Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 360) (1884 06 17)
The text was read from the page scans by machine (OCR), so it has mistakes and its columns may run together. See the pages · About this title · At the Internet Archive
Page 1
sOURr1H Chin, has 53 % 4 tS tisn:¢,nyY, ty = sins : aOR: iZ ee ar met rs uhh WAP — rutin AU | | {al |] {pa (a |p| ri | |. | fs iM Y $2.50 a year. Entered at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., at Second Class Mail Rates. Copyright, 1884, by BEADLE AND ADAMS, June 17, 1884. rat Single PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE AND ADAMS Price, Voi. xiv. fie ? No. 360. SILVER-MASK, THE MAN OF MYSTERY; °° "32, Se0Ss.08 *#® Lae ex S=s SS SANTA FE PETE HOPPED, SKIPPED AND JUMPED AROUND LIKE A FAKIR DANCING ON HOT STONES
Page 2
2 Silver-Mask, THE MAN OF MYSTERY; | oR, The Cross of the Golden Keys. A Romance of N.w Mexico. BY J. C. COWDRICK. CHAPTER I, GOLDEN-EGG. NESTLING down between the mountains in a beau- tiful little valley, and at the same time thousands of feet above the level of the sea, bathing in the sun- light and fanned by the pure, fresh air of the heav- ens, was Golden-Egg. Golden-Egg was a young and flourishing New Mexico mining-town. It was a town of perhaps four hundred domiciled inhabitants, besides an itinerary population of half as many more, and like other musbroom towns of the Far West, was built for the most part of canvas‘and rough boards. The history of Golden-Egg was this: Raymond Wilmont and his friend, Joe Garret, while on a pate per tour in Southern Arizona, were meeting with such poor success that after dis- cussing their condition and debating all the differ- ent sides of the question trom every point of view, ro and con, they resolved to strike over into New lexico and try their fortune there. So, after col- lecting the paraphernalia appertaining to their calling, and packing their mule, they struck over accordingly. From Tucson to the Rio Grande they traveled on foot, enduring hardships and privations of the roughest sort Thence they started north, cross- ing the river and entering the valley of the Jurnado del Muerto, or the Journey of Death. Through this valley, where the despairing cries of De Soto’s party have perhaps been echoed, they wended their weary way until they reached San Marcial. claimed to have found a large nugget of gold just beyond the mountains. They went to the locality that he pointed out to them and commenced to work a‘ placer,’’ but here, as in Arizona, their success was indifferent. “1 tell you what it is, pard,” said Joe, as they were at work one day, “if we don’t mighty soon come across the goose that lays the golden eggs, it’s my opinion that we'd better pull up stakes and strike a beeline for home. ‘I’m a-getting mighty weary of bamboozling around in this God-forsaken land, I can tell you. A man can’t tell what minute a big Ingun will come along and gobble Him up. *Whoop-la! Much chief! Ba-a-h /’ and away goes his hair.” Raymond laughed at his friend’s ludicrous ex- emplification of the scalping ug yrmg and replied: “Well, Joe, to tell the truth Iam getting tired ox it myself ; but— Hallo! perhaps this may be our olden-egg goose coming up the canyon now.” And e pointed to a sorry-looking individual who was at that moment re. Saptari ‘*Good-mornin’, gov’nors, good-mornin’!”’ the man exclaimed, when he came up. “How d’yedo? My name is Wells—Christopher C., Wells. Kitty, fer short. ‘I’m proud and happy to meet ye. Don’t happen to have a drop of th’ liquid fluid about your garments anywhere, I s’pose, do ye? What!" he eried, springing back and clasping his hands to- cc theatrically, as Joe produced a flask of | randy, * - have? Bless you, boys, bless you. Shake! I don’t really believe I’ve been so etarnally dry since I was weaned. Ah!” aftera long pull at the flask, ‘‘ that’s good. A-a-h!’’ after another pull, * that és good.” He was about to “ pull” again when Joe took the flask a m him, but as this appeared to be expected, he did not remon- asked, as he wiped his mouth upon his ta * D’ye find th’ v aller—th’ genuine article ? See ere!’’ he exclaimed, as he pr speci- mens of ore, ** how’s them? Ain’t the ion’t th’ wery sight of ’em jest tickle yer o I've found one of th’ biggest, sure-enough, Lony-yide true fissures ye ever heard tell of! Wouldn't ye like to inwest?’ The ore was the richest the two young miners had ever seep, and of course they were anxious to . invest in such a “find” at once. And as the ' stranger offered to guide them to the spot where it | could be found in rich profusion, they deserted their claim and started. After a two-days’ tramp, they emerged one morn- ing from a deep and narrow canyon into a charm- ing little valley. When they had proceeded about half-way through this valley they crossed a creek that wound its way through it, and clambering up the side of the mountain they soon reached a pla- teau, where their guide halted. “Ye see, gov’nors,” he said, ‘I was a-settin’ | there on that bowlder one day, sort of ruminatin’, as it were, upon the chronic adwersity of my fortune, an’ tryin’ to pitch bits of rock into th’ creek down there, when | happened to notice that they were full of gold. I begun to scout around fer an outerop, an’ I found it before I'd gone a dozen yards. I chipped off a few pieces fer samples, pocketed ‘em, an’ then lit out fer San Marcial to offer my find fer sale. But when I fell in with you, ' | had been built in the val and you said you’d like to inwest, I thought I'd give ye th’ first chance. Now, there she be; au’ as ye’ve seen the animile, what’s yer bia?” The young men wanted to buy, but all the wealth they could raise between them amounted to a little gold-dust, their mule, three Mexican dollars. and an old pistol. These, however, they offered for the claim, Naturally enough the discoverer hesitated for some time, but at last he said: “How much tanglefoot is there left in that flask!”’ There was about half a pint. ““Well, pards,”’ he said, ‘throw in th’ fluid an’ we'll call if a trade.” When the exchange had been made to the satisfac- tion of all parties concerned, Wells mounted the mule and took the back trail for San Marcial, while the young miners began at once to vee their treasure; and in a few days they became fully con- vinced that the mine was of extraordinary wealth. * Wells was the Goose,”* said Joe. “ Yes,’’ answered Raymond, “and this is the Golden-Egg.”’ It did not take long for the news of the discovery of such a mine to spread, as that sort of news will in the wild, bonanza lands; and within a tew weeks the hills fairly swarmed with prospectors, who pitched their tents and camped in the little valley, and who, in the course of a month, had staked out hundreds of claims. In the mean time Raymond Wilmont had written to his uncle—Major Tom Wilmont. a retired wine merchant of considerable wealth—sending him speci- mens of the ore and asking him to come out and see the mine*® And Major Tom, having first had the specimens assayed, obeyed the summons with alac- rity. When he beheld the mine he quietly informed Raymond and Joe that he would put up a mill, pro- vided they would give him a half-interest in the | property; and this offer, of course, had to. be ac- cepted. “That’s th’ b’essed advantage of havin’ ready money,”’ remarked Wells, who had returned to the scene of his first discovery and was again prospect- ing around the valley. “It’s a shame to have to . ; 1 | give half of th’ mine away jist to get a start!” There they fell in with a Mexican who | The two young men thought differently, however. Indeed, they rather congratulated themselves to = that the major had not demanded a two-thirds share. Prospectors continued to pour into the little val- ley, rich placer mines were discovered in the neigh- borhood, and ten months later a town had sprung up. While the Golden-Egg Mine, operated with the very best of improved machinery, was yielding a treasure that amounted to thousands of dollars every week. So much for the town’s history. Only one street had Golden-Egg, and that followed the winding course of the Little Colorado, as the miners had named the creek that flowed through the valley, and principally upon the north side of the street were the buildings. On the opposite side of the valley, upon the side of the mountain, could be seen the mine from which the town derived its name. Most of the buildings were low, shanty-like struc- tures, the majority of which were whisky-shops; and while all were gambling-dens, a few of the larger ones were fitted up for dance-houses as well. The only house that could boast of having more than a single story was the hotel, whose sign pro- | claimed it to be the “ Palace Royal,” and that, tak- ing into consideration the place and the surround- ings, was a palace indeed, It was a strong, well- built house, three stories high, and Golden-Egg’s center of attraction, In it were contained the t-office, the express- | office, the coach-office, and, in short, the entire business of the town so far as related to communi- cation and commerce with the outer world. Twice a week, Tuesday and Friday, the mail-coach arrived, and twice a week, on Wednesday and Satur- day, departed; connecting with the line running between Las Vegas and Las Cruces. The days of arrival were always exciting ones in Golden-Egg, and long before the coach could feapoenniy be expected to arrive the miners would leave their work and come flocking into the town from all directions, each with an air as of having the greatest expectations. : When on time the coach usually appeared in sight alittle before the last rays of the setting sun had vanished behind the hills, and could be seén for a mile or more along the face of the mountain be- tween the points where it first came into view, and where, after passing the Golden-Egg Mine, it again disappeared; for, owing to the surroundings of the little valley, a stage-coach ora freight-wagon com- ing from the south -had to make a wide detour to the west in order to get into the canyon, which was the only entrance to the town, although at the point where it passed the mine it was hardly a stone’s throw away. The mills appertaining to the mine ie for convenience and economy in the working of the ore, and it frequent- ly ap ape that passengers got out of the coach at the mine and descended by means of the rude dump-cars that were used to carry the ore, thus reaching the Palace Royal fully twenty minutes before the coach itself. Thus was Golden-Egg at the time of my story. Alas! fated city! It wasa Tuesday. Theday was drawing to aclose and the lamps in the different shops. saloons, and dance-houses were being lighted, but they were hardly needed yet, and consequently not very effec- Siiver-Mask, the Man of Mystery. tive, for it was not quite dark. The town was filled with miners who had come in to see the arrival of the coach, and the street was crowded. Men, and women too, stood in groups, wondering why the coach did not come, while rife were the speculations as to the probable cause of the delay. Before the Palace Royal the crowd was greatest, and all eyes were turned toward'the point where the coach was expected every moment to appear. But the shades of night fell over the little valley, and still is did not come. It grew quite dark. The lamps acquired their full effect, the music in the different dance-houses started up, the terpsichorean votaries of the town kept time to the dulcet strains, while drinking and card-playing became the order of the hour. In the public room of the Palace Royal was a group of men i earnest conversation. **Tean’t help it, Joe; I tell you I am feeling un- easy. If the girl was not with bim it wouldn’t mat- terso much, but as it is—’’ and Raymond Wilmot ended the sentence by a shake of the head, ““Didn’t you say there were two women?” asked Joe Garret, ** Yes; but the other one is quite able to take care of herself, and of Major Tom, too, for that matter; but with the girl it is different. What in the name of common-sense he wanted to bring them out here for is more than I can understand, but I imagine they have settled it in their minds to come. and with aunt Julia to back it up their plans have been car- ried forward. Be that as it may, however. the only thing I desire at present is to see them arrive safe and sound in this valley.” ‘* As for me,”’ put in the postmaster, who was one of the group. ‘‘I believe this story about the road- agents is all bosh!” ‘Don’t be too sure about that,’’ responded Wells, who was standing near; ‘*mebby ‘tis an’ mebby *tain’t. My name is Christopher Columbus Wells, although they call me Kitty, for short, an’ I never seen a town of this size yet that didn’t have to pay toll; an’ I’ve seen quite a few in my time, too.”’ “You're about right,’’ assented the express-agent, who was another of the group. ‘‘ Show me a Wells- Fargo shingle. and I'll show you a trail where you'll find road-agents. The way they follow that sign around is a caution!” “*Well,”’ added Raymond, ‘‘ we can only hope for the best, but the coach is now three hours late, and that is something new for Double Jimmie. He isa good driver, and nothing short of a serious mishap would make bim so late as this.” Further conversation was cut short by a great ex- citement in the street, and thinking the coach had at last arrived those in the room rushed out. It was not the coach, however. The moon had just risen above the hills and was shedding its light down into the valley, and the cause of the excite- ment was seen coming down the street. It was only a man on horseback, but such an extraordi- nary spectacle of the kind had never before been seen in Golden-Egg. The horse’s hoofs were flyin wildly about as it dashed along at full speed, and i seemed to be at least nt ag'A or twenty-two hands high; while at every spring it made it appeared to clear a dozen yards of ground. The rider was a little, weazen old fellow, wearing a soldier’s blue overcoat, and bis position on the horse's back was ludicrous in the extreme.' He was sitting as far back as possible on its hind Sears holding fast to the crupper-strap with both hands, and at every leap the animal made he appeared to be in imminent danger of falling off. But he held on with great tenacity, and shouted at the top of his voice: “Up th’ road, down th’ road, Cooney, Cooney Clay! Up th’ road, an’ down th’ road, Cooney, Cooney Gag Right about, Barnum!" and at his av command, ing about reached the end of the town, the horse turned and dashed up the street egain to the terror and astonishment of the crowd. At last, after he had taken three or four turns a down the street, the little old man cried: ‘““Whoa, Barnum!” and after a flourish or two of the hoofs at that moment in the air the giant quad- ruped came to a stop before the Palace Royal. Good-evenin’, boys! How d’ye flourish?’ the rider said, his homely, wrinkled little face fairly wreathed with smiles, as be let go his hold and slid to the ground. “I hope I find ye well,I do indeed. How d’ye do! how aye do!” and before they were hardly aware of it he Lad shaken hands with almost every man within reach. “‘Say, stranger,” said Santa Fe Pete, the bully of the town, “how d’ye mount thet little pony?” ““ Show the boys how I mount ye, Barnum,” said the little old fellow, and instantly the horse dropped ufon its knees, when he sprung upon iis back with the agility of a monkey. — ‘‘ Mither av Moses!”’ cried Pat McCarty, an henest poune miner, “look at ‘hat. Did ye ever see such a aste? By the harp of Tara’s, I’m astonished en- tirely!” op Stranger," demanded Kitty Wells, as he pressed forward to the front, “what might your name gr? ‘Great jumpin’ Jerusalem! after my bawlin’ my name fer th’ last ten minutes, a-purpose to inter- doose myself, ye come an’ ax me what itare! My name’s Clay, gentlemen—Cooney Clay.” “Which way _d’ye steer from?” persisted Kitty. y hed arg I hung up at Santa Fe, last; but to- day I’m fresh from Fort Stanton.” “Did you see anything of th’ Golden-Egg coach on th’ road?” “Yes,” replied the little old man. “I passed a ‘hearse’ some time this afternoon, an’ she wur jest a-bowlin’ right along, too! I spent three or our hours a few miles back here in th’ hills though, ‘ a ae we eS
Page 3
&-poundin’ at some 'riferous rock, as th’ ‘’sayers Is it, an’ I expected she’d pass me, but her didn’t.” “Did vou notice whether there were any ladies among the passengers, Mr. Clay?” asked Raymond Wilmont, “Did 1?—didn’tI? One o’ th’ purtiest little faces I ever sot optics onto wur a-lockin’ out o’ th’ winder asI kim by, an’ she said, ‘Oh, my, what a hoss!’— meanin’ Barnum heur,’’ and he patted his horse’s neck caressingiy. “‘ But come, boys, what'll ye take? Let old Cooney treat ye. Jest lead th’ way t’ yer boss saloon, an’ we'll take a drop o’ th’ real reluvi- natin’ jiquid—I mean th’ rejuvinatin’ liquid. I'll set ‘em up all ‘round. Forward, Barnum!” and off they started, heading straight for a saloon yclept Solid Comfort. Another hour went by, and yet the coach did not arrive. Raymond Wilmont had engaged several men to accompany him down the trail to learn the cause of the delay, and they were all armed and mounted, ready to set out. The saloons, dance-houses and gambling-dens were in their glory; but we must leave the good old moon to keep watch and ward over the little valley while we anticipate Raymond Wilmont and his band in ascertaining what had happened to detain the eoach. CHAPTER I, THE ROAD-AGENTS, Ir was early in the day, and the Tuesday coach to Golden-Egg was en route. The passengers were in the very best of spirits imaginable, having enjoyed @ night of rest at the last station. There was Major Thomas Wilmont seated upon ‘the box beside the driver, smoking his mornin cigar, and evidently quite satisfied with himself anc ‘the world in genera). Inside the coach were his sister and daughter, and with them was a colored young girl, who acted in the capacity of waiting- maid to both. Miss Julia Wilmont, the major's sister, was a vir- ‘gin of forty, or thereabouts, She was a very strong- minded female, of the woman’s rights persuasion, and was dressed accordingly. in what are common- ly called ‘“‘bloomers.”’ Her hair was short; she wore a decidedly masculine hat; also a pair of semi- masculine boots; and but for a tunic that reached to her knees and was belted at the waist, her sex smight easily have been mistaken. Miss Stella, the major’s daughter, was a young lady of about two or three and twenty summers, ‘She had a pure, sun-browned complexion; dark, ‘waving hair; black, bright lustrous eyes; pearly teeth—in short she was as pretty as a picture from the hand of a master painter. She was attired in asuit of navy-blue flannel,the skirt of which reached barely to her shoe tops, leaving her dainty little feet ex- posed to view, while her jaunty little jacket gave io an air that was irresistibly bewitching. A light ‘sombrero adorned her shapely tead, and upon it was arich plume, matching in color the tie at her throat. . The young lady of color, Miss Dinah Lee, so far as the matter of dress was concerned, at least, was omen! 4 a bone of contention between the two Misses Wilmont; for, while she wore a skirt and a sombrero after the es dag of one, she wore also a ‘tunic and a pair of boots after the style of the other. She was a comely lass. as that sort of beauty goes, and seemed to be perfectly well aware of the fact. On the top of the stage, besides Major Wilmont and the driver, the passengers were one Professor Buggs, two Chinamen, ana several miners. ofessor Artemus Bu was a tall, slim indi- vidual, large of bone and spare of muscle, dressed in a threadbare suit of black. He wore a stove-pipe hat, and under his arm he carried a baggy cotton umbrelia. He was about forty-five or fifty years of ace, and wore a wig; but neither his nor his wig deterred him from making eyes’ at his fellow pas- senger. the fair Miss Julia, whenever he found an opportunity. ith the exception of one, the miners were not unlike others of their kind, but that one was a little, red-faced fellow, with red hair, and a tuft of beard of the same hue beneath his chin, whose most strik- ing peculiarity was his astonishing “gift of gab.” ‘The driver between Los Ojitos and Anton Chico had ‘dubbed him Cock Robin, and that name, after the ‘manner peculiar to the plains and the wilds of the far West, was destined to bear him company to his grave. Wiaat of all, but not by any means the least, was the driver. His name was James James, but to his friends dhd acquaintances he was better known as Double Jimmie. He had been a driver for Ben Holliday on the old overland route almost before a railroad to the Pacific had been thought of, and when roused from his meditations by a little black flask that was thrust under his nose by Major Wil- ‘mont, he became talkative, and made the me ld uite pleasant by relating some of his adventures of the yan and the mountains. About noon the coach stopped at a relay station to ch horses, and the passengers alighted to stretch their weary limbs, and to eat their lunches. But they were soon on their way again, looking for- ware th pleasant anticipations.to their destina- tion, “Then ain’t troubled with road-agents on this route, eh?” said Cock Robin, supplementary to an adventure the driver had related just before stop- ping at the station. “No, not as yet,” the driver answered, ‘but there’s no tellin’ how soon we wil be. I’ve been @Aookin’ for *em ever since we commenced to carry th’ Wells-Fargo stuff.” ’ “T hope you will excuse my many questions, my good friend,’ said Professor Buggs, “ but may I ask another?”’ ‘* Certainly,”’ replied Double Jimmie, “ fire away!”’ “ Well, on zg man, what do pon do when you are attacked by those fellows of whom you speak?” “What do I do?’ Double Jimmie exclaimed; “why, Ido ju 3t as they order, blamed lively! When they says ‘Stop!’ I stops; an’ when they says 7 a up! up they goes, quicker’n gre light- nin!’ - ‘* Are they really such dangerous creatures?” aot they? Don’t you ever trifle with ’em, that's a bh After that the conversation lagged for some time, and the coach, was rolling along at quite a lively speed, when suddenly the professor cried out: “In the name of all that’s wonderful, what ante- diluvian monster is this coming behind us?” All eyes were at once turned in the direction in- dicated. “ Are there any elephants in this country?’ the professor asked. “TI never heard tell of any,” answered Double Jimmie, “ but if that thing ain't an elepant, or a rhinocerous, or somethin’ in that line, I'm a Greaser!’’* As the object of their wonder drew near, it proved vo be a horse with a man upon its back, and they soon came up. * How d’ye do, boys, how d’ye do®%’ cried the rider, ‘‘ Air this th’ olden-Egg, earse?”’ “Yas, ’replied Double Jimmie, “it air. But Isay, uncle where did ye get sich a hoss?” ** Raised him,’’ was the reply. “Oh! what a horse!” exclaimed Stella Wilmont, as she caught sight of the animal. ‘*Just look, auntie, did you ever see such a monster?"’ ‘* Well, so-long, boys!’’ said the rider, *‘ I'll tell th’ folks ye’re a-comin’. Gee-up, Barnum!” and away he went, leaving the coach behind with ease. At the relay station Major Wilmont had taken a seat inside the coach, allowing Professor Buggs to occupy his place beside the driver; and after the advent of the little old man and his giant horse the professor did not allow the conversation to flag for a moment, * The coach was rolling peacefully along, the two Chinamen were fast asleep, the miners were enjoy- ing a quiet game at cards, and the professor and the driver were entertaining each other, when four masked men stepped suddenly into the road from behind some rocks and bushes, and leveling their rifles at the driver’s head, cried “Stand!” “Whoa! Hold up there, you leaders!” and the stage was stopped almest instantly, the driver let- ting the lines drop from his hands “Hands up!” shouted the foremost of the masked men, and up they went, the professor’s the high- est of all. “For Heaven's sake, gentlemen,” he cried, “ do point those deadly weapons another way!” * Hold See jaw!” was the retort. “Th—th—they might go off! the professor moaned. “T ey will go off if you don’t shut up,” warned the leader, and to the driver he added: “Now then, you and your passengers tumble down and bundle out from there, and let us see what you've got!” This command was soon obeyed, and with Pro- fessor Buggs somewhat in the rear the passengers stood forth confessed. “Are you Major Tom Wilmont?” the leader de- manded addressing that gentleman. “That is my jname, sir,” replied the major, promptly. ‘* And is this young lady your daughter?” * She is,” “Then you're just the party we want. Number One, do ros duty!’ One of the men stepped forward, unhitched the traces, took the horses from the coach, and after ee them of their harness, except the bridles, led them off up the road. ““ Well!” cried Double Jimmie, “if this don’t just beat all lever did see! l’ve had my hearse strip- ped purty clean afore now, but durn my cats if I ever had my hosses took, too!” “Driver,” said Professor Buggs, in a loud whis- per, ““why don’t you fight them?’ And those who ooked around saw that learned man under the stage, trying to open his umbrella and conceal him- self behind it, **T ain’t a born fool, pard,”’ Double Jimmie an- swered. “I'd fight ‘em if I had a ghost of a chance for my ‘white alley,’ but not ag’in’ sich odds as this. No, I thank you; not any in mine! Why don’t you step to th’ front and do it?” When the man who had taken the horses stopped, after walking about two hundred yards up the road, he was joined by another, who was leading the rob- bers* horses, and leaving all the animals in his care, the first man returned to the coach. “Now, major, you and your daughter follow this gentleman,” said’ the leader, ** and as soon as you are mounted we will join you and be off.” *“ What the deuce do you mean?” cried the major, ep coed “Just what I say. Don’t I speak plainly enough? Come, now, we've got the drop on you, and if you don’t follow of your own will we'll use force.” The major saw it was useless to resist, so he and Stella preceded their captor, whose rifle covered the major’s heart. When they came to the place where the horses were standing they were assisted to mount, and in a few minutes were securely bound to the horses’ backs. Then the other ** agents,”’ with their rifles still at their shoulders and facing the * Mexican. Silver-Mask, the Man of Mystery. 3 SS CR SS a a | passengers, started up the road, walking backward, and. when they reached their horses they sprung into the saddles and galloped away, leading the two unburdened animals after them, and leaving the coach in a helpless condition.”’ ‘** Villains!’’ cried Professor Buggs, coming sud- denly to the front and flourishing his umbrella. “You rascally scoundrels! come back till I chastise you as you deserve! Come back, you arrant knaves, till I annihilate you! You bloodthirsty demons— you predaceous rogues, come back!” “Well, boys,’’ remarked Double Jimmie, “ heur we be. I s’pose somebody has got to hoof it to” Golden-Egg for hosses, an’ I spose I’m elected to do it; so I'll be off at once. I’d ask some of ye to go along, but of course ye wouldn’t think of leavin’ these women here alone, so jest keep up your spirits till I return,’’ and off he started, at a good round pace. “Oh, you cowards!” cried Miss Julia, as she glanced around upon her fellow-passengers. ‘Is this a specimen of the kind of gallantry and _ tion we are to expect in this strange land? For shame!” and she clambered back into the coach, followed by the weeping Dinah. ‘Fear not, dear ladies—I mean fair maiden,” =~ i valiant Professor Buggs; “ fear not. Lam ere CHAPTER III. SILVER-MASK. Wuen Raymond Wilmont and his little band of eight or ten picked men started from Golden-Egg, they proeeded at a rapid pace up the narrow canyon, and in a short time were seen again as they passed along the face of the mountain above the town, galloping away to the east. They were well armed, some with rifles, and all with the ever-indispensable revolver, and ready * r almost any emergency. In a short time they meta man who was cracking a whip, and whistling merrily as he walked along at : easy, swinging gait, seemingly as happy as a cing. “Bless my soul, if it isn’t the driver himself!” cried Pat McCarty. ‘* Phat d’ye mane by coning along in this style? Where's yer caboose” ‘““What has happened, Double Jimmie?” asked Raymond Wilmont, menor “* Everything’s happened,”’ the driver replied. “A band of road-agents ordered my hands up, but in- stead of goin’ fer th’ coach in th’ usual way, they took two of my passengers an’ ali th’ hosses.”’ “Who were the passengers?” cried Raymond. ‘* Major Wilmont an’ his darter,’’ was the reply. “© Forward, men, forward! Double Jimmie, you mount behind Bill Davis, and 'llleave you a couple of horses to get your coach in with. here, that’s it; now, men, forward!’ and away they dashed at full speed. In due time they reached the place where the robbers had done their work, and were approaching the coach when a man stepped forth from the shadow into the moonlight, with a revolver in his band, and commanded them to halt. * Who are you?” he demanded. ** We’re friends, pard,’’ Double Jimmie answered, as he dismounied. The passengers had made a fire and gone into camp, and after making the two women as comfort- able as possible in the coach, the men had posted a guard and seated themselves around the fire, de- termined to make the best of a bad situation until the driver's return. Raymond Wilmont rode up to the door of the coach and greeted his aunt. “ear Raymond,”’ said she. when he had made himself known, ‘* where have they taken my darling Stella?” ‘**T will soon know,” he answered, “ and we will bring the villains to account forthe outrage.” ‘* These miserable cowards!” she cried, meanin her fellow-passengers. ‘‘I wish J were a man! J’ have shown them! The idea! holding up their hands like so many helpless idiots! I suppose if those scoundrels had taken it into their heads to cut our throats from ear to ear, these cowards would have submitted, meek as lambs. Bah, the ninnies!| The only one of them all that I heard say a angle word about fighting was Professor Buggs. If hehad only been armed I am sure the robbers would have been driven off. Oh, my poor, poor Stella!” “Be of good cheer, aunt Julia,” encouraged Ray- mond, “for as soon as I can get the coach started I will go to the rescue. When you reach Golden-Egg, go to the Palace Royal and occupy the rooms I have engaged there. Good-night!” and he turned to the men who were harnessing two of the horses and hitching them to the coach, **Come, boys, be lively, we've work to do,” and then to one of the passengers he added: “Can you tell us in which direction those road- agents went?” i Dye see that hill off thar?’’ i es. ” “Wal, th’ last I see’d of ‘em they wur a leetie te th’ right o° thet hill, a-bearin’ off to th’ northeast.” “What do you think about it, Uncle Sid?’ Ray- mond asked, bases: to an old man of his own party, “Is there any ao ¥ “Wal, cap’n, all I kin say are this: ef I can't trail nine hosses by this heur moonlight my name ain't Sidney Summers, which it are.” The coach was now ready, and started off, with Professor Buggs inside by the kind permission of Miss Julia. ‘I’m sorry, boys,”’ said Raymond to the two men whose horses he had put to the coach, “ but you ses, % eoulsin't be helped. * ®
