Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 461) (1886 05 25)
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PllaLoMaMalallal lela * = Ww : oo “oe | $2.50 PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE AND A DAMS, Price, No 461 a Year. No. 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK. 5 Cents. . . \N \Ci } » The Last Man ofKenoBar A TALE OF CRYSTAL CITY. BY T. C. HARBAUGH, AUTHOR OF ‘“‘ MOUNTAIN DETECTIVE,” “ THE TEN PARDS,” ‘‘ VELVET FOOT,” ‘‘ CAPTAIN CUTLASS,” ‘‘ ROUGH ROB,” ‘ SILKEN LASSO,” “FELIX FOX,” ‘* TEXAS TRUMP,” ‘‘ PHIL FLASH,” ETC., ETC., ETC. CHAPTER I. SOME DARK WORK. Ir was nearly high noon, and the hot rays of a Summer sun were falling upon a wild but pic- turesque landscape in Arizona. Over a tolerably well-worn trail an old-fash- ioned mail and passenger stage, drawn by four “MY NawmE IS KIT KING, AND I AM ALOFT THE HALF-BURNT BOWIE. AND HE HELD
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One Against Fifty. good horses, bowled heavily, and every now and then the whip of the driver cracked like pistol- shots over the heads of the lead grays. The stage had but one passenger, and he was aman of about thirty, witha muscular figure, dark eyes that were quick and restless, long black hair, and a mustache that corresponded. As the weather was extremely warm at that hour, he had discarded his coat, and was lying half-asleep on the dusty cushion in his shirt- sleeves. The landscape had no charms for him; he had spe eaegtl seen it a dozen times; he did not seem care whether the stage landed him soon at his destination or not. The single passenger had a good deal of time on his hands, ** Hello, thar!” suddenly exclaimed a voice, that roused him, and a glance upward showed him the face of the driver. ‘“ Well, what is it now?” asked the passenger. “We're nearin’ the Bar, an’ thar’s a flock o’ vultures hoverin’ in ther vicinity.” The last words more than the first roused the man in the stage. He got up and clambered to the driver’s seat, and shaded bis eyes with his hand, for the sun was beating in his face, ‘T hope we'll find ther Bar all hunk, but I don't like them birds,” continued the driver, in- dicating by a sweep of his hand the dark specks which he knew so well to be the vultures of the Arizona plains. ‘‘ You don’t know when you're safe hyer for ther infernal reds, an’ ef they let ang alone, ye’re liable ter be swooped down on For some time the searching efforts of the pas- senger revealed nothing, but all at once the stick struck something that apparently reward- ed him. The next moment he had fished from the ruins a seven-inch bowie with the wooden hilt nearly burned away. ‘That is something,” said the driver coming forward. ‘It looks like ther owner isn’t far off. Them reds—” ‘Give the reds a rest!” growled the sen- er. ‘‘ We're not trying the doers of this work just now,” and he went to work with the stick once more. Ina little while he had unearthed an object that told a darker story than thebowie. This was a half burned boot and in it, too hideous to inspect, were the remains of a human foot! ‘‘Mebbe the hull twenty-one ar’ hyer!” ex- claimed the driver. That seemed to be the passenger’s idea exact- "He went from ruin to ruin and from among the ashes of each cabin he fished human remains, burned beyond recognition, but human for all that. ‘‘ How many?” asked the driver when the pas- senger turned from the last ash-heap holding the bowie in his hand while a dark expression had settled over his handsome face. ‘“‘ Twenty-one,” was the sententious reply. ** Tnjuns, eh?” ‘*Time will answer that “Pm _dog-goned sorry. uestion.” ‘har war some good y ther Greasers from ther border. Them vul- | men in Keno.” ; tures, sir—” “Good men?” echoed the_passenger with ‘Hang the birds!” interrupted the handsome | spirit. ‘‘ Better never lived! I intended to stop here, but what is the use?” “You had friends at ther Bar?’ asked the driver. ““They were all my friends. call it-to Crystal City?” ‘¢ Thirty miles.” ‘* No stops between?” “* Nary a stop.” Before he spoke again the passenger turned toward the scene of desolation and looked steadily at it for five minutes. His body did not move; it stood like a bronze statue in the broiling sun; his face was shaded by the broad brim of his soft Panama, The old driver step back and regarded him from a respectful distance. ‘Tf that man takes a notion ter pay ther reds for this work, thar soon will be few Injuns for Uncle Sam to feed,” he muttered as he watched him passenger. ‘‘ Whip up and get me to Keno Bar as soon as possible.” The long whip cracked and the driver sung out lively to the horses, which took new life as it were and.increased their gait. For several miles the two men on the stage said nothing,: but watched the dark birds that made their silent circles high up in the rarefied air of that region. Each seemed to have pecu- liar thoughts, but the passenger in his shirt- sleeves was the most interested, for every now and then his lips met under his black mustache and his-eyes seemed to throw arrows of rage at the birds. ‘* When we mount that rise, sir, we'll see Keno Bar,” the driver said, speaking for the first time in three miles. ‘*T think not,” was the reply, and the speaker looked at the vultures now almost directly over- head. ‘Those air coyotes ought to tell you that there is no such place.” Five minutes later the stage reached the sum- mit of a considerable rise, and at the first glance over the valley that la beyond, the driver let slip an exclamation of horror. ‘Thar is no Bar, sure enough!” he cried, The man at his elbow said nothing, onl ce How far do you The next moment the silent passenger turned suddenly and came toward the driver. “Tll go on to Crystal City,” he said. ‘‘ My name is Kit King, and I am the Last Man of Keno Bar!” and he held aloft the half-burnt bowie. his *¢ Jehu!” exclaimed the driver. ‘‘ Do you tell fa eer darker and his hands cl y: me that you belong ter these burnt-out dig- - ks as if they got ’em all,” continued the | gin’s?” driver. ‘‘ [ don’t see a sign o’ life about ther old “* Yes,” came from between the lips that did not seem to part to let it through. ‘‘ Remem- ber that to no person do you impart the infor- mation that Kit King of Keno Bar still lives. The fiends who did this work think they made a clean sweep of it. They killed twenty-one men. I don’t know where the twenty-first man came from, but I will find out.” “Ther Injuns—” began the driver. ‘¢ Who accuses the Indians?” flashed the Last ore: ” ‘All?’ echoed the passenger. “ How many were there?” “Twenty-one—all men. Keno didn’t seem ter hev any use for women.” The stage bowled down the smooth and grad- ual descent, and at length the driver reined in his horses where a little camp had once stood. Now not a cabin was to be seen, but five heaps of ashes told the location of that many mountain | Man. ‘Climb up to your seat! We are off for huts. Crystal City!” ‘“‘ How long do you stop here?” asked the pas- he stage was on the move again. genger. ‘“As long as you like. If Keno war all hunk CHAPTER II. we'd stop an hour, but I leave it all ter you, as it is. You war goin’ ter leave me hyer?” “Yes,” said the passenger, as he sprung to the ground. ‘Keno Bar was my destination, but it couldn’t shelter a coyote now.” The driver clim down after his passenger. Eye ruins of the little camp seemed to attract im. “‘TInjun work! see!” he said, picking from the edge of anash-heap a half-burned arrow, and holding it up to his passenger’s gaze. The young man turned away with a glance, and with a stick which he had found, began to scatter the ashen ruins of the first cabin he reached, ‘*Thet man had friends hyer,” murmure? the driver as he watched him. ‘‘ He wouldn’t leave Albuquerque for a hole in the geography like Keno war for nothin’. He’s ther first passenger T’ve brung hyer in six months, an’ now he finds Keno gone up ther flume, It’s pretty hard, but it’s one © ther incidents ov life in ther South- «west. BULLION BURKE AND SHADOW. As the crow flies it was twenty miles from Keno Bar to Crystal, but as the trail ran it was thirty. ; Crystal City had the usual reputation that at- taches itself to nearly all mining-towns in the wild Southwest. 1t was a hard place, The person who looks for a paradise in Ari- zona sooner or later finds himself mistaken. Where men carry their hearts on their sleeves and deadly weapons in their belts, goodness is not the valine principle. Such was the case with Crystal City, a well- known mining-town with the mountains around it and plenty of desperate men within. It was known far and wide as the home of one Bullion Burke, a handsome man who was the self-constituted alcalde of the place, and who was said to rule in Crystal City with a hand as firm as the hand of the czar. The gold-diggings and their alcalde were in- separable; men never talked of one without mentioning the other. as With piercing black eyes and a striking face, with the form of an Apollo, and long black hair that fell over his shoulders in glossy but unoiled ringlets, Bullion Burke was the man to attract attention anywhere. Having once seen him no one wondered at his wonderful control over the men whom circum- stances had made his associates. It was doubted whether there was a man in Crysta) City who would not, at the lifting of this man’s hand, walk cheerfully to certain death. Nobody knew anything concerning his past history, nobody in the camp seemed anxious to find out, for there, as elsewhere in the West, everybody attended strictly to his own busi- ness. Night was settling over Crystal City while Kit Rin was nearing it in the stage, and Bul- lion Burke walked from the Mountain Dew Hotel with a freshly-lighted cigar between his teeth, The desperado sport was not alone. His companion was a little hunchback, who hardly reached to the alcalde’s shoulders. This misshapen piece of humanity had a dark skin and restless eyes; his arms were long like the arms of an ape, and there was nobody in Crystal Cit foolish enough to ¢all him even passably good- looking. Strange to say, this being was the handsome sport’s companion. Wherever Bullion Burke went, this man went too, like a dog that follows his master. Some hidden tie seemed to connect the strangely-mated pair, and there were some who whispered in the dark that the deformed was the alcalde’s brother! On the evening in question, Bullion Burke and the dwarf went from the hotel to the best house in Crystal City, and having passed to a room, the sport turned abruptly to his companion: e Well, what have you found out?” he asked. “More than you bargained for, perhaps,” grinned the dwarf. ‘‘They are actually lovers—” Bullion Burke’s sudden start forward made the deformed break his own sentence, ‘‘Has it come to this?’ exclaimed the sport. ‘“T see now where I’ve played the fool. I don’t want any guesswork here, Zocco. I want hard- n truth.” “When did I ever lie?” said the dwarf. ‘“‘There is another place for me when Bullion Burke laughs at my word.” “Don’t go off like powder. I meant nothing,” protested Burke quickly. ‘‘I ought not to much surprised at this state of affairs. I helped to bring it about. But go on. Border Berta loves him, you say?” “Ts that all?” ““ They are going to leave Crystal City within two weeks.” “The—Old Ha cried Bullion Burke. ‘* Goin’ to give me the slip, eh?” ; The dwarf nodded. ‘‘ When he goes, it will be to the little ceme- tery on the mountain-side!” grated the alcalde. “Did you leave them together?” ‘Yes, captain.” * At her cabin?” = en" An exclamation of rage dropped from Bullion Burke’s lips as he started madly toward the door. “He won’t go,” muttered the dwarf, looking at him. ‘‘ He will come back and send some- body else.” Sure enough, as if to confirm the hunchback’s words, Bullion Burke suddenly came back. He had changed his mind. ** Zoeco, you said once that you would do rem thing for me,” he said, looking into the dwarf’s eyes, glittering like a serpent’s only a few feet away. ‘I need not tell you that I once did you a good turn—you know that.” “The captain knows that he has but_to give the word for Zocco to die for him. Let him put the hunchback to the test.” *« Not now, not now,” laughed Bullion Burke. ““ My enemies are yours, ar’ they not, Zocco?” “Yes, Zoeco hates to the death the man who hates the captain. He shall feel this which i ” | never stings twice!” and there was laid upon the rough table between the two men a long- bladed knife that had a needle-like point and a stiletto hilt. . This was enough to show that the dark-faced dwarf was a dangerous man, and nobody knew this better than the person whose eyes glittered when they saw the knife. “More than one mortal has felt that, I sus- pect,” smiled Bullion Burke, glancing again at the knife, and then fixing his eyes upon Zocco he lowered his voice and continued: “This young tree in my way—this snapping
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* weer. 68 ~> eee ae One Against Fifty. coyote, Zoeco, I want him done for. My hand | eyes of a man called Cactus Claude, anda glance must not be seen in the play unless—unless he | downward showed a half-drawn six-shooter in lays his little game before the whole camp, and | the cool blade’s hand. rings me to ridicule. If he does that I will Who was the stage’s passenger? show him the flash that follows the pressing of Cactus Claude was eying him like a tiger. atrigger. I am the acknowledged master here, an’ by the Fates! master I shall be. Hark! CHAPTER III. ‘THE TIGER’S CLAWS.” Did you hear that?” The hunchback sprung up and went to the “We will not go to-night,” said Jack, reap- door, pearing suddenly to the young girl who had re- ‘* Tt was nothing,” he said, coming back. mained in the cabin. ‘A new man has just come in with the stage, and something tells me Nothing, was it? At that momenta human figure glided from | that he is here on important business. You are flion Burke, Berta?’ * Not the cabin door and was soon lost among the | not afraid to face Bu shadows of the silent street, *‘ Afraid of that man?” cried the girl, If Zocco or his master had followed this per- | for any harm he can do me, but for you—” son he would have seen him enter a small and “I will take care of myself,” interrupted the rather neat house not far from the Mountain | youth, with alight and fearless laugh. Dew Hotel, and surprise a beautiful girl of sev- ‘*“ What is this new man like?” asked Border enteen, who caught sight of his face and turned | Berta, whose early history, it was said, nobody le. knew but the Alcalde of Crystal City, and per- **He knows,” said the youth, who might have | haps his dwarf pard Zocco. been several years older than the girl. ‘‘The *““He is good-looking, with dark eyes, long boss of Crystal City knows that we intend to | hair, and a black mustache like Bullion Burke’s, fly.” I believe he is handsomer than the alcalde, and For a moment the beautiful girl looked help- | every whit as cool.” less before some gigantic peril. She seemed ‘* What does he call himself?” about to fall back in a swoon. Berta put her questions in a manner which ** Who—told—him?” she asked, in gasps. showed that she had become strangely interested “The serpent of the camp; his infernal, mis- | in the new-comer. shapen shadow!” grated the youth. ‘1 have ‘*T did not stay to hear,” was the reply. “ He just come from the door of his shanty; I have | appeared to be a Stranger to everybody but 1eard Zocco tell his master that we were about | Cactus Claude, the Rolling Stone of the South- to bid Crystal City farewell.” west.” “ And he?—what did he say?” “That man knows everybody; he has been “That we should never go,” was the reply. | everywhere!” cried the girl. “And he seemed ** He came toward the door, as if about to face | to know the new man?” us with the hunchback’s revelation, but second ‘Yes; I heard the click of a revolver’s lock thought sent him back to his shadow, whose yel- | behind me, and when I looked back Cactus low throat I’d like to have in my clutch at this | Claude had his six-shooter half out, and was moment,” glaring fiercely at Wild Whip’s one passenger. The youth’s eyes glowed like fire-halls as he “Then he knows him! Jack, this stranger finished, and he thrust out his hand and shut it | must be told that Cactus Claude hates him!” spasmodically, as if it already clutched the | And Berta’s words seemed to become an appeal, throat he coveted. as she laid her hand on the youth’s arm. “Jack, the game is up,” said the girl. “1 “He will find that out, for he has the eye of have placed you in a dangerous position. From | an eagle. Cactus Claude may have seen him this moment Bullion Burke is the worst enemy | somewhere, and he may have cause to fear the you can have, and with his shadow to help him, | man who has just come.” nothing will be too mean for him.” “Cactus Claude fears neither man nor the “Don’t despair. Let me bear the blame of | devil.” te f this flight,” said the youth promptly. ‘I knew “That is his old boast,” smiled Jack. ‘ Berta, Bullion Burke before it was proposed. I know | you fear that fellow, though.” him yet. I would not have stayed a day in “IT do,” acknowledged the girl; “‘ while I am Crystal City, had it not been for the hopes I | nct afraid to face the boss of fhe Crystal City, I had of learning something about my father’s | confess that I fear his right hand man, Cactus fate. We need not wait a week; we can go! Claude, There is someting about him that is re- now before the two pards can form a plan | pulsive. It is not the red scar that runs across against us. My father is lost forever.” is cheek and becomes fiery whenever he is in ‘“Can we go to-night?” asked the girl, joy ap- a passion, as you have seen it do a hundred aring in the depths of her deep-blue eyes. | times. I cannot tell you why I hate and fear ‘Would to heaven we could, Jack!’ that man. It seems to me that something hap- “We can and we will!” was the exclamation | pened long ago that furnished me with this deep- that ted her. seated aversion. I positively shudder in Cactus “ all the arrangements to me, Berta, I | Claude’s presence,” ; will be here within thirty minutes, with every- ** And yet he does not bother ou,” answered thing ready. When the infamous Alcalde of | the youth. ‘He knows better than to do that. Crystal City lifts his hand to strike, his victims | The Rolling Stone is no fool after all, Berta; as will be far away.” long as I have known him he has never shown A minute later the girl’s companion had van- | his claws,” ished, and she was alone. + seeping aie when you say he flashed He walked toward the Mountain Dew Hotel, 7 at sight of Wild Whip’s passenger?” smiled and reached it just as a stage drawn by four | the girl. horses drew up in front of it, and the driver hal- ‘It was momentary, He cooled down when looed out, ‘‘ Crystal City” loud enough to rouse | I caught his eye, and the visitor walked into the the dead in the little cemetery near by on the | hotel. We will confront Bullion Burke until we mountain. know something about the Mountain Dew’s The coming of the stage to Crystal City was | guest.” an event that did not excite much comment. It “* Very well,” assented Border Berta. ‘The generally brought passengers—who for the most | alciilde’s dwarf pard ee gee spy; he has told part journeyed on—and some mail, Burke that we intended to fly from Crystal A few men, miners and roughs, awaited the | City. That hunchback is more serpent than hu- arrival of the stage before the hotel, and the | man anyhow; his voice is the hiss of the viper.” youth was about to move on when the door of The girl’s eyes grew animated while she spoke. the vehicle opened, and the only passenger step- “T hate him, too,” cried Jack. ‘If I had the out. the snake here, by heavens! I would throttle “‘Thar’s a new shiner,” said one of the specta- | him! Maybe I’) geta chance at him one of these tors in low but audible tones. ‘I wonder if he | days. I’m going down now to learn more about has any dust for the banks.” } the new guest.” é A man who came to Crystal mes without dust “* Look out for the boss of Crystal City! Make for the faro banks was regarded as a poor | no issue with him.” visitor; the sports there were always on the out- *“*T will take care of number one,” laughed the look for some pigeon to pluck. Eom as he left the cabin, and a moment later Jack had never seen the passenger before, to | he was walking from the cabin where he had his knowledge. He was tall, well formed, and | left Crystal City’s one pure woman and even to as handsome as Bullion Burke himself. His hat | him an enigma which he could not solve. was an elegant Panama, and from beneath its The young man directed his steps toward the brim glanced a pair of eyes that seemed to see | Mountain Dew Hotel where he expected to find everything. the new-comer, np like that man,” unconsciously muttered In front of the building which could not ac- the youth. ‘I wish I had him fora friend just | commodate many guests, he found a crowd of now.” twenty men to whom the stage-driver was de- . At that moment something clicked behind | scribing the lie vee: appearance of Keno Bar. | him, and turning quickly, he saw a flash in the It vas Jack’s first news of the destruction of the little mining-camp, and a thrill of horror ran through him as Wild Whip told how the re- mains of the mountaineers had been found among the ruins of their cabins. ‘““Injuns!” said the old driver emphatically. ** Don’t I know Injun work when I see it? Did- n’t I pick up an arrow thet gave ther hull job away?” Cactus Claude was one of the listeners on the’ outside of the crowd, and the youth happened to glance at him when Wild Whip finished his opinion. A singular twinkle was in the desperado’s eyes, and Jack thought he detected a smile at the corners of his mouth, but he was not sure, for the only light he had was that which came from the stars. Where was the new arrival? Nobody seemed to be thinking about him, and the men who surrounded the driver cared only for the story of Keno Bar’s fate. ‘* Tt was a mean hole and its pards war selfish and meaner still,” growled one big fellow. ‘* Blamed if it warn’t as independent as Russia, and I guess it didn’t get any more than it need- ed.” This sentiment, heartless as it was, seemed to find an echo in the hearts of a majority of the listeners, Keno Bar had no friends in Crystal City. The two places had never had any friendly commu- nication, as if they were rivals of some kind, and to the knowledge of no one no man from the ill-fated place had ever been seen on the streets cf the larger camp: Bullion Burke was largely responsible for this; he had declared Keno Bar outlawed, and outlawed it accordingly was. Jack, the youth, felt his indignation rise when he heard the roughs of Crystal City rejoice over the fate of the little camp, but he knew it would not be policy to attempt to stem the tide of opinion. He left Wild Whip and his audience and walk- ed into the hotel. The office and bar were all in one, the clerk and bartender were the same person, and the moment he saw the young man he beckoned him to the counter. ‘“* Have you seen ’im yet?” asked the clerk. ** Seen whom?” “Mr. Christopher Kingsly, the high horse thet came in with Whip a while ago?” Jack glanced inatvhalie around the room which contained half a Cozen men at the moment. “Oh, he isn’t here just now; gone out for a walk, I guess,” continued the clerk. ‘He re- marked that he might stop here for a good spell, and said that he had nothin’ particular on hand. Looks like a man of leisure with plenty of rocks and uncommon good judgment. I directed him to the Tiger’s Claws if he wanted any sport and he may be thar now, playin’ with the beast you know, Jack.” Tony Timberlake, the clerk of the Mountain Dew, was a shrewd fellow who got a small per- centage of the losings of all guests whom he directed to the Tiger’s Claws, Bir fee City’s most noted faro bank, and the er may rest assured that he lost no time in ing to Christopher Kingsly of the den. Jack withdrew. ‘*Goin’ down, eh?” asked the clerk. “ Perhaps.” “ Contrive to let the colonel know that Kings- ly came from me.” Jack made no reply, but walked out. “You would direct a man into the jaws of death if you could rake in a little commission,” he said indignantly. ‘‘ You are no better than the rest of them, Tony Timberlake. If I geta chance I'll Christopher’ Kingsly abont a few things. know this town as well as the next man. Not far from the hotel stood the roughbl a building known as the Tiger aws. It was a faro bank operated by a sleek lookin man who was called “‘the colonel,” althon E some occasionally styled him Arizona Al. The game came into existence with Crystal City; it had grown with its growth, and its reputation had extended far beyond the confines of the camp. A ae inclosed in glass hung over the door of the bank, and on three of its sides were — daubs, supposed to represent the claws of the tiger. The building itself was not large, but it was quite sufficient for the wants of the colonel’s ustomers, and when Jack eatered it, after leav- ing the hotel, he found the principal game in full blast and Arizona Albert managing it with: his usual adeptness and suavity.
