Deadwood Dick Library (v. 1) (1899 05 17)

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Copyright 1878-1884, by Beadle & Adams, Ent -red at Post Office. New York, N. Y.. as second class ma'rer. Mar. 15, 1899 M. J. TVERS & CO., Publishers Na, 10, Zsved Weekly. facet tees ry Price 5 Cents. Vol | May 17, 1899. 379 Pearl street, New York. $2.50 a Year. Br be DEADWOOD DICK DECOYED.

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443 448 453 459 465 471 476 481 491 496 500 508 51D 822 529 534 539 544 549 04 561 67 d72 578 584. 590 595 600 606 612 618 624 630 636 642 648 654 660 666 672 678 684 690 695 700 EDWARD L. WHEELER'S DEADWOOD DICK, JR, NOVELS IN. THE HALF-DIME LIBRARY. Deadwood Dick, Crescent Sign. dr; ‘Price 5 Cents per Copy. or, Deadwood Dick, Jr’s, Defiance. Deadwood Dick, Jr. Deadwood Dick, Jr. Deadwood Dick, Jr. Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Jr. Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Jr., Deadwood Dick, Jr , Deadwood Dick, Jr., dr., hoes JTk5 Sty Deadwood Dick, : t%; or.’ Deadwood Dick, Oe dr., Jr,’ Bb ae Deadwood Dick, Jr., ate. witey Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, *s, Full Hand. ’s, Big Round-Up, *s, Racket at Claim 10, Deadwood Dick, Jr.’ Deadwood Dick, Jr." dr; ’s, Compact. Deadwood Jick, Jr.’ Deadwood Dick, Jr.’ Deadwood Dick, Jr.’ Deadwood Dick, Jr.’ Jr.’s, Three. * Deadwood Dick, Jr.’ Deadwood Dick, Jr.’ Deadwood Dick, Jr., the Wild West Vidocq. s, Corral. s, Dog Detective. in Deadwood. s, Inheritance. s, Diggings. s, Deliverance. s, Protege. s, Danger Ducks. s, Death Hunt. in Texas. on His Mettle. in Gotham. in Boston. in Philadelphia. in Chicago. Afloat. in Denver, s, Decree. in Beelzebub’s Basin. at Coney Island. s, Leadville Lay. in Detroit. in Cincinnati. in Nevada. in No Man’s Land. Deadwood Dick, Jr., After the Queer. Deadwood Dick, Jr., Jr.’s, Chase Across the dr., Deadwood Dick, Continent. Deadwood, Dick, glers. Deadwood Dick, Jr.’ Deadwood Dick, Jr., Deadwood Dick, Jr., Deadwood Dick, Jr.’ Deadwood Dick, Jr. in Buffalo, s, Insurance Case. Back in the Mines. in Durango. s, Discovery. *s, Dazzle. Deadwood Dick, Jr.’ Deadwood Dick, Jr., Deadwood Dick, Jr.’ s, Dollars. at Danger Divide. s, Drop. 704 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Jack-Pot. 710 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at San Francisco. For sale by all newsdealers or sent, postpaid, on receipt of price, 5c. per copy, by the publ ers, M. J. [VERS & CO., 379 Praru STREET, ; The Crimson Among the Smug- 16 Deadwood Dick, 722 Deadwood Dick, 728 Deadwood Dick, 734 Deadwood Dick, 740 Deadwood Dick, 747 Deadwood Dick, 752 Deadwood Dick, 758 Deadwood Dick, 764. Deadwood Dick, 770 Deadwood Dick, 776 Deadwood Dick, 782 Deadwood Dick, 787 Deadwood Dick, 792 Deadwood Dick, 497 Deadwood Dick, = . 802 Deadwood Dick, 807 Deadwood Dick, 812 Deadwood Dick, 816 Deadwood Dick, 822 Deadwood Dick, 828 Deadwood Dick, 834 Deadwood Dick, 840 Deadwood Dick, 845 Deadwood Dick, 852 Deadwood Dick, 858 Deadwood Dick, 863 Deadwood Dick, 870. Deadwood Dick, 876 Deadwood Dick, 882 Deadwood Dick, 891 Deadwood Dick, 898 Deadwood Dick, 904 Deadwood Dick, 910 Deadwood Dick, 916 Deadwood Dick, 928 Deadwood lick, 934 Deadwood Dick, 940 Deadwood Dick, 946 Deadwood Dick, 951 Deadwood Dick, 957 Deadwood Dick, 965 Deadwood Dick, 971 Deadwood Dick, 977 Deadwood Dick, 980 Deadwood Dick, 992 Deadwood Dick, 998 Deadwood Dick, 1005 Deadwood Dick, 1011 Deadwood Dick, 1018 Deadwood Dick, New York Crry. Jr.’s, Still Hunt. Jr.’s, Dominoes. Jr.’s, Disguise. Jr.’s, Double Deal. Jr.’s, Death-Watch. Jr.’s, Doublet. Jr.’s, Death-Blow. Jr.’s, Desperate Strait. Jr.’s, Lone Hand. Jr.’s, Defeat. Jr.'s, Resurrection. Jr.’s, Dark Days. Jr., Defied. Jr.’s, Double Device. Jr.’s, Desperate Venture. Jr.’s, Diamond Dice. Jr.’s, Royal Flush. Jr.’s, Head-Off. Jr.’s, Riva}. Jr.’s, Boom. Jr.'s, Scoop. Jr.’s, Proxy. Jr.'s, Clutch. Jr,’s, High Horse. Spe at Devil's Gulch. Jr.'s, Death-Hole Hustle Jr.’s, Bombshell. Are in Mexico, Jr.’s, Decoy Duck. “Ifa , ‘in Siiver Pocket. Jr.'s, Dead-Sure Game. Jr.’s, Double Drive, Jr.’s, Trade-Mark. Jr., at Tip-Top. Jr.’s, Double-Decker. Jr., at Dollarville. i Jr., at Flush Flats. J Jr.’s, Shake-Up. Jr.’s, Double Drie Jr.’s, Right Bower. Jr.’s, Ten-Strike. Shee 's, Gold Dust. Jres, Oath. Jr.’s, ’ Death-Doom. J r.’s, Best Card. Jr,, at Gold Dust. Jr.’s, Big Play. Jt; Branded. Jr.’s, Dutch Pard. Jr.’s, Big Four.

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vane 5 'OBYRIGHANIG9 Bs ‘ D Tg ES Ti EE Pa ah eee eae 3 LEE REE A Copyright 1878-1884, by Beadle & Adams. Entered at Post Office, New York, N. Y., as second class matter. Mar. 15, 15.9. M. J. IVERS & CO., Publishers, ; ] Issued Weekly. (James Sullivan, Proprietor Price 5 Cents, ee ¢ A a8 § prietor,) ' Page x No. 0. May 17, 1899. 379 Pearl Street, New York. $2.50 a Year. Vol I, esi Aaa eas = = ba ed Terror; or, Deadwood Dick in Danger. BY EDWARD L. WHEELER. ~ : ] OMAHA OLL The Mask DEADWOOD DICK DECOXED

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Omaha Oll, THE MASKED TERROR; OR, Deadwood Dick in Danger, BY EDWARD L. WHEELER, AUTHOR oF ‘‘ DEADWOOD DICK,”’ ‘* DOUSLE DAGGERS,"” “ BUFFALO BEN,” ETC., ETC, CHAPTER I. DEL NORTE!—THE WONDERFUL EL GAMIN. Dex Norte! ; The Monaco of America, ; The liveliest little town of its size in Southern Col- orado. It is situated upon the south bank of the Rio Grande river, near where it turns out of the San Luis valley from its eastward course, and runs nearly direct south through New Mexico. It was only started a few years ago, in conse- geen of being on the Overland route to the kies, and is not much of a place—probably con- tains between nine hundred and a thousand souls— with a class of citizens made up of all nationalities, nearly, although Spanish blood predominates. Not much of a place for commerce is this Del Norte, nor is gold to ba found within fifty miles of the locality. Yet it is undeniably a fast, lively place. Constant emigration into the Rockies, which are fast becoming settled, sustains Del Norte, in a meas- while its gambling repute attracts. adventurers and rascals in large numbers. Its population is of this restless type, who are ever wandering from place to place, seeing what there is to see. These Del Norteans are not naturally inhospitable to strangers, but among the gambling fraternity, who at times rule the town, there ig a rufflanly set of bummers, and herders from the immense cattle ranches that abound upon the fifty-by-twenty-mile rairie immediately back of the little town, who are Pratish and cruel; reckless devils who shoot and kill often upon little or no provocation. From Del Norte, which stands partly upon a river bluff, a beautiful view of the herding prairies, as they stretch in gentle billows away toward the filmy mountains, whose hoary peaks are appli the year around, can be obtained. Here are dwellings —mostly haciendas or Mexican farm-houses; there, great herds of cattle are grazing. These black masses upon the prairie, which are herds b pay to different parties, may be seen dotted down like groves or patches of timber in the distance. A puree: wild and interesting life is this stock- erding. The town is rather prettily laid out, with afew street 1 and maybe a hundred dwellings, some of which are generally neon And you need not bo surprised to find a gambling den in each of these tenanted habitations, ¥or women gamble in Del Norte as well as in Mo- naco, and some of the black-eyed Spanish girls are adepts at cards, and at winning hearts. But the main resort of this town, of which the world knows so little, is the ‘* Oriental Palace,” a noble structure of Mexican build, artistically finished and richly furnished, with only one floor and e bal- eony up near the awning roof, where two bands dis- course music the whole day and part of the night, a decoy to draw unsuspecting strangers into the mas- wr gambling room of Western America, ere was but one floor, but upon this floor and in under the roof far above, you could pack away half adozen average buildings. Imagine a tiled floor as smooth and evenly-laid as aglass surface, three hundred feet long by two hun- wide, and fitted with luxurious chairs and sofas of Mexican manufacture, marble-top card, faro and Omaha Oll, the Masked Terror. keno tables, with oe arian and long bars behind which all kinds of drinks from eerie Beep to Taos whisky are kept, dispensed, and carried by Mexican girls, in short dresses, blue stock- ings and red slippers. 3 rom above come softly-modulated strains of be- witching music, below are gracious, fascinating senoritas; the average man needs but to step inside this palace, and he is a “‘ goner,” so long as his cash holds out. Evening is the time when the excitement at the ‘Oriental waxes the hottest, when all the popula- tion of the town, save those who may chance to be anti-gamblers or have “ private snaps”’ of their oon mo out to witness the sport, and mayhap take a hand. Faro, keno, roulette, billiards and pool, besides -ordinary games from eucher to dominoes and check- ers, are played bere,so that a visitor can have no excuse for not playing but a blank refusal, if he knows aught of any gaine at all. And skilled game- sters, too, are two-thirds of these Del Norteans, while not behind them rank these rough cattle-herd- ers of the San Luis Sherr 8 It was one evening at the beginning of December— the close of Del Norte’s nearly perpetual, summer. Tue night was breathless and sultry, with only a. very faint breeze fanning up from the sullen, dark waters of the murmuring Rio Grande, as it swept by through its channel to the far-away Gulf. “ The Oriental Palace was nevertheless crowded— crowded with men of rough, and men of dashing ap- pearance; women whom dissipated life had wrecked of their personal charms, and women and maidens who had but recently launched forthinto this gay, wildly-reckless existence. Sirens, too, are some of these passionate, black- eyed Spanish women; more than lovable when not crossed, but very devils, when their ire is aroused. Althe tables were full, to-night, and many were there strolling about through the great building, some alone and distrustful, and others in company with fascinating senoritas, or say cavaliers, A great colonization caravan had that day stopped in Del Norte, to remain a week for repairs and tostockup, - and to this was aba 3 the fact of such a great atten- dance at the Oriental. There was a table at which presided a man named Captain Bill Monte, who challenged the worldat that — simple but interesting game, dominoes—a game, by the way, which you are not likely to find in the gen- eral gambling den, : But this Capt. Monte was an expert, and his little game won him nearly as much as other ‘ peelers”” won from higher games. He had asystem of gam- bling by dominoes which I have seen in but one place East, aud that was in Philadelphia. Before the game commenced, you were to buy twenty dollars’ worth of round ivory checks. if for a small game; or if it was to be a “ full tilt,” which is more generally played, three hundred dollars’ worth, These checks are numbered 5, 10, 15 and 20; there- fore, on a deposit of three hundred dollars, you re- ceive a given number of these checks, and deposit them in the drawer on your side of the table. Your opponent has a like number, and the denomination of each check is A Ui gt to represent so many dol- ~ lars. The game then commences, and as in the regular feme of dominoes, you each have five dom: inoes. the event that “double six” is not drawn, and yom opponent has the next largest double, which is ‘‘ five,” he sets it, and counts. ten, and you are required to give him one of your “ten”’ chesks, Ina few moments, it may chance that you make fifteen or twenty, and receive that mumber’s worth of ehecks from your contestant. : 4 In ease he blocks the game, which is one of the “points” of it, and maining blocks, whatever the count be upon those dominoes, be it, twenty-five, sixty-five or e are ve to him in checks, which is fat in his der, he being the banker and you having to pay bim — ighty, you — ae are obliged to draw the re- — *

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Omaha Oil, the Masked Terror, for more checks, in case you wish another game. his game in Del Norte they call «doive. In Philadel- phia it is more simplified and less exciting, three- dollar stakes more generally taking the place of three hundred. This description may possibly prove interesting to some of my readers, and is destined in the future to gain in popularity as a fair and honest gambling game, with few chances to cheat in it. Captain Monte was a large, smooth-faced man, dark in complexion, with a low, beetling forehead. piereing black eyes, and a habitual expression of evil cunning worn upon his face. Next to Wild Bill Hickox, he was conceded to be the best revolver- shot upon the “ middle” border, and not unlike Wild - Bill,* once he learned of his master-accomplishments in that line, and that the people feared him, he made a ruffian of himself at ever: he te peta 5 Around Monte’s «loive table this evening, a crowd had collected, watching the wonderful game of luck and science, Monte sat upon his side of the table, coolly winning the game at every deal, and fleecing an impetuous Southern youth, a member of the caravan, by the way, out of his last shilling. The man played straight- forward and unhesitatingly; he had made ten thou- sand dollars at bis game, and what if he did lose oc- casionally? He could soon win back. At last the Southerner arose from the table, a des- perate expression upon his haggard face—a wild gleam in his eyes, that strong drink had rendered bloodshot, “You have robbed me of my last penny, you devil!” he hissed, between his clinched teeth, ‘but I’ve not had enough yet. Ill rob my wife of her money and stake it, but what I will get back that which [ have Jost. Then, if I win, I'll put a bullet through your skull!” 3 Monte smiled, and nodded, as the P Aiea whose’ creole blood had been fired, shook his fist and strode away. a Look out for a suicide directly!’ he laughed, fay. “Any gentleman got confidence enough in is dominoistic abilities to take a game?” “There is!’? a voice immediately replied, and a young man of handsome figure and stately carriage, pushed forward through the crowd, ‘I have just cleaned out the heaviest faro bank in thé establish- ment, and if you’ve got any mvney to lose, now is your chance to lose it!” And the stranger folded his arms across his chest and gazed coolly at Bill Monte. , No one had seen him in Del Norte before; that he was a egies was certain, when Bill Monte knew him not, 's face was a bronzed but handsome one. with bold, regular features, and an eye of jet, as cool and unwavering as could well be. His hair, worn Jong, in under a Spanish herder’s hat, fell in waves over his shoulders, and he wore a slight mustache and imperial. His attire was American, although a Spanish serape, frin| with a chain of pure gold, was w rn over his athletic shoulders. “And you think you can clean me out just as easily as you cleaned out the faro bank, eh?” Bill Monte chuckled, as he dexterously mixed the dom- inoes. “Do you understand the game we play?” PE aoa t sir,” the other replied, Semin out a number of | ills from a huge wallet. ‘“ My name is ON Sag if you want to know with whom you are 0 play. Fl Gamin deposited three hundred dollars upon the stack-board at one end of the table, and Monte covered it, after which a package of checks was F ‘Wild Bill has been made a hero in story and upon the stage, and now that he is dead, perhaps it is best not to haul him over the fire, but the western border never knew of a man that more deserved a rope and the limb, than he, despite the fact that he made yal eos scouts, before he e what he ‘was, when McCall avenged his brother’s death, in Deadwood—a dissolute brayo and cut-throat, at El Gamin, and the same number retamed by conte. The game then began. Monte set the double-six, six-tray, which counted fi ceived ivories, Six bouts were played, with the most game on Monte’s side, but then El Gamin blocked it upon deuces, and Monte was forced to rake in the undrawn dominoes. Therefore El Gamin Bot the game-count, and his own deposit money, with checks enough for ‘second horse.’” Tnese checks are redeemed for their face value at the end of the game. Once more the bones were shuffled, and played, and again El Gamin blocked the game upon his op- ment, and received a heavy count, one put out he Bras, besides leaving him with over three hun- dred dollars’ worth of checks, above investment. These he retained for a new game. And, amid applause, he won the game, at the end of which he got two hundred dollars’ worth of checks cashed, aside from enough to continue. ‘ 3 Again the game began, Againfhe won! Not only once, but ten times; ten straight games, at the end of which he came eff twenty-five hundred dollars ahead of investment. Bill Monte was by this time furious with rage at his ill-luck. - “You are a devil!” he cried; ‘‘you have infatuated. these bones. But you shall either lose or win all. I have eight thousand dollars in the Denver Bank,and it is the last I have in the world, for you’ve cleaned me; and 1’ll bet that eight thousand dollars I win the next game!” * Laccept!” said El Gamin, almost unconcernedly, = rule, and El Gamin teen, for which he re- CHAPTER I. , THE HOME OF THE HARRISES—A STRANGE MESSAGE, Great excitement now prevailed. . The news spread like wildfire through the palaee serie neues crowds surged around the éloire table; bling-tables loaded down with eager men and wo men, who wished to get a glimpse at this. wonderful domino-movarch, El Gamin, who was to play Bill Monte for all he was worth. And half a bundred of Bill Monte’s backers, who were herdsmen and of the must ruffianly type of men, stood close at hand, ready to “climb” this new light in the gaming arena, should Bill Monte give the word. And as many or more Del Norteans stood, with hands resting upon revolvers, ready to back El Gam- ‘in, if necessary, for Bill Monte wes hated and feared by all, and the Del Norteans held a grudge against him worth wiping out. So that, from all standpoints, the situation within that great gas-lit edifice, looked peculiarly interest- ing, The bands upon the balcony far above were play- ing in concert a grand operatic melody; a strange ce iH a ran riot; everybody was breathless- ly_expectant. Bill Monte was going to stake his last dollar against the same amount put up by this unknown, handsome El Gamin that he would win the game. Fight thousand dollars! me A comfortable fortune, and though it was above the regular line of betting in Del Norte, at Monaco it would ofttimes be considered an insignificant sum, where princely fortunes ate risked upon a single game of chance. ‘ As the game was of so large a figure, no checks were purchased on deposit money ; Monte gratuitous- ly furnished these, and the game began. And the game ran: Monte led with double five, making ten: El Gamin blank-five—also ten: Monte six-five: Six; Monte drew eight dominoes, and played + five;and so ran the game, Ei Gamin even blocking the game on blanks. ! Monte swore like a trooper, and as if to intimidate other games were suspended, and the gam: ~ Gamin blank- zal

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4 his opponent, drew a six-shooter and laid it upon the table. El Gamin stared a moment; then repeated this performance, his revolver being @ heavy Der- ringer, of large bore. “Guess you meant shoot, didn’t you?” he said, laying his down, already cocked. “Guess you'll find out!” Bill Monte growled, sul- Jenly, glancing at the check he had written, to see that no one‘ had disturbed if. ‘*Go on.” They played and Monte won. Bach had fifty to go, now; game, two hundred. And they played—and Monte won! With a yell of delight he made a grab for the stakes, but his coun- tenance instantly came in contact with the muzzle of El Gamin’s revolver. “Hold!” El Gamin cried. sternly. ‘‘ Those stakes are nof yours, You have cheated! Look, gentle- men—a four deuce played upon the double six, does not make fifteen. Nor can we call this a game; so we will play over!’’. The crowd saw the mistake now, and Bill Monte saw that his attempt to cheat had beenin vain. The dominoes were re-shuffled, and the re finished, El Gamin winning, just five ahead of his eh ei Instantly upon laying down the game bone, he seized his revolver in time to cover Monte who was, ‘in the act of raising his. “No fancy games!” the victor cried, grimly, rak- ing in the stakes, and stowing them away in his pocket. ‘I won fairly!” “You're a liar and a cheat!’ Monte roared, with a frightful curse, “I'll give half o’ my share ter ther man that’ll shoot him dead) boys. Hurra!” With an answering yell the herdsmen ater for- ward toward the strange gambler expert. But, at the same time the Del Norteans made a rush upon them, and therein that Oriental Palace took place a bloody affray, which the men of Del Norte won, only because of superiority of numbers. And when the battle was over, and a dozen dead and dying lay stretched out upon the blood-stained floor, it was found that El Gamin was gone. Bill Monte and, his! herders, though thoroughly whipped, were none te less boastful and defiant, and held their own in the Palace. Ready were these rough cattle-men to uphold their leader, with money or with fight, for a large percentage of them feared him, by right of a secret, which we shall develop in the progress of our story. Bitter was the seh dear then, among them to find that El Gamin had escaped, for not only did they wish to avenge the death of their fallen com- rades, but to re-establish Bill Monte in business agatn, and restore him his money. Down the beautiful San Luis valley, about ten miles from Del Norte, and upon the banks of the Rio Grande, was a pretty little homestead, consisting of an ancient Mexican hacienda, built of adobes, and a number of out-buildings, all set down upon a prairies plot of green, which was guarded on three sides by a white picket fence, and sloped gently down to the water’s edge. Back from, the building rélled mile after mile of gentle, undulating prairie, a large portion of it de- voted to stock grazing, while here and there were patches of grain and corn, showing that agriculture was not neglected, Upon these herding-plains, each man has his own individual tract, generally square in shape, with each corner marked off with a tall pole; and it means war to trespass upon those grounds belong-, ane to another, even if only stepping across a line, unless you have a passageway bargained for. Thus, in the San Luis valley, lanterns are hoisted «upon the tops of these claim-marking poles, of vari- ous colors of I ght, presenting a strange appearance if seen upon a particulariy dark night, or in a clear one. j Two men and a pack of well-trained Mexican shep- herd dogs are all that isgenerally required to watch @ xerd, one change going on at noen and coming off Omaha Ol, the Masked Terror. £Tass, j oe at midnight, and vice versa. The dogs soon learn the limits allowed for grazing, and need few direstions to keep the herds within their proper bounds. The principal foes of the herders of the Sam Luis valley are the few strolling, wandering Indians who still hunt Southern Colorado, being for the most part vagabond Navajoes. The homestead we have described was handsome- ly located, in sight of Del Norte—indeed there were - no neighbors nearer, except one family further dow the valley, the larger share of the herders living fur- ther inland. And to this sequestered spot, by Rio Grande Det Norte’s murmuring waters, ward Harris had come, when in his Jalloon he had sailed away from Bureka, up in Idaho. It is useless, pereaes, to tell the reader of this Li: PRARY Who Edward Harris is; for as Deadwood Dick he is now well known to many thovSands of readers, Deadwood Dick, the prince of road-agents, once; but now a reformed man, leading the honest life ov cattle-herder. Once when still a road-agent, he had come down into this valley, hearing of its great beauty and fu« ture wealth, He had seen this old Mexican hacien- da with its accompanying six hundred acres, and urchased it for pS and now with his loved and. oving wife and boy, he had taken possession of it, leading a quiet life, with servants enough to do the work in the house and upon the stock lands; for Dick was annually receiving handsome profits from a gold mine in the Black Hills, and could afford to live luxuriously. One pleasant sunny afternoon, a few days after the event last narrated, the happy little group were vathered under the trees upon the lawn in front of i hacienda, which sloped gently to the water’s edge. < was a beautiful day for December—just such a day as we have in our Eastern States in July or ro Sra for Del Norte and the San Luis are almost in the tropics, it would seem. No winter ever as- sails them until January, if at all, and lasts but a couple of months. Overhead the sky was clear and blue, while the sun shone down scorchingly, its in- tense heat only relieved by the gentle breeze blow- ing over the prairies from the white-capped moun- tains in the hazy distance. Trees were still green in company with the vel- vety grass, and the birds yet sung joyous songs among the foliage, while sweetly perfumed flowers, and towering cactuses adorned the lawn. Altogether the scene was charming and picturesque, with all the beauties of the land in riv: with the stateli- ness of the Rio Grande as it moved murmuring br Deadwood Dick had* thrown himself upon. the lawn, while Leone satin a huge bamboo chair in front of him. her gaze resting upon his handsome face and form lovingly. , Little Dick, but a few months old, was upon the grass near by, crowing loudly as the birds sung, and kicking up his heels in babyish hing ““And how like you the new home, poe young Harris asked, taking his cigarette from tween his lips. \ “Like it?” Leone repeated, glancing about her half ede “T like it more than I can tell, dear Eddie. like it anywhere where you are.” ‘And home would be no home without you, my peerless, Here, in this beautiful home, if the world will leave me alone, T can end my days in peace and ~ bliss with you, my darling; and hunger not for the old wild life.” : ‘““Ah! but how I fear this beautiful home will not long hold us both, Prince,” the girl-wife replied sad- ly. ‘tSomething seems to tell me that we are to again experience trouble—that we are going to be parted again, perhaps forever.” ? ‘*Pooh! you have the blues a little over somethi that has not gone ent What is it, pet?” and drew her down beside him on the soft carpet of —

