Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 939) (1895 07 23)
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= =| ZZ z PP ee it iV i! a Vi a Tet at Sms aT Entered as Second ©lass Matter at the New York, N. ¥., Post Office, Copyrighted 1895, by BEADLE AND ADAMS, July 23,189. } No 939 $2.50 PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE AND ADAMS, Price, Vol I Y XVII at a . a Year. No, 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK. 5 cents. ei ' . DESERT DAN MADE NO ATTEMPT TO GUIDE OR CONTROL THE FLYING WILD STALLION. é
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f Kit Bandy’s “Star” Engagement; Desert Dan, the Saddle Prince of the Rio Hondo. A Romance of New Mexico. BY OLL COOMES, AUTHOR OF ‘‘ KIT BANDY’S BRIGADE IN ARI- ZONA,” ‘‘ WHIP KING JO,” ETC, CHAPTER I. THE FUGITIVE’S DYING STORY. In the Trinchera Mountains of New Mexico burns a camp-fire, around which are seated five men. All but one, a young Mexican, are Americans, They are prospectors, and the Mexican is their guide, Captain Rufus Clarke, a man of forty years, is the acknowledged leader of the party. Heis the eldest of the five, During the War for the Union, Captain Clarke had served the Federa] causein the army on the southwestern plains. He was, therefore, an old Indian-fighter, aud was, in truth, a natural born lover of adventure. While in the army many and extravagant were the stories he had heard of the rich gold deposits in Trinchera and other mountains of the Southwest, but that the fierce hostilities of the savages and roving bands of outlaws and bushwhackers made it impossible to work the mines. But the reported death of Captain Vulcan in Arizona, and the breaking up of his band of Desert Pirates, emboldened the adventuresome captain, and, with a party of three friends and atrusty guide, ‘‘Hualpa” José, Clarke set out to search for the fabled mines of Trinchera, And on that early April evening, when the little party went into camp, they believed themselves to be the only human beings within the solitude of the mountains, but before the night had fairly drawn her misty mantle over the hills, a shadowy human form staggered out of the darkness, and fell, with a moan, within the camp-fire’s radius of light, And that fainting form was that of a woman! Quickly Captain Clarke sprung to her side, and lifting her drooping form, laid it npon a couch of blankets, She had fainted from sheer weakness and exhaustion apparently. Brandy was administered, while brow and throbbing temples were bathed with water, and thus treated, she soon regained consciousness ; and when at length she realized that she was among friends, the following startling story was related to the anxious listeners: ‘* My name is Carlita Bond. My mother was & Mexican lady and my father an American entleman, I am thirty-five years of age. ifteen years agoI was married to an Ameri- can ‘ranchero named Joshua Bond. He had a friend in one Horace Mead. Sefior Mead mar- ried a Spanish lady friend of mine at Santa Fé. Our husbands went into the Trinchera Mountains to search for gold—one of a party of fifteen. Sefior Mead’s wife and I accompanied them, for we were full of life, and adventure- some, We traveled on horseback, carrying frp Wace aud supplies on pack-animals, Sefior Mead had a sweet little daughter whom he called Dolly. She was a great pet of the rty. ‘*In time we reached the mountains, and found a gold deposit that was rich in nuggets and dust, Wesoon had in our ion great wealth, and started on our return trip to Santa Fé, On our way we were attacked by a large band of Indians. We sought refuge in an arroyo. The savages surrounded us, deter- mined upon our capture or death. In the sec- ond attack my husband, and Sefior Mead’s wife, and two others were killed, and three of the men were wounded. But the foe were at ee repulsed. Sefior Mead went almost wild over the death of his wife, and as_ he looked upon his crying, motherless child, but three years old, be declared he would take her life with his own hand before she should fall in- to the savages’ power alive. She was a dear, sweet baby. ‘* Before the third attack by the foe was made, a wounded Indian who had en near the ar- royo, crawled into our defense begging for mercy and water. But we had no water for ourselves, The fellow proved to be a white man Kit B in disguise. He hada talk with Sefior Mead, aud then died in awful spasms, Sefior Mead became very pale, The man had told him that the leader of the Indians was a white man who | had been a great friend of my husband and | Sefior Mead! But Sefor Mead never told me who that false friend was. He became almost frantic, and wept like a child. ‘* Finally he came to me witha tiny gold locket that he bad taken from Dolly’s neck and said: * Carlita, I have placea in this locket a brief his- | tory of this attack, the name of the traitor lead- | ing it, and I’m going to place it in the shoulder of Black Boy ia hopes it may fall into friendly hands some day and our death he avenged.’ ‘“* Black Boy was a two-year-old colt, the prop- erty of my husband, who was a great lover of | horses, Black Boy was a noble young horse, of American breed, that promised to be one of the fleetest in the South, The colt had been per- mitted to follow at will without restraint of the | halter. He had never been ridden, ‘* After leaving me, I saw Sefior Mead and two other men catch the colt and puta saddle on his back, ThenI saw him take a long-bladed knife and run the sharp steel downward under the skin on the black colt’s shoulder. Then into the pocket thus made he placed the tiny locket and fastened the mouth of the incision with a pin. ‘* The poor colt was maddened with pain, but it was held firmly by a cruel twist upon its jaw. The next thing the sefior did was to take his | sweet Dolly and tie her firmly and securely in the saddle on that colt’s back; then he kissed her | and bade her farewell, and turned the animal loose! ‘Suffering with pain ip its shoulder, and. ter- rified by the crying child upon its back, the young stallion darted out of the arroyo and away across the plain as no horse ever ran be- | fore, The Indians gave chase. Sefior Mead watched them, and when he saw the black colt leave them far behind he burst intoa wild, terri- = Sefior Mead had gone stark, raving mad! **In the next attack upon us all were killed but myself, I alone was permitted to live, to suffer twelve years because I would not reveal to the murderers the whereabouts of the Trinchera gold-mine. I resolved to die rather than phe them the secret, and for twelve years have I been a slave in the Apache camp, and al- most daily reminded by some white villain that my liberty would be given me for the secret of the hidden mine. ‘* As to whatever became of the black stallion and Dolly Mead I never heard, A week ago I escaped Be the Indian village, and have been wandering through the hills ever since, starv- ing. suffering—dying!” This was the story the r. wanderer told, and it filled the breasts of the gold-hunters with deepest sympathy and sorrow. orace Mead, of her story, had been a school- mate and army comrade of Captain Rufus Clarke away back in lowa, and the story of his tragic death filled the captain’s heart not only with sadness, but inspired a spirit of revenge, for he exclaimed: ‘*Men, I can go no further until this matter has been investigated, and if that poor woman’s words are proven true, and the murderers can yet be found, Horace Mead’s death shall be avenged! There is a black horse now runnin wild at the head of a herd on the plains south o the Rio Hondo, It has been there, and on the Canadian and Pecos rivers for several years, and no horse-hunter has been able to catch it, It may be Black Boy—the colt that carried | Mead’s child away to life or death—and if so, it may have encysted in its shoulder the name of Horace’s murderer, and a clew to the Trinchera mines,” Carlita Bond died that same night in the gold- hunters’ camp, and was tenderly buried by the adventurers, 5 The next morning when the sun dispelled the gloom, Hualpa José, the Mexican guide, was found missing from camp, and a day’s waiting for his return was spent in vain. The fellow had deserted them! Why? Was he more than a traitor—a spy and an enemy? i aptain Clarke and his three companions faced about and started to retrace their steps northward, Poor Carlita’s story had changed them from gold-hunters into avengers. CHAPTER II, ° ‘THE SADDLE PRINCE. A JULY day on the plains of New Mexico. Two-score wild-horses grazing on the plateau —a vulture circling in the upper deep. andy’s “Star” Engagement. | jeader and the wildest of them all. Two horsemen riding from under cover of the © banks of an arroyo entered a cluster of stunted pificns and there drew rein. One of wiv horsemen is a youth, apparently not over eighteen. Heis slender in form, but athletic, with a noble, manly countenance, and dark-brown eyes, bright and flashing as those of a hawk. He is dressed in the garb of a ranchero. Heis well armed, and mounted up- on ‘a little bay mare whose speed had brought her young master fame. ; Thus appears Lesert Dan, the Prince of the Lasso and Saddle of the Rio Hondo. The man at his side is Don Alvarde Vaca, the ; owner of the ‘* Aztec Ranch ” on the Rio Hondo. | He is a Spanish Americanof some five-and-forty years, with a black-bearded face, and a dark | eye deep-set beneath heavy, sullen brows. As soon as the two had gained the cover of the pifions they dismounted. Desert Dan threw aside his sombrero to cool his heated brow, while Don de Vaca, field-glassin hand, advanced to the edge of the chaparral and searched the plain before bim. As his g4ze finally settled upon the herd of wild horses some two milesaway, 40 ex- clamation of joy burst from his lips. ‘‘ Sefior Dan, my boy, come here!” he called, turning to Desert Dan; ‘‘I have at last sighted the object of our search, Black Robber, the wild stallion. He is not over two miles from ns, and stands with head erect as if already sus- | pecting or scenting danger. Ah! but he is a roval beauty !” Desert Dan took the glass and brought it to bear upon the ebon stallion that for years had | defied the fleetest horse and shrewdest ranchero on the ranges. He was a coal black and much larger than the average wild horse. In fact, he was evidently an American bred beast, of noble blood, which had strayed from some ranch, and, joining a wild herd, had become its From the Canadian to the Pecos River he was known as Black Robber, for it was said he had tolled away to the plains scores of horses from the ranches and corrals, Upon Black Robber Don Alvar had set bis | heart, but the dozen men he had sent to capture | him had failed, and, as a last recourse, he sent for Desert Dan, whose field of operations had been in the northern part of the Territory. But the youth’s reputation as a ranchero, his marvelous feats with the lasso, and phenomenal wers in subduing and mastering wild animals, ate reached his ears, and if all was true, he due Black Robber, “By gingrickies!”. the boy exclaimed, his handsome face lighting up with a look of ad- miration, as he regarded the black stallion with aid of the glass, ‘‘he is a royal beauty, sure enough!—sleek asa deer and a ry as a snake! What a body! what limbs! what a neck and head! Oh, Peter! won’t it be immense to stride his glossy, round back!” ‘*T hope you will be able to do it, Dan,” Don Alvar said, ‘* for no one has, as yet, been able to do so. Ihave offered five different men five hundred dollars to bring me that horse, and now, my boy, I'll double that and give you one thousand dollars the day you ride him into Aztec Ranch. If, however, you bave any doubts of your ability to cope with the robber don’t take any risks, Where strong, peste ' men fail it doesn’t seem that a stripling of a boy could succeed.” Desert Dan broke into a low, ‘gq laugh, ‘*[ fear nothing, sefior,” he said, ‘‘ in the shape of horseflesh ; and | have’ never met the animal yet that was unable to subdue, But that’s not saying I can catch Black Robber, nor subdue him if caught; but I can try awful hard. One thousand dollars is worth a big effort, to say nothin’ of the royal fun that goes with chasing aud riding an ungovernable wild horse, But, sefior, I see moving objects away off on the plain be ond the horses that look. e horsemen, though Vm not certain they are. The boy handed the glass, as he spoke, to Don de Vaca, who anal raised it to his eyes, but before he could bring it to bear on the objects, they had disap from view. “It may be a ty of rancheroes, and it might be a band of freebooters—Desert Pirates roving aroynd in search of plunder,” suggested the ranchman. ‘Then the Desert Pirates are still on the go!” asked Dan, ‘* Yes; the death of Captain Vulcan in Ari- zona last fall did not destroy the gang operating in New Mexico, Horse and cattle-stealing, train-robberies and marauding go on just about the same as ever, White men, Indians and Mexicans are, it is said, working together. thought, gre? Desert Dan can take and sub- ty
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a a ee —= Kit Bandy’s “Star” Engagement. 3 They steal and plunder in Mexico and carry | thecanyon, nor whether it would afford him | their booty to the United States, and from here | any advantage in his pursuit of the wild horses, they run their plunder over into Mexico. But the party you saw may be horse-hunters like ourselves. here’s a dozen ranch-owners who covet the Black Robber, for hé would be worth thousands at ihe bead of their herds,” “By gingrickies!” exclaimed the Saddle Prince, ‘‘[ hope no one will meddle with the horse till I get a shy at him; and for fear it was a party of horse-bunters, I’m goin’ to say good- by to you, sefior, and pull out. Now, I may not see you again for a week or a month, and I may be around to-night or to-morrow, If I cannot catch the horse by a bold dash, I'll follow him day and night until I can get him into a can- yon or some corner where I can rope him.” Desert Dan mounted his horse, adjusted his lariat, tightened his belt, and again saying good-by to Don de Vaca, rode out from the chaparral and down toward the grazing herd. By this time the horses were out of sight, be- hind a swell in the plain, grazing up the wind. Don de Vaca, watching the fearless youth from his covert on the bank of the arroyo, his face wearing an eager, anxious expression, saw him disappear behind the swell that shut the wild horses from view. Desert Dan swept over the rise and was with- in forty rods of the herd when Black Robber espied him, gave a snort of alarm, and wheeling, dashed away like the wind, followed by his wild mates. The stampede was now on, and Desert Dan was in all his glory. CHAPTER III, A DOUBLE CHASE, THE arroyo, on the banks of which Don de Vaca and Desert Dan parted, lay south of the Rio Hondo, It ran through the great pasture lands of the vast herds of stock belonging to the ranches located at intervals along the Hondo for the distance of a hundred miles, Beyond this range to the south, the plain became sandy, broken and seamed with canyons and the dry channels of streams. On this mesa, stretching away to the Sacramento Mountains, cacti, sage- brush and greasewood predominated. Down across the grass lands and into the great desert toward the south, Black Robber, the beautiful wild stallion, led his band of followers, and on behind, at a measured swinging gallop, followed the young Saddle Prince. Don de Vaca watched until he saw the wild x “herd and the gallant pursuer disappear beyond “the rim of the horizon; then he remounted and tarted homeward. Deeper and deeper into the desert pursued the young horse-hunter. He did not attempt to crowd upon the herd, but only aimed to keep it in sight and on the move until it should take to a canyon or thechannel of an arroyo, But, the ebon steed was a wary and se i beast. He had been chased so often that he instinctively seemed to anticipate the wishes of his pursuers and thereby elude capture, Hot the noontide sun beat down upon Desert Dan’s head, but, both he and the noble mare he bestrode were accustomed to the fierce heat of the desert, and the occasional hot winds that swept up from the south like the breath of a furnace, The Saddle Prince knew nothing of the extent of the desert into which he was riding. All the country south of the Rio Hondo was new to him. But, for that he cared nothing. He made no note of his course, nor of the hours passing. He had but one object in view—the capture of Black Robber. The honor of that feat would be more to him than the great reward offered by Don de Vaca. é For hours the pursuit continued. Thepursuer did not gain materially on the wild horses, nor 7 he permit the distance to widen between hem, Around many canyons and across an occa- sional arroyo the herd sped on, Desert Dan at times cutting across lots and thereby husoand- ing his horse's strength. ; en, twenty, and, for all the Saddle Prince knew, thirty miles were left behind, and still he rode on with the dogged patience of an Indian trailer. Finally he saw the herd suddenly disappear from view as ifswallowed up in the earth. Urging on his mare he soon discovered that the wild horses had dropped into a depression trending off toward the southwest. Follo on, the depression deepened into a valley an then to a canyon, The discovery of this fact greatly encouraged the boy. In fact, it was just what he bad hoped for, although he knew nothing of the nature of Two or three miles’ ride up the defile brought the pursuer to where the walls on either side of | him had become high and precipitous, the space between narrowing and widening at intervals with now and then a fringe of cottonwoods or cedars. Dan now gained slightly upon the wild herd, though it was not his aim to crowd it too hard until the proper time for a rush. The winding of the canyon at times brought | the sun full in his face, and then the shadows of the walls first upon his right and then the left; and thus in and out of the light and shadows he swung, patient, tireless, hopeful. Suddenly his horse threw up its head and turned it slightly to one side, as though it had detected something approaching from behind, Dan glanced back over his shoulder. He | started with a cry of surprise at what he saw. Not over a hundred yards behind he saw a score of outlaws—white men and savages—wheei into the canyon from a by-way and ride furiously toward him, yelling like demons and firing re- volvers. Asa dozen bullets whistled over and around him, the young horse-bunter realized that his situation was precarious—that the pursuer had become the pursued, He had acarbine hanging to his saddle and a pair of revolvers in bis belt, apd he resolved to make the best of the situa- tion. There was no turning back, nor to either side now, and a sudden termination of the canyon—something he had been wishing for— would make his chances entirely hopeless, Despite the odds against bim, the boy mani- | fested no fear. On the contrary, he ew his revolver, brandished it above his bead, and sent | back a yell of defiance to the robber-gang. It was not the first time he had been confront- | ed by such danger. A year before he had re- | ceived his baptism of fire in a conflict with | Apaches. He had been wounded at the first fire | of the foe, but fought on until the Indians had been routed, He was as marvelous in the use of the pistol as the lasso, and in this skill now | depended all hopes of escape from the pursuing | foe For the next hour an exciting race ensued. | The outlaws gained little upon the boy, but kept | up a random firing, and with each fusilade | came a demoniac yell, Desert Dan, urging his horse to renewed | exertions, gained upon the wild horses that | were now being impeded in their flight by the | contracting walls of the canyon. Had the boy been familiar with the true nature of the | canyon, he could have made his calculations ac- cordingly, but, as it was, he was compelled to | meet every emergency just as it arose, The lad gained more rapidly upon the wild horses than his pursuers did upon him. The narrowness of the canyon in places accounted for this, and as they sped on this difficulty seemed to increase. Once the herd became wedged between the narrow walls, and Desert Dan was at their very heels before they had ex- tricated themselves. Bullets from the outlaws’ weapons were still coming Dan’s way, and suddenly his horse gave a quick snort and shake of the head, which was followed by a new burst of speed. Then, as the noble mare began to show signs of lameness, the boy knew she had been hit with a bullet, and that the race must soon come to an end. The sight of the canyon walls coming close together some distance ahead set the youn ranchero to thinking. He urged on his faithfu little mare. They were crowding close upon the wild herd, when the latter reached the nar- row space, and a blockade ensued. The herd became jammed in between the walls, and Dan dashed up to the heels of the snorting, squeal- | in, struggling mass. He ran his eyes over the | herd. He saw Black Robber well forward, to | all appearances the very key to the jam. | A few of the terrified animals backed out when Dan rode up, turned and started awa | down the canyon. The boy fired off his revol- | ver and shouted aloud in hopes of breaking the | jam; but all in vain. The outlaws and savages were now coming close, yelling and shouting like fiends. It was | a terrible moment for the Prince of the Saddle. He could not forward, back, to either side, But his fertile brain was the most active when danger was most imminent. A thought flashed through it—a very dangerous expedient, but the only one now open to him for escape. Black Robber was still in the jam, with two or three horses on either side of him, and sud- denly rising to his feet in his saddle, Desert Dan made a leap for the stallion, springing over the | the fearless backs of the struggling animals between. Nim- | ble as a young panther andsure-footed, the dar- tng boy anded squarely astride the black. he stallion, terrified by the presence of a man | upon his back, uttered a sound, half-neigh, half. groan, crouched down like a tiger gathering for & spring and then, with a fierce snort, leaped in- to the air asif in an effort to go over the backs of his followers, His powerful lunge was the means of breaking the blockade and he shot | forward like a meter, and dashed furiously away up the canyon,a rider upon his round, sleek back—a rider he could no more dislodge by his frantic leaps and cavortings than the flowing mane upon his slender neck, to which oung ranchero clung. Away with the speed of the wind flew the | herd, the frightened and maddened black, how- | ever, leading by many lengths and gaining at every single bound. With yells of dismay and a volley of shots the outlaws came on in hot pursuit. A mile or two further on the canyon began to widen and the walls became less precipitous— gradually falling away oneither side and sloping upward to the mesa, Desert Dan made no attempt to guide or con- trol the flying wild stallion. He had left his | lasso on his saddle, and had not so much as a | string with which to restrain the horse. The outlaws and the herd were soon left far behind, and finally the game and tireless desert steed bolted up out of the canyon and headed | across the dismal waste, stretching far away to the south west! By this time the sun had dropped to the sum- mit of the Sacramento Mountains, and now blazed full in the face of the boy; but this for only a few minutes, and then the shadows of night were flung out and the great expanse was mantled in darkness. Yet still on into the night and the arid waste the black stallion and the young desert rider, the Boy Saddle Prince of the Rio Hondo. CHAPTER IV. MYSTERIES OF THE DESERT, THE moon hung full and bright in the mid- night sky, and flooded the desert with a soft, dreamy light. Only the occasional cry of a dis- tant wolf, or the soft whirr of a nocturnal wing disturbed the ear of the lonely horseman that was drifting southward over the plain in the direction of the Sacramento Mountains. Tbe horseman was Desert Dan, and he and Black Robber still held to the companionship formed in the distant canyon. The rider was hatless and his face begrimed with dust. The horse was still without bridle or saddle, and moved along at its own pleasure and in its own course, But alas! it is not the spirited, gamy stallion upon which we saw the sun go down. It moves along now at a swinging walk, its neck in line with the back and the head slightly drocping. Its spirit had been subdued by the indomitable Prince of the Saddle. No longer does the horse object to the presence of the rider upon his back. It hears the sound of his voice speaking kindly toit and is no longer affrighted. It feels the touch of his hand kindly stroking its mane and flinches not. Animal instinct has succumbed to the superior intelligence and power of man. Desert Dan is master of Black Robber! But, Dan has no means by which to de the animal. He knows not the extent of the desert nor into what danger he may be drifting. Yet, for al) that, he lets the horse take its own course. Somewhere he knew their tramp would end, and if that end brought troubleit would be time enough to meet it then. It was a lonely ride, however, down that desert, and Dan began to keenly feel the pangs of thirst and hunger. But endurance and fortitude were characteristics of thedauntless boy, Self-denial and sacrifice had, in connection with his pluck and energy, helped to make him the peerless young plainsman that he was. As he rode on, the monotony of the midnight was suddenly broken by the sight of an object that came floating up from the south like the shadow of a passing cloud. But, it was no shadow for, even though no sound could be heard, Desert Dan discovered that the object was a horseman. Quickly the youth’s hand dropped to his pistol- butt. ho but a foe could the unknown ‘rider be? Who, else, but one of the outlaws that had pursued him from the canyon? Black Robber raised his head and looked at the stranger, stock-still and uttered a weary neigh. Then hestarted forward at a half- trot, and went whinnying straight toward the approaching horse as though he had recognized