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The youth’s first look was for Christopher Kingsly, but instead of seeing him he saw Cac- tus Claude, and following the desperado’s black eyes, he found the Mountain Dew’s new guest looking quietly on at the game. For ten minutes Cactus Claude continued to eye the stranger, then he suddenly shifted his position and moved toward the door. ‘That man means mischief,” said Jack to him- self as he eyed the ruffian, © “‘ There is the devil in his eye, and Kingsly has put him there.” The next moment the youth moved toward the faro table and halted, unperceived, at Kingsly’s side. He looked up and saw the stranger’s gaze fixed on the colonel with almost the same look that Cactus Claude had been giving him. Then Jack glanced at the Rolling Stone and found him at the door, as if about to dart away. af ba like to see you,” said the youth in a whisper intended only for Kingsly’s ears. “If you will follow me within five minutes, you will find me on the outside.” There was no visible sign that the stranger had heard a word of this. He did not even look at the youth, but Jack was certain that his words had not been lost. He left the table and started toward the door. Cactus Claude was gone, and no noise had at- tended his departure. On the outside and in the shadow of the front of the building, Jack halted and waited for yrs a “He certainly heard me,” he said to himself. “*T whispered loud enough—” This sentence was broken by the sudden re- port of a revolver on the inside. With it came a loud cry, and then the loud voices of a dozen men. The next second the door of the faro bank flew open and Jack rushed forward. “ Stay out!” thundered a voice at his ear as he was thrown back, and a man whom he knew was Cactus Claude sprung into the den. CHAPTER IV. THE DEATH MYSTERY. Jack, the youth, was not disposed to obey the mandate thundered into his ears by Cactus Claude; he did not obey it. The Rolling Stone of Crystal City had barely crossed the threshold of the faro bank, than Jack too, was inside again. There was some whitish smoke rising toward the rafters of the place, and the splendid figure of Christopher Kingsly stood erect in the mid- dle of the room. At the foot of the gambling table lay the body of a large man, and the other occupants of the den stood with cocked revolvers looking over a leveled six-shooter into the cool eyes of the stranger guest. Jack took in the whole scene in an instant, and missed the face and figure of the proprietor of the bank, Arizona Al. Could he be the man under the table? Cactus Claude had entered the den like a lion that springs upon a cam of sleeping hunters. ‘Did he get the colonel?” he exclaimed, glanc- ing at the body by the table, ‘Somebody got him,” answered some one. "That was grat shot?’ and Cactus Claude came toward Kingsley’s revolver, but halted several feet away, **Do you think so?” asked the new arrival, with a smile at the corners of his lips and then he said seriously. ‘‘No, I did not shoot any- body.” The men looked astonished. + How is this?” asked Cactus Claude, turning to the pards, ‘‘ Did that man thar get ther colonel?” Nobody seemed willing to answer, ‘‘He stepped back just before-the shot was fired,” one said. “ He had a revolver in his hand when we all jumped up. But he says he didn’t drop the colonel.” “‘ That is true, gentlemen,” continued Christo- pher Kingsly. ‘‘I held no grudge against the man lying there. He had enemies no doubt, but he was not mine. There are six balls in the revolver, I hold in my hand, I tw ge back to leave the house. I cannot say who killed the colonel.” The pards of Crystal City looked nonplused, “He was killed by some one in the house,” ted Cactus Claude, with a fierce accusative glance at the stranger. “7 think so,’ added Kingsly. At this juncture two of the men approached the man on the floor and lifted him up, ‘“‘ This man isn’t dead,” suddenly said one, and then there was a surging toward the eolonel. Kingsly did’ not move forward with the rest, but looked between two men into the bloodless face of the man who had been placed on a bench. It was evident from the first that Arizona Albert was at the end of life. They forced the hottest brandy in creation down his throat and revived him. ‘Do you know who got yer, colonel?” was the question that met him from Cactus Claude’s lips. “It’s an enigma ter ther crowd. If we get ter ther bottom ov it, by Jehosaphat! thar’ll a plantin’ without much ceremony.” The gambler who had been shot in the breast made several efforts to clean his throat; the spectators waited breathlessly during the at- baer + “ Tt—was—Coyote,” said the colonel, at last, and scarcely above a whisper. “Coyote?” exclaimed Cactus Claude. ‘Who the deuce is Coyote?” ‘* Coyote,” repeated the wounded man, didn’t—know—he—war—here.” The Rolling Stone sprung up and wheeled up- on the toughs. ‘* Do any ov yer know who Coyote is?” he ex- claimed. There was no audible response, but several shook their heads. The mystery was deepen- “TN ing. f Tell us who Coyote is, colonel,” said Cactus Claude, going back to the gasping man on the bench. ‘‘Ther boys don’t seem to know ’im without an explanation.” ‘‘ Don’t know Coyote?” said the colonel, as if a little stronger, and then shutting his teeth hard he added, with a sickly grin: “‘ By Heav- en! I know Coyote!” ‘* Let the man yonder come forward and give the colonel a glimpse of him,” suggested some- ne with a glance at Kingsly. ‘Thet’s an idea! ‘Will he do thet?” The stranger came forward without any urg- ing, and the crowd parted to let him to the pro- prietor of the ranch. ‘* Hyer’s a man what just came ter Crystal,” said the Rolling Stone, calling the colonel’s at- tention to the person who had halted before him. ‘He war hyer when ther shootin’ war done. Is he Coyote?” A second elapsed ‘before Arizona Albert saw Crystal City’s latest visitor, and when he did his gaze became riveted upon him. The men leaned forward and held their breath, for they all knew that a life hung upon the dying man’s decision. ““T guess we’ve got Coyote, but I never knew vas by thet name,” said Cactus Claude to him- self. At that moment the colonel slowly shook his head. “He isn’t Coyote,” he said, ‘‘I don’t know that man.” The pards of Crystal City drew back and ex- changed puzzled looks, ** Are you through with me?” asked Kingsly, ‘¢T guess we are,” responded several. ‘Gentlemen, if I should be wanted, you'll find me at the Mountain Dew,” he continued, and the next minute he was leaving the scene, Almost before he reached the door a death- like gurgle was heard in the colonel’s throat, and Cactus Claude pet ter back, “Thet ends it,” said the desperado. ‘‘We have now ter find out who Coyote is.” He had hardly ceased befor the ominous rat- tle died away, and the fo phat of the Tiger’s Claws lay before his nightly customers with ‘the stamp of death on his face. The news went over the gold town like a flash of wildfire, and Colonel Wonder, as the dead man’s real name was, was hardly cold before it was the topic every where. ‘Tell me all,” said Bullion Burke when he had shut the door of his shanty behind himself and Cactus Claude. ‘‘ You were there when it happened. Who did it?” “'That’s a simple an’ a natural question, cap’n; but for all that it’s a poser,” was the reply. ‘* Did you ever hear of 8 fro Bullion Burke repeated the name, and shook his head, “What has Coyote got ter do with the colonel’s death?” he asked. “Everything. He killed him.” The Alcalde of Crystal City then listened while Cactus Claude narrated the mysterious shooting, and, for a wonder, he did not inter- questions to the close. “‘T don’t more’n half-acquit that man Kings- ly,” said Claude, ‘‘ He offered ter let us ex- amine his revolver, but ther boys took him at his word.” ‘¢ Who is he?” asked Burke. “‘ Christopher Kingsly.” ‘¢ Whar from?” “T don’t know. He came in with Wild Whip ter-night.” “* Whar is he?” ‘* At ther Mountain Dew.” Bullion Burke was silent for a moment. ‘Maybe I had better :ee this man,” he said. “Do you know him?’ asked Claude, with a slight start, *T can’t say till I’ve set my peepers on him,” was the reply. “If I don’t know him maybe Zocco does, for he knows ‘everybody, or seems ter.” “We'll go down tergether an’ look at him,” said Claude, and then he laughed: “‘ You ought ter hey heard Whip tell about findin’ Keno Bar in ashes, with an Injun arrer hyer an’ thar. He paints a florid picture, cap’n, an’ gives ther reds all ther credit for ther wipin’ out.” The alcalde joined in the laugh with which Cactus Claude fniished, but he suddenly became serious. “T don’t like this killin’ business,” he said. ‘Ig this Coyote some secret slayer who is loose for a spell? There were twenty-one at Keno Bar, Cactus.” “ Twenty-one.” “What does Wild Whip say about the re- mains?” ‘‘He an’ this man Kingsly counted twenty- one skeletons. They all died, cap’n; thar’s no mistake about thet. If ther colonel told ther truth before he died, Coyote belongs ter ther Bar. Let me see him! Give Cactus Claude a chance at this human puzzle, an’ ther parm will solve it quicker’n lightnin’. Thar’s angther thing I don’t like. Jack whispered suthin’ ter Kingsly just before ther colonel war dropped. I saw him.” Burke’s face instantly became livid, his eyes flashed. ‘* That 1 onto one of his new schemes to-night. goin’ ter give us quits, Cactus.” ** They ?—whom?” ‘He an’ ther girl.” “‘One may go, but both shall rot!” cried Cactus. ‘I don’t care much for ther boy, but ther other—Border Berta—I take a good deal of stock in her, cap’n, though she don’t like a hair o’ my head!” The boss of Crystal City gave the ker a look of rage and challenge, and checke himself on the eve of an outburst of anger. “Neither shall go!” he said. “I run this camp to a certain extent, and no boy steals a march on me.” ‘Nor a girl on me!” laughed Claude. ‘They won't go ter-night, cap’n.” ‘Nor ter-morrow night, nor the next!” was the response. ‘I will play a hand thet will block all games, I'll show this girl—” He caught Claude’s eye at that moment and sto . P on'’t go too fast, cap’n,” warned the Roll- ing Stone, coolly. ‘I want it understood that: T will attend to ther girl. I’ve got more claim on her than anybody thinks for. I'm a bad man from ’way back, when my affairs ar’ med- dled with,” Burke instinctively drew back, and looked into the speaker’s eye. *¢] kin wipe out your claim at any time,” he said to himself. ‘‘ I hold a whole deck hyer!” CHAPTER V. THE LAST MAN SHOWS HIS HAND. Everypopy in Crystal City forgot the de- struction of Keno Bar in the mysterious death of one of its most prominent citizens, Colonel Wonder, or Arizona Al, as he was generally oung serpent?” he hissed. “I got They are called. : The day after the shooting, the excitement was not in the least abated; everybody was looking for Coyote, and threats against his life were heard everywhere. : The toughs, as a rule, exonerated Christopher Kingsly, or Kit King, as we shall know him. Some were inclined connect his coming to Crystal City with the death of the faro-dealer, and a sullen few clung to the assertion—which they did not make in public—that he had done the crete | himself. During the day he kept his quarters at the Mountain Dew or about town, as it suited. him. More than once he was seen and closely watched by Cactus Claude, who seemed to have seer him before; but where, and under what circumstances? The Rolling Stone was not the only persom ag ee s oh eeetete 6A bt) SY eth Se 4m ee LS
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who had singled Kingsly out for espionage. He was watched by Bullion Burke’s hunchback pard, who had the keenest pair of eyes in the gold-camp. The boss of Crystal City had not exaggerated much when he said that this ugly, misshapen creature knew “everybody.” Zocco certainly possessed a wonderful knox. ledge of men, and it would be strange if he did not “know something about Kit King. But it was Coyote who puzzled the tough de- tectives of Crystal. They hunted all day, but found no clew to the slayer, and at sundown the remains of the colouel were added to the silent little camp on the mountain-side. Bullion Burke had brought all his shrewdness to bear upon the search he had made. He and the colonel had been friends a long time, and he felt himself under obligations to find and pun- ish his murderer. Night came and no vengeance. saw the mystery as deep as ever. Burke, alone in his cabin, was in no good humor. ‘*T€*Zoeco brings no clew when he reports, I will consider it the work of the devil,” he growled, ‘‘Here is a man shot in the presence of twenty men, and nobody knows who did it! Before he dies he declares that a certain person called Coyote, an old enemy no doubt, did the work, but nobody has found this person, I am puzzled. Some would like to connect this new man, Kingsly, with it, but I can’t do that. I don’t like to see him here at this particular time. T don’t like the eye he carries in his head, I’m of the opinion, like Cactus, that he’s here for no good. It’s a wonder thet Jack an’ the girl haven’t tried ter steal away during the excite- ment, Let ’em try it!” and Bullion’s lips closed viciously. Ten minutes more passed, but Zocco did not come, The camp’s boss gave vent to his dis- pleasure in no pleasant language. At last the door opened, and Burke had a vis- itor. It was not the dwarf, nor cool-eyed Cac- tus Claude, but Crystal City’s last visitor— Kingsly. Burke almost started from his stool at the table, but the Last Man from Keno Bar stepped quickiy forward and begged him to keep his seat. ‘“*T am here on business,” said the desperado’s visitor, eying the alcalde closely, ‘‘I want you to tell me, Burke, what doomed Keno Bar?” The words coolly spoken seemed to go to the alcalde’s heart like a knife. Despite Kit King’s gaze, he started up. “‘ Down!” cried the man from Keno = and the next second Burke was looking into the muz- zle cf a six-shoot r that almost touched his face. “Who ar’ you?” he exclaimed. ** Kit King, Keno Bar’s Last Man!” was the reply. ‘‘My time has come to act. I am acting now. Sit down, or you may fall with a shatter- ed brain-pan!” There was no mistaking the words nor the mien of the man that faced him. In an instant Burke was ready to believe that this person was the hunted and wanted Coyote. He went back to his stool. It was a case of life or death with the boss of Crystal City. “‘ This is the coolest hand J ever saw played in this camp,” he growled. ‘‘ You can steal a march on one man, Kit King, but I’m not ther only one in Crystal.” The lips of the Last Man wore a faint derisive smile before the boast was finished. ‘Crystal City will be faced, by and by,” he said, over the steady revolver. ‘I came here to avenge the pards of Keno Bar. The Indian ar- row found among the ashes was no clew for me, although it was conviction to Wild Whip, the stage driver. Were you afraid that Keno Bar would eclipse the mountain colony you have es- tablished here? What had Keno done to deserve the fate you carried to it a few nights ago—you and your masked pards?” “Who says I war thar, and who talks about masks?” snapped Burke making an exhibition of defiance that rather amused the avenger. “The man before you says that,” was the re- tort. “Just out of the camp I alighted from the stage and picked up a mask. Your best pard has just recognized it as yours, Bullion Burke,” ** Who did so?” ep a “Your best pard, I say,” smiled Kit King. “Cactus Claude?” ‘No; your Hunchback.” “ That cannot be! Zocco cannot be forced to tie on the man to whom he owes his very life.” ‘‘Zocco did not lie,” returned the Last Man. “Or if he did, he will never lie again.” “Why not?” ** He is dead.” Crystal City One Against Fifty. Burke sprung up with an oath, but the leveled revolver moving up with his sudden action cov- ered his face as before, ‘Now, tell me why if was done!” persisted Kit King. * And how?” said the gold-camp desperado, “c Yes.” “In the first place, we’ve hated ever since it was established.” ‘**T knew that.” ‘““ Secondly, it threatened to become a serious rival to Crystal City, and its citizens were men whose crimes had outlawed them elsewhere.” Burke stopped to note the effect 6f this charge upon the avenger of the burned camp. It ad- ded no new flash to his eyes. He merely said ‘‘ Go on,” and the boss of Crys- tal bit his lips and obeyed: ‘“We went down thar fifty strong tother night ter compromise. We war goin’ ter buy Keno Bar if they’d sell, and if they wouldn’t—” “What?” “We war goin’ ter git rid o’ ther hull kit! When we got thar we found ther camp asleep for it war late. It warn’t all asleep, though; thar war a guard, as if they expected a visit, and that guard fired among us and tumbled Jalisco Joe from his saddle. You kin bet thet thet stirred ther blood oy every man in_ther sgn Thet shot sealed ther doom ov Keno ar,” ‘“You had no mercy, Buillion Burke. The men of Keno were shot down without it. And not one escaped!” ** Not one unless you—” ‘“‘T was not there. You made no calculation on the Last Man, who was away at the time. There were twenty-one skeletons among the ruins. One was Jalisco Joe’s, eh?” ‘¢- Yes; we threw his body among ther rest.” ‘“‘ After thet you bound yourselves with an oath to say nothing about the destruction of Keno Bar. “You were ashamed of your work?” “Not that,” declared Bullion Burke; ‘‘ but thar war no necessity for spreadin’ ther news.” Kit King was silent; the very coolness of the man before him was exasperating in the extreme but he did not break forth into threats of ven- geance. : “You can write, Bullion Burke?” he asked at length. ‘What if I can?” ‘““] want the names of the men who rode down to Keno Bar the other night.” ‘¢Thar war fifty.” ‘‘T don’t care if there were two hundred. You know themall. I want their names.” ‘¢ Whar’s yer paper?” snapped the desperado, Kit King drew a piece of paper from an in- side pocket and threw it upon the table before the boss of Crystal. “Write them all there—all excepting Jalisco Joe and the colonel.” ‘* What! you can’t kill forty-eight men?” cried Burke looking up. ‘‘ They are the best pards in Arizona. Do you play all your games alone?” ‘*T play them as it suits me the best,” was the answer. ‘‘Goon and write the names.” Burke was no rapid writer; he had handled the revolver more than the pen, and the task of writing forty-eight names was no easy one for him. Biting his lips under his dark mustache he went at it, watched by Kit King who took great interest in the work. Name after name followed one another on the paper before Burke, but the task seemed inter- minable. ‘Thar they ar’!” said Bullion Burke when he had finished and the paper was pushed across the rough table. ‘Ther possession ov them will do you no good.” Kit King folded the paper with one hand and put it back into his pocket. “Tf you will follow me you will know that Crystal City discovers my mission in a short time,” remarked the Last Man. “I'm going to post these men.” **-You ar’,” cried Burke. ‘‘ Whar?” ‘In the most conspicuous place in this moun- tain haunt—at the Mountain Dew. Do you want to see the posting?” Kit King, for the first time, showed signs of going. He moved toward the door, but his eyes still rested on the alcalde, and his finger still touched the trigger of his revolver, ‘‘ T’ve seen fools before,” said Bullion Burke. ** Rools?” echoed the Last Man. ‘‘ The chief of fools is the man who led the expedition against Keno Bar.” “See byer!” laughed Burke. ‘‘ If you’re goin’ ter git even for Keno, hyer in Crystal, don’t yer Keno Bar 5 a think you’d better take yer men as you find *em?” ‘That is my business,” was the answer. ‘“‘I promise you, Bullion, that before I bave played my hand out Crystal City shall know that the twenty-first man of Keno Bar was the worst of the lot. Not one of them was an outlaw, and not one was afraid to go back to where he came from in the broad light of day. The man who accuses the murdered pards of cutlawry lies like the Comanche horse-thief !” ‘That means me,” grated the mad alcalde. ‘* Wear the boot if it goes on!” was the re- sponse. ‘‘Keno Bar intended to become no camp’s rival. Circumstances threw its inhabi- tants together. Not one of them ever took the lifeof a man excepting in self-defense. They were rough in manner, rough in speech, and their death is the saddest crime that stains the annals of the Southwest. I proclaim open that Iam here for vengeance. I shall let all Crystal] City know it, and that within the next hour. After that I will hit you where and whenever I can. I may play one hand to-night and another to-morrow, but the outcome of all shall be the same—vengeanee! I. don’t believe in special providences, Bullion, but I believe that justice has made Kit King the avenger of Keno Bar!” That was all. The last word was falling from the Last Man’s lips like the final hiss of a threat as he opened the door and walked out. There was something startling even in his de- parture. Burke stood spellbound in the cabin for sev- eral minutes, ‘* None but a fool will pit himself ag’in’ the men who wi out Keno Bar!” he suddenly ex- claimed, and the next moment he, too, was in the starlight. But Kit King had already disappeared, and, as if he knew where to find him, the alcalde started toward the Mountain Dew Hotel, in his hand a cocked six-shooter. CHAPTER VI. THE PROSCRIBED. ‘‘ He thinks I do not mean it,” said the man who left Bullion Burke astounded in his cabin. “The head demon of this pandemonium shall discover that I mean every word!” Kit King went straight to the Mountain Dew Hotel. He carried in his pocket the list the alcalde had made out for him. There were forty-eight names in all. Two of the partici- pators in the Keno Bar massacre—Jalisco Joe and Arizona Al—were dead, The die had been cast, and the Last Man had unmasked himself. He had to go to work, now, and his action meant fight, flight or death. At one side of the front door of the botel hun a glass lamp similar to the one that surmounte the entrance to the Tiger’s Claws. Kit King stopped in the light and coolly drew forth the list of the proscribed, He was watched by the dozen men who hap- pened to be there; they seemed to guess that something unusual was about to take place. Without addressing them the Last Man placed the paper against the weather-boarding, and suddenly pinned it there with a bowie which he took from beneath his coat Those who were near enough noticed that the handle of the bowie showed evidences of havin been in a fire; it was more than half burn away. r ‘* There is a list of the men who took part in the Keno Bar massacre,” announced Kit King, as he stepped back and pointed at bis work, his flashing eye and fine figure revealed to the crowd by the lamp. ‘‘I want it distinctly understood that the Last Man of Keno Bar is op the war- path, and that he has an account to settle with each of the forty-eight named in that list.” His hand fell and his eye turned from the crowd. He stepped into the hotel and the men of Crystal City rushed toward the paper. ‘Read ‘er out!” cried those on the outside. “Tet Rattlin’ Rock give us ther names,” Rattlin’ Rock, a tall, ill-sbaped fellow with a skin like parchment, began to read in a nasal voice the list under the lamp. At the first name the crowd seemed to stare aghast. ‘¢ Cactus Claude!” cried the reader, and from the Rolling Stone he passed down the list, nam- ing several who almost touched his elbow, To a part of the crowd it was a startling sur- prise. The secret of Keno Bar’s doom was out at last, and nobody could justly throw that crime upon the shoulders of the Indian. Meanwhile, in the office of the hotel stood Kit JNA
