Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 778) (1892 06 21)
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= PLE. ——s Fe = Lalla cli lalalleallally) _ N Ta A < Sy Soe YY ¢ Ll \ € — : x A WOOO LN SS NN \ \ . y= —- gourd WS =o 7 A. OBWR-Sofi, ( Oe Ay _ Tree RS ae dl DF lt Lt al es \S Sms. NS Entered as Second Class Matter at the New York, N. Y., Post Office. Copyrighted 1892, by BEADLE AND ADAMS, June 21, 1892. 2.50 PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE AND ADAMS. Price, ae. : Vol. XXX, No. 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK. 5 Cents. Yf /, /, Y yj} yyy yy: : »® oe =< | BODY WITH THAT OF THE MAIDEN AGAINST THE DEADLY WIZ HE WAS WALKING BACKWARD, COVERING HIS OWN ARD RIELZ.
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Highland Harry, THE WIZARD RIFLEMAN; OR, Tough Times at Teton Basin. BY OLL COOMES, AUTHOR OF ‘‘ WHIP, KING JOE,” ‘‘ BABY, SAM,” ‘STONEWALL BOB,” ETC., ETC. CHAPTER I. A WONDERFUL SHOT, SOUTHWARD, along the eastern shore of the Gallatin River, two men were riding at leisurely pace, discussing such subjects as their surround- ings would naturally suggest. he elder of the two was a man of nearly three-score years. He was a little under the mediumin size; his face was covered with a short, stubby beard of a grizzly-gray color. His keen gray eyes looked out from under shaggy brows, sparkling with a light that was indica- tive of good-humor, while his rather prominent nose and square-set jaws were equally as strong evidence ot true Roman courage and tenacity of purpose. He was dressed in the garb of a moun- taineer, armed with a carbine and pair of pistols and mounted upon an ancient-looking cayuse that was caparisoned with a rope bridle and a goat-skin saddle, minus stirrups. Altogether, Bildad Durr, or Uncle Bildad, as he was better known all up and down the Gal- latin, was not, at first sight, a very prepossess- ing man, but, upon the slightest acquaintance, the rough exterior was lost sight of in the man’s good-nature and genial ways, his odd and whimsical talk, and, withal, the staying quali- ties of a true friend. Uncle Bildad’s companion was his very op- ral in appearance at least. He was not over fty years of age, although his beard—worn full—was almost white, giving him a rather venerable look. He was tall, well-built in figure, with a dark-blue eye, a broad, high forehead, and an air of dignity about him that betokened both refinement and intellectuality. That he was not a man of the border was evident from his dress, although he carried a pair of revolvers hung at the pommel of his saddle, and a carbine slung at his back, To Uncle Bildad he gave the name of David Hanover. The two men were bound for the little settle- ment of Red Bar, the home of Uncle Bildad. By chance they had met a few days previous, at one of the Gallatin settlements, lower down the river, and when Hanover learned that Uncle Bildad was starting for Red Bar he asked toac- company him; and thus we find them, toward the ciose of the third day of their journey, ap- proaching the Bar, f During their three days sojourn Uncle Bildad had learned that David Hanover was from Michigan,and that he wasin the valley of the Gal- latin looking for investments. But Uncle was somewhat of a judge of human character, and while he appeared to believe all the courtly and interesting gentleman told him, he half-mis- trusted there was something back of it all, care- fully concealed. The sun stood above the western mountain- peaks when the two came in sight of the Bar, on the opposite side of the river, + r she looms, David!” exclaimed Bildad, with a wave of his hand in the direction of the village. ‘*Quite a respectable little settlement, [ should say,” responded Hanover, gazing steadily for some moments at the little cluster of houses and the outlying horse and cattle corrals. , ‘¢ Thirteen dwellin’s,” replied Uncle, with an air of pride, ‘‘ besides the corrals, stables, and so forth. We’ve a grocery, post-office and tavern with bar embellishments, all into one, W2’ve also got a house which we use as church, s’hool- house and committy room, I’ve the honor o’ peng the fu’st man to ’rect a cabin in Red r ’ ‘* Indeed?” exclaimed Hanover, **-Yes; I located there to hunt and trap. but afore I got to work, ’long comes Joshua King and two others and bought our my ‘locate,’ and started a hoss-ranch, and bired me todo duty as a scout, and help ’em with the stock. Then, others kept a-comin’ and a-comin’ till you see Red Bar as she is. Every man, woman and kid thar’s made othe p: oper stuff for a frontier settl’mint. And we've got some men that’s away up, David, away up. For instance, there’s Cap’n Kit Dalton, who's a gentleman and DE eee a scholar that we'll buck ’g’inst any book machine in the land; and then, thar’s Judge Zelotes Kinny that’s handled law in Ellenoise, and who’s represented four dif’rent political parties inside o’ two years, and thar be’n’t any o’’em can beat that record! Oh! the judge is a bu'ster on law, gospel, politics and human liberty! Shades o’Cicero! you ought to hear him orate! I tell you, David, he stacks away upon the orate. Why, it’s a fact, last Fourth o' July he orated for Red Bar, and so heavenly did he sail the old Bird o’ Freedom that, it’s an actual fact, David, darn my liver if it ain’t! the eagles from all over come and settled down on the bluffs, and in the tree-tops, and listened with quiverin’ outspread .wings to the judge glorify their ancestors and Buuker Hill!” ‘*Of course, there are women in your vil- lage?” observed Hanover with a smile at the old man’s extravagant language. ‘*Women? Well, I should chant! There’s the judge’s wife and two darters, and” Cap Dalton’s screamin’ ee gal, Mary; and then there’s Bill Boyne’s—Old Stony we call him— there’s his gal, Kitty, the divinest, loveliest little heifer that ever dimpled this valley with a foot. To see her is to get all broke up about the giz- zard. Old asI am, David, I went around like an old asthmatic fool, half-smothered for two months after I fu’st met Kitty Boyne. But, I got over it, David, and am just as sound and well as I ever war, ho! ho! ho!” ‘* Well, I hope I shall see Miss Kitty before I leave Ked Bar,’ said Hanover; ‘‘ but, are you folks not exposed to great dangers here, Uncle?” “*So fur we’ve had no trouble ’cept from the gol-swizzled outlaws, both red and white, a- stealin’ our hosses and some cattle. You see, Cap Dalton’s breedin’some lashin’ fine hosses and they’re a terrible temptation to the thieves. Our cattle they run into the hills and butcher and lug off the choicest parts to their dens and leave the rest to the sediness Red Bar’s lost a thousand dollars’ wu’th 0’ hosses in the past two deal and not a single hoof 0’ them has been re- civered. And the outlaws o’ Teton Basin are at the bottom o’ all 0’ it,” **T should think the stockmen of the Gallatin and other valleys would organize and hunt that gang down,” said Hanover. ‘They are organized,” replied Uncle Bildad, “* but the joke o’ it is, the outlaws are better or- ganized. Moreover, they have spies and con- federates in every vil'tiage, ranch, and settle- miat in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming ’cept Red Bar. Ther’ don’t no suspicious chumps hang’round Red Barlong. Rightin the center o’ the village the Vigilantes planted two tall posts. A cross-beam rests on top, and a rope with a hangman’s noose ever swings in the wind as a warnin’ to ‘‘suspects.” The last one that war there war one Henry Seguin—” ‘* Henry Seguin?” interrupted Hanover. ** Yes —know ’im?” ‘*Pve heard of him,” answered Hanover; ‘I think it was back at Gallatin City.” ‘* He’s a sort o’ a dandy vagabond,” Uncle Bildad went on; ‘‘rather good-lookin’ and mili- tary-like, but he dresses too nice, and cavorts around too much for an honest Red-Barite. He come here seyeral times stoppin’ with Old Stony, whose darter Kitty he was broke up on. But Kitty didn’t like him like she did Highland Harry, and one night we held a meetin’ to con- sider his case, and it war decided to wait on him the next time he came a-courtin’, but he never came back.” ‘** But for all your vigilance your horses are stolen?” ‘Yes, sir, it’s a provokin’ fact. It seems as impossible to break up Jack Hart’s gang o’ out- laws as to bu’st up the dominion o’Satan. Hid- den away ’mong the unexplored recesses 0’ the mountains’round and about the Three Tetons, it has been impossible for hunter or scout to penetrate to their retreat. I know three gocd mountaineers that started out to find Hart’s rendezvous and have never been heard of since, To-night our folks meet to raise money to go in- to a general pot, bein’ made up by Red Bar and the two lower settlemints, to be offered as a re- ward to the man or men that’ll find a route by | which Jack Hart’s stronghold can be reached and demolished.” ‘** Isn’t there talk now of Indian uprisings, al- so?” asked Hanover. ‘** Yes,” replied Bildad, ‘‘ and there’s no doubt but the Ingins south o’ the Yallerstone Park are on the war-path, but I don’t think they'll reach us, It’s the Crows we’ve got to fear if | they break loose, and it’s rumored they are git- tin’ awful restless. Red Bar has Highland Harry, the young izard Rifleman, out watch- in’ for her, and thar isn't a better, braver, nor Highland Harry, the Wizard Rifleman. a shrewder boy this side o’ his birthday than that same youngscout.”’ ‘‘T’ve heard wonderful stories down the Gal- latin about that boy’s skill with a rifle,” Mr. Hanover observed, ‘*He’s a perfect pheenomenon with a gun, David,” the old man declared. ‘‘IfI’d tell you what i’ve see’d him do in the way o’shootin’, you’d swear by your beard that I was a wall- eyed fibber. But, it’s a fact, he is a Wizard ifleman, and—” ‘*Uncle Bildad,” interrupted Hanover, look- ing across the Gallatin, ‘‘ isn’t that a woman on horseback coming down the river?” ‘Yes, it is,” replied Bildad, glancing over the stream ; ‘‘ it are that confounded pretty lit- tle Kitty Boyne on her dashin’ black pony, Bob! She can ridelike a feather on the wind. Dash it! I wish we could cross the stream here and meet her. - I'll bet you'd swear she was a poem in flesh and blood.’ The two men were following an old wagon- trail that wound along the river through a dense growth of hemlock timber. They could see out across the stream and along the opposite shore for a mile or two above and below, and yet they could not be seen. They watched the maiden as she galloped along the shore, and as she neared a point where a sharp spur of the bluff put abruptly out close upon the river-bank, David Hanover, whose eagle eyes seemed to take in everything, sudden- ly exclaimed: ‘¢ Uncle Bildad, what’s that creeping out from behind that wooded bluff before the maiden?” For a moment the old mountaineer surveyed the object closely, then, with a start, ex- claimed: ** Tt’s'an Ingin, as sure as there’s a soul in my body! and the red devil is waylayin’ the gal!”’ ‘*Can we not warn her of her danger by shouting?” “ Never, David!” replied the old man, ‘‘ for— there! see! the infernal varlet has already headed her off and seized her pony’s reins !” ‘*My God! can we do ‘nothing?’ cried Han- over, excitedly. Skipping from his animal’s back, Uncle Bil- dad erry his carbine, saying: ** David, I’m goin’ to shoot!” ‘‘Man, you might kill the girl!” ‘‘ Better she be dead than in that red demon’s power, alive— Ah! there goes a second red- skin to his assistance! David, Kitty Boyne is lost! True enough, a second savage had darted from cover and was hastening to the assistance of his friend, who, between the plunging of the spirit- ed pony and the stinging blows of the plucky girl’s riding-whip, had his hands full. But, just as this second red-skin reached his friend’s side, the sharp, stunning reportof a heavy-calibered rifle rung out within twenty paces of Uncle Bildad and David Hanover, and the next mo- ment the Indian was seen to stagger back, throw up his arms and fall to the earth. A cloud of white smoke rising above a clump of bushes located the concealment of the deadly rifleman, and advancing toward that spot, Uncle Bildad fairly shouted, as he caught sight of a boyish face among the bushes: ‘* By the shades o’ the temple! it is Highland Harry, the Boy Death-Shot—Wizard Rifle- man!” CHAPTER II. A DOUBLE MYSTERY. As David Hanover dismounted from his horse and followed Uncle Bildad to the clump of bushes on the river-bank, he saw a tall, slender youth of eighteen or twenty years, standing, rifle in hand, his hat pushed back from his brow, and his keen dark eyes fixed upon the savage and maiden on the’ opposite side of the river, fully four hundred yards away. The youth was clad in a complete suit of buckskin. His face, though flushed with ex- citement, was not what David Hanover bad ex- ted to seein Highland Harry. While some- what boyish, it was not effeminate, but every feature clear-cut and almost rugged in its out- lines. But not until the young mountaineer had turned his head and given them a quick glance did the stranger reafias that the Wizard Rifle- man was more than an ordinary youth. In that single glance of his magnificent dark eyes he caught the glimpse of a heroic young spirit, and the light of a dauntless heart, that awakened a profound admiration in his breast, But, before either of them could speak to him, he said, fixing his gaze again upon the savage and the maiden: : ** Excuse me, Uncle Bildad, for a moment.”
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Highland Harr Re MET, y, the Wizard Rifleman. *“*To be sure, Harry,” replied Bildad ;‘‘ and dh! if you could only git in another o’ your Billy Tell shots on that t’other red demon— Ah! hold, Death-Pop! you'll kill the gal!” ‘* Don’t shoot, young man! For God’s sake don’t shoot!” added Hanover, excitedly ;*‘ you'll slay that girl!” These excited commands and appeals to the young mountaineer were occasioned by the situation across the river. The savage had suc- ceeded in dragging Kitty Boyne from her sad- dle, and was holding her struggling form be- tween himself and the point whence had come the shot that slew his friend; and in this way he was walking backward toward the bluffs, povering his own body with that of the maiden against the shot of that deadly Wizard Rifle! Highland Harry saw that the Indian with his zaptive would soon be out of danger behind the bluff, and yet he involuntarily lowered his rifle when the two men shouted to him, ‘*She will be better off dead than in that fiend’s power alive,” quickly responded the boy, and again raising his rifle he glanced along the barrel and fired. A groan burst from Uncle Bildad’s lips, and he turned away like one sick at heart as he saw the savage stagger and with his burden fall to the earth, “*Boy, your luck is gone!” he sighed; ‘‘ you have slain Kitty!” ‘*Yes, murdered her!” exclaimed Hanover, in a bitter, excited tone, that sent a pang to Harry’s sensitive soul. The young rifleman, however, made no re- sponse, He stood with his eyes on the spot where the savage and Kitty had fallen, and when he saw that neither rose to his or her feet, nor even stirred, his fine face grew pale, a deep- drawn sigh escaped his lips, and then the words of Hanover cut anew into his very soul like poi- soned barbs, There was a minute of painful silence, which xvas finally broken by Uncle Bildad saying: ‘* Harry, I’m awful sorry for you and poor Kitty!” ‘* There was little excuse for firing that shot!” added Hanover, in that same bitter tone. Highland Harry made no reply to the stran- ger. While he felt that no crime had been com- mitted willfully, if indeed at all, he thought he could afford to take the stranger’s insults, at that time. He knew they had been spoken un- der the impulse of the moment, and that for- dearance on his part might react upon the stranger. ‘*T have a canoe up the river aways,” the youth said, calmly, ‘‘ and I will get it and cross over and know the worst.” “* David, let’s gallop up to the ford, cross the erick, and investigate the matter for our- selves,” suggested Bildad. To this proposition Hanover assented, and mounting their horses they rode away at a gal- lop. By this time the sun was down, and as dark- mess soon comes on in the mountain valleys af- ter sunset, but little time was left for the three men to make their investigations. Highland Harry succeeded in getting across the river and reaching the scene of the maiden’s capture justas Bildad and Hanover ecameup. But never weremen more astonished, aumfounded than those three. Neither of the red-skins’ bodies, nor that of Kitty Boyne, dead or alive, was to be found! But an examination of the place disclosed a pool of blood on the stony ground where the rst savage had fallen; and,a little distance from that, and right about where the second one with the girl had met his fate, was another and jarger pool of blood. That both red-skins had een shot there was not a doubt, but the fate of Kitty Boyne was a mystery. : Hanover still adhered to the belief that she fhad been killed; Harry had nothing to say; while Uncle Bildad had so far’ changed his «pinion that he thought there was one chance in a hundred that she had escaped the bullet of the Wizard Rifleman. _ Harry and Bildad searched the ground over carefully between the river and the bluff, but by this time it had grown so dark that no trace ‘whatever of the bodies could be found. 7 “Well, I’m satisfied o’ one thing,” Bildad ‘finally said, ‘‘ and that is, that the bodies were spirited away by other red-skins while we war ‘crossin’ the Gallatin.” 5 ** Then what object would a red-skin have in carrying off the dead body of Kitty, if she were sdead?” asked Harry. : mn To lead friends in search o’ it, and ambush *am, “1 do not think so, Uncle; I do not even be- lieve the two fellows I shot were Indians at all, but white men—outlaws in disguise—and that their bodies were carried off to conceal their identity. And, be Kitty dead or alive, the same murderous wretches have carried her away, There is one chance in a thousand that she escaped while we were crossing the river, fled into the hills and made her way home. Kitty was a brave and fearless ree Having thus expressed himself, Harry turned and walked away toward the bluffs, loth to give up the search despite the baffling shadows of the deepening night, : ‘“T don't see as we can do any more, David,” remarked Uncle Bildad, ‘‘’cept to hurry to camp and give the alarm.” ‘«'That, perhaps, would be most prudent,” re- plied Hanover. ‘““ Harry has gone into the hills; the brave lad feels bad enough, for Kitty Boyne was the idol o’ his heart— Great Lord! listen to that!”’ It was the short, sharp bark of half a dozen revolvers that startled him. The — came a from the hills whither Highland rry had gone! For a minute th@two men stood as if stunned by the shock. As the sound of the weapons reverberated through the hills they watched for the return of Harry, but, as he came not, Uncle Bildad leaped upon his pony, saying: ‘*Come, David! the boy, I fear, is done for, and to remain here longer will be death to us. We must warn the village! Ride, David, ride with whip and spur!” And, as they dashed away, a rifle on the bluff above them rung out, and a bullet went shriek- ing closely over their heads like a shot from a howitzer. CHAPTER III. AN ASSASSIN’S SHOT, It was night at Red Bar, and the greatest ex- citement and profoundest sorrow prevailed in the little village in consequence of threatened danger, the unknown fate of Kitty Boyne, and the supposed death of their young scout, High- land Harry. In a few minutes the entire place was under arms, and a double line of guards stationed at exposed points. Vord had already been sent to Mr. Boyne, Kitty's father, of the girl’s disappearance. His cabin stood about half a mile from themain Dee of the village, being the most isolated of a David Hanover became the guest of Judge Kinny, and, after he had been provided with a sumptuous supper, his host invited him to at- tend the settlers’ meeting at the school-house, which invitation he accepted, and at once start- ed with the judge for the place of meeting. The gathering at the school-house was not large, owing to the number of men on guard. ithout delay those assembled entered upon the discussion of the situation, the uncertainty of Kitty’s fate,and the dreadful fear that High- vet Harry, their gallant young scout, had been slain, But, in the midst of their discussions, what was their happy surprise and infinite joy to see Highland Harry, accompanied by Bill Boyne, enter the room! A yell of joy greeted the Wizard Rifleman’s appearance, and for a moment all was happy confusion. Uncle Biidad and David Hanover, who had‘reported the boy dead, looked perplex- ed; but the old settler quickly recovered from his confusion, and crowding up to Harry clasp- ed his hand, saying: ‘*God bless your eyes, boy! we reported you dead—riddled by that vorey 0’ pistol-shots!’ ‘¢ The villains fired entirely too high,” calmly replied the youth; ‘‘ but it was all owing to the darkness in the woods. I was afraid you’d think I’d been shot, and so I ran out on the bluff and, as you rode away, fired a shot over your heads, in hopes you’d catch on to it.” ‘You young scamp!’’exclaimed Bildad ; ‘‘ we thought that was a cannon-ball fired at us. But, what about your darter, Kitty?” This last question was addressed to Boyne, rin whose lips there escaped a low sigh as he replied: **God only knows. I don’t.” . Boyne was a short, stout man of some fifty years, His face was covered with a closely- clipped beard, which added to the peculiar im- mobility of bis features and utter absence of all exp on. He had a dark-gray eye that seem- ed as fixed as that of a stone image—always seeking some object, usually on the ground, when at ne keeping it ther? until his con- versation had ended. No one had everseen him 1 , excited: he was always of the same even, dis- passionate temperament, and from this fact he was called ‘‘ The Sphinx” by those who knew what that was, and by others, ‘‘ Stony’ Boyne. He was the very opposite of his handsome, viva- cious daughter; but, despite his eccentricities, he was well liked. He wasa man of good parts well informed, and since he had resided at Red Bar had conducted himself entirely contrary to the opinion that had at first been formed of his character by his downcast and quiet appear- ance. The crowd gathered about the new-comers and plied them with many questions, and while thus engaged Uncle Bildad introduced Boyne to David Hanover. **The Sphinx” took the stranger’s hand in a mechanical sort of a ipa and those who had their eyes upon him at the time saw him give Hanover a quick, furtive glance. At thesame time they saw the faintest smile flit over the bearded face of the stranger, and thought they detected a coldness in his voice as he said: ‘*Mr. Boyne, you have my sympathy in your affliction.” The house being called to order, Highland Harry was called upon to make a statement as to the situation, and astounded his friends by the declaration: ‘I do not believe there is an Indian within forty miles of here—not a hostile, at any rate. I am satisfied that Kitty was captured by white men in disguise. Those that fired on me were not Indians, but they were the friends of those I shot—the same that removed the bodies of their dead friends while we were crossing the river. Kitty may be dead, but I did my best to save her from a fate worse than death. The shot was a long one, and the setting sun almost before me. If she is alive, she will never be found, in my opinion, short of the Teton Basin, the Stronghold of the Outlaws.” ‘*T never expect to see her alive,” spoke up **Stony” Boyne in a reproving tone; ‘‘ it was rather a reckless act to shoot when the Ingin had his body covered with that of the gal.” “That has been said to me before,” said Harry with a twinge of pain, ‘‘ but, God knows—’’; ‘* Highland Harry!” interrupted David Han- over, ‘I, in a moment of excitement, used such accusing language, and I now want to withdraw my severe words, and beg be r- don. I believe, now, that you didright. Your skill as a marksman, I fully believe, warranted so risky a shot under the circumstances.” ‘‘Thank you, Mr. Hanover,” answered Harry, feeling greatly relieved; ‘‘I forgive the past, and hope for the best in the future.” ‘*But, I don’t understand, Harry,” spoke up Captain Dalton, ‘‘ why you think those fellows were outlaws.” ‘* They did not act at all like Indians,” Harry answered, ‘‘is one reason; but I think I have another and better, still.” ** What is it?’ exclaimed Uncle Bildad; ‘‘ let her flip, Harry!” ‘* Yes, let it out,” added Dalton, impatiently. Harry shook his head as he ran his eyes quick- ly over the eager, restless crowd. “No,” he replied; ‘‘ Ido not know but there may be ears right here that should not hear; but though there are none such, secrecy may be the besé policy for the present.” A momentary silence followed this announce- ment, then David Hanover arose and said: ‘*IT do not blame the young rifleman for his refusing to give a secret publicly in the hearing of.a stranger—one he knows nothing about, therefore I will withdraw.” “ Stay, sir!” quickly exclaimed Harry ; ‘‘ even with you away, I will not give my secret in this room.” “*Can’t you give us a hint o’ how and where you got it, so we can guess at it?” Uncle Bildad asked, with a laugh. “<T shot it out of the heavens with my vee rifle,” the boy answered; but it was plain to all that he spoke in riddles, and knowing it would be useless to question him further, all fell to speculating upon his secret. ! Finally the young rifleman proposed to retire to his private room, in Captain Dalton’s cabin, let the meeting select three persons to visit him there and hear his secret, and they to decide as to whether it should be made public or not. | This proposition was readily accepted, and Captain Dalton, Judge Kinny,and Uncle Bildad were named as a committee to hear the scout’s secret and report at once to the meeting, which took a recess of half an hour, or until the com- mittee returned. Most of the settlers arose and went out into the street to await the return of the trio, a few . "7 ly : . 7 hi Te tee + aa SS Bie a beets i pide Sy ey epi Lin: MCbE Is
