Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. XXX) (1892 04 12)
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Entered as Second Class Matter at the New York, N. Y., Post Office. Copyrighted 1892, by BEADLE AND ADAMS, April 12, 1892. $2.50 PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE AND ADAMS. Price, No. 768. a Year. N 2 5 Bont Vol. XXX. o. 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK. i BY AIS = *|-CcARsauenl ir My N Ls ANI \ \ i] j (Wnt : a Nh WH ace ahd } \ |) Zz = TRAN r i : OO SSS ee! //)) = uhh" 7 Yh yy > S—S=s ’ 3 ; ky / Yfp\\! Wife FA i/ , Y] & ] WS NN AK S a NG Yj yr ee / = : SS = ~ “= — ——— == = = THE NEXT M D A PIECE OF PAPER,
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; __ mel lurked a ghost which a Eagle Ned, the Boy on Guard. Eagle Ned THF BOY ON GUARD; OR, The Camp Spiders of Ragged Robin. A Romance of the Black Mesa, BY T. C. HARBAUGH, AUTHOR OF *‘ BUCKSKIN DETECTIV#£,” ‘‘ PHIL FLASH,” “* BOY SHADOW,” ** WIDE-AWAKE LEM,” “*DAIGY DELL,” ‘DODGER DICK” NOVELS, ETC., ETC., ETO, CHAPTER IL. THE MYSTERY OF THE TUNNEL. ‘*SmEMS ter me he’s a little queer hyer,” and the speaker known as Lazarus touched bis fore- head significantly and smiled. “He never says much, that’s a fact, an’ mebbe Lazarus is right, after all. What ever set him down in Ragged Robin Heaven only knows. He’s no good wharever he is, I guess,” This was the opinion of the tough crowd con- gregated in the one bar-room of the mining- camp situated in tne heart of the famous Black Mesa in the ceuter of Arizona, The subject of these remarks was a boy who had just left the place—a lad of | gar seven- teen, with a fine physique and a clear face which was framed with masses of dark hair almost as silken as the locks of a maiden. He was known as Eagle Ned, and had been for some time a resident of the camp. No one seemed to know from whence he had come, and it was believed that he was “out of his head” as the rouge of the camp expressed it—which meant that the boy was crazy, NMED 8S ‘*So long as he burts no one we'll let him stay,” continued the first speaker, a tall, dark- faced man with a bad eye who was called Laz- arus, because he always said he was broke, though he had been seen to play long at the gaming-table which ran through the whole night at ag ed Robin, | y Eagle Ned had folund a home with a good-heart- ed miner who lived on the outskirts of the camp, and with whom he got along very well. '* When he left the bar-roo ward the cabin where he “ bunked,” and seemed to be talking to himself as if there was some- thing serious on his mind—the mind the toughs said was‘‘shaky.” © toug Riper ihe miner with whom Ned tarried, ‘the boy ciosed the door and sat fc TM ESTE ti (SAS FCO tee aaa -. “I guess I will never find her,” he muttered. Here I bave been scouring the camps of Arizona forponine butseem to be as far from success asever, Everything is against me, Perhaps I ought to give up and try to lay up something fora rainy day. But, I can’t get her out of my bead; no, Lcan’t dismiss the fact that 1 once bad a sister and that she is lost. If it wasn’t for that I would go back, or to the new West ‘and try to make a raise,” : _ He would bave continued muttering or ponder- ing if the door had not opened at that moment and be beheld a man before him. ‘It was’ not his friend Phocion but another tenant of the camp and well-known to every one init. Yes, everybody knew. ‘*The Count,” as he. was called—a large man with waxed mustaches, a dark, Mexicanish Skin and little eyes that looked as dangerous as those of a panther. He wasthe main man of the camp, owned more ‘“ locates” than any other, and was as rich as men generally get who mine and gamble among the mountains of the wild South- » west, ' Eagle Ned eyed The Count sharply and his k. was returned, with interest, “I say, boy, bow would you like to do mea favor?’ demanded the man, ‘* m always ready to help any one. What is it you want done?” \**It’s a little dangerous, in a certain sense,” returned The Count, ‘‘ I wantsome one tocreep down through the Devil’s Tunnel and see if there is a ghost at the end of it.” Now, Eagle Ned could not help smiling at this, He knew something about the Devil’s Tunnel, a long, dark, mysterious corridor in the main mine owned ‘by The Count, whose other namé was said to be Jack Jargo, Men who live wild, tough lives are more or less ticus, and it was believed that at the end of ‘he Devil’s Tun- was said to be the * Fe, rs 3 bar-room he sauntered to-. heard them: talking about me this very night . is Wf ‘ — ae spirit of an old Spanish monk walled up by the | made, the boy hastily lifted his hat and took therefrom a newspaper, which he carefully twisted and then fired, just as bis matcb was ex- piring. He bad good light now, and one which the noxious vapors of the tunnel could not kill, and with it in one hand he looked again at the man at his feet. He had never seen him before, To his know]- edge no such a person had ever come to Ragged Robin. He was a fine-looking personage, with a sweeping mustache and clear-cut face. His age must have been something past forty. Though the face looked natural, and even fresh, Ned saw that a mold covered the hands. This showed that be bad been a long time dead and that for weeks, perhaps months, he bad lain in the tunnel. The sight of the dead man mystified the boy, *T wonder if The Count knew anything of this?’ he asked himself, ‘‘ This man was mur- dered, for here is a dark spot in the neck. Ah, he was stabbed from behind and perhaps brought to this place after the crime,” The next moment Eagle Ned made another startling discovery. The man’s left hand clutched a piece of paper! Without hesitation the boy tore it from the dead man’s clasp at the risk of destroying it, and holding it near the flame of his extemporized torch read some scrawled lines which seemed to still the heart that beat in his bosom, Indians when they rebelled against Spanish rule in the Southwest and thus closed some of the richest mines in the world, “ Are you afraid?’ asked Jack. ““T guess not,” was answered; and Ned arose and put on the coat he kad thrown aside. ‘* When do you want me to go?” “Now. Itis night and no one wili see us go down to the mine.” ** Come along, then,” } Somewhat surprised at the alacrity shown by the youth, The Count led the way from the shanty and in a moment they were on their way to the shaft. ‘ It’s a pretty long crawl,” explained Jack, as if to give the boy a chance to back out, if he wished. “Pll do my best to get to the end of it,” was the assurance, ** You don’t believe in spooks, then?” Ned turned and looked into the miner’s face. He thought he caught a vanisbing eagerness in the little eyes, but he did not seem to note it, ‘*T was never taught that ghosts harmed any one,” he said. ‘Therefore, I can’t say that I be- lieve in such things,” They went on until the mine shaft was reached and five mivutes later Eagle Ned and Jack stood at the bottom of it, : ; ‘** The boys thought it best to shut the tunnel up,” ex igs ‘a re as 4 turned bis light upon the tunnel whose mouth was seen “ ‘i stopped with bowlders, ‘They never go into | py fast Arocha ete Pekcoter eadaeioen ee it themselves and they don’t think that I would | wajied in till I die. My nameis Judah Meeks. I like to investigate,” > | came to Ragged Robin bunting for my own, but the The sihewy hands of The Count rolled the | py ger a have struck me, This is my birthday, stones from the month of the tunnel and Eagle S bh ash 8 fee ess an Phat Red Ned stooped and tried to look down the dark enge " bsg his keen eyes refused to show him oe e ca kasd mate ‘aera ania me i “No ghosts et, Jack,” he observed, soberly, “The 29th of May?” cried Eagle Ned. bas a | devveationke,” ‘* Heavens, this is November and this man lias “ All right; go in now and see how long the | been lying hereall that time! Judah Meeks, eb? infernal tunnel is, and what is at the end of it; | If lever get out of here myself, I will find out then return and report.” somethiug about him, and, if I ever ean, I will The boy did so, He crawled into the tunnel, | avenge his death, I’m now doubly on guard; I which was nearly high enough to let bim stand | must be sleepless now,” erect and looking back be saw that Jack ard his Then, bis torch having burned out, he found torch had vanished, himself ina gloom that seemed palpable. He Ned was well provided with long stick | was the companion of the dead! matches, aud striking one, he sounded the walls and kept. on, _ On, on be went, the close, fetid air almost sickening him, ees All at once he stopped and thought. ‘‘What if IT am that man’s victim?’ passed through his mind, ‘‘ What if be brought me to this p e to bury me here? They don’t like me, | know they don’t; I am tramping around too much, and always with my eyes open. I ee ee CHAPTER II. _ ANOTHER, Puocron, Ned’s friend, came home and found the shanty uninhabited, This person was a singular man who had roughed it nearly al) bis life. He wore a red beard, which did not enhance his good looks, nor were bis long ape-like arms graceful appendages down at Black Burt’s, and very well understand | to his lank body, " EN that they would like to have me out of the camp. Phocion had taken a fancy to the boy, who Tha. tp, Racca AME Hthctin': wact mo | Nod chtze: tar éee. camp. che old prctapten wes . ) e c to find out tap much, that is evident, so I must | prompt to offer him a home, and a tell him that be on puard, all) the time—never be found off | so long as he remained his shanty door was open uard, ing. to bim, ; * mavens on again, eo geng ed finding that the Bi I aa! hon sr oret ae ee ory tunnel b turned and no longer was runnin ocion, ave caught him out of mn e: straight into the huge hill, Be bonid touch the for he ccmes in at all bone Mebbe he is lookin’ sides. with outstretched hands, but the stones | for the lost sister an’ mebbe he is up to something shed an almost icy moisture, and altogether the | else, If the latter, he would better be careful, Devil’s Ay nee was about as dismal a place as ghee camp is not ag place age agit It one could imagine. , is dangerous ground to people o sort an There came. a time when his matches would | they wouldn’t hesitate to set it upon the young not burn, When be struck one it went out im-! ’un—not a bit!” ‘ ‘ mediately, as if some glostly Land had smotb- | Phocion went out and walked down to where ered it, He knew it was the foul, mephitic air | the doors of the bar-room lately visited by Eagle in the pes a 7. pee Pee lips ety “ego ) ee stood age abe pe no Py ai as _ Lauer ee to go a little further and then make his way | and seen take note o ecrowd at the back. counter, A smile flitted across Phocion’s face. ‘*Same old lay-out,” he muttered, but not loud enough to reach the ears of the gang inside. ‘*1t’s been the same old gang ever since I came to Ragged Robiv. I don’t see how Alta can stand it: but, mebbe she thinks she couldn’t do better and so stays where she is,” Phocion was quitting the vicinity when he heard a footstep, and turning was face to face with a young girl. ‘ ‘** Bless me, if it isn’t Alta herself!” be ejacu- lated, and then he leaned forward and question- ed the fair creature, i What did he see? “What am I out to-night for, Phocion?” re- Could it be that he was looking down into the coer the girl, who was not yet nineteen, “| face of a dead man at the end of the Devil’s | don’t like to tell you, for they might not like it, Tunnelf—that a human being lay on the wet | but, murder has been committed!” stove, with his arms outstretched, and looking Murder?” echoed the man, with a sudden for all the world like a late victim of murder? lior of face. ‘* You don’t mean to say that For once, as if to show bim that be had come agle Ned, my little pard friend, has been—” to a terrible place, the match burned longer “Of course not! What put that in your than common, and fearing to lose the light it | head? Who would kill the boy, anyhow? ———$—$$_$ $$$ a At last Eagle Ned found the last match in his pocket, and be promised bimself to hoard it for some desperate emergency. He touched the end of the tunnel, or at least he thought he did, for a wall rose before him and he came to a halt, ‘* Now, where is the ghost?” he asked himeelf. His foot, striking something, seemed to an- swer ‘‘ here,” and out came bis last match, Ned pulled off his hat and sheltered the flame witbin it, then he stooved and held the match close to the ground, \ ET a leis ee > Uri hie ; .
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Set ee a But, murder has been committed. Some one has killed Lazarus!” Phocion laughed. ** Killed Lazarus? I guess not, Alta. You have been dreaming, girl, and, by Jove! you are still but half-awake, ta like to know who would do such a thing as that.” The girl for a reply clutched the man’s sleeve and led him away. ‘*] will show you if you don’t believe me. I discovered the body a little while ago, when it was still warm.” Phocion followed Alta in a half-dazed condi- tion, and when she stopped and pointed at something lying on the ground between two shanties, he drew back as if shocked by the presence of death, There, on his face, with bis hands full of dark earth, lay the very man who a few hours before bad told the night-loafers at the saloon that he believed Eagle Ned was not quite sound in tbe upper story. Lazarus was a rolling stone, but a man of keen perception and some good traits, He came from tbe North and had a mine not far from the camp, but it bad never paid him, so he said, and he was nearly always without money, hence his nickname, ~* After a while Phocion knelt and looked into the face of the dead. ‘This man has been killed, sure enough,” be said, looking up into the face of the breathless irl. ‘*T told you so, Phocion,” **So you did, Alta. Look! he bas been stabbed in the neck, Don’t you see where the blade hit him? Get down and look. You're a brave girl an’ have lots of uerve. A hole like this doesn’t scare you.” There was light enough, for the moon was high, to show Phocion and his companion the work of the deadly knife and for a moment Alta looked at it in silence. **-You go home an’ I'll sound the alarm,” said the miner. ‘' Don’tlet on that you discovered the dead man. Let me have that credit.” She gave him a singular look, but did not cross bim in his desires, When she bad vanished, Phocion lifted the head again and ran his band underneath the collar, ‘*T don’t feel it, but it was here,” he said, ‘I saw it round his neck the day hean’I sat in the mine, an’he told me all he ever told any one about his life, He unbuttoned his collar and showed me the leathern string round his neck, but it isn’t bere now,” Phocion rose and went back to the heart of the camp. Once he looked toward the bar- room and seemed to hesitate, but all at once he moved toward it and entered at the open door. He found the same old crowd. at the bar, and after it had looked at him and he had returned the look with interest, he said; ‘* Thar’s a dead man in camp.” A stir went over the crowd, ‘* A dead man, Phocion?” said one. dead?” ** Lazarus.” There was a genuine start on the part of sev- eral, and some one said that the miner had just quilted the place, and that it could not be that he was dead, ‘But be is; found him myself, He’s lying between two shanties as dead as a mackerel.” Saying this, Phocion called for a drink, and having drank it off, be looked once more at the crowd, It seemed to Ned’s friend that he wasn’t thanked at all for imparting the startling in- formation which had just fallen frow his lips, ‘*Whar’s the boy?’ said a man who leaned against the door, and was looking at Phocion., ‘* What's that got ter do with the death of Lazarus?” was the instant retort, ** Nothin’ much, p’raps, but the boy’s liable to do anytbing. He’s a louse hyer.” The speaker touched his forehead, ‘‘He does some queer things; he bobs around the camp an’ never says nothing to any one.” The brow of Phocion seemed to cloud, ‘‘T ll answer for Eagle Ned. He doesn't know that Lazarus is dead, and, by Joshua! if you don’t care that a murder’s been committed ip Ragged Robin, why—” Just then the form of another miner appeared at the door, and a startled face was seen by all. “Murder! murder!” cried this man, ‘ Laza- Who's rus has been killed. He’s lyiu’ twixt two shan- ties with a hole in his neck.’ This startled the crowd, and in a moment Phocion was the only man in the bar-room, the bartender excepted, “Look here; they don’t fancy that boy 0’ Ea Lo. ae E ce yers,” said the vender of drinks, ‘‘ They’ve been discussin’ him all evenin’, an’ I’'d advise you to git shut o’ him as soon as possible,” The tall figure of Phocion seemed to sway as he turned full on the man and looked him in the eye. ‘* What hey they against Eagle Ned?’ he asked in a husky voice. ‘*They don’t like bim.” “Ts that all?” ‘*T guess that’s the sum an’ substance of it,” ** Was Ned in byer ter-night?” “ Yes,” ‘* But he conducted himself squarely, didn’t he? At this juncture the form of a man passed the open door and he locked in upon Phocion with the leering countenance of a fiend, ‘*T can’t tell you, only I know that it isn’t safe for the boy to be with us any longer,” answered the bartender, ‘*T’m bis friend,” said Phocion, ‘I. don’t al- low any man or set of men to burt or insult the boy. Why, he’s an orphan; be bad a sister once, but she was stolen from her cradle and the blow broke his mother’s heart, an’ when sbe died Eagle Ned lost the best friend he ever had. His father vanished in a queer manner, as if the curse of God war on the family; an’, take it all in all, the boy has had a hard time of it,” ‘*T don’t know,I don’t. Eagle Ned is good enough in his way; he never burts any one, but they’ve set their heads ag’in’ bim and it would be best for him to vamose.” *¢ We'll see about that,” said Phocion, ‘ We'll see about Ned’s goin’ off just to please some one,” and with bis lips welded beneath the red beard, he turned and walked from the den, ‘Wal, I'll sw’ar, He talksas if he could buck ag’in’ the hull camp,” remarked the bartender, looking after the figure of Pnocion, ‘The Spi- ders don’t intend to stand any nonsense with that boy, they don’t, an’ the sooner that is under- stood by bis friends the better.” Phocion crossed the Square to his own shanty but pot without looking toward the spot where he and Alta had seen the dead body of Lazarus. He saw a dark form come into view and watched it as it neared him. ‘* Tbat is The Count,” said, Phocion under his breath, ‘‘ He doesn’t seem to bave heard of the killin’, but he’ll know it s:on enough, for The oe gets onto everything that takes place yer, For some little time the man with the red beard looked after The Count, and saw him take a stick from his bosom and apparently, cut a notch into it, ‘* What does that mean, I wonder? What was he doin’ with that stick? I don’t know much about The Count, but he seems ter run things. in Ragged Robin, Wonder if heis at the bead of the game ag’in’ Eagle Ned? I am goin’ terstand by the boy—I:don’t care what happens, But whar is he?” Phocion had reached his shanty and opened the door; but no Ned greeted bim, and he seemed to fear that something had already happened. Something had, for at that moment a boy shut up in a dark tunnel fell forward on his face with acry which no ears but those of bats heard, and it died away like a wail of death, ‘*Whar’s the boy, anyhow?” cried Phocion turning from the empty shanty and seeking the ware ee once more, ‘Yer protege, eb?” said a voice so near bim that he turned in an instant and looked at the ker. ‘t Eagle Ned, I mean, of course,” Tbe man he spoke to was smaller than he and as wiry as av Indian, Moreover he bad but one eye, an optic that shone like a glowing coal, and when he spoke he leaned toward. Phocion and rinned, ‘‘Mebbe the Spider’s stung him,” laughed Ny, as the man was called. ‘*The Spider?” ‘Yes, don’t you know/—the Camp Spiders I am talkin’ about, Whar hev you been all this time, Phocion? Ho! ho! ha! ha! They say I’ve got a crack in my head; mebbe I bev; but | keep my one eye Open an’ it sees as muchas two— sometimes, They think I don’t know anything about the Spiders of the Black Mesa. No, of course 1 don’t! If they bave bitten Eagle Ned the boy will never comfort yer old age, nor find his sister.” Phocion caught the half-witted man by the arm and dragged him to bis shanty. ‘*Now, Nixy, toll me what you know,” he cried, drawing back from the man whom he had thrust into a chair, gle Ned, the Boy on Guard. 3 “Bo, bo, I’m no fool, Captain Phocion, I don’t want to be bitten by the Spiders,” and springing up, Nixy ran out of the but before he could be restrained. CHAPTER III. STIRRUP STEVE’S RETURN, THE body of Lazarus was carried to the main gambling den of Ragged Robin and laid out, There was a good dealof excitement among those who came to look at the corpse but there was not much loud talking. Phocion in his shanty was thinking of Nixy’s last remarks and while he occupied the little sey be wondered, too, whac had become of agle Ned. The boy’s absence alarmed’ the man not a lit- tle and when he thought of going out and Jook- ing for bim, the words of the man who had run off recurred to him, The Camp Spiders! He had never heard of such an organization. He had lived in Ragged Robin ever since its founding and yet he was ignorant of the existence of such an order. Still, it might be, for Nixy was always on the alert and he was just the sortof person to pick up news, By and by Phocion sneaked down to where the body lay, and entering, stood over the face of Lazarus, Nearly every one had deserted the room and the light which bad been turned low by someone gave but little satisfaction, Phocion became convinced that some one was watching him and lifting his gaze suddenly he saw a figure steal from the door. There was something about this figure that startled the man and in a moment he wasat the portal. In another second he had left the house and stood alongside of the person he bad detected. ‘Who's dead in there?’ asked this person, looking up into Phocion’s face, ‘I came in but a moment ago and heard something had hap- pened. I saw you alone with a corpse and thought I wouldn’t disturb you. Who’s.dead, I say? } Live Lazarus,” answered Phocion. , ** They found him dead near his shanty and he’s in thar with a knife wound in bis neck, Someone kill- ed him an’ in this camp,” ¥ The man addressed by. Phocion. was still.a youth; he was quite handsome and bis broad shoulders told that they could sustain, a. great weight. He was agile as.a cat for all this, and every one knew Stirrup Steve, the youngest miner ip the camp and a;fine, whole-souled fellow who feared nothing. ‘‘ Whar hev you been, Steve?” ‘“‘T came in from the Diego Diggin’s, I’ve had along ride across the roughest country on the face of the globe an’ when I| saw the.light of the camp I felt good, I can tell you,” : ‘*“What do you. know about.the Camp Spiders?” This. question. seemed to bring a queer look to the listener’s eyes, He fixed bis gaze upon Phocion and did not speak for a moment as if the query had taken his breath, «‘The Camp Spiders?” he echoed. ‘* What do you mean, Phocion?” Phocion told Stirrup Steve what Nixy said, that such an order really existed and right in their midst, He had never heard of it, which was very strange, he said, as be had lived in Ragged Robin all the time and generally with his eyes open, Stirrup Steve listened without interrupting him and when Phocion had finished.the young man touched bis arm, ‘*T don’t know much about them,” “* But you know a little, then?” ‘** Very little, Phocion.” ** Tell me what you know?” Stirrup Steve walked away with the arm of Phocion still in his grasp. The two went to the shanty occupied by the latter and when Phocion had seated himself Steve folded his arms and leaned against the wall. ‘“There used to be an order of this name in anotber camp far from here, but I did not think it had been revived, They wiped it outin Pin- Wheel; the Vigilantes hanged every mother’s son of the members, and that was the end of it, I beard of this affair a long time ago; how they pulled up the Spiders until not one remained to weave a web of death, It was a clean wipe- out, Pbocion.” ; ‘But we’ve got em byer, if Nixy tells the trutb.” ‘And do you think they are responsible for Lazarus’s death?” ‘Why not?”
