Beadle's New York Dime Library (no. 1028) (1899 10)
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eS Copyriont, 1899, By James SuLutvan. Enrerep as Seconp Ciass MATTER aT THE New York, N. Y., Post Orricr. September, 1899. No 1098 Published: Every Mm. J. EIVERS & co., Publishers, 10 Cents a Copy. ] | LYXX (JAMES SULLIVAN, Prorrrertor), 0 ‘s sd Month. 379 Pearl Street, New York, $1.00 a Year. . of THE GREEN SHADOW BY ANTHONY P. MORRIS. iN Can | \ oy ehh We _ = SAS . == = THE BEAUTIFUL FIEND COWED BEFORE THE DANGER.
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2 The Green Shadow. The Green Shadow; Helene Cercy, the Beautifal Tigress. The Bomance of the Fatal Star of Diamonds. BY ANTHONY P. MORRIS. CHAPTER I. THE PRESHNCE OF THE SHADOW. A stormy night in the City of. Philadel- phia. Vivid lightning darted across the black skies, and loud thunders pealed in the throat of the hurtling wind, The flood-gates of heaven seemed opened on the earth, and the streets were deserted in the fierce hissing of the rain-torrents. We enter a house of imposing architecture, situated on Walnut strect near ——. Evidence of wealth glitterea on every hand; and the brilliant jets of the chandelier hid, from those within, the fire-tongues of electric fluid. In the parlor, walking slowly to and fro, with head hung, and brow slightly darkened by a frown, was a woman of transcendent loveliness, attired in costly raiment and weighted with jewels. She was excited by thoughts that just then trained through her mind; anon she would ause, fold her bare spotless arms and pat mpatiently on the smooth skin with her gemmed fingers. Her red lips were tightly compressed; her large eyes—black as enial night, lustering as diamonds, and shaded by long, silken lashes—sparkled with unwonted brillianey, and her bosom rose and fell with short respirations, In the doorway stood another female—a servant. Her face was white, her eyes star- ing; she watched the movements of her mis- tress in silence. : The presence of the latter was not known till presently the beauty caught sight of a white skirt, and she faced the girl angrily. ‘‘Well, what are you doing there?” she demanded. “Nothing, madame.” ‘‘Nothing! Then begone—” “But, madame—” “To your room! Do you not see that I am troubled? I would be alone. Begone, I say.” «But, madame, hear me—” ~ ** Hear you?” ‘‘T dare not retire, Oh, madame!”—castin a quick, fearful glance along the entry, an Btepping into the parlor—‘‘I have been ter- ribly frightened. I cannot retire.” “Ah! frightened?” ‘ 4 on.
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' and as the waiter disappea: threw aside his hat, sending it, with a curl The Green Shadow. come through this storm, and at such an hour! It is near midnight.” “That I cannot say; but—” “Do you know who he is?” interrupted Helene, in wonderment, “*T do not know him, madame; but here is his card,” » * Ah! his card.” Glancing at the card, she let it fall, and stared blankly. “* Cortez Mendoze!” burst from her lips, in a gasp of astonishment—the name that was upon the card, ‘And he is now up-stairs?—comes to see me?” as if in doubt. ‘““Yes, madame.” Recovering from her surprise, she held the lamp toward her companion. “Take this. I will see Cortez Mendoze. He—here! Where did he come from?—the greet A month ago I read that he was illed in a duel, or wine-brawl, in New Or- leans! What does he come to me now for?— to measure weapons with me again? Let him try it!” While thus speaking in a tone not intended for the hearing of the girl, she withdrew from the cellar and ascended the stairs. Eloise kept close behind. Again she was wondering, and this time she asked herself: ““Why should the comirg of this man, Cortez Mendoze, cause Helene Cercy so much surptise, cause her to mutter and scowl as if in anger? She knows him; I see that plainly. But she is far from pleased with his visit—that, too, Isee plainly. See the frown on her brow! One of her fists is hard shut—she is biting her lip. It is strange.” But ere she concluded her surmising, He- lene Cercy had entered the back parlor to the left of the hall, Not wishing to be far away from company, while dreading the reappearance of the Green Shadow, Eloise extinguished the lamp, and went into the long salon opposite the back parlor, into which her mistress had disap- peared, Once inside ‘the room Helene had dropped upon a sofa, greatly agitated, and evidently wrestling bard to overcome—what. was it, fear, hate or thirst for revenge? “Oh, why is he here now?” she mur- mured, ‘‘1 thought that viper was out, of my path, yet he is not dead; he is here to taunt and thwart me—if he can; but, I swear by my heart strings that he shall not triumph; I will kill him; he has pursued me only to meet bis death!” and the beautiful woman looked, now, like a fiend, her fine face was so contorted with passion. Then she sat quite still for awhile, as if to compose her nerves for the ordeal of the in- terview. At last she arose; stepped quickly to the dividing door, and, opening it, entered with a queenly mien to confront her visitor of ill-omen, And we must go to another portion of the city, tv make the acquaintance of this Cortez Mendoze, and ascertain something of his ob- ject in coming there, to the house of Helene Cercy, through the severe storm of the night and at so late an hour, CHAPTER ILI. MORE OF THE SHADOW. Ir was a few hours earlier than when our story opens, that a man might have been seen walking rapidly down Chestnut street, hav- ing just emerged from the hallway of the Girard House, There was no fall of rain, as yet, but an occasional flash of lightning, and the ramble of thunder in the distance, told that the storm ‘was not far off. The man whom we notice moved with a firm step, with a slight swagger of the shoul- ders, with eyes bent on alternate objects ahead, ; Reaching a fashionable restaurant, below Eighth street, he ascended the steps, crossed the brilliantly-lighted bar, and entered one of the cozy rooms at the rear. “Punch!” he snapped, at the attentive waiter, who stood behind an enormous mus- tache, “Yes, sir; what kind?” “No matter—punch!” with another snap; ppeared, the customer ny LF 3 : Lay. . Fase hee and a quiver, squarely onto the opposite table —a broad, soft, black slouch hat, with a dent- ed crown. Thew he settled himself with a grunt, and pulled leisurely at the ends of a long, silken, jetty mustache, While he is waiting for his punch, we take a look at him—for it is Cortez Mendoze, whose unexpected visit to the large house on Walnut street, interrupted Helene Cercy and her maid, when they were about to explore the mystery of the gloomy cellar. A Spaniard, as his name indicates; and a powerful one, for he had broad shoulders, a large hand, a gencral appearance bespeaking a more than ordinary muscular development. His face was very dark, with a few lines; a high forehead, thick brows, piercing eyes, dilating nostrils, and a set frown. His head was well shaped, with hair that was black, thinly grown, very long. As he leaned comfortably back in the chair, one hand—doubled to a huge fist—lay idly on the table, and the sharp, keen eyes rested on the carpeting, Cortez Mendoze was thinking; and his thoughts ran this wise: So it is fifteen years ago, at last. Fifteen years of a dog's life—pain, anger, torture, curses, foaming. Malediction! Have I not nursed my hopes well? Yes—well. Helene Cercy would believe me dead. So, Yes, it pleased her to think that Cortez. Mendoze died, or was killed in a fight, in New Orleans, a month ago, Ha! ha! but Iam alive! She will be disappointed. Iam here. Maledic- tion!—yes, lam here, She shall see me to- night—and talk with me, hear me, ha! ha!— yes, Cortez Mendoze is here, after fifteen years, for the answer you promised him, Ah! you’ve brought it? Set it down. Now go,” the closing speeches to the waiter, who brought in the punch. ‘* Anything else, sir?” *'No.” ** A crab ?—nice crabs, sir—” “*Malediction! Begone!” striking the table with his fist ina way that made the castors rattle, the plates to dance, and the waiter to leave hurriedly. When alone, Cortez growled to himself and turned to suck at the strawsin the glass, He was soon thinking again, but no longer spoke aloud. Suddenly a form stood in the doorway—a man, short in stature, thin, with gray eyes, smooth face, and wearing a tight-fitting cap. Cortez looked up.’ He saw that this party was scrutinizing him, and he returned the stare, half in surprise, half in anger. “You are Cortez Mendoze,” said the small man in a peculiar voice, **Malediction! And who are you?—you gaping monkey!” and Cortez started from is chair. But the stranger vanished toward the bil- liard-room. When Cortez reached the door, no one was to be seen, ‘*Malediction on him! Who is it? He says, ‘ You are Cortez Mendoze;’ and then— fiz z-z!—he is gone! He knows me well. But who is he? What did he mean by that? Ha!” the closing exclamation as a hand touched his shoulder, and he turned to con- front an aged negro. It was not one of the servants of the es- atm ay for, at sight of him, Cortez said: “Farak! Now then! what are you doing here?” “Master,” returned he called Farak, hur- riedly, bowing his white-haired head, and pausing in his speech. “Tell me, Farak—did you see a monkey- of-a-man dart out from here this minute?” ‘*T did not, master.” ‘Death catch him! He has made me nervous,” Cortez muttered. ‘If Thad him in my fingers I could wring his’ head off! But, what are you doing here? Did you fol- low me?” ““T was piesa you, master,” replied the negro, in a very low yet very even and dis- tinct tone. “And for what? Malediction! I shall lose my punch! Speak out, then!” “Farak is sorry to ‘displease you,” he eecuetes ““but something has happen- “Hal” Cortez leaned eagerly forward, ** Will you come back to the hotel?” - Farak was the servant of Cortez Mendoze; and, judging from the way in which he addressed the Spaniard, he must have been the latter’s slave at one time, for the habit of using the word ‘‘ master” still clung to him. The negro had something to communicate —Cortez easily perceived this; and leaving the punch unfinished, he paid at the counter, and followed Farak from the place. Though apparently welladvanced in years, Farak’s step was firm and elastic; and not- withstanding a perceptible bend in the back, there was an air of quiet dignity in his bear- ing, which years of servitude had not yet worn out. When the two were in their apartment, at the hotel, Farak closed the door, then pointed toward the bureau, where, sticking in the frame at one end of the mirror, was a neatly- folded note. ‘“Ha! what’s that? A notel—who from?” striding forward to the bureau, “‘T cannot say who it is from, master—,” He was interrupted by a sharp cry that issued from the Spaniard’s lips. ‘*Malediction! See—it is addressed in green! Green ink, Farak!” ‘*T see, master.” But the negro did not look at it.. He was standing respectfully to one side, his head bowed and body bent, while the first was bobbing slightly with the nervousness of his years. Cortez stared at the note for a second, then snatched it from the frame, and tore it open —to cry out instantly: **Malediction! Look at this! It is writ- ten in green’ink, and it says: ‘Cortez Men- doze is not so safe as he supposes himself to be. He may fly from ocean to ocean, or north, or south; but the curse of his deeds shall follow him swiftly, and the Green Shadow will haunt him to the grave!’ Ho} Farak—do you hear?» Caramba/ You hear what it says? It will dog me to my grave— haunt me forever! Is it not pleasant—ha! ha!—to be followed by something you can- not see?—something that writes letters, that uses green ink, that has made my life miser- able for fifteen years! Ha! ha!l—yes, it’s pleasant. JI rather like it! Laugh, Farak— laugh!” and Cortez ground his teeth savage+ ly, pulled hard at one end of his mustache, and worked the fingers of his disengaged hand, as he gazed on the mysterious note which had fluttered to his feet. Farak saw that his master was being con- sumed by the flery thoughts and passion aroused by what he had just read. The dark face of Cortez Mendoze had turned to an ominous pallor, and his eyes, dancing, flashing, as they fixed upon the significant missive, were protruding in their sockets. ‘* Master—” , ; ae the Spaniard wheeled upon him with a hiss. ‘“How did you come by this?—when?— who gave it to you?” rapidly. ‘Tt was soon after you went out, master, that some one knocked at the door—knocked very hard—” ’ “* Yes, ‘some one knocked at the door,’” —— Cortez, twirling his mustache by erks, ‘‘T answered,” continued Farak, ‘‘and saw there'a very short man—” “A short man!” echoed Cortez. oe Very thin—” ‘Very short and thin!” broke in the Span- jard again, now pulling at both ends of his mustache, rocking from heels to toes, while his white teeth glistened behind the lips that he dragged apart. “His eyes were gray—” . “Yes—yes!” in a co cry, “And he wore a cap—” ‘Ho! Malediction! it was he who came to the door, at the restaurant, and said: ‘You are Cortez Mendozel!’ If I had him now by the throat, I could choke him! May he die by the itch!” and the excited Mendoze, unable longer to stand still, sat down on a side of th away at his mustache, and swinging his see inward and outward with an Poppeaie motion, “Let that pass,” he snarled, presently. e bed, still wrenching - oe aly Me... ++ whe sea ty “Tell me more, You got this: Y m0 him?—the man who was HM inna & cap ‘and--malediction|--with Ehr a dd.
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4 . The Green Shadow. “Yes, master.’ “*Go on, then.” *‘He said that you nad gone—”, “That I had gone!” “To a restaurant, below Eighth street.” “‘ Caramba! it is cat and mouse—I am the mouse! Well?” “That I must go after you, and brin ou .to the letter—” : . ‘‘Ho!—me to the letter—not the letter to me! Good. Youhavedoneso. Well, what i from this nan with a cap?—death catch im!” Cortez Mendoze now sat still. His limbs had ceased their motion; he had quit pulling his mustache, holding the ends at their greatest length, with his elbows elevated; and his eyes seemed about to jump from be- neath the lids, as they riveted and stared on Farak. ** He told me to whisper a name,” answer- ed the negro. ** Yes, yes—go on!” “And that name was—” “Yes, ‘that name was.’ Be quick. You are to whisper a name. What is the name? —malediction! out with it.” ‘*Carline Mandoro—” “Speak it again, and I shall kill you!” roared Cortez, leaping from the bed, ina new frenzy of excitement, and shutting his aws with a force that made his teeth crack oudly together. He grasped the negro, and raised one muscular arm on high to strike him, while his eyes fairly flamed, and his teeth grated harshly. But old Farak did not wince; he only bowed lower and stood humbler before his irritated master. And at that juncture a vivid flash of light- ning broke the gloom without, seeming to dart into the apartment and play around them. This was followed by a terrible crash of thunder; and Cortez shuddered, despite himself, as he paused. “Phe storm hascome, master,” said Farak, calmly, turning, as he spoke, to draw the cur- tain before the windows. The speech roused the Spaniard, and he began to stride back and forth across the room, twisting his hands and fingers till the knuckles snapped, and frowning darkly over the thoughts that then saat him. At lust he addressed Farak, who was near the heavy curtains, peering out at the havoe of the tempest, “Get me a cab,” was the blunt, snappish order. ‘You will not venture out in this storm, master?” ‘*A cab, I say! “ But, it is not safe. See the lightning— and there! such thunder, too. It deafens us. We have’ not had so dire a blast for many summers. ‘*Malediction! am I to be dictated to? A cab—you dog!” Farak bowed, and withdrew to execute his master’s order. Ere long he returned; and Cortez, picking up his hat, started toward the door. “What number is the cab?” “* Forty-seven.” ad n” When about to pass out, Cortez paused, as if with a sudden thought. ‘‘Farak—l am going to No. — Walnut atreet.” ‘Tt is the house of Helene Cercy.” “Tt is. You know her nature well.” . ‘‘She is a dangerous woman, master; and I fear for you.” ‘‘Bah! I am her master. I do not fear her; though she is cunning, she would dare a great deal to be rid of Cortez Mendoze.” “Would it not be wise to take Farak with you?” ‘‘No—remain here. But, look now: she may stab me, or shoot me; she may trap me in some way, though she does not expect to see me. She is quick, like the devil at shrewdness, and hates me. She is strong, Do you hear?” too—malediction!” shrugging his shoulders some scene in the tt which caused him to speak of Helene with the recollection o ‘8 physical strength. Then Fenadaas 2S - “Jf Ido not come back to-night, Farak, ber your oath.” ‘*Good,” and, with the word, he left the room, closing the door with a bang. The note, »written in green ink, and of mysterious contents, lay at a far sideof the apartment, where Cortez Mendoze had kick- ed it during his recent excited walk up and down. When his master was gone, Farak secured this, A brief glance at the negro. He wore an intelligent look; his forehead was massive; his dark cyes shone brightly on a ground of milky white. For one of his years, his teeth were remarkably sound; his lips were not too thick, nor was his nose too broad. His ebon features were not unpleasantly molded; his voice was wonderfully calm- toned; and we see that his language was free from grossness. While he read the green lines on the small sheet, he nodded his woolly head, and mut- tered: ** Cortez Mendoze, you have shrewd ene- mies. This writer of letters is playing with you. For fifteen years you have tried to es- cape from something that you cannot see, es which dogs you and threatens you. ou have called Farak a cur, a hound, an ass, a fool, and a rascal by turns; you have even kicked him. Yet I will be faithful. IfI can find the author or your unrest, I will be glad. Ihave been your slave since you were a child, and your life is part of mine. You have much to answer for—deeds of violence and wrong. But that is not my business, I have been, and am now, your slave; and were you Satan himself, I would be true to you. For you have educated me, and made me more than the most of my race, But what is this Green Shadow? What means it? There must be one act in the life of Cortez Mendoze that Farak does not know of—an act to bring upon him some deep curse, with a burning brain to rob him of many a night’s repose. And what has Carline Mandoro to do with it? Who is, Car- line Mandoro, that mention of her name should make a tiger of my master, Cortez Mendoze, and set him to foaming at the mouth with passion?” He read and re-read the note, continuing his soliloquy, and wondering what it was Cortez Mendoze had done, in the past, that he should be haunted, that he should receive such missives—for this was not the first time the Spaniard received a note written in green ink; but, for fifteen years, they had occurred at regular intervals, and at various places in the United States, their contents being pretty much the same. But it would appear that Cortez had at- tempted to elude these hidden enemies late- ly, and the letter in familiar ink was to warn him of the failure of his plan, What that plan was will be developed, with other important features, during the progress of our work, We follow Cortez Mendoze. He had no sooner reached the hallway, near the door of the hotel, than he paused short, and exclaimed: ‘*Malediction! look!” For directly in front of him was the small man who wore a cap, who had first delivered the note to Farak, and afterward stared at Cortez as the latter sat sucking his punch at the restaurant. As socn as he saw the Spaniard had noticed him, the mysterious individual wheeled about and vanished. Cortez dashed after him, venting an oath; but the object of his pursuit mysteriously escaped him. “ Caramba!” he growled. ‘‘If I once get him in my grip, I shall tear him to pieces! In New Orleans I was watched by a man— a very tall man; now I em dogged by a very small man, thin, with gray eyes, and—male- diction!—who wears a cap. I must get rid of the small one asI did of the large one. Let me catch him once! Ho, there! driver? 47—where are you?” ‘* Here, sir; 47.” : The cab which Farak had secured was speeding away westward from the Girard Toate; and Cortez Mendoze sat inside the vehicle, his face set in a sinister expression, covered, The rain poured like a great torrent on the which the continuous lightning-glare dis-: Cortez had agreed on a liberal fee to tempt the driver into a hazardous service that de- fied the bellowing gale. Dismissing the cabman at the residence of Helene Cercy, Cortez rung the bell and stood close inside the door-frame out of the drench- ing rain. “‘This storm will soon pass over,” he thought, aloud, ‘‘else I would pay that ras- cal of a cabman fifty dollars to come back after me. Malediction! have they gone to sleep here? They shall let me in, if 1 must break the door down!” Clang! clang! sounded the gong-bell, as he gave the knob another wrenching jerk. Being shown into the front parlor, he seat- ed himself and took a survey of his sur- roundings—twirling his mustache, and dart- ing glances here and there, while he grinned ene A When Helene entered, he did not rise. He twisted and dragged the harder on the ends of his long mustache, alternately, with one hand; he contemplated her steadily, smiling grimly—a keen look, and a sardonic expression in his face; then crossed his limbs and swung one foot slowly inward and out- ward, Helene’s bright eyes flashed back his gaze; and it was plain that his presence was deeply roa ee | to her, for her cheeks were crim- soned, and her pearly teeth were clinched, as if to keep back an outburst of passion and resentment that was rising to her lips, ‘* Cortez Mendoze,” she said, pausing with the utterance of the name, ‘Yes, it is Cortez Mendoze,” with a spas- modic jerk of the swinging foot. ‘‘ Yes,” he added, the grin broadening, ‘‘it is Cortez Mendoze, come, after fifteen years, through fire, and—malediction!—with the scar of the assassin’s knife on his bosom, to get the an- swer you promised. Your answer, Madame Helene Cercy.” , Helene was breathing hard now, and vengefully. CHAPTER III. THE STAR OF DIAMONDS, ApgsorninG the house in which lived Helens Cercy was a residence of less attractive ex- terior. It had long been a subject of curiosity among those residing in the immediate vicinity, and the cause of this we will ex- plain briefly. It had been just fifteen years since Helene Cercy purchased the handsome edifice in which she lived. Three months subsequent to the purchase, the house next to it—the one of which we are se gem, rented by two females, who had with them a girl-child not more than five years of age—apparently mother, daughter and servant. After renting the house, and furnishing it, the trio retired to utter seclusion, No one was ever seen to issue from the building, ex- cept the servant, who, at regular intervals, procured provisions from the nearest stores. Six months later, the house was bonght at an enormous price by those occupying it; and then there appeared a silver plate on the front door, bearing in German text the name: “* CaoLo.” For ten years gossip waxed strong, and surmise was at fault; for no one had been able to make the acquaintance of these strange people who published their name as “*Caolo.” Then a funeral occurred at this mysterious place—precisely ten years from the date of their moving in. But even on this occasion the inquisitive were baffled; for no one, save the doctor and clergyman officiating, were admitted—and the latter personage disappeared when his duties were performed. The doctor had been noticed during several visits which he made, prior to the appearance of crape on the bell knob. As a consequence, the physician was be- sieged, But here the anxious ones met an- other defeat, for the medical worthy was not communicative even with those entitled to the highest consideration, and some of whom streets; the war of the elements seemed were among his own patients. gathering fresher force each moment. But the cab rolled on through it all; for The people in the neighborhood never once ‘ slackened their zeal of wonderment; and this - ’ — en
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pian ning, received a fresh impetus when, a week or so after the singular funeral, a large, muscular negro, bluck as night, and well dressed, was observed on the steps, having just come out, and who presently moved leisurely off down the street. This negro was seen frequently entering and emerging at the front door, adding, by his presence and actions, to the prevailing mystification, until parties were heard to ex- claim: ‘*Qaolo! Caolo! Who are these Caolos? Where did they come from? What are they doing here? Why do they exile themselves? ‘What does their strange seclusion portend? Can we not get at them and bring them out of their hole?” Thus matters stood, fifteen years after the first occupancy of the house by these people named Caclo—lacking three months, And we call the reader’s attention to those who lived there, on this night of storm when our story opens, five years after the funeral aforementioned, In the second-story front room, seated in a large, comfortable, oddly-finished chair, was a girl of about twenty years. Her td were large, |dark, lustrous; her face oval, and colored in beauty. Her form was lovely as her face—the neck and arms displayed by a low-cut, short-sleeved suit of black; and over shoulders of extraordinary purity fell, like an ebon waterfall, masses of glossy black hair. The apartment was furnished costily, and the girl seemed a queen in a sphere of her own creation. Leaning against the mantelpiece was a wo- man quite advanced in years, for her hair was gray, and her face and form had percep- tibly lost their roundness. She was silent, and watching her young companion. The girl was, aoe then, looking at the dial of a watch which she held in one |.and—her eyes seemingly clozed beneath the drooping, silken lashes of jet. ‘«Zetta, it is time Gaeol were here, can keep him?” “The storm, perhaps,” returned the wo- “man, Ah! yes, it is a terrible storm. thunder!” After a pause, the young girl asked: ‘‘Are you sure Gaeol cannot be mis- taken?” ‘Yes, mistress,” ‘‘ He has truly seen the diamonds?” “ He has seen the diamonds—seen the star for which you have searched so long, and for which your unhappy mother wept so ere she died.” “Do not speak of my mother again, Zetta; you make me sad. Ihave enough to make me remember her, without—the oath I ut- tered at her death-bed, when I was fifteen ears old. But of the star of diamonds? Tow does Gaeol know but that this is only H chance representation of what we are seek- ng?” “There can be no doubt, mistress. Gaeol knows, too, who sold the star to the pawn- broker,” ‘Who was it?” “* Cortez Mendoze.” “ Ah! that Cortez Mendoze!” “He sold it for $500.” *‘And lam giving $1,500.” ‘Ts it not worth that to Zuelo Nanez?” “Yes, it is worth twice as much to me. Hark! I thought I heard a step,” “Tt is Gaeol.” A heavy footfall was heard on the stairs, and in a few moments a huge African en- tered the room, glancing from one to the other of the two. ‘ 43 Gaeol!” cried the girl; ‘‘ have you brought t Ud “Yes; it is here,” answered the comer, in a deep, guttural voice: and, as he spoke, he laid a small square ebon box in her PE : 3 ith a quick motion she removed the What Hear the “Bee, Zetta!—see! How beautiful!” ‘**T have seen it before, mistress.” ‘*But I never have, Nor did I ever be- 3 ald $0 AAD, jewels in such splendor. Look! She held up in the ‘light of the room— juiiitining: reflecting in mag- perfect star, wrought of dia- Shadow. The Green monds and gold inwoven and intermingled in a dazzling luster. At sight of it Zetta shuddered and half averted her face. Gaeol, standing to one side—with muscular arms folded across his massive breast—looked on with the face of a stoic. ‘Put itaway,” advised Zetta, with evident apprehension, ‘Put it away!” repeated Zuelo; ‘‘why? I must look at it first. I want to see this star of diamonds, that my mother, that you and Gacol, and I—all have hunted for so diligent- ly during fifteen years. Even while I was yet a child, [remember my mother used to tell me that, if I outlived her, I must find this star of diamonds, [have never seen it until now, and I am curious.” ‘* Mistress Zuelo,” said the serving-woman, mysteriously, ‘‘though Iam giad you have found this star, I am sorry,.too.” “Sorry, Zetta? How you talk! What do you mean?” ‘*Better not to have found it, after all,” put in Gaeol, in deep, impressive accents, that betrayed his feeling. “Tell me what you mean?” demanded Zuelo, addressing both, but in the same breath she exclaimed: “Ah, see this! Here is a name, Zetta! There is a name on the back of the star— ‘Carline Mandoro’!” Again Zetta shuddered, and Gaeol moved nervously, “Putit away, Zuelo—” ‘* No—come here tome! Tell me why you shuddered when I spoke that name? Why do you wish me to put away the star? Come here, I say!” «« Mistress "—Zetta advanced to her side, very solemnly, ‘‘itis better not to gaze on the thing too mach. Let me beg of you to put it away.” ‘*Not till you explain to me why you shud- dered. Who is Carline Mandoro? Why is her name on the back of this star, when I was given to understand that it was always the property of my mother?” Zetta now appeared to be more uneasy, and made a motion asif to thrust the star into the box, But Zuelo Nanez was not to be put off in this way. ‘*Zetla, I command you to tell me wh ou are so worked upon by this jewel! What does it all mean? Speak, I command oul” tae Mistress, it is dangerous to possess it— dangerous even to look at it,” The voice of the serving-woman was un- steady, and there was a pained expression in her face. “Dangerous to possess? Pouf!” stamped on her beautiful face. “Ay, but it isso, mistress.” ‘« Yes,” inserted the African, bluntly, ‘‘ it is dangerous,” ‘: But, why is it dangerous? 'Téll me that. Tt is my right to know.” ‘*Tt has always been fatal to the one hold- ing it, my mistress; and I wondered, while I dared not protest, that your mother should wish you to find it and keep it. I cannot understand,” ‘*But, had my mother lived, she would have found it, and kept it?” “'True—she would,” admitted Zetta; ‘‘ but itis a fatal possession, my mistress, believe me. It has always brought trouble to its pos- sessor—always!” “Death sometimes,” supplemented Gacol. For a third time, a trembling shiver crept over Zetta, whose pallid face showed her alarm. ‘*Put it away. Let me keep it. I will hide it; and then, perhaps, Zuelo Nanez may be saved from its evil spells.” “Evil spells? You talk like a erazy wo- man! No; I will keep it. Spells? Ha! hal ha! Ium not sosuperstitious. But, tell me —who is, or was, Carline Mandoro?” After hesitating a moment, Zetta said: “‘She was one of those who died because of possessing the jewel.” “So, Carle Mandoro, at one time, held this star of diamonds?” ae Yes, ” “Do you mean to say that it caused her death?” ~ » “ Yes. ” “How did she die?--in a fit? Was she : mi scorn drowned ?—poisoued—?” _ 0 SG el AD a ee ——————————————————————————— —— ee * She fell by the hand of an assassin, mis- tress—she was stabbed.” The interruption came tremulously, and Zetta made another attempt to thrust the star into the box, Zuelo herself could not prevent the chilly sensation which passed over her at the an- nouncement, But she said, presently: ‘Tell me more of thia Oarline Mandoro,” ‘*We know no more,” came quickly from the African, “That is a falsehood! You are hiding ana, 2 from me! Come, speak out. You are both sworn, of your own free will, to be faithful to me, and do my bidding. I command you to tell me more about this star —its history. And tell me, too, who Carline was!” At that juncture the fancy-clock on the mantelpiece struck the half-hour after ten. Gaeol pointed toward il, and looked at his young mistress, while he said: ‘<The time is sounding.» 8ee—Zuelo Nanez must not forget her duty! The Green Shad- ow!” Co Without a word, Zuelo arose and hurried from her 100m, But she carried the star of diamonds with her, despite the protestations of her anxious-faced serving-woman, ‘‘It will be the death of Zuelo Nanez, as it was of others before her,” Zetta said, slow and thoughtfully, and gazing toward the door through which her mistress had vanished, ‘* Yes, its a cursed possession—a talisman of evil, wrought by the prompting of Satan,” added Gaeol, also fobiad in the direction of the door, OHAPTER IV. MET AND MATCHED. As Cortez Mendoze uttered the words sig- nifying that he had not come upon an idle mission, he eyed Helene Cercy keenly, with alook of confidence in his dark face anda grim smile wreathing the corners of the sinister mouth beneath his long mustache. ‘*Cortez Mendoze, you are a brave man,” she said, at length. He bowed, **Do you know what danger yon are in?” “Danger?” he repeated, elevating his brows, and molding his lips to a circle. “Yes, danger. Your life is threatened.” “Malediction! No?” “Ay, but you shall see, if you disregard what I say.” ** And what is that?” “ Begone, instantly!” ‘Hol Begone, eh?” “Go, sir, before you feel my claws—” ‘The claws of a cat!” ‘*No matter. Go, now!” “Bah!” he growled, shifting his position, ‘‘T am here on business—not to run away again. Iam no fool.” ‘‘Beware!” There was a strange light burning in the dark orbs that were fastened on her unwe) come caller, ‘Beware! Of what?” ‘“Of me, Cortez Mendoze!” ‘Of you! Hunh! {do not fear you—nor anything.” ** Nothing?” ‘* Malediction! Nothing!” ‘* Not even the ghost of the murdered Car- line Mandoro?” ‘ Qaramba!” he shouted, half-starting up. ‘*Aha! you fear nothing, I see!--not even the ghost of Carline Mandoro, Ha! ha! ha!” and she laughed, mockingly, leveling a fore- finger at him. The Spaniard clinched his teeth and glared fiercely upon her. ‘Leave off!” he hissed, viciously. “T shall not! You fear the ghost of Car- line Mandoro—it is plain; and why should ou not? Ha! h—a! But, mark: you shall ear me far more than you fear the spirit of the dead. Do you hear? Begove, now, as you value your life!” ““No—malediction!” he snarled, striking his knee with his fist, ‘‘ I will not go ”’—strik- ing the other knee with the other fist—‘‘ un- til I make you understand that I do not fear ghost nor human!” Then, beating on both knees, with both fists, after the manner of a pair of drur sticks, he leaned slightly forward, with rapidity: ; “Tam Cortez, 2 asks
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in her m _» as she stood well back from the table. The Green Shadow. nor anything. -I am here for your answer— malediction!—after fifteen years) You have not escaped me; You had best not try to do soagain, You thought medead, But, [am alive—caramba!/ yes, I am alive! 1 want your answer. Be quick! Malediction! I am Cortez Mendoze!” ‘*Beware, Cortez Mendoze! — beware !” came peculiarly from the tongue’s end of the baleful beauty. ‘‘T will not! Your answer, Madame He- lene Cercy—your decision, between three things, in my favor~ first, your hand in mar- riage—” ‘** Preposterous!” * “‘Or half your fortune—” ‘*Never! Never!” “Then, the Starof Diamonds! Ha! Where is the Star of Diamonds? Can you tell me that, Madame Helene Cercy?”’ ‘“‘T cannot. ‘The Star was. stolen from me fifteen years ago. But, ere this, the one who was the thief has‘died. The Star has always proven fatal to tlie’ possessor, if there was any truth in the story y@p told me, over fif- teen years ago.” ‘Not so!” he said, quickly. ** Not so?” she echoed, “T know of one who had that Star during nearly all the last fifteen years. And he is alive! Maledictien!” “Then you know where the star is to be found?” ‘No matter’ I know that you speak the truth, when you say that you Have not got it. Next: your fortune—” “«You shall have none of it!” defiantly. ‘* Ho! it is you who are brave now ”—smil- ing in his grim, ironical way; ‘‘you are de- fying Cortez Mendoze. Do you not fear Cortez Mendoze? It is my turn now to say ‘beware!’ Beware how you trifle with Cor- tez Mendoze! I know howto deal with you, Ithink. ‘Though I was deceived in you fif- teen years ago. I will not be so now.” “Tnuke care!—take care!” panted Helene, while her jeveled fingers worked nervously, and she seemed about to spring upon the now defiant man.” “«Take care’ yourself!” he retorted. “‘The Star of Diamonds is lost. You will not give me half your fortune. So! Now then, the last alternative: vour hand in mar- riage.” “1 would as soon wed a wolf!” “Then there would be two wolves in the den, Malediction! You are a scratch-cat. But, you are a beautiful woman; you have money; you must be the wife of Cortez Men- doze! You dare not refuse!” and he sprung from his chair as he spoke—the center-table only between the angered man and the steely- eyed woman, ‘“No!l” she cried, ‘‘but I may escape you. Take this!” and with the words she snatched a dagger from her bosom, and sprung for ward with the blade glittering aloft—her face glowing, and the large, dark eyes afire with the emotions of hate and vengeance, But, with lightning quickness, the Span- iard drew 1 revolver from his pocket, and leveled it at the head of the infuriated wo- man, She cowed before the muzzle, and her fea- tures paled, for she saw that the weapon was cocked and ready, and only a slight pressure of the finger was necessary to end her life. “Ah, vixen, tigress that you are, you would add to your crimes, would you, and put meoutof your path. Bah! l have you at my mercy. Drop the ‘knife! Quick!’ and he pressed nearer the table, leant over it, his pistol arrn-extended. The beautiful fiend cowed before the dan- ger. She read in the Spaniard’s flushed face and flashing eyes hisdeadly intent, and threw the dagger hastily behind her to the floor. “There, madume, that is well. lt has saved your life,” Cortez cried. ‘‘ Ah, but Gh are a dangerous woman, as you say. et I fear you not, for] am your master— do 8 hear, your master?” and he dropped back into the chair, a malicious, triumphant smile upon his still flushed face. The defeated woman ground her white teeth together in her impotent rage. Momentary fear had ear place again to deadly hate “and oe ul purpose. He read that much en of mingled defiance and hauteur io ET a ee ae of her treacherous nature that he kept a wary watch on her every motion and movement. She might have yet another dagger concealed in her dress somewhere, or a pistol, that he very well knew she could uze with skill; so, while he slipped his revolver back into his sash, he was on the alert for her quickest act or further maneuvers for an advantage. Tt was like two cobras, in their wariness, watching for an opportunity to make a quick leap and a fatal stroke, The Spaniard again spoke: ‘* Now we will go back to our beef! Car- amba/ if you try that trick again, there will be somebody shot! Come—your fortune, or your hand. Decide, as you promised Cortez Mendoze you would a little more than fifteen years ago,” Helene, now recovered from the. chagrin attending the defeat of her evil purpose, the spirit of defiance rose anew and fierce. “* You shall have neither!” she cried, ‘‘ and you may do your worst! If you think He- lene Cerey fears you—-wretch!—you are mis- taken! O-h!” in ahalf-frenzied tone—“ give me but one chance, Cortez Mendoze, and I will rid the world of a detestable villain!” **Malediction! you tigress! That villain is Cortez Mendoze, I suppose?” She made ro return. **But, look now!” he went on, ‘‘ what if I were to kill you, this minute, eh, to save my life in the future?” ‘Go on! go on!” patting the carpet with one foot, straightening those bare, white arms, as she clinched her fists, and breath- ing hard and fast through her dilating nos- trils; ‘‘go on, sir! You have pistols, and an advantage. Give me one pistol, and fight me fairly, if you dare—here, in this parlor,” “ Malediction! Catch me at it! You would ut a bullet in my back! No—none of that. You are not shrewd enough to beat Cortez Mendoze! But, enough! Come—you will not give me half your fortune,eh? You will not wed me, el?” ‘*T would stab you at the altar!” “Caramba! No doubt of it, if you got the chance! But you shall do-one of the two things, Hark: what if I call upon the police, avd say to them: ‘I can show you a woman that the authorities of New Orleans would be glad to get hold of? Why? Be- cause it was she who bribed the father of Wart Gomez to do that which brought a curse upon his family, and atterward sent her tool on a journey to his master, the de vil!’ Ho! Would not that be a good denoue- ment? Excellent! Aud I will do it!” ‘‘Do it, then!” she defied. ‘‘Go and tell your story. We shall fall together. For, ere the chains rattle on my wrists, I will say: ‘Behold! there is Cortez Mendoze;'he, too, has something to account for, in the city of New Orleans! Ask him if he knows aught of Cxrline Mandoro! Simultaneous with this tableau, a loud, lorg shrick of terror rung through the hall, and Eloise, her face white in fear, came run- ning in. A dozen steps, and she sunk to the floor in a swoon, ‘*Malediction!’’ exclaimed Cortez, whose nerves rose on edge when the curdling scream penetrated his ears. And then, as he glanced in the direction of the doorway: ** Caramba! Took!” For he saw there a strange, startling ap- parition. A female form, robed from head to foot in slim garments of green; and over the gar- ments waved dong hair, still greener, which fell below the waist. tering eyes fixed upon him, but the face had neither outline nor shape, being evidently covered by a skin of some kind, stained to a similar Bis with the clothes, and which hid the throat and bust. One second the fearful thing stood there; then, with a laugh that was uncanny and wild, it vanished. A half-cry, half-howl, issued from the Spaniard’s lips, and, casting off the grip Helene had fastened upon him, he dashed forward in pursuit of this human phantom, drawing a revolver at the same time, As he passed beyond the doorway, some- thing whizzed close to bis ear, It was He- lene’s dagger. And she knew well how to throw the blade, for it only missed its mark by an inch, and buried its point, quivering, in the jamb. CHAPTER VY. PEDRO GOMEZ, THE GARDENER, We take the reader back to a period of fif- teen years and a half, in order that we may bring out certain features and incidents that transpired at that time, which involve our characters already inuroduced, and which are materially essential to the proper development of our plot. Our story now goes to New Orleans, to a date just fifteen years and six months prior to the occurrences set forth in the preceding chapters, : It was a warm day, in the early spring that comes to the Crescent City. Situated on Esplanade street was a fine es- tate, the property of one Elsor Earncliffe, an American, who had resided there for man years, with no other family member than his child, whose name was Florose, Florose was an acknowledged belle—eigh- teen years of age; a blonde; beautiful and accomplished, Her greatest rival was a dark-eyed girl of about her own age, no less lovely, and whose name was Helene Cercy. Society was equally divided in admiration of the two rivals; and Florose, who was Let him tell | gentle and amiable, easily contented herself you who she was, and what to him, and | with her share of the praises that devotees what became of her!’ Ha! ha! ha! you see, itis share and share alike. What will Cor- tez Mendoze answer, after I have told all, when the authorities question him regarding Carline Mandoro?” ‘*Fiends devour Carline Mandoro!” bel- lowed Cortez, again jumping from his chair. He strode restlessly to and fro, pulling savagely at the ends of his mustache. But he kept beyond the reach of Helene Cercy, and watched her closely, notwithstanding his excited state of mind, for he saw that, as he rose to-his teet, the beauty’s hand glided to her bosom, and he knew that she was grasping the hilt of another concealed wea- pon—probably a long keen stiletto, As Cortez Mendoze started up, a vivid flash of lightning entered at the back window, half-blinding them, followed by a terrific clap of thunder, that jarred the room, Involuntarily he stepped to this window, to draw the curtains. ‘*Caramba! Whata flash! Why do you not keep your windows aaenenee in a storm like this? » You may defy Cortez Mendoze, but you cannot defy the lightning, I— Ha!” He wheeled suddenly as he detected the puaite of a dress and a quick step behind m, f And, none too soon! With incredible swiftness Helene had bounded toward him, her second dagger in hand; and he was just in time to grasp her wie and avert the deadly blow she aimed continually poured upon her. But in the nature of the young Telene there was a Jatent envy, a jealousy that grew stronger each day, and finally merged into a passionate hate, when one of her admirers— apparently detecting her feelings, and dis- gusted with this evidence of a desire to grasp all the laurels—deserted the stool on which he was won t to kneel in homage to the belle of the dark eyes and queenly mien. lt was not the mere desertion which piqued Helene so sorely; but, at the ‘next soiree, he was seen delighting himself in the merry voice, soft glances and pleasant smiles of Florose, From that moment, Florose had a deadly enemy in the jealous Helene Cerey; and the latter vowed to strike venomously, both at the recreant—whose name was Dwyr Allison —and, at the beautiful Florose, who, unsus- picious of danger, ever greeted her rival cor- dially; and more, still held the handsome Dwyr Allison a captive. But Helene Cercy’s hate, already dire enough, was uadoubled yy augmented by the news—which her maid brought to her one day—that Dwyr Allison and Florose were betrothed. And it was true. ment was mutual; for, when he pro accepted him, and now they were the mingling of their affection and the pect of an early marriage fete. Ee 22. There were two glit-, From an admirer, the — . young man had become a lover, The yaad pyin -pros- ~*' ‘ eer i be nh ioe «Tah at Bk uf { i ¥) an fat Rs + ob Ee 4 eee “1 & ie @ ae he a= tromgogir 5” thas
