Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 175) (1880 11 30)
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— allel 3 A ee \ c= ai Eowe 5 a * eo [allallallallallallallallallgh x 7 Y W NS | | See ; : > hte AMM Ee z s ysl i ‘ fd CO es a Entered at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., at Second Class Mail Rates. Vol VII Single PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE AND ADAMS, ~ * Number. No. 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK. 5 Cents. CAPTAIN ARIZONA, 7? 2G Pot oF moan seumeme SY PHILIP: SB WiARhee; AUTHOR OF ‘‘PATENT-LEATHER JOE,” ‘TIGER DICK,” “‘ ALWAYS ON HAND,” “A HARD C2OWD,” ETC., ETC. gyi) || I . ote i . NEW) Ab ; i wat) Sa “ PaUS, AT THE MOUTH OF THE REVOLVER AND POINT OF THE BOWIE-KNIFE, ON CUR LIVIS, SWEAR WF ALLS?
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“bs Pe Captain Arizona, The-King Pin of Road-Agents; on, Patent-Leather Joo’s Big Game. A BMMANCE OF WILD MOUNTAIN LIFE. BY PHILIP 8. WARNE, acumen: or * PATENT-LEATHER JOH,” “TIGER aaox,” “ ALWAYS ON HAND,” “A HARD CROWD,” ETC., ETO., ETC. CHAPTER L BAGGED BY A PETTICOAT. “Genta, I’m clean bu’sted !” * Pard—shake Pr * Sure, Jimmie Madden’s the third wan av #:emmincky pair!” “Hat hat That’s one of your bulls, Wat, seriously, we must make a raise.’ “Taile the way, me bowld captain! Bedad, ~wHii Tilly yez.” * Wil you, Golconda” et or Gent! Il cha Vy “AN right! tlemen, all chassez “He scence was a wild gorge in the Sierra ‘Kerrnéla mountains, near the line of the old Over- ive: stage route. Above the peaks gleamed vAwite im the sunlight, while the lower depths of ue gasses were lost in black shadows, from witielk sprung the funereal pines. Town be gm were three men, all of them é one on a superb iron-gray gelding “itioh pawed the ground, rolled its fiery eyes, “wail tossed its head proudiy. ‘Wks, evidently the leading spirit, was a man af Forty years of age, yet with an elegance of eid, rather below the medium stature, which weviaved most people into thinking him not sowe than thirty. He was a dashing fellow wits the dare-devil looking out of his bold fimo eyes. His recklessness had won him ie sobriquet of Arizona of the Iron Heart. ‘Woage who knew him best called hima ‘ wick- veh) "—that is to say, dangerous—man. me ter his comrades, Golconda Saul was a "we and tough mountainman, and Jimmie Satan well, his ‘‘iligant” brogue spoke for ‘Vhear purpose formed by the foregoing brief wWtxlegme, these three men dashed through the vexsmminin passes, until they came out upon tho thand Jimmie. stage route, which they followed to a where cee t Satyp el bene ‘ a dense undergrowt n aoe _— : ‘farm hour deep silence relgned, broken at jnut teythe rattle of wheels, the elatter of iron- hhoofs on the rocky wey, and the ringing om@ieel a stage-driver’s whip, like the report <? a pistel. Was overland coach swept round the curve, & horseman, masked, and with a ode: from his shoulder, blocked the 7 - a pe") two more, also masked and orened to ih, sprung into view on either ~ Wat” eommanded the leader of the road- | lied the reas, Be sexge deer, Fislding eee»: d 80 prompt an obedience Teeth reared anit pawed the air, while Vis wheelers, a back on their haunches, tuw@ the harness nearly pulled over their heads. “Fisiiot What's t matter?’ demanded a weiee from inside the coach, as it came to a skoett-etal for no lanation, the speaker ‘Seems bis head through the coach window, to aoe bor himself. Bang! went the carbine. “Tao owner of the head jerked it back ouf of eglot, mines a be Bs hair and a hat, and plus asveemed bamp, h it received from the top «ite window frame in its precipitate retreat. we eness made all the trouble in the a said mij =) a he rode up to the side owahmepack. ‘‘My dear sir, leaye that weak- wus where it first manifested itself to the Rath tke sentence was never completed. Steet instant Arizona gained a complete «hwsef*tho inside of the coach, and saw that wittdh checked the jest on his lip. ‘Bet the wham tnoeh old gentleman, who Seated as if he had spent his life hovering over gold, and pinching the pennies them stip threugh his fingers, until Ka“precious » eA hae: Tet disappeared as if by a preconcerted }|. l his back was bent, his little eyes weak and watery, and his thin hands tremulous with avaricious eagerness, and who now fumed with ar indiynation and aftright:— “Well, sir!—well, sir! What isthe meaning of this outrage? Do you know who Ian, sir? I am Stephen Rensalier, the San Francisco Captain Arizona, the King Pin of Road-Agents. i Gritting impotent oaths between his teeth, Mr. Rensalier beat the cans with desperate en- ergy. * That will do, sir,” said his tormentor. ‘ Ycu display considerable musical taste, This leads me to hope that you know how to sing,” “Well, sir, you wi!l be disappointed there. | millionaire! Do you think that you can attempt ; do nt know how to sing! my life, sir, with impunity? And what right have you to stop this coach by force and arras? We'll see if this is a land of brigandage! have the law of you, sir!—I’ll have the law of you!’ But to him Arizona deigned not a second look. It was the lady who fixed his gaze. Was she young? Yes—not more than four or five and twenty. Beautiful? Yes again, so far as regularity of feature, clearness of eye, fair- ness of complexion, and roundness of form can make a woman beautiful. She seemed to have womanly gentleness and grace too, when she smiled. But when her eyes flashed she looked as if she had the courage of half a dozen | men, and could be dangerous if she chose. At sight of her Arizona exclaimed within him- self :— ‘““Good heavens! my beloved sister whom I have not seen since she romped in short dresses! She gave promise of being a clipper even then; and these ten years have made her superb! But what in all the freaks of fickle fortune brings her into this part of the world? I'll dis- cover without aartaite's J mnyself. Perhaps she might not feel flattered by a road-agent claim- ing relationship!” His plans were formed and acted upon at once, ‘Here, my man!” he cried roughly to the old gentleman, ‘“‘ get out of this coach and mount the box!” “What, sir? ‘My man!’ Is Stephen Rensa- lier to be ordered about like a lackey by the first ruffian he chances to meet in—” For reply, Arizona opened the coach door, reached sbrough, seized the millionaire by the coat-collar, and with a mighty wrench, jerked him clear out into the road. < Boys, go through bim, and toss him up on the box,” he said, age E to his followers. They obeyed the first part of the order peers oy and scientifically; but Mr. Rensalier, aving had a taste of Arizona’s mettle, mounted the box without assistance or further protest. **Hallo! what have we here? Canned fruit! Just what I want,” said Arizona, reaching under one of the seats, ‘*T beg your pardon, sir. Those are mine,” said the lady, who now spoke for the first time, in a clear, firm voice which had’no trace of fear. “Sorry, ma’am. Don’t want to rob you, but must have two cans of some sort. Excuse me, if I confiscate these.” ie < men open the cans, and dump the dain- es In silence the lady saw the fruit, to have which a in the cone as » had ped an extrava- price, em the ground. ’ Then Ariaowh turned to the gentleman whose spirit his vigorous action had not altogether en. “Mr. Rensalier, did you ever belong toa brass band?” ‘* A brass band, sir?’ “Exactly. A brass band.” ‘“No, sir! I never did belong to a brass band!” was the indignant reply. ‘“*T was in hopes that you had,” said Arizona, coolly. ‘However, it 1 not take long to learn to play the cymbals—at least tolerably well. Sorry that we have not the latest ap- proved pattern, But here are two tin cans which will answer for want of better. Please give us a specimen of your skill, sir. e Lieutenant, pass up the cans to Mr. Rensa- “What!” cried the old gentleman in dismay and indignation. ‘‘Make a fool of myself by beating two cans together for the amusement of a pack of mountain outlaws?” “You'll be a bigger fool if you don’t,” said Arizona. “T should think that you would see tbat I am not a man to be trifled with.” ‘‘ Better obey orders!” suggested the stage- driver, grinning. ‘That’s the way they run things in this hyar country—thar’s no two ways about it!” Mr. Rensalier consigned the country, its in- habitants, and their customs to a torrid clime; but he took the cans and began to beat them to- gether—rather faintly it must be confessed. ‘‘TLonder!” commanded Arizona. Mr. Rensalier swore; but obeyed. “Still louder! I never saw a man weak murcles!” with such a ‘Ob, nonsense, my dear sir! You look like one of these fatherly old fellows—pillars of the Tl | church, you know, aud all that sort of thiny. Come, sir! favor us witha hymn. Let me se. From Greenland’s Icy Mountains. That's it! Come, sir, strike up!” urged the inexorable road- agent. “Pll die first!” shouted his victim. “My men!” commanded Arizona in a stern, ringing voice, ‘tif yonder chorister does not Li - gin to sing by the time I have counted three riddle him with bullets! Are you ready?” ‘Ready, sir!” came as grave a reply as the men could command. ‘“‘Oh, sir!” shivered Mr. Rensalier, ‘you are not serious? You can not take life so wan- tonly !” Arizona, who never repeated an order, began to count:— “* One!—two /—” : ‘‘Fyom Greenland’s icy moun-tains!” began the sufferer, in quavering tones. ** Louder!” commanded Arizona, “ From India’s coral stra-and |” * Still louder!” ‘WHERE AFRIC’S SUNNY FOUN TAINS—” ‘Louder! Louder! “ROLL DOWN THEIR GOLDEN SAND?” shrieked the iufuriate old fellow, at the top of his asthmatic voice. ‘*You are not much of a singer, for a fact,” admitted Arizona, when the ludicrous perform- ance was concluded. ‘t However, that will an- swer our purpose very well.” “ Driver, what is your handle?” “‘ Waal,” said the stage-driver, scratching bis head witha comical leer, ‘‘ the boys round byar do call me the Wycming Nightingale.” ‘« Indeed?” cried Arizona, with interest. ‘That bids fair for your musical talent.” “Waal, I don’t blow about my own shcutin’; but I reckon I kin make a racket that ’ud scare buffalers! But I never done no singin’ in nary church, boss, ye onderstand,” said the Wyo- min Nightingale, hesitating. “Ob, that don’t matter, I’m easily please’. Strike.up! One! two! three!—sing/” said Ar). zona, Peting time like a singing-master. The Nightingale drew in a deep breath whict, seemed to fill his lungs. ike a blacksmith’s be)- lows; then he burst into song, making the rochs “Sally come up! Sally come down! Sally comé twist ‘| around |"’ Even Arivona’s authority could not restrain his followers; but unabashed by the rounds of laughter and applause—indeed, he enjoyed it— the Wyoming Nightingale sung on to the end of his et lay. While this uproar was at ite hight, Arizcna leaped from his horse and secured it at the back of the coach, , ‘My dear Nightingale,” he said, ‘‘ you are a man after my own heart. But 1 shall have to ask you to put on only a balf-bead of steam, lest you drown the voice of your fellow ch cris- ter in the duet I intend you to sing. Now crael: up your horses, and let the band play !” Arizona leaped into the coach; the stage~ driver sent his long whip-lash flying through the air like a lariat, until its end seemed to ex- plode just over the heads of his leaders; and away they whirled, the cool road-agent sittiny: tete-a tete with the lady the sight of whom had affected him so markedly, while Mr. Rensalier, boiling with wrath, wheezed ‘ Greenland’s le, Mountains,” and the Wyoming Nightingale, en- joying the frolic, bellowed ‘* Sallie come up)— Hie come down!” Looking after them, Golconda Saul said: “‘ Bagged by a petticoat, by thunder!” But Arizona’s purpose was plain. He wisted to talk to the lady without being overheard. CHAPTER Ii. A MILLION IN THE For. THERE was a half smile on the lady’s face, a« she listened to the strange serenade Mr. Rens: - lier and the Wyoming Nightingale were execut- ing from the top of the stage: and she peereci curiously at the masked road-agent, who coolly placed himself on the seat facing her. ; “Madam,” he said, at once, yet politely, “ while our somewhat crude entertainment is im progress, would you object te my asking you a ew questions about yourself?”
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Captain Arizona, the King Pin of Road-Agents. oa 8 Rac |. > - A RE ; : } “Nobnt all, sir,” replied tho’ lacy, with per- | tewt.seltspossession. “You have such an origi- | / opened a series of fusilades from his double bat- tery, firing as rapidly as he could handle 1: weapons, “Tne very intensity of his hatred defeated i:: -Object; for the motion of his horse and the use of both hands in simultaneous discharges, rex- favorite novel, Avid te thi:k that, at thet mo- ment of supreme b: ppitess, | should y«tantoa row with the county alert. and have to cub andrun from the too pressing attentions of a | vigilance committee, Jeaving u.y darling to mourn the unexplained desertion of her hero!” han U Having learned all that be wished to know, } dered his aim uncertain, Arizona now stopped "the coach, saying:— But the effect on Patent-leather Joe—we call “ {thank you for vaur «curtesy, aud .qpdle-'! him by his older title because this enmity cane gize again for eifvonting your wicle. As.our } out of his past life, Lefore he had adopted the paths diverge here, you will pardon we if i teke | mame of Arizona—was wonderful. is jaw my leaye—reluctantly, 1 as-ure ;ou. At-sowe | dv pt, his eyes distended with terror, and lis ma way of doing things, I coubt not thatinu the ‘rele of an interviewer you will prove as. amus- ing:to mv as to yourself. However, I warn you | that I shall use my own discretion about answer- 7 » a Oh! «certainly, madam. I trust that I shall | ask nothing impertinent. “Would you object to | ‘telling mo your name?” “Not at all. It is Hortense Rensalier. Do you care to know my age?’ she asked, with a * quiet smile. future time I hope to mees ycu under more | face beceme fairly livid. From his ashen, lips But Arizona was toe much astonished to no- | favorable circumstances.” ‘el a name ina husky whisper; ties this pleasantr “But bow shell { know yous? asked the lady, ‘Flash Lightning!” 'y. “-Rensalier!” ho cried, in thought. “ By the little: God of Love! if she hasn’t married that .@ld rack of bones who is wheezing like a broken- winded hand-organ out there on the box! Ho! io? hdi she’s a truc Ashurst! A million! She brought a good price! But, by Jove! she’s worth iti” Aloud he said, witha great show of embar- rassment and regreti:— ‘* Madam !|—Mrs. Rensalier!—indeed, [beg Sad pardon! Believe me, had I suspected Mr. Ren- salier’s relationship to one so fair as yourself, I »would:not for the world have put upon him so ridiculous an indignity! How can I show—” But the lady interrupted him with a peculiar ~ smi] eon are somewhat in error, sir,” she said. “Mr, Rensalier is my uncle, not my husband.” her curiosity eviveut:y strongiy piqued. ‘Sure ly, you will not go without showing me your face, or telling me your neme?? “TJ will apprise you when the time comes. But for the present, pardon me once more, if I make so poor a return for your frankness,” And, bowing, he stepped from the coach, re- leased Mr. Rensalier from his nncongeniai oecu- pation with,an apology which did not at al soothe that gentieman’s ruffied feelings, mount- ed his horse, and galloped away, ner Miss Rensalier to speculate truitlessiy on his identity and the cause of his interest in her. ; “So!” he said, aloud, when be was out of ear- shot of the stage, ‘*old Uncle St-ve has struek it rich, and turned up with a covl million in his trowsers-pocket! And my fascinating sister has set her cap for it; for, if she did not mean to Then, as a bullet ranged diegonally acrvss Ay breest from the shoulder downward, scores: ; the flesh in its flery track, he shivered-as if }.; already felt the touch of the chill handef dent’, and with a yell of terror dug his spurs into |: horse’s flanks, and dashed n.adiy along i/¢ perilous way, like one fleeing a legion if demons! He of the iron heart’ was suddenly trau: formed into the veriest.coward! Who cowlu lain this strange phenomenon? nsuccessful in bis first attempt.om the life of his enemy, and furious at his failure, Flash Lightnig dashed botly io pursuit, at the immi- next risk of his neck; for the ledge on which he rode v. as narrow and very irregular. But in hi »mad thirst for revenge he took no thought o: self. Giving his horse the rein, he used bot! “Your uncle!” cried Arizono. “My unlucky | marry his money-bags, trust her not te bury {| hands in reloading lis empty revolvers. star is-surely in the ascendant! How could [ | her charms inthe West! And Uncle Steve—the “I have followed hitn for three years!” make so.stupid a blunder, when your youth suf- | toothless old fossil!—will fail into her net and [ hissed between his set teeth. ‘‘ He has double. ficiently forbade the former relationship? I epen my mouth but to give offense and make npology |” But to'himself ho though!:— “The devill if not by marriage, how comes she by the namo of Rensalicr; and where did she scare up such an uncles bean swear that the Ashursts hevo no sueh connection. “The plot thickens! What the deuce does it all mean?” But the lady bad her reflections, too. “Yes,” sho thought, ‘‘ why did‘he jump at so improbable a conclusion, when the natural in- ference would have been that Mr. Rensalier was my father? en re a ane, I wonder?” she added, shrewdly. “Ifo t mask wexe re- ta y. y Aloud she went on to explain:— . “To bo exact, Mr. Rensalier is my uncle rather by courtesy than in fact, being a cousin never know that he is caughi-entil after ward |” ‘But shall I leave her to entangle this gud- geon in the meshes of her silken heir? A million in the pot! By Jove! it’s a game worth the playing. This mountaineering is a dog’s life. could be anything with a million! And. it’s waiting for me at the hands of this little seven- teen-year-old angel. By Jove! it sha’n’t go beg- ging! ‘My lovely sister, you lay your snares for the old man, and !’ll cultivate the charming daugh- ter! And let’s see who makes the pot?’ From his pocket he drew a pla.ard, which — * “$500 REWARD!!! WILL BE PAID BY THE like a fox, and eluded my pursuit. Now that have 1un him to earth, he shall not escape me! Wen the firing ceased, Patent-leather Jo seemed to pluck up sufficsent courage te lool. back at his pursuing foe. Flash Lightning’s budy was hidden by the rock, but his head was visible above the evge of the sbeif. ““A lucky shot might end all this!” reflected Patent-leather Joe, with a wild thrill of hope. “For three years that young devil hax im- bittered my life with aconstant menace. He ix the only living thing that I fear!” And a shudder showed that he did fear tide y. ** Why—why do I fear him with so unre ason- able a cov ardice? He is but a boy ; and no man ean boast that he ever blanched my cheek! Bad I but the nerve to face him, I might kill him, ef my father's. came West ten years mate SHERIFF OF ALAMEDA COUNTY, andend itall. But, ah! itis his father’s face that seek his fortune, and ae supposed to be ; FOR THE BODY, umnans me! Shall I ever forget it? That bor- ee ee DEAD OR ALIVE}! weer itself in ey fantastic cloud, whereabouts make no y in every beunting shadow, own home while surrounding his.old age wi domestic comforts.” “Hallo! hallo!” reflected Arizosa—‘‘her fa- OF THE MAN KNOWN As PATENT-LEATHER JOE” that pees me relentlessly awake, and drives me shuddering from sleep—that horror wi) pever clear me until death—perbups not then! ither’s cousin! Who, by all that is wonderful, And gazing at this notice of outlawry, Ari- * But this foolhardy boy, with his pan op ‘but Uncle Steve! old Uncle Steve, the sharper! | zona of the Iron Heart laughed: vendetta—a lucky shot! 1 might rid. myself of Hat ha! Idon’t wonder that hs dropped thename “Hal ha! ba! That means me! But, my fhim! But, no! How can I slay the man or of Ashurst when ho emigrated, amd had ‘the | dear Mr. Sheriff, right under your efficial nose [ boy whois destined to lay me by the heels? T fair Hortense do the same! By Jove! it had | I am about to enter upon the big game of my | murdered father finds his avenger in the son. } unpleasant associations for him! And having | life, with aA MILLION IN THE POT! earnot escape the award of fate!” “mado his pile,’ the old fel:ow bas n to mn from directly overhead, as if from. the | The superstition of the gambler crowded upon banker after ‘domestic comforts,’ has he? Hal | very heavens, came the savage words: ‘bim with peralyzing force. But out of bis very haf to have comfort of any kind he’li have te sear his old leather conscience!” But iting these thoughts to himself, Ari- zona said to the lady: ‘S80, sol an old Croesus with no immediate heivs! Miss Rensalier, I congratulate you on your prospecis,” “Not quite so fast, sir. He has a daughter.” ‘* Yes, that means you, Patent-leather Joe} But you have more to fear tham the sheriff, or the Vigilantes! You must meet the vengeance of a man who has sworn to hunt you to the grave, for his father’s death and bis mother’s wrongs! Die/ murderer of friendship and Le- trayer of innocence!-—DIz!” despair splung up a sudden furious resolve. ““T defy heaven and earth, and the pow crs of darkness!” he cried aloud. ‘I spit in the face of fate!” And while that frenzy was v pon him, he'raisati his revolver and fired. A wild, clmest naniac yell, pee ig <q, with mingled icer and trivmph, escaped bis. lipstu “Indecd? Lucky 1! Quite young, no CHAPTER ITIL the success of his s}-ot. deubt, since she cannot keep her father’s house.” THE VENDETTA, The head at which he had fired disappeared: a “ Claire must be seventeen.” Wen his soliloquy was interrupted by a | moment. Then a limp body cane hurtling over “Claire!—Claire Rensalier?’ cried the road- agent, in unmistakable astonishment. “Do you know her?” asked the lady, quickly more than ever longing for a glimpse behin that baffling mask. voice coming as if out of the sir, Le who had won the sobriquet of the Iron Heart turned ghastly with or. They who had seen him | face death without the quiver of a musele—in- } Why shouldn’t I be a respectable gentleman? I | deed, with a jest on his lips—would 10t have {' the edge of the upper shelf, to fall with a dull thod in the road t ebind him. “ He is dead! He is dead! 1am freel—/ree) —FREE;” fairly yelled Patent-leather Joe. But he shuddered from head to foot, and, net “ No—no,” stammered Arizona, recoveri recognized him now. daring to lcok back, goaded his hcrse to even himaself, ‘How should I? The name struc greater fieetuess, as if to escape the foliowing me “8 rather pretty—that is all.” where it followed a ledge half way up the fece | ghost of the boy he had just shot! Thought the lady: of a cliff, with a perpendicular wail of rock on As the road over which this running fight took “You are deceiving me, my dashing road- y And she was right; for these were Arizona’s + private reflections: “ Clai ; re Rensalier! Bless my lucky star if it isn’t the little beauty I fished out of the drink last summer, at the young ladies’ seminary near Fr’isco! The bewitching Lady Claire falls eut of her boat into the treacherous waters of the lake! Bold Percy Montcalm alone hears her seream, dashes into the flood, and snatches her from crucl death! Ard, at the cost of a duck- ing, Miss Claiie bes a thrilling adventure and a handseu.e lever, just like the heroine in her one side, and a sheer precipice of hundreds of feet on the other. king up, he discovered riding along another narrow shelf, not more than twenty feet above his head, a beardless boy, certainly on the pontniol side of twenty. The latter was forcing his horse te keep close to the edge of the shelf that supported him. co | | He was riding along the ordinary stage road, that he could look over and see the man below. - | His face was white with fury. the dark eyes | blazing hatred, the white teeth showing sav- | agely. In e’ther band te hele a eoeked pistol: and when be had burled his flerce denunciation, he place followed acurve in the mountain side, «Le -duel was in plain sight of the «ccupants of the coach, which was more slowly following ite way traversed by Patent-leather Jce’s fleet geld- ing. The Wyoming Nightingale took the thing very philosophically, with no particular partiality toward either of the combatants, and only re- gretting that tlere was no one with whcm he could bet on the result. $ Mr. Rensalicr, who had been femiliertzed with such scenes in earlier life, only anstl « ma- , tized Patent-leather Joe, and hoped that ihe ' fortunes of battle might favor bis ante cor ist,