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7 E ase f * You should look at the corpse. You say he was killed by a knife stab in the neck.” ‘“*He was,” ** Did you look further? The men who belong- ed to the Vigilantes wno banged the Spiders of Pin-Wheel had a certain mark tattooed on their arms—a rope with a running noose, I believe it was,” ‘Great heavens, there was such a mark on Lazarus’s arm! I’ve seen it more than once, but he would never tell me what it meant, I begin to see through the whole thing now, Some one is avenging the death of the Spiders of Pin- Wheel.” For a moment silence reigned between the two men in the shanty, then Phocion said: ‘‘There’s more to be told, Steve. Eagle Ned has been missing since sundown, I can’t find the boy high or low.” ‘That's nothing very strange, I’ve seen him in the mountains, and sometimes he is gone twenty-four hours,” “ But right on the heels of this murder!” put in the man with thered beard, ‘‘I don’t like that part of it. What if the Spiders should hold a grudge ag’in’ him?” Stirrup Steve turned and looked out upon the Plaza. He saw a man crossing itand looking the second time, said to Phocion with a smile: ‘* We still have The Count with us, I see.” The bearded man started a little at these words, **T guess we'll always bave him byer,” he said. *« He is the curse of the camp,” ** And its nabob,” added Steve, ‘* By the way, does Alta know a of this crime?” ** A good deal, She discovered the dead body of Lazarus, but I persuaded her to let me bave the cradit of it, Alta stood it well; she looked at the wound without ashudder, She’s a gold mine tu some one, boy.” Stirrup Steve blushed a little which heighten- ed the color of his full cheeks and he looked away for a moment, **T’ll see you later,” he said to Phocion and in a little while the two were on the street once more and had separated. Stirrup Steve went to hisown cabin which had not been inhabited for a few days and shut the door behind him. ““So Lazarus is killed, eh?” hesaid in audible tones to himself, ‘‘So he has been stabbed and Phocion says he wore the sign of the Vigilantes of Pin-Wheel. Can it be that the order of the Camp Spiders has been revived? What is its object now—to bunt down and slay all who be- longed to the band that wiped it out of existence more than three years ago? If this is its mission who will be safe? No one knows who all belong- ed to the Vigilantes; they kept the identity of their membership a aes secret, though, after the wiping out, there was no need of con- coalment.” The Joung man went out and rapped lightl at the door of a well-to-do shanty near the mid- dle of the camp. In another second he stood face to face with ta. The girl with a pleased countenance held the door ones for him and when be had entered the lain little room he turned upon her to see that er face was white and her eyes full of singular erness, *I am glad you are back safe wished you had not come,” she said. death—murder in the camp, and—” “Fear not for me,” was the quick interrup- tion. “I guess I am not a marked victim, Alta.” Tne girl then told about the finding of Laz- arus’s body and Steve listened with interest as if he had not heard the same story witbip the last few :uinutes, “ Phocion is alarmed about the boy. He does not know what I saw before we found Lazarus, I did not tell him for fear of making a scene, but I will tell you, Steve. I saw The Count and Eugls Ned going down the street together; they were walking side by side andI lost sight of them toward he Count’s main mine.” ‘Toward Rad Rattlesnake, Alta?” ** Yos. By and by The Count came back alone and not long after that I discovered the murder.” Stirrup Steve thought a moment and then turned his head, Alta did not see the look that filled his eyes, “You are well-acquainted with Ned, Alta?” he suddenly asked, “* We are friends.” “He never kept bis secrets from you?” ' The girl laughed. “You mean about his hunt for the lost yet I almost “There is gpister? He has told me all he knows a score of times. I have listened to him whenever he cared to tell the story; but why this question, Steve?” “Eagle Ned may have been too prying for some people. He was always on the lookout for that sister, though my opivion is that she is lost to him forever. He is playing detective with all his might, but the chances are against him. So he went toward The Count’s bonanza with The Count himself?” “ Yes,” ** And The Count came back alone?” ** He did,” ‘* None of this to Phocion, Alta,” said Steve, ‘* We are on the edge of some tough times and Ragged Robin is going to see a reign of terror. If vou don’t vant to stay—” **T want to stay,” broke in the girl, her eyes aflame, ‘“‘I don’t want to run off. I am in- terested in Eagle Ned and if he has fallen into the web of the Camp Spiders I want to help him out if I can.” Stirrup Steve looked down into the upturned eyes of the beautiful speaker and felt a thrill pervade his bosom, Alta was brave and when he noticed that her hands were clinched and that she was not trembling, he thought that she was cool enough toremain in Ragged Robin during the drama which he felt was about to open in earnest. CHAPTER IV. THE WARNING, A LONG room under ground, On one of the walls of gray stone is drawn in dark lines the picture of a spider, Everything about the ee creature is complete, the long legs, the large bead and gleaming eyes, The hand that drew it was the band of an artist, the man who pictured the spider on the stone was a good hand at drawing, and his work was true to nature, but so large and hideous, In the chamber stands a table upon which sits a box covered with dark cloth, but on the top of it is another spider, the exact counterpart of the one on the wall, though not so large. Suddenly the door setin the wal! at one end of the place swings open and a man steps for- ward, He wears a black mask upon which the spider shows again and after bim file six men, all tall in stature and possessing the physiques of giants, The leader of the masked six advances to the middle of the chamber and turns upon his fol- Jowers, ‘*We have struck and the dead lies still,” said he in stern voice which had no echo in that chamber. ‘‘ We have inflicted upon the guilty the penalty of death and there still re- main more victims,” There was no answer; the men whom he ad- dressed stood and at the speaker from behind the masks that fitted their faces to a m5 ‘*Who shall be the next?” asked the leader, taking from his pocket a little packet which he moved toward the box on the table, ** Let us draw and see,” said one of the men, The captain of the Camp Spiders opened the box and threw into it the ogee a which he had drawn forth, Then the lid was shut down and all ranged themselves along the stand. One after another they put their hands into the box and drew out a bit of paper which they did not look at, but concealed in their bands, They had drawn out all the bits of paper there were in the box and the captain of the Spiders turned to his men with gleaming eyes, ** Let the man who has received the commis- sion make no failure. The name of the next victim is in his hand, Let him see that the blow does not fall short, nor fail in any way.” Half a mivute later the room is deserted and the spider on the wall has no company. Silence comes down upon the place and the men are far away. / Meantime the corpse of Lazarus incumbers a pine board in the back room of Black Burt’s place, but the time has arrived for its burial. A number of men take it up and carry it to the little cemetery beyond the mines and without ceremony the dead is left to sleep until the Last Great Day; then the burial party file back to the camp and take a drink at the bar, But what bas become of Engle Ned? We left the boy in the Devil’s Tunnel alone with the dead man discovered there, ‘ As if to see what had become of him a man went down to the mine and groped his way through the darkness, When he reached the mouth of the tunnel he stopped and lighted a match, The tunnel had been walled up and that with- agile Ned, the Boy on Guard. > in the last few hours. The work of the masons was still moist and while the man with the match looked at it he grew stern in the face and his hands seemed to shake. **Is he in thar? be asked himself. ‘‘ Did Eagle Ned come to this place and is he the tenant of the tunnel? There isno getting to him if this is so, but what have they against the young-’un?” Phocion turned back, but bad not gone far when he ran against some one whom he instant- ly clutched and held. “*Unhand me!” said a voice. “*T won't till I git ready,” cried he of the red beard. ‘I want toknow what you’ve done witb the boy?” ‘* With the boy?’ echoed the same voice, ‘* Are you mad? You must be Phocion,” “T am Phocion, I want to know what has become of Eagle Ned.” ‘Take your hands from my throat or you'll get vo reply from me,” Phocion obeyed and with a match to show him the man before him he fell back a step and looked. Butno one was there. The person he bad clutched had vanished like a fox in the dark and the red-beard could not help laughing to himself, “That was The Count. I knew his voice,” said Phocion, ‘‘ He can’t fool me, What was he doing here; but why not? This is his bo- nanza an’ I’m the man who, in his mind, had no bueiness in this corridor. But I want to find out what’s become of Eagle Ned.” Nothing was left for Phocion to do but to go back, which he did, and not long afterward he stood in his own shanty and thought over the strange adventures he had just had, He was now convinced that Nixy had not lied: he was sure there were ‘‘ Spiders” in camp and yes of the deadliest sort. Tbe walling up of the Devil’s Tunnel told him something that. made his very blood run cold, and when be thought that Eagle Ned, the sister-hunter might be in its dark depths, he sprung up and grasped his revolver, saying that he would go down to the haunt of the toughs of Ragged Robin and force their secret from them, But he did not, No, Phocion slept all night without waking in bis shanty and the next norning awoke to find something lying on his illow. This was a note written in a strange nd and when he opened it he saw at once that it was a warning. “* Keep a still tongue in your head,” he read. “In this lies your own safety and that of those dear to you. Don’t cross the m tes of Ragg-d Robin; don’t try to find out what has become of Eagle Ned. ee aw up that mystery. Don't be a fool, ocion, Phocion looked at the note a dozen times and tried to make out from whose hand it had come, but be was unable to do so, He folded it at last and concealed it in his bosom as the safest place for it, yg he should have destroyed it and given it to his breakfast fire, The day passed without incident, though Pbho- cion could hardly refrain from going to The Count’s cabin and asking him why he had given him the slip in the dark, The letter so mysteri- ously left on his pillow was all that kept bim from doing so, and when the day waned and he had not played fool in-any way, he was satis- fied that, after all, be could keep bis head and not give the writer away. t cost Phocion many a pang to sit still when he knew what was happeniog around him, The presence of the Camp Spiders was ever up- permost in his mind, and he seemed to think- that he was a marked man for having been anes in the mine by its owner, hen another night came there slipped into Ragged Robin a boy who did not look at all like Eagle Ned. He had none of those long rich locks which made Ned so conspicuous; bis face was darker than the sister-hunter’s; he looked taller, and those who saw bim sidle up to Black Burt’s counter took bim for just what he after- ward said he was—a young half-breed who had — raised among the lodges of the Coman- ches, Phocion saw this boy the next day, He caught sight of him on the Plaza, showing some of the toughs of Ragged Robin how he could jump, an exercise Eagle Ned never indulged in, and after watching him a short time, the red- beard turned away withasmile. “He's as active as a kitten an’ if Ned war hyer I'd pit him ag’in’ the young cross an’ hey some fun.” he said. The half-breed took rapidly to the ways of the camp, He said he bad left the lodges because of some trouble between him and his foster- parents, and before another night he had been ae : a a ee ee
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ina all 5 Eagle Ned, the Boy on Guard. invited tosleep under The Count’s roof, and from that day he was to be considered as a part of Jack Jargo’s household. This household consisted of a woman named Selina and Jack himself, Selina was one of those willowy Mexican women with keen black eyes, and by many was called The Count’s sis- ter. They looked very much alike, their voices were strangely similar, their faces cast in the same mold, and on several occasions Jack had not denied that they were brother and sister. Selina took illy to the boy in the house; she looked askance at Doodles as the youth was called, and on several] occasions was seen to eye him like a hawk, Selina had the tread of a cat and the strength of a tigress, She was always doing something for Jack, and Doodles saw her polishing a dagger before he was three hours in the house, **How would you like this in your heart?” laughed the woman, suddenly holding up the blade to the boy as he passed through the room where she'sat at work, j Doodles laughed, ““T’ve seen men with such a knife in their hearts,” he said. ‘It killed them.” *] should say so, boy,” cried Selina. ‘‘ You say you have lived among the Comanches. Was it near the border?” Selina meant the Mexican border, ‘It was near the border,” and Doodles drew nearer and looked at the glittering blade which the dark-eyed creature was polishing, though it seemed bright enough without any such labor. ‘*You’re half-Indian, eh? You are really nothing, You may be a spy for all we know,” Doodles drew back and gave Selina a quick fook, like a person insulted, “Ob, you needn’t look that way at me!” cried the nabob’s sister. ‘*I don’t like ‘mixes’—that és, [don’t like people with two kinds of blood in their veins. If I catch you playing spy here your life won’t be worth a pinch of dirt,” There was a nameless terror in the very eyes of this beautiful woman, for Selina was beauti- ful, Doodles turned and looked toward the win- dow to escape them for a moment, ‘** Did you hear me?” and a hand fell upon his arm and closed there like a vise, ‘* You don’t want to be caught playing spy against us. If I see you at such work, I'll let you know bow this dagger feels in your own heart. See?” and the blade was held before the youth’s face, and he jooked from it into the gleaming tigress orbs of the speaker. ‘“‘T play spy? What do you mean? Don’t I know who my friends are?” and breaking from tier grip the half-breed boy ran from the cham- bec and shut the door in Selina’s face, CHAPTER V. A DECLARATION OF LOVE, THE mystery of Eagle Ned’s vanishment troubled Phocion not a little. The man with tbe red beard could-not think what had become of his protege. ‘Tis true he had the message which had been left on his pillow, but that was not enough. He wanted to know what had be- «ome of Ned, and the fact that he had seen the Devil’s Tunnel walled up was almust proof enough that the sister-hunter was somewhere within it, a prisoner, if not dead from the foul xases of the disgusting place, Captain Jack, as he was sometimes called in- stead of The Count, ruled Ragged Robin with a heavy Land, Nearly everytbing earned by the miners went into his coffers, and he it was who was making al] the movey in the long run, It was the fifth evening after Egle Ned’s dis- appearance, and Alta was standing in the door ot the cabin which she called home, when sbe caught sight of a dark figure approaching her. At once she knew it to be The Count, and to her surprise she saw him nearing her, He was clad in new garments which bad arrived by the last stage, and Icoked bandsomer than ever before, for, in spite of his face, which wore the Mexi- can’s cast and color, there was not a bandsomer man in Arizona than this same Jack Jargo, Alta watched the tell fellow for awhile and then shut the door, but in a moment her heart seemed to stand still as raps sounded in her ears, Incame The Count doffing bis bat with its laced band, and Alta, dlusbing, confronted him, Alea why she had been visited at that our, There was a light in the man’s eyes that seem- ed to bode her no good, and when he spoke she was almost sure of it, ‘I have come, Alta, to make a proposition to you,” said Jack, rising on his beels as if to lend dignity to his utterance, ‘ The fact is that there is uo use of your living alone among the toughs of Ragged Robin. You have lived here Jong enough to know something about them. They are, for the most part, a tough lot and you are too nice a girl tobe here unprotected. Now,I have a house that discounts all the rest in camp, and my housekeeper 1s willing to take you in with us, Of cours» I don’t want you to go to the palace unwillingly, of course not,” he repeated. ‘I have thought a good deal of you for a long time, and I want to see you happy with lots of wealth around you.” This was a plain declaration of love in asingu- lar way; but it was just like the man who had spoken it, Alta felt the red mounting to the temples, and as it was impossible to avoid the searching eyes of the man in the house, she resolved to give him as plain an answer and take the consequences. ‘*} don’t want to quit the old cabin, I bave been happy here and your palace could not in- crease my happiness,” ‘* But see what you would gain by being the bride of the nabob of the Black Mesa,” put in The Count. ‘* You don’t know what you are missing girl.” Alta thought she would be willing to miss a great deal, not to be the wife of Jack Jargo, the man of mystery and some crime. She was will- ing to miss all the happiness he prophesied to remain single, or to become Stirrup Steve’s wife instead of his, and it wason her tongue to tell bim so if be insisted, “You won't, eh? You don’t like me, hey?” cried the man, his face changing color all at once and his eyes getting a new light which they had not known before. ‘*T will be plain, Captain Jargo, said Alta, ‘*T don’t want to marry now and I cannot give you any encouragement.” He fell back his eyes riveted upon her and his hands glued together, the long, yellow fingers twined one about the other, ‘* You mean that you won’t; I understand you. Then, look here, You don’t know what you have rejected. You don’t know what you bave missed, You may not have a home always,” “ Thatis true. Iam willing to tak: things as they come in life,” Her calmness seemed to irritate bim the more. ‘*T am master here, I run thiscamp, I am Tbe Count.” ‘*Tne Count of what?” was on Alta’s tongue, but she did not speak the words. She looked at him and saw that he was turn- ing white again, a way he bad when unduly excited. The tall figure of Jack Jargo strode to the door and looked back at Alta in the light of her little lamp. She felt that trouble had come, that her re- jection of the man’s suit was the beginning of the dark days, and when she sew bim move to the door and lay bis hand on the latch, she felt her heart rise in her throat, but only for a mo- ment, He paused there a moment aud then said; “We'll see about this, You may think otherwise of The Count before you are much older,” x That wasall. The next minute the form of the man was out on the Plaza and he was moy- ing toward his palace, ‘* What have I done?’ cried Alta, throwing her bands to her head in the agovy of the mo- ment, ‘I bave brought about more trouble, Iam now marked, By the Camp Spiders? Does he belong to them? Is he at the Lead of the band that killed Lazarus, for Phocion is sure hs man was murdered by a band of ruf- fians?’ ‘Don't be alarmed, Alta; keep a stout heart in your bosom,” The gir] turned like a flash to the window from whence the sound seemed to come, but she saw DO One, She went to the door and tbrew it open, but saw nothing outside but the shadows of night, and these showed her nothing. She fell back and saw the lamp flicker on the table and all at once it went out as if the breath of a demon of darkness had extinguish- ed it. With a cry, Alta sprung to the table and seized the lamp, carried it to the window and Jooked at it in the moonlight. What did this mean? Were there demons at work? Presently footsteps came to the door snd she grasped a revolver and placed herself on the de- fensive, The portal opened and the form of Phocion gree her. ‘*T am glad you have come,” cried the waif of Ragged Robin. ‘I don’t know what made me afraid, but I am all in a tremble.” i, ‘The Count was here?” said Phocion, as he came in, ‘* He was here,” ‘* What did he want, Alta?” Should she tell this man? He was a true friend; there was nothing really bad about Phocion, and so, after a moment’s thought, she told all about the man’s visit and was listened to with great attention by the miner. ‘* You’ve made an enemy, but you’vestrength- ened friendship,” was the answer, ‘‘ The Count runs the camp, but you run your own beart and that is worth all the camps in Arizony, He wanted. you to marry bim, did be? He offer- ed you a bome in tue palace with that tiger sister of his? A nice nest, truly. Why, I would sooner be walled up in the Devil’s Tun- nel where there is no escape at all, as to live in the shadow of the band of Selina.” Then Alta thought of the voice she had heard and while Phocion listened to her narra- tion of it, a queer expression stole over his face and he seemed to lose his thoughts, ‘You heard it at the window, did you?” said he at last, ‘‘ 1 remember now meeting Doodles, the half-breed boy on the Plaza, but of course he had nothing to do with it.” ‘** Tt was not the voice of Doodles. Iam alrendy familiar with that, It seemed to be a voice I have heard somewhere, yet, at the same time, it had a strange, almost supernatural sound.” Phocion shook his head, “It puzzles me, but lam going to get to the bottom of it if it takes a lifetime,” he remarked. “But you don’t want to incur the enmity of The Count.” ‘* Ho, | bave that already, I reckon he hasn’t forgiven me for catching him by the throst. in the mine when I was looking for Eagle Ned. His enmity? that’s better to have than bis love,” and with this the figure of the red-beard left the house and Alta was alone once more, Phocion crossed the Pleza toward the house inhabited by Tbe Count and Selina. The building rose tall and buge before bim and as he was nearing it a form crept from the shadows and darted off. It was the form ofa boy and the keen eyes of Phocion recognized Doodles, the balf-breed, ‘‘That’s a queer game for the adopted to play,” said the man, ‘ He seems to have been watching the house and yet he sleeps there, Mebte be doesn’t like Selina.” At this minute the door opened and Phocion had time to step back and out of sight when Selina herself made her appearance and paseed him. He saw that the woman was clothed in close-fitting garments that made no unnecessary spread and when she went away he fullowed her, Selina led Phocion a long chase, but entered the mine where the tunnel was and after seeing ine once beyund the threshold he entered it him- self, The red-beard was creeping down a narrow corridor which he knew would take him to the closed mouth of the tunnel and was nearit when he beard a sound like the dropping of something soft-footed from a considerable height, In an instant Phocion baeked against the stone wall and drew his knife. He heard something run away in the dark and after awhile the same footsteps cume back, Presently the man heard a laugh and then felt something brush his band, Half a minnte later be caught the glimmer of a match and by its light saw a form moving down the narrow passage. ** Doodles, by Jove!” cried Phocion under bis breath, ‘* What in the name of common sense is that yellow boy doing bere?” _ Doodles moved on, now and then drawing his little torch along the walls, until at last he stooped at the mouth of the tunnel and looked at the solid masonry which told Phocion that be- yond it lay the moldering body of Eagle Ned. “That boy is onto the same thing,” muttered the red-beard. ‘*‘ He seems to know that tke boy is dead in the web of the Camp Spiders.” CHAPTER VI. “ PHOCION AND DOODLES, It was a strange sight for Phocion to see Doodles kneeling at the mouth of tbe Devil’s Tunnel, looking at the solid masonry as if he wished be was strong enough to tearitdown and crawl into the bidden corridor. He rose suddenly, threw bis match to the ground, and vanished in the dark. ‘*So!” laugbed the man with the red beard, ‘* Doodles is already a mystery a8 great as that which envelops the death of Lazarus, What brought bim to Ragged Robin?” As there was no answer to this, Phocion went
