“Señorita, I will keep it as a souvenir of you; it will doubtless be a charm to protect me. I thank you.”
Again bidding the beautiful girl good-by, Buffalo Bill left the garden, crossed the plaza to where his horse awaited him, and rode toward the gate.
There stood the keeper, who now saluted him with marked respect, again saying:
“You are the first stranger, señor, who ever gained entrance to this hacienda.”
As Buffalo Bill rode along he was not forgetful of being in great danger, and he was surprised when he did not see the ranch cowboys he had seen when he was on his way to visit the fair hermit. He was riding quietly along when he saw a horseman approaching, a splendid-looking man, well mounted, and with silver-mounted Mexican saddle and bridle.
Buffalo Bill knew him at once from what he had heard of the cowboy king.
Both saluted and halted, the cowboy king saying:
“I shall make it my affair, Señor Cody, and you are covered by my men,” responded the cowboy king.
It was true, for four men were peering over a rock with rifles leveled at the scout, who said:
“So it seems; but do you not respect this badge?” and he pointed to the pin Suelo had given him.
“Not this time, for you are too dangerous a man to be at large. I know you, Buffalo Bill.”
“And I know you, now, for you were a deserter from the army, and later became a finished cutthroat; but I thought you were dead, Dallas Mowbray.”
“No, I left the northern country several years ago, as it became too hot for me, and came back to the Southwest, for I am really a Mexican, you know, and was once an officer of the Mexican army, but was exiled for certain acts. You see, I don’t mind telling you, as I regard you as good as dead.”
“Thanks; but while there is life, there is hope.”
“So I have found out; but I’ll fix you now--ho, men, come here!”
The four men came, their rifles still loaded; but as they neared the scout there were several shots heard--then one.
The first came from some thick timber close at hand, and the four men with rifles dropped dead.
The single shot was from Buffalo Bill’s revolver, who was quick to take advantage of the volley in his favor. He had sent a bullet through the heart of the cowboy king.
The next moment Texas Jack, four of his pards, with Señor Otega and his cowboy chief, Palma, came into view.