INDEX

Page.

CHAPTER I.

Preface — Introductory — What "Bat" Masterson Said of "Billy" Dixon — How the Story of His Life Was Written — Mrs. Dixon's Devoted Industry in Setting Down the Facts of Her Husband's Life — Fascination of the Plains Country 10

CHAPTER II.

Dixon's Birth and Boyhood — Death of His Parents — From West Virginia to Home of Uncle in Missouri — Lured by Romance of Plains, the Boy Starts in Search of Adventure — Reaches Leavenworth, Kas., and Becomes a Bull-Whacker — Across the Plains — Hires to Farmer McCall 17

CHAPTER III.

To Fort Harker with a Drove of "Shave-tails" — Kills His First Buffalo — The Medicine Lodge Treaty — Approaching Indians — Stirring Scenes — General Harney — Satanta and His Horse — Back to Fort Harker — Prairie Fires 46

CHAPTER IV.

To Baxter Springs, Kas., in 1868 — Hauling Munitions of War to Camp Supply for the Custer Expedition — All the Mules Stampede in Harness — Now Eighteen Years Old and as Hard as Nails — Begins Hunting Buffaloes for their Hides — Establishes a Road Ranch South of Hays City — Lost at Night 76

CHAPTER V.

Dodge City in 1872 — Dixon Never Danced or Gambled — "Cranky" McCabe — Dangerous Country South of the Arkansas — Indian Scare — Name at Boiling Spring on the South Pawnee — Sham Duel — On the Cimarron in 1873 — Prowling Cheyennes — Company M and the Al Frio — History of Buffalo Spring 104

CHAPTER VI.

Down in the Texas Panhandle — Ruins of Original Adobe Walls — Back to Dodge City — Fitting Out of Big Expedition to Hunt Buffaloes — The Tempestuous and Spectacular Fairchild — Night Camp in the Plains Country — Dancing on a Dry Buffalo Hide — Floods and Quicksands — Meets Jim and Bob Cator — Fun with Fairchild 142

CHAPTER VII.

The Buffalo-Hunters Establish Themselves at Adobe Walls and Erect Buildings — Origin of old Adobe Walls — A Long Circle in Search of the Best Hunting Grounds — Roaring of the Vast Herd — Business Begins in Earnest — Caught in Canadian Quicksands — News at Adobe Walls of Indian Outbreaks — Dixon Forms Hunting Partnership with Hanrahan — Location of Buildings at Adobe Walls — Fancied Security 171

CHAPTER VIII.

A Thousand Indians Attack Adobe Walls at Dawn — Dixon Tries to Save His Horse — Escape of Billy Ogg — The First Mighty Warwhoop — The Battle Begins — Indians Charge to the Sound of A Bugle — Bugler Shot — Dixon's Marksmanship — Indians no Match for Hunters — Running for Supply of Ammunition — The Shadlers and Billy Tyler Killed 200

CHAPTER IX.

Dixon's Fall in Rath's Store — Companions Fear He is Shot — Dead Warrior's Lance — Dismal Cawing of Pet Crow — Wounded Horses — Killing an Indian at 1200 Yards — Henry Lease Goes for Help — Old Man Bellfield and the Black Flag — Death of William Olds — Lost Relics 218

CHAPTER X.

Depredations of Indians — Quanah Parker — Buffalo-Hunting Abandoned — Departure for Dodge City — Dixon Becomes a Scout Under General Miles — Back to Adobe Walls with Lieutenant Frank Baldwin — Indians Kill George Huffman in Sight of Soldiers — Terror of the Negro Cook — Pleasing Story of Dixon's Dog — Fannie and Her Pups 237

CHAPTER XI.

Dixon's Most Perilous Adventure — Buffalo Wallow Fight — Terrible Suffering of Wounded Companions — Rescues Amos Chapman — Indians Charging Upon all Sides — Saved by a Cold September Rain — The Long, Dreary Night — Death of Smith — Dixon Starts for Aid — Meets Wagon Train Escorted by Major Price — Heartless Indifference to Wounded Men — Help Comes from General Miles — The Medal of Honor Awarded 254

CHAPTER XII.

Blizzard Experience — Shooting at Jack Stilwell's Ear — Indignation and Horror of Old Army Officer — Rescue of the Germain Captives — Finding of Julia and Adelaide in Gray Beard's Deserted Camp — Pitiable Objects — Catherine and Sophia Carried to the Staked Plains — Restored by Chief Stone Calf — With Captain Nolan on the Staked Plains — No Water — Finds Double Lakes and Saves Command 281

CHAPTER XIII.

Back to Civilian Life — Builds His Home at Old Adobe Walls — Plants First Alfalfa in Panhandle — The Dixon Orchard — Appointed Postmaster — Candy and Chewing Gum for the Cowboys — Married in 1894 — Serves as Justice-of-the-Peace and Sheriff — Panhandle Pioneers — Changing Conditions — Breaking up of Big Cattle Ranches — Dixon Goes Further West to Cimarron County — Would Live it All Over Again — Helped Build an Empire in the West. 301