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: King listcning to the list as pronounced by Rat- tlin’ Rock. ‘* Whar is this man who has a grudge ter fight out?” suddenly cried a voice that was not the reader’s, **T am here,” answered Kit, coolly eying the door. ‘‘ Whose voice was that, Tony?” Tony Timberlake, the clerk and bartender of the Mountain Dew, touched the Last Man’s arm as he replied: ** That man is the worst pill in the box; he is Cactus Claude. He will be in here in less than five seconds.” ‘*T shall be glad to welcome him,” smiled Kit King. ‘‘ Tony, those fellows out there are howl- ing over a list of names which I’ve just pinned under the lamp. . I am hers to avenge the mas- sacre of Keno Bar.” ** Jehosaphat!” gasped Tony, as he recoiled with a face as white as ashes. ‘‘ Have you got my name on the list?” ** Were you there?” *“N—no! that is—they almost forced me—” “Coward! I don’t want you!” interrupted Kit King. ‘‘l suppose you went along for the fun of the thing. The shedding of your blood wouldn’t be the avenging of bravemen. Go out there and scratch your name from the list. I may have overlooked it.” Tony felt his limbs quake under him; he was midway between a faint and a spasm. He al- ready felt the pistol of the avenger against his temple. “Tt was my first night expedition and by heavens, it shall be my last,” he groaned. ‘‘I kicked against it all along—told Bullion Burke that it was a shame—” “Shut up! I don’t want any lies!” rebuked Kit King, and the terrified youth became as mute as a clam. ‘‘ Where is this Bashan bull that was roaring out there a minute ago?” If Cactus Claude was outside he was strange- ly mute, and the cool man. who stood near the bar waiting calmly for the bursting of the mountain cloud seemed puzzled by the singular silence. ‘“*There’s somebody at the back door,” said Tony, at length. Kit King turned half-around. ** Go and open it,” he said, to the clerk. **T’'m not insured,” was the reply, accompanied by a slight shrinking and a sickly smile. The Last Man gave him a derisive glance and stepped to the door himself. “ Come in,” he called out, as he pushed back a small iron bolt and opened the door. Instead of a stalwart man backed by a score of mountain toughs, as was to be expected, the figure of a young girl was seen. ‘* Border Berta!” exclaimed Tony. ‘‘ See here, girl; this is no place—” But the girl was already inside, and with her hand on the avenger’s arm she was looking up into his face. **-You don’t know what a storm you have raised,” she said. ‘‘ They are gathering for a rush that will overwhelm you. You may be the bravest man that ever lived, but it will not be bravery for you to face the tigers of Crystal City. They cal] you Coyote, the man who killed the colonel, and they will get you if they lose two-thirds of their numbers.” The girl spoke rapidly and in a voice full of deep solicitude for the man before her. “So you think I had better go?” Kit King said, as he looked with a smile into the face whose pleading it would be hard to resist. ‘Ror Heaven’s sake, yes!” cried the girl. ““T now know what brought you to Crystal, and I can’t say that I blame you; but you can get no vengeance out of the storm you have faised. I left them at the Tiger’s Claws. Jack is watching them yet, but he can do nothing to help you. Go—go! let your blow fall some other time, when the odds are not so great against ou. Jack already thinks the world of you, and fi do not want you to perish here.” Kit looked from the girl to the clerk, who had me to the door, where he was listening, with fis face still white. *¢ Are they coming, Tony?” asked the girl, **T don’t hear them.” ‘Tt cannot be long,” she went on, addressing the Last Man. ‘Jack found a dead body in camp half an hour ago. It was Zocco, Bullion Burke’s hunchback pard, They may accuse you of killing him.” ‘*T did,” confessed Kit King. ‘The little ider was at my throat before I knew it, and I ~ ae him for a panther, When I discovered was human, and Zocco, I got from him some information about the doom of Keno Bar. He ‘was there.” oF ey were all there,1 think, I saw them One Against Fifty. ride out of camp that night, but I never dream- ed that they were bent on an expedition of that kind. But you are going, ain’t you?” “Going to run?” “* Tt will be brave to withdraw in the face of such odds,” replied Berta, quickly. ‘‘ How is it now, Tony?” “The » lt of the Tiger’s Claws has been opened.” ‘*They are coming!” cried the girl, grasping Kit’s arm again. ‘‘It will be the one bright spot in my life histcry if I can get you from the clutches of that crowd.” ** Then yousphall have it,” was the reply. “Thank Hé@aiven!” exclaimed the girl. The next moment Tony Timberlake was the sole occupant of the room, and he was not dis- posed to remain and face the crowd, at that very moment advancing upon the hotel. ““T don’t want to give the girl away, and I will have toif Istay,” he said. ‘‘I don’t think they’d deal leniently with her, even if she is the prettiest creature in Arizona. The present best place for Tony Timberlake is where the two cap- tains can’t quiz him at the pistol’s muzzle.” Kit King did not move along as rapidly as the girl wished, All the time he was listening with head erect for the first sounds of the storm. More than once he seemed about to stop and go back, but a glance at the fair young creature who had jeopardized her life for him, deterred him. “This is not cowardice,” said Berta as if she read his thoughts at that critical moment. ‘‘I will hate the man who dares to impugn your bravery. The men who went to Keno Bar are the king toughs of Arizona. Coyote may be among them, for aught I know, for the man who killed Colonel Wonder must have been in the room.” At that moment a noise came from the hotel. It sounded like the fall of some heavy piece of timber, and then came the wild cries of a num- ber of men, ‘* They’ve found the fort empty,” said the girl with a laugh, Kit King stopped and with one hand on the butt of a six-shooter, drew back, Even in the starlight the young girl caught the mad gleam in his eyes. ‘Not now!” she cried. leave them to themselves. pledge to me.” “By Jove! I will not!” he exclaimed, **(Jome, girl. These fellows will hear from Kit King saa and they shall curse the night they rode to Keno Bar.” ‘‘He is safe!” said Berta in tones of grateful- ness when she found herself, twenty minutes later, in the darkness that filled the interior of her little cabin. “Tony will not expose me, and nobody saw mecome to him and warn him of his danger. What, draws me to that man?— his coolness, his bravery? I do not know. I care not if hedoes come back. He is not the man to remain away. But to-night the odds were too great against him. I could not see him shot to pieces by the men who wiped out his comrades at Keno Bar.” The girl spoke aloud in the gloom that hem- med her in. When she finished a human figure glided from the logs of the cabin, and disappeared. ‘So help me, heaven, if I ever give that girl away,” the listener said. ‘‘I don’t think I need have many hopes of capturin’ her as the situation stands One thing still remains a mystery. They don’t know who Coyote is,” and the speaker laughed, Just beyond the con- fines of the gold-camp stood a handsome man whose face was turned toward the cabins. His figure was straight and faultless, and the wind that shook the pine boughs about him stirred the long dark hair that fell gracefully to his broad and strong shoulders, ‘‘ Ror once in many years I have listened to the voice of woman,” be suddenly said. ‘ Great Ceesar! who could have refused that girl any- thing to-night? She does not belong to the tiger den of which she is an occupant. As well ex- pect a flower to bloom in hades. If I had not this mission on my hands, I would get her an- other home; but, vengeance first! I did not think the list was so long. If it took in the whole camp I would not turn back. Kit King has enlisted for the war!” It was the Last Man himself. “You alain to Don’t break your CHAPTER VII. TWO NIGHTS AFTER. Tony TIMBERLAKE, more than half in love with the girl himself, did not see fit to mention that she had coaxed Kit King into flight when p pencameer by Bullion Burke at the head of the ¥ isappointed toughs. The sole man who sus her was the per- son who glided away from the outside of her cabin after the flight. There was still a divided opinion among the pards of Crystal City. By a large number it was believed that Kit King and the mysterious Coyote were the same person, but many adhered to the argument that they were totally different people. If the latter inference was correct, then Coyote still remained in the camp. he list of the proscribed in Burke’s hand- writing was left where the Last Man bad pinned it with the bowie with the burned hilt. The alcalde declared that it should remain there until the game inaugurated by the man from Keno Bar had been played out. Zocco was dead, and the citizens of Crystal City wondered whether Burke would reveal the true relationship that had existed between them for years. ot a word passed the alcalde’s lips, and the camp was disappointed. The body of the hunchback was carried by night to the mountain and buried by the only man who knew anything about his past life. One thing was certain. Zoccod would no long~ er serve as the alcalde’s spy; he would listen at no more cabin doors as he had done, for secrets; the knife of Kit King, silent and sure, had ter- minated a career that had not one redeeming feature. ‘ Those who saw the alcalde come back from the burial saw a settled expression of determina- tion on his face, and they knew that a strong tie of some kind had united him to the dwarf. As the Last Man had declared that Keno Bar owed its destruction to fifty desperadoes from Crystal City, nobody thought it worth while to a the secret longer. They justified the massacre on the gound that the Bar was a dangerous place, and that its ple were men whose crimes had driven them from a dozen States and Territories. It was curious to hear these monntain toughs talk of hunting men down for alleged crimes when they enc rag deserved the halter and a stout imb. It was near midnight two nights after the flight of Kit King, that a man about to enter the Moutain Dew Hotel looked at the names un- der the lamp that hung outside, ‘Hello! somebody has scratched Bowie Bland’s name out!” he exclaimed. ‘‘ Hey thar! Tony, is this some ov yer work?” Mr. Timberlake, who was within hearing distance, came forward and denied that the erasure of the name was his work, and the next moment half a dozen men were before the list. “It’s been done lately,” said one. ‘* Thet name wer’ unseratched two\hours ago, for I saw it. Mebbe he did it himself.” ** Bowie?” ‘* No, ther other one.” ‘“‘ What! ther man from Keno Bar?” exclaim- ed several voices. The man nodded. “The killer has come back,” said a deep voice at that juncture, and the crowd turned to see the stalwart figure of Cactus Claude. “‘T mean what I say,” continued the Rolling Stone. ‘‘Go down ter Bowie Bland’s shanty and look at its inmate.” The crowd started off with many curses, and with their hands on half-drawn weapons. Cactus Claude walked into the hotel and called for his favorite drink. “Tony,” he said over the bar as he fixed his eyes on the young clerk. ‘Tony, I think the time has come iF ey play.” The clerk started. «You will find the horses, Jupiter an’ Pluto, in the stalls. You know the road ter Tucson?” ‘* Yes, but—” ‘* Now or never!” interrupted Claude. ‘Jack is gettin’ a hold on ther girl thet can’t be shaken off after’ a few days. Once out o’ camp, thar will be no huntin’. I will stand between you an” those left behind.” i ‘aeapare me and Bullion Burke?” asked the clerk, “Between you an’ ther alcalde,” was the re- ply. “Ther girl is at this moment in her shanty, Jack is in his, Bullion Burke is at ther ‘Tiger’s Claws,’ an’ in less than ten minutes ther rest ov Crystal City will be at Bowie Bland’s cabin. Now is yer time. I submit ter this. I told you that one day you should be ther husband of this girl, who is worth more than her weight in gold, as can be proven, an? thet time has come.” “But she doesn’t take very well to me,”
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ee Sa oe ne —. laughed Tony. “I’ve tried to get on with her, but the presence of Jack, whom she really likes, always made it up-hill work.” i Ny Uphill fol-de-rol!” flashed Cactus, bringing his bronze hand down upon the counter. “Go an’ get ther hosses out. ad ’em down ter ther twin rocks. Tl play more than half o’ ther hand for you. ebbe you want au escort ter Tucson.” ‘*Not that,” stammered the amazed clerk. “Tf 1 had the girl safely out of camp, I would have no fears for the balance of the game.” ‘*You shall have her thar! As a mountain matchmaker, Cactus Claude has no equal.” And the Rolling Stone laughed. “ Leave ther house just as it is. Go ter ther hosses, This night gets you ther daisiest wife in Arizona, if ou show sense in playin’ ther hand I give you. ow be off!” Before he left the hotel Tony Timberlake arm- ed himself with two revolvers, and when he went out Cactus Claude was helping himself to the stiffest w“isky the bar afforded. “In helpin’ Tony I’m openin’ a bonanza for myself, an’ I’m gettin’ even with Bullion Burke. Crystal City is fast becomin’ too small for two men ov our ealiber. Ive been called his lieu- tenant long enough. Don’t I know that his dwarf brother dogged my steps whenever I ‘went near the girl? The man called Kit King finished Zocco before I got a chance; he'll have to work fast if he plays his hand ag’in’ Bullion Burke before we come together. He may have an inkling about Berta’s identity, but I doubt it. I think I am the only man in camp that knows.” He passed out of the building and listened for a moment in the starlight beyond. A minute later he was walking rapidly away. Meantime, the crowd that had rushed pell- mell to Bowie Bland’s cabin, had found a large, fine-looking man dead under a rough, deal table. All knew ata glance that it was Bowie Bland himself. ‘This is ther Last Man’s work,” said one, and all the others, grouped in the lamplight, echoed the sentiment. There was confirmation at hand, for written across the top of the table with chalk were the words: “ This is for Keno Bar !” The men drew back as if the slayer stood in the shadow of the open door. If this silent killer was to come to Crystal City night after night and take his man, who would be safe? here was something horrible in the thought; it was enough to make the best man at the mines start at a shadow, Bowie Bland was left where he was found; the toughs of Crystal drew silently over the threshold. . “To ther Tiger,” said some one. ‘ Bullion Burke is thar.” This was enough to start the crowd toward the faro bank, but thirty yards away the fore- most man drew back from an object upon which he had almost stepped. “ Jehu! another man!” crie the leader of the crowd. i Stretched on the ground in the starlight with arms extended and eyes staring at the glittering worlds overhead lay a man who was dead and cold. In his breast stuck a bowie with a dark iron hilt, and told in silent language tke story of another desperado’s doom. This was too much. The crowd looked at the spectacle for a mo- ment, and then made a rush for the faro den. Bursting into the place, their faces and oaths told the players that some terrible event had taken place. Bullion Burke looked up and saw the excited and, to some extent fear-stii’ken crowd. In a moment all had been told. With a cry of rage and vengeance, the al- calde of Crystal City left bis chips and came for- ward with blazing eyes. ‘¢ This has to stop!” he cried. ‘‘ We can’t sit hyer and let this madman do work of this kind under our very hands. By thereternal heavens! we'll set a trap for ther fool from Keno an’ play ther game out before he has begun it.” __ There were voices of approval, but all did not In the crowd were men who already had de- cided to leave the camp. They were not going to remain behind for this silent slayer; there were a thousand hiding-places in the wild South- west, and trails which the eyes of the keenest blood-hunter could not find. When the list under the hotel lamp was again scanned it was disc»vered that the name of the second man found dead had been erased, The inspectors drew back. One Against Fifty. The erasion had taken place since the discov- ery of Bowie Bland’s pr as Kit King still in the camp? Bullion Burke had deserted the excited crowd and gone to his cabin. In the light of the little lamp on the bracket above his table the bronzed alcalde had inspected a pair of handsome revol- vers, and a deadly-looking bowie. He was at this duty when the door opened and a man came in, In person this man was like Bullion Burke and he came forward without li- cense or invitation. ‘Did ther girl give yer ther slip, cap’n?” he asked with a grin which only darkened the al- calde’s face and made him start forward. ‘* Ts she gone?” he exclaimed. **Thar’s nobody in ther shanty. Ther velvet kid went toward sartain stables a while ago an’ took two horses out.” ** Ts this true, Full Deck?” cried Burke. *“ Would I be retailin’ it hyer if it warn’t?” The alcalde’s answer was a tremendous oath of m_.dness. ‘+ __, won't be for long,” he said. ‘I knew the two war aimin’ ter give us the slip, but -I didn’t think they’d go to-right.” ‘When did he get ther girl’s affections?” ask- ed the visiting tough, astonished. ‘‘ We fetched that young cocktail-mixer hyer for business an’ not ter run off with a girl.” ‘“*What do you mean?” ejaculated Bullion Burke. ‘ Ain’t you talkin’ about Jack?” “Not by a thousand miles! I’m mentionin’ ther cocktail dude of ther Mountain Dew. He’s ther man what took ther two animiles away.” Bullion Burke was a picture of amazement. He did not know whether to laugh or to swear. Finally he did the former, but it was the laugh of a man who had vengeance at his heart. ‘*So Tony Timberlake plays for the girl?” he exclaimed. ‘‘He cannot be belpin’ Jack for they have long been enemies. Somebody big is at the bottom of this. The hotel clerk is not shrewd enough to get through the game by him- | self. I think I know who is his master.” **So do I,” laughed the man. ‘For a long time Crystal City has been grow- in’ too small for us,” Bullion Burke. ‘I am goin’ to tell this man so to-night—now!” ‘““Hadn’t yer better put it off till yer cool down, cap’n?” ‘““No. I’m cool now.” Bullion Burke rushed from his cabin like a whirlwind. ‘“‘T’ll see thet affair,” laughed the man as he followed. ; He found it somewhat difficult to keep the alcalde in sight, but he was near enough to see him cross the threshold of the Mountain Dew. A man at the bar was in the act of lifting a lass to his lips. Before he was aware of Bul- ion Burke’s presence, his hand fell upon his arm. At the touch he whirled. ‘** We'll settle the mastery of Crystal City hyer and now!” grated the alcalde. *“* Wait till I’ve drank,” was the cool reply. . — CHAPTER VIII. A THREE-HANDED AFFAIR. THE two men who stood face to face in the bar-room of the Mountain Dew Hotel, had for a long time been secret rivals for the mastery of Crystal City. The few citizens who saw the meeting felt | that the rivalry was to be fought out, for no- body believed that Bullion Burke and Cactus | Claude could quarrel openly without a fight. The Rolling Stone quietly downed his liquor, as if the alcalde was at that moment ten miles away, and having set the empty glass on the counter just as coolly, he said to Bullion Burke with a smile at his lips: ‘* What war it you war sayin’? *Pears ter me I heard you remark suthin’ about settlin’ ther mastery ov some place ter-night.” ‘“*Thet is what I said,” was the reply that came from between set teeth. ‘‘ This place is too small for giants like us, Cactus Claude. Ther young man who took yer hosses away, took ’em with yer consent jan’ instructions, eh?” The Rolling Stone knew in a second that a pr of his game had been discovered. Tony non seen to take his best horses from the stable. ‘*T never let my horses go away unbeknowns,” he said, giving Bullion Burke look for look, “Tf it ll do you any good ter know, Bullion, they went off ter-night with their owner’s fall consent.” Bullion Burke stepped back. That was enough. “Oh, if you want ther mastery business set- tled, I'm yer huckleberry,” grated Cactus Claude, following him up. ‘‘ For three years, an’ they’ve' been years ov torture ter me, Crys- tal City has been too small for two men lke us, Whar shall it be¢—hyer, Bullion?” The sallow hand of the Rolling Stone rested on the butt of a revolver at his hip, and his restless eye as it measured Bullion Burke, told how eager he was to make another bloody event in ae City’s history. ** Not hyer,” said the alcalde, ‘‘ Outside.” “* Outside, then.” By this time more than one-half of the popu- lation of the gold-camp seemed to swarm in the street before the hotel. The news that there was to be a meeting between the two rivals had spread like wildfire. If they met, all knew the meeting would be a reny' one. Bullion Burke was the first to reach the street, | | but Cactus Claude was at hiv heels. The crowd drew back. The light of the lamp, that hung agaist the rough weather-boarding of the hotel, showed @ | little space in front of the building. It was | barely more than thirty feet square, but it was | wide enough to fight in, especially as the men te | fight would not contest at long range. | Burke turned to the crowd, and threw up one | hand to enforce silence. “*Gentlemen, thar’s ter be an affair ov honor | between me an’ Cactus, hyer,” he said. ‘‘ Thar’s a matter thet kin be settled only in this way, an’ we’ve concluded ter settle it—how, Cactus Claude?” **T’m not particular,” said the Rolling Ston with assumed carelessness. ‘I’m willin’ ter le two ov ther crowd toss for weapons an’ distance, Heads for revolvers an’ ten steps; tails for bowies an’ hand ter hand.” Bullion Burke took an “‘eagle” from his | pocket, and tossed it toward a large man who stood in front of the crowd. ‘‘Dakota Dave an’ Rio Rolfe kin toss,” he said. ‘‘It is fairly understood: heads, revol- vers; tails, ther blade!” ‘ The big man, who had picked up the coin, was pened by a man who looked like a dwarf beside im, and the two walked nearer the lamp while Dakota Dave balanced the piece on the tip of a bronzed finger. The two principals seemed to look indifferently on, but at the same time they were eying one another as if each were fearful that the other would seek a sudden and deadly advantage. ‘“Hyer we go!” suddenly exclaimed Dakota Dave, and the gold-piece spun toward the stars to fall back on the ground in a moment. The two judges of the crowd did the same. ‘** Heads!” said Rio Rolfe. “Best two in three,” replied Dakota Dave, and the go'd-piece went upward once more. “Heads again!” said the same voice, a mo- ment later. ‘* Revolvers at ten paces,” said Bullion Burke, glancing at the Rolling Stone, who seemed to increase an inch in stature and looked pleased. Crystal City knew that the toss had been de- cided in favor of the deadliest pistol in the camp, if not in all Arizona. A quick hand and a sure aim had marked Cactus Claude’s entire life; he was known as a dead shot before he ever cast his fortunes with | the roughs of Crystal, and six men out of the | unfortunate twenty of Keno Bar had gone to their last reward by his trigger. This is the man Bullion Burke had forced into a duel, and he had to take the consequences as they were about to come. Dakota Dave handed the eagle back to its owner and proceeded to step off the fighting- ground. It was almest under the lamp, with the list of the proscribed with two erasions between the rivals and enemies. Meantime, neither of the men had drawn a weapon; there was time enough for that. In the crowd there were several revolvers drawn, and the men who held them were watching Cactus Claude to catch the first move indicative of foul play. The Rolling Stone walked coolly to the end of the space and swung his body around till he f the alcalde. “Hadn't yer better draw, gentlemen?” said Dakota Dave. ‘* Mebbe we had,” smiled Cactus Claude, and the crowd saw the much-feared six-shooter glide from his belt as if it moved at the touch of his practiced band. “What's this fight about?’ muttered some one near the Rolling Stone. nt eagerly forward; some ©
