Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 601) (1889 01 29)
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«) WON omen Wy \y AW \ \ ST (| . \ M. OBR Sofa Pees mal cere iene January 29, 1889. Entered at the Post Office at New York, N. Y.. at Second Class Mail Rates. Copyright 1889, by BEADLF AND ADAMS, ewe SSS : = — . =e $2.50 PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE AND ADAMS, Price, y No. 601. a Year. No. 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK. 5 Cents. Vol. XXTV, AN ‘ ON WINS ™ RED-HOT "IMES AT ROUND-UP. BY LIEUT. A, K. SIMS, AUTHOR OF ‘‘TOM-CAT AND PARD,” *' SAFFRON SOL,” ‘‘THE SILVER SPORT,” ‘THE DANDY OF DODGE,” *‘ CAPTAIN CACTUS,” ETC, CHAPTER I. NADINE, THE CARD-QUEEN, Tae “Gold Mine” was doing a flourishing business. The presence, at the gaming tables, of the masked and mysterious Card-Queen was an attraction that the average citizen of Round-up could not resist. Even Nugget Jim, the ost nals ble proprietor of the establishment, could not fathom the mystery that clung about her. She was tall, queenly and presumably handsome, al- “ DHIS t ae vat / tw HIS VHAS HABBY HANS VHAT VHAS DAKE A SEAD ON ROOF UFI YOUR PACK. though no one there had ever seen her face. An MIT HIS FRED STICKIN’ OFER,.” i
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~ and confiding way that it almost touched the 2 Happy Hans, the Dutch Vidocg. icy dignity repelled curious questioning and easy familiarity. Nevertheless, she had only been in the town a few days when Fiavel Fox, an influential citizen and foreman of the ‘ Double-Bar ” cattle-ranch, called Nugget Jim to ove side. ““Give her free swing!” be commanded, nod- ding toward the table at which she sat. ‘* And, remember, that the man who insults her or makes himself in any way obnoxious has got to settle with me !” ‘*She 7s han’some: an’ I don’t blame you, boss!” Nugget replied, with a meaning smile, ‘** Would ’a’ tumbled head-over-ears myself, but I knowed it wouldn’t do any good,” Flavel Fox frowned. ‘*Keep your tongue in your teeth, Nugget! You have your orders. Don’t fail to remember them.” Nugget Jim kept bis ‘‘ tongue in his teeth;” but he watched the Card-Queen night after night with eager curiosity. ‘* Blamed if I ain’t fallin’ in love with her my- self!” he would mutter, dropping his eyes when- ever she glanced toward him and bustling about with the trays and glasses, to hide his confusion. *“T’d givea cool hundred to gita peep at her face onc’t. I know she’s got blue eyes an’ is as purty as a pictur’, fer her hair’s yaller and her neck an’ arms air as white as milk.” The story of the beautiful ‘‘ card-sharp” spread far and wide; and nightly the ‘* Gold Mine” was crowded with curious citizens, cowboys from the outlying ranges and miners from the adjacent mountains, The other gambling houses of the town were almost deserted, and Nugget Jim rubbed his hands gleefully as the golden coins poured into his till in a constant stream. ‘ ‘* Worth five hundred a week to the shop!” he mused, as he glanced gloatingly from the heaped- up coin to the female sphinx, One night he was treated to a genuine sur- prise. Quarrels were not infrequent in the **Gold Mine,” but the Card-Queen, who hart given her name as Nadine, had never interfered in these pleasant pastimes of the sporting fra- ternity. She had simply drawn her chair away from the dangerous vicinity, moved out of range of flying bullets, and when it wasall over, and the dead and wounded, if any, had been dragged out, she had returned to the table, and taken up the game where it had been dropped. What increased Nugget Jim’s surprise was the character of the man in whose behalf she inter- posed. He was a jolly and stoutly-built Dutchman; with laughing blue eyes, and a heavy mass o lint-like bair, and he came rolling into the saloon at a brisk gait, the long tails of his coat flapping against his legs, and his heavy shoes striking the floor with the springless ‘‘ thud ” of one accustomed to walking over er ground, He wore a knit cap made of blue yarn, and ornamented at the peak with a dangling scarlet tassel. Taking a position at the bar, he pusbed this cap back upon his head and surveyed the throng with an amazed and wondering stare. ‘Off { vhint me dot vhellerin dhis crowd id voult dake a t?ousant mens!” He gave utterance to his thoughts in an audi- ble whisper, and twisted his face awry. Nugget Jim had been watching him narrowly, and his keen ears caught the words, “Who might you be looking fer, stranger?” he asked, tapering the Dutchman lightly on the shoulder. ‘*Mebbe I kin p’int bim out,” ‘*Oh, dot vhas you; eh?” facing around and looking the barkeeper smilingly in the face, “T tought me dot somepoty got hold uff my ! ““ Yaw; I vhas looking oudt vhor mine brud- der dot I don’t see yit—Fritz Swentzel. He vias yoost ploom grazy mit dhis cowpoy piz- ness, und he zay dot he vhas going Vest to grow ub mit de hobbergrasses, You zee somet’iugs uff dot vheller, eh? He vhasa leedle vheller, yoost apout so lonk und so vide”—indicating with his hands—‘‘ und he look oxacdly like his brudder—vhich vhas me,” He beamed upon Nugget in such an innocent rascal’s heart. “He ain’t hyer,” Nugget declared, emphati- cally. “Wor I heert dot he come py dhis Rount-ub down. Ve vbas singers togedilér in de olt goun- try. Maype you heert him: **Oh, mine fadher, mine modher, mine sisder, mine frau— Ve all from de Vaterland came: Und ve eads lager beer und ve drinks sauerkraut— Und ve used to do de same. Tra-la, la-la-la, la-la-la—’’ An angry growl from the crowd brought the song to an abrupt end. If it had been the Dutchman’s aim to draw attention to himself he had certainly succeeded, for almost every eye in the room was turned upon him, ‘* Put the drunken fool out!” some one shouted, Flavel Fox, red with anger, and with a strange and startled look on his face, advanced toward the singer, with the intention of execut- ing the order; but, the latter evidently bad no notion of leaving. As Fox came forward he edged by him and darted to the other end of the apartment, This movement brought him near the gaming table occupied by Nadine, ** Leap out of the window!” she whispered, as he burried by. The blue eyes of the German opened in wide surprise. He gave the Card-Queen one hasty glance, then wheeled about and faced his pur- suer, ‘*Git out of this house, or I'll throw you out!” cried Fox, as he came up. ‘** What do you mean by such performances, anyway? Your howling has put a stop to everything!” “Id vhas mine brudder!” protested the Ger- man. ‘‘He vas yoost apout so lonk und so vide; und he sing like me und look like de tuyfel! ‘I mean dot he look like me, und—” Fox aimed a vicious blow at bis head. It was deftly avoided; and the next instant the angry man measured his full‘length upon the floor. How it was done no one could say. The Dutchman was seized with a sudden contortion; the air seemed filled with flying arms, legs and coat-tails, and Flavel Fox went over backward with a terrific crash. : As he struggled to his feet, tugging at his re- volver, there was a general rush for the doors and windows, It appeared likely that bullets would fly, pretty soon, if the German showed fight, and the individual members composing the throng had no desire to interpose their pre- cious persons as targets. As tor the Card-Queen, she was as calm and immobile asever. Her eyes, gleaming through the mask, were fixed upon the fallen and strug- gling man, “If you attempt to use that weapon, Flavel Fox, [ll put a bullet through your heart!” Stern and threatening words they were and they came from her lips in a measured, icy way that left no doubt as to their meaning. Flavel Fox was astounded beyond measure. What bad the haughty Card Queen in common with this disreputable foreigner. The German seemed equally surprised, and rolled his big, blue eyes about in a satisfied way. ** Uff I hat a sisder, now, I voult tink dot she vhas him!” he faltered, passing his right hand slowly and awkwardly across his breast, ‘*So zhure as my name vhas Hans Swentzel, dot peats me! Id musd pe dot I am so hantsome as putiful, und dot de young gyurls stick do me like molasses candy. Yaw; dot vbas id! She lofe me so dot she voult shood a mans py me!” He glanced at her in a way to show her; as be hoped, his appreciation of so ardent an at- tachment. ‘Stand out of the way, Nadine!” command- “IT will not tamely submit to such an insult#” ‘Tf you must fight, go out in the street!” she replied. ‘‘ You intended to murder this man and I could not calmly sit by and allow it, Now that he is aware to intention perhaps he can hold his own. He will not, at least, be taken by surprise. ‘* From your black looks I can see that you think we are in collusion, You can ease your mind on that point. I never saw the man be- fore and I don’t care to see him again. But, even if we are in collusion it’s none of your business. I am asking favorsof no one, When I can't take care of myself I will go into a con- vent! Her Suse fairly flashed through the holes in the mask, and Fox cringed and cowered before her like a whipped spaniel, “Now, go!” she cried, backing toward the nearest door. ‘‘I will play no more to-night. If you want to make the street musical with — revolvers, do so; but if you fire a shot io ere I will call you to account for it!” Flavel Fox arose and stumbled toward the street entrance; and the Dutchman followed him, fumbling at bis ridiculous coat and rautter- ing awkward and unintelligible sentences. CHAPTER Il. KNOCKED OUT. THE mind of Flavel Fox was in a feverish tumult, as he made his way toward the street ed Fox, sternly. pide oe ret en ey Pee) reg ee a a eg ee ae Eee eS See ee ee 2d Suspicion, revenge, anger and fear tore and stabbled at him by turns, : Without any good reason he had, as soon as he heard the German’s voice, jumped to the con- clusion that the man’s presence there boded danger. Yet, when he asked himself why he should think so he could not satisfactorily an- swer, The confusion brought about by Hans’s roar- ing song seemed to give an opportunity for sounding the fellow, and forcing a fight to“the death if bis suspicions proved well founded. The promptness with which his attack was re- lied startled him. Had he been knocked down y an awkward but lucky blow, or would the Dutchman reveal himself as a ready fighter? The unexpected interference of Nadine puz- zled him beyond measure. Why should the queenly Sphinx champion the cause of this fel- low against a man on whom she had lately looked with a favorable eye? Up to this night Fox had flattered himself that he was making an impression on the icy heart of the Card- Queen. She had been more than ordinarily gracious to him, She had seemed pleased and flattered with his attentions. She had even permitted him to kiss her hand. Was she, then, acquainted with this man who had called him- self Hans Swentzel? If so, what was the bond of union between two such dissimilar charac- rs? If he killed this fellow, would Nadine receive him again into her favor? If he did not slay him, would not the fighting-men of Round-up look on him as a milksop and a lily-livered coward? . He had, on more than one occasion, when in his cups, announced himself as a chief.” Would a ‘‘chief” .calmly submit to the indignity that had been placed upon him? At the thought bis anger burned afresh, and he determined to kill the offending Dutchman, let the result be what it might. The street was filled with a surging and strug- gling mass of men; and, as Fox made his ap- pearance, this mass fell back and began to dis- solve, It was apparently understood that blood would flow when the belligerents reached the open air, Fox wheeled as he gained the steps, pitched his weapon quickly forward and fired. His in- teations were deadly enough, but, the ligbt shed by the coal-oil lamps used to illuminate the thoroughfare, was not of the best, and the bul- let flew wide of its mark. The Dutchman had evidently anticipated such a movement, for he had kept his body concealed as much as possible in the derse shadows. » Before the cylinder could revolve again the weapon was torn from the hand of Fox, and hurled far down the street. At the same in- stant Hans leaped forward like a cat, the mo- mentum of the blow rolling them both together into the gutter. Fox fell upon bis face, with the Dutchman astride his back. His arms were doubled under him, and the left hand of his foe, grasping his neck, held his face in the dirt, Then a comical sight was witnessed. With a swift motion Hans, with bis right hand, removed one of his ungainly shoes, and, raising it aloft, proceeded to use it on the pros- trate man, as an irate mother uses a slipper upon a refractory child, cone torrent of words accompanied the rain of ows: “You voult shood me, eh, like I vhas peen yoost a sneagkin’ skyote/ I subbose dhis vhas dhem gountry vhat you reat apout, what shoods mens vbor sbeakin’ mit dhemsellufs? Vhell, ve see how dot vhas, yit, a’ready! ‘“‘T vhas a beaceable mans dot vhas lookin’ vhor his leetle brudder, und my name vhas Hans Swentzel. Vhen I sing dbem songs so putiful like him you shoomp ondo me like I vbas a gyaller pull-tog! You reecommember dot, eh? Ab-h! ‘ Dhis vhas Habby Hans vhat vhas dake a sead on der roof uff your pack, mit his feed stickin’ ofer. Vhen he vhas nod ant he vhas mat like a grazy mans, und sbread himselluf oudt like a sblatter goon. “You vheel some’tings like dot now, eh? Dhem shoon gid so hot poody dene dot id gatch afire uff you ton’d zay ‘Quit dot!’ You say him, eh?” 1 e bumiliated man had been squirming and twisting like an eel under a pole, He hada knife in one of his pockets, but he could not get at it, and his utmost exertions were insufficient to break the hold of bis antagonist, He now gave an unintelligible grunt. This the Dutchman evidently interpreted a8 aD acknowledgment of defeat, for he released the Uff nod, I vhill helb dot reegollection!
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Happy Hans, the Dutch Vidocg, prostrate man and sprung back to a safe dis- tance, Fox was furious with rage, and arose, snarl- — a baffled hyena, Tasping the knife, he started for the Ger- man at a dead run. It was the senseless charge of a man crazed and blinded by humiliation, A blow from Hans’s heavy fist again pros- trated him. ‘*Give me a pistol, somebody!” the discom- fitted man yelled, as he scrambled up. ‘Give me a pistol!” No one ventured to accommodate him. Not to be baffled, he snatched a revolver from the belt of the nearest bystander. In doing so he momentarily turned his back on the man he hoped to slay. As he whirled again, cocking the revolver, he found himself looking into the muzzle of a rusty old der- ringer. appy Hans had fished the weapon froma pocket of his ancient coat; and stepping quickly forward, covered Fox fairly, as the latter turned, ‘* Dot vhas a sweet goon dot you vhas now looking indo!” he asserted, his face taking on its old-time smile. ‘‘ Uff you vill peeb town dot pore you vhill zee dot pullet seddin’ on dot owder like a plue hen a-seddin’ on a nesdful uff plack eggs. Id vhas a lofely sight! ‘*Dot vbas mine fadher’s bistol vhat he vighd tuels mit in de olt gountry; und you may yoost pet id vhas a shooder!” Wrathy as he was, Fox had too much sense to rush blindly upon that deadly, if rusty, wea- on. The old derringer carried a half-ounce all, and a touch of the trigger meant death to whoever stood in the way of it. A low titter assailed his ears as he stopped, hesitating. Evidently there were spectators who appreciated and enjoyed the ludicrousness of the situation. Fox reddened to the roots of his raven hair, ™ “You have the drop on me!” he acknowl- edged, awkwardly, ‘Luck is against me to- night.” e trembled like a leaf, as he made the hu- miliating confession, A desire for revenge burned in his heart, but he knew he must bide his time. Then, too, he bad conceived a sudden and wholesome fear of the Dutchman's prowess. More than ever was it impressed on his mind that the green German was not all he seemed to Fox had good cause to fear the bloodhounds of the law, and, more than once that night, he had asked himself if this man could be one of them, The thought seemed preposterous, but it came back now with redoubled force, ““T give in!” be continued, seeipg that the German still kept him covered. ‘‘ What more do you want?” . “T vhas afeart maype dot uff I led you loose apo soon you voult not reegollecd me, I vhas looking vhor mine brudder. Uff you meed him you dell him dot you hafe seen me !” Happy Hans backed slowly through the throng, holding the derringer in readiness for any hostile movement. Then he dived into a side street and hastened rapidly from the dan- gerous vicinity. ‘CHAPTER III. A SNARED FOX. Waite this singular combat was in progress, Nadine sat in the semi-darkness of her room, on the secoud floor of the building in which the ** Gold Mine” was located, : The windows of the apartment overlooking the street, was partially raised and the words of the combatants came distinctly to her ears. By leaning forward a little, a portion of the street, the excited crowd and the struggling men were dimly revealed, Although the gloom concealed her movements and her face was still hidden by that impene- trable mask, it was not difficult to tell that she was interested in the result of the contest. Her finger-nails were pressed into the ms of her hands, one slippered foot ba the carpet nervously, and her eyes glowed like living coals, When the fight ended, and the German disap- peared, she sunk back with a sigh of relief, A half-hour later there was a gentle tap at Nihie abe: tho -cartetn,’ teiphbattae i light, C) w the curtain, up the light and went to open it. Evidently she divine who was in waiting, for she grasped her little revolver in the folds of her dress, as she swung the door open. ** Ah, it 1s you!” she exclaimed, in her softest voice, as Flavel Fox entered. ‘‘ After the events of the evening I hardly expected the honor!” ‘You thought it might be some one else, eh?” he asked, jealously. ‘‘I didn’t know you were in the habit of receiving visits from other gentlemen!” She laughed lightly. ‘** There are women in the house you must re- member! I might have been expectiny the cbambermaid.” Fox was notin a good humor, but he dared not exhlbit his temper in the presence of the woman he imagined he love:l, e knew that he did not appear to advantage. There was a black patch under his left eye and his face was bruised and swollen, ‘To what happy circumstance am I indebted for this call?’ she‘asked, waving him to a chair. ‘*T came up to have a quiet talk about that Dutchman—that is, if he is a Dutchman!” re- plied Fox, as he took the proffered chair. ‘* Why did you interfere in that little affair to- night? The evidence goes to show that he is an acquaintance of yours,” ‘Bah! If the evidence shows anything, Flavel Fox, it is that you are a coward!” Her words were bitter with scorn, She evidently knew how to manage him, for he dropped his overbearing manner at once, ** Come! come!” he urged. ‘‘ {t won’t do for us to quarrel, There’s been enough quarreling for one night. And you really don’t know any- thing about the fellow? I could have taken my oath to the contrary, Nadiue, when you inter- posed so ale in his behalf.” ** You know why I did!” she exclaimed, look- ing him squarely in the eyes, ‘‘ For soma rea- son, best known to yourself, you intended to kill him, without giving him any opportunity to de- fend himself. I saw it in your face, + you lay there on the floor, You ought to thahk me for keeping your neck out of the hangman’s noose,” ‘* They don’t hang a man, in this cotntry, for killing another in self-defense.” He laughed horribly at his supposed wit. The crimson stain of murder had no terrors for him, if he could escape its penalty, ** No man is ever slain in Dinka except in self-defense!” he continued. ‘* Any other kind of killiug would disgrace the town,” He checked his unseemly levity, noticing that it was disgusting her, ‘* Tt is a terrible place!” she exclaimed, toying with the leaves of a book, ‘*I am almost sorry that I ever came here!” ‘* And would be quite, no doubt, if I wasn’t here. Remember, Nadine, if you hadn’t come I would never have had the honor and pleasure of your acquaintance. I hope you do not regret that?” He drew his chair nearer and attempted to clasp her hand. , ‘*T have no doubt that 1 wounded you deeply this evening, Nadine; but, believe me, it was done in the thoughtlessness of anger, A fierce wave of jealousy and rage swept over me when you took the part of that Dutchman,” ‘“* Jealous of such a creature!” Nadine chided, “ Really, Mr. Fox, Iam ashamed of you. Now, ¥ it bad been some young and handsome Amer- can! “It was foolish, Nadine!” he stammered, managing at last to grasp the evading hand. “*T sincerely beg your pardon for harboring so ridiculous a thought, My excuse must be that I was half-insane at the time. “But you cannot realize how I felt when you humbled me so publicly. Here I can kneel at your feet and confess my folly; but to be umbled in public, Nadine!” **Oh, you old bear!” she cried, tapping his extended hand with her disengaged finger. **'You-will not allow me to be angry with you when I try.” al pleased light came into his dark, crafty ** What man would have the woman he loves angry with him?” he asked. ‘True love can- not exist where there is anger.” She laughed lightly and mirthlessly. You remind me of a bread-and-butter s -hool- boy, Mr. Fox! Such sentiments hardly become your years, Remember you have known me scarcely a week!” ‘* Long enough to know that I shall never love another woman as I now love you!” he averred, fervently. ‘* Nadine, I_ have a request to make. Two of them, ia fact!” : The Card-Queen inclined her head in a listen- ing attitude, ber loosened hair almost sweeping his face. P “The first is, that you will never again pub- licly interfere in my quarrels, It is likely to cover me with ridicule. ; *¢ It is not probable that I will have any occa- sion to interfere again!” she replied, slowly and thoughtfully. ‘‘ But I cannot make any rash promises, think too much of you, Mr. Fox, to permit yeu to commit cold-blooded murder in my presence,” “*Yet, you threatened to slay me!” he pro- tested. “T thought that was settled!” she exclaimed, in a tone of annoyance. ‘*It is!” he hastened to assure her. ‘* Then, do not mention it again!” He shrunk under ber imperious manner, and became voluble with apologies. ** And 72 cannot promise that?” **No; I cannot. I can only say this: Solong as you draw the line at actual or intended mur- der I Will not interfere.” “I will necessarily rest under a cloud after the events of to-night. It will be the talk of the town that you have thrown me over. Will you take pains to make it{plain to the frequenters of the Gold Mine that such is not the case?” * And is that question number two?” ‘Only a continuation of question number one, my dear!” *““Ab! Still question number one? Yes; I will take pains to make that proposition plain, Is that more satisfactory than my other an- swer?” ° ‘‘Very much more, Nadine! Amd it encour- ages me to proceed with question number two,” He pressed her hand gently and looked into her eyes. ; ‘“T would give all I am worth to have one view of your face. Will you not remove your mask an instant and favor me with that view?” She started back in an alarmed way. *T cannot!” she cried. ‘‘ Not yet. Afvera little I will grant your request willingly; but not now,” ‘* And why not?” he pleaded. ‘‘T have a pug-nose! Iam black! My face is covered with warts! Anything that will satisfy you!’ ** And none of which are true!” he protested. ‘** Perhaps it’s worse!” she exclaimed bitterly. **T cannot doit, now. After a little I will.” ‘* There is a deeper reason! Tell me, Nadine! I will not reveal it to any living soul.” She was silent for moment, and her breath came quick and hard. When she replied there was a grave sternness in her tones, ‘* Yes; there is a deeper reason! I am confi- dent this mask will assist me in righting a very great wrong. What that wrong is I am not prepared to state. Iam satisfied, however, that there is a man in this town who has injured me deeply. As the masked Card-Queen, drawing all classes to the gaming tables below, I hope to meet and expose that man, WhenI have done that, then I will tell you all.” ‘* And is it something concerning an old love affair?” Fox asked, eagerly, his hot jealousy re- turning. **Neither can I answer that, now!” she ex- claimed, rising. ‘*‘ Mr. Fox, your question has awakened a host of bitter thoughts. So bitter, indeed, that I must bid you good-night.” She stood as if wasting for him to leave the room; and, seeing that nothing was to be ac- complished by remaining, the wooer discreetly retired, When the sounds of his footsteps had died away, she sunk into a chair, exclaiming: Phe old fool! I had to dismiss him in that unceremonious way to keep from betraying my secret!” CHAPTER IV. HAPPY HANS HAS A CALLER, AFTER leaving the side street, Happy Hans struck off through the darkness toward the suburbs of the town, where he had secured a small room at a cheap and rather disreputable lodging-house. It was just such a place as a man of bis apparent stamp and limited means would be most likely to select; for the reader needs scarcely be told that Happy Hans was not altogether what he seemed. Once within his room, with the door securely locked and the faded curtain closely drawn he cast aside his knit cap and with it his assumed character. A smile irradiated his chubby face as he did so, ‘‘Thad no idea I would arouse the lionon such a short notice. The fox, I should have said, for he is certainly as suspicious and watch- ful as the animal whose name he has taken, Still, [don’t think he penetrated my disguise, shrewd as he is, **T didn’t think that little song would create such acommotion, or I wouldn’t have sung it. But I can’t say, now, that I’m sorry. I intend- ed it for other ears, but it started the game as