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Highland Harry, the Wizard Rifleman remaining in the school-house with David Han- over. It was quite dark that night, and this fact made the people of Red Barall the more uneasy, for, if an attack on the place was intended, the shadows would favor the foe. With hasty footsteps Highland Harry and the committee hurried to Captain Valton’s cabin. In Harry’s little room they met. A window opened on the south side of the apartment. Over this the young rifleman drew a thin, mus- lin curtain; then he lit a candle and placed it upon a little stand around which the four seated themselves. ‘‘ Now, Harry, you can sail in and let her out,” said Uncle Bildad, ‘* Well, for several days,” Harry began with- out any preliminary remarks, ‘‘I have been scouting in the hills a hundred miles south of here, About noon, day before pew y, while seated in a pass eating a cold lunch, 1 sawa beautiful white bird tp 'Y in air flying south- ward upon swift wing. I thought little of it at the time, notwithstanding I have seldom seen a white bird in the mountains. press a or ward sunset of that dayI was startled bya sharp mj that came from overhead. Raising my eyes I saw my white bird, or as I supposed, the same one, darting this way and that through the air pursued by a hawk, Jt was headed southward, also. Quickly raising my rifle I concluded to try ashot at the hawk, but just then the winged pirate darted down and seized the white bird. For a moment there was a struggle in mid-air, during which time the birds were almost stationary, and taking advantage of this I fired, and, with my usual good-luck senta bullet through both hawk and bird that fell dead, almost at my feet. Isaw ata glance the white bird was a pigeon—” ‘*A pigeon?” exclaimed Uncle Bildad—‘‘a white pigeon?” ‘*- Yes,” the lad went on, ‘‘and stooping I picked it up, and—” Harry did not finisa the sentence. The sharp short bark of a revolver outside the cabin, and the crash of a bullet through the window-glass, ended his narrative. With a gasp the young rifleman threw up his hands, his head dropped forward, a stream of blood trailed across his face, and before a helping band could be ex- tended, he fell motionless upon the floor! ‘*My God!” cried Dalton, ‘‘ the boy has been slain—murdered |” CHAPTER IV. THE INTERCEPTED MESSAGE. ‘““ AN assassin! an assassin!” cried Judge Kinny, as he sprung to his feet in wildest excite- ment. ‘‘Captaim Dalton, look to the boy, and Uncle Bildad and I will give the alarm!” Out of the cabin rushed the judge and Durr, while Dalton lifted the limp form of Highland Harry from the floor and laid it upon a couch. He saw blood welling from a wound on the left side of the forehead, and without stopping to see whether life was extinct or not, he hurried from the room in search of Dr. fe It wasseveral minutes before he could find the doctor, so great was the excitement Kinn and Uncle Bildad had created; but when he did, they hurried away to the captain's house, and as they entered the supposed death-chamber, they were most happily surprised to see the young rifleman sitting up on his couch, rubbing his wounded head and gazing around ‘im in bewil- derment, ‘‘Thank the Lord! he lives!” cried the cap- tain, joyfully. ‘Tt seems so,” affirmed the doctor, ‘‘ but he is hurt, and badly, too, I fear.” **How is this, captain?” the youth asked, looking around him like one dazed; ‘‘ things are somewhat mixed upin mynoddle. Didn’tsome one ymin rie ‘Some one did shoot, Harry, and you got the bullet.” “yds bape 0 ‘*Was it an accident or was it designed?” ‘*It wasa designed, cold-blooded murder, boy, toprevent you telling your secret.” “Oh, yes!” exclaimed Harry, with a start, ‘‘ I remember now; I was telling you about shoot- ing the hawk and pigeon, and some one fired through the window. I recollect now of seeing a flash and that’s all.” ‘* Your wound,” said the doctor, examining his head, ‘‘is only a scalp-wound, thank the Lord! You need apprehend notrouble. It was a glancing shot, but it takes an iron-clad head to turn even that kind of a bullet, my boy. I don’t think the would-be assassin is as witb firearms as the Wizard Rifleman.” While the doctor was dressing the wound, the captain went out and informed the sorrow- stricken settlers that their young scout was not dead, nor even seriously hurt; and then shouts of joy long and loud awoke the echoes around Red ° A few persons went into Harry’s room, among them being David Hanoverand “ Stony ” Boyne, both of whom warmly congratulated the youth upon his miraculous escape from death. The most careful search of the village failed to discover the would-be murderer, or any trace of him, The men on guard were allready to make oath that no person could have passed in and out of the town unobserved, and it was their opinion that the assassin had entered_be- fore the guard was set, and that he was still in- side the lines | In the course of a couple of hours, Harry had so far sip, 4 gps his composure as to propose finishing his story; then the committee was called in and others dismissed, A guard was stationed outside near the win- dow, a heavy curtain hung over the opening, and seating himself, Harry said: ** Let’s see, where did I leave off?” ‘* You’d just taken up theglead bird when the unknown ped you with his pop,” explained Uncle Bildad, with a grin. ‘*Oh, yes!” exclaimed the lad. ‘ Well, I looked the bird over, andin doing so I found a tiny bit of folded paper—” ‘* By the ashes of Blackstone!” cried Judge vey & ‘then it was a homing pigeon!” ‘*That is exactly what it was,” replied Har- ne roducing the bit of paper and handing it inny. It was a small affair—less than an inch square when folded, and directed on the outside in pencil to ‘‘ H, Szaurn.” When it was un- folded it was perhaps four inches square, one side being covered with rather dim writing in a very fine hand. It wasso dim, in fact, that with the aid of his glasses the judge could not read it. The captain tried it and gave it up, saying: ‘It’s Greek to me, Can you read it, Harry?” **T have read it,” the youth answered, ‘‘al- though, when I first looked at it, it was a blank _y of paper except the name on the outside. ut 1 mistrusted it was a secret m e, and the name on it led me to believe it was the work of some villain. As soon as I saw it was a blank, I remembered what an old detective named Bandy, had once told me about secret ciphers and letters. He said milk—cow’s, mare’s, or goat’s milk—was often used for ink which was invisible until subjected to a cer- tain degree of heat, when the lines and words would appear quite distinctly. ‘* Believing this such a missive I determined to test it, and lighting a fire I heated two smooth-surfaced stones to what I thought the proper Segre notto burn, and laid the paper tween them. When [ looked atit a few mo- ments later, lo! and behold! there it was, sure enough! The heat had brought out every line and letter. I read it with ease, and forthwith started for Red Bar in hopes of being on time to thwart the designs of the sender, I'll try and read it: (‘In Dupiicats.”’) ** Aug, 12th, 18—, Seguin, word from down river to effect that Raymond is on Grimm's trail anc headed for Red Bar. If you would possess Kitty you must strike ateonce. Comeinforce. Disguise part as Ingins. Every evening the girl rides down river—mostly alone. Let Ingins capture her and then you rescue her from the agi Tey reds, and maybe you'll be- come her hero. She dotes on heroes. If successful, make at once for Basin. Look sharp for Highland Harry, the Wizard. A shot from him’s death. Sent first message forenoon, Bar.” “By the new Jerusalem!” ejaculated Uncle Bildad, when the boy had finished the message, “that’s an eye-opener, sure; but who in Hali- fax is ‘ Bat’? , eed spy in this village—an outlaw spy!” de- clared the judge. ‘* But of all in Red Bar, who has, or ever has had, a homing*pigeon about?” asked Harry. ** No one—not a soul—not a pigeon,” respond- ed Captain Dalton. “Tf I could have got the first bird,” said , ‘tas well as thisone, I would have spoilt the arrangements of Mr. Bat.” ‘Yes, for Seguin got the first message, and you the duplicate: and the villain has carried out ‘ Bat’s’ ramme well, if not quite suc- cessfully,” t eee observed; ‘‘ but, where do you suppose Seguin was, at the time?” ‘*{n Jack Hart’s stronghold. in Teton Basin, whither he was instructed to flee, with his cap- tive,” answered Harry. ‘‘ I believe now he was one of the active members of Hart’s gang when he used to visit Red Bar.” ‘“What a shame it is,” observed Dalton, re- gretfully, ‘‘ that we did not hang him when he was withinreach! But, Harry, [ presume you have told Boyne nothing of this message?” ‘* Not a word, captain; he accused me of reck- less shooting and intimated that I had killed his daughter thereby. Moreover, Mr. Boyne has alwaystreated me coolly. [donotthink I have been a welcome visitor at his cabin, at any time, except by Kitty.” ““He got so uproarishly taken in on Seguin comin’ to see his gal that I reckon he thought he’d kick ag’inst all beaus,” suggested Uncle Bildad, with a hearty laugh. ** Yes, he was struck on Seguin,” affirmed the judge, ‘‘and we all thought he was some pun- ins when he fu’st giruck the Bar. It may be his failure to win Kitty’s hand, by fair means, drove him distracted, and into the Basin, and then made up his mind to be aveuged on Red Bar by stealing our little queen Kitty. In that he may have been successful and he may not— Goa only knows.” ‘*T think,” said Harry, ‘‘ that he was success- fulto the extent of getting Kitty, be she dead or alive, In the morning I will look up their trailand I may be able to determine her fate. If she was killed, her body will be found, unless the work of Seguin is that of revenge, in which case he may even conceal the body to torment her father and the people of Red Bar,” ‘¢ The infernal hound!” Uncle Bildad muttered. vengefully. ‘*You can report to the gathering in waiting at the school-house,’’ Highland Harry went on, ‘*thatI intend to start for Teton Basin in the morning, or as soon thereafter as I can make arrangements; and if Kitty is dead I will avenge her death, and if living, do al) I can to save her. If no one wishes to go with me [ will goalone,” ‘* By the shades o’ Jerroboam!” exclaimed Bildad Durr, ‘‘ how would this old kid suit you for a chum?” ‘*T could think of no better,” replied Harry. “‘Shake! It’s a go!” declared the old man; “together we'll invade the haunts o’ them out- laws and cut-throats!” ‘“* That’s settled, then,” said Harry; ‘ but, friends, I presume the folks at the school-house are anxiouslyawaiting yourreturn. Youknow my secret and my purposes, and you can make just whatever report you see fit. But, one thing let me impress upon your minds, and that is, that there is a traitor and spy—my would-be assassin—in your midst this very moment! Be on your guard, and see that ‘ Bat’ sends nomore messages to the Outlaw of Teton Basin!” CHAPTER V. THE DEVIL'S TRAP. Tur scene of our story changes, Southward through Snake Canyon, one of the most sinuous and difficult defiles of the great mountains, two men are making their big They are the Wizard Rifleman, and Uncle Bildad, the mountaineer and Red Bar settler. Three days have passed since they left Red Bar. With the fate of Kitty Boyne still a mys- tery, they are headed for the Teton Basin, ce- termined to penetrate the outlaw stronghold or diz in the attempt. Both Harry and Uncle Bildad were familiar with the windings, the open valleys, anc deep, dark and narrow gorges of Snake Canyon that stretched away almost to the base of the central of the Three Tetons. Water could only be found at long intervals, so that the scouts were compelled to time their day’s journey accord- ingly. he night of the third day eng expected to encamp at a placein the canyon known as the Devil’s Trap, and as it wasan easy day’s jour- ney they traveled more leisurely than the two da s preceding - o far they had_ been compelled to use little caution, for they knew Snake Canyon was sel- dom traveled on account of its dearth of water, and its narrow, choked passages so frequently met with. Moreover, by taking this route they would be less liable to be discovered by the vigilant outlaws, as the latter would not be ex- pecting evemies bysnch a trail. So they thought atl . The sun was about two hours’ high when the scouts emerged frors a deep, dark defile into a little, oblong valley of perhaps fifty acres in area. It was devoid of timber, except a few scattering pines along the base of the environ- ing bluffs, but covered with a growth of short, woolly grass, interspersed here and there with punches of sage bushes.
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. ; ee ee (te ee ee ee ee ee i? a oo c= ———— ie w nee atl : ro nl a Soe tbe — Ee 3 6 ee ee Ade Highland Harry, the Wizard Rifleman. | 5 Near the center of this vale was the ‘‘ Devil’s Trap,” one of those odd and unique stone forma- tions so often met with in the great mountains, At a distance it looked like the ruins of a great stone building; and there were those of a scien- | tific mind who believed it was the remains of a stone fortress of an_age coeval with that of ancient Mexico and Central America. It was an immense pile of gigantic rocks covering a | quarter of anacre of ground. They had been thrown together so as to form an open court near the center, a couple rods in extent, and in this opening was a spring of pure cool water that had no visible outlet. None of the rocks were over fifteen feet high, and flaton top. There were no less than half a score of cracks or fissures, extending from top to bottom, by which the opening could be reached from the outside. One or two of these were wide enough to admit a manon horseback. Not one of them ran straight through, but zig- zagged here andthere, often two of themcoming together before reaching the opening in the ceuter, so that one, standing inside, could not seo out in any direction except overhead. Peculiar as this accident of nature, if I may so callit, was, the place would have receivedno savre than passing notice had it not been forthe spring inside. And this had been regarded as the alluring power of the Devil’s Trap, for in tue shadows of the narrow passages the sly old panther lay in wait to pounce upon the timid deer that came there to drink. There, no doubt, for ages past had the bloodthirsty red-skins lain in wait for foe or quarry. There, no doubt, | had man met man and beast met beast and fought to the death, the victor slaking his thirst in blood as well as water. The bleaching, de- | caying bones’round and about the place, and even in the narrow passages, attested all this. Indian tradition and white man’s superstition had given Snake Canyon, as well as the Devil’s Trap, an unsavory reputation, and it was this fact, as well as the difficulties to be encountered in traversing the pass, that kept the Indians and mountaineers out of the canyon. This Highland Harry knew, and having no super- Stitious blood in his veins, he had hoped to profit by it. More than once he had slept alone in the Devil’s Trap without fear or fright. But the youth was too much of a mountaineer to approach the place unguardedly, and before he and Uncle Bildad ventured within they made a complete circuit of thestone-pile. Finding no trace of any one having preceded them there that day, they entered a passage ana proceeded to the opening around which the rocks rose straight up like a wall. The ground in the opening was covered with ravel and spalts from the face of the rock. he spring was at one side, its waters clear as crystal and inviting to the thirsty, dust-begrim- ed scouts, Leaning his gunagainst the wall Uncle Bildad threw himself upon the ground with an air of relief, removed his hat and wiped the dust and perspiration from his brow. Highland Harry laid his gun downand walked over to the spring to getadrink, As he did so, he started back, his eyes fixed on the ground before him, say- in ? g: ‘*By smoly hoke! Uncle, there’s been some one or something here lately, after all!” ** Yes, and they're here yit !” It was a strange voice that spoke thus from out of one of the passages converging there and it was accompanied by the quick tread o feet, and looking around Highland Harry found himself and Uncle Bildad covered with the re- volvers of two desperate-looking men, one of whom exclaimed: ** Hands up, Highland Harry and pard, or you die instanter!” To add to the force of this command and threat, four more armed villains, two of whom were leering sayages, emerged from conceal- ment and confronted the surprised moun- taineers. Never was Highland Harry taken so com- pletely off his guard, and he saw at a glance that he was wholly at the cutlaws’mercy, Re- sistance would be sure death in the face of those cocked and pointed revolvers, and so he did the only sensible thing for him to do, and threw up his hands, Uncle Bildad following his example, ‘*Them’s the proper perceedin’s,” said the outlaw spokesman, ‘‘for 1, Pistol Jim, never axes a feller the second time to throw up,” “*Darn your measly skins!” exclaimed Uncle Bildad, reproachfully, ‘‘ you're a k oO’ sneaks, it you’d give us a half show we'd ep the hull 0’ you!” ‘Oh, we're not around givin’ shows to be | shot, we ar’n’t,” replied Pistol Jim, with an air | | of triumph. ‘‘ We’re’round takin’ in stragglers | sich as you folks. Yakima, you and Bruiser Bill | advance and hit them gents’ weepons for ’em. We don’t want their hands down with a pop in their reach. That kid’s too flip with a barker to low him to tech oneo’ them. We want to | make sure o’ him this time.” ‘* Cowards! villains!” hissed Harry, ‘‘ give me a show and [ll take my chances with—” ‘*Oh, you're game, Highland Harry,” inter- rupted the outlaw, ‘‘but we don’t fear your mouth, You’ve permission to bang away with | that all you want to; it’s that ’tarnal old long | ranger 0’ a rifle that you handle so reckless that | makes our folks bashful when you're ’round loose. You see, we knew you were comin’down Snake Canyon on yer way to Teton Basin, and *spectin’ you’d haul up here for refreshments, we laid for you in a way-up style.” ‘* Expectin’ us!’ sneered Uncle Bildad. ‘* Harry, I reckon ‘ Bat’s’ been sendin’ out more pigeons.” he outlaw laughed. | reckon you fellers begin to see that gittin’ into the Teton Basin isn’t so easy as ye thought! ann chaps than you have tried it and ied. Harry was about to make some reply to the villain’s remarks when he was admonished to silence by sight of an object in the passage di- had appeared from behind an angle in the gap. It was a big, round object, which might have been taken for a full moon just rising had it been at all luminous; but it was not—it was a dark object which the young mountaineer read- ily discovered was a human head and face, A pair of half-closed eyes, the lids drooping at the outer corners, an immense nose of the Roman with a serio-comic expression, a beardless, boy- ish tace covered all over with freckles, made up a cast of features that sent a thrill of joy and hope to the heart of the Wizard Rifleman. He recognized the face poked up from behind | the rock as that of a friend—a fellow mountain- . eer, one Jack Bowman, better known as Ajax, | the Infant Giant. A young man of twvo-and- twenty, standing nearly seven feet in his moc- easins, broad-shouldered and brawny-breasted, with muscles of iron, he was a giant indeed in size, as well as in strength, with a spirit ‘brave and daring to correspond, Knowing the giant’s fearless and impulsive nature, Highland Harry expected to see him leap forward upon the un- suspecting outlaws at ney raoment; but in this tinger in a warning gesture, shook his big bull head, wrenthed his mottled face into a horrid grimace, then stepped back and disappeared in the passage. CHAPTER VI, THE TRAPPERS TRAPPED. HIGHLAND HARRY was left in doubt as to the | intentions of the Infant Giant. He had hoped that he would attack the outlaws before he and | Bildad Durr were disarmed, but being disap- | pointed in this he could only await the Giant’s pleasure. Meanwhile the two outlaws addressed as Yakima Jule and ‘‘ Bruiser” Bill advanced and took possession of the mountaineers’ weapons. This done ‘‘ Pistol” Jim and his companion low- ered their revolvers and opened upon the pris- oners a tirade of abuse and taunts on the failure | of their mission to Teton Basin, But suddenly, in the midst of an outburst of laughter, a long, vivid tongue of fire shot from out one of the shadow-choked passages, accomn- panied by the crack of a revolver, and two of the robbers fell dead, pierced through by oneand the same bullet. Before @ man could turn, the Titan form of | Ajax came bounding into the opening, a roar like that of a lion pealing from bis lips, Had a thunderbolt fell from the starry sky the outlaws could not have been taken hy greater surprise, Even asecond shot from the giant’s revolver was fired, and one of the two savages killed, before the villains bad fully comprehended the situation. When they did, it was too late to act, for the next instant the iron fist of the Infant laid Bruiser Bill and Yakima Jule prostrate upon the earth; while the surviving Indian, to escape a similar fate, took to his heels, penny he flew across the opening, but suddenly collided with a figure that came bounding into the opening from the very passage he was aiming to reach, and both he andthe unknown were 'mrled backward earth, half-stunned by ti.» shock, to the *¢ You're catchin’ on, ain’t you?’ he said; “I | rectly behind and over the outlaw’s head. It | type, a prodigious big mouth wreathed about | he was disappointed. The Colossus raised his | FOF se, Cay Uncle Bildad bounded to the side of | the red-skin and gave hiu: a kick in the stom- | ach that curled him up like a sick bear; and | Highland Harry wasin the act of serving the | unknown in asimilar manner when he recognized | him as an old and respected friend. ‘*By smoly hoke!” he exclaimed, ‘‘ it’s Spo- kane Joe!” ‘Tis for a fact, but’s the fight over? who | licked?” the old hunter asked, springing to his feet and looking around him like one confused, ‘*Fight’s all over, Joe,” responded Harry. ** Ajax, the Infant Giant, dropped in here and did the job all up like a whip.’ **Gol darn that big, speckled-faced kid |" with an affected contemptuous glance over at Ajax, who was coolly gathering up the outlaws’ wea- pons and piling them at one side; ‘‘that feller’s alers sp’ilin’some o’ my calculations o’late. I snowed them robbers war here, and war watch- in’ their movements when you two fellers come insight. Before I could w. rn you o’ meer gk slipped into the Trap. Then I thought I'd | cover myself all over with glory by comin’ over bere and lickiu’the outfit. I didnt know Jax. war here.” ‘* Ho! ho! ho!” laughed the young Giant, ad- | vancing to greet his old friends, ‘* you did git in late, Spoky, but I’m glad to see you jist the same. And you, also, Highland Harry and Uncle Bildad, whom I now greet with joy see- | ing I’ve been too busy to doso before, By say folks, wasn’t there a sudden change in the cli- mate round here, tho’? Them outlaws were warblin’ off taunts and musical Jaughter to you folks in cherubimic style, wasn’t they?” ‘* Yes, they had tte drop on us for awhile,” responded Uncle Bildad. ‘‘ You struck this vicinity in just the proper season.” ‘**T should remark,” answered the young Giant, with a glance at Bruiser Bill and Yakima, who were gradually recovering from the confusion | of mind occasioned by Ajax’s fist;‘‘ but them | bilious outlaws don’t know I was here before ; they were. The fact of it is, when they arrived I lay on top of this stone-pile squoze into a dimple of the rock like a smile of summer sun- shine. 1 see’d you fellers approaching, and could have warned you away, but then I’d had no fun. It’s the first rumpus I’ve had for a month, Times are awful dull in these hills, | boys.” ‘Tbe Giant’s remarks were somewhat charac- | teristic of the man himself. As before stated, | he was a man of twenty-two years, but his face | was smooth as that of a boy of sixteen, In fact, | he looked more like a great, awkward, over- | grown boy than a man. His outer garments | were of buckskin and worn in a decided slovenly manner. His trowsers were held in place by a leather belt, which was dragged low upon his hips by the weight of two big navy revolvers. His pockets were bulging with metallic cartridges, while his blue flannel shirt was disposed to es- cape through the six-inch space between the top of his pauts and the bottom of his hunting- | jacket. But despite his carelessness of personal habits, his boyish appearance and eurstens reckless | way, Ajax, as he had been aptly called, was a man of duauntless courage, a fearless, dashing spirit, Herculean strength, and indomitable will. Socially he was a jolly, rollicking, big- hearted boy. After he had greeted his friends and explain- ed his position at the beginning of the contest to | them, the Infant Giant turned to the outlaws, saying: ‘I must not neglect these folks; as I’m host in | this ranch to-night, I want to entertain all guests the best I can,” “This affair may not be so funny, you big sloven, before youare done with it!” Bruiser Bill remarked as be sat upon the ground, his | hands locked around his knees, that were drawn up almost to his chin. ‘* Bruiser William—I believe that’s what I ' beard you called,” responded Ajax thrusting his thumbs behind his belt, ‘‘ do be docile now; don’t throw out any insinuations and scare mv friends here all away. I don’t want to he Jeft alone with you—I’m bashful before stran- e 7 ‘* You're a fool—a brutal blow-hard!” declar- ed Yakima. ‘*T reckon as what he did blow hard ag’in’ you pilgrims,” observed Spokane Joe. ‘*The In- fant smacks a feller’s mug awful solid, I know, from the looks o’ your catty-wampus | features,” |. “I think,” said Highland Harry, ‘‘it would be well to place our friends, the onemy, in bonds, ” it is almost night and we don’t want them te ose Us.
