Beadle's Pocket Library (no. 297) (1889 09 18)
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LLL ee oe — (LLLLLLLLL LLL ery) -» 48 Second Class Mall Matter. Sept, 18, 1489, 2.50 Published Weekly by Beadle and Adams Price, oY ear. No. 98 iat New York. 2 Five Conta, Vol. XXIII, i Ns A Z\ Pt | | | | | )_ 24 MARM HOLBROOK CLIMBED UP THE HIND-WHEEL SPOKES, AND ORAWLED THROUGH THE WINDOW OF THE COACH.
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2 Arizona Giant George. Arizona Giant George; oR, The Boyees of Sardine-Box City, BY ‘BUCKSKIN SAM,” (Maj. Sam S. Hall,) AUTHOR OF “ GIANT GEORGE,” ‘‘ OLD ROCKY’S BOYEES,” ETC., ETC. CHAPTER I. ORDER OUT OF CHAOS, SARDINE-BOX CrTy, situated in the Pinaleno Range of mountains in southeastern Arizona, had a most peculiar history, the citizens being actors in many most tragic and also comic scenes, before the burg could be said to have become established as a real bona fide suc- cess, Many times the “Sardines,” as the ‘‘citz” were in the habit of terming themselves, were put to such desperate straits that they about made up their minds to jump the Box, and git up an’ git for more remunerative diggings. But events always occurred at the nick of time which served to change their minds, and influ- ence them to keep their grip and pone on, hop- ing against hope; and eventually they were rewarded by the discovery of a rich lead in a most unexpected and peculiar manner, This “was by the blowing up of the Slip-up Mine by the Tarantula of Taos, A This revealed one of the richest veins of ore that had ever gladdened the hearts of even the old ‘*’49-ers,” three of whom had located in Sardine-box City and lingered until they had spent their last dollar, when it became a matter of impossibility for them to get to any other point without hoofing it, and that through the most dangerous and sterile portions of the wild border. Arizona Giant George having sworn to avenge his friend and pard, Sam Lawrence—who had been shot by El Capitan, the leader of a band of outlaws whose headquarters was in a cave up the range—entered Sardine-box City in partial disguise, with his inseparable companion Don Diablo, a most intelligent burro, or donkey, for the purpose of capturing a bandit spy who was in the town, Sam Lawrence, who had been assassinated by El Capitan, but a short time previous to his death had written to his sister, Lena Lawrence, in St. Louis, detailing the circumstances of his being shot, and sending a chart, by means of which Lena could find the gold he had secreted, for the unfortunate young man had struck it rich, He requested his sister to come to Arizona, and get Arizona Giant George to guide and guard her until the gold should be found. El Capitan, whose real name was Willoughby, with Sam Lawrence, whom he murdered, and a young man named Reynolds, had been school- mates in St, Louis, Reynolds and Willoughby had been lovers of Lena, who engaged herself to the former, when Willoughby took an oath of revenge, which he never lost sight of. He succeeded in separating Lena and his rival while the latter was in NewYork on busi- ness by intercepting and forging letters. He then effected the ruin of the girl’s father by in- ducing him to invest his all in ‘ wild cat” min- ing-stock; and then persuaded Sam Lawrence to accompany him to the West. Willoughby shot and robbed Sam in Colorado but the latter recovered and went to Arizona, where he was very successful. Here, however, he was discovered and again shot by Wil- loughby, who had become the leader of a gang of bandits known as the ‘“ Panthers,” Wil- loughby himself going by the cognomen of ‘ El ra he bandit had expected to find the gold of his victim, but was disappointed. But to return to Giant George. The scout entered the town, ‘ spotted” Sport, the spy of the “ Panthers,” put the out- law on his burro, and with leveled revolvers, ran him through the town, having, as he termed it, got on a *‘ jim-jamboree,” large crowd of the “ citz,” congregated in the Nugget Hotel, rushed out, aud Giant George ‘got the drop” on them; in fact, ran the burg forashort time. At length Black Ben, whom the scout knew to be one of the Panthers, rode up, not dreaming that he would be recog- nized, J Giant George at once ‘‘ jumped” and killed the outlaw in a bowie-knife conflict; Sport, in the mean time, having incited the citizens against the scout, whom they did not know in his disguise, The ‘‘cirz,” infuriated, dragged George down with the intention of hanging him toa mesquite near a big canyon atthe south of the burg. As it happened, however, Lena Reynolds had arrived in the stage from Gold Gulch, and from the window of her room in the Nugget Hotel saw the scout being dragged away by the lynchers and recognized him as the friend of her brother who bad been with him when he died and had buried him in Dead Man’s Gulch. Arming herself at once, Lena Reynolds rush- ed to the street, sprung upon the horse of the dead bandit, Black Ben, and galloped to the mesquite, as the mob were about to hang Giant George, thus saving his life by her daring and at the same time greatly impressing the “ citz” by her beauty. The giant scout then revealed himself to the ‘‘citz” and proved to them by an examination of Black Ben’s saddle-bags, that he and Sport belonged to the Panthers, The spy at once was voted to the vacant position on the mesquite tree, ” The same night Lena Lawrence, who had been dubbed by the citizens, “ Ther Angel o’ ther Penarlayno Range,” disguised herself in the buckskin suit that had been her brother's and under the guidance of Giant George, went to visit the grave in Dead Man’s Gulch, After they had left, the Panthers dashed through the burg, killing several of the “ citz” and losing one of their number, who was shot from bis horse by Marm Holbrook, the landlady of the Nugget Hotel. The arrival of Lena had, however, become known to El Capitan, her former lover, and »
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while she was weeping over her brother’s grave and George was preparing their lunch at a dis- tance, she was captured by two bandits, and carried to their cave, The scout, finding that she had been abducted, hastened to the cave by a secret entranve, send- ing ‘‘ Terrif,” a cowboy, for the ‘'citz,’ to at- tack the bandits in their stronghold from the main entrance, Meanwhile, Reynolds, the alienated lover of Lena, having become aware of the perfidy of Willoughby and of the pilgrimage on which she had gone, bad hastened to follow her, arriving in time to take an active part in her rescue; in fact, killing with bis own band the miscreant who had been the curse of himself and of the Lawrence family, The powerful band of outlaws were entirely ** cleaned-out ” by the ** citz” and the big Ari- zonian, with Terrif and Reynolds, entering the cavern by a secret opening, discovered in a branching cavity of the same, the gold of the murdered Sam Lawrence. The ‘‘citz,” on their return, ran wild, Tho whole burg got on a ‘“jim-jamboree;” and to end it up, Lena and young Reynolds were mar- ried—the first wedding ever solemnized in Sar- dine-box City. The fair bride promised to purchase mills and furnaces for the ‘Slip-up,” and gave a hand- some sum to each miner who had been engaged in ber rescue; she and her husband then depart- ing for St. Louis, the giant scout and Don Diablo accompanying them, The burg remained in a stagnant state for three months, when Arizona Jack, from Wil- mington, Del., arrived; and, about the same time, the stage from Gold Gulch brought Giant George witb bis burro on top. Lena Reynolds was within the coach, but this was unknown to the “ citz,” she being under the influence of drugs, baving lost her husband, si-ter and father, by yellow fever, within a few days of each other, bane was but the ghost of her former self, and having no near relatives living, her one wish was to return to Sardine- box City. The “ citz” ran wild at the sight of Giant George, took the horses from the coach, und dragged it wildly toward the canyon. It was night, and these excited individuals knew noth- ing of the “ Angel” being in the stage, Giant George intending to give them a surprise; but a surprise awaited him and them, for the Apaches entered the burg, and fired the shan- ties, all the ‘‘ citz” being at the canyon with the coach, and Arizona Jack (Jobnny Burke) being the only man in town, The bravery of the latter, in this crisis, caused George to adopt him as a pard, The “ citz,” seeing the blaze of the shanties, left Lena and Marm Holbrook in the coach, and Hank Holbrook with Don Diablo on top of it— the former being dead drunk—and rushed for the town, The Apaches came, surrounded the “hearse,” and carried Hank, his wife, and Lena away; the latter, from her pale face and black robes, impressing the Indians with the conviction that she must be “ Big Medicine.” Terrif, the cowboy, was captured, and _tor- tured in a horrible manner at Deud Man’s Arizona Giant George. Gulch; where Arizona Jack, at the discovery of the dying man by Giant George and the ‘ citz,” had a terrific fight with an Apache brave, whom he knifed, causing the ‘* Sardines” to set him down as XXX on account of his skill and daring bravery. The Apaches were attacked and “ cleaned out,” their bodies and camp tricks burned, and the captives rescued. With them was a beautiful Castilian girl, Marietta Re- fugio, who had been captured at Santa Rita Ranch, near Tucson. Her mother, who, in an insane condition, had followed the Apaches, joined the citizens in the fight, and proved her- self a terror, by slaying El Orso, the Apacke chief. This woman, crazed by the abduction of her daughter, aud known as Juanita the Wild. bad started alone on the trail, having in vain called upon the citizens of Tucson to go in search of Marietta. The squaw of the Apaches arrived at the range, to join their braves, just previous to the fight, and escaped among the foot-hills with half-a-dozen wounded warriors, There they remained for some days, frantic for revenge, and capturing a bandit who was making a false trail for the purpose of deceiving Giant George in connection with a second abduction of Lena Reynolds. his was instigated by Lena’s nearest rela- tive, a cousin, who bad followed her from St, Louis, with the view of securing, through ber murder, her fortune. This wretch was slain by Giant George, as he was abont to plunge a knife into the heart of Lena, as she lay senseless in a cavern, on the opposite side of the range from Dead Man's ulch, where she had, a second time, been taken from her brother’s grave, by some ban- dits quartered in the range. The machinery, mills and furnace having ar- rived, and being unloaded in the basin by the jubilant “‘citz,” under the superintendence of Tom Jones, the sheriff, the bandits, in the pa of the “ Angel’s” cousin, attacked the ‘“ citz,” killing several, but they were eventually whip- ped, the leader and two others being hanged on the mesquite near the canyon. During all this, the peculiar characters of the town bad various amusing as well as tragic ad- ventures, Marm Holbrook and her husband Hank came in for more than their share of these, “The Tarantula of Taos,” a self-termed bor- der bero, had been bired to blow up the Slip-up Mine, and this was tbe means of disclosing to Tom Jones a rich lead below the one that had at first been discovered, This fact ran the whole burg again wild, The mills and fur- naces had not been much injured by the explo- sion, or by the wild stampede of the oxen into the basin, which bad caused the first stampede of the citizens, previous to the attack of the bandits, This new excitement prevented the scouts from guarding Juanita and her daughter back to Tucson, to the husband and father, who, they knew, must be frantic with grief. he Tarantula of Taos, after blowing up the mine, escaped; he having in an hour or two of amusing intercourse with Hank Holbrook, pre-.
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vious to his infamous act, “‘ pumped” the land- lord of the Nugget Hotel, getting the history of the town and its leading citizens, who are our rincipal characters in this series of mining- wh stories, The Tarantula proceeded down the range, intending to profit, if possible, by the knowl- edge he had gained from the drunken host of the Nugget. Everything being now restored to something like order and tranquillity, Giant George and Arizona Jack determined to delay no longer in returning Donna Juanita Refugio, who, since the recovery of her daughter, had regained her reason, to her friends in Tucson, We open our narrative upon the return of the maddened Apache squaws, now frantic and furious at the slaying of their braves by the ‘ citz,” and insanely eager for revenge, So, too, are the half-dozen warriors, who bave nearly recovered from their wounds; the only surviv- ors, except one, of El Orso’s war-party. A squaw has been dispatched to inform the head chief, Victorio, of the annihilistion of El Orso and his braves, and a demand from the squaws for vengeance, they declaring that they will not return to their village until they have, in some manner, had revenge for the slaying of their lords and masters, whose cremated re- muins they, as yet, have not dared to visit, fearing an attack from the infuriated “ citz.” However, they had determined to leave their hiding-place and hasten to the:scene of the ter- rible fight between the whites and reds, and were starting upon that mission when the ban- dit galloped up the canyon, with a horse in the lead, upon the saddle of which was secured a stone of over a hundred pounds in weight. This had been arranged to lead Giant George to believe that Lena Reynolds was upon the beast, a captive, the bandit having started from Dead Man’s Gulch at the same time that his comrades abducted Lena and hastened through the rocky pass, leaving no trail, as a matter of course— the trail of the single bandit, leading a second horse, deceiving the scout, as had been planned. There was no chance for escape, for the doomed bandit had galloped at headlong speed around a curve in tha canyon, and directly into the midst of the exultant Apache squaws, who at once made him a prisoner, and condemned him to torture—a doom which he would have suffered bad not the bullet from the revolver of the giant scout pierced his brain. Around and around in their hellish dance flew the hideous hags, first circling one way and then another. Blood-curdling yells came from their throats at every bound, while their knives eu the air in circles about their heads, keeping time to their devilish dance by aa, their arms as they yelled—a veritable vocal and opti- eal pandemonium, in that isolated basin, the frame-work of which added to the unearthly scene, CHAPTER IL THE PARTING, SARDINE-BOx Crty consisted of but one aes on each side of which was a line of slab * nt €s, some with flat and some with peaked Arizona Giant George. roofs, The Nugget Hotel was on the right as you passed south through the town, and was somewhat larger than any other building in the burg. Marm Holbrook was always boasting that she had the “only glass windies in ther burg,” which was the fact, they serving to light up the two upper rooms beneath the peaked roof, within which one would be forced, in order to maintain a perpendicular position to keep exactly under the ridge-pole, One o: these two rooms was now occupied by Lena Reynolds, This was designated by Marm Holbrook her ‘* bestest room,” and a sacred spot it was to her, Hank and Tom Jones, the sheriff, during the absence of the ‘* Angel” in St. Louis, Hank and Tom frequently went up, with hats off, and stood in the doorway, when about threo- fourths full of ‘‘ bug juice,” to gaze upon the apartment blessed forever, in their estimation, from having been occupied by the benefactress of the burg, now, in her absence, almost a ** bu’sted burg.” Electric-like was the ‘flop over” when Giant George returned and announced that the monger for the Slip-up Mine was on the road, Hank Holbrook was a short, bullet-headed lump of bumanity, with a genial red face anda flaming pug nose that revealed the sad fact that he was given to sampling the contents of his bar bottles quite frequently; in fact, acting as a thermometer, Tom Jones often asserted that he could tell how many drinks Hank had poured down by ‘“‘ gazin’ et his smeller,” So given to drink, indeed, was Hank, that it was a frequent occurrence with him to have ‘snakes in the boots,” besides quite a variety of reptiles and beasts, both known and un- known in natural history. Marm Holbrook was the same build as her husband; her round, paecaatebaced, motherly face being quite as red, but from a different cause—namely, from bending over the cooking- stove, Tom Jones was a lank, Yankee-like indi- vidual; his face was sharp as a hatcbet, and he had long hair, straight and stiff as bristles, He was quite fond of his quid of “ nigger-head,” and never was to take’ back seat when the “ crys- tals war slid onter ther bar.” Giant George, the scout, was a man of large frame and of powerful muscle and will, bis heart being proportioned to his body, and he was loved and respected by every law-abiding manin Arizona, His pard, Arizona Jack, wasa man of lightning-like motion, daring and reckless, and, although fresh on the frontier at the time of which we write, had, by his free and easy manner, self-sacrifice and bravery, won the respect of all, . Giant George was attired in buckskin breeches, beavily fringed, which were thrust into cowhide boots, a blue woolen shirt, and a black soft sombrero, all showing much service, Jack’s clothing was much the same, except that it was more “fresh” and richly ornamented with a profusion of buttons as weil as being em- broidered in different colored silks, after the manner of the Mexicans. The belt of Giant George was fastened together in frorit by a
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Arizona Giant George. 5 I large square clasp of solid gold, the leather richly embossed, The clasp had engraved upon its surface the legend— “GIANT GEORGE OF ARIZONA, “From Lena Reynoups, nee LAWRENCE, “qvHE ANGEL OF THE PINALENO RANGE.” The belt of Arizona Jack was a fine specimen of artistic workmanship also, and had a clasp of silver, on which was engraved— “JOHN M. BURKE, ** (ARIZONA JACK), “WHOOP HER THROUGH OR Bu’sT.”* Mrs, Lena Reynolds, the ‘‘ Angel o’ ther Pen- arlayno Range,” as she was called by the “ citz”—she, who had passed through dangers, sufferings and grief to such an extent that it was a mystery to all that she still lived, was of slender form and pale as death; the recent death of her father, sister and loving husband, to whom she had been married but three short months, having so prostrated her with grief and anguish as to bring her to the very gates of death, She had remained unconscious when captured by the bandits until released shortly after by Giant George, and since then, to the great joy of all, she had seemed more like her former self, The Senora Juanita Refugio was a lady of commanding presence, and of iron will and strong passions, She was of Castilian descent, and had an abundance of midnight hair and black, piercing eyes. Since the rescue of her daughter, and her own recovery from partial insanity, caused by the capture of Marietta by the Apaches, she had grown retiring and silent. Marietta, the rescued maiden, was an angelic being, fair as a Southern rosebud, with large and languishing dark eyes, and a wealth of ebonhair. They both looked upon Giant George and Arizona Jack as their saviors, and upon Lena Reynolds as their guardian angel. With these necessary descriptions and expla- nations, we will now proceed with our tale; commeneing on the second day after the cleaning out” of the bandits and the blowing up of the Slip-up Mine by the “ Tarantula of ‘aos,” which had revealed the rich “‘ lead ” be- neath the old one, and caused the ** citz” to run wild with joy. Hank Holbrook, from this un- looked-for luck, and from having Giant George, Arizona Jack and the ‘* Angel” beneath his roof, got so full of his own merchandise that, Tom Jones, at the request of Marm Holbrook, b_re him out to the bake-oven in the rear of the ** Nugget,” and thrust him into the same for the remainder of the night. The sun arose bright and yilded the peaks of the range as the horses intended for the party were led from where the animals had been stalked for the night, to the front of the “‘ hotel,” fully equipped forthe journey to Tucson, the saddle-bags of the scouts being filled with eat- ables by the ever-thoughtful and motherly landlady, who was, as her husband expressed it, “ The fu’stest kaliker-kivered human that ever struck ther locate,” As may be imagined, there had been much weeping among the females as the time drew near for a separation, Marm Holbrook and Lena Reynolds had become very dear to Juanita and her lovely daughter, and vice versa, but their departure had already been delayed by the prostration and capture of Lena, and they well knew that Senor Refugio would be — in- sane with grief and anxiety, he doubtless hay- ing already scoured the country in search of his wife and daughter, At last, however, the scouts ranged them- selves with the ‘‘ citz ” along the bar for a part- ing drink with Hank, it being the latter's ‘* set ’em up.” “George,” said the landlord, as he slowl passed out the glasses, one by one from beneat the bar, as if he wished to delay bis friends as long as possible—a tremor in his voice and his eyelids twitching nervously—‘t George an’ Jack, T shell go plum luuyfied arter yer hes levanted; an’ ther’ has bin sich a heft o’ hellishness sloshed onter ther burg now an’ then, thet I'l] be ’spect- in’ ’Paches er mail-bag-slashers ter run in on us, an’ clean out ther hull fit-ont, ° ‘Some sort o’ cussed hellyuns ‘ll burn ther burg, er blow us all up, ef they find out ther boss scout hes skuted, Tom Joues ain’t nowhar when it comes ter engineerin’ a reg’lar cut, slash and shoot stompede.” “Gittin’ luny ain't goin’ ter sot yer back much, Hank,” returned the giant, ‘* Ye’re used ter jim-jams; an’ ef yer gils wind o’ any bil- iousness threatenin’ ther burg, pour down ‘bout a quart o’ bug-juice, an’ go Lilin’ fer ’em. “T'm bettin®? my nay ag’in’ a cotton-tailed rabbit thet yer’d skeer reds er bag-slashers when yer gits a meenadgery in yer butes,” Tom Jones rejoined indignant! ys * Dog-gone my skin ef I siders yer a jedge o” my caperbilities, Hank, Yer wer’ allers chuck- full o’ p*ison whenever thar war any one wanted ter defend ther burg, an’ didn’t know B from a bull’s-foot, An’ now, es ter a blow-up, ef hit a turn out like ther last one, I’d say, let her whiz! “T hopes, George, yer’ll skute back this-a-way soon es yer kin, fer Pl be lonesome es a broken- leg’d buffler on ther Staked Plains, ‘Sides thet, ef Hank gits ther oe ge I cu'dn’t mandge him wo'th shucks, e's skeered ther Angel so she’s gcin’ ter leave fer Gold Gulch, fer she knows he’s goin’ on a double Niagara errigate.” “Ef Hank doesn’t behave hisself, I'll choke ther breathe outen bim when I strikes ther Sardine-box ag’in!” threatened the giant scout, lifting his glass, as did all the others, including the landlord, the latter replying to the attacks upon him: “Pards, yer all knows Hank, an’ thet he un- dercomstumbles, glides, flouts eagy-like without *zac’ly knowin’ bit, inter Ghar. Mish Sara state, forgittin’ all bout his locate, biz, an’ ole ’oman, I shell be purty consider’ble keerful arter this, an’ not pour down more’n four fingers ter onc’t, ‘Jowiu? some fleetin’ periods ter skip atween drinks; fer I swa’n I doesn’t b’lieve I c’u’d stan’ another sich hullsale meenadgery,- circus an’ side-show combernation es war shoved at me las’ time I gut on a jim-jamboree, “Pl flip-flop over ther range nex’ time, I