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/ Hortense was strongly excited, for life-strug- gles were new to her; but she betrayed none of the weakness and fear common to her sex. Only when the boy fell from his horse she cried:— **Oh! he has killed him!” When the coach came up to where the limp body lay, Mr. Rensalier recognized it at once. “Why, it is Alf Cheswick!” he said. * Some one with whom you are acquainted?” asked Hortense. * Well, I don’t know much about him. He is ove of Claire’s friends. There is a kind of a flirtation between them, I believe. Some tom- foolery about an engagement. A boy and girl affair,.of course.” ““Qh!’ exclaimed Hortense, tone, ‘ Pray see if he is dead.’ The Nightingale descended from his box, and after a brief examination, said:— “Tl bet man, woman or child that the youngster will be on his pins again in twenty- tour hours!” As there were no “takers” of this universal challenge, he went on, like a demonstrator in anatomy :— “He Retched the slug right hyar, behind the year,. ye see. That discombobilated his idees, an’ jerked him off his hoss, But I’ve seen many a rap on the knowledge-box that this hyar ain't a flea-bite to; an’ the galoots as ketched ’em on the fly is well an’ hearty men to-day—raisin’ fam’ties, some of ’em! in a peculiar * This hyar’s where his hoss tickled bim with , his off hind foot. That’s only a scratch; but when ye’re gauging a man’s gruel, ye’ve got to count all ye find in it. “The fall down that ’scarpment didn’t do him no good; but his j’ints works all O. K., an’ the bones is as good as you'll find in ary grave- yard this side o’ Fr’isco. “So, ma’am,” concluded the Nightingale, “ ef _ gobs you hain’t afeard of the blood am’ sich that makes most women-folks skeary, we'll load him into the hearse, an’ dump him at Dutch, Fiat—which the same is the next station, ye ; onderstand.” “ Lift him in at once,” said Hortense, and her- self steadied the limp body until the swaying eoach reached Dutch Fiat. Here the whole party stopped over, though the accommodations were ‘‘nothing to speak Mr. Rensalier needed the rest to recover. from the effects: of his rough treatment, both . mental and physical, at the hands of the road- ent, and fascination for her; and before she knew any- thing about him, she acknowledged to herself that she loved him. Whatever may have before been her feelings toward her cousin oh her * jealous‘hatred of her now was unequivoca ** Whether I marry Uncle Steve, or not,” she ; reflected, ‘‘that little minx shall never bave: Alf Cheswick!” Then‘came Alf’s story. * His-namo is Andrew Ashurst! He murdered my father and drove my mother to insanity# 1, inst him and; have sworn a deadly vendetta his! [ will strike him and them!—at any time, in any place!—whenever and wherever fate brings them across my path!—and never sta my hand until the accursed race is pew ores nated |” ; And Hortense Rensalier said to herself :— “That road-agent was my brother! eounts for bis interest in me.” *Tlove m picion that cably !” Then, after a moment’s thought:— “ This, at least, will serve as a means of sepa- deadliest foe; but he has no sus- rating him from Claire. After I am left a rieh: young widow, who knows?—who knows?” These reflections showed the line along which her schemes moved. At Dutch Flat there was a man in disguise who muttered :— lessly about the ‘ must fight him too? love affair with Alf C ortense spent the time in nursing | f Cheswick. His manl beauty had a strange | That ac- Then, growing pale to the lips, she thought: —! belong to those he hates so impla- 4 shrubbery. Captain Arizona, the King Pin of Road-Agents. to-morrow’s sun would shine upon her a new- made bride?—an old man’s darling!” What an old beau he was, with his silver locks and grizzled mustache dyed a jet-black, while he rubbed his toothless gums together and smacked his flabby lips with gusto over the rare morsel pi a and beauty he had bought with his old! And gazing at this old wreck, wrapped close in its gorgeous dressing-gown, and sunk in the depths of a sleepy-hollow chair, with a pillow at its back, the woman who smiled so sweetly upon him the while reflected :— ‘* Well! well! the old fools are the worst fools!” But he, knowing nothing of this ber tyteages, criticism, chuckled over his prize until he fe into a cough, that nearly shook his rickety old bedy to pieces, and he had to be almost carried off to bed, Hortense lovingly supporting him on oue side, while bis valet walk ike a wood- en man on the other. Then this scheming woman who had so near- ly reached the # he of her ambition stood alone in the middle of the room and gazed around on the luxury that was to be hers on the morrow; and a red t glowed in either cheek, and her eyes flashed triumphantly. ‘* He is old and gray and wrinkled and bent; be has an old man’s trot, and begins to drivel in his talk; but—magic charm!—he is worth a million!” she cried, striking her hands together in a sort of exultant ecstasy. ‘‘ Will I take all this wealth incumbered with such a wreck? Ay, gladly! Once within my grasp, trust me to extract the sweet and avoid the bitter! ‘* And Claire, the little fool!—she has not been astraw in my path! Ha! ha! How he packed her off to school again, the moment she began to sulk over the prospect of a new mamma! Yes, Miss Sulky! we'll keep you at school when I reign here! As for my interference in your eswick, my dear, it wasn’t altogether malice. I prefer that you should not marry just yet; and then I rather like Alf myself!” And thus rejoicing in the success of her plots, this cunning woman went to bed, with no fore- warning that her golden dream was to have a rude awakening. But out in the darkness crouched a man, who watched the lights in the various parts of the house f° out one by one, while he muttered to himself :— ‘‘So! my wily sister bas played her cards fine! And she hasn’t been at all bashful. In a short three months she has caught her old bird and plucked bim ready for the matrimonial spit! She believes in striking while the iron’s hot, making bay while the sun shines, and all that. Perhaps she was afraid the old fellow would drop off the hooks before she got the golden fetters on him! ‘* But neither have I been idle. And if Hor- tense is to be married to-morrow night, my pretty Claire bas promised to elope with me, to morrow morning, ratber than witness the triumph of her scheming step-mother who be- sides winning her father away from her, has made her believe that her lover, Alf Cheswick is false to his vows. But after all the risk I have run to win my willion-dollar bride from un- der the very noses of sheriff and Vigilantes, she is worthless unless I can stop this marriage; for if my lovely sister ever gets old Uncle Steve in her clutches, good-by to my million! And there is but one way to prevent her !” added the skulking watcher, in a hoarse whisper. As be came to that he crouched lower in the His face gleamed white in the darkness. His eyes glittered like coals of fire. “Tt isn’t like meeting a man in an open fight,” he pursued. ‘‘But this helpless old wreck! It’s almost as bad as a. a woman or a child out of the way !”—with a shudder of orror. ‘* Bah!” he whispered, presently. ‘It’s got to be done! He may live but a few months anyway; and, by all the furies! a million will salve my conscience for the little shove I give him! But for all that Patent-leather Joe shuddered, as bis fancy pictured the faint struggles of his helpless victim. Then he had recourse to the murderer’s ally and friend—the demon that has filled prisons and loaded gibbets ever since they Tbe old man slept on the ground floor, because his tottering legs were almost beyond their ser- vice for climbing stairs. The windows yielded to Patent-leather Joe’s skillful touch, and he disappeared within the house. Then all was still and dark! The wind moaned drearily and had a death-like chill; an owl voiced a dismal hoot; from the distance came the long-drawn howl cf a dog! Do dumb brutes recognize the approach of death? But what is going forward in that reom dedi- cated to peaceful sleep, not to murder? The old man lies among his downy pillows and fleecy coverlets. A taper burns dimly on a little stand at the head of the bed. The sleeper’s wrinkled face, with its tremulous lips and pinched nostrils, is just visible in the faint illumination. He sleeps fitfully, startin and half-waking at times, as if disturbed by evi dreams. Has he any warning of the deadly peril that is creeping upon him? The French window moves noiselessly open. A curtain sways gently in the night breeze thus admitted to the chamber. - The taper flickers so as to leave the room almost in total darkness. A shadowy form flits in, and all is still again! Once more the taper burns with steady glim- mer. The wrinkled old face among the pillows seems drawn with lines of pain, and already to bear the impress of death. From the shelter of a curtain a pair of prints. B.S glare upon it! ‘*My God! what a wreck he his!” mutters the intruder. ‘A touch! a breath! and he is done A million hanging upon so slight a chance! A million for_an old man’s life! A million! a million! Ha! ha! it is mine! mine!—mine |” The assassin’s eyes glitter, and his form trem- bles in a sort of avaricious frenzy. The last word he speaks half aloud; then, startled by his own imprudence, he shrinks from sight be- bind the curtain, and listens breathlessly. The old man moves in his bed, as if the sound had half aroused him from his fitful slumbers, But soon he is quiet aguin. > ‘* See how slight a thing may yet intervene,” mutters the concealed assassin. ‘‘It would be just my luck to lose at the very Jast moment! I must take every precaution. It won’t do to be recognized, if 1 fail.” He draws a black mask from his pocket and adjusts it to his face. Now, with his eyes gleaming through the holes, he looks even more terrible than when his white face was exposed to view. Stealthily he peers forth! Allis well! Noise- lessly, on t ptoe, he creeps across the floor until he reaches the middle of the room! asthmatically—strangles— awakes!—and struggles up in bed! All is dis- covered! But, no! The assassin has sunk noiselessly to the floor, and crouches there concealed by the foot of the bed! “Discovered!” darts through his brain like a flash of gr “Shall 1 spring upon him, and then, dashing from the house, trust to the speed of my horse? No! He bas not seen me et. Wait! wait! he may le down again! If @ summons any one he’s a dead man! [’ll never forego that million now, if I have all the world at my heels!” And he draws a murderous-looking bowie, and holds it in readiness. _ My anodyne is’ beyond reach—of course |” whines the old man, peevisbly.' ‘And that confounded bell is still further! Did that ras- cally valet ever leave it within reach? No—he’s too much afraid of being aroused from bis sleep by it! ‘* John! Jobn!” he calls faintly; but a fit of rs warns him to desist. ‘‘ Now, by all the furies!” mutters the assas- sin, —— himself ready for a spring, “ it will be lucky for that scoundrel if he be a Davy sleeper; for, if be answer his master’s call, he will never live to tell what he found here!” But the valet’s guardian angel preserves bis slumbers unbroken, “‘T ought to know better than to call,” - bles old Stephen Rensalier. ‘‘I’dstanda bette chance in a deaf and dumb asylum! Confound these servants!—one has to pay them for the with this world! The old man gasps IN THE Por! I'd fight the world and the devil | were devised by man for the punishment of his eins 4 of waiting on oneself! Now, I sup- for that!” fellow-man. pose I'll have to lie awake all the rest of the From his ket he drew a flask of brandy, | night!” CHAPTER IV. and poured the raw liquor down his throat like And he sinks back among his pillows with a THE MIDNIGHT ASSASSIN. water. oan Of discontent. “Hef he! he! The little Tensie that used toi] ‘‘ That fires my quailing heart!” he muttered. ‘* Ab, well!” he sighs, as he resigns himself to climb upon my knee and rummage my pockets | ‘‘ Now I am ready for anything! And the time what he thinks is to be the last of his misfor- fur bon-bons! Who'd have prophesied then that | ts come!” tunes, ‘‘after to-morrow Hortense—dear gi girl!
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Captain Arizona, the King Pin of Ro pon be always at hand to look after my com- ort! “ After to-morrow!” chuckles the concealed murderer, as he returns his knife to his_belt. ‘“‘ After to-morrow, my venerable friend, I lose my guess if you dow § either a valet, or Hor- tense! Every one looks out for himself in the ; high lot’ where they’ll plant you—a/fter to-mor- row Contrary to his grumbling oe, the old man sleeps again. Then the assassin cree forth! Step by step he tiptoes, until he stands directly over the unconscious sleeper. What is he about to do? He has no weapon in his hands. But his gleaming eyesspeak mur- der of some kind! A rattle, horrible in its suggestiveness, sounds in the old man’s throat. Hurriedly, fearing that his victim will awake again, the destroyer bends forward, and reach- ing across the body he is about to deprive of life, seizes a pillow! Perhaps itis the hot breath of his murderer | upon his wasted cheek, perhaps a touch, per- haps some subtle instinct of nature warning the unconscious body of the near approach of dan- ger; but from some cause, the old man awakes again and opens his eyes. He sees a black mask and a pair of gleaming eyes!—that is all! Itis his last look on earth! With a swoop the pillow descends upon his face, smothering the ery of mortal fear that rises to his throat! Uttering a eat pee snarl of savage ferocity, the slayer of old age throws the whole weight of his body upon it, clinging to his victim like some beast of prey to its writh- ing, fainting, dying quarry! he struggle that ensues is nameless in its horror! Not a sound is heard save the faint tossing of feeble limbs and the hoarse breathing of the murderer! At last all is still! The deed is done! A noiseless shadow flits from the murder- haunted chamber! The !io:micide flees through the night! Far awav horse goes tearing along the rocky road, bearing the slayer of the father to wed the unsuspecting child! On, on dashes the red-handed plotter, until, after mile upon mile of hard riding through the night, he stands beneath a red-wood tree, with- in sight of a large building which looms grim- ly among the trees in that densest gloom which precedes dayb: As from the direction of the building—the Misses Millmans’ seminar for young ladies—he sees a slight shadow steal- ing toward him, he mutters triumphantly: ‘Here comes the little angel who brings a million dollars dower!” A moment later a girl, scarcely more than a yc sinks into his arms with a frightened 30D, To gain -his point Patent-leather Joe has had to imbrue his hands in blood, and is now about to break the heart of an innocent, confiding oe a but little recks he, as he says to him- self: ‘*T have won the first trick in my ‘big’ game, with A MILLION IN THE Por!” CHAPTER V. A WOMAN’S DEFEAT. Ir isthe darkest hour just before dawn. A strange, a startling sound breaks the dead still- ness in the house of that awful tragedy. Hortense Rensalier from the midst of dream- less slumber starts upright in bed, every drop of blood rushing back upon her heart ‘and a — chill and numbness of fear seizing up- on her. She hears a confused clamor of men’s voices ning with the screams and wails of women. se at is the matter? Is the house on fire?” is her first thought. For the time she is too frightened, too bewil- de: to move. She can only cower and trem- ble and shiver there, with clasped hands and staring eyes, vem apprehensive that some nameless horror will start from the semi- — of her room and appall her shrinking vi- on! She hears the tramp of hurrying feet! They are coming toward her! Up the stairs! Along the hall! At the threshold of her chamber! And with it all, that Babel of wailing voices of women! She who has never known woman’s weakness before now nearly dies of fear. What is it?—in heaven’s name! What is it? But, hark! .A woman’s hands are beating wildly against her door! The familiar voice of her maid calls: ‘“Oh! Miss Rensalier! Miss Rensalier! Come! —quick! quick!—oh, come! Oh! oh! oh! what shall we ever do?” | ad-Agents. 5 The voice electrifies her, and breaks the spell of Paci ape fear. She springs from her bed, and, with her heart in her throat, cries wildly: ‘*Celcine! Celcine!” She turns on a full blaze of light, rushes to the door, and throws it open. In the hall she sees a group of serving-women huddled together in affright, — gaunt in their white night-clothes, with their disheveled hair falling about their shoulders and their eyes streaming tears, wringing their hands and ut- tering inarticulate sounds of distress and sym- | pathy, while they look at her pityingly. From among them her maid crosses the threshold, and with clasped hands and tear- | drenched face raised to hers, sobs: “Oh, ma’am!—oh! oh! how can I ever tell ou?” With an impatience born of terrible ness she clutches the girl by the shoulder and shakes her, demanding sternly: | ‘“Celcine! Celcine! what is the matter? Tell me, at once!” ‘Oh, it’s down there in master’s room! He’s dead !—dead !|—dead!” moans the frightened girl, her iteration sounding like the toll of a knell. “ Dead?—dead ?” repeats Hortense Rensalier. An awful whiteness gathers about her lips. Her eyes grow round and gleam with a hard light that frightens the women into muteness, Her voice is a husky whisper. ‘Yes! yes!—murdered, John says!” wails the girl; and shuddering she crosses herself and covers her eyes with her hands. ‘“My wrapper!” commands Hortense Rensa- lier, in clear, ringing tones, She stands erect, drawn to her greate t hight, with heaving breast, clenched hands, blazing eyes, distended nostrils! She is terrible in her despair! he girl springs for the garment. The woman wraps it about her like a mantle. Then, like some olden queen going to view the dead body of her slain lord, she descends the stairs, tbe women huddling after her. The half-dressed men-servants make way for her. She walks straight up to the bedside, and looks down at the purple face. She utters no cry—she sheds no tear. She turns round with her marble-white face and eyes as hard as steel]. ‘* Who discovered this?’ she asks, in metallic tones. ‘Me, ma’am,” says the valet with bowed head. «Tell me all about it.” “Tt was jest this way, ma’am. I thought I heard master callin’, an’ got up an’ come in to see if he wanted anything. He was layin’ jest as you see him, ma’am, only with the piller over his face. The winder was open like you see it now, which I know I shut it the last thing before goin’ to bed. An’ that’s all I know about it, ma’am.” That is all there is to learn for the present. She gives a few necessary directions; then re- turns to her room. Through the window she can see the first gray of dawn breaking over the easterp horizon. ‘* And this\is my wedding morn!” she says, with a hard laugh. , Then she grinds her white teeth with rage, as she hisses forth the word: “* Foiled !” ‘‘ What matters it,” she pursues, after a time, ‘““ who is his murderer, or why it was done? For me, all is said in this:—Z am not his wife! Iam a pauper! And my incensed cousin Claire will soon be here to thrust me from her home! I will go forth to poverty and obscurity, and she will marry Alf Cheswick and live happily ever after, like the good princess in the fairy tale! “Shall she marry Alf Cheswick? never! NEVER! Let her keep her paltry gold— the man she shall never have! will kill her first! I have been foiled by an unknown hand in my scheme to get her wealth; but defeated though I am in this, she sball not triumph over me there! Let her come!—let her come! I will wring ber heart until she learns to curse the Never! gold that cannot buy her happiness!” And choking with hysterical rage, the arch- plotter, baffled at the very moment of success, sways and falls to the floor in a swoon! But Claire will not come to dispute the session of her home. As we know, she ie fallen into the hands of the man who will work her bitterest woe. The sun has just appeared above the horizon when Hortense Rensalier recovers from her swoon. She rises to a sitting posture and rests her head against the window-sill, to let the cool morning breeze fan her throbbing temples. So she reviews the wreck of her fortunes, and tries | to discover if anything can be saved from the ruin, and to form new plans for the future. But look at it how she may it always comes to the same thing. ‘T shall be driven forth a pauper, and Claire will triumph over me in the enjoyment of the million for which I have plotted so desperately! Oh! I could kill her! If she gets Alf, too, I don’t know but I may attempt it!” Sick at heart, the defeated woman rises, te pace the room like a caged leopardess. But the confining walls seem to stifle her; and she goes down-stairs and out into the garden. Now for the first time she notices a strange hubbub. It is caused by the voices of excited men. The suburb in which Mr. Rensalier lives is like a village. The news of the murder has spread; and the people are coming to the scene. Hortense Rensalier feels greatly annoyed at this intrusion, of what she contemptuously calls “the mob.” But before she has time for re- flection, she hears a step close at hand, and, turning, stands face to face with Alf Cheswick! CHAPTER. VI. THE DENUNCIATION. Ar sight of Alf Hortense Rensalier’s heart leaps into her throat. He isthe only man that ever had the power to make her pulses quicken. A wild thought comes to her. ““Tf he would take me in his arms and say— ‘T love you!’—I would give up all ambition tur wealth, and try to make him a loving wife!” The thought makes her feel faint and dizz -. She looks at him with a great longing. But his white face is hard and forbiddiny. His brows are bent with anger. His stern eyne have no tenderness for her. “ Am TI about to receive another blow here?” she asks herself, and her heart goes down in hcr bosora like lead. “Madam,” says Alf Cheswick, in a voice that leaves her no hope, ‘tI did not come here to meet you; but perhaps it is as well that chance should give me the opportunity to re- lieve my mind.” “Sir,” replies the woman, with her haughtiest air, ‘‘do you consider whom you are address- ing? Let me suggest the propriety of a more courteous tone!” ‘-T am courteous to those who deserve cour- tesy id ‘*T do not understand you, sir!” ' ‘*T will speak so plainly, then, that you will. When a woman becomes a mcie scheming ad- venturess—” “Adventuress |” “Bah! Why palter over terms? Are you not about to sell yourself to a man old enough te be your grandfather? But I did not mean ty speak of this. I despise you too utterly to care whether you go up or down in the scale of wo- manhood! But from the conviction that you, and you alone, have come between Claire Ren- salier and me no lying denial will dissuade me! Her coldness, her father’s disfavor, date fran: the hour that they came under your influence ! ‘“* Now hear me, false-h plotter! The father you have in your treacherous clutch! Keep him! You are welcome to both the mau and his money! But the daughter I am deter- mined to save from the lies, whatever they have been, with which you have alienated her from me! She is mine /—and, by Heaven! I will.not be robbed of her by your vile plots!” The boy whose intensity earned for him the sobriquet of Flash Lightning is now thoroughly aroused; and the impassioned words flow aed his lips like the rattle of musketry. along a skir- mish line. He has told the woman that: he despises’ -ber and loves her rival with a passion that, nothing shall defeat. She sees that he is ‘lost to her ut- terly. In that moment all her love for him turns to the of jealous hatred. “T will defeat her, and crush him—this pre- sumptuous puppy who bas dared to insult me te my face!” she reflects; and instantly her plan is ‘fae if frightened by his veb she begins s if fri is vehemence, she i to back away from him. é In the heat of his anger he follows her, cry-‘ ing:— % Stop! You shall hear me out!” Then the woman raises her voice to the shrill pitch of agonized terror, and screams:— : “Help! Help! Oh, help!” All unsuspicious of the fiendish treachery of the womau—impatient at what he supposes ber weak fears—he seizes her wrist to detain har from flight, crying:— “Fool! What is the matter with you? You one no reason to fear personal violence from me But, as if frenzied with terror, she struggles 4 4
