Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 469) (1886 07 20)
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TW xm \\ ‘ \y WN MAY » e wy WENO FUw \ AQ WOW WN Th UNE, y CX” ren (we EWN ORR=“Co fH : | \ ~~ tat sn cS i a it a! a Ft! SS a AImINN. __. Entered at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., at Second Class Mail Rates. Copyright, 1886, by BEADLE AND ADAMS, * July 20, 1886, Vol, .ab.4 $2.50 PUBLISUED WEEKLY BY BEADLE AND ADAMS, Pas -saiar dy No. 469. a Year. No. 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK. NS ae 2 Se eee 2 4 VLA N N SN N \ \ | SW | Lz ZA LLL. ZG Yj The Brothers League. BY JOHN W. OSBON, AUTHOR or ‘‘ THE DIAMOND HOAX,” ‘‘ YANKER VIDOCQ’S DISCOVERY,” ETC., ETO. CHAPTER I. GIANT VS. GIANT. “Hevur me, pilgrims, wile my royal trump does sound; list ye to th’ kingly edict! ““T, Shasta Sam, proclaim myself King of No- whar!” : a _ ~ : The huge form of the speaker loomed up in the es ; : 2 doorway of the Fair Play, the principal saloon — |- ————————— : ——— and gambling-hell of the isolated Idaho mining- camp of Nowhar. ; ————————— : ——— Each of his brawny hands clasped the shining “SO YOU ARE GOLD GABE, KING OF NOWHAR, ARE YOU?” HE GRATED, HIS BURNING gold butt of a heavy self-cocking revolver, the EYES NEVER WAVERING IN THEIR HATEFUL STARE,
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2 The Rival Giants of Nowhar. hammers of which were half raised by the pres- sure of his long forefingers on the triggers, as he glared fiercely at the motley group at the bar and on beyond at the throng surrounding the gaming-tables, His full, deep tones rung through the long room with startling suddenness, drawing more than mere cursory glances from its inmates, ac- customed to that particular style of rodomontade as they were. And Shasta Sam, of Cinnabar, as the new- comer had introduced himself, was truly worthy of more than a passing glance. In hight and build a giant, yet an ideal of grace and symmetry, with a kingly head, dark, finely- molded face adorned by drooping jetty mus- taches’, large and keen black eyes, he would have attracted attention anywhere and under any circumstances, His garb was of purple velvet of the finest tex- ture; his linen immaculate; his weapons of the latest and best pattern, heavily plated with gold. He looked every inch the dashing, reckless sport from the crown of his jauntily worn silk hat to the soles of his glossy patent-leather boots. There was an insolent, taunting ring in his deep, powerful tones that seemed to challenge each individual Nowharite within hearing to dispute his right to the title he had just as- sumed, A full score of hands leaped to ever-ready weapons; half a hundred pairs of eyes stared straight at the vaunting sport. ‘*Heur me, pilgrims,” he repeated, returning look for look with savage interest; ‘‘ I, Shasta Sam, ov Cinnabar, pr_claim myself King ov Nowhar! ‘You oy th’ common herd must crawl where I walk!” Mechanically, almost every eye turned from the boastful giant to the central figure amid the group at the bar, a personage of striking ply- sique. ‘The exact counterpart of Shasta Sam_in hight, build and feature, he was a perfect blonde, with eyes of sparkling blue, and long, curling hair and mustaches of a bright wali color. In dress, too, there was a remarkable resemblance, the only difference being that white the self- styled King of Nowhar was clad in purple this man was garbed in biack velvet. : A. mocking laugh, irritating in its peculiar soltness, followed swift upon the giant sport’s loud words, and the Hercules of the golden locks, set- ting down his glass of beaded liquor untasted, dropped his broad white palms upon the revol- ver butts protruding from his belt and strode directly toward the man from Cinnabar, ‘‘ An exalted perch, truly; is this upen which you propose to roost, gentle Shanghai!” he ex- claimed, in smooth, unruffled tones, halting with- in three paces of Shasta Sam, while the mocking smile deepened on his full'fed lips. ‘‘ We galoots ov Nowhar are a generous set, and I doubt not thatif youremove th’ single obstacle in your way and read your title clear th’ sportive sports at my back will bow th’ knee and acknowledge you their most high and mighty. sovereign; yea, will even prostrate themselves in th’ dust that lordly King Shanghai may not soil his dainty hoofs in ascending his coveted roost. ‘* But, my long-drawn-out friend, first remove th’ obstacle, and prove your right to th’ royal perch, or th’ aforesaid gents ov Nowhar may take it into their fun-loving heads to reverse your order ov things and p’sonify even thy lordly form. sie th other words, as th’ cultured Bostonian probably wouldn’t say, they may climb gently up P pad frame and amble gracefully on your neck. : ** You see, Shanghai, th’ obstacle in your way is simply this, and nothing more: Nowhar has a king; that king is th’ alealde; th) alcalde is Gold Gabe; and—I blush from sheer modesty to say it—Z am Gold Gabe. ‘* And I haven’t abdicated as yet in favor of anybody, nor have I th’ remotest idea of so- doing. If you are really and truly pining to be a mighty monarch, I would advise you, as a _ friend and a brother, amble on to some other man’s town, : ‘“*Nowhar is a live camp, but she isn’t bij enough to hold two such men as you and I, Shanghai.” Lig jeeringly, in mock-heroic accents the words had fallen from the full red lips of the golden- giant, visibly goading Shasta Sam almost to . Yet, carelessly as he had spoken, those who stood near enough fancied they could detect in the depths of Gold Gabe’s _ brilliant blue eyes a lurid gleam of jealousy. The dark Hercules moved slightly forward as the contemptuous, mocking tones of the ‘‘alcalde” ceased, his black eyes glowing with rage, * s iti a ‘ | the hammers of his gold-mounted revolvers moving ominously back and forth under the varying pressure of the long white fingers on the triggers. “So you are Gold Gabe, King of Nowhar, are you?” he grated, his burning eyes never waver- ing in their hateful stare. “T have once so stated, Shanghai,” softly uttered Nowhar’s alealde. ‘*1f my word is not enough, perhaps’ some of the gentlemen behind me can bear me out in what [ have said,” The “gentlemen” in question, as rough a set as any other mining-camp in all Idaho could boast, perhaps, had discreetly betaken them- selves to one side of the long room, out of range of any stray “outcroppings” of lead. They were posted in some of the alcalde’s little pecu- liarities—knew that when his voice was at its softest his anger was deadliest,- ‘*T reckon thar’s no need ov any of th’ galoots to chip into our little game,” slowly enunciated the man from Cinnabar. ‘‘If you say you are King oy Nowhar, it simply brings you to tl’ scratch, that is all.” Again that mocking, insulting laugh rippled from the alealde’s lips. The red light in the black eyes of the dark Hercules deepened; but he went on, steadily: “Tt brings you to the scratch, that isall. I have sought and found you, you monumental fraud, Th’ name and fame ov Gold Gabe, King ov Nowhar, have spread far and wide through th’ hills. A mountain mogul you have grown to be from th’ mean coyote ov a sneak thief and card sharp th’ camps ov th’ Stanislaus once knew, to their sorrow, Buzzard Bill.” The thrust seemed to tell, for the alcalde, covered as he was by the muzzles of the two revolvers, crouched as if to spring forward and fasten his fingers upon the throat of the man from Cinnabar. ‘*Squirm, ye carrion-reekin’ vulture!” uttered Shasta Sam, a grim smile breaking the sternness of his face for a brief, fleeting second. ‘‘ Squirm but don% you move so much as a finger in th’ way ov drawin’ a weapon, for I hold th’ drop on you ina way you ought to despise, and I tell you I won’t hesitate a half minute in sendin’ you to meet th’ on’y master you ever really served, th’ old boy ov fire and brimstone fame,” “Squirm nothin’!” retorted the giant of the golden locks, grasping fiercely the butts of the revolvers he dared not attempt todraw. ‘‘ When Gold Gabe backs water for rant and blow and bluster from such an overgrown chunk ov human cussedness as you, Shanghai, Nowhar’ll have need oy a new alcalde, for [swear ’'d hang my- self to th’ nearest tree.” ‘Tf th’ blind critter known as Justice over gets her dues, you'll disfigure th’ landscape in just that way, on’y good Judge Lynch will have a finger in the pie,” said the man from Cinnabar, calmly. Gold Gabe laughed—a grim, sardonic laugh, utterly devoid of mirth. : Those who knew the alcalde best fancied the dark Hercules’s words had struck home, ‘A nice critter, you, to talk ov Judge Lynch,” sneered Gold Gabe. ‘‘ Why, you black- nozzled shark, your face alone’would be enough to convict you ov half th’ crimes in th’ deca- logue before any honest jury th’ country can stare up. You caught thy drop on me in th’ meanest kind ov a sneakin’ way, too, and, on- less you’ve experienc:d th’ biggest kind ova change ov heart since we last met on th’ Stanis- laus, I reckon you’re mighty apt to use your advantage, You see I know you, you ongainly ewe down thar you were ’way-down Bummer ob, too lazy and shiftless to wash, too coward- lv to gather toll on th’ highway. But lo! th’ filth and rags have vanished! How art th’ low- ly risen! Whose blood paid for th’ agony you're pilin’ on, Bummer Bob?” : As the jeering words burst forth, the bronzed face of Shasta Sam grew dark and lowering; his blazing eyes flashed fitfully; the slowly-mov- ing hammers of his ready revolvers leaped back until they were almost upon a poise, requiring but a hair’s weight against the triggers to hurl the soul of the blonde giant into eternity. Staring st aight into the poving orbs of the man from Cinnabar, Gold Gabe again uttered that soft, insolent, irritating laugh, courting death swift and sure, A low murmur broke from the roughs and Rone bs; miners, Neher and speculators grouped at the side of the long room, The alcalde’s “sand” had grown into a proverb in the camp of Nowhar; but just now the magistratic giant seemed bent upon eclipsing his previous record at the hazard of his life, ey And there were men there who, secretly or openly inimical to the alcalde, waited with ‘Tulian St. Elmo could warn the dark © iS TEREST OS San PRES ES —-s bated breath for the outcome of the strange broil, exultant in the belief that Gold Gabe had at last met a Roman fully as noble as himself. Slightly apart from his fellows, with his arms folded carelessly across his broad chest, a polish- ed revolver gleaming in each hand, é cold smile on his immobile face, and a strange glitter in his big blue eyes, stood the Apollo-like proprietor of the Fair Play, Julian St. Elmo. Between this handsome sport and Gold Gabe there was anything but love. It was, therefore, with deep interest that he watcied the two giants, knowing full well that the controversy must have a tragic ending, and that the alcalde would doubtless end his days then and there, ‘* Don’t stack it on too *high—don’t crowd me too hard,” warned Shasta Sam, in tones of sup-. « pressed fury, as King Gabe’s mocking laugh died away. ‘‘Every man has his faults, his ups and downs, in this world, I have,and have had, mine, and I reckon you could say as much, if you were honest enough, Just now, yowre away up at th’ top-notch; but you're comin’ down, and when I’m done with you thar’ll be a new king in Nowhar, “Down on the Stanislaus, when night was at its blackest, you, Buzzard Bill, cowardly, thiey- in’ coyote that you are, murdered my pard, Monterey Merle—as white a man as ever set hoof in th’ mines—for th’ sake ov a few ounces ov yellow dust! Iswore I’d find you, and that oath has made aman ov me. It’s taken me five long years to hunt you down; but I’ve got you hard and fast this time, for you poked your fool head straight into th’ jaws ov th’ trap J set for you when I entered this place. ‘What have you got to say for yourself, you cowardly assassin?” : “That it is a ie—simply and purely a lie— hatched by you, you overgrown loafer!” hotly returned the alcalde, gnawing savagely at his nether lip. ‘‘ It’sa cock-and-bull story for which you can’t produce a word ov proof. _" ** Hold, right thar!” tersely interrupted Shasta - Sam. ‘‘I happen to have th’ dyin’ statement ov Monterey Merle, th’? man you stabbed in’ th? back, then robbed, and I reckon that’s proof, fast enough. If it’s not, then th’ galoots ov No- whar must be common hogs.” p ' The alealde, starting slightly, remained silent, gazing on beyond the man from Cinnabar into the darkness without the open door, a strange, half-puzzled,. .half-expectant expression on his face, Thrown off his guard. apparently, Shasta Sam ~ allowed the muzzles of his revolvers to sink, and cast a swift look over his shoulder. In that brief instant, ere a shar or from ercules of his peril, Gold Gabe whipped a revolver from his belt, flung his hand straight out, and fired! fhe report stung through the room with strange force. Jttering a low groan, Shasta Sam dropped his weapons, staggered forward, and fell m an inert heap on the floor, the blood trickling in a tiny stream from a bullet-hole in his head. Instantly all was confusion. CHAPTER II. _ AN ASSASSIN’S SHOT For a single instant after the report of his trusty revolver had died away Gold Gabe stood like a bronze statue, every sinew in his superb form drawn to its utmost tension, bis handsome face a gray, ashy hue, his steel-blue eyes dilated with horror, Straight out the open door he stared, his brawny arm extended, his hard white hand clasping with almost despairing fierceness the gold butt of his heavy revolver, up from the deadly muzzle of which still curled a wreath of pale bluish smoke, Then, above the almost infernal din that broke forth, arose the voice of Julian St. Elmo, cold, clear and ringing: ‘Gentlemen, it was murder—the desperate act of a cowardly assassin brought to bay. Al- calde though he is, he must not escape just and speedy punishment. The reputation of Nowhar is at stake, as well as that of my establish- ment!” } There was a ring of exultation in the tones of the handsome sport that passed undetected by all save Gold Gabe himself. Reluctantly tearing Ais gaze from the fateful doorway, through which he longed to dash, but dared not, the blonde giant allowed his burning eyes to dwell one brief instant on the pr bleeding form of the dark Hercules, while somes thing wondrously like a deep sob seemed almost to rend his massive chest; then, with tempestuous fury, swaying and quivering im his passion like a storm-blown oak, he wheeled and \ | ; f ostrate, aced Julian © PODMEES OE Nasal Sto: Sea aon ake oh ’
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tn —_— —- ner dust,” repeated Sweet By-and-By, The Rival Giants of Nowhar St. Elmo, to find the cool, calculating sport's | revolvers leveled at his heart. “This is your work, St. Elmo, and, by the Eternal, you shall pay fo it, you cold-blooded | hound!” he hoarsely enunciated, voice, words, 2nd manner plainly revealing his intense hatred of the gambler. ‘The shot that laid him low came from the darkness out thar, and was in- tended for me, was fired by one ov your hired assassins. ‘‘ Quick, boys”—with an appealing glance at his friends in the excited crowd— quick! th’ murderous wretch is still lurking thar in th’ darkness, Five thousand dollars to th’ man that captures him, dead or alive!” A wild yell burst from the crowd, and a score of men at once surged toward the door, cager to prove the truth of the alcalde’s assertion. old Gabe was not without friends; then, too, the munificent reward was a powerful incentive to the gold-seekers. A cold, cynical smile flitted over Julian St. Eilmo’s face, as with a swift, sidelong rlance he noted the exodus of the man-hunters. Then his eyes turned to meet the searching gaze of the alealde. *““You seem to overlook the fact that your owh weapon exploded the instant it reached a level, King Gabe, and that that was the only ¢-Sort heard,” he remarked, sneeringly. BX There’s no two ways about it, my gentle alcalde; you killed the big stranger, and I reck- on you've got to suffer for it. Under your iron rule, you’ve carried things with a high handin Nowhar long enough, and the cunning ruse your quick wit suggested won't save your bacon this time.” ; “T overlook nothing,” hotly retorted the giant of the golden locks. “I did pull trigger, T admit, but not at that poor lump ov clay. ft ‘was one ov your heelers, Jule St. Elmo, that I tried to wing, and I think I succeeded, too. I sighted lim skulking in the darkness out thar, just as he drew a bead on me, and tried a snap- skotinreturn. Our weapons cracked together.” ‘*A Jikely yarn, that, alcalde,” observed the gambler, sarcastically, yet with an_undercur- rent of uneasiness in his tones. ‘‘ Do you ex- «ef n3 to swallow that in its entirety, or is it to {2 >on in homeopathic doses? You say, too, ~ vbat t's lurking assassin was a heeler of mine— have jem any proof of such a fact?” uectisp response Gold Gahe was about to el ns ee siddat outburst oi shouts and yells from the searchers ‘outside. "The next minute the motley crew came surging through the doorway, its leaders dragging in their relentless grasp the cause of all the tumult. ‘“‘Reckon I'll hev ter claim thet leetle five thousand, King Gabe,” shouted the foremost, a brawny red-shirted minery who, in that camp at least, enswered to the euphonious appellation of Sweet By-and-By. , As he spoke, the red-shirt half-pushed, half- dragged into full view as odd a specimen of humanity as it had ever fallen to the lot. of any resent to come in contact with, A mountainstramp it was who writhed and twisted in the strong grasp of Sweet By-and- By—a “Yankee of uncertain age, tall and pre- ternaturally lank, with a thin, beardless face, and shrewd gray eyes. His dingy swallow-tail coat had been split two-thirds of the way up the back during the scuffle, and his battered white plug hat bad been jammed down over his left eye, giving him the appearance peculiar to the unre- enerate bum. One hand clutched the remains of what had once been a green gingham umbrel- la, the other the handle of a dilapidated carpet- bag. Vaas, King Gabe, I reckon I'll hev ter oem push- ing his captive forward. “‘ Hyar’s ther identi. eal cuss w’ot plugged ther Shasta pilgrim. Gaze on him—his mug’s enuff ter make pi’zen sick!” “ Plugged nothin’, yer towerin’ monument ov fraud an’ deeception!” snorted an indignant voice in the midst of the crowd hanging about the doorway. ‘ Alcalde, yer can trot ont yer yaller shekels. Hyar’s ther ginooine simon- pure, lead-slinger, an’ Pll leave it ter all ther galoots ov Nowhar ef his face hain’t enuff ter make a dead man git out ov ther way. It’s puffectly hidjus!” : : : Puffing and panting from his exertions, his honest face aglow with excitement, the speaker forced his captive across the rough floor. ‘he ludicrous appearance of the luckless ‘Yan- kee was only heightened when he was brought into contrast with the “specimen” stoutly struggling in the grasp of gaunt grizzled Jeems Rivers—a short, fat, rotund figure, incased in clothing originally intended for a man of far less avoirdupois; around, beardless red face, out of the center of which, from between the two unusually full, puffy cheeks, peeped a yet redder pug nose; a pair of pale blue eyes; a shock of bristling straw-colored hair, almost white; a small, pursed-up mouth, and immense double chin; all in all,an indescribably comical, inno- cent-looking wanderer, far from his lieb vater- land. “Por heaven's sake, gentlemen, some of you go seare up the rest of the menagerie!” exclaim- ed Julian St. Elmo, in much astonishment, smiling coldly, exultantly. The next instant he started back with a bitter oath, stripped of the advantage he had held over the alcalde; for shrewd Jeems Rivers, stanchest among Gold Gabe’s adherents, had deftly whirled | the stout form of his captive directly before’ the muzzles of the gambler’s leveled weapons, Then followed a swift. movement upo» the part of both St. Elmo and the alcalde. a The forincr yittered a sharp cry of rage. “Keep ccel, dainty sport!” aottly murmured Gold Cabe, bis br’ Vant blue es: - glowing hotly over. the pol: hed loans 13s revolver, the muzzle of which now bore full on the gambler’s head. ‘Th’ tables hnve turned, thanks to our mutual friend, honest Jeems Rivers. Yield up your weapons and we will call a truce until this affair is sifted to th’ bottom; refuse, andI pledge you my word good Judge Lynch will will never gct th’ ghost ov a chance to crack your soft white neck.” The crowd waited in deep suspense for the de- flant answer the sport seemed about to fling back, ‘*Reckon you’ve got me in a corner this time, alcalde,” at length observed Julian St, Elmo, slowly and with forced calmness, as he detivered his weapons mto the keeping of one of his faro- dealers. ‘‘ ate is against me, and J vield with the best grace possible. When this side-issue is settled, we can have our little reckoning; but it galls me to throw up my hand when called by an over-grown two-legged coyote low down enough to work a trick as scurvy as the one you played on him,” with a swift inclination of his handsome kead toward the lifeless form of the dark Hercules. The giant of the golden locks bowed, in sheer mockery. * King Gabe, hyar’s ther owdashus annymile yer want ter see,” squeaked Sweet By-and-By, again pushing forward the Yankee, as the al- calde thrust bis revolver into his belt and turned with an icy smile from the discomfited gam- bler. “Git out! That whapper-jawed, flat-footed string ov lankness hain’t nerve enuff ter shoot off his mouth, say nothin’ about a gun,” growled Jeems Rivers, irascibly. ‘‘ Why didn’t yer lasso a he’lthy shadder, sweet ‘un?—then yer mought hey stood sum’ show fer ther money. Right hyar’s| ther bloody-minded Lucresha Borger wanted by ther alcalde.” Wheezing, gasping from the tightness of the miner’s twisting grip in his collar, the hepless Teuton was whirled slowly around, like a moun- tain of fat on a rusty pivot, his red face grow- ing yet redder, his short pug-nose gleaming like a miniature beacon-light below his twinkling, dim blue eyes, An explosive burst of laughter escaped Sweet By-and-By, to be caught up by the care- less throng, unmindful of the inanimate, bleeding form of Shasta Sam lying ina ghastly heap a few paces away. ‘What! that kraut-vine fang a man in ther back!” snorted the Yankee’s captor, in a shrill falsetto, an expression of unfeigned disgust spreading over his usually beaming face, ‘‘ Jeoms Rivers, yer’re crazier than a rattler in dog-days! Hyaws ther sneakin’ critter w’at slewed ther stranger-sport—a fact I'll gamble on!” And Sweet By-and-By, highly indignant at the imputation that the alcalde’s reward was not for him, brought his heavy hand down upon his captive’s back with a slap that made the Yankee’s teeth fairly rattle. Staggering forward under the weight of the unexpected blow until his hands came in contact with the floor, the mountain tramp dropped his precious carpet-bag, and with an agile spring regained his equilibrium, turning in the act so that he faced his red-shirted captor. ‘Monkey with Jonathan Trotter, will yeou, yeou gosh-darned skunk!” he thundered, with a marked nasal twang, in a voice so deep and powerful that it almost caused the roof to_trem- ble, his keen gray eyes snapping wickedly, his lank form growing stiff and towering with righteous indignation, ‘‘ By th’ holy mackerel! I'll tickle yeour diaphragm with my umberella, darn yeou |” And he did. With the skill of an expert fenc- er he caught the astounded Sweet By-and-By in 3 the midriff with the pointed steel tip of his nov- el weapon, so suddenly and so forcefully that the miner dropped in a heap, gasping for breath. As the red-shirt went down, clawing frantic- ally at the pit of his stomach, a derisive shout went up from the crowd. One keen, scrutinizing Jook at the faces of the two allegad culpmts, and Gold Gabe, his face plainly showing his disappointmeut, turned to Jeems Rivers and said: “Thar is a mistake here, Jeems—neither ov these fellows is guilty, Th’ man cut thar wore a full beard and a dark slouch hat, as was re- vealed by th’ flash oy his pistol.” “A remarkably keen eye is yours, alcalde!” sneered Julian St, Elmo. ‘‘ There was but one report heard, and I can take my Bible oath you fired. I will leave it to the other gentlcamen present.” “Thar was two shots,” calmly declared Jeems Rivers. ‘They rung out exactly together. I saw ther flash cut thar, but not ther man w’ot held ther weepon. Wren I went out, I found this hunk ov fat skulkin’ in’ ther darkness, an’ I run himin. Ef ther alcalde sez he hain’t ther man, be hain’t; same way with Yank thar, though he do look pizen.” “*See heur, yeou feller—jest yeou let Jonathan Trotter an’ his looks alone,” exclaimed the lank tramp sharply, turning from the writhing Sweet Ry-ard-By to Rivers, and savagely brandishing {4s wnbrella in that worthy’s face. ‘‘I belong ') one 0’ th’ fu’st families o’ th’ State o’ Maine, ¢’ Lhe» tramped all th’ way to this heathenish ACE ‘arch 0’ gold, an’, by smoke! ef yeou ‘toy. Sr me, darn yeou, Pil puncture yeour anatons ith th’ pint o’? my umberella—lI will, by th’ Loly mackerel! _* Say, yeou, capting,” turning inquisitively to Gold Gabe—‘* did yeou offer five thousand dol- Jars fer th’ man that blazed away from eout thar in th’ dark jest neow%” The alealde started, then quickly replied: “T did, my man; why do you ask?” ‘“ Not jest eont o’ curiosity; yeou see, cap- ting, I hev bin swum’at o’ a bunter, a mighty Nimrod, in my day—hev cleaned eout my weight in wil'cats an’ painters an’ sech menny a time up in th’ dark skadows o’ big Mount Katahdin. Jest now I feel kinder savage--like a meat-ax, yeou know, an’ to reliovomy pent-up Lechn'’s Por goin’ to sarch for th’ hyena that was prowlin’ *round eout thar. Ithort I see’d a flash in th’ darkness es Hunki Hans thar an’ me kem up.” Impatiently, the giant of the golden locks lis- tened until the mountain trap had finished, then turned to examine the corpse of the dark Hercu-~ les, confident that, even if the lurking assassin was never found, he could clear himself of the care charge brought against him by Julian St. <Imo, , The pathway of the fatal bullet must prove conclusively that it had been fired from a point directly opposite to that at which the alcalde bad stood. But no sooner had Gold Gabe turned and push- ed his way through the gaping crowd than a sharp ery escaped him. : , Shasta Sam’s body was gone! Crowding forward, with exclamations of sur- prise, the excited inmates of the Fair Play clus- tered around the spot where the ill-fated giant had fallen. A small pool of blcod marked the place-—that was all. ‘* Alcalde, allow me to congratulate you,” softly uttered Julian St. Elmo, smiling mali- ciously, as his coldly glittering blue eyes met those of the nonplused giant. ‘It seems that the machinery of the law—your Jaw— has been put in operation, A most damag- ing piece of evidence has been suppressed—the body of your victim stolen away. I shouldn’t wonder if you escaped, after all.’ ‘Vou devil!” hissed Gold Gabe, through his hard-set teeth, a vivid tongue of flame seeming to start from his glowing eyes. ‘* You have done this. I would rid the territory of its worst pest if I sent a bullet through your treacherous heart.” ‘“Tt may appear that way to you, my dear al- calde—there is no accounting for the opinions some men hold; but allow me to suggest that it would be a very unhealthy thing for you to at- tempt todo. Tf you will take the ‘trouble to look, you will observe that I have you ‘lined.’” ** As T hev you, yer two-legged hunk ov de- ceit pure an’ ondefiled!” chimed in Jeems Rivers, grimly. ‘‘Don’t yer kem fer ter try eny: ov yer skin games on ther alcalde w’en I’m ’round, or saltpeter won’t-keep yer carr’on frame from aie lage The assembled Nowharites dropped back out. of range. "
