Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 1049) (1897 08 31)
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—— | were old friends. 2 Queen Edna, of the Panthers CYCLONE SAUL’S SEARCH. BY WM. R. EYSTER, AUTHOR OF ‘‘ THE DUDE DETECTIVE,” ‘‘ THE ALL-AROUND SPORT,” ETC., ETC. CHAPTER I. FOUR WEIRD GUIDES. “Friend or foe? “You say. I’m ‘not hunting hard for either.” “Call your cats to heel, and we'll ‘talk the matter over.” “ Wouldn’t do a bit. of good. They are running. this thing to suit themselves. I reckon’ they, mean you well, but I wouldn’t swear to it. I’m alive, and that’s the best I can say for them.” The young fellow lounged back as he spoke, and the four panthers looked around them with that far-away glare in their eyes which means more than the observer knows. Out on the plain Tom Calvert, the first speaker, was reining in his calico mustang, which snorted, and gave other evidences of discontent at the presence of unwelcome neighbors. Had it not been held by a firm and fearless hand, it would doubtless have bolted at the first discovery of the strangely assorted quintette, of man and catamounts. “Well, say, are the brutes tame?” “You say. I’m still outside.” “Tf you can risk them, I guess I can. If they are going to make trouble, two to four renders the odds a shade better. I’m coming in.” “All right! May as well have the cir- cus now as later on, and I’d just as soon have you for a pard as any over strang- er. Leave- your cayeuse out there, though. There is water here, and he won’t go far from it, if his looks count.” “Right you are,” answered Calvert, springing down, and speaking a low word or two to the mustang, which had somewhat recovered from its terror. Without apparent, uneasiness the young man strode forward. The panthers arose, stretched them- selves, and glided toward him. A trifling mistake about the temper of the usually untamable brutes might make trouble beyond remedy. The young fellow on the ground never offered to rise, but rolled lazily. over to the right, which action brought his right wrist across the butt of the Winchester, over which, a moment before, one of the animals had been crouching. In a second he could begin work! Calvert was, if anything, cooler. His bright eyes met those of the brutes as they advanced, and there was in the smile with which he received their ad- vances both distrust and preparation; but in a moment he spoke: “There’s no mistake about it; the kit- tens are glad to see me. If I couldn’t swear to the other thing, I’d say they What does it mean?” The beasts actually were fawning at the feet of an utter stranger, and he pushed them aside with a “ glad-to-see- you-but-get-out-of-the-way ” air. “ Reckon it means they aren’t hungry. - Along toward morning will be the time but, I would just as soon they had busi- (news somewhere else,” to say what else. They. may go for us; they may be satisfied with horseflesh. _ The cusses were so everlasting friendly couldn’t t bear to give them a shock; Queen Edna, of the Panthers. “Looks to me as though they were lost; but, that’s a tough theory. They must have a friend somewhere that has trained them up to the queen’s taste. Let them go till they show different colors. Which way are you drifting? It’s a blessed thing to strike a man here who looks as though he would do to tie to.” “Thankee! Your humble servant is out on the make, but might not object to apard. My name is Saul Sanders; other- wise Cyclone Saul. Present avocation, a hunter of a hidden treasure. If I’m not mistaken, you are right on the same line. Chances are, both will go up the flume before we reach the richness. I’m young in years, but I have a veteran head. If you say, ‘pards,’ here’s my hand.” “T have heard of you, and there’s no one I would sooner have met. As to treasure—l’ve got one in view, but it’s not the same as yours, I’ll be sworn. Help me and I'll help you. As for filthy lucre—I’ve got all I need of it, so there is no danger our interests will clash.” The two gripped hands while Calvert was speaking. Here, on the edge of the desert, with no sign of human habitation or life about them, was a good place to make a quick friendship, and each looked as though he was fit to be near the best. “Can’t imagine what brought you here, all by your lonesome self, unless it was some such scent as drew me; but if you say not, we’ll let it go till you’re ready to say. more. Perhaps we’re not headed the same way, after all. As I said, I’m not yearning for a pard; yet, I’ll take one of the right stripe.” Calvert smiled, though it was a trifle nervously, and gazed into his compan- ion’s face a few seconds before answer- ing: “Oh, I may as well own up first as last. There is a woman in the case. This seems: like a hard road for you and me to travel; what must it be for a del- icate girl?” “Short cut for lunacy. Has she got it bad?” “T do not know. We haveanever been near enough for her to give me her con- fidence—perhaps I went over the line when I dared to urge one who was a comparative stranger to turn back, of- fering, if there was need, to taxe her place.” “ Bet you a dollar she didn’t think so. But, don’t it strike you she may be on the line I meant to follow? She’s not ex- actly alone, is she?” “No. She has a companion who seems to know the way. Though I followed at a distance, after being actually driven back by her words, and imagined I had done so carefully, he must have discov- ered me, and acted accordingly. The trail has vanished, and I am in doubt which way to turn. Perhaps your way will be as well as any.” “Companion, eh? A little, gnarled old man, who looks like a walnut log with a big knot on the end, and stuck up on two dead limbs? ” Calvert smiled again, this time at the earnestness of his companion and the mental picture his words called up. “Something very like to that. He evi- dently had no love for me. I should hate to meet him alone, where all the advantage lay. on his side.” ve “So you ought to if he drew a bead on you inside of a thousand yards. At that distance, or under, old Planthunter is perfect death. Didn’t give you any clear idea of which way they were going?” ‘the conference. “No, except that the aie en was long. ‘and dangerous’ “TI believe you, my boy. It must be so. The Planthuinter has been gathering something more than herbs. But, I do not understand the woman.” “ Confound it, I don’t see how you came to understand anything at all about it. I just begin to see how strange it is. What do you know about the man you call Planthunter?”’ “Keep your soul in patience; I’ll tell you later on. Our friends, the big cats, are beginning to be impatient, and it may be as well to keep an eye on them. I never did trust the breed.” During the brief conversation the pan- thers had been drawn up in a line at some little distance, watching the two after a fashion which seemed to bespeak intelligence of no low grade. Now, they acted as though uneasy at They looked at the two men; then back at a narrow opening which led away among the rocks. Three of them whined, while the fourth ad- vanced a step or two, eyeing the stranger after an expectant fashion. “Looks as though they wanted to say something, and weren’t exactly sure about the best way of doing it. is it, old fellow? Play me fair, and I’m your solid friend. Play me foul, you'll find trouble in the family.” Saul spoke carelessly, but Calvert de- tected in the tones a something which said the young fellow meant what he said, and would not be trifled with. The adventure began to look more than ever serious. To this very moment he had not been able to convince himself that Sanders was altogether in ignorance in regard to the brutes and their owner. ad he felt as uncertain at the first he might have had more uncomfortable feel- ings than the ones which began to press upou him just now. He looked them over closer. “They mean to be on their good be- havior; but, all the same, they intend to have what they want. Can’t you guess what that may. be?” “T made a guess at that long ago; but I wasn’t just sure. And if I had been I would have thought twice before I went their way.” “You mean—?” “That they want us to follow them. See! That big one is saying it as plain as day can be. Get over your prejudices and they are just like overgrown dogs. Fact is, I’d sooner meet them than wild canines of the same weight. Shall we follow?” “Follow?” echoed Calvert, hesitatiag- ly, yet more than half convinced. “Where do you suppose they would lead? ” “That’s the rub. It‘may be their owner is in a tight place and has sent -them off for help. Then, again, it is just as likely they will’ take us into a trap of | some kind. There’s too blamed much in- telligence in the big one’s eyes. I’m half © inclined to dismiss them with my, bless- ing.” “And I say, follow. There seems to be too wonderful a chance in this to slight it.” “Follow goes, if they show us a lead. Here, you bruftes, strike out! We are with you till the dawn.” He snapped his fingers, and gave a gesture that told the animals to go ahead. At the same time his hand slipped along the stock of his Winchester until the hammer was under his thumb. If this | friendliness was all pretense, he was ready for the time when the mask dropped off. The panthers saw, and, apparently, un- ae air, tumbled one over r the | What. and derstood, for they leaped Play fully: ‘into other in
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i: . ing of being tired. a aoe Queen Edna, of the Panthers. 3 sport, and then, glancing over their shoulders to make sure they were fol- lowed, gamboled along the narrow way which led between the rocks. CHAPTER II. A MAGICAL DISAPPEARANCE. The four panthers strode on ahead, with a low, lounging gait, never looking to the right nor the left, and apparently oblivious of the two who toiled on in their rear. As for the pair, a‘night and a day had passed since they had turned away, as they thought, from the edge of the desert, and they looked much the worse for wear, Saul Sanders had lost his air of jaunty self-assurance, while there was a half- dazed look on Tom Calvert’s face. If’ they had been walking automatons they could not have plodded on in a more mechanical way. Yet, they did not have a conscious feel- Although they had eaten but sparingly from the haversack at Calvert’s shoulder, neither was hun- gry, and the one canteen was. not near exhausted, though they had been shar- ing its contents between them on a jour- ney which under ordinary circumstances would have filled them with a burning thirst, though with unlimited springs to draw from. At times they still talked, though It Was more and more seldom that one ad- dressed the other. For half an hour neither had spoken. Then, the voice of Sanders arose above the low sound of their feet crunching through the gravel. “More than you bargained for, pard,” he murmured, in a strangely even tone. “Don’t it strike you there’s some- thing mighty queer about all this thing? ” * Queer or not, I’m going to follow it * to the end. Go back if you want to give it up; I’m enlisted for the war.” “That’s just it. I feel the same way her But, how did we come to en- st? ” Calvert stared straight ahead. The question had no interest for him, “ Supposing I drew a bead on the high mogul of our guides, and dropped her cold, don’t you think it would bring matters to a focus? I’m not exactly scared, but I’d like to know what this is all about.” “We agreed to follow, did we not?” “Yes; but we didn’t say we wouldn’t stop.” “Stop, then!” “Confound it, I don’t want to stop, and that’s what makes me warm. Are we both fools? ” Calvert had no answer ready. Indeed, he wanted none. The further he had gone the less he felt like stopping, and though they had taken some hours of rest the previous night, in a natural state he would have wondered why it was that he could drag one foot after another. Saul Sanders was affected in somewhat the same way, but he did not yield so readily to the possession. Like Calvert, he had no desire to halt until he had come to the end of the journey, but curiosity was not altogeth- er dead within him, and had his com- panion been willing to discuss the mat- ter he might have speculatedamore deep- ly, concerning what he began to see, if not ertirely realize, was a mystery. The interest he had shown, however, was but momentary. Soon he was plod- 35 ding on sis ca as grimly and silently as and by they y came to a huge pile of ders, apparently hontabd Bad in some convulsion of nature, yet almost fash- ioned as if by the hand of man. An arched recess, that, to unfettered eyes, would have looked cool and invit- ing, wooed them to rest; and, as it ap- peared, with success. Calvert staggered within its shadow and threw himself down upon a sandy floor, that made a couch fit for a king, to his strained senses. Saul followed more deliberately. He was conscious their guides had vanished, and he was not at all certain this was not their den. The climax might be near at hand. He took a sitting posture, with his back against the rock, and his gun’ rest- ing across his knees. His face turned to the opening, and he was ready to shoot on sight, Yet, for all of this precaution, he closed his eyes, and before a moment had seemed to pass he was asleep. Tom Calvert was already snoring. How long the latter slumbered he could not have even guessed. He awoke suddenly, and with all his senses about him save his memory—if that could be called a sense. He looked around him, wondering where he was and how he had got there. The last he remembered was standing at the edge of the desert, talking with an unknown young man, while four panthers were cutting antics that were somewhat strange. Where were they now? ‘Had he and his companion dared to go to sleep with such dangerous guests near? Undoubtedly, he had just awak- ened; while propped against the wall, his gun in his hand, was the stranger. A slight rustle near caused him to turn his head toward the opening into the arch. Was it the light footfall of one of the beasts of prey? His hand dropped to his revolver instantly, and he was on the alert. At the same instant a flood of light illuminated the recess, and he saw a fig- ure moving toward him which was sure- ly human. It might have risen out of the ground, so mysteriously did it appear, and his fingers unloosened from the butt of his pistol as he recognized a woman! From her side a shapely arm rose, until her forefinger pointed straight at him, and without a word from either the two looked at each other. The woman was still young. And beautiful! He had never imag- ined anything half so bewildering as that magnificent face which looked down upon him with a royal air of command, though the expression was not altogeth- er unkindly. He scarce noted the cling- ing garments of purest white, or the one great diamond which blazed like a star just above the line where her midnight hair, and low, broad, white brow met. His eyes droppéd under her magnetic gaze, and he bowed low before her, with hands clasped. “Come!” she commanded, and, turn- ing, floated away, as it seemed to him. In front of her the solid rock appeared to open, revealing a narrow, but bright- ly lighted passage. Springing forward, Tom Calvert followed the swift-moving figure, never appearing to notice that the rocks had come together again in his rear, and before they closed the panthers dropped in behind him. Just at that moment Saul Sanders was | rubbing his eyes, to dispel what seemed to him a singular dream. To his mind, it appeared, it certainly must have been a vision, since the recess was now altogether dark; and how could there have been a woman there, talking | wit, set pasa? He spoke, and his voice had regained its careless, confident ‘tone. “Say there, Calvert, where are you? Something must have hit me a rap on the head, for I have been seeing more stars than you could shake a stick at. Where the deuce are we, anyhow?” No answer came, and the youth rubbed his face thoughtfully, trying to bring back the particulars of what appeared almost, if not altogether, like a fading dream, “Tf I wasn’t in a strange place, and no other way to tell how I got here, I'd swear there never was such a person as Tom Calvert, and the four cats were @ picture on a circus bill that I saw din the years before I struck this beastly coun- try. Maybe I’ve ben wandering in the bad lands, and lost my head. Let’s see how this thing pans out.” Muttering so to himself, Saul fumbled in his pockets, and produced a box of taper matches. Carefully he ignited one of these, and held it up, while he peered around. There could be no dream about this. He saw the same arched recess of which, a few moments before, he had a~glimpse; but at the further end nothing but solid rock met his view. “When a man begins to see things like that, it is pretty, sure his brain’s not in tip-top running order. The soon- er I get out into the open and take my bearings the better. Canteen don’t seem to be empty, and there's still something —hello! Where did the haversack come from? Don’t seem to be exactly a dream, after all.” Sure enough; here was an article which certainly was not his, yet it swung across his shoulder as though it belonged there. He stumbled out into the open air and looked around him. Behind him rose the huge pile of rocks, a strange, inexplicable landmark. Every- where else, as far as he could see, was the level desert, shading away into gloom, despite the star-hung heavens above. “There’s the guide stars to the left, pointing straight to the north star, and here comes the night wind on the right, up from the south. I have been tramp- ing in a dream, but all the time as I wanted to go. To-morrow I will keep on. Nightfall will find me at the land of the sunken canyon. The work has be- gun fairly well. But the stranger I met last night, an hour before sundown—he puzzles me. Will we meet again?” — CHAPTER III. VISITORS IN THE VALLEY. Two persons were camped in a dingle. One of them was a wizen-faced, bent little man, of age so great that it be- gan to be uncertain, though his little, ) brown eyes gleamed brightly over the © thick growth of hair which covered his face. He was clad in a suit of brown buck- skin, well worn by long service, and in the belt around his waist swung a knife and revolver. A repeating rifle was al- ways near his hand, if not actually in it, and he gave the impression of one ever on the alert from some expected, but hidden, danger. His companion was a girl-woman, of perhaps nineteen. Her figure was not too slight, though supple and swaying; her face showed the bright hues of health through the brown which sun ahd wind had given it. Her costume also was of buckskin, but richly beaded, and might have been made ; for an Indian queen; while her slender, ex ee feet were Sap in Loopreseann ‘ oy ene ee ——