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A SEE eS eT ae — a ce ee —- ~ The Green Shadow. It was noticed that Helene had lost much of her vivaciousness. She seldom laughed, as scldom even smiled, and if either, it was forced and feigned. For now, when she saw Dwyr Allison the affianced husband of Florose, she discovered that she had loved the man, loved him still, and wished him once more at her side—not as admirer but as suitor. With the combined feelings of love, hate and regret gnawing in her bosom, she cared little or nothing about the dazzle and glare of reception-halls, or for the throng that flat- tered her wherever she went. Two things were constantly uppermost in her mind: her love for Dwyr, and her hate for Florose. Such was the condition of affairs when we ask the reader’s attention in this quarter-—at a date fifteen years andsix months before the opening of our story, on the stormy night in Philadelphia. On this bright, sunny day, Pedro Gomez, the gardener who had charge of the floral and shade grounds surrounding the residence of Elsor Earncliffe, was hard at work with his spade, and giving orders to three men who were under him in the management of | ward you well,” the place. While he worked, he hummed a Spanish love-song, and seemed very well contented with the fact that he was nobody but Pedro Gomez, the poor gardener. While he hummed and worked and gave his orders, he did not observe that a woman had approached the iron railing, and was |. azing in at him ars. She was very dark of feature, with a Gypsy cast of countenance. Her ey2s were brilliant and piercing in their glance. Over her shoulders and form draped a black cape of light fabric, trimmed with red, and sur- mounted by a hood—and in the hood a keen eye could have detected the hiding of great masses of rich hair. Around her bare, dark- hued arms were clasped fantastic bracelets; and in her chemisette she wore a pin of steel beads that glittered with wonderful brightness. Fora long time she had been watching the movements of Pedro; and presently she call- ed to him: “Hey there, Pedro Gomez!” ‘«*«Hey,’ yourself,” he answered, looking up, quickly. ‘It’s a grand day for the flowens you are so carefully ’tending.” **So it is;” adding, a little gruffiy: ‘‘ but what matters it to you—old Gypsy? What difference can it make to you whether &% rains or shines? I warrant your pockets are full of money, from telling fortunes; and when we have money to think of, we have no thought for Nature.” ‘*But 1 have no money, and I am fond of flowers, else I had not stopped to look at them, and to think how well you have made them grow.” “Take your fill of looking, then, and pass on,” he said, though he spoke less harsh, for her compliment pleased him. ‘Pedro Gomez, I say!” she called out a second time, after remaining silent a few mo- ments. “Bay on, then. Whatis it this time? Do you not see that T am busy?” through the bronzed ‘* But I want one of those flowers that you | tress want with Pedro Gomez? How did she | could earn in one day more than you can get with your spade in five years?” “Ho! what a question! A fool would know enough to say ‘yes’ to that!” «And you can do it, Pedro Gomez,” “1?” in great surprise. ** Yes, you, Pedro.” ‘‘What riddle are you poking at me? How can it be possible for Pedro Gomez to make more in one day than he is now making in five years?” “By performing a task that I can tell you of ” ‘*Oh, you can tell me of it?” **Yes, Do not talk so loud.” “She is certainly a crazy woman!” he re- solved, mentally; then asked: ‘* What is this task?” \ ““ A service.” “Eh? The task isa service! aservice. For whom?” ; ‘‘For my mistress. And, when it is done, she will pay you in glittering gold,” “If she is a crazy woman, she knows well how to tempt me!” Pedro thought. “T think that Pedro Gomez is the man my Tam to do} mistress wants,” continued the strange wo- | man. ‘If you will serve her, she will re- ‘*T wiil serve,” Gomez said, while he was wondering what it could be that this singu- lar-spoken female desired to have him do, ‘Put away your spade, then, and come with me.” ‘*Go with you?” in renewed surprise, “e Yes.” ‘‘How far? Now, there may be some trick in this,’’ and he eyed her suspicious. ‘There is no trick. Do you see that high roof, above the others, some blocks from here?—there, over this way.” **T see,” ‘Come with me to that house, and I will talk to you.” Gomez did not hesitate long. Giving some instructions to his men, he arranged his coat- sleeves so as to hide the dirt on his brawny arms, and went out at the gate. Jvining the woman, the two moved away, side by side, in silence, Arriving at the house, they entered by a back door, and she led the way up-stairs, to one of the rooms in the second-story. ‘Wait here till l return,” she said, imme- diately faving him alone. Pedro was now greatly astonished, Seating himself in one of the soft chairs, he surveyed the apartment. Costly furniture with gilt gold fringing; long, crested mirrors; rich tapestries, car- pet in which the feet sunk deeply at every step; and at one side was a unique table, containing a small desk wrought of ebony, with pearl-mosaic finish. All these told him that he was in the house of a very wealthy personage; and this, coupled with the mys- terious circumstances which brought him there, increased his wenderment to a pilch of uneasiness. He became restless; he fidgeted about on the chair; finally, he burst forth, half- aloud: “ Who is this Gypsy woman?—if she is a Gypsy woman? she has a mistress. And what can her mis- are digging at. See—that rose with a pretly | know my namet That is a question, too. ellow tinge, and a bud beneath it. ‘it to me, if you will—and here is a gohien dollar for it.” ‘“A golden dollar!” exclaimed Pedro, in- wardly, ‘This is some crazy woman! A old dollar for a rose!” Thenalond: ‘You shall have the rose, and I will get my dol- Jar!” When he had plucked the rose, and re- ceived the money, he would have returned ‘at once to his labor. But the woman reached through the bars and caught hold of his jacket, firmly. “Stay, Pedro; I have something to say to you.” ‘What can it be? Quick, then; for Iam paid to work, and not to idle.” “* And you are poorly paid, at that.” ‘** It is no business of yours bow much—” ‘But, what if you could earn more money Scryer | “What do you mean, Gypsy?” “Would ie not be a aod: thing, if you Bring | Whose house am Tin? Jt is no place for Pedro Gomez, the gardener. I shall be dis- covered by some of the servants, presently; and they will first break my head, then pitch me into the gutter! How long am I to sit here on this thing called a chair? Achair?— | it.s more like a mush-pan to Pedro Gomez! ho is her mistress?—if | Will she never come, and tell me what is . wanted by that mistress of hers?—whoever she may be. That, too, is a question, In the presence of one so lovely, and un- | der the gaze of those large, dark, lustrous | eyes—which she fixed on him the moment she came in—the gardener felt, more than ever, ill at ease; and, crunching his hat in both hands, he arose to bow very awkward- “You are Pedro Gomez?” she said, inquir- ingly, when she had closed the door and drawn a chair near to him. ** Yes, lady.” And mentally: ‘‘ How the dogs did they find me out, and know my name so well?” ‘* Be seated.” to his seat, Ped.o, notwithstanding hisembarrassment, took a good look at her; and in his mind he was saying: : “‘An angel! a fairy! Helene motioned him back I could serve her in anything! What.can she want with me—the poor gurdener?” As if in answer to his questioning thoughts: ‘*Pedro, I am going to make you rich ” “Can it be possible that you will honor Pedro Gomez—the miserable gardener—with any favor, lady?” ‘“My servant has told you, no doubt, that T will show you how to make more money in one day than you can make otherwise in five years.” ‘‘If you mean the Gypsy woman?—yes, she told me as much.” “She is my servant.” But, Helene Cerey uttered a deliberate falsehood. She had that to say to Pedro Gomez which would not admit of a confi- | dant; and, not choosing to trust the task of bringing him there to any one of her ser- vants, she had successfully played the part of the Gypsy woman—disguising herself till all vestige of the rich belle of society was lost. “And what am Ito do, my lady, to earn | so much?” Pedro asked, ‘The price I will pay you is three thou- sand dollars—” ‘““Three thousand dollars!” burst involun- tarily from his lips. “Yes. How much would you do for that amount?” “) would do anything!” he declared; ‘‘ any- thing I could do.’ “Stop; let me tell you something, and see if you are in earnest when you say ‘any- thing.’ There are two people in New Or- leans who hate each other—” ‘«There are many such pairs,” inserted the gardener, who was gradually feeling less em- barrassed. ‘* Be still while Iam talking. One of these is braver than the other,” He bowed in a way that said: “© A common case, my lady.” “This brave one,” continued Helene, ‘‘wishes to be rid of her enemy—” ‘Of ‘her enemy!’”’ repeated the Spaniard smiling meaningly for he was shrewd enough to catch an idea from what he heard, ‘*Yes, ‘of her enemy.’ Now she sends for a man who, she thicks, will serve her. She says to him, ‘If you will remove this enemy for me, I will pay you thousands of dollars.’ What would you do in such a case, if you were the man she sent for?” she warily asked, ‘*Is this a proposition to Pedro Gomez?” the gardener demanded to know, glancing at her from the corners of his eyes, while the smile on his face became a grin. “1 did not say it was a proposition,” He- lene answered, frowning slightly, She was simply sounding him, and had placed a golden inducement before the man whose nature she hardly knew yet. Pedro at once assumed a sober counte- nance. “What would I do, my lady? Well, if the Ha!— offer came from one whose eyes were dark there’s a step. Now, then, to see this grand | as yours, and whose voice said three thousand lady, who will tell me how to earn more dollars, it is possible—” ‘ “‘Ah, I think I know you, Pedro Gomez!” money in one day than I can get with my spade in five years! Ho! Bu’, she is coming—I hear her step,” CHAPTER VI, HELENE CERCY FINDS A TOOL, Prpro Gomez had not long to wait after | signa document a in hearing the approaching footstep. my fortune, after fifteen years have elapsed The door opened, a beautiful girl en- if the Hes py Ey ge at . ; He opened his eyes in his It was Helene Cerey. amazement. ree | Tt is not posstble! she smiled. He inclined his shaggy head. ‘*Then you will aid me? You will strike this enemy from my path? For, I will do even more, if you make no mistake. I will g to give you half 4
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“Or, further,” she added, age te eit 1 tnat does not altogether suit you, I wi years, remember.” Pedro’ Gomez stared. He felt his veins warming, and the words of the beautiful gir. tingled in his ears, He was completely deceived by her tone. He believed that it might be possible for him, one day, to possess this lovely creature! While it seemed preposterous, it filled him with rapture. “Lady.” he stammeréd, ‘‘I will do any- at | you command for such a reward!” ‘It is well. My enemy is to be removed— effectual!y removed.” ‘And I will remove her for you!” exclaim ed Pedro, whose gaze was still swimming, whose ears were still tingling. She arose and went to the desk on the small table, from which she obtained a tiny vial—a very tiny vial. White she was doing this, Pedro was thinking: “She is not an angel!—she is all devil! But, she is beautiful! I am in love with her—I, Pedro Gomez, the dirty gardener! And if live for fifteen years—she will be my wife, for she has promised to put such an agreement upon paper. Ho! h-o! what good luck And three thousand dollars in cash money! I am rich! 1 am happy! I will obey her in anything!” He was interrupted by Helene, who ap- proached him, “You see this vial, Pedro Gomez?” ‘* Yes, madam,” **Tt contains a deadly poison.” Ee Yes.”” ‘“The way to administer it is by putting three drops—mark, only three drops—in the center of a rose.” ‘In the center of a rose,” he repeated, paying close attention, and receiving the poisonous vial from her. . “The one who smells of the rose will, at the first inhalation, give a quick start, and look surprised. At the second—which can- not be resisted—the effect is to produce drowsiness. Then there must be somebody to grasp and sustain the stricken one, who will be likely to fall, and press the rose close to the nostrils! Can you recollect?” ‘“Yes, my lady; I have it bv heart. But there is danger in all this to me?” “* None. traced to the rose. task properly?” **Tt shall be done,” promised Gomez, “Swear it.” “‘T swear it shall be conei” vowed the Spaniard, sinking to one knee and raising one hand. ** When will you do it?” “Within one week,” “You do solemnly swear, that, within one week, you will administer poison to my ene- my, through the rose?” “Yes, | solemnly swear!” - Will you perform the ‘'Then you willearn more money by it in | one day than you can make with the spade in five years. of it without your telling me. Come to me afterward, and you shall have three thousand dollars,” give | you your choice, between half my fortune | and my hand in marriage—after fifteen | The cause of death can never be | When it is done I will hear | | other moment a new customer entered the “*) think I can trust her,” flashed through | his mind. ‘*And—by the. devil!—if she fooled me, I would make her repent: it! But no, she dare not trifle with me, And 60 beautiful! And, perhaps, after fifteen ears, she will be the wife of Pedro Gomez! xcellent fortune! What arise: from a poor gardener, to the position of a gentleman and then to become the husband o gel!” “ and cutting short his grand painting of _ mind-pictures. this devil of- | ell, Pedro Gomez?” interrogatively, | The Green Shadow. thoroughly deluded, and ready to do what- ever Heh uc Cerey might wish. The beauty bad other intentions for the future of Gomez, while she played a part now that made him pliant in her hands, “But, lady ’—as it suddenly struck him that the most important part of his instruc- tions had been omitted—‘‘ who is it I am to remove from your path, with the deadly rose?” ‘Her name is Florose Earncliffe,” and as she uttered the name, she fastened her dark orbs in a hard, half-frowning gaze upon his face. Pedro started back, The vial nearly fell from his clasp, and his swarthy face grew red. ‘“Lady!—” ‘*Nota word! You have sworn to remove my enemy, That enemy is your young mis- tress, Florose! Remember your oath! Re member the three thousand dollars!” “‘And the beautiful devil who may some day be my wife!” added Pedro, in his own mind, trying, himself, to set aside the seru- ples which had arisen at mention of the gentle Fiorose. But, between Helene Cercy and himself, he easily quelched any weak feelings that might have possessed him. Ten minutes later, he left the house. And Helene Cercy was walking back and forth iu her boudoir, smiling in triumph as she pondered on the oath of Gomez to re- move her rival, and the success of her artifice in making him obedient to her wishes, CHAPTER YII. CARLOS MENDOZE, THE QUACK, NIGur. Eight o'clock. With the Jast stroke of the iron tongue that proclaimed the hour, a carriage rolled away from before the elegant residence of Helene Cercy. Going from her house, we are right in supposing that its occupant was the plotting, dark eyed belle. While she is speeding away, we turn to another locality, to an establishment in an- other quarter of the city, It was a dilapidated affair; a dingy little stere, with one bow window, the frame of which was sunken and rickety, and the con- tents of which was composed of countless bottles of various sizes, bearing numerous labels of dusty condition, One miserably- spluttering lamp shed a sickly glimmer over the suspicious-looking bottles; and a row of monstrous candles on a shelf inside, served to display the stock of Carlos Mendoze, the Quack, There were several customers in the store; and old Carlos—a Spaniard, of many years, with pointed features, slim body, of short stature, and wearing a long black ministerial frock-coat—was bowing and bending while he served their wants, and occasionally speaking words of advice. As the withered old Quack -attended to these customers, a carriage whirled past the door—stopping asbhert distance beyond, In a moment it rumbled on again; and in an- shop of Carlos Mendoze. This last was a ~one closely vailed, and attired very plain- "Sho did not stop at the counter, but passed straight on, disappearing through a narrow back docr, ““Ah!” thought old Carlos, as be gave a momentary glance after the comer; ‘there is the beautiful belle! She comes again to see Mendoze, the Quack, What does she want this time? I shall Jearn presently, when these twopenny buyers clear out. Malediction! they spend one dollar, where this beautiful Helene Cercy is paying me hundreds! I have no time for them when “Yes, my lady. I was only thinking how | she comes. Will they never begone?” generous of you to honor me so—to honor the poor gardener!” Her red lips curled, as she gazed down on ‘the gardencr’s uncouth form; but he did not | ed bim see it, for he was bowing lower, and shaking | ay his head from side to side while speaking: “Get up, Pedro.” - “Yes, my lady;” and inwardly: sweet voice! If she is ever my wife, z me to sleep every night!” | “What a keep out all intruders. she shall | = Carlos Mendoze was very anxious to join the visitor who awaited him in the back room. But the customers in his shop annoy- teatly by standing and talking after had made their purchases. hen, however, tle last one had departed, he made haste to close and lock the door, to ** Now then !—now then, for my hundred- ollar customer!” rubbing his skinny hands we see that a hint of becoming together and burrying toward the back room, Peo 4 ifice, forhe was where his visitor aw ~_ | Helene Cercy was seated ata large round pam apparently highly impatient at his long elay. ** Ah!” he squeaked, ‘‘I am sorry you had to wait so long, madame ” We state here that Helene was a wealthy orphan. Also, that it was a habit with Men- doze to call her ‘‘ madame,” for their acquaint- ance was, by no means, a fresh one, as we shall see further on. “T thought you would keep me all night, Carlos Mendoze!”’ : ‘*Oh, no; not even if I had to drive those beggarly buyers off by forec, But I am here now; how can I serve Madame Helene Cercy this time?” “‘T have found use for the poison I got of you yesterday.” * Ah!” smiling grimly. ‘* Now I want something else.” ‘‘Something else? What is that something else, madame?” ‘“An asp, Carlos Mendoze—an asp with a poisoned fang!” ‘‘Ho, h-o!” exclaimed the Quack, within himself, ‘‘she wants an asp! What is she going to do with an asp?” Then aloud: “How did you knowI could give you an asp, eh? How did you know?” ‘You are forgetful. I learned it from your own mouth. WhenI asked you yes- terday for poison, you suggested an asp. : But, I preferred the means of the ioe rose. Now, give me an asp; and, also, give me a drug to produce instant stupor—a drowsiness in which the asp can be appled.” ‘But these things are very precious,” whined old Carlos. pensive.” ‘* What do they cost?” “The price is two hundred dollars.” ‘‘Bring me one, then; and make haste. Make up the drug, too. I must get away from here. The smell of your bottlessickens ‘* My asps are quite ex- ie.” The shriveled old Quack started to procure what she wanted—lighting a candle, and de- scending to the cellar, where he kept the horrible things, Aud as he went, he was muttering: ‘‘So young, and so beautiful! Yet she is a deep one, for she uses drugs and poisons, Ah! I know what you are at, Helene Cercy. You mean to poison Florose Earncliffe, your rival! You shall pay old Carlos much more money, yet to keep your secret. I know—I know all about it. You can’t conceal it from me! I have my thumb on others, rich as you. Buttheasp? What can she want with the asp? I will find that out, too.” It was some time before he returned. He brought her a very small, round box, containing what she desired, and, in a few words, instructed her how to- use it, : Next, he compounded the drug for her. And in half an hour, Helene Cercy left the shop. Her carriage bad returned; and when she had centered this, and was being borne homeward, Carlos Mendoze stood Scots after her—tightly clutching the two hundr and fifty dollars she had paid him, for his horrible ‘‘ goods.” As the Quack was about to retire from the doorway, a figure approached rapidly, ascended the steps, brushed rudely agamst him, and passed into the shop. ‘‘Ho! Cortez—you are drunk! Maledic- tion!” he snapped. **No—malediction!—I am not drunk!” snarled back the man, continuing on to the rear apartment, and banging the narrow door spitefully. “‘Something is the matter with Cortez!” the Quack exclaimed, a little nervously, as he hastened after this new-comer. In the rear office stood Cortez Mendoze, the son of Carlos, But Cortez, then, was a youth hardly twenty-two years of age. He was handsomely-proportioned; with an attractive face, brilliant eyes, and skin of extraordinary unt ae more extraordi- nary, because Cortez was addicted to habits of dissrpation. There was evidence of great muscular strength in him; and a bearing that showed he well knew of bis attractive- ness. On this occasion, his face was glowing as- if wih angry emotion, and he was grin 2 his fine white teeth savagely. “Malediction!” cried Carlos. ‘‘ What isit, 1” hissed the- B ‘my boy? Youare mac!” . “Yes, Lam mad—malediction t.
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handsome Cortez—using, it will be seen, the favorite exclamation of his unscrupulous father. ‘*Be calm, my dear Cortez—be calm. Sit down, and tell me what has happened,” he urged, Cortez sat down; but he instantly started up and began striding across the apartment, with clinched fists and scowling brow. Carlos rung a tiny bell that was upon the table. The summons brought a negro, who ap- peared at another door which led to the up- per story of the rickety building. ‘*Bring us some wine, Farak,” he said; *fand be quick about it.” And when the negro had gone for the wine: ‘* Sit down, Cortez, my dear boy; tell me what's the matter.” ‘*Matter enough!” growled the young Spaniard, ‘You know Wart Gomez?” **Oh, Wart Gomez! the son who quarreled with his father, Pedro, on account of Carline Mandoro?” ‘*Yes—he who married Carline Mandoro, Malediction!” ‘* Your old sweetheart?” “e Yes. ” “But what of Wart Gomez?” “We quarreled, three days ago.”- “Ho! A quarrel with Wart Gomez! Well?” ‘* He met me on the street, and dealt me a blow in the face, because, he said, I had apoken slanderously of his wife, Carline.” “Wart Gomez struck you in the face? Caramba !” “*Yes—caramba /” echoed Cortez, with a hiss, and » snap of his teeth. ‘Well! Well! What then?” The father now partook of the excitement of the son. At that moment Farak brought the wine. When the negro withdrew, Carlos persuaded his son to a seat. ‘““Now then, my dear Cortez. What did you do when Wart Gomez struck you?” he demanded. **T struck back again!” gulping down a glassful of wine. **Good! Good!” squeaked the father, rub- bing his skinny hands till the knuckles crack- ed, and seeming highly pleased. ‘A challenge followed. He was to have met me to-night, at sunset, to fight with pis- tols.” ; ““Yes—yes. And you would have shot him?” “But he did not come! Malediction!” shouted Cortez, smiting the table with his fist, “*Ho! how cowardly!’ “Instead, he sent this note. Read it.” He threw a slip of paper toward his father; and the latter read as follows: **Cortez Menpoze:— ‘‘T shall not meet you, For two reasons, I will not fight you: first, I have a wife and child who depend upon my labor; second, you are not worthy of my unger, “Wart GomrEz.”’ “The coward!” exclaimed Carlos. ‘But he shall not escape me! I will have his life! He struck me, and now tries to sneak from the penalty. The blow on my cheek still smarts. Malediction!” “Yes—malediction!” accepted Carlos, re- filling thetumblers. *‘ Since he will not fight you fairly, you must have revenge!” ‘*And I willhave it! Caramba/” “* Garamba !—yes.” OHAPTER VIII. A STRANGE HISTORY. In a western section of the city was situ- ated the house of Wart Gomez, the son of Pedro, But there was a vast difference between father and son. The younger Gomez was a man of many accomplishments, acquired by himself, and which had obtained him, first, a clerkship at a handsome salary, and, after- ward, a position with his employers that was almost a partnership. In consequence of steady habits, and close attention to business, the young man had saved a deal of money, and was very com- fortable in this world’s goods He married a beautiful ‘was Carline Mandoro; and the result of this marriage was ¢ rl, whose name’ quarrel with his father, Pedro The Green Shadow. Gomez, which led to a separation between t : arline’s father was a Spaniard—her mo- ther an Englishwoman; ent they were well- to-do, if not rich. It was because of this that Pedro objected to the union, declaring that she was too far above Gomez to be- come his wife—the wife of a son of a gar- dener. But, Wart was ambitious; and he stood high in the esteem and confidence of his em- ployers. He won the girl’s affections—while she was living at a hotel, with her widowed mother—and married her. And the pair were well-mated, for they loved each other fondly. It was the third night after that on which Helene Cerey visited Mendoze, the Quack. In the parlor of Wart Gomez’s snug house husband and wife and child were assembled —the latter, a girl, four years and three months old. And Zetta, the servant—who was about Carline’s own age—was amusing the child, while her master and mistress conversed, On this evening Carline appeared to be very uneasy. Her eyes glanced restlessly about; her voice was unsteady; and Gomez missed the sunny smile with which she was wont to welcome him, when he returned to his home at nightfall. “Curline,” he said, ‘‘ you are too sad to- night. You are anxious without good cause. Come—look up and smile; and think no ag of Cortez Mendoze. We need not fear im.” ‘*T cannot drive off the feeling, Wart,” was the despondent return, ‘‘I am trembling in a dread of something terrible that is about to happen.” ** Why should you?” ** Cortez Mendoze will never forgive you the blow you struck him,” “T could not help it, Carline! The scoun- drel was heard to boast, in a wine-shop, thet you had once been his sweetheart.” = “And was it not true, Wart?” with a shud- er. * Ay, but he deceived you—deceived your mother! He came to you, dressed in fine clothes, and with pretty speeches. He said he was rich; and q proved to you that he lied. He was poor, an adventurer, and no fit companion for one so pure as Curline Mandoro. My blood boiled when I heard of his language, so I struck him for his base- ness,” ‘‘ And I fear he will seek some terrible re- venge; for he is very passionate. I cannot rest easy, dear Wart.” “Pah! Forget him.” “And then, to-day, when I was dusting my bureau—you know the box contsining the Star of Diamonds?’ ‘*Yos; in the top drawer.” “T opened the drawer, to put away some trifles, when the lid of the box flew wide, with a loud ‘click.’”’ “Well?” “ Wart—I—” “Tt is nothing —the jar of opening the drawer, perhaps.” “T could not help but feel that it foretold some great calamity.” “Poh! What an idea!” “For, Wart,” her voice sunk low, and she turned her pale face earnestly to his, ‘‘it flew open in the same way just before my mother’s mother died.” “Ah! yes; nowl remember, you promised to tell me all concerning this mysterious Star, and the facts attached to it. It has a strange history, you say. Then you must reveal it to me.” “Yes—very strange. I will tell you. And then you can sec that I am not uselessly worried by its box-lid flying open in my face. And, doing so at a time when we have a deadly enemy in Cortez Mendoze, and after you have hada quarrel with him, I have cause to think there is danger hover- ing near. Oh, Wart! What is coming?” and she buried her face in her hands as if the dread that had fastened upon her was momentaril ritehend tm ‘But, this strange history, Carline?” shift- ing his position nervously. ‘* Tell me, now, about this Star of Diamonds?” Zetta, the maid, and Zuelo, the little girl, were silent and attentive, too, as Carline be- aun to explain the mystery and facts of the fete. oF Diamonds. 8 I Sas A Even the child was impressed by the sol- emn tone in which her mother spoke. And while a brief silence ensued upon the last speech of Wart Gomez, there was a face peering in at the open window—the face of a man, with an expression that was scowling, angry, ominous. “THERE once lived in the city of London,” Carline commenced, ‘‘a very wealthy mer- chant, whose name was Waldorf Cerey. He was a man of violent passions, yet who, when he loved, could love as few men can, He was a bachelor; and, at the time of which I speak, had taken a young and beautiful girl from a home of poverty and made her his housekeeper. ‘‘Her name was Lona. After awhile he came to love this girl; and, finally, he married her, She appeared to make him a good wife, and they lived very happily to ether. ‘But, this seeming happiness was not to last. Lona had had a lover before she be- came ‘the wife of Waldorf Cerey; and this love was not quenched at the time she married her benefactor—nor was it ever buried. “By her he had a son, When this son was two years old Waldorf discovered cer- tain things that made him doubt his wife’s constancy; one of which was a letter signed *Clayforde.’ There was no date to the éiatles but he saw that the writing was fresh; it was addressed to his wife in affec- tionate terms, and among other things, its author said: ‘I will soon return, dear Lona, when, after this long and dreary separation, we may be reunited in our love. For I have been prosperous, and have a home of luxury to offer her whom another had near- ly robbed me of.’ “There was so much in this to excite the husband’s suspicions, that he thereafter watched his wife closely. Six months later, he discovered her in a private interview with this man named Clayforde, though she was not aware of the vigilance of the wronged husband. And the object of the meeting was to plot an elopement for a date when he (Clayforde) should return to London, after three months’ absence on im- portant business. “Having made sure of his wife’s perfidy, Waldorf Cercy was enraged. As he had loved, he now hated her. And hate with him was terrikle. He did not betray his knowledge of the abominable plot, but secretly nursed his burning passion, and re solved upon a fearful course, ‘Te went to a jeweler, and gave him the design for a costly ornament—a star, to be wrought of diamonds and gold wire inter- mingled, *“* An!’ exclaimed Wart Gomez, breaking in, ‘ here is the origin of the star—with Wal- dorf Cercy, the injured husband. Now, then, for the part it played! Gp on, Carline.’ Carline tle ‘*When the star was completed, Waldorf Cercy took it from the jeweler, and sought the shop of a poyerty stricken apothecary. And it was because the apothecary was poor that he went to him. He offered him a large sum—a fortune to him—if he would com- pound a deliciously-odorous something, which, if kept beneath the nostrils of a per- son for two hours, would be sure death to the one inhaling it. The apothecary agreed. More: when the merchant showed him the diamond-set star, he proposed to take it, and impregnate it with the poisonous exbalant. “Winter had come, There was a grand ball gotten up by one of the merchant's friends, and Waldort Cercy and his wife were among the invited guests. Just before leav- ing their residence, he\presented Lona with the star, and requested her to wear it upon her bosom. She was in ecstasies of delight over the lovely gift, and caressed him fondly while she thanked him for the gem, Tt was the last time she ever embraced him; for, from the moment they entered their carriage, the deadly fragrance began its work. ‘« By eleven o'clock, she complained of be- ing sleepy. At midnight, the company was — thrown into great consternation by seeing dance. She never spoke one word from time she fell. Among the party wi y sician. He pronounced life ext death, it was generally supposed, CXC} her suddenly fall prostrate, in the midst of a Ww
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; ro SS pamaeies SP At: . uh, ss oa ; oy 10 —_—_ — SS The Green Shadow. cian had suspicions, though he was silent He had detected the peculiar fragrance with which the Star of Diamonds was pregnant; and, while he at once concluded that it was acase of poisoning, he was not sufficiently satisfied to warrant the expression of an opinion. ““When Waldorf Cercy, in company with the physician, conveyed his dead wife homeward, he contrived—as he thougbt, unperceived—to slip the star into his over- coat pocket. ‘*Lona had been buried duet ten days, when the merchant—satisfied with his ven- geance, and believing his horrible act con- cealed—began to experience a strange ill- ness. He lost flesh rapidly, his face, usually full and flushed, became sallow and hag- gard. He was frightened; for he could not account for his condition. He was forced to his bed, and sent for a physician —who happened to be the same gentleman that accompanied him home on the night of the death of Lona, His name was;Horace Stafford. “The physician attended _him regularly. But it was soon evident that Waldorf Cercy could not live. He called Horace Stafford to his bedside, one day, and said he knew he was dying, and must make a confession, Imagine his surprise, when Stafford informed him that it was unnecessary—he knew all. He went to the wardrobe and took the star from the merchant’s overcoat pocket—where it had remained, really forgotten, since the night he took it from his dead wife’s bosom. : ‘*Holding it up before the dying man, Stafford said: ‘Sec, Waldorf Cerey! the same instrument of your wife’s death has been yours. Unknowingly, you have, day after day, in small quantities, inhaled the deadly fragrance that is in this star. I guessed what ailed you; but, when you called me in, you were past all. power of remedy. It is retribution!’ ‘Waldorf Cercy died. The physician learned from him, ere he breathed his last, the whereabouts of the apothecary; and seek- ing him, and ascertaining, by means of threats, exactly what the star contained, he at last succeeded in abstracting the poisonous per- fume. Hekeptthestar. It was never again seen in public. “T will tell you, here, that Everard, theson of Waldorf Cercy, married when he reached the age of twenty-one. In this marriage, he had a daughter, who was named Helene. She (Helene) now livesin New Orleans, is wealthy, is an orphan—a belle of society. ‘Horace Stafford was a married man, at the time of Waldorf Cercy’s decease. He had a daughter. That daughter grew up, and was married to one Ruy Mandoro, in the same year that Everard Cercy was married. I, you know, am the daughter of Ruy Man- doro and Nora Stafford. But now of the star again, “Though my grandfather had cleansed the gem, and made it harmless, it would seem that fatality was to be its history. One morning, when Mrs, Stafford—my mother’s mother—was in her room, she had occasion to procure something from her bureau. The box containing the star was kept in the top drawer—as I have been keeping it. As she opened the drawer, the lid of the box flew wide—as it did with me today. Within twenty-four hours, as she was descending the stairs, carrying a small fruit-salver with a knife on it, she tripped, and the knife, in some way, pierced the unfortunate woman to the heart. “* After that, my mother took the star, and with an engraver’s chisel cut my name on the back of it. But, you sce, dear Wart, I have cause to feel uneasy. Nearly every one who has had the star has been unfortunate— my mother being the only exception. And, to-day the lid flew open, as it did when it foretold the death of my mother’s mother.” “Let us throw the accursed thing away!” cried Wart Gomez, when she had concluded, and seeming deeply impressed with what he had heard, “No,” said Carline slowly; ‘‘ 1 “promised mother, when she died, that { would retain _it as long as I lived. and give it to my eldest child, w mois do a same. It was an ind request; but, I gave my promise, 4 y, I shall keep it.” » Te ‘b you. ‘Forget _ man what happened this morning—and fear noth- ing, my good Carline.” e ut, even as Wart Gomez spoke the’en- couraging words, there came a loud knock at the door. He was first to recover from the start of surprise this unexpected and peremptory summons caused, and arose to see who the comer was. A man stood upon the threshold—a figure dressed all in black, and who wore a mask of like color. “Who are you?” demanded Gomez. ‘Your enemy!” was hissed in reply. “Hal I know you, Cor—” “Then fight to save yourself, coward!” and, with the words, the masked man sprung forward, a knife-blade gleaming in his hand. The two closed in a deadly struggle, and backward and forward they went, overturn- ing the chairs and tearing the carpet as they fought; for Gomez, though unarmed, proved himself a formidable adversary. Zetta stood like one petrified; then, utter- ing acry, fainted away, while the child clung to her, screaming. Carliné’s face was very white, but she was herself. She grasped up a heavy cane that stood in one corner, and bounded to the aid of her husband. The cane twirled in the air, over the pant- ing combatants—then descended, inflicting a ghastly wound on the head of the assassin— assassin, because, ere the blow was struck, Wart Gomez uttered a piercing shriek and sunk, lifeless, to the floor. The wearer of the mask, enraged to mad- ness by the wound from the cane, next struck at Carline with his knife. ‘“Now for that star that is so valuable!” cried the wretch; and he dashed up the stairs —for it was he who had looked in and list- ened at the window, during Carline’s re- cital. He was not long finding the jewel. As he descended the stairs he was met by Carline. Cane in hand, the brave woman disputed his progress. ‘* Cortez Mendoze!—murderer!” she screamed; ‘‘ you have killed my husband!” ‘*Ho! But I am not Cortez Mendoze!” bellowed the masked man. At the same time, ereshe could bring down the cane that was poised above her, she was struck by a huge, merciless fist. He grasped her up in his arms and fled from the house by the back way. Zetta had recovered from her swoon; she was at the door, and: ‘*Help! Help! Help!” was shrieked on the stillness of thé night, in piercing ac- cents. The alarm spread quickly, In a brief space, an angry crowd was in hot pursuit of the murderer. They pressed him closely, He was com- pelled to dropped his burden, which he did, exclaiming, with a curse: ‘ Devil take it! I have made a botch of this. IhopeL have not killed her, too. Now then, whelps, come on!” Relieved of his impediment, he soon eluded those who pursued him, The house of Wart Gomez was closed and gloomy. A week had passed. Gomez had been buried; and Zetta, the maid, with Zuelo, the child, were the sole occupants of the dwelling. Carline had disappeared. Much of the excitement that ensued upon the bold, yet fiendish deed, had subsided; but the authorities were vigilant, and their detectives were hard at work trying to ferret out the murderer, Zetta, the maid, had fainted ere she had time to imagine who it was with whom her master bad struggled, and she had not heard her mistress cry out the words of recognition, when she disputed the assassin’s progress on the stairway; else her evidence might, or might not, bave let loose the sleuth-hounds of the Jaw on the right scent. CHAPTER IX. THE WORK OF THE DEADLY ROSE. So great was the enmity existing between Pedro Gomez and his son, that the former did not attend the funeral of the murdered tress Florose, I think I have Moreover, an‘ independent of the enmity, Pedro did not wish to be absent from his post in the garden. He knew that his young mistress, Florose, sometimes walked alone among the flowers in the shady paths, and upon one of these occa- sions he meant to fulfill his promise to the beautiful fiend who had agreed to give him three thousnnd dollars for administering the poison through the deadly rose. But with all his watchfulness, the desired opportunity had not yet presented itself. Florose had wandered there, near him, many times; but she was never alone—either her father or some visitor being her com- panion. It was now the last day of the week in which he had sworn to perform the fearful task—three days after the tragedy at the house of his son and enemy—which, we neg- lected to state definitely, was situated at a point quite near the New Orleans and Carroll- ton Railroad, And he began to fear that he would not beable todo what he had promised in the time specified. Besides being the last day, one-half of that day was gone; for he and the men under him were working, at this moment, after their noon rest. ‘‘Sutan is sporting with me!’ he would growl, as he plied his spade and glanced anon toward the house. ‘‘ Here it is a week since I nade my bargain, and I have done nothing The time is up and I shall lose my three thousand golden dollars! And my beautiful new mistress! By the devil! I shall lose her, too! And I shall still be Pedro Gomez, the poor gardener—instead of Gomez, the gentleman, ana the husband of the devil- of-an-angel! Too bad! ~ How hard I-workt That contract which, after fifteen years, would give her to me for a wife!—what a pity! Tut! tut! Iam mad when I think of the good luck slipping through—eh? O-h-o!” As Pedro soliloquized thus regretfully, he stopped short, opened his eyes, and looked steadfast toward a clump of tall shrubs. It was a shady, perfumed bower his own hands had wrought, with a large, easy, re- clining seat; and on this seat, reading a book, was Florose Earncliffe—a picture of beauty in a hallowed precinct. “Hol” he exclaimed under his breath, ‘‘she is here at last! Now, how did she get there without my seeing her? and when did she come? No matter; since she is there, that is enough for Pedro Gomez. ‘Now for the rose, The vial?—ah! it is here.” He plucked a large red rose from a bush near him, and—turning his back toward his intended victim, that she might not, by a chance observation, see what he was at—he let fall precisely three drops from the tiny vial onto the center of the blushing petals. ‘‘Now, by the devil!” he muttered, “TI must not let this curst thing get too close to my own nose, else Pedro Gomez, instead, will fall dead in his tracks!” Restoring the vial to his breast-pocket, he held the rose behind him, and advanced to- ward the lovely girl. Hearing his step on the hard walk, she looked up. “Ah, Beato!” with a sweet. smile, ‘‘ you see lam enjoying the bower you made for me. It isa delightful little retreat. How do you do to-day?” “Well enough, Mistress Florose. I hope you are the same,” bowing, in his awkward way, and holding his tattered hat in one hand. While he bowed, he was saying, to him- self ‘What an admirable place! No one will see me hand her the rose—she will smell of it—she will fall—and I can crunch the thing with my foot. Then I will cry for hel and all is well done. Yes, it is admirable! I will get my three thousand dollars! I will try to live for fifteen years, and marry the beautiful devil-of-an-angel who employs me! Oh, how very admirable!” ‘«Those were nice flowers you sent me to wear in my hairat the soiree last evening, Pedro. Ishould havethanked you for them sooner. You merit a great deal of praise for the way in whieh you have managed our » en, **] have but done my best to please, ay Lee