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SS But the impending triangular conflict was not to occur, Jonathan Trotter and his fellow tramp, scarcely missed by — of the excited throng so brief had b2en their absence, suddenly appeared at the door, bearing between them a writhing, twisting, bleeding form. ‘* Hooray!” yelled Jeems Rivers, in delight, as the mountain tramps gently deposited their burden on the rough floor. ‘** Boyees, King (abe war kerect! Thar’s ther galoot he seen— whiskers, slouch hat, an’ winged in ther leg, too.” A sound akin to a malediction escaped Julian St. Elmo, ‘* A truce, alcalde,” he muttered, lowering his weapon, ‘* A truce be it,” assented Gold Gabe. ‘*Capting, I calc'late we hev fetched yeour man,” complacently announced the Yankee, his voice husky, apparently from his recent exer- tions, ‘‘ Jest hold on to that leetle five thou- sand bag o’ dust till Hunki Hans an’ me call fer it. Guess these card sharps ’u’d skin us putty uick—I’ve hearn tell as how they was gosh- arned slip’ry cusses.” A quick, impatient nod, and the alcalde bent over the wounded man. A sojourn of half a year in the gold-camp had rendered the giant familiar with the faces of the remaining members of the original few who had pitched their tents on Nowhar’s site. This man was one of the number, ‘* Jabez Fourche, what have you to say for ° poorene ?” demanded the alcalde, his face grow- ng cold and stern as he gazed steadfastly into | the eyes of the luckless wretch who had at- temp to take his life. ‘‘ Let your tongue move glibly and truthfully, or T'll take care that Nowhar plants you to-morrow, as well as ‘the, victim of your cowardly shot. Speak! / Who put up this job against me?” _ The blande giant’s hand was upon his revol- * ver; a deadly light shone in his big blue eyes, ‘ A few paces distant, his arms carelessly fold- j ed, stood Julian St. Elmo, smiling cynically. At Gold Gabe’s terse inquiry, Jabez Fourche’s glance shifted uneasily to the gambler’s face, and thence to the two mountain arae. ‘¢Thet berderned windin’-blades an’ his ball ov soap-fat hev laid me out,” he muttered, glaring savagely at Trocter and Hunki Hans. ‘Ef they hadn’t ’a’ pounced on ter me ther minute I ' tumbled over ‘ith thet bullet in my laig, I c’u’d 2a’ crawled off inter ther bresh, hurt es I war; but they touched me up ’ith a gag an’ ropes, an’ ‘snaked me off in ther dark, Drat ‘em! sech , trash hey no biz’ness in ther hills! ‘* Alcalde,” he went on, his eyes turning back , to meet the steadfast, piercing gaze of the giant, iT don’t why I sh’u’d stay by them as won't lift a finger ter help me w’en ]’m down thro’ Bot oad ter do their dirty work. They say ye’re white, an’ p’rhaps I’d better chaince it ith you. ‘*Ther bullet w'ot dropped ther big galoot war intended fer you, Ther hull thing war a set-up job, an’ ther man at ther bottom ov it war— A revolver cracked spitefully, and a strange tremor ran through Fourche’s frame; his jaw | dropped, his eyes assumed a glassy, staring as- spect, and over his grimy features crept a | Strange rigidity. The hiatus in his words would never be filled. He was dead. Uttering a sharp, flerce cry, the baffled Kin ,of Nowhar whipped out his revolvers, an | Sprung to his feet. t : CHAPTER III. AT A ROPE’S END. * A sarponic laugh rippled lightly from the , full red lips of Julian St. Elmo. , * Alcalde, you are playing in hard luck!” he exclaimed, in mock sympathy, ' The blonde giant vouchsafed ro immediate response. His face was white and drawn, and 1 in the intensity of his passion his big steel-blue eves gleamed like redly smoldering coals as he cast about him a steady, sweeping glance in , search of the author of that dastardly shot. He ‘was in a dangerous mood, and a man with a thought less of daring, of reckless bravado, than Julian St. Elmo would have held his peace. Behind the gambler, a trifle to his left, a pol- ished “six” at full cock ih each hand, stood izzled Jeems Rivers. Not a motion of the re noi sport, however slight, escaped his wary eye. Between the alcalde and the door was a “3 of a dozen men—strong, rugged fellows re ape 4 / The Rival Giants of Nowhar. stout adherents of the blonde giant. Facing them, at an equal distance beyond the alcalde, were a score of Nowhar’s gamblers, roughs and toughs, at a desperate battle for the supremacy was imminent between these two factions of the gold-camp none present could doubt, and those identified with neither party discreetly retired, ranging themselves along the bar and the wall opposite. “T reckon it’s no use ter look, King Gabe— ther shot kem from among thet pack ov bums back thar, an’ yer can depend theyll keep dark who did it,” observed Rivers, slowly. ““Tt was more ov St. Elmo’s devilish work,” muttered the giant, in a voice scarcely audible. “Time will tell; and when our leetle reckoning does he will find it against him.” ‘* Jest say ther word, alcalde, an’ I'll pump the cotk-eyed coyote full ov lead!” said Rivers, glaring fiercely at the nonchalant gambler, his ngers playing lightly on the triggers of his weapons. ‘‘And glide gently over the range for your peel retorted Julian St. Elmo, smiling ma- iciously. ‘‘Slow and easy, my genial Jzems; don’t identify yourself too closely with this overgrown, murderous boaster; Gold Gabe, alias Buzzard Bill—it mightn’t be exactly healthy, you know.” “Have a care, St. Elmo!” gritted the alcalde, turning menacingly upon the gambler, the blood suddenly surging back into his face. **Gentlemen!” cried the handsome sport, step- ping back a pars and deigning the blonde giant not so much as a glance. ‘Gentlemen, you know that Iam a knight of the green cloth—a ambler; and, that, like all others of my class, am looked down upon by the majority of the people with whom I come in contact. But I think you will agree with me that I have played ‘| a square gene in Nowhar, whether the tools were pistols or cards. Gambler though I am, I count myself on the side of law and order, every time. ‘*To-night, within half an hour, you have seen two men shot to death; the first, the giant stranger, by Jabez Fourche, at the instigation of some party or parties unknown; the second, Fourche himself, while confessing to the so- called King of Nowhar who were his accom- plices in the marder of Shasta Sam. ‘* Because of some private grudge he holds against me, this Gold Gabe, alias Buzzard Bill, charged with the murder of Monterey Merle in one of the mining-camps of Stanislaus, has seen fit to accuse me of being an accessory in both of the tragedies of to-night. “Gentlemen, with almost his last breath Jabez Fourche declared that the bullet killing Shasta Sam was intended for this other moun- tain of flesh, Gold Gabe—a statement that 1 be- lieve utterly unworthy of credence. ‘But I do believe that both Jabez Fourche and myself were the victims of as diabolical a plot as ever human brain evolved. ‘* To settle all doubt in my own mind, and to convince you that I am not guilty of the crime laid to me, [ am going to point out the murder- er of Jabez Fourche, and then wring from him a full and free confession of the details of in a plot, or scatter his brains to the four winds. 7 nig There he stands—you know him as Truthful oe! And Julian St. Elmo flung out his right hand elevating a revolver at full cock at the head o a squat, heavily-built ruffian in the midst of the crowd of roughs. ‘““ Yes, it was Truthful Joe, as great a rascal as ever cursed a gol can and there he is,” stern- ly reiterated the gambler. ‘I saw the revolver sh in his hand.” A buzz of excitement went up from each of the two factions, The giant of the golden locks stood astounded; then a ~ ee smile played fitfully around the cor- ners of his mouth. _‘* Step out here, veracious Joseph, and be lively about it, or I'll accelerate your laggard movements with a bullet or two,” continued St. Elmo, his blue eyes gleaming coldly. ‘‘ For once since we have met I am anxious to hear the music of your voice,” An expression akin to terror crept into the beady black eyes ef the squat, misshapen ruffian ; his swarthy face like one palsy-stricken as he shambled for- ward. ‘ Alcalde, for once assert the authority you dowt and disarm the wretch,” said the gambler, with an ill-concealed sneer. ‘‘If I am not mistaken, you will find one chamber of his revolver empty.” . ew livid, and he trembled. Flashing a look of deadly malignity at the handsome sport, King Gabe mechanically com- plied with the pointed request. Truthful Joe offered no resistance; he trem- bled yet more violently, and seemed on the verge of sinking to the floor when the alcalde announced that the gambler’s assertion was cor- — rect. Julian St. Elmo smiled coldly. ‘That will do, King Gabe—you may pass,” he uttered. derous wretch and myself, and he has got to show his hand. No matter who his allies may be, he is going to ‘ peach’ the whole thing or die without a minute’s warning.” ‘‘An’ ef I peach—w’ct. then?’ demanded Truthful Joe, in quavering accents, “Tell you better afterward,” tersely replied St. Elmo, his gleaming eyes fixed in a steady, Faby gaze on the face of the squat ruf- a n. ** See thet I’m not sarved like Fourche war— thet I git a fair chaince fex,my white alley w’en I'm done, an’ I'll talk,” said Truthful Joe, in a | slow, hesitating aa ‘**Go on—you shall have a square deal,” de- clared the gambler. ‘*Wal, re all knows thet I hev bin prospect- in’ on grub-stake fer sum days ’mong ther bills ‘‘The game is now between this mur- _ ; | on ther Elk City trail,” began the ruffian, am...) - profound silence. ‘‘’Bout noon yistiddy, thet tall pilgrim, Shasta Sam, rounded up et m lay-out, an’ we drifted onter a talk ’bout this hyar camp, an’ he axed a heap ov questions bout old Gabe hyar. “‘T hain’t so smart ez I mou’t be, mebbe, but I c’u’dn’t help seein’ through a knot-hole big ez my hat. I knowed in a minute thet ther ber- derned big cuss war no fr’end ov ther alcalde, an’ as soon es he putt out fer Nowhar, I lit ther same way, takin’ a short cut ’cross ther hills so’s ter beat ‘im in a good six hour. ‘Et war King Gabe as hed grub-staked me, an’ I war p’utty sart’in thet he ’u’d kim down with ther dust ef I putt him onter ther big pil- grim’s lay. “ Et war jest noon w’en I struck Nowhar, an’ I_ hoofed it straight ter ther-Yaller Boy, ther alcalde’s mine. ar I fouud ’im, all alone in ther leetle office at ther jaws ov ther drift, an’ let im in on wo’t I hed diskivered. “T seen in a minute thet I hed struck pay- dirt, fer w’ot I hed sed putt ther alcalde inter hot water. He walked up an’ down ther office” » a few times, then stopped short an’ asked me ef. I wanted ter make a clean thousand dollars, ‘“ An’ I war jist fool enuff ter tell him I did. W’en a feller like me gits down on his luck, he ‘hain’t very pertic’ler how a raise are made, jist so he makes et, yer know. Ther alcalde went on ter say he wanted a feller bout my size ter *tend ter sech Jeetle matters es ther one in hand, an’ thet he w’u’d make et wu’th while fcr me te do things up in shipshape. ‘* Arter more palaver, he kem down ter biz- ness, W’at he wanted done war this: Thar war two fellers in camp, besides ther big pilgrim on ther road, w’at he held a grudge ag’in’—you, St. Elmo an’ Jabez Fourche. I war ter lay fer Shasta Sam an’ steer im ter ther Fair Play ter find Gold Gabe; Fourche war ter lay outside, an’ at ther proper time put a bullet in’ ther dark giant—he thinkin’ et war you puttin’ up ther job, fer I war ter tell ’im thet, so thet ef any- thing went ae an’ he war caught, ther al- calde w’u’dn’t git his foot in et. He war ter say, too, ef caught, thet he war layin’ fer Gold Gabe, an’ war paid by you fer doin’ et, an’ cna ther shootin’ ov Shasta Sam war an acci ent, ‘He allowed et war a purty good plan, an? _ er bo thet yer an’ ther rest ov t yees w’u’d pull ‘im through. He didn’t know thet et war a put- up job betwixt ther alcalde an’ me ter wing ’im es soon es he hed settled Shasta Sam. Fact war, he never even s’pishuned King Gabe hed any- thing ter do with ther matter—ther pore cuss thought you war a-doin’ et. “Ther alcalde kalkilated thet Fourche’s yarn w’u’d jest about settle yer in this byar camp, an’ at ther best yer ’u’d hev ter amble on ter some other man’s town. An’ et did seem fer awhile thet ther plot war a-goin’ ter work most booti- — fully, fer lordy! how ther alcalde did pile on ther agony! ‘“‘ But w’en et kem ter ther scratch, I seen from Fourche’s eyes thet I war a goner ef he went ahead, so Tet %im hev et. You seen ther trick worked, an’ brought me ter taw, ‘ “Thar yer hev ther hull thing b’iled down, Ther alcalde war ther galoot w’at set up ther job, an’ I reckon he are ther one yer want ter tackle, not me.” — } Slowly and with hesitancy at first, but in-
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creasing fluency and confidence, had the rascal- ly Truthful Joe unfolded his tale. At its conclusion, a hoarse yell went up from the St. Elmo faction; Gold Gabe’s friends pre- ared for action, and the ominous clicking of pistol-locks became general. : The giant of the golden Jocks stood like a bronze statue, his polished self-cocking revol- vers drawn and ready, his big blue eyes fairly blazing. “ As foul a tissue of lies as was ever hatched, Julian St. Elmo,” be enunciated, in cold, even tones. ‘Truthful’ Joe I brand as a liar, a fraud, and a cheat; you, his abettor, a wretch too low, mean and soulless to longer pollute God's footstool!” b An expression of horror crept swiftly over the white face of the handsome sport—death stared chim in the face! The alcalde’s long arm had swung to a level with lightning-like quickness, and there was an unmistakable gleam in the lurid depths of the eye looking along the polished length of his wea- pon—a gleam that meant death! A flash, a keen report, a curling wreath of thin white smoke, and Julian St. Elmo dropped limp and lifeless, the sharp cry he was about to utter dying away with a hollow gurgle deep in -~ his throat. Before a man in either faction could lift a hand the deadly weapon again exploded, and Truthful Joe, with a hoarse yell, staggere | ‘back and fell to the floor, shot through and through. . At the second shot, as one man, the blonde giant’s friends, headed by faithful, grizzled Jeems:Rivers, spread quickly in the form of a crescent, the cocked revolvers in the hands of each bearing full on the surging crowd of roughs, “ Stiddy thar, you critter!” thundered Rivers, his voice rising high above the uproar, ‘‘ Crook a finger at King Gabe an’ we'll mow ye!” he tumult subsided, and the turbulent crowd relapsed into quietude. Far braver men than the roughs thirsting for the life of the blonde giant would have quailed before that crescent of _ deadly muzzles. “Weve .played the wrong cards this deal, boys,” muttered Hump Dunkle, a hunchback gambler-desperado, bis long white fingers toying with the hammers of his weapons. *t We’re in the hole, deep; not.only.-will, weehave to let. the nicaldé slip us, but wesball Lave to look sharp that his Law and Order Committee don’t kick us out of Nowhar to boot.” Not without a purpose were*the words ut- ‘tered. They were intended for the ears of Gold Gabe and his followers, and to cover the low, guarded tones of Faro Frank, St. Elmo’s right hand man. “Throw down your weapons—own yourselves ‘beaten, and we will declare a truce until Truth- ful Joe’s story has been proved a lie,” cried the alcalde, facing the crowd, his eyes aflame, his weapons ready, ** Tt would be madness to fight, even if we were so disposed,” responded Faro Frank, moving forward, ‘The only thing we can do is—” Quick as thought he fired. A sharp volley rung through the room with a deafening crash, and every ligbt in the Fair Play flickered and went out, shrouding the place in an instant’s time in the deepest gloom. Gold Gabe dropped to the floor, escaping the -murderous storm of bullets that followed. “Treachery, boyees! Let ther p’ison varments they it!” shouted Jeems Rivers, rapidly working chis weapons. In answer a series of brilliant flashes ran along the human-ecrescent, the cracking of the revolvers sounding in a heavy, continuous crash. : Following out the hastily formed plans of Faro Frank, the St. Elmo faction, under cover of the intense darkness, had oroepes lightly to the floor. Unharmed by the volley, the desperadoes ‘crept rapidly toward the spot at which the al- calde had last been seen. ‘The big cuss is as full of holes as the aver age pocket in this hyar camp, inall probability,” ‘muttered Hump Dunkle, as with Faro Frank he ‘ed the advance, his voice rendered almost in- audible by the continuous cracking of the re- ‘volvers in the hands of the blonde giant’s ‘friends. ‘I had a bead on him, and as soon as ‘the lights went out I let slip two bullets. Then, ‘too, the rest of the boys tried their hands, and it is not at all likely he escaped.” ary a don’t think he dodged us, though IT heard ‘no fall,” as cautiously observed Faro Frank, in return, ‘Unless he bears a charmed life some cof the bullets sent point-blank at his head must dave reached a vital spot. 4 ep es npn sess spss gs ay tas sl — “ Aha ny A bright flash, a stunning report, and Hump Dunkle caught a fleeting rlimpse of the white, stern-set face of Gold Gabe crouching, revolv- ers in hand, as Faro Frank, with that sharp exclamation, rolled over with a ball through his shoulder. ‘** Shoot low, boys! they’re creeping in on you under your fire!” shouted the alealde, backing away, his weapons exploding with each pace he retreated. : A hoarse yell from the baffled rougls; a wild rush toward the blonde giant, in which friends and foes became inextricably entangled; a mo- ment of blindly desperate struggling—then a series of sharp, exulting cries, and the ‘‘ hard crowd” of Nowhar surged toward the door, with the alcalde a captive. Close at the heels of the victorious party yushed grizzled Jeems Rivers and , his men, out in the sultry August night. Once in the open air they halted to form some plan for the rescue of the blonde giant. The entire camp had been aroused by the fierce affray; half-nude but thoroughly armed miners came hurrying to the Fair Play from every direction. Straight to a lightning-blasted tree a hundred yards from St. Elmo’s place hurried the roughs, headed by the hunchback desperado, Hump Dunkle. Despite their haste the alcalde’s cap- tors worked methodically and in grim silence, A dozen torches were soon aflame, casting a weird light over the strange scene. The noosed end of a rope was quickly drawn tight around Gold Gabe’s neck, and the other end hurled over a straight limb to be grasped by a dozen eager hands, ‘*Up with him!” yelled the hunchback, tlap- ping his hands together in fiendish glee. ‘“ Quick! up with him before the galoots from the Yellow Boy get here. Judge Lynch is too good for the dirty cuss!” Speechless, gasping for breath from the terri- ble, cutting pressure of the rope on his throttle, his hands bound tightly at his back, Gold Gabe glared Sona: at his implacable foes, his glow- ing eye$ in a measure revealing the deadly hatred he could not otherwise express. Amid low, inhuman jeersand yells, the roughs tightened their clutch on the rope, and drew their helpless victim up unti] only his toes touched the dry,-parched earth; then, with devilish brutality, they loosed their hold, allow- ing the half-choked alcalde to fall headlong. ‘** Up, boys, up!” shrieked the deformed fiend, his eyes glowing iike living coals. ‘‘ To-night this tree must bear such fruit as it never bore before!” In response, as their helpless victim staggered blindly to his feet, the grimy hands again tight- ened on the rope; one move of the brawny arms, one pace backward, and Gold Gabe would no longer be King of Nowhar, In that single instant intervening between the blonde giant and a terrible death, a strange sound rung high above the clamoring voices of the lynchers—a sound never before heard in thy isolated gold-camp. A woman’s scream, loud, clear and piercing! With one accord, the roughs started forward, the rope slipping unheeded through their hands, while they stared at a fresh scene of commotion astounded. Through the lawless throng, pushing, kicking, striking, his long arms end legs working like flails, a short, heavy revolver of the ‘ bulldog” pattern clutched in each hand, came Jonathan Trotter, closely followed by a fair young girl! Perfect in contour of form and feature, attired in the ie gf black, her lustrous dark eyes di- lating with horror, her face gleaming white and deathlike, she appeared more like a visitant from another world than aught human under the garish light of the flambeaux. A snarl, not unlike that of some maddened beast of prey, escaped the thin, bloodless, froth- flecked lips of the hunchback desperado, “Up!” he screamed, drawing a glittering re- volver. ‘‘ Up with him, you devils! Are we to be cheated of our revenge by the sight of a woman’s face? Up, I say! or upon my oath I'll send your coward souls to meet the master you all owe allegiance, the Old Boy of Brimstone!” His voice rising high and shrill, his misshapen figure quivering with > assion, his feet beating an irregular tattoo on the hard, dry earth, his face cold and livid, his hollow, restless eyes Sparkling venomously; the wretch, bearing throughout a strong resemblance to a pictured fiend of the infernal regions, with a hand that never trembled, a nerve that never faltered, covere’ the hesitating lynchers with bis deadly Weay on. That he would carry his threat into effect the roughs never doubted; one slow, steady pull, and Gold Gabe swung clear of the Ramee | At that instant, just as a second anguished scream broke from the tottering woman, the Yankee’s revolver went up, and its heavy report rung out. Whirling balf-around, the giant of the golden locks hung quivering a moment; then, with a sharp, Shapping sound, the strands of the rope parted, and he fell heavily to the ground, to all hig’ nape lifeless. ne swift bound, and Jonathan Trotter con- fronted the enraged hunchback desperado, with or deft blow knocking the revolver from his nd. ‘* Yeou, p’izen sarpent!” be hissed, shoving the smoking muzzle of his ‘‘ bulldog” under the gambler’s nose. ‘Crook a finger, yeou or yeours—open yeour pertater-trap. an’ by smoke! yeou'll choke to death on cold Jead! Yeou !” The Yankee’s T orgs were distinctly audible, and the roughs turned sullenly from their leader to stare curiously at Trotter’s protegee. Halting beside the giant form of Gold Gabe, and pressing her hands to her throbbing tem- ples, the girl gazed at his empurpled face a mo- ment, then in a sudden, tempestuous outburst of grief, flung herself on his broad chest, sob- bing: **Oh, Ronald! Ronald, my brother! They have killed you!” CHAPTER IV. THE PLOTTERS. THREE hours later, Ina small but rather comfortably furnished apartment in the rear of the Fair Play, at a rough deal table abundantly supplied with bot- tles and glasses, were four men—Julian St. Elmo, Faro Frank, the hunchback and the dark Hercules. That both Shasta Sam and St. Elmo had narrowly escaped death was attested by the bloody, tightly drawn bandages about their heads. The rightarm of Faro Frank bung in asling. Of the four, Hump Dunkle alone had passed through the fierce meee uiiscathed. The faces of all were dark and lowering, for each had tasted of the bitterness of defeat, ‘“*So, after all, King Gabe is alive’and littlé the worse for wear,” uttered St. Elmo, wrath- fully. “I tell you, gents, this blue-eyed giant is a hard customer for us to buck against. Half a year ago he struck the camp, a perfect stran- ger; to-day, two-thirds of the one hundred and fifty men of Nowhar swear by him. He owns the only paying mine yet discovered here, and seems as rich us Croesus besides, Before he was here a month he was recognized as ‘ chief’ to such an extent that he was called upon to set- tle all disputes, and was generally known as the ‘alcalde’—a title, by the way, that was be- stowed upon him by his mine superintendent, Jeems Rivers, who is full of the queer ways of old Santa Fe. May the Old Boy fly away with them both, say I; for neither isa slouch at sling- ing lead, and both display a natural aptitude for slipping out of unpleasantly tight places with unruffled feathers,” ‘There was no way to prevent his escape; when it came to the scratch it was, throw up our hands or go under,” declared the hunch- back desperado. ‘' The game was well played. from the moment our new pard here, Ehaste Sam, was gotten out of the way so neatly, un- til you and Truthful Joe went down under the alcalde’s fire. After that Frank, here, and my- self attempted to carry out the instructions you had given us at the opening of the ball. We passed the word to the boys to shoot out the lights and let Gold Gabe have a volley. That yart of the scheme seemed to wash all right, he boys dropped to the floor in time to avoid the return fire, and we crept forward to see if we had settled the alcalde. He must have adopted our tactics and dropped, for we found him ready for us, as Frank’s arm shows. In the struggle that followed, the boys kept to- gether by using our code of signals. We suc- ceeded in overpowering the alcalde, and drag- ged him outside for Judge Lynch, knowing that the superintendent and his men, weakened by the fight, would hardly dare attempt a rescue until reinforced by others from the Yellow Oys., ad “ Right there the strange part of the affair comes in. The alcalde was dangling at the end of a rope when that meddling Yank, with a young and beautiful woman, appeared and with the skill of a dead-shot cut the rope with a bullet.” ** This woman,” eagerly interpolated St. Elmo; ? JNA i te fe