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4 Queen Edna, of the Panthers. No Indian was she, however. Her eyes were a soft brown, and her hair, which fell over her shoulders in a mass of soft, regular curls, was a chest- nut-tinted bronze. “Stiddy, gal! Ett won’t do ter be too brash. We're a doin’ well. Ett’s more years ner you hev numbered sense 1 war in these regions afore, an’ I don’t know who’s kim sence. Ef thar’s men hyer, most like they ain’t ther kind you an’ me wants ter meet ’thout lookin’ over ther ground aforehand.” “But, why this delay? The whole day I have spent here, while you have hardly. ventured a mile beyond this spot. Yet we have seen no signs that any one but ourselves has penetrated this wilder- ness.” * Speak fur yerself, gal. You hevn’t. But my old eyes kin see writin’ your’n ain’t used ter. We spent a heap ov time so fur, an’ made good progriss. I ain’t throwin’ ett all away. Recommember ett’s your safety I’m figgerin’ fur. Ef I war by meself little I’d keer fur foe, er stranger, I mout find in tuis kentry.” “Yet, if we find any one, it isa chance that it will be the one man I would most yearn to see if I could have hopes that he still lived.” “Don’t furgit thar are others. He mout not kim alone. Trust Planthunier, gal. Yer ther f’ust livin’ bein’ I’ve cot- toned to en a long, long time, an’ [ll kerry yer through er turn toes up; but I got ter take my time an’ way.” “ And you are sure it is not alla fable and a dream? That there is such a place as the one I have described? ”’ “ Sure and sart’in. These old eyes hev’ seen it, but it war many an’ many a year ago. In a day er two l kin show ett to yer, most like. Ett’s a hugersome, desarted ruin, set in a valley, an’ when I war thar no foot ov man had trod ther inside fur ez many years afore. Wish I war sure ett war ther same way sence. But, I’ve hed warnin’s an’ seed sights. I told yer all about ’em at ther start, an’ ett ain’t w’uth while ter go over ’em ag’in. P’rhaps I’m wrong—mebbe no. But ett won’t hurt ter be sure.” “For how long are we to camped here?” “ Not fur ez long, mebbe, ez we'd o'rter. Ther moon are growin’, an’ ef yer thinks yer hez ther stren’th we may go for’ards. Thar’s a hidin’ place ez I recollects, ez we kin strike along a leetle afore morn- in’, an’ thar we'll lay low, onless ther way looks cl’ar fur shore.” “To-night, you say? Why not now? q am so tired of this waiting!” She raised herself to her full height, and stretched ‘her arms above her head, speaking to herself in a low tone: “To think, after all this time of ‘si- lence and doubt, this message should come to me out of the sea: ‘A strange adventure. A partner, and yet a slave in a strange region once de- scribed by a man who wandered, and who called himself Planthunter. It may mean death, or it may mean unbounded wealth. There are others, more des- perate than I, but she rules them all save their leader. What the end will be I dare not say; but if it is life and wealth, it is all for you, my child.’ So his letter read, and, knowing that all this danger was for me, what less could I do than find him? He is bewitched, enchanted, and I will come to break the charm. What will be the cost?” She was silent a moment as she thought. The question had its terrors. Then, she drew herself up once more: “What can come but victory and joy? Speed hours; come moonlight; welcome remain the unknown; let the gates of enchant- ment open! Arla Earl walks to her birthright! ” With the flush of hope on her face, and her eyes glittering in the light that comes from the chance of realization, she stepped firmly out, as though she was going on her way at once. But Planthunter was not looking at her. He was gazing down to where the walls of the glen seemed almost to come together. There seemed something there more interesting than the antics of a moon-struck maiden, “Quick, quick!” he suddenly claimed, in a low but shrill tone, “Btt’s them four devils, ther witch- es!” Ef they git eyes on ye ye'r lost. Mebbe we kin throw ’em off ther trail, even yit. This way!” He caught the girl who had called herself Arla Earl by, the hand, and bounded away. She had no idea of what caused the sudden panic, but was too wise to hesi- tate. Indeed, such a contingency had been provided for beforehand. When they first rested at this spot, Planthunter marked out the line to be followed if retreat should be necessary. In a mo- ment they were gliding along, well hid- den from the entrance to the glen by intervening rocks, and gradually rising above the level of the little valley. “ What was it?” whispered Arla, after a little, when she saw her guide had moderated his pace, and seemed to be somewhat over his panic. “Don’t ask me, gal. Mebbe it war all foolish on my part. But ett kim on me ov a suddint, an’ I jest bruk away ter be on ther safe side.” “Are you sure, Planthunter, that you did not for a little lose your wits? You said something about four devils, and some witches. What was it you meant, if your words had any meaning at all?” “ Don’t ax me, fur I can’t most likely tell. I’ve heared ov ’em; an’ wunst I seed ’em, but they warn’t on my trail. Lucky fur me; but more pity fur ther poor cuss they war after.” “Ah! What happened to him?” “Death happened ter him. An’ he war ez wideawake a redskin ez ever wore bear claws. I didn’t know what they war after, er I’d a tried ter take a hand in afore it war too late. Mebbe it ain’t me they’s lookin’ fur ag’in. When we gits up ’round yander bend we'll look down an’ see. HEtt can’t do no hurt. An’ though I doubt ef it'll do ary good, I might try a shot on ’em, ef they looks like closin’ in.” Planthunter pointed forward and made a gesture for silence. He had already looked to the rear, and seen they were not immediately followed. Arla caughf his hand again, and by his side pushed for the spot. Up there they were a hundred feet or more above the level of the valley, and gazing between two rocks had a fair view of the place they had just left. They had little baggage, and had left none of it behind. Even if some prying meddler had been there, it was little trace of their presence that could be found. No one was there, and Arla could not help but notice that Planthunter took what must have been a long breath of relief at the very instant that he turned his gaze swiftly. to a further point. There was some one else in the valley, though it did not seem one whom they should fear. A young man came striding down the very route by which they themselves had come, ex-. ” , ia hal I ait aca 6 his ha : se Ny eng, te ete heel ate ee ee ee es Ms ck BO wih tate SP aay, He moved with a steady, tireless gait, and his rifle lay over his arm, the thumb of the other hand resting upon the ham- mer. Careless though he seemed, he was ready for a surprise, and Saul Sanders. had the look of one who would give a good account of himself in whatever affair he might be embroiled. Suddenly, the hammer of his rifle went back. It seemed to the two above they could hear its angry click rising sharp on the evening air. Then, four crouching figures stole for- ward, and halted at his very feet, their progress all the time watched by the youth! “Ah, you’re there again, are you? This time you don’t get away from me until I see what it means. Where’s my chum? Not inside. Lou don’t look fat enough for that. Lead me to him, and if there’s no harm done, I’ll call it square. You hear me?” The four panthers waited and listened. It seemed as though they understood every word. When Saul was done speak- ing they whined good naturedly, and@ turned. They did not need to go through the antics which they had performed at that other meeting. Without hesitation Saul Sanders followed. The two watched the strange scene in silence. A word while it was going on might have turned sharp eyes, or sharp- er ears, in their direction. It was only when the four had passed entirely, from view that Arla spoke. “In the name of heaven, what is the meaning of this? Who was that young man? Are those brutes his pets? or, if not, to whom do they belong? Should we have spoken to him?” “Don’t ask too much, leetle gal. Yer can’t prove none ov them by me. Ef ther yarns ov them sed kin be trusted ett’s a bad thing fur ther boy; but I can’t make out ett war our place ter warn him. Them an’ him hez met afore. Let’s foller.” Arla made no objection. She, too, seemed to be under something of a spell. The two retraced their steps, and to- gether went down the valley. CHAPTER IV. FRIEND AND FOB. Tom Calvert had been classed in his time among the “ good-for-nothings,” but it was by those who knew little of the real Tom, and saw only what lay on the surface. As a rule, he did not wear his heart on his sleeve, and he had no intention to devote his life to something which he did not care about. Why should he, since he hadwa fortune sufficient to provide for his wants dur- ing life; and as he had never yet drawn upon the capital, it seemed likely he would have a comfortable little plum to leave behind him at his death. His trip to these regions was original- ly planned to serve certain purposes of his own, and though he had extended it a little, it was not for the sake of reck- less adventure by, any means, though @ cooler, braver young man it would be hard to find. Unless the reader’ has missed it very widely in his guess, however, it was not cool bravery at all which led him to ac- cept the adventure offered him in the crypt in the desert, though under almost any circumstances he would hardly, have refused to follow the guide who so strangely appeared to beckon him on. He did not hear the rocks come to- gether again behind him, nor did he Per Measigety. eisai? : es
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- Queen Edna, of the Panthers. 5 i w bring- | ing came and stood over him. A- few | and glanced around the room once more Se ao the sea oer : Rartorinns passes she made, a lingering with a Satisfied look. He was young, and All he knew was that the white-robed | look was given at his face; then she | having been well fed, was for the. mo- figure was flitting down the corridor in | turned and left the apartment. ment at peace with the world: 14 advance, and that he felt as though he Immediately afterward the sound of a Last of all, it happened that his glance must follow, though never for a moment | shooting bolt told that he was prisoner | rested upon the spot where he had first | understanding why. @s well as guest. essayed to find a door, : A . Bewildered as he was, he hardly took Hours passed, and Calvert slumbered As he looked the curtains were torn i , any account of his surroundings, and did | on. apart, were thrown violently back, and “not note the gradual descent of the pass- A casual observer could have noted that | on the threshold of the doorw ay which ‘ age in which he found himself. ‘eis this was — a en $a¢> prance but the yb around him appeared a terrible A sufficient light for him to | sleep of profound exhaustion. re. , i Se eee cnotet that the Way ‘was apparently | Finally, the clanging of a door aroused | » A man it seemed to be, with shoulders | cut out of the solid rock, and was illu- | him. a yard across, and a fierce, ogreish-look- i minated in some concealed manner, which Whether it was day or night he could | ing head, set on a thick, squat body. ) Zz would have suggested to him an electric | not tell, but the room was as light as | The lips of this intruder were parted in | plant, ridiculous as the idea might have | though the sun, which was really shin- | a Savage grin, which showed fang-like ai seemed. ing outside on the world, had penetrated teeth; the fingers which clutched the cur- ie Yet, why should that have seemed | to the place of his confinement. tains were long and curved dike talons. Se ridiculous? Why should anything ap-| He rose from his couch and looked If Tom Calvert was surprised at this ; pear so after the strangg manner in which | around him with a bewildered air. apparition, the intruder seemed no less _ this adventure had begun? The journey The things which had puzzled Saul | so down the passage was but a matter of a | Sanders back in the crypt were as noth- few hundred feet—something stranger | ing to the astounding mystery which had yet was to follow. wrapped a veil around Tom Calvert. The way, ended abruptly in a little| He knew nothing of where he was, or quay, where the female halted and/how he had come there, and had not clapped her hands. She stood on the/| even the remembrance of a supposed brink of an underground stream, which | dream to guide him. flowed through an arched way, and at| It was not strange that his first thought her signal a boat shot up to the quay. | was that he had lost his senses, or that Pie * A torch burned in the bow, and the oars | his surroundings were unreal, ie were pulled by a brawny-shouldered man, The journey through the desert and whose head was drooped dowr.ward, until | the adventure of the subterranean stream his face seemed almost to rest upon his | were alike unremembered. The last breast. thing he could call to mind was the dis- Lightly the woman stepped on board, | covery at the edge of the desert of a and pointed to a seat in the bow. strange youth, around whom _ were Without a word Calvert took the place, grouped four panthers. It must have and the boat, shoved off into the centre |(been at that moment his hallucinations of the current, dropped swiftly down the | pegan. They were phantasies, just as For a moment he glared, as he stood there, as though uncertain whether to | believe the evidence of his senses. Then, his hand darted to his girdle, and a long blade flashed out. “Ah-ha! Treachery!” he snarled; and with a half-smothered growl flung him- self at the young man! CHAPTER V.. IN THE HEART OF THE MYSTERY. The intruder was an Ugly-looking cus- tomer, but Tom Calvert, under ordinary circumstances, was cool and brave, and knew how to defend himself as well as the best. An unpleasant thought had struck.him at the very first, and he would not have ety this. waa -bive, been surprised if a mild-mannered man 43 s rape light in the bow was so near to Was it, though? ne ee and told him hexwas in a oo Calvert that it rendered all things ahead He arose and looked about him more on c wd mer Haile) es neh a ane but vague and shadowy, even had he | closely, seh Ware Gente Te tak ae hove a cared to peer forward. He preferred to} verything about him was new, and | W ® he 'tonriee be tosis tae ea look back at his guide, whose black eyes | outre, Everything, that is, save a sub- | fiend he fancied he recognized the king- pe flected the torch light, and the cape | stantial meal which garnished the table | Pin of their Iunatics, as renecte : illu- | That did not make the situation any Milainet® >, she had thrown around her shoulders | placed under an illuminated and u : pA ional ek ian Blood: minating globe, pendent from the high | the less serious. He was alone with a ack he might have seen another | cejling. ‘ alent oa: second boat was just leaving} The sight of that recalled him to him- the landing place where he had em- | gelf more thoroughly than anything else barked, ; could have done. , The current of this underground river} At that moment he knew he was sane, was sluggish, but the oarsman was | jn his right mind, and very hungry, also. brawny, and swung to his work with a/ As for doors and windows, there were skill and certainty which showed he was | positively no signs of any, and when he no stranger to the place. In utter silence |} went to a spot where instinct seemed ‘te he sent the boat along, evincing no cu- | tell him there should be an opening, his riosity in regard to the freight, which it} hands came against solid rock, well seemed could hardly have been expected. | though it had been concealed behind Transported after this fashion, know- | curtains. - ing nothing of where he was going, and| Hastily he made the circuit of the earing less, Calvert felt, as though in a | room. dream, that the boat finally, drew up Everywhere the same result!. alongside of another such a landing as| He broke into a laugh. pie it had left, and that the same being he “ Reminds me of one of those diminish- had followed so blindly was bidding him | jng cells they used for the accommoda- leave it. tion of state prisoners, who found in the _ Without curiosity, without fear, he| end their walls were very pressing. Let. followed, ascending just such another| me take the measurement of the pen. passage as that by. which he had reached | perhaps there may be something of the the river. kind intended here. Again a door flew open at the approach | Roughly he measured the length, ra of the woman who led, and now they | breadth, and height of the room. Then were in something which took on the | he threw himself down on a seat at the nature of a regular building, though the | table, and fell to with a right good will, passages were cold and cheerless. his hunger rising as he attempted to ¥ _ At last the two entered a room half a | satisfy his appetite. . i _ dozen yards square, and here everything | “Ah,” he said, at last, “were my un- took on a different tone. #8 J} _ | known entertainer to appear, I think I A cheerful, mellow light Suffused the | could meet him in a fairly reasonable _ apartment, which was furnished comfort- | frame of mind. He =< take certain ably, if not with actual elegance. In | precautions to avoid the loss of his sil- ; orner was an easy couch, ver, but he certainly knows how to set. : ert cast himself ed Par me ba a royal eden fe ay fall Ps Instantly he seemed to be in | discovered himself to be starving. Who | . ita! Ne 48 can he be? It is about time he should madman, and the madman not only had an ugly looking knife, but seemed de- termined to use it. Fortunately for him | the light which illuminated the room was even brighter than the day, and his ( vision was as keen as that of a hawk, . He steadied himself, moving out a lit — Be tle, even, so as to be clear of the table, and tried to fix the eye of the coming + madman. ; A He failed in that, but he was quick enough of eye to see the stroke as it be- gan to descend, and a swift side spring saved him. D} Without a word Calvert drew his shoulder back, and then let go with swing. joule He had never known how hard h could hit, but, as his life depended on it, he struck as hard as he knew how; and reached the spot for which he aimed. _ The stunted giant went over backward — as if he had been shot, while the blade dropped to the floor. Calvert’s first move- ment was to pick up the knife. es Although it was a risky thing to do, he congratulated himself that he had been a willing to trust to his muscle and nerve — La rather than to his revolver; but he want- | ed no more of it. With only a glance at. oa the motionless mass of humanity, he darted for the spot where, it seemed to him, the curtains on the wall had but barely ceased falling. Behind them he expected to find the opening by which tad) ; . . | e woman watched him with a] show himself.” hese le, and after a minute wait-' He drew back from 1E; vit bdr 1 R the table leisurely, Re SO Oe Soe LA P "w i ‘gt ' wv . net it: = ree Cte NG oe s - ST Ow) by * + A , r i hin oes « y 7 3 vr! ey 59 Gta, Sat q %
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er there. Bay, on the floor as if dead, and never 6 —_— No use to look elsewhere. It was here the hallucination appeared; if there was no outlet there, then none existed. He went straight back, and firmly felt of his captive—for such he determined to make him. No imagination, this. Here were flesh, blood, and bones. He placed his fingers on a pulse which still beat, and marked that this insensibility would not be apt to last long. He tied the huge wrists together, slipped a pillow from _ his couch under the square, bristling head, to make the man rest more easily, and then seated himself in his chair, deter- mined to wait for the revival he saw avas coming fast. The man gave a groan, and as he did s0 darkness pervaded the room, so thick it seemed as though it might be felt. Calvert’s wits were growing sharper as he needed them. The meaning of the disappearing light flashed across him. The intention was to remove the body without allowing him to see how it was done, nor by whom. Here was his chance, Softly he sprang over the body, and made his way toward the wall. When he felt the curtains he raised them and slipped under, standing close to the rocks in which the opening was to be made. It was not a mistaken guess. Silently the hidden door swung open, and he heard a faint rustle of garments as some one slipped within the room. An instant later and he had slipped out. Still darkness; but he turned at once, and with one elbow touching the wall on the outer side, and his other hand spread out before him, to fend him from any obstacle. which might be encoun- tered, he ran lightly along a stone-floored corridor. Whither he was going, what hope there was of escape, he had not asked himself. Perhaps he imagined dimly that if he reached some other part of the building he might find some one in authority, to whom he might explain matters some- what. Or it might be he hoped to make this exit altogether, and discover from a safe distance how it was he had come there. It was well for him he had kept one hand ahead of him as a guide. It saved him from running violently against a store wall when he came to a turn in the passage. As it was, he was thrown back somewhat sharply, his left elbow losing contact with the guiding wall, and he came very near to falling. He attempted to re-establish the touch, ‘but the more he edged to the left the more confused did he grow, and the more unsettled in his bearings. It seemed to him the wall could be no long- He spun around and around, like an expiring teetotum, twisting him- self this way and that, and no wall did the feel; but suddenly, right in his face, there came up a cold, damp current of air, which made him feel sick with the knowledge of barely escaped danger it brought him, jo ee - He knew without seeing that a chasm was open at his feet, and a step forward | would have brought him into it. Then, he hesrd the swift’ patter of Jight-running footsteps, and the _ soft swish of feminine garments. As he lis- ye tened that sound ceased, but almost im- mediately thers was a low clap of a pair of hands; and thé call of a soft voice: * Ahab!” it said. “This way, Ahab! Where are yim?” “« Here.” “What happened? Is he safe?” “<A stroke of lightning. The master Queen Edna, of the Panthers. | moving. I dragged him out and closed the door behind. It was lucky I stum- bled over him where he lay. He will live, though. He was reviving when 1 left him. His hands were bound togeth- er, and I left them so until I could ask for orders. Besides, I did not care to be the one to loosen them. He may do that for himself, and I will live longer.” “And the other. What of him?” “TI know nothing. It was dark, and I neither saw nor heard him.” “TI forgot. The light. Go and turn it on. We must risk the chances. If he finds the young man before I reach him he will kill him. Quick! I will attend to the rest—unless you hear the bell.” The conversation was hasty, aud though it told Calvert something, it ex- plained nothing. The one speaker was a woman; Ahab was a servant. Who the squat lunatic might be they had not said, but they were evidently