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Se 4)? “Sg ! effectively as a blast from a hunter’s horn, - I Dot vheller, I dhinks me, vhill subbose dot I am was told that one of my old pards was in this | de drum-beader uff a prass-pand.” section; and I knew if he heard that song he would at once make himself known. But I guess that is a mistake. He is prohabiy over iu Arizona, and I'll have to fight this battle out alone, Well, I’m ready and willing! He seated himself on the little cot, and began to remove his cumbrous shoes, ‘It?s a good thing these shoes are handy to slip on and off!” he mused, laughingly. ‘‘ I must have cut a ridiculous figure up there to-night! Any way, lil warrant [ gave him such a blister- ing as he basn’t received since his school days. He'll not juup onto me again without giving the matter uue thought beforehand. Those boxing and tripping tricks I learned long ago come in mighty handy on such occasions, 0, he’ll not attack me again in public; but he'll be likely to try to assassinate me, I must be on ee against that,” e looked about the room as if questioning if it were possible for an enemy to reach him there, as he slept. ‘*T wonder who that masked woman can be, and why she interfered as she did? There is a mystery back ef that that I must look into, Sbe probably had some good and sufficient reason, which did not appear on the surface. And yet, she might have been impelled by the natural promptings of humanity. There are some men who, when there is a fight, always take the part of the umder dog, from an instinct of chivalry. I suppose a woman might be influenced by the same feeling!” He slowly disrobed; then crept into bed, plac- ing a revolver convenient to his right, hand. or an hour the scenes and thoughts of the evening chased each other through his mind, then came the rest of forgetfulness. He did vot awake until a late hour, and when he went down to breakfast, the untidy room was almost deserted. When he returned to the little cubby-hbole which the proprietor of the house called an of- fice, a stranger touched him on the arm, Happy Hans looked into the strauger’s face with a stare of surprise, He was a young man, rather under medium hight, but well propor- tioned and handsome, ‘*Have you a room handy?’ he questioned. **T want to talk with you on a matter of some importance!” “Cerdainly! cerdainly!” opening his blue eyes wieely. ‘‘I tought me maype you musd pe misdaken by de mans, Mine brudder he look poody mooch like me, excepd he vhas nod qvite so lonk und vide!’ ‘*No; I never saw your brother—and I never saw you until last night. I was an interested spectator of the street fight and of the row in the saloon tbat preceded it. I must say you handled Flavel Fox superbly.” Happy Hans was expecting treachery and double-dealing and it at once occurred to bim that the smiling and pleasant-voiced young fel- low was one of Fox’s spies. Could he have seen the figure lurking beyond the entrance his sus- picions would probably have become cer- tainties. **Yoost dhis vay, uff you blease!” he com- manded, dropping in behind the young man so that the latter would be compelled to precede him up the stairway. It was a dark and nar- row passage and offered excellent opportunities for a villainous stab in the back, Having gained the room he tendered the young man a broken chair and seated ‘himself on another, taking care to interpose the table between them, But it was all done in so inno- cent and natural a way that it could not have aroused a suspicion of his real feelings in the wind of the eraftiest. Hans settled himself in his chair in a stiff and awkward manner and with a suppressed groau. ‘* Ach, mine goodness! I vhas dot steef und zore dhis morning dot [ gan hartly ged up vheu I vhas standing town. Id musd pe dhose roomadicks vhat I gatch in de rain comin pack py me, I hafe dake more as a pushels uff qvi- nine vhor dhose roomadicks, yit!” The young man laughed in a hearty way that Hans could not help jizing in with him. “Your exertions last night were enough to make any man stiff. The only wonder is that you can walk at all this morning. I never saw such high-kicking off the stage!” The Dutchman was evidently pleased at the compliment. His eyes twinkled, his mouth ex- panded in a broad grin and he was once more the honest and simple-minded rustic, large- _ headed and apparently without distrust, . _ “Yaw; dot vhas some bicnics, vhor zbure! The young man smiled, ‘* { see you propose to stick to your character, under all circumstances! You are right, no doubt, for I remember now that I have not even introduced myself.” Plainly Happy Hans did not comprehen? the full significance of the young man’s statement, from the owlish way in which he stared at him, ‘* My name is King—Basil King; and I come to warn you to be on your guard against treachery. Flave] Fox is an extremely danger- ous foe; and he will not rest until be has evened up the score against you!” ‘* Oh, dot vbeller vbat I dake dhis shoon do, lasd nighd! You pet me he vhill keeb glean avhay vhrom me hereafder! Dot vheller? Ach! He vas nod got so mooch vighd indo him as a bandy roosder. Uff he shoomp ondo me ag’in I vhill sbank him so dot his he’t vbill gid sick py his sdomacb,” ‘You do not seem to understand me. Mr.— What did [ understand your name tu be?” ‘* Hans Swentzel! Habby Hans; vhat is alvays habby when he is nod grazy mat like a zy- glone!” ‘* As I was going to say, Mr. Swentzel, you do not seem to understand me. In my opinion Flavel Fox will not again attack you boldly, unless forced to by public opinion. He has too great a regard for a healthy skin. But he will waylay and murder you !” Happy Hans almost started from bis chair at these portentous words, ‘* T come to tell you thisand more: If you are only what you seem to be, the warning will at least be a kindness and wil probably save your life. If, however, you are what I believe you to be, a detective in disguise, and on the track of this same Flavel Fox, it may serve you well by fully opening your eyes to the perilousness of your undertaking. : ““Flavel Fox is, in many respects, the most dangerous man in this town. He has money and ‘heelers’in abundance, He can and doubt- less will, surround you with murderous spies, He is an unscrupulous villain and will stop at nothing to accomplish his ends, ‘‘He has more power than he is generally credited with possessing. Ostensibly, he is only the foreman of the ‘ Double-Bar’ cattle-ranch and a well-known citizen of this section, Really, he is the owner of the ‘Gold Mine’ saloon and gambling-hell. Nugget Jim is only his wool and Pa e Jappy Hans sat with his mouth open, an extremely puzzled look in his big, blue eyes. “ Vhy you tolt me all dhis, eh? How you vhint dhem oudt yourselluf? Id makes me nod- hings oudt uff he ownt de whole gountry! Vhy shoult he be sbying about me? f vbas peen ap honesd mans unt I tolt him so uff I meed him ag’in. Id vhas mine leedle brudder vhat vhor I vhas hoonding. Dot leedle willain roon avha vhrom his home oudt und preak his mod- her’s heart py dot eeRy pizness; und uff I vhint him, so hellup me, I vhill vear bode uff dbem shoon oudt ondo him!” **Do you mean to say that you are not now on the trail of Flavel Fox?” The young man looked at him with earnest, questioning eyes. ‘*Vhor zhure, now, you make shokes PY me! Vhat vhor voult_ I pe drailing dot vheller? Uff he led me alone I vbill nod ask him nodbings. Dot mans I neffer see a’ready dill yisderday. So hellup me cracious! dot is de troot!” A look of admiration swept over the young man’s face, “‘T never saw the German character more ad- mirably depicted, Mr. Swentzel—if that is your real name, which I don’t think it is! You could make your fortune in light comedy!” “Vbat you mean py dhose, eh?” Hans, de- manded his face slowly flushing, as if in anger. “That you are not what you seem!” the young man returned, quite coolly. ‘It is admirably done, but it don’t fool me.” ‘““You mean dot I vhas a liar, eh?” shouted Hans, half-rising to his feet. ** Sit down!” quietly commanded the other, at the same time pushing his ehair back as if he half-feared the German meant to launch himself at his throat, ‘I don’t mean anything of the kind. I simply think that you are keeping up an assumed character, because you fear that I may be one of the spies of whom I have warned ge I don’t know what measures I can adopt convince you of my entire sincerity, I can only give Bae my word—the word of an honest man, if I do say it myself. ‘My only aim is to aid you. I think I know what you are here for; and I assure you I am Se ee in complete sympathy with you in the accom- plishment of your object.” Hans had sunk back into the chair, and now glared at his visitor with a look of hopeless per- plexity. **And do you still insist that you don’t un- derstand me?” amazedly, and with a gesture of impatience, * Uff dot aind a grazy mans, so hellup nie I neffer see one yit!” This was in an aside, as be began to ‘‘ waik” his chair back toward the window. ‘*T vhas heert: apout how dhose vhellers dhink dhey vhas somepodys elses, und dot some odher vhellers vhas him.” Then, raising his voice as if talking to a deaf man: ; ** You vhas off uff your pases, my young frient. I vhas nod in de tetecdive pizness; neidher vbas I drailing anypody but mine brud- der, Uff somepody tolt you dot, you dell ’em do zay dot do de mareeners, Uff I dake gare uff my ownselluf I dhinks me, py sheminy, I do a poody goot pizness in dhis Reund-ub down!” Basil King bad arisen, and now advanced to- ward him, as if for the purpose of making a last appeal, “You keeb avhay, now, I tolt you!” cried Hans, leaving his chair and backing toward the window. This he threw up as soon as he reached it, and seemed on the puint of leaping headlong into the street, A shade of disappointment swept over the young man’s face. This was too perfect, he thought, for mere acting. He halted and turned toward the door. _ ‘‘ Whatever you are, Mr. Swentzel, I see that I have accomplished all that it is possible for me to accomplish, I have one satisfying thougbt, anyway. Don’t forget it, whether you are de- tective or Dutchman: Look out for treachery und assassination at the hands of the spies and emissaries of Flavel Fox!” With this warning he pulled the door to after him and clattered down the narrow stairway. CHAPTER V. A CONFERENCE, A MEETING, in which the conversation was earnest and animated, was held that night, in a small room communicating with the gaming- hall of the Gold Mine. The windows of this room opened on a little garden at the rear of the building. The hour was late, and a number of mem were present, among them Flavel Fox and Nugget im, The latter was speaking; and from the eager way in which the others bent forward to listen, his subject was an interesting one. ‘“ T spotted the place where the feller is hang- in’ out, early this mornin’, One of the boyse tipped me word that he’d seen bim ut a certain house in the Jowér part of town and I went down there, : “‘T stayed around outside, smokin’ an’ talkin’, until I seen him go in to breakfast; then I kep’ my eyes and ears wide open. ' % You know the feller that’s been hangin’ about hyer fer a month er so, sparkin’ Fanny half the time? A reel nice chap | allus thought him! Well, gents, I heerd him sayin’ things this mornin’ that jist about stood my hair op end. He’s a snake, if they ever was one! “Well, this chap, Basil King, walked by me, without ever seein’ me, and went into the office of the hash-house. 1 didn’t think nothin’ pur- tickler of that, fer I never ’spicioned him. If he’d 'a’ seen me I’d expected him to speak to _ me, but I had my bat pulled over my eyes an’ my baek to bim, and he passed on, Even then I come mighty nigh tellin’ him ‘ howdy,’ which would ’a’ knocked the fat in the fire shore enough, . Hye ” When this Dutch galoot got through eatin an’ come out, Basil walked Be to him as fami- liar as you please and tapped him on the arm, “Ruther surprised Dutchy, 1 jedged, from the way he looked, : k ‘“¢Have you got ary room clost? said Basil. ‘Tve got somethin’ powerful purtickler to say to you!’ ay can’t jist tell you what the Dutchman said, ’cause I can’t git the twist jist right to my tongue, But any way I could see he was s'pi- cious and didn’t like the feller’s looks, I’m cer- tain that he’d never seen him before and mebbe he thought Basil was goin’ to try to rob him,” Then, with a plentiful sprinkling of epithets and Jow slang, Nugget Jim p: ed to tell how he had followed the pair up the narrow stairway and concealed himself near the door, Aon
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an “4 ‘ ’ There he had beard all that had passed; and by gluing an eye to the key-hole had also been able to see as well as hear, When Basil King left the apartment with such precipitation the spy had only time to crowd himself against the wall, in the deepest shadows, “‘Tt was a narry escape,” he explained, ‘‘ and fer a minute I thought I’d have to show my hand with a pistol in it!” ‘* This is a serious affair!” observed Fox, when Nugget Jim bad concluded. ‘ Basil King is a mano | had never suspected. ** And you think the Dutchman is the genuine article, after all?” “Td take my ’davy on it!” Nugget Jim as- serted, positively. ‘‘I watched the feller like a cat. If he’d been playin’ a game he couldn’t ’a’ helped showin’ some signs of it, the way Basil came at him. Stiddy that he got roarin’ mad; and finally skeered. I do believe he thought Basil was a lunatic; an’, fer a minute, I thought he was a-goin’ to jump smack out o’ that win- der. An’ it would ’a’ killed him certain, fer toere’s a car-load o’ broken stone jist under it.” **T wish he had!” growled Fox. ‘ Then there could have been no possible danger from him in the future. For in spite of what you say, Nug- get—and by that I don’t want you to under- stand that I’m disputing your word in the least —I can’t help feeling that he will be the thorn in our flesh before a great while.” ** Ever’ man’s a right to his opinion!” insisted Nugget, doggedly. ‘‘I have mine, an’ other men’s free to think as they please. J ain’t got no furder fears 0’ that Dutchman. I can’t say, though, but I might have, if he should paddle me onc’t!” Fox did not appreciate the thrust; but he said nothing. Nugget Jim was too valuable a man to waiheaaatty offend. For a time he sat with his head buried in his hands, as if in «' thought. ‘*Where did King go, after he came out of there?” he asked, finally. ‘*T didn’t think it’d be of any benefit to foller him!” replied Nugget. ‘‘ An’, in fact, I had al- ready collared about as much information as I could well carry!” ‘Yes; you did welll” ‘approvingly. ‘‘ The question now is how to utilize it!” “Tf you mean by that, what would you do about it, I say, knife him!” , ‘* Basil King?” ‘*' Yes; the quicker you put him out of the way the better! He knows too much for our good. How'd he find out I wasn’t the owner 0’ the Gold Mine?” ‘“*T don’t know, unless you told him. I am sure T haven’t said anything about it to any one. ** Same hyar; and yit he knows it. Knowed too, that you had spies after the Dutchman, How'd he find that out so confounded quick? What else he knows I ain’t any idee. Ever’- thing, likely!” ‘* Did you gain any notion frum what he said as to why he wanted tu help Dutchy, in case he wus what he thought him?’ asked one of the men. ‘ ‘Yes; that’s a point worth investigating!” as- sented Fox, ‘‘ Why should Basil King wish to take a stand against me at all? I’m sure I bave always treated him well!” ** An’ ain’t I allus give him as much liberty in the Gold Mine as if he was a king, sure enough? ‘*Blast bim! His talk skeered me this morn- in’! Now, it makes me mad!” ‘“‘ But you haven’t answered Tom’s question!” supaeiee Fox. ; “No; I didn’t git any idee at all on that p’int. He didn’t say, as I remember. Told Dutchy that he was with him ag’inst you. Didn’t say why. I reckoned, mebbe, you’d downed him at the card- table er somethin’.” ‘Never played a game with him in my life. in fact, I don’t recollect that I ever saw him at the gaming tables.” ‘“Too busy chinnin’ Miss Fanny!” growled Nugget. ‘ You bet, I'll stop that /” The discussion extended to a great length, but uo further points were developed worth record- ing. Two decisions were arrived at. One was that Happy Hans was to be placed under st ict surveillance. The other that Basil King must be slain. Tt was not known just what the latter’s aims were, But enough had been learned to convince them that he was a dangerous man. His atten- tions to Fanny, it was argued, were merely a bliad to give him a plausible excuse for haunting the Gold Mine, both in season and out of season, As for the German, if a strict watch showed that he was not playing a double game he would Happy Hans, the Dutch Vidocq. be allowed to go unmolested. Otherwise a simi- lar fate would be meted out to him, Truly these were desperate men, by wham a hu- man was held as lightly as the turning of a card. ‘* King will no doubt visit the Gold Mine to- morrow night!” said Fox, rising to depart as the conference terminated. ‘‘ That is not certain, though, for he does not always come, and never until itis very late. That will better suit our purpose, however, than if he kept earlier bours. There. will be fewer people liable to make an awkward interference. ‘* You will have charge of the pleasant affair, Nugget. And remember that no mistakes must be made. Get the right man and get him dead to rights.” The scoundrel seemed pleased at the trust re- posed in him, “Count on me, boss! I never makea vreak in a little thing like that.” They filed slowly out into the almost deserted gaming room. Then each went his own way, with mind filled with thoughts of the bloody deed contemplated, CHAPTER VI. THE ‘‘ GOLD-MINE’S” ANGEL. A SERIES of untoward and cruel circum- stances had placed pretty Fanny Elgin beneath the roof of the ‘Gold Mine.” She was not at all the kind of girl one would expect to find in such a place; and, too, her position there was rather an anomalous one, She was neither cook, waitress nor bar-maid; and yet her duties occasionally included all of these. She was, in fact, a sort of privileged servant, on whose shoulders devolved many of the responsibilities of housekeeper and proprietress, Her father had been eugaged in mining in the Raton Mountains, whose frowning hights occa- sionally cast their shadows into the very streets of Round-up. <A truer, braver heart than Old John Elgin’s never beat beneath a ragged jacket. Yet fickle fortune seldom smiled on his efforts, He lacked the ability to make money, or to keep it when once it was earned. He was honest, truthful and industrious, but a noticea- ble unfixedness of purpose handicapped him in the battle for bread, During the later years of his checkered career his daughter Fanny had clung to him and cared for him, Then a fall of rock in a drift had ended his life and cast her out upon the world, friendless, penniless, and alone, For months her strugg}es to secure an honest living in that wild, rough country, required a courage that almost amovuted to heroism. But by slow degrees she conquered, gaining alike the respect of friends and enemies. Then came the offer of the position she now held in the Gold Mine. At first she had recoiled from its acceptance. But the loss of a situation and the pinchings of financial distress induced her to change her mind, There was no reason why, she argued, she could not retain her own self-respect and honor in that establishment as well as else- where, if she resolutely set her face against the evil that would necessarily surround her, And she succeeded. Not only that, but by her kindness, tact and evident good-will, she compelled the respect and admiration of every one, In some cases, even, this feeling went be- youd mere admiration; and there were a plen- tiful sprinkling of men in Round-up who would not have hesitated to slay the individual that dared breathe a word against the purity of her character, She had not been there a great while until some one playfully alluded to her as the ‘‘ Gold Mine’s Angel,” and the title seemed so strikingly appropriate that it at once went into general use, And an angel she really seemed, compared with the people around her and with the class that haunted the bar-room and gaming-tables. Even if her reputation had not been as unsullied as it was, her striking beauty would have jus- tified the appellation, She was handsome, petite and graceful; a decided brunette, with a clear complexion, a dainty rosebud of a mouth, eyes that held both laughter and tears, and a silken glory of glossy hair. This morning there was 4 look of unwonted seriousness on her mobile features, as she s behind the bar. Tbe room was deserted; for it was not the time of day most affected by bibu- lous souls. She had halted in her task of put- ting things to rights, and was pow:staring ab- stractedly into vacancy. : Her sleeves were pushed above her dimpled elbows, her abundant bair was drawn back and pinned in a becoming coil, giving to her head a statuesque outline, and her short skirts reveal- ed a pair of as dainty feet as ever graced lovely femininity. Altogether she presented a picture worthy of the study of an artist or a lover of the beautiful. The air of serious abstraction vanished, as a step was heard iu the entrance, and she tu: ned again to her work. The footsteps entered tke bar-room aud she lcoked up, only to meet the admiring gaze of Flavel Fox. There was something in his gaze or his man- ner that caused her to flush hotly and bend more assiduously to the task at which she was engaged, Flavel Fox wasaman of low and evil in- stincts, and the handsome picture the girl had presented had temporarily aroused some of the basest passions of his nature. He was forced to acknowledge that he had never seen her looking quite so handsome; and for the time being she quite drove out of his thoaghts the vision of the stately and queenly Nadine. Her confusion was only temporary, and when he addressed her in his usual polite and oily mauner, she arose to greet bim with such an air of quiet self-possession that he was driven into the belief that the flush was wholly due to the exertion of stooping. ** A lovely morning!” he ventured, suddenly finding his position a strained and awkward one. “Yes; but a damp eloth and a dust-brush doesn’t give one much time for admiring it. I suppose the sun rises every morning in the old- time way, but my duties prevent me from tes- tifying to it from personal knowledge.” Unwittingly her speech opened up the very channel of communication he was seeking. ** And, yet, Miss Fanny, I notice that you usually find plenty of time to devote to P hie handsome cavalier, Basil King. But I don’t blame you. That’s the way of the world and of womankind. And he isa nice fellow. For some reason! find thatI have taken quite a liking to him.” He watched her narrowly, hoping to read her thoughts. A desire to know whether King had revealed bis knowledge to Fanny was the im- lling motive that brought Flavel Fox into the ar-room. ** Still I don’t know but you'might find more worthy suitors. King is, as I have said, a nice fellow, but from all appearances he is miserably r. ‘© Which, I suppose, you think is sufficient cause that I should discard him?” “No; not exactly that! But you know Fanny, that our hkes and dislikes, our loves and hates, are largely matters of chance; or, more correctly speaking, are governed by circum- stances over which we bave some control. “For instance: To prove my proposition, suppose that you had never met or heard of Basil King! You could neither like nor dislike him. To you he would be as though he did not exist. Now,.we can to a large extent control our meeting and acquaintanceship, You became acquainted because you chese, or rather, did not refuse to do so. ‘“*Tf you bad resolutely set your face against that and formed only the acquaintance of eligi- ble gentlemen no doubt you conld have met some one who has a substantial bank-account and whom you would love none the less sincerely for that.” ‘* And thus become a fcortune-hunter or an ad- venturess! Thank you for your good opinion of me, Mr, Fox!” There was a tinge of sarcasm in the tones. ‘‘ Besides, what. chances would a girl in my position have, even if she were base enough to look at her advantages from that light?” ‘* An abundance of them, Miss Fanny! I once thongbt of shying a castor into the ring myself, and would have done so, no deubt, if King hado’t put in an appearance. Don’t look so startled, for it’s a fact.’ He noticed her look of amazement and dis- may, but burried on without giving her a chance to speak: ‘*Now, I am not so poor, Fanny, as you may think. I have some money and Jands and am foreman of. the ‘ Double-bar’ Ranch, at a good salary.” “ And owner of the Gold Mine?” he expected to hear ber say; but was disappointed. That wasa fact that Fanny Elgin was fully aware of, but she saw the trap in time to avoid it. : Now that she had fathomed the undercurrent of his thoughts and fully understood his motives, she had nothing further to fear and became, chatty and jocular. . 5.