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————— ee, The Rival Giants of Nowhar. ““what was she to the alcalde—wife, sister, or sweetheart?” ** A sister, she claimed; at all events, a rarely beautiful creature,” replied the hunchback, re- filling his glass. “Aha! Go on,” said St. Elmo, impatiently, a strange glow in bis blue oyes. “Well, the Yankeo struck the weapon from my hand, and shoved the muzzle of his bulldog revolver under my nose in a way that was alto- gether savage. I knew then that J was out of the game. I tell you, gents, that walking graveyard relic isn’t so innocent as he looks, He’s rank poison, depend upon it.” * ** And the woman, what of her?” queried St. Elmo,as the speaker paused to swallow his liquor. “Oh, she flung herself upon the half-dead giant, calling him ‘ Ronald, my brother.’ Had the boys acted with a grain of sense, things would have ended differently. Two or three well-directed bullets would have rid Nowhar of both the alcalde and the Yank. But our crowd stood open-mouthed until Jeems Rivers and a fresh body of the Yellow-Boy men appeared, then scattered in the dark, leaving the game in the hands of our foes. In the confusion I got off with the others,” ** And lucky at that,” commented Faro Frank. “Yes, he was fortunate to escape; for Rivers hates him above all the galoots of Nowhar, and you may be sure would lose no chance to do him up,” said St. Elmo, staring moodily at Dunkle. “But it really is a shame that the alcalde slip- ped through our fingers, after our having hrown away the lives of Jabez Fourche and Truthful Joe, m weaving a web to entangle him. The affair has been sadly mismanaged in some of its details,” “Tt was no fault of mine that King Gabe es- eaped the noose,” grimly protested the hunch- back, a steely ring in his voice. ‘And for the present, St. Elmo, count me out of the fight. ‘When [ have wiped out that cursed Yankee, you will again find me pitted against tho alcalde —not before.” “Soho!” exclaimed Shasta Sam, his black eyes sparkling. ‘‘ Then, since I have cast. my Jot with th’ so-called ‘hard crowd’ ov Nowhar, allow me to take your placu in this deadly game, My fingers itch for a chance at th’ throat ov ‘Buzzard Bill; thar is an old score between us ov years’ standin’. Monterey Merle must be avenged,” “Bravo!” cried St. Elmo. ‘* What say you, Jads—shall it be giant against giant?” * Why not? 1, for one, am sure that King Gabe will find in our big friend here a foeman worthy of his steel,” observed Faro Frank, . The hunchback’s thin, bloodless lips curled contemptuously. ** And IT am equally sure ‘our big friend here’ will catch a Tartar,” he rejoined, with a sneer. ** But I have no objection to offer—the arrange- ment promises a funeral or two. My hobby, you know, St. Elmo.” , “Trust me to handle th’ Tartar—you look out for th’ Yank, dear boy, else you may lead th’ wan on th’ mournful occasion you mention,” lightly retorted Shasta Sam, **Our misshapen little pard is slightly ont of ‘humor, nettled by his unexpected defeat,” said St. Elmo, half apologetically, to the dark Her- cules. ‘‘He has spoken, and the days of the ameddling Yank are numbered.” ** As are th’ alcalde’s,” quickly returned Shas- ta Sam, ‘‘Mark it, gentlemen. Ere ten days thave come and gone, this giant ov th’ golden Jocks shall pass fror: time into eternity.” ** And the girl?’ queried Faro Frank, nipping . ‘the end of a cigar with his sharp, white teeth. St. Elmo laughed softly. “Tl attend to her,” he replied. ‘ In his dy- ing moments, I want the alcalde to know that the dainty beauty is a captive in my hands,” The eyes of the dark Hercules glowed yet amore brightly. **- You propose to—” “T propose to abduct the girl,” interrupted tthe gambler. ‘‘T have formed a plan of action. We will steal away the little beauty, and em- ploy her as a means of luring the giant to de- struction.” “* A capital idea,” observed Faro Frank, “Capital,” assented Shasta Sam. “It will simplify matters greatly. 6 are all working against the alcalde; we shall all obtain our re- venge. I want th’ murderer ov Monterey Merle to suffer th’ torments ov th’ damned. I hate him!” “Not _a tenth as bitterly as I do,” declared Julian St. Elmo, bringing his clinched hand down upon the table with a force that made the bottles dance. ‘‘ Not only doI hate him, but I fear him; for—” Checking himself, the gambler glanced sus- piciously at his confreres. “ For—what?” asked Faro Frank. ‘* or several very good reasons,” answered St. Elmo, laughing nervously. ‘‘ Let that suf- fice. A man shouldn’t grow too confidential, you know, even with the best of his friends.” “Oho! oho! So there’s a skeleton in the closet of our dainty sport!” sneered the hunch- back. ‘ Probably the lordly King Gabe holds the key to the secret. It’s a wise saying that ‘dead men tell no tales.’ Fiil, boys, and let's drink success to St. Elmo!” ~CHAPTER V. A CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. THE warm, golden light of the morning sun, entering at the open door, lay in a broad belt across the rough puncheon floor of the office of the Yellow Boy Mine, bringing out in strong re- lief the dark, stern look mantling the rugged face of Jeems Rivers, the superintendent, Pacing restlessly up and dowm the length of the strong slab shanty, his gray eyes fixed on the floor, his brawny hands clasped behind him, the old miner strove hard to curb a feeling of impa- tience, Pausing anon at the open door, he cast a sweeping, expectant look up and down the narrow valley, only to resume his monotonous walk with a haif-surly shake of his gray head, and a muttered imprecation. “Tt aremore thansing’lar thet peekin’, pryin’, windin’-blades don’t come,” he exclaimed, say- agely jerking his slouch hat well down over his eyes. ‘*I kin onderstand why King Gabe are not hyar, but this Trotter beats me. W’ot on airth this alcalde meant bringin’ sech a jumpin’- jack inter ther game, I cain’t see, nohow. An’ thet Hunki Hans—sech a pair ov hothouse plants I hain’t see’d fer nigh on ter a year. De- tectives, too. Dern my cats, they're no good, though ther Yank mou’t ’a’ done wuss last night. The boyees say it war a fine shot he made w’en he cut ther alcalde down. But they’re innocent cusses, an’ ther cits ov this hyar camp are jest a leetle too tuff fer ’em, Tl look ’em up.” Leaving the office, Rivers strode moodily in the direction of St. Elmo’s place, where, he con- jectured, he would be likely to hear of the man he seemed burning to meet. The gold-camp was situated in a narrow val- ley, down which coursed a small, swiftly-flowing creek, On each side of this stream, the precip- itous hills loftily reared their bald crests, Upon a strip of bottom-land, on the eastern bank of tho creek, were ranged the rade habitations of the Nowharites, the Fair Play being almost cen- trally located. Straightway to the saloon and gambling-den hastened Rivers, The honest miners of the camp were nearly all at work, and as it was yet far too early in the day for many of the recognized bums to be astir, the Fair Play presented a strangely grim and half-deserted look as the mine superintend- ent stalked across the threshold. All traccs of the night’s spiteful affray had been carefully obliterated, save the numerous fresh bullet-holes in the rough walls. Along the bar, presided over by C-ckney Jim, a short, heavy-set, bull-necked Englishman, were ranged perhaps a dozen men of a type known to the gold-ca™p as ‘‘ Cripples.” Dependent upon their wits for a living, an indolent, shiftless set they were, suffering all sorts of purely imaginary aches and pains as an excuse to avoid their common bugbear—work. A body unto themselves, they had in one Ugly Mike, a burly, hairy, square-jawed despe- rado, a leader whom they feared and obeyed. Ever ready for any undertaking, however dark, in which there was but little work and big pay, the Cripples were recognized as the worst element of the camp; and that they found plenty of dark, underhanded work to do was amply at- tested by the yellow dust they ever had at com- mand, Jeems Rivers’s'nose elevated itself in open dis- gust as his eyes played over the ill-odored group. Between the mine superintendent and the Crip- ples no very amiable feeling existed. ‘* Smoke—an’ whar thar’s smoke thar’s giner- ally fire!”.muttered Rivers, sententiously, from sheer force of habit dropping his hands upon the revolver butts protruding from his belt. ‘‘ Never see’d them buzzards hangin’ ’bout St. Elmo’s place yit *thout swthin’ crooked turnin’ up a’ter, Ther question are, whar are Ugly Mike? In confab ’ith ther dainty sport, ov course. Bet my share in ther Yaller Boy thar are sum gamo afoot ag’in’ ther alcalde.” Upon the entrance of the mine superintendent a warning look from Cockney Jim had caused a \ D} t | complete change to take place in the bearing of the Cripples. A sudden hush came over the group, which each assumed a sickly, woe-begorie expression lugubrious in the extreme. ‘**H-how are yer ru-roomatiz this mornin’, P-Pious P-Pete?” wheezed a fat, oily-looking ras- cal near the end of the bar, casting a stealthy glance at Rivers. ‘**Wuss—much wuss; was the doleful reply. Wheezy Ben?” ‘¢ J-jes’ ther s-same; I b-breathe—th-that are ° all,” chokingly replied the fleshy Leat, wheezing and gasping, as he raised his glass of bead liquor, ‘* H-heur are a t-toast: May our h-health be b- better s-soon !” And the fat fraud’s twinkling little eyes blink- ed knowingly at the reof as he allowed the fiery whisky to trickle slowly down his throat. Smiling grimly, Rivers strode past the Crip- ples and on to the card-tables beyond the bar. Early as was the hour, half a score pf men were there, clustered closely around a faro lay- out, nearly all engaged in play. A close observer might have noticed a scarce- ly perceptible widening of the gray eyes of the mine superintendent as he scanned the group, Shasta Sam, the dark Hercules, occupied the- dealer’s chair, a cool, half-insolent smile partin his full red lips just enough to reveal the rowso gleaming white teeth. 4 At the giant’s right hand sat Faro Frank, with his injured arm in a sling, an exultant look upon his usually immobile face. Seated opposite to the giant dealer, cold, beady drops of perspiration oozing frcm his narrow forehead, a strangely greedy glare in bis round eyes, his long, claw-like fingers working nervous- ly, was the object of the superintendent’s search, Jonathan Trotter, the Yenkee, Beside him was Hunki Hans, equelly agitated, At the end of the rough table, his nimble white fingers playing methodically upon the buttons of the cue-box, was Hump Dunkle. A sardonic grin distorted the face of tho hunchback desperado, and a sneering Ir nb rip- pled softly from his lips as stake 9‘ 1 stake placed by the mountain tramps dropper sutothe bank’s coffers. Two hours earlier, the two odd pards had ap- 4 peared at the Fair Play, jointly cafrying the § dilapidated carpet-bag of the Yankee. So ab- muted’ was the action, so jealous the care cach ex- ercised over the precious “relic,” that the hang= - I kin sea’cely move,” ‘** An’ how are phthisic, ers-on at the gambling-den readily jumped to the conclusion that the bag contained the reward of five thousand dollars offered by the alcalde- the night before for the capture of the mysterious. assassin. The mountain tramps had earned the reward ky apprehending Jabez Fourche. Then, too, both had been seen shortly after daybreak prowling around the alcalde’s quarters—a fact that quickly led to a general belief in tke cor- rectness of the first surmise. Firm in the belief that a lead bad been struck that could be made to *‘ pan out” well, the cap- pers at once conveyed the intelligence to St. Nimo, who, with the dark Hercules, Faro Frank and the hunchback, was yet in the small apart- ment at the rear of the Fair Play. ‘‘Tt’s an opportunity that we mustn’t allow to pass, boys,” said the gambler, ‘ Five thousand dollars is a sum that is not to be picke every day in Nowhar, even with a brace box. The money is as good as the bank’s, for it’s tem chances to one that they tackle the game.” Accordingly, the four men at once repaired to the faro tables, where with consummate cun- ning St. Elmo quickly ascertained that his cap- pers’ suspicions were well-founded. After that, — it proved an easy matter to induce Trotter and his rotund oe to hazard their suddenly ac- uired wealth, p During the opening deal, the gambler himself manipulated the silver box; but the appearance: of Ugly Mike and his Cripples, some fifteen minutes before the arrival a the mine superin-. tendent, led to St. Elmo giving way to the dark Hercules, while he, with the chief of the ruf- fians, returned to the small room back of the } tables, : What followed proved that Shasta Sam was: an expert with the cards. At the end of the third deal, the mountain rp were losers to: the extent of two thousand dollars, They were following exactly the same line of play, Trotter in cach instance singling out the card and plac-. int his stake, to be followed closely by tho euton. “Dat vas a pad peezness,” ruefully muttered the latter, watching the long, supple fingers of the dark Hercules as he deftly shuffled the cards.. ‘Mine fr’ent, ve haf lose chust der same as a ‘ ! |
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| | oo : ‘. ae The Rival Giants of Nowhar. bair of turn foolts. sack!” The miners at the table laughed. ‘¢-Yeou keep quiet,” irritably retorted Trotter, turning to Hans. ‘Guess I’m bo:s o’ thet thar leetle stack o’ wealth; an’, by smoke! Ill bo chawed into gory ribbons afore Pil turn my back to these hear slick sharps. Yeou heer moe, Hunki Hans—by th’ holy mackerel! ’m goiw to buckle th’ slab-sided skunk ag’in, ef I hev to hoof it all th’ way back to th’ States!” ** An’ thet are jes’ w'ot yer’il do, ef yer don’t git out ov this, yer spider-legged galoot,” uttered Jeems Rivers, in a tone of warning, staring straight into the dusky orbs of Shasta Sam, as he dropped his broad palm upon the unforturate Yankee’s shoulder, ‘Thar hain’t a mite ov a chaince fer sech es yer in this hyar skin game; these sharks *ll rob yer ov every dollar afore yer know it.” ‘Hands out of St. Eimo’s pockots, Jeems Rivers!” sharply enunciated the hunchback des- perado, his eyes sparkling wickedly. “It is a fair game, man against man, and you’ve no right to interfere. If the festive tenderfoot wishes to buckle the beast, it’s his affair—not y-urs. Keep ont, I say.” An’ sosez I,” snarled Trotter, turning angrily upon the old miner. ‘* keep eout, red-shirt, an’ yeou won't scorch yeour fingers, Darna med- dler, enyway.” ‘Tn no meddler,” protested the mine superin- tendent, calmly. ‘‘Seein’ es *twas ther ole story ov a fool an’ hismoney, I ¢’u’dn’t well holp chip- pin’in. No harm done, straunger; et yer r’al’y want ter blow iv yer hard cash, keep right on— I’ve nothin’ ter—” ‘* Now’s yer chance ter make or loso a fortune, ents,” interpolated Shasta Sam, in silken tones, arting a defiant glance at the old miner, as he slipped the pack of cards into the box. ‘‘If ye have th’ sand in yer craws, shake up yer weasel- skins—roll out yer dust. Th’ game’s made an’ away she goes!” Urged on apparently by the hope that by a turn of fortune they might retrieve their losses, the two odd pards again plunged deeply into tke game, betting heavily and with a scientific ac- curacy that created no little surprise among the spectators, Yet Shasta Sam remained master of the situation, raking down bet after bet until at the end of the deal the two men arose from the table penniless, —- “butchy, we're gone coons—we hev gone an’ done it, staggered right onto tl’ biggest an’ mean- est kind o’ brace-game, an’ dropped our dust, by smoke!” exclaimed Trotter seizing the empty earpet-bag, and wrathfully jamming the heel of his number ten stogy boot through its bottom. “By th’ holy mackerel! take thet, yeou hump- shouldered skunk!” Swift as thought was the movement accom- Chust gaze on dat garpet~ panying the words, and the sadly demolished carpet-bag hurtled through the air, striking Hump Dunkle full in the face and knocking him from the three-legged stocl upon which he was seated to the floor, where he landed in a sprawl- ing heap. o dextrously was the maneuver executed that when the hunchback desperado, snarling and frothing at the mouth like an enraged beast, re- gained his feet he found the muzzlo of a glitter- ing ‘‘ bulldog” at full cock in the Yankee’s out- stretched hand staring him in the face. In the single instant consumed in springing erect, Dunkle had drawn his weapons. ‘* Hasy meow, yeou cantankerous critter.” warned Trotter, a devilish grin distorting his thin, homely visage, a fiery sparkle in his twink- ling gray eyes, his angular form bent slightly forward, and the index finger of his left hand rising and falling witheachword, ‘ Don’t yeou try to us> them thar irons, or saltpeter won’t keep yeour caresss from sp’ilin’!? Then the short but ponderous form of Hunki Hans swung slowly around until that individual stood back to back with his Yankee pard. A single swift outward fling of each hand, and the corpulent ‘Teuton gripped and held ata level a pair of short, heavy ‘ sixes,” sending the men clustered about the table precipitately toward the bar, pa left by the noose of ruthless Judge Lynch, ‘Hello, hello! what’s up at the Fair Play now?” he exclaimed, as the superintendent, closely followed by Trotter, strede across the , threshold. ‘* I must say you fellowslook as if a tale you have to unfold.” The “alcalde’s” words were of full, free’ utterance, quite at variance with his mining- camp dialect of the preceding night. “True enough; we have a story to relate,” spoke Trotter, the nasal twang gone, his voice peculiarly altered. If ovr mutual friend, Mr. Jeems Rivers here, will see to it that no prowl- ing cavesdropper attempts to take advantage of the crevices so numerous in the surrounding walls, I will try to unburden myself. What little I have to say must be said quickly, for in a trifle less than an hour I am to meet a mortal foe in deadly combat,” Lightly spoken, but full of significance were the words, and at a nod frem his colossal friend the superintendent beat a hasty retreat, Trotter helped himself to a seat upon a three- legged stool. “To begin with, Morton—” ‘oSh! no names, please,” interrupted Gold Gabe, with a warning gesture. ‘Very well: to begin with, last night after I had seen you end the lacy to your quarters, I returned to the vicinity of the Fair Play,” re- sumed the thin individual. ‘‘ My object in going there is not beyond surmise—it was simply to learn all possible of Julien St. Elmo, whem you had so beautifully ‘creased’ a short while before.” ‘*And- you succeeded, too, Pll wager a thou- sand; but this pending fight—this duel you men- tioned—what of it?” exclaimed the alcalde. ‘That I will explain in the course of my narrative,” said Trotter, calmly. “Upon my arrival at St. Elmo’s place, I found my y;artner in this affair in waiting. He bad net been idle. He hed sueceeced in solwing the mysterv of Shasta Sam’sdisaprearanteirom the hair Play —tracing it down to St. Elmo’s carrers. ‘The dark Hercules was not seriously injured—in fact, he has so far recovered from his wound that an hour ago he presided over a brace game of faro with all the ease and dignity of one to the man- ner born,” Trotter’s keen eyes noted a lcok of relief on the face of the blonde giant, “Tn addition to this,” continued the mock Yarkee, ‘‘Hunki Hans had learned that the ruffian known as Truthful Joe, wounded by you, had also been carried away ard secretcd by St. Elmo’s men; that St. Elmo himself had récov- ered from the effects cf ycur shot, and bud dis- patched a trusty messenger to summon Ugly Mike and the gang known as the Cripples; and that the gambler with Faro Frank and the hunchback, had retired to the sma)}l room back of the gaming tables for a conference, ‘Tt was afterward developed that Shasta Sem was also in that room. It is wonderful, King Gabe, the bitterness of that ens hatred for you.” ; A grim smile pertl white teeth of the alcalde, to go on. “When I had learned these facts from Hunki Hans, I became pcssessed, apparently, of en overpowering cesire to sleep. Forthwith, I stretched my weary length upon the hard floor, with my ear ccnveniently near a crevice in the diselcsed the glowing He moticned Trotter ‘slab partition. ‘*Tt was only by the closest eka | that I could distinctly make out anything at all; but I did manage to hear enough to convince me of two or three facts, “That your suspicicns ccncerning St, Elmo are not without foundation I am satisfied,” The alcalde sprung to his feet. “{ was right?” he demanded, breathlessly, “T think you were right; kut—” “Five years’ patient trailing has Lrought its reward,” muttered the blonde gient, buskily, as he strode to and fro across the rough floor of the slab shanty. ‘‘The case that baffled the best detective skill of the country is at its clos- ing stage. Gold is an incentive: revenge, a lever a thousand-fold more powerful.” _ Be seated,” said the bogus Yankee, in author- itative tones. “I have got much to say and but little time,” Mechanically King Gahe cbeyed, sinking al- most unnerved upon a rude bench, x
