Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 1063) (1897 12 07)
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Copyrighted 1897, by BEADLE AND ADAMS, December 7, 1897. a rs ty Five Cents a Copy. DAMS, Publishers, ,-Published Every Vol LI. e ® $2.50 a Year. P Tuesday. yj YY ty, L, A y UY fj Y Yd 4 ‘) , Wi} i) i) “IN THESE HILLS YOU WILL SURELY MEET YOUR DEATH, WILD BILL, \ <f .* ri gusieye at R el ee Oe
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ras a , J \ 4 wees aii + MOE a ewe AX cage fh me 2 Wild Bil’s Weird Foe: The Mystery of Moaning Gulch. A Tale of the Black Hills. BY WILLIAM G. PATTEN. (“WYOMING WILL,”) AUTHOR OF THE “‘ COWBOY CHRIS ” NOVELS, ETO. CHAPTER IL. THE MINERS OF MOANING GULCH, Some years before the discovery of the rich gold fields of the Black Hills was “ officially” male known to the world, Wild Bill, with four white men as companions, made bis way into the then unknown country. Aithough an old fellow known as ** Crab” Zeb Davis had aroused the others to the possibility of making a golden fortune in the heart of the red- skin guarded land, Wild Bill was thejreal leader of the daring fortune-seekers. * Asa plainsman, Wild Bill was a handsome man in those days. Six feet tall, broad shoul- dered, with well-formed chest and limbs, straight as the straighbtest of warriors, whose relentless foe he was, be was a man to attract and com- mand attention wherever he went, He had a slightly aquiline nose, and his well- formed mouth and lips were not entirely con- cealed by his handsome mustache, Although his blue eyes were clear, sharp and unwavering, the close observer often fancied he saw a faint light of sadness in their depths, © The strange man was not always free from haunting memories, and in times of thought and meditation, be often regretted that a seemingly implacable fate had forced him to shed so much buman blood, For be it known, all statements to thecontrary, James B, Hikok was not naturally a bloodthirsty wretch who delighted to kill, By nature be wasa man to avoid trouble whenever he could do so without lowering what he cousidered his dignity, but he would not be browbeaten or bullied in the least, Many of those who never saw Wild Bill and know nothing of him save what they have read and ima ined, have pictured him as a dark-faced and cruel-looking man, not to say brutal, Never a greater error was made in regard to apy one’s personal appearance. Bill's face was actually mild and pleasing to look upon, and his complexion was that of the perfect blonde, His long hair fell in uncut ringlets upon his massive shoulders, 5 As proof of bis gentle nature, let it be remem- bered there was nothing in the wide world he Joved so much as a baby! He seemed to possess the magical power to charm children with a glance of bis blue eyes and a smile, and they never seemed happier than when in his arms or on his knee, Wild Bili was naturally a dandy, and he al- ways dressed as well as his surroundings would permit, although his attire was almost alwaysan extravagant combination of citizen and fron- tiersman’s garb, He was immaculately neat in ere to dress, when he could be so, hether mounted or afoot, be was the most per- fect specimen of pbysical manhood imaginable, His mauner was quite opposite to what might be naturally expec of a man witb his record; bluster and bravado seemed repugnant to him, ani his conversation was always singularly clean and free from profanity. No man ever wielded greater influence among frontiersmen, for his word seemed to be law with them, His remarkable skill with fire-arms won for him tbe title of ‘* The Pistol King.” He never drew a weapon unless it was absolutely neces- . sary, and it was seldom he was obliged to shoot a second time at the same target, It is not strange such a man should have bad enemies, Since his death, many of his foes, who, when he was living, professed the greatest friend- Jiness and admiration for him, have denounced him as ‘ta bloodtbirsty ruffian,” By so doing, they have simply exhibited the contemptible «owardice and treachery of their natures, for they are creatures to fawn and cringe before those whom they consider their superiors. Three of Wild Bill’s comrades in the gold- seeking venture had been well-chosen, They were brave men—men of nerve, who could be depended on in time of deadly danger. The fourth had secured a place with the party more ‘by accident tian anything else, Se a ae Wild Bill’s Weird Foe. As has beén said, ‘‘ Crab” Zeb Davis it was who aroused the others to the possibility of mak- ing rich gold finds in the Black Hills. Zeb was an old prospector, and for some time he had been longing to visit that portion of the Sioux Reservation which was so zealously guarded by the Indians, “Thar’s gold thar somewhar,” be bad more than once asserted. ‘* W’at makes me think so? I hev reasons, you bet! Whar do tber red sar- nips git ther big niggits they oftun hev arter a hunt through ther Wyomin’ kentry? Thar hain’t but one place ter find ’em, I reckon, an’ thet place is in them yar Hills.” But the dangers of an expedition into the red- skin hannted section kept the most daring ad- venturers away for a long time, But the truth could not always remain undis- covered, **Crab” Zeb had been given his odd nickname from his peculiar appearance and the redness of his hooked nose, which reminded one of a boiled crab, His face was thin and sharp, his eyes black and keen, his beard thin and straggling, Davis was a small, round-shouldered old fel- low, who looked rather insignificant as a foe, but he was stronger than he seemed, and ** wiry asa withe,” More than one red-skin had been fatally disappointed in the little old man, meet- ing death instead of securing Zeb’s scalp, as ai:- Kistpated, He was a veteran plainsman and mountaineer, fully versed in all the ways and tricks of the red-men, The third man was fully as large as Wild Bill, and be was known as Big Bruno, He claimed his true name was Bruno Bradstone, and he hai the reputation of being an ugly man to crowd, His complexion was dark, and a full beard con- cealed the outlines of the lower part of his face, Bat little was known of his past life, and it was something be seldom mentioned, Although there was something about Big Bruno he did not exactly like, Wild Bill ad- mired him for the manner in which he bad whipped two ruffians who had attempted to down him, Ths youngest of the party was know as Nervy Ned, and, at times, bis companions spoke of him as “The Silent.” He was not more than tweuty- two or three years of age, and he had a hand- some face, with big brown eyes, which were continually filled with a sad ligbt. He was very taciturn, being even more so than Wild Bill him- self, if possible, and, like Big Bruno, he did not seem to care about speaking concerning his past ife, The Pistol King took a great interest in Nervy Ned, a name which the youth had won from bis coolness in facing the must deadly danger, but for along time the young man was not aware Bill paid any particular attention to him, It was seldom the famous frontiersman’s way to let any one know whether he was interested in them or not. After watching Ned for a time, Bill came to the conclusion that he had met with some great misfortune that had changed him from a buoy- ant youth to the moody man he was, Ned's manner was refined and his speech usuvlly free from the idioms of the border, making it plain he had been reared amid dif- ferent surroundings. James Jiblot was the man who bad secured a place as one of the gin more by accident than anything else, and he was often called ‘‘ Ginger Jim, the Terror.” Jim was a ‘ natteral-born coward,” but that did not prevent him from being a grent boaster. Crab Zeb spoke of him as the “infarnalest liar on top o’ creation,” and the old prospector was not so very far out of the way. It was Ginger Jim’s delight to relate ‘the most improbable and ridiculcus tales of his own won- derful exploits and prowess. As he was some- what overburdened with flesh, although not ex-, actly ‘“‘hog fat,” bis stories sometimes seemed actually silly. Led by Wild Bill, the party succeeded in avoiding the red-skins andepenetrating deep into the then unknown wilds of the hills, On entering the strange Jand, they immediately found yellow ** sign,” but it was Bill’s advice that they locate in a place remote and secluded, where they would be the least liable to be discovered by their red foes, ; Such a place was finally found, Gold in paying quantities, so deposited by na- ture that it could be readily obtained by rocker or sluice, was discovered in a dark and dismal orge, which they decided to call ‘ ara a J ulch.” Their reason for giving the place sue a name was that the wind, which seemed con- stantly sucking through the gloomy gorge, made saath CLAN ht 4 oe strange sobbing and moaning sounds—sounds which often seemed to come from the lips of heart-broken human beings. At mid-day the guleb was dismal and forbid- ding, and at night it was a place to terrify any one who did not possess nerves of steel, In the darkness the moaning and muttering of the wind suggested a whole legion of lost spirits doomed to forever wander through the Stygian blackness of eternal night, Occasionally, little by little, the sounds would die away, sobbing soft and brokenly like a child weeping itself to sleep. For a brief space utter silence would reign in the strange gulch, and then— A fiend from Hades could not utter a more blood-freezing shriek that would sweep along the dark gorge. It was enough to make the flesh quiver with borror., “ Tll wager something the red imps steer clear of this place,” observed Wild Bill; ‘“tand I do not blame them in the least. Bunt there is gold here, and right here we will try our fortunes,” ‘* Do you mean to build a cabin here?” asked Big Bruno, Bill shook his head, **T reckon not,” he answered. ‘‘ Why, [ couldn’t sleep o’ nights with that infernal howl- ing going on!” ‘* No more c’u’d I,” nodded Crab Zeb. Ginger Jim’s fat face was white with fear, but he fancied he saw a chance to make an im- pression, and so he blustered: ‘* You fellers must be out of grit. Td ez lives stop right hyer as any whar.” Nobody paid any attention to him, and Nervy Ned offered no observation. A place not far from the placer inthe gulch was chosen, and there arude cabin and stable for the horses were erected. The fortune-seek- ers slept at the cabin uights, and one of their number remained on guard by day, while his comrades labored in the weird gulch. The result of the first labor in the gorge was even better than they anticipated, and they were elated over the prospect of speedily secur- ing a fortune for each, | CHAPTER J, WAS IT A SPIRIT? MOANING GULCH both fascinated and repelled Wild Bill, Even at mid-day there was some- thing about the place that made it seem un- canny to the Pistol King. It must be confessed that he was more than a little superstitious, and more than once he declared that the wailing wind distinctly uttered words which he could almost understand, His companions did not laugh at him, for it was not considered a ‘‘ healthy” thing tomake sport of bis fancies, More than that, there was not one of the five but occasionally fancied the wind’s cries were singularly like the sounds which might issue from the lips of a human being in mortal agony. As for Ginger Jim, be would not work in the Gulch when, be could invent any reasonable ex- euse for remaining at the cabio as guard. Although in the page pink of health, he was troubled with what he called ‘‘ bad spells” eae he thought of entering the weird gorgé. Even the little stream that ran-for a cer- tain distance through Moaning Gulch seemed se and mysterious, There was something soft and creepy about its movement and the water seemed strangely dark. Not far from the placer which the miners bad begun to work the stream suddenly swerved to the right and into a black bole in the wall, entirely disappear- ing from the gorge. here did it go? That was a question repeated among the for- tune-seekers more than once. It vanished into the earth, and where cid it come out to the sur- face again? , At first Big Bruno was for washing out the golden, grains by the most primitive method— that of the shovel and pan. But Wild Bill op- the plan from the start. *Tt’s too slow,” he declared, “Jn that way we have settled that there’s plenty of yaller bere, and now I’m for building rockers or sluices,” : “We shall lose time in that way,” retorted runo, _ “We may lose time at first, but we Shall gain in the end,” “But there is no timber handy Of which to build them,” ' z bdo have to bring it, pard.” ‘ e i] +4 “ Are jos what I’m thinkin’ of. There don’t seem to be any round these parts now, but they % . - : af
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eae” may take a trip through ’most any time. I’ve heard they’re afraid of the Storm God of the Hills, but that don’t prevent *.em from making hurtin’ trips through bere, ana, if they come be- fore we get away, we may have to surrender ‘*Kirect,” nodded Crab Davis. ‘‘ An’ I need my wool ter kiver ther place whar I reckon ‘wat leetle brains I bev be.” ‘But, if we stop to build sluices or rockers, bow is that going to help us get away the sooner?” asked Bradstone, ‘*By ther time we'll gain workin’ ’em, dad ‘ourn et all!” snorted Zeb, Bill bowed. “That is it, exactly,” he agreed, ‘‘ Which do you favor, Ned?” turning to the silent youth. “JT am in favor of whatever you think best, Bill,” was the answer ‘Oh, consarn ther Injuns!” came contemptu- ously from Ginger Jim’s lips, ‘* We’re good fer ther hull Sioux tribe! You galoots don’t want ter fergit J’m with ye! Now, w’en? me an’ Kit Carson—” ‘* Thar, thet’ll do!” snorted Zeb. ‘‘ Derned ef I low you ever sot eyes on Kit Carson! As fer Injuns—wa-al, ther sight o’ er ginnowine hos- tile ’d be too much fer yer narvous system ter sustaud.” Ginger waz plainly hurt by this, but he was silenced, as well. Wild Bill carried the day, and the rockers were built, although it was necessary to carry the timber from which they were manufactured along distance, When everything was ready, they set about workiny in earnest, and the result of their labors wae satisfactory, to say the very least, The Hills literally abounded in game, and Wild Bill was chosen to keep the camp supplied with what meat it needed, a thing which he did in an efficient manner. N>t more than a quarter of Bill’s time was spent in Moaning Gulch, and then, whenever he was leaving it, he would feel as if he wanted never to go back to the place’again., But this feeling would not last, After be had been away from the gorge for a time. he would begin to long to go down into the block recess again and listen to the wailing and shrieking of the wind, There was that about the weird place that ex- ercised over the Pistol King the kind of a charm which something horrible will sometimes throw about a strong mind, Bill even dreamed of the place, Sometimes it was necessary to keep the little slab window of the cabin wide open o’ nights in order to admit pure air for the sleepers, Often Bill would arise and look out at the window, turning his eyes toward the dark opening of Moaning Gulch. He wondered how the place seemed in the dead hours of the night, and he resolved to visit if some time, One night he dreamed the cabin door had not been fastened. He thought he started up and jooked toward it just in tine to see it swing softly and noiselessly open. His sleeping com- rades were all around him, and none seemed disturbed by the gentle movement of the door, Through the ‘open doorway streamed the white moonlight. It did not quite reach Wild Bill. He could look out through the doorway, but he saw no living thing. Gradually, bit by bit, a shadow formed on the floor—a dark and unshapely thing at» first, ‘en it slowly assumed the outlines of a human ing. Bill wondered at this, for he could still look our scalps,” - out through the doorway, and there seemed no person there to make the shadow on the floor. A feeling of horror unspeakable came over the plainsman as he watched that shadow grow- ing blacker and blacker, while there was noth- ing in the doorway to produce it, He was spell- bound with the enchantment of the strange sles. lack as ink became the shadow on the floor —ten times blacker than any shadow usually seems in the bright moonlight, It did not stir. Bill could see that it seemed like a human being, but whether man or woman, be could not say, With a mighty effort, the scout threw off the horrible spell that had settled over him, He found himself sitting bolt upright, but tbe cabin door was tightly closed, and he knew it had uot been opened at all. At the same time, the slab window had been allowed to swing back on its leather hinges, and the bright moonlight sifted in at the opening. But there was a figure fairly in the center of the open window—a human head! ‘ Was it human? f . Pr eae ames Wild Bill’s Weird Foe. The face was black as the ink-lite shadow he | had dreamed of seeing on the floor, and the eyes seemed to blaze liks balls of fire. It was no fancy this time; Bill knew he really saw the black face at the window. Like a flash, he jerked out a revolver; but the face and the burning eyes vanished quite as swiftly. Noiselessly springing up, Bill hastily left the cabin, his revolver gripped in his hand. He dashed around the cabin to confront the prowler. But he found no one! There did not seem to be a human being any- where in the vicinity. The moon was sailing well up on a cloudless sky, and on either band the pine-covered hills loomed black and silent, Wild Bill was amazed. “T surely saw something at the window,” he | thought. ‘‘ What was it? and bow hasit van- ished so swiftly? There does not secm to be a |} living thing astir anywhere around.” He stood in the shadow close by the cabin wall, but be watched in vain. The sight of no moving thing rewarded him, and the distant mournful hoot of an owl was the only sound be ) heard, **Tf [ had been drinking— I do not understand it at all!” , He went round and examined the ground be- neath the window, but it was not favorable to ) leave a mark, even if somebody had been there | Bill’s faith began to waver; he almost doubted | that he had seen anything at all, Still be could | not quite decide he had been fooled by his im- | agination, . After watching for at least an hour, be return- ed to the cabin, Nervy Ned was awake, but he did not ques- tion Bill. Not so Big Bruno, who awoke as the scout en- But I have not! | tered, ‘* What is the matter, pard?” he asked, start- ingup. “Is anything wrong?” **T reckon not,” was the reply. ‘One of the horses was down and couldn’t get up—that’s all. are without another word, Bill lay down to sleep. However, he did not readily fall asleep. He could not help thinking of the black face at the window and /in what a singular manner it had vanished. Something about the affair troubled the scout. And then the dream was a strange one, As has been said, Wild Bill was superstitious, He feared nothing buman on the face of the earth, but he did not fancy anything ghost-like. Finding he could not sleep, he arose and quiet- ly closed the window, placing a strong bar across it, soit could not be easily broken down. Then he lay down again. Strange thoughts ran through his mind. He began to believe his dream was a warning of disaster of some sort. And the thing he had seen at the window— Was it a spirit? CHAPTER IIL WARNED, In the morning, Wild Bill went out and scru- tinized the ground beneath the window once more; but he was poorly rewarded for bis trou- ble. He discovered nothing. The otbers noticed a troubled light in Bill’s eyes, but they did not feel like questioning him a great deal, so he escaped the necessity of tell- ing them an untruth, Bill was more than usually eager to get down into Moaning Gulch that morning—so eager that he started out before the others were ready. Down in the gorge it was almost tuo dark to see to do the work of sorting the golden grains. The wind was not shrieking through the place, but there was a fitful sobbing and muttering that was scarcely less trying to the nerves than the harsher tones of the wind, Being all alone, Bill stood and listened, “Tf that ain’t like the cryin’ of a child, then what is it like?” he muttered. ‘‘ Why, I can hear it saying it is bungry and cold! If it would only shriek and howl all the time, [ could endure it much better, but this moaning and sobbing is what I find it hard to stand.” | Those words showed the real tenderness in the heart of the strange man whose hands were stained with the blood of his fellow-bein Suddenly his eyes fell on something sce by his feet. It was a tiny footprint in the soft earth! The next moment Wild Bill was on his knees, eagerly examining what he had discovered. ‘By Heaven!” he muttered. ‘It is the foot- ee nce nsession 3 mark ofa woman! There is no doubt about that! And a small foot it was that made it! She wore a moccasin, and so it was probably a red-skin squaw. And still—” He wasin doubt. What could have brought an indian to this place—a squaw at that? ‘Tt ain’t more than half likely the red whelps like this Gulch,” thought tbe Pistol King. ‘ The shrieking of the wind is euough to keep them away. But if one came—” He leaped to bis feet, If one came, were not others near? Perhaps there was an ambusb and the red fiends were waiting till all the miners had assembled in the gorge, meaning to destroy at one blow the daring intruders on their Reservation! E The thought set Bill to inve-tigating. His keen eyes searched every available place which could serve as a red-skin cover, but be soon de- cided the place was unsuited to an ambush, Then be fejl to examining the footprint once more, It told him little that he bad not already discovered, but, bad there been more light, he fancied be might have found others to mateb it, Hearing his comrades approaching, Bill hasti- ly arose and, with a stamp of his foot, destroyed the tell-tale sign. For the time he determined to be the sole possessor of the secret. More than once during the day his comrades wondered at bis strange manner, He was often seen gazing around at the forbidding walls of black rocks, a dark look on bis grave face. ‘“*You don’t like the place, Bill?” questioned Bradstone. ** Do you think so?” That was the only reply the scout made, In truth, a strange fancy had entered Wild Bill’s head. He began to think he bad an enemy near at band—one who was waiting fora chance to strike at bis life. Just why he thought this he could not have told, but the impression grew on him, He was a person who always gave beed to such impressions, and so he began to be unusually vigilant and watchful, which did not escape the keen eyes of his comrades, “‘Suthin’ ’s ther matter with Bili,” thougbt Crab Zeb, ‘‘ He usually acts like this yar w’en he is thinkin’ bout killin’ somebody, an’ I feel like thar wez goin’ ter be a bigh ole heap 0’ trouble.” The person in whom Wild Bill took the most interest was the youth Nervy Ned. Billsaw a restless light in the young man’s eyes, and more than once Ned’s lips moved, but no sounds issued from them. Ned was usually the last one to enter the cabin and seek slumber, nights. He was inclined to remain outside, and sit on a certain bowlder some rods from the cabin, There he would stare at the moonligbt-flooded sides of the gorge by by the bour, What was he thinking of? Wild Bill would have given more than a little to know the answer to that question. The night following Bill’s singular dream, the scout resolved to approach fey young man and have a talk with him, Ned was seated on his favorite bowlder, and the Pistol King came up softly behind him. rer magaaes the youth began to mutter, almost wildly: ‘Yes, it is her voice—Anice’s voice! I can sometimes bear it in the shrieking wind, and it is like the voice of the beautiful one who is dead. Strange thoughts are finding a place in my brain, I wonder if her spirit does not haunt Moaning Gulch! Spirit! Why, I never be- heved in such things. And-yet it seems as if she were near at this very minute! Oh, my dar- ling—my beautiful one! you are lost to me for- ever! ** Last night I dreamed of ber!” be continued, seeming still wilder. ‘‘I thought she had re- turned to life, and was near. I fancied I had arisen and left the cabin. She was outside in the moonlight, and she beckoned to me, a smile on her face, J was sure if was no spirit, and I hurried toward her. She glidedaway. I called; she only beckoned me on. Down into Moaning Gulch I went. There she paused, I rushed for- ward to clasp her in my arms, but 1 only clasped the empty air. ** Then I awoke to see Wild Bill entering the cabin, He had been outside, I knew it was only a dream, but I was sick—ob, so sick at heart!” He bowed his face in his bands, and Wild Bill crept softly away, leaving bim und The scout knew the young man’s secret now, and he saw it was a case of a lover robbed by the cruel hand of death, From that time forward, Wild Bill understood Nervy Ned better than any of the others did. 7 , 4 aes Diy tet, ys nf