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Omaha Olli, the xu “* Nothin plied, nestling fondly in his arms. I know of yet, dear husband,” she re- ied, “But I got to thinking what if we should be separated, when we are so a “Tt would be a bitter blow indeed, my peerless; but we will not think of such a thing. Here we have all that heart can desire, except neighbors, which are few and far between, and of rather an undesira ble quality. Idon’t know about that family down the river, as I have not yet penetrated that far into the valley. And, Leone, I feel that we need appre- hend no danger—not even discovery, from our ene- mies, fora long time to come. Emigration is not coming from the North, but from the Mast.” “Ah! Eddie, you know not what moment that Edith Stone may come, for she is your life-long peony Do you really believe that she is crazy, ear igi Dick nodded his head slowly, as he re- ed: Ps Ido, Leone—I can believe nothing else, for I do uot think she was so evil of heart, before.” “Oh! but you cannot tell. She may have been, without your knowledge. Women always bear the hest appearance on the outside, you know;” with a sly nudge. ‘‘ Besides there were both her uncle and pe of a villainous turn, which may have affected er. ence Dick replied, gazing thoughtfully at the ground, “And, dear, who is that strange female horseman I saw spurring over the plain, this morning, from my chamber window?” “Hh? you saw her, then? Well, the herders call her the Prairie Patrol—Lestie, her name is. Butt cannot make head nor tail out of it, ’ll be dashed. Strange occupation for a young woman, to be roam- ing over the plains. without apparent object.” At this juncture there were footsteps heard, and a wiry little old man, accompanied by a billy-goat, of the ugliest of countenances, came striding up, from the prairie, rifle in hand. © He was cladin a hunting-suit of buckskin, with top-boots and herder’s slouch hat; yet we have no difficulty in recognizing our friend of bygone days, Old Avalanche, Both Dick and Leone smiled their welcome, as the veteran Annihilator approached, and caught little Master Dick up in his arms, and tossed him u) on his shoulder, for a “hoss-back” ride, while Florence Nightingale rubbed jealously against his legs. and shook his sledge-hammer head, in evident displeasure that his‘ master should take a new pet. “Be still, Flor’nce, ye dasted ornery old critter; behave yerself, afore I giv’ ye ther condoocive end o my number eleven cowhide. Durnedest old beastis that goat, sir, thet evyer war death ter grass, I’m tellin’ ye. Why, thar war ther time, up in Nevada, at Carson City, when l war tryin’ ter court up the Widder Washington—one e’ George’s flock. That pesky goat wouldn’t hev it, ertall, sir. He'd jest cum an’ ram his rammifications ag’in’ ther side o’ ther house, ontel is suppose an ’arthqnake hed rolled over. Greathysterical ham-bone! he got so mad one night when I war squeezin’ kisses out 0’ ther widder, thet wi’ a beller he cum tearin’ right thru a windy, an’ smashed things generally.”’ “ Yés, a great foat that, and a great master, too,” replied Dick, with an amused smile. “A well- matched team.” . “Where have you been, to-day, uncle?” asked Leone, for that was what she and Dick often called the old scout, he seemed so near to them; *‘ roaming on the plains, I suppose?” , “Yas, out a-tryin’ my new ’oss, ma’am; but he ain’t no seech anymile as my old Prudence Corde- liar war, tell you. Prudence ked sling off a shoe an’ hit a red nigger wi’ the utmost sang freid ye ever see’d. By ther way, Dickey, boyee, heré’s a queer little message thet ther gal they call the Prairie Patrol sent ter ye thru yer ’umble servant;” end the old man, after considerable tumbling in his Masked Terror. vw oR pockets, produced an enveloped message and hand: éd it to Deadwood Dick. 3 “‘Hello! what does this mean?’ the ex-Prince exclaimed in surprise, as he tore the wrapper. “Teone, what do you suspect? See! it is directed to me—Deadwood Diek.” Leone grew white instantly, for she believed that a terrible blow was impending. The message read as follows: “Deadwood Dick, you are in deadly danger. You need counsel, which I cannot give you on paper. Keep out of Del Norte; you have two hundred ene- mies there, and among the herders. Meet me down the river, at the ruined ranch, to-night, at moons rise. Lustig, Pramig Parrou.” CHAPTER III. IN THE GLADE— “‘ THE ARKANSAS : TOOTHPICK.” : ‘Tsar night was beautiful in the extreme, in the picturesque mountains and on the grazing prairies of Southern Colorado, soft moonlight striking here and there upon little Spanish-American towns of adobe, or an cceasional village of Navajoes in some wild,.lonely spot. Several miles up the San Luis valley from the home of the Harrises was a large tract of timber extending from the river, which rolled sullenly THE SPECTACLE | through the center cf the valley, across a southern grazing prairie, finally connecting with the mount- ains, miles in the hazy distance. This timber seem- ed to form a sort of chain across the valley, and and from its dark, gloomy appearance had taken the name of Black Wocds. It was about a mile in width by twenty long, and after passing through it . the valley continued on toward its head, a mass of rolling prairie. On the bank§ of the Rio Grande, as it flowed through one end of this Black Woods, was a ruined hacienda of adobe, which to all ay pearance had not been tenanted for many years—probably rot since the Spanish settlers first invaded this country of gold. It was, in every sense of the word, a ed and ghostly old place. It. was high and irregularly built, with many curi- — ous pneles and branching wings; the adobes were crumbling away, and a matted mass of wild vines nearly hid from view the semblance of a habitation. The windows were burst out, the doors unhinged and the ghostly ruins of a once grand homestead © given over to the Si oe of such tenants of the animal kingdom as had no better habitation. The forest entirely surrounded the hacienda, but in front of it was a small glade that had some time been a handsome place, for crumbling statuary and marble fountains res gleamed from recesses in the massed) foliage, and serpentine graveled walks led down across it to the gurgling waters of the Rio Grande, a few rods away. ; And on this night the soaring full moon up in the dome of heaven, threw a ghastly flood of light down upon the ruins, and upon a tragic scene in the de- serted glade. -No—not deserted, for in its center stands a tree with outspreading branches, and to one of these a dark object is suspended by means of a stout rope. ; As we approach nearer, we are able, by aid of the flood of weird pies to define this spectacle, and make it out to be the body of a man, hung by - the neck. Surely the scene is in unison with the surround- ings, for everything about the ruins reminds one of the dead and the dead past; and the river murmurs a weird requiem.. The stillness is profound, until, when the moon reaches a pony almost directly over- * head, there are sounds of horse’s feet: heard close at hand, anti half a dozen coyotes sneak out from the hacienda, and into the wood. “ Then, after considerable noise, and a number of rather broad expressions of indignation, a horseman “¢ emerged suddenly into the glade.

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‘F \ ‘\ 8 Omaha Oll, the Masked Terror. Apparently astonished to find himself ouf of the timber tangle, he leaned back in the saddle and pulled with all his strength upon the reins, succeed- ing finally in bringing his steed, a very ugly-tem- pered and obstinate mule, to a halt, _ *Whoa-r-r!’’ the stranger sung out, with a peculiar nasal twang, as he succeeded in Sete the beast to a standstill—“‘whoa-t-r, ye ungodly beast, while we take in a comprehensive view’ ther surround- ings. : - A strange pair were this stranger and his mule— , 8s od] in appearance as one is often likely to meet on the Overland trail. The man was a seven-footer if he was an inch in hight, and as lank and gaunt as a prairie-wolf after a@ severe winter. Evidently there was not a spare pound of flesh about him, and if he had been accus- tomed to good aia it had in no way affected him as to corpulency. e@ was rather illy proportioned, too, for tie longest portion of his person was his legs, his trunk or body being strangely dwarfed, and his neck long and crane-like. Upon this latter was perched a head almost twice the size of that of an ordinary mortal, covered with a straggling, matted shock of sandy hair, that fell half-way down to his waist. His arms were equally long with his legs; and his face was covered to the eyes with @ red, suagzy beard, which almost touched his belt. His eyes were black and magnetic, aud shaded by a broad-brim herder’s. hat, with the rim turned down; while his remaining habiliments consisted of a suit of corduroy and top-boots. In his belt he carried both revolvers, knife and lasso, while a handsome rifle was slung at his back, ‘A being strange, Guess if you can The mystery of x This ‘toothpick ’ man.” A being strange, he was ludicrous, certainly, as he sat astride the muls, an animal of exceeding mulish aspect, and ugly countenance, and undersized, at that, to that extent which made it necessary for the rider to lock his long legs under the animal’s belly, to keep them from dragging, <A fact it was that he could sit-in the saddle, and wall upon the ground, of such exceeding length were those thills of his. “Whoa-r-rl” repeated this strange individual, for the third time, though the mule was stationary for the time being—“‘ whoa-a-r-r, consarn ye, an’ let yer lord-an’-masfer make an observatory 0’ thes leetle place. Hullo! darn my old sow’s last litter o’ pigs! + what in all creat’on aire thet hangin’ ter yander Jimb—a man? Aire this a graveyard or seminary, ther great Toothpick o’ Arkansas hes stumbled inter —a sort o’ eryptogram whar anshent Aztecs han up corpses ter dry. Holy sulphurous fires of anshen Jerusalaam |” 5 : Dropping the reins, the Arkansas Toothpick drop- ped his feet to terra firma, and walked straight ahead toward the grim spectacle in tbe moonlight, passing over the mule’s head without any trouble. At length he paused before the suspended body, and gazed at it speculatively. Z “ Humph!” was his next grim comment, as he in- gulfed a huge quid of tobacco, “et aire a sad sight tar parseeve a feller human in them distressed cir- cumstances, I sw’ar. Cotched ther throat disease, an’ choked hisself inter angelicky, Wonder who he is—w'ether he is a Toothpick, a Jayhawker, ora Gopher? Tritfi-b’ilt sort ov a ’coon; young an’ ’and- sum, too. “Spect I don’t know nothin’ about how he slid off, ner "tain’t none o’ my bizness; yet Ido like ter make my mark in ther world. Don’t expect et would be no harm, nuther. Judith, ye old. beast, eum hayr, wi’ my writin’ materials, wile I write thes poor cuss’s obituary.” : According to orders, the mule came forward, to ' the giant's side, but cast a suspicious eye at the corpse swinging in the breeze. " Sho! ye needn’t be skeart, old gal, at thet scare- e abs ” the Toothpick assured, as t a e began to write ¢ upon some paper. ‘‘Ye’ve seen wuss funerals nor thet, in yer lifetime, I tell ye.” Busily wrote this uncouth man from Arkansas, and at length he finished and pinned the notice, which was penned upon half a sheet of foolscap pa- — per, in large, sprawling letters, upon the clothing of the suspended corpse. Then he stepped back, with a grim chuckle, and contemplated his wo.k with evident satisfaction. z “°Tain’t much stumps o’ writin’, thet ain’t!? he A remarked, addressing the er kg taule, ‘but et’s ylain an’ homely, jes’ like ther b ographer uv et, arn’t learnt much them days l went ter schule in Arkansaw; played old sledge and seven up, most 0’ ther time. Guess we've done about ther extent 0’ our pile, Judith, so we might as well mog along.” Saying which the eccentric ranger spread his legs apart, and the sagacious animal aimed between them, and Toothpick sat down into the sadd’a with- out any ado. “Now, g’lang, ye beast, an’ none o’ yer ee! biz- ness, fer we're goin’ ter reach Del Norte ter-night, or bu’st ther b’iler!” And away trotted the little mule, with his ludicrous burden, across the glade, Soon they were out of sight in the wood, and things in that lonely glade once more resumed their ghostly appéarance, The moon still suowered down its whitish, spectral light, a rising breeze moaned ~~ through the Black Woods, an owl hooted within the = ruined hacienda, and the river moved by, withits sullen, monotonous murmur, With the departure of the midnight traveler, the coyotes sneaked back to their haunts in the ruins, and how!ed their disgust upon the night. er But what was this message the strange individual had left upon the body of the Bae young man, ee he might be, who had been lynched in the ade? = The paper was lit up by the light of ths weird moon, and revealed the following words, written in rude scrawls: 7 “Jem. Surrat Murry, Eskwire, ther ‘original’ — Toothpick from Arkansas, desires ter annownee thet 3 he found this corpuss hangin’ ter a limb, an’ render- ed a coroner’s verdick o’ died o’ a tightness in ther weazand. Take Sprang, ye sinners, for ef ther original Toothpick frum Arkansaw ever gits a clutch — at ye, ye’re bound to shake hands wi’ a devil. aan “Yours trooly, Jum Murray.” ae The wagon-train containing the colonizationists, had camped just out of Del Norte, on the western side of the town and upon the river-bank, s & The caravan was a large one, containing in all a hundred ‘‘schooners,’”’ drawn by oxen, a large stu of horses, and about Puy. families, mostly fro Pennsylvania and New York. - Among this strong band the males and the females were about evenly divided, a potion of each being of a marriageable age, while the remainder were the. possessors of families. Naturally there was a great — rivalry among the young men, which, during the long taupe of the caravan, had in more fran one instance led into a quarrel and fight, though the lat- ter was generally secretly con iucted. 3 ; On the day that the caravan camped withont the town, those belonging to it were visited by a number of curious Del Norteans, and not a few decoys were. offered to induce the young men and maidens into the town, and to that den of wholesale and retail robbery by eards. the Oriental. aay ae, But there were two of the young men who did not go. f i ‘They refused all solicitations. and after dark that — evening, met upon the prairie, outside of the town, Roth were handsome young fellows of two-and- twenty years, well-built and physically develop and their names were respectively Redwood ; Arlington, Fred Arlington was the better teny of the two, and amore general favorite. Hisp

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Omaha Oil, the Masked Terror. v. on Ai were wealthy, and he had traveled in the West be- fore—it was he, in fact, who had located the new colony which the caravan were about to start. Dean dwood was a good fellow in his way, but one of those whom you have to get thoroughly used to ere you can say that you like them. He was a native of Montana, he stated; had joined the train only’a few days’ travel beyond Del Norte, abe the expressed intention of making one of the colony. : ne these two young men now met upon the dark rairie, and confronted each other, with savage ooks and drawn revolvers, -“ At last we are alone, Dean Redwood!” young rents cried, in a stern, ringing voice, that be- trayed how intense was his bitterness and hatred— ‘alone and safely out of hearing, where no one will interfere.” is “ T believe so,” Redwood assented, with a nod and aglance about. ‘ Your invitation out here was at first a matter of surprise, but after due reflection, I concluded it was caused by your jealousy toward me for having a few words to say to your affianced, Miss Ada Belldon.” “That for one reason, you dog. You have in- stilled poison into her mind, or infatuated her, the devil only knows which. Do not think I do not recognize you, sir, for I do, We have met before.” “Yes, we have met before,’? Redwood replied, grimly, ‘‘and the recollections I have of you are none t6 pleasing, I assure you. When I think of the loving girl you enticed from: me and betrayed to death, I felt like catching you by the throat and choking the life out of you.” “No doubt you joined the train for some such a purpose!” sneered Arlington. f “No matter about my pices in joining the cara- van,” replied Redwood. ‘I saw the lovely girl you were trying to entrap, as you would have entrapped poor Lena Alden, had not death first interfered. And, now, sir, I confess I warned her of your past history. and to look out for youas she would for snakes.” “Yes, I know you did, and by so doing, made it mecessary for me to call this interesting me>tng.” “ What do you want?” * Your life—and you want mine!’ : “No, I have no desire in that direction. "bie, reat ‘hereafter will be time enough to avenge ‘Lena ‘Alden’s wrongs. Ido not want your life.” “But I want yours, and will have it, or die as I would have you die” pe f ‘Very well. If you will risk your life in trying to kill me, your fate be upon your own head. Shall it be revolvers?” ‘ r “Ves: as well end the work with them as any other weapons!”’ Then there in the first light of the moon that was shoving her forehead over the horizon, the two foes measured off a proper distance, and took their places. é 3 “We will count in concert, and fire at the word three. Are you ready?” from Redwood, “Perfectly!” Arlington replied, as with a trem- bling hand he raised a revolver on a line with his face, which was deathly pale. “ All right then—one "” In which Arlingfon joined. : “Too! from both, in sternly ringing voices, Then came—" Three! Fire!” CHAPTER IV. . t THE PRAIRIE PATROL. | Great was the surprisé of Dendwood Dick, at the contents of the strange message Old Avalanche had _ brought him, coming as it did from the mysterious ~ Patrol of the Prairies. And he had company in his wonderment, for the great Annihilator and Leone shared it with him. aiecee att 2 “What can it mean? Who does it signify—this _ word, enemies? Can it be that my old foes from Deadwood haye trailed me, even here?” the young y ex-road-agent said, gazing HnOUer italy at the pas er. “Oris thissome trap to decoy me to death? y Heaven! I'd giveadeal to have this riddle solved, What kind of a aoa female, Alva?’ “Great ham-bone thet paralyzed old Joner wi’ electricity! I ham’t ther least ijeer, Dickey, my b’yee. See’d her, ter be sure, but she war about forty yards off, an’ a-sailin’ along like a veritable thunderstorm o' demolition, an’ afore I got ready ter screw my vision onter her, she war sumwhars else. Beauchifully shaped, however, an’ et’s likely het chee ther persessor cf a scientific p’ysiogno- my!” “What! you were hot nearer than forty yards to las spt yet you say she sent this message with ‘oul’ “ Zebulom Zack, yes!’ and the old man laid back upon the grass, and for the space of several minutes was convulsed with laughter. “Soshe did, but ye orter see’d her, She tuk a bow an’ arrer from her belt. an’ takin’ aim, sir, fer an actooal fact, wi’out breakin’ ther corner off'm ther ten commandments, she stuck thet arrer plum inter ther tail o? Anna Dickinson, my new *oss. Moses in ther scriptural bull-iushes! ye orter seen thet poor anamile, then, Dickey—ye jest or er see’d her! Ham-bone frum ther wale thet old Joner stowed away! she jest ene a yell like a bloodthirsty Comanche, or a Settin’ Bull, an’ fainted clean away —fact, by gracious. An’ I found thes yere message tied ter ther tale o’ ther arrer. Zebvlom Zackaria- her! ef thet hed been old Prudence Cordeliar, now, she wouldn’t ‘a’ fainted—oh! no. She’d jest ching a cast-iron boss-shoe at that Prairie Gadder, in most skientific fashion, See’d her shampoo the skulp ofa . noble red devil up in Montana, once, in thet man- ner, But I’m tellin’ ye thar’s heaps o’ virtue an’ Yarnin’ about Anna Dickinson. barrin’ ther fac’ thet Prudence Cordgliar war the likeliest beast thet ever figgered in ther historical evolutions o’ ther great Annihilation—ther great boreal disease *o these se- questered northern longytoads and lattytudes, ef we want ter know it. “Anna kin brush a fly off'm her left ear wi’ her right tun, io astonishin" style, an’ when ye cum ter pacin’ wi’ a mad Texan steer, w’at’s got astray from her herd. she’s thar, bet yer pile on that,” **Oh! Dick!” Leone exclaimed. ‘I fear that, as I said, our home is to be broken Le Baee we are to be separated. Don’t go to meet this strange woman, whose designs you know not.” “Ah!tmy dear, but I must go, If Iwere to let this warning go unheeded, it might be the means of the death of ail of us. No! I shall fo, but well prepared to let Greek meet Greek. Avalanche, wiil you order my horse, please?”’ “Yes, Dickey, b’yee. But let me advise ye ter take this great boreal disease along wi’ ye. ar’s heeps 0’ fun in ther Annihilation, ef thar is but two remaining members; an’ ef,thar’s plenty o’ Injuns ter inoculate ther great devastatin’ disease inter—” “No, scout, you had best remain here, and guard Leone and my boy, for there is no foretelling what may bappen, at any moment. We are alone and in aland of strangers, and undesirable ones, too, for these Spanish-Mexican cattle-herders are but a ee of border-rufflans—men who'd-as soon fight as eat! aie “Allright, b’yee; I'll stay and do guard, duty, an’ ef ennything herpens, you can caleylate that Ava~ Janche didn’t go down wi’out fightin’ fer your dare lin’s!” and then the Annihilator turned away, wip- ing a suspicious moisture out of the corner of his eyes. For he loved the Harrises, did that grim old veteran, whose life had been given up to border- battle—they were ‘nearer to his rough but kind old, beart than others had ever been, end he felt he could willingly shed his last drop of blood in their cause. After he had gone, Deadwood Dick arose and ps moodily to and fro acrogs the lawn, Lis brows nitted, and a sigh occasionally escaped his lips; — while, with Master Dick ir her arms, Leone sat upon $ e

