Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 733) (1891 08 11)
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<a ~ mie N \* € MON S\N bl [| VAY x De ; ‘B _ AY A ft Ut et! iT a eS a! ta AS Copyright 1891, by BEADLE AND ADAMS, August 11, 1891. $2.50 PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE AND ADAMS. Price, No. 733. a Year. No. 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK, 5 Cents. Vol. XXX, SS LZEZZZ GEE AAEEEXXZXZXEE, Y ’ LAI jj); tp pte yy yy Yi Ly tj Z Yj: tij; thy y UY; G Vf tj 43 ty S39) typ pty Uy YY fj / 4, Y y wo Y LA YS fi ft i, y Lie Y Yy tHttggZ: CMM Sifip YH 4 Os Md GA ALLA Viki fife Opty, Yo tij3;—' yy ‘ ¥, ty Vi “YZ Af, YY VW hy y Y Z yy y [seep )/ i ) /| fi A Win i hit) : Wah tS} \ thea yi OR, Unearthing the Cavern League, A Romance of the Loco Island Mystery. BY LIEUT. A. K, SIMS, AUTHOR OF “‘ THE MESMERIST SPORT,” ‘* BILDA) BARNACLE,” ‘* WARBLING WILLIAM,” “BILLY, THE GYPSY SPY,” THE ‘* TEXAS TOM-CAT” NOVELS, ETC,, ETC., ETO. CHAPTER I. LOCO ISLAND, A HORSEMAN, mounted on a jaded beast, drew CZ” _ yee rein on a slight eminence, and adjusted a field- EZ glass to his eyes, Bebind him lay the desert ‘*) GUESS ITS GRIM DEATH AND HIS DAUGHTER?” DILLON SUGGESTED, hills and sand wastes of Southwestern Arizona;
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2 Toltec Tom, the Mad Prospector. ~~ before, the wide-spreading mesa and the narrow valley of the Colorado, There was little in the landscape tuat was pleasing. The nilis had a dead, burnt-out, chalky appearance, the result of intense heat and lack of moisture; and over all the plain and rolling country there was scarce a green thing to gladden the eye. Yet there were brilliant pitches in the river valley; and at one point, where a large island lifted itself above the water’s edge like a great, stranded turtle, the color deepened and thickened until the island glowed with a purple fire, More than once the ~-horseman lifted the glass to his eyes, Then he replaced it in the case that was swung by a leather strap from his shoulders, ‘*Get up!” he commanded, pricking the tired horse witb the big rowels of his spurs, ‘If I’m not mistaken there’s a bit of smoke down there on the island, If so, we may find some sort of hospitality and perhaps a bite of sweet grass for your empty stomach. At any rate, there’s water in the river, and you need water about as muck as you do grass,” The horse was as eager to advance as was its rider, for the scent of the singing water was tan- talizing to its parched throat. The dust lay deep along the trailless slopes, wherever thers was enough earth to be powdered into dust, and an impalpable cloud quickly enveloped them, When they emerged from it they were among the rugged and precipitous bluffs that bere flanked the river. Crazed with thirst, the beast hurried toward the water, but the banks were too steep und tbe rocks too shaly, so the man spurred it on along the perilous brink, looking for a safe place to descend, The island was near, now, and in plain view, but no sign of drifting smoke could be seen on any portion of it; a thing enigmati- cal and perplexing to the rider, as evinced by his frowning glance of disappointment. ‘*Ho!” he exclaimed, pulling sharply and half-angrily at the bridle-rein, for the horse showed a disposition to rush toward the stream regardless of the forbidding character of the banks, The wrench caused the animal to slip on the rotten ledge, and in another moment both were in the river. The water was deep at that point, and marvelously swift—so deep and swift that ia’ green current curled far above their heads and seemed bent on drowning them before they could make a struggle, When they arose, the man was clinging des- perately to the borse’s mane, The animal was wild with the sudden terror occasioned by the fall and plunge. But the rider, recovering as quickly as he could from his involuntary bath and supporting himself partially in the waves with his free hand, uttered coaxing and quieting words, and succeeded in stilling its fears. Then he guided it in the only direction open to them, and it was soon swimming witb strong, steady strokes toward the island. A large portion of the island was of a sandy character, but here the rocks rose from the wa- ter in gentle terraces that were yet granite bar- riers against the beating flood. Upon one of these terraces the horse scrambled, while the man drew himself up beside it. ** Quite enough water for once, eh?’ he asked, stroking the animal’s wet neck. ‘‘ Enough of anything is enough, and more is arank nuisance, IT fee! as if I'd played camel and swallowed suf- ficient to last me a week,” The horse, however, did not feel that way, for its skin was scarcely dry before it was back at the water’s edge drinking as if famished. Then, having satisfied its thirst, it began to nibble at some unpalatable and innutritious desert grass that had found a foothold in a crevice of the rocks. ’ As for the horseman he wrung the water from his wet clothing as best he could. The bath had not been a cold one, for the stream had had a long run through blazing sunshine from the icy mountains that gave it birth, and the man knew that the heat and the drying atmosphere would quickly make him comfortable. The plunge had not injured his water-proof cartridges. Having satisfied himself of this he drew the horse away from the coarse, unwholesome grass, and, mount- ing, rode toward the center ot theisland, watch- ing keenly for a suggestion of the smoke he thought he bad seen, But, the island was deserted, and there were no indications that the foot of man had ever trodden it. There was nowhere a sign of life; and the only thing that grew there, which an animal could eit, with the exception of the use- less desert grass, was the poisonous and crazing plant known as loco, It abounded everywhere, and its bright blossoms had given the island that glowing, purple bue which the horseman had observed from the distance, ‘* Notbing but loco, loco!” he averred, a frown settling again on his handsome face, ‘ Tvat’s the reason, I suppose, this part of the country bas never been taken up by stockmen, The hills are full of it, wherever anything grows at all; and this island hasn’t anything else,” He was right in his guess about the stockmen —partly right at least. They bad attempted, some years before, to establish rauches on this section of the Colorado, below its confluence with the Gila, and bad quitted the field in dis- gust because of the great abundance of loco, On the plains and 1n the mountains it is almost everywhere a menace to the well-being of the herds; for once an animal coutracts a liking for the deadly thing that animal’s usefulness is ended, marked degree of cool- ness to the gloomy depths, The point from which the glitterIt™ ed was a cleft in the rocky wall of the narrow cleft, fringed about and hidden growth of coarse grass and stunted greasewood There was more than one pair of eves, although the owners of but two seemed greatly interested or excited. One of these owners wasu swarthy man, of herculean build, and evil, furrowed face. The other a lithe, dark-faced demon, who seemed either a Chinese or an East Indian. ‘*Do you suppose ’twas an accident entirely, Paou, that threw the scamp into the stream?” the first queried, the lines in his wrinkled face twisting with the fury of his suspicious hatred. ** Tt don’t seem that he’d tumble in that way on purpose, but it?d be a mighty cute scheme to avoid suspicion!” ‘““Ah! who can say?” and the reply of the dark-visaged man was couched in words in which there was scarcely a trace of the accent of his nativity. : The stranger was on the island, now, and near the point from which the eyes were peering. The man who had first spoken stepped back into the darkness of the cavern, returning soon with a repeating rifle. After him crowded several men who were undoubtedly Chinese, as their faces and dress proclaimed, There was cause for excitement in the manner of these men, which was shown, however, in @ very quiet and suppressed way. ‘They were fear- ful Jest the new-comer should prove a spy of the Government, in which case, if their hiding-place were revealed to bis inquisitive gaze, they should very likely have to contemplate a disagreeable return to their native China, For thecavern beneath the island was the headquarters of a band of men engaged in the nefarious business of smuggling Chinese coolies across the boun- dary-line between the United States and Mexico, in defiance of the law excluding the Chinese from this country. There were more yellow-faced coolies in the shadows further back, but the majority of these were lost to all things mundane, being buried deep in tbe rose-colored and Jetbargic dreams produced by the opium-pipe, and happily obliv- lous to any dangers that might be threatening. ., ‘‘Shall [ take a shot at him?” asked the cap- tain, who was known as Basil Flint. ‘lt may save us a deal of trouble hereafter. As he stands, now, I can bow! him oven nicely. The Chinege leader shrugged bis shoulders. -‘* Pate is fate. -If he is to die that way, shoot. But may not the smoke be seen?” Flint lowered the half-raised rifle, ‘* Where is Valentine? Perhaps the fellow has seen oursmoke! If he has, I'll put this ball through Valentine’s body, Send Val this way, will you?” He did not raise his voice to a pitch that would send its toues through the opening. Captain Basil was too sbrewd and wary to do a thing so foolish as that, no matter how angry or irritated he might be, The man, Valentine, shuffled forward in an- swer to the call—a hang-dog, unkempt villain, for whom hemp was certainly growing, ‘‘ Have you been careful about the firewood, Valentine?” Flint asked, a suppressed tremor of rage in bis words. *¢ Yes, sir,” the man answered quickly, giving a sort of military salute as he jerked out the words. ‘‘lt’s been o’ the driest. A cord of it couldn’t make a hatfulof smoke!” The man was lying, but he did itin sucha brazen way, and with such an air of injured in- nocence, that the suspicions of the captain were stayed. Valentine bad been among the first to observe the strange horseman, He had not been as careful as usual] in his selection of wood that morning; and thinking the smoke might have been seen, he hastened to rake the embers apart and subdue the fire. And now, that there was no possibility his laziness and carelessness could be discovered, he uttered his falsehoods unblushingly. ‘¢ You're sure of it?’ with a searching glance. ‘Very well; but if 1 knew you had, you’d pay for it dearly, my man.” ‘© You ean look for yourself,” said Valentine, dogvedly. ‘* There ain’t ary fire to speak on, an’ what there is wouldn’t let out enough smoke to be smelt, let alone to be seen.” But the captain was again watching the move- ments of the borseman, having turned from his inferior as soon as the threat was uttered, ““See! He’s searching the island, Paou! What in the name of all the fiends can that mean, if he hasn’t seen or heard something to make dim suspicious? Answer me that, will you?” It was strange that he should thus address the Chinese as an equal; though vot strange, when it is known that the latter was his trusted and
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4y Butenant, and as useful a man as there fh all the band. In fact, Captain Basil nt would not have known how to carry on is extremely risky and perilous business with- out the aid of the clever and astute oriental. Paou was so capable a fellow in many ways that he must have ranked high, whatever the nature of his calling. “‘ Now he’s beating the chaparral!” the excited and anxious Flint called out, ignoring the fact that all could observe the actions of the myste- rious stranger quite as well as could the captain himself. ‘‘ There’s surely something back of all this! Take a look over the hills, you fellows, and peel your eyes sharp, now. If he bas com- rades anywhere, perbaps you can get a sight of them. My! I’m half tempted to take a shot at the rascal, anyhow.” Twice he lifted the rifle, only to lower it with a muttered curse. He feared to fire. He could have slain the stranger with the greatest ease; but the thought that there might be, somewhere in the near hills, eyes to see and ears to hear, caused him to stay his hand, If there were any such eyes and ears, the killing of this man at that time would be the greatest folly. Thesecret which he had been able to keep from the offi- cers of the Jaw and all their myrmidons for these many months would be revealed, and the cavern hidden away beneath the island could rotect and shelter him no more. The slant-eyed Chinese ** peeled” their orbs of vision and looked, but nothing could they dis- cern save the gray and brown rocks, the patches of mesquite and greasewood, and the occasional lines of pinones which marked some draw or arroya, Still they could not say that no men were con- cealed among those same hills. No one could say that. The eagle soaring far above could not have told, for there were many places that defied the penetration of even the keenest eye, And thus uncertain, the captain staid the deadly rifle, though bis fingers twitched and he longed with an infinite longing to send a ball at the man who had thus dared set foot on the soil sacred to villainy. Again the stranger approached them, peering this way and that, in a manner that to Flint seemed remarkable and altogether unnccount- able. When he drew out the bandkerchief for the purpose of muzzling the horse the captain was for a moment firm in the belief that a sig- nal was intended. And he was not wholly con- vinced of his error even when the handkerchief had been knotted into a muzzle. “You see, Paou, he may have fixed on that asasignal! If he did, it only goes to prove how shrewd a scamp he really is, and how danger- ous. I don’t like the looks of the thing a bit.” ‘Shoot, then!” said the cat-like Paou, show- ing his white teeth, “ Which you know I daren’t, yourascal! The fates, as you call’em, are against me. Italmost makes a fellow think there may be something in that fool belief of yours, after all, Now, there ain’t a thing to keep me from plugging tbat fel- low, su far as any of us can discover, and yet I don’t. Whydon’t I? BecauseI can’t! That is, I’m afraid to, which amounts to the same thing. And yet, there may not be another man within miles of here. It does look like all these little things were decided by fate, or something other than chance; though I’ve always held to the last notion. If I believe ina God! But I don’t; and Ill not talk such nonsense, I don’t shoot the fellow because my better judgment. tells me it may not be a safe and wise thing to do, That's all there is of it. And if you can bolster your fool fatalism with that, why you're wel- come to!” The man had retraced his way and regained his horse by this time, and was on the point of remounting. Such of the Celestials as had roused themselves sufficiently from their opium dreams to take an interest in what was tran- spiring, now crept back to their hard beds in various portions of the cave, But Flint and Paou remained at the aperture, watching with anxious glances every movement of the un- known. And there they stayed until borse and rider again dared the current, and diss peared in the ragged hills, CHAPTER TIL THE TOLTEC LEGEND. BxING apparently reassured by the discovery of the dim trail leading toward the higher ranges, the horseman continued his way at a more rapid gait. Occasionally, when tbe trail was more than usually rough and bowlder- strewn, he got down and walked beside the animal until smoother and firmer ground was reached, Toltec Tom, the Mad Prospector. Suddenly, on rounding a bend, he found him- self face to face with a keen-eyed man in the rough dress of a prospector. This individual had evidently been waiting for him; for he had taken a firm stand in the center of the trail, and as the horseman came in sight he brought to his shoulder a Winchester rifle of heavy caliber, *“*Stop jist where you be!” he commanded, in sharp, quick accents, ‘‘I’low you don’t know that this is the ’special trompin’-groun’ of yours truly! Well, ’tis; an’ they hain’t no- body else any rights to go rovin’ over it.” A smile came to the rider’s face, **)ll leave it, my good friend, if you'll only show me the way out.” ‘*Then you ain’t lookin’ fer no treasure, ner notbin’?” without lowering the threatening rifle, ** Honest Injun, now?” **Cross my heart if I am!” was the smiling reply. The gun came down, “ That’s somethin’ like, Though you do beat all, if it’s so, I mus’say you’re the fu’st I’ve struck that ain’t been hunting fer somethin’ o’ the kind. My name’s Toltec! Maby you've heern 0’ me, Toltec Tom!” The smile expanded. ‘‘There are not many who haven’t, where I hail from. Everybody has heard of Toltec, And, now, if you’ll allow me, I'll goon up the trail. You live hereaway, eh?” ‘‘Jist beyont the divide,” answered Toltec, pleased with the other’s manner, ‘* And, mean- in’ no offense, what might be your bandle, ef J may ask?” ** Philip Dillon; and I’m from Fort Mesquite. Ive been on a sort of hunt out here, and got turned ’round someway and lost. When I s'ruck this trail a bit agoI felt better, knowing it must lead somewhere, even if it was to a bear’s den.” The prospector’s eyes flashed, ‘Not meanin’ anything by that, now, I cal- c’late?” At this Dillon broke into a hearty laugh, “You'll have to pardon me, Toltec, I didn’t think how that sounded till the words were out of my mouth, Of course I couldn’t think of calling your home a bear’s den. It was the un- certain character of the trai! I referred to, You'll say yourself that one can hardly tell what made it,” ‘*That’s so!” and the frown vanished. ‘Come on up to my Louse, and I'll make you to home, That is, my darter will; fer a rough ole cuss like me ain’t no great shakes at entertainin’. You look ’sif a little rest an’ somethin’ to eat wouldn’t go amiss, now, An’ that boss is plum tuckered,” Dillon was glad to accept the offer, and as he rode along at ‘loltec’s side he wondered what sort of creature the daughter of this prospector might be. He had heard of Toltee frequently, for the man was well known at the military post fromm which Dillon came. But he kad never heard of the daughter, and until this, had no knowledge of her existence, The officers of Fort Mesquite, which was on the Mexican boundary, fifteen miles or more away as the crow flies, had spoken of the pros- pector many times since young Dillon had been assigned to duty there. By them be was con sidered a barmless sort of fellow, a monomaniac on the subject of treasure-bunting, and by them called the ‘‘mad treasure-seeker.” Toltec had been at the little post town on several occasions, and was always pointed out to the curious as something of an oddity. Dillon had seen him once, and thus had recognized bim when he stood so’ sternlv in the trail with that uplifted and menacing rifle. “Do you say there is grass up there?’ the young man questioned, ‘A bull valley fullof it. I picked out the placa for my house fer that reason, I hain’t got a cow ner hoss ner anything to eat the truck, butit looks purty, and my gal likes to see it; so there I put down my stakes,” The abundance and richness of the grass in this sequestered spot in the sun-baked mountains was apparent as soon as they crossed the high ridge which Toltec had spoken of as the “divide.” Below them tbe valley lay like a bright, green emerald, made verdant and sweet by tho waters that leaped to it from some springs along the hillsides, Toltec’s home stood in a sheltered nook in the midst of this little Eden, To the surprise of the horseman he found it a commodious house, built of logs and adobe, It was truly no bear’s den; no cave in the hills! The prospector, who had been glancing side- wise at his guest, noted the surprised look with a secret pleasure. He had made the home sub- stantial and had beautified it because of the love he bore bis daughter, and the stranger’s appre- ciation was very gratifying. But the young man’s surprise was heightened when, at his host’s bidding, he crossed the threshold and found himself in the presence of amature and charming woman, whom Toltec proudly presented as his daughter, Margaret, ‘This is indeed a j:leasure!” Dillon declared, sinking into the rude chair offered him. **You expected to find a squaw, I presume?? and Margaret’s eyes twinkled with amusement. **No—that is—I hardly expected—I mean I bad no expectations in the matter!” Dillon stammered, growing very red and nervous, ‘*But you were not reared amid—amid such surroundings?” ‘* Oh, these hills? They are very beautiful, E think, ButI was not reared here. We have been here only a few months. Father has got the idea into his head that there is a vast treas- ure somewhere in this region, and thatit’s worth searching for, That’s why we're here,” Dillon felt confused, and not hnowing what to say further, found it convenient to excuse bimself for the purpose of lariating out his horse. He wanted time to get away and think, What did all this mean? was the query that perploxed him. Here was a woman, obviously educated and refined, and unquestionably beautiful. And she was living in these desolate hills, and Toltec Tom was her father—Toltec, the crazed seeker after mythical wealth! It was too much for him, Cool thought was necessary, apd cool thought could not come to himin that house and in the presence of that woman. Toltec, on introducing bis daughter, had stated that his real name was Thomas Grant and his daugbter’s name Margaret Grant, But this ex- plained notbing, ‘* My head spins round Jike a top!’ the youth declared, as he found himself alone with his horse, ‘‘I never struck anything like that in the whole course of my experience, Why does she let Toltec shut her up here in this God-for- saken place! The grass is pretty and the rills are refreshing, but one can find water and grass where there are people to talk to and look at, W hat does she do to show off ber dresses to other women? She must nearly die! for she has dresses! That was a pretty one she had on, And she looked as sweet as a peach init, I wonder now if she keeps dressed up all the while? She couldn’t bave known that her old badger of a father was to bring any one home with him,” Dillon’s thoughts were running riot, He could make neither head nor tail of the mystery thus suddenly presented, He felt that surely there must be a mystery. Yet, be asked himself, what was there so strange in the fact that a young woman bad chosen to follow and remain with her father wherever he might select to go? It was dutifulness in a high degree, that was all. And then, his mind traveling the circle of all possible guesses, he returned to the thought which bad come to him at first: The girl’s beauty was what made the matter seem to bim mys- terious. If she had been as homely as the half- breed peons and others whom he was accustom- ed to see occupying adobcs and rough houses and living lonely lives, there would have been no miystery at all, With a mind cleared of its fogs, but with no key to the 1iddle, he returned to the house, after having consumed an outrageously long time in attending to the needs of his borse, On again entering he was surprised to.dis- cover new occupants, A peon-looking serving woman, introduced as Ina, and said to be of pure Toltec origin; and a dog, a large, shaggy, kind- eyed creature, called Gringo, G ingo bad been in the hills, chasing jack rabbits probably; and Ina had been attending to some domestic duties in one of the other apartments of the house, The addition of these to the membership of the household was a blessing to Dillon, He could employ himself in patting and stroking and talking to the dog, and in addressing his re- marks to Ina, Any diversion was a relief, for the presence of Margaret was provocative of em- barrassment. Dinner was soon announced, it having been prepared early out of consideration for the half- famished condition of the guest, After dinner, Toltec produced and lighted his pipe; then going to a little tin chest he ex- tracted a paper which he evidently treasured higbly. ‘* Bein’ as you’re not lookin’ fer a lost gold mine er anything of the kind, I don’t mind show- in’ this to you!” he declared, seating himself at the young man’s side, Dillon took the extended paper and glanced