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6 Eagle Ned, the Boy on Guard. away and forgot all about the woman he had followed to the place. If be had followed Selina instead of letting Doodles claim all his attention he might have witnessed certain scenes which would have opened his eyes still more. He might have seen the dark-eyed woman en- ter a sma]l chamber, the door cf which was ecu- riously set in the wall. He might bave seen ber proceed toone corner where she found a wooden chest of old-style which she opened with a smal] key. Selina took from the chest a package which she opened and held before the light she had made. Her eyes were all aglow with a singular light, and her hands seemed to delight in opening the package in them. Selina uttered a cry when she had accomplish- éd this and when she saw glittering in her brown palms something thac looked like diamonds, There was a necklace of gems and they shone with dazzling luster in the gleam of her lamp, She looked at them some time when she put them back, relocked the chest and went back. She left the mive perhaps unwatched by Doodles and retraced her steps to the palace. If Phocion could have seen her he would have thought more of Selina’s cunning than ever, for the door in the wall she had found in the dark as if she had the eyes of the owl, Doodles wasasleep in his chamber when the womun came home, She stole on tip-toe to the room and looked in upon the half-breed boy. “You don’t want to follow me,” said she, showing the hilt of a dagger while she looked, “The moment you play spy at my heels that mo- ment you are doomed, and the Spider wil! sting you tothe death. The Spider? Ha, ha, 1t bas already fastened its fangs on the otber one, and ere long there will be another dead person in camp.” Like a cat, Selina stole back to her room, but the moment she closed the door the boy sprung from his couch and listened at the portal. Doodles’s eyes were full of eageruess and he had all the cunning of a trained bloodhound as he listened there for the fading feet of The Count’s sister. Instead of going back to the couch in the chamber to which he had been assigned on com- ing into Jack Jargo’s household, he slipped from the house and made his way down the street. At the door of Phocion’s hut he stopped ahd appeared tolisten. He seemned to take an inter- est in [the man with the red beard and it looked as if he was playing spy on him. From Phocion’s shanty he went over to Alta’s bumble home and there he stopped some time with his eyes ou thealertand his ears glued to the pane. Ail at once the figure of The Count crossed the th of the half-breed boy. He caught sight of ack as he came from Black Burt’s den and fol- lowed him, but at respectful distance, He did not want to be caught on the track of the lord of Ragged Robin, nor was he anxious to feel the grip of the big yellow bands, oodles swung himself from a ledge near the main mineand remained crouched in the shadows some time, Everything was still. Not far off lay the mountain graveyard where the body of Lazarus had been ‘“ planted,” and beyond it stuod the tall pines that lifted their heads above the mounds, Suddenly this silence was broken’ by a cry and then all was still. It was so startling that even the cool-headed Doodles sprung to bis feet and listened, He knew it was the cry of a man, a man in his death- agony, and be seemed to wait for the return of the slayer. Doodles did not have to wait very long fora figure tocross his path. Presently hesaw one coming toward him and in a second he became as a rock on the ground. No onesaw him, The eye of the nighthawk would not have found him there, Down the trail moved the figure he saw and when it bad vanished, Doodles rushed away but not after it. Half a minute later he was bending overa form on the ground and be was looking ontoa face rug vf growing white with the strange hue of death. Another victim of the Camp Spiders! The half-breed boy stooped until bis face al- most touched thatof the man on the ground, The closing eyes saw bim, but their owner seem- ed to shrink from the dark face of the Comanche’s protege. A hand red and huge came up and fell ‘ heavily upon Doodles’s shoulder, ** You know who did this, but you won’t tell, will you?” said the dying man, **T have been killed by the same band that found Lazarus, but you belong to tbe prince of demons and of course | you won’t tell what you know.” With a gurgle the man turned over and seem- ed to bury his face in the ground, ‘* Who did this?” asked Doodles. ‘Who? Ah, you know, for you are his slave!” That was the last utterance that came from the lips kissing the dark soil of the mountain camp. The man gave one shudder, his shoulders were drawn up and when Doodles looked again he had stretched himself out like a giant and was dead. The boy rose and looked all about him, He had a secret, but what would ke do with it? Would he go and raise the alarm? Would he run into Black Burt’s and tell the night owls there that on a certain spot lay Red Mart stabbed as Lazarus bad been and probably by the same hand? He did nothing of the kind. Instead of rais- ing the alarm, Doodles, as if be bad the fear of Jack Jargo before his eyes, went back to the palace and crept to his little room, Let some one else find the dead man, Let an- other than he discover the second victim of the Camp Spiders. He was but a boy and lived with the boss of the camp, and was not the person to put his own bead in danger, or to throw himself into the death web of the moun- tain terror. It was a long night for Doodles. The next morning he looked toward the grave- yard with the scenes of the past night fresh be- fore him and wondered who would be the first to find the victim, He came down and caught the eyes of Selina in her room. Tbe woman looked searchingly at him and Doodles wonder- ed what she would say if she knew that he had been at her heels and had followed her to the mine? All at once there ran across the Plaza a man with broad shoulders and a flowing beard, Doodles saw bim halt in front of Black Burt’s and as he left the house he distinctly heard what he said, “Red Mart’s follered Lazarus!” cried the miner, who was frightened as with a nameless terror. ‘‘ I’ve jest found him on bis face near the clump of lightnin’-struck pines. He’s as dead as a mackerel, an’ in his neck is a hole,” Those who heard these words looked at one another, and by and by a line of men crossed the Square and followed the discoverer to the tragic spot. Sure enough there lay the body of the mur- dered man, but this time the event did not cause much comment. Men looked a moment and then turned away, some without remark, and all with their thoughts at work, Doodles, who had followed the crowd, looked into the faces of all, and when he bad seen the last one enter the saloon, as if all roads in Rag- ged Robin led to it, he turued away. ‘*That makes two,” said a voice so near the half-breed boy that he turned and looked at the speaker. The red beard of Phocion waved in the wind, and thé boy saw that bis teeth were hard shut. The old man seemed to bave aged much since the vanishment of Eagle Ned, and while Doodles eyed him he seemed on the eveof going to where he stood, but he did not. ‘Come here, boy,” said the red-beard, Doodles looked a moment longer and then went forward. As he approached Phocion, be saw the keen eyes of the tall man riveted upon him, and when the hand touched bim be was | drawn to the miner’s side. “What do you think about this thing?” asked Phocion, ‘‘You must have an opinion if you are balf Injun.” : **T know notbin’,” said the youth, **T didn’t ask you for what you knew, I only asked what you think. There have been two men tilled within the Jast few days, an’ both have been wiped out in the same manner— stabbed in the neck with a blade long enough to reach their hearts. First it was Lazarus, now it is Red Mart, They call you Doodles, Was that yoar name in Comanchedom?” “* It was,” said Doodles, drawing back until be was released by Phocion. ** Well, you either don’t want to talk or you won't, one or t’other,” grinned the tall miner, and in another second Doodles was running off, followed by the eyes of the man who had re- leased him, “Hang it all, the eyes of that boy have a familiar look when you get right onto them,” muttered Phocion. ‘They remind me of Eagle Ned’s, they are sokeen and clear. But I can’t get that last sting of the Spiders out of my head, I wonder if the insect won’t turn on me soon, as I am ratuer anxious to discover certain secrets,’ Yes, Phocion, the eye of the Spider is upon you, and already you stand in the shadow of the terrible death felt by Lazarus and Red Mart, As for Doodles, the mysterious, he had van- ished, and Phocion stood looking after him, as if he thought he had dismissed him too soon. ———— CHAPTER VI, IN THE FATAL WEB, Tae half-breed boy went back to the house occupied by The Count and his sister, All was still and for once he did not pass under the keen, suspicious eye of Selina, hen he came to look for The,Count he discovered that he was not to be found in the house and this somewhat surprised him. Did he know that Red Mart had been murdered and was he out somewhere tryiog to sift the mystery of the death to the bottom? All at once Doodles knew that there was some new excitementin thecamp. He heard a commotion in the Square and looking out he saw a number of men bavivg in their grip Stirrup Steve, The youth was calm and his eye sought out the men one by one and looked them coolly in the face. Doodles watched these events for a little while when he was disturbed by the en- trance of Selina, She came in without much noise and when the boy turned and saw her her eyes seemed to blaze. ‘They have the young gentleman in the grip of the court,” said she, leaning toward Doodles in her eagerness to impress the fact on bis mind. “What is up?” ‘They've found the man who killed Red Mart.” **'You don’t mean Steve?” **T mean .no one else,” and Selina went to the window which commanded a view of the Plaza, ‘They have it solid on bim and we shall have a hanging before to-morrow night,” The youth turned once more to the window and saw Stirrup Steve taken off by the mob. He knew what was iu store for the young miner if the hands of the Spiders were upon him, He knew that he would be hanged without mercy, that if the least evidence,.even circum- stantial, could he held against him, he would be carried to the merciless noose of Ragged Robin and strung up in the light of the sun. For a moment Doodles watched these proceed- ings which were seen by the light of the moon which painted the Plaza in white and when he heard Selina glide from the room he stole from the house, The first man he ran across was The Count, ‘“*Have you ccme out to seethe young pris- oner?”’ asked Jack. ‘They seem to have a death-hold on bim and if they can prove what they say, there will be food for the birds for we won’t let him lie on the mountain,” Doodles saw in the eye of the speaker a fierce, eager gleam and when he passed on the boy stood like one petrified in the moonlight. Stirrup Steve, Alta’s friend and lover, arrest- ed for murder? Nearly everything seemed possible in Ragged Robin and Doodles with a good deal of intelli- gence in his eyes for a half-breed, seemed to re- flect while he watched the vanishing figure of The Count of the Black Mesa. He slipped down to Black Burt’s and glided into the bar-room where the crowd was, There he found the subject of the murder and arrest discussed by all, and with his ears open the youth took in everything that fell from the lips of the mountain tougbs, “Ain't the knife enough to fasten the whole thing on bim?’ cried a man whoran his band through his long, sandy beard, ‘' It war found near the body and when he came back to Jook for it, why, we caught him, for Bill yonder had found the blade an’ everybody knew it for bis,” Doodles seemed to start at this. What, Stirrup Steve’s knife found near the corpse of Red Mart? Tht was bad, The sentiment was wholly against the young miner. In the first place, they had never taken kindly to Steve because he would not mix in the wild orgies of the dens of Ragged Robin; then, he owned a mine which made bim some money, none of which he wasted at the faro tables of the camp, but kept it for a sister he said who lived somewhere in the East. Doodles heard a good deal while he listened in the saloon, He eagerly drank in every word, betraying by nothing that his sympathies might be with the man who seemed to have no friends at ali, and as he lived under the same roof with
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The Count, the men who talked did not for a moment think that his heart might be with the prisoner, Meantime the news of the arrest of Stirrup Steve for the murder of Red Mart bad spread throughout the camp. It reached the ears of Phocion who took the tidings to Alta’s door, but paused there as if he had not heart enough to tell her, ‘*Come in, Phocion,” said the girl, opening the door so suddenly that the man with the red beard fell back with a start. ‘“‘ I know some- thing of what has happened, but you don’t be- lieve it.” ** Believe it? never, Alta!” said Phocion as he carried bis figure across the threshold, ‘' They have canght the wrong man, and, then,” he low- ered his voice—‘' then, I guess they want a vic- tim,” *“*T understand you, Phocion. Yon mean the Camp Spiders. They want a victim; they want to bang an innocent man for their own crimes,” The man had to look at the girl, she spoke with such a coolness that he was astounded, Her face was white, and her eyes clear and beautiful. ** Where is he?” she asked at last, “They have taken him home and they’ve put a guard over the shanty. He will be watched until—” Phocion paused and looked askance at Alta, “Until they take him out to hang bim. I know what you keep back, Phocion, They say they found his knife near the body. Well, what does that signify?” The red-beard was silent. ‘“*He may have been robbed of that knife, What does he say?” **T don’t know; I haven’t heard his defense,” ** Will they hang bim without trial?’ 2 Phocion’s lips seemed to meet beneath the red airs, “They dare do anything,” be said. ‘* The Spiders bave taken possession of Ragged Robin, and besides killing Lazarus and Red Mart they’ve made way with Eagle Ned.” ** You believe that, Phocion?” “IT do. They killed the boy for a purpose; he was too knowing for them; he was finding out something. That boy was trying to find the lost sister, and somehow or other he was killed to prevent him from discovering the truth.” The eyes of Alta were riveted upon the speaker, but she did not reply. “T may be talking too much myself, but I can’t help it,” continued Phocion, ‘I liked Eagle Ned because he was a good boy and seemed to have but few friends. He had eyes like those of the young half-breed who came to The Count’s the other day, and they were about the same size, The young mixed blood is doing some strange work. I bave caught him at Selina’s heels, and he seems to be everywhere, just as if he were watching The Count who took him in and gave him a home.” At this juncture a sound without was heard, and Phocion looked toward the window, A hand rose and tapped on the pane. In an instant Alta sprung forward and caught sight of a paper lying on the narrow sill. She ran out and took possession of it, bringing it back and displaying it to the man inside. ** Who left it there? Did you see no one?” “T saw nobody,” answered the gir), ‘ I look- ed up and down the street, but it was deserted.” Phocion took the paper which Alta extended and drew near the lamp. He opened it and look- ed at it for a moment with the eyes of Alta fas- tened upon him, “This means something I can’t just figure out,” said he, lifting bis eyes and encounter- ing those of the girl near him. ‘The writer of this note wants me to keep a still tongue in my head.” ‘Then it wasn’t intended for me?” cried Alta. **It seems not. A still tongue in my head? That means that if I don’tI will feel the sting of the Camp Spiders, I reckon,” “It must mean that, Phocion, You must obey, for if they sting you where will I finda friend?” Alta came forward and her eyes caught the sudden gleam of defiance which lit up the orbs before her, “That’s pretty hard for me to do under the circumstances, If I thought Eagle Ned war alive, if [ could oaly think that he isn’t cooped up in the darkness of the Devil’s Tunnel, I could be still, but believing that the boy bas been foully dealt with, 1 don’t know.” The next instant the bronzed bard of Phocion crumpled the paper and his gaze wandered to the window, Eagle Ned, the Boy on Guard. 7 “*Thar’s a face!” he cried, springing forward, revolver in hand, ‘I saw it plainly.” He flung wide the door and ran out, ** Halt!” Alva heard him cry, In another moment the report of theminer’s weapon awoke the echoes of the camp and then | he came back with a langh, ‘*[ didn’t shoot to kill, only to let the fellow know that I’m going to stand no foolishness,” “Who was it?” ‘* Who do you think, Alta? It was that in- fernal young spy what came to camp the other | day. It was The Count’s new protege.” ** Doodles?” ‘The young and cat-like Doodles, The next | time it may be a bullet in the back. bave dropped him just now, but I thought I would give him a reminder of what will come if he persists in playing spy on everybody ,in camp.” I could | door to stand face to face with The Count, her brother, The nabob looked pleased, but when he caught the gleam of Selina’s eyes his own underwent a change of light. ‘* Well, you bave fastened the deed on him, have you?” said the woman, * Why, yes. They found a knife where Red Mart died, and I guess that is enough.” The figure of Selina seemed to increase in stature. ‘* What are you going to dog’ ‘* That is for the court. We stop here.” Selina looked at ber brother a moment in silence, and then said hotly: *““Who placed the knife where it was found? Wbo carried out that part of the programme?” The boss of Ragged Robin seemed to lean to- ward his sister, and after a mad look his hand | feli upon her shoulder. Phocion took out the paper and read it again. | | that you are never satisfied? Why is it that | you can’t keep your fingers out of my games? His eyes seemed to soften and then their fierce light wevt out entirely. ‘* For your sake [ll keep still, girl,” he said, touching Alta’s hand, ‘I don’t want you to be left without a friend in Ragged Robin, but [ don’t think it will come to that, Good-night,” and with a final look the red-beard went out, leaving the waif of the Black Mesa standing in the middle of the room like a person in a trance, ‘*My God!” cried Alta suddenly. ‘If they hang Stirrup Steve for the murder of Red Mart they will send an innocent soul to the noose,” CHAPTER VIII. ON THE TRAIL AT LAST, Ir was midnight within Jack Jargo’s palace, so-called, The house was still, for no light was to be seen avywhere, but there was one person who was not asleep, Down the stair leading to the room in which lodged the half-breed boy came a figure which | | said at last, watching like a hawk the effect of made no noise at all on the carpet that covered the steps, | | ‘*Look here, woman,” he said, ‘* Why is it Haven't I made you princess of the Black Mesa? Haven’t I given you a home where you are everybody’s equal? You must not come be- tween me and this play. You must not say ‘stop’ when I am playing out a game that is near my heart.” “ For a moment it seemed as if Selina would fly at him and sink her hands into his face, but she | stood still, and even seemed to meet bis words In a little while it had lost itself in one of the | lower rooms, and there it stood revealed as Doodles, The Count himself was absent from the house at the time, and nothing was seen of Selina, By and by Doodles appeared in the bed-cham- ber of The Count’s sister and went toward her rich cabinet, which, years before, had graced the table of a Mexican belle. It was a_rich cabi- net, small and locked, and stood on the table at one side of the room, What did Doodles want in the bedroom of the | nabob’s sister, and at that bour of the night when the house was still and its mistress away? The half-breed boy glided to the cabinet and leaned forward to inspect its carved doors, By and by he took frorn his pocket a little wire that looked like a watch-spring and inserted it into the lock, In a moment the door yielded to the work of the wire, and les swung it open. Reaching in his hand, he took something from | the cabinet, thrust it into his bosom and retired as noiselessly as he had entered the room, He crept back up the steps, disappearing beyond the door of his own chamber where he struck a light 1D one corner, He now took from bis bosom the packet he bad abstracted from Selina’s cabinet and opened it, It was a leathern case such as sometimes contains jewels, and sure enough he drew forth a necklace of pearls, he boy started and almost betrayed himself by acry. He turned the necklace over and over in his hands; he looked at it from all points, bis eyes meanwhile glittering with a fierce light and when he had looked at it Some time he put it back in the case and went down the steps again. Noone saw him replace the necklace in the cabi- net in Selina’s room; no one saw him creep back to his own chamber and there look ata single pearl which he had taken from the treasure. By and by the front door of the mountain pal- ace opened and the form of Selina stood there, If she had returned a moment sooner she might have witnessed some of the transactions we have described; she might have seen the boy she had threatened emerge from ber room and her hand might have caught bim with the jewele in his ssession. But Selina had come home too late for this and Doodles had played the game through success- fully. Selina went to her room and halted in the middle of tbe place, All at once she turned as a sound fell upon her ears, and the next second she opened the with a smile, ; areas is Stirrup Steve to you?’ demanded ack, A sudden flush suffused the face of The Count’s sister, but it vanished almost iustantly. “Never mind that,” she said. ‘‘ You are going to send an innocent man to the noose.” **'You want him saved, then?” “*T have not said so, I want the guilty pun- | ished,” The nabob drew off a pace and glared at her. **T guess Pll send you back to Chiquita,” be his words, ‘‘ They want you there, you know, Yes, you will go back in the morning. I will send an escort to the frontier, and Doodles will be your companion from there on.” He seemed to know Selina’s feelings toward the half-breed boy, for he laughed when he named him, and in an instant the woman’s face was at his breast, and her band struck him across the face, reddening it until it seemed to bleed. ‘*T hate the young mixed-blood. He isa spy. He watches both of us when we know it not, and you have. brought to the palace a sepent that sone day will sting you to death. He is more to be dreaded than the Camp Spiders of whom you-— The Count threw up one band and broke her sentence, ‘“‘If what you are saying is true, keep back the words you are about to speak,” he said, sternly. ‘“‘ You have hated nearly everybody ever sinte you came into the world, If you will promise to keep quiet I won’t send you back to Chiquita.” “ But you will hang Stirrup Steve?” “The court will.” ‘Then you will send me back, but I won't promise to keep still there,” ‘You won’t, eh?” ‘*T bave spoken.” Selina started toward the door, but his hand detained her, ‘“What will you do if the court hangs Steve?” he demanded, “T will tell on you,” she bissed, ‘I will open my mouth and talk.” ‘* By heavens, woman, I believe you love this man,” Again the blush came to the face of Selina and she stopped and looked bim in the eye, “love bim, I love Stirrup Steve as woman uever loved man. I would die for him—” “You? Ha, ha, ha,” laughed the boss of Ragged Robin. ‘Don’t you know that he might not be willing to do the same for you?” “T don’t care. I know what you think. I know that you have thrown him into the grip of the Camp Spiders to get him out of your way, Do you think the girl, Alta, will ever come to you and give you her hand? Answer me that, Jack Jargo?” He laughed again. ‘‘] know that you can’t insnare the man for whose life you plead,” he said. ‘‘ You can’t win the love of Stirrap Steve. There are others in Ragged Robin who would come to you with love and money, There are twenty men who would like to jead you to the altar, and some day you may want a defender.”