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6° Gaptain in bis grasp, rending the air with shriek after shriek. She has ealculated well. In his passion, Alf Cheswick has not noticed tho assembling of the excited ple before the house. Now thero is the sound of rushing feet and a Babel of alarmed voices, “Hark! What was that?” ** & woman’s scream!” “ But where did ib come from?” “From that direction, somewhar!" “ft is in the garden!’ “ Come on, men.” “Por God’s sake meke has‘e¢!” “Yes! yes! there may be more fiend’s. work afcot.” A gleam of triumphant melice darts from Hortense Rensalier’s cycs. The ‘‘mob” which she has despised cho is about to dupe into hecom- ing her ally in the accomplishment of her re-' venge, While she yet struggles and screems, the gar- den is filled with men, pale and wild-eyed with excitement. They are formidable-looking fel- lows, rude in dress, with unkempt, bushy beards, broad shoulders, deep chests, and brawny arms, Their rage is as unreasoning as a whirlwind, or a stampede of frightened buffa- Joes, “What the devil is this?” shouts one burly pliant, reughly, “Phe cowardly hound, to pitch onto a wo- man!” cries another. “Down him! Down him!” yells half a dozen, all in a breath, Ant, without waiting for a word of explana- tion, poor Alf is pounced upon from all sides at once. Madly he struggles, knowing that words are useless with that infuriated moh, but in a twink- , } evidence over closely. ling he is knoc!:ed down, and pounded and kicked and trampled almost into insensibility. In the mad eagerness of every one to lay hold of him, or get a blow, when he goes down they fall over one another, piling npon him four or five deep, until ho is nearly crushed and smoth- ered, And all the while the air is loaded with shoutsof rage and blasphemous execration. At last the confused mass rises, men with their hats gone or crushed over their ears, their coats torn and pulled awry, their faces bruised, and their hands scratched and bleeding. Bat in théir wrath none heorl the personal damage they may have received. Last, poor Alf, dazed and aching from crown to sole, smeared with blood and dirt, and with Lis closhes almost torn off from him, is jerked a feet, a buriy captor holding him on either tide. Iie realizes that be is in an ugly serape, but docs not dream tlic fatal extent of bis peril, un- til tbe queen of y.o ters develops her damnable pry pose. Pointing an accusing finger at him, she cries. in cloar, ringing, melodramatic tones:— “T denounce Alfred Chesui hk as the murdercr of Stephen Rensvlier !” This, then; is the desperate revenge of an in- censed woman! CHAPTER VII. MOBBED. Re gpa is electrified by this unexpeoted chorzge, Alf Oheswick is dusnfounded! Tho arch-plotter keeps on without giving them time forthought:— ‘Foiled in his designs on the affections of the daughter ‘by the father repelling him as a fer- tune-hunter, this ishis revenge! To gain money he would have beguiled a mere child; in seeking revonge he did not respect the gray hairs o helpless old ago! You have just seen the cli- mex of his cowardly villeiny in this assault ona defenseless woman. If you are men, you will hang him to the nearest reel “Oh, help! I— ‘Oh—” And before any one can interfere, she sways, her hand to her head, gropes blindly, and Ws prostrate! Her maid, Celcine, who rushed ont at the. sound of her mistress’s voice in these first wild screams, now casts herself on the ground beside; hev, filling the air with friektened cr'es. is is all very cleverly done, FEvervbody thinks. that the beautiful woman bas fainted from the reaction after this man’s brutal vio-. But in reality it is only the shama ing of} Rensadicr knows: lox'ce. a clever actress. what she is about! orbtense A fierce yell of resentfel fury riees frm the’ erowd. In that yell Al? Cheswick is tried for his life and condemnec ! “Tfore kLiml Hang him!” rans the cry Arizona, the Iiing Fin of R dead! I came here to see bis daughter!” ** Kah! When everybody knows she’s off to school, poor thing! ‘That won’t wasb, my Chris- tian friend!” ‘But I did not know it. On my soul, I thought her at bome to attend her father’s wed- ding!” ‘“Which the same would have knocked you out of a cool million! Reason enough for shuttin’ off the old gent’s wind—eh, pardner?” derides one. “ An’ that’s what for you come hyar to clean | out your mother-in-law !” udds ancther. ‘‘ Thin! —deuced thin!” “Stow the chaff, gents,” cries still another. “ Hyar’s the thin has been traced from the winder to whar he mounted his hoss an’ lit out. An’ I myself seen this hyar _ ride up to the Bolton House, under an hour ago, lather o’ sweat, an’ himself lookin’ as if he’d been racin’ from a bundred ghosts an’ devils all night long—and thar’s the boss in the stable to prove it!” ‘“That’s the cheese! He thought to blind bis trail by doublin’ an’ comin’ right back wher | nobody’d think o’ lookin’ fer him, Oh, he’s a cute one an’ a bold! His kind is dog goned dangerous to l»t run loose! Tie him up, I say!” This is the signal tor renewed yells. be crowd, already convinced, does not scan the | It wants action, not. talk; avd action in this case means banging. Alf’s voice is drowned. unavailing. ‘Make way out o’ byer!” commands one of his captors; ard he is dragged torward, the elling, hooting mob crowding after, trampling he flower-beds and breaking the shrubbery, until the garden, all fair and beautiful a few ~minutes azo, now looks as if a herd of wild beasts had passed through it. Tho prisoner is borue through the gate. A few follow, with much jostling. More leap the fence in their eagerness, until the frail orna- mental paling breaks beneath the weight of numbers. Then they go down the street, the prisoner borne rapidly nee in advance, in the middle of the roadway, while those on the outskirts of the crowd scurry forward to gain the front and feast their gaze on the white, despairing face and staring eyes of the bloodstained prisoner. As for Alf, be seems half stupefied. He has given over all idea of self-defense or escape. Who can tell what thoughts pass through the brain of a doomed man, when all of his kind | seem frenzied thirsting for his blood? Perhaps there is little clearness or continuity in them. By this time they are half-way to the Bolton House, Before the tavern stands a sign-post with an arm sticking out at the top at right angles, like t»e arm of a gibbet. From this arm a sign-board used to swing, creaking dismally in the night winds, incongru- } ous with the hospitality to which it invited man and beast. Perhaps these eerie sighs and moans were portentous of the use to which the post was to be put; for one day the board was broken “To make room for another sign,” says the standing joke of the place—‘“‘a sign that the folks around hyar don’t stand no foolishness— an’ don’t ye furgit it!” A short piece of rope—just as it was left when | the dead man was cut down—still swings from the end of the arm, a standing menace to evil- doers! The eyes of the mob kave caught this horribly suggestive relic. It fires them with renewed frenzy. Their vells are more savagely vindictive than ever, They\ think that they are honest mep, ridding the world of a vampire who has in a nut-shell. The murderer | is hoss winded an’ one | His struggles are | oad-Agents. okt sorte Oe ge ee ‘Hallo, boys! What's this?” he eries, eager- “The galoot what give old man Rensalier his. | send-off,” replies one of Alf’s captors, with just , a touch of surliness. | Like many another in the crowd he doesn’t ex- actly relish the appearance of a regularly eonsti- , tuted officer of the law, who may feel it. his dn- | ty to interfere with this impromptu dispensa- | tion of justice, and reserve the prisoner fer a | court of a little less questionable authority. “Waal, that’s clever!” says the sheriff, with a ria satisfaction. “It saves me a ride into. town all for nothing. Thar’s my horse in fram of the hotel. In a minute more I’d been like: a hot shot out of a shovel, for help to wind this. thing up with a round turn. We've had abeut enough of this sort of thing around hyar! Just. ' let me clap my hooks onto this bird)’ As a matter of course, he steps up and seizes. | Alf by the right shoulder, displacing the man | who has held him on that side thus far. Shack-. / ing him, hesays: ; ‘Wake up, hyar, my man! I’m Bob. Boltent | I reckon you’ve heard of me.” Alf looks at him without interest. A chaage | of captors.is nothing to him. : The man who yielded to the sheriff withent | protest answers bis observation: | .“You’re right, boss!—this thing has gone abont fur enough! Eut 1 reckon thar’s mena | plenty in this crowd te put this gent through the | mill without no help from Fr’isco. Ef as be you want to take a handin with the boys, why, | of course it’s all right.” | There is a covert menace in this speech. Tho | speaker thinks, and the crowd is in sympathy | with him: “Ef you try to shut down on the thing with way °’ pen legal business, 1 reckon you'll find cut that one men can’t stand off a crowd, when | | | it knows what it’s about jist as well as you do - If the sheriff understands it in this way, he says nothing, but walks on as if he were as intent asany of them upon getting the prisoner to the scene of execution. But a moment leter he trips Alf, then within the instant stumbles over the latter’s feet, so that it appears as if the prisoner had tripped him; and as, in falling forward, his mouth pass- es close to Alf’s ear, he utters a single word, which inthe habbub svuunds to the others like an inarticulate ejaculation of anger, if, indeed, any one notices it at all. But Alf has caught the sound shot, as it were, into bis ear, and interpreted it:— * Run!” | The next instant the sheriff bas let go bis hold on Alf’s arm and fallen on his face ™ the SHERIFF BOB BOLTON. NEVER was trick more cleverly done. We one that sees it but would swear that Alf had thrown bis captor by as neat a trip as they ever witnessed. It takes Alf all unawares. Nothing is further from his thoughts than that this professional taker of criminals would connive at the _ of the man accused of the murder of old Stephen Rensalier, But life is in the balance; he has heard the word; and his right arm is free! Like a fiach of light all that benumbed stupefaction of a i leaves him, and the whole man is galva into vivid life and activity—every faculty is — to the highest pitch; every muscle is like 1's He does not stop to speculate why this man has befriended him, The fact itself is encugh | for the present. The whole scheme flashes upon ' him at once. That saddled horse was brought / CHAPTER VIII. no more claim to human consideration than a | out, the bridle-rein thrown loosely over the post, wild beast or a yenomons serpent! and his attention covertly called to them, that ke Half-way, as we have saidjto this horrible | might thus have the means of escape at hand! engine of man’s vengeence, they are met by a he sheriff has scarcely struck the ground, man who comes running toward them, having | when Alf Cheswick’s fist shoots forth like a thun- bee emerged from the stable-yard with a fresh- | derbolt, taking his other captor just back of the y saddled horse, and thrown the bridle-rein | ear, and felling him as if he had been struck by carelessly Over a post, so that the horse is left | lightning! standing directly beneath the improvised gal- ike a rocket the prisoner is off, and those lows. ° immediately behind him have stumbled over the He is below the medium hight and rather , bodies of the two men already prostrate—the slight .n build; but he hasa pieraing, steel-blue one by his own will, the other stunned to un. | ‘ ; :
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ina yanking, and has Jaid, hold of tue man | Ss vearest him. it by chance that it is the man nearest Alf also? But the sherifi’s eyes, nose and mouth are full : of dust: and certainly he sputters loudly and profanely enough, and handles the man he has captured as roughly as if he were convinced that | he held the prisoner who bad tried to play him | a scurvy trick, and was determined to teach him that no man could try to ‘‘shake” Bob Bolton without getting pretty well “‘ shook” up | A something to this effect is | himself! Ind tacked to theend of a string of rousing Western oaths. The cfect of all this is that the crowd, as a hody, is bewildered. If, that is the prisoner corting away like an arrow, bare-headed and with his hair flying in the wind, what is the weaning of this struggle, as if his captors were Laving a hard task to hold him? Captain Arizona, the King Pin of Road-Age.its. ee er een! at ener e se as = | trated fury, leaped from his horse and rushed , for pepa and that—that—hateful old thing” The next instant the com rung again with pistol-shots, and cries of rage and tear! CHAPTER iX. MARRIED AT THE MOUTH OF THE REVOLVER! CLAIRE RENSALIER was.a fair-haired, blue- eyed, rosy-lipped little school-girl, and already the sorrows of a grown woman had come to | her. Believing that her lover had proved false, angered at the weakness of her father who had fallen so easy a prey to the adventurers, and furious at the thought of having to recognize as a step-mother the woman who had robbed her of all that she loved, it was not strange that she should lend a ready ear to the dashing Percy 80, whiie Alf distanecs: the few who really | Montcalm, who bad saved her life and then recognize him, half a dozen of those who had | st chance of recapturing him ‘are busy | I | chureh, bein the trying to awaken the seemingly enraged, sheri to his mistake. it takes but a moment, when be brushes the dust from his eyes and glares around at them and. at the man;to whom. he has given made love to her in so romantic a fashion. But alone in that secluded little country married to a man who was in reality a perfect stranger to her, with that pur- blind old minister indistinctly mumbling over the service, his face buried in his book, and with some idea what it would be. to, pass through a his deaf’ old wife and the sexton as bent and thrashing machine! Then Bob Boltcn “lets himself out,” ‘‘ shoo:- | infirm as either of the others acting as witnesses, a chill sense of misgiving swept over her heart, ing off his mouth” and his pistol at the same | it was all so weird and strange! time, in handsome style, But golden seconds have been Jost... Alf gains | tue horse, tears the reimfrom.the post, terrifies | the animal by a yell that would: do credit toa whole band of Comanches, runs alittle way at the side of tho flying steed, then vaults upon its back like a circus rider, and, digging his hecls into its flanks, lashing it with rein end hand, and yelling until the frightened beast must think that it-has been mounted .by a legion of demons, courses madly away, unscathed by the hail of bullets and iron-clad profanity, hurled after him!—and it seemed as if his heart would leap from his throat in the glad cry: ‘Free! Free! . Free!’ Well! that Alf Cheswick left a ‘‘mad” crowd behind him, you better believe! ‘*Gentlemen!” said Sheriff Bob Bolton, with an icy calm and deliberateness that made the “boys” feel that he was a dangerous man when he got “ woke up ”—‘‘ Gentlemen!—he floored me!—he shook me!—he made me chaw dirt! I yeckon thar ain't many men in these hyar parts (hat can tell Bob Bolton to pu that in his pipe und smoke it! If ary gentleman present knows cf such a one, now’s the best time he’ll ever have in his life to inform the company!” He paused and looked about on the crowd, as if for reply. “Tt seoms thar’s no taker’s,” he said, present- ly. Then going back to the original theme: ** Waal, he’s a good man, I allow; and I don’t bear him no malice. Bt, gentlemen, thar’s one little job that I propose to work up before I pass in my checks. That is, to fitch the mur- dorer of Stephen Rensalier to chalk! It ma take ten days—it may take ten years! If you’ excuse me, I’ll go and git ready for the bunt!” With that same deliberateness he passed into the hotel. “Gents,” said one of the crowd, breaking the dead silence with which all had listened to the sheriff and witnessed his withdrawal, ‘‘ he’s a tough leotle cuss! I'll bet .ary.man:ten, to one fer all I’m worth that he fetches his mutton!” And there were no takers! But.in the sanctity of his room, in his own hotel, the sheriff was saying: “To save an innocent life, Bob Bolton let a boy floor bim, and shake: him, and make him chaw dirt! To save his own credit; Bob Bol- ton must prove to every man, woman and child _ that saw it, that he done it on purpose! But to do that, Bob Bolton must produce the real mur- derer, so’s to give the reason why he let the thing be done!’ And from his pocket he drew a bowie-knife, which he bad that morning found just off the edge of the veranda of Stepben Rensalier’s house, lying close beside a track which the boot of the murderer had Jeft in the soft garden loam. It was the knife Patent-leather Joe had crawn in his victim’s bed-chamber, when fear- ing the intrusion of his valet, and then thrust insecurely into his belt, In the heft were cut two initials: Pp J.” Me.xwvhile, Alf Cheswick, flying for his life, She thought of flight. But would not they pursue her like a lot of ghouls? Then, when she was ready to swoon with fear, her heart went out to Alf Cheswick with a t throb of} longing. If he would but come, she would be e! At that moment—she had not heard the clat- ter of hoofs, nor the sound of intruding foot- steps—she was startled by a voice crying: “Oh; Claire! In God’s name! what are you about to do?” The droning minister started into full wake- fulness, and let his jaw Saabs The sexton wheeled round and stared through his spectacles at the intruder. The old woman threw up her hands and ex- claimed: “* Law me!” The bridegroom turned, a glare of defiance in his eyes and his hand on the butt of a concealed istol, , ‘ Patent-leather Joe and Flash Lightning stood face to face! Up to this moment the latter had not recog- nized his old foe, Now he was dumfounded at the sight of him in the act of robbing him of his wife, as he had robbed his father years ago, While he stood mute, Claire leaped forward with a great cry: “Oh, Alf!” A savage oath passed Patent-leather Joe’s lips, and his weapon leaped from its ambush. “Great Heaven, sir! Not in the sanctuary!” cried the sexton. And in holy horror he caught Arizona’s arm and saved A be Cheswick’s life! Patent-leather Joe tore himself free, and would have fired again; but a return shot anticipated ne and he fell bleeding before the chancel rail. “Oh, Alf! What have you done? You have killed him!” screamed Claire. ‘‘Murderer!—the curse of Heaven will fall upon you for this sacrilege!” cried the minister. ‘*And, what doubtless you fear more, the Vigilantes will hang you, ruffian that you are!” subjoined the sexton, while the old lady went into hysterics. Alfred Cheswick paid no heed to the others, but answered Claire. “ Ask me not what I have done!” he cried. “Tt was in self-defense. He would have: killed me else. Moreover, he earned his doom years ago! But how came you here? What excuse is. there for what you was about to do, and would have accomplished, but that accident led me by this deserted place on my way to you, at the Misses Milmans’; as I supposed?” ‘Alf, you were false to me!” sobbed Claire, ““ How could you be so cruel!” ‘False to you? Never /” asseverated the young man. “It is you that had forgotten me for your new lover!” And he ground his teeth with jealous bitter- ess. “Oh, Alf! How can you stand there and accuse me, when are to blame!” “i to blamef -For what—that you have not n you know that you yourself Alf groaned. “ But these two months of silence? Why Barns you not replied to my letters?’ “A very good reason!—you never wrt» any!’ “T have written to younearly every day?” ‘*Well, I never received one line! And & had, do you suppose I would reply, after yen sent back that broken sixpence?” And Claire sobbed with pain. **T never sent back the sixpence. I los di, ie red . - ‘*But you did send ittome! DPve got your letter to Bhs it. Oh! it was the most-ewanm), wicked stab I ever heard of! I know eveny word PY. heart 4 No a was “sev enough, mere ows! anking you for pus favors. I Gatien the inclosed evil Ranke placed confidence!’ And I had loved -yea se: true! “Claire, I never wrote that !—I swear Idixie% 5 And, truly, I lost the sixpence!” And in distress that could not have Bea counterfeited, Alf fell upon his knees, ani clinging to her hands, gazed up into her fiaes piteous: rf A sudden light broke over Claire’s .ecussia- ance, * Alf,” she said, ‘‘I see itall! It’s a plot ‘ ome down here, away from that and proceed wit!) the ceremony you wareaieak to perform. Tle change of bridegrooms néed not disturb yor.” “What! m:rry a murderer?’ Fever sir$-— n with. nover!”