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Omaha Oll, the Masked Terror. : the proud, gaze. ; Deadwood Dick was half-undecided what to do, ee had some doubts as to this strange woman, rairie Patrol ; af ie that all might not be meant well for him would force themselves upon him, Yet she might be a friend, and by some way have learn- ed of danger that was threatening him, and wished to apprise him of it. These were the two phases of the matter he con- templated. i At last he turned to Leone, none of the moody ex- pression gone from his brow, “Cheer up, little woman, and trust in Avalanche to protect you while ’'m gone. He will do it as pat as I could, if not better, The ride is but six miles, and I may not be gone over three hours, Adieu, now!’ f He bent over and kissed her and the babe Te- peatedly; then vaulted upon the back of a hand- some black horse which a een had brought and was dashing away, waving his hat back in farewell part- , watching her handsome prince, with ing. Kine sun was just sinking upon the edge of the horizon, and he knew it would be close on to night ere he reached the ruined ranch, so he urged his steed into a gallop, and dashed on over the prairie, keeping near to the river shore. * A splendid rider he was; road-agent-life in the Black Hills had basher him in the art of equestri- anisin, if it can be justly termed an art, and he sat the saddle with a grace rarely equaled. Not stiff, but in a swinging, easy motion peculiar to the horse- man of the western oe An Eastern equestrian will, on first seeing their Western brothers ride, be considerably amused, no doubt, at the motions in saddle; but, put the West against the world for wild, reckless and graceful riding. Deadwood Dick pushed steadily on, not allowing his well-bottomed animal to leave a gallop for the first three miles of the journey, Then, as he perceiv- ed that he could make the Black Woods ere night fell, he drew rein to a walk, and allowed his noble steed to ad by the cool breeze that was wafting over the b pie pact The sun had half sunk out of sight below a horizon of green and yellow; the last rays of gold were shooting over the beautiful landscape, and as Dead- wood Dick glanced around him, a glow of enthusi- asm swept over his features, “Tis grand!’’ he mused—“ grand beyond even my appreciation of the beautiful. Such a noble location for comfortable homes; how happy I and Leone might bo, here, if my foes would only keep away! Ah! curse them; I believe they intend to hunt me down to death. Buk ere long patienge and endurance will cease to be a virtue, and I shall be driven back into that old, wild life—the past which has so bitter a sting. But surely a great Master will not allow that; he will avert the necessity of retrogression, and—and—”’ ? Here he fell off into a fit of musing, and for some time, Bbpereony was unconscious of all that was going on around him. ; ‘ But then he aroused, and urged his horse on ‘aster. Night’s somber shadows were thickening rapidly, when he came into the immediate neighborhood of the wood. Only for the moon that was rising out of an eastern prairie billow, the darkness would have been intense. As he neared the forest, Deadwood Dick drew his revolvers from their holsters, and laced fresh cartridges in the cylinders, and turned fis knife to a handy position, for he knew not how soon he mi sht have occasion to use one or both. Then he urged his horse forward to the edge of the wood, and dismounted. Securing the animal so that he could not wander le & he stepped stealthily into the timber, and. made his way toward the ruin- ed hacienda—not boldly, but cautiously, with all his - senses upon the alert for danger, — Z He meant to prevent a surprise, if possible. Every few oe he paused to listen, and peered sharply around him, at every object which he thought might dissolve into a human form, The spectral moonlight sifting down through the tree-tops cast strange shadows, and the young man was several times fooled into believing these to be _ ambushed enemies. At last, after full half an hour of stealthy prow- ling, he reached the glade in front of the hacienda, and paused on the edge. ‘ Before him was the old ruin, looking weird and mith) but that ghastly sight which tne Arkansas ‘oothpick had seen, later in that same night, was not suspended from the limb of the tree. : Deadwood Dick did not go boldly out in the glade. It was not because he lacked te courage to do so, but because he preferred to remain under cover, and watch what transpired, And after an hour of watching, without reward, he was put in the way of making a discovery. There came the tramp of a horse’s feet, and the mysterious female Patrol of the Prairies rode into the glade, upon the back of a powerful black steed, a near mate to the one Deadwood Dick had left out on the edge of the wood and prairie. In her arms, . and partly’ resting across her saddle-bow, the Patro! carried a heavy burden, This Deadwood Dick had no difficulty in making out as a man’s body, and a natural curiosity pos- sessed him to know the meaning of these strange movements of this strange woman. That sho was beautiful he could easily perceive, for the moonlight shone full in her face, as she drew rein—in a face of remarkably-perfect cast, each’ feature. being regularly chiseled as though by the artist's hand. The eyes were large and wild in ex- pression, and hair of the hue of the unburred chest- nut swept over her shoulders. Elegantly contoured and graceful in a form of medium ght, she looked very pretty, with the silvery moonlight shedding a soft radiance over her. She was attired in a gown of some brownish stuff, while a vail was made to answer the purpose of a coverih; upon her head. : fully, from his retreat, “she is at least a handsome woman, and there is mystery about her, I wonder who is that man she carries, and what the row is, generally?” His questions were soon answered. The Prairie Patrol drew rein in under the tree, where, late, hung the corpse, and glanced around her, cautiously. 7 yy Jove!’ Deadwood Dick commented, thought- _ “T am alone,” she said, in a tone loud enough that her words were audible to the watcher in the edge of the glade. ‘‘ Hl Gamin did not fall into the trap I laid for him, because he is a coward. He recognized my writing, no doubt, and like a shy fox, he has kept within his hole. But, it willnot availhim. Bill Monte andthe Prairie League owe him B grudge, and Wild Lestie will be revenged through them, who kneel at the shrine, as heathen worship before their golden idols!’’ Thus fiercely spoke the beautiful Patrol; then with a start she fixed her gaze upon the face of the man she had carried in her arms. . ‘Hal why shouldI complain? Ehave one of th who pa the blight te my life, and though another — 8 killed him, I have body. Fred Arlington, even though you are dead—dead_and cold, never more to — return to life—I hate you, I fate you! Truly Dean Redwood sent the bullet through his brain, and I would love him for it, but that [have another work to perform, Hl Gamin has dared to come back, but he shall not escape the avenging hand of Wild bp een ha! no; he and his wife and child shall ie!’ In his hiding, Deadwood Dick started violently, as the latter part of her speech was heard, and a sud- den faintness assailed him, “My God!” he gasped, as asndden thought flashed — across bis brain, “can it be that it isI whom she —

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Omaha Oli, the Masked Terror. mistakes for this E] Gamin?_ By heaven! I believe I | best, though she could ae feel that Dick had gone have solved the mystery. She has decoyed me here, to murder me, and while lam here, this Bill Monte |. and the ‘ Prairie League’ of whom she speaks, are peered my home and slaughtering my wife and a 3 An awful horror seized upon the ex-road-agent, and for the space of several moments, he was too appalled to move or speak. i ut in the mean time the strange woman, Prairie Patrol, was speaking: “Yes, they shall all die, curse them, to avenge the ruined life of Wild Lestie. El Gamin dead, there are but two more to follow ere the record of ven- geance is rage tae Ha! ha! Fred Arlington, you, the basest villain of the lot, dead first, but not by my hand. Dean Redwood should have died just the same as you, but he was spared. He must follow, also! Hal! I will lynch Fred Arlington even tho’ he is no longer of the living and can not feel the tor- ture. Her resolve was Spperent She held the body evenly balanced across the horse’s neck, and then uncoiled along lasso from about the saddle-bow. One end she dextrously formed into a ee er noose, and shirred about the neck of the corpse: then she tossed the other over the nearest limb above her. It went over and came down, and then with a dis- play of considerable strength, she drew the dead colonist up into mid-air, and fastened the rope about his arm-pits, so that he was securely hung. ‘Ha! hal there you are, Fred Arlington, an illus- tration of the just end of such as follow in your footsteps through life. You are the first to the list of Lestie’s vengeance, but by no means ast! Then, upon sudden impulse, apparently, she Peres the spurs into the animal’s flanks, and ashed out of the glade. But Deadwood Dick had preceded her, and mounted upon his own fleet steed, was dashing over ‘the prairies at a mad rate of speed. Foran unnatural glow reflected against the eastern sky told him that there was need of him at the ranch --that trouble was occurring there! CHAPTER V, A NIGHT OF DEATH. ead the \ Arrmr the departure of Deadwood Dick, Ok va-) lanche joined Leone Harris upon the lawn, where she still sat, yeeping softly over her babe. “Cheer up, my little leddy!” the grim veteran : said, comfortingly, “for thar’s allus a calm after er squall, they say. Great ham-bone thet dislocated ther jaw of old Joner! w’at Nb cryin’ at, annyhow? Cryin’ are a bad habit, I’ve hearn tell. Tt dries u one’s blood, and wharever a tear 0’ salt brine falls onter a blade o’ grass, that eyedentycal blade ar’ de- vastated as ef by a contagious disease. Knew a gal- leon on@f, pritty as a picter, who cried her eyes out and had ter go it blind ther rest of her natteral days, fer weepin’ after a lost set o’ false teeth—like ther man thet bought a case o’ chip hats; thort ther wasn’t any more ever goin’ ter be made.” “Oh! you are kind, sir, in your attempts to cheer, but I cannot help weeping, for I have a premonition of danger; an awful fear assails me, that peril great- er than we suspect, surrounds us. Oh! Dick! why did 7 eh go? We shall never meet again!” “Put! tut!’ poohed the Annihilator, but with less _ joviality than before,for somehow he had become possessed of this strange foreboding—‘“tut! tut! child; don’t ery ernuther bit. Ill warrant Dickey"ll cum kK. He’s not ther boy ter\desert a friend jong, when it is possible to help it. Cum inter ther house, ma’am, and in thar YS. won’t feel so lone- some, I'll bet; eh! junior Dick?’ And the Annihila- tor caught the crowing infant in his arms, and bounded gayly away toward the hacienda. : me arose to her feet, with a sigh, and followed in their wake. She had resolved to hope for the ¢ ’ az Ca 7 , is into pest AEE te death. f She went within the hacienda, which was furnished after a fastidious Spanish taste, antl betook herself to the parlor overlooking the — prairies, where the sounds of boisterous Jaughter announced that Avalanche and master Dick had preceded her. She found the oJd scout trotting the child upon his knee, and singing, laughing and whistling, alternate- ly to it, like some great overgrown school-boy. He seemed to have found a new realization of life and comfort, in caring for and amusing the babe of his friend. Perhaps it was because a ripe old age was fast nearing him toward his second childhoud/ But, brave old veteran, whore heart was as pure as crystal, though: hidden under a rough uncouth covering, hhe’ll have to die—as we all si all have to contribute our_mite toward paying off the great eternal debt. But when dies one from our midst, whose goodness to his friends and devotion tv his country have been a sole object in his life, we mourn that loss, even though we be but strangers. And little did the Annihilator of Leone dream of | thesnear a pees of death, as he played with Leone’s child—Deadwood Dick; but of whodm he He set as his grandchildren, and loved according- iy. Little either of them thought of danger as such a close neighbor, until it came. Leone first discovered it—a glowing red light out upon the prairie, too low for one of the poled-claim handmarks, and yet alight shining with such bril- liancy as to reflectagainst the moonlit sky, appa- rently growing steadily in size. She ealled the Annihilator’s attention to it, with a startled scream. ; “Look! look! see yonder light upon the prairie? What does it mean? Oh! heaven, can it mean that our enemies have—” She paused and watched the face of the old scout for her answer. : He stood just without the window, and gazed fix- edly af tne light, his eyes reaching forth with nearly as much strength asin their youth. At first. the expression upon his face was irdfffer- ent, but it gradually became so grim, that ste was forced to arouse him, so frightened she grew. * Oh! tell me—tell me; is it danger?” “Slathers an’ haydoogins of it! My gal, ef I ain’t mistaken, thar’s deviltry afoot, and I'll bet my old hat on it, Thet pepe aire afire, off yonder, ina holler, an’ ye ken'tsee it so good; but wait till ske boils over ther hill, an’ yell observe how she'll eome p-whoopin’ toward us!’ “Oh! merciful heaven! is this true? Oh! what shall we do? Let's flee, while the fire is yet at a dis- tance!’ Leone cried, clasping Dickie to her breast. “Yas, I opine et would be a good ijee, onless ther devil’s imps, whoever they aire, hev surrounded ther ranch, in w’ich case we'll hev ter fight like a Spanish bull. You take the kid and go down to the river bank, while I bunt up the old flat-boat and launch it. Ef we can’t get out o’ thes deeficulty, I’m hanged if et won’t be quare!’” The light upon the prairie was reflecting larger and larger inst the starlit sky, casting the illu- mination of the moon in a shade. A brisk breeze was blowing in toward the hacienda from the moun- tath, and as soon as the fire arept up out of the bil- two miles extent to low, it had a smooth dry plain o. the farm-house. This distance the mad flames could soon and then the outbuildings around the would fall a prey to.the fire, ply over, acienda hurried at once down across the lawn to the banks of the Rio-Grande, only pausing for a few wraps as she passed through the house. _ But it was a fatal action on her Tn the mean time, Avalanche le’ a rear door, and strode toward the commodious i me end of which leaned a large flat- ft the hacienda by Leone, in accordance with Avalanche’s orders, © )

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__. to the track of the flames, then he jer d back upen its haunches suddenly as an apparition i0 boat, evidently long gone into disuse, although it was still stanch and stout, % it had occurred to the old man upon instant thought, that this was the very thing they must use if they hoped to make their escape, The river was wide and deep enongh for the navi- gation of so shallow a boat, and they could on the swift current reach Del Norte much quicker than by horse, and stand less chance of discovery by their unknown enemies, Tearing aside the vines that had grown upon the boat, he was about to attempt to drag it toward the river, when he heard a shout, and saw three men yash around the corner of the barn, with drawn pis- tols, “Thar the old badger is; shoot him down!’’ yelled one, firing even as he spoke, and before the Annihi- lator could draw'a weapon. The bullet took effect in the old man’s chest, and he aropped upon one knee with a pitiful moan. He knew by the sensation of that wound, and the blood that spurted from it, that his hours on earth must be numbered, with a leaden mark, But, hero to the verge of death, as he was, he was not vanquished, but drew a revolver in either hand and waved them in defiance over his head, a wild triumphant expression uvon his grim, stubbly, sun- burnt face. Had the old hero caught a glimpse of the great future? _Who can tell? ; “Keep off! he yelled, and then his revolver cracked spitefully, and then two of the border ruf- fians went down, But the next instant a band of half a score swarmed around from behind the barn, and upon them did the brave old scout fire, until his last cartridge was gone, and a fifth bullet in his body caused him to drop back, in exhaustion and insensible. Poor fellow? His days of usefulness —were they over? . Ah! that was a ride for life with Deadwood Dick, after he left the Black Woods, and saw the reflec- tion of fire lighting up the eastern sky. He did not stop to ask of himself the meaning, now; ha knew full well it meant danger and perhaps death —deatih to his loved ones; for had not Prairie Pa- trol in her strange soliloquy stated that Bill Monte and the Prairie League would descend upon the “ranch, and destroy those whom they sup osed to be the loved ones of El Gamin, the gambler, against whom they held a deadly grudge? ; On—on Deadwood Dick urged his animal, at tha wae of its speed—on—on, over prairie hill and prairie valley, sparing neither spur nor lash! He bent forward in the saddle, his eyes riveted upon the course ahead of him, and upon the flames ‘that were now leaping heavenward and sweeping ' fieresly toward his prairie home. The whole plain was now as light as day; the heavens reflected a lurid light, and great mountain-clouds, of black _ Smoke and cinders swept through the air, A terri- ble horror assailed the flying horseman, as, when he was yetithree miles away, he saw the awful fiery Spectacle ingulf his pretty home—saw the barn and outbuildings ignite and add to the conflagration. The hacienda was outwardly imperishable, being built of well-laid adobes. 5 Were Leone, Avalanche and his babe in this awful hell of fire—or had they estaped? Thisswas the tor- turing question, and it fairly maddened him when he remembered Leone’s entreaties for him to re- main—maddened him when his thoughts eentered ee the mysterious Prairie Patrol, and herinfernal ecoy. On—on—on flew the black steed whose fleetness of foot aroused the ex-road-agent’s enthusiasm, even under the circumstances of the trying hour, for every leap took him half a length nearer. On-—on, closer and closer the wild horseman draws rks his steed Omaha Olli, the Masked Terroy. = rises out of the grass Just ahead of bim—a wild-~ looking, hatJess man, with blood-besmeared garb. — . “Great God! is that you, Avalanche, old boy?” burst from Deadwood Dick’s lips; but the next in- stant the figure staggered—fell—went down in the grass again out of sight. With an exclamation, and a misgiving in his heart, Harris threw himself off his horse and ran forward, He found the old_ Annihilator stretched ee the ground just where he had fallen, with very little of — life in him. In some. unaccountable ' the brave ‘ old hero had crawled out of the track of the fire, in ; time to escape a fiery death. Deadwood Dick knelt by his side, and claspedone —__ of the veteran’s horny old palms in his own. “My God, Avalanche, this is awful!” he gasped, as he noted by the aid of the light of the fire the awful grayish pallor that was stealing over the old man’s features, ‘“ Are you very badly wounded, dear friend?” : A faint smile played about the old scout’s mouth for a moment; then he slowly opened his eyes. “Yes, I'm done for sure, Dien b’yée, an’ no rmoustake,” was the faint Seg ““They eum onter, me too fast, an’ I couldn’t P ay a trump every time, ag’in’ their deal, They put five bullets inter me, an’ I’m gettin’ too old ter stan’ more’n three at one time, ye kno’, Guess thes aire ther Annihilation’s last rail tergether, ontil ther great eternal ’un. Some- how, I’ve hed a notion ever sence we cum frum ther nor’, that these war onhealthy latty tudes an’ bet toads fer me; an’ then, bu’stin’ ther great Annhila-— tion, in leavin’ Prudence up at Hureka kinderseemed = __ ter wear onter me, fer we'd bin friends so long, an’ : et appeared like one o’ us hed made a vacancy, by . death. Nor, I don’t think I’d.’a’ come, Dickey, b’yee, only thet I c’u’dn’t b’ar ter leave thet little : baby 0’? yourn. It seemed ter hev a holt onter me, fe by his innocence and purity w’at couldn’t be broke, t= Poor little boy; God took the old man, and the babe. : too, to keep him company!” : “What! Merciful God! do not tell me my child is dead!” Deadwood Dick cried, reeling back, blinded _ by tears which had comeas he watched the old hero — fast sinking away. “Yes, b’yee; it’s hard, I kno’, but et’s betiter’n ef he war ter grow up an’ sin. He’ll be a little angel. I _ hope I’m goin’ ter see him ag’in, Dickey; I don't think God will refuse me admission ter his kingdom, although I hev been a pretty rough customer, an give thor everlastin’ send-off ter heaps o’ red-skins, an’ eo as wasn’t fit ter peopleize thes beautif earth ‘ : “Have no fears, old friend, but die with faith in Jesus!” was young Harris’s hoarse fey i vies é S tell me of my wife and child, I pray, ere late, Alva!” ae “Yes!” the old martyr replied, dreamily, rubbing the clammy sweat from his forehead, ‘Ill try ter, tho’ thar ain't much wind left in me, any moret oe Ther baby is dead. I fainted after the heathen — herders shot me, but cum to jest as ther fire war — cummin’ cluss. My thoughts instantly went Leone an’ yer boy, an’ I staggered aroun’ ther house ter ther lawn. Tfound ’em both—ther babe dead, an’ Leona frightfully wounded—iyin’ on ther river- bank. She prayed meter take ther babe and fetch it out o’ ther track o’ the fire, an’ then ef I c’u’d do et, ter cum back fer her. I fetched ther leetie angel, Dick, but, God forgive me, I hadn’t ther strength ter. go back fer yer wife!"* ¥ “ Here the old man broke down both with grief and — exhaustion. and_tears coursed down his furro death, at least. Y

