Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 681) (1890 08 12)
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RN ® \Y N 8 W NEN A\ “} f S = .. —GimiaN 2.50 PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE AND ADAMS, Price, No. 681. Sy soo : 5 ata Vol. XXVII. No. 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK, I \\ WS WAAR VA AY AN . AVY WO MMO sS AN \\ OQRR=Co Ue: || AN \i mone | Hi) AAW =< : , y = = ie ww SN a mann) na , SS } i j//! ~~ Dy 7 i) i ff \ /! AW) } / OR, Double-Curve Dan's Dead Ball, BY GEO, C. JENKS, AUTHOR OF ‘‘ DOUBLE-CURVE DAN, THE PITCHER DETECTIVE,” ‘‘GIT THAR OWNEY, THE UNKNOWN,” ‘‘ THE DEMON DOC- P, TOR,” ETC., ETOC., ETO, \G raThaes 403 aRUN EE RETEE CHAPTER I. A MYSTERY IN A GRAY VAIL, THE game was a close one, The “New York Toughs,” as they called themselves, had challenged the ‘* Albany Stars,” and the “Stars” had gone down to New York to meet their rivals, : Gi Z N | The game was being played in a field on the WWW ZZ —— a outskirts of Brooklyn, within easy reach of the BOTH RUFFIANS FELL SUDDENLY AS IF SHOT, WHILE DOUBLE-CURVE DAN STOOD OVER THEM,
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>» 2 Elevated Road, and there was a large attend- ance. The ‘‘ New York Toughs” were known asa club that could always take care of itself on the diamond, and as for the ‘* Albany Stars,” why, they had polished off some of the best players brought against them, and were inclined to think they could do the same with the **Toughs.” So there was no lack of spectators of that desperate contest on this early September afternoon, The weather was lovely. Not so hot as to make base-running and fielding torture, but warm enough to keep the blood of the boys on the “bleaching boards” up to a comfortable temperature. Everything favored an excellent exhibition and the ‘fullest enjoyment of America’s splendid national game. In the eighth inning it stood 2 to 2, with the Toughs at the bat, The Toughs were red hot as their best slugger went to the bat, Red Gabe was a terrific fellow with the bat. When his brawny hands closed upon the imple- ment, it was his boast that ‘‘something had to rop.” He was a middle-sized, bullet-headed, small- eyed, red-haired young man, with a voice like a fog-horn, and a temper remarkably short, All these qualities, however, did not prevent his being a valuable member of the New York Toughs’ Baseball Club. ** Give us a low ball,” he growled as he glared defiantly at the clean, long-limbed young fellow in the pitcher’s box. ‘‘Let ’er come straight now, and V’ll knock ‘er cl’ar over in Hoboken,” The young pitcher smiled, and the gleam of mirth could be seen in the steel-blue eyes and in the expression of his fresh young face, He evidently understood Red Gabe, and took his pompous words at their true value, **Very well. Look out.” For one moment he straightened himself, his right hand lay pressed closely against his thigh, then there was a sbock, a flash, like a shot from a cannon, and the ball eaped fiercely across the space between the pitcher’s box and the batter, It swerved to the right, then to the left, and then, ere Red Gabe knew where he was or where ‘ the pitcher was, or where the ball was, it sud- ' “denly whirled to the right, and was in tho hands of the catcher, ** Out,” cried the umpire, Red Gabe threw down his bat, and as the next player took it up, walked-slowly over to the pitcher and hissed in his ear; “So, ye’r’ the feller thet they call Double- Curve Dan, ain’t yer?” The young man smiled and bowed his head ae ‘‘ Yes, I knowed yer was thet thar Dan; but let me tell yer right hyer, it was the wurst day’s work you ever did, whun yer put Red Gabe out with yer sneaking, two-curved balls, Do yer hear me?” ithout waiting for a reply, the Tough turn- ed his back, and slouched over to the bench where the other players were sitting. Double-Curve Dan, for of course the pleasant- faced young fellow was no other than the famous young Pitcher-Detective, with whom the reader probably is already acquainted, smiled disdainfully as he made ready to give a straight ball for the next Tough. Valiantly did the Toughs try to retrieve the loss occasioned by the sudden put-out of their best man, but in vain, Whether it was that they were discouraged by the peremptory man- ner in which he was put out, or whether because Double-Curve Dan, the pitcher of the Albany Stars, pitched his balls with more accuracy - than usual, certain it is that the side was re- tired without scoring a run, Red Gabe was sitting mute upon the bench, and he did not move as Double-Curve Dan walked over, and sat down beside him, until the umpire called to him to step into the pitcher’s t box. With a glance of vindictive hate at the smiling young fellow, Gabe seized the ball, and took his place to pitch for his side. The first man at the bat was Dan. “* Low ball,” he said, in a pleasant voice. ** Tl give yer er low ball,” muttered Gabe, as he clinched his ugly yellow teeth and shook his head like a wild beast desperate for a meal, “Tl give it to yer. k out fur me,” Dan knew that he meant mischief, but at once threw himself into a posture of defense with his bat and waited for developments. Gabe sent the ball flying at him with his strong right arm, and Dan caught it full with his bat and slashed it down into center field, That really gave to Dan the game, for he made third base with tnat center-field strike, t The Pitcher Detective’s Toughest Tussle. and when the side retired there were three runs added to the score of the Albany Stars, The game being played in Brooklyn, there was as much feeling on the part of the spectators for one club as for the other, so the victory of the Stars was entirely satisfactory to the crowds that slowly surged out of the gate at the end of this exciting contest, The players were all in one room, changing Re ball uniforms for the habiliments of every- day life. The game was being discussed, of course, but there appeared to be little of that bitter feeling of rivalry which might bave been expected un- der the circumstances, Only one man seemed to feel his defeat, and to be unable to enjoy the fun. That was Red Gabe. He was standing be- hind Dan, putting on his coat and watching the other as he bundled up his uniform prepara- tory to taking the train for Albany, with the rest of his companions, “You heerd what I sed on the field, didn’t yer?” he whispered in Dan’s ear, sé Yes ” “* Tf ye’r’ not a coward, yer will meet me to- night at eleven o’clock at Cooney Maul’s place inthe Bowery. I’ve somethin’ to say to yer.” “Say to me?” **Yes, to yer. Yer needn’t think that I don’t know that yer hev another business besides play- ing ball. Yer needn’t flatter yerself I don’t know ye’r’ a—” ‘¢‘ Hush!” said the other quickly, putting up his hands to stop Gabe’s talk. Red Gabe grinned sarcastically. “Yer see thet I know too much for yer.” ‘*T do not know that you do, either. I am not ashamed of my profession, but [ don’t care to havo every durned jackass braying it to the public; that is all.” * Well, will yer meet me as I asked yer?” The young man hesitated for a moment, and then something in the Tough’s eye seemed to sting him, for he replied hastily, ‘ Yes, I will; but let me warn you that I shall come in my character of a—” “Wal, why don’t yer go on?” ‘© Tt is unnecessary. You know what I mean,” and Dan left the dressing-room and the field, His companions in the same club were used to bis erratic movements, and took no particular notice except to smile knowingly, and to hurry aes own preparatious for their departure to lban . Red. Gabe finished his dressing slowly, and when he was about ready to leave the dressing- room, there was only one other occupant. He was a small man of perhaps sixty years of age—his shriveled, yellow face was overshad- owed by long, white hair, The casual observer might have taken him for a studious old phi- losopher, but. one glance of his pule blue eyes with their leering, cunning expression was enough to show the spectator that Sol Nugent was neither saint nor philanthropist. There was something strongly suggestive of the vul- ture in the way his hooked nose came over his tight mouth, and still more of it in the stealthy movements of his long, claw-like fingers, as he rubbed one hand over another, looking the while steadfastly into Red Gabe’s face, ‘Yer old monkey, what yer staring at me in thet way fur?” “Don’t git mad, Gabe, my dear, You shouldn’t jump into the old man for bein’ old. That’s my only fault, I guess,” “Tis, eh? Wal, they will never heng yer fur thet. All the same, I don’t think yer’ll over be drowned.” ‘* Wal, Gabe, yer er a great joker,” wheezed the old hawk, “ 'Thet’s enuf of yer chinnin’. Let’s git out of hyat.” hx Sol, who was the keeper of the base-ball grounds, carefully locked the dressing-room, as well as the outer gate, while Red Gabe careless- ly slouched on, and left him to follow if he were so inclined. The two had reached the corner of the street, on which the ball-grounds were, and Gabe was walking along with his eyes bent upon the ground, when, suddenly, he ran plump into a young girl, whose face was covered by a thick, gray vail, and who was coming swiftly around the corner from an opposite direction, Gabe was about to make a clumsy apology, when Sol, reaching forward, seized the girl by the arm, and in a state of the wildest excite- ment tried to give utterance to some words, Vainly however, for he was only able to gasp sg fg po , “Yer old piece of baggage! What er yer doing to ther girl? demanded Gabe, — — - ** Gabe—Gabe—don’t yer know? don’t yer ua- derstand? This ere’s—” What the old man would have said further ean only be surmised, for two fists suddenly ap- peared on the scene, one of them planted in the old man’s chin, and the other squarely between the eyes of Red Gabe. Both raffians fell sud- denly while if shot, while Double-Curve Dan stood over them, and looked around in a bewildered way to see what had become of the girl. She had disappeared as completely as if the earth had opened and swallowed her up, CHAPTER II. THE ABDUCTION, Ow Myrtle avenue, Brooklyn, there was—and is for that matter—a small, dark storein which musical instruments are sold made and repaired, The stock is like the store, small, A few. ac- cordions, dozens of mouth-organs, some decrepit looking fiddles, and a gleam of brass instruments in the shadows at the back, are all that give token of the business transacted. And yet this store is one of the not more than three or four in the whole United States, where odd musical instruments of original patterns and differing entirely from those of conventional make, can be procured, Theatrical people know the store well. Do they want an umbrella ora broom which, be- sides keeping off the rain or snow or sweeping floors, provide sweet melodies at the will of the owner, they come to this old place, Harmonic aving-stones, bells tuned to the musical scala, antes of wood that will play anything from ‘Sweet Violets ” to Mendelssohn’s ** Songs with- out Words” can be obtained here by merely leaving the order, Behind the store is a little room, even darker than that in front, Here isa bench, a forge, files, and other tools for making anything from silver, wood, steel, brass, or string. On the evening of the ball game described in our last chapter, a little old man, with a bald head fringed just above the ears and at the back with a red growth of hair, stood behind the counter, peering through the glass door into the murky night, A pair of spectacles was on his nose and a short clay pipe ornamented bis mouth. “Faith, Oi winder where the girrul kin be, She don’t sthay out as late as this offen.” The old man voyaged up and down the narrow | space behind the counter, occasionally tweaking _ the strings of a violin or playing with the keys of an accordion—it seemed to a way of re- lieving. his feelings as he grumbled again and — again— ‘* Where kin the girrul be?” Suddenly his eyes brightenec through the . tacles, and he made a movement toward the oor, but stopped himself just as it burst open and the girl with the gray vail came in, breath- less, flushed, and evidently frightened. “Ob, dad!” she cried, as she sunk upon a low stool used for the accommodation of customers. The little old man drew himself up stiffly, and in severe tones demanded: ‘Marion Ward, phwat do ye m’ane by bu’st-| ing into the house loike an elephant with the gout? | Faith, Oi’ve a great moind to turn yez out agen, } If it wuzn’t fur yer mither’s sake Oi would.” —_, He jammed his hands into his pockets and) went on muttering? . , ‘ “‘O?ll have discipline in my house in spite of all the girruls in Brooklyn,” Although he looked so fierce and talked s savagely to himself, there was a twinkle in his eye that would indicate to any ordinary obser- ver that he was not as mad as he pretended to be, The girl sat on the stool with her face in her hands fot perhaps a minute, then suddenly rising, she ran around the counter and threw her arms around the old man’s neck. | «Oh, dad, I have seen him again!” Seen who?” The old ner tones were sav: nough now in real earnest. ar on whoF he repeated; “ that murtherin spalpeen of—of a—” ee xcn. dad, Gabriel Kerr.” __ He threw her away from him, tore off hi spectacles, and dashed up and down the littl space behind the counter like a madman. sil ““Where is he? By the blazes, I'll turn ’im in side out. Tl tache him to come here anj frighten my darter. Ill put him in the Pineten tiary, PN—” The old man said no more, co a His indignatig hez doy was too much for 5 " Marion went up to him and placing her t "Ont hands‘on his shoulders gently, said: fe thay “Never mind, dad, I oughtnot to bave mam ¢ you about it, but I was so frightened—” Th “Ks it frightened you were?” chimed in at but. re
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The P ——.. naiaiiaialie itc ——— other voice, as the door leading into the old back | worksbo cheery, Jolly face stepped forward, “Tim,” sho exclaimed turning toward the old man, ‘' phwat’s ails yez that yer hev been frightening the girrul? Yedon’t know anything except to make those squakers and things thet yez sell in the store. Phwat hev ye bin doing to her?” ‘Shure, it aisn’tme, Katie. Red Gabe,” “Ah, shure, and is it thot scoundrel ag’in? Marion come and tell meallabout it, Come on.” Through the doorway into the little back shop, and then from that intoa small parlor, Mrs. Kate Martin, for that was her full name, led Marion, ** And now, don’t ye say a wurd till Oi get ye a cup o’ tay and then tell me all about it.” * Yes, and I'll listen to it too,” put in the little old man, who had followed his wife and daugh- ter into the parlor. f ‘*Phwat are ye’s doing here, Tim? Ye are Paving the bizness to run itself these days, ain’t yer?” demanded his wife. . “No, Boggs bas jist come in from his supper and Oi want to hear the story,” It wasa peculiarity of this married couple that they were always quarreling and yet were the best of friends. It seemed to be recreation to them to bark and snap and snarl at each other without meaning it. There was no more bad feeling between them than there is on the part of the drummer when he bangs away ata basedrum. It may produce sound, but no pain, Katie bustled about and’ in a very few minutes they sat down to supper with appetites that did full justice to Mrs. Martin’s cuisine. Even Mari- on, troubled as she was, partook of the meal with the healthy appetite of a young girl. Gradually she told her adventure to her father and mother, They listened attentively, and at its conclusion Tim said: ‘* Oi don’t like the idea of thet young feller be- ing about on all occasions, Oi thinks he in’anes mischief.” ‘* Who do ye m’ane, Tim,” asked Katie, gulp- ing down a half-cup of tea thoughtfully. ‘“‘Why, thet base-ball feller with the curly hair they call ‘ Double-Curve Dan,’ Oi belave that he’s in Red Gabe’s gang. Indade, Oi see him with him all the time.” or did not always speak the truth when ex- cited, **- Yes, dad, I am more afraid of hira than I am of Gabriel. I know thatsome night I shall be taken back to that horrible place that I see so often in my dreams, that I shall never forget ac or waking.” oe ” It wuz that divil, AL on’t think of it. Take another cup of Tea was Mrs. Martin’s panacea for all ills. Tim sat quietly by the side of the stove, lost in thought, while Marion dutifully assisted her mother in clearing away the dishes, and straight- ening the little room, At last he started up with a look of determination in bis face. *O7ll doit,” he exclaimed, bringing his fist down upon the table with a bang. ** Ye will do phwat?” ** O7ll go fur him,” “ Taith, and ye’ll do no sich thing.” *¢ Who'll sthop me?” ai Oi will,” *¢-Ye’r’ not man enough.” ** Wait now, and O7’ll show ye.” **Oi guess ye can, but Oi wish you will let me go,” said Tim resignedly, as he sat down in his ald place by the stove, ‘Where do ye want to go?” **To find Red Gabe.” ** And phwat good will that do?” ss Tell ” mit that but for him I might have been killed, for I am opened, and a buxom matron with a | sure that Red Gabe meant murder when he looked at me.” ‘Oi don’t care. He hed no right to knock down a man on the corner of the strate whin ye wer’ stinding by, He should ’ve waited till ye hed gone away an’ thin he might hev killed all the men he wanted.” ‘You're right, Tim,” put in Kate, who was secretly proud of her little lord’s heroic senti- ments, ‘‘ But I don’t see what you could do if yer did mate ther young feller.” “Do? If Oi only hed him here, Oi’d—” But, at this instant the door opened and an oyergrown boy with a large head, dark-yellow- ish skin, a snub nose, wonderfally large hands and feet, stepped into the room, The boy gradu- ally opened his mouth, and from it slowly issued these words: ** Boss—he’s—here,” ‘Who's here? Opin yer mouf, ye little divil, an’ tell,” Again the boy’s mouth slowly opened, and he gasped, yet more slowly, as he pointed over his shoulder, ‘‘ Him.” Perhaps the boy would have said more, but he was suddenly pushed aside, and Double Curve Dan stood in the doorway. ‘* Excuse mé, Mr. Martin,” he said in his cheery way, ‘‘ but I was anxious to see you, and Mr, Boggs here seemed likely to take all the evening to announce me, so, I thought that I would just come forward myself.” Tim stood with his mouth open, looking at the young detective in a state of intense wonder- ment, Marion had happened to step behind the door of a small cupboard just before Boggs and the detective entered, and her mother kept her there by a warning gesture. ‘*Now, Tim, phwat are ye goin’ ter do ter im?” asked Kate, with a look of sarcasm on her usually pleasant face, The detective looked from one to the other, but of course had no idea what the words meant. ‘* Ye jist wait a minute, Kate, an’ ye’ll see.” Dan beckoned to the old man, and they went out into the workshop between the parlor and the front store. It was quite dark now outside, and a single gas-jet, burning feebly, was all the illumivation in the old shop. The forges, cold and silent, looked ghostly in the shadow; the files, benches, and other paraphernalia Joomed up here and there like specters; a rat scampered over a pile of loose tools and rattled them in a way that would seem toa nervous person like the rattling of the chains of the specters that are supposed to be the ornaments and property of haunted houses, But neither Tim Martin nor Dan Manly were neryous. Tim was wondering what the cetec- tive wanted with him, and Dan was feeling in his pocket for something. Suddenly he drew out a six-shooter and held it up in front of Tim’s face, looking him full in the eyes, Tim was too afraid to move, but he stam- mered: ‘“‘Phwat in thunderation do ye want with me? Is it robbery ye’r’ after, or is it murther yer want ter do? Take thet ther’ gun from me, or, by ther saints,/ Oi’ll hev ther law on yer. If Oi raise my voice, my old woman willcome out here, and she won’t leave a cursed slice of yer.” The detective laughed heartily. “ Why, what do you think I am going to do?” “ Faith, but it’s ther divil I know.” “‘T want you to repair this, that is all.” Tim reached for the revolver, and laying it on the bench, yelled savagely in Dan’s ear: ““Why didn’t yer say so, then? This ’ere coming in a mon’s house, bringing dismay with yer weapons and yer guns, Ov’ll not stand, and O?’ll bev ther law on ye. Phwat’s the matter with ther gun?” ) : Even as he spoke his quick mechanic’s eye had seen what was the trouble, and, taking no more notice of the detective, he was soon tinker- 1 away at the revolver, while Dan looked on. n about fifteen minutes when the revolver was ready for use again, Tim handed it,over to his customer, who soon filled the six chambers with cartridges and put the weapon with a satis- fied air into his pocket. ** How much is it?” he asked. ‘It will cost you yer life,” put in a hoarse voice, At the same instant a heavy blow de- scended upon the young detective’s head, and he fell prostrate in the filings and debris of the workshop, Ere Tim realized that the stranger had en- tered, he himself received a blow that sent him bounding against the door of the parlor, burst it open, and threw him into bis wife’s arms, “Now, come hyar, girl!” said the voice again, her Detective’s Toughest Tussle. and Marion found herself in the arms of a powerful man, who bore her from the store, and into a close carriage waiting outside, muffling her face with a heavy overcoat, so that she could not have screamed even had she had the presence of mind to do so. **T—wonder—what — that — fellow — wants— with—Marion,” observed Boggs, in a matter-of- fact-sort of way as he stood with bis hands in his pockets and his mouth open, staring at the carriage dashing along toward Fulton street, CHAPTER III. AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR. THE old, dilapidated carriage dashed down Fulton street until it reached the ferry dock, and ran aboard a boat that lay there in the slip. It was not until the boat was nearly over on the New York side of the river that the ab- ductor of Marion removed the coat from her face, and chuckled as he said; “Got yer ag’in! Ill teach yer to run away from yer home, from them thet are good to yer, from them thet hez yer interests at ’art—” ** Red Gabe!” gasped the girl, ‘Ther very indiwiddle. Yer struck it right ther fu’st time,” Marion made a movement as if she would spring from the carriage, but ere sve could do so her wrist was roughly grasped by Gabe, and she was thrust back into her seat. “Don’t yer try nothin’ of thet thar kind, I may git right tearing mad, and if you saya word, ’ll—” His face grew perfectly fiendish, although it was too dark for her to see how much so, as he went on, ‘* ll choke yer!” And he meant what he said, “Oh, mother!” moaned the poor girl again. “Wal, I be going ter take yer ter yer mother; don’t I tell yer?” : She saw it was of no use to plead with him, and not another word passed between them as the river was crossed, and the carriage went up and down the many cross-streets of the lower part of New York, evidently more for the pur- pose of misleading the girl, if that were possible, than for anything else, for after driving about half an hour, they came back to a place within a block of the ferry dock on the New York side, Then it stopped, and Red Gabe unceremoniously wrapped the overcoat around the girl again, drawing it tightly over her face, in spite of her desperate struggle for freedom. Gabe took no more notics of her wishes in the ° matter than if she had beenadoll. He threw open the door, clasped her in bis arms, and stepped out. The driver whipped up his horses, and disappeared in the darkness, as if he thor- oughly understood his business. The street was entirely deserted. The big warehouses which lined each side were closed, The laborers who had been so busy all day long bad gone home. Not a soul was to be seen in the street. It was quite dark, and the heavy fog which rose from the river added to the ordinary gloom of night. Even had Marion been able to make a sound, there was evidently no one near to hear her, Red Gabe looked cautiously up and down as he held the girl tightly in a dark doorway, with the overcoat still muffling her face, Then he took her up in his arms again, and suddenly lunged across the street to where iron bars up and down the windows of a narrow slip of a store allowed barrels and jugs to be seen within by the light of a solitary gas-jet. The fog was so thick that the store and the light were entirely invisible from the other side of the street, and seemed to come into view almost like an enchanted palace as Red Gabe crossed over, There was a cellar-flap of iron in front of the store, and upon this Gale tapped twice with the heel of his heavy boot, Almost instantaneousl there was a shuffling noise underneath, It might have been the scratching of a rat, but Gabe knew better. Meaningless as the shuffling sounded, it spoke as plainly to the tough as if it bad been a human voice. It asked: ‘* Who is it?” Gabe tapped again on the iron flap and by the culiar sound he made conveyed the answer; ‘Red Gabe,” Marion was now lying in the tough’s arms limp and motionless, and he knew that she had fainted. As this suited his purpose just then as well as anything could, he only chuckled as the iron cellar lid was cautiously pushed up, reveal- ing a black hole that might have been the en- trance to Hades, as a squeaky voice admonished the tough to “hurry up, mein tear, und come down.” Without hesitation, Red Gabe stepped into the black hole, although for anything he could see
