Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 814) (1893 02 28)
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TH: 3p a 2 Yin” Ge “\ TlaaLalbalafallallallallalalal . ANY Ws \ \ \ X ‘ W Aang 7 (i ot Vt tl i! a Ll Entered as Second Class Matter at the New York, N. Y , Post Office. Copyrighted 1898, by BEADLE AND ADAMS, No. 814 $2.50 PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE AND ADAMS. Price, . ° a Year. No, 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK. 5 cents. VRVOVN THE GIRL SPORT'S -: DOUBLE GAME A Story of the Sierras and the Golden Gate City. BY C. E. TRIPP. CHAPTER 1. THE GAMBLER DETECTIVE. IT was a dramatic, though by no means un- common scene in those days of the new Wild es A great Overland stage-coach, dragged by six SS ‘ be | he aS Vol February 28, 1898,
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tive!” sleek, powerful mules, had been brought tc a halt by a band of rough riders at a table-like spot, high up on the narrow trail that wound like a dark ribbon, across the face of the rugged old mountain, White, scared.faces peered from the windows of the big coach; but old Chain-trace Tom, the driver, had “ been there” before, and he leaned back in his seat indifferently as be greeted the leader of the road-agents with; “ How’r’ ye, lieutenant? a Guess ye got out abead o’ time, this load of oles. ‘Thar hain’t a hunderd dollars in ther boxes, and they hain’t much more’n thet ’mongst ther passigers. ‘Feel sorry fer ye, lieutenant, butd’-noz-I kin Oe yer any!” he leader, who was known as the ‘ Lieutenant,’ smiled grimly as he returned: ‘*That’s all right, Thomas, my boy; I know ou are not very well ‘ heeled’ this morning, ut I will try to be satisfied with the one par- ticular nugget 1 am after!” * Allright, lieutenant. What's ther fu’st thing on thér programme?” Please invite your passengers to alight,” “rect, lieutenant; but ’ve got a lady inside, so don’t make any more row than ye kin help,” ae Sean leaned down from his seat and called: . * Billo thar, folkses! Pile out, please, while I give yer all a knock-down tew his royal jags, ther Hi-muck-a-muck of ther Overland, Lieuten- ant Redbird, R, A, ‘* Don’t be afeered of ther lieutenant, folkses; he won't hurt yer, but he do love gold-dust etarnally!” The ‘folkses,” consisting of three roughly appareled miners, two well-dressed, Eastern appearing gentlemen, evidently speculators, and a handsomely formed, dark-eyed girl, most likely a beauty, but her face was half concealed by a dark mantilla of lace, alighted, ‘‘Gentlemen, throw your weapons back into the coach,” ordered tbe lieutenant, and he was quickly obeyed. ‘*Now, Chain-trace,” turning to the driver, who was covered by a rifle in the hands of an outlaw, ‘“* I don’t want to harm you in any way, for you are a good man, and full of pluck, sol hope you will not interfere with me in carrying out the captain’s orders, **T don’t know what his object is in the present instance, but be has ordered me to detain this young lady, so you must go on without her!”, Chain-trace straightened up instantly. ** Took here, lieutenant!” be cried harshly, ** you've held me up nigh onto a dozen times, and ‘ve never kicked but once; then I layed out four of yer men and got a bullet in ther shoulder ter pay fer it, an’ now I’m tellin’ yer straight: er can’t hev the lady while Chain-trace Tom hin pull a trigger, or draw a bead!” “Don’t be foolish, Tom; ihat lady has got to go with me if I have to plant every driver be- tween here and ’Frisco, That’s straight, too!” “ Then begin on Chain-trace Tom!” yelled the driver, as he snatched up a revolver and leaped to the ground, But the old driver was a corpse almost before he touched the earth, Crack! Crack! and Chain-trace Tom pitched forward with a rifle ball through his brain, But, almost upon the instant he was avenged. A second shot followed the first so quickly they sounded almost as one discharge, and the road-agent threw up his arms and fell across the ug | of his victim, the slain driver, he lieutenant turned with a vengeful curse —to find himself covered by a brace of heavy re- volvers in the “yeas of a horseman, who had come silently around a sharp curve in the trail just abead, The outlaw band had the horseman covered .with their rifles upon the instant, and only waited a word from their chief to drop him from the saddle, * Ab, lieutenant, we meet ‘once more!” spoke the horseman, who was a handsome, dare-devil looking fellow, dressed in corduroys. ‘* Who, in the fiend’s name are you?” pasced the lieutenant, who dared not give his followers the word to fire while those two motionless revolvers .seemed to glower upon him like two eyes of a vengeful Fate, ‘Hey? Can it be possible you hav2 forgotten mé, lieutenant, after the clever manne, in whic we escaped from the little trap I set for you in Igrim’s Camp, last month?” “Curse you! I know you now! “You are ‘Ace High,’ the Gambler Detec- ** At your service, lieutenant!” ———$ $< f 2 Ace High, the Frisco Detective. -p my. «24.9, eee ** Well, you ave a cool one! but of course you don’t have any idea of escaping me, with my men covering you with rifles even if you have the drop on me,” ** But, of course I do! and that young lady al- so, whom, I understand from the last words of the driver, which I chanced tooverhear, you in- tend to abduct! You dare not order your men to fire, for you know I am a dead-shot with a re- volver, and the first motion on their part to fire seals your dcom!” The lieutenant glanced from his men to the rigid form in the saddle, his brain busy with the problem in band, ** Ace High,” the Gambler Detective, bad been tight after him for nearly three months, and he well knew his own doom was sealed if the moun- tain hound was not thrown cff the trail at once and for all time, Finally the road-agent seemed to arrive at a decision, ~ **T will tell'you whatI will do,” heannounced. ** Well, you said you would!” “T believe you consider yourself ‘ well up’ in cards,” ‘*T understand several games pretty well.” **In fact, if itwas not for your mania for gambling you would be the greatest detective in the West!” The face of the rider flushed hotly, but he re- turned in a calm tone: “That is my business, Lieutenant Redbird! You just attend to the proposition you were about to make!” **Oh, no offense; I was merely going to pro- pose that we decide who is to have the lady by a game of ‘ draw!” ‘* Ob, that is too thin!” exclaimed the gambler, though his eyes gleamed eagerly at the mention of bis favorite game. ** You know you are no match for me at draw- poker; but you think I will get so interested in the play that your men can easily capture, if not ki 1 me outright—” ‘*T will attend to that part!” As the young girl spoke she drew a brace of dainty revolvers from beneath her fur a apd coolly brougbt them to bear upon the lieutenant, All stared in astonishment at this unexpected turn of affairs. ‘Mr, Lieutenant,” she went on, ‘you pro- posed this game, and now, if the gentleman yonder still thinks the stakes are worth the game, I will pledge my word that no interference is offered by outside parties, Do you accept the outlaw’s challenge, Mr. Detective?” Ace High put up his revolvers and dismounted. ‘‘With pleasure, senorita,” he answered, bowing low before the fair stranger. ‘‘I am only Ace High, the Gambler Detective, but my poor services are entirely at your disposal!” ‘Thank you, sir,” she answered, still keeping a close watch over her leveled pistols on the lieutenant and bis men, ‘* Perhaps one of the passengers has a deck of cards they would Jend you?” A new pack of eards was produced, and the two men sat down to the strange game, though evidently much against the outlaw’s inclination, The first deal fell to the road-agent, who drew one card, and his example was followed by the detective. ‘* Two pairs—aces high,” announced the latter, ‘* A house of sevens!” cried lieutenant Red- bird, He had “ drawn a fill,” Again the cards were dealt and again each drew one, ; * A club flush!” “ A spade flush!” “ King high!” “Ace high!” and the detective had won number: two, And now Redbird resolved upon a desperate move. He “stood” the cards under the other’s cut, and dealt himself the detective’s spade flush, Each held their own hands, “* A spade flush!” cried Redbird exultantly. *¢ Aces full!” and the Gambler Detective arose, the victor, CHAPTER II, THE BEAUTIFUL DEAD-SHOT, “THAT was a very transparent trick, lieuten- nt. “*T noticed that you were very careful to keep that flush together, so I took the liberty to slip the four aces between!” The lieutenant glared at him vengefully, but ke not a word, so Ace High proceeded: *t And now, Sir Outlaw, we will leave you for the present, I know it is my natural duty to shoot you where you stand, but that is not the way I want to take you into Sacramento—you (7 3-0, are cut out to stretch hemp! All aboard, gen-~ tlemen!” ‘‘Can you drive a three span team?” asked one of the passengers nervously. “T can—or a ten span, for that matter!” an- swered the detective. At that moment his attention was attracted by the young girl, who, as the road-agents fell back at a sign from their leader, swung herself with perfect ease to the driver's seat, **T much prefer riding here,” she said in an- swer to the detective’s look of inquiry. He bowed, then again turned to the lieuten- ant: ‘‘ We are going now, lieutenant; and I advise you not to interfere with our departure!” So saying ho secured a repeating musket from his own saddle-bow; then, commanding his well- trained horse to lead the way he mounted the coach, gathered up the reins and started the six- mule team down the trail at a swinging trot, while the fair passenger kept the lieutenant cov- ered with two revolvers, ‘Can you handle a rifle?” he asked of the vailed form at his side. ** Not so well as Ican a revolver. Why?” ‘** Ags soon as we pass yonder curve in the trail, the road-agents will charge us!” **Do you think so?” ‘*T will stake my horse on it!” ‘¢ Then let us warn the men inside the coach, and he prepared for them!” ‘*No, we must depend upon ourssalves, for each one of those five men is a coward! Are you good with a revolver?” ‘© T have never been beaten!” ‘Good! Just beyond this curvo is a desper- ately steep, though perfectly straight grade, [I will set the brake, secure the reins and trust to luck, that the mutes keep the grade, While you blaze away with the four revolvers, I will work the rifle for allit is worth!” ‘*A - ood plan, but I bave a safer one!” ‘* Hey?” ‘*-Y 3, When you shot the outlaw back there, the team were so frightened the road-agents at their head could barely restrain them,” ‘¢ That sof?” ‘‘TLeft to themselves, the mules would upn- doubtedly become frightened and dash us to the bottom of yonder gulch, five-hundred feet below!” “But what—” * T havedriven worse teams then these, I will empty the revolvers—for J flatter myself I can use them as well as even Ace High himself; then I will take the-reins while you attend to them with the repeater!” The mountain detective could but agree to this arraingement, for, just at this moment the six excited mules swept around the curve, the great coach rocked wildly for a moment, then went spinning down the steep’ grade—while the shrieking and grinding of the tight-locked brake was almost drowred by a wild yell from the beffled outlaws. ‘ It was well for the coach and all it contained that the muscles of the Gambler Detective were like cords of steel, for the yells of the hcrde be- hind seemed to fairly madden the already frantic teams, ' But, although they went plunging down the trail at a dangerous pace, a master hand con- trolled them. , A minute later the gang came dashing around the curve in pursuit, at the same time discharg- iug an ineffectual fusjlade, which was answered by the daring unknown with her revolvers. «‘ Two!—three!—four!” cried the girl, and still her pistols rung out spitefully in answer to the wild fire of the pursuers, Just once Ace High epee back. The stage was bounding and rocking at a terrific rate, yet at that instant the girl’s quick aim, that it seem- ed nothing could disconcert, sent a fifth man burling from his saddle to the dark gulch far below. But now the gang seemed to be taking more care in their aim, for several bullets whizzed ast in uncomfortable proximity, and, a moment ater, the unknown uttered a startled cry as one struck the delicate gold-pin that confined the impenetrable folds of the mantilla, letting it fall from about her head. Ace High fairly gasped as his eyes rested upon that heretofore unseen countenance, for never had his wildest fancy pictured one so beautiful! But, this was no time to become fascinated by a beautiful face, Only eight of the road-agents were left, but the revolvers were empty. “ Here, take the reine and do your best!” As the Gambler Detective spoke he passed over the heavy reins and whirled about in his seat, rifle in hand, a BY
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- Ace High, the Frisco Detective. Then—clickety-click, crack! clickety-click, crack! rung out the repeater, and a man fell at every discharge, There were five cartridges in the weapon, but ‘they were not needed. Lieutenant Redbird knew the man he had to ‘deal with too well tocharge recklessly up against that deadly aim, quick as he could—which was not until three of his men had fallen, he drew up his fly- ing steed, then turned tail and the fight and pur- ‘suit was Over. Ace High gazed with the most intense admi- ration upon his companion, The small, gloved bands that curbed the strug- gling mules seemed formed of steel, and she handled the ‘ribbons’ like an old stager. ‘*In the name of all that is mysterious, who are you, senorita?” asked Ace High as he took the reins from her firm hands. ** Perhaps I will tell you later—but not now,” she returned, again gathering the soft mantilla above her features, ‘Then our acquaintance is to end at Pilgrim’s Camp, the next station?” he cried with real dis- appointment in his tones, ‘ “That is for you to say!” “ Then I say—No!” “You may wish to retract those words, Only on condition that you accompany me to San Francisco will I reveal my name, identity, and business in this wild land!” Ace High glanced at her sharply. His ene- mies were reckoned a legion. Might this not be a plot to entrap him? hat bad been tried by beautiful women be- fore; but, there was no designing lightin those great dark eyes, ‘* Don’t misunderstand me,” she went on, “I seek your professional services only. I have powerful enemies to fight—even knife to, knife— and you, the coolest, bravest man I ever saw I want to assist me, I will tell you my story at the next camp, and if you accept the case, you er name your own price at its successfrl close, CHAPTER III, THE BONANZA WIDOW. “ FATHER, I must have a couple of thousands!” Banker Banderson wheeled his office chair with a jerk, and glared at his handsome, dis- sipated son angrily. “ Barry, this thing has got to stop right here! “It has come to a pretty pass when a father is blackmailed by his own son, ‘*You assume to dictate to me what your allowance shall be, just because you disccvered, by chance, that I wasa confirmed gambler, in- stead of the pious church elder I appear to be to the world, ** But now it must stop! **T have bad the devil’s own run of luck lately, not only with the cards, but on change, and the race-track as well, ‘Tn fact [ am on my last legs! ‘Tf something don’t turn up soon to place me in funds, Bonanza Bob Banderson will blossom out a bankrupt!” ' “Ts it so bad as that, father?” * Bad! It is just as bad as it can be!” “But can you not work up some scheme to place the required funds?” “ There is but one hope left!” ** And that?” ‘You have heard of the Bonanza Widow as she is called—Madame Cardigan, who has lately settled in the city?” * Yes; her wealth is said to be boundless.” ** And that general idea is well founded. Well she is now upon the point of placing cash and securities to the amount of seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars in the bands of Banderson & Co, for safe keeping; and if I can once get hold of that magnificent sum 1 am saved!” ‘Jove! She must be made of money!” ‘That is about the sizo of it, ‘She has deposited all of twenty millions with different banks here in San Francisco, and there’s no knowing how much she has placed with Eastern institutions,” ** And you think she will patronize Banderson & Co,?” **1 can only hope so. ‘But there is a rumor afloat in commercial circles, but how it orginated I don’t know, that our company is in deep water, * But she is to call to-morrow, when I shall know foracertainty whether Iam to sink or swim!” ** Well, if “ipa are to have a personal interview with the rich widow I will place long odds that you get the securities, for it is a well known fact : pe a Res ay, f a bie ee A Ab eon ay ee Hays 4 eye ON sium sis Pes eee Son gt er ae gat) au eee SRtG Sh, “eae wees ee i ie a ete oe that Bonanza Bob Banderson is irresistible with tbe fair sex.” ** You are a great flatterer, Barry; but you come naturally by it, ‘*Of course I know what your object is, and as usual I ' cave,’ ‘* Here is the two thousand; but you had best go slow until we hear from the widow!” The, young * blood ” stowed the roll,of bills and gold away carefully, and was upon the point of leaving the office when a ring at the door was heard, and a moment later a gaudily liveried footman—a negro—entered, ‘* Mistah Banderson [ believe?” be said, ad- dressing the banker. The latter bowed and motioned toward a seat, But without accepting this mute invitation the footman drew a small, delicately scented note from his pocket and banded it to the surprised banker. ‘‘No answer required, I believe, sah!” and the negro messenger bowed himself out. Bonanza Bob’s face was as pale as marble as he hastily broke the seal of the note, ‘* What makes you so nervous, father?” **That servant wore the livery of the Bonanza Widow, and I fear our cake is all dough!” In a moment he had perused the note, “ Tt is just as I thought, We are ruined! ‘*Read that, Barry,’ The son took te note and read as follows: “* Messrs. BANDERSON & Co., BANKERS! — ‘**Late reports as to your financial strength deter- mine me to cancel my business engagement with you to-morrow, * Respectfully, “ANITA CARDIGAN.’ “Ruined! Ruined!” groaned Banderson, burying his face in his hands, ‘** What is the very smallest amount that will tide you over this difficulty?” asked the son, ‘* Nothing short of one hundred and fifty thou- sand dollars!” Barry Banderson—blood, sport, gambler and general ‘‘man about town,” thought deeply for sone moments, At last he arose and moved to the door, ‘*Well, never say die, governor! Study up the thing and hit on a drive—if you can, and [ will do my best to raise the wind to-night!” and he left the building, mounted his horse that stood hitched near, and set off down the street at a sweeping canter. The day was now drawing toward, evenixg, and young Banderson headed his borse toward the suburbs fcr a swift gallop, to quiet his nerves, preparatory to a night of heavy play at one of ’F risco’s most palatial gambling hells, He kad resolved upon one Jast desperate stroke to retrieve bis fallen fortunes. His*luck lately had been simply of the worst description; but it’must turn some time, he reasoned, and why not to-night when he was so desperately in need of money? At the end of an hour he had poe tbe limits of the city, and now he turned for a wild dash back into town, Hardly had he gotten well under way when a shriek broke the evening’ stillness, and a large black;horse, bearing a female figure, dashed from a walled lane some distance ahead and went tearing madly along the street, cityward, One glance revealed to the young ** blood” the identity of the fair equestrienne, as well as her great danger, and pressing spurs to his high- strung thoroughbred, be dashed like an arrow in pursuit of the runaway. ‘It is Madame Cardigan!” he muttered as he flew along, ‘‘and if I can but rescue her the governor’s fortune is made!” Then iia a steady, unexcited voice he called: ‘‘Hold the brute steady, madame! I will save ycu, or break Brimstone’s heart!” The beautiful young widow—she could uot have seen twenty-five summers—cast ons quick glance backward, seemed to sum-up the chances of a rescue with that glance, then settled back in her saddle with one long, steady pull on the bridle-rein that perceptibly curbed her iron- jawed steed. . ‘Get down toit, Brimstone "cried the * blood,” as he brought his tough riding cane across the ‘| horse’s flank with a stinging crack. The two steeds seemed to be about equal for speed, but the leading avimal, almost crazed by fright, or with natural ugliness, lunged and ‘‘buckad” so, even while straining every nerve in the wild race; that Brimstone was lapping bim rapidly. q Soon the two flyers were nose and crupper, then Brimstone’s great nostrils crept along the other’s flank—the saddle—nose and shoulder— neck and withers,then the ‘‘ blood” bent low in his CRS Net saddle, gave his reeking steed a sharp command, and the two were running neck and neck, The fair equestrienne was pale, though per- fectly cool, as the * blood” commanded; “Gather your habit close beneath you, madame, and be ready to leap!” He dared not draw her from the saddle, for, to throw his horse off bis gait while going at that terrific pace would mean death to both, His only choice was to catch the lady when she leaped from the saddle and strive to keep his balance, Now the word was given. The equestrienne disengaging her knee from the saddle-horn, deftly sprung toward him, and her horse, re- lieved of its light load, dashed on at a renewed ace, : That last leap was too much for the over-' strained saddle-girths of her steed, and that article came bouncing to the ground as the animal flew on his way. *‘T hope ‘you will be none the worse for your little adventure, Madame Cardigan,” murmured Barry ashe helped the lady to the ground, “Thanks to your daring, Mr. Banderson, I think a night’s rest will completely restore me,” and the beautiful girl-widow blushed at the young ‘* blood’s” ardent, admiring gaze, A moment later the negro groom rode up with his mistress’s saddle, Barry removed his own saddle, pieced that of the lady in its place, and lifted her into it in spite of her warm protestations; then declinin, the steed of the groom, bowed. and disappeare into a bostelry close at hand. — Py. As Banderson passed from sight the lady said to her groom; “Well, Mr. Hicton, what do you think of my scheme now? Could even you work it better?” CHAPTER IV. A FORTUNE WON AND LOST. Tax ‘ Golconda” was at this time, the leading gaming establishment of San Francisco, Every appointment of the concern was on @ scale of Oriental magnificence—glittering bar— resplendent dining-room, and luxurious gaming rooms, where every game of chance known to the sporting fraternity could be indulged in, Hard-earned, as well as suddenly acquired fortunes had been lost over those richly carved tables, never to be reclaimed, Heaps ¢f yellow coins and rolls of bank-notes were seen here in pene reckless lavishness, It was to the ** Golconda” that Barry Bander- son was driven some two hours after his ad- venture on the suburban road, The rooms were fairly teeming with men of every stam The Potty old miner, ** out on a spree,” jostled the well-kept but festive merchant or banker; thd gay ‘‘ blood” dropped his money carelessly over the little green tables, and the soft-hand gambler watched, hawk-like, for a victim to fleece, Young Banderson made his way hurriedly to a long, gaudily furnished goom on the second floor. Indeed, this room seerned to hold a great attraction for the masses, as it had several nights in succession, and it was now crowded almost to overflowing. ‘ Some two weeks before the adventure narrat- ed in the last chapter, the habitues of the Golconda were considerably excited to see, pasted'up in a conspicuous position, the following flaming poster: “ TO-NIGHT! Ar tHe GoLcoNnDA! The Greatest Attraction Yet!! FLASH, THE QUEEN OF FORTUNE! The Girl Sport and Gambler!! The Maseot of Monte Caplo!!! Comxz! ComE! Comn! And Try Your Luck at the Golconda!” And come they did—everybody—anybody, who could rake up enough dust to pay the ad- mission, And they were satisfied! At the further end of the large hall, a richly upholstered divan had been fashioned beneath a crimson pavilion, and here was seen the ** Queen of Fortune” who was to play the house against all comers, with no limit to the game. The Girl ee looked to be not over twenty, with a superb form set off to the best advantage : , Were shai 4h seth PWouware oes s Dike ee a os