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Ne ee your little angel boy lying in ther grass, yonder, where I laid him to rest. Good-by, Dickey, don’t grieve but trust in Jesus and—and—avenge us! will help you do it. Can ye pray, boyee?’ With tears streaming down from his eyes, and | grasping both the dying hero’s hands in his, Dead- _ wood Dick raised his face to the lurid fire-lit. heaven above, and prayed with all his soul and voice— ; eethe’s for those loved ones who were dead and dying, and for life, strength and help to avenge their fates. An earnest, eloquent prayer, touching and Pda sweet, in memory of the dead. When he nished, and gazed at the old man, life’s last pulses were just ebbing out! : CHAPTER VI. HAWK HARRINGTON’S REDE—OMAHA OLL, Back to Del Norte’s city of gambling we will go. some two weeks after the events just narrated, an witness a scene among strange characters, who are to take an active part in our story. ‘be home of the Harringtons was situated on the eastern side of Del Norte and upon the bank of the river, near where it debouches from the San Luis valley and rushes due southward. The Harringtons were an eastern family, natives of New Hampshire, who had come into this country among the earliest of the settlers, and took up land then palonging to the Government, upon which they had settled; and now had, in addition to an excellent herding-ranch, a well-tilled farm, and a beautiful home, in the grim old Spanish hacienda, rambling and odd-shaped, which had stood by the river-side, ere they came. ' There were five of the family, two sons, one daughter, and the parents, both hard-working, hon- est people, of mature age. The daughter, Ella, was a young Jady of nineteen, very pretty, as the word goes, with a face in which purity and goodness shone, and a form that was pleasingly modeled, ; She was the pride of her parents, and esteemed by all who knew her. Of the two sons, one was christened Hawk and the other Philip. The former received his name for his sbarpness of glance, when yet but a boy. He was now a man of seven-and-twenty years, strong and stalwart, with a thorough knowledge of the prairie and herding, and all the matters apper- taining thereto; was a great favorite among the Diet herders, and was rather the “ boss’ of the ‘amily. He Tyas rough and some'imes brutal—had no re- greet for cloth, as the word goes, and was little at ome. Somehow, he had but few friends -among the few intelligent and refined people of. Del Norte and its surroundings. It had been whispered that he was not all as good as he might be, but whether there was any truth in this rumor, we shall soon endeavor to show. - 3 Philip was a decided opposite of his brother, in nearly every particular. i He was more slight of build, and less rough and UnseeEne; and his temperament was mild and affa- e. He was universally admired, for he was as brave as viion, and was one who would not screen the ruilty even though guilt existed in his own family. e believed in the word ‘‘ justice,” and in seeing qiustice enforced under all circumstances. He, with bis father, tilled the farm, as a general thing, while Hawk was away looking after the herds upon the prairie. : ~ One evening toward the middle of December, when a cold, raw north wind was blowing in across the plain, Hawk Harrington came riding madly in “toward the hacienda upon the back of his auines 5 * charger, which was flecked with foam, results of a long. hard ride. There was a savage, desperate ex- ; pet Omaha Oll, the Masked Terror. heavy sweeping mustache—an expression of rage and of defiance, as occasionally he would glance over his shoulder ata group of a dozen horsemen that were hugging close inhisrear, Masked and graceful riders were these men, and mounted upon well-bot- tomed steeds, as was evidenced by the fact that they kept about the same distance from the fugitive, whese horse was reputed the fastest in the valley, without gaining or losing, Young Harrington was wounded in half a dozen places, and blood spurted from these wounds at every jolt; but he was a man of indomitable will and rugged constitution, which was all that kept him in the saddle. 3 “Curses on the hounds of Satan!” he raved, as he plunked the cruel Spanish spurs deeper @to the anks of his nobly-striving animal. ‘‘ Om, #ocket— on, or we are Jost! another bullet like those last two will, drop me, if put in the same neighborhood. Furies take the accursed gang! who can they be?” On—on dashed the handsome brown racer over the 7 and on came the pursuers with equal speed, occasionally giving a yell of command which, though the words were inaudible, Hawk knew were orders for bim to halt. i But this he would not have done had death con- fronted him on every side, and reckless was he of spirit. He would rather be shot from the flying chase, he had often said, than to be taken a pris- oner. Ms On—on! the hactenda was yet a mile away; he % could see its glimmering lirhts in the carly evening re ~knew that there were strong hands and willing i. hearts within the grim adche walls of the old home — that would gladly sally forth to fight for him, could he but give them warning. att Bang! crack! came the report of {wo rifles, ard a bullet whizzeéby each side of dis head. . “Ha! hal” the fugitive cried, with a shout of de- 5 fianee; “that kind of news from the renrning- k board is the style that suits me, How I wouldJike to return my compliments, but the devils eut me of ere I could to horse and reach my weapons, Oa on-—on, Rocket!” ; It seemed as though the noble steed was doing the very utmost within his rower, but every yell of the herder seemed to urge lim to greater efforts, Ane on they went through the raw chill night—the first foreshadow of coming winter in this land of beauty me on, every leap bringing the fugitive nearer to safety. Ping! again a rifle cracked, and a flash lit up the gathering eo: while a bullet sped on its deacly ‘mission, Jt hit the flying fugitive, and he was forced to hang to the pommel of his Mexican saddle to keep from being shook off. : A yell of triumph again rung out from the pur-~ suers. ne On—on—on! the Jast mile shortened rapidly, and — with a great loap the-noble steed of Hawk Harring-- ton sprung over the five feet stone wall that encir- eled the hacienda, and fell dead, when the goal was’ reached, r For the pursuers hat come to a halt after obsorv- ing the lcap of the Tipe steed, and after a short consultation among themsclves, turned back inthe direction whence they had come, and galloped leisurely ater es Evidently they had concluded that “he danger of — besieging the hacienda was too great for them to _ incur, with so small a force. Hawk Harrington had escaped death at the hands of these strange prairie rovers, but little more could be said. He was well pioreced with bullets, and only aman of his strong coustit.44on could ever have passed. through the ordeal and lived, aes But the care of an affectionsie mother and sister; and a proper ce urse of nursing soon brought him n upon the face of the rider—a face that was_ nd cruel, with fierce black eyes, hair, and around, a. 1 though sore and Jamed, he was in th saddle again in two days. a 2 But of his pursuit, anc the cause thereof, he was reticent, Perhaps he did not know the cause; per =,

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-12 Omaha OU, the Masked Terror. a gamesman, coming along and scooping up all the | cards upon the board, ‘‘ Who'll have ’em, gentle- men? “Hey; hallo! put my card back here!” cried the oung gentleman in mask. “If you know when it’s oes pe You, you won't take up my keerds till T you to!’ And the individual in question held a cocked six- shooter in his white hand. “Come, shove it back here, or I'll put you in a funeral way !"’ ; A murmur of ies ran through the audience and with a growl the clerk threw down the ca’ again, and received the awaiting noteinexchange, “Bet your life ye won’t make on thet card again!” — he leered. _.“ No one man ¢an’t run this game!” ; “Don't be so sure about that, my gay knight!” was the cool reply. ‘‘See here!’ and the youny gentleman of cheek wrote on the blank side of the card, in a graceful, hand. ‘fhere’s my busines; sign, gentlemen—Omaha Oil, Mebbe ye never heard of me, down in this country? “Up in Omuha, you'll find my autogranh written on every deck of keerds in ther city—Omaha Ou tha Masked Terror—the imitator of George Washingion, who never told a falsehood—the man that stood on his head on the top of the spire o’ Trinity Church! That's the style of a sunflower you'll find me. Sum- times you'll see I’ve got a savage fit--caused by memories of past ore then ye’d better keep out of my way, or blood’ll be spilt. Go on, old hoss; don’t let me interrupt the bizness:’ and the stran- ger took a cigar from his lips, which were reached through an aperture in the brown mask, and blew out a tremendous cloud of perfumed smoke. Around the gamekeeper whirled the wheel, spite- fully, and when the finger pointed to the wiuning number, it was 14. : Omaha, Oll gave vent to a queer little laugh, ashe — beheld the result. » “See bere!” he said, again raising his revolver, - “T'm in for havin’ this bizness fair, igen, thes wheel's loaded heavily, on one side, which makes et stop at 9, 10, 11, or 12, if not whirled too hard. The — rim of the wheel on the lower side, there, is hollow, “‘And then in that hollow space I'll wager my life against ajcent you'll find a greater or less quantity _ of ballast, probably buckshot. I’ve been watching here, fer an hour, ere I began peel : Frightful curses escaped the lips of the four vil- lains who managed things behind the counter, and’ they whipped out their revolvers, in a business-like manuer, ; ; “Shoot away! plug it straight-at me for all you’rs — worth, you rascals!’ eried Omaha Ol, “but first — just put in your mind that I’ve sixty picked men, every ove of them dead-shots, who only await my private signal ter rush inter this caboose and bu’st this gambling business and its votaries all intothe middle of next week. If you don’t believe it, eet ; fire off one of your lead-slingers, and I’m bettin’ — you'll see lively business in this shebang, in short order, Go ahead with your funeral, if you want ter git onter yer ear because I exposed fraud!” And restoring his revolver to his belt, the young bravo stood facing his enemies, with folded arms and form erect—daring them to begin What he had promised should be a lively affray. ; CHAPTER VIL. GIANTS’ BATTLE—‘‘ TOOTHPICK” Vs, DUFFER—THE ATTACK—AND NOTICES. Tue manipulators of the “‘ wheel of fortune *hesi- ~ tated at firing upon the young Nebraskan—hesitat- ed, for ead noted the ominous glitter of the black eyes that shone through the holesin his’ k—hesi- tated. because of a rumor that was fioating about to the effeet that this Omaha O11 and his band had been seen sepesiea es: in the valley, and were rough-lock- ing customers to handle, = i = Those gathered outside the ring d the Bravo haps he had only a artists of it; anyhow, he would not converse on the subject; would simply utter a curse and turn away when-allusion was made to his wild ride for life, On the following evening we lead thegentile reader once more into that notorious den of gambling, the Oriental Palace, of Del Norte. The place was well-filled as usual, with the ‘ites’ of Del Norte, nnd a few strangers from a coloniza- tion caravan that had stopped at the outskirts for the night. “ In consequence of the coolness of the evening, the bands occupied the floor instead of the great baleo- nies, overhead, and wild strains of delightful music were wafted through the immense auditorium, Gay ladies and polished villains were here; rough bullying herders from the plains, and occasionally a miner or hunter from the Rockies or the plains; a strange collection as viewed under the light of the mighty chandeliers. ill Monte presided at the elotre-table, as usual, and the faro and keno games were in full blast. New sports had recently been added to'the attrac- tions at the Oriental, such as lifting matches for prizes. and jumping oxing, and target-shooting; and the Wheel of Fortune man had also found a stall in the great palace wherein to let the man of money risk his all, and stand a chance of winning— or losing. ’ ; : Around this game, if a game it can be justly called, which possesses its uliar fascination, as well as other games, were collected a large group of men, some strangers, a few habitues of the Palace, and a share made up of herdsmen from the valley. . There were twelve carjs, with four numbers on each, beginning at one, and running up as hich as 48; each card retailed at five dollars, with fifty dol- Jars in the pool, which left ten dollars to the manager of the enterprise at each whirl of the wheel, and fifty dollars to the lucky holder of the card whose number wins.» 7 \Of course the banker is constantly in pocket, and in good humor, which invariably reflects largely up- on the crowd. ; - The game-wheel had been revolving steadily for an hour, with ready sale for the cards, and a young man lounging against the railing had been watching it narrowly, without Rasta Ene Seer - He was of medium hight of yestern men, straight and iron-cast in every limb, with broad shoulders, and depth of chest; and was attired in a well-fitting suit.of black cloth, with top-boots and slouch som- brero, In a belt at his waist he carried revolvers, knife and lasso and a full mask screened his face from view. * Another sale, gentlemen; here’s your chance to acquire a chance, and here’s where you chance upon fortunes by luck, Who'll have this card, whose numbers are 13, 14, 15, and 16? Who'll haveit? Sure to be the winning ecard. Nocheating in this game, gentlemen; all's fair and honestly condueted. You can see for yourself, where the wheel stops, what number halts before the fortune-giving finger. Don’t be scared because you have lost once, pilgrims; I ran this machine in the Black Hills three months, and know of a fellow who lost a thousand dollars a day and won two, Perseverance wins the crown. Sold again and got the tin. Only one more card un- sold, gents--here it is—who'll have—9, 10, 11, 12— who wants it?” \

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4 » Pare birds wi’ beasts!” Omaha Oll, the no molestation, for they were not too dumb to see that this quarrel, or what threatened to be a quarrel ad been made as much in their behalf as in that o the masked stranger, and it would be more than treacherous for them to interfere. , Yet there was one brawny border-giant among the crowd, immense and muscular of trunk and limb, standing six-foot-six in his boots, who seemed to take it upon himself to exert his energies in behalf of the gamestérs, for he elbowed his way through the crowd, and slapped his great human paw down upon Omaha Oll’s shoulder, with a force that made the young man flinch, A man less upon his guard than e ie i was, would have gone down. “Hillo!” the giant roared, a terrible expression upon his great unshaven, stubbly face—‘‘ Hillo! ye young jackanapes. What d’ye say?” ‘*T say, keep yer paws to home!” replied he from Omaha, quickly cours out of the other’s grasp, and dealing him a deft blow in the pit of the stom- ach, which doubled Mr. Bully up like a jack-knife. “That’s what I say, you big, overgrown elephant; so put it in yer pouch an’ smoke it fer terbae’|”” A roar like that from a small-sized lion escaped the iant, and with arms outstretched and eyes glaring, rushed upon the youth as if he would annihilate« him. But at this instant there was a timely intervention, which was probably the luckiest thing that could have happened for the Masked Bravo, as he stood a small chance of victory in a war-hug with the burly bully of Del Norte—Old Jim Duffer was his name, and he was the undisputable *‘ boss ”’ wherever he roamed. p For at this juncture, when the giant sprung for- ward, intent upon crushing his adversary, the crowd parted, aniron-like hand seized him by the collar, and he was jerked back upon the floor quick enough to cause him to forget all of his past history. “haire!”’ exclaimed a voice, and the whole of the attacking indjvidual forced a passage into the ring, which had been formed—‘ thaire ye be, pilgrim, jest as’ansum a a rooster as ther eyes of man ever rested on. L’arn ter take a feller o’ yer size next time, won’t ye—sum’thin’ 0’ my statarre an’ er, fer instance!” ruised and enraged, Duffer crawled back to his feet, and eyed the new-comer savagely..- Jem Murray!’ he growled. “The Arkansas Toothpick!’ assented the other, politely raising his bat. ‘Et seems ye ain’t fergot yer ol St Ede in ther days that hev dissolved Masked Terror. nter atmosphere, sence we war rivals up in Little Yucatan, in Catamount Gulch. Apparently yer memory hesn’t suffered a collapse!” ‘ * You ter ——!” leered old Duffer, naming a place notoroiusly remarkable’ for its torrid temperature. “Guess I don’t owe you nuthin’,dol? Reckon ye - stuck yer finger inter ther ’rong pie, ye long-geared baboon!” “Sho! ye ain’t got over yer bad habit o’ callin’ bad names, yit, Jimsy!’’ commented the seven-foob Toothpick, glancing scornfully down at his adver- sary. ‘‘Ner hain’t growed none, either. Ye're a Lilliputian banty, Jimsy—a reg’lar leetle barkin’ wiiffet, w’at never bites, onless he ken snap at sum smaller fry than himself. W’y, Jimsy, w’at ever stunted yer growth? Ye’re no more’n a mouthful!” “‘When a hog possesses sech a gol-durned trap like yourn!’’ retorted Duffer, angrily, ‘‘ Don’t com- Oh! 0’ course not, Jimsy—especially birds w’at wears white feather!” “Hey! w’at ye say?” bellowed the other, begin- ning to prance about like an excited colt, ‘‘ Whar’s ther man thet durst say Jem Duffer ever showed ther white feather. Whar’s thet ornery galoot? Show him ter me, thet I may manufacture him inter koyote fodder!” fe Ye needn’t luck fur, eure fae needn’t travel across ther continent ter discover thet festive “nymph, beloved Minnesota Gopher!” spoke the man | ah 7 18 from Arkansas, grimly, ‘fer he’s hyar, in ther blood an’ flesh—Jem urray, Toothpick and trav- eler!” “ You/—you durst call me white-featherite, ye durned, long-geared Barnum’s What-is-it? You durst tell me I’m a gopher an’ a white-featherite?” “*Solemnly, respectfully, feelingly and humanely, dear Jimsy, 1 do announce thet I durst!’’ “Then, I’m goin’ ter smash ye—stom ye, punch e, an’ mutilate ye ontil ye can’t stand one!” cried he Del Norte Masi and oa himself together, he made a violent lunge at the Toothpick. They met—they clinched in a grasp of hatred—a hug of death, ‘ Both were men of cast-iron strength, with ea muscle properly deyeloped—men whose build and constitution fitted them for battle, and men who were in their highest element when engaged in a pitched combat. They clinched, and then the contest of strength and resolve began, amid much excitement. Nearly all games were thrown up, and the votaries thereof swarmed around, endeavoring to cus a peep into the ring where the two giants were battling. The two bands struck up a lively air, peculiar to the Spanish bull-fighting arenas; lights were turned higher; an intense silence prevailed, only broken by the scuff- | of the two men. linched close to each other in a bear-like hug, they weaved to and fro, using all the feints in their power to trip one another, and thus bring the strug- gle to the floor. Although the Arkansas Teothpick was full half a foot taller than old Duffer, he was possessed of but little, if any more strength—in fact the two were oud ars equal in this respect as you could have ‘ound, Murray was long of limb and neck, and short of trunk, whilea« Duffer was just the opposite—with short thick limbs, as hard as a rock, long body, and a bull-like neck, Back and forward weaved the two men, locked — vise-like in each other’s embrace; now lurching — heavily to one side; now dragging each other fiercely; lifting, tripping and feinting; it wasamar- velous sight to see two such giants baffle each other -when both were infuriated. , rests: “Oh! ye p'izen sarpint—ye beastly human rhinos- — cerhoss!” roared the Toothpick, as Duffer lodged a cleverly-aimed squirt of tobacco-juice in his face andeyes. “I'll show ye, ye reptyle—ye ungo son ov a gopher! Spit in my face will ye? Hurrah!” and the man from Arkansas bent down and grabbed one of the Del Nortean’s huge ears between his sharp teeth, and buried those pe in the flesh, — until the smaller giant was forced to howl outright __ from pain. “Oh! howl, will ye—howl!” roared Toothpick, re- laxing his hold lon enough to give vent to his over- loaded stock of feelings. ‘I like ter heer it; et’s «— sweet music in my ears. Ob! ye vampire—ye ~ sneakin’ grasshopper! Wait tel I git warmed up, — an’ I’ll.show ye ther kind_ 0’ shinplasters they make down in old Arkansas. Noremonetization thar, ’'m tellin’ ye; no anti-silver thar; no nothin’ thar but\ — men 0’ sterling squalifications!” Back, forward, sidewise, they lurched, the Tooth- pick’s tongue vibrating incessantly in companion- ~ ship with his body, Duffer was ‘‘mum,”” for it re- quired all his attention to *tend to his ‘‘ knitting,” — and A Bont being thrown to the floor, As the case — stood now, neither could do the other any material damage. ‘But onee the hug was broken, there prom- ised to be banged eyes and broken parts, on one side or the other, And this was what the breathless, excited erowd were eagerly watching for, 4 Omaha Oll, who had been in a measure the catise of alisthis cisturbance, stood by the counter in the © same position of cool indifference he had occupied all along, enjoying the tussle full as much as any of the others, ; * Hug him as ef he war yer sweetheart, Tooth: ’

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14 f he crfed, in a clear, ringing voice, ‘‘If you went any help, just call on me.” “Oh! Ill squeeze him!” replied the Arkansas man. giving anextra spurt of strength about the bulty’s waist, until that unlucky individual gave a unt, ‘Oh! 1’ll show him circus-tricks enough ter stock a ip eeot ame Me Atlast the bully made a misstep, Murray penehe him on it, and bo‘h went down to the floor with a erash. Fortunately for him, Duffer’s head struck hard enough to render him momentarily insensible; otherwise his counténance would probably have wn- dergone the customary battering, which the Arkan- sas man kindly dispensed with, when he saw that his adversary was done with. But he instantly rose to his feet, and glanced around at the sea of faces, with a broad grin. “Hurra! three cheers for the Arkansas Tooth- pick!” cried Omaha OU, springing boldly on top of a table, and waving his slouch hat. ' Hip! hip!” and three long cheers rose from the great surging crowd for the long-legged, lanky, ludicrous man from Arkansas. In the tumult some overjoyed individual emptied the contents of his six-shooters ceilingward, causing }, _a loud roar to go echoing through the pe building. Omaha, Oil uttered a curse upon the action, and clinched his hands about a pair of pistol-butts. “Fly! fly!’*he yelled, his stern, clear voice reach- ing every corner of the Palace. ‘‘Some accursed fool, by firing off that revolver, has signaled for my men, the Black Avengers. Vly! fly! all you that would save your lives, for it will be useless for you to try to resist!” « Then, with an agile leap into midnight air, the Masked Terror went like a rocket over the heads of the electrified assemblage, struck the door, bounded through an open casement, and was gone, And with his departure a motley crowd, number- ing upward of a hundred black-clad, masked horse- men, burst into the great gambling palace, through windows, doors, and every accessible ground en- trance, and from their revolvers came flash after flash, report after report, until a pandemonium of a prevailed, and the room was clouded with smoke. Screams of affrightfrom the females and fearful _eurses from the Del Norteans arose on either side; ‘dead and dying were lying under foot; in haste the feta hurled chairs and tables aside, and the ights were extinguished, leaving darkness reigning supreme. This proved the salvation of those within the great hall, to a large extent, for under cover of darkness they were: able to escape, and but very few of the Black Avengers’ bullets made a count. In five minutes after the lights were extinguished not a soul of the living were within the Palace, for . the outlaws had also taken their departure. That was the first direct attack by prairie rovers ' that Del Norte’s inhabitants had ever experienced, although affrays and other rufflanly melees among the herders were common occurrences. And after that ane a terrible dread of the Mask- ed Terror and his Black Avengers prevailed in the little city by Rio Grande’s sullen waters. Many were afraid to stir out after dark for fear of en- J countering the scourge, and the gambling Palace was not nearly as full as usual. The Del Norteans kept more within their own doors, and the herders invariably went and came in squads, for they feared the outlaw alliance full more than the gamblers, for they had cause. Upon every line-pole of the valley-herding plains for miles in either direction, was pasted a printed notice, couched in the following words: “Norren: To all whom it may concern! The late «fire upon the prairie, which d. “troyed the old El Gamin ranch and outbuildings, was attended by a _ Massacre afi the saia anch, and three—an old man, _ @ mother and her baby boy, were the victims. This Omaka O11, the Masked Terror. _ crime was committed by the Prairie Leegue, a band of ruffian herders, who, leagued together, are bound by oath to work together, sin for each other, mur- der for each other and die for each other. the thirty herders and ruffians belonging to said League, all of whom were concerned in this latest outrage upon innocent herders and settlers, ard marked, and we the Avengers and Regulators of the Rio Grande del Norte, shall do our duty until every dog has been hung or shot. The leaders’ names are here given: Captain Bill Monte, old Jim Duffer, Dresden La Monte, Hawk Harrington and Hank Murdock. The names of the others are all known. and each shall meet his fate, The Red Cross will signify the band of the Black Avengers, i “OMAHA OLL.”” No wonder then that there was a feeling of dread among the herders and also among certain ones of Del Norte’s citizens, for some there were of them who were connected with the ‘‘ Prairie League.” Just below the above notice was invariably posted another notice, of less importance to some, and of more to others. It was penned in a big, sprawling hand, and con- tained the following; “Wantep: Information of a man calkylated ter abound in these ’ere immeget vicinity, whose callin’ aire thet uv a Spee ied ee one time a Leftenant in Cortina’s band—and whose name aire El Gamin, or sum sich like. Would like ter see this interestin’ in- dervidual fer about six minnits an’ twelve seconds on important. bizness, Address or hunt up:—Jum Murray, Arkansas Toothpick. To be continued.” CHAPTER VUI. HNEMIES MEET GENERALLY. Wrrntn the hacienda of the Harringtons, all was neatness and comfort. The quaint though elegant old Spanish furniture was retained, and the carpets, and the grand pictures upon the ceiled walls. Everywhere a fine taste of arrangement was dis- played and evidences of a woman’s hand in the work. And pretty Miss Ella was the mistress now, for her mother was getting old and infirm. Ella was a good irl, free- pure’, well-educated, and well-liked; in- eed, she. had two lovers who had already declared their passion for her, These were Dean Redwood and a young dark-faced gentleman named © ril Duane, who was surrounded with a film of mystery. With him Ella met in secret, they gi a trysting- place on the shore of theriver. Dean Redwood came to the hacienda bet act AN boa well-liked by the fam- ily, with one exception, and it was believed that he was to become the future husband of the young belle of the valley, for as such Miss Harrington had been ee Sapa acknowledged, he one exception mentioned was the young herd- er, Hawk Harrington, For some reason, he seemed to bear the suitor of his sister a strong enmity. Why, or whence began this hatred, was a secret between the two men—a secret which was not soon to be divulged through their instrumentality. A few nights after the raid upon the Oriental Pa- lace by Omaha Oll and his men, Dean Redwood gal- loped down to the farm-house on his favorite charger, a powerful, spirited grav, and dismounting, enter the parlor, where Miss Bila was usually waiting for him on the evenings of his visits, _ But she was uot in the parlor, to-night, and think: ing she had just stepped out for a moment, he seated himself to await her return. “T must have an answer, to-night, sure!” he mused, staring at the fire, that shone in the grate— the first fire heralding the approach of winter. “She can decide the matter—must decide it, for I care not to stay here, after se*ing that Prairie Patrol. That she is the same one—ah! there can be no mistake! Alive and as beautiful as ever, but, alas! insane!l. Would to God Fred Arlington had completed the - ; work he began! It would have saved her all tlais Each of. }