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eens 2 4: curiously over it. But he could make nothing of it, 1t resembled the specimens of Indian pic- ture writing he had seen at various times, some on bark and some engraved solidly in the stony cliffs of the Colorado Valley. There were lines which might have represented almost anything from mountain ranges to rivers, and there were rude drawings of men andof avimals. In addi- tion there was something which resembled a road or a line of embankments, and at the end ! a circular drawing, curiously made and speck- ses, that looked like nothing he had ever be- held. “Can't git the hang o’ it?” Toltec smilingly questioned, as Dillon handed back the paper. ** I ‘low I couldn’t have, neither, if I hadn’t had help. It’s Toltec writin’, that is; an’ queer stuff, too. The hen-tracks of a Philadelphy lawyer ain’t nowhere alongside of it. **You see, it’s this way: A year er two ago I was down toward the pueblo that lays near the fur range o’ hills, acrost the line in Sonora, I got throwed frum my hoss while pokin’ round that section, and purty bad hurt. The pueblo chaps took me in and made me comfortable, an’ I stayed wi’ ’em till I got well. The ones at that pueblo claims to be descendants of the ole Tol- tecs, an’ they have many cur’us customs an’ be- liefs, though they’ve seen so many whites and rubbed ag’in’ so many new fangled notions that a good many of ’em have about lost all faith in the’r ole religion. ** As it bappened I got on tol’able good terms wi’ one o’ the head men, Ina, there, is his niece, One day, while we were talkin’— fer I staid there long enough to get a kind’ o’ hang o’ their lingo—he showed me a bit of Tol- tec writin’, "Iwas on antelope-skin, an’ so ole that the skin was’most droppin’ to pieces, And he told me what it all meant; or at least what they believed it meant, AndI took a copy of it; and this hyer bizness is the copy.” Dillon had been giving the prospector close attention, and now looked again at the mysti- cal writing, which Toltec bad spread out on a table before them. . ** You see them lines,” the old prospector con- tinued, tapping the sheet with his forefinger. *“*They look asif they might bea road. An’ hyer’s people and animals comin’ an’ goin’. An’ the road leads to this round, puzzle of a place. Well, ’cordin’ to the idee o’ ths Toltecs—an’ the idee has been handed down, they told me, from their great-great-grandfathers—them lines'stand fer a tunnel, an’ the roun’, queer-lookin’ place fer a cave, . An’ these men an’ animals air com- in’ an’ goin’ jist fer to show that thetunnel can be navigated, as ye might say; an’ that it’s the openin’ to the cave. : “The cave is said to’a’ been the place where their ole priests kept the treasures 0’ the tribe, an’ is jist jam full o’ gold an’ silver an’ diamonds an’ sich truck. Seems like the priests were killed suddent, They was the only chaps that knowed ist where this cave was, A tribe o’ red-skins come down frum the North—an’ that part sounds reasonable, fer it’s jist like the "Paches to doa thing o’ that kind—an’ killed the priests an’ most ® the people. “The rest left the country as quick as they could, an’ moved furder south, to the p’int where they air now. An’ the tiga where they come frum, ’cordin’ to their idees, ain’t twenty miles frum where we're settin’ this minute |” The old man’s eyes were flashing and his breath was coming quick aud hard as he concluded and faced toward his listener. ““ An’ that’s what I’m huntin’ fer! It’s byer; an’ lll find it jist as shore as you’re a livin’ man! I’ve already foun’ the place where the ole pueblo stood, an’ I'll find the cave!” So earnest and contagious was his manner that Dillon himself grew excited over the thought of this great treasure, lying so near. But, his in- terest vanished when he remembered what he had been told at the fort concerning Toltec, And as he looked into the flushed face of the speaker he iii the people of the post must surely be right. Toltec was a monomaniac, made so doubt- less by his long-continued and unsuccessful quest. The belief in this long-buried treasure was absurd, ridiculous! And yet, there was an earnestness in the words and bearing of the pros- pector, that elung to him and haunted him for many along day. ———— CHAPTER IV. THE DEADLY BOWSTRING, _THE young horseman was no sooner in the bills than the leader of the League, Captain Basil Flint, instructed his lieutenant, Paou, as follows: “Don't lose him, Paou! Keep close at his / Oe oo FS be ee ~ Toltec Tom, tho Mad Te heels—as close as you can without danger of dis- covery. Watch every movement he makes; and if you think he’s sure one of these Government spies, see that he never gets back to make a re- port to his superiors, And mark you! There may be more of the same kind loafing about, Don’t let any of them catch you napping.” ‘he command had scarcely been given before Paou was prepared to obey. He cast aside the ordinary citizen’s dress, which he usually wore, and arrayed himself in a single, loose, flowing garment, which gave the greatest freedom of limb, On his feet he slipped the soft, white-soled shoes of the Chinese, and within a fold of his robe he can a knotted and queer-looking bit of cord, By training and adoption Paou was a murder- er. His instincts were of the cunning, treacher- ous order. Lying in ambush and safe, he was a brave and courageous fighter. Flitting on the trail of a foe he was alert, silent, and as elusive asashadow. Striking from the rear and in the darkness he could only be Jikened to the sudden thunderbolt that prostrates without warning. Such an enemy is the most terrible, the most to be dreaded of all enemies. As soon as he was reasonably sure he could not be seen by the man he intended to pursue, and possibly slay, be vanished from the cavern and disappeared in the gloom of the forbidding tunnel. Ten minutes later he appeared, crawl- ing over the sand of the river-bank a quarter of a mile below. Without a moment’s hesitation, he plnnged into the water and swam to the oppo- site bank, up which he scrambled with the nim- bleness of a crouching tiger; and so crouching, he slipped into the greasewood thickets and was lost to the view of the watchers in the cavern. This bloodhound of the Orient was in reality a Chinese by birth. But his earlier years, up to the age of fifteen or sixteen, had been passed in Burmah and Hindostan, where he had D cast by one of the accidents which he chose to de- nominate fate. His father had been a profes- sional conjurer and juggler. At his father’s death, which Cantal from a fall end in Hin- dostan, Paou fell into the bands of a snake- charmer, who belonged to the sect of secret stranglers known as the Thugs. Instead of kill- ing his charge, as he was probably tempted to do, he brought the young Chinese up as his own 80 n. Being a wanderer thus by training and birth, Paou early came to America, and naturally fell in with the most vicious of his countrymen; and so we find him now the second in rank in com- mand of as desperate a set of scoundrels as ever disgraced the American frontier, and by his su- a valued as the most useful man in the na, When Dillon was stopped by Toltec Tom’s rifle, Paou was not a hundred paces in bis rear, and when he continued on witb the prospector to the latter’s abode, the thug followed as closely as a regard for his own safety would warrant. All day the Chinese lay crouched on the bill- side with the house in plain view, watching and waiting with a patience worthy a better cause; and when darkness fell he approached the build- ing and sprawled himself among the very shad- ows at the door, Yet so stealthy were all bis movements that Gringo even was not aware of his proximity. It was a pleasant ay, that young Dillon e ipeob in the home of the old prospector—one of the pleasantest, he told himself, of his life. The charm of it lay in the presence of Margaret, whom he found more winning and womanly the rie he contemplated her varied attractions, And he found himself more than once wishing he might always bask in smiles that were as sweet and look into eyes that were as bright as were those of the prospector’s daughter. Hence, when Toltec gave him a cordial invi- tation to remain for a longer period than a single day he found no difficulty in convincing himself that this was the most proper and agreeable thing he could do, When supper had been eaten and the old man had seated himself for his customary smoke, Dillon got up and left the house for a quiet stroll, alleging that he wished to see how his horse was faring, but in reality from a desire to be alone awbile with his own thoughts. Scarcely for a moment throughout the entire day had Margaret been out of his mind. Whether caressing and teasing Gringo, talking with the treasure-seeker, of conversing with Ina on the customs and legends of her people, the voice and the face of Margaret had constantly obtruded to drive away all other memories and impressions. And so he desired to withdraw from ‘this otherwise pleasant company that he might have nothing come between him and the Prospector. | roseate visions and fancies that w~ upon him, "S As he left the house and dropped 1 trail leading toward the lower slopes, Pat arose from his recumbent attitude and crep softly after. Entirely forgetting his horse, Dillon continued on and on, every step taking him further and further from those who could aid him when the threatened blow should fall; and, as silently as: the summer wind that wandered over the grass- es, the thug kept close at his heels. For an instant Dillon halted, so absorbed in his thick-coming fancies that he did not know he had stopped; and in that instant, quick as the lightning’s flash, the thug sprung upon him. So sudden, so overwhelming and unexpected was. the shock that the young man fell forward as if stricken by a rifle-ball. And as he did so, the long, serpentine fingers of the Chinese shot out. and downward in a hawk-like swoop, and around the neck of the fallen‘man was the coil of the deadly bowstring, that fearful instrument. of death so popular with the executioners of oriental lands, There was no time, no opportunity to strug- gle. The coil tightened with the choking grasp of a python. The youth’s breath was stopped, and before his starting eyes there swam a blood- red cloud which faded speedily into darkness. and insensibility. A low, gurgling laugh issued from the twitch- ing lips of the thug—a laugh of hate and fiend- ish triumph, But its echoes did not float beyond the fringe of the nearest bushes. Paou was too careful an assassin for that. He never for a moment forgot that his strength and the secret. of success for him lay in silence and secrecy, Satisfied that he had performed the work for which he had remained, he vanished amid the shadows as stealthily and as noiselessly as if he were only a shadow himself. He was scarcely gone from the place, how- ever, when a third party appeared on the scene —a man of heavy features and powerful phy- sique. His face was barely visible in the semi- darkness that Jay on the landscape. But it was. a round, fat face, placid and good-humored—the face of one who looks after the good things of life, and who proposes to let care go hang! Such, indeed, was Jumbo Griggs, the sergeant. of the military post of the border. Jumbo he was called because of bis bulk, which was almost. elepbantine. * : His hands were thrust into his pockets, and he was swinging along very leisurely, having caught sight of the light from one of the win- dows of the prospector’s abode some time before, but seemingly careless about how soon he reached the shelter it indicated. He was wordering if he would be fortunate enough to secure a warm supper and a comfortable bed,, and debating whether he preferred tea to coffee, in case Toltec had those luxuries and should ask him to make a choice between them, when his foot tripped against the body of the prostrate. man, and he sprawled full length in the narrow trail. ‘‘ By the great Caesar! What was that, now?” he questioned, rubbing his bruises ruefully and staring into the gloom, A faint moan came as if in answer to the in- quiry. Jumbo, in spite of his large frame, was quick to act in an emergency. He ‘ pulled himself together” and stepped to the side of the un- known. His fingers detected the strangling cord, and his knife severed it at almost the same moment. Then he flashed the Jight of a match into the face of the insensible man. ‘*Phew!” and a low whistle escaped the ser- eant’s lips, ‘* By all that’s mysterious! that’s illon, as I’m a living sinner! And what is he doing here with that devilish cord around his neck?” : He did not waste time in vain questioning, however. He drew the young man away from the trail as a measure of precaution, and then set. vigorously to work to bring the life back to the almost inanimate form. There were faint pulsa- tions at the heart, enough to show that he had not come too late, if he worked with speed and judgment. Jumbo had seen more than one man who was considered as good as dead and who had been restored to his former vigor, and he had had ex- perience with such cases, which was just then worth more thanallelse, And so he set about his task with a bopefulness that promised the fullest measure of success. ' In a few minutes the pulsations became firmer and stronger, and a regularity in breathing was set up; aod in a quarter of an hour Dillon, clothed in bis right mind, was sitting at Jum- —
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in a voice that was faint was constantly becoming o's side, conversin and weak, but whic fuller and less husky. “And you don’t know who did it?’ Jumbo squestioned, with an air of surprise. ** Haven’t the ghost of an idea!” averred Dil- jon. “‘ But he was a sly one, for I never so much as beard a sound,” **Tt’s a good thing I came along just then, for ‘in a few minutes more you’d have been past all help, How have you found things?” illon’s first thought was of Margaret, but he hesitated to speak of her, “* Fine!” was the reply, after a moment, “I’m on first-class terms with the old gent, already. He’s just as they say at the post: Crazy as a ‘bumblebee about a lot of lost treasure. He has invited me to stay at his house, and we can make it our headquarters,” ** And the Chinese?” Jumbo queried. ‘* Haven’t seen a single Celestial!” This rather regretfully, for he bad coma into those wastes for the express purpose of running ‘to earth the men who were en din the crimi- nal business of transporting Chinese across the border. “*They can’t be far from here, though!” Jumbo asserted. ‘‘ Parties of them have been seen on a few occasions in the hills; and the men who are helping them across must bole up here some- wheres,” And Jumbo was as much interested in find- ‘ing some trace of these rascals as was Dillon, for he was Dillon's ally and assistant, Both came from the same post, were acting ‘under the same orders, with only this differ- ence: Dillon wasin command. He was tocarry on the search, while Jumbo was to hold himself ready to bring a squad of men across the moua- ‘tains to gobble up the band, whenever Dillon should succeed in locating it, ‘* We'd better go on to the house,” Jumbo sug- gested, remembering his supperless condition. **I’m hollow, clean to my boots. That was a terrible tramp, and I made it since sunrise, I mipe old Rainbow-chaser keeps a good cook.” illon arose rather unsteadily, and found that he was too giddy to stand, not to mention walk- ing. & Then VJl haye to carry you!” Jumbo de- ¢clared, with easy complacency. And, without further ado, he lifted the injured man gently to his herculean shoulders and tramped heavily on toward the house, CHAPTER V. THE POST TRAITOR. ** Dip those paddles a little less clumsily, will ‘ye?’ snarled the harsh voice of Captain Basil. ** You'll wake the soldiers at Fort Mesquite, at that rate!” Captain Basil was in an exceptionably bad humor that night. Matters had not gone pleas- antly. In the first place one of his men had reported that the young fellow whom Paou bad ‘tried to put out of the way, the night before, was still alive, And in the second, the men he had sent to convoy a body of Chinese from a point on the California Gulf had been chased by ‘@ lot of troopers and made but a narrow escape. This same body of Chinese ke was now ferry- ing across the Colorado from the Lower Califor- ‘nian side to the soil of Uncle Sam’s dominions, and had just been listening toa detailed account of the chase and the brush with the soldiers, The craft used in making the passage of the river was a large, flat-bottomed, unwieldy con- cern, which when in the center of the current was almost unmanageable. “Mind your syes, there!” he called out, sharply. ‘ You'll have all of us in the river! Now, pull! Pull hard!” The men bent obediently to the oars, and after a protracted struggle drove the nose of the boat against the American shore, “Now, out with you, And, Paou, keep these boobies well together. If you don’t, they’ll get Jost, sure, They’rethe dumbest lot we’ve handled “bh How they’ve ever managed to get this far ats me Paou huddled the bewildered Celestials into a compact body; while Flint continued to ejacu- late his instructions in that vexed, rasping tone, There was no light; and though-the wind was chill, no fire was there on the shore to give out its warmth. Save the dip of the paddles, and the captain’s commands, together with occasional whispers among the men, no sounds arose. In addition the night was dark and starless; and the stream raced beneath the boat’s keel like a river of ink. It was a night favorable for such a venture. A night for secrecy and dark deeds. Toltec Tom, the Mad Prospector. 5 And yet, when Basil Flint arose from his position in the stern of the boat and turned his eyes shoreward, he saw the faint outline of a horse and rider among the shadows, His revolver came out instantly. “It’s all right, captain!” the shadow hastily called, as the ‘click, click” of the weapon sounded ominously. ‘‘I’m Silcott, from the t | Captain Basil leaped from the boat and ad- vanced toward the horseman, ‘*Look after things, will you, Paou? And get everything ready for traveling. Hide the boat in the old place, and make sure its concealed so no ove can find it, And keep your heathen friends from babbling too much, They’re be- ginning to chatter like sparrows, There’s no telling who may be around,” Then, taking the bridle-rein in his hand he turned the horse away from the camp, halting when he bad reached what he considered a safe distance. ‘“* How in thunder did you manage to find us, Smith?’ he asked, with some uneasiness, ‘‘ We crossed at a new point to-night! We haven’t been making too much noise, have we?” “I didn’t hear anything till I came almost on you,” said the horseman, ‘‘Then I heard you growling away like a bull-dog!” Flint accepted the criticism with good grace, though he disliked to be told of bis faults. But Smith Silcott was a man who could criticise the irritable captain with perfect safety; for Smith Silcott was a more valuable man than even Paou, if that were possible. “Yes; you were growling away like a bull- dog,” Silcott repeated. ‘You ought to keep your temper, captain, on a trip like this! I don’t think there’s anybody around to-night; but we can’t always be sure of that. And an- other night there may be. I’m just from the post. Came down since dark. I told the colonel I wanted to run over to the little town across the range, I didn’t stay there only long enough to prove I'd been there, if such a thing shonld become necessary, and then cut sticks for the river, ‘*T’ve ridden like an Apache, captain, and will be stiff as the deuce, to-morrow, Ill war- rant. I didn’t find you at the old place, and so kept cn down, and struck you here,” Te was rattling on in a rapid way, but in low tones, when the impatient captain cut him short, ‘* Stow all that, Silcott, and come to the point! What’s up? Something, or you wouldn’t be here on such a night as this!” “Kight you are!” the horseman averred, “There is something up. The colonel has taken it into his head to send out a couple of men to see if they can’t locate the band that’s loading the Chinese onto the country, They’re in this vicinity, now, or my information is wrong, One is the post sergeant, Jumbo Griggs, and the other is Philip Dillon,” Captain Basil uttered a bitter curse. “T’ve seen one of them,” he declared; and then went on to tell of the visit of the stranger to the island, , *‘ That was Dillon,” answered Silcott. ‘‘ Jumbo didn’t take a horse. And, besides, Jumbo’s a much larger man than the one you describe. “Well, they’re laying for you, and you'll have to be mighty careful about your fires and all that. It’s been reported, too, that two or three squads of Chinese have been seen CNet, the bills. But it was always in the night, an they couldn’t be followed, which is a very fortu- nate thing,” As the reader scarcely needs to be'told, Smith Silcott was a member of the little force of military stationed at Fort Mesquite, He was, also, 8 man trusted by his superiors. The Col- onel, Moberly Yates, held him in high regard, and never for a moment dreamed that the man was 80 wholly unworthy of the confidence thus reposed in bim, ow and where Silcott became connected with the disreputable band under Flint was never certainly known, and is a matter of no dase apt anes But he was, in fact, a mem- r of that band, and receiving a liberal share of its dishonest gains; and masked behind the blue coat_of a soldier was acting as a spy for Captain Basil. “When I found that men were to be sent out to make a hunt for you I asked the colonel to let me be one of the number,” be wenton, ‘ But I volunteered my valuable services just a little too late. He had already picked out Dillon and Jumbo, and given them their instructions, and didn’t want to increase the force. He would have let me gone, anyway, I feel sure, only that Dillon objected to my company.” Thera was a tinge of wrathful ire in the tones, at this juncture. “* He’s never liked me. Dillon hasn’t; though just why I can’t discover, I’m half afraid, some- times, that he suspects what I’m really up to, It would have been a big thing if I could have worked myself in as the leader,” ** You bet!” Flint assented. **But you see, I couldn’t seem too anxious about it!” in an explanatory tone, ‘‘ The col- onel sets a good deal of store by me, anda heh move might rouse him to distrust and so spo everything.” ‘* Tf I just could have got in, though!” and he rubbed his hands nervously together. ‘‘ Whata chase I would have led them!” ‘** But ye didn’t!” declared thecaptain, ‘* And, now, what do you propose to do?” ‘Ive brought a warning, which ought to be worth something.” “ And ‘tis! Worth a good deal!” ‘And Dll manage, in some way, to keep you posted concerning the reports they send in,” * And it they should make a discovery?” Basil questioned anxiously. “ Why, if it goes that far, I'll volunteer to lead the force that will be sent against you; and I'll lead it so it will not find you too soon. Trust me to work that allright. Ill get word to you, somehow. And then you'll have to lay snug in the cave till the trouble and excitement blows over. Of course, I'll not be able to find you in the cave!” ‘*No, of course not!” and Captain Basil laughed in spite of his low spirits, ‘** And had I better try to lay these fellows out?” he continued. ‘Tf you get a good chance, and there’s no dan- ger but you can make sure work of it. But, there must be no balks!” Then the post traitor wheeled his horse about and was soon lost to sight in the darkness, leaving Flint to ponder over the news he had brought. CHAPTER VI. CLEVERLY CAUGHT. JUMBO GRIGGS was as much taken by surprise as had been his friend Dillon, on discovering so beautiful a girl as Margaret in that lonely, moun-, tain cabin, But bis heavy features and lethar- gic manner enabled him to conceal his surprise, much more effectually. ‘“T say, Phil! sbe’s a beauty!” he whispered to his friend at the first opportunity. ‘‘ By Jove, ' it’s a shame to keep her up here! What do you) say to punching the head of old What?s-his-| name? He deserves it!” Dillon’s only answer was a sigh, and a glance! in the direction of the object of Jumbo’s re-! marks. * Hit hard, eh?” and Jumbo laughed musically.| ** Well, I don’t blame you. I was about to fall down and worsbip her myself; but if you’re feel-{ ing that way—” “* Don’t be silly, Griggs!” Dillon protested.! ** Wait till anybody falls down, will you?” ‘*No need to wait, my dear boy, There’s a) fellow about your heft who is flat, prostrate in the dust! Why, it’s writ in red marks all across your forehead: ‘ Here’s a fellow shot through! and through by a feather from Cupid’s quiver,’” Dillon flushed guiltily, and avowed that his friend was mistaken, But all the while he was taking secret pleasure in the thought that Jumbo!» had ‘i as good as promised not to become his rival, The latter had been made as heartily welcome by tbe old prospector as Dillon; and the kind- ness of Margaret and of the Toltec serving- woman was layished equally on both, They were asked no disagreeable questions as to their intentions, but were ‘‘made at home” after the fashion of true Western hospitality, Dillon believed he would be able for duty on) the following morning, but when that morning came he found himself almost unable to move his head. The cord of the strangler had P heavily and cruelly against the muscles and! veins of the neck and throat, In consequence he was wholly unfit for duty, and was forced to! postpone indefinitely the work he had come thither to prosecute. But the blackest cloud has its silver lining, and Dillon found much to re-} concile him to his fate, “*T suppose it’s Providential,” philosophically, decided Jumbo, heaving a massivesigh, ‘‘ Some-' thing ought to be done, in this case, and you're chosen as the instrument, J’m never chosen for anything! But, itdon’t matter. Just look your best and talk your prettiest, and in a week you can carry her down to the post. She’s wasting all her sweetness on the desert air up here!” = 4 4 a