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One Against Fifty. ** Ask that man, in’s,” said Claude. The crowd turned instinctively to Bullion Burke. ‘¢Thar’s a good deal behind it all,” said the alealde. ‘‘ He ar’ goin’ to fight for the alcalde- ship of Crystal City. You will say thet thet blongs ter me now, but I’m not altogether alealde till I've settled with Cactus Claude. He started these proceed- Thar ar’ minor things connected with this duel | thet consarns us alone, an’ not Crystal in gen- eral,” ‘* Personal, gentlemen, personal,” smiled Cac- tus Claude. ‘Things thet should have been settled long ago,” continued the alcalde, taking no notice of the Rolling Stone’s explanation. “JT war at his service all ther time,” said Claude. He needn’t hev set his man-dog, Zocco, at my heels. my shoulder an’ say ‘Cactus, I want ter fight you;’ thet would have been enough.” “T say it now /” cried Bullion “Burke, making # move asif he was eager to lift the revolver he clutched. ‘I calla truce ter all this. Letit be ‘fight,’ an’ may St. Peter open his gate to ther poorest shot!” After that there could be nothing but a duel to the death. The two men were placed back to | back with thirty feet of ground between them. They stood erect in the light of the lamp, the revolver at their sides and their fingers at the trigger. The crowd, breathless now, drew a little fur- ther back, as if by common consent. Dakota Dave was ready to pronounce the signal. ‘*Let’s make it three-handed,” suddenly rung out a voice, and the whole crowd looked up to see a man on horseback at the edge of the light spot. in leaned forward like an eager person, and not a few saw that he clutched a revolver in his right hand. “Kit King!” exclaimed Cactus Claude, half- raising his weapon, “T am Kit King the Last Man of Keno Bar!” was the answer. ‘‘ You heard what I said, gentlemen. Let us make this fight a three- handed affair. When Dakota Dave delivers his signal we proceed to business, each man shoot- ing where he pleases.” Tt was a wild proposition, and one never heard before where it was spoken. The crowd stared aghast at the cool speaker. Why had they not seen him before? Had he been there all the time? Perhaps he had just come up; but no! the dead bodies of two men then in camp told that he had not been far off. ‘¢ This is our duel,” said Bullion Burke. ‘‘ Af- ter the signal, Crystal City, headed by the sur- vivor, will attend ter Keno Bar’s last galoot. Sit thar an’ take it in if you want ter; but woe ter ther man whose bowie shed blood since sun- down!” Having said this, the alcalde resumed the posi- tion from which the voice of Kit King had startled him. The next moment Dakota Dave began to count, for it was understood that after the third numeral the two sports were to wheel and fire when they wished. The counter took a breath between the num- bers. ‘‘Three!” he said, sharply, and with em- phasis. Only one half of the crowd was looking at the two duelists; the other half was eying the man on horseback. , At the word, Bullion Burke and Cactus Claude wheeled at the same moment and at the same time, to the astonishment of all, the black horse that carried the Last Man dashed be- tween! It was like a flash! Two hands rese simultaneously, one on each side of the saddle, and two revolvers flashed at * the same second, A loud cry rose from the crowd as two men fell back, one reeling away,with uplifted hands, the other staggering with hands down, The startled toughs saw a horse dash on; in an instant, as it were, the animal and his rider had passed beyond the light, and were targets no longer. or all that, twenty men sprung forward and fired down the cabin-fringed street, and as many more rushed to the two men who had staggered from the red flashes. “It was a three-handed duel, after ull,” said one, turning away with a glance at the vic- tims. ** An’ ther Last Man got’em both,” was the reply. He had but ter lay his hand on |} ‘ | that,” said Berta. CHAPTER IX. THE TUCSON TRAIL. AmonG the spectators of this startling affray was a youth who had been held spellbound, as it were, for some minutes. This person was Jack, Border Berta’s accept- ed lover. Totally unaware of certain events which had lately taken place at the girl’s cabin, he had witnessed the triangular duel, and the escape of the man who had fired at two men at once. He did not push forward with the crowd to look at the two stalwart victims, but left the spot, and a minute later knockedat the door of Berta’s cabin. There was no invitation to enter, but Jack did not hesitate on that account; he raised the latch and walked in. For once the girl did’ not come forward to greet him, and his first sentence was broken by sudden silence on his. part. The cabin was empty. If he had been a little earlier he would have witnessed a scene in which he would have inter- fered. A short time prior to the duel the girl saw her door open, and the next moment she stood face to face with the one man she dreaded, Cac- tus Claude. The Rolling Stone had a gleam of victory in his eyes, and his voice was unusually mellow when he came forward, stared at by the beauty of Crystal City, who wondered what he could want, ‘They tell me you’ve been thinkin’ ov leavin’ Crystal,” said the tough. ‘‘As [ve got my news straight, I’ve made arrangements for you ter go to-night.” ‘ The girl started, and a light cry escaped her ips. ‘But I don’t want to go,” she said. ‘““Mebbe not,” laughed the Rolling Stone; “but that makes no difference. I’m hyer ter say that everything is in readiness, hosses sad- dled an’ all, an’ that you’re goin’ now.” “With whom?—with you?” ejaculated the girl drawing back to the very wall of the cabin. ‘“Not with Cactus, but with a younger an’ a handsomer man,” was the reply. ‘Then, with—” Berta checked herself. ‘* No, not with Jack!” she thought. ‘*This man doesn’t like Jack, and he is not going to send me Away under his escort. He is playing another game, Heaven help me if I fall completely into his hands! I shudder when I see him. Something makes me hate him.” ““T guess you're not goin’ with ther fellow yer thinkin’ about,” smiled Cactus Claude. ‘You'll see yer escort presently, an’ he will get yer ter Tucson if anybody kin.” ““To Tucson? Why should I go to Tucsou?” cried Berta, ‘‘ I know nobody there.” ‘“‘T've said ter Tucson, an’ ter Tucson it is!” was the reply and the Rolling Stone spoke through clinched teeth. ‘‘ Ther hosses ar’ wait- in’, girl, an’ ther escort is rather eager ter see his companion over ther trail.” ‘*T don’t want to go. I—” ‘““T’m hyer ter take you ter th r saddle!” was the interruption and the touga bounded for- ward and his hand closed on the girl’s arm. “T want ter say hyer, Berta, that [m a bad man when J’m riled. We don’t want you hyer. Crystal City is goin’ ter be a battle- ground ov some kind within forty-eight hours. You’ve got ter go ter Tucson, with a man who thinks as much ov you as Jack does.” Let us not prolong this scene. The hand that tightened at the girl’s arm told her thet | she was helpless in the clutches of Cactus Claude, but, for all that, she drew back and gave him look for look. ‘‘Tel] me one thing,” she said. ‘*‘ What do you know about my early life?” “Who told you thet I know anything?” was the reply. ‘*T know you do.” The Rolling Stone laughed in a manner that only increased the girl’s curiosity. “T don’t give secrets away, my Arizona gold- bird,” he said at the end of the laugh. “If you live long enough, and don’t try ter inter- fere with my little game, you'll know what I know. What do you think I know, eh?” ‘“T am a waif. All Crystal City knows ‘““My earliest recollections have been of wild camps and wild men, but sometimes I think that I have seen the houses of a great city where there are thousands of people, but that may all have been a dream.” ‘“T guess it was,” was the answer, but the girl saw that she had held the tough breath- less while she was speaking. ‘* You'll see ——_—_———————— EEE ei Sp hind Re eA DA Nie Be ES some pretty fair houses an’ a good many pees when you get ter Tucson. Mebbe it war Tucson you war dreamin’ about.” Border Berta made no reply, and a minute later she was hurrying through Crystal City with the sallow hand of the gold tough at her wrist and his eyes upon her. It was not far to the spot where a certain youug man waited with two horses. ‘‘Hyer we ar’,” said the Rolling Stone as he halted before the steeds. ‘‘ Hyer is yer compan- ion ter Tucson, Tony.” The young girl started at the name, and fixed her gaze on the person who stepped forward to greet her. It was Tony Timberlake, the clerk and bar- tender of the Mountain Dew Hotel, and he gal- lantly lifted his hat to Berta, as he observed, with a glance at Cactus: ““T guess we'll get through without accident. I shall do my part as wellasI can. It is not a very long ride.” There was no reply. The girl wondered if this man was really in any scheme with Cactus Claude. She knew that he had tried to ingratiate him- self into her favor, but without success. He had been forestalled by Jack, who had carried off the prize he wanted to win, ‘* T will test this fellow before we are far from Crystal City,” said Berta to herself. ‘If he is wholly Cactus Claude’s tool, I will serve him an unpleasant trick.” erta did not object when she was led to one of the horses and assisted to his back. “She goes like a lamb,” observed Claude, somewhat astonished at her submission. ‘After all, she may be in favor of Tony more than Jack.” ‘*You know yer instructions,” he said in low tones to the young clerk who was about to get into his saddle. ‘t Thar’s no danger ’twixt hyer an’ Tucson. You will go straight ter Major Belt an’ tell him that I say that this girl must be Mrs. Timberlake within three hours: You understand, eh?” Tony nodded and was in the saddle. ‘*Good-by,” said Cactus Claude to the girl. “Day after to-morrow you'll be in better spirits than you are now.” A minute after the two horves had started for- ward and the Rolling Stone was watching their vanishing shapes ere he put back to the camp where he was to encounter his rival and the man from Keno Bar. It is now known why Jack found nobody in the girl’s cabin when he called. No suspicion of the event we have just record- ed seems to have entered his mind: ‘* She may be near the scene of the duel,” he said. ‘*Ifshe is it will not be long till her re- turn.” Jack resolved to wait for the girl at that mo- ment riding toward Tucson with Tony Timber- lake who had left his desk and bar forever. If Jack had known this, another horse would have been saddled in a minute, and a young man with flashing eyes would have urged him over the trail toward Tucson. But Jack did not know anything about the game Cactus Claude had played, and, innocent like, he waited in Berta’s cabin for the beautiful girl who did not come. As for the girl, she did not speak to her escort until they were fairly on the trail with Crystal City some distance in their rear. **'You will now tell me what this means, won’t you?” she asked looking at the young man. “This is Cactus Claude’s work, and you are doing his bidding. What does it all mean?” Tony collected his thoughts before he made any reply. He had never had any experience before in this kind of work, but he was no fool, and more than one shrewd game he had played before he ever saw Crystal City. To tell Berta the truth now would be to defeat the whole scheme, He did not know what Cac- tus Claude’s motives were, but he knew that, if he sig the truth, he would lose a very desirable wife. Tony was in a dilemma. ‘““You heard me speak,” said the impatient girl leaning slightly toward Tony and adding a sternness to her words. ‘‘I stop here till I know what this sudden journey means,” She reined in her steed as she finished and showed Tony a countenance full of resolution. ‘““T am to conduct you to Tucson,” said the clerk. ‘* Por Cactus Claude?’ ¢-Yes.” ‘¢ What has he in view?” “ Nothing against you. I assure you that.” “ But he is playing a game of some kind.”
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* Not that I know of.” Tony had resolved to bring deliberate false- hood to his rescue. He knew from the Rolling Stone’s character that he did nothing of this sort without a deep-laid motive. ‘Ts it true that you enlist in the service of Cactus Claude, a man of plots, and agree to take a young girl to Tucson after night without be- lieving that he ‘is playing a game of some kind— a game against the person he is so anxious to land in the Arizona town?” said Berta. ** When did you become so verdant, Tony Timberlake?” “If I thought it was a scheme looking to your harm, hang me if I would move a step,” he ex- claimed. “I'd rot in Crystal at my desk before Td lend a hand against a girl as beautiful as ou.” “No flattery. I understand that,” said Berta, smiling. ‘‘ What puzzles me is your innocence. I believe I'll go back.” Quick as a flash Tony’s hand darted forward and seized the bridle-rein of the girl’s horse, “T cannot let you return,” he said. ‘I have engaged to take you to Tucson,” In other words, you want me to go there, ‘Where do we stop in the city?” “ At the house of a gentleman,” “Of the Cactus Claude order? What is his name?” “Major Max Belt.” Tony did not see the girl start at his reply; he did not notice the new, almost eager light that came to her eyes. ‘“‘ Does Cactus Claude send me to this Major Belt?’ she asked. * Yes.” ‘‘ When did he come to Tucson?” *“T don’t know.” “Did you ever see him?” “ No,’ “You will find me a companion to our jour- ney’s end,” said Border Berta. “I am almost as anxious to see this Major Belt as Cactus Claude is that I should see him. Tony gave the girl a look that showed his ‘wonder and surprise. *‘In Satan’s name why does she want to see Major Belt?’ he muttered. ‘‘Maybe Cactus have played the wrong hand for once.” CHAPTER X. A QUESTION OF BEAUTY. Wurtr Tony Timberlake was conducting a now willing girl over the trail toward Tucson, Crystal City was all excitement over the singu- Yar ending of the desperadoes’ duel in front of the Mountain Dew Hotel. Those who professed to be accurate said that Kit King had fired from each side of his horse at once, and that Cactus Claude and Bullion Burke the duelist had reeled away at the same time. It is likely that the sudden shooting had failed to deprive the wild Southwest of two of its most desperate characters, for in two cabins in Crys- tal City half an hour after the three-cornered fight, two men nursed pretty severe wounds, which did not, however, threaten their lives. Cactus Claude had réceived a bullet under the shoulder-blade, and the alcalde of the gold-camp had had the side of his face plowed by a danger- ous leaden pellet. It was a narrow escape for both men, by the breadth of a hair as it were, and when they wanted to finish the duel, their friends hustled them off to their shanties and set a guard over them. ‘* Mebbe they won’t be so anxious ter fight when they cool down,” said Dakota Dave to a crowd. ‘*Wecan’t afford ter have differences hyer with a man like Kit King drawin’ death- marks across a list ov our best citizens, Bullion an’ Cactus must postpone their fight till we’ve settled with Keno Bar’s last galoot,” That became the opinion of the majority of Crystal City before that eventful night wore away. The avenger of Keno Bar was gone. He had ridden off with the belief, no doubt, that he had taken the lives of the two foremost men of the camp, that he had shot them dead on their own dueling ground. Z Bullion Burke reclined on a pallet in his cabin with his face patched up by the camp’s surgeon, $ One thing was certain, the healing wound would leave a scar that would spoil his wild beauty, and this fact made him grate his teeth whenever the thought came ~s “If he had ter mark us, why didn’t he serve us both alike?” growled the alcalde to the at- tendant who sat near the table. ‘‘Don’t yer see, Rattier, he left Cactus his face, but me—by Jupiter: he had ter spoil mine! When I get One Against Fifty. well, I’m goin’ ter break or banish every look- ing-glass in Crystal. one, I’m going to shut my eyes an’ shoot it ter pieces.” In this way the wounded alcalde, who was | perhaps the vainest man in the camp, rattled on | with curses and epithets until he almost ex- hausted his vocabulary of disappointment and abuse. Rattler Rock, who was his attendant, was | anxious to get away, and then the alcalde turned over and seemed to fallasleep; he thought the opportunity had come. For several moments Rattler continued to watch the sleeper; then he got up. “He run out o’ language at last,” he re- marked. ‘If Kit King had dropped in, Bul- lion. would hey chawed ’im up blood raw.” The man glided from the shanty, and left the wounded tough alone. ‘‘ I’ve got rid o’ him,” exclaimed the alcalde, as he sprung up and went to thedoor. “It war a neat trick, an’ ’'ll make it a profitable one be- fore day. Isha’n’t be uglier than Cactus.Claude. If I am marked for life, he shall be, The man from Keno Bar saw fit ter make fish ov one an’ fowl o’ ther other. By ther infernals! we shall both be fish or fowl, No half-way business hyer!” Bullion Burke’s appearance was not Peace. sessing, bandaged unt pleaiae as he was. The pain of the wound was nothing; it was gall to think of his rival Cactus Claude with a face un- scarred. ‘¢ Mebbe I'll shoot too nigh ther center,” he said, arming himself with a revolver which he took from a belt hanging under his lamp. ‘If I do, nobody in partic’lar will kick. Ov course I'd like ter know what he knows about ther girl’s early life, but I kin get at thet by a little detec- tive work in ther East whar she came from.” It was almost midnight when Bullion Burke opened his cabin door and stepped out into the starlight, If nothing had happened Tony Timberlake and the waif of the camp were well on their trail to Tucson. It would take a swift horse to overhaul them now. Bullion Burke walked away keeping in the shadow of the shanties. He had the stealthy tread of the panther, for he made no noise as he moved along. Not far away stood the cabin occupied by Cactus Claude. The Rolling Stone lay on a rude pallet endur- ing with calmness the wound inflicted by the man who had marked the alcalde for life. Cactus Claude was alone, and as he lay at full length on the pallet, the lamp-light fell upon his hard face and deep black eyes. His thoughts were not on the man who at that moment was creeping upon him through the starlight. “Ther major will carry out my instructions to ther letter when Tony lands ther girl in Tuc- son,” he muttered, showing where his thoughts really were. ‘‘I haven’t seen him for_seven years, but that makes no difference. He will see thet she becomes Mrs, Timberlake, an’ Ill have a report ov ther hull affair within three days. If I thought this shot war goin’ ter wipe me out by some unfair means, I’d send one 0’ ther boys post haste ter Tucson with other in- structions; but pshaw! it’s goin’ ter do nothin’ ov ther kind. [ve passed through worse sieges than this. I can’t afford ter pass,off an’ leave my little game half-played. I can’t afford it, I say, an’ I don’t intend ter!” The night was midsummer, and the men who had just left Cactus Claude had not closed the cabin door. By looking out, the Rolling Stone could see the stars that studded the sky like the brilliant gems of a diamond field. Suddenly a figure glided between him and the stars; in a moment it came back, and then seemed to approach the door. Cactus Claude heard the noise of no footstep, but the figure kept persistently between him and the gold field of the heavens, He knew it was at the door, Bullion Burke was the last man the Rolling Stone thought of at that moment. A few min- utes before Cactus had thought of him lying in his own cabin shot in the face and with no beauty left but that which lay in his faultless form and long black hair. There was nothing blamably selfish about Cactus Claude. Desperado as he was, he re- gretted that his enemy and rival had been thus badly marked for life, and if he could have turned the bullet, gladly would he have done “That's a man out thar,” said the Rolling Stone to himself, as he gazed at the dark figure Hereafter, whenever I see | | | at the door. ‘It may be one of ther boys back from ther Tiger. Why don’t he come in?” | Atthat moment the door was opened a little more, and the person on the pallett saw the fig- ; ure of a man, | There was a stealth about the movement that | put Cactus Claude on his guard. | Instinctively his hand moved to one side of the cot, but before it could find the revolver a friend had placed there, a man came into the cabin with a rush and landed where the gold tough was. ‘Thought I’d leave yer hyer laughin’ over m sp’iled looks, eh?’ grated the visitor. ‘‘ May be hanged, Cactus, if it shall be shoulder an’ face!” One hand of the speaker had fallen with sud- den force upon the wounded sport’s breast, and the other was preesing against his cheek the | muzzle of a cocked six-shooter. The plastered cheek was enough to tell Cactus Claude that Bullion Burke was before him. The mad eyes of Crystal City’s scarred alcalde told him that undying hatred had guided him to the shanty. ‘““What ar’ yer goin’ ter do?” asked the Roll- ing Stone. “Shoot yer cheek off!—make yer beauty equal ter mine!” was the answer. “ We'll then be ther two Scarred Daises ov Arizony!” It was the most critical moment in Cactus Claude’s life. The wound already received had strangely weakened him; he had been support- ed by two men from the dueling-ground to his cabin; he could not be expected to cope with the man who had thus taken such sudden ad- vantage of him. “You can’t wait till we can fight that duel on an a Ae said Cactus Claude. ‘¢ We kin never be equals ag’in, I feel that my wound is goin’ ter destroy ther_sight ov one eye. By blowin’ your cheek off I kinder even up, Cactus; I put yer on a par with me as ter personal beauty.” A wild half-insane laugh followed the last sentence, and Cactus Claude felt the revolver press closer against his cheek. “‘T’m not hyer ter kill. I don’t want ter do thet,” Bullion Burke went on. ‘* You had better,” grated the Rolling Stone, in defiance and despair. ‘* Think so?” “*T know it!” ““Mebbe I will! In ther first place what do you know about Berta?” ‘“More than you can find out!” was the an- swer. ‘“She came from St. Louis, didn’t she?” ‘“That is your guess, eh?” ‘““Tve got it down ter a certainty almost,” A smile stole to Cactus Claude’s face, but it did not remain. As it fled, he shut his lips and looked into the eyes above him. “This has got ter end, Cactus,” said Bullion Burke. ‘I’m goin’ ter do ther deed thet brought me hyer. One cheek’s enough for men like us, an’ we'll hev plenty with that. Five I count, for form’s sake. It’ll give yer time for preparation for ther bullet might dash ter ther center !” The alcalde had scarcely finished before a hu- man figure reached the door now half open. The lamp on the bracket against the wall | showed this person the two men on the cabin cot. He seemed to take in the situation in .the twinkling of an eye. All at once he leaped over the threshold, and caught the big alcalde at the back of the neck, ““T have business with the man you want!” he exclaimed, and with the strength of a youn athlete be jerked Bullion Burke back an pushed him from the shanty before he got even a glimpse of the lightning assailant. “Does he want to fight yet?’ asked the new- comer, leaning oyer Cactus Claude whose eyes showed his surprise. *¢ Jack!” exclaimed the Rolling Stone. ‘“‘That is who I am, Cactus,” was the reply. ““T am here for some information which you can give me. Where is Berta?” The Rolling Stone raised himself on his elbow, ‘You've done me a big favor, boy,” he said, 1 “and I'll give you a chance. Ther girl’s gone ter Tucson with Tony,” Jack sprung up with a cry. ‘To Tucson with him ” he ejaculated. “You can’t overtake ’em now,” continued | Cactus Claude. ‘ Wait till mornin’ if ye’r’ go- | in’ ter play any hand. They’re goin’ ter stop thar,’ ‘“Your hand is in this,” flashed Jack, “I’m sorry—” ‘“That you came byer in ther nick o’ time an
