Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 902) (1894 11 06)
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pe ed lie | ® h leat Lalalalalelalatolal7/ \“ \\ OOF Y C ) a lg - AY WY CRM, Wy \ \ , SS YY Nag= A. OBR=-Go ~ vey — et iy See Op eee eras Teor ricer aa ANS Entered as Second Class Matter at the New York, N. Y , Post Office, Copyrighted 189, by BEADLE AND ADAMS. November 4, 1804. No. 902. $2.50: PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE, AND ADAMS, Price, a Year. No. 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK, 5 cents. Vol. XXXV. EW YORK NAT IN COLORADO; Gentleman Jack’s Resurrection. y =, AS ————} A STORY OF New York and Junction City. BY COL. PRENTISS INGRAEAM, AUTHOR OF ‘‘NEW YORK NAT DETECTIVE BERIES,” ETC., ETC. CHAPTER I, A TENDERFOOT TO THE RESCUB. Tre stage-coach to the mining-camp of Nugget City, was nearing the station on the dora = Union Pacific, to which it made weekly rox, SPREDING SWIFTLY ALONG TO THE PONIES, SATAN SAM SPRUNG ON THE BACK OF when, sharp and stern, the eommand Tung ONE AND FLED. out:
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Ge doeay rons felon Sa { **TTlalt that old hearse, quick! and. hands up allof you!” : Fred Fox, the driver, was a man of sense and at once drew rein, only too well aware that road-agents were not to be trifled with, that they killed for gold, so he pulled up his horses with the remark: ‘* We are in for it, pard?”’ The one addressed was a youth, with slender but athletic form, a bold, handsome face and the demeanor of one who had nerve and pluck far beyond his years. And ‘yet, he was, pure and simple, a tenderfoot, and looked out of place in that wild land of the far West. He sat on the box with the driver and had listened to the most terrible stories of the border and Overland, some of them true, some made up just to harrow the soul of the young passenger, for Fred Fox delighted in frightening Lis passengers, and little dream- ed of a “hold-up” on his drive, that day, for a road-agent had not been seen on his run for many a day. Within the coach were four persons, two men in miner’s garb, and two youths, who also looked new to the country. The miners dropped their hands upon their revolvers, at the command to halt, but, at the stopping of the coach, and the appear- ance of five masked men, one of the miners said, ina low tone: ‘*«Tt’s nouse, pard; they’ve got the drop on us, sart’in,” “Well, they'll get little from me, and I only hope the rest of you areas lucky as I am,’’ answered his companion, a tall, fine- looking young man with a free and easy air, and a daring expression upon his face, ‘Come out of that, all of you, for there is one in there I want, and the gold you carry T’ll take, too! ‘*The man who resists will die. I’ve got ‘you covered Dy a dozen men in ambush; so hustle out, all of you!” ‘You must do it, pards, for it’s no use to fight ag’in’ it,” cried Fred Fox, ‘from above, ‘Here goes!” and the young miner, with a light laugh, sprung out of the coach, the older man following him more slowly, utter- ing an imprecation at having to do so, ‘** Come, tenderfoot, you climb down from your perch, for I spare no one!” called out the masked leader, and turning to the young miner he continued: : ** Your name is Gentleman Jack, and you are the man f want, so you go with us.” “sé W here to?” t ‘‘ That is my business, it is yours to obey or become a corpus, so hold out your hands for these bracelets!” - The young miner's face slightly paled, his eyes flashed, and, for an instant, he seemed about to resist; but he saw that four men covered him with revolvers, while the leader held the handcuffs before his face. ‘All right; I’m not one to kick against fate,” he said indifferently, and heid out his hands for the irons, But, as he did so, there came a flash and erack from, the top of the coach and the ‘leader dropped dead in his tracks, while a -. second and third report rung out in quick succession, and two more of the outlaws fell, one of them dead the other wounded — badly. Quick as a flash the young miner saw his chance and drew his revoiver, just as, over his bead, other shots rung out, and the out- laws, firing at random in their shrprise, fled, the jeader’s boasted numbers proving to be but six men, ty ah Shots were fired after their retreating forms; then all turned to see who it was who liad so boldly fired upon the outlaws. . ‘Tt war not me, pards, but. this here ten- -. derfoot. youngster, and, durned ef he didn't } _ plant ther lead in ther head o’ them fellers, playin’ you for each time Hr ap New York Nat a fool, and all the time you know’d I was the idiot,” and Fred Fox grasped the hand of the youth who answered. ‘*T did not believe there were more than we saw, and as they were six we were on equal terms, so I opened fire.” ‘**And you saved me from what I do not know. 1 appreciate it; but, driver, let us sling these bodies on top the coach and push on,” ‘¢ You bet I will!” returned Fred Fox, ‘‘ for we'd better get a move on us,” So the two dead men were put on top of the ‘‘hearse’’ while the wounded man, who was still unconscious, was placed inside. Then Fox cracked his long lash sharply and made a rapid run for the station. ‘‘May I ask your name, young pard?” queried the young miner, who had also taken a seat up with the driver. ‘‘ Where I live they call me New York Nat,” was the reply. ‘‘ Ah! I, too, am a New Yorker, and years ago was known as Jack Hammond, but out here the boys call me Gentleman Jack. ‘We must be friends, New York Nat, and good ones, too,” and Gentleman Jack held out his hand, while Fred Fox muttered: “ And I took him’ for a tenderfoot! -*T’'m a durned fool, and is going to ter git myself branded as sich.” CHAPTER II. A SUSPICIOUS DISAPPEARANCE. THE coach rolled into Wayside City, as the railroad station was called, and New York Nat was a hero in the eyes of all, though he modestly shrunk from the praise bestowed upon him. The two youths who had been in the coach, and so promptly backed him up in the attack on the outlaws, proved to be his companions. The three had been out in the mining country to seek their fortunes, and said that, though they had uot become millionaires, they had at least made some money, and now were on their way back to their homes in New York. Jack Hammond, the young miner, seemed particularly drawn toward New York Nat, ard told him that he also was returning to his home, having laid up enough money to pay some debts he owed, with interest, and have enough left to go into business. ; ‘* We will take the train to-morrow morn- ing, and go out together, pard,” he an- nounced to Nat, when they parted for the night. ut, the next morning Gentleman Jack was not to be found anywhere! His bed had not been slept in, and the night clerk reported that a man had called for him after midnight, and he had gone out ‘with him, but had not returned, His things were in his room as he had left them, but, what had become of him no one knew.” — ; As the three boy miners were very anxious to go Hast, they decided to start that after- noon on the Express, New York Nat leaving a letter for his new friepd saying where h could find him in New York, It was the night after their arrival in New York City, that a strange crowd of youtas, ranging in age from twelve to tweuty years, | and attired in a most’ diversified style of cos- tume, from the cee Way student and fashion- able dude to thebootblack and boy vaga- ae Tk, happen in a large room on the t me. Fas a of an old-time mansion in the city | of ew. York. Pe C Say ate, _ The mansion dated | tury, was sutrounded by several acres of grounds, completely. overgrown, and ad- joined a graveyard long since deserted. ~ As the place had a weird history, and was A in Colorado. | back to the past.cen- } popularly believed to be haunted, it’ was | shunned as a plague-spot would have been, save by the band of Boy Police—a party of Unknown Ferrets, who acknowledged New York Nat as their chief, , When in New York thesyoung leader of the Unknown Ferrets made the old mansion his home, living there all alone, save a large dog that served as a sentinel and kceper. Now the Ferrets had assembled to greet their Jeader and the companions who had been to the Wild West on a Secret Service expedition, In the assembly room the whole band of the Unknown Ferrets were gathered, seated on benches and facing their captain, who sat ata table upon which were a lamp, some books, and papers. By his side sat the Mascot of the Ferrets, dressed in black and wearing a close fitting vail, for she was unknown to any one of the band save New York Nat, whose sister she was. Calling the meeting to order New York Nat spoke: ‘‘ Boys, I am glad to get back to you once more, and let me tell you that our expedition was a most successful one, a8 you will know when I tell you that our Mascot Queen has in the treasury the money paid me for our services. ‘“‘] must also state that my comrades, Keno and Freckles, rendered me most valu- able services throughout. ‘*But now, let me make known to you another expedition that | have decided to go upon at once, and which I happened to dis. cover by an accident, ‘On our way back from the mines our coach was held up by road-agents, and be- lieving that they were fewer than they claimed to be, and as they were going to kidnap a handsome young miner, f hpaded fire; the others backed me up and the out- laws ran off. ‘ ‘The young miner told me his name and said he was coming East; but that night he mysteriously disappeared and we came on without him. : ‘ ‘Now, 1 made up my mind that the out- laws had some deep reason for capturing the miner; and failing on the trail, they got him into their power that night by subterfuge. ‘When on my way to New York I saw in a paper which I bought on the train an ad- vertisement calling upon this very young miner to return home, as it was a matter of life and death that demanded if, while a — fortune also awaited him, | a ‘‘Now, boy pards, you have all done so well in my absence, with the Mascot Queen here as your captain, that I have decided to — return to the West, with Keno and Freckles — as my comrades, apd hunt up that young miner; but first, I will go to the address given in the advertisement and see just what = the situation is.” This story of New York Nat was listened to with the deepest interest by all, for the young Ferrets were proud of their chief, and knew that he had accomplished much on bis trip to the interior and been kidnapped from his home—that he had — run down the kidnappers to their dire — disaster, and had enriched the Boy Police _ band by the rewards he received, all of which had been turned into their common — treasury. So when this young chief said he "was: he going off on another trail, the Ferrets were _ ‘more than willing, for they knew that their Vailed Girl Mascot was a good captain to act in their young chief’s place. id * 9 tnd After telling the: band to still do all in their power to keep their identity from the police, and to. remain as York Nat dismissed the band and all depart-_ ed, leaving him alone in the old mansion with the Girl Mascot and the huge dog. » \y ‘ila West—that he as, had found a missing millionaire, who had ~ Unknown Ferrets _ until the tight ‘time to disclose who they were and their motive for secrecy, New y 5 Nh ae by ‘ be 9k an tril at j a? Te ¥ ; * Cs A me eae O28! Sp aay . pay Pity. Ns yy ie t U ‘ ? ‘ + a »/ NO Wt 4 Abata le ir Ely I t tr we PES Shr 4 hia wer we att os
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eT. CHAPTER III. HELEN BENSON’S VISITORS. WHEN left alone with his sister, who had so cleverly kept her identity from the band, and not one of whom had ever seen her fuce unvailed, New York Nat said: ‘‘ Now, Olive, I have something to say to you I did not make known to the boys.” ‘Yes, brother,” and as Olive spoke she removed her mask-like vail, revealing a young and beautiful face, full of intelligence and strongly marked characteristics, ‘Are you willing, in the discharge of your duty, to have a menial position where you can also play the part of a detective?” “Tam ready to do anything, brother, you think best.” ‘*] was very sure, Olive, that you were, but I fear you will not find this position a “. pleasant one.” ‘‘Tell me what I am to do, Nat, and, be it what it may, I will undertake it, for remem- ber I am just as much a ferret as any of the boys.” , a “In yesterday’s Herald,” continued Nat, gg **T saw au advertisement for a lady’s maid, ial , | and it said apply to the very same address ‘‘ You'll find the missus no angel, Miss, ‘It is not altogether guess-work, for I saw Dee) where Jack Hammond, the missing miner, | but I'll do all I can to make it pleasant for | your advertisement in a Western paper, and» eg was to come or write.” ou.” found that it had not been published East, f ; ‘‘That is strange, very strange,” said ‘Thanks! dryly returned Olive, and as ‘«This convinced me that there was some a hi Olive. she descended the steps, she meta stylishly ; secrecy about. it; and, inquiring, I learned OW Wee ‘Yes, itis so strange that I wish you to dressed young gentieman ascending them, that Miss Helen Benson lived in this clegant grt. @ play the little detective for me in that With a glance at him, she reeognized in | house with her mother and step-father, both muh. iy house.” him her brother, New York Nat, and said in |! of whom were invalids, 4 hf ‘*T will go, Nat.” a whisper: ‘‘Talso heard that Mr. Hammond, when Ve ‘‘ You will have to ‘apply for the position of lady’s maid, and then keep your eyes open to find out all that occurs. eat ‘J shall also go there in the morning to was see the one whose name was signed to the i advertisement in the Herald for Jack Ham- 7} — mond to return home.” 4 “T understand.” Phen if you should succeed in securing _ ‘the position, you may soon be able to ascer- tain the cause of Jack’s departure from home | __ and the motive, perhaps, of his having been | immediately, and greeting her courteously, | dead, and he was so regarded by all who had ae is -__. kidnapped by those outlaws, for that there | he said; ' known him. i | ss -was some outside reason I have no question. ‘* Miss Benson, I believe?” ‘«This much I learned, and yet, in the face ay he _ Upon this information I will be able to plan ‘Yes, sir; but I fail to recall having met | of this belief, I saw your advertisement—not | a a he my actions in going West to find him.” ' Rcaving the old mansion, the youth escort- ed his sister to the cottage on the Hudson River where she made her home, The next morning, bright and early, dress- edina neat and becoming garb, Olive applied at the address given in the advertisement. She found the residence to be an elegant mansion on Madison avenue, and a butler eee preliminary to my work, to call upon you, as_ ee fete / in livery opened the door for her. proaching near to Nat, she said: . per the advertisement I read, ah. _- Barly though it was, a number of appli- ‘‘T ara Helen Benson, and it was I who “‘T am a detective, but I am unknown kek: - eants had already been there for the position, | put that advertisement in the far Western | even to the Secret Service Chief, for 1 am ee Dut so far none had been engaged. paper. May I ask if you are Jack Ham- | working for a purpose before I make myself cess) it i) The butler cast an admiring glance at | mond? You look years younger than I sup- | known, ; ‘soa - Olive’s lovely face, and learning that she, | posed him to be.” ‘‘T am interested in finding what the fate ‘aie fae too, had come in answer to the advertise- ‘No; my name is Nat Chandler, Miss | of Jack Hammond has been, and through ey ie “ ) =.) ment, said: \ Benson,” a Hy seeing your advertisement, and now in meet- Veg (ike #7 Il tell Miss Helen you are here.” “Then what interest have you in Jack} ing you, it seems to me that I have been Na it ~ A moment after, & young and beautiful] Hammond?” . drawn into this case for a good purpose. It. Oe ; woman of eighteen Swept gracefully into the | « ‘‘I have met him, and under strange cir- | rests with you whether I am to have your Sia bt library where Olive was in waiting. cumstances,” confidence or not, or shall have to find your a At a glance she seemed to read Olive , through and through and said pleasantly: “You have come for the position of maid mn mee eee 7 riously furnished room, where upon aloynge reclined a lady of brilliant beauty, and look more like the sister than mother of Helen Benson. her to look after you. I am sure you will like her.” : Mrs. Hammond hard’y glanced at Olive and replied: “Her first duty must be to mold herself to ay will. Are you content to do that, gir)?” ‘*T am, madam,” answered Olive softly. ‘‘Then report tome for duty in time to dress me for dinner to-night.” Olive bowed and left the room, and fol- lowing her, Helen Benson said: * ‘* Humor my, mother’s eccentricities; speak only when spoken to, and you will have no trouble.” As Olive was ushered out of the door the butler said: ‘*1’m betting, miss, your pretty face got you the place.” ‘‘Thank you, yes; I have got the place.” ‘««There is a skeleton in the closet of this house, Nat.” “Then we must unearth the skeleton, Olive, dear,” whispered Nat, as he placed his hand upon the door-bell, The door was opened promptly by the butler, and asking to see Miss Benson, Nat was shown into the parlor, giving his card, Be which was written the name of ‘‘ Chan- ler.” Helen Benson came into the room almost you before.” ‘““We never have met, Miss Benson, I came in response to an advertisement I saw ina Western paper, calling upon one Jack Hammond to return home, or to communi- -eate with Helen Benson at this address, on a matter of life and death.” Helen started, glanced toward the door of the parlor, and at once closed it; then ap- ‘**Do you know where he now is?” ‘Ido not, but Iam going on the search for him. I will inform Np under what cir- cumstances we met, an New York Nat in Colorado. tell you why your ey tn ca eaten 1, eee Sidi Mite tok eet Uy ‘ 7 OR! —s Olive was conducted up-stairs into a luxu- | @ purpose, and T determined to return West again and find him,” i ‘*And was that casual meeting with Mr. whose youthful appearance caused ber to | Hammond the only cause of the interest you feel in him?” **May I tell you something in confidence?” ‘* Mother, this is Olive, and I have engaged | asked Nat. “You certniniy can.” ‘‘T have a double motive, then: my inter- est in Jack Hammond, and the fact thay 1am a detective.” CHAPTER IV. A GIRL’S CONFESSION, ‘‘A DETECTIVE?” gaspéd Helen Benson, and she looked positively frightened. “Yes; but donot bealarmed. ican serve you all the better by being one, and I feel that you need just the kindof aid I can give,” snid Nat. ‘“Why do you think so?” ‘“«T will tell you frankly, and then you can decide to trust me or not.” ‘“‘T confess that I do need some one to help me; you have guessed aright.” he married your mother, was # widower with one son—a wild young fellow who was accused of a crime which caused him to runaway from home, and no one knew what had become of him; though it was never proven that he was guilty of the deed he had been charged with. © ** A notice had appeared in a Western pa- per of the death, in a duel, of one Jack Ham- mond, in the mines, and his father seeing this notice, had considered that his son was one put in by his own father, for him to re- turn home; and it set me to thinking, espe- cially after my having met him, as I did, and his mysterious disappearance at the little railway station the night following the at- tempt of the outlaws to kidnap him, “Under the circumstances, I decided to look him up and learn his fate; but as a step-brother unaided by you.” Heien Benscn was silent for full a minute; — then, she held forth her hand frankly, and Balt Aine , to my mother, I believe.” . ink } 1 gat etc) ae _ “T have, miss, and I hope it has not | advertisiment prompts me to find him,” “T will trust you,” Ni sa already been filled,” answered aire. Without a word Helen Benson led to aseat.; Then she continued: APR RAN 3 (ae «Tt has not and you shall have the place.” | and said simply: |) “To trast. you I must make a confession, stp _. “But, you have not yet seen my refer- “Tell me.” ‘ _‘|ora’partial one at least, and some day in the On, ences, miss.” Then Nat related the story of his meet- | future I may tell you all.” » ln 3 trad ys WON ane «ome your face is your best reference,” | ing with the young miner, ‘Gentleman, ,. ‘‘Especially if 1 discover it,” \adtladas adios We ee J } PA ¥ t Ath sweetly responded Helen Benson. _. “Your position will be a tax Upon you, _. for it is that of maid and companion. You will find my mother an invalid and peculiar, _ but do your best and you can please her, _ for your pay will be liberal, and your hours: ‘notarduous. When can you come?” - . _ This afternoon if you wish, miss.” “Then come and sec my mother.” Jack,” as he was called in the mining country gested with a smile, | hold,” said Helen decidedly» 9) ges mysterious disappearance from: the*’ ttle ack Hammo es a ere man? That there is a for i _| way East,” continued Nat, ‘‘ I was convinc-. —of the attack on the coach. by the: road- ~~“ No fear of that, A much olderdetective = agents—the attempted kidnapping of Jagk,,|.than you are could not guess. the secret Lice ya and his rescue of him, and, afterward pot his}, he . Bae’ ie rl is ¥ Salt “Not if. 1 guessed thaty tavern at the railroad station, | ‘} bas a foe in this house, ané th en I saw. your advertisement on my tu ie that hangs upon the life o: i Fed that Jack Hammond was kidnapped for] step-brother?” * ; a it ; L. A 4 £ hy tee Wira } wr, i 5 Weg Se ONY, ! j A lee es 4} \ el ak? Arg ry 4 ¥ ' #7 File Pt eR J ; ‘ sey yeeelt Wee ord a58 ir i hie e MY , bl a ae: " Tay mie OF. i tf * ei? ; + it } ad } Msg ain re ss hn TL a aur eit UPR uw, : S.8 oe Bee