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The Rival Giants of Nowhar. ‘‘This game must be played with the utmost care,” resumed Trotter. ‘‘ That St. Elmo in- tends to wage a bitter war against you, there is nota particle of reason to doubt. Then, too, the hunchback, having formed a bitter enmity toward me, has been delegated io take my life at the first opportunity, He seeks revenge for my having thwarted him at the moment when he had you suspended between heaven and earth. Shasta Sam is to see that your quietus is prompt and effectual. ** More than that I could not overhear. The four remained closeted tegether until an hour ago. About daybreak, with Hunki Hans, I made an effort to see you. Failing in that, we returned to the Fair Play. We decided that the first move was to get the hunchback out of the way. He is dangerous—far shrewder than St. Elmo himself. Accordingly, we spread the re- port that we had received the reward of five thousand dollars for the capture of Jabez Four- che, last night. Of course that brought St. Elmo and his cappers around us in aswarm, and we were quickly inveigled into a brace game of faro, Shasta Sam dealing. ‘ ‘‘Losing the dust, I picked my quarrel with hunekback, with the intention of disabling or killing him then and there; but, bad and dan- gerous as the man is, I disliked the idea of de- liberately shooting him down, and so gaye him a fair and equal chance.” ‘Rather a hazardous proceeding, I fear,” commented the alcalde, who had in a great measure recovered his wonted immobility. ‘‘ This bunchback is a master of almost every weapon in vogue.” ‘*So IT Eave been informed by Rivers. chesters are to be the weapons.” ‘‘ That is worse yet; if there is a deadlier shot in Nowhar than this deformed wretch, tt is not known. This, too, in the face of the fact that the camp has its full quota of crack marks- men.” * Really, the thing begins to look sericus,” murmured the mock Yankee, ‘‘But since I have blundered into the affair, I must trust to luck and a fair degree of proficiency in the use of the weapon to pull throvgh right end up. Rivers informs me that you have a weapon of the kind named, and [ shall have to request the Joan of-it.” j “You can have it, most assuredly, together with what assistance I can render in the mat- ter,” promptly returned Gold Gabe. ‘‘ Where is the meeting to take place?” “At a point designated as the horseshoe pla- teau, up the mountain-side.” ‘““Humph! the wily rascal again has you ata serious disadvantage, I fear, The horseshoe is certainly a strange place for such an affair, W hat are the conditions of this duel?” ““Can’t say,” replied Trotter, laconically. “They are to be fixed upon after we have reached the ground. Right here I have another favor to ask—that you act as my second in the affair.” “ Willingly; for if I am not greatly mistaken there is something decidedly crooked back of all this. Evidently, Dunkle wishes to confer with some of his confederates before naming the terms. Was St. Elmo present?” “No; Ugly Mike, chief of the Cripples, ap- peared while the game was in progress, and he and the gamblerretired to the private apart- ment of the latter.” ‘‘ Then, depend upon it, the hunchback wishes to talk the matter over with St. Elmo before meeting you,” declared the alcalde, ‘‘ Do you think it possible that they suspect anything?” * Possible?—ves, it is more than possible; else why the hunchback’s eagerness to get me out of the way?” Gold Gabe’s fingers beat an idle tattoo on the bench, ‘* You are assuming that St. Elmo, being the party we suspect him to be, has made a-confi- dant of Dunkle?” he queried. ‘* Not only a confidant, but an ally.” ‘‘ The assumption is plausible; yet, while their suspicions may be aroused as to our working in concert against them, can they be aware of our personal identity, or the basis of our opera- tions?” ‘*T don’t know, I’m sure,” observed Trotter, reflectively. ‘The fact is, we are by no means certain in this matter ourselves. For the life of us, we couldn’t tell whetber we are on the trail or only working a blind lead. We are working at a disadvantage. If we were positive we had struck the trail at last, our movements could quickly be ridded of much cumbrous secrecy and unnecessary by-play. The developments of the next few hours promise to throw much light on the subject. We can only wait and watch. Win- =) of ea aati Our allies are at work, and St. Elmo’s every move will be promptly reported.” ‘** You areright—we can but wait and watch,” wearily assented the giant of the golden locks. “But time is flying. Two-thirds of the hour have rolled into the past. We must be moving toward the horseshoe,” Arising, Gold Gabe secured his Winchester, and with the mock Yankee left the cabin. CHAPTER VII. THE SPORTIVE SPORT. TuHrRovuGHOUT the camp, with rapidity truly wondrous, had spread a report of Trotter’s ad- venture at the Fair Play, of the challenge and its prompt acceptance by the hunchback. Altovether out of the order of things orthodox in Nowhar was the conflict pending, and draw- ers of the long-bow quickly succeeded in so mag- nifying and exaggerating the exploits of the mock Yankee since his unheralded advent, that | at the expiration of the hour the denizens of the gold-camp were gathered en masse on the horse- shoe plateau, intent on witnessing the duel. Bowlder-strewn and barren of vegetation, this plateau was nothing more than a terrace, of the uniform width of a hundred yards, and a thousand in length, five hundred feet above the level of Nowhar, and curving in almost the | exact shape of amammoth horseshoe around the base of a bold, jutting, precipitous spur of the mountain. A deadly place for such a combat, for the dis- tance between the duelists would be short. Among the last to reach the level of the pla- teau were the alcalde, Trotter, and the mine superintendent, ‘* By hemlock!” exclaimed the pseudo-Yankee, breathing hard from the rapid and arduous ascent, as the trio halted to view their surround- ings. ‘‘Thar’s th’ hunchback an’ St. Elmo over thar, confabin’, Alcalde, they’re beckonin’ us to advance an’ meet ’em half-way.” ‘¢*Go you with Rivers here and try to get the bearings of this terrace,” quietly returned the giant of the golden locks, ‘ You will find an insight of the nature of the place an advantage, no doubt, when you are brought face to face with Dunkle. I will go forward alone, and- make the best terms I can.” Nodding a careless assent, Trotter, with the superintendent, turned aside, while Gold Gabe, rifle in hand, strode forward to the point where stood St. Elmo and the hunchback, surrounded by a number of their friends. WE mappeee T can trust the men of the Yellow Boy to keep well together,” grimly mused the alcalde, as he noted a suspicious massing of the rough element of the camp about twenty yards beyond the proprietor of the Fair Viay. ‘It looks very much as if St. Elmo has prepared for a general conflict.” Walking calmly up to the little group, Gold Gabe, with a careless nod, dropped the butt of bis Winchester to the ground and said, crisply: ** Gents, [respresent Mr. Trotter in th’ affair ov honor about to occur; who among ye is th’ second ov th’ other party?” Back into his speech had crept in a slight de- gree the peculiarities of the miners’ dialect. Julian St. Elmo trod lightly forward, doffing his white sombrero, a mocking smile curling his red lips, ‘*T have the pleasure to enjoy that peculiar distinction, my dear alcalde,” he said. ‘* Very good,” responded the blonde giant, running his eyes over the group until he encoun- tered the fiery gaze of Shasta Sam. “ Your man was the challenged party. I suppese you are ready to name th’ conditions ov th’ duel?” “Quite ready; they are as follows: The two ‘men are tobe placed at the ends of the horse- ee shoe, so that the base of this rocky spur is direct- ly between them, a coin to be tossed for choice of ends; each man is to be armed with a Win- chester rifle, fully charged; Shasta Sam is to be placed at the outer edge of the plateau yonder, equi-distant from the two men, and in full view of each; at a signal shot from his revolver, the duelists are to be at liberty to proceed in any manner they see fit, with the restriction that neither attempts to leave the plateau without’ the other's consent; the battle to continue until both are satisfied. ‘* Satisfactory?” “ Perfectly.” ‘‘Then call up your man, and we’ll settle the question of choice of positions; it is a compara- tively small matter, but Dunkle here is deter- mined that after the affair is over it shall not be said that he held any advantage over the stranger Yank.” “Don’t fret yourself,” retorted Gold Gabe | ps CS ee a isipnipe Sa irately, as he turned to signal Trotter to ap- proach. ** As for our misshapen friend—isn’t he crowin’ at rather a premature stage ov th’ game?” St. Elmo Iaughed softly. ‘Why, my dear alcalde, your Yankee friend really has no show at all in this here affair,” he declared. ‘‘ The little gentleman whom I have the honor to represent is right in having every- thing fair and open—that is all he wants. neth- ing more. His victory was assured from the moment the challenge was issued, All this is gone through with for the sake of form, When it comes to the scratch, he will pick off the Yank at leisure. ‘ ‘And, right in the face of the solemnity of this oceasion, allow me to remark that I have with me something lke five thousand dollars, which say, at the generous odds of two to one, that my man will win the fight.” Trotter, in answer to the alcalde’s signal, had rapidly approached, and was within hearing when the bantering offer was made. ‘*Neow don’t yeou add insult to injury,” he protested, striding quickly forward and facing | the gambler, frantically sawing the air with his long arms as he spoke. ‘* Whack up to him, al- calde; kiver every dollar yeoukin at them thar odds. By tar an’ smoke! I guess somebody pti find they was kinder feoled w’en they monkey- ed ‘ith the b’izness eend o’ Jonathan Trotter. “Say, yeou /”—staring straight into St. El- mo’s eyes, his thin, sharp nose curling with contempt unutterable—‘kiver thet! Money talks!” ; : Forth from an inner pocket, with a quick, impatient jerk, he drew a small packet, secure- ly wrapped in oilcloth, which, with a careless gesture he flung into the hands of Gold Gabe. “Thar yeou are, alcalde—thar’s th’ dust, an’ et sez I’m a winner in this heur leetle scrimmage to come,” he cried. With eager, expectant faces the gamblers sur- rounding St. Elmo pressed forward as the giant . of the golden locks carefully opened the oil- cloth, A package of bank-bills, those in view of large Genomination, was revealed. “Wall into line, yeou gallant sports o’ No- whar,” continued the mock Yankee, in sharp, bentering tones. ‘ Yeou, thet hev th’ sand in yeour craws, trot for’ard—that’s the good hard cash w’ot sez Jonathan Trotter, Erq.. will sali- vate th’ measly-mouth mounting kiote over thar, an’ bear off th’ proud pennant o’ a ga-lo- rious victory. Stride—glide—eny way at all so yeour dust kivers my meney.” Attracted by the loud words and strange ges- tures of the mountain tramp, Nowhar’s denizens began to gather closely around. | ‘Heavens! what is it?” exclaimed St. Elmo, starting back, his hands raised, his blue eyes opening wide in well-simulated surprise. ‘“ Really, my dear alealde, I fear we shall have to appeal to you for protection against this ranting, mouthing, what-may-it-be.” “Don’t ye worry, dainty sport,” coolly re- torted Gold Gabe, his words almost drcwned by a burst of sycophantic laughter from the gam- bler’s heelers. ‘‘Jt,as ye are pleased ae teen him, is a man—a man oy sand. ‘““Ef ye mean business an’ hev a few thou- sands to lose, hyar’s yer chance. Ye asked for it, an’ ye’ve gotit. Hyer itis, as gocd an’ honest as any coin ov th’ realm can be. Tt will cover any amountye or yer friends may care to hazard at the cdds ye proposed. Do yer toes meet th’ scratch or are ye goin’ to chmb down backward?” And the giant of the golden locks, with a tan-— talizirg smile, waved the racket of bank-bills to and fro within an inch of St. Elmo’s nose. A hot flush suffused the gambler’s face, _ “Five thousand dollars that Dunkle wins the — fight,” he promptly reiterated, preducirg a plethoric wallet. : “Covered!” laconicelly excleured Gold Gabe, counting two thousand five bundred dollars, ‘* Who holds the stakes?” ’ : ‘““How will Sweet By-and-By suit?” queried St. Elmo, running his eyes over the crowd un- til his glance fell upon the worthy named. “Suits me to a dot,” returned the alcalde, placing bis money in the miner’s hands. For the next few minutes the giant of the golden locks wes kept busy booking bets at the odds named. In the opinion of the average Nowharite Trotter was a doomed man, After the sportive side of the affair had been duly settled, St. Elmo drew a silver dollar from his pocket. : “Now, Yank, make your call as she goes up —heads or tails?” he exclaimed. — “Hold a minute!” cried Trotter, excitedly. { ts \
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——— > The Rival Giants of Nowhar. *¢ Tl] jest go yeou a leetle stake o’ a thousand thet I win choice o’ posish—th’ alcalde to hold stakes. Are yeou game?” ‘¢ At this rate you won’t leave much for your heirs to quarrel over!” sneered St. Elmo, “ Put ‘up your money—anything from one to five thousand,” ‘*T reckon a thousand is enough,” calmly re- sponded the mock Yankee, ‘If I lose clear through, there'll be enough left to grub-stake some budding Blackstone. My dust is in the alcalde’s hands,” Covering the last bet, the gambler stepped back a pace and raised his right hand, reveal- ing the silver. coin between his thumb and fore- finger. “Now, Yank, for the last time—heads or tails?” he cried sharply, as the coin spun swiftly upward, ‘* Heads!” called Trotter, as the now descend- ing coin struck the earth. “Heads it is!” announced a dozen voices, as the excited miners clustered around the silver coin. With just a trace of annoyance oo in ‘the action, St. Elmo daintily twirled his tawny mustache. ‘“* My dear alcalde, I see your skeleton friend has won,” he observed, easily. ‘‘ Just turn the thousand into his hands.” ‘* Not jest yet, at Gabe,” spoke up Trotter, erisply. ‘I don’t like th’ installment plan— jest wait till th’ performance is over; then Ill take th’ entire pot.” Gold Gabe nodded assent, ‘* Having won th’ choice o’ positions, I select ‘th’ south eend o’ the hoss-shoe,” continued the pseudo-Yankee, coolly. ‘* Alcalde, will you go down with me an’ let me into the pints o’ th’ leetle brigazee?, Yaas? -I thought yeou w’u'd. “Say, yeou—St. Elmo! trot th’ deformed critter ‘round to his post, an’ take’im through his ‘Now I lay me,’ etc, Yeou might send a squad down to sum nice sunny spot in the val- Jey to fix up his final two-by-five resting-place; it'll save time fer the mourners by and by, “ An’ yeou, Bummer’ Bob, o’ thi’ Stanislaus ”— wheeling abruptly upon Shasta Sam, who stood with his arms folded lightly across his massive chest, watching with a cynical smile the vary- ing phases of the affair—‘‘ yeou amble gently to th’ p’int assigned yeou eout. thar, an’ w’en we hey got.a.goodan’ ready Tet go yeour gun. e keerful, too, thet yeou don’t gitskeered an’ blow th’ hull top o’ yeour head off a-givin’ th’ sig- ” ‘* Pol-de-rol enough, Winding-Blades!” sharp- ly enunciated the hunchback desperado, biting his thin lips until the blood trickled from the corners of his mouth, in an attempt to repress an outburst of rage. ‘I’m perfectly_agreed with you on the subject of a grave; but I reckon ‘we can wedge your bones into some crevice among the rocks—it will save the boys the thankless task of an hour’s digging. ‘* 1t’s useless to deny that youre gritty; but bravery will avail you nothing—I shall scatter your meager brains to the four winds without an atom of trouble,” “Tut, tut! don’t yeou do it! Sech a collossal brain-power a-floatin’ round at large might ive th’ Territory th’ big-head an’ forever blight its prospects!” And the mock Yankee grinned maliciously. ** Bnough of this pleasantry, gentlemen,” said St. Elmo, sternly. “It is obvious to all that Dunkle will be the winner in this fight; and I am glad that it is so—not that I am in the least. prejudiced against Mr. Trotter, under- stand me, but because my sympathies are natu- rally with friends before strangers, ‘Alcalde, put your man; I will see that mine is quickly in position. : datistied, apparently, with having had the last word, the mock Yankee turned away with Gold Gabe, casting a last glance over his’ shoul- der at Shasta Sam as they strode rapidiy to- ward the southern terminus of the so-called horseshoe. : “King Gabe, there’s something rotten in Den- mark,” be muttered, when they were well away from the group. “T agree with you—St. Elmo has some under- hand move afoot,” promptly returned the giant ot the golden locks, ‘‘ But the nature of that move tr cannot guess, unless it Le to precipitate a free fight at the close of this duel. Trotter shook his head. , “That is not it. Whatever the gambler’s scheme may be, it is directed against you alone —I could see that in the exultant gleam of his eye when he looked at you. ** When you rejoin the crowd, keep your wea- pons ready, and don’t get too far away from eee i Shasta Sam. Keep within easy pistol-shot of him, at all events,” “You think—” “ f conjecture nothing—I am simply advising a safe course.” In silence, the two men strode on to the end of the plateau. There the blonde giant handed Trotter the Winchester, and spoke rapidly for a moment in low tones, ‘Tt is a bad business, I will admit,” said the mock Yankee, at the conclusion of Gold Gabe’s remarks, ‘‘ButIam going to do my best to teach this desperado a lasting lesson. Perhaps I may open the eyes of these Nowharites—who knows?” ‘*“There is more in you than than they sus- pect,” remarked the giant. ‘' But this hunch- back is a bad man and a dead shot. Look to it that he secures no greater advantage over ‘you. Aside from this, I can only wish you success.” A hearty clasp of the hands, aud the alcalde turned and walked rapidly back to the crowd congregated on the edge of the plateau, opposite to the jutting face of the bluff. St. Elmo was already there. Raising his revolver, Shasta Sam fired in the air, the signal agreed upon, CHAPTER VIII. DECOYED. HUDDLED together within the small apart- ment in the rear of the Fair Play, just before the time set for the hostile meeting between the bogus Yankee and the hunchback desperado, were three men—fellows whose faces alone were sufficient to stamp them as hardened villains, Prominent among the ill-favored trio was Ugly Mike, the leader of the Cripples, A short, squat, broad-shouldered ruffian, in the attire of an honest miner, and ‘armed to the teeth,” as the saying goes, was this chief of the desperadoes. His head was crowned with ashock of matted, unkempt red hair, while a heavy beard of the same fiery hue, foul with the tobacco-juice con- tinually oozing from the corners of his capacious mouth, covered the greater portion of his face. Under his beetling brows gleamed a pair cf small, blood-shot black eyes; and at some period in his eventful career bis nose had been the un- fortunate. recipient of a blow of some sort, which had flattened it out in a way more pic- turesque than beautiful, adding greatly to his general repulsiveness. The reputation borne by this bestial desperado accorded well with his personal appearance. Closeted with Ugly Mike were two of his fel- lows, each equally as unsavory in looks and in character, “Tt are a bold game we hev ter play, boyees,” mumbled the chief of the Cripples, in hushed, barely audible tones, leaning over the rough deal table at which he was seated until his head almost touched those of his companions, ‘* An? it are risky, too, an’ none but ther gamest ov ther gang hev a finger in ther pie. a But I knowed I wd sw’ar by Wheezy Ben an’ Pious Pete, an’ I hes called yer hyer ter deal yer yer hands, — ‘** Yer knows jest how matters stand atwixt St. Elmo and the alealde?” ‘* We does!” cautiously chorused the Cripples. “Wal, then yer hain’t ’t all s’prised w’en I tells yer thet ther dainty sport are fixin’ ter guv ther giant a sick’nin’ swipe, then his last sick- ness, be yer?” “Not *t all,” in duet, “Dern me, ef yer hain’t iong-headed cusses, both ov yer!” exclaimed Ugly Mike, lost in patronizing admiration, ‘ Wal, wal! who ‘wd % thort et? An’ St. Elmo hev bin playin’ et es fine es ther p’int ov a rib-tickler, too!” Both ruffians smiled broadly at this flaming tribute to the acuteness of their perceptive facul- ties, “Reckon we kin see through a knot-hole so far es they next one,” complacently remarked Pious Pete; . d “So yer kin, graciously admitted the chief. * An’ out ov ther bull gang thar bain’t two men wot kin handle this hyar leetle job fer St. Elmo eny better than either one ov yer fellers, Aw’ thet are jest w’ot 1 told him, not ten minutes ago, w’en he asked about yer. _ ‘Yer are ready ter do a leetle lively rustlin’ fer a couple ov gold ‘slugs’ apiece, I reckon?” The two men nodded assent so quickly that their heads came rather violently into contact, ‘Tn course yer are—ye’r’ jest a-jumpin’ at ther chaince,” laughed Ugly Mike, softly, as the pair of ruffians recoiled, staring at each other; “ but yer needn’t either butt out ther other’s brains a-Sayin’ so, \ 9 “But ter git right down ter bizness, ther trick ter be worked are jest this: Last night thet purty female, w’ot hes turned ther heads ov half ther chaps in camp, arriv’ in Nowhar. Thet gal are ther alcalde’s sister, an’ she air now over at his lay-out. St. Elmo wants her snaked off up inter ther hills an’ hid away. Are yer game ter do et an’ keep yer mouths shet arterward?” Wheezy Ben’s beady little eyes expanded, and he stared first at the speaker, then at. Pious Pete, while he dubiously shook his head, **St. Elmo’s neat little scheme can’t he worked,” he declared slowly. ‘“ Fifty yaller slugs w’u’dn’t tempt me ter buckle on an’ take holt ov ther job. <A feller’s life w’u’dn’t be wu'th a empty ca’tridge-shell, fer w’en yer steal thet gal away yer start King Gabe on ther war- path. An’ yer knows him.” ‘Benjy are a-singin’ my tune edzactly,” affirmed Pious Pete. ‘I w’uwd a heap sight ruther tackle a honey grizzly than ter git ther alcalde riled at me. ern my cats! ef he hain't a genooine cyclone, J nevyer see’d one!” Leaning far back from the table, Ugly Mike stared at the lesser ruffians, his expression one of ineffable disgust. ** Great Scott!” he growled; ‘an’ I war foo enuff ter count on yer es men ov sand !” Utterly crestfallen, the two desperadces fol- lowed the scornful remark with lugubrious silence, ‘*See hyar, galoots, yer squealed afore yer war hurted, both ov yer,” continued the chief a momentlater, resuming bis confidential air 4nd again leaning over the table until within a few inches of his confreres. ‘‘ Yer bain’t bin asked ter run a particle ov risk, “Ther gal are ter be got at hy stratagy, not by force, an’ in jest sech a wey thet ther alcalde can’t lay her disappearance at ther door ov eny = or two pussons. Jest listen a Lit till I loosi- date, “A half-hour from now ther camp will be desarted, fer everybody w’ot kin shake a leg at all will climb up ther mountain-side ter see Hump Dunkle lay ther Yank by ther heels, “St. Elmo, bein’ a derned slick cuss at figger- in’ out sech things, see’d in a minute thet this war ther accepted time, as ther passon usty say,. fer strikin’ ther fu’st big blow at King Gabe, an *cordin’ly called me in ter superintend this ab- ductin’ ov ther gal. ‘Now, pards, ther way hes bin made easy fer ther trick, fer ther cappers ov ther dainty sport hev spread a report ov ther comin’ duel ali through ther camp, twistin’ up ther leetle scrim- mage ontil at fu’st glance et looks es ef ther affair ’wd blossom inter ther biggest sort ov a fight, an’ tharby drawin’ ter ther hess-shoe plateau every soul but us fellers, ther gal, an’ a iby w’ot hes bin sot ter watchin’ ther alcalde’s ay-out. ** Jest es soon es ther way are puffectly cl’ar ¥ ’ ther spy ll report ter us, f Then all we hev ter do, are fer cne ov us fellers ter go ter ther gal with a cock-an’-bull story w’ot "1 draw her away from ther cabin ter a spot whar ther rest ov us are in waitin’, wea we kin pounce onter her an’ escort her off ter a secure hidin’-place in ther hills, Arter thet, we kin break fer camp, an’ reach ther plateau afore ther sarkus up thar are eended. “Oh, ther bull snap are es soft es dough, an’ ef yer don’t call fer a band in ther game, yer'll miss ther biggest chaince ov yer lives, so yer will; fer ther yaller slugs anted by ther dainty sport hain’t a sarcumstance ter ther wealth ter be captured in ther job w’en ther bluffin’ are all done, fer arter we git ther galinter our clutches encet, St. Elmo ll hey ter shower © outther dust afore we guv her up. * Now, wot sez yer, Wheezy Pen, an’ you, Pious Pete?” A bread grm gradually spread over the fat, flaccid featurcs cf the ruffian first addressed, “Wot sez I?” he Cree gurgled, waving bis hand tregicelly. ‘*Pard Mike, sence thar are no bullets to be encountered an’ stopped by our corporosities, 1 want a finger in ther jack- pot ter be scooped; an’ ef Wheezy Ben Meggins can’t wheedle ther bonnie lassie inter leavin’ ther pertectin’ roof ov her big brother's ae an’ elopin’ off inter ther woods or ther bills on a purty fool’s errant, et are’cos he hes lost his youthful buty an’ winning elerquence. Ef—” “Oh, shet up, you!” interrupted Pious Pete, with a sulphurous oath. ‘Ov course yer kin count on us, Mike, But as fer this byar fat friend hyar, shet him up afore he sp’iles every- thing ’ith his mouthin’s. Dern little stock I take in him, anyway,” : f ‘Never mind him, Pete,” said Ugly Mike, in a pacific tone. ‘Let Ben hev his way ef he en- joys et—et can’t hurt evything, yer know.
