Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 409) (1885 05 26)
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= = Slaaalalalalisla| Sere > i é@ Ny | (/ = __-£™ fp ett AN Hay PR a 6 ee | NC iat i a xT TGA Ma Va ey ce $2.50 a year. Entered at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., at Second Class Mail Rates. Copyright, 1885, by BEADLE AND ADAMS, May 26, 1885. BEB 4 hm MB - —— eed inane ws po a OPE IAF 2 RD A MATE A AE 0 LE SS NE SS eS SR AREER TE ES NS tea > on ae Single PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE AND ADAMS, Price, Vol. XVI. Number. No. 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK, 5 Cents. No. 40 9. . “ipa, . . CHEE, ‘7 4 — , y YZ sd) a i PRES Da , } Z, y to; j i. (4; faa Ser, a. —— , Cli “Wi, A W/E CSS » 4, > N/} aE pL EE RES OT A te ESS TES NP SEE IY yj 4 Ly 43 ARROW SPED FHOM THE GREAT BOW OF DWMB HERCULES, AND TRUE TO ITS AIM, IT WENT HOME IN THE BREAST OF 4 SAVAGE,
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Hercules, The Dumb Destroyer; DICK, THE BOY RANGER, A Romance of the Niobrara. BY OLL COOMES, AUTHOR OF “ WHIP KING Jon,’ “LITTLE FOXFIRE,”’ ‘*VAGABOND JOE.’ ETO., ETO. CHAPTER I. : THE MYSTERY OF THE CLOUDS. Wy was a summer night on the great plains of Da- ota. the Belle Fourche river, burs'ing from the shad- ow of the Black Hills, glided like a glittering ser- mt across the broad expanse—ever and anon arting between great bluffs or sweeping along with- in the shadow of 7o/te and chaparral. Tho Lig round moon was in the zenith casting a weird an es light over all, A soft wind blew from the west, laden with the aromatic breath of the mountains. Within a large mol/e of scrubby timber, not over five leagues from where the Belle Fourche glided into the Cheyenne adecp and profound silence reign- ed, notwithstanding fif y or more savage warriors were halted therein for the night. Not the sound of a voice, the whir of a wing, nor the chirp of an insect broke the strange silence. Even inanimate nature was voiceless. The rippling river, the rustling grass, the murmuring, fluttering leaves had become silent as if in aweof thedark and mysterious cloud that had suddenly appeared from out the west, drifting athwart the starry sky. Scores of savage eyes, peering from the deep shad- ows of the motée, are fixed upon the mysterious cloud—the a of savage warriors, who were going forth to batile—to murder, to scalp, burn and despoil —are riveted upon the objett in the heavens as though held there by a horrible, irresistible fascina- tion, The forms of thé red-skins are as motionless as the shadows around them, They seem transfixed with superstitious terror. Their hideously-painted faces b come contorted with inward fear, as they watch the drifting cloud, unlike any they had ever seen before, ; As the ubject comes nearer it begins to assume a more tangible form. To the savages it looks like an inverted ¢ / ¢ or lodge, to. which hangs ano her ob- ject which in savage fancy becomes an aerial canoe, And in this strange bark they finally detect the presence of human forms, which discovery causes them to start slightly and draw. back a pace into the deeper shadows, Strange and mysterious indeed is that object to the Sioux warrior, To him the work of the Great Spirit’s hand is visible, and they stand in terrible awe of his wrath. A cloud it seemed rising over the war-path they had taken but a few gays before, de- _ termined to wreak a bloody vengeance on the white invaders of their hunting-grounds, They are too terrified to flee. They are transfixed, and like stat- ues of stone stand half-crouching, their eyes fullow- ing the aerial mystery. he object is now almost above them, They can lainly distinguish two formsin the canoe moving, bowine, pons. Ay!and they can even hear voices—strange and weird-like voices, such as we often imagine we hear coming from out the realms of Nowhere. And suddenly a shout, clear and dis- tinct, peals out, and at the same instant one of the occupants of the mysterious craft is seen to leap out into space, and with great, black, bat-like wings rt aed out around him, descend rapidly to the e A low murmur of excitement passes quickly along the line of startled, horrified Sioux; but still held immovable by terror’s fascination, they watch the peal second esceni to earth, and see the great, dark craft from which he had leaped risa higher into the heaveus and drift away toward the east. Not far fiom the grové on the open plain— within twenty paces of the motionless savages, the myste- rious being touches the earth, his wings collapse, and then only the form of a man stands revealed in the moovlight—the man with a lithe, slender form, long hair and whiskers that shone white as silver in the moonbeams, and gave him a strange, venerable and Druidical appearance. Unlike a celestial being, however, he is dressed ina suit of buckskin, while on his head is a glossy leather cap. For &® moment the stranger (Sete heaven- ward after the receding craft«from which he had descended, then glances around him, bends his head and listens, but only for a moment, Lifting his head he looks toward the motte from whence comes a sound like that made by afimals munching grass. . Then carefully folding together that which had served him as wings in his descent to the earth, he placed it under his arm, took up another bundle and advanced with noiseless step toward the grove. The spell that bound the savages was now broken. The low murmur of voices, the soft movement of feet and rattling of leaves broke the profound silence ofthe mole. A ee chief, with hands up- lifted in token of friendsh: P stepped out of the shadows and seemed before the aerial visitor. The latter at sight of him started back in evident surprise; but he quickly recovered his presence of maind, and, in a tone calculated to convince the sav- Hignd | ee! Pa a pegie t vas 7 Hercules, the Dumb Destroyer, $$$ $_— $$ age that his presence there was known before he ap- peared, hesaid: ““Ay! my red brother is here. The Great Spirit told me he would be. You are a chief of the Sioux?” y ‘‘T am Standing Bear, the war-chief of Sitting- Bull,” replied the Indian; *‘my warriors are in the darkness of the grove, there. They stand in awe of him who rides on the clouds.” ‘Let them fear me not,” responded the aerial visitor, in a low and solemn voice, ‘‘I come with a message from the Great Spirit. I ride in the clouds—the cloudsare my wings. But I will not go back to the sky until the moon goes down and the sun comes out. But why is 8 anding Bear ia war- paint? Has he dug up the hatchct?” “The pale-face hunter and settler has provoked us to war. They are crowding us back into the hills and slaying our game. Our squawsand perness are crying for food. The Sioux must defend his hunting-ground or die of hunger.” While the two were thus conversing the warriors, recovering somewhat from their mupexsions fears, came out of the shadows with soft footsteps, ad- vanced as though treading on sacred ground, and gathered around their chief and the mysterious visitor—gazing upon the latter in silent and solemn awe. The conversation was continued. The. sky-trav- eler spoke in that peculiar epigrammatic Indian elo- quence so characteristic of t © savage orator. He quick ingratiated hims lf into the confidence of the chief and his warriors, and was invited into the grove to share their bivouac with them, A fire was lighted and within its glow the chief and the celestial visitor sat down and smoked the pipe of peace, while the warriors looked on in silence. Thus working upon their savage ignorance and credulity through the mystery surrounding his coming from the sky, the stranger became an hon- ored guest in the red-skin camp. A tent was constructed for his comfort, of poles and blankets, and after their camp-fire had burned out and the eyes of the stranger grew héa’y with drow- siness, Standing Bear conducted him to the tent and bade him good-night. Entering the lodge the stranger threw himself on the couch of blankets, and in the silent shadows of the place rolled and tossed in a fit of silent laughter, After he had thus relieved himself he became ab- sorbed in serious mental reflections, from which he was finally aroused by the shouting of voices and the trampling of hoofed feet. Applying his ear to an opening in the lodge he dis- covered that a numb»r of h grove and joined the red-skins. y By tueir voices he knew they were white men, and by the mannerin which they were received, he knew they were allies of the savages, ‘*By the eternal stars!’’ 1nused the sky-traveler, “it’s the outlaw, Black Diablo, and his band, or Satan’s a saint!” And in this he wasright, It was that notorious outlaw, robber and road-agent, Black Diablo, and his followers, ‘The freebooters dismounted, and then ordering their horses staked out to grass with saddles and bridles left upon them, Black Diablo and Standing Bear entered into conversation, “Well, Standing Bear,’’ said the outlaw, “TI did not get bere soon as I promised you I would, but I guess I’m here iv time for work. Have you sighted any desirable scalps yét?” “No; we have been waiting for our white brother,” ‘Your patience shall be rewarded, chief. My spy informs me that the train coming is rich in pretty squaws, fine horses and cattle, good guns and abun- dance of ammunition, tobacco and whisky. Oh! we ll have a royal time, chief.” But instead of feeling elated over these prospec- tive prizes the chief was demure and silent. Black Diablo noticed this, ‘Chief, you seem dispirited; what is the matter?” ‘A cloud passed over the to-night bearing a messenger from the Great Spirit,’ replied the oux. . Black Diablo broke into a low, derisive laugh. “We saw that cloud, too, Standing Bear, as we rode ovey the plain. It was a balloon—nothing more —a contrivance of the pale-face by which he can go sailin’ ’round in the heavens, as a boat sails on the water."’ * The chief drew closer to the dark-visaged outlaw and listeued intently to his words. ‘*There were two men in that balloon’s basket,” he went on, ‘‘when it passed over us, Wesent a few shots at them, but got no game,” “Why did the white chief try to slay the sky-, oereiennt: asked the puzzled, confused Standing ear, ‘* Because they are ourenemies,”’ continued Black Diablo. “It is not the first time I have seen that balloon perambulatin’ the heavens. It’s simply a new and safe way a certain man—a white scout— has o' reconnciterin’ the hills and prairies, I have seen it a dozen times when on the plains of Texas. and I never saw it once but what trouble followed in the shape of a notorious scout and border detective called Skylark Sam. He usually turns up where least expected. He has been seen to drop from the balloon into the heart of the mountains by means of a contrivance called a parachule—a big, umbrella- like thing that spreads out over his head like great wings, and fillin’ with air descends slowly.” ‘** Does my white brother speak the truth?’ deman- ded the chief, starting up in evident excitement. ‘*Did I ever deceive you, emanate ‘*No; the white chief's tongue always been straight.” . orsemen had entered the |_it was not bulky. “Then why did you ask me the question? Did you doubt me?”’ “One of the men from the great air-boat is now in the camp of Standing Bear.” “The fiends you say!” exclaimed the Spaniard, grasping his revolver and springing to his feet, ‘The Sioux,” continued the chief, ‘saw the air- boat coming, and when one of the men descended to the earth near us, we invited him to our camp, Aid believed he was a messenger from the Great pirit.’ : “A messenger from the devil!” retorted Black Diablo; ‘‘ where is he now?”’ ** Yonder,” and the chief pointed in the direction of the lodge that was hidden in the darkness, “T'll bet forty scalps it’s my evil genius, Old Sky- lark Sam. If it is, I—” The crack of a pistol. accompanied with a piercing yell of agony, cut short his speech. In an instant every savage and outlaw was upon his feet. Then a rush was made in the direction whence the sounds came, Out into the moonlight they hurry—out upon the prairie where an outlaw lies beating the earth in the throes of death. A moment later a wild, demoniac yell pierces the sky, forails ea form vault into the saddle still on the back of Bl ck Diablo's horse‘and dash fupiously away over the plain, Back to the lodge of the sky-traveler rush Stand- ing Bear and Biack Diablo, but only to find the place deserted! ‘ Caramba! It is as I expected!’’ bowled the out- Jaw, with a furisus oath, his face growing black with impotent fury; ‘‘ you have been deceived—glorious- ly duped, Standing Bear, by that infamous old fiend —Skylark Sam, the Border Detective!” CHAPTER Ii. DUMB HERCULES. A pense fog hung over the plains of Dakota, ob- securing the range of vision and almost blotting out the sun; yet, despite this unnatural gloom, the im- migrant train of Colone! Gershom Owens, led by the eareful and cautious guide, Niobrara Jack, moved slowly westward along the Cheyenne river. The train was composed of some twenty odd heavy and light vehicles drawn by horses and mules well equipped. ‘he heavy wagons were. loaded with farm implements and household goods, while in the lighter vehicles rode the women and children. . One wagon alone drawn by four horses carried a load that might have aroused the wonder and curi- osity of a casual observer. It had no tilted cover— It was covered up with canvas and ae are yet seemed the heaviest load of all. All told, there were forty souls in the party— thirty of whom were men in the very prime of vigor- ous manhood. A herd of fine cattle were driven in the rear of the train by mounted men and boys. The party was headed for the Niobra‘a country; having crossed the Missouri at Fort Sully. Colonel Owens had conceived the idea of organiz- ing a colony in the fertile valley of the Niobrara, He was a man who loved the wild prairies, and be- ing of an adventuresome turn of mind, and withal, a S.ind-hearted and philanthropic man, had or- gpnized a party from among his acquaintances, aid- ng, with his ample means, many of them in pro- curing an outfit. Witb no one but himself and daughter, Zulima—a fair and lovely ae of seventeen—possessed of a liberal forture, he might have lived in ease and comfort; but he was ambitious and enterprising, as well as adventuresome, and so, while gratifying his love of the prairie, he resolved to build up around pot society whose founders were of his own se- ecting. The colonel was not ignorant of the fact thet dan- gers were likely to be encountered—that hardships and privations were before them, He knew that life and property would be in constant danger from the outlaw and red-skin so long as the red-tape policy of the military prevailed; but, having had some experience in the Indian wars. in Minnesota, the colonel felt that with bis force well-armed and equipped, he would be able to defend himself a pet: the outlaws and predatory bands of savages, at least. K Since crossing the river they had frequently heard that dangers were brewing among the Black Hills Indions; but Old Niobrara Jack, the guide, regarded the reports as the usual stories re enigha ne: ao: m immigrant by both hunter and ranc selfish motive of keeping settlers off the hunting- grounds and pasture range. But on the day in question, when the fog hung Jow and dense over the plain, while Colonel Owens and Old Jack were riding along some distance in ad- vance of the train, they came suddenly upon the lifeless body of an Indian lying across the trail they were following. Old Jack quickly dismounted and examined the body. It was stili warm. A buge, red-shafted ar- row was buried half its length in the warrior’s naked breast. ‘By the roarin’ ravens, colonel!” exclaimed the, * guide, ‘this must be the work of Dumb Her- j cules,” “Dumb Hercules? Who's Dumb Hercules?" de-| manded the colonel. | “There, now you've got me, colonel,’’ declared; the gnide, a matter-of-fact old fellow who, the average prairie scout, did not claim a knowledge of everything; I’ve hearn o’ him these two years and more, but I never clapped an optic onto him. Sol Bundy said he met him once, and that he wara& dreadful giant—a madman that went cavortin’ up ei Seal
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with no wey pu..s vt a buge bow and arrows big as Ingin lances—slayin’ aid siaughte: ii’ reds and out- Jaws indiscriminat onally.” “ But, why is he cated Dumb Hercules?” “’Oanse they say Le is Gumb—cau '» speak a word, and I reckon that’s why he uses the bow and arrow —all silent—Silent Death—Silent S ayer—Dumb Av- enger. But, colonel, do ye see this I: ¢in’s/in war- aint?—that means danger in the I teil you, oss, thar’s git to be some scoutin’ uc, or we may find ourselvesdn a trap.”’ ‘To keep down excitement, Jack,’’ said the colo- nel, ‘‘suppose you conceal that body before the train comes'up. The sight of it will cause a general -stampede.”’ Old Jack dragged the body off to one side and con- -cealed it ina 4 ah of tall grass. Then, mounting h’s horse the two rode slowly on, “Tt now wants but an hour of noon,” said Owens, <neeee his watch; ‘* we'd better go into camp moore 80 that you can reconnoiter the surrounding ain. “ik Yes, colonel, for I tell you thar’s sulphur in this fog,” affirmed the guide, with a look of unneasiness upon his bearded face. “Strange, passing strange, indeed, that the mili- tary can’t keep the infernal Ingins in their place, Jack,” declared the colonel. “Too much red-tape, colonel,’’ replied the guide; “T tell you that a hundred old hunters and frontiers: men turned loose on the red-skins and outlaws, with all the elbow room they wanted, and they’d do more to’rds angelizing the varmints’n all the sojers in the kentry. But say, colonel. over here on our right is a nice little grove on the river-bank that’d be a boss penal place for wood and water. S’pose we m— His words were here cut short by the “whiz” of something throuch the air above their heads. Quickly the two men drew rein. Their horses ‘pricked up their ears and sniffed the air uneasily. ** Jack, what was it, a bird?’ asked the colonel, with a look of uneasiness and perplexity. ‘*Sounded like an arrow, colonel,’’ returned the ait Qi, ide, “Good God! can it be that your mysterious Dumb Hercules is trying to slay us? Is he a demon?—no respecter of persons?” Old Jack made no answer to the colonel’s queries, -but pointing ahead of them a few paces, said: “* Look thar, colonel! See that arrowr” The colonel answered in the affirmative. “It jist dropped from the air.”’ Dismounting the guide advanced and drew the ar- row from the ground and examined it. ‘*By my soul!’’ exclaimed Colonel Owens, ‘it és a big affair, sure, and must have taken the strength of a Samson to have sent it from the bow. From ‘what direction did it come, Jack?” “IT don’t know,” answered the astonished guide peering around him into the dismal fog; ‘it stood srainoe up in the ground as if it dropped straight - down. ‘*Hullo!” suddenly called out Owens, as he con- tinued to examine the arrow; “there is something ri intended to throw some light on the situa- tion. One side of the arrow had been flattened, and ‘upon the smooth white surface were written in,pen- -eil these words: ‘*Go no further at your peril—camp and fortify— ‘Indian ambush ahead—am watching a scout—can’t leave position. Dums Hercues.”’ As he read these words aloud to Old Jack the -colonel's hand began to tremble and his face grew a ale. “My God! Can this be true?” “Reckon it is, colonel—leastwise we can’t dis- -regardit. Ill run over to the grove there and look ‘through it, and you ride back and hurry up the train, but don’t tell ’em thar’s danger ahead or » there’ll be a panic.” Owens whirled his horse and galloped back to- » ward toe train, while Jack rode cautiously into the ‘ a and selected a location for a camp and. de- ense. Ina few minutes the colonel came riding up to the grove at a furious speed, his face flushed with extitement, i “My God, Jack!”” he exclaimed, ‘the coach with *Zulima and Kitty Lane is not with the train, and ( Frank Mayne says they have not been up with the train since we broke camp this morning. Can it be possible they have got lost in this fog?’ ‘Lots o’ danger, colonel, if the driver should lose ee the train and then pay no attention to the rail. “Then I’m afraid they're in trouble, Jack: I have ‘told Black Bob, the driver, repeatedly, about fool- ing off from the train to gratify some girlish whim of Zulima and Kitty.”’ “Well, if they don’t come in soon, colonel, I'll run down the trail and look for them,’’ announced Old Jack. : The train coming up the wagons were gerd " put into vosition, the horses unharnessed, and, with e cattle, corraled in a sharp bend in the river just . below the grove. Then the entire force of men were set to work digging rifle-pits, and making all necessary arrange- ments for a stubborn defense of their position should : they be attacked. ‘Now, colonel,” said Old Jack, when he had seen ‘the work well under way, ‘tas the coach hasn’t come up with the gals, I'll run back and look for them. Keep the boys at work, and a sharp lookout around you, and if the red-skins attack you remem- Uber it’s victory or sure death."’ ¥ and down ¢ © Cheyennes, from mountyins to forks 4 ‘*May God speed you, Jack!” exclaimed the colo- nel, us the kind-hearted old guide vaulted into his sacdle and galloped away. ‘fhe men worked like beavers, for Owens had communicated the secret of the impending dangers. All, however, were sorely distressed over the ab- sence of Zulima and Kitty, The mother of the lat- ter paced the grove, wringing her hands in agoniz- ing grief, and watching through her tears for the coming of her child. An hour went by and neither Old Jack nor the coach came in. The rifle-pits were completed and rifles and revol- vers were carefully loaded and placed ready for in- stant use, Another hour; still no tidings from the absent ones, “Oh, heavens!’? moaned the distracted colonel; “this cruel fog I fear will be the death of my child!” Asif to mock his misery, he was answered from out on the plain by the sharp barking of a coyote ‘**Colonel,”’ said Tom W ped the wagon-master, a blunt-spoken young man of five-and-twenty, who had spent many years as a freighter across the Western plains, ‘‘that yawp never come from the throat of a wolf. Ill bet my suspenders it’s a red- skin s signal, and if so we can ook out for fun!” “Oh, if Old Jack.were here!’ spoke the colonel, as he and Tom walked down to the river-bank and halted by the side of a dense thicket. “Yes, we'd all feel safer,’”’ replied Woolson; ‘ but T’ll declare, colonel, 1 believe the fog’s raisin’—goin’ to leave.” “It is growing lighter, I believe, Tom. If it ‘d only clear off, the advantage would be in our favor, and perhaps expose the red-skins to view if there are poe in the neighborhood; and 1 have no reason to doubt the warning of Dumb Hercules, as mysteri- ously as it came to us— Ah, look yonder, Tom! do | you see that deer out there?” Looking in the direction indicated, Tom saw the head and antlers of a deer above a clump of sage- brush not over sixty yards away. It seemed to be | looking directly toward the grove as if it scented | danger in the air. “Yes, that’s a deer’s head, sure, colonel,” replied the wagon-master, ‘‘and yet it may be the cunnin’ device—”’ the loud **thrum”’ of a bowstring, and the whiz of an arrow through the air over their heads. The sounds came from the thicket at their backs, but before they could turn a yell of frightful agony came from out on the prairie. To the surprise and astonishment of the immi- grants they saw the. supposed deer leap into the air, then dart out from its covert and, staggering, fall to the earth. ‘‘By heavens! it was an Ingin in disguise!” ex- claimed the colonel. While this was true, it was also true that the red- skin had been slain by the hand of Dumb Hercules, the Silent Shot! And, what was more, the mys- terious man stood in the thicket behind them-— with- in ten feet of them! e With a kind of a shudder—with all the stories Old Jack had told him of the bloody deeds of the Dumb Destroyer trooping up in his mind, the colonel turn- ed to the thicket. As he did so, the bushes were arted and Dumb Hercules stepped out and con- ronted him, Tnvoluntarily the colonel shrunk back, while bluff Tom Woolson, arching his eyebrows in a look of sur- prise, exclaimed: Great jumpin’ giants! what a rip-snorter!”’ The faintest perceptible smile passed over the iant’s face as he recognized the two men with a w of the head. In stature he was a giant indeed, standing fully six fe t three in his moccasins. He was broad-shouldered, deep-chested and squarely built. A large and well-shaped head sat erect upon a strong, muscular neck, and was covered wiha cap made of the feathered skin of a loon. His face, remarkable in its intelligence, was covered with a long brown bear’. His eyes were of a dark-blue color, and instead of wearing that wild, listless and expressionless stare so/peculiar to the deaf and dumb, they were ihe most remarkable of the man’s features—being clear and keen as a*hawk’s, with a light shining from their mysterious depths possess- ing that same strange fascination which one experi- cnees in looking from a dizzy hight into an unfath- omable abyss below. He was dressed in a suit of buckskin that showed his powerful and well-made form to good advantage. ® was Virtually a man in mid-life, not being over forty. In his hand he carried a lon that must have required prodigious strength to bend, At his back was a huge quiver well filled with arrows, whose feathered shafts projected above his shoulder. Advancing, Colonel Owens put out his hand and addressed the giant. The latter accepted the prof- fered hand, but at the same time he touched his lips and shook his head, . “Ah! I forgot,” said Owens, “that he is deaf mae dumb. Poor fellow! What a pity that such -“Good King David! look there, eolonel!’’ sud- meng ds Antessapied Tom Woolson, pointing across Like a mighty curtain swept aside by some un- seen hand the fog lifted, and the sun falling to earth revealed a frightful terrible spectacle, It was three- score mounted savages comi at a sweeping, break-neck gallop down tow the grove. But more like demons born of the reat | gloom they appeared than human beings. The heads of the band were’ surmounted by buffalo skulls, deer- and powerful bow ‘heads and antlers, and every conceivable device of . | Hercules, the Dumb Destroyer. 3 a savage ingenul'y calculated to : ive them the ap- pearance of grotesque devils, and thereby sirike ter: | rorto the hearts of the whites; and as the savages uttered no sound, they appeared like phant.in do- mons indeed, glidiig noiselessly along the plain. ut was guile evident that they had iniended to steal a march upon the colonists under cov: r of the fo, and would have succeeded but for the time.y lift- ing of the dismal nist. “To arms, men!’’ shouted Colonel Owens—' to arms. andremember Old Jack’s admo ition: victi ry or death!” An arrow sped from the great bow of Dumb Her- cules. and true to its aim, it went home in the arenas of a savage, who gave utterance to a horrible 10W1, This was followed by a wild, demoniac yell— ** Asif all the fiends from heaven that fell Had pealed tiie banni r-ery of hell!” Then the rifles of the emigra: ts began to crack along the line of defense, and soon these reports be- came blended in one steady roar. and amiu the aw- ful din of tue battle there was su: denly mingled a thunderous crash that seemed to rend the very heavens and shake the earth to its foundatlon, CHAPTER III, * A FEARFUL RACE. ** BooM-M-M-M!”’ It was the deep and sullen roar of a cannon that rolled in prolonged echoes through the valley of the Cheyenne, startling from their noontide repose In the chaparral Dare Devil Dick and his little band of prairie-rangers, Springing to their feet with flashing eyes, and with eas On the alert, the rangers ht omer f ras their pistol-butis as they exchange silent anc dgnite cant looks. There were just twenty of the noted band, The leader, Dare Devil Dick, was a Fouas man—a mere boy of twenty years. He was of medium hight with a well-developed form; square shouldered and deep chested, and with casy and graceful movements— ihe eyes of the hawk, and face and features inctieat- ive of a rollicking, dashing spirit, His soft, brown hair, rathered back from a noble brow hung down pon his shoulders. He was dressed in a suit of : : | bnuekshin, high-topped boots and broad-brimmed hat. The young man’s words were here cut short by | fle was arm: d with a saber, a yan of revolvers, and | a Winchester rifle—the latter slung at his back. On — eee ee ee Se Jess remarks for Dick himself to fully enjo eoch heel was a large silver spur; around bis waist was a scarlet sash, The ages of Dare Devil Dick’s men ranged from twenty to thirty years. They were all daring and dashing fellows armed and dressed as was their leader, The name of Dare Devil Dick had recently sprung into local prominence throughout western Dakota, for he was making himself a terror to Indian and outlaw alike. It had gone abroad that he and his band were in the employ of the stage, express and western railroad companies, who, tiring of the tardi- ness of the military in punishing the marauding red- skins and plundering outlaws, had resolved to take the matter in their hands; but be this as it may, the rangers were making for themselves a name envied pat na restless soldier, and feared by the savage and outlaw. 5 ‘* By the eternal stars!” exclaimed Dare Devil Dick, as the boom of the cannon again came rolling up the valley, ‘that was the roar of a, cannon, boys, surer than death!” ° Turning they all hurry to the edge of the chapar- ral and gaze down the valley. The crash of firearms and the yells of savages came faintly to their ears, and ever and anon the thunderous voice of the can- non booms out. * Boys, it’s a battle with Btanding Bear's Ingins,” declared the young ranger leader, “and I’m afra my predictions have come true—that Colonel Owens's train has been attacked. I told him he had better take a more southern route, but he seemed to think the Cheyenne trail would be safe enough.” “Then you cin! did see the colonel?” queried Lieutenant Saul Kirby. “Yes, I staid over night in his camp a week ago and passed myself asa cowboy under the name o Dick Morris. I told him repéatedly that he might expect danger on this trail, I also told his daugh- ter— ‘*Ay!I see now why our captain has been so Mi lant Coane 3 this valley of late,’ broke in Kirby; “Vl venture the assertion that if the colonel’s daughter is handsome, Dare Devil Dick is her victim,” The rangers all enjoyed a laugh at Dick’s expense, but there seemed too much truthin Kirby's Spent em, and as the boom of the cannon came to his ears again, he turned and said: “Boys, we must go to the oe of those people. A desperate conflict is raging. e€ may be in time - prevent a horrible massacre. To horse, boys, to orse! In a fewrm°ments the little band were in their saddles, and with Dick at their head, went speeding away like the wind down the va But, they had gone scarcely half a mile when their ears were suddenly greeted by a. wild, savage yell off on the | Drawing rein, they glanced out over the prairie, when, to their surprise and aston- ishinent, they beheld a carriage, or coach, drawn by by four horses, flying with the speed of the wind over the plain, while in swift pursuit rode nearly a score of Indians, yelling like infuriated demons. “Boys,” called out Dare Devil Dick, made his revolver and settling himself firmly in his saddle, ‘thereis work for tis! pets 3 and destroy them howling devils, while I ride to the rescue of those in the coach. Away! Charge!” : And, like the swoop of t hurricane, the rangers. ~