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&. 4 ‘Oh, how did you know this?” Helen de- manded excitedly. ‘*Oh, 1 guessed it,” assumed Nat, indif- ferently. “Then you are a wonderful detective, young as you are; but, tell me, can you guess more?” _ ‘I will do that when I hear your confes- sion.” ‘* Very well; you shall hear it. ‘‘Let me tell you that there is a foe to Jack Hammond in this house, and it is a woman. Who she is I will not tell you, more than to say that it is not myself.” “*T know that.” ** How do you know it?” ‘No woman plots against the man she wishes to serve. But, continue your story,” urged Nat. ‘‘ It isa woman who is his foe, ou admit; therefore she is the one to benefit if Jack Hammond is dead.” ‘“*T grant that,” ‘You know that there is a wrong con- templated against .him, and you wish to serve him and thwart the woman ?” ‘* Yes; that is my wish.” ‘‘Now, miss: is his father angry with him?” ‘*No; he certainly is not.” ‘** Will this fortune come to him from his father?” és NTig2?’ . ‘* Now to your confession, if you please,” enjoined Nat. ; **I have nothing now to confess; you have Vall guessed it all,” Helen replied, ie **One question, then: do you consider this foe of Jack Hammond one to even plot his death to carry out her ends?” **T do; I am sorry to say.” : <n “Then, if he is not dead, his life is in danger, you believe,” ‘** That is my belief.” **If I find Jack Hammond you wish to see him before others do?” “T certainly do.” “‘Have you anything more to say?” “Yes; I wish to consider you in my ui ~ gervice, now, and to give you money to defray nll expenses.” “Thank you, I am well supplied with funds, and ey take pay until the case is ained.” ‘Find Jack Hammond, [then, and your reward shall be liberal. Tell him to come East with you, and remain in hiding. Then you must come to me and say where teh Icun see him, and he shall hear the whole eat story that I have to tell upon certain con- . ditions that I have to @emand-of him. * Now tell me where J can reach you by letter, and I will give you an address by A igen which you can communicate with me.” Ten minutes after New York Nat left the ‘elegant home, and, taking the Elevated cars Thi up-town, got off at the station nearest to the at cottage where his sister lived, p Olive met him at the door, and the two walked out to their favorite seat upon the bank that overlooked the Hudson. ay ‘Well, sister mine, you got your situation ae as lady’s maid?” said Nat, playfully. . ‘Yes; I am to serve as lady’s-maid and irl detective, and I believe that I will fill Both positions to the satisfaction of the lady that employs me, and of the chlief of the . Unknown Boy Police, who sends me dai there.” ry ‘*T have no doubt of that,” rejoined Nat; “‘and let me give you a piece of imforma- tion: ‘‘There is a woman in the house plotting against Jack Hammond whom [am oing to seek, So, find out who she is, and her motive. . that elegant honie, and mail a letter to me of any and every important discovery. Letters to you, I will dddress to the cottage, ———— ie EEE ———$—$ ee -_.— — In fact, unearth the skeleton in | ‘moment the door closed upon them Nat ~whispcred: , ‘eagerly, * ~ ai ady Neha New York Nat in Colorado. CHAPTER V. A RECOGNITION. New York Nat knew that he could not return to the little station in company with Freckles and Keno and the three not be recognized as the boy miners who had been the heroes of the stage coach adventure at the time the outlaws attempted to kidnap Jack Hammond, so, consulting with his two pards it was decided that they should say they had come back to again go to mining, hoping to strike it rich. In this way they could hang about the little settlement for days, and get what in- formation they might pick up about Jack Hammond, and if he had not been heard from they could take the trail to hunt him down. They réached the border. station in the middle of the night, and at once went to the little tavern where they had found quarters before, The night clerk recognized them, and greeted them pleasantly, giving them the same room, while he asked: ‘* Goin’ ter gold-diggin’ agin, boys?” ‘‘Yes, pard; we invested what we had, and came West to try it again, so will get an outfit here, and look about for the best place to go.” “Well, I wishes yer luck; but, 1 guess you is all sleepy, so Ill show you yer room.” ‘“‘Thank you; we are tired. But, is there any news in the town?” ‘Waal, it’s a leetle dull jist now, and there has only been four men kilt since you was here, But, hold on! You know that young feller who disappeared that night, the one the road-agents wanted ?” ** Yes, I think I recall him.” “Waal, you oughter, young feller. members vou was ther gamecock that let in on ther gang and saved him.” y “Oh, yes; that man?” said New York Nat, as though just recalling Jack Ham. mond to mind. ‘*Yas. Waal, he hain’t put in'an appear- ance since, and they do say as his body was found by Fred Fox, the stage driver, lying right in the trail where they held the coach up when you,was along, and the passengers buried “it.” & ‘‘ He was killed, then, as was feared?” ‘Yas, that’s about the fact.” ‘‘That’s a pity! He seemed such a nice young man,” said Nat. “Tt was a pity, for he was a nice feller— none better. We has his traps here now, which he left in his room the night they called him out. “You is young to guzzle, but will you take a night-cap fu’st before you goes to roost?” asl'ed the clerk, politely. Ne No, thank you; we never drink,” replied at. ‘*Take a peep in at the boys, then, before you goes up,” and the clerk, Wide Awake Tim, led the way to the door opening into the gambling-saloon. The three boy pards stood gazing in at the scene with considerable interest—a scene only met with in the Wild West. ‘ Men in top-boots, rough clothing, slouch hats, and armed to the teeth, sat at rude tables, gambling for small or large sums, as their wealth allowed. The air was dense with tobacco-smoke; there was clinking of glasses, loud , conversation, mingled with oaths, the rattle of money, and boisterous laughter: all making a drama that a single word might precipitate into a tragedy. After a few moments Nat and his com- rades turned away to their rooms, but the I re- “Boys, I have mado a discovery!” ‘““What is it, Pard Nat?” asked Keno, “The day when the coach was held up, x tie chek sieht ciate ent a Aroagres — Bo ee at se gee }s ey one of the masked road-agents who escaped our fire was strangety marked. His mask did not cover the fact that be had lost an ear, and had beneath that ear a red star in exact- shape of a cross, I noticed this in particu- lar—a very singular mark.” ‘*T should say it was singular!” comment- ed Freckles. “To-night, the man sitting at the right of the door, in the saloon, and gambling heav- ily, had but one ear, and beneath it that red scar of a cross,” ‘“ Whew!” whistled Keno, ‘‘That is a great discovery,” muttered Freckles; ‘‘it means big business, I guess,” ‘* Yes, that is one man to spot,” Nat as- sumed. ‘‘ We must find out all about him, for he will know the secret of the mysterious: disappearance of Gentleman Jack, or I mise my reckoning.” “You bet he will, Pard Nat; and, know- ing what we do he can be forced to tell. Oh, it’s a rum strike you have made.” ‘Yes, it is a recognition that will pay us well; so, to begin without delay, I will go down and risk a few dollars on a game to find out who he is.” : Nat left the room and descended to the of- ce, Wide Awake Tim was already fast asleep, and must have been having a bad dream; for he sprung to his feet with a yell, whipped out his revolver, and blazing away killed the Chinee who was just about placing the clerk’s midnight supper upon the counter before him. Down went the Chinee, dishes and all, with a crash, and the noise brought a crowd from the gambling saloon next door. ‘“‘Durn if I hain’t kilt ther ‘Heathen Chinee.’ .I was havin’ a bad dream, and he woke me up sudden, and I tuk him fer the devil, and blazed away.” ‘‘ Well, if the Devil’s dead we hain’t got nothing. to fear, now; so come back, boys, and finish our game.” : ‘*The crowd returned to the saloon, leav- ing the dead Chinaman, and Wide Awake Tim to keep the vigil over the departed. | New York Nat had witnessed all, and ad- vancing to Tim, asked: ‘Who was that man who said, ‘as the Devil was dead he had nothing more to fear’?” “«*Scar Face Sam,’ is what the boys call him behind his back, but several who has did it lies with thar toes tarned up tothe daisies; so, don’t you go and make no mis- take, young: feller, but call him Satan Sam, for that fits him, too,” and Wide Awake Tim gathered what of his supper remained on the floor, paying no heed to the dead body, for ‘* John” was only a ‘‘ Heathen Chinee.” ye But Nat was more humane, He raised the — body to a bench, folded the arms across the — breast, and then, turning to Tim, remarked: ‘‘T thought I had seen Satan Sam in the mines when I was out here before.” ‘*T guesses you has, for he strikes many trails, and goes about looking for gold and for trouble, and between you and me, I wish he’d meet his match, for he is the baddest kind, as ‘you'll find out if you stays here long,” and Tim, having rescued part of his supper, calmly sat down to eat it, The New York Shadower had heard ~ enough to prove that Satan Sam was not® — stranger in the settlement, and he returned to his room, assured that this ‘‘ baddest” — man was his game. , CHAPTER VI. Ned SHADOWING SATAN. Wen the. three pards of the Boy Ferret — band descended reakfast the next morn- ing they found the landlord himself on duty in the office. He was jokingly telling some of the men how Wide Awake Tim had gone to sleep and had the nightmare just as | g Ae tail Johnny, the Chinaman, hed broug k } a =
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ee ee ees ee 4 + wan ue thim his supper, and was shot by the clerk for the devil. The landlord greeted the boy miners ‘pleasantly, and when they had had their breakfast they walked out on the street to jhave a talk, for in a board hotel, where every word could be heard from room to room, they had not dared to speak aloud, Their young chief had something of import- ance to communicate to his two companions. Having strolled leisurely through the set- tlement they sought a secluded spot and then Nat proceeded to discourse, ‘* Well, boys, we are on the right track, and if we do not find Gentleman Jack we will find out who kidnapped him and if he really was murdered, as reported.” ‘You bet we will, Pard Nat,” Keno as- sured, while Freckles asked: x hes the first play, cap’n?” ‘Well, we came here as boy miners, and ‘we are to begin to look about for an out- fit. While doing that, we can shadow this Satan Sam, Scar-Face Sam, or whatever else he may call himself, ‘* We will take our time, work slowly, and B get allthe information we can as to Satan t Sam’s habits, who are his associates, and just what he is up to. i ‘*T will try and be friendly with him, be- { cause in some way we have got to trap him. He is the wolf we want.” + ‘* We can do it, Pard Nat,” Keno assured, bs confidently, t ** You bet we can,” added Freckles. } ‘* Now, as he was one of those road agents ‘beyond all doubt, he has pals who must be spotted, and once we discover who those puls are we can act. It would be strange if SA vone of them could not be persuaded to tell Y) what he knows from fear of death or fora lively bribe.” 4 After discovering the situation further the three pards tramped about the settlement, visiting the stores, the camps and corrals where the horse-traders kept their stock. They went to see the west-bound and east- bound trains pass through, and, not wishing to attract attention by dressing in Eastern garb, they had rigged themselves out in the regulation frontier toggery. A They looked quite picturesque in_ their. top-boots, broad slouch hats, blue flannel shirts and belt of arms, but avoided putting on airs, as they knew they would be very | quickly ‘‘called down” or bave to fight. pit The Chince killed by Wide Awake Tim NS Te ‘was buried decently at\the expense of the il ie Jandlord, and the coroner’s jury decided very ‘ quickly that it was a case of ‘‘justifiable homicide,” as the Celestial should have | aiaees known better than wake @ man up when he | a was having a bad dream. SS The boy pards attended the funeral, and MS then discovered an ugly feeling among the i} half a hundred Chinumen who were there. sae Wide Awake Tim was on hand as chief 7} mourner, and had to explain again and again piast how it happened, his recital causing much amusement. ew: The young Easterners felt sorry for the ae unfortunate Chinaman and looked on with oe serious faces. ‘ | ~—s- They remembered that he was far from his ; mative land, that be’ had a mother, and kin- dred to love him, and that he had been shot + down, though not with intent to kill,.with- outa pang of remorse or regret. So they strolled over on the hillside and gathered some wild flowers and placed them upon the humble grave, little dreaming that the act was seen by two Chinamen, who see- = ‘near by. __ Beholding this act of kindness to the dead, “the two hiders stepped from their place of concealment and timidly approaching the trio of Ferrets one of them said: : “*Melican young’ man put flowee upon — Chinaman’s grave?” f _-—- #* Yes, for we felt very sorry for him, far ing them approach, had hidden in the bushes» away from his home and people,” was an- swered by Nat. ‘*Goodee young man! Wing Lung likee him, for it is his bruddee who is dead, and Loo Choo here is cousin—my cousin, too, Me much likee goodee young ’Melican man.” The Chinaman held forth his hand and New York Nat and his comrades shook hands with him and his companion, who remarked in a significant way : ‘Satan Samee bad man; him die some day.” ““Yes, we saw his act,” said New York Nat, alluding to the fact that Satan Sam had fired his revolver six times down into the newly-made grave, brutally remarking that it would scare the Heathen Chinee and hasten him on the trail to the Devil—which remark caused a general laugh. Finding out that Wing Lung was also a waiter in the tavern, and that Loo Choo worked in the gambling saloon, the ferrets retraced their way to Junction City, as the settlement was called, and at once set about their work. The human wolf had hunters on his track! CHAPTER VII. NAT PLAYS TWO GAMES AT ONCE. -“[PwM onlya boy, sir, but l'd like to play a game with you, if only to learn, for I like your way of handling cards. Don’t think I’m broke, sir, for I’ve got money to pay if I lose.” No one could take offense at the words and manner of New York Nat, and Satan Sam, whom he addressed so politely, did not, He only saw a pigeon to pluck. He cared nothing for the youth or condition of any one he played with, so that he could get his money. He had seen the young fellows about the tavern for some days and had his eye upon them, Whether he had seen them before, upon a certain tragic hold-up of, a stage coach, he kept to himse!f, Now that one of the youthful trio ap- peared to want to get acquainted, he was willing; so he replied as graciously as one of his rough nature could; ‘So, yer wants ter have me l’arn yer ter play, kid?” ; ‘Yes, sir, for Ilike the way you handle cards.” ‘ ‘Now, most men don’t like it; but then, you is young. , Yes, I can Varn yer, and lll give yer a square game, though if yer loses yer dust don’t piny ther baby act on me, or I'll hev ter spank yer.” ‘‘T won't cry, sir,” assured Nat, with a laugh, and he sat down to the table to be- gina game With a man of whom everybody in the settlement stood in awe. * Well, how high kin yer go, kid?” asked Satan Sam, ‘‘for T don’t play no nickel game, you understand,” ‘ “‘T've got some hundred, sir,” innocently replied Nat, and he showed his roll of bills, The desperado’s eyes glittered and the game was begun, To the surprise of all Nat won, deliberate- ly raising his bet, until Satan Sam, unable to bluff him, threw down his cards, a good hand, at which the young Ferret revealed four aces, A perfect yell went up from the crowd of on-lookers, but it was checked at the savage oath uttered by Sam, and by his crowd, as he glanced around, The second game was also won by the young New Yorker, and the third went his way, too! “T say, kid,” growled the bad man, ‘‘ you wanted me to l’arn you and you is l’arnin me —see? an ‘‘ If it keeps up I guesses you isa clear cut a sharp, young as you be,” and the desperado shoved the winnings of New York Nat over | to him with a vary bad grace, ‘the night-clerk from his slumbers. New York Nat in Colorado. _: es, 5 . ‘Tam ro sharp, no cheat; I simply have won because luck has been my way in hold- ing the best cards,” quietly answered Nat, and another game was begun. This time the boy player ran the bet up to one hundred dollars, and the desperado won on four aces, Nat coolly took the balance of the pack from the table and handing it to a miner said: “* Run over those cards, please, and see if there are any aces among them.” Amid breathless silence the miner called out: : ‘‘ Here is ther ace o’ diamonds and ther ace o’ hearts,” ‘‘T asked you to teach me, not cheat me. Give me my money back again, for these two men at your back there slipped those cards into the top of your shirt!” and Nat’s revolver covered Satan Sam with a quick- ness that surprised all. Every eye was upon Sam, and he burst forth into a loud laugh and threw the money down on the table, while he said, with no show of anger: ‘*You is right, kid; I did slip in the keerds on yer asa joke—me and my pards, Buck- ha and Slouch, playin’ it on yer jist ter see if yer was sharp enough to git onter us, ‘*“You’ve won yer money squar’; nor I wouldn’t hev tuk yer dust in ’arnest, but was only l’arnin’ yer how easy yer cu'd be cheated, and you was onter me clean through. ‘‘Never play with keerds as has backs like other packs thet kin be bought near by; that’s gambler gospel. ‘*But you'll do, and I likes you, and we'll be friends, for I don’t begrudge you ther two hundred and fifty you has won from me —you bet I don’t!” and Sam of the Scarred Face held out bis hand, which was warmly grasped by Nat, who answered: **T didn’t think you intended to cheat me, but I saw those gentlemen slip the cards down your shirt collar, as they leaned on your shoulder, and you got the money out of your breast pocket and the aces at the same time.” ‘Well, you is a keen kid, and will do, Yeu is quick on the draw, too, and I has heerd you kin shoot to kill, for you is the boy dandy thet give ther road-agents a scare some time ago, they tells me. ‘ “Yer must go under my teachin’ and ou'll l’arn border ways.” “Thank you, Mr, Sam, but we are going to start for the mines to-morrow, or next day, for we have bought our horses and outfit, and are going gold-hunting again,” “I'm downright sorry to lose yer, for yer promises well fer a kid. ‘Well, ill sce yer ag’in—so-long!” and Satan Sam turned to another game of cards, while New York Nat left the saloon and went up to his room, Two hours later he was joined there b Keno and Freckles, and shortly after mid- night Wing Lung, the Chinaman, crept softly into their room, and made a motion for New York Nat, which the latter seomed to understand, as tre Chinee departed at once, without uttering a word, CHAPTER VIII. THE PIGTAIL DETECTIVE, Wine Luna, the Chinaman, left his hotel’ through the kitchen door, for he did not wish to attract the attention of Wide Awake Tim by passing out through the office. Since Wing Lung’s brother had been shot - by the night-clerk in his sleep, the China- man had been very cautious about arousing ; Leaving the building, Wing Lung glidcd away in the darkness like a night shadow. He sought a group of trees upon a little rise, 9nd going from tree to tree, to be sure that there was no one else there, he sat down ~ upon the ‘grass as though to await the com- ing up of some one, :