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8 Eagle Ned, the Boy on Guard. Poweegnes: Ma arc ae aes Selina’s face grew red, ** And you?” sbe cried, suddenly covering him with her hand. ‘* Wnuat will you need one of these days? Where is the man who came to Ragged Robin nearly a year ago? Where is Joshua Meeks, the stranger who was looking for his child?—the man who fell into the trap you set for him? And you stand there and tel] me that I may need a defender some day! Think of yourself; or, do you trust in the men with whom you have surrounded vourself? Is the web accounted sfrong enough to shield you against the vengeance of the future? Do you think that the other child left behind by Joshua Meeks will not fiud his trail and take vengeance ? Look to the web you have woven; don’t threaten me.” She was at the door again, but this time he did not stop her. He looked into the face she exhibited and saw triumph there, “You may turn Stirrup Steve over to the merciless court of Ragged Robin, but there wall come a day of reckoning, for the hand of ven- geance even now hovers over you,” ‘Do you mean that the boy up-stairs is a spy agaiust me? Do you intimate that the young half-blood I have taken is against us, and in some one’s pay?” Selina looked back at bim, but did not speak. ‘*Do you think I am in danger by that grow- Jer Phocion?” continued Jack, ‘I can crush himin a moment. He is ready atall times to talk too much, He intimates that the boy— Eagle Ned—vanished in the depths of the Red Rattlesnake Mine, and you know what he means by that. Ican crush this talker in an instant, say.’ ‘*'Then, for your sake, crush him.” That was Selina’s last sentence; she gave Jack another look and went out, *T will if that is what she really means,” mut- tered the nabob, ‘‘Tbe web will catch this fly in red, and put him out of the way. Stirrup Steve is in the ‘oils and he sba’n’t escape to bother me in my play for the girl at the cabin. The sting of the Camp Spider is death, and if Selina gets too smart on my bands, by the eter- nal! she shall go hence never to return.” All this time crouched on the dark stairway of that house, and with ears wide open was a figure which never stirred. It seemed one of the shadows of the place, but it had a pair of blazing eyes and when Selina emerged from the room they saw her and a smile stole over the watchful face. By and by the figure moved and went up the flight, It turned into the room occupied by the half-breed boy, and there in the darkness he threw bis hands to his head and cried out: ‘Thank Heaven, [I am on the trail at last!” CHAPTER IX. PHOCION GOES DOWN A ROPE, THE big miner with the red bard, Alta’s friend under all circumstances, Phocion, the true and courageous, did not like the forced restraint put upon his tongue by the paper founc on the girl’s window sill. He did not like to silence himself when he believed that Eagle Ned had fallen into the web of the Camp Spiders at whose head he thought was Jack Jargo, ‘' The Count.” _ If he could only get into the tunnel and see for himself; if he could but pass beyond the door of stone which had myer: on the boy, he would be satisfied, and if he did not find him there, then he would be willing to draw some of the sus- picion from the men who Were under bis ban, But bow to get into the walled-up tunne:? That was the perplexing question, In his dilemma Poocien bethought bimself of Nixy, the supposed simple, if not, crazy, man of Ragged Robin, and shortly after leaving Alta’s home he ran across bim, Nixy had heard of the killing of Red Mart and of the arrest of Stirrup Steve for the crime, He shook his head When Phosion asked bim if he believed the young man guilty, and that was as far as he would go. *“You’ve been everywhere, Nixy,” said the red-beard, ‘‘ You ought to know how the earth looks underneath Ragged Robin,” “T know,” grinned the one-eyed man, bis single optic glowing with delight, “* But you don’t know how to get to the Devil’s Tunnel only by way of the mine,” Nixy looked at Phocion as if he thought he was being drawn into some sort of trap, but when he found that the red-beard was in earnest he _ ¢eame closer and lowered his voice. ‘“‘T know another road toit. L am the only a: living person who knows it and I have never told ang one.” ‘ oy ° it. ie OT ag { , Here was the very information Phocion want- ed, but would Nixy consent to give it to him? The meeting ended in the one-eyed agreeing to take Phocion to the secret trail and not long ufterward they were going toward the moun- tain, Some distance from the mouth of the mine the madman raised a large stone disclosing an open- ing in the earth and looking up into Phocion’s face he told him that by dropping fifty feet be would land on a level with the floor of the tun- nel, ‘Tl go down,” said the red-beard. ‘‘ But when were you there last?” ‘* Not for more than a year,” was the reply, ‘fand see, Captain Phocion, no one has come up out cf this hole for the suil hasn’t been disturbed,” Phocion bad already noticed this and bis heart for a moment sunk within him, But he repeated his resolve to go into the tunnel though he did not disclose bis motive. Nixy ran back to camp and procured a long rope which was strong enough to bear the tainer’s weight and he saw the body of Phocion go down into the gaping bole, Obeying the miner, Nixy drew off to watch for his return, and with his nefr¥es! on tension, Phocion went hand over band dowti/thé cord and stopped at last on a stone floor, ) }/sv 66 He found himself in a tunnel! Whict) was full of foulair against which he had pri&eid&dbbefore de- scending, and in a little time’He# #as groping along the wall on his right, néwhéthen feeling near the ground as if in search of sometbing sup- posed to be there, All at once Phocion stopped with a cry and stood still, His feet had touched sometbing, ‘*It is Eagle Ned, just as I suspected,” he said to himself, ‘I bave found tke boy.” Filled with emotion, the red-beard leaned against the wall, nct strong enough to strike a lig!.t, and look at the object lying at his feet. At last he stooped again and put down his hand. It touched a beard as rough as bis own, ‘This isn’t Ned after all!” he cried, ‘*The tunnel is inhabited by a dead man,” His match showed bim the face which had startled Eagle Ned, and holding it near the eyes he gazed at the strangely preserved face of the victim of a crime, ‘* Whar bave I seen a face like this one?” said Phocion. ‘*There is something familiar about it. Hol itis the face of the man who drifted into Eagle Buttes when I was there, nearly a year ago. He said he was looking for a missing child and I remember bow they laughed at bim and gave bim shelter, believing him a man some- what out of bis head, ‘This is the same face—I know it is,” Phocicn inspected the whole length of the tunnel avd wound up in front of the stone wall which the hands of some one unknown to him had built, ‘' The mine is out yonder,” said he, ‘This is the door the trowels of the Camp Spiders made, This is a mystery, sure enough. Hagle Ned slid not have a rope when he came to the mine with The Count, but he isn’t bere and the mouth of the tunnel is walled up.” The more Phocion tried to sulve the mystery the deeper it grew and he at last gave it up in despair. By and by he went back to the man lying in the dark ana once more looked down into bis face. He looked into his pockets, but found nothing. He bad not seen the stranger in camp and did not know before that in his wanderings he bad come to Ragged Robin. When he dis- covered the dagger wound in the neck he felt that the hand which bad killed Lazarus and Red Mort also finished this person, Phocion went up the rope by the help of the wall and appeared suddenly to Nixy on the watch, The one-eyed man had seen vo one and the coast being clear they returned to camp, Wheu Nixy asked Phocion how he liked the Devil’s Tunnel, the latter shook his bead but said nothing. Tbe mystery of the dead man whose grave was the tunnel itself was as deep as ever and when Phocion went back to bis cabin he sat down and thought over his adventure, " > last be put out the light, but did not go to ed, **T can’t get the dead man in the tunnel out of my head,” he muttered. ‘‘ He was killed for something. When I saw him in Eagle Buttes he was as poor as Lazarus, though he said he was richer than they supposed; but we thought that meant nothing.” : There came toward the shanty from the street a figure that bad the gliding motions of a panther, It was, however, the figure of a man, and as it neared the shanty, it crept along the ground unseen as yet by Phocion, who was seat- ed in the dark trying to solve what to him was av impenetrable puzzle, : Nearer and nearer to the door glided the figure, In one band, firmly clutched, and lying along the sleeve of a dark coat, lay a knife, the blade of which was so well hidden that it reflected no light from the stars, It was dtawn back asif for a blow, and when the other band of the man touched the latch of Phocion’s door, he wound his fingers about the hilt of the blade with more firmness than before. Just then the red-beard heard a sound, the first one telling bim that some one was outside, He rose and crossed the floor, but the next moment there was a loud report and something fell against the door, and seemed to sink to the ground beneath it. Startled by the shot, Phocion ran to the por- tal and opened it. In the starlight lay the figure of a man, a man with a mask over bis face, and Phocion, stand- ing there and looking down at the form, felt that his life had been saved, No one came forward to acknowledge the shot, no person ran up to see how true it bad been, and though Phocion looked and listened, nothing rewarded him, He bent over the man and lifted the mask, Then he saw the knife gripped by bands that would never wield it again, and looking up he silently thanked his unknown friend, ‘‘It is Durango Dave,” said Phocion, ‘‘ He came hither with evil intent. They want my blood and—” He looked across the Plaza, and saw three men running toward the shanty. They seemed to have emerged from Black Burt’s, and he saw that they were men attached to Jack Jargo and his fortunes, ‘‘ What is this?—a dead man at your door, Phocion?” they cried, balting before the red- beard, who looked at them with an expression of amazement. ** You see bim as I found him just now. It is Durango Dave. Some one shot him, and be fell where he lies, with the knife in bis band.” The three looked at one another astonished, and then at the man so quiet on the ground, ‘“Are you sure you don’t know who shot him?” one of them asked, ; ‘‘T don’t know. I was inside when I| beard the shot, and when I came out I saw no one.” ‘“Thatv’s a queer story, don’t ycu know, Pho- cion?” “Tt is the truth,” The lips of the speaker shut bard and em- phatically bebiod bis words, The three turned and went back toward the saloon, leaving Phocion alone with the dead, The miner seerued to know what that silent re turn meant. They would come again, and there would be more of them, They were Durango Dave's friends; they hated bim (Pbocion), and they would not let any one believe, not it they could help it, the story be bad told of the shoot- ing at bis door, } Vbat should he do? He might flee,to the mountains and escape the charge and arraign- ment which he felt would surely come, but that would be tbe act of a coward, and Alta would be left alone, i When Phocion looked again toward Black Burt’s, be saw fully twenty men advancing across the Square, He eyed them without a quiver; not a muscle moved in fear, When they came up and looked at the man at his feet, their leader said: “We arrest you for the murder of Durango Dave.” you CHAPTER X. THE TRAP THAT CAUGHT—NOTHING, PRAGGED RosBIN laughed at the detense Pho- cion made, The Count who heard of the arrest soon after it had been effected, came out of ube palace and looked at the prisoner who bad been es-orted to the bar-room and arraigned for instant trial. Stirrup Steve was not forgotten in the new events, and when the Spiders of Ragged Robin surged into the saloon and looked at the calm Pbhocion standing against the bar covered by balf a dczen revolvers, they were not long de- manning bis life. Presently there appeared at the open door a face which was seen by half a dozen miners at ence, It was the face of Alta and when she saw Phocion environed by the toughs and realized that with bim she «ould lose a firm friend, she almest sunk to the ground, — ; “ Exeort the girl back,” whispered Jack, to his nearest neighbor who went forward, but Alta a y ; vi -
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a od ~* oe, chen bcp i je rtm 28 — _“—_- “a. ed had entered the room and was making her way toward the condemned. ‘*T will answer for the innocence of Phocion,” said she, facing the mob for a moment. ‘t He says he did not kill Durango Dave and I know he did not,” ‘* You know it, eh, girl? Prove it,” Alta, seemed taken aback at this. She had seen nothing of the shgoting and realized that her words would not go far unless substantiated, Color left her cheeks and she turned to The Count whose eye she caught, “You must go home, Alta,” said Jack, in kindly tones, ‘* This is no place for you,” ** Will you let Paocion go?” ‘*- Yes, when he proves bis innocence,” The eyes of the prisoner seemed to flash as he turned his gaze upon the man who had spoken, They stood face to face and whi'e Phocion looked he thought of the dead man in the tunnel, It was on his lips to ask the nabob if he knew how that body came there, but he held his tongue. “You are not guilty, Phocion?” cried Alta, ‘* Let me hear from your own lips that you did not kill Durango Dave.” ‘¢ Girl, I never killed any one,” said the -red- beard solemnly. ‘ Before Heaven, I will swear it,” and bis bronzed hand went up and he sent a calm look toward tbe ceiling. ** Won't you believe it now?” and Alta looked atthe mob, ‘‘ Won’t you believe what Phocion swears to? None of you saw him shoot Durango Dave. The man was found dead at Phocion’s door with a dagger inhishand, What took him thither? Was it a mission of peace? You do not answer me, Men of Ragged Robin, you cannot.” The mien of the young ‘girl seemed to abash some of the roughs of thecamp. They looked at one another and their rage seemed to fade when the voice of Jack was heard, ‘*The man must prove his innocence,” he said. ‘He must sbow that he did not shoot Durango Dave~-” * He will show it if you will give him time.” Phocion confirmed with a nod the answer Alta had given, ““T will prove it. Give me time, and I will prove to the satisfaction of all that the blood of the dead is not on my bands,” ** How much time?” ‘* Twenty-four bours.” The Count silently consulted the faces before bim and said: “* We will give you ten.” ‘Take it, Captain Phocion,” cried Alta. ** Take it and I will help you.” ** 1] accept,” said the red-beard. ‘It is all the time you will give me, but I take it.” ‘*The man is free,” answered the nabob, ‘ He will have the freedom of the camp, but if he at- tempts to quit it he will be killed on sight. Tie man who killed Durango Dave is in Ragged Robin. Find him for us if you can.” The Count’s look told Phocion that he was not expected to be successful, and as be turned to go out, with Alta looking up into his face, the brow of Jack Jargo grew dark, and he s9on followed the pair. ** Well, you have let the wolf go,” said Selina, - when the nabob entered the palace and appeared suddenly to her. **You have given him the knife that will cut your thread of life.” ‘“* How, woman?” demanded Jack. ‘‘ Don’t you see that the enemy of the Spiders killed Durango Dave? Can’t you see also- that Pbhocion will leave no stone unturned in his search for the slayer? I told you to crush this man who talks so much, but instead a man, one of your men, falls dead at his door, This is the beginning of the end,” ‘* Pish! I hold the camp under my hand. I have but to press it down to crush all who are not with me.” : “What are you going to do with Stirrup Steve?” : ““T herve told you before. He is in the hands of the court, Don’t think that because you think something of bim I am going to let bim slip out of the toils,” The look Selina gave Jack was as dark as night, but sbe did not speak. “Where is the boy?” suddenly asked The Count. Selina glanced toward wWoodles’s room ere she retired and Jack was alone. ; Entering a chamber to the right of the ball he touched a bell which sent its clear tones throughout the house and in a_little while there were footsteps on the steps. Jack watched the door and when it opened admitting the figure of the half-breed boy with the queer at the geze ot the mountain naboh fell upon m. Nee eee ‘*You have heard, eh, Doodles?’ said Jack, **'You know that another man is dead?’ The boy nodded, ‘** You know that Phocion the man who growls is in the toils. We have given him ten hours in which to find the person who killed Durango Dave, but the time will baffie bim, He can’t find the killer, Doodles, because it was his own work,” The youth said nothing. He was looking at the bandsome man at the table and appeared to see something in Jack’s face he had not noticed before, ** Doodles,” suddenly said Jack, ‘‘ which way does the trail leading from the main Comanche camp run?” It was a trap to catch the boy—a trick to test the truthfulness of the story he had told op coming to Ragged Robin, The face of the boy did not quiver. He looked into the eyes of the man before him and answer- ed promptly. ‘Tf you would travel it and never quit it you ary reach the cold lakes of the north,” be said. “Itruns north eb?” laughed Jack. ‘‘ That’s true, I guess. You used to have fine times in camp?” ‘‘Fine times with the Comanche boys of my own age,” ‘* Who was chief then?” **Old Colchise.” ** And his son’s name?” ** Colchise had no son.” Under his mustache Jack Jargoseemed to bite bis lips, ‘*T guess that’ll do, Doodles,” he replied and as the boy turned away he suddenly struck the table and cried out; ‘Justa minute. They say ycu haven't talked Comanche since coming to Ragged Robin. Give me a little of the lingo.” For a moment the face of Doodles paled, and the cunning questioner seemed to score a tri- umph, But the next moment a war-whoop rung through the room, and Doodles was hurling at him a lot of choice Indian invectives which near- ly lifted Jack’s hair. ‘*By Jove! you'll do,” he said, ‘I guess you’re as good as a full-blooded Indian.” The boy bounded from the room and ran up- stairs, hen heentered his room he stopped, and threw one hand to his heart, as if some sud- den stroke was about to send him to the floor. “TI don’t want any more of that,” be said. ‘*That man has the cuaning of a fox and bis trap was Set to catch a fool,” As for Jack, he was looking into the face of his sister who bad appeared unable to account for the wild whoop which sbe had beard, “T was only testing the boy,” smiled Jack. ‘That whoop was a genuine Comanche yell, and I don’t wonder that it frightened you, as you’ve beard something like it before now.” Selina colored and then turned white, Bp you satisfied with your test?” she que- ried, **T ought to be. I thought Old Colchise and his band bad burst into the room.” ““ Well, ’'ve been robbed,” said Selina, ** Robbed? Robbed of what?” ‘One of the pearls bas been taken from the necklace.” She came forward, drawing from her bosom a necklace of pearls which she extended, and Jack took it from her bands. “One is missing, I have counted them a bundred times since it came into my ion. I counted them a week ago, and lately I brought it back from the mine and deposited it in my cabinet. Ihave been robbed.” ‘“*But by whom?” A spark of fire seemed to dart from the eyes that looked down into the nabob’s face, ‘* Why not by that young serpent up-stairs?” cried Selina, ‘I tell” you be is a spirit of evil. He has been out and on your trail when you thought bim asleep in his nest, I believe he has opened the cabinet and robbed me.” ‘*T think not, I don’t believe Doodles would do a thing of that kind, I—” “You don’t? Let me go up and face bim. I don’t like one hair of his head. Let me search his room,” “No,” said Jack firmly, ‘‘ Whatever you do, you sha’n’t do that,” Selina gave him another look, and replacing the necklace, swept from the room in towering rage. Doodles had bad another narrow escape, CHAPTER XI. THE REVEALMENT- WHEN Fhocion walked from the saloon with Eagle Ned, the Boy on Guard. ten hours of grace before bim, he was silent and thoughtful, The mystery connected with the shooting of Durango Dave was one which he could not solve, It told him that he had a friend in camp, but whbo was he? The miner went home and shut bimself up in his cabin, He had ten hours in which to find the slayer of his intended assassin, and knew that they had been granted by the Camp Spiders because they thought his hunt would be fruit- less, He wondered what Alta thought. The girl believed him innocent of the charge of murder, but she was nearly powerless to afford bim any assistance, and the outlook was very dark, Still Phocion did not despair, but when he looked the situation fairly in the face, he was compelled to acknowledge that it was noi very promising. He was not long discovering that a watch had been set on bis shanty, ihat he was under the es- pionage of some keen eyes, and be knew what it meant, He was to be b: filed in his search for the slayer, and the Spiders bad marked him for a victim. Suddenly a strange noise came to his ears, and springing to the back part of the hut, Phocion placed his ear close to the logs, For a moment he beard nothing, then a slight noise attracted bis attention, and he saw a hand appear between two logs where the plastering was scant, In the band was a bit of paper which the miner seized with alacrity, ana as the hand vanished he turned to his lamp and read as follows: “Come to the old Cat’s:paw Mine as soon as you read this. Don’t delay a moment; it is important,” Phocion looked up with a puzzled expression of countenance, What did it mean? Was it a trap set for him by his enemies, and was he to feel the Ceadly sting of the Spiders in the heart of the old bonanza? “T will go, come what may,” said tbe red- beard, ‘I will see who is at the bottom of this conspiracy, and if they are there, they sball bave a desperate fight for victory.” Phocion armed himself and set out, He thought be had avoided the bronzed tigers on his track, and in a little time found himself in the mine mentioned by the writer of the mysterious note. He had been there before. Once be had owned some sbares in the Cat’s-paw, but they bad yielded him nothing, and he bad let them 0. ‘ All at once Phocion fell back against the dark wall and, revolver in hand, listened for a repeti- tion of the sound which had greeted bis ears, , ‘* Phocion?” said a voice, The red-beard started forward, for there was a familiar sound to tbe voice, In anotber moment he was almost thrown backward by the surprise be received, “T can’t hide myself any longer, Phocion,” continued the person who had spoken, ** I would do wrong to hide from a friend like you,” ‘* Eagle Ned!” cried theold miner, and then he stopped, fearing that he had spoken a name whieh he should bave kept back. But in the ligbt of the little torch which had been stuck into a crevice in the wall he was look- ing into the face of Doodles, the half-breed boy. The face of Doodles, but the eyes and voice of Eagle Ned! It was a startling revelation. For a moment the youth smiled at the miner’s surprise and then drew nearer, saying in bis old tones: ‘**I have been playing it on you, Phocion, all this time. I bave been playing spy in the web of the Spiders, but the time has come for me to declare myself.” ‘‘You must be careful; but, pshaw! a boy who can play it on Jack Jargo need not to be advis- ed. You have been dead to me for days, How did you get out of the Devil’s Tunne)?” Eagle Ned, as we may call him once more, smiled and Jaid his band on Phocion’s sleeve. _ “Tt was by theskinof my teeth and just in time,” he said, ‘* When I found him, I mean the man who inhabits the tunnel, I was nearly ready to succumb tothe foul air of the dismal hole, but with a great effort { managed to run for- ward and reached the mouth of the tunnel just in time to save my own life. I fell forward and on the outside of the opening, and after awhile made my way from the mine. I knew that I was believed to bein the tunnel by the man whom I followed tothe spot. Iwas the com- paniou of the dead, and, to all intents and urposes, dead myself, What was to be done? To go back and tell what I bad discovered would be to draw the web of Spiders about me and fall a victim to the sting of the clan, I was resolved to turn half-breed. This was notso difficult a ote,
