“You slew two soldiers who once attempted your arrest, I learn?” “I slew two drunken deserters who had boasted that they would take me alive and hang me without trial. They rushed upon me. I warned them back; they would not heed the warning, and I shot them dead. You were not in command here then, sir, and heard only a garbled account of the affair from such as yonder man, who wears a major’s straps, which I will yet tear from his shoulders if he crosses my path with evil intent.” “You speak boldly, Mr. Cody.” “I know it, general; it is a habit I have. Regarding my killing of peaceable Indians, it is all a lie, though I made war upon all hostile bands. Now, sir, I desire to state why I sought you here: first, to give the lie to all assertions against me such as have been brought to your ears, and then to say that upon arriving at the new settlement, whither I guided the Conrad emigrant train, I saw with horror that a cruel enemy had been there, and left ruin and death behind. “Alfred Carter’s wife and son had been murdered, and Carter and his daughter, a beautiful girl of eighteen, had been carried off into captivity. Taking the trail of the bloodhounds, after days of tedious work, I tracked them to their kennel, and found that Ricardo, the chief of the Branded Brotherhood, had done the deed.” “Infamous!” “Well may you say so, General Canton, but, to continue: I tracked the renegades to their den, I disguised myself, and by night entered the stronghold, and sought the cabin where the young lady was held a prisoner.” “You were most daring, sir.” The scout smiled quietly, and replied: “I risk my life every day, general. I rescued Rose Carter and her father. Then I returned to the settlement, and, meeting there Major Belden, begged for a few men to return with me to destroy the outlaws. He refused, and insulted me, and I promptly knocked him down.” “Served him right,” responded General Canton, whose sympathies had been won by Buffalo Bill’s bearing and statements. “Thank you, general.” “This girl, Rose Carter, is free, then?” “Yes, general; she is now in this fort, whither I brought her, with her father, half an hour since, for we were hotly pursued by the Branded Brotherhood.” “The deuce you were! Well, I will lead my men at once against them,” said the commandant eagerly. “Hold, general! I have already seen Captain la Clyde, and, by this time he has a troop ready. It was through his kindness I found you here. “The orderly outside your door is a man whose life I have twice saved, and he bade me enter and clear my character, which Major Belden was defaming. Now, general, if you will just give an order to see that Miss Carter and her father are comfortably looked after, I will guide you in pursuit of Ricardo and his men.”