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} ‘ , 4 rv, sat Tr oie A SNS eS, i Mines me “* No doubt you're a good catch, Mr, Fox, but 1 don’t think so,” Fox was rather taken aback. He saw thata new wind had caught her sails, but could not account for the change. ** And why not, pray?’ he half gasped. ‘‘ Well, you must understand that I don’t wish to offend you or wound P acon feelings,” she re- plied, laughingly, ‘‘but I don’t like it. It’s too suggestive of qualities that I can’t appreciate.” ‘ox winced, for this was a direct thrust, and he knew it. However, he could not afford to exhibit anger. ‘“‘ Perhaps I have a better, if I would only lug it out.” “T was going to suggest that, Mr. Fox, if you had only given me time, And then, there is an- other reason: You have already a sweetheart.” ‘©Who? Nadine? Well, she is a clever wo- man, and no doubt handsome—for I have never seen her facé—but she is not my ideal of a life- companion.” He unconsciously lowered his voice, as if he feared the Card-Queen might hear him. ‘* What, Mr. Fox! Has the sun spots on it? Fie! fie! Now, Pll warrant you wouldn’t say that to Nadine herself.” ‘Well, maybe I wouldn’t,” Fox confessed. ‘“‘T like Nadine, after a fashion. But you, Fan- ny, come nearer to the mark. “Now, don’t put vour hands up to your ears in that silly way, for ’'m in earnest. I didn’t really know how good-looking you were until I rent in here a little while ago. It wasa revela- ion. The look that boded peril to her had returned to his eyes, ‘¢ Don’t talk to me that way, Mr. Fox,” she pleaded. ‘* You will allow me to joke, but I mustn’t get in earnest! Is that it? Well, now, Fanny, I don’t see why you should repel my advances. I am in earnest, I assure you. word I say. L tell you frankly, you are the prettiest woman in Round-up,” He attempted to clasp her hand, but she quietly withdrew it. “Tf you knew how much you are distressing me, Mr. Fox, I am sure you would not talk that way,” she —— her breast heaving, and a flash of indignation coming into her fine eyes. ‘‘But you must listen to what I have to say,” he persisted. “I want you to think of measa would-be lover, anyway. I have money in abundance and if you choose to accept my at- eae you may dress as fine as any lacy in the and, He bowed himself away as he said this, leav- ing her trembling and crimson with anger and humiliation. “T will be compelled to leave this place at once,” she exclaimed, in an anxious and agitated veice. ‘*To remain wil] be to place myself at the mercy of that wretch, I was tempted to tell him what I really knowof him. But it is not time for that yet. If I had done so his expressed regard. for me would, no doubt, have changed into a desire to assassinate me.” She placed the cloth and dust-brush on a con- venient shelf, surveyed her flushed face in a tiny wien and then fled to the upper regions of the ouse. CHAPTER VII. A WARNING, Tuat afternoon Basil King received a letter that rather startled him, It was from Fanny Elgin; and in it she stated that his life was in immineni peril and that, in consaquence, he must make arrangements to immediately leave the town, It also contained a hint that she intend- ed to sever her connection with the Gold Mine, and asked him to meet her that night at a place named, for a parting interview. The letter was thoroughly despairing in tone, but breathed the warmest sentiments of affection. The young man stood like one dazed, as he slowly read it again and again. He at once leaped to the conclusion that the peril, iffany, threatened from the direction of the Gold Mine itself. Perhaps Fox had learned of his visit to Happy Hans, “Fanny has heard something of a startling character,” was bis comment, ‘It may be that she is unduly alarmed, but she has heard soniething; and whatever it is lll wager a gcd penny that Fox is at the bottom of it. ut what can she mean by intimating that she intends to quit the place? Leave the town? Well, not much, unless I’m forced to!” He was in a fever of impatience the remainder of the afternoon, and more than once was on the point of going boldly to the Gold Mine for mean every | the purpose of learning the cause of Fanny’s sudden alarm. But the tone of the letter re- strained him. The place of interview was near the rear gate that opened from the garden toward the moun- tains. Promptly, at the appointed time, King set out for this gate. When he reached the garden he found that Fanny was there in advance of him. ‘Oh, I’m so glad you came!” she whispered, as she nervously clasped bis hand. ‘‘ Why, what’s up?” he asked, sinking into a seat by her side. ‘‘ Your letter was enough to give one the shivers!” “* Speak as low as you can, please!” she urged. ‘‘T saw some men out there awhile ago. 1 am afraid they were dogging your footsteps. If so, and we remain quiet, they may not discover us in here.” ‘* Why should they follow me?” he asked anx- go “They intend to murder you, Basil!” she whispered, slowly and impressively. ‘‘I heard them plotting it. Oh, it was awful, and I could scarcely keep from screaming out. ‘* Late last night, as I was passing oer the rear of the gaming-hall on my — up-stairs, [ heard your name mentioned. stopped to listen and found there were a number of men in the little back room and that they were talking about you. ‘“ T couldn’t hear very distinctly from where I was. So I removed my shoes, and crept out into the garden and crawled up under one of those windows. The men were Flavel Fox, Nugget Jim and a number of the rough fellows that are always hanging around here. “They had been talking for some time I judged, but I heard enough to know that Nug- get Jim had tracked you to the ‘room of the rman, when you went to visit "him, and had heard all you said there. And it made my heart stand still, Basil, when Fox said that you knew too much for their good and that you must be—be—put out of the way!” She leaned her head, upon his shoulder and fairly sobbed out the last words, King was shocked and alarmed, but he placed his arm about ber waist, drew her to him and endeavored to comfort her. ‘The matter has a serious look!” he was forced to confess. ‘‘ But the danger may not really be so great, Fanny, as it seems.” ce ‘Ana when I saw those men out there,” she continued, convulsively, ‘‘ I expected every mo- ment to hear the report of revolvers and see you fall, Oh, Basil, this is terrible; and 1 know I cannot rest nor sleep a wink until I learn that you are safe out of the town! ’ “ T ought to have urged you to leave at once on receipt of my letter, and am sorry now that I did not. But I couldn’t bear the thought of your going away without a ‘ good-by,’ when perhaps I would never see you again.” She was weeping bitterly, her slender form quivering like a leaf. ‘“* And to-day, Basil, Fox came into the bar- room where I was at work and by artful sen- tences tried to entrap me up into telling him if ou had ever spoken to me of what you told the erman. And not only that but his manner was such that I can no longer remain in that house.” King felt that his situation was one of un- known peril; and even while his sweetheart talked he shifted his position long enough to enable him to draw a revolver and place it con- venient to his hand. ‘« T don’t see how I can leave the town, now,” he said, ‘* when so much depends on my remain- ing. You know what I refer to, Fanny, and know that it is important that I should be here. Especially at this time, when a day may ac- cumulate sufficient evidence to enable me to un- mask the whole case!” ‘*Oh, you must leave!” she insisted. ‘‘ To- night! Por a time, at least! Your life is worth more than money, and i know from what [ heard last night that they fully intend to kill you. “No doubt of that, 1 guess, if they get the opportunity, But Iam good at disguising, and can remain right here and defy them to find me. You look up another place, and I promise I will communicate with you and visit you in such a costume that you would never recognize me, if I did not reveal my identity. “T ought to have thought of that when I visited the German. It was a piece of short- sightedness for which I alone am to blame. But it’s too late now for regrets. All we can do is to look out for the present and prepare for the future.” Happy Hans, the Dutch Vidocq. ———— SSS a] » ‘* And do you really think it will be safe to do that? Will they not watch me, and entrap you that way?” ‘‘That would be the only chance they would have. I think, though, I can devise a plan that will eveu baffle them there,” ‘Tf you only can!” she exclaimed. The hope that he would not be compelled to leave the town was a very cheering one. She was willing and anxious to submit to it, to in- sure his safety; but if the necessity could be ob- viated it would be very pleasant, she thought. None of us like to have our loved ones forced from our side. ‘*T am sure it can be done!” he asserted, cheer- ily. ‘In fact, it is quite practicable. I can see you occasionally as a book-agent, or a ped- dler of unconsidered trifles, or even as a dealer in old junk and garbage. There are niany ways in which the thing can be worked. ** And now that you feel more contented on that point, tell me what your plans are?” ‘‘T have none!” she answered, dejectedly. ‘‘T must leave this place, and I hardly know where togo. I havea few acquaintances in the town, and perhaps I can stop with them until I can secure another position.” ‘“ Would you be offended if I should offer the loan of a small sum of money?” ‘‘ Not offenced, Basil. You know me better than that. I know your motives are pure and honorable. But I couldn’t accept it. I will manage in some way!” “Tt will not be long, I trust, until you will stand before the world as my wife!” he said, “Then I will | Peseerschys kiss upon her cheek. ave the right to care for you and fight your battles, As soon as this miserable business is er I shall insist upon an immediate wed- ing. She nestled closer to him, asif for protection from the storms that threatened to rage about her; and again he kissed her face and smoothed back her glossy hair. For an hour they sat there, talking of the ast and present, and building airy castles for the future, as lovers will, almost fergetting the threatening danger that lurked so near. Then, with many apologies for his thought- lessness in detaining her so long in the cool, night air, he arose to take his departure, She walked with him down to the gate, and there they remained anotber ten minutes. “T must really go!” he exclaimed, at last, as if it cost him an effort to tear himself awa from her. ‘‘Good-night and good-by until see you again.” A sudden growling, as if from the throats of a score of leashed bulldogs, broke upon the stillness of the night, and a number of masked men leaped out at them from the dense shadows. “Take the girl, too!” commanded one. ‘ Fanny was frozen and numbed with a horrible ear. A spout of fire and a report from Basil’s re- volver aroused her, and she sent one frantic scream aftcr another along the deserted streets. The shot was nded to by others, revolvers were clubbed and knives flashed, and Basil King slip heavily to the earth, dying or dead, as the unhappy girl roe believed. Then there was a rush of men from the rear of the gaming-room, together with excited shouts, calls and exclamations, In the midst of it all, Fanny was seized by rough and brutal hands, and hurried away, CHAPTER VIII. MELCHIZEDECK MEEK. Ir was not Fox’s original intention to have Fanny Elgin carried away. That followed as the result of the events of the afternoon. From the hour that Basil King’s death was-de- termined on, he was beset by spies and infor- mers. Every movement he made was observed ; and, if deemed of importance, news of it was quickly transmitted to the Gold Mine. Consequently, the warning letter from Fanny Elgin had not been in his possession a half-hour ubtil a knowledge of the fact with some idea of its import was conveyed to Flavel Fox. The arch-scoundrel at once decided that she must also be shadowed; and found little diffi- culty in securing tools ready to bis purpose. When she went to the appointed place of meeting, in the little garden near the rear en- trance, her movements were noted, and the in- formers concealed themselves in the shadows just beyond, Here they met the men who were dogging the footsteps of Basil King, and notice of the interview between the lovers was quickly conveyed to Flavel Fox, who was, at the time, in the bar-room of the Gold Mine, ‘‘ Kill him and carry her to the rendezvous in ee
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Happy Hans, the Dutch Vidocg,. 7 the mountains!” was the brutal order. ‘If she doesn’t know all about the affair now, she will before that meeting ends. A man can’t keep so weighty a secret from the woman be loves, From the looks of affairs this afternoon, I am almost convinced, any way, that she is a spy on our movements.” Then, as the messenger departed, he resumed his cigar as nonchalantly as if a thought of wrong-doing had never entered his cruel mind. The reader knows how the order was carried out, “Curse her! Throw that blanket over her head afore she wakes the town!” growled the man who carried Fanny, as another scream es- ca’ her lips. “She yells and fights like a wild: cat!” They were hurrying along in the shadows of the houses toward the point where horses had been left in waiting. The command was complied with, and the en- veloping folds of the heavy blanket rendered futile the struggles of the terrified girl. The horses were reached after a short run. One was a large and powerful animal. To the back of this the man clambered, and Fanny was again placed in his arms. Then the little cavalcade dashed pig's head- ing straight for the Raton Mountains, heedless of the tumult they were leaving behind them, When they gained the open country the horse- man removed the suffocating blanket and com- manded the girl to sit on the withers of the animal, in frontof him. Here he held her in position with one powerful arm, as they gallop- ed steadily onward, Fanny was faint, frightened and sick at heart. She believed that Basil King was dead; and it appeared that the fate in store for her could not be but a horrible one. Yet she did not faint or lose consciousness, Gradually, however, a benumbing sensation crept over her. It seemed a feeling akin to nightmare. The events of the evening took on the coloring of some horrible dream. The voices of the men at her side and the clatter of the horses’ feet had a distant and indistinct sound. The movements of the steed that car- ried her assumel a swinging character and she ne to be floating through space. ut she soon came out of this dreamy state into a full realization of the actual terrors of her position. And they were certainly sufficient to appall the stoutest heart! Terrible as they were, she tried to face and comprehend them in all their horrible reality. aries the situation was not as bad as it ap- peared. Basi) might not have beenslain! A way of escape might open, even before the dawning of anotber day! There was a ray of hope, as there nearly always is, and she en- deavored to extract fromit as much comfort and cheer as possible. A ride of two or three hours brought them to some sort of human habitation, It was a half dug-out, half log-house, and contained two cheerless rooms. It was unoccupied, and the men took possession of it asif they felt them- selves at home. The back room was assigned to Fanny, and very grateful was she to escape from the rude gaze and boisterous company of those semi- savage men, She found the room almost bare of furniture; but there was a hard cot in one corner and an old box that could he made to serve for a seat. To this box a candle had been glued by a liberal application of melted tallow; and its ghostly light served to partially illuminate the apart- ment. She was stiff and fatigued from the long ride and the uncomfortable position she had occupied on the horse, and her mind ran riot with painful thought and conjecture. She feared also to trust herself to sleep, even if sleep were possible. Nevertheless she sought a comfortable position on the cot and after a time drifted into troubled and restless slumber. When she awoke the sun was high in the heavens, showing that ske had slept for hours. Voices came from the other room—which she thought at first were the voices of the men who had brought her there. ate os & Her movements caused a cessation in the con- veimgtion. After a little a man came to the door, peered in, and, seeing that she had arisen, —" the door open and propped it with a bowl- er, ‘ ~ He was an old man, with long, flowing, white hair and venerable beard. There was only one other man in the house, and he was an Indian, with a cruel, ees face and enlpameireg that were indescribably greasy and filthy. — “Ab, my dear, you are up,I see!” the old man exclaimed, in a high, cracked voice, at the same time combing his long beard with his fin- gers. ‘‘Glad to see you looking so well.” The hope that had sprung almost full-armed into the girl’s breast, died, as that squeaky voice fell on her ears, It seemed assumed, crafty and hypocritical. ‘* Your escort of last night is gone!” he con- tinued, interpreting her questioning look. ‘* They only waited until my arrival and then returned to the town. ‘But I forget! 1 haven’t introduced myself, My name is Meek—Melchizedeck Meek—and I am by occupation a mustang-catcher. This man is Red Joe, my assistant.” Before Fanny could reply, he hobbled away, soon returning with a small pail of water and a rusty and leaky tin wash-basin. ‘* These poor accommodations are, I regret to say, the best my house affords!” he explained, apologetically. ‘‘I once had a little oval mir- ror, but Joe took it for a neck-pendant and smashed it while climbing over the rocks.” ‘“'This will do very well!” she replied. ‘‘ And now, Mr. Meek, may I ask you why [ am held here?” ‘¢ The water will all run out of that basin, if you stop to ask questions!” be urged, pointing to the pool that was rapidly forming on the earthen floor. In answer, Fanny coolly took up the basin and tossed the water through the open window. ‘‘ There is more water in the pail, and I can wait. I am much more anxious to know why I am held here.” ‘‘ Rather unceremonious treatment!” he said, ina toneof reproach. ‘ But I willanswer your question, You are detained here for your own ‘“In what way?” with scornful and question- ing doubt. “*You are aware, I suppose, Miss Elgin—for I have been given to understand that is your name—that you have numerous friends in Round-up, iends who are deeply interested in your welfare. It became known to them that you were in extreme danger of committing an act of irrevocable folly; and they placed you here to keep you from that,” Fanny fairly gasped with surprise. Was it ssble that this old man had been deceived by lavel Fox as to the true motives that prompted the abduction? “* And what was that folly, pray?” “A basty and ill-advised marriage with a young man named King!” ‘** And they led you to believe that?” She asked the question, but had previously answered it in her own mind. The sniffling air that Meek had just then assumed, branded him unmistakably as a pi gtr ‘They certainly did, Miss Elgin!” . ‘Well, it’s false, I was not oondhs bere for any such reason. You heard that from Flavel Fox, I suppose?’ ‘* Flavel Fox is a very great friend of yours!” he answered, crossing his hands demurely, “So is the hawk the friend of the dove! Flavel Fox is a base scoundrel and a murderer!” Meek recoiled a step, for there was a look of almost insanity im her eyes as she made the assertion. _ “Yes, a murderer! And as sure as there is a ust God in Heaven, 1 will reap a righteous arvest of punishment. **'You do Mr. Fox a great wrong, my dear. He is certainly your friend.” ‘Then I will have to pray to be delivered from my friends, Mr. Meek, for a greater vil- lain never went unbung!” So passionate was her outburst that_even the Indian, stolid as he was, stirred uneasily. ‘““Mr, Meek, from your air and manner, I judge that you profess to be a just man.” Meek bowed and aguin crossed his bands, “Yes, Miss Elgin! Itrust that I am! I[ was at one time a minister of the gospel, but fortui- tous circumstances lost me my pastorate. I come, also, of good family, and received quite a liberal education, and boped at one time that I would be able to pass my declining years in the midst of the enjoyments and blessings of civili- zation. But my lot bas been ordered otherwise, and I try to be content. | “One will, though, Miss Elgin, naturally look back with longing to tbe flesh-pots of Egypt. No matter how we mortify the flesh, it is hard to rid ourselves of our natural dispositions and inclinations, ** But, as I said, I try to be content; and in the afternoon of ae life I am endeavoring to make an honorable living as a catcher of wild horses. Itisan humble calling, but it has its compensating advantages. The life is almost wholly an out-door one, and I am thus freed from many ailments that might otherwise annoy me. The old man seemed about to continue his ous rewarks, when Fanny interrupted “Asa just man and a Christian, wii your conscience and your sense of duty permit you to retain me here at the instigation of such a wretch as Flavel Fox? A man who is truly a Christian would not lend himself to such an out- rage; for the Golden Rule is the essence of true Christianity !” Evidently Melchizedeck Meek had the hide of a rbinoceros, for the stroke did not even cause him to wince. ‘“*We will argue that later, Miss Elgin. At present I haven’t time. Your breakfast is get- ting cold. So if you will kindly proceed with your ablutions, I will order Red Joe to place it on the table. As for myself, I have a large number of wild horses, yearlings and colts most- ly, corraled in the pasture below; and, as they are to be branded to-day, I must look after them!” He reached for a knotted cane, and without further words left the bouse. It was not pleasant to be left there with that villainous-faced Indian; but there seemed no help for it,and Fanny decided that it would never do to show any signs of fear, “Come!” said Red Joe, motioning to the hittle table in the front room. ‘Good! Heap eat. It might have been good, but Fanny much feared the victuals were not overly clean. But she did not express her thoughts, and endeavor- ed to make as hearty a meal as possible under the circumstances. When she had finished, she retired again to the little back room. She had not relished the glances that Red Joe occasionally gave her, and she wished to keepas far from him as possible, Several times she wondered if she could steal away, and so lose herself in the bills that they could not find her. A little thought showed the impracticability of the idea. There appeared to be no way of leaving the house without at- tracting the Indian’s attention; and, even if she could do so, and gained the hills, be was doubt- less a practical trailer, and would readily over- take her. Tbe back room had a small window, as bas been stated, and this window commanded a view of the plains below where was located the horse- corral that Meek bad mentioned. But the win- dow did not offer any avenue of escspe, for two heavy bars crossed it. .The space remainin was not large enough to permit the passage o a human body. The borse-corral furnished a point of interest. It contained a large number of young horses; and, to Fanny’s surprise, she saw that there were nearly a dozen men gathered in and about it. Conspicuous among them was Melchbizedeck am with his long hair and flowing, white ra, Fanny knew that there were bands of wild horses in the surrounding country, but she had never dreamed that they were so numerous as the number in the corral seemed to testify. But ber head throbbed with a dull. beavy pain, and she could scarcely arouse sufficient energy to wonder at it. The supposed death of ber lover and the hope- lessness. of her own position, was slowly, but surely crushing her heart and sapping her strength. The fictitious endurance lent by the excitement of the morning was vanishing, and she felt so weak and miserable that she almost wished she might die. Occasionally Melchizedeck Meek hobbled up to the house, inquired solicitously about her con- dition, and then hobbled down again. He did not offer to broach the subject of the morning and@.Fanny was in no mood to push her inquiries. She knew that it would be a useless waste of breath. The branding and work in the corral went on, the day slowly wore away and night came again, with its blackness and its shadows, so terribly suggestive of the fearful nigbt tbat had preceded it, And for Fanny Elgin tke shadows lay on her heart, as well as on ber pillow. CHAPTER IX. AN ANGRY QUEEN. ae On the afternoon of the next day a spicy in- terview took place in the little back room of the Gold Mine. Nadine, the Card-Queen, descended to the ‘bar-room where Flavel Fox was conferring in low whispers with Nugget Jim, and requested