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transformation as you might think, Phocion. | Loug ago I spent some months with tie friendly Comanches and learned much about them, I[ went to the mountain and cut my own hair, [I | dyed my skin, already almost dark enough for my purpose, and came back Doodles, the child | of the lodge. ‘*T was afraid to encounter you and Alta, neither did I lige to look Stirrup Steve im the face for he has such keen eyes, but after awhile | | sion something tells me that lam not far from | triumph,” Not only that, | I mustered up courage enough forthe play in hand and threw my first card. Tomy jvy and surprise I was unrecognized. but [ became an inmate of The Count’s house and fell under Selina’s ban just as I thought 1 would. That woman has the nature of a tigress. More than once, when she thought me sound asleep, I have seen her bending over me, the eyes that shine in her head brighter than ever and her fingers wound around the hilt of a long dagger, She is an outcast. Some years agoshe was van- ished from Chiquita, a town across the border, for a crime which would not have prevented her from finding a noose and a handy tree. I have heard Jack who knows all about the murder threaten to send her back to justics.” ‘*It’s a wonder Selina did not suspect you,” said the listening Puocion, ‘**T half-believe she did. When Jack himself catechised me and asked me to give him a speci- men of the Comanche language, I was stumped for a second, and thought the expose had come. But I gave bim wuat f knew, tur 1 ba’ caught some words from the Indians during my stay amoug them, and to my great relief it satisfied him. But the next minute Selina came in and accused me of robbivg her of one of the pearls of a wonderful necklace she has in her posses- sion.” ‘* Not to your face, Ned?” “No. She wanted to come up-stairs and search my room. The pearl was even then on my person, as itis now. She might bave found it and she might not. I would probably have swallowed it, for I listened on the stair and heard the talk between ber and Jack.” Eagle Ned drew from bis bosom a little leathern pocketbook, which he opened in Pho- cion’s presence, and in a moment the eyes of the miner were gazing at the pearl mentioned by the boy. He took it in his hand and ex- amined it closely in the light of the torch, then looked at Ned for an explanation, “T have not been idle, Phocion. I know who owned that necklace once, It encircled the neck of my baby sister.” **This necklace, boy?” cried Phocion. ‘ You must be out of your head,” “Not quite that far gone,” smiled the boy. **T have not picked up any misleading clews. | have kept my eyes and ears open in the house of thenabob, I have looked in certain places when neither Jack nor bis tiger sister werein. I have found the note-book of the man who lies dead in the Devil’s Tunnel.” ‘* Where did you find it?” “Tn the palace. It was hidden away and had never been destroyed. It telis a strange story, so strange that I wondered if it could be true, while [ read it in the secret parts of the mines, Joshua Meeks tells the story of a cbild strangely stolen years ago. it must have been a long time since, for there is notbing to fix the date exactly. He constituted himself a trailer and set out to find the lost one. He noted down the incidents of his quest until a few days before the date which I found ip the hand of the dead man in the tunnel, This sounds like a romance, eh, Phocion?” “T am ready to believe anything now,” was the miner’s answer. ‘‘ Go on.” ‘* Joshua Meeks had on his person when he came to this region the necklace which 1 found in Selina’s room, and from which I took the pearl in your hani now. No one seems to have seen the child-hunter in Ragged Robin: he must have been discovered by his foe before any one could meet him, and he went to the tunnel.and died, My sister had a necklace just like this one, Mother has told me so a thousand times, and it has been the main clew of my quest. I did not want to rob Selina of the whole necklace; that would have thrown me at once into the web and exposed me and my escape from the tunnel which, shortly after [ left it, was walled up by The Count’s men,” For some time after Eagle Ned’s story Phocion looked down into the face revealed by the light and then said: “You know the situation lamin, You must know, coming from the very web of the Spiders, as you do, that I have ten bours in which to un- earth the slayer of Durango Dave,” “Tt shall be done witbin the given time,” said 7) d. Eagle Ned, the Boy on Guar Eagle Ned. ‘Don’t let Phocion,” ‘*Do you know who did the deed? It saved my life and I owe the shooter a great deal.” It seemed to the red-beard of Ragged Robin that a smile came to the eyes of tue youth and | that be looked wise as he regarded bim. ** Let us combine to break the power of the Camp Spiders,” continued Ned, “Iam on the trail of the lost and with tbe peurl in my posses- ‘*Do you believe your sister lives?” ‘“* Why not?” “T knew the time when you accounted her | dead,” ‘* That is true, behind rhe life of his tiger sister, lies the secret, It is dangerous work, | know, my life won’t be worth that,” and the boy suap- ped his fingers in Phocion’s face. “Then, for heaven’s sake, be cautious,” was the response, ‘If Iam in the shadow of death, I have found you again and am happy.” CHAPTER XII. A JUMP FOR LIFE, EAGLE NED, no longer Doodles, went back to the palace, He entered the house with feelings which. had not animated his bosom before. He stopped a momept on the stair and listened, but heard nothing. ‘*The lair of the tiger seems deserted,” said he to himself, ‘‘I don’t see the eye of the tigress, nor hear the laugh of the man with the ten mines, Captain Jack could not have retired, for ona night of this kind he would not sleep, but, cat-like, would be wide awake waiting for an opportunity to send his claws into the throat of some victim,” Thé boy spy passed to his room and stood at the window awhile. He did not know that he had been followed, but a form stealing across the Plaza that very moment told that be had been seen. Presently Eagle Ned heard the shutting of a door and there came up the steps a footfall not quite light enough to escape bis keen ears, Throwing bimself hastily on the couch he feigned slumber and saw a figure human in out- lines glide into the chamber. It crossed the floor and came toward him, Tbat it was the figure of Selina he saw at once and when she stopped and bent over him with fire in her eyes, he trembled’ for his own safety. ‘*The tigress is here for a purpose,” thougbt the boy. ‘*She may be looking for the lost pearl, but I guess it is safe enough—for the pre-ent, at least.” Selina passed her silken hand underneath the boy’s pillow, but found nothing. She then look- ed through the clothes he bad discarded, but with the same result, He heard her breathing hard while she search- ed; he saw how intense was the gleam of her ti- gerish eyes, and felt that the slightest movement would seal his doom. At last Selina rose and looked at lim. For a moment she stood over him resembling a vulture abont to pounce upon a victim, but all at once she swept from the room, When she had departed Eagle Ned sprung from his couch and ran to the door, She was at the bottom of the steps and was talking to a man there, I could not heip coming to-night, however late the hour, You may not thank me for what I know, but I have news for you, Selina, I have made a discovery,” ‘* What is it, Redbolt?” ‘It is about the ~~, you an’ Jack have been sheltering all along. You don’t know who you've got in the house,” There was @ moment’s sileuce during which the heart of the boy overhead seemed to stand still. ‘* What do you know about bim? Out with it.” Selina was impatient. ‘+ He’s Eagle Ned,” “‘ That boy?” “That very boy,” was the emphatic an- swer. ‘‘I know, for I saw enough to-night to convince me,” ** What did you see?” ‘“T saw him and Phocion go down toa mine, one ata time. The boy went first. I followed Phocion, pulling my boots at the door, an’ when I entered a cricket could not have heard me. I heard the whole story of the boy’s bunt for the lost sister. It was Ned’s story to a dot—the that bother you, | Behind the mask of the nabob, | If I am suspect- | ed of being Eagle Ned by Jack and his Spiders, same one we used to hear in the saloon. tiave | you missed anything?” | Selina must have started, from the exclama- tion that fell from her lips. ‘*How do you know I have?’ she cried, ‘* Who told you that I have been robbed?” ‘*T have listened to the robber’s confession,” ‘* Did the boy do it?” ‘‘ Hagle Ned, or Doodles, as you call him, took toe pearl. Why? Because he thinks ‘t came from the necklace suce worn by bis sis- ’ / | | : ter.” | In the stillness that followed this revelation Ned thought that the very floor was sinking be- neath bim, | ‘| thank you, Redbolt. You have brought something important. 1 will attend to the rest.” The man seemed to linger at the door, “You'll think something of me now, won't | you, Selina?” he queried, | ‘* Yes, yes; only go away and let me attend to the rest,” ‘* Good-night,” spole the miner and the door was shut, Eagle Ned realized the peril that menaced him, He knew that the exposure bad come, that he was unmasked at last, for Redbolt had told the the truth, though he could hardly believe that he and Phocion had been shadowed to the mine, He drew back and closed nis door softly. He locked it and crossed the room. Outside there were many shadows and the figure of Redbolt had vanished across the Square. ‘“‘Tt is out of the web and fight, or remain and perish like a rat in a trap,” he said. ‘Outside I will have a chance, but here nove at ail,” He raised the sash and looked down af the ground, It did not seem far, indeed it was but a few feet, but a jump was risky, still some- thing desperate had to be done, Eagle Ned could imagine the tigress body of Selina stealing up the stairs to carry out her latest resolve; be thonght he heard her silken footfalls, and alk at once he crawled over the sill and hung for an instant along the house, Letting his bold go, Eagie Ned dropped to the ground and alighted safely. Failing back, he caught his breath and waited to see if bis escape had been discovered. No sound broke the silence following the jump for life. He looked across the Plaza and saw the lights in Black Burt’s den; heard the sounds of the playing there, and saw at last the tall, well known figure of Jack come out and go toward the palace. Eagle Ned sprung from the shadow of the house and’ran off. He looked back at the death- trap, but saw nothing of Selina,” In anuther minute be was at the door of Pho- cion’s shanty. A rap was not answered; the old miner in the web wus not in, Ned turned and looked toward Alta’s house. He saw it silent among the shadows of the street, and then bounded thither, The girl came to the door, her face white and startled, but something seemed to tell ber who her visitor really was, ** Alta, Lam Eagle Ned,” The girl uttered a shigbht cry. “You have been Doodles, Your voice has sounded familiar to me, and 1 bave even thought that you might be Ned. What is the matter? | Are you bunted?’ ‘IT bave been unmasked by Redboltand Seiina knows the secret. That means that it will soon be in the hands of the Camp Spiders, They will look not for Doodles now, but for Eagle Neu, and my hunt will endif they find me before lam ready to strike,” ‘* You ready to strike in this nest of villains?” said Alta, bending over the boy and vatcbing bis eye as if she did not believe him more whan balf sane, “Tam going tostrike, There is much to be done. Stirrup Steve must be taken out of the shadow of the noose, Phocion is there, coo, end you, Alta, are marked for a life which would age you long betore your time,” “That I already know, for Captain Jack has played his first card, though I met it as bravely as t eould.” **T don’t want to get you into trouble, Alta, [ won't, There are biding-places where I will be safe—places safer for me tban the Devil's Tunnel. Keep the secret of my identity, thoug} it will not be a secret long in hip 9 Robin, ; will have the camp against me. It is under hand of [he Count—” “Not all of it,” interrupted the girl. don’t know what has passed within the ie 9. hours, else you would not have said that. his is mutiny at last—mutiny against the rub Itg oat o ‘ i
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tu th. the the slayer of Durango Dave on which depended figu: ** own existence. Eagle Ned, the Boy on Guard. ef nabob, The men who don’t want to see the Camp Spiders sting them to death have met and plan- ned; but it isan unequal fight, They are still in session.” ‘““ Where?” eagerly asked the boy. ‘In the heart of Prince Phil’s mine—the Merry Mixer.” Ned drew back, ‘‘'You may be seen going thither, They will have sentinels out, and as Doodles, you will not be allowed to approach the spot.” ‘But I am Doodles no longer.” **T know that, but before you could tell them so the deed might be done, and the sentinels would feel that they had killed a spy.” Eagle Ned assured Alta that be was able to take care of himself, and five minutes later be was creeping through the shadows of the sban- ties to the mine she had named, He knew where the Merry Mixer was, He knew all the trails leading to the mines that made money forthe toughs of Ragged Robin, and when he found himself near the mouth of the one he sought, be avoided the dark figure that pa- trolled it and glided into the depths of the old bonanza. Down the corridor went the flitting figure of the boy spy. He was looking for the meeting-place of the mutineers, and when he stopped and listened to hear the hum of voices, be felt that Alta bad not guided him wrong. A glimmer of light ahead showed the boy the group of stern men who were resolving not to submit to the rule of the man with a dark past. lt was worth their very lives to meet there and talk against the nabob of Ragged Robin. He owned ten mines, and the men who worked them and piled gold-dust at bis feet were his slaves, and some of them were the deadly Spiders of the Black Mesa. Eagle Ned crept on and crouched just witbout the rim of light thrown out by the torch, He bided his time. He saw the men at work, heard their curses against the boss of the camp, and when be beard the name of Doodles mentioned as included in the list of enemies of law and or- der, be sprung forward and halted in their midst, Twenty revolvers clicked around him; as many hands were thrust out to jerk him within a cir- cle of death when, throwing up his hand, he cried out: ‘*T am Eagle Ned! I hold the secret which more than condems the nabob of the camp!” The next instant every revolver bad dropped. CHAPTER XIII. A FRIGHTENED TOUGH, THE mutineers of the Black Mesa looked at one another as if in doubt of the truthfulness of the youth’s assertion, It did not seem possible to them that Doodles was Eagle Ned, Phocion’s protege. The boy had been missing so long and they bad heard the miner’s fears so often, that they were inclined to believe that a mine of deception bad been sprung upon them and that the boy had been sent among them by Jack Jargo for the purpose of finding out their plans and identity. Bat the boy was ready to prove his declaration and in a moment, as it were, had established it to the satisfaction of all. He narrated his adventures in the Devil’s Tun- nel and the last doubters believed, and by the time Ned bad reached the end of his narrative he was the hero of the hour, What if they were watched? What if some spy attached to The Count’s fortunes had follow- ed Ned to the mine and bad sneaked into it, as he had done? But the utmost scrutiny showed nothing of this and the mutineers went back to the plans interrupted by the youth’s arrival, There was a stern determination on the part of the mien to break the bold of the nabob on the camp. They realized now that Jack was at the head of the Camp Spiders and that. un- less their grip was soon broken, not only Pho- cion and Stirrup Steve, but others would fall under the deadly dagger. It was late when the conclave broke up, but Ned did not quit the mine. The others went out and glided back to their respective cabins there to wait for the signal which was to be sounded the coming day, Phocion was not among the men who met in the mine, He was at work trying to discover The red-beard thought he name ,ald guess the slayer, but he said nothing while him. 5 saw the allotted time wear away with the nystery unsolved, Captain Jack had heard of the message brought to the palace by Redbolt, one of Selina’s ardeut lovers, Hissister had met him at the threshold and told him what a serpent they had been harboring, that Doodles had been unmask- ed and that he bad effected bis escaps, Jack listened with a strange smile at his lips. “Pll fix him,” he said, ‘Ill attend to this young snake,” ‘* When it is too late,” said Seline derisively. ** You would not let me search his room, but let him fool you with the Comanche war-whoop. See what has happened. He has discovered all he wants to know,” ‘** But he is powerless,” answered Jack. ** You forget that tae boy 1s in the midst of a campful of enemies,” ** He has Phocion for a friend.” ‘*Phocion is even now in the sbadow of death.” “ The girl will bide him if she can.” rie Selina of the tiger eyes hated Alta, the wal ** Don’t fear on that score,” said Jack. ** Noth- ing can save the boy spy. He is as good as out of the way now.” “But he has carried the pearl with him; he took away the one he stole from the necklace.” ‘* You've got enough without it,” Selina looked but said nothing, and the next minute Jack was alone, He glanced at bis watch and went out. Passing tbe door of Black Burt’s den he looked in, made a sign and a man came out, ‘*Look here, Toby,” said Jack, facing the fel- low whose skin was almost yellow, showing bis Greaser blood. ‘‘ We have unmasked a young spy. We have found out that Doodles is Eagle Ned,” Toby fell back amazed and stared at the face before him, ‘*'No, master, He lies in the Devil’s Tunnel.” ‘* We must sea, You shall pick a bole through the wall and go down and look for yourself, I diin’t more than half believe Selina, but she maintained that Doodles is Eagle Ned. Come” The pair went down to the mine, and ina short time Toby was tearing at the wall which had closed the mouth of the tunnel, Captain Jack stood by and watched the pro- ceedings with much interest. He saw piece after piece of the masonry yield to Toby’s skill, and when a hole large enough to admit the body ofa man had been made, he motioned for Toby to go in. Down the tunnel glided the man with the torch, He was socn lost sight of, but Jack saw the gleam of the light and knew that his man was On important ground, Suddenly a loud cry came from the depths of the tunnel, and in a little while the figure of Toby, hair erect and eyes on the stare, came into view, He almost fel] at the feet of the nabob, and when Jack caught bim by the collar and de- mauded to know what he bad seen, he stammered something the camp boss could not understand. ‘* He is alive!” cried Toby. ‘** Alive, man? Impossible!” “*T mean the stranger who went into the tun- nel nearly a year ago.” Jack’s look became a blank stare. this could not be. “‘1 saw him lying on the ground as natural as when we left him tbere. If you don’t believe it go in and look for yourself.” “ But the boy” ‘* He isu’t in there.” * Be sure of that, Toby.” “Tam. I took my eyes with me into the tun- ne}. I lost sight of nothing.” ** But the man we left there can’t be living.” The frightened look had by this time left Toby’s eyes, and he began to see what a fool he had made of himself, He looked down into the tunnel, and at Jast volunteered to go back and take another look, This he did returning soon with another re- port concerning the tenant of the underground corridor, The man was dead, but the boy was ag there and he had gone to the end of the tun- nel, Captain Jack said nothing for a moment, **T don’t sea how it can be,” said Toby. ** You say you heard him fall with a cry?” “1 did,” ‘*T never knew any one to revive after inhal- ing such deadly gases, though if the boy fell on his face and thus kept them from his lungs, there might be a chance.” ‘*Then be found that chance and saved him- self. He is not here, but the other one is,” He knew ‘¢ The other one will remain.” Toby’s trowel went to work again and the mouth of the tunnel was walled up once more. When this had been done The Count and his map went back. Jack was silent, almost sullen, He seemed troubled over the escape of the bo and did not speak until they had reached Toby’s shanty. } “What have you against the boy, captain?” asked the miner, looking at Jack, These two men had been friends a long time. They had few secrets between each other for danger had Jinked them together and Toby knew the nabob long before the date of our story. Captain Jack seemed to think before he an- swered the man who was eying him like an eagle. “ What have I against him, Toby?” he said at last. ‘‘I don’t see why it need be a secret from you. That boy will be the doom of both of us if permitted tu play out the game he has inaugu- rated, He is positively dangerous.” ‘But he’s but a boy,” sneered Toby. ‘A young lion and dangerous because of his youth, He is looking for a sister who was spirited away years ago, almost before be knew her, Toby, did it ever strike you that the man in the Devil’s Tunnel might, in a manner, be connected with the fortunes of Eagle Ned?” Toby shook his head. ‘There is a huk that unites those two,” con- tinved Jack, ‘* You may not see it, but I do.” “Who was that man?” ‘A straggler—a man who had roamed all over the country and who bad a tale of woe strange- ly like Eagle Ned’s. He was Joshua Meeks; he had been a wanderer for years and was not as poor as he was thought,” ‘* But no gold was found on him.” ‘“-You are right; no gold was found on his person. He went to his fate like a sheep to the slaughter-pen, When be died in the heart of the Red Rattlesnake be left behind nothing which the keenest eye of the boy could discover, However, he was the keeper of a secret. He was absolutely rich.” ‘You never told me this before.” ‘‘Because there was no need for telling it, said Jack. ‘* Toby, we have been friends a long time. You bave never been rewarded for what service you bave given me. Ask for the reward now,” Tne snake-like eyes of Toby seemed to glitter. He looked at The Count and grinned. ‘You won't give me what | ask for,” he said. “Try me.” ‘* Then I'd like to become the busband of Se- Jina,” Captain Jargo laughed. It was not a derisive laugh, but ove that teld a good deal. He would give his tiger sister to this man; be would make her the bride of Toby, the bronzed slave, and thus keep her under his thumb, ‘*She is yours, Toby,” he said. this hour is your affianced.” The man sprung up and seized Jack’s hand, “She might bave a say in this,” he cried, ** But I will bring her around,” “How, Toby? ‘If she refuses me, I will threaten to take her back to Chiquita.” ** That will clinch the affair. go back there,” Thus the hand of Selina, the nabob’s sister, was bestowed upon the ambitious Toby, but Se- lina herself was apt to have something to say before the carrying out of the compact. ” ‘* Selina from She will never CHAPTER XIV. THE START OF A THUNDERBOLT. WueEN morning came many an eye was turned upon Phocion’s sbanty, and the Spiders of Rag- ged Robin wondered what he bad discovered, if anything. His ten hours of grace were nearly up, and the sun, creeping over the granite bills of Arizona, told the men of the camp that Phocion was nearer the noose than he had ever been, ; When the tall figure and red beard were seen to emerge from the cabin, the toughs who be- longed to the nabob’s faction looked at one an- other and smiled. They saw Phocion come toward Black Burt’s saloon likea man walking into a trap, and when he had entered, they surged after him, Not one thought for a moment that he would defy the camp. What could be dof It was Phocion against the banded toughs, and they thought that be might surrender, saying that he had been unable to discover the slayer of Durango Dave, The figure of Phocion balted at the long coun- ter, and he looked at the sea of dark faces be- fore bim, If he was looking for a friend, be did