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6 Arizona Giant George. ee eee an gra Eyp nS ns penn reckon, an’ then Marm Holbrook kin run ther ‘Nugget’ to suit herself. Boyees, I’m feelin’ blue bout ther gills, ‘count o’ yer skutin’ Tuc- son-way, but ther weemin must be tuck hum, I s’pose, ‘* Hyer’s hopin’ yer'll skip lively, skin through without gittin’ yer heacs skinned, an’ levant back ter Hank an’ ther ‘ Angel’ afore soon!” “ Hyer’s fun!” ** Down she goes!” **Good-luck, Hank!” Such outcries filled the room, as the boister- ous crowd drank their liquor;then Arizona Jack called for cigars, and a silence fell upon the “ citz,” for Marm Holbrook partly opened the door which led into the kitchen, thrust her head through and raised her hand, with the fore-finger extended in caution, as she ex- claimed: ‘“‘ Boyees, [ wish yer’d simmer down to a leetle, an’ ef yer hes] gut ter sling gab likea passel 0’ ole maids, shove it out kinder easy, er the ‘ Angel’ air comin’ down ter see Juanita an’ Marietta off, an’ say by-by ter George an’ Jack. Hit’s ormighty queer that nothin’ kin be did inter this burg without ther help o’ whisk’. “Tm gittin’ ’cited, an’ hevin’ a strong apper- tite ter say cuss-words, which, bein’ a meetin’- house woman, I orten’t ter do, I’m gazin’ at yer, Hank, consarn yer! I kin tell, by the look 0” yer eyes, thet yer hes gut a leetle over the line, an’ I swan ef yer doesn’t cut off sharp, I'll chuck yer inter ther bake-oven an’ plug up ther door, ontil Big George an’ Jack levants back in. a Hush-h-h! Hyer come ther gemernine fen- ders!” With this rather lengthy warning Marm Hol- brook closed the door gently, and the occupants of the bar, all of whom gazed at Hank with smothered /au hter, kept silence, for they heard the women tripping down the stairs on their way to the horses on the street. ank rested one hand upon the bar-slab and the other on the shelf bebind it, facing the door through which his spouse bad delivered her ad- dress, his eyes glittering vucantly at the same after it had been closed, and bis red face bear- ing a decidedly puzzled expression, as if he was nieditating upon his probable sufferings for a drink if a Holbrook should fulfill her threat and imprison him in the bake-oven, if he again got overcome with drink. Not the slightest notice did he vouchsafe to the occupants of the bar, his face wearing an absent look as thoughts plowed through hls muddled brain, such as he would have main- tained had he been solitary and alone, Suddenly, however, he recovered, and placing his elbows on the counter, he rested his head in his hands and,gazed at George and Jack, saying: ‘*Pards, [Aveckon I’m goin’ ter hev a sorter tough time ontil yer ‘roves back. Ther ole %omaun air allers on stilts when ther ‘ Angel’ air *round. ‘Pears ter me she air gittin’ lunyfied. I swan ter cristy, hit makes me feel es though T warn’t no more ’count than a cotton-tailed rab- bit, an’ I hev ter take a big drink ter saterfy myself that I air somebuddy. ‘EE she'd let me erlone I wouldn’t pour down half ther p’ison I does,” “Be good to yourself, Hank, old boy,” said Jack, quickly and feelingly. ‘Keep a stiff upper lip.” “There’s the ladies, George! Come, Hank, shake! We're off this time!” : Arizona Jack grasped Hank’s hand and gave a hearty shake, as did George. ‘The two scouts then sprung out the door, followed by the “ citz” en masse, Jack at once assisted Juanita and her daugh- ter to mount, both the ladies weeping silently, as were also Marm Holbrook and Lena Rey- nolds, The scouts, wishing to end the scene, sprung into their saddles without further ceremony. ‘*T shall most certainly go to Tucson oa § visit you soon,” said Lena, ‘God bless and protect you and lead you to your home in safety!” ‘* Jist es sure es I air a meetin’-house oman, V'll levant Tucson-way wi’ ther ‘ Angel,’ an’ see yer!” burst out Marm Holbrook, “Dang bit! Thar, I knowed Id say a cuss- word, fer I’m e’ena’most es flighty es I war when I laid in ther bake-oven all night, when thet long legged, slab-sided, long: ha’r’d, whisk’- sucker gut Hank b’ilin’ drunk, an’ both on ’em went ter sleep on ther floor ahindt ther bar, “T blieve my brains gut ruptur’d by ther hellishness ’ve hed ter stan’ o’ late, an’ ’m so flustered thet I didn’t know my back ha’r war down. Cconsarnit! I ain’t fié ter ’sociate with Piute squaws, feelin’ es I does.” No one save Lena Reynolds heard more than half of Marm Holbrook’s words, When the scouts waved their sombreros in farewell, and galloped down the street amid the whoops and yells of the ‘‘citz,” the ‘‘ Angel of the Range” clasped her arm around the land- lady’s ample waist, and with loving words led the good woman into the ‘‘ Nugget,” in a more pacified state than might have been expected, Hank stood in the bar-room door, swinging an empty bottle over bis head and yelling: “Rah fer Giant George an’ Arizony Jack!” “ Rah fer ther Angel o’ Penarlayno Range!” CHAPTER IIL. THE TARANTULA OF TAOS. As the sun had reached meridian on the day previous to the departure of the scouts for Tuc- son, with the Castilian ladies, a very strange and peculiar looking man might have been seen some ten miles down the range from Sardine- box City. He was seated upon a projection or spur of rough rock, some twenty feet above the bed of a wild gorge in the adamantine mountains; the sides here and there, and also the base of the almost perpendicular cliff being dotted with clumps of "Qwart cedar, cacti, and patches of wire-like grass, while the middle of the bed of the gorge was covered with a carpet of fresh, green, tender grass, that had evidently sprung up since the last heavy rain had formed a tox rent therein. Lariated amid this verdant grass was a long- legged, lank horse, that appeared to have seen hard service and little feed; the animal showing at the same time points for speed and endur- ance,
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Arizona Giant George. ae. In a clump of cedars, directly behind the strange lone human being, were asaddle, bridle, extra lariat, and malettos of buckskin; also a tin cup, canteen, and blankets, the full fit-out of a borderer, i But the man himself is deserving of closer at- tention; and, as he isin the habit of traversing plain and mountain alone, he is addicted to soliloquizing, which will enable us to ascertain much in regard to his adventures, character and intentions. At his belt, which sustains greasy and ragged buckskin breeches, hangs a pair of Colt’s army “sixes” and a huge bowie. Cowhide boots, a blue woolen shirt, that has long been a stran- ger to soap, and a crumpled, wrinkled, black sombrero, with wide brim, make up bis costume —all in such condition that he might well, in a more civilized locality, be taken for a scare- crow. As we introduce him to the reader, his elbows rest upon his knees, his lank hands clasp his cheeks, his chin is upon his palms; and although in this position, bis jaws are working ener- getically, while at times he ejects a prodigious stream of tobacco-juice afar over the cedar-tops below him. Suddenly he changes his position, leaning back against a loose rock, and grasping a decanter that stands by his side, and which is about one- third full of whisky. Holding the bottle at arm’s length, he in- dulges in soliloquy: “Dang hit, an’ double dang hit! Ef I doesn’t feel bilious when I gaze at yer, thinkin’ what in thunderation Pll do when ye’re empty. Dog- gone ef I c’u’d tell ef I war ter be bung! sw’ar thet word flopped outen my beef-trap afore I thort it! “S’pect I will git strung up a limb some con- siderable afore a month o’ Sundays. Whar war I? Now, I recommembers. I hopes ter be hashed by a grizzly b’ar ef 1 c’u’d calkerlate how long [ hes bin in this byer locate, [ve bin a snoozin’ nighly all ther, time, and when I did open my peepers, nobuddy c’u’d prove by me who I war, er whar I war. ** Hit’s cussed lucky that I war so ormighty sick thet my stumjack wouldn’t ‘low whisk’ ter scout ’round inter bit, er ther bottle would ’a’ bin empty, an’ I’d bin plum crazy, Ef Ishould hey much more ek eg hyer, bit ’u’d be ther last o’ ther Terrantaler, ‘““ Wonder what air goin’ on inter Sardine- box? I reckon I woked up ther burg some con- sider’ble by blowin’ up ther Slip-up; an’ ve got ter come round ter biz an’ ruminate over ther siterwation o’ things. “‘Thar’s *bout fourteen hundred and forty swarms 0’ bees in my kerbase, an’ all on ther hefty biz-buz. My head aire swelled ’nough, I reckon, ter ’commerdate thet amount without crowdin’’em, But whisk’ ’!] make them flicker, an’ down she goes, Hit’ll take ther hull o’ what’s hyer ter put me on ther squar’ level to- ward futur’ perceedin’.” 7 As he spoke he glued the decanter to his lips, and took a deep draught with evident satisfac- tion; in fact, with insane eagerness. He then pressed his hot brow with his claw-like, dirty fingers, as he replaced the decanter on the rock by his side with great care, all the time sweep- ing the gorge and cliff sides with suspicious ze, and finally fastening his eyes upon his 1orse, the only familiar object in the wild vista, The expression of his face changed quickly from mirth to rage, fear, terror, and self-con- demnation, and, in turn, these feelings would change to others, proving that the man’s mind was in a most demoralized condition, Quickly be grasped the bottle again, and took another deep draught, after which his eyes grew less wild, and his expression more free from the dread apprehension that bad been most no- ticeable. Again he broke out in soliloquy: ** Double-up an’ dang me, ef I bain’t bin ther worstest mixed pilgrim on therrange! But ther ding-dong air comin’ back inter my iron heart, an’ ther buzz-buzz in my mammoth brain air simmerin’ down, an’ kinder flickerin’ inter’ a soothin’ lullerby, produced by Hank Holbrook’s soothin’-syrup, which air likewise perducin’ a hefty hump in my errigatin’ pipe by gittin’ down party near ther bottom o’ ther bottle. ‘*T sw’ar I know I 8hbill bev more jim-jams ef I gits out 0’ whisk; fer when I woked up from my len’thy see-ester, I see’d more cur’ous aner- miles squatted roun’ on ther rocks then Barnum ever hed in all the menadgeries since he begun bamboozlin’ ther folkses in civerlize with a one- hoss side-show. “Ther bottom of this hyer big crack in ther range war kivered with ail sorts and sizes o’ snakes; an’ I'll sw’ar I see’d one swaller my critter without winkin’ er stoppin’ ter salerwate him, ter make ther hoss go down easy like. bees ty what made me conclude ter crawl up er. fs I reckon hit war "bout es speedy a crawl— an’ ’'m gamblin’ on hit—es ever any human tuck in his’n. I tored my bestest an’ only wardrobe, sides my meat, an’ I’m jammed up some con- sider’ble. I’m stiff es a wagon-tongue, an’ purty well sot back all ‘roun’, “ Howsomever, I’m danged sartain thet ther ‘ citz’ o’ Sardine-box don’t s’picionate thet ’m ther pilgrim thet blowed up ther Slip-up. No- buddy see’d me, I reckon, ’ceptin’ Hank, ys thar must ’a’ bin one human sides him, fer he war plump asleep when I got the baptize ahint ther bar, “Mebbe so hit war Marm Holbrook. Hit warn’t a trick thet anybuddy 'ceptin’ a kaliker- kivered human ’u’d ever think of. Ef hit hed bin one o’ ther ‘ citz,’ be’d ’a’ plug’d me with his ‘six,’ an’ axed me who I wararterward, ‘Thet’s *bout ther biz, I reckon; an’ Pm goin’ ter skute back, an’ lay fer chances ter corral whisk’ enough ter last me ter Tucson, ef I does hev ter run chances 0’ gittin’ elerwated up ther mesquite et ther eend o’ a lariat, ‘““Nobuddy orter buck ag’in’ a lost orphan like me, ’speshly in my condish, : “Pl take another snifter, I’m gittin’ ter feel more nat’ral-like—doggone ef I ain't!” Again the decanter was raised to the trem- bling lips, and a deep draught was poured into the large mouth of this strange individual; he again holding the bottle upward, while regret at the rapid diminution of the whisky forced
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| i os Arizona Giant George. back much of the satisfaction and relief the drink afforded him, Half of the liquor that bad been in the de- canter had disappeared, and this fact seemed to affect the drinker greatly for some moments; but he banished add repudiated all thought of the subject, drinking again and again, Then rising to his feet with difficulty, and standing erect, but in a swaying condition, and still clutching the decanter, as if his very life de- pended upon ‘ts contents—as perhaps, in his de- lorable condition, it did—he stood trembling ‘or some minutes. ; But the tall form of the lone wanderer did not long remain unsteady. Soon he brought down his boot, hard upon the rock, and by mere force of will became steady as that rock itself; apprehension and nervous dread having appar- ently left him, his muscles contracting, his blood circulating with lightning-like rapidity; the change produced by the fiery poison he had cane, “Ther skin 0’ ther snake air good fer ther bite,” he cried out, in a self-satisfied voice. -‘ I ‘gins ter feel like myself agin. Pm ther Terran- taler 0’? Taos! Doesn’t yer hear ther ding-dong o’ my iron heart? I’m a border hero! I snoozes on ther tip-top peaks o’ ther Rockies, above ther flip-flop o’ ther buzzards’ wings. ‘I war borned with a full set o’ grinders, an’ when I strikes hit rich I shows my quartz, ‘stead o? purchasin’ a mill, 1 drinks a gallon 0’ bleed every mornin’ an’ takes contracts startin’ stiff-yards, I’m a roarin’, ragin’ terror when I its on ther war-path; an’ I’ve bin knowed ter ow! so loud an’ un’arthly thet a hundred paint- ed ’Paches jum from thar critters, crawled inter perrarer-dog holes out o’ pure shame, an’ never war seed since. Reckon they’re crawlin’ thar till yit; an’ ll fotch up an’ strike fresh breathe in Chinee, whar they'll find the longest- ha’red bumans ter scalp thar bees in the worl’, giner’ly speakin’, “Tm a ole he cantankerous cuss, an’ sp’ilin’ wi’ prussic acid mad, hankerin’ ter cut, slash an’ shute wi’ any fourteen hundred an’ forty- four pilgrims what’s gut sand enough ter buck agin’ me, I’m a lost orphan on short whisk’, but when I lets off a long breathe, bowlders trembles an’ cedars snap off, jist fer fun, ter start a circus! ““Whoop-er-up! Whoop-er-e-e-e! Ker-whoop! I’m levantin’ toward ther nighest whisk’ et stompede-speed, an’ I'll kerral some er bu’st! T'll bamboozle Hank, an’ skeer Marm Holbrook ontil she sheds her back-ha’r, “Pm ther Terrantaler 0’ Taos, an’ I never lost a leg. I’ve gut heaps o’ duct, but ormighty leetle whisk’, Ker-whoop! Clar ther track fer ther Terrantaler 0’ Taos; er ye'll flip-flop speedy ‘over ther range’ ter ‘ grim-land,’” With these concluding words the Tarantula of Lone rg down the rough, jagged rocks, at the risk of breaking his neck, equipped his horse —the animal having been gazing, with evident wonder, atits master, while he had been speak- ing—and, bounding into his saddle spurred out from the range, keeping withing the line of cedars, and between the same and the moun- tains, the decanter being still clutched, with but @small quantity of witiaky remaining in it,” CHAPTER IV. APACHES ON A TRAIL, A wient and a day have passed since the hel- lish dance of the Apache squaws around the corpse of the bandit, and again the bright moon lit up a most unearthly and infernal scene, Tbe Apache braves, who, it will be remem- bered, were but six in number—the wounded survivors of the war-party of E] Orso—have ex~ amined every hoof-print and every branching trail of the scouts and the ‘ citz” of Sardine- box, and have discovered at last the mutilated bodies of their chief and the braves who, at bis order, accompanied him in the pursuit of Lena Reynolds and Marietta; they having escaped from the lodge in which they had been confined, into the dense thickets in the rear of the Indian encampment, by pulling up a stake, and crawl- ing under the skin lodge. The Apaches proceeded to wrap the swollen corpses of the chief and warriors in blankets, and then bound them fast with lariats, They then conveyed the bodies to the scene of the des- perate fight, their former camp, where there was nothing but a huge heap of ashes now re- maining of their camp tricks, and the lodges of their braves, Wounded horses, left by the whites, bad been slain, thus serving for food, and as we again bring the hideous horde of howling hags before the notice of the reader, they are again whirl- ing slowly, with ghost-like movements, in an up and down motion of the body, crouching one moment to the earth, then rising to a half-bent position, and slowly circling round the ashes— all that remains of their braves—while, as each reaches a certain point in the circle, she gives a fiendish howl and jabs an arrow-head into her flesh, this death-dance and self-torture being supposed to manifest their grief,for the slain. his lasted until their strength failed them, until their muscles refused to act, and only hoarse and gurgling sounds could be forced from their throats, the intense, insane fury which had ruled them still existing in their minds, though it was no longer in their power to express themselves. For a while all threw themselves upon the earth and lay panting, their forms and limbs writhing like squirming snakes, until they in a measure recover themselves, Then all, in a single file, follow the braves, four of whom bear the bodies of El Orso and the warrior who had been killed with him, the other two leading a horse, They pass through the thickets by a narrow trail at the base of the cliff, from which the squaws had viewed the fight, and proceed but ashort distance, when they halt at the very foot of a perpendicular wall of rock, fully a hundred feet in bight. Here the leader, after a moment’s inspection of the rough cliff-side, turned toward it, parting the bushes that grew at its base, when an arch- like opening is revealed, into which they all proceed, some of the squaws carrying dry dead- wood in their arms, and at once kindled a fire in the cavern, the roof and sides of which reflect the fire-light and glitter with a blinding bril- liancy, as if myriads of diamonds had been set in those adamantine walls, t
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> Arizona Giant George. o But little time was spent by them in prepara- tion or in ceremony, The dead were laid upon natural projections of rock at the far end of the cave chamber, and the two horses were then led near tothem. The squaws then joined in a most unearthly chant, as the six braves strode within ten feet of the doomed steeds, with bows in hand and arrows fitted to the string. Three warriors stood near each horse, as thus described, the fire-light flasbing upon them, their eyes glittering from out the frame-work of white gypsum and vermilion-bars, and upon the hideous horde of bags that stood ina half- circle in the rear of the braves. A bow and arrow, together with a long scalping-knife, and also a quantity of half- cooked horse-meat are laid beside the bodies; then the howls died down to silence, and the savage borde stalked out from the natural tomb into the moonlight, when they gather fragments of rock that bad fallen from the cliff-side, and wall up the opening. In single file and at a fast trot, the six warri- ors in the lead, they all proceeded on the back trai] to the place at which they had left their horses, Then the braves, and two-score of the younger squaws, who had lost braves in the fight, and had no pappvoses to eall them back to their village—these mount and steal slowly down toward Sardine-box City, bent on mur- derous revenge. The remainder gallop west at headlong speed. The following morning the braves and squaws lay secreted near Dead Man’s Gulch, awaiting the coming night that they might inspect the surroundings of the burg. They were well aware that the utmost vigilance and caution must be practiced, or they would be extermi- nated utterly. Their intention was to steal around the outskirts of the town, capture for the torture any stragglers who might fall into their bands, and do whatever damage to the white foe that lay in their power in a stealthy manner, and without exposing themselves to death or capture. Upon the very night preceding the departure of Big George and Arizona Jack with the res- cued Castilian women down the range, these hideous bags, with their six attendant braves, crouched at different points among the mes- quites around Sardine-box City, thirsting for revenge. The “‘citz” were, however, making a‘ night of it” at Pilgrim’s Palace, and lacky it was for those of them who lived in brush- shelters beyond the shanties, and amid the bowlders, that the jolification which celebrated the discovery of the new and rich “lead” by the blow-up at the Slip-up Mine, kept them in the “ Palace” until the gray streaks of morning shot. up eastward, Then they decided that they would remain and see the scouts and the two ladies off; conse- quently the fiendish Apaches made no capture, secured no victim for the torture, and therefore crawled away, taking up positions in clumps of cedar on the side of the mountain range, and rendered doubly furious by disappointment, as well as by having discovered Sach a number of white men, all in the very highest spirits, in the streets of Sardine-box City, . { |But when the red demons, a little later, saw the Giant and Arizona Jack departing down the range with their recent captive, Marietta, who had been the cause of their leaving their village to meet El Orso—her presence having caused the halt of the war-party, and the con- sequent fight and destruction of the same— when they saw this, and the madwoman whose trail they had often struck, in the party also, then they were filled with exultant glee, for, at once they decided that the two scouts were now ruiding and guarding the white squaws to Santa ita, from whence, in a raid, El Orso bad cap- tured Marietta. Passing beyond Sardine-box City, down the range for a mile or more, they again secreted themselves until night should favor their mad gallop southward in pursuit of the scouts and the white squaws, a thirst for vengeance, blood and torture maddening their brutal and merci- less minds, CHAPTER V. ‘ OFF FOR GOLD GULCH. Tue Giant Arizonian would have felt much more anxiety in regard to leaving Lena ie nolds in the Sardine-box City bad not that lady decided, previous to the departure of the scouts, to take the next stage for Gold Gulch, where she intended to stay for several days with a lady whose acquaintance she had formed when on the journey from St, Louis, The scouts nd not been gone two hours when the ‘‘hearse” rattled up to the Nugget, and Lena tripped from the “‘ bestest room” down the stairs to the kitchen,where Marm Holbrook, with much bustling and excitement, was getting ready to accompany Lena, this arrangement having been made witbin the hour. ‘Come, Mother Holbrook,” said Lena, with something of ber old vivacity, which greatly pleased the landlady, ‘‘ the stage is waiting and we will have a splendid ride along the range this beautiful morning. Thirty miles will not fatigue us in the least, and { anticipate a good time in your company. We have never traveled together but once, and then as captives to those horrible Apaches, ; “Bless my soul, dearie!” exclaimed Marm Holbrook, in much excitement, “* don’t mention the or’nary painted skunks, er I shill git more flustercated than I bees. Mebbe so ther greasy, dirty torturers mougbt buck ag’in’ ther hearse an’ gobble we’uns up agin. Then we'd be goners, dead sure an’ sartain! Ther good Lord gut us outen thet scrape, en’ I hopes I’m es thankful es mought be 'spected from a meetin’- house ’oman, . “ Howsomever, I doesn’t opine thet He'd bother with we-uns ag’in, Ef we gits inter ther clutches o’ ther red hethuns ernuther time, I wouldn't g’in a corn-shuck fer my back ha’r; though I can’t b'lieve thar’s a human, no matter how onbuman an’ savage he mought be, thet *u’d tortur’ you.” = “Pm powerful full o’ glad ter see yer kinder bracin’ up. We’uns hes gut ter take things jist es they comes in this worl’. Ef yer know'd what I hes bin through since me an’ Hank skuted from Texas, Arizone-way, yer’d take yer afferdavid thet I war tough es a ole raw-