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ss Kit Bandy’s “Star” Engagement. jn him an acquaintance whose sympathy his proken spirit sought in the hour of his subjec- tion! Desert Dan madé no effort to stop him, and in a few moments the two horses s nose to nose, the weary black whimpering in a manner expressive of joy in having met one of his kind, even though a stranger. But of this the young Saddle Prince took little notice, for he sat his horse like one bewildered, gazing into the face of the strange night-rider—a face as seen in the yellow moonbeams that was radiant in its tran- scendent beauty! It was the face of a young girl! For awhile Desert Dan seemed to doubt his own sense of sight, and the beautiful stranger seemed equally surprised and astounded. And if ever the man in the moon had occasion to smile it was then. The fair, strange girl could not have been over sixteen. She wascladin black. Her head was bare and a wealth of dark hair hung in twolong braids at her back, Dan caught the flash of a jewel on her breast and the glitter of a ring on a finger of her ungloved hand. She was mount- ed upon a horse that showed signs of hard riding, For fully « minute the two gazed in s surprise into each other’s face, Desert the first to speak. ** Great gingrickies!” he exclaimed, **T should say so,” was the prompt and laconic reply of the maiden. ‘ Who on earth be you, girl?’ the boy asked; Ae where did you come from? and ain’t you hless an was ‘*] come from home and am not lost, as you must be, surely,” was the answer he received; **my name is Zulita,” * Zulita,” repeated Dan, pleased with the name and its owner’s soft. sweet voice; ‘‘ Zulita, where do you live?” ‘* At home,” she responded, with a little, girl- ish laugh; ‘‘ but, where are you go ‘‘ Wherever this horse takes me,” he respond- ed; ‘‘this is the famous black wild-horse known as Black Robber, and I—” ‘*What! you riding Black Robber without bridle and saddle?” the girl interrupted, as she first at Dan and then the horse he rode, “That's jist what ’m doin’, Miss Zulita,” the boy proudly answered. ‘I caught him ina trap to~lay and boarded his back, He couldn’t t me off and so heran away with me into this esert almost over from the Rio Hondo.” “You must be as t a rider a& Desert Dan vd Saddle Prince, of whom I have heard,” said ulita. ‘‘1'm that very rooster hisself, Miss Zulita,” Dan informed her, proud of the compliment just received. The girl uttered a little cry offsurprise. ** And, where are you going?’ she again asked, ‘“* With this horse, I have no means of guid- ing him and so I go where he goes.” ** Accept this,” she said, taking a lariat from her saddle and tossing it to Dan. ‘Thank you!” the boy exclaimed, and taking the rope, he tied one end_ around the stallion’s neck, and then threw a Slip-noose around his nose, But, Black Robber did not propose to meekly submit to this additional restraint, and struck viciously with his hoof at the encircling cord on his nose, and then started away at a trot, shaking his head and snorting angrily. Desert Dan, with some effort, succeeded in stopping the horse and turning him around, facing, as he supposed, Zulita; but, to his sur- prise «nd deep regret, the girl had disappeared —vanished in a manner so silent and quickly, that be would have doubted his penbey seen more than an apparition, had it not been for the lariat he held in his hands. He gazed upon all sides, but nothing except bristling cacti and the crouching, assassin-like e-bushes could be seen. n hopes his horse might follow that of the girl’s, the boy removed the lariat from the ani- mal’s nose and lashed him forward at a weary gallop. But, Black Robber was completely fag- out, and he soon came down to a walk, and an’s rey of finding that desert fairy faded reast. from his The youth had something in particular to think of now, That fair, girlish face had awakened in his breast an emotion beside which all others were as nothing. He had not a single doubt that some mystery surrounded her presence there in that desert and at that hour. He could not think she was the daughter of an outlaw, and yet her actions were sufficient- ly strange to have created doubts in the mind of any one not blinded by admiration of her bewitching beauty. Riding on, the boy's ears were finally greeted by the barking of a coyote some distence before him, As he rode on others joined in, and soon it appeared that a dozen or two wolfish scaven- ers had massed in front of him and were hold- a nocturnal concert, of preparing for a feast. Suddenly a sound, like that of a human voice, came to Dan’s ears, mingled with the demoniac yelping of the coyotes. ‘Heavens! what if Zulita has been thrown from her horse and is at the mercy of those ravenous beasts?” As Dan asked himself this question a chill ran through his form, and he urged his horse into a trot. Plainer and plainer grew the frightful snarl- ing and wrangling of the coyotes, and finally above. the din, a human voice, true enough, wailed out upon the night—a voice of some one in distress and agony! Leaping to the ground, Desert Dan tied the free end of the lariat around the base of a big sage-bush, and Black Robber, for the first, found himself a captive in every sense of the word, for he was firmly held in his tracks by the ro . Davies the animal, the boy drew his re- volver and ran on toward the coyotes which he could now see, not far away, circling and snarl- He Oh ye someening on the ground, s he approached, the beasts manifested a disposition to give him battle; but a shot from his revolver sent them scampering off, and as they retreated, two round, dark objects became visible lying upon the white sand a rod or two before him. As the boy advanced to within a few feet of the objects, he suddenly stopped short and started back, a cry escaping his lips. Those dark, round objects lying there before him on the sands were human heads ! They were upright. The moonbeams falling upon their white faces gave them a ghastly aspect, and when Desert Dan saw the eyes of on of La agg and re A Hp tg he ae from the pale lips, he recoil with a horrifying shudder, aunt turned from sight of the trunk- less, yet apparently living horrors! CHAPTER V. THE BOY TOURISTS IN TROUBLE. ‘‘ Boys, in yander chaparral thicket o’ scrub cedars, whose ig “oat Sag can jist see "bove the plain, is Sprin n, but, by the great Rosy- i m afraid thar’s some one thar ahead o’ us, and it may bea gang 0” Mescaleros, or a band o§Desert Pirates! The speaker was Old Tom Rattler, the brave and eccentric hunter, with whom we have so often met. He was dressed in his suit of fringed buckskin, armed with rifle, revolvers and knife, and to all appearances of as much life and vigor as when we first encoun- tered him a quarter of a century ago. Those to whom his remarks were addressed wre Ben Mead and Frank Warfield, young fel- Jows of about twenty F bear whose garb and general appearance told they were strangers in a strange land. They were bright, intelligent- looking young men. They were well armed, as was the universal custom of that wild region, All three wore san-helmets and vails, and were mounted upon ponies, Two pack-animals followed, with supplies and camp pg That morning the three had left Bonito, a mining-camp in the Sacramento Mountains, and pea on, a trip across the desert lying to the northeast, expecting to strike the Rio Hondo some forty miles from its confluence with the Pecos. Old Tom had made the trip once, and the young pleasure-seekers, as Mead avé Warfield represented themselves to be, had engaged him, in preference to one Jacarilla Jim, who had been recommended to them by a friend, to con- duct them to the Hondo. Their way lay over a burning desert, without trail or landmark, and with water obtainable at but one or two points en all the long and shadeless way. In truth, it was a dangerous journey at the time of which we write, not only on account of the excessive heat, and the lack of water, but of the Mesealero Apaches and white outlaws who, like vultures, were in constant search of prey. Old Tom Rattler, as we know, was an Indian- fighter, and di to take great chances for the very love of adventure, and young Mead and Warfield being adventuresome spirits, they had —? on’ the journey without misgivings or ear. Fifty or sixty miles north of the mountains, at what was known as Spring Basin, was to be their first camping-ground, and it would require a forced march to reach the place. Spring Basin was an oasis in that desert where, as the name implies, was a spring of water. It was a basin or sink of considerable area, so far below the level of the plain, that the tops of the cedars that grew therein were just visible above the surrounding waste, Rattler had stopped there on his way south. It wasa good camping-ground, for, in addition to water, there was grazing in the valiey for their animals, They were within two miles of the Basin when Old Tom, looking northward through Mead’s field-glass, uttered the words mentioned. ‘“‘Why, Tom,” replied young Warfield, ‘‘ do you see Indian signs?” ‘¢T see an Indian on the rim o’ the Basin,” the old hunter answered: ‘‘ he’s seated on his pony and |’ll bet a polar region land title he’s a senti- nel, and that thar’s a hull band o’ Mescaleros ’Pachas in the Basin for the night.” ‘¢ Well, if that be true,” said Mead, “it’s going to place us in a bad position if the Indians are hostiles.” ‘*-You can rest sure on a ’Pacha bein’ a hos- tile,” Tom r nded; ‘‘and all we can do is to keep clear o’ their clutches. As it’s only a short time till night, we'll hold off until dark and then I’ll make a reconnoiter 0’ the Basin. Meantime we'd better move slowly on as though we meant to og to the right o’ the spring without haltin’, and just as though we weren’t aware o’ their presence; then, soon as darkness covers the desert, we'll double back this way so’s to throw ’em off our track if they be in force, and should take a notion to our cesigg “wi ate ai om,” sai arfield. ** We leave all to you The three moved slowly forward, bearing gradually away so as to leave the Basin a mile to the left. The sun finally went down and darkness in due time, followed; then the three doubled back and passed around to the west of the Basin, and ata point a mile or so distant from the spring they halted, and dismounted in the open desert, ‘© Now, boys,” said Old Tom, ‘‘ I'll slip over to the Basin and see what is really,there. Keep your position right here and I'll be back in less than an hour—soon as I gain the information as I’m hankerin’ fer.” Pa saying, the old hunter-guide departed, ‘oot. Ben and Frank tied the horses to sage-bushes and began pacing to and fro, for their long ride had amis their limbs and stiffened their joints. The moon had not yet risen, but there was bright star-light and the tall cacti and sage- bushes scattered here and there were plainly visible for some rods around, “‘ This is something we had not calculated up- on, Ben,” Frank Warfield remarked, as they walked the treeless expanse; ‘‘and if we don’t get to those springs in the Basin our animals will h for want of water.” ‘“‘In that case,” replied Ben, ‘‘ we'd have a fine old time getting out of this desert afoot, But, then, we mustn’t borrow trouble. Let us trust to Old Tom and the Lord. “ But, say, Frank, it struck me to-day as be- ing very singular, at least, that our friend, Captain Rufus Clarke should send for us to meet him at the Sacramento Mountain mining-camp, then leave at the very time we were expected to arrive, and rush over to the Rio Hondo,” ‘* Well, didn’t he give his reasons for depart- ing so suddenly? and didn’t he make arrange- ments with that ranchero at the Sacramento camp to guide us to Aztec Ranch on the Hondo?” “That is all true enough, Frank,” Ben ad- mitted, ‘‘ but I can’t help thinking Rufus could have waited another day or two, at least. More- over, the very countenance of that ranchero he’d engaged to pilot us across this desert made me tired. He may beall right, and I presume is, but Jacarilla Jim had the look of a villain to me,” ‘* And so had he to me, Ben; but, what of it?” responded Frank; ‘‘we refused to accept his service and took Tom Rattler, and so here we are, and there comes the old moon,” An hour had since Rattler had left, and as the moon lifted slowly up into the azure sky, the young tourists frequently glanced off toward Spring Basin, as if growing anxious for the return of their friend and guide, Suddenly Ben. Mead stop short, and, glancing quickly around him at the low, squatty sage-bushes, observed: ‘ Frank, it looks to me as though the rising moon has shoved those sage-bushes up closer to us.
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4 ' cca me Ms Frank Warfield laughed softly, saying: nner - ‘** Ben, you must be getting nervous,” -But he had scarcely spoken when no less than # dozen of the nearest bushes between them and the moon were seen to topple to one side, and the next instant a dusky form leaped from the grouzd from behind each bush, and, with a horrible, fiendish yell, rushed upon the young men, several of them firing shots over the tourists’ heads. Ben and Frank started back, drawing their ‘weapons, for they realized in an instant that they had been attacked by a band of Desert Pi- rates! CHAPTER VI. IN THE “STOCKS,” Ben Megap and Frank Warfield made a prompt attempt to defend themselves, but che cunning foe were so close upon them, and so quick in their movements, that before they could fire a shot they were seized from each side and behind and hurled violently to the earth. Then they were quickly disarmed and robbed of everything of value upon their persons, and, in the mean time, their horses and outfit were taken in charge by the robbers of the desert. Finally, the prisoners were permitted to rise to their feet, and then they saw that their cap- tors were about half white men and Mexicans, and half Mescalero Indiang, all of them as fero- cious and murderous-looking a gang of cut- throats as were ever banded together, In the voice of one of the white outlaws, who ap ed to be the leader of the gang, was some- thing vaguely familiar to the prisoners. The fellow wore a broad, slouch-brimmed hat that concealed the upper portion of his face, but ‘they were not long in identifying him as the very man whom their friend, Captain Clarke, had left at the mining-camp to guide them across to the Rio Honde--daasile Jim, the ‘the scout! There was also another white man in the crowd, disguised as an Indian and wearing a superfluity of savage toggery, whoa to be a person of some authority among the pi- rates. He was a tall, angular fellow, with a villainous countenance, and whose yenomous remarks evidenced a heart of savage cruelty. He was addressed as ‘‘ Jaguar Head” by his “companions. The pirates conversed with each other in a jargon of Spanish, Indian and English, little of which the captives understood, Jacarilla Jim was addressed as Captain San- gre—meaning Captain Blood, and there was nothing in his presence there at that time, and upon that occasion, to bid them hope, In fact, it ‘proved they were right in suspecting him, at rst sight, of being a villain, notwit ling the had nm recommended to them by their ol friend, Rufus Clarke, whom they had expected ‘to join at Camp Benito, That their capture by ‘the Desert Pirates was premeditated there was no doubt, but the young men did not believe ‘that the solecause of it was their rejection of Jim as guide, There was a mystery connected with their capture, the sudden departure of Captain Clarke from the Sacramento camp, and the eagerness -of the man, who proved to be the leader of the Desert Pirates, to conduct them across to the Rio Hondo. How far, and in what way, Cap- ‘tain Clarke was connected with it they, of course, could not imagine, The fate of Old Tom Rattler was another matter that concerned the nares and grave ‘fears of his capture ¢r death filled their minds, Altogether the sit ation for the young men was critical, and they knew not what the out- come would be. The Apaches stood around them with tomahawks in hand, apparently waiting the word from Captain Sangre or Ja- guar Head to brain them. pay the outlaw chief approached Ben and as. . ‘‘Where is your guide, young man?—the old ‘hunter?’ **T don’t know,” was the prompt answer of *youny Mead, in a firm voice. ‘He was with you at sunset; what became of him?” the outlaw demanded. These questions convinced the captives that oe Meroe whereabouts were bat aagi ta to yr outlaws, and it gave them a slight degree o hope, To the villain’s queries Ben replied in an evasive manner, which caused the outlaw to be- come angered, and turning to a Mexican at his ‘side, he said: “Jackal, take the tourists’ spade and dig a spair of *‘ stocks” and we'll mara them till morn- ain’ and maybe they’ll talk, then,” Among the captives’ camping outfit was a Pn. Kit Bandy’s “Star” Engagement. spade, an implement always carried by men | crossing the deserts for use in cleaning sand- | drifted springs. This tool ‘‘ Jackal” procured and set to work digging a hole in the sand and earth. He was relieved in his work at intervals by others, and in a short time two holes “ chin deep” were ready for their victims, Then the feet of the captives were tied to- gether and their hands secured at their backs, | This done, they were stood erect in the recently- dug holes and the sand filled in around them, and when the villains’ work was thus completed, Ben and Frank were buried alive to the neck, unable, of course, to move a muscle, ** Tn the mornin’,” said Captain Sangre, alias Jacarilla Jim, ‘‘ we will see you again if the coyotes don’t eat yer heads off.” And thus the outlaws left them “‘ stocked,” and wended their way back toward Spring Basin, fully satisfied their victims would never live to see the dawn of another day. The ‘‘stocks” was a favorite Apache mode of torture. The young tourists were within ten feet of each other, and could look into one another’s face, and as the Desert Pirates disappeared from sight Ben exclaimed, in despondency of irit: ‘*Frank, this is a hard old deal, and the game’s up with us unless Rattler gets around before the wolves do, and I don’t think we need expect him. I believe he isin the power of those devils or dead, else they would never have left us here alive in this plight, knowing he would return and release us.’ ‘*T do not understand,” replied Frank, ‘‘ why the fiends leave usin this horrible piight—why they did not kill us outright and so end our mis- ery, unless Old Tom is not in their power, and they hope to trap him when he comes to our re- lease.” Thus the two conversed over their situation fully believing the foe were lying in wait hard by. Less than half an hour had passed when the bark of a coyote was heard close by, and in Jess thnn five minutes it was answered from a dozen different directions, Presently a gaunt, shaggy form came shying up to within a few feet of the helpless men, sniffed the air, and, thrusting its nose upward, uttered a long-drawn and dismal cry that sent a shudder to the very hearts of the imprisoned men, From every quarter came an answering cry, and in a few minutes more a dozen coyotes were circling about the doomed men, growing bolder and bolder each moment, a:-proaching closer and closer, until the prisoners could al- most feel their hot breath upon their faces, The helpless men shouted at the hun brutes, in hopes of frightening them pieay, Gat in vain. That a horrible death awaited them they did not doubt. Tom Rattler came not, But hark! <A pistol rings out! The wolves fall back with an angry snarl, and reluctantly retreat before an eso lg figure, A ak By joy rises to the li Frank Warfield. “Tom Rattler is coming!” is the thought that flashes through their brain, but the next in- stant hope fades from their breasts. They see the approaching form outlined against the sky. Itis not Tom Rattler, but a stranger, who, hat- less and sly, comes creeping like an assassin to- ward them, a revolver in each hand glittering in the moonlight. Up to within twenty feet of them came the unknown; then he stopped, started back and turned as if to flee, 6 unknown was Desert Dan, the Boy Saddle ce, ps of Ben Mead and CHAPTER VII. DESERT DAN TO THE RESCUE, ‘“ HELP, stranger, be you friend or foe!” was the earnest appeal of Ben Mead, as he. saw the unknown turn away. Again Desert Dan, for the hatless stranger was the captor of the desert stallion, paused, and once more turned toward the ghastly ob- jects on the sand to assure himself from whence those a: g words had come, and it was at that instant that the truth of the situation flashed through his brain. _ Great, holy Jingrickeys!” burst from the lipsof the young horse-tamer; ‘‘ what are you? and what for a fix are you in?” ‘‘'We are two very unfortunate fellows,” re- plied Ben; ‘‘ and were planted here by a gang of red and white cut-throats. I beg you'll help us out of this predicament before the villains re- turn. “* Pil do the best I can for you, strangers,” re- sponded Desert Dan. ‘ Your iC planters’ left 5 - their spade and some other tools behind, so T’li sail in and grub you out.” True enough, the outlaws had left the tour- ists’ spade behind, and Dan proceeded to dig the two men out. The ground was soft and yield- ing, and in a few minutes Ben and Frank once more stood free, gazing into the strikingly handsome face of their young rescuer, and thanking the fate that had sent him adrift on the plain that night. It required but a few moments for the three to explain who they were, and the combination of circumstances that had brought them to- gether, when Desert Dan said: ‘* Then I’m afraid your old friend Rattler’s in trouble, else he’d been ’round ’fore this, How- éver that may be, it won’t do for us to remain here. We'd better pitch our tents out where wecan pull the most of the night over us.” Acting upon the boy’s advice, Ben and Frank decided to leave that memorable spot, and so accompanied the youth back to where he had left Black Robber tied. After receiving in fu!la history of the noted stallion, and the exciting manner in which he had come into Dan’s possession, Ben and Frank assisted the youth to —e a noose over the horse’s nose and to lead him away—all of which was accomplished with little difficulty. Not one of the three had any definite idea of where they were really going. They wanted to keep out of the clutches of the outlaws, but they were not sure whether they were going away from danger or into it. whsessz’ 4 they came toadry sink in the plain where they thought it possible they might pass the night unobserved. The bottom of this sink was wholly devoid of vegetation, but around the edge above was a thick fringe of sage- brush. Into this depression they led and secured the black stallion; then they held a consultation, Desert Dan related the story of his meeting with the spirit. of the night, the fair Zulita, and Ben and Frank could see that the young Desert Rider was deeply concerned about the girl. He could not think she belonged with the outlaw band in Spring Basin, and yet it was bard for bim to be- lieve that she was at home in that great desert, In fact, ber presence there was a mystery that he determined to solve as soon as possible, That which concerned the trio now, more than anything else, was their need of water. That particular plain was new to Dan and he did not know of the existence of water in Spring Basin until informed of it by Ben and ut, so long as the pirates o cupied the basin, the water there was not for them. Ben aud Frank could not give up the hope that Old Rattler would return all right, and rather than leave without knowing his fate, they re- solved to remain in the vicinity until near morn- ing, at least. he little party was not in good condition for defense, it is true, for Ben and Frank had been robbed of even their jack-knives, and so far as means of escape were concerned, they had prac- tically none. After some moments consultation Desert Dan concluded to go hack toa point near where he had rescued Ben and Frank and watch for Old Tom. He left one of his revolvers with the boys, cautiously ascended to the top of the sink, and gazed arouna over the moonlit plain. While he stood thus, he saw a dark, round object prog a behind a sage-brush not over fifteen feet from him. He at once mistrusted that it was the head of a Mescalero scout lurk- ing upon their trail. Heat once drew his re- volver and was in the act of firing point-blank through the bush when the thought occurred to him thatit might be Tom Rattler, the hunter- guide, to whom he—Dan—was unknown, hence his stealthy movements. Holding his tion, the watchful young horse-tamer scrutinized the sage-brush, and pre- sently saw se least six feet of fantastically- decorated M ero Apache rise up before him, his arms folded across his breast, his head ele- vated with gn air of great importance, while, in a tone of imperious dignity, he demanded: ‘Surrender, you miserable sand-rat! [ am Jaguar Head, the Great! Waugh!” ““Nary s’render, Jag,” was the prompt re- sponse of the Saddle Prince, ‘‘ Iam Desert Dan, the Little, and if you want any amusement, just climb this way !” And the young ranchero leveled his revolver upon the breast of Jaguar Head, the Great. CHAPTER VIII. JAGUAR HEAD SURRENDERS, ‘“‘HOLD on there, sand-rat!” cried Jaguar Head, speaking English fluently; ‘‘ don’t be too ‘en’
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“6 fresh with that iron. To harm a hair of this royal head, or spill a drop of this imperial blood, would be to consign you to everlasting punish- ment, Have fear o’ death in your heart, boy, and put away that tool and bow in humble peni- tence before the great Jaguar Head, or I'll blight you forever with a single thought.” “ Blight away, then,” retorted the Boy Prince, ** and I'll let this pinker pink, and by as hay I'll bet the blight "ll not all be on one side, Do you say it’s a go?—-thinker against pinker? blight and bullet? mind or matter? which shall it be, Jaguar?” ** Babblin’ coyote!” the chief indignantly ex- claimed, ‘‘the beat of the moon will melt your softness. Must I call my warriors, who are as the grains of sand on the des »rt?” ‘Don’t bother yourself, Jigger Head,” ad- vised Dan, ‘‘’bout callin’ anything or you might invite a hunk of lead from this way. kk here! My warriors, who are not as the sands of the desert, are on hand now.” This latter observation was in allusion to Ben Mead and Frank Warfield, who, having heard the badinage, had hastened to Desert Dan’s side, ‘¢ Whew!” whistled the chief, as he saw the two young men appear, ‘‘ what next will the night spew forth to mar the moonlight, and squeak like rats along the promenade where majestic walks Great Jaguar Head?” ‘* A sage-brush tragedian!” Ben Mead exclaim- ed in an undertone to Frank. ** Ah! the fellow that was so solicitous about td us in the desert,” added Frank War- eld. ** And an old wind-bag, he is,” declared Desert Dan, ‘“‘a pretended Ingin whom the coyotes ee: yelp after. A coyote knows p’izen and wind. ‘* And stands on his hind legs and yawllips,” declared Jaguar Head; “‘ but, I can no longer tarry here. Do you fellers perpose to s’render and go with me quietly? or must I be forced ‘We don’t Bc oe to surrender, nor do we purpose you ll call help,” replied Dan; ‘‘on the contrary, we want you to throw up those blood-stained paws of yours and march down i his sink.’ “Well, why in the name of the cryin’ ban- shees, boy, didn’t ye say so before?” was the astonishing response of the outlaw and rene- gade, as he raised both hands aloft and ad- vanced toward the boys; ‘‘ I’m not wholly mean —like to humor children that they may learn my power. Here lam now—s’rendered. What ye going to do with me? What use have ye got fora great Ingin chief like Jaguar Head?—a et livin’ upas which but to touch is death? Oot}? * To tell the truth, Desert Dan and his friends were never more astonished than they were at that moment by the man’s sudden change of base, They re ton and were fully prepared for, a fight, and the renegade’s apparent wiil- ingness to surrender upon demand was incom- prehensible, and if the chief had been disposed to take advantage of the situation, he could have made good his escape before the boys had fully recovered from their surprise, Desert Dan, however, was quick to grasp the situation, and stepping back a ag he : ** Don’t try any tricks, Jaguar Head!” ‘I’m your prisoner; take me and take care of me,” was the renegade’s response, As he came closer to them, the trio saw that he ~~ a walking arsenal, his waist being gird- ed about ‘vy five or six belts loaded down with revolvers and knives, while at his back hun two Winchester carbines that Ben and F recognized as their own property, as they also did some of the belts and revolvers. “* Advance, boys!” ordered Dan, ‘‘and take charge o’ them weapons, and if the old taran- tula attempts to touch you, I’ll red-spot him right between the eyes,” Ben and Frank "a hea to strip the Mesca- lero of bis array 0 8, pistols and other para- hernalia of war. During the entire proceed- s the chief never uttered a single protest, nor scarcely moved a muscle, This quiet sub- mission made Desert Dan all the more sus- picious of the villain’s real intentions, and a closer watch than ever was kept on his move- ments. Once again in possession of their own trusty weapons, Ben and Frank felt more at ease, and as he buckied on his belt again, the former ob- served: ‘*The return of our weapons to us seems like an: act of Providence, and now if Old Tom only would turn up, we could be reasonably happy,” Kit Bandy’s “Star” Engagement. ‘© Old Tom who?” asked the disarmed Jaguar Head, with provoking impertinence. ‘** You'll know, if ever Old Tom Rattler gets one good whack at you,” was young Mead’s an- swer. ‘* Cryin’ banshees!” exclaimed the renegade chief; ‘‘do you mean to tell me Old Rattler’s abroad, loose, at large on this desert? Old Tom Rattler, the hunter?—a little, hump-backed, demon-eyed, weazen-faced rip-saw?—a fightin’, killin’ besom o’ deestruction?” ‘Oh! you seem to know Uncle Tom Rattler?” observed Frank Warfield, with a smile. ‘* Yes, I do know him!” answered the rene- gade, ‘‘and I want ycu to know that this desert isn’t big enough to hold Tom Rattler and Jaguar Head the Great! If he should come round while I sojourn with you, I want two 0’ you, at least, to hold me, The sight of that ancient old mountain snorter and frontier bum- mer gives me the jamboraniacs. You'd better search me closer, for I might have some pocket- weepons lurkin’ in my church vest- ments,” The suggestion was at once acted upon and most of Ben and Frank’s personal effects were found upon his person. And, much totheir sur- prise, as well as to their delight, an old army canteen filled with water was found in the ample bosom of his gaudy calico shirt. Having comple the’search the boys con- ducted the chief down into the sink where, at sigot of the black stallion, the fellow went into raptures, and cautiously approaching the ani- mal he addressed it kindly and began passing his hand gentle over its neck and body. Meanwhile Desert Dan kept a sharp watch on the fellow’s movements, his revolver in hand, satisfied that the old villain meant to play them some treacuery whenever he could catch them off their guard, While Dan thus guarded their prisoner Ben returned to the watch on the plain above. Frank walked back and forth between his friends, and Old Jaguar Head threw himself in a as position on the sandy bed of the sin Half an hour of comparative silence had thus followed when the renegade looked up at Frank who had just come down from where Ben s guard, and coolly inquired: ‘* Nothin’ o’ Old Tom Rattler yet?” ‘“*Ts it any of your business?” was Frank’s tart response. ‘No, not at all; but I wanted to be agreeable,’ was the indifferent old scoundrel’s rejoinder. “Ten to one,” spoke up Desert Dan, ‘‘ you know where Rattler is. Just like as any way you and your minions have murdered him,” “Tf Rattler’s been killed by my braves it’s been since I stole softly away from camp to dig you fellers out o’ the sand,” declared the chief. “You don’t mean to say you came back to rescue us after ordering us buried alive, do you?” demanded Frank. ‘“*That’s just what I do mean to say,” respond- ed the chief, ‘‘and when I found you'd got out o’ the “ stocks” I tracked you here through the moonlight. You may not believe me, but this is all true as Gospel. I got to thinkin’ *bout our innocent, boyish faces, and what noble raves you’d make, and so I went to rescue you, and carry you to my village, and adopt you as my sons, and marry you to dusky-eyed Mescalero maidens, But, alas! alas! Here am I fallen! Like a forest monarch—a giant, sturdy oak, here lies prostrate Jaguar Head, the Great! You'll henceforth be distinguished boys because o’ my being your prisoner, But Rattler! Tom Rattler! Oia Tom Rattler! How that name harrows up my soul! How it causes the blood to leap, and hiss, and sputter in my veins! How my spirit chafes within me to rush madly forth into the night and destroy Tom Rattler.” ‘¢ What has he ever done to incur your roya wrath?” questioned Frank. ‘What has he done?” repeated the chief fiercely. ‘‘ Well, I was once an upright and happy man, 1 wedded me a golden-haired wife, and for two years lived in perpetual sunshine like an ambrosial god. But, alas! one day there came my way a gay deceiver. He stole away my wife’s affection, and, not satisfied with that larceny, he finally stole the woman herself and fled awa ee unknown, My home was broken—bu’sted. I became an awful savage, thirsting for vengeance—human gore, and—” ‘See here!” interrupted Frank, ‘‘ what's all this to do with Old Tom Rattler?” ‘*It war Tom Rattler that run away with my wife, that’s what!” ** Multitudinous liar!” came a voice from the a of the sink, that was recognized as that «/ Old Tom Rattler, ‘‘ Rise, stand and be shot to death! You’ve told your last falsehood—dé@ ceived and defrauded your last victim!” Quickly leaping to his feet, Jaguar Head fold- ed his arms across his breast, turned toward the speaker on the edge of the sink, Page ‘* By the great horn o’ Joshua! It’s Old Tom Rattler, the Red River Epidemic, as true as my maiden name is Ka-ristopher Ko-lumbus Bandy [ Old Tom, fire! shoot! Do your worst, you measly image ov a gorilla!” CHAPTER IX, DAVID AND JONATHAN MEET. Wirk acry of joy Old Tom Rattler leaped in- to the sh and grasped the extended hand of Jaguar Head, whose voice he had recognized as that of his old-time pard, the red: ebtable Old Kit Bandy, the Mountain Detective! ‘*Old Kit Bandy or I’m a rip-roarin’ liar!” cried Old Rattler. The two old men came together with a demonstration of joy indicative of the Jonathan and David friendship that existed between them. It had been but a few montbs since they had in Arizona after their big rustle in the lack Mountains, which had culminated in the death of Black Vulcan, the leader of the Desert Pirates in that part of the South west. Desert Dan and his companions were again roe wh astounded. All of them had heard of Old Kit Bandy. and since they had met Rattler, Ben and Frank had been Tetentug to stories, by the hunter-guide, of the Old Mountain Detective, every day and night. After Tom and bis old friend had indulged in hearty greeting, Old Tom said to Ben and Frank: ‘*Come this way, Ben Mead and Frank War- field, and let me introduce you to Kit Bandy, the Old Mountain Detective and fraud, and a ea triple-plated, unholy, oil-finished r. Ben and Frank came up, and with their faces beaming with pleasure, shook hands with Kit Bandy, young Mead saying: ‘* We begin to see through the millstone, Kit Bandy—why the great Jaguar Head surrendered so quietly, and why our weapons were found on your person, notwithstanding the bad company we found you in.” “Tm always to be found wharever I can make myself useful, boy,” Kit Bandy responded, “It makes no dif’rence to me what society I’m in, so’s it isn’t Tom Rattler’s, I can find hay- doogins o’ good work to do, but ‘ith him ’round I feel my inferiority so sensibly that I can’t perform, Ole Tom, God bless his ugly, measly old poy is a hull nest o’ gruzzlies in a thorn ungle. me hen it was all a canard about Tem running wer with your wife?” inquired Frank. ‘“*Come to think, it wasn’t Tom Rattler, but another feller,” laugkingly replied the cld de- tective. ‘Pardon me, Rattler,” suddenly speks Ben Mead; ‘‘I forgot to introduce you to our new friend and rescuer, Lesert Dan, the Boy Saddle Prince of the Southern Ranges,” ‘‘Great Rosycrustans!” exclaimed Old To: ‘‘who next’s goin’ te turn up in th!s rondim desert? Wal, Desert Dan'l, I'm heroically glad to meet you. I hearno you al! they way from Trinedad to El Pesc and back, and it's & wonder to me thata boy o’ your mettle didn’t salt this- ole Basbi Bazouk Kit Bandy, when he fu’st perpetrated that Ingin business onto ye.”’ ‘By Gingricky! I come within an ace of warpin’ it into him!” declared Dan. ‘But, Tom, we'd about given you up asa goner,” said young Mead. ‘*T staid longer’n I expected,” replied Tom, **but I war detarmined to explore Srrirg Basin, as well as reconnoiter the enemy'scamp. But now I want to know what happened you folks after I left. I found the place where | left you, and see’d you'd had trouble. I tracked you here. through the sand and moonlight; but, where's our horses?” ‘“‘The followers of Jaguar Head and our re- jected guide, Jacarilla Jim, tock them,” an-- swered Mead, and he then gave a detailed: ac- count of all that had transpired since the nun-- ter’s departure, ‘Great Rosycrusians!” exclaimed Tom; *‘ Kit Bandy, hav’n’t you "bout overdone the Jaguar Head business? Didn’t you bite off more’n you could chaw? S’pose the outlaws and Ingins’d. killed the boys in spite of you?” “TJ war master 0’ ceremonies, and I had the Le planted on purpose,” answered Kit, ‘‘ so’s I'd have an opportunity to steal back and re- Jease’em. I got back, but Desert Dan’d been. | there fu’st. I dasn’t show my hand jist then, ' for Captain Blood war a little suspicious and. t
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ght git onto my racket. I wasn’t ready yit ) had been twelve years ago. The colt was two to throw up on my Jaguar Head commission. | years old then, and would now be fourteen years I'm ‘starring’ New Mexico on an open engage- | of age. The oldest horse-hunters claimed the ment, and when [ got my eyes on that black | black horse had appeared at the head of a large stud there, I thought I'd hit something immense, | herd about one year after the Black Arroyo but I war mistaken.” See Why something immense?’ queried Desert an. ‘*T recognized the hoss, or thought I did, as Black Robber, the famous black wild hoss that / lk Massacre. ‘*Captain Clarke had the greatest faith,” Old it went on to explain, ‘‘in Carlita Bond’s | story, and had hopes that the colt might be the has been defying the wild-hoss-catcbers for | years. I war told that Black Robber carried, it war supposed, in his shoulder, a secret that would reveal a black and damnable crime, as well as the whereabouts of a secret gold mine of great value, It war to run down Black Robber that Jaguar Head and his warriors—waugh !|— are here on their way toward the Rio Hondo, and the first day out we fell in with Blood and his outlaws, and as the Mescaleros and the Desert Pirates are hail fellows well met, we had to sojourn together, inasmuch as Spring Basin was to be the stopping-place of both parties. I war arte | afraid Blood’d recognize me, and if he had he'd not been slow to avenge the. death of Captain Vulcan, the old leader of the Lesert Pirates, whom we everlastingly bu’sted up in Arizona, In fact, I found out that Blood was here to intercept and destroy Tom Rattler and a ir o’ youngsters named Mead and War- field.” ** Yes,” exclaimed Ben Mead, “he really is Jacarilla Jim, whom a friend sent to Camp Bo- nito to conduct us to the Rio Hondo.” ‘‘lt war a bad break on the part o’ yer friend, Cap Clarke, to have anything to do with Jacarilla Jim. I could ’a’ give him points on Jim—I could!” **Do you know Captain Clarke, Mr. Bandy?” eagerly uestioned Ben Mead. “Should say I did, boy, when he’s the man that put me on the track o’ your father’s mur- derers!” CHAPTER X. JAGUAR HEAD IS WANTED. Nort only was Ben Mead, but his companions, also, astounded by Kit Bandy’s unlooked-for revelatiov. ‘* Kit,’ Ben exclaimed, ‘‘how did you know my father was murdered?” ‘Cap Clarke, your father’s friend, told me all about it, and that he had sent for you to come down to the Territory at once to assist in bringin’ the murderers to justice. I didn’t know which way you war to come in, as Cap didn’t tell me.” ‘* He told me to come to Camp Honito by way of El Paso,” answered Ben, ‘‘and said he would meet me there, but when I reacke* camp we were met by Jacarilla Jim with a ietter from Captain Clarke, ee he was c¢mpelled to leave at once for the Rio Hondo yaliey and in- forming me that Jacarilla Jim, a famous guide and ranger, would conduct me to the Hondo ranch, But we took such a dislike to Jim that we could rot trust ourselves in his care, and so dismissed him and employed Tom Rattler, and thereby incurred Jim’s enmity.” ‘“‘Not that alone, boy,” responded Old Kit; ‘* I think he’s here on the way to try and catch Black Robber, as much as to get even with you. Itbink e's workin’ one string o’ the murder- and-mize mystery for all tnere is in it.” “But Black Robber isin my possession,” said Desert Dan, ‘‘ at the present time, at least. And if 1 ever get him to Don de Vaca’s ranch, I'll get a thousand dollars. But, I'd like to know what the stallion has to do with toe secret of Ben Mead’s father’s murder and the secret mine.” * And so would I,” added Ben, ‘for Captain Clarke simply wrote that he had a clew to my father’s and step-mother’s death. He gave me no particulars, but said he would tell me all when he met me about the dying confession of one Carlita Bond.” “Tl teil you, boys, how Clarke got onto the clew,” said Old Kit. ’ And then he narrated in dctail the story of the fugitive woman, Carlita Bond, as given in the opening chapter of this story. 3 The story filled the breasts of the boys with sadness as well as surprise. Ben Mead brusbed the tears from his eyes when Kit had finished his recital, murmuring: ‘* Poor father! poor little Dolly!” Ben’s father had left him in the care of an uncle when he was but eight years of age, and had gone West. Being a widower, he drifted into Mexico and there married his second wife —a Spanish woman, Ben had never seen her nor bis half-sister, Dolly, whom -her father had lashed upon the black colt and sent adrift on the plain, This Black Robber now running wild on the plain. Of this I’d little hopes on account of the age of the horse; but I determined to try to get hold of the beast, if [ had to shoot him, I havealready examined the critter, and find no deposit in his shoulder; in fact, he is not over six years of age, and so all kopes of obtaining the secret of which Carlita told the captain dies with the capture of Black Robber.” ** But, Kitsie,” said Old Tom, ‘all you've told us doesn’t explain your bein’ a Mescalero— Jaguar Head, the Chief—the Great! the Horri- ble! Waugh!” ‘* Thomas, you shouldn’t poke your proboscis too far into other people’s private affairs,” was Kit’s rejoinder, “‘or you might get it bloodied. The fact is, I helped two Mescaleros to recapture *bout forty hosses some Mexicans had stolen from the ’Paches and war runnin’ over into Ole Mexico. There was one splendid black stud in the herd, and I thought it might be the hoss I wanted ’stead o’ Black Robber, so .I walked in and put the lead to every darned Mexican thief and helped the Mescaleros run their hosses back home, whar I was received with shoutin’ honors and upon my own request ’dopted into the tribe, and at oncedistinguished myself ina hoss-stealin’ excursion over into Mexico. ** 1] war.then named Jaguar Head and madea chief for war purposes, and I war glad when I got on my disguise o’ paint and feathers through fear some Desert Pirate’d recognize me, My first object in goin’ into the vicinity o’ the Ingin camp was to see if thar were any white gal-captive there that’d answer for ‘Dolly,’ but I found none, nor had there been any there,” “* Bet you what, Carlita Bond's story war alla hoax,” said Tom, *‘ created especially for your benefit, You’re a victim, Kitsie, and you'd better go "long with us and I’ll put you in a re- treat for antiquities and safe keepin’. You're too old to be starrin’ ’round in New Mexico,” “Too old? That's good!” exclaimed Kit, sar- castically, “‘ bein’ts Tom Rattler is a young colt —a frisky, prancin’, yeeriin’ steer! Oh! give me repose! Tom, you're so wearisome; but ‘for a’ that and a’ that,’ I’m always glad to see your ugly oid—” ‘‘ Friends,” suddenly called out Ben Mead, from the top of the sink, ‘‘I believe there is a band of horsemen coming this way from the south,” ““ Look Ta lads! look sharp!” cautioned Old Kit, ‘‘If it’s*Jacarilla’s cut-throats—not my warriors, understand—they may give you haydoogins of trouble,” Followed by Old Tom and Frank Warfield, Desert Dan bounded up out of the sink to where Ben stood, Old Kit remaining in the sink, not wishing to be seen there, a willing prisoner. True enough, up from the south came a score of horsemen that all were satisfied were outlaws, both red-skins and white. ‘* By the great Rosycrusians!” Old Tom ejacu- lated, ‘‘ it begins to look as though we war goin’ to have some lively times, boys. “If they are the followers of Jaguar Head,” said young Warfield, pointing to Old Kit, “I should suppose he could keep the bloodthirsty devils from pouncing onto us again.” “I believe it’s the gang that chased me up the canyon to-day,” declared Desert Dan, “and if so— Ah! they have halted! We're discovered!” He had scarcely spoken when the flash of a gun was seen, and a bullet whistled overhead o 4 report of the weapon rung out on the ent. “Get into the blow-out, boys,” ordered Desert Dan, ‘‘ and I'll watch the varlets’ move- ments,” Ben and Frank joined Kit Bandy in the sink, while Old Tom remained with the Saddle Prince to watch the foe. In a few minutes a single person was seen to ride out from the main y of horsemen to- ward the “ stranded” whites, Tom and Dan waited until he was about fifty paces from them, wken Old Rattler stepped out into plain view and demanded: ‘Who comes thar?” The horseman drew rein and at once re- sponded: ; ‘“*T am Swift-Wing, the Apache scout.” Kit Bandy’s “Star” Engagement. 