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Laie heart Shadow. pay; but I seek no praise,” with another bow, very low and reiy humble. ‘You have made a little Paradise for us. So, you must receive thanks, as well as money; and especially from me—for, oh! I do love to see the roses blooming gaudily!” “Will you accept this from me?” he asked, ‘Tam only a poor gardener, yet I love my labor, and [ sometimes see good things in its fruits. 1t is this.” He held the rose toward her, and bowed again, obsequiously, ‘*How beautiful! Thank you, Pedro,” Helene Cercy was not wrong when she in- formed the gardener what would be the effect produced in the one who should smell of the poisoned rose. When Florose received his offering, she immediately raised it to her pretty face, and inhaled the perfume of the deep-d_ ed petals. Pedro, who watched her, saw her start and glance at him, as if in surprise from some cause. “Why, Pedro, what a strange fragrance! But, how delicious!” “Very strange; and it was because of that—” Pedro began, when he perceived her eyes suddenly droop—the rose fell from her hand—she swayed dizzily. ‘Pedro! Pedro!—that rose is poisoned! You— you did—” Quick as a flash, he snatched up the fatal thing, and, following the instructions of his fiend mistress, held it close to the nostrils of the young girl, while he supported her sink- ing form. “‘Pedro\” The voice was scarce louder than a startled whisper. ‘* Ho, there! Reno! Diaz! Help!—help, here!” and, while he called for assistance, he crushed the tell-tale rose beneath the heel of his boot. : The men dropped their spades and came running. “Mistress Florose has been stung by a serpent!” he explained, affecting much ex- citement. ‘‘ Help me with her.” They bore her carefully in their arms in the direction of the house. Elsor Earncliffe, from the interior, saw them approaching. To him the sight was terribly significant; it told that eee had befallen his cp With mind harassed by gnawing fears, he rushed to the doorway. ‘*My daughter!” he gasped, staring wildly from one to another of the men; what has happened to her? Speak!” Pedro Gomez explained that she must have been stung by a serpent while reading in the garden, He exhibited one of the wrists of the life- less girl, and there was an irritated puncture visible, close to one of the blue veins, which made his story plausible, Ah! cunning, devilish Gomez! He was shrewd as he was wicked. The puncture was from the point of his sharp knife, and the 1edness surrounding it was the result of his rubbing a poisonous leaf briskly in- to the wound. Tue family physician was summoned im- mediately, : When the medical gentleman arrived, he saw that he had been called in to.gaze upon a corpse, Elsot Earncliffe stood near to the doctor —his eyes fairly starting, his face white and fearful, and whole mien that of one who dreads the announcement of some ter- rible truth. Tt was a moment of supreme **Well? Well?” he the physician’s arm. “*‘ worst!” “She is dead,” was the sad, hesitating answer. “Dead? Oh, Heaven!” Plsor Earncliffe, in his declining years, had made his only child, Florose, the pet, the idol of his fondest hopes. This shock cut like a dugger-thrust to his heart, As he cried out these words, he sunk to the floor, as if he bad been shot. He never spoke again, Helene Cerey, the beautiful fiend, und Pedro Gomez, her tool, had apparently two deaths to answer for at the great tribunal of judgment, But the physician had examined the wound on the wrist. He had heard the pos of the __ serpent, which Pedroinaugurated. He knew that the puncture was not the co a ony. anted, grasping ‘ell me—tell me the uence of a bite or a sting, but did perceive that it was inflicted with a sharp instrument of some kind, He was quick to suspect. He suspected foul play. [is suspicion turned upon Pedro Gomez, the one who had first been seen with Florose, who was most Jond in his lamentations, and who was rather over- persistent in telling the story of a possible serpent in the garden, And, though he did not know it, Pedro Gomez was under detective surveillance within two hours after the tragedy—the re- sult of a visit paid by the doctor to the chief of police, where he freely expressed his belict that Florose Earncliffe had come to her death through a conspiracy, by which poison was administered, CHAPTER X. THE TRAP, 8ET. : Heteng Cercy could Jove, and she coulc hate—qualities inherited, it will be seen, from her grandfather, Waldorf Cercy. It was late in the afternoon of the third day after the death of her rival and victim, Florose FEarnclitfe, being one week subse- quent to the murder of Wart Gomez. As she had told Pcdro she would, she heard of the calamity, soon after its lYappen- ing, without his apprising her. And we find her, twice beautiful in the flush of her wicked triumph, walkimg to and fro in the room where she had bargained with the gardener for the performance of the fiendish deed that was to put out a young lifein the very vigor of its usefulness, and deprive a doting parent of the sole earthly idol of his affection. Society had been overwhelmed by the suddenness of this singular death; strange surmises were whispered among the grave and suspicious. But, Helene Cercy, the heartless instigator of the foul crime that had been committed, felt secure in her guilt, and inwardly lJaughed while her voice arose with others in surprise and re- ret. _ Within the hour, she had returned from the graves of father and child; she had not yet cast aside the rich suit of black which she wore to further display her hypocritical grief. But, with ecrimsoned face, excited breath, and lustrous eyes burning in their glance, she smiled, she laughed, she ex- claimed: “Aha! Aha! Itis allover now! Sleep peacefully, Florose, my pretty rival, Heaven is not half so unkind as this world, even in moments of greatest happiness. You brought the weapon of my hate to bear upon you; though, poor thing! you little dreamed how Alelene Cercy suffered in your victories, nor that she meant you ill, Once—” and her tone sunk low, as she paused and gazed thoughtfully down at the carpet, ‘‘ my heart fluttered; I wavered in what. I liad planned, and thought—a foolish thought! of recalling Pedro Gomez to tell him to desist, It was my purer nature then—pooh! You stood between Dwyr Allison and me; that was sufficient. Nowheisfree. He must be mine! He must! Perhaps it will not be so difficult to win him, after all.” ‘ She went to the desk and began to write. In a few moments she had penned a note as follows: “LXR of hope! $200 for a love-powder. ‘| Send this evening at 8 precisely,” Then she wrote, on another sheet: “Mr, Dwyr ALLIson :— ‘*) extend to you my sympathies in this sad sorrow. But, I feel with others, that we have lost onc who was endeared to all who knew her, and whose absence forever from our now grieviig circle will always be realized as a depiivation of what was more than loved, I would speak with you, I have a matter of importance to commu- nicate. Will you please call to-morrow evening at 8:80? “FHeLenrn Crrcy.” The first, which had neither name at the top nor signature at the bottom, she inclosed in a sealed envelope, and addressed to Cortez Mendoze. : Ringing a bell, she said to the maid who answered her summons; eg STN ee SPSS tS Ass age a ea AS a a Sa aC a RR IL RE RO 4 11 ‘* Ola, you know where to find the shop of Mendoze, the Quack?” “Yes, my lady.” ‘*On Willow street. you to deliver to him.” As she received the note, the maid was wondering: “* What can’ my lady be at? What busi- ness can she have with the old Quack?” As if she read the thought of her maid: ‘‘Be careful that you are not seen goin there. Be careful that you are alone wit Jarlos Mendoze, when you hand him the missive. Be careful that you do not speak to any one of this errand. Finally, do not attempt to pry into the secrets and affairs of your mistress. Do you understand me?” “Yes, my lady.” “Por, Ola—” and the beauty fixed her dark eyes piercingly on the girl, “if you neglect to pay close heed to what I have said, it may bring you before the law.” “The law, my lady!” in astonishment. ‘“Yes—it is not pleasant to be dragged into the witness stand, is it, Ola?” “Certainly not, my lady!” a little nery- ously. ‘**And you would be dragged there if you beat my instructions.” ae 2S » ate Here is a note I wish **Yes. I would make public waat I heard you say to the hall-servant last night. You told him there was a rumor afloat that Flo- rose Earncliffe had been foully dealt with— and you believed it. If you donot follow my instructions peer I will feed that ru- mor, by saying that 1 have a maid who he- lieves the report, and expresses her opinion as if she knew more about it than sbe dare betray. Yousce? Then an investigation by the authorities, and you will have to explain upon what ground you based your bold opinions. All very unpleasant. It would make you notorious, and injure your good name eventually. Be advised by me. Go now, and before you leave the house, send Mijo here.” The maid withdrew in a tremble, for the accent of voice, the significant speech, the threatening glitter of the dark eyes, with all of which Helene Cercy warned her to ‘‘be careful,” made*her feel very uneasy. Shortly after the girl’s departure, Mijo, a young mulatto, entered the apartment. To iim she gave the second note, addressed to Dwyr Allison, and bade him carry it with dispatch to its address. The two notes sent on their missions, Helene once more gave herself up to the re- joicings of her heart over the safe remoyal of er rival. Now, indeed, was she at last to realize the full measure of her happiness! It was when night had drawn upon the city that the hall-servant announced a visitor —in the vestibule. “Tn the vestibule! and asked Helene, “‘T donot know who it is, my lady; but though he is dressed passably, his face is vulgar, and he has a voice like the grow] of a beast.” “It is Pedro Gomez! Heis herein answer to the sign I gave him to-day, when my barouche passed,” she thought; and then, aloud: ‘Show him up here.” ‘*Up here, my lady?” **Don’t make me speak twice! what I said.” “*Yes, my lady.” When alone she went toone side, and drew apart a portion of the tapestry, which con- cealed what appeared to be the door of a closet, but which was an entrance to an ad- joining room. Opening this door, she called lowly: ‘““Sh! Are you there?” “Yes,” answered more than one voice, guardedly, “Remember,” she added, when T cla my liands three times,” and reclosed the hid- den door,. - “Now, Pedro Gomez, I will attend to ou.” She took something from the small desk, and slipped it quietly into her pocket. Then — she listened to the footsteps that w proaching along the hall without. Had Pedro Gomez kn Who is it?” exclaimed You heard
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= cies ews: ae : 2 ~ ST SET EN Si a ip, TE a ts eine é Sal Belin vi fi Newey oer a a 12 in the .eatures of her who awaited his ap- pearance, it is probable he would have hesi- tated before advancing beyond the doorway of the tapestried room, CHAPTER XI. THE TRAP SPRUNG. But, Pedro Gomez did not know, nor could see, nor was capable of imagining that the had anything to fear from the beautiful irl who had made him the tool of her dia- olical wickedness. He was ushered into the apartment—to meet a lovely face, bright and smiling; and Helene, reaching out one hand, greeted him eer ‘¢Well, Pedro, I am glad to see you.” Then, to the gaping servant who was won- dering what his mistress could have to do with such a man—whoever he was, and why she should receive him in the tapestried room; “Bid Mijo fetch us some wine, if he has returned from his errand,” ** Yes, my lady.” And with a final stare at the tall, broad, coarse Pedro Gomez, the man withdrew. Pedro was attired in a very respectable suit of clothes, and his face was cleanly shaved. But he felt very awkward in Helene’s pres- ence, because he saw her scan him rapidly from head to foot; and to himself he was say- ing, while he took her dainty hand in his big fist and bowed over it: ‘* A cnrse upon these toggeries 1 have on! By the devil! Iam pinched and sore! Bet- ter to have come with my spade under my arm, an independent gardener, than to try to play the gentleman in a coat that is too nar- row, and pants that are too tight. I wish they were well off of me!” And Helene to herself: “He thought he would please me by com- ing here well-dressed. Poor fellow! A bear ina gilt cage. But, lam going to fix him, resently. Pedro Gomez knows too much, e igs dangerous,” Then aloud: ‘You saw my signal to-day, Pedro? Sit down.” **Yes, lady; and I thought it meant to come to you,” adding, mentally, as he seated himself: ‘‘ Now, then! Iam in this mush-pan- of-a-seat again. I hate it. But the chairs shall be different when we are married—this beautiful devil-of-an-angel and I! How hand- some she looks to-night! Ah, sce! She is going to pay me the three thousand dollars! ow noble—how true to her promise! Look!” the closing portion, as Helene went to the desk and began counting over a number of crisp bills. “Pedro”—running over the money while speaking. ‘Yes, my lady?” “You have served me well. I think you and I can get along very nicely together.” “* How angelic!’ he thought; and, ‘‘ Yes, lady,” he said. ‘*Here is what I promised you for your services.” She went up to him, and extended a great roll of bank-bills. Pedro, in his eagerness, arose and bowed— arose so quickly that he upset the chair and tipped over on his toes, as he bent to receive the money. ‘A million of thanks, lady!” and mentally: «*Qurse that mush-pan-of-a-chair! Itis mak- meee ass of Pedro Gomez.” or Mijo, who then entered with the wine, saw the accident and could not help grinning. ‘*Mijo, begone.” The order in a severe tone, and frowning as she detected the grin in the mulatto’s face. She wheeled forward the small table, on which Mijo had set the wine, and drew a chair near to her visitor, “Ah! that careless servant!” she exclaimed. {*Pedro—bring me that small writing-desk from the corner.” He hastened to ghey His back was turned hardly a moment; yet, in that time, she accomplished an object, When he brought the desk, and placed it at her feet, she motioned him to his seat, and _ filled two glasses with the sparkling wine. “Let us drink, Pedro.” ** Ay, we will drink. A long life to you, - off the liquor ata gulp. He- dat the edge of the glass The Green Shadow. ‘* Ah! how good that is—but strong, very | asp, as I instructed you. strong. i smile. “Yes, true, I am a strong man,” and with in, as he held the glass to be refilled: ‘‘ Oh! see her smile. What a beautiful devil she is! And if I live for fifteen years—” he stopped short in his thoughts, for it struck him that Helene Cercy had not yet fulfilled the whole of her part of their bargain. ‘* Well, Pedro?—now, is not this wine deli- cious?” ‘Tt is heavenly! “1? Forgotten?—what?” “Did you not promise to sign an agree- ment to become my wife, if I desired, after fifteen years?” Pedro was becoming bolder. The wine was strong. The ‘first draught had gone to his head; the second made the blood rise to his face; now, when he paused, at the third, to remind her of the promised contract, he felt his whole system glowing strangely. ‘*Ha! ha! ha! ha!” she laughed, playfully, “Thad really forgotten it. But it is ready. It is here, in the desk—somewhere. Drink again, Pedro, while 1 look for it. Drink.” Helene Cercy did not know whether Pedro could read or not. For fear of missing her object, by arousing his suspicions, she had, indeed, prepared the contract mentioned— one that, after fifteen years, would give him either half her fortune or her hand in mar- riage. When she drew the document out of the desk, the gardener had drained another glass. ‘Not long, now!” she thought, bestowing a covert glance upon him; ‘‘ he will soon topple over, and then — ‘Ah! here it is, Pedro.” ‘‘Lady, you are kind to me, I shall try to live for fifteen years, and marry you. Yes, we must get married.” He was talking a little thickly. “You think you would like to be my hus- band, then?” “‘T love you to madness!” he exclaimed. “T must live for fifteen years, to marry you.” ‘We would be a very happy couple, no doubt, Drink again, Pedro,” and Helene Cercy laughed—for two reasons: first, the presumption of the gardener was ridiculous; second, because she saw that he could not keep up much longer. “Yes, we will drink again!” and he laugh- ed—for two reasons: first, because he could not help it; second, because he was elated with the golden prospects. ‘‘And we will have wine like this on our table Eeaye ; ‘*Yes, always wine like this!” he echoed, rather pasaterenety “Drink again, Pedro.” He was already swaying in his seat. Two —three—four beautiful girls were floating in his vision; each smiled upon him, each prof- fered a glass of the sweet wine that was in- toxicating him, ‘Presently I shall be drunk!” struggled through his bewildered brain. ‘‘T am swimming round and round like a chip in a whirlpool; and not one, but man beautiful devils are before me But I will drink again. I will drink till I can drink no more; then sleep it cff while she fans my brow. And—by the devil! my head is afite. I feel strangely! I am burning! some one is closing my eyes!” And aloud, as he started up, and groped blindly: “Ho! let me up. There is a trick here! that wine is drugged! ha! you devil-angel! Eee al mbar he glass fell from his and and was shattered on the floor, and Pedro sunk helplessly backward in his chair. When she saw her tool completely in her power, her dark eyes flashed, and she could suppress the hard laugh that rose to her 1 ps. She hurriedly extracted the document from Pat ae pocket, and threw it into the small esk, Then she clapped her hands thrice. At the signal, a portion of the drapery was Dyshed aside, and two wolf-visaged men dart- out, z “There!” she cried, pointing to the insen- sible gardener. ‘‘Be sure you apply the ou are a strong man, Pedro,” with a | job of it, now.” But, lady—” Some one was thumping on the panel of “Say on, Pedro,” the door leading to the ha!ll—thumping “You have forgotten something.” guardedly, yet persistently. You will find your pay in his pockets, Do not make a half-way ‘«Never fear on that,” growled one. Grasping up the limp and heavy Pedro Gomez, they carried him through the secret door. All was still. ‘‘Now!” she broke forth, with a grating laugh, ‘‘Jet them trace the death of Florose ipa to me, if they can! Ha! who’s that?” ‘© Who can it be?” She advanced, and turned the key in the lock—then uttered an exclamation of aston- ishment. She was confronted by Carlos Mendoze! CHAPTER XII. CARLOS MENDOZE 8TEALS. TuERE stood the shriveled old Quack in his very long, very gown-like frock-coat—his hat in one hand, an impish smile on his nar- row face, and a cunning leer in the little black eyes, ‘*Carlos Mendoze! You here!” ‘‘Ha! did you not send for me?” inquired the squeaky voice. “True, But—how came you here, at this door, unannounced? How did you pass the hall-servant?” ‘*That is not so wonderful, madame.” ‘* Explain.” ‘‘Malediction! I did not pass the hall-ser- vant. Had Icome so that others could see me, would it not have been dangerous?” He had entered the room; and she had closed the door, facing him in her surprise and inquiry. “Dangerous, Carlos Mendoze?” “ Oaramba! yes;” and whining: ‘ would it not be dangerous to madame, if any of the servants had seen me coming here?—seen Mendoze, the Quack, entering the house of Le beautiful belle, fora private interview? h?” ** But—” ‘‘Madame has a good character. Mendoze has not, Servants will talk, and they oft- times ruin a family, by their chatter, chatter, chatter. Ho! do you not comprehend?” “Then, by what means—” : « Besides,” he interrupted, ‘‘I do not care to be seen in places of this kind—in the halls of the rich, with beautiful belles, who buy poisons, and asps, and drugs, and love-pow- ders. Madame has just got rid of a visitor.” The last with a glance at the wine. table. ‘‘ Carlos Mendoze, tell me how you gained access to my house, to my private apart- ments, without being seen by any of my ser- vants?” Helene spoke impatiently. “ Nothing easier!—nothing easier!” whined the squeaky voice. ‘The garden gate was wide open—so were the windows of the par- lor. To climb the balcony was no trouble— to tip-toe up here was less difficult. You see?” ‘ She was regarding him keenly. through her mind flashed: ‘‘How/jong was he at that door?—what did he see, perhaps, through the keyhole?” But the face of the Quack told her nothing. Tt was the same as always—-unreadab'e, save that the little black eyes were snapping and sparkling perceptibly more than usual. “You see? Malediction! I outwitted the servants, and am here. He! he! hel het And 1 come on business, madame,” the clos- ing sentence more seriously. And “Yes, on business, note?” She left the door, and gave up trying to imagine whether Carlos Mendoze had heard or seen aught of what had transpired in the room a few moments before. “The note came,” he answered, whisper- ing, and nodding his head. “And the powder?” “It is here. Malediction! I could not re- fuse two hundred dollars for ten minutes’ work, Here, madame.” From one of the deep pockets in his lon frock coat he produced a small, neatly-fold crimson paper. ; a clamation of satisfaction, and thrust it her bosom. ws 4 yee ae: You received my ~ She snatched it from him, with an De
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The Green Shadow. | ‘The dose, Carlos Mendoze—how much?” ‘Half the powder to a bottle of wine, mad- ame.” ; ‘And the effect?” “Charming! Whoever drinks of it must pe to all the fires and impulses of love. It admirable It has never failed. I have sold a great deal of it. Carlos Mendoze has made more love-matches than a dozen design- ing mothers! Ho! ho! h-o!” and he chuckled aloud at the thought. “If Ladminister this to a companion, he or she will love me?” + © Will worship you!—will embrace you!— kiss you! Excellent! It is just what you want, Ho! ho! ho!” “How do you know that it is just what I want, Carlos Mendoze?” and the dark eyes bent upon him in a sharp gaze. “How do [ know? What a question! Mal ediction! I have sold five hundred such pow- ders. They are onlysought for one purpose. You wish some one to love you, whether they please or not—so?’ : _ “Tt is no business of yours, Carlos Men- adze,” “Madame is right; it is mone of my busi- ress,” and to himself he added: ‘‘ CarambaJ We'll see about that, my beautiful belle! Uho! Wait!” ‘“‘The price of this is two hundred dol- Jars?” “Yes, madame, and it is very cheap.” ‘Remain here a few moments, and I will bring you the money.” When she had disappeared, the Quack took @ quick step forward, and knelt beside the small desk which was upon the floor. ina second he had drawn out the docu- ment which Helene had given to Pedro Gomez, and which she stole away from him before turning his insensible form over to the dark-visaged men who were in waiting in the secret room—the written agreement of He- lene Cercy to give the gardener, at the end of fifteen years, either halt her fortune or her hand in marriage. : ‘* Caramba! I have it!” he hissed, as he glanced over the paper, and then secreted it in one ot the capacious pockets of his coat. ‘474 Gal You say it is no business of mine, vb? Wait! Oho! we’llsee. You have not yet done with Carlos Mendoze! What a vrize for Cortez! Ho!” When Helene returned she found the Quack just draining a glass of wine, over which he nodded, then smacked his lips, then thought: “That is the wine of which Pedro Gomez drank. She has drugged it admirably.” Helene Cercy had observed his movement. Her brilliant eyes lighted up strangely. What if she shou!d persuade him to drink more?—to get under the influence of the powerful drug his own hand had prepared ?— and then rid herself of him in some way; thus hig obliterating all possible chances of a discovery of her recent actions. For she fe!t that Carlos Mendoze must know -of nearly all, if not all, she had done, and such knowledge was menacing to her. “Here is your money,” handing him the amount, ‘‘I thank you, too, for the services you have rendered me,” “Madame may always call upon me with safety,” stowing carefully away the roll of bills she had given him. ‘*T will not need you further,” she said, **and so, let us parton good terms. There is wine. Drink.” _ ‘‘Madame is generous. ayia Carl rinned, and his rlos grinned, an serpent-eyes twinkled. eee “Drink,” Helen urged, “‘Oh, how very sociable in madame!” “‘What do you mean by that tone, Carlos Mendoze?” Placing one finger to the side of his hooked nose, and half-closing one eye: “Keep your wine, my beautiful belle! Carlos Mendoze is too wide awake to be tricked by hisown manufactures! He! he}! he! he! You have drugged that wine re- markably well. I tasted it. But, never fear —it won’t harm me. See this.” -He dis- ‘played on the end of his tongue a small sugar-coated pill, which he had placed in his mouth immediately upon drinking the wine. Oh, how soci. poisoned me. How ungrateful! There—no matter; I forget it. Hel! he! he! he! Qood- evening again, madame,” and the short, slim, snaky form glided noiselessly out at the door, For a moment she stood still—only a mo- ment; then she stepped quickly forward and glanced out into the hall. But, even in that brief space, the Quack had vanished. ‘Carlos Mendoze is very shrewd. pected my intentions at once. He carries antidotes in his pockets. Could he have heard or seen what passed between Pedro Gomez and1? Poh! lam growing silly, to worry over imaginary distrusts. Now— Ah, that document I wrote for Pedro Gomez. I must destroy it.” She turned to the small writing-desk, While looking for the paper, she continued: “Pedro Gomez has disappeared ferever, now, if those men act promptly. May they, too, get a sting from the asp with which I told them to poison the gardener. Ha! where can that paper be? I’msure I putit in here; I—” she paused and stared at the floor, as if a sudden thought struck her. Then she arose hurriedly, and rung the bell. Ola appeared. ‘*Tell Mijo to have [my carriage brought around at once. Do you hear, Ola?-—at once!” “Yes, my lady.” “Be quick!” : And when the girl hastened to execute the order, Helene walked to and fro, frown- ing, clinching her white fists, and hissing: “*Oarlos Mendoze is a thief! He has taken that paper from my desk. Iam sure I put it there, and no one but Carlos Mendoze has been in this room since, How uncireumspect of me!” When the carriage was ready, she entered it, ordered the driver to a house three pave- ments beyond the shop of Mendoze, the Quack, and in a few seconds was speeding away in the direction of Willow street. When she alighted, the carriage moved off —to return at the expiration of half an hour. The shop of Carlos Mendoze was closed. But Helene, familiar with the place, entered a side passage that led to the rear ofiice. As she entered the door, she heard voices in animated conversation, One voice said: ‘*Malediction!” And another voice said: “* Caramba !” She paused to listen; then stooped to peer in through the keyhole, He sus- CHAPTER XIII. HELENE CERCY HEARS SOMETHING, Cartos Mernpoze and his son, Cortez, were seated at the round table in the small rear room. The latter was holding up, in the light of a tall, flaring lamp, the Star of Diamonds; and the Quack was gazing on it in wonder and delight, “And this is what she told Wart Gomez about,” Cortez was saying. ‘The Star of Diamonds, with an unlucky history, and which always brings trouble to its possessor. Now, whether to keep it—” ‘*Ho! what? malediction! we will keep it. Throw away those diamonds?—those beauti- ful diamonds? How could we?” ‘«But, old man, you forget the history I ‘| have been telling you,”. It was evident that Helene Cercy had miss- ed a very important fash of the conversation. “The history? Caramba! We will tear the thing to pieces, and sell the brilliants. Let me have it, Cortez!—let me have it.” He took the star in his hands, and turned it over and over, muttering and chucklin® to himself in his supreme satisfaction. The young man appeared rather pony. ‘Ho, Cortez! How beautiful!—how valu- able! A fortune! He! he! he! he!” “Keep it to yourself, then. I want none of its fates tangling round me.” ‘‘ What makes you so sour? Pooh! pooh! we're in luck; so be merry.” He twirled and tumbled the star round and round in his skinny fingers, while he contin- ued to mutter and chuckle—this avaricious old Spaniard, who sold quack medicines to ' Fe Se ee ee peer a eT oe tle SRR es eee a D hide his real mode of living, which way mostly after the manner in which we have seen him deal with Helene Cercy. “You forget again, old man.” Cortez rested his elbows on the table, and sunk his. chin to his hands, while he stared frowningly at the opposite wall. “Forget what?” ‘That there has been a murder done, to- gether with the obtaining of that star—per- haps two murders. Halt heard a noise ” Te started to his feet as if stung by a ser- pent, and looked quickly around. ‘You are nervous, my boy. Sit down. Well, if there has been murder, that does you no hurt.” ‘*But, Carline Mandoro?—for she will al- ways be Carline Mandoro to me, if she did marry Gomez ” ‘* Well, if she is dead, too?—what matter?” ‘*Matter enough—” ‘Tt cannot implicate you.” ‘*Malediction! But it can!” cried Cortez, in sudden excitement, and bringing his fist down, with a thump, on the table. ‘It can implicate me, old man, and I am worried about it, more than you can understand.” ‘‘How?” asked Carlos, returning his son’s stare, ‘‘Caramba! Do you not see? Carline Mandoro was my sweetheart. Her husband, Gomez, has been murdered—she was carried off, and then disappeared. If some one should say: ‘Look—Cortez Mendoze, mad at the man who married his sweetheart, murdered that man, then abducted and kill- ed Carline Mandoro, out of revenge!’—then what? Eh? Malediction!’ ‘But you did not kill Wart Gomez! You did not touch Carline Mandoro!” “Trueenough! But—caramba /—that will not count. I shall be arrested on suspicion. I have enemies who would perjurethemselves todrag me down. Satan! can you not see, now? I will be tried for the abduction and murder of Carline Mandoro!” ‘*Pooh! pooh! who willstart the ridiculous story ?” “There are plenty, if they once think of the scheme, It is best for me to leave these parts, I guess,” ‘*Malediction|—no, I have another sweet- heart for you. Te! he! he!—a finer one—a very queen.” ‘* What do you mean, old man?” ‘*T have another sweetheart for you, my boy; and she is far prettier than was Carline Mandoro. Ho! h-o! and she is a prize--a prize! You must not think of going away. As to your enemies?—boo! They will sot have brains enough to avail themselves of what you fear. Nobody will start the story, Rest easy. Ah! who can that be?” They were interrupted by a knock at the oor. At a sign from his father, Cortez w.ch- drew. f Old Carlos placed the star in the box, closed the lid, and advanced to admit the comer, Helene ertered. Oho!” thought the Quack, ‘‘it is the beautiful belle! She said she would not need me further, yet she is here within the hour, She has missed the document. That is it! she is here to demand it of me, Let us see if she will get it. He! he! he! he!” And then aloud: ‘‘ Walkin, madame! This is unexpected. How can I serve you this time?” The beauty observed with satisfaction that the box containing the Star of Diamonds lay upon the table. When she saw the jewel, as she eaves- dropped and peered in through the keyhole, she had resolved to secure it; for she per- ceived that it was costly, and was immedi- ately seized with a desire to own such a valuable oraament—to secure it by any means ‘*Be seated, madame,” continued Mendoze, in his squeakily-bland voice, **f have urgent business with ile He- lene said, seating herself at the table on the side opposite the box—opposite because she did not wish to excite a suspicion of her in- tentions. ‘Lam always ready to serve, madame, Now, what is it, eh?” He stood before her, rubbing his bh slowly, while the little black ¢ cunningly... 4 ee Se pg et a ies et