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Arizona Giant George. hide, er I’d’a’ flip-floppered ‘over ther range’ | event, no matter how dread and horrible, that long ergo. “Thar ain’t no use ter git flustercated, fer Jim Doderson air pourin’ down whisk’ wi’ Hank, an’ thet minds me that I’m dead sure my ole man “ll git on ernuther Mogae td soon es we-uns gits out o’ sight. hes see’d it in his peepers since he’roved back from Pil- grim’s Palace et sun-up wi’ ther boyees, an’ I’m oin’ ter lock up ther bestest room ef yeou ain’t. “Tve gut a lunch fer us ter chaw on ther hearse, ef we feels a vacancy in our stummicks. This trip’ll do me a heap o’ good, I knows, fer I hes heerd they hes gut a slab meetin’-house slapped up in Gold Gulch, I shill tend every gatherin’ inside o’ bit, and I doesn’t know but what Ill squat on ther steps atween meetin’s, fer I hain’t bin inside a ‘C’ristyun fact’ry,’ es Hank calls’em, fer more’n four year, an’ I’ve fergut "bout every hyme an’ pra’r I ever know’d. An’ thet ain’t tall strange, bein’ es | hes bin sloshin’ ’bout in so hefty a’mount ¢’ hell- ishness. ““Thar I go ontil I’m plum’ out o’ breathe, but when I does git a show ter sling gab ter a slam- up ginerwine female ’oman like yeou—” ere Marm Holbrook came to a sudden stop, seemingly dumfounded at her own audacity, but she continued a moment efter: “<1 swan I didn’t mean thet, dearie, fer thar ain’t ernuther sich a angel es yeou bees in this hyer wicked worl’, I means ter say, when I kin git er’oman ter gab at, I runs on ontil I doesn’t know who I air er whar I air. “ Hit makes me sick ’nough ter puke my teeth out, an’ my toe-nails off, ter hear ther or’nary lingo ther “ citz” an’ Hank shoots off. Thar, I won’t say no more, Yer knows ’bout how I hes bin siterwated, an’ what I hes bin through, an’ Sel knows I ’preciates bein’ with yer, an’ I hanks ther good Lord yer come back ter Marm Holbrook, though I’m powerful sot back when I think o’ ther cause o’ hit. ** What did I tell yer? Didn’t yer hear thet howl an’ laugh? Hit puts me in mind o’ ther *Paches. ‘“‘Thet’s Hank, an’ I knows by ther sound he’s goin’ ter hey ’em, an’ hey ’em bad, Ef we-uns warn’t goin’ ter be gone so long, I'd git Tom Jones ter help me sock him inter the bake-oven an’ chuck a big rock ag’inst ther door.” The good landlady was here forced to stop for want of breath, her rotund red face being coy- ered with perspiration, while she mopped her cheeks and brow with herlong apron. She then smoothed her hair at the little mirror, and shook out the skirt of her dress, Lena Reynolds had been quietly sipping a cup of coffee while her motherly pees had thus been rattling off, well knowing from past experi- ence that Marm Holbrook would keep it up until she could talk no more from pure exhaustion. The words of the landlady bad, however, created but little interest in the mind of her invalid guest, and that for the reason that poor Lena had gone through so much sorrow in the preceding four months—one soul-torturing event following an- other in bewildering succession—that she had sunk into a dazed condition of mind, which was proof against being appalled by any future she might yet be doomed to experience. ‘““ Ladies, I opine hit’s "bout time fer us ter rat- tle wheels toward Gold Gulch.” Thus spoke Jim Doderson, the stage-driver, as he thrust his head through the partly-open door, his whip in his hand, “*We-uns’ll be thar in *bout two mule squeals, Jim,” returned the landlady guickly, for she well knew that Jim was anxious to be address- - by Lena, and she was resolved to disappoint nim. ‘*T war opinin’ thet yer wanted ter git outside 0’ bout four fingers o’ whisk’, an’ ter sling gab wi’ Hank, er we'd be inside yer ole hearse afore now. : **Come, dearie, le’s levant; an’ I want yer ter gi’n Hank a word o’ warnin’, else thar won't be nothin’ left o’ ther Nugget when we-uns glides back.” Lena Reynolds drank the last of her coffee, and without a word walked into the bar, fol- lowed by Marm Holbrook, with lunch-pail and bundles in her arms. Hank’s face turned a shade redder, his nose took on the color of claret, and his eye-lashes twitched nervously as Lena entered the bar. He was forced to lean heavily back against the decanter-shelf, and brace right and left with his arms, to keep an approach to steadiness; a = ym that was in vain, for bis round bald ead seemed too heavy to be kept in an upright position, falling first to the right and then to the left. “Hank,” said Leva, in a pleading tene, ‘*don’t drink any more than is necessary to prevent derangement of your brain, I ask this for your wife’s sake, for my sake, and for your own, ‘* A good, free-hearted man like you ought not to torture his system and weaken his brain with stimulants, We are going now, and I hope I shall find you well and hearty and sober on my return. 1 shall take good care of Mrs, Hol- brook.” Hank managed to change his position by fall- ing forward against the bar plank, upon which he leaned one elbow and supported his head with his hand, Although very much under the influence of liquor, he was evidently abased and g-eatly ashamed of himself on account of the presence of the Angel; and had there been time, or had his mind been clear enough to realize that Lena had been coming through the baron her way to the stage, he would without doubt have crawled in among his demijobns and secreted himself, thus avoiding the humiliation that was now torturing him, notwithstanding the mud- dled condition of his mind. No other human being in the world would have so affected him, Lena was, in his estimation as well as in that of all the ‘citz,” far superior to all other created beings; she was their benefactress—the Angel of the burg. Bringing all his will-power into play, and somewhat sobered by the lady’s presence, Hank strove to relieve her mind by denying that he was in the condition which her words and man- ner seemed to attribute to him, “T didn’t s'pose,” he said, ‘‘ thet I sh’u’d hey
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Arizona Giant George. i1 ter say by-by ter ther Angel, feclin’ so ormighty bilious an’ or’nary. Hit must be thet my ole 7oman hes bin chinnin’ some o’ her asserfettidy gab ’bout me, “I war wo’sted when I gut tuck in by ther *Paches, I knows; an’ I didn’t git no ‘tention nor bug-juice ter keep my band squar’ an’ level, “Ever since then I’ve bin chuck full o’ chills an’ nerrallergy, an’ I hed ter take a pull et quinine an’ whisk’, er flop over, roll up in a blanket, an’ lose a heap o’ dust by shettin’ up ther Nugget. ‘Ef Pye done anythin’ ter make a rough riffle in yer thinkin’ ap’rattus [’m dod-blasted sorry, an’ I'll chaw my own years off right hyer afore yer gits inter ther hearse, 1 ain’t wo’th shucks noways, an’ yer needn’t ter bother *bout ole Hank. ‘* [ shell soon be fitted tera slab overcoat, an’ be planted under ther mesquites, an’ then Marm Holbrook kin run things ter suit herself, bake- oven an’ all, without me.” The concluding words were spoken as Hank azed in a wavering manner toward his spouse, Reproach was expressed as strongly as it was in bis power to do it—somewhat blurred, how- ever, by the maudlin tears that welled into his bead-like eyes as he alluded to his own death and burial. His reference to the bake-oven—in which Marm Holbrook had been forced to spend the night through fear of the Tarantula of Taos, who was, at the time, on a jamboree with Hank—maddened that good lady greatly, and she retorted with fierce indignation, and in a shrill voice: “Hank Holbrook, yer puserlanimous olo whisk’-sucker! I hate yer es bad es I does a greasy ’Pache; an’ ther sooner yer take a flop over, an’ grunt out yer last breathe, an’ air nailed atween slabs, ther better hit’ll be fer ther burg! ‘“‘An’ when yer bees planted, I hopes yer won't sprout an’ come up; fer a small crop o’ your sort ‘u’d bu’st up ther bull ’Nited States, har ain’t ernuther sich in Arizone, thank ther Lord! Fer ther terrortory c’u’dn’t perpel wo’th shucks, ef thar war. ‘* She’s bin only jist on ther crawl ever since i crossed ther line irom Texas-way. I know it’s purty rough”—this she said, noticing Lena’s look of reproof—‘‘ fer a meetin’-house ‘oman ter be ’bleeged ter sling thet sort o’ gab et her ole man; but [ll sw’ar—yes, I do sw’ar, an’ I’d put in some bed-rock cuss-words ef yeou warn’t byer, Lena—I’ve bed ’bout es much ter put up with lately es a cast-iron ‘oman c’u’d stan’ without gittin’ all broke up. ‘But, come on! I[ won’t waste any more breathe this-a-way. Hank, ef ther wolves, an’ snakes, ow’ ther bull devil’s menadgery gits sifted onter yer, lock up ther “ Nugget,” take a bottle o’ whisk’ an’ skute up ther range whar ye kin git fresh air, an’ kin kick ’roun’ without doin’ much damage; er yer mought crawl inter ther bake-oven. “T don’t want ter find things mixed hyer, when I ‘roves back, Ef I does, thar’ll be bliz- zards, nortbers,*harrycanes, an’ cyclones, ‘nough roun’ this locate, to take every ha’r yer hes left outen yer head, afore yer can hunt a hole ter crawl inter! “ Ya-as, I’m comin’, Jim! Durn bis ole whisk’-soaked carkiss! He does worrytate an’ flustercate me ontil I e’ena’most jump outer m socks! I’ve chawed my tongue ’bout half off, now.” Marm Holbrook strode like a_ thirsty cowboy who sees a “‘bug-juice bazaar” ahead, out of the “ Nugget.” Then, throwing her bundles” viciously through the window, she climbed up the hind-wheel spokes, and crawled through the window of the coach, losing sight, in her anger and excitement of the fact that there was an easier mode of entrance. As much as she was respected as the mother of the burg, the ‘ citz” who witnessed this pro- ceeding of the worthy landlady, roared with laughter, as did also Jim Doderson, the stage- drive’. But Marm Holbrook was busy with her numerous packages, and bappily ignorant of the cause of their extravagant mirth, or she would have been rendered doubly furious, As it was, she was not in an enviable frame of mind on her departure from the “locate” which had been her home for so long, and the scene of so many strange, startling, und horri- ble, as well as comical experiences and happen- ings. tok Reynolds lingered, with pity aud genu- ine sympathy in her face, look, and tone, to- ward the poor slave of drink, She extended her hand to him as she said: “‘Good-by, Hank! Please don’t make your- self ill by drinking so much, I must get you into some other kind of business, I see, ‘*Good-by, and have more respect for your- self, You are a good, warm-hearted, generous man, and you really ought to strive to overcome our appetite for liquor, We will return, I ope, ina few days, and I trust I will find you well and happy. Again, good-by.” Hank had clung to Lena’s band as a drown- _ing man catches at the first and last object in view. The tears rolled down his cheeks, and there was an expression upon his face that showed clearly he hed no confidence in bimself, and dreaded the future above all things; re- gretting most intensely the departure of Lena Reynolds from the ** Nugget.” But before he had time to realize it, she was gone, and he heard the whip as it bissed through the air, and the wheels cranking and Arating, as the stage was being turned about. Then he staggered around the bar, supporting himself by a grip on the slab, and thus gained the door, where he stood, bracing bimself with both hands, one on cach side, : oo with all the strength of his lungs, he elled: ‘Rah fer ther Angel o’ Penarlayno Range!” CHAPTER VI. LYING IN WAIT, Tue Tarantula of Taos had not the slightest idea what length of time bad elapsed since he climbed up the shaft of the Shp-up Mine: and, us he afterward decided, must have dropped his pipe, which soon afterward was the cause of the tremendous explosion, He had been hired to do this very thing by the bandit chief, who was the agent of Lena Reynolds’s dastard cousin, and had been paid for
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= the cowardly work; but bis prolonged spree with Hank Holbrook had afforded bim so much fun— the landlord of the ** Nugget” impressing him so favorably—that he decided if there was any chance of crawling out of the agreement he would do so, After he had seen the bandit chief hanging from the mesquite, and knew that the plans of the latter had failed, he began to feel less appre- one in regard to hisconnection with the out- ws, His nap behind the bar at the ‘‘ Nugget” bad been broken up by Marm Holbrook pouring a bucket of dish-water upon his head. He had . traveled continuously the whole of the previous night, and the following night he had been forced to deprive himself of sleep, while wait- ing for the time to arrive to explode the mine; and, later on, in his escape down the range— during which ride he was so intoxicated that he found it difficult to keep his seat in the sad- dle—such a thing as rest was not to be thought of. Consequently he had, when he reached the orge, fallen into a deathlike slumber, which asted until the middle of the following night, and from which he awakened in a state of mania, in which he was first introduced to the reader, After a time he recalled the fact that he had appropriated a decanter of whisky at Hank’s bar, and he cautiously scouted down to his sad- dle-bags, giving a wide bertb to the hideous phantoms which his disordered imagination saw tearing up the side of the cliff. Overcome at last, the ‘“‘ Tarantula ” sunk upon the rock sense- less, In this manner passed two days, and a part of the third night; and the wretched man suf- fering the agonies of the lost. At length his mind became more natural, as has been related, by him again resorting to the decanter, He knew well that the fearful sights, which his disordered imaginings had called up, would return to him when the whisky gave out; that again he must suffer almost unendurable torture, and which would undoubtedly cause his death in some horrible form or manner, He therefore resolved, as we have seen, to revisit Sardine- box City, and procure the liquor, upon which he felt that his life depended. This he would do, at any and all risks, He now left the gulch, and proceeded up the range, at times raising the now nearly empty decanter upward, between his eyes and the moon, grating bis clinched teeth in mingled an- ger, regret and apprehension; his brutal, seratehed, brui.ed and bloated face contorted, and bis huge red nose fearfully swollen, from having come in contact with the rocks, ged, and besmeared with dirt and grease, his eyes filled with insane wildness, he now crushed his dilapidated sombrero upon the back of his head, clasped the bridle-reins in his left hand, and the decanter in his right, and pro- ceeded through the thickets, “Dang my cast-iron heart!” be exclaimed, suddenly, in a deep, hoarse voice, the unnatural sound of which startled him, and caused him to jerk his horse to a halt, and his ‘ six” from his scabbard, as he gazed into an adjacent thicket, 12 Arizona Giant George. With weapon thus cocked and pointed, he sat for afull minute, and then broke out into a loud laugh, which was also cut short; for it awakened echoes that appalled him, and caused him to tremble from head to foot. For a while, this peculiar wanderer of the wilds gazed suspiciously on all sides; he then took a slight sip from the decanter, and broke out in low soliloquy. At first the words came in a hoarse whisper, and were almost inaudible: * Dang my cast-iron heart, ef I ever afore war in sich a mixed condish! I hain’t gut no more vim nor ambish than a fresb-borned calf, an’ I air about es shaky in ther legs, Dog-gone ef I kin reco’nize my own chin-music! I c’wd a’ swored thet somebuddy else war spokin’ thet war ’bout ready ter ‘skip over the range’ with consumshe, hevin’ only bout half o’ his breathin’ mersbeenery left. ‘‘ Pm es lonesome es a bad shot Curmanch’ left in ther middle o’ ther Staked Plains fer ther buzzards an’ kiotes ter pick an’ chaw at, Ther ding-dong o’ my iron heart bev simmered down ter ther quiver o’ a dyin’ buffler-gnat’> wing, an’ I’m as onstiddy as a bob-tailed hummin’-bird what’s tryin’ ter take hit’s reg’lar whiz, I shell puke up my toe-nails and knee-pans, ef I doesn’t take a hefty snifter afore soon! ‘‘Ther Terrantaler o’ Taos bev gut down or- mighty low. I’gins ter smell Tophet, an’ I kin ‘most hear thet ole cuss wi’ ther horns an’ lon tail crack his huffs together wi’ pure glad, an chuck in fresh dead wood on ther big blaze whar he ‘tends ter roast ther Terrantler ter ther whittled off eend o’ all time.” “Cuss me ef this hyer ain’t a leetle too bil- ious! I’m gittin’ hit pasted onter me too thick, an’ I won’t stan’ hit, I c’u’dn’t clum up ther peaks ter take a see-aster ’bove ther-flip-flop 0’ a buzzard’s wing, no more’n I c’u’d climb a rain- bow an’ carve ther Roarer Boary Alice! “Git, old hoss, er I'll chaw yer years off! We'll glide a leetle furder fore we spills ther *mainder o’ ther whisk’. Dang ef I doesn’t ker- ral a nigger an’? make him roll a_bar’l o’ bug- juice right abindt me wharever I glides arter this! ‘Ther spiders air spinnin’ cobwebs inter my throat, an’ my in’ards ’pears ter be chuck-full 0’ alkerlie, I c’u’dn’t raise a reg-lar whoop-er-ee nat’ral-like ef I shu’d bu’st my yellin’ mersheen a-tryin’, Git, ole boss! Perceed, slope, glide, skute, levant toward whisk’, er yer big boss air a stiff coon!” And on up the range amid scattered bowlders, cacti and clumps of cedar and mountain pine, the dilapidated “ border hero ™ proceeded, event- aa arriving in the vicinity of Surdine-box iby. Sardine-box City lay to the north, just below his covert and not two thousand yards from the place at which he had left his horse, On the street were the entire population, mostly col- lected in front of the Nugget Hotel, and the at- tention of all seemed to be fastened upon the trail that led from the street down the range to- ward the south, Following this trail with wondering eyes, the ‘* Tarantula "discovered Giant George, Arizona Jack and the two Mexican ladies, all riding down the range, Had he delayed climbing the , i { f
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Arizona Giant George. ‘18 range ten minutes longer, ho would have been discovered by the keen eyes of the giant scout. A strange, bewildered expression now appear- ed on the face of the crouching man. This, how- ever, soon disappeared, changing to relief, and even triumph, as he decided, from what Havk Holdbrook had already told him, that the scouts were starting for Tucson to escort the two Castilian women to their home, And he ment- ally put them down for a pair of fools for under- taking sucha trip ata time when danger and death lurked in every mile, After meditating a short time, the look of pleasure and exultation deepened upon the face of the Tarantula,” and he again broke forth in soliloquy: “Dang my iron heart, ef thar ain’t a openin’ fer a pilgrim *bout my size an’ cuteness! “Ef IT kin git ther deadwood on enough o’ Hank’s whisky to keep me open or shet, jist es I opines ter be, I'll bamboozle some duckets inter my pouch outen ther ole Don Refugio et Tucson, “T kin go jist a-bilin’ down-range, scout ‘youn’ ther camp o’ Giaut George, then skute fer Tucson, tellin’ ther ole Don thet I kin put him on ther trail o’ his wife and darter, Tl make ther ole cuss shove out a heap o’ dust afore I guides him; an’ then ’ll happen onter ther camp where ther scouts an’ weemin bees, p’intin’ them out ter the ole Cast-steel-yun, an’ claimin’ ther rest o’ ther wealth what he'll gree ter fork over. “Ef I hed ther ‘sand’ ter kerral ther hull ca- boodle, an’ ther ‘dust’ ter shove ’em through ter civerlize, ’'d bu’st Barnum ter flinders ther fu’st season, av’ he'd want ter crawl inter a kiote-hole, pull ther durn hole in arter him, an’ stay thar, chuck-full o’ indig’ an’ shame, ontil Grabri’l toots his horn. ‘** By ther bones 0’ Boone, what’s that?” The ** Tarantula” rubbed his eyes vigorously, and then fixed his gaze upon the side of the range, beyond Sardine-box City; his face was stamped with the utmost amazement, not un- mixed with apprehension, He was unable, however, to decide whether the forms that he saw were real, or merely another invoice of the images conjured up by his disordered fancy, like those that had terri- fied him at the gulch. The “border hero” upon his hands and knees stared up the range; where, to his utter consternation, he saw that the forms were real, and that they were none other than bideous Apache hags and paint- daubed braves, “May I be chawed inter hash by a griz’ b’ar, ef thar ain’t a passel o’ greasy, blood-suckin’ *Paches! “What in thunderation air comin’ nex’? Biz air beginnin’ ter brighten fer ther Terrantaler, fer I sw’ar nobuddy hev see’d ther red hellyuns *eeptin’ me. “Ef I doesn’t make ther riffle, gettin’ whisk on ther sly, 1 kin raise hit on ther long-ha’red red skunks what’s layin’ fer chances ter skin ther heads o’ ther ‘Sardines,’ by playin’ scout an’ warnin’ ther burg. Dog’d ef thar ain’t ‘dust’ in hit!” The eyes of the “Tarantula” followed the movements of every skulking form, until they — had all disappeared in the canyon, Then he was forced to the conclusion that the Indians had given up the design of attacking the town, or laying for loose ‘‘citz.” This greatly disap- pointed the border bummer; and mee and slowly, taking advantage of every cedar clump, prickly pear patch, and bowlder, he made bis way toward a point in the rear of the Nugget Hotel, and near the celebrated bake-oven of Marm Holbrook, CHAPTER VIL A RAID ON THE “ NUGGET,” EENSCONCED within a small clump of cedars, the “Tarantula of Taos” gazed into the street; having a view of that portion of it between the i ie Hotel and the next shanty to the north of i Soon after secreting himself in the cedars, the ‘‘ Tarantula” was forced to admit to himself that he was the most fortunate man in Arizona; for two of the ‘citz” udvanced from the ‘‘Nuggett” toward his covert, fill- ing him with abject terror, for be knew if le was discovered he would be in a very dangerous position. The “‘ citz” would decide that he was one of the bandits, who had escaped their vengeance; and Marm Holbrook—whom he believed to have seen him, and to have thrown the water on him when he was asleep behind the bar—and Hank, too, would reveal the fact that he had been at the ‘‘ Nugget” on the day and evening previous to the fight, and the blowing up of the mine, As he was a stranger, if he gave a truthful ac- count of himself, it would be the means of con- demning him to the rope, while a false one would ici be known to be false, and would also ead the infuriated “ citz” to elevate him up a limb—all this, considered in an instant, caused the miserable wretch to tremble like an aspen- leaf, and the sweat of terror to stand in great beads upon bis forehead, But his fears vanished as quickly as they had flashed upon him, for the two miners turned to a clump of busbes a couple of yards to his left, and secreted a bottle, which the eager watcher felt assured contained the sole remedy for his most intense sufferings and prostration, for he distinctly heard the gurgling sound of the liquor in the neck of the bottle, But the Tarantula” heard more than that. He heard words that gave him great relief and joy, and that removed a heavy load from his mind, ‘“Ya-as,” spoke one of the miners, ‘I hez ‘amined ther outerap, an’ hit’s ther richest ‘Jead? I hes see’d on this or any other range, Hit war ormigbty lucky ther bag-slashers. blowed up ther mine, fer ther boyees w’n’dn’t ‘a’ struck ther lower ‘lead’ in a month o’ Sun- ays, “°Cos why? Hit war ter one side, plum’ under ther range, I’m bettin’ ther cuss what touched her off gut blowed inter cat-fish bait, I hain’t gut over my jamboree till yit, an’ we'll hev hit heavy arter ther weemin glides up ter Gold Gulch in ther hearse, “Tom Jones air goin’ ter manerfactur’ some