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he i 6 In a short while a form appeared through ) the darkness. The Chinaman arose and peered cau- tiously, as though both with fear and hope, but soon muttered: ** Him allee right!” It was New York Nat. He approached the trees as though prepared to meet friend or foe, **Well, Wing Lung, here I am!” he an- nounced, in suppressed voice, ‘* Me too, allee same!” was the Chinaman’s reply. ** You have news for me?” asked Nat. **Muchee news.” ‘© Well, out with it!” ‘Satan Samee he win muchee monee; then he go home with three badee ’Melican men; Wing Lung he hidee in shed and hear talkee; Satan Samee say—boy pards go on trail to-morrow—have much monee; so they catchee boys at Canyon Spring, where they camp allee night; then Satan Samee killee boys, gettee horses, guns and monee, scalpie boys, makee believe Injun kill ’em.” “That is good! said Nat. Wing Lung, you are a dandy detective. Did you hear Satan Sam say whether they would lie in wait for us, or attack us when in camp?” ‘‘Satan Samee say he shootee you when asleep!” answered the Chinaman. ! ‘‘If he catches us asleep he may shoot, but you had better hurry back now, Wing Lung, as Wide Awake Tim will! have finished his supper and be calling for you. I will manage to call you again before I go.” Nat warmly grasped the hand of the Chinaman, who then glided away back to the hotel, while New York Nat’s thoughts ran: ‘¢ That Chinaman will make an invaluable detective. He is slyer than a mink, and shrewd as the fabled serpent. His cousin, Loo Choo, too! They’d make a famous re- cord, I am sure. I must contrive in some way to take them back to New York with me, and make them members of the Boy Police Band, ‘*But now, to return and tell my com- rades of the dead fall game Satan Sam has set. for us. Our little act of sympathy in putting flowers upon his dead brother's grave has made the Celestial our friend until the end,” With this New York Nat returned to the hotel, nnd found Wide Awake Tim, the night clerk, cursing the Chinaman for bring- ing him a supper which, he said, was not fit for a dog. Anxious to save Wing Lung from further trouble, Nat approached the clerk and began to talk to him, the Chinaman seizing the waiter and quickly making his escape ont of the office, Unhaunted by the death of the Chinaman he had shot, without one pang of regret for his deed, Wide Awake Tim had lighted his pipe and comfortably seated himself for a smoke’ until the Midnight Express should come in. Glad of New York Nat’s company, the clerk began to joke with him regarding the very clever defeat of Satan Sam at the game of cards they had played. appeared to be deeply interested in the ‘“‘Itell yer, young chap, you're a Daisy from Wayback, for | seen the game. “Satan Sam played yer for a tenderfoot _ jist out o' the cradle, and you called him down in great shape, “I say, whar did you I’arn to draw a gun, for you is quicker than greased lightning? Sam he had to take the bluff, and it were amoosin’ ter see him crawl, but he wilted and got out o’ the game without being en tirely downed. Puard, you is goin’ to be a gilt-edged sport,” : ‘Thank you,” dryly responded New York ‘Nat ; and the night clerk having brought up the subject of Satan Sam, the young Ferret esperado’s history, so he asked many ques- tions nhout the tough and his following. . yt + 4 f al j He f «| ie. 7 wei | y Ohi ys hah PF ¥ 4 . ; Rees, aay nice f a are de 4, ati a 5h mr ‘ger ed ; id shi Birt REP me set a thy ps geet 4 | gee 4 —— SNe et ae \ er: hey ¢ “ ec aa ee aa te re eet ‘New York Nat in Colorado. The information gleaned was of much benefit to New York Nat, for he learned that ; Satan Sam certainly deserved his name, and his following of half 2 dozen men of the same stripe formed aclique in Junction City | that terrorized the community, though, out- side of committing murder, they had never been caught in any lawless acts. Bidding Wide Awake Tim good-night, Nat started along the dimly-lighted hall- way, on his return to his room, when sud- denly he heard his name spoken in a whisper. Turning quickly, he beheld Wing Lung, who whispered : ‘Satan Sam lookee through window and hear allee Tim talkee about him. He muchee bad man!’’ and the Chinaman disappeared without another word. **T believe that Satan Sam really suspects me of watching him and of being other than 1 represent myself; but I shall down him yet ;” and the young Ferret disappeared through the door of his. room, where his comrades anxiously waited his coming, not yet having retired to rest, in their anxiety. CHAPTER IX. A GRAVE’S SECRET. New York Nat and his two comrades left Junction City after dinner, determined to take the advice of men who knew, to ride as far as Canyon Spring and there make their | first camp. They had been told to follow the pony trail instead of winding along on the stage | trail, as the former would cut off for them | fully a dozen miles But, for some reason best known to him- | self, New York Nat did not cut off distance by the pony trail: rather, he stuck to the broader one of the stage coach. They pushed rapidly on, and it was not long before they came to the scene of'the ' road-agent attack on the coach, as told in the first chapter of this story, Here Nat halted, the three Ferrets dis- mounted, and, taking from their pack-horse a pick, spade and shovel, they looked: about until they discovered a grave, evidently dug only a few weeks before, for the ground was yet fresh. Setting to work, they rapidly threw out the earth, Nat remarking: ‘‘ Now we will know, boys, if Gentleman Jack was really killed by the road-agents and lies in this grave, as is reported in Junc- tion City to be the case.” *©)f he is, Pard Nat?” ‘““ Well, Keno, that will end our search for him and our duty will be to then report that | he was murdered, where his body can be found, and then hunt down his murderers.” ‘*But, how will we know if it is Gentle- man Jack, Pard Nat?” asked Freckles. ‘* Yes, those who seemed to know himin - Junction City, reported that it was his body | found here on the stage-trail; and, in fact, | the miner who was along the day we were held up said so, and he was his pard,” Keno remarked, ‘‘so I don’t see how there can be airy doubt,” | “I know all that, boys,” answered Nat, digging away at the soil; ‘* but that miner may or may not have been his pard, and it may have been to his benefit, for some reason, for Gentleman Jack to be thought dead. Perbaps the poor fetlow is so; that we will | now ffind out. But, that miner who was with Jack, that day, I am sure is none other than one of Satan Sam’s pards, and if so, then he had a motive in saying Gentleman Jack was dead—ah! we are getting near to the body,” and the boys dug more carefully, ‘*How will you know the body, Pard Nat?” asked Keno’ as they came to the blanket- enveloped grave, ‘*When I went into Gentleman Jack’s | room at the hotel he was changing his form lying at the bottom of the clothes, and I noticed on his left arm a crest | discover all she could and show N ‘ { ry a . ~ p apie A stints aera id oh tae eye a pricked in wh India ink, and he has not. been so long dead but that it will still be vis- ible—ah, here we are!” They did not raise the body from the grave, for they were ina hurry to press on to their camping-place, but, cutting a slit in the blunket, the face and form were revealed. ‘It is a young man, and does look like Yentleman Jack; but we will soon know,” and New York Nat raised the muscular left arm, bared it by rolling up the sleeve and, in a chorus, the three Ferrets exclaimed: ‘‘It is not Gentleman Jack ” The flesh was becoming blackened with decomposition, but there was nomark upon it of the crest Nat had seen on the arm of the young miner, Then, too, though the face resembled Gen- tleman Jack’s, in a striking degree, New York Nat’s keen eye detected that the features were cast in a courser mold: the hair was a shade darker; and particularly he noticed that the hands and feet were large and ill-shaped, when he had remarked that. those of Jack Hammond were small and shapely. ‘‘ Boys, this is not the man we are looking for, and to find him we must ask Satan. Sam.” ‘« Will he tell?” Freckles asked. ‘A bird that can sing but won’t sing must he made to sing,”. was Nat’s significant response. The three then rapidly filled in the grave, cast some leaves over it, and mounting their horses rode on rapidly toward Canyon Spring. The sun was yet half an hour high when they rode into the canyon. It was wooded, and a large spring flowed from under the cliff several hundred yards. off the trail. There was the appearance of many having camped there before, but no one very lately. The New York delegates staked their ponies out, unpacked their traps from the pack-saddle, cooked a good supper and then. spread their blankets, They seemed to pay no heed to the warn- ing given New York Nat by Wing Lung, the Chince, or to have forgotten it, for they” evidently intended to camp there for the night, and had placed no guard, for all three sat around the camp-fire as the shadows of the night began to cast the canyon in gloom, At lust darkness fell upon the scene; the camp-fire flickered low, though one log burned on, the blaze dying out now and then to again spring up and brighten up the | scene, Once it seemed as though it would not. burn up again, but at last it did, and by its. light it was seen that the young Ferrets had retired to their blankets. Its light also revealed three dark forms. creeping toward the little camp! \ —— CHAPTER X. THE FAIR FERRET. . OLIVE, the Mascot Queen of the Boy Po- lice, went to her position in the Hammond! mansion as lady’s maid and companion osten-- sibly, but in reality as a spy and detective. The talk she had had with her brother,, | New York Nat, before his departure, gave’ her full knowledge of the seeret service she was to perform, and she understood just. what his impression had been of Helen Ben~ son andthe othersin the household from. what he had said of them. He had told Olive to keep. hereye upon Mrs. Hammond, Helen Benson and the ser- vants one and all, using the butler to: gleam all informatiop he might possess. regarding; the family history. ai Ff Olive was a born detective, she had an in- nocent manner and Jook about her that would. prevent her coming under suspicion; so when | she went to her post she was determined to» at.and the: — Gh ie - We eae Oa Sse ee ey high eas " ae a | y t I , ry , ‘ aa ‘os *, h iy Ne ‘ t mm fy) ete ‘y Seah 4 : v4 ; Par hos ; oe i # ¥ ME ) 1 fl
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ge ee 3 and Helen Benson glided ~ room and took the glass and spoon from _ +Olive, while she whispered: AS ho 7 — A gem iay. SNR PS AL ie ale oe ) | could do clever Secret Service work. In fact, she had shown her cleverness in keeping her identity, as Nat’s sister, hidden from the entire band over which she ruled as queen. Olive’s first duty upon entering the man- sion was to win favor with all. Of course she was eyed curiously by the other servants in the house, of whom there were holf a dozen. Her sweet ways at once won the esteem of the cook, her assistant, and the house-girls, for she already had captivated the butler, Sykes. Mrs. Hammond regarded herin a way that would have embarrassed any one else than Olive. The mistress of the mansion seemed to be trying to read her thoroughly, and began in a way that was meant to show her that hers was the will that ruled the Hammond man- sion, Olive was all willingness and sweetness toward Mrs. Hammond, and before she had been in the house three days she saw that Mrs. Hammond trusted her implicitly, that the servants all liked her, that the butler might be regarded in the light of a lover al- ready, and Miss Benson seemed also inclined to take to her, Why she had been told by Nat to keep an eye especially upon Helen Benson, she could not understand, for the young lady ap- peared to Olive to be all that was lovely in churacter, But, the sister knew her brother's won- derful powers of reading human nature, and she said to herself: ** If Nat told me to watch Miss Benson he has some good reason for it, and I will not allow my liking for her to prevent my doing my duty.” Once only had Olive seen Mr. Hammond. His rooms were in a rear wing of the man- sion, on the second floor, overlooking « smali yard, and with a fashionable church beyond, so that they were remcved from the street and very quiet. _ He had there his library and his sitting- room combined, his bed-room and_ toilet room, so that he lived apart quite to himself, Olive was sent to the rooms with some medicine for the master, and found him re- clining in bed, glancing over the morning > Papers. The doctor had made his daily call, report- ed the patient improving, prescribed another medicine, and this it was that Olive carried to him, She saw a man of fine physique with a face strangely handsome and stamped with strong and noble churacter. “ Ah, miss, | beg pardon—can you be one ‘of Helen’s friends whom I fail to recognize?” - said Mr. Hammond in his courtly way. Oh no, sir; am only the new girl, sir, | — Olive—Mrs. Hammond’s maid, and | was_ gent with your medicine, sir, ” -. You are very kind, but you are one who should not hold a menial position, and—” But, sir, necessity knows no law. Shall |. I give you your medecine, sir?” __ “I suppose so, though really I cannot, see that the doctor is doing me ‘any good, - geem chained to this bed, unable to shake _ off the feeling of numbness that is upon me.” _- ** Twill give father his medicine, Olive,” it softly into the “You need not tell my mother that you did pot give the medicine, or that I Was *, r * here,’ 4 _ ** Yes, miss; 1 understand.” . Olive left the room and returning to _ Mrs. Hammond was asked: » - “* How does Mr. Hammond scem?” ‘This is the first time I have seen him, madam, so ean hardly tell.” (* 1s es / geen os a eo ee ee —— ae . CLD CIS (eae : a ‘ 7 ; Sire. ‘ ; members of the Ferret band that she, too, _ “1 am getting more and more anxious sogpengene Cat oaetia: ) Ny about him, for he docs not appear to im- } | prove, but [ hope this newly prescribed } since then it has nearly doubled that amount. medicine will help him,” said Mrs, Ifam- mond sadly. ** T hope so, madam, for it saust be terrible to be ill.” ‘* Yes; but get one of those novels from the table, they are the latest, and read me one, for I wish to be interested.” Olive did as she was told and while look- ing over the novels murmured: ‘“Yes, there is a skeleton in this house, and some one is guilty of wrong, but, what is the wrong and who is the sinner? ‘“Well, as Nat said the skeleton must be unearthed,” CHAPTER XI. OLIVE’S BETTER, OLIVE had been a couple of weeks in her position when she went to her home one afternoon and received a letter from Nat. lt was written from Junction City, and in it the young Ferret told her that he and his two comrades were gleaning information that would be valuable to them. ‘That they were preparing to start to the mines, but only as a blind, as they would return to Junction City after they had discovered what their going would discover for them. ‘We expect,” the letter went on to say, ‘that our start will make certain men we suspect show their hands; in fact, they are not the men to allow us to get to the mines if they can prevent it, and they are just the ones we believe can give us the in- formation we wish about the fate of Jack Hammond, so expect to have another letter before long with real news in it, sis.” The letter was written in ‘a cipher known only to Nat and Olive, and when she had figured it out, she sat down to write to Nat. His letter told her that they were about to start upon a pretended expedition, which would be nv more than a trap in which to catch those whom he suspected of having knowledge of Gentleman Jack. This caused Olive considerable uneasiness, as she knew that Nat’s experience with frontier crooks was limited; but then she argued that her brother always found a way of getting out ofa tight place, and also of winning any game of daring he entered upon. So Olive determined to dismiss dread of evil to Nut from her mind, and at once wrote to him of what had taken place in the band, and how she had done her duty as a girl ferret. | After telling him of all minor matters, she wrote, and in cipher as he had done: *“Now, Nat, let me speak of my work here, and what I have discovered in my duty as lady's maid to Mrs. Hammond. ‘* Let me first enter into the history of the family [am living with ‘‘ After being here three days 1 saw Mr, Hammond, who is an invalid. “He is a man of fine physique, seemingly possesses a strong constitution, but is suffer. ing from a disease which baffles his physi- cian’s skill, or at least he gets no better. ‘* The disease confines him to bis rooms, as he suffers from what is at times a partial | a SSeS a a a a ee New York Nat in Colorado, | Zz was of age if was quoted ata million, while ‘*Juck Hammond’s inheritance from bis mother is allin the keeping of his father, so the wife had