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pulled Bullion Burke off?” interrupted the Roil- ing Stona, witha chuckle. ‘I can’t say thet I regret ther occurrence. Two cheeks ar’ better than one all ther time. When did yer diskiver thet ther girl war gone?” ** Awhile ago. The stable gave you away. [—” At that moment a heavy blow fell upon the door which Jack had shut after Bullion Burke. ‘*Know all men that hyer on earth thar’s a day ov jedgment!” cried a loud voice. Then all was still. CHAPTER XI. COYOTE’S SECRET. ‘*NEVER mind. Mebbe I'll spoil his beauty yet,” growled the discomfited alcalde, as he walked in no good-humor from Cactus Claude’s eabin. “I told ’em both that hyer on earth thar’s a day ov jedgment, an’ I'll make every word good!” It is not for us to follow Bullion Burke back to his cabin, where he could vent his spleen in curses upon the Rolling Stone and Jack who had come upon the scene in the nick of time. The big alealde had always hated Jack, and it had galled him to discover that between the youth and Berta existed a tie stronger than friendship. Now hehated Jack more than ever, and nothing but the fear of a cocked revolver | and a steady hand had prevented him from rushing back into the cabin from which he had | been ejected. The next day Bullion Burke heard a bit of news that made his eyes flash. Thirty men had left Crystal City ina body, going toward Tucson, but with an announce- ment that they would not stop there, but would keep on until they found another place to settle down. These thirty men belonged to the gang that | had wiped Keno Bar out of existence, and the alealde knew that fear of Kit King had driven every onefrom camp. The silent killings of the night before had struck terror to their hearts, desperadoes though they were; they could not remain with the shadow of an avenger who came in the dark watches of the night hovering over them, Not cne came to bid Bullion Burke farewell before he left. They knew the ill-humor of the rough blade whose personal looks had been spoiled for life by the avenger’s bullet, and they concluded that he should curse their departure to their backs. The alcalde flew into a passion when he heard of the desertion. He appeared on the streets governed by a whixiwtad of rage and witha cocked six-shooter in each hand. “Tf thar ar’ any more cowards let ’em go!” he cried, facing a crowd congregated before the Mountain Dew Hotel. ‘‘ We want all men who tremble when they see their shadders ter sneak out o’ camp an’ leave only ther brave!” “*Cap’n, can I have a word with you?” said a man who reached the dlcalde’sside as he spoke. “*Sartainly, Robert,” was the reply. ‘‘ But wait till I’ve emptied my cuss-trap an’ ease my- self. Is ther case urgent?” ‘“‘Not very. Go ahead, cap’n.” The crowd knew that another outburst of an- ger was coming, and some of their members ex- changed smiling glances. In western phraseology, Bullion Burke “let himself out” during the next three minutes. He walked up and down before the rough as- sembly and swung the heavy revolvers in the face of all, while he gave utterance to the strongest language ever heard in Crystal City. It was fun for the crowd who knew the char- acter of the talker, and he was permitted to go * on until, suddenly recollecting that Wild Robert wished to see him, he wound up with a profane peroration. ** A man with his beauty sp’iled for life isn’t expected ter be found in good-humor,” remark- ed Dakota Dave when the wounded alcalde walked off. Bullion Burke took Wild Robert straight to his cabin and did not address him until they had crossed the threshold. ** Now, Robert, what is it?” he said. Before he spoke the miner rough glanced at the door; it was closed. **Cap’n, I’m goin’ ter tell yer a secret an’ then Tm goim’ away,” he said. Bullion Burke looked astonished. “You ain’t goin’ ter play coward, too, ar’ yer?” he cried. “Coward?” echoed the rough. ‘I’ve never played that yet. But I’ve finished my mission, an’ “gigs City has no further claim on me. Cap’n, I am Coyote.” One Against Fifty. The alcalde started as if the announcement that Satan was at the door had suddenly been made. ‘* Coyote?—the man who shot ther colonel?— you?” he cried, looking at Wild Robert. ‘*T am Coyote,” was the answer, spoken with asmile, ‘Listen. I won’t keep yer a minute. Colonel Wonder was my enemy. For ten years I have been on a little trail of my own, and un- til ther night I shot ther colonel I war not sar- tain he war ther man I wanted. When I found it out I had ter kill im; I could do nothin’ else. I shot through my pocket an’ thet’s why nobody saw ther work. It war an old shootin’ trick ov mine; larned it years ago in ther Californy camps. I’m not very handy with a pen, cap’n, but thar’s ther story ov my cause. sot up till arter midnight last night jottin’ it down in mighty poor but devilish plain English.” Wild Robert drew from an inner pocket a packet tied untidily with a leathern string, and cast it upon the table beside the alcalde. “Tf Crystal City wants my havin’ read my story it kin hunt me up an’ tussle for it,” the man went on. ‘* Tm goin’ from hye: ter Tucson whar I intend ter stay | five days at ther Prodigal Son Ranch owned by | Major’ Belt. Ther girl an’ Tony Timberlake hey gone thet way.” ** What girl?’ cried Bullion Burke. ** Berta.” The short reply seemed to take the desperado’s breath. ‘*Gone off with that cocktail dude?” he ex- claimed. ‘* When did that happen?” ** A few hours ago between two suns,” smiled Coyote. ‘* They took Cactus Claude’s hosses,” ‘* With his consent ov course!” grated the al- calde. **T think so.” © Ar’ Jack?” *¢ Ho’ll follow when he gits wind of the trick.” *“Wewill see about that. ter Tucson?” “ec Yes.” ‘* Will youdo mea favor? May I ask Coyoto ter play a hand thar for Bullion Burke?” **T’ve no objection, cap’n.” “If they ar’ thar they must go no further. I want thet young thief an’ ther girl separa- ted at once an’ both held till 1 kin lay hands on ’em. Major Belt is boss ov Tucson now. hev a slight acquaintance with him. He will help you, Coyote; by heaven! he shall! Crys- tal City shan’t come back on you for ther shootin’ ov ther colonel. I'll stand between you an’ ther pards hyer.” ‘*Mebbe you’d better read my document first,” said Coyote glancing at the paper lying at the alcalde’s neal ‘*When you’re gone, Coyote. You’re ther last man in Crystal City. thet I'd hev taken for ther man who wiped ther colonel out, An old feud, eh? I’ve got one ter settle myself.” ‘¢ With ther man from Keno Bar?” “With Cactus Claude!” flashed Bullion Burke. Coyote held out his hand, which the alcalde took, and looked into his face. ** Ar’ yer never comin’ back ter Crystal?” he asked. ‘Never, I guess. My one enemy is dead. I sha’n’t stop Jong enough this side o’ ther coast.” ‘“*Remembe '! Ther girl is ter be detained in Tucson, forcibly if necessary. As for Tony, if he attempts any fool plays give him the trig- ger.” ~ Coyote shook his head. ‘**One man was my quota. I’m satisfied with that,” he said. ‘Tell ther major, then. Say thet I will be in Tucson inside o’ three days. At all hazards ther girl must be kept thar. Why she’s worth— no difference what! She must stop in Tucson till I show up!” The hands of the two men fell apart and the next moment Bullion Burke, Alcalde of Crystal City, was alone again. He naturally picked up the paper Coyote had thrown upon the table. Untying the leather strings he unfolded the document, read a few lines, stopped and looked up with wonder in his eyes. if Hades an’ horns!” he exclaimed. ‘‘I never thought we had that man in camp. He hasn't got off yet. Ill go to ther end ov this docke- ment an’ then I’ll stop him if I have ter do it with lead.” He read on across the rough paper, and over the large letters which had been formed by a hand not used to the pen. “*Coyote! an’ more than that!” cried Bullion Burke. ‘ He had aright ter drop ther colonel if his account is true. This story ends where Kit King’s work began; those two men are blood arter | | strangely connected, and the man from Keno Bar knows nothing ov it. I’ve heard ov strange tales being spun out on paper by fellers who knew how, but this takes ’em all down! Stop the girl in Tucson if he finds her thar? Not much! I recollect that he made no promise ter do it, but told me ter read this paper. Whar is he now?” Bullion Burke thrust the paper between two logs and bounded toward the door. An oath was on his lips, and his eyes seemed to emit sparks of fire. Men looked wonderingly at him as he rushed toward a row of low cabins at one end of the camp. They were the stables where the horses of the mountain toughs had been saddled for the | red ride to Keno Bar. A man came out of one of the little structures as the mad alcalde came up. *“*Has Wild Robert been hyer?” asked Bullion Burke. ‘*He saddled his hoss and rode off ten min- utes ago.” The alcalde looked thunderstruck. ‘* A little too late,” he said, under his breath. “* He left some word for yer, cap’n,” said the man in the door, “For me? What was it?” ‘* He said he hoped ther paper he left behind with you war no surprise.” The brow of the mountain alcalde suddenly darkened. “He would be the surprised man if he hadn’t made himself searce!” he hissed. ‘‘ He said he intended ter remain four daysin Tucson. He does that. at the risk of his life! Bring my horse to my door within twenty minutes, 1 intend ter show this smart Aleck of Arizona that he let his secret out too soon.” And the boss of Crystal City walked off, | Stared at by the man, who wondered whether So you ar’ goin’ | the lost cheek had not shattered his senses, CHAPTER XII. DAKOTA’S DEATH-WATCH. “TvE got ter transfer ther game ter Tucson or elsewhar,” said Bullion Burke, as he walked back to his cabin from his trip to the stables after Coyote, who had been too quick for him. “This galoot has let out his secret a little too soon for his own good. Thar ain’t a dull line in his document, an’ if I had known yesterday what I know now, ther hull programme would hev been changed.” He looked toward Cactus Claude’s cabin, and his eyes settled there with a defiant glare. He thought he saw the face of the Rolling Stone at the little window beside the door, but he was not certain. While he looked he recalled his visit to the wounded man, his attempt to shoot his cheek off, and the youth who came in the nick of time and baffled him. “‘T’ll pay ther boy for thet puttin’ in!” growled the alcalde. ‘I ought ter doit aforeI go. By ther eternal Jove, I will!” He walked toward the little shanty occupied by Jack, and stalked in without a show of. cere- mony. But the place was empty, and told by the silence that greeted him that Jack had gone away. Bullion Burke dashed off an oath or two and turned home. Dakota, ’m goin’ off,” he said to the man who greeted him beyond the threshold. ‘‘ Hyer! look at my face afore I go, an’ see if it needs any additional doctorin’.” The surgeon of Crystal City showed his aston- ishment by his looks, ‘** Goin’ away?” he said, seemingly without the least effort, as if the words were the echo of Burke’s voice. “*Goin’ off! My hoss will be hyer in ten min- utes. I’m off for Tucson.” ‘‘Hev_yer found Kit King’s trail?’ asked Dakota Dave, ‘‘ Kit King be hanged!” growled the alcalde. “Tf he comes while I’m gone, Crystal must take keer ov him. I think ther cowards hev all left. Now look at my face.” 3 7 apes Burke sat down and turned to the ight. ““T’ve got an idea that he ‘ll come,” said the tawny surgeon at work on the bandages, ‘He'll hey ter come soon if he wants ter finish Cactus.” A gleam of fierce pleasure lit up the alcalde’s eyes. ‘Ts Cactus goin’ under with ther wound he got?” he asked. “Tt looks thet way,” was the reply. ‘I’ve just come from him. Something happened a few hours ago, but he won’t give me a single p'inter. It has excited him, an’ his restlessness
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Fis a s \ has brought on a fever thet’ll do im up within _ twenty-four hours.” **Ts he out o’ his head?” “* Not all ther time, cap’n.” The next moment Bullion Burke’s hand closed on his surgeon’s wrist and the eyes of the two men met. “Look hyer, Dakota. I’m goin’ ter ask a favor,” the alcalde said. ‘‘ When Cactus goes I want you ter be ther only livin’ bein’ with him. orm yerself into his good graces, an’ make yerself his father confessor. You understand?” ‘““What does Cactus knew?” asked Dakota Dave. “An almighty sight thet is important,” said the boss of Crystal City. ‘Say ter him waoen ther end is at hand that you don’t like a hair ov my head, though yer needn’t put it quite thet strong, mebbe; tell’im thet if he has anything he wants done hyerafter ter trust it ter you, an’ if he wants yer ter swear eternalsecrecy swear | it, Dakota, Don’t let him die without a con- fession.” ** About what?” “‘T know I kin trust yer Dakota; about ther girl!” The gold-camp surgeon gave a slight start. *“‘T must know what he knows,” continued Bullion Burke. ‘‘ Get his confession solid an’ we'llrealize big out out ov it. I am goin’ ter Tucson whar I’ll be likely ter find her.” “ Berta?” “She loft camp with Tony Timberlake ther cocktail seraph ov ther Mountain Dew. It as- tonished me when I heard it, but when I dis- covered that Cactus’s hand war at ther bottom ev it all I begun ter think. Go ter work on my face, Dakota; ther hoss will be hyer d’rectly an’ I will be off.” The face of the surgeon told that he would like to have asked the alcalde something about the exact confession expected from Cactus Claude, but the command was explicit about dressing the wounded face and he went to work, When he had finished a fine ee erey: horse was brought up to the cabin door, and Bullion Burke, equipped for his ride to Tucson, climbed into the saddle. ~ “ Get all he knows, Dakota,” he said, leaning toward the man on the ground, ‘‘Remember! when Cactus Claude pulls out for deathland you must be ther only person present. I leave ali the arrangements ter you. If he jabbers about anything besides the girl switch him over ter thet one track an’ keep ’im thar till death trumps his ace. If Kit King ov Keno Bar should come in the mean time, he must be ’tended ter by ther revolvers ov Crystal. Under no circumstances must he be permitted ter finish ther Rollin’ Stone.” **Trust me for ther hull game, cap’n,” was the response. ‘‘I’m as anxious ter hear what hé knows about Berta as you ar’.” ** Big pay for good work,” said Bullion Burke, as he took up the lines and rode off. ‘This is ther gold crisis in yer life, Dakota. Don’t let ther bonanza slip.” The Arizona surgeon watched the alcalde un- til he disappeared. **T'd like ter know how he got onter Cactus Claude’s secret if he has one,” he murmured. ‘While they’ve been pards for many a year they’ve never been friends enough ter give each other a grip on their secrets. A secret about Border Berta, eh? I don’t mind hearin’ thet. Why didn’t he put Zocco, his dead dwarf ard, onter it long ago? Ah, mebbe he did an’ actus beat ’im.” As the day wore away with Bullion Burke on the road to Tucson City, Dakota Dave paid strick attention to the patient he had on hand. Ge had not judged wrongly when he said that Cactus Claude had suddenly taken a turn for the worse, The giant of Crystal City and the man whose constitution was iron-like in its make-up, had been seized with a fever which promised to make short work of him in connection with the wound inflicted by Kit King of Keno Bar. In medical matters Dakota Dave was the law of the camp, and he had but to tell the toughs that Cactus Claude should see no one but his doc- tor to have his patient all to himself. Having worked this scheme to his satisfaction, he proceeded to watch the Rolling Stone with unwearied eye and no word pa his lips that he did not hear, “It is comin’ as certain as fate,” Dakota Dave ejaculated, as night drew on. “I'd bet my head thet Cactus can’t live through ter- night. It’s ag’in’ ther cards for him ter do it. Til be likely ter get ther secret some time twixt now an’ mornin’, and when Bul!‘on comes back I'll hey ther hu! lay-out for him.” ee es pave Ruy Fifty. Dakota Dave had a restless patient, and one very hard to handle. Excitement had worked the Rolling Stone into a fever that was rapidly taking him off. At intervals he was in his right mind, but nearly all the time he raved about men and places of which the eager surgeon had never heard. More than once, Dakota Dave hinted to his marep that he had a poor chance to recover, ut the iron will of the man would assert itself, and he would declare, sometimes with a border oath, that he had ‘‘ too much to live for” to die then. On the rough table near the pallet occupied b Cactus Claude, lay a cocked revolver, which Dakota Dave had placed there to use in case he should be disturbed by any visitor when the su- preme moment came. He had resolved to get Cactus Claude’s secret at all hazards. a One Against It was a sight enough to stir one’s blood to see | this man leaning over the person lying on. the | cot waiting like a ghoul for the throes of death, The lamp on the table showed Dakota Dave the tensely drawn and burning face of the Rolling Stone, and his fingers would steal to his pulse, which gave certain indications of approaching dissolution, The waning minutes told off the life of the giant rough, and Dakota Dave watched him } with an eagerness that bordered on crime. Nobody came to disturb his vigils, and while | | defense. he waited for death he listened for the footsteps of the spy, or the stealthy tread of an enemy. More than once it took all of Dakota Dave's | strength to hold Cactus Claude upon the pallet from which, in his delirium, he made desperate efforts to escape. These efforts always left the patient weaker, and a surer prey to the destroyer. The end seemed to come about ten o’clock. | hev hed an easy victory. Dakota Dave stood still, as well he might. He was looking over a revolver into the eyes of the Last Man of Keno Bar. CHAPTER XIII. THE. LAST MAN’S PRISONER. THERE was something startlingly cool in the appearance of the Last Man at the death-watch. e had run the gantlet of Winchesters that guarded the camp, and Dakota Dave, the sur- geon-tough, was looking into his revolver. Cactus Claude, from his pallet on the floor. saw the man who had thn im his wound, and his eyes flashed madly while they glared at him. The tableau, revealed by the greasy tin lamp on the table, was certainly a striking one. Kit King had no cause to repeat his threat, for Dakota Dave understood it. “Tm hyer if yer want me,” said Cactus Claude, still eying the representative of Keno Bar. ‘If you had come sooner, you wouldn’t y. Git down hyer, if yer dare, an’ feel ther wrist thet used ter hold out a six-shooter an’ never quake. An’ listen ter ther sound in my throat now an’ then.” Kit King took a step nearer, and Dave invol- untarily recoiled. Suddenly the avenger’s hand darted toward the table and closed on the revolver lying there. It took away the surgeon-tough’s last hope of “T have come for this man,” said King, glancing down at Cactus Claude. ‘* For me, eh?” exclaimed the wounded sport. ** For you!” “Hyer I am—at your mercy. You can’t cheat me out o’ much life. I’m about wiped out.” “There may be healing beyond this mountaim The camp was still about the little cabin, as if | den,” said Kit, with a smile at his lips while he the mountain tou” hs had drawn off to let Cac- | tus Claude rest undisturbed. Twenty men armed with Winchesters and re- volvers guarded the camp against the one man it most feared. They feared that the avenger of Keno Bar would come back and reduce the list he had posted under the lamp before the hotel, and it was for him that the twenty cool blades watched owl-hike eyes and fingers at the trigger. Dakota Dave was in trouble lest, when the end came, for Cactus Claude, he would be found in delirium, and thus pass off with the all-im- rtant secret sealed in his bosom. This was th¢ only fear that troubled the sur- geon and rough of the gold-camp. For a long time the Rolling Stone seemed to lay in a death stupor, but Dakota Dave with his hand at the pulse knew that the awakening would find him out of the delirium once more. Cactus Claude started up suddenly. “*T give up, Dakota,” he said, catching the un- wearying eye of the man above him. ‘‘I’m go- in’ ter cross.” *¢ An’ mighty soon, Cactus,” said the surgeon- tough. ‘‘If thar’s anything on yer mind—any- thing I kin do afterward—any hand I kin play out, don’t stop ter say so. I’m no leech for Bullion Burke; he sarved me a shabby trick once, an’ in ther duel afore ther Mountain Dew, I war with you, Cactus,” The Rolling Stone looked into the speaker’s face, and seemed to weigh his sincerity by his eyes. **T don’t see why I shouldn’t give it ter you, Dakota,” Cactus Claude resumed, as if he was satisfied with his would-be confessor. ‘* What I want ter let slip is about ther girl I sent ter Tucson with Tony. Whar’s Bullion?” ‘Tn his shanty, I reckon,” said Dakota Dave, without hesitation. ‘‘ About ther girl—Bert— is it? What is it?” y Cactus Claude raised himself on his elbow, and was silent for a moment. “That girl is more than Berta ov Crystal City,” he went on. ‘Let me see; it war how many years ago?” ; ““No matter about that, Cactus. Give me ther facts in ther case. Who is ther girl?” “Ye'r’ almighty eager!” said the Rolling Stone, fixing my bee A of suspicion upon Dakota. “Tt is because if you don’t hurry up, ye’ll be gone; that’s why,” was the answer. ‘It’s nothin’ ter me individually, Cactus, but—” He sat a rung back and wheeled. “My i oon ?” he exclaimed, darting toward the table. “Tt is I!” was the answer that made the Roll- ing Stone rivet his gaze on the speaker. ‘‘I will take charge of this man myself, Doctor Dakota, Tf you lift hand or voice, by the arching heavens! Tl paint these walls with your brains,” a spoke. Dakota Dave’s look became a stare. What did these words mean? **'You will remain where you are,” the aven- ger continued, addressing him. ‘I am going te take this man away.” ‘Out o’ this shanty?” cried the surgeon-tough. ‘* Why, he’s no more able ter go than a sick child!” “T want no advice. If I am not mistaken, ou are Dakota Dave, and your name is on the list at the hotel. Thirty cowards have left camp. They couldn’t wait till I came back. Ha! ha!” With the laugh still on his ba Kit King stooped and touched the wounded man’s shoul- der. ‘* Come,” he said; ‘*I did not come here to stay.” “T tell yer he can’t—” The revolyer suddenly covered Dakota Dave again; it seemed to leap at him with the ire of a. tiger. ‘* Another word while I'm in this house, and Tl drop you in your boots!” came over the pol- ished barrel. Cactus Claude seemed to possess unnatural’ strength despite his condition. “Tl go with yer if it’s ter sartain death,” he said, with a glance at the Crystal City pard, as“ he raised himself to a sitting posture. ‘‘ What matters whar I die? Take me whar you please, Kit King.” In less than a minute the Rolling Stone was on bis feet. “Help him said to Dakota Dave. tus?” “*T kin!” and the big tough shut his teeeth as: if to keep back the painful cries that seemed powerful enough to rend him. ‘‘ When ther time comes, you'll find Cactus Claude dyin” game,” The coat was put on with the surgeon-tough’s assistance, and Kit King caught Cactus Claude’s arm as he showed signs of losing his: balance, *“*He can’t walk out o’ camp,” said Dakota. Dave, unmindful of Kit King’s last threat. ‘He is not to walk further than the door,” was the answer, and the next moment the Last. ees was escorting the Rolling Stone from the cabin. Looking across the threshold as the door was opened Dakota Dave saw the outlines of a horse, and in an instant guessed it all. ‘* This man has beaten the guards,” he said to himself. ‘‘ Mebbe he killed one or two before: he got hyer. After all, Kit King is gettin’ ther best ov Crystal City.” The avenger led Cactus Claude with rather tottering step to the horse. The surgeon-tough, full of curiosity, followed to the door. Thecom~ mut on his coat,” the Last Man “Can you stand it, Cac- ‘ 4