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4 Ace High, the Frisco Detective. by her half Spanish dress of scarlet and blue, an oval face lighted up by great flashing dark eyes, and a massy crown-of blue-black hair coiled high upon her proud head, Her-low necked bodice, bare arms, throat, and hair were fairly aglitter with jewels of every de- scription, and as the crowd surged into the hall that first night they unanimously voted her the most beautiful creature they had every seen, Only two men, besides the dozen waiters who had gathered for the occasion, were present, Ruby Rob, the proprietor of the Golconda, was lounging close by, watching a lively penis be- tween his girl champion and a tall, elegantly- attired, long-mustached and handsome man, who seemed to be coolly losing a small fortune, to judge by the pile of golden coin and sary gh the Girl Sport bad already raked to her side of the table. More than one there easily recog- nized in the handsome gamester none other than Acs High, the Gambler Detective, For an hour he held bis position, and lost steadily; and indeed every wight since, Ace High could be found at that table, now log ng, now winning, until at last it seemed as though he had wearied Fate itself, for of late he had been winning large sums from the game presided over by Flash, the Girl Sport, Some thought it was a sharp game to draw others on, If so it was successful, The luck of the Gambler Detective encouraged the crowd, and at the time of young Bander- son’s visit on the night in question, all were eager to try their luck with the Queen of Fortune. It was Flash who had ‘ bu’sted” the young ** blood,” and fifteen hundred of the two thou- sand before mentioned had gone to pay a “ debt of honor,” As young Banderson advanced to her table, Flash igs gg Sentient him: ‘*Ah, Mr, Banderson, good-evening, Then ase oe not discouraged with your losses last night f Not at all, senorita; though you nearly played me to bed-rock! But I am not very ‘ flush’ to-night!” “* Oh, you were not discouraged, but you had rather play a tame game until you see which way your luck is going to run, eh?’ and there was just the suspicion of a sneer in the silvery voice as she spoke, Banderson’s face flushed hotly, for, truth to tell, he had begun to flatter himself that he had made a decided impression upon the beautiful siren of the Golconda, But he could hardly mistake that tone, _ “Tam no coward, Senorita Flash!” he cried, pulling a rouleau of gold from his pocket, and flinging the shining mass upon the table, “There are five hundred on the king and seven spot, on which this gentleman has just lost two bundred, r “Tam eyis against the house!” At an almost imperceptible gesture from her (ae poo hand, Ace High and the gent who had ost the two hundred, stepped back. ‘* Please accept my thanks, Mr. Banderson, The bank is getting low, as the detective gentle- man yonder has been a winner for twenty thou- sand, and your five hundred will come handy.” ‘Tf you get it!” growled the ** blood,” ‘‘ There is the ‘rbino,’ play!” Round went the golden wheel, the cards were examined, and Banderson was the winner. “Your luck has changed,” smiled the siren. ‘* Never mind the luck; there is the thousand on the same cards—play!” The cards clattered musically upon the table, and the ‘* blood” again won, ‘“ Two thousand on the king and seven!” cried the excited sport. Again he won, and again he bet the lucky cards, For a full hour this was kept up—the king and seven winning evenly, and without a break, and Barry Banderson at last found hitm- self fifty thousand dollars ahead, ** Once more, and the last call!” he cried as he Sg the mass of gold and notes upon the re, Y ‘*'You will lose!” said Flash, her wonderful eyes just a little brighter, but otherwise calra, “*Tbat is my affair,” growled the “* blood.” ** You have bled me to the tune of a hundred thousand in the last fortnight, and now I will have it back!” ‘‘Perhaps you think the game has not been conducted fairly!” and there was a dangerous flash in the great dark eyes, ‘*T do not say that.” f| “Very well, You will surely lose on this turu of the cards, but to satisfy you that all is straight I will Jet Mr, Ruby here deal)” Ruby Rob glanced at her questioningly, but she waved him forward with a commanding gesture. No objeetion was made to this, and Ruby Rob sent the cards fluttering to the table. The crowd surged forward, with breathless eagerness to catch the result, “You are a loser of fifty thousand, Banderson; the king and seven are not here!” announced Ruby Rob, At that moment an evil-faced chap touched the trembling “blood” upon the arm and! whispered to him a moment, Banderson shot a malignant look at Ace High, then left the room, CHAPTER V. ACE HIGH IS TRAPPED. “ Now, Cotty! What did bs see passing be- tween Ace High and the Girl Sport?’ asked Banderson of the tough, as soon as they reached the street. ‘Tn good time, boss; but we hain’t got no time now! ‘¢ She ordered him to follow you!” Banderson’s face flushed angrily. **Good, Cotty! It will be the last time he willfollow a mau! *“T firmly believe he is in with the siren to clean me out, We will wait for him to get on our trail then lead him to the ‘ Crib’ !” ‘“*Then let’s be moving, for that fellow with the full bea:d standing just inside the door is Ace High in disguise, or | am a snoozer!” The ‘ blood” looked in vain for some resem- blance in the hairy, rough-lcoking miner in the doorway, to the dashing Gambler Detective; but Cotty, the ‘Hoodlum,’ never made a mis- take, and he passed down the street with his tough companion as though all unconscious of his footsteps being closely dogged. Nothing more was said until they reached the ‘ Crib,’—a popular resort for the worst gang of thieves in the Golden State. Probably more murders and burglaries hai been planned, and hatched inside the Crib, than in any spot of its siz» in California. Only the worst characters in the city were supposed to enter its dark doors, but the elegant Barry Banderson walked in as though perfectly familiar with the place. Cotty and the ‘* blood” had hardly seated them- selves in a curtained alcove, and their order for drinks filled, when the bearded miner entered and began the rounds of the card-tables. ‘* He'll keep, Cotty, till you’ve told your little story,” muttered Banderson ; ‘'so tell me all yeu 3a w,. ‘* Well, in the fu’st place, just arter Raby Bob stepp2d up to the wheel, I saw the girl tell the bloodhound that she had fixed the oards ge’s ter bu’st you on that deal, “Then she told him to follow you till you was safe home; but to look out for traps, fer he well knew you was snucks with all the wu’st characters in ther city!” ‘* The fiends she did!” ‘* Fact, boss, I take it the bloodhound hez b’en shaddering of you fer some time.” “+ But for what purpose, Cotty?” * Give it up, oss, * But jest put a line under this: Thet ar gal ain't what she seems ter be; and she hey gota big scheme afoot. ‘tT hain’t lived on my wits fer ten years fer nothin’, boss, an’ I says thet gal ar workin’a big deal fer somethin’, tho’ what it is I don’t know,” “ But how did you find out all this? P **She could not have told him what you have repeated in so many words,” ** By no means, boss. **She had her hands in her lap, and pertended ter be pickin’ at the fringe of her serape, but enstid, she war torkin’ ter the bloodhound in ‘ deaf-an’-dumb,’ which, as you know, I onder- stan” havin’ a brother that can’t tork, - ‘*T war watchin’ of her all ther time, think- in’ likely she war up tew some trick ter beat I seen her when she signaled ther ** And you are sure this is all she told him?” ‘** Wal, she did ask, first, if he’d got a trailer on ther track of ther captain, but who ther ‘ cap- tain’ is I’d’no}” “TI can’t imagine who it could be; but I don’t think it concerns us any.” ** Just my idee, boss. I didn’t keteh his an- swer quitk enough, but I think it was ‘ yes!’” » “ Very likely; Ace High has never yet been Lemay to make a mistake of that kind, curse him! ‘** But now to trap the bloodhound! ‘Once he is out of the way, our coast is clear. I have found how the Girl Sport leaves the Golconda, and to-nigbt she will be in ou: wer!” “ What? You don’t mean tc say you've ar- ranged ter abduct the vixen to-night?” ‘Yes, and it is lucky we caugkt on to the un- derstanding between the two, for otherwise the ‘detec’ might have made us trouble.” “Tm yer oyster, boss; the next alcove on the right is the one with the poisoned bottle—” ** The poison won't do! Ace High is no kid, and we could never work the bottle act on him.. “Do you see where we are?” Cotty glanced arourd, “The ‘spring-board’ chair!” he whispered, pointing to a heavy piece of furniture to his left. ‘That's the ticket, Cotty! Once get him into that chair, and down he goes to be dumped into the cellar full of water. ‘‘ The chair has never failed, nor told a secret, Cotty !” “Right ye aire, boss; s0 bere goes fer ther bloodhound !” Cotty left the alcove, and passed over to where the disguised, detective was drinking at the bar with one ofsthe most notorious characters of the city. Fate seemed to favor the Hoodlum, for the de- tective’s companion was a friend of Cotty. “Say, don’t you two chaps want 4 little private game with mean’ my pard?” asked Cotty,, at the same time passing the other rough a quick signal. i ‘I’m willin’ ef my friend, bere, is,” answered the disguised man-hunter, intimating his com- panvion with a nod, ty “Tm with yer,” was the rejoinder, and the three returned to the alcove, ‘‘ blieve you an’ I can beat ’em, can’t wef’” asked Cotty, of the detective, at the same time seating bimself in the chair opposite the one that was arranged to hurl the Gambler Detective to his doom beneeth the ‘* Crib.” It wasa neat little trick, on the part of the Hoodlum; but be did not notice those gleaming eyes take in every detail of the fatal piece of furniture, nor the quick contraction of the bearded lips, as those same eyes rested for just one instant upon the almost indistinct crack run- ing clean around the chair, in the outlines of a trap-door. ‘ Oh, no; Cotty, the Hoodlum, was perfectly satisfied, fer the seemingly doomed man-hunter took his seat without hesitation, and without even attempting to move his chair forward, Cotty slipped his hand beneath the little table; askarp click followed, and two steel arms shot from the beck of the chair, around the form of the doomed man, pinioning his arms tightly, be- fore he could even stir a finger. If the plotters expected a struggle, or outcry, they were much disappointed; instead, the captive grimmed, as he coolly said: ‘Why, you needn’t have been to all this trouble on my aceount, boys; I wasn’t so full of ‘nose~paint’ but what I cculd have set up alon e! “That's all right, Asa, my lad!” returned the ood) nm, ‘“We just wanted to ask you a few questions, and for fear you would think we was too in- uisertive and leave, we thought we would festen ye down!” “Very thoughtful of you Cotty, my son; but, fire away with your questions!” “Wal, in the fu’st place: what did you foller me an’ this gent inter this Crib fer?” ‘¢To see what you wanted in here!” ‘¢ Well, you’ve found out, hain’t yer?” ‘‘ Somewhat, only.” “And what did Flash want [you to foller us for?’ ‘To see where you went,” ‘“‘Ob! And what did she want to,.know that for?” ; ‘** Out of a woman’s curiosity, I suppose.” ‘‘ What relation be you to the Girl Sport?” ‘“‘T am her great-grandmother |” Cotty glared savagely at his prisoner, It suddenly occurred to him that the captured detective, was making sportof him, | “ Curse you!” he hissed, again reaching under the table. ' ‘* You’ve got too much lip. Do you know what I’m goin’ ter do?” “* Bust, I guess, by your looks!” ; “Dm goin’ ter push on a knob under this table, an’ you'll disappear through the floor!” “ Sort of a sleight-of-hand trick, eb?” “That’s right Asa! Go to your death with flying colors! “The chair will go down ten feet, then tip bottom up’rds, an ill you into a cement cellar full of water, Ifit don’t dash yer brains
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= out on the bottom you'll drown likearatina tub! “Here you go, Ace High!” and the fatal chair dropped from sight. ‘* At last the cursed bloodhound is trapped!” cried Cotty, as he Jed the way out of the Crib. Without a second thought of the trapped detective they hurried in the direction of the back entrance of the Golconda, CHAPTER VI. THE MESSENGER ARRIVES, In the mean time ‘* Bonanza” Bob Banderson, g0 called from the fact,of his sudden, not to say mysterious acquirements of untold wealth some ten years before our present introduction to the banker, was not idle, Hardly hed his spendthrift son reached the street than Banker Banderson arose from his seat, approached a small safe let into the wall of his office, and opening it, drew forth several wigs, false beards and mustaches, electing one of each, he adjusted them to his head and face; then exchanging his coat for one of loud plaid that he brought from an adjoining closet, he left the office by a rear exit, ‘Tell you what, old boy, you are losing your grip mighty fast!” he muttered thoughtfully, as he bent his steps in the direction of Market street. . ‘‘Tn the first place the Goddess Chance has ceased to smile upon you at plunging; or even light betting; consequently you have lost a cool half-million, in the last two years! “Then there is the lieutenant: can it be that he has played me false—been bought off? or, more likely, become enamored of his beautiful captive, and ‘skipped the gutter? ‘‘ Neither, hardly! He knows the power I possess as chief of the Hounds, too well to be false! 4 ‘‘The Hounds! Ha! Ha! Ha! . ‘¢ Little the good people of Frisco know that that terrible order is yet in existence! “Theyjicongratulate themselves that their much bragged of ** Vigilance” wiped out the Hounds long ago, but they never connected Bonanza Bob Banderson with the yellow-bearded Captain Nugget, so—well, they will hear the Hounds *bay ’ shortly! “ But something must be done—and that at once, to bridge this financial gulf before me! ‘The forlorn hope of fingering this Bonanza Widow’s ducats has fallen through—smashed— fizzled! And even if Barry succeeds in winning the beiress, Miss Tilloson, as he seems to be in a fair way of doing, it will be too late to avert the crash] ; ' “Why can’t I think of some scheme, éven if I Aad to set the Hounds to work— ‘* By the beard of the Proptet! I have it! “*T can yet handle the widow’s half-million—” By this time the yellow-bearded captain had reached Market street, and was just turning to- ward California thoroughfare when a hand fell heavily upon bis shoulder, and he turned sharply to find bimself face to face with as villainous a specimen of the San Francisco “ hoodlum” as could be found in the city, He was a man of past forty, ragged, dirty and ‘uncombed, but his blorted, flabby face was as neatly and carefully shaven as the most stylish ** blood ” in the city. He was well known to the authorities as a desperate character-—an escaped convict from the penal colonies of Australia, but never since his arrival in the Golden State had sufficient in- formation been lodged against him to place him behind prison bars, ** Well, Melbourne, what will you have?” demanded the disguised banker, as he wheeled upon the squat formed ex-convict, “Alf an’ ’alf, may hit please yer ’ighness!” ‘was the prompt reply, accompanied by an evil sinile, ‘Shut up, Melbourne! joking. ‘* Tell me your business at once!” Well, professionally Hi ham a hex-burglar, but sarcumstances ’ave reduced me to the life hof a ’Ound, sir!” “Tf you have any business with me, you smooth-faced villain, state it at once! If not, then I shall give you the worst mauling you ever had!” and the captain laid his powerful Sad upon the ragged shoulder of the ex-con- vict. “Hall right, ‘sir! hoffense sir! “But the fact is, ther’s ha messenger from, the mountains waitin’ to see you hat the “ Kennel,’ yer ’ighness!” ‘* Curse you for a fool! why didn’t you say so at once? I amin no mood for Hell right! Hi meant no eAce High, the Frisco Detective. ** But come along with me—I may need you before morning!” and the tall captain turned, and hurried in the direction of the Chinese quarter, followed with some difficult on account of his short legs, by the ex-convict. When master and man—for such they evidently were—reached the center of that colony of vice, crime and mystery called Chinatown, the sun had sunk from view behind the Golden Gate. But night is Chinatown’s “ busiest part of the day,” and now all was life and gayety. Barely nodding to the dozens of ** pigtails” and hoodlums who addressed bim, the captain passed hurriedly along the narrow street until he arrived opposite a huge frame building with many entrances leading from the dirty street, protected by gayly printed awnings, Passing within one of these entrances, the two mounted a narrow stairway toa hallway upon the second floor, where they were brought to a balt by a yellow-skinned Major Domo, dressed in flowing robes, and armed witha sbort staff. As he approached the guard, the captain drew from his bosom a slender gold chain, with a charm compozed of a hound, cut from a blood-red stone, **You are to meet here a messenger?” asked the Celestial in good English, as he bowed low at sight of the red charm, **' Yes, Hon-le, and be quick about it!” impa- tiently returned the captain. ‘You will find him in the dragon room,” and Hon-le handed the visitor a curiously formed key. The two then passed on, past many doors bear- ing upon their panels strange devices represent- ing fish, birds, and beasts. Almost the last door upon the left of the hall was the one upon which was painted a yellow dragon, Fitting the key to the luck, the captain and Melbourne entered the small room beyond, The room was rudely furnished with three chairs, a table, and a rough bunk bed, Upon this last reclined a man—pale, haggard and groaning as if in great pain. Approaching, the captain shook him roughly, as he cried: ‘What is the matter with you, Heinrich? ‘| What has happened?” ‘Ach! cabdins, you vill gill me mit dot shagin, and here I vos deadt already!” * Come now, no more of that! ** You bain’t half dead yet, but I'll finish you mighty quickif you don’t stop that blubbering and tell me who sent you here!” i tak I vill tell dot putty kvick now right off already, “I vas been a brisoner, und loaded mit shains, and handcuffs for more as two veeks, ‘‘What are you giving us, Heinrich? Who made you a prisoner?” ‘*T vos nod ogsquinted mit dot fellers; but he schust shumped oudt from behindt a beeg rock, und pointed a bistol straight at me, und he said **voust you gid down from dot boss, Deitcher, or | vill plug you mit a hole through!’” and ven I gid downdt dot fellers schust tied me up und gagged me so tight as nefer vos!” * Where did this happen?” ‘*Aboudt dwelf mile dis side ouf Bilgrim Gamp.” ‘* And why were you there?” ** Der lieutendant sent me.” ‘* What did he send you for?” ‘* He vos dole me to dell you dot der fraulein vas get away from us,” **Then you captured ber?” Yaw, und she cabdured us!” ‘Well, go on, fool, and give me the particu- lars!” “Yaw, I vos gomin’ do dot right avay kvick! Ven dot stage coom along ve sdoped him putty kvick, Den dose bassingers git oudt, und dere vos dot gal mit a fail on, already, ** Den der lieutendant says ‘ Dot gal vas god to coom along mit me!’ ** Budt dot sdage-drivers he says, ‘Nix coom arouse! Dot gal vas coom mit me, or you vas valk me mit my deadt body over!’ ‘ Budt von ouf der poys shoot heem schust so kvick lige nothings, und bodth ouf dem falls scbust so deadt leon gorpse!”? ** What, both? But who fired the second shot? Not the driver?” ome ** N-x, it vos a fellow dot vos hossback, und he saiit dot gal vos gomit him!” * And then?” ‘They vos blay some boker do see vich vould haf dot gal, und dot hossback he beadt der lieutendant, und he droaf off mit dot gal und der sdage, und she vos gofered der lieutendant all der dimes mit do bistols, veg Bg ae! PUY Te att bs ane he ““Unid ven ve took afder dem, dot gal schust shot down nine ouf der poys schust so sligk like eferydings!” ‘* But who was the chap that rescued her?” ‘*Td vos Ace High, der Cambler Detecdives!” ‘* Wiends of Hades! That man! ** And you let him escape?” Yaw, be vos gid avay!” ‘And it was undoubtedly Ace High in dis- guise that made you a prisoner,” “ Yaw, I dinks me so.” ‘* But how did you make your escape?” “‘T vos gept in a cellar by a hunter in Cold Ganyon, und [ dug oudt iu der night!” The captain began pacing the narrow room, evidently in an excited state of mind. CHAPTER VII. SUSPICIOUS INCIDENTS— AND A LETTER, MELBOURNE and Herons gazed a little appre- hensively at the captain’s moody face, Indeed, the Dutchman even forgot to groan, in his fear that Nugget was but thinking up some punishment equivalent to his crime of ai- lowing himself to be captured in the manner stated, But Captain Nugget’s brain was filled by far different thoughts. ‘* Who is this hunter who kept you prisoner in Gold Canyon?” he suddenly asked, ‘* Dot hunter vos a sdranger to me,” “Did be question you closely?” “Yaw; hoe vos ask me so many questions, dot I dells him to go mit dunder und blitzen to!” “Then he didn’t learn your name or business?” ‘“ Nix; he vos nodt pump Heinrich Frekel- heim,” A satisfied expression overspread Nugget’s countenance, that gave place to one of anxiety at the answer he received to his next question, ‘* What did you use to dig out of the cellar?” ** T vos use a sphade,” ‘* A spade?” dot cellars, und I vos dug me mineselluf mit id out!’ Nugget grew pale, as a terrible suspicion en~ tered his mind. ‘*Could the huater have seen the spade when he placed you in the cellar?” ‘*'Yaw; clot vos von goot drick on dot hunt- ers! ** Dot sphade vos righd in blain sight!” * And how did you leave the vicinity of the cabin?” ‘* Yaw; dot vos some bettar sdill, already! ‘*T vos find von hoss hitched schust outside der voods in, und I scbust rode right avay kvick, und coom bere!” ‘Curse you for a stupid fool, Heinrich! It was all a trick, and you took the bait lke the dunderhead you are? ** Wot vos dot? V’ot drick?” “Why, the spade being left in the cellar for you to dig out with, and the horse outside for you to rida away on! “T'll bet a thousand ounces that you were shadowed to this very building!” ‘Nein! ‘You vos wrong, cabdins, I vos change mine disguises more as tventy dimes be- tween dot ganyon und ’Frisco! und I vos not sbeak to von man!” * But, fool, they would know the horse!” “Gottim Himmel! I vos nodt dinks me ouf dot drick! “T vill go right oudt und lead dem righd avay-—” ** You stay where you are! ‘*T want you for other business, **Melbourne,” turning to that wondering in- dividual, ‘‘do you know where the rich widow Cardigan lives?” ‘* Hi do, yer’ighness. Hi reckoned maybe we could raise ha breeze there some fine night, so spotted ther ’ouse!” ‘You did well, Melbourne! , ** That crib must be cracked to-night!” ‘* Hall right, yer ’ighness; Hi’m yer hoyster!” “Every thing is prepared, and you will take Heinrich here, and one other, and make a clean sweep of it! “Here is a plan of the house that I got only vesterday,” spreading a sheet of paper before the ex-convict, *‘Here, you see, is, the lady’s boudoir; and this cross represents a solid mahogany escritoire built into the wall of the room, and I am well satisfied it contains rhino to the amount of many thousands of dollars! ; ‘Tt is a ticklish job, and the utmost caution must be used, * But [ know you will w+rk the racket if any one can, —_—_—_—_— OOOO ss ‘+> we nt RA oe, Mee Wee gp igs : + sot ps i SS Ee es ‘* Yaw; I vos find von bran’ new sphade in