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es Tarr A a a aC - t aT ees SIP SE? a i aeterhatere _ — wt 7 A ye rs 3 ag Highland Harry, the Wizard Rifleman. he a Br ra 1 eet oe so a er aie é ** Devilish facetious, ain’t Harry?’ said Bruiser Bill. “‘ A little while ago it was altogether another tune.” ‘Yes, sung by Bruiser William and Pistol James to the tune of ‘bravado,’ but your con- cert endedin a panic.” The belts of the dead outlaws were cut into strips and with these Ajax bound the two out- laws and Spokane’s Indian. Then the young giant took up the bodies of the dead men, and with apparentease threw them on top of the rocky wall, saying as ne did $0: -. ** They'll make buzzard grub.” **Go your length, wretches!” Bruiser Bill said. ** Tt’s a long lane that has no turn, You may kill us, and I persume you will, but whether you do or not, your doom is sealed. You may even it into the ‘ Basin,’ but you'll never git out. hat’s some consolation to us. Our folks knew before you left Red Bar that you was comin’—” ‘Got a pigeon message, eh?” interrupted Harry. ‘Well, I got one, too, the other day.” ‘* Yes, and with your boasted, conceited skill as a shooter you killed—murdered—an innocent girl, Kitty Boyne.” : ‘“*T_[ do not believe it!” stammered Harry, unable to conceal the pang the outlaw’s words sent to his heart. ‘* Ha! ha!” laughed the villain; ‘‘ that teches the Wizard Rifleman in a tender spot, don’t it, girl-killer? Butit area cold fact; Kitty Boyne died back in the hills an hour or two aiter you shot her!” CHAPTER VII. A SURPRISED CAMP. BRUISER BILL’s declaration sent a barb of rankling pain through Highland Harry’s very heart. e could not doubt the truth of the out- law’s words. They were so hedged about by certain other incidents, spoken of by the pris- oner, that he knew were facts, that he could no longer cherish the hope of seeing Kitty Boyne alive again. To conceal his emotions the young rifleman turned and walked away through tie stone-pile out into the open valley. There alone he gave up to mental reflections. His thoughts went back to Red Bar. He was satisfied beyond ail doubt now that there was a traitor among the settlers, but of all of them who could that per- son be? He knew of noone having pigeons of any kind at Red Bar, yet they must have been there, carefully concealed. By this means had the Outlaws of Teton Basin learned of his and Bildad Durr’s start to sr their stronghold, and the very course they had taken. Hitherto, the hopes of finding Kitty Boyne alive, and of rescuing her, had inspired the youth to brave the hardships and dangersof the dread Teton Basin; but now that inspiration was ong and a sense of sadness oppressed him. Yet he resolved to do his duty—go on and if possible explore the land of the outlaws, By this time it was quite dark. The stars came out in the great blue dome of heaven. All around the grim, rugged mountains rose up against the sky, and high aboveall—clearly out- lined—rose the Shark’s Tooth, the central peak of the Three Tetons, throwing its shadow al- most to where Highland Harry stood, yet weary leagues away. s he paced to and fro along the base of the **Trap,” Harry could hear, ever and anon, the voice of Ajax peal out in rollicking laughter, and healmostenvied the young Giant his happy, buoyant spirit. Rallying himself from his mind and heart’s dejection he was about returning to his friends when he detected a faint sound like that made by the trampling of hoofed feet, Dropping to his knees he applied his ear to the teh aa and listened for several moments. hen rising he hurried back to his friends and —_ returned outside again, accompanied by jax. ** A jax,” hesaid, ‘‘ there are horsemen in Shake Canyon approaching from the north.” The two listened. The sound could now be plainly heard, ; ‘*Right you are, Highland Harry!” declared the big mountaineer, ‘‘ and judgin’ by the sound there’sa whole regiment of them. Now, what are they?—soldiers, outlaws or Indians?” “They are not soldiers,” replied Harry, “‘ that I feel certain of; nor do I think they are out- laws, for the outlaws would hardly attempt to travel this pre ep with so many horses as ap- to be in that cavalcade,” ‘Then two from three leaves one, and that’s Ingins,” said the young Giant; ‘‘now, then, I don’t know how they may figger up, and if ou, Highland Ss Se they’re hostiles and call here, twenty or thirty’ll be all we four’ll care bout fighting at a whirl.” ‘“‘They can hardly be Crows so far from home,” said Harry, ‘‘ unless out ona horse-steal- ing raid; but why they should be headed this way unless going to raid Teton Basin, I don’t understand. I’m of the opinion they are a band of Sioux, Snakes and others from over east, entering this canyon cd way of Hayden’s trail, If so, they are undoubtedly bostile, and are endeavoring to make the spring here before halting for the night. Ajax, there isn’t room in this valley for us four and forty or fifty hostile red-skins.” ‘Then we'd better fall back in order to the hills,” Ajax suggested, ‘‘rather than under- take to keep the varmints away fromhere. But I'll send out the old folks and you can consult with them.” So saying the Giant returned to the spring and sent Uncle Bildad and Spokane Joe out, and when they had been informed of the approach of horsemen, not only by word of mouth, but by the sound of trampling hoofs, Old Spokane said: ‘‘They must be Sioux from south o’ the ‘Park,’ for I saw just yesterday what I s’posed to be an advance party o’ them red varmints, and they war in paint and feathers, too, ready for fight. Where they’re goin’ I can’t imagine, but we’d better get out of this, anyhow.” ‘* What about our prisoners?” asked Uncle Bildad. ‘* Leave them to the mercy o’ the savages,” answered Old Spokane; ‘‘ we can't be incumber- ed with them, and if they are, or are not, known to be outlaws, the reds ’ll attend to ’em, for Jack Hart’s gang has stolen more hosses from the Ingins than the whites, and the’r hair’s in demand as wellas yours.” ‘“Then we must be off, for they’re coming near,” Hurrying back to the interior of the stone-pile they informed A ee of their intentions, Witha look of regret on his face, the young Giant turned to the fettered outlaws, oe ‘* By-by, Bruiser Billy and Yakima Jule; we must part, and if forever, fare thee well. Old Plenty Cows, the Crow, or Squatting Calf, the Sioux, anda band o’ warriors are comin’ this way, and we'll leave you to their tender mercy. Be brave, Bruiser, asa Trojan, and lie like an Arab, and mebbe they’ll spare you. Paw the air, Yakima, and swear, like a tragedian, by yonder rising moon and them blinking stars you'll mop the earth with Ajax, the Infant Cyclone, and Highlo’ Harry, the Wizard Death- Shot, and mebby they’ll not only spare you, but ordain you asa valorous warrior. By showing the proper disregard for the truth and rippin’ up the atmosphere in a frantic manner, you may be spa the burping scalping-knife and the splitting tomahawk. Ajew, ajew!” With a wave of his hand the Giant turned and hurried away, and joining his friends awaiting him outside, the four started off through the darkness down the canyon. They had not gone more than forty rods be- fore the horsemen reached the Devil's Trap and halted. They listened, and to their surprise heard a confusion of voices, oaths and com- mands to their animals that told them the party was not Indians, but outlaws ! ‘“By hokey!” exclaimed Highland Harry, ‘weve overshot the mark, boys, leaving them three villains alive, for that’s a gang of outlaws with a drove of horses—stolen ones, no doubt!” ‘*Then Bruiser and Yakima ‘ll be after our hair hotter’n yellow hornets’ javelins,” declared Ajax; ‘‘ and we'll have to waste some gun-fod- der on them. But say, how solemnly still things have become ’round and about the Trap! I reckon they’re listening to Bruiser and pard’s story of the horde of mountaineers that swept down upon them like Assyrians and smote them hip and thigh.” {oving on thenarrowing valleysoon crowded the four into a deep, dark, wooded defile. Here they again coe § or to listen, when they discov- ered that those hoofed feet were again in motion —coming directly toward them at a lively ace. a Oh, John Rodgers!” exclaimed Ajax, ‘I wish we could block this gap some way and head them off!” : ‘‘ That’simpossible,” replied Harry ; ‘‘ but they seem to beina big hurry. I presume Bruiser and Yakima have told them a big story and scared them into improving the cover of night. But, boys, let’s to cover until they pass.” wis ne aside the four men concealed them- selves in the shadows of the defile, In a few minutes a man rode into the pass leading a.pony around whose neck was suspend- ed atinkling bell. Thirty or forty horses were following behind these, while no less than ten or fifteen mounted men brought up the rear. Among these the loud voice of the redoubtable Bruiser Bill could be easily distinguished pro- claiming in language most vehement against the mountaineers in general, and Ajax in par- ticular. ‘* He’s reading your title to a corner in sheol, Ajax,” Highland Harry whispered, to his big companion, ES faxpent he is feeling rank against me,” re- plied Ajax, ‘‘ for I smacked him hard on the face and give him a tremendous kick in the short ribs. I wish now I’d knocked off a lung or two.” The outlaws passed on up the canyon, and, so far as the mountaineers could see, manifested no fear of pursuers; and after a short consultation the quartet concluded to follow them just as far as possible, as no better opportunity could be of- fered to get into the Basin. Scarcely five miles, however, had been trav- ersed when the whole band came to a halt in a srassy valley similar to that surrounding the evil’s Trap. And it soon became evident that. they had stopped for the night. The borses were turned loose to graze in the valley which was well surrounded by a palisade of perpendic- ular bluffs. A guard was stationed in the pass at the up- r and lower end of the valley; then a fire was ighted just within the fringe of timber at the base of the western bluffs, and the outlaws pro- ceeded to cook their supper. The villains seemed well provided with fresh meat, which fact was evidence that their steal- ing incursion had reached some cattle-pen as well as horse ranch. ‘* Darn their impudent hides!” Ajax growled, in an undertone; ‘' they’ve halted for the night, sure. They don't seem to care a whip for our presence in Snake Canyon. That’s pure con- tempt, boys, for the Wizard Rifleman and his: pards, and I am for teaching them manners. We're good for the whole caboodle.” ‘‘ Rasy, friend,” replied Highland Harry; ‘‘T would rather get into Teton Basin at their heels: than to kill the whole gang. That drove of horses will leave a plain trail. We can make them villains our guides to their own hidden re- treat.” ‘¢ That’s all true, Déath-Pop, but it looks like a waste of opportunities for piles of fun and fight,” Ajax responded; ‘‘ you see, we’re inside the guard line, too slick, and all we would have: to do is to wade right in and paralyze them. But I can stand it if you say it’s best, Pard Harry.” ‘‘ Let us wait awhile, at least,” suggested the Boy Rifleman; ‘‘ they may move on as soon as they have eaten their supper and rested a spell. And there may be others back looking for we folks,” Concealed within one hundred yards of the outlaws, the mountaineers could see every move- ment they made within the light of their camp- fire, Amid the activity of the gang in cooking sup- per, a loud and hilarious conversation was car- ried on. The lamentations of Bruiser Bill and Yakima Jule, and the recent death of three of their friends at Devil’s Trap, did not seem to oppress their spirits in the least, esently the savory odor of broiling beef- steak pervaded the valley like an incense, and assailed the olfactories of the mountaineers. Ajax, who had not tasted food since morning, and who was blessed with an appetite com- mensurate with his size, said, as he sniffed the air and smacked his fips: ‘* Fumes of glory! that odor ismore aggravat- ing to me than the presence of the outlaws. I'm hungrier than a coyote—I’m always hungry, for that matter. Boys, I can never squat here and watch them outlaws quietly devouring that steak. Something must be done.” “Say, you,” Spokane Joe spoke up, “if you. don’t keep a little stiller somethin’ will be did— Bruiser Bill will stuff your ’natomy with cold lead ’stead o’ thoroughbred beefsteak from some Gallatin ranch.” “ All right, Joseph,” the Giant replied; ‘‘ fron» now until something happens I'll be dumb in si-. lence, and content to inhale the sweet-scented. ozone for supper.” While cooking their meal the outlaws un- buckled their belts, and, with their revolvers: attached, laid them aside to enjoy the better their repast by unhampering their stomachs” capacity. ; ike ‘Aint. the outlaws/had undoubtedly fast- ed since the previous night or morning. Atan rate, it required nearly an hour’s work of
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| eS) Vey Gee ae. Highland Harry, the Wizard Rifleman. | i ens hands present to prepare food sufficient for the entire party; and when at length their task was completed, and they had sested themselves on the earth to enjoy it, Harry almost trembled with suspense through fear that the impulsive, devil-may-care Ajax might take it into head to spoil the outlaws’ supper by some de- monstration or other. But before the Giant could do so, in case he had any notion of it at all, the keen ears of the entire four suddenly detected a sound like that made by the.soft tread of many feet. so dark they could see nothing. held his breath and listened. The sound grew a little louder, then it grew fainter—seemed to ss them, moving in the direction of the out- aw camp. ‘“By the shades o’ the temple!” whispered Uncle Bildad in evident confusion of mind, *‘that wor the tread 0’ ghosts! Boys, this spot is ha’nted!” * Softly! softly!” Harry commanded, bending low: ‘‘ 1 see shadowy forms moving between us and the outlaws’ light—moving toward them!” Searcely had he uttered the last word when there burst upon the night a scream ** Asif all the fiends from heaven that fell Had pealed the banner ery of hell!”’ *“Ingins! Crows!” yelled Ajax aloud, spring- ing to his feet. ‘‘They’re onto the robbers, and I'm going to have a foot in the frolic!” _And before his friends could realize his inten- tion and restrain him, the impulsive young Giant lunged away through the bushes and with a yell that sounded like a fog-horn above the tempest-like cries of the red-skins, he joined in the attack uvon the outlaws! CHAPTER VIII. AN INGLORIOUS RETREAT, ‘CONFOUND that big, wild bullephant!” ex- claimed Harry in vexation, as the young Giant, Ajax, tore madly away and joined the Crows in their attack on the robber gang; ‘‘he’ll get his head broke and all of us into trouble.” Highland Harry was not sure of the friendli- ness of the Crows There had been for a lon time rumors of an uprising among them, ann their appearance there, over one hundred miles from the/r usual beat, made him apprehensive. True, they may have only followed the outlaws there to recover their stolen stock, but if at war with the whites in general, Ajax would find himself in no enviable position. The outlaws had but fairly begun their repast when the attack was made, and never were men more completely surprised and terror-stricken. Feeling perfectly safe from intrusion in their knowledge of being guarded by the most trusty of men stationed in theapproaches to the valley they were enjoying themselves as if at a socia banquet in their own stronghold. But as that horrible yell fell upon their ears, the food dropped from their nerveless hands, and as a man they sprung to their feet and vanished be- fore the foe into the darkness as shadows vanish before a burst of sunshine—leaving behind, in their headlong flight, their weapons, their sad- dies, their supper and two or three half-stunned friends, The Crows made no attempt to follow the frightened thieves, but at once took possession of the deserted camp; and the three watchers in the bushes saw Ajax, towering head an‘ shoul- ders above the red-skins, immediately surround- ed by the victorious followers of Old Plenty Cows, They trembled for his safety, and held themselves in readiness for action should his life be threatened, They saw the Giant swinging his fists about him as if to keep the red-skins at bay, and heard him tulking in excited tones, but in the Babel of savage voices they could not understand what he was. saying. When, however, they finally heard hit burst into a roar of laughterin which the Crows joined him in yells of savage delight all doubts of his safety were dispelled, ; However, the three mountaineers remained secreted. They were notsure yet of the Indians’ friendship for the whites in general, which Ajax a won in particular by his service in their be- If. In a few moments the crowd about the Infant Giant dissolved, and all seating themselves upon the ground began devouring the outlaws’ supper like famished coyotes, Ajax included, For the time being the Giant seemed to forget the friends he had so unceremoniously left in the bushes, but they overlooked this neglect in @ amusement afforded them by the Infant’s antic performances. But there was one who did not enjoy the big mountaineer’s proceedings, and that was the his | It was | Every man | luckless Bruiser Bill. Singled out by Ajax at the beginning of the attack, the outlaw was stricken down by the Giant’s fist half-uncon- scious, and, being unable to escape, he sat a prisoner under a Crow tomahawk, a silent, sul- len witness of his big enemy’s enjoyment. After the outlaws’ supper had been devoured, | Old Plenty Cows, the chief who had led in the successful pursuit of the robbers, seated himself near Ajax and the two conversed together for some minutes in low tones. Finally Ajax arose and, waving the red-skins a grandiJoquent adieu, left the camp and re- | joined his friends chuckling with suppressed laughter, ‘* Well, you’ve played thunder and got your supper into the bargain, haven’t you?” Highland Harry said. ‘‘Oh, King Peter!” exclaimed the Giant, be- tween fits of laughter, ‘‘ [ never, never had such stacks of fun as I’m havin’ this blessed old August night. But I didn’t forgit you, pards, and brought each of you a slab of broiled, juicy steak big as a saddle-skirt. Here, treat your stomachs to a bit of Belshazzar’s feast. And then you want to look out for morefun. Plenty Cows is going to send Bruiser Billy out into the darkness to invite the horse-thieves back into camp and give them their horses and lei ’em ‘* What does the old fool mean by that?” asked Harry. ‘Why, Death-Pop, don’t you know that a Crow Indian prides himself on his skill as a horse-thief, and has the greatest respect and ad- miration for others of the same accomplishment, be they red or white? But the Crow that gets catched at stealing a horse, or loses it after it’s been stolen, is eternally disgraced. Now, he thinks that by gettin’them outlaws back and givin’them up their horses, they’ll be so humili- ated, crestfallen and disgraced that Jack Hart’s hull band will feel the blow and never visit an- other Crow horse-corral.”’ ‘* But perhaps the outlaws won’t feel the dis- grace like the Crow,” Harry observed, ‘‘ nor even venture back by invitation into camp.” ‘* Of course not; what’s an outlaw care about disgrace and the honors of a horse-thief, as the Crow does? As to venturing back to camp, they'll do so if they think they can get posses- sion of their'weapons, take the red-skins off their guard and clean’em out. But hark! negotia- tions have already opened. ‘Listen to the mocking-bird.’”’ Sure enough, from the darkness of the wooded bluff they could hear a voice calling to Plenty Cows. The latter answered, and then for fully an houra conversation was carried onin the Crow jargon. At first it was at long-range, but gradually the fellow in the darkness approached the camp until he was faintly visible in the camp light. Tbe result of the.conference was that, in a short time after it had ended, some fifteen rather sheepish-looking horse-thieves came marching into camp, though endeavoring to appear cheerful and indifferent. The Indians at once set up a loud laughing, and pointing their fingers at them, began utter- ing the most exasperating jeers and taunts, The robbers, however, seemed to take it all in good part, but at once endeavored, by parley, to obtain possession of their deserted weapcns; but this request was refused them. The Indians were cunning enough to mistrust that if the Villains got possession of their arms they might endeavor to retrieve their honor by a bloody assault upon them. However, they continued their jeering—calling the robbers ** squaw horse- thief,” and other exasperating epithets. Bruiser Bill kept walking about among the red-skins as if looking for sometbing or some one, as he un- doubtedly was; and while thus engaged he was followed by a little weazen-faced warrior, who ever and anon would kick out at him and neigh like a horse, This the Indian kept up until, losing control of his already inflamed temper, Bruiser Bill slapped him in the face, . Instantly the unlucky outlaw was set upon by the Crows and pounded most unmercifully. His friends attempted to rescue him, when the whole gang was attacked by the red-skins and kicked and cuffed about so savagely that they were forced for the second time to beat an inglorious retreat to the hills, minus horses, arms and reputation.* CHAPTER IX, IN THE TETON BASIN, AMONG the most remarkable landmarks of the great Rocky Mountains are the ‘‘ Three Te- tons,” a range of needle-pointed peaks, extend- * This incident is substantially true. ah te te em age a ee st ll sean ing from the grand canyon of the Snake River on tke east, and Pierre’s Hole on the west north- ward a distance of forty miles to the southern boundary of the National Park of the Yellow- stone. They area part of what was once term- ed the Wind River Mountains, which region among explorers bore the deserved reputation of being the most rugged and impenetrable of all the ranges of the great backbone of the American Continent. In the Teton Basin, a wild and secluded mountain recess, impossible to reach except by aid of experienced guides, a band of outlaws, composed ot white men of various nationalities and a few Indian half-breeds, made their head- quarters. The place is a little paradise abound- ing in wood, water and grass; and at the time of which I write many of the outlaws were liv- ing there in houses with their families, and raising crops of grain and vegetables for their own sustenance, as well as levying heavily upon the horse and cattle ranches for two hundred miles around them. And this they did with perfect impunity. They were so thoroughly and systematically organized that, with all the care and vigilance of the settlers of Montana, as well as some of the Indians—aided by the most experienced scouts and mountaineers — they were unable to reach their rendezvous, known to be somewhere about the base of the Tetons. Many a brave scout kad started out to follow these villains to their lair, taking a trail made ape by the tracks 'of stolen stock, but if 1e ever got back at all, it was to report of a trail lost in the labyrinths of black defiles with- in the shadows of the Three Tetons. But no one believed that all the outlaws of Northern Montana rendezvoused in Teton Ba- sin. There was no doubt that the band had spies and agents right among the stockmen of the Yellowstone Valley, and the valleys of its tributaries, whom it was more difficult to detect than it was to catch the operators. It has been estimated that, during the year of 1884, two thousand horses were stolen in Montana alone by these Teton Basin outlaws, under the leadership of the notorious Jack Hart *—also known as ‘‘ Seven-up”—and one Windy Campbell. It is supposed that they ran the stock southward from the Basin and sold them.in Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. Of the general history of this outlaw band, however, we have nothing in particular to do, and will now conduct the reader into the Teton Basin—the outlaw retreat—without attempting to describe the tedious and perilous passage by which we gain admittance. It was mid-afternoon. The shadows of the great Shark’s Tooth was slowly creeping east- ward across the range, when, from’ the wooded spur of the environing hills on the northern ex- tremity of the Basin, two persons looked down into the smiling valley upon the homes of the outlaw band. These two persons were High- land Harry, the Wizard Rifleman, and Ajax, the Infant Giant. After two days and nights of almost constant creeping and climbing among the hills, suffer- ing many a bruise from falls, deprived of both food and water, these two brave and deter- mined young mountaineers had at last pene- trated the robbers’ stronghold undetected, hav- ing left their old friends, Uncle Bildad and Spokane, far back in the mountains to watch a certain pass leading in the direction of the Basin, From their elevation the scouts could over- look almost the entire valley and see the out- laws’ homes. The latter consisted of about a score of single and double log cabins, all of which stood at the edge of the timber skirtin the valley. Most of the buildings were groupec together at a point two miles or moreaway, but ata point about half that distance stood three cabins within a short distance of each cther. Besides these, there were two or three buildings standing off entirely alone. On the tallest building of the larger group some kind of a flag was fluttering, and this was evidence to the young scouts of that building being the head- quartersof the band. Many cattle and hundreds of horses could be seen scattered over the green, grassy vale, while nearer the cabins were fields of growing grain and small patches of vegetables. Nota person could be seen moving abroad in the valley, but in and around the larger group of cabins considerable activity seemed to pre- vail. Many men, and even women and children, | could be seen moving and flitting about; an finally, from the three cabins nearest to the *This outlaw was captured finally in 1886, R=, “f LR