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6 Toltec Tom, the Mad Prospector. “T wish I might; hanged if I don’t!” Dillon declared, heartily. “Go in, then; I’m backing you!” and Jumbo lighted his pipe and whistled a bar of a favorite air. ‘‘Old Mrs. Miggs is getting too uppish. We need another woman down there, The colonel’s ‘wife don’t count, you know, for Mrs, M., just walks over her like a hard-footed burro on a mountain trail. You can let old Rainbow- chaser come and see her once in awhile, and that will pacify him.” But Dillon was not in a"joxing wood, and Jumbo took a pull at his pipe, and changed the subject. The big fellow was not insensible to the charms of Margaret. But he was not a ‘‘la- dies’ man,” as he had often declared, If he had not seen how hard hit his friend Dillon was, he might have entertained something like serious thoughts toward the fair Margaret, But he was too loyal afriend for that. Still, 16 was pleasant to tip his chair against the wall, when conversa- tion lagged, and view the many charms of their hostess through the vail of tobaccosmoke that drifted across his face. And at such times, a monster sigh would now and then escape from his huge chest. But the sigh would be instantly concealed by a yawn, and his broad face would give no sign. Dillon improved very slowly, and for three days was scarcely able to leave the house, Tol- tec Tom was absent much of that time, on that interminable hunt for the lost treasure, . To Jumbo this state of affairs began to grow intol- erable, It was worse than the inactivity of the post, for there the daily drills and routine exer- cises helped to fill up the hours, He could not forever sit in his favorite corner and puff tobacco smoke up the wide-throated chimney while watching the glowing beauty of Margaret. And Dillon, since his infatuation, had become the poorest possible company. Tl] make myself scarce awhile!” he mused, one day. ‘‘I ain’t giving the young fellow a square deal. How’s he ever going to make up to tie girl if I sit around and watch her all the time? I’m a blooming idiot!” With this, he took his bat and strolled out along the mountain-side. It was almost sundown, The ranges were afire with the glory of the fading day, and the shadows were already deepening in the valley. There was almost as much poetry as there was ood humor in the bulky frame of Jumbo; and fe greatly enjoyed a stroll at such an hour, “T hope he’ll make hay while I’m gone!” he declared, as he walked on toward the rocky bar- riers. ‘‘She’sas fine a specimen of woman as I’ve seen in many a day. ’Twould be a good match. ’Deedit would. Not many finer. If matters bad only been otherwise! hace ch they are never otherwise with me. guess my cake was dough before it ever went into the flour barrel. ‘* But Pm a soldier, and shall always be a sol- dier, very likely; and I’ve always held that a soldier should not marry.” Then he began to speculate concerning the movements of Toltec, He had been shown the mysterious writing, and his inflammable fancy had been somewhat fired by the story of the pros- pector, though he had not given so much asa sign. Now he wondered if there could be any truth in the old Toltec legend. If there was, and the “‘ Rainbow-chaser,” as he frequently desigaated the old man, should stumble on its o of concealment, the latter would be rich yond computation, ‘Hanged, if I don’t keep an eye out for that cave, too!” he mentally ejaculated, seating him- self on a stone beside the trail, ‘*Such a find would be a windfall to your humble servant in the present depressed state of his exchequer!” He endeavored to recall the description of the place. as it was described by Toltec, and to spec- ulate on the probable amount of wealth those old priests had gathered about them. He was deep in these roseate dreams when a slight rustling came to bisquickear, It had not been louder than the flutter of a wind-blown leaf, but Jumbo’s hearing was of the best, Wheeling quickly, he caught a glimpse of a dark form as it writhed into concealment be- hind the nearest greasewood, It was the form of Paou! Captain Basil had taken counsel of his fears, and had reached the determination to sacrifice the men who had been bo!d enough to advance upon him thus in his own territory for tbe pur- pose of bringing to naught his carefully-laid plans. And Paou, the thug, shod with silence, and armed with his favorite cord, had been deputed to the dangerous work. ith an agility remarkable for a man of his bulk, Jumbo leaped to his feet and darted to- ward the concealing greasewood, Seeing he was discovered, Paou sprung lightly away, flee- ing up the slope with the speed of a deer, It was an unequal race, for the thug was much the fleetest runner, and would unques- tionably have escaped but for one of those acci- dents which sometimes interfere to change the regular course of events. Looking back to as- certain if he was outstripping his pursuer, he set his foot into a narrow aperture in the rocks, In this opening the foot was caught and held as if in a trap, and with a sharp cry of pain and surprise, he tumbled headlong. Before he could rise, Jumbo was upon bim, ‘Ah! you brown-skinned, slant-eyed, little devil, you!” he growled, grasping Paou by the long queue which had escaped from its coil. “*Pve a good notion to knife you where you lie. What did you mean by sneaking on me in that way? Answer me that, will you?” Paou was writhing and twisting in much anx- iety and pain. ‘You're the villain that tried to choke the life out of Dillon, eh?” catching sight of the cord. ‘‘ And you thought to serve me the same way? I ought to send you over the divide for that!’ Paou, realizing he could not break away, had become quiet and motionless, but his eyes roved in a restless way from the face of his captor to the thickets near by. They sparkled dully as they settled on a knite at Jumbo’s waist. he sergeant caught the look and quickly transferred the weapon to an inner pocket. Then he drew and cocked a revolver, ** You'll find I ain’t sleeping, you lily-livered cur! and if you try any more nonsense on me, youll wish you hadn’t, Now, what’s your neme, and what sort of a lay are you onto?” He had shoved the Chinese from him, but held him covered with the threatening revolver. Paou remained doggedly silent, and refused to answer any questions, ‘¢ Likely you can’t speak ‘’Melican.’ Of course you belong to the band of rascals that has been up to so much dirt Jately. I suppose I ought to take you into custody and send you on to the post. But I won't!” He grasped Paou again by the queue and lift- ed him to a standing posture, “Tf you can’t understand good English, as it’s rendered by yours truly, perhaps you can under- stand the language of signs. Take that, and that! and tell your master, whoever the scamp may be, that if I catch any more of his Hessians in these parts, [ll make them up into sausage for the coyotes!” He gave the thug two such heavy kicks that the latter howled with pain, and when released darted into the greasewood and disappeared with almost inconceivable speed. ‘*No doubt Pil be sorry [ let the fellow go!” Jumbo mused, as he looked at the point where Paou had vanished. Aud future events hastened to prove that in this he was something of a prophet, CHAPTER VIE. STRANGE HAPPENINGS. DILLON improved but slowly in the days im- mediately succeeding. He was able to get about the house, and felt that he was improving, but was in no condition to prosecute with vigor the work he had heen sent to do, In this state of affairs Jumbo volunteered to take up the task assigned to his friend and carry it out to the best of his ability. “Tf you only will, Jumbo!” said Dillon, his face lighting. ‘‘ It’s worrying me to death to lie around this way, of no more benefit than a stick or a clod.” : ‘* Perhaps I can cut out the way,” Jumbo ven- tured, modestly, ‘‘Clear off the brush, as you might say! 1’m not up to this kind of work, as you are: but I can do my best,” He set about his self-appointed task with great carefulness, feeling he must make up in thorough- ness what he lacked in experience, His first act was to draw the old prospector into a long conversation concerning the country adjacent to tke river, and to make cautious in- quiries on lines that might aid bim, “Are we the first visitors you’ve ever bad here, Toltec?” he asked, puffing placidly at his pipe. The answer was in the affirmative. ** And yon’ve never seen anybody else in these hills? Seems to me that would make it terrible lonesome,” The prospector gave him a keen glance, “*T never said jist that, did I? I’ve seen a good many people in these hills, More’n I’ve wanted to see, by a jugful!” oe ** Ah!” and there was the faintest trace or curiosity in Jumbo’s tones, ‘‘ Then, I misunder- stood you. Were they white or red?” ‘* Neither!” snarled Toltec, ‘*They was yal- ler.” **Um-hub} Yellow!” rubbing his chin thought- fully, ‘*A queer place for cattle like them.” Jumbo had not told Toltec of his encotinter with Paou. “Yes; an’ not so very queer, either!” Toltec declared. ‘'‘Them Chinese likes gold, same’s do the whites,” ‘Oh! Hunting for gold?” and Jumbo sagely nodded his head, ‘¢ How they ever heerd it, I don’t know,” the old man went on, ‘‘ But they’ve got wind of this hyer treasure-lay I’m onto, an’ I reckon they ’low there’s a chance to git ahead o’ me, I’ve seen ’em several times; speakin’ through the hills, an’ slidin’ round like shadders,” ‘* Why didn’t you follow them?’ Jumbo ques- tioned. ‘* Holler ’em? I did!” and a sly smile crept in- to the prospector’s face. ‘‘I follered’em as fur asI could. Then they’d whisk off, er slide away in the dark, and leave me to pick my way homo the best way I knew how.” Other cautious queries drew from Toltec the points at which be had at various times seen these parties of Chinese, and having gained this much information, slight as it was, Jumbo set about his work. By much mental calculation, and a study of the topography of the country, he came to a conclusion as to the place where the Chinese would be most likely to cross from the soil of Mexico to that of the United States, Then he set off down the river, watching and narrowly inspecting every foot of the way, For dreary days and nights he lay on the bleak mountain slopes, or crept from divide to divide, and depression to depression. Yet he saw noth- ing to convince him that be was making any heudway, until late one evening, when be came on fresh footprints in the river sand. There was also an indentation which looked as if it might have been made by a canoe, Jumbo grew somewhat excited at this find, though his outward calm did not forsake him, Withdrawing to a point in the hills whence & good view of the river and the valley could be obtained, he remained there throughout the day. Nothing occurred to reward bim. With intense pertinacity he continued his watch on into the night; and when he began to think the night was also going to pass without bringing him any reward, a party of men suddenly ap- peared on the shore. They were principally Chinese, He could see that, though the ligit was far from good, And they were led by white men, ‘Struck ile!” he.asseverated, controlling his joy and flattening himself lizard-like upon the rocks. ‘If that ain’t the crowd I’m looking for, then I’m not worth a cent at guessing |” As he watched, alarge boat, the one that had made the imprint in the sand, was rowed into view, and init the party slowly embarked, and were rowed toward the opposite shore, Fearful lest he might lose the game, now he had sighted it, he burried to the water’s edge, and plunging in, swam quickly across, Then, without stopping to squeeze the water from his dripping garments, he stole silently to- ward the point where the Chinese had made the passage of the stream. They were there, still, being compacted into an orderly body by Paou. ‘*The scamp!” wheezed Jumbo, choking back acurse, ‘' I ought to have shot the fellow when I had such a fine chance, and an excuse that would have eased somebody’s conscience. But my finer sens‘bilities are always getting away with me,” The Chinese were in motion; and as they trailed away through the hills, Jumbo dogged their footsteps, Day was near at hand. This both aided and retarded the pursuer, The increasing light en- abled him to follow the party with more ease, but it at the same time exposed him somewhat, ag there were many open places he was com- pelled to cross, But he kept on, notwithstanding this, determined to run the party down, now that he had them in sight. He was painfully made aware of the extreme peril of this, a half an hour later. Creeping be- neath a pinone for temporary shelter while watching the Chinese as they toiled over a ridge far in advance, he failed to note the forms: crouching low in the branches. His first intima- tion that an enemy was near came when the forms loosed their hold and dropped on him, They were Paou and another Chinaman; and ~~ ewe
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| as they came down on the unsuspecting man they tossed over his head a pair of net-like bags that dropped down over his arms and limbs and bound him the tighter the more he strove to escape, It was useless to struggle, even worse than useless, as he was soon discovered. The folds of ~ the bags enveloped him more and more at every turn, So he gave up the attempt and scorufully stared at bis captors. “Oh, it’s you, Old Almond-eyes?” looking straight into the tace of Paou. ‘‘ VU kick my- self for a blamed fool, just the first chance I get. Seeif Idon’t! If only ld laid you out that day!” To his great amazement he received a reply in very good English. “It was not to be. Fate favored Paou!” But he was not permitted time in which to speculate on this. «A number of Chinese swarm- ed out of the nearest scrub and came running nimbly to the aid of their countrymen, Obvi- ously they had been lying there waiting for their friends to effect the capture of the bold American, At a word of command two of these stripped from the captive the enveloping bags, looping at the same moment some cunningly-knotted ropes about his arms and legs. Almost before he was aware of their intentions Jumbo found himself strongly bound, so strongly that he could scarcely move his hands. But his feet were comparatively free, the bonds being so ad- justed that he was able to take short and minc- ing steps, a fact which would be of small aid to him should he try to break away. Then, with Jumbo in their center, the crowd set off at a slow walk, turning aside from the direction taken by the first party. Flint had given his Chinese lieutenant carte blanche as to the disposition to be made of their pursuer, in case of his capture; and Paou, smarting under the indignity he had received at the hands of the post sergeant, had determined to reap a terrible revenge. When the trail taken by the first party had been left a half-mile behind, Paou’s men turned into a rocky gorge, which had at its further end a narrow, black opening, wholly invisible a few feet away. This opening they pressed into; and the sergeant, looking about him, saw thot it widened away into a dimly-lighted cave. There were several galleries putting off at various angles, but they did not endeavor to ex- plore or look into any of these, but contented themaelves with stopping in the central cham- ber. This was a low-vaulted affair; with a light which made it passable, once the eyes be- came accustomed to it, To Jumbo’s surprise, there was an ancient-ap- pearing post of dark, time-stained wood, set in the earth not far from the middle of the cham- ber, To this post he was bound, without hav- ing been allowed time to speculate as to its former uses, The first rays of the newly-risen sun were lighting up the outer world; and, catching sight of a dancing beam which found its way in some mysterious manner to that underground place, Jumbo wondered if he would be permitted ever to look again on the radiant face of day. Paou had collected the knives cf his com- panions, which he placed in two equal heaps on the ground. The sergeant, watching him ques- tioningly, noticed that there were just six knives in each heap. ‘““What-are you going to do with them?” he asked, bravely, though he felt an inward, nerv- ous tremor, Paou smiled—a sardonic, ghastly smile, which made his countenance seem fiendish in the un- certain light. : ** A wise man does not question the future. The present has ills enough.” In the midst of his anxiety the sergeant could not fail to note the marvelous accuracy of Paou’s speech. He had never heard anything like it, and he had met hundreds of Chinese, He wondered if the fellow was really a native of the Celestial Empire, The thug and his partner, the one who had been concealed with him in the brancbes of the pinone, now took up the knives, stationing them- selves ten or twelve feet from the bound map. Then Paou, with a quick, dextrous twirl launch- ed one of the knives at the sergeant. Like a flash of light it sped through the air, struck the post, and remained fixed and quivering, within an inch of the prisoner’s head! In spite of the firm control which he fancied he had over his nerves, Jumbo dedged and echaget, as he saw the knife leave the thug’s hand. The ring of excited Chinese set up a pleasur- able shout, in testimony of their appreciation of the skill of the throwers; and Jumbo, who had seen similar performances on the sawdust arena of various circuses, was also struck with Paou’s dexterity, notwithstanding the uncomfortable sensation it bad given him. Another knife whizzed through the air, flasb- ing like silver as in its passage it was touched momentarily by the vagrant sunbeam, It struck the post on the side opposite to that touched by the first, and likewise remained quivering in un- comfortable proximity to Jumbo’s cranium, “Tf you dodge that way, you’ll be hurt!” Paou cautioned, for the sergeant bad flinched this time as before, ‘If youw’re to be killed, though, you can’t help it, It is fate!” With this pleasant reflection he again poised a knife in his tapering fingers and shot it through the air. Jumbo believed they intended to put his nerves to the severest possible test, torture bim to the verge of insanity with those cruel, threatening knives, and then end bis misery by a swift, well-aimed thrust, which should come with the unexpectedness of fate. And believing this he endeavored to steel hisnerves and meet death with a heroism becoming a brave man and a soldier. After that, though the knives frequently grazed his flesh and cut through locks of his hair, he never winced, nor by so much as the movement of a muscle showed that he fancied each thrust might be the fatal one, Suddenly this delightful occupation of the Chinese was brought to an abrupt end. One of their number, more curious than the rest, had, in poking about the central chamber, come up- on a strange object in the opening of one of the galleries, With acry of astonishment he drew it forth, and with some difficulty bore it toward his won- dering countrymen, who gathered about it with much chattering, They had never seen anything like it, and were inclined to regard it with fear, as they did all the curious inventions of the strange, new world into which they had come, But Jumbo, although he was as much aston- ished as any of them, knew at a glance the na- ture of the strange thing that had been so sin- gularly brought to light. But bow had it come there? for it was nothing less than that wonder- ful talking instrument known as a graphophove! There was on it a roll; and perceiving this, new hope rose in bis breast, Perhaps the roll had been used, and so would reproduce the sounds that had been given it. ‘* It is the talking- machine of the gods!” he declared, in a voice that could be heard by all, and which was understood by others than Paou, The latter cast on him a glance of scorn, though the natural superstition of his race, which had not been eradicated by time and alienation from his country, caused him to re- gard the instrument with a feeling akin to awe and fear, ‘Press the treadle up and down and see if I am not right!” urged the sergeant, thinking his fate would only be death, even if his guess proved incorrect, ‘‘ That thing there at the bottom. Work it up and down, and see if what I say isn’t the truth.” The instrument was one which had evidently been used for exhibition purposes, for it was fitted with a funuel-shaped device for increasing the volume of sound, Jumbo also saw that the diaphragm was properly placed for reproducing sounds, With an air that was half fearful, but which yet held something of bravado and scorn, Paou pressed the treadle up and down, For an in- stant there was heard a humming and sputter- ing; then words issued from the marvelous little machine with startling distinctness. Paou took his foot from the treadle and started back with a cry of fear, while the others seemed on the point of flight, And yet, not one there could | understand a syllable of what had been uttered, not even the sergeant! The sentences spoken by the graphophone were in Spanish! This much Jumbo knew. ‘*The gods declare they are angry!” he ex- claimed, quicklyinterpreting the communication in hisown way, ‘ They will slay you, if I am not released!” lt was an over-bold declaration. “’Melican man tellee heap big lie!” asserted the knife-thrower who had assisted Paou. The statement brought back Paou’s courage. ** We'll kill the lying white man first! Then, if fate wills, we'll die together!” he averred, drawing his knife and poising it for a throw. He was interrupted by a whizzing sound, and out of the darkness of one of the side passages Toltec Tom, the Mad Prospector. 7 shot a rocket. It ricochetted along the floor struck the wall with a dull thud, exploded, and fell almost in their midst, Its advent had been the most startling thing that had yet occurred, Yet, strangely enough, it did not frighten the Chinese as had the unin- telligible words of the talking-machine. They had, in their own country, been familiar with rockets and firo-works from infancy, and were not to be scared by anything so commonplace, ‘The gods will avenge me if I am slain,” Jum- bo thundered, as much puzzled as they, but bound to take advantage of every circumstance, without stopping to inquire into the cause of mysteries. ‘‘1t 1s a sign of their displeasure!” ‘* Bah!” and Paou gave a contemptuous toss to his head. Then he commanded bis assistant to accompany him, and started toward the passage, Another rocket whizzed out, passing danger- ously near their beads; then another and an- other! ‘¢ The gods will slay you all!” screamed Jumbo, fearful that his unknown friend would be dis- * covered. and dragged to the light. ‘* They will kill you all!” His words socomed prophetic, A blinding flash lit up the cavern, followed by a jarring roar that made the mountain rock. Stones flew like mis- siles hurled from the throat of some giant can- non, Then Jumbo knew no more, He had been stricken senseless, ‘ CHAPTER VIII. GRINGO’S COMPLIMENTS, To return afew hours on the traces of this story. Captain Basil Flint was far from being reas- sured by the report brought in by one of his spies, to the effect that the youbg man who was thought to have been strangled to death by the cord of the Chinese was still alive. These fears were augmented by knowledge of the presence of another stranger at the house of Toltec Tom; and the fears turned to bkatred and dread when the character of the men and the nature of their mission were revealed by the post traitor, Smith Silcott, Paou, who had heretofore been equal to any emergency, had not been able to strike a fatal blow at either; and so Flint set his own crafty wits at work to devise some plan that should rid him of these dangerous foes, But aside from waylaying and picking them off in the hills he could think of nothing promis- ing success. He had about decided todo this when it occurred to him that possibly Toltec Tom was in their secret, How to ascertain if this might be true he did not know; but he finally sent one of his men to the cabin to investigate, thinking Toltec might betray himself by some inadvertent word or action, Unfortunately for the success of the mission the man selected by Flint was not at all such a man asso careful a leader should have ‘chosen. He was shrewd and crafty, but his instincts were as coarse and evil as his face; and he bad an un- conquerable weakness for fiery whisky. This man, who was known only as Sandy Bill, thought it necessary to brace bis courage with some potent rum which he had surreptitiously conveyed to and concealed within the cavern; and as Flint bad departed with most of his men to convey a bedy of Chinese from the Mexican side, the fear of the captain did not actas a check upon his thirst, And thus it came about that by the time the fellow had gained the vicinity of the prospector’s cabin his too frequent potations had so ‘* mellow- ed” bim that he quite forgot the instructions of his chief. He did, however, remember that he was to play a part. ; ‘‘Lemme shee!” he owlishly soliloquized, steadying himself against a rock and staring down at the cabin nestled in sequestered valley. “Who (hic) am I, ‘nway? Yesh! I re’ee’lec’! I'm a gen’lm’n f’um V'ginny City! Thash what Tam. Agen’lm’n t?um V’ginny City! An’ I’m down thish-a-way lookin’ after my gol’ mines, You bet. Whoop!” With this he jammed his hat over his ears and started at a reckless, reeling gait down the are oltee was not at home, and Jumbo was absent on that mission which was to result so strangely. Dillon was still in a feeble and scarcely convalescent state. Margaret Grant heard the whoop and saw the drunken ruffian as he staggered down the hill. Her brow clouded, but she gave no sign of tear. ““Hic—mornin’, ma’am!” said Sandy, bring- ing up in front of the door with a lurch and © steadying himself by catching hold of one of the logs. ‘* lm a gen’lm’n um V’ginny City!”