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14 jimjam side-shows fer Hank thet’ll make a heap o’ fun; though Hank, I reckon, hes gut enough hellish sights inter his brain-box ter run him wild without any extras. He’s drunker now nor any blue-coat ther night arter pay-day. I gut a bottle ter ‘‘cache” afore he gits too cranky ter shove p’ison on ther stren’th 0’ a chali-mark. We-uns air all ter meet et Pil- grim’s Palace, soon es ther hearse glides up ther rise, ‘“Come on, Jim, er we mought lose a riffle o’ fun.” The “Tarantula” was dumfounded by this avalanche of good luck, that had so unexpected - ly been burled upon him, when he so much stood in need of it. It was evident that he was not suspected of having blown up the mine; in fact he doubted if either Marm Holbrook or Hank had men- tioned his being in the burg. Again, the ‘‘ blow-up” had proved a most for- tunate thing for the *‘citz,” and the ‘ Angel;” for as he now understood it, a rich ‘‘ lead” had been disclosed by the explosion, and this he re- solved to profit by, in some way, in the future. While thus bewildered by bis startling and unlooked-for good fortune, another event favored the Tarantula. This was the rattling up of the stage to the Nugget, which drew the attention of the “ citz.” “Daneg’d ef I doesn’t git ther ding-dong back inter my iron heart an’ run ther hull range!” muttered the Tarantula, in a low voice, as he jammed his hat on the back of his head, thrusting the brim upward and assuming a look and man- ner that indicated the most devil-may-care state of mind that was conceivable. He was getting back to his normal condition, and for the time bad forgotten his recently- formed plans in regard to the scouts and bam- boozling Don Refugio, as well as the presence of the Apaches so near the town. He had not long to wait before he saw Marm Holbrook hurl ber bundles into the coach and erawl in through the window after them, which caused the Tarantula to cram his sombrero into his huge mouth to smother his laughter, while he tore up the leaves and grass spasmodically in his mirth. But the appearance of Lena Reynolds changed the emotions of the watcher, his eyes being now fixed upon her slender and graceful form, and her pale, yet beautiful face, Deeply impressed thongh he was, his wits were now keen, his mind clear, and he reasoned that Hank was in the doorway watching the embarkatiou of those so closely connected with him. Now was the Tarantula’s time to act. As these thoughts flashed through his mind, he crawled to a point which enabled him to pro- ceed toward the rear of the Nugget without be- ing discovered by any one. Then, as a barrel stood on the far side of the kitchen door, and toward the street, he crawled around the corner of the building and thence to the back entrance, keeping the barrel between him and the street, Hastily but carefully he stepped to the en- trance of the bar-room, the same being partly ope and peeped into the bug-juice department of the Nugget, the smell of the liquors being Arizona Giant George. iT, more agreeable to his nostrils than the fra- grance of the sweetest flowers, Hank was now standing in the front door- way, and the hiss and crack of the whip of the stage-driver at that moment struck the ears of the Tarantula and warned him that he had no time to lose, He therefore sunk to the floor as the coach rattled up the street, crawling over it and behind the bar as Hank called out, “’Rah fer ther Angel o’ Penarlayno Range!” Though he felt bimself safe from immediate discovery, the ** Tarantula” was in no enviable frame of mind; for, as his luck had apparently changed, Le’ feared now that the * citz” would crowd in for a prolonged debauch, in which event he must be discovered, for he could not long maintain such a cramped position. And discovery, under such suspicious circumstances would place him in a position of great danger, eapscinl if Hank should make known the fact that he had been at the “Nugget” on the day previous to the attack mado by the bandits, Hank, supporting himself by the bar slab, dragged his feet along the floor and around be- hind the bar, where he braced himself for a mo- ment, There seemed to be none of the ‘‘citz” any longer in the vicinity; and the lurker, becoming desperate at the bare thought of the conse- quences of his being discovered, resolved upon immediate action. Without making the slightest noise, he crawled at once from his hiding-place, clutched a leg of Hank in each band, and with astrength born of desperation burled the landlord over the bar; Hank striking the floor with such force as to shake the building, and being rendered speech- less by the fall. Then closing and barring the door, without wasting a moment of time, the “ Tarantula” proceeded to business, arguing that the “‘ citz,” who knew that Hank was drunk, would suppose him to have locked up, and gone to bed, The bummer was now master of the situation, being in possession of the ‘‘ Nugget Hotel.” But he was in total darkness, However, a flint and steel soon remedied this; and, lighting a candle, he placed the same upon the bar, and then, with the air of a conqueror, he grasped the glass of liquor that poor Hank had poured out, and drank it with great satisfac- tion, giving a sly wink, as he did so, at the senseless landlord, He then returned the tum- bler to the bar, and exclaimed in guarded tones: “Dang’d ef ther ding dong hain’t gut back inter my iron heart! [’m ther Terrantaler 0’ Taos, an’ never lost a leg. I giner’ly knocks the last flicker outen any human what stan’s atween me an’ whisk’, when I’m_rearin’, tearin’ dry, This air a new deal, an’I holds ther_bestest keerdsin ther deck, Hank, ole man, I hated most all-firedly ter give yer.a extry flip-flop, but Ie’u'dn’t counton yer. Yer tongue wabbles too much, an’ yer mought get yer old iron- heartéd pard’s neck inter a lasso noose. “Tm hyer arter bug-juice, which I hed ter hev or bu’st up Arizone from A to Z a-tryin’ ter git hit, I must levant now, an’ nobuddy ’ll know I’ve bin hyer; fer ye’re too drunk ter undercomstan’ what bucked ag’in’ yer, an ther boyees'll sw’ar ' ‘¢ 4
Page 15
yer locked ther door, an’ then went ter sleep, an’ fell down offen ther bar, “T takes a John-demmy this trip, ter hev a dead sure thing on not gittin’ short o’ whisk’, an’ gittin’ mixed in with ther devil’s me- nadgery. Ireckon yer hes some duckets, but I ain’t givin’ myself away, by confiscatin’ ’em, Yer won’t miss a John-demmy, thar’s sich a heft supply on’em, So long, Hank! * The Terrantaler o’ Taos, what see-estars on sak, *bove the flip-flop o’ a buz- A-jew, old pardt ther tip-top zard’s wing, ‘ll see yer later. Pleasant dreams!” As he thus spoke, tbe border bummer, having secured a gallon demijohn full of whisky, re- laced the candle where he had found it in the itchen, He then unlocked the back door and peered forth, Not a human being was within sight, and he at once around to the rear of the building and thence to the thicket, where he secured the bottle belonging to the miners and thrust it into his pocket. Then, as cautiously as had been his advance to the town, he retreated, In another half-hour he was in the thicket where he had left his horse; but he had not been long in his covert when the tramp of ridden steeds struck his ears, and he quivered with ter- ror asa horde of paint-daubed Apache braves and squaws passed quite near him, their faces contorted with a thirst for blood and revenge, their black, snake-like eyes darting piercing lances at every clump of bushes or cluster of wliders, and seeming to the horrified ‘* border hero” to pierce through the foliage and into his very soul, o mortal ever felt more relieved than did the “Tarantula” when the red pirates of the prairie and mountains disappeared from his view down the range. CHAPTER VIII. AMONG THE ‘ cITz,” THE Gold Gulch stage, within which were Marm Holbrook and Lena Reynolds, the motber and the ‘“ Angel” of Sardine-box City, disap- red over the spur of the range northward, erchiefs waving from the windows to the last, the sombreros of the ‘‘ citz” being whirled in the air in all directions; the good-wishes and good- bys being yelled frantically on all sides. No sooner, however, had the ** hearse” yvan- ished from view, than all regained their head- ear, knocking the hats against their legs to ree the same from dust, and then the “ citz” collected around Tom Jones, their worthy sher- iff. The latter now found himself the most im- portart personage in the burg for the first time in some days, and he immediately assumed the domineering manner and self-important pride that, in his way of thinking, belonged to his office, but which he never displayed when Giant George was in the burg, “O-0-0-h, yes! O-o0-0-oh, yes! 0-0-0-0-oh, yes!” he yelled, in imitation of a court-crier, *T, Tom Jones, Sheriff o’ Sardine-box, orders a gatherin’ o’ all ther Sardines interested in ther good o’ this hyer burg et Pilgrim’s Palace, right erway. Meetin’ ‘Il open in "bout ten mule- squeals on pi) a biz.” A chorus of cheers rung through the street, Arizona Giant George. 15 and all followed the sheriff into Pilgrim’s Pal- ace, which was situated alone and to the north of the Nugget Hotel, among the opposite row of shanties, The landlord of the Nugget was a liberal, whole-souled pilgrim, and respected by all, The fact that Marm Holbrook, his wife, was greatly pestered and worried by her husband’s terrible sprees gave the ‘*citz” no little sorrow, for they were all greatly attached to her as the mother of the burg. his decided all the miners in the conviction that something must be done at once. All this had been freely discussed since the revious evening, and Tom had called this meet- ioe to decide what was best to be done to save Hank’s life; for that was just what it amounted to, as all were confident that the little landlord could not live through another attack of de- lirium tremens. They were not left long in suspense as to the nature of the business; for Tom burst out im- mediately, evidently, as on the former occasion having a most heartfelt interest in the person of whom he spoke, ** Feller-citz, this ain’t no time for extra no- ‘count chin-music; an’ I’m dealin’ ter-day in pure, solid an’ plain ’Nited States. We-uns hes a i, ter do at ther mine, an’ ther burg must look fresh an’ neat when ther ‘ Angel’ ‘roves back. Ter-day air a off day, I knows, but I bes ‘ranged a pogramme that [ reckons yer'll help me ter kerry out. ‘“Marm Holbrook, ther mother o’ this hyer burg, one o’ ther bestest kaliker-kivered humans that ever flopped a flap-jack or nussed a sick dust-hunter, she hev gone wi’ ther ‘ Angel’ ter Gold Gulch; an’ she hes levanted so ormi| hty billious and worrited *bout Hank, thet she didn’t know ‘nough ter git inter ther hearse by ther door. I swan she jist clumb up an’ squirmed in through the winder, es yer all knows, * Ther * Angel > war ormighty blue es ’gards Hank too, an’ I doesn’t know o’ nothin’ what *2’d make ’em feel more fuller o’ glad then ter find Hank slam-up, right side up wi? care, standin’ in ther Nugget door ter welcome ’em, plum sober, an’ with a smile on bis face like sunshine on a barn-door, ‘*Now, I knows thet ef we-’uns doesn’t play | ther game I’m thinkin’ on, thet he'll either be stiff, an’ ready ter nail up ’tween four slabs an’ plant, or else dead-gone with jim-jams, an’ so cussed full o’ lunification thet we-uns'll hev ter lariat him ter a tree, or he’ll stompede roun’ ther range, an’ mebbe-so jump down inter ther canyon, ‘He'll be crazier than a alligator-gar with its tail cut off, I air ormighty sure, ef we-uns ‘lows him ter keep pourin’ down p’ison. He’s checked fer Tophet, on ther cyclone Express, ef we-uns don’t chip in fore his game’s over. Hank's purty wild now, an’ he knows he’s goin’ ter hev a show ter study nat’ral en’ onnat’ral hist’ry by ‘Justrations; thet all ther menadgeries in ther world air goin’ ter consolerdate an’ j’ine ter- gether fer his ’speshul benefit, givin’ him a free exhibish’, ‘fore feedin’ ther animiles, what'll show a hefty hankerin’ ter chaw on his nater- my. ‘He knows hit’s comin’, an’ thet air a p’int in | aa
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16 Arizona Giant George. favor o’ my p’gramme. He ain’t got ter ther jump-off yit, but he’s glidin’ fast that-a-way, and ther only show ter save his bacon an’ drag him through air ter git in ahead on ’em an’ run a 1 aloo jim-jam. Howsomever, 1 don’t reckon yer undercom- stan’s my wogeacure, so [ll ’splain, “T shot a black wolf t’other day, skun ther critter, an’ stuffed ther hide sorter nat’ral like, uttin’ in a pair o’ glass marbles fer peepers. er knows Hank hed a orful time wi’ a black wolf one’t before, when we laid him out dead drunk on ther bowlder, under ther two cusses, Black Ben an’ Sport, what we'd strung up. “ An’ thet ain’t all by a dog-gone sight, fer I’ve gut a hefty ’mount o’ snakes, which I ’tends ter tie strings to an’ drag ’em ’crost ther floor, mebbe so drappin’ some through knot-holes from up chamber. “We'll run in jim-jams on Hank ahead o’ time an’ skeer him so dang’d bad thet he’ll break off short, though we'll hey ter gi’n him some ina taperin’ way. Thet’s my p’ogramme, feller-citz, an’ hit must be kerried through ter-night, er Hank’s a goner sure. ** Now, all git ter biz et ther Nugget ter-night, er pore Hank’ll go over ther range, “ Come, we'll errigate ag’in, an’ then snooze!” In ten minutes after this arrangement had been made the ‘‘citz” were all fast asleep. CHAPTER IX. CALCULATING CHANCES, GRASPING the bottle from his pocket, as the Apaches disappeared, the ‘ Tarantula” drank a odly portion of the contents, congratulatiag mself that good luck still hovered in bis near ies He then jerked a pone of corn-bread and a ehunk of von that he had thrust in his poet while in Marm Holbrook’s kitchen, and ee devouring it like a ravenous beast, it ng the first food that he had eaten in four days, a fact which, in itself, had tended not a little toward demoralizing his mind, and tortur- ing him with visions of the most horrible de- scription. _ The “ Tarantula” knew every trail within the boundaries of Arizona, New Mexico.and Colo- _ rado quite as well as did George the Giant, and he was also posted in the manners and customs of the Indian tribes, being, in addition, well- acquainted with every detail of border life. The secrats of trailing and “covering” a trail, or avoiding the leaving of ‘ sign,” had been a ne- cessity to him for yearsin his vagabond pilgrim- age in quest of ‘soft scraps,” the ‘‘ducats” of the ‘‘ fresh” or “ tenderfoot,” whom he could “bamboozle” into purchasing ‘‘ salted” claims, or claims, the glittering outcroppings of which contained not a fraction of the precious metal. This knowledge of the country and of Indian character was not brought to the front, he reasoning, and with good ground, that the Apaches would “ lay low,” secreting them-<elves during the day, and the coming night dash down like the wind on the range, on amid the foot-hills on the west side, until near a point where their reasonings would cause them to conclude that the whites would encamp. This done, they would proceed with the utmost cau- tion, pouncing upon their prey in the early morning hours, when the sleep of man is the deepest, most deathlike, This having been well pondered upon, the ‘Tarantula of Taos” decided that he must de- lay no longer, or he would be ‘‘ scooped in” on his way down the range by the Apaches. He was positive that if he struck out east into the open plain, and proceeded thence south, the Indians. if they discovered him, as they doubtless woulc do, woul not jeopardize themselves by a chase after him, thus running the risk of being them- selves discovered by some of the “citz” of Sardine-box City. His programme having been thus settled, he proceeded at once to carry out his plans; his horse having had a long rest at the gulch, and also good feed, and being now fresh, and equal to hard service for some time to come, The animal was bridled quickly, the lariat coiled and attached to the saddle-horn, and then the ‘‘ Tarantula ” mounted, with surprising ac- tivity, clasping the demijohbn in one arm as af- fectionately as a mother would a babe; the con- tents of the bottle having, to the vision of the wanderer, tinted the rough range and arid plain, the cacti, cedars, and bowlders with couleur du rose, and transformed him from a terrified, weak and trembling wretch, to a regular “ come and buck ag’in’ me” desperado, with a strong “hankerin’ for bleed,” providing he had a show to “scoop things without losin’ ha’r,” But, as he was about to urge his horse in the direction of the plain, an idea seemed to strike him, which changed his plan, and caused his face to contort into a most comical expression, while his lips drew up together from all points; forming a puckered-up circle, from which is- sued a low, peculiar whistle. Then his tall, gaunt frame shook with suppressed laughter, and a cunning leer came into his blood-shot eyes. He sprung from his saddle to the ground returned his horse to the thicket, then stalked to a patch of prickly-pear within the densest portion of which he sec eted the demijohn, as if e feared it might take wings and fly away. Returning to it, with a happy second thought, he indulged in ona more Jong drink, at which he felt greatly relieved; for he had not until then sampled its contents, and for aught he knew it might contain ‘ some sich slush es wine, without vim enough in it ter make a cotton- tailed rabbit gi’n a extry jump.” He feared also that some one might pass near, and hearing his horse, proceed to examine the “sion.” and thus discover what was more pre- cious to bim than gold or diamonds. But, leave it he must. However, he again proceeded toward the range, at the foot of which he placed his treasure in a more secure hiding-place. He then clambered up the mountain-side, whica at this point was almost covered with cedars, loose bowlders, crevices, and gaping rents. For a mile, the ‘‘ Tarantula” proceeded cau- tiously, keeping himself screened from below, to a point where he knew there was a rough- walled gorge. This, he believed, the Apaches would select as their hiding-place during the ay. As the mouth of this gorge was reached, the face of the ‘‘ Tarantula” lighted up with satis. “