Page 4
< ctr OD ee Te a NTE EE NTT ET RT ry. a Silver-Mask, the Man. of Myste “That's all right, capt’n,” they answered, as the coach rolled away, ‘‘ we'll help do th’ hangin’ when ye bring ’em in.” Raymond then directed the,old scout to take up the trail. “Wal, th’ first thing to be done is to find it; so if | ye'll jest all keep behind me till I gets it we'll be all right!’ And so saying the old man started ahead, keeping well to the east side of the road and leaning forward in his saddle in order to sean the ground. After proceeding a short distance in this manner he suddenly came to a halt and said: “Heur it be, boys, plainer’n day. Now jist kee away to th’ right of me, so's not to spile it in case hev to turn back fer p’ints, an’ we'll proceed to | foller th’ galoots at wunst.”’ his saddle he started off. For an hour or more they rode along in silence, until at last the old guide stopped and remarked: “ Boys, this are awful tiresome work, an’ I’ve got an idea in my noodle that’ll beat it all holler. These cusses bas made straight fer Apache Pass What follers? Why, we’d jest better drop th’ trail right heur an’ scoot fer Apache Pass, too. What d’ye say?’ *Do as you think best,’’ Raymond assented. “Wal, then, boys, forward!” and away they went, heading straight toward a range of hills, several miles ahead, which could be seen in the moonlight. When they arrived at Apache Pass Uncle Sid dis- mounted, and after carefully scrutinizing the ground for a moment he exclaimed: “1 wur right, pards; they’s been heur! Now we'll trot right through ther * Pass,’ an’ see what course they’ve took on t’other side.” hen he again dismounted, however, he groaned in spirit and likewise in the flesh. “ Boys,” he said, ‘“‘they’s parted. Some’s gone one way an’some’s gone t’other. Ef it wur only daylight now, I’d read this heur thing like a book; but as it are, I’m a little bit to sea. owsumdever, And still leaning low in T'll do what I kin,” and he dropped upon his hands | and knees, and commenced to crawl around on “ all- fours.” “Three hosses hev gone ‘his way, that’s sure; but | durn me if I ain’t discomfoodled. Ef it’s done fera blind, then th’ pris’ners is with th’ small party; but | if it’s done. fer anything else they’re more’n likely with th’— Hooroar! boys, hooroar!’’ he suddenly | y shouted. ‘Th’ gal are no focl, by jingo!” The men crowded around him, and he held up to their wondering gaze a litile glove. * She hev dropped it a-purpose to show us which way they’ve been took, bless her little heart.” Raymond Wilmont took the glove, and afterward, when unobserved, pressed it fondly to his lips. “1 see it all now. boys,’ said Unele Sid, “ an‘ we'll forge ahead. This heur trail leads to th’ home ase, an’ I surmise thet I can guess purty close to whar they’re a-headin’ fer ag’in I'm afraid they’s got home by this time though, an’ th’ chances is hey’ll bé too many fer us; but we’ll push on an’ do all we kin, anyhow.” An hour orso later a single horseman appeared suddenly before them, and ordered them to stop. The moonlight fell full upon bim. and revealed beneath his broad-brimmed hat a shining mask, ap- arently made of silver. He was mounted upon a lack horse, and in either hand he held a revolver. ‘* Who are you?” he asked. “We're a party out aftera band of road-agents that robbed th’ stage this afternoon,’’ responded Uncle Sid. And he added: ** Who th’ tarnation be you?” The stranger ey lowered his revolvers, and thrust them into his belt, saying: “You are after two of your friends who were taken prisoners, are you not?” “Yes, sir,” said Raymond Wilmont; “have you seen them?”’ “Yes,” was the reply, “I have.”’ half-around in his saddle, he shouted: “Friends, major; come forward,” and from behind memine of stunted cedars a short distance away rode forth Major Wilmont and Stella. When the astonishment and excitement had some- what subsided, the masked stranger said: “Well, Major Wilmont, now that you are with et friends, I will bid you adieu. And you, fair lady, I trust will reach your destination without further mishap;’’ and raising his hat politeiy to Stella, he was about to depart, when Raymond re- quested his name. ‘*Men call me Silver-Mask,” was the reply. and as though anxious to escape the thanks whieh both the major and Stella were showering upon him, he rode rapidly away. ‘The most remarkableman I ever met,’’ exclaim- ed the major. ‘‘He found us in our trouble this evening, and before we could guess what his inten- tions were, he was popping away right and left with his revolvers. Both of our captors were killed out- right. One of them was mounted behind my daugh- ter; and when he fell from the horse she fell, too; but I guess she was nct burt. We had quite a re- past with our mysterious friend, and were just on our a to Golden-Egg.” Pt , boys,’’ demanded Uncle Sid, “ are it camp here, or move fer home?” The men were unanimously in favor of returning at once, and so they started for Golden-Egg. “No,” answered Stella to Raymond, as they rode along, ‘“‘the fall did not hurt me at all. But, did any of you find my glove?” “ Yes,’”’ Raymond answered, ‘* Uncle Sid found it, and with your permission, I will keep it. You see a horse bas stepped on it; and you can never wear it “ Certainly, you may retain it if yoy ST what you will do wi thing.” And turning ou wish, but I the worthless * | they yelled. ‘*T will keep it as a remembrance of your adven- ture,’ responded Raymond, * and to remind me of its fair owner.” : “Do not be uneasy about that, cousin mine,” Stella retorted, with a laugh. ‘* You shall be re- minded of me often enough while I am out here, I can assure you. First and foremost, let me tell you that you must shave off that beard. I am not sure whether you are yourself or not.. Only six years ago you left home with a sickly little mustache, and now I find you bearded like a lion, Off it must come, or you are banished from my society.” And chatting thus as they rode along, the time passed rapidly away. CHAPTER IV. THE PRINCE OF MARKSMEN. Tue hour of midnight was at hand, and Golden- Egg was in a state of feverish excitement. he gambling-dens and dance-houses were in ‘ull blast, and about one-half of the people were as , drunk as lords. Not one of the whisky-shops thought of closing its doors so long as there was a | prospect of “raking in” another ounce of the ‘eternal truck,” and the town was as brightly illu- mined as at any hour that night. Men were bawling and carousing in the street, | a dozen fights were in progress, and istol-shots were heard in all directions, when sutdenly the coach-horn was heard and the coach was seen on the trail above the town, rumbling slowly along, eh men one and.all made a rush for the Palace yal, In due time the coach drew up and stopped be- fore the hotel, and Professor Buggs, with his um- brella under his arm, followed by Miss Julia, and Dinah, got out and entered the house. The driver threw the mail-bag to the postmaster, and handed | the express-box to'the agent, and the two China- | men were just ‘clambering down when Santa Fe Pete rushed forward, exclaiming: **Look ’e heur, boys; d’ye see these yaller var- mints? Ain’tit bad enough that we’ve got Injun, lrish, Dutch, an’ nigger, without havin’ Chinee, too? Let’s string °em up, pards, we don’t want no pig- tails in this heur town!” : A rush was instantly made upon the unfortunate Chinamen by several of Santa Fe Pete’s followers, and thev were roughly handled. “No hurtee Chinaman! No hurtee Chinaman!” 1 **Chinaman klum washee-washee. No klum dig, klum wash:e. No killee me!” | .*Oh-ho! ye kem t’ washee-washee, did ye?” shouted the bully. ‘* Wal, we'll wash ye clean out, right now! Ye “oulin’t dig, would ye? Couldn’t hire ye to. ldon’t s’pose ; Blast ye, ef we was t’ let ye stay there'd be fifty more of ye here 'n less ’n a week! Bring em along, boys, we'll fix th’ p’izen cusses.”” ‘* Hol’ on, Pete,’ exclaimed a voice in the crowd; “we need a laundry here, durn’d bad? Why don’t | ye encourage business? If th’ yaller-skins is a- goin’ to stick to their legitimate callin’, leave em alone!’ “ Who said that?” the bully shouted. ‘** Who chip- ped in then?’ drawing a revolver and springing upon the step of the coach to get a full view around. * Just show me th' galoot thet stuck his finger into | this pie, an’ see me -plug him!’ But the crowd was silent. Indeed, the power of the bully was so well known that not aman was willing to interfere to save the Chinamen’s lives. ‘Bring a rope, somebody,”’ he nowled, and drag- ging the Chinamen after them he and his followers started up the street, followed by the crowd. On the bank of the creek near the head of the lit- tle valley was a big cottonwood tree, and to this the two Chinamen were hurried. Ropes were quickly | placed around their necks and the ends thrown over a convenient limb. ‘Now then, boys,” shouted Santa Fe Pete. “let ‘em dangle!” **Hold!”’ It was a commanding voice that spoke. The men at the ropes staid their work, and all looked quickly around. A man was seen pushing his way tothe front. He was a tall, splendid specimen of physical manhood, broad-shouldered and handsome. A heavy black mustache shaded his mouth, and his hair of the same color rested in a heavy mass upon his shoul- | ders, while a wide-brimmed sombrero. encircled by a gold cord. was worn lightly upon his head. He was dressed in a suit of brown velvet, with his trowsers stuck into the tops of his long boots, upon the heels of which were a pair of delicate spurs. His hands were thrust carelessly into day Sc of his jacket, and his manner, though perfectly free and easy, ex- | hibited nothing of the vulgar, swaggering bravado, ) so common in the far West. “What have these Chinamen done to deserve | this?” he asked, as he stepped forth under the tree. * What’n thunder’s that your business?” growled the bully of the town. “Oh, it’s no business of mine in particular! I just felt curious to know, that’s all!’ “Wal, then, jest wait a minute till th’ circus are over, an’ I'll tell ye th’ whole story. Pull away, boys: let ’em swing!” Hold! The first man who pulls a pound on those —- will get hurt!” | nta Fé Pete turned and drew a revolver, but ot mt ome use it there et a flash ap ze an @ weapon was sen out 0 Ss Feud: hit by a bullet. bid . | . With a howl of rage the buliy jerked a knife from his belt and sprung forward upon the stranger, who | stepped nimbly aside and dealt him a blow under the ear that sent him to the ‘ground in a most in- , Slorious manner. At this several of the bully’s friends drew their ~ revolvers, but they were no sooner out than there came another flash and report, and one of the men came to grief with a bullet in his shoulder; and be- fore the others had time to recover from their sur- prise and bring their weapons to bear upon him the stranger had them ‘“covered’’ with two heavy Smith & Wessons. “Hold steady, boys!’ he warned; ‘it’s no use, I’ve got the drop on you.” ‘“*Who fired them shots?’ demanded Pete, who was again to the front. “Tt was I,” declared the bold stranger. “I carry a couple of toys in my pockets, my friend, and they go off once in a while of their own accord,” ‘Mighty tall shootin’,” observed Kitty Wells, who stood near. “ My friend,” said the stranger, addressing Kitty without for a single moment removing his eyes from the men he held at bay, ‘will you please to step forward and release those Chinamen?”’ ‘ “ Really, pard,”’ and Kitty hesitated, “I'd like to oblige ye, I would, indeed; but it don’t 1ook exactly healthy/in that wicinity.” ** Don’t veel uneasy, my friend, for if one of these men moves an inch he'll be a corpse before he can wink. I mean business, every time!” Thus protected, Kitty released the prisoners, who departed for a more wholesome quarter as fast as their legs could carry them, “Now, gentlemen,’ spoke up the stranger, ‘the: uestion that most naturally bobs to the surface is: What are you going to do about it?”’ * Wal, boss,” returned Santa Fe Pete, ‘‘ you has: got th’ drop on us, fer sart’in; an’ we calis fer quar- ter. I’ve hearn tell o’ jest sich fellers as you be, though, an’ if there’s any sand in ye ye’ll fight this heur thing out with me on a fair an’ square footin’.’ ‘©All right, my tulip; a away your pop-gun, and: I will do the same, and then we'll arrange the mat- terina moment. There—that’s it. Now, how do you want to fight?” “Wal, s’pose we try it fists first, an’ if that don’t. do we'll wind up with weepins?”’ “Just suits me to a T!’’ assured the stranger, smiling. The preliminaries were soon arranged, and after laying aside their'weapons the men faced each other: anta Fe Pete had a trick of springing upon his man the instant the word was given. and generally catching him unawares, would bear him to the ground and beat him most unmercifully, This trick he tried upon the s!ranger; but never was a man more thoroughly astonished. The stran- ger caught bim on the fly, as it were, and raising im in his arms threw him backward over his head, landing him ten or a dczen feet away! The bully jumped up with a howl and a roar ard rushed forward again, swinging his long arms wildly about and making desperate pa at the stranjer, who parried evety blow with an ease and a grace that proved him to be an adept in the science of boxing. Presently, however, he—the stranger— cHanged his tactits from defensive to offensive, and struck the bully a blow that made him turn a com- plete somerset, landing him once more upon the ground, : He jumped to his feet again almost instantly, but: this time he did not rush forward to the attack, as before. He kept at a safe distance, and shouted: ‘** Hol’ on, stranger—hol’ on! I has got enough, { has, an’ I don’t want no more! I’m no durned hog,. lain’t, that don’t know when he’s satisfied. But est let me get a hold of my old weepins, an’ see ow soon I'll make ye take water!” The majority of the crowd, when they saw that the bully had found his master, transferred their allegiance from him tothe stranger; and although the latter declared he did not wish to ost f the war- fare any further, his friends insisted, and the two men were soon facing each other with their revol- vers in hand. “Now, gentlemen,” ordered Kitty. Wells, ‘let each man face his adversary, an’ I’ll count three; an’ th’ minit I say ‘ three,’ you are at liberty to un- limber your guns an’ go in, Now,then, here goes: One—two—’ “Bang!” went the bully’s revolver, but wide of the mark. . “Three!” cried Kitty. The stranger fired two shots in quick succession. “Whoop!” yelled the big rough, dropping his re: volvers and clapping his hands to his head—‘‘ whoop? yow, yow! who-o-op!” and Santa Fe Pete hopped, skipped and jumped around like a fakir dancing om hot stones, Several of his followers hurried forward.to his as- sistance, while the crowd surged around to ascertain the extent of his injuries, hat was their astonish- ment when they found that a hole had been made * through each of his ears by the stranger's two shots “Great Jerusalem an’ th’ bugle o’ Jerrekow! did ye ever see sich sbootin’?” cried Coone Clay, en- thusiastically. “Stranger, you beat th’ Dutch!” “ Well, my friend, are you satisfied?” the st er demanded. “Forif you are not, we'd better finish the Lega right here. I pow Pind sre my bul- lets into your eyes as easily as thro your e but I had no desire to take your worhteds life. t simply wanted to brand you as a cowardly bully and an. “Yes,” admitted Santa Fe Pete, “I has got enough. But let me warn ye that I’m a-goin’ to put. cold Jead into you some time when ye least ex. pect it!” “TI shall always be pre’ for you,” the un. isch saswered, itle Brehing under what circum. stances ly's threat w carried out. ‘the hul uu The onde followed him to the Palace Royal, ed @ 4
Page 5
where he registered himself “Jarvis Black.’’ To which some one surrptitiously added ‘the Prince of ksmen.”” CHAPTER V. WANTED, A SUPERINTENDENT, Tue morning sun rose clear and bright, and Golden-E; Lem ah as peaceful and quiet as ee the wild scenes of the night had been but a ream, In the Palace Royal were Raymond Wilmont cant Major Tom, talking over the business of the miue ‘* Where is Garret?’ the major presently asked. ‘* He has gone up to look after the men a little,” replied Raymond, “ but he will be here soon.” A moment later Joe Garret entered the room, and after shaking hands with the major, he said: e* I’m mighty glad to see you here safe and sound, major. Quite an adventure, that.”” “Yes, rather so,” replied the major; ‘ but thanks to Raymond and Mr. Summers, or more directly, “ suppose, to that mysterious Silver-Mask, we came vut all right.”’ ‘* How is your daughter?” “She was quite futigued when we reached here, and I have not seen her yet this morning, but I guess { may safely say she ‘s quite well.” “‘ Uncle Tom,” said Raymoad, presently, ‘‘ Joe and I have come to the conclusion that we are about able | to. give m3 wor’: and emp'oy a superintendenié to manage the mine. What do you think about it?” “J am perfectly willing.” was the reply, “ pro- vided we can find a man competen’ to fill the bill; but I am afraid that will be a hard thing to do, in this place.” “ We can try, at least,” said Raymond, “and if he ts not to be found here we can try elsewhere.” *Oertainly; it will do no harm to advertise and | see what will come of it.”’ An hour or so later posters were to be seen in sev- ¢ral conspicuous places about the town, and al- though they were not remarkable for their artistic beauty, having b»en executed with a rude brush and be taken to the Palace Royal at once As they walked u the street, she leaning heavily | upon the professor’s arm, he whispered: Jackson, of the Little Pearl Mine; and to several | others. Here are letters from those 1 have men- | ‘*May Ihope? Just give me one word, dear lady, and I am your slave forover.”’ **Oh, professor, I—don’t know, I—I—am _ so nerv- ous, I— Ask my brother. No, don’t! I— Oh, dear, oh, dear, what am I to say?” 4 Speak, dear lady, just one little word. May I I—! mean—” ** Thanks, dear lady, sweet angel, thanks!” They soon reached the hotel, and seeing the lady safc with her relatives, the enamored profesgor sought his room, CHAPTER VI. A LIVELY SCENE, Tae leading saloon in Golden- Comfort. was the Solid It was located near the Palace Royal, and | was a large, one-story structure; built of rough But, rough and unpainted as was the clap-boards, and gilded, and outside, the inside was paper shone resplendent with mirrors, It was a bar-room. dance-house, gambling-saloon and eating-house, all in one. When their labor ~f the day was over many of the miners sought the Solid Comfort, and there pro- ceeded to enjoy themselves in various popular ways; the other saloons receiving a fair amount of patron- age too, and on the night following in order the events of the last ge neat the place was crowded. The news of the fight betwen Jarvis Black and Santa Fe Pete had spread like wild-fire, and the miners had ficcked to town to behold this mighty stranger, who had, upon his advent into Golden- Egg, so severely punished the buliy of the town. There was ‘blood on the moon,” as they expressed is, and they meant to see the difficulty to the end. It was early in the ocvening vhen Jarvis Black, Major Tom, Raymond Wilmont and Joe Garret entered the saloon to while away an hour or two, and at their entrance a loud murmur ran round the room, Men were seen to nudge one an- other and point .o “ie conquering hero, and when the pany, ad seated themselves at a table at the furthest end of the room some cf the more curious ones stood - to = a better view of the great chief, the Prince of Marksmen. Major fom ordered wine and cigars, and when they were brought he oured out a glass of the first mentioned and offered it\to the superintendent. “Thanks, major,’’ said Black, “ but I never drink. I will take a cigar, however, and smoke with you.” The major did not try to press the wine upon him, but passed the cigars around,and a short time they were all comfortably settled and doing credit to the name of the saloon. Presently, in a low voice, holding his ky ee up and turning it round and round between his fingers as Soe. his remarks were concerning it, Black said: ‘*Gentlemen, I expect there will be trouble here to-night. As we were coming in I noticed Santa Fe Pete in close conversation with a man known in this part of the country as Billv, the Kid, and it strikes me that Pete is one of his band. Like the Irishman’s dog, step on his tail and he'll bite; and taking Dilly, the Kid, as the dog, and Pete as the tail, he has been stepped on pretty badly. Are you ail armed?” “Not that Iexpect you to help me fight my bat tles, but if there should be any trouble you might find use for your weapons in self-defense. We are in a good part of the room for a fight, but 4 poor one to escape from; so, if you see there is going te be a ‘ breeze * kicked up, perhaps you had better be nearer the door when the ‘ squall ’ strikes.” ‘*My dear fellow, you do me wrong!” exclaimed the major, speaking low. ‘‘I have een in hardet battles than can be created in this place, and if J ever desert a friend in trouble I hope to be hung!” “T beg your pardon, major,” said Black, ‘‘ but ¥ felt .t my duty to explain this thing, and not lead you blindfolded into trouble.” “ That’s all right, sir,” the major answered, “say no more about it.”’ “We'll stand by you,” said Raymond, and Joe added: ‘“‘T’ve heard a great deal about this Billy, the Kid, what a mighty chief he is. and so forth; but_ it’s my opinion that he is only a common cut-throaf.”’ * That he is, most certainly; but he is a man of great nerve and daring as well.” said Black. And then in a louder tone, as he replaced his cigar be- ° tween his teeth, he added: “ Well, it smokes free- ly, Havana or not!” A little later on a number of women entered the saloon, followed by a man with a fiddle, and in a moment all was confusion. Tables were piled up against the wall and chairs stowed away under them to clear a space in the middle of the floor, several miners having taken the ‘ladies’ for part- ners (for which they had to pay), and several partners, miners having taken other miners for ward with a smoking revolver in bis hand, “but | they were soon dancing. “” Nd _ , Le é ile \ ” _ wy ™ ‘ ; wy ‘ys .¢ . ey. A, te , Weg nh KE Wey: a Pty. ¢ é ‘ 5, , y = : 5 “a = » Pee 2 : > tae ce * A
Page 6