much in awe of the mysterious “ he.” Meantime, he remained standing on the brink of an open pit, which for the moment he had almost forgotten. What was he to do? The answer came unexpectedly. With- out warning there was a sudden illu- mination of the place, and he found he was in a lgng hallway, while right at his feet was a stairway, descenuing to another similar corridor, which was also lighted by what Calvert naturally under- stood to be electricity. He hesitated, it is true. Did the stair- way lead toward the ground floor, or deeper? It was a matter of some im- portance if he desired to make his escape from the building, but the absence of all windows gave him the idea that he might already be underground, and he decided not to attempt to go lower down until he had explored a little further. Nevertheless, he did lean over the open- ing, and then it appeared to him he heard voices in the distance, rising in a confused murmur, as though there were a number of speakers. “Guess the best place to make my ap- pearance is not where the patients are all at breakfast, if I want to receive re- spectful attention. As well be caught wandering around in the _ vestibules. They might turn me out by mistake; and if they didn’t, they would be willing to listen to my opinion of the gentleman who invaded my room. I’ll keep on in the way I am going—if I can find it.” The proviso was a good one, for, on looking about him, he was utterly unable to decide where might lie the cell from which he had escaped. While he glanced from one hand to the other, in deepen- ing doubt, he received a surprise. A female figure came into sight—and halted almost at the moment. He did not recognize the newcomer, though he thought of the voice he had heard in the darkness, calling for Ahab. What seemed sirange was that the wo- man acted as though she recognized him. It would have appeared stranger yet if he had been told that on this same face he had stared not a dozen hours before, and had been swift to do the «bidding he then received. She waved her arms—and he could see they were white and shapely. If her gestures meant anything, it was that he should fly—should hide. Why? And where was he to go? As if for answer an unseen door opened in the wall almost at his hand, and though uncertain he would accept the place of refuge, he stepped within the casing thus disclosed, and awaited re- sults. r He was not a moment too soon, He heard a wild, savage cry, saw the woman slip aside and out of sight, and then, peering cautiously around the blocks of stone which sheltered him, had a glimpse of the sawed-off Hercules who had invaded his former apartment. He was rushing forward, a pistol in his hand; while by his side ran another, as repulsive looking and equally well armed. Calvert had seen enough. Just now, discretion was the better part of valor. He might be brave as the bravest, but without more knowledge of where he was he did not care to join issue with the inmates of this strange prison. He slipped within the room—which was as well illuminated as the other had been—and with his own hands closed the heavy door. There was the enap of a bolt, and he realized that once more he was closely confined, without the least idea of how to make his exit. CHAPTER VI. THB CASTLE IN THE VALLEY. When morning dawned on Saul San- ders, after the disappearance of his late- ly made friend, he spent some little time in trying to find out in what way the missing had been lost. If he could have realized more thoroughly that such a person had really existed, the search might have been more persistent. The desert around him gave no cer- tain trace and the tumbled mass of rocks seemed to hide no secrets beyond the recess in which Saul had passed the night. He knew well enough he had no time to lose in lingering there, and puzzled by a mystery which for the present he saw no means of solving, he turned his © face southward, in the direction in which lay. the region he had styled the land of the sunken canyon. On the way he had time to do a good deal of thinking, and the events of the past few days began to shape themselves more and more clearly as he reasoned them out. “*Pear to have been under some sort of a spell,” he muttered. “Those cats I thought I had dreamed about were the sure-enough thing; but why I didn’t drop a bead on them wher they came in sight is more than I can tell, unless there was some _ witchery about them. And this Calvert? What sort could he have been that we should have tramped together all that way with- out my remembering more about him; or, that I should have taken up with a man who would leave me at last in the lurch like he did? Lucky riddance. The search I am on wants no sharer. If the danger is mine, so will. the profits be— if there are any.” He was thinking some such thing as this as he came down into the little val- ley through which he expected to reach the land of the sunken canyon; and then, upon the scene came again the four panthers, with their brazen, wheedling ways. And he did not shoot. He had no fear of them; and there was a suspicion that they had more to do with Calvert than he as yet understood. Again they invited him to follow; and again he obeyed. This time, however, he was, if possi- ble, was it on account of the beasts them- selves. They had been fed since the sep- aration; and until they hungered he had no fear they would attack him. It hoe that the intelligence which directed them he suspected, \ i f 4 | \ ore on the alert than before; nor — and intended to discover. — - — ue ye goed" 's
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There was some one beyond him, and his intrusion might, probably would, be resisted with force and guile. Of what sort would the fight be, and how would it end? “Strange,” he muttered to himself, “that I should have found those few faint footsteps, which turned me aside. They vanished a little further on, but the direction remained. It led me right here, If there is anything in the thing I am on the right track, or I never will be. Now, as long as my guides go on I can follow. When they stop it will be time for me to take to the brush. Ah!” The panthers went on, but he saw something which caused him to stop. The valley was coming to an end, At least, the walls, which had been shut- ting him in, began to widen apart, and shade downward. It seemed he was about to debouch upon a plain, and he wanted to see what was ahead of him before coming into sight. He stole to one side, and was glad to see that his guides ‘went straight forward, never seeming to notice his deflection from their course. A little later he gave a second and more emphatic gesture of surprise. He had gained a point where he could obtain a view such as he had not dreamed of. Twilight was not far off, yet there was a plain view of what lay ahead of him for miles, and in the distance he saw something which at once riveted his at- tention. Lying low in the hollow of the great, bowl-shaped plain was a huge, massive building. It was too far away to make out every part with distinctness, yet, unless it was a case of mirage, there was no doubt in the mind of the young man as to what it was. This was no fantastic grouping of nature’s fashioning, but something made by human hands. “There it is,’ muttered Saul, holding his two palms above his eyes, to obtain a better view. “Not just where I can step into the front door with the first stride; but lo- eated so there’s no getting away. Wish I was near enough to see if there’s any signs of life about it; but all looks dead from here. It was a true yarn, as far as this goes—if the rest pans out as well! A cool—million I was going to say, but what is that? Millions, many times over. The hidden treasure of the ages; and all mine.” There was exultation in his tone, and he spoke louder than he thought. “Stiddy, lad!” ; At the sound of* the voice a hand dropped upon his shoulder. “Ett’s me, old Planthunter. Hope what words I sed wunst ain’t bin ther means OV brungin’ yer hyer.” The* face of the young man flushed. He had been surprised, for one thing; and the surprise was an unwelcome one for another, He recognized the voice at once, and had no need to turn slowly around to know that it was really Planthunter who spoke. He remembered now what Cal- vert had said, and was not surprised when he saw the old man was not alone. Only a moment didi he hesitate, His hand came out with a frank gest- ure, while the lines of discontent left his face as suddenly as they had come there. He told nothing but the simple truth when he spoke: “Qld man, I’m glad to see you. I’m on a trail I heard of from you, but what ‘you said could not have put me on it. - Yonder is the deserted castle you told me once of having visited. I thought then - J would see it some day, and I am here | ‘ aes . i] 40 : ’ nie = 4 guest. Queen Edna, of the Panthers. Y 4 now: Before I go back I will know something of other mysteries about it which you never mentioned. If you and your friend are here on the same errand, there is no reason why we should not go together. If you share the dangers there is no man living with a better right to share the reward, and I reckon you have no patent on the whole preserves.” “T dunno clear what yer talkin’ about. Fur ez I kin say I’m not -objectin’, but I’m not ther boss ov this outfit. Hyer’s ther one ez kin say ef we pulls tergeth- er, er you hey ter trudge ett alone. I’m enlisted fur ther war, an’ am fightin’ fur her side.” The two young people had been eying each other, and though the old man and the young man joined palms in cordial pressure, they both looked at Arla. She held out her hand in turn to the stranger. “Any friend that you can vouch for, Planthunter, is worth the having,- and his mission, if he has one, cannot inter- fere with mine, Who do you expect to meet there?” She nodded toward the building in the distance, and her hand dropped from Saul Sanders’s grasp to her side. “No one, I hope. And you?” **My father, if he still lives. If dead, perhaps some traces of his presence.” “Your father!” “Yes. It is too long a story to tell you here—some other time I will explain, if you care to hear. To-night, if we would reach yonder fortress, we had better be moving.” *“An’ I say, best to hunt a hole, an’ draw ett in arter us, tell we sees. Thar’s s’uthin’ myter’us in ther air. Ther three cats, boy—-whar did yer meet ’em afore? Does yer know what they reely are?” “TI searcely can answer,’ responded Saul, a troubled look on his face. “ Un- less it was all a dream, I must have seen them; they even guided me here, strange as it may seem,” “Beware ov ’em lad. They’s witches, more ner human, let erlone brute. Avoid ‘em, lad. They means harm, an’ they allers kills.” ; “Perhaps you are right. I am as brave as the most, but I don’t know that I care to tramp over their trail by moonlight, if they have seemed most in- fernal friendly. But, if they meant us harm, you can’t throw them off the track. I haven’t had the heart to draw a bead on them when they seemed so trusting— more like human than beast. Perhaps it would have been better to have dropped them where they played.” “Bf yer could, yonker; ef yer could. I’m a thinkin’, though, ther lead ain’t run ter do ther work.” “All this means, you want to lose time,” interrupted Arla, impatiently. “So be it. Hide, if you think best. You shall not say I drove you into danger you did not care to risk.” “ She’s a leetle onpatient, lad, but she’ll do us right when morning comes. One ov us kin scout down to’ards ther old rooins ter-night, an’ mayhap bring good news thet’ll save hours ter-morrer.” “No!” impatiently, and with a stamp of the slender, moccasined foot. “No one shall face the danger un- shared by all. To camp! Let us return to the spot whence we have just come, and this young man shall be our Hereafter I see no reason why our ways should not lie together until the mystery of this valley is explored.” Planthunter was not averse to follow- ing the advice, and he looked around him. Though it might not be possible to de- ceive animals so keen of scent as the four which had led the way down the valley, yet he made some effort, laying. a false track out beyond several con- venient boulders, over which he climbed on his way back, leaping from one to another with an agility scarce to be ex- pected from one of his years. Then, the two others were swung up, and they took a higher path for some distance, from which they eventually sruneed to the trail they had used be ore. Thus they returned to the dingle, an@ from there ascended to the point from which Planthunter and the girl had caught sight of Saul Sanders. It was a backward move, with no foe in sight, but it was done in the interests of safety. The hours went along without alarm; and the valley seemed to be untenanted by any save. themselves. Arla _ slept soundly, and the boy and the man con- versed in low whispers. Boy and man, at least, when age was compared, though Saul had many a time borne a man’s part in closer corners even than this seemed likely to be. Planthunter continued to be uneasy. From time to time he looked down the trail which led to the open plain; and finally would have crept away in that direction, “My mind misgives me, yonker,”’ he murmured. “ Begins ter look ez though we’s on ‘chanted ground. Watch over her an’ I'll creep down ter whar ther rocks overlooks ther cas’sel. If I seen speerits comin’ I wouldn’t be much sur- prised.” “Not so, Planthunter. Your place is with the woman you have promised to protect. I will go. You can trust me; and you have told me of the land till it all seems plain. If anything happens, think nothing of me. I am proof against witches and goblins. I am more afraid of finding flesh and blood, brought here by. the scent of treasure. Be watchful.” He threw his rifle to its customary place in the hollow of his arm, and glided away. Night was around him, but above were the stars. They broke into the gloom of the canyon, though they shed no light on the dark lurking places, where the rocks hung over, and the pays of the moon, swinging low toward the west, could not reach, Nevertheless, his way was easy, and out on the plain all was silent. He lin- gered there for some time, wondering to what end he had’ come here, and finally made his way back as cautiously as he had come. Near to the camp he halted, wonder- ing if his ears had deceived him, or if really he heard a sound. Silence followed for a second. Then, as he raised his foot to go on, a rifle cracked among the rocks above, “ Help!” pealed out a voice, There was a craunching and a worry- ing in the sounds that next he heard, and with a cry of anger he dashed on and upward, CHAPTER VII. WHAT THE STREAM HID. “It is witchcraft; it is enchantment! ” So Saul exclaimed when, wearied and wrought upon by a fruitless search, he gazed stupidly around him, half belHev- ing that once more he had been made the mock of phantoms. No sign was there of the two with 4s whom he had been camping; not a eee to show there had been such a conflict | wr Bes as he had imagined,
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8 When he dashed up the aclivity he could have sworn that at the least he would find a bleeding corpse, and come face to face with the uncanny trio he began to think might be invested with supernatural powers. No corpse was there to be found, nor any traces of blood. Careless of the danger it might bring to himself, he called aloud the name of Planthunter; but there was no answer. He ran along the path until he found that it was tenantless, except by him- self, and was but a back trail, which led him toward the opening into the valley. He returned to the spot where he had left girl and guide, and renewed his search. He knew the missing ones had not, come down into the dingle at the point where he stood when he heard the cry, and was certain if they had followed the path as ‘jhe found it they would have come into his view. There must be some outlet which he had not yet found. Leaning out between the two rocks already spoken of, he at last found what promised a way of advance, A ledge be- low offered him a foothold, and without waiting to make sure whither it led or if it would be an easy matter to return, ‘the swung himself over, and, letting go with his hands, dropped lightly to the ledge, Naturally, he balanced inward, intend- ing to support himself against the rock; but he had not taken into account what he might find, or fail to find, below. The wall was no longer there when he reached the ledge, and pawing wildly at the empty air, he toppled backward, and went plunging downward, he knew not where nor whither. As he fellthe four panthers, in sin- gle file, tiptoed noiselessly forward, out of the near-by shadows, and stared down into the opening which had received him. Then, they turned, and went stealthily along a narrow, squarely cut path, which ran southward toward the plain. It seemed as though their mission was done. As for the chasm which received Saul Sanders, it was one of nature’s own mak- ing, and therefore all the more singular in its purposes, In the brief time he knew he was falling he had opportunity to think a great deal, and to make up his mind he was doomed. Nevertheless, he turned himself as he fell, and went down feet foremost. Almost immediately there was a splash; and he found himself cleaving through the waters of a dark and slug- gish stream. A weaker-nerved person might have fainted from the revulsion, for even in that first moment he knew no bones were broken and no great harm done. With the skill of a practiced diver, he checked his descent under the water, and came to the surface as light as a cork, turning upon ‘his back, so as to look up toward the sky and the twinkling stars he had left behind him. No stars were there, and he felt him- self surging along in a darkness such as he could not have known in the outer world. Over him it flashed that he had left that world behind him when he fell, and that these were the waters of the Sunken Canyon—of the stream of which he had heard, but had never fully be- lieved in. The opening through which he had dropped was already far behind him; and #f he could return to it, he doubted if it could do him any good. There was nothing for him but to float on, and on, until the end came. He was doomed. Yet, with a courage which was little else than despair, he never lost his head. | drew back, for the bow was turned He even closed his eyes, to shut out the realizing sense of the darkness, and thrust one hand far forward, as rudder and fender, while he swore to himself that when he went down at the last it would be after a hard fight for his life. So the moments drifted; and he with them. Luckily for him, he had dropped clear of his rifle, since instinct would have held to it, and it’ would have dragged him down. The revolver at his Waist was beginning to count as_ to weighi, and he thought of casting it over- board, More than once he thought of veering to the right or left, and seeking the shore, but as often preferred to remain in the centre current. Of what use to waste strength and hours clambering in the darkness, where nature showed no outlet? Long.though the time was that he floated, it seemed much longer. Cramps began to twinge his extremities, and a cold chill swept over him. He opened his eyes, and closed them again, for what he half believed was the last time. He hardly credited his senses when a glow began to creep between his tightly shut lids; yet—as he swept around a slight bend the light grew brighter. Opening his ge he thought daylight had come again. Nevertheless, above him hung the vaulted canyon wall, its rocky face glis- tening in the light which streamed out from an opening to the one side. Gone were the cramps and the chill. With a vigorous effort he whirled to the side, and shot up to a stone-built wharf, moored to which was an idly rocking boat, at which he stared, more bewil- dered than ever, It told him he was not the only one who traversed these waters; that cau- tion might be as well, in the face of such strange mysteries. “T have reached the castle, sure enough, and swum the moat, but if the draw- bridge happens to be up, and the warder turns a deaf ear, it strikes me I’m in a mighty bad fix. Let’s see what's. the chance for a storming party.” In such a way ran his thoughts, but he did not despair. His spirits came back to him as he dragged himself out of the stream, all dripping, and he was glad he had not thrown away his revolver. Despite its ducking, it was in serviceable condition; and he half suspected that before he got through with this adventure he would have use for it. The time, indeed, seemed to be coming all too soon, for he heard voices and footsteps, which appeared to be approach- ing by the passage, at the mouth of which he was lingering. He turned, fol- lowed a path which led along the stream, and found a convenient niche, into which he shrunk, though he peeped around the rock to see what manner of people they were from whom he had fied. Two men were on the quay, holding between them a burden of some