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a Ded rees TT pe tect a epee Sey Str} et ee ee tee ne ee a eRe an ¥ SOLAS 7 1D * : i % i ‘portant to speak of. —— ‘ “Thave come to demand back the paper which you took from my writing-desk.” Helene spoke sharply. ‘The paper! what paper? Madame speaks in—” ‘You would say ‘in riddles.’ Be done! You stole that paper from me, Carlos Men- doze; now return it,” “Ife! he! he!” laughed the Quack—a gig- gling chuckle. ‘‘ Malediction! Madame missed it soon. Yes—I have it safe. No fear of that! Safe!” “Safe?” **Oho! safe enough.” **Can I bribe you, Carlos Mendoze? A thousand dollars if you will give me that paper.” *‘A thousand? Pish!” “Two thousand.” “Pish again!” ““Why do youtrifle? The paper can be of no use to you. Let me have it and Iam willing to pay handsomely for it ” “No use to me,ch? Ho! Wait! We'll see, Coriez!—Cortez, my boy! come here,” he called loudly. “Did you cull me, oldeman?” Cortez came in, He had been standing just outside the door, listening. “Yes! yes! ho! ho! h-o! I have some- thing to tell you—something about the beau- tiful belle who buys poison, and drugs, and asps, and love-powders—” ** Carlos Mendoze!” broke in Helene, knit- ting her brows ominously. ‘“Easy! easy, madame, Malediction! You areinatrap. He! he! he! Cortez, my boy, I have a paper which she says is of no use to me. Oho! we shall see. Listen, Cortez, while I tell you something. Here’s your new sweetheart come to see you—the new- comer I spoke of. He! he! he! he! Isn’t this a fine exchange?” CHAPTER XIY. THE VALUE OF THE PAPER, Wut the Quack giggled and chuckled, he went to the door, locked it and placed the key in his pocket. Helene silently watched him the frown on her lovely face growing darker, and her eyes flashing sternly beneath the knitted brows. She did not like the tone nor speech of Carlos Mendoze. She did not like the sig- nificance of that movement, which plainly meant: ‘“Now, my beautiful belle, you are a close prisoner with us; and you must listen, whether you choose or not, to what Iam go- ing to say.” Cortez did not understand. He saw that ‘his father was exuberant over something; he saw that this exuberance was angering their visitor. Why old Carlos should say that she, He- Jone Cercy, was the new sweetheart men- @oned in their recent conversation, was more than the young man could conceive—for, Helene was an entire stranger to him, and the Quack bad not yet made a confidant of his son, so far as to tell him of the purchases made by the belie at the dingy shop. Cortez, therefore, was filled with surprise, and gazed in blankness and inquiry from one to the other of the two. “Carlos Mendoze, why did you lock that door?” demanded Helene, angrily, “Wait! Ho! ho! well see presently. I want to tell you how valuable this paper is to me. Oh, how very valuable!—and you say it is worthless.” _‘* Unlock the door, sir!” _ “Sit down, Cortez—sit down,” ordered Carlos, ‘‘Malediction! I have something im- Ho! ho! ho!’ “ What does all this mean, old man?” “A great deal, my _boy—a great deal! He! he! he! Laugh! Laugh! This beauti- ful belle is to be the wife of my sop! Ho! ‘* Carlos Mendoze! Wretch—what do you mean by that insult?” Helene half-started from her chair, and her orbs lighted with redoubled anger as they riveted staringly on the giggling, chuckling, exuberant Quack, Cortez strained his ears and listened in mZe.. ae : ; viet! Quiet!” old Carlos ordered, still y. ‘Listen, wrnciiffe?—the beau- Cortez! You. The Green Shadow. SS eae “*Yes—she died—” | “Ho! no—she was poisoned!” ** Poisoned ?” **Carlos Mendoze, what are you doing?” | cried Helene, breathing quick and fast. But, Carlos paid ler no heed, and contin- | ued, addressing his son: ‘Yes, yes, she was murderei—poisoned, ! do you hear? Poisoned by this beautiful | belle here, whose name is Helene Cerey—eh, madame?” The young man looked in astonishment to- ward Helene. “Yes, Cortez; she was the rival of Florose. Florose must be removed, because Helene wanted her lover, Dwyr Allison, Oh, I know all about it! He! he} But she must have means anda tool. She first buys poison of me, and then finds’ a tool in Pedro Gomez, | the gardener of Elsor Earncliffe, and the fa. ther of Wart Gomez. Ho! A nice plot, eh? A nice plot!” “Yes. Malediction!” exclaimed Cortez, now grinning with his father. **80, Florose was removed. Elsor Earn- cliffe could not survive the shock. Both fa- ther and daughter were removed, But, what did she do next? Caramla/ What did she do with Pedro Gomez, her tool? She called him to her house to-night, drugged him, and then turned him over to some rascals who were to sting him with an asp—the asp, too, she got of me! Hoh-o!” **Hoh-o!” echoed Cortez, unconsciously. “Through the keyhole 1 saw her with Pedro—” ‘Curse him! I feared as much!” thought Helene, while she remained silent during the Quack’s outburst. ‘«__For she had sent to me for a love-pow- der, and I had gone with the powder, unseen ae the servants, to her private apartments. Malediction! what a plot.” **¥Yes, Malediction! Ha! ha! ha!’ “She had written and signed an agreement to either marry Pedro Gomez or give him half her fortune, after fifteen years, Through the keyhole I saw her place this paperin a small desk, when she turned poor Bo ro Over to the ruffians. And now I have got the pa- per! And she says it is of no use to me! Ha! ha! ha! hat Ho! ho! bh o!” Old Carlos bent his slim form nearly double, and laughed in his glee, truly hide- ous, ‘*T think I see what you are driving at, old man,” “So do I,” Helene thought to herself, while a peculiar, contemptuous smile played about her tightly-compressed lips. ““You see, Cortez, ny boy?—ho! hol—you see? I have the written agreement of Helene Cercy, to marry, after fifteen years—not Pe- dro Gomez, but Cortez Mendoze! for we can easily eruse the name, and insert a new one, Caramba! Caramba! how good.” “Yes—caramba /—it is very good,” laugh- ed the son, The young Spaniard was already in love with the face before him, and at prospect of marrying one so beautiful, his whole passion- ate nature was aroused, **You mean, then, Carlos Mendoze, that I am to marry your son?” The question was put very calmly, the speaker was not at all disconcerted. “That is it! That is it!” “ And if I refuse—” “Tf you refuse? Malediction! I will ex pose all your tricks—your crimes.” **T am not afraid of that,” was Helene’s mental comment. ‘‘Carlos Mendoze cannot betray me, without implicating himseif, and he will suffer equally with me, in the event of the exposure he threatens. He thinks I will nct see this, I might astonish him by telling him how easy it would be for me to bring the officers of the law to his house, in search of the abductor and murderer of Car- line Mandoro. But, it would not be sensible for me to do that now, while I am locked in this room, and in their power. I must, first, get out of this, Let them go on. When they measure weapons with Helene Cercy, they will have to fight hard and shrewdly.” Then aloud: » “Very well, Carlos Mendoze; you have me in your sore, so 1 must yield,” ‘She isa magnificent woman! I love her wildly!” Cortez was saying, inwardly. ‘*It is well! 1t is welll” laughed the Quack. “Cortez will make you a good husband | Cortez! | good husband. Now, do you not think this paper is wort something to me? Salute your sweetheart, Kiss her! Ho! ho!‘hol!” ‘* Keep off!” ordered Helene, as the young ; man advanced with the apparent intention o kissing her, ‘‘ Let it suffice, for the present, that L yield to your demands. Cortez wil have embraces and kisses enough when we are married.” As she spoke—while her bosom was tur- | moiling and burning with rage, hate, cha- grin, contempt—she even smiled pleasantly on the young Spaniard. ‘*T will wait,” said Cortez, bowing. Then was her time. Cortez was bowing.so that he could not see her; old Carlos wets un- locking the door; and, unobserved, she snatched up the box containing the precious Star of Diamonds, and thrust it out of sight in the folds of her dress, ‘There you are!” whined Mendoze, senior. ‘Your captivity is over. You are wise. You are politic. Cortez will make you a So, it is understood, eh? You are the betrothed of my son Cortez.” “‘He is a handsome man,” Iielene said, smiling, and turning her lustrous eyes on the young man; ‘‘I have no doubt we stral! get along happily. Moreover, I have no alters native—” ‘*None!” declared the Quack, chuckling anew—'‘‘none whatever!” “‘Therefore, we understand each other, And may I go, now?” “Oh, yes—go! He! he! he! door wide for you.” ‘Stay,” interposed Cortez. upon. you, to-morrow Cercy ?” “*Certainly. I will be glad to see you, Cortez—to-morrow evening.” ? ‘But, he must not drink any wine, nor eat any fruit, nor smell of roses in your house) Curamba!” put in Carlos, meaningly. a expect you, Cortez,” There’s the “May I call evening, Helene Will come.” bowed gallantly as she swept past him; and when she was gone, he turned to old Carlos, with: ** Malediction! 7 Z **Oho! did I not say I had a pretty sweet- heart in sto:e for you?” * Oaramba! how beautiful!” “Yes—yes ; and a prize! This riv:! of Florose Earncliffe—with thousands and thou- sands of dollars, and so beautiful—ho! ho! what a prize!” ‘*Yes, a prize— What ails you, old I am mad with’ love tor Carlos had uttered a sudden cry. “The box! The box! She has stolen it! Ob! oh! my beautiful diamonds!’ ‘*Malediction!” Carlus would have dashed after her. But Cortez detained him. ‘‘No. Let her keep the accursed thing. It wou!d only bring us ill luck,” ‘But the diamonds! the diamonds!” he howled, moving his slim body up and down in the other’s hold, and gesticulating wildly, “Tet them go,” ““They are worth thousands!” “T care not if they are worth millions— that would not save us from its fates, Let it go, I say—let it go!” “But I wanted it for you, Cortez! The money it would bring!—think of that.” “‘Devil’s ducats!” grunted Cortez. “I want none of it! Besides, we can stipulate for it in that document you spoke of. What matter, after all? It will eventually come back, when I marry the pretty thief. Do you think she will wed me, old man?” the question thoughtfully asked, * Caramba! of course she will. not refuse—dare not refuse!” ‘«True. We have her ina tight trap,” “Come now, we'll fix the paper, since she has escaped by this time with the siar.” Mendoze drew forth the document which he had stolen from the small desk at Helene Cercy’s house, and spread it on the table. And while the Quack proceeded to arrange for the ecaan >,” Be chemicals, of Pedro’s name, Cortez bu himself with glancing over the agreement that was to give him He- - lene Cercy for a wife. . ‘*Malediction!” he exclaimed, in an under. tone, ‘‘I will not wait fifteen years—nor fif teen months! She shall marry me at once Ho, there, Farak!” | <2 Rog She can-
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The Green Shadow. 15 He rung the bell, and ordered the negro to bring a fresh bottle from the wine closet; after which he seated himself to think—no more of Carline Mandoro, and his fears—but of his new prospects and the enchanting girl who, he resolved, should be his wife within | a month; no further delay than that. CHAPTER XV. THE CLAWS OF THE BEAUTIFUL TIGRESS. We go ngain to the tapestried room at He- lene Cercy’s residence, in the early evening of the day following her visit to the Quack. At the moment, the beauty was near the center of the apartment, facing a servant who was standing in the doorway. In one hand she held a card. When she read the name, she glunced up, and said: “ Admit him. Usher him to this room.” “Yes, my lady.” The man thought it singular that his mis- tress should make it a point, of late, to re- ceive visitors in her private apartments; for the tapestried room was certainly private, by her own orders, Only Ola, her maid, knew that she frequently enjoyed a cigarette in here, where there was no fear of intrusion, and hence no possibility of her habit becom- ing known, : Not that she was afraid to have the fact of her indulgence Jeak out—for there were many women in her own circle who enjoyed the vice of smoking; but because she chose, rather, to keep her doings covered. | ‘ment nicely. | years: See here; we have altered the docu It reads, that, after fifteen years, you shall either marry Cortez Men- doze, or give him half your fortune, or re- , Store the Star of Diamonds.” He drew the document from his pocket, and held it up before her—-held@ it warily be- yond her reach, however. And when she had glanced at it and seen how cleverly the father and son had altered it tosuit their pur pose, he put it away again, with an air of satisfaction. ‘* But I do not propose to wait so long,” he declared, with a nod and a smile. *“ What did you say, Cortez?” Helene was | idly picking at the fruit. “T say 1 will not wait for fifteen years Malediction' you are too beautiful to wait for! I mut have you atonce. I care noth-, ing for your money; and as for the star—I would not have the accursed jewel if you | were to give it to me this minute.” “Why not, Cortez?” she inquired, sur- prised at this declaration and its earnestness. ‘“That star was once the property of your ” «Yes, Tt has a history of evil, and I want none of it.” ** Wiil youexplain, Cortez?” asked Helene, in genuine astonishment. Cortez Mendoze then narrated the history of the Star of Diamonds, though with fewer words than Carline had used when she made | the revelation to her husband, Wart Gomez, Moreover, this was the same servant who | had seen Pedro Gomez enter there the night | before; and he wondered when that visitor— | whoever he was—had gone out—if he had gone out atall, andif he had not gone out, then what had become of him? But, for reasons, he kept his wonderment ) to himself. He knew that if he evinced a desire to probe the affairs of his mistress, he | would. be immediately discharged; and no one in Helene Cercy’s employ would wish to leave her, as she always dealt kindly with | her servants and paid them liberally. In a few moments the visitor was ushered in, and this visitor was Cortez Mendoze, the son of the Quack. Helene had been expectingshim, A luxurious sofa—or, rather, a long otto- man—had been pushed forward, and beside it stood the small mosaicked table, contain- ing fruit and wine. Helene smiled pleasantly #s he entered, She had dressed richly to receive him. Cortez looked exceedingly handsome. She almost felt a passion for the young man, as she inet the deep glance of his brilliant eyes; and while she gave him her hand in greet- ing, and led him to the ottoman-sofa, she thought: ‘What a comely lover for some gay senor- ita! Iam half in love with his handsome face myself.” And Cortez, as he feasted his eyes on her beauty: ‘*Malediction! What a lovely creature! Wait fifteen years for this prize? Caramba! No. . I'll marry her within a month,” ‘«Be seated, Cortez. I have heen lonesome while waiting for my fiance. But I feel bet- ter now. Here is wine, Let us drink and be merry.” * Caramba!” he thought. ‘‘She begins early. The old man warned me not to drink in her house, nor eat of anything, vor smell of roses.” And aloud: ‘‘Thanks—but you will pardon my refusal.” “7 see ” said Helene, very unconcernedly; «you have been advised by your fatber not to touch anything I may offer you. Tlaveno fears, Cortez; I mean you no harm. How could 12?—the man | have consented to mar- ry! Sce,” and che drained a wine-glass as is spoke, ; ‘‘Malediction!” mentally, ‘‘If that is drugged or poisoned; she has a dose of it, too, So I wilt try some—drink only when she drinks, and be on my guard.” Cortez drank. “Now,” said he, “to begin with: you have stolen something from us, Helene Cercy.” isa OF ale ‘«Qh, you know—that Star of Diamonds.” _ **flal ha! ha! Yes, Cortez, I have stolen 45, And I wish you to let me keep it for awhile. It is very pretty.” __ *Malediction Ctou Serica it for fifteen on the night of the latter's assassination. ‘So you see,” he added, in conclusion, ‘‘T want nothing to do with it, Lam un- lucky enough so far, until I met you; now I am lucky Cortez Mendoze.” ‘** Yes, you are very lucky, Cortez.” “T do not want the star; I do not want your money, so you must marry me.” “Of course. That is understood. That is a very singular story you have been telling me, Cortez,” eating leisurely of the fruit. “‘You must be my wife within a month,” he pursued. ‘* Within a month, Cortez?” ‘*That is what I said.” ‘*But you are sudden—” “No matter.” : ‘*T cannot prepare in that time. seau!” ‘Bother the trousseau! Malediction! I will attend to that very quickly.” « And you will not wait longer?” ‘“No longer than a month. Malediction! You do not know how beautiful you are, else you would.not wonder at my haste.” ‘‘TIa! ha! ha! ha! And you are deter- mined?” ‘Yes, determined.” “Ha! ha! ha! ha! I do not think you will marry mein a month, Cortez.” ‘You do not!—why?” He spoke sharply and glanced at her keenly, for there was a peculiar strain to her words, to her laugh, which grated on his ears. ‘'T do not think you will marry me at all, Cortez Mendoze. Helene Cercy is not for ou!” With the cry she made a sudden move- ment, grasping him by the collar, and turned him completely over.. Quick as a flash her white hands closed round his throat, and with one knee planted on his breast she held him down, ‘Tt is time! it is time!” she screamed. ‘“* Malediction!” snorted the Spaniard, strug- gling and-straining every muscle to release himself—in vain. Her action was so sudden as to take him utterly by surprise and at a disadvantage; and there must. have been a narvelous strength in her smoothly-rounded arms, for she held him firmly, despite his frantic writhing, while she cried out: “Tt is time! it is time!” The words were a signal. From the secret room issued forth the same wolf-visaged men who hid made off with My trous- Pedro Gomez. “Take him off! Off with him!” ordered Helene. But they were startled by a rapid knocking at the door. j For a second the men paused, and Helene relaxed the tightness of her grip. *« Caramba!”’ roared Cortez, With one mighty effort he shook her off, and darted toward the secret door, t ‘‘After him! He will escape after all!” The ruffians dashed forward. But Cortez saw the trap that had been set for him. Remembering certain impressive warnings he had received from his father, before visiting the belle, and percéiving the tools that had been in waiting for the signal, he feared—and reasonably —for his life, With the cursing, growling men at his heels, he bounded across the dark room that was beyond the drapery. At the window, heswung himself out. To his surprise and delight, he brushed against a rope ladder that was fastened to the sill, and by which means these ruffians were ac- customed to gain ingress. Down this ladder he wentin atwinkling. Ina few seconds he was scaling the garden wall. ‘* Malediction!’ he exclaimed, as he stretch- ed his legs in a swift run, gave one glance back at the window, and fled, hatless, through the streets. But the ruffians did not pursue him beyond the garden-wall. When Helene Cercy opened the door, to see who was there, another card was handed to her, ‘**Dwyr ALLISON,’ she read; then said, ‘‘T will be down presently. Show him into the salen at the back.” ** Yes, my lady.” The servant departed with mouth agape, He had glanced into the tapestried room, and saw no sign of the visitor he had ushered in there a short time before! CHAPTER XVI. HELENE CERCY’S LOVE, Tne note dispatched to Dwyr Allison, on the day previous, had brought the young man this evening to the house of Helene Cercy. He was leaning against the mantelpiece, gazing absently down at the ‘‘charms” on his watch-chain, with which he toyed while awaiting her, His bandsome face was very pale and sad; it was evident that the loss of Florose, on the eve of her wedding, had been to him a heart- blow. Helene came in presently. Her face wore its sweetest smile; she was more radiant than he had ever before seen her, ‘*Dwyr?” “Well, Helene?” They had long ago dropped the formal pre- x “Tm glad you've come. Be seated.” ‘Let me thank you, Helene, for the kind Kier exe} of your note.” “I feared you would not believe me sin- cere,” she said, as they turned to one of the rich tetes. ** Why?” surprised: ‘*Dwyr—” she hesitated, but the brilliant eyes did not vary from their gaze into his, ““why did you desert me?” ‘Desert you?” “* You seem to forget: this is the first time you have cailed upon me for a whole month,” ° ‘‘Helene—” and he hesitated now, ‘‘at one py i may have thought I loved you.” oe i vi “And Pier were right; though I believed that I had not betrayed my affection. I did love you, Helene, and it was while too weak to tell of it, through fear that you might re- ject me, that something happened to destroy all my desire to possess you.” Helene colored, but remained silent, “‘T did not intend pe sae of this; but you have questioned me. You ask me why | de- serted you. Do you remember the soiree of three months ago?” ‘* Yes,” very lowly. ‘Twas dancing with Florose. You were on the baleony, looking at us through the window. What did you say to yourself, as you watched us?” ‘Nothing that I can recollect.” ‘““Your memory fails you—perhaps - posely. You said, and you frowned darkly, too—'‘I wish she was dead!’ You meant Flo- rose.” ‘ Who told you that? It is—” F ‘‘Hold; it is true. My valet was three feet of you, at the time. He sa look of hate you darted at Florose; bi those vindictive w —al x ee 4 a ords— ~~
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extn esse oe know it is true. Florose never harmed you, Helene.” The young man spoke very earnestly; his eyes were fixed fully on her beautiful face, and their glance volumed far more of the re- proach that his words contained. “Dwyr, you are mistaken. Florose did harm me!” “Impossible! She was all gentieness, ay, more: among all her friends there was not one for whom she felt a deeper friendship than for you, though you were her rival. Florose could not have harmed you.” “T tell you, she thrusta dagger into my bosom when she stole you from me! You start, Dwyr? Listen to me: while you were loving me in silence, I was yearning for that love—dying to hear you speak it! My heart had long been yours, though I concealed my passion more successfully—waiting till you should tell me of your love, when I would pour out mine! Stop: hear me fur.her. I must tell this now. A love like mine has been, and is, will not be chained to silence by uny of society's stilled laws; too many hopes have been wrecked, and lives made unhappy, by this iron grip of rigid formal- ity, and thesword-pricking opinions of brain- less people who denounce it as unmuidenly, wrong, ruinous, for a woman to betray her affections unasked. I will not have my tongue manacled by this unrighteous code. The great God who gave you your heart gave me mine—with the same susceptibilities, yearnings, passions, ambitions and chords of fecling; and it is woman’s right to strive for un object of that heart’s worship, as well as man’s! I asked you here, to-night, to lay bare my secret, 1 love you—love you dear- ly, Dwyr!” Her dark orbs were burning with the fire and ardor of her more woman nature, un- bridjed in love, as it was in hate; and her lovely face was glowing while she made the confession and argued the justness of her freedom. ‘¢ You called me to you for that, Helene?” he asked, very calmly. ‘*Yes, Dwyr, for that. You say you have loved me—do you not love me now?’ “‘Helene—” ‘*Florose can no longer claim you; she is dead. Let love, like hate, perish at the grave —though you may regret the loss.” ‘Helene, I do not love you,” rising as he spoke, She stepped quickly to his side, ‘You do not mean that?” “‘Yes. When Florose died, I buried all my love with her—there is none left. The world will always have a desolate look to me, But you pain me sorely, Helene; let me de- part at once.” “Dwyr”—and the voice of this strange girl, for once, was tremulous—‘*do you re- ject my love?” Her whole soul, at the moment, was in the lowly-uttered question, She was breathing hard; and there was a wildness of expression in her grandly-beautiful features as she stood there, with heart turobbing, aud hearing strained. **T yepeat, Helenc, this is painful to me, Had I foreseen this. | never would have come here. Iam sorry to hear you say what you have. I can neverlove you. Let me take my departure,” He bowed icily—then walked from the apartment. Sbe stood like a statue—her fists, as was her wont, clinched till the pink nails sunk into the flesh, and the bare, white arms straight and stiff at her sides. Her teeth were tightly shut, and her eyes flashed as she stared after his departing form, Go, tnen!—go!” she panted, when she heard the front door close; ‘go, Dwyr Alli- son! and ‘ar the curse of Helene Cercy go with you! Th my heart, only waiting and longing for your love, to make me better than lam. But you have crushed it out; you have trampled un- der foot the fondest hope of my life, the sole endeavor of my ambition, I hate you now! Thate you!—and may every curse in a hu- -man’s path make your existence one term of everlasiing misery!” ‘Helene returned to the tapestried apart- t. One of her ruffian tools was in waiting. y Well, Nio?’—as she entered, and closed iret ; Gd you catch hin?” | ere was one soft, pure spot in’ The Green Shadow. “No!” was the blunt, half-sullen reply. ‘Never mind. Listen to me now: we have not yet done with this young Spaniard, Cor- tez Mendoze. You still have a chance to earn your money, if you will do as I bid you. Now, 1 have a plan for his destruction —a bold plan. For he must be removed. He is a dangerous enemy of mine. Now draw your chair nearer, Nio.” Whatever that plan was, it caused the ruf- fian to start and stare, and look incredulous, while he uttered sundry exclamations of as- tonishment as Helene explained her inten- tions. As Dwyr Allison left the houseof the belle, a shadow darted across his path, The form of a woman garbed in black, and whose face was pale as death, brushed his garments, and startled him with its sudden and unexpected preserce, He would have hurried on; but, ere he had taken a dozen steps, this spectral figure glided back to his side, and laid a hand upon his arm, “What do you want?” he demanded, re- coiling suspiciously from her touch “You,” was the bricf answer, in astrange, mysterious voice, ““Who are you?” ‘My name is Zerline Nanez.” ‘“Then I do not know you—” “ But I have business with you ” “Well?” ‘Would you like to know who poisoned Florose Earncliffe?” “Hal” ““Ah! you will listen now?” “How do you know that she was poi- soned 1” ‘*Some other time I will tell you. We have mutual interests, Dwyr Allison; or, at least, they can be made so, I have n deep wrong to avenge—so have you. My enemy is © man—yours igs a woman. If you will take my task, I will take yours; it will be man to man, and woman to woman. You loved Florose Earneliffe. If 1 show you her poisoner, and swear to haunt that poisoner with threatenings of justice, will you swear to act the same toward the murderer of my husband ?” ‘* Woman—” «Be quick, sir! Is it a bargain?” “Tt is! Iwill swear toaid you in any ven- geance of your own, if you can prove to me that Florose was poisoned, and show me—” “Enough, You are a man of honor and I take our compact as sealed. The murderess of Florose Earncliffe lives there!” She pointed to the house of Helene Cercy. * What?” “It is true—and I will prove it. Helene Cercy is the murdercss of your betrothed. Now, come with me. I will tell you more of myself. You see this?—it was done by the dagger that destroyed the life of my hus- band!”’ Dwyr Allison, almost involuntarily, went with her. He yielded to’ an inexplicable prompting. And as they moved away, and she uttered the closing words of her speech, she threw aside a portion of her hood—disclosing a red, frightful gash’across the neck, that told of a fierce knife-cut. CHAPTER XVII. THE ARREST. ‘* MALEDICTION!” The exclamation was a growl, direfully deep; the voice was that of Cortez Mendoze, The young Spaniard was hurrying along Perdido street, having just left the American Theater. : Exactly two weeks had passed since Cor- tez escaped the claws of the beautiful tigress —since Helene’s whispered conversation with her ruffian tool. in the tapestried room—since Dwyr Allison's rejection of the passionate beauty’s love, and his encounter with the mysterious figure—who called herself Zer- line Nanez—on the pavement before Helene’s ; house, The night was a dark one, with gustful wind and murky atmosphere, Banks of clouds rolled heavily across the sky; and oc- casionally the moon, which atrage led be- te its watery shrouding, would break the i ee reir ena a NS eS nn i nen loomy airs by darting a momentary gleam etween the mist rents, Cortez Mendoze was walking fast, to reach his home before the fall of the rain, ee ST ————— Behind him, shadowy, spectral, ghostly, came a tall form dogging at his heels—a mar who seemed determined to keep him in sight, and whose persistency called forth the ex- clamation:; ‘*Malediction!” It was not the simple fact of his being fol- lowed on this occasion that made young Cor- tez growl. For ten days, he had noticed that, wherever he went, there was a tall man in pursuit of him—always at a certain dis- tance, always watching him; and while it annoyed him, it made him angry. At one time, this individual who haunted him was in the character of a fruit-vender; next it was in the garb of a common laborer; then in the dress of a fashionable English- man; finally—and on this night—as a Span- ish dare-devil, with curling mustache, brown- ed features, and piercing eves. But Cortez knew the form, in any guise. He knew that this party was keeping him under surveillance, He had sat near him at the theater; he had elbowed close, in the crowd, after the performance, Now, as he strode along Perdido street, he chanced to glance over his shoulder, and per- ceived, immediately, that the tall figure was. there, timing his footsteps, dogging him as. usual; and he blurted, snarlingly: ‘‘Malediction! Whoisthis? What is he after? Iam tired of his presence! I must be rid of him, for he makes me nervous. Caramba /—you owl. T’ll teach you some manners,” With the words, he glided sud- denly into a black alley, and stood close to the wail, waiting the other’s approach, And while he waited; he drew a knife from his bosom, . The tall form came on at increased speed, fearing he had lost the object of pursuit. As he wheeled around the corner of the alley, the hand of Cortez Mendoze clutched his throat. ‘‘Oaramba! you dog. Now I have you!” Not another word passed. A fierce struggled ensued. The bright blade of the knife circled in the air; there was a low groan, and a body sunk down in the darkness, ‘God help me!” was all the tall form ut- tered. ‘“Now then! “Malediction!” Cortez, with a grim smile, continued on his: , way, gritting his teeth in satisfaction. Soon he reached his father’s shop Entering byethe side passage, he found old Carlos in the rear room, But he paused and looked in astonishment. The Quack was walking to and fro, mut- tering, moaning; and at sight of his son, he uttered a sharp, whining cry that was enig- matical. “My boy! my boy! Oh! oh!” “ What’s the matter, old man?” “Oh, Cortez! my dear Cortez! We are ruined!’ “Ruined? Oaramba/ what do you mean by that?” “Fly! Fly for your hfe! Weare ruined! —ruined! O-h!” ‘‘Fly? What has happened? Malediction! I was just thinking of doing that. Ihave killed 2 man to night!—a fool that has been tripping after me, like a shadow, for ten days past, As we struggled, one of his fin- gers gouged in my mouth, and I wrenched off this wring with my teeth,” and he tossed a ring on the table, as he spoke. Carlos did not take any notice of the ring. And Cortez repeated: ‘«Tell me what has happened?” “‘Oh! oh! we are lost—you are lost! Read that, Cortez!” He handed his son a letter-sheet; and as Cortez viewed it, he muttered, half-aloud, in some curiosity: “What's this? Who can be writing letters: that throw the old man into fits, and make his tongue wag like a fool's? And they use- green ink. Ho! that’s odd—green ink, Now. what do they say?” But he interrupted himself by venting a- half-howl. The note was for Cortez Men- doze. and it ran as follows: “Murderer of Wart Gomez! — beware! Justice is on your track!—you are not so safe: as you suppose yourself to be. You may fly” from ocean to ocean, or north, or south; but: the curse of Ba) deeds shall follow you swiftly, and t e Green Shadow will saunt — : Feta oes ae serge So
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The Green Shadow. ‘* Malediction!” he roared. ‘‘ What is the ‘Green Shadow ?’—here is greenink! Where did you get this?” turning to his excited fa- ther. ‘*T came in an hour ago, and as I came in, I passed a man on the pavement, who wore a green mask over his features—a very small man.” **A small man!” echoed Cortez Mendoze, Maring. “Entering this room, I found the note there, on the table, lying open. Fly, Cortez! —fiy! All is lost!—we are ruined!” ‘Luck of perdition!—I will fly! I have no time to lose! What I feared has Lappen ed. The law 1s after me—and I am an inno- cent man! Caramba!” He turned to rush out at the door; when that door flew open, and he was confronted by three stern-faced men. He halted and gaped, with starting eyes. Old Carlos fairly yelled in dismay. ~ ‘We are lost! we are lost!’ screamed the Quack. ‘* Malediction! Silence, old man,” and, to the comers: ‘‘ What do you want here’ ““We want Cortez Mendoze,” answered the foremost, exbibiting a pair. of handcuffs, ‘‘Ho! you want me? For what, now?’ “Oh! Oh!” groaned Carlos, who saw that the intruders were of the police force. ‘‘We want Cortez Mendoze, on the charge of murder.” “Murder!” “The abduction and murder of Carline Mandoro,” “It's a lie!” shrieked Carlos. ‘Furies devour Carline Mandoro!” beilow- ed Cortez. “Come!” “Tam innocent! If you want me—then take me!” He whipped out his knife, and made a des- per. te plunge forward, But, the three men qnickly disarmed him, and slipped the bracelets on his wrists. ‘* You shall sweat for this!—dogs!” he hiss- ed, as they held him firmly; and the threat issued venomously from between the teeth he gnashed in his rage, Old Carlos ‘was completely overcome. He sunk into a chair, rocked his shriveled body back-vard and forward, moaned wailfully, and cried aloud his son's innocence. “ Bear up there, old man!” snarled Cortez. ‘*Malediction! You are making an ass of yourself! I did not kill, nor touch at all, this Carline Mandoro—curse her! And I will prove it.” They forced the prisoner away, and left old Carlos bewniling the unlucky situation. ‘* Master, did you see this ring?” The Quack started, for he thought he was alone, Farak, the negro, was standing beside him, holding and examining the ring which Cor- tez had thrown on the table. “No!” he snapped; ‘‘nor do I care to see it at all.” ‘There is a name in it,” said the negro. “Curse the name!—curse the name! But, what is it?” “Dwyr ALLISON.” ‘Ho! the man Cortez says he killed! The lover of the dead Florose! But—caramba /— T don’t care forthat Ob! Oh! they've taken my Cortez—my dear boy! They will hang him! How sad to see him with arope around his neck! O-b! Farak—Farak—what an un- grateful world!” CHAPTER XVIII. THE 'TIGRESS AGAIN, Bur, Cortez Mendoze was too sanguine. Moreover, be did not know that he was the victim of a well laid plot to encompass his destruction. And the movers in the plot worked admir- ably in concert, as will be seen. 5 e have heard Cortez Mendoze declare that he did not kill Wart Gomez, and that he did not touch Carline Mandoro—or Carline Gomez—in any way. Whether it was or was not Cortez who en- tered the bouse of Gomez, and perpetrated the bloody deed, at all events, he was soon compelled to realize that he was in a fearful predicament. Se At a preliminary trial, two days after his imprisonment, he was overwhelmed with as- tonishment when arough, uncouth, bristling- bearded man took the stand, and gave the following testimony: ‘«T know Cortez Mendoze well—” ‘Liar! We never met before!” shouted Cortez. “‘T know that he once had a sweetheart, whose name was Carline Mandoro, She de- serted him, and married a man named Wart Gomez—the man who was murdered the very night of the abduction and murder of his | wife, this same Carline. Cortez Mendoze, i toatl and wild, swore to wreak vengeance on Carline Mandoro, for her faithlessness.” ‘How do you know he swore this?’ was the immediate question put to the wituess, “T heard him—” ‘* Liar again!” interrupted Cortez, red with rage, and lost in amazement. “«Where did you hear him swear it?—un- der what circumstances?” ‘At a wine-shop,” replied the witness. ‘*He was in liquor, and boasted to one of his companions that Carline Mandoro—he called her Carline Mandoro, though her name, then, was Carline Gomez—had once been his sweet. heart.” There was a faint buzz among jookers-on Several were present who had, themselves, heard Cortez Mendoze say that, But, just then, no one reflected that it might be possible this witness only repeated what he had read in the newspapers, which, recently, contained a full account of the af- fair between one Cortez Mendoze and one Wart Gomez, ‘*But, you said he swore to wreak venge ance on Carline Mandoro—or, Carline Gomez, as she then was.” : “That was afterward, when he turned away from his companions. He said it in an undertone—but, I heard him.” ‘«The man lies!” broke in Cortez, foaming with passion, ‘I did not swear, nor think of wreaking vengeance on Carline Mandoro— or Carline Gomez, as she then was, nor upon anybody else. All lies!—black lies! Male- diction!” ‘*The prisoner will remain quiet!” thun- dered the official. ‘*‘ Now, witness, what more?” ‘‘No more that I can remember.” ‘*Recollect that you are giving this valu- able evidence under solemn oath.” The man raised the Bible to his lips, as he had done when he took the stand, ‘*He isa perjurer!” exclaimed the Span- iard, The second witness was called, duly sworn, and testified as follows: ‘* Know Cortez Mendoze well—” ‘« Another liar! Caramba/” sounded bois- terously from the box, Cortez could not, be quieted. ‘‘Saw Cortez Mendoze at a gambling-den, in the early evening of the night on which Carline Gomez disappeared. He was con- versing with a villainous-looking fellow, who wore a slouch hat, had a bad name, and was known to carry a dagger. Heard one say. ‘If Carline Mandoro interferes too much, 1 will give her the knife!’ Could not see which one used the words, but believe the voice was that of Cortez Mendoze,” ** Malediction!” thought Cortez, ‘‘they are weaving a web of blood around me! I shall swing if this goes on! Caramba!” ““Where is the party who received at the hands of the chief of police a warrant for the arrest of Cortez Mendoze?” *« Present,” unswered a prompt voice, There was 1 slight stir near the door, and a young man came forward, He was dressed fashionably; had short hair that curled in crisp ringleis over an un- commonly pure brow. His eyes were dark and flashing; his lips were ripe ana red as a woman’s; and he twirled, as if from habit, the ends of a silken mustache, which was, truly, the only masculine feature in his gen- eral appearance. Cortez riveted his gaze upon him, There was something strangely familiar in the face —and when the youth spoke, the gazer start- ed and seemed trying to recall to mind where he had heard the voice. The name was Gerald Preston, ‘* You will state what you know about this case "—after the due form and ceremony. “I know this Mendoze well—” é* what a horde of acquaint- £3 1 ances,” Cortez muttered, as he began to turn and squirm restlessly in his box. ‘He has cheated me at cards, and cursed me when my pockets were empty—” ‘"Hot” growled Cortez, to himself, “ this is some popinjay who has lost money by me. He is spiteful, and delights to see me in this fix. He comes to swear that I am a villain- ous character, and just the man to be guilty of what I am accused. Malediction! I'll choke him for it when I am at liberty!” The witness continuing: ‘On the night of the abduction and mur- der of Carline Gomez, he had won heavily from me. I had debts to pay on the morrow, and not a penny in my purse, I followed him from the den to beg a loan—” ‘*When was this?” The date given by the answer corresponded with that mentioned by the witness who had just left the stand. ‘* Witness, proceed,” “‘T say I followed after him, I saw him enter a house—the house of Wart Gomez,” ‘* Where is the house situated?’ an inter ruption by an old lawyer who had been im- portunate to secure the defendant for a client. ‘*On Jackson street, not far from the New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad. The exact number I cannot state,” ‘*The witness will be subject to question in due time. The uninterrupted statement. is what we want now.” ‘*After seeing Cortez Mendoze enter the house of Wart Gomez,” resumed this Gerald Preston, ‘‘I heard sounds that were unmis- takably those of a deadly struggle within. Was about to rush to the aid of those beset, when Cortez Mendoze dashed out, bearing a limp form in his arms. 1 hada casual ac- quaintance with Wart Gomez; had seen his wife, Knew and recognized the limp form in the arms of Cortez Mendoze as Carline, the wife of Wart Gomez By the light that streamed through the door, I saw that her face was covered with blood, that she was insensible—if pot already dead. At sight of me, and before I could act, he struck me a terrible Llow between the eyes. Before 1 re- covered, he was gone.” ‘‘Malediction!” thought Cortez, who was now turning pale, ‘' these liars and perjurers will hang me yet!” Close cross-questioning elicited nothing further, and also failed to discover any flaw, contradiction or inconsistencies in the testi- mony of the several witnesses. The prisoner was remanded to jail, to await a final trial, But Cortez Mendoze was staring at the last witness, asif transfixed. Under the youth’s effeminate mustache he fancied he detected a slight!y sarcastic smile, and the dark eyes of this Gerald Preston turned on him, for a mo- ment, with a glance of commingled hate and triumph that he had seen before—when held down on an ottoman sofa, with two rufans approaching, ostensibly to take his life. And more: he now perceived that the two men who bad testified against him were the iden- tical villains who had sprung out of the se- cret apartment adjoining the tapestried room, when Helene Cercy uttered the signaling cry: if It is time! It is time!” All this flashed into his mind with incon- ceivable rapidity, and he roared out; “Hold, there! Caramba!/ this is a plot to: destroy me. I see through it plainly. Fools that you aie! that Jast witness is no man at all! Hear me—” but he was dragged away, and forced to be quiet, by a threat to gag him if he did not desist, And Cortez Mendoze, behind his prison bars, strode madly about, pulling his hair, raving, cursing his ill-luck—cursing Helene Cerey; for he comprehended the plot of his situation at a glance. ‘* Malediction!” he howled, ‘‘ She has fail- ed to destroy me in one way, and now seeks another. But, how did she plam to accuse me of the murder of Carline Mandoro? Where did she get all Her information ?—half of which is false! She isa devil! She will make me swing! The tigress! I see it all! —I see! Caramba! How shall I fight her? It is all owing to that accursed Star of Dia- monds. If I had not touched it, 1 would ny now be here—in prison. Ho! inwg Cortez Mendoze in On] Malediction! 1] tL Nee ee ee een