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~~ Happy Hans, the Dutch Vidocq. the privilege of a few minutes’ conversation with the former, Fox was, apparently, eager to comply with the request, and led the way briskly to the dimly-hghted conference room, ‘ Nadine was evidently agitated, so much so that she fairly trembled, as she followed him in. And her voice, from fear or passion, was almost husky. Fox noticed her condition and vaguely won- dered what was coming. Could he have seen tiie workings of her features beneath the mask he would have been more than alarmed. ‘* What is it, my dear?” he asked, fearing that a storm was about to break over his devoted head. ‘‘ You seem weak and ill!” ‘* What my physical condition may be is of no moment now, Mr. Fox! I come to speak of something of vastly greater importance. It is true that Iam not at my best, and for that rea- son have absented myself from the gaming- tables. And also for another reason that I will make plain later on. ** The question I wish to put to you=-and I de- sire a direct and truthful answer—is: Whiy did you have Fanny Elgin abducted and carried to that cabin in the mountains?” Flavel Fox started as if stung by a serpent. Where had Nadine gained her information? “Why, Nadine, you are certainly laboring under a delusion. Why should I do such a oon “That’s what I want to know, Mr. Fox. It is, in fact, the question I asked you.” “Tt is true that Fanny has mysteriously dis- appeared, but that she is at a cabin in the Raton ountains—” . ‘““Ts a fact that I well know, Mr. Fox! There is no need of prevarication! Iam familiar with the whole story from the moment of her abduc- tion up to the present. She is there, now, in charge of an Indian and a few cowboys. You, yourself, saw her to-day!” As Why, my dear Nadine, this is preposter- ous! J ‘*T¢ is true; and you know it! J saw you there |” The amazement written on the face of Flavel Fox could scarcely be described. “Not in your true person, Mr. Fox, but as Melichizedeck Meek, the mustang-catcher! ‘* Perhaps you are now ready to understand why I seem so weak and nervous this afternoon. To one unaccustomed to horseback exercise, such a ride as I have had is crushing in its exhaus- tion. You will also understand why I have been away from the gaming-tables, I followed your cowardly band of midnigbt assassins, The sbots and the tumult aroused me and I at once recog- nized the voice of Fanny Elgin. ‘*T knew that it was a case of abduction and that you were at the bottom of it. I hastily dis- guised myself by assuming male attire, get a horse from a livery stable and followed the ab- ductors. I have been out there in the hills ever since watching you /” She had hurried on with her accusation at such a breathless rate that he bad had no chance to interpose a word in explanation or defense, Now that she paused for a moment, he knew not what to say, for apparently a denial was useless. Finally he resolved to brave it out. ‘*Nadine, you are certainly a wonderful wo- man! There is one thing, though, I would like to know: How did you penetrate my disguise? I am sure that during the whole time I was there I never once removed my beard or wig!” “Then you do not deny my statement?” ; ** What is the use of denying the assertions of &@ woman who seems omnipresent? I would deny them, I suppose, if I could; but I can’t. To do so would be to call you a liar!” “Which would not deter you, Flavel Fox, if it served your purpose! “Do you want me to tell you what else I know?” “Yes; go ahead!” with a hard laugh./ «I may as well meet my fate like a man! I sup- pose I have been robbing the United States Treasury?” ‘* No; but you bave been and are robbing your employer! You are the foreman of tbe Double-Bar’ horse ranch. The owner does not live in this country and the entire management ef the business has devolved on you. The temp- tation to violate your trust was too great a one for a man of your principleos—or rather lack of principles, ‘“* According to your reports to your employer the business bas been a losing one almost from the start. During the last few years the losses have been exceptionally heavy. These you have attributed to severe storms and blizzards, which have annually killed off almost all the young > animals—to deaths caused by horses falling over precipices and cliffs in the edge of the moun- tains, and to losses occasioned by horse-thieves. Every statement of which was absolutely false!” ‘*T see you are going to hang me!” he ex- claimed, with a forced smile. ‘* Nothing of the sort, Mr. Fox! Isimply want to make you comprehend the extent of the power I possess because of this information. ** Those reports to your employer were made to cover up your criminal and dishonest acts, “In the guise of Melchizedeck Meek, an ex- parson and presumably a very pious man, you became an alleged mustang-catcher The mus- tangs you caught were the horses and colts which you reported to your employer as stolen and destroyed, You systematically robbed the ‘Double-Bar ’ Ranch of almost its entire increase, every year. These young horses you had brand- ed in the brand of the mythical Meek; and they were sold as his animals’ and you pocketed the proceeds. Ms * np. is the truth, Flayel Fox, and you know it is!’ ** Anything else?” he asked, crossing his legs and coolly stroking his beard. ‘The catalogue of crimes isn’t quite exhausted.” “There are some others, but I will not men- tion them, now.” ** Ah! there are others? be!” “*Do you know why I have told you all this?” she asked not heeding his sneering tones. ~ ‘* Because you love me, I suppose, and want amuse me with stories!” **- You are nearer the mark, Flavel Fox, than you think! You have professed that you love me!” With professions on your lips do you suppose I can tamely submit to see you carry another woman to a secret retreat and visit "her day by day, as you will?” Fox opened his eyes as though light bad sud- denly come to them. All along he had been won- dering how the interview was to terminate. “If you do, I must say you are not acquainted with the first principles that regulate a woman’s heart!” by ‘* Not jealous?” he said, thrusting bis hands in- to his pockets, and smiling. ‘* There is not’a man in the town but has re- marked your attentions tome. It has been the gossip of Round-up. And Iaccepted your ad- dresses as serious. And thisisthe way you have deceived me, You don’t care anything for me, Mr, Fox!” Woman-like, Nadine was suddenly changing from accusation and anger to pleading and hysteria. ‘“*Tut! tut! Nadine! You are becoming silly. You know I think more of you than any woman inthe world. Fanny Elgin was carried away for reasons totally different from those you have conjectured !” ‘Silly! I knew that would come next! It's the way with you men. If we show our tempters, ped matter what the indignity put on us, we're silly! Nadine broke down at this point and actually wept. But it was only for aninstant. One, brief, fleeting instant! Then the claws again came out of their velvet sheaths, her eyes flash- ed fire through the holesin her mask and her voice became terrible in its threatening. ies. ‘* But remember, Flavel Fox, that it is possi- ble to go too far! And at that point you have arrived. The knowledge of your crimes has not appalled me, for I myself have used questionable means for obtaining money. But this last act is sometbing 1 cannot and will not submit to!” Fox recoiled, gasping, before the awful vin- dictiveness displayed in her tones and manner. ‘* A veritable sie-devil!” be muttered, ‘ She will be the ruin of me yet.” “Fanny Elgin must be released before an- other sun sets orI will publish to the world everything I know!” : ‘** Why, woman, what do you mean?” he de- manded, : ** Just what I say, Flavel Fox! I would bave you know that I ama woman who cannot be trifled with in any such manner. I do not pro- pose to havea rival, You have chosen to pub- lish to the world that you are devoted to me; and to my mind a rival, held in that surrepti- tious manner, is worse than if the fact were made public. ‘The she-cat!” he gritted under his breath. “Tf she goes on at this rate I will have to take means to silence her.” Will you not believe anything I have to say on the subject?” he asked. “I tell you she is not your rival,” ; “Ah! Mr, Fox! I might believe that if I I knew there must hadn't heard of your playful manner toward her in the bar-room just the day before the night in which you spirited her away. That spoke volumes!” . Fox became absolutely purple with fear and rage, What was it that this mysterious woman did not know? “Sol say again: Release her at once, or I will give my knowledge to the people of Round- up; and you know what that means!” ‘* They wouldn’t believe you!” he sneered, “Wouldn’t they? Very well! Fail to com- ply with my request and we will test the mat- ter, He saw he must assent. ‘“Come! come! Nadine! We will not quar- rel. I have been rather trying you. If determined that I must release that girl, I will do it,” CHAPTER X. A BOX OF GOLD. ** Urr dot ton’d gid me!” : Happy Hans stared at the soil beneath his feet, as he made the whispered assertion. He had come shuffling along in the shadows at the rear of the buildings flanking the Gold Mine, having for the time succeeded in evading the notice of Fox’s bloodhounds, A hum of voicesin the back room of, the Gold Mine caused him to lightly vault the fence and approach the curtained windows. i That he was in imminent danger of discovery and perhaps death he fully realized, but he de- cided that the risk was worth running, He felt certain that Flavel Fox knew nothing of his real character and objects, whatever he might suspect. i Happy Hans had been shadowed so persistent- ly by Fox's spies that he had so far been able to accomplish little. The knowledge made bim extraordinarily daring and reckless whenever a favorable opportunity for acquiring important information seemed to present itself, d The proposed eavesdropping might result in nothing, for he had no idea who the speakers were. Then, again, it might reveal knowledge of incalculable value, As events proved, the latter surmise was correct; and he was enabled to listen to the angry accusations of Nadine, and Fox’s coufessions of their truthfulness, On gaining the garden Hans had extracted from one of the deep pockets of his ancient coat, a dipping needle such as miners and prospectors use in locating bodies of magnetic ore. ‘Dot tream I hat lasd nighd make me vheel awvul foony,” he whispered, as he slipped for- ward, holding the dipping needle in front of him. ‘I tream dot mine leedle brudder, Fritz, come to my petsite py und vhisper indo dot righd ear. : “Td vhas a tream dot I ton’d vhorgid poody qvick—vhor he say dot he vhas kilted py a mans vhat shoomp ondo him vhor his bocked- pook! Ach! dot vhas awvul! ‘‘ Bud dot vheller gid vooled like de mans vhat gick de empdy poxes py de vurst uff Abril. Dot bocked-pook vhas got noddings in id! © | ‘* Fritz vhas leedle, but ach, mine cracious, be vhas dot sbarb like a putcher-knifes! He bat airnt so mooch as a pushels uff golt, und dot golt vhas peen puried y glose apout dhis blace. Uff I vhint dot I vbill sdick a inonument py his dombstone vhen I run agross id.” He came close up to the nearest window, and began to scrape about among the leaves that lit- tered the ground, all the time keeping an ear open for what was being said in the room. The exclamation with which this chapter opened was caused hy a rather remarkable dis- covery. The soil from which he had scraped. the leaves showed every indication of having been recently disturbed. In addition, an old ag stood in an angle of the building, and it also exhibited traces of contact with fresh earth. A hurried attempt bad evidently been made to remove these traces. The fact that the old spade stood in that cor- ner would have suggested nothing of itself, But, taken with the discovery of the recent disturb- ance of the soil, the connection, to the quick mind of Happy Hans was very evident. Just then Nadine began that series of remarka- ble accusations linking Flavel Fox with the pre- tended mustanger, and Hans became so interest- ed in the revelations that he forgot to proceed with his investigations. After a little, however, be recalled the fact that he was playing a part, and took up the rusty spade, He could proceed with the excava- tion. and at the same time listen to Nadine’s charges, Then, too, the disturbed earth might. | hold secrets as valuable as avy he could gain by - eavesdropping. ou are — es : ee ea ed ate SS: fa rar Z Se eng tee ce cn See 2 —r ony ‘ lle Se ae ert 5 Pe Rec on Rigs ant .. ete tt, ee x é > . oh , 4 . i
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"_. So he slowly began delving in the soft earth, stopping occasionally when the speakers touched upon some unusually interesting point, ‘This little trip, bold and reckless as it cer- tainly is, is already worth all the peril it is like- ly to cost me!” he muttered, as he rested on the spade and. listened to Nadine’s tremulous voice, ** That information is just what I’ve been hunt- ing for. I would have risked a visit to a den of lions to have secured it. “Tf [ am caught here, though, I will either have to fight or play as bold a game of rustic innocence as I ever attempted!” He again resumed his cautious scraping and delving; then, when he knew the interview was about to terminate, sunk the spade down with all the strength of bis beavy. foot. The point of it touched on a hard substance that gave out a metallic sound. “ Struck something!” he observed, proceeding to hastily shovel out thedirt. ‘‘ From the sound Ishould judge it to be the iron box that was buried somewhere hereabout by my brother, as revealed in the dream last night,” He smiled, as the concocted story flitted through his mind. “ Whatever it is, I must get it out of there in short order, or I will be apt to have the unkind- ly assistance of Flavel Fox. “‘ Of course there’s no gold buried here, nor anything else, I suppose, likely to be of benefit tome! But as I am this near to unmasking the ea “What-is-it? Pll go on to the fin- ish! Fox and Nadine had not yet left the room. Their conversation, though, had changed in tone. It had lost its fierce, threatening spirit and was mild and conciliatory. In consequence it made no revelations of interest to Happy Hans; and he became anxious to get through with his self-appointed task and hurry away, He realized that at any moment Fox might draw one of the window-curtains and look out upon him, The discovery would probably be followed by a shot. Some of the qualities of the bull-dog were in the composition of this pretended Dutchman. There was a persistence, a savage “grit” and a relentless ‘‘ do-or-die” about him that strongly suggested the well-known peculiarities of that animal. Peril could not daunt bim. Now that he had fu ly made up his mind to unearth the metallic object which his spade had clanged against, he would take unnecessary and even foolish risks to accomplish it. In a little while he had removed the dirt suffi- ciently to show that the buried object was a square, iron-bound box, ** Fritz’s box!” he whispered, a smile spread- ing over his face. ‘I will begin to believe, di- rectly, that I really had such a dream and that it’s about to come true, singular coincidence I ever heard of, I came here to bunt for an imaginary box—a box that was wholly a fictitious creation—and on the very ag rae where I commence my pretended search or it unearth a real one.” He scraped away the dirt from the edges, with his hands, and essayed to draw the box out of the hole. To his surprise he found it so heavy that it resisted all of his strength. However, by making a lever of his spade, he succeeded in setting if upon end, A suggestive jingle came from the box as he pried and poked at it, ‘“‘ There is gold in it, I really believe!” he ex- claimed, in a tremulous and agitated voice. Then he began to wish he had waited until night before making the investigation. The danger of discovery was becoming greater every moment, and it really seemed the hight of folly to_longer delay his departure, If he had been his usual cool and collected self he would have hastened from the dangerous vicinity instantly. But the excitement of the moment caused him to temporarily lose self- control. A strange thrill shot through him when-he heard that suggestive * clink,” and bis mind whirled with covetous and greedy thoughts. _ ,Once he was on the past of shoveling the dirt back, scattering the hurrying away. Two things prevented him from doing this: He douhted if he would have time to thoroughly obliterate the traces of his work; and he feared the ny might be removed before he could again visit it. Standing on end, the box presented a better grasping surface and he again determined to try to remove it from the hole. This time he ‘ot down into the pit, clasped the box firmly in Ss arms and exerted all his strength. The strain was so great that his face grew purple, eaves again overit and Happy | | | Any way it’s the most |. ‘| ] vhill tolt you apout his tense muscles knotted like ropes and the swollen veins stood out on his forehead. But he lifted the box to the surface! Leaping out beside it, he hastily inserted the edge of the spade under the lid and pried it off. A dazzling sight greeted him. The bow was filled with gold coin! At the same instant the harsh voice of Nugget Jim cried, from the rear doorway of the sa- loon: ‘You Dutch scoundrel! What are you doin’ there?” CHAPTER XI. ‘* DOT VHAS MINE BRUDDER’S BOX!” To say that Hans was startled, puts it mildly. Before he could reply, Nugget Jim was at his side, looking down into the box with eyes that seemed starting from their sockets. It needed but a glance to show that he had no previous knowledge of its presence there, When he saw its contents his face became fairl fiendish ia its murderous greed. “That’s my box!” he exclaimed, his fingers working convulsively. ‘‘ What are you dis- turbin’ it fer. I buried it there on’y the other day; an’ if you don’t drop it and make tracks, 1 a you! Whatare you doin’ byer, any- way Hans realized that he could not hold the treas- ure against Nugget’s claim, and was seriously thinking of bolting from the premises, when Flavel Fox put in an unwelcome appearance and prevented him. Fox had heard the excited exclamations and hurried out to ascertain their cause. ' When he saw the box, and the two men standing over it, he almost exploded with rage. In reality the box, with its contents, was his. It was the treasure safe where he was in the habit of depositing his ill-gotten gains, before he had effected a sale of horses and the proceeds were in the box, As he looked at Nugget Jim he suddenly con- ceived a desire to put a violent end to that gen- tleman’s existence, He suspected, at once, that Nugget had watched him when he last visited the box. “* What is the meaning of this?” he demanded, striding furiously forward, one hand clasping the butt of a revolver. He was in a towering temper and the bar- keeper shrunk from him as though he expected a blow. As for Hans he would have preferred being anywhere else just then. “Tt was the Dutchman!” Nugget explained. ‘* He dug the box up an’ was tryi to git away with it when I come onto him!’ “A likely story!” howled Fox, who was ina thoroughly unreasoning mood, Then turning to Hans, with the snarl of an angry tiger. “And what are you doing in here? I sup- pose you have combined with Nugget Jim to rob me,” ‘“‘It vhas mine brudder’s pox!” protested Hans. ‘ Dot gelt vhas pelong, you pet, do dbis gock-shicken! Dot tream told me do look here; uud I yhint dhem py dhis!” producing the dip- png needle, as if it were confirmation strong as oly Writ, “Bring the box in the house!” commanded Fox. ‘Tf will investigate this little affair.” Nugget evidently feared his chief, for he in- stant] y grasped one end of the box and attempt- ed to lift it. Hans came to his assistance and between them the golden treasure was borne in- to the little room from which Fox had so recently emerged. ‘ Then it suddenly occurred to that astute in- dividual that there might be something back of this affair, ; i “* How long were you out there?’ he demand- ed, suspiciously, of Hans, pointing with extend- ed'finger into the garden, ‘*'Yoost a liddle vhile!” Hans replied promptly enough. ‘‘I yoost now dig dhem poxes ub vhrom vhere dhis posipass machine zay id vhas- ot, eh?” ** And you found it yourself?” ‘“Vbar zhure!” ‘ “That's what I told you, wasn’t it, boss?” Nugget asked, with an injured air, “I was only speakin’ the truth, and you hopped onto me like a toad onto a June bug!” ‘And what brought you here?’ asked Fox, looking Hans sternly in the face, **Dhem shoon!” holding up an ungainly foot for inspection. , “This is no laughing affair!” sternly, ‘In factit may result in the signing of your deatb- warrant, Again [ want to know what brought you here? Why did youcome?” ~ | { i I Only the day , “Oh! I tolt you dot righd avhay.. I vhas peen hoonding vhor dot leedle brudder uff mine, vhat roon avbhay py bis home. I nod vhint him; but he vhint me lasd nighd. He come my petsite py vhen I vhas shleebin’ so zount like an invant, und he vhisber in dot ear. “Und he told me dot be vhas make pushels uff gelt dhose moundains in; und dot a mans kilted him vhor dot gelt in his pookbocked. But dot mans vhas a Abril vhoolishness, vhor dhose moneys vbas puriet dot garten in by a iron pox. Und he show me, doo, how I shoult vbhint dhem py dhose gompasses.’ ** And in obedience to that dream you began a search in this garden?” ‘Yaw; so hellup me, dot vhas so!” Happy Hans’s hearers were plainly puzzled, aoe. look here, Hans! You might as well understand first as last that I don’t believe a word of your story. It bas an ancient and fishy smell, Your Dutch dialect and pretended verdancy may fool some people, but it don’t fool me. I know why you came into that garden! You thought you would hear some- thing not intended for your ear.” Fox made the statement in a very positive tone, determined to drive Hans from bebind his mask, if he was using one. “Uff you know more apout dot as I to my- selluf, dhen I oxbect dot maype you shoult dell apout id. Dot vhas de troot!” ‘* When did you find him there?’ Fox inquir- ed, turning to Nugget. ‘*Jist about a second afore you come onto us!” “And he had just got the box out of the hole?” “That’s the way it looked to me, boss, Though he might have beer playin’ double! I can’t say!” ‘And how did you manage to locate it?” this to Hans. ‘‘ Was it an accidental stumble?” ‘* How vhas dot?” “* How did you find the box?” “Oh, zbure, mit dhose gompasses!” producing the instrument. ‘‘ Vhen I come py dot blace it shoomp arount like a circus agtor.” ‘** Well, now, I want to say to you,” looking at both, “‘ that that box of gold is raine. I placed it there, because I was afraid to trust the infer- nal banks. I came by the money honestly, but the bankers might not have thought so—and, anyway, I didn’t care to let them know I had it Happy Hans began to flush, as if with indig- nation. ‘**Dot gelt you vhas sbeakin’ uff, eh? Mine brucder Fritz gid dot dhose moundains vhrom,” ** And so you think it ought to be yours? Go tell that to somebody that will believe you. Do you think any one will swallow that ridiculous dream business? You may have had a dream or you may not. I’m certain I don’t care one way or another. The gold’s mine, and I mean to keep it.” He glared about, as though he contemplated slaying both where they stood. **Und you mean dot I shall nod hafe dot moneys?” bowled Hans, leaping angrily into the air, and then placing himself in a pugilistic at- titude. ‘*That’s what I mean!” He fingered nervously with his revolver, and seemed half-tempted to take ashot at the pug- nacious Germar. ** Now, cool down, for I want to talk soberly to both of you. That gold is mine, and I mean to retain it or die in the attempt. It represents years of struggling on my part!” * And stealing!” thought Hans, ‘*But Iam disposed to deal fairly with both of you. By some accident you bave come into a knowledge of its existence. If you will pledge your words that you will keep that knowledge to yourselves, I will give you each a bundred dollars.” Nugget Jim was watching his master care- fully, and he saw in the latter’s eyes that which caused him to start end turn deathly pale. He was fully aware of the enormous power that Flavel Fox could wield. No man’s life was secure for an instant, if Flavel Fox bad deter- mined to sacrifice it, . His master’s face was at that moment full of deadly and evil portent. Nugget saw that he was only temporizing to gain time. The bar- keeper and the German knew too much to live long; and Fox had already settled in his mind that they must be slain at the first opportunity. Now, he was talking for the purpose of retain- ing peaceable possession of the box. Later, he would strike with the rending claws of the mountain lion, £9 iia | ‘ 7 oS ee