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= Bagi FS of Er ** Although Heinrich has made a terrible | blunder, I can hardly blame him for it; and you will place the utmost trustin him when I tell ou that he is the only one in my mountain beat, besides the lieutenant, who knows how to find me, and he can be relied upon in any ordinary emergency. “You will aim to reach the house by two o'clock, and it is now past eleven, so you had best start about preparing for the trip. “Do you fully understand the plan of tha house?” ‘ Hido, yer ’igbness, hand wil! lug ther loot be- fore three o'clock! ‘* Shall we bring the swag ’ere?” “Yes, to thisroom, And mind there must be no failure!” With this, the yellow-bearded captain left the building, while Melbourne and Heinrich set about preparing for a burglarious visit upon the Bonapza Widow. ** It is a bold stroke, even for me,” muttered Captain Nugget, as he set out up-town once more. ‘* But the money must be forthcoming—if not by fair means, then by foul, ‘*T am well satisfied she keeps a tremendous sum in that desk, for only the other day when I was there in answer to her note relative to mak- ing the deposit, she payed her agent¢hundreds in gold from a drawer that I know contained as many thousands more; and besides, the gleam of the heap of jewels I caught fairly took away my breath, ‘Very likely sho has a guard stationed over the treasure, but Til warrant Melbourne to bring away the ‘loot,’ if any there is in the house!” Thus communing with himself, the banker- outlaw kept en until he reached the vicinity of his own office, where, moved by a strange im- pulse, he quickly removed his disguise and en- tered his private den. He had left the lamps uplighted, but now, they were burning, though turned low down, proving conclusively that his private-secretary had been here during his ab- sence, In looking about for some cause for his subor- dinate’s intrusion, his eyes fell upon a sealed letter lying upon bis desk. Quickly opening it, he read these lines, while Jost in a maze of wonderment: “ BANDERSON & Co, :— ‘*G@NTLEMEN!—For reasons which I will give you later, I wish to recall my engagement with you for to-morrow, and will be pleased to intrust a million of gold and securities with your firm. ** Respectfully, AnrTA CARDIGAN,” For a full minute Banderson glared at the note with open-mouthed amazement, ‘‘What in the name of Satan can it mean?” he at last gasped, for it will be remembered he, as yet, knew nothing of bis son’s adventure out on the suburban road, “A million! Great Scott! It is too late to recall Melbourne, But as it makes no difference whether he is successful or not, I will ‘ buck the peer till morniug just to celebrate my big uck! But he little thought what Melbourne’s failure might mean to him, CHAPTER VIII, IN A DEMCN’S TOILS. THE Golconda bad closed early, Taking their cue from the desperate luck of Barry Banderson, the crowd gathered in little knots all over the hall to talk the matter over. The gang were staggered by what they had witnessed, nor was there a gamester present who would try their luck against the ‘* Queen of For- tune.” She had been so positive that the * blood” would lose on that deal, that the crowd began to assume the idea that they were all along being systematically stripped of all their superfluous cash through the witchery of the beautiful siren, ‘*But the bank HAD been ‘bu’sted,’” some urged, and then they discovered a fact that had been hitherto cverlooked, namely: Ace High, the Gambler Detective, was the only man that had, as yet, succeeded in accomplishing that undertaking. Could it be, they asked themselves, that Ace High was in league with the Girl Sport, and was acting the part of ‘“‘capper” for their games? No! Ace High, though a confirmed gambler, was known from ’Frisco to the Rio Grande as a gentleman and a man of honor, and he would never stoop to play the role of common “ cap- per. : Ace High, the Frisco Detective. It was simply a wonderful run of luck, backed by a heavy money-belt! This was the conclusion the habitues of the Golconda at last arrived at; but their ardor for the ‘* blind goddess ” was cooled by the desperate play of young Banderson, and one by one they dropped out of the gilded saloon, until the great hall was nearly deserted, Thus it came to pass that? the doors of the Golconda were closed long before their usual time; and, while Ruby Rob caressing[y stacked away his night’s}winnings, Flasb, the Girl Sport, mufiied her luscious form in the disguising folds of a huge waterproof, and left the gaming hall by a narrow rear exit, whose existence was not even suspected by the renowned ‘‘four hundred.” Passing through a long, dim hallway that led to an inclosed area in the rear of the Golconda, Flash entered a richly furnished private resi- dence beyond, "But she did not stay here, The house was untenanted at present, and let- ting herself ont of the front entrance with a latch-key, she approached a carriage that had just drawn up at the curb. She polled the carriage door open—hesitated, then stepped back, and glanced up sharply at the driver, whose face was shadowed by a wide- rimmed bat. ‘Ts that you, O’Toul?”’ she asked, ‘‘Maix! It’s nobuddy else, me leddy!” answered the driver in a brogue that sounded significantly thick. “Then what is the matter with you?” sternly. ‘¢ Oh, be ther light av yez two purty eyes, me leddy, Oy’m as chipper as a robin in June, so Oy am!” ‘¢ But you speak in a suspiciously thick voice, it seems to me—” “Oh, now, me leddy, yez wouldn’t deny a poor b’ye jest a drop ov ther ould crathur!” The siren glanced sharply around, thrust her small gloved hand inside her cloak, then stepped into the close carriage, commanding: ‘* Drive on O’Toul, and never let this happen again!” Then, as the carriage rolled on briskly she drew a slender blade from beneath ker cloak and whispered, a little anxiously: ‘What can it mean? This is not my carriage, though it bears a close resemblance to it! ‘* And that man on the driver’s seat cannot be O’Toul, for he would as soon think of swallowing Prussic acid as liquor while on duty. ** Tt is some ig tie plot to entrap me, * Oh, if Ace High were only at hand; but I sent bim away just when his strong arm would be most needed, “T knew my enemies would try to get me into their power sooner or later, but I did not expect them to act even before Thad struck my irst blow at them. “Can it be that that terrible gang have ‘spotted’ me thus early in the game? ‘**T cannot think it an impossibility after that affair on the stage-trail, ‘* But they will find me prepared— ‘Ha! That is their game, eli?” The carriage had been whirling along the de- serted street atarattling pace while the girl was thus communing with herself; but as she made that last exclamation it abruptly moder- | ated its speed, whilo at the same moment the siren became aware that a fragrant, subtle odor was beginning to rapidly pervade the close carriage. One long breath the girl took, and ber senses all but left her in a delightful, dreamy languor, and she knew she was being drugged by the powerful odor, “T recognize the perfume,” she gasped, “Ttis that of a Chinese drug—great Heaven! Can it be thas they are carrying me to that sink of iniquity—Chinatown? ‘* Well, let them! Iwill block the first of their little games, at Jeast{” The girl had previously discovered that the carriage door was fast locked, probably by some spring arrangement. But nothing daunted by this, she sunk to the bottom of the carriage, aud, with a balf-dozen firm thrusts with the keen blade she held, suc- ceeded in making an aperture in the thin floor boards, | Then pressing her face close to the opening thus made, the entrapped girl drew in great draughts of the life-giving oxygen until she felt herself once more in complete possession of her senses, Hardly had she recovered from the effects of the small portion of tha drug she bad inhaled, than the carriage stopped, a small window near ' ‘when he discovered the outlines of the dro the driver was drawn open, and Flash knew,, though she could not see him, that the fraudu- lent O’Toul was gazing in upon her. ** All right, boss,” she heard bim address some person upon the curb, ‘‘ Ther vixen air limp ez a Tag, an’ layin’ in the bottom of ther keer- age!’ , This was replied to by a voice that caused the Gir) Sport to almost betray herself by a cry. It was the voice of young Barry Banderson! “Good enough, Cotty! Let Shiny, here, take the team back, ** Open tho door and I'll carry her in!” The siren was dumfounded! She had supposed she’ was a prisoner in the hands of the yellow demons of Chinatown, and it bad been her intention to make a desperate fight for freedom, with both knife and revolver, as soon as the door was opened, But this was different, She believed she saw through the scheme of the young ‘‘ blood,” and at once resolved to ussist him all she could to a cer- tain extent. So, when the door was opened, the Siren of the Golconda appeared to be wrapped in the most helpless insensibility upon the bottom of the carriage, ‘Hokey! But she air a daisy!” quoth Cotty, as Barderson lifted the limp but beautiful form, and bore it into the buildizg. ‘* Why, I’d run ten times the risk yew hev for jest one smack from them air red lips of hern—” “That will do, Cotty!” commanded the * blood.” ‘“*f want you to understand that you must show exacily the same respect to this lady that you would if she were my wife—which she may be yet, if I find she has the ducats I think she has!” ‘* Won't I astonish the ninny!” thought Flash, and she could hardly resist an audible chuckle, Young Banderson deposited his fair burden upon & pile of soft cushions that graced the luxuriously furnished apartment into which he had borne her, then said; “You may go now, Cotty. I will get Hop Sing to give her an antidote for his infernal drug—stay; you may post yourself in the second anteroom—I may need you!” and the two ab- ductors left the apartment, ‘“* Ah, yes! Hop Sing, you’are needed badly!” laughed Flash, rising from the cushions when the two had passed from hearing. ‘*But while you are preparing your antidote, I think I will take a look at my surroundings. ‘Ah! Here is an unlocked door—I will in- vestigate,” and she passed from the room, When Banderson returned, accompanied by a fat and hideous-visaged old Chinaman—the pro- prietor of the ‘‘ dive,” he found his cage empty. ‘* Heavens! She has err by that door—it must have been unlocked!” he cried, The Chinaman turned deathly pale, ‘*Dle vixlen!” he hissed, his words jumbled terribly by excitement. ‘‘Sblee will rluin Hop Sing. I mulst find her—stlay here—don’t dlare follow mle!” and he dashed from the room with wonderful speed, considering his corpulency. In the mean time Flash had made a dis- covery. Tracing her way along a narrow hall, at the further end of which appeared a huge: black curtain, she was surprised to hear the low hum of many voices ahead, Approaching the curtain softly, she drew it slightly and peered through, ' hat she saw was a dozen masked men, seated around a jong table, and by the frag- ments of conversation she caught, she knew the band before her were the remnant of the once powerful society called ‘‘ The Hounds of ’Fris- co! She drew back hurriedly, for she knew it meant death to be found there, only to find her- self confronted by the demon-visaged Hop Sing! ‘* Ah, vixen! I'll dim those prying eyes of ore before morning!” he hissed, as he caught er up in his powerful arms, CHAPTER IX, TWO NARROW ESCAPES, Acre HiGu, the Gambler Detective, had taken his life in his hands many times, but never, per- haps, in the whole course of his wild and j{des- perate career among the law-breakers of the wild West, had he been forced to weigh every atom of chance with such nicety as when he no himself in the fatal drop-chair of the rib, He well knew, when summoned to the alcove by Cotty, that a trap had been laid for him, and oor beneath the chair, he knsw what was to the instrument of his destruction, He realized he was in a desperate situation, .
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a“ -% oes * rs ‘ PS eee gl oe ss “it ‘be refused to occupy the fatal chair, one - word of the plotters wou!d bring to their aid a hundred of the most desperate characters in Frisco, He resolved to take his chances with the cheir, Ashe seated himself, he grasped the arms of the seat firmly, for he imagined that to part with that article of furniture would mean death in some manner, and waited for the fatal drop. It soon came, as we have seen, and he shot Pf into tbe dark abyss beneath the crib Happily, Cotty had thoughtlessly prepared the man-bunter for what was next to happen; so, asthe chair turned bottom upward, as the steel arms relaxed their grip upon him, the Gambler Detective proughs forth every effort et pe steel-like muscles to prevent himself from fallin It was a terrible strain. His arms seemed to be nearly torn from their sockets, but those white, shapely, but powerful hands never relaxed their grip. He had rightly calculated that the delicate mechanism of the infernal drop would cause the chair to again rise to the alcove after accom- piishing the fell designs of its manipulators, but ‘Great God!” he groaned, in an agony of pain caused by his awfully distended muscles, ‘I can keep my grip but a moment longer; and in passing through the trap shall be torn bodily from my hold! ‘* Why won’t the cursed thing turn over? nN It mvust ! or Ace High bas cashed in his last chip! In his desperation the entrapped man made a terrific effort to regain an upright position—and succeeded! The chair flew back with a suddenness that almost tore his hands from their grasp upon the arms, His last desperate struggle bad offset the Overbalance caused by his weight, and had set a machinery in motion that had saved his When the chair regained the position in which we first discovered it, Ace High tottered from the death-trap, and ‘Jeaned heavily upon the table to regain his all but shattered nerve, In a few moments the Garubler Detective was his old cool, invincible self; and, picking up his hat, which "had been brushed aside in his first sudden flight downward, he placed it upon his head, exchanged bis bushy, tangled false beard for a long blonde mustache and goatee, turned his coat inside out—appraring then in a rather flash one of plaid—and thus metamorphosed from the “tough” miner of the lowest type who bad entered the alcove twenty minutes before, to a * blood” of the first water, he sauntered non- chalantly out through the motley crowd of the erib and soon reached the street, ‘Jove! But that was a tight nip, Asa, my boy!” be muttered, as he straightened his ‘ath- ior form and set off up the street at a rapid wa ‘“‘Weseem to jump nearer the brink every time we have a scrap with the crooks; but we manage to baul ’em in at last, every time, don’t we, Asa? a Well, let’s waltz around to the Goleonda and see that our fair ‘ pard’ gets home all right, then we will take a squint at the trail of his ‘ jags,’ the hanker-crook!” During this conversation with himself Ace High drew hear the Goleonda—only, however, to meet a janitor locking up, just as he ap- proached the door, * Hello! Brown, what’s the difficulty to-night” he asked, as be pushed open the door just as the key was grating in the lock, ‘Obi Itis you, Mister Asa! “Never knew the Golconda to close so ’arly before in all the five years I’ve been here, sir; no, never! * But, you see, sir, the gang got scart at young Bandersou’s beavy play, an’ hev gone home to think it over, sir!” “And the lady, Brown?” “She was jist puttin’ on her dry-goods in the hall a minnit ago, sir!” To the large hall Ace ee hurried, only, how- ever, to learn of Ruby Rob that the Girl Sport had left the building a few moments before bis arrival, So, on he went through the secret entrance, to again ney disappointment in missing the siren’s Carriag “1¢ iy a foolish, if not a dangerous move, for the girl to go home alone,” and the detective again sala rapidly along the city street. is iron heart grew faint within bim as the chair began to slowly ascend witbout regaining its for- mer upright position. *“T hope it is all right, but she has too many powerfu enemies, to allow her going about un- attended,” A few minutes’ walk brought him in frontof a large brick house upon a quiet street, Not a ray of light came from the heavy-shut- tered windows, but Ace High unhesitatingly aErAnS up the steep steps, and rung the door- 1s) . Some moments of silence passed, then a small wicket, set in one of the heavy panels, slid back, and in the opening appeared a hideous black face that looked to belong to anything but a human being, though evidently that of an aged negro. Ace High pressed his face close to the wicket and whispered some words lowly. m. The auswer he received seemed to stagger 2im. ‘* Not here?” he gasped. ‘*Do you mean, Aspa, that she has not arrived from the Goleonda?” ‘‘ She bas not come, master!” “ Yeavens! Then I must find her at once!” and he reached the street at one hound, ‘‘“What can have happened?’ he muttered, more than agitated at the non-arrival of his chent. ‘“She cannot have proceeded at once to the mansion, for in that case she would have left some word behind, ‘And yet—perhaps she did, and Ruby Rob forgot to tell me. But to make sure, I will go at once to*the mansion, and if she is not there— ‘Ha! yonder is Paddy McCraken, the boy I sent to keep the captain in sight, “He acts a little neryous—I will speak to him!” The one in question, a lad of some twenty years, with pronounced Hibernian physiognomy, was still some distance away, but hurrying up the street at a swift run, He was about to brush past the still disguised detective when the latter Etoppe d him with: * Hello, Paddy! How large is the stake you are running for?” ‘“*Howly mitber av Moses! Ace High, darlin'!” “Sure, Paddy! tain?” * Arrah now; an’it’s to the divil wid the captain, but O? i thinkin’ av ther I: idy, bliss her swate face!” ‘*Ha! What mean you Paddy?” ** Aisy now, and tell mo if ther young misthress hey arriv’ home yet!” ‘*No! She is missing.” **Ow, the spbalpeens! I knew it. An’ phy didn’t Oi hev ther arrum av ould Samson bim- silf, sure, that I might hey lift ther murtheren divils weltering in their own gore afore they did it, wirra! But come along me jewel, an’ Oj’ll tell yez all about it as we procade, bY ‘‘Then you bave seen Senorita Flash to-night?” and Ace High’s face was unusally pale as he asked the question, “ Baix! An’ Oi hev! “Yez see, darliut, I follied ther captain ter his hole in Chinatown, an’ from there around back, an’ to his favo rite gambling hang-out. “Then says Oi to meself: Paddy, me boy, ther captain is suited fer keeps till morning, so supposin’ we go beck to ther dive in Chinatown an’ take anither squint til his hang-out there; so I says ter mesilf ‘ All right, Paddy me boy, Om wid vel!’ an’ away we wint—Oi an’ mesilf, “An’ whin we got jist forninst ther Chineo house, may ther divil fly away wid me, if thero wasn’t a murtherin spbalpecn av a_ false- whiskered feller a-carrying ther young, lady in ther house from cuten a car riage!” ‘* How long age was that?” ‘*Not more’n foive minuits, sir; fer Oi flew cited afther you loike a sthar-sphangled agle, sir ** Are we ’most there, Paddy?” “Tt is jist ther fu’st door around yonder corner, sir!” All this time the two had been sprinti oes at a swift pace, but at theso last i Soya High uttered a sharp ery and bounded ini with the speed of a frightened buck, “My God! Itis that nest of crime and vice, run by Hop Ling!” he hissed: ‘It is death for me, if they recognize me within those walls; but Pi ‘fight all Chinatown before they shall harm a hair of her head! ““Ab! Here we are—now for some fun with the Celestials!” and springing up the steps, though the basement door was the usual mode of entrance to the place, be rung the bell. Already had the Gambler Detective formed 9 plan of action, so when the door wes cautious- ly opened by & greasy looking ‘ pig-tail,” the man-hunter assumed a half-idiotic expression of Au’ is it yersilf But have you lost the cap- Ace ice High, the Frisco De the Frisco Detective. countenance, as though but hal? recovered from an extended opium debauch, and entered the ball with a lurch that flattened the heathen be- hind the door like a flap-jack! No one appeared to be observing them. Ace High suddenly seized the Celestial by the throat and demanded in a menacing tone: i Where is the ‘’Melican’ girl that just came in? Fully believing the intruder was “ opium- crazed,’ the ** pig-tail’ pointed frantically to a door some distance down the hall, intent only on saving his own life, The detective comprehended the motion, and, taking the heathen with bim, hurried to the door, In the small room beyond stood a masked man, whom upon the instant he believed he re- cognized, But at this instant a slight scream came from beyord the door opposite, and drop- ping the squirming heathen, he sprung in that direction, It was a startling sight ho came upon, Flash, the Girl Sport, struggling frantically for life and honor in the arms of a bideous and powerful old Chinaman, One great leap forward and the Gambler De- tective grasped the demon in his steel-like hands, raired him aloft at arms’ length, then flung him straight through the curtaine. doorway into the midst of the Hounds of ’Frisco, ‘*My darling!” be cried, as he clasped the beautiful siren to his breast and pressed his lips passionately te her own, ‘‘ Sir!” disengaging herself from his embrace with an effort. “I believe our relationship Was founded on a business basis only!” “T beg your pardon, Se norita Flash,” bowed the detective, growing suddenly pale, “T forgot for a moment that 1 was only a gambler! ‘*T assure you it will not happen again! !” and he calmly drew a couple of heavy revolvers as a how] of frenzy, and the trampling of many feet, came from behind the curtains, ‘* You have your masculine suit on—remove your outer apparel and leave the building at once, while I cover your_retreat, ‘Be quick! They are coming!” He had been watching those curtains nar- rowly, and with revolvers leveled, while speuk- ing, but turned abruptly asa soft band was layed upou his own. Even while giving them, the girl had followed his directions to the letter, and none would re- cognizo in the athletic young fellow at his side the Siren of the Golconda, ‘* Senor, I spoke hastily. Please forgive me, IT shall not leave you'to face that terrible gang alone, If you do not come with me, I shall stay here to fall at your side, Plesasa come!” He could sce that she was terribly in earacst, and the gang were even now at the curtaing, His reputation as a duelist and, mau-hunter was too well established for a, flight from the Hounds of ’Frisco to be construed into an ect of cowardice,and taking the siren’s hand he led the way into a side passage, just as the frenzied eang rushed into the hall, with the old demon Hop Ling at their head, A few moments later two young men, neither of whom resembled the tloude mustached chap who had just entered, walked nonchalantly from the “‘ dive.” CHAPTER X. AN AWFUL EXPERIENCE. Tur ex-convict, ‘Melbourne,’ hid not seen fit to inform Captain Nugget that he had not only located the bouse of the Bonanza Widow beyond mistake, but had even made a midnight rounds of the elegint mansion, with the end in view of a possible future entrance for ‘ loot” on his own account, But such was the fact! So it was no wonder the ex-burglar led his pals unhesitatingly, and by the shortest route, to the scene of their criminal operations, Thanks to Melbourne’s previous investiga- tions, they soon effected an entrance, when, after a second careful study, by the aid of a bull’s-eye lantern, of the plan of the house, the experienced convict led the way without trouble to the room containing the escritoire, ‘Ther ’ouse his dooced still!” muttered Mel- bourne, taking in the almost oriental magni- ficence of his surroundings with a practiced e fry Seein’ has this are widder his ter give ha big ball so soon, Hi’d ’ave supposed there’d be hanough sarvents hin ther’ouse ter make ha little noise hany ’ow! ‘But ere we his, me bloomin’ coves! Right yere his ther desk has contains ther swag, I ) +h Moy) eh ay 7 AN et Rin as ts sa ; . —— — ™ ‘agin, ‘ Uy ——