no wish to slight her husband in ieaving if to her son, ‘*‘Tam thus particular in stating this con- dition of affairs as to property, to see if you can discover any clue init for certain hap- penings here, ‘* Jack Hammond left here fortwo reasons, one being that he got into an affair where he was forced to take life, and which was at first regarded as a murder, but afterward was proven to beaclear case of self-defense. ‘* Leaving as he did, under bad advice, to escape the supposed consequences. of the crime he was charged with, it was then discovered that a forgery had been com- mitted for quite a large sum, and this was traced to him, but simply through the charge of guilt being put upon him by persons wha were under suspicion. ‘*Enough transpired soon after to show that Jack Hammond, if guilty, was not alone in his guilt, and his father tried to find him and urge his coming home to clear his name of dishonor. ‘*Butthe attempt to find young Mr, Ham- mond was useless, and then it was that his father gave it up and married the lady who is now his wife. ‘‘ She claims to be thirty-five years of age, but I do not believe that she is thirty, nor do I believe that Miss Benson can be her daughter, as she is all of eighteen. ‘“*Mr, Hammond is certainly devoted to . his beautiful wife and equally beautiful step-daughter, and they are untiring in their devotion to him, yet I feel that there is something wrong somewhere, and either Mrs. Hammond “is a wicked woman or her alleged step-daughter is, and which one is, or if both, I am determined to find out. “But now as to what has aroused my suspicions, Nat,” and the ietter went on to state what it was, and which the next chap- ter will reveal, CHAPTER XII, THE HIDDEN HAND, “There is a Hidden Hand here in this house that is doing evil, but whose hand it is I am not able yet to find out,” Olive'’s letter went on to say. ' ** My. Hamman takes certain medicine three times daily, and it is always prepared for him by Mrs. Hammond, who keeps the bottles under lock and key in her room, ‘‘She, Mrs. Hammond, mixes the medt- cines and | take them to her husband after breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. ‘*Almost invariably Miss Benson meets me in her step-father’s room, tukes the glasses from me and says that she will give it to ihe patient, but she has never done so while 1 remain in the room, and if I linger too long she sends me away with some excuse, as though anxious to get rid of me, “This looks suspicious, Nat, on her part, but what adds to it is that she always whis- pers to me not to let her mother know that she was in the room. ‘* Again, when once or twice I have taken the medicine sooner than usual, or later, and paralysis, being unable to command the use | have given it to the invalid myself, Miss of the muscles of bis limbs. Benson has seemed really agitated, but I ‘He is a courtly, genial gentleman, and I,/ cannot find it in my heart to suspect her of am sure that he has some cross +0 bear, ‘‘He married when very young the mother | evil, she is so young, beautiful and good. ‘Nor can I suspect Mrs. Hammond, as of the one you know as Gentleman Jack, and | she is also so lovely in character, and her it was when dying that, Mrs. Hammond made | kindness to me I can never forget, + — the strange will leaving her wealth, for she | was heiress with a large fortune, to her gon, John Hammond. Already she has raised my wages, and though I have not wanted to take them, she has made me a number of presents of dresses “The will further read that in case of Jack | and odd things, just as good as new, ’— Hammond's death it was to go to his father, who however had a large fortune of hisown.-| them in case they “The riches left by Mrs. Hammond in- creased rapidly, and before Jack Hammond _ ; ture, MG ney bed) rantaete * When Miss Benson speaks most Kindly) Of course [use none of them, but keep- A he a te PN et er AE rene Py Lnnne meneame rene sition: INR, may be wanted in the fu- \' bs af
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‘oe ing country, was & narrow pass at both 7 New York Nat in Colorado, of her step-brother, and hopes for his return home, telling me that he has-been sinned against rather than sinning, her mother says almost the same thing about him, and longs for his coming, yet dreads that he may really be dead. “Thus it stands between the two, but are both innocent, or both guilty, or if one is guilty of wrong-doing, which one of these two lovely women is it? ‘T leave this for your more experienced head to decide, though of course I will still keep up my watching and waiting for a glimpse of the closet skeleton and the mys- terious Hidden Hand. “The servants have all been in the family for some time, and are devoted to the master, Mrs. Hammond and Miss Benson, while the two who knew Jack Hammond speak of him as a noble youth. ‘<In their minds there is not the shadow of # suspicion against the mother and daugh- ter, that they are plotting against Mr. Ham- mond, or that one of them is doing so. *‘In my mind the only suspicious circum- stances against one of them, or both, is the strange behavior of the mother and daughter about the medicines for Mr. Hammond. ‘“A peculiar feature also is that before my coming, there have been no less than five women holding my position discharged after a short stay, ““Two of them were discharged by Miss Benson, during her mother’s temporary ab- sence from the house, the others by Mrs. Hammond. ‘Another feature is that neither Mrs. Hammond or her daughter ever see the doc- tor. ‘« Now the question arises, Nat, what have these women to gain individually or together by an evil deed, and just what is that deed to be? ‘*Miss Benson’s advertising recently for Jack Hammond's return, and having you go in search of him, may be both for and against her, ‘“1f Jack Hammond should be dead his father gets his property, but already is a rich man himself, ‘‘If Mr, Hammond, senior, should die, then Mrs. Hammond will get all of his for- tune, and that of his son, saying that Juck is dead. — ‘*But she is said to have been a rich wo- man when Mr. Hammond married her. ‘*He is a fine man, one any woman would respect and love, so she cannot wish to get rid of him, unless there is another man in the case. * If Miss Benson is her daughter, as she elnims, then she will naturally be her heir, anil between tbese two there appears to exist the deepest affection. ‘*Tf Mr. Hammond dies it is said that be has willed his son’s fortune to Miss Benson, but should the son turn up, then she is to skare half of bis own estate with her mother. Ey “Miss Benson has many admirers, but admits none on the footing of an accepted lover, ** Is there really some one who is making her the victim of his plot for gain? ‘* Thus the matter stands for you to ponder ovcr an! give me a hint to guide me, ‘‘An amusing feature of my stay here is that the butler is in love with me, and I can do no more under the circumstances than to accept his attentions while here. ‘*T will write you regularly, and hope -you will keep me informed. ‘* Ever your loving é ‘* SISTER.” os CHAPTER XIII. — '\. + ‘THE MIDNIGHT ASSASSINS. . SPRING CANYON, through which the stage- trail wound, from Junction City to the min- entrance and exit, and in the center opened into a valley almost. It was here that the spring and camping- ground were, for the water was clear and cool, there was plenty of wood and grass, and the pine timber and huge rocks protect- ed campers from the icy winds that swept through the canyon nine months in the ear, + The three Boy Ferrets had staked their horses out on a grassy plotin sight of their camp—had built their fire in a sheltered nook and spread their blankets within the radius of its light. The camp was as still as death, the fire flickered low, and the forms enveloped in the blankets were seen when the burning embers brightened up into a flame now and then. The four ponies had ceased clipping grass and were lying down to rest, and no sound broke the silence of night save the whine of a coyote impatient for the morning to come so that the campers would go and Jeayg the pickings of the camp to him and his Runt comrades, But if all was silent in the camp, moving toward it, as cautiously as Indians, were three forms, They had crept in through the pass side by side, in a way that showed that they.ex- pected to find campers there at the spring. Side by side they had kept along the trail, reached the pine thicket and then halt- ed to tuke an observation. The glare of the camp-fire was visible, and they saw apart the three saddle and pack - ponies, Then they did not disturb the four ponies, for it were their riders they were after then. The three men carried rifles, and they crept nearer and nearer to the little camp. At last they gained the edge of the pines, and was within fifty feet of the camp. As though to aid them the fire sprung in- to flame just then, and the three blanket- wrapped forms were revealed. ‘V’ll take the right, you the center one, and you the one on the left, whispered one of the three men. The other two nodded as they understood” the instructions. k After a moment, as though to steady their nerves, the same one who had before spoken whispered: ** Now be ready. ° ‘ Fire at ther word, and, should any shot fail to kill, fire again upon ther one who springs to his feet. 2 ‘«'There must be no mistake, for that trio is dangerous, if they is boys, and to miss any one of them may mean your death or mine, pards.” ‘* We knows it,” said ohe, ‘We hain’t got no excuse for missing,”’ the other remarked. A moment of waiting and there came the sternly spoken command from the leader: se Fire i? The three rifles flashed together, and but for the sharp reports the dull sound of the bullets would have been heard, “Dead center shots all of'’em, for thar isn’t a kick,” cried the leader, ‘Now fera few hundreds in money and a good outfit to sell in ther mines,” another remarked, while the third cried: _“ Let us see what we has got and git out of this quick, for tnis are a trail that is trailed pretty frequent.” The others seemed to recognize the truth of this warning, so the three stepped quick- ly toward the silent forms in their blankets, one of the-men furowigs an armful of wood upon the fire which made it blaze up bright- y- ; ; As they neared the prostrate forms, being within a few feet of them; suddenly, from a group of rocks just bevond, rung out sharp, pened ag threatening from one who was not visible; ; Ge i en ‘‘ Hands up, all of you, for you are cov- ered!” There were yells of alarm and a bounding to cover in spite of the command; but a shot rung out, then another and another. One of the assassins fell dead in his tracks, at which a second turned, and holding his ries high above his head, cried out plead- ingly: “| surrender! don’t kill me!” The third bounded away in the pines, and, a moment after, the clatter of hoofs was heard as he dashed down the canyon, fol- lowed by a command to halt, then severa: rapid shots and a shout. But the clatter of hoofs was still heard, so it was hard to tell the result of the firing. At the camp, however, the man that had fallen at the fire from ambush lay as still as death, and the one who had cried for mercy stood as he had halted, his hands raised eid his head, while the firelight fell upon im, But those in ambush had not yet appeared, and the assassin was becoming mystified and more and more alarmed each moment of sus- pense that he suffered. CHAPTER XIV. THE CAPTIVE: WHEN the firing down the canyon had spent its echoes, and the clatter of hoofs had ceased, there was heard a shot in the dis- tance, followed by the words: “T am O. K., Pard Nat, but he got away!” Then from the other pass came the words; ‘‘ Allright here, Pard Nat!” At this, from the group of rocks was heard: ‘‘Ay, ay, pards. Come into camp!” It was New York Nat who spoke, and, a moment after, he stepped out from the rocks in full view of the one who had so quickty surrendered, and still stood with hands ele- vated. ‘Well, pard, it was a clever game to kill us that Satan Sam planned, but we can plot, too, and your bullets only cut into dummy forms. “So am I, for he was the one who ought my pard there.” ‘Don't be alarmed, for his day will come, and I guess that it will be at a rope end that he will shuffle out of life. ‘*Put your hands behind you and clasp them, ‘Mind you, I’ll pull trigger if you make & move to resist or escape.” ‘“<T'm not goin’ ter throw away my life,” sullenly said the man, and he placed his hands behind his back, and instantly Nat clasped a pair of slender steel manacles upon them. . ‘‘ Now sit down there,” and as the man obeyed Nat threw a lariat about him and made him fast to & tree. Just then Keno came up to the fire, lead ing three horses already saddled and bridled. ‘‘Here are their horses, Pard Nat. ‘‘The fellow who skipped went by like the wind and threw himself upon the other side of my pony, for he got mine, and re- turned my fire. , ‘‘T saw them leave their horses just out- side of the pass, so I pressed him so hard he did not have time to get one, and so kept on in fligit, riding my pony bareback.” ‘It was Satan Sam. Keno, that got away, | but there lies one of the trio, dead; here is the third,” said Nat. - ‘* Good! but where is Freckles?” “ Here to speak for himself,” and Freckles’ appeared from the upper pass, and added: ‘‘But I wasn’t in it even a little bit, pards.,”’ “You did your share, Freckles, and “Tam sorry Satan Sam escaped, though.” | to have been caught, or be in the place of — - as ee i ay naan, — 7 owes ott)
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Mee ye - host oe ee : Jv: oe ¢ RP DA nse | est pee — 7 ns as ae ‘ ‘ . Rn - 0 a as a enema beeen guarded one of the passes, and it was just accident that you missed the fight. ‘** But let us bury that dead man there and prepare to get out of this before daylight, as the coach comes along early, you know, and we do not wish to be seen by Fred Fox,” ‘If you hain’t anxious to be seen, my ad- vice, so far as it goes, is for yer not ter plant my dead pard here, for his grave will be seen, he’ll be dug up, recognized, and they’ll take your trail to see who did the business; see?” and the man’s words and manner at once convinced Nat that he was right. So he replied: ‘* All right, I'll take your advice, for we do not care to be followed. ‘* We will carry the body along with us and bury it later on the trail.” ‘*T can show you where you can hide it away, and let me tell you right here, and I am working now to serve you—” ‘For your own good?” said Nat dryly. ‘In course I am, for I hain’t no fool ter sarve yer for nothin’, stranger as yer be ter me, though I admits we has got quite well acquainted in the last half-hour.” ‘© Well, what were you going to say?” ‘ That Satan Sam got away, and if one of thet young feller’s shots didn’t plug him, he knows you has got me and my pard thar, and he'll be hot on yer trail ter rescue us, not knowing Buster is dead, yer see, ‘* Now I has seen enough o' you ter know er hain't ter be caught asleep, and I just inder feels that he can’t rescue me so easy as 1 kin help myself, seeing as Buster is dead and I’ve got irons on, so 1 wants to work out my own salvation by what I has ter say and kin do to help you.” **You have a very level head, pard, and your good health, yes your sudden death, will depend altogether upon what you can do for yourself. j ‘It ismow nearly daylight, and by the ‘time it is dawn we will be ready to travel, so ‘we will get ready now.” This was decided upon, and the dead body ‘was wrapped in a blanket and strapped se- curely upon the back of one of the ponies. The prisoner was next tied to the saddle of hhis own horse, and Keno had to take one of the animals of the assassins, as hisown pony had been taken by Satan Sam. Camp was then broken up and just at day- break the Boy Ferrets with their captive and the dead body moved out of the canyon and continued on the trail toward the mines, CHAPTER XV. FOR HIS LIFE. Tne three Boy Ferrets, so fearlessly play- ‘ing a desperate game with death out in the Wild West, thovgh regretting the escape of the leader of the outlaws, as they now were sure that Satan Sam was, congratulated themselves upon the success they had gained in the capture of one of the murderous trio, and the death of another of them. They were convinced that the desire of their prisoner to save his own life would cause him to betray his comrades, and yet there was some doubt in Nat's mind as to New York Nat in Colorado. ast regard your own life, for we are not to be trifled with, I’ll assure you,” was the deter- mined reply of the young Ferret leader. The prisoner rode on in silence fand did lead them to a creek into which he turned so as to hide their trail, Nat however noticed that he turned up the stream when his idea was that he should have gone down it; but he made no com ment, After an hour in following up the stream the outlaw came to a place where they could turn out and their tracks not be seen. The outlaw led the way, and they went’ on for half an hour over a perfectly track- less plain, and then he halted and said: ‘‘Now plant. my dead pard here, or if | you wish, chuck his body over that cliff and the stream sixty feet below will soon carry him out 0’ sight.” “No, we will not be inhuman, so will bury him.” This they did, ard then they hud, an early dinner, and mouhting once more New York Nat said: ‘*Now lead the way to a safe retreat, where we can hide from any pursuit of Satan Sam, and as soon as we are in a spot where we do not dread being found, we will talk business to you.” “I'm just the man to lead you right, and to talk business too, pards,” was the repty, and the prisoner led on once more, New York Nat whispering to his two Ferret pards: ‘* Watch every step of the trail, for that man is ¢oing to play us false if we do not prevent him.” Both Keno and Freckles looked surprised, for they had suspected that the outlaw was doing his best to serve them, and was only too glad to do so for his own sake, But the words of their young leader put them on their guard, and they therefore kept their eyes open to all that was suspicious, For a couple of hours more the outlaw led the way, and then turned into a canyon penetrating a mountain range, and where the keen eye of Detective Nat at once saw that there wus a trail, made by horses, run- ning through it. The tracks led both ways, the canyon sides were very high, and it was from fifty to a hundred yards in width, ‘“Now, boy pards, we kin be as safe here as if we was in Junction City, said the out- law, and hé continued: ‘You see there is a little hollow in the canyon here, and there is water, grass and wood there, and you can rest without any fear of danger.” Nat laughed, and the outlaw looked at him with surprise, and neither did the other boys see cause for amusement. **What’s so funny, pard?’ asked the out- law. ‘* Why, that we will be safe here; but the truth is, it is a very dangerous place for you,” ‘* What does yer mean?” ‘*] mean that we will be safe, but that the danger is for you, for right here you are to die.’ ‘Oh Lord! what is yer giving me?” et ee Ee CHAPTER XVI. THE CONFESSION, Tue outlaw prisoner had turned very pale at New York Nat’s words. He saw that the Ferret captain, if not a Wild Westerner, had caught on to their trail of the day before as they crossed it, and also had been sharp enough to see that he was guiding them wrong. He did not like the look in Nat's face, and the prompt manner in which, Keno had obeyed the order to get the lasso, There was but one way he now saw to get out of his scrape and he decided to take the course and confess, at least as far as he deemed it necessary to do to save his own life. So, as Keno threw the noose over his head with no gentle hand, and Freckles calmly pointed to a limb to bang him to, and made some remark about having a horse drag him up, he cried eagerly: ‘Yer is onter me, young pard, and I con- fesses I tried ter do yer, fer in followin’ yer trail, Satan Sam would hev sent a party this way fer sure, and I guesses they won’t be long in comin’ along cither. “But life is sweet and away ther best way | c’u’d. ‘As I can't down yer, I'll give in and talk gospil straight, so what does yer promise me if 1 gives it to yer in» way ter please yer?” ‘ll give you just five minutes to answer my questions, and if Iam satisfied you go free, when I've found out if you have told me the truth ‘*Tf you have lied to me then I shall be the judge, these two boys the jury, and we'll | try you, and it will not take long for us. to find out which horse will act as your hang- man, for up you will go,” ‘**] believes yer, pard, for yer looks it ter do what yer says ‘* What does yer wish ter know?” ** Tow far is Junction City from here?” ‘* Five miles,” **T thought so, “Now, bow long is this canyon?” ‘“*Tt branches off ahead o’ here about half a mile.” ‘Enough, we will go on now to where it branches off apd find a place where we can © be secure,” : The order was given by Nat to mount and they went on at a gallop to where the can- yon branched off into several others, The trail there could hardly be fownd, such was the nature of the ground, but Nat’s keen eyes did find it and he went into one of the canyons through which it did not lead, paying no heed to his prisoner’s advice now very freely offered. After a ride of half a milé he came to a most fertile spot, an ideal place for a camp, - and where there was not the trace of a trac other than of duck and coyotes. It was a blind canyon and went but little further Nat soon found out, so no one went that way as they could not pass on into the mountains, ° The horses were staked out, a camping- place selected, and while Freckles gathered wood and built a fire, Keno began to prepare supper. New York Nat meanwhile led his prison. I wanted to git PE whether he could tell all they wished to *« Just this, that ILintend to hang you in | er to where the blankets and saddles bad ‘oe know. this canyon, and then take my own way for | been thrown, and said: SW The first thing to be done, New York Nat | finding © place of safety and discovering | ‘Sit down there, pard, and have aj sober : gh well knew, was to get rid of the dead body; | what 1 would know, talk, for as I said, your life depends upon ma then seek a hiding place for themselves and ‘You think we are tenderfeet but we are | what you tell me.” f 2s ‘‘I’m beginning to feel pretty sart’in \o’ . that now, young pard,” answered the man in a disconsolate tone, “Remember our terms, death if you lie to — me, your life if you tell the truth.” ; **]’ll be squar’ this time,” ‘*Now to my questions,” Yas,” { ‘*Do you not belong to an outlaw band?” — not so tende1footed as you might think, for I know the points of the compass and you have led us toward Junction City not from it, and more, you crossed one trail of yester- day thinking 1 did net notice it, and if we stayed here long we would soon be caught in a trap you bave set for us, ‘‘Now, pard, what you do and say has got to be for your life, for I swear to you P’ll then find out just what the prisoner did know of Jack Hammond's *being dead or alive. - So he said to the man, ‘‘ See here, pard fyou push on to where we can hide this body, and then find us a safe retreat, “Come, there is no time to lose, for Satan Sam is free and I do not intend he shall have Per Ts) Na a SS 5 ER time to circumvent us,” ion t ae ‘I'm working for you, pards, for I has all | stand no more nonsense. : After » moment of hesitation the man an- to gain by it,” was the answer. ‘Keno, bring me that lariat and put a} swered in a low tone: aR > ei ‘T shall soon know just how much you | noose around this man’s neck.” “Yas,” w + a cd 5 . ‘ ‘ 4 as : . . »: ae ae A 2 ae Baars hed ~ Q : ‘iran “ ; 7 ; Poa + “ ‘ Ney 3 Byaee ey aS A, “4 av & J fd } i > Dee * v Py spe alain sate op Fr bie Migtiges Ni £2 . ; Wea ae! y faa f ‘ Tas PSF ae esd Pree te Mi hey: ah es MO! gto Tita lua ald
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iene “aaa a vl “1s not Satan Sam your leader?” "ONOn' ‘* Who is?” ** Well, we knows him as Cap’n, that’s » all.” . ** Where is he?” ** Kast, jist now, I believes.” ‘*What has Satan Sam to do with the _ band?” **TTe’s lieutenant, and commands the band while the Cap’n’s away.” ** How long has the Captain been away?” **Seven weeks.” ‘What does the band number?” ta ** Jist now about a. dozen, I guess.” ‘It was your band that held up Fred Fox’s coach some weeks ago when the at- temas was made to kidnap Gentleman Jack?” ae ‘* Yas.” ; ‘** Were you along that day?” in The man hesitated. 1 “T must have the truth, sternly said Nat, Cyas.:, “Who was the miner who was a passen- ger that day?” ‘Yer means ther day you lit inter ther agents so brash?” ‘*You know what day I mean, and 1 ask you was not that miner your outlaw cap- d tain?” : ‘*I don't jist recommember.” **’ll put this lasso about your neck to re- fresh your memory, and—” ae “Yas, I knows now who yer means—yas, he were our captain.” ‘And played Gentleman Jack’s friend to betray him?” 4‘ “ About that,” was the low reply. remember,” CHAPTER XVII. BROUGHT TO TERMS, ‘*Now a few questions “more,” resumed I, New York Nat after a moment of silent meditation, , ‘‘T’m in it to tell all I know, pard,” an- q swered the outlaw. i ** And I’m in it to know all, or help fill in 3 your grave,” was the significant reply. The man shuddered, and Nat asked: ** You say that your captain is East now?” : ‘ “é Yas. ” site _ “Gentleman Jack mysteriously disappear- ae ed the night he reached Junction City?” \ene, ** So I has heerd.” 1p cee “Do you not know?” '“*T wasn’t thar, yer knows.” _** Where were you?” be _ “*T was dustin’ for a place of safety, arter ale you run us away from the coach.” y “JT remember that the old miner went on with us to the station,” aa * Yas,” aaa »' Ts your captain an old man?”. ean ha _ “ fle seems so to us,” . 7 “* Well, he appeared like a rough-looking man, with gray bair ad beard of a week's growth, while he stooped his shoulders and ' walked with a limp.” A “The miner who was with Gentleman ‘iy Jack you mean?” ‘* Yes, and your captain too, for I have an idea that they are one and the same, that your outlaw wears a wig and otherwise dis- guises himself at times,” aa ip! New York Nat suw the start the prisoner gave but did not appear to do so, But the man said in response: ‘Well, you may be right, young feller, that it were our Capt’in who was the miner in the coach thet day, but I can’t swear to it, but 1 guess you know more than you tell me,” * [know enough to hang you, should I turn you over to a court of justice,” voy. *“Butlyer won't?” ) . " x a a y i 27 ot | ad ‘ = ‘ ‘ wy Vyas foarte —_—_—_—_—<—$—[—_<_——_ ——————————————— ———————_———————————— A bey © “It depends upon you. — a 34 “Now, why was Gentleman Jack to be | kidnapped?” ; pce Ay eh: sry ae big at Coie - New York Nat in Colorado. "aati tet Ma Ne & “is saa a eet a stag sy Saddle ta te ee / ~ ™~ “The Captain know'd, we men didn’t.” *“You know that he was kidnapped the night he came into Junction City.” **T heerd so.” **Come, I do not believe you know what I wish to learn so you might as well be dead as alive for all that I can get out of you.” The man cried out eagerly: ‘“*Pard, IL remembers now that Gentleman Jack were tuk in ther night he arriv’ in Junction City.” ‘* By his friend the miner?” ‘Sas? ; ‘* Where was he taken?” ‘To the'den.” ‘¢ Where is it?” . Up in the mountains.” ** You know the way there?” **T knows.” “You know if Gentleman Jack is dead or alive.” : ‘*He were alive when I seen him last.” ** When was that?” ‘A week ago.” ‘* What is he being held for?” ‘* The Capt’in knows,” ‘* And does not tell.” ‘He may have told Satan Sam but not me and the rest of the gang.” ‘*Then Gentleman Jack is held as a pris- oner?” ‘“* Yas.” ‘How many men are in the camp? ‘‘Only one man generally keeps camp, to look after the horses we keeps there, but there is two there now on account of the pris- oner.” **T see, and the time.” ‘* Yes, for he’s no slouch, and though he is ironed he’s hard to hold,” ‘* You could guide us there?” The man started, moved uneasily and said: ‘*See here, young pard, don't ask me to do that, for I might as well let you hang me as todo it, as my life wouldn’t be worth much,” E “Tt won't be worth anything if you re- use, ‘* You have confessed the truth, I believe, because you were forced to do’so, but it was like drawing teeth to get it out of you, | **Now I want you to go to that den, for you hold the prisoner, Gentleman Jack with- out any reason for doing so, and he must be released, ' ‘‘Do this and you are free to go‘your way the moment we rescue Gentleman Jack, and Lwill give youa money consideration too, us well asa good outfit, several horses, and some advice,” “* Advice?” , “Yes, to get away from this part of th country with all speed, for I intend to run your captain and his band of outlaws down, and you will be about the only one to es- cape.” y As though acting from some sudden im- pulse the outlaw said eagerly: ‘**T’ll go you, young feller, for 1t do begin to look black for the boys. “Til guide you to the den, and in return I am to get my liberty, some money, an out- fit and several horses?” “Yes, and some adyicc.” “Vl take it all,” “Hark! what is that?” “T didn’t hear nothin’,” “*T did. 2. . ‘*Come, pards, be on the alert for danger, | for 1 heard voices just now down the can- ron. : er go and see what is up and you be | ready to fight if figbt it must be,” and New York Nat called out to his two comrades, left the prisoner in their keeping, and taking his |.tifle walked rapidly down the canyon. He soon came upon a scene that showed him that they were in dendly danger, for \ one keeps guard over him all | desperate foes were on their track, +; ed, and we'll push on ata brisk pace ag’in,” , a / CHAPTER XVII. SATAN SAM ON THE TRAIL, SATAN SAM was a dangerous map, ever when defeated. He supposed as he fled from the attack on the trio of young Ferrets that both of his | companions fell under their fire. He saw one man go down, and supposed that the other did too. He lost no time in making the best of a bad situation, and so sped swiftly along to the ponies of the scouts, sprung upon the back of one and fled. But’ a surprise awaited him at the pass, when Keno opened upon him, He saw that he was in the open, the foe in shelter, and having no time to get his own: horse he kept on as he was in his flight. He was never a slow rider, and he made this time no exception, but kept his horse at a swift pace, anxious to reach Junction City before the men should leave the saloons. He had a purpose in view. But he rode too hard and used his horse up, so had to go slow for the rest of the way. It was after breakfast when he at. last. , 8 reached the tavern at Junction City, ea But he had startling news to tell, and wag not long in getting an interested audience, His story was a surprising one to many, for it was in effect that he and his two com- panions had started for the mines; that they had been ambushed by the three kid miners, and his two companions were killed. He had been captured, and they had beem robbed of all they had, their horses and out- fit; and, in fact, the three young miners had. ! turned road-agents. He had made his escape upon one of their: ponies, and so had come to Junction City with all speed, and wanted a band of mem to go with him and capture and string up the kid road-agents. It was but a few minutes before Safar Sam secured the services of over half a score of bold spirits to follow him on the trail of the alleged young road-agents, and a few hours after his arrival in Junction City he | was mourted upon his best horse, and with — his volunteers following rode forth upon the = | mission of hanging New York Nat and his two friends for the crimes he had charged. them with. ; “T tell yer, pards, them boys, has been — playin’ a bold game out here, and hain’ nigh so tenderfooted as they pertends ter be and looks,” he said when the party of horse- men halted for a rest, . ** You sees,” he continued, ‘‘they was im ie mines and went back with plenty 0” ~ ust, bya ag ‘‘They played the baby act, and yet yer knows how they jumped the road-agents — when they held up Fred Fox’s coach some weeks ago, and yer seen that young feller, — Nat, play his bold bluff on me at keerds. “Well, them boys hain’t no slouch, and — they come out here ter play a bluff game fer | ; dust, and my idea is that they are New York — crooks, as I heerd that even ther bootblacks ye 4 and newsboys of that town kin giveamam from the country pointers in any game they wishes to play. ' ‘Now, pards, I has preached my sarmon,. and the text be that we has got ter catch : i them young fellers and hang ‘em—see?” Ste: Watt The men did * see,” and the ‘text’ and. si ‘sermon ” which Satan Sam had ‘‘preached’™ were most convincing. mai Sikh een ay The: were readily converted and willing = | ‘to follow his lead, — aa ‘Tn course,” he resumed, ‘they will play | the baby act and squeal like pigs Undera fence, ‘They lie about being innocent and wil) say they was the Ones attacked. but I gives é the words to string em upand try ’emafter- wards. ‘Now, I guesses the critters has been rést- SaaS «
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tt ee Oc 8 a ee lee ee ee __ = p ——— ro, weer ar Dae amend wo at sels t in Colorado, | ‘New York Na With this the party pushed on again, and reached the camp where the attack bad been made. The good trailers took up the trail, in spite of the outlaws’ pretended precan- tions to hide it. They found no trouble in following it, and toward nightfall, by taking cut-olfs, as they knew which way the fugitives would have to go, they camped in the} canyon. which New York Nat and his comrades had left to seek aecure hiding place. They did not appear to fear being heard, for they laughed and joked around the camp-fire, and it was their voices that New York York Nat had heard. The outlaw prisoner had heard them, too, but had made no move, hoping that the * pursuers would soon come upon the camp. He felt sure that Satan Sam was Jeading Rf the pursuit, and supposed that he had only }; the members of his own band, not believing that he had been bold enough to go to Junc- tion City and lay the charge he was guilty .of upon the Boy Ferrets. > a It was coming upon the camp in the can- a, he yon that had shown New York Nat the dan- pe ger they were in, ; | he CHAPTER XIX | IN CLOSE QUARTERS, New York Nar had been too long a clever detective not to understand recon- noitering, even if it was on the frontier. He drew near enough to the camp to see the forms of the pursuers about the fires, and counted thirteen. ** An unlucky number for them, at least,” muttered the young Ferret, and he drew nearer to take in the whole situation, ‘“Ah! Satan Sam is there; yes, and the Jeader,” he snid as he recognized the des- _'perado of Junction City, The recognition, too, convinced him that he and his comrades were in deadliest dan- ger at the hands of the men whom such a ~- man would lead. Determined to hear as well as see, New York Nat crept nearer, using all the caution and skill of an Indian, and soon gained a thas a - soma of pines within fifty feet of the camp- Nahe cht ras : ‘The men had just sat down to supper, _ and were laughing and talking among them- selves in a tone that plainly reached the ears oe: ae companions, for the whole story was gone 4 over again, and that the men were in pur- ss suit of them to hang them without trial, for the murder of the two men Satan Sam ac- cused them of killing, and for stealing their 6% Bpyace and trying to kill him, Satan Sam, y Afi algo, That they had unstecessfully followed their trail thus fur showed that they were in earnest. The fact that they had not killed the man ia with them would be no protection, as he hi would side with Satan Sam against them. bo They were in a blind canyon, and there ss was no escape for them, and they must th fight it out if their pursuers followed them there, os pe That they had not camped in the entrance © convinced Nat that they suspected that they -} had pushed on into the mountains, — _. There was one roing in their favor, this __ being that their trail aft _ -yon could not be seen, on account of the _ ‘nature of the ground, eal ! “$0 New York Nat at once determined up- a . on his course, and hastily retreating from _ his position he retreated to the blind canyon and his own camp, er entering the can- _—_————————— 8 LE tt ee | ' game and we will see who will win. He found his comrades and the prisoner awaiting supper for him, and the two young Ferrets were becoming very anxious for the safety of their leader. The prisoner had also seemed anxious, and had suggested that they go in search of Nat, but this neither Keno or Freckles woule lis- ten to. As Nat drew near tbe camp he heard the prisoner say: “TI tell yer, I’m going to call out for yer pard, for I don’t hear nobody in the big canyon now, and if they hain’t kilt him he kin hear us, ‘*T has a voice like a fog-horn, and I'll jist whoop her up one time and—” ** You give a cry and I'll see that it is your last,” was uttered in the stern voice of New York Nat as he suddenly appeared before them, his rifle muzzle pointed directly at the | prisoner. ‘“You would betray us, and purposely, for you know well that the men are in the canyon. ‘‘T have a mind to gag you, and if you speak louder than a whisper I will do so, while if you’ call out, your pard, Satan Sam, will find you dead when he comes here.” The prisoner saw that Nat was in deadly earnest and he was cowed into silence, while the young detective went on to say: “* Boys, Satan Sam is there and has twelve men with him, most of whom 1 recognized as men I suw in Junction City, ‘*He has told them that we attacked him in camp, killed his two comrades and cap- tured him, robbing them all and stealing their horses. ‘* He is after us to ae us, and they are going to pull out before daybreak and go on up into the mountains, and we will take the back track and hide in a place I remember we passed, and we will leave no trail, ‘“We could go to Junction City and tell all, but some there might not believe us, and we would lose our chance of rescuing Gentle- man Jack and that would never do, so we just go into hiding until Satan Sam and his followers give up the trail. : ** Now to have supper, and then we'll get a few hours’ rest and be ready to leave here as soon as Our pursuers depart from their | camp.” This plan was considered the best that | could be done, so the Ferrets and their prisoner ate supper, after which Nat gagged the outlaw, and the four laid down to seep for a few hours, > CHAPTER XX, IN HIDING, Nat was awake two hours before dawn, and awaking his comrades told them to get ready to move and come on down the canyon | slowly unless they heard from him to the contrary, ‘ ee ( 1 \ \ assy) LES 8 2 RIA a> Sse Sere ke Ee Ye ————————— ’ ‘*Somehow I believe I hold trumps and I eat shall play them for all they are worth, ' ‘*Good! the boys are coming now, and we P will get well out of the canyon before day 4 breaks and then, when we reach the brook beyond which the tracks will show we