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eee Ee eee Se Pe MYO a ee OR eo 1 ¢ ’ 8 Toltec Tom, the Mad Prospector. ——_ — ee Or C—O She was staring hard at him, which he observ- ed, returning the stare with a wink and a leer. ** My favher is not at home!” she replied some- what curtly. ‘*Thash all right!” with another leer, ‘ I’m agen’im’n f’um V’ginny City, an’ I’m lookin’ after my gol’ mines down this-a-way.” Dillon overheard the conversation and was coming to lend bis aid to Margaret, but before he could do so Sandy Bill crowded by the girl and entered the room. This accomplished he dropped into the nearest chair and surveyed the belongings of the place with a gravity that was decidedly ludicrous. Having entered and showing no aggressive- ness, frontier etiquette forbade that he should be summarily ousted. And so he sat thera, drumming the chair with his fingers, and puck- ering his lips, while he vainly essayed to collect his scattered ideas, The effort was futile; and after informing Margaret again that he wasa gentleman from Virginia City, down that way looking after the interest of his gold mines, he gave up the attempt and contented himself with staring at her as she moved about the apartment, * Jes’ one kissh, me darlin’, f'um them ruby, ruby lips!” he implored, catching at her skirts as she passed near him. * Now you get out of here, without more ado!” cried Dillon angered beyond all bounds. te You get out, or Pll take measures to put you out! Sandy Bill stared at him, and noting the pallor of his face and bis evident weakened state, settled back in his chair defiantly. ‘** Pooh!” putting bis hand to his mouth and then motioning it toward the young man. ‘ [’ll jes’ blow my breath onto you (hic) an’ knock you over!” ‘* You might,” asserted Dillon. ‘It’s strong enough to knock down an elephant! Now, clear out of here! We've bad enough of you!” He drew his revolver and placed it threaten- ingly on his knee, ** Don’t!” implored Margaret. * Pistols, is it?? and Sandy began to tug at the big navy that swung at hiship, ‘ All—all —hic—right! Allright! I’m yer mutton!” What the result migit have been can not be told, But an interruption came in a most un- looked-for way—unlooked for at least by Dillon and Sandy Bill, Gringo, who had been lying unnoticed behind the door, gave a furious growl and sprung upon the intruder, forcing him out of the chair and to the floor. No doubt he had been for some time watching the proceedings with an angry eye, and now thought it time to bear a band, or rather a tooth. Sandy Bill gave a yell of terror and strove to get at the maddened brnte; ani thus struggling the dog and man rolled into the yard. The ruf- fian’s revolver, which he had previously lugged from its case, fell to the earth, and he was thus rendered helpless, So savage was the brute’s onslaught that in a very few seconds Sandy Bill must have render- ed up his earthly account bad not Margaret sprung to his rescue, The dog, docile to her even in his rage, released his hold at her com- mand and retired, sullen and growling. And Sandy, as soon as he was free from those lacerating teeth, tarried not, but broke into a brisk run, heading for the mountains, Considering his drunken condition, it was sur- prising how the rascal could run, Time and again, striking bis feet against some obstruc- tion, he fell headlong. But he scrambled up quickly, and with a backward glance of terror, plunged on. ‘Good Gringo! Good Gringo!” exclaimed Margaret, patting the dog’s head. ‘You thought it time to put in, did you? You should have waited for orders, sir!” But Gringo did not understand the nature of the rebuke, thongh he knew the tones were kindly, and so wagged his shaggy tail and frisk- ed about his mistress in playful delight, Dillon had been in a thoughtful mood all day, and his thoughtfulness was increased by the en- counter with Sandy Bill, For some time he sat in silence, his eyes fol- lowing the movements of Gringo, Ina was away, gathering herbs in tha bills, **T should think you'd find this a very lonely and almost unendurable life,” ha ventured, finally, his face at the same time flushing in a most unaccountable way. ‘‘ You can never tell when you may be insulted by such scamps as that one.” ‘*T have Gringo,” she said. ‘‘ And you have observed that, as a guardian, he has excellent qualities,” Theze was something in his tone that caused her to flush, too; and abandoning Gringo to his own amusements, she stepped again into the house and began to busy herself about the household duties, ‘*T have offended you,” asserted Dillon, in a deprecatory tone, following her within the building. ‘ Believe me, it was unintentional.” ** No offense at all!” she replied, ‘*T have been thinking all day how I might speak to you!” made bolder by the confession, apd yet scarcely daring tolook at her. ‘* You must know what I mean, Margaret! What has been in my heart all these days,” She did not reply, though the tell-tale color mounted hotly to her brow, He drew near, seized one of her hands and bent over her, **T cannot let so excellent an opportunity es- cape,” his face pale, his hands trembling, and his breath coming in short, quick respirations. ‘*T love you, Margaret; and have from the day I first saw you! Do not tell me that it is in vain!” Her slight form swayed like a reed and she dropped her face to her hands and began to sob violently. Dillon was not an experienced hand at love- making and knew not whether to take this as a good or ill omen, However, the fact that she had not absolutely repulsed him strengthened his shaking courage; and taking advantage of her posture be bent forward and imprinted a kiss upon her cheek. She lifted her bead as does the frightened fawn and drew away. “Oh! Do not talk to me that way!” she pleaded. ‘‘ Think how short a time you have known me,” “T have thought of it!” Dillon persisted. ‘Thought of it till my head has spun round like atop. AndIcan say that if I had known you for a thousand years instead of three weeks I could not love you any more than I do now!” This was strong language, but lovers do not measure words by line and rule. ‘Tell me that my love is returned!” he per- sisted. ‘‘1 know, I feel that it is; but I want the assurance from your owz dear lips!” Her breast heaved tumultuously, but she re- mained silent. ‘“You do care for me, just a little, do you not?” he pleaded. ‘*T do!” was the low answer, but keeping her- self at arm’s length. ‘‘ But, father is all in all tome. You must talk to him, first. I cannot say more, now. Please do not urge.” ‘“‘And if 1 can gain bis consent you will promise to become my wife?” ‘*T cannot promise anything until after you have talked with him. There, I must finish my work, Now, do not bother me any more!” With this, she gave a captivating toss to her head and tore her hand from his, smiling be- witchingly and defiantly as she burried across the floor; and Dillon, pierced through. and through by the arrows of the little god, loved her more than ever, CHAPTER IX. THE ABANDONED SHOWMAN, How Jumbo Griggs got out of the cave he scarcely knew. Heremembered, as in a dream, the terrific explosion, the flying of stone frag- ments, the rocking of the great walls, Then camea blank, from which he partially recovered. He recollected that one of the knives which had been hurled so near him by the juggling knife- throwers had become bent down so that his bound hand could readily grasp it, With that he sawed asunder the cords that held him, and so stumbled from the cave, which was as quiet and apparently as untenanted as it must have been at creation’s dawn. He was now in the open air, with the cavern far behind him, and so weak he could barely lift his aching head, All that had passed appeaner so like the phan- tasmagoria which troubles a restless dreamer, that he found much difficulty in convincing him- self he had not really been asleep and imagined it. But bis aching head and the rents in his clothing where the knives had pierced and scratched the skin, told bim tbat what he had seen and heard was indeed a reality, ‘* Just knocks the spots out of anything I ever thought of!” he declared, rising to bis feet with difficulty. ‘* What will bappen next?. I’m clean past being surprised at anything.” Then he reealled the flight of the rockets, and wondered who his unknown friend could be, and what had become of him; for he was sure some one with intentions kindly to him had been in the passage, ‘“*Maybe he’s dead! That explosion was | enough to have shaken the life out of the Old Boy himself, I ought to look him up and say ‘ thankee,’ anyway.” But be found his strength unequal to the wish. If he could manage to crawl to the home of the prospector, it was all he could hope to accom- lish, 5 In spite of his shaking limbs and throbbin head he forced himself along the path that le up the mountain-side. It was a wearisome way, but he had the day before him. So with many halts and frequent restings he kept on, and about the middle of the afternoon looked down oe the home of the prospector from the swelling ivide, He had gained strength with the passage of the hours. His head no longer throbbed so painfully, and the weakness had in a measure passed from his limbs, But he was thoroughly tired out, and so hungry that, as he declared, he could have eaten ‘‘ raw dog.” Toltec Tom had returned, and when the latter saw Jumbo descending the slope in that limping and feeble way, he hurried to meet and assist him to the house. ‘*T)l tell you all about it,” the sergeant said in answer to the string of inquiries which fell from the lips of the old prospector. ‘ But, first I want to get to the house, and see if I can find something with which to wedge up the yawning cavity that exists in my stomach. Hungry? Toltec, I'm famished. If 1 can once more thrust my legs beneath your mahogany and clasp a chunk of the staff of life Vi feel that I haven’t struggled on this far in vain.” Toltec saw the earnestness beneath the banter- ing manner, and forbore further questioning until the house had been gained and the sergeant had in some degree appeased bis raging appe- tite. ‘1d eat more,” surveying the empty dishes with a wistful look, ‘* if I wasn’t afraid of bring- ing a seven-year’s famine on the whole outfit, “And, now, I suppose you want my story?” wheeling from the table and facing the anxious group before hin. ‘‘ Well, my lords and ladies, you shall have it.” And forthwith, in his inimitable way, he gave a running account of all that had befallen him, Toltec was much impressed with the descrip- tion of the cave. ‘‘ Was they a tunnel leadin’ to it?’ he queried at the first opportunity. ‘‘ Maby it’s the cave I’ve been a-lookin’ fer all this time. Say, was they a tunnel?” Jumbo was obliged to tell him he did not re- member seeing one. “‘Tain’t the place less’n they’s a tunnel,” the old man persisted. ‘Queer, though, how I never knowed they was sich a thing there, and me been a-huntin’ the country over above ground and below, as ye might say.” But Dillon and Margaret, and even the Toltec serving woman, were more interested in the mysteries connected with the sergeant’s story; and especially were they taken with the theory that some brave and unknown friend had coped with and beaten off the furious Chinese. ‘‘ And he nay be dead, or suffering terribly this minute!” and a tear of pity dropped like a pearl from Margaret’s eye. “1d lead the way back, if I was able to walk!” declared Jumbo, anxiously. “If Dillon was only strong enough you might sling me on a stretcher, and so take me along to point out the way. I can’t tell you, for I’d have to keep a mighty close watch if I found it myself. But, pshaw! Dillon couldn’t tote nothing, now.” In addition, the day was drawing to a close; and in consideration of this, and the weakness 0 Griggs and Dillon, it was decided to postpone any attempt to reach the cave until the follow- ing morning. 7 At daylight, however, they were astir, and Dillon having declared that he was much stron- ger and proposed to accompany his friends, the thres set out from the little cabin before the sun had fairly touched the tops of the tal] mountain aks, rs umbo did not experience the difficulty in finding the cavern which he had entice As they neared its narrow portals, Toltec scanned the rocks closely for traces of the tunnel he hoped to find, There was nothing of the kind visinle. Instead, the walls quickly opened upon a gloomy cave, There was nothing to indicate that Paou and his Chinese had ever been there, as related by Jumbo, with the exception of the severed ro strands and two or three knives sticking in the central post. No person could be seen, Obvi- ously if any of the Chinese had been slain by the hurtling stones they had been borne away by their friends, ~~
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The graphophone was found overturned, but uninjured, near the spot where it had delivered the mysterious Spanish sentences, “This is the gallery from which the rockets came!” explained Jumbo, leading the way over the uneven surface, piled with loose stones. Dillon and Toltec crowded close at his heels, their faces showing even in the dim light their intense eagerness and anxiety. ‘For God’s sake, will you devils not let me die iin peace?” he words, accompanied by a hollow groan, came from within the passage, and the trio huddled into a startled and half-frightened group. Jumbo was the first to recover. Whipping out his weapons, he hurried in the direction from which the voice came, ‘Bring a torch or two, Toitec!” he shouted back, ‘* There are some near the post.” Toltec obeyed; and soon the torches were flickering in the tunnel draft. Looking down they saw the haggard face of a man staring at them. ‘*Saved!” came from the pallid lips, as the ‘poor creature attempted to start up. There was no need for words or explanations, Jumbo ard the prospector lifted the man ten- derly and bore him to the entrance of the cave, Then some water was brought for the stranger, which, mingled with some liquor from the ser- geant’s flask, brought the color again to his cheeks, and put new life into him, Then the friends were privileged to listen to a ‘Strange story: The man, whose name was Guy Somers, was a showman, and with a small company had been iving exhibitions in the mining towns of the Southwest. They had started across the coun- try for Mexico, where they expected to open in ashort time. Near the cave they bad been at- tacked by bandits, **7 think it must have been the men you speak of as engaged in the importation of coolies,” said Somers, thoughtfully, at this point in the narrative. ‘They probably mistook us for offi- cers or agents of the Government, and thought it wise to put us out of the way.” A stanch and gallant fight had been made, The showmen had sought refuge in the cave, Somers was wounded, and supposed by his com- rades to be dead. In the night the latter slipped out and away with the animals, When Somers revived he found himself alone, with nothing for company save the graphophone, which had been overlooked or abandoned in the haste of flight, and a quantity of rockets that bad be- longed to the supplies of the show. The abandoned man had crept as far into the tunnel as his weakness would permit, and had there fainted from exhaustion. When he revived again he had made a search of the place; finding a small quantity of pro- visions, and a water-bottle filled with water, these also having been left by bis friends. By this means he had been able to subsist. Only once bad the Chinese paid the place a visit, and then they did not remain long enough to make any discoveries. Only a short time be- fore Jumbo had been brought there a prisoner, Somers’s supply of water bad failed, and he had been thinking seriously of venturing out for more, Then Paou and his band had come with their captive, and to save the life of the latter Somers had fired the rockets and the powder- train, which had produced the great explosion, “We fixed up that powder magazine in the rocks to blow up besiegers as well as ourselves it it should become necessary!” aud the showman smiled grimly, ‘I didn’t really thiuk, though, that it would create such havoc in the chamber where you were, or blow down the gallery roof over my own head.” ‘“A piece of flying granite knocked me out of time, and I haven’t been fit for much since. In fact, when I heard you coming, I thought it was our Chinese friends come to finish the job. I suppose I was raving a bit, tuo, if I cried out as you say!” CHAPTER X. THE DAUGHTER OF DEATH. SOMERS was made comfortable and left where he could keep watch over the outer entrance and thus give the alarm in case the place should be again visited. ‘hen torches were prepared, and a search of the cavern and the various pas- Sages was commenced, This was largely at the instigation of Toltec, who was still half-con- vineced that he was not far from the mystery bound up in the strange characters handed down by the old priests. “That tunnel bizness may ’a’ been a blind,” was his shrewd comment. ‘Them ole Toltecs Toltec Tom, the Mad Prospector. wa’n’t to be sneezed at, I "low, when it come to right down lyin’,” ‘* And they may have lied about the treas- ure,” retorted Jumbo, ‘‘ But we'll take a look about, Something may turn up worth finding.” The passage in which Somers had been, only led a short distance, and the same was true of all the other galleries, save one. It connected with another cavern, larger than the first. This seccnd cavern was so buried beneath the moun- tain, however, that no gleam of sunshine ever reached it. The floor was of fine, white sand, that yielded to the tread like costliest carpeting ; and the roof and sides were of some firm-textured sandstone. “Empty as blackness itself!” exclaimed Dillon, as he flared his torch into the gloom, But no soover were the words uttered than he started back with a cry, The gigantic figure of a skeleton had started from out the darkness that was pierced by the light of the torch. A chorus of exclamations broke from the hree. “It’s rock!” whispered Jumbo, awed by the sight, but advancing. ‘It’s a skeleton cut out of the solid rock, And there’s another figure by the side of it,” Crowding closely together, the explorers stood in front of the grisly shape, and turned their ex- pectant glances from this figure of Death to the equally strange figure which kept it company in the solitude, and then stared into the suggestive gloom behind as if expecting other phantoms to spring into being. ** Jes’ knocks my time!” mumbled the old prospector, scarcely daring to lift his voice to an audible pitch, ‘* I’ve see’d sights an’ won- ders in the course o’ my airthly pilgermage, but I never expected to come onto any ha’nts like them!” The words and the quaintness of the tones broke the spell that chained them, ‘* We'll take a look at these, first; and then we'll see what else there may-be!” Dillon held his torch so that the light fell full on the store images. As bas been said, one was cut into the semblance of a skeleton, It had been rudely hewn out of, and was supported by, the wall at its back, and bent forward and above the smaller image. One stony arm seemed out- stretched and beckoning to the intruders, and the eyeless sockets were bent full upon them. The entire aspect of the uncanny thing was grotesquely and horribly suggestive. ‘Looks like the old chap was inviting us to come nearer!” decided Jumbo, vainly striving to throw into his words their customary good- humored cheeriness. And in this statement the sergeant aptly ex- pressed the attitude which the unknown pte thew had given to the work of bis hands, The other figure was apparently that of a female, as there was an attempt at what seemed feminine drapery and ornament. She stood in a rigid, upright posture, with one hand thrust stiffly forward; and in this outthrust hand she clasped a heavy stone knife. Before her was a circular stone resembling a table, in the center of which was a small hole. ‘** T guess it’s Grim Death and his Daughter!” Dillon suggested. They were beginning to breathe freely again, and the irrepressible Jumbo declared that the smaller figure was that of Ajax defying the lightning. **You remember him?” turning on bis friend, “Down at the post, you know! The drunken Indian we saw there less than a moon ago} He had a whisky-bottle uplifted, just as this stone caricature has a knife, The pose is identi- cal, And we dubbed the fellow, ‘Ajax Defying the Lightning!” Dillon broke into a hearty laugh that made the echoes roll through the blackness as they proba- bly had not rolled for scores of years, and the spirits of the little party were quite restored, It seemed strange to stand in the presence of those mute witnesses of a race long since passed from the face of the earth, and to con and criti- cise the work of hands that were in all likeli- hood dust before the great Genoese explorer set bis conquering feet on the shores of a New World. It emphasized the littleness of human life and the shortness of the span of existence, even when the scriptural three-score-and-ten is rounded out. The old prospector did not long allow his mind toruminate on such things. There was ever- more in his thoughts the wonderful treasure written of by the priests of the old religion. ‘*T reckon, now, these fellers couldn’t ’a’ been put hyer fer to watch over that gol’ an’ dia~- monds! I’ve heern of unlikelier things!” Jumbo had approached the flat stone in front of si female figure, and was examining it curi- ously. ‘A queer-looking contraption!” he asserted, and forthwith began cautiously to mount it, When he had gained the rim he drew himself up on bis hands and feet, Instantly the stone table dipped with a sharp jerk, and like a de- scending thunderbolt the female figure fell for- ward, the hand clutching the heavy stone knife shooting straight for the prostrate sergeant, It happened so quickly that the latter would have been slain then and there, but for the cool- ness and agility of Toltec Tom. With a move- ment as swift as that of the descending image he grasped the imperiled man and bodily drag- ged him from the table, just in time ‘o escape the deadly stroke of the knife, which was thrust hilt deep into the hole in the table made to re- ceive it! But for this it must bave passed through the sergeant’s body, ‘* A regular death-trap!” and Jumbo shivered, even while the sweat stood in beaded drops on his face, ‘* Toltec, I owe you my life!” ‘“* A narrer squeeze!” Toltec observed, warmly returning the hand-clasp, but paying no appar- ent heed to the words, : “Tm afraid that search for Toltec’s gold mine is liable to lead one into difficulty.” Jumbo did not reply to Dillon’s observation, but again approacbed and scrutinized the pros- trate image, ‘*T ought to have seen that before!” squinting at the knife where it showed in the opening. “This is something connected with the old Tol- tec or Aztec religion, The stone was a sacrifi- cial one, You know, they sacrificed human be- ings in their religious services! Well, right there is where the victim is placed—right in the position [ occupied a minute ago, No doubt he was bound and Jifted up there. Then bis weight set the stone in motion, the image fell, and the knife was driven through his heart, And there! you can see the little channel made to drain away the flowing blood. It’s afl plain as noon- day, now.” Tbe explanation was so clear and conclusively proved by the appearance of the table and the present positions of the fallen image and the knife, that no doubt could be entertained about the theory of the sergeant, They were truly in a temple or place of sacri- fice of one of the strange races that peopled the region so long ago. Jumbo continued to scan the images and their surroundings, and as he did so the conviction was forced upon him that there was more than idle fancy in the belief held by the old prospector concerning the story of the mystic writings, and he determined to watch more closely than ever, if possible, for indications of the secreted treasure, Prompted by this he suggested a further explo- ration of the cavern, the suggestion being at once coincided in, But, though they searched faith- fully, spending a number of hours in the gloom of the caves and passages, nothing of great in- terest Was come upon. CHAPTER XI. TOLTEC’S DISTRUST. ‘*‘ Farner, I should like to speak with you!” Toltec Tom looked up quickly and inquiringly, for there was something in his daughter’s voice that struck strangely on his ear. It was the evening of the day the abandoned showman had been found, and in which Jumbo had made such a narrow escape from the knife of the Daughter of Death. The party bad re- turned to the house, bringing with them Somers, the graphophone, and the few rockets left. It had been a great day to all parties, for the wonderful talking-machine never grew stale in pleasure-giving qualities, and the incidents of the trip furnished a fund of interesting and amusing anecdote, Margaret drew her father away from the house and beneath the screening branches of a pinone. The night was bright and calm, and the place free from the possibility of their con- versation being overheard. ‘Anything wrong, eh?” and Toltec looked down into the eyes of the girl, wondering that they should shine so brilliantly and that there should be such an unwonted dash of red in her face. ‘‘No;—that is, nothing serious!” and she smiled. ‘‘ Ob, you dear, old bear of a papa!” placing a warm palm on each shaggy cheek. ‘Of course you could never guess in the world whatit is I want to say to you! Men are such dumb creatures!” “Dumb, eh? Well, mebbe they be, and mebbe