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i The Rival Giants of Nowhar. Hark! thar are ther spy’s signal! He are at ther door—a sign thet ther way are cl’ar.” The door swung open ere he ceased speaking, and Cockney Jim, the bartender, glided into the apartment. ““Der camp’s deserted, gents, ban’ der gal’s halone,” he announced. ‘‘St, Elmo’s last order -Wwas that yer strike swift hand sure, or heat lead w’en ’e got back from der plateau,” Silence deep and unbroken brooded over the deserted gold-camp. Within the narrow con- fines of Nowhar but a single living, moving figure was to be seen—Wheezy Ben Meggins, ambling along at asharptrot toward the cabin- home of the giant of the golden locks, Alternately groaning and cursing in subdued accents, that for the sake of appearances he must feign haste, and for once move rapidly in the now broiling rays of the sun, the corpulent rascal headed straight for the open door of the alecalde’s cabin, every ounce of his superfluous flesh a-quiver and burning, and the perspiration trickling freely in oily drops down his face. The goal reached, he rapped sharply with his knuckles, then withdrew a pace, pushed back his greasy slouch hat and nervously mopped his brow with his shirt-sleeve, A moment of waiting; then a starry-eyed vision of loveliness, that fairly astounded the hardened wretch, appeared at the door, “*Mornin’, m-miss,” he exclaimed, jerking out the words with a painful effort, and clutch- ing absently at his hat as he awkwardly at- tempted a bow. The girl, an expression of mingled surprise and expectancy showing on her face, returned the salutation. ‘* B-be yer ther alcalde’s s-sister?” ‘Tam; why do you ask?” was the quick re- sponse. Wheezy Ben looked around, hesitated, then sought to cover his confusion by again apply- ing his sleeve to his fevered brow. “TI h-hate ter s-say et, m-miss; but I hev b-bad } news fer yer. Now, do-don’t get excited; j-jest ———— be p-patient ith m-me, fer I hev ther tis-phthisic an’ c-can’t talk f-fast. Yes, I hev b-bad news fer yer.” Vith a swift, impetuous movement, the star- tled girl advanced a trifle, a look of fear creep- | ing over her pretty face.” 1 ‘Bad news for me!” she exclaimed, anxious- ly. ‘Speak, man—is my brother—” “Thar! she hev gone an’ guessed et!” broke in the ruffian, the grieved tone in which the words were uttered in perfect keeping with his facial expression. ‘‘Onhappy Ben Meggins! w’y, oh! w’y war yor sent with s-sech an orful t-tale ter distress this b-b’utiful e-critter!” The rascal’s. adroitly couched apostrophe was | not without its effect, One fleeting instant the girl reeled back, her | slender hands pressed tightly to her painfully throbbing heart. The look of unutterable hor- ror, distress and despair in her dark eyes would surely have moved a being less hardened than the brutal wretch before her, Then, with a suddenness that ‘fairly startled Wheezy Ben, every trace of weakness vanished as if by magic; her slender, willowy figure was drawn erect; her tightly clinched hands dropped to her sides, her black eyes filled with a curious sparkling light, and her face became set and stern. “Speak out, man—I am listening,” she said, in cold, abrupt tones, ** Very well, m-miss,” wheezingly uttered the ruffian, gasping for breath, and clutching at his throat as if in the last stages of suffocation. “Ther good Lord knows B-Ben Meggins are g-glad ter s-see yer g-gritty an’ able ter stand ther b-bad news he b-brings. ‘‘ M-miss, ther alcalde, yer b-brother, hev bin sh-shot, an’ b-badly w-wounded. Et ll k-kill ‘im ter b bring ’im h-here. He hes s-sent m-me ter lead yer ter him.” A great shudder ran through the slender form of the girl; a single sharp, convulsive sob broke the oppressive silence. * Wait!” The one word, and she abruptly retreated into the cabin, closing the door. Ejecting from his capacious maw an amber rill of tobacco-juice, Wheezy Ben blinked his eyes knowingly at the rough wall, ‘* A sly ole galoot aie you, Benjy—a very sly ole cuss,” he mused; ‘‘ but look out thet this urty leetle gal with ther bright black hyar She are a eyes don’t Jay yer by ther heels, daisy—a puffect hummer.” A moment later, just as the corpulent fraud bad succeeded in distorting his features with “ an expression of settled woe, the blonde giant’s sister appeared from the cabin. ‘*Come!” she ejaculated, hastily knotting the ribbons of her wide straw hat beneath her shapely chin. ‘‘ Come—I am ready; let us go.” Nonplused at the coolness and abruptness of the girl’s words, Wheezy Ben hesitated a mo- ment, then started to lead the way through the deserted camp, limping violently. ‘*T’'m a puffectly misabul wrack, m-miss,” he rgled, with a dolorous attempt at a sigh, as e noticed the impatience with which his victim regarded his shambling gait. ‘T-time war, m-miss, w’en I war es spruce an’ es b-brash es eny ov them; but B-Ben Meggins are past ther p-prime ov his oncet n-noble m-manhocd, an’ every j’int in his pore ole ec-carkase are racked ith p-pain. “But w’en ther alealde I-looked up at m-mo ith sech a s-sorrowin’, pleadin’ look inthem thar b-big b-blue eyes ov his’n, an’ sez, s-sez he, ‘M-most trusted f-friend, go b-bring my s-sister ter s-soothe my d-dyin’ minutes; w’y, I j-jest c-c’u’dn’t refuse, an’ away I kem, fergettin’ my own p-pain an’ s-sufferin’. I j-jes—” Seized here with a skillfully feigned paroyysm of violent coughing and strangling, the ruffian toro feebly at his throat with his grimy bands, and staggered weakly along—inwardly chuck- ling at the pity evoked from the alcalde’s sister. ‘*Poor fellow!” murmured the girl, never for an instant suspecting the true character of her guide, and too dazed and grief-stricken by his skillfully concocted story to note her surround- ings as they hastened onward, Her thoughts were constantly with the strick- én giant. Biting her nether lip to keep back her tears, she followed in the footsteps of treacher- ous Wheezy Ben. A few minutes sufficed to see them half a mile from the camp. At a lonely spot between the hills the ruffian suddenly turned from the faint trail and entered a nar- row canyon. Here their path was rough, dark and dreary, the sunlight being excluded by massive, over- hanging walls of rock. The girl shuddered; a sense of impending peril oppressed her. Slipping her hands into the folds of her dress, she nervously clutched the butts of a pair of trusty revolvers. As they pushed onward the way grew rougher and darker; the canyon contracted in width, and the giant walis seemed to meet far over- head, ‘Where are we going?” suddenly cried the girl as they reached an abrvpt bend in the can- yon. ‘** Patience, leetle g¢-gal—we’re m-most thar,” returned Wheezy Ben, evasively, as he disap- peared around a jutting rock. ‘*‘ Watch w-whar yer step, miss—ther s-stones are slippery an’ yer may fall,” he called back. With her eyes cast down, the girl passed around the angle, A moment later she missed the footfalls of her gride, and at once looked wp to find herself confronted by two villainous- looking men. They were none other than Ugly Mike and his ally, Pious Pete. a One glance at the evil, leering face of the chief of the Cripples, and with a wild cry of alarm the girl turned to flee down the canyon. Wheezy Ben, whom she had passed, adroitly blocked the way, ‘‘ Quite a surprise party, hain’t et, mum?” he cried, a mocking grin spreading over his oily face, a devilish light dancing in his beady black eyes, ‘Now yer hev her, Mike, safe an’ sound,” continued the fat rough, in a gurgling voice, ‘* An’, darn me! ef I ever see’d a purtier bit ov kaliker an’ ribbons than she are. An’ she mo- sied right along arter me, too, jest ez ef J war a Baptist parson. Ob, Ill bu’st!’ And the reugh quivered violently with sup- pressed mirth. ‘* Gals like her is ez sca’ce ez four-leaf clover,” observed Ugly Mike, striding forward. ‘‘ Stop er foolin’, Benjy; le’s git her under kiver up yar, an’ putt back fer ther plateau. Et won’t do fer King Gabe ter ’spicion thet we hed eny- thing ter do’ith ther girl’s makin’ herself sca’ce at camp, or Nowhar ’ll be too hot ter hold us.” Confronting the apparently helpless girl, the chief thrust out his grimy hand to grasp her arm—only to start back with a hoarse oath, with the deadly muzzles of a pair of self-cocking revolvers staring him full in the face. ‘ Swift as thought itself had been the action of the girl—so deftly performed, in fact that she was about toassume the defensive. “Stand back, you scoundrel! keep your hands off and allow me to pass from this place unmo- lested or Pll kill you as L woulda crawling ser- pent,” she cried, the words coming in calm measured accents over the glittering lengths of her weapons. ‘¢ Jewhillerkens!” gasped Ugly Mike, abruptly ducking his head, asif to avoidablow. ‘ Benjy, yer hes -corraled a puffect screamer—dern my cats ef yer hain’t! Close in, galoots, an’ take- her we’pons!” / “ Sthand chust vere you vas, mine tear frients er py chimminetti! you vas petter order goftins. fer t’ree!” cried a stern voice at the bend in the canyon, and the Teutonic tramp, Hunki Hans, slowly advanced, his short, heavy ‘sixes? raised and at full cock, his mild blue eyes gleam- ing brightly. ‘*Mees Morton, ef tey vas so mooch as der leedle fingers move, shoot,” Ugly Mike and his allies exchanged glances of alarm. The next instant the chief of the Cripples. placed his fingers against his lips and blew a loud, piercing blast, which echoed and re-echoed up and down the gloomy canyon. ** We shall see!” he muttered, grimly. CHAPTER IX, HOW THE DUEL ENDED. A HusH fraught with expectancy came over the motley group upon the plateau’s verge as the sharp crack of Shasta Sam’s revolver died aways The dark giant had taken up a position di- rectly opposite to the jutting face of the tower- ing spar, midway of the horseshoe, in full view of the two duelists. A few paces distant, be- tween him and the crowd, were Guld Gabe, St. Elmo, Faro Frank and the mine superintendent. With revolver uplifted, Shasta Sam stared ere for a full minute at the distant hunch- Jack. Then Dunkle was seen to throw himself flat. upon his stomach among the huge bowlders, with his rifle in position for instant use. On the other hand, Jonathan Trotter remained erect, his rifle carelessiy grcunded, engaged to all appearances in a close survey of the trend of the plateau. Satisfied, apparently, with the action of the hunchback, the dark Hereules wheeled half around, facing in the direction of Trotter, ther with a careless downward swecp of his long arm restored the weapon to his belt. Handling his Winchester with painful awk- wardness, the “‘pseudo-Yankee hesitated a mo~ ment, then walked forward withlong, deliberate strides, Honest Jeems Rivers clinched his horny hands: in sheer vexation, ** Alcalde, what say you now?’ exclaimed 8*. Elmo, exultantly, as the quick eyes noted the move. ‘‘Your man is actually the most ver- dant specimen of the Yankee tribe I ever saw. He don’t know enough to get behind a rock and stay there. No, no! he must needs walk right into good range and let Dunkle toast him to his heart’s content. Nowhar’s first duel is degen-~ erating into a mere farce—a butchery.” ‘* Don’t bother your head about that thar Yank, dainty sport,” retcrted the blonde giant, with provoking coolness, ‘‘It’s pretty safe to say he isn’t as green as he locks. We can’t tell how much experience he’s had in jest sech affairs as this. He isa mountain tramp, you know, an’ mountain tramps are sometimes derned deceiv~ ing critters. ‘Then, too, in ructions ov this sort no man can tell who is to be th’ victor. Itisall onsar-. + tainty until th’ fight is fought, th’ last round fired, an’ everything ready for th’ obsequies. An’ even then you can’t sometimes tell. “Now, look over thar, will you? Th’ Yank has made his fu’st move in th’ game, an’i¢ smacks ov along head. Hidden from sight be- hind that big bowlder in th’ chain extendin? across to th’ outer edge of the plateau, th’ crit- ter’ll have things pretty much bis own way, an? will play with th’ leetle hunchback purty Much as a cat toys with the mouse safe under her claws. a iated “Taken all around, I give it as my opinion that Mr. Dunkle will have to get up an’ fairly hump himself even to dislodge the Yank.” _ There wasa ring in the alcalde’s words express~ ive of a great degree of satisfaction. . The position taken by Trotter was beyond dis- pute a strong one. With this unpleasant fact staring him in the face, Julian St. Elmo gnawed savagely at the ends of his tawny mustache, and. cast an anxious glance in the direction of the hunchback desperado. pied That wortby was creeping cautiously from rock to rock, working slowly toward the edge of the plateau. ; ’ ry Ve he makes the point he seems to be aiming” for—the long, flat bowlder at the very edge—he
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> | | a i i ‘ - \ will likely have the Yankee at a sharp disadvan- tage,” muttered Faro Frank, in tones so low that none but St. Elmo heard. ‘I judge a shot from that quarter would be a disagreeable surprise to the tenderfoot.” “True,” assented the gambler, in tones equal- ly guarded, as he drew his confrere aside, ** But ? fear we are playing a losing gamo. If this Trotter is half as shrewd as I begin to suspect he is, the jig is well nigh up with Dunkle.” “Tow so, Jule?” “T base my conclusion upon this fact: Just beyond that chain of rock sheltering Trotter, a gully sufficiently deep to afford him concealment cuts across the plateau. If he has been kecn enough to recognize its advantages and taken to it, as I suspect he has, he is even now Ina poet: tion to open fire on Dunkle when the latter expects a shot.” “T see,” said Faro Frank, with a significant nod, ‘if the Yankeo has crept down the gully, Dunkle is in danger of a, death-shot every time he leaves one rock to creep .o another on his way to the plateau's edge to bring his antagonist into range.” } “Bxactly. If wo could only hit upon some way to put our misshapen friendon his guard, I believe his final success would beassured; for, pitted man against mon, there is tomy mind not _.the slightest doubt that the Yankee would be doomed. Dunkle is merely plaving fcr time now. The affair must be prolonged to give Ug- ly Mike and his allies a fair chance to work out their plans below. “We must warn Dunkle in some way, for taken in all its bearings the affair promises to be a very profitable one if ho succeeds in killing his man. ‘*Tn the first. place, it will effectually dispose of Mr. Trotter, a character entirely too curious and too prying to suit our somewhat fastidious tastes, and at the same time enrich us to the ex- tent of some five or six thousand dollars. “Then, too, it isa direct and bitter blow to the alecalde; for at one stroke we deprive him of an ally dangerous to us, and open up the way for Ugly Mike to steal the girl.’ “ And if the Yankee wins the fight—what then?” asked Faro Frank. __**We still have the girl in our possession— just now the most important consideration of all, tomy mind. Of course, the money staked, as well as the future services of the Lankece would be lost,..lior thedifeor=the tiunchback care Hiothing. It is only for the sake of the money up, and from a desire to rid the camp of the Yankee that I wish to see the infernal little beast win the fight. “And for these selfsame reasons I want to put him on his guard against the move probable upon the part of Trotter; but just how to work the trick is a problem too deep for me to solve, though asa general thing I rather pride myself on being pretty apt in such delicate wrinkles.” * T have nothing to suggest,” said aro Frank, musingly. ‘The fact is, Gold Gabe and his '. friends are watching us so closely that none but a master-hand could hope to work the trick un- detected. Shasta Sam might be tried.” ‘The suggestion is good, at all events,’’ re- turned St. Elmo, looking over his shoulder for the dark Hercules. ‘‘ Whatever is to be done must be done quickly, for I have an intuitive feeling that the cursed Yank has adopted the very plan of action we have the most reason to fear. Where is the giant? he was here a mo- ment ago.” : ‘He has been back among the crowd; he is coming yonder.” And with his left hand the wounded gambler beckoned Shasta Sam, “There is yet another thing that I do not like ~e"3%ie absence of Hunki Hans, Trotter’s Dutch ard, from the plateau at this time,” continued t, Elmo, hurriedly, as the dark Hercules slow- ly approached. ‘Did he remain In camp to look after the girl, or is his absence due to too ~ much whisky?” In either case, he would prove but a trifle in the way of Ugly Mike and his allies,” declared ro Frank, ” Fey True enough; and the chief of the Cripples has a firm belief in the truth of the saying that dead men tell no tales. Ifthe valiant Hans east | The Rival Giants of Nowhar. ee ee eS | | | - yeally remained behind to watch over the al- I ade interests he will hardly live to tell what | him; I kalkulate yeou'll find a hole drilled med. Bars ut Shasta is here—not a word about the girl, Frank.” | gle shot has forever settled the matter. ““We are too late!” exclaimed St. Elmo, in low, intense tones, prefacing the words with an oath, ‘ See! that faint wreath of smoke off ronder at the very edge of the plateau marks | 8 i the Yankee'’s position. He has taken advantage of the gully, just as I suspected. The hunch- back’s only hope is to remain quiet until Trotter | grows restless or reckless and shows his precious person. ‘Look! ho has no hope—the fight is over!” cried Faro Frank, clutching St. Elmo’s arm, and pointing across the level of the plateau, as a | “A sin- From now until eternity Jonathan Trotter has naught to fear from tho hunchback!” And to all appearances the wounded gambler spoke the truth; for, extended at full length, flat on his back upon the hard, dry earth of the level, there was the misshapen desperado, shot down while creeping from rock to rock. hoarse shout went up from the crowd, Confident that his single shot had ended the | duel, the pseudo-Yankee sprung into view, hur- rying forward with his rifle at a trail. Instantly the crowd became wild with excite- ment, not unmixed with exultation. The hunch- back had been heartily disliked and despised be- | cause of his contentious nature, and from the beginning popular sympathy had to a great ex- tent been with the whimsical mountain tramp. During the tumult that ensued, a pellet of crumpled paper was thrust into the alcalde’s hand. A quick glance over his shoulder failed to discover the source of the surreptitious mes- sage. With an ejaculation of surprise, Gold Gabe covertly unrolled the paper, which proved to be a leaf torn at random from a memorandum- book. Penciled on it, in scrawling, irregular charac- ters, were the words: * Jessica is probably imperiled by a plot of St. Elmo, as Us three of th’’most d sperate of the camp pests known as the Cripples, are not here. down at once a party strong enough to beat off the outlaws should they attempt anything crooked,” Anonymous, and surreptitiously delivered though it was, the warning had a marked effect upon the giant of the golden locks. Hard by stood Jeems Rivers, narrowly watch- ing every move of St. Elmo... In a smoment; Gold..Guabe-had pushed his way through the surging crowd to the side of the mine superin- tendent. Hurriedly, and with cautious utterance, tho contents of the mysterious message were im- parted to the latter. ‘Oho, oho!” grated Rivers, shutting his teeth hard. ‘‘I kin see ther finger ov thet artful cuss in ther absence ov ther three cut-throats men- tioned. Shall I pick six good men an’ putt off fer ther cabin at a double-quick? You are needed hyar,” ii Yes; pick your men and get down to the camp just as quick as you can,” returned the alcalde, ‘‘I will follow you just as soon as I can. This matter here is almost over, If you find anything wrong below, signal me with three pistol-shots,” A quick nod, and the mine superintendent pushed his way through the crowd. Crumbling the bit of paper into a wad, Gold Gabe dropped it into his pocket, and turned to note the movements of Trotter, But little time had been consumed in learning the contents of the message and in starting Rivers back to the camp; yet the giant of the golden locks found that the mock Yankee had crossed the level and reached the side of his van- quished foe, A moment the mountain tramp stood calmly gazing down at the pallid face of the hunch- back, then wheeled abruptly and faced the throng that bad followed in his footsteps. ‘‘ Wal, gents, itdo appear as if th’ scrimmage wasover,” he remarked, dryly. ‘‘I hain’t sayin’ it in a boastful way, but yeour leetle pard o’ th’ erooked-back wasn’t much o’ a man, arter all; an’ if he was as good as th’ camp c’u’d show, it hain’t sayin? much for Nowhar. ‘An’ thar hain’t no use o’ any wry faces or hard feelin’s over th’ matter, either. “But I didn’t lay myself eout to slaughter through his right shoulder, an’ that is about all th’ wuss off he is fer tryin’ to amuse hisself at th’ expense o’ Jonathan Trotter, If he has had ‘As the dark Hercules passed the giant of the | his fun, he is welcome to it. golden locks, their eyes met in a single intense ( glauce. "The next instant the heavy repcrt of Trotter's ‘** Neow, some 0’ yeou fellers thet are handy at sech things git to work an’ fix him up. reckon he wasn’t so etarnal bad but he had rifle rung out across the plateau, hushing for a | some friends among yeou. moment the voices of the crowd. “As for th’ money up, by hemlock! I kalki- ' mountain tramp, around the bend in the canyor. | tly Mike, Wheezy Ben and Pious Pete, | Take or send ; late I'll take it. A quick eye an’ a steady hand ; have turned on me th’ smiles o’ fickle Dame: , Fortune, List, you sportivé sports! if you bave: aught to say, speak, or forever hold yeour JyeAce . Lightly and unflinchingly had the mock Yan- kee spoken, his words at times bordering on the reckless, and kindling in the breasts of many of Nowhav’s citizens a spark of resentment; yet,, | in the depths of his coldly gleaming gray eyes, in the peculiar smile hovering upon his thin lips, in the easy poise of his wiry form, there was something which held the turbulent spirits in check, ** We have no wish to dispute your claim—the money is yours,” uttered St. Elmo, coldly. “You have won the fight; but, if you will take a bit of advice, you w ll make yourself scarce in Nowhar. Ours is a quiet, law-abiding camp, and we have no manner of use for gentlemcem | of your ilk,” “Opinions differ,” retorted Trotter. ‘It | sorter runs in my head that. Nowhar will yet have causo to shake hands with he: self because: o’ my bein’ heur.” ‘Wind enough, gents,” interposed the al- calde, impatiently. ‘‘ This hyar unfortunate af- fair hes been settled, an’ it’s high time we were gettin’ back into th’ valley. Who knows?—~ aps th’ durned Cripples~-Ugly Mike, Wheezy Bon an’ Pious Pete, have carried off th’ hull camp.” P So unexpected by St. Elmo was this thrust, that for a moment he was.thrown off his guard s, his face plainly betraying alarm as he retreated. | a trifle, while his slender hands dropy ed swiftly upon the butts of the revolvers belted to his- waist. At tho same instant the sharp report of a fire- } arm of some sort echoed faintly from the val-- ley below. Its effect upon Gold Gabe was extremely startling. A smothered cry of rage burst from his throat; his blue eyes glowed madly, and with a single swift, convulsive bound, he cleared the space between himself and the gambler. St. Elmo stood spellbound, a look of horror on his ashen face, utterly powerless to stir. “Your life shall pay for your treacbery, dainty sport!” hissed the giant~ot the golden locks, every fiber of his massive form aquiver with passion, ‘‘ You haven't a minute to live! If you’ve a word to say, say it!” The gambler moved not a muscle. He strove to speak, but not a sound escaped his palsied tongue. Known to the camp as a man of iron: nerve, of desperate courage, he had at last weakened in the face of peril, and the prestige that had been his pride was gone, A tragedy was imminent, The crowd reveal~ ed its appreciation of the fact by a strange hush. “Speak out, you treacherous devil!” grated the giant alcalde once more, his long forefinger” playing lightly against the trigger of his self-- cocking weapon, ‘‘ What have your hired ase sassins done with my sister ? Speak, quickly — or never!” Silence, dead and unbroken, followed the slowly enunciated demand. The lurid glow im the eyes of the blonde giant deepened. Like a flash of light, his glittering weapon was raised until its Ceadly muzzle-bore fell between the- glassy, hoerror-frozen eyes of the doomed gam~ bier, A single instant, then the herculean form of Shasta Sam, the man from Cinnabar, shot out. from the front rank of the crowd, as if hurled. from a catapult, alighting squarely at the side- of the enraged alcalde. Ere his feet had fairly touched the earth, the dark giant’s long right arm swung upward in ra sharp, swift stroke at the pistol hand of Gold abe Too late; the leveled wenn exploded spite-- fully, and Julian St. Elmo ropped in a writh- ing heap, a short, gasping cry issuing from his tightly-drawn lips. With the abruptness of thought, the giant i the golden locks wheeled and faced Shasta um, With eyes blazing with intense rage, their re- volvers in hand ready for instant use other. fury. ‘CHAPTER X. HUNKI HANS SHOWS HIS HAND. THE sudden appearance of Hunki Hans, the: 12. ) the Rival, | Giants for a full minute glared fiercely at each. Then tho impending storm burst in all its