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er 508 | ab ARE ew la = ie ans ce Teh oe * sie Pet a Sait SRST AGRE Le _ see?—I am in prison. The Green Shadow.) ee CHAPTER XIX. LOOSE ON THE TRAIL, Tue self-apostrophized, unfortunate Men- doze had been in confinement very nigh two months. Imprisonment did not agree with him. He had lost color; his handsome face was pale and slightly haggard, and his eyes were bloodshot. He had cursed the fates that placed him there, till his tongue tired with useless rav- ing. He had bewailed his situation till he grew sick. . He had thought upon the more than probability of these cunning enemies being able to send him to the gallows, with their lying and perjuring, till his slumbers were disturbed and made hideous with night- mares, and he half-felt the hangman’s noose around his neck. He was now sinking into a fierce apathy of despair; and this feeling was augmented by the fact that his father, the Quack, had not visited him since the night on which the three officers dragged him from the little room at the rear of the shop. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon of a clear day, when, in a spirit of utter de jection, he sat on the edge of his narrow bed in the prison-cell. His elbows were propped on his knees, his chin rested rigidly in his hands; and his eyes were distended in a vacant stare at the opposite wall, where a monstrous spider was sucking the blood from a fly that buzzed helplessly in the entanglements of the treach- erous web. For nearly two hours he had remained thus —statue like, gazing blankly, with a half- scowl knitting his brows, The last rays of the parting sun streamed in at the elevated window, shining weirdly on the dirty wall; and a silence, full of strangeness, reigned in the atmosphere. Presently, a key turned in the lock of the door, and a visitor entered. It was Farak, the negro. In one hand he carried a small, unique box; but in the other he held a highly-colored envelope. ‘* Master.” The voice, the presence of the negro, seem- ed to restore Cortez to much of his former self. He looked up, with a start. ‘Ho! Farak, is it you?” ‘“*T, master.” ‘*And what brings you here? Do you not They say I am a mur- derer.” ‘Yes, master, they say so—”’ ‘*But, I am an innocent man. tion!” he interrupted, quickly. ‘*T believe it, master,” “You believe it?” Lal Yes.” “Good. It is true—I am innocent, What do you come here for, Farak?” “ For two reasons; first, this,” He extend- ed the note, and bowed respectfully. “Hnl aletter, Caramba/ J have received a dozen since 1 came into this hole—all writ ten in green ink!—all containing the same words as that which I received on the night of my arrest, Now, who is this from?” He opened and read the missive. “Ho! I knew it. See this! Malediction! Hear, Farak!—the note says: ‘Perhaps Cor- tez Mendoze will not wish to measure wea- pons with Helene Cercy again! Let me re- mind him that I have promised to become his wife, after fifteen years, or give him half my fortune! 1s it not a pleasant theme fora man to dwell on, who will soon be hung, and thus Jose so brilliant a prospect?’ LIknewit! He- ‘lene Cercy was the Gerald Preston who testi- fied, with lies, against me! Death catch her! She is a tigress, Farak! But, where did you get this?” ‘*¥rom a lady in a barouche, as I came in, Maledic- _ You may see her this moment from the win- dow if you look.” Coriez sprung from the bed, and pressed shis nose close to the bars. _ He saw a barouche departing. In the ba- ‘rouche was a lady; she was looking up at the window; st ~ saw him—she waved her hand- kerchief. “Tia! ccramba! Tt is she! Oh! could I but catch her by the hair of her head! Malediction! Farak, she is a tigress! I wid kill her!” and he danced up and down - bed, gritting his teeth, swinging bis ming ready to dart through the yg jc’ Who taunted him, a! hee ee will be out of this some day, master?” said Farak. “Yes, yes, I will get out! And TI will catch this Helene Cercy! I will pound her with a stick till she is black and blue, after I have made her marry me! She shall have no servants, and do all the housework her- self! I will keep her busy, O-h! she shall work till her nails peel off! And I will abuse her! I will give her no rest! She shall sleep on pins, and wash in vinegar! I will paint her face with vitriol! Ha! h-a! she shall howl with pain!—and I'll be worse and worse! Malediction!’ and while he jumped about, gesticulating, he chuckled savagely. *« After your trial, master—” Cortez came to the floor with a bound. “After my trial? Say that again, and I will gouge your eyes out! My trial? Male- diction! I must be out of this before my trial! There is enough evidence to hang me, first by the neck, and then by the heels! I must get out! And you must aid me, Parak.” ** Allin my power, master,” bowing again, humbly. “« You will aid me; I shall escape; and then we will catch this tigress, Helene Cercy! Now—what is that?” he questioned, sudden- ly, and pointing to the box which Farak held. “Tt is the Star of Diamonds.” ‘‘The Star of Diamonds?” Cortez shouted. “ Caramba/ toss it out the window. It is the cause of all my trouble. Out! but, stop: where did you get it?” ‘‘T bring bad news, master. In explaining how I came by the box, I must tell of some- thing for which I have shed tears.” “Bad néws? Bad news for a man who is near being hanged? Ho!” “* Your father—” ‘*Eh?—that’'s it? Now, what has happen- ed to the old man?” ‘* He died, three weeks ago, in a fit.” “Died in a fit!” exclaimed the Spaniard, ‘*Malediction! Well, l'm sorry. But, he had lived long enough. ‘You buried him de- cently, Farak ?’ ** Yes, master.” ‘** And these dogs of jailers would not have let me know! Caram/a!” “When your father lay on his bed, just before the fit came on him, he called to Fa- rak. He said he had something to send to ou—” ‘‘Good. How thoughtful! He sent me the Star of Diamonds to make more trouble. Malediction! But how did he get it from Helene Cercy?” ‘It was stolen. The thief was stricken with a deadly fever—”’ “Of course! Only wonder is he did not fall dead in his tracks, the moment he laid hands on it! Caramba/ Well?” . ‘‘This ‘thief sent for Carlos Mendoze, his friend. To him he gnve the star—and your father, at his death, gave it to me, to give to you. He said it was valuable.” * Valuable?” Cortez appeared to be thinking for a few moments, ‘Then he suid. “On second thought, Farak, I will keep the star. Give it tome. I will hide it under the mattress, Let it make more trouble if it can,” Receiving the box from the negro, he added: ; *‘Now, what else said the old man?” “He also gave me this. He said you would understand,” “A diagram of the marks in the cellar,” passed through the mind of Cortez, as he glanced over the parchment which Farak handed him. ‘‘Isee. Instructions how to find the money he has hidden. Good. @a- ramba/ We must have a trunk full of eagles buried away! I will get out of jail; I will secure the money—and with the money I will hound after Halen Cercy. I will catch her! I will devour her by bites! Maledic- tion!” Then aloud: ; *Farak, you will help me to get out of ‘*Cheerfully, master.” “And you will stick by me?” “Yes, master; Farak will ever be your slave, though he is given his liberty in the will of Carlos Mendoze.” Good. We will pursue and wreak ven- |. geance on Helene Cercy, the tigress! Come close. Thave a plan. Listen, now. If you = ‘3 DS eae do what I say I will soon be free. And then I will have my revenge. Curamba |” Farak came closer. Cortez sat down again, with a nervous jerk on the edge of the bed, and, in a whisper, began to unfold the ‘plan he had conceived for his escape. Three days later, There was a commotion amoug the police authorities, and the local press was alive with sensational announcements of the escape of Cortez Mendoze. He was gone. Not the slightest clue pointed to his trail, and the detectives were at fault. Cortez, while the excitement was at its height, was, with his faithful Farak—to whom he owed his liberty—in hot pursuit of Helene Cercy. For Helene had left New Or- leans suddenly—at midnight preceding the day on which the Spaniard’s absence from his cell was discovered. Helene had discharged all her servants, converted all her possessions into available funds, and departed very hastily by steamer. The cause of her baste will be explained anon. And now we return to the house of the beauty, on Walout street, Philadelphia, fif- teen years subsequent to Helene’s flight from New Orleans, and resume our narrative on this stormy night, wich the tableau in the parlor, after the appearance and vanishment of the Green Shadow. CHAPTER XX. CAN IT BE? Ir will be seen that Cortez Mendoze had been threatened by the Green Shadow ever since the night of his arrest in New Orleans, fifteen years prior to the date to which we now come—when he had received the letter in green ink, forewarning him of a ceaseless hauntment. We have heard Helene Cercy tell her maid, Eloise, that she had been followed by this strange presence for a period of about fifteen years. We see that the parties occupying the house next to that in which Helene lived, must have published a fictitious name in that of Caolo—which glared on the door-plate; for we recollect Gaeol, the muscular negro, and Zetta, the superstitious maid, called their young mistress ‘‘Zuelo Nanez.” And whether Zuelo Nanez was the truc name of the lovely young brunette, or whether it was assumed for cogent reasons—and, if assumed or false, whether Zuelo Nanez knew of any such fact herself, is not apparent. But, to resume the action of our drama, When Helene saw that the knife which she sent whizzing after the Spaniard, had missed its mark, she turned to Eloise, who lay at her feet, white and motionless, in a swoon. Snatching up a pitcher from a Gonvenient table, she dashed some cold water in the face of the maid, ‘Rouse up!” shecried, ‘‘ You have made me nervous with your screaming—else, I would have been able to cast that dagger truer. Rouse up, I say!” “Oh, madame!” exclaimed Eloise, tremu- lously, as she opened her eyes and stared about her in a frightened way. “ Come—you are silly!” “Ob! it was horrible!” “ Pab!” = “Did you see it, madame?” _ “ What?-—-the shape of green, with eyes, and voice, and head, yet no face?” “Yes,” shuddering, ‘“‘Tsawit. It is gone now; ee Eloise slowly arose, She glanced timidly around, and asked, in a whisper: And is he gone?” ad He?” “ That terrible man?” 3 “Pah! he is not so much to be feared. He could not frighten me with his oaths and scowls. I have seen him before now.” ** So have I, madame.” “You have seen him? Where?” x “Tf not bim, it was one enough like him to be his father. I am glad he is gone; I dread him.” ‘Tell me where you think you have seen this villain, Eloise?’ “‘Tt was in London, madame.” - _ “Tn London? Well?” : ss “J think it was when my mother died. — 2
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The Green Shadow. 19 She had been secretly married, madame; and when she was dying, a man came to the house-who brought a boy—a boy who must have been about nine yearsold. It seems all like a picture to me, it was so very, very long ago.” “Well, well, Eloise?—the man and the | boy? Goon.” **My mother called this man Carlos.” ** Ah!—Carlos.” **T heard him promise her that he would take care of me, and that I should be called Bloise Cyleyr. Cylcyr was my mother’s name, madame.” “Well?” ‘*T have often thought that, perhaps, this man, Carlos, was my father. But I hope not; for he was wicked.” “Go on, Eloise,” “‘T crossed the ocean with the man and the boy, and came to New Orleans, I remember that the boy called the man *fither.’ . And the man called the boy *Cortez.’” ** Ab!—Cortez,” ‘He who was here, just now, is the image of the dark man who stood at the death-bed of my mother— *« And whose name was Carlos?” **- Yes, madame,” “Did you ever hear his other name?— * Carlos’ what?” ‘* No, madame, I never heard.” “ But,. Eloise, why do you fear this man who so closely resembles the one who stood at the death bed of your mother?” Tlelene Cerey eyed her keenly, and asked the question with a singular manifestation of interest, ‘*Because, madame, he, Carlos, treated me cruelly, On the voyage, he used to box my ears and call me ‘brat;’ and he often set the boy, Cortez, to teasing me unmercifully. When we landed, he managed to place me in the Orphan Girls’ Asylum, where—I remem- “ber he hissed it in my ear—he hoped I would dic. But, I escaped, when I was fourteen years old.” “This is very strange,” thought Helene, catching a perplexing hint from the acci- dental revelation; ‘can it be that the man who stood at her mother’s death-bed—and whose name was Carlos—was her father?— and she has no idea of it? Could it have been Carlos Mendoze? And was the boy— whom he called Cortez—his son?—perhaps yy a former wife? Was Carlos Mendoze married twice? And have I met, in Eloise, his child by his second wife, who is then the half-sister of this Cortez Mendoze, the man whom I despise and hate? Itisstrange: I must find out more—some other time. I may be able to use my information to advantage. I know more of your past life already, Eloise Cyleyr, than you im- agine, if it be true that you were brought over by the Quack, and placed in the Or- phen Girls’ Asylum, I will use that know- edge, too, if it is necessary to retain you in my service.” Then aloud; “Well, Eloise, we'll drop this for the present. I have some questions to ask you at a future time. And let us think no more of this Green Shadow, But the Spaniard!—” with a sudden recollection, ‘‘ let us look through the house and see where he is, He is a thief and an assassin!” “Why, madame said he had gone!” “From this room, but not from the house. Come, we must hunt him out, and drive him away.” ‘““Ah, madame! I fear him,” ‘‘Bat, Ido not fear him, as you shall see. IT have seen too much in my life to be trou- bled with fears. I will get rid of this rogue. That reminds me: we were about to explore the hole in the cellar wall when he came in.” ‘Won't madame leave it till daylight? I have been so terrified to-night, that I am weak as a child. And were we to make trouble for ourselves, I am helpless, for near- ly all iny strength is gone.” “Well, then, we will postpone it until to- morrew, But, Iam determined to ascertain the identity of this frightful being; and I believe we have discovered its eae of in- gress and exit—after nearly fifteen years of torture tome. That is why I never had re- ceptions at my house, Eloise; fear that this green, faceless thing will appear and startle ie * ats eee : my company, and make Madame Gossip rumor it that I have some dreadful life secret, That holein the wall, Eloise, leads to the adjoining house!” the last thoughtfully. **Oertainly, madame.” ‘And the house””—in the same reflective tone, ‘‘is occupied by those mysterious people, who, for nearly fifteen years, have been the wonder and talk of the neighbor- hood. Eloise!” suddenly, ‘* Yes, madame.” “‘T begin to see.” “To see, madame?” “These people who are named ‘Caolo,’ are haunting me!” ‘Haunting you!” repeated the maid, in surprise. “Yes, they are hauming me. Why I can- not imagine, I told you once to night, and I tell you again, I have done nothing to de- serve this—this course, as it were. Never mind. When daylight comes, I shall make an effort to unravel the mystery. I am re- solved upon it. Where is your lamp?” **TIn the opposite parlor, madame; I—” “Get it. We will hunt for Cortez Men- doze, the Spaniard, and drive him out of the house.” When the lamp was lighted, they went over the house, from cellar to attic. But Cortez Mendoze was not to be found. Every room, every closet was searched without discovering him, He had disappeared. “Tt is singular!” exclaimed Helene, when, at last they stood in the beauty’s boudoir. ‘* Where can he have hidden himself?” “He is somewhere near, madame, be assured of it. It is dangerous for us to lie down.” ‘Pah! Iam going to get some sleep. If you choose to be silly you may remain awake. And here—-take this dagger. 1f you see him, use iton him, And, Eloise, use it, also, if you getachance, on that shape of green, with voice and eyes, and without a face. If you see the thing, strike at it; and strike deep—deep, Eloise; do you understand? For it is human cnough, be sure of that!” She gave her maid the sharp dagger, which she had withdrawn from the jamb of the parlor door, when they began their search for Cortez, Mendoze, Then Helene Cerey partially disrobed, and threw herself on her soft couch, where she soon fell asleep. The same characteristic fearlessness lived in the beautiful woman, that had marked her earlier years with strangeness and crime, Had she been alone, it is probable she would have done the same thing—gone to sleep in *the moment of imminent danger, without a watch to warn her; and slum- bered as she did then, as peacefully as one whose career had never contained a spot, a blemish, or a deed to rob ‘her of her mind’s rest. Hers was a nature iron-like as terrible. Eloise did not close her eyes. She sat near to her slumbering mistress, half-trembling, half-expecting to be confronted by the Green Shadow, which she feared, or by Cortez Mendoze, whom, to all appearances, she equally dreaded. But the night wore on without anything further to mar the quietude of the house, And the storm outside seemed gradually lulling as dawn approached. CHAPTER XXI. THE SALOON APPARITION, Wuen Cortez Mendoze dashed out of the arlor, in pursuit of the green apparition, is full intention was to catch it, to unmask its identity—perhaps more than. this, for there was a murderous fire gleaming in*his dark eyes. Before we follow him, however, in that headlong bound, we must explain, in a few words, something essential. After his escape from ‘the jail in New Orleans, he started immediately, as we have shown, after Helene Cercy, 6n whom he had sworn to revenge himself. But the beauty bad eluded him, For a number of years he—with Frank—had hunt- ed in vain through all the principal cities North, East, and West. She skillfully covered her trail, made ermanent halt in Philadelphia, shortly quent to her flight from the Crescent it was a su City; and though Cort + had not neglect- ed Philadelphia in his search, he failed to discover her. Nearly fifteen years had elapsed since the date when he began the pursuit; his heat and anger had settled to a sort of dogged fierceness, And we find him again in New Orleans, lt was risky, he knew, to return to a place where the authorities were still on the look- out for him; but he was well-disguised, and, moreover, he had allowed himself to imagine that Helene Cercy might have ‘‘doubled” on him, and was then in that city. The Spaniard, during the whole of this time, had been trailed by something which he could not see, yet which was a gnawing incubus to his mind—sickening his spirits with restlessness. lt was that, at regalar intervals—no matter where he was—he received letters ina strange chirography, from an invisible source, always in green ink, and invariably containing the precise words which, not quite fifteen years before, in the office at the rear of his father’s shop, had caused him amazement, consterna- tion, fears for his bodily safety. On the third night after his bold entrance into a city where the emissaries of the law were ready to pounce upon him, he sat ata table in a low wine-shop, in company with Farak, carelessly watching through his dis- guise the loungers of the den—bhulf occupied with gloomy thoughts of the Green Shadow, which the periodical letters said was follow- ing him—and sipping slowly from his wine- giass. He was desperately eager to see this Green Shadow, to catch the author of those letters in green ink; and he vowed instant death to him, her, or it—whichever it might be, if either, or if all—the moment he could gripe it. **T am mad and sick!”* he would grumble. ‘Tam nervous, I am losing flesh, I am tired through this devilish thing, whatever, or whoever it is, if anything or anybody—ghost or human. I am nota murderer, I never harmed Carline Mandoro; I did not kill Wart tomez. Lhavethe paper here to prove that— the dying confession of Sanzo Romero, whom { met in Lynehburg. Yet this invisible Satan is haunting my life out!—for murder! —vnd malediction!—I am innocent!” His unpleasant reveries were interrupted by a voice, rough and boisterous; and, look- ing toward the bar, he saw a shabbily-dressed boatman, engaged with two of his own ilk, drinking and talking, The voice seemed familiar to Cortez; the face, witti its unkempt beard, was not a new one. Yet he could not imagine where he had seen the party before. ‘‘Oh, yes,” said this shabby fellow, grin- ning, ‘‘Il knew all about Cortez Mendoze. As great a rascal as ever a rope was meant for! It was not my fault that he did not swing high for his crimes,” ““They tell me he has never been heard of since he escaped,” spoke one of the shabby man’s companions. “True, too. He was shrewd asarat, I felt uneasy when I first heard he was loose— for he was vengeful and fierce as alion! I have seen him fight, years ago, a snake and a tiger at the same time! But he is dead by this time, no doubt.” ‘Yes, no doubt!” exclaimed Cortez, under his breath, as he watched and listened. “You say you testified against him, Jacques?” ‘Yes; Nio and I did our best to get bim bung. We had enough knowledge of his abduction and murder of Carline Mandoro to swing him easily.” ‘*Malediction!” Cortez growled to himself, “‘T know him now, He is one of the devils who would have knifed me in the tapestried room—the tool of Helene Cercy, the tigress! He swore to lies, in his evidence, nearly fif- teen yearsago. Ha! youdog; I have ascore to settle with you!” ‘“‘And you think he is dead, Jacques?” asked one of the mer, ‘*Dead!—yes; scoundrels never live long.” “ Caramba!” blurted the Spaniard, aloud, and half-starting up. , But Farak caught his master by and keld him still. aed The boatman had started and) if at the report of a pi: 0] Bort y ae SCS Vay eh * SAN ha ak ee CEs 's Kets
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SS a ae “knives!” added a companion, “‘Whospoke?” inquired one, glancing over , the assembled drinkers, when all seemed oc- , cupied with their own affairs. | “TI see no one who looks as if he had said | anything,” Jacques ventured a little nerv- ously. : | “But I certainly heard a voice say ‘car- : “And L “Tf 1 did not think Cortez Mendoze was | dead, I should say he was in this room. That was a favorite word of his—that same | ‘caramba!’—and he had a peculiar way of uttering it.” “‘T guess we were mistaken. And even if he was here—bah! we are three.” ““We’d make short work with the vil- lain—” ** Pound him to death!” ‘Yes, we would cut him to pieces, and get the reward offered for him, dead or alive!” laughed Jacques. ‘‘Come, let us drink to the dead body of Oortez Men- doze.” ‘* And wish that he was here to feel our ‘* Malediction!” roared a voice from the corner near them, and a hard fist struck the table a frightful thud. “‘Malediction! you dogs, Mendoze, the dead man!” They wheeled again—this time to be con- fronted by the Spaniard’s scowling visage. Farak had essayed to hold his master back. But Cortez, besides being warmed by the conversation of the boatmen, was spurred to recklessness by an intense desire to wring the neck of the man who had given false evi- dence against him years before. ‘*T am Cortez Mendoze!” he cried, with a I am Cortez snarl. ‘‘I am the dead man!—he with whom you would make short work!—whom you would pound to death! Oaramba! At me, now!” As he bellowed the last, he hit one of the | boatmen a terrible blow, that sent him spin | ning round ike a top. The second boatman followed, with a | sprawl, and Cortez, venting a yeil, threw himself upon Jucques. The saloon was a bedlam of cries and com- motion. ‘It is Cortez Mendoze!” howled a dozen, “‘ Mendoze, the murderer!” echoed a dozen more, “if you are Cortez Mendoze take that from me!” hissed Jacques, as he blazed a pistol in the Spaniard’s face, ** Malediction! I am Cortez Mendoze! TY) kill you, you dog!” and he twisted Jacques beneath him, and hammered on his head with that bard, bony fist, till his strug gling enemy shrieked loudly. Bang! bang! went a couple of revolvers, “Kill him! kill him!” rose from a score of throats. Cortez tossed his arms wildly, and reeled backward through the smoke and dust. ‘Take him now! take him! Cortez Men- doze. the murderer!” Buta form with a black face interposed ‘between Cortez and his thirsty enemies, Another pistol, held by a black hand, belched its contents into the excited crawd; an urm, with a fist like a sledge, shot out- ward rapidly, and toppled over the foremost of those who sprung to secure the wounded Spaniard. “Fly, master—quick Cortez staggered toward the rea, door; and Farak, fighting with foot and fist, covered his master’s retreat, displaying a marvelous ‘muscle for one so ac acd | in ” ears. z Reaching the exit, he darted suddenly through, taking the key with him, and shut and locked the door on the outside. And while the crowd were howling and battering on the panels, the negro assisted his wounded master off in the darkness, **One good thing, Farak,” growled Cortez, epeetinens his wound smarted—‘‘it ma rumored that I was killed in. this brawl, and, by careful management, I may escape the curse of the Green Shadow. We will _ leave for the North to-night.” : “Py this wound, master—you cannot saver, » L =m dv ledic! New Or- ! I, must travel. ne alee CR GED: | aR The Green Shadow. better for a plan of mine. If I stay I may be hanged yet! Caramba! We will go to- night, wound or no wound!” And this was the attempt made by Cortez to escape the Green Shadow which followed him—an attempt that proved a failure, as will be seen by the familiar threatening let- ter of green, which he received on the marae. night, at the Girard House, in Phila- delphia. And it was also this brawl of which | Helene Cercy had heard, through the news- papers, which contained accounts of the i shooting, in New Orleans, of one Cortez Mendoze, a murderer, for whom the authori- ties had been long searching. CHAPTER XXII. CORTEZ PUTS HIS NOSE IN A TRAP, HENcE, when Cortez Mendoze, in the par- lor of Helene Cercy, saw, unmistakably, the Green Shadow—the thing which had dogged, trailed, haunted him for fifteen years—there kindled within him all his early heat of de- | sire to grasp it, to destroy it, and thus be rid forever of that which had made so much of his existence miserable, by hovering, in- visibly, continually near him, and disturbing his peace of mind—writing threatening let- ters, and making him feel guilty of a crime, which, by his own declaration, he had never committed, As he rnshed along the hall, he could see the fleeing object not far ahead of him; and drawing a revolver, he set his teeth in a fierce exclamation. ‘*Caramba! you thing of green. you at last! Stop, there!” At the head of the kitchen stairs it halted abruptly for a second, and— ‘*Ha a-a! ha! hal ha!’ rung through the house, in a wild, weird, grating echo, The laugh penetrated his ears with dis agreeable sharpness, He half paused—then dashed forward again, for the Shadow had vanished. ‘* Malediction!” he snorted, ‘‘it is some crazy fiend of a woman, after all! Why is it in the house of Helene Cercy? What has she to do with the Green Shadow? It is this thing that has been writing to me in green ink! Ihave it now; I shall twist its face- less head off!” Bounding down the stairs, reckless of con- sequences, in the darkness, he drew a match from his pocket as he went, and ignited it on the wall. “Ha! ha! ha! ha!” rung out again—now directly in front of him, By the light of the match he leaped across the gloomy kitchen into the ceilar, for the door of the latter stood wide, and the laugh issued from beyond it, ‘It is not here”—glancing around him, and raising the faint light aloft. ‘‘ Now, where— Ha! It has gone through there!” ‘Ha! ha! ha! ha!” came from the hole in the wall near the floor; and he beheld the glitering eyes of the Shadow, in their face- less ground, peering at him. With a cry, as the match flickered itself out, he made toward the hole. But almost before he fairly reached the opposite side of the landing, he vented a quick, sharp oath, Something settled heavily on his pros- trate form, a grip fastened at his throat, turning him face upward, and something like iron bands on each side pinned his arms to the earth. By that hold, which closed like a vise on him, Cortez knew that he was in the hands of a powerful man. The suddenness of this attack, the disad- vantage at which he was taken, had called forth the startled gasp. Perhaps a knife- thrust was to follow, and he was at the mercy of this invisible foe who held him down, as his revolver had slipped from his fingers at the moment of the onset. “ Well, Cortez Mendoze?” spoke the un- seen captor. “ Caramba /”—blurted with a desperate strain. “7 have you at my mercy, you see.” ‘“Malediction! I know that voice!” ex- I have ‘claimed Cortez to himself, as’ he ceased his vain struggling. ‘‘You deserve to die—scoundrel!” hissed the invisible. “* Scoundrel yourself! Whoare you? I _ " * . rr > « a hae me { : have heard your voice before somewhere. What do you want of me?” ‘What brought you her>?” “Tam after that Green Shadow of perdi- tion! I will kill it if I once catch it! Hands off, here!—let me up, you dog!” **And your incautiousness has led you in- to a trap.” ‘‘A trap! Malediction! I have been tum- bung over traps all my life—” ‘*Do you feel this?” Cortez could not prevent the shudder that crept over him as the cold muzzle of a pistol pressed against his temple. ‘“*You mean to murder me, then!” he snarled, savagely, and locking Lis teeth, for he was one of those men we rarely meet with —brave as he was boastful. ‘* Shoot !|—assassin!” “You are an assassin, Cortez Mendoze, and you know it.” ‘You lie.” ‘Did you not waylay, and attempt to murder Dwyr Allison?” “Hal Iknow you. You are Dwyr Alli- son—from the grave! It is your turn now! You have me! Strike, then! Do all you would while lam down! If I once get up I will have your life! I recognized you after stabbing you in New Orleans, by the ring my teeth wrenched from your finger. You said then, while you went down, * God hel me!’ It will be ‘God help you’ again, if get loose long enough to Jay these hands on you! Athousand maledictionson you! Why do you not fire? Pull that trigger!” “You talk bravely for a man whose life hangs on a thread. But you are a coward after all.” ‘*Coward yourself! Let me up once, and I will tear you to pieces! Caramba!” Cortez was savage. Though he had recog- nized his enemy as Dwyr Ailfiaod, the man he had apparently killed in New Orleans; and though he was now completely in the power of that man, who naturally must be mad for vengeance, stiil the Spaniard was not subdued; he was boldly defiant, taunted his foe while he glared helplessly upward at the vacancy of gloom. ‘Fire away then, you dog! Malediction! Iam Cortez Mendoze! I fear you not! A hundred dollars on it, you will not kill me at the first shot! Caramba! Let me get up, and I will first gouge your eyes out—then rend you limb from limb! Coward yourself, say!” The grip at the Spaniard’s throat tightened, and checked further utterance; and the finger that pressed the trigger of the weapon, whose muzzle touched the temple of the defiant man, was twitching dangerously. ‘* Cortez Mendoze, I am Dwyr Allison—” “So I thought—devils seize you!” “T ought to take your life—” “ Take it, then!” “You are not fit to die, with the blood of Carline Mandoro on your hands.” “* Maledictions on Carline Mandoro!” spurt- ed Cortez. venting the words in a strangling breath. ‘‘I did not harm Carline Mandoro, and I can prove it!” ‘‘No, you cannot prove that, Perhaps, too, you will prove that you did not kill Wart Gomez?” ‘*T tell you I can—” “You lie, Cortez Mendoze!” “ Qaramba!” squirming and writhing des- perately. “You did kill Wart Gomez; you did stab Carline Mandoro.” ““No—I did not! Wart Gomez died by the hand of Sanzo Romero; and it was he who stabbed Carline Mandoro. I am an in- nocent man!” ‘* Who is Sanzo Romero?” “‘That is no business of yours!” “This is a trick by which you hope to save your life.” © “Caramba! Deuce take my lifel 1 am an innocent man. Shoot off that pistol, and ‘you will be a murderer! I will point you out to Satan when you come to the next world! Ho! ho! ho!” and he Jaughed—a half-choked, wild and savage laugh. CHAPTER XXIII, MISTRESS AND MAID, Iv was the day after the night marked by ae recent chapters of narrative explana mn, : eS et rane ster =e |
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The Green Shadow. The hour was five P. M. Helene Cercy, in her boudoir, was sitting at a writing-table, idly twirling a pen- holder between her fingers and gazing ab- sently down at the rich carpeting—not ab- sently, either, for the lustrous eyes anon shot forth from their brilliant depths a glance that was full of strangely-guided thought. She had slept well the night gone, when Eloise had watched by her couch; she looked as fresh and beautiful as ever—only, there was a peculiar seriousness in the expression of her face, one indicative of unusual reflec- tion and inward musing.’ “The girl,” she uttered at last, in a low, meditative way, ‘‘may be just the one, the thing, the convenience I want, to rid myself of that villainous Cortez Mendoze. That she is his half-sister, 1 am convinced by what I learned from Jacques and Nio of their yirl accomplice, Rosella—and Eloise must be this Rosella, by her own story of crossing the ocean with Carlos Mendoze—it must have been no other than Mendoze—and her subse- quent escape from the Orphan Girls’ Asy- lum, where the Quack placed her. I may, in some way, use her relationship to my in- terests. Or, if not that, then I must use her in some way, and force her to obey me by my knowledge of her past life. It is strange how familiar her face is to me when- ever | look at her closely. 1am sureI never saw her until she entered my service, six months ego; and yet there is something—a glance that sometimes darts from her gray eyes —-which reminds me of the dead Florose —'sdeath! I must not think of my dead rival again! And I am foolish; T am sure that I know pretty much the history of this Eloise Cyleyr. The plot, now! How shall I manage it?” She drummed on the table with the pen- holder, and stared harder at the carpet, as she taxed her fertile brain for a feasible means by which to use Eloise in ridding her self of Cortez Mendoze; for that Cortez Men- doze was half-brother to the maid, she felt assured by answers to questions she had shrewdly put to the latter during the fore- noon, and which corroborated suspicions of hers, sprung of certain information which she had incidentally gained of Nio, one of the ruffians we have seen in her, employ in New Orleans. And she must have partially arrived at a determination, for the knitting of the deli- cate brows gradually relaxed, and the ex- pression of her features assumed an easier outline, While she was thus occupied, Eloise came into the room. “Well, have you done as I instructed yout” the beauty asked, while Eloise lighted the lamp her mistress was accustomed to burn, instead of gas, in that room, ‘‘ Yes, madame,” replied the maid. ‘And there is another thing, Eloise— what about my servants?” “They are ‘ll gone. They ‘left witbin two hours after madame discharged them; ‘and one said—” “Ab! ‘one said!’ What did one say?” “ One said—it was Leo, the cook—that she had heard strange noises last night.” “TTat' And did she see anything, Eloise, think you?” ‘‘T cannot answer as to that, madame.” “This Leo, the cook, may or may not have seen an thing, for all you know?’ “Yes, madame.” ‘‘ Well, and was there any other remark ‘by these apish, gossiping servants?” ‘(None that I heard, madame. But every one of (hem seemed glad to depart.” “And I am glad they have gone!” ex- claimed Helene, worriedly. ‘But I hope they, or any of them, have not seen this Green Shadow.” Then, after a long pause: ; *‘Bloise—I was questioning you this .aorn- ing.” cf Yes,” returned the maid; adding, closely: **Does madame want me for anything else at present? I would like—” i “T wish to speak again on the subject of our conversation this morning,” interrupted the beauty. si Madame is interested inme. Iam grate- » “T have not forgotten a single item of ead you told me. And I have much to ‘*Mudame forgets; she said she would ex- plore the hole in the cellar wall to-day. Shall we not do it now?” Evidently she disliked to have her mistress revive the subject of the morning’s conver- sation, else she would not have made the suggestion she did; for we know that—to all appearance—Hloise was strongly adverse to exploring the hole in the cellar and courting the danger which might be lurking beyond it. ‘‘Never mind that, just now; there are other matters more pressing to which I must attend. Listen to me, now.” “Yes, madame,” stem, ‘‘Tam going away from Philadelphia,” “Going away?’ ‘Yes. Instead of trying to find out who or what this Shadow is, that has haunted, me for fifteen years, I have fixed upon another plan; I will try to escape it.” ‘““Yes, madame,” said Eloise, ingly **At the same time and in the same means, I will make an effort to escape this villainous Spaniard, who is my deadly enemy, and who, also, it seems, has been tracking me for fif- teens years. You remember, Eloise, when you and I were riding in Fairmount Park, some months ago, I called your attention to a man who stared at us from a passing car- riage, and who was out of sight before I could recognize him? It was Cortez Men- doze, the man who came here last night. He must have followed me from the Park, and ascertained in that way where I lived, He is my enemy; he has béen hunting me for fifteen years: he has found me, I must get rid of him, and you are to aid me.” “T, madame?” OU.” “« How is it possible?” “‘T will tell you. Mark well all I shall say. You mailed a note for me awhile ago, addressed to Cortez Mendoze, through the general delivery of the post-office.” “Yes;” ‘‘He may get.that note, or he may not. I think it more than likely he will, It contains an invitation t# call on me, any evening within twelve days from date. When he comes, as I know he will, he must sit in that chair—that one—there, witb the high back against the wall, Seat yourself in it, Eloise.” Eloise obeyed, half-hesitating. When she was seated, Helene went up to her, and touched a tiny knob—which was a spring—at the top of the high back. Instantly, the arms of the chair crossed each other, and pressed tightly down on the limbs of the one who sat there. From the back there shot around a thin band of iron, which glided over her bosom, imprisoning her arms at the same time; and, from under-_ neath the chair, two circlets of iron clasped, with a double click, around her ankles. It was an ingenious contrivance, a combi- nation of machinery and springs that worked with terrible efficiency. Taken so suddenly by surprise, and per- ceiving how utterly helpless she was, Eloise felt alarmed. “ Madame!” she screamed, in affright. ‘Fear nothing,” said Helene. ‘‘I only meant to show you. how easily Cortez Men- doze could be got rid of. There—you are free again.” By turning a small crank that was con- cealed behind the chair, Helene readjusted the en apparatus, saying, while do ing it: *““That chair was made for me, many years | ago, by two old slaves of mine, named | Jacques and Nio.” ‘Jacques and Nio!” came like a startled | echo from the maid’s lips; and she trembled | visibly. | “Tam net mistaken.” thought Helene, | who had purposely uttered the two names ; with a peculiar emplinsis, and then watebed | keenly to note the effect upon Eloise ‘I | am not mistaken. Eloise Cyleyr and Rosella, | the ‘thieves’ pride,’ are identical. Sce how ; quickly she recognized those names!—the names of the men I employed, fifteen years ago, in New Orleans,” Then aloud: ‘ ‘Why did you start, Eloise? Did yon—” “‘T thought I saw a face among the plants on the balcony, madame,” replied Eloise, in- terrupting, and nérvously pointing toward unmean- ! curely—and flee for your life. the window which opened on a small baicony where there were a number of plants and flowers. ** But, why did you repeat those names?— ‘ Jacques and Nio.’” ** Indeed, I scarce know. I heard you utter them, madame; and at the same mo- ment I was so frightened, the exclamation piost have burst involuntarily from my ips” ‘*She lies admirably!” was Helene’s men- tal comment on this prompt excuse; and aloud, she said: ** Now, Eloise, when Cortez Mendoze comes, he must sit in that chair—you saw how I used it? But, I will not be here. I am going away this very night.” Eloise listened. * I will leave you in charge of the house. Every night, without fall, you must be dressed in the same clothes I wore last night when Cortez Mendoze was here.” “Yes, madame.” “*You must also wear a mask—a wire mask,” “A mask, madame ” “Yes. I have noticed that, in figure and voice, you are very like me—your hair, too, is long and black, like mine. Do you not see?—you are to assume the character of Helene Cercy. Behind the mask, which you will insist on retaining, you will not be known otherwise. You will receive Cortez Mendoze. When he comes, you will invite him up here. You will tell him that you have concluded to yield to his demand to be- come his wife—” “His wife!” ‘Pah! eS will tell him that to deceive him. Tell him that you wish to converse upon matters relative to the marriage. Per- suade him upshere, Seat him ip that chair, Then make him captive, as I did you a mo- ment ago.” “And then—?” asked Eloise, pausing. ““Then you will set fire to the house.” ‘* Set fire to the house!” Lene ‘But, madame—” ‘* Have the lamp ready, like it burns now, on the table. Upset it on the bed and floor. Throw a blanket round his head, so that his cries may not be heard. Lock the deor se- I will meet youin St. Louis I want to retain you in my service.” As this revolting plot for the destruction of Cortez Mendoze burst from the lips of the beautiful woman, a deep color suffused her cheeks, she spoke excitedly, her eyes flashed and glittered. While she unfolded the plan with such vividness, she could faucy she saw her hated enemy imprisoned fast by the contrivance of the chair, writhing in the smoke and heat closing around him, A pic- ture of his miseries arose in her imagination; she could almost hear his fierce oaths and desperate, agonizing cries. And she had determined that Eloise should carry out this diabolicai scheme. ‘* Madame!” exclaimed the amazed Eloise, in an accent of horror. “Do you understand me?” interrogated the beauty. ‘*Madame! But—” ‘“Well?—‘ but.’ But what?” ‘*T cannot—I cannot perpetrate so fiendish a deed.” “Oh, you cannot? But you shall! Do you hear me, Eloise?—I say you shall!” “She is certainly crazed!” resolved Eloise, inwardly, and shuddering imper- ceptibly at the strange sound of her mis- tress’s voice, “I say you shall aid me, you how I can compel you—” ““Compel me, madame?” with a singular firmness, ‘* Ah!” passed through Helene’s brain, ‘*there is that same look in the gray eyes!— the very glance I have seen Florose Warn- cliffe dart—pah! what foolishness!” And to Eloise: ‘‘Ay, compel you. Hark now, Cyleyr: I know you well,” ‘Can it be that she has discovered me?” exclaimed Dloise, within herself, in a, slight trepidation, 4 She stepped back before the froygy face that approached her, For unstated biog that trepidat tremor. | ‘i Let me show Eloise ~) aes