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10 ‘* What do you say to the eee: he asked, as no one seemed inclined to k, ‘Tt suits me!” cried the terrified Nugget. Anything would have suited him, then. He was only anxious to escape from the room; for he had determined that he would not remain another hour in Round-up. ** And you, Hans?” ‘* A hoonert tollars oudt uff dot bile?” The German shook his head, **Nein! Dot vhas mine brudder’s money! * I gif’ you so mooch vhor de rend uff dot groundt vhere I vhint him purriet.” ** A bundred or nothing!” declared Fox, ris- yg, np tars set “There it is!” e counted out the two hundred and tossed them on the floor. ‘* Take it or leave it. It’s immaterial to me. I can’t taik here all day. But whetber you take it or not remember this: the first one that opens his head on the subject will not long have a head to open. And, as for you, Dutchy, I shall keep a lookout for you! Soif you feel or hear something drop, don’t be at all surprised.” Nugget Jim had already picked up his share and retreated, glad to escape from the dread presence of his chief. ‘* There’s the door!” cried Fox, sternly. ‘‘ And thank your good fortune that you get out of here alive. assure you that you would go out on a board if I didn’t know that I could put my hand on you any minute I want to!” Deeming it foolhardy to remain Jonger, Hans scooped up the money, muttered some indis- tinguishable threats, and hastened away. ‘About right he was! I ought to be thank- ful to get out of that place witb a whole skin!” CHAPTER XII. SOME MESSAGES, THE brain of the pretended Dutchman was in a whirl, as he walked down the street toward his lodging-house. Matters were shaping toward a crisis, but in a way that greatly mystified him. There were agencies at work that he could not fathom, Jasper Beeson, the owner of the ‘‘ Double Bar” horse ranch, had sent him to that remote section of country to investigate and determine the truih or falsity of the reports of bis foreman regarding the loss and destruction of stock. The regularity with which these losses were re- ported had aroused Beeson’s suspicions. The detective bad found Fox a much more a man than he had anticipated; and the latter’s swarms of spies had kept him from making so rapid an advance as he wished. It had been his intention to haunt the Gold Mine, in the guise of a hilarious and drinking Ger- man, and thus keep the horse-ranch foreman un- der his eye—for he discovered at the very start that Fox was the real owner of that saloon and gambling-den. The mysterious Nadine puzzled, while she aided him. Who and what was she? And what part was she playing and destined to play in the present drama? He could not answer! ‘** But there’s one thing more!” he mused. ‘I shall demand her aid before many days pass, for I intend to arrest Flavel Fox boldly in bis own saloon, and force her to testify in a court of oe to what she knows. The fact of their ntimacy will be a strong facter in support of her testimony. And she shall testify! “ The first thing to be done, though, is to look up this young woman, Fanny Elgin. It’s rather turning aside from my main work, but it will give me an opportunity for inspecting Fox’s alleged wild horses, and time spent that way will not be lost.” The detective had determined at once that he would rescue that young lady, and was now satisfying his conscience that he would be justi- fied in temporarily leaving the special work intrusted to him. The sight or kndéwledge of suffering always appealed to the most generous impulses of his nature, and he would brave any danger to assist an innocent person in distress, “The trouble, no doubt, will be to find some one who knows the location of the place, for I'll warrant that Flavel Fox hasn’t posted the in- formation on a bulletin board, The men in his employ know where it is, of course; but I dare not approach them with any inquiries, for it would certainly arouse suspicion, ‘* Vox agreed to release the young lady, if I understood him Be tg but you can’t rely ‘on the promises of such aman. He has some un- ynown reason for holding her. He gains some advantage by it, and that will cause him to cling to her all the tighter.” Happy Hans had heard something about the attack on Basil King: but the news was filtered to him in so fragmentary a way that he really gained no knowledge. Rumor did not connect the disappearance of Fanny Elgin with this attack; and the motive was thought to be rob- bery. How badly the young man was injured, the detective had not heard, nor what became of him after the fight. Such midnight attacks were too common to long engross the attention of the people of Round-up. Then the detective’s mind returned to the sin- gular discovery of the box of gold and the inci- dents directly connected therewith. He was satisfied the box contained the money obtained by the sale of Beeson’s horses, and he deter- mined that when once he had Fox in his grasp, he would make him yield it up. The day uneventfully enough, though Hans was all the while busy. Several attempts at obtaining information of the location of Meek’s cabin were failures, and Hans feared to question the men known to be in Fox’s employ. Night would give him better opportunities for acquiring knowledge, he thought; and as soon as darkness fell be started out with the rather vague hope of stumbling upon some in- formation. He saw one of Fox’s spies at the corner of the street, and halted for a moment, wondering how he might throw the fellow off the track. Just then a man brushed hurriedly by. In his haste he stumbled against Hans so violently that both were almost Pane to the ground. The stranger gathered himself up, muttered an apology and dashed on—leaving a roll of paper in the detective’s hands. There were a number of bystanders who had seen the awkward collision; and to keep them from noticing the roll of paper Hans quickly thrust it into one of his pockets, After a little, he returned to his room. Lighting the little coal-oil lamp with which the room was provided, he spread the papers out on the rough table. There were two of them, and they were letters, The first and longest read as follows: “Hans SwWENTZEL:— ‘Dear Str:—This will be placed in your hands this evening by special messenger from me, who will take means of giving it to you without, at the same time, conveying warning to our enemies. “In spite of your disguise and your denials when I called to see you, I know who and what you are. You ¢id temporarily throw me off the track, but later events have convinced me that my first con- jecture was right: that you are a detective and in pursuit of Flavel Fox. I wish to assure you that, oe Iam no detective, our objects are identi- eal. “ As you are aware Foxis foreman of the ‘ Double Bar’ horse ranch and owner of the Gold Mine. He is also a 8 ew ri mustanger, sailing under the name of Melchizedeck Meek. ‘“My object in writing to you, at this time, is to urge you to attempt the rescue of Miss Fanny Elgin, who is now held at the cabin of the supposed Meek in the Raton Mountains. It ought not to be a diffi- eult feat, for my spies have rather carelessly guarded at times. them attempt it, only for reasons which I will make known to you later. ‘* Ags for myself, my condition is such that I could not make the journey out there, ner do any effective work when I got there. At the time of Miss Elgin’s abduction I was struck a heavy blow on the head with the butt of a revolver; and I am still so weak from the effect of it that it would be impossible for me to travel that distance. The blow was truly a severe one, but I feel certain it saved my life. T knocked me senseless. In my fall I rolled into the dense shadows of the buildings. ‘lhe abductors doubtless thought me dead; and the men who came out of the gaming-room failed to see me. *T recovered consciousness after a little, but was so prostrated and weak that it was hours before I could drag myself to a place of safety. ‘*Meek’s cabin is about ten miles distant, just within the edge of the mountains, and near to where a gorge = out into the plains. It isin a due northwest line from Round-up, The accompanying ramp will explain its location more fully and aid you in finding it. “Tam satisfied, Mr. Swentzel, that when you fully understand the case, as I have outlined it, you wi not hesitate in attempting the rescue of this young lady from the hands of as villainous a set of devils as evef lived. **On your return I have no doubt but that I can be of signal service to you; and I assu e you, you can command me to the extent of my information and ability and to the last dollar I possess. ‘Believe me, yours most sincerely, ‘Bast, Kina.” The other letter was to Fanny Elgin, and was filled with the warmest expressions of love and devotion. The detective felt rather guilty in overed that she is I would have reading it, but the tone of the one to himself he thought, gave him that liberty—and besides it was in the line of his business. Basil King assured his sweetheart that his in- juries were only slight; introduced Happy Hans as ‘‘ the detective I told you about, and who, I haven’t the slightest doubt, will succeed in re- Happy Hans, the Dutch Vidocg. leasing you;” and asked her to trust in the lat- ter fully. The detective was cautious by nature; and after folding up the letters and placing them carefully in ap inner pocket, sat for a long time pondering the subject. It occurred to him that, notwithstanding their apparent sincerity, they might be decoys sent for the purpose of leading him into some trap. He determined at last, however, that, trap or no trap, he would make the venture. He had already decided upon that before receiving them, and would simply be carrying out his original intentions. Their directions as to how to find Meek’s cabin might be misleading, but he had no way of determining that except by a practical test, If he had known where Basil King then was, he would have visited him and judged of his sincerity by a personal interview. Such an in- terview would also decide whether or not the letters were genuine. : He wondered how Basil gained so much im- rtant information. Spies were spoken of; ut they must be extremely shrewd to extract information that the detective only stumbled on by chance. And other information, like the location of the cabin, which he had not possessed at all. Knowing that the spy would still be on the street corner, he made some slight changes of raiment for purposes of disguise and again left the house. By slouching the soft hat be now wore, down over his eyes, he passed the spy without detec- tion and burried to a livery stable in a distant part of the town, There he secured two-horses, A little later he was out in the country; and, guided by the stars, was speeding away toward the lonely cabin in the mountains. CHAPTER XIII. THE HORSE-THIEVES’ LEAGUE. For a long while after the departure of Hap- ry Hans, Flavel Fox sat staring at the box of yellow coin and wondering what he bad better do with it. There were other thoughts, too, that troubled him greatly. In fact, the flow- ery path he bad lately fancied he was traveling, was becoming very thorny and tortuous, e was learning the lession that all men are forced to learn sooner or later; foritis as true, now, as it was in the days of old, that ‘the way of the transgiessor is hard!” However, like most men who have become confirmed criminals, the thickening about him of known and unknown dangers did not in the least deter bim from a continuance of evil. He was not thinking of repentance, but of a way to eg the just punishment that seemed menac- ing bim., He scarcely knew who to trust. Nugget Jim was iu possession of a secret that would tend to make of him a dangerous man—and Nugget had always been one of the most faithful of his adherents! But Nugget had an itching palm and Fox knew the scoundrel would not hesitate to betray or even kill him for less than half the sum represented in that box. Then there was Happy Hans! Whether the fellow was what he pretended to be or not Fox confessed he could not tell. Anyway, be, too, was in possession of the perilous secret. And Nadine! The mysterious, witching and queenly Nadine! She had risen before him as an accusing and threatening angel! How had she obtained the information she had hurled at him with such fine scorn? He had, in moments of weakness, told ber much, but not all! How he cursed himself, now, for yieldirg to the flat- tery of her smiles and intrusting to ber keeping so many confidences. And, besides. who and what was she? He could not answer; and the cold sweat started from every pore as the un- comfortable suggestion came to him that she might be a spy in the pay of his enemies, 2 he thought of these things, be writhed like a spider that is becoming enmeshed in its own web. A dark look came over his face, and he de- cided that if assassination end murder were re- quired to remove such stumbling-blocks as arose, he would not hesitate to make use of those desperate agencies. Then he got up, stuffed wads of paper around the loosened coin to keep it from rattling and moving in the box, and secured the lid. When this was done he called a laborer from the street and had him assist in conveying the box to an unused lumber rocm, in the build- ing. f It will have to stay there until to-night!” he said, after he had paid the laborer and the lat- | | | | : | | |
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ae 2 i es ete —s She Ss a ner a) ‘ ae Pee Sab es Bia: hG ' ter had departed. “Then I will hunt up some place where I can bury it again. I wonder if that Dutchman’s dipping-needle really did int out its location? It seems possible, but bardly probable, And, yet, I can’t understand, on any other supposition, how he chanced to find it!” Although Flavel Fox had assured Nadine that he would release Fanny Elgin, he had no inten- tion, whatever, of fulfilling the promise. Fanny knew too much, he felt assured, to warrant him in speedily restoring her to eee A little later, when his plans were more fully matured, he would do so; but not now. He must look out first for his own safety; for, should the coils continue to tighten, he intended to soon shake the dust of Round-up from his feet, Fanny doubtless knew, now, all that Basil King had known; and that was not inconsider- able, as Nugget Jim had testified. And that brought back to Fox the remem- brance that even the fate of Basil King was un- certain. The intended assassins had stated that they left him dead by the gate; but his body was not subsequently discovered. Fox feared that the sudden rush of men from the gaming- room had prevented thorough work, and that Basil had succeeded in crawling away and was still alive. : After satisfying himself that the box of gold was not liable to discovery in its place of tem- porary concealment, Fox descended to the street and hurried away to another part of the town. Turning up a dark and dirty alley, he ap- proached a tumble-down shanty and rapped on the door. ‘*Come in!” called a gruff voice; and in re- sponse to the invitation Fox lifted the latch and entered the room, A shaggy-bearded, red-eyed man sat on the es of a bed, his shoeless feet resting on a chair. ‘““ Why, hello, boss! It’s you,is it? Take a cheer.” He removed his feet as he said this, and shoved the chair toward his visitor. “Yes, it’s me!” said Fox, taking the proffered seat. ‘‘ How are you getting along? You look “as you'd been ‘steaming it’ pretty heavy tely.” This man who addressed Fox as boss was a thoroughly unprincipled rascal, as one look at his evil face would disclose. He was a fairly good cowboy when out on the range and away rom evil influences; but when in the town—and he was in the town half of his time—he was a drunken, disreputable sot. _ Nevertheless Fox had given him the chief po- sition at the horse-ranch, for the simple reason that Sandy Jim was a man he could use. othe the greater part of the year, Fox only employed two men on the ranch in addition to Sandy Jim, and they were fully as conscience- less and disreputabie. At the round-ups, when more men were re- quired, Sandy Jim selected such as could be trusted to do villainous work; and, so far, Fox had found no difficulty in playing the role that had so successfully lined his pockets, Sandy Jim was also what Fox termed his ** chief of the horse-thieves.” It was necessary to have an occasional raid of these gentry, to bear out the statements madeto his employer; and Sandy Jim really seemed to delight in these wild and reckless escapades, As everything was planned beforehand, no one was injured and the half-drunken nigat-riders had an abundance of fun and pistol-practice. “ Hain’t drunk nuthin’ sence yisterday!” Jim asserted, in answer to the question, ‘“*M mouth feels like a cotton-ball. Now, ef you’ve got a thimbleful handy?” ; ‘‘Which I haven’t!” Fox interrupted. ‘No, Jim, ’ve got a little work for you which will uire a clear head. After it’s over you can burst fiomige 9 with red liquor, if you want to. My advice, though, is to let the stuff alone on occasions!” ; “Which, I’m calkilatin’, ef’t was follered, would knock the bizness o’ the Gold Mine higher’n a kite!” ‘Yes, it would!” Fox admitted. ‘But I didn’t come to preach a sermon nor to hear ". I’ve gota little business on hand that needs at- tention to-night, and you’re the man to look after it.” ** More hoss bizness?” ‘Not this trip, Jim! But it’sa little in that line. In fact, I want a girl run off, instead of horses,” Sandy Jim straightened himself up a littleand stared at his employer in a dull, mystified way. z - O Stick to hosses, boss! that’s my advice. Happy Hans, the Dutch Vidocg. 11 Gals is onreasonable, kickin’ critters. They ain’t no dependin’ on ’um.” ‘Speaking from the book, are you? I didn’t know, Jim, that you’d ever had much experience in that line,” Fox laughed at his companion’s lugubrious ex- pression. ‘*“That’s my say, boss, an’ you’ve heerd it. Stick to hosses!” “Your advice is first-class, Jim. For once, though, I'll have to disregard it. A day or two ago it might have saved metrouble, But I’m into it, now, and _— must help me out, ‘*There’s a girl at Meek’s cabin! I had her carried there because I thought she would prove dangerous to me in the town. The truth is, Jim, she knows too much, and I had to place her somewhere to keep her from talking. ‘“*T have just learned that some of her friends have got an idea where she is, and will probably attempt to get her away from there. They don’t know, though, that ’m mixed up in the affair and I don’t want them to, for it mightn’t be healthy. And it will never do to have the girl’s long tongue back here in Round-up. ‘“Now, what I want you todois tomakea descent on Meek’s cabin to-night and carry the girlaway. Get together the members of your famous ‘ Horse-thieves’ League,’ you know, and you'll not be apt to have any trouble. I'll fix it so that no on will be there but the Indian. “Take the girl back into the mountains, some- where, to some deserted hunter's cabin, and keep her there until you hear from me,” ‘“Druther play hoss-thief, boss, but I'll do it, ef’t’s orders!” said Sandy Jim, with an air that showed he did not much relish the job. ‘*‘ How long air we likely to hev to stay out there in the hills? It’s a lonesome place, an’ the licker stores air too fur away to suit me !” “‘ Not over a day or two!” replied Fox. “I'll arrange to release you in that time. ‘I'll de- pend on you, now, shall I? Remember, it’s to- pee hort notice, but the pay will be extra goo “* Figger thet it’s done!” said Sandy Jim, la- Fecha “*Twill be, afore mornin’!’ Flavel Fox signified his pleasure and at once left the house, ; ‘Hang it all!” mused Sandy Jim. ‘I don’t want to leave at all to-night. But I'll hev to, Orders is orders, and the boss pays well. Seems to me, though, thet he’s a-stackin’ so many cards up his sleeves he'll be apt to drop some 0” ’em bymeby, ef he ain’t keerful. Then there'll be several of us "ll hev to git frum under!” He got up from the bed and arranged his toilet by clawing the disheveled hair out of bis eyes. Then he clapped a greasy cowboy hat on his head and sallied forth into the streets. His errand kept him busy until sundown. Then he returned to the dirty shanty, drank an immoderate quantity of strong coffee to drive the remaining liquor-fumes out of his brain, and again stretched bimself on the bed. He was soon snoring loudly, and did not awaken from his heavy sleep until some time after midnight. Then he made and drank some more strong coffee, ate a little and again left the cabin. By this time he was rapidly recovering from his debauch and getting in fair condition for the work in hand. The streets were nearly deserted, as he strode along them in the direction of the suburbs. The saloons and gambling dens, however, were in full blast; and it took a strong exercise of his will to keep from entering some of them when the heavy scent of the villainous drinks came to his nostrils. But Sandy Jim always endeavored to keep himself well in hand when he had an important bit of work to do; and he pushed on grimly until he had passed the last of them. Finally he emerged upon the plain, where several men were in waiting, with horses. They were thejmembers of his ‘* Horse-thieves’ League” and as villainous a set as ever mustered under the folds of the black banner. A few hasty words were exchanged, Jim climbed into his saddle, and the journey to the cabin of Melchizedeck Meek was commanded. They did not reach it until nearly daylight, Then they were treated to a startling surprise, Fanny.Elgin was nowhere to be found; and her Indian guard, Red Joe, was lying on the earthen floor in so drunken and deep a stupor that it was utterly impossible to arouse him. CHAPTER XIV. AN ATTEMPTED ESCAPE, To return to Fanny Elgin, whom we left pros- trated and almost heart-broken at the lonely cabin in the edge of the mountains, © The second —— her imprisonment she found Melchizedeck Meek gone. He had evi- dently departed during the night; for she had, before falling asleep, heard him talking in low tones to Red Joe. In his place, however, were three cowboys— so that her guards were really doubled. Duriog this second day she was permitted some liberties, and was even allowed to walk backward and forward for quite a distance along the mountain-side, When she first learned that she would be given this liberty, a wild hope that she might find some means of escape came to her. But this was speedily dissipated. Go where she would, she found that she could scarcely get beyond the eagle-like glauce of Red Joe. All day long the cowboys sat in the little front room, manipulating a greasy pack of playing- ecards. Toward evening they mounted their horses and rode ine 5 Then it was that Fauny began to fully realize the terror and lonesomeness of ber position. The cowboys were evidently a bad lot; but they were, at least, white men, and their presence, she felt, interposed between her and Red Joe. She feared the Indian. Perhaps it was a causeless fear, but it was none the less terrible and real for that. Red Joe was a vindictive, sensual-looking brute, with scarcely a redeeming trait revealed on bis coppery visage: and Fanny Elgin bad always experienced a thrill of horror at the very sight of an Indian. He seemed inclined to treat her very respect- fully and civilly, however; and, when supper was prepared, invited her out to it in his. usual fashion. “T am not hungry, this evening, Joe!” she said, dissembling her fears and smiling at him. ‘*T have something of a headache and would rather sit here at the window and look out on the mountains,” Red Joe gave a grunt of assent, and proceeded to devour the supper himself. He was a pbhil- osopher, probably and reasoned that if she did not choose to partake of supper, there would be that much more for him to dispose of. Fanny decided to cling to the back room until the arrival of some more white men. If Joe showed an inclination to disturb her she could barricade the a abe door and probably hold him at bay. In rummaging about the room she had found a rusty pocket-knife and this served to nerve and give her assurance. The knife was a big, heavy affair, such as cowboys commonly carry, and fitted to clean a horse’s haeofs or carve a grizzly. But it was so rusty and clogged with dirt that it was only after much effort and labor that she had succeeded in opening one blade. -That blade she decided should not be closed again while she retained the knife in ber posses- sion, and all through the afternoon, whenever Red Joe’s eye was not on her, she bad rubbed, polished and ground that blade against the bowlders of the billside. With her hand against this knife, in the pocket of her dress, she sat by the barred win- dow and looked out toward the plains and the now deserted borse-corral. The picture presented by tbe open plains and the somber, flanking mountains was a lovel one if her mind had but been in a receptive mood. Like a great, fery eye, the sun sunk between the jagged western cliffs; the clouds took on the tints of the rainbow and the peaks became pinna- cles of fire, The arching sky bent like a bow of sapphire, and down its western end slipped the new moon, a silvery boat dropping into a burn- ing sea. ut Fanny saw neither the beauties of earth nor sky. Her mind was busy with the town of Round-up and its people. Her heart was too heavy to turn itself away from its own miseries.. When night came Red Joe did not at once light the lamp in the front room, but sat moodily smoking in the darkness. What thoughts were stirring in his mind, who can tell? Perhaps he was thinking of the departed glory of his peo- ple: more likely he was wondering where he would get another dipperful of fire-water. The hours slipped by as he sat there and smoked. Finally he arose, lighted the lamp, and went out into the darkness. For a time Fanuy could hear him walking softly about in front of the building. Then his shuffling footsteps cea$ed altogether. She won- dered if he had lain down in front of the door, and gone to sleep, or had wandered out along the trail. Five minutes, ten minutes, twenty minutes passed by, and Red Joe did not return. Fanny wondered if it would be possible for her to slip out into the darkness and conceal