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12 The Rival Giants of Nowhar. was, to Ugly Mike and his two allies, a surprise decidedly disagreeable. From the loquacious, but hardly veracious Wheezy Ben, the chief of the Cripples had re- ceived an artisticaliy amplified account of the parts played by Trotter and the Teuton in the difficulty with the hunchback desperado at the Fair Play a short while before, and he had at once jumped to the conclusion that the two mountain tramps would be pretty tough cus- tomers to encounter, even with the odds largely against them. Then, too, the ready recognition of the decoy- ed girl by Hunki Hans was not reassuring to the cunning ruffian. And both the actions and the words of the corpulent Teuton, as he has- tened toward the girl, pointed plainly to the fact that he was determined to make a desperate fight, if need be, to effect her rescue, Such a conflict as that promised was not ex- actly to the taste of Ugly Mike, desperate and lawless as he was, and he instantly decided upon a pan of action likely to lessen the risk to him- self, In accordance with this plan he sent his signal echoing Sree ae the canyon, then, with the ex- clamation: ‘‘ We shall see!” drew back a pace and quickly folded his arms, an ugly grin part- ing his bearded lips. either he nor his companions in crime made any attempt to draw or use a weapon, but con- fined themselves for the nonce to watching nar- rowly each movement on the part of Hunki Hans and the girl. ‘“* Krautyine, yer hev tackled a hefty ole job this time, sure’s ye’re a foot high!” jeeringl observed Wheezy Ben, after a moment of si- lence. ‘Yaw; dot vos all right, mine tear frient!” responded the Teuton, from his position at the side of the girl; ‘‘but vat you do apoud id, hey?” *“ Do§—do nothin’!” retorted Ugly Mike, in well-feigned disgust. ‘‘ Ef thet sweet pink ov a gal are fool enuff ter desart her present pertec- ters an’ trust herself in ther hands ov sech a overgrow’d hunk ov p’izen wickedness an’ deceit es yer ugly mug shows yer ter be, we hain’t got nothin’ ter say. Hes we, pards?” ‘¢ Nothin’ a’ tall!” chorused the two ruffians, grinning broadly at the supposed facetiousness of their leader, ‘ Protectors! Abductors, you mean!” cried the girl, her black eyes flashing angrily. ‘Oh! Lawd! Jest listen at thet!” groaned Wheezy Ben, raising his hands and slowly roll- ing his eyes in mock horror. ‘‘ Did yer ever heur tell ov sech depravity?” ‘‘ Neyer!” sighed Pious Pete. ‘‘So young, so luv’ly, an’ yit so worldly! Werily, she hev ‘strayed from ther flock!” Amazed at this bit of audacious impudence on the part of the three roughs, the girl stared at them a moment, then turned abruptly to -Hunki Hans. “They are a trio of cowardly ruffians!” she exclaimed, indignantly. ‘‘ The fleshy rascal— the fellow in the middle there—decoyed me from camp with a cooked-up story to the effect that my brother, the so-called alcalde had been shot cand was dying out here in the Lills. “Tn return for the treacherous trick, with your assistance I will march them back to camp, where they shall receive a portion at least of the punishment they so richly merit.” “Yaw; tey vas a lotuf gowardly poogers,eny- ‘vay, and pack to der gamp t’ey must go,” coincid- ed Hunki Hans, a vicious sparkle showing in his mild blue eyes. ‘‘ Py chimminetti! der foot uf King Gabe vas pound to make t’em vellers sore somedimes, hey?” ‘“Heur w’at ther base villyuns perposes!” roared Ugly Mike, tragically, giving his arms a frantic fling. ‘‘Heur! oh, heur! my feller suf- ferers, an’ tell me ef it are ter be cr not ter be?” ‘* Down with ther foreign inwader!” shrieked ‘Wheezy Ben, his eyes ‘in fine frenzy rolling,’ a broad grin hovering over his oily countenance, ** Guv me liberty or guv me whisky.” “Wy stand we here idle?” exclaimed Pious Pete, oracularly. ‘*Ter avoid punishment un- becomin’ galoots ov our cloth, we must fly—fiee in flight, fer he who runs away may live ter fight a gin cocktail sum other day!” ‘“This idiotic nonsense 1s to gain time,” de- clared the girl to her corpulent rescuer in a low Hunki Hans nodded assent, and in a voice ~ | ‘ Se Se RE ee ee ae oe ee eee eee r: - scarcely above a whisper spoke hurriedly for a full minute. “Stop all dat foolishin’, you vellers,” he ex- claimed, sternly, addressing Ugly Mike and his allies. ‘‘I am gomin’ to dake you brisoners. Chust geep your hants oop und pe shtill mit you all, re vill shoot und der young lady likewise. Oof you dry to run avay, or make a fight, you will fint yoursellufs tead mit no goffins py, py donder!” At these words, a dark scowl flitted over the face of Ugly Mike. That Hunki Hans might at- tempt anything more than the rescue of the girl was an idea which had not even remotely oc- curred to the cunning ruffian. Darting a swift glance up the canyon, he ground out a savage oath between his hard-set teeth, and in ascarcely audible voice muttered: ‘*Pards, we hev played ther fool in lettin’ ’°em git ther drop on us. They hev us lined ter kill, an’ they mean ter shoot ef we lifts a finger. Ef ther cussed dogs don’t kem, the game are up with us.” ‘*Tt makes one feel amazin’ sick,” remarked Wheezy Ben, as the strange pair moved slowly forward. ‘So far as Ikin see, we hev put our foot in it, an’ ther next thing we knows we'll be gettin’ our necks in a noose. Oh! we hev no show at all; even ther leetle gal are a puffect whirly-gnat ov sand.” An odd smile played around the mouth of the girl as the cautiously uttered words reached her ears, ‘* Put out your hands—empty !” she exclaimed, pron A halting within a yard of the obese rough. For a moment Wheezy Ben hesitated, then sullenly complied. In the girl’s flashing eyes, in the muzzles of the dainty revolvers she held so steadily, there was a persuasive force not to be lightly resisted. © sooner were the hands of the ruffian ex- tended than Hunki Hans, with a single deft movement, drew from the pocket of his tattered coat and snapped around the waiting wrists a pair of glistening steel handcuffs! At sight of the manacles the consternation of the three desperadoes knew no bounds. ** An ossifer, by ther Lawd!” woefully groan- ed Wheezy Ben. “Ei xactly—not a Dutch tramp, but a member of the Rocky Mountain Detectives’ Association,” responded Hunki Hans, coolly, his voice and ac- cent changing as if by magic. ‘*Han’cuffs! A detective! Now we’s in fer it, sure, pards,” muttered Pious Pete, his cada- verous visage a picture of dismay. “You have predicted aright, my prophetic friend,” and with the declaration the speaker brought into view a second pair of handcuffs, with which Pious Pete was at once secured. During the moment consumed in ironing his two allies, Ugly Mike remained silent, rage and chagrin plainly showing in his distorted face. ‘*Dern my cats! ef this hyar hain’t a ret mean deal—a cold-blooded outrage!” he growled, as the detective confronted him. ‘* Have your own way about that. The only thing I require of you is a complete surrender. A galoot of about your size and build is pretty badly wanted just now over in Southwestern Colorado, ‘“Do you twig, Canyon Kit?” The detective’s words brought a sudden blaze of desperation into the eyes of the chief of the Cripples. Glaring ee at the man whom ke now recognized as an implacable foe, he seemed at the point of risking life and limb in a bold dash for liberty. But the revolvers in the hands of the undaunt- ed girl still bore full upon his breast, and with a bitter snarl he cowered back, wholly unrerved. **Tt’s no use kickin’ ag’in’ you, Bolly Dorrit— I cave,” he muttered, sullenly. ‘But [’d jest like ter know how on airth yer kem ter stum- ble on ter ther hidden trail ov ther Canyon Scourges.” *“An accident, Kit—merely an_ accident,” laughed the detective. ‘1 freely admit that it was only by chance that I penetrated your dis- guise, although I_ was on the lookout for you. There is a vast difference between Ugly Mike and his Cripples and Canyon Kit and his band of daring road-agents. ‘** But since a hitherto adverse fate has so kindly placed you in my power, I am fully inclined to the way here. ‘¢ And I came provided for just such an emer- gency as the present. Here is my third and last pair of bracelets. Extend your wrists until I satiate your desire for jewelry.” Ugly Mike, as we shall continue to know him, slowly raised his hands, then drew back sharply as a peculiar sound reached his ears, The next instant, he uttered a mocking laugh, in which he was joined by his manacled allies, The detective and his fair companion retreated a trifle, their faces showing surprise if not alarm. “Sorry, Bolly, but IT really can’t obleege yer to-day,” gleefully exclaimed the chief. as a full pack of gaunt, heavy-jawed, ugly-looking dogs, sweeping down the canyon, crouched whining at his feet, their tails restlessly whipping the ~ earth, their fierce, bloodshot eyes fixed intently | upon the detective. “Tt’s not beca’se I don’t want ter’ holp yer along, Bolly Dorrit, but beca’se my friends hyar won't allow it,” cautioned the ruffian. ‘‘ An’ Bolly, they’re ther best friends a pore hunted devil ever had, I reckon—four-footed friends, w’ot can't be bought ter play me false, ““ Up, good dogs, an’ at him!” With a series of deep-toned growls, the well- trained pack, ignoring the girl, sprung straight at the throat of the detective. mane Startled rei sige measure, for a brief moment, by the terrible peril with which he was men- aced, Hunki Hans swiftly drew back, barely es- caping the fangs of the leaders of the pack, aly for the briefest space possible was he irres- olute. Circling agilely about, now advancing, again retreating, working his revolvers with wondrous celerity and certainty, he executed each move with the promptness an ecision of a thorough- ly brave man fighting for life, » And in this extreme emergency the alcalde’s sister likewise showed remai le courage, her revolvers exploding rapidly with an effect decidedly deadly to the pack of bloodthirsty brutes. Rs ‘“*Oko! oho!” roared Ugly Mike, in ferocious glee. ‘Tear him, ye dogs—tear him, ter rib- bons!” ‘‘ Shoot ther cussed spotter an’ putt an eend ter ther racket,” suggested Pious Pete, uneasily. ** Shcot nothin’!” savagely returned the chief. “Long ago swore that ef ever I caught Bolly Dorrit, ther scourge ov ther Scourges, he should be torn ter pieces by ther wild dogs ov ther band.” ‘* Then stop ther gal, or thar won’t be a purp left,”” muttered Wheezy Ben, sulkily. ‘‘So far es I kin see, she are slayin’ more ov ther critters than ther man-hunter.” The truth of the obese ruffian’s words was manifest to Ugly Mike. With a single swift bound he reached the unwary girl, and struck the weapons from her bands. The next instant she was s ruggling in his short, powerful arms. A piercing scream apprised the detective of her peril; but, torn and bleeding, hemmed in by the snapping, snarling, leaping brutes, he was powerless to aid her, even in the least. ‘“‘Keep the critters at work—I’m goin’ ter putt ther leetle angel away,” cried Ugly Mike, sharply, as he rapidly moved off up the canyon.” . Fascinated by the the terrible struggle in pro- gress before them, the manacled outlaws made no response beyond a surly growl, His revolvers empty and useless-at last, the closely pressed detective, with the pack—dimin- ished in size but still ravenously fierce—in full’ cry at bis heels, fled down the canyon, staggering blindly as he ran. « ‘Dre ‘Ther bloke arefightin’ ag’in’ fate,” observed Wheezy Ben, his voice teeming with grim satis- faction. ‘‘He might ’a’ know’d better’n ter tackle three sech rustlers es us, enyway.” “Right yerare, yer fat fraud,” cried Pious Pete, jocularly. ‘Ef we c’u’d on’y git rid ov these bracelets now, w’ot a time— Oho! he are down at last !” i At these words the desperado eagerly started forward, his usually saturnine wisage aglow with malevolent satisfaction; for, slipping in the coze which in places covered the bottom of the canyon, the luckless detective had fallen heavily upon bis face, to be instantly set upon by the gaunt, powerful dogs, eager to rend bim into fragments. | tone, keeping her eyes on the ruffians disdain- | profit by my accidental discovery. It was only H fully. cle whistle sounded by the one with } an hour ago, while ret and your two allies here CHAPTER XI j the red beard was a signal for help from some | were plotting the abduction of this young lady, ; ry hi quarter. Whatever is to be done must be done | that if overheard enough to open my eyes to A MADMAN’S WORK. arg BR quickly. If the feat can in any way be accom- | your true character. Circumstances prevented | WHEN the giant of the golden locks abruptly ; plished, we should take the trio into camp, for | my blocking your bold scheme, but I was close | wheeled and confronted the dark Hercules, it i athere is some motive for this bold act.” benind your tool and his unsuspecting victim all | was quite plain to the men on the horseshoe plateau that the most eventful day in the history ya t i | 4 | | . | : -
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fe 1 ~ you assassina’ of the gold camp had been ushered in with the rising of that morning’s sun. There was an immediate massing of the oppos- ing factions; on every side belts were drawn tight, and hands dropped instinctively upon pro- truding revolver-butts. For a moment, the rival giants faced each other in dead silence, the eyes of each aflame with seeming hate and anger. Then Gold Gabe spoke, in his deep-toned voice, his superb figure swaying lightly to and fro as if he was upon the point of hurling himself full against the man from Cinnabar, ‘* What do you mean by this meddling inter- ference, Bummer Bob?” he demanded, the lurid glow in his blue eyes deepening. ‘‘ Who asked ou to thrust your carcass between me and ulian St. Elmo?” “Touch me gently, you mogul of fraud and deceit,” returned the dark giant, the words fall- ing slowly and deliberately from between his hard-set teeth. ‘It is the duty of every honest man, be he large or small, to use every possible effort to prevent bloodshed; and, if he fails and an unprovoked murder is done, it is then his duty to see that justice gets her due—that the dead is avenged. _ “ And this latter is exactly what I intended todo. On two occasions you have foully mur- dered your men; first, Monterey Merle, whom y in the dead of night for the sake of a few ounces of gold; pow, under a shal- low subterfuge fetched up to conceal your real motive, you have spilled the blood from the veins of this lifeless pap of clay at our feet. ‘“Such a crime as this last cannot go un- ave , even in this mountain fastness of the Territory. The law, and the law’s executives, are unknown in the camp of Nowhar; but there is at hand the material out of which to create a tribunal that never fails to mete out due punish- ment to the criminal—a tribunal more to be dreaded by the ruthless breaker of Jaws human and divine than the most carefully organized court of justice in the land—a tribunal, in a Aa whose presiding officer is good Judge ynch! ““You may well quail, Buzzard Bill, for you at last stand face to face with the doom I swore should be yours five long years ago, when on that fatal morning | came upon the cold, rigid corpse of guage d Merle.” hen up from the closely massed followers of Julian St. Elmo arose yells and curses loud.and bitter, aecompanied with a restless surging por- tending a wild outbreak. Naught but the set, determined faces and ready weapons of the blonde giant’s stanch friends held the worse ele- ment in check. No trace of fear was to be seen in the face of the alcalde. On the pane a peculiar smile parted his full red lips, and his voice grew sin- gularly soft and purring as he spoke: ‘Upon my word! you do it well, Bob!” he exclaimed, ‘*A vast improvement marks the ebbing of your life’s sands, One hearing your tongue wag inight well believe that a Member of We (tere oa pe glory. with justice his one and only ho suddenly flopped down into our humble midst, Pris, 384 / “And yet your tragically eloquent slop-over is like a house built upon the shifting sands—it amounts to nothing, from the simple fact that its foundation is technically insecure. ‘There may have been such a person as this Monterey Merle, and he may have been mur- dered; or the entire story may be but a freak of your imagination, Our only proof of such a murder is your word, and, so far as we know, your reputation for veracity is not worth an ounce of uncrushed quartz. __.$* As for the dainty sport here, he is no more . dead than either you or I, unless he has died of sheer fright. Not a dropof his blood has been spilled—not so much as a hair of his head harmed. : “Had I sent my bullet crashing through his brain, instead of hurtling harmlessly through the air, not a man in all the camp would have declared the act murder when the whole truth had been laid bare; for full and just provoca- tion existed—provocation so i, Se even a tribunal of your idolized Judge Lynch would have held the killing as nothing more than a vindication of the very laws you regard so highly.” : en then, to the apparently unutterable dis- gust of Shasta Sam, Julian St. Elmo slowly arose, : “Look for yourself, Bummer Bob!” cried the alealde, mockingly. ‘Have I told the truth, or has the dead risen?” And, as the unnerved gambler moved away crestfallen, furtively eying the now jeering The Rival Giants of Nowhar. crowd, the giant of the golden locks darted a quick glance into the face of his rival—then: ‘Halt! Julian St. Elmo. Not another step, or by the heavens above us! you shall die like we cursed coward you are, with your back toa oe! The ringing tones and words of the alcalde brought the gambler to bay; the second time within the hour Julian St. Elmo abruptly halt- ed, his aspect one of uncontrollable fear. Then, directly contrary to the expectations of the crowd, Shasta Sam, with a mocking bow, stepped aside, allowing the giant of the golden ce s to stride unmolested toward his unnerved oe, . What passed between the two men was spok- en in tones so low as not to be overheard, al- though there was eager listening. At the expiration of five minutes the alcalde turned away from the gambler and walked over to the mock Yankee, with whom he ex- changed a few words, then hastened across the Dintead to the path leading down into the valley. Left to himself, Julian St. Elmo skulked quickly out of sight around the curve of the horseshoe. . A fearful glance over his shoulder discovered no pursuit, nor to his strained hearing came the slightest sound which would indicate that he was being followed, That the gambler was perfectly familiar with the ground he was traversing was obvious. Not the ey coe hesitancy marked his move- ments as he left the level of the plateau and be- gan a toilsome ascent of the mountain. On- ward and upward, slowly and laboriously, he clambered, bending his course to the south- ward, until at the end of an hour he stood upon a narrow ledge overlooking the gold-camp far below. ** Accursed spot!’ he muttered, through his set teet, staring down, with a mad glow in his blue eyes, at the distant collection of rude habi- tations. ‘‘ Never more shall I dare set foot within your bounds, for from this hour forth I am a hunted man! ‘“There, in your narrow limits, I felt that I was almost safe—that the sleuth-hounds seeking my trail were forever at fault. Fool! fool that I was to delude myself, to remain and tempt in- exorable fate! ‘With all my shrewdness, all my cunning, T have been fairly outmatched. From the advent of Ronald Morton, in the guise of Gold Gabe, until that moment when he faced me there on the plateau, with death in his mad eyes, I never suspected that the avenger was present in No- whar. In that moment I realized the truth, though five years had wrought their changes in F ave ons foes ever and always. ‘Hired assassins have attempted his life, only to fail, one by one. Had I even dreamed the truth, his death would have been swiftand sure, for with my own hand I would have slain him. “Yet, during all the weeks in which we were thrown together, it did not occur to me that he was Ronald Morton, nor did he more than sus- pect until that terrible moment upon the plateau that he had at_last_ found the man so long searched for. Then I could see that I had been tricked—could see by the red glow in his eyes that he at least partially realized the truth, and rather than again encounter him, I have taken to the wilds like a hunted beast. ‘‘Curses upon the spot! Curses on all who linger there; be they friends or foes. Had I the power, now, in the bitterness of my humili- ation and defeat, I would crush them all as I would crush a creeping, obnoxious spider. ‘“‘Ha! those dark specks moving through the camp are men gathering at the office of the Yellow Boy Mine. They are called together, no doubt, by ‘Ronald Morton, to be sent over the hills and through the canyons in search of the missing girl. ? ‘She is in my power, and never again shall the eyes of the avenging giant look upon her loving face. Crushed, Gelcated: driven at bay like a hunted hound though I am, yet shall I deal ck blow for blow. ere the giant dead, and the events of this day blotted out, I would lay siege to the heart of the girl and win her for my wife, for since 13, that ill-starred day five — ago, her face has haunted me, sleeping and waking. She is beau- tiful as an houri, and rich, Again could I tace the world, and bid defiance to that dread Nem-- esis, retribution.” Staring down the mountain-side, his eyes. glowing with a deadly light, his voice, accentu-- ated with bitterness, rising and falling fitfully, his aspect that of one with ‘‘a mind diseased,” Julian St. Elmo stood until he had ended his. soliloquy, then started back from the verge of the narrow ledge, a look of horror spreading, over his pallid face, ‘* Why not?” he exclaimed aloud. ‘ Why noté Curse them! would they not crush me ?” Then horror and hesitancy vanished, giving: place to fiendish delight and deliberate action. Hastening from the ledge, the gambler re-- sumed his way up the mountain, ascending with. rapidity and feverish strength invoked from his newly-formed purpose of evil. Up the steep he toiled, never pausing, his eyes alert for the vantage point sought, the breath leaving his parched throat in short, sharp gasps, telling with voiceless eloquence of the terrible strain upon his endurance. Upward, until the coveted point was gained, when a harsh, oa laugh, escaping bis bleed-- ing lips, jarred weirdly on the brooding silence. , They are doomed!” he cried shrilly, halting beside a great bowlder overhanging the edge of a terrace, and peering down at the just discern-- ible gold-camp. ‘‘ Their fate is in my hands! My humiliation shall be avenged! ne stout ush, and this monster stone will go thundering ownward, with each mighty bound starting others in its train, and a others, until a resist-- less avalanche hurls itself upon the camp of Nowhar and blots it and all within it from ex-- istence, “Weeks ago, when I discovered this hanging rock and waraed them of its constant menace to the camp, they laughed and jeered at the idea of an avalanche, Now, when it is too late, they shall recall my words, and lament with shrieks and groans and curses!” Again his elfish laugh rung out. With a swift. bound, he threw himself behind the bowlder, eager to put in execution his devilish design. In his madness, he seemed vested with the strength of three ordinary men. <A_hard-. drawn breath, a powerful push, and over the edge of the terrace toppled the at rock,, crashing downward on its mission of death, True to his expectations, a constantly swelling volume of debris swept downward in the wake of the thundering bowlder, the noise of its pas-- sage increasing in a moment from the sharp rattle of a few rolling stones to the dull roar of a mighty avalanche, “Hal ha! It is done! They are doomed men!” he shrieked, bis voice rising high above the din, his blue eyes glittering with a strange, unnatural lently to and fro. ‘ Not a vestige of the camp will remain—not a man escape he avalanche: of death to hound me down! No! no! buried beneath tons of rock and earth, all will lie still. and voiceless till the crack of doom! Iam safe! safe at last! Never more need Jason Dyke, the: gambler and murderer, stand in dread of the: allows! ‘““But why do I stand here? Away to the: cavern and the girl; then farewell forever to — this accursed spot!” Turning abruptly, he strode away, shaping: bis course to the southward along the mountain-- side. For fully an hour, never once pausing to look: back, he sped along as rapidly as the rugged nature of his pathway would permit, his brow knit in thought. At the expiration of that time, he halted upon the verge of an apparently bot-- tomless canyon. After a sweeping glance around, to assure himself that he was not watched, he gave three short, sharp whistles, then threw himself flat on the earth. — A moment later, Ugly Mike, the chief of the Cripples, suddenly appeared, stepping out from the face of an apparently solid bluff a short dis- tance up the canyon. St. Elmo raised his head, and beckoned him to. approach, , he desperado glided forward. “Wot on airth be yer doin’ up hyar, Jule St. Elmo? he exclaimed, in surprise. ‘*T came up to see how affairs were progress- ing,” craftily replied the gambler, You: worked the trick with the gir), Mike?” ‘“ We caged her, slick an’ clean,” and the ruf-- fian sunk lazily to the ground. ** How’d ther duel kem out?” ’ **Dunkle was killed.” The reply was given at random, for whether; light, as he swung his arms vio-: /