kind. What it was he could only guess, but it was a bulky object, wrapped in cloths; and with care and labor they took it with them into the boat. “Drop down the. stream a hundred yards before you cast it off!” said a voice which caused Saul to start, for the tones were soft and liquid, as tnough from the lips of a woman, The answer came from the boat: “ave no fear, madam. The work shall be well done. No curious eyes shall see. Come with us if you doubt.” There was a hasty exclamation of im- patience, and the boat pushed off. Saul daniel: Queen Edna, of the Panthers. toward him, and he feared he might be seen. He could hear a grating at the row- locks, and the lazy drop of oars. The boat slid down the stream, and came into sight. He crouched lower, though his eyes never turned from the sight. Fully a hundred yards from the starting point the oars were shipped. In the shadows the men looked like ghosts as they raised their burden between them. Once, twice, they swung it, backward and forward, and at the third motion let go, casting it out into the water, which received it with a sullen splash, It sunk almost at once, but as it went down Saul thought he heard a groan. CHAPTER VIII. SAUL SANDERS MAKES A FRIEND. What was the meaning of the scene? Who was the victim? Why was it dis- posed of in this terrible, hidden way? Sanders asked himself the questions even while shrinking farther back, des- pite the curiosity which consumed him. _ He thought once of opening fire with his revolver, but he knew not whether it was a case in which he should inter- fere. As to what his own fate would be if discovered, and he failed to guard his life with his hands, he had not a doubt. Not a word was spoken by the men in the boat. They leaned forward to watch the disappearing burden, and then thrust their oars into the water and pulled back. They did not care to linger over the spot; and the unseen watcher was not loth to have them go. Under the impetus of their strong strokes the little vessel shot swiftly back, and Saul heard their steps once more on the stairs. They went back again as they came, and for the present he was alone in the canyon, Below him flowed the stream of the hid- den river, with the mystery it was ex- pected to conceal, He stole: out from the niche, gave a glance up at the quay, and then his gaze rested on the black water, “They. may be watching it, they may not; if there’s a human in that dump there is no time to wait and see. It is almost too late already. Here goes.” It was half a dozen feet down to the face of the water, and a dive would make a sound that would carry far in the silence of that buried stream. He slipped noiselessly down the face of the rock, against which he finally thrust his. feet and gave himself a shove which sent him far out into the current. He believed he had marked well the Spot where the bu:ruen had sunk, and toward it he swum with long, steady strokes. At the right moment he turned his head downward, cast up his féet, and went under the surface like a loon. Saul knew that he must depend upon his sense of touch alone, and that it must be chance or fate which would give him success in his efforts. It was because he thought one or the other would be with him that he was willing to try. He cared far too much for his own life to risk it hopelessly. In fact, he had never realized how dear it was to him until he thought the matter solemnly over while floating down the sunken river. Now, when there were strange noises in his ears, and his lungs seemed about to close, and he doubted if he could reach the top of the water alive, he trusted to fate, and dove still farther, sweeping the smooth bottom with clutching fingers— which at last closed on something he knew at once was the object of his search, 1 eae oD OF Bh Hp™? BerK,') oP Oe a : FIRS Fak ok i Ae pie ee rt ee ba Soa Zz 40 hol
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— | the bottom like an anchor, and held him with it. The seconds were fleeting rapidly. He had not many of them to spare.” If he loosened his hold now he doubted if ever he could refix it. And even in that first touch he had learned there was a human body en- closed in the coarse sacking. “Tt must be weighted at the one end, he thought, and managed to draw his knife with his left hand. There was risk of harming the victim if he still lived— or, if she—It was as likely this was the body, of Arla Harl as that it was of any other. He drew the keen blade along the rude material, placed the knife between his teeth, and obtained a firm hold on what he knew was a shock of human hair. After that, he only knew he was fight- ing his way upward until he came out at the surface, ‘half senseless, but still hold- ing on to his prize like grim death. The bank, where he had left, was per- pendicular, and the crown far beyond his reach. To go back to the wharf would be both dangerous and difficult. Now that he had made his capture Saul ‘hard- ly knew what to do with it. Sooner or later he might be forced to let it go, and look after his own safety. For the present, however, he was will- ing to take some chances, though he knew how severely. ‘his strength had al- ready been tried. He swung in to the shore, and suffered himself to drift slow- ly along, feeling his way as he went. Now and then his feet struck bottom in the shallows, and once he stopped to rest a moment while he examined his charge. “Tt’s a man, sure enough,” he mut- tered; “‘ and if I ‘had half a show I'd bring him through. If I’m not way off he’s not dead yet. Blame pity that light don’t reach here as well as it might.” By this time he was in a dim twilight, which prevénted his recognizing more than an outline, and he could distin- guish nothing of the features of his bur- den. He began to think it time for a desperate effort to make his way out of the water; and feeling carefully upward believed he had found the spot where it could be done. . The struggle which followed was the one of his life. Twice he slipped back; as often returned io the charge. It would have been nothing to reach the level above if he had been uninecumbered; but he never once thought of deserting his charge after finding it was a human be- ing. Ke last, exhausted with his efforts, but successful, he stumbled up on the ledge, and dropped his burden. For a moment he rested. Tf life had depended on it he could not have done otherwise. His hands were numb, his whole frame shook and shiv- ered, As for the man he had brought out, he had but faint hopes that his life could be preserved. Nevertheless, he settled down to make ' an effort for his restoration the moment he felt equal to the task. In his hip pocket he fortunately car- ried a medicine he saved for emergen- cies, and it served him in good stead now. He needed it badly enough for him- self, and sampled it lightly. More of it he used on his jetsam. He chafed the cold wrists; he pressed on the broad chest; he started respira- tion by a regular motion of the arms, which yielded to his efforts. He tried everything he could think of—and he won, much to his own surprise. Queen Edna, of the Panthers. He sought to raise,it, but it held to *Confound it, what am I to do with him?” asked Saul, puzzled at the prob- lem next to solve. “He ought to be wrapped up in blank- ets for the next twenty-four hours, with considerable careful nursing. He’ll die if I keep him here; and if I tote him back to wheré he came from they’ll be apt to kill him again—and me along with him. All the same, I don’t want to be with him here in the dark, when he gets right hold of his strength. He might Strangle me by mistake. There’s the mus- cle of a Hercules in those arms of his. [Pll do the best I can, and if I die trying it won’t be my fault.” Thus making up his mind he caught up the body which was quivering with life as it returned, and staggered off toward the light which soon began to glow in the distance. Few of his weight could have carried the burden as well. Perhaps the exercise and the anxiety were what he needed, to divert his mind somewhat from his own late affairs. He came once more to the landing place, and looked first at the boat, and then at the passage down which had come the men with the bur- den. The boat offered him no escape, but only a refuge. The passage was as likely to be the gateway to death. He was tempted to drop his burden for a mo- ment, and explore. At the slight mo- tion he made the burden in his arms came more into life. “Keep on!” the stranger urged, in a husky whisper.’ “Stay with me a little longer and I swear you will come to no hurt. Face to face they dare not harm : e 39 Whisper though it was there was such life in the tone Saul was startled. He was eager to find a resting place for the man he had so lately considered drowned, and dropped him easily, to the ground, “Into what devil’s nest have I fallen? Who are you? What is the meaning of all this? ’”’ “Waste no time in questions now. Complete your work and you will not be unrewarded. Fail me and [I cannot answer for your life. Without me one who has opened ithe mystery of the Hid- den River will fare badly. Escape will be impossible, and discovery, will mean death.” “It strikes me, considering the plight I just brought you out of, I may as well rely on myself. They don’t seem to cot- ton to you here.” “Face to face they dare not move a finger. It was treachery, black and vile. Give me an hour to become myself again and I’d laugh at them all. I know them now.” “More than I do. What sort of a gang are they, anyhow?” “Ask me no questions. Enough that I rule them. Make up your mind quick, or it may be I will not need you.” “And then?” “Tt will be so much worse for you.” There was too much of threat in the words of the stranger to be altogether pleasing to the youth. His hand went back toward his revolver. * My friend, I am not sure I have done a wise thing. You threaten early in the game. Go slow or I may take the notion to send you back where I found you. I'll swear it won’t be half the trouble it was to get you out.” “No, no! You mistake. I will never forget. But without me you are lost, and I am not fit to defend you now. Help me, and I will show the way. Ah, I will teach them a lesson! Traitress! Such re- venge!” He saw by the light in Saul eye that the lad had decided to aid him, and at that moment began to think of other things which were beyond Sanders’s com- prehension, and of which, for the pres- ent, he thought it best to take no notice. “Come, then. Point out the way and I will lead you in it. But, beware of treachery. Try. it and you die.” So speaking, Saul assisted the other to rise, CHAPTER IX, A WOMAN’S WILL. Tom Calvert looked around him when the door bolted, and his laugh was a trifle bitter. “Can’t say I see much profit in the ex- Change. In fact, it’s the other way, My friends must have ordered all the extra frills for my especial benefit, but this is just an ordinary, everyday, sort of ac- commodation. Wonder what the chance is to get out. No better than in the other room, I’ll swear.” He told the truth, every time, As he gazed around, nothing but bare stone walls confronted him, and had it not been for the light which shone here as brilliantly as clsewhere he would have been in a dungeon of the darkest and most cheerless kind. Fortunate for him was it that he had not been interrupted until he had fin- ished his one meal of the day—no one came to offer him another. : He did not believe he would be alto- gether overlooked or forgotten, but as the hours wore on it began to look some- thing like it. “The woman saw where I went,” was his mental solace; “ and she seems to be one in authority, if she don’t boss the whole concern. She will be looking me up—unless that howling maniac should prove too much for her. In that case, who knows what may happen? Thomas, I am afraid you have sent your pitcher to the well once too often. The outlook— or, the want of it—is awfully depress- ing.” So he reasoned to himself, though, as hope grew less bright, his thoughts took on a more gloomy tinge. He went ’round and ’round the room in search of some device by which he might communicate with some one; but found none. He re- membered that in a lunatic asylum it might be supposed there was no need for such things. Wearied out with waiting he at last threw himself down upon .uwe hard floor and closed his eyes. He swore to him- self he would not lose courage whatever might happen; and he kept his word. Eventually he fell asleep. He awoke with the knowledge there Was some one in the room, Looking up he saw a female figure, and started to his feet. Before him was the same woman who had motioned him to enter here, He looked more closely, and saw what he was not so certain of before, though he had more than half believed it. She was young and beautiful. “Pardon me,” she said, in a voice which was low and liquid. “ Perhaps. I would not have dared leave another man in such plight, but I was sure, if I had not mistaken, it would not harm you. The danger is now past, con- cerning which I would rather hear no questions. I come to talk of other mat- ters. How is it that you are here?” “Tf you don’t know, I'll never tell,” was the blunt answer. “ And you have no idea?” “An idea—but if my other suspicions are correct I think it would be best to
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10 keep it to myself. It might interfere with my going away again, which I as- sure you is the first thing I desire to have on the programme.” r “Be not afraid to speak. Tell me, what is the last thing you remember previous to waking up under this roof?” Calvert stammered, and flushed. It seemed to him there must be a hiatus which it would be policy not to mention. The last thing he remembered as a remembrance was the strange meet- ing with Saul Sanders, and the four beasts which were guarding him. After that, there must be a lengthy blank, in which he had got back to a land where they had madhouses, and other evidences of civilization. “You are afraid to speak for fear the truth may seem ridiculous. Hesitate no longer. Or, perhaps, I can put your | thoughts into words.” “If you can I'll be worse mixed than | ever.” . “No, since I will explain. At the edge of the desevt you met my messengers.” “Yours?” * Yes, mine. They spoke to you with- out words, and they led you on until you were in safety over the most dangerous part of the road. Had you turned aside you might have wandered into regions where hope never can come.” “T cannot say that I altogether un- derstand. It may be as you say; but why should you have taken the pains? I was doing very well as it was.” “ Searcely so well as you thought. You had made up your mind to the journey, but knew little of the dangers in the way. Without me all your bright anti- cipations would have been vain. Only through me could you attain the object of your search.” “And you were willing to aid me! Why?” He looked curiously at the woman, and it seemed to him he could detect a flush ¥ on her face, a trifle of confusion in her f manner. s Perhaps she did not understand his ob- - jects as well as she thought. He suf- fered his gaze to rest on her face and contemplate it in silencé. There are times when it is not hard to read the Sphinx—and this was one of them, He almost blushed himself. “ Because I needed aid myself; and be- cause in you I recognized a kindred spirit.” “But what could you know of me? -Up to this moment, so far as I can tell, ‘we never met. We are utter strangers.” “Not so much so as you may think, and the surest proof is that you are here.”’ “And where in the name of Heaven 4s ‘here’? I am tired of all this mys- tery and delusion. If I am confined in @ lunatic asylum, say so. If you are doc- tor or patient tell me s0, and which. If ‘you are as good as you are beautiful ‘you will befog me no longer.” “You may not know it, but once, - months ago, I saw you. After that, with ‘this in my possession you could never be far away.” ae From her breast she drew out a hand- : kerchief which he recognized as possi- bly one of his own, long lost. . “Through that, when I remembered you again at the time I seemed to have need, I was able to draw you, to follow you step by step. What ostensible motive you might have, or what companions, I knew not, but of yourself I kept close track, and sent out the only messengers I had to lead you hither. If I had to use > rr force forgive me. Hereafter you 1 move only at your own free will.” - Calvert lstened through this remarka- Queen Edna, of the Panthers. ble explanation with a gradually deepen- ing sense of awe. He did not yet know where he was, but the method of his ar- rival was even more important. No de- lusion this, since it fitted in too well with his own story. And if it was the truth, he knew he was as absolutely within the power of this woman as thouglt he was a simple mass of potter’s clay which she was moulding. Beautiful she was, strong, masterful— but in that moment he feared her as he had feared nothing in all his life. True, she had promised him the freedom of his will; but he shrewdly suspected that would be only while his will ran along in the same line as her own. Yet, he showed none of this in his face, as, in a low voice he asked: “ Where am I now?” “Where you have sought to be—in the ruined remnant of prehistoric civili- zation. In the castle of the unknown. In the house of the dead, which stands over the smwdden river of the sunken canyon.” “In the house of the dead? Then these figures I have seen are but wraiths? You yourself are but a beautiful phantom? Forgive me if I am broken by the reve- lation., I stand, it seems as man never stood before, in the presence of the spirits.” He hardly knew whether the awe that he put in his tones was real or but a bit of acting. “No, no! I am a living thing, as much so as yourself, though I have powers that sometimes even to me seem more than human. In the outside world you have seen something of the force I wield; you shall see more of it here. You have come seeking a treasure—you shall find it, and more. Together we will make these vaults render up the wealth which has been buried for ages, and which as yet we have barely tapped. If it be our choice, here we can found a kingdom. Everything is within our grasp, yours and mine.” She spoke with the enthusiasm of a prophetess, and her dark eyes glowed like living fire. The young man felt them taking possession of his soul. He gasped out: “But we are not here alone—you and I. There are others. I have seen them. It was but a chance that I was not slain.” “ Have no fears. No such danger shall come to you again. There was but one here whom I failed to control, and he—is gone. The rest are my slaves, They shall be yours. I lacked only one - could trust—and you are now here.” “Gone? Where.” He asked himself the question with a chill, though he did not speak it aloud. Something of his thoughts the singular woman appeared to read. She waved her hand between them. “Forget all that. There is such chance for you as man never had. Wealth with- out end, a kingdom for the founding of it. A refuge the world can never reach, and subjects man cannot conquer. Are you with me?” She held out her hand toward him, and he knew it was his for the grasping, but ‘hs folded his arms, with a stern resolve to retain his will, and answered: “There is blood on it. I dare not take it until I know more.” “You shall know more. You shall know all. By means of my powers I learned of this place, and came hither. I found it occupied as a refuge by men who knew not its secret. To use them, and to secure my own safety, I had to tell them something of the truth, and share with them a tithe of the treasure. — “Even that was not lost. Much of it has been spent in refitting this retreat— the rest is still in the treasury. Only one of them could hold out against my power; and he was the brute who had ruled before my coming. For a time we divided the sovereignty, but there came a moment when it was his life or mine— and with mine would have gone yours. I fought for us both—and won, Blame me if you dare.” t She mastered him after all. As her hot glance darted into his eyes he gave up the contest, and enclosed her hand within his own. + “As you will. I am but clay in your hands, mould me as you wish.” “Spoken well. Never shall you regret. I cannot explain more to-night, for the others must be prepared for the new or- der; and that will only take a little time. Let me lead you back to the quarters you first occupied. To-morrow you shall know all the hidden secrets of the place.” Though his soul was in arms against it he bowed his head in acquiesence, the door opened before them, and she led the way through the empty corridor. “Perhaps I may be able to show you our kingdom later on. If not, good night.” And thus, with a wave of the hand, she left him, to his confused thoughts. CHAPTER X, THE STORY OF A KING. Saul Sanders knew well enough that he had stumbled across a mystery and a crime. He had little time to think the mat- ter over, but it had come to him like a revelation that the underground stream had taken him to the building he had seen at sunset; and that the place had unexpected inhabitants, who might not receive him after a friendly fashion, He was wise enough to see that the man he had rescued was at present on the losing side in some internal dissen- sion, and would have liked to know something more about what had been done before going further. At the same time, almost any guide was better than none at all, and he felt that, for the present at least, he could hold his own with all in sight. He kept his eyes open for treachery—for he did not altogether trust this dripping Hercules— and intended to worm out of him what information he could at the earliest practicable woment. : Until that time, perhaps it was best not to think at all in regard to what he had found. He devoted himself to his patient; and without meeting a soul, the two crept slowly through the passages until they reached a spot where the man seemed to believe himself to be safe. He threw himself down upon a couch, and left Saul to look around in amazement at the room and its furnishing. After a time, however, the’ strength of the late moribund appeared to return, and he gazed sharply at the youth. “ow did you get here, young man?” was his question. “If you had been brought in by Edna you would hardl have come to my rescue.” ay “Rest easy on that, old man. No- body brought me. I just dropped in. I found the valley, by chance, saw a castle in the distance, and would have come down in the morning, to explore around — a little; but you can bet high on it that if I had had the say-so, I wouldn’t come in exactly this way.” ' “Dropped in, eh? You must mean — something by that.” _ ier Ly “I mean just what I say, for I neve ara ak ’ 4 my have i a4 Ln x | Hy a ee Ste rs 4 I ae ae Ue ae