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af ‘¢ What’s the matter with the boy?” asked Big Bruno, as Bill came back to the cabin. ‘‘I see you didn’t speak to him,” ‘*No, I thought 1 would not disturb him.” ‘* He seems to be cracked,” ** Cracked?” “Yes. He acts so queer.” “Well, [ don’t reckon he is cracked, pard. The boy’s all right, if he does seem a little off.” Wild Bill’s Weird Foe. paper where he-found them, how came they there? Then he thought of his dream, Was there more in that phantasma of the night than he had imagined? “T don’t exactly understand this, pards,” came slowly from his lips, as bis piercing eyes searched their faces. ‘‘ I thought you all white, and I am not ready tobelieve otherwise. But ‘Perhaps so,” admitted Bradstone, lighting | how came that knife where it was found? I his pipe. ‘t Anyhow he is a good worker.” ‘* An’ them’s w’at ccunts,” put in Ginger Jim. “Then Pm afraid you do not count, James,” said Bruno. “ Me—me?” squawked the Terror. ‘‘ W’y ’m ther hardest worker round these diggin’s!” ** How—witb your mouth?” ** Looker here, Bradstone,” and Jim blustered up; ‘* Ihain’t goin’ ter be ’sulted in this yar way!” ‘* What are you going to do about it?” “Tl let ye know who you’re torkin’ ter, by hokey! I’m’a powerful bad man ter crowd! I want ye ter understan’ I’ve got a record!” “ Yes, like the trotting horse— 2:70.” “ Wal, thar are some things 1 won’t stan’, an’ this is one of em!” ‘Sit down, then,” **In ther mornin’ Pll pack my traps an’ leave you critters ter yer own destruction, I reckon you'll find [ ’mounted ter something then! Why, ther [njuns won’t durst come hyer while I hang roun’, They’ve heerd of me, an’ they’re skeered, But as soon as I go way, you'll hev more’n nine bundred of ther red whelps pilin’ down on ye. Your skelps will hang high an’ dry.” Big Bruno laughed, **Then you think you keep the Indians off?” **T know it!” “ Yep,” nodded Crab Zeb, appearing at this moment, ‘he’s a powerful good skeer-crow. He’d come nigh frightenin’ ther devil.” ‘* Wal, by darn! I kin lick ye both!” howled Ginger, ‘“Git out!” exclaimed Zeb. ‘ You couldn't lick er postage-stamp!” Ginger was squelched. That night Wild Bill was visited by another dream. He fancied he saw the door open as be- fore, and the black shadow formed on the floor, though no person appeared in the doorway. He watched the shadow with a strange fascination, and he saw it take the form of a woman. Then up from the shadow rose the form of the woman herself, She did not seem to come in at the open doorway, but she came from the inky shadow on the floor. 7 Her face was black and her eyes glowed like living coals. She was the same creature hé had seen at the open window the night before! And then he saw she held a knife in her right ae long, slender and deadly-appearing dag- ger * How those gleaming eyes burned into bis brain! He saw the knife quivering in her hand, as she bent over him, It was upraised over his heart! In those burning eyes was a deadly resolve. He saw it, and he felt his end was near, unless he could throw off the spell which was on him, Down came the dagger! At the same moment, Bill awoke and started up, bis jaws set to prevent the ery that tried to force itself from his lips. : The cabin door was closed, as it bad been the night before. More than that, the slab window was closed and made fast. _- Then Bill was angry with himself. “What an infernai fool I am!” he thought, Tam getting to be a perfect baby! Never be- fore was I so troubled by dreams, and I do not understand why thisis, I shall have my nerves in bad shape, if this continues,” He lay down again, and, after a long time spent in thought, he once more fell asleep. A surprise awaited him in the morning, In one of the logs just above his head was driven a dagger. The blade pierced a bit of pa- per, on which was written: “You will leave your bones in these Hills, Wild Bill! You have come to your doom! “Tae BLAck WrToH.” “ Heyi” cried Bill, ‘Look at this, pards! Who has been trying to play a trick on me?” The others looked at the dagger and the paper, and expressed their amazement in various ways. “ Whar did it come frum?” asked Zeb, “ That’s what 1 want to know,” Bill declared, “TT foundit stickin’ in that log there, but how came it there? The door was fast and the win- -dow closed all night. Now, I wantto know who has been trying a joke on me?” His companions all disclaimed any knowledge of the matter. Bill eyed them closely, and he ‘was sorely pu Hana hy | a zzled, If one of them had not placed the dagger and ° have never seen a blade like this in_ the posses- sion of any one of you, but— Well, Dit just keep the knife and paper and see what I can roake out of ’em,” CHAPTER IV. MORE GOLD-HUNTERS. DEEP down in a secluded pocket, not many miles from Moaning Gulch, twinkled a cheery camp-fire. It was nigbt, and the fire had been made in a spot where its rays would not be seen at a great distance, which showed whoever bad lighted it knew there was some danger of detec- tion by savage eyes. By the camp-fire three men were seated, The one who seemed the leader of the party was tall, broad-shouldered and bewhiskered, His hair, beard and eyes were coal-black, and there was something about his manner that was not ex- actly inviting. Witb his comrades this man was known as Black Bat, The second one of the party was a young man, and some would have called his face hand- some, but there was a sensual expression about the lips. He also wore a full beard, ligbt-brown in color. His eyes were blue, but there was a hard, steely glitter about them that made them not exactly pleasant to look upon. On account of his proficiency with the wea- pon, he was known as Revolver Ruy. The third man was a Mexican, and treachery was plainly written on his dark face. His true name was Pedro Gallego, but his companions called bim Mexican Pete. All three were dressed in stout serviceable clothes and armed to the teeth. They seemed prepared to rough it in a wild country where dangers were many. j A short distance away in the darkness were their horses, five in number, two being pack- animals, Moody looks rested on the faces of the three, as they gazed into the flaring fire, Their thoughts seemed far away, but, of a sudden, Re- volver Ray said: ‘* We have not made a howling success of this matter, Bat.” The black look deepened on the face of the man addressed, and he growled; “That’s not my fault. I’ve done my level best. [know that cursed Gulch is somewhere near at hand. It was only by chance we stum- bled on it last year, butI thought I took notice enough to make sure 1 could return to it,” ‘“You say there is no sucb thing as mistaking it for any other gorge?” ‘No, you will think not, if we ever find it. Why, the wind howls through the place like ten thousand devils let loose!” “ Caramba ?” exclaimed the Mexican. “ The — may be haunted! Quien sabe?” (Who nows?) ** And would that keep you away, Pete?” “Well, of that 1 cannot say. tt might; it might not. You say there is very much gold t’ are, senor?” “1f IT am not mistaken,” came deliberately from Black Bat’s lips, ‘‘there is more than i bh to make the three of us immensely wealthy. With your sbare, Pete, you can re- turn to Mexico and marry some beautiful senori+ ta, Then you may live happy the rest of your days, and, if you do not gamble too much, have enouzh left to bury you when you are dead,” “Quien quiete por mas?” (Who cares for more?) ‘“No Mexican I ever saw in all my life,” said t. ‘*We will make one more search for the strange casyon or Gulch Ph speak of,” observed Revolver Ray; ‘‘ then, if we are not successful, I shall favor attempting to find another spot briny gold may be panned in paying quanti- es. “Tf such a place can be found among the Hills,” ** Do you doubt it?” ‘*T am inclined to.” : “ h tid te Weil, I do not know as I can answer that question.” oo LL panda “I believe gold in paying quantities is to be found in a hundred places amid these Hills,” * “JT do not say you are not right, but I simply donbtit, That we discovered gold in one spot is not proof it can be found anywhere bere,” “ Still, it 1s encouragement that it may be.” “Tf it were plenty, I believe its existence would have been made known to the world ere this,’ ‘¢ You forget how zealously the red-skins have guarded the Hills.” ‘‘No, I do not forget that, but I know white men are in the habit of going wherever they please, despite red-skirs,” ** Providing, of course, the allurement is large enough.” ‘* Exactly.” ‘** Well, we will prospect after we give over the search for the sbrieking gorge. Anywhere else amid these hills we are in constant danger from reds, but we shall be safe in the mysterious gulch, Tbe red whelps never go there.’ ** You say they are afraid of the place?” “Yes, They say it is haunted by lost spirits who bave been unable to find their way to the Happy Hunting Grounds, To them the shriek- ing of the wind is the despairing cries of those unfortunate spirits.” “Tf your party bad remained in the gorge, they ‘would have escaped butchery at the hands of the reds?” “Surely; but they woukd have starved during the winter that wasat band. We knew we had only a short time toreach the settlements, Snow was liable to fall any day, so we pushed forward as swiftly as possible.” ** And you alone escaped?” “‘T think so. The red devils fell on us in Red Canyon, and [saw my comrades mowed down at the outset, I managed to get away amid the rocks, although pursued, owever, darkness aided me in giving the red dogs the slip. I have told you about the horrors of my tramp, and how near I came to perishing of hunger and cold. I pulled through alive, and I swore [ would come hack and visit the golden guleb. £ am hack, but the guleb seems hard to find.” The three men were silent for several minutes, then the Revolver Dead-Shot spoke again: “Once you said something about seeing a female figure down in this gulch we are search- ing for? You would not say much about that, though.” ‘There is not much to say. I did not talk about it a great deal, for I fancied you might believe me cracked.” * But you did see such a figure?” “ee Yes,’ ** Was she young or old?” ‘* Young, I should say, but I cannot swear to that. It was in the dead of the night, and I only caught a glimpse of her. Sbe seemed to see me, and, like a flash, she vanished amid the shadows, I was unable to find a trace of her.” “Santa Maria!” gasped Pedto, ‘ That was a spirit!” lack Bat laughed shortly, but Revolver Ra was silent and thoughtful. At length he shoo his head, muttering: ** No, no! it is impossible!” ‘What's impossible?’ questioned Bat, ** Nothing,” was the reply. At this the black-whiskered man grunted and scowled, plainly being displeased, and the party relapsed into silence, That night they took turns at guarding the camp, two sleeping while one remained on the watch, The night passed without event, and they ate a meee | breakfast in the morning, Then they star out to search for the wind-swept gorge which might contain a fortune for each of them. Like the days that had gone before, that one proved a failure, The place they were search- ing for was not found, They went into camp early, and they were three very dissatisfied men. ; “Its no use, pard,” said Ray, addressing Black Bat, ‘‘ you can never hope to find that gorge again. As for me, I am done searching for it, To-morrow I shall spend in prospecting for yellow.” , “And if Pete or I cw ea to find the gorge, you will claim av equal share with us!” ‘If I finda paying placer, you and Pete will claim an equal share with me. You see that works both vg b's ‘* You had better stick to the hunt a little longer.” : ‘*No; it is no good.” One word led to another, and in a short time ~ the men were on the verge of a quarrel, Then Black Bat leaped up, grasped his rifle and strode out of camp. a \ Live oe eee ‘ 4
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an ' Within half an hour be came rushing back, ' excitement portrayed on his face, and his eyes gleaming. ‘¢T have found it!” he almost shouted. ‘““Not the ‘““What?” cried Revolver Ray. eorger ‘Yes, the gorge!” was the answer, ‘‘ We are very near it. But the devil is to pay, for other parties are there ahead of us!” : CHAPTER V. : BLACK BAT AND BIG BRUNO. AS may be imagined, Biack Bat’s statement created no small degree of excitement. Both Revolver Ray and Mexican Pete were on their feet, and what they heard from the lips of their comrade caused them to utter exclamations of ' surprise and anger. ‘‘ Others there!” cried Ray. “‘ They have no business there! The placer is yours, Bat, by right of discovery!” “That would be true if we were not in an In- dian Reservation and I had taken care to stake off my claim,” “ Which you did not?” “ No,” “ Why ” ‘¢ Tt would only have to served as a guide for any whites who might have ventured into the ie Hills, Staking it off. would make it none the . more mine, for I could not have my claim re- ( iy i) ' t corded. Mer, | { “ l see,” ** Besides that, I wanted the whole placer, not a single claim—or even a double claim by right of discovery.” ‘Of course.” ‘* You see, staking it would have been folly.” The Revolver Dead-Shot nodded. ‘*T can see that plain enough now; but what are we going todo? Weare left!” ** Not much!” ‘* What do you mean?” ** Business!” * Explain,” There was a fierce look in Black Bat’s eyes and his voice was hoarse with rage, as he growled: “*T mean to bave what is rightfully mine!” * How will you get it?” “ Fight for it!” : * Oar-r-ramba !” came rolling from Pedro’s tongue. ‘ Tnat is talk the kind of which I like to hear! Weare armed. Do others have what should be ours? Then we will kill them!” The black-whiskered man nodded, “That is about what we shall have to do,” he confessed, ; _- Revolver Ray fell back a step, consternation written on bis face, . **I¢ would be murder!” he gasped. A rasping laugh came from Bat’s lips. ‘* Don’t call it so coarse a name, pard,” he ad- vised, ‘‘It will not be murder, it will simply be obtaining our rights,” : **Is there no other way?” “T reckon not.” ne you will give them fair warning to ack Bat looked at the Revolver Dead-Shot > am ~ ——s t > _ and laughed er. ‘The marks of the tenderfoot are stillon you, pard,” he said with something like a sneer, which brought the hot blood to Ray’s face. ** You show ’em now and then,” ‘* Well, 1 will confess I am not in the habit of murdering men in cold blood without giviug them a show for their lives. It seems beastly ‘4. i wad a ¢ to me!” “Ob, you will get over that in time, eh, : Pete?” :| _ “Si, senor; he surely will.” ‘fe ‘*T did not come to these Hills to butcher white men!” declared the youngest of the y. ** You told us there would only be red-skins to contend with, Bat.” “And I supposed T was telling the truth. These Hills have been so guarded by the Indians that white men hav. been unable to penetrate and explore them, It was only by the rarest ac- cident that our party passed through them last — ot of us should carry the story of our discovery to the settlements, for they well know how the pale-faces worship the yellow metal. There be otber whites than ourselves in the Hills.” Revolver Ray saw this was true, and for some minutes he was silent, gazing thoughtfully into the fire, Black Bat watched the young | Sightgh pe we fowl! year, and you know I was the only one to escape out of them all. The Indians did not mean any --wa8 no reason why I should think there would _ man’s face with interest, and finally, be ventur- Wild Bill’s Weird Foe. 5 “it is for your best interest to join with usin this matter. We are here to make a fortune, and we cannot afford to allow what is rightfully ours to be wrested from us by others,” ‘** Then let’s make a square fight for it.” ‘‘The chances are we are outnumbered, and we would be defeated in a square fight. You must get over this squeamisbness if you are going to become a frontiersman, Out here every man fights fo. wis life and his best interest, and he allows no other man to cross his patb. If such a thing does occur, one of the men has to die, and the other goes on about his business as calmly as if nothing bad happened. Thetroubleis, you are not used to this part of the country, You have the right kind of stuff in you, but it has never beev tested.” ‘* No,” confessed Ray, ‘‘I am not used to val- uing human life so lightly, although I am far from being so much of a tenderfoot as you in- sist on making cut. I have seen a little some- thing of the rowdy West, as you ought to know.” ‘© Well, well! Don’t get your back up, lad! just you stand by Pete and I and you will come out top of the heap all the time. Don’t get balky! Those men are mining the gold that should belong to us. We must have possession of that ea? and we will—by fair means or very day they are robbing us of the gold that should be ours. No matter if they new it really belonged to us, they would not give it up. The chances are, they would do their level best to wipe us out,so we could not carry the secret to the outside world. They would not make an open fight, , don’t you think that! If we do so, we shall rat gh be showing them more favors than they would show us, and they will think us fools. **Come now, pard, be reasonable!i Say you will =, for what is your own—say you will fol- low where I will lead! Trust all to me, and you will not regret it.” Black Bat had a persuasive manner, and it was lictle wonder the Revolver Sharp hesitated. Ray was not naturally a conscientious man, but never yet had he committed murder, and he hesitated about making himself the greatest criminal recognized by the laws of man. Turning, Ray walked back and forth beside the fire, bis hands clinched behind him and his head bowed, The look on Bat’s face grew still darker, as he watched the youth, ‘Give me till morning to consider this mat- ter,” urged Log Se “You are foolish to waste one moment ip consideration. We must either wipe out the men who are robbing us, or we must turn back from the Hills, poorer than when we came, All our trouble will be for nothing. We sball have risked the dangers of the wilds only to give up what is rightfully ours—give it up without a struggle to hold it when we see it in the hands of others!” “« Por Dios!” hissed the Mexican. ‘It would be what you call cowardly!” Still Revolver Ray strode back and forth in the fireligbt, his hands clinched and bis face clouded. He did not seem to hear the taunting words of the Mexican, for he was naturally uick-tempered, and would have resented such a in . {se 4 ; Becing it was useles to to urge the young man to an immediate decision, Black Bat sat down and awaited his time, Pedro rolleda cigarette and began puffing excitedly. Half an hour passed, Suddenly Ray sat down beside the black- bearded man, ‘* Where is the Gulch? he asked, **To the east.” « Did you enter it?” No. “ Then how—” ‘*T saw the mouth of it, and I knew the place instantly.” **Did you see these other parties who have taken possession?” ‘*T saw the cabin they have built, They also have erected a stable for their horses.” Tn the Gulch?” “No; but not far from the mouth of it.” ““I wonder why they did not build in the Gulch?” ‘Do you remember what I told vou about the shrieking of the wind? They woutd not be able to sleep some nights in that place. I do not + sp them for not erecting the cabin down in e to go to work against them?” , **T propose to overcome them one at a time.” shivered. orge,” hi, 38 fr aeey outnumber us, how do you propose When I heard _ Revolver Ray shrugged his. shoulders aud *¢] don’t like it!” came from his lips. ‘*No more do [,” asserted Bat; ‘but I bave often found it absolutely necessary to do things 1 did not like,” Pedro nodded and grunted at this; then he rolied and lighted another cigarette. “‘ Well,” said the Revolver Sharp, ‘‘I do not propose to be cheated out of the gold we came after.” Black Bat grasped his hand, crying: *“Good boy! That settles it! To-morrow we will see what can be done!” ** Wouldn’: it be a good plan to go take a peep down int the place to-night?” The black-whiskered man shook his head, ‘*Tt would dono good, and we are all tired, We had better wait till the coming of anotber day, then see what can be done. There will be work enough for us, so we shall need what sleep we can get, ‘‘Tf weare fortunate in downing this other party, their cabin and their tools will become ours. oe what gold they have secured,” sibilated ro. i ** Of course,” nodded Bat, a For some time they talked the matter over. “4 At length, two of them lay down to sleep, leav- is ing one On guard, as bad been done the night be- ore. » Another uneventful night passed, and the three fortune-seekers were astir at an early tour. After eating a hasty breakfast, which was wash- ed down by water from a spring near by, they concealed their horses in a thicket, looked to their weapons and started out, Bat leading. It was not long before they were looking down upon the cabin erected by Wild Bill and bis com- rades, “There’s their bang-out,” said Black Bat; ‘and away yender is the mouth of the gulch. They come out here to sleep nights, and godown ~ there to work days,” “Tf they all do that, they must leave their cabin and stables unguarded,” said Ray. ‘* Why ql not go down there when they have gone to work, run off their borses and burn their cabin and aq stables?” Bat shook his head, ‘That would be folly. We want that cabin and stable for our own use when we have driven them out.” The Revolver Sharp was compelled to acknowl- edge that was so. “ Besides that, it is probable they leave at least one man to guard the place,” ee “* Well, I tell you what I will do,” came from Ray’s lips. ‘* We are to give them fair warning to start with, and then I will be ready for any- thing, ‘You shall not have cause to complain of — me after that.” This did not please Black Bat, but the young map was set upon it, While they were arguing, Pedro caught them by the arm, hoarsely whis- pering: ‘“* See, senors, see! There they are!” - Having eaten their breakfast, the little pa of miners bad issued from the cabin, The trio far up amid the pines of the crest regardedthem = with interest, ‘* Five!” exclaimed Bat, ‘They are not quite two to our one.” ' ‘But near it,” said Ray. Suddenly the black-whiskered desperado ut- teged an exclamation of excitement, By heavens!” ak ‘What is it?” asked the Revolver Dead-Shot. ee “That man standing out there alone by the ss bowlder!” Se “ bade on is by gan arian? ee can see that from here, without | : ae “T know him!” ; a * You do?” ri ‘* Yes, curse him!” ft£9 “You do uot love him?” oh “*T bate him!” ; x _ * Who is he?” ** Wild Bill!” Revolver Ray nearly collapsed. ** Not Wild Bill, the scout?” : «Yes, Wild Bill, the scout and murderer softly snarled Black Bat. ‘I havea little score — against bim! Ha, ha! I am glad he is ; amid these Hills! We will settle our account b fore either of us leaves the place!’ Now, those men down there are doomed, one and all! ee “What bas Wild Bill ever done to you?” ‘He killed Phil Cole.” gS tha “Saved my life ones, ab the wisi of bis 0 Saved my life once, at the | of bis | Wild Bill had wiped bim ou r . , | swore I would one day derer’s life! The time Sat hae <n)