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ve y Y eee). wax Bi yeast f 7 : we “10 they ben’t, We'll see ’bout that, later. Some on ’em air cute ’nuff; and some too blame cute!” She was not disposed to argue the point. ‘There was once a girl,” taking a horny hand in both of her soft ones, *‘and this girl lived all alone in the Arizona hills; all alone, except her apa and her maid. And she was very happy. But by and by there came along a young man who won her heart and whispered nonsepse into her ears;—and then—and then she was happier still, or would be if she was sure—” She stopped short, for Toltec_had grunted out some monosyllables which might bave meant almost anything from disgust and disapproval to consent and congratulation, **Now, you know what [ wanted to speak to you about, papa,” pleadingly, ‘‘and—and—” with a tearful quaver—‘‘I hope you won’t feel too badly about it, and that you will con—con- sent!” ** Which one o’ the chaps is it!” Toltec asked, somewhat mournfully, but without any trace of anger in his tones. ‘* Which one has been steal- in’ the love of my singin’ bird?” ‘*T thought you had guessed that long ago! Why, it’s Mr. Dillon. But he hasn’t stolen the love of your singing bird, papa! No matter how much I might care for Mr, Dillon, I could never love you less than Ido, Never, papa! never!” This assurance was very grateful to the old rospector, whose life was bound up iu that of is daughter, and he stroked her hair gently as he paused for reply. **T ought to have known something like this would happen ;—that it wes bound to happen in course of time, It’s the way of nater, and [’veliv- ed long enough to know that ye can’t run ag’in’ nater. Sul, I wish’t it hadn’t come now an’ jist in this way.” She clasped the hard hand a little tighter, but remained silent, waiting for him to proceed. “*Tt’s jist this way,” looking cautiously around to see that no one else wa3 near, ‘Tbe young chap’s a fairish lookin’ feller, an’ may be straight asastring, Mind ye, I ain’t sayin’ ’t he ain’t! But they’s some things I don’t like the looks of, I ort to ’a’ spoke to ye ’bout all this a good while ago. But, gosh} I’m an ole fool an’ never thought of that! “1 can’t help havin’ my s’picions ag’in’ all of ‘em. Mebbe these three air pardners an’ have been playin’ a game. Mebbe Jumbo wa’n’t captured an’ carried to that cave by the heathen Chinees aw’ tied up fer a knife-pitchin’ exhibition} I never see’d it, ner you never see’d it!” ** But the evidence is too plain to admit of doubt!” she protested. ‘There were the knives and the wounded showman,” ** Yes, [ low the feller were hurt!” ‘““And the graphophone! It seems to me that it proves the truth of Mr, Somers’s story.” ** But s’posin’ all that’s true,” he argued, ‘it don’t jist clear up ever’thing to me, it don’t, They may yet be pardners, They may be members of the band of Chinee smugglers that we've talked about.” ‘* But the sergeant, father! He came from the fort, and it will be very easy to ascertain if his story is true.” ** Yes, so fur as the off’cers may know ’bout him. But I’ve been thinkin’ over a goodish many things connected with this Chinee bizness lately, an’ I’ve found out there’s some mysteries gethered ’round it that I can’t jist see through. Now this sergeant may be a spy of the leader o’ the Chinee smugglers, an’ these others may be his pards, It’s o’curred to me that suthin’s wrong somewhere, fer I’ve heered things in my wanderin’s lately that makes me ‘most’ know that the Chinee leaders has a man or men at the post in their pay.” They bad frequently discussed the movements of the mysterious parties seen in the hills; and, as he had told Jumbo, on more than one occasion he had followed these Chinese bands, but with- out becoming much the wiser thereby. “There! there! ’'ve hurt yer feelin’s!” as she did not reply to his suspicious strictures. * Ever’thing I’ve said may be wrong. DT’mshore I hope itis, But”—and his voic» ziew slightly harsh, ‘‘I shall keep my eyes open, come what comes!” “T understand you, father,” she replied un- consciously dropping the endearing term of ‘*papa” which she had so witchingly used but a few moments before, ‘“‘And, knowing just why you are so anxious 1 can’t blame you. But oh! I did so want you to be pleased with —with this matter!” “Tell be all right, I hope. Dll keep my eyes open, as I’ve promised. Reec’lect I haven’t said ap thing like ‘no,’ yit.” nd with these unsatisfying terms she was torced to be content, | : ” ei ee a et an i pp da AD il eth et ee Cai as ’ CHAPTER XII. PANIC-STRICKEN ASSAILANTS. WHEN they returned to the house they found Jumbo and his friend, Dillon, amusing them- selves with the graphophone, while Somers, much recovered and almost himsel fagain, was draw- ing from Ina one of: the many legends of her | people. Not a shadow rested on the face of either father or daughter to show aught of the nature of the conversation they had just had; and Toltec, the mysterious old prospector, greet- ed the young men as warmly asif his breast had uever harbored a suspicion against them. Scarcely ten minutes had elapsed after they re-entered the building when Gringo poked his nose questioningly into the air and gave an ominous grow), ““What is it, boy?” Toltec asked, looking to- ward the corner where his rifle stood. For answer there came a shot which plowed through the heavy timbers of the door and buried itself in the wall near the treasure-seek- er’s head, Quick as a flash he extinguished the light, but without moving from his position, “They can’t come that near ag’in wi’out somethin’ to guide ’em in their aimin’, Now, you, Margaret an’ Ina, git into the cyclone cellar, where lead can’t reach ye, an’ me an our frien’s I] find out what this means.” The knowledge was obtained, however, before the women could obey, for a pattering of feet came swiftly upon the vanisbing of the light, the squeaky, treble voices of Chinese were heard and a heavy log crashed against the door, “Tt’s an attack!” cried Jumbo, drawing his revolver, but waiting for orders from their host before venturing any ovement, ‘* How I wish I'd laid that thug out when I had him under my thumb! It would have saved trouole,” Dillon, having never before heard that there was a cyclone-cellar or place of refuge connected with the house, was paying more heed to the movements of the women, and was much pleased when he saw a deor open in the floor, at a point where he bad not known a door existed, and ob- served them vanish into the depths below, There were some loop-holes along the sides and ends of the house, and from these Toltec and his companions fired a few shots, which, whether they did any damage or not, caused the assail- ants to temporarily withdraw, ‘“They’ve gathered into a crowd out there on the hillside,” advised Dillon, serewing an eye against one of the small apertures, ‘‘ We could sling a shower of lead into them, now, aud make them scatter like scared sheep.” While he was speaking, one of the attacking party disengaged himself from his fellows and advanced, waving a white rag above his head, It was Paou; and he came close up to the house, Then, instead of speaking, he swung one hand quickly around his bead, and the next instant a stone crashed through the small window which looked out on that side, **Some'’at reckless o’ winder-glass, that feller is,” growled Toltec, picking up the stone which had fallen near bis feet. ‘* Cost like thunder to git it hyer, and J don’t like to have it smashed that way by no yaller heathen, I don’t!” Paou had remained motionless, after sending the stone, and waved the white rag above his head as if confident of its protecting powers, ‘Pd be willing to tet a month’s pay that the scoundrels out there wouldn’t respect such a flag t..o minutes!” blurted tbe sergeant. ‘* But of course we can’t play sneak just because they would. I'd like most awfully to take a shot at the scamp, though!” ‘* Sore over the fact that you let him go wren you had the cinch on him, eh?” queried Dil- lon, good-humoredly, ‘‘I don’t blame you. I haven’t quite forgot how he twisted my neck. All things come, however, to those who wait. We'll get the thug by and by, or I miss my uess, Toltec and Somers were stooping over the stone, and an exclamation from them now drew the attention of the others, ‘‘There’s a bit of writin’ on it!” averred the prospector, cutting the string and removing the paper. ‘* Some o’ you that’s good at sich take it an’ see if you can read it.” Dillon reached for the writing, and read aloud, bending near the candle’. which Toltec lighted for the purpose: ‘To THR MAN KNOWN AS THS TREASURE-SEEKER!— ** You have with you three men, who are neither your friends nor ours, and we ask you to deliver them up peaceably. They are renegades from our band, thongh we presume they are now represent- ing themselves as something far different. We know you to be ag od man and true. and have no quarrel with you whatever. AS au evidence of this . Toltec Tom, the Mad Prospector. 22 a a eee eS ee es SS SS we ask you to remember how we have allowed you to remain in this vicinity and seek for gold to your hearv’s content, without so much as disturbing you or even asking of you your business here, But these three men whom you are nvu~ sheltering we must and will have; if not by a voluntary surren- der by you or of tneir own accord, then by the power of torce and numbers. You must be aware that I can muster enougu men to tear your house down over your head and drag these men out, whe- ther you will or no. But in doing so some one will be hurt, doubtiess kilied; and I do not wish to sacrifice any of my men, nor do you wish to risk the life of yourself or daughter. I make n> war on women, but in case of an attack on the building of course | cannot assure you that your daughter's life will be spared. Surrender these men, and all will be avoided. Will youdoit? Otherwise I shall at once take measures to get possession of the trai- tors, Tie your answer to this stone and heave it | Out; and think twice before you decide, that your decision may not be hasty vor influenced by the men with you, but be your own expression of what you wish, Oapr. BASIL FLrinr.” ‘Renegades! Hear that, ye winged wings! Was ever such gall witnessed?” howled Jumbo, swelling with indignation, ‘ Dl twist that cap- tain’s neck, sure, if ever I get my fingers vn it, Runaways from his band of cut-threats!” Dillon had given the prospector a look of keen questioning when the opening sentences had been read, Surely, he declared to himself, Tol- tec would never believe such slanderous accusa- tions against them. He wondered, however, if it would not be the part of wisdom for the three to leave the shelter of Toltec’s abode and fight for their lives and liberty with the horde of wretches assembled on the slope, In that event all danger to Margaret would be averted, and he was willing to risk his life a dozen times over rather tuan bring a shadow of peril to the wo- man he worshiped, and whom he hoped some day to make bis wife, “What's to be done about it?” Somers, a shade of anxiety on his face. ‘‘Send the scamp back with a good-sized bee in his ears, and it he don’t walk fast enough hurry him a Jitt!e with a shot froin a Winches- ter!” was the sergeant’s indignant suggestion. ‘‘Such insolence deserves punishment; and in a case of this kind, where we're dealivg with thieves and liars, I’m nut at all sure that a white rag has any call to be respected.” “But think of the women!” urged Dillon. “A fight here may bring them into danger; may cost their lives, I’m not sure but we ought to zo out and take our chances like men, and not bring trouble on our good friends here.” ‘That question is one which ought to be left to Toltec,” suggested the showman. ‘‘ We are his guests; or at any rate I count myself one. And if my presence is to bring trouble to him and his, I’m for cutting out just as quick as I can, I can’t say that I specially like the looks of the crowd out there, but I’m willing to take my chances,” The words were so generous, and the senti- ments they expressed so correct and just that the others bastened to place themselves along- side, “Of course! That's right; and I’m a fool for thinking of anything else!” asserted the warm- hearted Jumbo, ‘* Here! you fellow—” lifting his voice 80 that his words could easily reach the waiting Paou, ‘*No you don’t!” growled the prospector, who had listened rather impatiently and bewildered- ly to the running fire of suggestion and com- ment. ‘I couldn’t never look a white man in the face again if T’d let you go out there, »T would be as good as tossing ye into the mouths of a pack o’ mountain wolves. No! nothin’ o’ that kind fer ole Toltec Tom! ‘‘ Hyer, you taller-faced son of a sea-cook! Listen to me a minute. You can understan’ plain American well ’nough to kerry the mes- sage without it bein’ writ! Tell yer cowardly cut-throat boss thet if he wants these runnygates of his’n, he’ll jist haf’ te come an’ take ’em, fer I would’t drive a yaller dog out like he wants me to dotbem! Do you ketch the bang o’ that? lf yedo, cut sticks purty tol’able soople, or ye’ll wish ye had!” There was such bitter emphasis, not to say menace in the words, that Paou, who compre- bended full wel the character of the threat, and the firmness of the man making “it, drew back into the shadows with a haste that bordered on the ludicrous. He had scarcely disappeared when a shower of bullets were rained on the house. Only those striking the planking of the door cut their way through, and as the inmates of the building were careful to keep well out cf range of these, no injury was done, A volley of shots was fired in return; and a queried
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sharp cry of pain proved that one at least had not been without a billet. After this all was still for a number of min- utes. “‘T guess they’re up to’some new game,” whispered Somers, who had been assigned to watch the west end. ‘‘Come over here and see what you make of this.” There was but one loop-hole in this end, and it was consequently the most difficult portion of the walls to protect, a fact which seemed to have become known to the leader of the Chinese, Toltec hastened to that end, and applied an eye to the hole, ‘ve been some’at afeared o’ that!” he declar- ed, moving away, so that Jumbo, who had fol- lowed him, might take a survey. What the latter saw was a huge, wall-like structure, that was being slowly moved forward. It was, in fact, a hastily-improvised, but strong, movable breastworks, behind which a large body of Chinese were doubtless safely ensconced, and by the aid of which they were advancing to the attack on the house fully screened from any shots from the loop-hole, ‘* Jist to see what they’ve reely got there—” and the prospector shoved the muzzle of his heavy rifle through the opening, and with a quick aim fired. The shot was answered by a yell of insolent defiance, ‘“*The thing’s made of logs and they’ve mount- ed it on wheels that they must ’a’ brougkt wi’ 7em. Can’t no rifle byer faze it, if mine don’t. { ‘low when they git clost enough they’ll try what fire will do.” ‘Do you mean they’ll likely fire the build- ing?’ asked Dillon, whitening to the lips, “T cale’late that’s the’r plan!” and although the prospector must have been as anxious for the safety of Margaret as Dillon could possibly have been, there. was not a quaver in his tones as he made reply. ‘Tf there was just a window or a hole of some kind in this end!” grumbled the showman, ‘**So they is,” asserted Toltec, laying hand on one of the logs and pushing it easily in its bed. ‘*It can be shoved out’ place from this side, but it'd take a purty good jolt to fetch it from tother,” Somers did not explain bis meaning, but with a sigh of relief hastened away. He was back in an instant, and with him i had the grapho- phone and the rockets. The others comprehend- ed his purpose and stood back out of the way as he placed one of the rockets in position, struck a match and made ready to move the log. In ancther moment the log had been shoved aside, and the spiteful rocket, like a demon of fire, leaped into the darkness without, and sped away over the beads of the mob bebind the movable breastwork. It was followed instantly by another; and the startled exclamatious borne to the besieged showed that this novel means of repelling an at- tack was not without advantages. But the showman had not exhausted his ma- terials, Striking a torch, he held it near the opening, and then hoisting up the graphophone where it could be seen by those whom he wished to terrorize, he caused it to burl into the gloom the Spanish sentences that had been heard by them on a previous occasion, Following this came the threat, uttered in his clear, riuging voice: ‘*Leave! Leave at once! Or the thunders will descend again to wreck and slay!” The threat was answered with a howl of fear; and from behind the log structure the Chinese tumbled, panic-stricken and fleeing as if for their lives. In vain Paou and Cuptain Basil raved and commanded. Their words were as powerless as the winds to stuv the flood of fear, It?s a trick!” sbrieked Flint, beside himself with rage. ‘* You, Paou, make your men charge! Snoot trem down if they don’t,” A few of the Cainese, of sterner stuff than their fellows, remained faithful to the lieuten- ant; and with these, Paou, obedient to his in- structions, tried to stem the tide and rally for an assault. Springing across the logs, with a courage that was admirable, he led those in charge. They were met by a volley from within that streatched half the number on the sward. Then the others broke into flight, and all Flint’s ravings were not sufficient to induce them to make another effort. ** Now, while they’re scared to death, give it to em!” cried Jumbo, his warlike ardor flaming forth. ‘‘Chase ’em like rabbits, Rustle ’em! Rout ’em!” His companions were nothing loth to obey, and with shouts and yells and the quick rattle of firearms, to which were added the hissing | rush of rockets discharged by the showman they tumbled from the building and dashed toward the demoralized Celestials. This was all that was needed to complete the stampede. The wretches, tossing away their weapons, streamed in wild disorder toward the sheltering hills, But some were left behind, the slain and those too sorely wounded to make their escape, Among the last was Paou, His hurts were not of a serious character, but be was insensible, a ball from a Winchester baving cut away the skin along the base of the brain, ‘*Tie him up and fetch him into the house!” commanded the sergeant, who seemed to have taken control during the sortie, ‘‘ We'll have use for him, likely. And, besides, we don’t want to be fools enough tolet him get away this time. And so this slippery representative of the Flowery Kingdom trussed up like a fowl ready for basting, and tossed unceremoniously into the house, where, when he came to himself a short time thereafter, he doubtless found much to think of concerning his pet theories of destiny and fate. CHAPTER XIII. HELD AS HOSTAGES, THE wrath of Captain Flint was something terrible, when, after his return to the cave be- neath the island, he proceeded to take stock of the results of bis campaign, and to plan an even- ing of the score, His maledictions fell like rani on the heads of the recreant Chinese. Nor did his white associatesescape. A desert lion roused to frenzy, and shaking his jungle home with the fury of his roars! This was Flint, the King of the Loco League, as he marched back and forth, hurling his anathemas on friends and foes alike, The whites muttered strangely among them- selves, not liking his words, nor the manner in which they were uttered, But the Chinese only crouched before bim like slavish and beaten curs, They were of the servile, coolie class, and if he had clubbed or bastinadoed each in turn, they would never have voiced a protest. They were used to harsh words and harsher treat- ment, and accepted his abuse dumbly and meekly, He was interrupted in bis storm of curses by the appearance of a man, who came forward, pulling a grizzled forelock and bowing with much obsequiousness. Flint turned on bim menacingly. *“Well, why don’t you report?” roaring the question, and clutching at his throat as if utter- ance choked him, ‘* What has happened? Speak, you idiot! and don’t stand there bowing and scraping as if you’d taken leave of what little sense you ever bad!” “Tf you please, sir!” drawing back a pace to be out of barm’s way, in case his irascible chief should utterly lose all control of himself. ‘If | you please, sir, they’ve taken Paou to the fort.” The loss of his Chinese lieutenant had been to Flint the most bitter thing connected with his recent defeat. He could illy afford to dispense with the services of the astute thug. No other man in the band, not even the redoubtable cap- tain himself, was so fertile of resources and ex- pedients as was the dark-faced Celestial who had fallen into the hands of the men at the cabin, Hence this untoward circumstance had annoyed and grieved Flint sorely; and he bad left a spy behind, when tbe retreat could no longer be avoided, and had given instructions to this spy to report at once anything occurring which might prove of interest or importance, And now the fellow had appeared, and bis re- poe was as distressing as had been the lato de- feat. ‘You lie, you villain!” Flint howled, fearing to credit the truth of the statement. ‘Tell me it’s a lie, or—or ’ll choke your black heart out. You’re making it up for some purpose! Is it not so?” But in spite of the captain’s ravivgs the man stuck to his story, and reiterated the fact that Paou had been conveyed, or rather was then be- ing conveyed, to Fort Mesquite. ‘*He’s in charge of the big chap they call Jumbo, Paou was bound to the hoss of the other feller, Dillon, and so wropped an’ tied up that he’ll never be able to wiggle away, slick as he is at them kind of tricks. I reelly have my doubts if he kin so much as git a good, healthy move onto his eyebrows,” ‘How long ago was this?” Flint inquired, stopping his cursings and endeavoring to take a calmer survey of the matter. Toltec Tom, the Mad Prospector. ph 8 ‘Bout an hour, I sh’u’d jedge. I know I cut sticks jes’ as soon’s I could do so 'thout bein’ dis- kivered.” The captain made no further inquiries, but ordered out a body of men, hoping that it might not yet be too late to rescue the thug from the hands of his foes, This body he Jed in person under the guidance of the individual who bad brought in the report. But Jumbo had taken measures to evade such danger, and bad hurried on at so rapid a pace that Flint found it impos- sible to come up with the two, This failure only added to the fire of hate that was consuming him; and he began, on bis return, to map out some method of reaping summary vengeance, if he could do no more, Then, too, he was afraid that Paou, notwith- standing his loyalty, might under pressure of fear or punishment reveal the secret of the island, and thus lead the entire band into the toils of the officers of the post, Meanwhile Jumbo pursued his way with all celerity, placed his prisoner in safe keeping, and bastened back to his friends in the mountain valley. He found affairs much as when he left. There had been no further demonstration on tbe part of the Chinese. ‘They've bad enough to make ’em sick for @ time, I take it!” was his pleased comment, “ And, now, if you'll hearken to yours truly, I’ve some plans to lay before the committee of the whole.” The others had been doing some ees also; and the result of the conference then he d was that search ought to be again commenced for the hiding-place of the outlaws, Toltec Tom, the man who was more interested in the locating of the mythical treasure of the priests, took no pert in this conference. He had given these men shelter, and in times of perik had aided them to the best of his ability, and now seemed to wish to follow out his own course, from which he had been so far led since their coming, From appearances, and to judge b his manner, bis thoughts ran in this channel, though he gave no expression, contenting him- self by remaining aloof from the others when the pursuit of the Chinese was under discussion. Thus it came about that on the second night after Jumbo’s return, the post sergeant, Dillon, and Sonaers left the home of the prospector under cover of the thick darkness and stole away in the direction of the river, They rightly surmised that the building was under constant: surveillance at the hands of some of Flint’s minions, and did not wish their movements to become known to bim, But they were known, nevertheless, Captain Basil had found among the coolies a man who was almost worthy to stand in the shoes of the unapproachable Paou, himself, And this mam was lying in wait in the grass not a dozen steps from the door when the trio crept so softly out into the night. With snaky movements, keeping well under cover, he followed them, so near at times that had he been as well up in English as Paou he could have understood their whispered talk, Fortunate it was for their plans that the English language was to him a sealed book, ‘*Tf we can just blunder onto the place where they hole up!” éxclaimed the sergeant, ‘The rest of the performance will be easy!” And he proceeded to run hastily over the plans he had outliaed, and on which he had expatiated at length a balf-score of times, ‘Old Yates is as avxious as he can be to lay these fellows by the heels, for it’s not to his credit, you know, that they should carry on their villainy this way right beneath his nose and he be ab'e to co nothing to stopit, And sohe readily enough acceded to my demands, If we can just find out where the scamps have their headquar- ters, then, as I said, he stands ready to send a body of troopers to mop up the earth with them, “There are two men now waiting for signals from me. One of them is on the top of Table Mountain, in good sight of this region, and the other is located on Tower Hill, nearer the post, A beacon light from any eminence hereaway will light similar fires on those hills and bring the soldiers to our assistance.” He stopped, for a suspicious sound reached him. It was the dislodgement of a piece of earth by the foot of the Chinese, The latter had followed far enough to enable him to locate their line of route and was now slipping away to make report of his discoveries to Flint, ‘Some animal moving in the chaparral!” af- ter hearkening a, moment; and then the three moved on, all unaware that a spy of the men they were seeking had been so near them,