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\ - Omaha Ol, the Maskea ‘error, t OO , suffering. How she ever escaped death when he | pot her from that cliff to the gulch bottom, a ndred feet below, I can never imagine.” At this oe there was an audible footstep, | and Hawk Harrington came striding into the room. edwood instantly arose from his seat upon the | sofa, and the gaze of the two men met, unflinching- ' ly. Harrington evidently had not expected to find | oa pneny there, for he started, then muttered an / oa » Where is Ella?” he demanded, gruffly. i “T do not know,’ Redwood replied, Spe the | herder narrowly. ‘She has doubtlessly stepped out | somewhere, and will soon return.” i “Are you waiting for her?” AG am.” ) “What for?” é s f “None of your business, sir. I came to talk with ' her—not you.” “Oh! you needn’t give. us any of your slack!’ he rrowled back, fiercely. ‘‘I’m boss of this ranch, and Yor tivo bits I'd tumble you out.” “Oh! would you?” retorted Redwood, as fiercely as hisenemy. ‘Maybe it would be healthy for you to try it. You will find me no saint, I'll warrant you. Tf yon begin the battle, I shall strike to kill!”? arrington growled some muttered imprecation, and sprung forward, with a long, dangerous-looking knife in his grasp. F The villain meant murder. But Redwood was not to be cut down without a struggle. He had roughed it in the early part of his life in the mines; was a Hercules in strength, a mas- ter in all athletic sports, and a dangerous man to meet with the knife or pistol. He was now, however, as you may say, at the mercy of his antagonist, for he was unarmed, while in addition to his knife, Hawk Harrington carried a smal] arsenal of revolvers in his belt. But Redwood 'was on the watch for him as he came rushing forward, and clinching the upraised arm of the ruffian, which grasped the knife, he threw his Bihar arm about the waist, and tripped him to the oor. Both men went down together, and in the fall Red- wood received an ugly cut in the breast from the knife. But in an instant more he had the blade in his possession, “Now, beg, curse you!’ he cried, holding the _ young herder down as easily as though he had been ababy. “Beg, and promise to mend your ways, or (ll plunge this knife into your heart. You know I hold the power to hang you, and I marvel that you dare provoke me, lest I exert it.” : “T will aot hee: nor will I tell you that which you wish to know!” the herder growled, savagely. “What do you mean! What is there which you know that would benefit me, had I the possession of that knowledge?” Redwood demanded. “Bah! don't think I’m a fool because I’ve got you down upon the enemy list, my seer: Thought no one knew why yous came to Del Norte, didn’t you? But there’s where you made the mistake. We knew of your coming, long ago, and closed up the holes, like ground-mice do. in the winter. You may search «, lifetime, and you'll not find the place you seek— the’-head-guarters of the Prairie League!” Redwood started, and a grim expression settled upon his face. ie u *“ You are mistaken!’ he ventured. “ You lie—I am not mistaken!’ Hawk Harrington ;replied, triumphantly. ‘You are Dean Redwood, alias Cunning Cass Cameron, the ex-Government Spy. Oh! you needn't feign astonishment, nor you needn’t attempt to leave De] Norte, for you will be met by a party of gentlemen, who will boost you _- half-way up to a limb, and hold you there by the aid of a tow-string until a reaction occurs and your ‘spirit flies away.” Sho! you don’t ie oe : ’ “You'll find, out, if you attempt to sneak out and feteh reinforcements. Stay here in Del Norte, a . ing before he had told her of his passion for her, 18 good, honest, law-abiding citizen, and Yl) guarantee you'll be all right!” “Humph! youll rantee, you ay Perhaps you are one of the ringleaders of this Prairie Leagu whose existence it 1s my purpose to break up, % ought to arrest you!” “All correct; arrest if you think it will be a healthy undertaking. I’m mighty sure you’d not take me far, ere you’d wish you'd left me here.” “T shall let you go at present!’ Cass Cameron said, first disarming his enemy, and then allowing him to rise to his feet. “Ihave other work to per- form, ere I am ready for you—work which I shall push with a will. LIonly lack a few more points of compass, ere I can put my tools where I want them, and execute my work in triumph.” Then bowing, the ex-Government Spy turned on- his heel and quitted the hacienda, leaving Hawk Harrington standing in the center of the parlor, swearing at the ease with which his enemy had mas- tered him. The Government Spy hurried from the yard that encircled the hacienda, and down toward the tree- fringed river, for here he perceived his horse had wandered, in cropping the herbage. He reached the animal], and was about to vault into the saddle, when the sound of voices reached his ear, and he used and listened, or were not far away, and n low conversation, yet the ex-Spy recognized one of the speakers as Ella Harrington. ~~ Curiosity and burning jealousy tempted the. man to creep forward, and act as an eavesdropper—jeal- ousy, Aapenee he dearly loved the young belle of the valley, and because she had dec she loved no one but him. And did this not look suspicious? 4 D cidedly so, the Spy thought, when he crept upon a bluff near the edge of the water, and looking down beheld the object of bis choice sitting side by side,in a that rocked upon a sluggish eddy, He could not bélieve his eyes—it scemed a mock- ing dream, when he remembered how only the even- and she had innocently declared the same forhim, And yet, here she was, inthe arms and receiving __ the caresses of another, as if she had never known the existence of another lover. - Asif aware of the presence of a spectator, the — two lovers in the boat lowered their tone so that their words were inaudible, at any distance, and only the painful, regretful satisfaction of watching them, was left the Spy. Yet he held his position. The moon came up and showered the light down through openings in the forest branches, and wreath- ed the twain in the boat inaglory of gold and white. Still they were conversin may apparently con- — tent to near each other—neglectful that the — nigh was striding on toward another dawning. last, however, the man rel the girl from his embrace, and seizing an oar, whirled the boat back against the shore where it had first rested, _ previous to being converted into a lover’s tryst. He next assisted the valley belle to the dry ground, and then paused, taking her hand in his, — “ Adios, senorita, and may this short interview have Riven you the same degree of pleasure it has me. Adios?” Ey Then he turned, as if about to stride away, and— came face to face with Hawk Harrington, SF The burly herdsman had stolen up, unperceived, and stood glaring fiercely at the guilty pair, each of his hands griping a cocked revolver. 8 “ Well?” he interrogated, in a harsh voice, ‘* what is the meaning of this disgraceful midnight meeting? Ella, I am astonished!” ee: “Oh! Hawk, do not harm him!” entreated th girl, clinging to the arm of her lover. ‘ Thisis —Mr. Duane, my—my—” — poe

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16 Omaha. Ou, the Masked Terror. en “Evil genius!” sneered the brother. ‘* Your pro- fessed lover no doubt, until he has sufficiently blind- ed you for his devilish purpose; then it will be dif- ferent. Whoa! up, thar, my gay Lothario! Don’t be in so much of a hurry to take leave.”” “Well, sir, what can Ido for you?” Duane asked, turning back and facing hisenemy. ‘Though I'am unarmed, I am neither afraid of you nor any of your style. What do you want?” “Tt want ter know what you’re doin’ out here with my sister, alone, an’ ther hour bordering upon mid- nizht? That's what!” “Then, my ee is that it is none of your busi- ness!’ Duane declared, coolly. ‘*Were you the oung lady’s father, my answer would be different; \out you’ve no business to ask!” . “Hain't 12. Mebbe ye don’t know wholam! I’m Mawk Harrington, andT can shoot. No doubt you can do ditto. In that event Pll lend you one of my revolvers. That’s the quickest way to settle a mat- te. of this kind.” “JT won't fight!” decided the other. ‘I have noth- ing against you, and want not your life. Besides, Tam no shot with the revolver, and my life would surely pay the forfeit of so rash a risk!” “So much the better. Thunder!’ suddenly ejacu- lated the herdsman, and he leaped back a pace in astonishment. The bright moonlight falling upon the cyuntenance of the other, for the first made a “startling discovery to the herder. “ You devil, you're Hl Gamin !”? Duane smiled, oddly. “Well, what if I am? he demanded. ‘ Duane is my real name—El Gamin a nom de plume.” “What became of the real El Gamin, who used to herd it, in this valley?” “Don’t know, I’m sure,” “You are he!”’ positively. **Pshaw! don’t be deceived.” “Neitherlam. You are El Gamin, the luckiest gambler in Colorado, and a traitor to the League.”’ “Tam not able to make a denial to fit each of those accusations,’’ El Gamin replied, coolly. . * And there is no need that you should. You must fight or I will shoot you in your tracks, The League will give money for your head.” : “ Why should they? Though a deserter, they have suffered no betrayai by me.”’ »“ You lie! You it was who first put Cunning Cass Cameron on track. Here! will you take it?” And the herder extended a choice of his two hand- some revolvers. _ El Gamin bowed, and accepted the heavier of the pair. 5 He was averse to shooting when avoidable, but he saw that there was no hope for it now. ' The proper distance was paced off, and the two men took their places. Poor Ella had sunk upon the ground, a little ways off, and was weeping vi lontly. To her it seemed nothing less than murder, this a t But the duel was destined not to take place, for at this juneture, Cass Cameron, the ex-Spy, dashed forward between the two adversaries, with a sharp ery. . _* Hold!’ he commanded, fiercely. ‘‘ No fighting, here. I'll settle this business; if you please. Haw. Harrington, take your faithless sister and return to your hacienda. T'll’tend to this notorious sharp.” - Harrington put up his revolver and turned to obey. - Strange it was, but the man held a dread of the ex- _ Government Spy—was awed into submission in his _ presence. Yet Cunning Cass Cameron, as he was known mong the frontier border-rufflans, had few as bitter nemies as this Hawk Harrington; who, arousing his ‘made their way toward the hacienda. ‘ When they reached it, and disappeared from yiew, the Spy turned upon—not El Gamin, but noth- sister, supported her upon his strong arm, and they. The card-sharp had as suddenly and mysteriously disappeared as though he had been swallowed up in the earth! { Evidently, he was a coward! i CHAPTER IX. H THE MASKED TEKROR EQUALS HIS NAME—THE PLOT OF THE LEAGUE—OFF ON SCENT. s On the following day an emigrant train passed through Del Norte. They were bound for Santa Sina, further up the valley, where face: proposed to — go into winter quarters, and wait the coming of — spring, before continuing their journey. There were but four wagons, and the caravan was evidently rather a poverty-stricken one. But an hour’s halt was made in Del Norte; then the train continued on over the well-beaten trail } through the beautiful ay he trail over which more emigration to the Rockies has passed than by ~ *most any other route. Three miles out from Del Norte, while the wagons were hidden from view in the hollow of a prairie wave, they were surprised by a band of masked horsemen, who rode down and surrounded them without an instant’s notice. There were fifty of them, at least, mounted upon powerful animals, and armed with polished-barrel repeating-rifles; desperate-looking men, generally, io had roughed it upon the border all their lives. In advance was the Masked Terror of the valley— Omaha Oll, the young Regulator, both of which he was, - The emigrants were about to d and open a battle, but the clear voice of Omaha ringing out like a bugle, bade them desist. ‘Fold! fire not, unless you would seal your own doom!” he cried, “‘for we mean you no harm. We simply come for the traitor-villain who is trying to escape his doom by going with you. Haul him out and deliver him up, and I'll guarantee you no trouble will be necessary. La Mort—Dresden La Mort, one of the ringleaders of the Prairie League, is the man I want, sir!” “There is no such man in our caravan, sir!” stout — ly averred one of the emigrants. ‘I kin give ye all ther names of our party, ef ye like; we’re all from one town in Iowa,”” : “Bah! you cannot deceive me, old man. The fel low is known to be secreted in one of your fout wagons. The sooner you haul him out the better it will be for you.” ; “Tn our wagons? Impossible, sir!’ : : “Quite possible, old man, although you may not be aware of the fact. Is not the last vehicle, yon- der, a store-wagon?” ; “Tt is, though I don’t see how you guessed it, as all the sides are closed down,” was the reply. defend themselves Oil “JT knew it all the same, however,” Omaha Oil ~ assured. ‘* Be kind enough to takea peep into that wagon, and you will no doubt find the man we want —the double-dyed villain and ruffian you are harbor- ing.” an right, sir. If there is such a party in our company, unknown, and he is such a villain as you represent, you are welcome to him, despite the fact that your authority in demanding him is ques: -tionable.” “Not at all questionable, sir. We are a band of Avengers and Regulators, warring against the ruf- fianism of this border!’ Omaha Oll answered, un- hesitatingly. ‘The Prairie Lesgzue is composed of a gang of ruffianly herders, who prey Eight upon you emigrants, and commit acts more frigh fully criminal than even the red-skins, themselves. 1 are een oneof the sufferers, and my men with — me . Without a word the settlers left their wagons, and advanced to the rear “schooner,” driven bya Texan, and containing mainly the baggage of tne ; A caravan, the other wagons carrying the emigrants and their families. = Starts a ‘ Jabez Hendricks, the supervisor of the little —

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Omaha Oll, the Masked Terror. earavan, was a gruff but honest old farmer, and ‘t was not his purpose to shelter a fugitive scoundrel be iteven from death. So he headed his compan- ions, and they advanced upon the ‘hind i a which was driven by the fat Texan, named Sam. Omaha Oll and bis men were drawn up on their horses on the left side of the train, aang the de- liverance of a subject whom it was their intention to en with death, asa retribution for his num- ‘berless crimes. But, ere the covers at the rear or front end of the “* schooner ” could be raised, there was a succession of sharp pistol reports, and Hendricks and two of his companions fell backward badly wounded, __- The tiger in his cage had clawed at his enemies. But this did not deter the other men from doing their duty; they leaped forward, tore aside the can- vas coverings, and hauled the stowaway out upon the ground. ? Omaha Oll rode forward, a triumphant laugh breaking from bis masked lips. “Hal ha! didn’t I tell you? There is the outlaw of half a score of brutal border outrages, gentle- men!” he said. ‘Dresden La Mort is his name, and a worse character is hard to find. Knights of ‘Ven- geance, you see the vile wretch who has struck each of you a blow or more through the agency of the Prairie League. Take him and do your duty.” The Avengers rode forward, and dismounted, a number of them seizing the unlucky La Mort, and securely binding him, Then he was borne off toa lone prairie tree, but a few fone distant, and pre- parations were made for his final launching into eternity. rope of good, stout material was shirred about his neck, and the remaining end thrown over a branch overhead. Then he wasraised to a standin; position, and a dozen hands seized the pulling end o} the fatal halter But they did not ‘boost’ him, these Prairie Avengers, buf waited until Omaha Oll addressed the doomed outlaw, as Spore to be his desire. After gazing at La Mort a moment in silence, the young Masked Terror spoke: “Dresden La Mort, you are about to pay the pen- alty of your crimes!” he said, sternly. ‘You have thrown away the life that God gave you—wasted your worth and manliness, until you are a low, de- aded wretch, of the vilest order. Your career has en one of unblushing erime, and crime, too, of the most repulsive character. In this day of discussion on the possibilities of there being such a place as hell, it is not for me to say as to your fate after death; but I should not care to stand in your tracks. Therefore it behooves you to repent—to ask forgive- ness of your God ere it is too late. Also, I want you to tell me of the location of the stronghold of the League, and if you know aught of the wife of my— of Deadwood Dick?” “Tl tell you nothing!’ growled La Mort, fiercely. “You cannot turn me into a traitor; I'll betray no secret of the League; so go onand lynch me as soon. as you can. Iam not afraid to die.’ “Then it will be so much the easier for you!” Oll said grimly, waving his hand to the executioners. | , Pp with him, boys!”’ % ere was a long pull and a strong pull at the rope, and Dresden La Mort was swinging in mid-air. Night upon the prairies of San Luis valley, through which creep the wandering waters of Rio Grande Del Norte. ight, in December, with the warmth of late ‘spring—with the soft balmy breezes and sounds of nature peculiar to the time—to the hour. Rolling down from the herding-plains comes the bawl of cattle and the blare of trumpets; on the pigins, over which an impenetrable gloom has fallen, faintl gleam the ‘line ” lam pple upon their signal- posts like diminutive light-houses scattered upon an —ocean’s wavy Bop oe Birds of night are in the air, and send up their weird noises; two persons are oul i? upon the prairie, envelo' in the gloom, engaged Hee eeae dd Le pte Beth) a = One a man, tall and brawny and evil of face and feature, roughly d and armed to the teeth, with belt weapons and at. The other was a woman, attired in a trailing white wrapper, while over her head was a filmy mass of silken -work. She was very beautiful, both in resting lovinglvaver Wis. bowed ten ct w bane lo over the bow of a super white stallion and the remaining hand grasplig a It was a strange tableau, in the gloom of the com: night. he woman was ing. “You have the messages now, so take your de- re and bear them to BAe chief. Tell him that le, the Prairie Patrol, fell into possession of them by chance, and sends them to the League that there may be a haul made.” * Very well, my 1] 3 I will ee orders at onc’t. there any other word to bear our chief?” “None, Pedrillo; give him the dispatch, and tell him that Prairie Patrol sent you.” - The man bowed humbly, and was turning away when Lestie called him back. “Ho! Pedrillo; Ihave something to ask you ere ougo, The chief has a new woman in his strong- old, I hear?” The man was silent—neither answered in the af- firmative or in the negative. Probably he had been drilled heretofore. ‘ “Speak!” Lestie cried sharply—‘ tell me the truth of the matter, or I'll show you what are the consequences of d a Queen of the Plains! Who is this woman?’ Still Pedrillo hesitated to answer the question. Hesitated until he felt the muzzle of Prairie Pa- trol’s revolver against his heart; then he answered. “There is a woman, my, lady, but I was told to keep the news from you!” he said, grimly. ‘“Ha! you were to have secrets from me, too, eh? And the chief, also! Curses on»you, both! Who is this woman in the stronghold?” “T know not, ma’am, The chief brought her, but 4 #0 not know where from. He her Drooping ie strange Prairie Patrol gave utterance to a wild strange laugh. “Drooping Lily! Hat ha! ha! whata silly name! The chief is evidently in love. Tell him that Lestie wants to see him.” “Very well, my lady!’ and the messenger turned upon his heel and stalked away into the gloom, Prairie Patrol then sprung into thesaddle, and dash- ed off upon her horse in a different direction, “The chief bas forgotten me in the presence of another!” she muttered fiercely. ‘‘That is the way with men:—to my utter ruin, I have found them false and deceitful. Oh! how i hate them, and yet I yearn for a different life than this. Who will take me, sin-stained as I am?” Pedriilo the courier of the Prairie League started off upon his return to the stronghold, without sus- pecting that he was observed. But such, however, was the case. Not adozen yards from the t where occurred the interview tween the Prairie Patrol and the messenger, was crouching in the deep grass that Boy in a damp ‘alo-bed, a horse and a man. th Jay perfectly quiet during the conversation of the twain, the man eagerly listening to catch every word. Then when Pedrilio and Lestie separated and started off in dif- ferent directions, the man rose cautiously to his feet, and bade his sagacious animal do likewise, * Now, Clipper, we are upon the scent!” the spy muttered, patting the black upon his arching neck, and then xaulting into the saddle, ‘* We have but to follow the messenger to find what’s up.” The speaker was the Masked Terror! Like a puso of the magne he had stolen up and overheard e eonversation of the female Patrol and the mee —