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12 ang of Kit King had cheated him out of the se- eret for which he had watched all day by the Rolling Stone. If he was permitted to lead Claude away it would be lost forever. The thought was galling, and made Dakota Dave bite his lips. ‘ This is your horse,” said Kit, seeing the look Cactus Claude bestowed on the steed standing in the starlight with rein lying loosely un his shapely neck. **Mine ter mde ter death, eh?” smiled Cactus Claude, looking at the cool-blade. **T don’t know,” was the reply. ‘‘ We are off now, if you will let me help you to the saddle.” ‘* Help?” laughed the alcalde’s rival. ‘No anan ever hélped me thar yet!” And, to the utter surprise of the two men, he ‘vaulted into the leathern saddle without assist- ance, and gave Kit King a look of triumph as he settled there. ‘*-You can spread the news through Crystal City whenever you wish,” said King to Dakota Dave. ‘If you do, I promise to remove your name next from the list. Do as you please, Da- kota Dave.” ** Thet’s jes’ what I always do,” the camp sur- geon said, in reply. Kit King placed himself at the horse’s head, took the bridie-tein in his left hand and led the animal away. ‘‘Thar’s no doubt of it now,” muttered Dakota Dave, ‘*That man killed somebody ter get hyer.’ He stood in the cabin door and saw the two men slowly disappear, and when he started off it was toward the Tiger’s Claws where he hoped to find a dozen of Crystal City’s toughest peo- ple. Let us follow the cool man who had come into ‘tthe jaws of death and taken thence a living man. Not a word was exchanged by the twain until the camp was left behind, for, singular to relate on the trail taken by Kit King, no Vigilantes op yosed him, and Cactus Claude found himself ** beyond the lines,” an still in the power of the man who had taken him, ‘How are you now?’ asked Kit King as he stopped the horse half a mile beyond the camp, and looked up into his prisoner's face. **T-don’t feel so much like dyin as I did back in ther shanty,” was thereply. “TI guess ther air’s got suthin’ ter do withit. My pulse ain’t so high as it war.” “Tim glad of that,” said Kit King. “You're a puzzle, you ar’,” retorted Cactus Claude. ‘‘ What d’yer know?” ** About what?” The Rolling Stone evidently found himself caught; he was going back to the secret which Dakota Dave had played for. Kit King looked at his prisoner with a queer expression, half-laugh and half-frown. **T have just found out a good deal, Cactus,” he said. “i searched Bullion Burke’s hut awhile ago and found a queer paper. I think—I am almost certain—it is the document that took him from Crystal City a few hours ago. That paper is a chain with one or two important links miss- ing. I think you can supply them, Cactus.” **T2” exclaimed the Rolling Stone. ‘‘I never heard ov you until you turned up as the Last Man of Keno Bar.” “Tm not taliing about myself,” said Kit King. ‘‘I want to know about the girl.” This time Cactus Claude started so violently that he almost fell from the saddle. The Last Man steadied him with one hand. “* About—the—girl?’ he asked. ‘‘ That means Berta.” ‘Yes: Border Berta you call her sometimes.” There was a silence of several minutes on the Roliing Stone’s part. ‘¢ This man wants the same secret Dakota Dave was so eager to clutch,” he said to himself. ““This man shot me and brought me to death’s door. If he will be fair with me I will play fair with him.” Then he said aloud to Kit. ‘“‘ What’ll you tell me if I tell you a secret?” * Wha* do you want to know?” ‘* All thet war on ther paper you found, an’ who you ar’, an’ why you want ter know about Border Bert.” “ Agreed!” cried the Last Man. “Tell me our secret first, and then you shall have all I ‘know.” We are not going to afflict the reader here with the long story told by Cactus Claude as he satin the saddle and looked into the upturned and eager face of his single auditor. It was the story of the secret played for by Dakota Dave, the surgeon-tough, the secret wanted so badly iby Bullion Burke. One Against Fifty. He was not interrupted once; a narrator never had a better listener. When he reached the end of his story there was a silence of several minutes, on. ‘I don’t know that he’d sell out cheap, but Kit King looked toward Crystal City before | 1m not bankrupt by a long shot. "You’d show he a. off better as Mrs. Major Belt than as the wife of ‘*Very well. You want my story now,” he | the Crystal City lamb.” The girl’s > were flashing before the Tucson giant: he rather enjoyed it. ‘**1 might buy the fortunate man off,” he went ‘* Tony Timberlake?” exclaimed Berta, an ex- ‘‘Here it is. I believe I am Border Berta’s | come the wife of that young man?” brother.” ‘‘That’s the order,” smiled Major Belt. “* From Cactus Claude?” ce Yes. ” ** And you intend to carry it out?” ‘*T must.” ** When?” ** As soon as possible.” . i ‘*T did not think that Major Belt was under “T think he will, but now I wish he would | the thumb of a man like Cactus Claude,” said not.” : the girl. ‘‘Some link unites you men, and he “Tf he has I will divorce the pair and | has but to apply the thumbscrews to make you then—” obey him. When did he first get you in his He looked madly toward Crystal City again. power?” ““Then what?’ asked Cactus Claude, ‘*T am in no man’s power!” flashed the Tucson “Then I'll come back and avenge Keno Bar | sport. ‘‘The man does not live who will stand to the letter of my oath.” here and make a charge of that kind!” — ‘*But the woman does!” was the reply. “TI CHAPTER XIV. can go out upon the streets of Tucson and make MAJOR BELT AND BERTA. a proclamation that will make you a fugitive, Wr transfer the reader to Tucson. Tucson s or cause you to fight the Vigilantes within six with its wild ways and conglomerate popula- | hours. Tell me not that you are not in the power tion. , of Cactus Claude of Crystal City. He is miles We enter one of the best houses in the town, | away, but he has only to speak, to issue an in- a city one would call it were he describing it as | famous order, for Major Belt the boss of Tve- it is at the present day, and usher ourselves into | son to carry it out without a show of pity or a room luxuriously furnished for Tucson. mercy. Goon. Attempt to make me the wife The room is occupied by a young girl whose | of any man against my will and we will see who firure is shapely and whose beauty is striking. plays the best hand in this game.” Having said this much it is needless to inform Major Belt looked dumfounded. The attitude the reader that Border Berta has reached Tuc- | of the girl who had planted herself firmly before son, and, if this is true, Tony Timberlake her | him had an effect that seemed to paralyze him. escort cannot be far away. He found himself between two fires either of Night has fallen over the capital of the south- | which threatened the direst consequences, western territory, the lan:ps have been lighted, ‘*There’s no use in carrying on this way,” he and the gambling dens are in full blast, fleecing | said, at length, suddenly assuming his old brow- the miners and mountaineers, and replenishing ting manner. ‘' We will see that the com- the pockets of the card-sharps. mands of the captain are carried out, As for The girl is alone when we enter the room she | your threatened proclamation, girl, that will occupies, but she does not remain so long. effect nothing in Tucson where I have a foot- Suddenly the door opens, and a man who, in | hold that nothing can break. I’ve seen women his make-up and appearance shows the sport, | play a hand of this kind before. If you are stands before the waif of Crystal City. overly anxious to try your proclamation thar’s Commanding in rson and molded like a | the door, and out yonder’s the street. Ill go giant, with intensely black eyes and long hair, | with you and get you an audience,” the girl’s visitor attracted her gaze from the Was thisman really fearless?) Was he anxious first. for Berta to give him a new name on the streets “This is Major Belt,” flashed across the waif’s | of Tucson? brain, ‘‘This is the man to whom Cactus ‘*Not going to try it, eh?” he laughed after a Claud has sent me for a purpose of his own.” moment’s silence. ‘I guess the scheme wouldn't Tony Timberlake did not make his appear- | be a magnificent success. I am going to attend ance with the giant sport, and Berta’s visitor | to the business on hand. Since you have showed came forward with a smile, as if he saw that | your spirit in a manner I don’t like I am going the girl was wondering what had become of her | to see that you become the wife of Tony Timber- escort. lake.” ‘¢T am Major Belt,” said the man. ‘‘ You are There was no reply to this, for the resolution Border Berta, Ipresume. You have just reached | with which Major Belt spoke drove the girl Tucson.” back a pace, with a strange cry on her lips. ‘‘T have not been here an hour,” was the an- | The Tucson sport seemed to interpret it as an ex- swer. ‘I came in with a young man who | clamation of despair. escorted me thither at the command of Cactus “You will not leave this room till I come Claude. Idon’t know why he sent me, but I know | back,” he went on, withdrawing toward the that I was sent to you for a purpose of some | door, ‘I will not be alone when I return, kind. They call you Major Belt. Thatisnot your | therefore you will submit with the best grace true name, Like half of the men of the South- | possible. Tony mayn’t be a fool after all, but I west, you have two names. Your real name is | can’t say that I like Cactus Claude's selection.” Silas Shane.” He ended with a laugh as he opened the door, The man seemed to clear the space between | and the girl sprung forward. Berta and himself with a single bound. ‘*Back!” he said, pausing on the threshold. ‘¢ Who told you this?” he cried, and one of his:| ‘* This is Tucson, and I am boss here!” hands fastened on the girl’s arm like the tentacle Border Berta halted and drew back. of an octopus. ‘‘As you value your safety do ** Boss or not, these infamous commands of not mention that name in Tucson again! Lam | the head desperado of Crystal City shall never Major Belt; remember that. Who told you | be carried out!” she exclaimed. ; that Tam not?” ‘*Who’s to prevent? You haven’t a friend in ‘‘Some secrets are not very well kept,” said | Tucson, girl. You have come toa place where Berta, who could not_help smiling at the big | nobody interferes with my games. This town man’s excitement. ‘‘When I discovered that I | would die without its Major Belt. Don’t beat was being sent to you, I did not threaten to es- | your festhers off against the sides of the gold cape from my escort, Are you going to carry | cage that holds you. Pluck upand become Mrs, out Cactus Claude’s commands?” Timberlake with a smile. ‘Why not?” ‘** Never!” said the beautiful girl. ‘¢ What are they?” asked the girl. “Mebbe you would compromise on me,” grine Major Belt laughed. ned the sport. “Do you want a husband, my mountain ‘On you?” was the quick retort. ‘“ Better beauty?” heexclaimed. ‘‘ You’re pretty enough | the young fool of Crystal than Silas Shane!” to reign as the gold queen of Frisco or New The brow of the giant sport grew dark at the York. Wewill give you a husband in short! name, but with a derisive laugh, which was meter, an’ astonish the Tucsonites—” forced, he shut the door in Berta’s face, and left ‘You?’ cried the girl, coloring deeply as she | her alone. shrunk instinctively from the Tucson sport. Let us follow him. “No, not me, though I wouldn’t object to be- ‘‘ Immediately after the ceremony she leaves coming the husband of a magnificent beauty | Tucson,” he said to himself, “She might get like yourself. Have they any more like you in | somebody here to believe her, and I can’t afford Crystal?” to have my business spoiled by a girl. Hang ié **-You?—you her brother?” cried the Rolling Stone. ‘‘ By heavens! I can’t believe that!” “Your story almost confirms it. There is yet one missing link. You sent her.to Tucson to id come the wife of that young rascal Tony Tim- berlake. Do you think Major Belt will carry said. ‘*T war ter have it.” pression of scorn asserting itself. ‘‘ Am I to be- out your commands?” }
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One Against Fifty. 13 all, why did Cactus Claude send her to me, when he could have played the game through himself? Where is the expectant husband?” A few minutes later Major Belt entered one of the several faro rooms which he owned, and touched a young man, who followed him into a small apartment adjoining. ** She shows her pretty teeth, your girl does,” he said, addressing the youth, who was Tony Timberlake. “T feared she would, but that display isn’t to interfere, I hope.” “No. I wish you hadn’t wandered from the main trail on the way here. This circumstance cost you many hours of a good time; it has given somebody a chance to interfere if—” Tony interrupted the faro king with an ex- clamation. “Who has ** Has Jack—” Nobody has come that I know of,” was the answer. ‘I only.say that your mishap has lost you much time... You should have kept the trail better. Cactus Claude pam 4 you knew it,” * And so did I, curse the luck!” grated Tony. ‘The girl did not, of course, and when we got wrong she thought we were right.” “Let that go,” said Major Belt. ‘‘ Immedi- ately after the ceremony you leave Tucson,” “To-night yet?” gasped the young schemer. “Tonight! The girl knows something. I don’t want her here.” ‘Then shoot me for a gulch coyote, if I take her under such circumstances. I can’t take her back to Crystal as my wife, and I don’t know any other road out of this town.” “Tt is too late now!” cried the faro king, and his hand descended like an eagle upon atm shoulder. ‘‘I am going to carry ow} Cactus Claude’s commands, I shall see that this girl becomes your wife and then I'll show you out o’ town. Don’tkick against the programme. It might do elsewhar, but it won’t work in Tucson. I'll be back here in five minutes with the knot- tier. If you’re not here I'll hunt you down and either pgs | you to the woman you’ve played for, or blow your head off. I’m the worst card in this Arizona deck!” That was all, but it was enough for the frightened clerk of the Mountain Dew Hotel, “Get your parson,” he said; ‘‘ Tl take the girl and the consequences.” CHAPTER XV. BAFFLED AND SHOT. Frvz minutes make up a very brief piece of time in the calendar of the years, but brief as it is, it is often long enough to change lives and throw a nation out of gear. Major Belt intended to rejoin Tony Timber- lake within the allotted time, and he had left the young man in a not very pleasant frame of mind although he expected to become the hus- band of a beautiful young girl in a little while. A short time before a certain individual who seemed to be familiar with the ‘lay of the land” had come to Tucson. He was mounted on a splendid horse that obeyed the slightest pressure of spur and bit, and his eyes took in all sn lighted windows and open doors as he rode along. ; When in front of the Prodigal Son faro bank which was the most prominent of the severa owned by Major Belt, he rode toward the door, left the lines on his horse’s neck, and entered, There was nothing remarkable about this man; he looked like the usual run of rough characters who infest the wild towns of the Southwest border, but no one who took notice of him in the faro bank failed to see his keen eyes and almost silken hands, He looked the crowd over with an eagle eye, and evidently not finding the person he wanted, inquired for Major Belt. “The major, sir, may be in d’rectly, and he may not,” said the person whom he addressed. “You might find him at the house, and you might not.” 4 This was not very definite, but it took the man away. He was followed by some curious eyes to the door. Outside, he walked down the street, followed by the horse, with his nose at his master’s elbow, ‘* At the house, eh?” he ejaculated. ‘“ Mebbe I’m too late.” He appeared familiar with the location of the building called ‘ the house ” by the bartender of the faro bank, for he walked straight to the structure in which had just occurred the inter- view between Major Belt and Berta. He walked up to the door, and was about to knock, when a footstep arrested his attention. ‘Looking for me, eh?” said a voice, and the come?” he exclaimed. ‘to the next moment the, man stood face to face with the faro king himself “T want ter see yer, major—a minute, on business.” Major Belt was accompanied by two persons one a young man, the other a smooth-faced an somewhat clerical-looking individual of fifty. The boss of Tucson Sepued forward with his eyes fixed on the man at the door. ‘*T am Wild Robert from Crystal City,” con- tinued the stranger, lowering his voice a mite as he glanced at the major’s companions, ‘From Cactus Claude?” asked Major Belt. “Tf from Crystal from Cactus Claude, of course,” was the reply, spoken with peculiar emphasis, ‘Good! you are here in time. We were just going to perform the peremnory. according to or- ers.. Come up, gentlemen. This person is fresh from Crystal, and he will witness the affair.” One of the two, the smooth-faced man, came forward without hesitation; the other seemed. to hold back, “Step up, Tony; the latest arrival isn’t a grist from Crystal,” laughed the major, but is voice had a certain sternness all the tim>. “This is only Wild Robert and—” “‘T know him!” interrupted Tony Timberlake, coming forward and with his thoughts on the many times the tough had drank at the bar of the Mountain Dew. “Ho! it is you, Tony, sure enough,” laughed Wild Robert, leaning forward. ‘ Got hyer safe with ther girl, eh?” “Yes, but we got lost on the way, and never got here until a while ago,” was the reply, at which the man just in from Crystal City seemed relieved, Major Belt led the way into the house, and to a room which he unlocked by taking a key from his pocket. ‘“Walk in, gentlemen,” he said, throwing the door open. ‘ After the ceremony, we'll adjourn Prodigal whar we'llslay the fatted calf, figuratively speaking.” Wild Robert was the first rerson to enter the room; he was followed by Tony, and then by the smooth-faced man, while the major brought up the rear. A beautiful but white-faced girl awaited them. She glanced strangely at Wild Robert, seeing in ye person whom she had often seen in Crys- tal City. ‘‘(Jentlemen, thar’s no use ter make a long performance ov this,” said Major Belt. ‘This oung lady is ter be married ter Mr. Timber- ake here. ‘Fhe authority comes from one whose word is my law. The gentleman chosen will we: forward.” ed dite age at me young clerk, and ste aside so as to give hi ssage to Berta, wie stood like a statue by a pi ‘‘T have said that I will never be bound to that man!” she suddenly exclaimed, and her hand covered the young, fellow who was about to advance. ‘* Cactus Claude has no right to choose my husband f:r me. He sends his com- mand to his tool, Silas Shane, and he carries it out like the menial that he is, with all his boast- ed authority.” “That’s a part of the story she gave me awhile ago,” said the major who had colored at the name spoken by the girl. ‘‘ Nothing was to prevent this marriage, and nothing shall. Step up here, young man. You haven't forgotten what I said about your failure to do your part?” Tony advanced, but it was a disagreeable Oe “Who is this man?” suddenly asked Wild Robert, and his look covered the clerical-looking rson to whom he had turned. ‘ He’s all right,” said Major Belt. ‘Ive got a genuine preacher, though he. hasn’t ee | Gospel for some time. That is the Reveren Holy Hicks, late of Nugget Bend.” ‘Nugget Camp, major; but it’s all the same,” prompted the sleek person, with a grin. The girl shrunk to the wall. “Will nobody protect me?’ she exclaimed. ‘‘ My God! what have I done to fall into a fate like this? Left a waif years ago, must I meet misfortune at every turn? In the name of Heaven! men, have you no mercy?” “Not much when Cactus Claude commands!” replied Major Belt coolly. ‘*Take her hand there, Tony!” “Tf you do, I'll kill you in your boots!” The words fell upon three men’s ears like the bursting of a bomb.\ ‘“*T mean just. what I’ve said,” continued the speaker, and Wild Robert took a step forward, end covered the distance between him and the girl. ‘I wish to say here that [’ll take charge ov this girl,” The man held two huge revolvers in the faces of the major, Tony and the Reverend Mr. Hicks- a pore simultaneously and instinctively re coiled. “ Ain't you for Cactus?” cried the astonished faro sport. ‘I’m for myself an’ this girl,” was the reply. “ Just afore I left Crystal, I gave Bullion Burke: a document which told him that Iam Coyote, the man who dropped Colonel Wonder at his card-table. I hev an idea thet Bullion, despite his one cheek, will try ter get ter Tucson ter play ag’in’ ther hand [ happen ter hold. I also told him in thet document that this girl is worth her weight in gold if safely landed in St. Louis, from which city she war taken years ago by Cactus Claude an’a pard named Silas Shane, now Major Belt, whom I have ther honor ter see before me. A fortune ov several hundred thousand awaits her thar.” ** Jehosaphat!” ejaculated young Timberlake, ‘‘Thar’ll be no weddin’ byer just now,” con- tinued Coyote, still talking over his revolvers. “‘T am goin’ ter take the girl home, though I think I could take her ter a relative who is closer than St, Louis. Cactus Claude’s com- mands won’t be carried out in Tucson ter-night, gentlemen. Mr. Hicks kin finish his engage- ment at Nugget Camp, an’ Silas Shane kin wait for a man who is likely ter come with an easy trigger ’most any time,” “Who is he?” flashed the faro king. ‘* Wait an’ see,” smiled Coyote. “‘ This cere- mony will never take place. I am going from Tucson. I want ter go out o’ town peaceably. I came in thet way, but if you want me ter go out. like a whirlwind, I'll do it.” His dark eyes were a challenge as he fixed them on Majer Belt, but their light softened when he turned them upon the girl. ** Come, Berta,” he said. ‘“‘If y u kin trust a we'll leave this vulture nest.” t was an animated tableau when Coyote walked toward the door, his fingers still at the trigger. {in a moment he was gone. “That's cool, but see me play a cooler hand yet!” almost roared Major Belt. The next moment came the sound of a crash, and the men who turned toward the window saw a broken pane. ‘Silas Shane?” said a voice, as the face of a man appeared. The revolver of Major Belt seemed to leap: from his ket as he went forward. ‘‘This for the St. Louis crime!” continued the same voice. Then there came a shot, and a man whirled and fell on his face. The faro king of Tucson was dead! CHAPTER XVI. DOOM OF THE ALCALDE. Tony TIMBERLAKE and the man from Nug- get Camp stood soaps in the smoke that came in through the shattered pane, and be- fore the man lying on the floor. “Tf you'll excuse me,” said Holy Hicks, speaking first,” TIl vamose this ranch. isn’t healthy bere.” **T share thet opinion,” said Tony, drawing back and then turning toward the door, ‘* ve: lost every game I ever began, but this is the first time I was ever robbed of a wife, I can’t go back to Crystaland face Cactus Claude,” ** You'd better go with me.” “ Are you going back to Nugget?” * Bet yer li am. I came up hyer for a ife recreation, but this isn’t the sort I want. Let’s get out o’ town without lettin’ Tucson know about this play. They'll find the major soon enough. Some fools might attempt to faster the work on us, an’ this is a place of swift nooses they say.” *"No place like it on earth if all accounts be true,” spoke Tony. ‘‘I’d give all I’m worth for a pair o’ wings now.” In less than three minutes later the house was deserted by all save the dead, Tony and Holy Hicks went down the street together and like two shadows. They kept om until they reached the outskirts of Tucson be- fore a halt was made. Tony felt like a fugitive. “Tt “b'lieve I'l go back an’ tell the truth,” he said to his companion. ‘‘-You go back?” cried the mountain parson. ‘They'll tear you ter pieces.” “They'll hunt us down anyhow for they know that we went to the house with Major Belt, so- where’s the difference? I’m not cut out ter be a successful fugitive from justice. I'll go back.” “Go an’ may they noose you before you've half finished your story!” cried Hicks, Tony went back,