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AERO OL ged tg —— . Cra eee wn i TAN NT PERO ory 5 > PE | 100 0 EN aE Sia ; es Col never run foul of the law. would have taken the jump into the sunken canyon of my own free wiiil, One minute I was nosing around in the star- light; the next I was drifting down the stream that flows below. I had just crawled out when your friends brought you along in a sack, and dumped you iu, regardless. I’m one of those unlucky wretches that always must take up for the under dog in a fight, and so I took up for you. Now, I'd like to know where I am, and what’s going on here.’”’ “ Sounds like the truth,” said the man, rubbing his beard thoughtfully. “ Yet, how did you come to find this valley at all? What brought you here?” “What brings most men to such hid- den spots in thé desert? An idle tale, perhaps. Some cheap jest, told around a campfire. For every such retreat there is a story of rich placers or a hidden treasure. I am no different from the rest. I searched, and I found.” ‘The ‘ruth seemed to Saul to fit the case best. No,other reason came to his mind, and he was not afraid to tell it. ‘He began to think this adventure was a larger one than he could handle by him- self, and it might be well to try and make terms with the man he had saved. “You.found too much,” said the man, gloomily. “We are first on the spot, and hold all we found.” “Strikes me that your pards are not exactly the right stripe to tie to. Hadn’t you better draw a moist pen slick through and start fresh? Come! I have done you a good turn; do me one. I am not the only person who has heard of. this spot. It will not be long before you have your hands full.” “What good turn I can do you I will. Swear to stand by me and I will make you one of the sharers in this kingdom.” “Much in it?” : “Millions. More than any one sus- pects, perhaps, save yourself—and one other. It is all ours, and we'll have it if we have to fight for it.” ’ He shut his teeth hard, and shook his fist savagely. Saul thought of Plant- hunter and his young charge, and won- dered if they had fallen into these hands. He had entirely forgotten them until a moment ago. It was hardly safe to al- lude to them, yet he could not help wish- ing to find out if his strange companion knew anything of their disappearance. He doubted it; and if not he might make terms for the two, and perhaps be giving him a valuable hint. At the same time, he knew how un- certain was the hope, and he hesitated: “T den’t mind taking shares in a stock company for developing an Aztec ruin, and keeping out intruders, so far as fnin- ing law and the rule to treasure trove will allow. I am as warm after wealth as the next man. But up to the present time I have lived an honest life, and I intend to keep on in the same lines. How does that platform suit your royal highness?” “Tt is all right for those who care to live on it, but it will never bring a man ‘a million. Yet, I like you, boy, and I’ll give you one more chance, Swear that when the time comes you cannot fight for me and us you will not be against us, and that whatever you may learn while here as my friend and guest will remain an’ untold secret. Do this, and for a time, at Jeast, I can trust you, and _ ‘when you go away it will not be empty handed. If we meet the success I dream could never ‘have obtained had you been I ree to work here alone. And, by the Takers - gi Sa ry " ye er, of, you shall have a share such as you are you alone? Tell the truth, It ; » better for you. If I find you have been deceiving me, all promises made are off, and I will forget you saved my life.” One of the talonlike fingers thrust the threat at Saul. The question and the threat, however, found him prepared. “That’s for you to make out. I told no one of my plans. I started alone. I entered this valley alone. I arrived here alone. Outside of yourself, there is no one knows in all this wide world that I am in or under this castle of the ages. “That is enough—if you are telling the truth, as I believe you are.” “Don’t be too: sure of that. On the way I touched more than one whose feet were turned in the same direction. Per- haps you know something of them?” “ When you reached this were they be- fore or behind you?” The cold way in which the question was asked convinced Sanders his state- ment was not a surprise, and that some- thing was to be learned from this man, who was now almost himself again. “Tf I know anything about it they were all before me.” “Who were they, and what did you know about their objects? ” “T cant’ tell you as much as they might if they were willing to talk. First, there was a young man I met beyond, on the edge of the desert. Never saw him be- fore, but we sort of cottoned to each other, and tramped along together till the next night. We laid down to rest, and when I woke up he was gone. That was the last of him.” “Ah, the man who could find his way here ought to be able to see a trail, even in the desert, and you do not seem like one who would accept such a disappear- ance without trying to account for it.” “Tf eyesight goes for anything, he slipped away through the solid rock. The way I felt, I half believed the whole thing, man and all, was a dream, and I let it go at that. Out on the sand a fel- low sees queer things at times, and knows enough to smile and pass on.” “True. And the others?” “A man anda girl. They were camped at the head of the valley. The man had visited’ this country years ago, and was guiding the other, who was, I take it, seeking something besides treasure. They disappeared just as mysteriously as my other friend had done. It was while I was looking for them that I tumbled into the river through an opening in the rocks. The men can take care of them- selves. That’s what they are men for. But if you have harmed the girl—you and I will fight.” The threat was coolly made, without any overbearing insolence, and did not seem to anger the listener. He answered slowly: - “T know nothing of the girl, but there is one who does, and before the night is over I will have the truth from her lips. Stop! I have seen one of them. I un- derstand now. Edna brought him here herself. The traitoress! I might have known.” “Who is Edna, if it is a fair ques- tion?” “Tt is a long story, boy, and one I would not care to tell if I did not trust you. To shorten it up it would sound something like this: “T and a dozen or more men found our way into this region. There were a hun- dred mounted men in blue after us, prom- ising ropes or bullets, as we might chose, but we preferred starvation and thirst, so we pushed ahead, and dropped them in the desert, Perhaps they never went back. We have made no search, and their bones never Leger . were found by us.” 4 Queen Edna, of the Panthers. 11 “Pernaps they are saying the. same thing of you.” “Al the better. It was a year ago. We found what we had not dreamed of, and though it was a dangerous road we had to take to reach it, we saw how it could be used as a fortress and a hiding place. When we had gone from one end to the other, as we imagined, we thought of it as nothing else. Then, Edna came up, out of the ground at our feet.” “And who is she?” “A witch. A woman with strange powers. She, and a man who seemed as much her slave as her servant, stalked boldly in among us, “ With them came the panthers, marvel- ously trained. Before long she told us strange things, and in the end had the men who had been mine almost as much her slaves as the one she had brought with her. All but me. She could not bend or break my will, with all her magic, and so we went along side by side. At her bidding they worked as men never worked—and found gold that seemed countless, though she held it as a drop in the bucket to the treasures she would unearth. She it was who sent them back more than once by a way she found for such supplies as we needed; she unearthed the wonderful secrets, one by one; she harnessed the stream in the hidden canyon, and turned it into light; she promised even greater things. All the time I doubted her, and though we worked together we were on guard. To- night her chance came for a stroke, and she made it. It will be my turn next.” Saul looked at the speaker. If he had@ not just saved his life probably he would have seemed still more repulsive; as it was the self-declared outlaw looked for- bidding enough. Yet, this confidence fascinated him. He was yearning to take part in the adventure. It was the most wonderful thing he had ever ‘heard or imagined, and whatever this man had been, he appeared to be on the right side now. One thing more he had to say: “Old man, I’m with you, if that is al? straight goods; but I want to say a word for the girl I spoke of and her guide. They did not come on a treasure hunt, but she seeks her father, who, she be- lieves, is here. It’s ten to one she has fallen into this Edna’s hands, and my first move would be to get her out of them. She mustn’t come to any harm.” “Take the earth, youngster—if you can getiit. That’s always been my plan. I’ll give you all I dare; and for the rest— we'll see. I must leave you here for a time, until I ean see how the land lays. You will be safe enough, and might have worse quarters. Rest yourself until I re-. turn.” All his strength seemed to have come back to him, and he was little the worse after his marvellous escape from death. — Once having made up his mind, he did not hesitate on his going, and Saul found himself alone, a He did not altogether fancy the posi- tion of affairs, but there was a master- ful way about his host which he did not think it well to resist. He might have felt dryer, and warmer, and less hungry; but this was so much better than drifting — down the sunken river that he tried to be cheerful; and did not succeed badly. By and by he heard, rather than saw, . the door open. As instantly he slipped behind the curtains which hung on the | sides of the room, and congratulated him- self for his prudence when he heard a voice that he guessed rightly belonged | { to the mysterious woman he had heard => called Edna. — It was simply a saying, to some one she
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12 Queen Edna, of the Panthers, room. He peeped cautiously out from his hiding place, and to his surprise rec- ognized Tom Calvert! CHAPTER XI, AHAB EARL “Great Scott, old man! Zet here?” With this exclamation Saul Sanders strode out from behind the curtain and advanced toward his whilom friend. The surprise was as great on the other side, and the two stared at each other, though Calvert recovered himself first. “ Ask me something easy. All I know is that I arrived. But Tll swear I would just as soon I was somewhere else. This is too near the infernal re- gions to suit me.” “ Haven’t seen anything of Planthunt- er and the young lady since you left without saying good-by?” “Not a thing. I hope to heavens this is not the spot they are aiming at.” “Tt is just that same; and if I can guess at anything of the facts in the case, I should say. the lady at the door knows something about her.’”’ “T hope not. What do you know about them; and how do you come to be-here? Quick! Tell me all about it.” Saul did not hesitate, but gave a swift outline of his adventures since striking the valley, down to the rescue of the man in the sack. Even though Calvert might have gone over soul and body to the mysterious Edna, he could not see any reason for keeping back what had happened. When he had briefly sketched it all he stood back, to note how Calvert took it. “Tt looks ‘as though you had the best chance to get what you came for,’ was Tom’s glooomy answer. “T swear, I forgot to ask the queen of these infernal regions whether she knew anything about a brace of wander- ers whose faces were set this way. Per- haps it was just as well. There is a revolution going on in this kingdom, and the less attention is called to any one the better. My own head hardly rests too .well\on my. shoulders, though I'd back my chances against yours. Be- fore this thing is done with, the chances are both of us will go up the flume.” “That comes from being on both sides of the question at issue. My man is not a very good one to look at, but I should say he was powerful as a fighter, and built to stay.” “T know. I have seen him. He in- truded here, andel had the pleasure of knocking him endways. When he gets the chance, he will repay the blow of the fist with a stroke of the steel. I might, perhaps, plead your cause with the woman you call Bdna if—’ “Tf it was not that the moment she gets on to the interest you have been taking in a certain Arla Earl you'll have to be looking out for your own neck. Whichever side comes on top, it is going to be bad for one of us; and most likely both. The only thing I see is to join forces and make a fight against .every- thing in the ring.” ““No use to think of escape.” “Not a bit. I don’t budge until I get my hands into the treasure somewhere near to the elbows. It’s as much mine as any one’s.” “ And I don’t go until I find Arla, or know she is beyond help.” * All the same, it looks like murder to strike in against the man I saved, and that is what they ought to call it.” “And it is the same way about the Queen of the Sunken Canyon.” How did you ‘to be have picked up, they, both deserve alJ they will get.” * Hist! Some one comes.” They heard the shooting of the bolt preparatory to the opening of the door, and without hesitation both disappeared behind the, curtains. It might be the king, or it might be the queen, who was approaching. Which- ever it was, there was one prisoner too many in the room. Peeping cautiously out at the man who advanced into the room, they saw he bore a tray, and Cal- vert concluded Edna had not forgotten his fast of the day. He slipped out and stood between the man and the door. : You are Ahab,” he said, as the indi- vidual turned and gazed into his face. The man nodded acquiescence. “ Ahab—who? You have another name. [I am curious to know more of those who befriend me.’’ * Ahab Earl.” “Father to Arla Earl. guessed it.” The name appeared to have a magical effect. The eyes of the listener bright- ened; he made a step forward. “Yes. My daughter. What know you of her? Did she send you? Tell me of her! Oh, I have dreamed of this! How did you know me? Where is she? Can it be that she has heard?” With tongue loosened by those few words, his questions rolled out one after the other, never a wait for an answer as he reached out and clasped the hand of the young man, “Yes, she has heard. her, but I know of her. A friend saw her not long since. The letter you dropped into the canyon, enclosed in a bottle, drifted out into the gulf, and was picked up by one who never opened it, but sent it, enclosed in another envelope, ad- dressed as yours was,” “And you—you were the man who found the floating bottle? ” “TI was. I followed up the letter, cu- rious to learn its meaning. It must have contained some injunction to secrecy, for I heard nothing of its real contents till long after. I.only knew the young lady started on some dangerous quest, under the guidance of a man she sought out, and that she refused to take a warning which I tried, in all good faith, to give her. How I came ‘here myself I hardly know; but I believe that she is also within these walls, a prisoner to the woman who governs here. If so, you must help her, and be sure that if my chance comes to aid her I will not be backward.” “Here? Surely, not here? never have been so mad! than death! Ath, coming!” The intelligence died from his face with a suddenness that was startling, and he turned away as though he had heard nothing. Before Calvert could re- cover from his surprise, the visitor had glided from the room, and the door had closed behind him. “Saul, did you ever hear anything stranger? ” As he spoke, Calvert turned toward the curtain behind which he believed his friend was concealed. There was-no answer. In fact, he was alone in the room! While he conversed with Ahab, Sanders had taken the op- portunity of the open door, and had quietly disappeared. What was the meaning of it? Was he entirely, deserted? Calvert shrugged his shoulders at the thought, and seated himself at the meal that was before him. He was ravenously hungry. Heavens! I I do not know She would A fate worse “King or Queen?” he muttered to himself a little later, as he heard once more the shock of the hidden bolt, as it was forced back from its socket, He cocked his revolver, laid it on the table beside his plate, and went on eat- ing. ‘ CHAPTER XII. IN THE LAIR OF THB TIGERS. It was a sudden instinct which caused Saul Sanders to slip away. He was every whit as hungry as Cal- vert, and was also interested in the con- versation with Ahab; but when he saw a chance to pass the portal beyond which it was not safe to go, yet behind which danger was likely, to find him, he did not hesitate. As yet he knew nothing about the in- terior of this venerable building, save what he had seen on the way from the canyon below to this spot. He wished he had asked some questions when he had the opportunity. Not hav- me done so, he had to explore for him- self. He went noiselessly along the hall, fol- lowing the same course as that lately taken by, Calvert. Before going far he looked back over his shoulder, and saw Ahab making his exit. At that he looked around for a hid- ing place; but could see none. Either he must fight it out, or must run for it; and he chose the latter course, In a moment he had turned the angle, and was peeping back at Ahab from around the corner. Ahab saw nothing of this, and moved blindly toward the spot. Further flight was necessary; and seeing the stairway down which Calvert came so near to tum- bling, he dodged down that, his hand on his revolver, He did not go far, and when Ahab passed on he stole back and followed him on tiptoe. It was a wonderful risk; but it was a time when such a one should be taken. It probably meant life or death to know—or not to know—what was go- ing on. There was little of elegance about this stone monument of the past. It was built after the simplest order of architecture, so far as arrangement was concerned. Plain hallways ran through the centre of it, and the rooms were on either side. To be sure, the masonwork was all marvelously well done, and so pointed off that, though doubtless joints were systematically, broken, yet everywhere his eyes seemed to meet solid walls. He doubted if he coukd go back and find the opening by, which he had left the room where the dwarf Hercules had placed him. “Nice place to nose around without some sort of a guide,” he thought to himself. “Don’t seem to be any way to get out to the open, and no telling when a door will swing, and some one pop out on you. What I would like to know is whether this is the garret, basement, or somewhere betwixt and between. If the lights went out on a fellow, and he was in a hurry to get out, it would be @ mighty bad show.” Of course, he was careful not to get too near his involuntary guide, and all the time was watching him carefully. He was confident of being able to find his way back to the underground river; and had decided that in case of discovery and pursuit he would retreat in that di- rection. If hard pressed, he would take to the boat, and trust himself for a time to the uncertain current of the stream.