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is wenger, which was of a nature to lead him to suppose that something of importance was on the tapis, which concerned the Prairie League. Accordingly, with no thought of fear, the young Regulator set off in pursuit of the messenger—notin hot puraait, but in a creeping, stealthy pursuit, his steed moving along with the carefulness of a cat. _* On, Clipper, old boy! Hug him close, but don’t give him warning of your coming. If I can get close eno igh to cast a lasso over him, { mean to learn the contents of those dispatches he is bearing. But it was a delicate job to approach sufficiently near to achieve a success without being discovered by the messenger, who could easily escape by plung- ing into the tall prairie grass, and Crawling away. On the Masked Terror urged his faithful steed, and the animal seemed to understand that speed and | Caution were required of it. But Pedrillo was wide awake, and the flash of a istol and the singing of a bwlet warned Omaha ll that he had been discovered. But in that flash he had caught a glimpse of the messenger’s form only a few yards ahead, and quickly drawing his re- weet he discharged three barrels in rapid succes- sion. The result was More than expected. _ There was a great yell of pain, and the sound of a heavy body fallins to the ground; then, on riding on, the Regulator found his victim’ outstretched in the grass. - He dismounted and bent over the man, and found that he was dead. One of the bullets had entered his ear, another through his left side, plowing into his heart, and producing in tant death. A short search discover +d the panete Pedrillo had received from Prairie Patrol There were two di.- ferent documents, the first reading as follows: “ Corer oF Pratriz LEAGUE:—Large miners’ train from the Rockies will come down the valley to- morrow night. Big amount of gold in their posses- gion; so you'd best lay for it. “ Lestre.” The other paper read as follows: “ Pass forty-fifth line-pole; twenty horse-lengths due south-west; hell below; heaven abovel” Which ended that strange communication. “Tt’s a clew to the stronghold of the Prairie League!’ muttered Omaha Oll, grimly, “Tam on the scent at last, and must pursue it.’ Leaving the messenger lying where he had fallen, he sprung upon Clipper’s back, and-dashed away. CHAPTER X. FIGHTING RUFFIANS. OmanA Ott, as the reader may already have guessed, was no less a person than the ex-road- agent, Deadwoo | Dick, whom we left by the side of the dying Annihilator. We ended his acquaintance there rather abruptly. Let us go back fora moment, and. review his past since then. santa | O'd_ Avalanche dying, as he sunposed, stark and stiff in death, the Prince of the Ro: turned toward the ruins of his cosey home, to pro- cure some sharp instrument with which to dig a ave, for he would not leave the spot without Sivin the old scout a decent burial. On bis way he came upon the lifeless body of his fafant son, and standing there and gazing upon the beautiful child he had so idolized, next to his darling Leone, he raised his clinched right land toward the firelit sky, and registered an oath of vengeance be- fore —an oath to avenge his triple loss, thouzh » the consummation of that vengeance absorbed the remainder of his natural life. : He went back then and laid the babe beside the scout, after which he retraced his steps toward the ruined hacienda, in search of a shovel or spade, ware! which to dig a grave. ; ter wandering about for half an hour, in the ¥ f Omaha Oli, the Masked Terror, black track left by the fire, he found the implements required; and hastened back upon eM ony toper- | form his last ghastly labor for the dead. But great was his astonishment on arriving at the spot where he had left the bodies, to find that they had both strangely disappeared! Gone, but where? They were nowhere in the immediate neighbor- hood, as a close search proved; yet they were gone, and the a was where and how?—a question te that Deadwood Dick could not answer. - Had the sneaking coyotes come and dra) them away, or had the Prairie League dragged them off to fos, th more indignities upon their persons? he thought was maddening to Deadwood Dick, yet he was powerless to help himself. He coul only curse the fate that had ever pursued him At last when morning was near at hand, heturn- ed his backupon the ruined hacienda, and strode away. For twenty-eight hours, he oe aboutin the - vicinity of Del Norte, without food or rest. Then he fell in with a band of valley settlers, wid, under the title of “ Avengers” and ‘* Regulators,’ were organizing fora campaign against the “ Prai- rie League,” and they had chosen him their leader, well knowing of his dauntlessness from report. Thus, under the name of Omaha Oll, and in deep disguise, the former road-agent of Black Hill noto- riety, had become a Regulator. ‘ In new comrades he found a set of men who had — received injury at the hands of the valley outlaws, and were ea7zer to revenge them- selves; men who were inured to border warfare and would face death a hundred fold to accomplish their aims. And they found in Omaha Ol, as we shall still con- tinue to call him, a leader who was brave and dar- ing to a fault; who never shirked duty at the ap- roach of danzer; who held as little fear of his fel- ow-men as agiant would of a biemy. Andthus having shown how Deadwood Dick be- - came a Regulator chief, we will resume the thread of our narrative, and pursue it to the end, with as little digression as possible. We left Omaha Oll dashing away across the pee after obtaining the dispatches from the out- aw messenger, Pedrillo, f this e of Evil must be twenty ie a ne ete outs Ve “The den 0 horss’s lengths from the kore Ce line-pole!”’ h muttered, as he sped along, sitting in his saddle as though bound there; “or els> what is the meaning of this message? .I would give a half-year of my to be able to pounce in upon those outlaws, and show them what is the vengeance of a wronged man. But, the idea of elas up this clew must now be dispelled. Here is another ia Sree get to- gether my men, and prepare to aid this train of miners. A year ago I should have been as willing to have relieved them of their spoils as I am now to assist them.” He rode swiftly on through the moonlit night, for that luminary had just raised its face above the ho- rizon, looking guilty at its own tardiness in rising. His horse he had recently purchased of an old pears who was finishing training him for the circus, and a handsome beast he was, with black glossy coat and limbs like polished steel, together with an arching neck and flowing mane. ext Broad of chest and thin of flank he was a fleet traveler as Omaha Oll had proven on more thanonée oceasion. And yet he was to be given another chance, for a wild piercing cry welled up abet upon the night—a woman’s scream, fraught with _ keenest terror and indignation. : > It reached the ears of Omaha Oll, and in anin- stant he was all attention. His head was bent for- ward, and his piercing gaze swept the moonlit prai- ries. é r Then about a mile away, he caught an indistinct — view of a flying horse an rider, but was not able identffythesame. f Spach : 4 a

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“It's a woman in trouble at least!” he muttered, gathering the reins tighter, and throwing his feet out of the stirrups. ‘*Now, Clipper, away, and let it not be said that you or your master hesitated to _ strike in the defense of a woman. Away!’’ And off at the Masked Terror’s command bounded the black charger, at a wild rate of speed, with head | stretched out on an even with its back, and mane and tail streaming back gracefully. And Omaha Oll rode literally with the horse, bis motion and graceful movement corresponding ex- actly with that of the steed. On—on; it took but a few moments to prove that they were gaining, although the fugitive’s horse was one of no ordinary pre and endurance. And a dark scow] was upon. the face of the fugitive, as he noted how rapidly his pursuer was gaining. “Curse the luck!" he growled, gazing alternately toward the on-coming Masked Terror, and into the fair white face of the captive he carried in his arms, “that fellow is bound to overhaui me, and give me trouble. I wish I had left the girl in her home: wo- men have ever been a curse to me, yet I cannot let them alone, And thatchapis Omaha Oll the Masked Terror, too. What can he want of me?” What, indeed, but to rescue a female captive, whose cry had appealed to his heart and hearing. “On, Clipper} e are gaining as one wave gains upon another in the surf!’”? Omaha Oll said, urging on his noble charger. His hat and mask were now off and in the saddle-bags; his handsome face was illuminated with a glow of pleasurable excitement; his dark magnetic eyes gleamed sharply, and his long hair blew back ina cloud upon the night breeze. In his hand he held coiled a lasso ready for instant use, one end of it being secured to his saddle-bow. Nearer and nearer he drew to the fugitive, Clipper seeming to realize just what was required of him. On—on; the thud, thud of horse’s feet beat a strange tattoo upon the prairie sod; the late moon looked down serenely; the stars twinkled in heaven’s mighty. dome; the prairie-dogs barked; birds ut- tered shrill cries at being disturbed from their peace- ful slumbers; on dashed the pursued and the pur- suer; animal spirits were at rivalry, while those of the two men were hopeful and defiant. : But closer—closer they grew—both men could see each other distinctly, now; both were somewhat amazed, for the resemblance between them. was. startling. Deadwood Dick’s cast of countenance was given each, and in form they were not unlike. Omaha Oll instantly made up his mind as to the identity of the fugitive. It was the El Gamin, at whom the Prairie League had struck, when they killed Avalanche, Leone, and the babe, and destroy- ed his pretty home upon the banks of the Rio Grande el Norte, El Gamin, the great Gambler Prince, On—on—nearer, until Clipper’s nose was brushed by os tail of the fugitive’s horse—then Omaha Oll spoke. Pe old! Why continue this race, Sir Gambier? Already have run you down; it will require but the work of a moment to unseat you from your saddle, by using my lasso, So you may as well pull at ‘What do ing in his saddle. fiercely. me in this way?” i ** Because a woman’s scream appealed to my man- ly,mature, and called me to the rescue!” Omaha Oll replied, proudly. ‘‘You seem to be a kidnapper as ~ well as a gambler, according to this bundle;” and the young Chief of the Regulators laid his hand upon the bundle Bl Gamin carried, for he was now close enough to enable him todoso, “I demand an ex- planation!” » “By what right, pray?” “In the name of the ‘ ulators and Avengers,’ Sir Gambler. Iam Omaha Ol, the Masked Terror; or, pend ice Dick, the reformed ex-road-agent, as you like!" ; aS ‘ou want?” El Gamin demanded, turn- ‘““Why have you dogged Omaha Oll, the Masked Terror. ‘she was not yet si El Gamin uttered an exclamation of surprise, and drew rein abruptly, - 5 “* You Deadwood Dick!” he rep , in astonish- ment; ‘you the Black Hills -agent?” “T avas -. yes!” “Then you are my enemy.”” “T presume so!” with that old peculiar laugh. ‘TI am *most every one’s enemy, that finds it convenient. to make me so. Don’t know that I have a true friend living, down in this country, unless perchance there may be some of the aforesaid among my band, In what way have I encroached upon your good ‘You killed my brother, Fred Audley; I shall un- dertake to avenge him!” El Gamin said, bitter- ly. “Ahi? Omaha Ol started. ‘ You were his brother, eh?’ Then his memory went back to those days in the wild, strange life in the Black Hills, and a lonely, homesick feeling assailed him. ‘Fred Audley was a traitor!” “A ‘traitor! Bah! he was not more of a traitor than you. You are a traitor to your country and to your fellow-men, and deserve nothing more than a oo stout limb with a rope and your neck attached 0 it! **Ah! do you really think so? We won’t dispute about that; for no matter what my past has teen, my present 1am bas cla trying toimprove. You say you are my enemy. What do you probes todo that you may work off the strength of your tower- ing passion?” “We will fight if you dare. Do you know how to use the knife?” ** Well, oe you set a plate of uncut venison before me, I mnigh be able to handle oneend of such an instrument!” the Regulator replied, with a cool composure that annoyed the gambler. ‘* Butif you Ba razor, razor it is!” And out of the saddle the young man vaulted, “Shall I assist your charge to the ground, Sir Gambler?” “You may lay her upon the grass until we settle | this matter!’ Ki Gamin assented Peiding up bis captive, who was bound band and foot: “We will fight in the saddle!” “As well that way as any other!’ Omaha Oll re- plied, laying the girl upon the ae and with light- ning cclerity severing her bonds. ‘* Now, miss,” in an undertone, ‘when we get to fighting briskly, you creep away, at a safe distance, and then put for ome, wherever that is.” “JT have no home. I am alone in wbis s range country—all alcne!” was the whispered teply Ne A sharp exclamation from El Gamin &t this junc- — ture called the Regulater’s attention. “Took! look!’ the gambler exclaimed, Uxcitedly, Rare up the valley, which was flooded v ‘tt moon- ight. “We are between enemies all around; Yonder come the Prairie League outlaws; we heve the choice of racing fifteen straight miles for she*ter, or fighting. Which shall it be? We cannot afi srd to be enemies now; we must join our forces!” “As you like, I bear abducting this maiden. o! we'll not run, — Dis- mount, and make your animal lie down, + can easily defend ourselves, I think, forsee you ay a Remington repeating rifle, and my Evans, | sre, good for thirty-four shots. El Garin accordingly dismounted, and ats vord his horse as well as that of Omaha Oll, lay out-_ stretched upon the men grounds then the two and crouched behind their respective barricades. awaited the attack of the ruffian herders an laws who composed the Prairie League, : OlL had tsken care to draw the young maid his shelter, and now that he had time to gab » her, be perceived that she was rather comely 0 * and form—evidently a child of western culture - n. x iM A glance at her; then the young Regulator tt t PEED Out-— ou no ill-will, exe’ pt for.

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2h attention to the danger that was coming up in ront. Of the horsemen there were at least thirty, all ta with rifles, who carried “arms,” as they ) Ahead of them, barking and quarreling among themselves, were a-pack of Texan cattle-dogs*— and Omaha Oll uttered an exclamation fraught with doubt, as he beheld them. He knew them to be savage and stubborn in bat- tle—knew they were more to be feared than the human wolves behind them. “What is it?’ Il Gamin asked, laying his revol- vers before him, and grasping his repeating rifle, firmly. ‘You think we—” “Will have business to attend to, if we want to get out of this alive!” Omaha Oll replied, grimly. *Thero ‘are twelve dogs that must die first, and then nearly three times that number of outlaws to follow. Get ready! One, two, three!” Then the two defenders’ rifles rung out spite- fully, and though the distance was against them, two of the dogs went down. But, still, with wild exultant yells the outlaws came rushing on. Now, they were but five hundred yards away! \ "CHAPTER XL. FIGHTING BRUTES—THE MINERS’ CAMP. On—on they came like a charging army, their ex- alting yells making straage echoes resound over the roliing expanse of prairie, upon which the old moon threw a pale, sickly radiance. Yet l'ght enough was there to enable things to be seen distinctly at some distanee, and Omaha Oll and El Gamin, the Gambler Prince, could see the savage jubilance e in the hard, a faces of the oncoming outlaws, “Ready! Fire again! We must not lose a mo- ment, or we are dead men, and subject to a horrible fate, ten times worse than ordinary death!’ the oung Regulator cried, again bringing his rifle to ear. “See! they are drawing rein and setting on the dogs/to do the work of destruction, while they look on and laugh. Ready, comrade. One! two} make your bullets count, and send them in quick succession! three and fire!” _ It was indeed as Oll said. | The outlaws had drawn rein just out of close rifle- shot, and while they sat in their saddles, were setting on the savage calvorties,t or cattle-dogs. And the brutes knew just what was expected of them, apparently, for they came on, howling and barking, and quarreling over which was to be in at the death, first. : ’ At Omaha’s word “fire,” both his gun and that of FE) Gamin rung forth, sharply, and unerring were the bullets, for two of the remaining ten dogs went to the ground, lifeless; yet on came the rest nearer and nearer at every leap—in two minutes they would be a ae savage and ferocious, thirsting for human ta] One monster brute in the lead seemed to be the commander of the gang, and he was anparently im- ip ler for six times did Omaha Oll fire at him, n quick succession, but without effect. On the flerce brute came, his eyes gleaming, and froth dripping from his distended fa a “By heaven, comrade, bullets are wasted on that beast!” the young Chief of Regulators cried, desper- ately. ‘‘We must pick off the remaining ones.” Qrack! crack! rung both rifles and | daer and echo after echo rung over the prairie with weird re- sult, And when the last bullets of the two men were spent, there were yet three of the angered brutes to contend with—three, and they were not thirty yards * Cross between bull:dog and bloodhound. Ex- ponent herders, but ferocious and unmanageable, at mes, : + Apache Indian name for large canines, Omaha Oll, the Masked Terror. ane. With brutes’ perseverance, they were bound not to give up till the last. : ‘Quick! your knife! It is our last resort!” Omaha Oll cried, drawing his own trusty blade, and brac- ing back preparatory against the onsla ht. “Stand en a your guard, and strike as you value life?’ 1 Gamin nodded, He, too, was on the guard, with his hunting-knife clinched between his teeth, — and is hands free to clutch the enemy on ap- proach, On they came, side by side—the big leader, and two well matching him in size and strength, Three Po fs more leaps, and they would be upon the de- enders, A great yell of triumph arose from the throats of the outlaws, and they lashed their horses nearer, that they might watch the death-struggles. } For, though the loss of a herd of dogs was a heavy one, the ruffianly-tastes of the outlaws were ap- peased by watching the sufferings of an enemy—a sort of compensation for their loss. “ Ready, El Gamin?” Omaha asked, without turn- ing hishead. His black, magnetic eyes were rivet+ upon the big dog; he was trying to_exert his powers of mesmerism over the brute. But to no avail. He could not catch the howling animal’s eye. “ Ready!’ El Gamin had just. time to say; then came the onslaught, With roars not unlike those of an infant lion, the three dogs leaped ugon the horses as they lay pros- kong and then upon El Gamin and the young Regu- tor. The largest one singled out Omaha, while his two companions attacked the gambler. But one soon withdrew, and ees nose to the prairie, bees away with a series of howls fearful to hear. He had struck upon the trail of Emily, the gambler’s cap- tive, who, becoming terrified, had crept away un- noticed by the two men, “ God help her!’’ Oll muttered, as, at_a glance, ho comprehended how matters stood. “ Her life is in imminent icopardy, and how can we aid her now?” He turned and hurled off the savage brute from him with all his force, but on it came again, with eyes blazing and jaws distended. Braced back and watchful, the Masked Terror re- ceived him, and deep his knife sunk into the back of © the monster’s neck, With almost a human sbriek, the dog fell back, and bled out his life upon the moonlit plain. Omaha Oll then darted a glance at the gambler, and perceived that the dog was getting the worst of it. : ‘El Gamin is alf right; ha! the other dog has found the girl. Imust off to her rescue!” An the next moment Omaha Oll had sprung upon his horse, the animal was upon its feet, and they were dashing away like the wind over the prairies, So quick had been his action that he was some distance away ere the outlaws had sufficiently com- prehended to start in pursuit. : of st>el. ? pe germ like the lightning flash!"’ cried ; And the dog not content with the havoc wrought. : left the mangled corpse, and sprung fiercély at the 3 throat of the Regulator’s horse. But that saga- cious aed had had its early training, and : it thoroug) t neck, caught the yelping bloodhound the neck with its strong, white teeth. Ey With a chuokle, Omaha Oll came to Clipper’s ly, too,and craning forward its handsome received — oy by the back of

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a Omaha OU, the Masked Terror. 2a eee and dispatched the ferocious brute and arled it to the ground. Then he peace around him for the first time since his flight. The outlaws had divided into two parties; one of these was coming hotly on in pur- suit of himselt, and the other was after El Gamin, who had gotten rid of his canine foe, mounted his horse, and was scouring ae southward. Those in pursuit of Omaha Oll were now within shot, and he saw that they meant to bring him lown, dead or alive. This resolved him as to his course. . With a last shuddering glance at the Se of the girl, he headed Clipper northwest, toward Del Norte, and ‘ tucked ” on the spurs. Then he threw himself alongside, like an Indian, and rode thus,which prevented his being shot by the outlaws. But soon a new calamity came. There were loud rifle-reports in his rear, and a bullet struck noble Clipper in the flank, plowing a a wound. Instantly the poor animal began to golame,and Omaha Ol saw with regret, that he must depend upon something else than horseflesh to extricate him from the pursuing danger. Patting the limping horse kindly, he spurred him faster; then dropped off in the grass, and crept rapidly out of the track of the approaching horse- men.e But. his action had been observed by the sharp- eyed members of the League, as was evidenced by a chords of triumphant yells, and peering carefully ahove and oyer the tops of the tall wiry grass, he perceived that they ,were spreading out and sur- rounding him. : ; “Ha! curse them: they are bound to haul me in if possible. Poor Clipper! had they not wounded. him, I could have shook my heel at them, As itis, matters look rather dubious. Confound it, why didn’t I think of this before? I believe the sound will carry!” Lying upon his back in the grass he hastily de- tached from his belt a small silver bugle, artistically chased with gold mountings, and set with several flashing jewels. It was a magnificent affair, which he, as ,Dead- wood Dick, had once es a time won from an old Jew pawnbroker, in Deadwood mee Placing the tube to his lips, he blew a sharp, long- ' echoing blast, that rung far and wide over the Jain. a In consternation the outlaws sored, and listened to the quavering reverberations, while their leader Pity t the surrounding country with his powerful eld-glass. Soon he uttereda A of defiance, for-away to the east he beheld a large band of Regulators loom up over the crest of a prairie billow, which was brightly bathed in yellow moonlight, and coming swooping down to the assistance of their leader. Then like whipped curs the outlaws wheeled their horses and fled, for the Regulators greatly outpum- bered them, and these brethern of the League had no desire to test the prowess of the followers of a Oll. If he was a sample, they did not care to encounter the rest. Seeing his enemies retreating, Omaha arose to his feet, and sent a mocking yell after them; then turned and waited for his own men to come up, hich they soon did, bringing wounded Clipper ith them. Careful examination was made, to which the noble animal patiently submitted, and Omaha was overjoyed to learn that his favorite steed was not seriously injured. ed, the animal seemed great- ly relieved when the bullet was extracted, and once more ready for business, 2 “We heard you call. captain,” said Fawdon, the Yieutenant in command, ‘and made haste this way; for we felt you were not the one to summon assist- ance uniess it was absolutely m py “You were abroad, then, Heubenaut? : aay ; or flan herders, who will attack you before you make you are also furthering our own mission, by breaking up this infamous league of ruffian herders.” _ which time the. Avengers waited impatiently, for they had ridden hard, and needed rest, preparatory to what was in prospect for them, truth Deadwood the Masked Terror and Regulator. “Yes. Went over to Del Norte, but found all bara there. Not much attraction at the Palace to- Probably not. The Del Norteans are lying low, in waiting for the fat miners’ train that comes into the valley to-morrow. And, my hearties, if must be our duty to see that train safely through to Del Norte, for between here and there lies danger for them, that has death in it.” “Halt!” Clear and stern the challenge of the sentry rung out, and ominous rifle-cl. cks were there to back the command, It looked as if the little band of masked horsemen who had stopped at the edge of alittle glade in the heart of a prairie motte, were not too welcome pea at the darkest hour of the night before day- awn, tad or forty there were of these statue-like, black-clothed, black-masked riders, mounted upon thoroughbred animals, and armed with weapous of superior worth. ‘ond whence came the Sentry’s challenge, in the lovely little hemlock fringed- glade, a dozen wagons were corraled, and here and there were aay ee burring low, and casting a faint flicker- _ ing | ght upon the scene. Pp in the blue western heavens the le, listless moon hung as though feebly nded in mid-air. Around the camp-fires in the glade were stretched the forms of perhaps a dozen men; the women of the party were quartered within the canvas-covered * schooners,” no doubt, for the nights were growing chill and frosty. : “Halt!” Clear and decisive the bebratsas, 7 rung out and the horsemen who were following the lead o the Masked Téfror drew instant rein. Judging from the speaker's tone of voice, he was no amateur at giving the order for the new-comer to halt, “ Halt it is!” Omaha Oll returned grimly. ‘* What- n you have?” : - Wet have you and your road-agents keep a roper distance, Mr. Deadwood Dick!” was the re- x rt. Ag You can’t play Black Hills games down are The ex-road-agent leader of the Del Norte Regula- tors uttered an exclamation of astonishment. i What did this mean? Who was in the miners’ — caravan that had known him in the Black Hills? The voice was unfamiliar, and for the life of him, Dead- wood Dick, or Omaha, could not tell who was the sentry. = Who are you that knows aught of Deadwood Dick?’ he demanded, after a moment’s reflection. “My name is Dore. Guess you do not know me; nevertheless I was in Deadwood during your notori- ous reign, and recognized you by your voice the mo- | ment you spoke. , Sir Road-agent, you may as well gO elsewhere for plunder, for you cannot have ours.” x “Nor do we want it, Sir So You mistake our calling." Iam Omaha Oll, and these are my men— two-score in count.. We are not road-agents, but Regulators, and having warning of your coming, we have come to offer you our services as protectors against the Prairie League, a band of merciless ruf- Del Norte. Accept of us, fearlessly, and we promise our assistance, for at the time we help you we ¥or several moments there was no reply, during — Then the sentry again spoke. i “We accept of Pipes story, sir; but are you not in ick?’ pains “J was in the Black Hills; here, I am- Omaha. Oll, “Then ride forward, sir, and we will trust you, for

