d a man ride alone into such a gloomy, terror-haunted
domain?
The knights of old, who sallied forth in search of dismal ogres
and noxious dragons, were not of stouter heart, and they breasted
only fancied perils.

Twelve o'clock! The night had a thousand eyes, but they did
not pierce
the darkness of the foothills.

Ah! A thin ribbon of light curled upward for an instant, then
vanished.
Will was safe thus far. But there were many hours--and the
darkest--before the dawn, and I carried to my bed the
larger share of my forebodings.

Next day the scout came home to report the exact location
of the hostile-Sioux. The troops, ready for instant action,
were hurled against them, and the Indians were thoroughly thrashed.
A large number of chiefs were captured, among them "Red Shirt,"
an interesting redskin, who afterward traveled with the "Wild
West."

Captive chiefs were always esteemed of great interest by the ladies
of the fort. To me the braves taken in the last raid were
remarkable
mainly for economy of apparel and sulkiness of demeanor.

This same fall the fort was visited by a gentleman introduced as
Colonel Judson, though the public knows him better as "Ned
Buntline,"
the story-writer. He desired to accompany the scouts on a certain
proposed trip, and Major Brown informed Will that the ulterior
motive
of the author was to project Buffalo Bill into a novel as hero.

"Now, I'd look pretty in a novel, wouldn't I?" said Will,
sarcastically and blushingly.

"Yes, I think you would," returned the major, eying the other's
splendid proportions critically.

Whereupon the scout blushed again, and doffed his sombrero in
acknowledgment
of the compliment, for--

"'Tis pleasant, sure, to see one's name in print;
A book's a book, although there's nothing in't."

A retired naval officer, Ned Buntline wore a black undress military
suit. His face was bronzed and rugged, determined yet kindly; he walked
with a slight limp, and carried a cane. He shook Will's hand cordially
when they were introduced, and expressed great pleasure in the meeting.
This was the genesis of a friendship destined to work great changes in
Buffalo Bill's career.

During the scouting expedition that followed, t