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“Zam in no mood for trifling ; whatever ord ecrmples are, you must put them in your pocket. Can see down that pistol-bore? Now, drive The minister saw the logic of Alf Cheswick’s argument, and reluctantly yielded to the force ‘of -circumstances. “The ceremony over, Alf hurried his almost | fainting bride from the church, lifted her into the carriage in which Patent-leather Joe had = her, and dashed away at lightning 1 CHAPTER X. A PRISONER WITHOUT FEAR. AN itheater of mountain peaks domed by the star-gemmed sky! cinacthe aioe. tents and camp-fires, and stand- iexz vonnd in their lurid light perhaps a score of 3 te-looking bandits as ever infested the in fastnesses of any country! “Flere.among the crags was their stronghold— “the -eyrie from which they swooped down upon ‘henest amen and robbed them of their hard- earned gold. “in the center of the group were two men, Wasmg each other, both well built fellows, and ve e-looking by reason of. a certain reck- lous insolence of expression, and a bold, defiant “Gnsh of the eye. One, without weapons, stood with folded arms yund a-sneering smile on his face; the other, senared to the teeth, leaned negligently against a neck, examining the former critically, piainly with some admiration. “Well, my bold captain,” said he who was “‘now that you have me, what are gougoing to do with me?” “7 was just thinking,” replied the other, $uclsvether it wouldn’t be to our mutual advan- taeze to make you one of my band.” “‘ Are you iz. need of a Jeader?” ““‘Am_/ in need of a leader?’ 4 Oertainly—you and your band.” “Sell! that’s a pretty cool question, isn’t “Thaven’t the slightest idea of its tempera- wir, I assure you.” “itstrikes me that it is some degrees below the ing point. Indeed, under the circumstances, lithink if would knock the bottom out of any hi y thermometer.” **Possibly. What of it?” ““Do you know who and what I am?” “Do you want an honest expression of opin- “Certainly.” “ Well, [ take you for a cutthroat and a thief. Woware evidently the leader of this band of . oruffians; anc I have heard one of them speak of youas Capt. Bland. I understand that every amining camp in W jomies Territory is saving _mp.a choice piece of hemp, to be presented as a ‘testimonial to a certain Capt. Bland, whenever duis modesty can be so far overcome as to induce tim to accept it. Heis a very retiring man— dda 's Blaud—and denies himself to all save a few the ber f this bold h Capt At t ginning of this speech Capt. Biand had imal watlats and his hand had ~avved toward the butt of arevolver; but as his prisoner proceeded, his angry frown relaxed to a smile, half of ple vanity, half of - amusement. “‘Wou have asomewhat abrupt way of stating things, stranger,” he said; “but I think I can . ford not to get angry with you—” “ As you like about that,” was the cool inter- m. ‘But we are wandering from the ‘You haven’t answered my question. J Be-you want a leader?” ac ! “Then rd must decline your generous offer. I \never play second fiddle to any man.” “Hm! Coolagain! You would not accept pa ae for instance?” No, sir ““Have you considered the probable conse- qmeneces of your refusal?” } » “Sach a question calls for no deliberation.” “it: may be a matter of life or death to you.” “Amd would you sell your manhood to save your life?” ““Would it then be forfeiting your manhood -boserve under me?” ' “Well, I think so! I thin). that Iam a better oman than a Again eae; Pope Pigeon cores ——— came Ly th rage, while his eyes ona murderous glitter. ‘He was not used to being thu: boldly bearded in his very stronghold—in the presence of men hom he held as the slaves of his will. “Curee you!” he roared, ‘‘do you know that I i Captain Arizona, the King Pin of Road-Agents. have but to raise my hand to have you riddied with bullets?” ‘* No doubt.” “Then that knowledge should teach you the expediency of bridling that insolent tongue of ours! “Not at all; for of course you would not give such an order. But then, come to think, you ‘might—that’s a fact.” ; Why are you undecided as to my probable course?’ oacell the bandit chief, puzzled by his prisoner’s manner. ‘* Well,” was the cool reply, “it struck me as being so cowardly, you know, to order twenty men to shoot one unarmed one.” ‘“* And, on second thought, you concluded that I might do it, notwithstanding its cowardice?” thundered the outwitted bandit. 5 ‘‘ There’s no betting on what a man might do, where he has such unlimited power,” was the undisturbed hy oe el ‘‘Well, sir, before you get through with it you will see that there is no need for me to call upon my men in this case.” “Perhaps you might meet me man to man?” suggested the prisoner, as if this thought had just occurred to him. ‘* Excuse me,” said the captain, ‘ I never play a game when it is already in my own hands. would have nothing to gain, and you nothing to lose.’ ‘*My life! That’s something to me.” ‘*Tt is already at my disposal.” * And then you might gain—” ‘What?’ ‘* Honor. But perhaps you don’t consider that as of any value. Some men don’t.” Ignoring the cool insolence of this imputation, Capt. Bland replied:— ‘** All the honor I would reap from a meeting with you I can afford to dispense with. The question simmers down to this:—Will you leave this place a member of my band, or never leave it alive?” ‘*T hardly think that a fair statement of the case.” ‘** You will find to your cost that it is the only alternative I will ever present to you.” “T think not. I hope to make better terms with you.” “You may as well stow that hope.” “Look here, pardner,” said the prisoner, abruptly, ‘‘ Pll toss up with you whether I go free or take a high lot up here. Serving under you is out of the question. It is heads or tails for life or death.” ** Not much!” ‘Pll fight you, then, or any of your band, if you’ve got a better man.” This cool dare-devil never lost an opportunity to barb his smoothly-flowing words with insult. “T’ve refused that already,” replied Capt. Bland, keeping his temper, while he reflected on what torture he could invent to break the spirit of this man who seemed absolutely without fear— for whom mere death had no terrors. “Are you afraid of me?’ was the next inso- lent demand. “Neither of you nor of any man living!” ‘* Talk is cheap, but it takes money to buy whisky!” was the significant retort. ‘* As far as you are concerned, you will have to take my courage for ted, since I don’t intend to prove ~ replied the captain, quietly. “Ah! YVll make you!” And with a lightning bound, like the spring of a panther, the cool prisoner lea sideways and snatched a revolver from the belt of one of the band, who had momentarily turned his head to make some remark to a comrade. The next instant the frowning muzzle was — on the heart of the astonished Capt. land. CHAPTER XI. POKER POCKET. PockerR Pocket, Wyoming Territory, was, according to Judge Sam Stubbs ‘‘ the garden spot of this hyar won-derful country!” The most popular institution in Poker Pocket was the Lone Hand Saloon, presided over by one Short-an’-dirty, a damsel of no ordinary character, to whom we will introduce you pre- sently. The Lone Hand Saloon was a slab shanty, di- vided into two compartments, the smaller one in the rear being reserved by the proprietress for demestic pornos, while the larger one in front was the “stamping-ground” of the “boys,” dedicated to the sale of “licker ’n ter- backer ’n red herrin’s ’n sich!” In this hall of conviviality Judge Stubbs occu- pied his own particular seat in the corner, into which no one else ever presumed to intrude. On a similar pine bench, on tke opposite side of the table one end of which vas nailed against the wall, sat Col. Despard Dangerfield. Between them, at the inner end of the table,, a candle-box stood on end supported the cor- poral part of — Croghan, a scrt of polities retainer of Judge Stubbs’s, whose })1 incipal busi- ness seemed to be to admire his bonor in all things, to ‘‘ back ” any and every stat: iment that proceeded from the judicial lips, end to back that ornament of the bench to bed, whenever he became top-heavy from having au unusually large ‘‘ brick in his hat.” It is but fair to say that this last office was but seldom required, as under ordinary circumstances the judge could ‘‘carry all he could hold.” As usual, his honor was descanting on the pecu- liar attractions of Poker Pocket, w! ile he sipped his FS aes ” and smoked his ‘* weed.” “Why, sir,” he cried, in conclusion, after such a “puff” as only a true Wesierner can give to the place where he has invested his pile,” ‘‘ what d’ye suppose this | yar magic city sports?’ “Tam at a loss to imagine,” replied Colonel Dangerfield. ‘In the first — of her existence, mind ye!” supplemented the judge. * Pm sure I don’t know what wonder to ex- ect. ‘* Waal, sir! we hold and enjoy; and are ready to maintain against the world, the exclusive: right and title to two ladies! Ladies, you un- derstand! None of your brazen huzzies, but a genuine white article of the female persuasion,. which is a leetle harder to find between hyar and the Pacific slope!” “Ladies?” repeated Colonel Dangerfield, per- haps a little incredulously. ‘Ladies, sir!—ladies !*” Stubbs, stoutly. “The swatest craythers in the wide worruld!” put in Patsy, almost plaintively. ‘‘ Faith, they ca me hairt back to Balleynamagh!” **One,” pursued the judge, dramatically, “whose youth and beauty ravislies the beholder with delight; and one, the lincaments of whose hidden visage no human eye in Poker Pocket hath yet scanned!” ** What is that?’ asked the colonel. ‘‘A mystery!” replied the judge, solemnly. ‘(A mystery?” ‘Is it that she hides the grief of her widow- hood behind an impenetrable vail; or what shall wesay? But, sir, she is a remarkable woman in another respect. She has at lezst one of the qualifications of a model wife. She never talks: back!” ‘What in the world are you getting at, judge?” cried Col. Dangerfielc, with awakening curiosity. ‘That last drin} n ust have gone to your head; and yet Ican haidiy Lelieve it.? ‘No, sir! You may rest essured that that isn’t my vulnerable point! But, sir, in vulgar Saxon, the mother of ofr charmer is dumb,, though not deaf, and goes constantly vailed.” “H’m! That’s strange. I wonder why?” “Tl never tell you. But in this country a woman—in fact, anything that wears a petti- coat—does pretty much as she dcg- gone pleases ; and the man who has the temerity to question her right will find— ‘“‘Eh? What the devil have we hyar?” he ex- claimed, abruptly, as the deor of the saloon swung open. reaffirmed Judge CHAPTER XII. "APPY ’ARRY. JupGE Sam Stusss greeted the newly-arrived with a smile of expectant interest. One glance of his discerning eye, and he said: “Tf Ican read human nature, the ball opens. with this fellow. Colonel, attend!” “‘He’s from over the says!” muttered Patsy, angrily. ‘Faith! he’s wan o’ thim divils that stairves the poo-ur on the grane sod—the thafe o’ the worruld! Divil swape the loikes av him! Phat will he be doin’ in this counthry, I dunno! Hasn’t he enough an’ to spa-ar an English ound, that he will be afther comin’ till Ameri- y, an’ throyin’ to bate us out av our dues he-ur, as well as tha-ur? Bad scan to ’um! mesilf’s the b’y that ‘ud loik to whelt the face off ’um!” Unconscious of the diverse emotions to which his advent gave rise, the subject of the fore- going animadversions waited tor no formal in- troduction, but presented himself to the assem- bled company in his own peculiar way. “To the gentlemen of Poker Pocket and vicinity—greeting! Ah! I beg your pardon! I see a lady present. Hall honor to the fairer sex! Madam, your ’umble servant! Allow me, with my best bow—’Appy ’Arry, the Henglish ’
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\ , ' est-invertus! a hindividual ’oo is halways want- ed, but never hon ’and! ‘Gentlemen, to our better acquaintance, let ustip the flowing bowl! Honor me, gentlemen! hall ’ands round! ‘“‘ Hour beauteous ’ostess, treat the boys ’and- some, with the best you’ve got!” To so cious an invitation all responded with smiling alacrit “Eh, my dear polbinad trie /” murmured the || , Judge, as he got his feet under his center of gravity, and ambled up to the bar, ‘‘Paith! he’s a swate cr’athur wid a stomach on *um that tells um the nades av his fella min!” was Patsy’s tribute to the stranger’s gen- erosity, his hostility yielding to the seduction of ‘potheen.” ‘A sharper with an ax to grind!” muttered Col. Dangerfield; but nevertheless he added an- other to the score or so ranged along the bar. When the glasses were filled Judge Stubbs coughed behind his hand. e denizens of Poker Poécket took the hint, and knocking their glasses on the bar, shout- ed :— ‘Stubbs! Stubbs! Speech! Speech!” The judge bowed with the ssielheae: of an old stager in politics. os “Gentlemen,” he said, ‘‘I am sensible of the te done me by this unexpected popular call. “Sir,” to ’Appy ’Arry, “in behalf of my fel- low-citizens, and as the representative oF the judicial interests of Poker Pocket, I welcome you to our beautiful city, and, in fact, to all this hyar won-derful country! You have come to us, a stranger; and be assured, sir, we will take youin— Hum! Ah! Baugh!” _ The judge’s figure had run him into an expres- sion whose double meaning did not escape the bluff miners; and they went off in a roar of laughter at his expense, striking the bar with their glasses, and pounding the floor with their heavy boots. Preserving his dignity, with the cast-iron as- surance of his profession, the politician bowed, jas it in acknowledgment of applause, and pur- / sued :-— ** But, sir, as brevity is the soul of wit, I con- | tent myself with extending the hand of good- fellowship, and saying once more—welcome to Poker Pocket and its hospitalities!” When the rounds of boisterous applause which greeted his speech had subsided, ‘Appy ’Arry responded with becoming modesty :— Madam, and gentlemen, I'd fail in the heffort to rival the heloquence of your renown- ed hexponent; but you'll find my sentiments in the bottoms of your glasses!” After a ringing cheer, Poker Pocket instituted a simultaneous search, It is fair to assume that the sentiments were found and appropriated; for when the glasses were set down, there was nothing left in them, “And now, gentlemen,” cried ’Appy ’Arry, cheerily, producing from his pocket a and thimbles, and Lees rng to manipulate them with lightning dexterity on one of the tables, ‘ere we hare again—the original and honly "Appy ’Arry, the Henglish Habsentee and Great North American Non-est-inventus—just arrived from the hold country, w’ere kings, princes and nobles, queens, princesses and their ladies in waiting, hattended ’is levees, and gazed with wonder, hadmiration and delight upon’is world- renowned performances! ’Ere we hare, gentle- men! The heyeopener we ’ave just ‘ad should sh n your hoptics, and enable you to follow the little joker in ’is feats of ground and lofty tumbling. Ah! there ’e goes! Do you see ‘im? ’Oo can tell me w’ere ’e is now? Eh? By Jeove! you’ave ’im, kneow. ’E must be spryer next lime. ’E’as heyes the sharpest hafter im. Ah! there ’e goes! ’s the next lucky man?” In a twinkling ’Appy ’Arry was surrounded by a circle of miners, three or four deep, so og that some stood on benches and tables to look over the heads of those who had been luck enough to gain the inner circle; and forthwi money iad gold-dust began to change hands with a rapidity only equaled by ’Appy ’Arry’s t lightning manipulation of the instruments of While ‘he is th golden e he is thus reaping a harvest from the seed so judiciously sown on entering the room, we have an opportunity to see that he is not the typical John me whose aldermanic proportions and florid complexion are so sugges- tive of mighty conquests in beef-eating and the draining of countless tankards of “bi hale”’ and ‘“‘’alf-an’-alf.” On the contrary, he is a wiry little fellow, of not more than five feet two or three, with c shrewd mouth and keen, rest. Captain Arizona, the King Pin of Road-Agents. less eyes; light, Saxon hair and mutton-chop whiskers A Derby hat,a black silk neckerchief, a waistcoat of worsted stuff, a sack coat of brown lush with side pockets, corduroy trow and ey -soled shoes make up his decidedly Eng- ress, But in the midst of the clicking of his nimble thimbles and the clink of money changing hands —the ejaculations of satisfaction and oaths of chagrin, bantering jeers and ponepaniatiies, suggestions and warnings, with which the ex- cited miners made a babel of profanity and jar- gon—the smooth current of ’Appy Arry’s words, which fell from his lips in an incessant stream like grain from a hopper, was abruptly cut short by a pounding that arrested the attention of_every one. The patrons of the Lone Hand Saloon turned, one and all, to see its proprietress, the redoubt- able Short-an’-dirty, standing behind her de- serted bar in her “ war-paint. CHAPTER XIII. THE TABLES TURNED. TAKEN completely unawares by the unex- ted move of. the prisoner whom he had sup- posed helplessly in his power, Captain Bland could only stare breathlessly. His band stood round in open-mouthed dis- may. The icy voice of the prisoner cut the stillness. ““My dear captain,” he said, with a tantaliz- ing smile and honeyed accents. ‘‘ you see that I have the drop on you. Don’t precipitate your own death, which the slightest sign of hostile intent on your part will render inevitable.” Then, with equal smoothness, he addressed the men, before they had time to recover from their bewilderment. ‘*Gentlemen,” he said, “this is a large day for surprises. Don’t all shoot at once; for the first man who is so rash as to move a muscle seals the death-warrant of his captain. ‘You see,” he pursued, again addressing the captain, ‘‘lam forced, though much inst my better feeling, to hang your life on aslender chance. If you have a jealous or ambitious follower, he might now sate bis malice, or se- cure your removal from his th, without hazard to himself, by what woul look like an injudicious display of zeal in your defense.” ‘Curse you! it was to gain time for this chance that you have been chaffing me!” growl- ed the discomfited robber chief. ‘““My dear captain,” was the smiling reply, “it was with a view to just this turn in the wheel of fortune that I condescended to waste my time on you. ‘‘But that we may the more at our ease dis- cuss the outcome of this, to you, unexpected change of front, oblige me by requesting your men to throw up their hands.” Captain Bland hesitated; and his eyes flashed cane the circle of his followers with a burning ance. a“ I would give all Iam worth,” he reflected, ‘‘if one of those dogs would shoot him now.” “Don’t take any risks, my dear captain,” said the prisoner, with his icy smile. * Although some of your men are behind me, and I cannot see then}, I have unusually sharp ears—indeed, you would be surprised to learn how slight a sound I can detect—and none of your cela followers-can take a step toward me, throw a missile at me, or raise the hammer of his revol- ver, without my receiving warning of the treacherous intent; and, my dear captain, the slightest suspicious sound seals your doom! Indeed, you are more interested in putting your men out of temptation than Iam. Think, sir!—while you hesitate, one of them may re- member some old grudge. 's ‘Throw up your hands!” commanded the rob- ber chief. The men obeyed. ‘‘ Now, my jes captain—sinee you are cap- tain, and in authority, you know, request them. one at a time, to march to your rear. I wan » Gaaienh Sieh wanting anadaraniy, p » scow m ve the <— command, 2°33 One by one, the men, with their hands held above t ro gene marched into place behind captain. ee nd now, my dear captain,” cuntinued this strange prisoner, who had ca his captors, “oblige me by throwing up your own hands, and marching forward.” “Curse you! I'll die first?’ howled the irate chief. “Very well,” was the cool retort. ‘‘ It is for you to elect. But I think that on reflection you 9 will pocket your dignity and comply with my wishes. I will give youa chance to reconsider your rash determination while I count three. ‘‘Hold on!—there’s two sides to this = tion,” suggested the captain. ‘‘ You can’t shoot me without losing your own life the next in- stant. Eh, my men?’ “Ay!” went up a fierce rumble of assent from the men, who didn’t much relish, you may be assured, this having their whole number ‘* surrounded ” by one. ‘‘You hear?” cried Captain Bland, exultantly. “The thing is about as broad as it is long, I fancy!” “Not at all. As you just now suggested, my life being already forfeit, J have nothing at stake. And then I calculate on another thing.” “On what?” “Your cowardice. Two!” A furious oath burst from the lips of the captain. ‘T'll show you whether I’m a coward or not!” he yelled. nd rage blinding him to fear, and the know]l- edge of his real helplessness, he seized the butt of one of his revolvers. “* Don’t draw it!” said the prisoner, in tones that cut the air like a whistling bullet. ‘* You know that [ can send you down below before its muzzle got free from the holster. But I see that you’re a mule for stubbornness and a fool for hardihood. Nothing will do you but to ec: your glim ; so here goes for the last count. Th— / But the count was not completed. Capain Bland’s hands went ma like a flash, while his face became livid with fear, and his involuntary gasp was plainly audible to all of his men. ‘* Forward march!” commanded the prisoner, now daopsing his tone of banter, and speaking in the short, sharp, crisp, ringing tones of a man who had resolved to permit no further paltering. Captain Bland, accepting the situation at last, advanced promptly. ‘ “* Halt!” The captain stopped with soldier-like preci- sion. ‘** About face!” The robber wheeled on a pivot. Deftly the prisoner disarmed his late captor. ‘Now, sir, retire yonder.” And s0, ing them one by one, he disarmed the whole band. ‘ ‘** And now,” said the prisoner, ‘‘ we can ne- gotiate at our ease. I am going to allow you what you would have denied me.” ** What is that?’ ‘* A chance for your life!” ‘“* Look here, stranger,” said the bandit chief, ‘“who are you, anyway?” ‘* You may know meas Arizona!” So Alf Cheswick’s bullet didn’t ‘‘ finish ” the Tron Heart, after all! ; CHAPTER XIV. THE TEST OF BATTLE! ‘““You may know me as Arizona,” said the bold prisoner. The announcement was received with a mur- mur of astonishment by the mountain bandits. ‘‘Fur rocks, boys, the Cap dro on a scorcher when he waked him up,” whispered one of the men. “ve heard of him before,” said another. “He’s the boss sharp that straddled Cam Verde, and clapped it into his breeches pocket for a hull day—single-handed, ye onderstand !” Every one looked upon their late prisoner with a new respect. As for Captain Bland, his jaw had dropped. “Tm ele !? he thought, within his quailing heart. ‘This is my last round. That fellow will never let up on me until he cooks my just how we stand,” said Arizona, in a business-like way. ‘‘ I was outpr g a little on my own hook, and accidentally stum- bled upon this little hornets’ nest. If you had lain low, I might have gone on, and been none the wiser. But your men thought it a fine joke to bag me and put me through. ‘“ Well, they dropped upon me unawares. I pre-empted high lots for three of their crowd, and then the cattle run me under foot with num- bers, and waltzed me into camp. Ae sre you another chance, by offering to call bets off, and clear out. t wouldn’t do you. Noman should Be away with the secret of your rendezvous, ‘ Put up, or shut up!’ said you, as sassy as you please.