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14 The Rival Giants of Nowhar. the hunchback desperado was dead or only wounded St. Elmo knew not. “Sho! now; are thet a fact? Yaas? Wal! ‘wal: thar’s no a’countin’ fer ther things thet happen in this hyar wale ov tears,” and Ugly Mike evolved a lugubrious sigh. *Yaas, sur; sum’ derned queer things do happen. Now, in snakin’ ther gal out ov camp ; ther hull three ov us kem mighty nigh a-cashin’ ‘in our chips. Wheezy Ben wheedled her out ov Nowhar all right, an’ got her safe inter ther 8 canyon; but w’en we went ter lay han’s on her, we found we hed miskalkilated sum’, fer she outs witha brace o’ ‘sixes’ an’ shows signs ov fight. ‘“‘Afore we c’u’d rekiver from our s’prise, inter ther canyon pops ther dirty fat cuss w’ot has bin’ passin’ hisself off in camp es a Dutch tramp, an’ atween ’em they got ther drop on us in ther wu’st way I ever see. Then ther two ov ‘em sized et up thet they c’u’d take ther three ov us inter camp, ter be booted by King Gabe till we w’u’d tell who hed putt up ther leetle job on ther gal. ** | hed whistled fer ther purps, but afore they wd git down from ther cave, ther Dutch son- -ov-a-gun hed bracelets—bracelets, do yer mind —round ther wrists ov Pete an’ Ben. In course thet took all ther starch out ov ther boyees, an’ they wilted, wharupon ther fat cuss laughed an’ let et out thet he war Bolly Dorrit, ov ther mountain detectives, an’ thet he hed bin doin’ sum purty tall listenin’ ’round ther Fair Play, an’ hed got on ter ther gal racket. Wile he war blowin’ away, ther purps kem down an’ lit inter him, an’ then thar war ther purtiest leetle serimmage ever yer see. **T see’d in a minute thet ther dorgs war goin’ ter be too much fer Bolly, beka’se ther fat cuss c’u'dn’t shake a leg fast enuff ter keep out ov their way; so leavin’ ther boyees ter watch ther fight, 1 grabbed the gal an’ putt off fer ther cave, whar she now are, ‘** Wile I war gone, ther dorgs downed Bolly, an’ war jest a-makin’ mince-meat ov him, w’en ther boyees heerd Jeems Rivers an’ a pack ov galoots kemin’ lickety-split up ther canyon. Bein’ as how they war han’cuffed an’ in no fix fer a fight, they up an’ cut fer ther cave, escapin’ *thout bein’ see’d, . ‘** Rivers an’ his men cleaned out w’at war left oy ther pack, am’ got Bolly stretched out more ceed than alive, then went a-moseyin’ up am’ own the canyon Jookin’ fer our hidin’-place; but ther secret path leadin’ up ter ther cave war too much fer ’em, an’ so they finally up ith ther {at cuss an’ putt back fer ther camp. ‘““Thet war purty nigh two hours ago; sence thet time thar hes bin no sign ov life in ther canyon.” Julian St. Elmo smiled grimly, He recalled the gathering at the office of the Yellow Boy Mine. He readily understood why there had been no signs of life in the canyon during the past hour. **Ther job ov stealin’ ther gal war a success,” continued Ugly Mike. ‘‘ But ther Cripples won’t be see’d around Nowhar much arter this, fer King Gabe are a holy terror, an’ he'll hev a rod in pickle fer ther boyees.” , “Quite true,” said St. Elmo, quietly, his long fingers toying nervously with the haft of the bowie in his belt. ‘‘ You say Pete and Ben are in the cave?” The chief nodded assent. ** Alone with the girl?” Vans.” * Then who is that?” and the gambler, spring- ing half-erect, pointed with the index finger of his left hand toward the cave. Startled, Ugly Mike turned his head and glared in the direction indicated. ‘ St. Elmo’s knife flashed in the sunlight. A swift, downward stroke, and the long blade sunk to the hilt in the back of the tricked des- perado, ‘* You, Jule St. Elmo—did you do thet?’ he gasped, whirling over and staring with fast ’ glazing eyes at the face of the treacherous gam- bler. ‘* W’at; hev I done thet you sh’u’d stab me ‘in ther back? Cuss yer! hain’t I sarved yer long an’ well?” ***Dead men tell no tales!’” quoth the mad homicide, and with the jeering response, the life of Ugly Mike ebbed rapidly away. e CHAPTER XII. JESSICA RELATES A STORY. ‘* HE has gone the way of all flesh,” muttered St. Elmo, turning from the lifeless form of Ugly Mike, and moving cautiously toward the cav- ern. ‘‘ All that now remains for me to do to free myself of all entangling alliances, is to rid myself of Wheezy Ben and Pious Pete. Luckily / they are handcuffed, and with my revolvers in prime condition, the affair will be altogetber one-sided. ‘* Adroitly performed, the act can be made to give mea hero’s prestige in the eyes of the ro- | mantic girl, too; and, once in her good graces, I doubt not that I shall be perfectly competent | to lay successful siege to her heart and hand. ‘*There is nothing like turning these little matters to account, for it is the trifles that count up and swell the total, ‘*Tortunately, the girl has not seen me since that day on which occurred our first and only | meeting, and the change in my appearance isso marked that the chances are a hundred to one that she will never recognize me. “After she is once Mrs. Jason Dyke, how- ever, I don’t care a picayune how quickly she opens her eyes to the real facts in the case. I think I can depend upon myself to see that no secrets go out of the family. ‘* But bere is the cavern entrance. Now for a glimpse inside, then ho! for the bold, heroic dash!” Perfectly familiar with the cave and _ its vicinity, the crafty villain had so,arranged his approach as to remain unseen by any one chanc- | ing to look forth in quest of Ugly Mike. The secret haunt was a roomy, well-lighted place, and the forms of its denizens were easily discerned by the gambler as he darted a single piercing look through the narrow, cunningly concealed aperture serving as an entrance, At the rear end of the cavern, seated upon a large flat stone, her hands bound securely with arough rawhide thong, and her head ‘bowed | down, was Jessica Morton, the blonde giant’s | sister, Just within the entrance sat the two ruffians, side by side upon a narrow ledge, conversing in low tones, and anon regarding their manacled hands with rueful looks. As St. Elmo noted the respective positions of | : | **If you had friends there, my dear Miss Mor- the three persons, an evil smile curled his thin lips. ““T would not have it better,” he thought. “* A single leap, a brace of shots, a little artful rodomontade, and I shall be face to face with the fair charmer, and deep at one bound in her good graces.” : Withdrawing from the’ strained position he had assumed, the gambler abruptly stepped be- fore the narrow aperture in the rock, each hand clasping the butt of a weapon, his eyes glowing fiercely, his athletic form bent slightly forward, and his muscles bunched for a mighty bound. An instant he swayed lightly back and forth, then shot forward with ‘the ease and suppleness of a panther, alighting face to face with the brace of astounded ruffians. ‘‘ Hands up, or die!” he shouted, the words falling swiftly, his full tones filling the cavern with strange, ringing echoes. ‘* What! you show fight! Then—take—it!” The hiatuses between the last sharply hissed words were each filled with the crack of a re- volver, and the two desperadoes, each with a bullet hole in the center of his forehead, fell killed before they could utter a word. For a moment St. Elmo stood quite still, with his smoking weapons gracefully poised, his corners of the cavern, and his bearing that of a tack, ‘**Can it be possible there were but three of them?” he ejaculated, the words just audible, ** And the fair captive—where—is-- Ah!” With the exclamation, he deftly returned the the girl hadstarted to her feet, in evident alarm. ** A thousand pardons, miss, if I have startled ou!” he murmured, bowing as he deferentially ifted his hat. ‘‘ Prompt, decisive action was fians were bent upov making a desperate fight.” * An apology is not to be thought of,” return- smile hovering over her pallid face, she added: ‘The men were desperate fellows, and would though they were.” ‘* Handcuffed ?” The exclamation teemed with artfully simula- ted surprise and chagrin. ‘““Yes; they were handcuffed,” repea the ironing of the two ruffians by Hunki Hans. ‘‘It must have been that the glitter of the manacles misled me,” mused the apparently ed for himself alone, ifeless upon the sandy bottom of the cave— | gleaming blue eyes peering into the darker man who expected an immediate and deadly at- | revolvers to his belt, then glided forward, for | necessary, as it was evident that those two ruf- | ed the girl, promptly. Then, with a peculiar | have fought to the last, no doubt, handcuffed | ted Jes- | sica; then, in a few brief sentences she related | | | gambler, bowing low, crestfallen gambler, as if the words were intend- | fied! ‘“*T was morally sure that each had drawn a weapon. Then, too, I was expecting a determined resistance, for I had just headed a terrible struggle outside with the red-bearded member of the trio. “‘T shall never excuse myself for my haste,” | he continued, aloud, addressing his words to the girl. ‘It is inexpressibly galling to a man of | spirit to find that he has slain a comparatively helpless foe. | ‘But permit me to free your hands. And I | dare say a glimpse of the outer world would be boti agreeable and reireshing after your con- finement in this noisome piace.” Jessica Morton mutely extended her hands. Under the keen edge of St. Elmo’s knife, the rawhide thong parted snd fell away. “Thank you,” she said, quietly. Then, as she _ noted the interest glow in the gamblers eyes, her glance shifted, and a faint flush crept over her face, Inwardly exultant at the successful working of the plot evolved from his crazed brain, St. Elmo turned and led the way from the cavern. In passing the body of Wheezy Ben, the girl stooped and drew from his belt a heavy revolver, which she instantly concealed in the folds of her | dress, ‘*How long have you been a captive in that | den, Miss—Miss—” ‘** Miss Morton,” supplied Jessica, as the emerged from the short passage. ‘‘ I don’t thin I've been there more than two hours, I was enticed from Nowhar this morning. ‘From Nowhar, you say? If you had friends in that camp, Miss Morton, I have sad news to impart,” and the gambler’s face assumed a serious expression. ‘**Sad news! Oh! what can it be?” cried the girl, sinking upon arock, facing the canyon, and wringing her hands despairingly. : St. Elmo averted his face to conceal a look of triumph. ton, pray prepare yourself for news of terrible import,” he said, with immeasurable gravity. | At that instant, the girl started sharply, and | & look of great relief crept into her face. — | ‘* Friends!” she exclaimed almost impatiently, | her face in turn eluding the gampbler’s glance. | ‘The last of my kindred—my brothers—were there.” ““Then, lady, I have for you the worst news | possible. - |” © But little more than an hour ago, an awful avalanche swept down upon the, fated camp, burying everything beneath tons of earth. Out es all owhar, not a man escaped: At last ** At last you—have what?” interrogated Jes- sica sharply, wheeling and staring him full in / the face. St. Elmo hesitated, and bit his lip. His reel-— ing brain had led him almost into making an ir- | reparable blunder ‘At last I have discharged a disagreeable | duty,” he concluded. ’ leas Oh! is th: t all?’ and a cold smile flitted over Jessica Morton’s face. | The gambler was nonplused. He had expect- ed a wild outburst of grief. | ‘But are yeu sure no one escaped from the dcomed camp?” continued the gir). | ‘* Positive,” replied St. Elmo. ‘‘ From a spur of the mountain overlooking the camp, I wi nessed the descent of theavalanche, Nota man escaped, Many attempted to flee, only to be ' crushed heneath the mass of rock and earth.” A monient of silence ensued. : ‘* How did you discover that I was a captive in the cave, Mr,—” — ** Donald Clark, ismy name—a tourist, tramp- ing these hills for pleasure and adventure,” said St. Elmo, seating himself on a rock. ‘ In reply ; to your question: After the falling of the ava- _lanche, 1 turned away, sick at heart, well-know- ing that I could be of no assistance to the poor fellows buried in the valley below me. chance, I laid my course in, this direction, and again, by the merest accident, overheard a ! | | | _ know the result.” J “My abduction this morning seems to have , been a very fortunate circumstance, in some re- | Spects, Mr, Clark,” observed Jessica, after a m0- , ment’s thought. “At all events, it led to my | escaping the avalanche, ‘** But now that I am alone in the world, how shall I ever get back to civilization?” ‘Tam at your service, dear lady,” cried the : Mentally, he added: s§ And, hang me! if you ain’t selfishness personi- The girl shot a covert glance at his face, while } Or= — | tion of the conversation of your captors, You —
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her foot beat a restless tattoo against the rocks. ‘* Really) Mr. Clark, yours is a most fenerous and self-sacrificing nature!” she exclaimed, a scarcely perceptible tinge of irony spicing her words. “I dislike the idea of foistang myself upon your protection for an indefinite period, but I really don’t see how I can reject_ your magnanimous offer, alone and helpless as T am. ‘* However, before the matter is definitely agreed upon, there are certain conditions sur- rounding my life that it is only right you should under the circumstances, understand. Again St. Elmo bowed. ; _ My name, as I told you, is Jessica Morton,” continued the girl. ‘‘My father was Arzeno Morton, for many years a popular Mississippi steamboat captain, and I was born nineteen years ago, in one of the northern counties of the commonwealth of Kentucky. . “I had two brothers, Ronald and Henry, ‘twins, some seven Nea older than myself, At my mother’s death, when I was in my cighth year, these boys were sent away to school, while | was put under the care of a widowed aunt, — “A few months later, my father resigned his position, and went to California. There he re- mained four years, returning quite wealthy, ; ” “He at once purchased a large plantation in P ny native county, and in a short time, through a series of fortunate speculations, more than doubled his fortune, ‘* His life thenceforth might have been.one of ease, prosperity, and honor, for he ranked well in his community; but the fascinations and temptations of river life were strong upon him, ‘> and against his better judgment he made fre- quent excursions down the Mississippi. ‘ “Tt was while with him, upon the last of these trips be was fated ever to make, that the tragi- cal adventure destined to becloud my future life befell me. : } ft ‘““You are listening, Mr. Clark?” p } “T am listening,” replied St. Elmo, uneasily, ‘his face filled with a strange pallor, and his shifting glance refusing to meet the steady, carn- est gaze of the girl. 2 ‘On that particular trip Jes: ‘ watt The Rival Giants of Nowhar. ly to recognize St. Elmo when, disguised as a man, I was taken into Nowhar and brought face to face with the villain. ** Time and art had wrought wondrous changes in his appearance, * Back to the camp in the hills I went, and last night, in my proper person, with Henry and our two agents, again entered the gold- camp. Then, events over which we had no con- trol, forced us to alter our plans; and now this avalanche renders an entire and radical change necessary, for I am determined that Jason Dyke, or Julian St. Elmo, shall yet pay the penalty of his many crimes.” As the girl concluded, she looked squarely into the eyes of the gambler, a deadly gleam showing in her own black orbs. By a powerful effort St. Elmo had succeeded in bringing his nerves partially under control, and met the piercing gaze with comparative steadiness, **T do not exactly understand you, Miss Mor- ton,” he began, with cool assurance, ‘* Your chase is surely ended, for, if this Dyke, or St. Elmo, was in howkar this morning, he is now beyond the reach of allearthly vengeance.” ** He was not in the camp when the avalanche fell,” sharply responded the girl, rising to her feet. ‘* Nor is he beyond the reach of earthly venfeance, ‘““f know you at last, Jason Dyke! Surrender, or you die!” ‘ On a level with his heart she held the revol- ver slipped from the belt of eb rani Ben, and in per voice there was a ring of deadly determina- AON, St. Elmo laughed outright. ‘** Why, this is the spiciest little scene I have taken part in for a long while,” he declared. ‘““That is a dangerous weapon you have, my dear Jessica, and you hold it well; but if you will take the trouble to lower your glance just a trifle, you will see that two are playing at that game, ““T saw whither you were drifting, and, wo- man though you are, I took the precaution to get your angelic form under the muzzles of my weapons, for I confess to a strong antipathy to dying by the hand of a half-crazed girl. ‘** Drop your weapon, and sit down, and we will talk the matter over like rational creatures. ‘You are now alone in the world, and here in this mountainous solitude are completely at my tierey : “TI admit that you have found a true bill against me, so far as that unfortunate affair of five years ago isconcerned; but I am inclined to be reasonable and forbearing, and I have a proposition to submit. ‘“* What I have to propose is, that you_become Mrs, Jason Dyke. The ladies whom I would honor with such a proposal arenot many, Duly considered, it is a magnanimous proposition, ‘* Come, now, what do you say?” The girl made no answer; her black eyes blazed steadily at the mocking face of her tor- mentor. A shadow fell across the parched earth at the gambler’s feet, another Herculean form bent swiftly over him, anda pair of strong hands closed about his slender wrists in a gripe of steel. “ Don’t you think your proposal just a leetle premature, dainty sport?’ interpolated a stern voice Slipping from the rock, St. Elmo faced his captor, ‘Gold Gabe, by the eternal!” he shrieked, CHAPTER XIII. CONCLUSION, Hap a bolt from heaven descended, the half- crazed gambler,could not have been more terri- bly astounded, ‘I reckon you have called the turn,” grimly returned the giant of the golden locks, as he deftly disarmed St. Elmo, Released from the vise-like grip of the giant, the apes stared around like one dazed. ho! oho!” he suddenly cried, a dash of hope appearing in his face. ‘The battle is not ended yet, for here is Shasta Sam, your sworn foe!” The dark Hercules slowly advanced, a deadly smile playing about his red lips. .._ Nay, Jason Dyke, the play is done—the farce as ended,” he cried. ‘Sooner than harm one hair of Ronald Morton’s head, I would hurl your worthless carcass to the bottom of yonder can- yon. Know ye, murderous wretch, that blood is thicker than water—that we rival giants are ik a hay by } now ye, that from the moment I appeared in Nowhar Ronald and I were in sores tea e to wrest from you the secret of your identity; 15 —_— — that, on the plateau, by a move of my arm, I warned Trotter of the course about to be pur- sued by your faithful ally, the hunchback; that on the plateau, by means of a written message, [again warned Ronald of Jessica’s abduction; that Trotter and myself followed you up the mountain-side, to find where you hed her con- cealed, and in so doing witnessed your starting of the avalanche, and the cowardly assassina- tion of Ugly Mike, ‘Know ye, that your red race is run—that the end 3s here!” As the dark Hercules ended, Gold Gabe step- ped forward. ‘At last you are defeated at every turn, Jason Dyke,” he said, speaking slowly. ‘‘ Your doom_is at hand; but before you go to meet your Maker, there are a few things I want you to know, ; “T want you to know that Hump Dunkle, your only really faithful ally and cpalidant. has made a clean breast of everything—of the plot to assassinate me at the Fair Play last night and of the fact that Truthful Joe’s statement there was a tissue of falsehoods,” “T want you to know that the avalanche started down the mountain by you to crush out the gold-camp and the men in it was a grand fiasco—that of all the camp the hunchback and Faro Frank were the only men killed.” And with a mocking bow the giant of iba golden locks drew back, Then, as Jonathan Trotter stepped into view, Jessica arose and glided forward. “Mr, Dyke,” she exclaimed, “it is but due you that you should have an answer to your magnanimous proposal for my hand. As brief and pointed a reply as I can give is to introduce you to my husband.” ‘““Mr. Jason Dyke, Mr. Jonathan Trotter, otherwise Mr. Eldridge Gerry, of Denver.” The bogus Yankee bowed with studied polite- ness. Through it all Jason Dyke stood like a hunted beast brought to bay. Ata sharp word from the blonde giant No- whar’s entire population appeared, passing up from the canyon by the secret path used by Ugly Mike and his Cripples. or a moment the doomed wretch staggered. blindly, then clinched his hands and with a wild yeul dashed straight toward the yav ning chasm. A cry of horror went up from the rapidly as- sembling miners, and amid the rush that tollow- ed fifty pairs of hands were outstretched to seize St. Ehno. Too late; crouching for an instant on the very verge of the canyon, the maddened wretch cast a swift glance over his shoulder, then with an elfish scream leaped far out into the abyss. The crowd stood appalled. There could be but one end to that leap—death, quick and terrible. Verily, the giant avengers had followed the trail to the bitter end. j A few words more, and the end is reached. The dead gambler was buried in the canyon in which he met his grim and tragic fate, The next day the giant brothers, their sister and her husband, together with the wounded Bolly Dorrit, left the gold-camp of Nowhar fer- ever, the “alcalde” turning over to the faithful Jeems Rivers, the Yellow Boy Mine, THE END, DIME DIALOGUES AND SPEAKERS YOR SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS AND HOME ENTERTAINMENTS. Dialogues, Nos. i to 8 inclusive, 15 to 25 popu- ar dialogues and dramas in each book. Each vyol- ume 100 pages 12mo. Speakers, Nos. 1 to 25 inclusive, Each speaker 100 pages 12mo, containing from 50 to 75 pieces, YOUNG PEOPLE'S SERIES, ime Book of Winter Sports, ch 1 Book of Summer Athletic Sports , Dime Gents’ Letter Writer. Dime Book of Etiquette, Dime Book of Verges, Dime Book of Dreams, Dime Fortun Dime Ladies’ Letter Writer, a3: Dime Lovers’ Casket. Dime Ball-Room Companion. Dime Book of 100 Games, Dime Chess Instructor, ime Book of Beauty, The above ee are for sale by all news- dealers or will sent, post- on receipt rice, ten cents each, by BEADLE’ AND ADAMS. WILLIAM STREET, N, Y.