7 v ‘S-You speak migkty good English for an Apache,” responded Tesert Dan; ‘‘sure you're not a fraud?” **T am a white Ingin,” came the answer, ‘* and you know what that means,” “Well, what do you want, Swift-Wing?” Dan questioned, ‘* You have Jaguar Head a captive in your midst,” came the response, ‘* Well, what of it?’ Dan retorted. ‘** And you have Elack Robber, the wild stallion, in that sink,” ‘* And what of that#’ from Desert Dan, again, ‘* We demand that you release our chief, and that you send Black Rebber with him, without delay.” ‘* You’re too modest,” shouted Old Rattler; ** don’t ye want ours kulps, too?’ ‘* We'll take them if you refuse our demands for the release of our chief, and the possession of the horse,” Swift- Vi ing returned. ** As fur as yer bicwsy ole chief’s concerned, we don’t care the prick o’a cactus what be- comes of him,” Old Rattler declared; ‘‘ but as fur the hoss, you'll have to fight for him—you ‘Fight it is, then,” responded Swift-Wing, and turning bis horse ke galloped back to his waiting friends. CHAFTER XI, A MIDNIGHT? CONFLICT. “* Boys,” exclaimed Old Rattler, ‘“‘ by the Rosycrusians! we're in for it now, and let every boy ke ae for a lively scrap.” ** Tom,” said Ola Kit Bandy, approaching the veteran hunter, ‘‘ I think I’d better go out to them varmints, and, as Jaguar Head, convince them they’d better let you alone—tell ’em there’s an epidemic lurkin’ in this sand-pit.” + ‘**But our surrenderin’ their chief, Kitsie, will be an admission of our weakness and fears, or so construed,” Rattler contended, “Thomas, trust me to arrange that,” re assured Bandy;‘if the varmints hav’n’t got onto my game, I'll scare ’em outen attackin’ you here, It's their beloved chief they want, but what bothers me is as to how they know Black Robber isin this scoop-out. They knew nothin’ o’ it when I left camp, and ‘less they war joined by the gaug that chased Desert"Dan - to-day, and that gang has kept a dead set on the boy up to this time, I can’t imagine how they obtained the information they seem to have. But, boys, I'm goin’ right over there, and if my followers are there, you shall not be barmed a mite, Jaguar Head has spoken, Waugh!” Kit bid them good-by, and leaving the sink, walked straight toward the assembled crowd, that was about two bundred yards away, plain- ly visible in the moonlight. ) The little, dese: t-stranded party watched the old man until he was lost from view among the mar: uders. They heard shouts and exclama- tions from the gang as he joined them; but a few moments later they heard low, excited words that created uneasiness in Tom Rattler’s breast, Ten more minutes passed, when a single horseman was again seen to ride out from the assembled party toward the sink. Hecame to within thirty paces of tie quartet and called out: ‘Say, over there: have you decided to turn over that black stallion to us? Seein’ you’ve mre up Jaguar Head quietly, maybe you'll ork over the horse on the same terms, and save bloodshed?” ‘* Fetch on your blood if you want it shed!” retorted Desert Dan, putting on a bold iront, for both he and Tom had made up their minds ve the enemy was playing a big gume of uff, Without another word the horseman turned and went back to his friends, and soon after- ward Rattler and his party discovered that the foe were in dead earnest, for, with a yell such as can only come from an ap cee throat, the most of the band put their horses into a swift gallop and came thundering down upon the old hunter guide and his companions. “The devils are comin’, by the great Rosy- crusians!” Rattler exclaimed. ‘ Down into the pit, boys, and be ready to baste them in the prow! it’s victory or death! Kit Bandy has failed in his promise to keep them off, but fight fer yer altars an’ yer sires, an* bet yer life Old Kit will be around when the soup is U'ilin’.’ The four sprung down into their retreat and turned to meet the oncoming foe. Thev did not have long to wait. Old Rattler opened the ball by firing at the first head that
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* Kit Bandy’s “Star” Engagement. appeared above the rim of the basin, and, although the shot was by moonlight, it emptied a saddle, and the riderless pony came plunging over the bank into the sink almost on top of Ban Mead. The next instant the battle was on in good earnest, Desert Dan’s skill as a revolver shot now stood him in good hand, and, although Ben and Frank had never before heard a shot fired in anger, they bore themselves with the coolness of veterans, and poured a steady fire into the foe from their Winchesters, The outlew gang was undoubtedly as greatly surprised as the party attacked. They had evi- dently counted upon striking terror to the hearts of the four men by the boldness of their attack and the odds they would display, and thereby gain a bloodless victory. But when at least half a dozen of the foremost saddles were emptied in a moment almost, and the horses thus made riderless flew off on a tan- gent, the ranks became confused, and a panic would have ensued but for the courage and cool- ness of the outlaw leader, who rallied his men and ordered them to charge down upon the foe in their stronghold. At once three or four horsemen came plung- ing forward and leaped their horses down into the sink, forcing the four defenders to retreat to the opposite side. Ina moment more the whole band was crowd- ing into the basin. In hopes of saving his horse from falling to the enemy’s hands, Desert Dan stopped to cut the animal’s lariat, This delay roved a sad thing for the brave boy, for before e could rejoin his friends he was seized by half a dozen strong hands and borne to the earth. Forced from the sink, old Tom and his two young friends dashed into aclump of sage-brush, where they turned and blazed away at those who attempted to follow. Then they ran on, dodging from the cover of one clump to another, firing as they retreated, and with such fatal effect that the pursuit was finally relinquished and the three were permitted to escape for the time being. The possession of the coveted black stallion and the capture of Desert Dan had cost them dearly, and they had no desire to add-more to bead dead-list, by pursuing the three fugitives then, The greatest excitement prevailed in and around that sink for the next ten minutes, and it was all that the outlaw leader could do to re- strain his savage followers from braining the defiant Saddle Prince, Finally the boy was placed in charge of two outlaws, while Captain Sangre and Swift- Wing took possession of Black Robber, who, as the result of the late excitement, began to mani- fest some of his old wild spirit. Swift-Wing was a renegade chief of the out- law Apaches, and a sort of lieutenant of the Desert Pirates. It was he who led the band which had pursued Desert Dan up the canyon that day. After the boy had escaped on the wild horse he had followed him on into the desert, an arrived at Spring Basin a few minutes after Kit Bandy—J ead—had stolen away from feu aid Ben and Frank. 4 The two villains seemed as eager to possess the black stallion as Old Kit Bandy or Don de Vaca, They examined him closely, and each of bis shoulders they rubbed and pinched until they had the animal half-frantic. ‘“‘There’s not a blemish on him,” Captain e finally declared, in a tone that seemed full of disappointment, : ** No; there’s never been a knife in his shoul- der,” added the outlaw’s lieutenant, Swift- Wing, ‘‘and I’m nnin’ to sus that Hualpa Jose’s been workin’ us—that the Carlita Bond story is all gammon for some purpose of that shrewd scamp.” ‘That may not be the horse,” Sangre said; ‘in fact, itisp’t, We have no assurance that the black colt released by Horace Mead ever bé- came a wild horse, and, if it did, it would now be fourteen years old, and this animal is nota day over six or seven years old, We're on the wrong trail, Swifty, as well as some other peo- le, But, the next thing to find out is, what has rought Desert Dan from away up North to this country to catch Black Robber. It may be there is a third or fourth party after the secret to the lost mines of Trinchera. The two villains walked over to where Desert Dan stood under guard and began to ply him with questions, but the young Saddle Prince stubbornly refused to answer a single question, nor could they coerce him with threats. ’ Finally preparations for returning to Spring ! Basin were made, Desert Dan’s hands were securely tied at his back, and then a hideous- looking little Mexican, who had been wounded severely, if not mortally, in the fight, was stood up bebind the boy and securely lashed to his back by means of a lariat wound around and around the bodies of each from hip to shoulder, The Mexican, being half a head shorter than Dan, brought his basilisk eyes just above the young ranch-rider’s shoulders. Thus firmly lashed together, Dan and the Mexican were lifted from the ground and placed astride of Black Robber with the injunction to **hug on” or ‘tumble off ” at the risk of break- ing their necks, 3lack Robber objected to the double burden placed upon him and endeavored to dislodge it; but a half-dozen Desert Pirates had hold of the lariat, and the poor brute was again forced to succumb and be led away with its two riders. At every step of the horse the wounded Mexi- can uttered a groan, and, as his throat was half- filled with blood, the sound was anything but pleasant in Desert Dan’s ears, - As they moved away, the young Prince’s mind reverted to Jaguar Head—Kit Bandy—and he wondered what had become of the great detect- ive and why he had not exerted his boasted influence to stay the Pirates attack upon them, Moving up to where the outlaws first balted, and where a few B fenns were still standing, the Boy Prince was ost struck dumb by the sight that met his gaze, Standing erect upon the ground, with his hands tied before him, his head-dress torn from his head, a dead meyer strapped upon his shoul- ders, was Kit Bandy, the Mountain De- tective! ‘* Behold!” exclaimed ms Ne Sangre, with a tragic air, pointing to the old man, and address- ing Desert Dan, ‘‘how the mighty have fallen! But a few minutes ago he boasted to you in the hearing of Long-Ears, my scout and spy, that he was possessed of royal blood and mighty power! But Jaguar Head, the Great, has fallen! In- stead of the great Mescalero, you see Old Kit egin his death- meee f the Cunning, about to marcb to Spring Basin!” CHAPTER XII. LASHED TO A CORPSE, A MOMENTARY halt was made where Kit Bandy stood, shorn of all his power as a chief and subjected to the humiliation and disgrace o; bearing upon his shoulders the corpse of an ane warrior that had fallen in the conflict. o Desert Dan the situation was not prom- ising. With Old Rattler and his two young friends adrift on the desort, afoot, no assistance could be expected of them. Naturally the youth’s mind reverted to the girl, Zulita. ‘ ‘* Who was she? and where did she reside?” he asked himself over and over again. There was still before him on Black Robber the lariat she had given him—positive proof of her material a er But, what was the mystery surround- ing her hen the order to march was finally given by Captain Sangre, the return to Spring Basin began; but Black Kobber had taken but a few steps when an outlaw with a cactus-thorn pricked the animal in the flank, and with a snort he shot forward, tearing the lariat through the hands of those leading , and aJmost un- seating Dan and the Mexican tied to him; but, clasping the body of his horse with his limbs, the dle Prince held his position, and Black Rubber, now fired with new life and strength, dashed away with a sudden burst of furious e, rie was the wild stallion again! The Desert Pirates started in pursuit, some yelling like mad and a few firing their revolvers si of which added tothe speed of the madden orse. Away like the wind—with all his old-time speed went the stallion, leaving the pursuing outlaws far behind, Not only had he had rest enough to get his second wind, but he seemed to have gone mad. Desert Dan sat helpless upon the horse’s back, the wounded Mexican uttering feeble groans and cries at every bound. Dan could speak and that was all, but his words of kindness now seemed to fall unheeded by the flying animal, The Mexican’s arms and hands hung free at his side, but Dan could not prevail upon the fel- low to unfasten his fetters. In fact, the wound- ed wretch’s head rolled about upon his shoulders in a manner that alarmed the boy. He was growing weak and helpless from the pain of his wound and loss of blood. Dan could see his / arms dangling helpless at his side, and ashudder™ ' paesed through bis frame. The stallion soon passed out of sight and sound of the pursuers. The lariat hung dang- ling from his neck and trailing behind, and up- on this the horse finally stepped with a hind foot and was jerked to his knees, throwing Dan and the Mexican forward over his head to the earth, But in an instant the borse was up and off, once more a free spirit of the desert. A low, agonized moan escaped the Mexican’s lips as he and Dan pitched forward to the earth, Dan essayed to rise, but the helpless wretch upon his back held him down, He noticed that the Mexican was breathing hard—that his hands were thrown out now and then, the fin- gers working feebly as if trying to clutch at something, A gain and again Dan endeavored to tear his hands from his bonds, but in vain. He no longer made appeals to the Mexican, for he now realized that the fellow had become uncon- scious, By a desperate effort the youth succeeded in _—— to his feet. The Mexican’s entire weight hung upon him, and he was compelled to bend forward in order to stand. The situa- tion was horrible to the Prinee, but he realized that the worst was to come, and his brain fairly w dizzy. He took a few steps forward, the feet of the Mexican dragging behind, his head lying for- ward on the boy’s neck, then stopped. He gazed around him, wishing for the coming of his captors, but no one was to be seen, The moon was swinging rapidly down the eastern _ and presently day, with its burning heat, wou d be upon him, Suddenly the Mexican seemed to rally, A few incuberent words escaped his lips, and he tugged feebly Db frantically at the cords that lashed him to Desert Dan. ut his efforts last- ed for only a few seconds when he straightened up; his limbs seeming to became rigid; a quiver ran through his frame; there was a eee rattling in his throat, and the next instant the whole body fell lintp upon Desert Dan, dragging the boy to the earth. As they went down a cry of horror escaped Desert Dan’s lips for he realized that the Mexican was dead, that he was lashed to a ghastly corpse ! \ CHAPTER XIII, MOMENTS OF HORROR. THE situation of Desert Dan can better ve imagined than described, Lashed to the repul- sive corpse of the Mexican, his very soul shud- dered with horror, and again he tore frantically at the bonds about his wrists, but his efforts only increased his agony of mind and body. He could not get rid of his ghastly burden, Again he arose and attempted to walk, He went but a few paces and sunk down, his brain almost aflame. The dead body was growing heavy as lead and his hg oe so severely test- ed for hours, was failing. To add to the horror of his situation, coyotes, attracted by the smell of blood from the dead man’s wounds, were coming around bim, In hopes that Tom Rattler and his young com- ions, or even his late captors, might come to is rescue, he shouted at the top of his lungs but no answer came back—not even an echo of bis own voice, The red streaks of morning dawn gave him hope. He laid down, for with his stiffeni burden he must either lay or.stand, to awa = coming of day in hopes it would bring re- ief. One, two hours passed—they seemed like days. The sun came up. The coyotes vanished, Once more Desert Dan struggled to his feet. He glanced about him. Nothing but sage-brush and cacti was visible, Life seemed to have vanished from that desert and left him alone with that horrible corpse, Hot and fiery the sun drifted up the eastern sky. Heat, hunger, thirst and horror were preying upon the youth’s body and mind. Not one in a thousand would have stood up under the awful strain half so long as he had already. But Dan was wing sick, He knew by the tightening of the lariat that the body of the exican was fast bloating. In fact, he could in to see a hand and arm extending out from bere erage side, ha awling to a sage-bush, the young Prince of the Saddle thrust his head into the ig Both its shade and odor were refreshing; but there lie expected to lie until rescued by the hands of men * 4 see Bay Pa : 028 RE ME as 4 > — a Me a. ea ee bs en ae at ) fy f ae
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cr when he heard a sound like the rustling of wings. Kit Bandy’s “Star” Engagement. 9 or death. He had been there but a few minutes | was taken along. In fact, half of the outlaws were left to watch Jaguar Head’s braves, though He opened his eyes, and to his horror saw a vul- | the latter never mistrusted what was up until ture standing on the earth within a few paces of him with its wrinkled, coral neck outstretched, looking toward him asif insomedoubt. Full well the boy knew the winged scavenger was there to feed upon his dead companion. Others were wheeling abont in the air overhead and slowly de~sending in contracting circles to join their mat ina morning banquet. Dan did not move noi ittera sound.. Slowly his mind was growing indifferent to his surroundings, A haze was settling over him. From the distance floated the sound of strange voices; weird and fantastic forms came trooping around him in mid-air, and gnomish figures bowed and tured about him, blowing their feverish breath in his face, and uttering strange gutturals. Suddenly, in the midst of all, there was a crash like a clan of thunder, a cry and the win- nowing flight of v ngs. Desert Dan, half de- lirious, attempted to rise, but the bloating corpse held him down. He opened wide his eyes and gazed wildly around him. He could see nothing, Lut became conscious of moving— floating away through space, and when at last he shook off the horrible nightmare that had played such pranks with his overwrought brain, the first thing of which he became conscious was of lying upon a couch, and of the presence of an angelic face bending over him. It was the face pf Zulita, the gir]-waif of the desert! CHAPTER XIV. TROUBLE IN CAMPS THE éscape of Black Robber with Desert Dan and the wounded Mexican caused “onsiderable excitement among the outlaws, A few of them ere chase, The stallion quickly left them be- ind, and they returned furious with and disappointment. The escape of Dan with the fatally-wounded Mexican was of little concern to them; it was the horse- they wanted, though it was not the horse they had fondly hoped to secure, Kit Bandy bore his burden uncomplainingly, andin the course of an hour or two be ype Basin was reached, Kit’s burden removed an the old man securely lashed to a cedar that stood near the camp-fire. Bandy’s true character had been discovered through a scout Captain Sangre had sent to fol- low him to the sink where Rattler and the three boys had halted. Unobserved, the cunning Long-Ears had crept to within earshot of the it, and, lying concealed behind a sage-bush, Recrel nearly every word that between Jaguar Head and the “stranded” four— enough, in fact, to fully confirm Sangre’s sus- picions, But there was one thing in O'd Kit’s chief- tainship that the outlaws overlooked: be had never been false to his followers who were not of the outlaw gang proper. On the contrary, he had proven himself a subordinate leader of signal ability and cunning during the short time he bad been among the Mescaleros. It is ‘true he was availing himself of the license of a detective in ingratiating himself into the red- skins’ favor, and really expected to serve his own interests more than theirs. The nearest he ever came to deceiving his followers was when he had Ben and Frank ‘* planted” and left alive on the desert. He did that in hopes of saving the boys’ lives, He was afraid to take them to camp through fear of their being assassinated by the outlaws. At that time his foree was superior to Captain Sangre’s, and so his word was law. The meeting of the outlaws under and the Apaches under Jaguar Head, at Sprig Ba- sin, was purely accidental. Jaguar Head’s fol- lowers were Reservation Indians, while the Apaches with the Desert Pirates were outlaw Savages, and while they were the best of friends, they had never been allies until that crete wanes they attacked Ben Mead and Frank Warfield, The coming of Swift-Wing and his gang to Spring’ Basin put a different phase upon the situation, for the new party was a part of Sangre's force, and that worthy now assumed an aggressive character, and was disposed to a Jaguar Head and his dozen-and-two war- ors, e Captain Sangre’s force had now augmented to some forty men, composed of Apaches, Mexicans and Americans, and a more desperate and mur- derous-looking gang never banded together. When Sanere and Swift-Wing went to attack Rattler and his friends in the sink, and secure Jaguar Head, not one of the latter’s warriors their chief was marched into camp in bonds, Promptly the Apaches made objections to the imprisonment of their chief, and demanded his release, The fact thats the outlaws had found him to really be Kit Bandy proved nothing against him as Jaguar Head. He had beena leader after the young Apache warrior’s heart, and his arrest was looked upon as an insult to his followers. But Captain Sangre cared nothing for their murmurings. His force was now more than three to one and he proposed to have things his own sweet way. Kit Bandy was in his power, and the death of Captain Vulcan at the detec- tive’s hands, was fresh in his mind, In reply to one of Jaguar Head’s warriors, called Growling Bear, for the release of his chief, Sangre replied: “Rit Bandy is my prisoner. He is the wolf that hunted down the great Black Vulcan. He will destroy the Apaches. He hunts men to de- stroy them, Jaguar Head, the white wolf, shall die before we leave this camp!”