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ts eee 10 —— ee ———ee “Well, things have changed since then. Now | such patrons of the Lone Hand as became too I shall pitch the trump.” “What do you propose?’ asked Capt. Bland, uneasily. » “T have concluded not to leave this pocket except as a member of this band.” ** But L offered to make you my lieutenant.” ‘*And -I. said, that I never played second fiddle,” Capt, Bland’s face dropped. bi you expect me to serve under you?” he demanded, with a frown. ** You might do worse than that, my man!” ‘** Better or worse, that I'll never do!” ** Don’t trouble yourself, You'll never have the chance.” “What do you mean?” “That there ain’t room for both you and me!” * And one of us—” ‘Has got to go up the flume!” ** At the mouth of the pistol?” ** You've hit it!” “ But, suppose you get the better of me, that don’t put you in my place, by any means.” ** We'll see about that!—Men! How many of you want a leader who is afraid of neither man nor the devil?—a leader who cheerfully offers his life to the first mam who has got the sand to take it?’ Not a man spoke. ** Come!» Out with it!” said Arizona. or no?” “T reckon, boss,” said one, finally—'‘ without sayin’ nothin’ ag’in’ you, d’ye onderstand—that the boys is pr well satisfied with what they've got. Eh, boys?” There was a general murmur of assent. “That's right!” declared Arizona, as if well pleased. “I’m glad there are no sneaks among ou.. The man who would go back on his ca ain just because he was in a hobble wouldn do to serve under me /” “Capt. Bland, you’ve got just the band of brave: fellows that I want. As long as you're alive they’ll stand by you, and I'll have no show. hat follows? I must fight you for them!” ‘** But, as 1 said before, killing me won't se- SE ee 8 | myself that I can negotiate with them when you are out of the way. . But whether I can or can’t is an after consideration, which can make no difference with one thing, at least. I’m bound to fight you! So which shall it be#—pistols. or knives?—or would you like the Irishman, prefer that we sit down here and see which dies first in the ordinary course of nature?’ ** Well, sir,” cried Capt. Bland, who was far from being a coward. ‘‘I will show you that I can be a man as well as you. “My gallant band, I want first to thank you for your oo eo é tome. I havealways tried to do the square thing by you—” ‘*That you have, captain! —raise her!” “Ay! Ay!” “And you have stood handsomely by me. Now I propose to meet Arizona, hyar. If I’m rubbed out, give me a white burial!” “That we will, captain!” * Afterward, you can do as you please about making terms with my conqueror. But, if you don’t want to serve him, I want it to be an un- derstood thing that he goes free. I know he’ll not give you away, boys, if you prefer to fight under ene of your old number.” * T agree to that,” said Arizona. “ You pledge your words, then, men?” asked Capt. Bland. “ Ay; captain. There'll ‘be nothing but fair play in this camp.” Then, sir,” to Arizona, ‘I’m ready. I choose poole, at twelve paces!” The p naries were soon over. Then in that mountain et, far - amo the cl with the scene lighted by the flames of the camp-fires, those bearded out- laws ranged at either side, these men faced each other, their revolvers hanging at their sides. “‘Gentlemen, are you ready?” A dead silence! One!—two /—THREE!” A double flash !—a blended report! Capt. Bland fell upon his face, without a groan! Arizona stood like a rock! CHAPTER XV. SHORT-AN’-DIRTY. STANDING behind her deserted bar, and pound- ing it vigorously with a ‘billy”—a short club of seasoned hickory, as hard and almost as heavy “a Yes, Raise her, boys! | obstropalous ” — Short-an’-dirty would have but ill served as a painter’s model—that is to beauty! | say, tn point o W Her rowsy head was a “ mop” of yellow hair, | twisted into a tumble-down, scraggy knot. Such | portions of her face as had come in contact with | Nene ee EEE water were plainly distinguisha parts where this accident had not befallen. Her dress was of the simplest and most primitive kind allowed by law, consisting of a gray woolen skirt girting in an upper garment of muslin, of which suffice it to say that the sleeves were rolled up above the elbows, disclosing red, mus- cular arms, which never failed to command respect when set akimbo, with hands on hips. Shoes and stockings Short-an’-dirty despised, save when the rigors of winter necessitated the donning of boots; then she incased her delicate feet in men’s sizes! a Perhaps some of this personal este was due to the fact that Short-an’-dirty had but one eye; and then, as the ‘‘ boys” all agreed, she was ‘“noways proud.” Now her face was fairly porple with porten- tous fury; her lips were livid; her one eye gleamed ominous lhightnings! When she had thus ‘called the meeting to order,” one of the miners anticipated her in a way that showed that this sort of summons was not unfamiliar, and alse ‘‘ gave away ” its usual nce— “*Tt’s all right, Short-an’-dirty. This hyar’s all ceable, an’—” Dniictneanan ry up yer yawp, Billy Ww !” thun- dered the Amazon, from a pair of lungs which certainly betra ed no consumptive tendency, “ur, the fust thing you know, you'll wake up an’ find yerself a-sailin’ out o’ hyar like a ring- tailed snorter, with a swelled head!” Abashed by this sounding threat, Billy Blow- hard, who owed bis nickname to a certain weak- ness for braggadoc!o, ‘‘ wilted”; and “all hands” waited for Stort-an’-dirty to announee her sovereign pleasure. ‘Hark! my dear colonel,” whispered the judge, radiant with smiling anticipation. ‘‘ She’s a character! Here’s more life /” ‘*Phat a melojus voice she has!” muttered Pack at the forrum o’ the swate crayther! An’ d’ye moind the dilicate airrums of her; an’ the two han’s that take me hairt Lok irch CH Troth! it’s aqually at home she'd be at the wash-tub or spankin’ the childher!” **Look a-hyar, boss!” said Short-an’-dirty, glaring at ’Appy ’Arry with her one eye in a | way that showed that she was on a “ business trip” this time, if never before, “did I under- stand you to order the drinks fer the crowd?” Now ’Appy ’Arry had traveled, and knew a thing or two; so he “dropped” with a smile that would have sweetened sour cream. ** Certainly, my dear madam !—most assured- ly he answered, with effusion. ‘I thought that was hunderstood. Heverybody calls for w’at ’e wants, and for as much of it as ’e wants; and I stand the footing. Step bup, gentlemen —don’t be barshful! But, stay! hour fair ‘ostess ’ad better ’and the liquor round, per’aps. There wey te thirsty gents ’00 would rather not lose th laces ’ere by stepping hup to the bar. Hanything at all, ma’am, to make it livedier for you. Ibalways like to encourage ’ome trade, and above all to favor the ladies! If Short-an’-dirty was mollified, she did not show it by any pleasanter expression of face. mly she set to work to fill the certainly handsome order of her patron, muttering to herself: ‘It’s all right, my covey, as long as you keep up the racket at this end 0’ the shop; but when you fergit that ceremony, you’re elected fer the imperial -h’ist thr t thar door—bet yer bottom dollar on that, sonny! | Ef you inter- duce side 7 in this ranch, you’ve ot to pay as ye icker up, an’ money down “ Ah! my dear colonel, what de you think of es Judge Stubbs, rubbing his hands glee i ow | think that that unwashed fiend has her one eye directed exclusively to business!” said the colonel, with a frown of dislike. An’, faith! the Englishman too!” added Patsy. ‘For ivery drink that comes out av his pocket he’ll put the price o’ tin in!” ‘‘That’s life!” commented the. judge, com- cently. Meanwhile, Short-an’-dirty was availing her- self of her opportunities, Without waiting for orders, she set liquor be- fore every one in the room, with an expedition which showed that sho knew how te ‘‘ rush” as iron, with which sho was wont te “cool off” | business. | Captain Arizona, the King Pin of Road-Agents. A SS Perhaps there was a touch of sarcasm in *Ap- py ’Arry’s voice, as he suggested, blandiy: js “Tf youn honly ’ad an assistant, my dear ma- am. Short-an’-dirty bristled at once. Stopping short in her active “ whisky ing,” she stood in the middle of the fleor bie from other | arms akimbo and hands on hi ‘Look a-byar, young feller!” she cried,“ you're green in these hyar osten but ef you're goin’ te make this hyar shebang yer stampin’-ground, ye might as well l’arn the ropes fust as last, “The fust law an’ gospel o’ this hyar place is that Short-an’-dirty runs the hull machine{ No back talk! I don’t like. chin-music fur nothin¥ I’m chief hyar, an’ ron the thing to suit myself. Soshut up yer dog-gone meat-trap, an’ mind yer own business, ur through that door you sail om the Rocky Mountain Lightnin’ Express! Don't take my say-so, pilgrim. Ax any o’ the 2. They’ve heared this racket before, an’ knew it’s A No. 1, copper-bottomed, an’ riveted on the wera ete red me? It’s Short-an’. that’s talkin’! s a lone hand in this hyer barrack, you bet pe And, having blown off all her steam, Skort- an’-dirty resumed her work, as if no intexrup- ogee oe place. Lay’ Sedteca! 6 ‘“Peppery !” eommen u am Stulbbs nud. ing Col. Dangerfield delightedly. “ Be me sowl, she’d make the quane o’ mopth- er-in-laws!” ng Patsy. Col. Dangerfield had nothing to say. Eyident- lay Short-an’-dirty ‘‘ held over” him. ‘Appy ’Arry was too wise to bandy words with the virago. He was “‘ coining” moneyt That sufficed for him. At this moment the door swung wide, to give admittance to a man who evidently expected, and was bound to have ‘‘ elbow-room,.” * Ah! my dear colonel, here is the ki this cut-throat community | 1 expect to hang him before Jeng!” murmured the with great complacency, considering the - guinary character of his expectations. of vo fo CHAPTER XVI. BROTHERS OF THE LARAMIE HILI#, Tue echoes of the pistol shots died away the crags that shut in the mountain pocket w formed the bandits’ stronghold, leaving the si- lence of death behind. : Arizona faced the men whose leader ke kad just slain. ““Well, gentlemen,” he asked, “was hat uare?” ot a man spoke. ** Neo dissenting voice? Then let’s to business. You know one of the p ‘es of my entering into this fight. IT want a band of men ready te follow me anywhere I dare to lead them; and, rest assured, I dare to lead you anywhere en earth! How many of you will enter my #er- vice?” “ Captain Arizona, I’m one!” SPT bushy-whiskered fellow stepped for- ward, “ What is your name?” asked Arizona. ** The boys call me Scowler.” “On account of your smiling coun eh? Not bees named. What was your under Capt. Bland?’ ““T was second in command.” “Tieutenant Scowler, lam glad to accept services,” said Arizona, with a liarly - ee em rere beth ipod + ee and. * nk wes et alon fameusty .” “Thankee, sir; I'll do af best. 7 “Captain Arizona, J shall be glad of a phive under you.” ** And your name?” “ Snaky! te dt have a witamong you; and lene’ a fellow, wager! I shall find employmen¢é all your eri. 0 So one and all of the band came over to their men Ba y for the oath of allegi nd now, my men, for the oa - aneé,” cried Ay aboiial t aoe Standing opposite Scowler, he placed the breast, t over the heart, and received the pomt of is lieutenant’s wea in a similar fashion, In his left hand he held a cocked revolver, which he pointed at Scowler’s head. Following his example, the men ranged them- selves in a double line, bared their broad breasts, each placing the keen point of his knife ever a comrade’s heart, and receiving one in rete; and each gazed down the black throat of a Fe- volver. Standing in this weird fashion, the night-shrouded heavens overhead, the mountaim — ranged round and looking down them ike grim sentivels, and the lurid firclight-enst Past of his bowie-knife against his bared
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Captain See ee SS DT Se NO SS Yo ee *“We swear to obey, promptly and without question, the commands of our captain and other officers, each according to his rank! “We swear to shoot or stab unto death with- out fear and without favor, any one who shall betray bis captain, or any of his fellows, or any of the secrets of this organization; and to accept the same fate for ourselves, at the hands of our comrades, tf‘ we shall in like manner betray the trust reposed severally in us! * Thus, at the mouth of the revolver and point of the bowie-knife, on our lives, swear we all! **So mote it be |” The bowie-knife was pressed into the flesh un- til it brouglit a drop of red blood! The revolver was shot into the air over the head at which it had been pointed! “ Hail, m gallant band! Brothers of the Laramie Hills!” shouted Arizona. “Three cheers for Captain Arizona! Raise her, boys! raise her!” cried Scowler in response. Hess the mountain péaks rung with their lusty cheers. Capt. Bland was buried as he had requested. And new a word of explanation. You must know that Arizona accidentally fell in with Capt. Bland’s band of outlaws, and achieved ‘his Vidbory over their leader, shortly after his abortive attempt to “ pocket a cool million” by inveigling his school-girl cousin in- to a clandestine m Disappointed in his bold’ scheme for sudden enrichment, to be followed by a life of seeming respectability, he had returned to his old wild life among the hills. From the fall of Capt. Bland to the evenin when we introduce the reader to the Lone Han Suloon, a year had elapsed, during which Ari- zona had been captain of a band of outlaws who had become a veritable mountain scourge. Tne faet that the band had chan masters was kept secret from the world; and, as Arizona had won distinction in another part of the coun- try, no one now suspected his identity with the bold outlaw whose exploits for the past year had made the name of Capt. Bland famous all ever the mountains. But, in his private character, Arizona had made a reputation which justified Judge Stubbs’s cool prediction — “He is the king pin of this cutthroat com- munity; and I expect to have to hang him before long !"— And which, further, convinced the denizens of Peker Pocket that, as a ‘‘ boss sharp,” he ** filled the bill!” As they were wont to say:— ‘He is the only man that ever put the Lone Hand Saloon into his breeches-pocket, and drew the fangs of the unterrified Short-an’-dirty !” The legend yet runs in Poker Pocket, how he tamed the tiger-cat; and those who witnessed that strange conquest will tell you that Short- an’ dirty’s one eye turned green that day, and green it has remained ever since. “Ef you don’t believe the story, thar’s the eye fur you to look at. You can’t go back on at eye, stranger! I tell ye, she went fur to mount him ‘one night, like she does the rest of us. He never tetched her—he never laid the weight of a finger on her; but, while she with arms akimbo, red-hot an’ still a-heatiti®, he sot them eyes 0’ his’n on her, in a way that made cold streaks run up an’ down her back, I reckon; an’ Short-an’-dirty caved! It was the purtiest thing you ever see, by the junipin’ co in And now this man entered Short-an’-dirty’s castle, swinging open the door with an air which kas that he thought himself “ cook o’ the pt : oe CHAPTER XVII. ARIZONA’S FALL. AND you ought to have seen Short-an’-dirty —what shall we call it? Oewld Short-an’-dirty smile ? ve At any rate, it was a twist of her face with which she honored nobod except Arizona; and so the “boys” decided that p’r’aps it wa’n’t her fault ef that was her best hold in the smil- in’ liné) bein’s as how, of course, you couldn’t expect her one'eye tosee how t/other side of her face looked.” © _ But one thing, at least, was of unquestionable significance, -. OFHH=H»7>orxonoeNn———— OOO OO OO OE Eee 7 a She set down a trayful of liquor with which she was about to serve her other patrons, in or- der'to give Arizona immediate attendance. “Brandy!” he ordered, gruffly. With a full bushy beard and the “ outfit” a, of a mountain bully he was a ve ifferent-looking person, you may be from the dainty gentleman who, as Percy Mont- calm, so nearly lured pretty and romantic Claire Rensalier to life-long misery. . When he threw a coin on the bar, in payment for his liquor, Short-an’-dirty said, in a voice altogether different from that in which she ad- dressed others: “‘That’s all right, Arizona. Happy Harry ” 8. cf And who the devil is Happy Harry?” de- manded the outlaw, aggressive:y. “‘The gent over thar in the corner, with the thimble-rig fixin’s, He stands the house to- night.’ % Waal, I generally pay my own way. No Happy Harry in mine, if you please!” ‘All right, boss. Just as you say,” ac- esced Short-an’-dirty, proceeding to make change for her churlish guest. “I hain’t no call to back no man’s dignity—leastways, ag’in’ you, Arizona ” Short-an’-dirty referred to the time-honored custom which makes the refusal to accept the proffered hospitality of a drink an insult, which the would-be entertainer is bound to resent, or “crawfish.” But ’Appy ’Arry needed no champion. “Eh? itt I ear my name called?” he asked, quickly, and immediately put the instruments of his game into his pocket and stepped boldly forward. The fact was, he had plucked “every man Jack ” of the eager crowd that had sought to “ buck ag’in’ his sleight of hand,” and was glad of a diversion whieh would give him a ex- cuse for ending the game, and at the same time turn the thoughts of his victims from their O8se8. And, oh! but wouldn’t the prospect of a fight dothis? Waal, I reckon! But with Arizona!—and that little snip of an Englisher'! e men stood aghast. ‘You dog-gone fool|—do you know who you're climbin’!” whispered one, whose intentions were me than the words in which he couched them. But, not seeming to hear him, ’Appy ’Arry advanced to the bar with easy assurance, anda look of questioning on his face, Judge Stubbs was delighted. ** Now, for mg eres dear colonel!” he whisper- ed, tipping his bat further over his eye and rub- bing bis hands with enthusiastic expectancy. “ The dirthy little divil / Sure, he’ll ate um!” was Patsy’s comment, * Weil, sir, you’re a stranger to me; but so are all the rest of these gentlemen. I ’ave the honor to stand treat this ea bee and if you will join usin a social glass, we'll ’ave another hall-’ands-round. Put u our money, sir. Heverything is as free as the hair you breathe!” In reply to this cordial invitation, Arizona glanced contemptuously at his would-be host, and growled:— “Aw! bogey up Maen BS pg et big as yours is @ ge apped, ou 6 it hind whar it ain't wanted |! este us At this wanton insult "Appy ’Arry’s eyes flashed PP ‘What, sir!” he cried, “do you not only re- fuse to drink with me—that’s affront enough in this country, I hunderstand—but must you re- pay my courtesy with hinsolence of speech?” Deigning no reply, Arizona coolly turned his back on the incensed Englishman, and address- ed the proprietress of the saloon, with a touch of oo gen in his voice, ‘Will you give me my change?” HG tb had stood Poh or ge ‘staring & , thunderstruck at he tether Sot this ew it’ “who dared to quarrel with the man whose eye alone had cowed her. : The sotind of Arizora’s yoice so startled her that she dropped the coin into her open till, cry- ing :— ne boss!—yes!” But "A y ’Arry’s voice rung clear and high. *‘ By ’Eavens! you shall drink or fight!” And, with a bound, he snatched both of Ari- zona’s unguarded revolvers from his belt. Like lightning Arizona slapped bis hand be- hind him, where no read tol-butt now guoiies his eager grip, ay é whirled upon his SsO9s0F. @ looked straight down the beres of his own | throats. After that, perfect silence fell. Everybody was dumb with expectancy. What would An- zona do? The stranger certainly ‘had the drep on him.” If he chose to keep that advantage the eomb of the cock 0’ the walk was unmistakably cut—he was poverless! Little or big, the revolver puts all men om the same plain. Short-an’-dirty was the first to regain her atid pki because she was the only we- man in the room! “You little whelp of a British manikin! she cried. ‘‘Do you dast to come over byar ‘an’ raise a row in my shebang? Consarn yer dirty leetle picter! Il] pitch ye neek an’ crop inte the street!—blow me ef I don’t!” And snatching up the billet which was her favorite weapon, she rested qne hand on her bar, and vaulted over it—“ just Jike a real man!” But, before she could make any demo i against “Appy ’Arry, Arizona himself eaught her by the arm and whirled her cut of the way. **Do you know whose quarrel you're meddling in?” he demanded, with a frown that subdued the termagant at once. He was sufficiently humiliated at the advan- tage the Englishman held over him, in the pre- sence, ‘ge 4 orgie + Mg ¢- wis hard did not wish to made a laughing having it said that he was helped out of me **hobble” by a woman, Scowler next interposed, coming to the relief of his chief. **Hold on thar, stranger! Fair play is fair play, the world over. You can’t jump ona man that way, without callin’ of him an’ givin’ him a show. The biddest bloke in the ee, might bounce the best of usin that style ) don’t look on an’ see po murderiw’ hyar!? * | A murmur of assent ran round the room, But Arizona would not accept even this, ** Waal,” he said, ** it seems as if I had lets ef friends. Much wey cea but I reekea I can fight my own battles.” ' ‘No offense, boss,” replied Scowler. “Tonly wanted to see an even thing, man to man.” ** As for you, sir,” proceeded Arizona, frown- ing at ‘APPY Arry, “give me half a shew— drop those pistols to your side} and Jet me draw my be wie, and I'll fight you with that advan- tage. f You put a low hestimate on my self-esteem,” said ’Appy ’Arry, pleasantly. ‘I bask no ad- vantage over you, sir. I only want to keep you from chewing me hup, while [make a propesi- tion, “Well, sir, what proposition?’ “This! The Yankee way of settling little per- sonal differences of this kind is not hexactly the Hinglish way, ye know. You're a bi man than I am, and just as well put together. ‘Now suppose we put aside hart and rely wholly on nature ? hat do you say to a bout at fisticuffs, just he amuse the lads, ye knew” “ Any thing that you prefer,” said Arizona, earelessly drawing his bowie-knife and laying Wis prenatly "A ed the pistes romptly ’Appy ’Arry banded the pii back a their Pins with ‘ bow, Without removing his coat, the Englishmem got into position. The spectators were delighted, ait! Heteaay e rs were delig ; an fell to betting on the result. Arizona’s reputation made public opinion shy of ’Appy ’Arry, but after the first preliz sses—feelers, so to speak—the ound backers. All of a sudden he shot forward a tring blow, taking Arizona a stinging clip fi ly be- tween the eyes, sending him to grass, and fetch- ing the claret in streams. for once in bis life, at least, the iron-hearted adventurer lost his head. ’ Furious with humiliation at the shout that went up over his downfall, he got upon his feet and rushed madly at his adve . os Instead of dodging his assault, "Appy "Arey suddenly bent forward and downward, thrust his head between the legs of his foe, and, Tisim instantly, threw him a complete summ over his head! Arizona struck fairly on his back, and lay stunned and motionless. The battle was over before the speetaters re- alized that ithad ectually begun.