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- was a wonderful shot, and as his wea ' “top of the coach! — whirled their horses and sped away across the level prairie. Mounted upon a sure-footed and_ swift-limbed horse of “registered ’’ blood, Dare Devil Dick dashed straight toward the coach. Knowing the valor cf his followers, he had no fears of their ability to per- form the duty assigned to tbem, and shortly the Jone found himself riding alone in pursuit of the ying coach, while back behind him soon rose the din of battle. Rapidly the boy gained upon the coach, and as he drew near to it a white face at the window tild him that it was occupied by at least one woman, and the face of that woman he quickly recognized, although it was white with terror, as the fair and lovely face of Zulima Owens, whom he had met a week or so before near Fort Sully—a face that had not been absent from his young heart since the day he had first looked upon it. And the recognition must have been mutual, for Zulima herself recognized, in the approaching horseman, him whom she had once’ met—the ranch- ero giving his name as Dick Morris; and turning to her companion, Kitty Lane, she exclaimed: ‘*Oh, thank God, Kitty! yonder comes ‘a horse- man—a white man! It is the ranchero, Kitty—he who came to, our camp—Dick Morris! And Jook! kee ps go a number more horsemen to intercept the ndians! Thank God! thank God1” “Tell Robert, Zulima! tell Robert!’’ exclaimed the terrified Kitty with quivering lips. Putting her head out of the open window Zulima shouted to Black Bob, their driver: “Hold firm, Rovert! Help is coming! help is— Oh, my God!” As the last exclamation burst from her lips the maiden sunk back in her seat, speechless—her face white with terror, ‘What now, Zulima? What is it?” end are Kitty, bit! ber friend’s arm in a nervous clutch. “Oh, Kitty, Robert is dead! his poor body hangs half out of the box! The Indians killed him when they fired at us, and the horses have been running il A “Oh, heavens! then we shall be dashed to pieces! Zulima, can’t we leap out?” “It would be sure death, Kitty! Our only hope lies in the help of that approaching horseman.” “Zulima!” suddenly cried Kitty, as the violent lunging of the coach burst open the door on her side, ‘here comes another horseman on the righ:; but see! he is a hideous Indian!” True enough, a savage horseman in the war-bon- net and gaudy plumage of a chief—hideous in paint, with a jaguar-skin girded about his waist, was rid- furiously toward them from the east. He was, when first discovered, about the same distance away that the ranger was; and now, more than ever, did their hopes of — center in the boy. Stretching out her arms in mute appeal toward . ‘the youth, Zulima’s white lips muttered a fervent prayer. —_—_— OHAPTER IV. A TRIPLE TRAGEDY, On dashed the frantic team—the coach rocking. bounding and creaking as though every joint and rivet was ready to yield to the terrible strain upon them. On came the fearless, desperate Boy Ranger on the left, and the hideous; demoniac savage on the right—the former clutching his trusty revolver, the latter his tomahawk. And, as if to conceal from view a wainp 4 tragedy, the fog that for the past hour had been slowly lift- ing, fell suidenly like a shadow over. the plain. ware of the presence of each other, and the object that each had jin view, Dare Devil Dick and the savage rode so asto keep the coach between ‘them. But pudaeniy: when within twenty feet of the vehicle, the Boy ‘r dropped back so as to be the savage in view when he quickly raised his revolver and fired. Under ordinary cir stances Dare Devil Dick mn rung out he saw a grimace of pain over the face of the red-skin and his body relax its upright rigidness and sink blightly in the saddle, Certain his bullet had done its work, the young ranger did not attempt a second shot, nor even give the savage a second glance, but at once dasied alongside the flying coach, tossed his revolver into the vehicle, saying, as he did so: ** Courage, ladies, courage!” As hespoke bis eyes and Zulima’s eyes, met, and for a brief moment remained fixed, then be threw up his hands and caught hold of the iron vine around the top of the vehicle, a feeling of renewe courage and determination thrilling his young heart while Zulima’s eyes, swimming in tears, glowed with a look of admiration and hope. Suddenly, and with the agua rie a squirrel, Dare Devil Diek, clinging to the railing, rose to his knees in the saddle and with a desperate spring landed on His first though was of getting hold of the lines, that were still grasped in the dead negro’s hands, ‘and getting the horses under control. But to his surprise and horror; he had scarcely Jand- ed ont e vehicle’s narrow deck from one side, ére the savage whom he supposed he had slain, leaped n it like a panther from the other. heir meeting there seemed a ‘mutual surprise, ‘and for a second they stood upon’ their knees, mo- tionless, speechless—glaring upon each other like tigers; but it was only for a brief second they thus ed each other when, as if thrown together by the ing of the coach, beng ipled in a deadly eragele wd rolled over on' ir sides, and but for whe railing around the deck—the’ vehicle being THercu_vu, uv wumb Destroyer. aregular stage-coach and the property of Colonel Owens—they would have rolled to tue earth. Neither of the combatants had taken time to draw a weapon, and the hope of victory lay in each pre- venting the other from so doing. They fought in silence—neither uttering a word. The terrified girls could not see the combatants, but they had seen both leap onto the coach and could now hear them fighting like demons possessed. Thus a new terror was added to their situation, and all otber dangers were forgotten in the dread that now seem- ed to paralyze their very nearts. Full well they knew that upon the result of the deadly conflict overhead depended their fate; and. finally, as if un- on, This Kitty Lane knew, and quickly divining er purpose, she exclaime1: ‘Do not fire, Zulima, through the top, or you may kill our young friend!” Zulima dropped the weapon, and turning to Kitty, cried out: ‘*Oh, my God! Kitty, what shall we do?” Before the other could reply the coach seemed to leave the earth, then leap forward with a thunder- ous lurch, throwing the maidens forward with such fearful violence as to era stun them. But amid a confusion of fearful sounds, and a violent jerking of the coach, Zulima rose to her feet and looked out of the window. She started back with a cry of hor- ror, She saw the coach was standing still, surround- ed by water. **My God! Kitty, we are in the river!” Kitty rose to her feet and looked out, unable to speak or cry out. There was a momentar conflict on the coach could no longer be heard. combatants were not there. Again Zulima turned to the window and looked out over the rushing waters. She saw a pair of out- stretched arms rise on the surface a few rods below. She caught sight of a wild, despairing face—the face of the y nger, but the next instant it was swept from her view. Sick at heart, Zulima sunk back on the seat. As the face of that daring young ranger went down— sunk beneath the waves, the last faint hope seemed to die witbin her breast. silence, The sound of the The For a moment she sat motionless; then, rallying, y | she again looked out, She saw they were fu | ) | twenty feet from the nearest shore. Every horse was down and £0 tangled in their harness that they could not rise. Two of them—the leaders—were upon their backs, and the other two on to of them, and all four, the maiden saw, were rapidly sinking in the treacherous quicksand. The river at this point was shallow, but it was there that the dangers from the quicksands were all the greater. The maidens quickly realized their new eril, for they had often heard of the dangers of the estern rivers. They could already. see that the coach itself was rapidly going down, and that the struggling of the drowning horses was gradually be- coming feebler, - The maidens grew almost helpless with terror. One after another had repeated horrors crowded upon them in such rapid succession that their es and bodies began to sink under the terrible strain. Down, down sunk the coach. The horses bad pring ae to struggle. The water began creeping into e box. Rallying her courage once more, Zulima threw open the door to leap out into the stream, but she started back at sight of the swirling flood that seemed tolaugb in gurgling glee around the coach. Kitty fell» back in the seat in a swoon, and at sight of her pallid face Zulima seemed driven to the verge of despair, Turning, she stretched out her arms through the open door, and lifting her face toward heaven cried: ‘*Wather! father! help 9? ‘Help! help!" were the words echoed back to her ears in hollow mockery. A silence profound as death followed. The awful drama was drawing to aclose, The water was rising in the sinking coach, and the fo was descending like the shadow of death from ont the heavens, ‘£ Zulima, overcome with horror at last, sunk back by Kitty’s side; then, like the visions and voices of a dream, the distant shore faded from her view, and the devilish laugh and glee of the hungry water died on her ears. CHAPTER V. ¢ “peap!” j Tue conflict between the savages of Standing Bear and Colonel Owens’s party was short, sharp and deadly. The red-skins had expected to surprise the colonists, but were themselves the surprised party in the end. Colonel Owens had entered the Indian country | well prepared for just such an emergency, in that | he had with his train a six-pcund brass howitzer. This weapon he had carried in concealment. 80 that | but very few, if any, save his own party, knew Of | its presence in the train until it belched forth its deadly contents into the ranks of the savages. The colonel. assisted by men he had trained to handle the gun, quickly reloaded it with grape; then again there burst forth from its muzzle a great — of smoke and tongue of scorching flame, and hie deadly missiles went tearing into t eranks ‘of the foe,strewing the earth with men and horses. In the mean time, the men in the rifle-pits kept upa steady and deadly fire from their Winchesters, Oh, my dear father! help! { able to bear the suspense longer, Zulima snatched | up the revolver the young ranger had tossed at her feet, cocked it, and pointed it upward at the roof of the coach. She was no novice in che use of the wea- ‘skins who had fallen by his ad while Dumb Hercules stood boldly out in view. sending arrow after arrow upon its nisdon off death. Thus had the over-confident savages, in a few brief moments been confronted by one surprise after another in such rapid succession, that, before the battle had really rope on their part, they found themselves defeated and flying, panic-strick- en, up the valley, only too cager to get out of reach of the great gun which continued to send shot after them until they had vanished in the distance. All of their dead‘and most of their wounded were left on the field. The victory bad been over whelm- ing and bloodless, and the shouts that now peakd from the lips of the colonists pierced the very sky. But their triumph over the Indians brought only partial] relief to the mind of Colonel Owens and John. and Sarah Lane. Zulima and Kitty were still absent! Old Jack had not returned from his search, and bis. prolonged absence filled their hearts with the gravest: apprehensions. § soon as the excitement of victory had cooled down, Colonel Owens turned and walked down to where Dumb Hercules still stood gazing out over the prairie where the dead and dying ®avages lay in: plain view. Taking the giant’s hand he shook it warmly, manifesting the greatest joy. But not a movement of the Silent Scout’s features. betrayed the lea:t emotion. He seemed as stolid asa a carved image, much to the surprise of the colonel... Presently, however. he took a small, circular piece of slate from his pocket, and with a pencil wrote a. few words upon it, and handed it to the colonel, who» read thereon these words: * Toan hear, but cannot speak.” — . “What!” burst involuvtarily from Owen’s lips;: “you speeckless, and yet not deaf?” he man nodded kis bead. “Well, I never heard of such a thing before,” the- colonel went on; ‘ what caused your loss of speech?’ Have you always been 50?” The giant’s breast heaved and his breath came short; his eyes seemed to dilate; the muscles of _bis- face quivered and twitched. ape he clutched nervously at his throat, and gasped lke one suffo- eating; then, as the look of an enraged: demon flashed over bis whole face, he turned and walked: out into the prairie. Colonel Owens saw that his questions had aroused: some terrible emotion in the giant’s breast, and\ — sorely regretted that he had done so. Watching the movements df the strange man, be: saw him walk out to where a dead savage lay with one of his own—the giant’s—arrows in his breast. Drawing a knife, he bent over the body and quick] and dexterously tore the scalp from the head. Then he moved on from body to body repesting his ghastly work, though only upon those of the red- and. ‘When no more of the dead bearing his mark could be found, he twined the blocdy scalp-locks around his belt, and turning, walked calmly back to the astounded col- onel, whose heart grew sick at the sight of the reek-- we PE bies. : ne face of the giant was stil] flushed, and his eyes: blazed with an unuatura light, but he breathed’eas- fer, and the colonel imagined he saw a strange move his bearded lips—a cold, bitter smile—the ex- pression cf a relentless heart, Owens stood speechless. For once the colonel was at a loss for something to say. He did not. want to offend the mysterious man who: bad‘ al- ready saved them fiom Indian massgere, To. his: relief, however. the Silent Scout wrote a. few words ca ae slate and handed it to him, The .colonel read: se Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord, and J will re~ pay.” - Passing the slate back to the man, Owens nodded! his head. in a thoughtful, serious way. To ‘him: those words spoke volumes. Finally he;said: ‘“T presume I need ask you no questions about: yourself?” The man shook bis head. In the mean time the women and children had come up out of the rifle-pits, v here they had taken refuge, and stood huddled together near the wagons. discussing the absence of Zulima and Kitty, and the ee and snatching the ghastly scalps from his girdle, Then, as he continued watching the child, bis whole being seemed transformed into that of another man, That fixed rigidness of features melted into a faint pee and his blue eyes beamed with tender ad- miration. The colonel saw that the presence of the child had touched a chord in his heart awakening tencer meporne. ture Tom Woolson, the wago t s juncture Tom ’ n-master, came dadaressed the colonel. The latter turned to answer him. The child toddled on. Dumb Hercules’s eyes re- mained fixed upon her. She came to within a few feet of him when she stumbled and fell to the earth. The giant quickly stepped forward and Jlifted her to her feet, then he raised her tenderly and held her op his arm. The baby drew back at sight of his beard- ed face; her lips quivered, and she seemed about to burst into tears when the eyes of the two matte eyes of the giant and the eyes of the babe—and for Several moments remained fixed upon’ each other. ‘The souls of the two seemed: to. hold a silent. com- mnion,.and ‘the fears of the child vanishin ge fro | her little: breast, her curiosity became attracted by
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| ‘the curious-looking cap on the giant’s head, She reached out her chubby hand toward it, and, in wdoing so, touched the giant’s face. That touch, soft and innocent, seemed to open a well-spring in ‘the man’s heart, for at once the tears gushed into his eyes and rolled down his bearded cheeks. At sight of his tears the child began to cry when Her- cules placed her on the ground and turned and walked aw ya few paces, his eyes fixed upon tke ground in a thoughtful mood. Presently he came back to the colonel. His eyes were dry, and his face was wearing that inflexible expression. olonel Owens conversed with him about the miss- ing girls and absent uide, but the giant could give him no consolation, and as the hours wore on the conviction that the girls were in trouble grew upon all; and yet, all bad such faith in Old Jack they felt assured that when ne returned he would bring the Maidens with him. Dumb Hercules stood silent, his eyes ever fixed ‘upon the plain, listening to the travelers’ discussion, of their situation and the probable outcome of it. Finally he took out his slate and writing something upon it handed it to the colonel, who read this start- ling inquiry: ‘“Have you ever mistrusted treachery in your train?” **My God, no!” exclaimed the colonel, excitedly; ‘such a thing is impossible, Hercules!” ‘*T believe there is a traitor among your men,” -wrote the scout. The colovel made noreply. He seemed like one estricken speechless. He turned and glanced at the faces of those around him as if to pick out the trai- tor, but there was not one among the many upon whom he could fix the terrible charge. Yet he had ‘no reason to dispute the man’s sagacity, and in or- der to keep down excitement, and trap the guilty party, he said nothing, but took the giant’s slate and pencil and asked the question: “What makes you think so, Hercules?” **T have my reasons forit,’’ was the rather evasive reply of the slate. ‘Do you know the man?”’ Owens again asked on ‘the slate. “No,” was the prompt admission, “Then,” declared the colonel to himself, ‘* Niobra- ra Jack, the guide, is the traitor! Oh, if this be ‘true, ey Heavemhelp my poor child!”’ Scarcely able to restrain his emotions the distract- ed man turned and walked away. Presently he called John Lane aside and made known to him “Dumb Hercules’s suspicions They talked the mat- ter over toget’ er. The colonel told Lane whom he suspected, if there was a traitor at all among them. He gave his reasons for it; Old Jack was the only man of the party wl.o had ever been in that part of the country, and who could possibly know and be in collusion with the savag’ s. “Col nel, it may be there is a traitor in our pares” said John Lane, “ but I cannot think Old Jack isany mor: the traitor than Black Bob, the driver of the coach the girls were in.” “No, no; Black Bob has. grown up from boyhood “under my ey: s. H2 never saw a savage till he en’ er- -ed Dakota. But, may be time will tell. Dumb Her- cules seems averse to being questioned, He is a mysterious man.” q niet being restored in camp, the women prepared dinner, and while some of the men stood guard on the margin of the grove, the others sat down to the repast. Dumb Hercules dined with them. — After dinner the colonel and Mr, Lane discussed «the propriety of the party going o;.t in search of the girls, but before the idea had assumed any definite “shape it was abandoned as being impracticable, -owing to the fact that the fog had again settled over the plain, deeper ad darker than ever. { So all that could be done was to watch, wait and “hope; ani thus the hours passed. All dreaded the -coming night, for they knew the darkness would af- ford the r d-skins a cover under which to make an- -other attack; but to the surprise of all, the fog -again disappeared as the shadows of night came on, sand within an hour after dark the moon and stars were shining brizhtly. Dumb Hercules in the mean time had promised to ‘remain with the train, at least until Old Jack re- ‘turned, and after night had set in he and Colonel Owens left the camp to make a reconnoissance of the surrounding plain, leaving the camp in charge of Tom Woolson. With head erect and eye and ear on the alert likea deer that scented danger, the voicelss giant moved along the plain with an almost noiseless footstep, requiring no little exertion on the part of Gershom “Owens to keep up with him, ; When a mile or so from camp the giant scout would stop ever and anon, and dropping to his knees, place his ear to the earth and listen. This had he repeated several timcs when he suddenly sprung to his feet and half-crouching. motioned to the colonel to follow him. He then le1 the way toward a clus- ter of tall sage brush, wherein the two concealed themselves, The colonel could now hear the faint sound of a hore’s feet. He saw Dumb I rcules draw an arrow from his quiver and Jay it alongside his bow, ready for instant use, The sound of hoof-strokes grew plainer, and with bated breath the two men raed ue gs the shadows. ‘Soon a horse and rider came into view, at a slow walk, and halted within a few paces of them. The horse seemed all atremble with fright, Its head was -in the air, its nostrils distended, its ears pointed for- ward as thouvh it had detected the presence of dan- :ger in the sage bushes. ‘As for the rider, it required but a single glance for «Colonel Owens to recognize him, It was Old Nio- Hercules, the Dumb Destro brara Jack, the guide! The head of the old man was bare, while over his shoulders and around his form was an Indian blanket, At sight of bim the feeling of mistrust which Dumb Hercules’s words had aroused in the colonel’s breast deepened into a feeling of resentment. His bare head and that Indian blanket seemed, at a glance, to confirm his suspicious of the old. guide’s treachery; but a second g#ance at the old man's face, upon which the moonbeams fell brightly, caused him to start violently. ‘*Hercules,”’ the colonel whispered, in no little agitation, “‘thatis Niobrara Jack, my guide! What aiis the fellow? He acts so queer—he acts like a drunken man, ShallI speak to him?” The scout nodded his head. ‘* Hullo, Jack, old friend!’ called the colonel, but at sound of bis voice the horse instantly took flight and dashed away, the body of his rider reeling and swaying on bis back like a drunken man, Quickly the two men sprung to their feet, Hercu- les turned to the colonel and with a wild, excite look en his face thrust out his index finger at the flying horseman and shook his head excitedly, ‘*My God! Hercules, what can ail the man!” ex- elaimed the colonel, white with excitement, The giant scout took his slate from his pocket and wrote upon it in large letters—easily read in the moonlight—the single word: ** DEAD!” CHAPTER VI. R A PAIR OF ODD CHARACTERS, “My God!” burst from the lips_of Gershom Owens, ‘‘can it be possible that Old Jack is dead?” The scout nodded his head repeatedly as he gazed away in the direction the lifeless horseman had rone, “ “Then,” continued the colonel, ‘‘ Jack is not the traitor; but my poor girl! Oh, curse the fate that is crushing my heart!’ Dumb Hercules moneed out into the moonlight and was followed by the distracted father. They began to retrace their footsteps toward camp, where they arrived in due course of time with the sad and startling news of Old. Jack’s being a lifele s wanderer under the solemn moonlight, on the great prairie—the victim of savage vengeance, Colonel Owens and several of his friends were seated in the former’s tent, engaged in conversa- tion, when they were suddenly startled by the voice of one of the guards shouting: “Who comes there?” ‘‘T, a weary puawoe Bare, Skylark Sam, at your service,’ was the answer of the challenged stranger, “ Then advanee,’”’ replied the guard, ‘and report yourself at once to Colonel Owens.” “That's jist what I’m allin a tear to do,” returned the stranger. “Skylark Sam!” exclaimed Colonel Owens, spring- ing to his feet; ‘Scan it be possible that we're to have that famous scout and detective for a guest?” The guard conducted the stranger to the colonel’s tent andintreduced him. Not one of the party had ever seen the famous scout and de‘ective, and all were not alittle surprised when they looked upon that individual. He was a tall, gaunt man of perhaps forty-five yearsof age, with a rough, bearded face, a short, flat nose, anda small, gray eye, overhung with long. bristling brows. He was dres ed in buckskin, anc carried a pair of revolvers and a knife in his girdle. He was,in general appearance, a veritable border- man, but with none of the striking peculiarities about him that those who had heard of Skylark Sam imagined he possessed, “Skylark Sam)’ exclaimed the_ colonel, taking the stranger’s hand, “‘isit possible I have the pleas- ure and honor of welcoming him to my tent?”’ “Don’t know as it is any honor or pleasure, Colo- nel Owens,”’ replied the scout. with off-hand inde- pendence, “but I am Skylark Samuel, at your ser- vice. ‘Well, I’m glad to meet you—glad- you happened this way, for I can assure you we're in need of ex- perienced plainsmen about this time,’ declared Owens. ‘By the way, you’re the man who does some scouting in a balloon, are you not?”’ “I'm that same aerial angel, colonel, tho’ 1’m on a terrestrial tear at this time. I was up the river to-day, and hearin’ the poundin’ o’ an old cannon down this way, I come to the conclusion that some- body and the Ingins war havin’ a leetle old Tippe- canoe tilt-and-tumble, and so I come down to inves- tigate the matter. That’s what brought me here, and now that. I am here, you can draw on me for any kind o’ work, from scoutin’ to diggin’ rifle-pits —use me anywhere—for breastworks or gun-'‘swob,’ When it comes to fightin’, you'll find me a holy bull- terrier—a hull litter o’ wildcats—a buffaler-bull ‘ith & curl in the forehead.” ‘Well, Skylark, you were rivht in that we had quite a lively fight down hereaways to-day, and we won a grand victory and n. ver lost a man,” said Colonel Owens, 7 Them’s the kind o’ battles to win, colonel, for it’s too b d for any honest white man to shed a drap 0’ blood at the hand o’ a savage,” responded the scout. “I hate a red-skin as the devil hates ly saga and Ill be the happiest man on the gic © when the last varmint o’ them are under the sod, “You say you come from up the river, Sam?”’ asked Tom Woolson. “*T did, sir.” **Did you see any Indians?” “1 saw a pack *hout evenin’ movin’ up the river semanas they war expectin’ to be cycloned at any min . yer. a “Skylark,” asked Owens, “did you notice whether they had any captives?” “T think not, colonel; why, some o' your folks missin’?”’ ‘*My daughter and another young lady are gone, We do not know whether they have fallen into sav- age hands or not, but one thing we do know, and that is that our guide, whom we sent out in search of them, has been murdered,” “ Hill-flugins! you don’t say so!” exclaimed the Border Detective, starting up excitedly. * Hullo, colonel,” suddenly interrupted a voice at the door of the tent—the voice of one of the guards, ‘*here’s another pilgrim-stranger that’s w andered into our folds; says his name is Reverend Prosper Twomby.” With this the new-comer was ushered into the tent, and at sight of him, Skylark Sam burst into a roar of laughter. In fact, it was a8 much as the others could vo to restrain their emotions, for the stranger was an odd-looking genius. He was ratber tall, slender and ungainly in his proportions, with long, white hair and beard—both thin and unkempt—and the face of a clown, But his dress was the comical part of the man, His coat was of the “ swallow-tail” style, and its odd-colored patches and threadbare condition denoted its an- tiquity. His pants, also threadbare and patched at the knees with buckskin, fitted him almost as tightly as the skin. Hob-nailed sho s were upon bis fect, while a crushed and battered * tile’’ tilted back upon his head completed his garb. In his hand he carried a knotted cane—no weapons being visible about bim, As he entered the tent hebowed politely, doffing his hat and saying, with an unctuous smile: ‘*Good-evenin’, gentlemen.” ‘**Good-evening, sir; did 1 understand the guard to say you were R&R verend Prosper Twomby?’’ ob- served Colonel Owens. ‘*That was riebt, sir—Reverend Prosper Twomby, of Boston—ard I have called to beg lodgin’ with you for the night,”’ “Cracked in the upper story, by smoke!” averred Skylark Sam, * Well, sir,’ responded the colonel, ‘‘ you can stay although our accommodations a e not the best, and we may have to fight to hold what we have before morning.” ‘Wight?’ exclaimed the Rev. Twomby, in appar- ent surprise; * with whom?” “The Ingins.”’ “Salvation! Are ‘hey on the war-path?”’ “That makes the reverend gentleman narvous,” observed Old Skylark Sam, with a chuckle, “Which way are you traveling, Mr. Twomby?’?, asked the colonel. “Tam on my way to the Indian country in the in- , trust of humanity.” ** Hoop-ee!"’ exclaimed Skylark; ‘an’ Inginsslay- er, ['ll bet!" “Just the reverse of it, sir,’’ retorted Twomby, indignantly, “This Ingin question has now been agitatin’ the people for years and years. The West- ern people, led on by the hunters and trappers and ranchmen, say ‘kill’ ~— ‘slaughter’ — ‘ extarmi- nate ’—”’ “That's my'sentiments,” interrupted Old Skylark. “But. I say,’ went on the preacher, * to eimilize ’em. Now this has been somewhat the policy, o’ the Government, but for some reason ‘r other it’s been a failure. I know thar are somethin’ wrong, and in an interview with the President I leid before him my Ingin tea and I told him I war giin’ to make a journey to the Ingin country and look over the situwatio '—study the Ingin character from a moral, social, physical. and. intellectual standpoint, The President thought that war the true way to rit into the merits o’ the matter, and asked me Ww make a detailed report on my return to Boston.” * What is your. policy, Mr, Twomby?” asked the colonel, seeing that the old fellow was affording his friends no little amusement. ** My policy —the Twomby policy is to give the In- gin a fair show with the rest o’ mankind, Fn'st, ld send every soldier to some summer resort, then tear down the forts, I'd send €very miner out o’ the hills, and I'd drive every bunter, settler and ranch- man beyond the extreme limits o’ whar the buffalo and antelope range. Then J'd divide up the land— ive every able-bodied Ingin a Sis Ne ae ° and, furnish him a team, tools and—" “A barrel o’ whisky,” chimed in Old Skylark, “No, jist. whisky «nough for medicira), culinary and mechanical purpeses,”’ went on the preacher, “Oh, what a miserable old seed turnip you be Twomby! Give us a rest or Tl have to go Out and sette my stomache,” and Old Skylark made a, grimace ag if he had the colie, “Seems as if you hav'n't a good opinion o’ me, old sinner,” remarked 'Tworb*, trrning on the facetious Skylerk. ‘'P’x’eps if you knowed me Let ter you wouldn’t walk upon your bits Fo strong.” “Whew !”’ ejaculated the detective, “that sounds theaterish-like. Now, mebbe you'd like to try the stuff Old Skylark Sam’s made of? If go, ahet yer swaller-tail bat and plug coat and slap me once on the cheek.”’ ” “ Gentlemen, I wantno—”’ ‘Excuse me, colonel,”’ interposed Skylark Sam, “for bein’ so ongentlemanly as to talk so in your tent to {he stranger, I confess I’m a leetle careless *bout slingin’ language ‘round loose, but, ye see, that’s kind o’ second nater to us old scouts and bor- der scavengers. But, colonel, I war goin’ to ax you while ago if you are well fortified, and well guarded. against a surp ‘ise. Thar’s no tellin’ what might hap nm in an nate kentry.” 1s, “ Well, Sam, I have felt that we were pretty well fixéd,” replied Owens, but since you have th
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0; you ‘wouldn't, colonel,” answ: red dead dog was .c¢t Skylark Sam, but an infamous ot “ - Hercules, the Dumb Destroyer. reputation of an old Indian-fighter, scout, and so forth, I'd like to show you how we ave fixed. and make any other improvement you might suggest.”’ The Border Detective readily consented to a tour of inspection, so Owens procured a lantern and the started off. They visited the rifle-pits, the cvorrille where the stock was kep’, and finally the howitzer. “That’s tie stuff to fight Ingins with, colonel * de- elared Old Skylark, patting the gun; ‘the snort 0’ a cannon is a holy terror to a red nigger. They ean’t stand the pressure.” The old scout tnally pronounced the colonel’s de- fense almost impregnable. He could see no place that could be strengthened, and in view of the fact that he had promised to remain with bim over night the colonel telt easier in mind, and so they returned to the tent. In the mean time, Dumb Hercules had kept en- tirely to hims If, in the shadows. He seemed to |e er being alone, and never once showed him elf n the tent after the arrival of Skylark Sam and Rev. Prosper Twomby. After grin 3 to his. tent and finding no one there, the colonel and Skylark sat down and entered into conversation. ‘*Colonel, what do you think of that Rev. Prosper Twomby?”’ the scout finally asked, “Oh, he’s an eccentric, shallow-pated old ex- horter who imagines he has had a call to setile the great question as to what shall be done with the In- dian; but I’ve an idea the Indians ’ll settle hin be- fore he is aware of it.”” “Well, he may be a fool, colonel.’ replied Sky- lark Sam, “but I’m inclined to think he’s a bit sharper than he’d have us believe. I observe he’s doin’ a good deal o’ nosin’ ’round outside, and think he might be watched a little. I believe I'll slip out and just see what he is up to, anyhow, and waltz him in where we can watch him,”’ and the detective arose and went out, Finding himself alone, Gershom Owens’s thoughts turned to his lost child, and he bowed his head in silent rief. Skylark Sam moved away through the shadows toward the river, then by a circuitous route he passed along the edge of the grove on an evident tour of insvection. Hv moved on until within a few of the little moonlit opening in which stood he howitzer—the dark muzzle of which he could just see proj ecting past the bushes—when he stopped and li tened. : Hearing nothing the detective passed into the opening and approached the gun. In one hand he now held a short iron rod—evidently a part of an iron ramrod—and in the other an Indian hatchet. Reaching his hand out he ran his fingers over the breech of the cannon until he found the vent. Into this he placed one end of the rod and was in the act of raising the hatchet to drive home the spike when a voice said quickly: ** Hold, villain!’’ And then from the shadows on the opposite side glided the form of Reverend Prosper Twomby, with a Pn leveled fll at the breast of the border scou CHAPTER VII. 4 NIGHT OF DEATH. ‘* Serer that spike, curse you!” cried the preach- er, in a voice stern, tieres and determined. ‘‘and I'll be withered if I don’t dri.1 you through and through you monumental impostor! Drop that hatchet a d clevate y ur slimy paws! WHat! ha! spike the can- non, will you, you tool of Satan? Come, waltz out now, and surrender gr.cefully, or I'll let slip this purp o’ war!"’ The voice of Twomby had reached the ears of a ard, whose f otsteps \.ere now heard approach- ng. The confronted villain started back aghast. Thwarted in his attempt to spike the gun —stand- ing fac» to face with death, his only chunce for life now lay in leaping back into the shadows, Caught as he was in the very act of criminal treachery, he knew that to surrender would be certain death, and summoning ail kis strength, he leaped backward into the bushes. But the simulated preacher seem- ed to have anticipated this very movement, and simult»neous with his leap, the pistol cracked and the villain fell dead, shot throuch the brain. Tre repor: of the weapon brought every man of the truin hurrying to the scene of the tragedy, be- lieving ppother attack was being made on the camp. “What's up?—in Heaven’s name what's up?” ex- claimed Cc] ncl Owens, ashe came dashing through the undergro\, th. : ‘Nothing up, colonel,’ replied Twomby, coolly pointing to ths prostrate body; “but that’s what's vown, IThadtos wot that fellerto keep him from epikin’ your gun.” **My Go, sir)’ shouted the colonel, ‘* haven’t you made a mistake? Skylark Sam would not be guilty of such a thing!” **No; yo e* your gastric accouterments he Twomby; ‘“! ut that by Standing outlaw—a fpy sent iato vour cam iablo, the out- Dear, the Indian chief, and Black law leader, who are in cahoots.” “Twomby low do you know this-—that that man was not Sirylark Sam, the Border Detective?”’ ‘*Pecause I, myself, colonel, happen to be Sky- Jark Sam!’ Had a thunde: bolt exploded over the heads of his me Nang it would not have caused greater conster- nation, e Vi t?’’ demanded the colonel, ‘‘you Skylark m “You jist bet your bottom ducat, colonel, thet I’m that very old aerial pilgrim, and I’ve got the papers right in my clothes to show for it, too,” “ Tnen why are you here under an assumed name while another comes wearing your cognomen?” * That’s where the antelope com sin,”’ replied the man, ‘‘and I'll tell you about it. To-day when you and the red-skins had your battle. I was up the river watching the movements of Biack Diablo in hopes of gettin’ him alone so’s I could get the drap onhim. 1 was concealed in a holler cottonwood loz inamofte. Id crawled in there on mukin’ the dis- covery that the outlaws were coming up. Ani they did come and stopped in that grove. A couple 0’ | Dumb Hercules dealing death and destruction : is terrible whip of iron—seeming to bear a charm: life against the weapons of the Indians, The savages on foot used knives and tomahawks. This was evidence of the fact that they had crossed’ the river by swimming, bringing no firearms—ex-- pecting to find that side of the camp unguarded and by a timely co-operation of their mounted. friends had expected an easy victory. And in this: they would have been entirely successful had it not beeu for the vigilance of Dumb Hercules, In a brief time this second conflict had ended, and: victory again crowned the arms of the immigrants. hours aiter the battle the Ingins come up and joined | The red-skins on foot leaped over the bank and Black Diablo all broke up over the grubbin’ you’d given ’em. Wal, you may bet your ducats I begun to feel nervous, and the way my heart pounded that log wer’n’t no small matter—’specially after *bout fourteen Ingin; come and set down on it. But oh, ladder o' Jacob! how that S:anding Bear did storm over his defeat, and Black Diablo—why, he jist , cusse a blue streak and frothed at the mouth, And their def:at they laid solely to his cannon—‘ big devil gun ’—old Standin’ Bear called it, while Black Diablo applied tue most sulphureous language I ever heard come from human lips. but, altho’ whipped, they were not conquered, and so the can- non must be spiked and the attack tried again. It war then arrang*d that that dead sinner there should come to your camp after night and play Skylark Sam and git around and spike the gun. To be sure, both the red-skins and outlaws knew { war in the country, for I'd pluyed the ‘celestial’ on the Ingin the night before but as they suppo ed I war up the Belle Fourche, and knowin’ by some means or other that none o’ you folks knew me, they so ‘a uhat the Skylark game’d work. So, as soon as I got out o’ that log, and it was mighty soon after the devils left, Imade far here, too. Now, you can uess the rest, gentlemen, and if you demand fur- ae proof of my being Skylark Sam you can have it. “Well, we don’t want it as that fellow got it,” said Colonel Owens, pointing to the dead impostor: but for my part I’m satisfied that you're the true Skylark, and greet you as such. As tenderfeet we acknowledge our gullibility.” “‘And here, too! here, too!” shouted the rest of the emigrants. “Then, that settles it, gentlemen,’’ assented the true Border Detective, ‘‘yet I am afraid that, though the s«ylarking renegade is dead, and the cannon uuspiked, the Indians will attack you gain to-night. \ ithin an hour after the gun was spiked, that spy was to fire off a pistol, providin’ he couldn't get away without ‘rousing your suspicion. The may take the report of my pistol f r /is signal. Men, I advise you to stay A your guns—redouble your vigilance and be ready for—”’ Before he had finished the sentence the ears of the colonists were greeted by a blood-curdling yell in the direction of the river. “ Gods! they’re here now!"’ cried the detective, “To arms! to arms! and fight your best!” The det ctive rushed in the direction whence a series of wild demoniac yel's were coming, followed by the emigrants, and in the moonlight, on the banks of the river they beheld Dumb Hercules surrounded by savages that had swarmed up from behind the river-bank, engaged ina deadly struggle. The great, voiceless man’s form towerel head and shoulders above the wild, seething mass around him. Clutching a heavy rifle from the hands of ared- skin he used it as a club—doing frightful work in the ranks of the foe. Around and around he spun upon his heel so fast—mowing a circle around him —keepinz open a space the savages could not fill— that his weapon, rlinting in the moonbeams, seemed to surround form with a nimbus of flame. Desperately the Dumb Hercules continued his {struggle iu silence—unable to cry out—to call for jhelp; but suddenly, with a wild, fierce whoop, Old Skylark Sam came bounding into the fray, witha revolver in each hand, followed by the rest of Owens’s men. Then the conflict—hand-to-hand— waxed hotter than ever, and for several moments it raged with unabated fury and without any percepti- ble advantag » being gained by either side, Colon: 1 ‘Owens, however, knowing the savages’ inborn f-ar of a cannon, proceeded to fi e the great gun—not at the foe, for friends would have been in equal dan- ger—but out across the plain; and as it crashed out with a pal like that of thunder it struck sur- rise nd terror to the hearts of the red-skins, who elieved the great gun had been silenced, Like sheep they turn d and began to leap over behind the river-bank, but before many of them had dona so, there came a yellfrom out upon the plain, and t e next moment a score of mounted savages came thundering to the help of their friends! The wavering savages rallied, and the contest was renewed; but still another surprise awaited the con- testants. A bugle's sharp blast mingled with the shouts of white men rung through the night. and the next moment a band of horsemen with swords flash- - the moonlight came charging to the scene of at le, “Tha rangers! therangers! hurrah for Dare Devil Dick!” yelled O'd Skylark Sam. The mounted Indians and the rangers met near the scene of the contest between those on feot. With a shout and a yell they came together. and for a few brief moments a fierce and bloody struggle ensued, in the midst of which the boom of the old howitzer again crashed through the night, lending an addi- tional terror to the sound of clashing sab‘rs, dull, soddea blows of tomahawks, crashing of firearms, plunging of horses. shrieks of the dying, and yells and shouts of the combatants. Still in the midst of the thickest of the fray stood swam the river, while those that were mounted fled northward. The victory, however, had been purchased most dea:ly. Four of the immigrants and three of the rangers were slain, while few escaped without more or less injury—severnl bring seriously wounded. Colonel Owens himself was ky ocked down by a fly- ing tom’ hawk, bvt as Fis injury was only slight, he remained on the field until thé conrfl’ct had ended,, and then gave his attention to the careof the wound- ed whom he had removed to bis own tent, where Debtor Bales, of the emigrants, speedily cared for them, In the confusion and excitement of the hour the colonel, as well as all the others, had failed to notice the absence of Di mb Hercules; but when he did notice it he turned to Tom Woolson and asl-ed: “ Rae have you seen Dumb Hercules since the: fe9 % if “I bave not, colonel, I’m sorry to say,” replied. ‘om. Advancing to where a heap of dead savages lay—. at the point where the batile had raged t: e flercest— the colonel beheld the giant form cf the sccut lying prone upon the earth, with the body of a savage ly- ing across it, ““Oh, heavens!” the colonel cried, ‘the is here!—- dead! ded /” and, overcome with emotions of grief, he turned, and walking away, sat down. ‘Oh, where is this to end?” he again broke forth ina voice of bitter anguish. “Tl tell ye, colonel,” said Old Siylark Sam, who had overheard his words, ‘I think it's already end- ed—trat them red-skins will not tackle this ou fit soon again, if atall. Jacob's Ladder! I never saw sich am ss 0’ p'izen catamounts to fight as you folks: and them rangers are.”’ : ** Ay, Sim, but Dumb Hercules, the noblest Roman of on all, is dead—so is poor Old Jack, our guide. The rangers were prevailed upon to remain over night with theimmigrants, and while in conversation with them the colonel received the first tidings frém Zulima and Fa Lut when he learned that their own gallant leader, Dare Devil Dick, had mysterious- ly disappeared while endeavoring to aid them—that - his horse was caught riderless on the plain, that the coach was found empty and almost buried out of sight in the river, the last faint hope died out of his: breast, and he bowed himself in quiet submission. under his great burden of sorrow and grief. An hour had passed. The wounded had all beer cared for. and a party had just been detailed to go out and bury the dead. when all were startled by a thunderous splash in the river near where the fight: had occurred. Hurrying to the edge of the grove, what was the: surprise of the party to see Dumb Hercules, the Si- lent Scout, standing erect in the midst of his fallem enemies, and taking up one body after another and hurling it o t into the river as though it were amere: trifle of a few pounds, “* Hurr h! hurrah!” shouted Old Skylark Sam, toss~ ing his damaged ‘‘tile” into the air; *‘Dumb Her-. cules still lives!” And the immigrants took up the refrain, and made the very plains resound with their shouts of joy. Colonel Owens, beside himself with joy at the news: of the giant’s being alive rushed headlong to the si- lent man’s side and grasped bi hand. Looking up: le was about to speak, when he started back at the tight that met his gaze. The scout’s face was cov- ered with blood flowing from a wound on the head; but out of this crimson mask shone his eyes with the: wild, unearthly light of a maddened demon, For a moment the colonel was struck dumb, but; recovering bis senses, he said: “Come with me, Hercules. you are hurt.” Without offering the least resistance the half-de-- lirious giant turned and was led like a child to the surgeon's tenty The party detailed to bury the dead consisted Sy ten men—Tom Woolson havicg the sad work in charge. The fallen itmmigrants and rangers were first interred, a short and fervent prayer being offer- ed at the graves by Ishmael Morse, a good and de- vout Christian man. Then a long grave, or trench, was dug, in which: to give their dead foes a Christian burial One by one the ved-skins were carried and placed side: by side in the grave. Whil- this was being done, a. young immigrant, named Jerrold Curl, nicknamed * Little Curley,” on account of his dark, wavy hair, came out, and as each body was brought forward he scanned the face clesely. His actions attracted the attention of his friends, notwithstanding the fact that he had always been regarded asa strange and eccentric rou in that he always manifested & disposi ion to ke b himself. But, for all this, ‘* Little Curley ” was liked. and a fine shot. and had no superior in the party ir handling the drove of cattle belonging to the train. Jn view of this. he had been selected as head-drover | for the trip, and had performed his duty well and faithfully so far, : Not one of the party had ever met the boy until a He was an excellent horsemam —
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few days before the train started for the Niobrara couniry. A perfect stranger, he went to Colonel Owens and begged permission to accompany him. The colonel was so pleased with the youth’s bright face and manly demeanor that he at once enrolled his name as one of his future colonists. But the had not been long together ere the colonel, as well as his friends, saw that the boy was an odd char- acter, and the longer they were together the more of an enigma he became. And his presence there among the burying party—examining the faces of the dead so clcs ly—seemed to envelop him in the dim shadow of a yeh The removal of the dead, however, to the grave was going silently and sadly on, when one of the party suddenly called out: ‘By George, boys! here’s an Injin got whiskers, but I reckon it’s a white man in disguise of a red- skin. Scarcely had the words fallen from the man’s lips ere Littls Curley was at the dead man’s side. Stoop- ing over, the boy glanced at the face, uttered a wild. piercing shriek, and fell forward across the bod «Niy God! Curley, what is the matter?” asked the man at his side, but only'a low, sobbing gasp, like one smothering, answered him, while the lad’s slen- der form began to tremble and shake as if racked by inward convulsions of sudden grief. “Curley, what does this mean?” repeated the man, grasping the boy by the arm; “tell me, boy, what & that dead man to you?” “Ob, let me be!"’ cried the lad, lifting a white. ef-stricken face toward heaven; “let me be! eave me alone!” Attracted by his cry Colonel Owens came hurry- ing to the spot, and in a moment the lad was sur- rounded by the excited colonists, who stood silent and dumfounded, gazing upon the startling scene. “Curley, my boy,” spoke Colonel Owens, bending over and speaking kindly to the lad, “‘what does | this mean? Do you know that man, Curley?” **Oh, colonel!” the boy moaned, lifting his stream- ing cyes and looking into Oweus’s face, “ihat man 4s my f. ther!” An exclamation of profound surprise burst from the lips of the spectators, dazed by the lad’s startling declaration, but recover- ing his compcsure, he said: Curley, surely you are mistaken in this man being your father.” ** No, no, colonel, Iam not,’’ replied the boy, wring- ing his handsin gri-f; “itis you that has been mis- taken—ay, deceived in me!” “I do not understand you, Curley.” “I say I have deceived you; this man is an outlaw —a renerade, andlam his child Lifetome now will be a burden, and if you will only shoot me and ens | me with my poor, dear, wicked father, you will confer a he ae onme. Oh, colonel! I have beena traitor to you -I joined your train—sought admission into your confidence in order to betray you into the power of Black Diablo and the Indians, To-day when the fog hung the darkest over the prairie, I left Homer and Ted with the cattle, and under cover of the fog rode around and struck the trail near this grove where I was, by previous arrangements, to mevt an Indian scout and give him information as to your strength. I came and met the Indian, told him of your numbers and of your having a cannon in your possession. You were to have been attacked a mile further on, but Dumb Hercules defeated Black Diablo. While we stood conversing an arrow from the giant’s bow laid the Indian low in death, and to escape a similar fate I mounted and rode hastily away and around to my position as a droverin the rear of the train. Dumb Hercules did not recognize me when we me’. for 1 kept my face covered with a silk handkerchief.” “Then the giint was right,’’ said the amazed im- migrant; ‘he said there was a traitor in my party, bu God ows you were the last one I’d suspected, rley. “T know it, colonel,” confessed the grief-stricken boy; ‘‘you have been kind to me—all of you, and I cannot ask formercy. Oh! I want to die and be buried with my poor father! Iam tired of the wild, wicked and exciting life I have loved go well in the ast. Y “Curley,” and the colonel’s voice was.gentle, sym- athetic, ‘you are young—you can turn from this fe of wickedness and become a good man aed “No, no, cvl nel, I cannot!” the youth fairly shrieked, “for Iam not what Lappearto you. Iam not a boy, cut a girl!—the daughter of that man, Mark Tanlty !” ate) “Great God! what next?’ cried Owens, his face the very picture cf * sya astonishment, A silecce deep and profound fell upon the party, and the scene that was presented there under the won pte was wild, weird and heart-rending. here lay the dead outlaw stretched at full lengt upon the earth, his glassy eyes staring up into the sky, and his child b: nding over him, her frail form shaking like a reed in the wind in her convulsions of ef, Around themstood the rrave-dizgers, leanin upon their spades. and the rangers in their odd an cturesque uniforms, Hard by the long open grave waited the rest of its inmates, while ‘od beyond | this lay the shadows of the grove, black and grim. And to complete the awful scene, a horseman sud- denfy came galloping around the mo/te and stopped | short within a few paces of the silent, awe-stricken : up. or My God! it is Old Jack, our guide!’ cried Tom Woolson, starting toward the horseman. - But the horse, seeming to take fright at the sound of his excited voice, whirled and dashed away over the plain, its rilent rider swaying to and fro, helpless, voiceless—dead in the saddle! Colonel Owens seemed Hercules, the Dumb Destroyer. CHAPTER VIII. AN ANGEL OF MERCY. Iv was 60 ordained that the life of Zulima Owens and of her friend, Kitty Lane, was not to perish in the treacherous river, for at the last moment, when tue world was fading from Zulima’s view—uncon- sciousness was coming to save her from the horrors of the rising waters, her ears were greeved by the plash of a paddle in the river. The sound acted like magic on her failing senses, and starting up she gazed around her, Her eyes fell upona canoe de- scending the stream but a few yards away. Its oc- cupant was a young girl fair of face and form—one to whom Zulima instinctively felt that she could ap- | peal in her distress, and stretching out her hands she cried out: “Help! help! we are sinking in the sand!” “Oh, how dreadful!’’ cried the fair stranger, as with quick strokes of the paddle she swung her light bark canoe alongside the coach, on the up- stream side. ‘‘What does this mean?” she then asked. “Our driver was slain by tho Indians, and our team ran away and plunged into the river. The poor beasts are drowned, and we are sinking,”’ Zuli- ma replied, her pretty face white with terror, “Then itis well for you that I happened here,’ said the girlin the boa ; ‘come, step into my boat, and I willtake you ashore.” Placing Dare Devil Dick’s revolver in her pocket, | Zulima, followed by Kitty, who had recovered from her swoon, stepped out of the coach into the boat and seated themselves, Then the stranger pushed away from the vehicle, swung out into current and headed for tlre shore, Now that she was, for the time being. out of danger, Zulima had an opportunity to look upon her rescuer and study her fair, strange face. She saw that she was a young girl of perhaps sixteen, with eyes and hair as black as midnight, and features and conyplexion of unmistakable Spanish type. She was dressed in a neat and tidy frock reaching a lit- tle below her knees. Her feet and limbs were in- cased in buckskin moccasins and leggings fancifully wrought in figures with various-colored beads. On her head was a jaunty little straw hat banded with a broad blue ribbon, It required but a few strokes of the paddle to carry the boat to the shore, and as it slowly swung arene against the bank the dark-eyed beauty asked: ‘Now, girls, where do you go?”’ “God only knows!” answered Zulima, sadly. “Where co you belong?—what is your name?” ‘““My name is Zulima Owens, and my friend’s Kitty Lane. We belong to a colonist train some- where along the Cheyenne. And now may Iask to whom we are indebted for our rescue?’ * Inez Bienville, I live in a secluded home up the river, and you will be welcome to go back with me, and remain there until you know where to find your friends. Ifthe Indians are abroad they would be sure almost to get you.” “My cear friend,” said Zulima, ‘I presume our <i course will be to accept your kind invita- on. “Then we had better not tarry here,’’ answered Inez. and dipping her paddle the little craft began to creep through the water, They discussed the surrounding dangers as the moved along, and the indifferent manner in whic Inez seemed to treat the matter of Indian troubles awakened no little surprise in the breasts of her two proteqees, After journeying perhaps half a mile the river bank began to rise in rough and precipitous bluffs, whose fagades were covered with brush and creep- ing vines, being crowned with a growth of stunted pine and hemlock. Another half-mile and they came to where the river, narrow and deep, swept between two towering bluffs that rose ; traight up from the water's-edge, The sides facing the river were draped with a confused mesh of vines that trailed their green festoonery down into the stream, giving the place a wild and romantic appearance. ‘*My home,” explained Inez, pointing to the right bluff, ‘‘is in-yonder great hill. I know it will sur- prise you when you enter it.”’ ‘Then it is a cavern?” asked Zulima. “Yes, but entirely the work of man. We call it the ‘dug-out,’’’? and a smile passed over the girl’s face, ‘though the true name of tLe place is the Hidden Home,” “Do your father and mother dwell there with you?” Zulima queried, as the many stories of caverns and outlaws that she had heard came troop- ing up in her mind. o her surprise Inez made no response to her question, but turning her boat, ran in under the towering bluff, and the next moment they came to a haltin a cavern at the foot of a stairway leading up into the hill. Betsing. the end of a small rope, Inez gave it a slight , and the far-off tinkle oi a bell came faint- | ly to their ears, A few moménts later a dim light in the hands of a fat negress glared down into thi ir faces from the top of the steps, and a voice asked: “Dat you, Miss Inez?” “Yes, Ruth, and I have brought some company with me. Come on down with the light.” “Great Lor’! Company? What de ole massa—” began Ruth, as she came waddling down the steps; but her words were cut short by Inez, who ex- claimed: » “Hurry along, Aunt Ruth, with the light; these girls are tired and hungry, I know.” ‘*Gals, did ye say? Wal, I declar’, honey!” the negress exclaimed, as she stopped on the lower step and Jooked into the faces of the two girls; ‘ whar on earth you find dem, honey?” “Down the river in distress,” replied Inez, step- ping from the boat and assisting her guests to land on the broad, stone steps; ‘but now you van lead the ray with toe light, Ruth,” ? m4 , I jist swan, honey !’’ decided the negress, as she turned and started up the stairs, ‘‘dey’s jist as purty as picters, ar’n’t dey?” Atter climbing two flights of steps, which Zulima. saw had been 4 in the hard earth, they came to & door through which they passed intu a spacious room. “Now, Ruth,” commanded the young mistress of the Home, ‘‘you want to abi a us something to eat, quick as you can, and bring it to my room.’ es—honey,” replied the negress, Poros like a porpoise, from her exertions in ascending the stairs. , el soon—as I can—git my bref goin’—ag’in.” nez conducted her there into a room that was evidently her own private apartment, It had a window looking out over the river, though concealed from without by the trailing vines, that admitted are air and sufficient light. It was comfortably urnished for an isolated cavern home, and to the two maidens there was something savoring of ro- mantic m cae about the apartment, the Hidden Home, and its inmates. Having seen her guests comfortably seated, Inez excused herself and left the room. Zulima and Kitty discussed their situation, the e.ils they had passed through, and the probable ate in store forthem. And the longer they dwelt upon the mystery surrounding the Hidden Home the more restless they became, until they finally worked themselves into the belief that the place was th» retreat of outlaws, 2 To set their mindsat rest upon this matter, the resolved to ask Inez as soon as she returned, not- withstanding she had once evaded a direct question nenerclng her home and friends, and had stopped old Ruth, who was about to make some disclosure as toher master. ¢ It was nearly an hour, however, before Inez re- turned, and when she aid, she brought with her on a wooden tray some nicely cooked viande, which she spread on a little, low shelf, and then turning to her guests, said: “Girls, I know you are hungry. Such es ourhome affords I have brought you, and I hope you will now sit up and partake freely and heartily.’ The maidens did not wait for any further cere- mony, for the presence of the tempting viands sharpened their gnawing hunger, and they moved up to the shelf and ate what, to them, seemed the most savory and delicious repast they had ever en- joyed. After they had been refreshed, and old Ruth had cleared away the dishes, Inez sat down and enter- ed into conversation with them. Zulima watched for an opportunity to carry out her resolution to question Inez about her home and friends: but Inez led the conversation go adroitly, it seemed, that her est could not broach the subject uppermost in er mind without doing so abruptly and in a way that she feared might convey the idea of suspicion, and thereby offend her hostess, who had been so kind to her and Kitty. y Zulima again narrated the story of her and Kit- ty’s adventure in the coach, the attempted rescue by the young ranger, the last of whom she had geen as, he sunk beneath the waves in the river, : Did you ascertain his name, Zulima?’’ asked nez, “No; but IT believe it was the same person who visited us as a ‘cowboy ’ when we were in camp on the Missouri,” “It must have been Dare Devil Dick,’’ Inez averred, with some agitation, which did not escape the rotice of the girl. “Oh, I had almost forgotten,” Zulima suddenly exclaimed, “ that I have his revolver which he toss- ue the coach when he rode up alongside. Hére 198,°? Inez took the revolver and examined it, A ery burst from her lips. Ske tuined and looked wildly at Zulima. “itis Dare Devil Dick’s!”’ she said. is upon it.” : ‘Do you know the young ranger, Inez?" asked Citty, “f have seen him.”’ she replied ; “he is a brave, handsome and gallant youth. : . ‘Poor fe.low!”’ said Zulima, sadly. “Iam afraid he met bis death in his effort to save us.’ Her words seemed to affect Inez deeply. She stood silent and thovghtfui for several moments; then turning to her guests, said: ‘*Girls, | must ask you to excuse me again. I may be absent an hour. and perhaps more. Should you want anything call Aunt Ruth, who will be in the adjoining room.” “ So saying, she left the room, and in doing so she left te Pale Kia pb more deeply than ever in the belie at a strange mystery hung ever and around the Hidden Home, irc "4 CHAPTER. IX, A TERRIBLE SURPRISE, To return to Dave Devil Dick, : The moment the young ranger clinched with his antagonist on the top cf the coach he found he had no mean foe tocombst. In fact, he found the sup- posed savage was a white man in disguise—a man of great strength and activity, Dick himself was sted: for hts strength, supple- “Tlis name ype ness and dexterous skill as a wrestler and it was only by calling this skill into play that he prevented the renegade from overpowering him with ee weight and brute foree at the beginning the op
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{ eet ie alt ——- ‘struggle. He found that he could only act upon the defensive, and while he dare not relea ea hand to draw a weapon, he made it his aim to prevent the renegade from drawing his. The sudden Pesn gr of the coach into the river, however, ended the struggle, whose determination otherwise would have beeo exceedingly doubtful. Both were thrown violently forward, striking upon their heads against the dash-board; then rolling off the vehicle, their heads again struck with full force on the left fore-wheel of the coach, stunning them ‘30 as to break their holds. Dick had just consciousness enough le*t to realize ‘that he was. in the river, but had scarcely strength sufficient to batile with his new enemy, the waves, and the result was that he was carried rapidly down the stream. But.he finally succeeded in getting ashore. Just how he managed to do so he never knew. On his hands and knees he crept into a ‘clump of bushes, and there he sunk down exhaust- ed, unconscious, And there he lay, he knew not how long, but the first thing of which he became conscious was of a fireraging withinhim, His head, too, it seemed, was being gradually crushed betweeu tron jaws. Hecould not remember,where he was. All was blinding confusion and torture, Ho tried to rise, but was helpless, and every effort only added fuel to the fire that was consuming him, He saw now and thev a great cloud pass over him. Ha heard the sharp rustle of wings and the snarl and wlLof a beast, mpish thing hovering over him, He could feel the wind from its winnowing wings in his face, Hoa closed-his eyes to s ut out the sight of the hovering vampire. As he did so, he felt something heavy alight upon his breast. He opened. his eyes, A huge black bird, with a naked ccral neck, was perched upon him. Jt was a.vulture. A low cry escaped the youth’s lips. The great, bird quickly spread its somber wings and arose aloft in the air, Then with a mighty effort Dick rose upon his el- bow. As he did so, he heard the flapping of many wings. He looked around and saw a dozen vultures rising into the air and a snarling wolf go loping off into the bushes, Then within ten, feet of bim he saw a human form lyivg bloating in tho sun and bearing the despoiling marks of wolf and vulture, Yet there was enouch of the features of the dead left for Dare Devil Dick to recognize in them bis late antagonist, the renegade, ith this discovery Dick’s senses began to come back to him, and soon‘a!l became tolerably clear to his mind. The flying ¢ ach, the face of the maid- | ens, the conflict on the vehicle, and the plunge into the river—all passed in quick succession through his brain, and it was with no litile relief that he found | his antagonist—who, strangely as it. seemed, had ’ crawled ashore at, his side—was forever powerless to do him harm. Dick finally rose to a sitting posture and. passed his hand over his face,to find it incrusted with , blood. His hair, too, he found stiff with blood that had flowed from. a wound on the head received in his fall from the coach, His brain wag on fire, and there was a fearful burning within his whole frame. He was so weak from the loss of blood that he could not rise to his feet, but he managed to crawl down to the river where he slaked his thirst and. bathed his brow—washed the blood from his face and head, This.treatment greatly allayed his fever, and he be- gan to feel stronger. The vultures wheeled and circled high. in the heavens and their companion of old, the skulking wolf, gibbered on. the plain, loth to give up their feast, ; 4 Seated by the water’s edge, Dick continued bath- his head. ddenly he was startled by a sound in the river above him. He turned his head and glanced up the stream. He saw a canoe standing on the waves, It contained a siagle occupant whom he recognized as. Inez Lienville—one he had met in that. vicinity be- fore—always on the river in her boat—a strange, cone eyed gle veritable water-nymph. Raising hand he beckoned the, girl to ap- proach, and the moment he did so, she cipped her ddle and sent her craft flying through the water ward him. ‘Oh, sir!’ she exclaimed as she drew near, ‘you are Dare Devil Dick!”’ ; “Yes, what’s left of me, my fair friend,” replied the ranger. **T am glad to find vou alive,” Inezsaid: ‘‘ WhenI saw those telltale vultures in the air, | was almost afraid to advance. But I see the cause of their presence in that lifeless form lying there,’’ “Then you knew I had been hurt, Inez?” ‘* Yes, sir, I heard of be danger through those girls whose lives you endeavored to save.” * Are they alive? dil they escape?” **T rescued them from the sinking coach, and took cape. them,”’ “You are an angel of mercy, Inez.” “No, lam. but human, Dare Devil Diek, and. have done nothin done under like circumstances. I thank you for the compiiment. But, sir, you are, weak from your wounds; let me help you into my boat, and I will take you to a place of safety.” “1 am only too glad to accept. of your kindness,” he,replied, as hoe rose to lis feet, and then, with the he next moment they were glicing up. the river, roceeded along Dick studied the face l with a deep interest, wondering¢ sf .who she really was, for, although he had met her several times in that vicinity—always in her ont on the river—he felt certain that there was #ome secret mystery connected with her life. And suddenly he saw a dark and } more than any woman would, have. fie assistance, stepped into the canoe and. seated, Hercules, the Dumb | | | co ees sil “Hee ' - Before they nad reached the entrance to the Hid- den Home the shadows of night were gathering, but despite the darkness Inez found her way with per- fect ease to the foot of the subterranean stairway. A pull of the bell-rope soon brought down Old Ruth witha light when Dare Devil Dick was assisied | up the steps and conducted into a room remote from that occupied by Zulima and Kitty. The place was lighted with a taliow dip. The walls around were hung with the skins of various animals that gave the place a novel and picturesque as well as comfortable appearance. The apartment was evidently a bed- room, for it contained nothing but a chair and a couch of furs and blankets. Dick's wounds w.re carefully dressed and ban: | daged, Then a cup of tea, some broiled venison and partaken thereof he was surprised at how much stronger he felt in both body and mind. ‘This is surely the home of the Good Samaritan,” he finally remarked, as something of his old-time 8, iris revived; ‘“* lam very glad I found out where you live, Inez, for I have long been puzzled over the matter, Whose hidden home is this, anyhow?” “Ours,”’ the maiden replied, with a smile. ‘“*T hope you are contented and happy,” Dick ‘re- plied, deigning not to notice her clever evasion, It was cnough for him to know that he was under the care of so fair a being without prying into the guard- ed secrets of her life. When sh had seen the young ranger resting com- | ‘ | standing in ihe cd orway at the head cf the stuirs lead- a af Inez and kuth bid him good-night and re- tired, Dick threw_himself on the couch and gave way to reflection, He wondered where his followers were, and how the struggle between them and the Indians Destroyer. | Zulima, ‘* for we think we are perfectly secure here ‘ had ended—if thcir failure to come in search of him | was evidence of their defeat. He also pondered over the mystery surrounding the Hidden Home. He | knew that Black Diablo had asevret retreat some- where in the country, yet he always believed that it was in among the Hills up along the B. lle Fourche. But could he have been mistaken in that? Was the dark-eyed Inez the daughter of the Spanish outlaw chief, Black Diablo? Was he in the secret retreat of | Black Diablo? He revolved these questions over and over in his mind, until he fin Ily fell asleep. Then in hisdreams he had many wi'd rides and fought over many of his old battles with Indian and outlaw, but amid these adventures and coiflicts he wis ever cheered on by the presence of a sweet, fair face—the face of Zulima Owens. After leaving the ranger Inez visited her lady guests. She was received with expressions of joy and gladness. 3 +x girls, how have you passed the time?” she asked. and then we were a little frightened when just before sunset, we saw a hideous Indian standing on top of the opposite bluff looking this way.” ‘* Indeed?” exclaimed Inez, betraying some un- easiness. “Yes; but I know he did not see us, for the vines cover the window so effectual'y.” ‘But he may have discovered the river entrance, Zulima; but then I will not borrow any trouble—it comes to one without going efter it,” Inez said, in a philosophical way. The three girls conversed toge' her until late in the night, but never onea did nez allude to Dare Devil Dick, or the fact that he had been rescued. Finally, when it came time for retiri ig, the young hostess bid her friends good-night and left the room. Then Zulima and Kitty undressed themselves and laid down upon the couch.and talked themselves to sleep. When they awoke faint beams of light were shin- ing in at the window. A new day had dawned, and rising, they dressed themselves. Old Ruth brought them water, a basin and towel. After they had ar- ranged their toilet their breakfast was brought in by the negress. They ate with a keen relish. An hour or s9 after breakfast Inez made her ap- erage in the room, followed by a man whose ae ie, bandaged and whose face was pale and aggard, “ Good-morning, girls," exclaimed Inez, greetin eech with a kiss, then turning half around se enid ‘Dare Devil Dick, allow me to introduce you to Zu- lima Owens and Kitty Lane.” &é little ery of Joyous surprise burst from the lips of the maidens, bendaged head, they recognized the young ranger hwy had risked his life for them in the youth before m. ‘I believe we have met before, ladies,” said Dick, bowing pecans “Yes,” repl if Zulima, her lips aquiver with a strange emotion that welled up from hey young heart, ‘and I am truly glad that we have been per- | ; | to Go 80 at all, the cord Srpponng the curtain BE ein mitted to meet again, after passing through the or- deal we did. Your face tells me that you were wounded,”’ “Yes, indeed, and had it not been for our fair- hostess I am afraid I should have perished—died on the river-bank.”’ “ Then she rescued you, too?” raid Zulima; ‘Inez, why didn’t you tell us this before?" es wanted to surprise you,’ replied Inez, with a smile, m “* You have succeeded, I assure you,” declared Zu- ma, ’ * Indeed she’has,” affirmed Dick; “and now if I only knew my band was well and alive £ could: rest. ectly coutented.”’ ** And it is so with us regarding our friends,”’ said rv, despite his pale face and | ‘“ Very nicely, indeed, Inez,”’ Zulima r-plied. “To | be sure we are uneasy and anxious avout our friends | | | | | | in the home of our Good Samaritan." Thus the conversation ran on for some time be- tween Zulima and Dick; and Inez, who was an in- terested as well as flattered listener, saw that a vis- _ ible change had come over the spirits of the two young people since their meeting—a change that could only come from the recesses of the heart. The two haurs passed rapidly, pleasantly, and finally Old Ruth came in and aad ‘Tf yer please, Missus Inez, dinner am ready,” ‘My friends,”’ said Inez, rising, ‘I told Ruth to spread the table so that we could all dine together, so come, all of you.” She led the way followed by her guests into a long, 2 | Spacious room lighted with tallow dips, warm bread was brought to him, and after be bad | The table was set in the center of the apartment and was well filled with such food and wil fruit as the country afforded, including fresh fish done to a royal brown, Seating themselves the little party began their re- Dag. during which Dick kept up a pleasant conver- 8. tion. ‘ The meal was nearly finished when Old Ruth sud- denly threw up her hands and with eyes staring wildly at some object of terror, cried out: **Oh, Lor’. Missus Inez! look dar! look dar!”’ Ugh !” It was the grant of a savage. Instantly every eye turned in the direction whence the last sound came, when, to theim terror and sur- prise, (hey b held a hideously printed Indian warrior ina dven to the river! : A ery burst from the lips of the terrified girls, but all the old-time courage of Dare Devil Dick quickl asserted itself. He drew from his pocket the revol- ver which Zulima Lad returned to him, and was ready to defend his and his friends’ lives. But at this juncture the savage stepped aside into the room and another painted demon appeared in the door- way, and was followed by another and still another, until :t least a score of the bloodthirsty wretches had entered and aligned themselves Cown tne end and side of the reom facing the wounded ranger and the speechless, terror ctrickox Woinen, “Don’t raise that pistol. youngster,” warned the leader, who was a white man in disguise, “ or you'll be hacked into fish-bait. Don’t attempt to rise off that seat, sir, either, or you’!l get yer head clipped open,” Dare Devil Dick sat motionless, clutching his re- volver, with his burning eyes fixed upon the leeri savages, whose consciousness of superior power an assured triumph had transformed them into smil- ing, gloaving devils ; “Tord, warriors!” the renegade exclaimed. witha cunning, impudent grin.at the terror-stricken girls, ‘this are a reg’lar den o’ purty squaws, sure’s my name’s White Elk. But thar’s not enuff in sight to go ‘round, but mebby we'll find some more chucked away somewharh: re. Come cver here, birdie, and give me a kiss.” This last was addrersed to Zulima; but quickly Dare Devil Dick, whom it seemed the foe had not yet recognized ;with his pale face and bandaged, ead, fixed his burning ey: s on the renegade chief, and said: ° ) i Dont you dare to tcuch that girl, or, you die" ‘* Whoo-ee!” exclaimed the Renegade chief, with a sneer; ‘the young squaw-face talks like a warrior. But that quakin’, wench there is more dangerous, There’s no intimidation—no skeer here, boy, and you'll find it soif ye go to foolin’ with us. e’re not here for our health, but on business. What's. behind that curtain?” As he spoke, the renegade advanced a'ong the end of the room, and lifting a curtain: f cloth that ex-. tended lengthwise of the room, disclosed another apartment beyo d, fully as large as the one hey were in; but he ;aw nothing therein. Not satisfied, however, he took one of the candles and looked in again, but found only bare walls. Replacing the light, he took his place at tle head of the warriors, and said: “ Now, young man, I want to know, whose, ranch this is.” ‘*T don’t know,” was the curt answer. ‘Don’t know, and one of its inmates? Youngster, see here; I'll give you two minutes to answer m question, and if you fail, 1’ll bore you right throug and through.”’ ‘““You have my, answer,” replied, the undaunted youth, with flashing eye; ‘shoot, if you dare!” “Ugh!” grunted a savage, addressing the chief, White Elk; “Ingin'seyes not, gzood— Dare Devil Dick,’ and the red skin t: rust,his finger out at the ranger. i ‘* By my bones. I believe you’re right. Fox-Ryes,”’ respon’ed the chief, closely scrutinizing the, face of the boy. ‘Say, ar’n’t ye Dare Devil Dick, in here for repairs? Jl give you jest sixty seconds, to Before the youth could reply, in. case, he intended | answer,’? tition behind him was cut at each end. by a kni an unseen hand, and as :he fabrie droped to the ground, the light feil upon the forms.of a dozen or more armed men drawn up in line, with the giant scout, Dumb Hercules, standing at the bead! An exclamation invountarily burst from the lips. | of the startled red-skins, . ' | Dare Devil Dick glanced behind him at the men. who had been s0 silently conjured up, as it seemed, from the darkness, and to his profound astonish- ment and joy saw that a duzen of his own brave fol- lowers stood at his back. And the moment he made. this discovery, he turned to the renegade, White Elk, and said: ’ itey * Yes, villain, I am Dare Devil Diek!” ood—me think that — ~. oe ee aN a ee, che ond +
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Papa eae Seaaane 2 y ~ “move the forms of the savages. Hercules, the Dumb Destr THE HUNTERS HUNTED. ‘Warrt ExLx and his savages were more surprised ‘by the presence of Dumb Hercules and the rangers then had been Dick and the women by the sudden coming of the red-skins. In speechless silence the two lines of foes stood flaring at each other like tigers at bay. In the and of each savage was clutched a tomahawk. The right hand of each of the whites was held at his back, grasping a cocked revolver. Dare Devil Dick soon took in the situation and measured the relative strength of each side, The odds were against him and his friends, but thy held the advantage in that the low ceiling of the room would prevent a free use of the savages’ toma- hawks while the rangers could handle their revol- vers with all their deadly skill. . ; Fifteen feet separated the two lines.’ Dick still sat ‘at the table, half-way between. : The girls, white with terror, had risen and were Ihuddling together in one end of the room—their eyes fixed, their lips quivering, and their forms trembling with convulsions of fear. ** A calm before the storm.” He looked straight at the renegade as he spoke. A sneer passed over the savage’s face, and a low, -zuttural exclamation broke from the lips of his fol- owers, “Tt seems that this is a case of hunters being hunted,” said one of the rangers; ‘but I'll swear, Dick, we’re glad to see you alive again, for we'd been mourning y uas a goner since we found your that floating on the bosom of the Cheyenne—” “ See here,’’ broke in White Elk, in a tone of forced courage, ‘“*you fellers can talk that over hereafter with the devil. Now, all l’ve got to sayis for you to ssurrender.”’ Asmile passed over the face of Dare Devil Dick while the lips of Dumb Hercules were seen to curl with scorn, “On what terms will you accept our surrender?” asked Dick, as he sat with his arms resting on the table, his revolver still in plain view of the foe. rahi lay down your weapons,’’ said the rene- gade, “And then?” ‘*March out into that room.”’ “ Well?” “Then you can go your way.”’ ‘“Very fair, indeed,” replied Dare Devil Dick; Arlt al on what terms do you want to surrender Us “Dare Devil Dick,” snarled the renegade chief, “‘yvyou can talk bold, but you cannot play the game of bluff, You are run to your hole, and you know it.’ “On what terms, I say,’’ demanded the youth, cmpbaeiing his words with a rap of his revolver- but’ on the table, ‘‘ do you feel disposed to surrender to us? f ‘*We have no terms to make with an inferior foe,” answered the renegade, betraying a little nervous- ness. “We will give you just two minutes to surrender -or leave this place,” said the young ranger, in a tone with no uncertain meaning—that could not be mis- understood by the foe. Inez started as Dick uttered the words. She saw ‘that the storm was about to burst forth, and taking ‘Zulima and Kitty by the arms drew them out into an adjacent room, saying: j “Oh, my dear young friends! a terrible fight is ‘unavoidable, and 1 am doubtful of the result! As Dick spoke a convulsive shudder seemed to Their eyes began to glitter with a more snakish glow, and their forms ‘settled slightly, like crouching tigers preparing for the dea: ly spring. One minute went by. Every man seemed to hear his own heart beating, so deep and painful was the silence and suspense. Dare Devil Dick sat coolly toying with his revol- his eyes fixed ver—a grim smile on his face, an be those of the chicf. nally. when the two minutes were nearly up, “White Elk broke the silence by saying: ** You dare not fire!” Scarcely had the words fallen from his lips when Dare Devil Dick’s revolver went off, as if by acci- dent, and White Elk staggered forward, clutching at the table, then sunk down lifeless with a bullet-hole through his forehead. Before the dull, pent-up roar of the ranger’s -weapon had reached the extremities of the Hidden Home, ten more revolvers rung out and half of the savage line melted down in death while yet their first war-cry hung upon their lips—ere they had struck a lick in their defense. Thus at one fell blow had the advantag» been shifted from the savage ; to the rangers, but with the desper tion of maddened demons, the red-skins rushed upon their foe. Then followed a struggle unequaled in its fury, To get at the rangers the savages were compelled to cross the room. The table and chairs were be- tween them, and in their advance these were over- ‘turned with acrash, The lights were put out, andin the darkness raged the battle. The crack of re- volvers, the yells of the savages, the dull crash of f bodies, the sodden blows of the heavy blud- eon in the hands of Dumb Hercules were all blended fa one infernal din that fairly shook the great bill— echoing and rebounding back and forth from cham- ber to chamber—growing in intensity until it seemed the very cavern must be rent asunder by the pent- But oaly hureou smoke that pervaded the room, the conflict Ended as suddenly as it had begun, si a - — A silence. broken only by the groans of the wound- ed and dying, succeeded the fury of the conflict, A few moments later a Jight in the hand of Dumb Hercules appeared in the chamber of death, reveal- ing a horrible and ghastly sight. The rangers, or those who had not fallen, still stood in line with drawn revolvers, but not a single savage faced them, but lyirg upon the floor and across chairs, and piled upon each other lay three-fourths of the late exultant band of red-skins, dead, dying and wounded. Two of the rangers lay dead with cloven heads, and two others were wounded quite seriously and a few slightly. As soon as he realized that the victory was theirs, Dare Devil Dick, followed by Dumb Hercules, hur- ried into the room where the girls were scen to go, To their surprise, however, they found the maidens were not there. With a look of uneasiness upon his face Dumb Hercules led the way with a light from room to room of the Hidden Home in search of them. The silent man seemed familiar with the place, and Dick was led to believe that he had been there before, if he was not really its master. In the last room (hey visited they found Old Ruth huddled in a corner shaking with terror. “Oh, bress God!’’ she cried at sight of the giant and the boy, ‘you's not been killed, has you?” * No, Ruth,’ r=plied Dick, ‘‘ we whipped the _In- rins, and drove &way those we did not kill. But, Ruth, where are the girls? Do you know?” ‘Done gone to de Cave ob Refuge.” “The Cave of—’’ began the young ranger, but here Dumb Hercules plucked him aside and motion- ing him to follow, led the way from the room. They were absent perhaps twenty minutes when they re- turned pale and ¢xcited. “Men!"’ cried Dare Devil Dick, “our victory has got to be won again. More desperate work than ever is before us. The three girls that were in this room hey before the fight commenced fled in terror from this cavern, and endeavoring to gain another, were captured by a band of savages and outlaws waiting without, and are now bring borne away into captivity that will be far worse than death. Boys, Iam ready for the saddle!” . ‘** And we are ready to follow!” shouted one of the rangers, whose words were taken up and repeated by each and all. CAAPTER XI. THE SILENT HORSEMAN, So terrified was Inez Bienville and her two fair guests, Zulima and Kitty, by the awful din of the conflict between the savages and the rangers, that death seemea inevitable to all should they remain in the cavern, and turning to her friends, Inez said: ‘Girls, come, let_ us flee to the Cave of Refuge, another cave on the opposite side of the river! It will be death to stay here!” Without reply, Zulima and Kitty followed her. She led the way out of the room and down the stairs to where she found, to her surprise, three canoes lying in the. water. One of these was her own, but the other two—heavy, cumbersome crafts —she knew at a glance belong: d to the savages who had invaded the Hidden Home, The three bosts lay side by side, the bark canoe the furthest away. Stepping across from one to the other, Inez reached her own boat, and had just sea ed herself, when a rush of feet was hard coming down the stups. The next moment the form of a foeing savage leaped across the two boats and Janded in hers, rocking it so violently as to almost throw her overboard. Before she could regain her seat, the paddle was jerked from her hand, and tue boat sent ~liding out into the river. A cry burst irom the girl’s lips, for she saw she was a captive in the power of a hideous savage. She rose to her feet, and would have leaped over- board had the savage not seized her and pulled her down with brutal violence. The savage pulled rapidly down the stream. They had gone but a short distance, when Inez be- held one of the other boats glide from the cavern, containing three savages, in whose power were Zulima and Kitty. athe, That the enemy had been victorious in the conflict Inez-had not a doubt. She never dreamed that she was in the power of one of the few red-skins that had escaped from the deadly conflict in the cavern, else her heart would not have sunk hopeless and desponding in her breast. The savages with Zulima and Kitty turned up the stream, and soon Sresppe ered from sirht, Inez’s captor put ashore a short distance below the Hidden Home and on the bank they were met by a white man whose face was all aglow with tri- umph and admiration. “Bully for our side, red-skin!” he exclaimed. as he glared upon Inez with a repulsive smile, “ the presence of that lovely captive tells me you were victorious.” “ Waugh!” ejaculated the Indian excitedly; ‘‘In- gins nearly all pit killed—revolvers of pale-face too many—Silent Death there—so Dare Devil Dick, and his braves—White Elk killed—all kill d but three— four—we flee—run on white girl in boat—bring her captive—no stay here lon —rangers come!" Vhile this news revived Inez’s hopes it struck fear to the heart of the outlaw. who, turning, said: “ Hawk-Nose, hurry along the captive, and let us mount and rattle out for the hills.” Inez was conducted over a ridge of wooded bluffs into a little valley, where an Indian warrior was in cha ge of six horses. She was at once given to un- .derstand that she must ride on of the horses, and that if she refused, she wc uld be tied in the saddle, Rather than suffer such treatment she quietly sub- mitted to her fate, and allowed the outlaw to assist oyer. her into the saddle of White Elk, who was no longer in need of it. Then the papagacic and the two savages mounted their horses, and with their captive and two rider- less horses, set off at a gallop toward the west. The Indian who had captured Inez, and the rene- gade, talked as they rode along about the secret | cavern, the surprise that they, had met there, and their bloody defeat, Inez, however. had not a doubt but that some of ber friends had fallen in the con- | flict, and the faces that came up in her mind, as robably ay ti COM in death, where those o1 Dumb ° Tercules and Dare Devil Dick, whom she knew to be especial objects of savage | atred and vengeance. For several hours the four rode briskly onward at asteady gait. Their way lay over a rather broken and uneven stretch of prairie, dotted here and there with perfect forests of sage brush. and now and then a motte of scrubby timber. Finally, as they raised the brow of a little knoll, one of the savages uttered a low ejaculation and pointed off to the left, where, at the distance of half a mile, a horseman was in view. ‘“Whoa!’’ exclaimed the renegade as he drew rein, his eyes fixed upon the horseman; ‘as true as my | name’s Wolf-Face Bill, that’s th t Silnot Hossman the boys hev been chasin’ all day,” Inez took the horseman in qucstion for an Indian, His form was enveloped in a red bla: ket, and his head was bare. His horse was wal ing rcund and round in a circle of small compass, as though its reins were fast to something. ‘Who Silent Horseman?” asked an !udian. “Tt’s Old Niobrara Jack, the gentleman_that’s guidin’ the Owens train to its destination. He's a stiff, now, as he ventured too far from camp, and I put up a job on him.”’ True enough, this outlaw and renegade call ng him self olf-Face Biill—and there was an appropriate- ness in the name—was the man who I} ad slain Old . Jack, Colonel Owens s guice., But nots. tisfied with this, the body was taken, placed in the sadale.on his . own horse, and th re securely propy ed and tied in a bolt-upright position, Then, to conceal the ropes end thongs that bound the corpse- as if to make the spectacle all the more ghastly and horrible—a blanket was wrapped around the lifeless ferm, and , the horse turrted loose to wander beck tocamp. It was the ghoulish trick of a being in whose breast every sense of humanity was dead. But a day or so after the death of the guide, it become rumored among the outlaws and Indians that Niobrara Jack possessed the most remarkable horse for speed and endurance on the plains of Dakota. This made one and all desirous «f possessing the animal and it had been chased for hours at different times by In- dians and outlaws, with its silent 1ider upon its back, but so far had eluded capture, ‘*Hawk-Nose,’’ said Wolf-lace Bill, ‘I believe that hvuss's reins have catched and twisted round a sage-brush the way he acts, and if you'll go over there cautiously and easy, you may git the fastest es that ever boxed sod in the Belle Fourche val- ey.”’ if Me go,’ said the Indian, slipping from the back of his horse. ¥ ‘*Lead the hcss up here with his rider if ye catch - him,”’ said Wolf-Face; ‘‘ but I reckon the old cuss is 8 pilin’ afore this time, for he’s been cead now two ays.’ Incz’s heart grew sick at this revolting talk. It told her how merciless and brutal was the wretch into whose power the Indian had surrendered her, Hawk-Nose started cff on foot toward the Silent Horseman. Wolf-Face watched him with the deep- est anxiety, and when he saw him approach and se- cure the horse, he exclaimed: “f eh Hawk-Nose! he’s got the, hoss and the old stiff, Trus enough, the savage had secured the horse with little difficulty, for he found the rin had caught cn a sage-brush, and the animal walkin around had twisted it fast. The face of the silen rider was bent downward, the chin touching the breast, The mouth was paytly open, the ey: sclosed, The long, disheveled hair was tumbled about the head and fac in wild disorder. Lea”ing the animal the anne started toward his an As he approached them, Wolf-Fece re- marked: e sets up poste equan for a dead cuss—ar'n’t bloated a bit, either, ckon he’s dryin’ up into a mummy !”’ Inez could not see the face of the silent. rider, it hung ¢o Jow on his breast. His }ands and arms, as well as his entire body, were enveloped in the blan- ket around him, Within ten feet of the three the Indian came to a halt with the ghastly rider and his trembling, terri- fied horse. Wolf-Face rode alongside the silent man, end was in the act of pulling the drooping bead vprit ht when the blanket that enveloped his form was suddenly thrown back, the head of the Silent Horseman was lifted, his hands were extended—each clutchisg a revolver, and before any one had time for a thought the weapons were disc ed, one into the face of thse outlaw, arother into the face of the savege on foot, and with yells of mortal sgony loth outlaw and red-skin felldead. Then before the third sav- age could act there was another report, and he fell from his horse shot*through the heart. So quick was all this done that Inez's confused mind could poarwery GOIpED aire the situation, and before she could utter a word the supposed lifeless | horseman exclaimed: ~ gal! I'm Skylark Sam, “ There, you're safe, my a et ipo Bee Seog Rime gis eect A sir!” crie e girl, ‘‘ they ; were dead—that you were Old Giokeare Jack,”
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10 “That's where they war mistaken, wer’n’t they? Do youthink ’madead man? Dol look as silent and corpse-like as I did? I'll admit this is poor Old Niobrara’s horse. I caught the animal, took the dead man from its back, and gave him the best buria] Icould. When I see’d the three demons hur- rying off with you a captive, I mounted this critter and by a roundabout ie got in ahead of you, put the blanket ’round me, fastened the hoss in a way they’d think war accidental, then tied myself ina way that’d fool ’em, and come dead on ’em in royal style. 1 knowed they war hankerin’ arter this hoss, and would go out o’ th: way to git him. Wal, the trap worked like things in a story-book, and here we are. As I said before, I’m Skylark Sam; who are you, little onc?” * My name is Inez Bienville.” “Inez Bienviile,’’ repeated the detective, reflect- ively; ‘‘by Josh! t don’t know but what I want to havea litile chat with you, Inez, but as 1 see a band o’ mounted Ingins comin’ down the valley we’d bet- ter put it off and canter along if you feel safe to trust me.”’ “Trust you? Sir, you have saved my life at the risk of your own,”’ said the maiden, “and Lam not afraid to trust myself in your care.’ “Then 1. t us be moving.”’ Side by side the two rode away toward the west. CHAPTER XII. IN THE TOILS OF BLACK DIABLO. To dress the wounds of the two rangers who were left in the care of Old Ruth in the Hidden Home, to bury the two that had fallen in the ¢: nflict, and re move the dead savages from the cavern, occupied all of two hours, when Dare Devil Dick and his rangers, accompanied by Dumb Hercules, left the cavern by a secret passage—the sams by which they had entered—leading out on the side of the bluff, and set cut in pursuit of the savages. First, however, they proceeded to a wooded hill about amile distant, wherein Dumb Hercules and the rangers had left Colonel Owens, John Lane and a number of the rangers in charge of the horses be- longing to the party. ‘The presence of Dare Devil Dick was hailed with shouts of joy by those in the grove, for to them, like those that had met him inthe cavern, his coming was like one from the ve. To the two distracted fatt.ers Dick broke the news of the gir!’s capture by the savages, notwithstandin their great victory over the band of White Elk; anil while they were rejoiced to know their children were alive, they thought perhaps that it might be better were they dead than in the power of the savages. The fall of four more of Dare Devil Dick's follow- ers left four more oa saddles, but the courage of the band never faJtered, and now that their leader was restored to them, they registered a solemn vow to avenge their fallen comrades, Dick was rejoiced to learn that his horse had been recovered by his friends and was at hand, and in a few minutes he wag once more inthe saddle, leading the pursuit of the red s ins. No amount of persuasion could induce Dumb Her- cules to rile, but acting as ee he moved along on foot with rapid strides, his head erect and his keen, restless eyes ever on the alert. “That giant is a strange man, colonel,” said Dare Devil Dick, as side by side the two rode along. ““ Yes; back of his relentless war on the red-skin and outlaw,’’ replied the colonel, “isa deep, dark secret that has made him woat he is, a silent, aveng- ing Nemesis.” ‘Then you have no doubt but that the secret re- treat in the river bluff is his home?” ‘*None whatever, Dick, else he could have known nothing of the secret any ger ght the place whither he bad seen ite Elk and his band go- “Then who can be the girl that saved your daugh- ter eee ast friend, Inez Bienville? Surely not fis r ,’ “Tdo not know—I have been unable to find out much about him, more than that he isa hostina Bght. ,, dhen there is another fellow — Skylark m “The Border Detective?” exclaimed Dick. tf ae the same, Do you know him?” “Well, he’s another enigma—I believe all these bordermen are mysterious fellows,” and the colonel glanced at the Boy Ranger with a smile; ‘Sam came to our camp, and after rendering us some gal- lant service—in fact thwarted a cunning devil from spiking our cannon—he departed ina silent and un- nt manner, and we haven’t heard from him ce. ‘He'll turn up somewhere, colonel,” replied Dick. ‘A border detective does a great deal of mysterious work and little talking.’’ Thus the two conversed as they rode along, The trail of the savages was broad and deep, and although they had some three hours the start, the ursters came in sight of them just before night- all. > Not until it was so dark that the trail could not be seen did the party come toa halt for the night. On leavi & the immigrant camp on the Cheyenne they had taken supplies sufficient for several days’ needs, and having lar'ated their animals out to grass, they ate their supper within the shadows of a clump of trees—fearing to strike a light lest it guide the foe to their bivouac. Karly the next morning they were in their saddles pe away on the trail. They had entertained high opes overtaking the foe that day before the reached the fastnesses of the Black Hills, but in th they were disappointed, for the Indians had im- ‘ t « Hercules, the Dumb Destroyer. pres their advantages by traveling most of the night. : ‘the savages were headed for the village of Sitting Bull, and unless overtaken before they reached that stronghold the rescue of the captives would be be- yond the power of the little band of pursuers. But Dare Devil Dick and Dumb Hercules were not the men to falter in the tace of a single obstacle, and they urged ail forward in hopes that extra speed would overcome the advantage of the toe’s traveling. nally the foot-hills were reached, where extra J ehee holy must be observed to avoid dangers in am- ush and it was here that the skiil of Dumb Hercules as a scout and trailer was shown ‘o its best advan- tage. Moving onin advance cf the horsemen, the tireless giant watched the trail closely, and after gourneyiny perhaps twenty miles further, his wurst ears were realized in that the trail divided—ihe greater force going on westward and the smaller en- tering a path Jeading northwest. A halt was made and a consultation held. From his knowledge of the topography of the hills, Dumb Hercules did not think the two parties would come together unless they did so within a few mhiles. It was suggested that the pursuers divide their force and eac mgt be fol owed, but this the Silent Scout strenuously opposed. He thought the division of the enemy’s force might be a trick to divide the force of the pursuers, and then by a sudden concen- tration of their numbers fall upon the divided ran- gers and crush them with overwhelming odds. The giant; however, concluded to follow the small- er party a short distance alone, :nd if he saw-that it passed beyond the point where it was possible for it to swing around and rejoin the main body, he would strike across the dividing ridge and mect his friends at a certain point some miles up the pass. With this understanding they separated, the Dumb Scout moving rapidly away up the narrow defile, while the rangers rode on westward, deploying two of their number in advance as scouts. Dumb Hercules had followed his trail perhaps two miles when he saw that the horse-tracks began to separate. This aroused his suspicions, and he drew an arrow from his quiver and carried it in his hand alongside his great bow. As he advanced the defile gradually widened and the bluffs on either side became taller and more hao aaa Clumps of trees and thickets of shrub- ary grew along the base of the bluffs, and suddenly from one of these on the right a voice called out: “* Halt, there!” The giant moped, and as he fixed his arrow in the bow glanced in the direction whence that per- emptory command had come, But he saw no one, ‘*Surrencer, Sir Scout, or you’re a dead man!” This came from up the defile, and at the same moment three armed men with rifles at a trail a peared from behind a rock and advanced upon the scout, This advance bata him was instantly followed by a horseman on the Jeft who dashed from the sha- dows of some trees with a coiled lasso in his hand. Hercules saw that with all his precaution he had walked into a trap of the enemy, but determined to sell his life dearly he raised his great bow and sent an arrow tearing through the breast of one of t*e three outlaws on foot. But at the same instant the noose of a lasso in the hand of the horseman fell about the scout’s form, pinioning his arms to his side and throwing bim violently to the earth. Then from the bushes another man appeared, and running up to the fallen, struggling scout, threw the slip-noose of another rope around his neck and drew it taut, choking the riant until he grew black in the face and almost helpless. The next moment the shout of a dozen outlaws and Indians rung through the defile, as together the triumpkLant villains rushed from their concealment and gathered around the giant. By the time Dumb Hercules had recovered from his choking he was so securely bound that he could scarcely move a finger. And to make assurarce doubly sure the slip-noose had been left hanging about his neck to be used in case he should slip or break his bonds, or otherwise attempt to escape. “The bei worked like a charm and although we didn’t catch as many as we'd expected, caramba/ we cot the biggest Roman of them all,” Thus spoke the man who had thrown the lasso with such skill. Dumb Hercules started at sound of his voice as though it had been the hissing ‘‘skirr” ofaserpent, He glanced up at the man who sat in his saddle holding the end of the rope encircling his neck, He was a dark-faced, sinister-looking wretch of perhaps forty years «f age whose features told that he was a Spaniard. In fact, Dumb Hercules recognized him as the outlaw, Black Diablo, whose name had been synonymous wi'h outlawry and crime from Old Mexico to the head-waters of the Missouri. At sight of the villain's brutal face Dumb Her- cules’s very soul seemed to become inflamed, and to conceal his emotion—to keep down therising demon bles him, he turned his gaze from the outlaw chief, ‘* He blushes at sight of you, captain,”’ said one of the outlaws, ‘* Ay, senor’ replied the Spaniard, ‘‘ you will see him blush again before we are through with him. Those tell-tale arrows of his found in the breasts of so many of cur men, fixes upon him a crime that | deserves punishment by as many deaths as he has slain friends of ours.” | “Then you're not goin’ to bie a up here for the aseeres to pick?” observed a little, ferret-eyed lain, “No, indeed; we will march him to head-quarters and let him try his skill in the ‘ bear-pit,’”’ replied Black Diablo. ‘Bravo! bravo!’ shouted his followers, “So, fall in, men, and we'll be off — forward, march |” And with this the band set off up the defile with their Silent Captive, who little dreamed of the fate to which he had been doomed. CHAPTER XIII. A LEAP OF A THOUSAND FEET! A uiTHe, agile figure, clad in a suit of byuckskin— half-savage and half-white—was gliding stealthil along a mountain side, dodging from bush to roe and rock to bush like a fox, pausing ever and anon to watch the movements of a band of mounted sav- ages coming up the pass below, having in their power two temale captives, The figure was that of a white man, with short, iron-gray hair, and a regular hazel thicket of stubby beard covering his face to bis very eyes. Under his arm he carried a long object resembling a huge umbrella folded. He carricd no weapons that were visible, unless that cbject was one, Witb the rapidity of a hunted deer he kept on and on before the red-skins, yet keep.ng out of sight of the lynx-eyed savagis. There were forty or fifty of the latter, who were evidently making for their village in a little, park- like valley beck in the great bills. They were evi- dently a war-party returning from battle, but the number of riderless horses in their midst told of a fearful loss of friends. For hours they rode slowly on through the dark defile, while cn in advance all the while the figure oo the mountain-side glided—never losing sight of them, Finally the Indians halt, and some of them dis- mount. They appeared to hold a council of war; then the two captive girls are taken from their sad- dles, when six warriors on foot begin to climb the rugged Lillside taking the captives with them. ‘Ha! ha!” exclaims the strange scout on the hights above; ‘‘I see they're gittin’ oneasy for tear they'll lose their captives, and are going to send them ’cross-lots to old Sittin’ Bull’s dog-town, Oh, by the great Zebadee! if there war three or four more of me, 1’d light onto them six varmints like a eyclone. but row. I’m at the end of my lariat— Hullo! the others are movin’!”’ The mounted savages moved on up the pass. The scout remained in concealment until they bad passed by opposite him. For a moment he wes in a brown study as to what he should do—follow tke band or the six with the captives. In either case what cculd he do, lone- handed as he was? While this matter was being considered, he saw the savages come to a halt again. He saw most of them dismount. ‘Those that did not, rode on. Mp dent. all the horses with them, while the others dispersed: into the sbadows of the bushes and rocks along either side of the pass, ‘Oho!’ exclaimed the watcher, ‘that means an ambush, by the bli ody Saracens! But who’re to be the victims? Can it be the friends of them that are in pursuit? 1°] take a posish where | can cperate myself, if necessary, and nip their little game in the bud.” So saying, he moved on until he gained a point. where the mountain-side }. ad suddenly become a per- endiculer cliff, a thousard or more feet in hight.. ‘rom there he could command a view of the pass: for a mile below, and secreting himself, he resolved. to wait and watch. ‘ Between him and the edge of the cliff a cimarron path ran, and he bad been in concealment but a few moments when he heard scmething coming srcund the point of rocks below. Supposing it was 6 goat: he gave it no further thought. At the same time he discovered a party_cf horsemen coming into view down the valley. _ Feeling satisfied t: at they were the object of the Indian ombush above he stepped’ from his concealment with tke intenticn of ge ng them the signal of danger. Ashe did so he foun himself face to face with six Indians approaching along the «imor9” path, who bad in custo female captives. Zulima Owens and Kitty The man started s'igbtly at sight of them, but re- covering his composure with remarkable presence of- mind, he said: “Tio, my brothers! J greet you with joy!” ane! An exclamation of surrrise burst from the red-— skins’ lips. and their hands mechanically sought their girdles, ’ “Who you, pale-face?” one of them asked. “Tam the Hermit of the Hills,” replied the man; “the friend of the Sioux. I carry no gun—no knife —no tomahawk. My home is in the hills—in the valleys— everywhere.” “What that?” asked the Indian, pointing to the long object under the hermit’s arm. “That is my folding eae tepee.” replied the man, edging around between the Indians and the edge of the precipice, close to the captives; ‘* when night comes and the stars weep—wLen the rain falls, this is my roof—my shelter—my t pee. See, it opens that way,” and be opened the obj: ct as one opens an umbrella, “and then I stick this end into the groan, or a crevice in the rock, and lo! I have a shelter.”’ Z The Indians regarded the contrivance with fear and suspici n. It was on the principle of a huge umbrella, with & long, stout handle of light. tough wood, It was covered with canvas and strongly braced and guyed — with ropes and cords reaching from the ends of the steel ribs to the lower end of the handle A sort of stirrup was attached to the bottom of the steff, and a hand-hold up toward the top. Altogether it was, gals.. thetwo —