—— When the order to clear the floor had been given, Kitty Wells, Uncle Sidney Summers, Pat McCarty, and several others moved over to the corner where Major Wilmont and his party were seated. The | SE Tek TREES TE _ Silver-Mask, the Man of Mystery. fused clatter of hoofs was heard without, as, with a wild yell, Billy, the Kid, and his band swept at full speed out of the valley. The spell that fora moment bound the audience major ordered more wine and cigars, and for an } was soon broken, and out into the street the miners hour or so they all sat and talked, watching the | rushed in a body. And there in the dim light they dancers, . Presently the music stopped and the dancers flocked to the bar, and then it was that a man sprung upon one end of the bar and shouted: ““T want every man jack in this room to come up | to this shelf and takea drink. I’m ayoung man from Frisco, I am, and 1 want to make friends all ec Come up, now, oue and all, and the gals, 00, He was a young man with a beardless face, and | was dressed in arich Mexican suit, that was orna- mented with gold lace and bright buttons.. On his head he worea sombrero, around which was a gold | cord with two heavy tassels that dropped over the brim at the leftside. In his belt he carried a small arsenal of weapons, and on the heels of his high cavalry boots he wore a pair of cruel-looking silver spurs, At his call almost every man and woman in the room crowded round the bar. The stranger threw asmall, well-filled canvas bag to the bar-keeper to pay for the treat, and after testing its weight upon apair of scales, the bar-keeper tossed it aside and a to pass out his wares io the thirsty multi- ude, “Think there’s enough to pay the bill?’ the stranger asked. don’t.” “Double enough,” the bar-keeper answered. *‘T'll give yer back th’ change as soon as th’ rush is over.” ** All right. it, it’s all paid for,” said the stranger. “ Fill °em clear up, pards, for if ye’ve ever tasted it before and survived, it won’t kill you now. I’ve just come to town, and I want to do the square thing, right | up to the handle. I want to be on good terms with all. Come up, pards, come right MY address- ing the major and his companions, who had not accepted the generous, whole-souled invitation. “I’m Keno, from Frisco, I am, and I wantto treat the whole house, Comeright along now.”’ “*No,” said Major Tom, ‘' we have just finished a bottle. I thank you all the same.” **Never mind that; come and take a little drop with me.” ““No, no, my good fellow,” said the major, speak- ing for all, ‘“‘ we have had enough. Please excuse us.” ‘*Bar-keeper, a bottle of your best wine this way!” cried the stranger, and having received it, he umped down from the bar and approached the ble where the major and his friends were seated. ‘*Come, gentlemen,” he said, in a quiet way, knocking the neck from the bottle and filling the glasses, “ put it down, now, just to oblige me.” ot Well,” said Major Tom, ‘‘I don’t see that I can offer any decided objections to drinking with you or any other man, for that matter, when I’m asked in a civil manner, so here goes)” and he drained the lass, ; Raymond and Joe followed his example, and then on Senet filled a glass and offered it to Jarvis lack, “T thank you, pard,”’ said Black, politely, *‘ but you must excuse me. I never drink.” “Pshaw! nonsense! take it.’ “No,” said Black. ‘I never drink, under any cir- cumstances whatever.” “Do you mean to say you 7ron’t drink?” “That is my meaning exactly, sir.” Quick as a flash the stranger drew a revolver from his belt and thrust it into Black’s face. ¥ suai I persuade you to change your mind?”’ he said. ‘No, sir, you can't.” lt was an exciting moment. The crowd pressed forward, and some of Black’s friends tried to draw their weapons; but before booed could do so they felt the cold muzzles of revolvers behind their ears, and found that the stranger was not alone. The suspense was terrible, although it lasted but a few seconds. The spectators seemed to hold their breath, and a pin might have been heard to drop in “— part of Uhe room. lack sat with his hands thrust into the pockets of his yee looking at the stranger as though per- ifect ¥ unconcerned. Su name A there came a loud report, and the stran- r’s revolver was knocked out of his hand and sent ‘ g to the ceiling. But without winkiug, appar- ‘ ently, he brought his left hand up from his Belt with another weapon, and the situation remained un- changed. Then came another shot from one of Black's pockets, and again was the revolver hurled from the stranger’s grasp, but his right hand came up again instantly with another, “* Now will you drink?” he demanded. Never, in the wildest times of the wild, wild West, nor in the wildest romance ever written, was there a scene more trying than this, Great beads of per- iration appea upon the foreheads of the by- srandera, and that one moment seemed an age. P .' “No, sir,’’ came the calm reply “*T will not drink.” Only a single second more of t is fearful suspense, and then all became confusion. A man stepped sud- Bonly between Jarvis Black and the stranger, com- ing from no one seemed to know where—a man with 4 wide-brimmed sombrero upon his head and a mask of silver over his face—a man whose presence no one had noticed before, who said: “* Billy, the Kid, you dre my oner |” In asecond the saloon was in total darkness. A single shot was fired, and then followed a great rush of feet toward the Yoor. A moment later a con- “T’ve got plenty more if you ; Fill °em up, boys; don’t he afraid of | | | | | could see a band of thirty or forty horsemen flying up the road. Butin a minute or two they had dis- grab from the valley, and then, as the name of | t ne notorious outlaw was crowd seemed to draw a he was gone. ‘Great jumpin’ Julius Ceesar!’’ cried old Cooney Clay. ‘‘Wur thet th’ great mogul—th’ big ‘Injun— th’ great snappin’ terrapin o’ th’ West? Whew! who'd ’a’ thunk it!” “Yes,” said Jarvis Black, “that was Billy, the Kid, sure enough. And he was here in full force, too. When he he had his men all around him, and also stationed under every lamp in the room.” “ Sart’in sure!’’ said Uncle Sidney Summers, “ fer didn’t me an’ some o’ th’ boys try t’ draw our ‘ pops’ an’ help ye? But, great Scott! I felt cold steel *hind my ear before I could get-my paw onto a weepin at all!”’ ‘*T saw that,’’ said Black, “‘and knew that I was in a tight place, and but for the stranger with the silver mask I don’t see how I could have extricated myself. I could have put one of those bullets into Billy, the Kid’s brain as easily as not: but that mo- ment would have been my last, and he and his men knew it, and they also knew that I was aware of it, too, and that is just where they had me, But come, men, don’t let us stand here, our mysterious Silver- Mask may be dying. I saw Billy, the Kid, place his revolver against his breast, and fire, just as the lights were put out.” lack hastened back into the saloon, closely fol- lowed by the crowd; but Silver-Mask was nowhere to lip, the —* from li reliet that ong breath o. | to be seen, nor were there any marks of blood upon the floor to show that he had been struck by the murderous bullet. “ This is strange,’’ said Black, ‘‘ for I saw the shot fired; and Billy, the Kid, is not the man to miss his mark!” “Tt's really wery curious,” said Kitty Wells. ‘I thought th’ ball must ’a’ gone clear through him. He ain’t here, though, that’s a fact; so I’d wenture to say he must be gone,”’ “There’s some big game in all this, pards,”’ said Uncle Sidney Summers. ‘“*That cuss wouldn’t ’a’ come heur with such force fer nothin’. me if I can make it out! He didn’t do much dam- age, anyhow.” “Well,” said Major Wilmont, “now that the trouble is over, suppose we resume our seats.” The excitement having abated, the dancing in the saloon was resumed, and in a short time business was going on as though nothing had happened. Presently, however, the bar-keeper uttered a yell that would have shamed a wild Indian, and poured forth a volley of oaths that caused the dancers to stop suddenly in their whirl, and drew the general attention, “ What ails yer?’ demanded Santa Fe Pete, who had been rather noticeable for his unusual delites- cence during the previous part of the evening. The bar-keeper pointed to a pair of scales, where- on he had emptied the contents of the bag he had received from Billy, the Kid. There, where man an ounce of the precious metal had been weighed, was a handful of sand, with three or four bullets thrown in to give it weight. “The blamed thief!" the bar-keeper cried. “If he ever puts his nose inside of this saloon again I’M blow his blasted head off! A fifty-dollar bill wouldn't cover what I’ve lost.” ** All hail! good friends, and ladies fair, all hail!’’ The laugh at the expense of the bar-keeper was checked in an instant, and while he with another string of curses threw the dirt away, all eyes were turned toward the door. There stood a man of the most remarkable stamp. In ig des appearance he would have paired well with Professor Buggs, but his air was more exalted, He was a long, gaunt specimen of humanity, wear- ing a long, black, threadbare coat that was button- to bis chin. His shoes were much the worse for wear, his face was covered with a stubby beard of about three weeks’ growth, and in his hand he car- ried an old-fashioned carpet-bag. “ By Providence divine I am here at last,’’ he said, as he stalked into the room and dropped his carpet- bag. Then approaching the bar he Jeaned over it took the bar-keeper by the shoulders, and in a loud whisper, said: ‘*My noble lord, hear me one single word I be- seech of you. I ama man whom Fortune hath most cruelly scratched. At the present moment, my lord, my cameralistic condition is such that I am penniless. Will you, most noble sir, as a matter of charity, under such circumstances, give me a drop, one single drop, of the fiery nectar?’ “No, sir!” cried the bar-keeper, moving away from him. ‘“ That eh is too old! It’s played out! if nth got any of the necessary about your old clothes-~” ““Ay, most noble toparch, but that, as 1 said be- fore, is just where the great pain lies. J am, to use the expressive word, bu’sted.” “Then you can’t get anything here!” The stranger groaned. “You're jist too late for th’ free distribution, old ghost,” said Santa Fe Pete. ‘It’s been a-flowin as free as water.” “Ob for a taste, but one pa taste of the agua bendiia,* How it would resuscitate the flagging ele- . * Holy-water, Spanish. ad me cornered there in the saloon | But, hang | ments of my frail mortality, and renew the tem- poral vigor of this crumbling tabernacle! Never,. since my maternal pe ps wey did first ablactate me, have I felt the pangs of thirst sogreat. Bar-keeper,. relent.” “ Nary!” The dancers and the crowd surged round the bar, watching the man in silence, and no doubt thinking him a most decided ‘‘ character.” Again he groaned. Suddenly, however, he brightened up and ex- claimed: “Hark! are my acoustic o and he placed his hand behind over the bar. $ The bystanders evidently began to think him crazy. ““What!” cried a small and stifled voice, coming apparently from among the bottles and decanters that stood behind the bar, “do my eyes deceive me?« No! Schuyler, Schuyler, dear old boy, how are you?” “Tt is, it is, it is!” the stranger shouted. “It is it recognizes ttle ans to be relied on?” is ear and leaned far the same—my favorite brand—and me! Bar-keeper, for Heaven’s sake put that down here before me.” ‘** Yes,” said the bottle, “do set me down.” The bar-keeper’s eyes were almost bulging from their sockets with astonishment at hearing a bottle speak, but he remained firm. “Oh, Schuyler!” said the small, stifled voice again, emanating, it appeared, from a bottle of brandy on the second shelf; “had I wings, how quickly would I fly to thee; or legs, how quickly would I jump!” “I know it! I know you would!” cried the now thoroughly-excited stranger. ‘‘ Bar-keeper, if there burns a single spark of sympathy within your breast, I pray you set that bottle down’”’ ** Yes,” said the bottle, ‘“‘if you are human put me down.” ; “Put ther bottle down, Dick,’ exclaimed an old miner, whose generous heart could no longer stand against these strong y carpe * put it down, an’ by grashes I'll pay fer all he takes!’ The bottle was handed down. “*May Heaven bless thee, thou good Samaritan!’” said the stranger, ‘‘ may Heaven bless thee.”’ ‘Don’t spare me, Schuyler,” said the small, but no longer stifled voice, coming from the bottle as it was uncorked. ‘“ Don’t spare me, but fill a bumper and drink me down.’’+ And filling a glass to the very brim, the stranger disposed of the liquor as directed. “Take another,” said the small voice, and the ghee did, emptying the bottle. by ! ye gentle gods!” he said, drawing a long breath and rubbing his stomach, ‘now I could die sa “Tis sweet to die for those we lovs,” the small voice added, stifled again, and coming “rom the very depths of the stranger’s organ of digestion. he crowd laughed itself hoarse. - Putting down the bottle and the glass, the stran- ger took up his carpet-bag. Opening it, he took therefrom a roll of paper, a hammer, and a dozen or so of tacks, Then he mounted a chair and pro- ceeded to tack the paper upon the wall, and when he had done, the crowd read the following, printed in large and gorgeous letters: SCHUYLER SHAKESPEARE BRACKET, PROFESSOR OF ELOCUTION AND VENTRILOQUY. Humorous, DraMATIC, AND CLASSICAL READINGS.. VENTRILOQUISM! The Professor has read before All the Crowned: Heads of Europe. COME ONE AND ALL! Doors open at 7 o'clock. The stranger read the poster aloud, and then step- ping cong pial Sha chair and striking an attitude: **Gentlemen, that refers to me—S. 8S. Bracket, at a For further particulars, see small CHAPTER VII. : ANGELS IN THE MOUNTAINS, Away up among the strong recesses of the moup- tains, whose rugged, tree-crowned bluffs tower above the surrounding plains like grim and sturdy monarchs, standing upon a broad plateau and look- ing down into the va. ley beneath them, with the noontide sun beaming upon their shapely heads, were two youn girls. One was evidently a daughter of sunny Spain. Her black hair fell like a mantle over her shoul- ders, reaching below her waist, and her black, vel- vety eyes shone like stars. She was dressed in a. richly-embroidered Spanish-Mexican costume, and on her feet she wore a pair of Indian moccasins, small in size and pretty in shape, which were beaut tifully beaded and stitched. She was about eigh- teen years of age. and had a gracefully rounded fig- ure and a face glowing with the tint of perfect health, although it wore a sad, yanty look, as if Aina secret sorrow was gnawing at her youthful eart. The other was an Indian girl, as straight as am arrow. She was clad ina handsome, heavily-bead. ed buckskin dress, and her hair was braided in two. parts which she had twisted into a coil around her | | | a a
Page 7
“me head. At her back she carried a small rifle, while a knife and a revolver were in the belt that girded her slender waist. ‘“Why does my sister Sweet-Face mourn for her brother?” the Indian aes asked, taking her compan- ion’s hand in hers, “Is he not bold and brave, and strong in battle? Have we not seen him fight his enemies in great numbers? Then do not weep be- cause he is half asun late at his mountain home. Do you fear he has grown weak and timid, and his | foes have killed him? Fear not, sister Sweet-Face, for your brother will soon be here to clasp you in | his strong arms once more!” ,... Oh, Song-Bird!” the other replied, “‘ what would | Ido if my brother were never to return to me? He is strong and brave, it is true, but he cannot avoid unseen dangers.” “Has Sweet-Face no other friends?” the Indian girl asked. “ Are not Great-Bear and Song-Bird her riends? The great warrior, Silver-Mask, did not save their lives that they should desert Sweet-Face in return. No! were he never to return, Sweet-Face would find other friends as good and true. But see! he is coming!’ and she pointed down into the valley where a horseman’was just coming in sight. A sunny smile instantly chased the shadows from the Spanish girl’s face, and catching hold of her companion’s hand she ran with her swiftly down the rugged trail to meet the pa ma ae rider, who proved to be none other than Silver Mask. “Oh, my brother, my brother,’ cried the Spanish girl, when they met, ‘‘I am so glad you are here again! What detained you?” “T have had quite an adventure, Nina,” Silver- Mask replied, ‘and I have much totell you. But let us go on to the cavern, for I am very tired,” They passed up the trail until they came to the plateau where the girls had at first been standing, and then turning abruptly to the right they entered a narrow pass. This pass grew still narrower as they advanced, until it was hardly possible for horse and rider to proceed, and then it suddenly opened upon a square which was hemmed in on all sides by high walls of rock. On one side of the square was the entrance to a cavern, and there stood an old In- dian, lazily smoking a yt ' “ Great-Bear is glad to see big chief home again,” the Indian said, as he took charge of Silver-Mask’s horse. ‘He has fresh grass for Black-Eagle, and Song-Bird has good meat in the cave for Silver- Mask, if he is hungry.” Silver-Mask entered the cavern, where a small fire was burning in one corner, a crevice in the rock allowing the smoke to escape, and threw himself down upon arude couch. Nina seated herself by his side upon a stool, while Song-Bird stirred up the fire and prepared to cook some game which she had recently killed. 4 The cavern was wide and lofty, and the walls and floor were partly covered with the skins of differ- ent animals. Books abounded in profusion, and a uitar lay upon a table near the entrance. A parti- ion of skins divided a corner of the cavern from the main part, and this was the sleeping apartment of the two girls. A spring of clear, pure water trickled from the rock in the corner opposite the fire, form- ing a little pool where it fell, and finding an outlet through a natural drain in the floor. ‘Remove your helmet, Miguel,” said Nina, and Silver-Mask obeyed her gentle command. The moment the visor was raised and the helmet removed, the girl gave her brother a hearty kiss. A bold, handsome, serious face was his, with eyes as black as jet and as bright as diamonds, No dis- figurement was there that would cause him to wear a mask, and why he did so was as yet a mystery. Nina brushed back the hair from his forehead caressingly, and—but was this the secret? There, upon the broad, high forehead was a_ blood-red .mark, the Cross of the Golden Keys. “Nina.” said Silver-Mask, presently, ‘are you weary of dwelling here?” “No, Miguel,” she replied, “it is quite a pleasant place, and by far the safest of any we have had since we an our pilgrimage in this wild land. It is only when you are away that I am weary, and even then I am content, unless you emery beyond the time of your promised return. My leisure is so fully taken up during your absence by teaching Song-Bird, that I scarcely notice the hours as the glide away, until it is time to expect you bac n ” “ Does she improve under your teaching?” “Very rapidly. She can play some of my most difficult music almost as well as I, and she is learn- ing to read with a perfect accent. *She can speak Spanish fluently, as you know, and she is aio, beginning to converse a little in French, Never had a teacher such a pupil before!” This conversation was carried on in French, and therefore the Indian girl went about her work almost totally unconscious of the praise that was being showered upon her. “Tam pleased to hear such favorable reports of our protegee,” said Silver-Mask, ‘‘and I hope you will continue to improve her mind. Then you would not like to go away from here, eh?” “I would like to return to Spain, to Barcelona,” Nina answered. “That is impossible at present,’’ said Silver-Mask, and a shadow passed over his face. ‘Do you re- nyse the young lady I spoke to you about yes- “The one you rescued?” “Yes. As I told you, she is the daughter of Major . Wilmont, one of the owners of the Golden-Egg Mine, and they are popes at the Palace Royal Hotel. As the time is drawing near, Nina, when I must make another search for the lost cathedral, would you not rather spend the time, during my absence, stay here in this nest in the mountains?” **T suppose I would,” “T thought so. I am going to Golden-Egg again to-night, and I will then engage a room for you and | Song-Bird at the Palace Royal” | Song-Bird had by this time prepared the game, and she called Nina and Silver-Mask to the table. Great-Bear, the Indian, stalked in and took his place at the board, and Song-Bird having poured the coffee, the making of which was another of her newly-acquired accomplishments, the meal pro- gressed. ‘“*Great Bear,” said Silver-Mask, “‘we are going away from here to-morrow, forever.” this: | in a lively little town, with pleasant company, than | “Yes, of course; but what I was about to say, is Silver-Mask, the Man of Mystery. vd “ Much!” was the reply. ‘‘ There will be a freight wagon here some time to-day, containing all the necessary paraphernalia for a first-class printing establishment. I am about to start a newspaper in | this young and flourishing ware, apo I want all good “We are going to Golden-Egg to dwell among the | pale-faces, and Great-Bear—and Song-Bird, too— must forget they have ever seen Silver-Mask’'s face. Do you understand ?”’ “Ugh!” the Indian grunted again. know.” “ Does Song-Bird understand too?” ‘“*Yes,’’ replied the girl, ‘‘Song-Bird has a still tongue,” ‘*T am satisfied,” said Silver-Mask, and then to Great-Bear, he added: ‘* When the sun hides its face behind the big hills in the west, then Great-Bear may put the saddle on Black-Eagle and call me from my sleep.” ‘‘Great-Bear will do so,’’ was the reply, and then Silver Mask threw himself upon his couch and was soon asleep. ““Many pale-faces in Golden-Egg,” said Great- Bear, as the girls were chattering like a pair of mag- ies over their prospective change, ‘“‘and Sweet- ace and Song-Bird will lose their hearts.’’ And having uttered this bit of logic the old Indian lighted his pipe and stalked forth from the cavern to enjoy a quiet smoke. “Song-Bird has no heart to lose,” said the Indian girl, simply. ‘“Why?” asked Nina, heart at all?” The girl blushed, but after a moment she an- swered: **Song-Bird had a heart once, but it is hers no | ‘Ugh! Great-Bear go too!” i “* Great-Bear “Has Song-Bird got no more.”’ “Where is it now?’ ‘* Sweet-Face shall know if she will keep a still | tongue,” ‘Very well,” said Nina, “*I will keep your secret. Who is your lover?” **Song-Bird has none.” “You have lost your heart and yet have no lover?” “ Yes.” * What a strange girl you are, Song-Bird; please to explain yourself.’ ‘‘ Sweet-iace has promised not to tell, and Song- Bird will trust her. The great chief, Silver-Mask, has my heart, and it is all his own.” ** Pshaw |” exclaimed Nina, ‘“‘I knew that, long “* Song-Bird did not tell her sister.”’ “No, but I have sharp eyes.”’ “Does Silver-Mask know?” Song-Bird asked, bursting into tears. ‘*No,” said Nina, “‘ but he will know it some time. Come, now, dry your eyes and let me hear you read; for you must learn to read well to please the one you love. I have sharp eyes, Song-Bird, as I told you, andI think your foolish little heart is safe.” And kissing the beautiful Indian girl upon her brow Nina and she sat down, the one willing to teach, and the other more than eager to learn. CHAPTER VIII. BRACKET’S ENTERTAINMENT. and worthy citizens to subscri I can assure you the Golden-Egg Neus will be a wide-awake paper six days out of seven, and the price is only a dollar amonuth. Let me enter your names?” “You may put my name down,” said Black. *‘I am always in favor of encouraging a worthy enter- prise.’ “And mine, too,” said Prof. Buggs. , ; a you advocate women's rights?” asked Miss ulia. *‘ Fair lady,”’ said Bracket, with an eye wide open to business, ‘‘ I am devoted to the cause.” ‘Then, sir, you may take my name, too.” Having taken the names, the professor continued: ‘“The money will be payable after the first issue of the News. “There is to be a grand entertainment this even- ing in. the saloon called the Solid Comfort. Iam to appear iu my justly-popular and celebrated 7ole as professor of elocution and ventriloquy. Humorous, dramatic, and classical readings, and ventrilo- quisin.”» And quoting his play-bill entire, he went on: ““The professor has read before all the crowned heads of Europe. Come one and all. Doors open at seven oscioek: The professor will struggle to the front at eight. “‘T hope I shall see you all present, and for further information—see small bills.” Then with another bow he opened the door and took his leave. Miss Julia and Professor Buggs departed soon after, and then in a few moments back came Pro- fessor Bracket. “Say! who is that lady@’’ he asked. “That is Major Wilmont’s sister,’’ Black an- | swered, ' clover. | for business 1 shall have a b’iled shirt, and then ot ‘*He’s the man that runs this mine, ain’t he? “Yes, sir; he is at the head of it.” ** And she, being related to him, is likewise related to the mine?” ‘**In a manner—yes.” j “That being the case,"’ said’ Bracket, “I’m ia As soon as our Chinese citizens get ready adieu to Professor Buggs. Proclaim it not upon the house-tops, my Christian friend, but that fair lady is destined to become my bride. ***Tf mortal man can win her hand, I’m the man to do it.’ *T have been on the lookout for a wife for quite a long time. and now I guess I’ve found her, ” And once more he departed. ** Well, well, well!’ said Black, as he re-lighted his cigar and threw his feet upon the desk again; “ of all places in the world for ‘ characters ’ and ‘ origin- als,’ take a wild Western town like this.” Prof. Schuyler Shakespeare Bracket improved every minute of the da} in canvassing the town of Golden-Egg and the neighborhood adjacent there- unto, soliciting subscribers for the promised Golden- Egg News, and aiso advertising his public entertain- ment, which was to come off that evening in the Solid Comfort. And when the shades of night began to fall over the little valley, the miners flocked into town to ‘see the circus." Satisfactory pecuniary arrangements had been made with the proprietor of the Solid Comfort. and precisely at seven o'clock the professor took his place at the door to collect the fares. His very first applicant was Cock Robin. “Be you the man what turns th’ crank?” he asked. “Tam the man who is to give the entertainment, if that is what you mean,” the professor replied. “Jest so. Now, s’pose a worthy citizen comes to On the morning that followed the night of the | you an’ says he’s strapped; will ye let him in?” trouble in the saloon, Jarvis Black was seated in the office of the Golden-Egg Mine, smoking a cigar, when Miss Julia Wilmopvt and Professor Artemus Buggs entered. ‘““Good-morning!’’ said Black, bringing his feet down from the desk and laying aside his cigar, “please to be seated.” ‘Thank you,” said Miss Julia. ‘ Allow me to in- troduce you to Professor Buggs, whose acquaint- ance I made while en 7oute to this dreadful place. Professor, this is Mr, Black, superintendent of my brother’s mine.” The professor bowed, and held out his hand. “Tam proud and happy to know you, sir,” said Black, shaking the proffered hand quite vigorously, **May Iask in what direction your talents tend, or what particular branch of science you are inter- ested in?” “Geology and Botany are my field, sir,’ repiied the professor, seemingly glad to get his hand back again in good condition, Black having released it from his strong grasp. **And noble pursuits they are,’’ said Black. ‘I have studied something of them myself, although there is much within their spheres that I yet might learn, Your field for action is very broad in this wild country, sir.” At that moment the door opened, and a person of very tragic air and appearance strode in. He bowed low before Miss Julia, laid aside his hat, and then peecnene a small and remarkably dirty package rom his ket, he opened it, and took therefrom three cards, which he handed round. are Schuyler Shakespeare Bracket,” Black read | aloud. i At your service, sir,” said the man, with another Ww. “What can I do for you?” asked Black. ‘No, sir.” * Jest so ag’in. Hev ye got a partner?”’ NO.” “Then, who tends door while th’ preformence is a-goin’ on?” **Oh! I generally find some good and honest pil- grim who is willing to do it for a trifling considera- tion,” was the reply. “Then, pard,” said Robin, “that pilgrim’s me. T'm yer huckleberry.” “ 9g”) **T mean that I’m a-lookih’ fer jest sich a job.” * Are you honest?” “Honest as th’ day is long!’? \ * Well, I'll try you. I will pay you a fair price, and trust to your honesty. At present you may go in and regulate the lamps a little.” And thus did Cock Robin become a satellite to the great pro- fessor. The saloon filled very rapidly, the miners paying their mite and entering in a peaceable manner, and all was passing off nicely until Santa Fe Pete tried to bully his way in be hegie Pon’ nea) > : “Hold on there, ny Christian friend!’ the pro- fessor exclaimed. ‘You must ‘ante up,’ or at these portals you cannot enter!” ‘*D*you own ther place?”’ the bully growled. “Yes. This building is mine until the clocks peal out the hour of eleven.”’ “Wal, I don’t keer a cuss whose it are, I’m a-goin’ in; an’I ain’t a-goin’ fer t’ pay nothin’, neither. You hear me /”’ and he gave the professor an angry push and stepped into the saloon. “Bolts and shackles!’’ cried the enraged profes- sor, “shall this fellow live? No! by my father’s beard, no! Base Trojan, thou shalt perish!’ And catching the bully by the neck he jerked him out into the street in the twinkling of an eye.