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The Green Shadow. “You are a eulprit this moment!” “ Mudame!”’ ‘*You were once under arrest for being concerned in the robbery of the house of Elsor Earncliffe, in tha city of New Orleans. Ha!—you aie turning white.” Eloise had paled at mention of the name of Blsor Earncliffe. - ‘ | **You escaped the summary punishment | you merited through lack of sufficient evi- | dence. You were known then as ‘ Rosella’ —you were associated with a number of thieves, who called you their ‘ pride.’ After you were released by the authorities, it was | supposed that you committed suicide, for a body, with features resembling yours, was found floating, dead, near the foot of Canal street. You were then fair, with light hair —am I not right? You have since browned your face with some very délicate dye, and made your hair black by the same means, Of course you were never heard of after the | finding of the body. But you were far from being dead—the body of the dead girl was not that of ‘ Rosella,’ I had in my employ two ruffians, named Jacquesand Nio. They told me all about you, Rosella; said you were brought over from England by Carlos Men- doze, the Quack, and placed in the Orphan Girls’ Asylum; that you ran away from this place, and joined a gang of thieves, under the name of Rosella. Jacques und Nio were your accomplices in robbing the house of Elsor Earncliffe,” (Eloise grew pale again at mention of Elsor Earncliffe) ‘‘on which oc- casion one of the servants was killed in giv- ing the alarm. They know youwell. They can identify you in connection with the burglary and the killing of the servant. 1 know that Jacques and Nio are still living, and I can easily find them. Now, whatif I seek them out, and say: ‘Look—here is Rosella, not dead, after all! “I want to use her for a purpose, and she is obstinate. I will give you five thousand dollars apiece if you will turn state’s evidence against her!’ What then, eh? They will do as I desire—I | know it, because—I may tell you—I have bribed them, for » much smaller sum, to kill people for me! You will be sent to prison! And thus I will serve you, Eloise Cylcyr, if you refuse to perform the task I am about to give you! Cortez Mendoze must be de- stroyed, You must destroy him!” ““Madame!—” “ Not a word!—unless to agree to what I propose.” ‘Oh, madame! you have ruined me!” cried Eloise. ‘Not yet; but I will, if you refuse to obey me.” ‘*No, no; you have done it already!” “T say Ihave not—but promise you that | I will!” ‘But, madame, you have done it now! Oh Heaven!” Eloise had bowed her face to her hands, and scemed greatly excited and terrified. “What doyou mean by saying that I have already ruined you?” “‘Mudame!—there has been a listener to all you have said!” “A listener ?—no! Tmpossible!” and Helene glanced quickly around, half-expect- | ing to discover some one one standing near them. The room was growing dark. The sun had sunk; and queer Gieiowe were forming about the two, aided by the iow, weird flame | of the lamp, as they stood there, en tableau. * You are mistaken, Eloise.” “No, madame, Iam not. I saw a face at ooo tbhere—on the balcony.” oT al? Helene wheeled about, with the intention of hastening to the small balcony, to see if her maid was right. But she paused short. A startling sound fell upon her ears. They could hear a heavy, rapid footstep ascending the stairs—soon it was in the hallway. In a moment the door was burst open, with a quivering bang, and Cortez Mendoze bounded into the room, He was bareheaded, he stared wildfy. In each hand he carried a cocked pisto!; his hair was on end in dishevelment; his face was vle. haggard, ferocious; and, as he broke “lead oe: unexpectedly upon them, mu! ‘The devil!” CHAPTER XXIV. THE SHADOW UNMASKS, WE return to Cortez Mendoze, who panted and writhed beneath his unseen captor, in the cellar of the house adjoining the residence of Helene Cercy. “Spaniard,” said this invisible foe, ‘‘ you tempt me to kill you?” ** Kill away, then!” : ‘*No, Lhav2 another punishment in store for you. Look!” As the unseen spoke, the cellar was lighted up brilliantly. Zetta came upon the scene, carrying a large lamp, whose broad, flaring flame dis- covered the tableau in progress. Behind Zetta was another female—a figure garbed from head to foot in green, and whose glittering eyes flashed from their faceless surface on the bewildered Spaniard. Cortez Mendoze stared in astonishment. The man who held him pinioned down to the } earth was a negro; and this negro was Gaeol, whom we have scen before in the earlier part of our story. Perplexed and amazed, Cortez stared first at the ebon countenance that lowered above him—then turned his head, and gnashed his teeth, as he looked upon the thing which | was, beyond doubt, the Green Shadow, whose objective, yet invisible presence had been an incubus to his mind for fifteen years. ‘* Malediction !” he exclaimed, his eyes widening in their riveted gaze. “ You see, Cortez Mendoze, you are in a trap.” ‘ ‘*Oh, yes!—I see!” he howled, gratingly. | You are all my enemies! You have me trapped securely! Next thing, J shall be torn in shreds by— Ha! Caramba! Keep off, you shape of the devil!” the last as the enig- mal Shadow advanced quickly, and knelt be- side him, fixing those strange, dark eyes full on-his face. There was something about the figure, about the suddenness of its actions, that made him shudder and recoil, despite his strong nerves and defiant natare. ‘“Cortez Mendoze,” said the Shadow, in a rustling, whispering, menacing voice, ‘* we have caught you at last! We shall mete out that retribution you deserve—not. for the murder of Carline Mandoro, but for the murder of Wart Gomez!” ‘«Malediction! Then I shall suffer fora crime which I never committed.” “You are a villain and liar!” Cortez only scowled, clinching his jaws fiercely as he met the penetrating look of the faceless thing ‘* Hush!” said Zetta, raising one hand, warningly. ‘I hear footsteps. Some one is approaching the cellar of the next house. This light will be seen through the hole.” ‘* Cortez Mendoze,” Gaeol hissed, tighten- tng his hold on the throat of the captive, and pressing the cold muzzle of the weapon closer, *‘ will you die or will you live? We want you to get up and come with us, You must make no noise. If you are not reac to obey, I swear, by the Heaven above us, will fire this pistol and kill you on the spot! Be quick !—your choice?” “Oaramba! Iwill go,” answered Cortez, changisg his manner, abruptly, to one of | submission, For, with the quickness of a lightning flash, he reasoned as follows: iS “This negro—whom 1] took to be Dwyr | Allison—isa Satan! I see murder in his eye! | He will certainly keep his word if I hesitate! | He will pull that trigger, and my brains will be spilled! Malediction! I must not die 'yet—I_ must live—for vengeaace, and to grind Helene Cercy, the tigress under my heel! I must not die till I have had my re- venge!—revenge on Helene Cercy, and on | these vultures—all—caramba! If Iam cau- ‘tions, I may yet escape this giant of a negro, this ’2urst Shadow, this woman, whom I | recognize as the servant of Carline Mandoro fifteen years ago! I wiil be wary, I will go * with them. Mayhap I may get loose shortly; | and if 1 do—ho! Jet them look out.” ' ‘© Will you swear to go quietly?” asked Gaecol, speaking rapidly. ‘‘For remember, I am in earnest; you shall die the moment you H falter, hesitate or resist!” “T will go,” replied Cortez, dolefully. “Come, then. Do not forget; your life hangs ona thread. If you so much as look RO Res ae a = Pim AUS Gale SNORE BEES ie OS SS SAO to the right, or to the left, or other than di- rectly in front, you die in your tracks,” **T tell you I will go—and I swear to sub- mit quietly.” The Spaniard was permitted to regain his feet. Gaeol grasped him by the collar, with a hold of iron, and thrust the pistol-barrel into his ear, “The deuce!” thought Cortez, ‘If. he trips or stumbles, or has a nervous contrac- tion of the finger, [am adead man. Curse this fix!” Zetta led the way from the cellar. The Shadow followed stealthily in their rear, Cortez behaved docilely enough—walked straight and steady; but, all the while, his eyes were snapping, his teeth were grinding, a fire of murderous hateand anger was seeth~ ing in his passionate breast, as he inwardly cursed the trio who so cleverly had gotter him into their power; and he vowed, a score of times, to annihilate these tormenting cap: tors, should opportunity ever offer. They proceeded to the large room on the second floor, where we first introduced the beautiful girl, Zuelo, to the reader. Here they paused. Zetta—holding the great lamp so that its rays fell across the frowning, scowling, con- torted face of their prisoner—looked upon him in triumph. The Shadow was near; the flashing, scin- tillating eyes fastened like orbs of a deadly charm on tbe Spaniard. “Now, Cortez Mendoze,” said Gaeol, in that deep voice which made his utterance so impressive, ‘‘ you say you did not kill Carline Mandoro—” ‘“‘Caramba! vo!” interrupted Cortez, who stood with his back toward the speaker—the iron grip still at his collar, the pistol still inserted in his ear, A man of less nerve than Cortez Mendoze must have quailed in terror under so start- ling a predicament; for, had there occurred the least thing to disturb the trigger of the pistol, the days of the man it menaced would end with the fatal discharge. ‘«And we grant that you are right,” con- tinued the negro, ‘‘ We know that you did not kill Carline Mandoro—” ‘Ha! you know it?” ** You stabbed her—but you did not mur- der her as you thought and intended. She lived. But you did kill Wart Gomez, and for that we shall deal with you as your crime deserves. We are the avengers of Wart Gomez!” ° * You,remember me?” inquired Zetta. ‘‘You were the servant of Cuarline Man- doro—yes, You think I murdered Wart Gomez; you think I stabbed Carline Man- doro; you seek vengeance on me_ because I wronged, or tried to wrong, or killed, or tried to kill, your master and mistress. But you are mistaken, Iam an innocent man! Caramba |” ae a proof have you of it?” demanded aecol. “The dying confessior of Sanzo Ro- mero!” ‘Who was Sanzo Romero?” ‘“‘He was one of a gang of thieves who were governed by that girl-queen, called by them ‘ Rosella, the Pride.’ Sanzo Romero. killed Wart Gomez—not I!” ‘* Where is this confessien?” ‘Tt is bere!” He drew a folded manuscript from his pocket and cast it upon the floor, at the feet of Zetta. : The woman picked it up, *«Read it,” he added, doggedly ‘and you will see that I did not kill Wart Gomez, and, also, that it was not I who stabbed Carline Mandoro, I am an innocent, but unlucky dog! Caramba!” “We will read it, but not now,” Gaeol said. ‘‘Do you know that face, Cortez Men- doze? Look.” Gaeol pointed to the green figure. At the sign, this figure tore away the pe- culiar, eyeleted skin which gave a shape- lessness to her features, and Zuelo Nanez was revealed. ; But Cortez Mendoze could not suppress a. cry. I Pe if Malediction!” he blurted. ‘It is Car- line -Mandoro herself!—or her ghost, as she looked when she was killed, fifteen years _
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CHAPTER XXY. HE SHALL SEE. WueEn Zuelo Nanez unmasked, the Span- iard’s amazement was so great that he gazed on her like one stupefied, overwhelmed, in- credulous, after venting the exclamation which closed our last chapter. Zuclo was the exact counterpart of Car- line, the wife of Wart Gomez, as she had looked at a date fifteen years past, on the night of the (as yet) unexplained murder in the city of New Orleans. ~ And this striking resemblance made Cor- tea tee] that either this was Carline Man- doro, or her ghost, or—then a new thought flashed into his brain: perhaps it was the child of Carline, and hence the remarkable likeness, ‘It is not Carline Mandoro,” said Gaeol. “No,” added Zetta. “Then who is it?” he demanded, still star- ing, and undecided what to imagine. “Tt is her child—” “Solthought. Caramba!” “It is the child of the woman you stabbed on that night when you murdered Wart Gomez—when you stole the Star of Diamonds.” “Satan seize the Star of Diamonds! I be- lieve it is the cause of all my trouble in the past, the cause of my being in this trap! Malediction! I think I see through all This is the child of Carline Mandoro, who believes that I killed. her father, that I stabbed her mother, and who will not be convinced otherwise—though I have the con- fession of Sanzo Romero to prove that I am an innocent man.” **Zuelo, the child of Wart Gomez, seeks vengeance on the murderer of her father,” Zetta said, frowning, ‘*And now that lam in your power, you would have it, no doubt!” snapped Cortez, desperately. “Our vow was to take the law for your punishment into our own hands,” Gaeol con- tinued. ‘* But if—” ““Yes—‘if!’ Caramba!” “Tf, as you hint, there is a possibility of your innocence, we will not subject you to the torture we had in store. For fifteen years we have been on your track, hunting ou with letters that spoke of a Green Shadow—” “ Yes—death catch it! I see what it is now!’ Cortez interrupted, grating his teeth. ‘‘Tam no negro, but I am Dwyr Allison, he whom you tried to assassinate years ago in New Orleans. You failed in that, Cortez Menndoze; and I assumed this disguise, that I might still follow you without being sus- pected. I met Carline Gomez—” “To! you met Carline Gomez!” “She had recovered from your knife- blow—” “*It was not my knife!” ‘** Silence while I am speaking—” ** Oaramba !” **She had adopted the name of ‘ Nanez,’ to cover her true identity, aud her child has since been called Zuelo Nanez.” Zuelo was leaning slightly forward, her ears. strained to keenest listening. She had heard Gaeol declare that he was not a negro; that he was a white man, and his name was Dwyr Allison She had jearned that Car- line Mandoro—whose wrongs she had sworn, at the death bed of her mother, to avenge— was her own mother: a fact that had ocen concealed from her till this moment. What more was there? “ Zerline Nanez—as she then called her- self,” Gaeol went on, ‘‘ was’ eager for re- venge. She met me, and pointed out to me the poisoner of Flordse Karncliffe, the wo- man I dearly loved, We entered into an agreement that [ should haunt you, the mur- derer of her husband, for years, with threat- ening letters, and she would haunt Helene Cercy, the murderer of my betrothed in the shape of a Green Shadow—thus bringing it man to man, and woman to woman. And our intention was, after making the lives of you and Helene Cercy miserable, to drag you both to the halls of justice, and confront you with charges that would certainly call down retribution on your heads. Zerline Nanez performed her part faithfully until a few years ago, when she made her child, Zuelo, swear, at her death-bed, to continue the programme which so imbittered the ex- _ istence of Helene Cercy with a gnawiag ter- The Green Shadow 23 ror. I have performed my part as well— through my valet, a man whom you may have seen. He is small and thin, with gray eyes—” **Malediction!’ Cortez exclaimed. is the small man who wears a cap! I saw him to-night! I would have chased him till I caught him, and then choked his life out, had I known it! Caramba!” “You are now at our mercy, Cortez Men- doze. We pause before wreaking that pun- ishment which we still believe you richly merit. We pause to read this dying con- fession of Sanzo Romero—” “Tt will prove my innocence Cortez, vehemently. ‘And if there is the slightest shade of aught that is truthful in its appearance, we will simply turn you over to the Jaw, and give you ample opportunity to prove that innocence,” “Then I shall escape without a scratch!” declared the Spaniard, confidently. ““We shall see. Zetta, bring the light.” While Zetta held the lamp, Gaeol marched the prisoner across the room, with the bar- rel of the pistol still held to the latter's ear, and ready to deal death in case of resist- ance, « Caramba ! with me now?” ‘‘Keep you safe for the present, without answering for your future,” And Cortez Mendoze was forcibly thrust into a spacious closet, which admirably suit- ed the purpose of a prison cell, There was no opening save the narrow aperture for ventilation over the door, through which streamed the light from the room beyond, He brought up, with a jerk and a thump, against the wall of the cramped place; and one hand sought the otner pistol which we have seen in his possession, and which his captors had failed to suspect him of hav- ing. The black scowl of discomfiture gradually faded from his brow, however, and he placed his ear to the keyhole to listen. ‘‘Gaeol,” said Zuelo, when the pseudo- negro had fastened the door of the closet and turned toward her, ‘‘you are a white man?’ ‘‘Yes,” and the deep, guttural tone was gone, He reassumed his natural voice, which was smooth, rich and engaging. ‘“Why have I not known this before? Why was I not told that my true name was Gomez, and that Carline Mandoro, whose wrongs I swore to avenge, was my own mother?” ‘There were reasons, mistress,” Zetta an- swered, “That is what so perplexed me to-night, when I saw the name on the Star of Dia- monds. My mother told me that I was to avenge Carline Mandoro, with Gaeol; that Cortez Mendoze had killed her husband. But when I was so surprised at seeing the name on the star, both you and Zetta denied mean explanation, You should have told me all, You should bave told me that it was my mother’s wrongs for which I sought an opportunity to entrap and punish Cortez Mendoze. And you mizht have let. me know that I was serving you, Gaeol, in haunting the woman who poisoned the wo- man you loved, I know all, though, now. And Lam glad of it, for my life has been a mysteryto me, What are we to do with this Cortez Mendoze?” “Wait. I will be with you presently, and we will read this confession of Sunzo Ro- mero, After that we can decide on. a course,” and with the words he left the room, ‘Let them read it!’ thought Cortez, who overheard all. ‘‘They will find that I am an innocent man. Caramba!” “He rad asserted What are you going to do CHAPTER XXYVI, THE CONFESSION OF SANZO ROMERO; AND WHAT ZUELO FOUND. Garon was not long absent, -When. he returned, it was not in the character of a negro, which. for so many years had been his disguise; but, with the deceptive stain washed entirely off, he stood before them as Dwyr Allison, handsome and command. ing. ; ; : “Did you know of this, Zetta?”’ Zuelo asked, turning to the serving-woman, “Yes, mistress.” ‘* You should have told me, then. I have spoken harshly at times to Gacol—but I never once dreamed that Gacol was not an African, as he appeared to be!” “Tt is no matter,” Dwyr said, smiling. ““We had reasons for not acquainting you with my true identity. You know nearly all now. Listen, and I will tell you more,” He then proceeded to recount to her, more in detail, what we have revealed in our pre- vious chapter; how it was that Carline Gomez, after being dropped from the arms of her abductor, on the night of the murder, in the city of New Orleans, had recovered her senses, and dragged herself into the shadows of an alley, When she found sufficient strength to act, she bandaged the severe cut on her neck as best she could, and tottered away in the darkness. She determined not to return to her home. She felt sure that the man who had killed her husband, and who had very nigh stricken out her own life, was no other than Jortez Mendoze, She would retire to some hiding-place until her wound should heal, and then seck to destroy the wretch who had deprived her of happiness forever, With a sum of money, which, fortunately, she had in her purse, she engaged a room in a secluded section. Her neck was not in so bad a condition as to render medical assistance necessary; and thus she lived, for a while, dead to the world—nursing herself, and planning for vengeance on Cortez Mendoze. It was a fate which brought her to that especial locality. She had not occupied the apartment two days when she discovered that the room adjoining was rented by Pedro Gomez, the father of her dead husband, and head gardener of Elsor Earncliffe. He had kept her awake by having night- mares; for the partition between was very thin, and she could distinctly hear the Span- iard muttering, mumbling, groaning, as he tossed restlessly on his couch. She was seized with a desire to know what preyed upon the mind of the gardener, that he should so frequently talk to himself, that his nights should be’ sleepless ‘and miserable, with this habit of rolling about and uttering strangely. On one occasion he was more given to these growlings than usuat, She could hear him exclaim, grunt, and, anon, hit the little table at his bedside with a force to emphasize his words, She arose cautiously, applied her ear to a crack, and heard Pedro chuckling in a man- ner something after this wise: ‘‘Oh-o! By Satan! it is done! To-day was the last day—my last chance! How easily I put the poison into the rose! How cleverty I gave the deadly thing to her! And she smelled of it, and it was soon done with. Ha! ba! ha! Havel not served m new mistress well? I will soon get that pile of money, and be rich!—rich! Yo! ho! ho! ho! It is true; I have made more in one day, by doing this, than I could make with my spade in five years! The rival of Helene Cerey is no more! Pedro Gomez is the lucky dog who put Florose out of the way! What good fortune! What a stride upward!l— from handling trowel and spade, and dig- ging dirt} hat an improvement, from the poor gardener toa gentleman, and eventually the husband of that devil-of-an-angel, Helene Cerey! H-o! I applaud —I congratulate Pedro Gomez! And all because I poisoned Florose Earncliffe| Ha! ha! ha! ha!” A terrible realization burst upon Car- line. She had heard of the sudden and mys- terious death of Fiorose, As she listened, the whole discovery flashed upon her Pedro Gomez had poisoned the beautifut blonde; ard, more, he had done it at the in- stization of Helene Cercy. — t lent a suggestion to the brain which she tasked so hes for a plan to destroy Cortez Mendoze. + She sought Dwyr Allison, who, she knew, ~ was the affianced of Florose, and who would naturally be enaer to avenge his betray when he should learn of thei which had been committgg As ,we have
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The Green Shadow. J my - eS dP night when he called at the house of Helene Cercy, in answer to the note he had received from her, Carline conducted him to her house. We will not pause to describe Zetta’s joy at seeing her mistress alive. From that night the plot to haunt Helene Cercy and Cortez Mendoze com menced, Helene’s sudden departure from New Or- leans, about the time that Cortez escaped from jail, was caused by an apparition of the Green Shadow, which caused her much terror then, and haunted her continually afterward, Through some means Carline gained an entrance into the house. At precisely the hour of midnight, Helene started from a sound sleep, to see, standing at the foot of her bed—like a ghost in the dim light she al- { ways burned—a shape of green, without a face, yet with piercing eyes that fastened He rivetedly upon her. ut She shrieked and fainted—withal her na- i} ture of iron, she swooned; for the spectral \ visitant was so sudden, so significant, so fearful, that, despite her strong nerves, she was, for the first time in her life, overcome | with actual fright. The girl, Ola, roused by the cry, came running in. But the Green Shadow had disappeared. Helene had recovered; and the maid was dis- missed without explanation. : Within twenty four hours the beauty left New .Orleans, filled with a dread that she was pursued by the horrible thing—an ap- prehension that soon proved true. Carline was three months in overtaking the fleeing woman—finally moving into the house adjoining Helene’s, on Walnut street. When Zuelo was about fifteen years old, Carline died. We havealluded to her funeral in an early installment of our story. At the death-bed Zuelo was made to swear solemnly that she would continue what Zer- line Nanez (then so named) had begun, and, lpi 2s also, that she would search unceasingly for i the Star of Diamonds. But Zuelo was not made familiar with the ; fatal history of the star—and at the time Car- a line narrated it to her husband, Wart, Zue- Pi ag was too young a child to recollect anything ie of it. i All this Dwyr Allison explained to Zuelo, including a history of the star, as Carline had told ft to him; and throughout the young girl listened raptly. Re And there was another who listened. Cortez Mendoze was glaring at the trio , through the ventilator over the door of the closet. He had placed one foot at the lock that protruded inside, and, by grasping the frame, had raised himself so as to see plainly all that had transpired in the room. ‘*Malediction!” he muttered. ‘‘ How easy for me to bore a bole through their heads i with this pistol of mine!” But he restrained himself. ‘‘And now,” said Dwyr, when he had concluded, ‘‘we have this Cortez Mendoze in our power. Next, we will secure Helene Cercy. But, first, we will examine this manuscript which the Spaniard has given us, and see what is in the dying confession of Sanzo Romero. If there is anything that may lead us to think that it was Sanzo Romero— and not «Cortez Mendoze—who killed Wart Gomez, then we will turn the ete over to the law. But, if we fail to satisfied of there being any truth at all in the confession, then we will take vengeance into our own hands—as we are sworn to do —and put Cortez Mendoze to a dozen deaths!” “ Oaramba!” exclaimed Cortez, in his mouth, ‘‘and if you are not couvinced by that document that I am an innocent man, ' then I shall immediately blow your brains out! Malediction on your doubts!” The Spaniard’s mustache stood ont wildly, and his eyes distended staringly, as he watched them from his uncomfortable elevation. Zetta had extingnished the _ lamp; ~~ 'S». standing beneath the chandelier, ‘yom broke the red seal on the n to read aloud: ra 7 t x sS? al as REE OT Ere ea SE fie a a A ae Se A MR eR Oe See abs, We Se ee ee ee A ek Bey SS te tending isi rai “*¢ LYNCHBURG, VA, ‘**7, Sanzo Romero, knowing I am about to stand before the Giver of Life and Omnipotent Judge, do make this, my dying confession, in justice to Cortez Mendoze, my old comrade, this night of June 15th, 18—, «Tt has been believed by some that Cor- tez Mendoze murdered Wart Gomez and Carline, his wife. But know all that I, Sanzo Romero, am the doer of the deed, so help me God! ““*T hated Wart Gomez, because he was once instrumental in bringing the punish- ment of the law upon me, in a case of high- way robbery, and I vowed that, sooner or later, I would have my revenge. “On the night of the dark deed, I was much in liquor, and, frenzied by ardent spirits, my hate burned till I resolved to seek him then, and have his life. Had I been sober, it would not have happened. To be drunk is to be mad. Such was my | condition. *T reached his house, and was waiting | outside—lvoking in through the window— until they should retire. While there, I heard Carline Gomez kev ogc history of a certain Star of Diamonds. learned that it was of great value, also that it was in her bureau drawer; and I resolved that it should be mine, while I satisfied my unholy thirst for vengeance. “*But they weatied me. Each minute my passion flamed fresher and fiercer, till at last I could no longer wait. I entered the house and was met by Wart Gomez. a) thought he recognized me as Cortez Men- doze, with whom he had had some difficulty. I knew of the enmity existing between Gomez and Mendoze, and I made use of m knowledge. We fought, and I killed him. In the struggle I also cut Carline with my knife. “*Then I hurried up-stairs to secure the valuable Star of Diamonds. On descending I was coufronted by Carlinc Gomez, who dis- puted my way. She, too, imagined me to be Cortez Mendoze, for she called me murderer, in hisname. I had notimetospare. There : was a loud alarm; and, first knocking her senseless, I lifted her in my arms and bore her away—why I did it, [do not know. It} was an impulse—nothing more. I hoped at | the time that I had not killed Carline Gomez, | also, for I owed her no grudge. | “* After being pursued a long way, I! dropped my burden, and soon escaped my | pursuers in the darkness. I made straight | for the shop of Carlos Mendoze, the Quack. | Only Cortez was there. I told him what I | had done, I gave bim the Star of Diamonds, and told its history. Ithen bethought me of escape. The perpetration of the bloody deed had sobered me, I sawthat I had committed a terrible crime, and I must fly. And with- in the hour, remorse was eating at my | brain. | ***On that same night I left the city, with the face of my victim everin my mind. But suspicion did not point toward me; through a combination of circumstances I was well screened, ‘** Cortez Mendoze comes to me now, by accident, and tells me how he has suffered through my wickedness, This confession must exonerate him. I have no fears of the law, at a moment when I shall soon be be- yond the reach of man, and be held to an-! swer by a sterner ‘court. “*Sanzo ROMERO. “«¢WarterR Born, M. D. “«*Bpwarp Neat, D. D.’” After reading, Dwyr refolded the manu- script and placed it in his pocket. “ You have heard?” “«And what are we to do?” Zuelo asked. “We must wait.” ‘* Oaramba!” muttered Cortez, on his perch. ‘‘ Wait? How long will they ' wait.” ane “Tt reads plausibly,” Dwyr continued. “You see, there are witnesses. These wit- nesses must be found. Can you make the journey, Zuelo?” **A journey?” “T would wish you to go-to Lynchburg, find the witnesses—if there be such persons —and satisfy yourself of the genuineness of this document,” > ‘ ' “Malediciion!” the Spaniard growled, eh ta? +4 : SPyiss ae sotto voce; ‘‘these hawks would keep me here, like a rat in a trap, till they can send to Lynchburg!” “J will go,” raid Zuelo. ‘And I will Om” “To-morrow night will be time enough,” suggested Allison. ‘‘I will arrange for my valet to accompany you. He will be here to-night, when [ will speak to him about it Meantime, i will answer for the safe-keeping of the prisoner.” ‘Now it is my turn to reveal something.” Zuelo smiled as she looked at Allison. Tic returned her gaze with one of inquiry. ** What is it?” ‘“‘It is a revelation that will prove the in- nocence of Helene Cercy.” “Wat!” Allison paled and started. Zetta uttered a low cry of surprise. “‘Oaramba /” mumbled Cortez, pricking his ears. “Zuelo, what do you mean?” demanded | Dwyr. ‘«“T mean that Helene Cercy is innocent of the death of Florose Earncliffe.” ** Are you crazy?” “ Zuelo!” exclaimed Zetta. ‘“‘The deuce! What’s this?” wondered the listener in the closet. “Tam not crazy,” Zuelo pursued. ‘“T say that Helene Cercy is not guilty of the crime for which she has been haunted for fifteen years And my proof is in the fact that Florose Earncliffe is not dead!” “Zuelo Gomez!” Allison cried, striding forward, and seeming ready to devour her with the wild, eager, incredulous gaze of his starting eyes; ‘‘ Zuelo Gomez, what are you saying? Be careful! Remember what Flo- rose Earncliffe was to me! Remember, you are telling me that which, in my heart, I be- lieve to be impossible! Do not excite me use- lessly !”” “T would not speak an untruth for twice the value of such news as I have for you,” returned Zuelo, calmly. ‘‘I1 know that Florose Earncliffe lives!’ “In the name of Heaven!—if it be true— if the dead can arise from the grave and re- turn to life—tell me! tell-me! where is she? Where did you learn such an impossible thing?” And the mouth of the amaze-drawn face in the ventilator yawned as its owner thought: ‘‘Plorose Earncliffe alive! It is a joke! I will not believe it! My father furnished the poison for the rose that killed this Flo- rose! Then how can she be alive?—after I read of her burial, too! How could she crawl through her coffin, and get out of the vault, when she was dead, and her soul sen‘ to heaven by a well-paid priest? Maledic- tion! I will not believe it!” Zetta was half inclined to the opinion that her mistress raved; that the revelations of the night had affected her mind and caused delirium. But Zuelo’s glance was clear and bright; and still she smiled. ; She had made a discovery. And that dis- covery, she knew by what she had so lately heard, would be productive of ineffable joy to Dwyr Allison, who had so long mourned the loss of his beloved Florese—and who, with the reader of our story, had every rea- son to believe that she had been in her grave for fifteen years. “T cannot tell you where she is; but here” —fully partaking of the happiness she was about to bestow, through being the cause of that happiness—‘‘here is where I found the news!” She held aloft a. short, slim, narrow en- velope, which she drew from her bosom. “Tt is a letter signed by one named Carlos Mendovze, and it will tell you that your Flo- rose lives. It will tell you why and how it was that she did not sleep forever in her ve. I found it in the box containing the tar of Diamonds. The box has a false bot-, tom, When I left you, tonight—after you, Mr. Allison, as Gaeol, brought me the star from the pawnbroker’s—for the purpose of attiring myse:f in these green clothes, then it was | discovered, by chence, the secret re- ceptacle; and in it was this letter, which I have read, It is yours.” ; Dwyr snatched the envelope from her, al- most rudely. It was a pow excite- — ment which then worked upon him,
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his face was white even to ghastliness as he had anticipated the contents of the strangely- found letter; and his heart was pulsing in great throbs, ‘*Malediction!” snarled Cortez, under his breath, ‘‘that letter has been in that box for fifteen years. lt was in it when my father sent the star to me, by Farak, in my prison cell! It was intended for me! If Florose darncliffe is alive, it will explain how she came out of her coffin ard out of the tomb! Now, what can bein that wonderful letter? Weed did not I—blind dog!—find that letter? And how did Zuelo get hold of the star? Onramba !” The -etter which Zuelo had, by accident, found in the secret compartment of the box containing the Star of Diamonds, was ad- dressed by Carlos Mendoze to his son, Cortez, it being therefore apparent that the Quack had intended it for Cortez. Carlos, as we have stated, died in a fit. This fit came on him at the moment when he handed the box to Fuarak, with instructions regarding it; and the suddenness of his death had prevented his acquainting the negro with the fact that, beneath the star, under a clev- erly-contrived false bottom, there was a letter which would explain something con- cerning the past life of Helene Cercy, As it was, the letter had remained undis- covered until, by chance, Zuelo had pene trated the concealment ofthe important mis- sive. And this is what was written on the sheet which Dwyr Allison unfolded with trembling fingers—lines that made him pale and flush, by turns, as hie read them aloud: ““My Dear Boy! My Dar Correz! “Tam about to die. I have something to tell you that is singular—a secret for which there is one, at least, who would be willing to give a great deal; that is, if he was only alive—only alive! You koow that Helene Cerey procured a poison of me to remove Florose Earncliffe, her rival. You know that this Florose was buried in the family vault. The world believed her dead. But it was not so! I did not furnish the stuff this beau- tiful belle desired. I deceived her. I gave her a certain drug to be administered through inhalation, and which would produce a state of coma, a sort of catalepsy indistinguishable from death itself. This drug was adminis- tered to Florose, and she was pronounced, by an ass of a physician, to be dead. “ On the night of her burial I went to the vaull, and, with the aid of two well-paid rascals, I stole Florose, coflin and all! The most singular part is, that the coffin never has been missed from its shelf. Taking the inanimate body to a house which I rented for the purpose, l restored the girl to life; and she wns grateful to me, her preserver, But, I made her no charge for all this; I had been well paid by the woman whose designs I was thwarting. I told Fjorose all. I also wrote for her documents strong enough to convict the beautiful belle, on condition that they should only be used after my death—for I felt then that I could not live long. ‘When she learned that her father had died, and that she was really slone in the world, she turned to me for advice. At her earnest request Tendeavored to find Dwyr Allison—or pretended to, for I knew that you, Cortez, had killed him—or, if you had not killed him, then some one finished the work for you, as he was never seen in New Orleans after the night when you stabbed him, “JT invented a story telling her he had gone half-wild and disappeared mysteri- ously for parts unknowa. She gave him up as lost to her-forever, Then I advised her to disguise herself and hunt down Helene Cercy who still lived in her fine house, in imagined security—but I made her promise again not to use the documents I had given her until she had heard of my death. I coun- seled that, to wreak vengeance on her would- be destroyer, it would be best for no one to know of her rising from the grave, until the time arrived when she was to strike her enemy. “She tin her skin, by dyes which I compounded ; changed the color of her beau- tiful blonde hair to a hue of black, and made other alterations which would admi- _ rably cever her true identity. Then she asked me who she should say she was, in The Green Shadow. case of question. I told her I had once brought over a little girl from London, who, if she had lived, would be abeut her own age. I had taken her from the deathbed of her mother. The mother had been secretly married; the father had perished at sea. I had some acquaintance with the woman, and consented to place the child in some institu- tion where she would be cared for. ““Coming to America, I put the child in the Orphan Girls’ Asylum, in New Orleans. She ran away from the haven at the age of fourtecn years, and joined a gang of thieves, ly whom she was called Rosella. Her mother’s name was Cyleyr—and I had called the girl Eloise Cyleyr! As Rosella she was | subsequently arrested and tried on the charge of having assisted in robbing the house of Elsor Earncliffe. But she escaped punish- ment, and immediately after her release com- mitted suicide, In any other city than New Orleans she might have used this informa- tion ce Aan ria” “Thus provided with a bogus history of herself, Florose Earncliffe left the house, to watch Helene Cercy and wait for the mo- ment when my death should empower her toact. I then lost sight of her, But Florose Earncliffe lives, my boy, and the information may serve you. **CarLos MEND@ZE.” The letter was without date When he finished reading, Dwyr Allison uttered a low cry and clapped his hands to his eyes, while the paper fluttered down to the carpet. His brain was swimming, his senses whirl- ed in an indefinable excitement. ‘She lives! She lives!” he gasped, in broken, tumultuous accents. ‘‘Oh, God! 1 thank Thee!” ‘* Caramba !—yes, she must be alive!” claimed the astounded Cortez. At that juncture a figure stood in the door- way. It was the small, thin man with gray eyes and this man was Dwyr Allison’s valet, who had assisted in haunting Cortez Mendoze for fifteen years; and it was owing to this valet’s shrewdness that the Spaniard did not escape the Green Shadow, through the seeming con- venience of the affair at the wine-shop in New Orleans, about, or somewhere about, a month prior to the date of this eventful night, : ‘- Malediction!”’ rose to the lips of Cortez at sight of this personage; ‘‘it is the small man who wears a cap! I will shoot him!” But he lowered the pistol, and listened to hear what further might pass. Dwyr Allison was some moments in recov ering from the effects produced by the joy- ous intellivence of the letter, When he was again himself, he made known to his valet all that we have laid be- fore the reader, ‘‘Twant you, Cheviq,” Dwyr said, ‘‘to go with Zucio ta-morrow night to Lynchburg. These witnesses io the confession of Sanzo Romero must be found—if such persons do exist.” “‘T will go, Mr, Allison. And you say you have captured this villain at last?” “ Yes, Chevia, at last.” “Where 13 he?’ “Safe in there.” Allison pointed toward the closet, And the face that had been glaring through the ventilator suddenly vanished as the valet glanced in that direction. Zuelo and Zetta shortly retired. It lacked but an hour er so to daybreak, Trying the closet door to make sure of its security, Allison and his valet also withdrew to get some sleep, But the young man could not rest. His mind was too turbulent with anticipations to permit of repose; and the remainder of the night was passed in thinking of his loved Florose, ex- Cortez Mendoze was not disturbed during the following day. Zetia brought bim his meals, which, with the aid of achair, she passed through the ventilator, The Spaniard had not, by any means lost his appetite. ‘*How long will you keep me in this devil- ish box?” he snarled when he received the small waiter containing his supper. ‘*Until we find the witnesses to the con- fession of Sanzo Romero,” replied the serving- woman, leaving the room, ‘** Caramba/ we'll see about that!” Cortez chuckled. : “Til be out of here sooner than you im- agine—death catch vou!” All through the afternoon he had been hard at work. The lock of the closet door was on the in- side. To effect his escape it was only requi- site to remove the lock—and this fact seemed to have been overlooked by his cap- tors, Using the large blade of his pen-knife, he soon drew out the screws; and toward eve- ning, when the question and answer above quoted passed between the Spaniard and the serving-woman, he was only waiting until it should grow alittle darker, when he would make an effort toward his liberty, When twilight was dimming into night, he heard his jailers conversing, as he judged, in the parlor below, Pushing open the closet, door, he tiptoed out. He carried his pistol cocked and ready, and looked savagely desperate as he mut- tered: ‘If they intercept me now somebody wili be shot! Carambu! Cortez Mendoze is no longer a prisoner! And if-they want to try it, they can feel my claws—the claws of a panther, with the bite of a wolf!” He stole along the entry, and down the stairs. To escape by the front door he must pass the parlor; and to do the last would inevita- bly result in discovery. “*Malediction! \ I will go out by the house of the tigress!” and he continued on down to the kitchen, But, Cortez was not yet free. Cheviq and Zuelo were about to depart on their errand to Lynchburg, and, before go- ing, they desired to have a word with the Spaniard. Cortez had scarce disappeared from the hallway when Allison, Cheviq, Zuelo and Zetta came out of the parlor and repaired to the large room in the second story. At one glance they saw all, The prisoner was gone, “To the roof, Cheviq!—to the roof!” cried Allison. ‘‘ He has gone that way!” Cheviq shot away, swift as a meteor, toward the roof.ef the house, With great bounds Dwyr made for the cel- lar. He felt assured that the exit used by Cortez was either the roof or the cellar. And Cortez had hardly gained the roof of Helene Cercy’s house when Dwyr was in hot pursuit of him, As the Spaniard crawled through the hole in the cellar wall his hand encountered something which twirled around with a scrape, ‘*Oaramba! Thavemy pistol again—I have two pistols!” he exclaimed, as he snatched at the article, Then, with a pistol in each hand—with Dwyr Allison close at his heels—he leaped ahead in the gloom, He heard some one in his rear, and dis- charged one of the weapons at random behind him as he fled. But the bullet did no harm. ‘*T will have my revenge on Helene Cercy, the tigress!” he growled savagely, and hur- ried on until he reached the beauty’s bou- doir, as at the conclusion of a previous chapter, CHAPTER XXVII. CRASH! CRASH As Cortez Mendoze appeared before Helene Cercy and her maid with the sudden- ness and wildness of front we have set forth, the first uttered a cry of surprise and anger, and Eloise shrunk backward with a glance of fear at the intruder. Helene’s dagger flashed in her hand on the instant, and her eyes glittered as they re- turned the glaring stare of the Spaniard, Cortez, when he bounded in, had rushed to that side of the room directly opposite the door; and his enemy, the tigress, was smilin) in a strange, ironical, dangerous way noted that he stood within a fi the large chair, in whig os
