The sheriff and his deputy lay dead,
while the mounted outlaws had long since fled.
Are you just going to let them get away?
a young woman steps up among them to say.

All the townsfolk, who were thus gathered 'round,
only lower their eyes till they face the ground.
Just what is it you would have us do?
Risk more lives, and in the doing, lose ours too?

With a determined look set in her eye,
Belle mounted her steed, for she had to try.
Though it was clear, Annie Oakley, she was not,
she would see that, somehow, the killers were caught.

It was not long before she found their trail.
With perseverance Belle knew she would prevail.
Realizing she needed some sort of a plan;
a myriad of thoughts through her mind ran.

She, at first, had no clue as to how it could be done,
for what she had with her was one shotgun,
along with her gear, a knife and a rope.
It was in these things that Belle put all her hope.

She would have to act with swiftness and cunning,
and not just simply go after them gunning.
When she came to the place where they had bed down,
Belle almost wished that she was back in town.

In her heart Belle knew she could not let them win,
for due to them, the town had lost two good men.
She awaits anxiously all through the night;
because at daybreak she would have to fight.

When the first light of day finally appears,
Belle stands in readiness, despite her fears.
Shotgun aimed, her targets all within sight,
she prepares for the battle with all her might.

The leader heads for Belle, shooting as he runs;
the loop of her rope snares him, as on he comes.
The rest all send out a hail of bullets,
while refuge behind some cover she gets.

She starts firing back; aiming for arms and legs,
till for mercy from her, all but one begs.
This outlaw comes at her, ready to kill.
Against him, Belle would need all her luck and skill.

Out of ammo, there is but one thing to try,
so Belle takes her knife and she lets it fly.
Both hands now hanging useless, he backs down.
With them rounded up, she heads back to the town.

Once there, she saw to it they were put in jail.
Belle then recites her most heroic tale.
As the town folk lend their ears they swear her in,
while they pin upon her a badge of tin.

She was now ready to uphold the law;
just as also, had been her brother and pa.
She was willing to give it her very best;
this young lady known as Belle of the west.