will turn into it and I'll be the guide, for I would i, not trust that outlaw aguin on any account, ) as I am sure he meant to betray us when he wanted to call out for me last night.” In a few minutes the others rode up, and’ mounting his horse Nat led the way on the te back trail. a ‘«See here, pard, I wants ter sarve you, by and [ tells you this trail will lead you ee. wrong,” said the prisoner. ‘“Not so wrong as the one in the other di- rection would.” J ‘You is wrong, for we would follow om ' after them and then hide in the mountains, ¥ for they would not look to find us following Fs them.” ee ‘“‘T'll go my own way, pard, as I’ve had to do many atime before, and if I go wrong. you won't be to blame.” ; So Nat led the way back over the trackless. { land through the canyon, and on across a. py flinty plain until just after sunrise they came rh, to a brook. . “a Then the strange spectacle was seen of\a Vs desert, treeless, grassless and rocky upon one Ph side of the brook, while upon the other side Neh) were meadows of juicy grass, trees and roll- . ‘ in hills. sq Reaching the brook Nat turned down the: y stream, a course which would take them, rc) nearer to, instead of further from Junction: ae: City. ry ‘We can,” he explained to his two pards, Ag “if driven to bay, make a run for Junction a City and tell our story to the people there. or. ‘‘Enough will belive it to prevent ous ae ke being strung up without mercy,. though I a believe the prisoner would side with Satan, Mh + Sam. against us. [ee ‘Now we will find a biding-place and re-. ie main there until the band searching for us. $4 eae return to Junction City. qe ‘*Then we will try and find the outlaw PTs band’s dén, rescue Gentleman Jack, and with ! f him and another outlaw prisoner we will = = haye enough proof to back up all our “eae charges against Satan Sam.” in 1 hal Thig was New York Nat’s plan, and with evi him his 'wo Ferret pards wholly agreed, | an though the prisoner was dead set againsé a) their view of the situation, ae ate Like one reared upon the frontier New York Nat led the way down the stream, Wa § the others following, and the prisoner wear- ing an anxious look upon his face, : ry 2 Before they turned into the brook Nat = = © and Keno bad dismounted and most care-. ti a fully seurched to see if they had left any trace of a trail upon the hard soil. To their delight they found none, and the bed of the stream was sandy, and quick- ty all the tracks were obliterated by the fle . [ ; wing waters. ~ \ LN ae The prisoner had passed a wretched night! So a the current they rode for several oo iat of it, ironed as he was and with the gag in| miles, and then they came to a place at. ese, his mouth and he was in a very sullen | which the same flinty soil was found, so ol humor, ‘that they left the water and soon found a ~~ | “Remove his gag, but knock him in the head if he speaks out of a whisper,” Nat had said as he walked away. He reached the mouth of the blind canyon just as the leading man of the pursuers was riding by and heard one in the rear call out: ‘““There’s a big canyon, pard.” ‘¢Tt’s a blind one, only runs a few hundred yards back,” was the reply of Satan Sam. Then the party rode by within a hundred feet of the boy detective. New York Nat counted them carefully, and found there were thirteen, As they passed on out of sight he smiled grimly. and muttered to himself; Mey “Well Satan Sam, we are playing another * ») b camping place back among a range of hills, if ood, grass and water were in plenty, the = = horses could be hemmed up in one of the © blind canyons close at hand, and the very bY a spot for a good camp and safe retreat was. == | found, | ane tla eae Not fearing that any foes wereinear Nat shot a decr, and while the prisoner wasputto = = J work cutting it up, Keno and Freckles caught some fine fish in the stream rear by. eee ‘We have a sufe retreat, a finecampand are set up With fresh food in plenty, boys,so0 | we can stand it fora few days and then the — ah Nad prisoner here must guideustohisdenifhe = = = wishes to save his neck.” pay eta hain’t sarcumvented Satan Samif yeristen- | derfoot kids,” growled yette: orablaw prisoner, Hi ¢ “You bet I’ do it, and durn me if yous! } Veh, ere Aer eee tae AP i 4 sy
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bird aay. . * a eS ae PORES « ‘ CHAPTER XXI. UNDER SUSPICION, THREE days passed in the Ferrets’ camp, they appearing to tuke matters coolly, while their prisoner fretted greatly. Ile said that he expected the camp would be momentarily surprised by Satan Sam. But Nat had found a point of lookout on a cliff near by which commanded the ap- proaches, and here one of the three Ferrets was constantly on the watch. Their camp was so located that it could be well defended, and if forced to retreat they could desert their horses, take their prisoner and go to Junction City, leaving their focs in possession of what they could find. But no outlaws caine, and confident that they had given up the pursuit, New York Nat gave the order to move on the fourth morning after their arrival there. They went back the way they had come, and they were very careful to reconnoiter well ahead. Going ahead on foot, Nat discovered that ‘the party had returned from its search in the mountains, fur there were their tracks, thir- teen horses, as plain as could be seen. They branched off toward Junction City, too, and came right down from the moun- tains, The Nat tol den. ‘* You hain’t give that up?” ‘* You bet we hav’n’t.” “Well, I guess we can find it.’ at | know we can when your life depends upon it.” So the prisoner’s face brightened and he led the way once more, bound to his horse -and with his hands in irons. They. went up through the canyon and found the place where they had camped when their foes came so near to them. They had traveled very slowly, going cau- tiously as they did, and it was nearly dark when they got up in the mountains, the seat- tering trails of their pursuers showing that they bad searched for them by twos and threes, but no well defined trail followed along -on the one that was evidently an old one, and which the prisoner asserted was made by his band going to and from the retreat of the outlaws. ‘‘We can ride right in on ‘em at night, surround their cabin and call fer them ter come out with their hands up. ‘‘That will fetch them, you bet, only I don't want ter be seen by the boys, yer knows,” explained the prisoner, But New York Nat was wary, and ques- tioned the prisoner most closely until at last he managed to discover that the camp was between two cliffs that formed a valley, and could only be reached by ascending to the top of a range and then descending to the retreat, ‘Ts the retreat visible from the range?” ‘** From one point it be.” ‘* Does this trail lead to it?” ** It do,” ‘*Very well, boys, you go into camp here, and I’ll push on ahead on foot and see what I can find out.” ‘No need o’ that, for we kin all gu to- gether.” ‘*‘T prefer to go alone, ” answered Nat. ‘* It’s a dangerous trail.” ‘‘T'll keep my eyes open for danger,” ‘‘Sure as shootin’ yer'll run over a cliff.” “PIL risk it,” ‘Yer is a durned fool to do it.” ‘Tl take bigger chances now you urge aguinst it. - Just keep right by that man, one of you, cand finish him if he tunes up or makes any trouble,” - ** We'll do it,” said the boys, and the pris. -oner smothered an oath between his xe While Nat saw that his face puled slightly. risoner again looked uneasy, but him his duty now was to lead to the New Yor York Nat in Colorado. **Keno, I belicve that man intends to be- tray us in some way if we give him the chance,” said Nat, and having selected a camping place, he started out alone and on foot. Ile followed the faint trail winding up to the top of the range, and coming to the two cliffs that formed the valley, he “approached and looked over cautiously. His face brightened as he saw a number of horses feeding in the valley, and from almost beneath him came a column of white smoke curling upward, “‘Ah! I have found the retreat. ‘Now to have a better view,” and Nat searched about for a better outlook. He now found a spot that commanded a view of the cabin, and his eyes fell upon something that caused him to smile signifi- cantly. What he beheld was a log cabin just be- neath him, and a camp- -fire near it, built up against the cliff, The sun was near setting and the valley was cast in the shadow of approaching night. About the camp-fire were no less than six men, two of whom were cooking the even: ing meal. hree others were lolling near, while a fourth was visible seated by the stump of a tree to which New York Nat even from where he looked down could see that he was bound. “That man is Gentleman Jack,” said Nat as he recognized the man bound to the tree, CHAPTER XXII. IN DISGUISE. Wnuat Nat saw in the canyon did not seem to surprise him, and he watched the group of men until darkness closed around them. He saw the men gather around for sup- per. The prisoner was with them; but, though his hands were freed, Nat could see that his feet were bound from the manner in which he walked, More wood was thrown upon the fire, thereby causing a bright light and the group of raen were plainly visible to the watcher from the cliff above. Still watching, New York Nat saw them throw themselves upon the ground ahd could even hear their voiccs and laughter. at last he saw two of them lead the prisoner to the cabin and enter it, Then oue by one the others followed and the fire began to die down. “They appear to keep no watch,” mut- tered Nat, and he beygan to slowly retrace his way down the mountain trail. It was moonlight ard he had watched well his trail. Just before midnight he arrived in camp and found Keno and Freckles awaiting him, while the prisoner had retired to his blan- kets but was not asleep, the boys whis- pered. Nat ate a hearty supper his comrades had rese: ved for him and then said: * Well, boys, there are six men in the camp a Then our man lied?” “He certainly did, and intended to lead us into a trap. ** But, one of those six men is Gentleman Jack!” w‘* You saw him Pard Nat?” cried Keno, « Bay, true as steel, 1 have heard, and t fellow, ¢
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want you to help me out of a scrape, while, besides doing an all-round good act, you will help yourself, too, for I will not forget you: Iam New York Nat, the Boy Miner.” “The deuce!” exclaimed Fred Fox, and then he added: ‘*T thought yer was a gospil sharp, sure as shootin’, though yer did look young for a prayer-slinger. on ** Well! well! I’m glad ter see yer, though a) they does tell ugly tales of you and your pards in Junction City.” ess 0 J ' CHAPTER XXITl, NAT’S BOLD GAME, ‘“Trapre isnot a word of truth in it, Fred, . as I’ll prove to you. 2 ““T’ll tell you now that I know all that nd Satan Sam said of us, for 1 was near his i camp and heard him and his men talking,” be. F, Nat informed. iy ‘‘He went into Junction City with a great f lie about me, and then started out with ‘ twelve others to hunt us down. ** Now I’ll tell you the whole truth, and I want you to help me out, for you are the man that can do it. is “Tn the first place, 1 am going to tell you a secret, and put perfect confidence in you. Then you'll see it all, and know who the men are that have been holding up your gt coach,” , Fred Fox listened with the deepest inter- | est to New York Nat, and heard the whole story of the attack on them, their flight un- der the guidance of their prisoner, the traps Pte he tried to lead them into, and the discovery of the outlaw den, and Gentleman Jack a prisoner there, Sy Now Fred Fox thought a great deal of ise Gentleman Jack, whom he had known fora oe year or more, and had a warm spot in his BP heart for the Boy Miner Nat, and he-said with great energy: “TI see it all now, boy pard,.and how Satan Sam tried to save his neck by just ac- cusing you. ‘*’ve suspected him for some time, and I Wis tell you I’m right in this thing with you clean apa up to my neck, and in it to stay, too. , “T}l see you through; but what'll we start in on when we gets to ther city?” ‘“Tell the landlort’ that I am a Boy Preacher from the mines, come to Junction _ City to meet a friend. ‘* Of course, that friend will not come, and I want you to pick your men, say six of them, to go back with me. “They must pretend to be going on a prospecting tour, and go out in your coach day after to-morrow, and I'll go too. ‘**When we reach the spot where you picked me up we will leave you, and my pard Freckles will be near them with the horses, and I’ll buy a couple more: animals in Junction City, and have you lead them out for me, “That you must get men whom you can wholly trust, you well know.” ) «You bet I know, and I'll get men that will do just as you say, for you are the cap- tain, boy pard. . ‘ “They will not be unforgotten, Fred, ; ‘or—” ‘““Now don’t go to offering pay, for to | atch those road-agents wi}l be all the re- 4 ward they want.” . ‘« Well, those are the kind I want, and you know whom you can trust, “But, Fred, as | am in bad odor in/Junc- tion Siig? I want you to do me the favor to et get my letters from the post-office for me. «They will be addressed simply to Na- thaniel Chandler, Special Agent, Junction City, with the words written on it: “ “Deliver only to bearer of seal stamped ereon. a” “TM ate them.” i And here is the seal, and you can stamp ‘landlord did not see the significance of the then pocketing his letters he went down to it upon the letter to show you have the right ' at 8 eter te a New York Nat in Colorado. to get the letters, and say the one to whom they are addressed sent you for them, so I need not be known in the matter. . ‘Then, too, I want you to buy two good horses, saddles and bridles, for those men, and they had better ride them, starting out ahead of the coach, I guess.” “Tl do just as you tells me, boy pard; but oh! how much you does look like a sky pilot! why, you’d fool your mammy. ‘* Now we is nearin’ Junction City, so jist talk fast if thar is anything else to ys eet Nat did talk fast, and a quarter of an hour after, when the stage drew up at the tavern, Fred Fox fully understood what was to be done. The ‘‘ Boy Preacher” was introduced with a flourish by Fred Fox to the landlord, and so perfect was Nat’s disguise that not a soul who had seen him before suspected who he was. ‘*He’s been doing a pow’ful lot 0’ good in ther lower mines, scrapin’ sinners out o’ hell fire, and I only wish he had a chance to do the same in Junction City, for if ever thar was a gang o’ sinful folks gathered tergether in a commoonity, this is ther place. “ Why, if ye’d dig down a few rods in this town, the ground would burn yer, Hades is so near,” said Fred. But the ‘‘ Boy Preacher” hastened to his room, passing on the way Satan Sam, who, seeing him, burst out into a rude laugh and called out: ‘* Lord hev marcy, landlord, what hev yer got thar?” ‘‘ A boy preacher, Satan Sam, and I guess- es he'll be after you.” “Yes, my mission is fighting the devil, and I'll give you a call,” said Nat in his most sepulchral tones. “Tm blowed ef yer will,” answered Satan Sam as he walked on, while Nat was conduct- ed to his room by the landlord, who said: ‘‘] wishes yer c’u'd stay about Juncion City fer a meetin’, parson, ferit do be gettin’ mighty wicked here.” ‘Maybe I will be able to give the sinners in your town a turn,” answered Nat, but the remark, Rae” a2 CHAPTER XXIV. LETTERS FROM THE EAST. CONGRATULATING himself upon havin such a good ally as Fred Fox, New Yor Nat determined to keep as much in his room as possible, He had passed successfully through the ordeal of the landlord. Satan Sam and several others unrecognized, and he believed and hoped that he could remain unsus- petted. So far all was going well, and he quietly awaited the coming of Fred Fox, whose ie act was to go to the post-office for im, About an hour after his arrival, the stage- driver came in bringing with him several letters for Nat. “Tl git supper now, pard, and you hed better do ther same. “Then, I'll light out on the trail o’ ther men I wants,” : “All right, only sa about the work in hand.” ‘<I sabe,” ‘‘Let them think they are going to the mines with you, and tell them their fare will be paid on the coach, for Ill attend to that.” * All at ‘‘Here is the money to buy me the two horses and the outfit, and also a few sup- plies that we had best have on hand in case we need them with our extra numbers, ( “Now, I will go down to supper with you and read my letterg afterward.’ Nat gave the driver a roll of bills, nothing to them and the supper table. 1 Ce eee eee eee a ES PS ee es Ser ee ee Wing Lung waited upon him and gave him the best the tavern afforded, but did not. appear to recognize the Boy Ferret in the pretended Boy Preacher. room, for he began to realize that the men about the tavern wanted to hear him preach. He pleaded a bad cold to the landlord, and shred his room hastily began to open his. mail. One letter was from his lieutenant in charge of the Boy Police band in his absence, and was a report of all that had gone on’ since his departure, ending with a hope that he would be successful in his venture and soon return, It also ended with kind regards from all. in the band to Nat, Keno and Freckles. Another letter was from Sherman Canfield, his ally and friend, and told him how mat- ters were going with him, while he said that. the chief of the Secret Service asked him often what had become of his Unknown. Detective. ‘* Hasten back, Nat, for there is work for you to do here, other crooked trails for you to run down and wicked men and women to entrap,” was what the letter ended with, The third letter was from the Mascot. Queen of the Boy Police, Olive. He opened it last like one who knew that; it contained the most important news. After a few words about having greatly missed her brother and hoping that he would soon return crowned with success, the letter went on to say: ‘* All goes well with the band, but the: boys are bringing in information of crooks: that will need you to deal with, though I do also, ‘‘ But we miss you sadly, and hampered: as Il am by my place of lady’s maid, I can do. but little, as t get out but one evening in. each week, ‘** Now to matters here. I can tell you: some things that will surprise you, ‘*There isa man in the case as well as « woman, in fact two women. ; ‘*T have discovered that one or both of the women, Mrs. Hammond and her daugh- ter, are playing some deep, desperate game.. “Tn fact, I know now that Mr. Hammond: is the victim of a fiendish plot’ to put him out of the way. ‘Some one is poisoning him. ‘“‘T took the medicine given me by Mrs, Hammond for her husband, after Miss Ben- son had taken it from me, as is always her habit, and substituting a glass I had already prepared, I placed the other aside. ‘Finding an excuse to go out, I took the medicine glass to a chemist ard had him analyze it. p ‘‘'His report, written, was to the effect that it contained a subtle poison—one that. would slowly but surely destroy life if given regularly in small doses. that my suspicions were correct: that Mr. Hammond was surely being poisoned, ‘* But by whom? ‘‘ Bither Mrs. Hammond changed his med- icine for that subtle poison and had me give: it to him, or her daughter changed it after I took it to his room, ‘To complicate matters, the man in the: case appeared, ‘‘He is a man of jorty, handsome, dis- tinguished looking, but if he is.not a villain, then his face belies him. CHAPTER XXV. A MIDNIGHT CALLER. Nat smiled as he read the way that Olive described the villain, but interested greatly in all that he had read, he continued the- letter, which was as follows:: was out, and 1 went.to the door. After eating his supper Nat escaped to his. try to do all that I can, and our good pards. © “That was enough for me, for I knew — ‘“‘T mean a soft, clever, velvet scoundrel.” ‘The man called one day when the mother