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oe” == . = a i nt a ek 8 OO Highland Harry, the Wizard Rifleman. watchers, four men, two women and three chil- dren were seen to emerge and proceed on foot down to headquarters, “T say, Ajax,” Highland Harry finally ob- served, as they watched the movements of the outlaws, ‘‘ there must be something unusual go- ing on in Robberville tu-day—perhaps a funeral or wedding.” ‘*It may be they’re havin’ church, Death- Pop,” replied Ajax, with a grim smile; ‘‘ you seem to forget that to-day is Sunday, my dear friend.” ‘It is, indeed,” responded Harry; ‘‘I’d over- looked that fact, so hungry and busy have I been the past twenty-four hours, I have al- ways made it a point, Ajax, to observe the Sabbath and keep it holy when possible to do so. I donot think them outlaws have any re- ligious scruples.” ‘* Well, Harry,” replied Ajax, ‘‘I go on the principle that the better the day the better the deed, and as I’m hollow from skull to moccasins, I think it would be doing the Wizard Rifleman and Infant Giant a great deed of kindness and mercy for us to flutter down to them nearest cabins and inspect their pantries. I feel prett sure the folks have all gone down to head- quarters, and if so, we could just make the cold grub fly ” ‘* Well, one thing is certain,” declared High- land Harry, ‘‘ and thatis, we have got to have something to eat before we can do anything more. As we dare not fire a gun to procure it, nor light a fire to cook anything if we even had it, I second your motion to move on them three cabins, and, if the folks are from home, help ourselves.” ‘* That’s the talk—motion’s carried—come on, ap toe hs Descending the hill the scouts carefully ap- proached the cabins, keeping weil under cover of the timber. They found the houses all front- ed south, the doors of two of them being closed, but the door of the third one—a lony, double structure—stood open, leaving no doubt of there being some one inside. However, the scouts were not to be thwarted in their intentions of procuring something to eat. They page ot ou their position in bopes of determining, before they advanced from cover, whether an outlaw or his wife, or both, was in the double cabin, and in doing so they got the wind—a soft breeze—directly from the cabin, and it came freighted with the most delicious savory odor that ever greeted the olfactories of a hungry man. It was the odor of cooking viands, and Ajax, after sniffing the air like a buck, his big, oblique cyes half-closed, ex- claimed: ‘* Essence and incense of Paradise! do you catch on to that soul-tickling odor, Death-Pop? Does your nasal nose drink in that intoxicating odor as areservation buck Ingin drinks in the juices of the golden maize? Does not—” ‘Yes, the odor of cooking food,” interrupted Harry, ‘*and it only increases my gnawing hun- er.’ ‘¢ Then come on,”*said the giant mountaineer, ‘Sand we'll have some of the svlids as well as some of the ethereals,” Advancing from the belt of woods into the opening the two hastily approached the open door of the long cabin, their bands upon their pistols ready for quick work if necessary. Without the least ceremony they bolted right into the room, and were greeted by a startled cry from the lips of a fat negress of forty years, the only occupant of the house, As the woman started back, her hands elevated and her face the picture of terror, Highland Harry said, in an assuring tone: ' ‘Don’t be frightened, Aunty, don’t be fright- ened,” ‘*?Rore God, who is you?” the wench found voic : to inquire, her eyes fairly bulging from their sockets, ‘¢ Wriends—the best of friends,” he answered ‘* My frien’?” exclaimed the woman; ‘‘ dat big, uglv man my frien’? ’Fore God I belieb’ he do ditbil!” ‘* Nary devil, Aunty,” putin Ajax; ‘‘ but, say, where’s all yer men folks?” ‘* Dey down to Cap’n Hart’s. If you want to see dem you haf to go down dar,” promptly an- swered the negress, in hopesof getting rid of her unwelcome visitors. ** All right, per but we want something to eat,” Ajax said. “lll swear I’m hungry enough to eat a fat, plump nigger wench with- out salt!” **@long off! Got nothin’ for you!” the negress replied, having somewhat recovered from her fright, and assumed an air of pug- nacity,. ‘*See here, nigger,” Ajax exclaimed, a little sharply, ‘* you don’t want to get peart now, and goto yarnin’, You’ve got a whole orpban’s supper of good things to eat, for [ smelt them fourteen miles away, and tracked them up asa buzzard tracketh a carrion. What you got in that other room, Aunty?” Advancing, he looked into the adjoining room, and a cry of genuine surprise burst from his lips at what hesaw. A long table stood at one side of the room spread with snowy linen, and laden with avarie y of thorich viands that would have done eredit to a royal feast. A dozen plates were already laid, a camp-kettle of steaming coffee sat on the hearth of the open fireplace, andin fact everything seemed present and ready for a splendid teast except the feast- ers themselves. ‘* Great gods of Ambrosia!” burst from the lips of pe one ee Ajax. ‘‘ Highland Harry, come here and behold the feastthat awaits us!— a feast that would knock tne socks off old Bels- hazzar, Ar’n’t we in the land of milk and honey? Who wouldn’t bea Teton Basiner? Oh, Aunty! you sublime old girl, I love youfrom the bottom of my howling appetite! Come, Death-Pop, and let’s dine to the health of our dear, old Aunty!” ‘¢ Jus’ so suah as you tech one ob dem wittals, I'l] blow de horn and bring all de men up here, and dey’ll kill you plum dead,” the old woman threatened, her eyes flashing fiercely, ‘* Aunty!” sharply exclaimed Ajax, turning upon the wench with a ferocious look, ‘tif you do anything of the kind I'll devour you alive!” Thisthreat was followed by a savage grimace, a snapping of his jaws like a wolf, and the grating of his teeth in a manner that struck terror to the soul of the negress, who, with a hysterical cry, sunk back upon a chair trem- bling in every limb. Having thus silenced the woman, Ajax turned and seated himself at the table, Highland Harry taking a seat opposite him. Drawing his long-bladed hunting-knife, the Infant Giant thrust the point into a chunk of uncarved roasted meat, which he held up be- fore him, and eying it steadily, slowly said: ‘* Some ha’ meat that canna eat, Some ha’ none that want it; But we ha’ meat and w+ ca’ eat, So let the Lord be thankit!” Having thus, in the language of the poet, ex- pressed his thanks, the Giant fell to and helped himself as freely as though seated at his own board. Harry,too, made good use of his oppor- tunity, however ruthlessly it was gained, tur he considered that, since be was half starved and in the house of the enemy, the ent justified the means, The negress sat trembling in whimpering ter- ror and saw her daintiest viands disappearing with arapidity that threatened tie total destruc- tion of the feast. And, presently, when she saw Ajax lift a cloth from a plate, revealing a large fancy cake, and saw the ugly knife of the moun- taineen cleave it in halvegs—one of which was tossed to Harry—the negress’s heart seemed broken, and she wailed out in most lugubrious tones: ‘‘Oh, poor massa! his weddin’ supper’s done ruined!” .‘* Wedding supper, eh?” exclaimed the Giant; “then you can sing that old familiar song of our childhood, *‘ Oh, what shall the wedding supper be, and a-whoo?’” ** And this is your master’s wedding supper, is it, Aunty?” Highland Harry asked, ‘** Tn co’se it am massa’s weddin’ supper, and you’s done gone and ruined it!” ‘Why didn’t you tell us before?” responded Ajax, with an assumed look of regret. ‘‘Then you're expecting the weddin’ party here soon, are you?” ‘* Ebbery minit,” answered the shrewd wench; ‘* massa war to be married at de capting’s house dis af’ernoon, and den he and his bride and de odder folks war comin’ heah to suppah.” Asif struck by a sudden thought, Highland pict d started slightly, and leaning forward, asked : ‘¢ What is your master’s name, Aunty?” ** Massa’s name am Hank Seguin.” ** And what is the name of the woman he was to marry?” ‘*T do’sn’t know; she young missus dat come frumb ’way off som’whar.” Harry and Ajax exchanged significant glances, ‘*Death-Pop,” exclaimed the Infant Giant, ** do you begin to understand the situation?” “My God! yes! Kitty Boyne lives, and is the bride ere this of that villain and outlaw, Hank Seguin!” ” Boy, hav’n’t we struck it gorg’ous? | CHAPTER X. A WARM RECEPTION. HIGHLAND Harry now had little taste for more food and at once quit the table, distressed in heart and mind by the discovery he believed they had made—that Kitty Boyne lived and was wedded to Hank Seguiu, the outlaw. The young rifleman had become reconciled to Kitty’s death, for, after Bruiser Bill had told him of her dying from effectsof his bullet, he believed the story true; and now, in his heart of hearts, hoped it was true, rather than that she bad been alive and the victim of Seguin, Seating himself near the negress Harry plied her with questions, and thereby elici suffi- cient evidence to satisfy him that Kitty had never even been wounded by his bullet, but had been brought to Teton Basin, as arranged by the pigeon-message of ‘* Bat,” and forced into a mock marriage with the outlaw. ‘¢ Ajax,” the youth finally said, turning to his big companion, ‘‘it begins to look as though we had work to do in Teton Basin.” ‘*That’s what I’m wasting way to a skeleton for,” respen ied the Giant; ‘* havin’ sumptuous- ly dined on the choice food prepared by our ear, magnificent, old Aunty, I am ready for business. Any weddin’ that’s taken piace in Teton Basin to-day is a fraud and a humbug, and I now convene myself as a court—judge and jury—to grant Miss Kitty a divorce, if the bride be Kitty, before ever that delectable Se- guin tastes of his wedding-supper.” ‘‘*Pore God, dar am’t a taste ob de suppah left!” declared the old negress with a woeful glance at the ravaged table. ‘¢There’ll be enough for somebody, Aunty, if things prove to be as we suspect—ah! Merry Moses! there they come this blessed moment, oh! so gay and happy Vo ‘*Bress de Lor’!” cried the negress startin toward the dcor, ‘‘ I guess you'll cotch 1t now!” ‘* Hold on, old gal,” said Ajax, grasping her by the arm; ‘‘ you don’t want to go cuttin’ any nigger shines’round here. You stay right in- side this cabin, and if you so much as chirp Ill snap your woolly head right off. Git, now, into that room, and don’t offer to come out or whis- per. Do you hear?” As the Giant concluded he gave her one of his ferocious looks, grating bis teeth as he did so, that sent the terrified wench reeling back into the dining-room begging that her life might be spared and promising implicit obedience, The young mountaineers could see no Jess than fifteen or twenty persons—all men—string- ing out on foot and horseback from headquar- ters. Of the horsemen there were six riding in pairs, one of the two riding before being a wo- man. Keeping within the cabin, the scouts watched the approaching party with rapidly -beating hearts and no little apprehension, for they were running a desperate risk, i ‘‘The odds will bestrong against us, Ajax,” Highland Harry remarked. ‘*But we'll have a huge advantage, Death- Pop,” responded the Giant. ‘‘You see the horsemen will reach here in advance of the footmen; we can demolish them, take the bride and flee to the mountains of Hepsidam before the others get near. ’ ‘* Suppose our suspicion of the woman being Kitty should be incorrect?” ‘We'll give them horsemen a whirl anyhow. If Seguin is among them I’a like to bat him one over the cranium forluck, We'll have to down them fellerson horseback, you see, in order to give ourselves a chance to get out.” Harry kept a close watch upon the couple rid- ing in front, and when they were about ten rods from the cabin he turned to Ajax and, with a look ha'f-joy, half-regret, said: ‘It is Kitty Boyne, sure enough |” ‘* Good!” exclaimed the Giant, feeling that his weapons were in their proper place; ‘then 1 can slosh around all the moredestructiveamong them variets, seein’ a pretty girl’s life is at stake. I’m ready for work, Death-Pop.” “For Heaven’s sake, Ajax, be very careful, One misslick may Jose us all. We're in the tiger’s den, and it is going to require the best of luck for us to get out. Ah! poor Kitty! I can see she is bowed down with grief and fear!” Seguin and the maiden reached the cabin a few rodsin advance of the others, and leaping from his saddle the outlaw assisted Kitty to dis- mount. ’ Hank Seguin was a tall, slender man of thirty- five years, with a dark-gray eye, a heavy, black mustache, and a swarthy, sensual visage, He was neatly attired, and, if armed at all, his weapons were not visible. Kitty was a maiden of eighteen, with a slight,
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Highland Harry, the Wizard Rifleman. . PRI aS See 9 eful figure, deep-blue eyes and a wealth of Fdark-brown hair. Her fair, sweet face, Harry could see from his lookout, did not wear its wonted expression of happiness and smiles of ‘vivacious joy. On the contrary, he saw it was marked with dejection and hopeless despair, and when Seguin took her by the arm and started tuward the cabin,she drew back and a wild look of terror came into her eyes, as if she had suddenly read over that door the inscription over the entrance to Dante’s Inferno— ‘* He who enters here leaves Hope behind !” CHAPTER XI, LOST AMONG THE FOOTHILLS, Ir suddenly became evident to the young mountaineers that, owing to the order of the mounted ou‘laws’ arrival, Seguin with the maiden would enter the cabin at least a minute or two in advance of the others, when all had been expected together and arrangements for their reception made accordingly. But a change in the scouts’ plans was necessary, and Harry quickly said to his companion: ‘* Ajax, you must settle that villain, Seguin, witha thump on the head! If we fire the shot will alarm the others and they will come pre- pared.” Ajax winked a significant reply. nee Ft the poor, terrified girl, Seguin entered the door, shouting forth: ‘*Ho, Maggy! come greet your young mis- tress and welcome her home to—” Here the outlaw’s remarks were cut short by a voice saying: ‘*Pil welcome you /” and at the same instant the Titan form of Ajax slipped from behind the door, and before the outlaw could utter a single syllable, he received a blow on the head that felled him senseless and bleeding to the floor, At thesameinstant Highland Harry made his presence known to Kitty, who uttered a cry of joy and surprise, and with outstretched hands started toward him, but fell ina swoon at his feet. A little later Ajax opened the ball in earnest by shooting down an outlaw as he crossed the tureshold of the cabin door, At the crack of his big navy old Maggy, the negress, opened up a pair of lungs that would have done credit to a ‘' painter,” A second shot from Ajax's revolver quickly followed the first. Then there was a momentary silence — except the wench’s shrieks — durin which time the Giant, followed by Highlan Harry, sprung out into the yard and opened fire on the other three outlaws, who, alarmed by the report of Ajax’srevolver, were hurrying toward tue cabin, little dreaming of the presence of en- emies therein. Taken completely by surprise two of them fell at the first fire. The third one dodged behind a horse, and throwing his arm over the animal’s back began a random firing at the scouts. But a shot in each of his exposed legs brought him down and he cried for mercy. The sound and sight of the conflict had cre- ated a panic among those coming on foot, Some of them halted and gazed towaru the cabin, ges- ticulating excitedly, while others turned and ran like deer toward headquarters. Harry and Ajax were about turning to the cabin again when the docr was banged shut and they found themselves barred out, Instantly the thought flashed through their minds that Seguin had recovered his senses and closed the door uvontbem. Harry tried to open it, but it was fastened. With a curse Ajax hurled himself against it like a thunderbolt,and witb a crash it was bursted from its hinges and finng half-across te room, falling uponthe pros- trate form of old Maggy, the negress. Seguin still lay upon the floor unconscious, as did Kitty, also, The closing and barring of the door had been the work of the frantic, terrified ‘wench, butshe bad paid Gearly for it. Ajax turned and went out of the cabin again to watch the movements of the enemy. Highland Harry lifted the form of Kitty, and lacing it ona couch near, endeavored torestore er to consciousness. While thus engaged, Ajax hurriedly entered the room, saying: ** Death-Pop, we’ve got to get out of this in- ‘stanter) The whole Teton Basin has been arous- ed. and no less than a dozen menon horseback are flying up the valley like the wind, while a score of othersare comin’ on foot!” ‘* Ajax, I can never leave this poor, uncon- scious girl here alive—” : ‘*No, never!” interrupted the Giant; ‘‘ by the throne of mercy! we’il take her with us! [can carry ber, Harry, and then tax your speed to keep up.’ And as he concluded, he stooped and as though that of an infant, and turning, hur- ried from the cabin, followed by his friend. ‘* Now, Harry,” he said, as he saw the outlaws swiftly approaching, ‘‘ you must hump yourself and cover our retreat. See that ges reputa- tion as a Wizard Rifleman is fully sustained. If we can reach the hill we can make good our mat ah “Go on, Ajax, and I will do my best,” said the young rifleman, with a calm yet determined air, dropping his repeater into the hollow of his left arm, The Giant, with long, rapid strides, crossed the open space and entered the fringe of tim- ber, Harry following slowly; but at the edgeof the grove, the latter stopped, turned, and rais- ing his trusty rifle, took a quick aim and fired at tho foremost of the approaching horsemen, who was now scarcely thirty rods away. It was an easy shot for the Wizard Rifleman, and the outlaw fairly sprung into the air from his saddle, then fell to the earth, The reportof his rifle was immediately fol- lowed by the sharp twanging of a horn, whose blasts seemed to pierce the very heavens and roar and rattle among the mountains in a thousand reverberating echoes. Glancing toward the cabin, as he turned to flee, Harry saw old Maggy in front of the building with a hunter’s tin horn to her lips, her whole fat body seeming inflated to bursting in her frantic efforts to arouse the valley. But the sounds of the conflict at the cabin had done that, already. The approaching out- laws required no words, nor signal-blasts of the horn, to inform them of the presence of enemies in their strongnold. In fact, they had seen the mountaineers leaving the cabin for the woods, and most of them dashed on past the door in pursuit. Highland Harry ran on until he came up with Ajax, then he stopped and looked back. He saw the enemy following through the timber, and tried a second shot at one of them ; but with what result he could not tell, for the shadows of the woods, and the many tree-trunks, made a careful aim impossible, “‘If we can keep them off half an hour, Death-Pop,” said Ajax, hopefully, ‘‘ the gather- | shadows of night’ll help us out.” o make more certain of his work Harry per- mitted the outlaws to gain slightly upon him, for as long as they remained upon their horses, he had little fear of their domg much harm with firearms. The result was that the next shot he fired an outlaw was tumbled from his saddle, and a second and third soon shared the same fate. This fatality in the ranks of the robbers end- ed their pursuit for the time being, and High- land Harry was once more permitted to turn about and continue after hisfriends. Rut to his surprise Ajax could not beseen. Of this, how- ever, he thought little at the time, for as the timber was growing denser, the shadows deeper and the way breaking up into foothills, it seem- ed that the young Giant could not be far away although concealed from his view; and,nothing daunted, be ran on, expecting every moment to overtake him, But in this he was disappointed, A mile or more had been traversed. The way had grown broken and hilly; the shadows had deepened into the darkness of night, and the youth at last realized, with a feeling of bitter regret, that he was not only separated from his big companion, but lost among the foothills of Teton Basin! CHAPTER XII. A BAND OF WROTHY MEN. AMONG the very first of the gang to reach Se- guin’s cabin was Jack Hart, or ‘‘ Seven-Up,” the leader of the band. The villain was almost paralyzed by the shocking sight that met bis gaze outside the building, and thestory he heard from the lips of old Maggy and the man who had been shot in the legs, Hank Seguin was slowly recovering from his “quiet,” although he was still in too dazed a condition to give any information regarding the situation. is face was covered with blood from a gash on the head, and he presented a rather dilapidated appearance for a bridegroom, As soon as Hart learned what had happened he became somewhat excited and tore around most furiously. ‘This all comes,” he exclaimed, ‘to his fol- lowers, arriving on the und, ‘‘of that in- fernal, stupid blunder of ‘Flip’ Jim’s party with Old Plenty Cows inSnake Canyon! That big devil, Ajax, who was with the Crows at the time of the attack, has poe and deliberately followed ‘ Flip’s’ party into the Basin, But it's camp | and they must not be permitted to es- ca ‘What’s your pleasure, captain?’ asked one Adder-Nose Dick—a very a ay very name— whose duty it was to keep the Basin clear of enemies—a sort of captain of guards. ‘*Mount and go at once for the dogs, and we'll trailthemassassinpstotheGallatin but what we get them! Ride lively, man, for the trail should be taken up before it gets too dark.” Away dashed Adder-Nose, and in less than half an hour returned, bringing with him four Cuban bloodhounds—fierce, impatient and hun- gry-looking brutes, that seemed to know what was before them, A purty of four was selected to accompany Adder-Nose, Bruiser Bill and Yakin:a Jule be- ing of that number by their own request. They were eager to get even with Highland Harry and Ajax for the punishment they had re- ceived at the hands of these young mountain- eers. By this time it was growing dusk, and as night soon comesin the mountain valleys after sun- set, Adder-Nose and his party made haste to find the trail of the enemy, and soon they were speeding away toward the north, Owing to the gathering shadows they kept the hounds in leash, and atter a few miles’ pur- suit it was discovered to them by the action of the dogs that the trail separated. ‘* By the everlastin fury !” complained Adder- Nose, ‘‘ them two interlopers have parted, and there’s no tellin’ which one has the gal. We dare:.’t divide our force for fear of a trap. Them two fellows may only be a bait throwed into the Basin to draw us ali into ambush; they never entered here alone,” ‘* Well, what'll we do?’ asked Bruiser Bill, impatiently. **Some one will bave to return to quarters and inform ‘Seven-Up’ of the situation, and suggest he send a party to Smoke-Hole, Black Gut and Shiver Canyons to watch for the fugi- tives. We'll wait here uutil he returns with further orders to us.” Yakima Jule volunteered to return to camp and no less than three hours were thus lost, for when he returned it was with the iuformation that parties had already been dispatched to watch the northern passes leading from the Basin. ‘*Good!” exclaimed Bruiser Bill on receipt of this news, ‘‘ then we’re sure of the capture of them bold marauders and the recovery of Se- guin’s bride, On, Adder-Nose, with your pups! Let us sleep nor rest not until the scalp of Ajax dangles like a cow-skih at my girdle!” ‘‘And I bave paralyzed the Wizard Rifle- man!” chimed in Yakima, with a vivid recollec- tion of his recent adventures at Devil’s Trap. ** And then, there are them two old hunters who are no doubt with them young coyotes be- fore this; so want to proclaim right now that we'll have no boy’s play downin’them four even if they are alone.” “Well,” said Adder-Nose, ‘‘ we'll not borrow any fear in advance of possible danger, We've got the two separated, and if we can keep them so until we rake them in, as we havea dozen others that war foolhardy enough to venture into Teton Basin, 1t’s not likely another attempt will be made s.on to disturb our retreat. Come, forward to the pursuit!” Taking the trail that trended off to the north- east the outlaws pressed on through the night, over wooded hills, rocky vaileys—tireless, deter- mined and revengeful. CHAPTER XIII. A REVELATION BY DAVID HANOVER. On the morning following the meeting at Red Bar the settlers were still in a fever of excite- ment over the disappearance of Kitty Boyne, and the cowardly assault upon the life of High- land Harry The most careful search of the ground where the maiden was captured, and the adjacent hills, gave no light as to whether the captive had been killed by Harry’s bullet or not. But the fact of their being unable to find any traces of her, living or dead, taken in connection with the well-matured plans for her abduction—as revealed by the intercepted message of the car- rier-pigeon—gave some hope of her being alive ; and so Highland Harry and Uncle Bildad at once set eather the direction = Teton Basin to obtain any information ible. That the outlaw had confederate in Red Bar there seemed no doubt, but among all the men there was not a single one upon whom sus- picion could be fixed with any reasonable grounds, There were those, however, who —wP = lifted the inanimate form of the girl in hisarms no use whinin’ now over that. Enemies are in ' could not help associating the presenceof David. t & > Sa eer > a en eee te
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f aK) a 4 pacer * sie a oe 10 Highland H es as Sees ; hah j Hanover with the abduction of Kitty Boyne, and would no doubt have suspected him of the attempt on Highland Harry’s life had the stran- ger, at the time of the attack, not been seated in the school-house in conversation with half a dozen citizens. A watch was kept upon his movements nevertheless. He seemed restless and uneasy, and finally wandered off alone in the direction of Bill Boyne’s cabin, and was one some time. This movement caused no ittle suspicion in the minds of those who had, hitherto, being well disposed toward the stran- ger who, apparently unconscious of it all, final- ly sought out Captain Dalton and Judge Kin- ney and said: *¢ Captain, I want a private talk with you and the judge.” The three retired to a secluded spot and hay- ing seated themselves, Hanover asked: ‘Have you gentlemen any suspicion of who the enemy is in your midst?’ ‘Not the least,” answered Dalton and Kin- ney. - **T believe I can give you a strong clew,” said Hanover. ** Indeed!” exclaimed Dalton. ‘Has it never occurred to you that William Boyne might be the man?” ‘** Never!’ exclaimed the judge. ‘*Tmpossible!” exclaimed the captain, in a tone of refutation. ‘‘1t would bean unnatural father, indeed, that would betray his child into the hands of cut-throatsandmurderers. What do you base your suspicicns upon, Mr, Han- over?” ‘* Well, it is evident to you,” said Mr. Hano- ver, ‘‘ that there is, or has been, an outlaw spy in your midst. There can be little doubt but that same person sent that message by the homing pigeon killed by Highland Harry. That message conveyed the intelligence that a certain individual was in the Gallatin headed toward Red Bar, and urged immediate action on the part of one Seguin in abducting Kitty Boyne. Now, gentlemen, from what have seen and know, 1 am well convinced that Iam the man referred to in the message as approach- ing Red Bar.” ‘You, then, are the man Raymond whom the message said was upon Grimm?’s trail?” ex- claimed Dalton; ‘* but/who is Grimm? and what has your appearance here to do with Stony Boyne and the abduction of Kitty?” **T do not believe Kitty is Boyne’s daughter!” declared Hanover, in an emphatic tone. “You talk in riddles, Hanover,” said Dalton, impatiently; ‘‘ you do not give any grounds for your assertions, not a single reason, sir.” ** [ll] come to that in due course of time,” re- lied Hanover; ‘‘and will say now that I be- flee Boyne sent the message intercepted by Harry.” ‘“That’s impossible, sir,” declared Kinney, emphatically. ‘‘Inthe first place, he had no pigeons—” ‘ That you know of,” interrupted Hanover. ** We would surely have known it if he’d had any birds about his place.” ** He could have kept them concealed. Those igeons were doubtless bred in the Teton Basin by the outlaws and conveyed here, and else- where imprisoned, and kept so until it was ne- cessary to send a message to the Basin, It isa very clever and safe means of communication. But now I want to tell you that a while ago I was secreted near Boyne’s cabin watching movements thereabouts, and, while so doing, I saw no less than three white pigeons fly out of the door of Boyne’s cabin and tak tk«ir course southward on rapid wing. ‘“‘Good mercy! is that possible?’ exclaimed the astonished judge. ‘*Tt’s true as Holy Writ,” Hanover went on; ‘they may have carried messages from Red Bar; but one thing in my mind is certain, and thatis, that Boyne had become uneasy and re- Jeased the birds through fear of being caught with them in his possession. There may still be other birds there, but whether there are or not, the place of their concealment in the house, or about it, can be found. He may have kept them in the loft of his cabin, cr about his stable, or even in the grove, and that, too, un- ’ known to Kitty or any one but himself. ‘Furthermore, it is evident to my mind that if Boyne is an outlaw-confederate here, he isthe very man that endeavored to kill Highland Harry last night. He must have bad his suspi- cions aroused as to Harry’s secret, and Side oom to the window under cover of the darkness fire the almost fatal shot. True, Boyne was among the first to pages Harry on his escape from death; but then, that was only the blind of aclever villain.” { ** Well, this is astounding news!” declared the | woman whose name Plunkett could not rem® judge, ‘‘and if it was not easy of proof I could scarcely creditit. Let us go at once to Boyne’s cabin and investigate matters there. But what puzzles me is as to why Stony Boyne should plot and plan with the Outlaws of Teton Basin for the abduction of his own daughter.” ** As I have said before,” David Hanover ob- served, ‘‘I do not believe she is his child. I have every reason to believe that Kitty Boyne, as you know her, is my own daughter !” CHAPTER XIV. SOME FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS. CAPTAIN DALTON and Judge Kinney were astounded, almost, by David Hanover’s declar- ations; they saw at once that there was some secret connected with his visit to Red Bar—a secret which, reaching back through years, had traced the lines of mental] pain upon his face. ‘*Mr. Hanover,” Captain Dalton finally said, **T see now you know more of ‘Stony’ Boyne than you have been willing to confess,” **T know little of him, captain—less, perhaps, than you. I never met him until last night; but his allusion to Raymond in that message— that is, if he sentit—leads me to know, almost beyond a doubt, that Kitty is not his daugh- ter.’ “Then your name is not Hanover, but Ray- mond,” said the judge. ‘*David Raymond is my true name, gentle- men; and now I’d as well tell you all the rest, which is a bit of a secret. Nearly eighteen years ago my beloved wife died, leaving a baby girl two weeks of age. Having no relatives near I placed the child in the care of one Mrs. Kemp, who had a girl baby of about the same ageasmyown. Business took me from home, and I was away over two years. During my absence the Kemps moved into an adjoining State. I had had no correspondence with them and judge of my bitter disappointment and grief on reaching home, to learn that my Baby wasdead. I visited the Kemps and found the story true, although I remarked to myself at the time that Mrs. Kemp’s baby bore a little re- semblance to my dead wife. I did not, how- ever, mistrust the least deception, for the Kemps had always borne the reputation of upright, Christian people. But the fact of it is, it was the Kemps’ baby that had died, and they hay- ing become so devotedly attached to my child, and fearing I might take her from them, resort- ed to falsehood and deception to keep her. ‘*A year passed by. The Kemps moved to the Far West, and there Kemp died. A year later Mrs. Kemp married a man named Grimm —a fur-trader. The baby was then less than four years old. ‘« Twelve years rolled around. An entomolo- gist, named Simon Plunkett, was wandering in uest of ‘ bugs’ through the valley of the Upper Tellowitene. One day he ranacross a log cabin in a sequestered spot about five miles from the nearest settlement. As he neared the building he heard groans issuing therefrom and saw a trail of blood crossing the threshold. ‘¢ Advancing to the door, Plunkett looked in. A woman of forty years lay upon a couch bleed- ing to death from a wound in the breast. She was alone. Plunkett entered the cabin and kindly offered his services to the suffering wo- man. From her he soon learned that her hus- band was off hunting in the hills, and her daughter gone to the Agency for some supplies. In attempting to shoot a wolf that had boldly, and in open day, ventured within a few rods of the cabin she had accidentally shot herself, in- flicting a mortal wound. “Simon Plunkett offered to go for assistance, but the woman bade him stay by ker, She was sinking fast and knew she had but a short time tolive. She wished to make a dying state- ment. Plunkett seated himself, and taking out his note-book wrote down her confession, word for word as she made it. ‘She confessed that her daughter, Theresa, was not her child, but that of one David Ray- mond of ——, Ohio—that she had deceived Ray- mond as to the death of his child that she might keep her. Shé admitted that Ashley Grimm, her husband, knew not but that Theresa was her own child by her first husband, Joel Kemp; and that she and Grimm had both kept from the maiden the fact of her being other than Grimm’s child. So you see the girl was ignor- ant of the fact that she was the own child of neither, and Grimm ignorant of the fact that she was not the child of his wife. ‘¢To Plunkett she conféssed that Theresa was the daughter of David Raymond. She, also, admitted that one other shite knew that Theresa was not herchild, That person was a eh arry, the Wizard Rifleman. a 7 | ber—a sister of Joel Kemp's.” ra ‘*T thought you said Plunkett wrote down her confession,” Captain Dalton remarked. ‘*He did,” the narrator went on, ‘‘and Ill soon explain that seeming inconsistency. About the time Mrs. Grimm had completed her confes- sion a young man of prepossessing appearance | entered the cabin. He gave his name to Plun- kett as Henry Seguin. He seemed well ac- quainted with Mrs, Grimm, and was deeply moved by her serious condition. Plunkett mis- trusted at once that he was an admirer of the maid, Theresa, by the way he spoke of her, and his apparent sadness over Mrs. Grimm’s suffer- ing. “The situation was briefly explained to Se- guin, and then, by the woman’s request, Plun- kett read over to him her revelation, that he— Seguin—as well as Plunkett, might be a witness to it. She exacteda promise of Plunkett that he would deliver her confession to Raymond, and ask him to forgive her of her crime as he hoped for Heaven’smercy. Seguin she request- ed to break the news to Theresa should she die before the maid returned. She, also, asked him to tell her husband all, and that it was her dy- ing wish that he do allin his power to restore the girl to her rightful father, feeling sure that David Raymond, who was a very wealthy man, would reward him weil. ‘* Well, the poor woman died before either husband or daughter returned, and Plunkett, eager toreach a given point by a certain time, took his departure with the confession signed by Mrs. Grimm, and bearing the names of Simon Plunkett and Henry Seguin as witnesses, ‘* Pour dayslater wien away south in the heart of the mountains Plunkett was suddenly con- fronted by a strange man who demanded of him Mrs, Grimm’s confession. For a mo- ment the bug~-hunter was confused, but being a plucky fellow of quick perception, he promptly refused the stranger’s request. The latter attempted to draw his revolver to enforce his demands, but quick as a wink Plunkett struck him in the face a terrific blow, knocking him over a low embankment. Thenthe natur- alist turned and fled. He had gone but a short distance when a pistol rung out and a bullet cut uncomfortably close to hisear. Looking in the direction whence the shot came, he saw a man, whom he recognized at a glance as Henry Seguin, standing on the opposite side of a deep chasm, in the act of firing a second shot at him. ‘Dodging behind a rock, he escaped the bullet, then he took to his heels and ran for his life; for in an instant it flashed through hisbrain that the first man was Grimm, and that he not only wanted to recover his wife’s confession, but intended to kill him,that the secret o Theresa's birth, for some reason or other, might be kept a secret. ‘Plunkett had not gone far before he dis- covered that he was being followed by the two men, and not knowing but what he might be killed, he determined they should never have the confession. So from one of the two pouches he carried he took along, wide-mouthed bottle, eruptied it of its contents of alcohcl and ‘bugs, placed the woman’s confession therein, and, when certain his pursuers were not in sight, concealed it in the crevice of a rock, He marked tte location in his mind as wellas cir- cumstances would admit, expecting, if he escaped, to return and secure it without any difficulty. ‘* Well, he escaped his pursuers, and, eager to get evenwith them, he did not go back to get the bottle ; but trusting to bismemory,he hasten- ed to Ohio, and finding me, revealed all he re- membered of the confession ; and there was only one thing he had forgotten, and that was the name of the woman who knew of the Kemps’ deception regarding the child. ‘“‘Forthwith Plunkett and I started for the Yellowstone country, but to our bitter disap- pointment, we found, on our arrival there, that Grimm and his daughter had gone from their secluded home—where, no one knew. What to do we scarcely knew. You see Plunkett had seen neither Grimm nor Theresa at thecabin, or elsewhere, and only took it for granted that the masked stranger, who had demanded of him the confession in the hills, was Grimm. So, of course, the man could have er ra 1 his location and name, and thereby elude detection for a time, at least. ‘‘ Determined not to be defeated, Plunkett changed his calling to that of a detective, and started out to hunt Grimm down.. A few months agohe visited Red Bar and at once fixed upon ‘Stony ’Boyne as his man Grimm; and. - :
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5 ’ ‘ ’ ; * _ Batts, ‘that arter all our chargin’ and snort- ~ a cael SE preiiiess. > 0-2 aaa oS . Highland Harry, the Wizard Rifleman. P since Highland Harry revealed the secret of that message, it is pretty clear that Plunket hit the right fellow. It is also clear that my move- ments are being watched clusely, and that my coming here has aroused Grimm and his con- federate, Seguin, and hastened the abduction of Kitty. Plucky old Simon Plunkett is now over in tie mountains, searching for his bottled pa- pers; but I am afraid he will never recover them. To me it will not be material, but if Kitty Boyne is Theresa Grimm, and living, and is rescued from the enemy, she may require other evidence than mine and Plunkett’s of her being my child. I dare say the secret of her birth has been kept from her for some reason or other, and the attempt on Plunkett’s life was to hush the matter entirely.’ ‘* Well, this is a startler to us!” declared Judge Kinney; but before he could say more, a settler came hurrying up, saying excitedly: ‘* Captain—judge, Stony Boyne’s cabin’s all in flames!” The three men sprung to their feet, and look- ing down the valley beheld the cabin, sure enough, wrapped in smoke and flame. With one accord everybody hurried toward the fire, and when they arrived on the scene they found the cabin a pyramid of devouring flames. Stony Boyne was not present, nor could he be found about the premises, Captain Dalton ran to the horse-shed and found Kitty’s pony gone. This he reported to his friends, when David Raymond, as we will hereafter know Hanover, said: ‘*Boyne has outwitted Plunkett and I, after all. That cabin was fired by his own band to conceal some evidence of his guilt, while he has escaped to the hills—perchance followed his friend Seguin into Teton Basin. I have no doubt now but that those three pigeons I saw escape from the cabin bore messages of our do- ings here to the outlaws, and of the movements of Highland Harry and Uncle Bildad.” ‘Tf so, then the mountaineers wil] be way- laid and murdered,” declared Judge Kinney. ‘* That is all very true,” responded Raymond, ‘Sand we should do something to save them if possible. As they gave you the course they in- tended to pursue, they might be overtaken and warned of their peril. 1, forone,am ready to take to the saddle forthwith.” ** And here, too,” said Captain Dalton. Then everybody present offered his services, but a company of five, with Daiton as leader, was organized, armed and equipped in a short time, and then mounting their horses pushed off into the mountains, little dreaming that some of them would never return alive to Red Bar. CHAPTER XV. THE GAME SIGHTED, ‘Hist! easy, men, for, by heavens! the game isin sight! Look away up yonder,” The speaker was the notorious outlaw, Adder- Noe Dick, who, aceompanied by Bruiser Bill, Yakima Jule, and two others, had been sent with the bloodhounds in pursuit of Highland Harry and Ajax. The outlaws stood in a wooded valley some miles beyond the utmost limits of Teton Basin and as Adder-Nose lifted his finger and pointe up the mountain-side to the ‘‘ game” they had been following, the faces of his friends lit up with a sinister, triumphant ligbt. Standing in a cimmarou path that wound around the steep mountain-side, they beheld the figure of a man in whom they recognized despite the distance—the Wizard Rifleman. The young mountaineer was fully half a mile away. He was alone and stood upona ledge at @ point where the goat-path made an abrupt turn around the mountain. He seemed totally unconscious of the presence of the outlaws in the valley below, and stood leaning upon his rifle like one in deep mental reflections, ‘That's a solid tact, Adder,” replied Bruiser Bill, as he, too, fixed his eyes upon the dreaded oung mountaineer; ‘‘uow, if we let the dogs oose they’ll soon be at his throttle. Oh! let’em loose, let ’em loose!” j ; “* Don’t get excited, Bruiser,” advised Adder- Nose; ‘‘ you seem to forget that that boy on onder ledge really seems to wear a charmed ife. Heisa long ways off—too far for ustoex- pose ourselves to his view while he occupies the position he does. For, surer than the keen nose of old Romeo there is that fellow’s aim, and if he ever draws a bead with his repeater on man or dog, man or dog will drop. We've got to steal upon him and then make a dash and take him by surprise, ‘*It are durned comical,” said one Tony dx’ through these bills with blood in our Res | eyes, and wild, old deestruction in our hearts, | that we—five men and four bloodhounds—das- | n't tackle one solitary boy arter we’ve got him | insight! Oh! it makes me weary-sick |” ‘* My impetuous Tony Batts,” replied Adder- | Nose, in a tone of sarcasm, ‘‘I’m sorry for you, and if you want to die a martyr, just you dash from covert and let that young Wizard see you. Enough of our men have fallen by his rifle without taking any further risks. He has defied our vigilance and entered Teton Basin and es- caped, which no other enemy has ever done. There are those among our band who solemnly there are more than one ready to swear that they’ve see’d him taken up bodily into the clouds that rolled lke the curled front o’ Jove about the mountain hights when close pressed by pur- suers.”’ ‘* That’s all swash and cowardly superstition !” declared Batts in evident disgust. ‘*T think so, myself,” said Adder-Nose, ‘‘ but then, it is very true that he’s been worse thanan epidemic among our men. have undertaken to catch or kill him, he has es- caped to the hills. The highlands seem to be his element as water isafish’s. But now that we have him én sight, we want to goslow and cau- tious, for, no difference where he may hide, old Romeo’s nose will search him out. Wewant to give him no chance to use his rifle, and then all the evil spirits this side of creation can’t save his hide.” And thus the outlaws stood and conversed, fearing to expose themselves to the sight of the dreaded young foe, But finally Highland Harry turned and moved on up the trai] and disap- peared behind an angle in the cliff, and thea the outlaws bounded forward, crossed the valley and began ascending the acclivity, still keeping their hounds in leash. It required but a few minutes to reach the point where the young mountaineer bad stood, and then Adder-Nose ordered the hounds turned loose. It was not the first time that old Romeo had led a pack upon a human trail, and the moment he was liberated be bounded away with his nose to the ground, giving utterance to low, deep mouthings, ‘*Now, my gallant hearties, the ball has opened in dead earnest,” said Adder-Nose, “and we must follow the music of the hounds at a double-quick step and be in at the death.” With these cheering words the outlaws dash- ed away after the dogs, following the goat- path that wound through clumps of stunted trees and bushes, over rocky ledges, and along the brink of gaping chasms—ever leading up- ward toward the clouds, The voice of old Romeo could be easily heard in the clear, vibrant air, and Adder-Nose, who boasted of having hunted slaves with dogs in Brazilian forests, knew-by the peculiar baying of the dogs that the animals were close upon the quarry. ‘*Forward, men, a little livelier,” the ex- slave-hunter exclaimed, in a jubilant tone, his dark, cruel face aglow with brutal triumph, ‘*the hounds are pressing the Wizard Rifleman close. Step lively, boys, if you would svon en- joy a thrilling sight, and—” Boom—m—m—m ! It was the crash ofa rifle that rolled down from the hights above and swept away through the hillsin a rattling, roaring volley of echoes, “He’s at bay, by the eternals!” burst from Bruiser Bill’s lips; ‘‘ ob, my heart be still! and swifter fly my noble heels, that I may hear the Wizard's squeals!” On with a renewed burst of speed the puffing outlaws bounded, Every moment they expect- ed to come in sight of the dogs and fugitive. Their hopeful spirits ran high. Suddenly Adder-Nose, who was in the lead, stopped still, a horrible oatb bursting from his lips. Betore him in the path lay one of the hounds stone-dead with a bullet-hole between his eyes. The voice of old Romeo could be heard still some distance ahead, The frantic execrations that fejl from the lips of the enraged Adder-Nose were interrupted by a second report from the fugitive’s rifle, and like startled demons the outlaws ran on up the path, to meet, finally, with a more maddening sight than ever. It was the lifeless body of old Romeo lying across the trail, while crouching near was a third dog tearing frantically with his paws at his nose that had been shattered, ne doubt, by the same bullet that had slain Romeo, The fourth hound was not in sight, but while the outlaws stood raving like very devils over Every time that we | | ) their loss, the dog came trotting down the path toward them, having given up the chase in dis—- gust, if not in fear. For fully ten minutes the outlaws seemed be- reft of all sense, indulging in a general outburst of wild fury and rage. Suddenly, however, Adder-Nose recovered his reason, and starting off up the path called to his men: ‘*Come on, men! we're foois to stand hereand blow our brains out talkin’ and swearin’! Let: us run that young devil down or die!” Away they went as fast as their feet could carry them. A desire, new-born, for revenge believe that his is a supernatural spirit; and | had sprung up in their breasts and lent speed to their heels. But fate seemed to decide against them in every instance that day. They had gone less than half a mile when a man, rifle in hand, was seen standing on a rock some distance ahead of them, evidently waiting for them to come in sight. The space between them was open and clear, and the outlaws knew at a glance that it would bo sure death to advance in the face of Highland Harry’s deadly rifle; and so they came to an abrupt halt on the edge of a narrow yet deep chasm for another consulta- tion. ‘** Boys,” said Adder-Nose in a kind of a hope- less voice, ‘‘ we are at the end of ourrope. To advance further will be for that young hellyon to pick us Off at his leisure!” “Then this is the end of all our valiant raid of come twenty-four hours, is it?” queried. Bruiser Bill in a half-sneering tone. ‘‘Oh, ye gods! how the mighty have fallen! We're no nearer catchin’ that devilish Wizard than we war a week—a month—a yearago. But, boys, it makes me hot to see that tautalizin’ imp standin’ up there in sight, bold asa hull army.. [ve got just one thousand dollars salted down in the Basin as the profits of two years’ labor,, and Id give every dollar of it at this minute if’ the man could be produced that could, from: here, kill that impudent varlet that is—” ‘* So near, and yet so far, as the poic says.” It was a strange voice on the opposite side of the chasm that uttered these last words; and glancing quickly in the direction whexce it came, the outlaws beheld, to their utmost aston- ishment, the figure of a little cld man emerge cautiously from a clump of bushes and edvance: to the edge of the chasm, carrying in his hands ata trail a fine looking rifle. He might have been fifty yearsof age. His face was covered. with a: short, stubby beard. A pair of dark, squint eyes peered out from under the peak of’ au old cloth cap. His lithe, slightly-bent figure: was clad in a garb of miscellaneous textures: whose original colors were lost in au oblivion of dirt and grease, The chasm being fully twenty feet wide it was impossible for the outlaws to approach nearer the stranger, and so Adder-Nose contented him- self by demanding: ‘* Who in thunder are you ?” ‘* Tm jist the pilgrim to take in that offer 0’ a& thousand dollars, I just hear’n made,” was the old man’s reply, given in a shrill, cracked voice. “Can you hit that feller yander?” asked. Bruiser Bill. ‘*Tf I can’t,” responded the old man, ‘‘ no one else need try. I don’t take a back seat for even. Highlan’ Harry on the shoot. I’m not a wizard, but I’m a shooter, all the same.” ‘“That is Highland Harry standing yonder,” said Bruiser. ‘‘ Shoot him down, and you shall have the thousand!” ‘*T don’t care who the target is, nor who you: be, so's I git the thousand,” declared the old man, whose villainous cupidity seemed to over--” reach all conscientious scruples, providing he ever possessed any. “Old man,” said Adder-Nose, ‘‘ that feller is eight or nine hundred yardsaway. You can’t hit him.” ‘‘Not an inch over six hundred yards,, stranger,” asserted the old fellow, glancing in the direction of the man on the rock; ** but if I miss it sha’n’t cost you a durned cent.” ‘“¢Then shoot!” commanded Bruiser Bill, im-- patiently. ‘+ All right; here we go!” was the old chap’s: response, and adjusting the sights of his Win- chester, he laid flat upon the ground, and rest- ing the gun on arock, took aim and fired. The piece rung out like acannon, and as the: smoke drifted from before him, the old gunner, still ying on his stomach, craned his neck, in-~ quiring: “ How is it? Did 1 down him?” ‘¢ You did, by the holy Moses!” cried Adder- Tova Th he saw the figure on the rock stagger and fall, ‘* Bully old marksman!” shouted Yakima Jule, in glee, ape at ste tae apne ym en eh nen tna my ona ate J = oh ron x : : at As a PA na oA, P%ou
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‘* A miraculous shot!” declared Batts. ‘*Grand old cuss!” proclaimed Bruiser Bill; “* right nobly have you won yer thousand, and succeeded. to the title o’ Wizard Rifleman,” ‘* Better run up and see where I put the bul- let, strangers,” suggested the old customer; “* mebby the critter’s only wounded. I aimed for his belt so’s an overshot or an undershot of a foot or so’d fetch him anyhow.” ** All right, stranger !” said Adder-Nose; “‘ and while we're gone, git over,if ye can, on this side o’ the chasm, so’s we can shake your paw and cultivate yer acquaintance. We love you as man was never loved before.” ‘‘Pm afeerd o’ that dumbed, ugly-looking dog that keeps up sich a yowlin’ at me,” the old man replied; ‘‘I don’t want no hydropobia in my thousand dollars.” ** Don’t fear the hound, ole man,” said Bruiser Bill; ‘‘ we'll take keer of him. We'll be back in a few minutes with Highland Harry’s head, I hope.” The outlaws all hurried away up the trail as if each one was determined to be the first to reach the hated foe’s body. Xs The old man watched them until they were about forty rods away, then he threw off bis old greasy coat, revealing a straight, supple figure clad in a neat-fitting hunters’s jacket. ext he removed his cap and a head o: light- brown hair was disclosed. His squint eyes opened wide and clear as a wild buck’s; and when at Jast he removed his mask of stubby whiskers, a boyish face, radiant with a trium- hant smile, was revealed, Jt was the face of ighland Harry, the Wizard Rifleman ! CHAPTER XVI. HIGHLAND HARRY TAKEN OFF HIS GUARD, ‘* DELUDED mortals!” mused Highland Harr aloud, a habit peculiar to persons who live muc of the timealone, ‘if you find any one dead up there it will be one of your own friends. Were I certain you had no other friends in these dig- gings, ’dopenon you. Ha! ha! that disguise must have been perfect, though I was awfully afraid that dog would give me away, and—” ** Avaunt! throw up your hands or I'll plug you through, you deceptive varmint!” lt was a sharp, defiant and earnest voice that spoke thus, and turning about, Highland Harry found himself gazing into the black muzzles of a long double-barreled pistol, back of which stood a strange man, who evidently meant busi- ness, He was a smooth-faced man of fifty or more years, rather under the medium in hight, slen- der and slightly stooped-sbouldered, with thin, sharp features, und keen, gray eyes that leamed along the barrel of his pistol with a Ernie light. He was dressed in buckskin breeches and a short coat of gray jeans. On his head was a Jeather cap with a long, black peak. At either side,: by means of straps, passing over his shoulders, hung a canvas ag. Highland Harry was taken completely by sur- prise by this odd-looking old man whom he at once decided must be an outlaw, or an enemy, at least. The pistol the man held leveled upon him was an ancient affair, and the face and form of its owner rather insignificant; but the eye that ra along the weapon told Harry that a earless and resolute spirit confronted him. The boy was too cautious to do aught that might provoke a shot, but maintaining his com- posure with a nerve and presence of mind de- cidedly remarkable for one who had just passed be Sah, an exciting ordeal, he calmly replied to the old man: ‘* Say, stranger, hav’n’t you made a mistake? Please put down that double-nosed iron and let’s compare notes.” ‘* Oh, yes! you want to get the drop on me,” replied the old man; ‘‘ you’re a slippery youn fraud. [I see’d yer whole performance wit them five excited rasan I was ambushed near when you stole them clothes and whiskers and put ’em on. Them’s my goods.” “* Indeed?” exclaimed Harry ; ‘‘ well, in dodg- ing the outlaws I found them, and, not dream- ing the owner was about, I put them on to trick ‘the outlaws.” ‘* Well, you did it, you scamp; I saw the hull shiatarpinion Ye and it made my heart bleed to see ow deceptive and demoralized are the youth of the land.’ ‘* Then you must be a missionary,” Harry ob- served, facetiously. ‘*No, I’m no gospel mill, but I like uprigbt- ness in all children just the same. Now, them clothes are my Sunday suit. I left them by the rock and went off skirmishing for bugs, not 12 Highland Harry, the Wizard R | i LL rich i a " supposing gg he be mussed over by a boy’s dirty hands. So you are Highland Harry, Pop- shot of the Mountains, and them five fellows are outlaws? Well, Iam Simon Plunkett—Pro- fessor Simon Plunkett, entomologist—hunting up bug specimens for Brownsonian Institute. Highland. honor yourself by shaking Professor Plunkett’s hand.” With this the old codger lowered his weapon and advanced with extended hand to Harry his mouth wreathed with a pleasant smile and his keen eyes beaming with admiration. But, despite this radical change in the man’s conduct toward him, Harry was loth to accept it as entirely sincere. He had some misgiv- ings as to the old fellow’s reputed character. His vernacular, as well as his appearance, did not speak ver forcibly of his being a scientist; and then the fact of his carrying a disguise in that region was strongly suspicious of decep- tion. The old fellow did not fail to notice the youth’s hesitancy and distrust, and endeavored to set him at ease by taking from the bags at his side several small bottles, in which were various specimens of insects, and dilating in a very interesting way upon each different bug. But instead of winning Harry’s confidence by this course, it only served to increase his sus- picion. It suddenly occurred to him that the man might be talking to distract his attention so as to gain time, and determined to force an issue, he said: ‘* Friend Bugs, I enjoy listening to your talk about your collections, but I see them outlaws have reached the supposed fallen foe, and as he is one of their own friends, instead of Highland Harry, of course they are very wrothy, and al- ready coming back this bg hot as hornets; therefore it behooves me to be moving off at once.” ‘*Shades of Diogenes!” exclaimed the old naturalist, ‘‘ then that will leave me in a pickle if them varmints find me. I can never explain things satisfactory; therefore, if you’ve no ob- jections, I'll go with you.” ‘* All right, come along,” replied Harry, starting off; ‘‘ but I’m worse than a bug-hunter on the go, I can tell you.” ‘* Don’t worry bout my keeping in sight of you. I’mold, I know, in years, but nimble as aspringlamb on the tramp. Some two years agoI went flying down through these moun- tains like aninflated bladder in a flume, pursued by two varmints that I’d like the pleasure of bottlingin alcohol for the Brownsonian Insti- tute. But here we go, Highland Harry and Professor Simon Plunkett.” And er they did go, the old man keeping pace with Harry with the nimbleness of youth, allthe whilehistongue rattling away in facetious observations quite amusing to. the young mountaineer. All distrust of the professor had vanished from Harry’s mind, and he had accepted the jolly and somewhat eccentric old man into full fellowship. They traveled northward through the hills about five miles, then turned and bore eastward, Finally they came to the edge of a declivity that sloped abruptly down into a great canyon. It was entirely devoid of timber, but covered with a growth of sage-brush and other vegeta- tion scarcely knee high. Its lower extremity was lost in the darkness of the canyon nearly five thousand feet below. Down this declivity Highland Harry suggest- ed they descend into the canyon, ‘* Woof!” exclaimed Professor Plunkett, with a shrug of the shoulders, ‘‘1 can never make that, lad: I’d pitch headlong into the canyon. I can climb up a hill, or skin over the level, but I cannot climb downward, Can't we get around some way?” ‘* Yes,” answered Harry, ‘‘but this would be anearcut,and— Hark!” . They listened. Thereport of a rifle and the sound of a conflict came up from the depths of the canyon. ‘* Fighting going on down there!” declared Plunkett. ‘* Yes,” responded Highland Harry, buckling his belt tighter about him, ‘‘ and a friend may be in need of my assistance. Plunkett, I hope we may meet soon again—good-by, I’m going to leave you.” Before the old entomologist could reply, the young mountaineer dashed away down the de- clivity. Plunkett (ley almost dizzy as he watched the daring boy go bounding down the hillside, at times seeming to clear a hundred feet ata bound, ‘*My God! the wild boy’ll be killed!” the old man exclaimed to himself, ifleman. ES SES Soon the boy disappeared from his view, a¥ then with nervous footsteps he moved on along the brow of the hill. He could still hear the ~ sound of battle below now growing louder, now fainter, and, finally, when it had become hushed altogether, he mused: ‘The fight’s ended. Somebody has won a victory—somebody has been slain. May the Lord have dealt gently with Highland Harry. He is a grand, noble boy.” CHAPTER XVII. THE FLIGHT OF AJAX, AJAX, the Infant Giant, with his precious burden, the unconscious Kitty Boyre, sped away into the hills, never dreaming of becom- ing separated from Highland Harry until he suddenly discovered that such was really the case, A feeling of bitter disappointment and regret filled his breast. He stopped and listen- ed. He heard the report of waa se rifle more than a mile off to the right, and then all hopes of rejoining him soon, if at all, vanished. Meanwhile Kitty was recovering from her swoon and when she at length was able to speak, the first word she uttered was Harry’s name. She was seated upon the ground supported by the arm of Ajax. Around them it was almost total darkness. ‘‘Harry is not here, Miss Kitty,” the young Giant said in alow, kind voice; ‘‘ but we'll meet him soon I hope. Have no fear.” “Where am I? Whoare you? Where is Se- guin?—and that dreadful Giant I saw in the cabin?” she asked as the past came back to her confused, distracted mind. Ajax kindly answered each of her questions in detail, besides giving an account of how they came to be in Teton Basin, and of their adven- tures therein. “You and Harry certainly run great risks, Ajax,” the maiden said, her mind set at ease by the young Giant’s explanations and assurances; ‘ and it was very unfortunate thet you became separated. But, oh! how very fortunate for me that you brave young men came into Teton Basin when you did! But, Ajax, how did you find out where I was?” ‘*We did not know that you were alive at all, Miss Kitty,” Ajax replied, *‘ until we had rudely forced ourselves, half-starved, into Se- guin’s cabin and taken possession of a well-filled table of food which the negress in charge in- formed us was her master’s wedding-supper. Then a little inquiry brought out the fact that ou were alive and the bride ot Hank Seguin, Ve had heard that you had been killed by Harry’s bullet which slew your captor near Red Bar, so it was a big surprise to us when we found out different.’ ‘No, I was not even wounded by Harry’s bul- let,” the maiden said; ‘‘ but when my captor fell I think I must have fainted. I remember a ery bursting from the fellow’s lips when the ball struck him, and the next thing after that that I became conscious of, was of being in the woods in care of some strange men who claimed they had rescued me from a party of Indians. They carried me off through the mountains telling me that I should be taken home, and in every way treating me with the most considerate kindness. But all the while I mistrusted the character of the men, and when we arrived at their stronghold, and I was confronted by Hank Seguin, I felt satisfied that my abduction had been preconcerted, and that Seguin was at the bottom of it all. **T became a guest in the house of an outlaw whose wife kept a close watch over me, though {could not have been kindlier treated. Hank Seguin came daily tosee me. I always detested him. Many times in our home at Red Bar have I spurned his pretended love, and when I became a prisoner in the outlaws’ den he re- newed his petitions. Again I refused him, and he gave me to understand he would compel me to marry him, and carried his threat into ex- ecution by compelling me to submit to a pre- tended marriage. The man performing the ceremony claimed to be a priest, but I know he was an outlaw.” stl © ‘‘Of course he was, the sacrilegious scoun- drel!” Ajax exclaimed, indignantly, his blood stirred by the maiden’s storv; ‘‘ and I thank the great Jehovah that we were there in t:me to prevent further wrongs against you. But_ 4 know it would ’a’ done your soul good, Mis Kitty, if you could have seen Harry and me sweep that ray 4 Demy like a cyclone. We were hungry as bears, and yet, if the wench ‘d been white about it when we asked her for something to eat, we wouldn’t have raided her table like coyotes; but when she got sassy and