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as o hg hts ey eel a sad He was not at’all anxious for such an adventure, however, and when ue saw his unconscious guide halt, he paused himself, Ahab knocked thrice upon the centre of a stone on the wall, and after waiting & moment knocked twice more, striking With the haft of a knife he drew from his belt. Would he go in, or would he first look around? If he did the latter he was almost certain to see Saul, and it was only the far-away appearance of the man that induced Sanders to run the risk. The door opened,.and without a par- ticle of hesitation Earl went in. “Neck or nothing,” thought Saul; and silently, but with swift steps, glided to the spot where the man had disappeared. He had been almost certain the door did not close again; and found he had not been mistaken. The opening was but partially closed. He heard voices within. “You have stayed long; why?” ‘Pardon, madame, He spoke to me and I could but answer.” “He said?” “He asked after a man and woman who came hither, and who, he thinks, are prisoners.” “He did?” The exclamation was one of angry sur- prise. * Good heavens! caia this girl be any- thing to him? I thought they were but a pair of meddling fools, and hesitated what to do with them. Better to have left them to the tender mercies of the brutes. And you? What answer did you make him?” “YT said I had ‘not seen them. Then, you called me, and I came away.” It*was the truth he spoke, as far as it went, but he might have told much more. Perhaps it was some thought in her own mind which controlled his speech. Cer- tainly, if she had pressed him he would bave given word for word precisely what Tom Calvert really did say. It may be it was the will of Saul Sanders, who was listening with interest, and who under- stood only too well the strange powers of the remarkable woman. He waited eagerly for what was to come next. “Tt is not too late to rid ourselves of them; and out of sight they will be out of mind. You, Ahab, waking or dream- ing, here or elsewhere, will forget you have ever seen or heard of them. Re- member. Follow me. I may have need of your knife.” She was going to leave the room, and Saul looked around him in some dismay. If they came out of that door nothing could save him from being seen, and while he did not doubt his being able to hold his own, armed as he was with a revolver, there was no telling what re’n- forcements the sounds of a_ struggle might bring to the scene, 3 With his hand on the handle of his pistol, he awaited the discovery. It turned out that it was not now to come, A moment later he heard her vcice, but it was further off, and less distinet. She was leaving the room by some other Way. Saul sighed with satisfaction. “ All right, my lady. I’m in the ring to find out all I can discover, and there’s not a better spot to learn wisdom than right here. 1: you will be kind enough to leave that back door open also, I ll be pleased to give you the benefit of my company for the ensuing interview. Steady, now. Here goes.” - ‘With cautious hand ‘he pushed the door still further open, and entered the room. > . Baik - fry te $ sale tia' A a ' 7 Bs fhe gi PUASS eS ; Q ueen Edna, of the Panthers. The apartment, in size and furnish- ing, resembled much the one in which he had left Calvert. There were a few feminine nick-nacks, showing this was the abiding place of a woman, but the occupant seemed to run to the practical rather than the luxurious. He advanced still further, looking this way and that in search of the route to what he knew lay beyond, but the sight which met his eyes: was one on which he had not counted, From separate corners of the room stepped certain friends he had almost forgotten, and whom he had no desire to see again. : The panthers rose up, yawned, and moved toward him with a silence that was fascinating. A few steps they moved, and then crouched together, as if for a simulta- neous spring. CHAPTER XIII. WITHOUT MERCY. With her rear guarded by four such allies, Edna had little fear of what she left behind her, and would not have re- turned to remedy the mistake had she been aware the door had been left open. She was most thoroughly the master of the secrets of this building, and she and Ahab alone knew the hidden way by which she made her exit from the room. It was in utter darkness now, as she stepped lightly down the _ stone stairway; but there was no hesitation in her movements. A score of steps she counted, and then, knowing she was once more on the level, turned to the right, and sought the wall for guidance, Ahab had followed the same way more than once, but had he been an utter stranger to it little difference would that have made. He moved through no voli- tion of his own. When Edna halted he came to a stop, but it is doubtful if he understood why. Never was possession more complete. A door opened to her touch, and the two passed into a huge, arched chamber, dimly lighted by the rays of a single lantern. In one corner were two figures, which moved slightly as she approached. Plant- hunter and Arla Earl were there. Planthunter attempted to spring to his feet; but there was the rattle of a chain, and he sat down again with more vigor than grace. Arla never moved a particle. Queen Edna caught up the lantern, and held it so the light would fall full on the face of the young girl, slowly reading every line of those features, whith she could not help but see were beautiul. For a little she stood thus, her eyes glittering with hate, the fingers of her free hand working involuntarily, as though they clutched a dagger. Standing behind her, Ahab allowed his eyes to rove over the prisoners without showing a spark of more’ than the idlest curiosity. To all intents and purposes he was a thing of springs and hinges, moved solely by a master hand. He even paid no attention to the words Queen Edna was speaking. “ Girl, I ask you for the last time, why have you come here?” “And I answer, because my feet wan- dered in this direction. If you asked it over a thousand times, I would say nothing else.” “Because that much the worst fool would know. There was a mystery be- hind that answer, as I knew from the first, and it was only when I had half tr. wee Ow wer i oa : a 23 a4 : , ! : 13 solved it that it became dangerous. Tell the whole truth, if you hope to live.” Arla folded her arms, and closed her lips tightly. If looks could speak, they said, “I accept the danger; do your worst.” * You hve found your way here, and if I turned you loose, no promise you made would keep you from seeking the spot again. Only, the next time you might bring a larger force with you. I dare not keep you here—if it was only for your own sake. The interests at stake are too great to hesitate. You— must go away.” She hesitated, and though she tried to soften her concluding words, they fell from her lips as a threat. With one hand outstretched, and pointing at the prison- er, she waited, as if to learn their effect. They fell idly. Here was another sub- ject who was proof against her marvel- ous powers. “You do not answer. worse for you. Ahab!” Her servant, her tool, and her slave stepped forward. “Take charge of her, and do as I or- der. We will give the fool one chance. After that, she and fate for it. As for this poor foo] here, there is little danger in him, but we may have to dispose of him later on. Leave him where he is.” “Fool yerself, ye old witch fiend. Ef yer knows what’s good fur ye, don’t try none ov er black art on me. An’ ef yer hurt a hair on that leetle one’s head thar’ll be a reckon’ fur ett sich ez you won’t like ter meet.” “That is right. Smarl if you please; you are fixed so you cannot bite. Ahab, away with her.” Ahab and Arla looked at each other, the man moving still closer, and reach- ing out his hand. There was a look of unconcern about his face. She might have been a block of wood, so far as his feelings were concerned. Not so with Arla. As the name of the man fell on her ears, she bent forward, her hands clasped, peering up into the stern, but otherwise emotionless, face above her, her own growing whiter and whiter. He put out his arms and clasped her around the waist, with agrip from which she did not shrink. Then, her splendid nerves gave way, and, throwing up her arms, she gave @ great cry and fainted. Queen Edna looked at the two suspi- ciously, but there was no sign in the face of the man that he was moved. At that moment she forgot that he saw only with the eyes which she gave him. She led the way, the lantern in her hand, while Ahab Earl followed, the body of the girl flung over his shoulder. Planthunter, chained to the rock, was too wise to waste his breath in useless threats, or fruitless struggles, but he closed his teeth hard, as light, and slave, and captive, and queen vanished, and he was left alone in the darkness, - “Fainted, hev yer, girl? Ef that wretch are ter w’uk her wicked will, bet- ter fur you ef yer never opens them eyes agin. Ter think ov ett. Better be old Planthunter, settin’ hyer in the black night, awaitin’ starvashun an’ death, than ter git ag’in face ter face with ther awful truth. Wonder ef that devil couldn’t ’a’ knowed. P’rhaps I made a mistake in not a shoutin’ ett out. Ef I did, Lord furgive me. I kept silent fur ther best.” While he thought thus, he bowed his face to his knees and continued to stare as it seemed to him at the vanishing So much the Take charge of her, light, and the nerveless victim borne : + bj ‘
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— Queen Edna, of the Panthers. away to the slaughter upon her father’s shoulder. “ After the day’s toil they sleep well; and it is well that it is so. My slaves are well in hand, and yet I cannot al- ways be sure. This is one of those things to which I want no witnesses. Ahab I can trust, but with some of the rest I am never altogether sure. They have been seeing with their own eyes, rather than mine, and their memories are not altogether in my keeping.” In this fashion the woman muttered to herself as she went on, leading the way through an arched hallway, which seemed to be cut out of the solid rock rather than built by mason’s art. Not a soul met them; and after a time they came out into the white light that flooded a broader passageway, and shone out upon the river. She saw no traces of the dripping gar- ments which had trailed across the quay since she had been there, and the boat rocked lazily at the end of its chain. * Ahab!” “Here, mistress.” “What is it you are going to do?” “As you say. I have no other will.” “The fool is dangerous to both you and me, yet I give her a chance for life. Would you have it so?” ‘ “ As it pleases you.” “You are going to tie her hands and feet yet more securely.” “Tt is done.” “Draw up the boat and place her in.” Without a word in response Ahab gravely drew up the boat, giving the chain a closer hitch, to hold it to the wharf. Arla gasped, and moved slightly, but he never seemed to notice it, as he placed her softly in the vessel, and wait- ed for the next order. “Cut loose and let it go.” The chain was unhitched, and the boat drifted slowly down with the current. Arla’s head arose weakly from the benca on which it was resting, and then dropped down again. Perhaps the mo- tion whirled away her senses, for once more she was motionless. “You came a day or so too late,” said Edna, folding her arms, and watching the craft float away toward the gloom be- low. “T might have made terms with you before I had seen him. Now, there can be no terms. If fate saves you, I die. One or the other of us—which will it be?” A mocking laugh closed the question, and the boat, feeling more and more the current, glided into the deeper shadows. “Too late—or else too soon. A day or two later, when the last blast has been fired, and I know the best, or the worst, I might not care to take such chances. The chances of the darkness, the water- fall, the sunken channel, with its jagged rocks; and she bound hand and foot! What chances are thee? It is certain as fate. She goes to her death!” She said the words firmly, as though _ earing nothing for the man who «rouched oe before her, watching the craft with eyes as eager as her own; but at the mo- ment ‘there came something she did care for, and she turned, with a face which had suddenly become whiter, while her hand went to her bosom. = Up in the hallway, somewhere, she heard a hoarse roar which she recog- nized, and the noise of running foot- steps. As she stared up the passage she saw rushing toward her a young man, whom she recognized just in time. It was Tom Calvert. In his wake fol- lowed the one man in all the earth she least thought to see, since to that mo- ment she had believed he slept eternally under the waters of the canyon. How had he escaped? How had he come upon her guest? She shifted her aim from the young man to him, and as her finger lingered on the trigger of the pistol she had drawn, Calvert rushed past her and flung himself into the water, turning his face down stream, and swim- ming with strong, sturdy strokes. She called to stay, that he was safe, and as she called she shot. As if an answering echo, there came a roar, a shaking, and—darkness. She fell forward on her face, and even as sne fell she felt the fingers of her foe at her throat. CHAPTER XIV. CYCLONE SAUL TAKES THB TRAIL. Saul Sanders was as cool a warrior as could be found, and did not force the fighting when he saw the unsuspected enemy about him. Planthunter had explained something about these brutes, while he knew con- siderable in regard to them from per- sonal experience. To be sure, up to this time they had always sought him, and there was no telling how they would take a reversal of the tactics. Had four men been mov- ing upon him, he would no doubt have shot without hesitation. Instead, now, he threw himself upon the couch, which was convenient, and glanced carelessly at his confronters. “Oh, come, now!” he chaffed, in a laughing tone; “where is the madam? She and I are friends, don’t you know, and I just dropped in by special invita- tion. Best go slow till you hear what she has to say about it.” He waved his hand gently as he spoke, and his voice seemed to hold them at bay. They looked at him doubtfully, but he felt sure the immediate danger was over. Perhaps, even, they might by and by allow him to retire in good order—whica he did not intend to be slow about doing when the chance came. “Going to take good advice, are you? That’s right. Let me know when she comes. I’m not sure but what I’ll take a doze while I’m waiting.” He lounged back more easily still. If these things were pets, as well as serv- ants, they might be willing to allow the very liberties he should not think of taking. So he reasoned; nor. was he mistaken. They crouched around him for a time, as though he was not forgotten, and presently he was more at his ease