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\A a een a ‘* His appearance at once struck me, and I ‘became interested in him. ‘*He asked for Mrs. Hammond, and the card I carried up had on it: «* WALTER BENSON, *«* Golden Gleam Mine, ** Arizona.’ *‘T gave Mrs Hammond the catd and she uttered an exclamation, but whether of sur- prise or pleasure I could not determine. ‘She at once went down to the parlor and ‘ closed the door behind her. . visit. daily, at ‘This shut me out from hearing, though I did overhear very earnest conversation, and the visitor remained all of two hours. ‘Then hé left, and that night returned and asked for Miss Benson. ‘*She also closed the door behind her, and the conversation was again rather loud and earnest, and yet I could only catch a word here and there, that I may be able to put to- gether after I learn more. “He this time remained but half an hour and when he left I saw Miss Benson; her face was pale and an angry light flashed in her eyes. ‘“This man, Walter Benson, repeated his one time asking for Mrs, Hammond, again for Miss Benson, and only once sceing the two together. “In each case the door was always tightly closed, and [ could learn nothing; but now I have arranged a plan to know w hat passes between him and one of the two, for I am going to pretend to leave the house and then hide in an alcove in the parlor which is curtained cff for a beautiful piece of statuary. “It has a curtain behind it, and just space enough for me to hide in, and sc I can hear all if I do not see, for it is in,the back parlor ‘that the ladies always receive their visitor, whose name you note is Benson.’ After reading a page or two further, and upon another subject, the letter closed, but a poser followed. The P. 8. was dated the next day and was as follows: ‘“‘T went to see Mr. Jearn if he kuew of Mr. Arizona, “He told me that he had heard of a gambler in Arizona by the name of Benson, avd who was also known as Wild Walter. ‘“‘He said that he was known as an all- round bad man, and once he had seen him, Sherman Canfield, to Walter Benson of ‘go he is going to try and get a look at this visitor to the. Hammond mansion, “‘Mr, Canfield also told me that Wild Walter had a beautiful wife with him in that wild country, and several men were killed about her. ‘I will write you again in a few days. ‘* Lovingly, *“OLIVE.” This letter like the former one was written in the peculiar cipher known to New York Nat and Olive alone. The letter set Nat to thinking, and he was startled from his reveries by hearing a light tap at the door, Opening it, and prepared to meet friend or foe, Nat beheld Wing Lung glide sud- denl into the room! A curious smile lit up his face, while he saidin a whisper: ‘Wing Lung no big foolee like ’Melican * ™man- —me sabe Nat allee samee he Preacher . stang fa “You are as cunning as a fox, Wing -. Lung,” and Nat grasped the band of the ,Chinaman who had so cleverly penetrated his disguise and recognized him where others had failed to do so, | Me tellee news to Nat,’ continued Wing the lowest of whispers. Wing Lung?” “Wing Lung know Satan Sam_ and alle bee ’Melican mat with him, ie thine spottee allee road-agents. — | oe — — ge sa cetarnninige Biwi nn as aan * em a 7 ‘ chit rales Na AE STENNIS it York Nat in Colorado. ‘*He tellee big. lie on Boy Prenchar, and he heap bad man, Satan Samee be. ‘*Me havee allee down fine, and write name of allee band—see!” Nat looked at the slip of paper shown him by Wing Lung and replied with 61 smile: | tleman yee at the same time trapping his kidnappers, tre six men mounted and fol- lowed New York Nat and Freckles on the trail to the mountain camp of the Gamin Detectives, who were playing such a bold game in the Wild West. It was nearly sunset when they rode into the camp, and were greeted by Keno. The outlaw prisoner was there, gagged as well as bound, for Keno would take no chances when alone, | As the gag was removed for him to eat ar, he ‘begged piteously for his life, and New York Nat answered: “T will spare it upon one condition.” “Tl do it.” ‘*You are to lead us to the cabin, knock and tell the men who you are, and that you have a message from Satan Sam,” *T'll do it.” ‘‘ When we have the gang safe, and pris- oner rescued, you shall have a horse and outfit, and be set free, as soon us we reach a point near Junction City; but if you do not get out of this country quick, then you'll have to hang.” “God -knows I'll go,” answer, After supper the six men and the three Ferrets and their prisoner mounted and rode away up the mountain trail, The prisoner, to show his good faith, now that he was fairly caught, had, at Nat’s de- mand, given him the names of ‘four men. be- sides Satan Sam who belonged to the road- agent band, and frankly confessed that they would find five men in the camp, adding: “There was thirteen of us, including the Captain, and you know you killed Buster when we jumped your camp.” Glancing at the names given him by Loo Choo, Nat saw that they were the same that théoutlaw gave him, so muttered: ** These are right, “We'll get the whole band except the Captain, who is East, for this fellow is to go free, and Buster is in his grave.” They soon came to the cliff, from whence a view of the retreat could be seen, and all “Yes, I see, Wing Lung, but that is all Greek to me; ‘but you can ‘translate it for me.” ‘“‘Loo Choo, he writtee ’Melican tonguee, and he tellee Nat all. eS “Meet him to-morrow night allee samee place, and havee Loo Choo with me.” + | ‘All right, Wing Lung,” answered Nat, and after some minutes’ further conversation inthe same low tone, New York Nat let Wing Lung glide out ‘of the door, and then | he retired to rest, well pleased with the way matters were shaping both with Olive inthe East, and himself inthe Wild West. man CHAPTER XXVI. CAUGHT NAPPING. As he found that he would be expected to “ neach,” New York Nat played possum the next day and remained in bed, feigning sick- ness. Fred Fox called upon him twice, and gave him to understand that he had bought the horses, their outfit and the supplies, and had the six men all ready to start the next morn ing. Two of them would leave ahead of the coach on horseback, the others going as passengers, There were no passengers so far save those who were to go with Fred Fox on the secret expedition, and this was fortunate. Still, others might come in on the night train, Fred said. Wing Lung carried Nat his meals, so the young ‘Ferret did not have to go out and meet him and Loo Choo at night, but had a list of names given him by the Chinaman, The next morning Nat was up early to take the coach, and walked like one who was quite feeble, while he had his head tied up was the eager saw the outlaws gathered about the fire, and the prisoner near, and who was recognized Ly several as Gentleman Jack. They rode slowly along the ridge for a mile, then left their horses staked out an . continued on foot, the prisoner, with his’ hands bound behind his back, and gagged Ww on he could give no alarm, leading the and looked the picture of despair, like one suffering with excruciating toothache, There were only the four men whom Fred ox had corralled on the coach, and away it rolled—Nat, ill though he pretended to be, saying he would ride for awhile on the box, Thus he and the driver arranged their plans, and the two horsemen were soon over- taken and kept up with the coach: When they had descended the rugged trail The six men were fine specimens of see to the valley, they saw that the camp-fire hood, and were armed to the teeth. | was deserted, the men had retired to their They knew that Fred Fox wanted .them | cabin, and the midnight visitors advanced slowly to make their call upon the unsus- pecting outlaws, CHAPTER XXVII, THE FERRETS SPRING THEIR TRAP, \ ‘«Say, pards, let me in!” It was the outlaw prisoner who spoke, and he rapped heavily upon the cabin door, . Voices were heard within, and the name | of the man was asked and given, while as the door was thrown open eee asked : ‘“‘ Anything gone wrong, pard?” i The answer was in New York Nat’s voice, for Winchesters covered the man nearest the door, and he called out: ‘Hands up, all of you, for your cabin is for some good and dangerous deed, but never once had suspected that the Boy Preacher was in it, too. When Fred at last drew rein at the spot where he had picked Nat up on the way in, he said: “Come out, pards, and let me interdooce yer all to yer young cap qi “This hain’t sich a Sens pilot as he looks, but the Boy Miner, New York Nat, whom Satan spun sich a yarn” against. Take off yer coverin’, boy pards, and let ther boys see yer as yer is, and he’ll tell yer what is ter be did, for Thas ter drive on ‘ter ther mines, but expects ter hear a good re- port of yer when I gits back.” To the surprise of the men they now recognized the Boy Miner, who had helped | surrounded, and it is death to resist!” © Fred Fox out in the attack of the road. But those desperate men, banded together agents, had bluffed Satan Sam ata game of | to rob and kill, were not the ones to surren- cards, and‘then was accused by the latter of | der tamely, and at once there was a sharp being a road-agent. ‘ | eracking of revolvers, and over a score of | In a few words Nat made his story known, | shots had been fired and men were dropping and then giving a signal agreed upon, j dead in and out of the cabin before a cry Freckles rode into,sight, riding one horse , came for quarter. and leading others, pa saddled and bridled, | Then three outlaws, one of them wound- | Bidding Fred. rood-by, and telling | ed, held up their hands and stepped out into | him they would alaaly follow the lead of.| the bright moonlight, one of them crying, as | the young eae and rescue his friend, Gen. | his eyes fell upon their betrayer:
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"ee * et New York Nat in C De a i la olorado, ‘*Curse you, you are the traitor—there goes my last shot!” The traitor outlaw uttered a cry of terror, and tried to dodge, but the bullet crashed through his brain and he dropped dead, while New York Nut said: ‘ “It is a fitting fate for him, though I in- tended to set him free, There are two of our boys dead, you say?” ‘' Yes; and one of your boy pards is slightly wounded.” ‘*Itis you, Keno; but I got it also in the arm, though Lam glad that neither wound is serious,” ‘* Now to Gentleman Jack.” *‘Here to answer for himself, though bound hands and feet, so I could not help you, pards,” came a voice over in the corner of the large cabin. The prisoner was quickly brought out and freed from his bonds, and then he said: * Ah! it is my Boy Champion of the stage coach attack! ‘I owe you all my life, for those men in. tended to kill me in the end, I am sure, as soon as their chief returned from the East, whither he has gone upon a mission of dev- iltry I can now stop if it is not too late,” and Gentleman Jack shook hands all around with his rescuers. Then one of the men looked to the wounds of Nat and Keno, and found them slight, but dressed them in a very skillful manner, duet The wounded outlaw was also cared for, and then the whole party sought rest. But bright and early the camp was active. A search revealed that the outlaws had two score of horses in the valley, half of which Nat at once turned over to his miner allies, four in number, who had aided him in the rescuc; and he also gave them the. booty found in the camp, so that they fared well, The dead men were buried—the outlaws ‘7e apart from the slain rescuers—and by noon ae the party was ready to start upon the re- turn. They picked up their horses on the range, and after a rest and supper, started four a night ride for Junction City. Two of the men rode on ahead to’spot the _ other members of the outlaw band, and - when Nat and the others arrived, he, Gen- _ tleman Jack and their companions entered iF ee a where all of the gang were to be found, ; __ In’an instant Satan Sam and his pals found a themselves covered and their surrender de- ‘manded, _ There were several to resist, but these only anticipated their death a short while, as Satan Sam and the others, as soon as Gentleman Jack’s story was heard, were seized, dragged out to the nearest tree and _ quickly strung up for their crimes, for there | is no arc in frontier justice. _. Having learned that the chief of the out- ‘laws, under the name of the ‘“ Prospector | Prince,” was &@ man whom he very much _ wished to meet, Nat went to his cabin, kept in his absence by a Chinaman, and, Wing | Lung and Loo Choo were allowed to make a search of the premises, © 4 What was discovered caused Nat to start East the next night on the Midnight Express train, and he was not only accompanied by - Keno and Freckles, his faithful Ferret _ pards, but also by Gentleman Jack, _ The sale of the horses found in the outlaw camp had brought the trio of Ferrets a very mug sum, and their fellow rescuers were more than delighted with their share ‘of the Spoils, ni t a a went with her to where Sherman Canfield and Gentleman Jack awaited them. That each of the three mostly interested ones had a story to tell, now that the Ferrets had sprung their trap, we may well assume, CHAPTER XXVIII, REVELATIONS, Iv was Olive who told her story first, and what she said was in effect that she had overheard, from her place of concealment in the parlors of the Hammond mansion, con- versations between both Mrs. Hammond and Miss Benson, and their visitors, She had discovered that Miss Benson was not the daughter of Mrs, Hammond, but that the latter was the wife of Walter Ben- son, and had shared his fortunes, and at one time had been a dealer of faro in her sport husband’s gambling saloon, The two had done one good act, for they had cared for the dying mother of Helen, whose name was Harwood, and had adopt- ed the girl when she was just entering ber teens. She had been sworn to say that she was their own child, and so far had kept her oath, Then Mrs. Benson had met Mr. Hammond, who had gone West to look after some mines he was largely interested in, and had com- pletely fascinated him—he believing she was, as she said, divorced from her husband. Entering with her husband into a plot to get Mr. Hammond’s money, she had secured a divorce and soon after married the man she was plotting against, to carry out her mercenary schemes, Finding that Jack Hammond was in the way, and how his fortune was left to him, the bad, bold woman had arranged with her first husband to get Jack out of the way, that husband having remained West and had become a chief of road-agents in addition to his other deeds of evil. So Jack had been run down, kidnapped, held a prisoner, while Walter Benson came East to see just how the affair stood. He found matters working well, for Mrs, Hammond was each day administering poison to her husband, as she thought, but, in reality, Helen Benson was preventing the invalid from taking the poisonous doses and giving him strengthening medicines instead. For her kindness to her dying mother, and afterward to herself, Helen did not wish to betray the beautiful fiend, and so simply plotted to cireamvenf her, until when Walter Benson called for her, to see if he could not get her to join them in his plot, she denounced him as a villain, and told him that if ever he came to that house again she would have him arrested; while to Mrs. Hammond she said that she was going to take Mr. Hammond away for a change, so that he could get well; and if she did not leave him, upon some excuse she could trump up, she would send her to prison, but she ,wished to spare the guilty couple for their kind acts to her mother, She also said that she would find Jack Hammond and have him come home to thwart thems All this Olive, the Queen of the Secret | Boy Police, overheard, and she at once made known to Helen Benson that she was New York Nat’s sister, and then in the mansion as a detective. When Jack Hammond heard all he said sternly: i ‘Our fitst duty is to, murderers arrested.” l “‘No,” demurred Nat; ‘‘ Miss H have the intended élen. Har: country, while, to avoid all publicity, I can | | arrest Walter Benson and carry him to the ponanata, to be tried for kidnapping Mr. 4am | wood’s conditions are that Mrs. Hammond | feature of Secres | shall escape, aud be ‘allowed to leave the mond and also as the chief of the road- | ditions, and telling points, r 7 vrata « Sed 15 agents, We have all the proof against him * that we need, Mr. Hammond.” ‘* We certainly found enough proof of his guilt tohang a dozen men, when we searched his cabin in Junction City, Nat,” Gentleman Jack replied. And so it was decided, that Nat should call upon Mrs, Hammond, while Sherman Canfield arrested Walter Benson. The woman would be given a few hours és to leave the city, and then Helen Har- wood should make known to Mr. Hammond the deep and damnable plot against him, And this plan was fully carried out that very day. iia Ss . CHAPTER XXIX, CONCLUSION. Mrs. Hammonp, with her guilt known, was only too anxious to leave the country, with the few thousand dollars she had laid by, and her jewels, too, being her, own. y Nat escorted her aboard a steamer bound for Liverpoo!, Then, with Walter Benson as a prisoner he returned to the West, accompanied by Ny Keno and Freckles, and turned their man over for trial, giving all proofs against him. This could end in but one way, and that was at the end of a rope, for the wicked man was quickly tried and strung up. Returning to New York, Nat found Olive still in the Hammond mansion, nominally as Mae t al A : ihe maid, but really as Miss Harwood’s compan- a ion, for awhile. < e The whole story had been told to Mr, Hammond, and, after the first shock was over, he began rapidly to improve, and the presence of his noble son was far better than medicine for him. tag Jack had not returned poor, either, for he had dug quite a fortune ont of the mines. It is not strange that he soon fell desperate- ly in love with the beautiful Helen who had o) been the means of saving his own and his’ £4 father’s lives, and the chances are that she will soon become the wife of Gentleman Jack Hammond. As for New York Nat, the fair Mascot Olive, and Keno and Freckles, they dropped ! quietly out of sight, for their mission ‘was done; they had accomplished their work, played their game and won, so were schuf- Hing their cards for another Secret Service eal, ; “ But, more: they were proud to number, . sa the members of their band, none other “a than Wing Lungand Loo Choo, who had returned East with Nat and his Kid Detec-— t; tives, ie THE END, Se: . } ¥ A fi / as ee! ae en —— oe Nutr Hane-Dive Liprary, No. 903! Billy Blue Blazes, THE DODGER OF THE DOCKS; The Double Detective. BY JO PIERCE, ; rae AIO», = A decidedly novel “ concatenation of cireum- bY stances” and peculiar events. That the down-by- fait | apie the-pier *s gamin and night-walker should be the m ( vif a oi adjutant of one of the shrewdest detectives im the =| Great City, with no sign or indication of his being _ “hu Billy Blue Blazes, is in itse’f a decidedly interesting Service life, but'in this'casethe double role is played to such remarkable results that = the romance—if such, indeed, it. may be called—is ea aie really Vlad with exciting events, singular con- i) ik “ih ey OL.