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| SS a ee : ‘iy era ny q- i. - Happy Hans, the Dutch ‘Vidoc herself in the hills so that Red Joe could not find her, She had a pretty fair idea of the direction in which Round-up lay, and of the distance, and she believed if she could but evade Red Joe and get out of the cabin, she could be so far from the place by morning that he could not retake er. Filled with this thought, she grasped the rusty knife firmly and crept to the frontdoor, Stand- ing back of it, or rather to one side, she peered out and listened long and earnestly. As objects became more distinct, she fancied she saw a man crouching in the path only a few feet away. It was only a bowlder; but it gave her such a chill of horror, that she incontinently retreated, shivering, to ber own room, ‘The thought had come to her that Red Joe’s silence might be merely a ruse to decoy her from the house; and for a half-hour she sat on the little cot, quaking and trembling with ill- defined fear. Then her courage again asserted itself, and she crept once more to the outer door. The op- ortunity of escape seemed really too good to be ost. Again that bowlder frightened her, but she had nerved herself to expect it, and the shock was only temporary. Strange she had never noticed the peculiar stooping position of that bowlder before. It seemed so like a man, that for an instant her heart stood in her mouth, But Red Joe was nowbere to be seen. The sighing of the breeze gave her another fright. It sounded like the Indian’s peculiar breathing when asleep. For the time being, in fact, every shape and sound of nature brought with it thrilling suggestions of Red Joe. For several minutes she stood there trembling and hesitating. Fioally she stepped out timidly, but drew back again and peered for the hundredth time into the surrounding darkness, At last she took the plunge, like a bold swim- mer leaping into icy depths, She stepped away softly and carefully at first; then, finding her- self several yards from the cabin, broke into a hasty run. Instantly heavy steps were heard behind her. Red Joe bad been sitting at one side of the cabin on a flat stone smoking and dozing by turns, The sound of her footsteps aroused him instantly to a comprebension of the state of affairs, and he began an immediate pursuit. - Fanny shrieked with terror as she heard that heavy tread, and flew heedlessly down the rocky slope like a frightened fawn. But ker speed was not equal to the Indian’s, and she soon found herself clasped to his brawny breast, ‘““Me kill!” he cried, dragging her roughly backward. A gleaming knife flashed in his right hand, and poor Fanny gave herself up for lost. ' ‘Come! Tepee!” he exclaimed, almost drag- ging her from her feet. ‘No run away ag’in hd and he waved the knife Shreaning yy Fanny was so weak and terrified she could scarcely stand; but sbe turned about obediently and began to clamber up the rugged trail. ‘He will kill me perhaps when we reach the cabin!” was ber mental comment; and she began to nerve herself for a terrible struggle. CHAPTER XV. RED JOE’S VISITOR. Happy Hans found it rather rough traveling when he reached the bowlder-strewn mountain slopes. He bad studied the map furnished by Basil ary» but the darkness concealed the rominent landmarks, and it was not long until e found himself quite at sea. The chances are that he would have missed the cabin of Melchizedeck Mek had not Ked Joe, at about that time, lighted the lamp. As its red rays gleamed across the intervening distance like some fiery star, Happy Hans took new courage and pushed onward. After a time, as the route got rougher, he dismounted and tied his horses to a convenient bush, and then picked bis way along on foot. He was not far from the cabin when Fanny made her bold dash for liberty. The sudden pattering of her feet down the mountain-side startled him somewhat. Then came those wild screams, He hurried on as rapidly as possible, scarcely knowing what to expect. When close enough to see through the open door into the lighted room, he began to comprehend the cause of the alarming sounds. Red Joe had driven the girl back into the cabin, and was now making use of some very expressive pantomime to warn her that she must not again attempt flight. The pantomime ‘was accompanied by words, bat the detective owas not near enough to understand them. _ His first impulse was to rash forward, strike down Red Joe and fly with the girl. Cooler thought, however, ¢donvinced him that he could scarcely approach without attracting the In- dian’s attention. The result would be a strug- gle, in which one or both might be slain, lie had no wish to take the Indian’s life, and he certainly had no desire to unnecessarily expose hisown. Fanny was in no immediate danger, he judged, and could.safely a wait liberation by slower and less perilous methods, As he stood there, thinking the matter over, a plan of action suggested itself, Tn accordance with this plan, he hiccoughed loudly, and stumbled rather heedlessly toward the house, ‘ Ked Joe at once heard the sounds, and came to the door to investigate their cause and na- ture, To his surprise he saw, as he thought, a half- intoxicated man staggering up the slope—for Happy Hans had placed himself in the broad fan of ligbt issuing from the doorway. Red Joe was not at all pleased with the vision, and grasped his knife ralleal y. The detective noticed the movement, but did net hesitate or halt in his advance. His revol- ver was handy and he had determined that he would use it on the Indian, if the latter proved too ugly. ’ ‘‘ Helio! Hello!” he cried, as he came within hailing distance—blinking rapidly and shading his eyes from the light. ‘' Who lifes dot haus in, aready? Py sheminy I vhas losted mine- sulluf I to pelief, Vhas dhis peen dot drail vbor Rount-ub?” “Trail go odder way!” exclaimed Red Joe, in evident disgust. As for Fanny, at the first sound of that heavy German voice, she had sunk into a chair, pale and trembling, Itcaused strange hopes to flutter in her breast. Basil had told her of the jolly, Dutch detective, and she wondered if this could be the man, and if he was coming to rescue her! “Td vhas go tifferend vhrom dhis vhay, eh? Vhell, dot gids me, vhur zhure! I vhas peen twisted rount like a zyglone. “Say, you vhellers! Lookee here, now! Coult I sday mit you do-nighd? My feed gif oudt more as dwo hour ago, und my be’t id go sbinnin’ like a whirligigs.” As he said this he stumbled heavily forward, caught and steadied himself by the side of the door and stared up into the Indian’s face with drunken and owlish gravity. “Trail go odder way!” urged Red Joe. ‘‘Me keepee no hotel, Out there ver’ good bed!” pointing to the rocks. ‘Bud I say, misder—Misder Inchuns, now you lookee here avhiles! Dhis vhas nod a hodel estaplishment’s! I know dot! Nein! Neidher vhas id alifery sdaple! Bud—” He lifted one finger solemnly and stop if forgetting what he intended to say. started again, with a lurch: “Say, you vhellers! I subbose dot I mighd some subber gid, eenyhow! I vhas dot hoongry like doo dvin vhales, I could ead a mans!” He fumbled in bis pockets, drew out a varied assortment of odds and ends, then dived deeper and fished up a bottle of brandy. At sight of it Red Joe’s eyes watered and his mouth expanded in a broad grin. ‘“‘ Give!” he exclaimed, reaching out a covet- ous and greasy hand, “Nod yid, you pet me!” cried the detective, tipping the bottle to his lips and pretending to swallow a quantity of the liquor. “Ach! Dot vhas goot!” wiping bis mouth with his coat-sleeve and then corking the bottle tightly. ‘‘ Dot vhas de chenuine ardicle! 1 vhas garry dot along vhor raddlesnakes,” He was about to return it to his pocket, when Red Joe again extended bis hand, exclaiming: Give Injun fire-water!” “‘ Vhell, now, Misder_Inchuns, I ton’d know so mooch apout dot. Uff I sleeb oudt id vhill take zix dimes dot do keeb de vhreezin’ avhay vhrom me,” “Give Injun fire-water!” again cried Red Joe, half appealingly and half in anger. “© Vhich cast vhas dot Rount-ub drail, eb?” Happy Hans staggered away from the door and seemed in the notion of departing, - Then he evidently changed bis mind, for he turned again and came close up to Red Joe. “ Uff | bay vhor id I subbose [ coult sday py you, eh? My he’t vhas go sbin rount like a dop vhat vhas grazy.” “ Yes!” said Red Joe, forgetting bis charge in his eager desire for the mucb-loved fire-water. “ Give Injun drink! White man stay.” ‘* Whoobee! You pet! d, as hen he siemens ei ic eae ei LAA ———— re ‘Und ve.von’d go home dill morning, Dill dhose preak uff tay come ‘lonk. “Say, Misder Inchun! Ve vhakes ub dhose moundains mit dem songs, eh?” : Red Joe drew back from the doorway and Happy Hans half-rolled and half-stumbled into the room, : ‘« Fire-water!” said the Indian, once more ex- tending his hand. ‘* Dhose vhas de chenuine ardicle!” cried the pretended drunken man, balancing himself with difficulty in a chair and bringing the bottle down on the table with acrash, “I dbrinks dot sduff in de olt gountry.” Red Joe did not wait for eulogies or explana- tions. He seized the bottle by the neck, lifted it on high and began to pour the fiery fluid down his throat. ** Sdop! : dot you neffer see any vbiskys pefore, Dot vbas nod a chug so you could dbrink like a gucker-visb. [ vands sume uff dhose liguors mineselluff. Here! Here! Holt up dhere, you !” He pulled at the Indiap’s ragged coat with such energy that the latter replaced the bottle on the table. But it was with a sullen shrug, as if he was half inclined not to. “You dhinks you, py sheminy, dbose vhas a vhisky parrels dot you hafe some condracts vhor empdying? Dake him slower und he lasd longer!” . Fanny Elgin was staring at this singular per- formance, half in wonder and half in disgust. The actions of the German seemed altogether too real to be assumed; and she began tg think that instead of a deliverer, he was only to prove a drunken wretch, almost as brutal and, de- graded as her Indian guard, taney Happy Hans bad never looked at her or given any indication that he was aware of her pres- ence, The Indian was about to catch up the bottle again, when the Dutchman headed him off by grasping it first. “No, mine goot frient! You yoost vaid a leedle, I vhand vun swallow off dot snake-pite mineselluf.” He placed it to his lips and held it there so long that Fanny was almost convinced that he was really what he seemed. But when he low- ered the bottle she again took courage. She no- ticed a very significant thing, which Red Joe did not: Notwithstanding the length of time the bottle had been poised in air, the quantity of liquor in it did not seem to be appreciably di- minisbed. ““Dhere! Ach, dot vbas gid petter und petter! Dhry bim again. Dhose vbas de vinesd uff moundain tews!” ; Red Joe needed no second invitation; and the look of supreme bliss that came to his copper face as the potent liquor glided down his throat, attested more than could words to bis great love for the white man’s fire-water. “Ugh!” be cried, setting down the bottle, when he could really swallow no more without strangling. ‘‘Heap good! Muchee extry !” and he rubbed and patted his stomach in a ridicu- lously laugbable way. “You pet me dot vhas de troot!” asserted Happy Hans, clutching at the table to keep his chair from going over backward, “Dot vhas vbine! I say, you vhellers! Ve make a nighd uff id, eh? Yaw; dot vhas right! : “Ve von'd go home dill— ‘Dake anodher dbrinks! Dhere is a blendy more vhere dot came vyhron!” He shoved the bottle toward Red Joe, and the latter could not resist the temptation to again sample it, He was already beginning to show the effects of bis potations, and Hans felt sure that a few more swallows would ley him out. This time Red Joe clung tenaciously to the bottle, and took one drink after another until the liquor disappeared, When that was accom- plished, be was so thorougbly intoxicated that he could not rise from bis seat. For a time he glared wildly and idiotica!ly about, muttering incohe: ently, then bis head sunk torward on the table and he went fast asleep. As soon as this occurred, th to Fanny Elgin, all traces 0 once disappearing: : “Tt seems a pity, Miss Elgin, to. take advan- tage of any one in that way, does it not? But I believe the end justifies the means, If men, white and red, will give themselves up to so slavish and debasing @ habit, they must expect to suffer, to be taken advantage of, and to have their plans and purposes brougbt to naught. “ In this case it was that or a fight, with the chance that one of us would be killed.” detective turned intoxication at } * Sdop!” cried Hans, “Id musd_pe 4 en th J ihe ye ‘ = ; : eal Il ° Oe oA es) |.) 4 | ay Ree ag or fee og i i" Va an a. oF Be, 4 - “et oe iJ > ry’ or ' rr ry i x . ~ ae Pa aye
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been given into his hands by Basil King’s mes- senger, and intended for Fanny. CHAPTER XVI. A DEADLY TRAP, THE contents of the letter, assuring her that Basil was alive and only slightly injured, to- gether with the happy turn affairs had taken, made Fanny almost delirious with joy. “Oh, Mr. Swentzel, ’'m sure I can never re- pay you for the trouble and risks you have un- dergone,” A suspicious moisture came into the detective’s smiling eyes. ‘‘There is no need to attempt a repayment, Miss Elgin, This little affair was rather in the line of my duty, and even if it were otherwise, I should be only too happy to render you assist- ance. I can see that ‘you have suffered greatly during the short term of your imprisonment. ‘Let us talk, rather, of getting away from here. Ivis quite possible that Meek or some of his men may put in an appearance.” Fanny then spoke of the cowboys who had been there that day, and the knowledge made the detective anxious to leave the house. ‘*They may come back at any time,” he said. “Likely they went off for an evening’s frolic, and will return before morning. “‘T have two horses hitched a half-mile or so from here, and if youare ready, we will quit this place at once. “ As for that fellow,” looking at the thorough- ly-soaked Indian, ‘‘he will be powerless for harm for a good many hours to come, and we can safely leave him where he is.” While Fanny was nervously and excitedly flitting about the room, getting ready for de- parture, he told her how he had received the let- ters from Basil King, and also revealed to her the fact that Flavel Fox and Melchizedeck Meek were one, The revelation greatly astonished her. She He extended, as he said this, the note that had | \ Happy Hans, the Dutch Vidocq. 13 black-eyed chap, as looked like he’d come a- gunnin’ fer ye.” ! ‘*So!” opening his blue eyes widely and tug- ging furiously at the pipe. ‘‘ Somepody vhant do shood me, eb, like 1 vhas peen a brairie- shicken? Dot vhas sinkular, eenyhow! Vhat vhas de madder mit dkose vhellers?” The information did not seem to alarm him; but he tucked his bands under the long trails of his coat and walked thoughtfully about the room. “T told him you wasn’t in,” continued the proprietor, without answering the last question, ‘*so he “lowed he’d wait fer ye an’ see you in the mornin’.” Hans stopped abruptly and came back to- ward the speaker, “‘Und dhot vheller vhas here now, waiding vhor me?” ‘*He’s in his room, I cale’late. I give him the key, an’ I reekon he went there,” ‘Und dot room vhas—” “Jisi under yourn! It was the only extry room I had. And then I thought likely it’d be best not to put he both on the same floor, seein’t he looked like he was gunnin’ fer ye.” ‘* Vhell, now, uff dot vhloor vhas sheed iron id voult make me vheel petter! Maype he vhill make oudt uff dot a zeive vhen I go ub dhere!” The fellow laughed, in a suggestive, gurgling way, that convinced the detective he was not telling all se knew. If the proprietor’s statements were true, the man who had been looking for Hans was an emissary of Flavel Fox. It was possible that Fox had secured some ruffian who was bold and reckless enough to pick a quarrel with the detec- tive, and attempt toslay him. If that was the case; Hans could look for an encounter with the fellow in the morning. It was far more lkely, however, he argued, that some uuderhanded work would be attempt- ed, The fact that the man had the room direct- ly benea“h his seemed to bear out this latter had felt sure from the stare that Meek was not | gs sep what he pretended to be, but had never even dreamed that he was Flavel Fox in disguise, In a little while she announced her readiness, and they left the cabin together, after extin- guishing the lamp and closing the door. bat the trick would be the detective had no idea. But it occurred to him that whatever it was the proprietor knew all about it. The in- formation he had given, which was no doubt largely misleading, would tend to show his good “He might get. up and stumble about the | will toward the hunted man, and prove that he place, and succeed in roasting himself,” said the | was an entirely innocent party, should blood- detective, nodding toward Red.Joe as he turned | shed result. out the light. They burried rapidly down the trail and soon | Evidently the proprietor was as shrewd as ke was unscrupulous. In league with Fox against came to the tethered horses, which they mount- | the detective, be yet aimed to so cover his tracks ed. Then, deviating somewhat to avoid un- | that no damaging testimony could be brought peat © encounters with chance travelers, they astened toward Round-up. ; It was a long and tiresome ride, but they succeeded in reaching the town without accident or incident, and shortly after midnight, Happy Hans bad been giving much troubled thought to the question of where he might place Fanny to secure her safety, when she relieved his mind by telling of a lady friend with whom she felt sure she could remain for a few days. They left their horses in the suburbs and stole quietly through byways and narrow alleys until the residence of the lady was reached, It was alate hour to too 64 for admittance; but, when the kind-hearted woman was aroused and understood the necessities of the case, she gave the girl a warm welcome. ** Now, that that bit of work has been safely and satisfactorily performed, I must return to the main trail—the end of which, if I am not much mistaken, lies in the Gold Mine Saloon.” After returning the horses to the livery stable, he started on foot for bis lodgings. The street in front of the place was deserted— it was never a lively quarter—and the spy was gone. ‘**Perhaps he found out he was watching ap empty rat-hole!” mused the detective. ‘‘ It’s an aggravating discovery to make, as I know from experience, ‘Some ’un in hyer to-night lookin’ fer ye!” said the surly proprietor, as the detective went into the little office before proceeding to his room, “So! Sorry I nod haf’ de bleasure uff meed- ing him!” replied Hans, coolly lighting and puffing away at a short, black pipe. “There was a look on the face of the proprie- tor that he did not like. r ‘* Vhat sort uff a mans might dhose vhellers Aang Maype id vhas mine leedle brudder, itz, vhat hafe hoonding vhor dhis gountry ofer! Dot Fritz vhas a shly weasels, und id voult pe yoost like him do vhint me und car ‘Sboil dot bleasure I oxbect vhrom vhinting “No; ‘twasn’t a Dutchman! It was a little, against him, Happy Hans puffed away, grimly and stolid- ly, at his short, black pipe, as these reflections flitted through his mind. No one would have supposed fer an instant that he realized or dreamed of the probable dangers that lay in wait for him. ‘“*Vhell, I dhinks me petter I go to ped, uff I oxbect do gid ub to-morrow, Dot vhellers, uff he vhands do shood me, vhill hafe do vait, py sheminy, dill I gids me my shleeb oudt!” He knocked the ashes from the pipe, tucked it earefully away in one of his pockets, and pro- ceeded to climb the dark and narrow stairway. _He hesitated in front of the door for some time, almost fearing to open it. The rascal might be concealed in the apartment, and would rt try a shot at him when the door swung ack, Finally he pushed the door open cautiously, and stepped into the room, r . As he did so, the floor gave way beneath him, and he shot downward. With a startled cry he threw out his hands in an instinctive endeavor to stop his descent, A square hole had been cut in the floor, and the boards replaced so as to deceive the eye. The weight of his body had caused them to give way. As he shot downward through this hole, his extended bands caught on the flooring at the sides and arrested his fall. At the same time a revolver flashed in the room in which he was now swaying and the bullet plowed its way with in an inch of bis head. He found he could not draw himself up and he feared if he dropped he would fall into some hor- rible pit. Neither could he swing there longer, for the Sound made by the recocking of the re- volver came to his quick ears, It was a dastardly attempt at assassination; and the bold detective was never, in all his peril- ous career, nearer death than at that moment. He knew that he must drop instantly if he ex to escape the next bullét. So, giving himself a tremendous swing, he hurled his body as near to the center of the floor ag possible. ! That muscular swing alone saved his life, as he shudderingly learned a few minutes after. As he tell, the revolver again cracked, this time sending its missile high over the head of the falling man. The detective struck the floor with a heavy crasb, gave a deep groan and lay still. The ruse was successful. ‘The would-be assas- sin at once left his place of concealment, hurried forward and bent over the prostrate man. He was convinced, doubtless, that the last shot had taken deadly effect while the detective was in mid-air. : But he was destined to experionce a startling and disagreeable surprise. As he hent above the detective, in the darkness, he was seized in a steel-like grip and drawn down upon the breast of his fallen foe, In vain he squirmed and struggled. He could not break that muscular hold, aod in another instant he found himself on bis back on the bard floor, and with the detective’s heavy knee planted on bis breast. “You hound! Do you know what I’m tempt- ed to do with you?” In his excitement Happy Hans forgot his dia- ect. He drew a keen knife and pressed the point against the scoundrel’s throat. “Say a word or make the least attempt at escape and I'll drive that knife into your black heart!” There was a terrible and deadly fierceness in his tones, and the man trembled like a leaf at that touch ef cold steel. CHAPTER XVII. A FORCED CONFESSION. THE words were followed by a suggestive “click,” and a pair of handcuffs were snapped upon tbe fellow’s wrists. This was turning the tables, with a vengeance, and as the man felt the grip of the manacles he twisted and squirmed like an eel, in a vain en- deavor to break away and escape. **None of that, now!” warned the detective, again pressing the knife tohis throat. ‘*Do you want me to slit your neck for you?’ I’m just in the humor to do it, after the oceurrences of the last few minutes,” “What do ye want 0’ me?” growled the scoun- drel, ‘‘I ain’t done nomore’n any otber man ‘n’d ’a’ done! I reckon you was calculatin’ you’d rob me; and I tried to fetch ye down, as I would any other burgeler!” The scoundrel’s ready wit and amazed the detective. “T ‘low you sawed a hole through the floor and thought you’d drop down on me while I was asleep; but you didn’t,” He tried to laugh, but the attempt was a dis- mal failure. ‘*A nice little story!” observed Hans, dryly. ‘* Especially when the short time you’ve had to concoct it 1s taken into consideration,” He proceeded to tie the man’s legs together; then drew a match and began to scratch it upon his knee. ‘* Hol’ on, jest a minit!” pleaded the captive, who feared the consequences of the revelation that would be made by the light. ‘‘ You've got me foul, an’ I don’t deny it. Now, how mucb’ll you take to lemme go? I'll make myself scarce; and’ll swear to never come near ye ag’in, if you want me to.” ‘*T’'m not in need of money—that is, not in need of hush money, thank you!” continued Hans, as he gave the match another scrape on bis knee. “‘T1] give you a thousan’ dollars!” cried the man, wildly. ' “ Dye got speeial reasons for not wantin’ to be harnessed up afore a court, What d’ye say to a thousan’? you can’t make that much money any easier.” The detective made uo reply to the appeal. He simply gave the match another rake; and, when it burst into a blaze, held it above his head and looked about the room. The sight he beheld caused him to tremble, strong man ashe was, Just beneath the hole was a square of heavy lanking, set thick with the gleaming blades of putcher-knives, their keen points directed up- ward. A fall upon them must inevitably have resulted in a horrible and agonizing death. An awful and deadly look came into his eyes as he fully realized the nature and diabolism of this death-trap. So fierce and burning was that look that the would-be assassin gave an involuntary scream, For an instant it seemed that the detective meant to raise the scoundrel aloft and impale him on those gleaming knives. His face worked convulsively and his bands, closmg with a audacity a eS