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te the Indians, and the captives, too, in fact, an odd and singular contrivance for a portable hand-tent, as it were. One of the Indians a it curiously for sev- eral moments after the hermit had explained its ad- vantages, then locking the operator square in the eyes, he said: ‘“Waughi me believe you bad man—lie—Skylark Sam!"’ “ The deuce you do!” quickly replied the unsaint- ly hermit; then, as he puinted down the valley, he asked: ‘* Who.re them fellers coming there?” Hivery eye was instantly turned down the valley except those of the hermit, who, taking advantage of the diversion, touched Kitty Lane on the arm in a significant manner. But his movement did not escape the eye of one of the savages, who grasped his tomahawk and started toward the hermit. But, quick as a thought almost, the latter threw his left arm about the slender form of Kitty, and with his feet in the stirrup of bis /epee (?) he staggered back- ward and leap:d over the edge of the cliff and shot downward with a rush into the black depths a | thousand feet below! A wild scream of terror from Kitty's lips went | orge, and was | echoed and re-echoed in piercing shrieks among the | trailing down, down into the black rocks, With a cry Zulima rushed toward the edge of the | aig a at there by the irresistible fascina- | ion of terror—and but for the quick movement of a savage ia arresting her, would have thfown herself over the ledge. Tn fear and excitement the Indians now hurried their remaining captive away, believing that the hermit and the girl had been crushed into lifeless pulp below. But, in this never had red-skins been worse de- ceived, for the hermit, true enough, was the re- doubtable Skylark Sam in disguise, but whose voice heard a few evenings previous, when he descended from the balloon on the plain, came so near expos- ing him; and the “umbrella” he used was his own ingenious invention, an a ican on in buoyant power over the old-fashioned purachule of the aero- naut, ek himself light, the old detective had selected the lightest of the two captives to take with him in his fearfulleap. But he had made hundreds of such leaps and knew exactly the buoyant power of his wonderful parachute, and with the maiden in his arms he descended rapidly, yet safely, into the pass, landing among some low bushes that broke tae force of the descent, Kitty was almost helpless, paralyzed with terror, when they reached the ground, but extricating him- self from the “harness” of his collapsed machine, the daring old scout said, as he tore the wig of bris- tling beard from bis face: * Gal, brace up—don't faint—you’re safe—I’m old Skylark Sam, the detective, an’ winged bird o’ Par- adise, Cheer up, gal, here comes a hul! band o’ rangers—listen! hear their horses’ hoofs? By the mother o’ Adam! it’s Dare Devil Dick and hig ca aap ; * Oh, sir!’’ Kitty exclaimed, looking around herin a sort of a bewilderment, ‘are you sure they are not Indians?” st oo for yourself, my little lady,” said the old scout. Kitty turned her eyes and saw the horsemen ap- proaching but a few rods away. Foremost among them she saw Dare Devil Dick and Colonel Owens; and then her father rcde into sight, and wi'h a cry of joy she sprung to her feet and ran eagerly to meet him. Bitter indeed was the disappointment of Colonel bb when he learned that his child was still a captive. etd Sam gave aw account of his movements which prove! entirely satisfactory to the party, and when the old feilow had narrated his adventure as the Silent Horseman in rescuing Inez, he was ap- plauded with ringing shouts, ‘Where is she now. Sam ?”’ asked Dare Devil Dick. “Tucked away down among the hills whar Ingin or outlaw wvn't find her. [left her behind in |.opes that b ngeria round I might rescue the other two gals; but I could only git one o’ them.” “You did nobly, Skylark,” said Colonel Owens; “we saw you l-ap from that cliff, and Dick said it was Skylark Sam and bis umbrella, but I could sarcely believe that such a thing were possible. jut say, Sam, have you seen anything of Dumb Hercules?” $ ’ “Nothin’, colonel,” replied the old scout; ‘but T see’d thirty or forty Ingins go into ‘ambush up the pass to walt our coming. * Ay! we have been expecting such dangers all along,” said Dick, ‘ but will be able now to thwart the designs ef the red devils.” Kitty told the story of her and her friend's cap- ture in attempting to escape to the Cave of Refuge. But she did ot learn the savages’ object in sendin them on foot through the Lills in the way they did, “ ee conversation was altogether in t e Sioux ialect. The red-skins, she said, hal known of their being pursued from the start, and while the outlaws were with them she overheard enougu among the white villains to satisfy her that the rangers were to be surprised somewhere in the mountains. She said that Black Diablo had expressed bimself in the bit- terest and most revengeful language against Dumb | Hercules. pee 3 d by Black lumb Hercu'es was captured by Blac Diablo, there will be little hope of his ‘a poles Owens, e dians’ hands,” declared Old Skylark Sam; ever escaping | “but I say, boys, if them Ingins don’t go back to th ; main party in the pass that’s got the other girl two or three o’us well armed might foller up and reduce the Si-ox pop.lation ‘bout s' captive,” _““Lam ready to go, for one,’’ declared the impa- tient, disconsolate father, Colonel Owens. “Colonel,” said Dare Devil Dick, ‘let me send two of my men with Skylark Sam, in your stead They are younger, and born Indian-trailers and fighters.” “Very well, Dick; you are doubtless right, May God speed them!” The tree at once departed on their dangerous mission, and then the others with Kitty fell hack down the pa s, dismounted and took up a position for the warm reception of the savages should they make an advance. Half an hour later an Indian scout was seen skulk- ing cn the cliff high above them. Dare Devil Dick turned to one of his followers and said: . “Sure Shot, can’t you try your skill on that fel- ow?"’ Taking up his Winchester, the ranger, who was noted for his accuracy in measuring distanc s with the eve, made a careful calculation of the interven- ing space, then adjusting his sights. he rested his gun on a rock, and taking a careful aim, fired, His friends watched the shot in breathless sus- pense, and, 10 their wonder, they saw the savage straighten up, run down the hillside a few stens, af up his hands and plunge headlong down the bluff. *‘ A fine shot, my boy,” complimented the colonel; ‘a wonderful shot, sir.” Y From that time on not another red-skin was seen durmg that day, and it was evident that the am- bushed warriors, having no desire to meet the ran- gers in a fair field, had retired. It was nearly sunset when Skylark Sam and the two rangers returned with the bitter intelligence that the six savages with Zulima had reached the village of Sitting Bull. With this news all hope died in the breast of Colo- nel Owens. “Don’t give up, Colonel Owens," said Skylark Sam, ‘I’ve never yit met with a case that I could not work all right some way or other: and I already have my pla s fixed for the rescue o’ your darter, and |\Jl bet any man achaw tobakker, or a deed on a patch o’ blue sky, that I win.” CHAPTER XIV. DUMB HERCULES IN THE BYAR PIT. But a shert distance from the village of Sitting Bull, in a cavern in the mountain-side, was the re- treat uf Black Diablo, the Spanish outlawchief, who for the past few years had terrorized the mining dis- tricts ob iit Black Hills, and the stage companies and settlers of west:rn Dakota and northern Ne- braska. His band had been permitted to grow and flourish under the very shadow of the military posts, and so well had they been organized and so perfect was their system, and numerous their spies, that whenever any move was made against them by the troops, they dispersed among the mountains and thereby eluded capture. The worst enemies, or ra‘ her those that had inflicted the worst punishment on the outlaws, were the rangers. and Dumb Hercu- les; and the latter, when he found himself a prison- er in the outlaws’ power, expected nothing at their hands but death. . At the heels of the outlaws’ horses the prisoner was hurried away, and about n ghtfall they reached Black Diablo’s stronghold, where he was placed un- der‘a strong guard. Then Black Diablo dispatched a messenger to the Indian village, a mile away, inviting the chiefgSit- ting Bull, and allhis friends to come over into the valley and see Dumb Hercules, the Silent Slayer, put to the torture in the Bear Pit, as the place for execution of captives was called. The outlaw chief and those of his menwho had lived to return from the d sastrous campaicn against Colonel O «ens’s train, regaled themselves on liquor and such food as the ranch afforded. After these came pipes and a general recapitulation of the events of the past few days. Black Diablo was in no amiable mood. . “T would not feel so blue and discusted,” the out- law léader finally said, ‘‘ had we succeeded in sav- ing our three captive girls. But with all our cost of life we return with just one female captive and Old Silent Tongue. And what is worse the girlis in the Indian village.end Standing Bear will undoubtedly claim her while we will be left with Dumb Herculcs to amuse us a few minut«s and then all will be over. Still there will be some consolation to me if the In- dians succeed in OETA PIS Dare Devil Dick. (@- rambo! that Cheyenne trip was a cursed failu., everything considered!” : ‘How did it come about, captain?” asked an out- law who had remained at home to guard the place. ‘Well, you see we depended on our girl spy who Was with Owens’s train,” replied the outlaw chiet; we sent cur scout to meet her near Redwoo Grove, and his body was found afterward pierced through with an arrow—the work of Dumb Hercules, curse him! But notwithstanding this failure, Stard- ing Bear attacked the train and got badly whipped. The immigrants had a cannon with which they mowed the red warriors. Then we put up a job to spike the cannon. Karl Frone was sent into the camp to personate Skylark Sam whom we ert dpe was up the Belle Fourche, He was to spike the can- non and fire a pisto asa signal for the attack. We waited some three hours. avd then hearing a pistol and rescue the . fir d made a night attack and. by heavens! that even in more danger than if he were | cannon went off again. Karl Frone's work bad been a failure, and I guess Karl was killed, for he has not \ Hercules, the Dumb Destroyer. ~~ 11 Pi icy been heard of since. So was Mark Tablty, and what... oo oa girl will do now, I can’t say. But that man y much, at least, as any that we have bad to contend with, and if he gets the right kind of backing we may look out for trouble. lly, boys, that fellow was the sole cause of my quitting Western Texas, and while I have no fears in particular of him, now, I am thinking the climate in Montana will be more healthy for us. They say the stage business and old mining are having’ a run there with no one oe and collecting a cent of toll. But, boys, night is approaching and we wiil want a score or two pine torches prepared for the entertainment,” Darkness finally gathered in the valley. Standing Bear and fully a hundred of his friends came over from the village. attend. A huge bonfire up the narrow defile marked the location of what had been termed the Bear Pit, Dumb Hercules was finally brought from the cav- ark Sam, is a man to be feared more, or as.’ Sitting Bull declined to ». ern and conducted by outlaws bearing torches up the - pass. Coming to where a high stone wall built with me- chanical skill across the d. file disputed their pas- sage they turned to tbe rig) t ard clambered up an acclivity on the broad and level summit of which burned the bonfire, Here they stopped. Dumb Hercules glanced around him, Twenty feet above the first wall he saw another built across the pass which, with the two sides of the canyon incloseda . Space of about twenty hy thirty feet. The lowest wall was all of fifteen in hight, while the one o: po- site cf where he stood rose to the hight of overa hundred feet. At the bottom of the latter 1 e could see the mouth of a cavern that rau_back into the » bluff, and from the darkness of this hdle he behelda pair of glowing eyes, set in a dark hairy face, glar- ing outat the ga hering throng. The Silent Scout, also, discovered, lying in the bottom of the stone- walled pen, that which caused a shudder 10 pass through his frame. It was a human skeleton. “In that pit, Sir Hercules,” said Black Diablo pointing down into the pen, ‘ bi will have a grand opportunity to display your firhting qualities and splendid strength. Those whose skeletons you see over yonder and down heré failed to save their lives . and secure their libercy, Lut you have advanta they bad not in your great phoaieal powers " nis Dumb Hercules in his affliction could make no - reply to these brutal remarks in which were, as a. blind, couched terms of mercy. But the giant knew there was to mercy in the heart of Black Diablo. He knew that the Spaniard’s love of the ‘ bull- fight’ was inherent, and that even in his outlawry he was indulging himeelf and friends in his national sport there in that mountain defile, though in a far more brutal and savage way than was the wont of the Spanish code. Ry meoens of ropes the giant scout was lowered into the pit ata pains where an angle of rocks con- cealed the mouth of the cave from view. A nimble enagin outlaw then slipped down another rope, cut wie x” he cords of the prisoner, when Dumb Hercules . again stood free of bonds. “Now, Sir Hercules,” again exclaimed the outlaw chief, ‘stand on your guard, Your reputation as a fighter is in the balance. Pascal"—addressing a friend—* throw a brand over there into the mouth of the caveand stir up them loutish animals.” A firebrand was tossed into the mouth of the cave. Instantly two huge brown bears—a male and a . female—followed by two half-grown cubs. emerged from their retreat, stopped and fooked around them and then u though dazzled by the glare of the torches. at the jostling throng on the walls as . Dumb Hercules glauced at the animals with a . look of indifference, then he ran his « yes around the pit as if mentally calculating bis chances. But the hastly skeletons and the strong, grim walls as seen n the garish, flickering light of the torches banished all hope from his breast; still Le allowed no look or movement to betray his inward feelings. The outlaws and red-skins crowded ard jostled each other on the walls—eagerly, ar xiously—their eyes glaring like wild beasts and their faces wearing - the look of demoniac curiosity. Still Dumb Hercules stood motionless. The bears . seemed loth to begin the attack, ‘Prod up them bears, Kirk,” Plack Diablo finally said; “they seem /tupid and sluggish.” The ontlaw addr ssed fixed an arrow to a bow brought there for the purpose, and sent the sharp weapon into the female bear’s haunches, With a fierce howl of pain the bear omy self around and snapped at the rankling barb, then doubled her- - with a furious growl she lunged across the pit at . the Silent Scout. CHAPTER XV. THE ote Cle reat FEAT, A YELL now rose from Indian and outlaw a The hills and genres took up the sound and, vont echoing and rebounding through the night. Dumb Hercules placed himself on the defense as . the bear advanced, and when near enou her a furious kick in the side that alcsoad aoe her up; but in a moment the beast had recovered from the blow, and with a growl of anger rose upon her haunches. Scarcely had she done so, however, ere the Silent Scout dealt bera blow on the head with his great fist that sent her rolling over on earth. ~~ A shout of applause burst fro ft sehen m the lips of the The big bear came to the assistance of his mate. Dumb Hercules sprung back to elude. him. The now fully enraged feet and charged upon ber foe, only to receive an- other blow that knocked her over. When she arose A hae the female scrambled to her Ny en
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i i X d 4 a f ” in blood was streaming from her mouth and one of her eyeballs hung from the socket. The two cubs had fled to the cave in alarm. The male finally came up with the nimble-footed nt, when he, too, received a blow that brought im half down; but rising again with a bear struek the giant with his paw on the breast stripping the clothes from his body to the waist and bringing the great may to his knees, a The excitement of the spectators now became wild and frenzied. It seemed the contest in the pit was approaching a crisis. The outlaws and savages crowded forward eager for a better view. A score or more of them were already hanging on the very edge of the pit. ising quigkly to his fect, Dumb Hercules dealt the bear another fu ious blow with his mighty fist | that staggered them both. At this juncture the female, with bloody froth streaming from her mouth, rushed in between the combatants and at- tempted to seize the scout, but eluding ber grasp the giant gave her another kick that for several mo- ments deprived her of breath. This round of the combatants was hailed with a ringing shout of applause from above, but at the same instant almost a wild shriek rung out on the edge of the pit, and a young Indian was seen to fall | into the bear-pen. He had lost his balance—being crowded so hard by those behind—-and fell. But he was little hurt, and springing to his feet, somewhat confused, he darted across the pen. He ran be- tween Hercules and the bears, and with a fierce growl the beasts turned upon him, This gave Hercules a momentary breathing-spell, He stood back against the wall, his eye following the Indian and the bears. Wild indeed now was the excitement above, The tone of the spectators had changed, The Indian was a young warrior, active and grace- ful as a panther. He darted here and there—half? erouching as if for a spring—looking first at_the bears in terror—then at his frien@s above with an appealing glance. Cornered at last by the beasts the agile warrior made a desperate leap and shot slear over them, The outlaws on the wal cheered this feat, but their shout was followed by a low, half-indignant | exclamation from the lips of the Indians. **Shoot bears! shoot bears!’’ suddenly exclaimed a warrior. when he saw that the life of his friend was in deadly peril. ‘*No! no!’ thundered Dlack Diablo; ‘ drop down | the end of a rope! drop down a rope! eaping ; Deer can climb it!” / Quickly a rope was lowered into the pit. The In- | dian, hotly pursued by the bears, darted across the arena and seized it; but before he could begin the ascent the female bear seized him in a deadly hug, and her dripping fangs went tearing into the flesh and muscles of his bare shoulders, A wild, agonized ery escaped the unfortunate war- rior’s lips, his head fe'l back, and his eyes seemed ready to burst from their sockets, Dumb Hercules had watched the contest between the bears and Leaping Deer closely, and the moment he saw the Indian seized he seemed to forget that he was his enemy, that his own life was in the balance, and epringing torward, he dealt the bear a blow on the side of the head that sounded like the crack of a pistol, Instantly the bear released its hold on the savage, her awe fell apart, and blood gushed from her mouth, Her jaws had been broken by the lick, and in agony the beast rolled on the ground, clawing at her head and striking frantically at space. Released from the mad brute’s clutches by the timely aid of the scout, Leaping Deer was quickly drawn from the Bear Pit, his body bathed in blood, A shout of j>y burst from his friends’ lips when he had been safely landed on the wall, and as the crowd made way for him to pass out, the young warrior turned and glanced back into the pit at Dumb Hereules with a lock of anxiety and pity on his savage, pain-distorted face. Then he walked away, passed down the bank into the defile and dis- appeared into the darkness. nraged by the smell of blood, the male bear again turned upon Dumb Hercules. For some time the t silent yet active man eluded him by dodging rom side to side. The mob on the walls hooted and jeered, and ever and anon Black Diablo flung some brutal jest at the mao who was figiiting tor his life. But Hercules ap- ge to bearthem not. He kept his eyes upon the —his thoughts upon bis dangers, Suddenly an arrow was shot from above into the rump of the bear. With a fierce snort and snarl it whirled and with its teeth witbdrew the painful barb then c’ ergot the scout with renewed fury. The next moment they had gray:pled and a desperate struggle ensued, They fell to the earth and rolled over and over, but by some means or other Hercules tore hims-lf from the grasp of pie brute and regained his feet. His breast, now entirely stripped of clothing” tothe waist, was covered with blood. Blood was trickling from his beard. His breath was eoming uick. His great breast throbbed. An unearthly , ight blazed in his eyes. The muscles of his power- arms and chest stood out in great knots. | Black Diablo and his men clapped their hands and | shouted. Again the bear charged upon the giant, and rear- ing upon its haunches struck the man with its paw. Hercules staggered under the blow, but covering himself he seemed tc summon er of his great frame into a last single effort. and struck the bear On the side of the neck, knocking it over and half-stunning it. The spectators yelled like elated demons. Dumb Hercules leaned against the lower cross. ‘ row] the uickly re- | 1 the pow- / Hercules, the Dump Destroyer. wall asif for support. He lifted his eyes and ran them along the line of excited wretches on the wall until they rested upon the face of Black Diablo. aa of the two mec, and for'a moment seemed red. Then the outlaw burst into a hoarse, defiant devil- ish laugh. With his eyes still upon the villain, Dumb Her- cules’s face began to twitch, he lifted his hand and pointed his finger at the villain—his lips parted as if tospeak. All the desperate passion of the human heart seemed rising within his breast seeking ex- pres ion in words. “Ha! hal’ Jaughed Black Diablo, “if you could | only speak, you’d say something strong, wouldn’t | you, Paul Raymond?” Dumb Hercules started and clutched at his throat, Those who had known him as being speechless, start- ed with surprise when they heard a groan escape his lips, and then recoiled with terror when from his lips there burst in tones of thunder—scathing and withering as the lightning’s blast, the words: “ Curses upon you! curses upon you!” The burst of a thunderbolt would not have startled those outlaws and savages more violently. In the moments of his awful agony God had given the despe:ate, persecuted man the power of speech to cursa his tormentors, as He had given back to Samson of old his strength to dest-oy his enemies, And scarcely had the words fallen from his lips, when, bracing his shoulder against the wall, his face grew aimost black; his frame heaved as if in the agonies of a terrible death; the wall of rock began to sway; there was heard a sound as if of eeinuine stones—then, witb a thunderous crash, the wal! fe outward, and Dumb Hercules, with a triumphant laugh, bounded out over the stones and away into the darkness of the defile. CHAPTER XVI. INDIAN GRATITUDE. As the Silent Scout cashed away over the fren wall his enemies fora moment stood dumb, silent, amazed. The infuriated bear scrambled over the stones in / pursuit of its giant foe. The torches on th : wa}l began to move; pistols be- gan to ring out as random shots were fired down the pass; yells and shouts rose on the night as bear, out- aws and savages went trailing off down the defile in one mad chase. Twenty wavering, flickering, sputtering torches were strung out along the pass, casting weird and Titan shadows on the side of the bluffs, and lighting up the faces of the pursuers with a ghastly glare. Dumb Hercules made good use of his liberty, and like a deer sped down the dark defile. The bear being no respecter of persons, and being closely pressel from behind by an Indian warrior, turned suddenly and seized the savage. A fierce struggle ensued, and the others coming up stopped, not knowing but that the giant had been overtaken. It was several moments before they had discovered the chase. But ‘his diversion had enabled the fugitive to By several rods of space between him and the foe, He soon posses by the outlaws’ den, and as he did so he imagined he saw a lithe form glide ont from the mouth of the cavern into the pass ahead of him. The way was exceedingly dark, and as he advanced it een darker as the defile grew narrower, so that he ad to slacken his footsteps and move wi'h more caution—fe°l his way, a3 it were, and that, too, with the belief that an enemy wasin abead of him. ; Suddenly he became aware that the pursuers were gaining vpon him, The light of the foremost torch faintl¥ pierced the gloom around him. He could see the dim outlines of his own shadow glidin before him, and finally he discovered that_he was right in that there was some o e ahead. He could see the outlines of the form about a rod away, and as the light nehind came closer, he saw it was the fr rm of an Indian. He was not a little puzzled by this move- ment of the savage, but satisfied that it meant him no good he stopped short, stooned and picked “ a stone, determined to dispatch the fellow. But be- fore he could raise the missil* the savage turned and running rapidly backward, threw up his hands and hurriedly exclaimed: } ¢ ‘*M» Leaping Deer—me friend of pale-face—Silent Scout hit bear—save Leaping Deer's life.” ‘he light of the torch which was not over three rods behind, fell upon the red-skin’s face, and, true enough, Dumb Hercules saw that it was the face of po oung Indian he had saved from the clutches of e bear. Was that act of mercy already bearing him fruit? Was the warrior—out of the gratitude of his savage | heart—seeking to repay him for saving his life? As these thoughts flashed through the giant’s mind, intuition seemed to answer in the affirm tive and dropping the stone he dashed on with renewe speen and soon was running side by side with the ian, Im silence they ‘proceeded together for several anon the Indian glanced back minutes. Ever an over his shoulder, and finally he announced; “* We gain on ligh —turn here—quick!” He took the giant’s arm and gently turned bim in- to a narrow defile on the right where the darkness seemed familar to Leap- ing Deer, and taking te yeu by the hand be led man, back into the dark was intense; but the way him, as a child leads a blin sag ig = of the hills. e soon they were beyond sound of their excited voices. Then Leaping Deer stopred and again said: ‘* Pale-face save Leaping Deer’s life—Black Diablo no shoot bears—Ict Leaping Deer die first—pale-face their mistake and cispatched the bear, and = saw the lights of the pursuers ro more, and kiN heap many Sioux—he brave warrior—Leaping Deer no eoward—he kill many pale-faces—but he friend of Silent Scout—Silent Scout save his life— Black Diablo want kill scout— Leaping Deer no like Black Diablo—he no shot bear to save Leaping Deer’s life—Leaping Deer save Silent Scout—take him to hidin’-place—bring him gun—knife—meat— let him go to friends.” Having thus again expronsed himself the Indian moved on, followed by Dumb Hercules, who made no response. They threaded the dark and windin, defile for an hour, then clamtered over a rcugh an rugged ridge and descended into another defile be- ond. The Silent Scout placed implicit confidence in his red guide. He asked no questions, bit patiently followed on. It seemed to him they would never reach the objective place of safety, but feeling sat- isfied that the Indian meant to make no mistake in his work of gratitude he allowed him to have his way without protest. Finally they turned to the right and entered a nar- row rift in tbe bl. ffs where the darkness was so in- tense that the Indian was agalp compelled to lead the scout. Inthis way they had proceeded several rods when the gui e turned towerd the bluff on the right where grew a fringe of shrubbery. Ontheir hands and knees they crawled through the thicket, and had n¢arly reached the base of the almost perpendicular bluff, whena voice suddenly exclaimed: “ Halt there!” The two stopped and held their breath in silence. ** Who comes there?’ was again demanded. Hercules recognized the voice, and in a low, measured tone—in that voice given him as though born of agony/in the Bear Pit, he re plied: ‘“‘T am Dumb Hercules,” The Indian himself started violently at the sound of tiie man’s voice, for he had not heard bim speak at the Bear Pit. “ Liar!’ was the response that came from the lips of the challenger, ‘‘ Dumb Hercules cannot speak. You are an out aw,’’ and the last word was accom- panied by the click of a revolver. , CHAPTER XVII. THE MEETING IN THE GLEN, “Horn on’ there, Skylark Sam,” said Dumb Her- cules, as theclick of the revolvers greeted his ears, ‘Tam Dumb Hercules, though no longer speechless and will prove ir to you.” “Then advance, and be awful sure you're not tryin’ to deceive as old arat rs Skylark Sam,” was the response of the Border Detective, for he the challenger was, “T have afriend with me, 8em—an Indian friend, whose safety I also be peak,” replied the scout. * Well, both o’ vou waltz this way and remember I’vea pair of revolvers ready for you.” The giant and the Indian rose to their feet and aranree out into the open space where the detective stood, * By the River Jerdan!” exclaimed Old Skylark, ‘‘you are big enough for Hi reules, I'll swear; but walk on around into the glen and be examined—for- ward, march!” The guard conducted the giant and his friend around the point of the bluff and into a little gien- lie place where, within the glow of a camp-fire were seated a score of men and two females, whom the scout recognized as Dare Devil Dick and his rangers, C \lonel Owens and friends, and Inez Bienville an Kitty Lane. At sight of Hercules and the Indian—their half- nude forms covered with blood and bearing the marks of violence—a cry of surprise and horror burst from the lips of the staxtled party. “My God! it’s Dumb H les,” cried Colonel Owens, starting toward the Sileut Scout. a Yes, what’s left of me,” calmly replied the ont. ‘ ‘*Heayens) he speaks!’ shrieked the colonel, starting back in amazement—as though the giant had risen from the tomb 2 **Oh, my dear, dear uncle!"’ cried Inez, as she ran with extended arms toward the scout, ‘at’ last you have regained your v: ice!” | “Yes my dear girl,” replied the great man, “the voices that ert me in sorr w. and grief came back to me in the passions of agony.” “By goodness!” exclaimed the eclonel, “I never nade of such a thinz before; but, Hercules, you and that Indian look as though you’d been in the clutches of a grizzly. “Worse than that. colonel; I have been in the power of Black Diablo, and he threw me into a den of bears. My red friend here fell into the pit acci- dentally and got hugged and chawed before I could rescue him. To tell you the truth, mY friends, I have passed through a perfect hell of torture since we parted. But I vill tell you of that hereafter.” “Yes, yes,” said the colo’ el, “you n ust have those wounds dressed at once, Here, Skylark, Mes igen to that red-skin, and I'll fix up our big riend.” So saying, the colonel and detective proceeded to their work, and in a few minutes the two wound- ed men were cared for as well as the means at hand would permit. After this was done Old Skylark Sam said: “Now if we only had your gal, colonel, we’d be ready to return to the plains.” ‘She is still in the power of the savages, then?” observed Hercules. Yes, but we have decided upon a plav by which we shall attempt her rescue when the proper time comes. It will be dangerous. but then we are gittin used to dangers, and kind o’ like them,” /