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4 faction; for, far below his position, was the savage horde, now engaged in devouring the carcass of a horse which they had killed, Their mustangs were staked in the bed of the gorge, near its head; while fully two-score of Indians, hideous, half-naked squaws, with six paint- daubed braves, were tearing the blood-dripping meat like half-staryed wolves—a hellish scene, and one which the “Tarantula” resolved to slightly change. For a moment the “ Tarantula” viewed the scene below, aud made his ca]culations as to the position of certain huge rocks which, if hurled down, would crush and maim such of the red hags and braves as would come in contact with it. These were at points where it was impossible for the Indians to observe him, either before or after his proposed plan of warfare. He soon gained the position he most desired. There he selected two bowlders, beneath the in- * ner side of which he could thrust bis lever. Quick! y the ‘*‘ Tarantula” peered through the foliage of the trees, as by a herculean effort he sent the first of the rocks thundering down the side of the gulch. On it went, bounding and whirling from shelf to shelf, crushing pines and cedars as if they were but waving grass. Then he saw the terrified Apaches spring from their crouching attitudes on the ground, and, be- wildered and demoralized, rush in a horrified mob from the base of the gulch toward the op- posite side, knocking each other down in their mad flight. But all in vain. The huge rock shot down- ward with electric velocity, and whirled over the bed of the gulch, crushing two of the squaws beneath its merciless adamantine sides, and maiming, or badly ites, three others, Only for a moment, then the ‘ Tarantula” sprung some feet from where he stood to an- other huge rock, and while the gulch rung with yells of agony and howls for the dead, another rock went crashing lightning-like down the gulch side, striking sparks of fire as it ground against the iron-permeated granite; but do- ing no injury this time to the forewarned Apaches, ithout an instant’s delay the ‘“‘ Tarantula” rung into his saddle, and urged bis horse from the foot-hills to the open plain and then south- ward toward the pass, satisfied that the snake- like = of the Apache sentinel were not fixed upon him. Giving his beast the spur, the animal, with its long neck outstretched, flying over the prairie like the wind, in a far-reaching gallop, while the rider yelled in his characteristic boasting manner: ** Whoop-er-e-e-e! Ker-whoop! I’m ther Boss o’ ther Bowlders! I’m ther ’Pache-smasher 0’ Arizone! I’m chuck-full_o’ p’ison, an’ on ther war-path, Ker-whoop! ho! Gaze et my be-yutiful pictur’, an’ run yer peepers down ther hull len’th o’ my natermy. ‘“‘D’m ther Terrantaler o’ Taos, an’ never lost a leg! Jist listen ter ther ding-dong 0’ my iron heart. I runs ther Migrate Serloon fer my own pertickler ’ecommerdashe. I doesn’t keep no chalk, an’ I doesn’t keer fer duckets. _ “fm a free an’ airy frontier terror, an’ a Arizona Giant George. 17 border hero, fu’st class! I see stars on ther ti top peaks, ’bove ther flip-flop o’ a buzzard’s wing, an’ yer kin hear ther ding-dong o' my bestest bleed mersheen from ther foot-hills, with- out strainin’ yer years ter listen. “T kin turn a cyclone inter a balmy zephyr, by whistlin’ ag’in’ bit; an’ my breath nir p’ison, When I Jays myself out ter errigate at a water- hole er a river, ther catfish goes flip-flop ter one’t, fer I leaves them high an’ dry, ‘*T skins ’Pache heads, an’ starts stiff-yards by contract. I’m a bad citlzen. [I'ma ‘notcher,’ (one who takes human life for the sole object of aining reputation as a desperado), a ‘rastler,’ i. who steals cattle on the American side of the Rio Grande, runs them into Mexico, sells them, and then loads himself with Mexican plunder on the return trip), an’ when I gits low in duckets, I runs with ‘dinglers,’ (stage-rob- bers, or road-agents) . “Tm a roarin’ rager on honest biz, on ther war-path, an’ b’ilin’ over wi’ whisk’ an’ pure prussic acid hyderphobic indig’! ‘* Whoop-er-e-e-e! Ker-whoop! Stan’ from under, ’Paches, when you smells my breathe! Whoop-er-up! Ker-whoop!” CHAPTER X. THE SHERIFF'S PRESCRIPTION. An idea of the proposed proceedings in re- gard to giving poor Hank a free exhibition of horrible scenes, with the hope thereby of pre- venting the thirsty landlord of the ‘* Nugget’ from further reckless indulgence in intoxicants, to the extent of plunging bim into the terrible condition of mania, which had on previous occa- sions caused much trouble and tribulation, be- sides bringing him to death’s door, was now fully understood and indorsed by the ‘ citz,” The measure proposed might be a severe one, nevertheless, it seemed the only way open to save poor Hank from excruciating agony, and perbaps death, A committee of arrangments was chosen with Tom at their head, who proceeded down the street toward the “ Nugget,” the sheriff remark- ing: “Yer see, boyees, ther thing hev gut ter be did; fer this hyer urg eu’dn’t be run wo'th shucks without Hank an’ Marm Holbrook. Hit wouldn’t be nat’ral tall byer without’em, Ef Hank sh’u’d git on another hefty cyclone jam- boree, an’ git jim-jams, jumpin’ inter ther can- yon, or skutin’ ‘over ther range’ some sich on- nat’ral way, Marm Holbrook ’u’d go bilin’ roun’ plum’ lunified, She’d be one o’ ther most howlin’est'wildest widders yor ever see’d; though a does sling prussic acid lingo at him so dang’d often, “Hit wd purty soon bu’st up ther ‘ Nugget,’ our ole stan’-by, an’ she’d skute Texas-way, es she’s allers threatenin’. Ef she sh’u’d, I’m opin- in’ thet ther ‘Angel’ would levant with her; fer I’ve hearn Marm Holbrook, givin’ Ler ahea o’ treacle talk bout Texas, sayin’ she’d git we! an’ stromg, down Antone-way. ‘Sides thet, she’s urgin’ Giant George ter | git a persish other side ther Staked Plains, es Gov’ment scout ag’in’ ther cussed Curmanches, “This air serious biz, when yer comes to walk ’roun’ hit, an’ ’zamine ther p’ints clean through,
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is™, Arizona Giant George. Of course they c’u’dn’t take ther ‘Blow-up’ ‘long wi’ them; but I sw’ar I ain’t sich a or- mighty mean human es ter sot. my whole mind nnin’ dust, or scratchin’ gravel arter ‘ pockets,’ wants some fun sandwiched wi’ mine; an’ hit’s more’n half o’ life ter hev a show ter ’so- ciate wi’ folkses what yer knows air simon-pure solid an’ squar’ humans, what hes bin through hellishness wi’ yer, an’ yer knows they'll do ter tie to, “ Thet’s my opine, gi’n right out on the open rrarer, or on ther peaks, I asserwates we- uns can’t glide ‘long smooth ef we loses Hank; an’ we'll be all broke up ef Marm Holbrook skins out, an’ ther ‘Angel’ glides along wi’ her, Thet)ll tar Giant George away from Arizone, dead sure an’ sartain. “ Hank’s gut ter be saved, ef we-uns hes ter tie him ona mustang, stompede ther anermile an’ shake ther ‘fects o’ whisk’ outen ther good- natur’d leetle cuss, “Hold on, boyees! Dang’d ef I ain’t afeard we’uns air too late, Thar’s somethin’ wrong, fer ther ‘ Nugget’ air shet up tight es a sprung Diar-trap. Glide easy, an’ we'll *vestergate things. I’m es narvous esa ole maid on her fu’st trip inter a menadgery.” s the words of the sheriff implied, he and his followers had reached the ** Nugget,” when he perceived that the hotel was closed; as the reader knows, this was the work of the ‘‘ Taran- tula of Taos.” All the “‘ citz” who were not chosen to accom- pany und assist Tom, were advised to‘ sei low” up-town, as they might interfere with the pro- posed arrangements, With panther-like steps the committee ap- roached the ‘ Nugget,” all listening intently; ut no sound reached their ears, Tom tried the front door with great caution, but it was barred, and all proceeded to the rear, A loneliness very impressive to the “‘ citz,” pre- vailed in and about Marm Holbrook’s head- quarters—the kitchen of the ** Nugget.” Much to the sheriff’s joy and relief the outer rear door opened as he raised the latch; and he stepped upon the threshold, glancing quickly to- ward the door that opened into thebar. But all was darkness, and he could not see whether the bar was opened or closed. Whispering some directions to his compan- ions, who at once started to comply with them, the sheriff now entered the kitchen, struck a match, and lighted acandle, ‘Then he advanced cautiously to the door, and opened it into the bar, satisfied, from the sounds, that Hank was in a sleep so deep that he would not be easily awakened, Tom was not in the least surprised to find the landlord stretched upon the floor. A glass and decanter upon the slab indicated that Hank bad been indulging in his favorite bev:rage, and had fallen asleep, A low hiss from the kitchen soon drew his at- tention, and he repaired to the culinary apart- ment instanter. Two of his fellow-conspirators were there, each having a box, and one with a ball of fine black linen twine. A large box by the door was opened, and tur- tles, frogs, and many-colored lizards were « quickly secured to pieces of this fine cord, these being made fast with small tacks to the bar, as well as to the wall on every side, Then another box was opened, and snakes of various hues and sizes were drawn forth, ons by one, an incision with a pen-knife being made in the skin of each of the squirmers, through which they also were secured and placed among the other reptiles. A long portion of the string was then stretched from the outer kitchen door around the side of the building, to and through the front door, This was then opened and the line was carried through into the kitchen, the ends being tied to- gether, thus making a circle of string to which, at intervals of twelve feet, huge rattlesnakes were fastened by shorter strings, allowing the reptiles full play. These arrangements having been made, two barrels were placed side by side, their heads up, near the door which gave entrance to the kitchen—the purpose of which will presently be made known—and two boards removed from the floor of the ‘* bestest room,” at some distance apart, Ove of the men now appeared with the stuffed wolf-skin, which was placed just inside the front door and secured in a uatural position, where it would not interfere with the working of the proposed ‘rattlesnake circus.”, All the ‘‘citz” were then summoned, and removing their shoes, crept up the stairs, laying their hands in two rows upon the floor at the vacant spaces where the boards had been re- moved. Their faces were covered with black masks, which they had gotten up in obedience to the orders of the sheriff, when they agreed to see the show through. Don Diablo, the burro of Giant George, was then led to the Nugget, presenting such a horrid appearance that his master would never have recognized his faithful brute pard. The huge ears of the animal were enveloped in red flannel, strips of the same being also fas- tened around the body of the donkey, while its legs and tail were profusely decorated with tur- key and buzzard-feathers. The buge horns of a mountain goat were made fast to its head, while the ‘‘mop” of a buffalo-bull, cut in sections, furnished hair to hang from forehead, under- jaw and fore legs, Nor was this all. A huge pair of eagle-wings were tied. ope upon each shoulder of Don Diablo, and, being held in an outstretched position, gave the beast a most fearful appearance. The men who had thus disguised the burro actually shrunk away after standing it upon the two barrels, its hind feet upon one and the fore feet upen the other, facing the bar, it was such an unearthly nondescript. The eyes of Don Diablo, aroused by this treat- ment from his usual disinterestedness in mun- dane matters, shone in the cand'e-light from behind the drooping mop of bair. There were two sets of decanter shelves behind the bar, with a space three feet wide between, where Hank had intended to place a mirror when he could get one from Gold Gulch, After the arrangements of Tom Jones, as detailed, had been perfected, the latter carefully blindfolded the slumbering landlord and then with the assist- ance of two of the “citz,” lifted him carefully,
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Arizona Giant George. placing him ina seated position in the cavity mentioned, between the two sets of shelves, leaning him against the slabs on either side, This done, they all retreated with hasty but quiet steps, no sound being beard except the writhing and hissing of snakes, the drogging of turtles along theslabs and an occasional flopping of the ears of Don Diablo, The scene in the bar of the Nugget was not merely strange, but horrible. Tom Jones then passed toa point at the side of the Nugget, directly in the rear of poor Hank, on the outside of the building, and, jerking his revolver, fired six shots in rapid succession. He then sprung back into the kitchen, and stood to watch the effect upon the landlord, The form of Hank twitched at the first shot, at the second he squirmed, and as the reports continued he snorted like a frightened horse, throwing up bis arms and trying to tear the handkerchief from his eyes. At length he suc- ceeded, For a moment he sat in a dazed state, his underjaw hanging lax, his bead-like eyes sweep- ing his dread surroundings; then, as if he could not believe that he saw aright, he began rubbing his eyes vigorously with his fists, Again he gazed around, sweeping every corner of the room, until at last the hideously-disguised figure of Don Diablo met his view. Then Hank’s red face became of a ghastly hue, his eyes bulged from their sockets, his breath came and went in | gasps, his form trembled from head to foot— then, with a y boride J shriek of fear and horror, that seemed drawn from the wretched man’s in- most soul, he sunk backward limp and senseless into his former position, CHAPTER XT. HANK IS HIMSELF AGAIN. Axpout the same time that Tom Jones and the ‘citz” were approaching the Nugget Hotel on their way to get up a dramatic representation of the interesting state known as ‘‘ jim-jams,” a dozen Apache braves were galloping down the big canyon from the direction of Dead Man’s Gulch, on their way to Sardine-box City. This small party of warriors had bean met by the squaw who had been sent for help by the survivors of the war-party, which had met with disaster and death at the hands of the scouts and ‘citz.” Rendered furious by the news, they had at once beaded for the mining-town to seek revenge and scalps; calling upon both the Good and Bad Spirits of their traditions to favor them in avenging the death of their chief, El Orso, and bis braves, But few in number though they were, they decided upon a skulking warfare, their object being to lurk around the town, screened by bowlders and thickets, and to capture any stragglers who might come near their coverts during the night-time, or to sneak in and fire the shanties, pouring a volley of bullets and ar- rows into the whites as the latter rushed into the streets, and then gallop off toa place of safety. On dastied these red avengers, paint-daubed and feather-bedizened, their black eyes glitter- ing with a thirst for blood, their quirts bissing 19 through the air and cracking about the hams of their half-wild, snorting, and foam-flecked mus~ tangs, So infuriated were the Apaches from having seen the big heap of ashes—a)l that now remain- ed of the greater part of the war-party of El Orso and the lodges and equipments—so insanely eager for revenge, that they repudiated their usual caution, desperate fury being manifested by manner and look and act, However, when they halted beneath the mes- quite and saw the two rows of shanties plainly revealed in the moonlight, they all sprung to the round and quickly secreted their animals in a ense thicket, in the middle of which was asmall grass-covered ‘ open,” This done, two braves being left in charge of the horses, the remaining ten skulked back to the mesquite, and all climbed upon the bowlder, where, screened from view by the branches, they shot piercing glances up the street of the burg, they being to the south of Sardine-box City, and but a rifle-shot in distance from the first shanty. Not a word was spoken, By signs they com- municated with each other, these being made in a quick and impatient manner, they being great- ly puzzled meanwhile, for not a human being was to be seen in the town, The two bars on the opposite side of the street from the “ Nugget” had been closed at a few minutes after sunset, for the proprietors knew what was on the tapis with Tom Jones and the * citz,” and es they had kept open all the pre- vious night, they were glad to retire at once, Still more to surprise and puzzle the Apaches, they heard the six reports of the sheriff’s revol- ver, fired in quick succession, and yet no buman form met their gaze, no other sound broke on their ears. The pistol-shots were a mystery, for the In- dians well knew by the sounds that omy one man had been engaged in the shooting, he fir- ing the weapon until the chambers were all empty. owever, notwithstanding these reports of a firearm, and the mysterious silence that follow- ed; notwithstanding the seeming desertion of the town, the Apache chief sprung from the bowlder with a silent signal of the hand, and strode toward the town, followed by bis braves in single file, each clutching bis weapons, On they went until at the border of the thicket, the last cover they could take advan- — tage of. Then they halted; but as no light was to be seen in the town, except a somewhat dim illumination among the shadows opposite the largest shanty in the burg, which was but a few yards distant from them, the bideous braves, led by their chief, all half-bent, their muscles strained for a panther-hke bound, and with their eyes glaring and darting glances in every direction, they stole up the street within the shadows of the eastern line of the buildings. They could hear nothing, save the squirming and thrashing of the snakes in the bar; as the reptiles, tortured by the strings that were drawn through their punctured skin, writhed in rage andagony. This noise was, to the In- dians, inexplicable. But, in a moment more, a piercing shriek IG
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ore ™ oe Sa ee Lk A a Tae 20 Arizona Giant George. from the interior caused every Apache tospring backward, and around the south corner of the “Nugget;” their amazement increased from the fact that no other sounds succeeded it, Without a sound, the leaders mapee through the doorway of the Nugget Hotel, just as Tom Jones, who was peeping through a knot-hole in the partition, had made up his mind to pour some whisky down Hank Holbrook’s throat, which, as the sheriff reasoned, would ‘“ foteh him back to Arizone;” in other words, enable the wretched man to recover his senses, With one frantic bound, the Indians landed upon some of the squirming snakes, their heads flying up, and then falling flat upon their backs; while the braves in their rear, being forced over them, fell writhing among the serpents, as howls of superstitious horror and dread terror rung from their throats, The bar-room of the ‘‘ Nugget”. had presented a most strange, and by no means attractive scene, previous to the advent of the Apaches; but it was little more than a ‘‘ Punch and Jud racket” in comparison with with what followed, when the Indians made the dash inside, Those who did not fall, kept their feet with difficulty, amid the twisting and wriggling forms of their fellow-braves, for a moment only; for they were bereft of all judg nent, and completely dazed with the superstitious terror that seized them. And no less was the intense amazement of the “citz” whose heads were thrust through the floor above; their masked faces being perceived by some of the Apaches, who were by this sight doubly appalled. The maskers themselves were so astonished as was also Tom Jones, that they were incapable of motion, much less of action, This state of affairs lasted but a moment, however; for sudden transformations, and most awful sounds occurred, close following each other and commingling. First, the loud yells of the sheriff rang above the will commotion, as the Apaches on the floor freed themselves from each other, and sprang to their feet with horrible howls, Then the *citz” simultaneously gave a most terrific it aaa and revolvers began to crack on every side, , The warriors bounded through the door, so eager were they to escape the mysterious and unaccountable horrors, But, in their haste they impeded each other’s flight, being jammed with great force against the sides of the entrance, while some fell headlong into the street to be trampled on by those that followed, The whoop of the “‘ citz,” and the revolver- shots brought Hank Holbrook “back ter Ari- zone,” as Tom Jones afterward expressed it, ‘jist in time ter git in some hefty biz in ther liveliest kinder combernashe circus an’ meenad- gery ever started as a free show.” ank at once sprung to a standing posture on the shelf, Then, with a terrific yell, he sprung upon the bar, the very picture of agonized ter- ror, gathering his feeble strength for a spring to the floor, and from thence out into the street, that he might escape the hideous specters. But Don Diablo, having probably come to the conclusion that he had had about enough non- sense, and would be imposed upon no longer; a or, it may have been, recognizing by sight and smell bis old enemies, the Apaches, darted from bis position on the barrels to the middle of the floor, just at the moment that Hank made his leap for liberty, The landlord came down, in a spread-eagle style, astride of the burro, clasp- ing the neck of the animal in a vise-like grip; probably somewhat more horrified at discover- ing that what he had believed to be nothing more than a horrible production of imagination was a real, living, unclassed specimen of natural history, to which he was forced to cling, or other- wise roll among more repulsive horrors, in the form of the snakes upon the floor, Out through the door, into the moonlit street, shot Don Diablo in his horrid *‘ make-up,” with poor Hank upon his back; the short hair on the back and sides of the landlord’s head standing out “like quills upon the fretful por- a he advent of the equestrian portion of this lively circus, Hank and the burro, was close on the heels of the Apaches, and as the latter, with howls of dread bounded down the street, gazing in terror over their sboulders, and with bated breath, Don Diablo pointed after them in hot pursuit, as if he had suddenly sifted the whole business, and had concluded that he had a right to have his share of the fun in his own way, as it seemed to be all on the “‘ free lunch” sys- tem. But the Apaches had not gone more than twenty yards from the ‘ Nugget,” the blaze of the now burning shanties revealing even the smallest article on their persons, when, like the rush of a ‘‘norther” around the corner, bounded the masked ‘citz,” Tom Jones in the lead, all yelling like fiends, and with revol- vers in hand, full-cocked and ready for business. Never, perhaps, did human beings run faster than did both the whites and reds; and soon the revolvers of the former began to crack spite- fully; as any one of them could send a ball among the flying Indians without endangering Hank. But Don Diablo knew the ground better than did the Apaches; and, as he had been to the bowlder a thousand times, be made a short cut, thus leaving the ‘ citz” clear ground. In desperate bounds, the savages shot over clumps of cacti, between rocks and around the thorny thickets, their death-howls sounding as they fled, The two braves who had been left with the horses, hearing the tumult, led the animals to the bed of the canyon; but only five of the ten who had gone into the town dashed down the trailand they closely followed by the “ citz.” Of these five, but two reached the canyon-bed alive, and they sprung upon their horses, only to be shot from the affrighted creatures, as were also the two guards—not one of El Orso’s war-party’s avengers being left alive, The sheriff and the now jubilant “ citz” soon regained the level ground, where to their fur- ther surprise they discovered Hank, seemingly recovered from his fright, and seated on Don Diablo, looking as natural as possible, Tom Jones,” he yelled, ‘‘ what in thundera- tion’s this ye’re givin’? me? What’s bu’sted? Hev I bin ersleep like ole Rip Winkle, an’ hes yer turned ther ‘ Nugget’ inter a museum? \
