Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1868-10-24
WILD BILLS REVENGE.
A WESTERN STORY.


Wild Bill has always been acknowl.
edged as peculiar and original charac.
ter, and really one Of the institutions
of the far West. Bill is a good friend,
terrible enemy, and an inveterate hater
of Indians. Even the Pawnees, who
have identified themselves with the reg.
ular army of the United States, find lit.
tie favor at his hands, although he con
tents himself with letting them "severe-
ly alone," always excepting such cases
as the detection of a treacherous red.
skin among them. When such a per.
son is fouCd among their number, woe
betide the dusky dog, if be should
come under the notice of Wild Bill.
had remained in the billiard room
adjoining the Suffers store all day.
was not brave enough to venture abroad
and face the cutting storm-a winters
in Colorado-especially as we were sur.
rounded by jolly companions, the "hot
comfort" was being freely brewed and
we we're comfortable within, while the
tempest howled without.
Suddenly the door was thrown open,
and man whom l at once recognized
as Wild Bill, entered. Nor was this all
He was followed by his favorite mare,
Nell. The beast was in foam, and
trembled as if her strength had been
overtasked Without word Bill walk.
ed to the bar and received glass full
of liquor, dashed it over his horse, and
then placed himself outside of CON-
Portable quantity. This done, he threw
himself into chair and exclaimed 81
don't suppose that l can get squad Of
the cavalry tonight, and so / shall have
to go alone"
"What's up, Bill ?" asked, ,one of our
party, all of whom had become consid.
erably curious on account of the unu-
sual excitement displayed by that per.
son. He gave his boot slash with bis
riding whip, and replied: "Nell has
brought me good wenty miles through
this storm, and her work isn't done yet.
Another ten, and perhaps hundreds,
must be travelled over before she or
can rest"
'Then you have an important case
in hand ?''
aImportant should think so. But
I'll tell you what it is. Long Dick
came to me only few hours since and
tol me that Red Ryan, or bloody Ry.
an, as he is called. is on his way to this
neighborhood, with about dozen of hi.
renegade cutthroats. know very well
what he's after. He'll kill Jack Sin
gleton and take his wife, Katie, to the
mou ntains. That's his game, sure, and
by thunder I'm going to block it Ad
jutant, do you think General Potter
will let me have dozen men of the
Second ?"
81 am afraid not, unless your infor
nation is positive that there is grea,
DANGER" replied Webster. "The nigh
is going to be too severe for either man
or beast to venture abroad"
"Not for me or Nell," was the some
what irritable response. eve cam
either of us die in better cause, and
so we're off," Bill led his animal forth
again, leaped into the saddle and then
both horse and rider disappeared in the
binding snow.
The Singleton family, of whom Bill
had spoken, lived about ten miles above
Fort Sedgwick, upon the banks of the
Platte river. 1t co. sisted Of the hus.
band, wife, and little daughter about
three years of age. When we saw the
earnestness of Bill, we were convinced
that there was reason for uneasiness
and in few moments dozen of us had
resolved to mount our Eorses and follow
on. To resolve was to act, ard we were
all soon under way.
The night, or rather the early portion
of it, was one of the most bitter evel
Experienced. The snow was very deep
and was crusted over, SO that there wa.
constant crash-crash as oul
horses proceeded, breaking through al
every step. The wind beloved fear
fully, and cutting sleet was falling al
most sharp enough to peel the flesh from
ones bones. And yet we rode forwart
at rapid rate, for we all felt certain
that we should meet with some decided
adventure before morning.
The leader of our party was gentle
man thoroughly acquainted with from
tier life, and his practised eyes and ears
could detect many things which woult
not be observed by common mortals.-
This fact was definitely decided wher
he suddenly turned to us and said =
Boys, don't let your revolvers get wei
for you will have occasion to use then
very soon.''
"What makes you think so?" l ask
ed, the blood tingling in my veins al
the thoughts of an Indian fight.
"Can't you see for yourselfy" he in
quired.
81 confess that I can see very littls
on account Of this pelting sIeet. What
do you seei"
"Just look ahead. You'll see thai
dead west there is kind of red lighl
spread over the sky, just as if the sur
was rising. Now, according to my ed
ucation it don't come up on that side o.
the globe, and so l conclude there is I
fire q very great distance ahead. Th.
burning Of q cabin built Of logs and
dobies don't make q very big Ere. W.
are now within two miles of Jack Sin
gleton's rancho, or where it did stand
But take my word for it, it won't b.
there when we arrive. Bill has met ths