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12 Toltec Tom, the Mad Prospector. the spy, the result of his late presence was made manifest to them when they reached the vicin- aty of the river, which they did just as day was as ona to faintly illumine the east, ere, before they were aware of peril, they were surrounded by an overwhelming horde of “Chinese under the command of the angry cap- tain himself, They attempted a resistance, dis- coors gag Aaemgea weapons and then using them as clubs. But it was futile. A number of their assailants were wounded, but the three were borne down by the impetuous rush of numbers, and before their brains had fairly ceased spin- ning from surprise they were lying bound and helpless on the sands by the river-side. “Thought you would come to hunt us, eh?” snarled Flint, showing his teeth wolfishly, ** Two can play at that game.” “ Now that you have us I presume you'll make short work of us?’ and the imperturbable Jumbo essayed to smile. ** Ajl in due time, my good friend!” turning from shouting a command at his lieutenant, ** Don’t harry me, though, or you'll live to re- gret it!” “Ah! thanks, We're to live, then! Iwas just thinking of making my will.” “Don’t anger him needlessly,” cautioned Dillon; at which sound advice Jumbo checked the words that so strongly welled for utter- ance, When the river had been crossed, Captain Basil, without more ado, had his prisoners tossed “a8 hastily-improvised litters. All but Jumbo, Him he stood up before him as if to command or sentence, ** Now, hark ye, you dog! You’re the chap that carried my Chinee friend, Paou, to the post over yonder, For doing that I ought to kill you; and I may when the right time comes! But just now I have other uses for you. You see these ards of yours, all tied up till they can’t budge! f you care anything for their lives you'll pay heed to what I say. "Pm going to let you go, now. I want you to make tracks for Fort Mesquite. When you get there tell the commandant that I have these men here, in a place where he can’t find them if he hunts till doomsday, and that Ill release them only on one condition, If within the week Paou is safe and sound and with me I'll let these men go. All the commandant need do is to turn ‘aou loose; he’ll come to me of his own accord cand [Pl risk any of your trailers following him.” ‘But what guarantee are we to have that “you'll do as you say?” the sergeant questioned, suspiciously, apparently forgetting or not car- ing that a bit of quibbling might prejudice the liberty just offered him, “Just this, I can’t afford to play false, for ‘the good reason that I may want to take ad- vantage of or make an offer of an exchange again, If I play false, now, it will block the doors to everything of the sortinthe future. I ‘don’t ask you to take my word for anything. You wouldn’t, if I asked, All you have to do is to conzider me not quite so big a fool as not to know whatis best for myself. Will you go?” Jumbo needed no urging. He realized that, as matters stood, be and his companions stood small chance of escape; and so, in the gray of ‘the early - saloon 4 and without a backward took, he allowed himself to be again rowed sacross the river—and then struck into the hills dn the direction of Fort Mesquite, CHAPTER XIV. THE SIGNAL FIRES. AS soon as he was hidden by the growth of «chaparral, and by the eminences, from view of the Chinese, Jumbo Griggs changed bis course and headed for the prospector’s home. He reached itin due time, but was disappoint- ed to find the old man absent. He hesitated to tell Margaret of the occurrences of the morning knowing how great her distress would be; and after some evasive replies again went his way, but not until he bad secured a supply of eatables - and refilled his water bottle. Then he crossed to the other side of the val- ley, where Philip Dillon’s horse was croppin the rich grass, secured the animal and moun and rode off, But fate was against the golly sergeant that ‘day. He had barely put five miles between himself and the home of Toltec when the animal shied at a long-legged jack rabbit which leaped like a flash frora a bunch of sage-brush, and he found himself on the ground, badly bruised and injured by coming into contact with a rock. “* Curse the luck!” he growled, trying to rise, But he found, when on his feet, that e could But, if they did not know of the proximity of | and the weight of his body on it gave him most excruciating pain. ‘* A pretty outlook, this!” suppressing a groan and supporting himself by clinging to a gnarled cedar. ‘If there’s a bigger fool in the world than a scary horse I suppose it’s a rabbit, and Abe two fools come together trouble’s bound to ollow. The horse had galloped away a few hundred. ards and stopped, and was now feeding. umbo whistled and called to it, but in vain, ft had evidently made up its mind to go no further on the route to the post. Then, the sergeant got down on his hands and knees and tried to crawl near enough to it to grasp the bridle-rein, which hung loosely and sometimes became tangled about its forefeet. Hour after hour did he spend thus, the beast leading him a most exhausting and exasperating chase, and taking him further and further from the direction he wished to pursue. Finally, as if tired of being thus followed, the horse gave a eenuting toss to its head, and gal- loped over a ridge and out of sight. To continue the effort to capture it was now out of the question ; and the luckless sergeant was almost in despair, The lives of his friends seemed to hang on the chance of his reaching the post, and to do this appeared now to be an utter impossibility. With a groan he sunk upon the sand, and tried to take a calm survey of the situation. If he did not succeed in his mission, if Paou was not released and allowed to return to the band within a reasonable ‘time, then Dillon and Somers must pay the penalty with their lives, For there could be no sort of doubt that the bloodthirsty captain would go to extreme measures in a case of this kind. Jumbo was not of a despairing tempera- ment, however, and for a long time he lay there in the glare of the hot sun, racking his weary brain for some means whereby he might carry out the mission that had been imposed on him. Only one way suggested. That was to light the beacon-fires, and call the soldiers to his aid. But, taking everything into consideration, this seemed worse than folly—inu fact, suicidal. The outlaw leader could uot know why this was done, and would very naturally suppose that the commandant had refused to comply with his request for an exchange, and proposed to at- tempt his subjection by force. And the chances would then be very good for a short shrift for the men in Flint’s power. ‘ve got to get there, some way!” the in- domitable sergeant exclaimed, expressing his thoughts aloud, ‘I’ve just got to!” ; Drawing out his knife, he dragged himself to the nearest asp-tree, and from it cut some branches, With much difficulty and infinite trouble he fashioned these ito crutches, He found that he could support himself by their aid in a painful manner, and could even hobble along at eager a little better than a snail’s pace. But, unless his strength increased, or the pain subsided, so that he could use greater exer- tion, it would take a good week to reach the Nevertheless he toiled on, stopping now and then to rest, or to rub his swollen and throbbing ankle, which from ‘the treatment it was receiv- ing had turned almost purple in bue, An hour dragged by in this manner, then an- other; at the end of which time the sergeant was reeling from faintness and fatigue. But he kept on in spite of all, until giddiness overpowered him, and he sunk unconscious in his tracks, With a groan he came to himself, to find the shadows of night closing about him. His muscles were sore from the exhausting strain, and his hurt ankle throbbed with knife-like stabs, “Ob, that miserable beast of a horse!” and something like a sob shook the herculean frame. It was plain now he could never reach the post in time to be of assistance to his friends. He took a long pull at the water-bottle, then ured some of the precious fluid on the andages about his ankle, The last broughta soothing sense of relief; but water was of too great value in this dire extremity to be used even in this way. There were nosprings within miles, and the few drops yet remaining to bim must suffice to keep life within his body until help could come, “Tl have to do it,” he said, ‘‘ whatever the result may be. It’s all I can do!” He drew himself to a sitting posture and looked about, while be ate of the provender he had brought. He was almost famished, the pain and exertion seeming to have given him an - mot walk a dozen steps, His ankle was sprained | appetite as well as increased his thirst. ‘* Yes: there’s no other way!” In the thickening darkness be surveyed tho hills that lay about, and selected one for his pur- pose. Then, having gained some strength from the rest, and the food and drink, he got upon his crutches and stumped painfully toward the eminence he had singled out. It required quite an hour’s toil to gain its summit, and by this time the gloom was impene- trable. Nevertheless, he succeeded in gathering a quantity of dry boughs and heaping them into a pile, e then took a match from his pocket- case, ignited it and applied it to the pine needles and inflammable material he had placed be- neath the pile. A tongue of flame shot athwart the stygian darkness, caught at the resinous wood, and curled upward in a burst of fiery glory. Jumbo watched it with er eyes and pant- ing breath, praying the while, as most sober- minded men do in times of need—if at no other —praying that it might accomplish the thing which he so greatly desired, and so bring life and help to his imperiled friends instead of the death which now menaced them, And as he thus lifted his thoughts to the great Ruler of the Universe, a calmness of soul and confidence came to him which was strangely out of keep- ing with his circumstances and surroundings. Like a great fiery eye the flame he had kin- dled glowed through the night, and when it had burned thus for a few minutes an answering eae leaped into view on a far-away mountain eak! wes hank God!” was the faithful sergeant’s ex- clamation, ‘ Help will come!” And, assured in his own consciousness that he had acted for the best, he sunk down near the dancing firelight and strove to form plans for outwitting the outlaw captain when the troopers should arrive. CHAPTER XV. A DESPERATE VENTURE. Wuiet these hurrying events were taking lace Toltec Tom was by no means idle, As has ben stated, he was absent from home when Jumbo Griggs visited the house; and absent for a very good reason, as will presently appear. The night previous he had struck the tr il of fresh Chinese arrivals—an event which led to a series of remarkable adventures. The Chinese bad been transported by means of the clumsy boat to the American shore, and were being arranged in order for the march by a man deputed by the captain for the purpose, when Toltec became aware of their proximity. ‘“‘Aha! more yaller devils lookin’ fer the treasure of the old priests!” he growled, and forthwith placed himself in position to observe their movements, The night, like the one that followed, was ver dark, a circumstance much in the old man’s favor. “The chance o’ a lifetime!” he whispered, worming his way to a point where he could hear all that might be said, He was soon repaid for his trouble. ** Now, keep clost together, all you!” he heard the guide order. ‘ An’ no talkin’ an’ jabberin’; an’ I'll take ye right to the captain hisself,” A daring thought came to the treasure-seeker at this moment. He knew that but few of the Chinese could understand a werd of English; and as few, in all probability, had ever before seen their guide and his white associates, Could he not, therefore, insinuate himself among them and accompany them to the secret hiding-place of the band? It was worth the effort and the risk, Thus impelled, he crept closer and yet closer, and when the command was given fora forward movement he was in tae very midst of the hud- dling Celestials. Having gained this much the: rest was easy enough. He had only to maintain an attitude of complete silence, and so long as the darkness held out all would go well. The marcb, which was in its course devious and meandering, lasted upward of an hour; and then a halt was made, while some kind of a) conversation was conducted by the guides for- ward. Then the advance was recommenced, Toltec’s heart gave a great bound as he be- came aware that a tunnel of some sort was being entered. What if it should prove the long-sought avenue to the treasure-chamber? Bushes were pushed aside, a door was reached, and passwords and countersigns were exchang- ed. After which the door creaked heavily, and the close air, as the column moved on, showed that they were in an inclosure between walls, Ten minutes later a second door was reached eel
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I a ae = 7 n the same way; then a third, and had closed behind them they found Miselves in a large cave, A low fire of wood was burning in the center of thisapartment. Toltec Tom, although he did not yet know it, wasin reality witbin the home of the outlaws, and never had he been iu a place so filled with peril to himself. As the column filed slowly into the cavern, Captain Basil Flint arose from a bed of skins, and came forward with some commands, In spite of the knowledge that discovery might mean death, Toltec could not resist the desire to look about and speculate as to chances of this being the treasure-chamber of the priests, Surely it could not be, he assured himself. And, if such it was, then all chance of his ever com- ing into possession of the treasure was gone. uch riches, if in that place, occupied as it was and had been for so long, must have been unearthed and dissipated, He ground his teeth in a rage as he thought of this, That the captain of so odious a band of renegades should come into so great wealth as he conceived this treasure to be, was a thought unbearable. “Pll not believe it tell I jist haf’ to!” he rowled, “This ain’t the place! It jist cain’t Y He recalled his present position and the danger he was in, and sunk into the shadows near the wall back of him, where the chance of discovery was least, He could see better, too, without imperiling his neck, The Chinese were being shown their quarters, where they were to be lodged until a favorable opportunity came for sending them into the mining districts further north. The guides had joined their cronies and were talking over the events of the night. The treasure-seeker had not sought the shadows any too soon! Slowly he allowed his eyes to wander over the walls of the cavern, faintly illumined by the low fire, taking in the details of every project- ing point ne, dark depression, There were some passages leading he knew not whither. How he longed to explore them and wring from them their secrets! Oh! for one hour in that place with none to molest or make afraii! This was his mental cry. So absorbed did he become in this study of the walls and the physical peculiarities of the place that he almost forgot where he was and what character of men surrounded him, Bat he was recalled to all this in a manner far from pleasant, The Chinesé, who had taken Paou’s position, fearing that some of his newly-arrived country- men might have failed to find their way to the place intended for them, made a tour of the cave for the purpose of investigating. He was as like Paou in his movements as possible, being built on the fur-footed, cat-like order; and in conse- uence stepped so lightly that he was on Toltec ‘om before the old man was aware of it, It was useless to try to escape his observation. This Toltec saw at the first glance. So, to counteract the effect of the discovery, he sprung at the surprised Celestial, clutching him by the throat in a grip of steel, The Chinese tried to cry out, but could not. He did, however, by the violence of his struggles, attract the attention of some of the outlaws, and these came running to his assistance, filling the air with questioning exclamations as they ran. The treasure-seeker knew now that the fight was one of life and death, with the chances largely against him, And, besides, should he succeed in breaking from the reaegades, where could he fly to? What place in all that under- ground den of vice could offer him even a mo- ment’s refuge? ry Ne As these queries flashed across his mind, he caught the gleam of water at the point where the river chafed against the bank. It was the only other way out of the cavern, but a way that by every member of the band was con- sidered but the gateway to a watery grave for Sof dia should attempt to leave the chamber y it. Dragging the Chinese with him, he dashed toward the seething and yeasty flood. As he neared the stream, a second Celestial interposed, flourishing a keen-bladed knife for a throw. The cavern was now a scene of the wildest confusion. The occupants poured from every gallery and chamber, some half-dressed, and came hurrying, screaming and calling toward the pt where the struggle was taking place. * p still, you fools!” roared Flint, spring- ing into their midst. ‘Do you want to bring the soldiers down on us from Fort Mesquite? Toltec Tom, the Mad Prospector. You’re making more racket than a pack of yelp- | told Margaret to give it to whichever of their ing coyotes,” At his words the tumult somewhat subsided, though enough noise was still being made to have revealed the location of the retreat to any ears on the island or the adjacent shores, A dozen men crowded around the commander, waiting for his instructions, though their atti- tudes and the manner in which they swung their revolvers, showed that they much preferred to rush headlong on the intruder without stopping for orders, This confusion was favorable to the old man. Every moment he was dragging Paou’s succes- sor toward the water’s edge. ‘Tne Celestial with the knife saw this, and believed that without prompt action Toltec would yet make his escape, or at least succeed in drowning himself and the man he was holding. Like a flash light, therefore, the keen knife cleft the air. It was aimed straight for Toltec’s bosom, But the old man was wonderfully quick for ove of bis appearance, and when he saw the deadly blade leave the hand of the thrower, he drew himself erect and thrust the body of his prisoner between himself and harm, With a sickening thud the knife was buried to the hilt in the breast of the unfortunate Chinese, causing almost instant death, And Toltec, feel- ing the form grow limp beneath his hold, drop- ped the body, and with a defiant shout plunged boldly into the stream, not knowing whether it would lead him to death or be the means of his salvation. CHAPTER XVI. THE TOLTEC TREASURE. THE strong current bore the treasure-seeker rapidly from the opening. Fortunately be was a powerful swimmer, and as soon as his head came to the surface, he struck out boldly. All was silence and gloom. Nota light shone any- where, and no sound was heard save the swish and rush of the waters. But for the strange po- sition in which he found hiroself, he would have been strongly tempted to believe the whole thing merely a dream, : Getting his bearings, he headed in the direc- tion of the shore on which he wished to land; and having reached terra firma in safety, he scrambled into the shelter of some bushes and sat down to dry his clothing and await develop- ments, In the course of a few minutes he heard voices on the island; then a boat put into the water and was pushed off, The strokes of the oars came to him plainly, and fearing discovery if he remained where he was, he crawled away up the slope, and soon left the river far to the rear, Nevertheless it was morning before he returned home, he having by that time removed all traces of his late wetting, that his daughter might have no inkling of the peril he had been in, His guests, who had departed in the night before he himself had left the house, were still absent, Margaret mentioned the fact that Jumbo had been there but a short time previous to her father’s coming, but that he had gone awey again without having left any message, This was not strange, as the sergeant came and went generally without giving any whys or wherefores. So Toitec placidly ate bis break- fast, and then smoked his usual morning pipe, making no mention.of the stirring events in which he had just played a part, thinking it the part of wisdom not to give his daughter cause for uneasiness, But he never for a moment forgot to scan the hills that lay about the building and to take note of every movement in the sage brush and chaparral, not knowing but at that instant his enemies might be advancing upon him, Placid as the old man seemed, his mind was really in a state of great ferment. The wonders of the treasure-house of the priests strong! stirred his imagination. He bad dreamed of it and thought of it nightand day. Had he at last found it? Was this abode of outlaws the place meant in the old Toltec writings? There was the tunnel leading toa cavern! And if this was the place, then what had become of the gems and precious metal]? When he had smoked out his pipe, he drew Aa materials before him and scrawled a hasty letter. It contained an account of his adventures and discoveries, couched in the briefest terms, and also gave a description of the cavern and directions as to how and where the tunnel entrance was to be found. A request thatif he Cid not return within twelve hours search should be made for him, closed the com- munication. This he addressed to Jumbo, but i ‘be coming and going, friends should first come back, To her he said nothing of the contents of the letter, nor of his intentions, merely saying he was going out into the hills tor a time, and thats if he remained a little longer than usual she was. not to worry on that account, Then he kissed her and turned away from the building, All day he lay outon the hills with the river and the island in plain view, but himself screen- ed from sight of any one, But not a thing did he see to reward his patient watching. The river and the island were apparently deserted. When night came, he made his way again to the mouth of the tunnel, determined to investi- gate more fully the secrets of the island, if the effort should cost bim his life. He expected to find the mouth of the tunnel guarded, and was not mistaken, Crouching low in the grass he waited, reason- ing that a sentry would not be posted in front of the hidden door if parties were not expected to He had not long to wait, A man suddenly arose in the gloom close by his: side, advanced and uttered the single word, ‘**Paou.” The sentry touched a concealed spring; the door—which seemed but a part of a solid wall of stone—moved on its hinges, and the new- comer vanished, Five minutes later Toltec Tom arose in the same manner Out of the bushes, whispered the magical word, and was permitted to pass with- out question, The door closed softly behind biny and be realized that now be must go forward whether he would or not. Feeling his way with great caution, lest a false step might betray bim or precipitate him into unknown dangers, the old man advanced along the foul-smelling passage. When he had gone over the route with the band of Chinese he had carefully counted the steps; now he recounted them, to be able to tell when he was near the second door, He had not reached it, however, when foot- steps in the tunnel bebind warned him that others were coming. At this be crowded against the wall, scarcely daring to breathe for fear his. presence should become known, But, to bis. great distress, he found he could not press so closely against the wal) but that one of two par- ties walking abreast must touch him, Of those advancing there were a number; and discovery was, therefore, inevitable. There seemed to be no sentry before this door, and as the on-comers were yet some distance: away, he began hastily to run his hands over the. walls in the hope that he might touch the spring controlling the movement of the door, He pressed this way and that, becoming al- most frantic in his eagerness, The crowd of talking men were now very near, and he was seriously thinking of drawing bis weapons for a. fight. hen—ob, the joy of it! the stone yield- ed beneath his heavy pushing, and a section of the wall swung inward, Hastily he squeezed through the narrow aperture, Then the door swung back of its own accord, and for the time being he was safe. But his amazement was great when the men passed by his place of hiding, as he could tell by the sounds of their voices, and continued on without coming into the chamber or tunnel in, which he found himself! ‘“*There mus’ be two doors! But, where does tother lead to? I reckon I’m in the right one— the one that goes to the main cave!” He felt about, to discover that, the walls. widened away, very differently indeed from the cramped character of the walls of the tunnel. He got up and advanced slowly, feeling out the path for his feet. He was in a large roomy place—certainly not in the tunnel, whose char- acteristics he well remembered, Bewildered beyond measure, he ventured to strike a match that he might look about and de- termine where he was. It showed a cavern, with a low ceiling, and walls dust-covered and fes- tooned with cobwebs, It was plain that the foot: of man had not pressed its sandy floor for a long time, for there was not anywhere tbe imprint. of a step. The treasure-secker had indeed stumbled upon a portion of the cavern beneath the island, oO wien. even the outlaws had no knowledge. The rock door leading to it had never been found by them, and the chances were just about one in a thousand that it never would be. Toltec tried to cause the door to move again on its hinges by pressing against the projections. on that side, e failed; and though he went over the wall inch by inch he could not find the cunningly-hidden spring, if sueh a spring there was, Ns “a 5 ore " a » ol lun Me eat 42 oe Spee 1s