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" 4 The Green Shadow. DADE fe DO OR, Tits Hg ~ e emee ae — Eloise made a captive by way of experi- ment, **So, Cortez Mendoze, you are not yet gone!” she hissed, while the ominous glisten- ing of her dark orbs grew intense. At the same moment she began to draw slowly nearer and nearer to him. “Yes—caramba! Tam here!” he roared. “And I am here for revenge! You will not marry me—you will not give me half your fortune—then I will have your life! Do you hear that, tigress?—your life! Ha! keep out, you dog!” the last as he saw Cheviq—the small man,with gray eyes—start up amid the plants on the balcony. The valet dodged-out of sight as'a pistol aimed at him. ‘© You are a coward and an assassin, Cor- tez Mendoze!” taunted the beauty. ‘‘I do notfear you. 1 will have your life!” A terrible fire was consuming the spirit of the woman. Her lovely face was glowing scarlet, and her eyes burned like tiny coals. All the deadly hate of her nature was tur- moiling beneath her heaving bosom; and, bold, fearless, threatening, she still glided nearer and nearer, twining her jeweled fin- gers rigidly around the hilt of her weapon. ‘* Malediction!—stand still there, or you die!” Cortez ground out between his teeth. “First { will laugh at you for failing to de- stroy me in the past, and then I will bore your head with a bullet—you tigress!” He raised one pistol to a level with her forehead, But he did not pull the trigger. Though himself under the influence of fiercest passion, he saw, by the contortions of Helene’s beautiful, but now demon-like face, that she was deaf to warning. He saw that she was crazed by a frenzy, wild and reckless, only bent on his destruction, with- out concern for possible injury to her- self, And he hesitated. ‘* First 1 will kill you, and then your sis- ter!” said the beautiful fiend, still slowly ad- vancing, ** My sister?” ‘* Yes—yes!” nodding her head jerkingly. ** But, you first!” “‘Thave no sister! Caramba /—tigress and crazy woman! keep off, or I fire!” ‘There is your sister—there! too!” Helene pointed to the shrinking, terrified maid; but she did not remove her fixed stare into the gleaming eyes of Cortez. **You lie! I never had a sister!” snarled he, and then, with a sudden thought: ‘«That woman is Florose Earncliffe!” ‘«Plorose Earncliffe!” echoed from her lips as she started and wheeled upon Eloise. But the maid just then uttered a loud shriek, one that combined an accent of joy in its terror. a She had seen Dwyr Allison standing at the oor, In a moment she had bounded past Helene, ere the knife that was raised to strike her could descend; and in another moment she was clasped to the young man’s breast. It was Florose. He recognized her, and the long-separated lovers were thus re- united. Defeated here, Helene turned, and, with a spring as quick and agile as thatof a panther, threw herself upon Cortez Mendoze. He was taken totally unawares, and, as he tripped, her weight bore him backward into the large chair. Ere he could sommrehene his great peril, she had touched the spring that work- ed the infernal contrivaneé, and Cortez was writhing and howling in utter helpless- ness, The pistols had been knocked from his grasp by the action of the bands that shot around from the back of the chair. Picking up one of these, she laughed at his discomfiture, and sent a triumphant taunt piercing through his ears. : At one sweep of her hand, the lamp went whirling from the table; and as it struck it exploded, darting little rivulets of flame in ote ee i “‘Ha, there! tigress! fiend! devil! let me secre al tay cae eh straining ana struggling till the veins st out upon his enrehead, = ~— She dies, Sve, Helene only answered with a demo- ar 4 wound it round and round the Spaniard’s head to stifle his cries. Chevig essayed to enter from the balcony, and Dwyr, Zetta, Zuelo and Florose, who were in the entry, would have rushed in to prevent the red tableau which was about to be enacted. But Helene retired to a corner, and, with the pistol, kept them at bay. “Come on! Come on, and rescue him!” she screamed. ‘‘And the first who enters, dies! Ha! ha! ha! I will have my revenge on Cortez Mendoze!” The fire spread about with wonderful rapidity. Floor, carpeting, furniture, cur- tains, window-frame, soon all were ignited and crackling, and the hissing of the havoc- ing flames grew louder as they closed around the mad woman and her helpless victim. Cheviq was forced from the baleony by the intense heat. Through the door, out into the hall, poured the raging tongues, compelling the witnesses there congregated to fly. Helene threw open the door of the room adjoining, darting hither and thither with blazing clothes—and in a moment volumes of smoke and fire were surging against the panes of the windows with a su!len sound. Presently, with a report, a crash, a jingle of falling glass, the scorching, glowing, snaky tongues burst forth, front and back. The building was like a burning palace; and from the red windows rolled out and up the spiral columns of black, smothering smoke. A figure waving a blazing brand moved from point td point in the lower story, and the apartments below, like those above, were soon hopelessly enveloped by the devouring element. From roof to cellar roared the monstrous, | fiery sheets! The alarm had sounded. Engines were tearing through the streets, and the wild, hoarse shouts of the gathering multitude rose upon the early evening air. But the edifice was lost! The gallant fire- men could only try to save the houses ad- joining; and even these were beginning to lister and smoke dangerously. Column after column of sparks, like a tower-abode of fiends, rose higher and high- er, seeming to grow denser as the streams of water played upon the glowing oven! Then tne roof sunk down, and the bare, supportless walls, with their sashless win- dows, tottered threateningly. But an awful ery went up from the throats of lookers-on! Astraddle of the swaying wall was the form of a man, who was clinging tenaciously to the hot bricks, A few feet from him, approaching him inch by inch on hands and knees, was another form; and, as the light of the shooting flames shone upon his face, they saw that the would- be-rescuer was a negro, His clothes were already nearly burned from off his body, and they could sce the black pate glistening where the fire had licked off the crisp wool. Like a demon he looked as he slowly made his way toward the unfortunate being who clung to the wall. It was Farak! The man astraddle of the wall was Cortez Mendoze! The African had nearly reached his mas- ter when there was a dull, snapping sound, that caused a murmur of horror among the gazing people—then the high wall fell in- ward with a crash like a thunder-peal. : Two loud, piercing shrieks of despair and agony rung out from the fiery maelstrom! Helene Cercy did not perish. At the last moment she ran to the baleony and leaped— a fearful Jeap—to the ground below, She fled and lived. But we have done with her career, Dwyr Allison and his loved Florose, so strangely reunited, are now married, and live in New Orleans,. They are happy. Zuclo and Zetta no longer reside in Ameri- ca—and the beautiful young girl still keeps and guards the Star of Diamonds, in fulfill- ment of her promise to her dying mother. Our tale is told! THE END. .The Good Strik BEADLE’S DIME DIALOGUES. Dime Dialogues, No. 35. In the Wrong House, For 2 males and 2 females. The Sham of It All. For 3 females and 1 male, The Surest Proof, Forseveral males and one female, Too Much for Jones and Smith. For two males, Naughty Boy Blue. For Mother Goose and several children, Only a Working Girl. or 4 females and 2 males, How He Got Even with His Enemy. For two males. Mrs. Bigson’s Victory. For one male and one female, The Mysterious Boarder. For 3 females and 2 males, The Mugwump Sisters. For a number of females. Dolly Madison’s Method. For 2 males and 1 female, Miss Lighthead inthe Country. For one male and one female, The Gruvel King, For seven little boys, | Shoddy and Wool, For five males and six females. The Best Profession of All. For four little girls and one grown person. Florence Elton’s Mistake. For 2 males and 1female, The Bewitched Music-Box. For two males, Dime Dialogues, No, 36. The King Discrowned. For an entire scbool, Meeting of the Bulgertown Philomalian Literary So- ciety. For five or more males, and three females. Wise and Otherwise. For six little boys. Moonshine, A Jingle. For six lit le girls. Beware of Mr. Oily Gammon. For four males. Sarah Hannah. For four females. The Cowboy Cousin. For 2 males and 2 females. The Proverb Chitdren, For six little girls, Yhe Happiest Man in the Country. For two males and two females. The Repudiated Legacy. For two females. Prof. Pacbyderm’s Mastodan. For four males. The Too Good-looking Man. For 3 males & 2 females How Ceesar Conquered. For 1 female, 5 males and a ‘ghost.” Spoons as an Intereessor. For three females, How Wiggins Was Cured, For four males- Dime Dialogues, No. 37. The Fairies’ Prisoner. A Scenic and Dress Piece for a Young Ladies’ School, or Garden Par\,, or lor Entertainment, The McF'lackertys and McDooz'ers. For two males and three females. The Children of the Week, For seven little poe Uncle Raspy’s Ruse, For one male and four females, The Land of **On-e-on-a-Time.” For 7 little boys, sapien Johnsum’s Affairs. For one mae and one emale and one outsider. The Bores ofa Day. For four males and six females, Rather Mixed. Fora number of small girls. The Onld Oirish Tay. For several males and two females. Cherubino and Seraphina, For 1 male and 1 female, The Comic Valentine. For four boys and teacher. The Two Roberts. For five malesand one female, Keeping Bachelor’s Hall. For several males and one female. Four Wishes. For four little girls. Things Are Seldom What They Seem. males and two females. The Charity Student. For several girls, A Catch at Last. For three males and one female. The Bogus Docior. For four males and a ghost. Preparing for an Exhibition, Forteacher and three dren, Dime Dialogues, No. 38. A Wild Irishman’s Diniemacy. For five males and four females. Aunt Deborah in tue City. For two females, A Chinaman in Caimp. For three males. Playing Hostess. Jor two ladies and a little girl, Slightly Hilarious. For four males. What Happened to Hannah. For two males and one female, 4 The Awakeninz of the Fidwers. For a girls’ school. Plato Pendexter’s Ashes. For four females and two males. The Spirit of Discontent. For nine little toy, ers. For six little girls, The Missing Essay. For a number of girls and teacher, The Well Taught Lesson. For several boys. Ephraim Black’s Politics, For sever ‘ males and one female. The Strike That Failed. For three boys. Dime Dialogues, No. 39. Hospitality. For three males and two females, apes eriment, For two males and tw® ‘emales, ite Another State of Affairs. For five males. = Flowery Conference. For several little girls ang, boys. Slightly Mixed. For three acting characters and n. Mrs, Dexter’s Personal. For four males and twe females. - Clothes Don’t Make the Man. For several boys. Ce ee ath ea we, ste Ee boy and girl. oO utineer. Fora A Decisive Failure. For two males and Candor Wins the ar For seven females, Their Aspirations. for six boys and one The Big Hollow School, For a school an visitors, A Very Clear Demonstration. For two pirls, The am Lesson. For two males and thtve females. Why He Did Not Like the Country. For two boy and several listeners, Liberty. A spectacular dialogue for an eptire school dramatic society, In seven scenes, For sale by all newsdealers, or sent, post-paid, on teceipt of price, ten cents. ; * POADLE AND, Minnis Semmes, Be} oe) For two two sever’ cy 7] “i
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Numbers TH. 1 to 24, inclusive, Dime American Speaker, No. 1, Young America, Birthday of Washington, lea for the Maine Law, ot on the Battlefield, The Italian Struggle, dependence, ur Country, ne Equality of Man, Character of the Revo'’n, The Fruits of the War, The Sewing-Machine, Crue Manhood, ‘The Mystery of Life, The Ups and Downs, The Truly Great, Karly Retiring and Ris’g, A. Ward's Oration, True Nationality, ‘Our Natal Day, Solferiz Nntellicence the Basis of The War, [Liberty Charge of Light Brigade, After the Battle, The Glass Railroad, Case of Mr, Macbeth, Prof, on Phrenology, Annabel Lee, Washington’s Name, The Sailor Boy's Syren, Dime Wational Union and its Results, “Our Country’s Future, The Siatesiman’s Labors, True Immortality, Let the Childless Weep, jOur Country's Glory, Union a Household, Independence Bell, The Scholar's Dignity, The Cycles of Progress, 4 Christmas Chant, Stability of Christianity, The True Higher Law, The One Great Need, The Ship and the Bird, Tecumseh’s Speech, Pervitorial Expansion, een Hopkins, @ Bashful Man's Story The Matter-of-Fact Man, — and Poor, xeing the Eclipse, Beauties of the Law, Ge-lang! Git Up, The Rats of Life, Creowning Glory of U.S., Three Fools, Washington, Our Great Inheritance, logy on Henry Clay, { \ Dime Patriotic merica to the World, ve of Country, Right of Self-Preserva- ur Cause, [tion, 4 Kentuckian’'s appeal, Kentucky Steadfast, Timidity is'Treason, The Alarum, April 15, 1851, The Spirit of *61, The Precious Heritage, The Irish Element, Frain's Speech bristy’s Speech, Let Me Alone, Brigand-ier-General, The Draft, Union Square Speeches, The Union, Our Country’s Call, The Story of an Oak Tree, L-e-g On My Leg, J. Jeboom’s Oration, A Dutch Cure, The Weather, The Heated Term, Philosophy Applied, An Old Ballad, Penny Wise, Pound Fool- True Cleanline ish, Sat'd’y Night’ “In a Just Cause,” No Peace with Oppres- t sion, 1A Tale of a Mouse, A Thanksgiving Sermon, The Cost of Riches, Great Lives Imperishable | The Prophecy forthe Y’r Unfinished Problems, Honor to the Dead, Immortality of Patriots, | Webster’s Polit’l System, | A Vision in the Forum, The Press, Woman's Rights, Right of the Governed, My Ladder, | Woman, Alone, The Rebellion of 1861, Disunion, Speaker, No. 2. } Ohio, | Oliver Hazard Perry, Our Domain, Systems of Belief, The Indian Chief, The Tadependent Farmer Mrs, Grammar’s Ball, Tow the Money Comes, Vuture of the Fashions, Loyalty to Liberty, Our Country First, Last, and Always, itist ) | | | | | VSO, Hatreds, | Murder Will Out, |S rive for the Best, arly Rising, Deeds of Kindness, | Gates of Sleep, | The Bugle, A Hoodish Gem, Purity of the Struggie, Old Age, Beautiful and True, The Worm of the Still, Man and the Infinite, Language of the Eagle, Wash'ngton, The Deluge. Speaker, No. 3. History of Our ses T. F, Meagher’s Ac dress, We Owe to the Union, Lincoln's Message, Last Speech of Stephen A. Douglas, Great Bell Roland, The New Year and the King Cotton, (Union, Rattle Anthem, The Ends of Peace, Freedom the Watchword Crisis of Our Nation, Duty of Christian Pa- triots, Turkey Dan’s ration, A Fearless Pleu, The Onus of Slavery, A Foreigner’s Tribute, The Little Zouave | Catholic Cathedra The “ Speculators,” Dime Comic Speaker, No. 4. Klepeyergoss on the War, Age Bluntly Considered, Karly Rising, The Wasp and the se omic Grammar, No. 1, r’m Not a Single ‘Man, Ward's Advice, Boreke on Pickwick, meo and Juliet, ppiness, BS, 0) A Pexan Eulogium, How to be a Fireman, The United States, Puff’s Acc’t of Himself, Practical Phrenology, Beautiful, Cabbage, jin Bip People hat is a Bachelor Line? fanny Fotks, ' A Song of Woe, ange Trip to Richm’d, arody, The Mountebank, Compound Interest, A Sermon on the Feet, Old Dog Jock, The Fishes’ Toilet, Brian O’Lin Crockett to Office-seekers Who Is My Opponent? Political Stump Bpeoch, Comic Grammar, No. 2, Farewell to the Bottle, The Cork Leg, The Smack iu School Slick’s Definition of Wife, Tale of a Hat, The Debating Club, A Dutch Sermon, Lecture on Locomotion, Mrs “audle on Umbr’lla, DIME ARIA A AORN A Ah a ne sen | SPHAIIERS, Each Speaker, 100 pages 1I2mo., containing from 50 to 75 pieces, Dime Elocutionist, No. 5. SEC. I. Princretrs or Truk Exuncratrion,—Fauits in Enunciation; How to Avoid Them, Special Rules and Observations, SEC. Il. Tue Art or Oratory. Sheridan's List of the Passions: Tranquillity, Cheerfulness, Mirth, Raillery, Buffoonery, Joy, Delight, Gravity, In- quiry, Attention, Modesty, Perplexity, Pity, Grief, Melancholy, Despair, Fear, Shame, Remorse, Courage, Boasting, Pride, Obstinacy, Authority, Commanding, Forbidding, Affirming, Denying, Difference, Agreeing, Uxhorting, Judging, Approv- ing, Acquitting, Condemning, Teaching, Pardon- ing, Arguing, Dismissing, Refusing, Granting, De- pendence, Veneration, Hope, Desire, Love, Re spect, Giving, Wonder, Admiration, Gratitude, Cu riosity, Persuasiov, Tempting, Promising, (ffecta- tion, Sloth, Intoxication, Anger, ¢ SEC. 11. Tue Componrnt f Propriety, Prec : Length of Sentence, Olearness, Unity, sof Speech; the Wxordium, the Nar Proposition, the Confirmation, the Refutation, the Peroration. SEC. TV. Representative Exercises In Prose AND Versy.—Transition; A Plea for the Ox; Falstait's Soliloquy on Honor; the Burial of Lincoln; the Call and Response; the Bayonet Charge; History ofa Life; the Bugle; the Bells; Byron; Macbeth and the Dagger; Hamlet's Soliloquy; Old Things; Look Upward; King William Rufus; the Bye; an Essa Onto Musik; Discoveries of Galileo, and Phrases, viz.: As applied _to Ser SEO, V. OnseRVATIONS oF Goop AUTHORITIES, Dime Humorous Spoaker, No. 8. A Sad Story, | Poetry Run Mad, string of Onions, Right’ Names, A Tragic Story, | Sfentifie Lectures, | Cats, ‘he Ager, } Ossian’s Address to the | Paradoxical, Courtship, The Cockney, Debt, The Codfish, Devils, Fate of Sergeant Thin, Dow, Jr.’s Lectures, The Features’ Quarrel, E70 and Echo, Hamerican Voodchuck, hionable Women, The Harp of a Thousand Fern Thistles, Strings, Good-Nature, The Last of the Sarpints, Gottlieb Klebcyergoss, The March to Moscow, Schlackenlichter’s snake, | The Mysterious Guest, Hosea Biglow’s Opinions, ; The Pump, How the Money Goes, | The S a-Serpent, Hun-ki-do-ri’s Lourth of | The Secret, July Oration, | The Shoemaker, If you Mean No, Say No, | ‘The Useful Doctor, Jo Bows on Leap Year, The Waterfall, Lay of the Henpeeked, To the Bachelors’ Unien Lot Skinner’s Elegy, League, Matrimony, United States Presidents, Nothing to Do, Vagaries of Popping the Old Caudle’s Umbrella, uestion, Old Grimes's Son, What I Wouldn't Be, Paddle Your Own Canoe, | Yankee Doodle Aladdin, Parody on “Araby’s | Ze Moskeetare, Daughter,” 1933, Dime Standard Speaker, No. %. The World We Live In, John Burns, Gettysburg, Woman's Claims, No Sect in Heaven, Authors of our Liberty, | Miss Prude’s Tea-Party, The Real Conqueror, The Power of an Idea, The Citizen's Heritage, The Beneficence of the Italy, Suffrage, [Sea, The Mechanic, Dream of the Revelers, Nature and Naiare’s God | HowCyrus Laid the Cable The Modern Good, [Sun, | The Prettiest Hand, Little Jerry, the Miller, The Blarney Stone, The Stadent of Bonn, The Broken Household, The Bible, The Purse and the Sword My Country, True Moral Courage, What is War? Independence Bell—1777, aoe fas : ‘oggey Thoughts, The Padies" Ai, Life, The Idler, The Unbeliever, The Two Lives, The True Scholar, Judges not infallible, Butter, fanaticism, My Deborah Lee, Instability of Successful | The Race, Agriculture, {Crime, | The Pin and Needle, Treland, The Modern Puritan The People Always Con- | Immortality of the Soul, Music of Labor, — (quer, | Occupation, Prussia and Austria, Heroisin and Daring, Wishing, A Shot at the Decanter. Dime Stump Speaker, No. 8. flon, J. M. Stubbs’ Views | The Limits to Happiness, on the Situation, Good-nature a Blessing. Hans Schwackheimer on! Sermon from Hard-she! Woman's Suffrage, Tail-enders, [Baptist, All for a Nomination The Value of Money, Old Ocean, Sea, | Meteoric Disqnisition, The Sea,the Sea, the o n | Be Sure You are Right, Star Bangled Boanner, Be of Good Cheer. Stay Where Yon Re Crabbed Folks, (Shrew, Lifé’s What You Makelt,|Taming a Masculine Where’s My Money, Farmers, [Our Country, § h from Conscience, |'The True Greatness © ’s Relation to Society |'"he Cold-water Man, | Permanency of States, | Liberty of Speech, New England and Union, | The Unseen Battlefield, Plea for the Republic, America, (Fallacy, “Right of Secession” a Life’s Sunset, Human Nature, | Lawyers, | Wrongs of the Indians, Appealin behalf of Am. | Miseries of War,[Liberty, | A Lay Sermon, | A Dream, a Astronomical, ‘The Moon, [zens Duties of American Citi The Man, Temptations of Cities, Broken Resolutions, There is no Death, Races, A Fruitful Discourse, A Frenchman's Dinner, Unjust National Acqui’n, rhe Amateur Coachman, John Thompson's Dau'r, House Cleaning, It Is Not Your B asipess, Dime Juvenile Speaker, No. 9. A Boy's Philosophy, Hoe Out Your Row, Popping Corn, The Editor, Press On, The Horse, The Snake in the Grass, Tale of the Tropics, Bromley’s Speech, | The Same, second extract The Fisher's Child, Shakspearian Scholar, A Maiden’s Psalin of Life, A Mixture, Plea for Skates, Playing Ball, Ah, Why, Live for Something, Lay of the Hen-Vecked, The Outside Dog, Wolf and Lamb, Lion in Love, Frogs Asking fora King, | Sick Lion, Country and Town I Man and Woman, | Home, | | | The Lotus-Planter, Little Things. A Baby's Soliloquy, j i Repentance, | | | A Plea for Eres, Tiambug Patriotism, Nicht After Christmas, Short Legs, Shrimps on Amusements, | M¥ Dream, | Do Thy Little- | Base-Ball How the Raven. Pecpm@ Black, A Mother's Work, The Same, | Who Rules, A Sheep Story, A Little Correspondent, One Good Turn Deserves | Another, Rain, Vil Never Use Tobacco, A Mosaic, The Old Bachelor, Prayer to Light, Little Jim, Angelina’s Lament, Johnny Shrimps on Boots Mercy, Choice of Hours, loor Richard's Sayings, Who Killed Tom Roper, Nothing to Do, Honesty Best Policy. Heaven, Ho for the Fields, Fashion on the Brain, On Shanghais, A Smile, Cusabianca, | Homoeopathic Soup, Nose and Wyes, Malt, {Come A. Hundred Years te |The Madman 2nd he Little Sermons, |Razor, Suvtiies on Mlectnicity, Vhe Two Cradica, | The Ocea 1 Storm, Do it Wel Little Puss, j [Wever, Prescription for Spring Dime Spread-Eagle Speaker, No. 1, Ben Buster's Oration, | Hans Von Spiexel’s 4th, Josh Billings’s A.dvice, | A Hard-shel) Sermon, ; The Boots, The Squeezer, | Noah and the Devil, A Lover's Lueck. | Hifalutin Adol ohus, Digestion and Paradise, Distinction'’s Disadvant- Smith, lages, Gushalina Bendibus, A Stock of Notions, | Speaking for the Sheriff, Daking a Shweat, Then and Now Josh Billings’s ‘Lecturng, Doctor De Blister’s Ann’t, Consignments, Hard Lives, Dan Bryant’s Speech, A Colored View, Original Maud Muller, Nobody, Train of Circumstances, Good Advice The Itching Palm, Drum-head Sermons, Schnitzerl’s Phil ssopedit “Woman's Rights,’ Luke Lather, The Hog, Jack Spratt, New England Tragedy. | The Ancient Bachelor, Jacob Whittle’s Speech, Jerks Prognosticates, A Word with Snooks, Sut Lovengood, A Mvle Ride, Josh Billings on Buzzera, Il Trovatore, Kissing in the Street Scandalous, Slightly Mixed, The Office-seeke Old Bachelors, Woman, The Niam Niams, People Will Talk, Swackhamer’s Who Wouldn't be Fire’ - Don’t Depend on Daddan Music of Labor. The American Ensign. Debater and Chairman’s Guide No. 11, 1.—Drsatine Socrery. Its Office and Usefulness, Formation of, Constitution of, By-Laws of, Rules of Government, Local Rules of Order, Local Rules of Debate, Subjects of Discussion. 11.—How To DesaTe, Why there are few good Debaters, ‘ Prerequisites to Oratori- cal Succes The Logie of Debate, The Rhetoric of Debate, Maxims to Observe, The Preliminary Order of Argument, Summary, 11, —CHAIRMAN’S GuiDE,. Ordinary Meetings and Assembli mblies The Organization, Order of Business aad Proceed The “ Question.” How t . he Considered, Rights to the Floor, Rights of a Speaker ag Calling Yens and Na ig Yeas an Interrupting a Vo wh Organization of Deliberar ve Bodies, Conver tions, Annual cr Ger eral Assemblies, d Preliminary Organizatiog
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er ae f! 9mee eee ’ Se wiwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. By E.L, Wheeler. CUowstone Jack. By Josepi E. Badger, Jr. eufas King, By Buffslo Bill, (Hon. W. F, Cody.) 4 The Witid-Horse Hunters. By Captain Mayne Reid and \ Captain Frederick Whittaker. 6 Vagabond Joe, the Young Wandering Jew. By Oll Coomes. Double number, 10 cents. The ‘Iwo i @ulll "* Tr In A Voyage to Liliput, and a Voyage to SFouc a Ly Dean Swift. The Dumb Spy. By Oll Coomes, Aladdin ; or, The Wonderful Lamp. ‘bhe Sea-Cat. By Captain Frederick Whittaler. 6 Robinson Crusoe. (27 Hlustrations) By Defoe. h Roy, the Boy Buccaneer, By Col, Prentiss Ingraham, bad the Sailor, From the Ar«bian Nights, 19 The Phantom Spy. By Buffalo Bill. 20 The Double Daggers, 21 The Frontier Ange The Sea erpent; Nick o’ the Night 24 Diamond Dirk. By 25 The He | Ouptain, 26 Cloven Hoof, the Batlle 7 Antelope Abe, the 28 Buffalo teeny the Prin: the Pistol, By E.L. Wheeler, 29 The Dumb Page. By Captain Frederick Whittaker. 80 Roaring Ralph Rockwood. By Harry St. George, 81 Keen-i nile, Prince of the Prairies,” By Ol] Coomes. 82 Bob Woolf, the Border Ruftian, By Edward L, Wheeler. Bloodhound, 8 « Pierce. . By Captain J. F. dams, ‘ im, the Boy Claude Duval, By E. L, Wheeler. 6 ‘The Boy Clown, | By Frank S. Finn, 87 The Hidden Lodge. By C. Harbaugh, 8 Ned Wylde, the Boy Scout. By Texas Jack. ¥ the Detective. By Edward L. Wheeler, Be By Jobu J. Marshall. Sack. the ¥Y «sng Mustanger. 42 The Phantom Miner, By Edward L, Wheeler, 48 Dick Darling, the Pouy Express Riler, By Capt, Whittaker. 44 Rattling Rube. By Harry St. George, 45 Old Avalanche, th Great Annibilator. By E. L. Wheeler. 46 Glass Eye, the Great Shot of the West. By J. F.C. Adana, 7 Nightinga'e Naty; or, fhe Forest Captains. By Harbaugh, 48 Black John, the Roal-Agent. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr, 49 Omaha OIL, the Masked Terror, By Edward L. Wheelor. 50 Burt Bunke , the Trapper. By C. E. Lasalle. G1 The Boy tifless or, The Underground Camp. 62 The White Lutfalo. By C. E. Lasalle. 58 Jim Bludsoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix. 4 Ned Mazel, the Hox Trapper, 55 Deadly e, the Unknown Scout. By Buffalo Bill. 66 Nick Whiftles’ Pet. By Captain JF, C. Adama. ST Dendwood Dick’« Eugles. By Edward L. Wheeler. 568 The Border King; or, Foe. By Ol! Coomes. 69 OL. MH ekory; or, Dandy EB alp. By Harry St. George, 60 The White Indian. By Capt >. Adasva, 61 Buckhorn Bill; or, The Red Rid mn. By E. L, Wheeler, 62 The Shadow Ship. By Colonel Prentiss Ingrah an. 68 The Red Brotherhood. By W. J, Hamilton. 64 any Jack. By T. C. Harbaugh 65 Wurrfcane BIL. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr. 66 Single Man}; or, A Life for n Life. By W. J. Hamilton. Patent-Leather Joe. By Philip S. Warne, 68 Vhe Border Robla Mood. By Bulfalo Bill. 69 Gold Rivle. the Sharpahovter, By Edward L. Wheeler, T@ Old Zip’« Cabi By Captain J. F.C, Adains. 1 Delaware Dicky thy Young Ranger Spy, By Ol Coomen ad ‘Tom Western, the Texan Ranger. By W.J. Hamilton, 8 Deadwood Dick on Deck. By Edward L. Wheeler. 4 Wawk-eye Marry. By O11 Coomes, 7S The Boy Dacht By Colonel lrentisa Ingham, 76 Abe Colt, the Crow-Killer, By Albert W. Aiken, ZT Corduroy Oh rite, tie Boy Bravo. By E. Ly Wheeler, 78 Blue Dick, By Captain Mayne Reid. 79 Sol Ginger, the Giant Tra By Albert W. Alken. 80 Rosebud Rob, By Edward 1. Wheeler. 3 Lightning Jo, By pinin J. F.C, 82 Kit Murefoot the od-Hawk. By T.C 88 Rollo, ihe Boy Ranger, by Oll Coomes. 84 Idyl, the Girl Miner, By Edword LW 85 Buck Buekrau By Captain J, F. 86 Dandy Roe Man from Texas. By 87 The Land Pirates, By Captain Mayne RE $8 Photograph Phil, the Boy Sleuth. By E. L, Wheeler, ao Inland J By the author of * Jach Harkaway.” 90 ) he Dre Rider, By George Ws Jo Browne. 91 The Captain of the Club. By B acebridge Homyng. 92 Cunada Chet, the Connterteiter Chief. By E..L, Wheeler, 98 The As Miners, By EdwardS, Ellis. 94 Mideight: ack, the Read-Agent, By T.C. Harbaugh, 95 Te Rival Rovers, By Lieut. Col. Hazeltine. 96 Watch-Eye, the Shadow. By Edward L. Wheeler, 97 The Gut'aw Brothers. By John J. Marshall. DS tb. obin Mood, the Outlawed Earl, By Prof. Gildersleeve, 99 The Tiger of Tans. By Georve Waldo Browne. 160 Deadwood Dick in Leadville, By E, L. Wheeler. 101 Jack Narkaway in New York, ‘Vracebridge Hemyng. 102 Dick Dead-Eye. By Colonel Prentiss Ingrabam, 168 Vhe Lion ofthe 8ca. By Colonel Delle Sura, 104 Deadwood Dick’« Device. By Edward L, Wheeler. 165 Old Rube, the Honter, By Captain H, Holmes. 106 Old Frosty, the Guide. By TC, Harbaugh. 197 One-Eyed Sim, By James L. Bowen. 104 Dring Davy, the Young Bear- Killer. By H. St. George. Deadwood Dick as Detective. By E. L. Wheeler. The Black Steed of the Prairies, By J. L, Bowen. The Sen- i. By Colonel Prentiss Ingraham, Vhe Mad Hanter. By Burton Saxe Jack Hoyle the Young Speculator, By F. L. Wheeler, he Biack Schooner. By Roger Starbuck. The Mad Miner. By George Waldo Browne. The Hussar Captain. By Col Prentiss I.yrabam, CU al ie Dick. By Edward L, Wheeler. fll Somers, the Bo. D tective. By Charles Morris. Mustang Sam or, The King of the Plains, By J. E. Badger, The Branded Han By Frank Dumont. Cinnamon Chip, the Girl Sport. By E. L. Wheeler, 22 Phil Hardy, the Boss Boy. + Charles Morris, Kiowa Charley, the White Mostanger. By T.C. Harbangh, 4 Tippy, the Vexan, By George Gleason. 125 Bonanza Bll, Miner, By Esward L. Wheeler. 126 Pieayune Pete. By Charles Morris 127 Wild-Fire, the Boss of the Road. By Frank Dumont, 128 The Younr Privateer. By H. Cavendish, Deadwood Dick’s Double. By Edward L, Wheeler. Detective Dick. By Churles Morris, , The Golden Hand. By George Waldo Browne. he Hunted Hunter. te oat S. Ellis, it By J. Lewis, py of 76. By T, C. Harbaugh, ntise Ingraham, By Edward L, Wheeler. By Oll Coomes. By Oll Coomes, By A.C. Iron, By E.L. Wheeler. By Capt. J. F. C. Adams. J SERAASSO=-SS ak kk kh hk SBSSSISSSS=E eee - ht-1 tel aon h Jr. By T. C. Harbaugh. " ne . . C. Harbaugh, Biles Blazes, By Frark Dumont. Hid Sam, the Boy Ros Agent. By Ed. L. Wheeler. WMandsome Warry. By Charles Morris. Daley aatee the Bes Son Sy Josend B. Bogor, 5 anc t Oaptuin Ferret, the New York tive. By Wheeler. Silver Star, the Boy Knight. By Ol) Coomes, Sm Se ee See BEADLE’S | HALF-DIME | LIBRARY. |———-_ 147 Will Wildfire, the Thoroughbred, By Charles Morris. 148 Sharp Sam __ By J, Alexander Patten. 149 A Game of Gold. By Edward L. Wheeler. 150 Lance and Lasse. Ky Captain Frederick Whittaker. Panther Paul, the Prairie Virate. By Jos. E. Badger, Jr. Black Kean, Will Wildtire’s Racer. By Charles Morris, Eagle Kit, the Foy Demon. By Ol Coomes, The Sword Hunters, By Capt. Frederick Whittaker, Gold Trigger, the Spurt. By T. C. Harbatgh. Deadwood Dick of Deadwood, By E. L. Wheeler. Mike Merry, the Harbor Police Boy. By Charles Morris, Faney Frank of Colorado, By Buffalo Bill. The Lost Captain, By Captain Frederick Whittaker. The Black Giant. By Joseph £. Badger, Jr. New York Nell, By Edward L. Wie Will Wildfire in the Woods. By Charles Morris, Little Texas, the Young Mustanger. By Oll Coomes, Dandy Rock’s Pledge. By George Waldo Browne. 5 Billy Bag age, the Railroad Boy. By Charles Morris, Mickory arry. By Harry St. George. Asa Scott, the Steambont Boy. By Edward Willett, Deadly Dash. By Joseph EK. Badger, Jr, Tornado Tom, By T.C. Harbaugh. A Trump Card. By Charles Morris, Ebony Dan, By Frank Dumont. Thunderbolt Tom. By Harry St. George. Dandy Rock’s Rival. By Geoige Waldo Browne. Bob Rockett. the Boy Dodger. By Charles Morris, Captain Arizona, By Philip S. Warne. The Boy Runaway. _By Lieutenant H. D. Perry, U.S.N, Nobby Nick of Nevada, By Edward L, Wheeler. Old Solitary, the Hermit Trapper. By Oll Coomes. Bob Rockett, the Bank Runner, By Charles Morris, The Sea Trailer. By Lieutenant H. D. Perry, U.S.N. Wild Frank of Montana, By Edward L. Wheeler, Little Murrienne, th: Boy Captuin, By Oll Coomes, The Hidden Hand, By Charles Morris, The Boy ° flers, By Joseph E. Badger, Jr. Evil Eye, King of the Catt sieves. By Frank Dumont, Cool Desmond. By Colone! Delle Sara. Fred Nalyard, the Life Boat Boy. By Charles Morris. Ned Temple, the Border Boy. By T, C, Harbaugh. Bob Rockett, the Crscksmin. By Charles Morris, Dandy Darke. By Willinm R. Eyater, Buffalo Billy, the Roy Bullwhncker, B Capt. A. B. Taylor. Captain Kit, thy Wi lo’-the-Wisp, By Lieut, Perry. The Lady Road-Agent. By Phitip S. Warne, Ruffalo Bits Bet. By Captain Taylor. Dendwood Dick’s Dream. By Edward L, Wheeler. Shnudowed, By Charles Morris. Little Grit, the Wild Rider. By Col. Prentias Ingraham. Arkanwaw, ths Man with the Knife. By T. C, Harbaugh. Featherwelg By Edvard Willett. 200 The Boy Bedoutna, By Capt. Frederick Whittaker, 201 The Black Hills Jezebel, By Edward L. Wheeler. 202 Pros«pect Pete, of tue Boy Brigade, By Ol] Coomes. 208 The Boy Pards, By Joseph kK. 204 Gold Plume, tho Boy Bandit, 205 Deadwood Dick’s Doom. By Edward L. Wheeler. 206 Dark Paul, the Tiger King. By Charles Morris. 207 npxsle Nick, the Boy d Hunter. By T. C. Harbaugh, 208 The Boy Hercules, By O11 Coon 209 Fritz, the Bound-Boy Detective. By Edward L. Wheeler, 210 Faro Frank of Wigh Pine, By William R. Eyster. 211 Crooked Cale, By Joseph Ev Badye , Jr. 212 Dashing Dave, the Dandy Metective. By Charles Morris, 218 Fri o the Front. By Edward L. Whee'er. 4 Wolfirang, the Robber of the Rhine. By Capt, Whittaker. Captatn Bullet, the Raider King. By T. C. Harbaugh. 6 Bikon BI, Prince of che Reina, By Col. P. Ingraham. Captain Crack-Shot, By Edward L) Wherler. 8 Tirer Tom, the Texan Terror, By Ol Coomes, Dexpard, the Duelist. By Philip S. Warne, Tom Tanner, Jawng and Seapegrace, By Chas, Morris, 221 Sugar-Coated Sam. By Edward L. Wheeler, 222 Grit, the Bravo Sport. By Col Prentias Ingraham, 228 Ozark Alf, King of the Mountain. By Edward Willett. 224 Dashing Dick. By Ol! Co mes. 2% Sam Charcoal, the Prenium Darky. By Charles Morris, 226 Snoozer, the By Sharp. By Edward L. Wheeler, 227 Dusky Darrell, Trapper. By E. Emermon, 228 Little Wildfire, By Oll Coomes, 229 Crimson Kate. By Colonel! Prentiss Ingraham. 280 The Hankce Rajah. By C. Dunning Clark. neky Phil, of the Mountain Troil, By T. C, Harbaugh. 282 Gold-Dust Dick, By Edward L. Wheeler, i 288 Joe Buck of Angela, By Albert W. Aiken. 234 Old Rocky's ** Boyees.” By Buckskin Sam. 235 Shadow Sam, the Messenger Boy. By Charles Morrla, 286 Apollo Bill. By Edward L. Wheeler. 287 Lone Star, the Cowboy Captain, By @el. Ingraham, 288 The Parson Detective. By Oll Coomes. 280 The Gold-secker Guide, By Captain Mayne Reld, 240 Cyclone Kit, Hy Edward |. Wheeler, 241 Bill Bravo and His Bear Parda. | By T.C, Harbaugh, 242 The Two ** Bloods.” By Charles Morris. 248 The Disguised Guide. By Ol] Coomes. 244 Slerra Sam. By Edward L. Wheeler. 245 Merle, the Middy. By Colonel Prentiss Ingraham 246 Glant George. By Buckskin Sam, 247 Old Grizzly and Mls Peta, By Capt. Brnin” Adama. 24% Sierra Sam’s Secret. By Edward L. Wheeler. 249 Milo Romer, the Animal King. By Capt. Fred, Walttaker, 250 The Midehipman Mutineer, By Col. P. Ingraham. 251 Light-house Lige. By ( aptain J. F.C, Adama, 252 Dick Dashaway. By Charles Morris. 253 Sierra Sam’« Pard. By Edward L. Wheeler, 254 The Half-Blood, By Eiwwd S, Ellis, 255 Captain Apoll.. By T. C. Harbaugh, 25% Young Ke 257 The Lost I 258 Sierra Sam’s By Edward L. Wheeler. 259 ‘The Golden Harpoon, | By Roger Starouck, 2690 Dare-Devil Dan. By O1) Coomes, . 261 Fergus Fearnanght By George L. Aiken. 262 The Young Sleuthe. By Charles M 268 Deadwood Dick's Divide, By Edward L. Wheeler. 264 The Floating Feather. By Col. P. Ingraham. 265 The Tiger Tamer. By Captain Fred. Whittaker. 266 Killb‘ar, the Guide, “By Ensign Warren, 267 The Buckskin Detective, By T. €. Harbaugh, 268 Deadwood Dick’s Death Trail. By E. L. Wheeler. 269 The Gold Ship. By Col, Prentiss Ingraham. 270 Blizzard Ben, By Captsin Mark Wilton, 271 The Hage Hunter. By Edward §, Ellis, 272 Minkakin Mike, By Ol! Coomes. 278 Jumbo Joe. By Edward L. Wheeler. olly Jim. By Charles Morris, 275 Arizona Jack. By Buckskin Sam. 276 Merle Monte’s Cruise. By Colonel Prentiss Ingraham, - 277 Denver Doll, By Edward L. Wheeler, 278 The Three Trappers, By Major Lewis W. Carson. 279 Old Winch, the Ritle King.” By T. C. Harbaugh, 280 Merle Monte’s Fate. By Col. Prentiss Taranto 281 Denver Doll’s Victory. By Edward L, Wheeler. 282 The Typo Detective. By Edward Willett. 288 Indion Joe, By Major Lewis W. Carson, 284 The Sea Marauder. By Colonel Prentiss I am. 2*5 Denver Doll's Decoy. “By Edward L. Wheeler, 286 Josh, th Tenderf»ot. By Capt, Mark Wilts, 287 Billy Blue-Eyes. By Colonel Prentiss Ingraham, 288 The Scalp King. By Cantain J. F.C, Adams, 289 Jolly Jim’ Job. By Clinrles Morris, 290 Little Foxfire, By Ol) Coomes, 291 Turk, the Ferret. By Edward L, Wheeler, 292 Sancho Pedro. By Major E. L. St. Vrain. - 298 Red Claw, the One-Eyed Trapper. By Captain Comstock LELEFELELELC cI eirieieicieieie’ ENA RAK SCENT RRS n Jr oO}, Prentiss Ingraham. BRVCKWK yen, “299 A No. 1, the Dashing Toll-Taker. ~_=. 294 Dynamite Dan. By T. C. Harbaugh, 295 Fearless Phil. By Edward Willett, 296 Denver Doll’s Drift, By Edward L. Wheels, 297 The Tarantala of Tavs, By Buckskin Sam. 298 The Water-Mound, By Charles Morris, . By Edward L. Whestia By Ol) Coomen. By Major E, L, St, Vrain, By T. C. Harbaugh. By E, L, Wheeler. 800 The Sky Demon. 8612 L adville Nick, 802 The Mountain Detective. 808 ’Liza Jane, the Girl Miner. £04 The Dead Shot Dandy. By Colone! Prentiss Ingvabamng 805 Dashaway, of Dakota, By Charles Morris, B06 Neck-Tle Ned. By Major H. B, Stoddard, 807 The Strange Pard. By Buckskin Sam, i 808 Keno Kit, the Boy Bugler's Pard. By Col. P. Ingraham, 809 Deadwood Dick’s Big Deal. By E. L. Wheeler. 810 The Barranca Wolf, By Joseph E. Badger, Jr. 811 The Roving Sport. By Edward Willett. 812 Redtop Rube, the Vigilante Prince. By Maj. E. L. St Veatp 818 Cimarron Jack, By Frederick Dewey. 814 The Mysterious Marauder. By Col. P. Ingraham. 815 Ned, the Cabin Roy. By Jack Farragut, 816 Old Eclipse, Trump Card of Arizona, By T. C, Harbaugh, 817 Peacock Pete. By Lieutenant Alfred Thorne. 818 Ker-whoop, Ker-whoo! By Buckakin Sam. 819 The Black Rider, By Joseph E Badger, Jr, 820 The Sea Sorceress, By Jack Farragut. $21 Deadwood Dick’s Dozen. By Edward L. Wheeler 822 Nemo, the Detective. By Edward Wille, 828 Arkansaw Jack. By Harry Hazard. 824 Ralph Ready, the Hotel Koy Detective. By Une Morriay, 825 Kelley, Hickey & Company, the Sleuth» of Philadelp! By Edward 1. Wheeler, The Ten Parda; or, The Terror of Take-Notice. By T.€ Harbaugh. Creeping Cat, the Caddo. By Buckskin Sam. The Sky Detectives. By Major Mickey Free. Red-Skin Tom, By Harry Hazard. Little Quick-Shot. By Edward L. Wheeler. Black Nick, the Demon Rider, By Capt, Fred. Whitson Frio Fred. By Buckskin Sam. Brimstone Bob, and Wis Lightning Hors ar tette. By Major &. L St. Vraing = 3 oe 884 Kangaroo Kit; or, The Mysterious Miner, By E. 1, Wheelen 885 Old Double Fist. By Joveph EB, Badger, Jr. 886 Big Benson, By T. C. Harbaug. 887 Ben Bird, the Cave King. By W. J. Hamilton, 888 A Tough Boy. By Philp S. Warne. 889 Kangaroo Kit’« Racket. By Edward L. Wheeler. 840 Clip, the Contortionist. By Edward Willett, 841 Tony Thorne, the Vagabond Detective. By Charkw shoe $42 The Mountain Devil. By Harry Hazard, 848 Manhattan Mike. By Edward L. Wheeler 844 The Fighting Trio. By Buckskin Sam. 845 Pitiless Matt. By T. C. Harbaugh, 346 Rapler Raphael. By Major H. B. Stoddard. 847 Deadwood Dick’s Ducats, By Edward L. Wheeler, 848 Fir eels; or, Old Skinfllut the Death-Shadow. Roger Starbuck. 849 Wild Wolf, the Waco. By Buckskin Sam. 850 Ned Ralph, the River Rover. By Ned Buntlim. 851 Deadwood Dick Sentenced, By Edward L. Wheten 852 Tombstone Tom. By Mnj. E. L, St. Vrain. 858 The Reporter-Detective. By Carles Morris, 854 Big Worn Ike the Hill Tramp. By Roger St... ack, 855 The King of the Woods; or, Danie! Boone's Last ‘Trail By Joseph K. Badger, Jr, 856 Cool Sam and Pard, By T. C. Harbaugh, 857 The Ranch Ralders, By Buckskin Sam, 858 First-Class Fred, he Gent from Gopher. By E.L. Wheeley 859 Duraure Dave, the Young Wrestler Chamyicn. By Maj. L, St. Vrain. 860 Silver-Mask, the Man of Mystery, By J. C. Cowdrick, 861 The Phantom Lighthouse. By Royer Starbuck. 862 Deadwood Dick’s Claim. By Edward L., Wheeler. 868 Little Tornado, By Philip 8. Warne, 864 Snap-Shot, the Boy Ranger. By Buckskin 3am. 865 Baltimore Ben. By A, P. Morris. 866 Velvet Foot, the Indian Detective, By T. C. Harbaugm 867 Wide-Awake Joe. By Charles Morris. 868 Yreka Jim, the Gold-Gatherer. By E. L. Wheeler. 869 Shasta, the Gold King. By J.C, Cowdrick, 870 Breaker Ben, ‘he Reef-Runner. By Roger Starbuck B71 inshore Chris, the Young Ward-Shell Detective By M Vrain. 826 827 828 B29 880 881 882 888 ™ aj. E. L. St, 872 Yreka Jim's Prize. By Edward L, Wheeler, BTS Little Jingo; or, the Queer Pard, By Philip S. Warne, 874 Gold-Dust Tom. By George H. Morse, 8%5 Chiota, the Creek, By Buckskin Sam, 876 California Joe’s First Trail. By Capt. F. Whitten, 877 Bonodel, the Boy Rover. By Col. Prontivs Ingraham, 878 Nabob Ned, By Edward L. Wheeler. 879 Larry, the Leveler, By Charles Morris, 880 Avalanche Alf, By Major E. L. St. Vrain, 381 Bandera BAL; or, Frio Frank. to the Front. By Bockeip te 882 Cool Kit, the King of Kids, By Edward L. Wheeler. 888 The Indian Pilot. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham, 884 Whip-King Joe, the Boy Ranchero, By Ol Coomea. 885 Yreka Jim’s Joker. By Edward L, Wheeler. 886 Captain Cutlass, the Ocenn Spider, By T. C. Rarbdar ~, 887 Warpath WI], the Boy Phantom, By Col. P. ingrab. a 888 Little Oh-my. By Philp 8. Warne A New lesuc Every Tuesday. The Half-Pime Lib: la for sale by all newadenlers, ‘akepar ene: caeent be wy Fecoht ofa ae enh. 5th BEADLE AND ADAMS, Pubiishers, 95 William Btreet, New Rew ee ee am ere