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Arizona Giant George. “Can't I take a see-estar without ther danged ’Paches runnin’inter the burg an’ sottin’ ther shanties erfire? I say, whar’s ther ‘ Angel’ an’ my ole’oman? Hes thar bin another blow-up? Air la man, era mule? Dog-gone my skin ef 1 ain't mixed up permise’us-like!” The ** citz” roared with laughter as Hank rat- tled this off in a wheezy voice, and they bore the poor fellow back to the ‘ Nugget.” Then all made a night of it, after releasing the turtle and frogs. CHAPTER XII. A NEW PARD. Tue second night after the departure of Giant George and Arizona Jack with the two Mexican ladies frown Sardine-box City they were encamp- ed in a gorge of the range, somewhat like that in which the *‘ Tarantula of Taos” had passed his time after arriving from the burg, But thirty miles have our friends traveled down the range on account of the fatigue of the ladies, and upon reaching a point ten miles be- low, their intention was to strike out from the range, over the open plain, in a westerly direc- tion toward Tucson, encamping the following night at a water-hole within aday’s travel of their destination. All had partaken of the evening meal, and Giant George and his pard, seated upon frag- ments of rock, were enjoying a smoke. The ladies, mother and daughter, were a beautiful pair, and seemed strangely out of place in this wild gorge, with nothing but jagged rock, and spur, and peak around and above them, Graceful as those of a prairie fawn are the willowy movements of Marietta Refugio, her lustrous eyes casting fond glances into her mother’s face, and at times gazing with grati- tude toward the scouts, Both the ladies were naturally filled with thoughts of their home; their conversation, which want of space prevents our recording, being in regard to the loved husband and father in Tucson, who had organized a party of his friends to follow the trail of the the merciless Apaches who had stolen his child, Marietta, from bis extensive ranch at Santa Rita, near Tucson. Mother and daughter are confident that Don Refugio has long since returned from his fruit- less search, and is now suffering a double an- guish and grief in regard to the loss of both wife and daughter “*T doesn’t feel ’zactly nat’ral,” said Giant George, knocking the ashes from his corn-cob pipe against the sole of bis boot, and addressing Jack, who was smoking placidly; ‘‘ somehow er *nother; I’m pestered with a suspish’ thet things ain't goin’ squar’ et ther burg. , Thar’s bin sich a heft o’ hellishness shoved onter Sardine-box since she war located, thet hit doesn’t seem es though she c’u’d glide easy-like hereafter. “Ef ther ‘Angel’ warn’t goin’ ter take ther hearse fer Gold Gulch, I sh’u’d be more worrit- ted; though hit ain’t a dead sure thing thot she’d git thar, right side up wi’ care. There’s so many hellyuns in Arizone, red, white, an’ yaller, thet yer doesn’t know when or whar some on 7em. won't jump ha “Sides thet, ’'m worritted es ’gards Hank, 21 fer he war chuck-full o’ p’ison, an’ he'll git a hull meenadgery in his butes, ef he kep’ on pourin down bug-juice arter we’uns glided down range.” ‘*{ don’t apprehend any danger between the burg and Gold Gulch, Pard George,” returned Jack, confidently, ‘‘ But I agree with you that life in Sardine-box is uncertain, Sudden and unexpected calamities have been the order of the day, almost every week since the burg was ‘slapped up’ judging from what you bave told me, and my own experiences since I have been there, ** However, everything now points to a pros- perous future, with peace and quiet, for the lead’ Jaid open by the explosion is, without doubt, the grand bonanza of Arizona, and will cause a rush from up-country. “As to Hank, poor fellow, whisky bas gota tight grip on him, and I really don’t jbelieve he can weather another ‘jim-jam circus.’ I’m sorry for Marm Holbrook, and I'm sorry for Hank, too, He’s a whole-souled little man, and they’re a well-matched pair. * But, George, look at Marietta; what a pic- ture of grace and beauty she is, and how differ- ent her mother appears from what she was when we first saw her at Dead Man’s Gulch—tattered, torn, scratched, and mad as was Hank, when suffering from mania! That pia Fi ig Juanita the Wild, given ber by the people of Tucson, af- ter grief at the abduction of her daughter had driven her insane, was but too fitting. ‘*Tt makes one’s blood run cold to think what her fate might have been, bad not Lena Rey- nolds also been captured, and we started out her rescue, Verily, she can say, with Dante, that she has passed through Hades,” “*T doesn’t know Danty, an’ never heerd o° Haydees,” returned the giant scout; ‘‘ I reckon hit ain’t located in Arizone, But I kin take aafferdavy thet Marietta bevy bed a ormigh hefty ’mount o’ condemned cussedness, wi’ mighty little comfort mixed in o’ late.” Jack lay back, and laughed heartily, “George,” he said, presently; ‘‘ Hades means the sulpburous ‘ locate,’ bossed by the black gentleman who is said to be ornamented with a tail, and who bas hoofs like a buffalo-bull, I think it would be an appropriate ‘cog’ for Sar- dine-box City about now, if Marm Holbrook was not within its confines; for the ‘ Angel of the Range’ has gone, and we have with us—” Jack was here interrupted by the sound ofa prolonged yell, which came from the western side of the range, and on the trail that they had so recently traveled. The two scouts sprung to their feet, as though they had received a shock from a powerful elec- tric battery. : r For a moment all stood as if petrified, their gaze fixed down the gulch, and all their senses strained, when again the wild yell broke upon the air, echoing and re-echoing from crag to crag. Git, senora an’ senorita! Git ahindt ther rocks, Jack, snatch yer long shuter an’ pint fer ther same locate, ter take keer o' ther wee- min. Tl hold ther camp and ther critters, Hit’s a white human that’s shutin’ off his extry wind, an’ thar may be a bull batch 0’ crooked
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cusses. What in thunderation hev brung’d them inter this hyer locate? Ill fill ther guleb wi’ stiffs ef they buck ag’in’ us.” George rattled these wo ds off in a rapid man- ner: rage, determination and reckless daring in his face and voice. Meanwhile the ladies, in bs Capes obeyed his orders, Not so Arizona ack, Grasping his ‘“‘ Winchester” the latter ad- vanced to the side of the giant scout, jerking the lever of his rifle and throwing a cartridge from the magazine at the same time, as did his huge ard. The latter made no protest against Jack’s aving repudiated his directions, Thus they waited events. The lower portion of the gulch was free from grass and covered with gravelly wash, and soon the sound of a horse galloping up the same was pay heard, The listeners knew at once that ut a single rider was approaching, and this caused them to feel somewhat relieved in regard to the ladies, Then, as if the lone horseman’ knew that he was nearing those who might shoot him at any instant, he yelled out ere he came in sight: “Whoop-er-e-e! Ker-whoop! I’m a-comin’ ona cyclone rush! I’m ther Terrantaler o’ Taos what never lost a leg. O-o-o-oh, yes! Giant George, I’m on yer trail chuck-full o’ stud-hoss biz an’infermashe! Drap yer shooter an’ don’t git hyderphobic!” The giant, dumfounded at the audacity of one whom he well knew to be crooked, and who had cause to fear him, stood glaring at the cedars which screened the new-comer from view but a moment. Then, in wild bounds, snorting with pain and fury, as the cruel spurs tore his flanks, the horse broke from the thicket and was brought to a halt, just opposite the two scouts, “ Whoop-er-e-e! Ker-whoop! Hyer I bees, boyees, steady by jarks. Right -side up, like a blue streak, no matter how I strike dirt. Gaze et my allerbaster brow an’ ’Pollo-like ’natermy, two skips an’ ruminate whether yer recog’s me! ‘I’m ther Terrantaler o’ Taos, an’, Giant George, yer hes allers tuck me fer a bad cit, ’coz I'ma migratin’ meanderer floatin’ round per- mise’us-like an’ sp’iles a power o’ p’ison, oOw- someyer, I’m hyer ter g’in yer opine o’ me a fli flop, fer Pve rid, hot an’ heavy, ter save yer ha’r an’ ther cast-steel weemin, “ George, ther dang’d ’Paches air comin’ down range on ther whoop-cr-e-e, an’ thar’s bleed an’ tortur’ in ther evenin’ atmosphear, Ther squaws o’ El Orso’s war-party an’ a sprinklin’ o’ bucks air comin’ in jist a bummin’, but we’uns kin salerwate ’em wi’ ther help o’ bug-juice ter keep up vim,” ; Having thus delivered himself, to the utter astonishment of his hearers, the Tarantula threw one of his long legs over his horse’s head, and slid from his saddle. Arizona Jack stared first atthe vagabond bor- derer and then at Giant George ina questioning manner, as if he doubted the statements of the stranger. ““ Whar’d yer diskiver ther ’Paches, an’ how'd yer know anythin’ bout El Orso’s war-party?” azked George quickly, The “ Tarantula” then proceeded to slip the Arizona Giant George. bridle from his horse, to allow the animal to feed, seeming utterly indifferent to his present surroundings and coming events; hesitating to answer George’s questions, in order that he might have time to concoct a tale that would be plausible, and yet not reveal his complicity in the ‘‘crookedness” that had prevailed in Sar- dine-box City. Arizona Jack took advantage of this hesitation and put some additional questions to the bum- mer, ** And how did you know that we had ladies with us, and that we had come down the range?” ‘“‘T Parned "bout yer fight an’ bout ther wee- min, from oe that 1 see’d. tween Sardine- box an’ Gold Guleh, when I war meanderin’ down range; an’ I war takin’ a see-ester on ther tip-top peaks, ’bove ther flip-flop o’ a buzzard’s wing, an’ ther scratchin’ o’ a griz’ b’ar, on ther bowlders below, woked me up et sun-up. I carved ther griz’, an’ hed my breakfus’ offen his carkiss, and then gazed ’roun’ my locate, * Fu’st off, I foun’ 1.war’bove Sardine-box City, an’ I see’d yer start down-range. Then I see’d ther skulkin’ Paches war watcbin’ yer, an’ war eager fer ha’r an’ bleed, I know’d they’d skupe yer an’ I concluded ter scoot in, an’ gi’n yer ther hull biz; but I war dry, so 1 struck down-range, an’ p’inted fer ther ‘ Nugget’ arter whisk’, Thar I see’d ther hearse Sees off wi? ther ’oman yer call ther ‘ Angel,’ an’ Marm Hol- brook, When I ’roved in ther burg, thar warn’t no ‘ citz’ ter be see’d, an’ Hank war drunk, [ tole him ’bout ther ’Paches, s’plied myself wi? this hyer John-demmy, an’ then skuted, **Reckon Hank’s gut jim-jams by this, ‘“*When I struck down-range, I see’d ther *Paches on yer trail, but they laid low in ther gulch an’ camped, I sent some big bowlders down inter ther gulch, an’ sp’iled some on ’em, Then I dusted. But arter I gut ter ther pass, I see’d ’em comin’ a-bilin’, an’ they’ll be hyer afore soon. Now yer gut ther bull p’ogramme from ther Terrantaler, an’ hit’s squar’, eet lingo. I’m hyer ter help ter bos ther hellyuns—” ‘‘ Hold up!” interrupted. Giant George. ‘Ther condemned scum air comin’, an’ we-uns air ina tight box. “Git ther weemins up ther rocks, Jack, lively! Terrantaler, show now thet ye’re squar’ an’ white. Lead ther nags up ter ther head o’ ther gulch, abint ther loose bowlders, Dang my skin ef this hain’t bilious, on count o’ ther kaliker. Ther dang’d squaws air wuss’n bucks, when they gits thar Rydenchobte up!” Jack now ysushed to the affrighted ladies, and assisted them up the rough wall of the gorge. The “ Tarantula” worked lively, leading the horses as directed, behind the bowlders, while Giant George sprang further down the gulch to listen, A moment, he bent his ear to the west. That was sufficient. The thundering tramp of a large number of galloping horses was now plainly heard. Then the scout knew that the “‘ Tarantula ” had spoken true, The hideous Apache hags, and murder-mad braves were coming, eager for revenge; for eat and scalps, and victims for the tortures stake
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Arizona Giant George. - 288 CHAPTER XIII. AGAINST DESPERATE ODDS. THE giant Arizonian sprung upright, his eyes blazing with fury, bis teeth clinched, and bis hands clutched in a deathlike grip about his rifle. Then he spoke in soliloquy, in a deep, de- termined tone, that spoke the unbended resolu- tion of the man: ‘Ef ther painted torturers gits ther leetle gal ag’in, they gits her arter ther sculp 0° Giant George hev bin tored from his head, his heart’s bleed hey stained ther rocks, an’ ther Good Spirit hev called him ‘over ther range.’ 1 did't spose ther condemned squaws ’u’d be so p’ison eager; but ef they gits a peep at Juamta an’ Marietta, they’ll fight like panthers ter cap- tur? em. I hates ter war wi’ weemin; but I sw’ar they ain’t weemin—they’re hags o’ hell!” Whirling rapidly around, Giant George dart- ed to the head of the gulch, and came near knocking the ‘‘Tarantula” over, as the latter turned the corner of a huge bowlder, “ Hyer, George,” spoke the border bummer, in a hoarse whisper, “ we'll climb up, fer J reckon yer ain’t goin’ ter lay ’roun’ byer, an’ ‘low ther or’nary scum ter pile onter yer, an’ skin yer head, an’ then skute up arter ther wee- min. ‘*Thet’s whar ye’re right, Terranche? Weuns must glide up ther rocks, Ther savage skunks air on ther crawl, I see thet yer hes ther crit- ters all bunk, an’I thank yer. ‘Sides thet, I spit out right hyer thet ef yer hes ’cided ter turn squar’, an’ run on straight, open trails, as ter-day’s work seems ter p’int, Giant George’ll stan’ by yer, an’ pull ye outen ther bog o’ * crookedness,’ “T allers sot yer down es a white-livered, no- 7eount human, without ‘sand’ enough ter buck ag’in’a cotton-tailed rabbit; an’ I opines 1 hes been mistuck, by yer actions so fur ter-night. Shake, an’ then we'll climb, fer ther ball air *bout ter open, I reckon,-wi’ lively music, Ther weemin must be kep’ from bein’ tuck, ef we-uns goes under tryin’.” *Skute, George! I’m chuck-full o’ bug-juice, an’ hyderphobic griz’-bar indig’, Wait, an’ watch me carve ’Paches, an’ then spit out yer gab ’bout ther Terrantaler.” ‘S-s-s-sh!” came from the lips of the giant scout, and both then stole with caution, up the rough rock-strewn and cedar-dotted wall of the gulch; soon reaching, to their surprise, a little natural fort of crescent shape, there being a curved line of rocks, breast bigh, around it, and over which a view of the gulch below could be obtained. The rear of it was a wall of perpen- dicular rock, at the base of which were two huge bowlders, affording a safe retreat for Juanita and Marietta. There they now crouch- ed, their arms wound about each other, and as pale as death: being filled with the most tortur- ing apprehension, and but little reassured by the words of Arizona Jack. The “Tarantula” threw down his blanket near the wall, while the Arizona pards peered down into the gulch, with anxious, piercing glances. The border bummer crossed the level crescent- shaped space, and then around the huge masses of rock, halting as he saw the Castilian ladies, and tearing his battered sombrero from his head in polite salutation, ‘““Scuse me fer shovin’ my carkiss hyar, ladies,” he said; ‘t but 1’m eager ter tell yer thet I’m a roarin’ rager, an’ kin clean out my weight in wile cats, “T hez see’d yer purty faces, an’ yer wenus- like ’natermies, in ther cyclone-whiz waltzes et Tucson an’ Santa Rita; an’ I hez ‘shook’ wi? Don Refugio more’n one’t. I’m ther Terrantaler o’ Taos, an’ [ "tends ter sp’ile ther knock-kneed, paint-daubed, greasy kiote spawn, an’ go through emes quick es lubricated lightnin’ through a gooseberry bush. ‘* We'll clean ’em out so speedy thet they won't hev time ter gi’n thar death-squeals. [’m a boss border hero, I am! Listen ter ther ding~ dong 0’ my iron heart, an’ gaze at my ’Pollo-like *natermy. I’m mussed up some from slingin’ myself ter warn yer that death an’ tortur’ war in ther evenin’ atmospear; but hit’s ‘ pay dirt? fer you~’uns thet I’m smeared with—I’m gamb- lin’ on thet! * Lay low, an’ carm yerselves; fer yer ain't goin’ ter be tuck, while ther ‘Terranche kin crook a finger, er gripaslasher. Um goin’ ter fight, ontil ther ding-dong o’ my iron heart simmers sha ter ther flip-flop o’ a dyin’ June-bug’s wing. How long the * Tarantula” would have talked it is impossible to say; but he was now recalled to the emergencies of the moment by a hiss from Giant George, and bowing to the ladies, who had been bewildered by his appearance and language, he whirled awkwardly about, strode to the natural breast-works, and squatted on the rocks. He then gripped pistol and knife, saying in a whisper, as he gazed into the faces of the two scouts: “Now, boyees, 1m ready fer ther ’Pache cir- kuss; an’ I’m primed fer pluggin’ red meat. When yer hear my ‘ Whoop-er-ee, Ker-whoop,’ — yer'll hear somethin’ drap close arterwards; an’ drap heavy! I’m runing my sheer o’ this byer fight, on a bug-juice foundashe, **T reckon hit’s ’bout time ter see ther flicker o’ ther sneakin’ kiotes through ther bush. Tha’r’ playin’ ther snake-crawl biz this time, dead sure!” Giant George and Arizona Jack gave but lit- tle attention to the ‘‘ Tarantula.” Their eyes were sweeping the gulch below, from the base of the rock where their steeds were secured, screened from the view of any who might come that way, to the line of bowlders and cedars at the very foot of the adamantine wall. Not long had the watchers to wait, for a hiss from the giant scout signaled the eee of the foe, but a moment after the ‘‘ Tarantula” had ceased speaking; and all saw the heads of six hideous war-painted braves thrust from the low cedar branches, they being te their hands and knees, and their black snake-like eyes glar- ing with exultation. They were evidently con- fident that the whites had rolled themselves in their blankets for the night, and were at their mercy. Onward the red fiends came, still crawling, their long scalping-knives between their white and glittering teeth, their repulsive lips curled away from the same, like those of enraged wild
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beasts. Their rifles they dragged along the ground, and were closely followed by the hide- ous hags with bows and arrows, ready at an in- stant’s warning to be sent on their errand of death, The snort of one of the horses behind the bowlders acted electric-like upon every squaw and- brave. Arrows were fitted to bow-strings with a simultaneous movement, quick as flashes of light, while the braves presented their cocked rifles toward the cedars and bowlders that con- cealed the animals. A moment after they all sprung to their feet, and in a crouching attitude stole across the open space to the cedars and bowlders, within which were the horses of the whites, No sooner were the horses discovered than the Apaches glided stealthily here and there among the cedars; but finding no trace of the whites, they then bent their glances upward, evidently not a little disappointed, and reasoning that their intended victims had heard the tramp of their mustangs, and soughe a favorable position for defense, They argued, from the fact that the horses were equipped for the trail, that beyond all Se ig whites were crouching among the rocks up the cliff at the head of the gulch above them, and watching for an opportuvity to steal down, bound upon their animals, and thus make their escape, The quick waving of the bronzed hands no sooner ceased than all BS along the base of the cliff at the head of the gulch, and up here and there amid the rough rocks, where foothold could be obtained; but not far had they pro- ceeded when three spurts of fire flashed above them all at the same instant, and then a thun- derous report rung down the gulch, echoing amid ¢ and chasms and clefts, followed by the terrible war-whoop and vengeful shrieks of the hags, and the howls of death. Through all of these rung the sharp, spiteful crack of revolvers, the twang of bow-strings and the terrific reports of the overloaded rifles of the surviving braves—three having been shot dead at the first fire of the scouts and the “Tarantula.” And clinging to each other, fear and terror in their eyes, their fair faces as ghastly as death, their forms trembling as though stricken with an ague, their ears tortured by the vocal pandemonium and the sound of fire-arms and twang of bow-strings, crouched the Senora Juanita Refugio and her daughter Marietta amid the rocks and tke dark shadows, while feathered shafts fell with shattered points from the cliffs above and around them. CHAPTER XIV. TRIUMPH OF THE RIGHT. Tue fiery flashes and murderous reports above their heads, together with the fall of some of their number, proved by the death-howls. at first filled the Apache horde with consternation. The report of two rifles and a revolver sounded on the night air, in the rock-walled Gulch, like the volley of a company of infantry. This, and the repeated echoes, for the moment caused the Arizona Giant George. “| Indians to think that a large number of whites were intrenched above. In a very short space of time the three surviv- ing braves sprung, with wild war-whoops, from different points over the rock breastworks, fol- lowed by the screeching squaws, all frantic with murderous fury. George, Jack and the Tarantula bounded backward after firing the remaining shots in their revolvers at the hideous hags, every report being the death-knell of one of their number, Then thrusting pistols in their belts, the three whites jerked their bowies to meet on equal — the three braves who came bounding upon them, With every muscle strained for the life-and- death conflict, the whites, nerved by the thought of the two helpless women behind the towlder, who migbt at any mcment be discovered and eut to pieces by the infuriated hags—the reds, too, filled with a fiendish thirst for revenge— each trio, with eyes shooting glances of hate and fury, sprung upon the other, their knives clashing and throwing out sparks of fire, while the horrible sight chained the squaws to the positions which they occupied when first they caught sight of the interior of the natural fort, A moment only elapsed after the clash of steel when blood spurted from the knife-arms of each brave, causing bowls from the squaws, These sounds warned the whites that they had no time to lose; that the squaws would swarm upon them in a moment, or fill their bodies with arrows—this having been thus far prevented by keeping the warriors between themselves and the furious hags, Realizing the value of time, and that life or death to all depended upon prompt action, Giant George yelled: ‘Carve ther cusses, boyees! Then jump fer ther weemin, behindt ther bowlder, an’ load yer shooters!” “ Ker-whoop, Ker-whoo!” shouted the Taran- tula, as, by one powerful downward stroke, he clove his red opponent from breast to thigh. With a fearful death-yell, the brave sunk to the earth, His last war-whoop bad been sounded. At the same instant, the bowie of the giant scout was plunged to the hilt in the breast of his antagonist; and Arizona Jack, yelling, ‘* Whoop her through, or bu’st,” by a powerful slash to the right, nearly severed the head from the body of the brave he had forced to the very wall of the rocky stronghold, ~ The death of the three braves was almost simul- taneous, and was followed by a fiendish chorus of ‘howls, vengeful whoops and rallying shrieks from the hideous hags who at once poured over the rocky barrier; but the whites sprung quickly behind the bowlder, the Giant calling out: ** Jack, load ther ‘ sixes,’ an’ me an’ Terranch’ll stan’ otf ther condemned squaws each side ther bowlder!” Immediately the giant scout and the ‘Taran- tnla” took up their position, knives in hand, one at each entrance, the huge rock being very high, and baving perpendicular sides, which prevent- ed the squaws from attacking, or from casting themselves down from the top. Jack, with quick movements, began to reload, >