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| “Say they discovered it a year ago. 6 ** Wild Bill is a dangerous man, if reports con- cerning him are true, ‘‘T care not how dangerous he is, He is my enemy and my game!” ** Look, look!” softly cried Pedro, ‘* They are going to the Gulch!” * All but one,” ‘* That one remains a guard,” Wild Bill led the way down toward Moanin Gulch, and three of his comrades followed. It happened that Big Bruno was left on guard, Gin- ger Jim being forced to take his turn in the ulch with the others, Little did the miners dream they were being watched by three men who were concealed far up amid the rocks and pines, They had no thought that there were white enemies near. Big Bruno sat down outside the cabin and lighted his pipe to have a good smoke, having watched his comrades till they had vanished at the mouth of the gorge. ‘Tt is scarcely necessary to leave a guard over the cabin,” he muttered, after be had smok- éd in silence for a long time. ‘t There are no red- skins amid the Hills now, and as for whites— Hello! Great Scott!” He leaped to his feet in amazement. A white man who did not belong to their party stood be- fore bim! It was Black Bat! Big Bruno’s band flashed toward his hip, but he was covered by a revolver in the hand of the other, and a stefn voice cried: “Go a little slow, pard, or eat bullets! Iam in this game, and I hold a full hand! You can see—” He suddenly Pi speaking, staring in as- tonishment at Big Bruno’s face, For a moment both were silent, and then the man with the re- volver almost shouted: “ Bruno Bradstone!” The big man fell back against the cabin wall, ** My God!” be gasped, ‘‘ Bat—alive?” CHAPiER VI. TROUBLE BEGINS. THE miners took their dinners down into the Gulch, and they did not return to the cabin till night. Darkness was spreading a dusky vail over the Hills as they approached the place where they had lft Big Bruno on guard, “*T don’t .ee nothin’ o’ our pard,” observed Crab Zeb, Ging _r Jim wagged his head, **Oh, be’s prob’ly in ther cabin asleep,” he said, ‘‘ You won’t find nobody that?ll watch ther place same asI do, Now, I’m allus waitin’ fer ye w’en ye come back at night,” ild Bill said nothing, but led the way with rapid strides, The cabin door was standing wide open and he entered. As he did so, he stumbled over a dark Stat 4 on the floor. ‘* Hello!” he cried. ‘‘ What is this? Strike a light! Is that you, Bruno?” e quickly produced a match and lighted it, dropping on his knees as be did so, “It’s Bruno,” he said, steadily, as the light flared up. ‘ He’s beew used foul! Bring the slut.” ‘The ‘‘slut” was a candle made of a rag that floated in a tin dipper of grease, It was brought and lighted. Then they saw Big Bruno lying on his back, his hands and feet made secure andta gag fastened into his mouth. His face was cov- ered with blood, but he was not dead, for his eyes were wide open and restless, ‘The devil isto pay!” declared Wild Bill, as he thrust the ‘‘slut” into Ginger Jim’s hands, Crab Zeb assisted in releasing the helpless man, an Ned brought some water to wash the blood from his face, Bruno tried to speak as soon as the gag was taken from bis moutb, but he seemed unable to handle his tongue for a time. ** Are ye bad burt, pard?” asked Old Zeb, The big man shook his head, “* Reckon not,” be mumbled. “Who did it? asked Wild Bill, an ugly look in his usually mild eyes. ‘ This is not red-skin work. The dogs shall pay for it, and pay dearly!” i hite men,” nodded Bruno, ‘Caught me i Re ** How many?’ “T only saw three, but they said there were a dozen of them,” ‘* Well, this is interesting! So we are not the only whites in the Hills?” ¢ Ho, and they claim the placer in Moaning ch, “So? How is that?’ i ere, i Wild Bill’s Weird Foe. let me wash the blood off, It is only a little rap up here in the hair, but it bled in great shape.” “ How did you get it?” asked Bill. ‘¢ Was stfuck over the head with something.” ‘It looks more like a knife cut,” ‘©Well, it knocked me very silly, anyhow, and it bled as if I had been struck.” Bruno washed off the blood, and then he answered their questions, Zeb having assisted him to bind a bandkercbief about his head. ** How did it happen?’ asked Bull, ‘* Well, yousee, I wassmoking outside after you had gone to the Gulch, and I was just thinking there was no need of a guard at the cabin, when, all of a sudden, a fellow appeared before me, He bad the drop, and I recognized him as an old enemy I supposed was dead. He told me to fling upjmy hands, and I was obliged to do so, We were chinning, when somebody struck me on the bead with something, and I was knocked flat, Then three men jumped on me and bound | me before I could recover from the blow.” **Go on!” How Wild Bill’s eyes were glowing! “* When I got the bee out of my bonnet, they tried to force me to tell them where our gold was hidden, but I bluffed them off, though they swore they would kill me, Then this old foe of mine swore he was the original discoverer of the placer in Moaning Gulch, He said he dis- covered it while pening through the Hills with a party of friends last year. His friends were all murdered by red-skins, be alone escaping. With two pee espa he bad returned to the Hills, only to find us in possession of what was his by right of discovery.” ** A likely story |” ‘¢ A dad burned lie, I low!” was Zeb’s obser- vation, ‘** Well,” continued Bruno, ‘‘ he swore he would possess the placer by fair means or fou} and he gave us warning to get out.” “Ther gall o’ bim!” “He said he would kill me, but one of the party was opposed to that, Then be decided I should convey bis warning to you. He was es- cially bitter against Wild Bill, whom he said e hated most heartily,” Bill’s jaws were set, ** After they had searched for the gold, which they failed to find, though they came mighty near it, the youngest one said never mind, they would have it anyway, if we refused to get out. They would all come down on us and wipe us out, Not one sbould be left to tell the tale.” “Wal, we'll be reddy fer ’em!” howled Gin- ger Jim, although his face was pale with fright, ‘Did you tell ther critters 7 wuz byer?” Bruno paid no attention to the question, but weut on: ‘*They wished me to render thanks for our horses, which they said they would appropriate. When they had left me here, I heard them get the animals out of the stable.” Cries of rage broke from the lips of the miners, and they all hurried to the stable. The borses were gone, ‘That settles it!” fell sternly from Wild Bill’s lips, ‘‘I did hope that here in the Black Hills I would only fiud it necessary to kill red-skins, for I am tired and sick of being forced to take the lives of white men, even though they be ruffians and desperadoes. But it is the old story over again, It is too dark to follow a trail to-night, but to-morrow I shall go after our horses,” They all knew what that meant. Woe to the thieves if Wild Bill overtook them! Old Zeb was also furious. ‘Ther consarned hoss-stealin’ varmints!” he spluttered. ‘*Do they think they kin drive us out o’ hyer? Waal, they'll find they bev made a big mistake, We're hyer, an’ right byer we're goin’ ter stay. Eb, Pard Bruno?” * You bet your ts!” nodded the big man. Nervy Ned said not a word, but as the say- ing goes, he was ‘doin’ a heap o’ thinkin’.” Ginger Jim strutted and blustered till Bill silenced him with a word, Big Bruno gave them all the particulars of the affair, and the Pistol King listened atten- tively to every thing, saying very little. But they all knew that when Bill said the least he was thinking the most, : Nervy Ned wandered off alone and made the rounds of the place. Then they all entered the cabin and ate supper. * Wild Bull ate the least of any. In fact, he seemed to crowd down what he did swallow. Suddenly, without a word, he started up from the block of wood on which he had been seated and abruptly left the cabin, Fifteen minutes later, Nervy Ned found bim standing by alone bowlder down toward the taouth of Moaning Gulch. Bill appeared to be watching the moon, but Ned knew the scout was fully aware of his approach. **T say, Bill.” ‘Well, pard?” ** What do you think cf this business?” “T think there is war at hand.” ‘You believe we shall have trouble?” ‘‘ Trouble has already begun.” Wild Bill did not take his eyes from the moon, as he answered the questions of the other. His manner was strange, but Ned thought noth- ing of that, for he looked on the Pistol King as a man who could not be fathomed. ‘« We have ugly foes to fight,” said the youth, Then Wild Bill turned and looked Ned straight: in the eyes, ‘¢ Pard,” he said, soberly, ‘‘ I wish it were only humans us we have to deal with,” Then, without another word, he turned and ee toward the dark mouth of Moaning; ulch, CHAPTER VIL. THE GHOST OF THE GULCH. “| War's he goin’, boy?” Ned started at the question, and turned to see Crab Zeb near at band. ‘¢ You know as well as I,” replied the youth. “* He did not tell me.” ** He seems ter be strikin’ fer ther Gulch,” “ Yes,” ‘Td like to know w’at takes him down thar now,” Ned said nothing. ‘Bill is in an ugly state,” muttered Zeb.. | “He's reddy fer any kind o’ er rumpus *bout now, an’ woe ter ther galoot thet rubs bis fur ther wrong way. I tell ye, young pard, I saw blood in thet man’s eye w’en Bruno wuz tellin? his story a while ergo.” Ned simply nodded and sat down on the bowl- der. Davis stood watching the young man for some moments, but Ned did not seem aware that any one else was present. The old miner shook his head slowly, and then turned away. “T can’t understan’ thet boy no more than I kin Bill,” he said, to himself. ‘tThey’re both riddles, an’ thet is facts, by Moses!” He went back to the cabin and told Bruno and Jim that Bill had gone down toward the Gulch. Both were surprised, “ Wow!” exclainied Jim, ‘‘ W’at fer kin ther man want ter go thar at this yar time of night? Why, i w’u’dn’t go thar now fer ail ther gold thar is down thar! I tell ye I hain’t skeered of ary livin’ thing thet ishuman, but thar’s su’thin” too spookish fer me "bout ther bow}in’ of thet. wind, An’ ter listen ter it in ther night! Hol sassafras! It'd make ’most uny critter’s ha’r turn white!” Big Bruno did not express his surprise in words, but it was evident on his face, e seem- ed strangely nervous, and complained that his head pained him, For some reason, he took up the “slut” and passed by the window with it, As he did so, the wind blew out the light, Ginger Jim gave a gasp of dismay. ‘Light her up quick, pard!” he gurgled, “TIT fee] like thar wuz er bull regymint of spooks lurkin’ round!” Bruno struck a match and lighted the rag, but be had not much more than done so before it was extinguished again. “Ve will hev ter come erway frum thet winder ef ye want ter make her burn,” observed: eb, The ag Bape moved away from the window,, and then he had no difficulty in making the rag urn, “The breath of air that comes through that window is cold as ice,” he observed, and he closed the opening with the slab arrangement made for that purpose, Sitting on the bowlder outside, Nervy Ned scanned the dark slope that rose back of the cabin. He was thinking how a hundred Indians might creep down on the little cabin and wipe out the entire party. “ We shall do well if we ever get out of these parts,” he thought, “I seem to feel death im the air!” This is a region of mystery, and it op~ presses me strangely, Still there is something about that moaning gorge that fascinates me. Why is it the wail of the wind so often seems like her voice? If I only could— Ha! what's that?” Far up the dark side of the slope, where the moonlight did not reach, alight suddenly gleam- ed out and vanished. He watched, and he saw it appear and vanish again, Three times did that light flash out and disappear, and then the pine-clad steep lay silent and black in the shadows. pe ,
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acct a, 4 ly — “Well, I would like to know what that means!” muttered the young man. “If that was not meant for a sigaal of some sort, what was it?” Although he kept his eyes on the- place where the light had appeared and watched for some minutes he did not see it again. “ Well, I will tell the others about it,” he gaid, and he walked back toward the cabin. He found Big Bruno outside: “Did you see those lights?” asked Ned, The big nan started, but instantly replied: ‘* Yes, and I bave been trying to make out what they were. I believe our enemies are up there.” Then they entered the cabin to tell Ginger and b ab, Meanwhile, Wild Bill had made bis way down into the black and uncanny depths of Moaning Gulch. He took no light, and the place was one to shake the nerves of any but a brave and resolute man, The scout showed his caliber, for, although he was wonderfully superstitious, he walked along with a steady step. He had re- solved to enter the place, and he was unfal- tering, even though a legion of devils stood in his path, It was not strange the man’s best friends did not understand him, Such a mingling of super- stition, bravery, coolness, passion, sternness and tenderness was never before found in human be- ing. He was a man who could shoot down an enemy without a pang, but was known to shed tears over the grief of a child! Who shall judge bim? There is but One who can—One to whom the hearts of all men are as an open book. The wind was softly sobbing down in the dark canyon, Its pitiful plaint touched Wild Bill's heart and awoke in his breast sad echoes that had remained silent and dead for maby years. He paused and listened to the wind, scarcely breathing for fear he should miss some of its moanings, One side of the gorge lay in the blackness of ink. The moon was high in the sky, and she cast her light half-way down the other rugged side of the mysterious Gulch. Atone place there was a break in the wall, and there the moonlight reached to the very bottom of the gor, The brook that seemed to creep along with snake-like silence in the daytime was now whis- paring liquid words which the lone man seemed to understand. The moonlight touched a bit of it, and there it glimmered like silver, Bill sat down on a bowlder that was in the edge of the moonlight. Burying his face in his hands, he sat there, listening and thinking. How long be remained thus he did not know, lt might have been but a few minutes, it might have been hours, Suddenly a strange sensation began to creep slowly over bim. He felt that he was not alone! precees as if another presence was close at n . He sat up and looked around, Yes, there it was! In the shadow beyond the rift of moonlight stood a something. It was like the figure of a female, and it was all clothed mje i) face was also a It or ere as silent as a statue, apparently regardio Wild Bill, aaa a a ad The lone man caught his breath and, spring- ing from his seat, stared at the apparition speechless—one hand resting on the bowldec while the other instinctively gripped his rovol- ver. 5 The moaning of the wind had entirely ceased —the brook made not even a whisper. Dead silence rested over the Gulch, Slowly the figure lifted one hand till it pointed straight at the man by the bowlder, Then he heard a hollow voice say: “In these Hills you will surely meet your death, Wild Bill !” ; The figure began to move—it was gliding away into the blackness. It mingled with the shadows and was nearly lost to sight. With a cry, Bill leaped to his feet and plunged forward, As he did so, the ghostly figure dis- appeared in a twinkling! n vain did Wild Bill search for the figure he dseen, It was gone, and he could not find it, At length he paused, and all the horror of bis position rushed overwhelmingly upon bim. But through his set teeth he grated: if “I will not run! Not even the devil himself cau make me do that!” : Deliberately he walked toward the exit from the Gulch, Not one man in a million but would have run, ; Behind him and above bis head the wind pended ef laughed like ten thousand devils Wild Bill’s Weird Foe. CHAPTER VIII. THE SILENT ONE SPEAKS. THOSE were propietic words uttered by the bantom-like figure of Moaning Gulch, In those ills Wild Bill was destined to meet bis death at the band of an assassin, but the time was yet some years away. Bill believed himself a man whose destiny was fixed unalterably by a Power he dared not question. He was known to say it seemed his unavoidable destiny to kill, and for years before his death be declared the end of his life would be a violent one, He was right, His death was not worthy of his life, for he was given no chance to strike in his own defense. The assassin crept a tege the bero of many a deadly peril, and Wild Bill was given no warning of his impending fate. The bullet crashed through his skull, and he never knew why or how be was killed. And a Deadwood jury pronounced the das- tardly murderer, Jack McCall, not guilty! But Wild Bill had friendsin Deadwood, He was given a grand funeral, and Colorado Charlie erected a marble monument above his grave, which is in a most romantic and picturesque spot a nid the mountains, With his black eyes flashing, and a stern look on his osnally kindly face, California Joe ap- proached Jack McCall after the young mur- derer’s acquitta) by the Deadwood jury. ‘“‘Look byar,” said the veteran plainsman, primly. ‘‘Wild Bill wur a side pard o’ mine. bat thar fool crowd hev ’quitted ye, but ther best thing you kin do is git outo’ Deadwood. It hain’t a healthy place.” Poor Old Joe! Dead wood was anything but a healthy place, and be did not long survive Wild Bill. Jack McCall did get out of the Black Hills metropolis, but he was not to escape. In Custer he boasted of his achiev ement, and was arrested, A second trial followed. He was convicted and hanged, and thus was Wild Bill avenged. How the wind howled behind the Pistol King as he made his way out of the mysterious gorge! He fancied there was a touch of malignance, hatred and derision in the cries and the uncanny laughter. Still Bill walked deliberately along, never once turning to look back, “Yell away!” he muttered, grimly. ‘‘ You are having lots of fun at my expense, but you’re welcome,” However, a breath of relief came from his lips when he reached the narrow mouth of the grim Gulch. Athead of him was the moonlight, behind bim was the darkness, There he paused and looked back, his band falling unconsciously on the butt of a revolver. He could see nothing but the blackness of the place. ‘* Well, that settles it!” came from his lips. ‘¢ Now I know the place is haunted. The place! Is it the place, or is it me that’s haunted? For some time I have felt that I bad a spookish foe; now I know it. And a female! Well, Bill, rare athe heap sight more than you bargained or! He was oppressed by the words he had heard the figure in white utter. Had he come to the Black Hills to die? Being «a superstitious man, _it was not strange he was troubled by what he had heard, It would haye been singular other- wise, Bill did not remain long at the mouth of the Gulch, He could still hear the wind screaming far back in the blackness, and the sounds sent a a8 34 sensation over him. **T can fight humans,” he muttered, as he made his way toward the cabin; ‘* but blared if I can match myself against ghosts, That is daubing it on a little too thick for my style!” He found Nervy Ned outside the cabin, The young man was seated on the ground, and seemed to be waiting for Bill, for be arose at the Pistol King’s approach. “© Bill,” ‘Hello, Pard Ned.” ** You have been down in the Gulch?” **T reckon,” ‘* What did you find there?” Bill was surprised at the question, for Nerv Ned was one who seldom asked questions, He never made himself offensive by bis curiosity. ‘“*T found the Gulch,” half-laughed the scout. “ Yos, and something else,” ‘“* What do you mean?” Bill was questioning now. There is more than the Gulch to find down there,” , **So? What more?” ** Darkness,” ** You bet,” ‘* Shadows,” * Right, pard.” ‘* A wind that sbrieks and moans,” ** You're shoutin’.” ‘“‘There may be more, but all these are to be found down in Moaning Guleb.” Bill was silent for a little, looking closely inte the face of the youth, which was revealed by the moonlight, There was something about the young man’s face that he liked, and, with a sudden impulse, he held out his hand, sayinx, frankly: “* Pard Ned, I reckon you're the clean stuff!” The youth took the offered hand, filled with surprise at the sudden act of the strange man, whom no one seemed able to comprehend. “*T am glad you think so, Bill,” be said. **You’re no great talker,” the Pi-tol King continued; ‘‘ but by your eyes I have seen you did a pile of thinking. That is one thing why I take to you.” Ned was a bit confused, and knew not what to say, so be remained silent. ““T know you have a secret,” Bill continued;. “but that belongs to you alone, I have seen that something about Moaning Gulch affected, you.” ‘You are right. The place works on me strangely. As you say, Bill, I am no great talker, but I feel like speaking just now. We: are alone here, for I am left on guard. The others have rolled in for the night. I was wait- ing for you, as I wished to tell you about some- thing that troubles me a little.” Bill led the young man toa place whero they both could sit down in a comfortable position. When they were seated, he said: ‘Now, go anead, Ned.» I am ready to hear anything you have to tell.” * For some days I bave felt as if a great dan- ger were hovering over us,” the silent one n. Bil nodded, ‘* Somehow I could not shake off the feeling of oppression that crept over me, It seemed as if we might never escape from these Hills alive.” Bill did not confess it, but more than once be had thought the same thing possible, ; ‘This affair to-day—the appearance of white, foes at hand—has caused my fears to become’ even greater, Our borses are gove—” t “ And I’m going after them in the morning.” “You may not be able to recover them.” ‘“*T shail do so, if it is in the wood,” 'T know that, Bill; you will recover them, if. any living mancould. That issure, but— Well, never mind that. Listen, After you had gone down into the Gulch, and while I as sitting on that bowlder ngpimly l saw what I believe were signals made by our enemies,” \ “Hat Where?’ : ‘“ Away up yonder on the slope, The moon- light falls there now, but 1t was in the shadow then.” ‘* What did you see?” “* A light,” “ Yes?” “Tt speared and disappeared three times,” Wild Bill nodded. “‘) reckon that was a sure enough singal, pard, But who was it to?” ‘That is what I do not know,” — Both were silent for a few moments, and Wild Bill seemed in a brown study. Finally, be lifted his head, saying deliberately: ‘‘T am ready to confess I don’t like it, rae thought I might get shut of this killin’ business bere in the Hills, or, leastwise, I'd only have to kill red-skins, and they don’t count. But it looks like I was wrong. Ned, why is itsome people never have to shoot a man?” The youth was startled by the stran tion, and he knew not bow to reply. was hesitating, Bil) continued: * With me, it hasalways been shoot or be shot, I am not overly anxious to shuffle off this mor’al coil just yet awhile, so I shoot, I love life, P rd Ned, and I love everything God made that is good and honest, I never did like crookedr: ss and cussedness, which things I allow were m*;te by the devil, not by ‘the Ruler of the Universe. It has always been my way to kick against any- thing that wasn’t white, and so I have made a right smart lot of enemies, ey try to down me, and in order to keep on top, I have to down them. So it has been nothing but kill, kill, kill, till I am sick and tired of it!” Those words gave Nervy Ned an insight to Wild Bill’s true character such as he had never — before had. He saw the man was in earnest, and for the moment, at least, the repugnance of ques hile he taking bumian life, even in self-defense, was strong upon him. Ina momentof passion, Wild Bill might forget his present feelings, but now ] gh aad
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=) fhe was a man who detested the life be had been forced to lead. For a moment the youth was tempted to offer sympathy to his companion, but he remembered ' what a strange man Bill was, and hesitated. It was well he did 5 pes: for Wild Bill would have been like coals of fire on his head, It was not sympathy he desired. Yor a little time the Pistol King was silent. Or ig he straightened up, flioging out one and, ‘“*To-morrow [I shall take the trail of the horses. If I overtake the thieves—well, the wolves may have a feast!” Ned shivered. Bill’s voice had grown harsh and cold, and once more he was the stern and iro -verved man who had won such an unenvi- abl. reputation along the border, ‘ae Pistol King arose to his feet, walked a few steps away, then turned, came back and sat down. ** You were speaking of the Gulch, pard,” he said. *T do not know as I quite understood 1. “ And I do not know as I quite understand Moaning Gulch,” confessed Nervy Ned. ‘‘I am @ot a man who believes iu spirits, Bill; are you?” “Um,” was the noncommittal answer, ** But there ts something uncanny about that gorge,” asserted the young man, ‘One night when you and the others were talking and smok- |. gig, I went down there all alone,” Bal was interested, ** What did you see?” he asked. r ** Nothing.” Now he was disappointed. “It was what I heard that has troubled me ever since,” Ned went on, ‘* You know how the ‘wind sometimes shrieks down there,” We Well, 1 should say so! I heard it a bit >. ..@go.” ** Well, those sounds have often seemed to me _. like the voices of human beings, and sometimes I \@ fhave almost thought I could hear certain ; words,” The Pistol King nodded, ' * Same here.” *‘But never as plain as that night, I went ; down by the sluices and sat there listening to iA the sobbing sounds, They fascinated me, Sad- _ denly, I heard a voice call my name. Three _ &imes it cried: ‘ Bert, Bert, Bert!” , ‘* But your name 1s Ned.” hae **No, my true name is Elbert Wyndal.” Sit * It might have been fancy, pard.” __ “Tt was not, I heard it as be, heard anything in all my life. | EZ recognized the voice!” _ ** Hal You knew the voice?” ' A a es.” _ ** Whose was it?” _ “That of one who is dead and gone !” J CHAPTER IX, ee _NERVY NED’S STORY. Witp BILL started to his feet in surprise. __-Nervy Ned also arose, and the Pistol King could _ gee le was shaking with suppressed emotion, What did the young man mean? He had dis- _ tinctly stated he did not believe in spirits, yet he lainly as I ever ore than that, was dead and gone! : _ Bill gazed searchingly into the youth’s face, ‘ os even his piercing eyes could not read therein As attied to the many questions which uprose within bim, For a little, both were silent. ee Away off in the darkness near a distant crest _ @ lone wolt bowled. “Boy,” came soberly from Wild Bill’s lips, ips Wines Lionas,” vas bbe Yopty; bud see hat I mean,” was the re ul NP belied his name then, for he van all WG, ’ iE, ly think it was a spirit—no, no! it was something—perhaps only my imagina~- ely eh Then Ned tried to regain control of his nerves, and be partially succeeded after atime, He mo- Ag d for Bill to be seated again, and both sat il, I like you,” came frankly from the "L like . that.”.. I am not in the habit of talking x AN RTE STN MEARE NA A NE ITE PEL IT ES A A EST LE SE ES SITET SE ET EA EL SE now claimed he had heard the voice of one who . -Wild Bill’s Weird Foe. ‘Well, drive ahead, I have thought you had a story, and more than once I allowed to myself I would like to hear you spin it,” ‘** All right, you sball hear it now. It is nota very long story, and I will not drag it out, for I know you must need sleep,” ‘* Don’t you worry about that, pard. I am not at all hard up for sleep. In fact, I am fresh asa daisy. Go abead,” “*] have eiveaty told you my true name is El- ! bert Wyndal. was born in Illinois. My parents were not wealthy, but they had a little something. However, when I came to manhood I was not content to plod on an Illinois farm. 1 wanted something more than could be obtained in that manner. I dreamed of making a for- tune. ** Among my schoolmates were two persons with whom this story will deal, One was my friend and chum, the other tbe girl [ loved, Seba Rankin was my chum. We were always mates, and we stood by each other through thick and thin, He was a little the older, but, if any- thing, I was the stouter, *© Anice Aldrich was the girl I loved. It is not necessary for me to tell you how beautiful she was, for you might smile and say to yourselfa great part of her beauty was the imagining of an enthused lover. Her eyes were dark, but ber bair hada sligbt tinge of red, when the sunlight fell full upon it, She was almost two years younger than [, “Now, it happened that Seba Rankin loved Anice, too, but both of us tried to keep the other from discovering we hada more than friendly in- terest in the little fairy. She lived with ber mother, and she knew not whether her fatber was alive or not, ‘*‘ When Anice was eleven, her father went to California to seek his fortune in the mines, He never came back. It was thesame old story of hopes and fears, encouragement and despair, His early letters were full of light and shade. At one time he would be certain of winning a for- tune within a short space, at another he would have no hope of success and would be ready to give up the struggle.” ‘‘That’s the way,” nodded Wild Bill. ** I bave seen hundreds just like him.” ‘* Those letters became less and less iden ent,” continued the young man, “and, at length, they ceased entirely. rs, Aldrich tried in vain to get some word from her husband, and the brave woman never gave up thebope that he would some day return to his bome—his wife and his ild. ‘Little Anice wasa bright and vivacious creature, and she made friends with every one, 1 had no thought of falling in love with ber when 1 first began walking home from school with Anice. She lived on the same road, ‘Seba also paid ber some attentions, but he never seemed jealous of me—tbat is, he did not seem so in those-early days, ‘*But he opened my eyes to the secret of my heart, It came about when, one day, he spoke | of Anice, as my ‘little sweetheart.’ How those words thrilled ne—how they caused my blood to leap and my heart to pound.withiv my breast! ‘*Seba’s eyes were searching my face, and he instantly cried, bis face growing strangely dark: ‘*What makes you ,blush so, Bert? Ab! by racious! I hit the truth that time! You are in ove with little Anice Aldrich! “Somehow, those words i. me, and I made a sharp retort, 1 believe I told him it was no affair of bis. He laughed vag ag seg Se then informed mehe should do bis level t to cut me out, “For a while after this, our relations were strained, but we did not come to open hostility, Why, even our schoolmates did not dream there was any trouble between us! We seemed friend- ly still, and I resolved tu remainso. ‘“‘Having made this resolve, I went to Seba and bad a talk with him. I told him I believed I did love Anice, and, even if he cared for her, there was no reason why we should become foes, Each could do bis level best to win her regard, and the one who was defeated should vote the other a lucky lad and offer congratula- tions. “ At this, his face lighted up, and he heartily agreed, We shook hands over it, and from that time on were openly rivals. j ‘¢Wor a while, it was hard to tell for whom Anice cared the most, She seemed to look on us both as ber particular friends, and she treated us exactly alike, This was not strange, for she was stillin short dresses, _ “ But, as she grew older and we still con- | tinued our attentions, she began to pion d | dead. ! | Spe sedheatnga hy 4 [ " f stir h ld bce ne : us both: AWA} pts ther ‘ hen she gradually grew to * ed things to ren along easily while she remain- ed frank and friendly with both, but when she began to grow reserved, each commenced to fear the other was getting the inside track, ** One day Seba accused me of double play and unfairness. Now, lam called cool and nervy, but in those days I was hot-blooded and impul- vive. We had hot words, and he applied an abusive epithet to me, I knocked bim down, ‘Seba arose and deliberately pulled off his coat. His face was black, and 1 saw he meant to Jick me. I remained facing bim, but I re- gretted my hasty blow, Still I was ready to meet him. He advanced, and our eyes met, ‘For almost a minute, we stood staring into each other’s eyes, neither speaking a word, Then he wheeled back toward bis coat, picked it = and putiton. Having done this, he came bac Sn to me and said, his voice being low and ard: “Tam not going to fight with you Bert Wyndal, but some time I will make you sorry for that blow!’ ‘*Then he turned and walked away. ‘“‘T was already sorry, but .my pride would not allow me to immediately confess it. How- ever, | went to him tbe next day and asked his pardon, He hesitated a moment, then held out his hand, I grasped it, and the breach was healed, “From that time forward, things were the same as before. We both continued our attep- tions to Anice, but neither knew for a time if the other bad the advantage. ‘*We became young men, and we were not satisfied with our lives, Tbe world was large, but we were living a narrow existence. Neither was possessed of much worldly wealth, and both craved a little, We had heard the stories of the fortunes being made in the mines, and we re- solved to try our luck, We planned it all out together, and we set the day of our departure from the sleepy little place that bad so long been our home. “T resolved to know my fate before I left home, and I think Seba made the same resolu- tion, Both redoubled attentions to Anice. ‘*T was the fortunate one. It was the night before the day we were to leave. Anice and I were together, and she knew I was going away ov the morrow. Then I told the story of my love, and I pressed ber for my answer. I told ber if I was successful it would cheer me during ail the long months I might be far from her side, : ‘* Well, Bill, I am not going to tell all that reat between us that night, but from her lips heard that she bad loved me all along, and she promised to marry me when I came back. I told her I might come back poor, but she said that would make no difference, Poor or rich, beggar or prince, sbe would be my wife, Then I beld ber in my arms and kissed her again and again, How full with the pure delight of Heaven was my heart! ‘* How the little girl clung tome when the time came for me to leave her. Sbe wept, and I must confess, big, strong fellow though I was, my eyes were dimmed, It waslike tearing out my heart to leave ber, but I was now doubly re- solved. I would win wealth—I would come back to ber a rich man! ‘* Although my beart bad been sacly tort, TI walked on air when I left ber that night, I had won the prize I coveted most. How strong and brave I felt! No danger or privation would daunt me then, The soft breeze that came over the rolling prairie was not the usual zephyr of ~ the country where I had spent all my life; it was the breath of the wide world, **T saw her but once more before I left home. She was with others then, and we parted with a simple bandsbake, , “As planned, Seba and I went together. We did not strike for California, for the latest tales were of wonderful gold discoveries in Arizona, California miners and adventurers had crossed the Nearene and invaded the red-skin haunted land. **T will not follow up our careers till we join- eda party of fortune-hunters, bound for Ari- zona. There were twenty of us, and we felt able to lick the whole Apache Nation, We that am heis x oe
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yo 4 fight. We all struggled with the savageness of madmen, but we were trapped and doomed, [ saw itfrom the first. Seba and I fought side by side, and in the fiercest of the struggle he cried out that it was all up with us. ThenI saw him fall! ‘7 was wounded in three places, and I know I must have been crazed. How I ever escaped is a mystery to me, and it must always remain so, I must have got away in the darkness some way—but how?” ‘For a time my memory wasclouded. When I came to myself, [ was in a small Arizona camp. The people did not seem to know much about me, except that I had wandered into town one day and had not been able to tell where I came from or where I wanted to go. I had found work and managed to live along. “ But the greatest horror came to me when I learned that a year had elapsed since the terrible fight with the red-skins, At first I could not , believe it—I would not! I thought the people of the camp most have made some mistake in the year. And still there was a consciousness that I had been for a long time in a dazed and almost trance-like condition. ‘‘ Then I was seized by a wild desire to go to her at once. I[ could not remain to toil in the mines. I must see her—Anice, my promised wife. As soon as possible, I started, ; “*T was a long time working my way back to i Mllinois, but I did so after awhile, Only to find Fy Anice’s mother was dead, and my little one was one, no one knew where, As you may imagine, ill, I was nearly crazed.” ' The narrator seemed unable to remain quiet : any longer, so he leaped to his feet and paced ¥ - back and forth, : Wild Bill remained on the rock, watching the youth and waiting for him to resume, CHAPTER X. THE BLACK WITCH APPEARS. For several minutes the youth strode back and forth, Having worked off his excitement in a measure, he came back to his seat near the Pistol ee, ‘“Well, Pard Ned,” said Bill, kindly, ‘* you did have a powerful hard row to hoe, [m mightily interested in your yarn, so go ahead with the narration.” ** There is not much more to tell, Bill. I set myself to trace her, but it was the hardest task of my life. Still I was successful in a measure perhaps wholly so. I have never been quite satisfied, though. ‘She bad left her old home quiets and gone West, es she did so is a my-tery, but I sometimes think she may have been searching for me. Be that as it may, I followed slowly on the trail till she joined what was known as the Mansfield wagon-train.” Bill nodded. ‘Pye heard of it.” “Then you probably know the train was bound for some point in Wyoming. Some have said that train was bound for these Hills, but I do not know about that.” ** lt may have been.” ; ‘Well, she —— that train. Now, no liv- ing being that I bave ever found can tell what became of the train, It started out all right, although it seems singular there should have been so much secrecy about its destination. But what was the fate of the train?” ‘“*-You are askin’ me too mucb, . “T have sometimes thought it was bound for Utah, but that does not seem possible.” Wild Bill shook his head decidedly. “Don’t get tbat into your noddle, lad. It was not bound for the Mormon settlements. Everything paney dl against that. The train, headed for youing. but what part of the Territory it started for is something I am una- bletotell.” | “ Do you think it was destroyed by Indians?” ‘**T reckon,” “lt certainly looks that way, still I have not iso o hope. Anice was with that train, I hink—in fact, 1 am almost positive. I have hoped to find the members of the train living somewhere in a quiet little settlement that is shut out from the world.” Ty Bill arose and stood by Nervy Ned’s side, rest- ‘ing @ hand on the youth's shoulder. “IT donot want to discourage you,” said the 2 ough mm 3 “but Tam afraid meee by. little left for you to base your hopes on, my lad. _ Ned bowed Ra lead: : ® thought so for some time,” he con- a e “oh? vA ontbesearch, It was that | odd, for gold that brought me | Wild Bill’s Weird Foe. into these Hills, Idid not know but the train was bound for the Hills, and I fancied I might learn something of it. ‘‘ Now, when I say the moanings of that gorge down there often sound like Anice Aldrich’s voice, you can understand why it works upon me ‘Yes, I understand it.” ‘* Bill,” and Ned spoke soberly, ‘‘ I do not think shall ever go away from here.” a) So?’ Yes.” ‘** What do you mean to stay here for?” ‘* So 1 may be near that gorge!” Those words affected Wild Bill more than he showed, ‘*Lad,” he said, after a little silence, ‘* you mustn't allow your fancy to get such a hold on ou, * Do you think it is all fancy?” “Tt must be.” ** Well, perhaps; but it does sound like her. And when I beard it crying ‘ Bert, Bert, Bert,’ I felt certain it must be her.” ‘Still you say you do not believe in spirits. Oh, come now, Ned! own up that you are in- clined to put a little stock in spooks.” **T never bave, Bill, but that gorge has exer- cised a strange influence over me—it has almost, if not quite, changed me. If there is sucha thing. as spirits, perhaps Anice haunts that Gulch! Perhaps the train was destroyed near here—maybe she met her death down there!” Ned little knew how his words and manner worked on the scout, Bill was impressed with the belief that the truth was struck at last. Moaning Gulch was haunted by the spirits of the murdered emigrants who had belonged to the Mansfield train! Bill also arose to bis feet and paced back and forth for a while. Finally, be paused and said: ‘“‘T wish to think this matter over, Ned. Leave me on guard, while you go into the cabin and get some sleep.” “ Bill, I cannot sleep, after telling this story.” ‘* Well, then, I will give you time to get over it, while I willgo in and sleep. You must call pee midnight, and 1 will take your place, You “ Yes.” Bill beld out his hand, and the youth grasped it. Then, without saying more, they parted. The Pistol King went into the cabin and lay down beside his comrades. He was a man who seemed able to command sleep at his will, and he was soon slumbering. Near the bour of midnight, Bill awoke and arose. He had set his mind on awaking at that time, and it was not necessary for bim to be aroused, He got up and quietly left the cabin, Walking down toward the bowlders, Bill saw the young man still sitting there in the moon- light. Ned did not stir at the sound of the other’s approach, and be was not aware of the as presence till Bill’s hand fell on bis shoul- er, “You are not fit for a guard,” said the big man, but be did not speak unkindly. ‘Go in the cabin, lad, and try to get some sleep.” Ned arose, without a word, and walked toward the cabjn, Bill watched till the young man had disa red, then he turned away, muttering: ** He is all broken up, and I do not wonder at it. Poor boy! be bas had hard luck! ‘* His story has set me to thinking. Is it al- ways the wind that makes the borrible shrieking down in Moaning Gulch? Sometimes I bave heard them when there did not seem to bea breath of air stirring. Is it not the spirits of the dead that make those sounds?” ; Bill was more than half-inclined to believe that, and it was not strange be should. There was everything about the uncanny gorge to make a superstitious man think it was haunted. ** And the figure I saw there this night,” he went on, muttering aloud, ‘‘Tbat must have been a spirit, There was only one way I could have proved to the contrary, and that was by trying a shot at it, JI almost wish I bad. ‘*Tit may have been as the boy is inclined to think—the train was bound for the Hills. Per- haps they reached the Hills, and then they all met their doom. Who can tell? Possibly some of them sought refuge down in tkat black gorge and were butchered there, That would explain why the place should be baunted, “By beavens! it ‘ not imposs looked on the spirit of Anice Aldrich! That may have been her whom I saw this night, and — sbe may have been warning me as a favor. ely ee 4 'Trom @ s hat seems a e c Well, _ Shall hay oes: | that place after this, ‘There fe iy Verne apne n fe CG ible I have | 1anging around | 9 isbness about it to suit my style, It has fasci- nated me, but I must keep away. ‘* But who or what is the black-faced creature of which I dreamed, and which I saw at the window? That is another riddle. I feel as if that creature is my deadly foe, vet I know not why it should be so. Can it be she—for it was a woman—is in any way connected with this wild Gulch?” He walked to and fro, his bands behind bim, his eyes keeping watch of everything. The moon was slipping down the western sky, and it would soon be hidden behind the pine-fringed crest, After a time, Bill sat down on the bowlder, resting his chin on his hands, and staring down toward the black mouth of Moaning Gulch. As he sat there, the grim place began to exert its singular fascination over him. He felt a long- ing to go down there again and listen to the wind. But Bill was on duty as guard, and he was not a man to desert his duty. “The only way for me to get beyond the allurement of that place is to get out of these Hills,” he thought. ‘‘ As long as [remain where I can do so without much trouble, I fshall have the desire to go down there and hear the wind moan and bowl, “But shall I ever get out of these Hills? The spook said I should die here, and, if it was really & spook, she probably had her informa-~- tion from headquarters, ell, if I am to be snuffed out, so mote it be, I will die game, and that is a settled thing.” He sat there for some little time, without. looking around, At length, he began to feel the same as he did down in the Gulch when the white-robed figure was near. It was a strange sensation, and it crept over him bit by bit, He sbivered and started to look around, Directly behind him, only a short distance away, was a figure, It was not the same as he bad seen down in the Gulch, but it was the one who had visited him in his dreams, and who had looked in at the cabin window. From head to feet it was dressed in black, and its face and hands were also black, It was the Black Witch! This creature stood rigid as a statue, gazing straight at Wild Bill, who, for a brief space, was frozen to the bowlder. There was something terrifying about the black figure. Bill was a brave man, but he felt his flesh creep. Savagely flinging off the spell, be arose to his feet, demanding: +5 ““Who are you, and what do you want?” Bes The, Witch lifted one dark hand, her eyes glowivg balefully. “T am your foe, Jim Hikok, and I want your blood!” she answered, her voice being cold and harsh, i a ‘* Well, I swear you are frank!” confessed — Bill ‘You are my foe, perhaps, but I do not know why you should be that.” Are youready “Tt is not for you to know, madam; at least, I have no to die?” “T guess not oh kering to shuffle off the mortal , particular han coil.” ** You cannot escape!” a “Ts that so?” J ’ aya “It is; you have come into these Hills todie!” “That is pleasant information, but J must —__ question your authority. Show us your papers’ — for that,” 2 is Bill advanced toward her, but she instantly commanded: **Back! A renal Apa seregde % ere I “All right,” was the grim retort; come,” 28 But, as he darted toward her, she wheeledand = fled with remarkable swiftoess,” ert “Stop!” cried Bill—“ stop, or I shoot!” A taunting laugh was flung back at him. +) Bill drew a revolver as he pursued, age Once more he commanded her to halt, but paid no beed, ' Then he lifted the revolver. ; Bot he did not fire. ; hae. et : ‘No, I can’t shoot down a fleeing woman,” he muttered. “I mustovertake ber.” = = = ‘4 He thrust the weapon into his belt and darts forward at renewed speed The Black Witch was ud bantaes I denly she plunged ‘into the shade i
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+t warn 10 Wild Bill’s Weird Foe. some rocks, and Wild Bill followed closely. As he did so, another figure arose out of the black- ness. Hesawa swinging motion and tried to dodge, throwing up one arm. Then it seemed as if a ball of fire burst witha tremendous crash in his brain. CHAPTER XI. BILL ON THE TRAIL, THE Pistol King had been struck down, and for some time he lay in an unconscious condi- tion. Finally he stirred and uttered a groan, With- in another minute, he sat up and stared blankly around. ‘* W here—what—when?” Those words came from his lips, showing how great was his bewilderment, ‘* Spooks and hobgoblins! am I alive, or am I not? Is this you, Bill, or is it somebody else? Those are important questions, Will somebody please rise up and answer?” His head was throbbIng with a terrible pain, and his left arm felt as if it were broken. “TI think a mountain must have fell on me,” he said, speaking to himself, ‘fand it was a very heavy mountain, too. It made me tired, and I took a rest, “But, I wonder if this arm is in working order, or is it out of repair?” He examined his arm carefully, and was de- lighted to find it was not broken. ** All right there,” he muttered, ‘‘ Now to see if my bead is whole, It feels cracked.” His sombrero bad protected his head so the scalp had not been broken, and Bill felt not a little thankful when he found this out. “T am all right,” he said, grimly; ‘‘but I would like to have a little session with the galoot who bit me that belt. I wouid entertain him to the best of my ability, The woman fled into the shadows here, and he was crouching among these rocks. When I came along, he rose up and let me have for all he was worth. It was a settler, and that is a fact! ‘But why didn’t they kill me and have the job over with? That is what sticks me, That black creature claims to be my deadly foe, yet, when I was down, she does not take the advan- tage of it, Well, things are getting very warm in these parts, and that isa fact.” Bill scarcely thought either the Witch or-her companion were be around, but he took the pains to look about, e was not rewarded by a discovery. Then he turned his steps back toward the cabin, By this time the moon had slipped well down to the crest, and half the va'ley was in shadow. Bill took the precaution to go all around the cabin and make sure no oné was in the vicinity. Then he went to the spring and bathed his head and arm, after which he felt much better, He was not a little chagrined by the outcome of his pursuit of the black woman, but he had to make the best of it, “A crisis is at hand,” he murmured, as_he stood looking up at the place where Nervy Ned had seen the lights shine out, ‘* Perhaps a band of our enemies are up there now, waiting for the time to come to down us. We must be con- stantly on our guard,” The remainder of the night without anything in particular taking place. Bill bad rmined not to fell bis comrades of his ad- venture with the Black Witch, but in the morn- ing he changed his mind enough to inform Nervy Ned of all that bad occurred. The young man listened with interest. ** Bill,” be said, ‘*do you know, the night you got up and left the cabin so suddenly, and after- ward claimed you thought one of the horses was down, I thought that was not the reason for your action.” “Tt was not,” * This black woman—” ** Had been looking in at the open window,” **And do you think she sent you that written warning?” ** Who else could have sent it?” *“*That 1s something I cannot answer. But, - how came it within the cabin?” * You tell!” *T cannot. It has been a puzzle to me.” “Tf this black -creature was a spook—but I reckon she is flesh and blood,” ings if there are such things, do not send ngs written on scraps of paper.” * Nary time!” “ Bill. / Well “ing.” believe one of our party will bear watch- Pa eS | The Pistol King started. ** Who?” be asked. * Ginger Jim!” ‘“ Why, the fellow is nothing but a braggart; there is no harm in bim,” Ned shook his head. ‘‘Perhaps not; but I am not so sure of that, Anyway, [ am going to keep my eyes on him.” “That won’t burt anything.” ** His bragging air may be assumed—likewise, bis apparent cowardice,’ ‘* 1t is not impossible,” “Tt may be all a trick to fool us,” “* That is so.” Tbe two men were silent for some moments, then Ned said, with startling suddenness: ** Bill,” “* Yes, pard,” ‘You are going to attempt trailing down the ones who stole our horses?” as I am,” **Well, I want you to burry back as soon as ou can.” ‘“*1'll do that, pard; but I mean to know what has become of those animals, if I have to follow them into Montana,” “T feel as if something may happen while you are away.” ** Don’t get shaky, lad; the chances are, noth- ing will happen any quicker whileIl am away than while I am here,” ‘But, you would be one more fighting man with the party.” Bill nodded, ‘*T understand; you are looking for trouble. Well, I will do my level best ubout getting back, rest easy astothat, Meantime, put Old Zeb onto anything you may discover. He is to be fully trusted,” With this, Bill turned away and began to pay his attention to picking up the trail of the stolen horses, That was not near so difficult as be had anticipated, and he soon bade his comrades good-by, The little party watched the scout till be had disappeared from view, then Big Bruno turned away, shaking his head soberly, and saying: oy almost feel as if we should never see him ain, sa bat d’yer mean by thet?” demanded Crab e . ‘No more than I said. Something tells me Bill will never return.” “Do you insinoowate he will puckachee?” ‘No, not that; but I believe the Hills abound with dangers,” Zeb gave a snort of disgust. “Wal, you ‘low Wild Bill ter look out fer Number One!” he said, decidedly, ‘‘ Thar don’t no red-s*in git bis skelp very easy, an’ as fer ary white skunk downin’ him— Waz-al, they hain’t bin able ter do thet leetle trick so fur.” “ Bill hed oughter tooken me ‘long with him,” said Ginger Jim. ‘ Ef tber Injuns bed tackled him then, he’d hed somebody clost by ter fended bim frum them,” “ Wa-al, we may need your ’fendin’ byer afore he gits back,” drawled the old prospector. “Good gracious!” squawked Jim. ** You don’t reely think thar’s any danger, do ye? “Jest like’ ez not, thar’s fifty reds away up yen, watchin’ this place now,” Ginger took one look toward the spot indicat- ed by the old man’s gesture, then he gave a yoop of genuine fear and plunged into the cabin, ““Thet’s ther kind o’ er red-skin extarminator he is!” said Crab Zeb,in disgust, Wild Bill was an expert trailer, and he was ‘able to follow ti.estolen horses much more swift- ly than he had dared hope todo, At places he would be bothered a little, or compelled to go slow; but the nature of the ground seemed to compel this. He began to believe the thieves bad made no effort to cover the trail. ‘* Perhaps I see their little game,” he muttered, as beswung along, his Winchester ready for quick use, if necessary. ‘*Tbey thought they migbt have some trouble in covering the trail so I could not follow it, so they make no attempt to doso, If thatis true, then they will lay anam- bush for me, I reckon. I must be on the out- look, or Lshall stumble into a trap.” Wilder and wilder grew the country, as he penetrated still further into the Hills, The scenery was picturesque, but Wild Bill bad no eyes for the beauties of nature just then. He was attending strictly to business, At length, he detected the first deliberate at- tempt to cover the trail, but it was sach a pvor one that he laughed to himself, ‘That wouldn’t fool a baby,” he said. ‘‘ Let’s see if they try it again. If they do not, I shall think was not areal attempt to cover the trail, but was a bluff.” a er SN Before long he came upon still another attempt to blind the trail, and it was much better than the first, ‘* This looks like business,” he muttered, scow]- ing a bit. “Still, I do not think it will puzzle me very much,” He was obliged to spend an hour in picking up the trail, much to his dismay, for he did pot wish to lose time, Once more he went onward, Mid-day came, and it found him studying over a third attem}'t te deceive any one who might be trailing the ani-\ mals. They had taken to a stream of wate, and he was forced to travel up avd down tie creek on both sides for a Jong distance before le again found the trail. Even then it was not easy to find. Thehorses had not left the water at any place that offered, but, as Bill had im- agined might be the case, they bad come cut un — that would leave scarce the ghost of a trail. It was looking for just such a place that Bill succeeded in striking the track again, He saw the creatures’ feet bad been muffled, and had he simply looked for the marks they would pvatur- ally have made, he would have lost the trail right there. He laughed aloud when he came to the place where the mufflers were removed, “Ten to one that was their Jast resort!” he cried, ‘I don’t believe they will try it again.” He was right. The trail from that forward was easy to follow. But Bill was destined to come on a surprise that would nearly take away his breath. He found the spot where it seemed the horses hac been left for the night, and be found something more. “Ipjun sign, by the heavens!” he cried. ‘*Those animals were discovered by red-skius and carried off! Just what does that mean?” lt did not take bis active brain long to reason out the probable meaning, ‘* Rither those whites are in with the red imps or the borses were stolen from them in turn\” be decided, “It looks as if the former was the right of the affair, but it may not beso, In case it is not, then I may be in a trap at this very minute! “If the reds found the borses bere, they hee" probably set an ambush for the ones who lit , them, for they would know the anima)s belonged to whites,” The thought was not a pleasant one, for Bill knew a red-skin might be drawing bead «n his heart at that very moment, Perhaps the In- dians had seen he was iter tbe horses, aud bad held their fire to watch bis further move- ments. Without appearing to do so purposely, Bill moved toward the cover of some bushes, into whicb he darted like a flash, at the first uppor- tunity. He was not an instant too soon, The crack of a rifle rung out, and a bullets flipped a bit of fringe from bis leggings, ““That settles that!” came grimly from the Pistol King’s lips, as he peered from his covert. ‘‘One or more of the red imps spotted me. I see where the bit of smoke is rising, and 1 meim to have that red buck’s top-knot before another hour passes,” He Jooked around to see if there was no way of escaping from his present situation, and to his delight, he discovered a getiens fissure that led down among a mass of ragged bowlders, Hm lost not a moment in taking to the gully, creep down upon his stomach, pushing his rifle along abead of bim, Hod Bill risen on bis hands and knees, he would haye exposed bimself to the keen-eved red-skin who came so near lodging a bullet iu bis body a short time before, But he was used to crawling, as well as fight- ing, and be did not waste any time in gett:ny: down amid the rocks, Once out of the gully, he skulked along inn. crouching position, every sense on the alrt, ready for instant action, “T must obtain a position where I can geo sight of that red whelp,” he thought, He knew it was not at all easy & the Indien would remain in the place where he bad bee when the shot was fired, so, as soon as he coul , he studied the lay of the land, seeking to di-- cover which way tbe Indian would be spt to move, He was. not long in deciding there was hot one way he could leave his covert, and then Bul planned to get sigbt of him as he was creeping \o another hi e-sslaisia: “Ten to one be will think I am still concealed in those bushes,” thought the scout. “If be does, he will plan to keep himself hidden Od i
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Pee Wild Bill's: Weird Foe. from that point, If I can reach those rocks up there—” He did not finish, but began making his way toward the rocks, He reached them easier than he had thougut possible, and then he lay wait- ing. for his red foe to expose himself, he time came. Bill caught sight of a dusky form that flitted from rock to rock, Tbe crack of the white man’s rifle was follow- ed by a yell of morral anguish. CHAPTER XII. A CLOSE SHAVE AND A FEARFUL DISCOVERY. WILD BILL bad not missed his bum.nganie, ‘I wonder if there are any more,” he mutter- ed, as he swiftly changed his position. ‘There may be two or three others on the watch. It does not seem possible the reds would have left one man to watch the spot.” He took great precautions not to show himself too boldly, and, contrary to bis usual custom, he did not approach the body of the Indian he had shot. ‘* You may keep your hair,” he said softly; “‘and much good may it do you on your trip to the Happy Hantiog- Grounds, I will ligut out of this, and so retain my own top-knot,” He stole swiftly away, and he was able to take up the trail of the stolen horses at a con- siderable distance from where they had fallen into the hands of the red-skins, He decided there had been a dozen of the reds in the party. Im places he could detect the shoe-marks of the stolen horses amid the other marks made by the unshod feet of the Indians’ animals, “There may be a large hunting party in the Hills,” thought Bill, ‘If so, we shall be in great danger, for they will probably break into Small squads and scour the section for the own. rs of the horses which have fallen into their hands,” He felt as if it were somewhat doubtful about getting possession of the stolen horses, but still © was determined to make the attempt, provid- Sa sta 2 ee eee ee ee a ae 3," the opportunity was offered. be lone trailer was able to move forward more swiftly after discovering the avimals had fallen into red hands, for the Indians made no effort to conceal their trail, a thing which show- ed they were confident of their own strength, Bill knew well enough the red-men felt them- selves able to wipe out any whites who had strayed into the Hills, and be also knew they would promptly do so, While drawing their supplies at the Government Agencies, the In- dians would profess the most friendly feelings for their ‘‘ white brothers,” but let one of those light-complexioned brothers be found in the heart of the red-skin Reservation and his goose was cooked, His fate was liable to remain a mystery for ail time. Of course, the pale-faces had no right to pene- trate the Black Hills and mine for gold on the ground that properly belonged to the Sioux; but the yellow metal has a great allurement for the “civilized animal,” and he will drag his weary to the very ends of the earth if there isany ane oe finding and digging a fortune from the ound, I know of but one thing so fascinating as gold wp} and that is gambling for high stakes, Wild Bill had seen so much of Indian treach- ery and deviltry, that he bad become a hearty hater of the ‘‘ untamed savage.” Bill was natur- ally an bonorable and conscievtious man, but, like many another plainsman, be had grown to look upon the Indian as having few rights white men were bound to respect. Of what value was the hidden gold of the Black Hills to the red-men? They were too lazy to ex- tract the precious metal from the ground, even though they kvew it would buy them every com- fort they could ask. The Indian takes no thought of to-morrow, When the summer sun bung bright and warm over mountains and plain, they spent their days in idleness, the hunt providing them with game from day today. They would dream away the best part of the year. When winter came, they, rushed to the agen- cies, and there they would shiver and starve waiting for spring to break the white seal and unlock the ice-imprisoned land. It is certain the Sioux knew gold abounded in the Black Hills, and they knew it long before its existence there was made known to the civilized world. But what good did the knowledge do them? Occasionally a red-skin would be seen in | ion of a valuable nugget be had picked up quite by accident, but they never made them- selves tired searching after the precious metal, . But the red-skins were crafty, and they well ——— ee 8 ee ——_— eee em” cade, Ae,” en P| ee ee 1l { understood what a value the whites set upon gold. Those who were seen with the yellow nuggets told vague stories about their discovery, and never told the truth, The Indians also related awe-inspiring things about the Hills being the dwelling place of the Storm God. It is true, that, as a rule, the red-skins shunned the Hills for anything but hunting purposes, and it is probable they were filled with fear by the terrific