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tv I don’t know what-all things like twin famine, we did have, Miss Kitty; when you see Harry he'll tell you what fiip-flaps and jim-cracks we had at your wedding-supper. And what’s more, I anticipated our needs and broughtalong in my kets some of the weddin’-cake, some cold meatsand bread. Whenever you want to sam- ple it, just say so, please.” ‘*] will, thank you,’’replied Kitty, ‘‘ but I have no appetite now.” ; Nerved and strengthened by the hope of es- cape and the promise of meeting the one she loved, Kitty rose to her feet and announced that she was fully able to travel without further de- lay,and taking her giant escort’s arm, they moved away. More fortunate than Harry had been was - Ajax in keeping his course, and when night had fully set in he was enabled to maintain his bear- ings by the stars. onfident of meeting Harry in the pass through which they had entered the Basin, he made extra exertions to reach the defile under cover of darkness. Moreover, he was well-sat- isfied that the outlaws would endeavor to cut off their retreat by guarding the various pas- sages, and it was therefore highly necessary that he get in ahead of them. Long before daylight he succeeded in reach- ing the entrance to the defile, but both he and his fair charge were sorely disappointed in not meeting Highland Harry. They waited there more than an hour, and as the young rifleman came not, they resumed their flight, knowing it was dangerous to tarry longer. Shortly after daylight they came to a spring where they rested a few minutes, Ajax sharin the food he had confiscated with Kitty; an when thus rested and refreshed they moved on. The canyon they were traversing wound and twisted among the hills like a serpent’s trail. At times it widened to the dimensions of a little valley with a cheerful light pervading it, then narrowing to a deep, dark and dismal defile. In and out of these stretches of light and shad- ows the Giant and maiden passed. The onl danger they could now expect was from behind, and with no other thought,so far as danger was concerned, they moved on to suddenly meet with a bitter surprise. In emerging from a int where the canyon was narrow and wind- ing into a little opening they suddenly found themselves confronted by at least a score of In- ns, Kitty uttered a cry of fear and shrunk trembling to the side of her big friend, At first sight Ajax took the red-skins for friendly Crows, but in a second he saw his mis- take—that they were a party of hostile Sioux and Snakes; and what was still more startling, he discovered Kitty’s father, Stony Boyne, a captive in their midst. Starting back as soon as he had discovered his mistake, Ajax would have retreated into the narrow defile had the wily red-skins not anticipated his movement and cut off his re- treat, On catching sight of her father, Kitty uttered a little cry of surprise and pain and started to- ward him ; but a savage rudely pushed her back, and but for the arm of Ajax she would have fallen, Never, however, did that red-skin pay more dearly for an act of rudeness, porern'f the hot blood of the Infant Giant was aroused, and he dealt the savage a blow in the face with his ty that sent him stunned and bleeding to the earth, But it was certainly a rashact, and the Giant saw itinaninstant. A cry of vindictive rage burst from the savages’ lips, and a warrior, snatching up a rifle from the ground, leveled it upon the young mountaineer’s breast and fired! CHAPTER XVIII. A TREACHEROUS SHOT, Kirry Boyng saw the murderous intent of | the red-skin who had leveled his rifle upon Ajax, and, with a presence of mind remarkable for one who had for days been almost crazed with fear and suffering, she threw out her hand and pushed the muzzle of the weapon aside. Nor did she do so the fraction of a moment too soon, for the gun being discharged, the bullet passed be- tween Ajax’sarm and body, powder-marks be- ing left upon both his sleeve and the waist of his jacket. But even as the gun rung out Ajax grasped it by the muzzle, and with a quick movement of his powerful arm, wrenched the weapon from the red-skin’s hands, and, with almost the same movement, ane it above his head, and the next instant it become a whip of iron in a hand of steel, thea er down with an irresistible power everything before it, The red-skins drew both knives and toma- hawks and turned upon the giant foe; but every one that dared venture within reach of that merciless club went down like grass before the sickle, some with broken heads, some stunned, and others but slightly injured. Around the Colossus, who was the very personification of incarnate fury, surged and dodged and writhed the yelling, shrieking, demoniac savages. He kepta space about Lim clear, and unable to reach him with knife or tomahawk in hand, the Indians finally began hurling their weapons at his head. Directed by an excited brain, and wielded by an unsteady hand, the missiles flew wildly through the air, doing little harm to the brave mountaineer, But this was not to continue so to the end, for finally a flying tomahawk struck him upon the forehead, inflicting a gaping wound, from which the blood poured over his face and into his eyes, almost blinding as well as slightly stunning him fora moment, But it was only for a moment. Before the savages could avail themselves of this slight advantage, the Giant charged upon them likea frenzied madman. Meanwhile Kitty Boyne stood crouching at one side, her slight form trembling in an agon of fear, and her fair young face blanched wit terror. Bound hand and foot Stony Boyne stood alone and unguarded, writhing and twisting like a fettered panther in a desperate effort to liberate himself. From the west side of the canyon the moun- tain rose upward almost to the clouds, Its steep side was devoid of timber, but covered with a dense growth of low bushes, so that its face was unobstructed to the very summit. —— Boyne in her despair—lifting her eyes toward heaven as if to implore the help of God, saw a human figure drop from the clouds, so it seemed, upon this mountain-side, and come fly- ing down the declivity with such lightning speed that his feet scarcely seemed to touch the earth. Itseemed impossible to the maiden that any human being could move so swift, and the thought flashed through her distracted brain that the unknown had leaped from the almost perpendicular hights, and was falling like a me- teor through space to be crushed in the canyon at her feet. Down so fast that her burning eyes could scarcely follow it the figure came. She could see it was that of a man, but not until he had landed in the canyon upon his feet unharmed, did she recognize in him the face of Highland Harry, the Wizard Rifleman! Panting with exertion, his face covered with dust and his clothes almost in tatters, the des- perate boy, apparently aware of the situation, hurled himself like a thunderbolt upon the sav- ages, that were pressing hard upon Ajax. ever did aid come more opportunely. The Infant Giant was upon one knee from a second blow, fighting for his life, although half the ner lay stretched around him dead or ying. The sudden appearance of Harry from the clouds, as it were, was a surprise the red-skins could not stand before, and as the young moun- taineer charged upon them with flashing re- volvers they turned and fled in utter dismay. Staggering to his feet and panting like a wor- ried ox, Ajax glanced at Harry through a mask of blood. A grim smile played about his parted lips. He was so nearly exhausted he could not speak, nor was Highland Harry much better, but he finally managed to say: ‘* Ajax, you’re hurt!” ‘¢-Yes,” replied the Giant, with a nod of his head, ‘‘ but we whipped ’em, Harry.” “Oh, Ajax! Ajax!” cried Kitty, running with clasped hands and streaming eyes to the young mountuineer ; ‘‘ you have saved us all!” ‘‘ Harry put on the finishing touches, Kitty,” the Giant said, clasping his burning head be- — his palms, and leaning wearily against a rock, ‘* Harry,” said the maiden, ‘he fought them all—oh! so long before you came! and I am afraid he is badly hurt. Oh, Harry! if you could have been here at first!” ‘“*And if you’d had your senses "bout you,” suddenly broke in Stony Boyne, in a gruff angry tone, ‘you might ’a’ set me free, and I could ’a’ helped a little.” ‘Ob, my dear father!” pleaded Kitty, “I was so excited—so terrified that I could’ thixk of nothing!” Harry released Boyne, then with Kitty’s help dressed Ajax’s wounded head the best they 13 could. This done, the young Giant stretched himself upon the ground, when he and Harry briefly discussed their adventures since parting in Teton Basin, After they had concluded their stories, Kitty gave her father the history of her abduction, the flight of her captors to the Basin her forced marriage with Hank Seguin, and rescue within an hour after the wedding by Harry and Ajax. Boyne listened to her story in silence, a dark frown upon his sphinx-like face. He made no remarks in the presence of the mountaineers, but finally leading her aside talked to her in a low tone, Meanwhile Harry walked away down the de- file to see that none of the routed savages were lurking about to shoot them on the sly, Ajax remained lying upon the ground, his heal racked with great pain. Some two or three minutes had sed when his attention was attracted by Kitty’s voice, pitched in a high key, protesting against some wish of her father. ‘* Father,” he heard her say, ‘‘ I have always obeyed your wishes, and never questioned your motives until now. I have ke; t faithfully all your secrets, and tried to be an ohedient daugh- ter. But you know I never liked Seguin—I al- ways despised him and always shall, I will never go back to him, for I know our marriage was a farce anda mockery, and is not binding in sight of God or man!” ‘*T do not ask you to go back to the outlaws” pir aig but to go with me,” Boyne replied, surlily. = ? you go north toward Red Bar, of course I will go home with you, but if you continue south, as you have said you intended to, I shall refuse to accompany you, for this canyon leads back into Teton Basin, along which outlaws may now be coming in pursuit.” ‘*You need not try to bluff me, Kitty,” Boyne said, ina defiant, determined tone, ‘‘ for ou will do as I say—go whichever way I gol Caderstana that!” ‘*Mr. Boyne,” said Ajax, unable to remain silent longer, ‘‘ surely you would not force your daughter into danger again?” **T will certainly do asI please,” was the in- sulting, astonishing reply Boyne growled out. The blood of the impulsive Ajax was instant- ly aroused by the man’s response, and rising to his feet, he said: “No, sir, if Kitty does not wish to go with you, you cannot compel herto! By the throne of mercy! Harry and I have labored too hard, and shed too much blood in her hehalf, to calm- ly submit to the loss of all. We do not be— grudge what we have done for her—yeal would shed the last drop of blood in our veins for her—’’ **Oh, father aig sc !” suddenly broke in Kit- ty, starting up as if in sudden fear, ‘‘ 1 hear the sound of galloping hoofs coming up the canyon! We are in danger here! It must be outlaws in pursuit of us!” True enough, the clatter of hoofs could be distinctly heard coming toward them, and as pS ore again prepared for battle, he said to tty: ‘Run, girl, and conceal yourself in the pass and be spared the sight of another conflict. ‘ ‘* May God help you!” said the giil, as, turn- ing from her father, she hastened to re with Ajax’s request; and as she disappeared in the narrow defile, the Giant shouted: ** Ho, Death-Pop! this way, man—quick!” In making ready to meet the coming horse- men, who he knew must be outlaws, Ajax re- treated backward across the little opcuing to take up a position in the mouth of the defile. As he did so, the stony face of Bill Boyne seemed suddenly changed into that of a mad- dened demon; and springing forward he snatch- ed up the rifle of a dead savage and discharged it’ point-blank at the giant mountaineer, who, with a cry of pain, staggered back into the shadows of the defile and fell to the earth! CHAPTER XIX, BROUGHT TO BAY, Waitt the smoke from Stony Boyne’s mur- derous rifle still hung before him, no less than half a dozen horsemen came tearing into the little a almost riding him down in their hot haste before they discovered his presence, Quickly, however, the men drew rein at sight of him, and stepping aside it ha lanced up at them and, despite the bandaged head and black, swollen face of one of the party he re- cognized him as his old friend, pret Seguin. Ho, Seguin, old friend!” he exclaimed; ‘‘T am rejoiced to see you, even though you are somewhat damaged! I just learned a few min-
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h Highland Harry; the Wizard Rifleman. mutes. ago how bard yer luck had been. But you'll git there yit; you’re on the right track. ‘Kitty is not far ahead of you; Highland Harry - also up the pass, and so’s that big devil, Ajax, Aut— ** But what in Heayen’s name means all this?” asked Seguin, pointing to the bodies of the slain and wounded red-skins before them. ‘* That’s the work of that big hellyon, Ajax!” replied Stony Boyne; then as his face lit up with a smile of fiendish joy he continued: ‘‘but it’s his last fight. You will ride over his life- less carcass in the shadows yonder, for I just -downed him for good. But hurry on, Seguin, if you would recover your wife, Look nate for Highland Harry.” **Stand!”’ suddenly shouted a loud voice from down the defile; ‘‘ move not or you’ll die, Hank Seguin, fur be it known that Highland Harry, the Death Pop, has a bead drawn upon your |} craven heart, while I, Ajax, the Infant Giant, alive and well, have another gent under cover. Oh, no, Mr. Stony Boyne! you did not quite down me, thanks to the stone I stumbled over. We're hungerin’for a fight. Our fingersitch to tickle the triggers of our guns. Move, Hank Seguin and Stony Boyne, one step and rip’ll =go an ounce bullet through your carcasses!” ‘* My God!” cried Boyne, *‘ that’s the voice of that accursed Giant! He escaped my bullet after all! Do not move, Seguin, or you will be a dead man!” Concealed in the shadows, with the outlaws in open daylight, the young mountaineers had, indeed, the drop on the foe and full well the latter knew it. Fairly trembling in their saddles with mortal fear, the outlaws durst not move a muscle, Each one felt that he was the especial target of Highland Harry, the very mention of whose name was sufficient to send a chill through the heart of the average outlaw. The situation was rather a novel one. Seven men well armed were virtually held motionless ‘by two invisible foes. To Seguin it was dread- fully humiliating, but his recent experience with these same mountaineers in his own cabin, ‘however exasperating it was, was such as to in- duce him to respect their commands. He had made a quick survey of the situation, and men- tal calculation of the chances of escape by a bold dash; but the result was not at all promis- | ing, for he saw that before they could get their | horses in motion half of them could be shot down. After holding a consultation among them- “selves, one of the outlaws called out: ‘‘Say, what do you assassins propose to do?” my Shoot you, if you stir,” responded Highland arry. . Do you intend we'll stand here till we take root?” again asked the freebooter. ‘¢Oh, no,” answered Ajax; ‘‘ we jist want to ary your patience; besides, we would rather kill ou if you give us an excuse. There’s Pap oyne, who acted like an old fool awhile ago, that we count as one of your gang for shootin’ ae ae if he goes to chimpanzeein’ around the least bit. I’ve stood all his tom-foolery I’m goin’ to. But, say, Seguin, how did your wed- in’ go off? I know some o’ the supper went off with Highland Harry and yours truly ;—fine cook, that wench of yours, Seg. Reckon you’re off on your weddin’ tour, ar’n’t you? Queer cu:toms in this country. Back in old Maine, where I was bornand educated, the groom tears *round with his bride a month or so. Ugly ‘mug that you carry, Seg.; married life bruises and breaks you all up, don't it? But such are ‘the incidents of life that makes this old world ‘half a fraud.” To the outlaws Ajax’s words were terribly rovoking, and it was all scme of them could do % keep quiet. The Giant did not seem to be more than thirty or forty paces from them, and ‘they endeavored to locate his exact position by the sound of his voice, But in this they failed, owing to the shadowsthat concealed the big foe, and so they were compelled to face the distract- dng music. The cornered villains conversed among them- -selves in an undertone, each one racking his brain for some expedient by which they might escape from danger and their humiliating posi- tion. But what seemed possible to one was re- jected by the others, Finally one reckless fellow resolved to make a ‘break, anyhow, upon his own motion, and quick asa flash threw himself from his saddle and darted away toward the defile through which ‘they bad entered the opening. But quick as he was, Highland Harry was quicker—his rifle wrung out and the fugitive fell dead. | The result of the outlaw’s attempt to escape was a frightful warning to his friends, and when the dead man’s horse, relieved of its rider’s | restraining hand, walked leisurely off to one side, making the other animals somewhat rest- less, a general panic was threatened. The | spirited horse of Seguin began pawing the ground in a restless, impatient manner that made it very uncomfortable for the man whose life depended on his keeping his horse quiet as | well as himself, After holding the outlaws this way ten or fif- | teen minutes, the young mountaineers decided upon another course, and Ajax yelled out: “Say, you fellers, we’ve decided to have a change in the situation, and you'll be ready to promptly respond,” Before the change decided upon could be an-— nounced, the ears.of the mountaineers caught | the sound of footsteps creeping stealthily-up be- hind them! CHAPTER XX. PROFESSOR SIMON PLUNKETT ACCUSED OF | MURDER, PROFESSOR PLUNKETT watched Highland Harry in breathless suspense until the fearless youth had disappeared from sight adown the mountain, then he moved on along the brow of the hights with a quickened footstep. He crossed the ridge and descended into a densely- | wooded valley toward the north, and_was walk- ing briskly along through the timber when his ears were suddenly greeted by a sharp, stern | voice commanding: ‘** Halt there, old sinner! and throw up!” Quick as a flash the professor stopped, and throwing up his hands piped ont: ‘There! don’t shoot! come forth!” Out from a thicket came two men dressed in the garb of mountaineers, their grizzled faces | broad with a smile. They were Spokane Joe and Uncle Bildad At sight of Shen the professor shouted: ‘*T am Simon. Plunkett, an inoffensive ento- mologist—who are you?” The old bordermen came up and introduced | themselves, and then began plying Plunkett with questions in a tone that reflected some | doubt of his reputed character, ‘¢ Here, gentlemen,” said the professor per- ceiving their distrust, ‘‘ let me show you some of my specimens and be convinced of what I tell you.” He handed Uncle Bildad a bottle containing two or three bugs, The old man looked at the bottle, then producing a similiar one from his own pocket compared the two, saying: ‘Dog my cats! if they ain’t jist alike even to the label onto them!” ‘*Yoop! glory!” exclaimed Plunkett at sight of Bildad’s bottle; ‘‘ the lost is found! Thats | mine, gents, for which I’ve been hunting these weeks!” ‘“Yours? humph! we found itin the crevices 0” a rock whar my chum, Spokane Joe, declared it was deposited during the Glacial Epoch. The paper in it has writin’ on it which Spokane says is the writin’ of a prehistoric age.” **-You’re a luscious pair of antiquarians, you are,” retorted Plunkett; ‘‘the writing on the aper in that bottle is my own, done less than a8 ears ago. It is the dying confession of one Ruth Grimm and is witnessed by Henry Se- on and yours truly, Simon Plunkett. See if am not correct.” “Stranger, we’ve examined it,” replied Uncle Bildad, ‘‘and guess it’s yours. Them three names are on the paper, which, as you say, seems to be adying statement. Here, take your property |” ; A smile of exceeding great joy passed over Plunkett’s face as he received the bottle to beng he addressed an apostrophe in eloquent ones, After a few minutes’ further conversation | Spokane Joe said: ‘** Perfesser, we've got to be goin’; we heard the sound o’a conflict over in the big canyon and are headed that way. We've friends in these varminty hills—” : ‘* Highland Harry one of them?” asked Plun- ett. ** To be sure he is; have you seen him?” ‘* Left me less than half an hour ago—jumped off the mountain-top to take a hand in that fight. Itseems to me you fellers are scattered like a flushed covey of quails. In unity there’s strength—united we stand, divided we fall, and | if you fellows have no objections I’ll unite my forces with you and—” “Come right along, perfessor,” interrupted Spokane Joe. , The three moved off down the valley, which grew narrower:and deeper as they advanced untilit becameacanyon. They were but a few rods from the big canyon into which the one they were following opened, when they suddenly | came face to face with Kitty Boyne. At sight of her, Uncle Bildad was almost dum- reseals y ‘*“My Lord!” he exclaimed, ‘‘is this Kitty Boyne? and alone?” **Oh, Uncle Bildad!” the maiden exclaimed, joyfully, ‘‘ I am so glad to meet. you!” ‘**So’m I you, Kitty; but, for goodness’ sakes! | what are you doin’ here alone, child?” ** Highland Harry sent me into this defile while he hastened to help Ajax fight a pursuing party of outlaws.” ‘\ Kitty Boyne did I understand you to call this little lady?” asked Prof, Plunkett, ‘* Yes,” answered Uncle Bildad; *‘ Kitty, this is Professor Simon Plunkett—scientific bug- hunter.” Bowing politely to the maiden, the professor asked: os Kitty, didn’t you used to be called Theresa Grimm?” The maiden started back, and as she fixed her eyes upon Plunkett her face grew ashen pale. ‘Why do you ask that?” she finally demand- ed: ‘‘what is it to you what 1 used to be | called?” ‘‘Then you have never heard of the natural- ist, Simon Plunkett, that two years ago—” ‘** Ah!” cried Kitty, as some terrible thought seemed to have entered her mind, ‘‘ you are the | murderer!—the man that killed my mother in | cold blood !” | Simon Plunkett wasa man of nerve,and he | met the maiden's accusation with unflinching / calmness, | ‘*That’s something I had‘ not expected.” he | said. ‘‘ You have no doubt, Miss Kitty, been | made to believe that I killed your mother; but | / whoever told you so lied hke a piping devil!” ‘* Henry Seguin and my father told me so,” Kitty exclaimed. ‘* Well, they both lied like the villains they are,” Plunkett declared. ‘‘ Your mother shot | herself accidentally, and soon after I happened | along at the cabin. She was alone and dying, ‘ and wished to make a death-bed statement in | justice to you, Kitty. I wrote down her werds, | and, thank the Lord, I have them in this bottle, | right here.. While writing herstatement Henry Seguin came to the cabin, He heard the whole story, and signed this paper as a witness.» fleft Seguin at the cabin and. went away, having | promised to deliver the paper toone David Ray- mond. I never dreamed of danger until a man | popped up before me in the mountains, hours afterward, and demanded Mrs. Grimm’s con- fession, 1 popped him over and ran. <A second fellow shot at me and came very near his mark, | That fellow was Henry Seguin. The other I | mistrusted was Grimm. They pursued me for over a hundred miles, and for tear they might get hold of the paper I concealed it in the crevice ot a rock, For two months I’ve been trying to find it, and only a few minutes ago received it from the hands of tbese gentlemen. I know Grimm and Seguin had plotted some conspiracy against you, for be it known, Kitty, that man Grimm, alias Bill Boyne, is not your father.” fe What! William Boyne not my father!” cried itty. No, ma’am,” replied Plunkett; “listen to this confession of your mother, Kitty.” _ He read the paper over to her. The girl was astounded, th ‘*Then Mrs. Grimm was not my mother, either!” she cried. ‘* No, ma’am,” responded the professor; ‘‘ you seem to have been sinned against from your birth, Kitty.” *¢ And when is it to end?’the maiden asked, an expression of pain passing over her face. ‘“‘But there is one thing I am truly glad to | learn, and that is that Stony Boyne is not my father. He is now near by, in yonder canyon and Jess than an hour ago he declared I shoul be Henry Seguin’s wife. For over two years I | have persistently refused to recognize Seguin even as a friend. I loathe him, and yet my father—Stony Boyne—has always been a warm friend of his. His conduct toward me to-day, as ; well as the past years, proves that he has no | fatherly feeling for me. Since my mother’s death I mistrusted that he was engaged in some | scheme cr other, for he at once moved to Red Bar and changed his name to Grimm, I chang- | ing my name also, by his request. He repre- | sented to me that his object was to conceal his | identity and hunt down mother’s murderer. He has claimed for several years to be a detective, and I sup he was, never once dreaming that he was in collusion with the outlaws,”