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Cn Se Sa ES 12 Captain Arizona, the King Pin of Road-Agents. The dismayed silence was broken by Scowler’s voice shouting: “Foul! Foul!” And he sprung forward, drawing a revolver with murderous intent! CHAPTER XVIII. “WANTED, BUT NOT HON ’AND.” Bur ’Appy ’Arry quickly thrust his hands into the side pockets of his coat, and almost in- pany a pistol exploded, setting his right pock- afire. The shot was not wasted; for Scowler drop- pee his weapon, disabled by the passage of a ullet through his forearm. “It’s a poor preceptor that don’t practice ’is hown preaching,” said’Appy ’Arry, coolly. ‘‘If I’ad been disposed to show you the same fair play you would ’ave given me just now, I might ave ’ad your life as wellas not.” ‘By all the gods of battle, colonel!” cried Judge Stubbs, in ecstasy, ‘‘her Majesty’s sub- ject fired from his pocket, without aim! He’s as ready with the pistol as with his fists. Bless my soul and body! did you ever see any thing more neatly done?” But here Short-an’-dirty’s shrill voice rose above the hubbub. “D’ye think ’'m goin’ to stand the common ruck an’ run fightin’ in my ranch? Dll land you both through that door as sure’s my name is Short-an’-dirty !” Whether the virago would have succeeded in making good her words or not, fate here put in a diversion. A Giving, childish voice called shrilly: ‘ h, Short-an’-dirty! Short-an’-dirty! Tige’s | a-dyin’!—Tige’s a-dyin’! See ’im! fur breath! He’s a goner, sure!” And alittle runt of a gir], all rags and dirt and frowsy hair, rushed into the saloon from the inner room, carrying in her arms a mangy bull-pup, the ugliest animal that ever was born! Short-an’-dirty uttered a howl of dismay and grief, and forgetting the belligerents whom she was on the ein’ of ejecting from her door, snatched the dog from the child with one hand, while with the other she dealt her a cuff on the side of the head which knocked her over and over on the floor. “Oh, dear me suz! oh, dear me suz! what shill I do?’ she howled, rushing about distract- edly, with the bull-pup hugged to her bosom. ‘“Thar! thar! Tige, don’t ae go an’ flummix! Oh, Lord! he’s bu'sted! hat shill I do? what shill 1 do? Boo!—hoo!—hoo!” And blubbering with grief she ran off with her strange pet into the inner room, leaving the - saloon to take’ care of itself. “5 Howly Mother!” shouted Patsy,” ain’t that the batin’ o’ the divil?” While the rest stood aghast, wrestling with a strange idea. Was it possible that Short-an’- dirty loved anything? But before the question was solved, there came the sound of a measured tramp! tramp! and a gruff voice commanding: ‘‘Steady, men! Heyes right! Blast this bloody country | whether you’re hon your by Joe!” _ ‘Appy ’Arry was seen to start and glance about as if for some avenue of escape, mutter- ing: ) *Eavens and hearth!” He’s gaspin’ Carry batons! You never know ead or hon your ’eels, The next instant he bolted into Short-an’- | ra virgin bower, slamming the door after im. A yell of rage showed how Short-an’-dirty re- ceived this intrusion into her private apartment. Then there wasthe sound of a window-sash hastily raised, a scuffling noise as of some one ae hurried exit, and the window went down with a bang, just as the saloon door swung pe to give admittance to three men dressed in the uniform of the London police, with glazed helmet and strap at the chin. ‘They were evidently a sergeant and two men from the ranks. officer was a grizzly old fellow; bis subor- dinates looked like wooden so. ; and all three were as stiff as ramrods. be hup, there! Heyes right!” he com- manded as they entered the door shoulder to shoulder, keeping step like soldiers on dress pa- ANE!” They came to a standstill in the middle of the room. Producing a small scroll of paper, the sergeant - cried in a sing-song tone: “Hin the name of ’Er Graceous Male : Queen of Great Britain and Hireland and Hem- press of Hindia, I call upon ’Arry ’Ammond, hotherwise known as ’Appy ° , to surrender *is hey to the servants hof ’is righteous sover- ei ‘Eh? What is it?” “Ts it alive?’ “‘ Does it breathe?” ‘Pinch it and see if it hollers!” With facetious suggestions, the miners gath- ered about the strange new-comers, grinning broadly with amused manips y+ They plucked the coast of the policemen, who never moved a muscle. They walked about the sergeant, staring at him as if he were some curious animal on exhi- bition. “Who an’ what in thunder be you, anyway?” demanded one. ‘Hi, sir? I am the representative of the magisterial power of the British Hempire, sir! —more especially of the city of London, Heng- land! Iam in quest of one ’Appy ’Arry, and ’ave traced ’im to this ’ouse! ’Ave you secreted im hany where?” ‘*Eh, gents?’ laughed the miner, “‘be’s after the illustrious English Absentee and Great North American Non-est-inventus, fur a sure- enough fact! As the leetle cuss said, when wanted, he ain’t on hand! Ha! ha! ha! ‘See hyar, stranger, the gent you’re after has piked out.” “As what, sir? Do you suppose I hunder- stand the bloody hidioms of this blarsted coun- try? We talk Hinglish over in Hingland, ye know!” “Oh! you talk English, do ye? Waal, the only English-talkin’ party in this community is in the back room thar. Look-a-hyar, boss—I don’t cotton to that Happy Harry—don’t take no stock in him, nohow. e’s jist cleaned out the boys, an’ I'll give him away to a When he heard you fellers a-comin’, be jist bolted into that thar room. Ain’t that so, boys?” All assented. “Go in thar, an’ you'll drop on him like a thousand o’ brick! I say, boss, don’t forgit my share 0’ the reward.” : ‘* Forward march!” commanded the sergeant. And tramp! tramp! tramp! they went into Short-an’-dirty’s panqunerys The friendly miner slyly pulled the door to after them. Then from that room proceeded Short-an’- dirty’s war-whoop, followed by a wild commo- tion! For the space of thirty seconds everythin sailed! Then the door was burst open, an forth sallied three policemen with remnants of helmets and coats, and. gp ebdesFi nag fetching up the rear with a mop, screaming like a tiger- cat at every jump! The miners cheered lustily, while this inter- esting quartette flew about the saloon. Watching their chance, the discomfited offi- | cers of the law rushed back into Short-an’- dirty’s retreat and slammed the door in her face; and thus they ‘held the fort,” in spite of her wildest efforts to get in at them, yelling:— “They re in thar alone with that poor dorg, Tige! Oh! luddy gracious! theyll tramp on his blessed body !” But now from without came shriek after shriek, rending the air, and the sound of a joo hoofs flying at break-neck speed by the saloon. ) In a twinkling the Lone Hand emptied itself into the night ** Good 1 wa’n’t that a woman’s voice?” CHAPTER XIX. A MAD RIDE. Down the road, dimly discernible in the darkness, was a figure flying as for dear life. “*Tt’s a man,” cried one. ‘The Englishman, most likely.” “ But thar’s a woman on ahead,” said a man who now came up, out of breath with run- ning. ay knowed that was a woman’s scream.” ‘“‘T tried to stop her up the road; but Lord! I pei | that thar hoss would jump out o’ his skin! The leetle one stuck on like a wood-tick, an’ went sizzlin’ by hyar, when the gent come from behind the house an’ took arter her on the keen jump.” * But who’s the woman critter? Not the ‘Ts thar anybody else o’ the gade in this hyar community what’s likely to ride a-hossback?” “Gentlemen! gentlemen! what is all this about?” asked Judge Stubbs, who, not being the ryest on foot, had just succeeded in ma his way from the saloon. Page bri- ote ee ng | “The Rose is run away with on the parson’s bay hoss.” “ Miss Evans run away with, and you all stand hyar like a lot of— Waal! waal! is nothing to be done to rescue her from perhaps a frightful death? She wey be thrown from her horse and killed! Is this the way the men of Poker Pocket look after their women! Get me a horse! (ll shame you all!” But there was no horse to be had; and as quick as the miners found out that ‘“‘ The Rose” was in danger, many of them rushed off promptly enough on foot. And now a new character appeared on the scene—a man whose clerical dress showed that he must be the ‘“ m ” whose horse was said = have run away with the Rose of Poker Pock- et. He was a small man, yet with a full beard, which contrasted oddly with his high-pitched, falsetto voice. He spoke with a nasal twang and an affected, ministerial draw]. ‘My dear brethren,” he said, wringing his hands in apparent distress, ‘‘ what is this calami- ty which has fallen upon us? Much I fear that may be unwittingly the cause of untold suf- fering if not death, to our beloved sister in the Lord, and bereavement to the mother, already sore afflicted in her widowhood—ah! ay a kindly Providence avert this dread disaster!’ Arizona had recovered from the shock of his fall in time to be among the first who emerged from the saloon, and now stood among the group that lingered before the Lone Hand. Looking hard at the minister, he asked :— ‘Did you lend your horse to the Ay Sa lady ?” “To my now unavailing regret, 1did!” replied the divine, humbly. ‘I have always esteemed it a pleasure to contribute in every way possible to the enjoyment of one cut off from association with her own sex, and cast among the trials and dangers of a mining camp—ah! Alas! I never dreamed of danger in an animal which has always seemed manageable.” ‘*Hold on, boys! Hyar comes her mother! Fer God’s sake! don’t give it away that any- thing’s up!” But the warning came too late. A poor dumb creature, her face hidden by a hood and vail, came up, wringing her hands and pep Tore the crowd with inarticulate cries of distress ‘“‘ Ah! sister Evans,” said the minister, ‘‘do not tp way, I beg of you! Weare all in the hands of the Lord. without whom not a spar- row falls—ah! Whatever He permits is for the best. Let us hope and pray that He will with- hold the chastening hand from one on whofn the cross of affliction already bears heavily.” The woman sighed and moaned, and clung to the minister’s hand. ‘Don’t take on, ma’am,” said Judge Stubbs, stepping up toher. ‘‘Everything hasbeen and will be done that can be. A dozen brave men have flown to the rescue, and will no doubt report progress presently,” eanwhile ’Appy ’Arry, having escaped from Short-an’-dirty’s back window, had mounted his horse just in time to be in readiness to go in et of the flying figure that sped through he darkness with such startling screams, By the light from the saloon window, he saw a horse with the bit in his teeth, a vicious gleam bey eyes, and his ears laid close back to his As he ran, he kicked his heels wildly in the air and screamed with pain or rage. On his back was a lovely girl, not more than eighteen, at furthest, with ghastly, fear-drawn face, and fair hair streaming in the wind. She roe | in frantic terror to the saddle, while shriek after shriek went up from her mer Shae 1 ted d ppy was well moun and givin = “ra the rein, he urged him with voles aunt eel. So began a wild chase! Would the rescuer overtake the beautiful girl in time to save her; or would she be hurled to death from tke back of her unmanageable steed? Into the darkness they rushed, down the mountain road, which was thickly beset with dangers. Here a bowlder might have fallen from a cliff, to lie a fatal stumbling-block hidden by ‘the darkness; yonder a land-slide might block the way; further on a gully might have been worn in the road by the last rain, a step into which pa ng throw horse and rider, and break the neck of one or both; while at any point the sharp angles of the road might hurl the heedless racer against the face of a bluff or over a preci- pice! :
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————— But gradually ’A *Arry’s fleeter horse forged ahead, until rt UR in danger from the fly- 2 of the runaway. ow, straining their iron thews, they ran neck and neck. The girl had stopped screaming, now that suc- cor was at hand, and rode with set teeth and bated breath. “Look out!” cautioned ’Appy ’Arry. “If your ’oss shies, I will catch you.” Now came the critical moment, with life and death in the balance! With a last look ahead, to see if there were any dangers close at hand, ’Appy ’Arry gave his whole attention to the horse he meant to conquer. A last urging of his faithful steed, and he was far enough ahead to bend forward and reach to grasp the bit of the runaway. Seeing himself passed, the vicious animal sud- denly snapped with his teeth, and nearly caught ’Appy ’Arry’s hand; but the event was fortunate, or it released the bit and the next instant he was being curbed with a hand of iron. Now ensued a terrible struggle! His onward course checked, the horse seemed to & fairly mad. e reared and plunged and kicked and bit and screamed with fury. The very devil seemed to s him! Every moment hrenseaed to see his fair rid- er thrown over his head, to be bruised and man- gled on the rocky road. - was wonderful how the girl retained her seat. But this was not the first Lec Me any means, that the Rose of Poker Pocket seen | escorted her back to the Lone Captain Arizona, the King Pin of Road-Agents. ‘‘Hurray! hurray! Rose is safe! Hip! bip!” “Hurray! Hurray! Hurray!” You had better believe the rocks rung with the lusty shouts! And when the Rose came up, she explained the strange perro rey) and the men formed in procession about her, like a body-guard, and so ; and at a double- quick. Meanwhile, on his crazy horse ’Appy ’Arry had charged down upon the crowd before the Lone Hand Saloon. Some scattered with cries of warning; but Arizona sprung before the maddened animal, and his iron hand curbed his wild flight. As before, the horse screamed and bit and kicked, until "Appy ’Arry leaped from his back, when he became tolerably quiescent. ‘* Now look out fur a tornader! He'll mount that Englisher!” muttered one of the miners. But instead of renewing the hostility between them, Arizona said:— ** You downed me fair and square, and there I’m content to let the matter rest for the pres- ent, as I’ve got bigger business on hand. But I won’t answer for the future. I may come for you again.” “ Hallright, sir,” said ’Appy ’Arry, careless- ly. “ll ’old myself at your service whenever you say the word.” But from the Lone Hand rushed a creature wild with passion. ‘ve been robbed! I’ve beenrobbed! Whar’s the leetle British scalawag what’s played roots on Short-an’-dirty! Trot out the sneakin’ var- mint until I mount him! Ill show him a Yan- kee trick wo’th two of his Johnny Bull games. and, her first terror allayed, she was watching | Wait till I caterwamptiously chaw his year fur her opportunity. ere was an instant in which the horse seem- ed to be gatherin struggle; and in that instant the Rose leaped off, and alighted on her feet, unhurt. “‘Bravo! bravo!” cried ’Appy ’Arry, admiration. But, strange to say, the horse suddenly became quite tractabl restlessness which might be the remains of recent intense excitement. ‘“‘Har you ’urt?’ asked ‘Appy ’Arry, dis- in keen late so frantic, "im! Whar is the galoot?” And just as’Appy ’Arry turned, the virago his forces for a renewed | hurled herself upon him, tooth and nail. For a moment there was a mad scuffle, while Short-an’-dirty’s screams cut the air shrilly. Then her petticoats fluttered like sails in a hurricane, while her body went through some sort of evolution—nobody knew whether it was e, save a slight | a somerset, or just what—and she was discovered is | seated on the ground, with her hands held firm- ly behind by her English conqueror. ‘““He downed Arizona, an’ now he’s whipped Short-an’-dirty !” muttered a miner, in a sort manning ‘** Not the least,” replied the girl, in a sweet | of awe. voice, somewhat quavering, of course. As for Short-an’-dirty, her tussle with ’Appy “Let me tulate you! You ‘ave ’ad a *Arry had left her breathless and dazed. terrible ride. you mount my ’oss—do In that moment of silence, ’Appy ’Arry said: you feel strong enough?—I will take charge ot this fellow; and we shall be hable to relieve m2 hanxi ety of your friends in a few min- u a“ y ” fall right! I'll change the saddles in a I The girl laughed. “No need that. You see that mine is a tleman’s saddle, The horse was lent me by e Rey. Mr, Pillsbury.” ‘FH haught to be careful ’ow ’e lends such a vicious mal toa lady.” . ‘But I’ve ridden him before; and he never seemed unmanageable.” And lightly she sprung from ’Appy ’Arry’s hand to the back of — ~&. horse. A ’Appy’ leaped into the saddle of the late runaway, and— Away he shot like an arrow, on a return over the road he had come at the same mad pace! The Rose of Poker Pocket stared in dismay after her vanishing rescuer. What had got into that strange horse? CHAPTER XX. REVELATION—DENUNCIATION! “‘Hyar she comes ag’in on the back track! Stop "er, boys!—stop ’er!” > tel out! The devil’s in the beast!” ‘Hi! Hi?’ “By the Eternal! he’s down!” The horse had ridden through the crowd that attempted to oppose his passage, hurling one man to the ground. ‘No; it was a man, fur a fact.” And that Englisher.” uu + yeas the parson’s hoss. I’d know bim & thousand.” “Whar in thunder did he git the parson’s hoss?—an’ whar’s the gal?” . That Sadowner. | " jh? What's this?” _ © The gal, fur rocks” ee ee ee But, did you see?—it wa’n’t the gal, at all!” | | ‘*Now, be reasonable, woman. I’ave no de- sire to wrong you hout of a cent. My flight from out alien weber Good Lord!” very Without finishing, he dropped her hands, and darted away in the darkness. From round the corner of the house came the command :— ‘Steady, men! Heyes right! March!” And tramp! tramp! came the London pokes, shoulder to shoulder, and necks as stiff asif they had taken a sudden cold in them. As before, the Henglish Habsentee was not **hon ’and!” Then Short-an’-dirty ‘went for” those de- es officers i justice. ‘ i a e’s a countryman of y. and you ve to foot the bill!” she sioaieds and pouncing upon the Ey sergeant, she captured him oar dragged him into the saloon, to hold bim as hostage. Meanwhile, Arizona had been quieting the horse of the Rev. Mr. Pilisbury. While patting and smoothing the reeking hide of the animal, he slid his hand under the saddle, and drew forth, as he had expected, a thorn whose s point galled the horse’s tender flesh and ve him distracted the moment there was any weight in the saddle. Of this he said ane to the crowd, who were yelling themselves hoarse over the safe return of the Rose; but wie hg the thorn to the Rev. Mr. Pillsbury, he said:— “You're an infernal fraud! What interest have te in breaking the neck of that girl?” “TJ? I? Idonotunderstand you, sir!” stam- mered the minister. “Oh, yes you do!” persisted Arizona. ‘“ You put that thorn under the saddle for the express ) of goading the horse to run away, in the hope that the girl might be killed—by acci- dent !—you pious humbug! I'll see you later!” “Sir! Sir! Dare you accuse a minister of the Gospel—” But Arizona had turned on his heel to ive his whole attention to tke Rose of Poker Pocket, who was dismounting from her horse._ At sight of her he started violently. ‘*Good Heavens! can it be?” he cried. Raise ’er, boys! The 13 Then, after a nearer view: ‘ ‘*By all that’s fortunate! it is—the bonny Claire! At last! at last!” His face glowed with unholy triumph. All unconscious the girl had sprung into the arms of ber mother. The dumb woman cl her child in her arms and kissed her, without lifting her vail. ‘‘My beautiful Claire!” repeated Arizona. “Then who is this mother? Her mother died years ago. And why this mystery of a vail/+— and dumb! By Jove! I bave it! Aha! aha! They laugh best who laugh last! Now it is my turn! Perhaps the game’s not payee out yet!” Strange to say, another had n affected very similarly to Arizona. Creeping back in the darkness, on discovering that Short-an’-dirty had demoralized the re sentatives of British justice by capturing their leader, ’Appy ’Arry was also gazing on mother and daughter, and muttering: ‘‘That’s surely the girl. Then the hother must be— ’Ello!” His sudden ejaculation was caused by an un- expected development. he Rev. Mr. Pillsbury mk ge forward, and addressing Miss Evans vely, as she was re- leased from her mother’s arms, said:— ‘*T cannot express my regret at the r to which I have unwittingly exposed you. nks to an all-merciful Providence you are returned to us again, safe from harm.” ‘* Don’t mention the danger,” said the gener- ous girl. ‘Of course, it wasn’t your fault—” But just bere came the interruption which had checked ’Appy ’Arry’s speculations. ‘* There’s no time like the present!” muttered Arizona; and stepping forward, he confronted the dumb mother of the Rose of Poker Pocket. ‘*Gentlemen,” he cried aloud, ‘I believe I have a bone to pick with this mysterious female / oe how easy a thing it is to be humbug- ed!” . And with a dexterous twitch, he jerked hood and vail from the head of—ALF CHESWICK! With a derisive laugh, he flourished his tro- hies above bis head; but suddenly the fist of he whilom dumb woman shot forth, and the iron-hearted adventurer went to grass Alf Cheswick planted his foot on the breast of his fallen foe and glared about like a lion at bay. Claire screamed and clung to her husband. The miners stood aghast. “What is all this, my dear colonel?” queried vedee Stubbs in bewilderment. ‘‘By Jove, sir! I don’t understand it at all!” “The sloy divil! Is it a man, 1 dunno?” cried Patsy. ‘ murdther! luck at the thricks av that purty crayther!—will yez now? It’s a foin mother she has! There’s the b’atin’ o’ the divil in their ways—all o’ thim!” , And at this Be na BE pre ie Poa Rev. Mr. illsbury step orw: said: ‘*Men, bind that fallen ruffian! him as the outlaw—Captain Bland With a howl, Poker Pocket sprung forward as one man; and, struggling vainly to rise, the Iron oe was pinned once more to the ground! I denounce Aad CHAPTER XXI. BOB BOLTON IN AT THE DEATH. BRANDED as a murderer and hopeless of bein able to preve his innecence, Alf Cheswick ha resolved to cast every other consideration to the winds and cleave to his young wife, whom he loved before all things else on earth. He be- lieved that he had killed Patent-leather Joe, and to Claire he explained the feud between them which seemed to justify the act of ven- qrosce—how that man had murdered his father, riven bis mother insane, come wit. an ace of wrecking the life nopeenes of his sister, and, last, had sought to rob him of his wife! But, knowing that be bad killed ope man would Claire ever believe that he was innocen of her father’s murder? He dared not run the risk! He would fly with her! She should never hear the accusation from mortal lips! They fled, and buried themselves in the mountains, Claire never knowing even that her father was dead. But one day Alf heard of Sheriff Bob Bolton’s pledge to hunt the murderer of old Stephen Ren- salier to the death. ‘He let me escape from the mob, trusting in his ability to recapture me, and ti ke me before a court of law,” was poor Alf’s fatal mistake. “Tt was a mere matter of pride with bim. It would be a feather in bis cap, to so circumvent Judge Lynch in favor of the regularly consti- tuted authorities.” Then it was that he scopted the disguise in