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51 The Boy Rifless or, The Underground Camv. By A.C.Iron 52 The White Bulfalo, By C. E. Lasalle. 58 Jim Bludsoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix. By E.L. Wheeler. 54 Ned Hazel, the Boy Trapper, By Capt. J. F.C. Adams. 55 Deadly-Eye, the Unknown Scout. By Buffalo Bill. 56 Nick Whilties’ Pet. By Captain J. F. C. Adams. 57 Deadwood Dick’s Eagles, By Edward L. Wheeler. 58 The Border King; or, The Secret Foe. By Ol Coomes. 6&9 O11 Wickory; or, Dandy Ellis’s Scalp. By Harry St. George. 60 The White Indian. By Captain J, F.C) Ada-'s. 6 Buckhorn Bill; or, The Red Rifle Team. By E. L. Wheeler. 62 The Shadow Ship. By Colone! Prentiss Ingraham, 68 The Red Brotherhood. By W.J Hamilton. 64 Dandy Jack. By T. C. Harbaugh. 65 Hurricane Bill. By Joseph EF. Badger, Jr. 66 Single Hand; or, A Life fora Life. By W. J. Hamilton, 67 Patent-Leather Joe. By Philip S. Warne. 68 The Border Robin Hood. By Buffalo Bill. 69 Gold Rifle the Sharpshooter. By Edward L. Wheeler) 70 Old Zip’s Cabin. by Captain J. F.C, Adains. 71 Delaware Dicks the Young Ranger Spy. By Oll Coomer. 72 Mad Tom Western, the Texan Ranger. By W.J. Hamilton. 78 Deadwood Dick on Deck. by Edward L. Wheeler. 74 Wawk-eye Marry, By Oll Coomes. @5S The Boy Duelist. By Colonel Prentiss Ingham, 76 Abe Colt, the Crow-Killer. By Albert W. Aiken. 77 Corduroy Churlle, the Boy Bravo. By E. L, Wheelers’ 78 Blue Dick. By Captain Mayne Reid, 79 Sol Ginger, the Giant Trapper. By Albert W. Aiken,, SO Rosebud Rob. By Edward L. Wheeler, S81 Lightning Jo. By Captain J. F.C. Adame, $2 Kit Marefoot the Wood-Hawk. By T. C. Harbaugh, 88 Rollo, the Boy Ranger. By Oll Coomes. 84 Idyl, the Girl Miner, By Edwsrd L. Wheeler. 85 Buck Buekram, By Captuin J, F.C. Adams. 86 Dandy Rock, the Man from Texas. By G. Walde Brown. 87 The Land Pirates, By Captaiu Mayne Reid. 88 Photograph Phil, the Boy Sleuth. By E. L. Wheeler, 89 Island Jim. By the author of “ Jack Harkaway.” 90 ‘The Drend Rider. By George Waldo Browne. 91 The Captain of the Club. By B-ace}ridge Hemyng. 92 Canada Chet, the Counterfeiter Chief. By E. L. Wheeler, 98 The a ae Minera, By Edward, Elifs. 94 Midnight ~ ack, the Road-Agent. By T.C. Harbaugh, 95 The Rival Rovers. By Lieut. Col, Hazeltine. 96 Watch-Eye, the Shadow. By Edward L. Wheeler. 97 The Outlaw Brothers, by John J. Marshall. 98 Robin Mood, the Outlawed Earl. By Prof. Gildersleeve. 99 The Tiger of Tuoa, By Georrve Waldo Browne, 100 Deadwood Dick in Leadville. By E. L. Wheeler. 101 Jack Harkaway in New York, Bracebridge Hemyng. 102 Dick Dead-Eve,. By Colonel! Prentiss Ingraham, 108 The Lion of the Sea. By Colone! Delle Sara, 104 Deadwood Dick's Device. By Edward L. Wheeler. 105 Old Rube, the Nunter. By Captain H. Holmes, 106 Old Frosty, the Guide. By T. C. Harbaugh. 107 One-Eyed Sim, By James L. Bowen. 108 Daring Davy, the Young Bear-Killer. By H. St. George. 19 Dendwood Dick as Detective. By E. lL. Wheeler. » The Black Steed of the Prairies, By J. L. Bowen. The Sen-Devif. By Colonel Prestiss Ingraham. The Mad Hunter. By Burton Saxe Jack Hovle the Young Speculatur. By FE. 1. Wheeler. 4 The Black Schooner. Hy Roger Starbuck. ‘he Mad Miner. Ky George Waldo Browne. he Hussar Captain, By Col. Prentiss Iigraham. {lt-Edged Dick. By Edward L. Wheeler. {ll Somera the Bov D tective. By Charles Morris. Mustang Sam; or, The King of the Plains. By J. E. Badger. ‘he Branded Hand, By Frank Dumont. ‘nnamon Chip, the Girl Sport. By E. L. Wheeler. hil Hardy, the Boss Bey. By Charles Morris. town Charley, the White Mustanger. By T.C. Harbaugh. 4 Tippy, the Texan, By George Gleason. Bonanza Bl, Miner. By Edward L. Wheeler, Vicnyune Pete. By Charles Morris. W ild-Fire, the Boss of the Road. By Frank Dumont, 8 The Young Privateer. By Il, Cavendish. 9? Deadweod Dick’s Double. By Edward" Wheeler. 0 Detective Dick. By Charles Morris, The Golden Hand. By George Waldo Browne. The Hunted Hunter. By Edward S. Ellis. Boss Bob the King of the Boothlacks, By E.L. Wheeler. Sure Shot Seth. . By Ol) Coomes, Captain Paul. By C. Dunning Clark. Night-Mawk Kit. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr. The Helpless Hand, By Captain Mayne Reid, 8 Blonde BUL By Edward L. Wheeler, 9 Judge Lynch Jr. By T. C. Harbaugh. 40 Blue Blazes, By Frank Dumont. 1 Solid Sam, the Boy Rond-Agent., By Ed. L. Wheeler. 2 Handsome Harry. By Charles Morris. 8 Scar-Face Saul. By Ol! Coomes. 4 Dainty Lance, the Boy Sport. By Joseph FE, Badger, Jr. 5 Captuin Ferret, the New York Detective. By Wheeler. 6 Silver Star, the Boy Knight. By Ol] Coomes, ® Will Wildfire, the Thoroughbred. By Charles Morris. 48 Sharp Sam _— By J. Alexander Patten. 9 A Game of Gold. By Edward L, Wheeler. 0 Lance and Lasso. Hy Captain Frederick Whittaker. 1 Panther Paul, the Prairie Pirate. By Jos, E. Badger, J. Black Besa, Will Wildfire’s Racer. By Charles Morris, 8 Eagle Kit, the Boy Demon, By Ol] Coomes. 4 The Sword Hunters. By ig Frederick Whittaker. told Trigger, the Sport. By T. C. Harbaugh. J 6 Deadwood Dick of Deadwood, By E. L., Wheeler. 2 Mike Merry, the Harbor Police Boy. “By Charles Morris. Faney Frank of Colorado. By Buffalo Bill. The Lost Captain. By Captain Frederick Whittaker. The Black Giant, By Joseph E. Badger, Jr. ew York Nell. By Edward L, Whe ler. WIL Wildfire in the Woods, By Charles Morris. Little Texna, the Young Mustanger. By Ol] Coomes. 4 Dandy Rock’s Pledge, By George Waldo Browne, 5 Billy Baggage, the Railroad Boy, By Charles Morris. 6 Hickory Harry. By Harry St. George. Asa Scott, the Steamboat Bov. By Edward Willett, § Deadly Dash. By Joseph E- Badger, Jr. Tornado Tom, By T. C. Harbaugh. 0 A Trump Card. By Charles Morris, 1 Ebony Dan. By Frank Dumont. : 2 Thunderbolt Tom. _By Harry St. George. 8 Dandy Rock’s Rival. By Geoive Waldo Browne. 4 Bob Rockett, the Boy Tey ok bak pk a pk a abd pater ft a SAABBSASARARIAAMA Sencoor Zz can kj kf dd dd hd sl DBAS ReteqesriedeeIIII SAS 191 Buffalo Billy, the Boy Bullwhacker. Bre Capt. A. B. Taylor. 192 Captain Kit, the Wi 1-0’-the-Wisp, By Lieut. Perry. 198 The Lady Rond-Agent. By Philip S. Warne. 194 Buffalo Bills Bet. By Captain Taylor. 195 Deadwood Dick’« Dream. By Edward L. Wheeler. 196 Shadowed, By Charles Morris. 197 Little Grit, the Wild Rider. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 19R Arkansaw, the May with the Knif. By T. C. Harbaugh. 199 Featherweight. By Edward Willett. 200 The Boy Bedouins, By Capt. Frederick Whittaker. 201 The Black Hills Jezebel. By Edward L. Wheeler. 202 Prospect Pete, of tne Boy Brigade. By Ol) Coomes. 208 The Boy Parda, By Joseph FE. Badger, Jr. 204 Gold Plume, the Boy Bandit. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 205 Deadwood Dick’s Doom. By Edward L. Wheeler. 206 Dark Paul, the Tiger King. By Charles Morris. 207 Navajo Nick, the Boy Gold Hunter. By T. C, Harbaugh, 208 The Boy Hercules. By Ol! Coomes. 209 Fritz, the Bound-Boy Detective. By Edward L. Wheeler. 210 Faro Frank of High Pine, By William R. Eyster. 211 Crooked Cale. By Joseph E. Budge-, Jr. ; 12 Dashing Dave, the Dandy Detective. By Charles Morris, 18 Fritz to the Front. By Edward L. Whee'er. 14 role the Robber of the Rhine. By Capt. Whittaker. 15 Captain Bullet, the Raider King. By T, C. Harbangh. 16 Bison BIll, the Prince of the Reins. By Col. P. Ingraham, 217 Captain Crack-Shot. By Edward L. Wheeler. 218 Tiger Tom, the Texan Terror. By Oll Coomes, 219 Despard, the Duelist. By Philip S. Warne. 220 Tom Tanner, Scalawag and Scapegrace. By Chas. Morris. 221 Sugar-Coated Sam, By Edward L. Wheeler, 222 Grit, the Bravo Sport. By Col Prentiss Ingraham. 228 Ozark Alf, King of the Mountain. By Edward Willett. 224 Dashing Dick. By O11 Co mes. 25 Sam Charcoal, the Premium Darky, By Charles Morris. 226 Snoozer, the B-y Sharp. By Edward L. Wheeler. 227 Dusky Darrell, Trapper. By E. Emerson. 228 Little Wildfire. By Oll Coomes, 229 Crimson Kate. By Colonel Prentiss Ingraham, 280 The Yankee Rajat. By C. Dunning Clark, 231 Plucky Phil, of the Mountain Trail. By T. C. Harbaugh. 282 Gold-Duat Dick. By Edward L. Wheeler. 288 Joe Buck of Angela, By Albert W. Aiken, 234 Old Rocky’s ** Boyees.” By Buckskin Sam. 235 Shadow Sam, the Messenger Boy. By Charles Morris, 286 Apollo Bill. By Edward L. Wheeler. 287 Lone Star, the Cowboy Captain, By Col. Ingraham, 288 The Parson Detective. By 01) Coomes. 239 The Gold-sceker Guide. By paniaie Mayne Reid. 240 Sie Kit. By Edward 1. Wheeler, 241 Bill Bravo and His Bear Pards, By T. C. Harbaugh. 242 The Two * Bloods,” By Charles Morris, 248 The Disguised Guide, By Ol] Coomes. 244 Sierra Sam. By Edward L. Wheeler. 245 Merle, the Middy. By Colonel Prentiss Ingraham 246 Glant George. By Buckskin Sam, 247 Old Grizzly and His Pets, By Capt. Bruin’? Adams. 248 Sierra Sam’s Seeret. By Edward L. Wheeler. 249 Milo Romer, the Animal King. By Capt. Fred, Whittaker, 250 The Midshipman Mutincer. By Col. P. Ingrahain. 251 Vight-house Lige. By ( aptain J, F.C, Adams, 252 Dick Dashaway. By Charles Morris. 258 Sierra Sam’s Pard. By Edward L. Wheeler, 254 The Half-Blood, By Edward S. Ellis. 255 Captain Apoll«. By T.C. Harbauch. 25% Young Kentuck. By Captain Mark Wilton. 257 The Lost Hunters, By Capt. J. F.C. Adams. 258 Sierra Sain’« Seven, By Edward L. Wheeler. 259 The Golden Harpoon, By Reger Starouck. 260 Dare-Devil Dan. Py Ol] Coomes. 261 Fergus Fearnanught, By George L. Aiken, 262 The Young Sleuths, By Charles Morns. 268 Deadwood Dick’s Divide. By Edward L. Wheeler. 264 The Floating Feather. By Col. P. Ingraham. 265 The Tiger Tamer, By Captain Fred. Whittaker. 266 Killb’ar, the Guide. By Ensign Warren. 267 The Buckskin Detective. By_T. C. Harbangch, 268 Deadwood Dick’s Denth Trail, By E. L. Wheeler. 269 The Gold Ship. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham, 270 Blizzard Ben. By Captain Mark Wilten. 271 The Huge Wunter. By Edward §., Ellis. 272 Minkskin Mike. By Oll Coomes, 278 Jumbo Joe. By Edward L. Wheeler. 274 Jolly Jim, By Charles Morris. 275 Arizona Jack. By Buckskin Sam. 276 Merle Monte’s Cruise. By Colonel Prentiss Ingraham, 277 Denver Doll. By Edward L, Wheeler. 278 The Three Trappers. By Major Lewis W. Carson. 279 Old Winch, the Rifle King. By T. C. Harbaugh. 280 Merle Monte’s Fate. By Col. Prentiss Ingriham. 281 Denver Doll's Vietory. By Edward L. Wheeler. 282 Fhe Typo Detective, By Edward Willett. 288 Indian Joe. By Major Lewis W. Carson, The Sea Marauder, By Colonel Prentiss Ingraham, 285 Denver Doll's Decoy. By Edward L. Wheeler. 286 Josh, the Boy Tenderfvot. By Capt. Mark Wilton, 287 Bly Blue-Eyes. By Colonel Prentias Ingraham, 288 The Scalp King. By Captain J. F.C. Aduns, 289 Jolly Jim’ Job. By Charles Morris, 290 Little Foxfire, By Ol) Coomes. 291 Turk, the Ferret. By Edward L. Wheeler. 292 Sancho Pedro. By Major F. L. St. Vrain. 298 Red Claw, the One-Eyed Trapper, By Captain Comstock. 294 Dynamilie Dan, By T. C. Harbangh. 295 Fearless Phil. By Edward Willett. 296 Denver Doll’s Drift. By Edward L. Wheeler. 297 The Tarantula of Tacs. By Buckskin Sam, 298 The Water-Hound. By Charles Morris. 299 A No. 1, the Dashing Toll-Taker. By Edward L, Wheeler. 800 The Sky Demon, — By Oll Coomes. 861 L- adville Nick. By Majer E. L. St, Vrain. 802 The Mountain Detective. By T. C. Harbaugh. 808 ’Liza Jane, the Girl Miner. By E, L. Wheeler, 804 The Dead 8S!) ct Dandy. By Colonel! Prentiss Ingraham 805 Dashaway, of Daketa. By Charles Morris, 806 Neck-The Ned. By Major H. B. Stoddard. 807 The Strange Pard. By Buckskin Sam. 808 Keno Kit. the Boy Bugler’s Pard, By Col. P. Ingraham. 809 Deadwood Dick’s Big Deal, By E. L. Wheeler. 810 The Rarranca Wolf. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr. 1 The Reving Sport. By Edward Willett. 2 Redtop Rube, the Vigilante Prince. By Maj. E. 7. St. Vrain. 8 Cimarron Jack, By Frederick Dewey. rwowmwwern 4 The Mysterious Marauder. By Col. P. Ingraham. & Ned, the Cabin Boy. By Jack Farragut. 6 O14 Eclipac, Trump Card of Arizona, By T. C. Harbaugh, 7 Peacock Pete. By Lieutenant Alfred Thorne. 8 Ker-whoop, Ker-whoo! By Buckskin Sam. 819 The Black Rider. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr. 820 The Sen Sorceress. By Jack Farragut. 21 Deadwood Dick’s Dozen, By Edward L. Wheeler. 2 Nemo, the Detective. By Edward Wille, 828 Arkansaaw Jack. By Harry Hazard. 824 Ralph Ready, the Hotel Boy Detective. By Una Morris, 825 Kelley, Hickey & Company, the Sleuths of Philadelphia. By Edward ¢.. Wheeler. 826 The Ten Pards. By T. C. Harbangh. 827 Creeping Cat, the Caddo. By Buckskin Sam. B28 The Sky Detectives, By Maior Mickey Free. 829 Red-Skin Tom. By Harry Hazard. B80 Little Quick-Shot. By Edward L. Wheeler. 831 Black Nick, the Demon Rider. By Capt. Fred. Whittaker. 882 Frio Fred. By Buckskin Sam, 888 Brimatone Bob, and His Lightning Horse Quar- tette. By Major E. L. St. Vrain, 884 Kancaroo Kit; or, The Mysterious Miner. By E. L. Wheeler. 88h Old Double Fist. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr. £86 Big Benson. By T. C. Harbaugh. 887 Ben Bird, the Cave Kine. Bv W. J. Hamilton. 888 A Tough Hey: By Philip 8, Warne. 889 Kangaroo Kit’s Racket. By Edward L. Wheeler. 840 Clip, the Contortioniat. By Edward Willett. BAL Tony Thorne, the Vacabond Detective. By Charles Morris, 842 The Mountain Devil. By Harry Hazard. 848 Manhattan Mike, By Edward L. Wheeler, 844 The Fighting Trio. “By Bickskin Sam. 4 Pitilesas Matt. By T. C. Harbaugh. 846 Rapier Raphael. By Major H.B. Stoddard. 847 Deadwood Dick's Ducats, By Edward L. Wheeler. 848 Fire-Heela; or, Old Skinflint the Death-Shadow, Roger Starbuck, 849 Wild Wolf, the Waco, By Buckskin Sam. 850 Red Ralph, the River Rover. By Ned Buntine. 851 Deadwood Diek Sentenced. By Edward L. Wiccler, Tombatone Tom. By Maj. E. L, St. Vrain. 858 The Reporter-Detective. By Charles Morris. 854 Big Horn Ike the Hill Tramp. By Roger Startuck, 855 The bing ot the Woods; or vb wiei “Boone’» wu. «sail By Joseph E. Badger. Jr. B56 Creal “am and Pard. By T. C. TMarhoneh, 857 The Ranch Ralders, By Buckskin Sam. 858 First-Class Fred, ‘he Gent trom Gopher, By E. L, Wheeler. B59 vi rare Bruve, the dung by fewtien Cummips a. ey aays dee » St. Vra'n. A 860 Silver-Maak, the Man of Mystery. By J. C, Cowdrick, 861 The Phantom Lighthouse. By Roger Starbuck, 862 Deadwood Dick’s Claim, By Edward L. Wheeler. 868 Little Tornado. By Philip S. Warne. 864 Snap-Shot, the Boy Wenomers By Buckskin Sam. 865 Baltimore Ben. _by A. P, Morris. 866 Velvet Foot, the Indian Detective. By l. C. Hurtaugh, 867 Wide-Awake Joe. By Charles Morris. 868 Yreka Jim, the Gold-Gatherer, By E, lL. Wheel r, 869 Shasta, the Gold King. By J. C. Cowdrick. £270 Rreaker Ben, the Reef-Runner. By Roger Sterbuck. 871 Einsbels Chria, the Young Uard-Shell Detective. By Maj. E. L. St. Vrain. 872 Yreka Jim’s Prize. By Edward L. Wheeler. 878 Little Jinges or, the Queer Pard. By Philip S. Warne, 874 Gold-Dust Tom. By George H, Morse. 875 Chiota, the Creek, By Buckskin Sam, 876 California Joe’s First Trail. By Capt. F. Whittnker. 877 Bonodel, the Boy Rover. By Col. Prentiss Ingre lau. 878 Nabob Ned. By Edward L, Wheeler. 879 Larry, the Leveler, By Charles Morris, C80 Avalanche Alf, By Major E. L. St, Vrain, 881 Bandera Bill, By Buckekin Sam. 882 Cool Kit, the King of Kids, By Edward L. Wheeler. 888 The Indian Pilot, By Col. Prentiss Ingraham, B84 Whip-King Joe, the Boy Ranchero, By Ol] Coomes. _— 885 Yreka Jim’ Joker. By Edward L. Wheeler. 886 Captain Cutlass, the Ocean Spider. By T. C. Harhbragh. 887 Warpath Will, the Boy Phantom. By Col. P. Ingrabum, 888 Little Oh-my. "By Philip S. Warne- 889 Bicycle Ben. By Edwar! L. Wheeler. 890 Jnguar Joe. By Maj. E. L. St. Vrain. 891 Kid-Glove Kit. By Maj. H, B. Stoddard, Ex-Seout, 892 Romeo and the Reds. By Buckskin Sam. 898 Seawalf, the Boy Lieutenant. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham, 894 Yreka Jim of Yuba Dam. By E. L. Wheeler. 895 Californta Joe’s War Trail, Ry Capt. Whittaker, 896 Rough Rob, of Dynamite. By T. C. Harbaugh, 897 Bob o’ the Bowery. By Jo Pierce. 898 Kid-Glove Kit and Pard. By Maj. H. B. Stoddard, 899 Black Buckskin. By Col. A. F. Holt. 400 Wrinkles, the Night-Watch Detective, By E. L. Wheeler, 401 Little Shoo-Fly. By Philip S. Warne, A402 Inedor, the Young Conspirator, By Col. P. Ingraham. 408 Firefly Jack. By Charles Morris. 404 Little Lariat. By Buckskin Sam. 405 Deadwood Dick tn Dead City, By Ed. L. Whee’er. 406 The Mad Man-Hunter. By Maj. H. B, Stoddard. 407 The Boy Insurgent. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 408 Little Leather-Breeches, By Philip 5. Warne. 409 Hercules, the Dumb Destroyer. ‘by Oll Coomes. 410 Deadwood Dick’s Diamonds, By Edward L. Whecler. All The Siiken Lasso. By T. C. Harbaugh. 412 The Wild Yachtsaman, By Col. Pren iss Ingraham. 418 Billy Bombshell, the Cliff Climber. By F. S. Winthrop, 414 The Dalay from Denver. By Buckskin San, 415 The Vagabond Detective. By Jo Pierce, 416 Wigh Hat Harry, the Base Bal] Detective. By E. L.Wheeler, 417 Webfoot Mose, the Tramp Detective. By Ol] Cooma. 418 Felix Fox, the Boy Spotter, By T. C. Harbaugh. 419 Kenneth, the K~e-King. By A, F. Holt. 420 The Detective « Apprentice. By J. C. Cowdrick. 421 Deadwood Dick in New York. By E. 1. Wheeler. A22 Raby Sam, the Boy Giant of the Yellowstone. By Ol} Homies. 428 The Lost Finger. ny Charles Morris. 424 Cibuta John, By J.C. Cowdrick. 425 Texas Trump, the Border Rattler. By T. C. Harbangh. 426 Sam Slabaides, the Beggar-Boy Detective. E.L. Whecler 427 The Three Trailers, By Buckskin Sam. 428 Fred Flyer, the Reporter Detective. By Charles Morris. 429 Duncan Dare, the Roy Refugee. By Col. P. Ingraham. 480 Deadwood Dick’« Dust. By Edward L, Wheeler, 481 Little Ah Sin, By Pullip s. Ware ’ 482 Invincible Logan, the Pinkerton Ferret. By Chas. Morrie. 488 A Cabin Boy’s Luck. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 4 Jim Beak and Pal, Private Detectives, By E. L. Wheeler, 485 Little Lightfoot, the Pilet of the Woods, “By A. F. Holt. 486 Phil Flash, the New York Fox, By T. C. Harbaugh. 487 The Sea Ralder. By Co). Prent’ss Ingraham. 488 Santa Fe Sal, By E. L. Wheeler. 439 Sandy Sam, the Street Scont. By J. C. Cowdrick. 440 Little Foxfoot, the Gold Bowie Kid. By Arthur C, Grissom. 441 The Ocenn Firefly, By Col, Prentiss I: graham. 442 Bluff Bill; or, The Lynx of the Leona, By Buckskin Sem. 448 Deadwood Dick, Jr.; or, The Sign of the Crimson Cros ut. By Ed, L, Wheeler, 444 Little Buckskin, By Ol! Coomes. 445 The City Sleuths. By T. C. Harbaugh, 446 Maphazard Harry. By Col, Prentiss Ingraham. 447 New York Nat, By Albert W. Aiken. 448 Nickel-Plate Ned; ‘or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Defiance. Py E. L. Wheeler. 449 Kit Fox, the Border Roy Detective. By Jos. E. Badger, Jr, 4650 Wizard WIIl, the Wonder-Worker. By Col. P, Ingrabuin, 451 Colorado Kate. By Philip S. Warne. 452 Hotspur Bob, the Street-Boy Detective. By Jo Pierce. 458 Sunflower Sam, of Shasta.” By Edward L. Wheeler, 454 Wizard Will's Street Scouts, By Col. P. Ingraham 455 Little Lone Star. By Buckskin Sam. ~ 456 Billy Brick, the Jolly Vagabond. By Chas. Morris. 457 Wingedfoot Fred. By 01| Coomes. 458 New England Nicl:. , By Albert W. Alken. 459 Flush Fan, the Ferret. By Edward L. Wheeler, 460 The Lawyer’s Shadow. By Jo Pierce, 461 One Againta Fifty. By T. C. Harbangh. 462 The Born Guide, By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 468 Tamarac Tom, the Big Trapper Boy. By 0!) Coomes. 464 Nimble Nick, the Cireus Prince. By Albert W. Aiken, 465 Philo Fly, of Phenix. By Edward L. Wheeler. 466 Wide-Awake Jerry, Detective By Charles Morrie 467 Disco Dan, the Daisy Dude. By J, C. Cowdrick. 468 Neptune Ned, the Boy Coaster, By Col. P. Ingraham. 469 The Rival Giants of Nowhar’, By J. W. Osbon. 470 The Boy Shadow’ or, Felix Fox’s Hunt for the Nabob. By T. C. Harbangh. z 4 ll, of B A 471 ee Pn Wot Braces or, Deadwood Dick Jr'e 472 Jaunty Joe, the Young Horse-King. By Jo Pierce, A New Issue Every Tuesday. The Half-Dime Library { ror sale hy all newsdealers, five . eents per copy, or sent by mail on receipt of six cents each, BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, 08 William Street, New York,