than they seemed to be. They arose, looked at the open door, and then at him. In their own silent way they were again asking him to follow. “ Quite a genteel hint that they want to turn me out. Blessed if I don’t think I had better take it. All right, my friends, I’ll go if you are willing.” He arose from his lounging position, yet had not altogether understood their purpose, They led the way through the open door, but did not intend to stop there. They went on, from time to time looking back over their shoulders, to see if he followed. He shrugged his shoulders at the invi- tation,-which he did not think it expe- dient to refuse, and they went on down the stairway on which Saul had taken refuge when watching Ahab, From their actions, he began to think they were hunting for their mistress, for they sniffed here, and there, as if in search of a trail, but all the time trotted along with some definite point in view. The stairway led to what seemed to be the lowermost part of the castle—to the cellar, in fact. The workmanship was more careless than above, and there was evidence that modern hands had been at work here. Looking for the treasury, I reckon,” thought Saul. ‘Mighty good thing I didn’t have to take the contract all by my lonesome self. Looks as though a dozen had been at work; and blamed hard work, too. Couldn’t have moved all that rock in five years. Wonder if they know what they are going for? Perhaps my friends here won’t object if I view the prospect o’er. What’s that wire for? Ah. Reck- on it’s a blast, all ready to be put off the first thing in the morning. Wouldn’t be half bad to set it off now, and blow the whole thing to never-come-back.” His guess was a shrewd one, though he had no real idea of firing the little mine which he imagined lay there. He would have been puzzled to know how to go about it. Though he under- stood the building wes lighted by elec- tricity, obtained by utilizing the current of the hidden river, he knew little of the principles behind it, and cared less. Yet, it would have been easy to have made @ connection through the wire he had discovered, and he was wise when he carefully withdrew from what he could not help but suspect was a dan- gerous neighborhood. The panthers stopped at a door, and looked nervously around: then they seat- ed themselves. There was something be- yond which they wished to see, and Saul, though a little uncertain under what control they might be, was willing they should be gratified. He stepped care- lessly between them,:and undid the fastenings. The opened door revealed darkness be- yond, and he hesitated to go further, until he saw a lighted lantern sitting just within the doorway. He caught it up and followed his guides, impelled the more strongly by catching what he thovght was the sound of a low moan. Following in the direction whence the sound came, he found Planthunter, who looked up, and, recognizing Saul, uttered @ snarl, “Ah, you war ther traitor, war ye? Mout a guessed ye war in league with ther she demon when I seed ther witches a gamblin’ along ez yer come down ther valley. Yer got ’em with yer yit.. Hev yer kim ter slay? Better do ett while yer hev ther chance. Planthunter are a man ov peace; but ef he gits loose of this thar’ll be a war sich ez er reads about. Rocks can’t hide yer, ner distance save yer. I’ll hev yer life, an’ that ov ther black angel yer trains onder.” The old man was pretty near to being insane, and Saul listened with a great pity, knowing it would not be safe to go nearer until he had undeceived him, “Planthunter, old man, you are away, off. I dropped into this infernal den while looking for you and Miss Warl, I come now to help you both, and I’ll do it, too. The cats are mighty uncertain friends, and I am almost afraid to do any- thing while they are looking on. A fight would bring help to their side of the house. Just take it easy a few mo- ments. Perhaps they will go further.’’ “You don’t mean ett, boy! Yer tryin’ ter fool old Planthunter, an’ him a eat- in’ his heart out hyer, alone in ther dark. Oh, jist set me loose, so I kin even up with that woman ez runs this camp, an’ I’ll be yer slave tell death.” His tone was pleading, and as though fae
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he hoped against hope, rather than be- lieved. “JT mean it, right “enough, so get that blood out of your eye. The kittens are going, after all.” Evidently the panthers had not found the object of their search, and wanted to go further. They looked at Saul inquir- ingly. » oon He nodded back to them. 7% “All right. I’m with you—as far as . the workshop. I must get something to take off these chains; and to make things safe, I guess I’d better shutthe door be- tween us. You are too sweet for any- thing; but I’ll swear I don’t trust you.’ = Planthunter called to him, but he paid . no attention. If the old man did not be- . i lieve in the hint he had given, so much S a the worse. ‘hi After a little he came hurrying back; 2) the panthers were no longer with him. y 18 The old guide gave a cry of joy as Saul Bin attacked the chains. A few minutes ae later and the prisoner stood free. “ Quick! We must foller her!” he ex- claimed, excitedly. a “ She hez kerried Arly away ter death. Ef you’d on’y a come sooner! Most like + ett’s too late fur arything but vengeance.’ ee He would have rushed away, but Saul E hve restrained him. - “Basy, old man. We have to look a little out for ourselves. When I shut the door on the cats they seemed to think I had played it very low down on them. 4 Perhaps they have gone on about other ae business, but my own idea is they are waiting just outside, ready to tell us what they think.” “Kill them! Kill them! witches, not fit to live.” “That’s all very true, but what will they be doing? I suppose I may be able for them in a fight, if I can have the ad- vantages my way; but just now they all seem to have them their way. Just pray they get into some little trouble on . their own account. They were dancing ss around like young bulls in a china shop Se when I left—and it’s not exactly the safest place to dance, with dynamite, and electric wires, and Satan knows what, lying around loose. You hear them snarl? It’s an elegant place for them to make trouble, and I wouldn’t wonder if they were to do it.” It seemed as though his words were prophetic, for almost as he spoke they heard from the other side of the door a hideous roar, the rock quaked under their feet, and they fell prone on the floor. aA) They are ran, TH e ° Oe ASS are eae 5 Sere Ms 2 5 ssn re ’ ’ ~“~¢ - Aree. eee v7 ote CHAPTER XV. THE LAST BLAST. “The blast!” said Saul, crawling up uninjured, but a good deal shaken. “Those infernal imps have fired it off. We will be lucky if we’re not shut up here for good. It sounded as though the -. whole shop was coming down.” 9 Planthunter was up again, too. He knew nothing of the blast, but would linger there no longer. He himself tried the door, and found it opened readily. Fortunately, the lantern was not ex- tinguished, and cautiously they made their way back through the corridors, which were curtained with a darkness blacker than night. Somewhere the wires had been broken—never to be 7 joined again. ~ Chance led them along into the passage sete eA the blackness, they heard a ry, and the sounds of a struggle. ly! “They’ re killin’ ner! Git ught his young friend | . m. down which went to the water’s edge, and | wig wn the Queen Edna, of the Panthers. passage, holding the lantern before them, ane sure they stumbled into no pit- alls. The lamp shot a cylinder of light before them, and in that way they saw, upon the edge of the wharf, two forms, locked in a life and death conflict! While they looked the forms disap- peared, and there was a splash in the water, not loud enough for them to hear. When they came up to the spot where the struggling figures had been, they found a broad stain of fresh blood. Had they looked closer they might have seen, in the water behind them, a few bub- bles of air. Of the two there was no other trace. As they looked around them, and at each other, they heard a halloo come over the water, and Saul recognized it as the voice of Tom Calvert, who, in turn, believing he recognized the figures by the light of the lantern, but was not sure, “ Hillo yourself! ” shouted back Sanders. “We're right side up, but it’s been touch and go. Where are you?” “Who is with you?” “Planthunter. There seems to have been a racket here of some kind, but there’s no one else in sight. Come in!” “I’m coming, and bringing Arla Earl with me.” At that moment the two heard a groan, and a man staggered forward out of the gloom at their side. “ Arla Earl! Who speaks that name? Where am I? Who are you?” It was Ahab—Ahab, from whom the mental fetters were dropping away, and who knew nothing now of all that had passed since he hurried. away from Cal- vert, in answer to the call of his queen. Saul’s revolver was ready for him, but. Planthunter threw it up. “Stiddy, boy!” he warned, in a low tone. “ Hit’s ther gal’s father. vg Meantime Calvert was pulling steadily against the stream, and the boat, in which, fortunately, the oars had been left when turned adrift, grated against the pier. Arla had recovered her senses, and sprang out, swift and strong. “TI know, dear, better than you; have no regrets. I have found you.” So she said, as she threw herself into the arms of her father; and there was a low murmur of voices, as, forgetful of the others, they spoke of those things near- est their hearts. Meantime, Calvert explained the situa- tion as he understood it. ' “When you left me to myself, I made the best of a bargain, and finished the meal myself that I thought would have to do for two. After a weary wait, I heard some one coming, and was wiser than I had been. I hid behind the cur- tains, When the door opened, and some one called, ‘Saul, Saul!’ I did not an- swer. It was your friend, the king. “*Come out, Saul!’ he went on. ‘The witch is in the saddle, and is going to throw the girl into the river. The men are all herded above, except Ahab, and the kittens are shut in her own sanctu- ary. Now is the time to decide where this kingdom is going to stand. If you are with me, come on.’ “He turned away in haste, leaving the open door, and did not heed my coming steps until I had shot past him. Then he did give a roar, as he recognized me, but I did not wait. The lady of the pan- thers saw me, too, and it was an even thing she did not take a pot-shot, and bring me down, but she recognized me in time, and turned her pistol from me to Bac) one a wae nasties to pat foe *: = ‘ennteper copy, or sent by mafl on 15 coward to reach the water. I dodged by, jumped into the stream, overtook the boat, and here we are. What next?” “ Gather what plunder we can, and get out. The king is dead, the queen is - dead, the kittens are dead; if we wait here another twenty-four hours, we’ll be dead, too. When Ahab gets over his ecstasy we'll trust to him to show us any of the secrets of the place it will be safe to view, and then he may guide us out, if he can. I'll swear I have a little honest prejudice in favor of sunlight once in a while; and that is something which never comes here.” “ But, in the upper stories—there must be a way out.” “There are no upper stories. That is, the infernal place is built so that those below will never know there is anything above; and those above will never find the regions below.” “But, there must be a way from one to the other.” “Oh, yes. And it’s a heap good way. Supposing you find it. We might dig and blast for a hundred years. Ahab may know the way, but I doubt it. The knowledge was what gave Madame Edna her strength.” Saul Sanders had hit the history of the place fairly well. Had he reached the ruin from above, he would have found no way to the true mystery of the build- ing, though he might have stumbled upon a gang of haggard, desperate men, who rested there from their labors, and guard- ed what they believed to be their share of the treasures already found. Ahab himself did not know the secret of the hidden stairway which led upward, but he did Jead them out from the chan- nel of the hidden river. Before going they explored well all the building that was open to them—and took away with them some wealth. Yet, if. Edna had prevailed, there would have been black disappointment for her, The blast, fired by accident, laid bare the vault which no doubt she was striv- ing to reach, and, so far as treasure was concerned, it was empty. It was no great disappointment to By them. Ahab was only too glad to escape ie with life and daughter, even though he ~*~ had no remembrance of the _ terrible ‘i scenes when Arla came so near to death, | and of which he was never reminded. | Saul carried away, perhaps, as much as he had really expected to realize. Tom > Clayton had wealth of his own, and be- = that—had he not saved Arla at the ast? . Verily, he was not to be without his reward. ¢ THE END. Beatlle’s Half-Dime Library. 3 BY OAPTAIN MAYNE REID.) 178 Fine Bi Dick mare The Yellow Chief's Ven eee, ast ane repent or, _ League of Devil’s Islands 4 e Hela on Hand; or, Backwoods Retribution. a30 The Go ld-seeker Guide! or, The Lost Menntaip, BY HAROLD PAYNE, 848 Dan, the River Sport; or, Foiling the Frisco Shenpe | a 892 Bowery Ben tn Chinato: . BS Ay Bowe Basi nt East-side Detective, 2 The etective. ond Sealer Sam, Detective, of Hook and Ladder @, 1028 The Span Skipper’s Uonanza. BY DAN DUNNING. 6 Quiet Inck, th ier fae and Buck, the ‘vinta of, The Diabotteal —r: 898 Farrel Fox's A New tanto Every Tuesday. The Half-Dime Library |s tor sale oy all New BEADLE ve witinm ADA