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Srortes. BIG JOKE BOOK SERIES. “OH! MAMMA, BUY ME THAT!” Illustrated. GRIN’S CATECHISM OF FUN, THE TROUBLES OF MR. AND MRS, BOWSER. Mlustrated. 64 pager McGINTY'S JOKE BOOK. WIT AND HUMOR OF THE BENCH AND BAR. 48 pages. WIDE-AWAKE SKETCHES. SOME SCREAMING YARNS, A CoLuEcTion or JoLLy JoxEs anp Fouuy 64 pages. Illustrated, 64 pages. Illustrated. 64 pages. Illustrated. 80 pages. Illustrated. 64 pages. ROARING JOKES FOR FUNNY FOLKS. Illustrated. 64 pages. “ JOLLY JOKES FOR JOLLY PEOPLE.” Illustrated, 64 pages, “THE BUTTON BURSTER; or, FUN ON THE RAMPAGE.” Illustrated. 64 pagem LAUGHING GAS; or, DRIVE DULL CARE AWAY. Tilustrated. 64 pagea PUT THROUGH; or, FREEMASONRY AND ODD FELLOWSHIP EXPOSED. By “ Bricxror.” “FUN ON THE ROAD.” Illustrated. 64 pages. A Recorpd or AMERICAN Wit AND Humor. 48 pages, PRICE 12 CENTS EACH BY MAIL, POSTAGE STAMPS TAKEN. ; HUMOROUS PUBLICATIONS. 4 MY MOTHER-IN-LAW. By “Bricxrop.” Hopkins. 88 pp., Paper, 8vo. . his is ove of the most humorous stories of the day. Every man and i} Yoman in the country should read this serio-comic experience of a man with \ Hs mother-in-law, who made home torrid for him, and how hesucceeded, after nit Mang attompte and failures, in getting rid of her. poR FIRST BABY; or; Tue Inrexicrrims or Ourn Honry- moon., By the author of ‘‘ My Mother-in-Law,” etc. Ilus- trated. Paper, 8vo. ‘eis is a witty and charming narration of a young married couple. It pre- Sents vividly the first attempts of a young husband at housekeeping. ®MITH IN SEARCH OF A WIFE. By the author of “Our First Baby,” ete. 64 pp., Paper, 8vo. Tais story is not founded on fact, but there is so much comical human @atere in it that truth couldn't make it any better. It should be read by every: edgy contemplating the great lottery of marriage. Laughably illustrated by ‘ahd Worth. iPARMING FOR FUN; or, Backyard Granoers. By “ Brick: tor.” Tllustrated by Thomas Worth. Paper, large 8vo. A laughable story. The experience of Timothy Budd and his wife at city gardening is brimful of fun ; and thousands who read it will exclaim: “I’ve beeen there |" 'PARSON BEECHER AND HIS HORSE. By “ Barcxror.” Tilustrated by Thomas Worth 96 pp., Paper, large 12mo. This is a thoroughly enjoyable book, brimful of fresh, brilliant humor and waugkablo situations, the author claiming it to be the best of his many humor- ous productions, FRED DOUGLAS AND HIS MULE. Companion to ‘ Parson Beecher and His Horse.” By the same author. Dlustrated. i} 96 pp., large 12mo. Wit As a story of the late war it deals with people who “ were there,” and will | ‘$e doubly popular with the “ Vets,” many of whom enjoyed the very fun that tt és here depicted. Diustrations by i) THE CELEBRATED LAUGHING SERIES, BOUNCED; or, Tae ApventurEs or an Untucgy Man. By’ Joun Carpoy. Illustrated. Paper, 8vo. THE QUIET YOUTH; or, Jusr Lixe His Unotg, By “ Brace tor.” Illustrated. Paper, large 8vo. BEANWHACKER’S TROUBLE; orn, Nor a Brr Lie He Uncty. A sequel to ‘‘ Just Like His Uncle.” By Jouw Carpoy. Illustrated. Paper, large 8vo. DEACON BOGGLES AND HIS LIVER PAD. By Wis! Wanper. Illustrated. 64 pp., Paper, 8vo. This book is a humorous record of the Deacon's frantic struggtes with thas malignant enemy of the human race—the dreaded Liver Pap, THE KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS SHOWN UP. By “Barce- tor.” Illustrated. Paper, 8vo, ‘Don’t make any mis take. ” JOINING THE GRANGERS; or, Exprrmnce or Sassavras Doperr. By the author of ‘* My Mother-in-Law.” 64 pp., 16mo, DRY GOODS DRUMMER. By Tom Wonper. 88 pp., 16mo. This is one of the funniest of all the Laughing Series, and its glimpses of the trials, scrapes, and troubles of a Drummer on his travels are precisely the medicine to cure the blues and make the reader happy. ‘ \ TRIP OF THE SARDINE CLUB. By “Burcxror.” 06 pp, 16mo. Profusely Mlustrated by Thomas Worth. This book is full of fun and sentiment, giving personal observations and historical reminiscences of places on the Hudson between New York and: Albany. SCRAPES OF FARMER SKOOPENDYKE. MDlustrated. Hy buys a Billy Goat, He Gives Widow Snugg a Sleigh-ride His Experience with Dr. Bungle. Mrs, Maloney’s Goa ete., etc. Paper, Syo. 80 pages, i Aay of the above books sent by mail on receipt of 12 cents. Postage stamps taken, © ML J. vers & Co., Publishers, (ame: Sauiven, Proprist,) 379 Pearl Street, New York. : a £
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——~— SRS a ery, ~ BEADLE’S«H ALF- DIME« LIBRARY. Published Every Tuesday. Eetth Isswe Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents, by all Newsdeasere. BY OLL COOMES, 446 Kit Bandy, Detective; or, Silver Star, the Boy Knight. 168 Kit Bandy in ‘Texas; or, The Young Mustanger, 208 Kit Bandy’s Catch; or, The Boy Hercules. 422 Kit Bandy’s Right Bower; or, B: Sam,the Boy Giant 444 Kit Bandy’s Swoop; or, Little Buckskin, tne Centaur. Kage Kit Bandy’s Slick Scheme; or, Old Tom Rattler, 661 Kit Bandy’s Deliverance; or, Banner Ben. , 880 Kit Bandy’s Pard; or, Dauntless Dan, the Freelance. 791 Kit Bandy raeeas Ot; The Intant Giant, T9S Kit Bandy in Red Ruin; or, The Young Whirlwind. 799 Kit Baady’s Big Rustle; or, Saddle King Sam, 804 Kit Bandy’« Bri 3 or, Dan, the Mountain Gulde. 927 Kid Pandy’s Brigade in Arizona, 989 hit Bandy’s Star Engagement. 58 Jack Drew, the Nemenis; or, Eagle Kit. the Boy Demon, $2 Jack Drew’s Drop; or, Little Hurricane, the Boy Captain, 202 Jack Drew in Deadwood; or, Prospect Pete, 27 Keen Knife on Guard; or, Antelope Abe, the Boy Guide 81 Keen-Knife, the Prince of the Prairies, | & Vagabond Joe, the Young Wandering Juw, 18 The Dumb Spy. | 41 Lasso Jack, the Young Mustanger. 58 The Border King; or, The Secret Fea, 3} Delaware Dick, the Young Ranger Spy. ‘4 Hawk-eye Marry the Young Trapper Ranger, 88 Rollo, the pd Be anger; or, He! #4 Sure Shot Seth, the Boy Riflema 48 Sear-Face Saul, the Silent Henter, 178 Old Solitary, the Hermit Trapper, 218 Viger Tom, the Texas Terror. 224 Dashing Dick; or, Trapper Tom’s Castia, 228 Little Wildiire, the Young Prairie Nomad, R88 The Parson Detective; or, The Little Range. 248 The Disguised Guide; or, Wild Raven, the Ranger, 260 Dare-Devil Dan, the Young Prairie Ranger. 272 Minkeakin Mike, the Boy Sharpshooter. 290 Little Foxfire, the Boy Spy; or, Old Caleb Arbackle, 800 The Sky Demon; or, Rainbolt, the Rangers 884 Whip-King Joe, the Boy Ranchero. 409 Hercules; vr, Dick, the Boy Ranger, 417 Webfoot Mose, the Tramp Detective. 457 Wingedfoot Fred; or, Old Polar Saul. 468 Tamarac ‘Tom, the Sig Trapper Boy, 482 Stoneyall Bob, the Boy Trojan. 662 Blundering Basil, the Hermit Boy Trappe 652 Don Barr, the Plains Freelance, 670 Norway Nels, the Big Boy Mountatneer: 77S Highland Harry, the Wizard Rifleman. 828 Poker Jack, the Detective Sport. BY T. J. FLANAGAN, $09 Midshipman Dare, the Pirate Catcher, 235 The Young Cowboy Captain. aoe re idshipmeny or, The) Coranir-Chaser’s Firat ru BY DAN DUNNING, 340 oe: 4 Tack, the Secret Service Spy. 67 Ri ne and Jack, the Invincibles; or, The Diabolical Three. S75 ietective Dave's Close Call. 884 Farrel Fox and Wis Girl Ferret. 898 Farrel Fox’s Sweep-Stakes, BY GEORGE ©. JENKS, 455 Git Thor Owney the Unknown. 492 Git Thar Owney’« Pledge. 5618 The Demon Doctor; or, Deadhold, the Kid Detective, 581 Double-Curve Dan, the Pitcher Detective. 59S Elute, vac Singer Detective; or, Owney In a New Role, €08 The Pitcher Detective’s Foll: or, Dan's Double Play. 616 The Ocean Detectives or. The Last Cruise of the Black Bear, 681 The Pitcher Detective’s Toughest Tussle. 786 Larry the Thoroughbred; or, Beaten on Every Sia 58% Iron IMand, the Charmed Detertive 64 Uncle Sam’s Detective in Chicago. BY WM. G. PATTEN. 629 Violet Vane, the Velvet Sport; or, The Jubilee ot Jacktown 66% Violet Vag ‘a Victory} or, The Jasper City Clean Out. 698 Violet and Datay, the Posy Pards, %05 Violet Vane’s Vow; or, The Crafty Detective’s Craft. 724 Violet Vane’s V engeance} or, The Wipe-Out. 780 Violet Vane’s Verdict; or, The Game at Coffin City, TAL Violet Vane, the vontallancieg Vidoegq; or, Sport va. Sport. T50 Violet Vane, the Vanquished, or, The Life Sinner es 768 Violet Vane’a Vision; or, The Fiery Hand of Fate, Oty The Double Face of Bed Rock. au 3 or, Five in One, 2 Ware the Sport from Denver. EST Old Bombshell, the Ranger Detective. 604 hron Fern, the Mxn of Fire; or, Among the Vultures. 19 The Boy Tramp Detective: or, The Doubie Grip Witness amal Dave’a Dandy Pard; or, The Clue to Capt, Claw ound Boy F rank, the Young Amateur Detective $32 Wild Vulcan, the Lone-Range Rider, '714 Old Misery the Man from Missouri. 774 Clear-Grit Oal, the Never-Sry-Die Detectiw, 7389 Sam Sheridan, the Secret Service Specie’ 806 Cowboy Steve the Ranch Mascot. 820 Nobby Nat, the Tenderfoot Detective, 886 Sharper Stoke’s Double Deal. ook Spotter Bob In_ New York 866 Spotter Bob’s Bowery Racket. BY COLONEL DELLE SARa, 88 The Lton of the Seay or, The Vailed Lady. Ooo] Desmond ¢ or, The Gambler’s Big Game, BY CAPTAIN FRED. WHITTAKER, 25 en nem cat 3 or, The atteh of Deriies ‘ om or, The Doge’s Denughter, Dick Darling, he bon: Express Rider. nee und Laseo; cr, The Children of the Chaco. ‘he Sword Munters; or, The Land of the Elephant Riders 159 The Lost Captain; or, Skipper Jabez Coffin’a retens 37 The Boy Bedoutnsy; or, The Brothers of the Plumed Lance 14 Welfcang, the Robber of the Rhine. 49 Milo Romer the Animal King; er, Round the World, r Tamer; or, The League of the Jungle. W Hemet Nicks the Decton a LJ mon . 95 Onllfornia Joe's War Trall. | BY OAPT. J. F. 0. ADAMS. Oregon Sol Nick Whiffles’s Boy Spy. fam Rye, be’ Groat Shot ofthe Ware ed Ha: the Boy Trapper. Nick Whifltes’s Pet; or fs Tho Valley of Death, 34 The White Indian ‘be Scovt of the Yeilowstene, The Greenhorn in the Woods. house owe King § oy The Hi : ~ 84 146 54 56 Curtain Ferre aptuin Serret, » Bilver Star, the boy ku BY T. ©. HARBAUGH. Nick o- the Night; or, The Boy Spy of 76. he Hidden Lodges; or. The Little Hunter, Vightingale Nat; or, Tne Forest Captains, andy Jack; or, The Outlaws of the Oregon Trak. t Harefoot, the Wood-Hawk; or, Old Powder-face, Midnight Jack ; or, The Boy Trapper. Old Frosty, the Guide; or, The White Queen. 8 Kiowa Charley the White Musmnger. 9 Judge Lynch Jr.: or, The Boy Vigilante. 5 Gold Tr gger, the Sport; or, The Girl Avenger, 9 Tornado Tom; or, Injun Jack From Red Core. §$ Ned Temple, the Border Boy; or, The Mad Hunten OS Arkan-aw ¢ or, The Quoen of Fate’s Revenge. 207 Navajo Nick, the Boy Gold Hunter. 215 Captain Bullet; or, Little Tovknot’s Crusade. 281 Plucky Phil; or, Rom, the Rea Jezebel. 241 Bill Bravo; or, Tie Roughs of the Rockies, 255 Captain Apoliv, tne King-Pin of Bowle. 267 The Kuackskin Detective; or, The King of Road-agents. 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 Pards; or, The Terror of Take-Notice, 886 Bie Benson; or, The Queen of the Larso. 845 Pitilesas Matt; ov, Ked Thunderbolt’s Secret. 856 Cool Sam and Pardy or The Terrible Six, 866 Velvet Foot, the Indian Detective. B86 Captain Cutlass; or, The Beccaneer’s Girl Foe. 896 Rough Rob: or, The Twin Champfons of Blue Blazes. 411 The Silken Sasso; or, The Rose c Ranch Robin. 418 Felix Fox, the Boy Spotter; or, The Gold Gang of New York. 425 Texas Trump. the Border Rattler. 486 Phil Flash, the New York Fox; or, The Mystery of Room 21. 445 The City Vampires; or, Ked Bolfe’s Pizeon. 461 One Against Fifty; or, The Last Man of Keno Bar, 470 The Boy Shadow; or, Feljx Fox's Hunt. 477 The Exceisior Sport; or, The Washington Spotter, 499 Bingle Sight, the One-Eyed Sport, 502 Branded Ben, the Night Ferret. 612 Dodger Dick, the Whart-Spy Detective. 621 Dodger Dick’« Best Dodge; or, The Gotham Gold Gang. 528 Fox and Falcon, the Bowery Shadows. 588 Dodger Dick, the Dock Ferret, 548 Dodger Dick’s Double; or, The Rival Boy Detectives, 558 Dodger Dick’s Desperate Case. 568 Dodger Dick, the Boy Vidocq; or, The Gang of Three. 578 The Two Sha dows; or, Dodger Dick’s Stop Game, 582 Dodger Dick’s Drop; or, The Man from Jersey. 594 Little Lon, the Street-Sipger Detective. 610 Old Skinner, the Gold Shark; or, Tony Sharp on Guard. 626 The Champion Pards; or, The Luciler of Silver Bar, 687 Dick Doan, the Dock Roy Detective. 645 Kit, the Pavement Sharp. 658 Billy Bantam, the Boy Beagle. 671 Jersey Jed, the Boy Hustler; or, Shadowing the Shadower. 685 Wappy Hugh, the Boy Musician Detecti 701 Photograph Fred, the Camera 5 i 715 Wide Awake Len, the Quaker City Ferret. 782 Daisy Dell, the Pavement Detective; or, Trapping Big Games 742 Billy Winka, the Bell Boy Detect! 754 Billy Winks, the Boss Boy Shadow. 768 Eagle Ned, the Boy on Guard; or, Tae Camp Spiders, 780 Tonkaway Tom, the Red Wizard 827 The Bantam Sport. 848 Clip, the Battery Ferret; o1, onc sentrs Foul Play SOT Davy Doon’s Big Bounce. 905 Dandy Nugget, the Bo~ Shadow, 921 The Boy from Denver. BY CHARLES MORRIS, 18 Will Somers, the Boy Detective. 22 Phil Hardy, the Boas Boy. 26 Picayune Pete; or, Nicodemugy the Dog Detective 80 Detective Dick ; or, The Hero in Raga, 142 Handsome Harry, the Bootblack Detective, 147 Will Wildfire, the Thoroughbred. 152 Black Beas, Wil) Wildfire’s Kacer, 157 Mike Merry the Harbor Police Boy, 2 Will Wildfire in the Woods. Billy Baggage, the Railroad Boy, A Trump Card ¢,or, Will Wildtive Wins and Loses Rob Rockett; or, Mysteries of New York. Bob Rockett, the Bank Runner, The Hidden Hand vcr) Will Wildfire’s Revenge. 7 Fred Malyard, the Life Boat Boy; or, The Smuggters, 189 Bob Rockett ;'or, Driven to the Wali. 196 Shadewed ; or, Bob Kockett’s Fight for Life. 206 Dark.Paul, the Tiger King. 212 Dashing Dave, the Dandy Detective. 220 Tom Tanner; or, The Black Sheep of the Flock, 225 Sam Charcoal the Premium Darky. 235 Shadow Sam, the Messenger Boy. 242 The Two “ Bloods”; or, Shenandoah Bill and Als Gang, 252 Dick Dashaway ;: or, A Dakota Boy in Chicago, 262 The Young Sharps: o:. Rollicking Mike’s fos Trail, 274 Jolly dim, the Detective Apprentice. 289 Jolly Jim’s Job; or, The Young Detective. 298 The Water-lound; or, The Young Thoroughored. 805 Dashaway, of Dakotar or, A Western Lad in Quaker City, 824 Ralph Keady, the Hotel Boy Detective. B41 Tony Thorne, the Vagabond Detective. 858 The Reporter-Detective ; or, Fred Flyer’s Blizzard, 867 Wide-Awake Joe; or, A Boy of the Times, B79 Larry, the Leveler; or, The Bloods of the Boulevard, 408 Fireily Jnck, the River-Rat Detective, 428 The Lost Finger; or, The Entrapped Cashier, 428 Fred Flyer, the Reporter Detective, 482 Invincible Logan, the Pinkerton Ferret. 456 Billy Brick, the Jotly Vagsnond. 466 Wide-Awake Jerry, Detective; or Entombed Alive, 479 Detective Dodge; or, The Mystery of Frank Hearty. 488 Wild Dick Racket; or, How He Fought for Honor. 501 Boots, the Boy Fireman: or, Too Sharp for the Sharper, b6H The Secret “ervice Roy Detective. 596 Simmy the Kid; or, A Lamb Among Wolves. 627 Tom Bruce of Arkansas: or, The Wolf in the Fold. 655 Plucky Paul, the Roy Speculator. 667 Rob and Sam, the Daisy Detectives. 709 The Curbstone Petective; or, Harry Hale’s Big Beat. TWhb7 Detective Frank’« Sweep-atakea, 869 Ned Norman, the Gamin Broker, R81 ey Billy, the Shine-’em-up Detective. 917 Flash Lightning, the Mountain Mascot, BY ALBERT W, AIKEN, e 2 be he 23 See, lak kp ak SEAMSRWSTRAReS 1 i 1 1 eLedeleledoded Mer. the Giant Trapper. me Buy Pard. f Tricks and Traps in Gotham. BY OAPT. ALFRED B. TAYLOR 0.8. 4 191 Buffalo Ritly, the Boy Bullwhacker, 194 Buffale Bill’s Bet; or, The Gambler Guide. BY J, W. OSBON, 269 The Rival Giants of Nowhar’. 498 Cactus Burr, the Man from Hard Luck. 587 Old Buckeye, the Sierra Shadow. 564 Powder Phil, the Boy Miner, or, The Man Without s Peay p+ peg Toes the cere ting 54 : Attle ning’s rit or, The i) 0. tne Labund 688 Plucky Paul, the Boy Prospe ‘elie A EE Geli pen Mts Gt Rc Noy the Rh ° ust Dan’s Gath; or, Rec 928 Gold-Dust Dan’s Snap-Shot, BY JOSEPH E. BADGER, JR, 2 Vellowstone Jack; or, The Treppets 48 Black John, the Road-Agent; or, The Ontlaw’s Retreas, 65 Hurricane Bilk; or, Mustang Sam and His Pard, 119 Mustang Sam or, The King of the Plains. 186 Night-linwk Kit; or, The Daughter of the Ranch, 144 Dainty Lance the Boy Sport. 151 Panther Paul; or, Dainty Lance to the Rescue, 160 The Black Giant; or, Dainty Lance in Jeopardy. 168 Deadly nat or, Fighting Fire with Fire. 184 The Boy Trailers; or{ Dainty Lance on the War-Path, 208 The Boy Pards; or, Dainty Lance Unmasks, 211 Crooked Cale, the Caliban of Colestial City. 810 The Barranca Wolf; or, The Beautiful Decoy. 819 The Black Rider; or, The Horse-Thieves’ League 885 Old Double Fist or, The Strange Guide 855 The King of the Woods: or. Daniel Boone’s Last Taste 449 Kit Fox, the Border Boy Detective. 625 Chincapin Dan, the Boy Traller. 677 Chineapin Dan's Second Trail, 688 Chincapin Dan’s Home Stretch. 698 Old Crazy, the Man Without a Head, TOS Lieht-Heart Lute’s Legacy. eart Lute’s Last Trail. plade’ the HaleBloeds cr, The Bord at Bay, ve blade, the alf-Biood; or, e er 7BY Silverbiade, the Hostile; or, The Border er Pet 748 Silverblade the Friendly; or, The Border Beagle’s Boy Past BY C. DUNNING CLARK. 185 Captain Pauls or, The Boy Spy of the Mountains, 280 The Yankee Rajah ; or, The Fato of the Black Shona BY LIEUT. Il. D. PERRY, U. 8. N. 176 The Boy Runaway; or, The Buccaneer of the Bap, 180 The Sea Trailer; or, A Vow Well Kept. 192 Captain Kit; or, The Mystery of Montauk Potat. BY JACK FARRAGUT. 815 Ned, the Cabin Loy; or, The Witch of the Fort, 820 The Sea Sorceress; or, The Boy Shipper. BY CAPTAIN MAYNE REID. 78 Blue Dick; or, The Yellow Chief's Vengeance, 187 The Land Piraten; or, The League of Devil’s lslnad, 187 The Helpless Hand 3 or, Backwoods Retribution. 289 The Gold-seeker Guide? or, The Lost Mountela, BY BRACEBRIDGE NEMYNG, RP Taland Jim; or, The Pet of the Fenty, 191 The Captain of the Club; or. The Rival Athleten 101 Jack Harkaway in New York, MISCELLANEOUS AUTHORS, w 4 The Wild-Horse Munters. By Capt, Mayne Rete, Frederick Whittaker. 9 Adventures of Baron Munchausen, 12 Gulliver’s Travels. By Dean Swift. 14 Aladdin; or, The Wonderful Lamp. 16 ean Sa ionpd Sets nk 18 Sind the Satlor. even ovares. 22 The Sea Serpent; or, The Boy Robinson Crosses. Ry Joes Lewis. 88 The Ocean Bloodhound; or, The Red Pirates of the Carribees. By S, W. Pierce. 86 The Boy Clown: or, The Arena Queen, By ¥ 8, Finn. 84 Ned Wylde, the Boy Scout. By Texas Jack. 81 The Boy Rites: or, The Underground Camp, By A.C. Ironm, 95 The Rival Rovers or, The Freebooters of tho Missiesipp) By Lieut.-Col. Hazeltine, 98 Robin ood, the Outlawed Earl; or, The Merry Men of Green‘ wood. By Prof. Gilderaleeve, 105 Old Rube, the Hunter; or, The Crow Captive. By Captain Hamilton Holmes. P 112 e Mad Hunter; or, 1beCaveof Death. By Burton Saxe, 124 Eeppys the Texan} or, The Young Champion. By George jeonon. 128 The Young Privateer; or, The Pirate's Btrongheld, By Harry Cavendish, 148 Sharp Sam; or, The Adventures of a Friondless Boy, By J Alexander Patten. + or, The Green Ranger of the Yo}- 227 Dusky Darrell, 61 eon Fes Lecce the New York Boy. By @. L. aidken, 2 B rnauge ie 'e 266 Kill ry the omaes or, Davy Crockett’s boket ‘Trail DD. arren, 298 Feed Claw, the One-Eyed Trapper; or, The Mala of the CIS By Captain Comstock. B17 Peacock Pete, the Lively Lad from Leadville. By Liew tenant Alfred Thorne. t 828 rts Sy eveeures or, A Boy's Fight for Life and Honoty y Free. R 850 Red Ralph, the "Rtiver Rover: or, The Brother's Re he jun tiine. 865 Baltimore Ren. the Bootblack Detective. A.¥. 874 Gold-Duat Tom: or, Ben’s Double Match. @ 876 Callfornia Joe’s First Trail. By Colonel Thoma Hoyer Monatery. 415 nally Hombalct, the Cli Coker. By ¥. 8. Winthreps Comanche Dick’ and His Three Invincfyles, By Henry J. Thomas. 582 The Dewboy Duke. By Edwtn Brooke Forrest. 552 Ariel the Athlete. By David Druid. 585 Will Waters, the Bov Ferret. By A. Enton, 682 The Dead Weteetive’a Double, By Gerald 721 Maverick Mone, the, Arfrona Detective; or, The ad 0% Lo sen’ he 809 Don Danton, the Gont from Denver, By King Keene, of 814 Ace High, the Frisco Detective, By ©. E, Teh» 880 The Grim Lodgers In Rag Alleys ot, Cithen Rab of Number S@ven, By Ben D. Halliday. 881 The Chicago Drummer'’s« I By J. G, Bethura. 841 = ance Charlie, the Cat’s-Paw Sport, by Mem ul wo 7 ~ < 861 Billy Brine, the Swamp Fox. By Chas. aos 879 Hlucelight RIM, the Sapphire Sport; or; The ava Lan Hand, ‘By King PEeene. ROR oy A New Inaue Every Tuesday. ; ~Dime Library {s for all Newed wl” Ft lly ip sent by wail on otal pa a eee, me | :
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BREADLE'’*] )IME*[IBRARY. —— — ~ BY JOSEPH E. BADGER, JR. 928 Old Sobersides, the Detective of St, Louis, 925 White-Horse Wheeler, the Revenue Detective. 018 Fhe Double Edged Detective. 907 Maverick Mark. the Man from Nowhere. 898 Silky steele, the Stay-in Sport. 884 T e Spotter-Sport's Neck-Tie Party. 870 High-Water Mark; or, Silver-Tip Sid. %62 Riata Rob, the Range Champion. 85 The C »boy Chief's Sure-Shot. 848 The Rival Red-Hat Sports. 67 Curly Kid, the Cheyenne Sport. 824 The Sof: Hand Detective, 815 The Soft Hund’s Clutch. 809 Dan Dusn the Soft-Hand Sport, 796 Tne Frisco Detective’s Thug-Tangle, «89 Sam Cary, the River Sport. ‘80 Tue Dead Sport's Double. «71 Prince John, Detective Special. 763 Dandy Don, the Denver Detective. 54 tbe Man from Texas; or, Dangerfield, the Doctor Detective. . 144 Sweepstakes Sam, the Silver Sport. 720 The Secret Six; or, O!d Haleyon. 712 The Man of Silk. 705 Bantam Bob, the Beauty from Butte. 693 Kent Kasson, the Preacher Sport. 683 Bob Breeze, the Rounder Detective, 675 Steel Surry, the Sport from Sunris¢ 668 Solemn Saul’s Luck Streak 661 The Get-There Sharp, 61 Sil¥estip St-ve, the Sky Scraper from Siskiyou, @45 Gopher Gabe, the Unseen Detective, G36 Dandy Darting, Detective. 627 Mossback Mose, the Moun'aineer, 617 The Grip Sack Sharp's Even up. 597 Big Bandy, the Brigadier of Brimstone Butte, 588 Sandy sands, the Sharp from Snap City, 576 Silver-Tougued Sid; or, Grip Sack Sharp's Sweep. 664 The Grip Sack Shar Pp; or, The Seraphs of Sodom. 655 Grip-Sack Sid, the Sample Sport. 847 The Buried Detective; cr, Sa: I's Six Sensations. 541 Major Magnet, the Man of Nerve, * 535 Dandy Dutch, the Deeorator from Dead-Lift 527 Dandy Andy, the Diamond Detective, 514 Gabe Guo»), the Grizzly from Ginseng, 504 Solemn Saul. the Sad Man from San Saba, 495 Rattiepate Rob; or, ‘The Roundhead’s Re prisal 48% The Thor ugbbred Sport. 474 Daddy Dead-Lye, the Desnot of Dew Drop, 466 Od Rough and Ready, the Sage of Sundown 458 Duteb Dan. the Pilgrim from Spitzenberg, 443 A Cool sand; oF Pistol Johnny’s Picnic, 38 Ok yma Nic ‘ ’ Ss Palgning Leo; or, Sam's Dandy Pard, #26 The Ghost Detective; or, The Secret Service Spy. 416 Monte vim. the Black Sheep of Bismarck, -*89 Tob Roy Ranch; or, The Imps of Pan Handle. “ % ‘The Nameless Sport. ‘ bos Derdiy Aim, the Duke of Derringers, 887 Dark Darg, the Ishmael of the Hills, 872 Qaptain Crisp. the Man with a Record, 367 A Royal Fiush; or, Dan Browy’s big Game. 360 Jumping Jerry, the Gamecock from Sundown. 855 Stormy Steve, the Mad Athlete, 351 Nor’ West Nick, the Border Detective, #45 Maskea Mark, the Mounted Detective, $39 Spread Eagle 5am. the Hercules Hide Hunter, 831 Chispa Charley. the Gold Nugget Sport. 8Y Hrank Lightfoot, the Miner Detective, 292 Moke Horner, the Boss Roustabout, 286 Pistol Jonny; Or, One Man ina Thousand, 3 Sicek Sam, the Devil of the Mines, 257 Death Trap Diggings: or, A Man ’Way Back 249 Blephant Tom, of Durango, 241 Spitfire Saul, King of the Rustlers, $33 ‘The Ola voy of Tombstone, 201 Pirate of the Placer’s; or, Joaquin’s Death Hunt 180 Old ‘49; or, The Amazon of Arizona, 170 Sweet William, the Trapper Detective, 165 Joaquin. the Terrible _ 154 Joaquin, the Saddle King, 141 Equinox Tom, the Bully of Red Rock, 419 Alabama Joe; or, The Yazoo Man-Hunters, 105 Dan Brown of Denver; or. The Detective, 88 Big George; or. The Five Outlaw Brothers, 71 Captain Cool Blade; or, Mississippi Man Shark, 67 The Boy Jockey; or, Honesty vs. Crookedness. 60 Jack Rabbit, the Prairie Sport, BY WOOL. G. PATTEN, tre-Bye, the Thug's Terror. 4 ee Night-Hawk, the Crook Shadower, The Prin e of New York Crooks, Old Burke, the Madison Square Detective, 747 Double-voice Dan's Double Disguise, 715 Double-Voice Dan on Deck. 72 Double-Voice Dan, the Always-on-Deck Detective’ 396 Double-Voice Dan, the Go-it Alone Detective, “ovespacter Sharp, ‘es “Human Hal, the Cowboy Hotspur, 669 Old True Blue, the Trusty. 663 The Giant Sport; or, Sold to Satan. $56 Old Piug Ugly. the Rough and Ready. 648 Gold Glove Gid, the Man of Griv. 641 Aztec Jack, the Desert Nomad, 631 Colonel Cool, the Santa Fe Sharp, 602 Captain Nameless. tlle Mountain Mystery, 671 Old Dismal, the Range Detective. 645 Hustler Harry, the Cowboy Sport. BY GEORGE C. JENKS. 0 The Arizona Detective. bos Silver Sam. the Shasta Sport. The Silver Sport’s Double. } 1888 The Race-Course ebeepetl The Hayseed Detective. 2 Cay tain Corden, the Twister Detective 755 Wild P-te the’ Broncho-Buster Detective. ¥; 7% Woarless Sam, the Grand Combination Detective, 719 Boston Bob, the Detective. Jaunt; the Jockey Detective. ce Mad eon the Rustler ; 539 Rube Rocket, the Tent Detective. -G Tenderfoot Detective Soe eectives” Fublished Every Wednesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Ten Cents. No Double Numbers. BY WILLIAM R. EVWSTER, 916 Two Dead-Square Sports. 902 Soft Velvet, the Man from Sandrock. 891 Genteel Jim, Sport-at-Large, 881 The Clubman-Crook’s Cat’s-paw. 867 The Frisco Sport. 852 The Strauger Sport’s Shake-up. 828 Kirk King, the Man from Kirby. 818 Gentleman Dave, the Dead Game Sport 783 The King-Pin Tramp, 767 The Sport of tilver Bend. 718 Unc'e Bedrock’s Big Bounce. 707 The Rival Rovers. 687 Double Cinch Dan, the Sport With a Charm. 677 Mr, Jackson, the Gent from Jaybird. 659 Gilt-Edge Johnny; or, Roldan and His Rovers, 650 Lueky Lester’s Lone Hand. 634 Old Handcart’s Big Dump. 622 The All Around Sports, 603 Desert Alf, the Man With the Cougar. 590 Gentle Jack, the High Roller from Humbug) 578 Seven Shot Steve, the Sport with a Smile, 568 The Dude Detective. 558 Hurrah Harry, the High Horse from Halcyon. 549 Belshazzar Brick, the Bailiff of Blue Blazes. 583 Oregon, the Sport With a Scar, 503 The Dude from Denver. 478 Pinnacle Pete; or. The Fool from Way Back, 459 Major Sunshine, the Man of Three Lives, 29 Hair Trigger Tom of Red Lend. 402 Snapshot Sam; or, The Angels’ Flat Racket, 396 The Piper Detective; or, The Gilt Edge Gang. 875 Royal George, the Taree in One, Thre Handsome Sports; or, The Combination, 833 ek, the Man with the Drop, 268 Mz “he Man of Frills 229 in Cutsicave; or, The Little Sport. 214 ['wo Cool Sports; or, Gertie of the Gulch, 182 Hands Up; or, The ts of the Canyon. 160 Soft Hand, Sharp: or, The Man with the Sand, 145 Pistol Pards; or, The Silent Sport from Cinnabar BY NED BUNTLINE. 657 Long Tom, the Privateer, 633 The Sea Spy. 621 The Red Privaveer; or, The Midshipman Rover, 584 Vire Feather, the Buccaneer King. 517 Buffalo Bill's First Trail, 861 Tombstone Dick, the Train Pilot. 22 Saul Sabberday, the Idiot Spy. 111 The Smugg'er Captain; or, The Skipper’s Crime, 18 The Sea Bandit; or, The Queen of the Isle. 16 The White Wizard; or, The Seminole Prophet. BY JACKSON KNOX—* 01d Hawk,” 838 Old Grips Still Hunt, 827 Detective Walden's Web. 778 The Butler Detective; or, Old Grip’s Grip 770 The Showman Dete tive. 762 Old Grip, the Detective, é 740 Captzin Clew, the Fighting Detective, 732 The Hurricane Detective, 643 Castlemaine, the Silent Sifter. 616 Magnus, the Weird Detective. 606 The Drop Detective. : 595 Wellborn, the Upper Crust Detective. 582 Joram, the Detective Expert. 574 Old Falcon’s Double. : 561 The Thug King; or, The Falcon Detective’s Foe. 548 Falconbridge. the Sphinx Detective. 536 Old Falcon’s Foe; or, The Detective’s Swell Job, 515 Short-Stop Maje, the Diamond Field Detective, 509 Old Falcon, the Thunderbolt Detective. 501 Springsteel Steve, the Retired Detective, 494 The Detective’s Spy. } 485 Rowlock. the Harbor Detective, 477 Dead-arm Brandt, 487 Mainwaring. the Salamander. 462 The Ciseus Detective. 451 Griplock, the Rocket Detective. 444 The Magic Detective; or, The Hidden Hand, 424 Hawk Heron's Deputy. 886 Hawk Heron, the Falcon Detective, BY J. 6. COWDRICK, 752 The Suspect Sport of Daisy Drift. 626 Dueats Dion, the Nabob Sport Detective, 612 Sheriff Stillwood, the Regulator of Raspberry, 593 The Dominie Detective. 591 Duke Daniels, the Soctety Detective. 580 Shadowing a Shadow. 565 Prince Paul, the Postman Detective. 557 The Mountain Graybeards; or, Riddles’ Riddle. 519 Old_ Riddles, the Rocky Ranger 499 Twilight Charlie, the Road Sport. 472 Gilbert of Gotham, the Steel-arm Detective, 452 Rainbow Rob, the Tulip from Texas, 436 Kentucky Jean, the aoc from Yellow Pine, 422 Blue Grass Burt, the Gold Star Detective, 390 The Giant Cupid; or Cibuta John’s Jubilee, BY EDWARD WILLETT, 488 Flush Fred, the River Sharp, 368 The Canyon King; or, a Price on his Head, $48 Dan Dillon, King of Crosscut. 387 Old Gabe, the Mountain Tramp. 307 gerrapin Dick, eae wos Detective, $15 Flush Fred’s Double; or, The Squatters’ 308 Hemlock Hank, Tough and True. ane 298 Log¢er Lem: or, Lif: in the Pine Woods, 289 Flush Fred's Full Hand. 274 Flush Fred, the Mississippi Sport. 248 Montana Nat, the Lion of Last Chance Camp. (222 Bill the Blizzard; or, Red Jack’s Crime. 209 Buck Farley, the Bonanza Prince. 129 Mississippi Mose; or, a Strong Man’s Sacrifice. BY CAPTAIN MAYNE REID. #7 The White Squaw, 234 The Hunter's Feast. 213 The Wild Huntress; or, The Squatter, . MA The Captain ef the Rifles: or, The Lake Queen, e of the Rifles; or, The A Tale of the Pacino 66 The Barque. of tl B8 The Scalp Hunters. A Romance of the Plains, BY COL. PRENTISS INGRAHAM. 911 The Blue Blockader; or, The Coast Grayhound, 906 The Cuban Cruiser, 854 The Ocean Gipsy. 834 The Wild Steer Riders; or, Texas Jack’s Terrors, 830 The Rival Monte Cristos, 805 The Last of che Pirates; or, Doom Driven. 801 The Water Wolves’ Detective; or, Trapping the Grave Ghouls. 791 The Coast-Raider’s Death-Chase. 748 Arizona Chariie, the Crack-shot Detective. 704 Invisible Ivan, the Wizard Detective, 685 The Red-skin Sea Rover. 679 Revello, the Pirate Cruiser; or, The Rival Rovers 672 The Red Rapier; or, The Sea Rover's Bride, 662 The Jew Detective; or, The Beautiful Convict, 640 The Rover’s Ret ibution, 6385 The Ex Buccanerr; or, The Stigma of Sin, 625 Red Wings; or, The Gold Se -egers of the Bahamas, 615 The Three | uccaneers. 610 The Red Flag Rover; or, White Wings of the Deep, 605 The Shadow Silver Ship. 600 The Silver Ship; or, The Sea Scouts of '76, 593 The Sea Rebel; or. Red Rovers of the Revolution, 587 Conrad, the Sailor Spy; or, True Hearts of "76, 581 The Outiawed Skipper; or, The Gantlet Runner, 560 The Man from Mexico, 553 Ma, * Monte, the Mutineer; or, The Branded Brig, 546 TF» Doomed Whaler: or, The Life Wreck, ” 530 The Savages of the Sea, 524 The Sea Chaser; or, Fhe Pirate Noble, 510 El Moro, the Corsair Commodore, 493 The Scouts of the Sea. 457 The Sea Insurge nt: or, The Conspirator Son, 446 Ucean Ogre, the Outcast Corsair, 435 The One-Armed Buccaneer, 430 The Fatal Frigate; or, Rivals in Love and Wan 899 The New Monte Cristo, 893 The Convict Captian, 877 Afloat and Ashore; or, The Corsair Conspirator, 860 The Coast Corsair: or, The Siren of the Sea, 864 The Sea Fugitive: or, The Queen of tne Coash 341 The Sea Desperado, 836 ''ne Magic Ship; or, Sandy Hook Freebooters. 825 The Gentleman Pirate; or, The Casco Hermits. 818 The Indian ibuccaneer; or, ‘Lhe Red Rovers. 807 The Phantom Pirate; or, The Water Wolves. 255 The Pirate Priest; or, The Gampler’s Daughter. 246 Queen Helen, the Amazon of the Overland, 285 Red Ligntning the Man of Chance. 224 Black Beard, the Buccaneer, 220 The Specter Yacht; or, A Brother's Crime, 210 Buccaneer Bess. the Lioness of the Sea, 205 The Gambler Pirate; or, Lady of the Lagoon, 198 The Skeleton Schooner; or, The Skimmer. 184 The Scarlet Schooner: or, The Sea Nemesis, 104 Montezuma, the Merciless, 103 Merle, the Mutineer; or, The Red Anchor Brané. BY PHILIP Ss. WARNE, 802 Dan Dirk, King of No Man’s Land. 583 Captain Adair, the Cattle King, 567 Capiain Midnight, the Man of Craft. 544 The Back to Back Pards. 522 The Cham pion Three, 502 Bareback fuck, the Centaur of the Piams, 472 Six Foot Si; or, The Man to “ Tie To." 431 California Kit, the Always on Hand, 404 Silver Sid; or, A * Daisy ” Bluff. 880 Tiger Dick's Pledge: or, Tne Golden Serpent, 359 Yellow Jack, the Mestizo. 388 Jack Sands, the Boss of the Tewn, 299 Toree of a Kind; or, Dick, Despard and the Sport, 251 Tiger Dick vs. Iron Despard. 207 Old Hard Head; or, Whirlwind and his Mate, 171 Tiger Dick, the Man of the fron Heart, 114 The Gentleman from Pike, 80 A Man of Nerve; or, Caliban the Dwarf, 54 Always on Hand; or, The Foot-Hills Sport. 29 Tiger Dick, Faro King; or, The Cashier's Crime, 4 The Kidnapper; or, The Northwest Shanghat, BY CAPTAIN MARK WILTON, 823 Hotspur Hugh; or, The Banded Brothers, 811 Heavy Hand; or, The Marked Men. 805 Silver-Plated Sol, the Montana Rover. 291 Horseshoe Hank, the Man of Big Luck, 285 Lightning Bolt, the Canyon Terror, 2/6 Texa: Chick, the Southwest Detective. 271 Stonefist, of Big Nugget Bend, 266 Leopard Luke the King of Horse-Thieves 2683 Iron-Armed Abe, the Hunchback Destroyer 258 Bullet Head, the Colora:lo Bravo. 237 Long-Haired Max; or, The Black 8. 227 Buckshot Ben, the Man-Hunter of Idaho. 223 Canyon Dave, the Man of the Mountain, 219 The Scorpion Brothers} or, Mad Tom's Mission 202 Cactus Jack, the Giant Guide, ' 194 Don Sombrero. the California Road Gent, - 176 Lady Jaguar, the Robber Queen. BY OLL COOMES, 619 Kit Bandy & Go , the Border Detectives, 148 One-Armed Alf, the Giant Hunter, 99 The Giant Rifleman: or, Wild Camp Life. . 43 Dakota Dan, the Reckless Ranger, BY COL. TAYMAS H. MONSTERY, 296 Champion Sam; or, The Monarcthsof the Show 150 FE) Rubio Bravo, King of the Swordsmen, BY DR. NOEL DUNBAR, 919 The Sea Scout; or, The Patriot Privateer, 886 The King of Crooks, 858 Number One, the Dead-set Detective. #3) Dik eae the Geimbler Dueliét, ike Despard, the Gambler Due ; 604 The Detective in Rags; or, The Grim Shadower, 500 The True-Heart Pards, he a new issue every Wednesday ’ Beadle’s Dime Library is fo Newsd ten cents per copy, g receipt of twelve cents ear’ _ ) ee ie
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Ten Cents a Copy. Each Number Complete. ary 984 Buffalo Bill's Life Raffle; or, The Doomed | 822 Buffalo Bill’s Best Bower; or, Montebello the|653 The Lasso King’s League; or, The Tigers of Sa) 2 56 2 Rae oc = a Beee. 2 % Three. By Col. P. Ingraham. Buffalo Bill’s Releatless Trail. B Prenuss Ingraham, 7 spot The Dread Shot Four; or, My Pards of the! * Plains. By Col. W. F. Cody. Buffalo Bill’s Invincibles; or, The Sable Shad- ower’s Sublime Sacrifice. By Col. P. Ingra- ham, Buffalo Bill's Blue Belt Brigade; or, Sun- flower Sam of Shasta. By Col. P. Ingraham. Buffalo Bill's Volunteer Vigilantes; or, The Mysterious Man in Blue. By Col. P. Ingra-| ham. Buffalo Bill at Bay; or, The Gold Seeker's) Deom. By Col. P. Ingraham. Buffalo Bill's Block Game; or, The Mounted Miners of the Overland. By Col. P. Ingra-} ham, Buffalo Bill’s Black Pard; or, The Gold Boomers of the Big Horn. By Col. P. Ingra- Buffalo Bill's Bluff; or, Dusky Dick, the Sport. By Col, P. Ingraham. Buffalo Bill's Quandary; or, Velvet Bill's Vow. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. Buffalo Bill and the Surgeon Scout: or, Go- wan-go, the Redskin Rider. By Col. P. In- graham. Buffalo Bill's League; or, Red Butterfly. By) Col, Prentiss Ingraham. Buffalo Bill's Tangled Trail; or, Gentleman Jack, the Man of Many Masks, By Col. P.) ingraham. Buffalo Bill's Rough Riders; or, Texas Jack's Sharp-Shooters. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham, Buffalo Bill’s Secret Ally; or, The Texan's Double. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. Buffalo Bill's Life-Stake; or, The Pledged Three. By Col. P. Ingraham. The Three Bills; Buffalo Bill, Wild Bill and By Col P. Ingraham, Gold King. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham, White Beaver’s Still Hunt; or, The Miner Marauder’s Death-Track. By Buffalo Bill. Buffalo Bill's Red Trail; or, The Road-Rider Renegade’s Run Down. By Col. P. Ingraham. Buffalo Bill's Death-Knell; or, The Red Hand! Ridera of the Rockies, By Col. P. Ingraham. OT Wild Bill, the Wild West Duelist; or, The Girl Mascot of Moonlight Mine. By Buffalo Bill. Wild Bill, the Wild West Duelist; or, The Girl Grande Ralph, the Cowboy Chief. By Buf- falo Bill. Buffalo Bill's Winning Hand; or, The Masked Woman of the Colorado Canyon. By Col. P. Ingrahem. Buffalo Bill's Dead Shot; or, The Skeleton Scout of the Golorado. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. Buffalo Bill’s Brand; or, The Brimstone Brotherhood. By Co}. Prentiss Ingraham. Buffalo Bill’s Spy-Shadower; or, The Masked Men at Grani Canyon. By Col. P. Ingraham. Buffalo Bill's Ban; or, Cody to the Rescue. By Leon Lewis. Buffalo Bill's Sweepstake: or, The Wipe-out at Last Chance. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham, Buffalo Bill’s Dozen; or, SUk Ribbon Sam. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. Buffalo Bill's Mascot; or, The Death Valley Victim No. 13. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. Buffalo Bill's Double; or, The Desperado De- tective. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. Buffalo Bill's Big Four; or, Custer's Shadow, By Col,’ Prentiss Ingraham. . Buffalo Bill’s Flush Hand; or, Texas Jack’s Bravos. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham, Buffalo Bill’s Blind; or, The Masked Driver of Death's Canyon. By Col. Prentiss Ingra- ham. é Buffalo Bill and His Merry Men; or, The Robin Hood Rivals. By Col. Prentiss Ingra-) ham, By Col, Prentiss Ingraham. Texas. By Colonel Prentiss Ingraham. Buck Taylor, the Saddle King. Buffalo BIll's Chief of Scouts. By Col. P. Ingraham. Buffalo Bill’s Bonanza; or, The Knights of the Silver Circle, By Col. P. Ingraham. The Gold King; or, Montebello, the Magnifi- cent. By Buffalo Bill, Buffalo Bill’s Daring Role; or, Daredeath Dick, King of the Cowboys. By Leon Lewis. The Dead Shot Nine; or, My Pards of the Plains. By Buffalo Bill. Buffalo Bill’s First Trail; or, Will Cody, the Pony Express Rider. By Ned Buntline. Red Renard, the Indian Detective; or, The Gold Buzzards of Colorado. By Buffalo Bill. The One-Armed Pard; or, Red Retribution tn Borderland. By Buffalo Bill, The Wizard Brothers; or, White Beavers Trail. By Buffalo Bill, White Beaver, the Exile of the Platte; or, aN kee Man's Red Trail. By Buffalo Buffalo Bill’s Grip; or, Oath-bound to Custer, By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. Buffalo Bill’s Pledge; or, The League of Three. By Col. P. Ingraham. r Wild Bill, the Whirlwind of the West. By Buffalo Bill. Texas Jack, the Prairie Rattler; or, The Queen of the Wild Riders. By Buffalo Bill. The Pilgrim Sharp; or, The Soldier's Sweet- heart. By Buffalo Bill, Government Scout and Guide. Wild Bill’s Gold Trail; or, The Desperate Dozen. By Col. P. Ingraham. Wild Bill's Trump Card; or, The Indian Heiress. By Col. rentiss Ingraham. Wild Bill, the Pistol Dead Shot; or, Dagger Don’s Double. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. Buffalo Bill, Chief of Scouts; or, The Doomed Dozen. By Dr, Frank Powell. Buffalo Bill's Strange Pard; or, Dashing Dandy, the Hotspur of the Hills. By Major Band-Box Billi; or, The Bravo in wie hg gt he Buffalo Bill's Beagiés; or, Silk Lasso Sam. 874 Buffalo Bill's uckskin Braves; or, The Card 727 Buffalo Pii’s Body Guard} or, The Still Hunt D, Burr. Queen's Last Game. By Col. P, Ingraham. of the Hills. By Col, Prentiss Ingraham. 92 Buffalo Bill, the Burkskin King;, or, The 869 Buffalo Bill's Road Agent Round-Up; or, The! 722 Buffalo Bill on the War Path; or, Silk Lasso Amazon of the West. By Major Dangerfield Mysterious Masked Man in Black. By Col. | Sam, the Will-o’-the-Wisp. By Col. P. In- Burr. P. Ingraham. graham. 83 Gold Bullet Sport; or, ‘The Knights of the 863 Buffalo Bill's “Death-Charm; or, The Man;716 Buffalo Bill's Scout Shadowers; or, Emer- Overland. By Buffalo Bill. With the Scar. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. ald Ed of Devil's Acre. By Col. P. Ingraham.| 52 neath Trailer, the Chief of Scouts; er, Life 867 Buffalo Bill's Royal Flush; or, The Pony Ri-/710 Buffalo Bill Baffled; or, The Deserter Des- and Love in a Frontier Fort. By Buffalo Sen's Death-Run. By Col. Prentiss Ingra- perado’s Deflance. By Col, P. Ingraham. Bill. sams 697 Buffalo Bill’s Buckskin Brotherhood; or, i 851 Buffalo Bill's Double Dilemma; or, The Great| | Opening Up a Lost Trail. By Col. P. In- NEW ISSUES TO COME. Scout's Blg Three, By Col. P. Ingraham, ey graham, Sate Wa ap tient 985 PLE ee eget at hatte ae mae 5 sesh of , : Ml 1 Buffalo Bill's n + 0r, e@ ughter the Plains. y Joseph E, Badger, Jr, . _ Bitale Eat By Gel, Preatiss, gah z of the Regiment. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.) 96, 1.6) wrist, the Swordmaster, By Col. Thos. 889 The Ranch King Dead-Shot; or, Texas Jack's 682 Bute Service Trail. By Major Hoyer Monstery. : Proxy. By Buffalo, Bill. | . ; 987 Shadrach, the Sport Detective; or, The Secret , : 667 Buffalo Bill’s Swoop; or, the King of the ~ 880 Buffalo Bill's Boys By ital haat Hines’ By Col, Prentiss Ingraham. Seven, By John W. Osbon, padypensrcayes ohh wboy Clan; or, The Tigress of Texas,|988 Rocky Mountain Rob, the California Outlaw. ; e Surgeon 658 The Co ay Bata eet eaten’ By Col 2 Tngpabamn. | By Colonel Prentiss Ingraham. of By Albert W. Aiken. HE DIME LIBRARY is for sale by all Newsdealers, ten cents per eopy, or sent by mail, pre-paid, on re- ceipt of price. — Tet t » reinee Tait he i JO0O0000 0000080 000600008 00000000848 000000000 00Q0200000 000060000 009000000