thunder-storms which swept over the section. But it is also true they did their best to fill the white man’s mind with feelings of awe even greater than they experienced themselves, Allin vain! Their fears were well-grounded, _ When it be- came known that there were valuable gold dig- gings amid the Black Hilis, the pale-faces made a mad rush for the New Eldorado, Sitting Bull a the whole Sioux Nation, aided in a measure by Uncle Sam’s_ blue-coated boys, could not stem the tide, The reds murdered and de- stroyed, and the soldiers ‘‘ arrested ” and turned back such daring men as they discovered bound for the Hills. But Uncle Sam was forced to open up the new country, and the red-men were compelled to become docile. But, reminiscences of ‘those exciting days have Jed me from the thread of my story. Wild Bil! moved swiftly forward on the trail. But something told him he was being followed. He was a man who was always governed toa great extent by his feelings and impressions, and he never disregarded a warning of this kind. “Dye got to get to cover and wait for the copper-skinned party, or parties who are track- ing me,” he muttered, Tn a short time be reached a spot that was favorable for his purpose, and he swiftly con- cealed himself, He did not have to wait more than twenty minutes before be detected two crouching fig- ures that were coming swiftly along on his track, With a deadly light in his eves, Bill waited till they were so near there could be no failure, then bis Winchester spoke twice in such sw ift succession that the reports were almost as one, Both of the unfortunate red trailers went down. Quietly slipping some fresh cartridges into the mazazine of his rifle, Bill watched till both the dusky bodies lay perfectly still and rigid, then he once more took up the trail, For reasons unknown to himself, he did not touch tbeir scalp-locks, The sun was slipping down the western sky, and the trailer had not eaten anything since morning. Once he paused at a spring to drink, Steadily on the trail continued the scout till darkness was at hand, Witb each passing min- ute the tracks grew fresher, and he knew he was close on the reds, However, darkness came down and concealed the trail before he bad overtaken them, Thoroughly getting thelay of the land, so he felt sure he could return to the trail in the morn- ing, if necessary, he struck out through the gat hering shadows, Within half an hour he found himself looking down into a pocket where a large band of Indians were encamped, There were nearly a hundred of them in all, Lodges had been temporarily erected and big fires built. From his position, Bill could see the Indians moving about by the light of the fires, end be was able to form a pretty accurate estimation of their number. It was a bunting party, but he knew they were none the less dangerous for that reason, *¢ There will be weeping and wailing and gnash- ing of teeth when they discover their three com- races have gone up the flume,” thought the scout. He was disgusted by his discovery, for he now saw the borses were gone for good. True, he might recover them by some daring venture, but it was équally true be would ruin their prospect of making a fortune from the placer of Moaning Gulch, if be did so. Bill’ knew what bloodhound-like trailers the Indians were, and, if he recovered the horses and attempted to make his way back to his com- rades, he would be followed every inch of tbe way. All bis arts would be unavailing in throw- ing the reds off the track amid the Hills. Had he thought it best to leave the Hills at once and give up the attempt to make a golden fortune there, he would have secured the horses at any risk. Then he would have depended on his own cleverness to cover the trail enough to uzzie the reds for a time and give himself and is friends a fair start. Paste a i | lor eS He puzzled over the matter for some time, buf& finally decided te let the horses go for the time being. It was not likely the Indians would leave the Hills for some little time, and there would be another—perhaps better—opportunity to regain possession of the animals, Having arrived at this conclusion, Bill deter~ mined to immediately retrace his steps. He erept back from the edge of tbe bluff and start- away .n the durkness, Ragged clouds were trailing across the sky, now and then permitting the moon to show her-} self for a brief space of time. The Pistol King bad not gone a great distance before the moon suddenly came out, and he found nimself face to face with eigbt or ten red- skins, who were making their way to the camp. They saw him, and a yell of surprise went Bp The next moment bullets rattled about Wild Bill’s ears, Dropping on one knee, the caring man be =a to work his rifle, and a perfect stream of seemed to pour from the muzzle of the deadly weapon, A veritable hail of lead was poured upon the amazed Indians, The rapidity with which Wild Bill worked his rifle was something astonishing. A black cloud drifted across the face of the moon, and the fusilade ceased as abruptly as it had begun, Then Bull started to skulk away amid the rocks, But it suddenly seemed as if every shadow re~ solved itself into a red-skin, He knew they were on every side of him, and the camp had certainly been aroused by the shots, If he escaped at all, it must be at once and wi hout delay. With his rifle in bis left hand and a knife grasped in his right, be darted here and there, weaving bis way through the mass of moving sbadows his keen eyes detected, Suddenly a dark figure seemed to rise out of the ground, and ecnfront hin; long arms were outstretched to grasp bim. ith a movement that seemed electrical, Wild Bill’s right band rose and fell. Tbe dark figure reeled backward, the death- yell of a savage pealing out on the vight air, Bill did not tarry in that vicinity. He heard answering yells on three sides of him, and he knew he was almost surrounded. He made toward the point from which ne ery had come, and be nearly fell over the brink of & precipice. “ Trapped |” He hissed the word, feeling he was truly snared, Wild Bill was a man to die ea and he again sunk on one knee, ready for t work, As he did so, one hand touched a mass of vines whicb grew on the brink of the precipice, A thrill ran through bis beart, ‘*There may be a chauce here!” be whispered, *T will try it!” an anotber moment bis rifle was slung at big: back, snd both hands were revealing what bis eyes could not see. He discovered the vines trailed over the preci- pice, and, without a moment’s hesitation, he swu,g over and went down, clinging fast to them, His peril was something awful. He knew not if the vines reached. anywhere near thie foot of the precipice, which might ex- tend downward for bundreds of feet. Then the vines might give way beneath his weight end let him go whirling down to death on the rocks, The vines grew thinner and thinner as he de- scended, but the rocky wall beneath his feet pro-- jected out and gave him some support, At length he was able to descend by clinging to the wall alone, abandoning the vines. In a short time, he reached the bottom im safety, and a breath of relief came from his lips. t the same moment, yells of disappointment and = e came from the tricked Indians above. oop as much as ycu like,” thought Bill * Much good youl You and [ will part company as sty hantien into the darkness. may it do right bere.’ Another day was breaking when Wild Bil} reached the little valley where the cabin had been built near Moaning Gulch. He _ hurried forward, eager to greet his comrades, When he came out in sight of the spot where the cabin had stood, be suddenly halted snd an exclama- tion of astonishment and dismay broke from his — ips, The cabin was gone! — >
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12 In its place lay a mass of blackened embers, from which tiny wreaths of smoke were curling upward, showing the fire was not entirely dead, But this was not the worst sight that greeted his eyes, On the ground near the place where the cabin had stood were two human bodies. ** Good God!” cried Bill, as he burried forward, ** My poor pards!” . Aglance at the two bodies showed him they * had been the victims of red-skin fiends. ‘They are poor Old Zeb and Ginger Jim!” came hoarsely from the Pistol King’s lips. ‘* But where are Ned and Big Bruno? The are not here. Did they perish in the flames? If not, what bas become of them?” What, indeed? CHAPTER XIII. THE WORK OF RED FIENDS. AFTER Wild Bill had left his comrades to go on the trail of the stolen horses, a misunder- standing arose about the matter of continuing work while he was away. Crab Zeb was for takiug a day off and remain- ing at the cabin, but Big Bruno thought taey ought to work, ** Now, looker hyer, Pard Bruno,” said the old he agony “you know as well as I thet most ikely our enemies are watchin’ this yere place now. Mebbe they’re only waitin’ fer ther three 0’ us ter go down in ther gulch an’ leave t’other one on guard ’fore they kem down on him an’ snuff him out. In thet thar way they c’u’d wipe ‘us out one at a time, an’ we'd never git one sin- gle whack back at’em.” “Tam willing to either watch or work,” said ‘the big man “I will take we chances ot he maining to guard the cabin, if any one else is afraid to do so.” ** Thet's all right, but we want ter do ther best ing: so—” ** You want to be boss, now Bill is away!” “Ts thet how ye figger it? Well, hev it thet ‘way, ef ye want ter. I am boss, an’ I'll stay ‘boss, too, Big Bruno.” Ef ye don’t think so— wa-al, try ter straddle me,” Bruno's band fell on a weapon, but his wrist ‘was sagg e by Nervy Ned’s strong fingers, ‘*Hasy, pard!” cautioned the young man, speaking because he was forced to do so, ‘* We can’t afford to bave a row and shoot each other. gla 3 among ourselves is scandalous, and ill would be angry if he knew it,” ‘* Who cares for Bill?” * You would care fer him if he were here,” ‘Bah! I care for no man!” **T have always thought you a man of os Sant Bruno, and I hope lI shall not have ‘to change my mind now. You are angry. Wait a little till you are cooler before you say any more,” The big fellow looked into the young man’s eyes, and something he saw there caused him to think it best to follow that advice, ** All right,” and his hand fell from the butt of his revolver. ‘‘ You people can do as you please, and I will do the same,” Seeing the trouble was over, Ned left the cabin. He went down to the spot where he and Bill had talked the night before, and for a long time he sat on one of the bowlders, He was thinking deeply. The forenoon passed slowly enough to the four men. Tbe little misunderstanding bid raised a cloud that hung over them like a shadow, Even ‘Ginger Jim forgot to boast, | As for Crab Zeb, there was an unusually sober ’ Jook on his face, He was plainly troubled more than he cared to express, and it is possible he felt «a foreboding of approaching doom, The sun shone, but the little valley seemed un- usually dark to Nervy Ned. There seemed to be a chill in the very air, and his blood flowed ong pr in bis veins, ‘*T don’t like the feeling,” he said, to himself, “Tt seems as if a calamity is at hand. I am sorry Bill bad to go away.” The men ate their mid-day meal in grim si- lence. When it was over, Zeb and Jim lighted their pipes to smoke, while Ned returned to the bowlder, where he could watch the dark mouth of Moaning Gulch. Big Bruno went out in front of the cabin and strode back and forth, his face dark as a thun- der-cloud and his hands clinched behind his My i) Ss As Ned sat looking toward the opening to the mysterious gorge he began to feel a desire to go down there and listen to the wind. It was the Same peculiar feeling of fascination that the lace exercised over Wild Bill. **P'1) do it!” he exclaimed, after a time. He seemed to have forgotten his comrades, for Wild Bill’s Weird Foe. he arose to his feet and started toward the gorge, speaking no word to the others, Big Bruno watched the young map till he had disappeared at the dark mouth of the weird Gulcb, Crab Zeb happened to come out of the cabin just in time to see Ned as he entered the Gulch, ‘* Waal, I like thet, by Moses!” growled the old fellow. ‘* Why didn’t he say he wuz goin’ down thar?” **T don’t suppose he thought it necessary to account for his“actions to any one,” said Big Bruno, insolently. ‘Oh, ye don’t!” snapped Zeb, ‘* Waal, you might hev tole me he wuz goin’ off Why didn’t ‘**T didn’t happen to feel that way.” Crab surveyed the big man from head to feet. “T’d guv suthin’ ter know why Bill ever tuck you ‘long with us fer!” he said, ‘You ‘forget yourself, old man,” declared Bruno. ‘‘ Nobody took me along. I was the original discoverer, and I am really the head of the party. You other people were taken along, mi saed you must see, if you have any sense at Zeb wilted, but he was none the less angry. He retreated into the cabin, growling and grumbling. Big Bruno entered in a short time. He did not even glance toward Zeb or Jim, but be de- liberately took down his cartridge belt and buckled it about bis waist. Then he took his rifle and went out, Zeb grunted and went to the door. Big Bruno strode straight away, never turn- ing to look back, He did not go toward Moan- ing Gulch, but in an opposite direction, *“* Waal, go on,” growled the old prospector. “Tt won’t be no great loss ef ye never come back!” Meantime, Nervy Ned had gone down into the dark gorge and paused near the rockers, The wind was moaning gently, and the place was lonely, even though the sun hung bright in the sky. After looking around the diggings for a time, Ned went to a bowlder and sat down, There he fell into deep meditation. How long he remained thus he did not know, It might have been but a short time, or it might have n hours, He was aroused by shots, and he started to his a Then he faintly heard wild yells and mcre ots. The sounds came down the gorge, **Heavens! what can that mean?” cried the young man, and he started on a run toward the opening to the gorge, | In a short time he reached the opening, the sounds ne gh grown plainer with each moment. What a sight greeted his eyes when he reached a point where he could look out into the little valley! A band of twenty red-skins were dancing around the cabin, which was already being swiftly wrapped in flames, The cabin door was wide open, showing the miners were not witbin. Ned’s eyes fell on two figures stretched on the ground, and he knew at least two of bis com- rades had met their fate, At first the youth was tempted to rush ont: and attack the red devils, but his better judg- ment prevented so rash a move, for he saw the time was past when he could render his friends any assistance, “Tt has come!” he groaned. ‘ This is what I féared! The poor fellows have been butchered already!” He watched the savages dancing and yelling about the burning cabin, and his heart was hot with rage, ‘“*This is another score I have against the red devils!” came through his set teeth. ‘* They have robbed me of very much, I think I may become an Indian-hater—possibly a hunter of the red dogs!” He did not think of his own danger then, but he realized it when he saw some of the red- skins motioning toward the gorge, Then they seemed to hold an animated discussion, some of them seeming to be for visiting the gorge, while others opposed it, The awe of the place was strong on some of the band, but the bolder ones prevailed, and a small party of warriors started toward the mysterious Gulch, Ned saw them coming, and then he understood how critical was his position. ‘*T shall be fortunate if I escape them!” he thought, as he burried back into the shadows of the P ace, , The wind seemed hushed; there was not even a murmur. “The silence was oppressive and ominous, Death seemed lurking in the air. As he hurried along, Ned remembered a niche to which he had climbed one day. It was quite a distance up one side of the canyon wall, and he wondered if he could not conceal himself there. ‘itis a natural fortress,” thought the youth, ‘*T can defend it to the last gasp. The only way they can get at me is to starve me out, I believe I shall take my chances to hide there.” Swiftly he ran to the place and began climb- ing up the rocks, He kept his head, for he knew it would not do to become excited then. His life was in peril, and his nerve must stand by him in the emergency. He made no slips, for he knew a slip might cost him his life, He grasped every point of rock firmly, and was careful of bis footholds, In this manner he mounted to the place where ‘he was able to conceal himself on a ledge which seemed almost inaccessible, His exertions caused him to breathe heavily, but he immediately looked to his revolvers. They were ready and in working order. Then he waited for the approach of the red- skins, The silence of the wind seemed unnatu- ral and did more to unman him than anything else. But he did not allow that to trouble him much, With his face stern and hard-set, he waited, The Indians seemed a long time appestine. He almost began to think they had turned back, but he resolved not to venture from his retreat and be caugkt. At length the wind began to moan faintly, The sonnd was pitiful in the extreme, and it almost brought the tears to Nea’s eyes, for he fancied it seemed moaning over the miners who had met death at the hands of the red- men. “That wind seems like a human being,” the outh thought. ‘It almost ap to reason. hat sound—how like the sobbing of a living creature! “But where can those red— Ha!” He saw the Indians, They were advancing slowly and cautiously along the Gulch. They seemed frightened or filled with awe, and it was plain it would not take much to send them skur- rying out of the place. Ned watched them as they cameon. He had suddenly grown as cool as usual, and he did not seem to feel himself in such dreadful dan- ger, For some reason, be knew not what, he waited for an unexpected event to transpire, What was to bappen down there amid the somber shadows of Moaning Gulch? CHAPTER XIV. “NOT FRIENDS—DEADLY FOES!” THE question was soon answered. The Indians were ets, J along close to one of the black walls of the gulch, Suddenly there was a crunching sound above and a rushing noise in the air! Downward shot a huge bowlder, that in some way had become detached from its restirg-place far above! The red-skins were beneath it! The bowlder wasa thunderbolt of death, Down upon the unfortunate savages it came, and all but two were instantly killed, They never knew what struck them. Then, of a sudden, the wind an to utter shriek after shriek, till the gorge fairly echoed witb the blood-curdling sounds, For a few seconds the two savages who had escaped death stood appalled at the fate of their comrades, They appeared frozen with terror. There was something fiendish in the cries which echoed through the dismal Gulch, and it was not strange the sounds filled the red-skins with borror, For a few moments they stood still, then they turned and fled, as if pursued by a score of fiends, The two red-skins who escaped could scarcely have been more amazed than was the pele-face beholder of the tragedy, 1t seemed to him almost as if the hand of angry Heaven had avenged the murder of his comrades, Many times be had traversed that gorge, but never had be noticed that there was a bowlder clinging to the rugged wall, threatening to fall at any time. “Tt seems to me there must have been a power that sent that big stone down upon them,” he muttered, Suddenly a shrill voice rung through the gorge. crying: ‘* Elbert Wyndal, of the party who came here