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Published Every Tuesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents, by all Newsdealers., ~ BEADLE'S«H ALF-[DIME*« [| IBRARY. BY EDWARD L.-WHEELER. Deadwood Dick Novels. 1 Deadwood 120 Deadwood 28 Deadwood 85 Deadwood 42 Deadwood 49 Deadwood 57 Deadwood '%8 Deadwood '?? Deadwood 100 Deadwood 104 Deadwood 109 Deadwvod 129 Deadwood 188 Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood 7 Deadwood Deadwood Gold-Duat Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood 7 Deadwood Deadwood Dead wood Deadwood Deadwood 421 Deadwood 480 Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Dead wood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Dendwood Deadwood 539 Deadwood 544 Deadwood 549 Deadwooa 554 Deadwood 561 Deadwood 567 Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwooa Deadwood > Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood 612 Deadwood 618 Deadwood 624 Deadwood 680 Deadwood 686 Deadwood 642 Deadwood 648 Deadwood 654 Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood 784 Deadwood 740 Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Dendwood Deadwood Dead wood Deadwood Dead wooa TST Deadwood 792 Deadwood T9T Deadwood 802 Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Dendwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Dead wood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood 891 Deadwood Dick 898 Deadwood 904 Dendwood 910 Deadwood 916 Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. Dick’s Deflance; or, Double Daggers. Dick in Disguise; or, Buffalo Ben Dick in His Oaatle. Dick’s Bonanzay or, The Phantom Miner. Dick in Danger; or, Omaha Oll. Dick’s Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood Bar. Dick on Deck; or, Calamity 4 ine, the Heroine Bare Last a or, Corduroy Charlie. ck in Leadville. tee te ves lee; pre The Double Cross Sign. ck as Detective. i Dick’s Double; or, The Gorgon’s Gulch Ghost. Dick’s Home Base; or, Blonds Bill. Dick’s Big Strike; or, A Game of Gold. Dick ot Deadwood: or, The Picked Party. Dick’s Dreamy or, The Rivals of the Road. Dick’s Ward; or, The Black Hill’s Jezebel, Bone vm 10% “ernmines Jane’s Adventure, ck’s Dead Deal. Dick’s Death-Plant, Diek. A Romance of Roughs and Tovgha, piexe oe vide on Spirit of Swamp Lake. ck’s Death Trail. Dick’s Deal; or, The Gold Brick of Oregon. Dick’sa Dozen; or, The Fakir of Phantom Flats Dick’sa Ducats; or, Days in the Diggings. iene Gtaneest or, The Terrible Vendetta, ck’s Claim, Dick in Dead City, Dick’s Diamonds. Dick in New Vorks or, A “ Cute Case.” Dick’s Dust; or, The Chained Hand. Dick, Jr.; or, The Crimson Crescent Sign, Dick, Jr.’«, Defiance, Dick, Jr.’6 Full Hand. Dick, Jr.’a, Big Round-Up. Dick Jr.’s Racket at Clalm 10, Dick, Jr.’e Corral; or, Bozeman Bill. Dick, Jr.’a, Dog Detective, Dick, Jr., in Deadwood, Dick, Jr.’«, Compact. Dick Jr.’s, Inheritance, Dick, drs Diggings. Dick, Sian De verance, Dick. 34a, aoe . 7B, ig Dick, Jr.’*, Danger Ducks, Dick, Jr.’*s, Death Hunt. Dick, Jr., in Texas. Dick, Jr., the Wild West Vidocg Dick, Jr., on Hia Mettle, Dick, Jr., in Gotham, Dick, Jr., in Boaton, Dick, Jr., in Philadelphia, Pick? gry i Cmenge. ek, Jr. oat. Dick. vr.» In Denver. Dick, Jr.'s, Decree, Dick Jr., in Beelzebub’s Basin, Dick, Jr., at Coney Island. Dick, Jr.’s, Leadville Lay Dick, Jr., in Detroit. Dick, Jr. In Cincinnati. Dick, Jr., in Nevada, Dick, Jr., In No Man’a Land, Dick, Jr., After the Queer, Dick Jr.. in Buffalo. Dick, Jr.’a, Chase Across the Continent Dick, Jr.. Among the Smugglers. Wiek, Jr.’«, Inaurance Case, Dick, dr., Tack in the Mines. Dick, Jdr., tn Durango; or, “ Gathered In.” Diek, Jr.’« Discovery; or, Found a Fortune, Dick, Jr.’s. Dazzle, Diek, Jr.’s. Dollars. Bite pa ny Danger Divide. ck, dr.’s, Drop. Dick, Jr., at Jack-Pot, Dick dr. in San Francisco, Dick, Jr’« Still Hunt, Dick, Jr.’a Dominoes. Diek, Jr’« Disgulse, Dick, Jr.’«, Double Deal, Dick Jr.’ Deathwatch, Dick dJr.’s, loublet. Diek, Jr.’a, Deathblow. Dick, Jr.’a Desperate Stralt, Dick, Jr.’a, Lone Hand, Dick, Jr.’s Defeat. Dick, Jr.’s, Resurrection. 4 peg te ee Daya. e r.» Defled, Dick, Jr.’a, Double Device, } Dick, Jr’.«, Desperate Venture, } Dick, dr.’s, Diamond Dice, Dick Jr.’a, Royal Flush, Dick, Jr.’a Head-off, Dick, Jr.’s, Rival. Jr., in Mextieo, Jr’a Decoy Duck. Jr. in Silver Pocket. Jdr.’s, Dead-Sure Game, Jr’s, Double Drive. Jra, Trade-Mark. Dick, dre, «, Big Play. Jr., Brande BY T, J. FLANAGAN, 909 Midshipman Dare, the Pirate Catcher, 925 The Youn 988 The Two Cruise, & erper Captain. dshipmen; or, The Corsair-Chaser’s First 949 The Three Lieutenants 959 The Mascot Midd yor, The our Commanders, 966 Fighting Jack Shubrick. 972 Fighting Jack’s Middles ; or, Dandy Dick’s Dash, 999 Jack Lang, the Privateer Rover. 1014 Midday Ned, tke Runaway, Other Novels by E. L. Wheeler. 80 Rosebud Rob; or, Nugget Ned, the Knight. 84 Rosebud Rob on Hand; or, Idy!, the Girl Miner. 88 Rosebud Rob's Reappearance; or, Photograph Phil. 121 Rosebud Rob’s Ohaltcnses or, Cinnamon Chip 277 Denver Doll, the Detective Queen; or, The Yank« Surround 281 Denver Doll’« Victory; or, Skul! and Crossbones. 285 Denver Doll’« Decoy ; or. Little Bill’s Bonanza. 296 Denver Doll’s Drift; or, The Road Queen. 868 Vreku Jim, the Gold-Gatherers; or, The Life Lottery, 872 Yreka Jim’s Prize; or, The Wolves of Wake-Up, ‘ 885 Yreka Jhin’s Joker; or, The Rivals of Red Nese. 894 Yreka Jim of Yuba Dam, 209 Fritz, the Bound-Boy Detective; or, Dot Leetle Game, 218 Fritz to the Fronts or, The Ventriloquist Hunter. 244 Sierra Sam, the Frontier Ferret; or, A Sister’s Devotion. 248 Sierra Sams Secret; or, The Bloody Footprints, 258 Sierra Sam’s Pard; or, The Ange! of Big Vista. 255 Sierra Sam’s Seven}; or, The Stolen Bride. 884 Kangaroo Kit; or, The Mysterious Miner. 889 Kangaroo Kit’s Racket; or, The Pride of Played-Out, 89 Death-Face, Detective; or, Life in New York, ~ 96 Watch-Eye, the Detective; or, Arabs and Angels, 117 Gilt-Edged Dick, the Sport Detective 145 Captain Ferret, the New York Detective. 161 New York Nell, the Boy-Girl Detective. 226 The Arab Detective 3 or, Snoozer, the Boy Sharp, 291 Turk the Boy Ferret. 825 Kelley, Hickey & Co., the Detectives of Philadelphia, 848 Manhattan Mike, the Bowery Detective. 400 Wrinkles, the Night-Watch Detective, 416 High Hat Harry, the Sase Ball Detective, 426 Sam Slabsides, the Beggar-Boy Detective, 484 Jim Beak and Pal, Private Detectives. 26 Cloven Hoof, the Buffalo Demon; or, The Border Vultures, 82 Bob Woolf; or, The Girl Dead-Shot 45 Old Avalanche; or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigand. 58 Jim Bludsoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix. 61 Buckhorn Bill; or, The Red Rifle Team 92 Canada Chet ; or, Old Anaconda in Sitting Bull’s Camp. 118 Jack Hoyle the Young Speculator. 125 Bonanza Bill, Miner; or, Madam Mystery, the Forger. 188 Boss Bob the King of Bootblacks. 141 Solid Sam, the Boy Road-Agent; or, The Branded Bros, 177 Nobby Nick of Nevada; or, The Sierras Scamps. 181 Wild Frank the Buckskiv Bravo; or, Lady Lily’s Love. 286 Apollo Bill, the Trail Tornado; or, Rowdy Kate. 240 Cyclone Kit, the Young Gladiator; or, The Locked Valley. 278 Jumbo Joe, the Boy Patrol; or, The Rival Heirs. 880 Little Qu!ck-Shot; or, Phe Dead Face of Daggersville, 858 First-Clasa Fred, the Gent from Gopher. 8783 Nabob Neds or, The Secret of Slab City. B82 Cool Kit, the King of Kids; or, A Villain” Vengeance, 438 Santa Fe Sal, the Slasher; or, A Son’s Vengeance, 486 Sealakin Sam, the Sparkler; or The Tribunal of Ten. 918 Kit Keith, t e Revenue Spotter. 922 Sol Sharpe, the New York Night-Hawk, 948 Old Hayseed Among Bunco Men, 1001 Banty, the Denver Bootblack. BY J. CC. COWDRICK, 490 Broadway Billy, the Bootblack Bravo. 614 Broadway Billy’« Boodle; or, Clearing aStrange Case, 686 Broadway Billy’« ‘ Diffiktity.” 557 Broadway Billy’s Peath Racket. 579 Broadway Billy’s Surprise Party. 605 Broadway Billys or, The Boy Detective’s Big Inning, 628 Broadway Billy’s Dead Act; or, The League of Seven. 669 Broadway Billy Abroad; or, The Bootblack in Frisco, 675 Broadway Billy’s Beat; or, Beating San Francisco's Finest. 687 Broadway Billy In Clover. 696 Broadway Billy tn Texas; or, The River Rustlers, 708 Broadway Billy’s Brand. 711 Broadway Billy at Santa Fe; or, The Clever Deal. 720 Broadway Billy’s }'ull Hand; or, The Gamin Detective, 785 Broadway Billy’s Business. 788 Broadway Billy’s Curious Case. 758 Broadway Billy in Denver. 762 Broadway Billy’s Bargain; or, The Three Detective, 769 Broadway Billy, the Retriever Detective, 775 Broadway Billy’« Shadow Chase. 88 Broadway Billy’s Beagles; or, The Trio’s Quest. 786 Broadway Billy’« Team; or, The Combine’s Big Pall. 790 Broadway Billy’s Brigade; or, The Dead Alive. 796 Broadway Billy’s Queer Bequest. 800 Broadway Billy Baffied. 805 Broadway Billy’s Signal Seoop. 810 Broadway Billy’ Wipe Out. 815 Broadway Billy’s Bank Racket. 821 Broadway Billy’« Bluff. ut. $26 Broadway Billy Among Jersey Thugs, "a 888 Broadway Billy’« Rald. 889 Broadway Billy's Big Boom. 844 Broadway Billy’s Big Bulge. 849 Broadway 856 Broadway Broadway 8 Broadway Billy’s #100,000 Snap. Billy’s Blind; or, The Bootblack Stowaway. Billy in London. Billy Shadows London Slums. Broadway Billy’s French Game. — Broadway Billy and the Bomb-Tarowers. 860 Silver-Mask, the Man of Mystery; or, The Golden Keys, 869 Shasta, the Gold King} or, For Seven Years Dead, 420 The Detective’s Appren tect or, A Boy Without a Name, 424 Cibuta John; or, Red-Hot Times at Ante Bar, 489 Sandy Sam, the Strevt Scout. 467 Disco Dan, the Daisy Dude. 606 Redlight Ralph the Prince of the Road. 524 The Tastueer Detective; or, Redlight Ralph’s Resolve 548 Mart, the Night Express Detective, 571 Air-Line Luke the Young Engineer; or, The Double Case 692 The Boy Pinkerton; or, Running the Rascals Out. 615 Fighting Marry the Chief of Chained Cyclone, 640 Bareback Beth, the Centaur of the Circle, A? Tynewriter Tilly, the Merchant’s Ward. 659 Moonlight Morgan the * Pizenest’’ Man of Ante Bar, S87 Battery Bob. the Dock Detective. $94 Arizona Dick’s Wipe-Out, 900 Jumping Jack’s Jubilee. 906 Satety Sam, the Cyele Sport. 912 Train Boy Trist’s Hot Hustle, 918 The Trump Dock-Boy, 924 Big Boots Bob, the Fire-Laddle. 980 RKuatler Ralph, the Boy Spotter. 985 The Ex-Newsboy Detective’s Chum. 941 The Bowling Green Detective’s Drop. 944 Cowboy’ Charlie’« Double. 947 The Bowery W restler; or, The Butcher-Boy’s Backer. 958 Paddy’s Trump Card; or, Silver Sallie, the Girl Sport, 960 The Brondway Sports or, Flyer Fred’s Clear Case. 967 81000 Reward; or, The Rival Reporters’ Sleek Scoop, 978 Bantam Billy, the Corker-Ferret. 978 Plucky Pat, the Street-Boy Detective. 989 Bicycle Bob's Hot Scorch, 997 Beorcher Sam, the Detective on Wheels. 1004 Scorcher Sam’sa Sweep-Stake a. 1009 ‘Tne Girl Cyclin’s Winning Hand, BY WILLIAM PERRY BROWNE. 956 Rrooklyn Rob's Bulge; or, Dodger Dot’s Diamond Snap. 968 The East-Side Spotter: or, Turning Down the Big Three 974 Old Sant’s Dark Deal: or, Miner Mats Iron Grip, 1015 The Reporter-Detective’s Big Pull, BUFFALO BILL NOVELS. BY COL. PRENTISS INGRAHAM. 1018 Buffalo Bill’« Texas Team. 1007 Buffalo Bill’s Sure-Shots, 100@ Buffalo Bill's Decoy Boya. 4 995 Buffalo BILI’s Drop; or, Dead-Shot Ned , the Kansas Kid, 98S Buffalo Bill’s Lasso Throwers. 981 Buffalo Bill’s Fighting Five. 975 Buffalo Bill’s Rifle Shots, 968 Buffalo Bills Kush Ride; or, Sure-Shot, the High-Flyer. 964 Buffalo BUill’s Decoy ; or, The Arizona Crack Shot, 9558 Buffalo Bill’s Mazeppa-Chase. d 948 Buffalo Bills Snap-Shot ; or, Wild Kid’s Texan Tally 942 Buffalo Bill’s Tough Tussle. 986 Buffalo BUls Boy Mascot; or, Joe Jarvis’ Hold-up. 929 Buffalo Bill’s Crack-shot Pard. 650 Buffalo Bill's Boy Pard; or, Butterfly Billy. 216 Bison BILL, the Prince of the Reins, 222 Bison BIill’s Clue; or. Grit, the Bravo Sport, BY BUFFALO BILL. 55 Deadly-Eye. the Unknown Scout; or, The Banded Brotherhood 68 Border Robin Hoods or, The Prairie Rover. 158 Faney Frank of Colorado; or, The Trapper’s Trust, 1029 The Phantom Spy. BY CAPT, ALFRED B. TAYLOR, U. 8. A, 191 Buffalo Billy, the Boy Bullwhacker. 194 Buffalo Bill’s Bet: or, The Gambler Guide, BY COL. PRENTISS INGRAHAM, 1081 The Texan Hustlers in Cuba. 1027 The Cowboy Raiders in Cuba ‘ 1025 The Flying Yankee or, The Ocean Outcast, 1028 The Cowboy Clan In Cuba. 1016 The Boy Bugler in Cuba, 982 New York Nat’s Drop: or, Ex-Ferret Sykes’ Bold Game New York Nat and the Traitor Ferret, New York Nat Trapped. A New York Nat’s Three of a Kind. New York Nat’s Double. New York Nat’s in Colorado. } New York Nat In Gold Nugget Camp. New York Nat’s Deadly Deal, New York Nat’s Crook-Chase, New York Nat’s Trump Card. New York Nat and the Grave Ghouls. 5’ New York Nat’s Masked Mascot. New York Nat, the Gamin Detective. Dick Doom’s Kidnapper Knock-Out, Dick Doom’s Ten Strike. Dick Doom’s Flush Hand. Dick Doom’s Death-Grip; or, The Detective by Destiny, 7 Dick Doom’s Destiny; or, The River Blackleg’s Terror. 84 Dick Doom; or. The Sharps and Sharks of New York, 88 Dick Doom in Boston; or, A Man of Many Masks, 98 Dick Doom tn Chicggo. Dick Doom tn the Wild Weat. Dick Doom’s Clean Sweep} or, Five Links in a Clue, Dick Doom’s Death Clue. Dick Doom’s Diamond Deal. Dick Doom’s Girl Mascot. Dick Doom’s Shadow Itunt. Dick Doom’s Big Heul. Dashing Charlie; or, The Kentucky Tenderfoot’s First Traii, Dashing Charlie’s Destiny; or, The Renegade’s Captive, Dashing Charlic’s Pawnee Pard. Dashing Charlie, the Rescuer. Buck Taylor, King of the Cowboys. Buck Taylor, the Comanche’s Captive. Buck Taylor’s Boys; cr, The Red Riders of the Rio Grande, Ana Fifty Others. BY LIEUT, A. K, SIMS, 589 Tom-Cat and Pard; or, The Dead Set at Silver City. 622 Tom-Cat’s Triad; or, The Affair at Tombstone. 681 Tom Cat’s Terrible Task; or, The Cowboy Detective 688 Tom-Cat’s Triumph; or, Black Dan's Great Combine. 646 Captain Cactus; the Chaparral Cock; or, Josh’s Ten Strike, 568 The Dandy of Dodge; or, Rustling for Millions. 576 The Silver Sport: or, Josh Peppermint’s Jubilee, 588/Saffron Sol, the Man With a Shadow 601 Happy Hana, the Dutch Vidoeg; or, Hot Timesat Round-Up 611 Bildad Barnacle, the Detective Hercules. 646 Cowboy Gidy the Cattle-Range Detective, 657 Warbling William the Mountain Mountebapk, 665 Jolly Jeremiah, the Plains Detective. 676 Signal Sam, the Lookout Scout. 689 Billy, the Gypsy Spy:_°r, The Mystery of Two Lives. 699 Bimple Sim, the Rroneho Buster: or, For Big Stakes. 712 The Mesmeriat Sport; or, The Mystified Detective. 788 Toltec Tom, the Mad Prospector, 745 Kanaas Jim the Cross-Cut Detective, 761 Marmaduke, the Mostanger Detective, 778 The Ruatler of Rolling Stone. 785 Lone Hand Joe the Committee of One, 801 Kent Kirby, the High-Kicker from Killbuck, 882 The Doctor Dete etive in Texas. 872 Two Showmen Pctectives in Colorado. 987 The Texan Firebrand; or, Brazos Billy’s Snap.Shot. 961 The Tramp’s Trump-Trick. NEW ISSUES. 1044 The New York Sharp. By Ben D. Halliday. 1045 Mustang Merle’s Mine. By Maj. Sam. S. Scott, 1046 Gold Plume, the Boy Bandit, or, Buffalo Bill, the Pony Express Rider. By Col, Prentiss Ingraham. 1047 Flyer Fred, the Cyclist Ferret. By Roy Rockwood, 1048 The Street Spotters’ Welrd Hunt. By Waring, 1049 Queen Edna of the Panthers. By Wm. R. Eyster, 1050 The One-Armed Sport. By T.° Harbaugh. 1051 The Boy Hereules. By Oll Coomes. JUST ISSUED. 0 { t Rob's Cireus. _ By Arizona Cy, 1ost Tie Gola Witeh’s Shadower. By Col. P. Ingroham, Rov Guide. By Oli Coomes, 1085 Antelope Albey Be tier By Rebert k. Inwan. 1086 Dandy Dieck’s Double. E 1087 The Artist Detective. vg ether ey meee ‘ , The Re £ - By Buffalo 1088 Kanens King: oF e ByMa) 8S. Scott, Merle, the Boy Rancher. 1oa0 Muar s iia Pon Patrol. By Col Fi shen 1041 Cowboy Chris tothe Fore By Wm. W. Wilder. 1042 ‘.ittle Grit, the Pony Express Rider, By Col. Ingraham, 1048 You Het Bob from Cross Crick, By Arisona Cy. A New Issue Every Tuesday. The Half-Dime Library 1s for sale by all newadealers, ive genta per copy, or sent by mail on receipt of six cents each, ‘BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, 92 William Street, New York,