Page 8
yi v ly i ir. , RY POT OME Hear TR et 1 HE, bce ne AES rem pipe te getty ARPES AIRE IE me eee |> ae a Silver-Mask, the Man os Mystery. Santa Fe Pete made a blustering attempt to draw his knife, but finding the professor’s revolver already under his nose he desisted and walked away. Ver- ily, his star as the bully of the town was set. Had he succeeded in drawing his knife, however, he would undoubtedly have carried his point and enter- ed free; for Bracket had a wholesome fear of that weapon. A pistol, he could face; but aknife, never. It gave him a cold chill down his back to look at one. He could not help it. Major Wilmont, with Stella, followed by Prof. Buggs and Miss Julia, with Dinah Lee, entered and took up the seat that had been reserved for them, and the men who were smoking threw away their cigars out of respect for the ladies, prominent among them being Kitty Wells, Uncle Sidney Sum- mers, Cooney Clay, Pat Mc Carty, and others. Raymond Wilmont and Joe Garret sauntered in and seated themselves near the ised and Stella, and at a few minutes to eight o’clock Professor Bracket placed Cock Robin at the door, and retired to the kitchen at the rear of the saloon to make him- self ready for the stage. The stage, by the way, was a temporary struc- ture, about twelve feet by twelve in size, made by laying boards loosely upon some empty boxes, n a short time, at eight o’clock precisely, the pro- | fessor reappeared. e was dressed in a red flannel! shirt and a paper collar, a low-cut vest and a swallow- tail coat, a pair of rough and seedy trowsers and rougher cowhide boots. And as he stepped upon his platform he created quite a sensation, He bowed. “Ladies and Gentlemen,” said a voice coming from the ceiling, ‘‘ allow me to introduce Professor Schuyler Shakespeare Bracket.”’ He bowed again. ‘*My worthy friends and fellow sojourners in this land of adnubilated history and aculeate cactus,” he began, “I greet you One and all, I greet you, I come before you this evening for the prepeee of en- tertaining you for a short time, and that purpose shall be carried out to the best of my ability. My first endeavor shall— If that loquacious tatterde- malion near the portal of ingress and exit” (Santa Fe Pete, who had forded his way in,at last.) ‘‘ does not eéase his vociferous and contumelious language at once, I shall exert my prepollency and assist my labled adscript in conducting him hence. Or, better stil, I will bring forth a deleterious weapon and annihilate him on the spot. ‘* My first endeavor shall be the recitation of selec- tions from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, which, with my venotriloquial powers to aid me, I think I can make h'ghly interesting to you.” Santa Fe Pete tried hard to make trouble, but finding the crowd rather inclined to be orderly than otherwise, he quieted down and seated himself near the door, ; Taking the part of Hamlet for himself the pro- fessor soon had his little stage peopled with invisi- ble beings of his ventriloquial creation, and the crowd discovered that the entertainment was going to be, as they expressed it, ‘*no slouch.” As he warmed to his work his audience warmed toward him, and at the end of his first act the peo- ple cheered and applauded him immensely. Then followed some character sketches from Dick- ens’s works, which were greeted with loud yells of commendation. “It beats anything I ever heard,” said Major Wil- mout, as he held his sides and fairly roared with laughter. Men continued to drop in by twos and threes, and by ten o’clock the place was crowded, About that time Silver-Mask entered, and fonnd his way to Major Wilmont, who greeted him heart- ily, as did Stella and the others, “Do you notice anything a little peculiar about this crowd, major?” Silver-Mask asked, “No,” replied the major, as he glanced around the room, ‘I can’t say that I do. at is it?” “Do you not perceive a great number of men with red cords around theirhats? They are ali aroundfus, and one is stationed near every lamp in the room.” * By George!” cried the major, in a suppressed Mi “you are right, Whom do you take them to ‘They are the men who ma the stage and earried you and your daughter off,”’ “Great heavens! can this,be true? I must getmy daughter away from here at once!”’ “Too late,”’ said Silver-Mask, calmly. ‘ We must not Jet them know we have detected them, and per- haps we may be able ie capture their leader, I will ass tho word to our friends, and then we will wait or further movements on the part of the rascals.” Silver-Mask quietly informed Raymond and Joe, and they in turn, and in the most cautious man- ner, conveyed the information to Uncle Sid and the others who were seated near themy “And now,” said Professor Bracket, as the hour of eleven drew nigh, * with the exception of a few remarks which I desire to make, the performance is over. “| havea brother. His name is Abminadab Sar- danapolus Bracket. He is a minister. He is now on his way to this place, where he hopes to engage in his good work, and I trust that you will receive him as warmly into your midst as you have received me. He will also fill the post of associate editor of the scuba 3 News, and if ay among you should become matrimonially inclin you will find it greatly to your advantage to call upon us, We will give youa first-class wedding and a gilt-edge certifi- cate, toget er with a quarter-column notice in the Neirs, all for the modest sum of twenty-five dollars. “TI must return thanks for your kind appreciation of my modest endeavors to please you, and inform you that the receipts of the evening are sufficient to a set tho Golden-Egg Nees up in fine style, and give the enterprise a healthy start, “I will now bid you all good-night and retire to my humble cot, where, throwing myself into Morpheus’s arms, I shall soon be conveyed to the land of elysian repose,” And bowing very low to his audience, the pro- fessor stepped down from his platform and disap- peared into the kitchen. As the door closed behind his retreating form a short, sharp whistle was heard, and instantly every light was extinguished. Then came a great rush of feet, and all was confusion. ‘The women screamed, and the men shouted and struck at one another as they crowded toward the door, Silver-Mask, Major Wilmont, Raymond, Joe Garret and Uncle Sidney Summers all stepped in front of Stella, and not an instant too soon; for hardly was the room plunged in darkness when two men sprung forward to seize her. Silver-Mask caught one of them and Raymond the other, and in a trice they were both securely held by willing hands. * Do not allow these to escape,” said Silver-Mask, “and I will see what Ican do for the rest of them.” The noise increased every moment, and in the midst of the tumult Professor Bracket appeared trom the kitchen with a lamp in his hand. What a scene was that! The struggle for the door ceased instantly, and every man looked his neighbor in the face as if to ask what it was all about, anyhow, Stella and Miss Julia stood clasped in each other’s arms, while Professor Buggs and Dinah Lee stood ditto; the professor having caught hold of Dinah by mistake in the hall. Major Tom, Fie te and others held the two prisoners, and the light proved one of them to be the notorious Billy, the Kid, the other being one of his best men. Strange to say, however, these two were the only ones in the whole room who had the red cords around their hats. The others had van- ished as though by magic. When Silver-Mask reached the door several pistol- shots were heard, and then a clatter of hoofs, as a eat of horsemen dashed away up the valley to- ward the canyon. But this ruse de guerre did not deceive Silver-Mask, for he knew that although the red cords had sud- denly disappeared from the saloon, those whose hats they had lately adorned were there yet, near their leader, whom, in his present perilous position, they would not think of deserting. Their plan of ac- tion had undoubtedly been laid out for them in case their bold scheme miscarried, and the few who had fled from the town had been instructed 80 to do, to give the impression that Billy the Kid’s men had de- serted him. The two prisoners were disarmed and bound hand and foot, and when Silver-Mask returned to the room, he said: ‘*So, my bird, we’ve got you, have we?” “Yes,’’ answered the outlaw, ‘‘ and you'd better make the most of your advantage.” “Have no doubts upon that score,’ was the re- ply. ‘ We'll hang you to-morrow as high as Gilue- roy's kite,” “Well, boys,’’ said Major Wilmont, ‘'T must leave you and take the ladies to the hotel, but I hope you will give the prisoners a fair hearing before you de- cide their fate.”’ ‘*They shall have a fair trial in the morning, sir,” said Silver-Mask, ‘“And, by the way, major,” he added, ‘‘I would like to see you for a few moments, if I may, before | you retire for the night.” as . ss er psalile my dearsir. I will wait for you at the otel.”’ The major went out with Stella leaning upon his arm, five or six armed men bearing him company, sr ‘papers: Buggs followed with Miss Julia and inah, ‘Tis now th’ wery witchin’ time of night,” said Kitty Wells, imitating Professor Bracket, ** when churchyards yawn, an’ hell itself breathes forth contagion to the world. . Now could I do such bitter business as the day would quake to look upon. Bring forth this wulgar willain, pards, an’ we'll elewate bim in less’n two shakes of a lamb’s tail!” ‘Be thou not too hasty, Kitty, my dear,” said Uncle Sidney Summers. ‘' We've had quite enough fun for one night, an’ ef we hang thesé heur hoss- thieves now we won’t have any fun fer to-morrer; so we'd better keep ’om over.”’ PE you a jail here in town?’ asked Silver- ask, **No,” said Uncle Sid, ‘* but there’s a purty stout psy 0’ cabin down the street heur a ways that'll C io, ** “Boys,” said Kitty Wells, ‘*sure’s ye lock ’em up ye'lllose ’em. Better fix ‘em out, right now!” “We can’t hang them without a trial,”’ said Silver- Mask, ‘‘and as it is now too late to go into the case to-night we must lock them up and make the best of it. guess they will not get away if they are well guarded.” : “Wal, bring "em along, hoys,”” said Uncle Sid. as he moved toward the door. ‘Make way, gentle- men, don’t crowd th’ mourners,” and he led the wey o the jail, e cabin was a small one, having but a single room, and Silver-Mesk and Raymond Wilmont ex- amined it carefully before trusting the prisoners to its care. But finding it capable of holding them, they were placed within and the door secured, Then a guard of five men was posted, of which Pat McCarty was one, and the crowd went back to the Solid Comfort. “Tl bet forty cents toa slap on th’ back,” said oe ha ‘that they don’t stay there two ours ‘*¥Ye mought make it forty-five,” said Cooney Clay, ‘‘ an’ then feel purty sure o’ winnin’, Th’ Kid has got more friends right here in this very town than ye’d ever dream of. When they returned to the saloon Professor Bracket was just squaring accounts with Cock Robin. “Dye find me all square an’ fair, an’ true blue?’’ the latter asked, as the professor counted the money and put it away. “Yes,” was the reply,‘ for a red-héeadéd man with pe eyes, you are remarkably honest indeed. flere is a dollar, Put it with the one you slipped into your pocket when you passed in that fat woodén-headed Dutchman, and you'll have two, “Now, professor, said Robin, without even a blush as he put the money into his pocket with the stolen dollar, ‘I hear you’re a-goin’ t’ start a print- in’ office,”’ ‘Yes, quite true.” “Jest so. When I was a boy I served my time with op? oye as principal devil, an’ I can do any- thing from sortin’ type to carryin’ papers. Don’t yé think ye could give me a job?” “*Can you set type?” “You bet! an’ I can tell two-line pica from diamond, every time! I’m no common slouch, [ ain’t!’’ ‘* Well, come around and see me to-morrow, my friend, and I’ll see what can be done for you.” And taking a ‘nightcap’ at the bar the professor went to the Palace’ Royal, and to his humble cot thereat, CHAPTER IX. THE PRISONER ESCAPES. Strver-Mask found Major Wilmont waiting for him in the public room of the Palace Royal, and drawing up a chair he sat down, saying: “T hope you will pardon me, major, for having kept you in waiting; but I will be as brief as possi- ble in what I have to say.” “Do not mention it, sir,’ answered the major. ane time is yours, so Co not hurry yourself at all.’ ‘*My name,” said Silver-Mask, “‘is Miguel Pabas- coz. [ ama native of Barcelona, Spain. My sister is with me in this country, and, together with an old Aztec Indian and his granddaughter, we are at sg camping in the mountains. In a short time t will be necessary for me to leave my sister for a few weeks, and having formed the acquaintance of yourself and your daughter I think I will engage a room for my sister and her companion, the Jndian girl, here at the Palace Royal, trusting that your daughter will favor them with her friendship during my absence, If you think of remaining here some time, I will bring them to Golden-Egg to-morrow; but, on the other hand, if you intend to return East, I shall certainly feel more satisfied to leave them where they are. “The old Indian and his grandchild are deeply attached to me, owing to = having at one time saved their lives, and my sister and I are also at- tached to them: and I feel sure your daughter will find them delightful companions.” ‘My dear sir,” the major answered, “it is our in- tention to remain here for some time to come, and I can assure you that we will extend a hearty friend- ship to your sister and her companions. I earnestly urge you to bring them here. The services you have rendered me are so great in value that Ican never hope to repay them, but anything that I can do to promote your sister's happiness shail not be left undone.” ¢ “T fear I have not made my meaning plain,” said Silver-Mask. ‘I do not wish to force my sister upon you for care and protection, but simply to assure myself that. she will have some friends of her own sex for companions. Heretofore I havé had to leave her in the mountains with her Indian friends and the time has passed wearily enough; so t thought it would do her good to dwell for awhile in this lively little town, ‘You must Know, of course, that after the at- tempts that have been made to steal your daughter, it will be necessary to have some one to watch over her whenever she is out of the house, and not in all the world could you find a person more fitted for that service than thie old Indian of whom I speak, He is an odd sort of fellow, dresses in all his feath- ers and nt, like the wildest of the wild; but his heart is in the right place, and he is as true as gold.” ‘“No,”” replied the major, “I do not misunder stand you, sir; neither dol wish you to misunder- stand me. I say that if you bring ae sister here we will take her under our while you are away and I hope you will bring her at once. “By the way, I suppose we shall have to dispose of our prisoners in afew hours, Do you propose hanging them?” , ““My dear major, our prisoners will be far away from here before sunrise. Billy, the Kid, has any number of his men in the town at this moment. The few who rode away on horseback only acted as a blind to cover his realintentions. Had we attempt- ed to hang in ome, there would hare none a terrible fight, and one upor very unequal grounds; for we could not distinguish friend frem foe. Why, I can swear that one of the men who are now guarding the prison is a member of the Kid’s band.” * Why not alarm the town and guard the prisoners in full force?” the major suggested. “Tt can’t be done, major.”’ Silver-Mask answered, ‘for the reason that the Kid’s men are already here. If bind were expected to come ina body to rescue him, then of course it would be different; but as we: can't tell friend from foe, as I said before, it is next
Page 9
aed Silver-Mask, the Man o ftoimpossible. The only chance this town has got to get square with Billy the Kid is to catch him on a fair field, or else run him to his hole atid then force him out. Let me warn you to look well to your daughter’s safety to-night, for it is possible that they intend to make another attempt to steal her.” “T suppose you are right, but I hate to see him get: away from us so easily.” **We can hold him, major, but only at the cost of many good men; sol would say, let him escape if ~ can, and wait till we have a better chance at m,”’ “Do you suppose he really expected to take my daughter right from under my very nose?”’ “ Certainly! and only for our nag | forewarned he would have suéceeded, too. But, being foiled, he had his plans all Jaid, and, if you_remember, the in- stant we captured him he made three loud and dis- tinct claps with his hands, which were no doubt a signal to his men how to act.” ‘He is a crafty fellow, a ‘foxy,’ a ‘ wulpine cuss’ —as Kitty Wells would say—vut why he is so per- sistent in trying to capture my daughter I am un- able to comprehend,” “If he once gets her into bis power it would cost you dearly to redeem her, and such a ransom as the Golden-Egg Mine might afford to pay is quite a temptation to a mau of his stamp.” “That must be his object,” said the major, thoughtfully; ‘I can think of nou other.” ‘* Well, major, 1 will bid you good-night,” said Silver-Mask, as he closed his visor, which he had partly raised during their conversation. ‘‘I will see you again to-morrow, and until then, farewell.”’ ‘*Good-night, Mr. Pabascoz,’’ said the major; and after bespeaking a room at the hotel office, Silver- Mask went forth into the night. As the night rolled on apace, the guardsmen around the “unilocular ” jail began to move away from their posts and to congregate before the door, where Pat McCarty was expatiating to a companion upon certain (or uncertain) deeds of valor in times gone by, in which he himself had figured as the chivalrous hero, Some of his yarns wers | trecree true, but whether true or fictitious, they were all told with thegame deep air of earnestness, * Come. boys.” he said, “‘there’s no use standing around like stray sheep. The lads within are as snug as bugs in a rug, and we might as well stand here together and have a quiet chat.” Half an hour later, just as Pat concluded one of his stories, a short, shrill whistle was heard. The lights in the town were all out, and hardly a sound was to be heard, save now and then the neighing of a horse, and the whistle sounded with startling dis- tinctness throughout the valley. ‘ *Phat’s that?” exclaimed Pat. t?”? “Give it up,” answered one of his companions. “Guess I'll take a peep inside an’ see how th’ pris’- ners is. S’pose ro die O. K., though.” So saying he undid the fastenings of the door and ste within, and then, quick as a flash, drew a knife and severed the bonds that held the prisoners. This done he handed them each a revolver, and stopping back to the door blew two short blasts on a whistle, The result was magical. In a second, and before Pat McCarty and the others were hardly aware of it, the street fairly swarmed with horsemen, and Billy the Kid and his companion stepped forth from the cabin free men. **Get in there,” he said to the astonished guards- men, and as he had the “ drop’’ on them they could do nothing but obey the command. He secured the door upon them, and then mounting a horse that was brought to him, he and his followers—the trai- tor ardsman included—dushed up the valley, uttering war-whoops that were loud enough to raise the dead. The Golden-Eggites sprung from their beds and hurried into the street, some of them very meagerly attired, and they were just in time to see the horse- men vanish into the canyon. “Great Peter th’ Fisherman!” exclaimed Uncle Sidney Summers. “It’s most enough t’ astonish th’ natives!”’ * Jest as I told ye,” said Kitty Wells, “If we'd hung ’em right up we'd have ’em,”’ “An? it’s a Be good thing fer some of us thet we didn’t undertake it, I guess,” observed Cooney Olay. “What an item this would be for the Golden-Egg New’ /” cried Professor Bracket. ‘Oh! the asinine varlet—the ‘predaceous picaroon! why couldn’t he have put this whole affair off for a day or two? Not for fond shekels of the tested gold would I have had the News miss such an article as this would make. A column and a quarter all gone to waste!’’ and the professor stam around in his airy dress, having nothing on but his shirt and boots, pulling at his hair aud beating his breast in a very tragical manner, “Did yez hear The tw was opened, and the guardsmen were pressed for information, Explanations followed, od epee the citizens again retired to their beds and unks. “‘is—ts the danger over—is the massacre avert- ed?’ asked Professor Buggs, as he stood trembling in the chilly air with his umbrella under his arm, nothing on save his shirt and hat, “Yes rfesser,’’ said Kitty Wells. “it is all awerted. But badn't ye better ay out of sight? Th’ wimmen-folks may be a-lookin’!"’ The professor cast one glance at bis bare | an- ' other toward the windows of the hotel, and his um- ’ brella went in a twinkling. Then sheltering him- self behind it as best he could, he crept back to his room in the Palace Royal. f Mystery. 9 CHAPTER X. WHEN GREEK MEETS GREEK. BrRiecnt and- early the next morning. Friday, Pro- fessor Bracket made arrangements for the use of a small building near the Solid Comfort, and having engaged Cock Robin, the two went to work witha will to prepare for the Golden-Egg News ; the press, paper. type, ete., having arrived. dlden-Egg was growing. The two Chinamen had opened their place of business, and were ready to ‘* washee-washee”’ al- most anything that might be offered; a store had lately been opened, stocked with a on variety of general provisions, etc.; and on this morning @ barber had hung out his shingle and flung his doors open to the public, thereby supplying a long-felt want to the community at large. And, with a print- ing’ establishment in view, the town was, as the miners said, *‘ jest a-boomin’.”’ It was quite late in the afternoon when Silver- Mask rode forth from the canyon into the little valley, heading straizht for the Palace Royal, and bringing with him his sister Nina, Song-Pird, and Gréat-Bear. Silver-Mask was mounted upon Plack-Eagle, his noble horse, and Nina and Song-hird were bo upon a large cavalry horse, while Great-Bear walkec behind, leading two pack-mules—or burros. Stopping at the Palace Royal they dismounted, and \ ile Silver-Mask escorted the girls into the house, Great-Bear, the Indian, began to unpack the mules, **More sh males, eh?” said Cooney Clay. ‘‘ Wal, th’ more th’ merrier, as ‘th’ old sayin’ goes; but bu’st my suspenders ef I aon’t think th’ more wim- men ye git into th’ town, th’ more trouble there'll be! Reg’lar beauties, though, ain’t they! Look at th’ Injun gal—straight as an arrer!”’ “ Pard,” said Kitty Wells, ** ef ever I marry it'll be to a Injun, an’ blame me ef I don't set my old cap fer this gal. There’s no doubt that Injun gals make the best kind of wiwes, an’ when it comes to a purty little rosebud like this, th’ pill ain*t bad to swaller, by no means. From this time forth ll be her was- sal—her slawe.” Having shown the girls to their réom, Silver-Mask returned and assisted the Indian in the ype of the mules. When this was done the Indian le Black-Eagle and the mules away, while Silver-Mask saw that the things were carried up to the room, Misses Julia and Stella Wilmont gave Nina Pabas- coz and Song-Bird a cordial welcome, and in a short time they were the best of friends. More suitable garments than those she wore were provided for Song-Bird, and it was then a’ hard matter to say which of the three, Stella, Nina, or Song-Bird was most entitled to be called belle of the town, Evening came, and, being a Friday, with it came the stage-coach. Double Jimmie tcoted his horn long and loud as he dashed into the valley, and a moment later, with a loud ** Whoa!” he brought bis four-in-hand toa stop at the Palace Royal. * Any agents, Jimmie?’’ asked the express-agent. ‘*No, none this trip,” was the reply, as the driver handed down the box and threw tiie mail to the postmaster. The first passenger to get down was a fac-simile of Professor Bracket, and as the professor was stand- ing near, his double fell into his arms and they em- braced. Never in the world were two men more like each other. They were'as similar in all respects as two new pins ofa kind. And as they walked a arm in arm, it was a difficult. matter, as Ceoney Clay re- marked, ‘‘to tell t’other from which.’”’ Even Cock Robin, as he followed behind them, carrying a car- thew hyd the new arrival, kept his eyes well fixed upon the original Bracket, lest he should get them mixed. He afterward put a private mark on their coats. There were several other passengers, but as they do not figure in this history we will not mention them, Darkness settled over the town, and the Solid Comfort filled rapidly, as usual. In the course of the evening the two Brackets entered the saloon, and stalking forward until they reached th- end of the room, they faced about and then Schuyler §. said: * Ladies and geatlemen, duce my brother, Reveren lus Bracket. He has just arrived among us, after traveling for many days, and I trust you will give him a cordial greeting.” Here the original Bracket sat down, and Abmina- dab S. stepped forward. **My friends,’ said he, ‘‘my brother has just in- troduced me as the ‘Reverend,’ et cetera. Allow me to set you right. Six days out of sevenI ama man of the worl On the seventh day, however, I put the prefix to my name and point out the straight and narrow path to poor struggling sinners. Therefore, when you have heard my teachings, do as I tell you to do, but not as you may see me do myself, i Tofmorrow is Saturday, and the next day will be Sunday, and then. if you will come and hear me, I will try and give you a few words of hope and good-cheer.” Ans with a low bow he sat down be- side his brother, both caliing for whisky straight. The night rolled on, and both Brackets enjoyed themselves immensely. They even took part in the dancing. And when at last they started for home lease allow me to intro- Abminadab Sardanapa- they required almost the whole width of the'street to_walk in. fessor Schuyler Shakes Bracket was in earnest in regard ntions toward Miss Julia Wilmont, He was determined to get Profes- ee | eS SS ee ss ee S.C —S = i Ss Sessa SSS “< sor Buggs out of the valley, and have the whole field to himself. * Now. emone his tra pings the wily Bracket had a complete Indian outfit, and on this Saturday morning he put it on and started up the valley after Professor Buggs. Buggs was up early every day, and off in search of a new plant or leaf before half the citizens of the town were awake, and this morning was no excep- tion. Bracket found him near the big cottonwood tree, and raising his tomahawk he sprung upon him with a wild whoop that made the valley ring. “Oh, mighty Indian, most noble sagamore,’ groaned Buggs, falling upon his knees. ‘t Spare my life, and I will do your bidding. Oh thou great chief, thou mighty warrior, thou peerless cazique. I pray you ‘spare my worthless life. Put away your—your—whatever-you-call-it, and allow me to go on my way in peace.” “* Hear me,” said Bracket, in a deep voice. “Yes, yes. Speak. I will listen,” moaned Buggs. “ You are a medicine-man to the pale-faces,”’ said Bracket. ‘I have seen you plucking leaves and a and I know you are a mighty medicine-man. t is owing to this that I spare your life. But you must leave this place at once, and never return, Before to-morrow’s sun shall have set I will swoop dowmupon this valley with four hundred thousand of my best warriors at my back, and not a single pale-face shall escape. I do not kill my enemy's medicine-man in war, and therefore [warn vou to £0 away at once; for if you tarry until to-morrow I cannot save you.” “Do put away that awful weapon,” said Buggs, “and I will do anything.”’ ‘Tt is well,’ said Bracket, placing the tomahawk in his belt. ‘* Fly hence while there is yet time.” “*T will, I will, I will warn her whom I lo— mean I will warn my friends, and—”’ Out came Bracket’s tomahawk lixe a flash. “If you attempt to warn a single soul you shall die upon the instant!” be cried. “The coach will leave in afew minutes. You walk upthe canyon, and when it overenncs yo getaboard. Remember, if you do not do as I tell you, you die!” and he flourished the tomahawk in a manner that made Buggs’s blood run cold, Poor Buggs, he was in a dilemma. But at that moment a big form sprung from behind the cotton- wood tree and confronted Bracket with an upraised knife. It was Great-Bear, who had been a silent witness of the scene. ‘Dog of an Apache,” he cried, ‘‘you shall die!” ‘Oh, Lord,” gasped Bracket, and with two hasty jumps he was behind the tree, Bracket had not seen Great-Bear before, and con- sequently did not know him; but taking him to be a Pe ae ae ” wild Indian, he fairly quaked in his oots. Great-Bear made a dash at the ihe sci Apache, sa Bracket took good care to keep the treé between them. “The Apache dog is a coward!’ Great-Bear cried, with a grunt of contempt. ‘“‘He dare not come forth and fight his enemy, but skulks behind the tree. “Most noble and worthy sachem,”’ said Bracket, “Thave no desire to fight you. ITamthe chief of a powerful nation. One whoop from me would bring a thousand warriors to my side. So,if you value your life, be gone!” By this time Professor Buggs had recognized the frightened Bracket, and retiring to a little distance he sat down to look on, He had seen Great-Bear before, and enjoyed the fun immensely, now that it was not himself that was in trouble. ‘*Ugh!” exclaimed Great-Bear, making a thrust around the tree with his knife that caused Bracket to howl with terror, “ talk heap much cheap!” “Oh, thou noble paramount, forbear! Don’t for the love of goodness do that again, It makes my flesh creep! ‘lhou truculent, fucated devil! do not ou.” te gh, ugh!” with two or three thrusts of the knife that Bracket found it no easy matter to avoid. ** Apache dog talks like old woman!” ‘**Oh, Lord!" Bracket gasped again, as he jumped this way and that to escape the point of the cruel. looking knife. “If I only had my revolver here, I would soon fill you so full of lead that you couldn’t draw another breath.” *Great-Bear, most noble chief,” said Buges, * this man is not an Indian, but a white man in disguise. He is a bad one, though, and if you will thrust your a. between his ribs the town will shout your raise.”’ Pe The white medicine-man is the friend of Silver- Mask, and if the white medicine-man says this dog must die, Gréat-Bear will kill him.” “Yes,” said Buges, 6 of the chance to give his enemy a good scare, ** kill him.” It was a case of the biter bit. Bracket had s:t out to scare Buggs, but now he was 9 the worst of it by long odds. Only for the Indian’s knife he would no doubt have made a good fight; but the sight of the naked blade, as we have sai before, unnerved him Le pci A “Oh, thou most armipotent warrior,’ he said, “Jet us bury the hatchet and smoke the calumet. Put away that lethiferous knife, and let us go and take a social drink.” “No, coward, you shall die' and when your flesh has made food for crows your bones shall whiten in the sand.”’ The Indian then made such a decided charge upon Bracket—that the latter took to his heels and ran, *Whoop! whoo-00-00p!"’ yelled the Indian as he rouse my anger, for if you do, woe will surely betide’