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to seek for gold, you alone shall escape! The others shall die amid these Hills! Fly, fly, while there is time and opportunity!” ‘ It was not a trick of his imagination—he plainly and distinctly heard the words, He started up, gazing around, but he saw no living rson. a wa Great Heaven!” he gasped. , that spoke? Some one who knows my name! - What is the meaning of this?” Once more he heard the voice: Fly from this gorge as you ‘““Who was it ““Be warned! would fly from death itself! There is nothing but misfortune for those who come here—mis- fortune and death!” ; His teeth came together with 4 click, a “71 “ All right,” be muttered, ‘“‘I am getting to think that way myself, and I am ready to leave this place just as soon as I can get out,” He no longer remained crouching behind the at rocks, He felt sure the reds would not venture » back into the Gulch, for they had seen quite *. enough to make them think the wrath of the Great Spirit fell on those who penetrated the dark depths. Ned swung himself down to the bottom of the Gulch. There he hesitated a moment, but there was but one course for him to follow. He could not go out by the valley where the cabin had R608, so he turned the other way. Passing the rockers, he hurried into the shad- ows of the uncanny gorge. On and on he went, taking little heed of his surroundings, He did not note the flight of time, but it was sunset when he left tie dark Gulch, Out among the Hills be breathed more freely, but he knew not which way to turn. His situa- tion was more desperate than he dreamed, for be did not even have his rifle with which to provide for his hunger. Such game as he secured, he would have to bring down with bis revolvers, And bis horse was gone. How was he to get out of the Hills and make his way to the settle- ments? That was an unanswerable question just then. Darkness came down and found Ned wander- ing aimlessly. He hardly knew what to do when he realized nigbt was fairly upon him. ‘* Tf Bill was with me now, everything would be all right,” he thought. ‘‘He is used to an j kind of life in this part of the country, aud, with him, 1 should not feel so completely lost and adrift,” Then the thought came to him that he ougbt to return to the valley, where his comrades had been murdered and bury them, But he knew he could not reach the ill-fated spot that night, for he knew not which way to turn, At length, he decided to seek a secluded spot somewhere, and attempt to get some sleep, With this in view, be found his way down into @ small pocket, \ “All at once, he detected the glimmer of a light not far away. “Indians!” That was his first thought, and his impulse was to turnand flee, But Ned’s nerves were not catirely beyond his control, and he compel- led himself to creep slowly aud cautiously for- ward, instead of retreating, Not a noise did he make as he stole toward the glimmering fire. He had decided to satisty himself if the parties near it were really red- skins. He had little hope of their being whites, for the country was not a “healthy” one for pale-faces. Even though they were white men, they might be the ones who came down on Big Brupo and claimed the placer in Moaning Gulch, He might have unwittingly discovered the horse- = h the mu f voi t len rmur of voices came to his ears, ete was soon able to tell that the speak- ers were really white men, Of course this discovery gave him hope, but he was not foolish enough to rashly expose him- Self without learning something of the men by fire. In a little while he had obtained a position hi he could see them, as they were exposed by the flames, He could aiso hear a part of their conversation, and this was, the first that i I should think you would be : at, I shou D ou afraid this fire would bring the reds down on us, You know they can smell smoke, even when they are not able to see a Jight.” _ ed could scarcely believe the evidence of bis ear's and eyes, Was it possible, or was it a trick of the imagination? Could tha here was no doubt about it. The fire- fell fairly a his fane, It was the dark- a <a an so gmc ® Wild Bill’s Weird Foe. faced giant whom Ned had to this moment be- lieved one of the red-skins’ victims. How came the big fellow there? Ned asked hiwself the question in vain. He could think of no probable way of Big Bruno’s escape from the red-skin horde, That he was not a friend of the savages was apparent from tae question be ad- dressed to his companion. Ana that companion— The youth gave a gasp of astonishment. Were there two Big Brunos? No, that was impossi- ble; but certainly the two men were brothers. That was the true explanation, Big Bruno and Black Bat were brothers. Bruno had believed bis brotber Bat dead, for it had been reportec he was lynched in Texas by Vigilantes. But the story was not true, although Bat certainly deserved lynching if ever border desperado merited such fate. Bat was known as a “killer,” and he had the blood of mary a man on his hands. Unfortu- nately for his good name, he bad almost always killed honest men, instead of confining his desire for shedding blood to those of his own class. It happened that Phil Cole had once done Bat Bradstone a favor, and Bat swore by Cole from that time on. When he heard Wild Bill had killed Cole in Abilene, Kansas, while attempt- ing to arrest bim, Cole being on a drunken ram- page, Black Bat swore he would have Bill’s life, if they ever met, It happened that Big Bruno also secretly hated Bill, although he had no good reason for doing so. Even before he knew his brother was still living, he had played a trick on Bill, know- ing the Pistol King was of a very superstitious nature, Irefer to the finding of the knife and the warning signed by the “ Black Witch.” Bruno bad found the warning pinned to the cabin door with the dagger, and he had taken possesson of it. In order to puzzle Bill still more, Bat had fastened the warning to the interior of the cabin during the night, and the scout had found it in the morning. It bad really seemed a marvelous thing that the dagger and warnin yo og their way into the securely fasten cabin. But Big Bruno’s most daring trick was work- ed in connection with the stealing of the horses. When he fonnd his brother Bat was still alive and heard from Bat’s lips how he hated Wild Bill, Bruno readily agreed to work against the man who trusted him as a pard. The loss of the horses would bea terrible blow, for on the animals they depended in getting out of the Hills, so it was decided to get away with them, At the same time, Bruno wished to remain in the confidence of the men against whom he was turning traitor, He knew how shrewd Wild Bill usually was in detecting a cheat, and he felt that no ordinary cock and bull story would be accepted. Then he carried into execution a daring plan. He knew exactly where to inflict a small cut on his head so it would bleed profusely, and this he did, smearing, his face with the blood, Then he bad his. brother bind his bands and feet and nny gag so he could slip it into his mouth when he beard Bill and bis pards approaching. The reader knows how well the plan worked. Mexican Pete took the horses in charge, promis- ing to cover their trail and then return with them io his comrades, They never saw him again! Just what happened to the Greaser was never known, but it is pretty certain he considered the horses booty enough for him, and he resolved to get away with them. Possibly he found him- self tracked by .red-skins and deserted the animals, only to perish amid the Hills. If Big Bruno was not cig sete by his com- panions he was to flash a light at the cabin window three times, and the signal would be answered from the crest of the slope fifteen oth ete did not find good e udas did not a ve op- sa pape to carry out his plans ys gnaling, ut be made bold to do it before some of the very ones he had betrayed. Twice the breeze blew the light out, and for the third time be closed the window. A short time later he went outside to see if the signals had been seen and were answered, ervy Ned saw the answer. After the quarrel with Crab Zeb, Bruno re- solved to bave a talk with his brother and lay future plans, That was why he took bis rifle and strode away, as if furiously angry. And in that manner, be saved his scalp, Nervy Ned gazed in wonder at the two failing to notice a third figure beyond the fire. es as ee a et 13 “TI scarcely think the reds will detect us here,” answered Black Bat. ‘If they do—” “Well, what then?” ‘“‘We should lose our scalps,” said Revolver Ray, arising to his feet. Then came the greatest surprise of all for Nervy Ned. A cry of wonder broke from his lips, Did be see a spirit? The three men heard that cry and their hands fell on ready weapons, The next moment Ned appeared within the circle of firelight, and the two younger men were face to face, ‘*Seba Rankin,” shouted Ned. The Revolver Sharp drew back ‘Yes, lam Seba Rankin,” he ** And you—” **T am Bert Wyndal.” **Tmpossible!” “Tt is true.” ‘Bert Wyndal is dead!” ‘*No, I still live, But I thought you dead, for I saw you fall. Even now it does not seeu: pos- sible you are aliv-; Let me grip your hand, ol? schoolmate, to make sure I xm nut deceives !” But Rankin would not accept the proffered band, “There is no mistake,” came coldly from hig lips. ‘‘Ilam here in the flesh, but you are the last person I expected or hoped to see.” ; Ned recoiled, a look of astonishment on his ace, ‘* What— what are you saying?’ he stammered, “*Ts it necessary to repeat?” “T am not sure [ heard arigbt.” ““T think you did, unless there is something the matter with your ears. I tried to make it plaiu I believed you dead and hoped you were, That is the straight unvarnisbed truth.” ‘* But, Seba, we are old schoolmates—friends!” “*No!” cried the Revolver Sharp, his face be- traying tbe hatred in his soul—‘ not friends— deadly foes!” Ts it you?” acknowledged.. CHAPTER XV. TRICKED BY THE WITCH, THe words were like blows, and before Ned could recover, he was grasped behind and flung to the ground. “That is right!’ nodded Revolver Ray, or Seba Rankin, as he will hereafter be called, ** Make him secure.” The three men flung themselves on the un- lucky youth, and he was soon bound hands and feet, despite his struggles. **Cowards! Traitors!” he cried. But they only laughed at him. , ‘*T thought the reds bad wiped you out,” sai Big Bruno; ‘‘ but it seems you escaped them.” * And I thought they had wiped you out, Plainly, it would have been better for the coun- try if they bad.” The big fellow scowled, then laughed again, He could afford to be merry just then, he thought. ** That is the way you look at it.” “You are a traitor!” “That is a harsh word,” ° ** But it is true.” “Not exactly. You see, this gentleman here is my brother, and a man should always stand by bis brother, He claims to be the original discoverer of the placer in Moaning Gulch, so I have decided to withdraw in his favor. You other people are in the way, since he has taken me in as a partner, The red-skins were v: kind in disposing of Old Zeb and that fool Gin- ger Jack, You have fallen into our hands, and it only remains to dispose of Wild Bill. ‘Leave him to me!” grated Black Bat, “TI will finish him!” “Thus, you see, my young friend, another party has n formed to work tbe placer, and you have no further interest in it.” Ned, or, properly Bert, for it is best to drop bis fictitious name at this point, could make no reply. He fully understood what a dastardly creature Bruno Bradstone was, and the thought — came to him that poor blustering Ginger Jack was a king beside the man, He fancied Jim the traitor, but he now understood his mis- take, It was not strange the captive youth should be somewhat dazed by. the turn things bad taken. He had believed Kankin dead, but the man lived. In the past they had been friends, though rivals; but now Rankin declared they were goes | foes, Tbe captive was unceremoniously dragged to a place where be could sit with his back against a tree, then, after casting some more wood on the fire, Seba Rankin came and crouched before his old schoolmate, oe . Bene
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- 14 Wild Bill’s Weird Foe. **T know you are wondering how it bappens I am here alive,” he said; ‘* and your appearance also puzzles me. I thought the red devils had finished you, but it seems you escaped some way. | I care not bow you did so, but I am sorry. As | for myself, I would have been a dead man only ; for the tattooing on my breast, When [ fell, | wounded, I gasped for breath and tore open my | shirt, exposing the strange symbol. The red- | skins saw it, and not one of them would touch me. I was left for dead amid the other bodies, but I was not dead, by any means,” ** You were fortunate, Seba,” said Bert, hold- ing himself in check, ** Well, you will find it was an unfortunate thing for you,” was the savage retort, ‘* You or fool! You thought me still your friend, but I was your secret enemy. Do you remem- ber our first quarrel, when you struck me? “T see you do, Well, you also remember I swore I would make PP ba sorry for that blow. Afterwards, we seemed to become friends again but I never for a moment forgot my pit I meunt to keep it, and I will do so.” “Treacherous wretch!” ** You must remember hard words never broke any bones, I hated you, even though I pretend- ed to be your friend, and | resolved to win Anice Aldrich, by fair means or foul, All the while 1 saw you getting the best of mein open struggle, I was plotting to carry out some move that | should defeat and ruin you, You were such an honest young man it was difficult for me to get a hold on you. ‘*T resolved on a desperate move, and I asked Anice to marry me. She declined, Then I made her promise to not let you know | bad asked ber to be my wife. ‘**Next, I set about planning to get rid of you. { was not fool enough to murder you there, even though my heart prompted me to do so,. I knew ‘ the crime would be traced to me, and thus [ would ruin everything. ‘You will remesaber I was the one who pro- posed coming West to make our fortunes, At first you did not take to the scheme, but I urged avd excited you till you grew enthusiastic, That was a part of my plot. * T was afraid you would marry Anice before you started, but my fears were groundless, ‘*My scheme was simple, way out in the mountains I would find a way to get rid of you then I could return to Anice, I had practic till I could imitate your handwriting, and I pro- posed to take back a letter to her, which was ap- rently written when you were dying. Inthat etter would be a mess of stuff about bow kind I had been to you, and it was to end with the re- quest that Anice become my wife. As it was apparently your dying wish, of courseshe would comply—and thus I would win the prize,” **You treacherous dog!” hoarsely breathed may Wyndal, fairly shaking with the fury he elt, ‘* Now Iam making you sorry for that blow!” cried Rankin. “No! Instead of beiaien 8 me sorry, you make me wish I had killed you when I struck!” “ Well, sorry or not, 1 am having my re- iy +0 ** Much good may it do you!” ** Now, don’t you worry a bit about that. I aa out of it all the satisfaction possible,” ** You lied to me wien you told me Anice bad also eo to become your wife!” *T knew it at the time! Oh, fool, fool! f Ought to have seen your treachery! Was I blind?” ** Somewhat, I think,” “ And I think so, too!” Big Bruno and Black Bat were listening to all that passed, seeming to enjoy it as we farce, Rankin continued: ‘The red-skins prevented me from carrying -out my plans, act I fancied they had saved me f kill the trouble o mistaken. “7 will not tell you how I succeeded in reaching the nearest settlement after the mas- sacre occurred. I dragged myself there, more dead than alive, and there I was cared for till my health was restored. : * At first, I thought of writing to Anice and telling her all; but I changed my mind. Wild gold discoveries in the Salt River ing you. Now,I see I was tales of ne -section were \ afloat, and 1 made for those parts. I did not write to Anice then, and I put it off for a long time. “Whom do you suppose I found in a small Arizona camp? You could not ules, if you * “tried, but it was Stephen Aldrich # Anice'’s father!” ** Yes,” * Are you lying, Seba Rankin?” ‘*No. Why should I lie to you now? You are close to death, and I want you to know the | truth. I actually found the man, but there seemed to be some trouble with his bead. He fancied himself a fugitive from justice, and that was why he had not written to his wife for so many years. ** T tried to get the notion out of his head, but I succeeded very poorly. I could not persuade him to write or return East with me, He hed been unfortunate, and was living likea beggar.” **T wrote then, and 1 told Avice all that had happened, I told her you were dead. I told her I had found ber father. Sbe answered, and her letter showed me she was nearly heart- broken. She said her mother was very sick— was at the door of death. I managed to raise some money, and I sent it all to ber. ‘*Not even the fact that bis wife was dying could induce Stephen Aldrich to return to II- linois. The thought of doing so fillea him with terror, “ After a time, Anice wrote her mother was dead and she was.all alone in the world. Then I planned to have ber come West. At the re- quest of Aldrich,I had cautioned her against letting any one know her father still lived. I also took a fancy to have her leave home with- out revealing whither she was bound, ‘* Stepben agreed to meet bis child in Omaha, and I directed her to come to that place, It happened I was engaged in a scheme to make a pot of money about that time, and I was not able to go to Omaha with him, asI had intended. However, he promised to bring her straight to m e ‘* Well, he did not keep his word—” ‘For which I thank God!” exclaimed Bert Wyndal, “Then you are thanking God for the death of oe girl you loved, for his folly cost the lives of oth. ‘* Better death for ber than that she sbould fall into your vile hands!” “Ts that the way you look at it? Well, have it so, if you like, ** Aldrich did not come on from Omaba. I wrote, but received no answer, ‘Then I became excited, and I lost no time in going there, Al- though Lam something of a detective by nature, it took me quite a little while to trace them. Theu I discovered they had joined a wagon- train, bound for—where? “That was an unanswerable. Some thought the train was bound for the northern part of the Territory, but no one seemed certain. Then I set about tracing the train, and I have been at it ever since. I have at Jast become satisfied it was destroyed by Indians, * Tt was the search for the train that brought me to these Hills, for I did not know but their destination was bere, I have found nothing to convince me I was right. The fate of Stephen Aldrich and little Anice is wrapped in mys- tery. “The same thing brought me here—it has brought us face to face.” ** And brought you to your death!” ** Would you kill me, now there is nothing to gain by it?” “There is something to gain.” ** What?” ** Revenge!” Seba Rankin’s face was little short of fiendish, as he uttered the word. ** You bate me because—” ** Because Anice loved you! ple truth, I confess.” “* What a miserable creature you are!” Rankin shrunk before the scorn expressed in those words, and_the savage look on his face grew deeper. His hand crept toward his That is the sim- Suddenly, without the least warning, a female figure seemed to rise up in their very midst. It was the Black Witch of Moaning Gulch! A hissing sound came from her lips, **Danger!” she said, softly. ‘* There are red- skins on every hand! You are surrounded, and they are creeping down be ype you! You must take to the darkness and try to save your- selves!” Not till I bave had Bert Wyndal’s blood!” grated Rankin, as, knife in hand, be bent to- ward the captive. With a push of her foot, the Black Witch sent him sprawling on his back, Then she snatched a blanket from her shoulders and flung it over the fire, burying the camp in darkness! So sudden and unexpected had been the move- ment that every one was astonished, Black Bat was the first to recover. > Leaping forward, he tore the blanket aside, and the fire leaped up again. Cries of anger broke from the lips of the three rascals, for they saw they had been tricked, The Black Witch was gone, and the captive bad also disappeared! Hearing a noisein the darkness, Black Bat wheeled, snatched outa revolver and fired to- ward the spot. CHAPTER XVI. WILD BILLS SECRET. THE moment the blanket settled over the fire, Bert Wyndal felt a sbarp knife sever his bonds, Then a hand fel! on bis wrist, and he was pulled to his feet. In another moment, he was burry- ing away, guided by the weird woman of Moan- ing Gulch. Suddenly the light blazed out behind them, and, a moment later, the report of a revolver was heard. Bert felt the black-faced woman give a start, but they still burried on. They were pursued, but the Witch easily gave the slip to those who were following, ‘* Where sre we going!” asked Bert, “To a placeot safety,” was the Pa “* There is but one sate piace amid these Hills; [ will take you there. I did not mean to do so, but the lit- tle girlis calling end calling for you, and my heart softened, All the others must die: you alone shall escape.” Bert’s heart gave a strange leap, ‘The little girl?’ he repeated. gir] do you mean?” **Wait—you stiall see.” He was forced to be content witb that, Through the night they made. their way till Moaning Gulch was reached, Altbough he did not know it, Bert had not traveled so very far from the mysterious gorge. Down into the uncanny place they hastened, At a certain point not a great distance from the rockers, the Witch paused and fumbled with the stone wall, A black opening appeared before them, ** Go in,” she said. The young man did not hesitate. He halted after entering. There came a soft grating sound, and then he knew the cusningly contrived door had closed behind him, He was in the densest darkness, ** Come,” The voice of the Black Witch was strangely weak, and the hand which touched his wrist seemed growing cold, He shuddered, but per- mitted the woman to guide bim, For a short time they advanced through the darkness, then they ascended a long flight of stone steps. Suddenly and most unexpectedly Bert found himself in a lighted chamber, There were two persons in the chamber. One was a man of fifty, with gray bair and beard, and the other— “God in Heaven! Anice, is it you?” Bert almost shouted the words. The beautiful girl started forward, her hands outstretched, ‘*Bert, Bert!” she gasped. ‘‘ They said I was deceived by a likeness—they said you were dead! Is it really you, Bert?” Tien she was folded in his arms, and words cannot express the wonder and mad joy in bis ‘* What little ea It was really Anice Aldrich, alive and well. And the man was Stephen Aldrich, Bert Wyndal could not realize he was not dreaming, for it seemed too good—too strange— to be true. How the girl clung to him, and then, when she felt his kisses—when she felt the lips of the one she had thought dead—she fainted. Tenderly the joyous lover bore ber toa rude couch close at band, and, with her father’s aid, she was soon restored to consciousness, “Young man,” said Stepben Aldrich, ‘' I am happy to learn the story of your death was not true. It bas nearly killed my child, but now I hope she will become herself once more.” Anice clung to Bert, saying brokenly: ‘Oh, Bert! can you know what it is to be. lieve the one you love so dearly is dead and lost to you forever?” / “Yes, my little darling,” he replied, “ for I thought you were dead, have been searching for you, oh, so long! And I could find no trace, { bad begun to believe the Mansfield wagon- train had been destroyed by Indians,” “And so it was,” declarea Mr. Aldrich, ‘“‘ Myself, my child and the strange woman who brought you to this spot, were the only ones has Indian blood in her veins, A full-blooded who escaped, The woman with the black face:
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red-skin relative of hers brought us to this cave, of which he alone held the secret, We think he is-dead now, for he has not been here for a lofig time,’ “ The hand of Heaven must have protected ou! ws That is true, young man, and that woman was Heaven’s instrument.” A little later, when the lovers were alone, Anice said: ‘*Poor papa! His head is not right, and that woman exercises a strange influence over him. He thinks her something more than buman. In order to keep the Indians away from this gorge, ‘ she has made them believe the place baunted. The wind never rises above a moan in the Gulch, but often both she and father have added their voices to the sounds, making the most hideous shrieks imaginable. That has had a great deal to do with making the placeseem so uncanny.” “Well, I should say so!” exclaimed Bert. ‘The woman is the foe of the man known as Wild Bill, but I know not why. She wished to make him bslieve he was haunted, and father compelled me to aid her. One night Bill came down into the Gulch, and [ appeared before him as a spirit, all dressed in white, When he start- ed toward me, I retreated into the darkness and covered myself with a black garment. Then I hurried to the cave by way of the door by which you entered.” ‘‘This explanation clears up the mystery of Moaning Gulch.” ‘Yes; you know the secret now.” ‘* Did you ever add your cries to the shrieking of the wind” * A few times,” “T thought so!” he exclaimed. ‘Often I fancied I heard something in those cries which sounded like your voice. That was why the gorge exerted such an influence over ne,” ‘**T saw you down there, but you have changed so greatly I was deceived, And I had thought you dead. Still something in my heart kept tell- ing me it was you.” ** Thank Heaven for that!” ‘**Wesaw you when you fled down into the Gulch after you discovered your comrades were slain. Then I made father induce the woman to do something for you. When the Indians came, she showed bim how to send the bowlder crasbing down upon them.” ‘*for which I am very thankful. can you see out in to the Gulch?” “Ob, there is an opening not far from here, It is high up from the level of the gorge, and it was there the woman would add her screams to the moaning of the wind,” At this moment Stephen Aldrich entered the chamber, asking anxiously: ‘* Where is Nowardo?” He referred to the woman of the black face, that being the name by which sbe was known to them. Neither of the young people knew anything about ber, but all three at once set out to search for her, taking a light. A short distance from the first chamber they entered another. The light showed a figure stretched on a rude couch, It did not stir as they advanced, but the light showed the face is owardo,” whispered Anice, clingin tremblingly to Bert. “She once told ae should never wash the black from her face till the time came for her to die!” Stephen Aldrich quickly advanced to the side of the silent figure, speaking her name, She did not stir. He looked into her face and then serie pop Pres. Be ““She is dea © cri “She is dea T am a free man again! Never more wil 5 will hold command over me! Heavenly Father I thank thee!” “ But how __ The following day, as Bert and Anice were looking out into the Gulch, by means of the ing at which the “ Black Witch ” had sooften add. ed her shrieks to the moaning of the wind, they saW @ man come slowly and falteringly down to the placer, where the deserted rockers still stood It was Wild Bill, and there was something sad about his manner. ; At once Bert resolved to let Bill into the secret of the cavern, ‘We must d d on him to get us out of these Hills,” said the young man. ‘‘ He can do it, if any living being is able.” __, Stephen Aldrich readily consented, and a short Jater, Wild Bill was astounded to see the black wall of the Gulch open and Bert Wendel At first the Pistol King was not sure Wild Bill’s Weird Foe. delighted when he found it his young comrade | 604 The Detective in Rags; or, The Grim Shadower. in ti e flesh, ‘* Lad,” he said, earnestly, ‘‘ just now I had rather see you than any living person.” The light of pleasure on his face at that mo- iment made him look beautiful to the youth. ill was taken into the cave and introduced | to Stephen Aldrich and his daughter, Then the mysteries of the place were explained to bim. When he had keard their explanations, be asked to see the woman who had declared herself his enemy, Bert led the Pistol King to the chamber of death. Wild Bill gave a great start, as his eyes fell on the face from which the black mask had been removed. Bert saw a motion of the man’s lips, but no words did he utter, With uncovered head, Wild Bill stood for a long time looking down on that dead form, Finally, be turned to Bert and asked to be left alone, Wild Bill remained in that chamber at least an hour, and when he came forth, bis face was pale and stern, Bert did not venture to question him, and the scout volunteered no explanation. Later the young man made his may to the chamber. The body of the dead woman still lay on the rude couch, Her death bad been caused by the bullet from Black Bat’s revolver. The desperado had fired almost at random, but the ‘*‘ Witch” had been struck, Bert remembered how she had started and how cold ber hand had felt after the cavern was entered. He looked around searchingly when he visited the chamber after Wild Bill’s departure, Something on the stones above the dead wo- man’s head attracted his attention, He held the light closer, and he saw a single word had been scratched there with a sharp in- strument. It was— “HELICE,.” Never did Wild Bill show any disposition to speak of the strange woman, and few were there who cared to pry into bis secrets, He found an opportunity to capture, some horses from the Indians, and, mounted on the animals, the little partv started on the journey for civilization, Thanks to Bill’s knowledge of prairie-craft and Indian ways, they succeeded in reaching the settlements, after passing through great perils and baving more than one narrow escape. Big Bruno, the traitor, Black Bat and Seba Rankin never came out of the Hills, It is prob- able that they met their fate at the bands of the red-men, 2 To the day of his death, Stephen Aldrich.was cranky” at times. He coutinued to fancy there was a sbadow hanging over him, and nothing would induce him to return to Illinois, Of course, Anice married Bert Wyundal, and her father made his home with them. Wild Bill could not be present at the wedding, muct to his sincere regret, but he sent his con- gratulations, It is not necessary to tell the reader Bert made Anice a model husband, and she was the most devoted wifein the wide world. They had both passed through great trials, and what they bad endured made them thankful to God they bad been spared for each otber in the end. To the time of his death Wild Bill cherished an intention to return to Moaning Gulch and work the placer, In fact, it has been said he was io the Black Hills for that very purpose when he was killed in Dead wood. So skillfully was the door of the cavern con- structed that it has never been found to this day. Of living persons, Mr. and Mrs, Bert Wyndal alon® hold the secret of that door, and both declare they have a horror’of the Hills and will never go there again. So the secret of the cave is likely to remain unsolved, It is the tomb of the woman who once declared herself Wild Bill’s deadly foe. Who or what she was to him he never revealed to any one. THE END. Beadle’s Dime Library. esi BY LEON LEWIS. The Submarine Detective: or, The W : 484 Captain Ready. th» Red goer, See) ater Ghouls 451 The Silent Detective; 456 The Demon Steer, ©5 Of The Bogus Nephew. 428 The Flying Glim; or, The Island Lure, j | 568 15 BY DR. NOEL DUNBAR. 500 The True-Heart Pards. ‘ EY MAJOR DANGERFIELD BURR. | | 448 Hark Kenton, the Traitor. 188 The Phantom Mazeppa: or, The Hyena. 156 Velyet Face, the Border Bravo, 142 Captain Crimson, the Man of the Iron Face, 117 Dashing Dandy; or, The Hotspur of the Hills. 92 Buffalo Pill, the Buckskin King. BY WILLIAM R. EYSTER. 659 Gilt-Edge Johnny; or, Ro'dan and His Rovers. 650 Lucky Lester’s Lone Hand. 634 Old Handcart’s Big Dump. 622 The All Around Sports. 603 Deser alf, the Man With the Cougar. 590 Gentle Jack, the High Roller from Humbug. 578 Seven Shot Steve, the Sport with a Smile, fhe Dude Detective. Hurrah Harry, the High Horse from Halcyon. 549 Belshazzar Brick, the Bailiff of Blue Blazes. 533 Oregon. the Sport With aScar. | 525 Fresh Frank, the Derringer Daisy. 503. The Dude from Denver. 478 Pinnacle Pete; or, The Fool from Way Back. 459 Major Sunshine, the Man of Three Lives, 429 Hair Trigger Tom of Red Bend. 402 Spvapshot Sam; or, The Angels’ Flat Racket. 396 The Piper Detective; or,-The Gilt Hdge Gang. 875 Royal George, the Three in One, 356 Tbr e Handsome Dearie: or, The Combination. 344 Double Shot Dave of the Left Hand, 333 Derringer Dick. the Man with the Drop. 300 A Sport in Spectacles; or, Bad Time at Bunco, 268 Magie Mike. the Man of Frills 229 Captain Cutsieeve; or, The Little Sport. 214 The Two Cool Sports; or, Gertie of the Gulch. 192 The Lightning Spert. 182 Hands Up; or, The Knights of the Canyon. 160 Soft Hand, Sharp: or, Th Man with the Sand. 145 Pistol Pards; or, The Silent Sport from Cinnabar BY WI G. PATTEN. 663 The Giant Sport: or, Sold to Satan. 656 Old Pimg Ugly. the Rough and Ready. 648 Gold Glove Gid, the Man of Grit. 641 Aztec Jack, the Desert Nomad. 631 Cotonel Cool, the Santa Fe Sharp. 602 ore Nameless. the Mountain Mystery. 571 Old Dismal, the Range Detective. 545 Hustler Harry, the Cowboy Sport. BY LIEUT. A. K. SIMS. 666 Old Adamant, the Man of Rock. 618 Kansas K=rl, the Detective King 552 Prince Primrose, the Flower of the Flock 548 Huckleberry, the Foot-Hills Detective. BY OLL COOMES. 619 Kit Bandy & Co , the Border Detectives. 148 One-Armed Aif. the Giant Hunter. 137 Long Beard. the Giant Spy. 99 The Giant Rifleman: or, Wild Camp Life. 51 Red Rob, the Boy Road-Agent, 48 idaho Tom, the Young Outlaw of Silverland, 46 B \wie-Knife Ben, the Nor’west Hunter. 44 Old Dan Rackhack, the Great Extarminator 43 Dakota Dan. the Reckless Ranger. 7 Death-Notch, the Destroyer. MISCELLANEOUS, 566 The Dauntless Deteciive; or, The Daughter Avenger. By Tom W. King. 542 The Ocean Drift; or, The ht for Two Lives, By A. F. Holt. 534 Green Mountain Joe: or, The Counterfeiter’s Cave. ey, Marmaduke Dey, : 518 si 2 Richard, the Thoroughbred. By J. W. sbon. 410 Sarah Brown, Detective. By K. F. Hill. 366 The Telegraph Detective. By George H. Morse. 353 Bart Brennan; or, The King of Straight Flush. By John Cuthbert. 850 Flash Falcon. Society Detective. By W. J. Cobb. 812 Kinkfoot Karl, the Mountain Scourge. By Mor- ris Redwing. 295 The Smuggler Cutter. By J. D. Conroy. 261 Black Sam, the Prairie Thunderbolt. “By Col. By Alexander Dumas. Jo Yards. 199 The Three Guardsmen. 179 Conrad, the Convict. By Prof. Gildersleeve. 166 Owlet, the Robber Prince. By S.R. Urban. * 158 The Doomed Dozen, By Dr. Frank Powell 152 Captain Tronnerve, the Counterfeiter Chief. 146 The Doctor Detective. By George Lemuel. 144 The Hunchback of Notre Dame. By Victor Hugo. 149 The Three Spaniards. By Geo. Walker. 133 Rody the Rover. By William Caneton. 125 The Blacksmith Outlaw. By H. Aiusworth. 110 The Silent Rifleman. a Ae W. Herbert. 102 The Masked Band. By George L. Aiken, 78 The Mysterious Spy. By Arthur M. Grainger. 76 The Queen’s Musketeers. By George Albany, 68 The Fightirg Trapper. By Capt. J.F. C. Adams, 60 Wide Awake, the Robber ng. By F, Dumont. = sk : of Yale: or, AY coon of wh aa 1 pman Easy. t wer 10 Vidoeq, the French Police Spy. By bunself. 9 Handy Andy. By Samuel Lover. 6 Wildcat Bob. By Edward L. Wheeler. A new issue every Wednesday. 558 Phaser oi bat grime Library is for og Sem ewsdealers, ten cents per copy, or sent on receipt of twelve cents each, "BEADLE & ADAMS, Pu ers, 98 William street, New York, 8 fe was not confronted by a ghost, but he was Te fi 2) aun ~ eee a mei ~ SES . 7. gous) } Da, 2 a Bee
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BEADLE’S* H ALF- DIME« LIBRARY. Published Every Tuesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents, by all Newsdealers., 1 A NRT A BY EDWARD L. WHEELER, Deadwood Dick Novels. 1 Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. 20 Deadwood Dick’s Defiance; or, Double Daggers. 28% Deadwood Dick in Diagulise; or, Buffals Ben. Deadwood Dick in His Castle. Deadwood Dick’s Bonanza; or, The Phantom Miner. Deadwood Dick in Danger; or, Omaba Oil. Deadwood Dick’s Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood Bar. Deadwood Dick on Deck; or, Calamity 2 ne, the Heroine Deadwood Dick’s Last Acti or, Corduroy Charlie. Deadwood Dick in Leadville. 104 Deadwood Dick's Device; or, The Double Cross Sign. Deadwood Dick as Detective. Deadwoed Dick’s Double; or, The Gorgon’s Gulch Ghost, Deadwood Dick’« Home Kase; or, Blonds Bill. Deadwood Dick’s Rig Strikes or, A Game of Gold. Deadwood Dick ot Deadwood: or, The Picked Party. Deadwood Dick’s Pream? or, The Rivals of the Road. Deadwood Dick’s Ward; or, The Black Hill’s Jezebel. 205 Deadwood Dick’a Doom: or, Calamity Jane’s Adventure, ? Deadwood Dick’a Dead Deal. Deadwood Dick’s Death-Plant. Gold-Duat Dick. A Romance of Roughs and Tougha, Deadwood Dick’s Divide: or, The Spirit of Swamp Lake. Deadwood Dick's Death Trall. Deadwood Dick’« Deals or, The Gold Brick of Oregon. Deadwood Dick’s Dozen; or, The Fakir of Phantom Flats Deadwoo. Dick’s Dueats: or, Mays in the Diggings. . Deadwood Diek Sentenced; or, the Terrible Vendetta. Deadwood Dick’s Clatm. Dlek in Dea Clty. Deadwood Dick’s Dia: onda, Deadwood Diek In New York; or, A “Cute Case.” 0 Deadwood Dick’« Dust; or, The Chained Hand. Deadwood dr.3 or, The Crimson Crescent Sign, 445 Deadwood Jr.'s, Deflunce, 458 Deadwood dra Full Hand. 459 Deadwood dra, Bie Round-Up. 465 Deadwood Jr.6 Racket at Claim 10, DPendwood Jdr.’a Corral; or, Bozeman Bill, Deadwood Jdr.’a, Dog Detective, Deadwood dr. In Deady ood, Deadwood dr.’«, Compact. Deadwood Jr.’s, Inheritance. 500 Deadawooa Jr’s Diggings. 508 Dendwood or.’a, Dell verance, 515 Deadwood dra Protegee. 522 Deadwood dra, Three. 529 Deadwood dre, Danger Ducks, 584 Deadwood Jr.’s, Death Hunt. 580 Deadwooa dr., In Texas. 544 Dendwood dr., the Wild West Vidocg, 549 Deadwooa Jr., on Nisa Mettle. Jdr., In Gotham, dr., In Boaton, Jr., in Philadelphia, Jr., in Chicage. Jr.. Afloat. or.. in Denver. drs, Decree, B54 Dendwood Deadwood Deadwood Deatwood S Deadwood 584 Deadwooa 590 Deadwood a6 Dechdwood ar. i) Beelsebub’s Basti) j endwood r., at Cone s/f 606 Dendwood Dick, Jv, Leadville Lay, 612 Deadwood Dick, Jr., In Detroft. 618 Dendwood Jr. in Cincinnati, 624 Deadwood Jr., In Nevada; 680 Deadwood Jr., in No Man’s Land. $12 Pendwood Ma iy oc pant .. in Bu Oo. 648 Deadwood i, Jr.’a, Chane Across the Continent 654 Deadwood Jr., Among the Smugglers. 660 Deadwood dr.’a, Inaurance Case. 666 Deadwood 3r., Back in the Mines. 672 Deadwood Jr., tn Durango} or, “ Gathered In.” $33 pean weed aC reser eres or, Found a Fortune. ead woo ra. zle. 0 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s. Dollars. $35 tae phe gfe o} Danger Divide, ead wood ra, Drop. 04 Deadwood Tr.; nt dnck-Pot. 10 Deadwood Jr., in San Francisco, 716 Deadwood dra Still Wunt. F22 Deadwood Jr’a Dominoes, T28 Deadwood drs Disgulae, $4 Deadwood Jr.’s, Double Deal, 40 Deadwood drs. Deathwatch. sai Deadwood drs, Poublet. 52 Deadwood Jr.’s, Deathblow. 6S Deadwood dra Desperate Strait.) ss pesgwesd Jdr.’s, Lone Hand. 76 Deadwood drs Defent. dr.’«, Resurrection, drs Dark Daya. Jdr.s D 82 Dead wooa ST Deadwood Jr., In Mexieo. dwood Dick, Jr’a Decoy Duck. Jr. tn Silver Pocket. drs, Dead-Sure Game, Jr/’a, Double Drive. Jr a, Trade-Mark, 7 Jr. sy Fip-Tep rs Double-Deckers; 928 Deadwood Dick, Jr. at Dollarville. 4 Flats, 876 S82 Dendwood Dick, 891 Deadwood Dick. P py. Jr., Branded. Jee. Dutch P. BY ROBERT R. INMAN 1086 Tandy Mck’s Double. rm Dandy Dick, Detective. kK BY MARCTS H. WARING, wee Three Epotters. j @ Street Spotters’ Weird Hunt. 1 The Three Spotters’ Dead Mystery, 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 aeoyrce rance; or, Photograph Phil, 121 Rosebud Rob’s Challenge; or, Cinnamon Chip, 277 Denver Doll, the Detective Queen; or, The Yankee’s Surround 281 Denver Doll’s Victory; or, Skul! and Crossbones, 285 Denver Doll’s Decoy ; or. Little Bill’s Bonanza. 296 Denver Doll’s Drift; or, The Road Queen. 868 Yreka Jim, the Gold-Gatherer; or, The Life Lottery, 872 Yreka Jim’s Prize; or, The Wolves of Wake-Up, 885 Yreka Jim’s Joker}; or, The Rivals of Red Nose. 894 Yreka Jim of Yuba Dam. 209 Fritz, the Bound-Boy Detective; or, Dot Leetle Game, 218 Fritz to the Front; 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 Angel of Big Vista, 258 Sierra Saim’s Seven}; or, The Stolen Bride. 884 Kangaroo Kit; or, The Mysterious Miner. 889 Kangaroo Kit’« 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-Gir) Detective. 226 The Arab Detective ; or, Snoozer, the Boy Sharp, 291 Turk the Boy Ferret. 825 Kelley, Hickey & Co., the Detectives of Philadelphia, Manhattan Mike, the Bowery Detective. f 400 Wrinkles, the Night-Watch Detective. 416 High Nat Harry, the Base Ball Detective. 426 Sam Slabaides, the Bezgar-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, 53 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 Moyle the Young Speculator. 125 Bonanza BIll, Miner; or, Madam Mystery, the Forger. 188 Boas Bob the King of Boothlacks, 141 Solid Sam, the Boy Road-Agont; or, The Branded Brows, 177 Nobby Nick of Nevaday or, The Sierras Scamps. 181 Wild raps the Buckskin Bravo; or, Lady Lily’s Love, 286 Apollo ay the-Trail Tornado: or, Rowdy Kate. 240 Cyclone Kit, the Young Gladiator; or, The Locked Valley. 278 Fumbo Joe, the Boy Patrol: or, The Rival Heirs. B80 Little Quick-Shot}3 or, be Doad Face of Daggersville, 858 Firat-Clase Fred, the Gent trom Gopher. 878 Nabob Ned; or, The Secret of Slab City. 882 Cool Kit, the King of Kids; or, A Villain’s Vengeance, > Santa Fe Sal, the Slasher; or, A Son’s Vengeance. 486 Sealakin Sam. the Sparkler; or The Tribunal of Ten,’ 918 Kit Keith, t ¢ Revente Spotter. 922 Rol Sharpe, the New_York Night-Hawk. * 948 Old Hayseed Among Bunco Men, 3001 Banty, the Denver Bootblack,. BY J. C. COWDRICK,) 490 Broadway Billy, the Bootblack Bravo. 514 Broadway Billy’« Boodle; or, Clearing a Strange Case, 586 Broadway Buly’s ‘ Diltikilty.” 557 Broadway Billy’s Peath Kacket. 579 Eroadway Billy’s Surprise Party. 605 Broadway Billy; or, The Boy Detective’s Big Inning. 628 Broadway Billy’s Head Act: or, The League of Seven. 669 Broadway Billy Abroad; or, The Bootblack in Frisco. 675 Broadway Billy’s Bests or, Beating San Francisco's Finest, 687 Broadway Bully tn Clover. Billy tn Texas; or, The River Rustlers, Rilly’s Brand, Billy at Santa Fe; or, The Clever Deal. Billy’s F'ull Hand: or, The Gamin Detective, Billy’s Business. y Billy’a Curious Case. 58 Broadway Billy in Denver. 62 Broadway Btily’s Sarasin or, The Three Detective. 69 Broadway Billy, the Retriever Detective. 7 roadway "Iitlly « Shadow Chase. Blilly’s Beagles; or, The Trio’s Quest. Billy’s Team; or, The Combine’s Big Pull. Billy’s Brigade; or, The Dead Alive, Billy’s Queer Bequest. Billy BRaMed. Bb ly’s Signal Scoop, Billy’« Wipe Out. Billy’s Bank Racket. Billy’s Bluff. S21 Broadway Billy Awens Jersey Thugs. 826 Broadway S88 Broadway Billy’« Ra’ 889 Broadway Billy’« Big Boom, 844 Broadway Billy’« Big Bulge 849 Kroadway BUily’s« #100,000 Snap. 856 Broadway Billy’s lind; or, The Bootblack Stowaway. 862 Broadwey Billy In London. 868 Rroadway Billy Shadows London Slums. 874 Broalway Billy’s French Game. 880 roadway BIly and the Bomb-Throwers. 860 Silver-Mask, the Man of Mystery; or, The Golden Keys, 869 Shasta, the Gold Kings or, For Seven Years Dead, 420 The Detective’s Apprentice; or, A Boy Without a Name, 424 Cibuia John; or, Red-Hot Times at Ante Bar. 489 Sandy Sam, the Street Scout. 467 Disco Dan, the Daisy Dade. 606 Redlight Ralph. the Prince of the Road. 524 The Taginese Detectives or, Redlight Ralph’s Resolve 648 Mart, the Night Ex Detective. B71 Air-Line Luke the Young Engineer; or, The Double Case 592 The Boy Pinkerton; or, Running the Rascals Out. 615 Fighting Harry the Chief of Chained Cyclone, oe eeseonee Theth, “a sere! of we Wye w r the Merchant’s Ward. 659 Moonlight Mergen the * Pizenest ’? Man of Ante Bar 887 Battery Bob. the Dock Detective. 894 Arizona Dick’s Wipe-Out. 900 Jumping Jack’s Jubilee. 906 Satety Samy, the Cycle Sport. 912 Train Boy Trist’s Hot Hustle, 918 The Trump Deck Bors 924 Big Boots Bob, the Fire-Laddie, 980 Ruatler Ralph, the Boy Spotter. 985 The Ex-Newsboy Detective’s Chum. 941 The Rowling Green Detective’s Drop. 944 Cowboy Charliie’s 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 Broadway Sport: or, Fiver 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 Scorerer Sam, the Detective on Wheels. 1004 Scorcher Sam’s Sweep-Stake a. 1009 Tne Girl Oy clisi’s Winning Hand, BY ARIZONA OY. 1048 “ou Ret Bob from Cross Crick, 1088 You Bet Bob’s Cireus, BUFFALO BILL NOVELS, BY COL. PRENTISS INGRAHAM, 1052 Buffalo Billin #isgulse. 1046 Goid Plume, the Boy Bandit,; or, Buffalo Bill, the Pony Express Rider, 1042 Little Grits the Pony Exprees Rider. 1040 Buffalo Bills Pony Patrol. 1018 Buffalo BILP| 749 Dashing Charliet or, The Kentucky Tenderfoot’s First Tray 756 Dashing Churlic’s Destiny; or, The Renegade’s Captives 760 Dashing Charlie’« Pawnee Pard. \ 766 Dashing Charlie, the Rescuer. 7 Baek Taylor, Aso the aay the ck aylor, the Comanches Captive. 7748 Buck Taylors Toys; ot, The Red Riders of the Rio Grande} Ana iiity Others. BY LIEUT. A. K. SIMS. 589 Tom-Cat and Pardy or, The Dead Set at Silver City, 622 Tom-Cat’s Triad; or, The Affair at Ton bstone, 681 Tom Cat's Terrible Task; or, The Cowboy Detectivo 688 Tom-Cat’s Triumphj or, Black Dan’s Great Combine, 5646 Captain Cactus, the Chaparral Cock; or, Josh’s Ten Strike, 568 The Dandy of ges or, Rustling for Millions, 576 The Silver Sports. or, Josh Peppermint’s Jubilee, 588 Saffron Sol, the Man With a Shadow 601 Happy Flana, the Dutch Vidoca; or, Hot Timesat Round-U ott on ha Parnsales the Datasiiys Hescelss.. 6 owbeo e Cattle-Range Q i 657 Warbling William the Mountain Mountebank, , 665 Jolly Jeremiah, the Plains Detective. 676 Rignal Sam, the Lookout Scout, P 689 Billy the @y ay Spy: or, The Mystery of Two Lives?’ 699 Simpl ihe Pronto Buster: or, For Big Stakes. 12 The Meameriat Sports or, The Mystified Detective, tas Toltec Tom, the Mad Prospector, 745 Kanans Jim the Cross-Cut Detective. 761 Marmaduke, the Mustanger Detective. 778 The Ruatler of Rolling Stone. 785 Lone Uand Jee the Committee oi One. Pe 801 Kent Kirby, the Hich-Kicker from Killbuck. p+ pon ew meee Steen Lig i. wo Showmen Peteetives In rad rtd The Texan Firebrand: or, Brazos Billy’ Snap.Shot)) 961 The Tramp’s Trump-Trick. NEW ISSUES. 1061 &ilver Star, the Boy Knight. By Oll Coomes 1062 Ths Left-Hand Athlete. By Bracebridge Hemyng,) 1068 Wild Bill's Weird Foe. By Wm. G Patten, 1064 Dandy Dick Deeoyed. By Robert R. Inman. 1065 Sure Shot Seth, the Boy Rifleman. By Oll Coomea, 1066 Co+ boy Chris, the Des rt Centaur, By W. W. Wilder,» 1067 You Bet Lob’s Jangle. By Arizons Cy. JUST ISSUED. 1055 Red Raven’s Redskin Ruse. By Col P. Wilders 1 e Sim, ‘ ‘hriain Cinnabar. By Wm, W. Wilder, bat pee Pg the Sharprhoour. By Ed, L, Wheeler, 1058 Roderick, the Rover. Byf?. Flanagan 1059 Ned Wylde, the Bow Scout. By Texas Jack. 1060 Marlo, the Renegade. By Col. Prentiss Ingrabamy A New Issue Every Tuesday. The Half-Dime Library {s for sale by all newedealers, f¥O genta per copy, or sent by mail on receipt ot six cents each. ‘ BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, 92 William Street, New ¥