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) | 4 " ' 14 ‘My God!” and the sweat came out in great ; prosperous, and who yet fight and toil and beads on his forehead, Buried alive!” He had burned out a dozen matches and now began to realize that he ought to husband his store, Bits of pine branches, so dry they were almost ready to drop to pieces, lay upon the floor, and of these he fashioned two torches, One he lighted, and carrying the other with him, set out to discover the nature of the place he had so strangely stumbled on, After walking straight forward for five min- utes he caught the sounds of voices. They were not in the chamber with him, but came from j; some point without or beyond, A little investi- gation showed that they came in reality through the wall infront of him, Theapsrtment he was in adjoined that occupied by the outlaws, though os obs was no means of passing from one to the other, “This is worse an’ worse!” be groaned, after making a hasty survey of the cave and finding that there was no way out save by the door he had entered, ‘ (’m trapped like a rat!” But, as he stumbled forward, scanning the floor and the walls, his eyes caught the gleam of some brilliant pb ieat at bis feet. He kicked it, and as it rolled forward, the light from the torch was reflected from it in points of fire, and he saw that it was a diamond! CHAPTER XVII. CAGED IN. WirTd a low cry he sunk upon the sandy floor, picked up the shining article, and examined it critically. There could be no doubt as to its character. It was as pure a diamond as ever came out of the mines of Brazil. * Hureka!” he exclaimed, lifting his voice to an unguarded pitch. ‘‘T?ve found it. If this ain’t the treasure-chamber, then I'll eat hay fer a livin’!” With that he got down on his hands and knees and carefully examined the floor, No more diamonds were to be found there; and he flask- ed the light upon the walls, There were no shelves or niches crammed with treasure, such as he half expected to see. *Sing’lar! There’s bound to be more where that come from. And I’m goin’ to find where it come from, now, before I do anything else,” He had apparently forgotten his position and circumstances—forgotten that only a mo- ment before he had denominated himself a caged rat, and had felt that the death of a caged rat lay before him, Clutebing the diamond in one hand and lifting the torch high above his head with the other he went slowly around the cave. He had almost completed the circle when he stopped and stared into the semi-gloom beyond the ring of light. A bit of worm-eaten board projecting from the sand riveted his attention, He hastened to it, and attempted to draw it forth, but the sand was packed about it and it resisted his efforts. It lay near the wall; and running his eyes over the bed of the cavern, he made a discovery. There was a well-defined elevation of the floor, as if, through the lapse of years, the sand had been drifted above some shelves or boxes, The elevation resembled in shape and size that of a grave worn down by time and the elements, Sticking the torch in the wall near by, Toltec drew his knife and attacked the sandy grave with frantic energy. it required but the work of a few seconds to unearth the bit of board, Drawing it out he thrust down the knife, and was electrified when the point touched some- thing which gave out a metallic ring, Fired by dreams of the wealth beneath him, he again attacked the eand, digging it loose with the knife and shoveling it out with his hands, In a little while be had removed enough to enable him to clutch the box, of which the board had been a fragment; and with a mighty wrench he drew it from its bed, With bated breath and heart throbbing wildly he tipped the contents out upon the floor, and tore away with trembling fingers the coverings of rotten deerskin. There was at least a quart of bright, gold nuggets, Toltec did not stop to count them nor to esti- mate their value, but again turned to the sand in which they had been found, Within an hour he had unearthed six of these boxes, each containing about a quart of nuggets and gold-dust, packed in rotten, deer-skin bags. And still he toiled on, not satisfied; and forget- ful of the fact that he was to all appearances a prisoner condemned to death in that place, Yet, when all is considered, his conduct was not so very much stranger than that of thou- sands of men whom the world calls sane and ‘““Pm shut in here! | struggle for wealth far beyond their needs, and which can do them no good, Ay! scramble madly for it even when on the brink of the grave, and knowing that to the land whither they must soon go they cannot take it, It is one of the incongruous things of this odd world of ours. The furious toil of the treasure-seeker brought no more boxes to light. Thorougbly the sand was searched, but without result. He sat down to rest, and, if possible, to think over the matter. Where were the precious stones mentioned in the old writing? That toey had once been in the cavern was proven, it seemed, by the one discovered, He was inter- rupted in his reflections by the torch, which, baving burnt out, fell to the floor, plunging him in total darkness. He lighted tbe second, and took another sur- vey of the cave. The festooning cobwebs, hang- ing as they did in dusty folds, showed that no breezés from the outer world ever disturbed this death-like chamber—a fact also proven by the closeness and oppressiveness of the atmosphere, How then had the sand been drifted over the boxes he bad unearthed? He went back and looked again at the place from which he had removed them, and the con- viction was forced upon him that they had been buried there by the priests, Why the bit of board had been left to project he could not tell, unless it may have been as a future guide to the lace, If the old Toltecs had taken so much pains to hide the store of nuggets, he reasoned that they would take as much or even greater pains to conceal the gems. So he again traversed the cave, scrutinizing the floors and walls minutely. Suddenly a sharp cry leaped to his lips. A portion of the wall, near an angle, seemed to he sloughing off, a large crack being visible. He sprung to this, The wall there was a false one, cunnivgly fashioned of coarse mortar! Thedry- ingair had caused it to separate from the true rock, leaving the tell-tale gap. Thrusting the end of his torch into the fissure, and careless of the fact that the flame scorched his face, Toltec gave a heavy surge, and the mortar-made section of the wall dropped at bis feet, Bebind it was a pocket, filled with bags, as had been the boxes, With feverish haste he draggei these from their ancient resting-place. He counted them, There were just ten. Running a band into one he drew forth a store of beautiful emeralds! Yhe remaining nine, with one exception, also contained emeralds, The odd one was filled with diamonds much like that found in the sand. Here was wealth sufficient to satisfy even the wildest dreams of avarice. Sitting by his treasures, Toltec ran his hands through the shining piles, and gloated with miserly mien over the riches that were now bis, Everything else was for the time forgotten, and he was only recalled to his position by the burning out of the torch. Gathering up a hband- ful of the gems he thrust them into his pockets and then went in search of more material with which to make torches. He found this readily enough, but when he sought for a match he dis- covered, to his horror, that.the case with its conterts was missing. Thinking he had dropped it near the gems he hastened back in tbat direction. But the in- tense gloom of the cave bewildered him and caused him to lose bis way; and soon he was wandering in a circle, not knowing in what di- rection to turn. He got down on his hands and knees and felt over the floor, striving in that manner to make his way back, By following along the wall he came finally to the point where he had unearth- ed the gold, There were the bags, just as he had left them, and the piles of nuggets, But their touch was hateful to him, Al! of the golden store would he have given at that mo- ment for a single match, Nowhere could he light upon the missing case, search as he might, Then be tried tc guide him- self to the place where he had left the gems. In this, however, he failed; and though he searched for hours and hours, and until bis head seemed bursting, the case evaded bis aching and eager fingers, Hunger began to tell on him, likewise, com- bined with the pangs of thirst. Oh! for a draught of life-giving water. How quickly he would have exchanged the gems in his pockets for just a cupful. But there was no water in the cavern. And thus, when unnumbered hours bad fied, in darkness and loneliness and silence—for the voices from the other cave had not reached Lim Toltec Tom, the Mad Prospector. SS SEE ———— EE since he heard them first—he lay dowie™ sand, believing that for him death was oN hand, =< CHAPTER XVIII. IN TUE NICK OF TIME, ALL night long Jumbo Griggs lay upon the hill-top, feeding the fire from time to time that might not go out, Sleep did not come to him through all those tedious hours, because of the pain in his injured ankle, Near morning he drained from his flask the last of the water and ate what was left of the food, Then he piled the fire higher with dry boughs, that the light might guide the troopers to him should they have reached the vicinity. When day came he added damp earth to the boughs to create a heavy column of smoke. This, like the fire, might draw enemies as well as friends, But the chances must be taken. Scarcely had the spiral of smoke risen above the tops of the trees, however, when he became aware that it had been seen. There was a clat- ter of hoofs on the stony turf far below; then the hail: ‘Ho! the hill-top!” At this Jumbo scrambled to his feet and with the assistance of bis crutches placed him- self in a positicn to observe the author of the bail, It was a man with the shoulder-straps of a captain, and mounted on a magnificent beast. At the base of the hill there were more men, ‘¢ Hurrah!” and Jumbo flung bis bat in air end fairly hugged himself with delight. ‘It’s the soldiers from the pest. Now, we’ll do some- thing. At least, as the Sister-in-Law urged 80 strenuously upon Mrs. Dombey, we'll make an effort!” Then he stumped down the hill toward the of- ficer, hoping against hope that Paou had been brougbt with the troops, a thing he had no rea- son to expect. But Paou was not there, as he discovered all too soon. *Paou? Ob, the Chinee!” and the captain pursed his lips. ‘‘ Why, the disagreeable truth 1s, he got away last night, and could not be re- captured,” ‘“* And isin this neighborhood, then!” Jumbo exclaimed, ‘“Itll go hard with Dillon and Somers if they fall into his power.” All of which was so evidently true that the troopers were got under way at once, and gal- loped at their best gait toward the river, the gritty sergeant, in spite of his bad ankle, acting as pilot. When the river was reached,. which was within an hour after suvrise, Jumbo led the troopers straight into the water, swimming the beasts across, He believed it not only possible, but probable, that the prisoners had been con- veyed to the cave where he once came so near death, as the outlaws seemed averse to taking any one to their secret Jair, When the vicinity of this cave bad been gain- ed, the men were dismounted, the horses left in charge of a few, and the others led direct to the concealed entrance. And this movement was not effected a moment too soon, Paou, with his beart filled with bitter hate, had arrived at the cavern but a few moments before. Even as the troopers were crawling stealthily forward, be was taunting his captives with their helpless condition, and preparing to take sum- mary and swift vengeance upon them, He had had them bound to tbe post, and to judge by ap- pearances, the knife-throwing ordeal was soon to follow, At sight of this the sergeant’s eyes blazed. ‘* Charge them!” he commanded, The soldiers obeyed with a whoop and yell. There was a rattling fire, as the outlaws endeay- ored to repel the charge. But it lasted for only a moment. When the smoke cleared away many dead were seen upon the floor, Te others were flying to freedom through a means of exit before unknown to Jumbo, Among the slain was Paou, No mere flesh wound this time from which to return by quick recovery to villainous deeds It was a terrible ending of a career of crime: Cut down in the prime of manhood, and in the enactment of cruelty! Yet it was an end to have been antici- pated, and a fitting close to the life he had led, The fight was scarcely over when Margaret Grant unexpectedly appeared upon the scene, She was mounted on the horse that had escaped from Jumbo, it having returned to the house; and her skirts were dripping wet from contact with the river. Yet, even in this plight, Dillon thought her the most handsome woman he had ever seen, ‘*T saw the soldiers as they crossed theriver,” ’ e ¥ ah ws hh ee -— cee. oe |
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: a, ‘and by the aid of my glass re- mR Mr. Griggs. I have a letter for him A father. I caught the horse and came as Muickly as possible, Her features were pale and anxious, showing that she feared the worst from the contents of the letter. Her father had said it was to be delivered, if he had not returned within twelve hours, Since then twenty-four hours bad passed, The sergeant kastily tore open the envelope and glanced down the sheet of writing. ‘*There’s more work for us to do!” he said, passing the letter to Margaret. ‘‘ Get the men ready to move at once, I[ hope those Chinese were so scared by the little tussle we’ve just bad that they’ll take to the hills, and not go near this other place with news of our presence.” Somers and Dillon, and the captain of the | force, were made acquainted with the nature of the writing, and then the purport of it was com- municated to the men. A knowledge of the probable peril in which Toltec was placed stirred all to the greatest activity. When the advance was ordered on the hidden tunnel spoken of in the letter Margaret accom- panied the force, her anxiety being too intense to allow her to return home, By means of a cautious approach the guard at the tunnel’s mouth was swiftly and _ silently overpowered, and then was forced at the muzzle of a revolver to open the hidden doors leading to the home of the League, Thus the troopers were able to appear before Flint and his associates in a manner that was terrible and startling in its suddenness, There was no time for flight, neither was there oppor- tunity for effective resistance, A half-dozen men, taking advantage of the bold example of Toltec Tom, escaped by theriver. The others were either captured or slain. Basil Flint was among those taken alive; and for his many crimes he suffered an imprisonment that will be for life, for bim. Toltec Tom, imprisoned as it seemed to him for cruel days although only one fight had fled, heard the sound of firing and of combat, and rightly guessed the cause. He had laid himself down to die, but hope now revived, strength of body and mind came back, and he determined to live, His stentorian calls were heard and the direc- tion located. A cartridge of giant powder for mine blasting was found among the stores of the outlaws, Under the supervisicn of Jumbo it was placed in position to shatter the inter- vening walls, “All ready!” the post sergeant called out, | when he was prepared to light the fuse. ‘* Get back somewhere, Toltec, when this goes off, The mountain from its firm base will start. All ready?” Toltec replied in tue affirmative, a cheerful ac- cent in bis tones, A minute later the very island shook with the tremendousness of the explosion, The separat- ing wall was torn down, moved, Into the apartment occupied by Toltec ured the resistless flood, By the flaring lights of the torches the old man was seen on its crest, being swept as itseemed todeath! But, Jumbo, the ever-reliable Jumbo, forgetful of bruises and sprained ankle, stretched forth a helping hand, and dragged the treasure-seeker to safety. There is but little more to tell, though that | little will reveal a secret which the reader has | probably not guessed. Thomas Grant, alias Toltec Tom, had been, | jn all his dealings witb friends and foes, largely laying a part. ue be was a treasure-seeker, and believed firmly in the sfory told in the old Toltee writ- ings. But he was more. He was a cool, long- headed agent of the Secret Service, sent to that region for the express purpose of hunting down the Loco League, It was known by the general incommand that the League had paia spies among the people at Fort Mesquite. So, while the commandant sent Dillon and Jumbo—a fact known almost instant- ly to Basil Flint, as we have seen—the general sent Toltec Tom in the role of the Mad Pros- pector. And this, with the knowledge of the traitorous character of Smith Silcott, will ex- lain to the reader why Toltec had looked upon Dis eclt-invited guests with such distrust. Tol- tec was never himself suspected by any one, and what he accomplished it has been the aim of this story, among other things, to tell. But for his cunning and boldness the home of the island League might never have been found, The immense treasure which so nearly cost him his life and bis reason was ingulfed by the The rocks will fly | 7 Not only that but a | portion of the side wall facing the river was re- | He was not what he seemed, | | 659 Harlem Jack, the Office Boy Detective. ” Toltec Tom, the Mad Prospector. flood. Nothing was saved of it but the handful of gems he had thrust into his pockets, But these were worth a king’s ransom, A portion of the proceeds of their sale was in- vested in an Arizona cattle-ranch; and in car- ing for bis herds, and in making welcome and happy the many guests who flock about him ; each winter, the old treasure-seeker has his beart and hands full. Dillon, with pretty Margaret as his wife, has settled down in an Arizonian home of his own. It isonly a stone’s throw from that of Toltec Tom, Thev are frequently visited by the jolly sergeant, Jumbo Griggs. Even Somers, the showman, stops his wanderings occasionally and takes a run down there. Jumbo is still a soldier, and tells himselt he will always be one. He is a typical soldier, too; honest, brave, loyal! But whatever glory awaits him in future fields of adventure he will never forget the dangers and excitements of bis fight with the Loco League. THE END, Beadle's Half-Dime Library. BY LIEUT. A. K. SIMS, 5646 Captain Cactus, the Chaparral Cock, 568 The Dandy of Dodge. The Silver Sport. Saffron Sol, the Man With a Shadow 589 Tom-Cat and Purdy or, The Dead Set at Silver City. Happy Mana, the Dutch Vidocg. Blidad Barnacle, the Detective Hercules, 622 Texas Tom-Cat’« Triad Tom Cat’s Terrible Task, 688 Tom-Cat’s Triumph; or, Black Dan’s Great Combine, 646 Cowboy Gld, the Cattle-Range etective, 57 Warbling Willlam, the Mountain Mountebank, b Jolly Jereminhy the Plains Detective, Signal Sam, the Lookout Scout, Rilly. the Gypsy Spy. 699 Slraple Sim, the Broncho Buster, 712 The Mesmerlist Sports or, The Mystified Detective. BY WM. G. PATTEN, 489 The Diamond Sport; or, The Double Face of Bed Rock, 519 Captain Mystery ; or, Five in One. Daisy ware the Sport from Denver. 6ST Old Bombshell, the Ranger Detective. 604 Iron Fern, the Man of Fire. 619 The Boy Tramp Detective: or, The Double Grip Witness 629 Violet Vane, the Velvet Sporn. 641 Dismal Dave’s Dandy Pard. 651 Bound Boy Frank, the Young Amateur Detective 668 Violet Vane’sa Victory. 682 Wild Vulcan, the Lone-Range Rider, 69% Violet and Daltay, the Posy Pards. TOS Violet Vane’s Vow; or, The Cratty Detective’s Craft. BY JOSEPH E, BADGER, JR, 2 Yellowstone Jack; or, The Trapper. 48 Black John, the Road-Agent; or, The Outlaw’s Retreat. 65 Hurricane Bill; or, Mustang Sam and His Pard. 119 Mustang Sam ¢ or, The King of the Plains, 186 Night-liawk Kits; or, The Daughter of the Ranch. 144 Dainty Lance the Boy Sport. 151 Panther Paul: or, Dainty Lance to the Rescue. 160 The Black Glant; or, Dainty Lance in Jeopardy. 168 Dendly Dash; or, Fighting Fire with Fire. 184 The Boy Tralflersa; or, Dainty Lance on the War-Path, 205 'The Boy Pardsy or, Dainty Lance Unmasks. 211 Orooked Cale, the Caliban of Celestial City. 810 The Barranca Wolf; or, The Beautiful Decoy, $19 The Black Rider; or, The Horse-Thieves’ League. $85 Old Double Fist; or, The Strange Guide 855 The Kine of the Woods: or Dante) Boone’s Last Trail, 449 Kit Fox, the Border Soy Detective 625 Chincapin Dan, the Boy Tratler. 677 Chinenpin Dan's Second Trall. ' 6SS Chincapin Dan's Home Stretch. GOS Old Crazy, the Mav Without a Head, 708 Light-Meart Lute’s Legacy. BY J0 PIERCE. 89T Rob o° the Bowery ; or, The Prince of Mulberry Street, 415 The Vagabond Detective; or, Bowery Bob's Boom, meee Bob, the Street-Boy Detective.” 460 The Lawyer's Shadow; or, Luke’s Legacy. 472 Jaunty Joe, the Young Horse-King. 4094 Surly Sim, the Y sung Ferryman Detective. Five Points Phil i 509 Jaek J aggera, the Butcher Boy Detective. 5616 Tartar Tim; or, Five Points Phil’s Menagerle. 526 North River Nat, the Pier Detective. 558 Wrestling Rex, the Pride ofthe Sixth Ward Jef Flicker, the Stable Boy Detective. Nick Nettle, the Boy Shadow. 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 Detectives Aid. 628 Buck Bumblebe » the Harlenn Hommer, 689 Sunrise Saul, the Express-Train Ferret. 649 Gamin Bob, the Bowery r; or, Scooping a Slippery Set, 658 Sky-Rocket Rob, the Life-Saver. Saltpeter Sol, the New York Navigator. 694 Spley Jim, the Only One of His Kind. 706 Tom Thistle, the Road-House Detective. BY CAPTAIN FRED. WHITTAKK 15 The Sea-Cat; or, The Witch of Darien. 29 The Dumb Pages or, The Doge’s Deughter. AS Dick Darling, the Pony Express Rider. 150 Lance and Lasso; or, The Children of the Chaco. 154 The Sword Hunters; or, The Land of the Elephant Riders, 159 The Lost Captain; or Skipper Jabez Coffin’s Cruise. 200 The Boy Bedoutns; or, The Brothers of the Plumed Lance, 214 Wolfgang, the Robber of the Rhine. 249 Milo Romer the Animal King; or, Round the World, 265 The Tiger Tamer; or, The League of the Jungle. 881 Black Nick, the Demon Rider. 895 California Joo’s War Trail. BY JAMES L. BOWEN 107 One-Eyed Sim; or, The Abandoned Forest Home. 110 The Black Steed of'the Prairies, A Story of Texas, =m BY OLL COOMES. 5 Vagabond Joe, the Young Wandering Jew, 18 The Dumb Spy. ‘27 Antelope Abe, the Boy Guide. 81 Keen-Kuilfe, the Prince of the Prairies, 41 Lasso Jack, the Young Mustanger. 5S The Border Kings or, The Secret Foe, 71 Delaware Dick, the Young Ranger Spy. 74 Mawk-eye Marry the Young Trapper Ranger, 88 Kollo, the Boy Ranger. 184 Sure Shot Seth, the boy Rifleman, 148 Sear-Face Saul, tlie Silent Hunter 146 Silver Star, the Boy Knight. 158 Eagle Kit, the Boy Demon. 16 1 1 & Little Texas, the Young Mustanger. 7S Old Solltary, the Hermit Trapper. S2 Little Hurricane, the Boy Captain, 202 Prospect Pete; or, The Young Outlaw Aunters, 208 The Boy Hercules: or, Uhe Prairie Tramps. 218 Mier ‘Tom, the Texas Terror. 224 Dashing: Dicky or, Vrapper Tom’s Castle. 228 Little Wildtire, the Young Prairie Nomad, 28S The Parson Detective; or, The Littl Ranger, 248 The Disgutsed Guides or, Wild Raven, the Ranger, 260 Dare-Devil Dan, the Young Prairie Ranger, 2TZ Minkakin Mike, the Boy Sharpshooter. 290 Little Foxfire, the Boy Spv. $00 The Sky Demon; or, Kainbolt, the Ranger, 884 Whip-King Joe, the Bov Ranchero, 409 Hercules; vr, Dick, the Boy Ranger, 417 Webtoot Mose, the Tramp Detective. 422 Baby Sam, the Boy Ginnt of the Yellowstone, 444 Little Buckskin, the Young Prairie Centaur, 457 Wingedtoot 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 Bastl, the Hermit Boy Trapper, 652% Don Barr, the Plains Freelance, 661 Old Kit Bandy’s Deliverance, 670 Norway Nels, the Bigs Boy Mountaineer. 680 Dauntless Dan, the Freelance, or Old Kit Bandy in Arcadia, BY PHILIP &. WARNE, OT Patent-Leather Joe; or, Old Rattlesnake, the Charmer 175 Capra Arizonay or, Petent-Leather Joe's Big Gane, 198 Captain Mask; or, Patent-Leather Joe's Defeat. 219 Despard, the Duecliat; cr, The Mountain Vempires. 888 A Tough Boy; or, The Dwarf’s Revenge. REE Little Tornados or, The Outcaste of the Glen, BTR Little Jingo; or, the Queer Pard, 8BSS8 Little Oh-my ¢ or, Caught in His Own Trap, 401 Little Shoo-Fly ¢ or, A Race fora Ranch, 408 Little Leather- Breeches ; or, Old Jumbo’s Curse 481 Little Ah Sing or, The Curse of Blood, 451 Colorado Kate. A Tale of the olinea, 480 Three Jolly Parda, BIT Jim Gladden’s Deputy. 527 The Jolly Pards to the Rescue, B4T Sandy Andy; or, A Good Man Down, 556 Lariat Lily or, The Cast for a Life, 574 Old Weansel-top, the Man with the Doge, 598 Keen Clem, the Ranch Imp. 599 Jim Dandy the No-Name Sport. 618 Billy Blazes; or, The Skeleton’s Legacy. G85 Okinhoma HA, the Blue-Coat Scout, 648 Wappy Varry’s Big Find. 664 Cheeky Charley, the Special. BY ALBERT W. AIKEN, 11 The Two Detectives; or, The Fortunes ofa Bowery Girl. 76 Abe Colt, the Crow-Killer. 7Y Sol Ginger, the Giant Trapper. 2468 Joe Buck of Angels and His Boy 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 Rick, the Circus Prince, 498 Taos Ted, toe Arizonn Sport. 510 Cool Colorado, the Half-Breed Detective, B18 Cool Colorado tn New York. MISCELLANEOUS AUTHORS, 4 The Wild-Horse Hunters, By Capt. Mayne Reta and Frederick Whittaker, ® Adventures of Baron Munchauasen, 12 Gulliver’s Travels. By Dean Switt. 14 Aladding or, The Wonderin) Lamp. 16 Robinson Crusoe. (27 [lustrations.) 18 Sindbad the Sailor, His Seven Voyages. 22 14 Sen Serpent; or, The Boy Robfnson Crasoe, sows, 88 The Ocean Bloodhound, or, The Red Pirates of the Carribees. By S, W. Pierce. 86 The Boy Clowns or, The Arena Queen. By F 8. Fin Ned Wylde, the Boy Scout. By Texas Jack. 61 The Roy Rites: or. The Underground Camp. By A, C. front. 96 The Rival Royeray or, The Freebooters of the Mississippi. By Lieut.-Col, Haxeltine. 98 Robin Stood, the Outinwed Ear); or, The Merry Men of Groon- wood, By Prof. Gildersleeve, 105 Old Rube, the Hunter; or, The Crow Captive. By Captain Hamilton Holmen. 112 The Mad unter: or, ' he Cave of Death. 124 Tipvy, the Texans or, The Young Champion, Gleraon. 128 The Young Privateers or, Vhe Pirate’s Stronghold. By Harry Cavendish. By Juan By Burton Saxe. By George 148 Sharp Sams? or, The Adventures ofa Friendleas Boy. By J, Alexander Patten. 227 Dusky Darrell, Trapper: or, The Green Ranger of the Yel- lowstone, By Edward Laie 261 Fergua Fearnaught the New York Boy. By G@, L, Alken, 266 Killb’ar, the Guide; %r, Davy Crockett’s Crooked Trall, By Ensign C. D. Warren. 298 Red Claw, the One-Eyed Trapper; or, The Maid of the Cliff, By Captain Comatock. 817 Peacock Pete. the Lively Lad from Leadville, By Lieu- tenant Alfred Thorne. : 828 The Sky Detectives or, A Boy's Fight tor Life and Honor By Maior Mickey Free. 850 Red Ralph, the River Rovers or, The Brother’s Ree venge. By Ned Buntline, _ £65 Raltimore Ren the Bootblack Detective. By A, P, Morris. 874 Gold-Duat Toms? or, Ben’s Double Match, By @ H, Moree. 876 Cailfornin Joe’s Firat Trail. By Colonel Thomas Hoyer Monastery. 418 Riily Bombshell, the Cliff Climber. By F. 8. Winthrop. A4?6 The Binck Ship. By John S Warner. 484 Comanche Pick and Hix Three Invinetbles. . By Henry J, Thomas, BR2 The Cowboy Duke. By Edwin Brooke Forrest. B52 Artel the Athlete. By David Drotd, BRS Will Waters, the Bov Forret, By H. Enton. 682 The Doad Detective’s Double. By Gerald Carlton, A New Issue Every Tuesday- The Half-Dime Library is for anle by ail newsdealers, five conta per copy, or sent by mal! on receipt of six cents each. BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, 98 William Strect, New York.