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=~ # + RR weit tay of A ne * ¥7 aa av! TR agyaemen arene WY 27 ea ry 12 Eagle Ned, the Boy on Guar _ not seem to find him, for there was not a sym- pathetic face in the whole crowd. Phocion looked at his watch, and replaced ic in the pocket of bis buckskin vest. ‘*My time is not quite up,” said he. ‘‘ But I am ready to tell who killed Durango Dave,” A murmur of surprise ran through the gang and eye met eye in bewildering astonishment. “* He was sbot by Doodles,” continued the red- Fear beard. iy ‘*By Doodles, the half-breed?” cried half a fa. dozen voices, 4 ‘* By The Count’s protege,” coolly answered Phocion. ‘* Where is he?” The tall miner shook his head, ‘*You_ don’t know, eh, Phocion, and yet you accuse Doodles of the murder of Durango Dave!” The red beard dropped in acquiescence. ‘*Who told you that Dood!es killed Dave of Durango?” ‘** Doodles himself.” {€ The whole crowd laughed, Ps ** This is a story fit for the marines!” said : _ the giant who stood at the head of the mob, **It will do to tell ‘elsewhere, but not here, Phocion, We want proof of what you say. You must produce the culprit or the court will sit. There was a terrible meaning in the last words. The court of Ragged Robin was Cap- tain Jack’s creation; it was as much a creature of his will as the men who composed it, Pho- cion knew this, but be did not quailat the words he heard, ‘T can’t produce Doodles and I wouldn’t if 1 could,” he suddenly said, “You wouldn’t, eb?” **T wouldn’t!” How firmly behind the miner’s last words shut the lips that bad jus spok>! ‘Gentlemen, 1 have : vv my share of the work, You gave me teu bours in which to fiud the person who killed Durango Dave. I have found bim, It is for you to do the rest.” Han Phocion betrayed Eagle Ned to his foes? If he loved the boy, why had he. deliberately eharged hi n with this horrid crime? 1t looked like treachery of the basest sort. Phocion turned toward the door and walked forward, There was a movement to intercept him, but all at once he wheeled and covered the first rank with a six-shooter. His eyes fuir- ly glittered behind it and while he looked over v, the shining barrel those who watched him saw death in bis mien. ‘*Lam going out,” he said, ‘*Tbe man who ' follows me will never reach the sunlight alive, When you want me at your packed court you will find me ready,” Out of the door went Phocion with the tread ofa victor. He was seen to cross the Plaza bending his steps toward the cabin where Stir- rup Steve was confined. ‘He is going to rescue Steve!” went up from every side. Phocion did not halt until he reached the door. It was secured on the outside with cbain and > a and one of bis hands seized the fasten- ngs. A quick wrench and the lock had been *‘ picked,” and those who looked at the defier ‘saw the door thrown open. “‘ Steve?” called Phocion, and there came out - -~ figure of Alta’s friend—the man accused of the murder of Red Mart, the secoad victim of the Spider’s stin; . sa ‘* This is mutiuy of the basest sort,” roared a a voice, and all saw advancing across the Square the form of Jack Jargo, his bat thrown back, / and his long hair dangling in the wind on his shoulders, * Call it what you will,” said Phocion, looking at The Count. ‘1 call it mutiny, too—mutiny against the accursed power of the Camp Spi- ders. A man can die but once, and if he falls resisting oppression he will have died a victor,” Jack stopped in the midst of the astonished men of the mountain camp. He glared at them with the malignity of a tiger, and then covered Phocion and Stirrup Steve with his hand. ‘* Forward! cried, ’ Not aman moved, It might have been the revolver firmly gripped by the dark band of _ Phocion that held them back, or it might have | been the figure moving with swift strides toward the but, ; _ _ All recognized Alta—Alta, the mountain waif. Jack saw the girl and his brow ruffled. She had come between him and his victims once before, _ and bere she was again, __ Alta came on with her eyes riveted upon the ‘ way a hanes ta el " i ae aah 2's t) > hae. eee ra Arrest the two traitors!” he two men facing the sullen mob, and when near them she halted and looked toward Jack and the Camp Spiders, ‘‘ Neither of those men are guilty,” she said, ‘* Their bands are bloodless, In the first place, Red Mart died by the same hand that slew Laza- ” us. ‘* Who killed Lazarus?” cried some one in the crowd, The girl’s form seemed to bend forward, She met the eyes of Steve and Phocion and seemed to hesitate, “The Spiders killed them both,” she said at length, ‘‘ They felt the death sting of the insect, and died in their boots, Those men were marked; each carried on his breast a mark which was that of a band of Vigilantes that lived in a cer- tain camp which had spiders just like Ragged Robin, They wiped out the nest, or thought they did, but they were mistaken. One of the Spiders escaped; he lived through the deadly campaign inaugurated by the Vigilantes, The dagger that slew Red Mart and Lazarus was the dagger of the Spiders of the other mountain camp, It bas been transplanted here, Men of Ragged Robin, you are the slaves of the Spider of death; you are the tools of the wretch who would fasten upon the innocent the crime of murder,” There was no reply to these accusations, but all felt that one could have been made, Alta walked on to the doomed miners, but stopped at the loud voice of Captain Jack, ‘* What is it, Captain Jargo?” she asked, Those who looked at The Count saw him throw his hat to the ground and step forward. He looked a perfect Apollo in the sunlight and was the center of interest, ** The court shall sit at once!” hecried, ‘‘ The tribunal which takes cognizance of these things is convened for immediate session.” A smile of derision seemed to touch the white lips of the wonderfully coo] beroine. ‘Call the court together,” she said. Captain Jack did so and then turned toward the palace, They all saw bim walk back over the Plaza while the crowd, or the largest part of it, went to Black Burt's, The crisis in the history of Ragged Robin had come. It was the final struggle between the Camp Spiders and their enemies. In the minds of nearly all there could be but one ending of the fight. The Camp Spiders were all-powerful; they had for their chief a man whose cunning and strength were proverbial—a man schooled in the crimes of other camps and tbe secrets of other trails, Where was Eagle Ned? The men of the camp must have asked themselves this question while they went away to prepare for the session of the famous tribunal of the Black Mesa, Would he appear again on the scene? Or had he fled, be- trayed by Phocion who had taken him in and given him food and shelter? Alta and Stirrup Steve walked together to- ward the girl’s home thus telling all who saw them that they were more than friends. Dark looks followed the pair, who were followed by Phocion, whose figure seemed to have a _loftier stature and in whose eagle eyes shone a look of defiance and coolness, ; At the same time a boy was standing in the doorway of a mine the silent spectator, but at a distance from the scenes we bave just witnessed, Eagle Ned had come out of the Merry Mixer and was watching the scenes before bin), His eye tcok in everything; he saw the girl’s triumphand watched the form of Jack as it went back to the palace where he had slept in the gleam of Selina’s dagger, When the nabob had closed the door of his house bebiad him, Eagle Ned went back into the the mine and stood for a moment against the wall with shadows on every sicle, **T go out to win or lose,” he said, solemnly, **The time for the final fight bas come, The mutineers may lose courage when the test comes, but I must not, I have played this band in the. very shadow of death, I bave spied with the hand of doom over me; I have slept in tie nest of the Camp Spider and, my lost sister, all for vou! More than this: I have another mission. I told the dead in the tunnel that I would avenge the crime concealed there. Yes, Joshua Meeks, I will do this or perish by the Spiders of the Black Mesa!” ‘ And tbe uplifted hand of the boy spy fell to his side and he disappeared once more. — CHAPTER XV, A SHOT IN THE BONANZA, ‘*THE boy is somewhere, I would like to find him,” said Captain Jack when he had entered d, — the palace and faced a man whom he called to him, ‘** We will find him, captain,” ‘© Tt must be done,” The man departed and The Count was left alone. For some time he sat at the table, bis face cast in thought and silence in the room. By and’by there stole in the figure of Selina, and the moment the woman saw him she stop- ‘*- You have given me away, eb?” said Selina, The Count looked at her and saw a dangerous light iv ber vyes, ‘“*To be plain, I have found a husband for you,” he said atlast, ‘I thought it high time for you to bave a master, and so I found one. I have told Toby tbat you will become his wife.” Selina leaned toward the speaker, with a sin- ister smile at the corners of her mouth, “That is all right. You are very kind. Where is this future busband of mine?” * Do you want to see him?” ** Why not?” smiled Selina, ‘IT would like to see Toby. Shall I go out and find him?” The nabob of Ragged Robin hardly knew what to say. He did not like Selina’s looks. There was something about his sister which boded evil to his plans, and be almost wished that be had not rescued her from the fury of the mob across the border. “T will find him,” she wenton, “TI will go out and see Toby. But what have you done with the boy who stung you so?” “He will be in my hands ere long. I will have the whole camp on bunt of him, and he cannot escape,” ** When you bave fc und him, what?” *“ Never mind that, I will attend to that when we have captured him! ‘*Tt won’t be banishment, will it?” **It will be more than’tbat, but I won’t tell you any more now,” and with a wave of bis hand the boss of the camp dismissed Selina, who reluctantly retired, The court of the camp came together in the saloon where on more than one occasion pre- viously it had met and passea sentence on some offender, It was composed of men in The Count’s service, and all of them bad worn the mask of the Camp Spider. These were the men who were to pass sentence on Phocion and Stir- rup Steve, and before whom, when caught, Eagle Ned would be brought, But other events were transpiring in another art of the camp, events destined to have a earing on the session of tbe court, The men sent out to search for Eagle Ned were at work. They had resolved to look thrcugh tbe mines, and remembering the Merry Mixer, a lot of them entered it, and found in the dry dust near the entrance a footprint, which seemed to give them encouragement, Eagle Ned heard the voices of bis hunters and retired deeper into the bonanza. He knew that the cool nien of the camp, the merciless follow- ers of the fortunes of Jack Jargo, were at his heels, and it was not the proper time for him to appear on the scene and unmask the man he hated. : The men tracked him into the heart of the old mive and there met for consultation, There were six of them and they knew the interior of the mine pretty well. They had visited it on several occasions and when they found them- selves there, they resolved to prosecute the search until success crowned their efforts. Meanwhile, Ned, lying along a ledge in the dark, was watching the council being keld be- neath him, ‘ Presently the men started and listened, ** Some one is behind us,” said one, “* We have been followed, Can 1t be by the boy bimselt ?” Ned, too, had beard the footfall which came down the echoing corridor and all at once the figure of a girl burst into the light of the torch in the wall, P It was Alta, * “That is risky, Alta,” said Eagle Ned to him- self. ‘‘I am abie to take care of myself and you only run into danger when you come here to warn me of the bunt.” The girl of the camp saw the men before her and suddenly drew back, but too late, She had been seen by all, ' “Halt, thar!” cried the leader of the band, “We don’t want to hurt you, but you are the very person we want. The next moment Alta came on and stopped in front of the six, “Whar’s the boy?” ; Ned saw the lips of the girl meet resolutely and her eyes seemed to flash, The hand of the speaker clutched her arm and Sy
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the whole six were looking into her face with the malignity of devils.” ‘*You know he is hiding here,” said they. “Yon came to the mine to warn him. Where is he?” “If T knew I would not tell you,” said Alta, “Do youthink [ would willingly throw Eagle Ned into the jaws of the wolf?” “We will find him in time, anyhow.” “Find him, then,” “Then, you refuse to help us?” “*T refuse to belp you.” The roughs drew back and looked at the girl, They aid not know what to make of -ber cool- ness an determination, ‘* Make her tell us,” cried one, ‘She will tell if you twist her wrist or—” \ ‘Here, twist my wrist, coward!” cried Alta, holding out her hand to tbe man, who recoiled with drooping eyes, Alta stood before him with her handsome fig- ure drawn to its full height and her face aflame with earnestness, She kept her temper in the midst of it all. ‘lf they offer her any indignity they will pay for it,” said a whispered voice on the ledge in the dark, and the hand of the boy lying there thrust a revolver over the fringe of the place and covered a man who faced Alta. ‘* He is somewhere in the mine and we will find him,” continued the leader of the six. ** When you have found him, what?” **Ob, we will take him to the tribunal and give him ashort trial, He bas been playing spy at Captain Jack’s heels. He is the Doodles of the palace; he went off as Eagle Ned and came back a half-blood to carry out a game of his own, ‘** What sort of game?” “We don’t know, but it is against Captain Jack, He pretends to be looking for a sister he lost years ago, but there’s more than that be- bind his hunt.” Alta was taken deeper into the mine by the men, and when they had reached a apot where the trails forked they stopped and faced her again, ** Which trail shall we take?” they asked her. Alta looked, but did not speak. ‘“* Shall we go to the right or to the left?” ** Choose for yourselves,” “You utterly refuse to show us the way to the wy spy?” **T don’t know it.” _ The men laughed outright. They did not be- lieve this, yet 1t was true, Alta did not know where Eagle Ned was, though she had entered the Jmine to warn him of the danger that menaced, She knew he was there, but in what particular part of the old bonanza he was hidden Was a secret to her. “Throw tne girl down the precipice!” said a growler, ‘Let her remain here till she manifests a de- sire to tell what she knows,” said another. Alta looked calmly into the faces by which she was surrounded, She saw that the Spiders were fast losing ponent with what they called her deception. er life was in danger. She did not know that feet which the keen ears if the men of Ragged Robin had not beard, were near atband. She had not heard them herself, but they were near, Eagle Ned, gliding from the place from which he first saw the six, had reached another spot and, revolver in hand, was looking on Once more, ready to rescue Alta when the time came from the hands of the tough half-dozen. The waif of Ragged Robin stood erect; she knew that sometbing tigerish was passing through the minds of the six, that the infamous suggestion to throw her down the dark preci- pice which lay near her feet might be carried out by the hot-headed men and she was prac- tically helpless in their hands, All at once the leader of the six laid his hand on Alta’s wrist. “You must disclose the hiding-place of the boy spy,” he said inadly. “‘We don’t believe that you don’t know where he 1s, That isn’t natural, You came hither to waru him against us and you know where he hides at this moment,” The speaker drew Alta toward the edge of the recipice and his companions made way for im. “Tbrow her over, Dick, or make her tell the truth.” There was a demon gleam in the eyes that looked at the girl in the toils. Dick stood near the nabob o ged Robin; he had served Captain Jack a long time and knew that if the Camp Spidors were successfully encountered by Tp ma Te eeact we Te eho) ~ their enemies their reign would end and he would be among the victims of vengeance, Suddenly the whole place rung with the loud report of a fire-arm. The man who had seized Alta’s wrist fell back and tottered for an Eagle Ned, the Boy on Guard. the words she sent after him with a look that seemed powerful enough to kill, ** He defies me,” said Selina. ‘t He dares me to interfere in this game of his, He will rule or ruin; he will send me back over the desert to instant at the edge of the precipice, but a | Chiquita where they want me, but I will never tough threw him back and saved him from fall- ing over. " Catch the girl!” cried several voices, but when they sprung toward the waif of the camp | ter. she vanished, and the sound of flying footsteps told them tbat their victim had been rescued by the revolver of an unknown marksman, pro- bably Eagle Ned himself. CHAPTER XVI. WALKING INTO A TRAP, THE pursuit of Alta proved fruitless. The men of the camp came back ina rage, and re ported to their wounded leader that the girl had vanished beyond their ken, and that she could not be tracked any longer, ‘‘Take me up to the light and we will bring down upon this mine the whole force of Spiders, and rout her out,” Le said, They helped bim to the sunlight where he stood while they dressed the wound in his arm. In a short time the whole camp knew about the adventures in the bonanz:. Captain Jack look- ed at his sister, who smiled while she talked, and who said she was really glad the girl bad shed some bandit blood. ‘*What do you mean, Selina?” cried Jack, ‘*'You talk as though vou had turned against the Spiders of the Black Mesa?” ‘*And why shouldn’t I? I know that Toby the man to whom you have betrothed me, will send me back to Chiquita if I don’t carry out a part of the bargain. He bas said as much, found him as cool and calculating as the most adroit villain that ever lived. Do you think I ought to wish wellalot of men who live for nothing but blood and gold?” There was no reply, the hands of Captain Jack, The Count, toying with a piece of paper which he had just folded, **T don’t wantto go back to Chiquita; Iam not going back!” said Selina, still watching him. The nabob brother suddenly looked up. ‘* A truce to all this!” he cried, snatching his hat from the table. ‘* You and Toby for it. He. was crossing the room when her hand caught him and she whirled him by main strength and looked him in the eye. ‘*Toby and I for it, you say. Iam willing it shall be thus, Iam going to play a hand of my own from this time on, Ibave told you that my heart is given to Stirrup Steve who now stands in the dhadow of the court, I know that he loves Alta and that be would not look at me with a friendly feeling because he knows why I was banished from Chiquita, But you are not going to triumph over the men who are in the toils, Look here, Captain Jack, You are no more Count than lam, I know that they want hea in another part of this country, that Uncle m’s soldiers would cross a desert to find you and take you back in chains, You want the boy spy; you have your men out after him now. And why?” There was no answer after this pause, but brother and sister were looking at each other with very little space between them. “You shall not kill Eagle Ned, You shall yp him through the court of Ragged D, “* And why not?” demanded Captain Jack. Selina loosened her grip and fell back nearly across the room. At that moment the door opened and a man appeared there, “We found the girl inthe mine, Dick was shot by some person there and the girl herself got away,” “* Good! good!” cried Selina. The nabob stood for a moment longer without speech, but all at once he demanded to be told the whole story, This was told and he, with ign listened to it with a great deal of inter- es ‘“‘ The boy’s revolver did it,” said Jack through his clinched teeth, ‘‘ The boy is in the old mine, You must go back to it. I will lead you myself, The court can wait for we will have three pris- oners to try instead of two.” When the Spider had gone back to his com- peutoas Captain Jack turned upon Selina and or a moment looked her in the eye. “Keep your hand out of this game,” he said sternly. ‘It is one for the balance of power in camp. If you interfere, back to Chiquita you go and that without ceremony !” He shut the door in her face and did not hear ‘ IAC RIT EIN Se le ee ee | | go back. Asto becoming the wife of the man to whom he has given me, I will see to that. He thinks he can dispose of me because I am his sis- Ha, ha, he has never learned to know Selina.” The tall figure of Captain Jack appeared op