Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 689) (1890 10 07)
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JR J v aera * at al a ea. — A fl lS October 7, 1890, (gl id i Om Entered at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., at Second Class Mail Rates. Copyright 1890, by BEADLE AND ADAMS, ' : $2.50 PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE AND ADAMS. Price, No. 639. a Year. No. 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK. 5 Cents. Vol. XXVIL, th \ \ : \a-¥ 7 Soe) “i | l \ i ‘ih BEE atl (\" >») / mt ac. x. § Se y aN | \ lit i) | | | | J Mm | it wl Hi | hi | / | : il | A HITT WH WAH cs MNTIII fl ml HI Ap THIF ( ( ts —— \H} » SSN SSS \\ ue f _—— NK = I) \ PAW — = HL ! : : i IIT oie ie ii iH Hin TH) fll WORKING OUT THE MYSTERY OF TWO LIVES. A Story of Signal Sam's Protege. BY LIBUTENANT A. K, SIMS, AUTHOR OF ‘“* WARBLING WILLIAM,” ‘ JOLLY JEREMIAH,” ‘‘ COWBOY GID,” ‘‘ BILDAD BARNACLE,” THE ‘‘ TEXAS TOM- CAT” NOVELS, ETC,,, ETO. CHAPTER I. IN THE GYPSY CAMP. “ A BRIGHT night, Billy! So bright it makes me narvous!” a] a a It was a girl, or rather young woman, who THERE WAS A FEARFUL CRASH AND A SHIVERING OF GLASS, AS THE ROOF-SPY PLUNGED spoke, and she drew in her breath with a gasp- BODILY THROUGH INTO THE CRACKSMAN’S DEN, ing sound as the turned her black eyes toward
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— —_— limbed creature, with a savage beauty that was in keeping witb ber surroundings, Her companion was of altogether a different type. He was only a boy, apparently, though the serious cast of his features belied bis seem- ing youth His garments were of a somewhat fantastic pattern, for he wore a peaked cap, and a cloak, scarlet in color and medizeval in cut. In stature he was a dwarf,” and was known as Baldor, the Pigmy. ‘** What do you mean, Nell?’ he asked, eye- ing her sharply. ‘* Why should the night make you nervous?” : **Oh, you can’t understand it, I s’pose, seeing that you’re on’y part Romany, if you’re Romany at all!” with a shrug of her graceful shoulders, * This kind of a night makes me wild, _ If Icould jist fly off with the wind and wander the world over, without once stoppin’, I think I’d be bap- ier. e There was enough in her life and surroundings to make her wish to fly from them, but Billy knew it was not these with which she was dis- satisfied. It was only the roving, Romany in- stinct bubbling and seething in her vagabond blood, that glorious night, Beyond them lay the ragged outlines of a great city—one of those marvelous western cities that eaccitaay spring up, like Jonah’s gourd, inanight. Thelight from its gas and electric lamps, and its red-throated furnaces, filled the heavens above with an unearthly glare, But this kot and garish glow could not quench the brilliancy of the stars; nor could the city odors quite steal the cool sweetness from the kissing wind. Like a hungry outcast longing to be near com- forts that were denied, the Gypsy camp had crept close to the city limits, and was hugging the filthy alleys of the poorer quarter. It was not an extensive camp. There were only three or four shabby tents, and some half-dozen de- oo wagons with dirty canvas stretched over thein. Near one of the latter were the speakers:— Billy Baldor squatted on an upturned bucket, and the girl erect, with brown face sky ward, Not far away was a camp-fire, over which an old weman was bending; and scattered about was the usual complement of shiftless men, romping children, and mangy dogs, “1 feel that way, sometimes, when things don’t go right,” and Billy removed his cap and thoughtfully contemplated its peaked point, **So, I think I understand you, Nell. As to whether I’m Romany or not, [ wish to goodness Iknew! It wouldn’t dome any good, probably, but there’s some satisfaction in just knowing for certain who and whatI am. I’m just a floating chip, blown about by every wind, with neither starting point nor destination,” Her companion’s words and tone were entire- ly too thoughtful and serious for the mercurial -ypsy girl, and she showed her displeasure by a os of her head and a shake of her midnight air. Then the talk turned toward the city, and for an hour they discussed the dwellers and toilers of the heated streets and stifling houses, ‘¢ Ah, there comes Pepper Smith!” Nell stopped short in a bitter diatribe against the wealty denizens of the trading marks, and ointed a brown finger toward the nearest al- Ye ‘* As he is coming ’pecially to see you, havin’ .heard of your wonderful powers, Fd better ——-_ make myself scarce!” There was indescribable irony thrown into the word “‘ wonderful,” and it was thus plain that the girl placed scant reliance on the fortune- telling powers usually attributed to her people, for Billy, since joining the band, had become noted for bis forecasts, ‘‘Leave bim to me,” said the boy. ‘I'll tell him things he never dreamed of.” The camp had “quieted some time before. Many of the Gypsies had wandered away to the town and the others had retired for the night. So that, when the girl had lightly withdrawn, except for the prowling and sniffing dogs, Billy seemed the only occupant. ° The individual called by the girl Pepper Smith came from the alley with a shuffling tread, and many wary glances about to see that his move- ments were not noted, There was little that was attractive about him, when viewed from a distance, and when he came closer that little be- came less, He was past fifty, with a shaggy head and brutal brows, and shoulders that seemed to be * Those who have read “ Signal Sam, the Lookout cout,” will readily remember the Pigmy. iy Billy, the Gypsy Spy. the scintillant stars—a brown-faced, round- rounded and stooped from bis constant crouch- ing attitude. His face was liberally sprinkled with gunpowder marks, a fact which accounted for his title of ‘*‘ Pepper.” The Pigmy had never seen him before, though ho had had many accounts and descriptions of him from the girl, and he therefore surveyed him narrowly as he advanced. Pepper was well known to the Gypsies of this particular band; and for many reasons, as will appear in the progress of this story. ‘“Evenin’!” he accosted, pulling at his hat as he came within speaking distance. ‘* You’re Billy Baldor, | take it. The ole man said you’d ‘be waitin’ fer me.” ‘‘-Yes; and youre Pepper Smith.” The fellow started. “That ain’t part of the fortune-tellin’, now, I reckon? Shucks, no!. Greg’s tole you all about me, He plucked a splinter from the wagon-box and nervously chewed it, as he glanced furtively about the tents. ‘* He isn’t here.” ‘“Who ain’t hyer?’ and again the rascal started. “Why, Greg! about. You forget I’m a fortune-teller, back here, where we can’t be seen.” The proposition appeared to give Pepper a feeling of greater security, and he quietly fol- lowed Baldor to the rear of the wagon, where a temporary shelter had been constructed of can- vas and poles, ‘Yes, ’ve been waiting for you,” remarked Baldor, lighting a small hand-lamp. ‘I knew you'd come to-night.” “Greg tole you that!” Pepper asserted, eying the lamp uneasily. ‘* What’s the use o’ that thing?” “The lamp? Ob, you needn’t be afraid; no one can see through this canvas.” ‘“ Whosaid anything bout bein’ afraid? ’Tain’t that! I don’t keer ’bout everbody knowin’ I come down hyer.to git my fortune told. Specially the boys!” : He stopped with a jerk, as if suddenly realiz- ing he was speaking of things that might not be uttered. “A dollar!” demanded the boy, throwing +ack his scarlet cloak and extending a hand for the coin, ‘I can’t work ‘without pay, you know. You don’t, I’m sure; and nobody does.” “There it is,” drawing a silver piece from his pocket, ‘That ought to pay for a good for- tune, ’m thinkin’!” “ We'll see about that as we go along,” the Pigmy returned. ‘I don’t make the fortunes, you understand; I only tell what is going to happen. It may be good or bad; but for that l’m not responsible.” ‘* Certainly!” and Pepper’s face took on a look of keen interest; his very attitude, as he leaned toward the dwarf, showing the deep superstition of his nature. ‘You've heard I can, tell fortunes,” said Billy, taking the hand of the man and closely scanning the horny palm, “ but you'll feel surer of it—know it, in fact—if I tell you something of the past, One might pretend to tell the future, without knowing anything about it, but he has to know the past to tell that.” Pepper breathed hard as his gaze was riveted by Billy’s keen eyes. ‘In the first place, you’ve led a pretty tough life, Pepper! And you’ve been mixed up in a number of things, which, if they were known, would cause you to do time in a eertain institu- tion I shall not name, ‘There have been some bright spots in your life, too. You bad a wife once, and a child. But, that was yearsago. You tried to travel a straight path, then, Pepper, but you fell into bad company, began to drink, and ended by driving your wife to suicide. And, then, your child died; and Satan has been navigating your craft pretty much ever since,” , : Pepper compressed his lips and a spasmodic twitching of his features was visible to the sharp- eyed boy. . ‘i “ But, that isn’t the worst, Pepper; though it don’t seem that anything could be much worse, Two years ago you killed a certain man for his money— 2. “Stop! Stop!” yelled the rascal. Putting up his free hand as if he would push the vision from him. ‘That’sa lie! I never done any- thing of the kind!” a Sg Billy felt the hand he held in his tremble like a wind-blown leaf, ‘Just as you say, Pepper. If you've had enough of the past, we'll turn to the future, Maybe it'll be pleasanter!” But [tell you it’s a lie!” Pepper insisted. That’s who you were thinking Come <a ‘“*-You’re a-mixin’ somebody else’s for with mine. I never done anything of thé But if I had—,if ’'d killed forty, do ye think’ want you to go to blabblin’ it that way?’ “Nobody can hear me,” purred the Pygmy. ‘Perhaps {did mix you with somebody else, We'll let it go, if you-insist I was wrong, I feel sure those other statements were correct, though} ‘** And, now, if you please, we'll turn to the future!” ~ : He studied the palm for a moment, and again transfixed Pepper with his burning eyes, ‘‘T don’t like to tell you whatisaw there, Pepper. You may say I’m lying again. But, there’s trouble ahead for you, if you don’t change your course.” ‘¢ What kind?’ Pepper growled. ‘‘ See byer, young man! [ didn’t come hyer to git lectur- ed. but to have my fortune “old!” Baldor bowed bis peaked capin acknowledg- ment of the correctness of the criticism. **What do you want me to tell you about? You’re not in love, Pepper!” “*Shucks, no!” the fellow snorted. ‘But I’m thinkin’ ‘bout ’gagin’ in a certain p’ticklar piece of business, an’ [ want you to tell me whether or not I'll have good luck in it.” ‘* Better drop it, Pepper, if it’s anything scaly; and trom what I can see I {hink it is.” ** An’ that’s the best fortune you can give me?” the scoundrel growled, ‘‘ Well, all I can say is, Td ’a’ done better if I'd ’a’ gone to Gran, She’s tole my fortune, on an’ off, for twenty vears an’ more; an’ they’ve always been good fortunes, an’ have come out right.” With this explosion he picked up his hat and hurried out into the night. CHAPTER II. FATHER AND SON, * THE individual spoken of as ‘‘ Greg,” was the chief of the Gypsy band, if so loosely construct- ed a society can be said to have a chief, He was known as Gregory Button. Gran, or Granny, Button, the old woman seen bending over the campfire while Nell and Billy talked, was his wife, The girl’s name was also said to be But- ton, though it was known to every member of the band that she was in no wise related to Gregory. Billy Baldor had stated to Pepper Smith that Greg was not in the camp. This wastrue. At the first coming of twilight the Gypsy bad set out for a certain point in the city, e picked his way along very lazily at first, but when the shadows deepened he increased _his gait, and soon stood in front of a brightly-lighted business house. The streets were crowded at that hour, a con- stant tide of humanity setting along the pave- ments in each direction, Crouched in an angle of the wall Greg watched the surging throng, his greedy eyes lighting evilly whenever they caught the glint of ee or the flash of jewels, He was a typical Romany, negligent of dress, and with bushy, black hair and beard, and swarthy skin. His face betokened a nature crafty and treacherous, disingeluous and given to vengeful malignity. After a few minutes spent thus he crept around the building and approaching a rear door rapped on it lightly with his knuckle. The knock was answered by a young man, who frowned slightly when his gaze fell on the Romany. ‘Pm very busy,” he said, ‘‘ can’t you call at an- other time?” «I must see you, my dear!” Greg whined, placing his band appealingly in front of his body. ‘I thought you’d be glad to see me! Let's see! How long bas it been?” The young man was not proof against this as- sault, and led the way into an inner room, sepa- rated from the business portions of the build- ing. % I knew you were in town,” he stated, motion- ing Greg to a chair and occupying another. ** Nell was up bere this morning.” ‘ And she never told me a word about it!” the Romany asserted, with a wag of his head, ‘That girl is an ungrateful and useless piece of furniture.” ; The contrast between the two men as they thus sat facing each other was great, and no one would even have guessed them to be father and son, The young man was somewhat dark of face, but his skin had a clear and healthy ap- arance, and his eye was truthful and bright. is clothing was neat and tasteful, though quiet, and his manner denoted the energetic and pros- perous young man of busine 58. “You want money?” he asked. “You haven't | |
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/ \? the head. ce of } they | no one y and rk of hy ap- | pright. 1 quiet, | pros- haven't \ Pthe' proposition I made the last time you e here, [ hope.” ‘+ To settle me down in this pen you call a city, where I would die for a breath of air? No, I ha’n’t forgot it, Nick; but, jist the same, I don’t intend to accept.” ‘“‘How would the country do, then, fether?” the young man questioned. ‘‘I’m willing to supply you with all you need, if only you will cast off these vagabonds you're associating with and quit your roving.” “T don’t like to argy. It ain’t in the Gypsy line, Nick, as you ought to know. Gimme some money, an’ we’ll do the argyin’ some other time, ‘* But first, | want to ask you a question: Do you know anything of a boy, er ruther a dwarf, that calls hisselr Billy Baldor? He’s with us, now, an’ goes ahead of anything in the fortune- tellin’ line we’ve ever had. I half suspect he ain’t a Romany at all, though he can sling Zin- gari like he was born to it. He’s on’y been with us about two weeks; an’ he’s took in a mint of money in that time tellin’ fortunes.” The young man shook bis head. ‘‘Never heard of him. But that isn’t answer- ing my question.” “Well, Lain’t ready to answer it, yit. Can’t be but one answer, though, an’ that’s ‘no.’ I love money. No one loves it better, as you should know, Nick. But I’m not going to jail myself to git it. Seems to me I’ve done enough for you to earn all you’ve got, anyway, an’ twice over.” “Yes, you have!” and the young man’s features softened. ‘“‘{£ forget that at times, You must overlook it when I do, If it hadn’t been for you I’d have been no better than the rest of them. Lowe itall to you, as you say; and you can haye what money you want so long as I have it to give.” Greg Button rubbed his greasy palms to- gether, and further announced his satisfaction at this decision by drawing his tongue backward and forward in his mouth in aclicking way. ‘*] knowed you wouldn’t go back on me, Nick!” he chuckled, “I knowed you woulJdn’t, An’ Ill stand by you, should you eyer need it. With a Romany, Nick, blood is always thicker than water. It ain’t that way with this new world of yours, but it’s that way with the Romany.” This announcement seemed to give the old Gypsy much satisfaction, though it had little apparent effect on the youth, ** An’ there’s another thing, Nick! [ve been doin’ all I could to help out in that little scheme of yours.” he young man stared, **T don’t understand,” At this Greg again drew his greasy palms to- gether and made the disgusting clicking sound with his tongue. : “Why, that little matrimonyul venture! She’s a purty one, Nick, an’ rich ascream, lve been a-watchin’ her fer ye!” The red color mounted like a tide to the young man’s forehead. ‘That will do, father!” he declared, sternly. **T didn’t suppose you had ever heard of Mar- garet Crofton.” “Why, I’m a forttine-teller, Nick!” continued the old scoundrel, gleefully, in spite of the warn- ing. ‘‘I’ve been layin’ the ropes fer ye, my son, ever sence I knowed which way the wind was blowin’.” “Enough of that!” the youth commanded, ‘You must not talk that way. I don’t know what you’ve learned; but I loved Margaret Crofton too dearly to have you speak of her in tbat manner.” A fierce scowl came to the Romany’s counte- nance, ‘*Have a care, Nick!” he growled. ‘You're a-flyin’ high an’ wearin’ fine feathers, an’ your name’s Mr. Nicholas Bouton; but I know, jist the same, that you’re on’y Nick Button, the sy. ‘The family name is Bouton, isn’t it? Ive a right to wear my truename. Button is nothing bnt a low corruption of it. And I’m a Gypsy; though I don’t care to herald the fact to the world, for reasons which must be obvious.” The pained expression had no visible effect on reg. ‘* It’s best you shouldn’t ferget them things, Nick,” growling out the words like an angered bull.dog, “Tm yer father, an’ I’ve give you a g0o0d ejication which has helped to set ye up in the world, an’I don’t like to see you seem to go back on yer own. What I wassayin’ awhile ayo ought reely to be good news to ye, an’ yit you fly off the handle at the first word.” “What do you know about her?” trying speak composedly, ‘ ? ae * tear ra freer 4 5 Sol er. én enq Billy, the Gypsy Spy. ** Well!” and the Romany settled back lazily. ** A good’eal! More’n I kin tell at one settin’. She’s the han’some daughter of Sydney Crofton, the way-up merchant; an’ she’s purty as a ripe peach; rich as a Jew; an’ your’n if you’ve got sand enough to ask her,” That angered and pained look was again show- ing in the young man's countenance, “That will do. I don’t like the way you paint the picture. Where you got your information is none of my business. I hope you haven’t been about the Crofton place.” ‘* Trust me for that,” the old man chuckled, * Mebbe I have an’ mebbe I hain’t. Whatever I’ve done, er not done, has been in your int’rest, you can depend on it. As Isaid, I’m a-watchin’ the girl fer ye, and puttin’ in licks where they’ll do the most good.” ** You'll obJige me by not troubling yourself about the matter at all!” in a tone that was half entreaty and half command, ‘And, as the subject is not one I desire to discuss, we'll change it. How much money do you want?” ** A twenty ’ll do,” the Romany replied, whin- ingly. ‘‘I need more, but a twenty ‘ll do.” With a sigh Nicholas arose, and going to a desk took out a twenty-dollar bill and gave it to the old man; then bowed bim out of the room and dropped into the chair with brows knit and an expression of deep humiliation and pain on his fine dark face, she CHAPTER III. A PRECIOUS PAIR, “HELLO! That you, Greg?” Pepper Smith, on bis way from the Gypsy camp, had come almost face to face with Greg- ory Button, who was at the same time returning from his visit to Nicholas. ‘“*Egad! I’m glad I run acrost ye. That little red-cloaked fortune-teller back there is the worst pill I’ve struck, yit. I hope he ain’t a good one. If he is, ’m knocked out. Didn’t do a blame thing but rip up my record an’ cover me with warnin’s,” Greg rubbed his hands and laughed lightly, and led the way to the shadows of an adjacent building. ‘* Well, that’s bad! been guyin’ ye.” Greg knew there was nothing in the pretended Gypsy art of fortune-telling, but Gran Button had extracted too many dollars and half-dollars from the superstitious, credulous Pepper for him to confess as much, ‘“What did he say?” Pepper ran over the various items constituting his grievance, while the Romany listened with the gravest mien, When Pepper mentioned the charge of murder, Greg started. ** You'll have to goto Gran next time. She never does ye up that way; an’ they ain’t many can beat her tellin’ true fortunes, I’ve bad my doubts about this Baldor for some time. Banged if I think he’s a real Romany; an’ if he ain’t he can’t tell fortunes wu’th shucks. He made a guess at that whole biziness, jist to see how you'd act. I reckon you didn’t give yourself away?” “T tole him he was a liar!” and Pepper doubled a fist and shook it menacingly at the thought that he had, perpaps, been quizzed by the dwarf. ‘‘IfI was shore he made up that whole thing cut of bis head I'd go back, yit, and thrash the ground with him.” ‘* Better Sot it slide!” Greg advised. ‘I’m *most shore from certain things that’s lately hap- pened, that he’s a fraud o’ the first water; an’ if I ~ out it’s really so [ll ship him mighty quick. “ Quit thinkin’ bout what he tole ye, er it’ll turn yer blood to water. Go back to-morrow an’ git Gran to tell you a true fortune.” He seemed anxious to turn Pepper’s thoughts from the ominous words of the dwarf, and poured out his advice and conjectures in a flood. ‘*]T’ve been up to see Nick,” he said, suddenly switching from the subject. ‘‘ There’s a young feller that’s jist coinin’ money; an’ it’s all be- cause I give him a show in life. [’m proud of Nick.” ‘An’ I s’pose he returns the compliment!” and Pepper lifted his stooped shoulders as he sped the shaft. _ “O’ course! o’ course!” forcing out the click- ing sound he made when pleased or tickled. ** He’s proud of his dad, Nick is.” ** He’d ort to be!” Pepper asserted, dryly, "Yes, Nick’s a-swimmin’ right along. An’ he’s keepin’ his eye out fer the main chance, His bizness is payin’ big, but he ain’t tyin’ everything to that. One of these hyer fine days he’s a-goin’ to rake in a fortune at one grab.” But I ‘low he must ’a’ te , Pat 8 ie ‘sy, | ea 54 3.10 Ate ote a ‘y. i a es hay ‘i ry et ee 4 oP EA oa ‘on * J aa rd oP a 14 gn ern = KE 7 v ¢ ert i eee : Ths any | Lei . ; . ae ¢ ‘ y be rhe | : roel wt a3 Q e : : ie si ; Ley ; : ghee aaa Pi wd AMBP NN ‘Ta aa Baie at ** How's that?” and the old cracksman sniffed the air like a hound that scents game. ‘“No, ‘twon’t be by burgl’in’, Pep. He's a-goin’ to marry it!” The statement was a disappointment, and the brutal brows that had been raised eagerly again drooped. ‘“*Tve been thinkin’ mebbe it’d give us a chance to open up a little bizness in your line,” ventured the Romany, furtively watching Pep- per’s expression. ‘* You know the place; an’ if you don’t know the girl, you know the girl’s dad. It’s ole Sydney Crofton, the millionaire.” ‘* Ah!” and Pepper once more lifted his shoul- ders, while his heavy eyes glittered. ) “‘Pve been thinkin’ over the scheme ever since Istruck the town an’ found out the game Nick is playin’. Natcherly I’m anxious fer him to marry the girl, fer it'll mean big money fer mean’Gran. An’ I’m goin’ to lay my ropes to help him all I can; an’ at the same time help us, you understand. Now, ifI can get into that house as servant, or in some sich way!” ‘““The very thing!” Pepper declared, with ex- treme eagerness, ‘‘ Then leave one o’ the doors onlocked some dark night!” ‘““That’s the lay-out,” affirmed the Romany, “‘though you’re a-goin’ a little too fast. First thing, I've got to helo Nick; fer the fortune fer all of us lays there. Put in a word, now an’ then, after he’s been there, sayin’ what a fine young man he is; and how the bizness men o’ the city air all perdictin’ what a shinin’ bizness light he’s goin’ to be. An’, then, if I can jist git the girl to let Gran tell her fortune, the thing’s done. ee?” Pepper asserted that nothing could be clearer or easier of accomplishment. ‘‘ An’ then, when the thing’s all arranged, with the weddin’ over, you can make your strike. It'll be kinder like strikin’ at Nick, then, but he’ll have more money than he'll know what to do with, an’ we might as well gobble some of it that way as not.” ‘*K’rect!” averred the cracksman. “If we don’t somebody else will.” ‘Yes, that’s what I thought.” “But, hang it!” and Pepper’s shoulders — droeped again, ‘‘that’s the very thing red cloak warned nie ag’inst!” ‘*No! Ye must be mistaken, Pep!” “Not a bit!” wagging his sbaggy head. “* Wisht I was.” ‘Why, he didn’t mention Crofton er Nick, did he?” ‘“‘No, But he tole me bad luck would foller, if I went on with the bizness I was thinkin’ of, An’ what was I thinkin’ of that blessed minute but workin’ up some kind of a scheme like the one you've been talkin’ of!” Greg sighed his relief. “Oh! is that all?” “Enough, hain’t it?” ; ‘“* Under certain circumstances it might be. F’rinstance, if Gran had been the one that tole ye yer fortune, But I’ve jist about figgered cut that Billy’s a fraud.” Throughout the interview, even when most interested in the unfolding of the Romany’s dark plans, Pepper Smith bad not once had the warnings of the Pygmy entirely out of his mind, so firm a hold, had they taken of his supersti- tious nature. “Ye see, he must be a fraud,” Greg continued anxious to banish Pepper’s alarm. ‘‘ He hain’t been with us on’y about two weeks. He jined us at Centropolis, an’ come on with us hyer. He’s puzzled me from the first, too; fer, though he don’t much look like a Romany, be can slin Romany lal like it was his mother tongue. An he’s took with most people as a fortune-teller, an’ bas fetched in a d deal of silver. ‘*So I kep’ him, an’ would really like to con- tinner to keep him, fer he’s divvied with me right along.” ‘“* Well, all I can say is, I don’t want no more to do with bim!” Pepper growled. _ ‘“No more yousha’n’t. He’s been jist a-guyin’ you, take my word for it. I wouldn’t give an- other thought to what he said, And fer my part, l’m goin’ to watch the young chap, and _ if I find he’s playin’ double, I'll wring his neck.” There was an intensity in the tones which left no doubt that Greg would doashesaid. The precious pair separated, each to continue on his way, but they were scarcely out of sight before a peaked cap arose cautiously from be- hind a loose pile of boards lying not far distant, and Billy Baldor gi in an appearance. “Struck game I wasn’t gunning for!” be mut- tered, bending his ear forward in a listening at- titude. “A aod thing I took a notion to follow Pepper. And sol’ve got to watch Greg, along with the other one! And he'll wring my neck, y Cage i Vea BS oa) Na eee eee J % ie see bi Pz a ares. Nah Sr cea & &