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a ; nares fre on RI toot oe teehee “RROCRIPTA jt) nat ane Cee RN } , i a nae es ee Er re = Me. rm 7 8 EE tt er a tt am Ace High, the Frisco Detective. ‘Flo! Whun hof ther draw’s his open ha luetle—le’s take a squint inside!” / His companions said not a word, but followed every sign of their leader with the utmost pro- cision. It was indeed true that the top drawer of the magnificent escritoire was open nearly two inches, so, bending the rays of his powerful lan- tern to the crack at the top, Melbourne peeped in, The sight he saw within the drawer caused him to utter a cry of amazement, “By ther ’ornes hof ha helephant! We've struck it ther fu’st thing!” he breathed. ** Jest look in thar, me bloomin’ terantulars!” Heinrich Frekelheim, and his companion, a negro. eagerly complied. bat they saw was enough to fully warrant their exclamations of wonder. Strewn in glittering confusion upon the bottom of the velvet-lined drawer, was sesn such heaps of gol!l, jewels, and bank-notes, as ever their wildest dreams of riches had never imagined. **Mein Gott in bimmel! Der must pa von “ah tollars dot draw’s in!” gasped Frekel- eim, “So much ther better fer hus, then,” replied Melbourne. ‘And now to ’ave hit hout hof thar!” and inserting his fiogers in the opening he essayed to open the drawer, But it seamed as firm as the wall itself, “Wat hails ther bluddy thing?” he growled. ** Ketch a old, you terriers, and ’elp me pull)” This the two others did, but they were little prepared for the catastrophe which followed, Instead of moving outward under their com- bined efforts as they firmly believed it would, the drawer suddenly shot backward, as though moved by a powerful spring, firmly pinioning their twenty-four flogers, and making them at once prisoners, with no chance of escape! ‘Orns o’ ha helephant! W’at bails ther ' bloomin’ thing?” howled the ex-convict, all re- ardless of the fact that he might alarm the ouse in his desperate efforts to escape from his dangerous as well as painful predicament, ‘Hi might ’ave knowed hit was a trap w’en I see’d ther draw open— “Oh, stop yer ’owling, ye bloody tarriers! Ye'll ave ther beaks hon hus hif ye don’t keep mum an’ try ter git hout— Oh! by ther bloom- in’ Lord, !” In his sudden attempt to quiet the groans and curses of his two pals, Melbourne chanced to ¢iance over his shoulder, and it was sight of the form standing*just back of him that brought forth that last ejaculation. , It»was a tall form, enveloped from head to foot in », shroud-like garment of black. Naught but two gleaming eyes, through slits in the somber cowl, could bs seen, And yet another discovery was in store for th three imprisoned crooks. Not one form, but three were there, all envel- oped in the samo Cark and funereal cloaks, Not a word did they utter or a move did they make—simply stood there silently like sentinels upon the watch, The negro was upon his knees, fairly pros- trated with superstitious fear, Frekel.eim was mutteriog aud groaning despairingly, and Mel- bourne was cursing his luck roundly, when the three dark sentinels suddenly moved forward, released the crooks from their painful captivity, bound, gagged and blindfolded them before they cou!d offer the least resistance, even if they bad dared to, then dragged them slowly from tha room into an adjoining apartment. Then ensued what seemed ages of deathlike stillness, finally broken, however, by the sound of a hufried arrival of some person or per- sons, It was evident a lengthy whispered conversa- tion was being carried on, after which ths three crooks were again seized, borne to a carriage, ‘transported quite a distance, and finally un- bound and thrust into a close; prison-like room, from which they were soon satisfied there was n» way of escape. Melbourne saw at once, however, that only the negro was with him—Frekelheim had been retained outside! In fact, at this very moment the Dutchman was passing through a remarkable experi- ence, Fie, too, had been freed of his fetters, blind- fold and gag, but ranged about him in grim and terrifying silence were five dark-robed beings, each with a cocked revolver pointed motionless at his breast, Nor was this all, Just in front of him, dimly discernible in the faint, ghostly light which pervaded the room was a high, black-draped, throne-like chair, an ) seated therein was the white and rigid corpse of an old man, Yet, was it a corpse? Frekelbeim continued to glare at the face before him with bulging eyes and stilled pulse— his hair rising visibly, his skin contracting with horror, and his blood slowly congealing in his veins, for, gleaming phosphorescently from the hazeard face of the corpse, two live eyes were looking straight into his own! The horrified man essayed to flae, but his limbs were like blocks of ice! He tried to cry out, but bis painfully contracted throat refused to act! Suddenly a deep sepulchral voice smote his hearing. It put an atom of life into bis freezing body, though he almost lost bis senses from ter- ror, for the sound emanated from the frczen, motionless lips of the living corpse, The words used were German: “Speak, man! and be warned to speak the truth, for see! you converse with the ‘living dead!’ ‘* Lot thy guilty soul shrink within thee, for see: about thy body is ranged the minions of the dark king—Death! ‘* Tt remains with you if ye live or die! If ye answer my questions truthfully, let thy soul take courage,fcor ye shall go hen*e in peace, though thy bands are red with the blood of the innocent, ‘“ Will you speak truthfully?” ‘Yes, gladly!—only let me escape alive!” gasped the horrified man. ‘* You were once an officer in the organization known as the Order of Hounds?” asked those motionless lips. “ Yes ” * You are even now a member of the remnant of that band, with headquarters in Chinatown?” ‘5 Yes,” ‘You are also a member of that band of road- agents led by Lieutenant Redbird?” “s Yes,” “Hei,” ‘*This Captain Nugget ordered you, and two others to enter a certain mansion this night with burglarious intent?” , ** Ho did.” “This Captain Nugget, while head of the terrible Order of Hounds, passes himse'f as an aristocrat in the best society of this city?” s Y-yes,” “To save yourself from the most horrible torture and death you ever imagined, you will give the pass-word necessary to enter the secret council of the Hounds, as weil as an explanation that will lead to the secret entrance to Lieu- tenant Redbird’s rendezvous?” **]—Oh!—y-yes, if it is worse than this!” ** Worse! I swear to you, you will pray aloud in your agony to exchange positions with the living corpse before you!” ‘*My God! Then I consent!” * And lastly; you will swear by an oath more terrible than the one you took when you joined the Hounds, that you will, should the occasion arise, testify that you were present, and helped torture to death the man, woman and children whom Captain Nugget destroyed, to gain possession of their secret mine in the heart of the Haunted Mountains?” “Great Heaven! You know of that!” Only that one cry, then the wretched man, his hair turned white with terror, fell, a senseless mass upon the floor, CHAPTER XI, BONANZA BOB RECEIVES A FORTUNE, AND A S"IOCK, BANKER BANDERSON sat alone in his private office, puffing furiously at a costly cheroot, while now and again he pulled a cut-glass flask of spirits from a drawer of his desk, and drank eagerly of its contents, “ Here I sit almost trembling with a nameless dread, when I should be one of the most com- posed of men, ‘*To-day I shall finger the ducats of this Bonanza Widow, yet Iam shivering with fear, “| cannot understand why Melbourne, Heio- rich and Black Jim do not return, They should have been at the rendezvous before daylight, yet they bad not returned an hour ago, and it is now past nine, ‘‘They have not been arrested, as I learned when I called upon the chief of police with that snide reward for a lost pocketbook, “Then what has become of them? Could they ee el have been so dazzled by the rich loot they found as to light out with it? ‘No! Melbourne is too old a ‘ Hound’ to for- get ng oath, and the consequences of break- ng it! "h — Ab! Here comes Barry!” The young “blood” was pale and haggard, as he threw himself into a chair and reached for the half-emptied flask which the banker had inadvertently left upon the desk, “What is the matter, Barry? You look as though you bad had an interview with a ghost!” “No ghost in mine,” was the reply. “TI simply made a hundred thousand last night, and then lost it all at ona plunge!” a This was, of course true, but as we know, it was not the true cause of his present woe-begone aspect. ; The strange, not to say miraculous (to bim) escape of the beautiful siren from the Chinese *‘ dive,” filled him with a nameless fear. “ The same oldstory, Barry? I should suppose you would know, by this time, that you will never make a-successful gambler!” : “Oh, but’twas a plot between Ace High and the Girl Svort of the Golconda to rob me—” ‘* What! Ace High in San Francisco?” “Yes; he is bucking the tiger for all he it worth, and has won a fortune from the siren, it is said; but I believe, in fact, I am well satisfied, they are gving ‘snacks,’ for some deep pur- ose!” The banker leaned back in his chair, pale asa corpse, , sole ‘What sort of a looking person is this Girl Sport?” he at last managed to gasp. ‘‘ She is a she-dovil, with the form and feat- ures of a Circe!” was the savage reply. ' *¢ Bat describe her!” : ; “ Well; steisa trifle above the medium height; her form the perfecticn of symmetry; a tawny, oval face lighted by black eyes that are daggers of scintillating light, or wells of liquid softness, as her mood changes, and hair of the hue of midnight, : **T can only add that, when decked out with the hundreds of jawels, she wears at the Casino, she is rightly named—Flash! . ‘But what is the matter, gov’nor? It is you who now look asif you bad seen a ghost!” “Tt is nothing—nothing! But tell me, when did this girl first appear in ’Frisco?” “Why, don’t you remember the furor she created at her first appearauce at the Golconda, some three weeks ago?” * ] think I do—now! - ‘‘Heavens! It might be—three weeks—just about the time that has elasped since Redbird— ‘And you say this Ace High seems quite in- timate with the Girl Sport?” “Intimate! He hangs around her table from the moment she appears in the ball until she vanisbes through the curtains at the back of her pavilion; and I have it on good authority that he escorts her home—though no one seems to know just where she resides—and even lives with her as her mcst devoted slave!” The banker appeared for some moments lost in painful thought, while the son was busily en- gaged with the half-filled flask. “*T must attend to this at once! I have not the least doubt that this Girl Sport is none other than Aureola Raye, the only survivor of— ‘“Why, even the name points to this fact— Aureola: flashes of light, and Raye— “It is she—and with the invincible Gambler Detecrive to back her—of course, he saved her from Redbird’s hands! The Hounds must be unleashed !” It was in this strain that the banker’s thoughts, were flowing when there suddenly came a sharp knock upon the office door. ; ‘Come in,” called both Banderson and his son, in a breath, The door opened, and a boy @ressed in gor- geous livery entered and handed tne banker a card, Banderson read it with amazement, The card bore the following address: “* CaRLOS, Duc pI TORENTO, ‘ Madrid.” 4 And beneath this was written with pencil: “Upon important business for 7¢@ Madame Cardi- ganne.’ Banderson recognized the name, : He ha’ heard of, but never met, the Spanish noble who had taken the upper society of ’Frisco by storm in the ten days since bis arrival from Mexico. ‘* Where is your master, my lad?” asked Ban- erson. ‘*He is waiting your Honor’s pleasure in the * ; { : a ae vf —
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f earriage, just outside,” replied the page, with a marked Irish accent. Highly flattered at the call, though wondering bow the grandee happened to be attending tothe financial affairs of Madam Cardigan, Banderson hastened out to the curb and escorted his noble guest in, congratulating himself that quite a erowd of his business acquaintances were look- ing on. “This call is an honor [ little expected, prince,” said Banderson, when they had become seated, Ths grandee was not a bad-looking fellow, though his dark face bore the signs of many a debauch and present high living, ‘ He was possessed of an athletic figure, pierc- ing gray eyes, and a rather stern face, despite a certain meaningless smile that he habitually wore. ‘‘ The sense of honor at the meeting is mutual, I assure you, signor,” was the answer, witha pronounced foreign accent. “And l suppose you are somewhat surprised ‘to find me undertaking to fill this appointment for la madame.” ‘Fully as much so as I was to learn that the lady was still willing to do business with Ban- derson & Co., after receiving this note yester- day,” and Bonanza Bob placed in the prince’s hand the note in question, **T will endeavor to explain both incidents, Signor, © **Tn the first place, there isa rumor afloat that this company is just a trifie shaky, probably in- vented by your rivals in business which caused la madame to hesitate about placing so large a gum of money in your hands, though the loss of it, I assure you, would occasion the lady but a passing inconvenience, **But last evening she considered herself placed under great obligations to your house from the fact of your son having saved her life in a runaway accident in the suburbs,” “What? if hadn’t heard! Can this be s0, Barry?” * Yes, I had the honor to lift Madam Cardi- gan from her runaway horse last evening; but I did not think the feat worth mentioning,” ** Ah, you are the hero, then!” and the grandee rose to grasp the ‘‘ blood” by the hand, ‘‘ But you are altogether too modest, signor, for la madame assures me that you did, indeed, save her life. And I can well believe it, for I know the horse she rode, a most vicious brute, a pres- ent, unfortunately, from myself last year,” “Then your acquaintance with the lady did not originate in San Fcancisco?’ **Ohb, no; I had the houor to assist her party in an escape from Roman bandits some years ago, which she kindly remembers, ‘But now to the business in hand!” and the Spaniard assumed a business-like air, as one well familiar with the case in hand. This business, the turning over to Banderson & Co, of a round million dollars’ worth of gold, jewels and securities, was soon finished, when Torento bowed himself out in company with the young ‘‘ blood,” who had acceptei the prince’s invitation to breakfast with him at a neighbor- ing kigh-toned restaurant, In his exultation at bis ‘stupendous luck,” as he termed it, Bonanza Bob had by this time for- gotten bis late cause of uneasiness, and began lancing through his morning paper contented- y. But suddenly his eyes began to bulge with ri dehg as they becatne glued upon the following tem; “DARING CROOKS, “Late last night, or rather, early this morning, three well-known crooks, Melbourne. and ex-Van Dieman’s Land convict. Heinrich, 2 German, sup- posed to be a survivor of the old criminal organiza- tion known 4s the Hounds, and Black Jim, a well- known desperate character from the vicinity of Chinatown, burglarized the house of Madame Anita Caraigan, (the Bonanza Widow), securing some two hundred thousand dol ars’ worth of jewe's, goldand bank-notes which the eccentric lady always kept in the house. Offic-r Jacob Scheutzen first disecvered the burglars trying to get off with their plunder, and raising an alarm, gave chase. But the crooks wire evidently even better acquainted with the lo- cality than the officer, for they dodged him; bat be- ing hard-pres-ed, and burdened as they were with their ‘loot,’ they made for the wharves, finally get- tiog on board the clipper Sea Eacle, Captain Ems, which was just weighing for Honoiuiu. The Sea Eagle either could not, or would not understand the signals from sbore, consequently the three desper- ate criminals escaped, © hope to be able to give fuller particulars to-morrow.” ** Eseaped—gone! Great Heaven! It cannot be! Melbourne, Heinrich and Black Jim, the aa doa of the Hounds left the country ¢ ever . ‘* There is some mistake. Let me think! The Sea Engle did leave at daybreak this morning, but, great Jupiter! A tug could have brought her to! “This is some plot—a trick! ‘Those men would either have gained China- town and safety, or they would have given themselves up and trusted to thvir fellow Hounds to effect their release! ** But 1 don’t see through it! Can it be pos- eible they have obi traitors? Could they have planned it all out beforehand? ** Tt looks that way, else bow could they have so timed themselves as to reach the clipper in the very nick of time? Stay! could Ace High and Flash be mixed up in it— ‘Ab! my brain seems on fire! Am I dying?’ A half-hour later Bonanza Bob was found in- sensible upon the carpet, CHAPTER XII. A 8TRANGE PROCEEDING, Many long, rough miles from ’Frisco, where the great mountain stage-trail crossed a tiny rivulet which glistened and sparkled over the rocks.on its way from its snowy source, high up amid the distant peaks, a man crouched in a ot clump of bushes some rods back from the trail. His costume was made up of heavy corduroys, tucked into jong top-boots, a blue-flannel shirt, and a greasy, wide-rimmed sombrero, Upon his knees rested an elegant, small-bore Rensington target-rifle, the sights of which were raised for long-distance shooting, while he held a large telescope in his hands, A small, hand-sachel reposed between his feet. Suddenly the man raised his telescope, and leveled it at a horseman who was just topping the ridge upon the opposite side of the oc, The long survey of the rider seemed to satisfy the lone watcher in tho bushes, for he muttered, as he took up the rifle and shoved the muzzle through the crotch of a strong youny tree: “Thatismy man. There can ba no mistake, for he wears a red hound watch-charm ! * Now, then, for some fine shooting !—in .act— some perfect shooting, “Tt is a risky business to attempt sending a bullet plowing half i!s depth across a man’s skull at forty rods, but there is no other show! That soft, sandy spot half-way down yon slope is the only place that I would dare drop him from his horse; for to fall on his head any- where else on the flint-covered trail would be certain death to him, and there’s no place of concealment nearer. “Yes, it isrisky! But I’m not called Dead- shot Dick Hicton for nothing;—two days’ prac- tice at a gold dollar up there has proved tho sights perfect, and as the little ‘Remington’ never makes a foul, I think I can do the trick! ** Well, ve got to try, anyhow, for my man is almost there!” Such wasthe fact, The distant rider, walking his steed slowly down the rough slope, had ar- rived at the edge of! the yellow spot which marked a ‘‘ sand cropping.” ‘ The man in the bushes, braced tightly between a large rock and the tree, glanced through the carefully-adjusted sights, made a quick mental calculation of the distance his target would sink while his bullet traveled through the space be- tween, then pulled the trigger. A. puff of smoke, a whip-like crack, one fleet- ing space of time, and the unfortunute horseman threw up his arms and pitched headlong to the ground, his horse stopping abruptly, and turning to gaze at the fallen rider as though amazed at the curious incident. The rifleman swept the surrounding country high and low with his telescope; then, as though satisfied his bloody deed had been unobserved by human eyes, he reloaded his rifle and hurried up to the fallen man, to examine the effect of his long shot : The examination proved everything as he wished, A slight, bloody crease across the rider’s skull, was the only wound upon him, ** Better, a 5 “Good!” muttered the rifleman, even, than I dared hope! ‘* Now for a bit of transformation work,” and lifting the unconscious man to the saddle, “ Dead- shot Dick,” as he had called himself, ted the horse down the long slope, and so reached once | more his ambush, After a thorough search of his victim, which brought to light a well-filled money-belt, some arms, ammunition, and two closely-written bits of paper, Deaid-shot Dick coolly exchanged clothes with the rider, then began examining the | papers. The first was a well-drawn plan of the stage- | trail as far as Crescent Spur (‘he place, by the ~ SS eee Re as Pi ell a a Lie ANP) Bae ERE EER St Pe pastes uheteet | ame Ace High, the Frisco Detective. ; 9 way, which witnessed the death ‘of old Chain) trace Tom, as recorded in our first chapter which was designated by a cross im red ink, with * At P. C., 3:30 P, M.” just beneath, The second paper however was a curiosity, though evidently well understood by the mysterious dead-shot, Tt ran thus: . “ FpFEFAIC PBIEICKDLFE:—- * Hbfefajbf.: iegcfe fbfahdfd gdhd iegcfe fhfefai- efeic Gefahaha Gchebefdhbjahcid fefaicfe, fahdfd fchehecfe gcfeicfe frie hehdfcfe, Tegefe fdfejbgdhb rdid iehe iafaje. Fafcfe Gegdgbge fahdfd iegefe dfaiefahdfeidid Wajaicfehehbfa, heic Gahbjaid:c 0 idgefe gdid fefahbhbfefd, f iefe gcheie fagaie- feie jafa. Fefahdiciefehbhb jeheja gcheje fbfafd ndheje, fbjaic fchehcfe faie hehdfefe. !' GAFATEGCFEIC,”’ An amused smile overspread the dead-shot’s sun-burned face as his first glance fell upon the curious scrawl. **Pshaw! The fool might as well have writ- ten it right out in plain United States, though I suppose he didn’t want his man here to read it, ‘Tf I’m not awfully mistaken, it is simply the old checker-board cypher remodeled,” and the rifleman, with a pencil, drew the following dia- gram upon a sheet of paper; with the help of which he readily decipherad the message: D &E ¥F 1 2 8 4 5 G 2 ra 8 9 10 iS rapa Megs: eae Bima & pias Co pe Wy laa eg RE, J 21) RB)" 2B" 24 25 As will readily be seen, each figure stands for a corresponding letter of the alphabet—Z being left out, It will also be observed that every word of the above cipber consist of even numbers of letters, which leads one to surmise that every consecu- tive two letters must stand for one of the trans- lation, Thus, to translate the last word of the cipher we find that the intersecting lines of g anda in the key are at 6, which is f, that being the eighth letter of tho alphabet; fais i, or a; te—20, or t, etc., and wo find the word * Father,” And now the rifleman wrote out his transla~ tion of the strange message as follows: *“DrarR BYRDE:-- ‘* Leave the band in the bearer, Hank Hoodlum’s care, and come here at once. Th» devil is to pay, Ace Hizh and the Sataness, Aureola, or Flash as she is called, are hot after us. Can’t tell you how bad now, but come at once, Parner.” Then he carefully dressed the unconscious rider’s wound, bound him to the tree with the paper pinned to his breast, after which he took from bis sachel several articles calculated for disguise, “ Some of these he assumed by the aid of asmall mirror, and an observer would have been sur- prised at the startling likeness he bore to the un- conscious man at his feet. **T don’t count much on the disguise,” he mut- tered as he began making preparations to leave the spot, ‘for [ have no idea this Hank Hood- jum is known to the lieutenant, ‘*T'd liked to have pumped the fellow a little, but I must leave that part for old Grizzly Jack when he comes, for the paper says ‘at P, C. at 3:30 Pp, M.’ which, I tuke it, meens that the bearer of this paper isto take the stage at Pilgrim’s Camp at 3:30 P. M, and I’ve no time to spare. * “Ono mere article, Mr, Hoodlum, and I’m ready {2 go take command of Lieutenant Red- bird’s band of road-agents!” and the rifleman re- moved the hound charm” from the fallen man’s neck, and placed it about bis own, Then mounting ‘the horse, which, curiously enough, had not offered to move from the spot, the rifleman essayed to start toward Pilgrim’s Camp. But the horse took barely two limping steps. then utterly refused to proceed, Dead-Shot Dick seemed to be up to all the tricks of his trade, for hastily dismounting, he carefully exe mined the beast’s hoofs. Immediately he made a discovery, Tightly drawn just beneati the borse’s off fet- lock was a small, though strong silken cord, “Very thoughtful of you Mr. Hoodlum,” he mused, as he removed the cord, rubbed the in- jured spot briskly for a moment, then remount- ‘* Made your horse lame as an excuse for tak- ing the stage-coach at Pilgrim’s Camp. ‘*Good idea! and warns me that the men I have to deal with are no chickens,” The horse soon recovered from the lameness, , and in due time Pilgrim’s Camp was reached, the stage arrived, the rifleman was listed as a pas-