Page 10
nf ¢ 10 st chase, and Bracket increased his speed accord- ngly. # Stand by me, legs, if you ever did,’”’ he groaned, straining every nerve, and striking a bee-line for his 2 aa while Professor Buggs laughed till he cried. The Indian continued to yell and whoop, and quite a crowd was attracted by the unusual noise. Bracket snatched off his head-dress as he ran, and aonsequently was recognized of all who saw him. ‘What an article this would make for the News!” cried Kitty Wells. ‘Two columns more gone to waste!” The crowd hooted and cheered asthe professor dashed by, but not a Pega dors did he slacken his speed until he was safe within his sanctum once more. Safe there, did we say? Notso. Cock Robin was busily engaged when the professor came rushing in, flourishing his tomahawk in one hand and his head- dress in the other, and being excited at the sudden appearance of a wild Indian in full paint he began to fire upon him with his revolver. “Hold on, you blasted fool! I’m_ Bracket!” screamed the professor, as he dodged behind a box. “Th’ deuce you are!” said Robin. ,‘* What are you fixed up like a wild Injun for?” ‘* Never mind that, don’t stand there like a fool, but bar the door!”’ Robin sprung to the door to obey the order, but ir as he got there in came Great-Bear with a lood-curdling war-wh« a. ““Oh, Jerusalem!’ exclaimed Robin, and in two seconds he was across the floor and out at a rear window, while Great-Bear sprung upon Professor Bracket. Now, when it came to the pinch the professor could fight, even though the sight of the knife filled his soul with horror; and being a powerful man it would most likely have gone hard with the old In- dian. But at that moment Silver-Mask entered, and put a stop to further hostilities. Bracket’s plan to frighten Buggs out of town had proved an utter failure, but when it came to a ques- tion of physical courage Bracket was worth a dozen like Buggs yet; and during the afternoon he tried another plan. Professor, Buggs was-seated with Miss Julia Wil- mont upon the veranda of the Palace Royal, enjoy- ing a social chat, when the other Bracket—Abmina- 7 S.— approached, and handing him a card, said: “ Professor, my brother challenges you to mortal combat, and desires you to name the time, place, and weapons, at your earliest convenience.” Poor Buggs. is heart almost jumped out of his bosom with fear. The idea of pyaar 3 up and be- ing shot at almost took away his breath. “But,’? thought he, “I have the choice of wea- pons, and I will fight with swords only. Swords or nothing. Iam quite good at fencing, and perhaps I shall gain a great advantage.”’ Then remembering that his fair companion was watching him, he quieted his nerves as best he could, and replied: “Sir, you may return to Four worthy brother, and say that I will meet him at four o’clock, before the Palace Royal; the weapons to be swords. Tell the pusillanimous cur—the tumid, turgid ass, that this day shall be his last. His marcid carcass shall lay the corner-stone of a necropolis for this little town, while his friends, if he has any, may erect a ceno- taph to his memory in his native land, or place. He bas roused a slumbering lion!”’ “Cease thy desipient boasting, my worthy Chris- tian friend, for soon the endemial exequies peculiar to the West shall be held over your worthless re- mains, and an elegy, perchance, shall be repeated by some devoted friend as you are being ‘ planted.’ Before the sun is set you will have gone to that ‘undiscovered country from whose bourn no tra- veler returns.’ * — en ee te — — s tO Silver-Mask, the Man of Mystery. a If you back out now your chance of marrying the old girl with the bloomers is gone forever.” The news of the coming duel soon spread, and at four o’clock the population of Golden Egg was con- a ag i to witness the fight. The bar-keeper of the Solid Comfort furnished a pair of very ancient-looking swords, which had hung over his bar as curiosities, and everything was ready for the battle to begin. At four o’clock the combatants appeared, both very pale, but very bold. They nak each other, and at the word they raised their swords. And then, from the manner in which they handled their weapons, it was plain to be seen that Buggs. held the winning hand. Abminadab 8. acted as second to Schuyler, while Pat McCarty filled the same office for Professor buegs. The combatants made a thrust and parry, and Bracket received a wound in the arm. This mad- dened him, and he struck out regardlessly. In a mo- ment more his sword was thrown out of his hand, and he was at the mercy of his adversary. Down upon his knees he dropped, and begged for his life. Jt wasa ludicrous scene. Under any other circumstances Bracket could undoubtedly have chastised Buggs easily enough, but the sight of the naked sword, of which he had already had a taste, made him as helpless asa babe. “See the cur!” cried Buggs. “Behold the coward. Arise! thou knave, and slink back whence you came.”’ And, still taking good care to retain possession of his sword, Professor Buggs entered the hotel Silver-Mask picked up the sword which Bracket had lost, and was looking at it, when, as his eye fell upon the handle, an exclamation of surprise escaped him, What he saw was a curious mark upon the end of the handle, the C/oss of the Golden Keys. ** At last I have a clew,”’ he muttered. He went at once tothe bar-keeper of the Solid Comfort, whom he questioned closely as to how the sword came into his possession, and found that it had come from a band of Aztec Indians somewhere in Southern New Mexico, in the Sierra Madre. ‘*T want to buy it,” said Silver-Mask, as he pro- duced a bag of gold, ‘Name your price.” The sword was soon his. “A clew at last,’ he said, as he left the saloon, “‘and now to find the treasure.” CHAPTER XI. : ‘ A BOLD ROBBERY. Sriver-Mask, the Man of Mystery, lost no time in organizing a party, after finding so unexpectedly a clew for which he had been searching for years, and | | before the sun had sunk to rest he was ready to set | “Oh, Artemus!” cried the fair Julia, as she caught hold of Buggs’s arm when Abminadab Sardanapalus Bracket was gone, “this must not be. He will kill you. I know he will!” “ Let him,” said Buggs. loss.”* “Oh! how can you speak thus? There may be a heart whose every throb is for you.” * Fair lady,” cried Buggs, catching her hand, ‘‘do you return my passion—do you love me?” The maidenly blush and. drooping eyes were his answer. ‘ “Tt is well,’ said he. ‘‘I will fight the rascal, and prove to you that I am a brave man, and worthy of your heart’s devotion.” Abminadab §. returned to the printing-office, and reported to his brother. “ Schuyler,” said he, ‘‘ I found your enemy in the company of the lady, and gave him your card in her presence, as you directed, so that he was forced to oan * And he accepts?” asked Schuyler. * He does,” “Good! I will shoot him as sure as my name is 8. 8S. Bracket.” ‘* But, Schuyler,” said Abminadab, ‘‘ he does not mean to give you a chance to shoot him. He de- mands that you fight him with swords.” Schuyler’s jaw dropped. If there was anything in the world that he dreaded, as we have said be- fore, it was a knife ora sword. I[t was his nature. Women have been known to kill bears; but the same women would no doubt jump out of theirclothes at the sight of a mouse, * Abminadab,"’ Schuyler answered, “I can’t fight him, It is out of the question. I never had a sword in my hand in my life.” “You must fight. Your reputation is at stake. “No one will mourn my : out upon his journey to the Sierra Madre. Twelve good men had he chosen, and among them were Uncle Sidney Summers, Cooney Clay, Pat McCarty, Bill Davis and others, and all were well- armed and mounted. Before starting, Silver-Mask entered the hotel to bid farewell to Nina and Song-Bird, whom he found in tears, “When will you return?’ Nina asked. ‘“Well, Nina, L hardly know myself. I shall be gone three months, perhaps four; but no longer. ae tee be back in a much shorter time. I can- not tell.” “Oh, brother, brother! how can I let you go? | me tt you never return to me?”’ ] “In that case, Nina, you know what to do. If at | the end of six months I am not with you again, as 1 | have told you before, and you do not hear from me, then you are to return to Spain.” * But you will surely return, Miguel; say you will return to me.” ‘Of course I will, Nina; so calm your fears. And by the way, in case of trouble of any kind that will render it unsafe for you to remain here, I have in- structed Great-Bear to take you back to our moun- tain home.” “If you fail this time, Miguel, will you then give up your search for the lost treasure, and turn your attention to the finding of the survivors of the lost ship Barcelona?” ‘“Yes, Nina, should this search prove a’ failure I will then give the treasure up, and put forth every effort to find the children of Miguel Rosario, who are supposed to have been saved from the wreck.” Silver-Mask then bade farewell to Nina and Song- Bird, and getting his men together he started upon his poamas journey. The, two girls wanes when he was gone, but Miss Julia Wilmont and Stella called upon them in their room. to comfort them, and after a time they dried their eyes. Straight up through the canyon rode the little band, their first objective point being San Marcial. From there their course lay toward the southwest, to the Sierra Madre, that Indian stronghold where few white men had ever trod. “Two gentlemen wish to see you in private, sah,” said a colored waiter to Mauer Wilmont, as the lat- ter sat smoking a cigar in the public room of the Palace Royal, an hour or so after Silver-Mask had set out from Golden-Kgg. ‘* Where are they ?’’ the major asked. ‘To the little room behind the express-office, sah.” The major started for the room indicated, won- dering who his callers could be, and entered at once. At first he saw only one person, but as he closed the door another suddenly appeared before him with a cocked revolver, and asked him to be seated. The major sat. ‘Perhaps you fail to recognize me,” said the man with the revolver. . “T certainly do, sir,’ the major replied. The man removed a false beard from his face, and lo! Billy, the Kid, stood forth, ‘Know me now?” he asked. “-Yes,”’ said the major, ‘I know you now.” “Very good. Now, perhaps you can’t tell who this other gentleman is, can you?” ‘No, I think I have never made the gentleman's acquaintance.” Hereupon stranger No. 2 removed his disguise, but still the major failed to recognize him. ‘You must go back about eighteen years, mon- sieur, and recall a night of storm and shipwreck.” “ Jean d’ Am rsforte/” the major exclaimed. ““The same,” was the reply. 5 “Major,” said Billy, the Kid, with mock polite- ness, “let me introduce you. ‘This is Captain Jack, as the boys call him, my right bower. He's a whole team, lcan tell you. We have called to see you upon a little matter of business to-night, which he will explain.” “Yes,” said the Frenchman, ‘we are here on business. 1 would like to have those papers we found in the Spaniard’s belt that night. If you have them about you, please hand them over. I have taken a notion to look up that buried treasure, and I want the papers to guide me to the place.’ * You scoundrel!” the major cried, ‘do you sup- pose I will give you those papers? Never! Where is the boy whom you stole—have you brought him up to be as great a rascal as yourself?” “T have no objection to telling you all I know about the boy. monsieur, for itis not much. I sent him to school and gave him a good education, but he ran away from me at last, and I have never gcen him since. That is all, and if you have those papers about you, please hand them over.” ‘Sir, if this story be true the boy may be alive and well, and perhaps he can be found. If there is a single spark of humanity within your breast, 1 hope you wili restore him to his sister.” “T ‘have no intention of doing anything of the kind,” answered the Frenchman. “If I can find the lost treasure I will withdraw from the game altogether, and if not, I have another plan. Now, those papers! Where are they?” ; Most unfortunately the major had the papers with him at that very moment. He had i showing them to Raymond that afternoon, and ‘had not yet put them away. " : P “The papers may be a thousand miles from here, he said. ** And,” said Billy, the Kid, ‘‘ they may be right in your pocket. Captain Jack, you search him, while { hold this little joker under his nose.” The Frenchman stepped forward and began the search, while Billy, the Kid, held his revolver right in the major’s face, and the major had to submit. he papers were soon found, and then Billy said: “Now, major, we will leave you. But we must request you to sit where you are and keep quiet un- til we are out of the way. Captain Jack, you ap- ply the yersuader.”’ od ’ " The Frenchman bound the major to his chair, and when this was done he put a gag into his mouth, Then resuming their disguises the two rascals left thé room. An hour later the major managed to work one of his feet loose, and by pounding vigorously upon the floor with his heel attracted the attention of the waiter. ‘““Golly!’’ exclaimed the darky, “who hab done dis?” and he cut the bonds. : : é “Tt was Billy, the Kid,” the major replied with an oath. “ Oh, de debil!” cried the waiter, ‘‘am he gone?” and the little darky seemed to turn a shade lighter. ‘“Yes, he’s gone. You don’t see him here, do you?’ and to give vent to his passion the major caught the darky by the shoulders and kicked him three or four times around the room. ‘“‘Do yousee him anywhere around here, bn black rascal?” , ‘““No. massa, no! For de lub ob goodness let dis chile alone.” “Leave you alone, is it? Leave you alone?” and once more around the room the poor darky was. kicked. Then the major felt better, and releasing his hold of the fellow’s shoulders be gave hima five-doliar bill. The darky looked at the money for a moment, at the same time rubbing himself where the major’s boot had been planted, and presently he said: “Majah, I is a-feelin’ purty sore, I is, but if you want me to, sah, I'll stand another round ‘at de same price!” The imajor’s only reply was to kick bim out of the room, and then going up-stairs he ordered a bottle of wine to be brought to his room at once. Singly. and by twos and threes, horsemen depart- ed from Golden-Egg that night, meeting a few miles up the canyon, and rarn or were at the rendezvous hey rode away to the south. ( pre hha ote Billy, the Kid, and Captain Jack, and they headed straight for the Sierra Madre They, ‘too, were in search of the lost treasure. During the next Monday forenoon the Golden-Egg News appeared, Cock Robin distributed the paper around among the subscribers, and all were well-pleased, The|News was a success from the very start. There was an item in this, the first issue, to which Kitty Wells paid special attentién. It was credited to the Las Cruces Repulican, and was headed The Home of Gold, %t waS an account of a wonderful valley of gold in the Sierra Madre, in Southwestern, New-Mexico, and perhaps as great a lie as ever was penned, The story created quite a sensation among some of the citizens of Golden-Egg, and more than one man set out alone to find the enchanted spot. : i At the head of the °
Page 11
| } f “Werily, werily, 1 say unto you,” said Kitty Wells, “there must be somethin’ init. This story must ‘a’ had a start at some time or other, based on fact, an’ ey bet there’s more truth ’n poetry about it, after all.” “Ye can’t most always sometimes tell,”’ said Cock Robin. ‘*There may be some truth in it, an’ then ag’in there mayn’t; but I’m rather of th’ opifie that i is. I'd jest like t’ know where t’ find it, any- ow. ‘“Well, feller-pilgrims,’ said Harry Bates, an experienced miner, “I once knowed a man who used to swear by th’ moon an’ stars that he’d seen sy such a place once when he was prospectin’, but e couldn’t git down into th’ valley. He took good care to mark th’ place though, an’ then went off fer his pards; but when they set out to find it ag’in it wasn’t to be found. Th’ Injuns must ’a’ been a- watchin’ him, an’ changed every landmark he made so he wouldn’t know the place.” “T’d be willin’ t’ bet my oid boots that th’ place is there to be found,” said Kitty, ‘‘ an’ I kin tell ye I'd like t’ be th’ one t’ find it. Blame me if 1 ain'ta notion t’ pack up my wiaticum, straddle old Mos- cow, my mule, an’ go find th’ place anyhow.” ‘* And then sell it for a song, eh?’ observed the postmaster. ‘*Nary! I was foolish once, but I'll never be so foolish ag’in, you can bet. If ever I find_th’ adit— th’ gate, as it were, that opens into this New Jeru- salem, ’ll put down my claim-stakes an’ keep pos- session like a little man! I tell ye it’s most enough t’ make me concamerate my back like a Cheshire cat, an’ say ‘meow,’ whenever I think of th’ Golden- Egg. I might ’a’ been in better leather at th’ pres- ent time if I’d ’a’ held on to it.” “Then you wouldn’t do so any more, eh?” *“Not much!” said Kitty. “If I was foolish once, that was my misfortune; but if I do sich a thing ag’in itll be because I am a fool.” he next day the News made another sensation. On the first page, in bold type, was the following: $1,000 REWARD! “OnE thousand dollars reward is hereby offered for the capture of Billy, the Kid, dead or alive. ““ WILLIAM BLoom, * Deputy Sheriff.” Kitty Wells was between the horns of two dilem- mas. He thought he might possibly capture Billy, the Kid, if he made the attempt in earnest, and he also had an idea that he could find the wonderful Home of Gold; and Cock Robin was in the same pre- dicament, These two great minds were troubled sore. * Pard,”’ said Robin, “‘let’s try it.’’ “Which one shall we wenture on?”’ asked Kitty. ** Don’t you think th’ search for th’ Home o’ Gold would be th’ safest for our health an’ future happi- ness?” ** Yes, accordin’ to th’ eternal fitness of things, I think it would.” Kitty and Robin then went to work to organize a pony and in a day or two they had quite a band. itty resigned his position in the Golden-Egg Mine Robin severed his connection with the News, and then for the promised land they started. It looked as though some one would be likely to find the Sierra Madre, even if there was nothing to reward him for his pains, for there were sixty or more in the three parties thither bound, and all were in seareh of that lever of the world—Gotp. Who would find it? CHAPTER XII. THE HIDDEN TREASURE FOUND. ONE oe about two monghs after ig departure from Goiden-Exg, Silver-Mask and his little band were encamped in the very heart of the Sierra Madre mountains. : “Thank God,” said he, “if it is anything to be thankful for, we are here at last!” : “Yes,"’ said Uncle Sidney Summers, “ heur we be, an’ no mistake.” “* Never had I such a journey before,”’ said Silver- Mask. ‘‘ What with fighting the Indians, and losing our horses a couple of times, it looked as though we would never reach here at all; but, as you say, here we are.” * An’ now th’ next move will be to find th’ Lost City,” said Uncle Sid. ‘‘I wonder where it is, any- ew I declare to, goodness, I’d give forty cents to know!" “Well,” said Silver-Mask, ‘‘we must make the most of such information as we have been able to pick up while on our way here, and trust to luck for the rest. But we must find the Lost City, or prove cane it does not exist, before we leave these moun- ns.’ They were seated near their camp-fire, and the meat they were roasting being done, they fell toand ate as only hungry men can. Then they posted their guard, and after talking and smoking for an hour or two, rolled themselves up in their blankets aud were soon asleep. Bill Davis was acting as guard, and as the hours passes by he found that he was getting very sleepy. le realized the responsibility that was resting upon him, however, and banishing all thoughts of sleep from his mind, he continued to pace up and down at a little distance from his slumbering comrades. It was almost time for him to call Pat McCarty up to take his place, when suddenly he felt a light touch upon his arm. He had not heard a sound, and when he sprung back at the touch and drew a revolver, he was surprised to see a lovely Indian girl standing near him, “Big wildcats, gal!’ he exclaimed “‘vye almost edie, me jump out 0’ my boots! Who be ye, any- “T am Black-Eyes,” said the girl, epeskine in the Indian tongue, “‘and I want to see the white chief and speak to him,” ** Don’t know nothin’ about no sich lingo as that,”’ said Bill; ‘*but I'll call th’ boss an’ let him chin to ye. I wouldn’t mind kissin’ ye though—blamed if I would!” he added, with a grin, He roused Silver-Mask from his sleep, and when hecame forward the girl said: “T am your lives. My people will surely kill you if you are Silver-Mask, the Man of Mystery. here, to ywarn you and your men to fly for | here to-morrow. I have watched you all the after- | 4 | gold, just like the one you sent to me to-night, tell- noon, aS you wound your way into the mountains, and resolved to warn you as soon as I could do so. Please do not stay here, but go away atonee. You are near the Lost City, aud no white man has ever come thus far and lived to tell of it.” ‘“You need not be at all alarmed,” said Silver- Mask, “for weare able to take care of ourselves, al- though I thank you for the warning. What sort of place is this Lost City of which you speak?” “Tt is within a wall, and has many white houses. My people say it was built by white men, many years ago.” ‘“*At last, at last,” Silver-Mask muttered. And then taking from his pocket a small coin bearing the" sign of the Cross of the Golden Keys, he placed it in the girl’s hand, saying aloud: “Take this to the chief of your people, and ask him to meet me here at daylight.” The girl glanced at the coin, and then turned and walked away in the darkness. Two hours later a strange sound was heard. It was like the “bum! bum/ bum!” of a bass drum, and the distant strains of martial music. ‘*Phat the deuce is that?” cried Pat McCarty. “T guess it’s Gabe a-blowin’ th’ last trump,” said | Cooney Clay as he sat up and looked around. Nearer and nearer came the music, and at last a bright light shone along the trail and up the valley, and then a long procession of torch-bearers came into view. They were Indians. At the head of the file walked the girl Black-Eyes, immediately followed by three men dressed in white, who had their hands crossed upon their breasts, and their heads bowed down. **Don’t use Your weapons,” said Silver-Mask to his men, who had drawn their revolvers, * these In- dians are friends.” When they had come to within a short distance of the camp the music stopped, and the procession cametoahalt. Then Black-Eyes and the three men in white came forward. “Our chief accepts your token,” said one of the men, addressing Silver-Mask, ‘and he demands that you be brought before him, alone.” “T will go with you,” Silver-Mask replied, and then to his men he added: “Boys, lam going with these Indians. I may re- turn to you to-morrow morning, but you need not feel anxious if you do not see me before to-morrow night. Should I remain longer, however, you will then know that something has happened.” *You’re th’ boss,” said Uncle Sid, the guide, “but hadn’t ye better take us along, too?”’ Silver-Mask consulted for a moment with the man ena who had first addressed him, and then re- plied: “No, Uncle Sid, I must go alone. There is no danger before me, I can assure you. These Indians would lay down their lives for me if necessary, although I never saw them before.” Saying this Silver-Mask stepped between two of the men who were clothed in white, and the girl and the other man in white taking the lead the music started up again and the procession moved on through the valley and around the mountain, at bes sight of those who watched the receding ights. “Thunder and turf!’’ cried Pat McCarty. ‘‘ Some- body pinch me till I see whether I’m awake or dreaming !”