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if he catches me, will he? Then I’ll have to be he * careful that he don’t catch me!” e left the shadow of the building, and glided away in the direction taken by the cracksman. CHAPTER IV. PLUCK AND LUCK. “THIS will never do,” thougbt Baldor, as he entered the street and caught sight of the shadow cast by his tall cap. ‘Tl be too easily recognized,” Darting back into the alley, he removed the cap and thrust it into a crevice between some boards. Then he drew an ordinary cap from one of his pockets, placed it on his head, and es to still further alter his appearance y turning bis scarlet cloak so that the black lining was outermost. This consumed scarcely a minute, but when the street was regained he could see the cracks- map nowhere. owever, he hastened on in the direction he had seen Pepper take, and in a little while again came in sight of him. It was a long chase the burglar led him, but the man finally stopped in front of a rerretipin. San: one of the vilest portions of the city. The house was a low frame, with the gaping mouth of a dark cellar showing beneath it. Over the door of the house these words were painted, in dingy characters: JIM KENNEDY, DOG FANCIER. After listening intently for a few moments, Pepper rapped lightly on the panels of a door, which had escaped Baldor’s attention. This door was swung open, revealing a narrow cor- ridor, into which the cracksman glided. Then all was again silence and darkness, “I’ve got to see bebind those walls,” the boy declared, without, however, having any idea of how the feat was to be accomplished. Advancing to the door through which Pepper had vanished, he was proceeding to apply an ear to it, when the light fall of footsteps reached him. He drew hastily back into the conceal- ment from which he had emerged, and just in time to escape detection. Twomen came around the corner, and approaching the door, rapped, as Pepper had done, and were admitted in the same way. These mysterious movements naturally whet- ted Billy’s curiosity, and increased his deter- mination to enter. Fearing to again approach the door, he crept down the short flight leading to the cellar. t its end he foundanother door. It was locked, as he discovered on trying the fastenings. Whether he could ascertain anything concerning Pepper Smith and the others he had seen vanish into the house, by gaining access to the cellar, was a conundrum, evertheless, he quickly fitted a key to the lock, and pushed the door inward. The most inteuse darkness reigned, and for a time he stood quite still, listening with all bis might, and endeavoring to accustom himself to the gloom. He had matches in abundance, but feared to strike one, not knowing but it might reveal his presence to the men he was seeking. When the darkness grew less intense he moved forward, feeling every step of the hf and ex- ercising the greatest caution. By following the wall around he felt sure he could not become lost; and when he passed to the opposite end of the room, a gust of heated air drove away some of the stifling odors that had enveloped him, and he came suddenly upon a door. Beyond this he heard the subdued sound of voices, and slipping into the passage that led from the door, he crept toward them. The dis- tance to be passed over was not great; and he soon found bimself against the wall of another underground apartment. The men—there were six or eight of them— ‘were evidently in a jovial mood, and their rough laughter, interlarded with oaths, rung out at frequent intervals. Billy had not listened a minute until he heard the voice of Smith, “Hanged if I want to undertake it jist now!” he declared, referring to some matter which had already been under discyssion. ‘ Put it off a week er two, an’ I’m with ye.” * An’ if we do, the swag will be out of the country. I’m in for strikin’ while the iron’s hot. n other words, rake in the pot while ye kin This was enough to show Billy that they were discussing some proposed he poe A **T’'m on the right track,” he w by yee press- ing closer against the wall, ‘I felt sure the arrow I let fly at Pepper, this evening, struck in the joints of bis armor. He more’n half believes I can tell fortunes, in spite of Greg’s state- Billy, the Gypsy Spy. ments, for I know I hit most awfully close in regard to the past. And so he’s afraid to venture on any new scheme of villainy just at present?” The continuation of the talk served to confirm Baldor in his conclusion; and, when, at a late hour, the men arose to separate, he felt that the night’s work had not been fruitless, for he bad gained information tbat seemed of much value. He heard the men file slowly from the room and ascend to the apartments above, and was thinking of making his own retreat, when be was arrested by movements in the room he had supposed vacated. Two of the party had evi- dently remained; and they were now approach- i be place of hiding. arting back into the cellar, Billy was about to attempt to make his way out by the front entrance, when he was startled by the discovery that several of the gang had halted on the pavement and were engaged in low con- versation, Plainly he could not, now, make his escape that way, and he knew nothing of any other exit. The two were hkewise close at hand, and he could make a search, Trembling with apprehension, he crept near the door through which he had just passed, and crouched against the wall. As ke did so his hands came in contact with something cold, an = et showing it to be a piece of heavy chain, This, in connection with the dingy sign he had seen over the door, gave him a brilliant idea, The men were talking as they advanced, and from their words he knew that they were com- ing into the cellar to look for some article. He had stopped near that entrance hoping to be able toslipinto thecorridor. But the cuances seemed largely against the success of the plan, for he reasoned that they would probably strike a match as soon as the cellar was gained, As the villainous pair drew near, the boy shook the heavy chain and gave a deep low growl, in imitation of a dog. ‘** Cuss the brute!” one of them exclaimed, as they stopped short, ‘‘ Kennedy’s got them blame bull-dogs scattered all over the house. I hate a dog, anyhow!” At this evidence of the success of the trick, Billy again shook the chain and repeated the dog-like warning; and this time, to his astonish- ment, he was answered in the same manner from the opposite side of the cellar. He had aroused a real bull-dog} At this the men drew quickly back into the corridor, and soon he heard them moving off in another direction, swearing volubly at Kennedy and his dogs. “Now, [amina fix!” thought Billy, as the hoarse growl came again, and two fiery spots showed that the dog was moving toward him. For an instant, overcome by surprise and fear, he grasped the chain as if meditating a defense, Then he dropped it, and sinking into asquatting attitude, patted his knee and whistled softly and coaxingly. The dwarf was a born animal trainer. He had a fondness for the entire brute creation, and on many occasions his marvelous power over the most savage beasts had been manifested. The ferocious bulldog, one of the fiercest of the many kept by Kennedy, recognized instant- ly the voice of a master, and crept whiningly to Billy’s feet, where it cowered and cringed for an instant, and ended by trying to lick the boy’s hands and face. “Good dog!” and he patted it boldly on the head, ‘‘ You must kave been sleeping like a top when I first crawled in here, not to bave heard me, then. I was pretty still, was I? Well, good- ness knows, 1 tried to be. I wonder what your master would think, should he see you now? I’m much afraid he’d be tempted to shoot you. Eh? Don’t you think so?” For reply the dog wagged his stumpy tail and tried to place his heavy paws on Billy’s breast. ‘*Down, sir! Down! You'll spoil my Sunday 1 pte? ye And tbat wouldn’t do, you know. Vhat does your master keep you for? Fight- ing?” passing his hands over the brute’s head and sides, ‘* Yes, I thought hedid. And you’ve been chewing up other dogs for the pleasure of the buman brutes he keeps about him? That’s too bad! And some of the other dogs have been chewing you, too,,to judge by those knots, Well, you ought to beform, What's your name? Bull? Carlo? Towser?” In this low, soothing way Billy talked to the dog until he heard the men leave the pavement in front of the place. Then, with the bulldog at his heels, he advanced to the door, listened awhile, and applied the key. When the door swung open, the animal evinced a disposition to follow him into the street, But he pushed it Me gently back, drew the door to and locked and hurried off in the direction of the Gyps} camp. CHAPTER V. THE FACE AT THE TRANSOM, THE city of St. Cloud(a fanciful name will do as well as the real)had within its limits few oung business men of more promise than Nicholas Bouton. Strange as it may seem, Gregory Bouton,—or Button, as*he was general- ly called—had given Nicholas the benefit of a fair education ; and the latter, being of a studious and ambitious bent, had turned every oppor- tunity to good account, Why Greg Button had in this matter pursued a course so diametrically opposed to every tra- dition of the Romany race had called forth end- less comment. He never explained; but those thoroughly acquainted with the man felt sure there was ample motive. He never did any- thing which would not serve bis own ends. 4Snd when Nicholas entered on his business career, and began to show such unmistakable signs of prosperity, there were many, principal- ly of his own people, who saw inthis the frui- tion of Greg’s plans; firmly believing that the crafty old Romany had trained his son for a - career which would enable the father to live ever after on the proceeds of that son’s sagacity and toil. But the true reason, the motive that had in- spired Greg all those years, wasas unguessed then as it had ever been, ; Nicholas had now been eight years engaged in business in St. Cloud, He bad started in a very humble way indeed, his capital being limited to the savings of three years of hard toil as a com- mercial traveler in the line he intended to fol- low. But the little with which he began in- creased rapidly. His business sense was acute. He kept the best of everything in whicb he dealt. His store room was always a marvel of neatness; his clerks accommodating; his show-windows models of artistic display. So that in a short time much of the best custom of the place flocked to him; and a customer once gained he was care- ful not to lose. : And now, at the end of eight years, he was climbing toward the top round of the ladder, with the prospect of brilliant financial achievements just ahead. " He seldom saw the Romany band with which he had so long lived. Time and again he had endeavored to induce the Boutons to abandon their wandering life and settle down in a quiet way, agreeing to see that they should never want for anything. But they kad as persist- ently refused, The roving instinct was too strong upon them, It would be too much to say that: he held the most loving of feelings for his father’s family. Gran Bouton was not his mother, he had long known, and he could not prevent a secret pleas- ure at the assurance. His own mother had died years before. And Nell was not related to him in any way. Greg only, of the entire Romany race, was united to him by ties of blood; and for him he manfully tried to cultivate filial respect and devotion. : For reasons which must be evident he had never announced himself to the world as a Gyp- sy. He had not denied the fact, and would not have done so if approached on the subject, but there was nothing in it of which he could be proud. The Gypsies are tainted by centuries of vagabondage and petty deceit, not to say thiey- ing, and the world very justly does not regard them with favor, And no one knew this better than Nicholas Bouton. f E Lately there had entered into his life new hopes, new pleasures, and new pains. Business relations had brought him into frequent com- munication with the merchant millionaire, Syd- ney Crofton. On several occasions Crofton had invited him to bis stately residence, There Nicholas had met Margaret Crofton, the mer- chant’s daughter—as fair a flower as ever bloomed near the hot and dusty ways of mer- cantile life. The young folks were mutually attracted: and, as a natural consequence, their relations soon became something warmer than those of mere formal cordiality. The merchant must have been aware of this, for he was reputed to be a man of uncommon comprehension and. shrewdness. But, he gave no sign; and, to the secret delight of the young peopie, left them to amuse themselves as much as they liked in wan- dering about the spacious garders and inclo- res, "Margaret had no mother, and it may be that Crofton was too lax in his restrictions. Very likely’ he was, according to the modern notions
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- continue forever. grasping at the excuse thus offered, ‘“ of the restraint to be placed on the association of young, unmarried couples. However this «aay be, ho was not wrong in trusting implic- itly in the manhood and honor of Nicholas Bou- ton. Nicholas had never spoken to Margaret on the subject of love. He hoped to do so, some day. Just then, all he asked was the privilege, the dangerous privilege, of basking in the light of her brown eyes, and hearkening to the delicious music of her well-modulated voice, Yet the pleasure brought with it unceasing vain. He could not hide from himself the fact that he was daily and hourly becoming more and more enamored of her charms. This gentle dalliance could not, in the very nature of things, The time would come when he must declare himself, or be set down as a scoundrel who had wantonly trifled with a pure woman’s affections. And how could he make a declaration of bis love when he knew that in his veins flowed the despised blood of the Gypsies? Time and again this question had startled him from his mid-day dreams of Margaret’s beauty, and sent him reeling and heartsick to moan cut his distress in the privacy of his own cham- ber. Naturally the sudden intrusion of the Romany band and the stealthy visit of Greg did not tend to restfulmess of mind; and when the old - Romany had departed, that night, Nicholas ‘found himself thoroughly unfit for the duties that constantly confronted him. His brain seemed in a whirl, and when he re-entered the _ store-room the lights danced in a bewildered and ‘ binding way. He could not serve customers with any degree of satisfaction, and left soon after intrusting tbe work of the evening entire- ly to bis clerks, That night was to him a sleepless one; and ere morning dawned he had resolved to reveal everything to Margaret, and then leave her for- ever, for he could not conceive that she would care for bim after she was made aware of his antecedents. When evening returned it found him on his way to the Crofton residence, situated in the most fashionable partof the city. As he neared the place his high-born resolve suddenly for- sook bim. It had been more easy to conceive than to execute, For a moment he hesitated, thinking to return when his courage had re- vived, But this was the evening on which she would be expecting him to visit ber. Be- sides, she might have noticed his approach. So, with a beating heart, he pressed the latch of the gate and passed up the graveled walk. She greeted him with ber usual kindliness, but he found himself ill at ease, Noticing this she seated herself at the piano and sung some of the songs for which he had expressed a liking. Her voice was as clear and musical as a bird’s, and as he watched her white fingers flash over the keys, and noted the loveliness of her fea- tures, and the rounded fullness of her throat, he felt he could never say the words he had that day conned so diligently. It would be like sign- ing bis own death-warrant! _When the songs had ended she rallied him on his seeming absent-mindedness, “You're giving too much thought to your business!” she declared, ‘* 1t has worried me nota little,” he replied, shall ave to gointo the country for a resting spell, I’m afraid.” ‘* By all means, It would be just the thing. Papa and I are going soon, Have you ever seen the Rockies, Mr, Bouton?” Nicholas was compelled to confess that he had not, , ‘* The scenery is grand and delightful beyond description,” she asserted, waxing enthusiastic. ** One doesn’t need to go as far as the Yellow- stone to find wonders and beauties. We spenta eg of last summer in Colorado, visiting ike’s Peak, the Garden of the Gods, Manitou, the Grand Canyon of tie Arkansas, besides making trips to a number of the mining towns. me was a journey to be remembered through ife, : dn this pleasant way she led bim from the somber thoughts that bad troubled him; and, to | his own surprise, he was soon talking and laughing with her in the old, easy, familiar manner, An hour slipped by almost unnoted. ~Margaret was speaking of a new book she had been reading, when she suddenly stopped, with a gasping scream. Nicholas sprung to her assistance, at the same time glancing in the direction she had pointed. % Billy, the Gypsy Spy. The face of a man was pressed against the transom. He caught only a fleeting glimpse. and then it was gone. But the view, slight as it was, revealed the lowering visage of Greg Button! The mental shock was so great that he became momentarily giddy. But weakness at such a time must seem cowardice; and conscious of this he rung the bell for a servant, and sprung into the corridor. What he sbould do if he encoun- tered Greg, be feared to question. He hoped the latter would carry himself away as nimbly as possible. Nevertbeless, when a number of ser- vants had gathered about bim, be sent the wo- men to their young mistress and ordered the otbers to search the place. All he did was, however, purely meckanical. He was numbed by the feelings that crowded on like tidal waves. The search, though prosecuted vigorously, was unsuccessful, as he had been praying for it to be. Then knowing he could not meet Margaret again with any equanimity, he sent up an in quiry and regards; and having received the re- ply that she was quite restored from the effects of the shock, he slipped out of the house and crept like a guilty thing, away. CHAPTER VI. IN A SAVAGE MOOD, Jim KENNEDY, sitting on the shabby steps of the house and whipping at his boots with a heavy dog-whip, was in a very savage mood. It was the evening following the meeting of ruf- fians in the underground apartment. Kennedy had just made the discovery that some one had deen in the cellar that night, and the big bull-dog bad not chewed up the intruder as its master confidently hoped and expected it. would in such an event, ‘*J can’t understand it at all!” he growled. ‘* Heenan never done that way with anybody afore. An’ it must have been a boy, too, jedg- in’ by the tracks, Hanged if I hain’ta notion to shoot him! <A dog that’ll act that way hain’t no yearthly use.” In Kennedy’s estimation, all a dog was created for was to chew up one of its kind, or some hu- man being; and he had emphasized this belief by cruelly flogging the offending ‘‘ Heenan” with a dog-whip he held in his bands, ** Now, [ wonder if it could ’a’ been one of them blamed police spies? They’re allus a-snoop- in’ round. 1f’t was, likey be heered somethin’ we don’t want to be known, I’m a notion to go back an’ give Heenan another’n fer that; bu’st me, if I bain’t! The very idee! An’ the sava- gest dog I’ve got on the place! It’s perfec’ly reediculous.” Kennedy gave the extended boot a fearful cut: a sample, probably, of what he desired to inflict on the dog. ‘‘An’?I put him in that cellar a purpose to keep any one frum spyin’, never dreamip’ but he’d do his duty! It actilly makes me sick to think about it.” For more than an hour the brutal and burly dog fancier sat, thus, mumbling out his moody thoughts and exercising the whip on his heavy cow-hides, Then a man made his appearance from some undiscoverable quarter; and the two entered the building. : After a time Kennedy returned alone and re- sumed his position on the steps, greeting some new arrivals as he did so. One of these wasa dark-skinned, black-eyed young man; and on oe dog fancier bestowed a chuckle anda _ wink, A number of others passed into the building at intervals varying from five minutes to a half- rib and Kennedy at last rose and followed them. He went directly to the underground room where the conference had been held on the pre- vious night; and here he found the arrivals as- sembled around a table, some of them playing eards and others engaged in conversation. By the light of the dimly burning coal-oil lamp, the ager man on whom he bad bestowed the chuckle and wink was now seen to be the Gypsy girl, Nell, arrayed in man’s attire. ‘*What’s the reason Greg ha’n’t come?” he questioned of her. ‘‘Pve been a-expectin’ bim fer nigh on an hour.” “Don’t know,” sbe answered, carelessly, re- moving the hat that half concealed her face and tossing back her black locks. ‘* Haven’t — him sence mornin’. He went up to town then, and ha’n’t never come back as I knows.” The Romany made bis appearance soon after, however, seeming in little better mood than Kennedy had been when introduced to the notice of the reader, Sse hss eee eee ee ee ee ——— i si 4 **Cuss ’em all!” he growled, when questioned concerning the cause of his delay. ‘‘ Ha’n’t had wuss luck sence the day I was borned. Fu’st place, I tried to git a job of ole Crofton, as I tole Pepper I was:goin’ to las’ night. He’s a crusty ole duffer, if they ever was one. Never was a feller as perlite as me, when I called on the ole chap, an’ tole him I was half starvin’ an willin’ to work at anything fer ’most nothin’, if he’d on’y give mea job. An’ what does be do put p’int to the door an’ teli me to git; that he weren’t in the habit 0’ birin’ tramps; and if I didn’t lift my hoofs lively he’d set the dog onto me!” “The precious ole willain!” exclaimed Pepper, lifting his shoulders and scowling from beneath his shaggy brows. “What kind of a dog was it?’ queried Kennedy, bis professional curiosity aroused. ‘* An’ when I went to the house to-night, and tried to take a quiet look around, jest in the line of our bizness, ye know, his girl clapped her peepers onto me, an’ I had to hustle lively to git cut o’ the house,” the Romany continued, un- heeding the dog fancier’s question. ‘If it hadn’t been for certain reasons, sich as burnin’ up the swag, l’d’a’ been tempted to set fire to the shanty.” ‘*Tt’s a shame!” Pepper asserted. ous shame!” And the angered Romany, feeling that Pepper bad not done the subject half justice, filled the air with epithets. “Tf it was a bulldog,” said Kennedy, again breaking silence, ‘‘I’d like to steal him to take the place of Heenan, That dog ain’t wu’th shucks! There wasa feller in the cellar, las’ night, an’ the dog never teched him! It don’t seem like it c’u’d be, but it’s a fac’.” The statement caused considerable surprise and consternation, to those who were aware of the fact that the dog was kept there: and the two who had thought to visit the cellar while Billy Baldcr was therein concealed came for- ward with accounts of their experience, “Two dogs!” howled Kennedy, ‘‘ They wasn’t never but one.” “We heered two dogs growl!” the rascals averred, ‘*An’ you bet we got out o’ there, double quick.” For an instant Kennedy sat in open-mouthed astonishment. ; “Then they was a boy an’s dog! I seen the boy’s tracks in the dust on the floor, and s’posed the dog’s tracks was mixed up with those of Heenan’s. That jist lays me out, gents, flatter’n a flounder! ‘An’ tbat boy an’ that dog never come there fer nothin’! He was one o’ these police spies, I’m willin’ to take my *davy. An’ Heenan never teched ’em. Well! Well! Next thing we hear’ll be that one ‘o’ these rich coves has give all their money to sich asus, Cussed if I hain’t a notion to shoot Heenan, yit, fer that!” These disclosures brought about an adjourn- ment to the cellar, where Heenan was found as vigilant and ferocious as bis master could wish, much to the latter’s disgust, “Yes, you tan r’ar an’ cavort, now, when on’y friends is byer an’ they hain’t no need fer ye doin’ so, but what about las’ night?’ and Kennedy emphasized the question by a kick that sent the brute whining into bis corner, ‘“* We'll have to put more dogs in there, er else a watch!” Pepper ventured, when they had re- turned to the room. ‘‘ No tellin’ what the kid may have heered. An’if be wasaspy!” — e groaned expressively as his stooped shoul- ders went up. ‘Tf he was we may gitinto trouble!” Kennedy declared, ‘Tl take pains, you may be shore, that anything like that don’t happen again,” Having discussed this subject in all its bear- ings and duly expressed their determinations and fears, they recurred to the proposed robbery of the Crofton residence. i “Tm glad Nell’s byer to-night,” and Gre glanced keenly at the girl» ‘I’m to the eend o my rope, but [low Nell can fetch us out smilin’.” “ How’s that?” Kennedy questioned, “Have her do jest what I failed to do: Git into the house as a servant, where she can lay plans to open the doors fer us, some dark night.” The girl looked up quickly, and though she did not immediately reply, her glance showed she comprehended the secret motive at the bottom of Greg’s proposition, Greg had had a talk with ber only the day previous concerning his schemes to assist Nicho- las in winning the hand of the fair Margaret, and she knew he would want her to carry on the work in his stead, A peculiar light, which, if the Romany bad seen it, would have much puzzled the old rascal, came into her eyes, asshe turned away her gaze, *¢ A willain- SA 8 2 ; Z Ao i hh ww a , hy » heal ‘ PD At Ae de whe ry + 7 ia M4 pe Ps ras ; < OR egg ENE lets HS Teh AAU ee ae
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_ ' Billy, the Gypsy Spy. ** You'll do it, Nell?” he said, coaxingly. ‘*-Yes, I s’pose so, if I’m give a big enough, share of the swag.” ‘* We'll do the square thing by ye!” Pepper hastened to assure her, ‘‘ There’s lotsof stuff in that shebang, an’ we can afford to be lib’ral.” “*Yes,” the others chimed in, ‘‘ we'll divvy fair.” ‘*T'l]l go, then, and to-morrow,” Nell assented, that singular light again flasting momentarily in her eyes, ‘ The sooner the better!’ CHAPTER VIL. A SCARED VILLAIN, Bitty BALDOR was not a youth to allow the grass to grow urder his feet, while working at any task. ‘‘Strike while the ivon is hot,” was a motto strongly impressed on him by his friend and whilom patron, Signal Sam, the Coluradg silver king; and a motto he had ever since en- deavored to live up to. He had joined the Gypsies for a definite pur- pose, Two years previous, an atrocious murder had been committed in an adjoining city. « Re- wards had been offered for the apprehension of the murderer; and though the police and th es tive force had used every energy, no trace of the uilty man had yet been discovered. With the pse of time the search had grown cold and the affair half forgotten. Butacertain circumstance—said circumstance _ being no less than the fact that the murdered man had once befriended thedwarf—determined him to take up the fallen threads and endeavor to accomplish what the officers had failed in, It seemed a hopeless task for one so situated; - but Billy Baldor was a man in all save stature, \and bad more than the average man’s’ brains, “And he began his Work with such systematic bnergy that he was not long in coming ou evi- dences that greatly assisted in buoying his ardent spirits. Indications pointed strongly to the fact that the murderer was on intimate terms with a cer- tain band of Gypsies, if not a member of their organization; and this had induced him to join the band. He at first suspected Greg very strongly, but sinte coming to St. Cloud began to think Pepper Smith the man he was looking for. And events since then had tended to con- firm this theory. Nevertheless, he had no proof positive against Pepper, though be felt sure the cracksman was the guilty party. The night following the last meeting of the burglars in the underground apartments of the dog fancier, found billy on the streets of St. Cloud, disguised as a newsboy, and with a bun- dle of evening papers under one arm, He had followed Pepper that evening, and . seen him enter a certain building, and was now awaiting the fellow’s reappearance, ** He’s pretty sure to come this way,” he mut- tered, as he stood carelessly at the street corner, seeming to see only the prospective purchasers presented in the hurryimg throngs. After a moment’s loitering he slipped back into the shadows cast by the building. Here he drew from a pocket a sheet of paper, and hastily scanned it. The light was not the best, but the letters were large and easily decipherable. This is what the sheet contained: $5,000 REWARD. “The above reward will be paid for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the party or pares who, on the night cf the 9th of November, 887, murdered and robbed John Fenton, of Trenton Crectn Kiva, “« Trenton Springs Marshal,” After thus glancing at the poster, Billy ad- vanced and tacked it to the awning-post, where it could not fail to be seen by any one coming out of the house. Then he retreated to the shadows and care- fully watched and waited. Fifteen minutes after, Pepper Smith descended the steps in company with a maw of business- like appearance. What’s this?” and the man stopped ‘Been somebody Springs. ** Hello! and pointed to the paper. committing murder, eb?’ Pepper, as soon as his gaze fell on the poster, turned deathly pale and grasped the awning- post for support. “* What does it say?” he asked. “Five thousand for the arrest of the mur- derer of John Fenton, of Trenton Springs. Murder committed two years ago,” “Tt’s a good while,” said Pepper, drawing himself up painfully and turning away. ‘‘ Not much chance of gittin’ the feller now, eh?” ‘Very little!” and the tone showed the man had only a passing interest in the matter. Then they passed beyond hearing. —— ‘*He’s my man!” Baldor whispered, hurrying to the post and tearing away the sheet. ‘‘ There can't be a doubt of it. Now, to tangle him up some way and get enough proof to convict him!” CHAPTER VIII. A VERBAL GAUNTLET. “Hry! What’s the meanin’ of this?” The dwarf was aroused the next morning by these words, spoken in the harsh voice of the Romany. Greg was standing by the little cot in the tent occupied by Baldor, and giaring at the latter as if he contemplated an assault. In one hand he held Billy’s scarlet cloak and in the other the poster, having evidently just taken it from one of his pockets. ‘What do you mean?” the boy queried, rub- bing his eyes sleepily and assuming a calmness of demeanor he did not feel. “ Why, this!” and Greg sbook the peper at him, ‘* Where did you get it, and what are you doin’ with it? Tell me, or I'll shake the ever- lastin’ daylights out 0’ ye!” ‘** Perhaps you’! better tell me first what you're doing with my clothing! You’re not my guar- dian, Mr. Button, and I’ve never authorized you to go through my pockets in that style. here’s a dollar in there, too! Maybe you’ve hooked onto that?” ‘* Hear him!” yelled the Romany, fairly danc- ing up and down in his rage. Billy realized that in transferring the poster to the pockets of his cloak and bringing it home with him he had committed a great blunder, but he had not dreamed that the Romany might venture on such a search. It was plain, now, that in some way Greg had had his suspicions aroused against the little fortune-teller. ** Yes, hear bim! replied Baldor, fighting for time and racking his brain for a plausible way to account for the presence of the poster. ‘sWhat’s so very strange about that?” » “Why, jist this, Billy: It goes for to show that you’re in with the cussed police in some way, an’ me an’ them gentlemen never did pull well together. I hain’t a-carin’ specially fer this thing, more’n fer any other like it; but I want ye to understand. that you can’t monkey with off’cers an’ stay in this byer camp, Romanies and off’cers never did agree an’ never will, an’ no more will them that’s a-spyin’ fer the off’cers. You hear me!” ‘*Ts that all?” and the boy simulated great sur- prise. ‘‘I thought I’d really done something terrible. That maybe you’d got the fool idea into your head that it was me that the reward was offered for.” He curled up in the bed and chuckled gleefully. ‘* What are you drivin’ at?” and the Romany frowned. “ Why, simply this, Mr. Button: I saw that posted against a wall down-town last night, and pulled it off to read it. Then, without noticing what I did I must have stuck it into my pocket. Is there anything so strange about that?” ‘¢Yo’r’ a-lyin’,” declared the Gypsy, eying him closely. ‘Very well, then, that settles it. You’rea good deal bigger than me, and the boss of this camp, and if you want tocall me names I sup- pose youcan. IL ought to knock you down for doing it; butasI can’t Pll have to take it and as much more as you want to send.” “See hyer, Billy!” and the Romany’s voice took ona coaxing tone. ‘You ha’n’t a-givin’ me the straight goods now, be you?” ““Why, look at the poster yourself! Don’t it show that I’m giving it to you straight, as you call it? You can see where the tacks were that held it in place. That showsI tore it down, as Isaid. There’s no use in arsuing the matter. You'll believe it or not, just as you please, any- way! “An? you ha’n’t been a-chinnin’ with any off’cers sence you struck this town?” ‘*f have not!” and the boy made this reply forcibly and with a clearconscieuce. ‘I haven’t seen ar Officer, that I’m aware of, except the city policemen,” Greg shook his head, as if not sure he had heard the truth. ** Well, Dll take keer o’ this. An’ if you don’t want to be h’isted out o’ hyer mighty sudden, or worse, don’t bring any more of ’em around. An’ keep clear cf the off’cers. Romanies and them don’t agree!” ww ith this final shot Greg tbrust the poster into one of his pockets and tvok his departure. ‘*A narrow shave, that!” and Billy followed the Gypsy with his eyes until the fellow disap- peared in an alley. ‘‘I wonder now just how much he guesses? I tell you P'll have to go slow and be mighty careful from this on, If it wasn’t | for me you can tell them Gran will do as well, — * daylight I’d follow him and see where he goe and what be does.” If Billy could have followed the Romany that morning he would have seen him go to an ob-~ secure part of the town, slip through an alley and enter a flight of stairs. Atthe top of the stairs he tapped on a door; and a heavy voice bade him enter. The owner of the voice was none other than Pepper Smith, who tumbled out of bed as the Gypsy entered. ‘“*Jist got into a good snooze,” and Pepper rubbed his eyes. ‘*Was up about all night. What fetches ye out so thunderin’ early?” “This,” said the Romany, spreading out the poster so that the cracksman could see it. The sleepy eyes opened to their fullest extent, - and the ashy hue once more crept into the cracks- man’s face, ‘“Where do you s’posel got it?” giving a characteristic click with his tongue, ‘* Found it in the pocket of that red-cloaked fortune- teller!’ ‘*The deuce!” and Peppersunk back in a half faint. ‘*What do you s’poseit means? That’s the second one o’ them I’ve seen sence yisterday, One on an awnin’-post up town, an’ this one. What d’ye reckon it means, Greg? Haven't seen one afore fer over a year.” v4 “So, this hain’t the on’y one? I thought meb- be ‘twas. Then, the off’cers must ’a’ took up that bizness ag’in. Il ’low we'll have to keep spady fer awhile. Wonder what could ’a’ started ’em out ag’in?” “T say, Greg!” without answering the ques- tion. ‘*Doyeu reckon that blame, little red= coat can be onto this thing in any way?” t ‘‘That’s what I thought at first. I’ve been 7 a-tryin’ to watch him ever sence we had our talk, Ever’ night I go through his clothes, and this is what I found this mornin’. I tackled him ’bout where he got it, an’ he tole a very purty yarn ’bout pullin’ it off a wall to read it, etc. Seemed to be slingin’ it straight, but I couldn’t tell, Might ’a’ been all a lie, ye know.” Pepper was trying to work into his coat—that was all he had removed on lying down—but shook so it appeared likely he would be forced to ask assistance. “Its hangin’ fer both of us, Greg, if we’re gobbled. If I was shore the boy guessed any- thing [’d say chuck him into the river some dark night. But, hang it! Dm afeared to tackle a chap like him, If he can tell for- a why can’t he know what we're thinkin’ of? “You're a fool, Pepper!” was the uncompli- mentary reply. ‘‘ He can’t tell hisown fortune, no matter how good he is at the bizness. And that’d be tellin’ his own fortune, wouldn’t it? Specially if we thought o’ doin’ anything like you say? But I’m about come to the conclusion that he’s a fu’st-class fraud, as far as fortunes goes; though he do fetch us in Jots of money.” The statement that fortune-tellers bad not if power to foretell events affecting themselves a e.,./ had a remarkably bracing effect on the cracks- ae man’s. nerves. It removed a shadow that had long hovered over him, “Then, we'll lay him out, if he shows an signs o’ bein’ in with the police!” was his cold- blooded comment. ‘Our necks air already in , the halter, an’ Il reckon we can’t stick ’em in 4 much further, You watch him, and I'll watch P02 him; an’ afween us we'll trip the young gent up, f if he’s comir’ anything scaly!” ) “You bet!” Greg assented, thrusting the offending poster into the stove. ‘* We'll do’im up in short meter. T’li put Nell an’ Gran to watchin’ him, too, an” we'll git him!” a ~ = ” — CHAPTER IX. WITH THE CHIEF OF POLICE. os NotwITHSTANDING the fact that he felt it - would be unsafe to attempt to follow the Romany, that morning, the latter was scarcely out of ; sight when Billy Baldor began to fidget uneasily = and show symptoms of mental nervousness, The em recent action of the Romany, taken in connec- tion with’ the conversation between the latter and Pepper Smith, revealed the undoubted and disagreeable fact that he was suspected and watched. . “ T told him I hadn’t spoken to the police, but I didn’t promise not to!” he soliloquized. Then he called to Nell, in the edjoining tent, and informed her he was going down-townfor = a short time. ** Pll be back before the day’s work is likely to commence!” he announced. ‘ But if any one in search of ready-made fortunes should ask ug ag,
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ee Sa oe we ee ere hx vat mi that don’t satisfy them they can come again, © or wait.” With%this he sallied forth. A heavy fog was lifting itself, the rising sun glancing at inter- vals through its sinuous folds, Already the noises of the city began to penetrate to that ob- scure quarter. When he had gained the alley be looked back to see if any one was observing the route he had taken. There were no signs of life in the Gypsy encampment, On gaining the street end of the alley he deviated from the direct course, and approached a deserted building. This he en- tered, clambering in over the broken, back door, There was a pile of lumber and refuse within, and from beneath this he drew the clothing he had worn while masquerading as a newsboy. It took little time to effect the desired change; and when he crept away there was, with the excep- tion of his small stature, scarcely anything in | his appearance to suggest the fortune-telling Pygmy. rs ‘* Now, if I haven’t been seen, I’m all right. Tl hail the first cab I come to. My Romany friends would never think of looking for me in such a vehicle.” Thus cogitatIng, he hastened on, keeping to the back streets till well up into the city; then he crossed to a thoroughfare where cabs were always in waiting. ‘* Drive me to the office of the chief of police!” he said, approaching the nearest. The driver stared, but observing the look of earnestness in the boy’s face, swung the cab door open. CAM right. Climb in,” and a second later, Billy was being whirled through the streets. He did not know where the office of the chief of police might be; but within fifteen minutes the cub drew up in front of a large stone building, and the Jehu dismounted, ** Hyer you air,” hesaid, ‘‘-Room ten, third floor. Take the elevator. Fifty cents!” ‘Works cheaper than Ido!” thought Billy, . dropping the silver piece into the extended hand, *“*T ought to pay him with a good fortune, in- stead,” Although somewhat unused to the ways of large cities and large buildings, Billy readily found the room to which he had been directed. There were several persons in the apartment, the man pointed out as the chief of police be- ing seated in a comfortable office-chair before a wide desk strewn with letters and papers, ** What can I do for you, my man?” he queried, as Billy advanced and requested a few words with him, ‘*Can—can I see you alone?’ the dwarf fal- tered, glancing apprehensively at the other oc- cupants, ‘* A matter of privacy, eb? Certainly! this way.” He pushed aside a folding door and ushered his viitor into an adjoining room, r ‘“* Now what is it?” he asked, leaning against adesk and motioning the little man toa seat, “You need have no fear of being overheard here.” He had a pleasant face and a pleasant voice, and his frank blue eyes were invitations to con- fidence. ‘Perhaps I’m foolish for coming to you so soon,” the dwarf began. ‘* But, I didn’t know what else todo. 1’m not a newsboy, neither am Las young as I seem,” Then in a straightforward manner he told who and what he was, ending with placing in the man’s hands a letter of recommendation from “ Signal Sam” Holcomb. ‘Aha! So you are a sort of protege of the gentleman? I used to know him well. . I re- member when he made that rich strike at Sil- verton. But, goon with your story. I’m sure there’s more of it.” ‘There is!” Baldor confessed. ‘A great deal more. I think I have struck the trail of the murderer of John Fenton, of Trenton Springs.” The chief’s eyes expanded in astonishment. His interest was aroused now, even if it had not _ been before. . “Go on,” he said, dropping into a chair at Billy’s side. ‘ Tell me all you’ve discovered,” “IT may have exaggerated its importance,” Billy replied, preliminary to the narration, ** It seems to me, though, J can’t be mistaken,” “I think you're on the right track!” and the chief thoughtfully turned over the account be had heard, ‘Yes, I’m sure of it. Do you think you can go on with the work, as you’ve begun? You have succeeded in doing what has been beyond the power of the best men on the force, and you ought to be allowed to finish it _ in your own way, and gain the credit that will Come SE mn SE Billy, the Gypsy Spy. attach. Or, would you prefer assistance? I Suppose you came for help!” “On the contrary, I came for protection. If you please, sir, [should much prefer to go on | dress, as I’m doing. But, I know that to do so will place me in the greatest danger. Iam already an object of distrust, and from this on, no doubt every movement I make will be closely watch- ed. If you could arrange it sothat in case any- thing happens to me, a force could be sent to my aid?” ‘*Certainly! Certainly! Nothing is easier. 1 know well where this Gypsy camp is! We generally keep something of a watch on those scamps, for they’re always up to some petty theft or other. Dll send a man into that neigh- borhood and have him set up in the confection line. He'll be there to-morrow. It will be an easy matter to hold communication with him, and even send reports to tais office, without your Gypsy friends being any the wiser, watch they never so closely. ‘*Of course you’re not to know this man. And he willseem not to know you. Ifallisgoing well, go in each evening and purchase a dime’s | worth of something. If affairs begin to look squally and you want some one to shadow you for the sake of giving protection, buy only a nickel’s worth, And when you have fastened this matter on the right parties, and want a squad to assist in the arrest, ask the confection man to allow vou to tell his fortune, paming an hour when it will be convenient to do so, and the men will beat the store, ready to follow you or to do as you direct, when that hour ar- rives. e ‘*Tf you should at any time bave special rea- sons for wishing to communicate with this office, sell the man a newspaper—approaching him in the disguise of a newsboy, of course—and with- in the folds of that newspaper place tat com- munication. ‘Never, under any circumstance, act as if you knew him or have the faintest idea he is other than he seems. Never speak to him ex- cept in reference to your purchases and the like, If you are careful in this, no one will ever guess atthe truth, and you can thus make daily or semi-daily reports to this office without the | slightest danger of discovery, ‘**And remember, that with less than an hour’s notice you can have the protection! of our shadows,” ; Baldor thanked the chief for his kind offers, and assured him he would endeavor to deserve the confidence thus reposed; and after some further talk on the same and kindred subjects, he left the room, and was driven in a cab to a short distance of the alley. It was yet early, and when he had again changed his garments and reached the Gypsy camp in his scarlet cloak and tall cap, Greg had not returned, CHAPTER X., THE FEALTY OF TRUE LOVE, * You do look jist too lovely, ma’am!” and Nell Button clasped her brown hands in a delighted way, and stepped backward to obtain the best effect to be given by the fading light of the sun. “It is becoming!” crossing the roum to view herself in the long mirror, ‘ Would I not look better if this bow at the throat were a white one?” “Tndeed you wouldn't, Miss Margaret! You need that bit of color. I don’t reely think you could look better than you do at this minute.” Nell Button had an artist’s eye. Especially did she delight ina ‘bit of color,” as she ex- pressed it. Ratber careless of her own attire, when among the Romanies, she yet knew how to array herself, and only lacked the proper incen- tive to make of herself a well-dressed and charm- ing woman, to outward appearance at least. That sho could ever be a lady does not necessa- rily follow. The plan proposed by Greg at that last meet- ing at the dog-fancier’s bad been successfully carried out, and she was now installed as the ser- vant and attendant of the merchant’s daughter, Much shrewd scheming, and the forging of some letters of recommendation from mythical former mistresses bad accomplished the work. Margaret had seen too little of the world to be anything but unsuspecting and ingenuous, Almost a week had elapsed since she had en- gaged this new maid, and she had as yet found | Apparently truthful and | no fault with her, betrayed his Lerd. ‘*No, you couldn’t look better if you tried!’ Nell again assured, walking slowly around her mistress and noting all the details of her “The young gentleman will sure be pleased with you to-night!” ‘¢ What do you know of him, Maggie? I don’t think you have seen him; and if you have I haven’t given you permission to address me on the subject.” *T don’t know nothin’ at all,” Nell hastily made answer, perceiving her mistake. ‘ Most young ladies do have gentlemen acquaintanc:s which calls on’em sometimes, I was jist guess- in’,—an’—thinkin’ how handsome you do look!” Then, feeling somewhat nervous, and fearful lest she should betray her great secret, she ex- cused herself soon after and left the apartment, ! ‘* She’s a good girl,” thought Margaret, as the door closed on the maid, ‘tand no doubt [ spoke too harshly to her. She didn’t intend an imperti- nence,” With this she fell to dreaming of the “ young gentleman,” and passed into that delightful state so blissful to maidens not ‘* fancy free.” Nicholas had not called since the night the face of the supposed burglar had been seen above the transom, but this absence had no con- nection, in Margaret’s mind, with that event, He usually spent two evenings of each week in her presence, though, when business demanded his attention, he would sometimes forego this “ec He } pleasure. ** But he will come to-night!” she mused. always comes on tbis night,” « And soshe bad arrayed herself in her most becoming garments, and given much anxious thought to the task of making berself lovely in his sight. As the twilight faded into darkness she heard Nicholas’s well-known step on the graveled walk, and her cheeks took on the color of the rose. And even when she advanced to greet him, she was painfully aware that her heart was still beating in a tell-tale way. His handsome face was this time wreathed in smiles, and he had evidently forgotten the cares that vexed him on the occasion of his previous visit. But, as he passed into the parlor, Nell glided by like a shadowy ghost; and his man- ner became more distrait than it had ever been. ‘© Who is that girl?’ he asked, sinking tremb- lingly into a chair. he question was not put because he did not himself know, but to test the extent of Marga- ret’s knowledge, for it was obvious Nell had gained some sort of footing in the household, * My new maid, Maggie Stewart! And the most faithful I have bad for along time. You are net ill?” She had caught the anguished expression on her lover’s face. ‘* No,” he said, ‘* But I happen to know that the girl is an impostor. The ‘name she has given you is not her real name.” He stopped and buried his face in his hands and Margaret fancied she detected a suppressed roan, . ‘“You alarm me!” she exclaimed. ‘And 1 must distress you, I fear!” lookin up quickly, ‘*There is no danger that the gir can hear? Margaret arose eud went to the door and glanced into the passage. When she returned she drew the door to after her, and then took a seat at his side, “What is it?’ she queried, anxiety showing in her voice and in her countenance, ‘You have something to tell me. Something concern- ing her!” “*T have,” he confessed; and when she looked into his eyes she saw they were blood-shot, and that his face was drawn and haggard, as if from great pain. \ ‘*T have much to tell you; but it does no§ wholly concern her. It concerns myself, You will hate and despise me when you hear it, But, I must tell it, Otherwise I shall feel my-~ self a life-long cfiminal.” She took one of his hands in hers, as if to as- sure bim of her belief in his goodness and in- noc sce, ‘ “T am not what_I seem, Margaret! [ am false to the core. Yes, false as the man who You have thought me a reputable business man, and I have feared to tell you of my past, and of my kiaship, dreading your scorn.” , “*T do not understand you!” she panted, cling- honest, with a seeming desire to render faithful | ing to the hand, while her face became as white service, there was no ground for criticism, Nell had given the name of Maggie Stewart as | her own, and told a prettily-concocted story of | her past life and present circumstances, allfof | which Margaret b&d accepted without question. ee as marble, ‘* How could you, when you are the soul of honesty and purity;” he continued, as if deter- mined to abase himself to the dust, ‘‘I am not worthy to sit in this room with you. For—oh, sn. 5 2h the teed. x. cia . * eg: See
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mee 4 Billy, the Gypsy Spy. the horror of it! Iam nothing but a despised Gypsy. My father is a Gypsy; and the girl who has palmed herself on you is his adopted daughter!” Margaret’s breast rose and fell with the fierceness of the emotions which were rendiug her; but she said not a word—only clinging to Nicholas’s band as drowning people are said to cling to straws. “Why do you not tell me to go?’ he de- manded. ‘‘Why not say that you hate me for the deception, and command me never to ap- pear again in your presence? ‘*Oh, my dear! I[ have basely deceived you! But, believe me, it was because I love you. I love you, love you, and shajl continue to love you, though you tell me never to look on your sweet face again.” ** And I do not tell you to go, dear Nicholas, because I return your love!” the big tears stand- ing in ber eyes. ‘‘You accuse yourself too harshly. ‘You have told me ali?” ‘All! all!’ he cried, drawing her to his breast. ‘‘Is not that enough fo forever con- demn me? That girl calls herself Neil Button, when she is sailing under her true colors, and my father calls himself Gregory Button. But in that—in the matter of a name, [ have been truthful. The family name is Bouton. ‘* But, whatever [ have beeu or done, Mar- garet, Ishave never been criminal, Believe me in that, My chances have not been of the best, but I have tried to be honest and tell the trath, Except in this case, Except in this, And I was driven to that by my great love and the fear of losing you, if I told you who and what I really am,” “‘T believe you!” she averred, softly, leaning her head on his manly shoulder. ‘Tell me all the history of your life, Nicholas, It must have been a strange and sad one. I can readily com- rehend why you were induced to conceal it from me, But I do not hate nor despise ycu for it. You could not help the circumstances sur- rounding your birth and your early years, And it pleases me to know that since reaching manhood you have shown yourself a man amongmen. Itseems to me youalso have much to boast of!” Never did words sound sweeter; and Nicholas Bouton felt bis soul expanding with new feelings as he eagerly drank them in. He, in his igno- rance of the qualities of a woman’s heart, when that heart is enlisted in the servica of love, had expected the announcement of his degrading connection with the despised Romany raca would exile him forever from her presence, And, here, he found her ready to sympathize, to appreciate the difficulties which had hedged him in, and to announce her full confidence in his integrity. It was a, revelation; and under its influence he told the story of bis past, his hopes for the future, and the high resolves that had always animated him. ** And you still love me?” he queried, when he had exposed his whole heart to her gaze. ‘It does not seem possible, nor indeed right,” “Tt is both possible and right. Nicholas, I couldn’t do anything else, if I wanted to.” ‘* But your father?” ‘* My father is a sensible man, and will take a sensible view of a matter so nearly concerning my happiness, Trust him for that! I am sure he will feel as I do: that an honorable manhood can not be blackened by the shadows of an un- sought and unbappy youth.” CHAPTER XI. BY PASSIONS TORN. NeuuL Burton, in applying for the position she held in the merchant’s household, had been ~ actuated by quite different motives from those resented toGreg. It will be remembered that is aims were to aid Nicholas in bis suit for the ~ hand of the merchant’s daughter, and to pave the way for a robbery of the house, Nell was perfectly willing to assist in the latter * object, butshe would have held her hand in the fire sooner than do anything to help on the for- mer. For sbe loved Nicholas in a wild and pas- sionate way that was all her own, She knew ber chances of ever winning him were of the very slenderest, if they existed, at all. But while her hopes could never rise high, she was determined that no one else should gain what she could not, She had entered upon the prosecution of Greg’s plans with seeming willingness, believing that opportunities would arise to enable her to poison the mind of her mistress against Nicholas; but those opportunities had not come. On two or three occasions she had deftly | confessor!’ and he laughed, turned the talk in a direction that appeared hopeful of results, but had been each time silenced, Hence, when Nicholas went away that night, and from her post of observation behind one of the doorsof the corridor she saw tbat his face was smiling and his step elastic, her rage burst all bounds, *““(’'m sure he’s told of his love to-night, an’ that fool has accepted him!” she hissed, as she crept away to her own room. ‘But he shall never marry her! I swear it! Dll kill them both, first. Oh, if I could on’y have heard what he said to her! But I feared to after she opened the door and looked out to see if I was any where around. ‘You're a-flyin’ high, Mr. Nick Button! Most awful high, fera Romany. But the higher you fly the furder you'll have to fall. That’s one comfort, An’ when you do come down, it'll be like a bird with both wings shot away!” There was no sleep for the Romany girl that night, Hour after hour she tossed and moaned, with alternate fits of railing and sobbing. At the first dash of dawn she arose, and began to deck herself in her best finery, coiling ber mid- night bair in a becoming knot, and placing at her throat a rose plucked from a bush that grew against the window. Asshe posed before the mirror, the picture thrown back was indeed a handsome one. The dark, olive cheeks glowed from the fever that burned so fiercely in her veins. Her abundant hair was a dusky, shimmering glory. Her eyes gleamed like stars. No desert queen ever appeared half so regalas this tigress-hearted, Gypsy girl. ** But it won’t make him love me!” she panted, pressing a hand heavily against her breast, ‘* Nothing can do that, how. His heart belongs to this namby-pamby thing, that hain’t any more color than a sheet, an’ no more spirit than a eat. Ob, how I[hateher! I could scratch her eyes out, this blessed minute, But he sha’n’t marry her! If he won’t marry me, he sha’n’t marry anybody. I’ve sworn it; an’ a Romany always keeps that kind of an oath,” With these turbulent passions rending her she left the room, descended to the lower floor, and glided like a shadow away through the shrubbery, glancing back now and then to as- sure herself she had not been observed. When the principal avenue had been reached she threw aside all efforts at concealment and walked with firm and bold tread into the heart of the city, disdaining such assistance as cable or horse cars afforded. Nicholas, always an early riser, had just got down to the store, and was seated in his office, ruminating on the events of the previous even- ing, when, without announcement, she threw open the door and marched in, ** Ah, it’s you, Nell!” half-rising and pushing a chair toward her. ‘‘ You’rs out early.” He was thinking of how he had seen her at the house of the merchant, and wondering what had induced the call, ‘*Yes, it’s me!” she flashed, disdaining the proffered seat. ‘‘ You’ve seen me enough to know me!” ** Certainly!” he said, feeling that a storm was brewing. ‘“You was up to Crofton’s las’ night. You know, o’ course, that I’m stayin’ there now?” He nodded. An’ air you goin’? to marry that girl” she demanded, enraged by his quiet. ‘Tell me that, Nick Button!” -“T wasn’t aware, Nell, that you had turned “J did hear though, tbat you had changed your name; and Tye been wondering what it meant.” ** Tell me if you’re a-goin’ to marry tbat girl!” she reiterated, stamping a foot in her rage, Sit down and be sensible! What is it to you whether Iam or not? You haven’t a right to question me on the subject, anyway, Ex- plain yourself, please! And, for goodness sake, don’t talk quite so loud!” “T hain’t any right, hey? Well, mebbe I hain’t, But, whether I bave er not, I’m goin’ to have my say. It’s a good ’eal to me whether you marry ber or not. You remember what you used to teJl me when we were childern, ick? You used to say that when we growed up you’d make me your wife; an*fer hours we'd talk about the fine things we'd do, while you'd twine roses in my hair, an’ poppies an’ marry- gocids, and then you’d tell me how purty I ooked, and kiss me, Mebbe you’ve fergot all that, Nick; but I hain’t; an’ never will,” “Don't be silly, Nell!” he pleaded, a flush mounting to his face. ‘ hat was only chil- dren’s talk you know. I uldn’t have been over ten vears old, and you not more than s¥ I had forgotten it, long ago; and supposed yous had done the same.” + *“ Youre a Romany, Nick. An’ a Romany never fergits!” she asserted. ‘‘ That is, unless he wants to. Say you fergot it because you : wanted to, an’ then you'll be tellin’ the truth.” © ‘¢ This is nonsense, Nell!” frowning, while the (1% flush deepened. ‘‘ What’s the use of ete up a past that wag only a children’s past, an that’s dead and buried Jong ago? Surely, you don’t expect me to keep such a promise as that! And, if you do, don’t you know I can’t and won't? _ I couldn’t make you a good husband and you couldn’t make me a good wife. We're not suit- a ed for each other in any way. And I trust— sincerely trust, Nell, you haven’t allowed your- self to cultivate any such suicidal and foolish attachment as would seem to be indicated by your language.” As he stopped, he saw that the girl was trem- bling in every limb, ** You're a liar, then, an’ a scoundrel, Nick Button!” she asserted. ‘* You said you’d marry me. -There hain’t any reason why you should ferget it, any more’n me, ’cept that you wanted to. No; Ididu’t s’pose you’d keep your prom- ise! V’ve seen fera long time that you didn’t care anything ferme, But there’s one thing, Nick Button, an’ mark it down in your cash book where you'll see it often—you’ll never mar- ry this otber girl! You're a-foolin’ her, jist as you fooled me, a-pretendin’ to be somebody. M But you'll not fool her any longer, Dlltellher — who an’ what you air; an’ all about you, Nick Button, ’fore another day rolls over my head.” “Tt won’t do you any good, Nell!” a look of pain and pity in his fine face. ‘*Pve told her that already. She knows quite as much about meas youdo, WhenIsaw you there last night, I feared you had designs against the family or against me; but I never dreamed what they really were. And, so, feeling that I was, as’ you say, deceiving her, I told her everything.” j Neil needed not to ask what the result of the x revelation had been, His radiant features, as ki he le‘t the Crofton place, had testified fully to that, ‘* Ycu’re a liar, Nick Button!” she screamed, beside herself with baffled hate and rage. ‘‘ You never dared to tell her any sich thing. Don’tI know these fine ladies too well? She would ’a’ — sent you out o’ that louse a deal quicker’n you went in.” ““As you please,” he said. ‘And, now, tell me what you mean to do that you’ve got the place? Work against me, of course! That was part of the plan. But isn’t there more to it? If there is, Nell, I want to warn you to be careful, They know who you are, now; for I told that, also. And if anything occurs you'll be at once suspected, and perbaps placed under arrest.” i “You tole on me?’ she gasped, Nand illogd ‘ what seemed to her a base betrayal, and illo cally forgetting ber own threats. ‘‘Isthat like | a Romany, Nick?” a ‘‘Perhaps not. But I’ve forgotten some of my Romany lessons, likely, as you seem to be in danger of doing. I knew you were not there — for any good, Itisn’tlike you to wanttoactas maid to any lady; and you'd never doit without some ulterior motive, So, I felt it my duty to inform the family that you were not the person you represented yourself to be, It will lose you the place, maybe, but you won’t care for that, if you find out you can’t accomplish your ends,” : : Nell was used to plain speaking, being much given to it herself, and cared little forthe words used by Nicholas, But this confession that he = = had revealed her deceit to her mistress savored so much of treason to the Romany race and Romany traditions that, for a moment, she stood aghast. “Youre the devil’s own, Nick Button; and V'!l be the death of you for that yet!” “hehe ‘Her voice was bard and tense, and herface flamed, Never had Nicholas seen ber so infuri- ated, and he was well acquainted with her tempestuous moods, zi Without another word she faced about and strode from the room and into the street. vite There she fairly ran, dodging in and out | among the gathering or of pedestrians, until she had placed a dozen blocks bebind her, = _ and found herself nearing the part of the city _ where was located the Crofton residence. fy “A Romany who will do that deserves death!” — she kept repeating over and over. ‘‘ Ay, he deserves death! And I'll kill him fer it yet. PU kill him yet! I’ve sworn it, and [ll do it.” She was fairly out of breath When the house was reached: and disliking to be seen by any one while so furious and angered, she hurried to”
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her room and bathed her face and, head in ice- cold water. ‘*T look awful!” she said, glancing at her livid face and hollow eyes in the mirror, ‘ Enough to scare all the witches out of the country, But { don’t care! Why should I care?” In this mood she hastened tothe apartment of her mistress, who had rung for her several times and was coming to the conclusion that the Gypsy girl had guessed the rature of the previous night’s revelations and had taken herself off without giving any warning. ‘¢T have jist come from down-town,” said Nell, replying to the questions that greeted her. ‘*Pve been down to see the young gentleman that was up byer last night. The young gentle- man that’s a-deceivin’ of you, ma’am, pertednin’ to be an honest chap and calling himself Nicho- las Bouton.” Margaret had commanded her to stop, but the Romany girl had no notion of doing anything of the kind until her purpose had been accom- plished, ‘* And which his name is Button, and he’sa Gypsy, and his father is an ole horee-trader and , athief, an’—” ‘*That will do!” cried Margaret, stamping her foot. ‘* Your services will be no longer re- quired. I can’t keep a person in my employ- ment who will talk that way. Here is your money.” ” “Thank you fer nothin’,ma’am! Keep your money. I knew I couldn’t stay any longer, and Idetermined to have my say. And, now, I’ve had it, an’ [’'m ready togo. But when you’re married to Nick Button, the Gypsy, don’t ferget that you’re akin to Greg Button an’ Gran But- ton, an’me! Me—Nell Button! An’ that the blood of the Romany will flow in the veins of your childern—an’ may you have a dozen that'll grow up to be as mean an’ wicked as Greg him- self!’ With this final shot, she fled down the pas- sage, laughing hysterically, and disappeared from the house, CHAPTER XII. AN AERIAL MISHAP. THE pseudo-confection man had opened out a little aa in a by street not far from the alley and displayed his tempting wares where they could not fail to be seen by the children of the neighborhood. And a frowsy, unkempt neigh- borhood it was, with noisome, gaping, cellar- like apartments everywhere, to say nothing of the crowded and crowding tenements—and with rickety staircases that constantly creaked and groaned, and gardens which had neither flowers nor vegetables, but seemed to support a strange growth of old shoes and broken bottles and rusty tinware. Not a very inviting neighborhood, one would say, for the success of the confection business, But these children of poverty had pennies occa- sionally, and the confection man seemed on the whole very content with his small sales. He was of the placid, German type, to whom the world always goes easy; and whether busi- ness was brisk or dull he smoked bis long- stemmed pipe with an air of calm serenity, and hummed occasional snatches of some song of the Fatherland. Daily Billy Baldor had entered the. little eubby-bole of a store and purchased ten cents’ worth of something, Frequently he was accom- anied by some of the children of the Gypsy and, to whom he turned over his purchases, ox once or twice he had appeared with Greg or ‘ran, He found it difficult indeed to reconcile this stolid German, with his queer accent and low, easy drawl, with his conceptions of a detective- officer, and was more than once inclined to think that there must be a mistake somewhere, or that be bad been made the victim of a deception. But he knew, when recalling all the circum- stances, that there was no error, and that the man was there at the command of, the chief of police, And this certain knowledge gave to the dwarf a high idea of the task in which he was engaged, and a more determined resolve to pros- ecute it to the end, He knew that Nell bad been absent a few days from the camp, but though he questioned her concerning the cause and received only evasive replies, he bad no notion of the real reason, Because of the certain belief that he was be- ing watched by the Romanies and by Greg in particular he had taken extra precautions against discovery; and bad not, therefore, ac- complished as much in the past few days as he should have liked. One evening, however, when Greg left the ee ia ea oe - Ke. pe Billy, the Gypsy Spy. camp at an unusually late hour, he resolved to follow him, let the consequences be what they might. Nell had already left the place, going no one knew whither, and the other Gypsies seemed to be given over to early slumber. He had already lost so much time, through fear of discovery, also, that he felt he could not really lose any more. The chief of police would be ex- pecting some kind of a report from him soon, and therefore he must be up and doing. It was not a difficult matter to steal away from the place in the trail of Greg, though he almost lost him while changing his garments for the newsboy disguise:—a disguise he con- sidered it the part of wisdom to adopt in all such undertakings, his scarlet cloak, even when turned, being tuo readily distinguishable. Greg bent his footsteps that night to the busi- ness house of Nicholas; and when he reached it, the weasel-like Pygmy was only a few paces in his rear. The Romany, on knocking, was admitted to the room of the young business man, **Barred out!” muttered Baldor, wondering how he might follow in safety. He made the circuit of the building, but saw no way to effect an entrance; and finally re- solved to go in by the same door that had ad- mitted Greg. It was a reckless resolve, but it was justified, perhaps, by the result, The door was not locked, and when he care- fully pushed it open be found himself in a narrow hallway connecting with the front part of the store, where lights gleamed in bewilder- ing array. He was on the point of beating a hasty retreat, fearing he should te seen, when the sound of voices, in low conversation, reached him. ‘“*That’s Greg’s voice, one of them! I’d know it among a thousand, Queer that he should be in a place like this, talking toa business man in bis private office. This must be the store of Nicholas, that I’ve heard so much about,” He crept close to the wall and cowered behind av old fire-screen, which bad been tossed there. The voices were now quite distinguishable. ‘*What made you send Nell up to Crofton’s?” he beard one of the men ask, ‘““Why, Nick, when I coulcn’t git in there my- self I thought that the best thing to do!” tbe old Romany averred. ‘* You know I said Id hel you in tryin’ to git that girl fer your wife, and was determined to keep my word,” ‘Yes, it?s Nick! He’s the ’way-up chap that Greg and Pepper were talking about that night. And he’s scheming to marry the daughter of this man Crofton, who’s as rich as they make ’em, I’ve heard, and the old Gypsy’s been trying to help him. So, that accounts for where Nell has been, Well, she must have got her walking papers, and a lecture into the bargain, for she’s been as cross as a wet hen ever since she came back.” For nearly an hour Greg Button and thé young man continued their conversation in that little back office, often sinking their voices so low that the spy could not understand a word. Some- times the young man seemed to be pleading with the Romany, and at others commanding fities all of which sorely puzzled Baldor, At last Greg arose and abruptly quitted the apartment, seemingly in anger,and wasin the hall before the spy had any time in which to heat a retreat. “T’min a bad box, if he sees me!” was Bal- dor’s mental comment as he essayed to squeeze himself into a compact mass bebind the screen, The Romany, however, strode quickly by, without deigning to once look about him, When he had disappeared, the spy breathed freer, but he did not venture from his place of concealment for several minutes, fearing Greg might be lingering on the outside, When he stole out, the coast was clear. Many of the lights in the adjacent stores had been extinguished. There were no pedestrians on this side street, though a few were still to be seen on the main thoroughfare. “It’s getting late,” Billy whispered, looking carefully about him. ‘Perhaps I’d_ better make myself scarce in this vicinity. The young chap may take it into his head to come out this way.” He was on the point of crossing the street, when a slight rustle overhead attracted his at- tention. Glancing up he saw a man’s figure outlined between bimself and the sky, and almost directly above him. The man se@med to be walking slowly and carefully, and on air, for the thin, supporting wire was to Billy invisible in the gloom. The sight was so unexpected and startling that the boy uttered an involuntary cry. As he did so the wire-walker looked down- 3 ree Sa ae ae 29 —————— ooo EE EEO OEE’ ~ te Mts ward, and with a half-scream lost his hold. He caught, however, by his hands, and swayed ina manner that was, to Baldor, terrible and sicken- ing. **Oh, he will fall and be killed!” he moaned, his heart wrung by the seeming peril of the man’s position. The mysterious form above was writhing in evident pain, plainly showing that in some mane ner he had been injured by the fall. **Wrenched his shoulders ‘or wrists,” thought the boy, bis mind becoming active, with a sud- den rebound. ‘‘He can’t help himself,” One of the poles supporting the wire stood near, and toward it the wire-walker was trying to make bis way. But he seemingly could not, and Billy could hear the low moans which occa- sionally escaped his lips. “T must do something to aid him!” looking anxiously toward the pole. ‘*‘ Maybeif I’d climb up there 1 might.” He started to dash forward, and half-stumbled over some yielding mass. “T's a rope!” he muttered, clasping it eagerly. It was a coil of rope, but so frayed and worn and rotten that it bad been cast out there as useless, Nevertheless, Billy bailed it as a solution of the difficulty; and burried on to the pole, drag- ging the loose folds after him. The pole was perfectly smooth and its ascent no easy task; but, made strong and agile by the fears that swayed him, the boy slowly made his way up to the cross-bar to which the wireran. All his fears of discovery had vanished and been forgotten. Intent only on aiding the un- fortunate he called out: ‘* Here! Catch this, and slide down it,” “Is that you, Billy?’ asked the wire-walker, in a voice so strangely familiar tnuat the boy almost dropped the rope, from the start it gave him. ‘‘ Pitch the rope out as far as you can.” Billy, with his head whirling from the effects of these words, bad yet sufficient control over his nerves to enable him to give the rope a strong and heavy swing that landed the end of it over the wire directly in front of the speaker. The latter grasped it, moaning in pain as the weight was transferred entirely to the other arm; and speedily bad the two ends dangling near the ground, And by the time Billy had regained the earth the other had descended also. “That ‘can’t be you, Nell?” The boy whisper- ed, peering up into the face of the supposed man. ** An’ hain’t I as much right to go masquera- din’ *bout as Bill Baldor bas?” the disguised girl queried, clasping her injured wrist. ‘‘ What made you squawk out like a struck goose when you saw me? What are you doing here, any- how! Come this way! We'll be seen,” ** Knocked the fat plum into the fire, I have, this time!” Baldor muttered, as he obeyed the imperious command, ‘I’m always buttin’ my brains out, tryin’ to help people who don’t de- serve to be helped. But who'd bave thought of finding her creeping along a wire at the top of the street?” *“ What are you doin’ here?’ Nell demanded, as soon as they had reached a place of greater security. ‘* And in them clo’es?” ‘“They’re good ones,” the boy dryly observed, *“T bought ’em of a newsboy who allowed he wouldn’t need ’em any more, inasmuch as he was dyin’! And I'd further like to make answer by asking where you got yours? They don’t become you, Nell. Take ’em off, when you get home, and don’t never put ’em on again,” “Curse that wrist!” holding it up and looking at it. “It’s about broke, I do believe. ‘ Well, you cheeky thing! I’ve been spying, if you must know. Spying on that precious Nick Button in there,” oe Eh {” "Yes, eh!” bubbling over with a sudden ac- cession of wratb. ‘You hain’t deaf, Billy! I’ve been spyin’, What of it? So’ve you. An’ that makes us even, don’t it? And neither darst tell on the other!” ‘“*But how did you get up there, and where have you been?” gaspingly. ‘Ob, that wire?” and she laughed iu an un- pleasant way. ‘That wasn’t nothing. I wouldn't have tumbled if vou hadn’t croaked out and made me think Greg or Nick had discovered me. I used to be a rope-walker. A profesh, Followed it off an’ on fer years ’fore I ever seen you. More money in it, sometimes, than fortune-tellin’.” Again she stopped and clasped her wrist, giy- ing vent toa spiteful little scream, An’ I followed Greg to-night, when he tole me he was comin’ up to have a talk with Nick, — EEE . 2 fas Po»
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g f j ¢g By) / i n \ y { zs - t ‘i “g ae - ~, aS a) i a 4 “ha oa q y '§ a - 2 vf 4 / ee Bah me Bs ' ly 4 ot & ¥ rf 4 Ry! 0 ee & 55Gm er, f + j iP! * + a { Ad . Ea, * T e i S, “ ‘ ; ae a ‘ 5 a ter aD "i : Re 7 | o ae , 10 Curses on that Nick! I’m goin’ to knife him the first good chance I get.” So wrought up was she by constant brooding on her own woes that she could think of nothing else, and proceeded & babble her dangerous secrets with no more caution than a child, for- getting for the moment to further question aldor as to the causes that had drawn him thither. ‘*T thought he meant to marry me, Billy; an’ he’s talkin’ of marryin’ that white-faced chit up at Crofton’s. But he sha’n’t! DPvesworn it. Pl kill him first.” Never had Baldor seen her in so maniacal a mood. “That wouldn’t be right, you know!” he urged, in tones meant to be soothing. ‘* Does he care anything for her, or is he just after her money?” “* He loves her !” she asserted, witha low em- hasis that was terrlble. ‘‘ And the little fool oves him. If it wasn’t for that I might have some chance of winning him from her. Women will cry for love and men will die for it, at least sometimes! Nick shall, anyway. Hai Ha! There will be one man perished for his lady-love, anyway. And, Billy, you shall write a verse for his tombstone. You’re clever at that, bain’t you? You ought to be, since you’re so clever at everything else,” Baldor was not sure Nell was not losing her sanity, and shuddered at the thought. **You’d better go home,” he pleaded, in a tone plainly betraying his fears, **Oh, I'm all right, except this wrist. And it’s the knife hand, too! Butit will be all right to-morrow. You’re the one that ought to go home. It’s time little chaps like you were in bed. And there! you haven’t told me, yet, what you're doin’ here!” She had not seen him emerge from the house; that was quite evident; and Baldor thought a white lie at this time would be better than tons of truthful confession. *l’ve been turning a few extra pennies lately, by selling papers, After business hours, you understand. nd to do so, rigged up in this style. But Lhope you won't say anything about it toGreg. He mightn’t like it.” ** And you haven’t been spying, then? Well, I'll keep mum about the paper bizness, if you'll do the same ’bout this little affair.” “T's a bargain,” and Billy solemnly extended his hand. “The left one!” drawing away the injured right. ‘‘ Nearest my heart, you know.” And with the hand pressure, she wheeled about and disappeared, CHAPTER XIII, A WILD DASH, BiLuy, as he crept back along the deserted streets, could not quell the fears that crowded on him, He had no assurance, he reasoned, that the Gypsy girl would keep the word she had so solemnly given; and if it should come to the ears of Greg that the little fortune-teller had been spying on him, terrible consequences might ensue. Mingled with these thoughts were reflections concerning the merchant’s daughter, of whom he had now beard more than once. From Nell’s words it seemed quite plain that here was a genuine love affair; but how could he, then, construe the talk he had only that night heard? The voice of Nicholas had impressed him favorably. It bad held in its accents much that seemed pure and noble, and lte was loth to ae the owner of such a voice could be a vil- in, ‘*T must see the girl!” he commented, when, as the scarlet-cloaked fortune-teller, he was hastening from the tumble-down building where the change had been effected in his clothing. ** Yes, I must see her and see what she looks like, and then I’ll know whether she’s worth any further thought. I don’t know that I’ve any caH to cut across lots in this case. No doubt it would be more sensible to keep in the middle of the road and let Greg and Nick and the rest of them go hang, as far as this matter is concerned. I’m bunting for the murderer of John Fenton; or, at least, that’s what [’'m sup- posed to be doing. But, someway, I can’t keep my hand off this other affair. ‘Phew! But wasn’t Nell in a stew to-nigbt. She’s equal toashe tiger, with eyes a-shining and claws a-sticking out! If she makes up her mind to pop a knife into the back of Mr, Nicho- las, I’m mightily afraids he’!l doit. 1 wouldn’t have her after me that way for the love of all the fluttering angels that ever blinded the eyes of men.” Billy, the Gypsy Spy. With this sage comment he reached the bere and crept stealthily into the tent which he usually occupied alone. *““There’s a woman up town who wants her fortune told,” he declared to Gran, the next evening. ‘I think she'll pay well, and I’m going up to scan the beauty’s hand and tell her that her lover loves her, all for the sum ofa dollar or two, and that she shall have happiness and horses, and jewels and cash galore, You are welcome to rake in any shekels that may make their appearance here in the interval.” The old crone protested slightly, but, as Greg and Nell were both away the boy paid little heed to the protest, and soon after took his de- parture, It was scarcely dark when he left the camp, and he was painfully aware that the danger of discovery was much increased thereby. But be realized, also, that if he wished to obtain a con- ference with, or even a sight of, Margaret Crof- ton, he must make his appearance at the Crofton residence before the shades of night had fully fallen, He visited the confection man first and made his usual purchase, and then crept away to change his clothing; and succeeded in escaping from the neighborhood without discovery, A directory bad given the street and number, a he experienced no difficulty in finding the place. Proceeding to the rear entrance he boldly in- quired for the lady of the house, ‘“*She can’t see the likes o’ ye!” the servant made answer. ; “*She migkt, you know, if she’d look!” Baldor averred, extending a shining silver piece. “Don’t you think so, my good friend? Is it worth that to just step out of the way and not see me, yourself?” The servant evidently thought it was; for he slipped the coin into his pocket, and whistled a jolly air as he hastened off, ‘*Now, if I can only find her without too much trouble! I'll be taken for a house-breaker, | 1 suppose, if I’m caught prowling.” The young lady’s voice directed him, how- ever. She was seated at the pianv, drumming and singing iu a thoughtful way; and tius directed, Billy advanced boldly. Ow gaining the door, which stood somewhat ajar, he coughed slightly to attract her atten- tion, and then strode into the apartment, hat in hand, aud with a very obsequious bow. She stared hard at him for an instant, and seemed on the point of calling a servant. ‘“* Allow me to. tell your fortune, good lady!” he pleaded, ‘Who are you, and how did you get in here?” she gasped. “I’m a Gypsy, lady; and I came in by the rear door. I thought you might wish your for- tune told.” He was studying every lineament of her face as he spoke, and eiideavoring from it to fathom her character. Never had he beheld a coun- tenance more expressive of womanly purity and goodness, She recoiled slightly at the word ‘‘ Gypsy.” ““T ought to call a servant and have you ejected,” she exclaimed. ‘* But you're cake a boy! Don’t you know it’s very impertinent, though, to enter a house, without consent, as you have done? Impertinent, and criminal?” Baldor bowed almcst to the floor, ** Pray pardon me, lady! My intentions are of the best. You have a good face and a kind heart. I will go, though, if you do not wish me to remain.” “What a strange, little creature you ara!” laughingly. ‘‘I suppose [ ought to tell you to go. But, I’m curious to know what you can do at fortune-telling. Not that I believe you know anything more of the future thanIdo! Are you acquainted with a Gypsy girl called Nell Button?” ** All Gypsies are more or less acquainted with each other,” was the evasive reply. “Pm afraid of Gypsies,” and she shuddered, ‘* Not that all are base and deceptive, though I fear most of them are,” **Many are good,” averred Baldor. ‘‘ You do not like’ my appearance, I see, Ido not blame you; and I will go.” “Then, you are not good at guessing, however ‘ood you may be at foretelling the future. our face seems bright and truthful. Your fortunes are as pleasant, I presume.” “Your hand!” advancing to seize the golden opportunity. She extended it in a laughing manner, seem- ing at the same time half-ashamed of the action. “One like you surely can have nothing but a good fortune!” and he lifted the rosy finger- “And it is a good fortune I tips to his lips. foresee, ‘““You have a lover, lady, who loves you’ as the humming-bird loves the lilies, as the flowers love the sunshine, as the mountains love the sky. And you return that love. There are traces of shadows, too, but they shall be cleared away; and the dreams that haunt you shall be- come realities.” She flushed and withdrew the hand. “That willdo! You are a base flatterer, like all the rest.” -| ** Shall I not go on?” he asked. “No! The picture is a bright one and I would have it remain just that way. If you proceed, you may take it into your wise little head to lay on somber colors before the close, I understand, of course, that you weave the pleasant or unpleasant fictions as you go; and I always prefer that all the romances I read or hear shall end well.” She took from her purse a coin of the same denomination as the one Baldor had given the servant, and dropped it in bis palm; and under- standing this as a dismissal he. retreated toward the door, “Tet me ring for a servant to show you down?” and she reached for the button, “* No!” he exclaimed, putting outa hand. “TI prefer to slip out as I camein, I shall disturb nothing.” He darted into the corridor before she could reply, and heard tke echoing of the bell, which she had rung in spite of his protest, It would have been the part of wisdom for the dwarf to have retreated to the apartment be bad just quitted and to have there awaited the ser- vant’s arrival. By so doing a ludicrous contre- temps would have been avoided. Instead, he darted toward the front entrance, intent on making his way out without any such assistance, His principal reason for doing so was a desire to escape general observation, inas- much as he could not be sure that Nell or Greg were not on terms of intimacy with some of the attaches of the place, and might thus learn of his visit, As it was the servant gained the entrance to the corridor just in time to catch a\view of Bal- dor’s vanishing coat-tails, and being convinced that something terrible had happened, he screamed out a general alarm. “Tm in for it now!” the Pygmy muttered, bounding down the stairway. ‘ That fool’s yell- ing like the house was afire, If they catch me they’ll beat me half to death before I can make an explanation, or before the lady can come to my assistance.’ : Be could hear the patter of feet everywhere, all converging toward bim; and when, having gained the outside, he attempted to escape by racing along the walk, he found the passage blocked, ‘“*Hyer he goes!” one of the men yelled, as the dwarf changed his line of flight and darted into the shrubbery. ‘‘ Head him off over there, pa ye? It’s a boy, an’ he’s been a-stealin’ some- thing. Thus warned, Baldor agai shifted his course. But, though he avoided the peril that threat- ened, be found himself closely pursued by two panting servants, who Shad come suddenly on him from another direction. He was remarkally fleet of foot, but their long strides gave them great advantage, and he felt that he must soon be overhauled. Hence, when he gained the street, he darted into the first opening that presented, This proved to be a stairway, mounting to un- known heights; and as Billy bounded up, women popped tbeir beads from doorways opening on the hall, and screamed at him like a nest of frightened macaws, He gained the top, however, without mishap, and scrambling through an open window de- scended by a fire-ladder to a roof lower down, Here no sounds of pursuit reached him, and feeling thoroughly fagged, he dropped bebind @ projecting flue and awaited developments. After a little he heard somé one advance to the window, and knew the roof was being scanned for traces of Lim. But the watcher left shortly, and Billy was again alone, “Oh, for the wings of the morning that I might fly—fly—most any place, so I didn’t land too hard!” glancing anxiously around. ‘‘ How I’m to get down from here without coming in range of those over-zealous servants, puzzles me! ‘ Creeping like a shadow, he passed across the roof. When he had gained the opposite side he saw below him a stairway that mounted from the outside of the building. Tt e-nld not be reached, however, from where he was, but on jf
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i looking about he noticed that a lightning-rod, which projected from the roof near him, passed in its descent within a foot of this staircase, or ' fire-escape, “Nell could go down that,” scanning it thoughtfully, ‘and why shouldn’tI? Ican, and I will!” With this resolve he swung himself over the edge of the roof, and clinging to the twisted rod with hands and feet, slowly lowered him- self. The feat was much easier of accomplish- ment than he had thought, and the staircase, or ladder series, as it really was, was gained with- out mishap. Here he rested awhile and listened for any sound which might indicate the search was stil! being prosecuted. Hearing nothing, he de- scended, and quickly dropped from the first- story platform into the street, and mingling with the throng soon made his way from the vicinity. CHAPTER XIV. THROUGH A SKYLIGHT, ‘* WELL, that was a go!” thought little Bal- dor, with much disgust, as he hastened in the direction of the Gypsy camp, ‘‘ To be chased like a felon out of the house, when I went there with the best of intentions, I reckon I’d better attend strictly to this John Fenton business, and let outside issues alone. It looks that way, to a man up a tree—or on a house-top!” Yet, notwithstanding this feeling, the Pygmy found his mind drawn constantly toward Mar- garet Crofton, and toward Nicholas; and, not at all understanding what the old Romany, Greg, was up to, be resolved to watch him more closely than ever, if that were possible. As he approached the alley he saw a man ad- vancing through it. Thinking the form famil- iar, the dwarf awaited, in cuncealment, the fel- low’s approach. A closer view left no further doubt. That Shaggy head, those stooping shoulders, could belong to none save the cracksman, Pepper Smith. i Although pretty well tired out with the exer- tions of the evening, Pepper’s appearance at that time and place aroused the dwart’s curi- osity, and he resolved to follow bim, He was the more impelled to this by the feeling that in attending to these outside issues he had been neglecting the principal quest. The cracksman’s ordinary gait was a crouch- ing, stealthy one, to which he had become habituated, probably, by his long career of thieving and general villainy; and as he glided by the concealed dwarf, his footsteps made scarcely more sound than the falling of autumn leaves. Silent, however, as the ofacksman was, his Movements were not more noiseless than those of the Pygmy who crept after him, epper seemed to avoid the principal avenues, sticking to the back streets and byways, asif he feared the glare of the electric lights. For this Baldor was duly grateful, as it enabled him to keep closer to the skulking scoundrel and greatly lessed the chances of discovery. The villain put almost a mile behind him be- fore he came toa halt, The place was a dense- ly populated section of the tenement quarter, with filth, squalor and misery everywhere visi- ble, There were many men aud women in the ill- lighted street. Hesitating a moment Pepper applied a key to a lock and entered a door, beyond whicb was revealed a narrow and dirty stairway. Then Billy heard him sbuffling up the creaky steps; and a little later saw a faint light reflected against a wall higher up and knew that the man had entered one of the upper rooms and lighted a smoky lamp, the gleam of which reached the high wall through a skylight. The appearance of the brutal men in the short street was not reassuring, and he resolved not to £0 among themif they could be avoided. How reach the room to which Pepper had ascended without doing so seemed a difficult problem. As he crouched in the shadows turning this uestion over in his mind, the faint flicker of the light on the wall and the events of bis recent escape suggested a solution. He could probably mount to the roof of a building and survey the Anterior of Pepper’s room from above, ut, why take that risk?’ he queried, and was about to settle down to the simple task of watching the house, when the coming of another person reawakened his interest. _This was Greg Button, the Romany; and as he disappeared through the door which had shut epper from the gaze of the boy, the latter re- solved to discover the meaning of these mysteri- ous movements, » Billy, the Gypsy Spy. eS ” 11 There was no way by which the roof of the house could be reached from the froat, and Bal- dor, accordingly burried to the rear, where a stairway led into the large building. Some chil- dren were playing in the dirt before it, however, and the way seemed thus blocked. Buttoning his coat closely about him and pull- ing his hat well over his eyes he appeared sud- denly before them. ‘* Want some candy?” he queried, taking from a pocket the package of confections he had pur- chased that evening from the pretended Gorman. ‘*Here! Let’s see you race for it, then! The one that gets the most can have all he gets,” The children had clustered about him, their eyes sparkling at sight of the dainties exhibited. Then, with a quick toss, he scattered the con- tents of the package in all directions. A wild scramble instantly followed; and while it was at its height he slipped into the stairway and began to mount silently toward the second floor. There was no one on this floor to bar his further progress, and he ascended in the same way to the third. Here, from a window, he looked down on the faint light that came up from the room occupied by Greg and Pepper. There was no lightning-rod to aid bimina descent, The stairway, however—having been constructed after the window had been set in —ran along the upper sash. Out of thisupper half of the window Baldor was peering, the entire lower sash being below the line of the stairway. ng seemed to present a solution of the diffi- culty. Drawing down the upper half, he climbed to the outside, and by holding firmly to the top lowered himself to the window ledge; and from this leaped lightly to the almost flat roof. Be- fore doing so, however, he had pushed the upper sash into place and felt quite sure no one would ever fancy a descent could be made by that route, It was now a comparatively easy task to creep into position near the skylight and sur- vey the interior of the apartment occupied by Pepper and Greg. The two were alone—Greg smoking his pipe, and Pepper with chair tipped against the wall in an easy attitude. And they were talking. ‘**T tell you, Pep, on’y when that’s done will I feel like I’m paid fer all these years o’ watchin’ an’ schemin’, Crofton may think I’ve fergot, No doubt he does; but he never made a bigger mistake, Ill never fergit that while my head’s hot. An’, blast his eyes, he’ll have plenty cause to reec’lect it, too, fore long!” Baldor, with his nose flattened against the glass, could not see the vicious snapping of black orbs which accompanied the words, but he heard the low, clicking sound with which the threat was emphasized, and knew the Romany was terribly in earnest. ‘Yes, he'll pay fer it, in tears an’ blood! They can’t be any doubt that the young folks "Il marry. I was snoopin’’roun’ the house t’other night, an’ heerd their chatter, Jist like two turkle-coves, Pep, fer all the worl’! The lovin’- est, dovin’est couple you ever see in all your borned days!” ‘‘Then, you’ve got him, I reckon!” and Pep- per lifted his shoulders with one of bis expres- sive shrugs. ‘‘ Got him an’ them, too!” “You can jist gamble that I have, Pep! He ain’t dreamin’ of anything like that!” ‘“*What can they be driving at?’ and Baldor flattened his nose so recklessly that it seemed he must push the glass through. ‘ Blest if I can make head or tail of it. Seems the old m is laying up some kind of a club for Crofton.” The wortbies below indulged in much more of the same sort of talk, but the listener could not get the thread of the conversation sufficiently to determine what it meant, One thing seemed certain; the Romany held some cause of bit- ter hatred against the merchant, and was re- solved to square accounts by a terrible ven- geance, Finally Greg knocked the ashes from his pipe and arose to go. When he had departed, Pep- per threw himself on the bed in a hailf-dressed condition and endeavored to compose bimself for slumber, ‘I suppose I'll not learn anything more to- nigbt,” mused the spy, still peering through the skylight. ‘* And I’d feel betterif I knew just how I’m to get down from this roof, [ can’t very well climb up to the window, owing to the distance and the/abbreviated condition of my stature, and I can’t jump from the roof.” A solution entirely unlooked for came quickly, In rising to his feet he stepped incautiously on an old broom-handle which be bad not before! observed, and was shot with great violence upom the skylight. There was a fearful crash and shivering of glass, as the roof spy plunged bodily through into the cracksman’s den. The bed which held the sleeping cracksman was directly beneath the skylight, and into the middle of it he plumped, landing perilously near Pepper’s body. This broke the forces of the fall, for the bed was provided with a bulky, old- fashioned feather-tick, into which he sunk half- up to his knees, A hail of broken glass and splinters accom- panied him: and a more startled and frightened rascalthan Pepper would be hard to imagine, With a howl he leaped to the floor, and made a wild dash for the stairway, hatless and coatless and with hair in wild disorder. Baldor was almost equally frightened by this unexpected disaster; but was, nevertheless, quick to see and seize the advantage gained. **Shoot bim!” he shouted, in tones as hoarse as he could command. ‘Don’t let him get away. Fifty dollars to the man tbat first puts hands on him!” a ET) reg ce oN i cd a ee This was all that was necessary to add wings. to the feet of the terrified cracksman, and he went down the stairs with the speed of a belated Express train. ‘*Now, its my time, and I must make hay while the sun’s shining,” and forthwith the dwarf was diving down the stairway, three steps at a time, and with as much apparent reckless- ness as had been shown by Pepper. When the street was gained the fleeing Pepper was nowhere to be seen, but heads were being popped from windows in the neighborbood, and shrill] questions concerning the cause of the ex- citement were being hurled back and forth, And feeling that delay was perilous in the ex- treme, Baldor raced away through the night. CHAPTER XV. A STARTLING DISCLOSURE. WHEN the dwarf gained the vicinity of the Gypsy camp, having previously divested him- self of his newsboy disguise, he was somewhat astonished to see a light faintly burning in Greg’s tent. The Romanies were given to night prowling, but it was unusual for them to sit up late, when once they had returned from their surreptitious strolls. The sight of the low-burning lamp, therefore, naturally kindled the boy’s curiosity, and he crawled close up under tbe shadow of the tent to discover its meaning. There were only two persons in the tent, he decided, after close listening and a study of the shadows thrown on the dirty canvas by the smoky flame. They were Greg and Gran, and their first words had been sufficient to rivet his attention. ; ‘*T do’ know what to do wi’ that boy!” Gran muchbled. ‘‘ You tell me to make ‘im sta hyer, but he jis’ won’t, an’ that’s the eend. Ho won't listen to me w’en I tells him not ter. Not. a word, be won't.” **T don’t like the way he’s a-trapsein’ ’round!” Greg growled. ‘‘ We do’ know what he’s up to. I low we’d best ship him son. If he sh’u’d be a-spyin’!” “ But the fortunes!” whined the hag. ‘‘He do pre in a power o’siller. Five dollars this very : “* Mebbe we can keep him!” was the comforting response. ‘‘Assoon as I git through with this other biz, I’m a-goin’ to pull out of byer, any- how, But I can’t go till that’s settled, and I see Crofton with his face in the dust.” ‘**Twill be a s’prise!” Gran crooned, swaying her skinny form back and forth, ‘Twill be revenge!” Greg grated. ‘The re- venge that Pve been plannin’ an’ waitin’ fer alt these years, I don’t think that’s b’en out o’? my thoughts a single day nor out o’ my dreams a single night sence the start, An’ now. it’s comin’! Comin’ fast as the days can roll!” The gloating words were expressive of the spirit of a fiend. ‘““How be you a-goin’ to work it?? Gran queried, after a longer silence than usual. “Tt will ’most work itself!” clucked Greg. “The young fools is rushin’ toward matermony fast as I could ask. Frum what I heerd_t’other night, they’ve got the day set a’ready. Let’em rush! They do’ know what's afore ’em,” He stopped as if to enjoy the vision he had conjured, and_ his cluckings came so: thick and fast they sounded like a low, wheezy whistle, ‘““No! That they don’t. An’ Crofton hain’t the mitest of an idee either that they’re reely brother an’ sister. He can’t never dream of sich, But they air,Gran. We know that they air, if they don’t, an’ if Crofton don’t.” Balaor gave such a start that for a moment Ny RRR OE! ORL es
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12 he feared he had brought discovery and confu- sion on his head, ‘Brother and sister!” he panted, as if he | i that, er he’ll drown hisself! I hain’t keerin’ could not credit the words his ears had caught. “Tt can’t be! It surely can’t be!” ** Crofton’s fergot the time be had me chucked into jail on the charge of bein’a vag. He’s fer- got itlong ago. But Pll warrant he ain’t never fergot how his boy was stole away that same summer, an’ how he hain’t uever heerd frum him again. I s’pose be thinks the boy’s dead ?fore now, But be hain’t, Gran. You an’ me, know he hain’t,” Gran made no reply to this, but Baldor could see her bowed head and swaying body outlined by the dirty canvas, and knew she was listening intently to every word. ‘He had no idee that the vag he stuck in jail was he same feller that carried off bis boy. If he had, I’low that vag would ’a’ been swung up by the neck. It do me good, Gran, jist to think it all over: ‘*The boy was a-playin’in the street, to’rst evenin’, a month mebbe after the vag got out o’ jail. An’ they was a feller what looked power- ful like the vag a-sittin?on the curbstone, An’ says this feller, a-holdin’ out an orange, an’ a- lookin’ as sweet as m/lasses pie: * Wouldn’t you like to have this hyer, sonny? ** An’, then, when the little ’un said as he would, this feller what looked like the vag backed into the alley, an’ held the orange up temptin’ er’n ever, an’ tole the little ’un to come an’ git it, if he wanted it reel bad. **An’ the little °un come jis ’a-toddlin’; an’ they was a wagon in that alley; an’ into it be was put, orange an’ all; an’ away the vag scoot- ed with ’im.” “The scoundrel!” muttered Baldor, shaking his fist at the shadows on the canvas, ** Yes,” continued the Romany, a perfect tor- rent of clucks tumbling over each other in their haste tosteal out and show what a jolly heart they had come from, “ the feller what looked like a vag scooted with him! ** An’ then wasn’t they a lot o’ yow-yowing an’ ki-yiin’ in that neighborhood soon after? The old man what had put the vag in jail he tore his hair and pranced; an’ the ole ’oman she took on ’sif she’d been sent fer; an’ the p’lice they run this way an’ that; and the newspapers they writ speeches tellin’ how it had been done, an’ how the abducticators could be caught; an’ alto- gether ’twasa great time, ‘** But they didn’t find the man what looked like the vag, an’ they ba’n’t found him git. Fer the vag didn’t stay in that vercinity after that. But he went to rovin’, an’ he fetched the boy up as his’n, an’ when he’d growed up to be a likely lad he sent him off toschool an’ give’im an ejica- tion, ‘“‘ But long ’fore that the ole ’oman died, broke her heart they said; an’ the ole man’ll wish he’d a? died the same way, I’m thinking, when he knows what we know, * An’ the boy went into bizaess—fer he had the Croften head fer that—an’ now he’s got a slam-up, fine store, all his own; an’ he’s a-goin’ to marry the Crofton girl, what’s reely his sister, It do beat the world how things will work roun’, Gran, if you'll on’y give’em time an’ a push now an’ then. “] say it, what ought to know, fer I’ve worked tbis bull bizness frum beginnin’ to eend, An’ the fools can’t see that the vag’s been a-lead- in’ ’em all the time.” Another series of clucks gave Baldor a chance to again wave his fist menacingly at’ the shad- ows, “Twas me that fu’st tole Nick to hitch up to the ole man, fer the sake o’ the bizness he was in. An’ when he done that the rest come jist as natcherel as water slippin’ down hill, I knowed it would, an’ it did. ** An’, now, there’s to be a weddin’, jist as I figgered they must be! An’ when that wed- din’s over! Do you know what I mean to do then, Gran?’ The bag bobbed her head negatively. “Pm a-goin’ to march into that parlor, says the spider to the fly, an’ I’m a-goin’ to tell the ole man jist what’s come to pass; an’ I’m a-goin’ to tell him that I’m the vag; an’ I’m a-goin’ to pitch down ’fore him the very clo’es what 'the kid wore when he was abducticated; an’ then, when he falls in a fit or goes to tearin’ his hair, I’m goin’ to slide. An’ then, Gran, these hyer parts won’t never see us again,” “The old villain!” Baldor exclaimed, beneath his breath. ‘If there was ever a man needed hanging, he’s the man.” ‘** Yes,” said the Komany, breaking in again, “‘then we'll slide. An’ the turkle doves "l be Billy, the Gypsy Spy. off on their honeymoon; an’ the ol’? man, when he knows it all, an’ reelizes that it’s been the work o’ the vag, *ll be off fer a ’sylum. Hither much which, though I b’leeve [d ruther he’d go to the ’sylum. ’Twould be lastin’er than jist drowndin’.” Baldor’s distress and anger were so great he could hardly contain his feelings, His visit to the Crofton residence and interview with Mar- garet had given him a high opinion of that young lady’s purty and goodness. Her father he had never seen. Neither had he seen Nicholas. But the tones of the latter’s voice had impressed him favorably, which, coupled with the revela- tions of the Gypsy girl, Nell, had gained his good will. He had heard enough to keep him awake the remainder of the night, and give him food for uneasy reflection, Already he was cogitating how he could warn Crofton of the facts he had thus learned. Greg had lapsed into silence, and Gran was moving about as if contemplating re- tiring. ‘*T'd better get into bed as quick as I can!” he commented, backing from tbe dangerous vicinity. He had, from the start, insisted on having a small tent reserved for his exclusive occupancy, and toward this he hastened; and, ten minutes later, when Greg lifted the flap and peered in to ascertain if the young fortune-teller had return- ed, Baldor was apparently buried in the most profound slumber. CHAPTER XVI. BEAUTY MADDENED. NEAR morning, and after hours of troubled tossing, Billy dropped into a dream-disturbed slumber, from which he was aroused by the sounds of angry words in Greg’s tent. The sun was shining brightly through the half-open flap of canvas, and the warmth of bis rays showed that the day was considerably ad- vanced, ‘* Gimme that knife, Gran!” came the words, in the sharp, quick tones of the Gypsy girl. ‘* What bizness had you to take it out o’ my pocket las’ night, Td like to know, anyway? That’s my knife, an’ 1 want you to jist band it over!” ‘What be you goin’ to do wi’ it, Nell?” the hag crooned, ‘Tell me that, an’ then mebbe [ will.” ‘*?Tain’t none o’ yer bizness, an’ I want that knife!” ** You be goin’ to hurt somebody, Nell!” pro- testingly. ‘Yes, Iam, if I git a good chance!” ** Not our Nick?” ‘*Gimme that knife, I say, or it’/ll be you /” From the scuffling sound that followed Billy knew she had leaped on the old crone and was endeavoring to wrench the weapon from her rasp, ‘Yes, it?s Nick!” pantingly and triumphant- ly, a moment later. ‘I’m. goin’ to put. that in his heart, if he don’t promise to Jet that girl go, you hear me!” Then Nell burried from the tent; and when Billy hastily dressed and went out, she was no- where to be seen. He feared to question Gran as to the direc- tion she had teken, though he felt almost sure it bad been toward town, and on evil bent. He greatly wished to follow her, and would have done so, doubtless, if two women of the lower order had not made their appearance at that instant with a request that be tell them their fortunes, Before he was through with them others ap- peared, and from that hour until nightfall be found not a chance to leave the place. Business in his line had never seemed brisker, greatly to bis disgust, It was remarked by many that the fortunes that day were not of the best, and the lifting of the vail of the past was not done with the deli- cate accuracy of other days, The fortune-teller, too, was given to abstractions and fits of forget- fulness, together with turns of brusqueness that were not pleasing, Nell had returned before noon, and from her manner Baldor shrewdly guessed she had not found an opportunity to put her murderons plan in execution. She talked much to Gran, and the latter wasted her crooning eloquence on the maddened creature without appreciable effect. As for Greg he bad been away the entire day. ** You ain’t goin’ out ag’in!” Gran coaxed, as darkness set in. ‘ it’ll be murder, Nell, if you do what you was talkin’ ’bout; an’ you know what that means.” But Nell was ina reckless mood; and casting Gran off angrily, marched out into the thicken ing gloom, “Hadn't I better foller her?” Baldor asked, coming forward at that moment, ‘ I happened to hear what you said, Gran. If she’s going to hurt somebody she ought to be stopped. It will get. us all into trouble.” * So ’twill!” Gran moaned, ‘‘ Oh, I do’ know what to do wi’ her! Ireely don’t. If Greg was on’y here!” ‘* But he isn’t!” the dwarf urged. run across him, though down town, she mad at?” ‘“‘Nick! Nicholas Bouton, what keeps the big store next to the corner cf Twelth an’ Walnut, She says he promised to marry her, an’ won’t do it: an’ she’s a-goin’ to stab him!” “Then Dll go!” and Billy, fearing she might try to prevent him from doing so, tossed down his tall cap, replaced it with the light straw one he sometimes wore, and raced away in the di- rection Nell had taken, The angry girl had proceeded rapidly, and he did not come in sight of ber until the store had been almost gained. He bad not changed his suit for the newsboy outfit, convinced it was not best, under present circun:stances, and not hav- ing bad time, even if so inclined. Nell was standing near the building, glaring at the doorways, and clutching the concealed knife in the folds of her light shawl, when Bal- dor rushed up to ber, “Gran told me to foller you!” he gasped. ** You don’t really mean to do what you’ve been threatening, Nell!” She turned on him with an angry snarl. * Don't I? Then thatshows you don’t know me, Billy Baldor. Jist wait till I git a good chance an’ see!” ‘* But, you'll be arrested, and get us all into difficulty!” he protested. ‘‘ You’re crazy, Nell, to think of such a thing. De you suppose you could go into that store and stab the proprietor and make your escape? It’s the wildest nonsense, You’d be in jail in less than an hour, even if you succeeded in getting out of the building.” ‘““ What dol care for their jails?” sneeringly. ‘‘They wouldn’t hang a woman! An’ even if they did, Id still have my revenge. They couldn’t ondo that.” ‘Tf you don’t say you'll give up this business and promise to throw away that knife and go bome, I’ll calla policeman and tell bim to take charge of you!” Baldor threatened, The threat had scarcely been made when she gavea convulsive start, and leaned yearningly toward the nearest doorway; and Billy, follow- ing her gaze, saw Nicholas enter the building. “You will, will you? Take that, fer a med- dlin’, little interlop.r! An’ itll be the knife, next time!” She struck him so quickly and violently that he fell sprawling. efore he could rise she kad rushed around the building toward the rear entrance and disappeared, ‘*T must follow her!” he commented, scram- bling instantly to his feet. “If Ican get near her before she has time todo him an injury I can stop her in one way!” That one way had been constantly in his thoughts since leaving the camp. It was to tell her what he had heard the previous bebe The knowledge that the lovers were really brother and sister would of necessity remove all cause of hatred and anger onher part. They could not marry, when the truth was made known; and all that would be necessary to pre- vent the threatened wedding would be to ac- quaint Nicholas with the facts. Yet this he had hesitated to do. It would re- veal him in his true character, and perhaps sacrifice the great stake for which be had been playing. Yet this be was willing to do, rather than that a second murder should be committed. Running as fast as bis short legs could carry him he reached the rear door, which stood ajar, and darted througb. : Nell was standing within the passage, clutch- ing the dagger, and attempting to peer into the room of Nicholas. } ‘‘Here! Stop!” Baldor shouted, rushing for- ward, At the sound of bis voice Nell dashed into the room, with the dagger uplifted to strike—Billy at her beels, “Take that!” she cried, aiming a blow at the young man, who was seated at a desk, having apparently been bending over a big book; but the words of Baldor had aroused him, and he did not fall the easy victim that Nell bad imag- ined. As the blow descended he caught her by the knife hand, and averted the point of the deadly blade. “7 might Who is { | | | ; : j
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on a fearful struggle ensued. The girl was mong and lithe as a panther, and was rendered as fierce by the arrest of her plans. She writhed and twisted, clinging desperately to the knife; and had not Baldor come to the young man’s as- sistance by clasping her by the feet so that she stumbled and fell, the conflict might have had a different termination. : Naturally the sounds of the struggle pene- trated tothe store room, and the clerks were heard hurrying toward the apartment of their employer. When. they reached it, however, there was no need for their services, Nell was on the floor, railing and weeping with vindictive bitt.rness, and alternately cursing Nicholas and Baldor. ‘* Leave us alone!” Nicholas commanded, ‘TI will explain directly.” At this the wondering clerks withdrew, “You are the little fortune-teller I have heard about?” turning with the question on the dwarf. ‘‘Be so good as to say nothing about this unfortunate affair.” Then he arose, thrust the dagger into the open desk before him, and taking Nell by the hand, drew her gently from the room. Baldor was on the point of following, but he motioned him ack, ‘*T will see her safely to the camp. You may follow at your leisure.” All through the long hours of the day the dwarf had been thinking how he might commu- nicate to the young man what he had heard the revious night from the lips of the old Romany. ut he dared not open his lips on the subject in Nell’s : resence, He followed them into the street and saw them swallowed up in the hurrying throng; then he sat down on the curbstone to try to hit upon a plan that would answer and at the same time not reveal that he had been the bearer of the news. “Why not write him a letter?” he asked, bis face suddenly clearing. ‘‘ The very thing! I wonder { did not think of it before.’ With this resolve, he crept back into Nicho- las’s room, took up pen_and paper, and began his self-imposed task. Disguising his penman- ship as much as possible he wrote the following: "Mr. Nickitus Bouron:— “Deer Sm:—I know_a thing wich wil gratly Sprise you, I’m shore. You air own_bruther of the Wummun you air agoin tomarry. Youd beter luk into this, fore you go enny furder. A word to the wise. Fer pitiklers inquire of Mr. Greg Button. “A I’Rrenp.” The words were purposely misspelled. Read- ing the strange epiutio over with great care, and feeling sure it would be sufficient to arouse the young man’s curiosity and provoke an in- vest pone g which would reveal the truth, Bal- dor placed it on the desk and stole cautiously from the room, without any of the clerks hav- ing become aware that he had returned to it. He had no sooner left the room, however, than & vagrant wind brought about a complete mis- carriage of the scheme, Theeddying air picked up the scrap of paper and whirled it into the hall, where for a time it lay fluttering. Then it was swept into the street, and trampled into an unrecognizable state beneath the heels of a passing horse, All unaware of this, Baldor bent his way in a homeward direction, thinking of the occur- rences of the night. He had not expected to come upon Nicholas and Nell, believing them far in advance. But the willful girl, once the street had been gained, bad been harder to man- age than Nicholas had expected, and progress was thus made slow. They were engaged in a wordy altercation when the dwarf came in sight of them; and while he watched, wonderidg what would be the result, Nell suddenly wrenched her arm from the detaining hand of the young man and darted wildly away. For an instant it seemed Nicholas contemplat- eda pursuit. But he turned about, and with a pained look on his face and head bowed, began slowly to retrace his steps, CHAPTER XVII, CROWDING TO A CRISIS, Tux failure of ber vengeful plans threw Nell utton into a state of hysterical terror; and Nicholas’s imperious manner as he led her from the room did not tend to quiet and reassure her, “Do you think [ can passively submit to such things as this?” he questioned, wrathfully, ‘ T’ve a kindly feeling for you, Nell, but you've gone beyond all bounds this evening. I’m sure you must realize that, yourself.” “ What air you goin’ to do with me?’ she panted, striving to draw away her hand. Billy, the Gypsy Spy. ‘*T shall try to contrive a way to prevent a recurrence of this murderous attempt!” with bit- ter emphasis. ‘‘ You sball go with me to the camp, and if Greg can’t find a way to keep you there, then I’ll have to appeal to the law for pro- tection.” The words were most unfortunate; but Nicho- las was so vexed and enraged by her acts that he did not stop to measure bis utterances or think of their probable effect. She was silent for a time and apparently sub- missive, only to break out with a torrent of bit- ter remonstrance and invective. ‘*T hain’t a-goin’ to the camp with you!” she declared, stopping short, ‘* Greg ll want to tie me up till this hyer weddin’s over. I hain’t a- goin’, I say. I hain’t a-goin’!” She fairly shrieked the last; and wrenching her hand away, fled like a deer. Thiuking she would be instantly pursued, and that in all probability Nicholas would call the police force to his aid, she darted into an alley and ran till she was exhausted; then, when she could go no further, she crept among some boxes for concealment and tried to compose herself sufficiently to think. With all her apparent recklessness she had an instinctive dread of the minions of the law. What punishment might be meted out to her for this attempt on the life of Nicholas she did not know. It would be imprisonment, certainly, and perhaps worse. And to be forced to lie within the gloomy walls of a jail, denied the bright sunshine and the gladness of the outer world, meant little less than death to this wild Romany girl. ‘** They sha’n’t take me!” she gasped. * I'll kill myself, first,” She buried ber face in her hands and moaned out her disappointment, her griefs and her fears, buteas the gloom increased, she began to feel more secure; and, rising, bent her steps cautiously in the direction of the rendezvous at the dog fancier’s, When she reached it, Kennedy was sitting in his accustomed place on the steps, smoking. “Let me in, Jim! Quick!” she whispered, gliding forward, Kennedy started and glared around, but see- ing no one in pursuit, got up and unbolted the door, and permitted her to enter, following a little later, himself. “* What's up?” he queried, uneasily. ‘ Hain't had the p’lics after ye?” w Yes! That is, 1 don’t know!” and she shiy- ered. ‘Best come this way, then!” with energetic eames striding in advance of her along the a She followed, glad to find some one, even this grim and cruel wretch, who seemed to sym- athize witb her and understand her needs, Jown the rickety stairway they went, Kennedy finally stopping in front of a secret door in the apparently solid wall, “Go in there,” he said, after touching a se- cret spring which caused the door to swing in- ward, ‘Nobody won’t find this den in a hurry. Now, what ye been doin’ anyway, to git the cops after ye?” It wasa dismal and uninyiting place whict the inward swinging of the door had re- vealed. **T don’t want to goin there!” she protested, drawing back. “Why not?” Kennedy growled. “ Better that than bein’ ’rested.” ‘* Well, I hain’t goin’ in! So, there now!” “Well, you’re a rum ’un, Nell! Hanged if you ain’t. Run hyer fer me to hide ye, an’ then won’t lemme after ye githyer. What’s the cops wantin’ ye fer, anyway?” Cause I tried to stab Nick!” turning angrily on him, The dog fancier fell back a step in dismay. 7 Best hustle yerself in there then, girl. You'll be sent up fer it if you’re ketched.” ‘I won’t!” she declared, resolutely. “I'd as soon go to jail as in there. Why, Jim, that hole’d make me ravin’ crazy in less’n an hour. I’m purt near it now, as it is!” Kennedy needed but to glance into her staring and bloodshot eyes to realize she was speaking the truth, “ Well, then, you needn't. Stay in one o’ the rooms above, I'll watch; an’ if the cops should come, ye can dive in hyer till they’re out 0’ the way. he followed him mechanically as he retraced his way; and when the upper floor was gained and he Pe out a room, she entered it and droppec heavily into a chair. ‘I'd hate to have ’em track her hyer!” Ken- nedy growled, as he went into,the front room to is begin his vigil. ‘‘ But I couldn’t turn one o’ the gang away.” An hour passed, and having heard nothing to alarm him, he went into the room he had as- signed her to see how she was standing her im- murement, To his surprise, he found it vacated. Full twenty minutes before, feeling she could no longer endure the suspense, the confinement and solitude, she slipped from the apartment and fled out into the freedom of the night—where, though pursued by guilty fears, she could yet have the | liberty so dear to the soul of the true Romany. Vastly different were the experiences, the thoughts and feelings, of Margaret Crofton, that night! Nicholas had passed the greater portion of the afternoon with her, and toward him her mind turned constantly. Not a dream visited her of the cloud that lay athwart the pathway of her happiness. All was tinted with roseate hues of pleasure and hope. . Her father had returned early from bis busi- ness that evening, and now sat with her, speak- ing of that great coming event: her marriage to Nicholas, Several days before, Nicholas had gone to him with much fear and trembling, confessed his love for Margaret, related the story of his unhappy youth, and asked her hand in marriage, And it was at the merchant’s request that the nuptials had been hastened. A business affair had suddenly arisen requiring bim to visit Eng~ land; and if the young people were to marry he desired it tobe before he took his departure, which could not now be long delayed. ‘“*There’s only one thing that troubles me in this matter,” he was saying. ‘‘That is the character of the man who is to become your father-in-law. He’s a worthless vagabond and agreat scamp. [ sent for himn this morning, and had an interview with him in my office. Positively, Margaret, I could not conseut to be seen on the street with him. How such a mam can be the father of a gentleman like Nicholas: passes my comprehension. When I think of him ’m,even now tempted to withdraw my con- sent to this proposed union.” “Tut! Tut!” he cried, noticing the gather- ing tears in her eyes. ‘‘ Nicholas isn’t to blame for it, I know. He didn’t have the choosing of his parentage, But the thing carries a blight with it, just the same, and that he cannot escape. And you will be compelled to bear it with him. “Tf it wasn’t for that, Nicholas is the very ‘as I' should haye picked for your husband, my ear! ‘*T couldn't think of giving him up, no mat- ter what his father may be!” she exclaimed. ‘“*T wish it were otherwise, myself. I needn’t try to conceal from you, papa, that I can have little respect for’Mr, Gregory Bouton, I hope it may never become necessary for me even to: meet him.” ‘* Well, we'll think of something else. The matter has gone too far, now, to think of un- doing it!” with a sigh, “What about your dresses? I presume they’re all that a girl] like you could wish?” ‘The loveliest things!” she cried, her face lighting. ‘Let me show them to you. They came this evening. The modiste said she could not possibly get them done before Saturday, but when I toll her the great occasion is to be to-morrow night, and that consequently I’d have to go elsewhere, she reconsidered her state- ment. And so here they are.” She led the way into an adjoining rocm, and brought the costly garments forth for his inspection, laughing and commenting like an artless child. And in this unpleasant frame of mind the remainder of the evening was spent, little think- ing that Greg, the man they had been so lately discussing, was at the same hour, clucking and chuckling over the vengeance that seemed so near consummation. CHAPTER XVIII. IN CLOSE QUARTERS, THE absence of Nell, the following day, dis- turbed Bijly Baldor nota little. He dared not le sp Gran or Greg concerning ber, however, That she might again attempt the life of Nich- olas seemed likely. After an uneasy day he once more left the place, telling Gran he was forced to go into town to make some purchases. Greg had al- ready departed, and the crone was in no condi- tion to make effective remonstrance, being con- fined to her cot with an attack of sudden illness, In passing the confection store Billy made his customary purchase, and then hurried to effect
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14 the change in his clothing. Anxious to obtain some evidence that would enable him to fasten the crime of murder to Pepper Smith, he visited the house where the skylight misadventure bad taken place, believing that to be the cracksman’s residence, He was right in that conjecture; and aftera half-hour’s waiting had the satisfaction of see- ing Pepper and Greg emerge therefrom, Greg was apparently in a jolly frame of mind, and his coarse jokes reached the spy in his place of concealment. Pepper, on the other hand, maintained his usual morose attitude, Billy, stealing along at their heels, followed them until they reached and entered the house of the dog fancier. There he halted, fearing to again try the cellar, and scarcely knowing what course to pursue, There seemed no other way, however, to at- tain the ends sought; so, after much cautious watching and listening, he approached the cellar door and applied the key. The bolt flew back, as it had done on a pre- vious occasion, and he found himself in the stench and darkness of the ground dog-kennel, for such it was. There was a chorus of low and ominous growls as he drew the door toafter him, and the greenish flash and glitter of many pairs of sav- age eyes. But, these he cared not for, soloug as the men in the adjoining apartment were not aroused and warned thereby. ‘* Here, my good fellows!” he whispered, get- ting down on bis hands and knees, and emit- ting a series of faint whistles. ‘‘Come! Come! I’m your friend, you know! I’m the friend of all dogs!” The vicious beasts seemed to understand his words, for they flocked about him with clumsy antics and whines of delight, “That will do!” he commanded, pushing the most boisterous from him. ‘i just wanted you to know that I’m your friend, you understand, and that therefore you mustn’t jump onto me like you do onto other people. Now, you go back to your corners, while I attend to a little business of my own,” All the while he had been fondling them and suffering them to lick his bands and face, seem- ing to have no more horror of their rough, wet tongue than of the kisses of children, With much pleased writhing, and wagging of smooth, pointed tails, they obeyed the order; and, as he crept stealthily toward the door, he could see their glowing eyes fixed on him im an affectionate way, and felt that as far as they were concerned he was as safe as if in his own little cot in the tent. A number of men were in the room adjoining the cellar, and their voices came to him dis- tinctly as he drew near the separating wall, There was an earnestness in the tones, too, and, a lack of boisterousness which revealed, even before he understood a word, that a matter of moment was under discussion. ** An’ the weddin’s to be to-night?” he heard Kennedy query. ‘‘Hadn’t we better put this job off, then, till some other time? Be safer, won't it, after the young folks has left?” The words startled Billy. Then, the note he had left on the desk of the young merchant had not accomplished its intended mission! Such seemed to be the only conclusion to be drawn from the cracksman’s statement, “No!” growled Pepper, apparently anxious to handle the ‘‘swag” without needless delay. ** We can break in tbe house while the fandan- go’s goin’ on better’n any other time. They’s 6 ny fandango after the weddin’, ain’t they, reg ‘* A swell one,” said Greg, laughing harshly. ** An’ you didn’t get any invite?’ one of the otbers queried, with much jocularity. ‘‘ Hittin’ the paw of the groom ruther hard, hain’t it?” ‘“‘Didn’s want none!” the Romany averred. ** Pleasanter bizness on hand jis’ now than run- nin’ to a swell weddin’, It’s dollars I’m after, stead o’ fun!” ‘Right ye air!” Pepper broke in, ‘An’ le’s pit down to figgerin’ how we’re to git them dol- ars. I low you’ve planned it all out, Greg?” “Yes; purty much. We're to wait till the fandango is good under way. The house ’Il be full o’ people, a-dancin’ an’ a-talkin’, Yes, an’ a-eatin’! Fer dinner, er lunch, er whatever they calls it, ‘ll be served right along at the same time. Sort of a free blow-out, you understand, An’ that air’ll keep the waiters an’ servants so blamed busy they can’t look after ner think of anything else, “IT hnow where the money is, too. I hain’t been snoopin’ ’roun’ there with my eyes shet, I tell you. The ole man fetched the gal a thou- Billy, the Gypsy Spy. sand dollars this evenin’ an’ tole her she was to do asshe pleased with it. An’ she put it in a little drawer. And they was more things in that drawer, too. Shiners that’d make these jewelry sharks turn green. One of ’em was a diamond wu’th nigh ’bout a fortune,” ‘But she'll wear them!” Kennedy protested. ‘*T heerd her say she wouldn’t, though!” with a jubitant cluck, ‘‘Said she was on’y goin’ to wear ribbons an’ rosies, er somethin’ like that. ‘** Now, my idee is, fer some of us tosneak in there while the blowout’s on, gobble the swag, an’ slide. T’other fellers air to be a-layin’ near; an’ if anything happens they’re to come b’lin’ in, break the heads o’ the servants an’ cops—if they should be any of them last—an’ then all run fer it. We're dead sure to win, if we work it right!” Billy had heard enough. He must do some- thing to stop the wedding and prevent the con- summation of this villainous plot. Feeling thus, he withdrew to the door, and passed to the street. The time was, however, most unfortunately chosen, Two members of the burglar band had just arrived and were standing on the steps pre- paratory to entering, when he emerged from the cellar-way. With a cry that brought the others tumbling up to their assistance, they gave chase, It was impossible for Billy’s short legs to carry him out of danger; and, realizing it, he darted into a coal-hole, drawing the cap in place as he drop- ped through. Not knowing where he was, he stumbled blindly forward, and quickly found himself in the cellar from which he had emerged. The dogs bristled and growled, as he entered, but a word stilled them into subjection; and panting and breathless, he crouched on the floor to await the result of the search, “Lemme lead the way!” he heard the dog fancier say. ‘‘ We’ll drive him into the cellar, and the dogs ‘ll do him up. He must ’a’ been standin’ in the cellar stairway. Do you know who it is?” ‘** Looked like a newsboy er bootblack,” one of the men affirmed. With this, the cap was lifted from the coal hole, and Kennedy dropped through, being quickly followed by others. He instantly produced a dark lantern, slipped back the slide, and flashed the light over the narrow space. ! “ Hanged if I don’t believe he 7s in the cellar!” he muttered, with much wonderment. ‘* Watch the door, and don’t let him git out!” Billy was in a tremor of fear and suppressed excitement. A. bastily-formed plan of action, however, served to brace and quiet him, Approaching the door, where he knew there were men lying in wait, he slipped the bolt noiselessly. ‘* Come here, my good fellows!” he whispered to the dogs, which had followed him in a loving way. The hoarse voice of Kennedy now sounded at the other entrance, and the light of the advancing lantern flashed through. Delay was no longer possible. Swinging open the door, he pointed a hand up the stairway, gave a low hiss, and the command: *“*'Take em, my boys! Take ’em!” Instantly the vicious brutes darted by him, growling horribly, and attacked the men who were on the pavement. Howls of rage and pain instantly followed; and amid the confusion Billy darted out and fled up the street. But he had not gone far when he heard Ken- edy swearing at the dogs and beating them off he attacked men; and then rapid footsteps, sbowing he was again being pursued. Fearing capture if he continued on, he slipped into a stairway and crouched there in the dark- ness. The pursuers, as they passed, flashed a light into the stairway, but failed to see him. At this he was about to creep out and again at- tempt flight, when the sight of men stationed at wre A along the street, caused him to draw ack. More than an hour of the most intense anxi- ety was thus passed and it was well on toward midnight before be felt it to be safe to leave his place of concealment, “The wedding must be over long before this,” he groaned, as he made bis way cautiously from the dangerous neighborhood, ‘“ All I can do, now, if I can do anything, is to prevent the rob- bery.” Hastening to the confection store, which he feared might be closed for the night, he found the German engaged iu putting up the shutters preparatory to retiring. ‘* Let me tell you your fortune!” Billy f lously whispered. ‘‘In fifteen minutes, if ¥ can, just over there. A big fortune !” **Vhell!” tue man replied, with stoic impas- siveness. ‘‘ Dhot soods me!” He dropped the shutter into place, with easy carelessness and walked away. ‘*Takes if cool!” the dwarf muttered, as he also left che place. ‘‘I said fifteen minutes; but I don’t sec how he’s going to get any one here in that time.” And then he continued on to the building he had pointed out to the man as tlie place of ren- desvouz. If he had followed the disguised detective he would have seen him stroll carelessly into a building not far away. And once inside, he would have seen every trace of that carelessness vanish. The room entered was apparently un- occupied, but beneath a bundle of old clothes and papers on the floor was a telgraphic instru- ment; and by means of it Baldor’s request was quickly flashed to the office of the chief of po- lice, A waiting vehicle instantly received six men in ordinury clothing, who were really policemen, well-armed and ready for any desperate encoun- ter with lawless men. And, then at a thunder- ing gait, the vehicle sprung away from the curb- ing and was whirled in the direction of tbe tumble-down house near the Gypsy camp. Within the fifteen minutes the place was reached, and the men stood ready to be guided by and do the bidding of the Gypsy “py ‘* Drive within a square of the Crofton place!” Baldor whispered, swinging into the vehicle, And, while this drive was being made, he ex- plainad fully the details of the plot be had heard, supplementing the narration with the statement that Pepper Smith, the murderer of Jobn Fen- ton, was a member of the burglariously-disposed party. The flashing of lights and the strains of music, as they left the vehicle and drew near the Crof- ton residence, showed only too plainly that the revelry was at its highest, and that the marriage of Nicholas and Margaret bad been consum- mated, A despairing sigh escaped the lips of the Pygmy as this terrible truth was forced on him. Though too late to prevent the marriage, they were not too late to foil the schemes of the would-be robbers of the house. These were caught in their burglarious attempt, and after a bitter fight, in which several heads were broken by police clubs, were captured and marched off in irons. All save Greg, whc, with true Ro- many slipperiness, managed in some/Manner to evade them and effect bis escape. But before the joy of the occasion had thus been disturbed, Baldor saw—to him a most pain- ful sight—the young bride, radiant in her wed- ding robes, leaning affectionately upon the arm of her handsome and smiling busband. CHAPTER XIX. A STRANGE CONFESSION, THINKING Greg would make for the Gypsy camp and might be eaptured there if proper pre- cautions were used, Baldor led a portion of the force to that point. Greg was not there, however, but the visit was fruitful of great results, When the cam was surrounded aud Greg’s tent entered, Nell and a couple of Gypsy women were bending over the cot on which Gran lay, striving to catch the feeble words that fell from her lips. The Romany girl was greatly startled at sight of the officers, thinking they had come to arrest her for her attempt on the life of Nicholas. Under this belief she slipped beneath the edge of the tent, as they came in by the en- trance, and fled, ‘“*What’s the trouble?’ Baldor asked, of the women, as he advanced and looked down at the r creature stretcned on the cot. ** She’s dyin’!” one of them whispered, ‘An? she’s been tryin’ to say somethin’ which we can’t jis’ make out. She was tuck wi’ the par- alzy *bout an hour ago. She didn’t seem to know nothin’ ’til Nell come; an’ then she seemed to want to say somethin’ to her,” “And we have frightened Nell away!” said Baldor, regretfully. : “Do you know me, Gran?’ advancing still nearer, and bending down till his face almost touched hers, At the words the dying woman looked up. @ strange light coming into her failing eyes as she recognized bim. “ Yes,” she croaked, ‘it’s Billy.” Then the eyes closed and for a time she seemed to be wandering in a sort of misty dreamland, But they opened again, the mut- ee De