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10 senger, and the great coach set off up the trail witb a flourish, Dusk was fast falling when the heavily-loaded coach swung around on Crescent Spur, and the driver cracked his whip to start the mules down the opposite slope, The old stayer had just begun to congratulate himself that he would ia the daugerons spot without losing therich Express be carried, when he was brought to a halt by a ringing voice close at hand, accompanied by the metallic clicking of several gunlocks, ‘Halt! Pull up, Overland, and dismount!” CHAPTER XIII. ONE AGAINST TWENTY, , We will pass over the reply that the driver, ae Overland Sam, made to the command, as it ; would not look well here. “This is gittin’ too all-fired every-day-like!” MW weut on the driver, when he had recovered his mae breath after his first outburst, ‘*Tt war on’y ten days ago that ye [lifted my Express boxes, an’ hyar ye airag’in. Now ’m givin’ it to ye straight, lieutenant: either yow er I bev got ter quit! *‘Tll be tetotally bornswaggled by a knock- kneed mule ef I’m goin’ ter stan’ bein’ held up ev'ry week byayew!,yew slabsided, lantern- jawed, butter-brained, addle-pated son of a Mor- y mon, yew! I’m done!” ; 7 The lieutenant had stood all this time im the glare of a half-dozen torches in the hands of his r men, with folded arms, and an amused smile ighy wreathe1 his mustached lips that showed just “i beneath his balf-mask, It was evident that the veteran driver, Over- land Sam, wasa privileged character with the outlaws, for he replied pleasantly: “So you aredone, are you, Sam? Allright! ae ae know but you were wound up for all ae night, + “But, thanks—muchly} And now, with your ermission I will talte charge of those Express oxes once more; but I promise you, Sam, it shall not happen again this month!” “Ob, yes; with my promi:sion, of course— with two carbines pointed right at my gizzard! **Condem’ yer, lieutenant, why carn’t ye guv a feller a chance? ** Call out yer men, one ata time, an’ I'll lick ther whole b’ilin’ of ye!” ** An’ I'd holp yer in a minnit, driver!” The voice came from the coach window, which had been lowered at the first halt. The speaker was the passenger from Pilgrim’s Camp. His head and shoulders were thrust out of the window, and plainly, in the bright glare of the torches, couJd be seen the red-hound charm as it dangled from his neck. As the lieutenant’s eyes rested upon the orna- meut, he started, then moved forward a pace, The outlaw was about to speak when the other gave him a warning look, and said, in the maudlin voice of one very much intoxicated: ‘*Ob, come on ye durned frog-eater! Walk right up bere while I knock a—hic—eye outer ye!” and as the disguised rifieman spoke, he thrust a brawny fist through the window, and shook it menacingly. But just here a diversion occurred, Ip some manner the door became unlatched, and the defiant passenger, giving a lurch, came sprawling upon all fours to the ground, Staggering to bis feet with evident difficulty, he reeled toward the lientenant crying: “C-cuss yer. d-dirty pictur’! ViU—hic— par'lyze ve fer—hic—thet!” and be threw his whole weight upon the wondering outlaw. It was at this moment that a sbrill whistle rung out, and tbe stage, driver, and passengers found themselves wrapped in impenetrable dark- ness, The torches had been extinguished as if by Magic, there came a confused hurrying sound of retreating footsteps, and the road-agent had vanished, Whe the seeming inebriate had precipitated himself upon the lieutenant he had hurriedly whispered, close to the other’s ear: “] bring word from the cuptain; quick— vamose!” And this was the real cause of the sudden departure of the outlaws, But of course old Overland Sam did not know this, and he could only climb wonderingly back to his seat and drive on, after roundly cursing the ‘‘ inebriate,” the road-agents, and everything else he could think of at the moment, The bandits had not retreated far. Scarcely three rods from the trail they came upon a level, circular opening, entirely surround- by massive bowlders that had evidently fallen from the cliff higb overhead. A torch was hastily lighted, its glare showing POS id i Nal ate ev Ta eee hy ee 4 TARE 2 Ge ea Sere ghee Pet aye palee “4 er Beet Q .* Ace High, the Frisco Detective. | Be *% a dozen sleek steeds tied toa stout stake set at one extremity of the opening. The lieutenant was the first to speak, ‘* You say you bring word from the captain; your communication must be of the utmost im- portance or I sball never forgive myself for letting those treasure-boxes slip through my fingers!” * Well then, lieutenant, just grab yourself by the paw an’ call it square! ‘* Here is the paper ther captain sent, an’ ef it don’t prove important, then ther captain didn’t hev time ter write it all down!” and the stranger passed over the cipher message he bad taken from the unfortunate rider, far boyond Pilgrim’s amp. The lieutenant turned his back upon his vil- lainous looking band while reading the cipher but the messenger observed that they exchanged significant glances, with now and then a dark scowl] at their leader, “By .my life! but there will be some fur in these mountains shortly!’ mused the rifleman. **T believe ‘ the scamps are upon the point of mutinying,’ and but for my presence with a loaded rifle they would actually drop the lieuten- ant where he stands! ‘*Tell you what, Dicky, my boy, you are go- ing to have your hands full when you take charge of this band of cut-throats! ‘* But they will find old Dead-shot Dick on hand like a thumb—” Just here the messenger was interrupted in his musings by the lieutenant, The road-agent drew to one side. and motion- ing the messenger to him, asked: ‘*You are one of the Hounds of course, Hank?” ‘*T have the honor, lieutenant,” ** And I suppose are in the captain’s confidence pretty firmly?” ‘* Wal yes, rather.” “T take it, by this note, that he is in trouble, as he wants me to come to ’Frisco at once,” ‘* Well now, I'should remark! As near as I can find he is just about corrilled, as it war?” "Yes, it must be so, or the captain would never think of asking me to help him; so I shall start for Frisco within ten minutes.” * And now, one word of warning: When you take charge of this band,' you will be called upon to face more danger than you probably now conceive of—” **Oh, I guess nct, lieutenant. I see they be jist on the p’int of rebellin’ ag’in’ ther present administration, but I guess they’ll find a brick- in-a-hat when they kick ag’in’ Hank Hoodlum! *T’'ma bad man when I’m r’iled, lieutenant, an’ I promise yer, when ye come back, ye’ll find this downy chicken on top of ther heap!” ‘ Ld lieutenant grasped the other’s hand cor- iallv. ‘* By Jove! you area jewel, Hank,” he cried, delightedly. ‘‘I have nothing more to say, for I see you can take care of yourself! * And now I will introduce you to the band, and give them my instructions,’ This was soon done, after which the lieutenant meunted a superb animal standing near, and rode away in’ the darkness. like the wind, and the disguised Dead-siot found himself suddenly the unweicome leader of a rebellious band of outlaws, ‘** Now then, my lads, lead away to the ren- dezvous, aud we'll soon become better ac- quainted,” cried the new leader, as he mounted au odd horse that happened to be present, “Yas, [ reckon we will, Lieu—er, what mought we call yez, anyhow?” ‘* Wal, seein’s ye hev already got a captain an’ a lieutenant, ye mought call me colonel— Color¢l Hank Hoodlum, at yer sarvice!” “ All right, colonel, I reckon we will be ac- quainted afore soon!” and the speaker pulled his horse in just behind the coloael, But the latter halted, ‘“‘ll take keer of the rear, thank ye,” he said. ‘I always ride behind, fer ye see, I can segin ther dark almost ez well ez I kin in daylight!” The road-agent grumblingly complied with this hint to keep in front of his Jeader, and the cavalcade set off slowly along a rough narrow fissure in the giant cliff that seemed to gradu- ses? lead upward as they advanced. f the outlaws at all doubted their new | leader’s statenient that be could see in the dark, they were soon convinced of the fact, in a start- ling manner. The fissure, or ravine as it might be called, was dark as Egypt, and to one unfamiliar with the way would seem to be all but interminable, But at last the bandits filed slowly out of the dark pathway, to find themselyes in a sma} Paes ease tan ete) tis, BGT »! y “" Lod LAS al = aaa"). ry *» of. > . ‘De ee rassy plateau that was hemmed in by smooth- aced, towering cliffs—in appearance an ex- tinct crater of a volcano, A dozen picturesque pole ‘* shacks” stood near the center of the retreat—just now lighted up by a couple of huge fires that were blazing a little way distant. About the fires lee a dozen men were eat- ing supper, they being waited upon by a num- ber of comely young squaws—their wives. The new arrivals were welcomed warmly by the others, and many questions were asked in relation to the treasure they had expected to capture from the ‘*‘ hearse,” One of the bandits was upon the point of mak- ing a statement of their undertaking, when he wrs interrupted, notto say startled, by a wild yell and a profusion of ‘‘ cuss-words” from the rear, The entire band started and looked in the di- rection of the sound. This is what they saw: A tall, wiry, dark-faced man, struggling with all his power, in the grasp of their new leader, who still remained seated upon his horse, The outlaws started forward with howls of wrath, Their leader’s captive was the most popular man in the band, and one they soon hoped to re- coguize as their chief, ** Hold on, my lads!” cried the rifleman, easily restraining his captive across bis saddle with one hand, while with the other he pulled from his belt a long navy revolver. ‘* This man \slipped off his horse, back in ther pass, with ther inten- tion of puncturing my carkiss with a knife as I rode past where he crouched, but ez I tole yer afore, I kin see in ther dark *s well ’s I kin in daylight, so I natchely grabbed him by ther neck an’ brought him along. ‘* Now, as we ain’t acquainted yet, though he said back hyar we soon would be, I'll Jet him go —so! but if I set eyes on him after ten minutes, Tl shcot him on the spot. Now git!? and with a vigorous kick he sent the assassin lunging to- ward his companions, s The bandits again leaped forward. “Down with the colonel and up with Black Jack!” they yelled, The ‘‘colonel” slipped behind his horse, and the next’ moment the crash of a score of revol- vers rung upon the vight air. CHAPTER XIV. THE ‘‘COLONEL’S.” COUP D'RTAT, Iv was terribie odds for one man. to take, but the rifleman stood off the savage crowd bravely. There were over twenty of the outlaws, and every man wes @ fighter, though there seemed to be few ‘ cruck shots” among them, The s'ranger had taken refuge behind his horse at the firs6b advance of the enemy, and, with loosened revolvers, and rifle Jeveled across his saddle he coclly waited their first move, Tt quickly came, A dozen revolvers were discharged at the man and horse, and the latter fell with an almost human shriek, As the horse fell, the rifleman threw himself flat upon the ground end brought his deadly weapon to bear upon the breast of the man called by the outlaws Black Jack, ‘* Halt, there!” he thundered, above the yells of the mad borde, **Ten paces further and you are a dead man!” At the sound of that stentorian voice the band involuntarily balted, But not so the villain addressed. It was his one consuming desire to become tte absolute leader of these human vultures; and, almost insane with rage as he was at the trick their strange Jeader had played upon him but a short while before, he counted not his chances, but leaped forward as recklessly as before. It proved to be a leap to his death, for a pen- cil of flame spurted from behind the fallen horse, a vicious crack from the little mfle, and the Red Birds of the Rockies had lost their chosen leader. ‘* Wal, boys, have you had fun enough with the green colovel, or shall we proceed with the matinee, and wipe each other .utand every man bury his own bones?” The “colonel” had risen, and seated Limself nonchalantly vpon his deal horse, though he dangled a couple of huge revolvers between bis knees. It was evident the bandits were deepl impressed by the prowess displayed by the dead- shot in the last encounter, and they were now in jast the right frame of mind to be won over by the little game of ‘‘ bluff” which the ‘‘ colo- nel” had in view. ** Now, boys, just s’pozen we reason together a little,” he went on, as he crossed his legs, and
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Wer wees oe Fay - shoved his greasy sombrero to the backside of bis bead—thus displaying his bold features more folly in the glariog firelight. **Now s’pozen you fellers were all mad as thunder at me—which of course you bain’, now that we’ve got acquainted—an’ should haul off and sling cuss-words and lead at me till I got mad, toc, and wouldn’t have nothin’ ter do with you fellers, but just go home and leave you ter yer fate, what'd be the consekence? “Why, jest this ere: You’d miss ther pleasure of havin’ ther solidest man on ther Pacific Slope fer yer leader, and I’d miss ther honor of bein’ chief of ther Red Birds of ther Rockies, and whar’d be ther gain? ‘* Now, fellers, I’ve come here ter stay! You may think I’m givin’ yer all wind an’ bluster, but I mean every word I say, an’ ef thar’s any diff'runce of opinion atween us, I’m goin’ ter give you a chance tew settle it right off. “Some of you may think that Black Jack, thar, come tew his death by accident, but Vil convince yer ter ther contrary at once! “You man with a button on your hat, look out |” Even before the last word was out of his mouth the ‘' colouel’s” right hand shot out, the revolver cracked, and the man just addressed jerked his hat from his head as if stung, and gazed blankly at the spot which but an instant before, was graced by a large metal button, on the crown. ‘That warn’t an accident either,” went on the ** colonel” in the sime pompous tone, ‘Why, fellows, I can’t miss a mark, for the life of me! Ive tried to time and ag’in, but al- ways failed! ‘** An’ now tew business! ‘* All yew fellers thet want me tew be leader in place of Lieutenant Redbird, or Black Jack, thar, jest step out of the crowd whar I kin caress ye with these ere dazzling optics of mine; and anybody thet hes any objections ter my holdin’ ther office, let them jest stay whar they is, an’ we'll settle it through the electorial college so darn quick,.it will make ther specta- tor’s ha’r curl an’ p’r’aps grow him a stand-up collar!” This last speech, coupled as it was with the preceding example of the ‘‘colonel’s” reckless daring, did the trick, With a ringing ‘“‘ Hurrah for the colonel!” every man sprung forward, each endeavoring to ba first to greet bim as their undisputed leader, “Thank ye, boys,” said the dead-shot, as he returned the gra8p of cach and every one of the desperate characters about him, ** I think myself that this ere ar’ the best way ter settle ther déeficulty, tho’ I do like ter fight ‘ most etarnily! **And now another things My instructions say that you heva treasure-vault in the cliff Lyar some’ers, containing whole slatiers of sway. “Ther captain said a battering-ram couldn't break the entrance either in or out, But I’m a stranger tew ye, so, tew make everything sat’s- factory all around, I perpose tew take a sort of inventory of ther loot, so you'll know jest how much pve lugged off if I skip out some dark night. The whole band at once protested most warm- ly that they believed in their new leader impli- citly, but they were finally prevailed upon to rig the way to the secret entrance of the trea- sure-vault. The massive door was opened, the outlaws filed out slowly into the dark crypt, all uncon- scious of the desperate trap that had been set for them—but the colonel did not follow! _As the last man disappeared from view, the rifloman seized the great door, aud with a mighty exertion, swung it to, He then raised a small ‘bugle to bis lips and blew a shrill blast. Thenext moment a dozen blue-coated. riders dasbed upon the scene with sabers drawn, CHAPTER XV, A DESPERATE COUPLE, But a few doors below tie office of Banderson & Co., @ well and Stylishly-appareled man, wearing burnsides, mustache and imperial, aused abruptly at the sound of a startled ejacu- tion just in front, The street was well-nigh deserted at the time —a heavily-vailed woman just in front, and a small boy but a few paces behind, and almost hidden behind 4. clothier’s samples, being the only pedestrians in the immediate vicinity. Very evidently it was the vailed woman who had made the low, yet startled outcry, for she had started back from the approaching gentle- Fenenatitnssstaentediinteh daelietadinena RR me ney 3 on a oh ol i Sh Ace High, the Frisco Detective. man, and now stood with visibly-trembling form, and one gloved hand pressed to her side, Her other, the right hand, had been flung out, almo;t touchinz t:e man’s face, causing him to make a sudden, started spring backward. Quickly recovering himself, he stepped forward with lifted hat as he asked, hurriedly: ‘* Madam, are you ill? Can I be of any assist- ance to you?” Without replying, the woman, with a swift motion, jerked away her vail, disclosing. thus a dGarkly-handsome, though prematurely old, coun- tenance to her two watchers, The man sprung backward with pallid lips, as he uttered the one word ‘ Mother!” while the youth behind the clothier’s samples gave a low whistle of astonishment, and mutterer’: ‘* Be ther har-rup av ould Tara! busé it is me landlady hersilf, so it is!” Finally the woman spoke, **So you at last’recognize my claim to that title?’ ‘* Curse the luck! How did you penetrate m disguise, and how came you here at this, of all times?” ‘* A mother’s eyes are sharp—it is impossible for her to forget the face of her only son, though it be disguised beyond recognition of common eyes! Me My business here is my own concern |” “Then what in the name of Hades do you want of me?” ‘“« Simply recognition.” ‘¢ Well, you have got that, so move on!” ** Not so fast, my son,” and the woman smiled almost wolfishly. ‘* Remember, it has been three years since last we met, and I would know. how you are suc- ceeding in whatever profession you have chosen,” * Ah! [tumble at last, You want money!” * Not of you; it might be tainted, and [ am living honestly now.” ‘** What do you mean? that I may be a villain!” ‘* Naturally! Your father was one before you; you come by it direct, ‘** But don’t think for an instant that you can pull the wool over my eyes. “T know what you are—taat a hangman’s noose is even now hovering above your head, ready to fall when the right time comes, **And mark this well—that time is not far distant, ‘“Even now the bloodhcunds are close upon your track; they have even run you to earth, and only await a word to spring upon you—” **Cursa you! Mother or no mother, I curse you to your very face! “Now get out of my sight, or I shall be tempted to cap the villainies you would lay at my door by matricide! “é Go ” “Poor fool! I will obey you; but it is to leave you to rush to your doom! ‘*You are my 80n no longer, and though I could save you by a single word, I leave you to the fate that is close at hand! ** Good-by !” Witbout another glance at the man, who was now almost foaming with rage, the woman let drop her vail and shortly disappeared around the next corner, Without having once noticed the young watcher before mentioned, and who had eagerly drank in every word of the dramatic conversa- tion above, the man turned, with a grating curse, and disappeared abruptly into the oflice of Banker Banderson, Bonanza Bob was seated at his elegant desk, busily engaged in writing. He was once more * on his feet,” consequentl he was in an exceedingly pliable state of nied, besides which he bad just closed an investment on ‘*change” which emounted to close on toa quarter of a million, : It was a scheme he had been studying up for weeks—one in which the inan witb the most capital would win, _He had the capital, no one would dare * buck” him with a quarter of a million in sight, and— well, he was so positive of success that be had another two hundred and fifty thousand to bet that he would come owt of the deal one million dollars ahead! So, when the man with “ burnsides” burst so unceremoniously into his elegant office, Bonan- za Bob did not scow! furiously, as was usual of late, on the contrar y merely looked a trifle sur- prised, and passed his visitor a chair, “fs there the least danger of our being inter- rupted for the next hour?’ abruptly questioned the stranger. ‘‘Not the least,” replied the banker, as he Your words imply a as. eee - ete Nd Ta ve 11 opened a drawer in his desk, and pulled out a seven shot ‘Colt’s,” without taking his eyes. from the stranger’s face. ‘*Oh, don’t get ‘rattled,’ old man,” went om the visitor as he deftly removed his burnsides, mustache, goatee, and a black wig he wore be- neath the tall dicer, ‘‘T dropped my trade when I left the moun- tains!” ‘* Byrde Raynold!” gasped the banker, ‘t That disguise would foil the sharpest pair of eyes in Frisco!” ‘‘On the contrary, I have been recognized within ten minutes)’ ‘Hey? By whom?” ‘“' Tbe woman known as Christie Adante,” * Wi at! your—” Oh spit it right out—yes, my mother!” ‘* But great Heaven! that is impossible! She isaninmate of a Louisiana insane asylum, and mad as a March hare!” **So I supposec; but the fact remains that I met her within thirty paces of this door, and she knew me on the instant.” The benker seemed terribly affected by this disclosure, ‘* What can it mean Byrde?” he asked huskily, ‘* Perbaps it ha’ something to do with the business. for which you summoned me to Frisco,’ - ‘*Ha! By Jupiter! Do you suppose Ace High and the girl could have hunted her up, and put her upon our track— ‘But that can’t be, for this Flash, as she calls herself, has been kere but a few weeks, and Barry informs me that she has been at the Gulconda every night without fail.” ‘* You must have eygtered your dotage, old man!” said the stranger coolly. “ And I must confess you do not make a very happy selection of words! But we will not quarrel—there is too much at stake, ‘* What would you imply?” “That #f this girl Flash had hunted up my maternal ancestor as you suggested, it was done long before she appeared at the Goleonda,” **One would suppose so; but baven’t I kept an eye cn her all these years? and [know M4 has never been to Louisiana!” ‘“True, a man whom you suppose entirely faithful to your interests has sent you word from time to time—say four times a year—of her movements, and you know sbe hes lived the life of an adverturous amazon in Ar zona, Texas, and Mexico, but of ber secret doings, ber most intimate acquaintances, you can know no- thing definitely. ‘* Now, it strikes me, from the fact that you seemed to have good authority for believing that she is ‘‘ going for” you, that she bas been preparing berself all these years for an effort at. revenge upon you for the part you took in lead- ing the Hounds upon the night ber family—” ‘*Don’t mention thataffair, Byrde! It was w bad move, though I would do it over again for the same stakes, even if they were not as big as I supposed them to be,” ** All right then; we will consider that subject tabooed! ‘** But now tell me all you can of the doings of the girl, and her detective pard.” This the banker-crook at once proceeded to: do—telling all be knew, some things he firmly believed, and a great deal he surmised, It-could be seen that the stranger was most deeply interested—especially so in the account of the mavnerin which the mountain messenger, Hans Frekelheim, bad been captured, and no doubt followed to the rendezvous of Chinatown, and his subsequent mysterious disappearance the night of the burglary. “T guess you spoke correctly when you said ‘the devil was to pay,’ old man! ‘Tt is a wonder the last messenger, Hoodlum, was not overhauled.” ‘“Not so very strange cither, for it would be impossible for them to know’ that he was to start for the monntains; and besides he is not the man to be taken by surprise, ' “The ‘sleeping devil’? in those black eyes is a certificate of bis success in any undertaking te se's out vpon!” The stranger stared. ; “Tt noticed ‘the sleeping devil’ all right but the man’s eyes were of the color of steel!’ It was now Bonanza Bob’s turn to start, “You are mistaken, Byrde, for Hank Hood- lum’s eyes are black as midnight itself!” “Then the devil is 'to pay, sure! The man I left in charge of the Red Birds bas a pair of the steeliest steel-cray eyes I ever saw! ‘*We are in desperate straits, old man! The band is in peril—you are in peril! Now which shall it be: The band or Bonanza Bob?”