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os 4 The Piteher Detective’s Toughest Tussle, ss! he might have been going to drop ten, twenty, or a hundred feet. But he didn’t. There was a flight of stone steps leading below, and he walked easily down them into the pitchy darkness, with the unconscious Marion in hisarms. Then the iron trap-door was quickly dropped and it seemed as if with its muffled clang, it rung the knell of the young girl’s hopes of ever seeing her friends in the world again. Red Gabe counted his steps until he had de- scended ten. Then he marched forward, with the owner of the squeaky voice paddling along behind him. ‘* Who’s here?” asked Gabe, suddenly, without turning his head, ‘**No one but her mudder, mein tear, She is all by her own self,” responded the squeaky voice, ** All right Sol, Open the door.” These words came from the thick darkness, in front of Gabe, muffled as from another room, Almost immediately, a blinding glare of light was shed upon the tough, with the girl in his arms, and the weazened form of Sol Nugent appeared in the dcorway of a warm, well-lighted room, furnished like a comfortable kitchen and bedroom combined, while in the perspective a red-faced elderly woman, stout of figure and cold of eye, sat rocking herself in front of the large cook-stove, Red Gabe marched on with the air of a man who knew the place thoroughly, and handed the girl, bundled up as she was in the overcoat, to e old woman, as if she were merely an inani- mate parcel. * There’s poy Take better care uv it growled, as he dropped into a low chair and coolly began to fill a short clay pipe he took from his pocket, Mother Collins held Marion on one of her brawny arms as she pulled the coat from her face, just as the girl gave some faint signs of fer yer, Mother Collins. than yer did afore,” he e. “Sakes alive! An’ hey yer got her ag’in? Wal, Gabe, ye’r’ a great one! Whar did yer git her? Why, Mary, my pet, I’m very glad ter see yer. At every sentence the woman gave Marion a sharp slap on the face with a spitefulness that would have made any honest man feel justified in killing Mother Collins off-hand. But there was no honest man in her kitchen just then, and Sol and Gabe enjoyed the proceeding too much to interfere, “Sarves her right,” was all that Red Gabe said, as he puffed away at the strong tobacco that made the already close atmosphere of the kitchen almost unbearable, **So it do, mein tear! so it do!” acquiesced Sol Nugent, rubbing his yellow hands together in ecstasy. ‘‘ Arter all the trouble she’s given her friends, eh? Ha, ha, ha!” “Shut up with yer croaking, will yer?” iuter- rupted Mother Collins, angrily, “The gal is coming to. Whar am I goin’ ter put her? It ain’t safe ter keep her hyer if any one is arter her.” “Ther ain’t no one arter her,” observed Gabe with a leer. ‘Ther job wuz done too slick fer that, Thar ain’t no one ez knows who took her, an’ I fixed things so ez no one followed us, you kin be sure of that.” er ain’t a-answerin’ my question. ter put her?” **Put her down the cellar, fer anything I care,” replied Gabe, impatiently, ‘* But mind ez tod hey her ready ag’in’ I want her. Thet’s, He stepped over toa closet in a corner, and taking therefrom a bottle of beer and a good- sized meat-pie, brought them to the table and prepared to take a meal. Sol Nugent was not a whit behind in this re- spect, He brought two plates, glasses and knives and forks from the closet, and busied himself in pouring out the beer and handing the plates while Red Gabe attacked the pie. In another minute both Sol and Gabe were eating and drink- ing with a gusto natural to men who bad had nothing for several hours. Red Gabe, in partic- ular, who had not taken any refreshment siuce the ball game in Brooklyn, plied a most valiant knife and fork, with Sol Nugent a very good secon‘ in the race. Mother Collins took no notice of the two men. They were evidently doing something that they were used to, and were quite at home, Besides she was occupied too much with Marion. The golden hair of the girl had escaped from its coil and falien in a shower of floss about her face and shoulders, Her brown eyes looked be- seechingly up into the face of the old woman, but dropped again as she realized how utterly useless it was to expect mercy in those cold gray \ i. “ne By. 4: bigist| Bs te Soe eg canned pee” fe eyes that seemed to pierce her through and through. *“*So, yer baggage! senses, hev yer?’ croaked Mother Collins, ‘* Now stii yerself, ‘cause I ain’t got no time ter fool with yer.” } Thus saying, she dragged Marion by the wrist to the extremity of the kitchen, and un- locking a door, took her into a cold, damp apartment that caused a chill to pass through her, as the result of the sudden change of tem- perature from the close kitchen. Barrels and boxes of bottles almost filled the place, a flaring gas-light in an iron cage, such as is seen on the stage of a theater, showing up the objects near it with a perspective of darkness in the background, seemed to run into an infinity of space. There was a strong smell of alcohol, and a sweet, glutinous deposit upon everything told of the presence of wines, some of whose sugary properties had escaped in spite of every care, ‘*Come along,” growled Mother Collins, who had never released Marion’s wrist since taking it. The girl, weak and sick, could not resist, but suffered herself to be led into the darkness with- out a word of remonstrance, “Git down hyar.” Mother Collins had suddenly stopped and pulled up a trap-door by an iron ring that was uite invisible, but that she found easily in the dackieen: knowing exactly where to feel for it, The girl drew back as a rush of cold air struck her face, and made her loose hair blow hither and thither, but a push from the old woman’s hand sent her into the hole, and before she could collect her thoughts she found herself stumbling down a flight of stone steps, fortu- nately neither steep nor narrow, while a heavy clang told her that the heavy trap had been closed above her. She ran up the steps in an agony of terror and strove to push up the trap-door, but it was as firm as a rock, and her feeble attempts to remove it were of no more avail than if she had tried to raise the house itself, ‘* What shall I do?’ she wailed. ‘*‘ Whut shall Ido? Ob, my father! shall I ever see you again?” ‘ Then with a setting of her teeth and a com- pression of her lips that would have told any spectator, had there been one, that she had de- termined to cast aside her natural maidenly fears and bear with her misfortunes until the opportunity came for action, she went boldly down the steps into the awful darkness, She had no idea where she was, for although she had been in the kitchen before, having in fact escaped from the clutches of Mother Collins somé two months before, she had never been permitted to go beyond the door at the end of that apartment, and bad no idea that the place she was in now had ever existed. How and why she had been tin the power of Mother Collins, and how she had escaped, will be explained in detail further along. ‘* Now, let me think,” she murmured, as she gained the bottom of the steps, and found her- self standing upon a floor of bard, but rather damp earth. ‘“‘ Let me think. The place above is of course a warehouse belonging to the liquor dealer above, No doubt about that. Probably that warehouse has a back way, for the conven- ience of getting the barrels in and out. 1t must be very near the river, if that is the case.” It will be seen that Marion Ward, young as she was, could work out facts logically enough when she went to work coolly to do it. ‘** Now the question is, what place is this that ITamin? It does not seem to bo a warehouse, for although I am walking slowly along, with my hands out, I have not touched anything yet, and if there were barrels or boxes here, surely I should have come in collision with them before this, Ab, hereisa wall—a rough stone wall! I will follow it along and try and get a reliable idea of the size of the room.” *® It took Marion perhaps fifteen or twenty minutes to grope her way around her prison, Then she knew that it was an empty room or cellar about twenty feet square, with one door that felt like iron, in a corner, besides the trap door at the top of the stone steps by which she had entered. ‘ Tired by her exertions of feeling her way around in the dark, for she was still very weak, she had just seated herself on the lowest of the stone steps torest and think. ‘Why do they keep me here?” she mused. “What can Mother Collins and Red Gabe want me for? They took me away from my father, and managed to make him think I had been taken to London: they kept me a close prisoner until escaped that day when they forgot to Yer hev come to yer | eR tee a LL ST retain sie, ame eee eee eee lock the outside cellar door after they went out. Then I‘founéd my old friends, Tim and Kate Martin, and fhey havé been like father and mother to me, ever since. Oh, I must get back to them! My father has heard that Iam safe with them, and even now he is on the Atlantic, on his way home to his daughter, as he thinks. Yes, he must—he must—find me ready to fly into his arms when he does come. I must get out of this place! Hist! What is that?” She strained her eyes and ears and fancied she heard a slight creaking in the corner where she knew the iron door was. ‘* Yes, it is—it is—the creaking of a key in a rusty lock. Who can it be—friend or enemy?” Yes, that was the vital question for the maid- en, Was it a friend or an enemy? The creaking became more and more pro- nounced, and the sound of a bolt shooting back told that the key had performed its office. Then the doorin the corner toward which Marion’s eyes were turned, although she had not been able to see anything but blackness, swung partly open, and the rays of arailroad lantern flashed on her face, With a cry she started to her feet, ‘ec Boggs!” ‘¢ Ves—Miss — Marion — it’s — Boggs — sure enough!” drawled that individual, as, with his lantern hugged in his arms, he deliberately step- ped into the room, and pulled the iron door shut after him, — CHAPTER IV, ‘4 STERN CHASE IS A LONG CHASE,” LET us go back to the little workshop at fhe back of the musical-instrument store on Myrtle avenue, Brooklyn. The sudden knocking down of the detective and Tim Murphy was enough to cause some ex- citement in a quiet family and it certainly did so. For perhaps a minute after the stranger had laid out Double-Curve Danand Tim Martin in such a workmanlike manner, Kate Martin stood utterly dumfounded, Then she recovered her- self with a jerk, and stooping to raise her bus- band to his feet—for he had slipped out of her arms to the floor—looked suspiciously at the prostrate form of the detective among the steel filings and other rubbish, ‘¢ Qi dunno ’bout yez,” she muttered. ‘ An’ E doubt whether yez are not in wid thot ither blag- uard, for all thot ye air purtendin’ ter be nocked silly.” “Ts it silly, ye say?” asked Tim, a3 he felt his head to make sure that it was not knocked off, ‘*PWaith! If he gota lick like the one that was fed to me it’s a wonder if he-has ony brains left at all, at all.” j ‘* Shtop yer blathering, will yez?” interrupted Katie. ‘1 know my bizness,” She examined the young detective by rolling him over so that she could leok into his face. Then she dréw back as she muttered: ‘ Ef it wuz part uv the schame, bedad, I shouldn't like ter have had his ini uy it to do. I belave that tap on the head has knocked all the sinses out uv him. But, she was mistaken. Dan had been stunned but he was recovering now, and ina few seconds he was standing up, and looking around him inquiringly- ** Marion! Where is she?” were his first words. ‘*Oho! Look at that now!” ejaculated Katie. “Didn’t 1 think ye knew somethin’ about it? Phwat do ye know ’bout our Marion, now?” The good-natured Mrs, Martin did not look very amiable now aS she stood in front of the detective and looked him squarely in the eye. ‘‘T don’t know anything about her now, nor more do you good people, I imagine. I recog- Red Gabe at the moment he struck me, and I know that he was after Marion Ward. Did he take her?” f The young man’s tones were quiet and his manner cool and collected, but there were re- sentment and determination blazing in his steel- blue eyes, 8nd it would bave augured ill for Gabe had be been within reach of Double-Curve Dan just then, He did not wait for a reply, but dashing from the little workshop into the store, overturning two or three violins and @ dozen or so of mouth- organs on the way, he saw that the store was empty and the door open.* To gdin the doorway was the work of a second, and to look up and down the street for some signs of Red Gabe or Marion that of an- other, But, nothing was to be seen of either, All he did seo that was of any particular in- terest to him was Boggs, racing around the tot-
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The Pitch er Detective’s Toughest Tussle. on ner to the right into Fulton street, at a speed that no one would have thought the boy capa- ble of, had be looked at his ungainly, awkward limbs, and heard his painfully slow speech. But, it was a fact—of which Double-Curve Dan was well aware—that Boggs (Montgomery Boggs, when he was given his full name, which had happened perhaps three or four times dur- ing bis entire life,) was one of the best amateur runners in Brooklyn, especially for long dis- tances from three to ten miles, in which he had beaten some very good men at the Polo Grounds on a memorable occasion a year ago, when he had astonished a number of professional sports who were disposed to laugh at Boggs’s ridiculous fizuare until they were obliged to admit his ability. * He’s going at a tremendous gait,” muttered the detective, and he would not be doing it without an object. ‘Dll bet anything he is following Red Gabe and Marion! Of course— of course, Iseeitall. It wasaregularly-planned job. They have a carriage or some other vebi- cle, and Boggs is following it. Then, obviously, { must follow Boggs,” The boy was around the corner and out of sight long ago, for the detective had been walk- ing at only an ordinary pace toward the corn>r as he cogitated. But now he quickened his pace and dashed down the middle of Fulton street on the track of Boggs. At first he could not see anything of the boy, for the wagons, horse-cars and other vehicles that at that time in the evening were still plen- tiful. But soon the many electric and other lights shone upon the rough hair of the devoted Boggs a long way ahead, bobbing about among the horses and wagons, but ever pursuing its way toward the river. **Now for a run,” said Dan to himself as he put forth all his strength in a burst of speed that he soon found was enabling him to gain slowly but surely upon the flying Boggs. The race, of course, soon attracted attention, First came Boggs, lanky, angular, wild-eyed acd open-mouthed, He was running in the pro- fessional manner that he had been taught since his race at the Polo Grounds, with his elbows at his side and his clinched fists moving backward and forward with the regularity of a machine, His big feet got out of the track occasionally, but he held on his course nevertheless, at a speed tbat told. Idlers on the street cheered him, car-drivers and teamsters swore at him, dogs got between his feet and barked at him. But, he held on! He was within an ace of being crushed be- tween the ponderous wheels of a heavy dray and a lamp-post, but did not pause in his gait, He yelled in the enthusiasm of the moment, ’ and the conductor of a street-car stopped his vehicle for Boggs, following up the action with a growl as he saw that Boggs did not ride. The boy took no notice! He never permitted himself to lose sight of the carriage, although sometimes, owing to the maz3 of traffic, all he could discern was the rusty dinted old hat of the p oti cho he urged his horses toward the ferry ock, Boggs was not gaining much upon the car- riage, but he was a little, because he could worm in and out of small spaces, while the car- riage was frequently almost stopped as it got into a block of otber yehicles, As for Double-Curve Dan, he was in for a steady race. He managed to keep the boy in sight, and he hoped to overhaul him before he had covered many blocks, — “‘ Because if I do not do it soon, I shall not be able to do it at all.” ia He put a little more activity into his heels as he thus reflected, and jumped clear over a small newsboy who suddenly came in his path in a stooping posture, picking up a penny that had been thrown to him from the platform of a passing street-car for an evening paper. | Boggs, as if he knew that the detective was quickening his pace (although of course he didn’t), put on a spurt, too, and the two kept the relative distance apart that had been sus- running at full speed. , Yer cant, eh?” 6‘ No.” ’ . \ ‘ “Yer can’t?” repeated the officer, boiling with indignation, as he joined in the chase, but with the sole object of catching Dan. ‘* You heard what I said,” returned the young detective, carelessly. This last observation capped the climax. The big policeman determined to arrest that impu- dent rascal, as he mentally called Double-Curve Dan, cost what it might. He pattered along the flagstones at a very creditable rate, considering his weight and dignity, and although be did not gain upon the detective, managed to hang upon his beels in a very annoying way. The detective looked back, and saw that he was followed, but it did not trouble him par- ticularly. *‘T'llsoon get away from him,” he muttered. ‘All that worries me is to keep that boy in view.” He hurried along for perhaps a hundred yards, with the policeman lumbering on behind, when suddenly the vehicles in the road became involved in sucha block that he saw he could not get through them. Worse than that, there was some sort of advertising dodge in the win- dow of a store on the right-hand side of the street—a miniature theatrical] exhibition—which bad attracted a solid mass of people, while on the other two men were fighting in the midst of a struggling mob, who were watching the battle with extreme interest. “Confound it! What sball I do now?’ thought Dan. ‘That idiot behind me will catch me before I can get through the mob, and I dare not tell him who I am.” The policeman saw at the same moment that the young fellow he was chasing could not get away, and he uttered an exulting ‘‘ Whoop!” as he put on a little extra steam. The detective looked hastily around for some avenue of escape, but in vain, He was caught like a rat in a trap. ‘* Hang the officiousness of these stupids!” he muttered. ‘‘ Alwaysinterfering in matters that do not concern them, and neglecting their lezit- imate duties todo it.” Double-Curve Dan was mad; he could just see Boggs’s head in the distance, bobbing further and further away, and he ground his teeth with vexation. ‘Deuce take it! What shall I do?” The burly policeman was almost upon him now, and already the blue-coated arm was stretched ready to grasp the intended prisoner as soon as he came within reach, A sudden thought struck Dan, **Tf I could only attract that boy’s attention, he might stop long enough for me to catch him, and then we could both hunt together—when I have got rid of this fool of a policeman,” It was the habit of the young detective to think and act quickly. An old woman with a basket of apples hap- ned to be standing on the edge of the crowd. an rushed toward her and, drawing a silver quarter from bis pocket, thrust it into her hand, Then, before she could recover from ber sur- prise, he had snatched an apple from her basket and hurled it with all his foree at the bobbing head of the devoted Boggs, far ahead in the wilderness of horses and wagons. Double-Curve Dan’s aim was true. We know already that when he threw a base-ball at a mark he generally hit it, and that he had not gained his reputation as one of the phenomenal pitchers of theday without good reason. When he sent the apple after Boggs, he meant to bit him plumply in the back of the head, and be succeeded. He smiled grimly as he saw the apple fly into fragments against the boy’s skull, and then he made a dive for a small opening that he bad just noticed in the surging crowd around the two fighting men upon the sidewalk. But the policeman was upon him. ‘‘T have yer now, yer scallawag!” howled the dignified official, as his hand reached the de- tective’s collar. ’ “Well, hold me tight, do!” ““T will that!” The coolness of the detective maddened the big officer the more. He tightened his grasp upon the collar and gave it a sudden wrench that brought Dan to a sudden stop. “Now, do you think I bave yer?’ chuckled the cop. Dan did not answer. He could not spare the time to go to the police station with the officer just now, especially as Boggs had stopped run- ning and was looking back as if trying to com- prehend who had struck him with the apple. Now, for a trick I learned at school!” — With a dexterons movement he tore himself from the policeman’s hold, and, at the same in- stant seized him by the collar with his right hand while his left grasped the right elbow of J a \ aie” bed it i Pie a Hi xe Mt my): .S ae eae! m ” i ‘ a SE eer ae the policeman. Then there was a momentary tightening of the detective’s muscles, and the policeman fell ignominiously across his young assailant’s hip and went spinning, like a very large sack of potatoes or flour, into the midst of the people interested in the other fight. Without waiting to see how the policeman liked his experience, Dan dashed away—the road being cleared now—in the direction of Boggs, who had resumed his chase of the carriage. **Now I will catch him,” thought the young detective as he leaped forward with the activity of an elk, and was actually running down Boggs very fast when a tall, handsome elderly man, well dressed and dignified, darted from the side- walk, and planted himself in the middle of the road, Full into the gentleman’s arms ran_ the de- tective, and then started back in pleased aston- ishment,. “Mr, Ward!” * Dan Manly!” The two shook hands warmly, and the detective quietly gave upall hope of catching Montgomery Boggs for that time. CHAPTER V. MAKING A BARGAIN. ComE with me, Dan, and tell me all about it,” the gentleman was saying ten minutes later, as the detective took @ seat by hissidein a Brooklyn Bridge railway car. ‘There is but little to tell, Mr. Ward, Iam sorry to say. Your daughter bas not been re- covered. Ihave been working on the case con- stantly since you left for Europe three months ago, but I am to day further from restoring her to your arms than I ever was,” The gentleman covered his eyes with his hand and sighed bitterly. : ** My poor Mariou—my poor child!” “T have had two letters from the parties, whoever they are. They were addressed to you, but of course I obeyed your instructions and opened all your mail. The other letters that do not concern me, you have no doubt found in your privates drawer in your bookcase, since you came home,” ** No, Dan.” ** Indeed? Why not? I left them there, and there are no keys to the drawer save the two we have. And it is a’ Yale lock, too,” ‘*T have not been home yet. I only got off the steamer from Liverpool this morning, and 1 have been wandering about aimlessly ever since. I did not expect to see you until nine o'clock to-morrow morniag. You always call at my house at that time, I suppose, according to agreement?” ‘*'Yes, every morning.” ‘“*T knew you would, I can trust you, Dan.” Vandecker Ward, the banker, shook hands with the young detective, and would have will- ingly given up every dollar of his fortune’in ae for Double-Curve Dan’s peace of mind, As the two rode across the bridge, and thence by the Third Avenue Elevated Road to the Fourteenth street station, the detective told. the banker that in the two letters received from un- known persons they had offered to restore the only daughter of Vandecker Ward to him in consideration of a ransom of $50,000 to be paid over in the way they should prescribe, and that an answer to their communications could be con- veyed to them by certain signsin this manner: If the proposition was accepted he was to make achalk mark upon one of the railings and the statue of Washington in Union Square on the 14th street side, thus: H, If rejected, the mark was to be, O. If time was required for con- sideration the fact was to be announced by a mark like this, X. Dan had, in answer to the two letters, chalked an X on the railings as directed, waiting for Mr, Ward’s return from abroad, Vandecker Ward listened attentively to the words of the detective. He was thinking deeply. At last he spoke: “Since my daughter was stolen from pe home that evening, over twelve months &go, have you never suspected any one in particu- ” ‘Yes, I have suspected many, butevery trail Ihave followed has led nowhere, and I have always found myself at fault until now.” “Until now!” repeated the banker, catching eagerly at the expression that seemed to convey some slight hope. “Yes, until now, for I believe that to-day I have struck the right scent.” ** You have?” : The banker almost shrieked, causing the other passengers in the car to look at him in wonder, JNA