the Plaza to be seen at once by the whole camp. Dick, who had been wounded in the mine, came forward with his bandaged arm, and growled out bis eagerness to go back for ven- geance, ‘* Where are the prisoners?” said Captain Jack. ey They are at Phocion’s shanty or were awhile ago. er See that they are safe first—” ‘* But, captain, there is another thing I want to talk about, We made a new discovery.” * What is that?” ** There is a league against us,” The face of the nabob of Ragged Robin grew white, but only fora moment. A league against the Spiders of the camp? He could not believe that any one would be bold enough to face the order in its very web, and when Dick told him that a mutiny was ove of the facts of the day he looked incredulous though he could not hole his color, ‘* Where are they and who are at the head of the mutiny?” cried Tbe Count, Dick was leaning toward his master and with lowered voice was talking earnestly when a shout was beard and both turned toward the saloon. Black Burt in shirt sleeves stood on the porch of his establishment, and there was something startling in his look. ** There’s the Old Harry to pay,” cried Black Burt. ‘There is mutiny in camp. Carejo Phil is at the head of the conspiracy, and the bomb is Jiable to burst at any time,” In an instant the name of Carejo Phil was on many a lip, and bands moved swiftly to the, belts of the border, ** Where is he? Wzhere is the traitor?” Captain Jack, bandsomer than ever, was walk- ing toward the man on the porch, ** Convene the court and the prisoners at once!” be went on. ‘The faithful of Ragged Robin are not to be choked off by a lot of vi- Send a band of men to the Merry Mixer and let them search every foot of it, The young spy is there as well as the girl who would not betray bim to Dick and his men. I am still al- calde here, of the capital of the Black Mesa.” A loud cheer greeted these words, and the men of the camp began to gather round the man who bad spoken, A number surged toward the figure on the porch of the saloon, and Black Burt told them bow a man, the weakest of the mutineers, had been made drunk by his vile stuff and how he bad drawn from bim the history of the uprising. The men clamored to be to the cabins of Carejo Pbil, but the advice of Captain Jack held them back, and while the whole camp was In an u r cw 4 were kept down by the cool- ness of the nabob, ‘* We can suppress this rebellion and throw the mutineers into court, There will be swift ven- geance when it sits, I want them all. I want. to see Eagle Ned among the victims, and until we have secured the boy lurking in the depths of the Merry Mixer, there will be no man killed.” Standing at one of the windows of the palace, a witness to all this, was Selina, a smile on her darkly beautiful face. , . ‘* Will I go back to Chiquita? I guess not,” said she, “ The storm is breaking over some- body else’s bead... There will be tough times aby the sun sets or 1 am no judge of, trou- ie.” She saw a band of men go toward the mine, she noticed another band walk toward Phocion’s. shanty, and eagerly she watched both, All at once a door opened on the Plaza and the figure of Carejo Phil, the head of the mutineers, appeared. Captain Jack the chief of the Camp Spiders saw it, but he did not speak. Pin another instant Carejo Phil vanished and the nabob smiled. ; “They are all there,” he said to himself. ‘The conspirators are _up in Carejo’s- shanty and are waiting for the signal.” Let us follow the men who went back to the heart of the a Mixer. They were led by the same person who had Lam still the ruler of the destinies
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14 Eagle Ned, the Boy on Guard. led them on the firs: occasion. He was eager to find the person who had winged him, e wanted to recapture Alta, who had given them the slip and when he found bimself in the old mine, he stopped, and gave his followers their orders, They kept on into the mine looking every- where for the fugitives, and every now and then listening in the corridors for footfalls, They were armed for an eme:geney, and all had promised that they would not come up out of the bonanza without their prisoners, Crawling along ledges in the dark, thread- ing trails that seemed to bave no ending, feel- ing their way up one corridor and down an- other, the toughs of Ragged Robin, on bunt of Eagle Ned and Alta, pursued their danger- ous way. They knew what depended on their bravery and caution, They felt that their stay in camp depended on their success in the mine, and all believed that if they failed to find those for whom they hunted, thejreignjof the Spiders would close in darkuess and ruin, ** Hark, I heard some one then,” whisperedjthe leader of the band, stopping while those behind came up. * All heard voices, all beard sounds which seemed to tell them that they were near the end of the bunt. In the darkness of the corridor they stood with their hands on their weapons and in this position listened for a repetition of the sounrls, “They are coming this way. Divide and bug the walls,” said Dick, The men did so. They stood against the stone walls of the the passage and seemed to hold their breath, Down the subterranean way came footfalls which they could not mistake. Nearer and nearer, Some one was walking into the Spiders’ trap. All at once balf a dozen hands shot forward and a cry was heard, ‘We've got ’em!” shouted Captain Dick. ** We've found the tenants of the mine,” “Strike a ligbt,” said another voice. In a moment the flame of a lucifer was rising in the corridor, and when the men saw by it their eyes sent forth sparks of delight, for both Eagle Ned and Alta stood in the grip of their enemies! ‘Tt was a trap you warn’t looking for, eh?” sneered Dick. **Tt’s all one,” answered the boy spy. ‘* We weré on our way up to the light, and to the tri- buna of the camp.” ‘*To the tribunal?” “Yes, 1 am ready, ay, eager to meet the court of the Black Mesa, I want to stand face to face with Captain Jack at its bar,” The men looked in astonishment at one anoth- er, but the very coolness of the boy gave empha- sis to his words, **Come, Captain Dick, Alta and I want to go up out of tais underground pit,” The wounded tough glared at Eagle Ned, and then looked at his own bandaged arm, ‘*'Your work, isn’t it?” be said, Yes, my work,” smiled the young spy. “I could have sent the bullet’ through your head just as'easily, but I thought I would give you a chance to repent,” % The others laughed at their leader’s expense, but the face of Captain Dick grew dark and he shut his teeth hard in reply. CHAPTER XVII, IN THE LAST WEB, CLOSELY guarded by those into whose hands they had fallen, Eagle Ned and Alta went up out of the mine, and the sunlight fell upon them still in the hands of the Camp Spiders, ‘Heavens, they have caught the boy and Alta!” cried Selina who saw the procession as it came out of the bonanza and made its way to- ward the Plaza, on one side of which stood the saloon run by Black Burt. ‘‘ They must have captured the pair without a struggle, I wonder if Captain Dick did not exhibit some prowess in the mine, Now, what will The Count do?’ Captain Jack had gone back to the palace, and at that very moment was the sole occupant of one of the rooms, not knowing that Ned and Alta bad been captured, The nabob was leaning over some documents which he had spread before bim, and he was looking carefully at each one as he separated it from the others, The figure of his sister went up the stairs and did not disturb bim, All at once the door opened, and the face of Captain Dick appeared. : jee tee St ‘ is = Hib ate ee ee ee ‘* We have both of them,” said the tough, “Who? Eagle Ned and the girl?” Dick bowed, and at a look from the man with the papers he came forward and stood at the table, Captain Jack pulled at his mustache a mo- ment and then pushed the papers from him, ‘* Dick, do you recollect the man who came to Ragged Robin last May? The man who said to you that be heard we had a seraph in camp? And you came and told me that the man was there?” ‘“*T recollect him very distinctly, captain,” was the answer, ‘‘ What about him?” " The nabob of the camp seemed to look beyond ick, “That man had a history,” he said, “ How much time have you, Dick?” ** All you want me to have,” Captain Dick, touching the table, folded his arms and waited for the chief of the Camp Spiders to proceed, ‘* Look here, Dick, That man was looking for a lost child, a girl who he said was taken from him years ago, He talked a good deal like one demented, and sometimes be would break down and weep, It was distressing to hear his story. These papers before me were found on the man’s body after he died,” ‘* Did be die?” asked Dick, starting some, ‘*He died. These papers, I say, were found om his body, They tell the story of his life, and it is a singular one, He had a wife and two children, but when he lost the daughter he regis- tered a vow that he would not return home un- til be had found her. It proved a fruitless chase; he died in Ragged Robin,” ‘*T never heard of that,” said Dick, “* Perhaps not,” There was a sinister smile at the corners of the man’s mouth, and he was looking at Captain Jack as he bad never watched him before, ** Hagle Ned, who disappeared and came back disguised as Doodles, the balf-breed Comanche boy, knows something about the death of that man,” the nabob went on. ‘' The boy spy came hither on hunt of a sister who was lost years ago; he, like the man before him, registered a vow that he would not give up the hunt until success crowned his efforts; but you have cap- tured him in the beart of the mine, and he is now in the grip of the court.” ‘* Tt can hold him till doomsday, captain.” “T know that. It can hold him despite the mutineers beaded by Carejo Phil. J want the boy brought before me,” “To this house?” ‘* Ves, I want Eagle Ned under the. roof where he played spy with so much cunning. Do you think you could get him away without ex- citing much suspicion?” . ‘* 1t shall be done.” “Do it at once, if possible, but don’t let any one follow with the intention of rescuing him,” Captain Dick departec and. the nabob was once more alone, ‘*T want to see the boy alone,” he said to him- self, ‘' I want to look himintheeye and hear what he knows. Though young, he is danger- ous. Selina knows this and she is nearly always right, Meantime Alta had. been perinitted to return to her little home under pledge that when want- ted she would come forth and face the tribunal of Ragged Robin, but Eagle Ned had been kept in custody and: was ove of the occupants of Black Burt’s place with more than forty men looking bim in the face, There was no sign of fear on the calm face of the boy prisoner. He stood near the counter where the glasses kept up an ominous clinking and where the toughs of the camp, all bis mortal enemies, im- bibed the villainous liquor which Black Burt sold. He saw the form of Captain Dick come back, He had missed the man, but did not know what had become of him, though he felt that he had carried a report of some kind to his master, Dick, eager to carry out the orders he bad re- ceived, sidled along the counter and at the first opportunity touched Eagle Ned on thearm and then drew him toward him, The boy resented the touch with an indignant flash and Dick grinned. ‘* What is it?” demanded Ned, *‘T want you. Ask no questions and it will be safer,” There wasa slight movement on the part of the mountain wolves as Hagle Ned was drawn across the threshold of the den as if they feared that Dick bad turned rescuer, but the hand of the desperado checked them, “ The boy will be brought back presently,” he said. ‘‘ The Count wants to see him.” Dick was followed from the den and escorted almost to the door of the palace. When Ned and his guard had vanished beyond the door the mob drew off and cast sullen looks toward the shanty where the mutineers were sup- posed to be concealed, ‘**Let’s raid them now an throttle the whole lot?’ said one of the crowd. ** Let’s crush the rebellion before it can strike, and, with the hull lot in the web, there will bea wholesale wearing of the mark of the Camp Spiders.” These suggestions carried weight with them. The men bad been to Black Burt’s counter just often enough to fire them witha desire to crush out ‘‘tle rebellion,” and before long they were moving sullenly toward the suspected shanty, Not far off, the occupants of Phocion’s cabin, stood the red-beard and Stirrup Steve, They saw the movement and guessed what it meant, Presently they saw the figure of Alta run across the Square and in a moment the girl was at the door, ‘*They have taken Eagle Ned to the palace!” cried the girl as Stirrup Steve opened the portal, ‘‘ They willsettle accounts with him there. But look yonder! The mob is moving down upon Carejo Phil and his rebels,” ‘lt is the beginning of the end,” said Stirrup Steve, But all at once, as if moved by some unac- countable impulse, the bronzed men moving toward the cabin turned back and went the other way, When they bad nearly crossed the Plaza, the door of Careju Phil’s shanty opened aud the fig- ure of that worthy came out. He was followed by twenty men, the entire number of the mu- tineers. For a moment the two factions glared at one another like rival packs of wolves, but there was no hor work, Captain Dick’s Spiders went on toward Black Burt’s, and an honor of quiet passed, ‘‘What has happened in that house?” said Alta, ill at ease-ay she printed toward the na- bob’s palace, while she looked up into the faces of Steve and Phocion, ‘*1t is too quiet there not to mean something,” said Phocion. ‘**]t means that another trap has closed on Eagle Ned.” No one came out of the palace, no one entered it, and the sun beating uponit, sunk lower and lower, and still the mystery was not solved, “‘T am going to see,” suddenly cried Alta, “I cac’t stand this any longer.” ‘No, let me go,” put in Stirrup Steve, where- upon the sturdy Phocion caught bis arm, ‘“*T am the one to go. I am only Phocion, with nothing particular to live for,. I will go.” The tall form of the red-beard was seen to cross the Square and approach the palace, His step did not falter, There was a slight demonstration as he ad- vanced, by the men who watched him from the poreh of Black Burt’s place, but they did not in- terrupt his march, The old miner did not knock at the front door, but caugbt the knob, gave it a wrench and en- tered. He was in the house of the nabob, the headqnarters of the Camp Spiders. He heard no noise, but this did not deter him, He saw abead the door, which stood half-ajar, and went forward, ; In another moment he bad entered a room, in the middle of which, the tenant of a chair, with his head thrown back and a rope round his neck, appeared Eagle Ned, the boy spy and ferret, Phocion sprung forward with a cry, but as he touched the boy he was startled by a voice, and the next moment he stood face to face with Cap- tain Jack, ‘‘Drop that rope!” commanded the nabob, The young spy is paying the penalty for spy- ing. He is in the web of the Camp Spiders, and so are you!” Phocion seemed to increase in stature, He threw up his bands as he sprung toward the man in the doorway; there was a flash and re- port, and the figure of the red-beard reeled against the wall and fell to the floor. , CHAPTER XVIII. THE END OF THE GAME, THE rule of Jack Jargo was such that he was held in awe even by those who belonged to the Camp Spiders. | ai They dared not question him in anything and when they heard the shot in the palace they did not go to see what had followed it. They belisved that ere long Captain Jack himself would come out and tell them ail, but when
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was the last sound he heard as he left the den, the nabob falling across the Plaza, all wonder- ed what bad bappened. By and by Selina came out. The face of the nabob’s sister was pale and her eyes bad an unnatural ligbt. She came toward the place where the Camp Spiders were congregated, and as she entered the den allsurged toward her and waited with bated breath for her to speak, ‘*Men of Ragged Robin, lum your captain’s sister no longer,” she began. ‘') am not going back to Chiquita, neither will I become the wife of Toby,” and here she turned and fixed her eyes on the man who bore this name, Toby shut his hands bari and would have moved forward if a wave of Selina’s hand had not detained him. ‘Stand where you are,” she said, ‘‘ Captain Jack is in the saddle by this time. He has a rider at his heels for Eagle Ned, who was once Doodles, has been rescued by Phocion, though Phocion carries along his skull the mark of the Spider’s bullet.” The men who heard Selin looked at each other, but did not speak. “It is a strange story which you ought to hear,” she went'on. ‘* You ought to know that Eagle Ned is on the trail of vengeance, that he discovered in the Devil’s Tunnel the body of a man who came to Ragged Robin nearly a year ago in search of astolen daughter; that the boy suspecting who had taken that man’s life, played spy, a part of the time in the palace as a half- breed hoy. He neglected no opportunity to find out something, He tracked Captain Jack, ardI was sometimes under his watchful eye. ‘““When he thought the time had arrived for the transformation, he once more became Eagle Ned, the protege of Phocion. He took refuge in the Merry Mixer Mine, but with Alta, the girl, was discovered and captured by Dick and his men, He was afterward taken to the palace, there to face Captain Jack who forced him into acbair and left bim for dead in the web of the Spiders, But Phocion came and found him there: he went toward Captain Jack when be saw him in the doorway, but a bullet sent him to the wall, not dead, but bleeding. That shot sent Captain Jack adrift, Though he was still nabob of Ragged Robin, he was forced to fly, for 1 came came between him and furtherrule in the Black Mega.” “You, woman?” cried Toby. ‘‘ Why, you are his own sister and you are wanted in Chiquita, Men, that woman is an outlaw despite her sex. There is a reward for her in Chiquita and—” _‘*Hear me through!” interrupted Selina, her tiger eyes flashing their baleful light on Toby. “‘T am not his sister, though I have claimed that relationship to him all these years, Captain Jack knew that I was aware of the fact that no blood unites us, I followed his fortunes because he knew a secret which would destroy my bap- piness if I were sent back to Chiquita, where once I killed an officer who insulted me, I have said that the boy, Eagle Ned, is after Captain Jack. Why? He knows by whose hands the man who now sleeps in the Devil’s Tunnel was helped out of the world, He knows who that man was, and putting this and that together, he bad a desire to avenge his death, Master Toby, do you know who your victim was?” Selina_turned full upon Toby, and the man’s cheeks blanched, hus ‘*Man, you helped Captain Jack with that job. You knew all the time that the old tunnel was inhabited; your hands walled it up afver og Ned had been enticed into it by the nabob of, Ragged Robin; you opened it and went in to look for the boy spy, but found him not. You found your victim there, and for a moment you thought him alive. The necklace which the child-hunter had in bis possession the night he landed in this camp came to me, but it has been an accursed keepsake, because it seemed to be stained with blood,” Toby made a movement toward the door, but Selina followed him, covering bim with her hand. ‘Will you take me back to Chiquita?” she laughed, ‘* Will you carry me across the desert, and present me to the authorities because I re- fuse to become your wife? Look here, Toby. Don’t be a coward.” But Toby did not stop. ; Clinching his hands, he continued to the door where he paused for a moment and then caught Selina’s eye. d “* Your time will come,” he cried. ‘‘ You will ge back to Chiquita when you least expect it, ou will yet feel the vengeance of the halter,” The laugh of the woman ringing in his ears * bet! u ‘ = Se wns . ox ees nace a Pe tie # mx; and was heard to say: ‘*Beaten! A thousand curses on the head of that woman!” Meantime Selina had turned to the men in the saloon. ‘*'You are the Spiders of Ragged Robin,” she wenton. ‘If you wish you can follow the for- tunes of your master who has both Phocion and Eagle Ned at his heels, Lazarus and Red Mart, who were killed after dark, died because they were survivors of the Vigilantes who long ago, and in another camp, wiped out a band of Camp Spiders whose leader was the man who is now a fugitive from justice. But why tell you this? You know why these two men were killed and some of you know why Captain Jack wanted Stirrup Steve and Phocion out of the way. Alta will learn in time that her father bas a grave nearer her than she thinks, The waif of Ragged Robin shall receive from me the jewels which rightfully belong to ber, She—” Selina was interrupted by the looks which told her that some one bad entered the den and the pext moment she was looking at Alta herself, The beautiful girl, escorted by Stirrup Steve, was coming forward with her eyes fastened on the woman from Chiquita, and when she stopped they were close together. ‘*That is the child of the man who sleeps in the tunnel,” continued Selina. ‘‘Here are the necklace jewéls which belonged to her when a babe. I thought I would wear them myself, but what am I but an outlawed creature upon whose head a price hes been set?” Alta saw a string of pearls glistening in Selina’s hands and, changing color, she seemed to reel forward, and when sbe paused she threw her hands to her head and cried out; ‘* Heavens! what astrange tale is this? If it is true, then I am Eagle Ned’s sister,” She sunk to the floov at Selina’s feet, but the hands of Stirrup Steve lifted her and placed the jewels about ber neck. ‘* She has guessed her identity to the letter,” said Selina, meeting the gaze of the young man. ‘There are papers which confirm my words.” A minute later Selina was seen crossing the Square and the palace, that house of mystery, opened its door to ber.. Far away from Ragged Robin where we have witnessed the startling events detailed in the foregoing chapters, a man was riding at break- neck speed toward a mountain camp. which consisted of a few shanties, It was nightfall and the rising moon over the naked peaks on his left showed bim the trails which his steed followed witbout difficulty. A week had pussed since the last scene at Ragged Robin, ; The rider at last dismounted and. entered a well-lighted place in the center of the camp, Everybody jooked at bim, at bis slashed baoe: his keen black eyes and smoothly shaven face. Advancing to the counter which ran along one end of the saloon, he leaned against it and turn- ed to the curious crowd which had surged for- ward full of suppressed excitement. ““You don’t know me,” he said, with’ a grim smile, ‘‘ Dol look like any person you have ever seen?” At that moment two persons entered the den, and one, a boy, covered the man at the bar. ‘“* Let me answer him,” said the youth. ‘“ He not only looks Jike Captain Jack, the so-called Count of Ragged Robin, but he is that worthy. Phocion and I have tracked him mile after mile ever since his flight. He is the chief of the piders of Eagle Buttes and the head of the web of Ragged Robin. He is the man who left Joshua Meeks, my father, in the heart of the Devil’s Tunnel; he is the Spider that sucked the blood of Lazarus and Red Mart, Shall we bave him, men of Crescent City?” he answer was enougo. The men fell upon the tall figure at the bar and before the cool hand could follow the dictates of as cool a head, the web had been broken forever and the king Spider was in the toils, This time another court held a session in Regged Robin and Phocion was the judge there- re) . > We need not describe the scenes that followed ; but we will say that the dead were avenged, that the mutineers of the camp saw that none but the really guilty suffered, and that Phocion took the place of the outlaw alcalde. As for Eagle Ned, the boy spy, be was happy because the past was a mystery no longer, for he had found the lost sister, and when the proper time came he gave ber away to Stirrup Steve and the wedding was for months the talk of the mountain camps, Tbe Spiders’ web was forever broken and ye Eagle Ned, the Boy on Guard. the shadows grew long withvut the figure of | and when he was on the Plaza he shut his hands | Ragged Robin, sincea flourisbing city, no longer | | | | [ feared the deadly sting. Selina disappeared soon after the triumph of justice which ste bad helped along, and from that day was lost sight of by those who had known her. It is certain she did not return to Chiquita, apd Eagle Ned who, as Doodles, had slept under her uplifted dagger, wus not awxious to bave her black eyes in his path, The boy spy became the owner of rich mines where he had fought the Camp Spiders, and lives to-day with Alta and Stirrup Steve, THE END. Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. BY J, ©. COWDRIOCK, 860 Silver-Mask, the Man of Mystery. 869 Shasta, the Gold King}; or, For Seven Years Dead. 420 The Detective’s Apprentice; or, A Boy Without a Name, 424 Cibuta John; or, Red-Hot Times at Ante Bar, 489 Sandy Sam, the Street Scout, 467 Disco Dam, the Daisy Dude. 490 Broadway Billy, the Bootblack Bravo. 606 Redlight Rulph the Prince of the Road, 5614 Broadway Billy’s Boodle, 524 The Engineer Detective. Broadway Billy’s ‘ Ditikilty.” Mart, the Night Express Detective. Broadway Billy’s Meath Racket. Air-Line Luke the Young Enginee?. = G28 € 659 669 z 755 Broadway Billy’s Business, 74S Broadway Billy’s Curious Case. BY LIEUT. A. K. SIMS, 546 Captain Cactus, the Chaparral Ccck. 568 The Dandy of Dedge. 576 The Silver Sport. 583 Saffron Sol, the Man With a Shadow 589 Tom-Cat and Pard; or, The Dead Set at Silver City, 601 Happy Hana, the Dutch Vidocg. 611 Bildad Barnacle, the Detective Hercules. 622 Texas Tom-Cat’s Triad 681 Tom Cat’s Terrible Task. 688 Tom-Cat’s Triumph; or, Bleck Dan’s Great Combine, 646 Cowboy Gid, the Cattle-Range Detective. 657 Warbling William, the Mountain Mountebank, 665 Jolly Jeremiahy the Plains Detective. 676 Signal Sam, the Lookout Scout. 689 Rilty the Gypsy Spy. 699 Staple Shim, the Broncio Buster. 712 The Mesmerlist Sport; or, The Mystified Detective, 788 Toltec Tom, the Mad Prospector, BY OLE COOMES., 5 Vagabond Joe, the Young Wandering Jew, 18 The Dumb Spy. 27 Antelope Abe, the Boy Guide. $1 Keen-Knife, the Prince of the Pr@ries, 41 Lasso Jack, the Young Mustanger. 58 The Border King; or, The Secret Foe. 71 Pelaware Dick, bs Young Renger Spy. 74 Mawk-eye Marry the Young Trapper Ranger. 88 Rollo, the Boy Ranger. 184 Sure Shot Seth, the Boy Rifleman. Scar-Face Saul, the Silent Hunter, 146 Silver Star, the Boy Knight. 158 Eagle Kit, the Boy Demon. 168 Little ‘texas, the Young Mustanger 178 Old Solitary, the Hermit Trapper. 182 Little Hurricane, the Boy Captain, Prospect Pete; or, fhe Young Outlaw Hunters, 208 The Boy Mereulea: or, The Prairie Tramps,’ 218 Tiger Tom, the Texas Terror. 224 Dashing Dick; or, Trapper Tom’s Castle. 228 Little Wildfire, the Young Prairie Nomad. 288 The Parson Detectives or, The Little Ranger. 248 Vhe Di«guised Guide ; or, Wild Raven, the Ranger, 260 Dare-Devil Dan, the Young Prairie Ranger. 272 Minkekin Mike, the Boy Sharpshooter. 290 Little Foxfire, the Boy Spy. 800 The Sky Demon; or; Rainbolt, the Ranger. 884 Whip-King Joe, the Boy Ranchero. 409 Hercules; vr, Dick, the Boy Ranger. 417 Webtfoot Mose, the Tramp Detective. Baby Sam, the Boy Giant of the Yellowstone. 444 Little Buckskin, the Young Prairie Centaur, 457 Wingedfoot Fred 3 or. Old Polar Saul. 468 Tamarac Tom, the Big ey sank Boy. 478 Old Tom Rattler, the Red River Epidemic, 482 Stonewall Bob, the Boy Trojan. 562 Blundering Basil, the Hermit Boy Trapper, 652 Don Barr, the Plains Freelance, 661 Old Kit Bandy’s Bellverance, 670 Norway Nels, the Biz Boy Mountaineer. 680 Dauntless Dan the Freelance, or Old Kit Bandy in Areadia, BY ALBERT W. AIKEN, 11 The Two Detectives; or, The Fortunes ofa Bowery Girls 76 Abe Colt, the Crow-Killer. \ 79 Sol Ginger, the Giant Trapper. 288 Joe Buck of Angels and His Boy Pard. 447 New York Nat. A Tale of Tricks and Traps in Gotham, 458 New England Nick; or, The Fortunes of a Foundling, 464 Nimble Nick, the Circus Prince, 498 Taos Ted, toe Arizona Sport. 510 Cool Colorado, the Hal!-Breed Detective, 518 Cool Colorado in New York. A New tissue Every Tuesday. - The Half-Dime Library ‘+ for sale by aii newsdealers, five cents per Copy, or sent by mall om receipt of aix cents e BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, 98 William Street, New York ert en ea Re SH SR Seg Ren I eC
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a i! : t a BEADLE'S*« H ALF- DIME*[_IBRARY. Published Every Tuesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents. No BY EDWARD L. WHEELER. Deadwood Dick Novela. 1 Deadwood Dick, the Prince ot the Road, 20 Deadwood Dick's Defiance; or, Double Daggers. 28 Deadwood Dick In Disguise; or, Bulfal, ten 5 Deadwood Dick in His Castle. 42 Deadwood Dick’s Bonanza; o , The «anton Miner. 49 Deadwood Dick in Danger; or, Omana Ol). 57 Deadwood Dick’« Eagles; or, The Pards ot Flood Bar. 78 oa ood pick e Deck ; or. slemity 4 ne, the Heroine, 77 Deadweod Dick’s Last Aet: or. Corduroy Charlie. 100 Deadwood Dick in Leadville. 104 Deadwood Dick's Device; or, The Double Cross Sign, 109 Deadwood Dick asx Detective. ord pence re he Somaya The Gorgon’s bie Ghost. 8S Deadwood Dick’s Home Base; or, Blonde Bill. 149 Deadwood Dick’s Big Strike; or, A Game ot Gold. 156 Deadwood Dick of Deadwood: or, The Picked Party. 195 Deadwood Dick’s Dream; or, The Rivuls of the Road. 201 Deadwood Dick’s Ward; or, The Black Hill’s Jezebel. 205 Deadwood Dick's noone | or, Calainity Jane’s Adventure. 217 Deadwood Dick’s Dead Deal. 221 Deadwood Dick's Death-Plant. 282 Gold-Dust Dick. A Romance of Roughs and Toughs, eee Street ood Ld ay gt RO he Spirit of Swamp Lake. eadw ook ck’s Death Tratl. 809 Deadwood Dick’s Deals or, The Gold Brick of Oregon. 821 Deadwood Dick’s Dozen; or, The Fakir of Phantom Flats 847 Deadwood Dick’s Ducats; or, Days tin the Diggings. aaa pocswees okie cite or, The Terrible Vendetta, ead w oc ck’s Claim, 405 Deadwood Dick in Dead City. 410 Deadwood Dick’s Dinmonds, 421 Deadwood Dick in New Yorks or, A “ Cute Case,” Prt pendweed pisee Pask or, The Chained Hand. eadwood Dick, Jr. 448 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’«, Deflance. 458 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Full Hand, 459 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Big Round-Up. 465 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Racket at Claim 10, pti ; ae pel oe sg Sho norreds or, Bozeman Bill. 6 Deadweo ck, Jr.'s, Dog Detective. 481 Deadwood Dick. Jr., in Deadwood, 491 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Compact. 496 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Inheritance, 600 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Diggings. 5608 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Deliverance. 515 Deadwoed Dick, Jr.'s, Protegee. 522 Deadwood Dick. Jr.’s, Three. 529 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Danger Ducka. 584 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Death Hunt, 589 BPeadwood Dick, Jr., in Texas, s43 pongerced toy ar the be West Vidocg b- Jeadwo ek, Jr., on His Mettle. 554 Readwood Dick, Jr., in Gotham, 561 Deadwood Dick, Jr., In Boston, 567 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Philadetphta. 5T2 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Chicago. 578 Deadwood Dick. Jr., Afloat. &84 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Denver. 590 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Decree. 595 Deadweed Dick, Jr., in Beelzebub’s Basin. 600 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Coney Island, 606 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’«, Leadville Lay. 612 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Detroit. 618 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Cincinnati. 624 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Nevada. 680 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in No Man’« Land, 686 Deadwood Dick, Jr., After the Queer, 642 Deadwood Dick, Jr., In_ Buffalo. 648 Deadwood | Sd roses Across the Continent SEE Bendtesd Disk, Sec tomtetaea 666 Deadwoed Dick, Jr., Back in the Minea, 672 Deadwoed Dick, Jr., tn Durangoy or, “ Gathered In.” $32 peaaeess pee 5 on aoeereres or, Found a Fortune. ead woo ck, Jr.'s, Dazzle. 690 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s) Dellars. 695 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Danger Divide, 700 Deadweed Dick, Jr.'s, Drop. 704 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Jack-Pot. 710 Deadwood Pick, Jr., in San Francisco, 716 Deadwood Dic, Jr.’s, Still Hunt. 722 Deadwoed Dick, Jr.’s, Dominoes, 728 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Disguise, 784 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Double Deal. 740 Deadwood Bick, Jr.'s, Deathwatch. T47 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Doublet. 752 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Deathblow. 758 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Desperate Strait. BY J, ©. COWPRIOKR, Broadway Bilfy Novels. 490 Broadway Rilly, the Bootblack Bravo. 514 Broadway Billy’« Boodle. 586 Broadway Billy’« ‘ Difikilty.” 557 Broadway Billy’s Peath Racket. 579 Broadway Billy's Surprise Party. 605 Broadway Billy; or, The Boy Detective’s Big Inning, 628 Broadway Billy’s Dead Act. 669 Broadway Billy Abroad. 675 Broadway Billy’s« Best; or, Beating San Francisco's Finest. 687 Broadway Billy In Clover. 696 Broadway Billy in_ Texas. 708 Broadway Billy’s Brand. 711 Broadway Billy at Santa Fe. 720 Broadway Billy’« Full Hand. 785 Broadway Billy’s Business. TBS Broadway Billy’« Curious Case. 758 Broadway Billy in Denver. 762 Broadway Billy’s Bargain. Other Novels by J. C. Cowdrick. 860 Silver-Mask, the Man of Mystery. 869 Shasta, the Gold Kings or, For Seven Years Dead, 420 The Detective’s Apprentice; or, A Boy Without a Name, 424 Cibuta John; or, Red-Hot Times at Ante Bar. 489 Sandy Sam, the Street Scout, 467 Disco Dan, the Daisy Dude. 606 Redlight Ralph the Prince of the Road, 524 The Engineer Detective. 548 Mart, the Night Express Detective. 571 Air-Line Luke the Young Engineer. 592 The Boy Pinkerton. 615 Fighting Marry the Chief of Chained Cyclone. 640 Rareback Beth, the Centaur of the Cirele, 647 Typewriter Tilly, the Merchant’s Ward. 659 Moonlight Morgan, the * Pizenest ” Man of Ante Bas. BY BUFFALO BILL (Hon. Wm. F. Cody). 8 Kansas King; or, The Red Right Hand. 19 The Phantom Spy: or, The Pilot of the Prairie. 55 Deadly-Eye, the Wattcars Scout. 68 Border Robin Mood; or, The Prairie Rover. 158 Fancy Frank of Colorado; or, The Trapper’s Trust. Other Novels by E. L. Wheeler. 26 Cloven Hoof, the Buffalo Demon. 82 Bob Woolf; or, The Girl Dead-Shot 8Y Death-Face, Detective; or, Life in New York. 45 Old Avalanche; or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigand, 58 Jim Bludsoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix. 61 Buckhorn Bill; or, The Red Rifle Team 69 Gold Rifle, the Sharpshooter; or, The Boy Detective. 80 Rosebud Rob; or, Nugget Ned, the Knight. 84 Idyl, the Girl Miner; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand. 88 Phetograph Phil; or, Rosebud Rob’s Reappearance. 92 Canada Chet ; or, Old Anaconda in Sitting Bull’s Camp, 96 Watch-Eye; or, Arabs ind Angels of a Great City, 8 Jacek Movle the Young Speculator. Gilt-Edged Dick, the Sport Detective Cinnamon Chip, the Girl Sport, Bonanza Bill, Miner. Boss ob the King of Bootblacks, ‘ Solid Sam, the Boy Road-Agent. Captain Ferret, the New York Detective. New York Nell, the Boy-Girl Detective. Nobby Nick of Nevada; or, The Sierras Scampa, Wild Frank, the Buckskin Bravo, ) Fritz, the Bound-Boy Detective. 8 Fritz to the Front; or, The Ventriloquist Hunter, 226 Snoozer, the Boy Sharp; or, The Arab Detective, 286 Apollo Bill, the Trail Tornado. 240 Cyclone Kit, the Young Gladiator. 244 Sierra Sam, the Frontier Ferret. 248 Sierra Sam’« Secret; or, The Bloody Footprints, 258 Sierra Sam’s Pard; or, The Ange! of Big Vista, 258 Sierra Sam’s Seven; or, The Stolen Bride. 278 Jumbo Joe, the Boy Patrol; or, The Rival Heirs, 277 Denver Doll, the Detective Queen. 281 Denver Doll's Victory. 255 Denver Doll's Decoy ; or. Little Bill’s Bonanza. 291 Turk the Boy Ferret. 296 Denver Doll's Drift; or. The Road Queen, 299 A No. 1, the Dashing Toll-Taker. 808 *Liza Jane, the Girl Miner; or, the Iron#Nerved Sport. 825 Kelley, Hickey & Co., the Detectives of Philadelphia, 880 Little Qu!ck-Shot; or, The Dead Face of Daggersville, 884 Kangaroo Kit; or, The Mysterious Miuer, 889 Kangaroo Kit’s Racket. 848 Manhattan Mike, the Bowery Blood, 858 First-Class Fred, the Gent trom Gopher. 868 Yreka Jim, the Gold-Gatherer} or, The Life Lottery. 872 Yreka Jim’s Prize. 878 Nabob Ned; or, The Secret of Slab City. 882 Cool Kit, the King of Kids; or, A Villain’s Vengeance, 885 Yreka Jim's Joker; or, The Rivals of Red Nose, at a oe Sem we RSENS em cdia gmc RO et et = 889 Bicycle Ben; or. The Lion of Lightning Lode, 894 Yreka Jim of Yuba Dam, 400 Wrinkles, the Night-Watch Detective. 416 High lat Harry, the Base Ball Detective, 6 Sam Slabsaides, the Beegar-Boy Detective, 484 Jim Beak and Pal, Private Detectives. 488 Santa Fe Sal, the Slasher. 486 Seulskin Sam, the Sparkler. RY T. C. HARBAUGH, 28 Nick o’ the Night; or, Th« Boy Spy of '76. 87 The Hidden Lodge; or The Littl Hunter, 47 Nightingale Nat; or, Tne Forest Captaine, 64 Dandy Jack? or, The Ontlaws of the Oregon Trai. 82 Kit Harefoot the Wood-Huwk. 94 Midnight Jack; or, The Boy Trapper. 06 Old Froaty, the Guide; or, The White Queen, 28 Kiowa Charley the White Mustanger. 89 Judge Lynch Jr.: or, The Boy Vigilante. 55 Gold Trigger, the Sport; er, The Girl Avenger, ‘9 Tornado Tomy; or, Injun Jack From Red Core, & Ned Temple, the Border boy. & Arkananaw ;¢ or, The Que n of Fate’s Revenge. 7 Navajo Nick, the Boy Gold Hunter. 15 Captain Bullet; or, Little Tepknot’s Crusade. 81 Plucky Phil; or, Rosa, the Re! Jezebel, Bravo; or, Tie Roughs of the Rockies, 255 Captain Apoli. , tne King-Pin of Bowle. 267 The Kuckekin Detective. 279 Old Winch; or, The Buckskin Desperadoes, 294 Dynamite Dan}; or, The Bowle Blade of Gochetopa. 802 The Mountain Detective: or, The Trigger Bar Bally. 816 Old Eclipse, Trump Card of Arizona, 826 The Ten Purds: or. The Terror of Take-Notice. 886 Big Benson; or, The Queen of the Lasso. 845 Pitileas Matt; o7, Ked Thunderholt’s Secret. B56 Cnol ~nm and Part: or The Terrible Six. BEE Velvet Foot, the Indian Detective. 886 Captain Cutlass; or, ‘he B ceaneer’s Girl Foe. 896 Rough Rob: or. The ! win Champions of Blue Blazes. 411 The Silken Lasso: or, The Rose of Ranch Robin. 418 Felix Fox, the Boy Spotter. 425 Texas Trump. the Border Rattler, 486 Phil Flaenh, the New York Fox. 445 The City Vampires; or, Ked Rolfe’s Pigeon. 461 One Against Fifty; or, The Last Man of Keno Bar, 470 The Bey Shadow; or, Felix Fox’s Hunt. 477 The Exceisior Spert; or, The Washington Spotter. 499 Single Sight, the One-Eyed Sport, 502 Branded Ben, the Night Ferret. 512 Dodger Dick, the Wharf-Spy Detective, 521 Dodger Dick’« Best Dodge. 528 Fox and Faicon, the Rowery Shadows. 588 Dodger Dick, the Dock Ferret, 548 Dodger Dick’« Double; or, The Rival Boy Detectives, 558 Dodger Dick’s Desperate Case. 568 Rodger Dick, the Boy Vidocq, 578 The Two Shadows. 582 Dodger Dick's Drop. 594 Little Lon, the Street-Singer Detective. 610 Old Skinner, the Gold Shark; or, Tony Sharp on Guard, 626 The Champion Parda, 687 Dick Doan, the Dock Boy Detective. 644% Kit, the Pavement Sharp. 658 Billy. Bantam, the Boy Beagle. 671 Jersey Jed, the Boy Hustler; or, Shadowing the Shadower. 685 Happy rit the Boy Muaician Detective, 701 Photograph Fred, the Camera Sharp. oe oan awoke Len, the Quaker aty verre. alsy Dell. the Pavement Detective; or, Trapping Big Game. 742 Billy Winka, the Bell Boy Detective. 754 Billy Winks, the Boss Boy Shadow. 8Y WM. G. PATTEN, 489 The Biamond Sport: or, The Double Face of Bed Rock. 519 Captain Mystery ; er, Five in One, 581 Dale) Pare the Sport from Denver. 5ST Ole ombshell, the Ranger Detective, 604 Iron Fern, the Man of Fire. 619 The Boy Tramp Detective: or, The Double Grip Witness 629 Violet Vane, the Velvet Spor. 641 Dismal Pave’s Dandy Pard. 651 Bound Boy Frank, the Young Amateur Detective 66% Violet Vane'« Victory. 682 Wild Vulcan, the Lone-Range Rider, ose yeits and Datey. the Poey Pards, *» Violet Vane’s Vew: or, The Crafty tive’s Craft. 714 Old Mikery, the Man from Misourts a Violet Vane’« Venrennce, ROU a te yiciet eee Seat ‘telet Vane, the Ventrileqnist Vidoeq. Violet Vane, the Vanquished. a BY COLONEL PRENTISS INGRAHAM, 7 The Flying Yankee; or, The Ocean Outcast. 17 Ralph Roy, the boy Buceun er; or. The Fugitive Yacht. 24 Diamond Dirk; or, The Mystery of the Yellowstone, 62 The Shadow Ship; or, The Kival Lieutenants. 75 The Boy Duell«t; or, The Cr of the Sea-Wolf, 102 Dick Dead-Eye, the Boy Smuggier. 111 The Sea-Devil; or, The Midshipman’s Legacy. 116 The Hussar Captain; or, Ihe Hermit of Hell Gate. 197 Little Grit, the Wil: Rider; or, The Stock-Tender’s Daughter. 204 Buffalo Bill, the Pony Express Rider. 6 Bison BILL, the Prince of the Reins; or, Buffalo Bill’s Pluck, 222 Grit, the Bravo Sport; or, The Woman Trailer. 229 Crimson Kate, the Girl Tracer. 237 Lone Star, the Cowboy Captain; or, The Mysterions Ranchero 245 Merle, the Middy 3; or, The Heir of an Ocean Freelance. 250 The Midshipman Mutineer 3 or, Brandt, the buccaneer, 264 The Floating Feather; or, Merle Monte’s Treasure. 260 The Gold Ships or, Merle, the Condenned. 276 Merle Monte’s Cruise; or, “ The Gold Ship” Chase, 280 Merle Monte’s Fate; or. The Pirate's Pride, 284 Merle Monte’s Pledje; or, The Sea Marauder, 287 Lilly Biue-Eyes, the Boy Rover 804 The Dead Shot Dandy ; or, Benito, the Boy Bugler, 808 Dead Shot Dandy’s Pouble. 814 The Mysterfoua Marauder; or, The Boy Bugler’s Trail, 877 Bonodel, the Boy Rover; or, The Flagiess Schooner. 888 The Indian Pilot; or, The Search for Pirate Island. 887 Warpath WILL, the Traitor Guide; or, The Boy Phantom, 898 Seawalf, the Boy Lieutenant; or, The Red Clasped Hands, 402 Isodor, the Young Cons«pirator; or, The Fatal League, 407 The Boy Insurgent; or, The Cuban Vendetta. 412 The Wild Yachtamany or, The War-Clouu’s Cruise. 429 Duncan Dare, the Boy Refugee. 488 Captain Carl, tie Corsair; or, A Cabin Boy’s Luck. 487 The Sea Raider; or, The Hawks of the Hook. 441 The Ocean Firefly ¢ or, A Middy’s Vengeance. 446 Waphazard Harry 3 or, The Scapegrace of the Sea, 450 Wizard WIIl, the Wonder- Worker, 454 Wizard Will's Street Scouts. 462 The Born Gulde; or, The Sailor Boy Wanderer, 468 Neptune Ned, the Boy Coaster. 474 Wizard Will's Vagabond Pard. 488 Wizard WIILI’s Last Case; or, Ferrets Afloat, 487 Nevada Ned, the Revolver Kanger 495 Arizona Joe, the Boy Pard ot Texas Jack, 497 Buek Taylor, King of the Cowboys 508 The Royal Middy ; or, The Shark and the Sea Cat. 507 The Hunted Midshipman; or, The Young Sea Ranger. 511 The Outlaw Middy; or, The Young Patriot Sea Ranger, 520 Buckskin Bill, the Comanche Shadow. ; 525 Brothers in Buckskin; or, The Tangled Trails in Texas, 580 The Buckskin Bowers. 585 The Bue skin Rovers; or, The Prairie Fugitive. 540 Captain Ku-Klux, the Marauder o1 the Rio. 545 Lieutenant Leo, the Son of Lafitte. 550 Lalitte’s Legacy; or. The Avenging Son. 56S The Creole Corsair; or, The Golden Wings of the Gull, 560 Pawnee BIIIL, the Prairie Shadower, 565 Kent Kingdon, the Card King. 570 Camille, the Card Queen; or, The Skeleton Trail. 5675 The Surgeon-Scout Detective. ? 680 The Outcast Cadet; or, ‘The False Detective. 686 Pawnee BIls Pledge; or, The Buckskin Avenger. 591 Delmonte, tne Young a Rover; or, Tne Avenging Sailor. 597 The Young Texan Detective; or, The Black Bravos. 602 The Vagabond ofthe Mines. 607 The Rever Detective; or, Keno Kit’s Champions, 617 Ralph, the Dend-Shot Scout; or, The Rio Raiders. 644 The Hercules Highwaymun. 650 Butterfly Billy, the Pony Kider Detective; or, Buffalo Bill’s Boy Para. 656 Rutterfly Billy’s Man Hunt. 662 Butterfly Billy’s Bonanza. 668 The Buccaneer Midshipman; or, The Sea Kover’s Ruse, 674 The Wizard Sailor; or, Red Ralph, the Rover. 679 The Sea Shadower; or, The Freebooter’s Legacy. 686 Orlando, the Ocean Free Flag; or, The Tarnished Name. 692 The Rival Sharps; or, Redfern, the Secret Service Scout, 697 The Scarlet Sombrero; or, The Sharp from Texas, 702 Blue Jacket BI; or, The Red Hat Rangers’ Red Hot Racket 707 The Read Sombrero Rangers; or, Redfern’s Last Trail, 718 Carl, the Mad Cowboy; or, The Lariat Queen. , 719 Pawnee Bill's Pledge} or, The Cowboy Kidnapper’s Doom. 725 Daring Dick, Pawnee Bill’s Pard; or, The Red Cavalry Raid. 781 Rath Redmond, the Gir) Shadower. 787 Buck Tayler, the Comanche’s Captive. 748 Buck Taylor’s Boys; or, The Red Riders of the Rio Grande. 749 Dashing Charlie; or, The Kentucky Tenderfoot’s First Trail, 756 Dashing Charlic’s Destiny; or, The Renegade’s Captive. LATEST AND NEW ISSUES. 760 Dashing Charlie’s Pawnee Pard; or, Red Hair, the Renegade. By Col, Prenties Ingraham. 761 Marmaduke, the Mustanger Detective; or, The, Great Mix- Up at Crescent Butte. By Lient. A, K. Sims, 762 Broadway Billy’s Bargain; or, The Three Detectives in Denver. By J, C, Cowdrick. 768 Vielet Vane'’s Vision; or, The Fiery Hand of Fate. By Wm. G, Patten, 764 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Lone Hand; or, Kodak Kate Seeret Seven, By Edward L. Wheeler. 765 Flipper Flynn, the Street Patrol; or, Knocking Out the Kid- nappers. By Jo Pierce. 766 Dashing Charlle, the Rescuer; or, The White Sioux Queens By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 767 Mac and Jack, the Invincibles; or, The Diabolical Three. By Dan Dunning. 768 Eagle Ned, the Boy on Guard; or, The Camp Spiders of Ragged Robin, By T. C. Harbaugh, 269 Broadway Billy, the Retriever Detective; or, How the City tebe. F Were Drought In. By J. C. Cowdrick. T70 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’*, Defeat; or, The Tandam Team « Thorny Trail. By 1 dward L. Wheeler. TT1 Foxy Fred’« Odd Pard; or, The Keener’s Huge Hustle. By Jo Pierce. Ready May 3d. 272 Dick Doom’a Death-Grips oF, The Detective by Destiny, By Col, Prentiss Ingraham. Ready May 10:h. A New Iasue Every Tuesaday. The Half- Dime Library !s for sale by all newsdealers, five centa per copy, or sent by mail op receipt of six cents each, BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, 98 William Street, New York.