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“Save me, Byrde! Let the band go to Hades —save me by ‘ downing’ Flash and Ace High, I will recognize you before the world as my degitimate son in the stead of Barry!” The two locked hands over the criminal com- | pact. CHAPTER XVI. STRANGE HAPPENINGS, “ CARLOS of Torrento, or ‘Le Duc,” as he had finally become to, be familiarly called’ by the | majority of those lucky enough to claim his ac- quaintance, and Barry Banderson, were soon -discovered tc be almost inseparable companions, Le Duc appeared to be some years the young ** blood’s”” senior, yet be was such an accomplish- ed sport, blackleg and gambler, and withal so extremely blase that he could readily accommo- date himself to the companionship of men of any age, if they were only ‘‘ fast.” enough. ‘ The ‘* blood” seemed under a spell, and, al- though he had not sense enough to realize it, was completely within the power of the adventurer- grandee, At the race-track and gaming table he had seen the foreigner win thousandsof dollars in the coolest, and most matter-of-fact manner. In the ball-room he had seen him the haughty noble, yet the lion, by all odds, of the eVening, After the regatta the Spaniard’s oar was graced with the blus ribbon; he owned the fast- est yacht on the bay; the ricbest turnout on the boulevard, and Once young Banderson had acted as the grandee’s second in an “affair of honor” in which his opponent fell at ten paces—an op- onent no other man, in his right senses, on the acific Slope would have dared face in the auello, And in a dazed way young Banderson won- «dered why the fates came to allow him to play Pythias to this wonderful man’s Damon, The ‘‘ blood” had several times endeavored to gather prestige by showing tho foreigner around to some of the ‘‘ shady ” haunts of the great city, but the mysterious man always went him one ‘better by giving the full history of the place, along with an account of the lives of some of its most noted criminal habitues, And thus their intimacy progressed until the grandee had become fainiliar with almost the entire bistory of the young ‘' blood’s” life; while, strange to relate, the titled blackleg was, if pos- sible, more of a puzzle to his young associate than ever. : Thus matters stood when one evening young Banderson sat in his elegantly furnished suit of apartments, clad in full evening dress, und with a tall decanter and two glasses upon the table before bim, It was to be the night of nights for bim. Le Duc was to call in an hour, he was to visit the rooms of the grandea (a favor that had, as ' yet never been granted to one of his most inti- mate friends) and from there they were to take in the theater. If he could but take a peep into the rooms of this most mysterious individual, he reasoned, he was positive he could learn something of the his- tory of the wonderful man. He little suspected how much that visit was destined to bear upon all his after life. His cogitations were suddenly iuterrupted by a knock dpon the dvor, Wondering who his visitor could be, for it was much too early for the arrival of Torrento who was always punctuality itself, the ‘* blood 4 arose and opened the door. It was only a waniformed messenger with a letter, Dismissing the youth with a liberal fee, the young man again seated himself and glanced at the superscription, As he did so his face clouded with fear and anger combined, It bore the impress of a delicate female hand, *‘Curse the luck! She has found me, for that is the handwriting of the little Mexican fool, Bianca Codaza?” be muttered fiercely. ‘* Of course she wants more money—or more likely it is the old story of my promise to marry her, “Well, I may as well read tne scrawl, but she had better go slow, for 1 am now in a position to defy even blackmail, and besides, the Tilloson millions are too big a stake to risk for any more foolishness with «the little “ Greaser’!” p Opening the letter he read as follows, his for- mer bored and angry expression meanwhile giving place to one of the most intense amaze- ment: * DEAREST :— ‘*T know you will be terribly my at my having dared to ascertain your lodgings, but you must re- Ace High, the Frisco Detective. | member that 1 might have come in person instead of | | sendiug this note. Now don’t for amoment imagine ' this to be simply a begging letter—on the contrary, Iam tow in position to help you, to any reasonable your usual financial difficuities. Rem -mbering that you have noc been so prompt with your calls of late that he was something of a miser—that he leftme quite a sum in gceid; that | um now filling an engage- ment at the Theater Parisienne in a leadi.g part; or, that before he died my unhappy father informed me that [ was not the chiid of obscure blood he has proudest houses of Castile in Spain. I will say no more now, but—won’t you come to me, dear? I love you as ever, and [want your help to estublish my | claim to the Codaz. titie and estates. Thereis no | flaw in my pedigree, I am assured beyond doubt; you surely will not be ashamed to vossess the hand you have tainted when you knowthat hand hods a | p!incess’s title. Please come. * Affectionately, *“ BIANCA,” The address was one in the bon-ton portion of the city. Young Banderson pondered deeply. ** Will wonders never cease?” he mused, ** A week ago I was upon the verge of ruin. To-day I am backed by a cool million; am hand- in-glove with one of the wealthiest grandee’s of Spain; and now, to cap the climax of success Iam offsred the hand of a princess of Castile! ‘But can I believe her? May it not be buta deep lot to entangle me? ‘*Pshaw! She has not brains enough for such ascheme,and— Happy thought! Torrento will know if there is a Codaza title! “Stay! She is leading lady at the Theater Parisienne, and it is to the Parisienne we are to go to-night! - ‘* By Jove! if her assumptions prove to be cor- rect, it will be slightly to my interests to Jet the Tilloson slide and fall back upon my plaything, | the Princess di Codaza! Ha! ha! ha! ‘*But there is Flash! Jove! Ican’t lether go! She is by far the most beautiful being I ever sect eyes upon, and if Icould only manage to get more intimately acquainted with the siren, lam sure my success would be certain! And she must have money—willions, to judge by the jewels she wears, ‘¢ Yet there is that devil, Ace High! Oh! ifI could get Torrento at him: once, I would be top of the heap, sure! “Well, Pl think it over, and then ‘feel’ Le Duc abit! ‘The vay things are shaping them- selves for me, Iam a blockbead if I don’t make a ten-strike out of the pile somewhere! ‘Hello! Thero are Le Due’s clay-banks now, Jove! ain’t they steppers! But unless I am greatly mistaken I will yet blossom out with an outfit that will discount the grandee’s two to one!” And so we may naturally assume that the Spaniard found his young friend in tbe best of spirits, that the ride to the former's lodgings was one long to be remembered, and that it was almost like experiencing a cold bath in mid- summer to learn, upon their arrival, that the grandee’s favorite saddle-horse, Erigand, had been taken suddenly ili during the master’s ab- sence, and demanded his immediate attention, Showing his guest to thé coorof an outer apartment, the Spaniard invited him to enter and make himself perfectly at home, then hur- riedly excusing himself, he left for an indefinite period, much to the gratification of the exuber- ant young ‘ blood,” Young Banderson’s first action upon entering the door was to stert back with awe at the sight of the almost Oriental magnificence of the suit of apartments before him, He had never imagined anything to equal the splendid bangings, gees furniture and bric- a-brac that row. fell under his vision thrcugh open double folding-doors that connected the entire suit from smoking-room to bedroom, But he finally recollected that ko was there for another purpose than to indulge in a dream of admiration of the grandee’s lodgings, and he passed into the second apartment, where stood a magnificent rosewood writing-table, littered with a pile of what appeared to be a draft of some old foreign manuscript. As the “ blood ” bent over to examine the huge aienih sheets, his eyes rested upon a name that rought a startled ery to his lips, The manuscript was of parchment—which ac- counted for its ancient appearance—and was closely written in Spanish, a language with adi young Banderson was unusually famil- ar. The name which caught his eye, as before men- ' tioned was Coduza | extent, at any time you happen to encounter ove of ; 3. “i a : y y, Pe ' friend, Carlos of “Torrento, City of led me to believe, but a desc ncant cf one of the | norin my life, either, but what you have made, and | as formerly, 1 will assume that you have not heard | of the death of my father—th:t it has come to light Witk feverish haste the young man began ex- ~ amining the papers, They bore the date of: “ Madrid, February 4, 186-,” and were addressed to: ‘‘My dear exico, Mexico.” And furtber could he believe what he read? the man he had known as Le Duc, was given the power of attorney by the court of Spain and wos charged with tie task of finding, an producing one, Miguel Codaza, or bis heirs; said Miguel Codaza being ‘‘next of kin,” and last inheritor of the estates and title of Marquis del Codezal ‘*So, she is a marquise, eh?’ mattered the blood in a daze, ‘* Tt reads like a tale from the Arabian Nights! Jove! Was there ever such luck as mine? All that is left me todois to marry the little fool before Le Duce finds her, and there I am, one of the wealthiest-- t ** By Jupiter! It almost escaped my memory, but if will never do to go to the Parisienne to- dight—I will leave my regrets for the prince teliing him I am called suddenly away, and will at once proceed to put in my oar for the Codaza estates!” CHAPTER XVII. AMONG THE CROOKS, Ir was Cotty, the crook, who had, upon the evening succeeding that which witnessed Ace High’s narrow escape from the death-chair, discovered that, instead of lying stark and cold beneath the crib, the last mentioned individual was still in his place befcre the table presided over by the Girl Sport, While pushing his way through the crowd that thronged the Golconda, be had+come face to face with the invincible detective, and the unexpected meeting bad almost paralyzed him with fright. : But the Gambler Detective had only said, with a smile that was worse than a menace: ‘Ah! Cotty, my son, we meet once again! But don’t get scart and run, chappy, for I am not ready to run you in yet, **T am looking for that gentlemanly partner ours; good-night!” ‘ben Cotty remembered his ‘f partner” had, upon entering the crib that night, assumed a fair disguise; but nevertheless, he was much troubled in spirit, and wished that either he, or Ace High were a thousand miles from ’Frisco, But the Gambler Detective did not seem dis- posed to leave the city just yet. Indeed, at almost the very moment that Barry Banderson was looking over the Duque de Tor- rento’s private papers, and less than a block from the grandee’s lodgings, Ace High was waiking briskly along the pavement, with an expression of ,th8 deepest exultation upon his usually mask-like face, ‘* Everything is working to a charm!” he mused, glancing sharply though most adroitly into the face of every passer-by, as was his wont, ‘The ‘blood’ is fixed for keeps, the Codaza girl can be depended upon for every dollar a man is worth, for the stakes she has in view; Bonanza Bob is making good headway toward the widow’s heart and fortune, for Iam sure he will declare himself before the ball is over at most, and my next move must be toward corral- ing the Redbird— _“* By Jove! speak of the devil and he will ap- pear! “* Now for a little fox-and-hound work!” It was a wonderful disguise that the Gambler Detective could not penetrate with a single glance. He cared nothing for the rest of the face, so that he could note his man’s eye, It .was sight of the man called by Banker of Banderson ‘ Byrde ag bey whieh brought bins above ejaculation from the man-bunter’s ips. The bandit was most cleverly disguised, but he could not change the expression of his eyes, and these betrayed him to the watchful ferret just ahead. The detective did not attempt to avoid his man, On the contrary, be pretended to be intently studying the upper stories of the buildings on the hither side of the street while the outlaw was passing, He bad an object in thus exposing his undis- « guised features to the gaze of his bitterest foe, Undoubtedly the outlaw would recognize him anyway, and by thus appearing to be uncon- scious of the other’s presence, he would throw his quarry off his guard. His ruse was entirely successful, for kis quick
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ear detected a cessation of the footsteps that had just passed, then he again detected their mea- sured tread upon the pavement not thirty paces behind bim, * All right, Byrde, my boy!” he muttered, “You just come along with me, and we'll have more fun than seven dollars before we seek our downy couches. ; ‘‘ Now for a little ‘cover,’ just to improve our appearance, you know, then fora ‘ touch of high life’ among the ‘ crooks.’” As he said this, the detective stepped into a deep doorway close at hand, adjusted a false beard to his smootbly-shaven face, and an in- stant later was again in motion, with his evilly- smiling trailer close behind. Ace High made straight for the “Crib.” It seemed a foolhardy thing to do, but the in- vincible Gambler Detective knew not the feeling of fear. and it was his choicest amusement to match his wit with that of some noted crook upon the latter’s own territory. ey But he was not the man to auction his life away for a song. ; The bar-room of the Crib (into which I have already introduced the reader) was separated from the street door by a narrow, dark hallway, Entering this hall, the traifed detective, with a lightning-like motion, tore away his beard, hat, and coat, exchanging them for similar arti- cles of a totally different appearance, which he babitually carried concealed about his person, then entered the room beyond in a make-up that would deceive the sharpest pair of eyes there, Taking a balf-burned cigar from his pocket, he quickly lighted it, then seated himself near the door, just as it opened to admit his exultant shadower, The outlaw glanced quickly about the room, paused, took another hurried survey of the motley throng before him, and his face assumed a most comically-puzzled expression. The detective, who appeared to be the pei gory old bummer in the Crib, was tipped back in his chair beside the door, apparently half-asleep, and with his cigar-stub just ready to fall from his lips. As he eyes rested upon the form of the old bummer, the outlaw stepped to his side, ‘* Hello, old fellow, are you asleep?” he asked shaking the other erage ly ‘* Huh-um-yab! hat d’ye want? consarn e! ‘‘Did you see a fellow enter here just ahead of you ” ‘Naw! Hain’t see’d novffic’ ner nobuddy, G’way ’nlemme’lone— Say ’d you arsk me tew hev a drink? “All right!» I’m yer oyster then, Lead ahead, stranger!” and as he became fully awake, though still very tipsy, the “ rough ” to seized the outlaw’s arm, and intimated his readiness to be piloted to the bar. “Dry up, you fool! I hain’t asked you to drink, neither de I intemd to!” grated the lieu- tenant, in anything ‘but a pleasant frame of mind at missing his man, ‘* What! haia’t yew goin’ ter treat, ter pay fer my tellin’ yew about the feller—” “ You hain’t told me abowt him yet. Point him out to me, and I will fill you so full of ‘slush’ that you can’t walk!” ‘‘ By the bawlia’ Bacchus! ’'m yer man! ‘¢ Jest tell me his handle, or how he looks and _ Pil spot him in a jiffy, for 1 knows every galoot that kin git inter this hyer Crib—even tew yer- self!” “ What? you know me?” at Sart'n 1 does, leftenant, though I hain’t sot eyes on ye fer some three years! | ‘‘ Remember me, don’t yer? Old Spotter, ther | crook,” ‘“*T don’t pl are all right. eae 8 ‘But find my man, Spotter, and I will give | you a ‘tenner!’ / $f Jerusba! That’s a whole week’s drunk! ‘* What's yer man look like?” 3 “Tall, straight, dark-face, wears a heavy faise | beard and plaid coat. He entered just ahead of | me, but for my life I can’t discover him in the crowd, j eur may as well tell you he is Ace High in dis- igo! “Jupiter! Ace High! If I can find him the boys’ll set ’em up fer the next month free! “ Here goes!’ and the bummer at once was lost to the bandit’s sigkt in the crowd, Ten minutes of anxious search on the of | the lieutenant had passed, when he felt a slight | pull upon his sleeve. Turning, the outlaw saw standing at his side a form, the sight of which broughta low cry of | wonder from bis lips. ou just now, but I guess you / Ace High, the Frisco Detective. a “1S ‘* Rather! How came you here?” he asked in | a lowtone, ‘*I thought you bad gone to call | upon the Widow Cardigan!” “T did, Byrde; but she was out, sol camo here to see what { could run on to,” ‘Well, you are just in time, Ace High is here in disguise, and unless I am dps mis- taken he does not even suspect that [am on the lookout for him!” ‘Ha! Are you sure he is here?” ‘“*T know it! for I followed him here, and have got a man now looking for him—” ‘Then let us get out at once!” ‘* But why not down the bloodhound now?” ‘For this reason: If your man finds him, the gang will meke short work of him, ‘But it is sure to raise one the biggest rows the Crib has ever witnessed, and if we should be- come mixed upin it, it would be good-by for you, and not much better forme, You must re- member the Crib is under police surveillance!” **- You have got a long head, old man, and are right, of course. ** Come, let’s skip!” ‘Suppose we drop around to the rendezvous, and see what the Hounds are about!” ‘¢ Just the thing; but I wowld like to see this gang down the so-called invincible, Gambler De- tective!” ‘*Of course; but we have too much at stake to take the risk of exposure in a police raid, Iam well satisfied that Ace High will trouble us no more !” Ani the two left the Crib together, Ordering a carriage, and paying the driver we!l to inform them the moment they were fol- lowed, for it was just possible the detective might have ‘‘spotted” the thinly disguised banker-crook and attempt to follow him, they were driven rapidly to within a couple of blocks of old Hop Sing’s “ dive.” pdr ey the driver, after gaining his assur- ance that he had kept a sbarp lookout for trackers, and had discovered none, the two crooks soon entered the Chinese dive, and the banker, falling in behind, was piloted by his so- called son to the door of the council-chamber of the ‘*‘ Hounds,” After a slight pause here for the challenge and countersign, they were admitted to the hall, which was occupied by some twenty men of almost every position in life, It is a matter of history that no criminal organization of the Old or New World was so numerously represented by men of ‘apparent igh and unblemished reputation as was the ‘** Hounds of ’Frisco” at one time! This was the picture the two new arrivals looked upon: At the head of a long table, sur- rounded by a full dozen of the best-known buri- ness men of the Golden City, sat an eminent, well-known judge, complacently listening to the details of an awocious murder committed the night before by the nerrator, and cividing the derived ils among the gang, while at the further side of the room were stationed the lower rank of the ogy sek a most murderows- looking set, regaling themselves from a lerge bottle, and waiting their turn at giving in their reports to the leader, ; As his eyes fell upon Banderson, the judge arose and sai’: “Hello, Nugget! We thought coming, and 1 took your place, dividing the swag!” ou wasn’t ere, finish CHAPTER XVIUI. AMONG THE HOUNDS. A curious expression flushed over the banker's countenance, “Oh, never mind, judge,” he returned. “‘ Now that you have your hard in, just finish the business, | a8 I can stop but a moment.” “You must be out of your senses, captain! I should suppose you wouid be the last one to propos » breaking one of our m st stringent rules, You must know that it is your place, and yours only, to | attend to this matter when you are here ” “True! I did not think; but ! must hurry through for I have an appointment,’ ond the captain seated himself at the table and began counting over the plunder before him, apparently nt noticing the puzzled looks his men bent upon him the while. He soon hed the money arranged upon the table in sixteen piles, and said: : “Here are four hundred and sixty-four dollars to be divided among the sixteen men present, making twenty-nine dollars for each—” ‘But what ails you to-night, captain?” interrupted the judge. ‘Do you mean that we shall share and share alike with the erowd there? “Tf you are to manage the mstter like that, where does our extra money com« from to get the others clear of the * beaks’ when they are caught?” What answer the banker crook wou d have made to the above questions must forever remain a secret ES for at the moment the judge ceased speaking, the heavy curtains at the further end of the room were brushed hastily aside, and beneath them s ‘rode the tall figure of—Captain Nugget, alias Bonanza Bob Banderson! There ensued one awful moment cf deathlike sti!Iness. 1t was broken by the man at the head of the table, or Banderson number ene, who leaped to his feet, crying, as he pointed a heavy revolver at the cther’s, ead: **On your lives, Hounds, secure that man! **Itis some trick! He is a spy in disgui:e—per- haps Acs High himself!” At mention of that dreaded name the gang sprung forward as one man, and before the new arriy.l could offer the least resistance he was in the merci- less grasp of the Hounds of ’Frisco! TLe prisoner was livid as a corpse, and seemed reacy to burst with an emotion that resembled both tear and rage, * And now I command you to secure ¢/:at man this instant, or by the Eternal Heavens! I will had every mother’s son of you over to the law the mo- ment l am freed, if 1 have to stretch hemp as a con- sequence!” the impris ned mean at Jast managed to hiss between his clinched teeth, his m:.u'h frothing, and hi; burning, blood-shot eyes glaring like balls of fir upon the coul unmoved face of the other, The startled and puzzled band turned to look at Nugget number one, He had moved around ro.as to place himself be- tween the captured mon and the curt«ined exit, and now stood ¢c Imly surveying number two over his cocked end leveled 1 evolver. The band also discovered something else—some- thing that Nugget number one could not see from his positir n. But a few paces back of him. and covering his form with two cocked revolvers, was the form of Byrd Raynold, the mountein band t, The lone, low hall, the fear-drawn dr scowling: faces of the outlaws, the two moti nless figures, each holding loaded weapons, in the foregr. und, and all lighted but g'oomily by the flaring lamp unon the table, made a striking and dramatic tableau. T:.. band seemed still too dazed to cbey the com. mand of number two, notwi hstanding vis: signifi- cant tureat; but not’so with Lieut nant Redbird, With a quick leap he reachcd Banderson’s side and gave a quick jerk upon his long iron-gray beard, To the farther amazement of the gang it came off easilv, and they instantly saw through the trick that had been played upon them! ? Not one there but instantly recognized in Bander- son number one the invincible man-hunter, Ace High, the Gambier Detective! But the detective was not idle, Wih one quick, merciless blow he sent the maw who had so adroitly unmarked him reeling the whole width of the hall, to fall, bleeding and insensible, in: a corner, ey It was evidently the cornered man’s intention to make a bold dash thr: ugh the curtains, and thus, by the well remembered passage, to the street, but in this he was foiled by the hasty entrance of the armed guard outside, who-had been attracted by the unusuel disturbance in the courcil-chamber, * Shoot him! kill him!” yelled Nugget, as he tore imeclf awey from his captors. “Or, better still, take him alive, thathe may die a. thousand deaths! “Five hundred doliars to the man who first lays. hands upon the man-hunter !”’ The devective h.d turned, as he drew a second re- volver, to fac: those so cluse behind him, and this. movement preved hin decom, A dark-faced, villaincus-looking thug sprung, with one powerful leap, from the erowd that surrounded Nugect, and threw himself with fall f rece uvon the unprepared spy, just as he, with a quick snap shot, sent a bullet plowing through the should r of the foremost guard, Alittiree ‘cll to the floor with a resounding bang— the guard howling and cursing with pain, the detec- tive almost senseless from the shock «f the other's gigantic leap, and the dark-faced Hound on top with a hand at his victim's throat, The rang now rushed forward, and in a moment Ace Hivh wes a {prisoner, bound beyond any possi- bility of cecape. “You are a hero, Pedro!” cried Nugget to the man wbo had meds the all-important capture, “ond you shall be the one to hoist the man-hunt r ‘over the divide.’ ‘Now let’s attend to Recbird,” The stricken bandit was soon himself, and he re- counted in detail the menner in which he had been duped by the detective at the Crib, It was then dce‘ded thet their dreaded prisoner should die that night, and at once, The helpless man was conveyed to a dungeon like cellar beneath the infernal diye, where he was lash- edand relashed to a stout wood bench ard lett in the hands of his villainous executioner, As the last of the gang left the dungeon they heard the first shriek of agony from the doomed man, Butif they had been a few moments later im leaving, they might also have heard him exclaim: “ Dick, my lad, you are a jewel!” , CHAPTER XIX. AN UNSEEN FOE, Tae banker-crook sat in his elegant office, puffing pevipaipe ata cigar, and wearing a look not pleas-~ ant to see,