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T never heard of Deadwood Dick going back upon his pledge or promise. Come into camp, and you will be welcome!” the sentry replied. CHAPTER XIU. TWO ECCENTRICS IN A FIX, “Gon darn ye!” **Consarn yer sugar-coated mug!” “Tl baste ye over ther mouth ef I ever git loose!"’ “An’ ef I ever find out thet ye hit me, why, by ther immort’l bone that grew fast in ther larnix uv old Joner, I’ll transmogyfy ye inter a petrified clam. Once know’d a feller w’at got petri_ed, up in Colora- do, He atyempted ter steal up behind an’ kiss a gal arter dark, an’ kum ter found out et war his ugly stepmother. Great needle that threaded Cleopatra! ther spontaneous shock generated thru his systemat- ical constitoochin by thet consternatural discovery war so strained an’ electric, thet he war subjected inter ther EROS uv which he finally died, an’ his petrified karkass war stud up over bis grave fer a tombstun’, memorial uv all his noble virtues and vices! The above conversation oceurred between two men, who, out in mid-prairie, several miles from Del Norte, were rolling about upon the grass, in close penty to each other, and both of them securely ound, hand and foot. : No other signs of human presence were to be seen in the Ba Which made their situation seem strange, and Iu- dicrous, The more so because of the appearance of the two unlucky individuals concerned. One was that long, lanky, seven-foot, mysterious individual whom we noticed in the first part of this story, as the Arkansas Toothpick. : Like a great squirming human serpent looked he, as he lay outstretched, with his tremendous length of limb, and great hairy visage. A strange being, with much about him that was odd and mysterious. The other unfortunate was literally the re- turned to life, for no less a personage was he than the old Annihilator, whom many of the readers have doubtless Auppoere to be dead. Yes, Old Avalanche alive, but though exceedingly lively and himself again, he was not well of his wounds, received on that terrible night when the Harris home bad fallen prey to the prairie flames, ‘Ow the old man escaped, shall be known anon. And these two odd sheep of the flock had no appa- rent love for each other, judging from the above conversation, given,as they lay facing each other. i “Ye’re ther gol-durn lest sucker thet ary man ever see’d!” growled the Arkansas Toothpick, making a cia Rae face at his puny opposite—*‘ actooal- ‘\— ly ther humbliest no-eared baboon I ever see’d!’’ ‘An’ ye’re a beauty, yu are!” Avalanche retort- ed, returning the inglorious grimace. ‘ Ye’re jest ther sweetest suggar-coated pill outside uv an apothecary’s shop. Lord! it’s a wonder ye don’t at- tract: more wimmen an’ less flies. Beauchiful! guess so. Ye’re supeeryer ter a bunch o° sun-flowers an’ peonies, Fact, by gracious. Wonder some eddica- ted an‘ interlectual an’ skient'fic florist don’t plant ye, an’ let ye go to seed; tho’ how he'd ever climb up to get at ther seed, aire a wuss mystery than perpetual mo hun.” *“Ba-a-ah!” mocked the other in contempt. ‘ Ye puny litile runt o’ humanity; ef T ever war t-r git arms around ye, I'd flatten ye like a pancake thet did old Joner tantalize—ef I war ter clap my paw on ye, ye’d imagine anuther Hell-Gat : hed bu’st- ed! ye’ sw’ar ye’d been struck wi’ ther b tt-enduv a great, toarin’ N rwegian avalanche o’ annihila- tion. Y¥e’d think ye war encompassed wi'in ther __ toils uv a great tumultuous whir pool o’ demolition —a devastatin’ eppydemic o’ ther boreal lattytudes and longytoads.”” j : —~ Omaha Ol, the Masked Terror. ye would, hey? Great notorious ham-bone ie Ci wag “Pooh! hear the banty crow! Why, old ourang. Py outang, 1 ked decapitate ye so quick, ye wouldn't — hear about it ontil sometimenext year. Oh! but I'd — like ter chaw off yer nose, or gouge yer eyes out]? “Which delightful performance I'd love ter ope- — rate onter ye, ye long legged. big-headed elephant. Gol-dang my pins, but T like ter step inter thet — rosy-lipped suggar refinery 0’ yern, an’ smash in them ivories, so they’d. grow ’way out 0’ yer toes! © Moses of bull-rush fame! I'd give my old jint, Flor’nce Night-in-a-gale, I do believe, jes’ fer a - chance ter sock you a dab on ther proboscis!’ ‘An’ I'd give all my future interests in Kingdom Come, ef I ked get my claws inter yer ugly face!" - roared the Toothpick, making strong exertions to break his bonds But, giant though he was, he could not burst them, which was vexatious in the greatest degree, “Whoa! January; don’t get a month ahead o’ yer- self!” chuckled Avalanche, watching the seven- footer’s efforts. ‘‘ Don’t rend them buffler cords in- ter infinity, beloved hive of honey.” Z “a “Oh! go soak yer head, you_ baboon. Ef I can’t plas ‘em, you can’t, an’ we'll both rot here, ter: gether. “Great arithmetical ham-bone, no! I ain't goin’ ter make Jand-fertilizer pisces yet, old long- egs, not muchly. I died, or putty nigh it, t’?other day, an expect ter make a positive flop afore many years, - But Pll be dasted ef thes old eppydemic aire goin’ ter scatter his ashes wi’ any sich an ornery long: legged, lantern-jawed hippopgiens as you.” és aan be glad o’ ther honer uv sich a thing, old boon!” And thus the eccentric twain had it backward and forward, until both had exhausted epithets and ac- cusations to hurl at each other, and could-only lay~ and war with eyes instead of tongues, : Night was coming on, and when darkness set in, a. were in imminent danger from the prowling wolves, as : The way they had come in this unrelishable posi- tion is easily explained. Ree Both were out upon the beni in companionship, iz when they had encountered astrolling band of Nava- x jo Indians, who were abroad in search of sport and game. They approached the two scouts, and in an unex- pected moment took them prisoners, and after bind- ing them left them on the grass and went their way, rejoicing over their “ much big” joke. ; : he Toothpick avowed that it was the fact of f Avalanche’s having no ears that had caused the 2 joke; and the Annihilator was positive that the Nava- joes had taken offense at them, use of the Ar- ansas man’s ill proportions; from which word passed to word, until the twain were in reality mad and belligerent. Avalanche knew little about Mr, Jem Murray, ex- cept that he was no slouch in a fight. They had ac- cidentally met, and as their uncouthness, generally, was somewhat alike, they had roamed together. : 7 Avalanche had an object and a mission tofvlfill, and so, evidently, had the “original” Toothp ck. +5 But what it was no one would ever learn, by waiting for enlightenment from him, pee : é He was uncommunicative im matters relating to % his business in the San Luis valley; Avalanche more - than once suspected him of being more than he ap- pee but what? This wasthe question whicheven e could not answer, : i. ee to burst their cape, until they had some assista) “Well, my sugar-costed pill 0° f Sie stig aes:

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Omaha Oll, the Masked Terror. views on remainin’ hayr all night?’’ Avalanche at last: questioned, rolling over toward Mr. Jem Mur- ray, the Toothpick. “’Spect you needn't be nohow afeard o’ wolves, fer they'd scorn ter whet their chins on sich an ornery galoot as you.” “See hayr, ye runt, aire ye not thru wi’ yer blar- ney?” was the reply. “er my part I feel more like chawin’ ye up fer fodder, than talkin’ so long about et. Jest roll over hayr, an’ let me utilize ye-ter sum good purpuss!”” “Wait till l get free, an’ Pll come fer you like a \ Tip roarin’ tornader o’ terrificossity—like a three- |; @ared meteor o’ fizzican’ demoralation an’ destruc- ets frum ther Aunty’s Podes,” Avalanche re- plied, sf sete a eae ye SE pcm ae : ‘And, ye’re a long-legged camel-giraffe, from oui 0’ civilization,”’ aseured Alva. Then silence again reigned. But only for a few minutes. A . Shrilly over the prairies, wafted on the wings of the evening breeze, came a strange sound—not the lowing of a cow, the bleat of a sheep, nor the cry of a human, but the peculiar “ ba-a-a”’ of a goat. Yes. there could be no mistake about this, and it caused Avalanche to struggle quickly up to a sitting pos- jure. “Hooray! Great carniverous ham-bone that as- vaulted ther Adam's Apel ov old Joner!"” he cried, triumphantly. ‘Et aire my right bower, Florence ih fe ea ae a-comin’ ter my resky, Oh! ye on- ainly, honey-lipped statue, how d’ye like ther eydea ‘)’ partin’ wi’ this great devastatin’ eppydemic, now? ‘Hayr, Florence! Hayr Florence! Cum quick, ye uasted ornery beast an’ extricate yer master frum a consarned diffikilty.”’ “Ye needn’t crow, old rooster!’ growled Tooth- pick, grimly. ‘*P’rapsI kin hire yer pard ter sot ime free, also!” : : “Fo! hol guess not.. Wait till ye see my pard’s yenealogy, or whatever ye call it, an’ ye’ll obsarve a ehap w’at aln’t easily led aside frum ther path o’ j Has ue an’ religyun, inter that o’ sin an’ contamina- vion. And Florence was soon forthcoming, but not alone, for the eccentric and wonderfully educated animal was dogging at the heels of a man, who, ata first glance, Avalanche could have sworn was Dead- wood Dick, ~* : = instead of Dick, it was El Gamin, the Gambler rince, “Hello! what's the matter here? You fellows na pear in somewhat of a dilemma!’ he exclaimed, coming forward, while Florence sprung joyfully to her old master’s side, and whisked her stubby tail in manifestation of her unprecedented pleasure. ‘Hal by heaven! vow, Jem Murray?” “At yer sarvice!”? the Toothpick said. “Jem Murray, Sheriff of Golden City, an’ ther original Ax- kansas Toothpick.” A dark scowl covered £1 Gamin’s face. “So you have followed me, eh?’ he muttered. “Well, I oS nothing else, under the circum- stances. What do you want?” “My dauchter, and your life!’’ Murray answered, be hed else I shedn’t hev sought ye. Whar’s the ral firs Hl Gamin threw himself upon the grass, and for several moments stared hard at the ground. “The poor child is dead!” he replied, at last, ‘rushing a tear from his eye, at the approach of some painful memory. ‘‘She died a month after we left Golden City, of her old complaint, heart- sos sreeiy and I saw that she had a proper inter- inent, : ~ 'fhe lanky sheriff groanea aloud. “I expected thet w’en I couldn’t heer 0’ her bein’ slong wi’ yer!” he said, bitterly. ‘‘Durn ye, ef I «ver git my claws onter yer weasand, ye’ll think et’s time ye squar’d accounts on yearth.”’ _**You shouldn't blame me, so much, as I was not ll to blame!” the gambler replied,“ You re ’ distrustfully from the canvas-coverings of the. gag fused | in the mines, they were none too eager to m a3 to sanction our marriage and happiness and s@ we had to elope and take our chances, Had Blossom lived, we should ever have been happy together.” Murray softened a little at this. sie cesta Sie wasn’t all cross-ways,”’ he allowed thoughtfully, “‘ but, bein’s I’ve chased ye so Si ken’t let you alone wi’out fightin’ on thet score, ’Twon’t take long ter tell whichiis the best feller, an’ that'll end it.” * We won’t fight now!” E] Gamin replied, hastily, “T have other work to do; and, by the way, it was only by this eccentric goat that Twas attracted here. So Pll bid you good-evenin,’” And the gambler was about toturn away. But Avalanche made haste fo call him back, for game yet was the veteran scout. ; “Tsay you chap, don’t get inter such a persper ation, ter depart. Et hasa bad reflection on yer phyz« zieal constitoochin, generally ; asides, et’s dangerous, Actoolly know’d a map, one’t who worked in a cluss b'ilding, an’ he got ter persperatin’, and ther sweat generated steam, an’ ther harder he worked ther more steam war made, ontel ther greet so full that she bu’sted up entirely. Fact, accordi: ter ther new kind ofa Testament. Tharfore, nevyer eit in a hurry when ye kin doa feller a gocd turn. est release me, an’ as long as _ ther great devas- tatin’ eppydemic wafts like boreal fizzic thr’w’ these lattytudes, he’ll vote for ye. Needn’t mind about ther baby elerphant, hyar, wi’ honey-lipped sugar refinery. He.ain’t no good on earth, Ae “Then ye ain’t pards. eh?” **Naiy a time}? quickly objected the “ originr1” Arkansas Tcothpick, with a sniff of disdain. ‘Ye don’t s‘pose I'd ’sociate wi’ sich a humbley, or’nery — pigmy, do ye? I'd die sooner!” Gamin turned without a word and severed Ay- alanche’s boffds; then stroce rapidly away into the gicom that had di nsely thickened over the prairie. hither he was bound was a secret to himself. : Avalanche arcse to his feet with a Pricer chuckle, and_ approaching, bent over the reclining —~ Toothpick, a broad grin upon his features. ae ‘**Good-by, my honey lip—my gorgecus bloomin peony—my fizzic an’ sugar-coated pill, Soontya J ate ter leave yer, very much, as ther leaf sed ter ther tree, in autumn; but ther best 0’ friends must. part, Hope yer won't cotech ther distemper, layin’ ere, or that ther wolves won’t git ye!” f “Pa-a-al ba-a-a!” Murray mocked, : “Very good, Jemsy, but old Flor’nce heer can beat it, you bet. Once she bl’atted so dasted hard thet President Grant _heerd it ‘way in Washington, — Adieu! cu revoir, until we meet some other time.” And whistling to bis goat, the eccentric Annihi-- lator turned on his heel, and strode away over the ete ne the direction where lay Del Norte’s twink- ny its. ¢ e limped considerably yet from his wounds, and gle his progress was necessarily somewhat slow. ; Not ten minutes_after the Annihilator had gone, Jem Murray coolly burst. apart his bonds, = springing to his feet, hurried swiftly on in pursuit, ~ CHAPTER XIIl. : / [WE TRAIL PESTS-—TRUCE AND DEFIANCE. Tur sentry led the way forward into the places iz shouting for those in ae to awake, as he did_so, — and behind him Omaha Oil and his men followed on — horseback. . < ne pate And a wwild-looking set of fellows they were, bo ea with their picturesque herder habits, slouch hats, and black masks, and the sleepy-headed miners re- garded them with suspicion, until the man Dore assured them that all was right, and safe. Themen rekindled the camp-fires and began to — show a hospitable disposition by setting forth food end drink, while the females of the caravan peered rakish schooners. Used as they were to rough

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tory for a start. i than ever before, and it seemed to h upon the Regulators’ horses, 4 by ten o'clock that evenin 24 : i acquaintance of the almost world-notorious Dead- wood Dick, who as road-agent, dare-devil and gal- Jant, had no equal in the wide West. While the miners were preparing food for them, Omaha and his men betook themselves to one side and stretched themselves out for an hour’s sleep of which all were in sore need. At the end of that time, they were awakened, and summoned to the repast, which, though humble, was most refreshing- jy tempting. After the meal had been dispatched, Boss Breck, the commander-in charge of the caravan, made his apperrance, and was introduced to the Regulators and Omaha, their youthful commander. With the *‘ captain,’ as Breck was called, Omaha had a long, pleasant chat. He found the man to be well-educated and intelli- gent, for all his rough miner’s exterior, and dialect. $a miner, he was of course in favor with the favor. ite law of J nage Lynch; believed that no punishment was too good ‘or outlawry and ruffianism, and hoped that the Government would take active measures to exterminate every tramp communist, ‘and ruffian n the face of the earth. He was married and had a remarkably pretty daughter—a young maiden of seventeen summers, the very impersonation of health, and a gay viva- cious little creature, whom no one could see without admiring. Omaha received an introduction to her but tried to avoid her as much as possible for, when in the apart of females, his mind would go back to his ife with Leone—to his er Y prospects, and how bitterly they had been blighted—frostbitten in the very springtime of their youthful existence, and then he would become sullen and gee . Ab! how that boy-man often wished for the old life they had lived, ere the first blow had been struck at. their happiness, by the coming of Edith Stone. He was a road-agent then, to be sure, and not only pase against the laws of God and man, but run- ning his neck into constant peril; still, those days at his “ Castle” in the Black Hills were the happiest of his whole life—such an eventful life, too, since then. Thoughts like these were running in his mind, as he sat in the edge of the glade, with his eyes upturn- ed to the blue sky, where morning’s light was just breaking—the heaven, where he felt sure Leone and his baby boy had long ere this found a glorious sal- yation, and an everlasting home. He found solace in thinking that both were at peace up there. Sometimes he wondered if he were worthy of a place there, too. And in‘such moments bitter memories would chase away tender ones, and Instead of grace his ‘wild spirit yearned for ven- geance. Vengeance! ay, ory-bringing mornin the craving came back this mem- , with tenfold As el strength m he was given a giant ¢ strength and courage to arepeis with foes —to strike as he had never struck befor» The sun was rising beautifully in the cold, crisp west, and the air was gradually growing keener, when one of his men came to inform him that the caravan was ready to move. So rising he accompanied the messenger back to camp. - cacieb Breck had gyranipod everything prepara- Instead of riding in the wagons as the women were mounted while Omaha and his men were to conceal themselves inside the schooners, where they were to remain until the attack of the Prairie League, when they could open up their con- cealed battery, with disastrous effect upon the foe. Accordingly, with assignments to positions, the caravan left the motte and toiled along slowly over the prairie, toward its next destination. Del Norte ay some twenty-five miles in the distance, yet Breck strong hopes of being able to push into the town no enoousiter with the ruffians un- they had done heretofore, Omaha Oll, the Masked Terror. Ce es til noon, or thereabouts, Omaha Ol did not confine himself or men wholly to the wagons, but they all took exercise in the open air. Omaha rode ahead with Captain Breck and his daughter, and chatted with them. In this way he learned that there was really a larger amount of golden treasure in the train than even the League had knowledge of; for since the death of Prairie Patrol’s messenger, he was not cer- iain if the Leaguehad been advised of the coming of the miners’ train. ; Breck had a large Hd eent. of the aggregate amount, and he was naturally anxious. “Ye see, I shedn’t keer ter lose it, secin’s Pve bin ten yeer in ther mines, and diggin’ fer’t,” he said, seriously. “ A feller don’t know w’at ther value o’ stuff is till he goes ter s’archin’ an’ diggin’ fer’t; then he finds out, I tell ye. Never struck any bi nuggets w’at made me rich in a day, like some fel- lers. Panned it all out, grain fer grain.” e “And such as you I would hesitatejthe most to plun- der, if Lwasin the road-agent line again,’? Omaha Oll replied. ‘t During the period of my reign in the Black Hills, always made it a practice to lay the most for them who mined their gold oa jto drink and oe it away. I calculated I might as well have it as they, and also that I was in one sense do- ing jee by keeping hell-fire from their lips. If we had less gold and less whisky, we would have. more honest, sober men. “Very truly spoken, sir. Whisky and money in © the overplus, are the curses of our country to-day. Do away with the Lee and make no more money, and you will see a satisfactory change in affairs. Ha! are not those our enemi*s, now?” The miner pointed to where the head of horse and horseman were just disappearing from view behind a prairie swell, some two miles ahead. Not one man out of ten would have noticed the important fact, at such a distance. : “Tt is either the whole band there behind the hill, or else a spy posted to give warning of the coming of the train,’”? Omaha replied, bringing his glass to bear, but without effect. ‘I will soon ascertain, however, for there to our right is a swell much higher than any other within the scope of two mile: and from there I ean sée, and signal you to proce in the event of danger. For if the rufiians are there, we may as well keep right on, until they make the . attack. This will disarm any suspicion they may have that you are prepared!” ft So saying, the handsome young Regulator wheeled his horse and galloped back to the rear of the train; standing ready for instant duty were the miners, at the word of warning. “Keep your weapons out of view, but have them where you can grab them in an instant, boys!” was the encouraging ery, of the Masked Terror, for ' masked was,the young avenger, and a grim-looking rider, whom no one could relish to meet as a foe. Then, with a word of warning to his’own men, he pee as swiftly away over the prairie toward the illow he had indicated to Captain Breck, which was the highest point in that vicinity for observation, - Eagerly those from the train watched the dash- ing, graceful equestrian, until he reached the sum- mit; then all held their breath in suspense while he swept the eastward landscape with his clear eagle- eye. They saw him look long and earnesily; then, as if by magic, both horse and rider became p' ted upon the ground, and were seen to be crawling off the summit, ra “Tt means danger, fellers!’’ cried Boss Breck, wheeling and riding back along the train. “Stand ee ter execute my orders at er minnit’s no- ice : Omaha and his aesecoue and well-trained animal soon crawled entirely off of the summit, and Omaha — then rose to his feetandran aroundinacircle;then which looked _ halted_caray: yointed toward the odd and picturesque, away down in ne valley, The

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‘ pee crest. Omaha Oll, the next minute he had ordered Clipper up, was upor. his back, and dashing down the slope. “het move tells us ter corral our wagons, an’ prepare fer battle!” cried Breck, as he watched the young Regulator, anxiously. ‘“‘ See! here heaicomes now, like a thunder-gust. To work, men! lively, now, and swing the wagons inter a circle. Unhitch ther mules, quicker’n ye ever did afore!” The commands were obeyed, with alacrity. The miners knew that they weie working to save their gold, and also their lives, and they sprung to work with a will, It was but the work of a few moments to swin the long white-covered schooners into a circle, an unhitch the draught-horses and mules and put them inside the circle. Within the space the miners and their families were also taking refuge, when Omaha dashed up, his horse panting and flecked with foam, while he himself was pretty well blown, “Good! It is lucky you comprehended my mean- ing, for the hand of the Prairie League are so large- ly our superior in numbers that it would be rash to attempt to ride through their midst. Ha! get ready, for there they come, now!” He pointed to the eastward, where a large band of armed horsemen were just coming into view over a . here were at least three-score and a alf of them, well mounted, and at a glance, would have been pronounced reckless fighters, for their rough, devil-may-care grace in the saddle was ad- mirable, and among the cattle herdsmen of the far West you will inevitably find a pretty hard set of customers to handle, “We've got work hefore\us, J tell yeu!” Omaha declared, jumping Clipper over into the corral, and then proceeding from one wagon to another to give his men courage. ‘You've gob to fight like sons-of- guns, or you'll get licked like blazes; so make every shot empty a saddle, an Lif the rascals get too close use your revol\ers,as you well know how, Don’t ive up while there’s an ounce of blood in your bodies 0 shed in the defense of the train!” Then Omaha leaped over into the corral, where the miners and their families and the horses wereall crowded in, . Breck stood with rifle in hand watch- ing the approaching ruffian band anxiously. “You are too crowded in here!’’ Oll cried, takin in the situation at a glance. ‘‘ Here!” and he raise up a wagon-tongue—“‘drive out my horses, and let ¥ hem shift for themselves; I'll risk their going ar!” : ; The Régulators? animals were accordingly al driven out, and the gap reclosed. This Jeff more fighting room within the inclosure, and made it bet- ter altogether. Ip the meantime the outlaws were seen to be coming madly on at the best speed of their wiry mustangs, and in their lead rode the elo/re man of Del Norte, Bill Monte, and the mysterious Prairie Patrol, whose connection with the outlaws made her a repulsive object, even though she was beautiful in | face and form, That Wild Bill Monte was commander-in-chief of the League, Omaha had not, a doubt now, and re- solved was the young leader of the Regulators to destroy both the League and its chief. Just cut of gunshot the outlaw-herders came to a halt, while Wild Bill and Prairie Patrol rode for- ward, with white rags held aloft on the muzzles of their rifles for a truce. : ; “Shall we Jet them approach?” asked Bors Breck, turning to the Masked Terror. ‘*Not close enough to learn anything!” Oll replied, leaping upon Clipper’s back. ‘*I’ll go out and hear their say.” And laying his trusty Evans's rifle across his sad- dle-bow, thé daring ex-road-agent rode fearlessly _ forth upon the prairie unaccompanied, and evident- ly careless as to the consequences, He hastened his horse, however, for he cared not to have the two truce-bearers approach near enough to discover the slitted canvas sides of the ‘* schoon- ” Jest the: batter : 4 suspect the presence of a concealed Bill nodded, and drew rein as Omaha ap- proached, then spoke: “ Are you in charge of yonder train, young feller?” he demanded grufily. ‘At present lam. Why do you ask, Sir Gambler and Robber?” the Masked Terror answered. “Because I wanted ter see the gineral in com: mand,” the outlaw said, with a chuckle, as he thought, no doubt, of the easy victory in store for im, ‘We're the Prairie League 0’ ther San Luis vailey, as ye’ve doubtless heerd of, an’ we demand an un- conditional surrender of yer train as toll fer passage over our exclusive route.” “Humph! is this all you come out here to say?” sneered Omaha, in contempt. “Tf it is, you may as well paddle right‘along back, for we'll not surrender no more’n we'll cut our heads off.” “But hold! You hain’t no idear o’ how we'll slaughter ye, an’ git the gold besides, if ye don’t cave!’ Monte protested. ‘‘ We’re five dozen ten, ter one dozen 0’ you, an’ et’l' take about ten minnits fer us arta eve.y mother’s son 0’ ye out 0’ exist- ence!” . “Allright. Go ahead and wipe as much as you please. We’re ready to receive you with open arms!”’ 1etoried the Regulator, wheeling his animal and gal- - lapis ack toward camp. ; onte cursed furiously, and he and Prairie Patrol -rode back to the outlaw’s lines, where a short con- sultation was held. Evidently they were a little sus- icious; but soon it was apparent that their greed ‘or gold had overmastered their fears, for with !oud cries they spurred their horses on to do the opening charge. A battle was now a certainty! CHAPTER XIv. GREEK MENTS, GREEK—LOURKING DANGER, On came the enemy at full tilt, presenting rather an eo aspect. Omaha Ol had resumed his position within the corral, and stood among the miners, cheering them with words and example, Nearer and neartr came the ruffian herders, until they were within easy gun- shot; then, at a blare from Omaha’s silver trumpet, the miners, twelve in number, opened up with a deadly volley that emptied asmany saddles as shots were fired. A But, evidently such a defense the outlaws had ap- prehended, for they renewed their cries of triump: and sa their mustangs harder, while ab ‘poured in a rattling nie Nata the train, This more harm to the Re, torsin the wagons, than to the miners behind them, for several of the former were wounded more or less severely. . But enough out of their two-score was left to re- taliate with a deadly fusilade, which, to the utter consternation of the herders, swept full half of their front men away, and utter confusion reigned, Among those who fell was Wild Bill Monte, and seeing him go down, Prairie Patrol quickly galloped to the front, and in Spanish rallied the men about her, and they came on with drawn revolvers. See- ing which Omaha gaye the ringing order: “Revolvers. all! Courage, comrades; there are only thirty more!”’ Revolvers were drawn, and the moment range wae pee a velley from-either side tore like electric ~ ail through the air, doing some damage to the mi- pt and emptying several more of the outlaws’ sad- — les. Seeing which they whirled about and beata pre-_ pelyecae retreat, for the distance of half a milé, w Ses they halted and dismounted, evidently for a rest. . “Very well done” commented Omaha, asCaptain ba advanced with beaming face and extended _ and, f : rhe

