Читать книгу Buffalo Bill, Peacemaker; Or, On a Troublesome Trail онлайн

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When the craze for diamonds had died out, the barons developed another hobby. This time their barbaric fancy ran to watches, watch charms, and chains.

Wild Bill, old Nomad and Little Cayuse reached Hackamore in time to witness an object lesson in the reckless extravagance of the time and place. They were in the town many hours before Buffalo Bill had dropped through the roof of the dugout; in fact, they had reached Hackamore in ample time to put out their horses and sit in at dinner in the shack hotel.

The baron was not with them. He had heard of a German rancher, living five miles out of Hackamore, and had separated from his pards to make the rancher’s acquaintance and gossip for a while in the language of the fatherland. Whenever the baron met a fellow countryman, there always followed a talkfest—and the baron would go many miles out of his way for a talkfest.

Dinner over, Wild Bill, Nomad, and Cayuse strolled out into Hackamore’s main street. Their legs were cramped from much saddle work and needed stretching. Also, anything in the nature of a town appealed to them after miles of lonely plains and unoccupied wilderness.