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{ overlooking the lodges of Sitting Bull and his family, and descended noiselessly to the earth. It was Skylark Sam, who with his ingenious para- chute bad gained adini.ctance to the village where the approach of a foe was least expected by the wary savage. Peering around him in the dark, the Border De- tective made sure no savage was near. He could hear female voices in the lodge before him, but could see no one. As he stood by the great rock something fell on the ground at his feet. He knew what it was—the end of a rope lowered from above. Picking it up he arranged the noose on the end and then advanced stealthily toward the lodges, the rope paying out from above as he moved along. Coming to the a of lodges, he stopped and listened. The darkness was quite intense, yet so accustomed had he become through force of habit to working in the darkness—s9 acute was his hear- Presently the Indian turned to Dumb Hercules and said: ** Me go now—good-by.”’ thy scout took his hand and with no little feeling said: “*Good-by, Leaping Deer; may the Great Spirit be your friend. I shallneverforget you. If you see Black Diablo tell him Dumb Hercules lives, and will yet be even with him, But. Leaping Deer, I have another favor to ask of you.” “Leaping Deer good Ingin—Silent Scout save his a anything for Silent Scout,’ replied the In- an “Then promise me you will not tell your friends where we are concealed.” “ Ugh) Leaping ‘Deer no do that—Black Diablo find you then—me no like Black Diablo—he no kill bear—Leaping Veer’s tongue silent—but pale-face must not'stay here Jong=Sioux warriors’ eyes sharp d many easy—good-by, pale-face.” **Good-by—-God bless you!”’ replied the scout, as | ing—that he was enabled to see and hear quite dis- he watched the form of.the only w/te Indian he had | tinctly where others would have been blind and deaf, ever met disanpear in the shadows. He heard the squaws in the lodges jabbering away “I tell you,” said Colonel Owens, ‘‘ we may regret | in wild excitement to each other, while the din of allowing that Indian to leave. He can bring | battle raged furiously down the valley. Gliding to the rear’of the lodge into which he had seep Zulima taken that day, Skylark cut a slit in the side, and placing his mouth to the aperture, called out in a Joud whisper: **Zulima!’ There was no answer, but he heard a movement in the lodge. ‘*Zulima Owens!’’ he repeated. “Who speaks my name?” came a low, sad voice from withia, “Me, Zulima—Skylark Sam—don’t scream—are you bound?” a “No; but this lodge is fastened all around. **Then you're alone?” oe Yes.”’ ‘‘Come this way,” said the Border Detective, cut- ting the slit in the prison-lodge larger. The next moment Zulima stepped out into the night, where the wild din of Lattle came to her ears more distinctly. “Be quict and nervy now, Zulima, and you will be rescued,” said the detective, placing the noose around her body; *‘ friends are on the top of that cliff and they’l) draw you up with this rope. Don’t scream when you go swingin’ up into the air, or all will be lost. Do you understand, little one?” ‘© Ycg, sir,” she faintly replied. Old Skylark gave the rope a jerk. Instantly it was drawn taut by those on the cliff. Taking Zuli- ma by the arm, the two walked rapidly to the foot of the palisades, The next instant the girl felt herself lifted from the whole of Sitting Bull’s band down upon us if he choose. » Treachery, they say, is inherent in a sav- “Tam not afraid of his betraying us,” said Her- cules, ‘True; an Indian is considered treacherous, but at the: same time some of them have honor, The way that: Indian and I became frieods was un- der peculiar circumstances, and now that I have time and speech 1'll tell you of ny adventures after parting with you,” and then the sc.ut went on and narrated the story of his eapture by Black Diablo, ‘his struggle in the Bear Pit, the sudden recovery of his voice, his escape and meeting with Leaping Deer, who had conducted him to that place. ‘*A narrow escape,’ said Skylark Sam; ‘‘ and we ne have a bit more fightin’ afore we git out o’ this region: “but boys, the time is approachin’ for us t > move toward the agin village, if we attempt Miss Zulima’s rescue to-night.” ‘“What are your plavs, Sam?’’ asked Hercules. ** Well, in the fu’st place, I made a reconnoissance of the Yngin willege: and carefully noted its sur- roundings. It is situated in an aeons park or val- ley, and surrounded by towering bluffs. It can be approached from north or south on _hoss-back through narrow valleys. In the west side, within thirty or forty feet of a pespene cans wall of rock, perhaps fifty feet high, and runnin’ half the length of the valley, is situated the lodge of Sitting Bull. Hard by, but a little nearer to the rocky palisades, are the lodges of his squaws and danghter, the prin- cess, Lau, ing Eyes. And near these again is the Prison-lodee, nto which we saw Zulima led as a cap- ive. Now we propose to make an attack on the upper end of the v e where the red-skins’ ponies are kept at: grass, and stampede them, if possible. and while'the attention of the savages is drawn off in that direction, I. propose’ to leap from the top of that cliff in parachute near the chief's lodge, and then if Iican liberate Zulima and get her to the foot of the cliff without too much risk, I'll do. go. A rope with ‘a noose is to be lowered by two strong men, the noose placed around the gai’s waist and she drawn up: into eri If I can’t: git her, | will git Sitting, Bull himself, if I can, orthe princess, Laugh- in’ Eyes, and clap the noose around him or her and have him or her drawn up into captivity aud held in hostage for the safe deliverance of »Zulima. Of her feet. “Tell the boys I'll send up the princess, if I can catch her,” whispered the detective, as Zulima swung clear of the ground, | The next moment Skylark Sam stood alone, listen- ing in breathless suspense, Two minutes went by, and the rope fell at his feet again. So far success had crowned his éfforts, and Zulima was rescued; and so quickly and yd had it all been done that, instead of ascending ‘himself, as had been previously arranged, he picked up’ the rope and again advanced toward the lodges. As he approached them he saw a figure come out of one and go into another—that from which Zulima had just been taken. ‘+ Hal’ exclaimed the daring man to himself; course, we've got to have ‘the rope long enough so | ‘that is my bird now, the princess Laughing-Kyes! that if I fail in potting Zulima, I can Carry. f out He ‘glided quickly to the door of the lodge, an from the foot of the wall and lasso the chief or his | there poppe and opened wide the noose on the , while those on the cliff still hold to t’other end. | rope’and held it up. e ein a ng six strong lariats, aggregatin’ moment later the princess came hurrying from nighl two hundred feet, tied together for | the lodye and ran plump against the detective. thiworie ; io< ype cenent In on instant aoe slender, form was encircled’ by ih A can’t get-Zulima,”’ said Dumb Hercules, | the noose, when a scream that would have done m means get the princess, for she will be more | crédit to a panther escaped her lips. to the chief than all the rest.” “That's the way we figgered it, Herc,” replied Sam: ** But how.are you to get out?” ‘asked the t. “Tf I can get Laima away and up tne palitadés withcut being seen, the rope’ll be lowered for me. i I’m detected on the'jump 1° have ‘to run for it and take my chances. If I get the chief or the gal, Fi deliberately buck right up to the savages and give them to understand that I’m there for business—to man titic an exchange 0’ prisoners,” + _ “Tt will be a desperate undertaking,” said Her- Instantly the rope was drawn taut, and lifting the girl in his arms Skylark ran with her to the foot of the palisade and the next instant she was rising upward along the face of the cliff, while scream after scream issued from her lips. Coolly Skylark ‘Sam ‘turned and walked to the lodge of Sitting Bull and sat down by the entrance. he cries of the princess soon became hushed. His friends had performed their part speedily and skilfully. The sound of the battle was receding in the dis- tance. Soon he would have a nest of hornets down and about him. The cries of the princess were repeated by others of the royal fam Vy in prolonged and lusty tones that brought the chief himself bpehies | to the fam- y lodges, to learn of the mysterious disappearance of Lavghing Eyes and the captive gtri. Not one of his family had the remotest idea of how the maidens had been spirited Arey: “TI can tell you where your darter is, Sitting Bull,” said Old Sam, emerging from the shadow of a lodge and confronting the chief. With acry the great chief started at the boldness of the intruder. , ‘What pale-face dares enter the village of Sitting yen aay ia asked is a peremptory tone. ‘Skylark Sam,”’ was the response. ; ; ‘He shall die like the snediang wolf,” declared the chief. “Qo slow now, Sittin’ Bull: understand thatif you es. “Yes, I know, Herc, but then we are desperate men,’’ replied Sam. CHAPTER XVIII. DESPERATE WORK. Ir was past midnight. The moon had gone down and Jarkness and silence reigned throughout the ry 4 The Indian village lay wrapped in slumber. The evening camp-fires had! long since died out. , But suddenly, in the midst of the solemn hush of the voiceless night; the report of a en rung out, awakening the slumbering echoes, and startling the savages from their sleep. This report was immedi- ately followed by a savage yell, then came crashing velleys of firearms, mingled ‘with the: shouts of an attacking foe. In aos the'whole Mndian village was aroused. back amazed a confusion reigned, and seizing their | kill me, your daughver will be forever lost to-you!” ns the _warri urrying..aAwa, eK, wlibre id the’pale face come from?” ithe ditectign 0 eae ® Y | 2 seroma clouds, nd. up Pee tee “a has your daughter and the iaetia ve * And wh “the sky-traveler stay here?” oR tale With pou cto ll you that ‘no’ shall Hercules, the Dumb Destroyer. ° | | ace . . = 7 : ie 13 come to your child if you call in your warriors from the hills that are in search of the scalps of the pale: face, and protect me from the violence of your friends and the followers of Black Diablo.” By tuis time a dozen warriors had arrived upon the scene and were crowding around the chief and the white intruder, Sitting Bull waved them back, “Tye pale-face asks much,” the’ chief replied to . the detective. “TI only ask for protection for myself while in your village.” ‘Sitting Bull has but two eyes. He cannot watch all his warriors wbo are mad for scalps of the pale- faces who attacked our village, slew many o our: braves, and then fled.” ‘Chief, let me tell you again, if I die in your Camp, your daughter will die in the camp of my friends, Her life depends upon mine, Call in your warriors. and have them remain here, J will stay in your camp until morning comes, and then you and a few of your warriors can go with me and | Will’ take you to your child, The sky-traveler is no coward or he would not have come here.” The chief became moody and thoughtful, He- loved his child with all the instinct of his savage h art, He could not fully convince himself that she had been spirited away, and s0 set scores of war- rivrs to searching the valley. But an hour's search- Mig rangoved all doubts from his mind. éanwhile the news of the scout’s presence in the: village had spread like wildfire, and hundreds of" warriors had gathered arcund the chief’s lodges, ex-- cited, vindictive and revengeful. It wes all the chief could do to prevent them laying violent han s: on the intruder, and, as if afraid the detective would be tomahawked in the darkness, he conducted him into his tent, There the two sat down and continued. their council, while outside a circle of savages a score: deep surrounded the lodge. Skylark Sam could Be nly hear their shuffling feet,"and the murmur off heir voices like the distant surge of a rising storm, CHAPTER XIX, THE EXCHANGE—A TRUNKLESS HEAD, THROUGH a mountain pass in the early morning: dawn a little cavalcade was moving at a brisk walk, At the head of this party rode Dare Devil Dick, the: ae Ranger, ‘tor it was his band, accompanied by Colonel Owens and John Lane, Inez, Zulima and Kitty, and Dumb Hercules, still refusing to ride,. with the princess Laughing Hyes a captive, tha’ oa making its way castward through the great 8. The party had begun their retreat from. the hills: in the night, and when the sun rose they were many miles from ‘the little glen where we last saw: them. ; Old Skylark Sam had not returned, nor was hé ex- pees for a day or two, should he succeed in earry- ng out his plans, which had already resulted in Zu- lima’s rescue and Leo Hyes’s capture, but: should he fail in the part yet to be accomplishia—to- hold in check the hordes of Sitting Bull until all! were safely out of the bills—it would be at the cost. of his own life and perbaps that of 48 friends. To effect a safe retreat the princess had bi en cap- tured, and it Was by working upon the chief's raat love for his child by threats of her death, oft lis. warriors were held back, that the shrewd old Border Detective had hoped to gain his point. All the détective's plans were known to big friends,. and, while there would be little to fear should they: work successfully. Dare Devil Dick and Pree cules observed the same precautions, as though lia~ ble to be attacked at any moment. The morning hours, however, wore away and the heard or saw nothing of outlaw or savage t noon they halted for an bour to If lvir bard-’ pressed horses rest and graze, and appease their own hunger. H Then ‘they moved on_until night, when ‘they en- eamped on the Belle Fourche, Guards were sta- tioned at all points and every | Miedo taken to: revent a surprise. But nothing disturbéec the peace Pe the camp that night, and by daylight next morn- ing all were in the saddle and on the move. Laughing Eyes was treated with all the kindness ossible, Zulima was her companion, as she had een Zulima’s. The assurance that she would be re- turned to her friends soon set at rest all her feare,, @nd from her apparent indifference one would have naturally concluded she wés a willing captive. With a feeling of the greatest relief, ‘the part finally debouched into the open plain, and when they halted at nocn the bills and their lurking: shadows and dangers were miles behind. About the middle of the afternoon of that day, a arty of horsemen was discovered coming in the dig- ance bebind them. : “That's Skylark Sam and the chief, I'll veritureto — aszert.”’ said Colonel Owens, ato . Mette diane thet drei re ‘itd Sfter'a few mo- métits’ Council ‘Sitting Bull anda wattior dlemoun ed, oid, with Skylark bl au matter dist : + at ae
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f ‘ ’ Hercules, the Dumb Destroyer. vanced to meet the two whites, leaving his band the curse that had made life so uncertain in our old behind on their pouies, ready for instant action. ‘*Good evenin’, boys,’’ said the redoubtable Sky- | lived there in seclusion. lark Sam, as the three came up; “ glad to ses ye— Colonel Owens and Dare Devil Dick, this gentleman is the great Sioux chief, Sitting Bull.” ‘rhe colonel and the ranger received the chief kindly, when they at once entered into conversation about the exchange of prisouers, as Skylark Sam had proposed in the chief's own lodge. es, friends,’ said the detective, with a bland, unctuous smile, ‘‘l made the proposition to ex- change Laughing Eyes for myself. I know it war an unheard of proceedin'—a prisoner negotiatin’ his own exchange, but I felt sure you’d be willin’.” “ Oh, certainly, certainly,” reptied Colonel Owens, unable to repress a smile; * Dick, will you goupand ~escort the princess down here ?”’ “ Yes, sir,’’ and Dick departed. In a. few minutes the little princess, with a happy. ‘smiling face, came bounding across the prairie and was received by her father in eminent joy. Skylark Sam now dismounted and the princess was assisted to the bick of the pony, and after the exchange of a few more words the chief turned to- ward his friends, and the three whites hastened to the chaparral, where Old Sam was received with ringing shouts. ‘Well, Sam, your plans worked well,’”’ said Dumb Hercules, after the excitement of the old detective’s reception had subsided. “Like a charm Herc; I couldn’t ’a’ asked any- ‘thing better. I found the old chief a little gruff and »eaustic-like at fu’st, but he soon mellowed down and became as tractable and gullible as a common Ingin, He accepted every proposition Imade him, even though he war in his own stronghold. To be sure I said and told him many things I couldn't swear to, but the end, you see, justified the means. When we started out from the village it was with about fifty warriors, but I insisted on him sending most o’ them back, and back they went.” * But do you think they staid back, Sam?” asked Dick; ‘‘do vou know that there are not fifty or a hun- dred red-skins back a ways wailing only for the ex- change to pounce upon us?” “Tdo not; and. asI war goin’ to say, we don’t “want to take things easy. for while I war workin’ the chief so nicely, he might have been throwin’ dust in my eyes.” . ‘But what of Black Diablo?” “Don’t know, more’n the chief’s a bit wrathy at the outlaw. He says he is responsible for all the late troubles down on the Cheyenne, and thinks heisa bad man. [ think there’il be a rupture there soon, ‘less Diablo gits out into a healthier climate. But, friends. time’s precious, now, solet us improve every moment and be movin’.”’ Inafew minutes the party were in their saddles and onthe move, avd late that night they reached the Hidden Home of Dumb Hercules, where they had left Old Ruth in charge of the wounded rangers! The rangers encamped on the bluff, to guard against surprise, while Hercul>s, Colonel Owens, .John Lane, Skylark Sam, Dars Devil Dick and the three maidens repaired to the secret chambers in the hills to spend the night. Old Ruth and Inez prepared popper for all, and af- “ter the meal had been dispatched, and when seated ‘together in conversation, Colonel Owens turned to Hercules and said: coal pEeeame, Hercules, you will now give up your secluded life and go with us, won’t you?” “No, not yet, colonel,’ replied the giant, some- *thing of the old-time look coming back into his face, “*my work is not quite accomplished yet,” ‘Ay! I have thought all along that the shadow of some dark secret hung over your heart, Hercules,” said Owens, ‘‘ and I am convinced of it, now.” “ Yes, colonel, you're right,”’ said the giant, ‘“‘and I wil) tell you what itis, and then I know you will not blame me for being the deadly avenger that I ‘am. Years ago, Louis Bienville, the father of Inez, and I set out into the great West to make for us a name anda fortune. We were both young men, f ll -of life, hope and joy. We had grown to manhood ‘together. Our tastes, aspirations and views were the same. Our lives seemed cast in the same mold. ‘ We first settled in Southern Colorado, and found employment on the great stock-ranch of Juan El- gasco. Senor Elgasco was a Spaniard—a man of noble birth—a kind-hearted and generous man. He shad two daughters, Inez and Zoe, with whom my friend and I fell in love, and, with the consent of their father, I married Inez, and Louis married Zoe, “At the time, however, Louis knew not that he had a rival inone Tomas Carriza, a biack-hearted ran- chero belonging to another ranch. But soon after ‘the marriage he learned that Carriza’s advances to ‘Zoe had been spurned by both her and her father. The villain sent Senor E pee! a letter in which he swore vengeance upon his entire family, and before he could be arrested he fled to the mountains, gath- ered about him a band of the worst characters that ever cursed God's earth, and from that time until this he has been known as Black Diablo. He began his work of vengeance by stealing Elgasco’s stock and running them off into the Indian country, by burning our range and shooting ourmen. Thisstate of affairs continued for five years, when Eigasco ‘hiinself was shot down one day in cold blood by the outlaw and his men. A few days later another of ‘the tamily was slain, and to Louis and I it looked as though all were doomed to fall by the hand of that who had boldly defied the powers to capture m. “*So after talking the matter over we concluded to ‘take our families and leave the country. We came ‘to Northern Nebraska and located—sta a cattle- home, and we prospered, too.- For eight years we in the meen time two chil- dren had come to bless my home,a boy and girl. Three had been born in Louis’s family, but,two had died—Inez, the eldest, a gir] then of thirteen, bein the only one left. She wasnamed after my wife. called my boy Louis—my little girl Mary, after my mother. And what a manly, fair and noble little fellow Louis was—and, Mary—three years old the on she was killed—”’ ere the great man ‘proke down, and bowing his head gave way to emotions of silent sorrow. Pres- ently he started up and in a firm voice continued: * AsI said we had lived there eight years when one day while I was away, Black Diablo and his band of cut-throats who had at last been driven from out the South, and had got wind of our where- abouts, swept down upon our homes and butchered all our families, except Inez, who, with Ruth, was absent from the house. Louis, being at home at the time, was killed in the midst of his family, But his wife, when I arrived there, was notdead. She lived long enough to tell me that Black Diablo and his band, aided by a score of savages, had done the 4 Tanch. We lived happily with our families free from bloody work, * Friends, when Tt stood by the side of my dead wife and babies my priet was so great that i could not speak—my vocal organs became paralyzed, and, trom thut day until the night 1 stood in the Beur P tan the mount rins—fiice to face wiih ‘he demon Carnza— 1 never utiered one sylluble, and that is why and how I became Dumb Hercules! But 1 registered a vow over my dead wife and children to have revenge on Black Diablo, and although three years and over have assed since the massacre, I have been unable to cill that demon, while many of his followers have fallen at the sound of my bow-string. * Old Ruth and Inez preferred to remain with me, and to make them secure, I conceived the idea of this Hidden Home, upon which I have spent weeks and months of labor—more than was at all neces- sary, but [ had to be doing something. ‘Ard now you know why | cannot leave here yet —B «ck Diablo tives!” **Yes, curse him!” exclaimed Dare Devil Dick, “but I hope—”’ His words were here interrupted by one of the “angers coming hastily into the room and saying: ‘* Hercules, you are wanted on the bluff, ‘Chat In- dian, Leaping Deer, arrived there just now and wants (0 see you.” Wondering what the Indian could possibly want, the giant arose and hurried from the cavern to the “oP of the bluff, followed by his male friends. rue enough, therein the moonlight by the side of his pony stood the young Indian, Leaping Deer, his face wearing a grim, stoical look of triumph. At his feet lay a bundle wrepped in a blanket, “Why, Leaping Deer, I am surprised to see you here,” said Hercules, ‘‘ What does it mean?” ‘*Me show Silent Scout,” replied the Indian, and stooping he caught hold of the edge of the blanket at his feet and jerked it upward, when .a dark, spherical object rolled out upon the ground. “My God!” exclaimed Colonel Owens, “ it’s a hu- man head!” * Yes,” said Hercules, as he gazed into the face staring up into the ss x with glassy eyes, ‘itis the head of Black Diablo!’ ° “Yes—me catch him alone,” said the Indian. with a prin, ‘“me shoot him—cut off heap scalp below chin—whole head—bad man—no kill bear—rather kill Leaping Deer—but that not all why me kill him —ugh!” and the savage spurned the head with his foot, as though a sudden thought had aroused with- in him a new feeling of revenge. ** Well, why did you kill him, Leaping Deer?”’ ask- ed Hercules. j Ingin girl, Singing Bird—Black **Me love prett; Diablo come take her away—make her his sc Peer cke she died—waugh! he kill her!”’ and again he the trunkless head viciously. , But why did you bring the villain’s head here?” “Show Silent Scout, who save Leaping Deer’s life, so he rejoice too—Black Diablo kill Leaping Deer’s Singing Bird—kill Silent Scout’s squaw and pap- 2. ‘*How did you know that, Leaping Deer?’ asked the giant. **Me hear Black Diablo tell Ingins one day—make big talk—then laugh—but me fix him—ugh!’’ and for the third time the head received a kick from the irate young avenger. “Well, really, Leaping Deer, you have saved me from perhaps much danger and work—the work of slaying that demon. You are a brave and noble In- dian, and I wish I could bestow upon you an inheri- tance of efernal happiuvess, but 1 can only wish you well and thank you for your labor in my behalf.’ “Ingin,” put in Skylark Sam, ‘‘ there’s a reward r the head of Black Diablo, hot or cold, and if you want to leave the danged mug with me, I’ll present you with this Winchester rifle and this revolver.” A smile of delight overspread the face of the In- dian, who grasped the zun and pistol, saying: ‘* Me take ’em heap quick!” In spite of themselves, the rangers could not su press an outburst of laughter at the Indian’s laconic reply. Se asked the red-skin to go down to his re- treat and get some food, but the fellow declined and mounting his pony he bid the giant good-by and rode away toward the west. ’ “ Well, my friends,’’ said Hercules, “I think now T shall go on with yee My work is done. Black Diablo is dead, and I now fee! like hearing my own name ageln, Paul Raymond.” : ; ._ “Paul Raymond.’’ repeated Colonel Owens, taking the giant’s hand, ‘‘ Paul Raymond, as your past life ears . and safety. On this subject many regard him as and, indeed, * cranky,’ and perhaps it is errs ae ek has been dark and snd,I hope and pray that the future may be bright and joyous; and remember. it shail ever be my pleasure to contribute to that ” “Thank you, colonel, thank you.” CHAPTER XX. CONCLUSION, A year has passed since the events of the preced-: ing chapter and from the valley of tie Cheyenne e tak: the reader to that of the Niobrara, wherein is located the prosperous colony of Owe. sburg. Without encvuntering further dangers from the Indians and outlaws, the colonists had reached their destination and began life anew in. the great and fer- tile valley. om, Colone! Owens is living in the full enjoyment of an active life, prey every energy—sparing no means or time to accomplish the cherished object of having done something ior mankind and bis ccuntry while living that would be remembered when he was gone. His daughter Zulima—his idol—his all, is the pride and pei of of the colony, and it is ho secret that sre is the affianced wife of Dare Devil Dick, or Richard Clayton, as is his true name; and all are looking anxiously forward to the day when the gallant young ranger shall claim the prize that upon more than one occasion he risked his own life to save. Paul Raymond took up his residence in the colony and is engaged in stock-raising, Inez Bienville being his partner in business. Through Old Skylark Sam, Inez had learned of the death of a rich relative in Spain who had left to her grandfather quite a snug little sum of money; and as her grandfather was dead it so happened that she was the sole heir, and without delay or trouble pro- cured ber inheritance, which she turned over to her uncle, Paul Raymond, forinves ment. Her mother’s friends were all dead so far as she knew, and her father’s relatives were strangers. Yet with her lit- tle fortune she could have gone to them and perhaps lived happily and in luxury and ease. But remem- bering how great was her father’s love for Paul Raymond—theis inseparable friendship, and the kindness of the great-hearted man to her in the days and months and years of her kereavement, when he himsel: was weighed down wich sorrow and affliction, she could not—she would not think of leavinz him; and so with her old servant Ruth staid and kept house for him and shared her fortune with him--doing everything, in fact, in her power to lighten his burden of sorrow. Some might have thought that she had other reasons for remaining at the colony, fora friendship had sprung up between her and handsome Tom Woolson that the more observing and thoughtful could see was gradually ripening into love. but be this as it may, time a one would tell. Skylark Sam visits Owen’s colony quite frequent- ly. Heis sulla Border Detective, and strongly ad- heres to the idea that the balloon will yet be so per- fected that the upper air can be navigated with ease his greatest weakness; but when it comes to work- ing up a case against outlaws and criminalsin which perseverance, shrewdness, tact and courage are re- uired, there are few border detectives the peer of the eccentric Skylark Sam. Little Curley,’’ the girl spy and daughter of the outlaw, Mark Tahlty, was sent by Colonel Owens to an aunt of hersin the East. and the last time he heard from her—and she writes him often—she was leading a quiet, honorable life. ‘3 Dum ercules bequeathed his ‘‘dugout’’ or “‘ Hidden Home” to Dare Devil Dick and his follow- ers, but the rangers never stopped there, for its existence being known to the red-skins made it more of a death-trap than a place of saf ’ THE END. DIME DIALOGUES AND SPEAKERS | FOR SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS AND HOME ENTERTAINMENTS, | Dialogties, Nos: 1 to 82 inclusive, 15 to 2% popu — lar dialogues and dramas in each book. Each vole " ume 100 pages 12mo. : Speakers, Nos. 1 to 24 inclusive. Each speaker ' 100 pages 12mo, containing from 50 to 75 pieces, * ! fra ead SLs YOUNG PEOPLE'S SERIES, Dime Book of Winter Sports. f Dime Book of Summer Athletic Sports, Dime Gents’ Letter Writer. Dime Book of Etiquette. Dime Book of Verses. Dime Kook of Dreams. Dime Fortune Teller, Dime Ladies’ Letter Writer. Dime Lovers’ Casket. Dime Ball-Room Companion. Dime Book of 100 Games. Dime Chess Tustructor. Dime Book of Beauty. (2 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, Brapim anp ApAms, Publishers, 98 William st., N. Y.