* This declaration was received with an out- burst of applause from the lips of Captain Sangre’s followers, but Jaguar Head’s braves showed their teeth, as it were. Trouble was brewing in the camp. The night was now well advauced, but sleep was unthouglit of by outlaw or savage. Jaguar Head’s followers, while remaining in the same camp were disposed to keep aloof from the outlaws. There was not a movement .of the latter made but what it was observed by the former. An hour passed, Captain Eases finally arose and left the camp, going in the direction of the entrance to the valley, as he told Swift-Wing, to give the men*there on guard some special in- structions. The camp was located at the lower end of the valley, ‘which ‘was about a mile long, near a weeny of water, and in the midst of a growth of scrubby cedars. Just back of camp arose a per- pendicular bluff to the height of thirty feet, and ie Hk this blulff, clearly outlined against the sky, about half an hour after Sangre’s departure, Growling Bear, the Apache, suddenly appeared, and shouted to those below: ot oe and pale-faces—followers of Cap- tain Blood! listen to what I have to say to you! You have our chief a prisoner. and we are few, chief to return. You are many You wait in vain for your He is in our power. hile you talked and laughed at Jaguar Head, we stole away and your chief is now our prisoner. Release Jaguar Head and your go Suey shall go free. Kill him and we will kill. We are strong in our defense. We defy you to take him from us. I have spoken,” painful silence followed this startling declaration, A ‘grim smile flitted over the face of Kit Bandy. Captain Sangre was absent it is true, but the outlaws waited several minutes before stirring, as if to have Growling Bear’s words verified by the continued absence of their captain, And when half an hour more had passed and he came not, there arose a murmur in the camp that foretold the coming of a storm—that Spring sin was yet to be the scene of bloodshed, CHAPTER XV. AN EXCHANGE, GREAT excitement prevailed in the outlaw camp over the capture and concealment of the rson of Captain Sangre by the revengeful fol- owers of Jaguar Head, Old Kit had seen Growling Bear leave camp shortly after Sangre’s departure, and he had seen his own followers leave camp one by one until all were gone. was going on and was prepared for some sur- prise, and then when it came, the outlaws were so enraged that it was all Swift-Wing, next in command, cculd do to save him from death then and there, When the frantic gang bad become somewhat cooled down, scouts were immediately sent out to locate the position of the Jaguar Head party. One of these scouts was met by Growling Bear, himself, and Y art conducted to the very place tla ry Captain Sangre lay bound hand and oot. That place was in a spacious excavation in the bluff facing the valley, and not over seventy rods from the outlaw camp. It had evidently been made by the hand of man, but at a period that might have dated back to the time when the Mexican banditti terrorized all the country He knew something™ south of Santa Fé and west of the Pecos. It could be entered only by one narrow passage, and could have been held by a dozen men against a thousand, Growling Bear bad discovered the place that day soon after their arrival in the basin while searching for game, little dreaming that it was to serve him and his friends so im. portant a purpose, ‘* Wolf-Yelp,” the outlaw scout, made as thor. ough inspection of the place as the darkness would permit—even conversing witb Captain Sangre—and then returned and reported to his friends the impregnable position occupied by the Jaguar Heads, ** We can starve them!” declared Swift-Wing, ‘and we will!” ‘*Starve an Apache will ye?” replied an out- law; ‘‘ why, they’ll eat the captain, himself, be- fore they’ll surrender or starve. Boys, ft be- gins to look as though Reservation red-skins are too many for us, after all, and that we'll have to surrender our prisoner or leave here minus a captain.” ‘“‘T’m not so sure of that,” responded Swift- Wing; ‘‘ there’s but one Kit Bandy in all this big, old universe, and there are acres of Jacaril- la Jims out of which to make Captain Sangres— Bloods. If Bandy gets cts ir here safe, mind what I tell you, every Desert Pirate will have to hunt his hole inside of a month, or take his medicine around his neck instead of down it.” The majority of the outlaws did not agree with the villain, who would like to have step into Captain Sangre’ shoes, and the idea of lay- ing siege to the Jaguar Head stronghold was not favorably entertained foreven a moment. So the only alternative was to proceed with Kit Bandy to the cave and accept the terms dictated by Growling Bear. Jaguar Head was untied and the party started away with him, leaving but two sound men to guard the camp, On arriving in the vicinity of the intrenched Apaches, a long-range parley was held as to which party should advance to the other. Fearing treachery the outlaws were afraid to enter the cave, and those in the cave were afraid to venture out, Finally the outlaws, emboldened by their superior force, and the assurance that Jaguar Head and his band would never be able to es- cape from the cave alive, sent Bandy in charge of Wolf-Yelp into the cave, In a few minutes the escort returned bring- ing Captain Sangre unharmed, His appearance was greeted bya great shout of triumph, and those in the cave notified, by a volley of shots fired into the entrance, that the armistice was at an end, and war begun in dead earnest. Jaguar Héad saw at once that they were in no enviable position—that while they could defend themselves against invasion, it would be certain death to attempt escape from the cave while the outlaws lay in wait for them. Hunger and thirst, however, they could not keep, out, and so the fertile brain of Old Kit must furnish an expedient. The Apaches were acting in good faith with him, and while he was availing himself, as before stated, of the license of a frontier detective, he was too honorable to do — that would cost one Apache follower his life, The plan of escape most feasible to Kit’s mind was by tunneling out, The sides of the cave and the roof were pee. clay with a little gravel, and by digging obliquely upward he believed they would come out upon the plain where yp could not be seen from below. Just how far t “y would have to dig and what ob- structions they might meet, of course they could not determine, Old Kit started the work digging with toma- hawk and knife. He commenced in the roof of the cave and as the dirt was loosened it fell at his feet and served to raise him as he tunneled upward, By turns the digging continued without inter- mission, two Apaches keeping watch at the entrance. As there was no delay in removing the loosened dirt, the work pr pidly. They finally passed throu the clay and reached a sandy soil where cutie was easy. Kit thought the surface must be near, but in this he was mistaken, They were compelled to dig at least ten feet further before they emerged on the plain—altogether some twenty feet. hen the tunnel had thus been completed Old Kit poked his head and took a survey of his sur- roundings. Behind him lay the desert and in front of him hecould just see the dark- tops of the cedars under whose cover the outlaws were lying in wait in the basin below. Descending to the cave Bandy went down to
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210 Kit Bandy’s “Star” Engagement. the entrance and fired a couple shots into the thicket outside to let the outlaws know they were still on the alert in the cave. The robbers returned the compliment by firing a volley into the cave, one of the builets grazing Bandy’s shoulder and drawing blood. The retreat was now begun. Bandy took the lead and was the first toscramble up theinclined hole and step out into the moonlight. One by one the Apaches crawled out. Never were men more cautious. A shadow could have been less noiseless, When all were out Kit led the way back into the plain aways, then swung around and entered to the basin again. When under cover of the cedars Bandy sent a scout to see how matters were at camp. He | soon returned and reported the camp in charge of but two or three men besides those wounded out on the plain. The natural marauding instinct of the Apache asserted itself, and every warrior be- came eager to make a raid on the camp and corral, nor was Old Kit one whit less eager to strike them a blow that would cripple them severely. d Again Bandy took the lead and with the silence of phantoms they moved down upon ths camp, slew the guards, appropriated their arms and ammunition, destroyed much camp equi- page, then mounted their own horses, stamped- ed the robbers’, and then started to leave the valley. The had tarried, however, just a minute too long, for the party at thegave, hearing the con- fusion at camp, hastened to investigate the cause, They came up just as the Apaches were riding off and killed three of them at the first fire. Kit and the others made good their escape. When Captain Sangre looked upon his cam and the destruction that had been wrought, his fur rect ours later, that Jaguar Head and his band had escaped from the cave, and that they were the authors of the havoc and ruin in camp, he became crazed with rage, and swore eternal vengeance on Kit Bandy and his Apache friends, new no bounds; and ‘when he learned, CHAPTER XVI. A TRANSITION TO DESERT DAN, WE left Desert Dan just recovering from a state of unconsciousness to find himself lying upon a soft couch, and the fair face of the mys- terious waif of the night, Zulita, standing by his side and gazing down into his face. But it was long time before he could relieve his mind of its last impressions—the dead Mexican lashed upon his back; the coral-necked vulture; the winnowing wings above him; the+hot sun; the pain of the contracting lasso; the extending arms of the corpse! ; The transition had been so great that he thought he must be dreaming—lying still er the desert. Yet plainly he could see the fair face of Zulita framed in with its wealth of dark hair, and her slight, willowy form dres##d in snow-white. He could see a roof above and walls about them. Yet bheheard nosound. He was speechless himself—held silent as if in a trance, : Suddenly, however, he sees the girl, Zulita, start up, a smile flit over her face. He sees her lips move—hears her say: ‘* Desert Dan, you are ——. better.” The sound of -her voice broke the spell that held him motionless—speechless, He started up as all the horrors of the desert flcoded his brain, and gazed around him like one bewil- dered. Zulita smiled, then broke into a little laugh as she again said, to the confused youth: “You are pertectly safe, Desert Dan, and you must rest quietly, You have passed through a severe spell of rhe wes gee ** Where am I? and how came I here?” ‘You were found unconscious on the des- ‘* Ah!” he broke in, with a shudder, ‘‘ lashed to a bloated ggg >a ‘*No matter, Desert Dan; you were found ne and brought here, and been kindly cared or, ‘* And you are the maid Zulita?” * Yes; es recognize me, though we met but ae fore,” the strange little beauty re- sponded. “ But where am I?” queried Dan, resting upon his elbow in a reclining position and gaz- iug around him, and then up into the maiden’s ‘acc. “ When you may ou are stronger, I will te you all btoknow. For the present, let it | : suffice that you are with friends. My good fa- ther wil] bein soon. You have been here since morning. It is now nearly evening again. You must be hungry and perhaps thirsty. I will order you food and drink. Excuse me a moment.” Zulita rose and left the room. Dan watched her until shehad disappeared. Then he glanced around him, The room was emall, but clean and neatly furnished. A small window admit- ted light. There were pictures on the walls, and on a little table near his couch stood a bouquet of flowers that diffused fragrance through the room, From the desert and the companionship of death, toa quiet room and the companionship of a beautiful girl, was a great change; yet Dan knew nothing of how the transformation had been made. Hours had passed since he had fainted on the desert, overcome with pain, heat and horror, and in that time he had been carried to that room unconscious. But was it the room of a home hidden away on the desert? The return of Zulita ended his mental specu- lations, The maiden brought him some food and acup of tea. He thanked her most kindly, and sitting up on his couch he partook of the viands. Never did food taste sweeter. He ate heartily for he was nearly famished, After bis repast he felt ever so much better and Sereoey Greve stronger. He soon became anxious to be out—to be on the move—to know where he was and who the good people were to whom he was indebted for their kindness. Suddenly a heavy footstep sounded near, and a tall, noble-looking man entered the room. Dan raised his eyes until they met those of the stranger. ‘¢ This is my father, Jean Ballé, Desert Dan,” Zulita said, rising as her father entered. Desert Dan, in his frank and hearty way, ex- tended his hand, saying: ‘*Mr, Ballé, 1 am very glad to meet you,” Jean Ballé was of sixty years, tall and broad- shouldered, and deep-chested, with long white hair and beard, a pleasant yet keen blue eye, and strong intellectual features. A grim smile was upon his face as he took the extended hand of the Boy Prince of tke Saddle and pressed it warmly, saying: ‘* My boy, I am glad to see you around again. We found you in a very sad plight.” **T presume so,” responded Dan, ‘‘for I have a vivid recollection Sf lying down on the desert lashed to a corpse, 1 must have fallen asleep, for the next I knew I was right here.” “Yes, you were sound asleep,” added Ballé, “Sand for awhile we thought you were in -your last sleep, I think you had fainted,” ‘‘AmIfar from where you found me?” the youth asked, gazing into his host’s eye with an eager look. ‘ Ary Ballé smiled, stroked his beard and re- ied: ‘* You shall see for yourself shortly; it will be well for you to walk out. I will send in Zulita for youin anhour. Here are your clothes; you may dress yourself and be ready when she comes,” ** Thank you,” said Dan gratefully. Jean Ballé arose and left the room. Desert Dan arose end dressed himself, feeling, with the exception of a slight pain in the head, as well as he ever did, Presently there was a light footstep heard at the door and little Zulita came in, her pretty face aglow with blushes and smiles, . ‘* Father sent me to conduct you to the house- top to spend the evening,” she said, ** Your father is very kind, and I am ready to accompany you,” Dan replied, rising to his feet. Together the two passed out of the little room into a hallway, and thence into the open air, that was all aglow with the radiance of a glori- ous sunset, ¢ CHAPTER XVII. BEAUTY, FLOWERS, MUSIC AND A DEMON, INTO a little square or pleza in the rear of the long, low adobe building, of Mexican style of hacienda, Zulita Ballé conducted her young guest, Desert Dan, and then turning they ascended a broad flight of steps to the low, flat roof of the house where a scene met the eves of the lad that fairly bewildered him. And this is what he beheld: A lovely little oblong valley walled in by green-clad bluffs that were fringed with pifion and cedaralong their base. A green, grassy plaza ioterspersed with chaparrals of young cedars, stretching away toward the west for half a mile, Two or three horses, a cow, and a herd of goats grazing in sight down the vale. Nothing beyond therim of this sunken valley is to be seen except sky. The house-top was large and wide and covered with dirt and gravel. round its margin grew creeping vines thot ran over the edges and fall- ing in green festoons to the earth completely covered the outer walls of the building. There was a profusion of semi-tropical plants and flowers also growing along the borders of the daca that ed the air with the incense of a ise. ** By Jingrickies!” burst from the lips of the astonished youth, as he gazed around him upon the lovely scene which the fiery glow of the set- ting sun brought out in all its emerald beauty, ‘*this seems to be an enchanted valley—a valley suspended in the air, for I can see no desert— nothing beyond except sky and space,” Before Zulita could reply another surprise awaited the boy. Jean Ballé appeared upon the house-top with another young girlteaning upon his arm, a girl of about Zulita’s age—a slender, pale-faced, blue-eyed, golden-haired girl—so fair, so delicate, that it seemed a breath of air would have wafted her away. ‘This, Desert Dan, is my daughter, Lucille,” said the old man, Dan bowed politely, but was too greatly zon- fused and bewildered to speak. ‘* Lucille,” continued Ballé, “is just recover- ing from a long siege of sickness, and is weak. But she has been anxious to meet Desert Dan, the Prince of the Saddle,” ‘¢Tt’s an honor I don’t deserve,” the boy man- aged to reply, manifesting some confusion, The four seated themselves upon benches and entered into conversation, the vivacious Zulita taking thedead in a manner pleasing to all. In the course of ‘en minutes there was another aay of three persons joined them on the roof. wo of them were colored—one male and one female, The third was undoubtedly of Spanish blood—a man of some forty years, with a lithe, supple figure neatly dressed in the suit of a ranchero, and with all the bearing of a gentle- man. He was introduced to Dan as Juan, the Scout, and as the individual who had found the youth on the desert and brought him there to Paradise Vale. Old Jubal, the male negro servant, carried in his hands a banjo and guitar. The latter he handed to Zulita. Turning to Juan, the Scout, Jean Ballé asked: ‘*Do you think it safe, Juan, to use the instru- ments?” ‘* Perfectly safe, sefior, I should say. The desert seems to bo entirely free of all dangers,” “The desert!” exclaimed Dan, unable to main- tain his silence longer, ‘‘ then this is an oasis in the desert?” ‘* Yes, my son, this is Paradise Vale, and is just ten miles from Spring Basin, in the ver heart of a barren sand-waste,” responded Ballé, ‘Cand it is sunken so deep that its existence can- not be detected until you are on its very rim,” ‘** And you have never been troubled here by outlaws or Indians?” Dan questioned. ““To the best of my knowledge, or, rather, Juan’s, no Indian or stranger except yourself, has been nearer than ten miles of this place since we have lived here,” ‘You have lived here a long time,” said Dan, “judging from appearances?” ‘Some yeors,” responded Ballé, evasively. ** Jubal, give us one of your melodies,” Old Jubal struck in ona low negro melody into which the darky threw all his soul, and his notes awakened in the breast of Desert Dan an enthusiasm that had lain dormant there since his mother’s sweet voice had become hushed in the silence of death. When Jubal had finished, Zulita took up, her guitar, and as her fingers flashed over the strings the very heavens seemed to bend a listening ear, and as Dan sat in enrapt silence, his eyes gazing down the valley, he was startled to see a noble black horse emerge from the cover of 2 clump of cedars, arch its neck, Soe up his ears and stand motionless, as if drinking in the sweet,’ enchanting strains of music from Zulita’s in- strument, After listening a few minutes, it started off on a lone toward the hacienda, and as it came near- er, Desert Dan could see he was the very coun- rt of Black Robter. “ m the heautiful black the boy transferred his gaze to Zulita and the guitar, for he was a. lover of music as well as of horses, As he did so, the music suddenly 2eased. He saw the maiden’s hand hang motionless above the strings, and lifting his eyrs to her face he. saw it pale and blanched, her lips slightly part- ee a ee
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th @ 7 - ed, and her dark i staring wildly as though suddenly transfixed with terror. The youth quickly turned his eyes in the direction ‘the maiden was gazing, when, to his own surprise and utmost terror, he beheld a hideous Indian warrior, who was standing on the steps, his head and shoulders just reaching above the edge of the roof and leering upon them like a triumphant demon. CHAPTER XVIII. EXCITEMENT ON THE HOUSE-TOP, AT sigkt of the hideous red-skin Desert Dan sprung to his feet, and Juan, the Scout, snatch- ing a revolver from his belt, ina twinkling aimed a shot at the savage; but just as the weapon ex- ploded the Prince of the Saddle struck up the muzzle aud the bullet whistled harmlessly over the intruder’s bead. A cry of terror burst from the lips of Zulita and Lucille. “Treachery !” hissed Juan, as he flashed a look at Desert Dan, again cocked his revolver and turned it toward the Indian who still held his position on the steps. ‘* Hold on, Juan!” Desert Dan again inter- rupted, ‘‘that Indian is Kit Bandy, the Moun- tain Detective!” Juan lowered his revolver, and the Indian stepped up onto the house-top and gazing at the a Es assembly burst into a low, chuckling augh, his it true? are you Kit Bandy?’ demanded Jean Ballé, ** Desert Danny epeaks the truth,” answered the disguised man; “‘I am Ka-ristopher Ko- lumbuss Bandy, and as gentle as a maiden and harmless as a butterfly. So good-evening, people! I must beg, your pardon for this un- ceremonious intrusion, I couldn’t help it. Fall- ing into paradise here, I have been wanderin’ around intoxicated-firunk on its glory, its music and beauty, its sunset and flowers and—Desert Dan inthe very midst of it all.” It devolved upon Desert Dan to introduce the old mountain and plains detective to Jean Ballé and his family, and when this was done Old Kit soon set the party at ease, and for ten minutes held them spellbound by the thrilling story of his adventures, His personal appearance had not been im- lag by his experiences of the last twenty-four ours. Shornof all his barbaric toggery, with the various colored paints on his face blending itio one dirty hue, he was indeed, a wretched- looking specimen of an Indian chief. But as usual, Bandy made himself at home and soon had won the confidence of all, and be- came the source of no little merriment by the vein of whimsical humor that ran through all his conversation and his stories. He questioned Desert Dan about the result of the fight in the sink the night before, and as to how he had escaped from the desert to find refuge in the home of Jean Ballé. : Dan told him all he knew of the conflict, but could give no information as to the fate of Tom Rattler and his two young friends. “* Poor ole Tom Rattler!” sighed Bandy; ‘‘ I’m afraid it went hard with him, for that gang o’ cut-throats under Sangre are the wu’st varmints that ever weut unquartered. Ole Tom Rattler war one 0’ the bravest men and warmest friends that ever swatted a red-skin or divided his last crumb with a fellow-man. But, Danny, what became of your black stallion?’ “He got away from under me and the Mexi- ¢an last night,” replied Dan, “and that’sthe last I’ve seen of him. Whether he fell into the outl .ws’ clutches or has escaped back to his old haunts, I know not; but [ do know his getting away knocked me out of one thousand good dol- lars, for that was what Don Alvar de Vaca was to pay me for delivering him at Aztec Ranch on the Rio Hondo.” “Wal, by the horn o’ Joshua!” exclaimed Bandy, “‘ that’s been the most coveted hoss that ever dashed sand into the atmosphere, But after all it’s not the hoss that’s wanted so much as the secret of a foul, treacherous murder, and of the lost mines of Trinchera that it is believed the horse carries, That’s what I’ve been after, at any rate, for six months.” ‘* Ah! then you are on the trail of a murderer, Kit Bandy,” said Jean Ballé, manifesting some anxiety in the detective story. “Yes, but it’s a cold trail, my friend: and * since last night’s discovery it has vanished en- tirely, and if a few of us ever gets out of this desert alive, we can be thankful, for small fa- vors, I must confess the situation is not the safest, for Captain Sangre’s dander’s up, and thar’s a premium on my ambrosial locks.’ “Oh, dear, dear!” exclaimed Lucille, clasping 4 Kit Bandy’s “Star” Engagement. her thin, white hands and drawing nearer to her father, ‘‘I hope those terrible Desert Pirates | will not find Paradise Vale!” | ‘* Tf they do find it, it will be just as I found it,” Kit explained, ‘‘by mere accident. I was lookin’ for a hidin’ place, I'll admit, but was on the very brink of this Eden before I knew it ! war in existence. Then I fell into it, and began | to exploreit. I found it war peopled, and that | there were domestic animals in no small num- | bers grazing berein. Islaked my thirst at two different springs, and came mortal nigh washin’ my hands and face, but I didn’t. But if the pirates do strike this bower while Desert Dan and your Uncle Ka-ristopher Bandy is here, | Miss Lucille, they’) hear different music from that which charmed the savage breast o’ Jaguar Head a few minutes ago and drew him up them steps as though a rope was round his neck and fourteen hosses pullin’ on it,” ‘* A shot has never been fired in anger in this valley,” spoke in Juan, the Scout; ‘‘ but all the same we have been always ready to defend our- selves fif attacked, There’s not a man or wo- man here but can use a rifle or revolver with splendid skill.” By this time it was dark, and on account of Lucille’s health it was suggested by her father that they all retire within doors. On descending from the roof Kit Bandy pro- posed to Desert Dan that they take a stroll about the valley to see that no danger really lurked therein, The Saddle Prince readily accepted, for he was only too glad to get out and test his strength, and be assured that he was himself again, despite the ordeal through which he had passed. Excusing themselves to Jean Ballé and his family, the two left the bacienda and strolled out toward the east side of the valley. Meanwhile Juan, the Scout, had gone up to the main entrance to the valley to see that all was right there. He was afraid the Desert Pi- rates might track Old Kit there, and as there was but one entrance by which a horseman could get into the vale, the place could be easily watched, at least. In the shadows under the bluff some fifteen rods from the hacienda, Kit Bandy and Desert Dan stopped. “* Kit,” said the Boy Prince, * what do you think of Jean Ballé and his family?” ‘*T think he’s a confounded ole looney,” re- sponded Bandy, ** keeping them two agonizin’ pretty gals here exposed to danger, and away from the society o’ civilization.” **- You don’t think it could be ible that the man is a fugitive hiding here from justice, do you, Kit?” ‘*He may be an outlaw and then he may not. Like I, Ka-ristopher Ko-lumbuss Bandy, he may be lurkin’ here—hidin’ from the wrath of a cantankerous wife,” “What? Kit Bandy a married man?” ex- claimed Dan, ‘*Well, i should say so with thunderous emphasis, Danny,” Bandy answered; ‘‘I’m too muchly married, and that’s why I’m among In- gins and pirates and b’ars, and I’m no outlaw either, or fugitive from justice, and that may be what's ailin’ Jean Ballé. But it can’t be that the mother of them gals war an old Sabina Bandy o' a woman, if I wara half a century younger, I’d start a romance in Paradise by fallin’ in Jove with one o’ them gals, Old Tom Rattler’d do it, anyhow—fall in love with, both o’ them, Old Tom's a terrible fool’bouta pay gal. But gals aside, Danny, I'll venture to/ sa that Jean Ballé is not that man’s true name, have met with a dozen just synch men in my rambles round through the hills and over the plains, and there was always some secret—some mystery ’bout every one o’ them, ‘Jean Ballé is of French extraction, at least, Ishould say. He doesn’t look like a man hiding away here through fear—a criminal outlaw; he looks more like a man of sorrow, and withal a | high-minded man of honor. ge if he was) proven to be the leader of the Black Arroyo | assacre—the murderer of Horace Mead, bis- self, I couldn’t disturb him on account o’ them twin fairies, There is one thing about him, | however, that sticks in my craw: when I told him I was on the trail of a murderer, he started up as though I’d touched a tender spot.” ‘*That’s no more than natural, under the cir- cumstances,” Desert Dan observed; ‘‘ ’most any one would do the same, guilty or not, ,But, Kit, did you see that black horse here in the park that is an exact counterpart of Black Robber?” ** Horn o’ Joshua!” exclaimed Bandy; ‘‘no, I did not! Who knows but it may be the black colt o’ Carlita Bond’s story—the sire o’ Black | 11 Robber? I'd like to ses that hoss, Danny, and lay my hands upon him.” ‘I think I can take you right to him, Mr. Bandy.” ‘* Lead forth, Dan’l.” The Prince of the Saddle led the way to where he had seen Old Jubal turn the horses into a corral, They found some five or six horses there, and among them was the black in ques- tion. The animals manifested some uneasiness at | sight of the strangers, but Desert Dan, by exert- ing that peculiar power be seemed to hold over the horse, soon had them all around him licking his hand and receiving bis caresses, The black horse was quite gentle, and, while Degert Dan held him, Old Kit advanced and pressed his hand over the animal’s shoulders and withers. He was fully five minutes in making an examination of the horse. Finally he turned away, touched Dan on the arm, and together they passed out of the corral and walked back to their former position under the bluff. Then Bandy turned, facing the boy, and said, in a low tone: ‘Desert Dan’l, that black hoss out there is the very hoss so many o’ us have been after!” “Great gingrickys!” exclaimed the youth, ‘you don’t say so, Mr. Bandy!” ‘*He’s got just sucha scar on the shoulder,” Kit went on, ‘tas I’d expected to find, but there was no foreign substance under the skin. If it is the right hoss, that locket was taken from out its novel receptacle, aud by who? “* And, again, Danny: if that black colt fell into the hands of Jean BaJlé, He possesses the secret I’m huntin’ for, and, what’s more, one or the other o’ them two gals—either Zulita or Lucille—is ‘ Dolly’ Mead, the child fugitive—the only survivor of the Black Arroyo Massacre !” CHAPTER XTX. A SAVAGE WAR-CRY, PONDERING a minute over Kit Bandy’s words, Desert Dare wondered which of the two girls could be Dolly Mead, should the old detective’s deductions be true. “Kit,” he finally said, ‘‘ you surely must be swroug about this matter.” ‘*T may be, it’s true,” admitted Bandy, ‘‘ but there’s a black hoss which any one can see is well alongin years. He hasascar ou his left shoulder that’ll answer for Horace Mead’s in- cision for the little locket. There are two gals, either one of which ’ll answer for Dolly’s age— about fifteen. ‘You see, lad, we detectives some- times jump at shadows in hopes of finding a substance. When lookin’ for clews we let noth- in’ escape. ‘* Now it’s true, Ballé may have the black colt sent out from the arroyo, and yet know nothin’ o’ the massacre, or the gal, Dolly, but he acted just a bit uneasy when I told him I was on a trail. At least I thought so, and at the time I knew nothin’ of his hayiu’ a black boss either. “The next thing, however, is to get the real facts. I don’t like to come right out and ask the man "bout the hoss and allhis private affairs, I don’t want to do any sneak-work, and yet I must know certain beforeI leave this valley. But, say, Danny, I want to tell youa bit of a secret before we go back to the hacienda: Just at daybreak this mcrnin’ I pulled out into the desert with ten o’ my Apache warriors, and lay nigbly all day in a sand-pit a few miles from Spring Basin. As night wasagain approachin’, we pulled out for the east, secin’ Captain Sangre and his gang didn’t Jeave the basin, for the ver good reason that we'd stampeded over half their hosses, By accident we stumbled onto. this valley and stepped into it unobserved,” “Then your Apache friends are near here?” Desert Dan observed, as his hand dropped to the revolver presented him by Juan, the scout, and a smile flitted over his face. ‘Yes, but you needn’t worry *bout yer skulp, boy, for them ’Paches are Kit Bandy heroes, They stood by me at fearful cost, and here’s to them as long asI can pull a trigger or sound a Jaguar Head war-whoop. ‘ But I expect it would be a little ticklish if them gals knew the warriors were so near, and I smile to know Juan, the scout, has overlook- ed their presence, As I scart you nearly all to death on the house-top by my ferocious and. warlike presence, I—” “My jolly old friend,” interrupted Desert: Dan, ‘' I'll confess you make a sockin’, Jaguar- ish-lookin’ Ingin, but, by the holy gingrickys! I'll give sony a prize if you’ll wash the paint and dust of the desert off your face so that I could see what Old Kit Bandy really looks like.” “Boy, you'd be disappointed if Idid. You'd see little of the once handsome and Napoleonic
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12 Ka-ristopher Ko-lumbuss Bandy—the only original Kit Bandy. Why? {? what am 1? why am? | } ‘* Mine, sir,” was the evasive reply of Jean Well, as I told | Ballé. you, once I was married, butnow, alas! who am | ““ Would you mind telling me who you are?” I have been rent and | the stranger asked, though it was clear to torn and seamed and left for dead, as is were. | Ballé that the fellow was assuming kis air of Hot water, skillets, sad-irons and other domestic and culinary implements my wife used on me to persuade me that she was a power in the Bandy bungalow, I recognized that fact and fled to the haunts of the grizzly, the Indian and the | outlaw, disfigured for life. But, Danny, as | soon as I can obtain the proper amount of | moisture, ll wash away all signs of Jaguar Head, that you may look upon the Ruins 0’ a San Gabriel Mission, a dismantiel Alhambra, a storm-battered and broken monarch o’,the forest, the downfall o’ the Roman Empire. Boy, let me give you this bit 0’ advice—” But he never gave the advice, for at this mo- ment his words were cut short by a piercing shriek from the direction of the hacienda, It was a female’s shriek, and was immediately followed by a fierce, savage yell from the same direction, ‘Great horn o’ Joshua!” burst from Old Bandy’s lips, ‘‘ Danny, the Desert Pirates have found Paradise Vale, and it willbe drenched with blood! Come, lad; if we would save them gals, we must do some fierce, red work!” CHAPTER XX, JEAN BALLE HAS A CALLER. ArtmrR Kit Bandy and Desert Dan had left the hacienda, Jean Ballé and his household seated themselves in their spacious sitting-room to await the return of their guests and pass the hours until bedtime in conversation, reading and prayer. Zulita and Lucille both noticed that their fa- ther seemed troubled and uneasy of late, He taiked but litiie, walked the floor with knitted brows, ever and anon giancing out at the door, ‘* Father,” Lucille finally said, ‘‘ the coming of Kit Bandy, I[ fear, has disturbed your peace of mind. Surely you have no fears of the old aman?” : ** None whatever, daugbter,” replied the fa- ther, ‘‘ but the presence of so many outlaws and Savages within ten miles of Paradise Vale I dis- like to hear of. You see there has been no wind strong enough to drift the desert sand for ‘two days, and I am afraid the tracks of Zu- dita’s and Juan’s horses, as well as those of Kit Bandy, may be the means of leading the Desert Pirates down upon us.” ‘* Father, do not worry,” said the brave and “courageous little Zulita;** God has protected us vin this valley for years. Hehas kept dangers wide of our quiet, apy home, Let us unitein earnest prayer that He will continue to watch over us and keep us from all harm, Juan, our faithful friend, will guard well the entrance and see that—” ‘* But, my dear girl,” interrupted the father, ** he could not keep back a score of murderous outlaws and red-skinsif they undertook to ride into the valley. Moreover, enemies on foot could easily gain admission here at various ints along the bluffs, wholly unobserved. ut we will hope and pray for the best, and, in the mean time, be prepared for the very “worst,” As he thus spoke, the old man took from a ‘scabbard hanging on the walla slender, rapier- ‘like sword, which he laid on a table, and placed «alongside of it a brace of revolvers, In es of the cheerfulness of his daughters, Jean é seemed to have a strong presenti- | surprise. ‘* My name, sir, is Jean Ballé.” ‘“* Jean Ballé,” repeated the impertinent, drop- ping into a chair that stood on the porch, and tipping his sombrero back upon his head ;‘* well, Iam Judson Lowry—better known as-—Captain Sanare !” If the villain had expected this announce- ment to strike fear to the heart of Jean Ballé, he was sadly mistaken, for, without the least emotion whatever, the recluse mildly asked: ** Are you the leader of the Desert Pirates, so called?” ‘The same, sir,” was the answer, ‘‘and I have called here for information, I’m an in- quisitive sort of a fellow, and sometimes imper- tinent. But as I came around here I run up against a horse-corral, and inside ths inclosure I found a very noble black stallion, Would you object to telling me when and where, you ob- tained that horse?” **T assure you I did not steal him, sir.” **Certainly not, but when and where did you get him?” “*My scout caught him on the plains,” re- sponded Ballé, ‘1 Way up east of the Trinchera Mountains, years ago,” added the outlaw, ** Is he your borse, Captain Sangre?” ‘* That depends.” ** Upon what?” ** A scar on his left shculder.”’ q Phere’s such a scar upon that shoulder, sir. ** Caramba! good! do you know what made that scar?” ‘It’s the result of a wound, I presume, of eourse,”? “Yes, scars usually come from wounds,” the villain repeated; ‘‘ but I see, Jean Ballé, you are uncommunicative, Let me tell you that, while I never met you before—know not why you are livin’in seclusion here in a place I never knew existed untilan hour ago, you do not desire to tell me the honest truth regarding the manner in which that horse came into your on, At least, I think so; and ifIam right you or your man, Juan, or both, took from that horse’s shoulder a secret, and, perchance, a girl-baby of three years from his back. And if that be so, one of those fair girls in the room there must be that little waif, and. again, if that be true, her father’s name was Mead, and her mother, a half- Spanish lady, my sister /” ‘* Well,” was Jean Ballé's only response. “Tf I am right,” the outlaw continued, ‘‘I de- mand of you the secret you removed from that horse’s shoulder and my niece that I may restore her to her people.” ‘* And if you are wrong, what?” **I know lam not wrong, by your own ac- tions, Jean Ballé,” A low, subdued cry escaped Zulita and Lucille’s lips for they heard every word spoken; and the. Naar and mild-mannered recluse, becoming:*#<cited, confronted the outlaw, ex- claiming: “Scoundrel! you are lying to me like the ade ng youare! You do not speak of what you now to be a fact, but are revamping some old story as a pretext to rob meof my children, Sir, I bid you leave here, and at once, or by the gods, you will suffer for this intrusion!” ‘Hold down toa calm, Jean Ballé,” advised ment of coming danger, and he had scarcely | the outlaw in a sneering, warning tone as he placed his wea when the tread of. a booted foot on the porch in front of the hacienda was heard, and thinkin dt was Bandy and Desert Dan returning, he ad- ‘vanced and unbolted and opened the door, To his utmost surprise and consternation, he ‘found himself cénfronted by a strange man dressed in a suit after the eof the Mexican “ranchero, with high-top boots and white sombrero, his waist ed with pistols and knives, The moon had just come up and its horizontal rays fell full upon the stranger, in whose rough, bearded face, and the covetous gleam of his ‘fierce, cruel eyes, Jean Ballé ized in an instant the outward signs of a villain, ‘* Good-evening, sir!” the stranger said, mani- ‘festing an assu surprise; ‘* you'll pardon my intrusion, 1 hope, By accident we—I tumbled into this valley, and, seeing your light, came to make an investigation. I confess I’m knocked ailly to find a human habitation and fair women this, anyhow?” THM ARE far eT a } Wiha nd i 2 idl eres shea ibd bik RAN Sis eRe AS ES eee an <i _ and brave men dwelling here. Whose ranch is | savage | ms of defense upon the table | rose to his feet; ‘I know pretty nearly of what I'm talkin’ about, and if you refuse to give me the secret I believe you possess, and tell me which of those girls you took from the back of that black colt on or about twelve years ago, T'll becompelled to take both of them to make sure of the right one. ** Villain!” cried Jean Ballé, springing across the room and grasping his sword, ‘‘ offer to touch yew ~ Od girls and this blade will find your The outlaw uttered a shrill, prolonged whistle of surprise, Wild with fear the frail Lucille gave voice to a terrified scream and shrunk back into the corner of the room. But not so with brave and lacky little Zulita, for, drawing a pistol from er ket, she stood ready to defend her father, her home, her honor. A low, sardonic laugh burst from the outlaw’s lips, and was immediately followed by the rush of many feet outside the door, while a fierce, ell broke the long and peaceful silence of P ise Vale! CHAPTER XXI, THE BLOW OF THE INVADER, UP to the door of his hitherto quiet and happy home Jean Ballé saw a score of forms crowding like a pack of hungry wolves and heard their demoniac cry that sent a shudder to his very heart, Captain Sangre advanced and stepped inside the door, his face aglow with devilish triumph, ready to despoil the quiet, hidden home and the pure and gentle lives of its inmates. ‘*You see, Jean Ballé,” the bandit said, ‘I am fully prepared to enforce my demands. I have no desire to spilla drop of human blood so, if you will therefore give me “he secret I crave, [ will suffer my little niece to remain with you at least awhile longer.” ‘¢ Villain!” resolutely persisted the old man, ‘‘T have no secret for you, and I warn you to come not one step nearer or you will receive this blade!” In the mean time, Lucille had fled into an ad- joining room and was soon followed by Zulita, who heard a noise as if some one was trying to force an entrance therein. Captain Sangre did not crowd upon the old man’s steel, but stepped aside and admitted a low, heavy-set Mexican with an abnormally large head and a face that had in it more of the animal than the human. The burly wretch came sliding into the room a hideous grin upon his repulsive face, an stopped just in front and to one side of Captain Sangre. Then a third rson entered and stopped by the Mexican’s side, This person was an outlaw Apache, There were a few moments of silence, which was broken by Captain Sangre, saying: ‘* Gorilla-Hand, we will have to make the old gent a prisoner,” The Mexican monstrosity uttered a hoarse grunt and fixed his black, snakish eyes on the face of Jean Ballé, Just then a lithe figure glided into the room from the back way, and, pausing by the side of the recluse, said: ‘*}ll take a hand in this affair!” It was Desert Dan, the Boy Prince of the Sad- Again the Mexican uttered a hoarse snarl, showing his white teeth as he slowly lifted his knife from its sheath, his body swaying slightly for aspring upon the boy, But Dan seemed to divine his intentions, threw up his hand, in which he held a revolver, and fired point-blank at the Mexican’s short, hairy throat. The outlaw staggered back, threw out his lon orilla-like arms, gave a coughing man and fell Backward, blood gushing in great mouthfuls from his lips, So sudden, so unexpected and so daring was this shot, in the very face of a score of outlaws, that Captain Sangre could scarcely realize fora moment what had really happened. At the same instant that the Mexican went down, the sharp, clear ring of Zulita’s revolver was heard in the adjoining room, followed by a dull, heavy fall and a groan. And to still add to the excitement of that mo- ment and the consternation of Captain Sangre, as well as Jean Ballé, another frightful yell sud- denly burst upon the night and was followed by the crash of fire-arms, the ring of steel upon steel, heavy, sodden blows, cries and groans—in fact, all the horrible din of a fierce hand-to-hand conflict. Desert Dan’s shot, the shot in the adjoining room, and the burst of battle outside, came within the space of a few moments—so close to- gether and so startling that Captain Sangre and the Indian at his side manifested greater sur- prise than Jean Ballé, Glancing out at the door the outlaw saw his followers disappear from the porch, and turn- ing, he left the room, followed by the Indian, neither of them daring to avenge the death of Gorilla-Hand. ‘* We've friends out here!” exclaimed Desert Dan to Jean Ballé, as he bounded past the old man and out at the door, The recluse ran to the door and looked out. On the Plaza, in the moonlight, he saw a fierce and deadly conflict raging. Who the contest- ants were he knew not. saw Indian against Indian, with white men and Mexicans surging to and fro. He saw the flash of weapons, he: cries, groans, curses and shouts, and in the midst of all he thought he saw the tall form and heard the voice of Old Kit Bandy urgin on his friends and dealing deadly blows secant m, : Thirty men at least were engaged in the con- flict, and Jean Ballé knew none of them unless swinging bludgeons and flying tomabawks. He -