* “Say truth ain’t stranger than fiction, eh,” said Cooney Clay. ‘ Why, ye might tell this to yer own grandmother, an’ she’d call ye a liar!” _ For an hour or more Silver-Mask was led forward into the mountains, and at last the procession en- tered a narrow valley which was walled up on either side to a great hight, and at the end of which was a narrow opening, beyond which a thousand blazing torches could be seen. Straight up this valley and through the narrow opening Silver-Mask was conducted, and then his wondering eyes beheld a grand city, full of white houses and palaces, and he knew that at last he had found the Lost City. As he entered at the gate he noticed that the girl Black-Eyes was led away in no gentle manner by two warriors, and when he saw them tie her hands together he knew that she was a prisoner. He soon lost sight of her, however, and then he began to look about to see where he was being led to. Presently he came to a white palace, and into this building he was conducted.. He was taken first into a wide hall, and thence into a large room where an aged Indian was seated upon a throne with several attendants near him, bearing long lances. | Silver-Mask advanced to the first step of the throne, and then crossing his hands over his breast he made a low bow to the Indian, who answered the salutation by a mysterious sign. ““Are you here to take away the treasure of the Lost City?’ the Indian asked. ‘*Tam,” was the reply. “How am I toknow you?” “By this token.” was the answer, and Silver- Mask bared his breast and showed thereon the sign of the Cross of the Golden Keys, “Tt is well. Listen, I am Lococa, the line de- li scendant of Chihua, who was the friend of the goo@ fathers who built the Lost City. ‘‘Chihua was the chief of a powerful tribe, and when the wars were he was on a visit to the good fathers in this place. The good fathers gave him a sword, which had upon its handle the same mark that is upon your breast. They then buried their treasure, telling Chihua to bring his people and capture the city, and to remain and guard the treasure until they could return for it, saying the sword would help him to win every battle he fought. “Then the good fathers gave Cnihua a piece of ing him that if they should not return, the one who would come would carry with him a goiden token of the same kind, and to him, if the strange mark should be upon his breast, the treasure was to be delivered. “The sword was retained by us, generation after generation, until a few years ago, when I lost it in battle. “‘Chihua commanded his people to carry out the good fathers’ wishes, and to the present time we | have waited for the one to come who would carry with him the golden token and prove his right to the hidden treasure as you have done.” ‘Ts this the sword you lost in battle?” Silver-Mask asked, and he handed the Indian the sword with which Prof. Bracket had fought his duel. “Yes,” said the Indian, ‘‘it is the same. I thank you for its return. Where did you get it?” Silver-Mask told him all he knew concerning the | sword, and added: “Can I get the treasure to-night ?” “Yes,” replied Lococa; ‘‘ we will get it at once.” The old chief called a number of torch-bearers, and then led the way out into the street. As they walked along Silver-Mask was lost in won- derment Here he was within a city that to the world was dead. The Lost City was something that he had often dreamed of, but hardly expected to behold in reality. Here were houses and palaces, with towers and minarets, all inclosed by gardens ae trees, in the center of which was a beautiful lit- tle lake. Presently they came upon the ruins of an old cathedral, and here they stopped. The old Indian led the way, and after the torch-bearers bad cleared away some of the debris they came upon a stone whieh bore the sign of the Golden Keys. This was lifted, and two brass-bound boxes appeared, ‘They proved to be too rotten to handle, but were full of gold. Pt as Me said Silver-Mask, “how am I to carry this?” ‘*My men shall carry it for you,’’ was the reply. “I think it would be better to have my horse brought here, so that I can securely pack the gold upon its back while under your protection. Will you allow one of your warriors to go to my camp. and bring my horse, and also one of my men?” “Yes, if the man will come here with his eyes blindfolded, so that he cannot see the way.” Silver-Mask produced ge onl and pencil, and wrote a note, and the old chief dispatched his men with it at once. In due time they returned, bringing with them Cooney Clay, who was mounted upon his horse Bar- num, and leading Black-Eagle bebind him. “No gum-games, now, my Christian friends,” Cooney was saying as he came up, “fer if ye try any tomfoolery with me I'll let Barnum beur loose- among ye, an’ he’ll annihilate th’ hull kit an’ caboo-- dle of ye like a devastatin’ whirlwind. He won't leave a grease-spot of ye as big as my hat. He are a terror, Barnum are, SO jest look out! Steady on yer port. now, try an’ find a softer place than that, fer Barnum to step! Easy, there!” “You are all right, Cooney,”’ said Silver-Mask,, “* ret down and let them take off your hoodwink,” “T’'m mighty glad t’ hearit,”’ said Cooney, “‘fer I tell ye I wur gettin’ a little skittish. It smells tom blamed strong of Injun beur to suit my taste!” He dismounted, and the Indians removed the» bandage from his eyes, and then as he glanced, around the little old man exclaimed: ‘Catherine Marier! where be I? Is this heur me,, old Cooney Clay, or is it some other cuss? Kick me, somebody. fer goodness sakes, fer I believe I’m a- dreamin’!"’ Assuring Cooney that he was not dreaming, Silver- Mask went to wor than an hour he had it securely deposited in his- saddle-bags and strapped upon the back of Black- agile. When this was done the old chief led the way- back to his palace, and telling his men to guard the, horses he asked Silver-Mask and Cooney Clay to enter, “ Jigger my top-royal,” said Cooney, ‘‘if this heur don't beat th’ Jews!” The Indian seated himself upon his throne, to pack up the gold, and in less, motioned his attendants to provide seats for his: } guests, and said: . - Why does my friend hide his face beneath a mask?” e This, much to Silver-Mask’s astonishment, was spoken in tolerably good Spanish. : “T wear this mask,” Silver-Mask replied, “ to pre-- serve my life. Iam hardly at liberty to explain how this is, but, thank God, the time is now nearat hand when i shall lay it aside forever, and once more, become a free man.” : ‘“‘W']l my friend allow me to see his face?” the In dian asked. “Do you recognize this sign?” and Silver-Mask- placed his hands in a peculiar manner upon his reast “No.” said the Indian, ‘‘I do not know what it is.”” Hearing this, Silver-Mask raised his visor, an@® allowed those present to see his face. :
Page 12
PO OTERO AROSE Et ntact en SRL Np pee SE lame ieee nth eR ee ae a a = —" {ot oe "H 12 Silver-Mask, the Man of Mystery. In a short time it was daylight. Silver-Mask and | One night, while sitting by their camp-fire, Silver “Ha!” cried Coone Clay, speaking in Spanish, “*the Cross of the Golden ae again? It seems to ame that I am bound to stumble over that sign wher- «ever I go.” “What!” exclaimed Silver-Mask, “you speak ‘Spanish?’ “Yes,” tepid Cooney, ‘I learned it on a Span- ish vessel. I was shipwrecked once and picked up at sea by a Spanish trader, and I sailed on board of her for several years. I s’pose I would have béen a , sailor yet, had | not got shipwrecked again, on the coast of New Jersey, but I drifted West, and since that time I have hardly seen the salt water, Talk- in’ about th’ Golden Keys though,” he added, drop- ‘ping back into his English again, ‘‘ there were four persons on board that same vessel that bore th’ mark upon them, but th’ woman was drowned when we came ashore. Th’ man lived till th’ next day, “while th’ two children—” “In God’s name,” cried Silver-Mask, ‘'‘ what ves- wel was that?” “The Barcelona.”’ Silver-Mask sprung to his feet, closing his visor with a ager. ‘Why didn’t you tell me this before?” *“ Never thought of it. Had no idea you was in- terested in it.” * Have you seen either of those children since the might of the wreck?” “ Yes,’’ answered Seca sng “one of them is in Golden-Egg at this minute, I s’pose. She is known there as Major Wilmont’s daughter.”’ * How in the world do you make that out?’ ‘Why, ye see th’ major was on th’ vessel himself zan’ he took both of th’ children with him. I knowed him th’ minute I saw him in Golden-Egg.”’ ‘* And the boy?” Silver-Mask questioned eagerly. ‘Wal, about th’ boy I ain’t so certain, buf once ‘when I was up in Shasta, California, I saw a man there that had the mark on his breast. Of course I don’t know whether he was th’ boy or not, but it seems to me that I’ve seen th’ same ita since, an’ mot very long ago, either; but durn me if I can say where.” ** We must not lose a moment in getting back to *Golden-Egg,” said Silver-Mask. And then to the ge speaking again in the Indian tongue, he aaded: “Will you allow your men to guide us to our “camp?” “Yes,” was the reply, “but first come with me and see a traitress punished.” Leaving the palace-again the old chief led the way mp the street to a place where a fire was burning upon a large, flat stone. * Bring forth the prisoner,’’ he commanded; and ‘to the horror of Silver-Mask and Cooney Clay, the girl, Black-Eyes, » as dragged into their presence. “Tris traitress,’’ said the chief, ‘‘has been for ‘some time suspected, and to-night she was heard to warn you and your men away from the valley. She sshall now be burned alive. She is the daughter of vone of my warriors, who married a white woman, cand if she is allowed to live she will some day do us harm. She must die.” **Save me—save me!” cried the girl, in piteous «accents, “You gum-blasted old thief!’’ cried Cooney Clay, sas he saw what the ae fate was to be, “if you barm a hair of her head down comes your dvz- house, and don’s you forget it!” “Keep cool,” Silver-Mask cautioned, ‘‘We have got our ieads into the lion’s mouth, and we must be careful how we act.” Then to the old chief he added: “This girl deserves to die, but she is young and ~will make a good slave, Give her to me in return for the sword that I restored to you, and I will take ‘her far away.” “Tt is well,” said the chief. “The girl is yours. But the fire is burning, and the war-god must be doonored. Bring forth the latest born!’ This was a command to his warriors, and in a -short time a babe was brought and thrown into the flames. The sight was sickening, and both Silver- Mask and Cooney turned away in disgust. Their horses were brought, and they mounted ‘them at once, Silver-Mask taking Black-Eyes up in front of him, ** My warriors shall take you to your camp,” said the Indian, ‘‘and there leaye you; and to-morrow at sunrise you must depart from the mountains, The commands of the good fathers and of Chihua are fulfilled, and no white man shall ever enter the Lost City again, Lococa bids you farewell.” ooney Clay was then blindfolded again, and an hour later Silver-Mask and he were with their ‘friends, while the Indians returned to their moun- stain stronghold, amid the loud beating of drums sand the flashing of torches. CHAPTER XIIl. ASTOUNDING NEWS. FOR SLLVER-MASK. WuHen the Indians were out of sight, Silver-Mask arranged a comfortable place for Black-Byes to -aieep, and then he sat down and questioned Cooney Clay in regard to the wreck of the Barcelona. Cooney took pains to tell all he knew. He could not remember names very well, but those were sup- ‘plied in part by Silver-Mask himself, | He told the story about as it is known to the reader, or that of it at least which it was possible for him to know. His leg was broken, and he had to remain for a few weeks in a little village near the scene of the wreck heand another sailor; but the others went on by rail to New York. He had never seen any of them ssince, until he saw Major Wilmont and Stella at sGolden-Hgg, unless the man he saw at Shasta, Cali- @ornia, was the boy. ° t was all. rN his party started upon their homeward journey to Golden-Egg, and they pushed forward with all pos- sible speed. The Indian girl, Black-Eyes, proved to be a very pleasant, ¢ e to make her wants and wishes known to Silver- Mask and Cooney Clay. Two dave after starting upon their return to Gold- en-Egg, they were riding along at’a moderate pace through a charming valley, when suddenly the sound of firearms reached their ears, as volley after ey of shots followed each other in rapid succes- sion. ‘Somethin’ is rotten in Denmark,” said Uncle Sidney Summers; “ an’ [guess we'll soon find some more Injuns to amuse’ ourselves with. Don’t see what it can be if it ain’t Injuns.” “Or cowboys,” said Cooney Clay. ‘‘Mebby it’s a lot of cowboys a-havin' a social good time.” Silver-Mask rave Black-Eyes into the care of one of bis men, telling him to remain in the rear and keep her out of danger, and then he and the others hurried forward to ascertain the cause of the shoots ing. The valley took a sharp turn a short distance ahead of them, and before they could reach the turn the firing had ceased. They hurried on, how- ever, and soon came in sight of the combatants, One party—quite a large one—was in the valley, artly sheltered by small trees, while the other was intrenched behind amass of rocks near a narrow canyon. From these rocks there waved a flag of truce—a white rag tied toa stick—and presently one of the horsemen in the valley rode out from behind the trees, and shouted: * Have ye got enough, up there, neighbors?” “Do youaccept th’ truce?” came the reply, “Yes, show yourself, an’ let’s hear what ye’ve got to offer!” At this a well-known form appeared. upon the rocks, and, after a glance around, the man said: “Tf it’s all th’samet’ you, my bold Billy Kid, we beg to announce that we don’t want no more. We has got a bellyful. We is satisfied. _There’s no use in our fightin’ ye, Billy, fur adwersity is ag’in’ us. Now, we want, to kndw what ye will do if we lay down our arms, adwance, hold up our paws an’ surrender?” “We'll hang ye, of course,’ replied the horse- map, “every one of ye i ‘That bein’ th’ case,"’ said Kitty, (for Kitty Wells it was,) “ we will stay where we are, To be shot is bad weg e but to hung is worse; so you may open th’ ball ag’in as secon as ye please. I'll haul down thiswag, and then ye can sail in an’ we'll fight it out.” And so saying Kitty took down the flag and disappeared, while Billy, the Kid, rode back to is men. ‘*Now, boys,” said Silver-Mask, “ here is a chance for us to have a little fight, Billy, the Kid, and all his men are after a handful of our Golden-Egg friends. What say you, shall we go for them ?”" “Sart’in sure!’ cried Uncle Sid. ‘*They hain’t seen us, an’as soon as they begin we'll waltz right in an take a front seat.’” In a short time the Kid and his men made a charge upon the rocks, and then Silver Mask and his party made a charge upon them, and Kitty Wells meeting them pret soon found themselves in a tight place. In the heat of the battle Bi i e Kid’s horse was struck by a bullet, and in falling it threw its rider with such force that he lay stunned and bleeding upon the ground, The next instant Kitty Wells‘dashed forward from the shelter of the rocks, and amid a shower of flyin bullets caught the Kid by the sealp-lock and drag; him back under cover without receiving a scratch. Several men were killed on either side; but the battle was not of long duration. Immediately after the fall and capture of Billy, the Kid, his right bower, Captain Jack, was struck by a bullet and killed instanth , and then the others turned and fied. And after them went Cooney Clay, his revolvers flashing. He only followed them for a short dis- tance, but far enough to empty four saddles, and then he returned to his party, proud of his achieve- ment, he difficulty being over, the wounded were cared for, and the dead made ready for burial, and an hour later the latter were laid to rest in that lone- some valley, where their graves would never be known to the world, and among them was Jean d’Amersforte, alias Captain Jack. His race was run, .“ My dear Billy Kid,” said Kitty Wells to his prisoner, “‘ don’t ye wish ye hadn’t done so? I’m a- oin’ fer to take ye to Golden-Egg, where Billiam 3loom, Esquire, is waitin’ fer ye, with a thousand dollars fer th’ man who can eda yeto him. I tell ye you're a prize, Billy; ye are, indeed. Adwersity as gone, and Fortune is once more a-smilin’ upon me,’ Werily, I feel happy.” Kitty Wells would return to Golden-Rgg. that was certain; but his comrades were inclined to go on in search of the fabled Maidre d’Oro. An offer of two dollars a day from Silver-Mask turned them, bow: ever, and an understanding was soon arrived at. Later in the day they all started upon the home trail. Silver-Mask looked for further trouble from Billy, the Kid’s men, and he oe not look in vain; for dur- ing the weeks that followed before he reached Golden-Egg he had several fights with them. He suffered no loss of men, however, for by going into camp every night in some place that offered a natural 9S ge: on from attack, he was able to resist then, while they lost more or less men in every rush, strongly in front, the outlaws’ -natured little body, and | pep pe a little of the Spanish language, she was | abl | mark upon his breast!" Mask and Cooney Clay fell to talking again about the wreck of the Barcelona, and mentioned the Cross of the Golden rage ; “Why,” exclaimed Kitty Wells, breaking in 7 them suddenly, “I know a man who has got that “Who is he?’ asked Silver-Mask, eagerly. “Tt is Jarvis Black, th’ Prinee.o° Marksmen,” Kitty replied. ‘I’ve seen th’ mark upon his breast myself.’ > “There!” cried Cooney Clay, ‘‘I knowed I'd seen that’ chap somewhere, an’ now I remember him He is th’ very lad that I was a-tellin’ ye Il seen up in Shasta, California.” ‘We must push forward to Golden-Egg with all- possible speed,” said Silver-Mask. “This man may go. away before we get there, although it does not. seem likely that he will, and then I might have great trouble in finding him again. I wouldn't miss seeing him for a fortune.” And to himself he | added: “Thank God I am at last on the very threshold of success, What every effort of mine failed ta accomplish, has been achieved by chance alone. Now, to see these persons, and prove them to be the two children of Miguel Rosario, and then away to Spain! It will ‘no doubt surprise Miss Wilmont and Jarvis Blaek to learn that they are brother and sis. ter, if indeed they are. I can hardly understand though, how it is that his name is Black.” Onward he pushed, until at last he and bis men found their journey drawing to a close, and them- selves within half a day’s travel of their destination, ‘* We'll be there by toon, if nothin’ happens,” said Uncle Sid. : ‘*An’ then fera good drink of fire-water,’’ Kitty Wells added, smacking his lips. About the middle of the forenoon they met a party of prospectors. “Hallo!” exclaimed Uncle Sid, “where ‘re ye from?”’ ‘We're from Golden-Egg.” they answered. _ “Glad t’ hear it. How's things up in that lively little burgh?” ‘* Everything’s a-boomin’,” was the reply. “By the way, my friends,” said Silver-Mask, “do you know whether Jarvis Black is still at the Gold- en-Egg Mine?” “Yes,” replied one of the miners, “he is, An’ that makes me think of somethin’ else, too, There’s a-goin’ to be a big time in Golden-Egg coer, an’ if ye hurry ye may be in time fer th’ ball, There’s a-goin’ fer to be a weddin’!”’ “A wedding!” Silver-Mask exclaimed, “ whose can it be?”’ ; “Why,” the miner answered, ‘‘ Jarvis Black is a-goin’ to marry Major Wilmont’s darter, I tell ye, pards, there’s a-goin’ to be a big time; an’—”’ He could say no more for astonishment, Silver- Mask had put spurs to his horse and was flying like the wind toward Golden-Egg, leaving his men to fol- low at their leisure. “Great God!” he cried, as he struck his spurs rowel deep into his horse’s sides, ‘* shall I be in time, or will I find that brother and sister have been made man and wife?” Maddened with pain the noble horse fairly flew, but even at that moment Jarvis Black and Stella Wilmont were standing with clasped hands before a priest in the parlor of the Palace Royal, and the marriage ceremony was being performed, Ride on, Silver-Mask, ride as you will; but no power of yours can save them now! CHAPTER XIV. SAVED BY AN ENEMY. Four months and more have elapsed since we last saw Golden-Egg, and to that place we must now return. It was a lovely oda yg morning. The sunshine poured down into the little valley in unclouded splendor; and the pure, fresh mountain air made the be act of living and breathing a perfect luxury. 1e usual coach-day crowd was to be seen in the street, loitering around the Palace Royal and the different saloons, but a perfect quiet seemed to reign throughout the town. As the morning advanced, however, there ap- peared to bea little stir of excitement in and around the Palace Royal without any visible cause to warrant it, and people slowly gathered before the hotel until the orowd at that point almost blocked the street. ‘What's th’ difficulty, rds?” asked a lately- arrived stranger as he pushed his way to the front, “ Any one dead, or going to be hung?’ ‘My dear Christian friend,” said Professor Schuy- ler Shakespeare Bracket, who stood upon the veranda of the hotel, *‘ there’s going to be a wedding here this morning.” : “A weddin’!” cried the stranger, ‘be that a fact? Kerwhoop! I'm jest th’ boy that kin dance ata weddin’ every day in th’ week!” The stranger was a stout, broad-shouldered, one» armed man, dressed ina neat suit of black broad- eloth and wearing a broad-brimmed black hat. His hair was long, black and curly, and he hada short beard. He walked with a slight limp, and carried a cane of most enormous size in his hand. * Yes sir-ee, a weddin’!"’ said Santa Fe Pete. “There's goin’ to be a grand old circus heur to-day, you bet! You must be on hand an’ see it, Showidn’t wonder much if 1 wur there myself.” ~ “Tl be on hand every time!” the stranger said. “T wouldn't miss seein’ a weddin’ fer nothin’ at allt It’s my oe) I'm a chief, 1 am, of th’ first water. I’m a full blood, Feelof my arm!’’ “Great snakes!” Santa Fe Pete exclaimed as he took the stranger at his word and felt of his arm. } ; :
Page 13
A) Ds. / ar blamed if you ain’t a chief, pard, sure’s ye ve The stranger’s arm was almost as large as the leg of the gale man and as hard as iron. *Oh, [ama chief, bet your boots I am, an’ that’s what I travel on; I went into a’saloon up in Lead- ville not long ago, an’ some pilgrims there wanted to know whoI was. I told’em Iwas a chief, a real old fashioned sachem, an’ chock-full of sand. They didnt seem to believe me. It took me jest exactly geventecn seconds to convince them that it was a fact. Two died. * But say, pard, you’re th’ first man that I ever | met with that had windows in his ears. Hope you'll | excuse my curiosity, but how did it happen?” This remark brought forth a roar of laughter from the crowd, The truth was, Santa Fe Pete’s pia had not been improved any by Jarvis Black’s bullets, on the night of their little unpleas- antness over the Chinese question, and the hole about the size of a half dime in each of his ears drew attention to him at all times. “Them holes, pard. d’ye mean them holes?”’ and Pete stuck a finger into each of the apertures indi- cated. Why, I keep them t’ remind me of a little scrimmage thet I hed once upon atime. Don’t you fail t’ be at th’ weddin’ though,” he adGed, “ fer I tell yeit is a-goin’ t’ be interestin’, sure!’’ and so say- walked away, and was soon lost in the crowd. ‘* All th’ world’s a stage,”’ said the stranger, “ an’ I know it. I’m a chief, [ am, a regular iron-clad monitor! I’m an’ old warrior, I am, but I never be- fore heard tell of one man’s cha vin’ holes into an- other man’s ears. It must’a’ been a ‘scrimmage,’ an’ no mistake!” ** Allow me, sir,”’ said Professor Brackett, ‘‘ to dis- abuse your mind of a falseimpression. Those holes were made by bullets from a pair of revolvers in the hands of the greatest marksman I ever saw. I didn’t see the affair myself, but I have since seen the same man put four Mexican dollars up in a row take a revolver in each hand, and shoot them all away in just four seconds of time. And that at a distance of wy paces too. He’s the most. perfect ambidexter with the pistol that I ever saw!’ “I’m a rip-snorter, I am, a regular old buffalo bull! I’ve traveled some, too; but [ never seen such shootin’ as that! You don’t mean to tell me he put those holes into that fellow’s’ ears at fifty yards, do ye?” © That’s what Iam told,’ Professor Bracket re- plied. ‘‘ His auricles were pierced in the most ap- proved manner.” “7’m a chief,” said the stranger, ‘and h-’e “nother; an’ I'd like to see him, Who is hé, anyhow?” ‘His name is Black, sir. He is the man who is to be married here this morning,” *“You don’t tell meso! I'll be on hand, you bet! Where’s the best saloon—where can I git a drink of ood likker?”’ He was directed to the Solid Comfort. * Tam a chief—a warrior bold, A regular old cazique;”’ he chimed, as he walked off through the crowd, “A brave old knight—a mighty one, Aman with a brazen cheek.” Yes, there was to be a wedding in Golden-Egg. A few weeks previous to the day of which I write, Jarvis Black had gone to Major Wilmont one morn- ing, and said: *Major,I have received a communication from my lawyer in San Francisco, informing me that I am arich man. For more than two years [ have been fighting for a mine up in Shasta county, California, and at last, have won the bartle. I am now the owner of a mine as rich as the Golden-Egg. * Under these circumstances, major, l have some- thing of rather a delicate nature to say to you, which I would not mention under any other. I love your daughter, and I have every reason to believe that she loves me. I would ask your permission to lay myself and my fortune at her feet, and ask her to: become my wife; for I think that our marride would be a happy one. *T am all alone in the world, unless my sister, whom I have not seen since we were children to- gether, is still living; and I am, and always have been, an honest man, T am a Spaniard by birth, but thoroughly Americanized, and this is now my country.” bh “My dear Jarvis,’ the major answered, “ you astonish me. I had no idea of this. But I like you, sir; and if your record is clear, | have no objections to your seeking Stella’s hand in marriage. “Allow me to tell you, however, that she is not my danghter, although she does not know this, nor is it necessary that she should. She came to me when she was only four or five years of age, and does not remember ser parents. But I can assure you that she is of honest birth. Her father was a gentleman, and her mother was one of the most amiable ladies 1 ever met. I will tell you all I know of her history. I~” sl or,” said Black, *‘I do not wish to hear it. I love the } wedding in the Palace Royal that Tues: ¥ been sent to Las Coins to ae to the services of a priest, and. in due timé he had returned, bringing with him good old Padre Juan, of ‘e 4 ea is 7 ? 