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- o ee a ees ee Se oe ar, . = woe REE ———— — i > ae Happy Hans, the Dutch Vidocq. a. crushing and spasmodic grip, half lifted the terrified wretch from bis position on the hard oor. ‘* No!” he cried, letting him fall back with a crash. ‘‘ That would be to make of myself a murderer and his equal. Such a d ath would be too terrible for even a fiend to suffer. And yet ’—lowering bis voice to a horrible gurgle— ** that is what the villain deliberately and coolly prepared for me. Talk of the devilish and re- tined cruelty of the Middle Ages!” A series of low moans and cries were issuing from the lips of the unhappy wretch, who was convinced, probably, that bis death was assured. ‘*Shut up” cried Hans, giving him a heavy kick. ‘Don’t tempt me, or I'll place you on those knives anyway. You deserve that fate, if ever man did!” When the match glared up, it had revealed the stub of a candle on the table; and the de- tective now began to grope for this candle. He found it in a little while, and by the aid of its flickering and feeble light, surveyed the room. lt was almost empty, and its naked appear- ance brought out those gleaming knives in more fearful relief. The hungry square of planking seemed Death’s stubble-field, set thick with poisoned javelins. The bound and trembling man turned his head away from them and shuddered. ‘‘There’s where you'll lie, my fine fellow, if you don’t answer promptly such questions as I put to you. A soft and downy bed it would make, now, don’t you think? Ay, a veritable bed of roses!” The fellow put up his manacled hands and moaned uneasily, . ‘*T can see that blissful anticipations of lying there are running riot in your brain!” with a harsh and bitter laugh. ‘‘ Weli, you will not be compelled to lie there, if you don’t lie here! If you do!” he gave a toss that was more sug- gestive than words, ‘* Now, what’s your name?” **Slim Pete!” came the answer, promptly. ‘* Well, Mr. Slim Pete, I can assure you that your work of to-night is not likely to be admired vy. an unprejudiced jus It is the most damna- ble attempt at murder | ever witnessed or heard of, and ee experience has been pretty large. ‘* But I am not disposed to deal too harshly with you if you speak up promptly. If I do not miss my guess, there is a greater villain be- hind you.” Slim Pete’s face, as it revealed his struggles between fear and hope, was a study. ‘* You can ease your punishment very much, I assure you, by making a clean breast of every- wie !” prompted the detective, interpreting the ook, : ‘““You were hired to come here to-night and attempt to kill me. Is it not so?” Slim Pete nodded an affirmative. “* And the man that hired you was?” ** Plavel Fox.” ‘“‘Very good. You are doing first-rate, and I am sure we will get along very nicely together. And who suggested the construction and use of that very ingenious instrument of torture?’ nodding toward the array of glittering knives. ‘* Same feller.” ‘‘Plavel Fox again, eh? I thought as much. Yang au inventive genius is that same Flavel ‘ox, ‘* Did any one assist you in any way here? I presume that delightful affair was constructed here? ’Twouldn’t be a pleasant object to carry along the street, you know.” The man shook his head as a negative, but there was something in his manner that caused the detective to repeat the question in a differ- ent form. ‘*You had no aid, then! Was there any one in this house who knew what you were doing?” ‘* There was a feller know’d somethin’ ’bout it, but he didn’t help.” ** And who was that gentleman, please, if you can remember without too great a strain on your intellect?” ‘‘The lan’lord!” exclaimed the unhappy wit- uess, relapsing into a spasm of terror. The questions were put to him in such a smooth, ic and polished way. Abuse and rough words would not haye conquered him half so quickly. The detective’s manner made him feel as ifa deadly knife was suspended above his head. ‘* Our very kind friend, the landlord. I half- suspected as much. And he knew when I started to a room to-night that I was very liable to fall into your little trap? He must have been well paid for that, for it would have resulted in the loss ofa iy oe irmege as a rule, landlords, like other human beings, do not care to lose customers, seis ities ge TL LAL ALAA ‘¢ Who paid him for his non-interference, and negotiated with him for this room?” ** Fox!” replied the victim, twisting uneasily. ‘The same stealthy brute! And what did Fox tell you was the reason I was to be put out of the way?” ‘* He said you was shadderin’ him fer some- thin’, and he was afearc you might git to be dang’r’us.” ‘*] take it you are not the spy who was out on the corner last evening?” eS questioned, pending forward and surveying the prisoner’s ace, “Twas another feller, that was!” Slim Pete protested, evidently not wishing to be held more guilty than he was. ‘* And what becsme of the spy?” ‘‘ Why, you see, boss, it was this-away?” Slim Pete explained, sitting balf-erect. ‘* That feller had orders to watch you an’ report everything you done. Some way you slipped past him and got away. He found it out a little later. I cale’late the landlord told ‘im you’d gone, Soon’s as he found you’d throw’d him, he made tracks fer the Gold Mine. ‘‘Right away Fox sent fer me, sayin’ ’at he had a partic’lar bit 0’ work to do which’d pay me big. He brought me down hyer, made ’rangements with the lan’lord fer this room, ive me my instructions an’ set me to work. He ‘lowed you’d be back afore mornin’ an’ that a tumble into the trap would settle you, ‘“*T didn’t know nothin’ bout the case. He said you’d done him big dirt and was, he heliev- ed, tryin’ to work a case ag’in’ him that’d hang him. He promised to pay me well fer the job; an’ stan’ by me ef’t should ever be laid up ag’in’ me. That’s the whole truth, boss, so help me; an’ I hope as how you won't bear too hard on a feller fer tellin’ it!” ‘<Tf Fox is arrested and placed on trial—as he will be—will you testify to that ina court of justice?” ; “Try me, boss! I'll repeat it every word, jist as [ said it to you. I know I’m in a sling, an’ I don’t want to go to ther pen mecre’n other folks.” ' The detective could scarcely conceal the dis- gust he felt for this conscienceless, groveling creature. More plainly than he haa ever seen it, was the fact there revealed that a villain can never trust his associates in crime. .Hence the truth of the aphorism—and it is a truth—that ** murder will out!” “* Well, Pll give you a trial, and if you tell the whole truth when called on, I will do what I can to lighten your sentence.” ** An’ there’s more of it, boss!” the scamp ex- claimed, chuckling, as this new hope grew in his breast, ‘* There’s a heap more of it, an’ I reck- on it’s o’ some importance, Flavel Fox is a-git- tin’ ready to leave this country. He tol’ me so, on’y this evenin’. He said he wanted you et out o’ the way, ‘cause he knowed you'd fol- er him to the ends 0’ the yearth. At the same tlme, though, he was gittin’ ready to skip. He’s sold, er is tryin’ ter sell, the Gold Mine, and I understood, is cale’latin’ on puttin’ all his money into greenbacks. When he goes it’s my opinion he’ll go between two days, an’ Round-up’ll never hear o’ him ag’in.” The news was, as Slim Pete observed, of im- portance. So much so that the detective show- ed immediate signs of uneasiness, If Flavel Fox should leave Round-up that night it would break the trail and necessitate a long and weary search before he could be brought to justice. “Think you he will leave to-night?’ Hans asked, anxiously. : *‘Don’t "low he will,” said Slim Pete. ‘‘ He wouldn’t want to go until he learnt how this little affair had panned out. An’, then, I un- derstan’, he ain't quite got all his biznessin shape. l make a break; though he might ’a’ stayed a geod while longer if you’d ’a’ gone over the range, What he’ll do, now that ’m harnessed, I can’t say!” ‘* Make a break, of course!” Hans observed. “« And that is a thing that I must get ready to prevent.” At this moment a terrific blow was given to the door opening on the street, and a haif-dozen men, with drawn revolvers, leaped into the dimly-lighted room. The were led by Flavel Fox. CHAPTER XVIII, A TIGHT PLACE. It was a sudden and startling change of af- fairs, and Happy Hans realized that he was ina be: tight place, hen Hans fell through the trap, the pro- prietor of the place was at the inner door of i ‘o-morrow night I figgered that he’d | that lower room, with an ear pressed against a nel. He knew from the struggle that fol- forall close upon the fall that the murderous plan had failed, He remained only long enough to learn that Slim Pete had been surprised and worsted in the encounter, and then hurried with rapid footsteps to the Gold Mine. is information created a decided sensation. Fox was in the gaming-room, at the table next to Nadine’s. he whispered communication from the lodging-house proprietor caused him to immediately abandon the game and go in search of a number of his willing tools. These were not difficult to find, for the Gold Mine was still crowded late as was the hour. There was one vacancy, however, and Fox frowned and looked uneasy as he noticed it. Nugget Jim was not in bis usual place behind the bar. That individual was, in fact, many miles from Round-up at that moment, fleeing as if his life depended on the speed of his horse. He felt assured Fox meant to slay him, and was hastening to put bimself out of harm’s way. Selecting five or six trusty followers, Fox left behind him the flaring lights, the gamesters and the roysterers, and burried away, to break sud- denly into that little room at the lodging-house, as we have seen. ‘“ No shooting, if it can be prevented!” he cried. ‘ Take him alive, and we will put his light out by some less noisy method than the re- volver!” The words brought a suggestion to Happy Hans. With a lightning-like movement he dashed the candle to the floor, extinguishing it. Then be threw himself with all his force upon Fox. The assault was so furious and unexpected that the drawn | istol slipped from the villain’s hand and fell with a clatter. Then a desperate struggle took place in the darkness. The ruffians could not see to assist their chief. An indiscriminate rush was as likely to injure as to aid him, “ Strike a light,” some one shouted. The command was followed by a scratching and popping of matches, and a scrambling search for the fallen candle, The red glow of the still smoldering wick guided this search, and, an instant later, the candle’s sputtering light il- luminated the room. Fox’s followers rushed to his assistance, and to the overwhelming numbers Hans was forced to succumb. Fox was fairly frantic with rage, and, for a time, danced about like a maniac. As for Happy Hans, now that he was bound and helpless, he took the matter as coolly and calmly as a philosopher of the Stoic schoo]. Slim Pete, treacherous, uvreliable and double- tongued as a serpent, turned again to bis mas- ter. No doubt he felt that safety lay with the winning side, “Kili the skunk!” he howled. ‘‘ Lemme loose an’ I'll agree to finish him mighty quick.” “Shut up!” growled Fox. ‘‘ Do you want bring the town upon us? Tke way you balked in your job ought to suggest that you sing rather ow ‘‘ He’s a reg’lar devil!” Slim Pete declared, in extenuation of his failure, ‘The thing was fixed ail right, but he wouldn’t tumble into it!” Then, with much self-laudation and garruilty, he proceeded to a narration of the facts known to the reader and endeavored to exonerate him- self from reproach, He closed with an appeal to be set at li oe ‘‘ Where’s the key to those bracelets!” asked Fox, turning to the detective, ‘¢Tn my pocket,” was the cold response. Fox ran bis hand into Hans’s capacious kets, found the key and set Slim Pete at iberty. ‘J see you have dropped your Dutch dialect and your delightful pretense at verdancy!” with a significant sneer. . ‘J didn’t think it worth while to keep up the vier !” replied the detective. ‘‘ Not while that agile scamp is around with bis double-face and elastic conscience, I knew he would play me false and reveal all be knew at the first oppor- kerr i ‘‘What does he mean by that?” Fox asked, turning to Slim Pete. ; ““T reckon he’s a-hatchin’ *nuther!” Pete explained. ait “My meaning is quite simple!” said Hans “Tf all your men are as unreliable as that chap I'd advise you to discharge them and go it alone, It will be safer.” ; : “You are a liar!” cried Pete, turnin le and trembling with fear, ‘I never bial anything; but you tried to get me to.” “JT don’t care to engage in a controversy with up some lie er
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none other than you, my fine fellow!” Hans returned, coldly, ** you’d swear away the life of your mother, if you thought it would serve your ends,” ‘*So, you’ve been leaky, have you, Pete?” cried Fox. ‘If I discover that you really have, it will be a bad business for you!” ““Tt’s a lie, I tell ye!” shrieked the scamp. “ He wants to git me killed fer the part I took ag’in’ him.” “As for what you told him it will never be repeated!” Fox asserted, with stinging em- hasis. ‘‘ Remember that. But if you get into the habit of talking too much, the words will choke you some time. ** Get a rope!” ““Why not pitch him onto the knives!” sug- gested Pete, sardonically. ‘‘That’s what he wus goin’ to do to you, boss!” ‘“‘T don’t care for any suggestions at present. Some one bring a rope! With that stout beam overhead and a good rope it will take but a lit- tle while to place our detective friend in a po- sition where his knowledge will not be likely to harm any of us.” He seemed to take malicious satisfaction in the threat, and watched the detective’s face closely as he made it. Bvt if he expected an exhibition of craven fear he was sadly doomed to disappointment. Happy Hans had faced death in too many shapes and forms to cringe and cower when the supreme and final mo- ment seerhed at hand. ** You think it a piece of bravado, eh, intend- ed solely to frighten you? Well, you were never more mistaken in your life. You know too much for your own good and our safety !” A man came hurrying in with a cowboy’s riata, which he handed to Fox. ** Now, if you have any provers to say, or any confessions to make,” fingering the rope enaeenvely ‘“‘T’d advise you to be in a hurry about it. It’s creeping along toward daylight, and we can’t afford to fool very long.” ‘*T have nothing to say,” replied Hans, ‘I have tried to do my duty! I have made many mistakes and have some things to regret. But if I must die, I am ready!” His coolness and courage in this trying hour surprised, while it angered, Flavel Fox. “Up with him!” he commanded. ‘The puppy prates like a parson, and I always did ate parsons!” One end of the rope was cast over a beam, the noose was placed about the detective’s neck and the scoundrelly crew stood waiting the final order to pull. . CHAPTER X1ixX. A REVELATION, But that order never came, : The door of the room was splintered by a heavy blow, that brought the proceedings to an instant stand-still. Some flaming compound, like red fire, was thrown into the apartment; and, as its grue- some light flashed upward a score of men came tumbling in over the broken door, with drawn and cocked revolvers, At their head was Nadine, the masked and mysterious Card-Queen. ‘ox turned deathly pale; and his followers seemed uncertain whether to fly or fight. The first was out of the question, as a glance show- ed them, and for the last they bad no great de- sire, in the face of those overwhelming odds, ‘Surrender, Flavel Fox, you and your as- sociates, if you place any value on your lives! If you lift buta ae a it will cost you dearly!” appy Hans loo ed ps ged at Nadine, as that warning command fell from her lips. He was bound, helpless, and with the trailing rope about his neck, but his eyes had not been ban- daged. In the voice of the Card-Queen there was something that thrilled him like the blast of a battle trumpet. There was a ring in its resonant depths that was strangely suggestive. It is doubtful if Flavel Fox noticed the pecu- liarity that attracted the attention of Happy Hans. He was too greatly confused and star- tled to notice anything milder than the shatter- ing crash of a thunderbolt. The sight of Nadine at the head of the invading force completely un- nerved him. “ Why—why, Nadine, my dear! what is the meaning of this?” ; For answer, Nadine tore the concealing mask from her face, drew herself up to her fullest hight and leveled a revolver full at his breast. . “Great heavens!” shrieked the startled and astounded man, falling backward in a very parsiyais of fear: ‘It is Basil King!” . Y@8, Flavel Fox! Your dearly beloved Na- dine, the handsome queen of the card-rooms, is King, your bitterest foe, ee Happy Hans, the Dutch Vidocq. **So, again I call on you to surrender, or [ will send a bullet to your cowardly heart.” The knowledge that had so paralyzed Fox, wrought an equally depressing effect on his men. They no longer thought of escape or de- fense, but threw down their arms and begged for mercy. Foremost and loudest in his plead- ings was the human weasel, Slim Pete. As Happy Hans saw the antics of the rascal and heard his imploring words, he could not resist an immoderate fit of laughter. ‘* Pete, old pard,” be cried, as seon as he could control his voice, ‘‘ it seems that you were just a little bit premature awhile ago! If we could only project ourselves a short distance into the future, what a fine thing it would be now, wouldn’t it?” Slim Pete paid no heed to the taunt and inter- rogatory, but continued to beg for mercy. ‘Disarm them!” King commanded, ‘‘ We will treat with them afterward.” As he said this he stepped forward, and severed the ropes that held the detective. ‘*What of Fanny?’ he whispered, as he bent over him, knife in hand. “Allright, and bright as a new dollar! I brought her into town an hour or two ago, and she’s safe with friends,” For reply Basil pressed the detective’s hand gratefully; then retreated and continued his supervision of the victorious force. hen the villains had been properly secured, Happy Hans asked an explanation of the cause that brought Basil King and party so oppor- tunely to the rescue. It was given with cheerfulness, ** But first admit me to appear again in my own proper garb.” With these words King stepped into the street and passed into the office of the lodging- house. He returned shortly, having discarded his feminine apparel. ‘** When that fellow came into the Gold Mine, this morning, on a dead run, almost, I knew that something important concerning our case— for [ will call it our case, with your consent— had,transpired. And when Fox at once left the card-table and began to rustle around with such speed, I decided that I would follow him and checkmate his movements if possible, ‘*So, I whispered. to one of my men—there were two or three at the Gold Mine in my con- fidence and pay—to keep in sight and send me word where he went and what he was up to, **As soon as Fox departed, I also left the gambling room and hurried another man off to secure a number of fearless and reliable fellows who could be depended on to do desperate fight- ing, if necessary. “By the time they were assembled, my spy reperted that Fox’s party had you hemmed up in this place and seemed on the point of mur- dering you. “*Y hurried my men at once to the rescue—” ‘*And was just in time to save my life!” ex- claimed Happy Hans. “There is more of my story,” continued Basil, ‘‘and, as it has a direct inverest for Mr. Flavel Fox, I will repeat it in his presence. ‘* Know, then, that my real name is Corliss Beeson, and that my father is the owner of the ‘ Double Bar ’ horse ranch!” Both the detective and Fox gave a gasp of surprise. ‘*Such is the fact; and something in the nature of whim, rather than design, brought me to this place. My father really thinks me, at this time, in California. [ started for there several weeks ago; but, getting in this vicinity, I concluded to stop off and study certain mat- ters for myself, without letting father know anything about. it, “For some time father has ne that false reports were being sent to him by the fore- man of the ‘ Double Bar.’ Such continued and phenomenal losses did not seem possible, unless there was crooked work somewhere. It was his idea that perhaps the foreman was in league with horse-thieves and shared the profits of their crimes, “‘ Before leaving home, he told me that he had become so annoyed over the matter that he had employed a certain well-known detective, Pink Parkman, by name, who would probably visit Round-up, disguised asa German, _ * When I reached the place and began a few uiet inquiries, I became satisfied that Flavel ox was a scoundrel of the deepest dye. But to pee it was another matter. wai then’ that conceived the idea of assuming the role I have since carried out. “‘T am neither tall nor robust in build and my face, you will notice, is almost as smooth asa woman’s, I had a few straggling hairs on my -man spoken of by my father. 15 upper lip, which I fondly called a mustache, but these I decom to the tweezers. By means of face-washes, false hair and cosmeties, together with the all-concealing mask, I was able to rig out as a very stunning Card-Queen. And real- ly, friends, the part was not a difficult one. No one suspected my sex; and a modification of my natural tones proved quite deceptive. ‘* My idea was to insnare Flavel Fox and lead him to make some damaging confessions; and I frankly say to you I succeeded in both beyond my most sanguine anticipations, ‘*The first time I saw Mr. Parkman, in his Dutch disguise, I was convinced that be was the He rather threw me off the track, though, when I called on him, Not being quite sure of my position I natnrally feared to reveal to him my real identity. But when I coolly thought the matter over after- ward, I became convinced that my first surmise was correct. ‘** At night I hung over the gaming-tables as Nadine, the Mysterious; and during the day haunted the bar-room and house as_ Basil King. om I became acquainted with Miss Fanny gin ‘Fanny learned that my visit to the detective was known to Flavel Fox, and that he had de- clared his intention of having me killed, and so sent me a note of warning. ‘‘In answer to that note I met the young lady near the rear gate of the garden, that night. There I was attacked by a band of cowardly scoundrels that Fox had hired to assassinate me. Stricken tothe earth I was left for dead, and the young lady was carried ef I have just learned from Mr, Parkman that be succeed- ed in rescuing ber, afew hours ago, and she is now safe with friends in this town, ‘*T was not so badly hurt but that I recover- ed, after awhile, and crawled away. For two days I was so feeble I fairly staggered as I walked; and am not a great deal stronger, even now. Nevertheless, 1 donned my mask and fe- male attire, and posed to the best of my ability as Nadine, covering up apy suspicious circum- stances by plausible excuses of illness, ‘** As you see,” removing his bat and revealin: an ugly gash on the top of his head, “ the woun was quite a severe one. But my blonde wig con- cealed it; and any pallor of the face was hidden by cosmetics and the all-potent_mask, ‘* By a bit of eavesdropping, I overbeard Fox telling Nugget Jim where the young lady was kept, together with other important informa- tion, which I afterward rehearsed to Fox with telling effect, pretending that I had made my discoveries by a personal visit to the cabin in the mountains. N vated have gone there if I had been able, for I feared, in fact, almost knew, that Fox would not release the young lady, in accordance with a promise made me to that effect. In my despair I wrote to Mr. Parkman, appealing to him to undertake the rescue; which he did, with entire success.” The story was certainly an interesting and unique one, and was greeted with frequent ex- clamations of delight. ** And, now, that your story is told and we are acquainted all around,” said the smiling de- tective, ‘“‘let’s march these fellows to the Gold Mine Saloon, and, in the presence of the men still there, force Fox to reveal the location of the iron box, where he has deposited and hoard- ed bis stealiags.” The suggestion met with universal approval, and was at once carried out. At first, Fox watliogy. denied all knowledge of the present location of the box, but a few sug- gestive threats persuaded him to point it out. According to the confession, which he afterward made, almost its entire contents belonged right- fully to the Beesons; and to them the money was restored. In due course of time the heavy hand of an ontraged law was laid on the guilty men, and they were incarcerated for various terms in the Territorial prison. Fox was given ten years at hard labor. But, he never lived to complete the sentence. He wasacrushed and hopeless man from the hour of his downfall at Round-up; and died, two years later, in the mines, where he had been placed at hard labor. Within less than a year after the completion of the events of this story, aa Fanny Elgin, the ‘Angel of the Gold Mine,” became the happy_ bride of Corliss Beeson, the son of the cattle-king, As for Pink Parkman, he still follows his chosen calling, and is the same pleasant, jolly, heroic soul he was when introduced to the reader as Happy Hans, the Dutch Vidocq. THE END.