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- Puritanical settlement of Red Bar. Highland Harry, the Wizard Rifleman. — At this juncture the baying of a hound sud- denly fell upon the ears of the party, and re- minded Simon Plunkett of Highland Harry’s adventure with the outlaws and bloodhounds. Satisfied that the deceived and enraged robbers were upon his own trail, directed by the hound, the old professor advised a forward movement, and acting upon his advice, the three, accom- panied by Kitty, hurried on and soon entered the canyon in which the maiden had left Harry. Just then their ears were greeted by the re- port of a rifle a short ways down the defile, ‘*That’s Highland Harry’s gun!” declared Uncle Bildad. ‘‘I’d know its boom in Pande- monium. Let us move in that direction.” To this all assented and they moved away. They had journeyed less than half a mile when they came in sight of Highland Harry and Ajax perched upon a projecting rock at theside of the defile, their rifles resting upon a rocky breast- work before them, and covering the heart of Hank Seguin and Stony Boyne! CHAPTER XXI. RETRIBUTION. AIGHLAND HARRY and Ajax started with sudden fear at the sound of the footsteps be- hind them, and with the impression that savy- ages ‘were stealing upon them, they quickly glanced back over their shoulders to be most happily surprised in seeing Spokane Joe, the hunter, coming toward them. Creeping up to Harry’s side Old Joe soon learned the situation, and then informed the mountaineer that Uncle Bildad, Kitty Boyne . and Simon Plunkett were waiting his return in the defile below. ‘*T’m glad you came, Joe,” Harry said, ‘‘ and to hear that Plunkett is safe. There’s fiye out- jaws over norta of here with a bloodhound, and I have been afraid they might drift this way and give us trouble.” ‘* We heard the bayin’ o’ their dog less’n half an hour ago, Harry,” answered Joe, ** Indeed?” exclaimed Harry; ‘‘ then you hur- ry back, Joe, and send Plunkett here, and you and Uncle Bildad guard the pass below, and we'll bring matters to a close-up here pretty quick now,” Old Spokane hurried back to his friends, and Plunkett soon appaared upon the scene, and chucking Harry in the ribs in high glee, peered over the breastwork at the outlaws, coolly ob- serving? ‘* They’re standing there quiet as the eques- trian statues of General Jackson, ar’n’t they?” ‘*Never saw a more docile crew,” answered Highland Harry: ‘‘ we'd hoped they'd do some- thing to provoke us to shoot, but they seem de- termined to freeze us out. However, we're g0- ing to change things. Ajax, give your orders.” ‘* Attention, outlaws!” shouted the Infant; “* you'll now unbuckle your pistol-belts and hang them on the horns. of your saddles and ‘then dismount, advance in front of your steeds ‘and form in line, when we'll senda man to in- terview you, for be it remembered that within the past ten minutes our forces have been in- ereased by such men as Old Spokane Joe, Uncle Bildad Durr, and another distinguished gentle- man. Unbuckle, dismount and fall into line!” The outlaws quietly obeyed the Giant’s com- mand, and as they fell into line Simon Plunkett facetiously observed: ‘* They toe the chalk-line like the big class in geography in a country school, don’t they? Vonder if you couldn’t put them through the manual of arms—drill them—” ‘* With lead,” interrupted Harry; ‘‘ but now Plunkett, we want to take that man Seguin an Stony Boyne prisoners, and some one of us must go into that opening and bind them hand and foot while tho others hold them under lev- eled rifles.” ‘‘7’m the man to put on the fetters,” said Plunkett; ‘‘T'll take the ropes off their own saddles, and if they go to showing fight—” ** We'll shoot them down!” said Harry. Plunkett slipped down into the defile and ad- vanced into the presence of the outlaws, bow- ing with mock politeness, and saying: ‘Gents, Simon Plunkett, entomologist of the Brownsonian Institute. Perbaps you, Henry Seguin, remember me as having taken down the dying statement of one Mrs. Grimm, some two years ago, up on the Yellowstone? Since tre been doing some detective work, I found Mr. Grimm had skipped the land of the Yellowstone and become Stony Boyne of the Gentlemen, 1am here to place you in bonds.” ; Involuntarily Henry Seguin dropped his hand to his side, forgetting his revolver was not | there, and that he was covered by the deadly ‘*T learned so to-day,” Kitty replied, weeping Winchester of the Wizard Rifleman. His dis- appointment and chagrin found expression in a violent oath that reached the ears of Ajax, who quickly bawled out: ‘** Mr, Seguin, you'll step forward and quietly submit to be bound or take the consequences.” Seguin advanced as commanded, but as he did so the ears of all were greeted by the seep bay- ing of a dog down the pass, followed by the crack of a rifle, the shouts of men, the yells of savages—all of which became mingled in the murderous crash of firearms. CHAPTER XXII. THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH. THE sound of battle bursting so suddenly up- on the ears of Highland Harry and his friends filied their breasts with a dreadful fear, and for a moment fairly paralyzing theirsenses, That their friends, Spokane Joe and Uncle Bildad, were engaged with an overwhelming number of savages and outlaws there was no doubt; and thus in a moment had tho situation become crit- ical. On the other hand Henry Seguin and his friends took courage, for the sound of the con- flict signaled the presence of friends, and the outlaw leader was not slow to take advantage of the alarm, With eyes seeming to burst into ‘flame, he sprung at Plunkett like a tiger and seizing the naturalist about the waist inthe grip of a bear, and holding him thus, began hastily walking backward with a view of escaping into the canyon, his body covered from bullets by that of Plunkett. It was a desperate expedient of a desperate man, and his movements threw his friends into a” panic, and breaking ranks they madea bola dash for life and liberty. Butas one the guns of the mountaineers rung out, and both Boyne and Seguin fell, Simon Plunkett going down with his captor. ‘““By mercy, Highland!” cried Ajax, ‘‘ I’m afraid you have killed the professor!” “Tt was only the top of Seguin’s head I had to draw on,” replied Harry leaping down into the canyon; ‘‘but come, Ajax, our friends be- low are in trouble.” Without stopping to learn the fate of Plunkett the two young men dashed down the canyon. They had gone but a short way when they met Kitty Boyne wild with terror. From her they learned that several men under Captain Dalton from Red Bar had joined Uncle Bildad and Spokane down the canyon, and before they had time to exchange greetings, a party of out- laws and savages bad burst from a side canyon and attacked them. By this time the sound of battle was receding into the hills, which gave Harry and Ajax ho that their friends ha | beaten back the foe, To make sure they hastened on, having directed the terrified Kitty to conceal herself in a dark pocket in the side of the canyon near where they left her, Forty rods further on the lifeless body of a dog told them where the fighthad begun. A few rods beyond this they came upon half a dozen prostrate forms of dead and wounded men. Among them were three savages, Of the white men the mountaineers were horrified to find one of them a settler of Red Bar. Still further on lay the lifeless form of the redoubt- able Bruiser Bill; and near him reclined Captain Kit Dalton seriously wounded. ‘“*My Lord! captain, what does this mean?” exclaimed Highland Harry. ‘“We've a hard struggle of it, Harry,” the captain responded, his face drawn and pinched with pain; ‘‘ but our friends routed the foe and are pursuing them into the hills.” By this time the sound of the conflict had ended, and so Harry and Ajax went no further, but bidding Captain Dalton be of good cheer they turned and hurried back to Kitty. Finding her safe they proceeded on into the little opening to look after Plunkett. To their bappy surprise they found him unbarmed seated by the side of Stony Boyne who lay prone upon the earth, his head resting upon the body of a dead savage. He was still living though the pallor of death was gathering bs er his face, Hank Seguin lay where he had fallen stone dead, with the top of his head blown off by the izard Rifleman’s bullet. Stony Boyne inquired for Kitty as soon as Harry approached, and in answer to his inquiry the half-te rifiod girl came up saying: ‘Here, fatner, lam, Oh, you are dying!” ** Yes, they killed me, Kitty, but it’s no use to complain now. Perbaps I deserved it all. I was doimg wrong—plotting'g’inst you. Kitty, you are not my child!” a a a a a ih San ala t bitterly. ‘*No, you are not my daughter,” Boyne re- peated, ‘‘but the daughter of one David Ray mond, who arrived in Red Bar the evening o1 your abduction. But your dying confession 10 the hands of that man will explain all to ou.’ ‘*But why have you and Seguin always told me that mother was murdered by Simon Plun- kett?” Kitty asked. ‘*Seguin and I conspired to obtain David Raymond's wealth. By putting the blame of her death on Plunkett as an excuse for killin’ him, and gettin’ possession of the confession, then marrying you to Seguin by fair or foul means, we intended to establish your claim upon Millionaire Raymond by baving some one else, instead of Plunkett, present the confession of Mrs, Grimm to that gentleman. Of course, if Raymond accepted Kitty as his daughter, he' must accept her husband as a son, and after we had got that far, further plans were to be made that I might-have a share of Kaymond’s wealth, ‘* Plunkett, however, escaped, and finding Raymond, put him on the track of his child. To elude him I fled to Red Bar, changin’ our names, and have succeeded in keepin’ out of his way until recently. My object in thus hiding was in the hope that Seguin might win your affec- tions in an honorable way, so far as you were concerned—but for the dishonorable purpose of robbin’ your true father. But your persistent dislike of him, Kitty, has brought about the re- sult that Seguin is dead and I nearly so. I hope now that you may be restored to your own father; and I shall die in the hopes of your for- giveness.” Kitty was deeply grieved and remained by Boyne’s side until he died. As soon as Simon Plunkett announced his death she arose and walked away, weeping bitterly. Harry ap- proached her and in low tones spoke the kindli- est words of cheer and comfort to her—words that strengthened her, for, of all others, High- Jand Harry was her idol—in him had she long since centered all her hopes of future happiness. While the party still tarried in the little opening Uncle Bildad came tearing up the can- yon, wild.with joy over their victories. He was accompanied by David Raymond, and when they entered the presence of Kitty the old man shouted; ‘“‘Here she is, David, sound and well, God bless her! Kitty—gal, this grand old gentleman is your own blessed father, David Raymond!” Kitty lifted her streaming eyes to those of the tall, handsome stran..er; her lips quivered, her brain grew dizzy, she reeled and would have fallen had David Raymond not caught her in bis strong arms, murmuring as he did so: ‘* Yes, it is my child! my child—the image of her dear, dead mother!” and bending his head he kissed the brow of the motionless gu again and again, while tears of joy streamed down his bearded face. The victory over the outlaws and savages was not a bloodless one for the people of Red Bar; for, besides the death of two of Captain Dal- ton’s party, the captain himself, Judge Kinny and one other, were severely wounded in the fight, and suffered much misery and pain in their homeward march. But, aside from these no further troubles befell the party, and it was with tears for the dead, and shouts of joy for the living, that they were finally received back by their friends at Red Bar. In David Raymond Kitty found an ideal father, and she soon came to regard him with all the love and respect that the most hopeful heart could wish for. But when Mr. Raymond talked of departing from Red Bar with his daughter, he found that Highland Harry had a claim upon her young heart that was not to be overlooked, However, a compromise was effected, quite sat- isfactory to all three: and when Mr, Raymond and his daughter left the Gallatin it was with the understanding that Harry should, at some future time, become a member of his family. Highland Harry and Ajax, the Infant Giant, continued their warfare against the outlaws of Teton Basin, and to their skill as mountaineers, more than any others, are the people of North- ern Montana indebted for the crippling of that notorious band of cut-throats, and the final cap- ture, at Bowlder City of Jack Hart himself. Ajax, in ee: distinguished himself as an outlaw and renegade-Indian-fighter in many a sanguinary hand-to-hand struggle, and of him and his deeds we may hear again. THE END,
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BEADLE'’S* H ALF- DIME* LIBRARY: Published Every Tuesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents. No Double Numbers. BY EDWARD L. WHEELER. Deadwood Dick Novels, 1 Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. 20 Deadwood Dick’s Defiance; or, Double Daggers. 28 Deadwood Dick in Disguise; or, Buffal. Ben yt ponewees apie aj ae Vaetle. -_ 2 sad woo ek’ PMAUNZAZ O:, awantom 3 f. 49 Deadwood Dick in Danger; or, Omshe Ol... o B57 Deadwood Dick’s Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood Bar. i peasvecs piek va! weeks or, Calamity ¢ br en Heroine, ZT Deadwoo ek’s Last Acts or, Corduroy Cuarlie. 100 Deadwood Dick in Leadville, eis 104 Deadwood Dick’« Device; or, The Double Cross Sign. 109 Deadwood Dick as Detective. 129 Deadwood Dick’s Double; or, The Gorgon’s Gulch Ghost. bee - sap hate amand Pars: or The Terrible Six. 866 Velvet Foot, the Indian Detective. 886 Captain Cutlas«y; or, | he B ceaneer’s Girl Foe. 896 Rough Koby; or, The Twin Champions of Blue Blazes, 411 The Silken Laseo: 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 Againat Fifty; or, The Last Man of Keno Bar, 470 The Boy Shadow; or, Felix Fox’s Hunt. 477 The Exceisior Sport; or, The Washington Spotter. 499 Single Sight, the One-Eyed Sport. 502 Branded Ben, the Night Ferret. 512 Dodger Dick, the Wharf-Spy Detective, 521 Dodger Dick’s Best Dodge. 528 Fox and Faicon, the Bowery Shadows, 588 Dodger Dick, the Dock Ferret. 548 Dodger Dick’«s Double; or, The Rival Boy Detectives, 558 Dodger Dick’s Desperate Case. 568 Dodger Dick, the Boy Vidocq. 578 The Two Shadows. 582 Dodger Dick’s Drop. 594 Little Lon, the Street-Singer Detective. 610 Old Skinner, the Gold Shark; or, Tony Sharp on Guard. 626 The Champion Parda. 687 Dick Doan, the Dock Boy Detective, 645 Kit, the Pavement Sharp. 658 Billy Bantam, the Boy Beagle. 671 Jersey Jed, the Boy Hustler; or, Shadowing the Shadower. 685 Happy Hugh, the Boy Musician Dete vive. 701 Photograph Fred, the Camera Sharp. etd ¥ ide Awake Len, the Seeker City Ferret. s alisy Dell, the Pavement Detective; or, Trappin ig Game. 742 Billy Winks, the Bell Boy Detective. : vee S 754 Billy Winks, the Boss Boy Shadow. BY WM. G. PATTEN. 489 The Diamond Sport: or, The Double Face of Bed Rock, 519 Captain Myatery 5 or, Five in One. 581 Da 7 Dare the Sport from Denver. 587 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 Sport. 641 Dismal Dave's Bandy Pard, 651 Round Boy Frank, the Young Amateur Detective 6648 Violet Vane'’sa Victory. 682 Wild Vuleany the Lone-Range Rider, 698 Violet and Daisy, the Posy Pards, 705 Violet Vane’s Vow; or. The Cratty Detective’s Craft, 714 Old Misery, the Man from Missouri, 724 Violet Vane’« Vengeance. eae visice A fy AL ae ole ane, the Ventriloqaist Vidocq. 750 Violet Vane, the Vanquished. - RD et pk pk pk td SeaAeew = BY COLONEL PRENTISS INGRAHAM, 7 The Flying Yankee} or, The Ocean Outcast, 17 Ralph Roy, the Boy Buccancer; or, The Fugitive Yacht. 24 Diamond Dirk Len The Mystery of the Yellowstone. 62 The Shadow Ship; or, The Rival Lieutenants, 75 The Boy Dnellst; or, The Cruise of the Sea-Wolf, 102 Dick Dead-Eye, the Boy Smuggier. 111 The Ben-Devil 3 or, The Midshipman’s Js 116 The Mussar Captain: or, The Hermit ot Hell Gate. 197 Little Grit, the Wild Rider; or, The Stock-Tender’s Daughter,, 204 Buffalo Bill, the Pony Express Rider. 216 Bison BULL, the Prince of the Reins; or, Buffalo Bill’s Pluck, 222 Grit, the Bravo Sports or, The Woman Trailer. 229 Crimson Kate, the Girl Trailer. 287 Lone Star, the Cowboy Captain; or, The Mysterious Ranchero 245 Merle, the Middy ; or, The Heir of an Ocean Freelance, 250 The Midshipman nutinecr 5 or, Brandt, the Buccaneer, 264 The Floating Feather; or, Merle Monte’s Treasure, 269 The Gold Ship 5 or, Merle, the Condemned, 276 Merle Monte’s Cruise; or, “ The Gold Ship” Chase, 280 Merle Monte’s Fate ; or, The Pirate's Pride, 284 Merle Monte’s Pledge; or, The Sea Marauder, 287 Billy Blue-Eyes, the Boy Rover. 804 The Dead Shot Dandy ; or, Benito, the Boy Bugler. 808 Dead Shot Dandy’s Double. 814 The Mysterious Marauder; or, The Boy Bugler’s Trail, 877 Bonodel, the Bey Rover; or, The Fiagiess Schooner. 888 The Indian Pilot; or, The Search for Pirate Island. 887 Warpath WILL, the Traitor Guide; or, The Boy Phantom. 898 Seawalf, the Boy Lieutenant; or, The Red Clasped Hands. 402 Isodor, the Young Conspirator; or, The Fatal League, 407 The Boy Insurgent; or, The Cuban Vendetta. 412 The Wild Yachtamany3 or, The War-Clouu’s Cruise, 429 Duncan Dare, the Boy Refugee. 488 Captain Carl, the Corsair; or, A Cabin Boy’s Luck. 487 The Sea Ralder; or, The Hawks of the Hook. 441 The Ocean Firefly { or, A Middy’s Vengeance. 446 Haphazard Harry; or, The Scapegrace of the Sea, 450 Wizard WIIl, the Wonder-Worker, 454 Wizard WIII’s Street Scouts. 462 The Born Gulde}; or, The Sailor Boy Wanderer. 468 Hoptane Ned, the Boy Coaster. 474 Wizard WIll’s Vagabond Pard. 488 Wizard Will's Last Case; or, Ferrets Afloat. 487 Nevada Ned, the Revolver Kanger. 495 Arizona Joe, the Boy Pard of Texas Jack. 497 Buck Taylor, King of the Cowboys. 508 The Royal Middy ; or, The Shark and the Sea Cat. 507 The Hunted Midshipman; or, The Young Sea Ranger. 511 The Outlaw Middy; or, The Young Patriot Sea Ranger, 520 Buckskin BIL, the Comanche Shadow. 525 Brothers in Buckskin; or, The Tangled Trails in Texas, 580 The Buckskin Bowers. 585 The Bue: «kin Roverss or, The Prairie Fugitive. 540 Captain Ku-Klux, the Marander ot the Ric, 545 Lieutenant Leo, the Son of Lafitte. 550 Lafitte’« Legacy: or- The Avenging Son. 655 The Creole Corsair; or, The Golden Wings of the Gulf. 560 Pawnee Bill, the Prairie Shadower. 565 Kent Kingdon, the Card King. 570 Camille, the Card Queen; or, The Skeleton Trail. 575 The Surgeon-Scout Detective. BSO The Outcast Cadets or, The False Detective. BSG The Buckskin Avenger; or, Pawnee Bill’s Pledge. 591 Delmonte, the Young Sea. Rover; or, Toe Avenging Sailor, bY? The Young Texan Detectives or, The Black Bravos, 602 The Vagabond ofthe Mines. . 607 The Rover Detective; or, Keno Kit’s Champions, 617 Ralph, the Dend-Shot Scout; or, The Rio Raiders, 644 Butterfly Billy’s Debut. > 650 Butterfly Billy, the Pony Rider Detective; or, Buffalo Bill’s Boy Para. g 656 Butterfly Billy’« Man Hunt, 662 Butterfly Billy’s Bonanza. 668 The Buccaneer Midshipman; or, The Sea Rover’s Ruse, 674 The Wizard Sailor; or, Red Ralph, the Rover. 679 The Sea Shadower} or, The Freebooter’s Legacy. 686 Orlando, the Ocean Free Flag; or, Tue Tarnished Name. 692 The Rival Sharps; or, Redfern, the Secret Service Scout. 697 The Scarlet Sombrero; or, The Sharp from Texas, 702 Blue Jacket Bil); or, The Red Hat Rangers’ Red Hot Racket. 207 The Red Sombrero Rangers; or, Redfern’s Last Trail, 718 Carl, the Mad Cowboy; ©r, The Lariat Queen. 719 Pawnee Bills Pledges or, The Cowboy Kidnapper’s Doom. 725 Daring Dick, Pawnee Bill’s Pard; or, The Red Cavalry Raid, 81 Ruth fredmond, the Girl Shadower. 87 Buck Taylor, the Comanche’s Captive. 748 Buck Taylors Boys; or, The Red Riders of the Rio Grande, 749 Dashing Charlie; or, The Kentucky Tenderfoot’s First Trail. 756 Dashing Charlte’s Destiny; or, The Renegade’s Captives 760 Dashing Charlie’s Pawnee Pard, LATEST AND NEW ISSUES. 2761 Marmaduke, the Mustanger Detective; or, The Great Mize Up at Crescent Butte. By Lieut. A. K, Sims, 762 Broadway Billy’s Bargain. By J. C. Cowdrick, 768 Violet Vane’s Vision. By Wm. G. Patten. 764 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’a, Lone Hand; or, Kodak Kate Secret Seven. By Edward L. Wheeler. 765 Flipper Flynn, the Street Patrol. By Jo Pierce. 766 Dashing Char'ie, the Rescuer. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham, 767 Mae and Jnck, the Invincibles; or, The Diabolical Three. By Dan Dunning. 768 Eagle Ned, the Boy on Guard; or, The Camp Spiders of Ragged Robin. By T. C. Harbaugh, 769 Broadway Billy, the Retriever Detective; or, How the City Buzzards Were Yrought In. By J. C. Cowdrick, 770 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Defeats or, The Tandam Team & Thorny Trail. By tdward L. Wheeler, 271 Foxy Fred’s Odd Pard; or, The Keener’s Huge Hustle. By Jo Pierce. " 272 Dick Doom’s Death-Grip; or, The Detective by Destiny, By Col, Prentiss Ingraham, 278 The Rustler of Rolling Stone; or, The Opposition Boom at Lucky Ledge. By Lieut, A. K, Sims. 274 Clear-Grit Cal, the Never Say-Die Detective; or, The Strange Case of Captain Sendd. By Wm, G. Patten. 275 Broadway Billy’s Shadow Chase; or, Materializing the Spooks. By J. &, Cowudrick. 7% Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Resurrection; or, Icicle Isaac: frow Frozen Flats. By Edward L. W heeler. 277 Dick Doom’s Pestiny; or, The River Blackleg’s Terror, By Col, Prentiss Ingraham. 278 Highland Harry, the Wizard Rifleman; or, Tough Times at. Teton Pass, B Oll Coomes. TT9 Iron Hand, the Charmed Detective; or, Saving the Senator’s Daughter. By Ge rge C. Jenks. 280 Tonkaway Tom, the Red W izard; or, Roundabout Ruth's. Pilgrimage. By F. C. Harbaugh. Ready July Sth. P81 Caat-Off Cale, the Seapegoat Detective; or, Sailing Under False Colors. Rv Jo Pieree. Ready July 12th. A New Iasue Every Tuesday. The Half- Dime Library ‘s for anle 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 Yorke