomahawk whizzed, and a pistol shot rang out. The Indian’s weapon, hurled with the left hand, went wide of its mark, and the bullet failed to do more than graze the scout’s scalp. The man at the trap was Black-face Ned, and as soon as the bullet sped, Sybil Hayden, scarcely realizing what she did, sprang to the edge of the hole, and began to kick the villain in the head. As he howled and tried to turn so as to shoot her, she changed her tactics and jumped with all her force upon Black-face Ned’s hands. This was more than he could stand, and he dropped back to the floor of the cellar. Buffalo Bill was not a witness to the commendable actions of the colonel’s daughter. He was occupied with Thunder Cloud, who had followed the throwing of the tomahawk by a savage rush forward.