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Ade ~~ Ti a fenny WAP, oe _ and wandering career. ngs ceased, and she beckoned him to come Still closer, apparently not noticing or heeding = strangers who stood in the entrance to the nt. “T wanted to see you, Billy!” reaching outa thiu hand which he clasped in one of his, ‘“T’ve been a weeked creeter, Billy, an’ I c-can’t go, tell this is off’n my min’, It’s about N-Nick, an’’bout you. Greg’s been plannin’ an’ plottin’ year in an’ year out—but Greg never knowed this,” Tustinctively the men left the entrance and drew closer to catch the words of the crone. ‘No, Greg never knowed. If h-he had, he’d %’ killed me, I *low!” gasping and pausing as she endeavored to proceed, ‘Twas y-years an’ years ago—when you w-was little, Billy! Greg was put into jail by C-Crofton, an’ he swore he’d have his revenge, An’—an’—s-so he stole you, Billy! He thinks *twas Nick as he took.” . The revelation was so astounding that Baldor’s head swam and he became sick and giddy. *‘Tt can’t be, Gran!” he protested, incredu- aes “Yes, twas you, Billy! Greg went away—in ashort time—an’ lef’ you wi’ me—an’ he was be nigh ’bout a year—trav’lin’ wi’ some otber oms, An’ you got out into the streets one day, an’ w-was run over by akerridge, A-an’ they tuck ye t-to the horspital—an’ said you’d never git well. ““T—I was ’feared o’ Greg! §S-so I got an’er kid—stole hit f-frum a orphan ’sylum—an’ “’en Greg come back I t-tol’’im it was you. But, it wasn’t you, Billy! ’T~was Nick. ** An’ you got w-well, but never growed mucb —frum th-the hurt ye got, I low—an’ I see’d you often, But I didn’t never darst tell Greg. ** An’ Nick growed up; an’ Greg planned to have ’m marry Crofton’s gal, b’lievin’ she were his sister, s-so’s he e’u’d have his revenge on the ole man. An’ I never darst tell ’im she wasn’t his sister. Ner ’bout you, Billy, though I—I rec’- nized ye soon’s ye come to camp!” She dropped back, having half lifted herself on an elbow as she approached the conclusion of her narrative, and the shadow of death settled on her face. “*She’s going!” thought Baldor, fascinated by en story that had fallen from those compressed ips. One of the men touched him on the arm to ask him a question, and when he again bent over the cot he saw that Gran was dead, “‘ Come!” he commanded, leaving the last sad offices to the waiting women and stepping from the tent. ‘‘Wemust go to Crofton’s immedi- ately. This thing has set me half wild.” There is no need to follow their steps in detail. When the Crofton residence was reached, to their great surprise they found Greg there, standing in the center of the reception-room— vacated now by all the guests, and occupied only by Crofton, Nicholas and Margaret—and with sublime defiance hurling the thunders of his ven- eance at the heads of his astonished and bewil- ered hearers, He had expected so defer this satisfaction to a later day, but fearing he would be hounded by the officers of justice and would thus be com- pelled to fly from the vicinity, he had decided to make the revelations while he had opportunity. ‘* There they air! Brother an’ sister—an’ mar- ried through my schemin’!” he sneered, as a parting shot. “ Which is a lie!” the dwarf shouted, bound- ing forward, while at the same time the officers leaped on Greg and pinioved him to the floor. ‘*T have proofs that it’s false. And your ven- geance, Greg, has over-reached itself and fallen harmless!” The burglars suffered the penalties of their crimes—Pepper receiving a life sentence for the murder of which he was guilly. Complicity in the crime could not be affixed to Greg, but his other deeds were dark enough to warrant a long incarceration. What became of the Romany girl, Nell, was never certainly known, though it was the general belief that she had fled to some other Gyps: band, and with them had continued her wild The shadow cast over the hopes of the young people by the words of Greg naturally vanished when the truth was made known. And Billy Baldor—true-hearted, honest, tire- less and irrepressible—found a father, a sister, and a fortune, by finding himeelf. THE END. Billy, the Gypsy Spy. Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. BY JO PIERCE. 897 Bob o’ the Bowery; or, The Prince of Mulberry Street. 415 The Vagabond Detective; or, Bowery Bob’s Boom, 452 Hotspur Bob, the Street-Boy Detective. 460 The Lawyer’s Shadow; or, Luke’s Legacy. 472 Jaunty Joe, the Young Horse-King. 494 Surly Sim, the Young Ferryman Detective, 504 Five Pointe Phil. 509 Jack Jaggers, the Butcher Boy Detective. 516 Tartar Tim; or, Five Points Phil’s Menagerie, 526 North River Nat, the Pier Detective. 538 Wrestling Rex, the Pride of the Sixth Ward, 541 Jeff Flicker. the Stable Boy Detective, 551 Nick Nettle, the Boy Shadow. 559 Harlem Jack, the Office Boy Detective. 569 Brooklyn Ben, the On-His-Own-Hook Detective, 577 Pavement Pete the Secret Sifter, 588 Jack-o’-Lantern, the Under-Sea Prospector. GOR Wide-Awake Bert, the Street-Steerer. 614 Whistling Jacob, the Detective’s Aid. 628 Buck Bumblebee, the Harlem Hommer, 689 Sunrise Saul, the Express-Train Ferret. 649 Gamin Bob, the Bowery Badger; or, Scooping a Slippery Set. 658 Sky-Rocket Rob, the Life-Saver. ¢ BY J, ©. COWDRIOK, ” 860 Rilver-Mask, the Man of Mystery. 869 Shasta, the Gold King3 or, For Seven Years Dead, 420 The Detective’s Apprentice; or, A Boy Without a Name. 424 Cibuta Jonny; or, Red-Hot Times at Ante Bar, 489 Sandy Sam, the Street Scont. 467 Dlaco Dan, the Daisy Dude. 490 Broadway BIlly, the Bootblack Bravo. 506 ers ae met ee the Prince of the Road. 514 Broadway Billy’« Boodle. 524 The Engineer Detective. 586 Broadway Billy's ‘ Diftikilty.” 548 Mart, the Night Express Detective. 7 Broadway Billy’s Peath Racket. BoD orate Luke the ts eae Sacer ka 79 The Chimney Spy; or, Broadway y’s Surprise-Party. 592 The Boy Pinkerton. i : 605 William ® Broadway’ or, The Boy Detective’s Big Inning. 615 Fighting Harry the Chief of Chained Cyclone. 628 Broadway Billy’s Dead Act. 640 Barebrek Beth, the Centaur of the Circle. 647 ae vevriter Tilly, the Merchant’s Ward, 659 Moonlight Morgan, the “ Pizenest ” Man of Ante Bar. 669 Broadway Billy Abroad. BY JOSEPH E. BADGER, JR. 2 Yellowstone Jack; or, The Trapper. 48 Black John, the Road-Agent; or, The Outlaw’s Retreat, 65 UWurricane Bill; or, Mustang Sam and His Pard. 119 womens pens ng ey The King of the Plains. 186 Night-Hawk Kit; or, The Daughter of the Ranch, 144 Dainty Lance the Boy Sport. 151 Panther Paul; or, Dainty Lance to the Rescue. 160 The Black Giant; or, Dainty Lance in Jeopardy. 168 Deadly Dash; or, Fighting Fire with Fire. 184 The Boy Trailers 3 or, Dainty Lance on the War-Path, 208 The Boy Pardas; or, Dainty Lance Unmasks. 211 Crooked Cale, the Caliban of Celestial City. 810 The Barranca W olf; or, The Beautiful Decoy. 819 The Black Rider; or, The Horse-Thieves’ League. 885 Old Double Fist; or, The Strange Guide 855 The Kine of the Wooda: or Daniel Boone’s Last Trail. 449 Kit Fox. the Border Boy Detective. 625 Chincapin Dan, the Boy Trailer. BY EDWARD WILLETT. , 167 Asa Scott, the Steamboat Boy. . 199 Featherweight the Boy Champion of the Muskingum, 228 Ozark Alf; or, Featherweight Among the Outlaws, 282 The Typo Detective ; or, Weasel, the Boy Tramp, 295 Fearless Phil; or, The King of Quartzville. 811 The Roving Sport; or, The Pride of Chuckaluck Camp, 822 Nemo, the Detective; or, Kit Kenyon's Vendetta. 840 Clip the Contortionist; or, Tha Montana Vigilantes. BY MAJOR ITENRY B. STODDARD, Ex-8cout. 806 Neck-Tie Ned; or, The Dug-Out Pards. 846 Rapter Raphael; or, The Swordsmen of Zacatecas, 891 Kid-Glove Kit, the Dandy of the Rockies. 898 Kid-Glove Kit and Pard; or, The Gold King. 406 The Mad Man-Hunter; or, The Golden Gulch Mystery. 505 Powell's Pard; or, The One-Armed Giant. ¢ BY BUCKSKIN SAM (Major Sam. 8, Hall.) 284 Old Rocky « “* Boyeer; or, Benito, tne Horse-Breaker. 246 Glant George; or, The Ang’l of the Range. 275 Arizona Jack ; or, Giant George’s Pard. 297 The Tarantula of Taos; or, Giant George’s Revenge. 807 The Strange Pard; or, Little Ben’s Death Hunt. 818 Ker-whoop, Ker-whoo; or, The Tarantula of Taos. 827 Creeping Cat, the Caddo; or, The Red and White Pards, 882 Frio Tred : or, The Tonkaway’s Trust. 844 The Fighting Trio; or, Rattlesnake, the Tonkaway. 849 Wild Wolf; or, Big-Foot Wallace to the Front. 857 The Ranch Raiders; or, The Siege of Fort Pargatory. 364 &nap-Shot, the Boy Kanger. 875 Chiota, the Creek; or, The Three Thunderbolts. 881 Randera Bill; or. Frio Frank to the Front. 892 Romeo and the Reds; or, The Beleaguered Ranch. 404 Little Lariat; or, Pecan Pete’s Big Rampage. 414 The Daisy from Denver. e Three Trailers; or, Old Rocky on the Rampage, 442 Bluff Bill; or, The Lynx of the Leona. 455 Little Lone Start or, The Belle of the Cibolo, ; 684 Cache Carl, the Chico Giant y BY GEORGE C. JENKS, A485 Git Thar Owney the Unknown. ’ 492 Git Thar Owney’s Pledge. 518 The Demon Doctor. 581 Double-Curve Pan, the Pitcher Detective. 59S Flute, the Singer Detective, 608 The Pitcher Detective’« Fotl; or, Dan’s Double Pla. 616 The Ocean Detectives or. The Last Cruise of the Black Bear, BY BRACEBRIDGE NEMYNG. 89 Island Jim; or, The Pet of the Family. 91 The Oaptain of the Club; or. The Rival Athletes. 101 Jack Harkaway in New York. BY ROGER STARBUOK. ¢ 25 The Boy Captain; or, The Pirate’s Daughter. 114 The Riaek Schooner} or, Jib Jank, the Old Tar, 259 The Golden Harpoon; or, Lost Among the Floes, 848 Fire-Ieela: or, Old Skinflint, the Death-Shadow. Big Horn Ike, the Hill Tramp; or, The Odd Pards, 861 The Phantom Light-house. 0 Breaker Ben, the Reef-Runner. BY CAPT. MARK WILTON. 256 Young Kentuck; or, The Red Lasso. 270 Blizzard Ben; or, The Riot at Keno Camp. 286 Josh, the Boy Tenderfoot. BY LIEUT. A. K. SIMS. ~ 546 Captain Cactus, the Chaparral Cock, 568 The Dandy of Dodge. 576 The Silver Sport. 588 Saffron Sol, the Man With « Shadow 589 Tom-Cat and Pard; or, The Dead Set at Silver City. 601 Happy Hana, the Dutch Vidoeg. 611 Bildad Barnacle, the Detective Hercules. 622 Texas Tom-Cat’s Triad 681 Tom Cat’s Terrible Task. 688 Tom-Cat’s Triumph; or, Black Ivan’s Great Combine, 646 Cowboy Gid, the Cattle-Range Detective. 657 Warbling William, the Mountain Mountebank, 665 Jolly Jeremiah, the Plains Detective. BY COLONEL DELLE SARA, 108 The Lion of the Sea; or, The Vailed Lady. 186 Cool Desmond; or, The Gambler’s Big Game. BY WILLIAM Rh. EYSTER. 190 Dandy Darke; or, The Tigers of High Pine. 210 Faro Frank}; or, Dandy Darke’s Go-Down Parda BY GEORGE WALDO BROWNE, 86 Dandy Rock the Man from Texas. 90 The Drend Rider; or, The Texan Duelist. + 99 The Tiger of Taos; or, Dandy Rock’s Angel. 115 The Mad Miner; or, Dandy Rock’s Doom. 181 The Golden Hand; or, Dandy Rock to the Rescue, 164 Dandy Rock’s Pledge; or, Hunted to Death. 178 Dandy Rock’s Rival; or, The Haunted Maid of Taos, BY CAPT. J. F. ©. ADAMS, 84 Oregon Sol; or, Nick Whiffles’s Boy Spy. 46 Glasa-Eye, the Great Shot of the West. 54 Ned Hazel, the Boy Trapper. 56 Nick Whiffies’s Pet; or, In The Valley of Death. 60 The White Indian; or, The Scovt of the Yellowstone, 70 Old Zip’s Cabin; or, The Greenhorn in the Woods, 81 Lightning Jo, the Terror of the Prairie. 85 Buck Buckram }; or, Bess, the Female Trapper, 247 Old Grizzly and His Pets; or, The Wild Huntress, 251 Light-house Lige; or, Osceola, the Firebrand. 257 The Lost Hunters; or, The Underground Camp, 288 The Sealp King; or, The Human Thunderbolt, BY J. W. OSBON. > 469 The Rival Giants of Nowhar’. 498 Cactus Burr, the Man from Hard Luck, 587 Old Buckeye, the Sierra Shadow, 564 Powder Phil, the Boy Miner. 609 Bolly Dorrit, the Veteran Detective. 620 Little Lightning’s League; or, The Mystery of tne Island, 688 Plucky Paul, the Boy Prospector. BY ALBERT W. AIKEN, 11 The Two Detectives; or, The Fortunes ofa Bowery Girl. 76 Abe Colt, the Crow-Killer. 79 Sol Ginger, the Giant Trapper. 288 Joe Buck of Angels and His Buy Pard. 447 New York Nat. A Tale of Tricks and Traps in Gotham, 458 New England Nick; or, The Fortunes of a Foundling. 464 Nimble Nick, the Circus Prince. 498 Taos Ted, tne Arizona Sport. 510 Cool Colorado, the Hal!-Breed Detective, 518 Cool Colorado in New York. MISCELLANEOUS AUTHORS, 4 The Wild-HNorse Hunters, By Capt. Mayne Rela and Frederick Whittaker. 9 Adventures of Baron Munchausen, 12 Gulliver’s Travels. By Dean Swift. 14 Aladdings or, The Wonderful Lamp. 16 Robinson Crusoe. (27 Illustrations.) 18 Sindbad the Saflor. His Seven Voyages, 22 The Sea Serpent; or, The Boy Robinson Crusoe. By Juan Lewis. 88 The Ocean Bloodhound; or, The Red Pirates of the Carribees, By S, W. Pierce. 86 The Boy Clown; or, The Arena Queen. By F 8, Finn. BS Ned Wylde, the Boy Scout. By Texas Jack. 61 The Boy Rifies; 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 Uutiawed Ear); or, The Merry Men of Green- wood. 2, egy ees 105 Old Rube, the Hunter; or, The Crow Captive. By Captain Hamilton Holmes. j 112 The Mad Hunter; or, | he Cave of Death. By Burton Saxe. 124 Tippy, the Texan; or, The Young Champion. By George Gleeson. 128 The Young Privateer; or, The Pirate’s Stronghold. By Harry Cavendish. 148 Sharp Sam; or, The Adventures of a Friendless Boy. By J, Alexander Patten. 227 Dusky Darrell, Trapper: or, The Green Ranger of the Yel- lowstone. re, mine de Pe peasy ¥aD wie ie 261 Fergus Fearnaug e New Y irk Boy. . L. Aiken. 266 Killb’ar. the Guide; »%r, Davy Crockett’s Crooked Trail. By Ensign C. D. Warren. 4 298 Red Claw, the One-Eyed Trapper; or, The Maid ot the Cliff, By Captain Comstock. 817 Peacock Pete, the Lively Lad from Leadville. By Lien- 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 Raltimore Ben the Bootblack Detective. By A, P, Morris, 874 Gold-Dust Tom; or, Ben’s Double Match, By G. H. Morse, 876 Callfornia Joe’s First Trail, By Colonel Thomas Hoyer Monetery. 18 Biily Bombshell, the Cliff Clim*er. By F. S. Winthrop. 4th The Binck Bhip. By John § Warmer 484 Comanche Pick and His Three Invincibles, By Henry i pore PE PRR eR, S28 Wizard-Arm, the Dandy , B ur F. Duke. By Ewin Brooke Forrest. B52 Artel the Athlete. By David Druid. BRS Will Waters, the Bov Ferret. By H. Enton. 682 The Dead Detective’s Double. By Gerald Carlton A New Insane Every Tuesdays The Half-Dime Library is for sale by all newsdealers, fire cents per copy, or sent by mai! on recerpt of aix cents each, BEADLE AND ADAMB, Publishers, 98 William Street, New York, 582 The Cowbo
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BEADLE’S«H ALF-[)IME «| IBRARY. No Double Numbers, Published Every Tuesday. Hach Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents. BY EDWARD L. WHEELER. Deadwood Dick Novels. 1 Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road, 20 Deadwood Dick’s Defiance; or, Double Daggers. 28 Deadwood Dick in Disguise; or, Buffalo Ben 85 Wild Ivan, the Boy Claude Duval. 42 Deadwood Dick’s Bonanza; or, The Phantom Miner. 19 Deadwood Dick in Danger; or, Omaha Ol. 67 Deadwood Dick’s Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood Bar. 78 Deadwood Dick on Deck; or, Calamity Jane, the Heroine. 77 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. 1566 Deadwood Dick of Deadwood; or, The Picked Party. 195 Deadwood Dick’s Dream; or, The Rivals 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 Spirit of Swamp Lake. 268 Deadwood Dick’s Death Trail. 809 Deadwood Dick’s Deal; or, The Gold Brick of Oregon, 621 Deadwood Dick’s Dozen; or, The Fakir of Phantom Flats. 847 Deadwood Dick’s Ducats; or, Rainy Days in the Dig- | rs 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 Case.” 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., Biz Round-Up. 465 Deadwood Dick, Jr’s. Racket at Claim 10. 471 Deadwood Dick, Jr's. Corral; or, Bozeman Bill. 476 Deadwood Dick, Jr's. Dog Detective. 481 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Deadwood; or, Moll Mystery. AYL Deadwood Dick, Jr’s. Compact 496 Deadwood Dick, Jr’s. Inheritance. 5600 Deadwood Dick’s Diggings ; or, Dr. Death-Grip’s Swoop. 5608 Deadwood Dick’s Deliverance. 515 Deadwood Dick’s Protegee. 5622 Deadwood Dick's Three. 529 Deadwood Dick's Danger Ducks, 554 Deadwood Dick’s Death Hunt. 559 Deadwood Dick Jr. in Texas. 5644 Dendwood 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 Philadelphia, 572 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Chicago. 578 Deadwood Dick, Jr. Afloat. 584 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Denver. 590 Deadwood Dick, Jr's. Decree. 595 Deadwood Dick Jr. in Beelzebub’« Basin, 600 Deadwood Dick Jr. at Coney Island. 606 Deadwood Diek Jr’« Leadville Lay. 612 Deadwood Dick Jr. in Detroit. 618 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Cincinnati. 624 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Nevada. 680 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in No Man’s Land. 686 Deadwood Dick, Jr. Atter the Queer. 642 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Buffalo. 648 Deadwood Dick, Jr’s. Chase Acrosa the Continent. 654 Deadwood Dick, Jr. Among the Smugglers. 660 Dendwood Diek, Jr’s, Insuranee Case. 666 Deadwood Dick, Jr. Back In the Mines, 672 Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Durango; or, “ Gathered In.” 678 Deadwood Dick, Jr’s. Discovery; or, Found a Fortune, 684 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s. Dazzle. 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 N@w York. 45 Old Avalanche; or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigand, 658 Jim Bludsoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix. 61 Buekhorn Bill; or, The Red Rifle Team 69 Gold Rifle, the Sharpshooter; or, The Boy Detective. 80 Rosebud Rob; or, Nugget Ned, the Knight. 84 Idyl, the Girl Miner; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand. 88 Phetograph Phil; or, Rosebud Rob’s Reappearance, 92 Canada Chet ; or, Old Anaconda in Sitting Bull’s Camp, W atch-Eye 3 or, Arabs and Angels of a Great City. Jack Hoyle the Young Speculator. Gilt-Edged Dick, the Sport Detective Cinnamon Chip, the Girl Sport. Bonanza Bill, Miner. 8 Boas Bob the King of Bootblacks, 1 Solid Sam, the Boy Road-Agent. 45 Captain Ferret, the New York Detective. 61 New York Nell, the Boy-Girl Detective. 77 Nobby Nick of Nevada; or, The Sierras Scamps, 81 Wild Frank, the Buckskin Bravo. O¢ 18 Fritz to the Front; or, The Ventriloqaist Hunter, 226 Snoozer, the Buy Sharp; or, The Arab Detective. 286 Apollo Bill, the Trail Tornado. 240 Cyclone Kit, the Young Gladiator. 244 Sierra Sam, the Frontier Ferret. 248 Slerra Sam’s Secret; or, The Bloody, Footprints, 258 Sterra Sam’s Pardy or, The Angel of Big Vista. 258 Sterra Sam's Seven; or, The Stolen Bride. 278 Jumbo Joe, the Koy Patrol; or. The Rival Heirs, 277 Denver Doll, the Detective Queen. 281 Denver Doll's Victory. 25 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. £08 ’Liza Jane, the Girl Miner; or, the Iron-Nerved Sport. $25 Kelley, Hickey & Co., the Detectives of Philadelphia. 880 Little Qu! ck-Shot; or, The Dead Face of Daggeraville. 884 Kangaroo Kit; or, The Mysterious Miner. 389 Kangaroo Kit’« Racket. 848 Manhattan Mike, the Bowery Blood. 858 First-Class Fred, the Gent from Gopher. B68 Yreka Jim, the Gold-Gatherer; or, The Life Lottery, 872 Yreka Jim’s Prize. 878 Nabob Neds or, The Secret of Slab City, BR2 Cool Kit. the King of Kids; or, A Villain’s Vengeance, BS5 Yreka Jim’s Joker} 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 Nat Warry, the Base Ball Detective, 426 Sam Slabs«ides, the Beggar-Boy Detective, 484 Jim Beak and Pal, Private Detectives. 488 Santa Fe Sal, the Slasher. 486 Sealskin Sam, the Sparkler, | BY COLONEL PRENTISS INGRAHAM. a rean Outcast The Flying Yankee; ” & 4 17 Ralph Roy, the Boy Buccar wr, 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 Sim 3 111 The Sea-Devil; or, The Midship: Legacy. i16 The Iussar Captain ; or, The it of Hel! Gate. 197 Little Grit; or, Bessie, the Stock-Tender’s Daughter, 204 Gold Plume; or, The Kid-Glove Sport. 216 Bison BIll, the Prince of the Reins. 222 Grit, the Brave 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 Mutineer; 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, “ The Gold Ship” Chase, 280 Merle Monte’s Fate; or, Pearl, the Pirate's Bride, | 284 The Sen Marauder; or, Merle Monte’s Pledge. | 287 Billy Blue-Eyes, the Boy % Rover of the Rio Grande. 804 The Dead Shot Dandy ; or, Bemto, the Boy Bugler, 808 Keno Kit; or, Dead Shot Dandy’s Double. 814 The Mysterfou«s Marauder; 877 Bonodel, the Boy Rover; or, The Flagiess Schooner. 888 The Indian Pilot}; or, Tlie Search for Pirate Island. B87 Warpath WILL, the Boy Phantom. $98 Seawalf, the Boy Lieutenant. 102 Isodor, the Young Consaptirator; or, The Fatal League, 407 The Boy Insurgent; or, The Caban Vendetta, 112 The Wild Yachtsamany or, The War-Cloud’s Cruise, 429 Dunean Dare, the Boy Refugee. 488 A Cabin Boy's Luck; or, The Corsair. 187 The Sea Raider. 441 The Ocean Firefly 3 or, A Middy’s Vengeance. 446 Haphazard Harry 3 or, The Scapegrace of the Sea, 450 Wizard Will: or, TI 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 Afloat; or, Wizard Will’s Last Case, 487 Nevada Ned, the Revolver Ranger. 495 Arizona doe 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. 5625 Brothers in Buckskin. 530 The Buckskin Bowers. 585 The Buc.skin Rovers. 5410 Captain Ku-Klux, the Marander ot the Rio. 545 Lieutenant Leo, the Son of Lafitte. 550 Lafitte’s Legacy: or. The Avenging Son. 555 The Creole Corsair. 560 Pawnee Bill, 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. 686 The Buckskin Avenger. 691 Delmonte, the Young Sea-Rover. 597 The Young Texan Detective. 602 The Vagabond of the Mines. 607 The Rover Detective; or, Keno Kit’s, Champions. 617 Ralph, the Dead-Shot Scout; or, The Rio Raiders, 644 The Hercules Highwayman. 650 Butterfly Bill’s Boy Para. 656 Butterfly Billy’s Man Hunt. 662 Buttertly Billy’s Bonanza. 668 The Buccaneer Midshipman. 674 The Wizard Sailor; or, Red Ralph, the Rover. 679 The Sea Shadower; or, The Freebdooter’s Legacy. 686 Orlando, the Ocean Free Flag; or, The Tarnished Name. BY BUFFALO BILL (Hon. Wm. F. Cody), 8 Kansas King; or, The Red Right Hand. 19 The Phantom Spy: or, The Pilot of thre Prairie. 55 Deadly-Eye, the Unknown Scout. 68 Border Robin Hood; or, The Prairie Rover. 158 Fancy Frank of Colorado; or, The Trapper’a Trust. BY CHARLES MORRIS, WIII Somers, the Boy Detective. Phil Hardy, the Boss Boy. Picayune Pete; or, Nicodemus, the Dog Detective. Detective Dick; or, The Hero in Rags. Handsome Harry, the Bootblack Detective, WH Wildfire, the Thoroughbred. Black Beas, Will Wildfire’s Racer. Mike Merry, the Harbor Police Boy. Will Wildfire in the Woods. Billy Baggage, the Railroad Boy. A Trump Card; or, Will Wi e Wins and Loses. Bob Rockett; or, Mysteries of New York. Bob Rockett, the Bank Runner, The Hidden Hand; or, Wi!) Wildfire’s Revenge. 187 Fred Halyard, the Life Boat Boy; or, The Smugglers, 189 Bob Rockett; or, Driven to the Wail. 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 Black Sheep of the Flock. 225 Sam Charcoal the Pre ) Darky. 235 Shadow Sam, the Messengér 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’« Job; or, The Young Detective. 298 The Water-HMound: or, The Young Thoroughored. 805 Sacha wey: of Dakotas or, A Western Lad in Quaker City. talph Ready, the Hotel Boy Detective. 841 Tony Thorne, the Vagabond Detective. 858 The Keporter-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 Flreily 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 Brick, the Jolly Vaganond. 466 Wide-Awake Jerry, Detective; or, Entombed Alive. 479 Detective Dodge; or, The Mystery of Frank Hearty. 488 Wild Dick Racket. 501 Boots, the Boy Fireman: or, Too Sharp for the Sharper, 5666 The Secret Service Boy Detective. 596 Jimmy the Kid; or, A Lamb Among Wolves. 627 Tom Bruce of Arkansas; or, The Wolfin the Fold, 655 Plucky Paul, the Boy Speculator, 667 Bob and Sam, the Daisy Detectives. FO Ot Sawn Sopomwywre ~w —s ee Perieied or, The Boy Bugler’s Trail, ie Boy Ferret of New York. ”~ Billy, the Pony Kider Detective; or, Buffalo BY OLL COOMES. Vagabond Joe, the Young Wandering Jew. mil 18 The Dumb Spy. 27 Antelope Abe, the Boy Guide. $1 Keen-Kuife, the Prince of the Praivies. 41 Lasso Jack, the Young Mustanger. 58 The Border King; or, The Secret Foe. 71 Delaware Dick, the Young Ranger Spy. 74 Hawk-eye Harry the Young Trapper Ranger. 88 Rollo, the Boy Kanger. : 184 Sure Shot Seth, the Boy Rifleman. 148 Sear-F ace Saul, 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, The 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 Ranger, 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, Rainbolt, the Ranger. 884 Whip-King Joe, the Boy Ranchero. 409 Hercules; or, Dick, the Boy Ranger. 417 Webtoot Mose, the Tramp Detective. 422 Baby Sam, the Boy Giant of the Yellowstone. 444 Little Buckskin, tne Young Prairie Centaur. 457 Wingedfoot Fredy or, Old Polar Saul. 468 Tamarac Tom, the Big Trapper Boy. 478 Old Tom Rattler, the Red River Epidemic. 482 Stonewall Bob, the Boy Trojan. 562 Blundering Baall, the Hermit Boy Trapper. 652 Don Barr, the Plains Freelance. 661 Old Kit Bandy’s Deliverance. 670 Norway Nels, the Big Boy Mountaineer. 680 Dauntless Dan, the Freelance, or, Old Kit Bandy in Arcadia. BY T. C. HARBAUGH, 28 Nick o’ the Night; or, The Boy Spy of ’76. 87 The Hidden Lodge; or The Littl Hunter. 7 Nightingale Nat; or, Tne Forest Captains, 64 Dandy Jack or, The Outlaws of the Oregon Trafl. 82 Kit Harefoot the Wood-Hawk. 94 Midnight Jack ; or, The Boy Trapper. 106 Old Frosty, the Guide; or, The White Queen, 128 Kiowa Charley the White Mustanger. 189 Judge Lynch, Jr: or, The Boy Vigilante. 155 Golk Trig er, the Sport; er, The Girl Avenger. 169 Tornado Fons or, Injun Jack From Red Core, 188 Ned Temple, the Border Boy. 198 Arkansaw ¢ or, The Queen of Fate’s Revenge, 207 Navajo Nick, the Boy Gold Hunter. 215 Captain Bullet; or, Little Topknot’s Crusade. 281 Plucky Phil; or, Rosa, the Rei Jezebel. 241 Bill Bravo; or, The Roughs of the Rockies. 255 Captain Apolic,y the King-Pin of Bowie. 267 The Buckskin Detective. 279 Old Winch; or, The Buckskin Desperadoes, 294 Dynamite Dany 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 Pards; or, The Terror of Take-Notice. 886 Big Benson; or, The Queen of the Lasso. $45 Pitiless Matt; or, Red Thunderbolt’s Secret. 856 Cool Sam and Pardy or The Terrible Six. 866 Velvet Foot, the Indian Detective. S B86. Captain Cutlass 3 or, The Brccaneer’s Girl Foe. 896 Rough Rob; or, The Twin Champions of Blue Blazes, All The Silken Lasso; or, The Rose of Ranch Robin. 418 Felix Fox, the Boy Spotter. 425 Texas Trump. the Border Rattler. 486 Phil Fla«h, the New York Fox. 445 The City Vampiress or, Red Rolfe’s Pigeon. 461 One Against Fifty; or, The Last Man of Keno Bar, 470 The Boy Shadows or, Felix Fox’s Hunt. A’? The Exceisior Sport; or, The Washington Spotter. 499 Single Sight, the One-Eyed Sport. 502 Branded Ben, the Night Ferret. 512 Dodger Dick, the Wharf-Spy Detective. 521 Dodger Dick’s Best Dodge. 528 Fox and Falcon, the Bowery Shadows. 588 Dodger Dick, the Dock Ferret. 548 Dodger Dick’s Double}; or, The Rival Boy Detectives, 558 Dodger Dick’s Desperate Cake. 568 Dodger Dick, the Boy Vidocq. 578 The Two Shadows. 582 Dodger Dick’s Drop. 594A Little Lon, the Street-Singer Detective. 610 Old Skinner, the Gold Shark; or, Tony Sharp 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. 685 Happy Hugh, the Boy- Musician Detective. LATEST AND NEW ISSUES. 688 Chincapin Dan’s Home Stretch} on, The Conspiratore of No Man’s Land, By Jos, E. Badger, Jr. 689 Billy, the Gypsy Spy3 or: Working Out the Mystery of Two Lives. By Lientenant A. K. Sims. 690 Deadwood Dick, Ir.’#, Dollars; or, The Humming Bird of Honeysuckle. By Edward L. Wheeler. 691 Headlight Warry’s Haul; or, The Railroad Pards Day. By A. F. Holt. 692 Redfern, the Revolver Sharp} Boy Pard. By Col. P. Ingraham. Ready October 28. 698 The Posy Pards«—Violet Vane and Daisy Dare; or, The Recket at Red Hot. By Wm, G. Patten. Ready November 4. A New Issue Every Tuesday. The Half- Dime Library !« for ssle by all newadealers, five cents per copy, or sent by mail on receipt ot six cents each, READLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, 98 William Street New Yorks ’ Big or, The Gold Miners?