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) 14 Opposite him, with one eye closed by a bandage and his left arm in a sling, sat Byrde Raynold. Each wore a louk, that »»uch resembled fear. lt was one of the rules of the Hounds, that execu- tic ns of the kind intimated in the last chapter shouid be accomplished in secret from the rest of the gang; thus, no witness could appear against the execu- tioner under any clicumstances, $> after a reasonable length of time had expired, th» band, with Nugget at their head, repaired to the dungeon before mentioned, to look for the last time upon the mangled body of their most dreaded enemy. But what was their cons ernation to find the dun- geon entirely deserted—captor and cone having peenpeones without leaving a trace of their pres- ence behind. But this was ‘not the only cause for the dark look that Bonanza Bob now wore, There was trouble brewing for him “ on change.” Some one, he could not discover who, had penetrated his gigantic stock scheme, and was now fighting him with a half million doliarsin sight, and with evi- dences of much more back of it, Banderson had immediately advanced a half-mil- lion to bolster up his tottering ‘ corner,” hoping thus to bluff off bis unknown opponent, but what was his amazement, not to say terror, upon the morning in question, to? learn that the mysterious speculator who opposed him, had brought the rival steck to the three-quarter limit, with good chances of winning in the stupendous deal, he banker had grown ten years older in a single night. He had been so sure of coming out of the deal a round million ahead, that the news of the rival operations had nearly paralyzed him. He had but a quarter of a million of available funds left, and as they were securities of the Bonanza Widow, their negotiation was liable to be stopped if the least whisper of his speculations should reach her hearing. There was but one chance left him, and that'was so very sltght, it made him tremble to think of placing his hopes upon it The festive banker had, for some time, been pay- ing assiduous atrention to the B.nanza Widow, and he was well-satisfied that he had only to offer himself to be chosen ‘manager for life ’ of her un- told millions, Once her husband, and with the right to use but a fraction of her great wealth, he would be safe, and she need never know anything about it. But such a thing would take time, and was hardly to be thought of, for in three diys at the most his rival was sure to" plunge” another quarter, and that would necessitate his parting with the last dollar of his borrowed fortune, and that meant an ignominicus exposure anda prison, vniess his rival was bluffed off at the last moment, which was nob ‘probable, “There is but one move left you, old man!” at last Raynold announced gloomily, “You must make a try for the widow's hand, and if successful insist upon an early wedding—ad- vertise your coming marriage with the femals Croesus for all it is worth, then float the securities and swim on your expectations until after the marriage!” “That is all very well; but if she should refuse me?’ “ There's nothing like hing & As far as appear- ances go you are safe enough in that quarter. “Tf she should refuse you—well there is safety among the Hounds, or a band of mountain free- lances!” us : Banderson groaned at thought of giving up his resent life of ease and power, for one of moun- er hardships, or the hunted existence of the hood- um, But before he could put his thoughts into words, the door opened, and Ba the sport entered. His rather handsome features were wreathed with the most exultant smiles, and he seemed ready to burst with some weighty secret. ** What is the matter with you, Barry? You must have struck something rich to judge by your ap- ‘~pearance,”’ said his father in a wondering tone. ** Well, I should remark that I had!” ‘* What is it?” “T am married!” ‘é W-h-a-t?”’ Both his hearers sprung to their feet as though shocked by a galvanic orga ge ‘* What are you driving at, Barry ?’’ “I'm giving it to you straight.” “Then who is the new Mrs. Banderson?” “Her name was Bianca Codaza!” **Fool! Do you mean to say that you have mar- ried that. nameless jade, when the Tilloson millions were almost within your grasp?” * That for the Tilloson millions,” snapping his fin- gers derisively, ‘and in plsce of being tue naw. less ade you insinuate™my wife is the Marquesa del daza, and one of the richest women in Spain!” The * blood” then went on to tell all he knew of the case, of the letter, of the Spanish manuscript he had come upon in Le Due’s rooms, and finally of his secret marriage with the last of the line of Codaza Solver night before. “Then you are really married?” asked the banker, @ little anxiously. ‘Just as solid as the law can make it!” was the reply. Pixna now I go to prepare for the Cardigan ball, for I think it is Le Due’s intention to introduce her there as the Spanish heiress!” “It maybe all right but it lcoks a little suspicious to me!”’ muttered the bandit, as he left the room some time later. Ace High, the Frisco Detective. CHAPTER XX. THE ‘HORROR IN PAINT.”’ THe night of the long-talked-of, and much-pre- pareud-for bal masque given by the Bonanza Widow at last arrived, The magnrificently-illuminated grounds seemed a bit of ‘fairy world, and the re- splendent interior was crowded with the glittering maskers—the bon-ton of ’Frisco, mansion and Soft strains of music floated through the richly- decorated rooms from cunningly-concealed orches- tras, dozens of liveried servants answering the slightest sign from the gues s with the richest ices and sweetmeats, and it was little one there could imagine the strange happenings that would take place beneath that roof before those thousand lights were dimmed by the eon ong Two gentlemen, dressed as the time of James I, in slashed doublets, trunks and hese. with wide ruffs, plumed hats, and flowing cloaks, might be seen lounging about the great pic- ture gallery arm in arm, interestedly examining the costl? works of art with which the room was lavishly furnished. At one side of the long apartment, in a dimly- illuminated alcove across which a heavy curtaia was half drawn, stood a richly-carved easel holding a ae painting that was closely vailed, ‘Ah! What have we here, Byrde?’’ cried the elder of the two, as his roving eye caught sight of the vailed easel. ‘*A vailed picture always excites my curiosity, ‘*Let us investigate,” and he led the way to the curtaired alcove and entered. Unlcoping the vaii at one corner, the elder man yen it aside, and the paintivg that had so aroused his curiosity stood revealed in the dim light, One glance he east upon the canvas, then reeled back with a low, wheezing cry, and would have fal- do insensible had not the other promptly caught fim. ‘““What in the name of Hades is the matter, father? What have you seen?’ c ied the younger ao pol glancing beyond the picture almost fear- ully. “ Great God! don’t you see? Look there!” The one addressed followed with his eyes the di- rection of the other’s pointing finger until his glance rested upon the painted eanvas, when he, too, gprung backward, uttering a startled oath. Both men continued to guze as though fascinated by the scene portrayed upon the cloth, th: ir faces whitening beneath their fringed masks and their forms trembling as though chilled with an ague! The scene which the painting represented was one of wild mountain grandeur. The foreground was a burnicg log cabin, which lighted up the surrounding pines and the distant, in- eh he line of the rugged mountains with a strange, ghostly light. Toppling wpon the brink of a black, wind-swept gorge, a lightning-scarred pine threw out its bare, skeleton arms. Bound to its barkless trunk, his grizzled locks tcss- ing wild'y in the night wind, bis glaring eyes and anguish-distorted features set like an alabaster mask at the seene of horror that was being enacted before him, was a man of more than iniddle age, eovered with wounds from which the crimson streams could be seen slowly trickling. And that scene! A dozen rough, wild-looking fellows scattered about in front of the burning cabin, half ct them having just succeeded in bursting cpen a huge iron- bound chest, thus disclosing to their gloating gaze a fortune in glittering nuggets and sacks of gold-dust; another having just’ driven a knife flush to the hilt into the breast of a mere lad; three others, each with the mangled form of a c ild held exultinely aloft; and the last, the chief, evidently, holding a woman by her long, disheveled hair and holding the keen point of a bowie at her white, shapely throat. It was a strange, a terrible subject for a painting, ree » showed in every detail the touch of a master and, Raynold was the first to recover his voice, ‘* Hounds of Hades!” he hissed, chokingly, ‘* what trick is this? “°Twas no chance, nor accident that placed this infernal picture here! It is some deep plot concoct- ed by our enemies, and by the Eternal Heavens! I will find out what it means before I leave this house!” “Come, let us go—I shall suffocate here! “On, that terrible scene! It is exect in every de- tail. Yes, it was placed there for a purose feel it! She painted it—Aureola, or Flash. here to-night-and the devil, Ace High! They will win. Ihave feltitallalong. Come! Let us leave the house, the city, the country—anywhere, to get rid of them, and to forget that terrible seene—” ' "That wil do, old man. / grip! ‘*T won't leave the country, nor the city. nor the house, until { have unraveled this cursed myst: ry! “Go brace yourself upon a stiff glass, for I may need your help before morning. ** And, besides, you mu-tcome to some decision with the widow,” and he turned to lead the way out of the alcove. As he did so,a female figure darkened the cur- tained exit. - Her costume was a jewel-bespangied pink domino, a gilt crown graced her shapely head, from which fell a long, cloudelike vail of white, and her face was hidden behind a mask, But the two cavaliers had no difficulty in eee | nizing in the pink domino the mistrass of the super | establishment, Madame Cardigan. | ‘Oh, senors! If you haven’t found that ‘horror She may be You are losing your English cavaliers of in paint,’ as I callit. I hid it away in that aleove so ‘ that no one would get the horrors looking at it, and here it is found the first thing!” she cried, as she seemed to try to penetrate the cisguises of the two before her. ** We are very sorry, madam, for having intruced, and humbvy ask your pardon—” ‘But you must not! I assure you it is no intru- sion. ** You are more than welcome to examine the pic- | ture, but it is such a terrible subject I can never bear to look at it; and how I ever came to buyitisa mystery.” : “Then you know the artist?” “Oh, no; that is, I never saw her before, nor since, for that ma'ter,” “What! you would have one understand that the painting is the work of a woman?” ° “Yes, or. ra her, a girl. At least she claimed to be the artist, though i! is just possible she stole it. “Tt was in Mexico, four years ago. She affirmed | the scene h re displayed really happened, but of | course I could not credit that story! | *Do you supp:se that ever a man lived in thy ninetheenth century inhuman enough to stab that innocent boy to the heart like that?’ ‘She little thinks she is speaking to the murderer himself!’ thought Redbird, | ‘*And lock at the wretch in the foreground!” pursued the the widow. ‘‘See him wrench back ; the woman’s head, and slowly push the sharp blade into her delicate throat! The man that could do such a thing could stab bis own motler to the heart!" The di groan, an ised banker uttered a low, gurgling seemed about to fall. ‘““No woncer the story fills you with horror! I shall destroy the painting to-morrow, and yet, it holds a strange fascination over me.”’ “Do you know the name of the artist?” asked Raynold. ‘It bas slipped my memory: but here are the initials npon the bottom of the canvas—A, R,” ‘**Oome, let us go!’’ muttered Banderson. “Now is your time to try your luck with the widow!” whispered the bandit. Bonanza Bob-took the hint, and 1 d the lady to- ward the conservatories, As Raynold was about to leave the alcove a few moments later, his attention was attract: d by the rustle of a curtain on the opposite side of the gal- lery, and the next moment an unmasked face, ap- peared for but an instant. ‘*Ace High!” yelled R-dbird, leaping fran‘ ically toward the curtain, — CHAPTER XXII. DUEL IN MASK. | Tue bandit went through the curtained opening with a tiger-like spring, unmindful of what might be beyond, He alighted upon a, broad gallery at the rear of the mansion. y Slowly retreating, and but a few paces away, was the tall form of a man in the costume of an Algerine Bey, his long mantle pulled aside revealing the terri- are re Mcslem dagger bound to his jeweled girdle. “Tis he!’ hissed Redbird, as he prepared to spring upon the unsuspecting form before him. ‘*T noticed the diamond-studded Mussulman cap, with its peacock plume— ‘‘T have you now, hound! But one of us leaves this place alive!’ and the bandit e;sayed to clutch the other by the taroat. But with a quick, supple turn of his body, the Al- gerine escaped the clutch, at the same time dealing his antagonist a crushing blow in the breast that sent him headlong from the gallery, to roll among the shrubbery below. With a light leap the A’gerine followed him, and as the other gaine face. **You devil! Iwill have your life, or leave my dead body in this garden!” snarled the bandit, as he made a savage tunge with his bowie that was adroitly parried by the Moslem’s curved blade. |} “YT know not who you are, senor, nor do I care to ! know. I am always anxious to accommodate my friends in a matter of this kind,and will promise you all the amusement you can wish before we have done?” remarked the Mcslem, in a cold, even tone, that sent a chiil to the bandit’s hear, ‘* Now for it!’ and the heavy blades crossed with aieing clatter that told of deadly purposes back of them, The bandit fought wildly, desperately! The Mos- lem was cool, almost to carelessness. Redbird was becoming winded as the fight w: nt on, while the other seemed to be but just getting in- to fighting trim. Twice tte bandit had left his breast exposed in recovering his savage lunges; and twice the Mos- lem had struck him a light blow with his fist. ‘*Curse you! What is your game? Why don’t you strike home when you have the chance? I | shall!’ hissed Redbird, ; **T do not want your blood!” was the reply. | ‘*T merely accepted your challenge for the prac- tice I could derive from the fight. ‘*T shall tire you out—it is the only way to deal | with such stubborn fools as you!”’ This taunting speech enraged the bandit still | more, and he renewed the attack with redoubled zest. At this moment a shout was heard near at hand. ' and a richly appareled masker and half a dozen | servants rushed upon the scene. ‘“‘Le Duce! lieutenant! his feet the two stood face to What does this mean?”
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eried the new arrival, whom Redbird at once recog- nized as Barry Banderson. “What's that? You are not Torrento!”’ gasped the bandit, starting back from his antagonist, Ace High, the Frisco Det **At your service, senor:’’ was the reply, as the | duelist removed his mask, thus disclosing the well- known features of the Spanish vrandee * Butfam at a loss to know the offense I have committed, and which you are so eager to wipe out | with my b'ood.”’ “Heavens! There is none. was you, Can you ever pardon my :errible blunder, r 9”) prince? : “Basily, amigo! Thereis no harm done. Come, let us forget: the occurrence over a bottle of wine,” As the curtain rose for the last time the audience arose -n masse to catch every detail of the tableau before them, Upon the stage, which represented most naturally a cave, and in the most natural positions imagina- ble, were a full score of vi lainous-appearing ban- di's, bound and gagged and guarded by a file of biue-clad police, : Directly in front. and faciug the audience, stood a ' robed and belted Episcopal clergyman, about to be- I did not dream it | and the grandee led the way toward the mansion. | The bandit had, as yet, taken no notice of the ser- | vants that had arrived upon the scene with young Banderson, but as he was about to step through the open window he glancea back. As he did so he uttered a sharp cry, and reeled in- | sensible into Torrento’s arms. Three of the servants were Fr: kelheim, Melbourne and Black Jim! CHAPTER XXII. A LOVE SCENE. Two persons satin a shadowy nook of the con- servatory that was ingeniously protected from observation by a broad-leaved flowering polm. They were Banker Banderson and the beautiful young widow. ‘“My beautiful one!” cried the cavalier, as he threw himself at tbe feet of the girl-widow, but forgetting to remove his mask. “It you the story of my mad, unconcrollable love for ou— ; *Oh!lyou must not talk so—I cannot listen to such words—you have no right—”’ * Then give me the right. You will never find such love as mine, andsurely I hava no rival for your affections!” ‘*You are mistaken, senor. My heart is alrealy iven to another—” “What? Ha! The Spaniard, Torrento, the», is your lover!”’ “You are mistaken again, senor. I know notin what light the prince regards me but I could never regard himin the manner you suggest. *N»>: the one to whomI have given my heart, thourh he has never declared himself. is an Ameri- ean. a good, true man who has my interes’s entirely at heart, as I known by the manner in which he has safely invested the fortune which | intrusted to him but a few days ago—”’ “Can I hear aright—I am not mistaken! You have not recognized me!’ and the banker crook tore the mask fiom his features. The woman uttered a startled cry. * Robert!’’ she exclaimed, essaying to ise and flee. “What haveI said! I did not know—you should have made yourself known! Oh! Let me go--” and the beautiful girl-widow burst into tears. As for Banderson, he was’at once transported into the seventh hsaven of delight. Claspthg the fair form in his arms, he poured forth the passiona'e appeal which he had com- mitted to memory for the occasion, and his words were not uttered in vain. “Then you will be mine, Anita; say that you will be mine!”’ * Yes, Robert; I wil be yours, for I have loved you from the first moment of our acquaintance.” 66 And you will not keep me waiting long for my bride?” ‘*No; I will waive my prerogative, and let you set the time!” ‘Then I say at once, my beautiful one! To- nighr—”’ 8 On! What can you be thinking of? What would people say? “They would say [had won the most beautiful bride in the world! You are ever striving to enter tainyour guests—what would be more interesting then & wedding at midnight?” “Tt isa great temptation—such an adventure; I have half a mind—”’ . rs fe you consent?”’ es ’ ——— CHAPTER XXIII. THE END OF THE DRAMA. Tue most interesting part of the magnificent en- tertainment was axeries of amateur theatricals, per- formed wpon a temporary stage at one end of the great ball-room, comprising tableaux, comedies, and a brilliant drama, The ae ing was perfect, the costumes were superb, and the audience applauded accordingly. The drama of five acts came last, and was the most interesting thing on the programme. Thegay audience were worked up to the high/st itch of excitement by the intrieate workings of the Fret four acts, and could scarcely curb their impa- tience until the grand coup of the last act. is to tell | It would require another book of this size to give , in detail all the curious workings of the interesting piece, so let it merely be said that the hero bravely defeated the machinations of his enemics, and in their very presence—they were inthe hands of the law—wedded the beroine, whom he had saved from their clutches. The first scene of the last act portrayed the man- ner in which be trapped the gang that had eworn to ruin him, and the last sceré was that of the mar- riage. ottoaee : : . 044 ead laity rhe te walt th Mine i aye. PS iis a rh in shay od nS aes on eae GPA ies 5c Anibal safieng bites CEA ey TN ee |. Firat aM ee i det ote ity halen tale ee oh ae Aa ie aaa x as Fo uae) bbe Eloeaa ty eae te tS NW eee eat 2 UTA: | gin the ceremony of a real marriage. As the curtain rose a slight disturbance arose in the rear of the audience, but it was quickly sup- pressed, and none there so much as imagined that a man had been seized. ound and gagzed in their very midst. And now the deep tones of the clergyman sounded through the great hall, the couple before him an- swered promptly, and the spectators were prepar- ing to give the great act the tremendous applause it merited. Many recognized in the bride the mistress of the mansion, but they hardly dared cream that it was a real marriage they were witnessing, And now it was over: the minister congratulated the happy pair; the groom turned to sa!ute his bride a3 she drew the heavy vail from her features, then started from her with a shriek of rage and despair that reverberated through the long rooms like the wail of a lost soul. The bride turned. It was not the girl widow, but a woman of forty, once handsome, but with seams of care and trouble ec rrugatiog her dark features, now lighted up by an expression of wild, exulting triumph, The groom, whom they recognized as the elegant Bonanza Bob Banderson, had suvk almost insensible int ) the arms of two of the blue-clad policemen, Silence like death reirned over the great hall. A gentleman stepped to the front of the stage. It was Carlos, Duque del Torrento, * Ladies and Sentiemen,"” he said, * an explanation of the strange cccurrences that have just taken place, and that will shortly take place, is no, more than your due; so, if you will give me your atten- tion but a few moments, T will rel te to you a true history of one of the most wonderful romances on record. “Thirty years ago, two cousins, one aman, the other a knave, left the ruined home of their uncle in Mak aa to seek their fortunes in the then unknown est. ““The man was possessed of good business princi- ples, the knave was possessed of no principles whatever. ‘“Pwice the,man accumulated a fortune, only to be ruined by the false professions of the knave, “*T have not time to give the full history of the lives of these two men. Suffice it to say, the man, after a time, met, loved ani wedded the daughter of a Spaniard of noble blood, but who had been ruined by speculation, and who was living the life of a re- cluse with his beautiful child in the wilds of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, * A rear of happiness passed, when the old Span- jard died. ‘Tt was his wish to be buried beneath the founda- tions of his wild mountain home, »* His wishes should be carried out. ‘“A deep grave was dug in the flinty soil beneath the cellar—but the old noble was not buried there, “In dizging the man had ceme upon a m ne of rold that contained a fortune equaling that of the famed Montezumas. “Tne years fl*w on, and he worked the mine in secret. “A family grew up around him, and at last le found himself a millionaire a hundred times over. “ He was content with this, and was just upon the point of leaving the wild spot, when there occurred that which blasted all his after life, ‘In the mean time the knave had become the lea ier of the most powerful criminal organization in the country. “They were called the Hounds. ‘**Ropine and murder s‘alked rampant where they were found. ‘* Then came the Committee of Vigilance, ‘‘Tho chief was foreed to fly the city with a dozen ef lis most cesperate adherents, among whom was his illegitimate son. “They s ught the mountains, came upon the gold hermit, massacred his whole family to force him to reveal the secret of his hidden mine, and left him for dead. “Here is the scene cf. the massacre, painted by the only survivor,” and the Span’ard unvailed an easel that had been placed at his silo, diselosing to the horrified audience the * herror in paint,” which we have before seen, “Think not fora moment that the man chose to see bis family massacred in the stead of giving up his stupendous horde to the bandits. ‘ Atthe first onslanght the son of the knave stab- | bed the youth to the heart as you see in the paint- ing, and with the next breath the three young , children shared hi: fate. The man could not speak; his tongue refused to act; he Was powerless. frozen—he went mad! Isaid all wer» massacred; a beautiful girl of ten had gone into the mountains for game, as was her wont, for she was brought up to the use of fire- aims, and having followed her game till late, did not return until the tragedy had assumed the aspect seen in the painting, As she came upon the scene she was struck senseless at the awful sight. and did not regain con- sciousness until the band had left the vicinity with but a trifle of the horde they had expected to find. Her father was now her only living relative, bu’ ective, ! 