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cer’ 2 Kit Bandy’s “Star” Engagement. 13 the tall man he saw was Bandy. He did not know friend from foe, In fact, he did not know but what all the combatants, Kit and Desert | Dan excepted, were his enemies fighting among themselves over the spoils of Paradise Vale, Anxious to know the truth, and lend a help- ing hand if needed in expelling the invader from his door, the recluse went out upon the porch, Ue saw the villain, Captain Sangre, standing at the extreme left of the hacienda, swinging his hat and revolver and urging on | his followers in the fierce combat. With drawn sword the old man advanced up- | on the outlaw. The latter saw him coming, and leveling his revoiver upon him, fired’ With a groan Jean Ballé sunk heavily to the | floor. But scarcely had the old man fallen when | Desert Dan rushed upon the outlaw chief and | dealt him a furious blow upon the head with an | Indian hatchet he had picked up on the ground, and laid the villain prostrate at the very feet of his own victim. The conflict was in reality between Jaguar Head’s little band of Apaches, and about one- half the force Captein Sangre had at Spring Basin, The odds were against Old Kit’s follow- ers, but it was a life or death struggle, and the Mescaleros fought like demons, In the midst of the conflict Old Kit Bandy saw three men emerge from the shadows of the western bluif and come toward the scene of battle. He heard a peculiar yell issue from the oe of one of them, and recognized it as the battle-cry of Old Rosycrusian—Tom Rat- tler, the Red River Epidemic! Like a whirlwind the old hero of many a hand-to-hand conflict, and his two young com- panions, Mead and Warfield, rushed into the ght, and in a few minutes’ time turned theitide of victory in favor of Jaguar Head’s party. The outlaw band were routed, and leaving their dead and wounded—two-thirds of the number that had gone into battle—in the hands of the victors. It had, however, been a dearly-bought vic- tory. But three of J con Head’s Apaches had come out of the struggle unharmed. Ben Mead had received a painful wound, and Frank War- field had been stricken senseless by a flying tom- ahawk, and for a whiie his life was de- spaired of, Desert Dan had received a slight flesh wound in the arm that bled profusely, but gave him very little pain. As for Kit Bandy and Tom Rattler, the same Hand that had shielded them from all the perils of their adventuresome lives again carried them through this last conflict unharmed, On the Plaza, in the very midst of the dead and dying, Old Kit and Tom clasped hands, “Thomas,” said Bandy, in deep and solemn earnestness, ‘‘ your comin’ was just in time to ere, us ae Prone A y, Kitsie!” Tom replied, ‘‘ I’m nning to realize that I be the farmer ,o’ ie Bae day School Story—alers handy in the field to rescue the boy from the brook.” Wholly ignorant of the presence of J aguar Head and bis band, that tad been driven out of Spring Basin, in Paradise Vale, Captain San- gre, with some twenty men, had marched upon ne ae - . perth gore determined to enforce is demands for the surrender of the believed Balié possessed. or tae But never was a villain more neatly thwart- ed, and that, too, by what seemed a providen- tial combination of circumstances, By mere accident had Bandy and his red friends, Tom Rattler and his friends, and San- gre and his gang struck Paradise Vale at the same time, Old Tom, «s soon as he had spoken with Kit, hastened to the assistance of his young friends, He found Ben Mead kneeling by the unconscious form of Frank Warfield, bimself wounded, and at once assisted in removing Frank to the porch of the hacienda, where bis wounds were Jean Ballé was found where he had fallen— not dead, but d ately wounded. Near him, in a dazed condition, reclined Captain Sangre, bleeding at the nose and mouth and to all ap- pearances unconscious of his condition or sur- roundings. Most of the combatants had been killed out- right in the hand-to-hand fight, but what few wounded there were Old Kit saw were cared for without regard to friends or foes, Juan, the Scout, who had arrived on the battle-field about thetime Rattler and his friends did, and Desert Dan took charge of the notori- ous Captain Sangre. Kit Bandy assisted Jean Ballé into the house and laid him upon a couch and proceeded to | dress his wounds. Suddenly, a wild, hysterical cry from the lips of Old Shady, the negress, called the old detect- ive into an adjoining room, and there he found Lucille lying in a swoon, and but a few feet away lay the body of a dead outlaw. But Zulita was not there ! Old Kit quickly gave the alarm. Zulita was searched for in every nook and corner of the parce, and Old Shady, weeping in distress, loud- y called her name, but all in vain. Meanwhile Lucille was restored to conscious- ness, and from her lips it was finally learned that during the battle two men had entered the room, that Zulita had shot one of them, but the other had seized‘the plucky girl and borne her away—leaving by the back door, Despite their victory, Zulita had been spirited away a captive! CHAPTER XXII. DESERT DAN AGAIN IN HIS ELEMENT. ‘“*“SavE Zulita! save my child!” was the im- ploring appeal of Jean Ballé to the old mountain detective. The news of Zulita’s disappearance seemed to turn the victory over the Desert Pirates into de- feat, especially to the inmates of Jean Ballé’s home, None, however, felt more keenly the blow than Desert Dan. He held a short consultation with Tom Rattler, ‘“* Lad,” said the old hunter, “‘ the gal’s captor may still be in the valley yit. If so, we may head him off by hurryin’ up to the entrance to the basin, ’specially if he is afoot. But once outside o’ here and the pursuit will be a long one, for the murderous gang must have hosses near.” Without further delay they hastened down the valley to the entrance, They examined the sandy ground, They found horse-tracks com- pay, es the valley but none going out. esert Dan’s hopes revived. There was a possibility of Zulita’s rescue, The captor had not escaped from the valley unless he had gone out afoot by scaling the euvironing bluffs, The two secreted themselves in the shadows to wait and watch. ** Those horses that have gone in here quite recently will be very apt to go out, and soon,” said Desert Dan. ““Not unless we take ’em out, Dan’l,” re- sponded Tom. ‘ The boys and I brought four hosses in here within the last two hours, and one o’ them is your Black Robber.” “Great gingrickys! you don’t say so!” ex- claimed Dan, elated by the news. ** Yes,” Tom said; “arter you war captered, and me and the boys rushed out into the sage- brush last night over in the desert, we became wanderin’ pilgrims. We drifted here and there like a rudderless ship, and finally pulled up at Spring Basin whar the Desert Pirates war en- cam A little reconnoiterin’ disclosed the fact that the varmints war havin’ some trouble among themselves, and we three took advantage o’ the fact to recover our hosses from the ban- dits’ corral. ‘*Mountin’ we flew tothe desert again. As we war wanderin’ ’round we he a hoss whinnyin’ off to our right, We rode that way and found Black Robber a prisoner. His drag- gin’ Jariat had caught on the root of a e- brush, and he had walked around and arountin a circle, windin’ hisself up so’s he had but three feet o’ free rope. ‘*T put my hoss’s bits in his mouth, and oh! Rosycrusiane! how he did snort and rip the Psa i al but he had to give in finally, and then Benja Mead backed the booger and rode him, I tell you, Black Robber are a lilly-lip hummer, boy, and I'll bet be can fling san the eyes o’ anything on the desert.” ‘*But how came you here, Tom?” Dan asked. By accident, bey & we war not disposed to leave the vicinity o’ Spring Basin until we knew the fate of Kit Bandy and yourself, So we pe se about daylight in a deep ‘blowout,’ id there under the broilin’ sun we lay all day without food or water. At dusk this evenin’ we mounted and struck out with the intention of circlin’ round to Spring Basin and gettin’ to the upper spring, and somethin’ to eat, if we had to killa boss, On our swing we struck this valley, and findin’ the entrance, rode in, watered ourselves and hosses at the spring right over there, then tied the critters whar they could graze a bit and went down the valley to investi- gate the light we saw. We got t jist in time to hit that hornet-nest fight. Judas! boy, wasn’t that a hummer? Didn't things fairl ‘sizz’? Didn’t Old Kit Bandy warp hisse in | / | round thar beautifully? Isn’t be a velvet- throated, ully-lipped hummer, though?” **He is a brave, jolly and eccentric man,” Dan responded; ‘‘ but, Tom, I am glad to know Black Robber is near, although I may have lost my 2laim upon him. ‘** Wherefore is that whyfore, boy?” queried Old Tom; ‘‘the hoss is just as much yours as ever. You'll need him before you git outen— Ah, harkee! harkee, lad!” The sound of galloping hoofs was heard com- ing up from the direction of the hacienda. Desert Dan cocked his rifle. ** Be careful, Dan’l!” cautioned Old Tom; ‘‘ it may be a friend!” A horseman soon came galloping into sight, and as he drew nearer, the watchers saw Le was mounted upon a swift black horse, and held in his arms a burden, ‘T's Zulita’s captor! he has the girl!” ex- claimed Old Tom. Desert Dan made no reply, but bounded from his concealment and po Satan to seize the flying horse by the reins; but he was the merest fraction of an instant too late, and the horse tore past him so close that the rider’s foot touched him. ** Escaped, by the great Rosycrusians!” burst from Old Tom’s lips, as he saw the man dash out upon the desert with the struggling form of Zulita in his arms. ‘*And he was either on Black Robber or Jean Ballé’s regs which is Robber’s counter- part!” respon an. ‘* We can soon see,” declared Tom, leading , the way to where they had left their borses. But they found Black Robber and the other horses where they had left them, “We will follow, Tom—what say you?” ex- claimed the boy. “*Tt’s a go!” They untied the horses. Tom’s bits were still in [Black Robber’s mouth, and in a moment Dan was on the back of the stallion. Old Rattler mounted the fleetest of the other three horses, and together the two rode out into the moonlight. Refreshed by rest, water and an hour’s graz- ing, Black Robber seemed as mettlesome as the day Desert Dan first mounted him in the canyon south of the Rio Hondo. Up out of the emerald valley into,the desert: rung the black with the Prince of the Sad- dle, and away like an arrow he shot, regard- less of the iron bits—leaving Old Tom standing motionless on the plain. ‘*By the great Rosycrusians! Jack, we're not in it,” said the old hunter, addressing his horse. Then he gazed around him, A filmy line of dust hanging in the yellow moonlight marked the course the outlaw had taken, and along un. der this aérial trail Desert Dan was following swift and furious, Once more was the Prince of the Saddlein his element—once more did the desert resound to the flying hoofs of Black Robber. CHAPTER XXIII. JEAN BALLE’S STORY. THE abduction of Zulita gave her father more pain than bis wounds, which Kit Bandy had pronounced, in his judgment, mortal, The thought of dying before ne could see her was & bitter one in , and in spite of Old Kit’s as- surances that Desert Dan and Tom Rattler would be sure to bring her safely back, he wor- ried and fretted himself intoa burning tever. ant as the night passed on, it became painfully evident that life with Jean Ballé would not ex- tend far into another day. And this fact was clearer to none than to the old recluse himself, But Old Kit Bandy, assisted by the noble gen Ben Mead, himself wounded, attended y his bedside, and endeavored to cheer hin) up and prevent despondency from adding too greatly to his a pw Frank Warfield recovered consciousness, and was resting quite well in an adjoinin room, attended by Juan, the Scout, and ol Jubal, Captain Sa: lay on a cot on the porch escuely etm and watched over by an Apache—one of the four survivors of Old Kit’s followers. , Along about midnight, Jean Ballé grew bape and as Old Kit sat bathing nis brow, e : “It’s no use, Kit Bandy, my kind old friend, I have had a presentiment of this for some time. I expected it; but it’s God’s will, and He doeth all things right. [ shall not com- plain, I have long been favored. But, poor
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14 Zulita! my mind is clear!” “Why, my dear sir, you talk as though you're goin’ to die right off,” said Bandy. ‘You're worth forty dead men yet, and if you'll brace up, I believe you'll pull through all right.” ‘* Ah, Mr. Bandy,’ sighed the sick man, ‘‘ you | can’t deceive me, I’m burning up with inter- nalfever. But, Bandy, how strange it is that you and those outlaws sbould all happen here togetber at this time. Tell me things are not foreordained! God knows His plans, and car- ries them out, strange as they may sometimes | seem. ‘* But, Kit Bandy,” and the old man drew a long breath that seemed to give him momentary relief, ‘‘ while my mind’s clear, I want to have a talk with you. You've seen men die, and know that sometimes hours before death ‘comes they become unconscious and pluck at the cover and stare wildly, and finally sink away. ‘* This will be the way I will go, but, while I know what I am saying, I want to help you clear up a mystery—the Mystery of the Black Arroyo Massacre,’ Bandy started and leaned forward as if to catch every word. **'You needn’t tell me that I’m not going to die,” the old man went on, ‘‘ for I know I am, and, for the benefit of my daughters after my death, I want to tell you some secrets. “My name, I will first say, is not Jean Ballé, but Henri Montforte. I was born in ‘New Or- leans. My father wasa Frenchman. I grew to manhood there, inherited my father’s great | wealth and finally married one of the fairestand most lovable women on earth. I idolized my wife. I lavished upon her andour home all that wealth and taste could procure. I, in my blind love, petted her to death, ‘She died when our baby was only one year old. The blow nearly killed me, and for awhile I lay iu the hospital with a dreadful fever of the brain. Some said I never would recover my reason, but I did, and was finally discharged trom St. Luke's, ‘* But now, Kit Bandy, it fairly maddened me to enter my home, and I sold it. It nearly drove me wild to witness the happiness of other men and women, and I resolved to ‘Bo away—fly into wildest.scenes of the West and try and for- get the past. ‘* With my baby and servants, Old Jubal and Shady, I moved to Texas and settled on a ranch. I soon discovered it was seclusion—wild seclusion iI wanted, and again pulling up stakes I pushed over into New Mexico. ** By the merest accident I met a young Span- iard who told me of this little paradise in the desert, I paid him well to conduct me here. I fell in love with the place and resolved to make my home here and live in gt 5 seclusion, I entered into a contract with the Spaniard by which he was to serve me as scout and agent—to bring supplies from the distant settlements and assist me in caring for such stock and vegetables as we.could raise, ** As my offer for his services was a handsome one, he readily accepted, and we started back to Santa Fé, procured my child and servants, and struck for Paradise Vale. It was a long and tedious'trip, but we finally reached here carry- ing our supplies upon pack-horses, Here for pei have we dwelt in perfect peace, quiet and ppiness. Juan, the Scout, has gone twice a year to points two and three hundred miles dis- tant for clothing, cloth, books, food and other needed ra pee which he brought here upon pack-animals by devious routes. ‘¢ The rest of the world has been too busy with its own affairs to ever follow him into this sand- waste, and in a few hours the drifting sand would forever conceal his trail, HereJhave my children grown almost to womanhood, never knowing want. ‘*] have educated them so far as it has been in my power, and I promised myself that when they were twenty I would take them where they could enjoy the pleasures and society of civiliz- nee gg ys por og yes else will oe pantie tote we now, Mr. y, if they escape the r9) dreadful night. But, Kit, one of those girls you met to-night is not my own daughter, * Ah, indeed!” cried Bandy, all his previous convictions céming back to him twofold stronger ‘‘ that girl came to you on the back of that black horse in your corral! Ben Mead, my boy, hearken! ae father tied that child in ee wp ae yf ingen wr Mew Opes might esca or ! That child was your shalt-sietes: One" of the fair girls that are here, or were here, is your Oh, that I could see her first—while | blood kin, and— Kit Bandy’s “Star Engagement.” for this interruption; go on.’ “On our way here,” continued the old man, ‘from the north, and when east of ths Trinchera Mountains, a black horse, true enough, fell into our hands, Upon its back was a child asleep. She had been tied in the saddle, and was nearer dead than alive when we rescued her. She was too young to tell who she was or anything about herself or people. ‘*The poor young horse’s shoulder was in- crusted with blood. I found a gash thereon that bad been closed with a pin. There wasa hard substance like a flattened bullet under the skin below the wound. I made a new incision and removed the substance. It was a small gold locket. Inside the locket was a bit of closely-folded paper, upon which was written these words—but let me show you the paper it- self. It has never been off my person in twelve years. Not one of my servants—not even my daughters Sknow the secret of that locket. I meant to tell them all some time. There it is— rather dim, but perhaps you can make it out. If not, I have it—every word—by heart,” He handed the bit of paper to Old Kit, who straightened it out and read as follows: ‘*Buack Arroyo, EAst TrincHEeRA Mrs, ‘*We are surrounded by savages and must perish —have women and children and great amount of gold— my wife and friend Bond already killed—will tie my child Dolly in saddle on back of fast horse and send adrift in hopes she may be saved from captivity—if she escapes, whoever finds her and this, hope tbey will care for her—God_ will bless. Poor baby! * * * Later—wounded white man in Indian disguise just crawled into camp dying—says leader of savages is Don Alphonso de Muerta. My God! He’san old friend! * * * Still later_—will close this now and send it and Dolly adrift on black colt—God help! Horace Meap.” As Old Kit finished reading this aloud, he exclaimed: ‘*Carlita Bond’s dying story to Captain Clarke was true!” “Poor father!” sighed Ben Mead, with sad and heavy heart. ‘‘Oh, that I could avenge his death!” ‘*Then you are really the son of Horace Mead?” said Jean Ballé, laying his hand upon the bowed head of the boy. ** Yes, sir,” Ben answered. ‘* Then you are the brother of my adopted daughter,” the old man continued. ‘“‘ Whet a strange fatality brings you all here to-night.” ** But you have not told Ben, Mr. Ballé,” said Old Kit, ‘‘ which of the two girls is his sister.” ‘** Perhaps I had better not, for then he could bea brother to both. My poor child will need a good friend when [ am gone,” ** Mr. Ballé, as you have been a father to my sister, so will [ be a brother to your daughter if anything should befall you,” declared Ben Mead, with all the earnestness of his manly young heart. ‘*God bless you, boy!” said the old man; “‘ but will you please call Lucille, Ben? Tell her I wish to see her.” Ben arose to go in search of the maiden, when the girl herself entered the room, white and tremb ing. At sight of her Jean Ballé exclaimed: ** Ah! my child; you have heard what I have been saying; but I am glad you did. Lucille, this young man, Benjamin Mead, is your bro- ther. You were the little waif that came to me a on the back of the colt—our Diamond ic CHAPTER XXIV. A FRU\ITLESS RACE, Wirt his eyes upon that dust-line hanging in the moonlight, Desert Dan gave Black Robber the reins, and the miles flew to the rear as be- hind a bird on the wing, Zulita’s captor, mounted upon Diamond Dick, Jean Ballé’s handsome black stallion, was out of sight before Dan had emerged from the sce f and, but for that dusky trail in the air, would not have known the course taken by the fleeing Villain, Black Robber gave all his wonderful strength and _— to the cause of his rider as long as he had free reins, but the moment he felt the a of the bits he showed a spirit of resent- ment, This caused Dan some little trouble when he suddenly discovered that the dust-line he was follow was falling away to his right, and undertook to veer the horse off in that on; the animal resisted the interference with so much energy that before the be Bier get him oe he had lost sight of the aérial This was a bitter disappointment to the Sad- But, Mr. Ballé, pardon me | dle Prince. He knew not now whether he was really in pursuit of or riding from Zulita’s ab- ductor. , He was certain of one thing, however: he was going in the direction of Spring Basin whither he believed the outlaw was headed, and so he let the horse have hisown way and hisown gait, and thus sped on by the squatty sage- bushes and bristling cacti. The boy had left Old Rattler so far behind at the very start that he no longer considered him as a companion in the chase, Eagerly the boy watched before and around him, lying with his face almost touching the horse’s mane, in hopes of again catching sight of the fugitive’s trail. And, better than he had hoped for just then, he caught sight of a fying horse and rider coming down from the north, an headed so as to cross his path obliquely some distance ahead, That it was the outlaw with Zulita he knew there could be no doubt, and so the chase was on again, not by “‘ scent,” as it were, but by sight. It was a race between the coveted black of the ‘‘Arroyo Massacre,” and the famous black of the great range—the one long the docile servant of man, the other less than two days from the wild and unrestrained freedom of the boundless lain. 4 Nobly did Black Robber now behave himself and swift upon the trail of the fugitive he held his way, as if conscious of a rivalry between himself and Diamond Dick that must now and forever be settled. It was a noble race between noble horses, and Desert Dan hoped that his animal possessed an advantage in that it carried but a single burden and the weight of fewer years. And, unless the moon as she mounted higher in the heavens seemingly brought objects nearer as they sped on, he finally became convinced that he was:gaining upon the fugitive, This gave the youth renewed hope, and he encouraged his horse in its noble efforts by kind- ly words. Still on they went, and closer the pursuer seemed to draw to the fugitive. Another mile, and all doubts were removed from Dan’s mind. He was gaining rapidly upon the outlaw and his fair captive. Not over twenty rods were betwen them when suddenly Dan saw a flash before him and heard a bullet whistle past his head mingled with the dull report of a pistol. The fugitive had dis- covered that he was being pursued, and gave notice of the fact. But Desert Dan cared nothing for that. He drew his own revolver and urged Black Robber to a new burst of speed, Then the distance between the two blacks i closed, and finally Desert Dan called ut; ‘** Halt there, you scoundrel!” The only answer he received was a whistling bullet from the fugitive’s revolver. Still the Saddle Prince pressed him hard, fearing to fire lest he harm Zulita. He is so close now that he can see the horse is the black stallion of Paradise Vale—the same upon which Zulita was carried away. ‘“* Hold or [ will fire!” again shouted Dan. Again the outlaw answered him by a shot, Dan raised his revolver and sent a bullet over the villain’s head, but the fellow paid no atten- tion to it, Again the young desert-rider raised his wea- pon and fired straight at the fugitive’s head, As the weapon rung out the outlaw was seen to reel forward and finally fall to the ground, his clinched fingers holding on to the rein and bringing the horse to a dead stand. P Then acry of surprise burst trom the lips of Desert Dan, and he grew sick at heart. The outlaw was alone! Living or dead, Zulita had been dropped somewhere upon the desert! Dismounting, Dan advanced to release the reins of the riderless horse from the death of his lifeless rider. The face of the villain was upturned in the moonlight. It was the face of the renegade leader, Swift-Wing. One by one, and swift justice was being meted out to the notorious Desert Pirates, Releasing Diamond Dick from the outlaw’s grip, Dan tied up the reins and turned the animal loose, knowing he would find his way back to the vale. But what next was Dan to do? Zulita was surely somewhere upon that desert, dead or alive. The villain, findimg himself hard pressed —to lighten the burden of his horse—had un- doubtedly dropped her unconscious on the plain, Had Dan by her silent form in his wild it? or had the renegade dropped her at the e the boy had lost thc trail? Many were the thoughts that tlashed in suc-