1 (ee oe Se re ek ee ee Reverend Abminadab Sardanapalus Bracket had offered ‘his services as soon as he had heard of the coming event, but not being quite able to produce sufficient proof that he really was what he claimed to be, his offer of course had to be declined with thanks. At this the Reverend Bracket was “ exceeding wroth,” but his brother, who still cherished the forlorn hope that he might some day win the fair Miss Julia. calmed the turbulent waters, so to speak, and made peace, Ay, more than that; he even gave the announcement a quarter-column editorial in the Nevws. The ceremony was to be performed at ten o’clock in the parlor of the Palace Royal, and as the hour drew nigh the invited guests began to assemble. At the appointed time Padre Juan entered the room, followed by Jarvis Black and Stella Wilmont, who were supported by Raymond Wilmont and Nina Pabascoz. The room was full, but not crowded, while upon the veranda there was a perfect mass of people. “Here they come!’ was passed from lip to lip, and then a vheer arose, and well-wishes of all sorts were heard. As the priest /opened his little book there was a stir in the room, and Professor Artemus Buggs and Miss Julia Wilmont arose, hand in hand, and step- ped out before him at the side of Jarvis and Stella. “This lady having bestowed upon me her heart and hand,” said Bugegs, ‘‘ we desire to have the same ceremony performed for us,.”’ “Tuis is quite a surprise,’ said Black, *‘ though of course we are pleased to have company.” “But,” said Padre Juan, “I cannot marry both at the same time.” “T had hoped that we might have that honor,” said Buggs, “ but if not we will wait.” “No, no,”’ said Black, “ we will wait.”’ “Yes,"’ Stella added, “we will wait. should ever and always give way to age.” The look that Miss Julia gave her was enough to chill the blood in her veins. Padre Juan began the service, and in a few min- utes Professor Artemus Buggs and Miss Julia Wil- mont were made one. : Then the happy couples exchanged places, and the ceremony was commenced again. Padre Juan had asked the preliminary questions, and was about to process when without the slightest warning a louc Bere was heard, and with a groan of agony ria 3lack full to the floor with a bullet in his reasb, ‘Ha, ha,ha! Santa Fe Pete never forgets!” cried that bully, in wild, demoniac tones, and his ugly face was seen for an instant at one of the windows. But these words were the last he ever uttered. The two Chinamen, whose lives Jarvis Black had savel on the night of their arrival in Golden-Egg, were directly behind him, and as he turned to fly et each drove an ugly-looking knife into his eart. **Chinaman he no forgetee, allee samee, too!’ they said. For a second every heart in the room ceased to beat, but the reaction soon came: *“T am a chief—a warrior bold, And likewise a mediciné-man,”’ said the one-armed stranger with the big cane, as he stepped torward and produced some surgical instruments. * Look out for the young lady,” he added, ‘she’s fainting!” He quickly tore open Jarvis Black’s clothes and began to examine the wound in his breast, while Major Wilmont and Raymond carried Stella away. “Take me to my room,’’ Black gasped, and he was lifted tenderly up and taken from the crowd. With a practiced hand the strarger went to work, and in a little while he had found the bullet and re- moved it. Major Wilmont entered the room at that moment, and turning toward the wounded man the first thing that met his eye was the Cross of the Golden Keys upon his breast. “ Great God!’ he cried, ‘ he is her brother !” And sinking on a chair, he wept like a child. Youth An hour later Silver-Mask, the Man of Mystery, dashed into Golden-Egg, his horse white with foam. Straight to the Palace Royal he rode, and spring- ing from his horse he rushed up the steps and into the house, “Ts the wedding over?” he demanded. “ Yes,”’ said the postmaster, who stood in the door of his little office; *‘ all over.” “Too late—too late!” Silver-Mask cried, as he dropped on a chair; ‘‘my God, too late! And they are brother and sister.” Raymond Wilmont and Joe Garret happened to par the room at that moment, and heard the words. “Who are brother and sister?” asked Raymond. Silver-Mask looked up, and seeing who the ques: tioner was, replied: “Jarvis Black and Stella Wilmont; otherwise, Micuel and Stella Rosario.” Here was astonishment, indeed. Raymond knew Stella’s history, of course, and that she had a bro- ther Miguel; but to think of her narrow escape from marrying her own brother, was wonderful. As for Joe Garret, he could only listen in amaze- ment. ‘© Where is Major Wilmont?”’ Silver-Mask added. “ He is up in the room with Jarvis Black, who, as it is feared, is rm, “Dying! at has happened?” Silver-Mask, the Man of Mystery. 1d “He was shot by Santa Fe Pete,’’ replied Ray- mond. “You have so astonished me that I ha& forgotten to let you know what has happened here.’” Raymond related the events of the morning, as: they had occurred, and when he had done they went up to the room where Jarvis Black was lying in the most acute pain. Major \\ilmont was walkin the floor in a ner-- vous manner, and the stranger, who was no novice as a “ medicine-man,” was carefully watching the wounded man on the bed. ‘“Do you know the truth, major?’ Silver-Mask asked, with a nod toward the bed. ** Yes,” the major replied, ‘I know all.” “It is an ill wind that blows no good,” Silver Mask remarked, “and if the man’s life can be saved it may be fortunate that things turned out as they did. Whois this gentleman, a doctor?” Before the major could reply, the stranger ex-~ claimed: “Oh! I am a chief, a warrior bold. a medicine~ man al-so; anda sort of universal genius, a jack. of-all trades, as it were. My name is Smith, Bar- naby Smith, M. D.” “Do you think the wound is fatal?’ Silver-Mask asked, **No,” replied Smith, “he will come out all right. l have got the bullet out, and 1 bave no fears now. The wound is a very bad one though, and it was @ close call for him to step across the ‘ big divide’ and. ‘ante-up’ hischecks; but he'll pull through now.” “May I speak to him?” ‘““Yes, I guess he can talk a little without any harm, but T don’t want him to do too much of it,” Silver-Mask approached the bed, and leaning over the wounded man, said: “Ts your name Jarvis Black, or is it Migu-l Ro- sario?” Quick as a flash Jarvis Plack turned his face to the speaker, but he quiet!y replied: ‘*My name is Jarvis Black. Why do you ask?” Silver-Mask opened his buckskin hunting-shirt at the throat, saying : ‘Have youa mark like this on your breast?” ** Yes,” answered Black, “I have.” “ Then, sir, your name is Miguel Rosario, and you have a sister whose name is Stilla.” “My God!” Black exclaimed, ‘‘do you know aught of Stella Rosario?” “Then you a-é Miguel Rosario, eh?” “That wax my name, but itis not now. Sit down, and I willexplain, But tell me, first, whether you know aught of my sister.” * Your sister is alive and well, and you shall soon see her. Now, please to proceed.”’ “When I was about ten years of age,”’ said Black, “my father started with his family to come to Amer- ica, The vessel was wrecked, however, and both my father and my mother perished, | aving me and my sister Stella orphans I can remember Stella as a sweet-faced little child, whom I dearly loved. “There were two gentlemen on board the vessel yho cared for us. The name of one was Jean d'Amersforte, but the other’s I do not remember. ‘They were very kindto us. I hada broken arm at the time, and was ill for many weeks. Icannot there- fore, recall the events just as they happened. I | never saw my sister but once after the wreck, that Ican remember. It all seems like a dream. **T know IJ lived in New York, and went to school there for along time. As I grew older I began to think more and more about my lost sister. 1 even. took an oath that I would find her if she lived, I quest:oned D’Amersforte, but he would give me no information at all. : “Then I ran away from school, resolved to be no longer dependent upon any man, and fully deter- mined to find little Stella. “Then it was that I changed my name, to hinder D'Amersforte from finding n e,and took upon myself the name I new bear. “The years passed away one by one, and I found that the search for my sister was almost a hopeless task. with only her name foraclew. I drifted to California, became interested in mining, and having become so used to my new name that | liked it better than the old one, I took the proper legat steps and adopted it. So, my true and only name is Jarvis Black. That is all, unless I add that L never heard a word concerning my sister until a moment ago, and now, if you know where she is, tell me. Oi ad sister is at this moment beneath this: roof.” “What!’*and Black sprung up so suddenly that the blood spurted in a stream from his wound. “Now, you herve played the devil!’ exclaimed Smith. ‘Out of the room, every one of you, and don’t come back till I tell you to, or his life won’t he worth a cuss!” Having perfect confidence in the doctor, after what they had seen bim do already, Major VW ilmont, ow be and Joe went out, and Silver-Mask fol- owed, They de spe to the major’s room where they found Stella with Professor Buggs and his biide,. Nina Pabascoz, Song-Bird and Dinah Lee, all trying. to comfort the poor girl. When Nina saw Silver-Mask she sprung into his: arms with a cry of joy, while Song-Rird’s pleasure- vei seeing him could be easily detected in her danc- ng eyes, - “Oh, papa,” Stella moaned, “ how is Jarvis—will e die? “No, little one,” the major replied, ‘the doctor “re he will live.’ elared Black better again, Major Wilmont an with him. Prof Bracket found his way into the room, having heard& >
Page 14
PB — 14 something of the romantic story, and asked per- anission to publish it, which, after due consideration, was granted Here was an item for the Golden-Egg News. CHAPTER XV. KITTY WELLS MAKES A STAKE. ‘‘Up th’ road, an’ down th’ road, Cooney, Cooney Clay !’? was the cry that was heard two hours after the arrival of Silver-Mask at Golden-Egg, and the citizens beheld Cooney Clay and his horse Barnum flying down the street, while in the rear came nele Sidney Summers, Pat McCarty, Cock Robin, Kitty Wells, and the others of that party. “Where, oh! where is Billiam Bloom, Th’ deputy-sheriff man?” Sung Kitty Wells, as he drew rein at the Palace Royal. ‘I want tosee him bad. He’s got a thou- sand dollars fer me.” Mr. Bloom was right on hand. ‘“Here lam,” said he; “‘who wants me?’’ “Do you know this wiperous willain?”’ Kitty asked. *“ What!” cried Bloom—*“ Billy, the Kid?”’ ‘*Th’ werry identic.”’ * How in the name of the Seven Wonders did you “catch him?” ed to eircumwent th’ ands upon him; an’ An’ now, ‘“Oh!”’ said Kitty, ‘‘ I man noble chief an’ lay violent when that was done he was my mutton! Mr. Bloom, if ye’ve got th’ thousand dollars about | ye, I’m ready to take 'em.” “The reward is yours, my good man,” answered | ut the prisoner where | Mr. Bloom; *‘ but first let us he will be safe, and then I will pay you the money.” ‘““Nary!” said Kitty. ‘‘I want th’ ducats put into my paw right here, or we don’t trade.” There was no help for it, so the deputy-sheriff had to produce the required sum and hand it over, ‘This done, he took cha walked him to the hotel, where he put a pair of handcuffs on him. Silver-Mask took the Indian girl, Black-Eyes. into the house, placing her under the care of his sister Nina, Sdng-Bird looked upon the stranger with no friendly glance, though she said nothing, But when she found a chance she proceeded to find out who and what the girl was. Song Bird was no doubt a little jealous. When the shades of night began to fall Mr. Bloom looked about him fora place to lodge his prisoner, and at last hit upon the cabin where Billy, the Kid, had been confined before. Ir was his intention to remain with the man him- self, to see that he did not escape, and also to place a guard outside of the cabin to hinder any one from coming near. b For this duty he picked half a dozen good men, and having put his prisoner within the cabin he stationed his men on every side of it. Then, as it was yet early, he thought he would take a turn about the town before he entered the cabin for the night. ite walked back up the street as far as the Solid “Comfort Saloon, and there he entered, had arrived, and the citizens having no further ex- itement to look forward to were enjoying them- selves as best they knew how, and Mr. Bloom pro- ceeded to follow suit. He enjoyed himself so well, in fact. that it was past the hour of midnight when he thought of his prisoner and started for the cabin. He was a little bit under the weather, but when he reached his destination he sobered up instantly, ‘There upon the ground lay his guardsmen, bound hand and foot, while the gvide open and Billy, the Kid, was gone. How the deputy-sheriff did swear! He rushed -around like a madman. But when he grew * ji'tle calm he be gop of questioning his men to find out how the trick had been done. The men did not know how to account for it, but | ‘they swore up and down that they were wide awake, and as sober as judges. The first they knew, they said, a dozen men fae, right down among them, and they were caught before they could move. "Then the men broke open the cabin and released the prisoner, It was evident that the Kid’s men had been concealed upon the top of the cabin. “There was weepin’ an’ wailin’,” as Uncle Sidney Summers expressed it, ‘but it didn’t do a mite of good. Th’ blamed fool orter ’a’ knowed better!” Billy the Kid was gone, that was certain; and an- other thing that was equally as certain was, Mr. Bloom was a thousand dollars out of pocket. The next number of the Golden-Egg Wevws was re- plete with interesting matter. The paper usually went to the press about seven or eight o’clock in the evening, and was published arly the next morning; but on this issue the two Brackets had labored late into the night in order to do justice to the rush of news. ‘ock Robin had been engaged again upon his re- turn, and Professor Bracket threw himself into the editorial department, body and soul. The Reverend Abminadab assisted him. The exciting affair at the wedding in the Palace ek fou was set forti in glowing colors; the capture and escape of Billy, the Kid, ditto; while the burial of Santa Fe Pete and the exculpation of the China- men were equally well described. On the first page and commencing in the first column, however, was evidently the master-stroke of this edition of the Golden Egg News, , It ran as follows: e of Billy, the Kid, and , The coach ' oor of the cabin stood | ry. Silver-Mask, the Man of Myste “TRUTH STRANGER THAN FICTION! ‘*A Romanoge In Rea LIFE. “For many years there has existed in Spain a secret religious order, known as the Coss of the Golden Keys, which, at the present time, is a power- ful organization. “Some time during the seventeenth century there | came to America a party of holy friars, who repre- | sented this Order, bringing with them a large sum of gold, and founding a Christian Mission in the southern part of what is now New Mexico, | ‘heir mission flourished for a long time, and they built a city; but at last came trouble with the Indians, and they lost all. They never saw the land of their birth ee Only one of them lived to reach the city of Mexico, and there, after sending various maps and papers to the head of the Order in Spain, he died. “About nineteen years ago there sailed from Spain a vessel laden with wine, bound for New York. This vessel, the Barcelona, was wrecked on the New Jersey coast. Among her passengers was one Miguel Rosayio, native of Barcelona, Spain, and member of the Order of the Cross of the Golden Keys. He was next of kin to the friar who had died in Mexico years before, and to him and the Order ! belonged the gold which the friar had buried some- where in the New World. He had with him his wife and children, and it is of the latter that we are about to write. “The eldest was Miguel, a boy about ten years of age, and the other was a little girl of four or five, named Stella. These children, like their parents, had upon their breasts a curious and indelible mark, two keys and two swords in the form of a cross, the sign of the Cross of the Golden Keys. | ~ «*Whenthe vessel was wrecked the only ‘persons | saved were these children and their father, a man | named Jean d’Amersforte, an American named | Thomas Wilmont, and two sailors, one of whom was | named Clay, an American by birth. Miguel Rosario, | the father of the children, was badly wounded, how- ' ever,and after giving the children into the care of Thomas Wilmont, he died. There was a belt around his waist containing his papers, etc., and these Thomas Wilmont and the man D’Amersforte exam- ined, learning therefrom the secret of the friars’ hidden treasure. “Jean d’Amersforte was at heart a bad man. Like many another Frenchman, he was treacherous; and while he appeared to Thomas Wilmont to be his friend, he was planning at the same time to steal the papers, and find the buried gold for him- self. But this he failed to accomplish: He took the boy, however, hoping some day to reap a rich rewa by suddenly restoring him to his people in Rpata: and thus brother and sister became separ- | ated, | “Thomas Wilmont adopted the little orphaned girl, giving her his own name, and she grew up as tis own child. Jean d’Amersforte gave the boy a | good education, and while he was et school spent most of his time in New Mexico, trying to find the lost treasure. ‘ | “Asthe boy grew older he began to have hopes that he might be able to find his sister, whom he remembered, and at last he ran away from school with that intention; and to hinder D’Amersforte from finding him he changed his name to Jervis Black, which he afterward adopted as his true name. “At the loss of the boy D’Amersforte was wild with rage. He resolved to make one more attempt to find the friars’ hidden gold, and failing in this be would by some means steal the girl Stella from | Thomas Wilmont and take her to Spain, ag he had intended to take the boy, trusting to chance to make something out of it. New Mexico, and for several years, in company with the notorious outlaw, Billy, the Kid, searched | for the treasure. “Major Tom ‘Vilmont, as he is now known, had a nephew, Raymond Wilmont, and this young man was at this time a miner in Arizona; but having nothing but poor luck there he came to New Mexico, where he was fértunate enough to strike no less a | prize than the Golden-Egg Mine. He was poor, how- ever, and he sent for his uncle, og Tom, to come out and’see the property, and give the major did, and some months later, when a city had eens up, he brought out his family. “About this time Jean d’Amersforte began to lose faith in the story of the lost treasure, not being able to find it, and was about to return East and steal the girl, when he learned that she was being brought right to him here. This was luck for the rascal indeed, and he engaged Billy, the Kid, to help him secure her. “Every attempt they made to kidnap the young lady, however, was frustrated es, Bie imely inter- position of astranger, who is now known hereabouts ag Silver-Mask, the Man of Mystery. “We will not go very deep into what followed the arrival of Major Wilmont and his family at Golden- Egg, for many of the incidents are known to our readers. “Jarvis Black drifted to this place, was engaged to superintend the Golden-Egg Mine, and in the course of time, as we all know, he became the ac- re gy lover of Miss ‘Stella Wilmont, Previous to this, however, Silver-Mask had started to find the piece by a-clew which he picked up here in Golden- 4-2 r Firat the result of his journey was is told in another column. “Among his men was one named Coone Clay, tah abe to have been one of the sailors who were saved from the wreck of the Barcelona. This man ' Accordingly he returned to | | | | iim astart. This | | | | friars’ hidden gold, being directed to the hiding: | ; | happened to relate a scrap of his history to Silver- Mask, who bagi him further, and learned that Major Wilmont’s daughter was Stella Rosario; Mr Clay having recognized the major, the moment he saw him, as a passenger on the Barcelona. “Our readers will recall two items which appeared in the Ve-cs a few months 830. One was an account of the robbing of Major Wilmont of some valuable papers by Billy, the Kid, and one of his men, and the other was a story about a wonderful valley of gold in the southern part of this Territory. The papers taken from Madar Wilmont were the maps, etc.. relating to the hidden treasure, and the man with Billy, the Kid, was Jean d’Amersforte. . Bein unable to secure the girl, he made another bok move to find the gold which he knew was hidden in the mountains, and, with the maps to guide theia, he and Billy, the Kid, set out to find the place. The second item mentioned gave many of our citizens the ‘fever’, and some of them went to find the place, Among these were Kitty Wells, and several others whom we know. “Now, these two parties met and had a fight, and Silver-Mask appeared upon the scene with his party, just in time to turn the battle against Billy, the Kid, who was taken prisoner. In this fight Jean d’Amers- forte met his doom, ; “Then followed another revelation for Silver- Mask. Kitty Wells has been in the employ of the Golden-Egg Mine, under the charge of Jarvis Black, and happening in some way to remark to Silver- Mask that he had seen a curious mark upon Black’s breast—the Cross of the Golden fy Cd latter ere that Jarvis Black and Stella Wilmont were rother and sister. = ey 7 his haste to return to Golden-Eyg, hay- ing, as he declares, an interest in the children of Miguel Rosario in which his very life is at stake; and then also try to conceive his agony of minc when, as he neared his destination, he met a pet of miners who informed him that within a few bours Jarvis Black and Stella Wilmont were to be mar- ried. “The rest of this fiction-like story you all know. But who and what is Silver-Mask? is name, we learn, is Miguel Pabascoz; but more than that we do not know, and therefore cannot tell you. Let us still.call him the Man of Mystery.” Major Wilmont and Silver-Mask were seated inthe office of the Golden-Egg Mine when Cock Robin made his round of delivery, and he rushed into their presence. shouting: ““Double-headed extra! All th’ latest news! Th’ capture and escape of Billy, th’ Kid! Death of San- ta Fe Pete! A wonderful romance in real life! Truth stranger than fiction!” Major Wilmont read aloud the ‘‘ romance in real life,” and as he concluded, Silver-Mask said: “T suppose I am a.man of ot cael fl major, and I wish it were not so. I must ask you to allow me to retain my secret for a short time longer though, and then you shall know all. “T havea request to ask of you, and upon corr answer depends much of my future, I must have Jarvis Black and Stella Rosario to accompany me to Spain, and I desire you to go, too, I wil) state that IT came to this country for the purpose of finding the lost treasure mentioned in the Jews, and also to find some trace of Miguel Rosario, or his children; ard as I have accomplished both objects, 1 must take positive proof to Spain to show that my mis- sion is done “Of course I expect to bear all expenses, and I can promise you a glorious time while you are in Spain. What say you—will you go?” “Yee,” replied the major, ‘I will go. You must wait. however, until Ican put my affairs in proper shay e, and then I shall be at your service.” “Thanks, major,’ responded Silver-Mask, “T shall not hurry you, so take your own time about it. And I promise to tell you, on the day before we sail, who and what I am. Then, thank God, after the object of our trip is accomplished, I can lay aside my silver mask! I wear it now to pi olect my life!” CHAPTER XVI. THE FATE OF GOLDEN-EGG, Srx weeks passed quickly by, and at the end of that time Jarvis Black was able to take charge of Golden-Ezgg Mine again. . His doctor had presented his bill as soon as Black had no further need of his services, and being promptly pe. that queer specimen of humanity declared his intention to go op a “ tear.” “Oh, Iam a chief!” etc.. he shouted; but when, a few days later, he left Golden-Egg, he was about as sorry-looking a ‘chief “as one could wish to see. Black gave Double Jimmie five hundred dollars to hand to the doctor when he left his couch, and that was the last that was seen of Barnaby Smith, M. D. Jarvis and Stella soon became accustomed to their new relationship, and were happy, as were all the others whose acquaintance we have formed. But the happiest of all, perhaps, were Professor Artemus uggs and his bride. Black settled his business in California through his lawyer; making arrangements to have his mine worked under the management of a friend, and Major Wilmont having settled up Ais affairs, they intended to start for the East, on the first of the coming month, leaving Raymond and Joe to run the mine. From New York they expected to sail at once for Spain, returning as soon as possible; but trouble came suddenly upon the town of Golden- Ke , and their plans had to be changed. irst of all came rumors that hostile Indians were coming in t numbers from-the south and wes sweeping the whites before them like so much ch
Page 15