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ee ee a ~ in ot okatAS BY EDWARD L. WHEELER. Deadwood Dick Novels. 1 Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. 20 Double Daggers; or, Deadwood Dick’s Defiance, 28 Buffalo Ben; or, Deadwood Dick in Disguise. 85 Wild Ivan, the Boy Claude Duval. 42 Phantom Miner; or, Deadwood Pick’s Bonanza, 49 Omaha Oll; or, Deadwood Dick in Danger. 57 Deadwood Dick's Easrles; or, The Pards of Flood Bar, 78 Deadwood Dick on Deck; or, Calamity Jane, the Heroine, TZ Corduroy Charlie ;_or, vadwood Dick’s Last Act. 100 Deadwood Dick in Leadville. 104 Deadwoed Dick's Device: or, The Double Cross Sign. 109 Deadwood Dick as Detective. 129 Boadweet Dick’s Double; or, The Ghost of Gorgon’s auich. 188 Blonde Bill; or, Deadwood Dick’s Home Base. 149 A Game of Gold; or, Deadwood Dick’s Big Strike. 156 Deadwood Dick of Deadwood}; or, The Picked Party, 195 Deadwoed Dick’s Dreamy; or, The Rivals of the Road. 201 The Black Hills Jezebel; or, Deadwood Dick's Ward. 205 Dondweed Diek’s Deom; or, Calamity Jane’s Last Ad- . venture. 217 Captain Orack-Shot, the Girl Brigand. 221 Sugar-Coated Sam}; or, The Black Gown. 282 Gold-Dust Dick, A Romance of Roughs and Toughss, 268 Deadwoed Dick’s ois ag or, The Spirit ef Swamp Lake. 268 Deadwood Dick’s Death Trail. BEADLE’S«H ALF- Published Every Tuesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at tne Uniform Price of Five Cents. 809 Deadweod Dick’s Big Veal; or, The Gold Brick of | Oregon. 821 Deadwood Dick’s Dozen; or, The Fakir of Phantom Flats. 847 Deadwood Pick’s Bucats; or, Rainy Days in the Dig- gings. 8&1 Deadwood Dick Sentenced; or, The Terrible Vendetta. 862 ponawees Dick’s Claim; er, The Fairy Face of Faro ats. 405 Deadwood Dick in Dead City. 410 pondwsed Dick’s Diamonds ; or, The Mystery of Joan orter. 421 Deadwood Dick in New York; or, A “Cute Case.” 480 Deadwood Dick’s Dust; or, The Chained Hand, 448 Deadwood Dick, Jr. 448 Nickel-Plate Neds or, Deadwood Dick Jr’a Defiance. 45 eens Sam, of Shasta; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Full and. 459 Flush Fan, the Ferret; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Big Ronnd- Up. 465 Philo Fly, of Phenix; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Racket at ‘aim 10. 471 Bozeman Bill; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Corral. 476 Humboldt Marry, tie Hurricane; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Dog Detective. 481 MoH Mystery; or, Deadwood Pick Jr. in Deadwood. 491.Prince Pistol, the King of the West; or, Deadwood Dick Jr's Compact. 496 Monte Cristo, Jr.: or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Inheritance. 500 Deadwood Dick’s Diggings or, Dr. Death-Grip’s Swoop. 50S Deadwood Dick’s Deliverance, 515 Deadwood Pick’s Protegee. ” 522 Deadwood Dick's Three. 529 Deadwooa Dick’s Danger Ducks, 554 Deadwood Dick’s Death Hunt. 5389 Deadwood Dick Jr., in Texas. 544 Deadwood Dick, dr., the Wild West Vidooq. 549 Deadwood Dick cn Mis Mettle. B54 Deadwoed Dick, Jr,, In Gotham, 561 Deadwood Dick in Boston. 567 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Philadelphia, 572 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Chicago. Other Novels by E. L. Wheeler. 26 Cloven Hoof, the Buffalo Demon. B2 Bob Woolf; or, The Girl Dead-Shot. 89 Death-Face, Detective; or, Life in New York. 45 Old Avalanche; or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigand. 53 Jim Bludsoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix. 61 Buckhorn BHI; or, The Red Rifle Team, 69 Gold Rifle, the Skharpshooter; or, The Boy Detective, 80 Rosebud Rob; or, Nugget Ned, the Knight, 84 Idyl, the Gir Miner; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand. ss A mean h Phil; or, Rosebud Rob’s Reappearance, 92 Canada Chet ; or, Old Anaconda in Sitting Bull’s Camp, | 96 Watch-Eye; or, Arabs und Angels of a Great City. 118 Jack Moyle the Young Speculator. 117 Gilt-Edged Dick, the Sport Detective 121 Cinnamon Chip, the Girl Sport. 125 Bonanza Bill Miner. 188 Boas ob the King of Bootblacks, 141 Solid Sam, the Boy Road-Agent. 145 Captain Ferret, the New York Detective; or, Boss Bob’s Boss Job. 161 New York Nell, the Boy-Girl Petective. 177 Nobby Nick of Nevada; or, The Sierras Scamps, 181 Wild Frank; the Buckskin Bravo. 209 Fritz, the Bound-Boy Detective. 218 Fritz to the Front; or, The Ventriloquist Hunter, 226 Snoozer, the Boy Sharp; or, The Arab Detective, 236 Apollo Bill, the Trail Tornado. 240 Cyclone Kit, the Young Gladiator. 244 Sierra Sam, the Frontier Ferret. 248 Slerra Sam’ Secret; or, The Bloody Footprints, 258 Sierrg Sam’s Pard; or, The Angel ot Big Vista. 258 Sierra Saim’s Seven; or, The Stolen Bride, 278 Jumbo Joe, the Boy Patrol; or, The Rival Heirs, 277 Denver Doll, the Detective Queen. : 281 Denver Doll's Victory, 285 Denver Doll’s Decoy ; or. Little Bill’s Bonanza. 291 Turk, the Boy Ferret. 296 Denver Doll's Drift; or, The Road Queen. 299 A No. 1, the Dashing Toll-Taker. 808 ’Liza Jane, the Girl Miner; or, the Iron-Nerved Sport. B25 Kelley, Hickey & Co., the Detectives of Philadelphia. 880 Little Quick-Shot3; er, The Dead Face of Daggersville, Kangaroo Kit; or, The Mysterious Miuer. 839 Kangaroo Kit’s Racket. 848 Manhattan Mike, the Bowery Blood. B58 First-Class Fred, the Gent trom Gopher. 8658 tA erm Jim, the Gold-Gatherer; or, The Lottery of fe. 872 Yreka Jim’s Prize. 878 Nabob Ned; or, The Secret of Slab City. BS2 Cool Kit, the King of Kids; or, A Villain’s Vengeance. BS5 Yreka Jim’s Joker}; or, The Rivals of Red Nose. 8389 Bicyele Ben; or. The Lion of Lightning Lode, 894 Yreka Jim of Yuba Dam, 400 Wrinkles, the Night-Watch Detective. 416 High Hat Harry, the Base Ball Detective. 338 Sam Slabsides, the Beggar-Boy Detective, 4 Jim Benak and Pal, Private Detectives. 488 Santa Fe tial, the Siasher. 486 Seulskin Sam, tho Sparkter. BY BUFFALO BILL (Hon, Wm. F. Cody). 8 Kansas King; or, The Red Right Hand. ‘ 9 Phantom Spy: or, The Pilot of the Prairie, Deadly-Eye, the Unknown Scout, , 8 Border Robin Moody; or, The Prairie Rover. Fancy Frank of Colorado 4 or, The Trapper’s Trust. ee ee ys if i ion peak, oh, pete) ct * oe? a teas BY CHARLES MORRIS, 18 Wl Somers, the Boy Detective. 22 Phil Hardy, the Boss Bey. 26 Picayune lcte ; or, Nicodemus, the Dog Detective. 80 Detective Dick; or, The Here in Rage. 2 Handsome Harry, the Bootblack Detective, Hl Wildfire, the Thoroughbred. 2 Black Bessa, Will Wildfire’s Racer. Mike Merry, the Harber Police Boy, 2 WII Wildfire in the W ooda, 5 Billy Baggage, the Railroad Boy. 0 A ‘Trump Card; or, Will Wildfire Wins and Loses, 4 Bob Rockett; or, Mysteries of New York. 9 Bob ppeckest, the Bank Runner, 8 The Hidden Hand; or, Wil! Wildfire’s Revenge. 187 Fred Halyard, the Life Boat Boy; or, The Smuggters, 189 Bob Rockett; or, Driven tw the Wall. 196 Shadowed ; or, Bob Rockett’s Fight for Life. 206 Dark Pauli, the Tiger King. 2i2 Dashing Dave, the Dandy Petective. 220 Tom Tanner; or, The Black Sheep of the Flock, 225 Sam Charcoal the Premium Darky. 235 Shadow Sam, the Messenger Boy. 242 The Two * Bloods”; or, Shenandoah Bill and His Gang. 252 Dick Dashaway ; or, A Dakota Boy in Chicago. 262 The Young Sharps; or, Rollicking Mike’s Hot Trail. 274 Jolly Jim, the Detective Apprentice. 289 Jolly Jim’s Job; or, The Young Detective. 298 The Water-Hound; or, The Young Thoroughbred. 805 Peshawey; of Dakota; or, A Western Lad in the Quaker sity. 824 Ralph Ready, the Hotel Boy Detective.” 841 Tony,Thorne, the Vagabond Detective. 858 The Reporter-Detective; or, Fred Flyer’s Blizzard. B67 Wide-Awake Joe; or, A Boy of the Times. 879 larry. the Leveler; or, The Bloods of the Boulevard. 408 Firelly Jack, the River-Rat Detective. 428 The Lost Finger; er, The Entrapped Cashier. 428 Fred Flyer, the Reporter Detective. 482 Invincible Logan, the Pinkerton Ferret. 456 Billy Brick, the Jelly Vagabond, 466 Wide-Awake Jerry, Detective; or, Entombed Alive. 479 Detective Dodge ; or, The Mystery of Frank Hearty. 488 Wild Dick Racket. 501 Boots, the Boy Fireman} or, Too Sharp for the Sharper, 566 The Secret service Boy Detective. - aoe awn di - 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ZNINNSS BY OLL COOMES. 5 Vagabond Joe, the Young Wandering Jew. 18 The Dumb Spy. 27 Antelope Abe, the Boy Guide. 81 Keen-Knife, the Prince of the Prairies. 41 Lasso Jack, the Young Mustanger. 58 The Border King; or, The Secret Foe. 71 Delaware Dick, the Young Ranger Spy. 74 Hawk-eye Marry the Young Trapper Runger. S8 Rollo, the Roy Ranger. o 184 Sure Shot Seth, the Koy Rifleman, 148 Sear-Face Saul, the Silent Hunter, 146 Silver Star, the Bor Knight. 158 Eagle Kit, the Boy Demon. 168 Little Texas, the Young Mustanger, 178 Old Solitary, the Hermit Trapper. 182 Little Hurricane, the Boy Captain. 202 Prospect Pete 3 or, The Youve Outlaw Hunters. 208 The Boy Hercules: or, The Prairie Tramps. 218 Viger Tom, the Texas Terror. 224 Dashing Dick; or, I repper Tom’s* Castle. 228 Little Wildfire, the Young Prairie Nomad. 288 The Parson Detective; or, The Little Ranger. 248 The Disguised Guides or, Wild Raven, the Ranger. 260 Dare-Devil Dan, the Young Prairie Ranger. 27S Minkakin Mike, the Boy Sharpshooter. 290 Little Foxfire, the Boy Spy. 800 The Sky Demon 4 or, Raiibolt, the Ranger. 884 Whip-King Joe, the Boy Ranchero. 409 Hercules; or, Dick, the Boy Ranger. 417 Webtoot Mose, the Truup Detective. 422 Baby Sam, the Boy Giant of the Yellowstone, Little Buckskin, tne Young Prairie Centaur, 457 Wingedfoot Fred; or, Old Polar Saul. 468 Tamarac, Tom, the Big Trapper Boy. 478 Old Tom Rattler, the Red River Epidemic. 482 Stonewall Bob, the Boy Trojan. : 5662 Blundering Basil, the Hermit Boy Trapper. 3 ¥ BY T. ©, HMARBAUGIL 28 Nick o’ the Night; or, Th» Boy Spy of ’76. 87 The Hidden Lodge; or The Littl: Hunter. 47 Nightingale Nari or, Tne Forest Captains, 64 Dandy nek ¢ or, ‘he Outlaws of the n Trait. 82 Kit Harefoot the Wood-Hawk. 94 Midnight Jack ; or, The Boy Trapper, 106 Old Frosty, the Guide; or, The White Queen. 128 Kiowa Charley the White Mustanger. 189 Judge Lynch, Jr.i_ or, The Boy Vigilante. 155 Gold Trigger, the Sports or, The Girl Avenger. 169 Tornado Tomy or, Injun Jack From Red Core, 188 Ned Temple, the Border Boy. 198 Arkansaw 3 or, The Quen of Fate’s Revenge. 207 Navajo Nick, the Boy Gold Hunter. 215 Captain Bullets or, Little Tovknot’s Crusade. 281 Plucky Phil; or. Rosa, the Re! Jezebel. 241 Bill Bravo; or, Tie Roughs of the Rockies. 255 Captain Apoli , the King-Pin of Bowle. 267 The Buckskin Detective, 279 Old Winch or, The Buckskin Desperadoes, 294 Dynamite Dan? or, The Bowle Blade of Cochetopa. 802 The Mountain Detective; or, The Trigger Bar Bully, 816 O11 Eelipae, Trump Card of Arizona, 826 The Ten Parda: or. The Terror of Take-Notice, 886 Big Benson; or, The Queen of the Lasso, 845 Plilleas Matt; or, Red Thunderbelt’s Secret, BSH Ovot sam wed Par’; o The Terrible Six. 866 Velvet Foot, the Indian Detective. 856 Captain Cutlass 3 or, | he Brceaneer’s Girl Foe. 896 Rough Rob: or, The !'win Champions of Blue Blazes. 411 The Silken Lasso; or, The Rose of Ranch Robin. 418 Felix Fox, the Boy Spotter. 425 Texas Trump, the Border Rattler, 486 Phil Flash, the New York Fox. 445 The City Vamplres; or, Red Rolfe’s Pigeon. 461 One Against Fifty 3 or, The Lost Man of Keno Bar, 470 The Boy: Shadow; or, Felix Fox’s Hunt, 477 The Excelsior Sport; or, The Washington Spotter. 499 Single Sight, the One-Eyed Sport. 502 Branded Ben, the Night Ferret. 512 Dodger Dick, the Wharf-Spy Detective. 521 Dodger Dick's Best Dodge. 528 Fox and Falcon, the Bowery Shadows. 58S Dodger Dick, the Dock Ferret. 548 Dodger Dick’« Double; or, The Rival Boy Detectives, 558 Dedeer Dick’s Desperate Case. 568 Dodger Dick, the Roy Vidocq. 5678 The Two Shadows. IME«]_ IBRARY. No Double Numbers. BY COLONEL PRENTISS INGRAUAM, , 7 The Flying Yankee; or, The Ocean Onteast. 17 Ralph Roy, the Boy Buccancer; or, Thie Fugitive Yacht. 24 Diamond Dirk; or, The Mystery of the Yellowstone. 62 The Shadow Ship; or. The Rival Lieutenants. 75 The Boy Dnelist; or, The Cruise of the Sea-Wolf, 102 Dick Dead-Eye, the Boy Smuggier. 111 The Sea-Devil 3 or, The Midshipman’s Legacy. 116 The Hussar Captain; or, The Hermit of Hell Gate, 197 Little Grit; or, Bessie, the Stock-Tender’s Daughter. 204 Gold Plume; or, The Kid-Glove Sport. 216 Bison BAL, the Prince of the Reins. 222 Grit, the Bravo Sport; or, The Woman Trailer. 229 Crimson Kate; or, The Cowboy’s Triumph, 2837 Lone &tar, the Cowboy Captain. 245 Merle, the Middy 3 or, The Freelance Heir. 250 The Midshipman Mutineer; or, Brandt, the Buecaneer. 264 The Floating Feather; or, Merle Monte’s Treasure Fslana, 269 The Golit Ship; or, Merle, the Condemned. 276 Merle Monte’s Cruise; or, The Chase of “The Gold Soin. 280 Merle Monte’ Fate ; or, Pearl, the Pirate's Bride, 284 The Sea Marauder; or, Merle Monte’s Pledge. 257 Billy Blue-Eyes, the Boy Rover «f the Rio Grande. $04 The Dead Shot Dandy ; or, Bemto, the Boy Bugler. $08 Keno Kit; or, Head Shot Dandy’s Double. 814 tea Mysterious Marauder; or, The Boy Bugler’s Long rail, 877 Bonodel, the Boy Rover; or, The Flagless Schooner. 888 The Indian Pilot; or, The Search for Pirate Island. 887 Warpath WIK, the Boy Phantom. 898 Seawalf, the Boy Lieutenant. 402 Isvdor, the Young Conspirator; or, The Fatal League. 407 The Boy Insurgent; or, The Cuban Vendetta, 412 The Wild Yachtaman; or, The War-Cloua’s Cruise. 429 Duncan Dare, the Boy Refugee. 488 A Cabin Boy's Luck; or, Taw Corsair. 487 The Sen Raider, 441 The Ocean Firefly ; or, A Middy’s Vengeance. 446 Haphazard Harry; or, The Seapegrace of the Sea, 450 Wizard WIII: or, The Boy Ferre: of New York. 454 Wizard WIlLIl’« Street Sconta, 462 The Born Gulde; or, The Sailor Boy Wanderer, 468 Neptune Ned, the Boy Coaster. * 474 Flora; or, Wizard Will’s Vagabond Pard, 488 Ferrets Afloat; or, Wizard Will's Last Case. A487 Nevada Ned, the Revolver Kanger. 495 Arizona Joe the Boy Pard of Texas Jack, 497 Buck Taylor, King of the Cowboys. 508 The Royal Middy; or, The Shark and the Sea Cat. 507 The Nunted Midshipman, 511 The Outlawed Middy. 520 Buckskin Bill, the Comanche Shadow, 525 Brothers in Buckskin. 580 The Buckskin Bowers. 585 The Bue skin Rovers, 540 Captain Ku-Klux, the Marauder ot the Rin 545 Lieutenant Leo, the Son of Lafitte, 550 Lafitte’s Legacy: or. The Avenging Son, 555 The Creole Corsair. 560 Pawnee BIN, the Prairie Shadower. 565 Kent Kingdon, the Card King. 570 Camille, the Card Queen. 575 The Surgeon-Scout Detective. LATEST AND NEW ISSUES. 577 Pavement Pete, the Secret Sifter, By Jo Pierce. 578 Deadwood Dick, Jr., Afloat. By Edward L. Wheeler, 579 The Chimney Spy; or, Broadway Billy’s Surprise -Party. Byl.t. Cowan? y urprise-Party. 580 The Outcast Cadet; or, The False Detective. By Col. Prentiss [ugranam, 581 Double-Curve Pan, the Pitcher Detective. By George Cs Jenks, 582 Dodger Dick’s Drop. By T. C. Harbaugh. 588 Saffron Sol, the Man With « Shadow. By Lieut. A, K. Sims, 584 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Denver, By Ed. L. Wheeler, 585 Will Waters, the Boy Ferret. By H. Enton. 586 The Buekskin Avenger. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 5ST Old Bombshelt, the Ranger Detective. By Wm. G. Patten. 588 Jack-o’-Lantern, the Under-Sea Prospector. By Jo Pierce. 589 Tom-Cat and Pard; or, The Dead Set at Silver City, By Lieut. A. K, Sims. i 590 Deadwood Dick, Jr’s., Decree. By E. L. Wheeler. 591 Delmonte, the Yoang Sea-Rover. By Col. P Ingraham. 592 The Boy Pinkerton. By J. C. Cowdrick. 598 Keen Clem, the Raych Imp. By P. S. Warne, 594 Little Lon, the Street-Singer Detective. By T. C. Harbaugh. 595 Deadwood Dick Jr. in Beelzebub’s Basin. By E. L. Wheeler. 596 ue? the Kid; or, A Lamb Among Wolves. By Chas. orris. 597 The Young Texan Detective, By Co). P. Ingraham. 59S Flute, the Singer Detective, By Geo. C. Jenks. 599 Jim Dandy, tle No-Name Sport. By P. S. Warne. 600 Deadwood Dick Jr. at Coney Island. By Edward L. Whoeler. Ready January 22, 601 Happy. Hans, the Dutch Vidocq; or, Red-Hot Times at : Round-Up. By Lieut. A. K. Sims, Ready January 29. 602 The Vagabond of the Mines. By Col. P. Ingrabam. Ready Februnry 6. 608 Wide-Awake Bert, the Street-Steerer. By Jo. Pieree, Ready February 13. 604 Iron Fern, the Man of Fire. By Lieut. Royal A. Swift, U.S. A. Ready February 20. é A New Isaue Every Tuesday. The Half-Dime Library is for sale by all newsdealers, five cents per copy, or sent by mail on receipt of six centa each, BEADLE AND APAMS, PubHehers, 98 William Street, New York, “ a