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"i “Then do as I tell yon, 6 The Pitcher Detective’s Toughest Tussle. as he tried to make it appear that he was only coughing or sneezing. They did not trouble themselves about bim particularly. A New York crowd in a public conveyance is generally occupied with its own affairs, and soon atten- tion was withdrawn from him as completely as if he was not in existence, The detective went on: ‘‘I believe I know who the people are that have had somethiag to do with the abduction, but they are so sharp that I have not the least idea where to find Miss Ward.” * But you will surely be able to trace her now that you have, as you say, a clew to tic identity of the people in the conspiracy.” “T will try,” answered Double-Curve Dan, quietly as he arose and signed to Mr, Ward that they had reached their destination. They went down tbe stairs from the Elevated Railroad Station and walked along Fourteenth street toward Broad way. As they reached Union Square Dan called Mr, Ward’s attention toa certain portion of the rail- ing around the Washington statue upon which a half-obliterated cross was chalked. “That is my mark,” he observed, quietly. Don’t you think it had better be changed for that signifying consent?” “Yes, yes. Certainly. If I bad only been home before, so that I could have paid the money and got back my darling Marion ere this!” ejac- ulated Mr. Ward, wildly. “Hush!” admonished the detective. ‘*‘ You don’t know who is listening!” He spoke with reason, for a little old man with long white hair, and a slouched hat pulled well down over a yellow shriveled face, slunk away from the neighborhood of the monument and disappeared in the darkness as he saw that Dan had noticed him. The banker did not reply, but stepping up to the iron fence, with his gloved-hand rubbed out the cross and substituted the mark of acquies- cence, thus, H. The detective nodded approvingly. “That is wise. I saw a gentleman just now whom I strongly suspect of knowing something about your daughter. He may not be the actual abductor, but I think he could assist us in laying our hands upon the man that is, did he care to do so,” ; “Who is he?” asked Vandecker Ward, eager- y “His name is Sol Nugent. But that will not help you in any way. You cannot use your knowledge of his name. If it weve wise to ar- rest him, I could have taken him at any time.” 5. “ But—” ‘ti. Ward, have you confidence in me?’ tasked the detective, quietly, as he looked hig “companion steadily inthe eye. . + * You know I have.” I mean,” he added, as.if to ask pardon for his abruptness, ‘* do not act hastily without my advice.” The banker put out his hand and clasped that of the detective with an earnest, silent pressure that told plainer than mere words that he under- stood the necessity of implicit obedience, With a parting glance at the H on the fence that signified the willingness of the millionaire Vandecker Ward to pay $50,000 for the return of his daughter, safe and unharmed, the two men walked across to the park of Union Square, and up Broadway to West Twentieth street. West Twentieth street, New York, between Fifth and sixth avenues, is a quiet thoroughfare of large brown-stone houses that are still fash- ionable to a certain extent. In the tendency of fashion to get further and further up-town the street is not so exactly in the heart of swelldom as it was twenty years ago, but it possesses an air of repose and a distinguished dulmess that are inseparable from the houses of wealthy and exclusive people. Some of the houses on West Twentieth street in this particular part are boarding-houses—but they are boarding-houses at which good round rates are charged, and at which the guests are people who can afford topaythem, For the rest there are doctcrs and other professional men living insome of the sober-looking mansions, with a few wealthy merchants and down-town business inen occupying the remainder, The street was very quiet as Vandecker Ward and Dan Manly walked down from Broadway on this evening, It was about ten o’clock nuw, and except at two of the aforesaid business men’s mansions where the lights bebind the curtains and the soft strains of music making their way through the open windows told that the gay sea- son had already set in with them in the form of receptions, there was nothing to disturb the placid, almost funereal, silence that prevailed. Walking up the massive stone steps of No, 47 1-2 with an air of proprietorship, Mr. Ward opened the door with a latch-key and admitted himself and the detective. In a room on the right of the hall a gas-jet was burning and showed a handsome bookcase, a desk and a full set of richly upholstered furni- ture. On every hand were evidences of luxury and taste, from the soft Turkey carpet to the frescoed Greek godsand goddesses on the ceiling. The shutters were tightly closed, and the room had that indescribable air of emptiness that comes from being long unoccupied, The banker touched en electric ball button at the side of his desk, and a soft whistle sounded in the room near him. The detective evidently knew the ways of the house, for he sat quietly opposite the banker for perhaps fifteen minutes, each occupied with their own thoughts. Then there wasa gentle rattle on the floor near the bell, and almost noiselessly a portion of the flooring, carpet and all, about four feet square, sunk out of sight, and a table set with a dainty méal upon its snowy cloth, rose upon a false floor and silently claimed atten- tion, “Come; Dan, You must be faint and hun- gry, as well as I. Let us take some supper, We shall bo all the better able to decide upon our future actions if we can get a good meal,” Nothing loth, the detective fell to, and one would have supposed that the young man had nothing upon his mind, judging from the way he demolished chicken salad, lobster, bread and butter, and coffee, of which alarge pot, hung over a small, but powerful spirit-lamp stove, was numbered among tbe other delicacies and conveniences on the table. Lest it might be supposed that there was any element of magic or tairy power in this manner of supplying meals in Banker Ward's household —the reader is informed that it was the bumor of the master of the household not to be troubled with the presence of his servants when it could be avoided. Hence he had caused various contrivances to be made under his per- soval direction to sapply him with whatever he wanted without bringing him into personal con- tact with his domestic attendants. The ma- chinery that brought his table to him was gov- erned by hydraulics, acd most of the other ap- pliances were moved by the same power. The detective knew Mr, Ward’s ways, and he did not experience any surprise at what he saw. In fact, he had, while the banker had been away, availed himself of some of the bells, whistles, and other machinery, when he desired their use, in accordance with the directions of his employer before he left for Burope, Ting! ; A bell rung lotidly at the banker’s ear, Mr, Waid started, and seized an India-rubber tiibe With a mouthpiece that hung at the side of his desk, but the detective took it from him with a warning gesture, and applied his mouth to the ivory cup. ** Who is it?” he asked, quietly. “‘ T want to see the base-ball pitcher{” was the enigmatical response, ‘* What number?’ ‘‘ Third base.” ‘Come in.” He pressed a button in the wall behind .00 parlor door, which stood open, and the ‘next in- stant a slight draught told that the street door had Petes 3 open, as almost instantaneously Sol Nugent shuffled into the room, and stood wiping his yellow forehead with a dirty white silk-handkerchief. He glanced inquiringly at tke banker, who sat at the table idly crumbling a piece of bread, while Double-Carve Dan stood behind the door, in the shadow looking with a smile at the old man, “Well, sir, you give me der word. Have yer got anydings der say to me?” croaked Sol. ‘¢ Speak to bim,” answered Mr. Ward nodding toward the detective, ‘*‘ You said you wanted to see the base-ball pitcher.” Sol Nugent turned quickly, saw Dan and was seized witb a fit of trembling that would have indicated illness were it not apparent that sur- prise and fear were the reasons of it. ‘ ({ood-evening, Sol!” said the detective pleas- antly av he stepped forward. ‘Is everything safe at the base-ball grounds? Did we not lay out the Toughs pretty weli this afternoon?” The old man could only look at the young man and gasp. “ Anything I can do for you, Sol?’ continued the detective. ‘Wat is dis house? Vas it you v’ot live here?” faltered Sol. ‘““No. This is the residence of Mr. Van- o & y , : PPS te ee bl i ; ut ; ivd oe, ee My t* eho 4 ale i) one i ae Eee i = vt ye A "s per decker Ward, the Banker, and I am his private secretary.” ** Are you der feller v’ot ve hafe been writing to dis three weeks past?’ *“ We? Who do you mean by we?” asked the detective, quickly. The old man saw that he had made a mis- take, and, he tried to rectify it by saying: Vell, I mean der mans v’at sent me here. I don’t, know nodings about v’at he wrote to you, ‘** Well, what have you tosay? ‘What is your message?” ‘* Here it vas, paperz.” The old fhan took from his pocket a sheet of letter-paper, upoa which was scrawled: Read it and gife me back der “ In the beer-garden, alone, ten o’clock to-morrow night. Alone, or no business.” He held the paper tightly in his two hands, as he leaned toward the banker, so that he could read it, the detective reading it over his shoul- der, ‘‘ Now. Have you read that, so that you vill remember it, Mr. Ward?” 6 Vos,” “‘ Quite sure, Mr. Ward?’ He said ‘‘Mr. Ward” each time to make the detective understand most explicitly that he must not be present. All of which Double-Curve Dan thoroughly understood. ‘“‘ T have read it and shall not forget it,” an- swered the banker, as he repeated: ‘‘‘In the beer-garden, alone, ten o’clock to-morrow night, Alone, or no business,’” ** Good.” The old man coolly put the paper in the gas- jet and held it until it was entirely consumed, rubbing the ashes of the paper into dust, an throwing it into the grate. Then he drew au- other smaller piece «f paper from his pocket and held it, folded in his hand, reflectively, ‘“You say beer-garden, but not where the beer garden is,” remarked the banker, “T beg your pardon. It vas you v’ot say so. I not say nodings, I only gife you der papers,” corrected the old man. ( ** Sharp as an old fox!” was the detective’s in- audible comment. . Sol slowly unfolded the paper and showed it to the banker, Donble-Curve Dan reading over his shoulder as before. ; The words on this.paper were; “ High Bridge, New York side.” * Read it?” asked Nugent, a ease ‘* Thats all, den.” And the second paper was burned like the rst. ‘Wat shall I tell der mans v’at sent me?” | The detective made the slightest possible sign to Mr, Ward, but it was under , as the banker replied, with a desperate effort to be calm: ‘* Tell them, yes.” In another two minutes the banker was alone, and Sol Nugent, as he stepped upon a Broad- way car going down-town, congratulated him- self on not being followed “y any one, be hav~ ing kept his eye on the front doorway long enough to see that no one came out of it in pur- suit of him, But, whero was Double-Curve Dan? Did he find- tis way out of the bome of the banker in time to shadow Sol Nugent, as he stole up the street past the great store-houses? We shall sec. CHAPTER VI, IN THE CLUTCHES OF THE WOLF AGAIN. WHEN Montgomery Boggs stood in the cellar with his lantern in his arms, facing Marion Ward, he grinned @ wide and portentous grin. ** Pound — this—hangine—outside—and—took —it, Ha—ha—ha!” He waved the lantern as he spoke to show that be referred to it, and odd gleams of light shone in all directions, making the shadows dance, as he did so, “ Boggs, Boggs, ara you going to take me out of this awful place?” ; Marion, who had been brave while alone and depending entirely upon herself, now gave way a little, and allowed a few tears to drop upon her cheek, Thero was & wild ring in her tones as she appealed to Boggs. The boy’s mouth distended, and Marion ex- pected that he would grin again, But he didn’t. He only emitted two distinct howls of sympathy and then shut his mouth with a snap, as if to prevent his feelings getting the better of bing again, . Then, he threw out bis arms, alternately, as if + i ira a i pi dd eter Kae p>: ee
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~Miet> 2S eT IO edt oa to try their strength and activity, and running past Marion up the stone steps listened intently at the trap-door. ** No—one—there—I—guess.” ‘Ob, I hope not. That terrible old woman frightens me when I think of her even,” whis- pered Marion, “‘ She—is—all—right. ’ll—break—her—head —if—she—comes—down!” Boggs spcke in a very matter-of-fact way, but there isno doubt that he meant what he said, for he drew from his pocket a short, heavy hammer such as is used by blacksmiths, and shook it threateningly at the trap-door above his head, ‘‘ Now—come!” he whispered, as he seized the girl by the wrist and Grew her toward the door in the corner. Marion obeyed mechanically, and the next moment found herself in a long passage, of stone ‘or brick, that led in the darkness she knew not where, and along which a chill damp wind came creeping toward her, telling that the river was not far off. Boggs closed the door through which they had just emerged, and locked it carefully, He was determined that Mother Collins should not fol- low them without some little trouble. Then he held up the lantern and showed his companion that a door in the end of the passage over their heads communicated with the ware- house above the cellar in which Marion had been confined, A ladder, such as is used for sliding barrels into cellars, leaned against the door, and indicated at once to what use this passage was ut. “ Send—their—liquor—down—here—to—the— river—dock,” explained Boggs, in an off-hand way, as ho led the girl along into the darkness, “ Boggs, what would have become of me with- out you? You are my preserver, indeed.” The boy opened his mouth, but closed it again without either laughing or howling. * Boggs, how did you find me?” ‘¢ Hasily enough,” was the answer. Being pressed for particulars, Boggs told how he had followed the carriage containing Red Gabe and Marion until it had crossed the bridge, how he had lost it on the New York side in the rush of vehicles, how he had found it again, then lost it, and at last caught sight of it as it drove away. How he had lurked about the neighborhood until he saw Sol Nugent sneaking up the street upon which the liquor store faced, How he had foliowed the old man ata safe dis- tance until he’reached the last river dock and had made his way into the passage they were now traversing. “Then—you—know— Miss—Marion—he—open- ed—a—little—door—here—and—took—out—this —lantern—and—key. —mind—I—guess—for—he—put—them—back — and—when—he—had—gone—I—took—them,” Boggs here stopped and indulged in a silent grin, while Marion took up the narrative and finished it: : ; * And then you, knowing that terrible old man was a friend of Red Gabe’s, suspected that this place was connected with that to which they had brought me, So you took the lantern and key, and found me, eb?” Boggs grinned so broadly at this that the rays of his lantern, which he held before his face, went an awfully long way down his throat, and made his teeth glisten like a cemetery in a thun- der-storm. ‘ He seemed to be stricken with remorse for exhibiting levity om such a serious occasion, however, for he pulled his face straight with a sudden effort, and without saying another word, dragged Marion along the passage nearer and nearer to the point from which the damp wind was rushing with ever-lncreasing force, The damp river air was tainted with the odor of stale wines and old barrels, and it was easy to believe that the passage had seen many thou- sand gallons of fiquor traveling between the warehouse and the river decks, Boggs sniffed with an air of enjoyment, as if he considered the flavor rather pleasant than otherwise, but there was an expression of deep disgust upon Marion's face that would probably have struck even Boggs, had there been light enough to see it. he passage wound by & tortuous path through a long distance, but always nearer the river, ; Boggs walked a few paces in advance, having relingnished his hold of Marion’s wrist, when he found that she could follow him without trouble. He held up the lantern and brought the damp walls in strong relief as he moved along. - Suddenly he stopped, and putting up his finger he ait rite the lantern and blew out the ight. Then—he—changed—his: The Pitcher Detective’s Toughest Tussle. v ‘* What is the matter?” whispered Marion. ** Hist!” ‘© What is it?” ** Hush!” ** Are we discovered?” ** Do—not—speak—a— word.” Although there could be no doubt that Mont- gomery Boggs was laboring under strong excite- ment, he did not quicken his speech. His draw] was not quite as firm as usual perbaps, but it was as slow as usual. “‘Stay—here,” he whispered, after a pause, during which his heavy breathing indicated that he was listening intently. He gently drew Marion into a little niche that had évidently been made to enable people to get out of the way when a particularly large barrel was being rolled along the passage, and with an- other warning “ Hush!” crept away. The girl trembled in spite of herself, when she realized that sho was alone. ‘* What can he have heard?” she asked herself, ‘** Tf Red Gabe should find me now he would kill me, 1 know, and Mother Collins! oh, no! I ecan- not—cannot fall into her hands again!” She actually covered her face witlher hands in ti@ darkness and shuddered at the mere thought of the possibility of the old woman get- ting her into her clutches once more. She waited, five—ten—minutes, but still Boggs did not return. “ ‘““T must go on,” she muttered. “I cannot stay here, in this terrible place, alone.” She walked cautiously forward, till, suddenly, turning a corner, she came into full view of the river, rolling, dark and sullen, toward the sea, with its white caps showing occasionally as the moon peeped from behind the driving clouds and disappeared again, The passage ended in a tumble-down old dock, that rocked to and fro upon its crazy piles, but that was still used by tho liquor firm when.it did business by way of the river. This was not often, however. With the march of improve- ment, if was easier to receive and dispose of its liquors by means of the great wagons that were ever rolling up and down the narrow streets, and the squat Dutch vessels that used to be so common at the dock had but little business there now. Still the dock was used sometimes, as was evidenced by the barrels and cases that stood untidily upon the rotting planks and seemed as if seeking a reasonable excuse to drop through into the river and be carried out into the bay. Warily the girl stepped toward the opening, keeping well in tho shadow, and with her eyes straining in search of Boggs. Not a sign of him was to be seen. The planks rocking on the piles creaked dismally, and the swish of the water against the green slimy posts made a mournful accompaniment to the sighing of the wind as it tore down the river and played through the wires of the Suspension Bridge as if it were a gigantic Aolian harp. But no Boggs! Where could he have gone? Marion ventured to the edge of the dock, from the passage and tried to look up and down, The darkness prevented her seeing anything distinct- ly, but she could assure herself that Boggs was not in the immediate neighborhood. He must have walked along some distance to the next street and thence made his way toward the front of the liquor store. But why had he left Marion in this marner? Could he be false to her? The girl dismissed this thought as soon as it entered her mind. It was unworthy of ber and an injustice to her faithful friend, she was sure. ** Boggs!” She called softly and listened. What was that? Did sheseesome one running behind that barrel near the extreme edge of the dark? Could it be Boggs? ** Boggs!” No answer. ** Boggs!” She was sure she saw something move now, and it was the form of a man coming around the barrel but partly hiding itself behind the large box or case that stood by its side, ** Boggs!” She had only caught a hasty glimpse of the man, but she knew that it was Boges. No doubt he suspected danger and was searching the dock carefully before bringing her out of the pass- age, Her conscience smote her as she saw how cau- tious her friend was on her account, and thought how her rashness might render all his careful- ness fruitless, “ Boggs!” Ah! Now he heard her. Boggs!” i Even as she uttered his name again she saw that she was mistaken. The man darted upon her from behind the large case, and quickly throwing a large hand- kerchief around her mouth and tying it tightly, so that she was almost suffocated, he held her by the two arms in a grip of iron, and thrusting bis face close to hers, showed her the hated features of Red Gabe! **Oho! my beauty! Thought you had got away, didn’t yer? Not yet. Yer mought hev done it ef I hedn’t been quite so slick, Ez it is, I hev yer right hyar, an’ ’'m goin’ to make yer safe now, you kin bet. Thet durned old skunk uv a Sol Nugent ought ter hev watched yer, ez he was told to do, an’ yer wouldn’t hev got ez fur ez yer hev. I wonder whar he’s taken his old carcass to anyhow.” “Never mind *bout wondering. Just hand the girl down here, an’ let’s git away with her. This ain’t no place to stay with her. This hyar crib’s bu’sted now, so far as safety is con- cerned,” A cold, strident voice spoke thus from beneath the very feet of the girl, causing her to start back with an irrepressible shriek, followed by the gasping exclamation: ** Mother Collins!” ‘““That’s who itis, my deary, an’ you'll know it when I git yer down hyar.” ‘What! yer hev that han’kercher off. yer mouth, hev yer?” interrupted Red Gabe. ‘* That won't do. I don’t want yerter talk at all now. Yer kin do that by and by, when I gets yer all comfortably settle*.” He replaced the handkerchief—which had slipped down slightly—over the girl’s mouth, and then dragged her with no gentle hand along the dock, He knew all the ins ard outs of the place, evidently, for he went straight, in the darkness, toa certain spot, where he found a stout iron ring, by means of which he opened a large trap- door in the crazy flooring, The dock was only a few feet above tke water. It was so much lower than the usual wharfage along the river front that the water often wash- ed over it, especially in rough weather, and the boards were almost as slimy as the piles that supported them, Red Gabe did not care for the slime, however. It suited him that the river was not far below the flooring, because he could easily reach down, ** Halloa, thar!” he growled down the opening, as he pulled up the trap-door. ‘* Halloa, yerself, and see how yer like it,” re- sponded the amiable tones of Mother Collins, whom Marion now saw was standing up in a skiff that was bobbing about among the piles under the dock. “Quit yer smartness an’ help me down with this byar durned gal, d’ye hear,” growled Red Gabe. ‘Git down hyar,” he added to Marion, giving her a vicious pull toward the opening, The girl looked wildly around ber. ‘* Where can Boggs' be?” was the inaudible ery that arose from her heart, ‘‘ Where can he be?” ‘Shove her down,” whispered Mother Col- lins, “Git ready, then. Gabe. Before Marion knew exactly what was going on, she was lifted from her feet_and dropped down the hole into the arms of Mother Collins, whoyhad sat down in the bottom of the boat, to prevent its being capsized. Red Gabe’s overcoat, that had been lying in the boat, and with which it will be remembered Marion had already had unpleasant acquaint- ance, waS hastily thrown around her, partly to hide her from the gaze of any curious strangers that might be prowling about, and to whom it was not expedient to show that a young girl was sitting in a boat toward midnight. “To keep, you warm, deary,” croaked Mother Collins, adding through her closed teeth: “* You baggage!” F In another minute, Gabriel Kerr had dropped into the boat, and seizing the oars that had Jain loosely in the rowlocks, moving up and down idly with the restless water, pulled swiftly into the stream and rowed with a steady sailor-like stroke up the river. **You kin loosen that hankereher on ber mouth ef yer like,” suggested Red Gabe. ‘‘ We don’t want ter choke her—jist yit.” The old woman took the bint and removed the handkerchief from the girl’s mouth. “Where is Boggs?” asked Marion, as soon as she could speak. “Thar!” It was Red Gabe that spoke, and he accompa- Hyar she is,” responded