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| | iy BE Ry Tae ~ BEADLE’S* H ALF-DIME* LIBRAhS Published Every Tuesday. Hach Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents. No Double Nun™ BY EDWARD L. WHTEELER. Deadwood Dick Novela 1 Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. 0 Deadwood Dick’s Deflance; or, Double Daggers. 28 Deadwood Dick in Disguise; or, Buifal, Ben 85 Deadwood Dick in His Castle. 42 Deadwood Dick’s Bonanza; or, The . «antom Miner. 49 Deadwood Dick in Danger; or, Omana Ol. 57 Deadwood Dick’s Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood Bar. 7B Deadwood Dick on Deck; or, Calamity é tne, the Heroine, 77 Deadwood Dick’s Last Acts or, Corduroy Charlie. 100 Deadwood Dick in Lend ville. 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 Kase; or, Blonde Bill. 149 Deadwood Dick’s Big Strike; or, A Game of Gold, 156 Deadwood Dick of Deadwood: or, The Picked Party. 195 Deadwood Dick’s Dreams; or, The Rivals of the Road, 201 Deadwood Dick’s Ward; or, The Black’ Hill’s Jezebel. 205 Deadwood Dick’s Dooms or, Calamity Jane’s Adventure, 217 Deadwood Dick’s Dead Deal. 221 Deadwood Dick’s Death-Plant. 282 Gold-Dust Dick. A Romance of Roughs and Tougha, 268 Deadwood Dick’s Divides or, The Spirit of Swamp Lake. 268 Deadwood Dick’s Death Trail 809 Deadwood Dick’s Deals or, The Gold Brick of Oregon. B21 Deadwood Dick’s Dozen; or, The Fakir of Phantom Flats B47 Deadwood Dick’s Ducats; or, Days in the Diggings. 851 Deadwood Dick Sentenced; or, The Terrible Vendetta, B62 Deadwood Dick’s Claim. 405 Deadwood Dick In Dead City. 410 Deadwood Dick’s Dinmends, 421 Deadwood Dick in New York; or, A “Cute Case.” 480 Deadwoed Dick’s Dust; or, The Chained Hand. 448 Deadwood Dick, Jr. 448 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Defiance. 458 Deadwoed Dick, Jr.’s, Full Hand. 459 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Biz Round-Up. 465 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Racket at Claim 10. A771 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’«, Corral; or, Bozeman Bill. A76 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’«, Dog Detcetive. 481 Deadwood Dick, Jr., In Deadwood, 491 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’«, Compact, 496 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Inheritance, 600 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Diggings. 508 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’«, Deliverance, 5615 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Protegec. 522 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Three, 529 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Danger Ducka 584 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Death Hunt. 589 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Texas, 544 Deadwood Dick, Jr., the Wild West Vidoog 549 Deadwood Dick, Jr., on iis Mettle. B54 Deadwood Dick, Jr., tn Gotham, 561 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Boston. 567 Deadwood Dick, dr., in Philadetphia, 572 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Chicago. 578 Deadwood Dick. Je, Afloat. &S4 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Denver. 590 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Decree. 595 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Beelzebub’s Basin, 600 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Coney Island. 606 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Leadville Lay. 612 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Detroit. 618 Deadwood Dick, Jdr., in Cincinuatl, 624 Deadwood Dick. Jr., in Nevada, 680 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in No Man’s Land, 686 Deadwood Dick, Jr., After the Queer. 642 Deadweod Dick, Jr., In Buffalo, G48 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Chase Across the Continent 654 Deadwood Dick, Jr., Among the Smugglers. 660 Deadwood Diek, Jr.’s, Insurance Case. 666 Dendwood Dick, Jr., Back in the Mines. 672 Deadwood Dick, Jr., (n Durango; or, “ Gathered In.” 678 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Discovery; or, Found a Fortune, 684 Deadwood Diek, Jr.’s. Dazzle. 690 Deadweod Dick, Jr.’s. Dollars. 695 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Danger Divide. 700 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Drop. T04 Dendwoed Dick, Jr., at Jack-Pot. 710 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in San Francisco. 16 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’«, Still Hunt. 22 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Dominoes. 728 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Disguise. ~ — BY CHARLES MORRIS. 8 Will Somers, the Boy Detective, 2 Phil Hardy, the Boss Boy. 6 Picayune Pete; or, Nicodemus, the Dog Detective. 0 Detective Dick; or, The Hero in Rags. 2 Handsome Harry, the Bootblack Detective, % Will Wildfire, the Thoroughbred. 2 Black Beas, Wi!) Wildfire’s Racer. 7 Mike Merry, the Harbor Police Boy. rd Will Wildfire in the Woods, 0 4 9 8 1 2 2 8 4 4 5 5 Billy B age, the Railroad Boy. A Trump Card; or, Will Wildfire Wins and Loses, Bob Rockett; or, Mysteries of New York. Bob Rockett, the Bank Runner, The Hidden Mand or, Wil) Wildfire’s Revenge. ® Fred Halyard, the Life Boat Boy; or, The Smugglers, 9 Bob Rockett; or, Driven to the Wall. 96 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 Premium Darky. 285 Shadow Sam, the Messenger Boy. 242 The Two ** Bloods”; or, Shenandoah Bill and His Gang, 252 Dick Dashawiy ;: or, A Dakota Boy in Chicago. 262 The Young Sharps: or, Rollicking Mike’s Hos Trail 274 Jolly Jim, the Detective Apprentice. 289 Jolly Jim’s Job; or, The Young Detective. 298 The Water-Hound; or, The Young Thoroughored, 805 Dashaway, of Dakota; or, A Western Lad in Quaker City, 824 Ralph Rendy, the Hotel Boy Detective, 841 Tony Thorne, the Vagabond Detective. 858 The Reporter-Detective; or, Fred Flyer’s Bliaaard, B67 Wide-Awake Joe; or, A Boy of the Times. 879 Larry, the Leveler; or, The Bloods ot the Boulevard. 408 Firefly Jack, the River-Rat Detective. 428 The Lost Finger 5 or, The Entrapped Oashier. 428 Fred Flyer, the Reporter Detective. A82 Invincible Logan, the Pinkerton Ferret. 456 Billy Brick, the Jolly Vagapond. 466 Wide-Awake Jerry, Detective; or, Entombed Alive. 479 Detective Dodge; or, The Mystery of Frank Hearty. 488 Wild Dick Racket. 601 Boots, the Boy Fireman: or, Too Sharp for the Sharper, 666 The Secret Service Boy Detective. 596 Jimmy the Kid; or, A Lamb Among Wolves. 627 Tom Bruce of Arkansas} or, The Wolf in the Fold, 655 Plucky Paul, the Boy Speculator. 667 Bob and Sam, the Daisy Detectives. 709 The Curbstone Detective; or, Harry Hale’s Big Beat, 6 6 z z z 8 8 8 ee 26 Cloven Hoof, the Buffalo Demon. 82 Bob Woolf or, The Girl Dead-Shot, 89 Death-Face, Detective; or, Life in New York. 45 Old Avalanche; or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigand. 58 Jim Bludsoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix. 61 Buckhorn Bill; or, The Red Rifle Team. 69 Gold Rifle, the Sharpshooter; or, The Boy Detective. 80 Rosebud Robs or, Nugget Ned, the Knight. 84 Idyl, the Girl Miner; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand, 88 Phetograph Phil; or, Rosebud Rob’s Reappearance. 92 Canada Chet} or, Old Anaconda in Sitting Bull’s Camp. 96 Watch-Eye ¢ or, Arabs and Angels of a Great City, 118 Jaek Hoyle the Young Speculator, 117 Gilt-Edged Dick, the Sport Detective 3121 Cinnamon Chip, the Girl Sport, 25 Bonanza Bill, Miner. 8 Boxe Bob the King of Bootblacks, 41 Solid Sam, the Boy Road-Agent. 5 Cuptain Ferret, the New York Detective. 5! New York Nell, the Boy-Girl Detective. 77 Nobby Nick of Nevada; or, The Sierras Scampe, 81 Wild Frank, the Buckskin Bravo. OY Fritz, the Bound-Boy Detective. 218 Fritz to the Front; or, The Ventriloquist Hunter, 226 Snoozer, the Bey Sharp; or, The Arab Detectiva, 286 Apollo Bll, the Trail Tornado. 240 Cyclone Kit, the Young Gladiator. 244 Sicrra Sam, the Frontier Ferret. 248 Sierra Sam’ Secret; or, The Bloody Footprints, 258 Sierra Sam’sa Pards; or, The Angel of Big Vista. 258 Sierra Sain’s Seven; or, The Stolen Bride. 278 Jumbo Joe, the Boy Patro): or, The Rival Heirs, 277 Denver Doll, the Detective Queen. 281 Denver Doll’« Victory. 255 Denver Dell’s Decoy ; or. Little Bill’s Bonanza, 291 Turk the Boy Ferret. 296 Denver Doll's Drift; or, The Road Queen. 209 A No, 1, the Dashing Toll-Taker. 808 ’Liza Jane, the Girl Miner; or, the Iron-Nerved Sport. 825 Kelley, Hickey & Co., the Detectives of Philadelphia, 880 Little Quick-Shot3; or, The Dead Face of Daggersville. 884 Kangaroe Kit; or, The Mysterious Miner, 889 Kangaroo Kit’ Racket, 848 Manhattan Mike, the Bowery Blood, 858 First-Class Fred, the Gent trom Gopher. 868 Yreka Jim, the Gold-Gatherer} or, The Life Lottery. B72 Yreka Jim’s Prize. 78 Nabob Neds or, The Secret of Slab City. 882 Cool Kit, the King of Kids; or, A Villain’s Vengeance, 885 Yreka Jim’s Joker; or, The Rivals of Red Nose, 889 Bicyele Ben}; or. The Lion of Lightning Lode, 894 Yreka Jim of Yuba Dam, 400 Wrinkles, the Night-Watch Detective. 416 High Hat Harry, the Base Bal!) Detective, 426 Sam Slabaides, the Beggar-Boy Detective. 484 Jim Beak and Pal, Private Detectives, 488 Santa Fe Sal, the Slasher. 486 Sealskin Saw, the Sparkler. Other Novels by E. L. Wheeler. | eo RD et rk pet hs fet ~ BY T. ©. HARBAUGH, 28 Nick o’ the Night; or, The Boy Spy of ’76. 87 The Hidden Lodge}; or The Little Hunter, 47 Nightingale Nat; or, Tne Forest Captains, 64 Dandy Jacky; or, The Outlaws of the Oregon Trali, 82 Kit Harefoot the Wood-Hawk. 94 Midnight Jack ; or, The Boy Trapper. 106 Old Froaty, the Guide; or, The White Queen, 128 Kiowa Charley the White Mustanger. 189 Judge Lynch Jr.: or, The Boy Vigiiante. 55 Gold Trigger, the Sport; er, The Girl Avenger. 69 Tornado Temes or, Injun Jack From Red Core, 88 Ned Temple, the Border Boy. 98 Arkausaw ; or, The Queen of Fate’s Revenge. 07 Navajo Nick. the Boy Gold Hunter. 15 Captain Rullet; or, Little Topknot’s Crusade, 281 Plucky Phil; or. Rosa, the Re! Jezebel, 241 Bill Bravo; or, Tie Roughs of the Rockies. 255 Captain Apelin, tne King-Pin of Bowie. 267 The Kuckakin Detective. 279 Old Winch? or, The Buckskin Desperadoes. 294 Dynamite Dan; or, The Bowle 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 Rig Benson; or, The Queen of the Lasso. 845 Pititless Matt; or, Ked Thunderbolt’s Secret. B56 Oool sam and Pard¢ or The Terrible Six. 866 Velvet Foot, the Indian Detective. 886 Captain Cutlasa; or, The Brccaneer’s Girl Foe. 896 Rough Robs or, The Twi Champions of Blue Blazes, 411 The Silken Lasso: or, The Rose of Ranch Robin, 418 Felix Fox, the Boy Spotter. 425 Texas Trump. the Border Rattler. 486 Phil Flash, the New York Fox, 445 The City Vampires; or, Ked Rolfe’s Pigeon. 461 One Agatnet Fifty; or, The Last Man of Keno Bar, 470 The Boy Shadow; or, Felix Fox's Hunt. 477 The Excelsior Sport; or, The Washington Spotter, 499 Single Sight, the One-Eyed Sport. 502 Branded Ben, the Nicht ferret. 512 Dodger Dick, the Wharf-Spy Detective, 621 Dodger Dick’s« Rest Dodge. 528 Fox and Faicon, the owery Shadows, 588 Dodger Dick, the Tock Ferret. &48 Dodger Dick’s Double: or, The Rival Boy Detectives, 558 Dodger Dick’« Deaperate Cise. 568 Dodger Dick. the Roy Vidoeq. 578 The Two Shadows. 582 Dodger Dick’s Drop. 594 Little Lon, the Street-Singer Detective. 610 Old Skinner, the Gold Shark; or, Tony Shayp 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 Shadowes. 685 Happy Hugh; the Boy. Musician Detective. 7O1 epetesran Fred, the Camera Sharp. 715 Wide Awake Len, the Quaker City Worst: 1 1 1 1 2 2 BY WM. G. PATTEN. 489 The Biamond Sport; or, The ouble Face of Bed Rock, 519 Captain Mystery ; or, Five in One. 581 Daley tare the Sport from Denver. 587 Old Bombshell, the Ranger Detective. 604 Tron Fern, the Man of Fire. 619 The Boy Tramp Detective: or, The Double Grip Witness 629 Violet Vane, the Velvet Sport. 641 Diamal Dave’s« Dandy Pard. 651 Bound Boy Frank, the Young Amateur Detective 668 Violet Vane’sa Victory. 682 Wild Vulcan, the Lone-Range Rider, 69R Violet and Daisy, the Posy Pards, ; 705 Violet Vane’s Vow; or. The Crafty Detective’s Craft, 714 Old Misery, the Man from Missouri. 724 Violet Vane’s Vengeance. BY COLONEL PRENTISS INGRAHAM, ? The Flying Yankee; or, The Ocean Outcast, 17 Ralph Roy, the Boy Buccanver; or, The Fugitive Yacht. 24 Diamond Dirk}; or, The Mystery of the Yellowstone, 62 The Shadow Ship; or, The Rival Lientenante, 25 The Boy Duelist; or, The Cruise of the Sea-Wolf, 102 Dick Dead-Eye, the Boy Smuggier. 111 The Sea-Devil; or, The Midshipman’s Legacy. 116 The Hussar Captain ; or, The Hermit of Hell Gate. 197 Little Grit; or, Bessie, the Stock-Tender’s Daughter. 204 Gold Plume} or, Buffilo Bill, the Pony Express Rider. 216 Bison BAL, the Prince of the Reins; or, Bastalo Bill’s Pluck, 222 Grit, the Bravo Sport; or, The Woman Trailer, 229 Crimson Kate; or, The Cowboy’s Triumph, 287 Lone Star, the Cowboy Captain. 245 Merle, the Middy ; or, The Freelance Heir. 250 The Midshipman i utineer ¢ or, Brandt, the Buccaneer, 264 The Floating Feather: 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 Sea Marauder; or, Merle Monte’s Pledge. 287 Billy Blue-Eyes, the Boy Rover of the Rio Grande. 804 The Dead Snot Dandy ; or, Benito, the Boy Bugler, 808 Kene Kit; or, Dead Shot Dandy’s Double. 814 The Mysterious Marauder; or, The Boy Bugler’s Tral), 877 Bonodel, the Buy Rover}; or, The Flagless Schooner, B88 The Indian Pilot; or, The Search for Pirate Island, 887 Warpath WIL, the Boy Phantom. 898 Seawalf, the Boy Lieutenant. 402 Isodor, the Young Conspirator ; or, The Fatal League. 407 The Boy Insurgent; or, The Cuban Vendetta, 412 The Wild Vachtamans or, The War-Cloud’s Cruise 429 Duncan Dare, the Boy Refugee. 488 A Cabin Boy’s Luck; or, The Corsair. 487 The Sea Raider. 441 The Ocean Firefly ¢ or, A Middy’s Vengeance. 446 Haphazard eN! $ or, Tne Scapegrace of the Sea, 450 Wizard Will: or, The Boy Ferret of New York. 454 Wizard WIIl’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 Ferreta Afloat; or, Wizard Will’s Last Case, 487 Nevada Ned, the Revolver Ranger. 495 Arizona Joe the Boy Pard of Texas Jack. 497 Buck Taylor, King of the Cowboys. ’ 508 The Royal Middy ¢; or, The Shark and the Sea Cat, 507 The Hunted Midshipman. 511 The Outlawed Middy. 520 Buckskin Bill, the Comanche Shadow, 525 Brothers in Buckskin. 580 The Buckskin Bowers, 585 The Bue: skin Rovers. 540 Captain Ku-Klux, the Marander of the Rio, 545 Lieutenant Leo, the Son of Lafitte. 550. Lalitte’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-Seout Detective, 580 The Outcast Cadets or, The False Detective, 586 The Buckskin Avenger. 591 Delmonte, the Young Sea-Rover. 597 The Young Texan Detective. 602 The Vagabond of the Mines. 607 The Rover Detective; or, Keno Kit’s Champions, 617 Ralph, the Dead-Shot Scout; or, The Rio Raiders, 644 The Hercules Highwayman. 650 Butterfly Billy, the Pony Rider Detective; or, Buffale Bill’s Boy Pard. 656 Butterfly Billy’s Man Hunt. 662 Butterfly Billy’s Bonanza. 668 The Buccaneer Midshipman, 674 The Wizard Saflor; or, Red Ralph, the Rover, 679 The Sea Shadower; or, The Freebooter’s Legacy, 686 Orlando, the Ocean Free Flag; or, The Tarnished Name, 692 The Rival Sharps; or, Redfern, the Secret Service Scout, 697 The Scarlet Sombrero; or, The Sharp from Texas. 702 Blue Jacket Bill; or, Tne Red Hat Rangers’ Red Hot Racke® 707 The Red Sombrero Rangers; or, Redfern’s Last Trail~ 718 Carl, the Mad Cowboy; or, The Lariat Queen. 719 Pawnee Bill’« Pledge; or, The Cowboy Kidnapper, 25 Daring Dick, Pawnee Bi!!’s Pard; or, The Red Cavalry Raid, BY BUFFALO BILL (Hon. Wm. F, Cody), 8 Kansas King; or, The Red Right Hand. 19 The Phantom Spy: or, The Pilot of the Prairie. 55 Deadly-Eye, the Unknown Scout, 68 Border Robin Hood; or, The Prairie Rover, 158 Fancy Frank of Colorado; or, The Trapper’s Trust. LATEST AND NEW ISSUES, 729 Kilverblade, the Half-Blood; or, The Border Beagle at Bay. By Jos, E. Badger, Jr. 780 Violet Vane’s Verdfet; or, The Crooked Game at Coffin City. By Wm. G. Patten. 781 Ruth Redmond, the Girl Shadower; or, The Rivals in Buckskin. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham, 782 Daisy Dell, the Pavement Detective; or, Trapping Big Game, By T. C. Harbaugh. %88 Toltec Tom, the Mad Prospector; or, Unearthing the Cavern League, By Lieut. A, K. Sims. 284 Dendwood Dick, Jr.’s, Double Deal; or, The All- Around Surprise. By Edward L. Wheeler. Ready August 18, 285 Broadway Billy’s Business; or, Waking Up Wind Can- yon Camp. By 4, C, Cowdrick. Ready August 25. 786 Larry, the Thoroughbred} or, Beaten on Every Side. By George C. Jenks, Ready September 1. A New Iasue. Every Tuceday. The Half- Dime Library 1s for sale by all newsdealers, five: cents per copy, or sent by mail on receipt of six cents each, BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, : 98 William Street, New Yorks