15 | every member of his body was paralyzed except his eyes. Rs Ladies and gentlemen, my story is near igs close. “There is the knave—the man whom you have known as Bonanza Bob Banderson! There is_ his murderous elder son; he is the Lieutenant Redbird of the Overland trails. — “* And here,”’ as a wheel-cbair containing the form of a man was moved forwaru, “is the man, Henry Singleton Raye, who was made a * living corpse* by his cousin, the knave, upon the night of the massa- cre in Sierra Nevada, “One thing more; the daughter Aureola Raye, made oath to bring the murdercrs of her fami y to the gallows, and she has all but succeeded, with the help of the twin dtectives, Richardand Asa Hicton, better known as Dead-Shot Dick, and Ace High, the Gambler Detective. “The lady herself is known to you under the two characters of, the Bonanza Widow, and Flash, the Girl Sport. ‘* And now, thanking you for your kind attention, I bid you good-evnning!” The grandee wes about to step back, when a form glided to his side, a soft, white hand was laid up- on bis arm, and two beautiful dark eyes gazed into bis own, It was Aureola Raye-—-the Bonanza Widow—Flash, the Girl Sport. “Ladies and gentlemen,’ she said, “‘ the senor has not finished his story! Besides telling you that the woman who has just been wedded to the banker- crook, is Christie Adante, the mother of Lieutenant Redbird, be should have told you that he, Carlos of Torrento, is none other than Ace High, the Gambler Detective, the truest, bravest, roblest man in the world, and the only man I ever did or can love!” and the two disappeared amid an encore that shook the walls. CHAPTER XXIV. ENDS THE ROMANCE. A rew words here should suffice. The bandits upon the stage that right were no deluzion, but were the remnant of the Rod Birds of the Rockies, so cleverly captured by Richard Hic- ton, the detective, though the whole affair was planned by Ace High. After his return to ’Frivco with the bandits and their gurd, Dead-shot Dick had used the papers wrung from Heinrich Frekelheim in the manner related, to gain admittance to the secret council of the Hounds. We may’as well confess that it was a preconcerted arrangement between the detective brothers that they should enter the cou.cil chamber upon. this night, so the mystery of Ace High’s escape from the Hounds is a mystery no longer. i This same visit led to the total annihilation fof the Hounds, and the running of old *‘ Hop, the de- mon,’ out of the city. The papers which Barry Banderson found UNoH “Te Due’s” desk were, of course, forgeries; but the ends certainly justified the means, when we reflect that the wrongs of an innocent girl were righted. y ung Banderson went down step by step, until he was forced to flee to the mountains, wiere his father and Redbird had escaped after breabing jai! on the night preceding their execution. Tha banker-crook’s rival in the gigantic sprcula- tion, which space has limited to a mere mention In these pages, was, of course, Ace High, with all of the ‘ Bonanza Widow’s”’ great wealth to back him, After Barderson’s consignment to prison, the creat detective car ied on the game in stocks to a successful issue, and made the million Bonanza Bob hed calculated upon, A word for Paddy McCraken, the Trish Hoodlum: The great services he had rendered to his detec- tive employer asa Spy were not forgotten, and he was raised forever above want; besides being talen in training by Dead-shot Dick, who never left his profession of man-hunter, but “died with his boots on,” some ten years ago in a “dive” in Denver, and was found with his steel-like hand clutching the throat of his qua'ry—both dead! Ace High is to-day one of the solid business men of ’Frisco, his gambling instincts having been sati- ated by the long, monotonous “ business”’ play at the Golconda while in the Sropey of the beautiful woman wi.o is now his wife—Flash, the Girl Sport of ‘Frisco. THE &ND BY ALBERT W, AIKEN, 11 The Two Detectivens or, The Fortunes ofa Bowery Girl 76 Abe Colt, the Crow-Killer. 7) Sol Ginger, the Giant Trapper, wk . Illa Boy Pard. 8 Joo Buck of Ange wets of Tricks a Teaps in Gotham. 8 had England Nicks or, The Fortunes of a Foundling. iE Ereed Detective. York: or, The Cowboy's Fight. BY LIFUT. H. D. PERRY, U. 8. N. 76 Roy Runaway}; ot, The Buccaneer of the Bay, aao ane Bee Trailer t or, A Vow Wall Kept. 192 Captain Kit; or, The Mystery of Montauk Point, A New Iaaue Every Tuesday. Dime Library |s for sale by all ne PR coe Bs winmhiomor by mail on receipt ot six cents each, BEADLE AND ADAMBA, Publishers, 98 William Street, New Work’ dealers, five 5 des et iiiggd ot OEE a er eee ee pb heed SRUMAS TS ae =4 ae se ao at = zs zs mo aa 2 2s pst 3 = # 5 =
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ay ee Published Every Tuesday. a wach Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents. No Double Numbers. RST OS LS SO Pe TR BY EDWARD L. WHEELER, Deadwood Dick Novela 1 Deadwood Dick, the Prince ot the Road, [20 Deadwood Dick’s Defiance; or, Double Daggers. 28 Deadwood Dick in Diaguise; or, Buffal. Ben 85 Deadwood Dick in His Castle. 42 Deadwood Dick’s Bonanza; or, The Phantom Miner. 49 Deadwood Dick in Danger; or, Omena Oll. STF Deadwood Dick’s Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood Bar, 78 Deadwood Dick on Deck; or, Calamity ¢ tne, the Heroine 7 Deadwood Dick’s Last Acts or, Corduroy Charlie. 100 Deadwood Dick in Leadville. 104 Deadwood Dick’s Device; or, The Double Cross Sign. 109 Deadwood Dick aa Detective. 129 Deadwood Dick's Double; or, The Gorgon’s Gulch Ghost. 188 Deadwood Dick’s Home Kase; or, Blonde Bill. 149 Deadwood Dick’s Big Strike; or, A Game of Gold. 156 Deadwood Diek of Deadwood: or, The Picked Party. 195 Dendwood Dick’s Dream; or, The Rivels of the Road. 201 Deadwood Dick’s Ward; or, The Black Hill’s Jezebel. 205 Deadwood Dick’s Doomy or, Calamity Jane’s Adventure. 21iT Deadwood Dick’s Dead Deal. 221 Deadwood Dick’s Death-Plant, 282 Gold-Dust Dick. A Romance of Rough« and Toughs, 268 Deadwood Dick’s Divide; or, The Spirit of Swamp Lake. 268 Deadwood Dick’s Death Trail. 809 Deadwood Dick’s Deal; or, The Gold Brick of Oregon. 821 Deadwood Dick’s Dozen; or, The Fakir of Phantom Flats 847 Deadwood Dick’a Ducata; or, Days in the Diggings. 851 Deadwood Dick Sentenced; or, The Terrible Vendetta. 862 Deadwood Dick’a Claim. 405 Deadwood Dick tn Dead City. 410 Deadwood Dick’s Dinmonds. 421 Deadwood Dick in New Yorks or, A “ Cute Case.” 480 Deadwood PDick’s Dust; or, The Chained Hand, 448 Deadwood Dick, Jr43 or, The Crimson Crescent Sign, 448 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’a, Deflance. 458 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s Full Hand, 459 Deadwood Dick, dr.’s, Bie Round-Up. 465 Deadwood Dick, Jdr.’s. Racket at Claim 10, ATL Deadwood Dick, Jr.’a, Corral; or, Bozeman Bill. A476 Dendwood Dick, Jr.’«, Dog Detective. 481 Dendwood Dick, Jr., In Deady ood, 491 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’«, Compact. 496 Dendwood Dick, Jr.'s, Inheritance, 600 Deadwood Diek, dr.’s, Diggturs. 50S Deadwood Dick, dr.’a, Deliverance. B15 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Protegee. H22 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’a, Three. 5629 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Danger Ducka. 554 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’«, Death Hunt. 539 Peadwood Dick, Jr., In Texas, 544 Deadwood Dick, dre, the Wild West Vidoog 549 Deadwood Dick, Jr., on His Mettle. 554 Dendwood Dick, dr., tn Gotham, 561 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Boston. h67 Deadwood Dick, Jr., In Philadetphia. S572 Deadwood Dick, dr., in Chicago. BTS Deadwood Dick. Jr., Affeat. BS4 Deudwood Dick, dr., in Denver. 590 Deadwood Dick. Jr.'s, Decree. 595 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Reeclzebub’s Basin. 600 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Coney Island. 606 Deadwood Dick, dr.’s, Leadville Lay. 612 Deadwood Dick, dr., in Detroit. 618 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Cincinuatl. 624 Deadwood Dick, dr., in Nevada. 630 Deadwood Dick, Jr., tw Ne Man's Land, 686 Deadwood Dick, dr., After the Queer. 642 Deadwood Pick, Jr., in Buffalo. 645 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Chase Across the Continent 654 Deadwood Dick, dr., Among the Smugglers. 660 Deadwood Diek, Jr.’s, [naurance Case, 666 Deadweeod Dick, Jr., Back in the Minca, 672 Deadwood Dick, dr., ta Durango; or, “ Gathered In.” 678 Deadwoed Dick, Jr.’a, Piscovery; or, Found a Fortune. 684 Deadwoed Dick, dr.’s. Dazzle. 690 Deadwood DPtck, Jr.’s. Dellara. 695 Deadweed Dick, Jr., at Dauger Divide. 700 Deadweod Dick, Jr.’s, Drep. T04 Veadweed Dick, Jr., at Jack-Pet. 710 Deadweeod Dick, Jdr., in San Frauctsco. 716 Deadweed Diek, Jr.'s, Still Ment. 722 Deadwoed Dick, Jr.’s, Deminecs, T28 Deadweod Diek, Jr.'s, Disgaiae. 84 Deadweed Diek, Jr.'s, Deuble Deal. Deadweod Dick, dr.’s, Deathwatch. Deadweed Diek, Jr.’«, Deublet. Deadweed Dick. Jr.’s, Deathblow. Deadwood Diek, dr.’s, Desperate Strait. Deadweed Diek, dr.’s, Lene Maud. Deadweed Diek, Jr.'s, Detcat. Deadweod Dick, Jr.'s, Reaurreetion. Deadweod Dick, dr.’s, Dark Days. Deadwoed Dick, dr., Defied. Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Double Device. Deadwood Dick, Jr’.e, Desperate Venture. Deadwood Dick, Jdr.’a, Diamond Dice. 807 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Reyal Flush. 812 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Head-off, 816 Deadwood Dick, dr.’s, Rival. RY WM. & PATTEN. 629 Vielet Vane, the Velvet Spor; or, The Jubilee of Jacktown, 66% Vialet Vare’s Victory; or, The Jasper City Clean Ont. 698 Vielet and Daisy, the Posy Paris. 2705 Violet Vane’s Vows; or, The Cratty Detective’s Cratt. 724 Violet Vane’s Vengeance; or, The Wipe-Ont. 730 Vielet Vane’s Verdiets or, The Game at.Coffin City. TAL Violet Vane, the Ventriloquist Vidocq: or, Sport vs. Sport. 750 Violet Vane, the Vanquished, or, The Life Siruggte. 768 Violet Vane’s Vision; or, The Fiery Hand of Fate. 4AXY Tho Iiamond Sport; or, The Double Face of Bed Rock, 519 Captain Mystery 3 or, Five in Cue, oat Daley Ware the Sport from Denver. SST Old Hombshell, the Ranger Detective. #04 Iron Fern, the Man of Fire; or, Among the Vultures. 619 The Boy Tramp Detectives: or, The Donbie Grip Witneas 611 Dismal Dave’s Dandy Pardy; or, The Clue to Capt. Claw 651 Bound Boy Frank, the Young Amateur Detective 682 Wild Vulcans, the Lone-Rance Rider, 714 Old Mixery the Man from Missouri, 774 Clear-Grit Cal, the Never Say-Die Detective, 789 Sam Sheridan, the Secret Service Special. 806 Cowboy Steve, the Ranch Mascot. RY COs, AR. HOUT. 1 Weadlight Warry’s Flyer; or, Duke Derby. 8 Headlight Narry’s Hacard; or, The Lightning Express 1 ? ‘ ~ = LEMIA GNENCSSLEBA Detective. Meadlight VWarry’s Want; or, The Railroad Pards, Headlight Warry’s Siren; or, Mad Madge. 9 Headlight Harry’s Heritage. Wenadlight HWarry’s Hunt; or, The Cache of Gold. lack Huckektin; or, The Masked Men of Death Canyon, Kenneth, the Knife-King; or, The Deomed Six. Little Lightféot, the Pilot of the Woods. The Dandy Sport; or, The King Pin Conspirator. BY RUFFALO BILL (Hon. Wm, F. Cody). Kansas King: or, The Red Right Hand. 19 The Phantom Spy: or, The Pilot of the Pratrie. BG lendly-Eye, the akeown Seout, cr, The Banded Brotherhood 68 Border Robin Hoed;: or, The Prairie Rover. 158 Faney Frank of Colorado; or, The Trapper’s Trust. FRPRAII-IA oD 7 ees SAS BY EDWARD L. WHEELFR. Rosebud Rob, the Sport. 80 Rosebud Rob; or, Nugget Ned, the Knight. 84 Rosebud Rob on Hand; or, Idy!, the Girl Miner. 88 Rosebud Kob’s Reappeuarance; or, Photograph Phil, 121 Rosebud Rob's Challenge; or, Cinnamon Chip. Denver Doll, 277 Denver Doll, the Detective Queen; or, The Yankee’s Surround 281 Denver Doll's Victory; or, Skull and Crossbones, 285 Denver Doll's Decoy ; or. Little Bill’s Bonanza, 296 Denver Doll's Drift; or, The Road Queen. Yreka Jim, 868 Yreka Jim, the Golid-Vatherers or, The Life Lottery. 872 Yreka Jim’s Prize; or, The Wolves of Wake-Up, BS5 Vreka Jim's Jokers or, The Rivals of Red Nose, 889 YVreka Jim’s New Role; or, Bicycle Ben, 894 Yreka Jim of Yuba Dam, Detective Fritz. 209 Fritz, the Bound-Boy Detective; or. Dot Leetle Game. 218 Fritz to the Front; or, The Ventriloquist Hunter, Sierra Sam. 244 Sicrra Sam, the Frontier Ferret; or, A Sister's Devotion, 248 Sierra Sams Secret; or, The Bloody Footprints, 253 Sierra Sam’a Pard; or, The Ange! ot Big Vista, 258 Sierra Sam’s Seven} or, The Stolen Bride. ue Kangaroo Kit. B84 Kangaroo Kits or, The Mysterious Miner. 889 Kangaroo Kit’s Racket; or, The Pride of Played-Out. Detective Stories. 89 Death-Face, Detective; or, Life in New York, 69 The Boy Detectives or, Guid Rifle, the Sharpehooter, 96 Watch-Eye, the Detective; or, Arsbs and Aagels. 17 Gilt-Edged Dick, the Sport Detective 45 Captain Ferret, the New York Drtective. 161 New York Nell, the Boy-Girl Detictive, 226 The Arab Detectives or, Snoozer, the Boy Sharp. 291 Turk, the Boy Ferret. 825 Kelley, Hickey & Co,, the Detectives of Philadelphia, $48 Manhattan Mike, the Bowery Detective, 400 Wrinkles, the Night-Watch Detective. 416 High Hat Marry, the Base Ball Detective, 426 Sam Slabsaides, the Beggar-Boy Detective. 484 Jim Beak and Pal, Private Detectives. Other Novel« by E. L. Wheeler. 26 Cloven Hoef, the Buffalo Demon: or, The Border Vultures, $2 Bob Woelfs or, The Girl Dead-Shot, 45 Old Avalanche; or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigand, 53 Jim Bludsoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix. 61 Buckhern Bill; or, The Red Rifle Team. 92 Canada Chet 3 or, Old Anaconda in Sitting Bull’s Camp, 18 Jack Hoyle the Young Speculator. > Bonanza Bill, Miner; or, Madam Mystery, the Forger. 8 Boas Kob the King of Bootblacks 41 Solid Sam, the Boy Road-Agent; or, The Branded Brows, - . 1 - Nobby Nick of Nevada; or, The Sierras Scamps. Wild Frank the Buckskin Bravo; or, Lady Lily’s Love, 6 Agolle Pill, the Trail Tornado; or, Rowdy Kate. 40 Cyclone Kit, the Young Gladiator; or, The Locked Valley. 27ZB Tumbe Jee, the Boy Patrol: or, The Rival Heirs, 299 A Ne. 1, the Dashing Toll-Taker. RoaImeew BY COLONEL PRENTISS INGRAHAM, Detective Dick Doom. Bick Doom’s Death-Grip; or, The Detective by Destiny, Dick Doom’s Destiny; or, The River Blachleg’s Terror, Dick Doom; or, The Sharps and Sharks of New York, Dick Doom in Boston; or, A Man of Many Masks, Dick Doom in Chicago. Dick Doom in the Wild Weat. 808 Dick Doom’s Clean Sweep; or, Five Links in a Clue, 808 Dick Doom’s Death Clue. 818 Dick Doom’s Diamond Deal. Dashing Charlie. 749 Dashing Charlie; or, The Kentucky Tenderfoot’s First Trail, 756 Dashing Charlie's Destiny; or, The Renegade’s Captive, 760 Dashing Charlie’« Pawnee Pard. 766 Dashing Charlie, the Rescuer. Buck Taylor, (Buffalo Bill’s Cowboy Chief.) 497 Buck Taylor, King ot the Cowboys. 787 Buck Taylor, the Comanche’s Captive. 748 Buck Taylor's Boys; or, The Red Rivers of the Rio Grande, Pawnee Bill. 560 Pawnee BULL, the Prairie Shadower, 718 Pawnee Bil; or, Carl, the Mad Cowboy. 719 Pawnee Bill's Pledge; or, The Cowboy's Doom. 725 Pawnee Bill; or, Daring Dick. Detective Redfern, 692 Redfern’s Curious Case; ©, The Rival Sharps. 697 Redfern at Devil’s Ranch; or, The Sharp from Texas, 702 Redfern’s High Hand; cr, B Jucket. 707 Redfern’s Last Trail; or, The Red Red Ralph. 668 Red Ralph’s Ruse; or, The Buceaneer Midshipman, 674 Red Ralph’s Bold Game; or, ‘the Wizard Sailor. 679 Red Kalph, the Shadower, or, The Freebooter’s Legacy. Batterfly Bully, (Buffolo Bill's Pard.) 644 Butterfly Billy’s Disguise. 650 Butterfly Billy, the Pony i xprees Kider, 656 Butterfly Billy’s Man Hunt. 662 Butterfly Billy’s Bonanza, Kent, the Card King. 565 Kent Kingdon; or, The Owls of the Overland. 570 Kent Kingdon’s Shadower 3 or. the Card Qneen, 5675 Kent Kingdon’s Duel; or, Toe Surgeon Scout, 5686 Kent Kingdon’s Doom} or, The Buckskin Avenger, Lafitte, the Pirate. 545 Lafitte Run Pown;: or, The Bueenneers of Barrataria, 550 Lafitte’s Legacy; or. The Avenging Son. 555 Lafitte’s Confession; or, The Creole Corsair. The Buckskin Brothers. 520 Buckskin BI, the Comanche Shadow, 5625 The Buckskin Brothers in Texas. 580 The Buckskiu Bowers 3 or. The Cowboy Pirates. 585 The Buckskin Rovers; or, The Prairie Fugitive. 540 The Buckskin Pardes’ Quest; or, Captain Ku-Klur, The Royal Middy. 508 The Royal Middy; or, The Shark and the Sea Cat. 507 The Royal Middy’s Luck; or, The Huntea Midshipmay, 511 The Royal Middy’s Foc. ePeirteeyey SEPP RP yerke % ombrero Rangers. 808 ’Liza Jane, the Girl Miner; or. the Iron-Nerved Sport. Wizard Wil. 880 Little @ufck-Shet; or, The Dead Face of Daggersville. 450 Wizard Will: or, The Boy Ferret or New York. 858 First-Class Fred, ‘he Gent trom Gopher. 454 Wizard Will's Street Scouta. 878 Nabob Neds or, The Scret of Slab City. 474 Wizard Will's Pard; or, Flora, the Flower Girl. BSB Cool Kit, the Kieg of Kids; or, A Villain’s Vengeance. 488 Wizard WilLI’s Last Case; or, The Ferrets Afloat. 4358 Sante Fe Sal, the Slasher; or, A Son’s Vengeance, Nulidan Dare 486 Sealskia Saws, the Sparkier; or, The Tiibanal of Ten. 429 Duncan Dare, the Boy Refagee. ' a . >Ya 488 Duncan Parc’s Plots or, A Cabin Boy’s Luck. BY J. ©, COWPRICK, AS7 Dunean Dare’s Prize; or, The Sea Raider. Broadway EBiliy Novela. 441 Duneam Dare’s Secret; or, The Ocean Firefly. 490 Broadway Biily, the Boothlack Bravo. The Young Consptrator. 614 Breadway Billy’s Beedla; cr, Ciewing a Strange Case, 402 Isedor, the Young Oonspirater; or, The Fatal League, 586 Breadway Villy’s ‘Ditikilcy.” 407 Iseder’s Double Chase: or, The Boy Insurgent. 557 Breadway Billy's Peath Racket. 412 Iseder’s War-Cloud Oruise; or, The Wild Yachtsman.) 579 Breadway FEilly’s Surprise Party. Buffale BI eee roadway pas d om The af Pepa hd prban pe 216 Bisen RAIL, the Prince of the Reins. 5 readwa y a et: or, The League ef Seven. . +8 669 Resadwary Billy Abrend; or, The Bootblack im Frise. B22 Bisew Bill’s Clue; or, Grit, the Brave Sport, 675 Breadway Billy’s Best; or, Beating Sau Francisco's Finest. Dead Shot Dandy. 687 Breadway Billy in Clever. B04 Dead Shet Pandy’s Dilemma, £, 696 Breadway Billy in Texas; er, The River Ruotlers. 808 Dead Shot Pandy's Doubles or, Kene Kit. T08 Breadway Billy’s Brand. $14 Dead Sket Dandy’s Defiance; or, The Boy Bugler. 711 Breadway Billy at Banta Fe; or, The Clever Deal. 607 Dead Shot Dandy’s Chicf; or, The River Detective, 720 Breadway Billy’s Full Mand: er, The Gamin Detective. Merle Monte. 35 Breadway Bitly’s Busincss, 245 Merle Mente’s Leap for Life. 85 Breadway Billy’s Onrious Case. 250 Merle Mente’s Mutiny : or. Brandt, the Buccaneer. 53 Breadway Billy tn Benver. 264 Merle Moxte’s Treasure Island, Breadway Bitly’s Bargain; or, The Three Detectives, Broadway Billy, the Retriever Detective. > Broadway Billy’s Shadow Chase. S Breadway Billy’s Beagles; or, The Trio’s Quest, Heielegeyegey rx) FCSOKeD 86 Vroadway Billy’s Team; or, The Combine’s Big Pull. 790 Broadway Billy’s Brigade; or. The Dead Alive, 796 Broadway Etlly’s @uecer Bequest. 800 Broadway Et'ly BaMled. 805 Broedway Rilly’s Mgnal Scoop. SLO Broadway Billy's Wipe Out. Other Nevela by J. C. Cowdrick. 860 Stlver-Mank, the Man of Mystery; or, The Golden Keys. 869 Slimata, the Geld King or, For Seven Years Vena. 420 Tho Detective’« Apprentice; or, A Boy Withous a Name, 424 Cibuta deotin 3 or, Red-Hot Tumes at Ante Bar, 489 Sondy Sam, the Street Scout. 467 Dlaco Dan, the Daisy Dude. 606 Rediteht Ralph the Prince of the Road. 524 The Exginucer Detective; or, Redlight Ralph’s Resolve. 548 Mart, the Night Express Detective. 571 Alr-Line Lake the Young Engineer; or, The Double Case. 592 The Boy Pinkerton; or, Running the Rascals Ont. 615 Fighting Harry the Chief of Chained Cvyelone, 640 Bareback Treth, the Centaur of the Circle, 647 Typewrtter Tilly, the Merchant’s Ward. 659 Moonlight Morgan, the ' Pizenest” Man of Ante Bas. BY LIEUT. A. K. SIMS. 589 Tem-Cat and Pard; or. The Dead Set at Silver Clty. 622 Tom-Cat’s Triad; or, The Affair at Tombstone. 681 Tom Cat’s Terrible Tank; or, The Cowhoy Detective. 688 Tom-Cat’s Triumph; or, Bleck Dan’s Great Combine 546 Captain Cactwar, the Chaparral Cock: or, Josh’s Ten Strike. 568 The Dandy ef Hodge: or, Rustling for Millions, 576 The Stlver Sperts or, Josh Peppermint’s Jubilee. 588 Saffron Sel, the Man With « Shadow 601 Happy Haws, the Dutch Vidocq; or, Hot Times at Round-Up | 611 Bildad Barnacle, the Detective Hergnles. 646 Cowhoy Gid, the Cattle-Range Detective. 657 Warbling William, the Mountain Mountebank. 665 Jolly Jereminks the Plains Detective. | | 676 Sienal Sama, the Lookont Scout. 689 Billy, the Gy pay Spy: or, The Mystery of Two Lives. 699 Sapte Sim, the Broncho Buster; or. For Big Stakes. 712 The Meamertiat Sport; or, The Mystified Detective, 788 Toltee Tom, the Mad Prospector. 745 Kansas Jim, the Cross-Cut Detective. 761 Marmaduke, the Mostanger Detective, 778 The Ruatler of Rolling Stone. 785 Lone Mand Joe, the Committee of One. $01 Kent Kirby, the High-Kicker from Killbuck, 269 Merle Mente the Condemned. 276 Meric Monte’s Orwise; or, * The Gold Ship” Chase, 2h0 Merle Mente's Fate; or, The Pirate’s Pride. 284 Merte Meute’s Pledge; or, The Sea Marauder. The Kid Glove Sport. 187 The Kid Glove Sport; or. Little Grit, the Wild Rider, 204 The Kid Glove Sport’s Boom; or, Buffalo Bill, the Pony Express Rider, Other Novela by Colonel Ingraham. TB1L Reth Redmond, the Girl Shadower, 686 Orlando, the Ocean Free Flag. 617 Ralph, the Dead-Shoet Scout. 602 The Vagabond ofthe Mines. 587 The Texam Detective; or, The Black Bravos, 591 Delmonte. tiie Young Sea Rover: or, The Avenging Sallor- 5680 The Outcant Cadets or, The False Detective. 495 Arizona doe} or, The Boy Pard of Texas Jack. ART Nevada Ned, the Revolver Ranger 468 Neptune Ned, the Boy Coaster; or, Pirate in Spite. 462 The Sailor Boy Wanderer; or. The Born Guide. | 446 Haphacard Farry; or, The Sea Scapegrate 898 The Red Clasped Hands; or, The Boy Lieutenant. BRT Warpath WHILL, the Traitor Guide. B88 The Indian Pilots or, The Search for Pirate Island, 877 Ronodel, the Bey Rovers or, The Flagless Schooner. 2X7 Billy Bine-Eyes, of the Rio Grande. 2EZ Lone Star, the Cowboy Captain. 229 Crimson Kate, the Girl Truiler; or, The Cowboy’s Triumph. 116 The Iinasar Captain: or, The Hermit of Hell Gate, 111 The Sen-DPevil 3 or, The Midshipman’s Legacy, 102 Dick Dend-Eye, the Smuggier; or, The Cruise of the Vixen. 75 The Roy Dueltat; or, The Cruise of the Sea-Wollf. 62 The Shadow Ship¢ or, The Rival Lieutenants, 24 Dinmond Dirks or, The Mystery of the Yellowstone. 17 Ralph Roy, the Boy Buccan-er; or, The Fugitive Yacht. 7 The Flying Yankees or, The Ocean Outcast. LATEST AND NEW ISSUES. 814 Ace Nigh, the Frisco Detective. By'C. E. Tripp. $15 Broadway Billy’s Bank Rackets or, The City Detec- tive’s Big Han] By J. C. Cowdrick. 816 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Rival. By Edward L. Wheeler. 817 Wideawake, the Traiv-boy Detective. By Col. A. F. Holt, Ready March 21. The Half- Dime Library 's for ssle by al! newsdealers, five: cents per copy, or sent by mail on receipt of six cents each. BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publixhers, 98 William Street, New Vor.