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jerking the revolvers from the belts of his pards for the purpose; at the same time endeavoring to cheer the two despairing women by shouting hopeful words. This was a necessity, as the ne sh kept up_a continuous chorus of mad whoops and sbrieks; being kept from immediate approach to the whites, by George and the “Tarantula” hurling immense stones upon them, Jack loaded the revolvers expeditiously, hand- ing them to their owners; and then a plan of escape was quickly formed, the giant scout giv- ing the necessary directions to favor success, Prompt action was alsoa point of advantage, the squaws being mostly at the side of the huge rock, where the scouts were posted. The plan was for Jack and himself to hasten down the gulch side with the two open guard ing and assisting the latter; while the “'Taran- tula” should keep in their rear, and prevent the furious bags from too close mip Tofavor this attempt, the ‘* Tarantula” blazed away at the bags, who stood yelling in the pro- posed line of escape, wounding two of them, “ Ker-whoop, Ker-whoo!” rung the war-cry of the tall, ungainly borderer, as he bounded from his post out into the natural fort; bis arms flying about like Don Quixote’s wind-mills, his glittering bowie carving the air, So strange were his yells and appearance—the manner of his having split the brave open being fresh in the minds of the squaws—that those on the south side of the walled space sprung to the north; even rushing around the bowlder corner, and thus exposing themselves to the fire of Giant George, He gave another ‘‘Ker-whoop, Ker-whoo!” and rushed back to his position, meeting George and Jack at the side of the bowlder, with the pallid-faced, trembling senora and her daugh- ter; the giant scout having perceived at once that the “Tarantula” bad caused a very favor- able change in the positions of the squaws, and that the moment for an attempted escape with the women had arrived, ; “Kerwhoop out ag’in, Terranche!” said George, ‘‘an’ we~uns’ll glide down the rocks, Keep ther bags from bein’ too p’ison an’ eager, an’ we'll jump stock an’ git up an’ git.” Before the squaws sprung out from the north side of the bowlder, the war-cry of the bummer sounded, and jerking a revelver ho let fly four shots, the bullets striking the side of the cliff near the Apache bags, while Jack, with Mari- etta, followed by the giant and the senora, hastened down the gulch wall as expeditiously as was posslble, the scouts having no little trou- ble in assisting the terror-stricken women, The movement was so quickly executed that the heads of the retreating party disappeared below the rock walls before the squaws, now rendered furiously frantic at having been for a moment or two inactive through their fear of one man, rushed from behind the rock with ar- rows fitted to bow-strings, while the Tarantula was engaged in a bear-dance, yelling like a fiend, revolver in hand, Instantly half a score of bows twanged, but the burly borderer sunk quickly to the moun- tain shelf, and the deadly shafts flew over bim with a whirring sound like the flight of birds, Arizona Giant George. 26 the steel points glinting in the moonlight, as the missiles whirled on their fruitless mission, grat- ing along the sides of the cliff, The Tarantula instantiy sprung to his feet, bounded upon thé barrier of loose stones, with a far-sounding Ker-whoop/ Ker-whoo!” and then down the gulch side he went at dangerous speed, leaving the squaws dumfounded at his apparent desertion of the other whites. mmediately they rushed, with frantic yells, to the rear of the bowlder, evidently suspicious that they had been cheated out of their revenge, which was more to them than life itself. Then, with outcries of disappointed rage and fury. they sprung in a body to the barrier and gazec below. There they saw a sight that drove them to trenzy, being naught else than the hated cap- tive who had been the prime cause, as they be- lieved, of the death and destruction of their war- arty and the camp of their chief, El Orso— Jarietta, the Rose of Santa Rita, the infatu- ator of El Orso, and ‘Bad Medicine,” her mother, For a moment the foiled hags clutched at the rocks, their snaky eyes fixed, their teeth set and grinding together, nape from their rage and disappointment, of motion, Then they gave a piercing, vengeful yell of blood-thirsty frenzy, and bounded over the barrier; but the taunting aud triumphant shout of the Tarantula sounded far down the gulch ere they reached the camp. On went the scouts with their fair charges, the latter scarce believing escape to be possible. all at headlong speed, over the moonlit level plain, southwest, toward Tucson; and after reaching a point fully a mile from the range, they jerked their horses to a halt, glancing back m apprehension and anxiety at the non- appearance of the Tarantula. And, as they were about to return, resolved not to desert one who had, without doubt, saved them from death, the anxious looks upon their faces disappeared, giving place to extreme re- lief and mirth, for out from the gulch galloped more than two-score of equipped mustangs, the “Tarantula” in the rear, guiding his horse to right and left at terrific speed to keep them to- gether. Then out from the cedars rushed the thrice- maddened Apache hags, with frantic yells, for not only had they been vanquished, but here their mustangs were driven from them forever, thus leaving them on foot, hundreds of miles from their mountain retreat, in the euemy’s country. The * Tarantula” was of course full of exul- tation, as he in bis mind counted the * duckets” that the mustangs would be sold for in Tucson, and the probable amount be could squeeze out of Don Refugio for his energetic exertions, the “oriz’-biar fight an’ vim he had shoved out,” in the rescue of the wife and daughter of the latter, CHAPTER XV. THE END CROWNS THE WORK, Two days after the escape of the scouts and the two Castilian ladies from the gulch, they ar- rived safely in Tucson; corraling the mustangs on the outskirts of the town, George and Jac Vit onenare
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£8 Arizona Giant George. refusing to acknowledge any claim on the ani- mals, and insisting that they belonged by right to the ‘* Tarantula.” We will not tax the pee oe of the reader by entering into the details of the reception of the brave Americans» by Don Refugio; or the al- most insane joy and relief of the latter at the recovery of bis wife and beautiful daughter, whom he had mourned as dead. A grand fiesta was given by the happy hus- band and father in honor of the recovery of his loved ones; and no less happy than the old Don was a young Castilian caballero, the affianced of Marietta, who added his gold to the heavy purses which his father-in-law elect endeavore1 to force upon those who, at the risk of their own lives, had saved his darlings. The proffered rewards were declined by both George and Jack; nothing being accepted by them but two fine horses and some richly em- broidered silken scarfs from Marietta and her mother, Rich presents were also sent to Lena and Marm Holbrook, and gold watches to both Hank and Tom Jones. The two scouts were finally peuien to accept the gold proffered by Don fugio, with the understanding that it was to be distributed among the “ citz” who had par- ticipated in the fight with El Orso’s war-party, which had resulted in the rescue of Marietta from a terrible fate. As the reader has doubtless surmised, the “Tarantula” made no objections to receiving the purse tendered him as his share, as well as a new suit of clothing, with sombrero and boots of fiue workmansbip, and a complete outfit of silver-mounte. arms, with corresponding belt and clasp from Marietta’s lover, Belts were also presented to George and Jack, to be kept in remembrance of the donors, The parting between the rescuers anl Don Refugio wasso demonstrative on the part of the latter, that our friends were forced to break away abruptly, George asserting that “ther ole coon war ‘bout es lupyfied et gittin’ ther weemin back es he c’u’d ha’ bin et losin’ ’em.” And out from Tucson’s Plaza our friends gal- loped, Jack and George having prevailed upon the “Tarantula” to accompany them to Sar- pineos City, and to locate there, for a time at least. And speeding on the back trail toward the Pinaleno Range, on their way to Sardine-box City, we will leave them, in order that we may “round-up” other characters ere we close our narrative. a eon A week has passed since the stage rattled up the rise from Bardine-tox City, on its way to Gold Gulch, with Marm Holbrook and Lena Reynolds as “insides.” And we now wish to call the reader’s attention to the same coach and its occupants, at the distance of two miles from the burg, on their return to the same, Marm Holbrook sits in the driver’s seat, cling- ing with both hands to the sides; one foot braced firmly against the foot-board, and the other slightly elevated, ready to kick the brake when a decline or ** short-down” is reached. Consid- erable anxiety, not to say anger, is mavifested ~ PSE) on the round, motherly face of the kind-hearted landlady of tho Nugget Hotel; her eyes darting glances from the road-bed to the six fast trotting horses that ‘‘ snake” the old ‘* hearse” along at a lively rate of speed, and thence to the driver at her left. This lastis none other than Lena Reynolds, or as Hank and the “‘ citz” have des- ignated her, the ‘* Angel o’ Penarlayno Range.” Lena handles the ribbons in a confident man- ner, and seems, delicate as are her frame and hands, able to control the team without incon- venience; although, as has been shown, Marm Holbrook has been obliged to manage the brake. . The explanation of this situation of affairs is plain; for the driver, Jim Doderson, lies out- stretched upon the top of the coach, behind them, his mouth wide open, and breathing but faintly. The shameful fact is that Jim is in the condition known as ‘* dead drunk,” The right wheel strikes a stone, causing it to jump and jolt the coach, and Marm Holbrook to tighten her grip, while her face showed in- creased anger and anxiety, as she cried out, ina very impatient tone of voice: ‘“Wa-al. I sw’ar! Ya-as, I sw’ar, meetin’- house ’oman thet I air—dog-gone hit! ‘Scuse me, Lena; but I’m plum pesterfied an’ worrited, an’ my bestest dress air all runkled up, an’ my bunnet mashed, an’ I do b’lieve my ha’r’s down! l’ve heerd four o’ ther new ha’r-pins strike ther wheel an’ bound plum out over ther string-team ; jist, I s’pose, ter = gabon me, Leastways, hit ‘pears so; though I hopes I’ve gut sense *nough left ter know they ain’t nothin’ but wire. ‘“ Jist yeou rumernate on hit a bit. [ swan I doesn’t see how yer kin b’ar some things, Yer *pears better, an’ looks more like yerself then I’ve see’d yer since yer ’roved from St. Louis; but mebbe so hits ’cause ye’re skeered, an’ ther bleed hes all stampeded to yer cheeks, Hyer we~uns air, a pa’r o’ lone weemin, out in Ari- zone, an’ can’t git inter a hearse ter take a thirty mile skute, without ther boss o’ ther ribbons, thet o’nary, no~count cuss, Jim Doderson, what’s es slimpsy es a ole dish-rag—without he hev gut ter git chuck-full o’ bug-juice! “Never yeou mind! I hain’t lost my grip, an’ kin kick ther brake down ther decline”—this she said, as Lena offered to change seats; ‘‘ yer foot’s too leetle an’ delerkit, an’ 1’m s’prised ter see yer work ther lines an’ control ther critters, when yer doesn’t ’pear ter hev any more stren’th nor a chicken with a three months’ run of old- fashioned pip!” Lena’s face was wreathed with smiles, but she was forced to pay strict attention to the team; and after musing a while, Marm Holbrook con- tinued: “Lena, I dassen’t think, er _I’d go plum luny- fied! Ther hull dang’d world air goin’ ter de- strucsh’ on a cyclone stompede, hisk’ keeps pickin’ up ther poperlation an’ slingin’ ’em on ther whirl, chuckfull o’ hellishness, an’ plum’ over ther range fore they knows what’s up, er kin say, ‘ Now I lay me—amen!’ “But, bless my soul! Thar’s Sardine-box City, an’ ther Nugget air stan’in’ till yit, fer a wonder, though thar seems ter be a break down below thet don’t *pear nat’ral-like. I’m bettin’ my back-ha’r ag’in’ a "Pache pappoose’s scalp ~~
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i) Arizona Giant George. - 29 thet Hank’s dead gone wi’ jim-jams, er else | honest, ee face radiant with ple and 8 atween four slabs an’ planted! “Oh, dearie me! Id be e’ena’most tickled ter death ef I sh’u’d find Hank right side up wi’ care, standin’ nat’ral-like, ez he used ter ’fore we struck from Texas, Arizone-way. Waal, I do de- clar'! I b’lieve ther critters air goin’ ter take ther bits atween tha’r teeth an’ stompede inter ther canyon! “Keep yer grip, Lena! I’m down hefty on ther break, an’ [ kin see ther ‘ citz’ air on hand ter ace ther team, Reckon we'll make ther riffie. Bless my soul! thar’s Hank standin’ in ther Nugget door, an’ I kin tell from hyer thet he’s es sober es a deakun, Lena, thar’s Big George and Arizone Jack, an’ another pilgrim gallopin’ up inter ther burg from toward down range. “Tm dead sure they hes jist ’roved from Tuc- son. Hit’s a dang’d good thing, we-’uns all com- in’ inter ther burg ter one’t. Hold tight! Ther dang’d ‘citz’ air goin’ ter yell. Thet durned Tom Jones air makin’ fun o’ me, I’m bettin’, “Ther hull danged burg air lunyfied ag’in, an’ we'll hev ter slap up a crazy-house afore we does a meetin’-house. Ob, Lordy! Lena, I came nigh flip-floppin’ off ther hearse, I’m so chuck- full o’ glad ter git hum ag’in!” As the words of Marm Holbrook imply, the coach was rattling down the decline, at the foot of which was Sardine-box City, and as the driver always made a point here of allowing the horses to let themse]ves out, the animals sprung down the road at a gallop, Lena being unable to control their speed. As the “‘citz” saw and ized the land- lady and the Angel, the latter holding the rib- bons and the former standing upon the brake. she having turned her back to the team and gripped the iron bars at che side of the seat with desperation in her endeavor to lessen the terrific speed of the horses, As the “citz” saw the mother of the burg thus situated, they threw their sombreros in air, and roared with uncon- trollable laughter, filling the air with their joy- ous yells. George, Jack and the Tarantula galloping into town from the south, also seeing the strange sight, the two former, with anxious looks, loosened there lassoes, quickly coiled and ad- justed the nooses, and then driving spurs guided their animals, one to the right and the other to the left, for the purpose of stopping the coach- horses, render more unmanageable now by the yelling “ citz,” who seemed not to apprehend any danger to the women, The Tarantula also spurred_ forward, and before the stage reached the Nugget the las- soes of the two scouts hissed through the air, the nooses darting forward and over tho heads of the wheelers, then tightening at the same mo- ment. Some of the “citz,” brought to reason by this act of the scouts, now sprung to the heads of the string and lead horses, bringing the coach to such a sudden halt that Marm olbrook was thrown violently from her position on the break, but the Tarantula, who had at once anticipated her fall, spurred his horse forward and caught the shrieking landlady of the Nug- get in his long arms. The giant spurred up to the fore-wheels, his | ‘G0 Lena Reynolds dropped the lines and sprung from her perch into the arms of the gigantic scout. Hank Holbrook, perfectly sober, *‘ for onc’t,” as his wife expressed it, no sooner saw Lena — safe in the arms of George, than he yelled: “Rah for the Angelo’ Penarlayno Range! ‘Rah fer my ole’oman! "Rah! *Rah ‘Rah!’ ‘*Ker-whoop! Ker-whoo!” Thus rung the war-cry of the “ Tarantula ” the “ citz” meanwhile staring at him in wonder; for, had they known him previously, his present “make-up” and appearance was so changed that they must have failed to recognize hin. He had, for the first time ‘in a coon’s age, shook hands wi’ soap,” as he expressed it, he had been shaved besides, and this, with his new outfit, made him present rather a fine appear- ance, His great muscular strength had been shown by his catching the fleshy and solid landlady, and this caused him to be looked upon with respect. 5 After he had been formally introduced by the giant and his exploits upon the recent trip had been duly detailed, all were delighted to make his acquaintance, Hank, who failed to recognize him, ‘‘cottoned” to the “Tarantula” at once. In fact, his peculiar ways, words and manner produced jollity and banished “blues” wher- ever he went in the burg. Lena, too, became his firm friend, a fact that strengthened his resolution to ‘follow straight open trails, and become a squar’ cit” instead of a “bad” one. As a matter of course, there was a great jolli- fication when Giant George distributed the gold and presents sent by Don Refugio, Marietta and Juanita. Hank and Tom Jones were nearly be- side themselves and Marm Holbrook nearly went into hysterics over her beautiful black silk dress, So demoralized had been the mind of poor Hank from his indulgence in his own merchan- dise that he really believed the horrible tableau that had been gotten up by Tom Jones was the first rum-born vision, the initial views of a case of “jim-jams” which would have ended in his death had not the ‘‘citz” taken him in hand. And now, kind reader, leaving Sardine-box City with prosperity in prospective, the worthy sheriff of the burg having gotten the mills in position; the furnaces also being erécted and slab sheds over the same—the ‘‘ Blow-up ” promis- ing to be a bonanza—leaving the burg thus, all of our characters for once happy and contented, fully believing their trials and tribulations to be things of the past, we will also leave them for the present, TUE END, *
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BEADLE’S BOY’S LIBRARY. Published Every Saturday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents 150 The Boy Mustan; z-Hunter ; or, Enulalie, the Beautiful 151 Frank Y néea, the Young Trapper; or, Mountain Kate’s By Joaeph E. Badger, Jr, 152 Wild eet the Scout, 158 hy nx-Onys or, Four Trappers’ Among the Sioux. 164 The ‘o hampton Texan Rider; or, Red Buffalo and the Be Harry St. George. By Jos, E. Badger, Jr. By Ol! Coomes. By P. H. Myers, By Ol) Coomes, Hercules Paucar, ane Nia Doy le, the Gold I unter, 158 Kidnapped Dick; or, The Fate of the Fire Fly. 159 Ban ® Long Trail. 160 Har a riplet eV Ore. 161 The Mad od 168 Simon Ke to 164 The Boy 165 The Trader Traitor. 166 Old Jupe’s Clew. 7 The Young Trailer. 168 The Specter Spy. | + the Old Colorado Hunter. By W. J. Hamilton, By. Harry sea lef; or, Frank B By Ol] Coomes. By J. Starla Hecidersons By Mra. Orrin James By W. J. Hamilton, ek ee) “ce Le 2 ” By C. Dunning & The Scout and Tis Young hum. By WwW. aren St. John. 4 Blacksmith Tom’s Mask. r The Buckskin Rider, } The Squatter’s Surprise, llow Scouts. By an Green wor By J. Stanley Henderson, Old Kit and Hix Comrades. By Jos. E. Badger, Jr. Uncle Grills Disguise. The Poarr te Miner. ti The Dw Wee Decoy. Job Dean's Tactics. Vankee Epbh’« Dilemma. id The Wily Witch’s Ward. Frank, the Farrier. 7 Diana, the Fair Mountaineer. 158 Jack’« Snare. 8? Sam, the Swamp Se ont. 90 The Dashing “y rooper. By Harry Hazard. esc eena By hare 0, Rolfe. y pTagoldaby Boris ae eedededetedaledetedetededed See te re By J. Stanley ‘Henderson. By Cupt. F. Whuttaker, oy Frederick Dewey. By James L. Bowen. wore Willett, <. = ountuin By teh, randed Captain, 5 oe Crosstire’s © Pista. 199 Zebra Zack, the Texan. um 201 The Yan 202 Teddy’s Long Trail, ank, ‘he Hermit, R04 Goorschead’s Best Shot. 205 The Dutchman's Dreat By Capt. Chas. Howard, 206 Kit Burt’s Mask, w 207 Fagle-Eyed Tim, 208 The Village 8 209 Buck Burt's I 210 The Tell-Tale utiet, By J. Stanley Henderson, By W. J. Hamilton. hy C.D. Clark. ied raed yer a By, Capt. Charles Howard, By W. J. Hamilton. ess Hunter, e Captives. By Edward Willett. By Edward S, Ellis. By Edward W. Archer, By Jos, EK. Badger, Jr. By Ou Dbonings Clas: By James L. Bowen, By Edward Willet. Roy Surveyor. Ne ankee Droy er Swipes. co) By James L. Bowen. By Edwin E:merson. Rider Roy. By Albert y i Aiken, cota Dutchman, arse eon the Rov Ke tucks Kate's Sh 220 'Frisco Frank’s Riv a < Sas Doctor Bag, 228 Old Nancy’s Ward. 7Z4R2 By Paward Willett. Paul J. Prescott. wis Jay Swift. By cans Legrand, M. D. By Lieut, Col. Hazeltine. By Scott R. Sherwood, Hawk Bill; or, The New York Sportamen’s Clew. By Maro 0. Rolfe. v James L. Bowen, « 226 The Masked Manine. 227 Barney’s Bold Brush, 228 The Deadwood Sports, By Lieut. S. G, Lansing. 229 Hans Schmidt, Jr.; or, The Disguised Yankee, 280 Lone Star’s Sure Shot. 1 Mark Morgan’s Mask, By Capt. Charles Howard. 282 Billy 1 proone® First Cruise. 25. irl Rifle-Shot. By Hurry Hazard. By H, Minor Klapp. By W. J. Hamilton, Ry Henry J. Thomas, By “Edward. Willett. 284 Old i 236 The On-the-W ne Detectiv Ce 287 The Dolphin’s Youn 288 Josh’s Boy Pards, "By Roger Star! ‘buck. 289 Lee Dakin’s Disguise, By Maro 0, Rolfe. 240 Paring, Dick’s Race. By Arthur L. Meserve. 241 Uncle Ephe’s Boys. By J. Stanley Henderson. 242 "Cyclist Bob Snared. “By Capt. R. M. Hawthorne. 2438 ipebel Aight Joe; or, Brave, the Canine Scout. By Charles ». Isley. 244 Bob Baker’s Last Leap. By T, Benton Shields, U.S. A. 245 North Woods Nat. By W. J. Hamilton 246 The Girl Chief. By J. M. Merrill. 247 Denver Dick, the Rattler. By Marry Hazard. 248 Black Jim’s Doom; or, Billy Bowlegs’s Revenge, By Lieut, Col, Hazeltine, 249 Morgan, the Sea Rover. By John S. Warner. 250 Zach's Ghost Trap. By George Applegate. 251 yd’s Bold Game ul Bibbs . jeorge Gleason, 258 Crafty Crazy Sls : or, The French Fugitive. By Harry ALAN 254 The Fighting Quaker, By Edward 8, Ellis. 255 The Rang First Cruise, By John 8, Warner. 256 Bob ¢ age « Crew; or, The Boys of Logger Camp. By ny’s Fast Pacer. By W. J. Hamilton, 2558 Doe Bel?’ Pluck. By Capt. Chas, Howard, 259 Rocky Mountain Burt. By Edward Willett. 260 Reckiess Ralph’« Ris By James L. Bowen. 261 Gold Nugget Dick; or, Two Boys’ Good Luck, By Tom P. Morgan 262 Ira’s Big Bonanza, By Harry Hazard. 268 Josh Marsten, Detective, Ty Mary A. Denison. 264 Uncle Jerry, the Quaker. By Jobin Neal. 265 The Skipper’s Mate; or, The Crulse of the Fire-Fly, By Harry Cavendiah 266 The Girl Cow hoy Captain; or, The Skinners of the Carolina Swampa By Jos, E. Badger, Jr. 267 Eph, the Mimic Spy. By W. J. Hamilton. 268 Ralph's Last Pramp; or, The Woodman’s Recreant Rival, By Edward S. Ellis. 269 Sol Steele’s Grudge; or, The Madman of the Miami. By Edward Willett. 270 Jack, the Conat Detective; or, The Disguised Captain's Clerk. By Roger Starbuck. 271 Old Gotlieb, the Jolly Landlord, or, The Daring Duteh Damsel. By Herrick Johnstone, 272 The Boy Boomer; or, Pawnee Bill's Protege. By Howard M. Boynton. 278 Red Mike’s Ruse. By W. J. Hamilton. 274 Bonny, the Dutch Dame; wy The Alderman’s Little Protegee. By Decatur Paulding, U. 8. N. 275 Conrad, the Ocean King; or, Leon Lorraine’s Disguise, By Harry Montort. 276 Bate the Plucky Sergeant; or, Ralph on the War-path, y W. J, Hamilton. R77 Jack Jordan’s Pard; or, The Santa Fe Hunters. By Mra. 1, V. Victor. 278 veils the O10 Tar; or, Jack Winthrop’s Long Trail. By Roger Starbuck. 279 Dolly’s Death-Shot; or, Dusky Mark, the Young Wild-cat. By Capt. Charles Howard, 280 Detective German Joe; or, The Flying Dutchman Out West. By Howard M, Bo: nton. 281 Joe Curd’s Double; or, The Idiot’s Cunning. By Jos. F. Badger, Jr. 282 Nat Dodge, the Peddler, or, Black Cato’s Trick. By Henry J, Thomas, 288 Ned, the Stowaway; or, Adriftin Brazil. By ©. D, Clark. 284 Dan, the Darky Dwarf; or, Brodk and his Trained Dog. By Ralph Ringwood. 285 The Mexican’s Double. By T. w. King. 286 Job Sharp, the Detective. By Maro O. Rolfe. Ready Oct. 5. 287 The Two Middles; or, The Buccancer’s Ward. By Lafa- yette Laforest. Ready Oct 12. 288 saver Dick mings or, The Lost Boy’s Disguise, By Ed. S. Ellis. Ready Oct. 1 289 Molly, the Girl phate or, The Dutch Peddler. By Mary A. Denison, Ready Oct 26. 290 Detective Dick’s Pard; or, Four New York Reporters in Colorado. By H. M. Voynton. Ready Nov. 2 291 Dick Dowle’s Deal; or, The Miser’s Lost Ward. By C. B Lewis. Keady Nov. 9. Bendle’s Boy’s Library 's for sale by all Newsdealers, five cents per copy, or sent by mail on receipt of «ix cents each, BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, 98 William Btreet, New York,