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8 nied the word with a nod of the head toward the stern of the boat where what the girl had sup- posed to bea mere bundle of clothes moved slightly, exposing the rueful countenance of Montgomery Boggs! CHAPTER VIL. A BATTLE ON THE RIVER. SWIFTLY moved the oars in the sinewy hands of Red Gabe as he made the boat leap along up stream. He evidently knew just where he was going, and there was no hesitation in his course as he wound in and out among the shipping anchored out in the river or moored to the docks. The night had become still cloudier, and the moon, that had shown itself occasionally when Marion had emerged from the passage, was now hidden entirely behind the black pall that hung in the heavens. “ We must get thar az soon az we kin,” growl- ed Red Gabe, as he reached a clean stretch of water after rowing for about half-an-hour without speaking. ‘* We ain’t goin’ ter take no chances, you kin bet,” “Of course we ain’t. We know that, without you a-tellin’ us,” responded Mother Collins, in sulky tones. ‘‘ But ib seems ter me thet you’ve made us take more chances now than we need hev ef you hed tended ter bizness better.” The bundle of clothes that Marion had recog- nized as Montgomery Boggs moved uneasily as if it were cramped, The old woman pounced upon it and gave it a hearty kick that drew an irrepressible groan from the unlucky Boggs and made Marion start from her seat with in- dignation. *You keep still, yer baggage! Don’t let us hev any uy your tricks or J’ll throw yer over- board,” growled Gabe. ‘‘ Hallo! What’s that?” he added, in a different tone, as he stopped rowing and looked earnestly at the black mass on his right that he knew was the shore line and shipping of New York. ‘* What?” asked Mother Collins following the direction of his glance. “The signal!” ** Whar?” “Right side uv thet schooner straight ter starb’d.” ‘* T sea four or five schooners.” * Don’t be a fool. It’s allers the way with women. They want ter be smart jist when they shouldn’t be. Thar’s er schooner over thar furder out in ther stream than ther rest uv ’em, She’s ’er French craft, I kin tell by the cut uv her.” Wal?” ** Wal, jist watch her a minute.” Mother Collins who at first had evidently at- tached little weight to Red Gabe’s remarks, now looked intently at the craft which, as Gabe had said, was further out in the river than others in its neighborhood, and which, notwithstand- ing the darknes, his practiced eye had detected as a French vessel at a glance. **'Yes, 1 see it,” she muttered, at last. “A light moving up and down. The signal of the Toughs. Who is it?” ** Who should it be?” ** Not Sol—” ** Not Sol!” repeated Gabe, mimicking. ‘ Of course it’s Sol. Who else could be thar, watch- ing us? He must have seen us leave the crib be- low, and he’s follered us up hyar whar he knew he could signal us.” The light to which Mother Collins had re- ferred was now moving up and down rapidly, like a star that had lost the way, and was half- disposed to jump into the river. Red Gabe, with one eye on the light, turned the boat around with one or two. vigorous strokes, and pulled hard toward the French schooner, looking over his shoulder at intervals, to make sure that his direction was right. In a few minutes the skiff ran under the stern of the schooner, and stopped at the side of a large, awkward flat coal-barge. The light had disthpeeet as the skiff drew near the barge, but Red Gabe rowed on without hesitation, He knew that the licht would show itself again in a moment if he desired it. Marion sat quite still in the skiff, wrapped in Gabe’s overcoat, and wondering what new trouble would be brought upon her by the meet- ing with Sol Nugent. She knew instinctively that any fresh movement upon the part of her captors could only be for her disadvantage, As for Boggs, he was bound so tightly (although the ropes that held him were hidden beneath the rags thrown over him), that he could not move hand or foot, and could only look around him wonderingly, as be tried toarrange some scheme in bis mind by which he could secure the release of Marion, as well as of himself. \ The Pitcher Detective’s Tough “Put yer hand ter ther barge,” whispered Gabe, buskily. Mother Collins obeyed, thus holding the skiff steady, while Gabe, putting two of his fingers in his mouth, emitted a low, hoarse whistle, like that of a steamer in the distance. f An answering whistle, so like his own that it might have been an echo, came from the barge overhead, and the next moment a head and a hat leaned over the side, showing indistinetly in the darkness against the gray clouds, but quite plainly enough for Red Gabe to recognize them. ** Sol!” ** Yes, mein tear.” ** What are yer up ter?” ‘* Goot news, mein tear—goot news!” te Ha p? ‘** Yes, mein tear, der old man’s—old Ward—” ‘*Shut up, can’s yer!” interrupted Red Gabe, fiercely. ‘* Ain’t yer got no sense?” a Why—I—” ‘€Sbut up, I tell yer! Who’s on that boat, *sides yerself?” ‘*No one, mein tear. No one, never no offe on dese boats at night. dot.” Gabe did not condescend to reply, but with a whispered injunction to Mother Collins to keep her eye on the prisoners, to which she responded by showing an ugly-looking dirk-knife under her shawl, he swung himseif out of the skiff, and stood by Sol Nugent’s side on the barge. ‘* Hist! What's that?” whispered Gabe, as he dragged Sol down to a stooping position. ‘* What?” asked the old man, ** Nothing, I guess. Thought I heard a foot- step on the coal back thar but I don’t think it waz anything pertickler. Some of the small coal shifted a little with ther rocking uv ther barge or ther tide.” ‘“* Yes, moin tear. Dot vas all,” “* Now, tell me what you’ve done. I s’pose yer hev something ter tell me, or yer wouldn’t be prowling ’bout hyar at midnight.” ‘* Yes, mein tear, indeed I have. Listen.” Then Sol Nugent related all that had passed in Mr. Ward’s library on West Twentieth street, together with the conversation of the banker and the detective at the Washington statue in Union Square. ** Just what I thought, though I never knew it fer sure afore—thet durned Double-Curve Dan is ther feller ez hez been chasin’ around fer ther last three months. An’, by Cesar, even when she got away from us, he didn’t seem able to catch her.” ‘*No, mein tear, nary a catch! Now he kin have her if he pays our price, eb,” said Sol Nugent, rubbing his hands together gleefu!ly. ‘* Fifty thousand dollars,” muttered Gabe, ‘* Yes, ef we kin land that, thar’ll be no need fer any more scheming, It’s er mighty big prize, but I don’t see why it skouldn’t be done. Great snakes! it shall be done!” ** Well, hevn’t yer got through witb yer con- fab up thar yet?” broke in Mother Collins, im- patiently. “Yes, mein tear, yes,” answered Sol. ‘iI go with yer, Gabe, if you kin make room for me in the boat, Ikin give yer all day to-morrow. There’s nodings goin’ on at the ball-grounds, an’ I won’t be wanted up there,” Gabe responded by giving the old man a shove ‘that sent him into the boat all of a heap, and nearly upset the wobbling craft. Then he sprung in himself, and seizing the oars, pulled out into the stream, and headed for rlem with all the vigor af a strung pair of arms, It was very dark now, and a drizzling rain began to fall, rendering the atmosphere still thicker, Had it not been so very dark the occupants of the skiff might have had some ink- ling of the fact that there was another lighter boat, in which sat a young man, following them so closely that they could have tossed a pebble into it at any time, had they been able to see it. The skiff had been put on the other side of the barge during the conversation between Red Gabe and Sol Nugent, but the young man now sitting in it had been crouched down upon the coal in the body of the barge, in such a position that he could hear every word passing between them. Perhaps it was his footstep that Red Gabe thought he heard. Whoknows? When Gabe and his companions had rowed out into the stream, this young man had stepped into his light shell, and seizing the muffled oars, bad made excellent time in pursuit of the skiff. Now row, Red Gabe! Row with all your might! But you_will never escape the silent parsilt of your Nemesis! The light shell sill eep upon your track through all the windings There ain’t You know if ie 4c 4? oly %: 1s OO Pe tee a 4 3 ean te | ipeats a est Tussle that is to take you to your destination, wherever it may be! Up the river went the twoboats. Past Black- well’s lsland, around Leland’s, skirting Ward’s Island, with its Lunatic Asylum, crossing the mouth of the strait known as Little Hell Gate, along by Randall’s Island, and thence into the Harlem River, The rain was now coming down in torrents, = ce Gabe and SolsNugent were soaked to the skin, Still they kept on. The young man in the boat had an oilskin waterproof coat, and he cared nothing for the rain, He could not see the boat upon which he was keeping so closely, but the steady thump, thump cf the oars guided him, Gabe had not troubled to mufile his row- locks, and it was easy to follow him. The young man in the light shell, on the other hand, rowed quite noiselessly, save for the plash of the blades of the oarsin the water, and that was covered up by the noise of the rain and the waves, No one had spoken a word since leaving the barge by the side of the French schooner, Suddenly, Gabe stopped rowing and backed water so violently that the light shell with its single occupant shot alongside before it could be stopped. “Who are you?” shouted Gabe, as be drew a pistol from his pocket, and tried to pierce the seg rain and distinguish who was in the light wat, “Yer murtherin’ villain! who Oi am av I kin git a howld on yez! outer that boat!” broke in another voice, ‘*Halloa! Who the deuce is that?” muttered the young man to himself. ‘Tim Martin, as sure as my name is— Well, never mind!” The shell had drifted away from the skiff as all stopped rowing, and the young man could not understand where Tim Martin was, although his voice was ringing out in a good, hearty, in- dignant fashion that told plainly enough bis opinion of Red Gabe. There was a crash in the darkness, followed by a smothered cry from Marion, i “Git out uv this boat, will yer?” roared Red tabe, : Faith an’ Oi’ll not git out!” “Then take that!” The noise of Llows, mingled with the oaths of Gabe, and the harsh croaking of Mother Collins, was too much for the young man in the sholl, He pulled desperately forward, and the sharp bow of his shell ran between the skiff and an- other row-boat, beld by a line that Tim Martin had thrown to Marion, and who clung to it with the tenacity of desperation, thus keeping the two boats together. To spring into the skiff and seize Gabe by the throat was the work of a second. The young man was active and wiry, and he soon had the tough lying on his back on the boat. ‘“Curse yer!” hissed Gabe. ‘I know yer now.” “Do you? Well, what of it” “Why, U’ll tell you to-morrow. Let go of my throat!” ; With a mighty effort he released himself from the other’s grasp, There was a tremendous rocking of the boat, a blow on the back of the head from Mother Collins’s clinched ‘fist that stunned him, a splash and then a wild fighting with the waves of the Harlem River, and a mocking voice buzzing in his ears, as the boats disappeared in the darkness, “*T guess that tharis ther last uv ‘ Double- Curve Dan!” Oi’ll let yez know Kim _—— CHAPTER VIII. A COMEDY OF ERRORS. Tue detective—for of course the young man was none other—struck out mechanically as soon as he found himself in the water. The rain was still descending in torrents, and he could not see any thing but a faint glimmer- ing light in the distance, whicb might 6 a Mile away, or Within a few yardsof him. He could not distinguish which in the awful gloom, “This is a nice situation for a fellow who has a prejudice against getting his feet wet, I must say,” thought Dan, ‘I shall have a nice com- fortable swim this morning, with all m heavy Clothing on, but I am afraid I sha’n’t be able to hold out very long. Rather an unpleas- ant way to end one’s life too.” Double-Curve Dan was Dot the sort of man to give up while there was a chance to do any- thing. After his momentary reflection upon the situation in which be found bimself, he set him- self seriously to the task of getting out of it. The light, that still blinked feebly through the rain, was his beacon, and he felt that be must ‘
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= £ reach that if he meant to follow up his task of restoring Marion Ward to her father. During the short struggle in the boat, Sol Nugent had sat by the side of Montgomery Boggs, with a pistol in his hand to make sure that the boy did not make an outcry, or attempt to take part in the fray. Although he was se- curely tied, as Sol believed, it might be possible for the boy to break his bonds—and Sol never took chances, if he could help it, Moreover, the old man preferred to let Red Gabe do the active fighting. The detective had seen all this. He knew that the daughter of Vandecker Ward was in the skiff, and he half suspected, putting this and that together, that the bundle lying in the stern was Boggs, although he could not see his face, and had nothing but conjecture to go upon. *« Tf I can only get to the shore, | think I can make it very interesting for the whole gang and restore the youug lady to her father without paying $50,000, or even $500,” Nhile communing thus with himself the de- tective was swimming mechanically in the di- rection of the light. His clothes, heavy with water, impeded his movements to some extent, but he was a strong swimmer, and he forged ahead in spite of all disadvantages, ** And I have a waterproof overcoat on, too,” he muttered, actually laughing aloud at the absurdity of the thing, His reflections were rudely disturbed by a floating mass of something, that, in the gloom, and seen from the surface of the water, looked like a mountain, and that crashed against one of his shoulders with such force as to turn him completely over and push him beneath the water, as it glided over him, , As he came up he felt a wet rope’ crawling over his face, “‘ A boat!” he spluttered as he seized the rope and hauled it toward him, hand over hand, until he reached the great mass and found that it was a skiff, bottom upward. He dragged himself upon it, and then, as he wiped the water out of his eyes, and tried to look around him, he was astonished to feel a pair of hands upon his throat while a voice hissed in his ear. *“Yez aira murtherin’ villain, an’ Oi've got yez right here. Faix, Oi’ll kill yez, ef I hev ter be hanged for it. That is, ef Lain’t drowned to-night.” The detective threw off his assailant easily enough as he said: ‘ Just keep quiet for a mo- ment, and let us see about getting to shore. Then you can kill me if you desire to do so,” * Faix, Oi'll not wait,” returned Tim Martin, for he it was, of course. ‘ Oi’ve been doomped in the river an’ Oi’ve been battered an’ banged be all the rogues in New York seems to me, an’ OY tek me revinge out uv you now, d’ye moind.” The worthy Tim proved that he was in earnest, by springing at the detective again, which resulted in the assailant being thrown back on the keel of the boat, which, fortunately was flat, or the two would undoubtedly have rolled into the river. ‘Keep still you idiot! Keep still till we get ashore. Then you can fight as much as you like,” said the detective sternly. ‘Well, let me up an’ Oi’ll do what ye say. But troth Oil lick yez as soon as we are ashore.” ‘All right,” responded Double-Curve Dan, cheerfully, as he released the Irishman and tried to see where the boat was drifting. : He knew in a very few Seconds, for itsuddenly crashed against some piles, and the next moment turned over and threw both men into the water, among a drift of w00d-splinters, corks and the scum that always collects along the shores of a river near a city. A long, slimy platform of broken boards reached from the sloping bank into the water, indicating that it was used for gq skiff landing, and upov this delightful support that rocked nnd plunged as the muddy waves played under it, the detective and Tim found themselves floundering. With a tremendous splutter both men made their way to the solid ground, and walked up in the mud till they found themselves out of the reach of the water. + i “Now, yez shpalpeen, Oi’m goin’ to larrup yez. It was Tim Martin who spoke, and he was dancing around the detective with bis arms way- ing like demented windmills, and taking no more notice of his surroundings than if he bad been in a warm, comfortable room, instead of in a driy- ing rain, on the river-bank, in an unknown local- ity, at two o’clock in the morning. y 7 7 The Pitcher Detective’s Toughest Tussle, 9 ** Before you larrup me will you not listen to what I have to say?” asked Dan, smiling, in spite of his anxiety, over the ludicrous situation in which he found himself. ‘“ Well, say what yez hev ter say, an’ say it thoonderin’ quick.” ‘* You are trying to rescue Marion Ward from the men who are keeping her from her father, are you not?” ‘* Yes, Oi am, an’ you are one of the men,” The detective opened his eyes, as he understood now for the first time why Tim Martin had shown so much enmity to him. ‘*You think Iam one of Marion Ward’s ab- ductors?” “Oi do. I know yez are wan uv her ab- ductors, an’ faith, Oil] not spind any more toime foolin’ wid yez. So look out,” Again Tim made a rush at Dan, and again he was repulsed with ease. Double-Curve Dan was too expert in the management of his fists to be overcome by one who had nothing but pluck to sustain him in a fisticuff battle. ‘‘There is no use in your taking this plan with me,” said the detective, as he held the in- furiated Tim at arm’s-length, and speaking seri- ously for the first time. ‘‘I am not one of Marion Ward’s abductors, and my only purpose is to restore her to her father. Lama friend of Mr. Vandecker Ward, and he trusts to me to bring his daughter to him again. I was chasing the boat in which they were taking her to one of their haunts up the river, and which I know, when we all fell foul of each other out in the stream yonder.” ‘*How do Oi know that yez air not a thoun- derin’ har? responded Tim, reflectively. “Do I talk like a liar?” * Paix, liars talk ivery way, an’ it’s joost whin they talk most loike the truth that ye must look out for them. Itis, be me sowl!” ‘*'Your philosophy is not bad, but it is mis- leading in this case, Now, see here. This is what I propose,” “What?” ‘Listen. If we take this boat of yours, lying upon the bank, and row up the river, we can get to High Bridge in the course of an hour, Just this side of the bridge, down on the bank, is a house at which you can get the best clam- chowder you ever tasted, and where we can dry our clothes and get a few hours’ sleep.” ‘*Slape, is it? No, indade, Oi don’t slape this night. Oi kim ovt to foind my girrul. I towld Katie—me woife, that is—that Oi’d foind her afore Oi’d slape, an’ Ovll do (it. you nor no ither mon kin stop me.” “T do not want to stop you, but we cannot do anything just now. I know where the crib is that they are taking Marion Ward to, and we will go directly to it in the morning. But we cannot do anything till daylight.” “Oi dunno ’bout that. Oi think we could. Howsumever, Oi’!l do what ye say,” adding in- wardly: ‘But Oil watch yez all the same, an’ if Oi have reason to think as ye ain’ts‘raight, be the powers, Oi’ll crack yer skull.” With some difficulty the boat—that in which Tim Martin had rowed out from shore when he thought he caught a glimpse of the skiff in which Red Gabe was bearing away Marion, and which he had followed from the shore at inter- vals all the way from the dock of the liquor- house-—was righted and examined by the detec- tiveand his companion. There were no oars, but two pieces of wood that had washed ashore served as paddles, and by vigorously plying them, the two men made pretty good time up the river, The rain, which had been less violent fur the last half-hour, now stopped altogether, and the detective noticed a few stars here and there, showing that the clouds were breaking, and that there was reason to hope for a fine day after the terribly stormy night. : ‘‘Look out! Here we are,” said Dan, as the boat reached a dock below the High Bridge, at which the small steamers that take excursionists from New York up and down the river always stop. tim, still suspicious of his companion, helped him to draw the boat ashore and then followed him along the plank walk to the frame house that nestled at the foot of the steep hill, up which a winding path, and many short flights of steps, led to the road above, level with the peculiar, narrow bridge across the river that accommo- dates the pipes supplying the*vast city of New York with water for daily use. . ; A light shone in one of the windows facing the river, and a tap on the door brought a sleepy colored man, who took the detective’s order for a cup of hot coffee and some clam chowder quite as a matter of course, notwithstanding the hour, Begorra, not | and pointed silently to the kitehen stove in a little slip of a room at the side in which the cook- a | was done, he detective took the hint, and very soon his garments were off and being dried one by one at the stove, the steam arising in a cloud that obscured everything, including the colored cook who was busy preparing the clam chowder and coffee. In the course of half-an-hour, Tim and the detective, dry and warm, were enjoying their meal, but in silence, each busy with his own reflections. Then, under the guidance of the colored man, they went into a small room in which two cot- beds looked inviting to the tired men, not the less so because the lapping of the waters of the river against the dock just outside the windows sounded a quiet lullaby that was in itself an al- most irresistible invitation to slumber, The detective set the example of confidence to Tim by throwing off his clothes and springing into bed at once, only taking the ordinary pre- caution of placing his revolver, note-book, money and watch under his pillow. Tim followed the lead of Dan, and in his turn tumbled into the other bed. In ten minutes the regular breathing of the two occupants of the cot-beds told that they were sound asleep, and were not troubling themselves about the work before bhem—for the present at all events. The sun had crept up toward its zenith, scout- ing the clouds that had hung about it at dawn, and insisting upon showing to the good people of New York and Harlem as fine a day as Sep- tember ever knew. Still the detective and Tim slept on in their little room, with the thick blinds drawn down at the windows, shutting 3s all the sunlight that shone so brightly out- side, The detective had already trained_himself to sleep anywhere and at any time. He found it necessary, because he never knéw when there might be an extraordinary drain upon_ his vitality, and he liked to be always prepared, Suddenly he became broad awake, and sitting up in his bed, with all his senses on the alert, listened to the conversation of two voices just outside his window. They were speaking in low tones, but every word was plainly distinguish- able by the young detective. “Ten o'clock to-night, you say?” The voice was that of Red Gabe, and Double- Curve Dan recognized it at once, as well as he did that of Sol Nugent, which answered: **-Ves, ten o’clock to-night, in the peer garden on top of the hill here, Alone.” ‘*Ah! We must take car’ cause ther perlice ar’ pretty sure ter be on ther watch,” “Nein, mein tear. No police. Mr, Ward wouldn’t dare to doit. Heknows that if he was to tell the police he would never see his daugh- ter again. He, he, he!” ‘* What a very disagreeable laugh our friend Sol bas, to be sure,” was Dan’s inward comment. ** But what ’bout this hyar feller Dan—Double- Curve Dan? Don’t yer know he’s er member uy ther New York Secret Service?” ‘* Ho’s all right, mein tear. Trust me, Heal- vays vorks alone, [ve found that out since yes- terday. An’ I guess he vasallright, He’s yoost *bout der Battery by this time, He'll never trouble us again. That knock overboard settled him,” “Thanks for the way in which you have ar- ranged matters forme, But 1 am afraid I shall have to disappoint you,” muttered Dan as he listened for more remarks, ‘Well, then, Sol, ’ll be thar at ten o’clock. Tl sit near the door, whar I kin see everybody come in, and you an’ Mother Collins circulate among the crowd to make sure everything is straight.” “Yes, mein tear.” “Then, when ther old man comes I'll take him down ter the landing hyar, put bim into ther boat an’ row him over ter ther crib.” aa Yes.” “Say, Sol, that was a pretty good notion uv mine to take her ter ther new crib across the river. I kind uv gotan idea thet ther old one might be suspected by thet cursed’ Double-Curve an. ‘* But he’s drowned, mein tear.” , “Yes, [know. I hope he is, But sometimes people don’t git drowned just when you expect em to, and we don’t want to take no chances, Now, I’m goin’ back ter git some sleep. I jist came hyar to look over the ground an’ thar’s nothin’ else ter wait fer.” " “Nein, mein tear, You vas right.” Dan heard the footsteps moving away, and like a flash he sprung into bis clothes, and made his way to the board walk outside the building,