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— at Kit Bandy’s “Star” Engagement. cession through the youth’s excited brain, and he could arrive at nothing that seemed like a satisfactory solution of the mysterious where- abouts of Zulita. ; By following the outlaw’s trail back he might | be able to find some clew to the missing girl, and as this was the only practical thing he could do, he at once set off, leading his horse, Dia- mond Dick following patiently bebind. ; The tracks of Diamond Dick were quite easily followed in the yielding sand, but the lad’s pro- gress was romped slow. However, he trudged cn hopeful and determined. : b He had thus gone perhaps a mile when his horse suddenly pricked up its ears in a way that manifested alarm. > ‘ Dan stopped and gazed around him. He dis- covered a horseman riding toward him from the north, He drew his revolver. It might be an outlaw with Zulita. The horseman came on, and stopped when about fifty yards away. To Dan he looked like Tom Rattler. He called to him. It was Old Tom, In a moment the two were together, ‘The gal, Dan’l—where is she?” were the first words spoken. ‘*God only knows, Tom,” was Dan’s answer. ‘*Great Rosyecrusians! didn’t you overhaul the thief?” : ‘* And slew him; but he had no Zulita, Sure- ly, Tom, we were not mistaken in ecpg ben have the girl in his arms as he rode out of Para- dise Vale.” ‘* Mistaken? no/ the varlet has romped her on the plain to save his own bacon. id you have him in sight all the way?—follow his trail right along?” , : “No; I Jost sight of his trail, or rather the line of dust that hung on the air, for quite awhile, My horse gave me trouble.” ‘Wal, we'll foller the varmint’s trail on back,” — Old Tom, ‘but, lad, be prepared for any- ing.” “To find Zulita dead?” the boy almost gasped. Old Tom made no response, but turning his horse’s head northward, began retracing his footsteps, CHAPTER XXYV. ANOTHER HARD HIT, In a deep bow!l-like sink or “ blow-out” in the desert, about two miles southwest of Paradise Vale, twenty horses, bridled and: saddled, were grouped together and watched over by two ed to the Desert } armed men. They were horses that belo: | Pirates. They had been left there about dusk while all the outlaws, but the two, had stolen away on foot across the desert to Paradise Vale. Of the result of their visit to the home of Jean Balié the reader already knows. The two men left to guard the horses heard the sound of battle from where they were concealed, and were greatly surprised thereby, for no conflict had been expected. The scout who had discov- ered the vale had reported but three men there- in. He had also op rine the discovery of a black stallion there that was the counterpart of Black Robber; and it was this horse, and if the right one, the secret of the Trinchera Mines, that had taken Captain Sangre to the valley. Nearly two hours had passed after the din of battle had died away, when the two waitin outlawsin the blow-out were suddenly aro’ by the sound of flying hoofs. Going to the top of the sink they saw a horse man approaching them at a gallop, and as he rag nearer he waved them the signal of friend- ship. On the rim of the basin he drew rein. In his arms he held a humanform, The men recog- him as their friend, Swift-Wing. , tere, Keeler and Blaze,” the horseman quickly said, ‘take this girl and take care of her. She has fainted, I must goon, Iam ing pursued and must draw the attention of the enemy away from here until the men getin. If we lose those horses we're left afoot in the des- ert, Ihave ,here the black horse we've so lo been buntin’for. Guard well that girl. We’ get Pan ~~ ransom of a queen.” ut what wasall th ; ift?” asked the man 4“ Blaze.” shootin about, Swift?’ e'd a devil of a fight,” Swift-Wing an- swered ; “J Head and Wad Senate echioct Apaches o’ his war there and met us at the very door of that recluse’s house, I don’t know how it ended, but I suppose all right, of course. I was assigned the | of getting away with this horse and this girl, and I succeeded. But I ex- pect several o’ the band got hit hard,” One of the outlaws lifted the inanimate form of Zulita from the arms of the renegade and oe carried her down into the basin and laid her up- on a blanket. Swift-Wing was greatly excited, and after a few more words, turned and doubled back upon his trail until he caught sight of his pursuer, then he veered off to the right and bore away toward the southwest, and thus was Desert Dan thrown off that part of the trail that led to the basin where Zulita had been left. Zulita soon recovered from her swoon, and sit- ting up she regarded her situation with surprise and bewilderment. The outlaws were very kind to her, her pretty, innocent, girlish face appeal- ing to their better natures, Patiently the two guards awaited for some further news from the hidden valley. The hours went by. The moon drifted up toward the zenith, About midnight they saw a single per- son slowly coming toward the blow-out from the direction of the valley. Blaze challenged him ashe cameup, He was a comrade—one of the party that had gone on the raid to Paradise Vale. His face and clothing were covered with blood. He was a sorrowful-looking object, ‘* Good God, ‘ Pecos’ Smith!” exclaimed Keel- er, ‘‘ what has happened?” ‘* Death and distruction!” was ‘‘ Pecos’s”’ re- sponse, Pe What do you mean?” demanded Keeler. ‘*[ mean just what I say,” Pecos answered; “the expedition reached the little valley 0’ Paradise all right, and lined up in royal shape before the stranger’s ’dobie; but alas! the val- ley was swarmin’ with devils. They attacked us in front, in the rear, on tke sides, from above and below—hundreds of the hot-eyed, fiery- mouthed demonz—some with two heads and a dozen hands, every one of which wielded a wea- pon. Just how many of the band escaped— whether any besides myself, indeed—I don’t know.” “* Swift-Wing escaped, for he was here,” said Keeler, *‘and brought a prisoner—a young girl that he left with us. He was mounted on that black stallioa, and said it war the one we war after. But Swift war fearfully excited— Ah! there comes another of our men! This strag- gling in singly tells of defeat itself.” The second man came up sad and dejected. He told about the sams story as Pecos Smith. The third man finally straggledin from the fatal valley. He bad seen Captain Sangre fall. His bad recognized old Jaguar Head in the fight. They had been defeated, More than this he could not tell. Zulita took courage from what she overheard. That the Desert Pirates had been defeated there was no doubt, but how her friends had fared in the struggle she knew not. The moon crossed the zenith and went swinging down the western sky. Uneasily the outlaws to and fro, watching off toward the hidden valley for re- turning comrades, They were afraid to depart lest others, wounded, might come in and perish for want of assistance, Finally the east began to redden with morn- ing dawn, and the five outlaws began active preparations for departure. ey were nearly ready to mount. The horses were all untied and so many assigned to each man, when suddeniy a cry of rage was heard to come from the west side of the blow-out, and Flancing in that direction, the outlaws, and Zu- ita also, saw two forms on the edge of the basin, swaying to and fro in a hand-to-hand struggle, plainly outlined against the sky. That one of the two was a friend and com- rade the outlaws had no doubt, and were in the actof going to his assistance when the com- batants toppled over into the basin and came whirling in rapid evolutions down the slope directly toward the awe-stricken freebonters. Almost at the very feet of the five men the combatants came toa stand, and then, asif by magic, both of them sprung to their feet, stepped apart, threw up their hands in which were grasped revolvers, and began pouring a deadly fire into the very faces of the astonished outlaws. F : , Three of the men went down in their tracks, and the other two undertook to dodge among the horses, but the animals themselves had be- come frightened, a panic ensued, and the whole mount fled preci itately out of the blow-out, th their feet the two remaining Zulita, too, had become frightened, and would bave been trampled to death had one of the two men not seized and d her back al- slowly most from under the tram: hoofs, saying as he did so: = . ** Zulita, fear not!” The girl looked up into the speaker’s face. A ery burst from her lips, She threw her arms about his neck and sunk almost fainting upou his breast, It was Desert Dan, the .Prince of the Saddle, that had rescued her! And flying to and fro like a bugon a hot grid- dle was Old Tom Rattler, determined that no outlaw should escape if he could help it. Finally when he discovered that the blow-out held no living foe, he waltzed around and re- ceived an introduction to the smiling, weeping Zulita. “*Great Rosycrusians!” were his first words, “‘ and this is Zulita, the waif o’ the night—fairy o’ the desert, I’ve hearn Dan’l here talkin’ ’bout somuch, And I don’t blame ye, Dan’, a bit for worryin’a little. If I war a century younger and as big fool as Old Kit Bandy ’bout weemin, I'd cut you outen this gal orsnap atug. But, jokin’ aside, didn’t we foolish them pirates nobby, beauchifully?” “It was a complete surprise to all of us,” re- plied Zulita, ‘* Yes, 1 observed that you got a bitskart and swarmed away,” Old Tom observed, “but I think the coast’s clear now o' danger. We've been maneuverin’ all night to rescue you, and have had an eye on ye here for bout two hours tryin’ to hit a scheme to rescue you and at the same time preserve our own bacon. Finally Dan’l’s tricky brain suggested that we git a- fightin’ and roll into the pit with horns locked— hop up, and—well, you know the rest—see’d how the trick worked?” “‘It was a very clever scheme,” Zulita de- clared ; ‘‘ and I thank you with all my heart for all the trouble you have been to on my account. But can you tell me whether my father and friends are safe?” ‘** Your father,” answered Dan, “received a slight wound in the fight, but the Desert Pi- rates were routed and Captain Sangre wounded and made prisoner.” ‘* Poor father! I hope he is not worrying about me,” Zulita said; ‘‘ but, Dan, what became of that strange, funny old man—” “Old Kit Bandy?” interrupted Old Tom. “ Yes, sir.” ‘Old Kit Bandy,” Rattler answered, “is on the turf there happy and smiling—the biggest liar, the voluminousest old fraud and best double-action fighter in New Mexico, Kit’s a daisy—a lilly-lipped hummer, and I love him as a long-lost brother. But Ill tell you all *bout Old Kit, gal, some other time, for he’s a hull anecdote, e’d better be gittin’ away off this desert afore the sun comes up and broils us. Come, children.” So saying he led the way to where they had left Black Robber, Diamond Dick and his own horse hitched among the sage-bushes. Zulita was mounted upon her father’s noble black, and then the three rode away through the morning’s crimson dawn in the direction of Paradise Vale, CHAPTER XXVI, CAPTAIN SANGRE THROWS ON SOME LIGHT. WE left, Jean Ballé’s bedside just as he had introduced Ben Mead and his sister, Lucille, to each other. It was the first time the brother and sister ever met. In fact, the first Lucille knew of her being an adopted child, was when she had heard Jean Ballé’s story. It wasa startling surprise to the girl to learn that the good man, Jean Ballé, was not her father, and brought to her young heart a deep and painful regret, but the oss of him as her father was in a measure com- tte by gaining brave and handsome Ben ead as a brother, Ben briefly told Lucille about the death of his mother, and of bis father going to Santa Fé, where in a year or two he married a lady whose mother wasa Spaniard. That new mother Ben had never seen nor the sister born in the second marriage. His father had written to him and told him of his step-mother, and when *‘ Dolly” was born he wrote of that event, Finally news reached him of the massacre of his father, mother and sister, and he knew none of the particulars of that massacre until Captain Rufus Clarke, an old friend of his father’s, had written him to come at once to New Mexico and aid in investigating the dying confession of one Carlita Bond—a confession which, if certain facts could be established or evidence found would bring to justice his fatber’s murderer and perbaps restore to him a sister. The sister he bad now found, but, so far as he knew, bis father’s murderer was at large, Jean 6,witnessed the meeting of the bro- ther and sister with no little degree of pleasure and after awhile he said, with a voice full of emotion:
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Kit Bandy’s “Star Engagemen ‘*God bless you, my children! Oh, that my ! child, Zulita, was here! Then 1 could die happy!” * Desert Dan and Tom Rattler are in search o’ her,” said Old Kit, ‘and, my word for it, if Old Tom ever comes back, the gal ll be with him,” ‘“*Ha! ha! ha!” suddenly came a hoarse, mocking laugh from the porch to the ears of Jean Ballé and his friends. It came from the lips of Captain Sangre, who ‘was lying so near the open door as to be able to hear all said within. “You'll laugh outen t’other side of your mouth, pardner, before anotker week,” said Old Kit, Netcaeg ne to the door and looking down upon the wounded outlaw. ~* Oh, 1 expect that, old man,” coolly respona- ed the villain; ‘‘and it all comes of my not shooting Jaguar Hegd on sight in Spring Basin night before last, I always mistrusted you were a fraud, and tried to convince the reserva- tion Apaches of the fact, but your devilish cun- a alg ail-powerful, ‘* But now that the.secret*of the Black Arroyo Massacre is known to so many, [ want to throw a little light on that affair, since Horace Mead’s pe ergy as I heard it read, saya nothing what- ever about the much-talked-of Trinchera gold- mine. “ That gold-mine,” the villain went on, like one slightly delirious, ‘‘is*what we were strikin’ for. 1 had no desire to harm Jean Ballé and his family, and if he had given me the contents of Horace Mead’s message as sent out upon the black horse, no blood would have been shed. ‘*Hualpa José heard Carlita Bond’s dying story, for he was Captain Olarke’s guide. But he must bave lied about her saying aught of Mead giving directions by which the Trinchera mine could be found. Hualpa José, I now see, has deceived me, and no telling how many more, ** He has the face and tongue of a saint and the heart of a devil. He was one of Muerta’s band that butchered Horace Meadand his party. He was Captain Clarke’s guide when Carlita Bond told her story. He deserted the captain that same night and started out to peddle her secret. I paid him well for it, and it has Ss a boughten curse, Sa igo Clarke put it Bandy in the field, and I know not but Hualpa José has a peryy out also, ** Naturally enough, 1 settled upon the famous Black Robber as being the borse that had es- caped with the secrets of the Arroyo Massacre locked up in his shoulder, and sent Swift-Wing with most of my band to capture the horse. “ Meanwhile, as Jacarilla Jim, the Scout, I endeavored to watch the movements of Captain Clarke, so that if he got hold of the secret be- fore I did, I could be ready to deprive him of it instanter. I succeeded in gaining his confidence to the extent of his recommending me as guide to conduct Ben Mead across the desert from Bonito Camp in the Sacramento Mountains to the Rio Hondo, when that young gentleman should arrive, “But Mead and his companion concluded they’d rather have Tom Rattler as WF pew be- cause they’d read a story once about his wonder- ful achievements, and they got him. “That left Jacarilla Jim sitting, and so I gathered up the remnants of my band and struck into the desert, determined to trap the young smarties and their blood-and-thunder idol at Spring Basin, I didnotexpect torun up against Old Jaguar Head and his Sunday-school class there. But I did, and there’s where my first mistake occurred, I’d ought to have had the renegade and his class shot on sight.” ** Captain Sangre,” said Ben Mead coming to the door, ‘‘ would you mind telling me, if you know, what took Captain Clarke away from Camp Bonito so sudden?” A aap ero not, sone \gseg aya chief re- spon an apparent ppy mood, ** Captain Clarke left Caan Bonito with a lit- tle lizard-face man named Ichabod Flea, for Aztec Ranch on the Rio Hondo. Just what they were in such a hurry about I don’t know, but I mistrusted Clarke was endeavoring to run Hual José down. It was intimated that that Ichabod Flea was a detective, but, if he is he is used like a ferret to run the rats out of their holes,” A broad smile passed over Bandy’s face at this allusion to his little partner, Ichabod Flea, but no one noticed it. Return to the bedside of Jean Ballé, Ben Mead seated himself and for some minutes gave way to reflections. ean Ballé fully realized his condition—that he must die, and prayed fervently that he might see Zulita again before he ebm away. ** Ben, he finally said, ‘‘I believe you are an | | honest, manly young mah, You have promised | to be a brother to my soon-to-be orphan child, and I now, in the presence of these witnesses and Almighty God, intrust her to your care and protection should she be rescued alive,” ‘* And I will be her sister so long asemy life is spared, father,” declared Lucille. In his possession the old man had bonds and securities of wealthy Enstern corporations to the amount of many thousand dollars upon which nointerest had been realized for a long period of years. Out of this he wanted his faith- ful servants, Old Jubal and Shady, provided a comfortable home. Juan, the scout, was to have a handsome sum, and the rest was to go to the education and support of Zulita and Lucille. That night was a long and dreadful one in Paradise Vale—especially to the wounded and suffering—a number of whom died before morn- ing. And the strangest and most surprising thing of all was to*find Captain Sangre silent in death when all sapped the outlaw simply sleeping. e@ had died without a murmur or complaint. When his wounds were dressed they were not even considered dangerous, and so after all his evil life, the great vi died game. Jean Ballé was still alive at daybreak and struggling bravely against death in hopes of seeing Zulita, who was still absent. And his hopes ‘were realized, for the sun was just coming up when Desert Dan and Tom Rattler rode up to the hacienda with Zulita alive and well. The maiden was at once conducted to the bed- side of her dying father, and now we will leave it for the reader to ine that Laer, of fa- ther and ehild—that death-bed scene, Our pen cannot describe it, nor can one conceive the anguish of mind and the choking agony of heart that Zulita and Lucille suffered, unless he has “gn ge through the same ordeal. About noon that day the spirit of Henri Mont- forte passed away to seek the companionship of that sweet spirit that for years had waited his coming on the other shore, and ‘be hearts of all in Paradise Vale were sad with sorrow and vailed in mourning. CHAPTER XXVIL. FAREWELL, PARADISE VALE. EARLY one Se 4 just three weeks after the death of Jean Ballé, a party of twelve per- sons rode out of Paradise Vale and headed north- ward across the desert. At the head of the rty rode Juan, the scout, and Kit Bandy. ehind came Tom Rattler and Ben Mead, Desert Dan and Lucille Montforte, Frank Warfield and Zulita Mead, and Old Jubal and Shady. The party had bid farewell to the lovely little oasis and all its associations, and headed for civilization, They would have departed sooner but for Frank Warfield’s wounds, but not until the brave youth had fully recovered would Kit Bandy hear to his undertaking the journey across the desert. The objective point of the party was Cedar- Pend Ranch on the Rio Hondo, and as the jour- ney was unattended with any incident worthy of note we will not attempt to give the dry de- tails of that long ride. Suffice it to say that they arrived safely at the ranch on the evening of the third day and were welcomed to the place with all the hospitality characteristic of the ranchman, Desert Dan became the lion of the party, for he proudly rode into the ranch on Black Rob- ber—the wild horse that had defied the most skillful rancheros in the Southwest. He had not been there an hour before Mr, Brown, one of the proprietors of the ranch, offered him five hundred dollars for the horse. Dan smiled and said: ‘*Don de Vaca sent north for me to come down and catch the horse for him. Iam to have » thousand dollars.” ‘* But you'll not get it of him now, Dan,” said Brown, ** Why not?” ‘“Don de Vaca is dead. Hadn’t you heard of his death?” ‘“*T have been in the desert over three weeks, I have heard nothing,” the boy replied. ‘* Well, De Vaca is dead, sure. His hot seme ish blood got him into a quarrel with one Hual- pa José about some old meanness of theirs Phi ago, and they came to blows and shots and laid each other out.” “Horn o’ Joshua!” exclaimed Old Kit, who had heard this story, ‘‘dollars to dimes, Ben Mead, Le Vaca is the treacherous, Muerta, who led the sav and outlawsin the Black Arroyo massacre, But Cap Clark and Ichabod Flea are up there, or should be—” 2 > gs ‘¢ They are there,” said Brown; ‘I just came down from Aztec Ranch to-day.” : ‘* Hew far is it there?” ‘¢ Ten miles, only. If you wish to see those gentlemen, I’ll send for them to-night.” ** Td like to see ’em, Mr, Brown, very much, if it’s not taxin’ your kindness ton heavily.” Captain Clarke and Ichabod Flea were sent for, and arrived at Cedar Bend the next morn- ing. The meeting of the friends was a happy one, and the story Old Kit had to relate to Clarke and Ichabod fairly delighted the captain. The only exception wus the surprising revelation of Jacarilla Jim being Captain Sangre, the leader of the Desert Pirates. ‘“*The whole matter, tlen, is settled,” Cap- tain Clarke said, when Bandy had finished his narrative, ‘‘ for Hualpa José and Lon Alvar de Vaca got into a shooting-match, using each other as targets, and Hualpa and Don Alva are po more, Befors Hualpa died, he admitted that he had sold the secret of Carlita Bond’s story to Captain Sangre, and then reminded De Vaca that he was the leader, Muerta,in the Arroyo Massacre, and demanded hush-money, To be sure the Don has been leading an honest life of late years and making money, and he didn’t want to be disturbed by Hualpa, who was a participant in the massacre himself, hence the shooting. Hualpa also told me why Muerta, alias De Vaca, had sought to murder Horace Mead and his family and friends. Muerta had loved the woman Mead married, and it was his blind Spanish jealousy that led to the murder. When the v heard of Carlita Bond’s story, he became uneasy, and thought if he could get hold of Horace Mead’s message, he could defy me and justice. Like all the rest, he concluded Black Robber must be the black colt. . sent adrift with ‘the secret locked up in its shoulder, and so brought Desert Dan down here to catch the wild horse,” “And all the time,” added Old Kit, ‘the black colt, the message and the child, ‘ Dolly,’ have been quietly reposing in Paradise Vale with the recluse, Jean Ballé. The story of there being a ‘ key’ to the Trinchera gold mine was all a hoax,” The yen remained but a day or two at Cedar at Ranch, and then, accompanied by Captain Clarke. ushed on northward to Santa Fé, Here the ifttle band’s ways began to di- verge. Ben Mead, with his sister and Zulita and old Jubal and Shady, went Hast to his old ome, Desert Dan, the Prince of the Saddle, accom- panied by Juan, the Scout, went back to the northern ranges, while Old Kit Bandy and and Tom Rattler pushed out into the hills in quest of whatever in the way of adventure and glory was offered them. Five years since the parting at Santa Fé, In one of the richest valleys of California there is a horse-ranch known as the Big-Three Ranch. The owners of that ranch are Desert Dan, Ben Mead and Frank Warfield, and at the head of the drove of fast horses is Black Robber, the oe ot wild stallion of the great Rio Hondo ns, There have been some remarkable changes in the lives of those young men since we parted — with them at that quaint old New Mexican town. All three are married to estimable and ig oe women, ; Ben Mead found his wife in his native State, Desert Dan and Frank Warfield first met theirs in Paradise Vale. The fair Zulita is Mrs, Warfield. Lucille is Mrs, ‘‘ Desert ” Dan. All six are living at Big-Three Ranch, and all are happy. ; ; And there, in their full enjoyment of life, we will leave them, THE END, NEXT HALF-DIME LIBRARY, No, 940, Deadwood Dick, Jr's, Shake-up Tulip Tilly’s Trump Hand. BY EDWARD L. WHEELER.