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14 whieh we have found him at Poker Pocket, makimg Claire believe that he dreaded pursuit on account of the slaying of Pateat leather Joe. At any cost he would keép his wife, and keep her in ignorance of that terrible accusation. Now, his mask torn away, he feared—first, that the charge against him would be made in Claire’s yeenctr second, that he would be drag- ved eff to trial nid hanged. : So engrossed was he with these apprehensions, that he forgot to wonder at the ee te ged of his eld foe, alive and well—indeed, he did not realize that it was he until afterward—and thought only of escape with Claire. But nother influence was at work. The Rev. Mr. Pillsbury knew that if Poker Pocket cot the idea that Arizona was Captain Bland, no one would listen to any counter charge that Arizo- na might wish to bring against the minister; so, in self-defense, he took the initiative. Tn a trice Arizona was bound and helpless. Then Judge Stubbs came “‘ to the fore.” **Gentlemen,” he said, “this hyer thing has turned out aoout as I expected. I always said that sooner or later I'd have to bang our friend hyer. He’s carried things with a pretty high hand; but every dog has his day. 7 e@ gentleman get the rope ready while we go on with the trial.” ere seemed to be a universal desire to act as hangman; and Poker Pocket was about to rush = in a body for the rope, when the judge inter- “ Don’t all go at once, gentlemen. We'll want a dozen unprejudiced men for jurors. The thimg’s got to be fiok through on the square.” Do you think that any of the good citizens of Poker Pocket thought themselves unfitted for on the score of prejudice? They'd scorn idea! — At any rate, no one was prejudiced in favor of the prisoner. They’d give him the benefit of the doubt fast enough? at is to say—if there was any doubt of his being Capt. Bland, they would hang him on general principles! So, in lieu of & prisoner’s dock, Arizona was saade to stand on a barrel beneath the project- per wet metamorphos.d a candle-box into a judge’s bench; and, while the trial progressed am aetiye man sbinned up the cottonwood and a ‘the noose conveniently near the pris- ‘over’s head, so that no time need be lost when the verdict had been rendered. a ae his right to the title of the He never deigned so much as a glance in u fof his confederates; but stood a man aver, they were mindful of bis strait. But let us note a strange proceeding which teok place before they could act. “ He's our man, beyond question,” said ’Appy *Arry; and now, strange to relate, there was no trace of the cockney in his articulation, but, on the centrary, the t veh yor 2 American accents ef Sheriff Bob Bolton! ‘‘I had his pistols in hand 3: She steom be We see that a. were cut with the same initials—‘ P. J.’—and by the same hand as this pretty rib-tickler!” And be displayed the bowie-knife which he had pieked up in Stephen Rensalier’s garden on the morning of the murder. ; “ But the question is whether we can take him out of this camp. As long as the boys are bound to —<e ra as a road-agent, they would laugh at the idea of giving him up to the slow and uncertain grind of a court, to be tried for a my a pwd old. Our only show is to lay tow and not show our hands yet. There may be a slip in this hanging—the other was jest as near it as he is and got off—and we may have a ebance to come for him ag’in.” “ peakin’ of the other one,” suggested the sergeant, and his crusty old voice was now | con leasant, and he had Jost his stiffness, as ad the members of his squad, ‘‘ while we're waitin’ fur something to turn up, why can’t we tell the young feller that his innocence has been proved by a perfect alibi, and that that million is gettin’? mouldy waitin’ fur some ere to turn it over?” “K eapital idea! We'll ect on it,” assented Sheriff Bob Boltov. ‘ That pretty little woman has been run from copse to cover long enough! Captain Arizona, the King Pin of Road-Agents. { s°w the pair slip into that cabin over yonder | tu t after the mob nabked P 4 y* } . Patcnt-euther Joc, contents had evidently been tumbled~ about, shadows.” sounds reached their ears. / No doubt they are getting ready to break ccver | and run tor it again.” Paying no heed to the trial which was in | progress, the disguised officers glided over to | the cabin where the Rose of Poker Pocket and her fugitive busband had lived unsuspected. A knock at the door. No answer! Another knock. ' Still unbroken silence! “They’re laying low. Try the door.” It yielded to the touch. Within the cabin all was in confusion. The drawers of a rude bureau stood open, and their some of them lying on the floor. But the back door stood wide open. The birds had flown! “Thats the way they went,” cried Bob Bol- ton. ‘‘Come on, men! e may overtake them. Thar’s no use leaving them to fly from But as they emerged from the cabin strange ‘*Great Heavens! what’s this? CHAPTER XXII. CAPTURING A TOWN. Down the road at afurious gallop eame a band of armed men! In a twinkling they had surrounded the ‘‘ court” before the Lone Hand Saloou! Every man jack of them wore a black mask! ‘Hands up! Surrender!” shouted the leader, brandishing a brace of revolvers. ‘ We take posvession ‘of this town.” “Capt. Bland! Capt. Bland!” passed from lip to lip. Poker Pocket yielded gracefully to the for- tunes of war. In the confusion that ensued Arizona escaped, nobody knew when or how. Five minutes later he reappeared in com- | mand of the band of outlaws; and no one could | see through his black mask to distinguish bim from the leader under whom they had swept | down upon the town. | The Brothers of the Laramie Hills hel themselves to whatever they saw in Poker Pocket that pleased their eT and the min- ers, overawed, were forced to look on at their own spoliation. But this was only a blind. Arizona had instantly instituted a search for Alf Cheswick and his wife. As ‘Appy ’Arry had done, he found their cabin empty. The robber chief sent out men to scour the vicinity; but neither that night nor the follow- ing day were the tives found, Appy ’Arry and the London police had. also my ously disap But one prisoner was brought in--the Rev. Mr, Pillsbury?—and, what do you think?—mi- nus his disguise ! At sight of the minister, Arizona; thrown off his Sere cried; “ t Heavens! you, Hortense?’ And the arch-plotter, for it was indeed she, exclaimed in return: ie My brother Andrew! Can it be?” ““ Whom you came within an ace of hanging, my dear |” But how could I know it was you?” “True. I bear you no malice. But I drop to your little game. Of course you are still aiter uncle Steve’s million?’ ‘* What do you know about it?” “a ay about it, my dear sister! Of course, , oot lend the horse to facilitate tardy na- ture 7 Well, I suppose there us no use in denying “None whatever. And now, sister mine, we have both made a mistake. In the past we have been fighting against each other. Now we must strike hands. In union there is strength !” ** Agreed—sbare and share alike!” consented Hortense; and they clasped hands. They had not given over the fight for that million, and don’t you forget it ! On the following day they quit Poker Pocket. That night, a strange thing took place in the cabin lately tenanted by the Rose of Poker Pocket. A board in one corner of the floor rose cau- tiously; and after an interval a bead was thrust | forth. A moment of listening, and the body followed the head; after which another figure emerged. | Presently the two crept from the cabin and | disappeared in the darkness. Soine time afterward a slightly disarranged | board led to the discovery of a retreat beneath the floor of the cabin, and then Poker Pocket | knew hew the Rose had eluded tke pursuit ef | } | her enemy. ee rates | Four ‘ == nen etnanh ap But far away.she was c close tw the arms of her husband, happy in their mutuai love, though neither knew that this far, at least, they were victors in the game with— ‘* A MILLION IN THE Por!” And now, young friends, if you have lw your money’s worth in thi first hand in— PATENT-LEATHER JOr’s Bic Gamn, perhaps you will be on hand when the card» ge round again, with Arizona of the Tron Hear: and Hortense Rensalier in partnership, ans: Sheriff Bob Bolton in the role of the littie jcker! THE END, Half-Dime Singer’s Library 1 Wuoa, Exsnmta! and 59 other Songs. 2 Capra Curr and 57 other Songs. 8 Tye Gainsporo’ Hat and 62 other Songs, 4 Jonnny Moraan and 60 other Songs. 5 tu Strike You Wire A FRATHER and 62 others. 6 GeORGE THE CHARMER and 56 other Songs. 7 Tun Beuitz or Rockaway and 52 other pes 8 Youna Freiian, You're Too FresH and 60 other. 9 Say Youne Gime and 65 other Songs. 10 P’« THe Governor’s ONLY Son and 58 other Song: . 11 My Fan and 65 other is eon 12 Comin’ THro’ THe Rye and 55 other Songs. 18 Tae Roruckine Intsuman and 59 other songs. 14 Ory Doa@ Tray and 62 other Songs. 15 WHoa, Cuariiz and 59 other Songs. 16 lx THIs WaEaT By ann By and 62 other Songs. 17 Nancy Lze and 58 cther Songs. 18 I'm THe Boy THAT’s Bound To Biaze and 67 othe: s. 19 THe Two OrpHANs and 59 other Songs. 20 WHAT ARE tHE Witp WAVES SAYING, Sis7Tei.: and 59 other Songs, 21 Inprenanr Potty Woe and 59 other Songs. 22 Taz Otp ArM-CHare and 58 other Songs. 23 On Coney Isuanp brace and 58 other Songs. 24 Op Simon, THE Hor-Corn MAN and 60 others. 25 I'w iw Love and 56 other “17 25 PARADE oF THE GuaRps and 66 other Songs. 34 Tarry and 50 other So é 85 Jusr ro PumAsr THY Boys and 52 other Songs. : and, 52 others. report i i er 3! 2 er eer ane fivé centr cepy, or sent post-paid, to any Tessa, OU re BEADLE AND ADAMS, PusiisHers, 98 Wri14M Street, New Yors. The Saturday Journal, “The Model Family Paper —AND— Most Charming of the Weeklies.” good in every thing; bright, ve. Serials, Tales; Roman Sketches, Adventures, Biographies, Pungent Essays, Poetry, Notes and Answers to Correspondents Wit and Fun— All are features in every number, fromm such celebrated writers as no paper in America can boast of. What is best in POPULAR READING, that the paper always has; hence for Home, SHop, Li- BRARY and GENERAL READER it is without « rival; and hence its great and steadily imereasing circulation. The SaruKDay Journal is sold everywhere by newsdealers; price sia cents per number; or te subscribers, post-paid, at the following cheap vVizZ.: months, one dollar; one year, three dollars; or. two copies, jive dollars, Address BEADLB & ADAMS, Publishers, 98 William Street, New Yerk,
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82 Large Three-Column Pages. A Fard Crowd; on, GENTLEMAN Sau’s Sister. By Philip S. Warne. 2. The Dare-Devil; orn, THe WivcEpD Wares oF THE Sea. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. &. Kit Carson, dr., Tore Crack Suor or we West. ‘aaa Sam. 4. The dnapper; or, THE GREAT SHANGHAI oy THE NorTHWest. By Philip 8S, Warne. 5. The Fire-Fiends; or, HERCULES, THE Mvunommacx. By A. P. Morris. 6. Wildcat Bob, Tas Boss BRUISER ; ex, Taz Borper BLoopyounps. By Ed. L. Wheeler. %. Death-Notch, Thz DESTROYER; OR, ‘Pao Symir Lake Avenerrs. By Oll Coomes, 8. The Headless Horseman. raed story of Texas, By Capt. Mayne Reid. 9. Handy Andy. By Samuel! Lover. 10. Vidocg, Tue Frenca Pouics Spy. Written by himself, 11. Midshipman Easy. ryat. 12. Tho ™eath-Shot; on, TRACKED To Bears. By Capt. Mayne Reid. 13. Pathaway; on, Nick WHIrrLes, THE Ow Trapret or THE ORTHWEST. By Robinson, 14. Thayendanegea, THs Scoures ; ex, Taz Wan-Exaiz or THE Monawks. Ned BuntEne. iS. The Tiger-Slayer; or, EaG.e- Beav To Tor Resccz. By Gustave Aimard. 16. The White Wizard; or, Tur Great Preruwr ov Tur Seminotes. By Ned Buntiine. 1%. Nightshade, Tre Ropszr Prica es Hounstow Hraru. By Dr. J. H. Robinson. 18. Tho Sea Bandit; on, Toe Quzen ev tux Isne. By Ned Buntlino. 19. Red Cedar, Taz Pramm Ovtiaw. By Capt. Mar- By Gustave Aimard. 20. the Bandit “4 Bay; on, Tax Pr- RATES @F Tun PRatnecs. Gustave Aimard, 21. The Trappe ; You OortAw's Park. cx's, Daughter pe telaw 5 OR, Natriz ov THE Lake guere. By Dr. J. H. Robinson.’ 23. "The Red Warrior: fs) ieriitzs Puceomm’s Comincan Lover. By ted Bunthine, 24. Prairie Flower. mard, author of “Tiger-Slayer,” etc, 25. Fhe A fa pecan ba age RM, 26. The Death-Track; 6x, Tae Our Baws op TIT Mounrarn. By Francis Johnson. 27. The S$ Tan sas‘ ae Yee ns ee OR, Thrse-Fingered Jack, THe Roap- seme ov mos By Joseph E. Badger, Jr. 29, Tiger Dick, Tue Faro Kine; or, Yew Case's Crna. 8 hm ag een 30. Gospel or, Frery Fen, ‘Tee Senet By pS n Bad zer, Jr. 31. The New York ‘Sharp?’ TRE Fase or Ligurxuse. By Albert W Riken. 2 32. B’hoys of Yale; on, Tan SORAPTS | ow 4 Harp Ser or Coiurgians. By John D. Vose. 33. Overland Hit. By A. W. Aiken. 34. Rocky Mountain Rob. By Aiken. 35. Kentuck, the Spert. By Aiken. 36. Injun Dick. By Albert W. Aiken. 87. Hicl, the Hunchback: Tan | SweRDMAKER Ov THE SANTEE. By Dr. J. MS otheece. 88. Velvet wanes Op 7 Tre [ron Grip or Iswun Dick. By Albert W. 38. The Russian | mas oF THE STaRRY Cross. te kicee ase The Lon *‘Pards;’ ‘fae Tanpans or ey oa By Jos. E. Badger. Jr. | _ 4%. Gold Dan; or, Taz Wars Savaae | or Tam Gnaar Saver Lake. By Albers W. Aiken. By Gustave Ai- 42. The California Detective; on, | ‘Bes Wrrenes ov New Yors. By Albert W. Aiken. 43. Baketc Pan. Tur Reoxiass Rancrn; or, Tree Bre- Terres’ Exeorssom. By Oll Cooues | | | | | ) } L 7%. The Fresh of Frisco; or, Tur py! on. Tax Porm | Hnrress ov Bumnavenrura. By Albert W, Alken. ' wae Dwarr. By Philip 8. Warne, BKach Number Complete, Price 1U ct». 82. Iron Wrist, the Swordmastc: By Col. Thomas H, Monstery. 83. Gold Bullet Sports or THE KNIGHT» OF THE OvyERLAND. By Buffalo 84, Hunted..Down; or, THR Wace. 44. Old Dan Rackback, Tur Great | Extarminator, By Oll Coomes. 45. Old Bull’s Eye, Tae licurnine Ssor oF THE Pras. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr. woe Rawie-Knife Som — LITTLE UNTER OF THE Nor’-west. By mes, : 47. Pacific Pete, Tux Prince or THE pee. By Aiert W. Ae Revo.ver. By Jos. E. Badger, Jr. 85. The Cretan Rover; or, ZULEIKan 48. Idaho Tom, TxE Youye Ovriaw , ™* Beaurivox. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. ov StivertAnp. ‘By Olt Coomies, 86. The Big Hunter; or, Taz Quen, 49. The Wolf Demon; or, THE QUEEN op | OF THE Woops. By the author of “Silent Hunter.” THE KanawnHa. By Albert W. Aiken, | 87. The Scarlet eptain; or, THr 50. Jack Rabbit, THe Peamim Sport; | eyes TowER. wee Delle Sara. By Jos. KE. Badger, Jr. TE GIANT OF TRE 51. Red Rob, Tas Boy. Roap-AGEnt. Fe or, nay TLAW Brorurrs. By Badger. By Oli Coomes. 89. The Pilate Prinee; or, Pretty 52. Denth Trailer, Tae Cnrer OF | Neuy, Tas Quem, oa THE IsLz By Col. Ingrahan:. 8c i W (Buffalo Bill. 200s. sy Hoa, Win. F, Cody, (Buttalo BAL) 90. Wild Will, Taz Map Raxcueno. 53. Silver Sam; or, THe MysTEry oF | nf = TEERIBLE Pe By Buckskin Sam. Dealwoop Crry, By Col. Delle Sara. ‘ . The Car; or, Trx Inn $4. Always on Hand; or, Tat Sportive | wat 8 Bee By Albert W. Aiken. Sronr or THe Foor Huis. By Philip 8, Warne 92. Buffalo Bill, Tur Buc ; Kino: 55. The Scaip Hunters. A RoMANCEOF | By Major Dangerfield Burr. Tar Pains. By Capt. nee haere ae a. Ca, tain Dick Talbot, Kixc i 56. The Indian aig), eg goa aaken. | “= Albert W. Aiken, Map Man oF THE PLauys. a n : panecie THE BUCCAFEER; or, T!. 57. The Silent Hunter; or, Toe ScowL : war ov rue Wave. By Col. Prentiss legrobaen: Hatt Mystery. By Pe B, 8t. Jonh. es te! 2 95. Azbort, THE AXMAN; or, TuE SEORE 68. Silver Knife; or, WICKLIVFR, THE | op rae Ducat Parack. Ly Anthony P. Morris. Rocky Mountam RaNarr. By Dr. J. H. Robinson. 96. Rouble-Death; or, THE SPY vxErE. 59. The Man From Texas; or, THE | oy Wroztno. Py Capt. Frederick Whittaker. Ovurtaw oF ARKANSAS. By Albert W. Aiken. 97. Hronze dack, Tum CAL Ons 60. Wide Awake; or, Tae Ipior or | THoroveurrep, By A, W, ‘Aiken, ’ THe Buack Hints. By Frank Dumont. | @8. The Rock Rider; or, Tu ‘Sen, + = ee Seawaif, ram Privarser. | oy rau Strmna. By Capt. Frederick Whit y 6. ®2. The Giant Rifleman}; or, wi» 62. Heart; or, Taz TRAPPERS OF | Lire mw rie LoureR Reaions, De Ont Code. ARKANSAS. Gustave Aimard. 1CO. The French oeiars vr eae. eee By Aiken. | or Pans A Story of the the ata iy wy Sp ade bas - rahe: The Man from New Fork or, 65. The ¥ or, ‘Tro ScounGs Romance ov 4 Eick Youne Womax. By albert PhD eg By Ca on 0G, Fn, Sacer, Base: ‘ 102. Tho Macked Band jor, Tux Mas Wrrnoct 4 Nama. By George L. 103. Merle, the einen? or, Thin r. (ole gg . aa en a 6%. ‘The Boy Soak 5 Pee yard op THE y : a RL 3. a Nt the , Meratlesa! or, A bi Cae B. RS Sie sata Mg 105. Dan Brown of Denver, Sy Rooxy Mountarw Dergcrive. By Jos. KE Badger, Jr. 2080 Shamus O’Brien, Tus Rovip Bor Fath Irish Hearts anp Inish Homes. 107. Richard Talbot of Cinnabar: | OF, 77 Baorgane op zn Ban Haxp. By Alvert ¥ 69. The Irish C A bom ¥ Tonrrenoy. ish, Capa * 70. Hydrabad, Ta @rnavalewi or, ALEeruZ, THE CHILD op THE ConD. By Robinson. 71. Captain Cool-Blade, or, Taz Man Su4sRk oF Tua Missresiprr, By Jos. z Badger, Jr. 72. The Phantom Fiand. A Srorr or | New Yor Hearts aNp Homes. By A. W. Aiken, 73. The Knight of the Red Cross; or, THe Magrcran or Granada. Dr. J. H. Robinson. 74. Captain ofthe Rifles. A Romance ov Tua Mexican Vatiey. By Captain Mayne Reid. 75. Gentleman George, or, PaRvor, Prison, STaAGk AND STREET. By Albert W. Aiken. 76. The Qucen’s Musketeer; or, | Taispn, THE Parscess PatMist. By George Albony. 108. The Duke cf Diamonds; at ea Wrowenr ov Catourra. By Cept. Fred, Whittaker. ner Be sheet Kidd, Kine or tar Biiatin el Prentiss Ingraham. Nev, 24th gers The Silent Riflemzn. A [aie the Texan Plains, .By Henry W, Herbert. Dec. lac 111. The Sm ler oe Captain; or, Tre | Sxxprzr’s Cruisz. By Ned Buntline. D, cember 8th 1128. Joe Phenix, Private Derectiv« or, Tau Luacue oF THE SKELPToN Kuys. By Albert . Aiken. Ready December 15th, 113. The Sea Slip 3 or, ele Atta TEvR FreesooTers. By J. HI " Ready cember Sho A new issue every week. 78. The Mysterious Spy; or, GoipEn Fearumr, THe BuccaNser’s DavauTar, By Grainger. 79. ee Phenix, Tum Poiicu Spy. By - Albert W, Aiken. Beadle’s Dime Lib ‘ €0. A Man of Merve; or, Canmas, ° e rary is for sale by su Newsdealers, ten cents per copy, or sent by mail ow receipt of twelve eents each. BEADLE & ADAMN ; Publishers $i. ov ru The Human Ti or, A Brant } * res Ww. — "S Willlam Street New York.