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10 The Pitcher Detective’s Toughest Tussle, Scarcely knowing what he did, be rushed to- ward the Janding, from which Red Gabe was just pushing off in his skiff, while Sol Nugent andled the rudder lines, ‘*Heah, you. Whar’s de price ob yo’ meal and bed,” cried a voice, as the big, powerful hand of the colored waiter was laid upon the | detective’s shoulder, pulling him back against the side of the house with a bang. “You confounded idiot! Let go of me,”! cried the detective in a rage, as he saw that Red Gabe had gained the open water and was just pulling under the bridge, ** Not till yo’ pay—no sah!” Quick to reflect, the detective ceased strug- ling with the waiter, and turned toward the ouse again with the muttered remark: ‘Just as well, perhaps. Neither Gabe nor Sol saw me, and there would beno use in follow- ing them now. I know their plans anyhow.” ** Ah, begorra, would yez? Thryin’ to sneak away from me, wuz ye?. Houldhim toight, ye black blayguard. He's a dead b’ate, sure.” ** Well, what a comedy of errors!” laughed the detective, as he suffered himself to be led in- to the house, the Irishman and negro holding him tightly by the arms, one on either side. CHAPTER IX. BOGGS TO THE RESCUE! Let us follow the skiff of Red Gabe when he supposed that he had drowned both Double- Curve Dan and Tim Martin at the conclusion of the fight on the river in the rain on the night before. t will necessitate our going back for a few hours, but it will enable us to follow more in- telligently the events that are to follow, While Red Gabe was struggling with Double- Curve Dan he took but little notice of Tim Martin, who had sprung from his own boat into the skiff. He recognized that the detec- tive was a more dangerous foe than the Irish- man, and he jet Tim’s blows rain upon his head, neck and back without considering them worth serious attention until he managed to throw Dan Manly overboard. As he saw the detective tumble into the water, and then disappear in the darkness, he thought it such an easy and convenient way of etting rid of a troublesome customer that he etermined on the instant to apply it to Tim Martin. “Git out uv this, yer howling jackass,” he owled, and with that peculiar wrestling trick nown asa “ grapevine twist,” be had rendered poor Tim powerless, and hurled him far into the seething waters, ‘* Now, Sol, keep yer eyes open, an’ ef yer see either uv them fellers nigh ther boat, knock ’em on ther head with ther butt uv yer pistol!” ‘Yes, mein tear, vith bleasure,” responded Sol, and the tone in which he spoke indicated that it really would give him pleasure to settle either Tim or the detective with an ugly crack on the skull, Red Gabe setfled himself to the oars, and pulled with steady, powerful strokes up the river, under High Bridge and along the com- paratively narrow stream for perhaps a quarter ofa mile, Then he turned the head of the boat sharply to the right, and ran up on the bank on the Morrisania side, below the railroad, A small wooden house of one story lay on, rather than stood, upon the soft, sludgy mud of the shoro, and as soon as the nose of the boat struck the bank, Red Gabe leaped ashore, and knocked three distinct raps upon the old but solid door of the house. ‘Taiu’t no use yer banging at that door,” said Mother Collins. ‘* Thar ain’t no one thar.” **Guess you’re right; but it is allers ez well ter make sure, yer know, I don’t want ter go bouncin’ into no place ’thout I know ez it’s safe.” *“*Hyar’s ther key,” interrupted Mother Col- lins. ‘‘Tallers keep it with ther others in my bunch.” She stepped out of the boat, and hurling Red Gabe aside, opened the door and went into the house with the air of a proprietor. ** Bring in ther girl while I light a fire.” Red Gabe obeyed by seizing Marion by the wrist and dragging her out of the boat, without extraordinary roughness, but also without much ceremony, and leading her into the house, ‘** Bring in thet feller from the bottom of the boat,” he called to Sol. ‘* He ain’t no use lyin’ thar,” ** Ain’t mooch use novhere, is he?” chuckled the little man, as he untied the rope by which Boggs had been secured to one of the seats, and which alone had prevented his trying to take a hand in the scrimmage that ended in the throw- ing overboard of Tim Martin and Dan Manly, | Boggs submitted quietly to being led into the house by Nugent. His hands were tied before him by the rope that held him to the skiff, and his legs were so cramped from lying in the boat in a stiff position with the rain beating upon him, that he could not have made much resist- ance had he desired. Slow as he was in speech, Boggs was not with- out powers of observation, especially when they were quickened by danger. He saw that there were two rooms in this little house. The outer one, which he entered first, was a sort of work- shop fora boat-builder, A skiff lay upside down on trestles, and a large new patch on the dirty old keel showed why it was there. Oars—prob- ably a dozen—were stacked in one corner, and chips were thickly strewn on the broken floor. Carpenter’s tools lay around, and a model of a yacht scudding along under bare poles stood upon a shelf over the low doorway leading to the next room, In the inner room, which was part kitchen, part bedroom, there being a bedstead in one cor- ner and a cook-stove in another, Mother Collins had already commenced preparations for the comfort of herself and her companions, She had put a quantity of the chips into the stove, and they were blazing away ina cheerful man- ner calculated to make one forget all about the miserable weather outside. All stood around the stove except Marion, who, completely exhausted, lay upon the bed in a semi-conscious condition, in which she felt as if she did not care particularly what became of her. For about ten minutes Mother Collins allowed them all to enjoy the genial warmth in silence, every ove being busy with his own thoughts, Then, with a bustle, she bestirred herself and issued her edict: ** Git outer this, all you men, Light up thet little stove in ther other room, and go into it, Guess yer don’t need nothin’ ter eat an’ drink now. Yer won’t git it ef yer do. Ill cook breakfast arter I’ve hed er sleep, but not afore, Git now. I want ter git this hyar girl dry an’ put her to bed. She’s too vail’able now fer us ter let her die, anid she’s pretty sick, with ther rain an’ one thing an’ another,” Mother Collins: emphasized her words by giving Sol Nugent a vigorous shove toward the door, and the old man, with Boggs at the end of the rope, went out of the room without question, followed by Red Gabe, The door was shut and bolted, and then Gabe lighted a fire in a little stove that stood in tho middle of the room, behind the upturned boat. “Sit down, thar, you,” commanded Gabe, pointing to a stool near the stove, when the fire had been lighted and the temperature of the room had arisen to a comfortable point. Boggs obeyed. ‘* Sol, come over hyar.” Nugent and the Tough retired to a corner out of the hearing of Boggs and held a whispered consultation for two or three minutes. Then Gabe said aloud: ** Come out hyar, Sol, I want ter show yer how ter fix ther skiff so she won’t float away.” Gabe opened the outer door as he spoke and Sol saw that thé rain had ceased, and that a few stars were peeping through the clouds. ‘Sol, you jist stand nigh ther door outside, an’ ef any one comes Ott, shoot him down,” whispered Gabe just loud enough for Boggs to hear, * All right, mein tear—all right,” responded Sol, as he drew a heavy revolver and allowed it to flash in the light, of the lamp that hung against the wall, with a reflector behind it, for the especial benefit of Boggs, Then the door was closed, and the boy heard the muttering of the two desperadoes outside for a few minutes, until it died away, as if they were walking further from the house. Soggs had been sitting quietly on his stool since he had been deposited there by Gabe, but he had not been idle, 80 far as his thoughts were concerned, The result was seen as soon as he could no longer distinguish the voices of Gabe and Sol Nugent. Boggs’s wrists were tied tightly, and although he had never ceased, all night, trying to loosen the cords, the only effect of his endeavors had been to make the skin sore, He could not flat- ter himself that there was any perceptible easing of bis bonds, = If—those—fellers—will—keep—out— a—few —minutes—I—shall—be—all—right,” he mutter- ed, as he looked around the room to make sure that no one was secretly watching him, He could not be sure of this, because there might be cracks or peep-holes in the walls of which he knew nothing, but he satisfied him- self that there were no visible means for eaves- droppers to watch him. There was but one win- dow, a large one, and it was closely shuttered and barred inside. It was not considered de- sirable by the people belonging to the house to be watched by curious strangers evidently. *¢ T—don’t—care—w hether — they—see— me— or—not. They—can’t— do—anything— more— to— me—except—kill—me—and—it— wouldn’t— pay — them —to—do—that,” reflected Boggs, philosophically. He walked over to a bench under the shut- tered window upon which he had noticed a gleaming hatchet among other tools. _.“* Wonder — why — they — left —this — here. They—might—have—known — what—-I— would. —do,” chuckled Boggs, throwing his mouth te: open as if he intended to emit a horse augh, With his wrists on either side of the blade of the hatchet, he sawed the cord for a few seconds, er soon had the satisfaction of finding his hands ree, Again he opened his mouth, and this time he had the greatest difficulty in holding back a loud guffaw but indulging in nothing more startling than a chuckle. “* They—-didn’t—think —it—worth—while— to —search—me—either. Te-he!” He drew from a belt he wore beneath his coat the short blacksmith’s hammer already referred to, and patted it lovingly. ‘* Better—than—all—the—guns—ever—made! That’s—what—you—are,” he chuckled. ‘* Now —for—business!” There was none of his usual deliberation in Boggs’s movements now. He slipped around the room actively enough, listening first at the door leading to the inner apartment. “* All—quiet. Guess—they’re—both—asleep.” He stood for a moment reflecting as to his next move, raising his hammer threateningly as he thought he heard a slight sound at the outer door. ““ Wind—I—guess. If—that—feller—” He finished his sentence by bringing the ham- mer down upon the empty air with a hearty swing that suggested the pleasure he would have felt in visiting fit upon the head of either Red Gabe or Sol Nugent. He did not believe that the two rascals were near the house, for he had overheard szraps of conversation while he had lain in the bottom of of the boat that gave him an inkling of their intentions, He had rightly conjectured that Red Gabe’s elaborate directions to Sol to watch the house and shoot down anybody leaving it were intended only to act asa warning to him (Boggs), and he chuckled as he thought how easily he had seen through the trick. “« Now—to—open—that—door,” He selected from among the tools a screw- driver, and, with the dexterity of a mechanic soon had the lock off the outer door, and hac laid it on the floor. “ Kind—of—them—to—lock—me— in — but— they — must— bave— forgotten — the— screw- driver.” With his mouth opened to its utmost width, soggs softly opened the door and looked out into the night. As he had expected, the boat was not to be seen, and Gabe and Nugent had both disap- peared. ‘* Good!” Having expressed his satisfaction with the ar- rangements so far by this one word, Boggs went inside and closed the door again, He stepped to the inner door and listened, All was quiet, ‘* Now—Montgomery—Boggs— you — must — get — that — girl—out—somehow—without—let- ; ting-—the—old—woman—know,” said the boy to himself, in a whisper. ‘‘ Halloa!—What’s— that?” A thundering noise that shook the crazy little house ag if it were going to fall to pieces, Ina second the boy realized what it was and deter- mined to take advantage of it, “ Tts—a—train—and—it—has—stopped—at — the—station—above—there.” Hurriedly the boy selected two stout chisels and carefully and softly forced them between the door and door-post of the innerroom, Then he paused, with his hammer ready for use and listened. : All was still. rT Good.” His mouth widened and one low, distinct chuckle came from it, In a moment the rumbling that had_ startled him before recomm we ae a ft An ee
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ae eg aff-puffing of a locomotive, as thajtrain pulled out of the station. : | . Nearer and nearer it came, and louder and - Jouder grew the rumbling. It seemed to envelop the house, above, below, — around, and to be taking it up in a_mighty em- brace, to dash it away intospace. It was likea roaring monster, pitiless, all-powerful, and noisy to the last degree. Nearer and nearer, until now it was actually upon the house, and all its inmates in one grand crash! Now was Boggs’s time! With a wrench into which he threw all his strength, he tore at the two cuisels, and with a dull crack, that was completely swallowed up in the thundering of the passing train, the door gave way and flew open, as the train dashed away on its way toward New York, Boggs dropped tothe floor in the ante-room and waited. Had he awakened Mother Collins? That was the question. re “What's that?” muttered the Jezebel, as she _ half turned over on the bed, and immediately resumed her broken slumber, without waiting for an answer, Boggs waited one, two, three minutes crouched on the floor of the outer apartment. He wauted to make sure that Mother Collins was sound asleep. At last he was satisfied, from the regular -} Sstentorian breathing of tho good lady that she was away in the Jand of dreams, The room was in darkness save from the glow from the stove and such rays as could steal in through the partly-open door from the lamp in the other room. Boggs walked boldly into the apartment, with _ his hammer in his hand, and leaned over the bed upon which lay Mother Collins and Marion _ Ward, Both were fully dressed, and each had a _} warm shawl around her, the property of the old | woman. | _ Marion was lying on the inside and Boggs leaned across Mother Collins and gently shook | the girl by the shoulder. | -,,“ Now, Mother Collins, sleep on! Sleep on if you survive this night. Sleep or, nor make one movement! Sleep ov, forjas surely as you Open your eyes and try to thwart this boy’s res- cue of the young girl at your side, you will die! Boggs held the hammer above Mother Collins's _ head, and he would have struci ber senseless | with it with as little compunction as he would ‘have killed a mad-dog had she awakened, |} **Marion!” he whispered. The girl opened her eyes and for a second ere was an expression in them that warned Boggs of her disposition toscream. Ue clapped his Jeft hand over her mouth, and whispered again. ‘ 3 * Marion — Don’t—be—afraid. It’s—Boggs— — Bo gs!” 4 Sie nodded and he knew the danger of het Screaming was over, ** Get—up!” She sat pon the bed, and Boggs, reaching over, assisted her tostand upright upon it, all the time keeping a watchful eye upon Mother Col- lins, who slumbered—snored in perfect uncon- _ Sciousness of anything wrong. ; | . “How shall I get over her, Boggs?’ said | Marion, more by the motion of her lips than in i any audible words, _ Boggs’s reply was by taking her under the eae with his two great, strong hands, and lift- | ing her over the woman and to the floor as if | she were a mere child. J | Without wasting words the boy led Marion a e i out of the house and up to the railroad | Gack, | | “Now run as well as you can on the ties, and | We will soon be all right,” chuckled Boggs, as he ( | looked back at the house they had just lett, and j in which Mother Collins was still peacefully ‘Snoring. A arion looked back too, fora moment, and _ then fixing her bright brown eyes upon Boggs’s | face, which at this particular moment looked all / mouth, as he indulged in one of his silent grins, Said, in ber deep gratitude: Ti) | “Boggs, you are the handsomest young man I | ever saw.” Bfeere Ha, ha, ha!” guffawed Montgomery Boggs, / —— CHAPTER X. 2 Ss IN THE NICK OF TIME. Ir was nearly ten o’clock on the night follow- A ing the events narrated in the preceding chap- | The scene was the concert-room of the beer- | ee on the Harlem side of the High Bridge, | and a lively scene it was, The Pitcher Det 6 a eh Oe / Mica EP Sa! seeder bo ective’s Toughest Tussle. Sor. It was rather difficult to distinguish every- thing or anything at first on account of tue cloud of tobacco smoke that hung like incense overall, but when you had become a little used to this you could see that there were some hun- dreds of people sitting about at the little tables or reclining comfortably on other chairs against the walls in a state of calm eajoyment peculiar to the working American in the hoursof recrea- tion, Waiters were running hither.and thither with lemonade, beer and other liquids, or with sand- ‘wiches, oysters and fried chicken, as the ca- pricious tastes of the patrons demanded, All was bustle, light and merriment. There was a great deal of noise of laughter and conversation—so much, indeed, that one hardly noticed the sound of the piano in one end of the hall. Yet there was.a piano too, and the gentle- man seated atit was thumping away witha vigor that indicated a determination to earn his salary by hard work and at the same time get all the sound possible out of the instrument. The noise was at its, height, and merriment ran riot, when a tall gentlemanly-appearing man strolled into the garden and glanced into the concert room through the open windows, It was Vandecker Ward the banker, ““Ob, my daughter! Shall I see her again?” he muttered, as he looked atthe groups at the tables inside and-outside the room. He strolled along the garden path to the end of the room and turned to walk back intending to euter the doorway facing the street, when he found himself confronted by Sol Nugent. The old man stopped and looked inquiringly into the face of the banker, and, without a word, walked on. “* What does that mean, I wonder?” mused the banker, as he stood watching Nugent winding his way along aside path with bead bent and thoughts apparently far away. He continued his stroll, but had not gone more than a dozen yards when a bullet-headed, red-haired tough-looking young man seemed to start up out of the earth, he appeared so sud- denly. The banker started involuntarily, for he saw that the tough-looking gentleman had trans- fixed him with the gaze of two small, piercing eyes, and was holding up a playing-card, the ace of diamonds, upon which was rudely drawn, in black ink, a mark, thus, H. The banker had opened his mouth to speak, when the man, putting his finger to his lip to enjoin silence, returned the card to his pocket and turned off into a side path, whence he was soon lost to view bebiad a clump of fir-trees over- hanging the river. ‘* Mysterious!” commented the banker. “ But, I suppose they are afraid of being trapped. Ah, if they knew how all other thoughts are swal- lowed up in my longing to regain Marion, they would not fear.” He turned wearily into the concert room, anil taking a seat near the athletic pianist, watched that musician as he drew forth ‘* Down Went McGinty” with the whole power of the long- suffering piano, ‘‘] wonder what next, and where can Dan Manly be?” he muttered. ‘I thought he would have been here to make the arrangements for Suddenly a large rough hand was faid upon his shoulder and a hoarse voice whispered in his ear: ** Don’t look around! the bargain?” ae Yes, ” “Got it with yer?’ “What? , What?’ repeated the husky whisper, with a disgusted rising reflection. ‘* Why, ther boodle, in course,” ‘“T can write you a check,” ** Not mucb,” ** Why not?” - ‘* What d’ye take me fer?” At this point the banker disregarded the in- junction laid upon him and looked around into the face of the tough gentleman whom he had left in the garden a few moments before, but who had, by some path known to himself, arrived in the room almost as soon as the banker, ‘* Oh, it is you, is it?’ said Mr. Ward, almost involuntarily. ; a: ‘Yes, but I can’t say anymore to you just now. I don’t want ter give meself away.” Thus speaking, the tough young man in whom the reader has doubtless already recognized Red Gabe, disappeared iu the peculiar melting man- ner already referred to, and the banker’ was again alone, with the hard-working pianist bang- Are you ready to make PINS e% ’ eee ml ee less eg ssl etn a es ae ing away in front of him and dozens of noisy groups at the small tables around. Another hand, this time shriveled and thin, and evidently that of an old man, was laid on his shoulder, and a strong whiff of onions pre- ceded a wheezy whisper: ** Checks von’t do. Moost have der gash.” ‘But I have no cash with me, ou don’t suppose I earry fifty thousand dollars in my pocket, do you?” asked the banker testily, his business instincts revolting against such an ir- regular idea, “Nein. I don’t know v’ere you keep it, und I don’d care, but you must produce it if you want your daughter.’ “Very well—I—” ‘*Hoosh! some one looking. I vill come back later. Vait!” interrupted the whisperer, and the banker was again alone, When Sol Nugent left Mr, Ward this time it was because he had seen an elderly, military- appearing man, with a fieree white mustache of the kind known as ‘‘ cavalry,” and the lower part of his face covered with a beard of the same frosty hue, watching him and the banker with some curiosity, The stranger sat at a table some distance from the banker, with a cigar between his lips, and had apparently been taking no particular notice of any one until Sol Nugent saw that bis keen eyes were fixed upon him, while the shaggy white brows almost met in an attentive frown, It was only for a few seconds that he looked at Sol and Mr. Ward, for, as soon as Sol looked at him he turned his gaze away lazily, and seemed to be deeply enjoying the music of the indefatigable piano-player. Sol hurried out of the garden through a side- door, and as he glanced back into the room the white-whiskered stranger was still puffing medi- tatively at his cigar, and evidently thinking of nothing but bis present comfort and bis enjoy- ment of the music. Mr. Ward had allowed his chin to sink upon his breast, and he too was not taking any account of Sol and his doings, **But [ don’d know v’at it means. Tl ask Gabe,” muttered the old man, as he threaded his way among the tables to the clump of fir- trees at the edge of the bank. F ‘* Well?’ questioned Gabe, as he reclined on a bench, with his eyes fixed on the river below, in which the reflection of myriads of stars danced in the waves. ‘‘ He’s all right; mein tear, but he hasn’t got der gash vith him.” ‘ ‘Curse him, I know. But we'll make him bring it hyar, all ther same,” returned Gabe, as he sat upright ou the bench, and’ banged bis fist on the back of it toemphasize his words. ‘* We'll make him do it,” * All right, mein tear. goes,” ‘**Tn course it does.” ‘Bring him out hyar, while I talk ter him. We can’t finish ther bizness ter-night, I s’pose, but we kin git our arrangements all right, any- how.” Sol turned away, and in another minute was in the concert-room again, Mr, Ward still sat in the same place behind the pianist, but Sol noticed that the man with the white mustache and beard had disappeared. ‘So mooch der better,” commented Nugent. Then he leaned over the banker and whis- red: “ Rollow me.” Vandecker Ward started up, but Sol Nugent had glided away so quickly that he had already reached the side-door leading into the garden. The banker followed bim, and before he expect- edit found himself in the company of Red Gabe and Sol Nugent behind the clump of firs. “Sit down,” directed Gabe, briefly, with an air of authority that the banker would have resented most decidedly at another time and un- der ordinary circumstances. As it was, however, he felt that he could afford to waive a great deal of dignity if it could restore his daughter to bim, as be sat on the bench by the side of the tough, without. demur. : ‘* Now, sir, Lain’t got no interest in this hyar thing myself,” went on Gabe, “but I represent ee party ez hez. In course you onderstand that The banker thought he understood that Gabe was lying, but he merely nodded acquiescence, “Very wal, then. Now, ef_you hed brought ther money with yer ter-night I could hev hand- V’atever you say, would hey done his part uv ther contract, s’pose he would.” ms Suppose he would?” echoed the banker, ““Yes: thet’s my idee.” j ed it over ter ther other party, an’ I s’pose he ; ~~ ae ee ae - Pe ~ es Fe: — eins r te ee — — rp ee