ter Bt —— ‘- ty LY y an Spe" a: ; Apache Pass, they continued on to Silver-M. ate companions. Silver-Mask, the Man of Mystery. ———— fe these rumors were verified by a warning sent r om the nearest fort. Thereupon Silver-Mask advised the taking of the women to his stronghold in the mountains, where we first met his sister Nina, and Song-Bird, leaving them there under the care of a guard until the threatened danger was past. This sug estion was acted upon at once, and _ be- fore night Stella, Song-Bird, Black-Eyes, Nina, Pro- fessor Buggs and wife, and Dinah Lee, with some others, were safely hidden away in the ‘mountain cavern, with the todians Great-Bear and ten good men to protect them. And these could have held the ager against a thousand. The next day the real trouble came, or rather commenced. 4 scout rushed into town with the report that a thousand Apaches were on the war- path, and seemed to be making straight for Golden- ze. pon receipt of this news about one-half of the town’s population departed in haste for a more salubrious clime, and they who remained were only those owning property which they could not carry with them, nor yet abandon. Pie. the last to leave the town were the Brack- ets. “Make haste! brother, make haste!’’ cried Ab- minadab. ; “Yes,” answered Schuyler, “I will gild myself ‘with some more shekels, and be with you straight.” The night was dark, but about midnight bright ‘lames ss ge up in every quarter of the town, and with wild yeils a horde of Indians made a charge upon the Golden-Egg Mine, hat a scene was that! The town all ablaze, and savage Apaches swarming through the valley, yell- ing and dancing like so many maniacs. The charge upon the mine was well met, and the Tndians found it impossible to reach the plateau; ut, armed with rifles, as some of them were, they made it impossible for those not sheltered by the mine and the wide plateau to stand their ground. ‘Conse uently the Golden-Eggites made off as fast as possible, leaving only the defenders of the mine to stand the storm, in less than two hours Golden-Egg was only a smoldering mass of ashes, but the battle at- the mune still raged, and the Indians were killed in great numbers, ut when at last the morning sun arose they rushed on to the attack as boldly as ever, and ait seemed as though they must surely win; for the defenders were running short of ammunition. _ The morning seemed clear and bright, but soon a little cloud was seen rising in the west. With remarkable swiftness it overspread the heavens, Y tdakn | blacker every moment, until suddenly great drops of rain began to fall, and then the water came down in a torrent. Foran hour it poured steadily, and then a strange, soertle sound was heard far up the canyon, which seemed to fill the Indians with terror and dismay. Their attack upon the mine ceased instantly, and ‘they turned to flee from the valley. Too late! for a solid wall of water six or eight feet high burs suddenly from the canyon, carrying with it a grea mass of debris; bowlders, sticks, bushes, trees, roll- ing over and over in wild confusion. -On, on, Came the water, and the valley was soon flood=d, A considerable number of the Indians, now full of “fire-water,” were swept away, down into the deep and narrow gorge at the end of the valley, and launched far out upon the sea of Kternity. ‘here? Britis y Marya: stick that might have marke the site 0 en-Lgeg, was swept up and taken on with the mighty flood. the) ; Stronger and stronger came the mad flood, and ‘the sight to those upon the plateau was appallingly grand. It showed no signs of abating as night came \ on, but the next morning, as the sun appeared once more above the hills, all was over, and not a sign of feng oss | remained to show where it had stood. Alas! fated city! Our friends had taken good care to keep their ‘horses by them, as may be supposed, and mounting them, they rode away to the east until they were out of the hills, and then turning their course toward ask’s smountain home. There they rested for a day or two, and then set out for Santa Fe. _ In about a week they reached their destination, without mishaps. After a rest of a week in that old town, the party Started East, leaving behind them many warm ‘friends, among whom were Uncle Sidney Summers, Kitty Wells, Pat McCarty, and others whose names ‘have been mentionea in these pages. One bright dav in the spring of 18—. the steamer City of Madrid started from New York, bound on a long voy to the shores of sunny Spain. Among her Papers ipere go apeerge on his J ere was Major Wilmout, and near him stood Stella, looking out across the water. Prof. Buggs_and his bride, Silver-Mask, Nina, Cooney iar aay wood Wilmont and Jarvis Blackeformed another group, while Great-Bear and rd ir and. Ms. J Mr. and . Joseph Garret were to be seen, too; a Mrs. t was none other than the Indian 1, lack-Eyes, whom Joe had married in'New York. for Bloomfield Rose, late waiter at the Palace bi * Royal, and Dinah tee, they stood apart from the j others, wrapped in dreams of love. Silver-Mask had put aside his mask, but around oa his forehead he wore a bandage of cloth to hide from view the crimson mark of the Cross of ¢ ee tie treating before saili h bicic. si wnt ; “ S| a cory and secret to Major Wilmont, = His name was Miguel Pabascoz. His father was a member of the Order of the Cross of the Golden Keys. Eight years previous to the time of my story a traitor had given secret information to the world concerning the Order, and the finger of suspicion pointed direct to Miguel Pabascoz, Silver-Mask’s father, although his guilt could not be B phd , He was tortured horribly, but he still declared bis innocence. Then he was given a chance for his life. He had a son and a daughter. Miguel, the son, was twenty-five years of age, while Nina, the daughter was but eleven. The commander of the Order had these two brought before him, and in the presence of the father he put upon the young man’s brow, a mask, which, if seen by uny member of the Order would instantly cost the wearer his life. Then giving him a sum 0 moneys said: ‘You can speak the English language. Go, and our sister with you, to America. Find there the uried pom of those of our Order who died years ago in New Mexico, and bring us tidings of. the fate of Miguel Rosario and his family, who sailed in the =e Barcelona. in 18—. Do this, and return to me within six years from this day. Then your father shall be free, and the curse removed from your brow. Fuil/ and your father shall die, while the mark of a traitor shall remain upon you.” Then the commander gave him all the information he could to facilitate his search, and taking leave of his father, the young man and or vag sister started upon their almost hopeless mission, **But I have not failed,” Silver-Mask said? ‘God has aided me thus far, and I have still two months and six days in which to reach Spain, and save my father. God be with me to the end!” The vale of San Bernardino, in Southern Cali- fornia, is an earthly paradise. There summer is perpetual. Pure, balmy air; clear, dark blue skies, flowers everywhere abounding; the earth replete with vegetable riches, and the trees with fruit. In one of the most beautiful spots to be found in that wonderful valley we musf pause for a moment. Several mansions are before us, surrounded by groves of trees laden with oranges, and fields ripe with grain, while grapes and other fruit abound in rich profusion. One of the mansions is the home of Raymond Wil- mont and his wife, Stella. They have two bouncing boys and a little girl, while Major Wilmont, hale and hearty, is with them. Dinah Lee; or rather Mrs. Rose, and her husband, are in their employ, as is Cooney Clay. The latter still keeps bis big horse mr a and thinks him the finest animal in the world. Another of the mansions belongs to Miguel Pabas- coz (Silver-Mask.) His wife is none other than Song- Bird, the Indian girl. His father is with him, a white-haired old man who cannot speak a word of a ory but who is as happy as a king. ot far away live Jarvis Black and Nina, who have a little girl to bless their home. Kitty Wells is with them as right-hand man. Professor Buggs is a big gun in some college in the East, and he and Julia live in a neat little cottage where they enjoy every earthly blessing. Joe Gar- ret is a resident of San Francisco. Major Wilmont, Raymond, and Joe are still work- ing the Golden-Eg, Mine, but it is not paying as it did at first. Jarvis Black, however, owns the richest mine in California, How Billy, the Kid ended his days, is known to ll. Great-Bear, the Indian, is with Silver-Mask. He sits in the shade all day and smokes his pipe, and his only duty is to care for black-Eagle. The last we heard of the Brackets the Texas, still in the newspaper line, an anda And so we take our leave of them, one and all. THE END. DIME DIALOGUES AND SPEAKERS FOR SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS AND HOME ENTERTAINMENTS. Dialogues, Nos. 1 to 31 inclusive, 15 to 25 pe lar dialogues and dramas in each book. Each vol- ume 100 pages 12mo. Speakers, Nos, 1 to &4 inclusive. Each speaker 100 pages 12mo, containing from 50 to 75 pieces. YOUNG PEOPLE'S SERIES, Dime Book of Winter Sports. Dime Book of Summer Athletic Sports Dime Gents’ Letter Writer. Dime Book of Etiquette. Dime Book of Verses. Dime Book of Dreams. Dime Fortune Teller, > were in making Dime Ladies’ Letter Writer. Dime Lovers’ Casket. Dime Ball-Room Companion. Dime Book of 100 Games. . ' Dime Chess Instructor. Dime Book of Beauty. G2" The above books are sold by newsdealers everywhere, or will be sent, post-paid, to any ad- dress, on receipt of price, ten cents each. aND ADAMS, Publishers, 98 William st., N. Y. BEADLE |. The Best Weekly of Popular, Entertain- ing and Useful Literature Pub- lished in America! Its Unrivaled Corps of Contributors, almost a}! of whom write exclusinety for its publishers —emoraces th2 following authors of world wide repute— Colonel Prentiss Ingraham, Albert W. Aiken, Capt. Fred. Whittaker, Capt. Mark Wilton, Joseph E. Badger, Jr.. Edward L. Wheeier, Charles Morris, Ol] Coomes, C. Dunning Clark, Buffalo Bill, White Beaver, Buckskin Sam, Major Dangerfield Burr, T. C. Harbaugh, Philip 8. Warne, Williain R. Byster, Anthony P. Morris, Launce Poyntz. Each and all of whom give to BEADLE’s WEEKLY their very best productions in all the varied fielus of Border and Wild West Remance— Adventure Explu.siion and Sport— City Life Character, Courts and Ways— Detective and ‘Shadow’ Revelations— Stories of the Great Deep, etc., ete. So that each and every number is overflowing with reading of the most interesting and exciting nature; while in its Special Departments, covering all the needs, and adding to the general interest and usefulness of the popular journal, BeapLe’s WEEELY is the paper of ali others for your weekly reading and entertainment. Beadle’s Weekly is Published at the Following Rates: \ For Doar Mommie assis i ssieis ves ges vs eres $1.00 Por One Seats. sai oc AP tes) Lee eee 8.90 Two Copies for One Year. ........ .... Sie crs 5.00 Singie Copies...... ... Sa, Sh et Oa hotieioked ae 6 cents Sv pplied by all Newsdealers. BEADLE AND ADAMS, PuBLisHERs, 98 William street, New York, Half-Dime Singer's Library 1 Wuoa, Esama! and 59 other Songs. 2 Caprain Curr and 57 other Songs, 8 Tue Gainsporo’ Hart and 62 other Songs. 4 Jonnny MorGan and 60 other Songs. 5 tt Strike You Wits A FEATHER and 62 others, 6 GEORGE THE CHARMER and 56 other Songs. 7 Tae Bete or Rockaway and 52 other Songs, 8 Youne FELLA, You’RE Too Fresu and 60 others 9 Say Youne Giru and 65 other Songs. 10 I’'« THE GoVERNOR’s ONLY Son and 58 other Songs. 11 My Fan and 65 other Songs. 12 Comm’ THRO’ Tur Rye and 55 other Songs. 18 Tae Rouiickine IrtsHMaAn and 59 other Songs, 14 Otp Dog Tray and 62 other Songs. % 15 WHoa, CHARLIE and 59 other Songs. 16 In THIS WHEAT By anp By and 62 other Songs. 17 Nancy Lee and 58 other Songs. 18 I’M rHE Boy THAT’s Bound To BLAzE and 57 others, 19 Tae Two ORPHANS and 59 other Songs. 20 WHaT ARE THE WILD WaAvVES SAYING, SISTER? and 59 other Songs. 21 INDIGNANT PoLLy Woe and 59 other Songs. 22 ‘Tae OLD ArM-CHarr and 58 other Songs. 23 On Coney IsLanp Bracu and 58 other Songs. 24 OLp Simon, THE Hot-Corn Man and 60 others, 25 I’m in Love and 56 other Songs. 26 PARADE OF THE Guarps and 56 other Songs. 27 Yo, Heave, Ho! and 60 other Songs. 28°’TwiLt NEVER Do To Gis IT up So and 60 others, 29 BLUE BONNETS Over THE BorpeER and 5 others, 30 THe Merry LAvGHine Man and 56 other Songs, 81 Sweer Foresrt-me-Nor and 55 other Songs. 82 LeeTLE BAapy Mine and 53 other Songs. 33 De Banso AM DE INSTRUMENT FoR Me and 53 others. 34 Tarry and 50 other Songs. : 85 Just To PLEASE THE Boys and 52 other Songs. 36 SKATING ON ONE IN THE GUTTER and 52 others, 37 Kotorep Kranks and 59 other Songs. 83 Ni. DespeRaANDUM and 53 other Songs. 89 Tae Girt I Lerr Beninp Me and 50 other Songs 40 'Tis sur a LitrLe Fapep FL Lower and 50 others 41 Prerry WHILHELMINA and 60 other Songs, 42 DANCING IN THE Barn and 63 other Songs. 43 H. M.S. Prnarore. COMPLETE, and 17 other Songs. Sold everywhere by Newsdealers, at five cents per copy, or sent post-paid, to any address, on re- ceipt of Six cents pernhumber. BEADLE AND ADAMS, PusiisHers, _ 98 Wun Street, New York,
Page 16
BEADLE'’S* H ALF- DIME* LIBRARY. Published Every Tuesday. Each Isswe Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents. No Double Numbers, BY EDWARD L. WHEELER. Deadwood Dick Novels. 1 Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. 20 Deadwood Dick’s Defiance; or, Double Daggers. a nam beh | ad = Disavises Buffal» Ben eadwo ek in s Castle. 42 Deadwood Dick’s Bonanza; or, The «antom Miner. 49 Deadwood Dick in Danger; or, Omaha Oll, 5&7 Deadwood Dick’s Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood Bar. 78 Deadwood Dick on Deck; or. Calamity ¢ :ne, the Heroine, ioe Sheet: bet oll] ieee Fe or, Corduroy Charlie. eadwoo ck in Leadville. 75 pomewees meee Desilees 6 The Double Cross Sign. eadwoo ck as Detective, 129 Deadwood Dick’s Double; or, The Gorgon’s Gulch Ghost. 188 Deadwood Dick’s Home Base; or, Blonde Bill. 149 Deadwood Dick’s Big Strike; or, A Game of Gold. 156 Deadwood Dick of Deadwood: or, The Picked Party, 195 Deadwood Dick’s Dream; or, The Rivals of the Road. 201 Deadwood Dick’s Ward; or, The Black Hill’s Jezebel. +t P hannp bree ng hg a Seer Panes Adventure. endwoo ck’s Dead Deal. 221 Deadwood Dick’s Death-Plant. 282 Gold-Dust Dick. A Romance of Roughs and Tonghs, +4 ams Ade | 4 pm a bsg at Spirit of Swamp Lake. ead woo ck’s Death Trail. 809 Deadwood Dick’s Deal; or, The Gold Brick of Oregon. 821 Deadwood Dick’s Dozen; or, The Fakir of Phantom Flats. 847 Deadwood Dick’s Ducata; or, Days in the Diggings. toh ag bebe! ot ees or, Ihe Terrible Vendetta, endwo ek’s Claim. 405 Deadwood Dick in Dead City. 410 Deadwood Dick’s Diamonda, 21 Deadwood Dick in New York} or, A “ Cute Case,” vt sree eae te gaa or, The Chained Hand. ead woo ck, dr. 448 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Defiance. 458 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Full Hand, 459 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Big Round-Up. 465 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Racket at Claim 10. 471 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Corral; or, Bozeman Bill. a3¢ preewses om a Ct 5-2 pe tag endwoo¢ ek. Jr., in Deady ood, 491 Deadwood Dick, Jr.**, Compact, 496 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Inheritance, bOO0 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’«, Diggings. 608 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Deliverance. 515 Deadwood Dick, Jr.s, Protegee. 622 Deadwood Dick. Jr.’s, Three. 529 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Danger Ducka 584 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s» Death Hunt, 589 Deadwood Dick, -Jdr., in Texas, rt} peat rees se 5 tad the ps ee ae 5 Jeadwood Dick, dr., on His Mettle. B54 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Gotham, 661 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Boston, Bes | Some iahoee ft any - Sect nia. 6 Jendwooc ek, Jr., in Chicago, 578 Deadwood Dick. Jr., Afloat. ¢ &BS4 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Denver. 590 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Decree. 595 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Beelzebub’s Basin, ote pap bend pie? 5 ais “mt Donen. tehaee- eadw oot ek, Jr.’s, Leadville Lay. 612 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Detroit. . : 618 Dendwood Dick, dr., in Cincinuatl. 624 Deadwood Dick, Jr., In Nevada, 680 Deadwood Dick, Jr., In No Man’s Land, rt 4 peaswees press 5 lke Fg” Queer. AS ead woot ck, Jr., in_ Buffalo. 645 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Chase Across the Continent Jed Macdoesa Lisk, an ecdaneronas Gas * eadwoo ’ 7a, Insurance Case, 666 Dendwood Dick, Jr., Back in the Mines, 672 Deadwood Dick, Jr., th Durango; or, “ Gathered In.” ; endwood ck, dr.’s. Dazzle. 690 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s. Dollars. 695 Deedwood Dick, Jr., at Danger Divide. 700 Dedsdwood Dick, Jr.'s, Drop. 204 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Jack-Pot, 710 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in San Francisco. m Other Novels by E. L. Wheeler, 26 Cloven Hoof, the Buffalo Demon. 82 Bob Woolf's or, The Girl Dead-Shot. 89 Death-Face, Detective; or, Life in New York. 45 Old me ngs or, ages nyo the Girl Brigand, 63 Jim udsoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix, 61 Buckhorn Bill; or, The Red Rifle Team 69 Gold Rifle, the. Sharpshooter; or, The Boy Detective. 80 Rosebud Hob; or, Nugget Ned, the Knight. 84 Idyl, the Girl Miner; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand. 88 Phetograph Phil; or, Rosebud Rob’s Reappearance. 92 Canada ohet 3 or, Old Avaconda in Sitting Bull’s Camp. 96 Watch-Eye ¢ or, Arabs and Angels of a Great City. 18 Jack Moyle the Young Speculator. : Bee et Te ke ain &; rie Sy Mnnamon © Py the Girl Sport, 5 Bonanza Bill, Miner. 8 Boas Kob the King of Bootblacks, 1 Solid Sam, the Boy Road-Agent. & Captain Ferret, the New York Detective. 1 New York Nell, the Boy-Girl Detective. z Neh ies of Nevada ter, The Sierras Scampa, Si Wik rank, the Buckskin Bravo, 209 Fritz, the Bound-Boy Detective. 218 Fritz to the Front; or, The Ventriloquist Hunter, oa6 Guosser, se % y BhArH! oF, ne Arab Detective. Apollo » the Tra ‘ornado. 240 Criioné Kit, the Young Gladiator, 244 Sierra Sam, the Frontier Ferret. 248 Slerra Sam’s Secret; or, The Bloody Footprints, 258 Sierra Sam’s Pard; or, The Angel of Big Vista, 258 Sierrn Sam’s Seven} or, The Stolen Bride. 278 Jumbo Foe the <" Senne The Rival Heirs, 277 Denver Doll, the Detective Queen. 281 Denver Doll's Victory. Psd Dg tg Beooy ' or. Little Bill's Bonanza. urk the Boy Ferret. see Denver Melts ahaa 3, Ei Nee Road Queen. A No. 1, the Dashing Toll-Taker. +44 ‘Liza Jane, the Girl Miner; or, the Iron-Nerved Sport. 825 Kelley, Hickey & Co., the Detectives of Philadelphia, B80 Little Qulck-Shot 3 or, The Dead Face of Daggersville, 884 Kangaroo ts ig Weve Me re ag Miner, 9 Kangaroo Kit’ Racket. f $48 Manhattan Mike, the Bowery Blood. 858 First-Class Fred, the Gent trom Gopher. 86R Vreka Jim, the Gold-Gatherers or, The Life Lottery, ~ ee ee ee ee ee NAP RRww BY COLONEL PRENTISS INGRAHAM, ? The Flying Yankee; or, The Ocean Outcast. 17 Ralph Roy, the Boy Buccancer; or, The Fugitive Yacht, 24 Diamond Dirk Lee The Mystery of the Yellowstone. 62 The Shadow Ship; or, The Rival Lieutenants. 75 The Boy Dnellst; or, The Cruise of the Sea-Wolf, 102 Dick Dead-Eye, the Boy Smuggier. 111 The Sea-Devil; or, The Midshipman’s Legacy. 116 The Hussar Cops 3 or, The Hermit of Hell Gate, 197 Little Grit; or, Bessie, the Stock-Tender’s Daughter. 04 Gold-Plume ; or, Buffalo Bill, the Pony Express Rider. 216 Bison BIII, the Prince of the Reins; or, Buttto Bill’s Pluck, 222 Grit, the Bravo Sport; or, The Woman Trailer. 229 Crimaon grog, or, The Cowboy's Triumph, 287 Lone Star, the Cowboy Captain. 245 Merle, the Middy ; or, The Freelance Heir, 250 The Midshipman Mutineer; or, Brandt, the Buccaneer, 264 The Floating F eather: or, Merle Monte’s Treasure, 260 The Gold Ships or, Merle, the Condemned. 276 Merle Monte’s Cruise; or, * The Gold Ship " Chase. 250 Merle Monte’s Fate; or, Pearl, the Pirate’s Bride. 284 The Sea Marauder; or, Merle Monte’s Pledge. 287 Billy Blue-Eyes, the Boy Rover of the Rio Grande. 804 The Dead Shot Dandy ; or, Benito, the Boy Bugler, 808 Keno Kit; or, Dead Shot Dandy’s Double. 814 The Mysterious Marauder; or, The Boy Bugler’s Trail. 877 Bonodel, the Boy Rover; or, The Flagless Schooner. 888 The Indian Pilot; or, The Search for Pirate Island, 887 Warpath WII, the Boy Phantom. $98 Seawalf, the Boy Lieutenant, 402 Isodor, the Young Conspirators; or, The Fatal League, 407 The Boy Insurgent; or, The Cuban Vendetta. 412 The, Wild Yachtaman; or, The War-Cloua’s Cruise. 429 Duncan Dare, the Boy Refugee. 488 A Cabin Boy’s Luck; or, The Corsair. 487 The Sea Ralder. 441 The Ocean Firefly ¢ or, A Middy’s Vengeance. 446 Uaphazard Marry 3 or, Tne Seapegrace of the Sea, 450 Wizard Will: or, The Bey Ferret of New York. 454 Wizard Will's Street Scouts. 462 The Born Guide; or, The Sailor Boy Wanderer, 468 Neptune Ned, the Bey Coaster, 474 Flora; or, Wizard Will’s Vagabond Pard. 488 Ferrets Afloat; or, Wizard Wi!)’s Last Case. 487 Nevada Ned, the Revolver Ranger. 495 Arizona doe the Boy Pard of Texas Jack. 497 Buck Taylor, King ot the Cowboys. 508 The Royal Middy ¢ or, The Shark and the Sea Cat. 507 The Hunted Midshipman, 511 The Outlawed Middy. 520 Buckskin Bill, the Comanche Shadow. . 525 Brothers in Buckskin. 530 The Buckskin Bowers. 585 The Bue «skin Rovers. 540 Captain Ku-Klux, the Marander ot the Rio, 545 Lieutenant Leo, the Son of Lafitte. 650 Lafitte’s Lewacy: or. The Avenging Son. 555 The Creole Corsair. b6O Pawnee BILL, the Prairfe Shadower. 565 Kent Kingdon, the Cord King. 570 Camille, the Card Queen. 575 The Surgeon-Scout Detective. 580 The Outenst Cadet: or, Tle Falae Detective, 586 The Buckskin Avenger. 59L Delmonte, the Young Sea Rover. bY? The Young Texan Detective. 602 The Vagabond ofthe Mines, 607 The Rover_Detective; jor, Keno Kit’s Champions. 617 Ralph, the Dead-Shot Scout; or, The Rio Raiders. 644 The Hercules Highwaymun, 650 Butterfly Billy, the Pony Rider Detective; or, Buffalo Bill’s Boy Para. 656 Butterfly Billy’s Man Hunt. 662 Butterfly Billy’s Bonanza, 568 The Buccaneer Midshipman, 674 The Wizard Sailor; or, Red Ralph, the Rover, 679 The Sea Shadower; or, The Freedcot:r's Legacy 686 Orlando, the Ocenn Free Flag; or, The Tarnished Name, 692 The Rival Sharps: or, Redfern, the Secret Service Scont. | 697 The Searlet Sombrero: or, The Sharp front Texos. 702 Blue Jacket Bill; or, The Red Hat Rangers’ Red Hot Recket 707 The Red Sombrero Rangers; or, Redfern's Last Trail, BY BUFFALO BILL (Hen. Wm. F. Cody). 8 Kansas King; or, The Red Right Hand. 19 The Phantom Spy : or, The Pilot of the Prairie. 55 Deadly-Eye. the Unknown Ser ut, 68 Rorder Robin Hood ¢ or, The Prairie Rover. 158 Faney Frank of Colorado; or, The Trapper’s Trust. BY CIARLES MORRIS, 118 Will Somers, the Bor Detective. 122 Phil Mardy, the Boss Boy. 126 Picayune Pete; or, Nicodemus, the Dog Detective. 180 Detective Dick; or, The Here in Rags. 142 Handsome Harry, the Boothinck Detective, 147 WILL Wildtire, the Thoroughbred. 152 Black Beas, Will Wildfire’s Racer. 157 Mike Merry, the Harbor Police Boy. 162 WII Wildfire in the Woods, 165 Billy Baggage, the Railroad Boy. 170 A Trump Card ¢ or, Will Wildfire Wins and Loses, 174 Bob Rockett; or, Mysteries of New York. 179 Bob Rockett, the Bank Runner, 188 The Hidden Hand j or, Will Wildfire’s Revenge. 187 Fred Halyard, the Life Boat Boy; or, The Smugglers, 189 Rob Rockett; or, Driven to the Wall. 196 Shadowed ; or, Bob Kockett’s Fight for Life, 206 Dark Paul. the Tiger King. 212 Dashing Dave, the Dandy Netective. 220 Tom Tanner; or, The Black Sheep of the Flock. 25 Sam Charcoal the Premiom Darky. 235 Shadow Sam, the Messenyer Boy. 242 The Two * Bloods”; or, Shenandoah Bill and His Gang. 252 Dick Dashaway ¢ or, A Dakota Boy in Chicago. 262 The Young Sharps: or, Rollicking Mike’s Hot Trail, 274 Jolly Jim, the Detective Apprentice. 289 Jolly Jim’« Jobs or, The Young Detective, 298 The Water-Hound: or, The Young Thoronghored. 805 Dashaway, of Dakota: or, A Western Lad in Quaker City. 824 Ralph Ready, the Hotel Boy Detective. 841 Tony Thorne, the Vagabond Detective. 858 The Reporter-Detective 3 or, Fred Flyer’s Blizzard, 867 Wide-Awake Joe? or, A Boy of the Times. 879 Larry, the Levelers or, The Bloods of the Boulevard. AOS Firetly Jack, the River-Rat Detective, A28 The Lost Finger; or, The Entrapped Cashier. 428 Fred Fiver, the Reporter Detective. 482 Inyinetble Logan, the Pinkerton Ferret. 456 eu. Brick, the Jolly Vaganond. 466 Wide-Awake Jerry, Detective; or, Entombed Alive. 479 Detective Dodge ; or, The Mystery of Frank Hearty. 488 Wild Dick Racket. 501 Roots, the Boy Fireman: or, Too Sharp for the Sharper, 5A6 The Secret Service Boy Detective. 596 Jimmy the Kid; or, A Lamb Among Wolves. 627 nv rkananay or. The Wolf in the Fold. 655 Plucky Paul, the Boy Speculator. 6 b and Sam, the Dalay Detectives. 209 The Curbstone Detectives or, Harry Hale's Big Best. , BY J. ©. COWPRICK, 860 Silver-Mask, the Man of Mystery. 869 Shasta, the Gold King; or, For Seven Years Dead. 420 The Detective’s Apprentice; or, A Boy Without » Name. 424 Cibuta John; or, Red-Hot Times at Ante Bar, 489 Sandy Sam, the Street Scout. 467 Disco Dan, the Daisy Dude. 490 Broadway Billy, the Bootblack Bravo. 506 Redlight Ralph, the Prince of the Road, 514 Broadway Billy’s Boodle. 524 The Engineer Detective. 586 Breadway. Billy’s ‘ Difikilty.” 548 Mart, the Night Express Detective. 557 Broadway Billy’s Peath Racket. 571 Air-Line Luke the Young Engineer. 579 The Chimney Spy; or, Broadway Billy’s Surprise-Party 592 The Boy Pinkerton. 605. William 0’ Broadway; or, The Boy Detective’s Big Innine. 615 Fighting Harry the Chief of Chained Cyclone, 628 Broadyva Billy’. Dead Act. 640 Barebre Beth, the Centaur of the Circle. 647 Typeviiter Tilly, the Merchant's Ward. 659 Moonlight Morgan, the ‘‘ Pizgnest ’’ Man of Ante Bar, 669 Broadway Billy Abroad. 75 Broadway Billy’s Best; or, Beating San Francisco's Fines, 687 Broadway Billy In Clover. 696 Broadway Billy tn Texas. 708 Broadway Billy’« Brand. 711 Broadway Billy at Santa Fe. BY T. ©. HARBAUGH. 8 Nick o’ the Nights; or, The Boy Spy of ’76. ? The Hidden Lodge}; or The Litth Hunter, 7 Nightingale Nat; or, Tne Forest Captains, 4 Dandy Jack; or, The Outlaws of the Oregon Trait. 2 Kit Harefoot the Wood-Hawk. 4 Midnight Jack 3 or, The Boy Trapper. 6 Old Frosty, the Guide; or, The White Queen, 8 Kiowa Charley the White Mustanger. 9 Judge Lynch, Jr.t or, The Boy Vigilante. & Gold Tr er, the Sport; er, The Girl Avenger. 9 Tornado Toms or, Injun Jack From Red Core, 8 Ned Temple, the Border Boy. 8 Arkansnaw ¢ or, The Queen of Fate’s Revenge. 07 Navajo Nick, the Boy Gold Hunter. 215 Captain Bullet; or, Little Topknot’s Crusade. 281 Plucky Phil; or, Rosa, the Re! Jezebel. 241 Bill Bravo}; or, Tie Roughs of the Rockies. 255 Captain Apoli-, tne King-Pin of Bowie. 267 The Kuckskin Detective. 279 Old Winch; or, The Buckskin Desperadoes. 294 Dynamite Dan; or, The Bowie Blade of Gochetopa. | 802 The Mountain Detective: or, The Trigger Bar Sully. 816 Old Eclipse, Trump Card of Arizona, 826 The Ten Pards; or, The Terror o! Take-Notice. 886 Bie Renson: or, The Queen of the Lasso. 845 Pitilesas Matt; or, Ked Thundertolt’s Secret. 856 Cool Sam and Par’; ov The Terrible Six. 866 Velvet Foot, the Indian Detective. 886 Captain Cutlass; or, be B ceaneer’s Girl Foe. 896 Rough Rob: or, The {win Champions of Blue Blazes. 411 The Silken Lasso: or, The Rose of Ranch Robin. 418 Felix Fox, the Boy Spotter. 425 Texas Trump. the Border Rattler. 486 Phil Flash, the New York Fox. 445 The City Vampires; or, Ked Rolfe’s Pigeon. 461 One Against Fifty; or, The Last Man of Keno Bar, 70 The Boy Shadow; or, Felix Fox’s Hunt. ATT The Exceisior Sport; or, The Washington Spotter. 499 Single Sight, the One-Eyed Sport. 502 Branded Ben, tle Night ferret.3 612 Dodger Dick, the Wharf-Spy Detective. 521 Dodger Dick’s Rest Dodge. 628 Fox and Falcon, the Bowery Shadows, 528 Dodger Pick, the Dock Ferret. 54AR Dodger Dick’s Double; or, The Rival Boy Detectives. BSS Dodecer Dick's Desperate Case. 568 Dodger Dick, the Boy Vidocg. 578 The Two Shadows. 582 Dodger Dick’s Drop. B9A Little Lon, the Street-Singer Detective. 610 Old Skinner, the Gold Shark; or, Tony Sherp on Guard, 626 The Champion Parda, 687 Dick Doan, the Dock Boy Detective. 645 Kit, the Pavement Sharp. 658 Billy Bantam, the Boy Beagle. 671 Jersey Jed, the Roy Hustler; or, Shudowing the Shadower- 685 Happy Hugh, the Boy- Musician Detective. 701 Photograph Fred, the Camera Sharp. LATEST AND NEW ISSUES. 718 Carl, the Mad Cowboys or, The Lariat Queen. Py Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 214 Old Misery, the Man from Missouri; or, The Mystery of the Mountain League. By Wm. G. Patten, T1b Wide Awake Len, the Quaker City Ferret; or, Caging the Cormorants. By T. C. Harbaugh. 716 Deadwood Pick. Ir.'*s Sill Hunts or, The Second Round in San Franciso. Py Edward L. Wheeler. 217 Mosquito Jack; the Hastler Gamin; or, Move-on Mike’s Grand Catch, By Jo Pierce, 18 Licht-Heart Lute’s Last, Trail; or, The Gold Crater’s ¥ Searehs ty Joseph E. Badger, Jr. 719 Pawnee Bill's Pledge; or, The Cowboy Kidnapper. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 720 Broadway Billy’s Full Hand; or, The Gamin Detec- 720 Broasoutle Snap at Santa Fe. By -'. C. Cowdrick, 721 Maverick Mose, the Arizona Detective; or, The Wizard of Urkos Pars, By Will Lisenbee. Ready May 19. 722 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Dominoes: or, The Rival Campe of the Northern Border. By Edward L. Wheeler. Ready Mhy 26. SeEAReNw Pe oto SBarnen 728 Silverblade, the Shoshone; or, The Border Beagle’s Secret Mission. By Jos. E. Badger, Jr. Ready June 2d, A New Iasuc Every Tuesday. The Half- Dime Library is for anle by all newsdealers, five cents per copy, or sent by mall on receipt of mx cents each, BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, \ 98 William Street, New York. ee ee