d have made his successful dash into our lines earlier
in the day, the attack would have been made sooner, and greater results
might have been expected. The Confederates had suspected him of being a
spy for two or three days, and had watched him too closely to allow an
opportunity to get away from them sooner. His unfortunate companion who
had been shot, was a scout from Springfield, Missouri, whose name I
cannot now remember.

From this time on, Wild Bill and myself continued to scout together until
Price's army was driven south of the Arkansas River and the pursuit
abandoned. We then returned to Springfield, Missouri, for a rest and for
supplies, and Wild Bill and myself spent two weeks there in "having a
jolly good time," as some people would express it.

CHAPTER XII.

A WEDDING.

It was during the winter of 1864-65, while I was on detached service at
military headquarters, at St. Louis, that I became acquainted with a
young lady named Louisa Frederici, whom I greatly admired and in whose
charming society I spent many a pleasant hour. The war closing in
1865, I was discharged, and after a brief visit at Leavenworth I
returned to St. Louis, having made up my mind to capture the heart of
Miss Frederici, whom I now adored above any other young lady I had ever
seen. Her lovely face, her gentle disposition and her graceful manners
won my admiration and love; and I was not slow in declaring my
sentiments to her. The result was that I obtained her consent to marry
me in the near future, and when I bade her good-bye I considered myself
one of the happiest of men.

Meantime I drove a string of horses from Leavenworth to Fort Kearney,
where I met my old friend Bill Trotter, who was then division stage
agent. He employed me at once to drive stage between Kearney and Plum
Creek, the road running near the spot where I had my first Indian fight
with the McCarthy brothers, and where I killed my first Indian, nearly
nine years before. I drove stage over this route until February, 1866,
and while bounding over the cold, dreary road day after day, my thoughts
turned continually towards my promised bride, until I at last determined
to abandon staging forever, and marry and settle down. Immediately after
coming to this conclusion, I went to St. Louis, where I was most
cordially received by my sweetheart; it was arranged between us that our
wedding should take place on the 6th day of March, following.

At last the day arri