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12 ** Coorse he don’d know, mein tear!” broke in the little old man, Nugent. Fora moment the banker looked in a dazed way from one to the other of the conspirators, who each returned his gaze with the nonchalance of men who were masters of the situation, and knew it, ‘Suppose he could!” he muttered again, dreamily, Then, as he realized fully the inso- lence of the fellows who were trying to force from him the payment of a fortune without promising anything in return, he could contain himself no longer. **You scoundrel!” he cried, bending his face toward that of Gabe, who had thrown himself easily back upon the seat, as if satisfied that he could do as he pleased. with the banker, ‘* What’s that?” Gabe had resumed an upright posture ina second, as his hand stole ominously behind him, **Oh, Moses! V’at vas dis?” joined in Sol, ‘You villain! TPl—” The banker finished his sentence by seizing Red Gabe by the throat and shaking him asif he had been a kitten. Gabe had not put his hand behind him for nothing, however, and the banker saw a gleam- ing bowie-knife in his grasp. “Cuss yer!” growled Gabe, for even in the excitement of the moment he knew that it would not do to make noise enough to attract attention: **Cuss yer! Ill settle this hyar matter right now.” He struggled to free himself from his antago- nist’s hold, but to his astonishment he found that the quiet, dignified banker was as strong as a lion and as active as a cat. The two men had been leaning over the seat so far, but now they rolled over on the gravel, the banker’s right band twisted in the handker- chief around the tough’s neck, while with his right he kept the knife from striking him. ‘*Let goo’ my neck! You’re chokin’ uy me!” gurgled Gabe. ‘“That’s what I intend to do, you rascal! Where is my daughter?” ** T don’t know.” **'You lie!” A tighter twist on the handkerchief, and the tough’s eyés looked wild and staring in the re- flection of the moon that peeped from behind a bank of clouds at this moment to:see the fun. Over and over again, and now the two were wedged against a light fence that protected the edge of the precipitous bank running down to the river, Mr, Ward still held the tough firmly by the throat, and the bowie-knife was, so far, power- less todo harm, But the fence was cracking ominously under the terrible strain, and Sol Nugent, who had been dodging around the com- batants with a pistol in his hand, but afraid to use it on account of the noise, now exhibited more real concern than at any time before. “Mind, Gabe! Fighd aver from der fence! fighd avay from der fence! If you vas ter drag him over und kill him, v’ere vould our money be? You moost not let him die. Only vound him, dot’s all. Only vound him,” With his ordinary business acumen Sol bad realized at once that if the banker were killed, there would be no money value in Marion, The fifty-thousand-dollar bargain would be off then permanently, because it was not likely that the banker’s executors, whoever they might be, would make such an extravagant arrangement with the abductors, having no parental feeling to actuate them, So when Sol saw that there was danger of the wrestling ending in the com- batants breaking through the fence and being dashed to pieces on the rocks below he considered it time for the fight to stop. He did not care for Gabe, but the banker represented so much capi- tal, and bis life was valuable to Sol on that ac- count, The fight had now become desperate, and the fence cracked more and iore, The banker held to the tough’s throat with the tenacity of deadly hate, He cared for noth- ing at that moment but to revenge himself upon the man who he felt convinced had stolen his daughter. ““Cuss yer! Tl fix yer now,” hissed Gabe, at last, as, with an almost herculean effort, he tore away from bis adversary and at the same time got his knife free. There was a flash of bright steel, as the tough got the banker under bim and held him down with his knee in the prostrate man’s chest. Vanidecker Ward felt that his last moment had come, and prepared to meet his fate like a man. Ere the knife could descend, however, it was Suddenly whipped out of the tough’s hand and sent spinning over the precipice at the same in- The Pitcher Detective’s Toughest Tussle. stant that Gabe himself was dragged away from the banker and kurled violently against the garden seat under the lee of the clump of firs. “Sorry to disturb you, gentlemen! But I never could help taking a hand in a fight when Isaw an opening. Pardon me, won’t you?” *“ Who ther deuce ar’ you?” bowled Gabe, breathless, but in a perfect frenzy of passion. “Tt vas dot white-whiskered man v’at I told you about,” said Soi, “You are quite right, my friend. But my real name is Dan Manly, or Double-Curve Dan, asI am sometimes called,” said the stranger, suavely, as he took off his white whiskers, and smiled at Red Gabe and Sol Nugent in turn. CHAPTER XI. THE FACE AT THE WINDOW. Wuewn Marion, in a burst of gratitude, told Boggs that he was handsome, she meant what she said. The awkward, ungainly, wide-mouthed boy really looked handsome. Had he not released her from the clutches of the terrible Mother Collins for the second time, and had he not shown that he was brave personally as well as fertile of resource? Yes, Montgomery Boggs was beautiful in her sight, . the principle that handsome is that handsome does, Boggs would have enjoyed a good, hearty guffaw, but he felt that it would not be safe just now, so he bottled up bis feelings and led the girl swiftly along the railroad track toward the city. ‘“Where are we going, Boggs?” asked Marion, when, having walke{ for half an hour, she felt that she was safe, temporarily at least, from Mother Col- lins and the rest of her enemies. ““Where—are—we—going?”’ echoed Boggs. ‘Why —home—to—be—sure, And—I—should—think—you would—be—very—glad—to—get—there,”’ “Home? What, not to Twentieth street?” said Marion, alarmed. ** Who—said—anything—about -Twentieth-street. I—guess — Tim — will — take — you — there—when— | Se ee Ne —before. “Yes, yes; I should not be safe there now alone, They would take me away again. Then, there’s that young man who came into the shop to have his pistol mended—Double-Curve Dan—he is in league with them. I am more afraid of him than any of them,” ““T—don't—kvow—about—that,”’ observed Boggs, dubiously. He had begun to have a dawning notion that per- haps Dan Manly was not so bad as Marion believed, especially when he remembered the fight in the boa’, the throwing of the detective into the river, and the few words he had _ caught of the subsequent collo- quy between Red Gabe and Sol Nugent. **I shall be glad to see Katie again,” said Marion, as she involuntarily quickened her pace at the thought of soon being again in the arms of her good- natured protector in the little parlor in Myrtle ave- nue, Brooklyn. It is unnecessary to follow Bozgs and Marion on their journey from the httle house in Morrisania t» Tim Martin’s house in Brooklyn. Suffice it to say that it was six o’clock in the morning when they alighted from a street-car at the corner, and that the sun was by this time shining in all the glory of a beauti ‘ul September day upon the awakening traffic of the busy city. “Oh, there’s Katie,” exclaimed Marion, joyfully. Sure enough, there was Katies Martin at the front door of the little musical instrument store, looking anxiously up and down the street. At this moment her gaze was turned the other way, and Marion ran forward and threw her two arms around the Irishwoman’s neck before she was aware of the girl’s presence. ** Katie!” “Saints presarve us! lint? Oh, Mary!” Sueh a hugas Marion Ward received at that mo- ment would have stopped the breath of any one but a healthy young girl with a well-spring of vitality that evea extraordinary fatigue and trouble could not quench. Marion returned the hug with interest, while Montgomery Boggs stood looking on with an im- becile grin of enjoyment that was to the last degree feeble and inane. “Me darlint! Oi thought Oi’d niver see yez ag’in, so Oi did.” Katie hac released the girl from her embrace, and stood holdirg her by the hands at arm's length, with all the love and tenderness of her warm nature beaming in her eyes. Suddenly she noticed Boggs, and flew at him with- out the ee ee warning, Seizing him by the shoulders, she gave him aq vigorous jerk to arrange his ideas, and then de- manded, threateningly: ‘“*Phware hev you been, ye sphalpeen? Phwat did yez do wid my husband?” “*Your—husband!” blurted Boggs, trembling, for he always held the robust Mrs. Martin inthe deepest awe. *Yis, me husband—Tim Martin. Phwat hev yez done wid him? He wint afther you to help yez foind Mary.” “Did—he?” asked Boggs feebly. “Did he?” repeated Katie ina rage, ‘Did he, ye long-legged baboon! Don’t Oi tell yez he did! D’ye think Oi’m a liar? Faix, Oi’ve a moind to break yez in two pieces, so Oi hev.”’ Mary! Is it yerself,me dar- * T—don’t—know.”’ ‘“ What is the matter, Katie?’ interposed Marion, gently. ‘‘Ido not think Boggs has seen Tim at all. And, oh, Katie, he has been so good. If it had not been for him I should not be here now. Mother Col- lings and the others had me again, and—and—they took me to that awful cellar, and after that in a boat up the river in the rain to a place beyond Har- lem, and—and—-” The girl here broke down in a storm of sobs, and Katie, releasing Boggs, took her to her bosom again, and smothered her golden hair with a loving hand that it seemed hardiy possible could be the same that had a moment before held the boy so firmly and given him such a vigorous shaking, “There, there! Don't yez cry, me darlint. Come indoors and Oi’ll give yez a noice cup of tea. Thin Oi'll put yez to bed, an’ yez ‘I! be all right ag’in be the atthersoce: r She led the girl into the store, and through the back workshop into the little parlor, where every- thing Jooked to Marion the very ideal of home, Katie had not troubled herself further about 3oggs. She was only anxious to make her girl comfortable, and the first thing toward this end, she considered, was to give her some breakfast. In an hour’s time—during which she had _ positive- ly forbidden Marion to talk after she had told her kind friend that the black shawl she had worn over her head was the property of Mother Collins, and which caused Mrs. Martin to throw that article of apparel on the floorfand stamp on it—Marion was ushered into her own little bedroom and put tender ly to bed, with the injunction to lie there till she was called. The excitement and fatigue she had undergone during the past twelve hours, together with the hearty breakfast she had been compelled to take, were calculated to make the girl ig Drtegs ys her bed, and in a very few minutes after Katie Martin had left the room. Marion was oblivious of all her sur- roundings and sleeping as only the young and healthy can. “Phwere’s that Boggs, I wonder?’ muttered Katie, as she hustled about in the sitting-room, cleaning away her dishes and putting the furniture straight, for she was, above all, a good house- keeper. ‘*Phwere can that boy be? Faix, he slip- ped from me rome wt intoirely. so he did,” She went into the little workshop and eried: “ Boggs, Boggs! Come foreningt me.”’ No answer. z ‘*We'l, well, if he ain’t asleep, Oi’'m a Dootch- man,” she added, in a lower tone, as she opened the door of the store and looked in. Sure enough, poor Boggs, worn out, and perhaps somewhat disheartened by his reception by Mrs, Martin, had thrown himself down on the floor be- hind the counter, with his head upon a violin case, and was snoring away with his mouth open, as comfortably as if he had been on his own cot-bed in the attic over the store. “Poor boy! Maybe I wuz hard on him, But, e the powers, I want ter know something about Tim. She shook the boy, and with some difficulty got him to open his eyes. Then she addressed herself to the task—anytning but a light one—of getting an understanding of his whereabouts into his head, Boggs b longed to that heavy order of the human family that sleeps fr five or ten minutes after it wakes up. Nothing but a wild stare and incoherent sounds could be got from him for some time in ppite of Katie’s vigorous shakings and sharp ejacu- ations. ‘*Oi’m askin’ yez phwere me husband, Tim, is. D’ye moind me?’ 1_don’t—know.” “* Yez haven’t seen him, then?” Bh?’ f Boggs was sitting on the floor, looking up into Katie Martin’s face, and yawning as if his head would fall into two pieces. . ‘‘ Wake up, ye omadhaun! Wake up!" said Katie, sharply, as she gave him another impatient shake. ‘* Phwere is me husband, Tim?” “Tim ?”? “Oh, saints presarve us! If this boy ain’t enough to toire any one’s patience!” Here Boggs seemed to come to his senses some- what, for as he looked at her something like a grin illumined his features, as he said, slowly; “ Yes—I—seen—Tim|!”’ *Phwere?”’ “Where?” repeated Boggs, vacantly. “Yes, phwere?)”emphasizing her words with a shake that made the boy's teeth rattle. “ Tln—the—river!”’ ‘Tn the river!” shrieked Katie. ‘ Phwat do yez mean? Be hivens, Oi’ll kill yez if yez don’t answer me inquiry!” With agreat deal of trouble Katie elicited from Boggs all the events of the night, including the struggle on the boat, and the throwing overboard of Tim after Double-Curve Dan. When the boy arrived at this tof his narra- tive Katie could not contain herself any longer. She dragged Boggs to his feet and fairly trotted him about the stove in her agitation. “Och, me poor Tim! me poor Tim! Och, wurroo! Ye are gone, an’ no one ter give yez dacent burialf Och, wurroo! Phwet shail 1 do?” She threw Boggs from her, and seating herself*on one of the stools in front of the counter, rocked her- self to and fro, with her face in her hands, in an ; agony of grief. * Why — don’t — you — g0 — and—look—for—him? P’r’aps—he—wasn’t—drowned. He — can—swim— can’t he?” 2 Boggs spoke in his usual deliberate manner, tut / oN ee ee Cements
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i b | five hours pas tim = The Pitche r Detective’s Toughest Tussle. 13 there was so much reason in what he said that Katie was on the alert in aninstant. | ‘**Phwat’s that ye say? My Tim swim? Of coorse he kin. Swim loike a dook. Phwere was it ye say he was choocked intil the river?” f “ Near—High—Bridge—at—Harlem. “That settles it. Oi'll go.” “Where?” “To High Bcifige: in coorse, ye fool! D’ye think Oi’m goin’ ter Jerusalem? Oil inquire around oa Bridge, an’ faix, if he’s in the neighborhood Oi’ll foind him. Thrust me!” : pes Boggs nodded, as if he were quite willing to trust Mrs. Martin, and no doubt he was, “Now, Boggs, Oi’m goin’ to thry an’ foind mo husband. ar is in her room, asleep, Let her stay there till she comes out of her own accord.” “Yes.” “But you kape watch over the house till I come back. and don’t let anybody in,” “* Won’t—I—keep—the—store—open?” ar Martin hesitated for a moment. Then she asked: * You kin kape awake till Mary gits up, eh?” “ Yes —I—am—not—sleepy—now.”’ It was one of Boggs’s ‘peculiarities that’although he could sleep for twelve hours at a stretch on oc- easion, he could do without any sleep at all for two days, if necessary, and he meant what he said when he declared that he was not sleepy. ‘Well, then, kape the shtore open an’ tend to bisness, an’ be on the watch for any uv that gang, ‘cause I hold yez responsible for me girl’s safety, ye understand that, now?” Boggs nodded. * Weil, then, moind yez do it.” Ten minutes later Katie Martin was on her way to the Brooklyn Suspension Bridge to take the cars for New York, and thence to Ha: lem. Boges closed the front door of the store, and ar- ranged an elect:ical device that would sound a large gong if it were opened. Then he went into the little workshop and busied himself in repairing certain violins and an accordeon that had been le for the a) two or three days, but had been neglected hitherto, uggs was a phlegmatic young man, and he worked as coolly and comfortably as if he had been in bed all night, instead cf passing through a series of exciting adventures such as would have unfitted most people for r- gular work for a week. He was so — with his employment tat. four or sed without his noticing the flight of ’ e. ‘* There—that’sdone—and—it’s—as—good —as— new,’’ he remarked, in contented tones, as he played ‘Sweet Violets" on a very rheumatic and wheezy old accordeon that he had been ductoring with glue, leather and mysterious little pieces of brassand steel. ‘‘ A~splendid—instrument —almost —an—orchestra—by—itself,”” He fell into a reverie of self-satisfaction as he contemplated his work, and smiled one of his widest smiles, peealy he was aroused from his musing by a loud shriek from the little parlor. To throw down the accordeon, throw open the door and rush into the parlor, was the work of but little more'than a second. — : ‘Marion, pale and trembling, fell into his arms, and clasped him around the neck, as she Pointed to a window that looked into the yard of the next house, and gasped: **Oh, it was there—‘here /”” “What — what — what—was—there?”’ stammered Boggs. BS flor face! Oh! it was awfull’? answered the pie 3 e ose — whose — face? ” Marion guns tighter to Boggs, looking foastiy ; ow, as : Bee cher 0 whine pre whispered, almost inaudibly CHAPTER XII. / NEW MOVE, Tur sudden revelation to Red Gabe, Sol Nugent and Vandecker Ward of Double-Curve Dan, in the person of the gentleman in the white whiskers and ¢avalry mustache had a different effect upon the three men. ‘ All were astonished, but two of them were an- noyed and frightened, while the third, Mr. Ward, was unaffectedly delighted. “Ouss him! I thought ez he wuz drowned!” muttered Gabe. . *: “Sorry you are disappointed; but I could not help it,’ responded Dan Manly, airily, *“Durn his picter! He hears everything,” growled the tough, in a still lower tone. “Exactly; it is my way to hear everything that foes on in my presence,”’ smiled thé detective, Whose sense of hearing, it is almost unnecessary to State, was almost phenomenally acute, Gabe had been gradually pulling himself to- gether during this short dialogue, and was now sit- wm Bpon, the bench, wraising sulkily for the next e part of anybody. +) thd Sol Nugent, who had returned his pistol to his pocket, said nothing. It was his policy to be hum- ble and Unassuming under succh circumstances, ag the present, so that no one could say afterward that he had committ-d himself. In case the enemy got the best of the controversy this plan might save him trouble. Nothing like tr ng to make yourself safe anyhow, was Sol Nugent’s motto. , “ Wal, now you're here, what d'ye want?” inquir- ed Gabe, in a bullying way peculiarly his own. The young detective, replacing his false whiskers and mustache, deliberately tock a cigar from his Who—was—it? Tell pocket, bit off the end and lighted it before he an- swered: “Lam a friend of Mr. Ward.” ““You’re er friend uv ther devil!”’ “Excuse me; you are throwing a reflection upon this gentieman that he will be likely to resent if you repeat it,’ responded the detective, with a slight smile that was maddening to the tough. ‘* Wal, take ther reflection ter yerself, if yer like,”’ growled Gabe. ‘‘ What d'ye want?” *“*T want to know why you did not meet me at Cooney Maul’s place last night.” ‘*None yer business!” The mocking smile that played about the lips of Double-Curve Dan could not be concealed by the white mustache, and it was only by the exercise of the utmost powers of restraint that Gabe prevented himself flying at the throat of the detectivo. **Dan, this is waste of time. You know what my business is here,” interrupted the banker, *‘ Since you have revealed the fact that you are my agent in the matter, you may as well treat with these men. I am done with them.” “You are, eh?’ sneered Gabe. “ Wal, my friend what kin restore your daughter will p'raps be done with you if you don’t come ter time. Now I tell yer, an’ I can‘t deal with no one but principals,” “Oh, yes, you will,”’ put in Dan Manly, quietly. ** Who'll make me?” TY willl” “ Ho w ?”’ The detective leaned forward and whispered in the tough’s ear. What?” screamed Red Gabe, ‘‘ You lie!” “Oh, no, I do not,’ ‘said Dan, quietly. “Tl ap- peal t> Mr. Ward here, whether—’ “No, no!” almost screamed the tough, as he started up and placed his hand over the detective’s mouth with an expression of terrible apprehension, “Shut up!" The detective contemptuously threw the hand away and smiled, as he said: “Very well; I willsay no more about ¢ha/. Butif I see any more signs of treachery on your part I will do what I whispered to yu. You thought you had deceived me, did you not?” **Oh, no, mein tear! He did not. It vas an acci- dend, dot vos. Vhy, he vouldn’t hurt you for der vorld, don’d you know,” here broke in Sol Nugent, who had been anxiously looking for an opening to say something conciliatory. ‘Shut yer mouth, you fool!” commanded Gabe, savagely. “Allright, mein tear!”’ “Now, what are you going to do about this mat- ter?” asked the detective, turning toward Gabe, “Ther man ez I represent says he kin produce ther girl ef he gits ther money be wants—$50 000.” ‘* And if he does not get the ae Ai “T dunno, but I guess Mr. Ward'll never see his daughter ag’in,” replied Gabe, with an air of quiet desperation, ‘*Dan,” said the banker, ‘‘let me speak to youa moment,” He drew the detective aside out of the paazing of the two conspirators and talked earnestly to him for five minutes, Then Dan Manly rejoined the others and made them a proposition to which Gabe acquiesce. d, though with rather a bad grace, ‘How will I knowez you're squar’in this hyar thing?’ he asked. “*Guoss you wiil have to take chances,” answered the detective, coolly. “Yes, mein tear. Sol Nugent. : ‘Shut yer mouth, yer fool!’’ again growled Gabe. Then, turning to the banker: ‘‘ You will be back hyar in two hours with ther money, you say?” ““Yes,”) answered the detective, taking the reply upon himself. 5 “Better meet me somewhar else. This hyar place is too public ter suit me. « I'll tell yer what ter do. Get a skiff down hyar on the river-bank, and row slowly up ther river above High Bridge. Ill be on ther watch, an’ ez soon ezI see thet everything is all right, I'll come out ter yer, close ther bargain— fer my friend—and, show you whar ther gal is.”’ Ve vill take chances,’ put in It is two hours later, and a boat with three per- sons is slowly working its way up the river above High Bridge. The three persons aré Vandecker Ward, Dan Manly and Tim Martin. ra There’s the boat, be the powers, coming afther us,’’ remarked Tim, as he looked over his shoulder, and saw a skiff coming after them rapidly. ‘ But, faix, there’s only wan person in it.” e “And that one a woman,” exclaimed the detec- ve. “A woman! It cannot be—no, no! And yet—if it should be—”’ muttered the banker, incoherently. “Mr, Ward, do not deceive yourself. It is not your daughter. Even in this dim light Ican see that it is a much bigger woman,” said the detective, gently, as he stopped rowing. Y A few rapid strokes on the part of the solitary woman brought her boat level, and then, as the two light skiffs came side by side, the woman sprung up and jumped fairly into Tim Martin’s lap. cay “Katie “Och, ye t’afe uv the worruld, phwat are yez do- in’ here, in the middle of the river in the middle of ther night, Yavin’ yer own woife to her own self &-w’apin’ an’ a-wailin’ over yez? What d’ye m’ane?” Katie Martin burst into astorm of sobs as she thus addressed her husband, and then her grief took a lligerent turn, as she tore at his hair, and shook him “backward and forward s0 violently as to threaten to upset the boat. “Katie, phwat are yez doin’? Don’t bea fool!” expostulated Tim. ‘ Yez are hurtin’ my head.” “Och, Tim, phwy did yez do it?” * Don’t yez know Oi'm thrying to foind our gurral, and ain’t Oi here for that purpose?” “Phwy, ye omadhaun, didn’t ye know she was safe at home?” “*Phwat?” shrieked Tim. **What!'? echoed Dan and Mr. Ward simultane’ ously. * Sure, it’s the truth Oi’m tellin’ yez. You, run- nin’ all bout the city an’ Oi with the gurrul safe at home.” ‘“Mrs. Martiu, do I understand you to say that my daughter is at your home in Brooklyn?’ asked Mr, Ward with forced calmness, “Oi dunno phwat ye onderstand but that’s the truth. Oi hov Mary Ward safe in the house, an’ I hov been nearly all this blamed day a-lookin’ for me husband.” “Thank Heaven!”’ ejaculated Mr. Ward, fervently, ** We will go to her at once.” * No, no,” interrupted the detective. ‘‘We have recovered your daughter, but it is our duty to en- trap these two thieves, Gabe and Nugent, Will you not help me?” The banker hesitated a moment. Then placing his hand in that of the young man he said: ‘ Yes, But Mrs. I owe that much to you, at all events, Martin, you and your busbend go back to Brooklyn and see that Marion is safe, will you not?” ‘Yes, that will be the best plan,” acquiesced the detective. ‘‘There being three persons in the boat might make those fellows suspicious, and we can attend to them by ourselves—eh, Mr. Ward?” ‘* Yes, or fifty like them,” said the banker, and he meaut what he said. “Come, Tim. Git intel that boat, and row. Of am toired, be it known to yez.” Mrs. Martin, thus saying, soon had her husband in the other boat, resting herself comfortably in the stern and waving her hand to the banker and detec- tive as her husband lay to his work with a will and made the boat spin down the river in the direction of her home and Marion. The Martins’ boat had hardly disappeared, and Dan was slowly paddling up the river, when a boat shot out of the darkness and ran acri ss the bows of that in which sat the detective and banker. The strange skiff contained but one man, and as the moonlight fell upon his face, Dan saw that he was an utter stranger. His chin was covered by @ heavy black beard, and long black hair hung down each side of his face from beneath a wide sombrero such as is seldom or never seen east of Kansas City, except in theaters or circuses, The rest of his cos- tume, so far as the detective could make out in the gloom was that of a cowboy rather than a resident. of New Y. rk City. ‘*What masquerading is this?’ whispered the banker to Dan. The young man laughed heartily, buf silently: “T'li show what it means in a few minutes,” he whispered, almost choking with merriment. ‘* What a shallow fool he is, after all.” The cowboy looked over his shoulder toward the banker’s skiff, and then, with a dexterous manipu- lation of the oars, turned his own craft and ran alongside. ‘“Your name Ward?" he inquired, in abnormally ruff tones, % “Yes,” answered the detective, imitating the voice of his ir terlocutor. ‘Which one?” ‘** Both of us.” **Now, see byar, young feller, I ain’t got no time fer foolin’, Iam hyar fer basiness, I am, an’ I want ter know which is ther man ez I’m ter do business with. Now you hyar me!” He had been holding the gunwale of the banker’s: skiff as he talked, and looking straight into Mr. Ward’s face. Had he been less intent on this he might have noticed that the detective was gradually edging nearer to him. “What is your business?” asked the banker, quietly, returning the cowboy’s gaze, “J want ther money.” ‘* What money?” “Fer yer daughter,” ‘‘My daughter? Where is she?” “Pay ther money an’ you shall have her,* “You know where she is, then?’’ “You bet!” * Youare the villain who abducted her, are you?” demanded the banker, his brow red with indigna- tion. . “Oh, keep yer hair on. The question is whether yer hev ther money.” ‘* Where is my daughter?” *“Whar’s ther money?” ‘In my pocket.” “Hand it over, then. ; “Not until Isee my daughter.” “Oh, come, now! bluff don’t go with me/ Yer might play thet on ther man ez I sent ter see yer, but yer can't do that on me.” “Well, then, I'll give you the money, bui not here in the middle of the river. You must have some place here in which we can transac’ our busi- ness comfortably, Let us row ashore.” The cowboy seemed to think for &@ moment, Suddenly he grasped the banlzer around the neck, and with a powerful wrench had drawn him into his boat, giving ita shove off at the sume instant, so that there was twenty feet of water between the two os before the banker knew what had hap- ned, But the cowboy was not carpe enough to save himself from an unpleasant v sitation at the hands en
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ze Pays ow Lene 4 Ot ee a Sie BAX nm \ Se e eo aS “es + =, 14 — of the detective, who reached not only for the hat but the hair of the Western terror. Both came off together, revealing to the pale-eyed moon the red, scrubby hair and bullet-head of Red Gabe, the tough. CHAPTER XIII, WHO HAS THE WHIP-HAND? Let us follow Tim and Katie Martin to their home in Brooklyn. “ Oi’m glad to be home again,” said Katie, as she knocked at the door of the little store on Myrtle ave- nue, which was tightly closed and secured, ‘*Oi’m glad Boggs has kept the house well fastened. Oi told him to keep himself awake and look afther things, an’ though he’s a fool in some ways he can $0 without slape longer than any one I ever knew efore.” While Katie was delivering herself of this perora- tion, she kept up a continuous hammeriag at the door. ““Phwat’s the matter with Boggs, I wonder?”’ ob- served Tim, when they had stood at the door for at least ten minutes without any response. Katie did not answer. She was looking through the keyhole into the interior of the store, which a gas-jet, full on, illuminated thoroughly. *Phwat can yez see?” asked Tim, Katie arose from her position at the keyhole and in a steady voice said: “‘ Tim, ye hev to break open that dure,” Tim was accustomed to obey his wife, and he set to work without question. It was his habit always to carry a few handy tools in his pocket, such as a chisel, a monkey wrench with a hammer attachment, and a few skeleton Pn He combined the business of a locksmith with his other employ- ments, and although his wife had often warned him that he ran the risk of being arrested for a burglar if it was known that he traveled about the city with such a suspicious *‘ kit ’’ about his person, he always answered that he was not a burglar, never bad been, never intended to be, and could easily prove it, he followed his own devices and carried his tools regularly. On this occasion they came in very ey. Deftly he fitted the key to the lock and turned it. Then with the chisel, he forced back bolts at top and bottom—the more easily for that he knew just where they were situated—and opened the door, At his first glance into the store he started back with a cry of astonishment and horror. *Howly saints! Phwat’s that?” “Can’t ye see phawt’s it is?” responded his wife, impatient! 7, ‘*Pick him up.”’ “Poor Boggs! He lay at full length upon the floor outside the counter and had been seen there by Mr. Martin when she looked through the key- hole. “ Paix, he’s only fainted,’’ muttered Tim, as he pulled the boy into a sitting posture. **Phwat’s that smell in the house? It makes me feel sick, so it does,” said Katie. “That’s it. Oi hev it,’ responded Tim, ‘Sure it’s chlaraform that they hev guv to theboy. But Oi’ll soon bring him around. Git some water.” But Katie was not by his side. She had flown to the little parlor as soon as she realized that Boggs had been dealt with foully, and called hurriedly to Marion. No answer. Into the little bedroom she peeped. The bed was empty. Back to the parlor, into the little workshop, | then to the store again, where Boggs, under Tim’s ministrations, and copious myer with cold water, was now staring around him wildly, and try- ing to speak. ; *Phwat’s the matter, Boggs? Phwere is Mary?” cried Katie, as she gave the boy a shake that as- sisted materially in bringing him to himself. He was not equal to speech, however, for two or three minutes, during which Mrs, Martin told how she had found the parlor and bedroom empty, and not a vestige of her girl except the shawl she had worn when Boggs brought her home, and which, by the way, was the property of the old woman Marion always spoke of in horrified tones as Mother Collins, Tim suddenly let go of Boggs, and if the boy had not been sufficiently recovered to support himself, he would have gone down with a Mb tye thump. As it was he sat up, swaying to and fro, and open- ing his mouth at intervals, as if he might speak presently. 4 “Phwere do yez think she has gone, Katie?” asked Tim, as he tried to collect his own wits as well as those of the swaying Boggs. “How should Oi know? Maybe Oj’ll foind out whin Oi can git some sinse intil this boy,” replied Katie, impatiently, as she gave Boggs another shake, that made his teeth rattle like hailstones upon a skylight. **Mother—Collins!”’ gasped Boggs, at this junc- ture, with an effort. Yes, yes,” said Katie, cageey- : ** Mother—Collins !” repeated Boggs, in whose throat the two words seemed to stick to the’exclu- sion of any others, 4 “Och, the divil take the ould woman! Faith an’ Oi’ve heerd uv.her!” remarked Tim. - ** Mother—Collins !” said Boggs for the third “Te. ; “ Yes—go on.” ““Took—her—away—and—” ‘Yes, phwy didn’t ye stop her?” “ Sho— she—drugged—me—and—I—couldn’t. Me Droog ed yez: How c’u’d she do that without ye lettin ** She—threw—pepper— in —my—eyes—and—then — put —a—wet—sponge—over — my—mouth —and— nose—and—” re > - ~ he ore . ‘ re ee tee ei k j The Pitcher Detective’s Toughest Tussle. REEL YL STE 5 EEN ARE 7 Te <j Boggs was not in good physical condition yet, and he stopped, breathless, with his mouth open, like some curious fish out of water. ** Go on wid yez.” ** Yes—Katie—I—will—I—was—dizzy —but—just— before— I —fell—down—I—saw—her— take—Mar 7— out—and— put —her—into—a—carriage—and—drive —away.”’ ‘‘ Boggs, brace yerself up! Brace up, for the love of Heaven!” pleaded Katie as she knelt down in front of the boy, and made.him drink a glass of water that she took from a pitcher on the counter which had already taken a prominent part in his revival at the hands of Tim, Boggs swallowed the water, and then taking Mrs. Martin’s proffered arm, arose to his feet, and brave- ly staggered up and down the store, and then to the door, where the night breeze could play across his forehead. “‘I—_am—better—now.”’ “Tim,” said Katie, in her usual imperious man- ner, “ bring me acarriage. “ We are going to foind our gurrul to-night, afore we slape.” Tim did not need any second bidding. In half an hour, he and his wife with Boggs, who had now re- covered considerably from the effects of the drug, were on their way toward the liquor warehouse, in New York, where the boy thought it probable Mother Collins had taken her prisoner, The house was dark and silent, as it had been on the night that Marion was taken there by the tough and handed over to the tender mercies of Mother Collins, Stepping down from the seat by the side of the driver where he had ridden for the double reason that he could direct the way and get the benefit of the night air, Boggs, who was now himself again, went direct to the iron cellar door, and pulled at the iron ring by which it could be lifted. To his immeasurable surprise, the door yielded and came up easily. Tim and Katie were both at his side, while the driver of the carriage, a particular friend of the Martins, and who was very deaf, sat in the door- way of his carriage, with his feet on the curbstone, watching the proceedings with only the faintest curiosity expressed in his countenance. He was known as one of the most nonchalant men that ever guided a horse in New York’s streets, Tim had a revolver.in his hand, and Katie had another. They bad provided themselves with these weapons, from the stock of the store at Boggs’s sug- gestion, and both were resolved to use them with- out hesitation if such a course became necessary to rescue Marion. As for Boggs he had the black- smith’s hammer mentioned before, which was a handy weapon that he could wield without trouble, and that would be very effective in his hands, “ Let’s—go—down,’ * Oi’m wid yez,” responded Tim. ‘ Katie, ye had better shtay up here.” “TIndade and Oi’ll not! Oi’m goin’ to foind me girrul ef she’s down here.” Tim chuckled. “*Oi knowed it, Oi jist wanted ter hear phwat ye’d say ” **Don’t be a fule,” was Katie’s response, as she went boldly down the stone steps in advance of her companion, and walked along the dark hall to- ward the kitchen, the door of which was closed as usual, Boggs and Tim followed closely on her heels, and then, without stopping to make signals, or beg for admittance, threw themselves against the door to- gether and burst it open. One look was enough to show them that the apart- ment was empty. “Come—on. There —is—another— way— out— somewhere,” cried Boggs, who remembered what Marion had told him Sbout the way by which she had been taken from the kitchen to the damp cellar from which he had rescued her. Through the door at the end of the kitchen, and thence to the cellar that had been Marion’s prison did Boggs lead Tim and Katie, having previously lighted a lantern that ia’ against the wall, the counterpart of that which he had used to show Marion the way. But not a sign of a living creature except the rats that rustled and hustled away as the light from the lamp fell upon their holes and corners, ‘“* Boggs, what do yez mean be bringing us down here to this dirty hole whin there’s no one here?”’ asked Katie. ** Well—find—her,” answered Boggs, quietly. They were in the kitchen again now, and the boy had been looking about the room. Suddenly he ounced upon a piece of white muslin and lace ying on the floor near the stove. He held it pend showed it to be a dainty white apron, which Katie Martin recognized at once. “Ttis Mary’s, 80 it is,’ she cried, as she snatched it from the boy’s hand, “Yes, That—shows—she—has—been—here,”’ an- swered Boggs. *‘Come—on!” 3 He evinced aS much excitement as his face ever showed as he led the way up the cellar steps and into the street again, where the driver stilt sat in the doorway of his carriage, with his feet on the curbstone, a8 cool and comfortable as if he had been at his own fireside, * Jump—in!”” commanded Boggs, who had now taken charge of the expedition entirely, Tim and Katie obeyed, and the boy, mounting to his old seat, signed to the driver to turn into Broad- yay = drive up-town ag fast as his horses could ravel, The rumble of the wheels had hardly died away when the iron cellar door was cautiously lifted a few inches, and the Jarge, red face of Mother Collins ap- peared in the opening, with a malevolent grin con- torting the features and rendering it almost like that of a devil incarnate. **So, so, my young man, yer thought yer could ketch me, did yer? I wish Thad done what I had a mind ter do when I put. the sponge ter yer nose— shut yer wind off altogether, it would hev been a great deal more satisfactory. But I wuz allers soft-hearted, more’s the pity! I never do what I should, in justice to myself, or I'd be better off now!” She closed the iron cellar door as she thus mutter- ed to herself, bolting it carefully ere she descended the steps and made her way along the dark hall to the kitthen, ; ‘Now, yer hussy! I'll keep yer now till ye’r’ paid for. Don't yer make no mistake!” she exclaimed, as she went to a certain spot near the stove, and pushed back a panel in the wainscoting. No one could have detected the presence of a door at this place without previous knowledge, especiall when such an arrangement was not suspected, as it certainly was not by Boggs and the Martins. A little closet was revealed by the removal of the sliding-door, in which there was room for not more than three or four. people. “Come out er that, d’ye hear?’ snapped Mother Collins. She did not wait for her behest to be obeyed. She thrust her hand into the darkness of the closet, and pulled Marion Ward into the kitchen with such force that she threw her to the floor. * Git up!” she yelled. “None 0’ yershamming, pretendin’ ye’r’ sick, I know bi tter.’ The girl lay on the floor and moaned. “Git up, I tell yer!” She seized Marion by the wrist, and shook her so violently that her hair fell about her face in a golden shower as she sunk panting upon a chair. Mother Collins looked at her contemptuously, and then stalked up and down thekitchen, as she mut- tered to herself: ‘Suppose there’ll be trouble when Red Gabe finds out she’s gone. Maybe I ought t. r take her back ter ther crib up ther river. ButI dunno. So long ez Gabe gits ther money I don’t keer. Ill make him give me my share afore I tell him whar she is. Maybe it’s better ezitis. Ef it wuzn’t fer me she’d be gone, anyhow. In the mean time, I'll get even with her fer ther trouble she’s give me.” She went toa corner of the kitchen and took from it a flexible ratan, such as a pedagogue of the old school would have delightéd to use upon his pupils. “Now, my lady, look out!’’ she hissed, as she swung the cane over her head with a cruel swish, ** What are you going to do—not whip me?” cried the girl, in an agony of terror. “Phat’s just what I’m er-goin’ ter do, an’ don’t you forget it ! was the vicious reply. Mother Collins was in earnest. She raised therat- an and brought it down with all her force, It struck the chair in which the girl was sitting, nar- rowly missing her shoulder, at which it wasaimed, “Cuss yer, I'll do it this time!” Again the ratan whirled above her head, Marion involuntarily bowed her head to receive the blow, when there was a sudden bustle behind the old woman, a crash, and Mothér Collins was pros- trate on the floor, while Boggs, with his fist clinched, Ma erat his knuckles and wiping off the blood. “T—hit—her—in—the—teeth!” he exclaimed, ag Katie Martin threw her arms around the girl’s neck, and tcld her husband net to speak to her for five minutes, ‘*Oh, Katie!” “Oh, Mary!” * Oh—my—knuckies!”’ muttered Boggs, CHAPTER XIV. RED GABE’S LAST CARD. Wuen Vandecker Ward found himself on the boat with the cowboy, who had been revealed by Dan Manly to be no other than Red Gabe, his first im- pulse was to fly’at the throat of the tough. An uety looking revolver in Gabe’s breast, while he rowed rapidly toward the shore, showed the banker that resistance just then was hopeless. The tough had stuck the revolver in the front of his shirt, with the butt ready to his hand, and seiz- ing both oars, sent the boat spinning toward the shore, keeping his eyes open not only for any_bel- ligerent movement on the part of Vandecker Ward, but for the appearance of Double-Curve Dan, who had disappeared in the darkness when the boats parted San 5 “Til hev ter burry afore thet durned cuss ketcheg on,” muttered Gabe, inaudibly. ‘Once git thig hyar rooster inter ther house an’ I don’t care. Git out now!’’ he added aloud to Mr. Ward, as the boat ran up on the sludgy bank. The oars had been dropped and the pistol wag inted straight at the banker’s head. “ffands up! None o’ yer fooling!” went on the tough. “T ain’t takin’ no chances on yer, an’ ef re hev ther money in yer clothes, ez yer said yer nev, I'd jist ez soon hev yer dead ez alive, An’] mean what I say.” The banker felt his choler rising, but he did not reply. He only obeyed. As he atepped out of the boat iuto the mud, Gabe arose and followed him, with his pistol still ready for prone action, A low whistle from the tough stooping figure down the bank out of the darkness, The figure was wrap in a long army ove several sizes too large, and a soft felf hat was slouched over its face, but Mr. Ward recognized it at once as that of Sol Nugent, in spite of the dis- se. ‘ “Take him ter ther crib, Walk by the side uy 72 ——— EE ee ee orought a small, -
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him. I'll follow. Ef he tries any monkey bizness, blow his brains out.” Sol only nodded as he drew a formidable six- shooter from a pocket of his overcoat. He seemed to labor under the delusion that no one could pene- trate his disguise unless he spoke. A few steps brought them to the old frame house near the railroad, to which the reader has already been introduced, and which presented about the same appearance inside as it did when they took Boggs and Marion both as prisoners. ‘Shut ther door, Sol,” commanded Red Gaba, as soon as they were inside, as if he did not care to keep up the fiction of the old man being some one f else any longer. The outar door was locked and bolted, and the tough motioned to Mr. Ward to sit upon the stool that had erstwhile been occupied by Montgomery Boggs. “Go through him for weapons, Sol.” In spite.of the banker’s indignant protestations, Sol took from his prisoner’s pockets a pistol—the only weapon he had—and a well-filled pocketbook, at sight of which the eyes of the two ruffians } glistened with cupidity. i “Now we air all comfortable, like, and we kin git down ter bizness,’’ observed Gabe. ‘ But, 1 guess we'll go to the other room, whar we will be quiet an’ sort 0’ private. What d’ye say, Mr, Ward?’ Now, getting matters arranged in his own way, Gabe was disposed to be jocular in his heavy style and he grinned at the banker with a screwing up of . his mean little eyes that made that gentleman long TS to knock his brains out. “IT do not care where we go. j child.” ~ “*Zackly. paid fer her.” “Where is she?”’ he “Oh, she’s all right,” was the evasive reply. ** Sol, you bring that gun. I'll carry ther pocket- book.’ , As the three walked into the combine of kitchen and bedroom, the door of which was immediately closed and secured by the obsequious Sol, Mr, Ward looked anxiously about for Marion, but, it is need- less to say, in vain, He was given a chair at a large round table, upon which Gabe placed the pocketbook, while both he and his partner held their cocked revolvers ready for action in case of a belligerent movement on the part of the man they intended to rob. “Now, see hyar, Mr. Ward! We want the money you promised to give us for your daughter,” com- menced Gabe. “Promised you? Why, you told me that night at the gardens of High Bridge, that you were oxly the agent of the reat abductor of my daughter.” Gabe frowned. “Thet wuz a little perlite fiction. Iam ther man ez hez got yer daughter, an’ it is ter me that yer must pay ther money,” ; Ae ha fl . : ; “Wal! What d’ye keep on saying ‘Wal’ for? Whar's ther money?” ~ yng ‘You have the pocketbook there,”’ “Ther pocket-book?' Yer don’t mean ter say ez all the sum is in thet?” *““Why not? Coupon bonds, payable to bearer, can be put in a very small space,” - Tene so. Let’s meee : e tough tore open the pocket-book, and as his eye caught the figures, ‘* $50,000” on the engrossed aper, With its green trimmings, he chuckled in a ghly satisfied way. He opened out the bonds, counted them to make sure that there were fifty of b them, and then folding them up, replaced them in \ the pocketbook, and put the pocketbook itself into his pocket. es Sol Nugent watched the proceeding with a rather a long face, and the banker calmly waited for the Ae next move, 7 Now, Mr. Ward, that you've paid over ther money,” resumed Gabe, ** 1—” “will give me a receipt, I suppose,”’ suggested Mr. Ward, fisishing the sentence for him. “Ther best receipt I kin give yer will be yer 4 daughter, won't it?” Pe “Yes, yes,”’ eagerly. “Ah! Well! Wait a few minutes while I decide f ez ter ther way I'll do it.” The banker was Sitting with his face toward the door communicating with the outer room, Gabe ‘ and Nugent being unable to gee it from their posi- be tions. ; Be At about the time the tough wag counting the e, Government bonds, the banker thought he saw the : door move slightly. He kept on talking to Gabe a. could, but his eyes were fixed on Yes, surely, the door was slow] The tough was busy counting All I want is my An’ you shall hev her, when yer hey as carelessly as he the door. Y Opening! the bonds, and Sol mt Nugent was watching the operation with the deepest 4 interest, 5 Wider and wider opened the door, and just as the Vi tough requested Mr. Ward to wait a few moments, there was a bang, and Double-Curve Dan with one Sweep of his right arm, had sent Nugent to the floor andturned to attack Gabe. The banker, who was prepared for the onslaught ie & the detective, threw himself upon Sol and tried » © hold him back from helping the tough, but, old S man as he was, Sol was both sinewy and active, Partly by accident, assisted by his knowledge of m hak restling, he managed to overturn the banker, and On his chest, thrust the muzzle of his re. t ye oy as face, with the remark a ie [ e' + . . ‘ p ins cade » Mein tear, or I wi ow your In the mean time Double-Curve Dan and Gabe The Pitcher Detective’s Toughest Tussle. 15 ! } were locked in each other’s arms, both held too closely to admit of a weapon being used. | ‘*It’s no use, Gabe. The game’s up,” said the |; detective, breathlessly, as they stopped tugging at | each other for a moment to gather strength for a renewal of the struggle. ‘73 it? Cuss yer! Not yet! Ive hed it in fer you fera long time. An’ when you pitched thet game ther other day that settled it, So now, look out!’ With a tremendous effort the tough slowly forced Double-Curve Dan back upon the table, holding him | in a grasp of iron. ‘What are you going to do?’ asked the detective, although as he looked into the relentless, shifty little eyes of his adversary, he knew that the ques- tion was superfluous. “I’m er goin’ ter kill yer, goin’ ter do.” He drew a bowie-knife that he had secured from Sol after his own had been thrown over the preci- pice at the gardens, and amused himself by pricking rhe detective’s cheek slightly, so as to draw blood. There seemed no bounds to his greedy, murderous hate, “ Afore I finish yer, Double-Curve Dan, I want ter tell you and that feller over thar who owns a bank but can’t find his daughter, that I don’t know whar she is, an’ that he just throwed his money away on me, I believe she’s drowned.” An awful cry from the banker proved that the shot had told, and the tough grinned in intense en- joyment of the agony he had caused. Then, taking a firmer hold on Dan, he would doubtless have carried out his expressed intention of stabbing him to the heart but for one circum- stance. This circumstance was nothing Jess than the tough being seized by two pairs of strong hands and Thet’s what I’m er thrown upon the floor so suddenly that he had not time even to swear. In an instant Double-Curve Dan had snatched the knife, and, stooping over him, had deftly snap- ped a pair of bright steel handcuffs upon his wrists. *“*T ought to have done this long ago, and would had I known as muchahout you as I do now,” ob- served the detective coolly, “Oh, mein tear! Don’d be so rough with me, I’m a poor old man. It was not my fault—not my fault,”’ ‘Oh, bedad, yez are a bad wan, so yezare. Oi'll kill yez!" Katie Martin was alternately shaking Sol Nugent and striking him upon the head with the butt of his revolver that she had secured as she spruug upon him, while her husband and Montgomery Boggs were giving their attention to Gabe, It was several minutes before Mr. Ward could realize that a rescue had taken place, and he does not understand to this day exactly how it all was. But as he thanked Boggs and the Martins, one after the other, his eyes wandered anxiously and sorrow- fully about the room. Faix, “My daughter—my Marion! Does not any one know where she is?” He saw, as through a mist, Katie Martin look to- ward the door, and Montgomery Boggs widening in one of his awe-inspiring grins, Then there was a lad cry from somewhere, and Marion was locked in ber father’s arms. ** Father!” ‘*My child!’ It is unnecessary to explain just how the Martins, Boggs, and Marion happened to be in the old boat- house at such an opportune moment. The preced- ing events led up to it, and the outcome was what might have been expected. Matton and her father are still living in the house at West Twentieth street, and Dan Manly is a con- stant visitor there, What the attraction is is not for us to say, but certain it is that Marion’s cheek flushes and her eye seems to grow brighter when the handsome young man comes, and the house- maid gives it as her opinion that ‘“‘ them twois al- most steady company now,” whatever that may mean, Red Gabe, Sol Nugent and Mother Collins are all rusticating in Sing Sing Prison. It was proved by Dan Manly that they were all members of an organ- ized gang of thieves and blackmailers that the police had long been trying to unearth, so their sen- tences to the Penitentiary are for good long terms, giving them plenty of time for reflection, and, let us my, repentance. _ tim and Katie Martin are doing a good business in odd musical instruments at their old stand on Myrtle avenue, Brooklyn, and Montgomery Boggs, with his wages raised materially, works hard every day, and is higher in the favor of his employers than ever, All three go over to see Mr. Ward and his daughter occasionally; while, as for Double- Curve Dan, he is very often in the little store tallk- ing music and base-ball with Tim, the two being the closest friends, and always finding a subject for amusement in the extraordinary suspicions enter- tained of the young man by Tim aud Marion in the long ago, There is anew pitcher, who made a sensation at the ball-grounds in Brook'yn a few weeks ago by his extraordinarily effective delivery, which com- prised a double curve, that experts say was never seen before, save from the hands of one man. Montgomery Boggs is the new pi'cher, and he only chuckles when he hears the comments upon his laying, but it is pretty generally understood that he Ioarned the trick from that phenomenal pitcher known to the whole base-ball world by the sobri- quet of Double-Curve Dan. THE END. Beatlle's Half-Dime Library. BY GEORGE ©, JENKS, 485 Git Thar Owney the Unknown. 492 Git Thar Owney’s Pledge, 518 The Demon Doctor. 581 Double-Curve Dan, the Pitcher Detective. 59S Flute, the Singer Detective, 608 The Pitcher Detective’s Fotl; or, Dan’s Double Play. 616 The Ocean Detective; or, The Last Cruise of the Black Bear, BY CAPT. ALFRED B. TAYLOR UT. 8. A, 191 Buffalo Billy, the Boy Bullwhacker. 194 Buffalo BILl’s Bet; or, The Gambler Guide, BY CHARLES E. LASALLE, 50 Burt Bunker, the Trapper. 52 The White Buffalo. A Tale of the Northwest BY JOIN J. MARSHALL. 40 Roving Ben. A Story of a Young American, 97 The Outlaw Brothers; or, The Captive of the Harpes. BY WM. G PATTEN. 489 The Diamond Sport; or, The Double Face of Bed Rock 519 Captain Mystery ; or, Five in One, 581 Daley Pare the Sport from Denver. 587 Old Bombshell, the Ranger Detective. 604 Iron Fern, the Man of Fire. 619 The Boy Tramp Detective; or, The Doubie Grip Witness 629 Violet Vane, the Velvet Spor. 641 Dismal Dave’s« Dandy Vard. 651 Bound Boy Frank, the Young Amateur Detective, 66% Violet Vane’s Victory. BY CAPTAIN FRED, WHITTAKER. 15 The Sea-Cat; or, The Witch of Darien. 29 The Dumb Page; or, The Doge’s Daughter. 48 Dick Darling, the Pony Express Rider. 150 Lance and Lasso; or, The Children of the Chaco. 154 The Sword Hunters; or, The Land of the Elephant Riders, 159 The Lost Captain; or, Skipper Jabez Coffin’s Cruise. 200 The Boy Bedouins}; or, The Brothers of the Plumed Lance, 214 Wolfgang, the Robber of the Rhine, 249 Milo Romer, the Animal King; or, Round the World, 265 The Tiger Tamer; or, The League of the Jungle. 881 Black Nick, the Demon Rider. 895 California Joe’s War Trail. BY J. W. OSBON,. 469 The Rival Glants« of Nowhar’. 498 Cactus Burr, the Man from Hard Luck, 587 Old Buckeye, tho Sierra Shadow. 564 Powder Phil, the Boy Miner. 609 Bolly Dorrit, the Veteran Detective. 620 Little Lightning’s League; or, The Mystery of the Island, 688 Plucky Paul, the Boy Prospector, BY WILLIAM hk, EYSTER 190 Dandy Darke; or, The Tigers of High Pine. 210 Faro Frank}; or, Dandy Darke’s Go-Down Pard4 BY COLONEL DELLE SARA, 108 The Lion of the Seay or, The Vailed Lady. 186 Cool Desmond; or, The Gambler’s Big Game, BY JAMES L. BOWEN 107 One-Eyed Sim; or, The Abandoned Forest Home, 110 The Black Steed of the Prairies, A Story of Texas. BY ©. DUNNING CLARKE, 185 Captain Paul; or, The Boy Spy of the Mountains. 280 The Yankee Rajahy or, The Fate of the Black Shereef. MISCELLANEOUS AUTHORS, 4 The Wild-Horse Munters. By Capt, Mayne Reid and Frederick Whittaker. 9 Adventures of Baron Munchausen, 12 Gulliver’s Travels. By Dean Swift. 14 Aladdin; or, The Wonderful Lamp. 16 Robinson Crusoe, (27 I! lustrations.) 18 Sindbad the Sailor. His Seven Voyages. 22 Efe Sea Serpent; or, The Boy Robinson Crusoe. By Juan ewis. 88 The Ocean Bloodhound; or, The Red Pirates of the Carribees. By 8S, W. Pierce. 86 The Boy Clown; or, The Arena Queen. By F S. Finn. 88S Ned Wylde, the Boy Scout. By Texas Jack. 61 The Boy Rifles; or, The Underground Camp. By A: C. Irons, 95 The Rival Rovers; or, The Freebooters of the Mississippi. By Lieut.-Col, Hazeltine. 98 Robin Hood, the Outlawed Earl; or, The Merry Men of Green- wood. By Prof. Gildersleeve. 105 Old Rube, the Hunter; or, The Crow Captive. By Captain Hamilton Holmes. 112 The Mad Munters or, TheCave of Death. By Burton Saxe. 124 Tippy, the Texan; or, The Young Champion. By George Glerson. 128 The Young Privateer; or, The Pirate’s Stronghold. By Harry Cavendish. 148 Sharp Sam; or, The Adventures of a Friendless Boy. By J, Alexander Patten. 227 Dusky Darrell, Trapper; or, The Green Ranger of the Yel- lowstone. By Edward Emerson. 261 Fergus Fearnaught the New York Boy. By G. L. Atken, 266 Killb’ar, the Guide; or, Davy Crockett’s Crooked Trail, By Ensign C. D. Warren, 298 Red Claw, the One-Eyed Trapper; or, The Maid of the Clif, By Captain Comstock. 817 Peacock Pete, the Lively Lad from Leadville. By Lieu- tenant Alfred Thorne. ; 828 The Sky Detectives or, A Boy’s Fight for Life and Honor By Maior Mickey Free. 850 Red Ralph, the River Rover; or, The Brother’s Re- venge. By Ned Buntline. 865 Baltimore Ben the Bootblack Detective. By A, P, Morris. 874 Gold-Dust Tom; or, Ben’s Double Match, By @. H. Morse, B76 California Joe’s First Trail, By Colonel Thomas Hoyer Monastery. 418 Billy Bombshell, the Cliff Climber. By F. 8. Winthrop, 475 The Black ng By John 8 Warner, 484 Comanche Dick and His Three Invincibles, By Henry J. Thomas, 828 Wizard-Arm, the Dandy Sport, By Arthur F. Holt, 582 The Cowboy Duke, By Edwin Brooke Forrest. 552 Ariel the Athlete, By David Druid. 585 Will Waters, the Boy Ferret. By H. Enton. 682 The Dead Detective’s Double. By Gerald Carlton A New Issue Every Tuesday. The Half-Dime Library 1s for sale by al! newsdealers, five canta per copy, or sent by mail on receipt of alx cents each. BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, 98 William Street, New York,
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- BEADLE'S«H ALF- DIME* [ IBRARY. Published Every Tuesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents. No Double Numbers. BY EDWARD L. WHEELER. Deadwood Dick Novels. 1 Deatwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. 20 Deadwood Dick’s Defiance; or, Double Daggers. 28 Deadwood Dick in ia ra or, Buffalo Ben 85 Wild Ivan, the Boy Claude Duval. 42 Deadwood Dick’s Bonanza; or, The Phantom Miner. 49 Deadwood Dick in Danger; or, Omaha Oll. 57 Deadwood Dick’s Eagles; or, The Pards ot Flood Bar, 78 Deadwood Dick on Deck; or, Calamity Jane, the Heroine 7 Deadwood Dick’s Last Act; or, Corduroy Charlie. 100 Deadwood Dick In Leadville. 104 Deadwood Dick’s Device; or, The Double Cross Sign. 109 Deadwood Dick as Detective. 129 Deadwood Dick's Double; or, The Gorgon’s Gulch Ghost. 188 Deadwood Dick’s Home Base; or, Blonde Bill. 149 Deadwood Dick’s Big Strike; or, A Game of Gold. 166 Deadwood Dick of Deadwood; or, The Picked Party. 195 Deadwood Dick’s Dream; or, The Riv. Js of the Road. 201 Deadwood Dick’s Ward; or, The Black Hill’s Jezebel 205 Deadwood Dick’s Doom; or, Calamity Jane’s Adventure, 217 Captain Crack-Shot, the Girl Brigand, 221 Sugar-Coated Sam; or, The Black Gown. 282 Gold-Dust Dick. A Romance of Roughs and Toughs, 268 Deadwood Dick’s Divide; or, The Spir.t of Swamp Lake, 268 Deadwood Dick’s Death Trail 809 Deadwood Dick’s Deal; or, The Gold Brick of Oregon, 821 Deadwood Dick’s Dozen; or, The Fakir of Phantom Flats. 847 Deadwood Dick’s Ducats; or, Rainy Days in the Dig- gings. 851 Deadwood Dick Sentenced; or, The Terrible Vendetta. 862 Deadwood Dick’s Claim. 405 Deadwood Dick in Dead City. 410 Deadwood Dick’s Diamonds, 421 Deadwood Dick In New York; or, A “Cute Care.” 480 Deadwood Dick’s Dust; or, The Chained Hand. 448 Deadwood Dick, Jr. 448 Deadwood Dick, Jr’s. Defiance; or, Nickel-Plate Ned. 458 Deadwood Dick, Jr’s. Full Hand, 459 Deadwood Dick, Jr's. Big Round-Up. 465 Deadwood Dick, Jr’s. Racket at Claim 10. 471 Deadwood Dick, dr’s. Corral; or, Bozeman Bill. 476 Deadwood Dick, Jr’s. Dog Detective. 481 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Deadw ood; or, Moll Mystery, 491 Deadwood Dick, Jr’s. Compact 496 Deadwood Dick, Jr’s. Inheritance. 500 Deadwood Dick's Digging or, Dr, Death-Grip’s Swoop. 508 Deadwood Dick’s Deliverance. 515 Deadwood Dick’s Protegee. 522 Deadwood Dick’s Three. 529 Deadwood Dick’s Danger Ducka, 56834 Deadwood Dick’s Death Hunt, 589 Deadwood Dick Jr. in Texas. 544 Deadwood Dick, Jr. the Wild West Vidocq, 549 Deadwood Dick on His Mettle. 554 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Gotham, 561 Deadwood Dick in Boston. 567 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Philadciphia, 572 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Chicago. 578 Deadwood Dick, Jr. Afloat. 5S4 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Denver. 590 Deadwood Dick, Jr’s. Decree, 595 Deadwood Dick Jr. in Beelzebub’s Basin. 600 Deadwood Dick Jr. at Coney Island. 606 Deadwood Dick Jr’s Leadville Lay. 612 Deadwood Dick Jr. in Detroit. 618 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Cincinuattl. 624 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Nevada, 680 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in No Man’s Land. 686 Deadwood Dick, Jr. After the Queer. 642 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Buffalo. 648 Deadwood Dick, Jr’s. Chase Across the Continent. 654 Deadwood Dick, Jr. Among the Smugglers. 660 Deadwood Dick, Jr’s, Insurnnce Case, 666 Deadwood Dick, Jr. Back in the Mines, 672 Deadwood Dick, Jr. tn Durango; or, “ Gathered In.” Other Novels by E. L. Wheeler. 26 Cloven Hoof, the Buffalo Demon. 82 Bob Woolf; or, The Girl Dead-Shot, 89 Death-Face, Detective; or, Life in New York. 45 Old Avalanche; or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigand. 58 Jim Bludsoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix. 61 Buckhorn BIL; or, The Red Rifle Team 69 Gold Rifle, the Sharpsiooter; or, The Boy Detective, 80 Rosebud Rob; or, Nogget Ned, the Knight. 84 Idyl, the Girl Mine 88 Puctexraph Phil; or, Rosebud Rol)’s Reappearance, net; 0 88 Boss Bob the King of Bootblacks, 41 Solid Sam, the Boy Road-Agent. 45 Captain Ferret, the New York Detective. 61 New York Nell, the Boy-Girl Detective, 177 Nobby Nick of Nevada; or, The Sierras Scamps, 181 Wild Frank, the Buckskin Bravo. ‘ 209 Fritz, the Bound-Boy Detective. 218 Fritz to the Front; or, The Ventriloquist Hunter, 226 Snoozer, the Boy Sharp; or, The Arab Detective. 286 Apollo BA, the Trail Tornado. 240 Cyclone Kit, the Young Gladiator. 244 Merra Sam, the Frontier Ferret. 248 Sierra Sami’« Secret; or, The Bloody Footprints. 258 Sierra Sam’s Pard; or, The Angel of Big Vista, 258 Sierra Sam’s Seven; or, The Stolen Bride. 278 Jumbo Joe, the Boy Patrol: or, The Rival Heirs, 277 Denver Doll, the Detective Queen. 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. 825 Kelley, Hickey & Co., the Detectives of Philadelphia, B80 Little Quick-Shot; or, The Dead Face of Daggersville. 884 Kangaroo Kit; or, The Mysterious Miuer. 889 Kangaroo Kit’ Racket. 848 Manhattan Mike, the Bowery Blood, 858 First-Class Fred, the Gent from Gopher, 868 Yreka Jim, the Gold-Gatherer; or, The Life Lottery. 872 Yreka Jim’s Prize, 878 Nabob Ned; or, The Secret of Slab City. . 8BS2 Cool Kit, the King of Kids; or, A Villain’s Vengeance, ‘B85 Yreka Jim’s Jokers} or, The Rivals of Red Nose. 889 Bicycle 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, 426 Sam Slabsides, the Beggar-Boy Detective. 484 Jim Beak and Pal, Private Detectives, 488 Santa Fe Sal, the Slasher. 486 Sealskin Sam, the Sparkler, et ee | | BY COLONEL PRENTISS INGRAHAM, 7? The Flying Yankee; or, The Ocean Outcast. 17 Ralph Roy, the Boy Buceancer; or, The Fugitive Yacht. 24 Diamond Dirk; or, The Mystery of the Yellowstone, 62 The Shadow Ship; or, The Rival lieutenants. 75 The Boy Duelist; or, The Cruise of the Sea-Wolf, 102 Dick Dead-Eye, the Boy Smuggier. 111 The Sea-Devil ; or, The Midshipman’s Legacy. 116 The Hussar Captain ; or, The Hermit ot Hell Gate. 197 Little Grit; or, Beasie, the Stock-Tendcr’s Daughter. 204 Gold Plume; or, The Kid-Glove Sport, 216 Bison BIL, the Prince of the Reins. 222 Grit, the Bravo Sport; or, The Woman Trailer. 229 Crimson Kate; or, The Cowboy's Triumph, 287 Lone Star, the Cowboy Captain. 245 Merle, the Middy 3 or, The Freelance Heir. 250 The Midshipman Mutineers or, Brandt, the Buccaneer, 264 The Floating F eather; or, Merle Monte’s Treasure, 269 The Gold Ship; or, Merle, the Condemned, 276 Merle Monte’s Cruise; or, “lhe Gold Ship ” Chase. 280 Merle Monte’s Fate; or, Pearl, the Pirate's Bride, 284 The Sea Marauder; or, Merle Monte’s Pledge. 287 Billy Blue-Eyes, the Boy Rover «f the Rio Grande. 804 The Dead Shot Dandy ; or, Benito, the Boy Bugler, 808 Keno Kit; or, Dead Shot Dandy’s Double. 814 The Mysterious Marauder; or, The Boy Bugler's Trall, 877 Bonodel, the Buoy Rover; or, The Flagless Schooner, 888 The Indian Pilot; or, The Search for Pirate Island, 887 Warpath WIL, the Boy Phantom. 898 Seawalf, the Boy Lieutenant. 402 Isodor, the Young Conapirator; or, The Fatal League, 407 The Boy Insurgent; or The Cuban Vendetta. 412 The Wild Yachtamans or, The War-Clouu’s Cruise, 429 Duncan Dare, the Boy Refugee. 488 A Cabin Boy’s Luck; or, The Corsair. 487 The Sea Raider. 441 The Ocean Firefly ; or, A Middy’s Vengeance. 446 Haphazard vig $ or, The Seapegrace of the Sea. 450 Wizard Will: or, The Boy Ferret of New York. 454 Wizard Will's Street Scouts. 462 The Born Guide; or, The Sailor Boy Wanderer, 468 Neptune Ned, the Boy Coaster. 474 Flora; or, Wizard Will’s Vagabond Pard. 488 Ferrets Affoats or, Wizard Will’s Lasv Case, 487 Nevada Ned, the Revolver Ranger. 495 Arizona Joe the Boy Pard of Texas Jack. 497 Buck Taylor, King of the Cowboys. 508 The Royal Middy: or, The Shark and the Sea Cat. 507 The Hunted Midshipman, 5611 The Outlawed Middy. 520 Buckskin Bill, the Comanche Shadow, 525 Brothers in Buckskin. 580 The Buckskin Bowers, 585 The Buc skin Rovers. 5640 Captain Ku-Klux, the Marauder ot the Ria 5645 Lieutenant Leo, the Son of Lafitte. 550 Lafitte’s Legacy; or. The Avenging Son, 555 The Creole Corsair. 560 Pawnee BIII, the Prairie Shadower. 565 Kent Kingdon, the Card King. 570 Camille, the Card Queen. 575 The Surgeon-Scout Detective. 580 The Outcast Cadet; or, The False Detective. 586 The Buckskin Avenger. 591 Delmonte, the Young Sea Rover. 597 The Young Texan Detective. 602 The Vagabond of the Mines. 607 The Rover Detectives or, Keno Kit’s Champions. 617 Ralph, the Dead-Shot Scout; or, The Rio Raiders. 644 The Hercules Highwaymun. 650 a he Billy, the Pony Rider Detective; or, Buffalo Bill’s Boy Para. 656 Butterfly Biliy’s Man Hunt. 662 Butterfly Billy’s Bonanza. 668 The Buccancer Midshipman. BY BUFFALO BILL (Hen. Wm, F. Cody). 8 Kansas King; or, The Red Right Hand. 19 The Phantom Spy: or, The Pilot of the Prairie. 55 Deadly-Eye, the Unknown Scout. 68 Border Robin Hood} or, The Prairie Rover. 158 Fancy Frank of Colorado; or, The Trapper’s Trust. BY CHARLES MORRIS, 8 Will Somers, the Boy Detective, 2 Phil Hardy, the Boss Boy. 6 Picayune Pete; or, Nicodemus, the Dog Detective. 0 Detective Dick; or, The Hero in Rags. 1 2 2 8 42 Handsome Harry, the Bootblack Detective, AT Will Wildfire, the Thoroughbred. 52 Black Besa, Will Wildfire’s Racer. 57 Mike Merry, the Harbor Police Boy. 62 Will Wildfire in the Woods, 65 Billy Baggage, the Railroad Boy. 70 A Trump Card; or, Will Wildfire Wins and Loses, 74 Bob Rockett; or, Mysteries of New York. 79 Bob Rockett, the Bank Runner, 188 The Hidden Hand; or, Wil! Wildfire’s Revenge, 187 Fred Halyard, the Life Boat Boy; or, The Smugglers, 189 Bob Rockett; or, Driven to the Wall 196 Shadowed; or, Bob Kockett’s Fight for Life. 206 Dark Paul, the Tiger King, 212 Dashing Dave, the Dandy Detective. 220 Tom Tanner; or, The Biack Sheep of the Flock, 225 Sam Charcoal the Preminm Darky. 285 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 Jobs; or, The Young Detective. 298 The Water-Hound; or, The Young Thoroughored, 805 Dashaway, of Dakota; or, A Western Lad in Quaker City. $24 Ralph Ready, the Hotel Boy Detective. 841 Tony Thorne, the Vagabond Detective. 858 The Reporter-Detective ; or, Fred Flyer’s Blizzard, 867 Wide-Awake Joe; or, A Boy of the Times. 879 Larry, the Leveler; or, The Bloods of the Boulevard, 408 Firetly Jack, the River-Rat Detective. 428 The Lost Finger; or, The Entrapped Cashier, 428 Fred Flyer, the Reporter Detective. 482 Invincible Logan, the Pinkerton Ferret. 456 Billy Bricks, the Jolly Vaganond. 466 Wide-Awake Jerry, Detective; or, Entombed Alive, 479 Detective Dodge; or, The Mystery of Frank Hearty, 488 Wild Dick Racket, 601 Boots, the Boy Fireman? or, 700 Sharp for the Sharper 566 The Secret Service Boy Detective, 596 Jimmy the Kid; or, A Lamb Among Wolves. 627 Tem Bruce of Arkansas} or, The Wolfin the Fold. 655 Plucky Paul, the Boy Speculator. 667 Bob and Sam, the Daisy Detectives, te ee 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. @1 Delaware Dick, the Young Renger Spy. ' 74 Hawk-eye Harry the Young Trapper Ranger. 88 Rollo, the Boy Ranger. 184 Sure Shot Seth, the Boy Rifleman. } 148 Sear-Face Raul, the Silent Hunter 146 Silver Star, the Boy 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 ¢ or, The Young Outlaw Hunters, 208 The Boy Hercules: or,'ihe Prairie Tramps. 218 Tiger Tom, the Texas Terror, 224 Dashing Dick; or, Trapper Tom’s Castle. 228 Little Wildfire, the Young Prairie Nomad. 288 The Parson Detective; or, The Little Ranger, 248 The Disguised Guide}; or, Wild Raven, the Range 260 Dare-Devil Dan, the Young Prairie Ranger, 272 Minkskin Mike, the Boy Sharpshooter. 290 Little Foxfire, the Boy Spy. 800 The Sky Demon ; or, Ruinbolt, the Ranger, 884 Whip-King Joe, the Boy Ranchero. 409 Hercules or, Dick, the Boy Ranger. 417 Webfoot Monae, the Tramp Detective. 422 Raby Sam, the Boy Giant of the Yellowstone, 444 Little Buckskin, tne Young Prairie Centaur, 457 Wingedfoot Fred; or, Old Polar Saul. 468 Tamarac ‘Tom, the Big paper Boy. 478 Old Tom Rattler, the Red River Epidemfe, 482 &tonewall Bob, the Boy Trojan. 562 Blundering Basil, the Hermit Boy Trapper. Don Barr, the Plains Freelance. : 661 Old Kit Bandy’s Deliverance. 670 Norway Nels, the Big Boy Mountaineer. BY T. C. HARBAUGH, 28 Nick o’ the Night}; or, The Boy Spy of ’76. 87 The Hidden Lodge; or. The Littl Hunter. A7 Nightingale wats or, Tne Forest Captains, 64 Dandy Sack} or, The Outlaws of the Oregon 82 Kit Harefoot the Wood-Hawk. 94 Midnight Jack ; or, The Boy Trapper. 106 Old Froaty, the Guide; or, The White Queen, / 128 Kiowa Charley the White Mustanger. 189 Judge Lynch, Jr.t or, The Buy Vigiiante, 155 Gol Trig er, the 4 2 rt; or, 1 he Girl Avenger, 169 Tornado Tom; or, [njun Jack From Red Core, ; 188 Ned Temple, the Border Boy. ’ ; 198 Arkanaaw 3 or, The Queen of Fate’s Revenges 207 Navajo Nick, the Boy Gold Hunter. | 215 Captain Bullet ¢ or, Little Tonknot’s Crusade, 231 Plucky Phils or. Rosa, the Re Jezebel. 241 Bill Bravo; or, The Roughs of the Rockies, 255 Captain Apollo, we King-Pin of Bowie. The Br ckekin Detective, 279 Old Winch or, The Buckskin Desperadoes. 294 Dynamite Dan; or, The Bowie Blade of Gochetopa. 802 The Mountain Detective; or, The Trigger Bar Bully. 816 Old Eclipse, Trump Card of Arizona, 826 The Ten Pard«; or, The Terror ot Take-Notice 886 Big Benson; or, The Queen of the La-so, 845 Pitiless Matt; or, Red Thunderbolt’s Secret. 856 Cool Sam und Par; or The Terrible Six, 866 Velvet Foot, the Indian Detective, B86 Captain Cutiase ¢ or, The Brccaneer’s Girl Foe, 896 Rough Rob; or, The !win Champions of Blae Blazes. 411 The Ailken Lasso; or, The Rose of Ranch Robin. 418 Felix Fox, the Boy Spotter. 425 Texas Trump. the Border Rattler, 486 Phil Flash, the New York Fox. 445 The City Vampires; or, Red Rolfe’s Pigeon. 461 One Against Fifty; or, The Last Man of Keno Bar, 470 The Roy Shadow; or, Felix Fox’s Hunt. 7 The Exceisior Sport; or, The Washington Spotter, 499 Single Sight, the One-Eyed Sport. 502 Branded Ben, the Night ferret. 512 Dodger Dick, the Wharf-Spy Detective. 521 Dodger Dick’s Best Dodge. 528 Fox and Falcom me po yada BSS Dodger Dick, the Dock Ferret. 548 Dedcer Dick’s« Double}; or, The Riyal Boy Detectives, 558 Dodger Dick’s Desperate Case. 68 Dodger Dick. the Boy Vidoeq. 578 The Two Shadows. BS2 Dodger Dick’s Drop. 594 Little Lon, the Street-Singer Detective, 610 Old Skinner, the Gold Shark; or, Tony Sherp on Guard. 626 The Champion Parda, 687 Dick Doan, the Dock Boy Detective. 645 Kit, the Pavement Sharp. 658 Billy Bantam, the Boy Beagle. ; 671 Jersey Jed, the Boy Hustler; or, Shadowing the Shadower. LATEST AND NEW ISSUES. 678 Ralph Renwood, the Lightning Express Detective, By A. F. Holt. 674 The Wizard Sailors or, Red Ralph, the Rover. By Col, Prentiss Ingraham, 675 Broadway Billy’s Best; Beating San Francisco’ Finest. By J. C., Cowdrick. 676 Signal Sam, the Lookout Séout; or, The Tussle at the Big Bonanza. By Lieut. A. K. Sims 677 Chineapin Dan’s Second Trail; or, The Baffled Black Hawk's Fate. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr. 678 Deadwood Dick, Jr’#-» Discovery; or, Found a Fortune, By Edward L, Wheeler. 679 The Sea Shadowers °, The Freebcoter’s Legacy. By Col. Prentiss Ingrabam. P \ 680 Pauntlea« Dan, the Freelance; or, Old Kit Bandy in Arcadia, By O}] Coom. 8+ a ‘ Piteher Detective’s Toughest ussets or, one Fae Curve Dan’s Dead Ball, By George C- onks. 682 Wild Vulcan, the Lone-Ranger Rider. By Wm. G. Patten, ~ ‘Ready August 19. 688 Saltpeter Sol, the New York Navigator; oF, The Unseen Enemy- By Jo Pierce. Ready August 26. ei 684 Deadwood Dick 6 Dazzle; or, The Nemesis of Nutineg sae yy Ss tawand L: Wheeler. Ready Sept. 2, 685 Happy H the Boy-Musician Detective; or, Breaking the Eureka wake, Web. My 7. C. Harbaugh. Ready September 9. A New Issue Every Tuesday. The Half- Dime Library !s for ssle by all newadealers, five cents per copy, or sent by mail on receipt of #1x cents each. BEADLE AND ADAME, Publishers, 98 William Street, New York,