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‘*Tt’s better to die with the truth on one’s lips than to run away when you’re innocent,” were the words with which he consoled himself, He did not get far before he knew that the dis- covery of the major had been made. The house was already surrounded. by an excited crowd, and the young man heard his own name spoken in no very complimentary tones as he approach- He went forward with the true account of Ma- jor Belt’s death at his lips, but before he could | begin the narrative he was espied by three men at once, and as many hands siezed him and held him fast. In less than a second, it seemed, Tony found himself in the midst of a howling mob. Revol- vers were thrust into his face, and twenty loud ‘voices threatened him with instant death wheth- e¥ he told the truth or not. Poor Tony! At that moment he wished him- self with Holy Hicks, who was putting distance between himself and Tucson. In the midst of it all, and just when the un- lucky clerk of the Mountain Dew expected to see the flashes of a dozen revolvers, a man scat- tered the crowd before him and threw up his hand to command silence. Tony started at sight of him. “Tt is Kit King of Keno Bar!” ejaculated the young man. The wild crowd shrunk instinctively from the handsome man who stood erect with no weapons in his hands; his eyes seemed enough to awe them all, ‘**T am the man you want, not this person,” he said, laying his hand on Tony’s arm. ‘ The hand I have just lifted before you gave Major Belt, as you call him, Silas Shane as I now know him to be, his passport into eternity. Many years ago I lost a sister and a father on the same night. It wasin St. Louis. Men hate there as here. Two men, now known as Cactus Claude and Major Belt, played out a well- formed game. A house was entered, a man was | shot down and a girl, a mere child at the time, carried away. A son escaped by being absent. Strange to say I lived a long time within a few railes of the girl my sister. Accident revealed the true relationship; it told me that Cactus Claude and Major Belt, the man dead in that house, committed the crime which is still a mys- tery in St. Louis. My sister has just left Tuc- son in company with a man called Coyote, and followed by a youth who is capable of dealing with him if he proves stubborn,” “Jack!” said Tony Timberlake under his breath. ‘I’m glad I didn’t meet the young ga- Joot when he had steam up.” ‘*T am the person who is responsible for Major Belt’s death,” continued Kit King, and he roceeded to tell the story of the destruction of eno Bar, his work of vengeance, the list of the otroset gege the three-cornered duel in Crystal ity and his ride to Tucson. Scarcely had he finished ere a horse came down the street at a rapid gait, and two stal- wart men stopped him before the crowd. * Hello! hyer’s a man draggin’!” exclaimed somebody. There was a rush toward the horse, and Kit King who leaned forward uttered a cry of re- cognition. “Tt is Bullion Burke!” Bronze hands removed the swollen foot from the heavy stirrup, and the man whose face bore scarcely a semblance of humanity groaned. The Beh of Crystal was unconscious and evi- dently near his end, but a dash of the hottest brandy in Tucson revived him, and loosened the ' tongue bitten almost through, It was‘no longer the handsome sport of Ari- zona; the long hair was matted and torn, the keen eyes half closed, the facea mass of shreds, but life still clung to the clayey tenement. When he talked, it was the language of a man in delirium; he raved of scenes and times which were not known to Tucson, but here and there | were incidents of his last ride, which Kit King | understood. “This man, eager to discover the secret of my sister’s life, so well guarded by Cactus Claude, came here, despite his wounded face,” he said, looking at the Tucsonites, ‘‘ This horse, | frightened at something, a bear perhaps, un- | seated him, and he had not strength enough to regain his place. Gentlemen, I am at your | service, I have kept nothin back. You know the unwritten law of the Southwest; life for life, and blood for blood. The last manof Keno Bar has found the St. Louis villains. He did not expect to strike their trail when he set out to avenge the death of the twenty who fell around their cabins, because Keno Bar was hated by the friends of Crystal City. Silas | One Against Fifty. Shane, or Major Belt, lies in a little room dead, and the captain of the band that swooped down upon Keno is dying here. The list of the pro- scribed still hangs under the lamp, but half wiped out. The work of the Last Man is not | finished. Coyote found his enemy in Colonel Wonder, and he killed him. He would now take my sister back to St. Louis, to the fortune, if not the home that awaits her there. I shall not follow until the pards who rode to Keno that one night, have passed the portals of the silent world!” With one accord the listeners drew back. Somebody said ‘* Go,” and there was no dis- senting voice. The crowd seemed to consider Kit King more mad than sane. ‘** Tn a little while he was alone, no, not quite alone, for a man lay on the ground at his feet and a pair of wild eyes regarded him. He got down and touched this man. “ Bullion Burke, this is the glory of Keno and the downfall of Crystal City,” he said. “Iam going to make your famous camp the abode of desolation. You played a bold game against Keno Bar, but the Last Man holds the big hand that wins in the end!” The torn lips of the alcalde did not move, but the light of his eyes grew insanely bright. They became duller as they looked at Kit King, and when the Last Man rose they had no ex- pression at all. After awhile somebody came to where Bul- lion Burke lay, and found him silent and with- out a pulse. It was all over with the Alcalde of Crystal, and the word went from lip to lip among the population of the Arizonian town. As for Kit King, a man well-mounted rode slowly from Tucson. About a mile out he was halted and a young man came forward. “Ha! Jack, is it you?” exclaimed the Last Man. ‘“*Tt is Jack,” was the reply of the youth also mounted. ‘*‘ Coyote and Berta are down the road a piece. The girl is anxious.” Kit King shook bis head. ‘*Not till Crystal City has paid for Keno Bar!” he said, through his teeth. CHAPTER XVII. THE LAST MAN, ‘Tr sounds more like a readin’ from some novel than like ther solid truth,” said a big man who sat at the faro-table of Cold Deck, a min- ing-town in southern Colorado, seven months after the events just narrated. It was a wild, blustery night in midwinter, and the huge iron stove, red-hot in the center of the well-closed room, reddened the faces of the half-dozen men who had finished playing, and were listening. ‘*T happened in Crystal City at ther time,” continued the speaker, and as he went on he told the story of Keno Bar and its mountain rival, the blotting out of one place and the vengeance that followed, events with which the reader is, in part, familiar. he audience became eager listeners as he warmed with his story: he narrated everything in detail, as if he knew it from actual participa- tion. There was no Crvstal City then, he affirmed. The hunt of Kit King had depopulated it, the ards who escaped his silent knife had fled, eaven only knew whither, and the well-marked list was left to flutter in the wind under the lightless lamp of an abandoned hotel. The few honorable people of Crystal City had left because the place was under the shadow of the knife of a man undoubtedly mad. After the exodus came a fire, which left only the Mountain Dew Hotel to mark the site of the gold-camp. Cactus Claude had been found dead near the camp, and Bullion Burke died in Tucson. After that Kit King came back with his bowie and re- volver, but he soon caused a panic in Crystal, and the pards scattered. The man who told this story said that he had heard that the avenger was dead, that he had failed to carry out the oath of vengeance which he had taken over the ruins of Keno Bar. He (the story-teller of Cold Deck) had every reason for believing that the report was true. If it was, he was the last man to drop a tear over Kit King,and he said this with flashing eyes. **Look hyer, Monte,” said one of the specta- tors; ‘‘aren’t yer one ov ther fugitives from thet bowie?” The story-teller started, and then laughed. “Come! ’fess up!” cried the others. ‘A man couldn’t know all you’ve told without havin’ ae g hand in that big game. War yer Monte thar The man saw that he was ‘‘cornered ”* he laughed again and said: **T’'m one o’ ther original fifty.” “* Which one?” ‘‘ Dakota Dave, ther man who watched over Cactus Claude for his secret which I would have got if Kit King hadn’t taken ther tough away.” A little sulence fell over the party. ‘** You haven’t seen Kit King since that night?” asked one, at length. se No.” ** Ar’ you anxious to see the Last Man, Mon- te?” “Can't say thet I am. Why should I be?” grinned the story-teller. ‘* Whether you want to see him or not, he is here!” Monte sprung back, and was on his feet in a second he man who had spoken last threw his hand to his face and jerked off a false beard. Monte uttered an exclamation of surprise. "Ca Last Man, by the fires ov Hades!” he cried, A table was between the two men, but Kit King went over it like a tiger at his prey. The mountain men closed, there was a brief struggle, over which the spectators held their breath, and then, with a fury full of triumph, Monte was thrown toward the stove. ‘*They may cover their trails as they can, but the blood of Keno Bar has a scent that fails me not,” said the myer yk facing the spectators. ‘**T did not strike till I was certain of my man, I let him unmask himself. Gentlemen, J have deceived Cold Deck for ten days. I am Kit King, the Last Man of Keno Bar. Good-night, forever!” He went to the door and threw it open. The wind blew a storm of snow into his face. It was the wildest night of a memorable winter. In a moment he was gone, and the occupants of the little faro-den had a dead man with them to confirm the story of Keno Bar and Crystal City. They never again saw the man whose life was a living vengeance. When summer came a party of prospectors found in a deep ravine not far from Cold Deck the skeleton of a man, who had evidently per- ished there in a winter storm. Near the bleaching bones of the right hand lay a rusted bowie, into whose hilt a number of notches had been filed, as if each one was the record of a life wiped out, and above the marks were the letters ‘‘K. K.,” which, while they told the finders nothing, tell the reader the fate of the man who carried out to the letter the un- written law of the wild Southwest. There are still men scattered throughout that country who never speak of blotted-out Crystal City, nor mention Keno Bar—men who have changed their names, and who, in a court of law would swear against their true identity. Need we say that they are the few out of the fifty who owe their lives to the storm that left the Last Man in the ravine after the fate of Da- kota Dave, the surgeon tough? In the city of St. Louis a beautiful young wife surrounded by wealth and all the joys that love and gold can buy, waits with a sister’s yearning for the Last Man of Keno Bar. Her husband is a handsome young man who was once Jack, of Crystal City, and who went with her and Coyote from Tucson, leaving the dead behind. Tony Timberlake, disappointed in love, is to be found behind the desk of a Far West hotel; but he never mentions his life in Arizona, and nobody would suppose that he had a hand in the greatest crime in its history—the blotting-out of Keno Bar. Coyote is—I know not where. He saw Berta restored to her rights, and with ten thousand in his hands given freely by the Fp spe. girl, he turned his Se on the city and faced toward the wild Southwest again. é His hunt ended when the colonel died; but Kit King’s red game will never be played out. The identity of Zocco, the alcalde’s dwarf spy was never satisfactorily settled, but it is gener- ally believed that the two were brothers, Although not many months have passed since the several plays of the game we have witnessed, the site of Keno Bar is unknown, and the only object that marks the location of Crystal City is a tumbling down building, once the famous Mountain Dew Hotel. And in the rough weather-boarding still sticks a bowie-knife whose hilt has been through the fire, but the paper if once pinned to the wood, Kit King’s proscription list, disappeared long ago. THE END, ; ! ee
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} BEADLE’S* H ALF- DIME* | IBRARY. Published Every Tuesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents. No Double Numbers. BY PHILIP 8S. WARNE. 67 Patent-Leather Joe; or, Old Rattlesnake, the Charmer. 35 Captam Arizona; or, Patent-Leather Joe’s Big Game. 198 Captain Mask}; or, Patent-Leather Joe’s Defeat. 219 Despard, the Duelist; or, The Mountain Vempires, 838 A Tough Boy}; or, The Dwarf’s Revenge. LBG8 Little TS enaies or, The Outcasts of the Glen. S738 Little Jingo; or, the Queer Pard. S85 Little Oh-my } or, Caught in His Own Trap, 401 Little Shoo-F ly 3 or, A Race for a Ranch. 408 Little Leather-Breeches ; or, Old Jumbo’s Curse, 451 Little Ah Sing or, The Curse of Blood, 451 Colorado Kate. A Tale of the olines. 4540 Three Jolly Parda, 517 dim Gladden’s Deputy. 527 The Jolly Pards to the Rescue. 527 Sandy Andy; or, A Good Man Down, 555 Lariat Lil; or, The Cast for a Life. St 4 Old Weasel-top, the Man with the Dogs, \ 593 Keen Clem, the Ranch Imp. 599 Jim Dandy, the No-Name Sport. BY CAPTAIN FRED. WHITTAKER, 15 The Sea-Cat; or, The Witch of Darien. 29 The Dumb Pa; ef or, The Doge’s Daughter. 48 Dick Darling, Ke Pony Express Rider. 150 Lance and Lasso; or, The Children of the Chaco. 154 ,The Sword Ihunters}; or, The Land of the Elephant Riders, 159 The Lost Captain; or, Skipper Jabez Coffi’s Cruise to the Open Polar Sea. 200 The Boy Bedoutins3 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. 881 Black Nick, the Demon Rider. 895 California Joe’s War Trall, BY BUCKSKIN SAM (Major Sam. 8, Hall.) 284 Old Rocky's ** Boyees; Breaker. 246 Giant George; or, The Ang’! of the Range. 275 Arizona Jack; 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-whoo; or, The Tarantula of Taos. 827 Creeping Vat, the Caddoj; or, The Red and White Parda, B82 Frio Tred 3 or, The Tonkaway’s Trust. 844 The Fighting Trio; or, Rattlesnake, the Tonkaway. 849 Wild Wolf; or, Big-Foot Wallace to the Front. 85? The Ranch Ratders; or, The Siege of Fort Purgatory. 864 Snap-Shot, the Boy Ranger. BTS Chiota, the Creek; or, The Three Thunderbolts. 881 Bandera Bill; or. Frio Frank to the Front. 892 Romeo and the Reds; or, The Beleaguered Ranch, 404 Little Larlat; or, Pecan Pete’s Big Rampage. 414 The Daisy from Denver. 427 The Three Trailers; or, Old Rocky on the Rampage, 442 Bluff Bills or, The Lynx of the Leona. 455 Little Lone Star; or, The Belle of the Cibolo, BY EDWARD WILLETT. 167 Asa Scott, the Steamboat Boy. 199 Featherweight the Boy Champion of the Muskingum, 228 Ozark Alf; or, Featherweight Among the Outlaws. 282 The Typo Detective; or, Weasel, the Boy Tramp. 295 Fearless Phil; or, The King of Quartzville. S11 The steving Sport; or, The Pride of Chuckaluck Camp, 822 Nemo, the Detective; or, Kit Kenyon'’s Vendetta, 840 Clip the Contortionist; or, The Montana Vigilantes. BY J, C. COWDRICK. 860 Silver-Mask, the Man of Mystery. B69 Shasta, the Gold King}; or, For Seven Years Dead. 0 qhe Wetective’s Apprentice; or, A Boy Without a ame. 424 Cibuta John: or, Red-Hot Times at Ante Bar. 489 Sandy Sam, the Street Scout, 467 Diaco Dan, the Daisy Dude. 490 Broadway Billy, the Bootblack Bravo. B06 Redll ht Ral “hy the Prince of the Road, 514 Broadway Billy’s Boodle. 524 The Engineer Detective. 586 Broadway. Billy’s ‘Diftikilty.” 548 Mart, the Night Express Detective. 557 Broadway Billy’s Peath Raeket. 571 Air-Line Luke the Young Engineer. 579 The Chimney Spy; or, Broadway Billy’s Surprise-Party. 592 The Boy Pinkerton. 605 William 0’ Broadway; or, The Boy Detective’s Big Inning. BY JO PIERCE. B9T Bob o’ the Bowery ; or, The Prince of Mulberry Street 415 The Vagabond Detective; or, Bowery Bob’s 452 Hotspur Bob, the Strect-Boy Detective. 460 The Lawyer’s Shadow; or, Luke’s Legacy. A722 Jaunty Joe, the Young Horse-King. 494 Surly Sim, the Young Ferryman Detective. 504 Five Points Phil. 509 Jack Jagger, the Butcher Detective. 516 Tartar Tim; or, Five Points Phil’s Menagerie. 626 North River N at, the Pier Detective. 688 Wrestling Rex, the Pride of the Sixth Ward. 541 Jeff Flicker. the Stable Boy Detective. 551 Nick Nettie. éhe Boy Shadow. 559 Harlem Jack, the Office Boy Detective, 569 Brooklyn Ben, the On-His-Own-Hook Detective, B77 Pavement Pete, the Secret Sifter, 588 Jack-o’-Lantern, the Under-Sea 608 Wide-Awake Bert, the Street-Steerer. BY CAPTAIN MAYNE REID. 8 Blue Dick: or, The Yellow Chief's Vengeance, Fed The Land Pirates; or, The League of Devil’s Island. 187 The Helpless Hand; or, Backwoods Retribution. 289 The Gold-necker Gulde; or, The Lost Mountain, BY MAJOR HENRY B. STODDARD, Ex-Scout, 06 Neck-Tie Ned; or, The Dug-Out Pards. +4 Rap ler a othe or, The Swordsmen of Zacatecas, BY Kid-Glove Kie the Dandy of the Rockies. 898 Kid-Glove Kit and Pard; or, The Gold King, 406 The Mad Man-Hunter; or, The Mystery of Golden Gulch. 605 Powell’s Pardy or, The One-Armed Giant. BY HARRY 8ST. GEORGE. 80 Roaring Ralph Rockwood, the Ranger. 44 Rattling Rube; or, The Nighthawks of Kentucky, 5Y Old Hickery ; or, Pandy Ellis’s Scalp. 108 Daring Davy ; or, The Trail of the er Wolf, 1 $ or, The Trapper-Brigade’s Spy. olf-Herder. or, Benito, the Young Horse- tor. 66 Hickory Ha 272 Thunderbolt Tom; or, the BY ALBERT W. AIKEN, 11 The Two Detectives; or, The Fortunes ofa Bowery Girl, 76 Abe Colt, the Crow-Killer. 7Y Sol Ginger, the Giant Trapper. 288 Joe Buck of Angels and His Buy Pard. 447 New York Nat. A Tale of Tricks and Traps in Gotham. 458 New England Nick; or, The Fortunes of a Founsuuy. 464 Nimble Nick, the Circus Prince. 498 Taos Ted, toe Arizona Sport. 510 Cool Colorado, the Hal!-Breed Detective, 518 Cool Colorado in New York. BY GEORGE WALDO BROWNE, 86 Dandy Rock the Man from Texas. 90 The Dread Rider; or, The Texan Duelist. 99 The Tiger of Tuos; or, Dandy Rock’s Angel 115 The Mad Miner; or, Dandy Rock’s Doom, 181 The Golden Hand; or, Dandy Rock to the Rescue, 164 Dandy Rock’s Pledge}; or, Hunted to Death. 178 Dandy Rock’s Rival; or, The liaunted Maid of Taos, BY CAPT. J. F. ©. ADAMS. 84 Oregon Sol; or, Nick Whiffies’s Boy Spy. 6 Glasa-Eye, the Great Shot of the West. 54 Ned Hazel, the Boy Trapper. 56 Nick Whililes’s Pet; or, Ir The Valley of Death. 60 The White Indian; or, The Scout of the Yellowstone, 70 Old Zip’s Cabin; or, The Greenhorn in the Woods. 81 Lightning Jo, the Terror of the Prairie. 85 Buck Buckram ; or, Bess, the Female Trapper, 247 Old Grizzly and His Pets; or, The Wild Huntress. 251 Light-house Lige; or, Osceola, the Firebrand. 257 The Lost Hunters; or, The Underground Camp. 288 The Scalp King; or, The Human Thundervolt, BY ROGER STARBUCK. 25 The Boy Captain; or, The Pirate’s Daughter. 114 The Black Schooner; or, Jib Junk, the Old Tar, 259 The Golden Harpoon; or, Lost Among the Floes. 848 Fire-Heels: or, Old Skinflint, the Death-Shadow. 854 Big Horn Ike, the Hill Tramp; or, The Odd Pards, 861 The Phantom Light-house, 870 Breaker Ben, the Reef-Runner, BY WILLIAM R,. EYSTER, 190 Dandy Darke; or, The Tigers of High Pine. 210 Faro Frank; or, Dandy Darke’s Go-Down Pards BY COLONEL DELLE SARA, 108 The Lion of the Sea; or, The Vailed Lady. 186 Cool Desmond; or, The Gambler’s Big Game. BY JAMES L. BOWEN 107 One-Eyed Sim; or, The Abandoned Forest Home. 110 The Black Steed of the Prairies, A Story of Texas, BY C, DUNNING CLARE, 185 Captain Paul; or, The Boy Spy of the Mountains, 280 The Yankee Rajah; or, The Fate of the Black Shereef, BY GEORGE C. JENKS, 4455 Git Thar Owney the Unknown, 492 Git Thar Owney’« Pledge. 518 The Demon Doctor. 581 Double-Curve Dan, the Pitcher Detective. 