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- Published Every Tuesday. BEADLE'S*H ALF- DIME*[_ IBRARY. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents. No Double Numbers, BY PHILIP 5. WARNE. 67 Patent-Leather Joo; or, Old Rattloenake, the Charmen 175 Capwuin Arizona; or, Patent-Leathor Joe's Big Game, 198 Captain Mask; or, Patent-Lenther Joe's Defeat. 219 Despard, the Duelist; or, The Mountain Vempires, 888 A Tough Boy; or, The Dwart!’s Revenge. 868 Little Tornado; or, The Outcasts of the Glea, BB Little Jingo} or, the Queer Pard. 888 Little Oh-my} or, Caught in His Own Trap, 401 Little Shoo-F ly ; or, A Race for a Ranch, 408 Little Leather-Breeches} or, Old Jumbo’s Curse, 481 Little Ah Sing or, The Curse of Blood, 451 Colorado Kate. A Tale of the ofines. 480 Three Jolly Pards. 17 Jim Gladden’s Deputy. BY OAPTAIN FRED. WHITTAKER, ‘15 The Sea-Catys or, The Witch of Darien. 29 The Dumb Page} or, The Doge’s Daughter, 48 Dick Parling, the Pony Express Rider, 160 Lance and Lasso; or, The Children of the Chace, 954 The Sword Munters}; or, The Land of the Elephant Riders, 159 The Lost Captain; or, Skipper Jabex Coffin’s Cruise to the Open Polar Sea. 200 The Boy Bedoutns; or, The Brothers of the Plumed Lance, 214 Wolfgang, the Robber of the Rhine, #249 Milo Romer, the Animal King; or, The Round the World Wanderer. 265 The Tiger Tamer; or, The League of the Jungle, $81 Black Nick, the Demon Rider, ‘895 California Joc’s War Trail. BY BUOKSKIN SAM (Major Sam. 8S, Hall.) 4 Qld Rocky's “Bo oons” or, Bai the Yomng Hone #46 Giant George}; or, The Ang’l of the Range. 275 Arizona Jack 3 or, Giant George’s Pard, 297 The Tarantula of Taos; or, Giant George’s Revenge. B07 The Strange Pard; or, Little Ben’s Death Hunt, 818 Ker-whoop, Ker-whooy or, The Tarantula of Taos, 827 Oreeping Cat, the Caddo} or, The Red and White Pards, $82 Frio Fredj or, The Tonkaway’s Trust, 844 The Fighting Trio; or, Rattlesnake, the Tonkaway. B49 Wild Wolf or, Big-Foot Wallace to the Front, 857 The Ranch Raiders; or, The Siege of Fort Purgatory, 864 Snap-Shot, the Boy Ranger. 875 Chiota, the Creek} or, The Three Thunderbolta. $81 Bandera Billy or, Frio Frank to the Front, 892 Romeo and the Reds} or, The Beleaguered Ranch, 404 Little Lartat; or, Pecan Pete’s Big Rampage. : ‘414 The Dalsy from Denver, ‘427 The Three Trallers; or, Old Rocky on the Rampage. 442 Bluff Bills or, The Lynx of the Leona. 455 Little Lone Stary} or, The Belle of the Cibola, BY EDWARD WILLETT. "16T Asa Scott, the Steamboat Boy, 199 Featherweight, the Boy Champion of the Maskingum, 228 Ozark Alfy or, Feathorweight Among the Outlaws, R82 The Typo Detectives or, Weasel, the Boy Tramp, 295 Fearless Phil; or, The King of Quarteville, ‘B11 The Roving Sport} or, The Pride of Chyckaluck Camp, 1822 Nemo, the Detective; or, Kit Kenyon's Vendetta, ‘840 Olip, the Contortionist; or, The Montana Vigilantes. BY J, 0. COWDRIOK. '860 Bilver-Mask, the Man of Mystery. -869 Shasta, the Gold King; or, For Seven Years Dead, -420 Ene, Detective’s Apprentice; or, A Boy Without a ‘424 Cibuta Johny or, Red-Hot Times at Ante Bay, 489 Sandy Sam, the Street Scoat. 467 Diaco Dan, the Daisy Dude. ‘490 Broadway Billy, the Bootblack Brave, $06 Redlight Ralph, the Prince of the Road, $614 Broadway Billy’s Boodle. $24 The Engheer Detective, BY JO PIEROE, B9T Bob o’ the Bowory § 1, The Prince of Mulberry Street, -415 The Vagabond Detectives or, Bowery Bob's Boom, 452 Wotspur Bob, the Street-Boy Detective, 460 The Lawyer’s Shadow} or, Luke’s Legacy, 472 Jaunty Joe, the Young Horse-King. 494 Surly Sim, the Young Forryman Detective, 594 Five Points Phil 609 Jack Jaggors, the Butcher Boy Detective, 516 Tartar Tim; or, Fiye'Points Phil’s Menagerie $26 North River Nat, the Pier Detective, " BY OAPT. MARK WILTON. 256 Young Kentucky; or, The Red Lasso. ®70 Blizzard Ben; or, The Riot at Keno Camp. e #86 Josh, the Boy Tenderfoot. BY OAPTAIN MAYNE REID. 78 Blue Dicks or, The Yellow Chics Vengeance. '8T The Land Pirates; or, The League of Devil's laland, 187 The Helpless Hand ; o, Backwoods Retribution. 989 The Gold-seoker Guide; o, The Lest Mesataia. BY BRAOEBRIDGE HEMYNG, 89 Island Jim; or, The Pet of the Famiiy. 91 The Captain of the Club}; or, The Rival Athletes, 101 Jack Harkaway in New York. BY GEORGE WALDO BROWNE, 86 Dandy Rock, the Man fuom Texas. 90 The Drend Riders or, The Texan Duelist, 99 The Tiger of Tuoss or, Dandy Rock’s Angel, 115 The Mad Miner; or, Dandy Rock’s Doom, 181 The Golden Mand} or, Dandy Rock to the Reseue, 164 Dandy Rock’s Pledge} or, Hunted to Death. 178 Dandy Rock’s Rival; or, The !/aunted Maid of Tass, BY OAPT. J. F. 0. ADAMS, 84 Oregon Sol}; or, Nick Whiffles’s Boy Spy. 46 Glass-Eye, the Groat Shot of the West, 54 Ned Hazel, the Boy Trapper. 56 Nick Whilflles’s Pet; or, In The Valley of Death, 60 The White Indian; or, The Scout of the Yellowstone, ZO Old Zip’s Labin; or, The Greenhorn in the Woods, 81 Lightning Je, the Torror of the Prairie. : ce 85 Buck Buckramy} or, Boss, the Female Trapper, 247 Old Grizzly and His Peta; or, The Wild Huntress, 251 Light-house Liges or, Osceola, the Firebrand, - 257 The Lost Hunters; or, The Underground Camp, 288 The Scalp King}; or, The Human Thanderbolt, BY ROGER STARBUOK, . 25 The Boy Captain; or, The Pirate’s Daughter, 114 The Black Schooner} or, Jib Junk, the Old Tar. 259 The Golden Harpoon ys or, Lost Among the Floss, 848 Fire-Heelas or, Old Skinfilnt, the Death-Shadow. 854 Big Horn Ike, the Hill Tramps; or, The Odd Pards, 861 The Phantom Light-house, 870 Breaker Ben, the Reof-Runner, BY WILLIAM ‘R EYSTER, 196 Dandy Darko} or, The Tigers of High Pine. 210 Fare Franky or, Dandy Darke’s Go-Down Pards, BY COLONEL DELLE SARA, 108 The Lion of the Seay; or, The Vatled Lady, 186 Cool Desmond}; or, The Gambler’s Big Game, BY HARRY ST. GEORGE, 80 Roaring Ralph Rockwood, the Ranger. 44 KRattling Rube; or, The Nighthawks of Kentueky, 59 Old Hickory 4 or, Pandy Ellis’s Scalp, 108 Daring Davy} or, The Trail of the Border Wolf 166 Hickory Harry or, The Trapper-Brigade’s Spy. 172 Thunderbolt Tomy; or, the Wolf-Herder, BY JAMES L. BOWEN 107 One-Eyed Sim; or, The Abandoned Forest Home. 110 The Black Steed ofthe Prairies, A Story of Texas. BY ©. DUNNING OLARK. 185 Captain Pant; or, The Boy Spy of the Mountains. 280 The Yankee Rajah; or, The Fate of the Black Bhoreef, BY GEORGE ©. JENKS, 485 Git Thar Owney, the Unknown, 492 Git Thar Owney’s Pledge. 518 The Demon Doctor, . ' BY OAPT, ALFRED B. TAYLOR, VU. & A, 191 Buffalo Billy, th ite coe 2. y» the Boy Bullwhacker; or, The Doomed 194 Buffalo Bill’s Bet; or, The Gambler Guide, BY OHARLES E. LASALLE, 60 Burt Bunker, the Trapper. 52 The White Buffalo. A Tale of the Northwest, BY JOHN J. MARSHALL, 40 Roving Ben. A Story of a Young American, 97 The Outlaw Brothors; or, The Captive of the Harpes, BY MAJOR E, L. 8T. VRAIN, 292 Sancho Pedro, the Boy Bandit, 801 Leadville Nick, the Boy Sport, 812 Redtop Rube, the Vigilante Prince, 885 Brimstone Bob, and His Lightning Horse Quartette, 852 Tombstone Tom, the Arisona Boy of “ Sand.” 859 Durango Dave, the Young Champion Wrestler. 871 Kingbolt Chris, the Young Hard-Shell Detective, 880 Avalanche Alf, the Foothills Guide, 890 Jaguar Joe, of the Mountain Mail-Line, BY WM. G. PATTEN. - 489 The Diamond Sport; or, The Double Face of Bed Rock. 519 Captain Mystery; or, Five in One. BY MAJOR HENRY B&B. STODDARD, Ex-Secout. 806 Neck-Tie Ned} er, The Dug-Out Pards, 846 Rapier Raphael; or, The Swordamen of Zacatecas, BY1 Kid-Glove Kit, the Dandy of the Rockies. 898 Kid-Glove Kft and Pardy or, The Gold King, 406 The Mad Man-Hunter; or, The Mystery of Golden 505 Powell's Pards o, The One-Armed Giant, BY MAJOR LEWIS W. CARSON, 278 The Three Trappers; or, The Mountain Monste, 288 Indian Joo; or, The White Spirit of the Hills, BY W. J. HAMILTON, 68 The Red Brotherhood} or, The Twelve Avengem, 66 Single Handy or, A Life for a Life, 72 Mad Tom Weatern, the Texan Ranger, 887 Ben Bird, the Cavo King; or, Big Pote’s Scoop, BY JACK FARRAGUT, 815 Ned, the Cabin Boy. 820 The Sea Borceress; or, The Boy Skipper, BY FRANK DUMONT, 120 The Branded Wand} or, The Man of Mystery, 127 Wild-Fire, the Boss of the Road, 140 Blue Blazes; or, The Break o’ Day Roys of Rocky Ban, 171 Ebony Dany or, Tho Rival Leagues, 185 Evil Eyes or, Tho Vultures of the Rio Grande, BY LIEUT. H. D. PERRY, U. 8. NM. 176 The Boy Runaway} or, The Buccaneer of the Bay, 180 The Sea Traller; or, A Vow Well Kept. 192 Captain Kit; or, The Mystery of Montauk Point, » BY NARRY WAZARD, 828 Arkansaw Jacky; or, The Scourge of the Mines, 829 Red-Skin Tomy or, The Demon's Trall, $42 The Mountain Devil; or, Yellow Jack, the Outlaw. ' BY COL. A, F. HOLT, 899 Black Buckskin; or, The Masked Men of Death Canyom, 419 Kenneth, the Knife-King. 485 Little Lightfoot, the Pilot of the Woods, vy BY J. W. OSBON. 469 The Rival Giants of Nowhar’. 4098 Oactus Burr, the Man from Hard Lueck, 4 BY FREDERIOK DEWEY. 818 Cimarron Jack, the King-Pin of Rifle-Shots, 478 Tangemund, the Desert Detective. MISOELLANEOUS AUTHORS, } The Wild-Horse Itunters, By Capt. Mayne Reld aad 9 Adventures of Baron Munchausen, 12 Gulliver’s Travels. By Dean swift, 14 Aladdiny or, The Wonderful Lamp, 16 Robinson Crusoe, (27 Ilustrations,) 18 Sindbad the Sallor, His Seven Voyages. 22 The Sea Serpent; or, The Boy Robinson Crowos, By Juan ewln, 88-The Occan Bloodhound; on The Red Pirates of the Carribees, By 8, W. Pierce. 86 The Boy Olowny, or, The Queen ofthe Arena, By Frank nn. 88 Ned Wylde, the Boy Scout. By Texas Jack. 51 The Boy Rifles; or, The Undergreund Camp, By Archie . Irons. 95 The Rival Rovers; or, The Fresbooters of the Misslsalppl, By Lieut,-Col, Hazeltine, 98 Robin Hood, the Outlawed Earl; or, The Merry Mon of Green- wood, By Prof, Gildersleeve. 105 Old Rube, the Hunter; or, The Crow Captive. By Captain Hamilton Holmes. 112 The Mad Hunter; or, TheCave of Death. By Burton Saxe, 124 Tippy, the Texan or, The Young Champion. By George ovson. 128 The Young Privateers ot The Pirate's Stronghold. By Harry Cavendish, 148 Sharp Sam i“ The Adventures of a Friendless Boy, By J, Alexander Patten. Il, Tra) or, The Greon Ranger of the Yel- sea Dusky Der eivwd ore. el 261 Fergus Fearnaught, the New York Boy. By George L, on. 266 Killb’ar, the Guides or, Davy Crockett’s Crooked Trail. \ By Ensign C, D, Warren. 298 Red Claw, the One-Eyed Trapper; or, The Maid of the Clig, By Captain omatock. k P the Lively Lad from Leadville. Lieu- ied Beery | er or beh H By he Sky Wetective; or, A "a Fight for Life OFF Ee iisior Mutsy Free. aioli ae Ral th f R 850 npc she ne Ri piver Movers or, The Brother’s Re- 865 Baltimore Ben, the Bootblack Detective. By A, P, Morris, BTA aged Tomy or, Ben’s Double Match, By George H. Calif 876 ety mem Bi Firet Trail. By Colonel Thomas 416 Billy Bombshell, the Cliff Climber. By ¥, 8. Winthrop. 440 Little Foxfoot, the Geld Bowls Kid. By Arthur O, Grissom, 475 The Black Ship. By John 8. Warner, |. 484 Fomarche Dickeana His Three Invinetbles. 528 Witurd-Arm, the Dandy Sport, By Arthur ¥, Hol, A New Issue Every Tuesday. The Half-Dime Library 1s for sale by ail newsdealors, five . conte por copy, or sent by mall om receipt of six cents each, : BEADLE AND ADAMA, Publishers, ’ 98 William Street, New York, | fl
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. a” 7 ‘ BEADLE'S*H ALF-DIME+ LIBRARY. Published Every Tuesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents. No Double Numbers. BY EDWARD L, WHEELER, Deadwood: Dick Novels. 1 Dendwood Dick, tho Prince of the Rond. 20 Double Daggers} or, Deadwood Dick’s Defiance, 28 Buffalo Ken; or, Deadwood Dick in Disguise. 85 Wild Ivan, the Boy Clhude Duval. 42 Phantom Miner ; or, Deadwood Dick’s Bonanza, 49 Oniaha OTT; or, Deadwood Dick in Danger. 5? Deadwoud Dickra Eagles; or, Tho Pards of Flood Bar. 78 Deadwood Dickon Deck; or. Calamity Jane, the Heroine, 7 Corduroy Charlie; or, Deddwood Dick’s Last Act, 100 Deadwood Dick in Léendville. 104 Deadwood Dick’s Device; or, The Double Cross Sign, 109 Deadwood Dick aw Detective. 129 Dendwood Dick's Double; or, The Ghost of Gorgon’s Gulch. 188 Blonde Bills. or, Deadwood Dick’s Home Base. 149 A Game of Goldy or, Deadwood Dick’s Big Strike, 156 Deadwood Dick of Deadwood; or, The Picked Party. 195 Deadwood Divk’s Drenm; or, The Riv la of the Road. 201 The Blagk Ills Jezebel; or, Dexdwood D ck’s Ward. 205 Deadwood Dick’s Doom; or, Calamity Jane’s Last Ad- vetture. 217 Captain Crack-Shot, the Girl Brigand, 221 Sugar-Coated Sam}; or, The Black Gown, 282 Geld-Dust Dick, A Romanee of Roughs and Toughs, 268 Deadwood Dick’s Divides or, The Spirit of Swamp Lake. 268 Deadwood Dick’s Death Trail. B09 Deadwood Dick’s Big Deal; or, The Gold Brick of Oregon, 821 Dendwood Dick’s Dozen; or, The Fakir of Phantom Flats. 847 Deadwood Dick’s Ducats; or, Rainy Days in the Dig- rinys. BSL hendwoed Pick Sentenced ; or, The Terrible Vendetta. BER Beeauces Dick’s Claim; or, The Fairy Face of Faro Plats, . 405 Deadwood Dick in Dead City. 410 Roadweas Joick’s Diamonds; or, The Mystery of Joan orter. 421 Deadwood Dick tn Néw York; or, A “Cute Care,” 480 Deadwood, Dick’s Dust; or, The Chained Nand. 448 Deadwood Dick, Jr. 448 Nickel-Plate Ned or, Dosdwood Dick Jr's Defiance. 458 semnerer Sam, of Shasta; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Full land, 459 ue Fan, the Ferret; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Big Ronnd- ». 465 Phitlo Fly, of Phenix; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Racket at ain . A71 Bozeman Bill; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Corral, 476 Humboldt | iarry, tue Hurricane; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Dog Detective, AS1 Moll Mystevy; or, Dendwood Dick Jr. in Deadwood. 491 Prince Piatol, the King of the West; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’a Compnet. 496 Monte Cristo, Jr.t or, Dondwood Dick Jr’s Inhoritange. 500 Deadwood Dick’s Di ngs 3 or, Dr, Death-Grip’s Bwoop. 508 Deadwood picks Deliverance, BLS Deadwood Dick's Protegec, 522 Deadwood Dick’s Three, Other Novels by E. L. Wheeler, 26 Cloven Hoof, the Buffalo Demon. 82 Bob Woolts or, The Girl Dead-Shot. 89 Death-Face, Detective; or, Life in New York. 45 Old Avalanabe) or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigand, 58 Jim Bludeoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix. 61 Buckhorn Billy, or, The Red Rifle Team. 69 Gold Rifle, the Sbarpebootan or, The Boy Detective, 80 Rosebud It Bor, Nuguet Ned, th Kulgh. SA \Idyl, the Girl Miner; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand. 88 Photograph Phil; or, Rosebud Rob’s Reap co. Janads Ubet 5 or, Old Anaconda in Sitting Bull’s Camp. 6 Watch-Eyoy or, Arabs and Angels of a Great City, 118 Jack Moyle the Young Speculator. 117 Gilt-Kdged Dick, the Sp irt Detective, 141 Cinnamon Chip, the Girl Sport. 125 Bonanza Bill, Miner. . is Bows Mob the King of Bootblacks. 141 Bolla Ram, the Boy Road-Agent. 145 Ouptuin Ferret, the New York Detective; or, Boss Bob’s ob, 161 New York Nell, the Boy-Girl Detective. 177 Nobby, Nick of Nevada 3, or, The Siorras Scamps, 181 Wild Frank, the Buckskin Bravo, 208 Frits, the Bound-Boy Detective. ¥ritsz to the Front; or, The Vesitettog iat Hunter, 226 Snoozer, the Bsy Sharp; or, The Arab Detective, ~ 286 Apolle will, the Trail Tornado, ® 240 Cyclone Kit, the Young Gladiator, 244 Sierra Sum, tho Frontior Ferret. 245 Sierra Sam’s Secret; or, The Bloody Footprints, 258 Merra Sam's Pard ; or, The Angel of es lata, 25% Sierra Saim’s Sevens or, The Stolen Bride, ated umboJdoe, tho Bay Patrol; or, The Rival Hotra, et H pemadnnd poll, i Ppl Quoen. enver # Victory. 285 ee ea S49 Decoy ; or, Little Bill’s Bonanza. 291 Turk, the Boy Ferret. 296 Denver Doll's Dritt 5 or, The Road Queen. 209 A No. 1, the Dashing Toll-Taker. BOB ’Liza Jane, the irl Miner; or, the Iron-Nerved S 825 Kelley, ! erer o Conipany, the Sleuths of Philadelphia. 880 Little Quick-Shoty or, Tie Duad Face of Daggersville, 884 Kangaroo Kity or, The Mysterious Miuer, 889 Kangaroo Kit’s Racket. 848 Manhattan Mike, the Bowery Blood, B58 First-Class Fred, he Gent from Gopher. 868 2i0%* Jim, the Gold-Gutherer; or, The Lottery of ife 872 Yreka Jim’s Prize. B78 Nabob Ned 3 or, The Seeret of Slab City. rd Oool Kit, the oe of milias ont “Te a ply rage 85. Yreka Jim's Joker 3 or, The Rivals of Red Nose,,, B89 ee Benj; o:. The Lien of Lightning Lode, 894 Yreka Jim of Yuba Dam. 400 Wrinkles, the Night-Watch Detective. arry, tho Base Bull Detective, the Beggar-Boy Detwctive, Pal, Private Detectives, 48 a8 Santa Fe Sal, the Slasher, > 1 , etectives; or, The Fortanes of a Bowery Girl. H The dwe Pe Crow. Kl Bf ’ i rT oo ne rein ow BY COLONEL PRENTISS INGRAHAM. % The Flying Yankee} or, The Ocean Outenst. 17 Ralph Roy, the Boy Buecancer; or, The Fugitive Yacht. 24 Diamond Dirk id The Mystery of the Yellowstone. 62 The Shadow Ship; or, The Rival Lieutenants. 75 The Boy Dnelist; or, The Cruise of the Sea-Wolf. 102 Dick Dead-Eye, the Boy Smugygier. 111 The Sen-Devil§ or, Thé Midshipman’s Legacy. 416 The Hussar Captain; or, ‘he He mit of Hell Gate, 197 Little Grits; or, Bessie, the Stock-Tender’s Daughter. 204 Gold Plume}; or, The Kid-Glove Sport. 216 Bison BALI, the Prince of the Reins, 222 Grit, the Bravo Sport; or, The Woman Trailer, 229 Orimson Kate 3 or, The Cowboy’s Triumph, 287 Lone Star, the Cowboy mg ts 245 Merle, the Middy H or, ‘The Freelance Heir, 250 The Midshipman Mutineer ; or, Brandt, the Buecaneer, 264 one Floating Feather; or, Merle Monte’s Treasure sland. 269 The Gold Ship or, Merle, the Condemned. R27 more Monte’s Crulse; or, The Chuse of “The Gold Ship.’ “4 280 Merle Monte’s Fate; or, Pearl/the Pirave’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 fe Mysterious Marauder; or, The Boy Bugler’s Long rail, B?? Bonodel, the. Boy Rover} or, The Flagless Schooner. BS8 The Indian Pilot; or, The Search for Pirate lsland. 887 Warpath WILL, the Boy Phantom, 898 Seawall, the Boy Lieutenant. 402 Inodor, the Young Conspirator; or, The Fatal League. 407 "The Boy Insurgent; or, The Cuban Vendetta. 412 The Wild Yaehtamans or, The War-Cloud’s Crulse, 429 Duncan Dare, the Boy Refugee. 488 A Cabin Boy’s Luck; or, The Corsair. 487 The Sean Raider. : 441 The Oceiun Firefly 3 or, A Middy’s Vengeance, 446 Haphazard: Harrys or, The Scapegrace of the Sea. 4560 Wizard Will; or, The Boy Ferree of New York. 454 Wivard Will's Street Scouts 462 The Born Guide; or.The Sailor Boy Wanderer, 468 Neptune Ned, te Boy Conster. 474 Flora; or, Wizard Will’s Vagabond Pard, 488 Ferrets Afloats or, Wizard Will’s Last Case, AST Névada Ned, the Revolver Kanger. 495 Arizona Joe the Boy Pard of Texas Jack, 497 Buck Taylor, King of the Cowboys. 508 The Royal iday ér, The Shark and the Sea Cat, ' 507 The Hunted Midshipman. 511 The Outlawed Middy. 520 Buckakin Bill, the Comanche Shadow. 625 Brothers in Buckskin. Bi <sEARLES MORRIS, 147 Will Wildiire, the Thoroughbred. 152 Black Beas, Will Wildfre’s Racer, The Hidden Hand he Will Wildfire’s Revenge. ife Boat Boy; or, The Smugglers, 2 & 9 206 Dark Paul, the Tiger King. 212 Dashing Dave, the Dang Detective. . 220 Tom Tannor}; or, The Black Sheep of the Flock the Premitm Darky. the Messenger Boy, £_ rss) rhe Two TRYoods 3 or Shenandoah ‘Bill and His Gang. _ 252 Dick Dashaway 3; or, 4 Dakota Boy, in Chicago. 262 The Young Sleuth«; or, Rollicking Mike’s Hot Trail. 274 Jolly Jim, the Detective Apprentice. 289 Jolly Jim's Job; or, The, Young Detective,, 298 The Water-HMoundy; or, The Young Thoroughbred. | 805 Dashaway, of Dakota; or, A Western Lad in the Quaxer City. 7 824 Iph ‘Ready, the Hotel Boy Detective. 841 Tony eight Vagabond Detective, 858) B67 Wide-Awake Joe; or, A Boy of the Times, t 408 Yirelly ack, the River-Rat Detective. Lost Fingers or, The Entrapped Cashier. BY JOSEPH E. BADGER, JR. 2 Yellowstone Jack; or, The TER 48 Black John, the Road-Agent; or, The Outlaw’s Retroat, a | Tp he Will; m= Bi ophectea eee His Pard. 19 Mueta a or, The King of the Plains. 186 Niphtethawk Kit; or, The Daughter of the Ranch, 144 Dainty bance the Boy Sport. 51 Panther Paul: or, Dainty. Lance to the Reseue. 60 The Black Plants or,@Dninty Lancein J opardy. 68 Deadly Pash; or, Fighting Fire with Fire. ; 84 The Boy Trailers; or, Dainty Lance on the War-Path, 08 The Boy Pards; or, Dainty Lance Unmasks. 11 Crooked Cale, the Caliban of Celestinl City. 10 The Barranca Wolf; or, The Beauti{yl Decoy. 19 The Black Rider; or, The Horse-Thieves’ League. ‘885 Old Double Fists or, The Strange Guide., : ‘The King of the Woods- or Daniel Boone’s Last Trail, 449 Kit Fox, the Border Boy Detective. 1 1 1 id 2 }2 8 8 BY EDWARD 8. ELLIS, 6 Bill Btdton, bhig act ; 8 Seth Joneas or, The Captives of the Frontier, 10 Nat Todd: orp The Fate of the Sioux Captive. 21 The Frontier Angel. . | 98! The Boy Miners; or, The Enchanted Teland. 182 The Nunted Hunter} or, The Stvanne Horseme, + The Half-Rleods or, Th. Panther pf the Plains, 1 The Huge Hunter; or, The Stean Prairie Man, BY BUFFALO BILL (Hon. Wm. F, Cody), 8 Kansas King; or, The Red Right Hand, 19 The Phantom Spy: or, The Pilot of the Prairie, 65 Deadly-Eye, the Bexsowh Scout. 68 Border Robin Hoody er, The Prairie Rever. ; 158 Fancy Frank of Colorado}; or, The Trapper’s Trust; =~ BY OLL COOMES, & Vagabond Joe, the Young Wandering Jew, 18 The Dumb Spy. - 27 Antelope Abe, the Boy Guide. 81 Keen-K nife, the Prince of the Prairies. 41 Lakao Jack, the Young Mustanger. 58 The Border’ Kinjr; or, The Secret Fee. 21 Delaware Dick, the Young Ranger Spy. 74 Mawk-eye Harry, the Young Trapper Ro nger: 88 Rollo, the Boy Ranger. 184 Sure Shot Seth, the Koy Rifleman. 148 Sear-Face Saul, the Silent Huntr, 146 wien Sher, the Boy Kuight. 158 Eagte Wit, the Boy Demon. 168 Little Texas, the Young Mustanger. 178 Old Solitary, the Hermit Trapper. 182 Little Hurricane, th» Boy Captain. 202 te pa Petes: or, The Young Outlaw Hunters, 208 The Boy Hereules: or, ‘he Prairie Trampa, 218 Tigér Tom, the Texas Terror. 224 Dashing Picks; or, i rapper Tom’s Castle. 228 Little Wildiire, the Yeung Pruie Nomad, 288 The Parson Detectives or, The Littl: Ranger, 248 The Disguised Guides or, Wild Raven, the Ranger. 260 Pare-Devil Pan, the Yotng Prairie Rauger. 27ZV Minkakin Mikey the Boy Sharpehooter, 90 Little Foxtine, the Boy Spy 00 The Bky Peinon; or, Rainbelt, the’Riaiger. 884 Whip-King Joe, the Boy Ranchero. 409 Hereuless. or, Dick, the Boy Runger, A417 Webfoot Mone, the Tramp Detective, A22 Baby Sam, the Boy Giunt of the Yellowstone. 444 Little Buckakin, the Yoting Prairie Centaur. 457 Wingedfoot Fred; or, Old Polar Saul. 468.Tamarac ‘Vom, the Big Trapper Boy, _ A78 Old Tom Rattler, the Red River Epidemie,. 482 Stonewall Bob, the Boy Trojan. 1 BY T. ©. WARBAUGH. 28 fck,o’ the Night; or, The Boy Spy of 776, 87 The Hidden Ledge’ or The Littl Hunter. 47 Nightingale eas or, Tne Forest Captains, 64 Dandy A or, The, Ontlaws of the Oregon Trait, fi $2 Kit Harefoot the Wood-Hawk. 94 Midnight Jack : or, The Boy Trapper. 106 Old Froaty, the Guide; or, The White Quéen, 128 Kiowa Charley the White Mustanger, \ 18 we Lynch, Jr. or, The Boy Vigfante. 155 Gold Tr grer, the Spert; or, The Girl Avenger. 169 Tornado 188 Ned Temple, the Border Boy. 4 198 Arkanaaw ¢ or, The Quin of Fate's Revenge. fek, the Boy Gold Hunter, ‘ 215 Captain Bullets cr, Little Topknot’s Crusade. 231 Plueky M13 or, Rosa, the Rei Jezebel, 241 Bil Brave; or, The Roighs of the Rockies, 255 Captain Apoll’, the King-Pin of Bowle. 267 The Buckskin Detective. : 279 Ola Winch; or, The Buckskin Desperadees, 204 Dynamite Dany or, The Bowle Binde of Cochetopa, : 802 The Mountain Detective; or, The Trigg War Builys 816 Old Eclipse, Trump Curd of Arizona, 826 The Ten Pards; or, The Terror of Take-Netice. 886 Big Benson; or, The Qisen of the Lasso. 845 Pitiidsa AL att ;"or/ Red Thuinderbolt’s Secret, 856 Cool Sam and Pard yor The Terrible Six. 866 VelVéet Foot, the Indian Detective. 886 Captain Outidas; or, The Brcennedr’s Girl Foe, 896 Hough Rod; or, The Twin Champions of Blue Blites,. Al1 The Silken Hdssos or, Tic Rode éf Ranchi Robin. 418°Félix Fox, the Boy Spotter. ; 425 Texas Trump, the Border Rattler, 486 P*hil Flash, the New York Fox, 445 The City Sleuths; or, Red Rolfe’s Pigeon. 461 Olie Againat Fifty 5 or, Tho Last Man of Kene Bar. 470'The Boy Shadows or, Fellx Fox’s Hunt. 4%? Tho Execlator Sport; or, The Washington Spotter, } 499 Single Sight, the One-Eyed Sport. 502 Branded Ben, the Night Ferret. 512 Dodger Dick, the Wharf-Spy Detective, 521 Dodger Dick’s Best Dodge. LATEST AND NEW ISSUES. sev The Folly Pa¥de to the Reseue. “By P. 8: Warne, 528 Fox and Falcon, the Bowery Shadows. ByT.C. Harbaugh. 529 Dendwood Dick’a Danger Ducks, By E. L. Wheeler. 580 The Buckdkin Bowers. By Col, P. Ingraham, 581 Daisy Dare, the Sport from Denver, By William G, Patten. 582 The Cowbdy Duke. By Edwin Brooke’ Forrest. 588 Wrestling Rex, the Pride of the Sixth Ward. By Jo Pierce. 584 Deadwood Dick’s Death Hunt. By E. L. Wheeler. Ready Octdver 18. 585 The Buc skin’ Bowers, By Col. Prentiss Ifigraham. Ready October 25. . 586 T-oadwhy Billy’s “ Diffikilty.” ‘By J. C. Cowdrick, loudy November 1, @ 587 Old Buckeye, the Sierra Sleuth, By J..W. Osbon. Redfly Novetnber 8. : 588 Podger Dick, the Dock Ferret. “By T. C. Harbaugh, Ready November Wb. A New Issue Every Tuesday : ‘| The Half-Dime Library is for sale. by all mewadealors, five “|! cents per copy, or sent by mail on receipt of six conta each, ’ BEADLE AND ADAMS; Publishers, 98 William Street, New York. Foun ¢ or, Injun Jack From Red Core. |