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1 pe eS Dick, THE Prince or THE Roap; ; BuLack Riper oF THE Buack Hits. By fdward L. Wheeler. 2 Vellowstone Jacky; or, TRAPPERS OF THE ENCHANTED GROUND. By Jos. E. Badger, Jr. 3 ee King; or, Toe Rep Ricut Hann. Le Buffalo Bill (Hon. Wm. F. Cody). e Wild-Horse Hunters. By Captain © ees Reid and Captain Frederick Whittaker. 5 Vagabond Joe, THE Youna WANDERING JEW; or, PLOTTING FOR & LEGACY. By Oll Coomes. ¢ Bil nae gi fe Ex 4 er; or, Live IN THE NORTHWEST. ge ward 8. Ellis, ” ¥ The Flying Yankee; or, Tae Ocean Ovt- cast. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. & Seth Jones; or, THe Caprives oF THE F'RON- mer. By Edward 8. Ellis. 9 Raveuturcs of Baron Munchausen, N0 Nat Todd; or, Tae Fare or THE Stoux Cap- tives. A Sequel to Bill Biddon. By E. 8. Ellis. 11 The Two Detectives; or, ForRTUNES or A Bowrry Girt. By CTbect W. A Aiken. 12 Gulliver’s Travels. A Voyage to Lilli ~a and a Voyage to Bromine. 2° Dean S 13 The Dumb Spy. By Oll Coom 14 Aladdin; or, Tue Wenaant LAMP. 15 The Sea-Cat; or, THe Wrrosn of DARIEN. tho) ‘aptain Frederick Whittaker. 16 Robinson Crusoe. His Life and Surpris- Adventures, (27 Illustrations.) By Defoe. Wy i alph Roy, Tar Box Buccaneer; or, THE Fuerrtve Yacut. By Col. Prentiss In am. 14 Sindbad the Sailor. His Seven Voyages. From the Arabian Nights. 49 Hip ogy gs Beng A bt Buffalo B Bill. 10 The Dou le Daggers; or, hata Dicxr’s Deriance. By Edward L. eeler. 2\ The Frontier Angel. A Romance or KEn- “2 or, THe PILoT oF THE Toucky RANGER’s Lire. By Edward §S. Ellis. The Sea Serpent; or, Taz Boy Rosrnson Crusor. By Juan Lewis. 23 Nick o° the Night; or, Taz Boy Spy or 76, oe. C. Harbaugh. 14 Diamond Dirk; or, Taz Mystery or THE YELLOWSTONE. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 44 The Boy Captain; or, THe Prrite’s Daveuter. By Roger Starbuck. 26 Cloven Hoof, tae Burrato Demon; or, THE Borper Vurtores. By Edward L. Wheeler. 47 Antelope Abe, THe Boy Guinz. Oll Coomes. 28 Buffalo Ben, "rae PRINCE OF THE PISTOL; or, DEADWOOD Dick my Disauise. E. L. Wheeler. 29 ‘The un Page; or, Tot Doar’s Davuex- feo diy — t. Frederick Whittaker. 56 Hoa ng Ralph Rockwood, THE REck- caen Amo. By Harry St. George. ai esa Parca OF THE Prarres. By 37 Bob Woolf, Taz Borprr RvrrFtay; or, THE Grau Drap-Snor. By Edward L. Wheeler. 35 The Ocean Bloodhound} or, THe Rep Prrates oF THE CarieseEs. By 8. W, Pierce. 9A oreeen Sol; eu or, Nick Winrriss’ Boy Spy. 15 Wild iv Adams. il ian, THE Boy Ciaupg Duvat; or, THE BrorHernoop or DeatH. By Ed, L L. Wheeler. 36 Bt Boy Clown Keg THE QUEEN OF THE Arena. By Frank S. tI" ‘The Hidden adaos or, Tae Lrrruz Houn- TER OF THE. ADIRONDACKS. By T. C, Harbaugh. a8 Ned Wylde, TH: By Scout. By Texas Jack. 39 pos eo THE Love In New YorK. 49 Roving Ben. A Story or a Youna AMERI- cAN Wao WANTED To Ser THE WortD. Marshall. 4) Lasso Jack, THE Youna MUSTANGER. By Oll Coomes. 42 The Phantom Miner; or, Drapwoop ~" Diox’s Bonanza, By Edward L. Wheeler. THE Pony Express RIDER. 1S lee Ce rreded rederick Whittaker. 04 Watt Hating 2 By tary 3 r- = NicHtT Hawks oF 46 Old id Avalanche x Gane ANNTHILATOR; or, WILD EpNA, THE GIRL i, Beary. FE. L. Wheeler. 46 Glass Byer, THE GREAT SHOT oF THE WEST. . F. C. Adams. «7 Nighvtiny mgate Ne oped or, Taz Forest CAPprarns. 8 hack J ohn, om Roap-AGeEnt; or, THE Out- ws’ ReTreEAT. By Jos. E. Badger, Jr. (9 ‘Ousalen Oli, THe Masxep Terror: or, Deap- woop Dick Ix Danagr. By Edward L, Wheeler. i*® Burt Bags THE TRAPPER. A Tale of the North C. E. Lasalle. y¢ ant “Boy | iiffen 5 or, THe UNDERGROUND hie C. Trons. \s one te Buffalo. Adventure in the ie hg ‘Dears. By Capt. J. F. 57 Deadwood Dick’s Eagle By OF, r, THE PARDS or FLoop Bar. Aha eeler. 4% The Border King; or, Taz Secret For, rs Oll Coomes. &> sass Meck orys or, Panpy Exis’s Scatp. By a 0) The re White indian; or, THe ScouTs OF THE YELLOWSTONE. Capt. J J. F. C. Adams. “! Buckhorn Bill; or, Tax Reo Rix Tram. Edward L. Wheeler. a) ame fedbniggs yh? Ship; or, Tae Rrvav Lirv- By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. ' W. J. Hamilton. 3 or, THE OUTBAW OF THE OREGON | AVENGERS. B 64 Dandy Jac Tram. By T. C. ” Harbaugh. 65 durricane Bill; or, Mustane Sam anv His “ PARD.” ak E. *Badger, Jr. 66 Single Hand; or, A Live ror A Lire. By W. J. Hamilton. 67 Patent-leather Joe; or, OLD RaTrLesNakgE, THE CHARMER. By Philip yS. Warne. 68 The Border Robin Hood; or, Tar Pratrte Rover. By Buffalo Bill. 69 Gold Rifle, THe SHARPSHOOTER; or, THE Boy DETECTIVE OF THE BLACK RANCH. . by Wheeler. 70 Old Zip’s Cabin; or, THE GREENHORN IN THE Woops. , As F. 0. Adams. 71 Delaware Dick, Tae Youne Ranaer Spy; or, BROTHER AGAINST BroTueR. By Oll Coomes. 72 Mad Tom Western, THe TExAN RANGER; or, THE QUEEN OF THE PRAIRIE. By Hamilton. 73 Deadwood Dick on Deck} or, CaLamity JANE, THE HEROINE OF WHOOP- Ur. By Wheeler. 74 Hawk-eye a_i THE Youna TRAPPER Ranger. By Oll Coomes. 75 The Boy. Duelist; or, Tue Croisz or THE Sea-Woitr. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham, 76 Abe Colt, Tam Crow-Kuer; or, THe GREAT FIGHTING MAN or THE West. By A. W. Aiken. 77 b tarctntesicg & Charlie, THE Boy Bravo; or, Drapwoop Dicx’s Last Act. By E. L. Wheeler. 78 Blue ee or, THe YELLOW CurIEF’s VEN- GEANCE. By Captain ny Reid. 79 Sol Ginger, THE GiANT TRAPPER; or, THE FLOWER OF JHE BLACKFEET. 80 Rosebud Rob; or, Nuaaer Nep, Tar Kyieut OF THE GULCH. By Edward L. Wheeler. 81 Lightning Jo, TH Terror or THE PRAIRIE. = aptain J. F.C. Adams. 82 Kit iMarcioot, THE Woop-Hawk; or, OLD PowbDER-FAce AND "His Demons. B Harbaugh, 83 Rollo, the Boy Ranger HE HEIRESS oF THE GotpEN Horn. By Olt Dockhes. 84 Idyl, the Girl Miner; or, Rosesup Ros ON AND. By Edward L. Wheeler. 85 Buck Buckramy; or, Bess, THE FEMALE TRAPPER, By Captain J. F. C. Adams, 86 Dandy Bock, THe Man From Texas. By G. Waldo Browne. 87 The Land Pirates; DEVIL’s ma By Capt. M Mayne Reid. 88 Photogra il, THE Y¥ SLEUTH; RosEBuD Ros’s Suerashunn By E. L. Wheeler. 89 Island Jims; or, THe Pet or THE Famiiy. By the author of ** Jack Harkaway. 90 whe Dread Rider}; or, THE ey George Waldo Browne. 91 The ba ate ofthe Club; or, Tae Youne or, THE LEAGUE oF or, DvELIst. Rival ATHLETES. ae Bracebridge Hemyng, 92 Canada Chet, CoUNTERFEITER or, OLD ANACONDA’ IN gy oes Bouuw’s Camp. By Edward L. Wheeler. 93 The Boy Haber ON or, THe ENcHANTED IsLAND. By Edward 8. Ellis. 94 Midnight Jack, THE RoAD-AGENT; or, Gopuxer Gin, THE Boy TRAPPER OF THE CHEYENNE. Cc. Harbaugh, "Ene 95" Rival Rovers; oF THE MississipPr. B 96 Watch-Eye, THE ANGELS oF A Great Crry. 97 Koes Outlaw Brothers; THE Harpss. By J. J. M Tae FREEBOOTE! Lieut. cue Hazeltine. Wheeler. or, THe Captive arshall. 98 Feobin Hood, THe OvTLAWED Eart; or, Merry MEN OF GReENWooD. Prof. Gildersleeve. 99 The Tiger of eneme or, Witp Karr, Danny ’s ANGEL. a Waldo Browne. 100 Deadwood 1 ick in pa rg bg TR bom OF THE TRAVELERS’ race 102 By irae abrige H Hemyng. “Rye. THE Boy SMUGGLER; or, Tue ©rvise OF THE VIXEN. By Col. Ingraham. 103 The Lion of the seas or, THE VAILED Lapy or San Tropez. By Col. Delle Sara. 104 Deadwood Dicken” Device or, THE Sicn or THe DovsiEe Cross. By E. Wheeler 105 Old Rube, re Honrsr; or, Taz Crow Cap- TIvE. By Capt. H. Holmes. 106 oe Frosty, THE Guipe; or, NIOKANA, THE WHITE QUEEN ¢ OF THE BLACKFEET. Harbaugh. 107 One-Eyed Sim}; or, THz ABANDONED For- est Home. By J. L. Bowen. 108 Daring Davy, rue Younc Bear-Krier; or, Tre TRAIL oF THE BorpER WoLF. H. St. George. 109 Deadwood Dick as Detective. By Edward L. Wheeler. 110 The Black Steed of the Prairies. A Thrilling Story of Texan Adventure. By Bowen. 111 The Sea-Devil; or, MipsHip LEGacy. be fe * P. Ingraham. 112 The Mad Hunter; or, THe Cave or DeatH. By Burton Saxe. 113 Jack Hoyle, Taz Youne Sy eg New or, Roap 76 ForTUNE By Ed. L Wheeler. 114 The Black Schooner; or, Ji JUNK, THE Ovo Tar. By Roger Starbuck. 115 aoe Mad Miner 3 or, Danpy Rock’s Doom. George Waldo Browne. 116 Whe ussar Captain; or, Tot Hermit or Hett-Gatr. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 117 Gilt-Edged Dick, THe Sport DETEcTIVvVE; or, THE AD-AGENT’S DAUGHTER. Wheeler. 118 Will Somers, tHe Boy Derective. Morris. 119 Mustang poms or, THe Kina oF THE PLarns. By Jos. E. ’ Badger, Jr. 120 The Branded Hand; or, Toe Man oF Mystrry. By Frank Dumont. 121 Cinnamon Chip, tae Grru Sport; or, Tre GoupDEN IpoL or Mr. Rosa. Kd. L. Wheeler. MAN'S } 63 The Red Brotherhood; or, Tae Twetve | 122 Phil Hardy, Tue Boss Boy; or, THE Mys- ' Publ Charles Morris. HITE MUSTANGER. TERY OF THE STRONGBOW. B 123 oar Nadas Charley, THE Tip) . C. Harbaugh. 124 Ti PRY. THE TEXAN; or, THE YouNG CHAMPION. orth ge Gleason. 125 Howanne Bill, Miner; or, Mapame Mys- TERY, THE I'EMALE forarr. By kd. L. Wheeler 126 Picayune Pete; or, Nicopemus, THE Doe Detective. By Charles Morris. 127 Wild-Fire, Tee Boss or THe Roap; or, Tar WOLVES or SATAN’ sGap. By Frank Dumont. 128 The Young Privatecr3 or, THE PrareEs’ STRONGHOLD. By H. Cavendish. 129 Deadwood Dick’s Double; or, THE Guost or Gorcon’s Gutcu. Hd. L. Wheeler. 130 Detective Dick; or, Taz Hero mw Racs. By Charles’ Morris. 131 The Golden Hand; or, Danpy Rock To THE Rescue. B George W. Browne. 132 The Hunted Hunter; or, THe Srranas HORSEMAN OF THE PRAIRIE. ” By "Ed. 8. Ellis. 133 Boss Bob, THe Kine or tHE Boorsuscss: or, THE PAWNBROKER’ 8 Pror. Ed. L. Wheeler. 134 Sure Shot Seth, THe Boy Rirteman; or THs oho PATRIOTS OF THE NortTH. By Oll Coomes, 135 Captain Paul, THE ‘CKY MooNSHINER; Boy Spy OF THE Movuntars. By Clark 136 or; Pace Bor Sie oes or, THe DAUGHTER OF THE RancH. By Jose h E. Badger, Jr. 137 The Helpless andj; or, Backwoops RetrisutTion. By Capt. Mayne Reid. 138 Blonde Bill; or, Deapwoop Dicx’s Home Basz. By Edward L. Wheeler, 139 Judge Bh aia | Jr.3 or, THe Boy Vier- LANTE. Harbaugh. 140 Blue Blazes; or, THE Break o' Day Boys or Rocky Bar. *By rank Dumont. 141 Solid Sam, THe Boy Roap-AGEnT; or, TaE Branpep Brows. By Edward L. eeler. 142 Handsome Marry, THE Boorsiack Dz- TEcTIVE. By Charles Morris. 143 Sear-Face Saul, THe Srcent Hunter; or, Tue Mystery or Fort RANE. By Oll Coomes. 144 Dainty Lance, THz Boy Sport; or, THE BANK-BREAKERS’ Decoy Duck. J. E. 3 145 Captain Ferret, tae New York Derec- TIVE; or, Boss Bos’s Boss Jos. By Wheeler. 146 Silver oer, THE Boy Knicur. A Prairie Romance. y Oll Coomes. 147 Will wid fire, TYE THOKOUGHBRED; or, Tue WinntnG Hanp. By Charles Morris. 148 Sharp Sam}; or, THE ADVENTURES OF A FRrrenpiess Boy. J. Alexander Patten. 149 A Game of Goldj or, DEapwoop Dica’s Bie Srrixe. B Edward L. Wheeler. 150 Lance and Lasso; or) THE CHILDREN or THE CuHaco. By Capt. erick Whittaker. 151 Panther Paul, THe Prarrre Pirate; or, Dainty LANcE To THE Rescur. J. E. Badger 152 Black Bess, Wit Wivprime’s Racer; or, Wrynine Acainst Opps. By Charles | Mortis. * 153 Eagle Kit, THe Boy Meg ot or LAWS OF THE GoLp His. y Ol i Goomes. 154 The Swerd po eorwnig or, THE ees THE EvepHantT Rivers. By Fred. Whi 155 Gold Trigger, THE Brose, or, Tae Gru AVENGER. B 6. a 156 Deadwood Dick of eadwoods o or, Tue Pickep Parry. Edward L 157 Mike Merry, rue Harzor Poticz Boy;or, Tue NicHt-HAWKS OF PHILADELPHIA. Morris. 158 Fancy Frank of Colorado}; or, Taz TRAPPER’s Trust.. By Buffalo Bill. 159 The Lost Captain; or, Sxrrzr JABES Corrin’s Cruise TO THE OPEN PotaR SEA The. tain Frederick Whittaker. 160 lack Giant; or, Dany Layes u JEOPARDY. By Joseph f. Bad r, or. 161 New Work Netlerux Bow ens. Denncrem: or, Oup BLAKESLY’s Money. E. L. 0, Same 162 Will Wildfire in the Woods LIFE IN THE ALLEGHANIES. . By Charles M. 163 Little eatne, THE Youre MusT Aner. Tale of Texan Prairies. By Oll Coomes. 164 Dandy Rock’s Ple wes or, Hunrmp to Deatu. By G. Waldo Bro 165 Billy Baggage, THE Rariadas Boy; or, To EarTR. ‘By Charles Morris. 166 Hickory Marry ; or, Taz Tram or Frrs. By Harry St. George. 167 Asa Scott, THe SreampoarT Boy; or, THe LAnp Pirares oF THE MississipPi. By ed. Willett. 168 Deadly Dash; or, Ficatineg Fme wire 169 Tor 4 ar a badger: ornado Tom; or, 5 ee Jack From Ren Corr. T. C. Harba } h. 170 A Trump Card; ra Wii Wiiprme Wires AND Loses. By Charles Morris. 171 Ebony Dany or, Tae Rrvat Leacuers or SILVER Crrc_e, ¥F. Dumont. 172 TRumdorvens aig 3 or, Tar Worr-Herper OF THE ROcKIEs. Har St. George. 173 Dandy Hocks: fival; or. Tae Honrep Marp or Taos. By George aldo Browne. 174 Bob Rockett, tae Boy Dopger; or, Mys- TERIES OF New YorK. By Charles Morris. 175 Captain Arizona, THE Kine PIN or THE Roap AGENTS; Or, Patent Leather Joe’s Big Game... By Philip 8, Warne. 176 The Boy Runaway; or, THE Sp ANEER OF THE Bay. Lieut. H. D. Perry, U if 177 Nobby Nick of Nevada. iy hwo i. Wheeler. Ready December 14th. A new issue every week. The Half-Dime Library is for Newsdealers, five cents per copy, or sent fe eit on lon receipt of six cents each. BEADLE & ADAMS, shers, 9S Wiliam St “Oot, York