myself were buried beneath the
mountain of rock, but we were gazing at them the while and watched them
ride away. Some time after I found that others had come into the canyon,
and I discovered that it was a camp of outlaws, while more still, I saw
that they had a female captive.

"I crept near enough at night to hear and see all, and I saw a young and
beautiful girl, and the outlaw lieutenant held her a captive for his
chief, until a large ransom was paid for her by the miners of Last
Chance.

"I at once decided to act, and, having seen them start with her to give
her up for ransom, I came on my way to find Buffalo Bill and guide him
to the retreat of the outlaws. That young girl, sir, gave the name of
Celeste Seldon. She is my daughter.

"Now, Surgeon Powell, you have my story, and my comrade is in my camp,
awaiting my return!"

Frank Powell was greatly impressed with the story of the gold-hunter, to
which he had listened with the deepest attention. After he had heard all
he said:

"My dear pard, you have made a very valuable discovery indeed, and
Buffalo Bill will be only too glad to have you guide him to the outlaw
camp, for that is his mission and mine here. I sincerely hope that your
daughter will be given up in safety to the miners, and that her ransom
will be recovered."

"She will be given up in safety, sir, I am certain, for I have perfect
confidence in the outlaw lieutenant, who told his story to Celeste, and
I only ask that he may not share the fate of the other outlaws," and the
gold-hunter made known what had occurred between Wolf and Celeste, and
Doctor Powell replied:

"I agree with you, and if he acts squarely toward Miss Seldon, I will
urge that he be allowed to go free, when his comrades are to hang."

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

A LEAF FROM THE PAST.

When the surgeon-scout was guided to the deserted camp by Andrew Seldon,
he at once saw that Buffalo Bill had not reached there. But there he was
to wait for him, and so the horses were staked out and the two made
themselves at home there.

Doctor Powell went to have a look at the grave of Black-heart Bill, and
the inscription upon the white bark of the aspen-tree, and said, as he
read the name:

"Hugh Mayhew was his name."

"Yes, sir."

"There was a Sergeant Manton Mayhew killed at Fort Faraway by Sergeant
Wallace Weston, who was sentenced to be shot for the deed, but escaped
the very moment of his execution."

"Was he never capture