“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.”