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BEADLE’S POCKET LIBRARY. Published Every Wednesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Vive Cents, 1 Deadwood Dick, -ae Prince of the Road. By BE. L, Whecler, 2 Kansas King; or, The Red Right Hand. By Buffalo Bill. 8 The Flying Yankee; or, The Ocean Outcast. By Col, Prentiss Ingraham, 4 The Double: Daggers; or, Deadwocd Dick’s De- flance. By Edward L. Woeeler, 5 The Two Detectives; or, The Fortunes of a Bowery Girl. By Albert W. Aiken. 6 The Prairie Pilot; or, The Phantom Spy. By Buffalo Bill. 5 7 The Buffalo Demon; or, The Border Vultures. By Edward L. Wheeler. 8 Antelope Abe, the Boy Guide. By Oll Coomes. 9 Ned Wylde, the Boy Scour. By “Texas Jack.” 10 Buffalo Ben, Prince of the Pistol. By FB. L. Wheeler. 11 Ralph Roy, the Boy Buccaneer. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham, 12 Nick o’ the Night; or, The Boy Spy of ‘76. By T. C. Harbaugh. 18 Yellowstone Jack; or, The Trappers of the En- chanted Ground, By Joseph E. Ba lger, Jr. 14 Wild Ivan, the Boy Clauce Duval. By BE. L. Wheeler. 15 Diamond Dirk; or, The Mystery of the Yellow- stone. By Colonel Prentiss Ingraham. 16 Keen-Knife, Prince of the Prairies. By Ol Coomes. 17 Oregon Sol, Nick Whiffles's Boy Spy. By J. F. C. Adams, 18 Death-Face, the Detective. By FE. L. Wheeler. 19 Lasso Jack, the Young Mustanger. By Oll Coomes. 20 Roaring Ralph Rockwood, the Reckless Ranger. By Harry St. George. 21 The Boy Clown; or, The Queen of the Arena. By Frank 8. Finn. #2 The Phantom Miner; or, Deadwood Dick’s Bo- nanza. By Edward L, Wheeler. 28 The Sea-Cat; or, The Witch of Darien, By Capt. Frederick Whittaker. 24 The Dumb Spy. By Oll Coomes. 2% Rattling Rube; or, The Night Hawks of Ken- tucky. By Harry St. George. 26 Old Avalanche, the Great Annibilator; or, Wild Edoa, the Girl Brigand. By E. L. Wheeler. 27 Glass-Hye, the Great Shot of the West. By J. F, C, Adams. 28 The Boy Captain; or, The Pirate’s Daughter. By 20 Diok Daring the P Rider. By C ick Darling, the Pon press Rider. Japt. F Whittaker. yer Ne 80 Rob Woolf, the Border Ruffan, By Edward L. Wheeler, 31 Nightingale Nat; or, The Forest Captains. By T. C. Harbaugh, 82 Black John, the Road-Agent; or, The Outlaws’ Retreat. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr. 33 Omaha Oll, the Masked Terror; or, Deadwood Dick in Danger. By EK. L. Wheeler. 84 Burt Bunker, the Trapper. By Geo. E. Lasalle. 35 The Boy Rifles; or, The Underground Camp, By A. ©. Irons 36 The White Buffalo. By George E. Lasalle. 87 Jim Bludsoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix: or, Through to Death. By Edward L. Wheeler. 88 Ned Hazel, the Boy Trapper. By Captain J. F. C. Adams. 39 eer Kye, the Unknown Scout. By Buffalo 40 Nick Whiffles’s Pet; or, In the Valley of Death. Ps a Capt. J. F.C. Adams, evdwood Dick's Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood Bar. By Edward L, Artauiee, 42 The Border King; or, The Secret Foe. By Oll Coomes. 43 Old Hickory; or, Pandy Ellis’s Scalp. By Harry St. George. 44 The White Indian; or, The Scouts of the Yellow- stone. By Capt. J. F. C. Adams. 45 Buckhorn Bill; or, the Red Rifle Team. By Ed- ward L. Wheeler, 46 The Shadow Ship; or, The Rival Lieutenants. By Col, Prentiss lugraham. The Red Brotherhood; or, The Twelve Avengers, By W, J. Hamilton. 48 Dandy Jack; or, The Outlaw of the Oregon Trail, By T. C. Harbaugh. 49 Hurricane Bill; or, Mustang Sam and His Pard, By Joseph E. Badger, Jr. 50 Single Hand; or, A Life for a Life. By W. J. Hamilton. 51 Patent-leather Joe; or, Old Rattlesnake the Charmer, By Philip S. Warne. . 52 The Border Robin Hood; or, The Prairie Rover. By Buffalo Bill. 58 Gold Rifle, the Sharpshooter. By Edward TL. Wheeler. &4 Old Zip’s Cabin; or, A Greenhorn in the Woods. By Capt. J. F. C. Adams. 55 Delaware Dick, the Young Ranger Spy. By Oll Coomes, 56 Mad Tom Western, the Texan Ranger, By W. J. Hamilton. 57 Deadwood Dick on Deck; or, Calamity Jane, By Edward L, Wheeler, 58 Hawkeye Harry, the Young Trapper. By Ol Coomes. 59 The Boy Duelist; or, The Cruise of the Sea Wolf, By Col. Prentiss Ingraham, 60 Abe Colt, the Crow-Killer. By Albert W. Aiken. 61 Corduroy Charlie, the Boy Bravo, By Kdward L. Wheeler. 62 Will Somers, the Boy Detective. By Charles Morris. 63 yen Ginger, the Giant Trapper. By Albert W. iken, : 64 Rosebud Rob; or, Nugget Ned, the Knight of the Gulch. By Edward L. Wheeler, 65 Lightning Joe, the Terror of the Prairie. By Capt. J. I’, C. Adams, 66 ed - was the Wood-Hawk. By '. 0, Har- paugh, 67 Rollo, the Boy Ranger. By Oll Coomes. 68 Idyl, the Girl Miner; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand. By Edward L, Wheeler, 69 Detective Dick; or, The Heroin Rags. By Chas, Morris. , 70 Sure Shot Seth, the Boy Rifleman. By Ol Coomes. 71 Sharp Sam; or, The Adventures of a Friendless Boy. By J. Alexander Patten. 72 The Lion of the Sea; or, The Vailed Lady of San Tropez. By Albert W. Aiken, 73 Photograph Phil, the Boy Sleuth; or, Rosebud Rob’s Reappearance. By E. L. Wheeler, 74 Picayune Pete; or, Nicodemus, the Dog Detec- tive, By Charles Morris. % Island ‘Tims or, The Pet of the Family. By Bracebridge Hemyng (Jack Harkaway). %6 Wateh-Eye, the Shadow. By E. L. Wheeler. V7 Dick Dead-Eye, the Boy Sinuggler. By Colonel Prentiss Ingraham. 78 Deadwood Dick’s Device; or, The Sign of the Donble Cross. By E, L. Wheeler. 79 The Black Mustanger; or. The Wild Horse Hun ters. By Captain Mayne Reid, 9 Old Frosty, the Guide. By T. C, Harbaugh. 81 The Sea Viper; or, The Midshipman’s Legacy, By Col. Prentiss Ingraham, ;
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&2 Seth Jones; or, The Captives of the Frontier. By E. 8. Ellis. 83 Canada Chet, the Counterfeiter Chief. By EB. L. Wheeler. 84 The Dumb Page; or, The Doge’s Daughter. By Captaid Frederick Whittaker, 85 The Boy Miners; or, The Enchanted Island. By Edward §. Ellis. 86 Jack Harkaway in New York, By Bracebridge Hemyng. 87 The Hussar Captain; or, The Hermit of Hell Gate. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham, 88 Deadwood Dick in Leadville; or, A Strange Stroke for Liberty. By Edward L, Wheeler. 89 bill Biddon, Trapper, or, Life in the Northwest. By Edward 8. Ellis. 90 Tippy, the Texan; or, The Young Champion. By George Gleason, 91 Mustang Sam, the King of the Plains. By Jos. KE. Badger, Jr. 92 The Ocean Bloodhound; or, the Red Pirates of the Caribbees. By Samuel W, Pearce, 93 Phil Hardy, the Boss wae or, The Mystery of the Stronghold. By Charles Morris, ~"94 Deadwapd Dick as Detective. By E. L, Wheeler. 95 Buck Buckram; or, Bess the Female Trapper. By Captain J. F.C, Adams. 96 Gilt-Edged Dick. By Edward L. Wheeler. 97 The Black Steed of the Prairies, By James L. Bowen, 98 'The Sea Serpent; or, The Boy Robinson Crusoe. By Juan Lewis. 99 Bonanza Bill, the Man Tracker; or, the Secret Twelve. By E. L. Wheeler. 100 Nat Todd; or, The Fate of the Sioux Captive. By E. S. Ellis, 101 Daring te 8 the Young Bear Killer; or, The Trail of the Border Wolf. By Harry St. George. 102 The Yellow Chief; or, The Half-Blood’s Ven- geance. By Capt. Mayne Reid. 103 Chip, the Girl Sport. “By Edward L. Wheeler. 104 The Black Schooner; or, Jib Junk, the Old Tar. By Roger Starbuck. 105 Handsome Harry, the Bootblack Detective. By Charles Morris. 106 Night-Hawk Kit; or, The Daughter of the Ranch. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr. 107 Jack Hoyle’s Lead; or, The Road to Fortune, By Edward L, Wheeler. 108 Rocky Mountain Kit, the White Mustanger. By T. C, Harbaugh, 109 The Branded Hand; or, The Man of Mystery. HY Frank Dumont, 110 The Dread Rider; or, The Texan Duelist. By ' George W. Browne. 111 Boss Bob, the King of Bootblacks, By Edward L. Wheeler. , 112 The Helpless Hand. By Capt. Mayne Reid, 113 Scar-Waced Saul, the Silent Hunter, By Oll Coomes. 114 pee. Paul, the Mountain Boy. By T. C, Har- baugh. 115 Deadwood Dick’s Double; or, The Ghost of Gor- n’sGulch. By Edward L. Wh: eler. 116 Jabez Coffin, Skipper; or, Lost in the Polar Regions, By babe ". Whittaker, by 17 Fancy Frank of Colorado; or, The Trappers Trust. By “ Buffalo Bill.” 118 Will Wildfire, the Thoroughored; or, The Win- ning Hand. By Chas. Morris. 119 Blonde Bill; or, Deadwood Dick’s Home Base. By Edwari L, Wheeler. 120 Gopher Gid, the Boy Trapper, By T. C. Har- baugh, 121 Harry Armstrong, the Captain of the Club. By Bracebridge Hemyng, (Jack Harkawa‘ a 122 The Huuted Hunter; or, The Strange i orseman of the Prairie. By Edward §, Ellis. M 123 Solid Sam, the Boy Road-Agent. By Edward L. aA Jute r h, J The Boy Vi; udgs Lynch, Jr., or, The Boy Vigilante. By T. ©. Harbaugh. io BEADLE'S POCKET LIBRARY, 125 The Land Pirates; or, The League of Devil's Island, By Capt. Mayne Reid. 126 Blue Blazes; or, The Break o’ Day Boys of Rocky Bar. By Frank Dumont, 127 Tony Fox, the Ferret; or, Boss Bob’s Boss Job, By Edward L, Wheeler. 128 Will Wildfire’s Racer; or, Winning Against Odds, By Charles Morris. 129 Eagle Kit, the Boy Demon. By Oll Coomes 130 Gold Trigger, the Sport; or, The Girl Avengers. By T. C. Harbaugh. 131 A Game of Gold; or, Deadwood Dick’s Big Strike. By Edward L. Wheeler. 182 Dainty Lance, the Boy Sport. By Joseph EF. Badger, Jr. 138 Wil ale the Boss of the Road. By Frank Du mont. 134 ie Sees the Harbor Police Boy. By Chas. Morris. 135 Deadwood Dick of Deadwood; or, The Picked Party. By Edward L. Wheeler. 136 Old Rube, the Hunter. By Capt. Hamilton Holmes. 137 Dandy Rock, the Man from Texas. By G. Waldo Browne. 138 Bob Rockett, the Boy Dodger, By Chas. Morris, 139 The Black Giant; or, Dainty Lance in Jeopardy, By Jos. BE, Badger, Jr. 140 Captain Arizona, the King Pin of Road-Agents. By Philip S. Warne. 141 New York Nell, the Boy-Girl Detective. By EK. L. Wheeler. 142 Little Texas, the Young Mustanger. By. Oll Coomes, 143 Deadly Dash; or, Fighting Fire with Fire. By Jos, i. Badger, Jr. 144 rite Grit, the Wild Rider. By Col. Prentiss In- raham, 145 The Tiger of Taos; or, Wild Kate, Dandy Rock's Angel. By Geo, Waldo Browne. 146 The Cattle King; or, Cortina’s Right Bower. By Frank Dumont, 147 Nobby Nick of Nevada; or, the Scamps of the Sierras. By Edward L. Wheeler. 148 Thunderbolt Tom; or, the Wolf-Herder of the Rockies. By Harry St. George. 149 Bob Rockett, the Bank Runner. By Charles Morris. 150 The Mad Miner; or, Dandy Rock’s Doom, By G. Waldo Browne. 151 The Sea Trailer; or, A Vow Well Kept. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham, 152 Dandy Darke; or, The Tigers of High Pine. By W. H. Eyster. 153 Wild Frank, the Buckskin Bravo. By E. L. Wheeler. 154 The Boy Trailers; or, Dainty Lance on the War- Path. By Jos. E. Badger, Jr. 155 Gold Plume, the Boy Bandit, By Col. Prentiss Ingraham, 156 Will Wildfire in the Woods. By C. Morris, 157 Ned Temple, the Border Boy. By T. C. Har- baugh. 158 Deadwood Dick’s Doom; or, Calamity Jane's Last Adventure. By E. L. Wheeler. 159 Patent-Leather Joe’s Defeat; or, The Lady Road-Agent. By Philip 8. Warne, 160 Buffalo Billy, the Boy Bullwhacker; or, The Doomed Thirteen, By Col. P. Ingraham, 161 Bob Rockett, the Cracksman. By C. Morris. 162 Little Hurricane, the Boy Captain. By Oll Coomes. 163 Deadwood Dick’s Dream; or, the Rivals of the Road. By E. L. Wheeler. 164 Tornado Tom; or, Injun Jack from Red Core, By T. C. Harbaugh. 165 Buffalo Bill’s Bet; or, The Gambler Guide, By Col, P. Ingraham. mh 166 Will Wildfire Wins and Loses; or, “A Tromp Card,” By Charles Morris. 167 Dandy Rock's Pledge; or, Hunted to Death, sy George W, Browne. 2
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BEADLE’S POCKET LIBRARY. 168 Deadwood Dick’s Ward; or, The Black Hills Jezebel. By Edward L. Wheeler, 169 The Boy Champion. By Edward Willett. 170 Bob Rockett’s Fight for Life; or, Shadowed in New York, By Charles Morris. 171 Frank Morton, the Boy Hercules, By Oll Coomes, 172 The Yankee Ranger; or, Dusky Darrell. By Edwin Emerson, 173 Dick Dingle, Scout; or, The Frontier Angel. By Edward §, Ellis. 174 Dandy Rock’s Scheme; or, The Golden Hand. By G. W. Browne, 175 The Arab Detective; or, Snoozer, the Boy Sharp By Edward L. Wheeler. 176 Will Wildfire’s Pluck; or, The Hidden Hand. By Charles Morris. 177 The Boy Commander; or, The Maid of Perth. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham, 178 The Maniac Hunter; or, The Mysterfes of Night Island. By Burton Saxe. 179 Dainty Lance: or, The Mystic Marksman, By J.E, Badger, Jr. 180 The Boy Gold-Hunter; or, Navajo Nick’s Scout. By T. GC, Harbaugh. 181 The Scapegrace Son, -By Charles Morris. 182 The Dark-Skinned Scot; or, The Freebooters of the Mississippi. By Lieut. Col. Hazeltine. 183 Jabez Dart, Detective; or, The Hermit Trapper. By O.1 Coomes, 181 Featherweight, the Boy Spy. By Edward Wil- lett. 185 Bison Bill, the Overland Prince. By Col. Pren- tiss Ingraham, 186 Dainty Lance ani His Pard. By Joseph FE. Badger, Jr. 18? The Trapped Tiger King; or, Dark Paul's Plot. By Charles Morris, 188 The Ventriloquist Detective. A Romance of Rogues, By Edward L. Wheeler, 18Y Old Rocky’s Boys; or, Bonito, the Young Mus- tang-Breaker. By Maj. Sam. S, Hall. 190 Sim Simpkins, Scout; or, The Faithful Mountain Mastiff. By James iW Bowen. 191 Dandy Rock’s Rival: or, The Mysterious Wolf Rider. By Geo, Waldo Browne, 192 Hickory Harry; or, Roaring Ralph, the Ventrilo- quist. By Harry St. Georye. 193 Detective Josh Grim; or, The Young Gladiator's Game. By Edward L. Wheeler. 494 Prospect Pete, the Boy Miner. By Oll Coomes, 195 The Tenderfoot Trailer; or, Plucky Phil, of the Mountain, By T. C. Harbaugh. 196 The Dandy Detective; or, The Abducted Boy Mystery. By Charles Morris. 19/ Roy, the Young Cattle King; or, The Texan Sport Unmasked. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 198 Ebony Dan’s Mask; or, The Rival Leagues of the Mines. By Frank Dumont. 199 Dictionary Nat, Detereres or, Bill Bravo, the Bear Tamer. By T, © oe 200 The Twin Horsemen; or, The Brothers of the Plumed Lance, By Capt. Frederick Whittaker, 201 Dandy Darke’s Pards; or, The Hawks of High Pine. By Wm. R. Eyster, 202 Tom, the Texan Tiger; or, Old Luke's Luck, By Oll Coomes. 203 Sam, the Office Boy; or, The Tables Turned, By Charles Morris. 204 The Young Cowboy; or, The Gir) Trailer’s Tri- umph. By Col, Prentiss Ingraham, 205 The Frontier Detective; or, Sierra Sam's Scheme, By E. L. Wheeler. 206 White Lightning; cr, the Boy Ally. By T. <. Harbaugh. 207 Kentuck Talbot’s Band; or, The Red Lasso. By Captain Mark Wilton, 208 Trapper Tom's Castle Mystery; or, Dashing Dick's Disguise. By Oll Coomes, eee 209 The Messenger-Boy Detective; or, The Tabies Turned, By Charles Morris. 210 The Hunchback of the Mines; or, Recktess Ralph, the Road-Agent. By Jos. E, Badger, Jr. 211 Little Giant and His Band; or Despara, the Duelist. By P.S. Warne. 212 The Jimtown Sport; or, Gypsy Jack in Colorado, By E. L. Wheeler, 213 The Pirate’s Prize; or, The Mysterious Yankee Schooner, By C, Dunning Clark. 214 Dandy Dave, of Shasta; or, The ’Frisco Flash o” Lightning. By T. C. Harbaugh. 215 Daring Dan, the Ranger; or, The Denver Detec- tive. By Oll Coomes, 216 The Cowboy Captain; or, Ranger Ralph’s Ruin, By Colonel Prentiss Ingraham, 217 Bald Head of the Rockies; or, The Ang’l of the Range. By Major Sam 8. Hall. 218 The Miner § oort; or, Sugar-Coated Sam’s Claim, By Edward L. Wheeler. 219 Buck, the Detective; or, Paul, the Boy Pard. By Albert W. Aiken. 220 Crack-Shot Frank; or, Bill Bounee, the Moun- tain Bravo, By Charles Morris. 221 Merle the Middy: or, A Waif of the Waves. By Colonel Prentiss Ingraham. 222 Rosebud Ben’s Boys; or, The Young Prairie Rangers. By Oll Coomes, 223 Gold Conrad’s Watch-Dogs; or, The Two Pards of Vulture Bar. By T. C. Harbeugh, 2% Frisky Fe gus, the New York Boy. By G. L, Aiken, é 225 Dick Drew, the Miner's Son; or, Apollo Bill, the Road-Agent. By Edward L. Wheeler. 226 Dakota Dick in Chicago; or, Jack, the Old Tar. By Charles Morris. 227 Merle, the Boy Cruiser; or, Brandt, the Bue- caneer, By Colonel Prentiss Ingraham, 2°8 The Preacher Detective; or, The boy Ventrilo- quist, By Oll Coomes. 229 Old Hickory’s Grit, By John J, Marshall, 230 The Three Boy Sports; or, The Sword Hunters, By Captain Frederick Whittaker. ®
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—_— BEADLE’S POCKET LIBRARY, 231 Sierra’ Sam, “Wheeler. 232 Merle Monte’s Treasure; or, Buccaneer Brandt's | Threat. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 283 Rocky Rover Kit; or, Davy Crockett’s Crooked Trail, By Ensign C. D. Warren. 234 Baldy, the Miner Chief. By Capt. J. F. C. Adams. 235 Jack Stump’s Cruise; or, The Montpelier’s Muti- neers. By Roger Starbuck. 236 Sierra Sam’s Double; or, The Three Female De- tectives, By Ed, L. Wheeler, 287 Newsboy Ned, Detective; or, Two Philadelphia Gamins. By Charles Morris. 238 Merle Monte's Sea-Seraper; or, Little Belt’s Droll Disguise. By Col, Prentiss Ingraham, 239 Ben's Biz Boom; or, The Boss Miner’s League, By Capt. Mark Wilton. 240 Sharp Shot Mike, or, Columbia Jim on the War- Path. By Oll Coomes. 241 Sierra Sam’s Sentence: or, Little Luck at Rough Ranch, By Edward L, Wheeler. 242 The Denver Detective; or, Dainty Dot at Gold Gulch. By T. C. Harbaugh. 248 Dutch San’s Dilemma; or, The Mysterious Mountain Monster. By Maj. L. W, Carson, the Detective. -By Edward L. 244 Merle Monte’s Disguise; or, The Capture of | * Brandt, the Buccaneer. By Col P. Ingraham, 245 B Idy’s Boy Partner; or, Young Brainera’s Steam Man. By Edward 8, Ellis. 246 Detective Keen's Apprentice: or, James Jumper the New York Gamin. By Charles Morris. 247 The Girl Sport; or, Jumbo Joe's Disguise. By Edward L. Wheeler. 248 Giant George’s Pard; or, Arizona Jack, the Tenderfoot. By Buckskin Sam. 249 Ranch Rob’s Wild Ride; or, Old Winch The Rifle King. By T.C. Harbaugh, 250 Merle Monte’s Pardon; or, The Pirate Chief's Doom. By Col.Prentis+ Ingrabam. 251 The Deaf Detective; or, Weasel, the Boy Tramp. By Edward Willett. 252 Denver Doll’s Device: or, The Detective Queen. By Edward L, Wheeler. 258 The Boy Tenderfoot; or, Roaring Ben Bundy of Colorado. By Cant. Mark Wil on. 254 Black Hils Ben; or, Dutch Jan on the War- Path. By Maj. Lewis W. Carson. 255 Jolly Jim, Detective; or, The Young Protege’s Victory. By Charles Morris. 256 Merle Monte’s Lost Cruise; or, The Sea Robber at Bay. By Col. Premiss Ingraham. 257 The Boy Chief of Rocky Pass; or, The Young California Pards. By Maj. E. L. St. Vrain. 258 Denver Doll as Detéctive. By E. L. Whe ler 259 Little Foxeye, the Colorado Spy. By Oll Coomes. 260 Skit, the Cabin Boy. _By Edward Willett. 261 Blade, the Sport, or, the Giant of Clear Grit Camp. By T. C. Harbaugh, 262 og the oy Rover; or, Terror Tom of Texas. By Col. P. Ingraham. 263 Buster Bob’s Bnoy; or, Lige, the Light-House Keeper. By Capt. J. F. C. Adams. 264. Denver Doll's Partner; or, Big Buckskin the Sport, By E. L., Wheeler. . 265 Billy, the Baggave Boy; or, The Young Railroad Detective. By Charles Morris, * 266 Guy’s Boy Chum; or, The Forest Waif's Mask. By Capt. Comstock. | 267 Giant George’s Revenge; or, The Boys of * Slip- up Mine.” By Buckskin Sam. | WS The Dead Shot Dandy; or, The Rio em i Marauders, By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 269 The Quartzville Boss; or, Daring David Darke, By Edward Willett. 270 Denver Doll’s Mine; or, Little Bill's Big Loss. By E. L. Wheeler. 271 Ebony Jim’s Terror; or, Ranger Rainbolt’s Ruse. By Oll Coomes 272 Kit, the Girl Detective; or, Dandy Dash in Cali- fornia. By T. C. Harbaugh. 273 The Girl Rider; or, Nimble Ned's Surprise. Jos. E, Badger, Jr, Dead Shot Dandy’s Deuble; or, Benito, the Boy Pard, By Col, Prentiss Ingraham. Fred, the Ocean Waif; or, The Protege. By Charles Morris Deadwood Dick Trapped; or, Roxey Ralph’s Ruse. By Edward L. Wheeler. i The Idiot Boy Avenger; or, Captain Wild-Cat’'s Big Game, By Albert W, A ken, Arizona Alf, the Miner; or, Little Snap Shot s Luck, By T, C. Harba: gh. 9 Colorado Jack, the Tiger; or, The Ghost of the Trailer. By Frederick Dewey. Dead Shot Dandy’s Last Deal; or, Keno Kit’s New Role. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. Ned, the Boy Pilots or, The Pirate Lieutenant's Doom. By Jack Farragut. Buek Hawk, Detective; or, The Messenger Boy's Fortune. By Edward L. Wheeler. 3 Roving ape Kit; or, The Ghost of Chuckaluck Camp. By Edward Willetr, By 274 Old Sailor’s | 284’The Showman’s Best Card; or, The Mad Animal Tamer. By Capt. Fred. Whittaker. 285. Old Rocky's Pard; or, Little Ben’s Chase. Buckskin Sam, 286 Dick; the Dakota Sport By Charles Morris. 287 Ned, the Boy Skipper; or, The Sea Sorceress* Cruise. By Jack Farragut. 288 Deadwood Dick’s Disguise; or, Wild Walt, the Sport. By Edward L. Wheeler. 289 Colorado Nick, the Lassoist; or, Old Si’s Protege. By Major H. B, Stoddard, 200 Rube, the Tenderfoot; or, The Boy’s of Torpedo Guleb, By Major E. L, St. Vrain. 201 Peacock Pete, the Leadville Sport: or, Hawk, the Boss Miner. By Albert W. Aiken, 202 Joe Morey, the Night-Hawk; or, Rider. By Jos. E. Badger, Jr. 208 Dwarf Jake, the Detective; or, Kit Kenyon's Man Hunt, By Edward Willett 204 Dumb Dick’s Pard; or, Eliza Jane, the Gold Miner, By Ed. L. Wheeler. 295 White Wing, the Ferret Flyer; or, Old Dirk, the Oyster Pirate. By Charles Morris. 296 Govinda, the Tiger-Tamer; or, The American Horseman Abroad. By Captain Frederick Whittaker, By The Black | 207 Arizona Giant George; or, The Boyees of Sardine- Box City. By Buckskin Sam. 208 Daisy Doll’s Dash; or, The Ten Colorado Pards. By T. C. Harbavgh. 299 The Balloon Detectives; or, Young Pard. By Harry Enton. 300 Deadwood Dick's Mission * Wheeler. Ready Oct, 9. 301 Dandy Duke; the Cowboy. Vrain, ,Ready Oct. 16. 202 Big Benson's Bet. By T. C. Harbaugh. Ready Oct, 23 Jack Slasher's By Edward L, By Major E. L, St. Beapie’s Pocker Lisrary is for sale by all News- dealers, five cents per copy, or sent by mail on re- ceipt of six cents each. BEADLE AND ApaMs, Publishers, 98 William Street, New York,