598 Flute, the Singer Detective, BY CAPT. ALFRED B. TAYLOR, JT. 8. A. 191 Bamele Billy, the Boy Bullwhacker; or, The Doomed irteen. 194 Buffalo Bill's Bet; or, The Gambler Guide. BY CHARLES E. LASALLE. 50 Burt Bunker, the Trapper. 52 The White Buffalo. A Tale of the Northwest. BY JOHN J. MARSHALL. Roving Ben. A Story of a Young American. The Outlaw Brothers; or, The Captive of the Harpes. BY WM. G, PATTEN. 489 The Diamond Sport; or, The Double Face of Bed Rock 519 Captain Mystery ; or, Five in One. 531 Da 4 Dare the Sport from Denver. 587 Old Bembshel, the Ranger Deteotive. 604 Iron Fern, the Man of Fire. BY MAJOR E. L, ST. VRAIN. 292 Sancho Pedro, the Boy Bandit. 801 Leadville Nick, the Boy Sport. 812 Redtop Rube, the Vigilante Prince. 888 Brimstone Bob, and His Lightning Horse Quartette, 852 Tombstone Tom, the Arizona Boy of “ Sand.” 859 Duransro Dave, the Young Chany ion Wrestler. 871 Kingbolt Chris, the Yeung Hard-Shell Detective. 880 Avalanche Alf, the Foothills Guide. 890 Jaguar Joe, of the Mountuin Mail-Line. BY EDWARD 8, ELLIS. 6 Bill Siddon, reese. 8 Seth Jones; or, The Captives of the Frontier. 10 Nat Todd or, The Fate of the Sioux Captive. 21 The Frontier Angel. 98 The Boy Miners; or, The Enchanted Island. 182 The Hunted Hunter; or, The Strange Horseman, 254 The Half-Blood; or, The Panther of the Plains. 271 The Huge Hunter; or, The Steam Prairie Man, BY MAJOR LEWIS W. CARSON. 278 The Three Tra pera: or, The Mountain Monster. 288 Indian Joc; or, F ne White Spirit of the Hills. BY FRANK DUMONT. 120 The Branded Hand: or, The Man of Mystery. 127 Wild-Fire, the Boss of the Road. 140 Blue Blazes; or, The Break o’ Day Boys of Rosky Bar, 171 Ebony Dan; or, The Rival Leagues, 185 Evil Eye; or, The Vultures of the Rio Grande, BY CAPT. MARK WILTON, 256 Young Kentuck; or, The Red Lasso, 270 Blizzard Ben}; or, The Riot at Keno Camp. 286 Josh, the Boy Tenderfoot. BY BRACEBRIDGE HEMYNG. 89 Island Jim: or, The Pet of the Family. 91 The Captain of the Club; or. The Rival Athletes. 101 Jack Narkatway in New York. 40 xs Y 4 BY JOSEPH E. BADGER, JR. 2 Yellowstone Jack; or, The Trapper. 48 Black John, the Road-Agent; or, Me Outlaw’s Retreat, 65 Uurricane Bill; or, Mustang Sam and His Pard. 119 Mustang Sam ; or, The King of the Plains. 186 Night-ltawk Kit; or, The Daughter of the Ranch. 144 Dainty Lance the Boy Sport. 151 Panther Paul; or, Dainty Lance to the Rescue. 160 The Black Giant; or, Dainty Lance in Jeopardy. 168 Deadly Dash; or, Fighting Fire with Fire. 184 The Boy Trailers 3 or, Dainty Lance on the War-Pat®, 208 The Boy Pards; or, Dainty Lance Unmasks. 211 Crooked Cale, the Caliban of Celestial City. 810 The Barranca W olf; or, The Beautiful Decoy. 819 The Black Rider; or, The Horse-Thieves’ League, 885 Old Double Fist; or, The Strange Guide 855 The King of the Woods: or Daniel Boone’s Last Teal, 449 Kit Fox, the Border Boy Detective. BY W. J. HAMILTON, 68 The Red Brotherhood; or, The Twelve Avengers 66 Single Hand; or, A Life for a Life. 72 Mad Tom Western, the Texan Ranger. 887 Ben Bird, the Cave King; or, Big Pete’s Scoop. BY JACK FARRAGUT. 815 Ned, the Cabin Boy. 820 The Sea Sorceress; or, The Boy Skipper, BY LIEUT. H. D. PERRY, U. 8. N. 176 The Boy Runaway; or, The Buccaneer of the Bay 180 The Sea Trailer; or, A Vow Well Kept. 192 Captain Kit; or, The Mystery of Montauk Point. BY HARRY HAZARD. 828 Arkansaw Jack; or, The Scourge of the Mines, 829 Red-Skin Tom; or, The Demon’s Trail, 842 The Mountain Devil; or, Yellow Jack, the Outlaw, BY COL. A. F. MOLT, 899 Black Buckskin; or, The Masked Men of Death Canyoa. 419 Kenneth, the Knife-King. 485 Little Lightfoot, the Pilot of the Woods. BY J. W. OSBON. 469 The Rival Giants of Nowhar’. 498 Cactus Burr, the Man from Hard Luck. 587 Old Buckeye, the Sierra Shadow. 564 Powder Phil, the Boy Miner. BY FREDERICK DEWEY, 818 Cimarron Jack, the King-Pin of Rifle-Shote, ATS Tangemund, the Desert Detective. 542 The Canyon Parda. BY ARTHUR C. GRISSOM. 440 Little Fexfoot, the Gold Bowie Kid. 558 The Sure-Shot Pards. BY LIEUT. A. K. SIMS, 546 Captain Cactus, the Chaparral Cock. 568 The Dandy of Dodge. 576 The Silver Sport. 588 Saffron Sol, the Man With a Shadow, 589 Tom-Cat and Pards or, The Dead Set at Silver City. 601 Happy Mans, the Dutch Vidocq; or, Red-Hot Times @@ und-Up. MISCELLANEOUS AUTHORS, 4 The Wild-Horse Hunters. By Capt. Mayne Reid end Frederick Whittaker. 9 Adventures of Baron Munchausen, 12 Gulliver’s Travels. By Dean Swift. 14 Aladdin; or, The Wonderful Lamp. 16 Robinson Crusoe. (27 I/lustrations.) 18 Sindbad the Sailor. His Seven Voyenst, 22 The Sea Serpent; or, The Boy Robinsom Crusoe, By Juan wis. 88 The Ocean Bloodhound; or, The Red Pirates of the Carribees, By 8S. W. Pierce, 86 Fhe Boy Clown; or, The Queen ofthe Arena. By Frank nn 88 Ned Wylde, the Boy Scout. By Texas Jack. 51 the Boy Rifles; or, The Underground Camp. By Archie ~» trons, 95 The Rival Rovers; or, The Freebooters of the Mississippt, By Lieut.-Col, Hazeltine. 98 Robin Hood, the Uutiawed Earl; or, The Merry Men of Greene wood. By Prof. Gildersleeve, 105 Old Rube, the Hunter; or, The Crow Captive. By Captain Hamilton Holmes. 112 The Mad Hunter; or, The Cave of Death. By Burton Samy 124 Tippy, the Texan; or, The Young Champion, By George Gleeson. 128 The Young Privateer; or, The Pirate's Stronghold, By Harry Cavendish. 148 Sharp Samy; or, The Adventures of a Friendless Boy, By J, Alexander Patten. S27 Dusky Darrell, Trapper: or, The Green Ranger of the Yel- lowstone. By Edward erson. 261 Fergus Fearnaught the New Y srk Boy. By George I, Aiken. 266 Killb’ar, the Guide; or, Davy Crockett’s Crooked Trail, By Ensign C. D. Warren. 298 Red Claw, the One-Eyed Trapper; or, The Maid of the CiMf, By Captain Comstock. 817 Peacock Pete, the Lively Lad from Leadville, By Lien tenant Alired Thorne. 828 The Sky terective; or, A Boy’s Fight for Life and Hones, By Maior Mickey Free. 850 Red Ralph, the River Rover; or, The Brother’s Re venge. By Ned Buntline. _ 865 Raltimore Ren the Bootblack Detective. By A. P. Morris 874 Geld-Dust Tom; or, Ben’s Double Match. By George H Moree. 876 California Joe’s First Trail. By Colonel Thomas Hoyer Monstery. 418 Biily Bombshell, the CliffClimber. By F. 8. Winthrop, 475 The Black Ship. By John 8S, Warner. Comanehe Dick and His Three Invincibles. By Henry J. Thomas. 528 Wizard-Arm, the Dandy Sper, By Arthur ¥, Holt. 582 The Cowboy Duke. By Edwin Brooke Forrest. B52 Artel the Athlete. By David Druid, 585 Will Waters, the Boy Ferret.. By H. Enton. A New Issue Every Tuesday. The Half-Dime Library is for sale by all newsdealers, five cents per copy, or sent by mail on receipt of six cents each. BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, . 98 William Street, New Yorks
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BY EDWARD L. WHEELER, Deadwood Dick Novels. 1 Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. 20 Double Daggers; or, Deadwood Dick’s Defiance, 28 Butfalo Ben; or, Deadwood Dick in Disguise. 85 Wilda Ivan, the Boy Claude Duval, 42 Phantom Miner; or, Deadwood Dick’s Bonanza, 49 Omaha Ol; or, Deadwood Dick in Danger. Bi Deadwood Dick's Eagles; or, The Pards of Floed Bar. 28 Deadwood Dick on Deck; or, Calamity Jane, the Hereine, 7 Corduroy Charlie; or, Deadwood Dick’s Last Act, 100 Deadwood Dick in Leadville, 104 Deadwood Dick’s Device; or, The Double Cross Sign. 109 Deadwood Dick as Detective. 129 Deadwood Dick's Double; or, The Ghest of Gergon’s Gulch. Blonde Bill; er, Deadwoed Dick’s Heme Base. A Game of Gold; er, Deadwood Dick’s Big Strike, Deadwood Dick of Deadwood; or, The Picked Party. Deadwood Dick’s Dream; or, The Rivils of the Rend. The Black Hills Jezebel; er, Deadwoed Dick’s Ward. Deadwood Dick’s Doom; er, Calamity Jane’s Last Ad- venture, 217 Captain Crack-Shot, the Girl Brigand. 221 Sugar-Coated Sam; or, The Black Gown. 282 Gold-Dust Dick. A Remance of Roughs and Teughs, Deadwood Dick’s Divide; or, The Spirit of Swamp Lake. Deadwood Dick’s Death Trail Deadwead Dick’s Big Deal; er; The Geld Brick of regon. Deadwood Dick’s Dozen} or, The Fakir of Phantom Flats, Deadwood Dick’s Ducats; or, Rainy Days in the Dig- ings. Heatiweed Dick Sentenced; or, The Terrible Vendetta. Papdweed Dick’s Claim; or, The Fairy Face of Fare “late. Desadweod Dick in Dead City, Deadweed Dick’s Dinmonds}; or, The Mystery of Jean urter,. Deadwood Dick in New York} or, A “ Cute Caso.” Deadwood Dick’s Dust; or, The Chained Hand. Deadwood Dick, Jr. Nickel-Plate Neds or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Defiance. puunewer Sam, o! Shasta; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’a Full jand, Flush Fan, the Ferret; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Big Reand- Up. Phito Fly, ef Phenix; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Racket at Claim 10, Rozeman BII1; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Corral. Humpboist Harry, the Hurricane; or, Deadwood Dick Jr's Jog Detective, Moll Mystery; or, Deadwood Dick Jr, in Deadwood. 5 rinse Platol, the King of the West; or, Dendwood Dick Jr’s Compact. Monte Oriato, Jr.: or, Deadwood Dick Jr's Inheritance. Deaawaod Picks Diggings 3 or, Dr. Death-Grip’s Swoop. endwood ck’s Deliverance, Deadwood Dick’s Protegee. Deadwood Dick’s Three. Deadwood Dick’s Danger Ducks, Deadwood Dick’s Death Hunt, 589 Deadwood Dick Jr, in Texas.’ ea3 a ete Picks Jr. f. ee West Vidoeq, endwood ek on « Mettle. 554 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Gotham, 561 Deadwoed Dick in Boston. 567 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Philadelphia, 572 Deadwood Diek, Jr. in Chicago. 578 Deadwood Dick, Jr. Afloat. 5S4 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Denver. 590 Deadwood Dick, Jr's. Decree. aoe weap arene a P? r. = een Basin. endwoo e r. at Coney Island. 606 ae er Dick Jr’s Leadville Lay; or, Bristel and nceket's boem. Other Novels by E. L. Wheeler, 26 Cloven Woof, the Buffalo Demon. 82 Bob Woolf or, The Girl Dead-Shot. 89 Death-Face, Detective; or, Life in New York. 45 Old Avalanche; or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigaad, | 58 Jim Bludsoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix. | 61 Buckhorn Bill; or, The Red Rifle Team. | 69 Gold Rifle, the pyres sane or, The Boy Detective, 80 Rosebud Rob; or, Nugget Ned, the Knight. | 84 Idyl, the Girl Miner or, Rosebud Rob on Hand, {88 Phetograph Phil; or, Rosebud Rob's Reappearance, ' 92 Canada Chet}; or, Old Anaconda in Sitting Bull’s Camp, 96 Watch-Eye; or, Arabs and Angels of a Great City, 18 Jack Hoyle the Young Speculator. 17 Gilt-Edged Dick, the Sport Detective 21 Cinnamon Chip, the Girl Sport. 25 Bonanza Bill, Miner. 88 Bows Bob the King of Bootblacks, 41 Bolld Sam, the Boy Road-Agent. Captain Ferret, the New York Detective; or, Boss Bob’s oas Job. 161 New York Nell, the Boy-Girl Detective. 177 Nobby Nick of Nevada; or, The Sierras Scamps, 181 Wild Frank, the Buckskin Bravo. 209 Fritz, the Bound-Boy Detective, 218 Fritz to the Front; or, The Ventriloquist Hunter, 226 Snoozer, the Boy Sharp; or, The Arab Detective, 286 Apollo Bill, the Trail Tornado. 240 Cyclone Kit, the Young Gladiator. 244 Stoves Sam, thy Frontier Ferret. 248 Slerra Sam’s Secret; or, The Bloody Footprints. 258 Sierra Sam’s Pard; or, The Angeli of Big Vista. 258 Sierra Sam’s Seven; or, The Stolen Bride. 278 Jumbo Joe, the Boy Patrol; or, The Rival Heirs, 277 Denver Doll, the Detective Queen. 2S1i Denver Doll’« Victory. 245 Denver Doll's Deeoy ; or. Little Bill’s Bonanza, 291 Turk, the Boy Ferret. 296 Denver Doll’s Drift; or. The Road Queen. 299 A No. 1, the Dashing Toll-Taker. ‘Liza Jane, the Girl Miner; or, the Iron-Nerved Sport, Kelley, Mickey & ©o., the Detectives of Philadelphia. Little Quick-Shot; or, The Dead Face of Daggeraville, Kanguroo Kit; or, The Mysterious Miuer, Kangeroo Kit’« Racket. Manhattan Mike, the Bowery Blood. First-Class Fred, the Gent from Gopher. Ds a Jim, the Gold-Gatherer}3 or, The Lottery of aid Yreka Jim’s Prize. Nabob Ned} or, The Secret of Slab City. Cool Kit. the King of Kids; or, A Villain’s Vengeance. Yreka Jim's Jeker; or, The Rivals of Red Nose. Bicyele Wen; er. The Lion of Lightning Lode, Yreka Jim of Yuba Dam. Wrinkles, the Night-Watch Detective. High Hat Harry, the Base Ball Detective. 6 Sam giahendee, the Beggar-Boy Detective, 4 Jim Beak and Pal, Private Detectives, 4.38 Santa Fé Sal, the Slasher. 486 Sealskin Sam, tho Sparkier, BY CHARLES MORRIS. 118 Will Somers, the Boy Detective. 122 Phil Mardy, the Boss Buy. 126 Picayune Pete; or, Nicodemus, the Dog Detective, 180 Detective Dick; er, The Hero in Rags, 142 Handsome Harry, the Bootblack Detective, 147 Will Wildfire, the Thoroughbred, 52 Black Ress, Will Wildfire’s Racer. 7 Mike Merry, the Harbor Police Boy, 2 Will Wildtire in the Woods, & Billy Baggage, the Railroad Boy. 0 A Trump Card; or, Will Wildfire Wins and Loses. 4 Bob Rockett or, Mysteries ef New York. 9 Bob Rockett, the Bank Runner, 88 The Hidden Hand} or, Wil! Wildfire’s Revenge. 187 Fred Halyard, tie Life Boat Boy; or, The Smugglers, 189 Bob Rockett; er, Driven to the Wall. 196 Shadowed ; or, Bob Reckett’s Fight for Life, 206 Dark Paul, the Tiger King, 212 Dashing Dave, the Dandy Detective. 220 Tom Tanner; ev, The Biack Sheep eof the Fleck, 225 Sam Charcoal the Premium Darky. 235 Shadow Sam, the Messenger Boy. 242 The Two “ Bloods ”; er, Shenandeah Bill and His Gang. 252 Dick Dashaway ¢ er, A Dakota Boy in Chieago. 262 The Young Sharps: or, Rollicking Mike’s Het Trail, 274 Jolly Jim, the Detective Apprentice. 289 Jolly Jim’s Joby or, The vores Detective. 298 The Water-Hound; or, The Young Thoroughbred. 505 Dashaway, of Dakota; or, A Western Lad ia the Quaker City, 824 Ralph Ready, the Hotel Bey Detective. 841 Tony Thorne, the Vagabond Detective. 858 The Reporter-Detective; or, Fred Flyer’s Blizzard, 867 Wide-Awake Joe}; or, A Boy of the Times. 879 Larry, the Leveler; or, The Bloods of the Boulevard, 408 firelly Jack, the River-Rat Detective. 428 The Lost Finger; or, The Entrapped Cashier, 428 Fred Flyer, the Reperter Detective. A82 Invincible Logan, the Pinkerton Ferret. 466 Billy Brick, the Jolly Vagabond. 466 Wide-Awake Jerry, Detective; or, Entombed Alive. A779 Detective Dodge}; or, The Mystery of Frank Hearty, 488 Wild Dick Racket. 501 Boota, the Boy Fireman; or, Too Sharp for the Sharper, 566 The Secret service Boy Detective. 596 Jimmy the Kid; or, A Lamb Among Wolves. rh ek pret ret eek pk feed NANNASRT BY OLL COOMES. & Vagabond Joe, the Young Wandering Jew. & The Dumb Spy. Antelope Abe, the Boy Guide. Keen-Knife, the Prince of the Prairies. Lasso Jack, the Young Mustanger. The Border King; or, The Secret Foe. Delaware Dick, the Young Ranger Spy. Hawk-eye Harry the Young Trapper Ringer. Rollo, the Boy Kanger. Sure bhot Seth, the Boy Rifleman. 8 Scar-Face Saul, the Silent Hunter 46 Silver Star, the Boy Knight. 58 Eagle Kit, the Boy Demon. 68 Little Texas, the Young Mustanger, 78 Old Solitary, the Hermit Trapper. 182 Little Hurricane, thy Boy Captain. 202 Prospect Pete ; or, The net Outlaw Hunters. 208 The Boy Mercules: or, The Prairie Tramps. 218 Tiger Tom, the Texas Terror, 224 Dashing Dick; or, Trapper Tom’s Castle, 228 Little Wildtire, the Young Prairie Nomad. 288 The Parson Detective; or, The Little Ranger. 248 The Disgulsed Gulde; or, Wild Raven, the Ranger, 260 Dare-Devfil Dan, the Young Prairie Ranger. 272 Minkekin Mike, the Boy Sharpshooter. 290 Little Foxiire, the Boy Spy. £00 The Sky Demon ¢ or, Rainbolt, the Ranger, BS4 Whip-King Joe, the Boy Ranchero, 409 Hereules; or, Dick, the Boy Ranger. 417 Webtoot Moxe, the Traunp Detective. A422 Baby Sam, the Boy Giant of the Yellowstone. 444 Little Buckskin, tne Young Prairie Centaur. 457 Wingedfoot Fred; or, Old Polar Saul. 468 Tamarac ‘Tom, the Big Trapper Boy. 478 Old Tom Rattler, the Red River Epidemic, AS2 Stonewall Bob, the Boy Trojan. 562 Blundering Basall, the Hermit Bey Trapper. BY T. C. HARBAUGH, 28 Nick o’ the Night; or, The Boy Spy of ’76. 87 The Hidden Lodge; or The Little Hunter, A? Nightingale Nat; or, Tno Forest Captains, 64 Dandy Jacks or, The Outlaws of the Oregon Tral, 82 Kit Harefoot the Wood-Hawk. 94 Midnight Jack ; or, The Boy Trapper, = eK Kellett PS Pe Dee ee etietietineel 106 Old Frosty, the Guide; or, The White Queen, 128 Kiowa Charley the White Mustanger. 189 Judge Lynch, Jr.t or, The Boy Vigtiante. 155 Gol er, the Sport; er, The Girl Avenger. 169 Tornado Tom; or, Injun Jack From Red Core, 188 Ned Temple, the Border Boy. 198 Arkansaw : or, The Queen of Fate’s Revenge, = 1% Navajo Nick, the Boy Gold Hunter. 215 Captain Bullet; or, Little Topknot’s Crusade, 231 Plucky Phil; or, Rosa, the Re! Jezebel. 241 BILL Bravos; or, Tie Roughs of the Rockies, 255 Captain Apoli-, te King-Pin of Bowie. 267 The Buckskin Detective, 279 Old Winch; or, The Buckskin Desperadoes. 294 Dynamite Dany or, The Bowle Blade of Cochetopa. 802 The Meuntain Detective; or, The Trigger Bar Buily. 816 Old Eclipse, Trump Card of Arizona, B26 The Ten Pards; or, The Terror of Take-Notice. 886 Big Benson; or, The Queen of the Lasso. 845 Pitileas Matt; or, Red Thunderbolts Secret. B56 Cool Sam und Pardy or The Terrible Six. 866 Velvet Foot, the Indian Detective. 886 Captain Cutlass; or, The Brccaneer’s Girl Foe. 896 Rough Rob; or, The Twin Champions of Blue Blazes, 411 The Milken Lasso; or, The Rose of Ranch Robin. 418 Felix Fox, the Boy Spotter. 425 Texas Trump. the Border Rattler. 486 Phil Flash, be New York Fox. 445 The City Vampires; or, Red Rolfe’s Pigeon. A461 One Againat Fifty}; or, The Last Man of Keno Bar. 470 The Boy Shadow; or, Felix Fox’s Hunt, 477 The Exceisior 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. 528 Fox and Falcon, the Bowery Shadows. 588 Dodger Dick, the Dock Ferret. 548 Dodger Dick’s Double; or, The Rival Boy Detectives, 558 Dodger Dick’s Desperate Case. 568 Dodger Dick, the Boy Videcq. 578 The Two Shadows. 582 Dodger Dick’s Drop. 594 Little Lon, the Street-Singer Detective. BEADLE’S* H ALF- JIME* LIBRARY. Published Every Tuesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents. No Double Numbers. BY COLONEL PRENTISS INGRAHAM, ? The Flying Yankees or, The Ocean Outeast. 17 Ralph Roy, the Boy Buccancer; or. The Fugitive Yacht. 24 Diamond Dirk; or, The Mystery of the Yellowstone, 62 The Shadow Ship's or, The Rival Liewtenanta, 75 The Boy Duelist; or, The Cruise of tlhe Sea-Wolf, 102 Dick Dead-Eye, the Boy Smuggier. 111 The Ben. Devil 3 or, The Midshipman’s Legacy. 116 The Ilusear Coptatn 3 or, ‘The Hermit of Hell Gate, 197 Little Grit; or, Bessie, the Stock-Tender’s Daughter. 204A Gold Plume; er, The Kid-Glove Sport 216 Bisen BIL, the Prince of the Reins, 222 Grit, the Bravo Sport; or, The Woman Trailer, 229 Orimsaon Kate; or, The Cowboy's Triumph. 287 Lone Star, the Cowboy Captain. 245 Merle, the Middy 3; or, The Freelance Heir. 250 The Midshipman Mutineer}; or, Brandt, the Buceaneer, 264 nine Floating Feather; or, Merle Monte’s Treasure. siand. 269 The Gold Ship; er, Merle, the Condemned. 276 Merle Monte’s Cruise; or, The Chase of “The Geld Ship.” 280 Merle Monte’s Fate} or, Pearl, the Pirate’s Bride, 284 The Sca Marauder; or, Merle Monte’s Pledge. 287 Billy Blue-Eyes, the Boy Rover of the Rio Grande. 804 The Dead Siiot Dandy ; er, Bemto, the Boy Bugler. 808 Keno Kit; or, Dead Shot Dandy’s Double, 814 7a Mysterious Marauder; or, The Boy Bugler's Leng rail. 877 Bonodel, the Buy Rover} or, The Flagless Schooner, B88 The Indian Pilot; or, The Search for Pirate Island. BST Warpath WIIl, the Boy Phantom. 898 Seawalf, the Boy Lieutenant. 402 Isodor, the Young Conspirator}; or, The Fatal League. 407 The Boy Insurgent; or, The Cuban Vendetta. 412 The Wild Yachtaman; or, The War-Clona’s Cruise, 429 Duncan Dare, the Boy Refugee. 488 A Cabin Boy’s Luck; or, The Corsair. 487 The Sea Raider. 441 The Ocean Firefly ; or, A Middy’s Vengeance. 446 Haphazard Harry} or, The Scapegrace of the Sea. 460 Wizard Will: or, The Boy Ferret of New York. 454 Wizard Will's Street Scouts, 462 The Born Guide; or, The Sailor Boy Wanderer. 468 Neptune Ned, the Boy Conster. 474 Flora; or, Wizard Will's Vagabond Pard, 488 Ferreta Afloat; or, Wizard Wil)’s Last Case. AS7 Nevada Ned, the Revolver Ranger, 495 Arizona Joe the Boy Pard of Texas Jack. 497 Buck Taylor, King of the Cowboys. 508 The Royal Middy ; or, The Shark and the Sea Cat, 507 The Hunted Midshipman, 5611 The Outlawed Middy. 5620 Buckskin BIL, the Comanche Shadow. 525 Brothers in Buckskin. 580 The Buckskin Bowers. 585 The Buc .skin Rovers. 540 Captain Ku-Klux, the Marauder of the Ric. 545 Lieutenant Leo, the Son of Lafitte. 550 Lafitte’s Legacy; or. The Avenging Son. 555 The Creole Corsair, $ 560 Pawnee BIL, the Prairie Shadower. iv 565 Kent Kingdon, the Card King. 570 Camille, the Card Queen. 575 The Surgeon-Scout Detective. 580 The Outcast Cadets or, ‘The False Detective, 586 The Buckskin Avenger. 591 Delmonte, the Young Sea- Rover. 5Y7 The Young Texan Detective. 602 The Vagabond of the Mines. ; 607 The Rover Deteetive; or, Keno Kit’s Champions. BY BUFFALO BILL (Hon. Wm. F. Cody). 8 Kanans King; or, The Red Right Hand, 19 The Phantom Spy: or, The Pilot of the Prairie. 65 Deadly-Eye, the Dalnews Scout. 68 Border Robin Hoods; or, The Prairie Rever. 158 Fancy Frank of Colorado; or, The Trapper’s Trust, LATEST AND NEW ISSUES. 608 The Pitcher Detective’« Foll; or, Double Curve Dan'e Double Play. By Geo, C, Jenks. 609 Bolly Dorrit, the Veteran Detective; or, Little Lightning's Invineiblee. By John W. Osbon. 610 Old Skinner, the Gold Shark; or, Tony Sharp on Guard. By T. C. Harbangh. 611 Bildad Barnacle, the Detective Hercules; or, The Tussle at Tuble Mountain. By Lieut, A. K. Sims. 612 Dendwood Dick Jr. in Detroit; or, Turning the Tables on Satan... By Edward L. Wheeler. D Billy Blazer; or, The Skeleton’s Legacy. By P.S8, Warne. w histling Jacob, the Detective’s Aid; or, The Queer Com- bination. By Jo Pierce. Fightin Warry, the Chief of Chained Cyclone; or, The Heathen Chinee’s Mission, By J. C. Cowdrick. The Ocean Detective; or, The Last Cruise of the Black Rear . By Geo, C. Jenks. Ralph, the Dend-Shot Scomt; or, The Raiders and the Red Riders of the Rio. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Cincinnati; or, The Clincher Campaign. By Ed. L. Wheeler. The Boy Tramp Detective; or, The Doubie Grip Witness. By Wm. G, Patten Little Lightning’s League; or, The Mystery of the Island. By John W, Osbon. Truthful James, the “Pecooliar” Man; or, The Spoiler Dispoiled. By A. C. Grissom, Texas Tom-Cat’s Triad; or, The Queer Affair at Tomb- atone. Bv Lieut. A, K. Sims. . Buck Bumblebee, the Harlem Hummer; or, The Old Captain’s Moving Miracle. By Jo Pierce. Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Nevada; or, The Preacher of Pokerville. By E, L. Wheeler. Chincapin Dan, the Boy Trailer; Crater, By Jos, E. Badger, Jr. or, The Hero of the 626 The Champion Pards; or, The Lucifer of Silver Bar. By T. C. Harbaugh. Keady July 23. ; 627 Tom Bruce of Arkansas; ©, The Wolfin the Fold. By Charles Morris. Ready July 30. Broadway Billy’s Dead Act; or, The League of the Sworn Seven. By J. Cy Cowdrick. Ready August 6. Violet Vane, the Velvet Sport; or, The Jubilee of Jacktown. By Wm. G. Patten. Ready August 13, Dendwood Dick, Jr. in No Man's Land; or, Golconda, the Gladiator, By Ed. L. Wheeler. Ready August 20, A New Issue Every Tuesday. The Half- Dime Library 's for sale by all newsdealers, five eente per copy, er sent by mail on receipt of six centa each, BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, 98 William Street New York.