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V4 BY 1 Deadwood { 20 Deadwood 28 Dendwood 55 Deadwood Dick in His Castle. , 42 Deadwood P 49 Deadwood 567 Deadwood : 78 Deadwood } 77 Deadwood } 100 Deadwood \ 104 Deadwood 109 Deadwood } 12 Deadwood | 188 Deadwood \ 149 Deadwood 156 Deadwood : 195 Deadwood f 201 Deadwood 4 205 Dendwood 217 Deadwood 221 Deadwood 282 Gold-Duat 268 Deadwood \ R268 Deadwood f, 609 Deadwood fe 7 821 Deadwood ’ 847 Deadwood : 861 Deadwood i #62 Deadwood 405 Deadwood 410 Deadwood | 421 Deadwood 480 Deadwood } 448 Deadwood 448 Deadwood I } 458 Deadwood j 459 Deadwood " 465 Deadwood ’ 471 Deadwood 476 Deadwood 481 Deadwood 409L Deadwood : 496 Deadwood a 600 Deadwooa , 608 Dendwood 615 Deadwood ie 622 Deadwood i 529 Deadwood 684 Deadwood 589 Deadwood 544 Dendwood 5649 Deadwooa 554 Dendwood f ) 561 Deadwood 567 Deadwood } 572 Deadwood 578 Deadwood 4 684 Dendwooa 690 Deadwood 595 Deadwood }, 600 Deadwood \ 606 Deadwood 612 Deadwood 6L8 Deadwood 24 Deadwood 680 Deadwood y 686 Deadwood ' 642 Deadwood : 645 Deadwood 654 Deadwood 660 Deadwood 666 Dendwood f 672 Deadwood ‘ 678 Deadwood | 684 Deadwooa f 690 Deadwood - 605 Deadwood 700 Deadwood TOA Deadwood 710 Deadwood 716 Deadwood 722 Deadwood T28S Deadwood oy TBA Deadwood a 740 Deadwood "i T47 Dendwood ; T52 Deadwood i 75S Deadwood T64 Deadwood { AT Deadwood 776 Deadwood 4 782 Deadwood iL * TST Deadwood TH2Z Deadwood { : THT Dendwood \" 802 Deadwood ? SOT Deadwood 812 Dendwood ; S16 Deadwood 822 Deadwood j { { i 681 Tom Cat's r 88 Tom-Cat’s i Dick, Jr. 6 i. ‘ 52s aptain Cactus 568 The Dandy of EDWARD L. WITEELER. Deadwood Dick Novela. Dick, the Prince of the Road, Dick’s Defiance; or, Double Daggers. Dick In Disguise; or, Buffad, Ben Dick’s Bonanza; or, The Phantom Miner. Dick in Danger; or, Omana Ol). Dick’s Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood Bar. Dick on Deck; or, Calamity ¢ ine, the Heroine beet get pau or, Corduroy Charlie. ck in Leadville, te he kg ton, rp ‘The Double Cross Sign. ¢k as Detective. Dick’a Double; or, The Gorgon’s Gulch Ghost. Dick’s Home Base; or, Blonde Bill. Dick’s Big Strike; or, A Game of Gold, Dick of Deadwood: or, The Picked Party. Dick’s Dreams or, The Rivals of the Road. Dick’s Ward; or, The Black Hill’s Jezebel. oe pe bor, ga Jane’s Adventure. ch’s enc cal. bd Pick’s Death-Plant. Dick. A Romance of Roughs and Toughs, po pres co a Spirit of Swamp Lake. ek’s Death Trail. 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Dick Jr., in Beelzebub’sa Basin, Dick, Jr., at Concy Island, Pick, Jr.%s, Lendyille Lay. Dick, Jr., In Detroit. Dick, Jr., in Cincinnati. Dick, Jr., in Nevada, Dick, Jr., in No Man’s Land, tot Jr., After the Queer. ek Diek, Diek, Diek, Dick, Ibick, Dick, Jr.. In Buffalo. Jv.’a, Chase Across the Continent Jr., Among the Smugglers. dra, Ivauronee Case, Jr. Rack In the Minea, Jdr., tn Durangro; or, * Gathered In.” Dik “hia carey! or, Found a Fortune, ek, Jr.’s. Dazzle. Dick, Jr.’s. Dollars. Dick, Jr., at Danger Divide. IMek, Jr.%*, Drop. Dick, Jr., at Jack-Pot. Dick Jr. in San Francisco, *, SOL Mant. Dick, Jr.’s, Dominoes, Dick, Jr’, Disguise, Dick. Jr.’* Double Deal, Dick, Jr.’s, Deathwatch, Dick, Jrv’s, Doublet. Dick, Jr.’s, Deathblow. Dicks dr.’s, Desperate Strait, Dick, Jr.’s, Lone Hand, Dick, Jr.’ Defeat. Dick, Jr.’a, Resurrection. Pisk Jr." A ay Days. e rey Detied. Dick, Jr.’s, Double Device, _ Dick, Jr’,a, Deapernte Venture. Dick, dr.’4, Diamond Dice. Bist dro deal Dick, Jr.m, Rival, Dick, Jr.’s, B i Dick, Jr.’a, ede ik Huatle.} Dick, Jr., Mexico. Pick, Jr’, coy Duck, Dick, Jr., in Silver Pocket. Diek. ag Dend-Sure Game, r BY LIEUT. A. K. SIMA, 589 Tom-Cat and Pard; or, The Dead Set at Silver City. 622 Tom-Cat’* Triad; oe The Affair at Tonthatone, id Terrible Task; or, The Cowboy Detective. Triumphs or, Black Dan’s Great Combine. the Chaparral Cock; or, Josh’s Ten Strike Dodge; or, Rustling for Millions. , at 576 The Silver Sport; or, Josh Peppermint’s Jobilee. Bol Mapp Wore, che Dutch tia Hot Timesat Round-U app ana, the Dutch Vidocg; or, Hot Timesat ind- Bilded Mecnsole, the Detective Hercules. r wets Gid, the Cattle-Range Detective. iy ie Williaa ihe Mountain Mountebamk, e 601 61 i 64 657 . the Man With a Shadow ore ewonnt ~ P nye _ ive, Raw, eu ou! r the & py: or, The Mystery of Two Li Rim, per Bey: Buster; $1 & Tiycstted’ Derestive, md ET READLE’S* H ALF Published Every Tuesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price Sar wees fsa aR ches + inendioninns 4 1 7 spe che ge MEY LG -[DIME* IB sds. ™ “pullman: brys - ‘ Ge Other Novela by FE. L. Wheeler. 80 Rosebud Rob; or, Nugget Ned, the Knight. 84 Rosebud Rob on Hand; or, Idy), the Girl Miner. 8S Kosebud Rob’s Reappearance; or, Photograph Phil, 121 Koxsebud Rob’s Challenge; or, Cinnamon Chip. TT Denver Doll, the Detective Queen; or, The Yankee’s Surround 231 Denver Dolls Victory; or, Skull and'Crossbones. 255 Denver Doll’s Decoy ; or. Little Bill’s Bonanza. 296 Denver Doll's Drift; or, The Road Queen. 868 Yreka Jim, the Gold-Gatherer; or, The Life Lottery. 872 Yreka Jim’s Prize; or, The Wolves of Wake-Up. 885 Yreka Jim's Joker; or, The Rivals of Red Nose. B89 Yreka Jim’s New Kole; or, Bicycle Ken. 894 Yreka Jim of Yuba Dam, 209 Fritz, the Bound-Boy Detective; or, Dot Leetle Game, 21% Fritz to the Front; or, The Ventriloquist Hunter 244 Sierra Sam, the Frontier Ferret; or, A Sister’s Devotion. 248 Sierra Sam’ Secret; or, The Bloody Footprints, 253 Sierra Sam’s Pard ¢ or, The Angel ot Big Vista. 255 Slerra Sam’s Seven} or, The Stolen Bride. 884 Kangaroo Kit; or, The Mysterious Miver. 689 Kangaroo Kit’ Racket; or, The Pride of Played-Out, 89 Death-Face, Detective; or, Life in New York. 69 The Boy Detective; or, Gold Rifle, the Sharpshooter, 96 Watch-Eye, the Detective; or, Arabs and Angels. 117 Gilt-Edged Dick, the Sport Detective 145 Captain Ferret, the New York Detective, 161 New York Nell, the Boy-Girl Detective. 226 The Arab Detective ; or, Snoozer, the Boy Sharp. 291 Turk the Boy Ferret. 825 Kelley, Hickey & Co., the Detectives of Philadelphia. $45 Manhattan Mike, the Bowery Detective. 400 Wrinkles, the Night-Watch Detective. 416 High Hat Harry, the Base Ball Detective, 426 Sam Slabsides, the Beggar-Boy Detective. 434 Jim Benk and Pal, Private Detectives. 26 Cloven Hoof, the Buffalo Demon; or, The Border Vultures, 82 Bob Woolf or, The Girl Dead-Shot, 45 Old Avalanche; or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigand. 58 Jim Bludsoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix. 61 Buckhorn Bill; or, The Red Rifle Team. 92 Canada Chet ; or, Old Anaconda in Sitting Bull’s Camp. 118 Jacek Hoyle the Young Speculator. 125 Bonanza Bill, Miner; or, Madam Mystery, the Forger. 188 Bossa Bob the King of Bootblacka. 141 Solid Sam, the Boy Road-Agent; or, The Branded Brows. 177 Nobby Nick of Nevaday or, The Sierras Seamps, ISL Wild Prank the Buckskin Bravo; or, Lady Lily’s Love, 286 Apollo Bill, the Trai! Tornado; or, Rowdy Kate. 240 Cyclone Kit, the Young G)adiator; or, The Locked Valley. 278 Jumbo Joe, the Koy Patrol; or, The Rival Heirs. 299 A No. 1, the Dashing Toll-Taker. 808 ’Liza Jane, the Girl Miner; or, the Iron-Nerved Sport. 880 Little Quick-Shot; or, The Dead Face of Daggersville. $58 First-Class Fred, the Gent from Gopher. 878 Nabob Ned or, The Secret of Slab City. 8BS2 Cool Kit, the Kirg of Kids; or, A Villain’s Vengeance, 488 Santa Fe Sal, the Slasher; or, A Son’s Vengeance, 486 Sealskin Sam, the Sparkler; or The Tribunal of Ten. SS _—————— BY J, ©. COWDRIOK, Broadway Billy Novels. 490 Broadway BIilly, the Bootblack Bravo. 514 Broadway Billy’« Boodle; or, Clearing a Strange Case, 586 Broadway Billy’s *Diihkilty.” 557 Broadway Billy’s Peath Racket. ; 579 Brondway Billy’s Surprise Party. 605 Broadway Billys; or, The Boy Detective’s Big Inning, 628 Broadway Billy’s Dead Act: or, The League ot Seven 669 Broadway Billy Abroad; or, The Bootblack in Frisco, 675 Brondway Billy’4 Best; or, Beating San Francisco's Finest. 687 Broadway Billy in Clover. 696 Brondway Billy in. Texas; or, The River Rustlers, 708 Broadway Billy’s Brand. es 711 Brondway Billy at Santa Fe; or, lhe Clever Deal. 720 Brondway Billy’s Full Wand: or, The Gamin Detective, 735 Broadway Billy’s Business, 788 Broadway Billy’« Curious Case, 758 Broadway Billy tn Denver. i @62 Broadway Billy’s Bargains or, The Three Detectiy 769 Broadway Billy, the Retriever Detective. 775 Broadway Billy’s Shadow Chase. 788 Broadway Billy’« Beagles; or, The Trio’s Quest. 786 Brondway Billy’s Teams; or, The Combine’s Big Pull, 790 Broadway Rilly’s Brigade; or, The Dead Alive. 796 Broadway Billy’s Queer Bequest, 800 Broadway Rilly Battled. 805 Broadway Billy’s Signal Scoop. 810 Broadway Billy’ Wipe Out, 815 Broadway Billy's Bank Racket. S21 Broadway Bfily’s Bluff. 826 Broadway Billy Among Jersey Thugs, S88 Broadway Billy’s Raid. 889 Brondway Billy’s Big Boom, 844 Broadway Billy’s Big Bulge. $49 Broadway Billy’s #100,000 Snap. 856 Broudway Billy’« Blind; or, The Bootblack Stowaway, 862 Broadway Billy tin London. 868 Broadway Billy Shadows London Sluma. S74 Broadway Billy’« French Game. SSO Broadway Billy and the Bomb-Throwers. SS7 Battery Bob, the Dock Detective, 860 Silver-Mask, the Man ot Mystery; or, Tle Golden Keya, 869 Shasta, the Gold King or, For Seven Years Dead. 420 The Detective’s Apprentice; or, A Boy Without s Name, 424 Olbuta Jonn; or, Red-Hot Times at Ante Bar. : 489 Sandy Sam, the Street Scout, 467 Diaco Dan, the pay Dude. £06 Redlight Ralph the Prince of the Road. 524 The Engineer Detective; or, Redlight Ralph's Resolve 548 Mart, the Night Express Detective, 571 Air-Line Luke the Young Engineer; or, The Double Case 592 The Boy Pinkerton; or, Running the Rascala Out. 615 Fighting Harry the Chief of Chained Cyclone, 640 Bareback Reth, the Centaur of the Circle, 647 Tyrewrlter Tilly, the Merchant’s Ward, 659 Moonlight Morgan the *‘ Pisenest ’’ Man of Ante Bar. 894 Arizona Dick’s W ipe-Out. BY HAROLD PAYNE. BOB Bowery tes tm Whisatown, fe Sharh BY BUFFALO BILL (lion. Wm, F. Coayd Kane hantens py Red Right Hand. “of Cole or, The Prairie Rover, a c @8 of, The Trapper’ Trust. BY WILLIAM KR. EYSTER, B08 Dandy Ruaset, of Five Cents, by all Newsdealers.. ™m," BY COLONEL PRENTISS INGRAHAM, York Nat in Gold Nugget Camp, y York Nat’s Deadly beal, Yew York Nat’s Crook-Chase. New York Nat’s Trump Card. { New York Nat and the Grave Ghouls. New York Nat's Masked Mascot. New York Nat, the Gumin Detective. Dick Doom’s Kidnapper Knock-Out. Dick Doom’s Ten Strike, Dick Doom’s Flush Mand, Dick Doom’s Denth-Grips or, The Detective by Destiny, Dick Doom’s Destiny; or, The River Blackleg’s Terror. Dick Doom; or, The Sharps and Sharks of New York, Dick Doom In Boston; or, A Man of Many Maske. -Dick Doom tn Chicago. Dick Doom In the Wild Weat._ Dick Doom’a Clean Sweep; or, Five Links in a Clue. Dick Doom’s Death Clue. Dick Doom’s Dinmond Deal. S19 Dick Doom’s Girl Mascot. S29 Dick Doom’s Shadow Hunt, Dick Doonm’sa Big Hoeul. ; Dashing Charlie; or, The Kentucky Tenderfoot’s First Trai. Dashing Charlie’« Destiny; or, The Renegade’s Captive Dashing Charlle’a Pawnee Pard,. Dashing Charlie, the Rescuer. Buck Taylor, King of the Cowboys. Buck Taylor, the Comanche’s Captive. f Buck Taylor’s Boys; or, The Red Riders of the Rio Grande, SLL, the Prairie Shadower. Pawnee 718 Pawnee Biil; or, Carl, the Mad Cowboy. 719 Pawnee Bill's Pledge; or, The Cowboy's Doom. 725 Pawnee Bill; or, Daring Dick, 692 Redtern’« Curtousa Case: o, The Rival Sharps. 69% Kedtern at Bevil’s Ranch; or, The Sharp from Texas, ZO2 Redtern’a Wigh Mandy; or, Blue Jacket, TO7 Redfern’s Last Vrail; or, The Red Sombrero Rangers, 668 Red Kalph’s Ruse; or, The Buccaneer Midshipman, 674 Red Ralph’s Bold Game; or, The Wizard Sailor. 679 Red Ralph, the Shadower, or, The Freebooter’s Legacy, 644 Butterfly Billy’s Disguise. pe 650 Butterfiy Billy, the Pony kxpress Rider, 656 Butterfly Biliy’s Man Hunt. 62 Luttertly Billy’s Bonanza. 565 Kent Kingdon; or, ‘ihe Owls of the Overland. 570 Kent Kingdon’s Shadower} or, the Card Queen. 5%5 Kent Kingdon’s Duel}; or, The Surgeon Scout. Kent Kingdon’s Boom 3 or, The Buckskin Avenger. Lafitte Run Dewn: or, The Buanneers of Barrataria, Latitte’s Legacy; or. The Avenging Son. Latitte’s Confession; or, The Creole Corsair. Buckskin Bill, the Comanche Shadow. The Buckskin Brothers in Texas, The Buckski» Bowers 3 or, The Cowbuy Pirates. The Buckskin Rovers: or, The Prairie Fugitive. The Buckskin Pards’ Quest; or, Captuin Ku-Klux, The Royal Middy ; or, The Shark and tne Sed Cat. 507 The Royal Middy’s Luck; or, Ihe Hunted Midshipman, S11 The Royal Middy’s Foe. — 450 Wizurd WHll:; or, The Boy Ferret ot New York. 454 Wizard Will's Street Scouts, 474 Wizard Will's Pard; or, Flera, the Flower Girl. 488 Wizard Will's Laat Case; or, The Ferrets Afloat. 429 Duncan Dare, the Boy Refugee. 488 Duncan Dare’s Plot; or, A Cavin Boy’s Luck, 487 Duncan Dare’s Prize; or, The Sea Raider, 441 Duncan Dare’s Secret: or, The Ocean Firefly. 402 Isodor, the Young Conspirator}; or, The Fatal Lergne, 407 Isodor’s Double Chase; or, The Boy Insurgent. 412 Isodor’s War-Cloud Cruise: or. The Wild Yachteman, 216 Bison Bill, the Prince of the Reine, ‘ 222 Bison Bills Claes; or, Grit, the Brayo Sport. 804 Dead Shot Dandy’s Dilemma, : 808 Dead Shot Pandy’x Bouble; or, Keno Kit. B14 Bend Shot Dandy’s Detinnees or, The Loy Bugler. 607 Dead Shot Bandy'’s Chicf; or, The River Detective. 245 Merle Monte’s Leap for Life. 250 Merle Monte’s Mutiny: or, Brandt, the Buccaneer, 264 Merle Monte’s Treasure Island, 269 Merle Monte the Condemned, 276 Merle Monte’s Crulae; or, * The Gold Ship” Chase, 250 Merle Monte’s Fate ; or, The Pirate’s Pride. 284 Merle Monte’s Pledge: or, The Sea Marauder. 197 The Kid Glove Sports or, Little Grit, the Wild Rider, 204 The Kid Glove Sport’s Doom; or, Buffalo Bill, the Pony Express Rider. 885 Dead-Shot Ralph’s Ten-Strike. S867 Dead Shot Kaiph’s Drop. 8T83 Deck-Hawk ers Big Scoop. S25 Marlo, the Cowboy Coaster, 781i Ruth Redmond, the Gir] Shadower. 686 Orlando, the Ocenn Free Flag. 617 Ralph, the Dead-Shot Scout. 602 The Vagabond of the Mines. \ 5¥T The Texan Detective; or, The Black Bravos, 591 Delmonte, the Young Sea-Rover; or, The Avenging Sailor. 5SO The Outcast Cadets or, The False Detective, 495 Arizona doe or, The Boy Pard of Texas Jack. A487 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 Haphazard Warry ¢ or, The Sea Scapegrace. ; 898 The Red Clasped Handa; or, The Boy Lieutenant, “887 Warpath WII, the Triitor Guide. 888 The Indian Pilot <r, The Search for Pirate Island. 877 Bonodel, the Boy a Mead or, The Flngless Schooner, 287 Billy Blue-Eyes, of the Rio Grande. ’ 287 Lone Star, the Cowboy Capniay ; 229 Crimson Kate, the Girl Tratier; or, The Cowboy’s Triumph, 116 The Hussar Captoinyg or, The Hermit of Hell Gate, 111 The Sen-Deyt) ; or, The Midshipman’s by an 102 Dick Dead-Eye, the Smuggier, or, The Cruise of the Vixen. 75 The Boy Duellat; or, The Cruise of the Sea-Wollf, 62 The Shadow Ship; or, The Rival Lieutenants, 24 Diamond Dirk Mystery of the Yellowstone. r Th 7 Ralph Roys the Boy Buccaneer: or, The Fugitive Yacht, = The Flying Yankee } or, The Ocean Outcast, LATEST AND NEW ISSUES. . Rivad: 898 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’* eke og lo Sd The Riva’ 902 New York Nat’ 908 Hilly Blac-B 04 Deadwood Dick, rie Trade Markt or ser deard ‘We eo . hangh ie z + C. Harbaugh. Bafety Sam, the Crele Beery “By ae. Cowdriek, ? A New leaue Every ina Ata ‘he Half-Dime Library ‘es for wile by all ewedealers, ive casks portant ereoat by mmst co reonigt ot hx Combe cach, BEADLE AND ADAMS, Pubitabers, 08 Wittiam Sirect, New York, f oa nce-Trey, the ' neat g