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= Ser 26 - ce “T apprehended more loss on our side. How many are wounded of our party, lieutenant?” addressing the Regulator, who had just completed an exami- nation of the wagons. i “Only two seriously, and six slightly, captain,” se the reply. ‘‘None of the lot are unable to ide!’’ “Good! then we'll take leave of the train, present- ly, if yonder roughs clear out, which I believe is their intention.” “T find that our loss has not been as severe as ours,” said Breck, *“ Altogether, it has been what eall a lucky termination of a battle against odds. You don’t think they’ attack us again, then, young man?” “Tecan better answer that question after awhile!” Omaha replied, grimly. ‘‘ Never put any fixed con- struction upon what are the intentions of a villain and you'll avoid disappointment. Two-thirds o: those unhorsed men are but slightly wounded, and will be ready for work inside of a week.” “Then why not make a charge and wipe em out, fer good?” Z ‘*No! I will not strike a man when he is down, Only ruffians and savages do that. Let them go; we will finish this job soon. TJitch up your horses and get the trainin motion. Lieutenant, you may catch our horses, and we will ride on to Del Norte with the train, [think we have little to fear from yon human coyotes, *twixt here and there!” — ecordingly the miners set to work and geared the draught horses to the wagons, Omaha Oll’s horses were caught, and in half an hour the caravan was again toiling away over the dun prairie. ; At asafe distance the League, in its depletion of numbers, followed. Perhaps a score of the disabled outlaws had been remo :nted, and sent off southward by east, to their stronghold. Wild Bill Monte was with the party who were fol- Jowing the train, he and Prairie Patrol riding in ad- vance. J The ruffian had been only slightly stunned by the bullet, and was now among the fiercest of those who pursued the miners’ caravan, their object being to obtain booty and revenge. % Omaha Oll and a division of his Regulators rode in advance of the train, while another division brought up the rear. And thus, making po sties ak pietur- reine spectacle, they all moved along through the cold December's afternoon sunlight. As he wished to make Del Norte before campin, for the night, Captain Breck had the train pus steadily on and as rapidly as the nature of the route would admit. The following outlaws kept on about the same dis- tance, making no attempt at further molestation— indeed, it wouid haye been foolhardiness to have made an attack where there were now more of those with the train, than of the League, who were in fight- ing trim. “Wish [hed a gud howitzer!’ Breck sai1, riding ahead and joining Omaha, ‘an I'd soon scatter them Jogzin’ devils in promisc’ous shape. Once served vi’ light artillery in the war, an’ hev an’ idea I ken spvile a few o' them lunkies, ’andsum, Whatdo you suppose they’re followin’ us for?”’ *. “Don’t know, unless they’ve another recruit of rds in Dl Norte, and intend to attack you again. el Norte you know, has very few respected laws or law-makers, and though there is probably a few hon- est souls in the p'ace, thé evil element greatly ovur- balances the good. Consequently a lawless state of affairs exists, as would be natural in any place where the population is controlled by ruffians.’ _ _.' Phen you consider it unsafe to enter the town?” Breck demanded, in alarm and anxiety. ' No, not exactly. Not that the inhabitants as a general are too good to hesitate at the commission of any crime, but Ido not think molestation would be given your train, except by the outlaws, for the simple reason that the Del Norteans stand in awe of ~ threatened inyasion from the government militia to | pipe Omaha Oll, the Masked Terror. suppress the high-handed gambling and whisky dis- til ing which is going on there.” “en Del Norte has illicit distilleries, eh?”’ “So lunderstand. But thatis nothing. Compar- atively few of the Western towns of note that do not have these in secret operation—some of them Thus they conversed, while the afternoon wore away. At Sunset Del Norte lay in sight, in the dis tance, but it was yet nine or ten miles away, and there were no roads on which the wagons could be drawn rapidly, which made it promise to be well to- ward mi nigh ere they reached the town. Leaving aifairs at the trainin charge of his lieuten- ant, Oma! It wes his purpose to visit Del Norte, and see how the land lay, then ride back and report. He was not im- pressed with thess Del Nortears ina favorable li ht, and he had more apprehensions of danger at the town than he had betrayed to Captain Breck. At full speed he dashed along over the prairie, through the dying sunlight, his thoughts sear2ely reverting to the nature of his errand, for in such moments as these only one person occupied his thoughts, and that person— Leone. Leone! Ah! what would he not have given to have her back again, as in the old days when they wer: SO popurt But she was in heaven, now, with her little baby boy; both were certainly better off than though living here below on the sinful earth, On—on, Le galloped, and at last entered Del Norte, unmasked, for thus he was not recognized as Omaha, Oll, the Masked Terror. Fir.t of ell he went to the gambling den known as the Oriental Palace. Here hefound a strange de- sertion, only afew of the habitues being present, and these were strolling id'y about. Noplaying was going on, and the place had a deserted and uninvit ing appearance, 'o avoid suspicion, the young Regulator sauntererl through the great apartment; and finally he invited the gamekeeper to start up the keno GoTas; which. was done with alacrity, for business had never beer more slack, Accordingly, several bouts were Played, Omaha, with his habitual luck, winning every time. Then, when tired of the sport, he arose and sauntered out - the builiing, a perplexed expression upon his ‘ace. “Tam puzzled,’ he muttered, when he was alone. “The Palace is strangely deserted, and I can put no other construction on the fact than that these absent gamblers are laying for the approaching miners’ train. Confound it, I wish I knew what to do.” Springing into the saddle, he galloped to the west- ern side of the town, looking off toward the caravan. It was now outof sight, probably hidden in the depth of a prairie wave. “T see no other way than to let them come up. Better to fight it out herein town than to take the ehances of an open prairie attack, in Stygian dark- ness;" for the was now overcast with somber clouds, and the nigh’ promised tob one of intense blackness. ‘‘I wish I had the counsel of O14 Ava- lanche, just about now. His old head had an over- stock of ingenuity in it, and I think he could see the way through.” - 5 ‘Great ham-bone thet exorcised ther hog-gobblin’ uv old Joner! Moses who became famuss fer his bull-rushin’ proclivities!” exclaimed a familiar voice, close at hand; “ef all ye want aire Avalanche—ther great. devastatin’ disease o’ ther peraries—wvhy heer is thet awesum ruffle uv a hurricane, an’ j’int, and all.” 3 And from the bushes. close at hand, emerged tba veteran Annihilator, sure enough! followed by his eccentric companion, the goat. Omaha Oll started, violently, and his face assumed an incredulous ex: pression as he beheld the old scout. ‘ You! Avalanche!” he exclaimed—‘*you, alive? ‘ I thought you dead.” “Yas, Tcalkylate so; but all ther same—ther old Oll started on ahead at a sharp gallop, —

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. Omaha Oll, the Masked Terror. 24 - sontagious eppydemic ain’t gone over the dam, yet. | stead of the Harringtons, worthy of mention, and ” th incidental to the fam-bone that sanctified Joner, no / “But how, in the name of all that is wonderful, does it come that you ave alive?” Omaha demanded, with increasing amazement, ‘‘When I left you, to f°, in search of tools with which to dig your grave, I elieved you gone—quite dead. When I returned, ome one or something had removed your body and shat of my child.” “Yas; et war the Perarer Patrol, or whatever-ye- jall-her, She tuk us ter ther ruined haciender in ther Black Woods, an’ berry’d ther babe, w’ile she nursed me back ter life. Dunno why; she never even spoke ter me, ter ‘splain which ner t’other, Arter I war well enuff ter shift fer myself, she show’d me the door, and sed ‘git;’ an’ I got, in ginnywine style, bet yer good life on that.” “Then my child was really dead, too, eh?” “Oh! yes; poor lettle cherubim got salivated wi’ i. same bullet thetkerried off Mrs. Leone. Poor souls! ; Omaha Oll made no reply. His eyes were riveted upon the ground; a dark, revengeful light shone from them, and flickeringly illuminated his dusky countenance, For several moments he remained in silence; then he related his experience since the night of the mas- saere, including his late defense of the miners’ ear- avan, against the attack of the ruffian herders, and his gee mission to Del Norte. “Yas, largue ye'll hev troubulous times ter git thet kerryvan thru, ef they’ve got much gold aboard. ‘Ham-bone thet petrified old Joner! y these fel- ‘ers ‘d run sixteen miles er minnit, now, ter git a smell o’ ther ginnywine ariferous.” “ Well, if there is save more battle, here’s what is roing to take a hand in it!” Omaha said, grimly. “My mood is all right for battle, and sol In.” ““An’thes great destructive comet o’ contagion, too. Moses o’ bull-rush notoriety! Wait till ther great Annihilation gits ter runnin’, nicely, an’ ye’ll see fun—haydoodles uv et, I tell ye. ar’s old Prudence absent, ter be sure, but wi’ two sich con- solidated ot ae ts as Florence Night-in-a-gale an’ myself, I'll be durned ef things ain’t a-goin’ ter smoke!”” 7 “Can I depend upon you to assist me in getting this train safely through beyond Del Norte? After that they will not need our protection.”” “Yas, Dickey, m poser. ye can, ter ther end, as ther musketeer sed ter ther new hotel boarder—as old Florence Night-in-a-gale sed ter a Yankton judge, when she give him a whack wi’ her he’d-gear,”” “Very well. You remain here, and keep a watch ‘upon the town, while I ride back to the train and report. Look out for us toward midnight, and Jet us know if there are any hostile demonstrations.” Saying which Omaha galloped back to the train, which by this time had gained a couple of miles in their slow travel, rendered doubly slow by the dark- ness, and by caution necessary. shall go “Well. what are the prospects?’ demanded Breck, | she advanced toward the Spy. as the Regulator rode up, atter a swift ride from the | for you, but I like him better!” valley town. “Doubtful!” Omaha os eae briefly. ‘Be pre- pored to fight, anyhow. Are the outlaws still dog- ging?” “Yes. They are not far behind; only the dark- ness hides them from view.” “Well, then, we may expect more unpleasant work, before the night is through!” was the reply us the young Regulator rode on to join his men at the rear of the train. ough the characters are a, story, whose basis is the strange life-history of Dead- wood Dick, we will here narrate them. Tn the grand old Spanish parlor of the hacienda, . three persons were pathered: Two were men; the third pretty Ella Harrington. She was neatly attir- ed, and clutched in one hand a Spanish guitar, on which she had evidently just been playing. All three were in a standing attitude; the tw, E Gamin and Ella, had evidently just arisen upon the entrance of the third_party, who was no other than the ex-Government SPY: Seat Cass Cameron, who stood with hat in hand, near the door. There was an evil expression upon the Spy’s face as he stood and gazed at the two lovers—for such the two were—and a glitter in his bold, black eyes which meant a menace. El Gamin flushed a trifle and the lady of his choice trembled violently. “Well!” Cameron said at last, SUR Ages slightly interrogatively upon the opening word, ‘‘this looks mutually interesting, doesn’t it? How long had your billing and ee been going on? Pray, Miss Har- Tene seated, and do not let me interrupt your singing, meadayinn bis hat upon a stand, Cameron betook himself to a sea’, upon an ottoman, Ella sunk back upon a sofa; El Gamin still remained standing, lis gaze turned fiercely upon the Government §; = “Sit down; do not tire yourself, in addition to making yourself ridiculous!” Cameron ‘said, wifh a mocking smile. ‘‘You remind me of Booth’s Ham- let, where he beholds the ghost.” El] Gamin took a step nearer. ‘Leave the room!” he commanded, hoarsely, point- ing toward the door. “Leave! Go!” Oh! no, not yet, my beloved friend. I have not interviewed my sweet lady friend, here, yet. If your presence is obnoxious you may step out!” “Curse youd?’ El Gamin cried; ‘‘ why do you come here? Go,I say! Yon lady is my betrothed wife. You have no claim upon her, Go, or I will cut your black heart out, and give it to the dogs!” e z ‘Oh! is thatso? You are getting belligerent, eh? Don’t sling my poor heart at the dogs, for I want the ~ cats to have iv.” Evidently the Spy was using his best efforts to madden the Prince of Gambkrs. _ El Gamin did not reply but drew from his belt a pair of pistols, one 0° which he handed to Cameron, “Oh! don’t fight! don’t fight! you will be killed!” ~ evita agi Ella, rushing in between them, franti- eally. “Get out of the way!” El Gamin cried, fiercely. “We'll settle this affair in blood.” “Hold! give the girl a chance to say which she loves best!’ cried Cameron, ‘‘The other will with- \ draw.’ Jnvoluntarily the eyes of the two men turned upon Ella Harrington. **Choose!” El Gamin said, hearsely. ; “*T choose Mr. Redwood !”’ was the girl’s reply, as “I thought I “But you shall not have him, you d ceit*ul cat?” the Spaniard hissed, his face flaming redly, “ You have trifled with my affection; have played with a tiger! Stand ready, Sir Rival. wae a only have the senora if you win her by my leath?’ Cameron saw that the Gambler Prince was deeply in earnest; and a maddened Spaniard is perhaps the fiercest of furious men. the Spy nodded, and’examined his revolver, ; So ? And the caravan toiled on, until Del Norte lay just | He found it all right, and then faced the gambler. in front—gloomy and silent. CHAPTER XV. THE GAMBLER’S TRAIL OF BLOOD. Av this same hour of the caravan’s a Del Norte, something was occurring at “One! two! three!’ El Gamin counted, and then . fired, as did Cameron, instantly. Both bullets pierced fieshy parts of the contestants’ bodies, causing paine j ful but not danger. us wounds. Again the pistols came to a level, and a flash and roach to | sharp double report echoed through theroom. This — e home- | time Cameron drop, upon one knee, but did no” ou might better _ : ¢ ps

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28 Omaha Oli, the give utterance to a sound, as for the third time the pistols came to bear. Bang! again the weapons of death rung out their spiteful warning, and while the infuriated gambler darted back at the sting of an unerring bulfet, poor Cameron sunk back upon the floor, lifeless, A shriek of terror burst from the lips of Ela Har- rington, as she saw the Spy fall, and saw El Gamin turn upon her, with a glare of demoniac joy in his eyés. of Keep back, monster!’’ she gasped, retreating to- ward the door, ‘fa! ha! I have you now, and you shall be mine, willingly or unwillingly, you cahrese.* What! do you mean to battle for your rights?” for Ella Har- rington had seized two rapiers from a rack, and flinging one to the gambler, stood with the other in her grasp, her face white but resolute, and her bear- ing admirable. ‘Yes, if you are not a coward you will chance for my liberty, you ruffian!” sternly. Hl Gamin seized the blade with a vile curse. “Tl cut your head from your body !” he growled, savagely. ‘“‘Instead of a fawn, you seem to be a young tigress!” He made a lunge and a thrust, which were dex- trously parried; then the young woman gave him a terrible rap on the side of the head, which caused him to reel back dizzily. But he recovered his equi- librium in an instant, and again. rushed forward, This time his thrust was not rightly parried, and as @ consequence Ella received a cut in the left thigh which laid open the flesh an inch deep. With a cry she retreated a few steps, but the ive mea she cried, . . Spaniard followed her, perseveringly, a wild, terrible light in his eyes. “You ruffian!”? she gasped. **You she wretch!” he taunted, Then he made another deadly thrust, which with the skill of an experienced swordsman she parried, and laid his left arm bare to the bone. With a howl of mingled pain and rage, he came on once more, like an infuriated bull of the arena leaps at the tormenting matadore. He made a thrust, and she attempted to parry. but he caught her blade at a fault with his own, an -burled it ffom her grasp. The next instant his own blade was buried to the hilt through her heart, and she fell back to the floor, dead! Withdrawing his sword, the wretch staggered back aghast at his sickening crime; but with aniron will he the next moment mastered himself, and a low chuckling laugh escaped him. “She thought to take me at a disadvantage with ‘this blade, and kill me to avenge yon Government Spy!” he muttered, wiping away the perspiration from his brow; ‘‘ but'I was too much for her, though it is ten years since last I fought with a sword. Then my father was at the end of my blade, and fell. Ha! el diablo!” : He leaped back in surprise, as a young man, stal- wart and athletic, lea) into the room, and snatch- ed up the blade that the El Gamin had hurled from poor Ella’s Hea 9 It was Philip Harrington, the younger of the two brothers, who had witnessed the last of the conflict, - through an open casemnent, and had hastened to his sister's relief, only to arrive too late. “Villain! hell-hound!” he cried, rushing at the _ blood-blinded gambler, and making a fierce thrust. But, hot-headed, and unmindful, he reckoned with- out his host, for El Gamin threw himself instantly upon guard. Then began a hot, furious contest, of thrusting, parrying, and feinting. - El Gamin was an expert, and it took but a moment to prove that Philip Harrington had had thorough education insword exercise. Both men were of prodigious muscular strength, J " Devik. Masked Recncv: and consequently, it was but natural that the con. test should be an equal one. But, it could not last forever. Both men fought, imbued with potent fury. Steel clashed against steel, and the breath of the two combatants came in aSps. Quarter!” at last articulated Philip Harrington, leeding from reeling back against the wall, and half a dozen wounds—* enough!”’ “Oh! no; you need a little more!” the victori- ous gambler cried, rushing on. ‘Only your life will pay the forfeit for the good blood I have lost,” He made a thrust, fiercely, when Harrington was too weak to par it, and ran the young farmer straight through the heart. : Then the Prince of Del Norte’s gamblers turned and fled from the hacienda, out A the prairie. He cared not to participate in another contest right away, until he had time to collect strength, for he had not escaped without severe wounds, from which he had lost enough blood to weaken him. Curses!’ he muttered as he moved along to- ward Del Norte, over the intensely dark prairie— “Tama murderer,now, and yet I could not, help it. I could not have let-that Spy live to possess the senora; she and her brother placed their lives some satisfaction, for now Tam heart free again all are enemies; I have not a friend on earth, that I know of.” . These were the mutterings of the criminal, as he sped ae as fast as his weakened limbs would car ‘im. Del Norte lay only a short distance away; here he had found a retreat wherein he could hide, and re- ouperate. But he was destined not to escape so y. ; Upon the prairie the darkness was gg ine in- tense—in such a degree that the line-pole lights off on the herding plains were invisible, and those a Del Norte were faintly perceptible, but not plain. \ _ A horseman was riding over the prairie, singing in a rude, boisterous voice, a rollicking mountaineer’s song. As he came closely after the gambler, El Gamin muttered a ecurse,and dropped fiat in the grass. , / The horseman drew rein, and the gambler heard him ‘dismount. 2 “Whoa-r-r, Judith, ¥§ onmannerly beast, till I in- vestigate thet noise 1 heerd. Durn my old sow’s last litter o’ pigs, but I’m sure I ses sumthin’ move, just ahead. An’ who sez ther great notorious Tooth: pick ain't a-goin’ ter look ter these night-prowlers, w’at endanger ther safety ov_a man’s constytuchin, w’en he’s trav’lin’? Hello, thar! whar aire ye, ye Clase cuss? Better scratch up outen the grass, I'm tellin’ ye, fer ef ther great original Jem Murray, at my disposal. Ugh! bad work, but there is vet : from Arkansas, should put one o’ his number twenty- © seven hoofs onter ye, ye’d think an elephant trod on ye. Then the eccentric and mysterious ne ae in- dividual from Arkansas began thrashing about in the grass, while he whistled a lively border-dance tune. of “Yes, ye'd better roll out, ve sneak!” he contin- ued, after a few moments of diligent search, “or I'll set ther prerary afire, and thet’ll raise ye, onless ye kin crawl inter a ground-mice’s hole, Lord, I'll lam- baste ye, if ever I git my carniverous talons on ye. Know ye’re in the grass, thar, sum’ars, an’ by ther great jumpin’ John Rodgers, Til find yeif et takes till ther bu’st 0’ doom. Kont foolish wi’ a small- sized volcaner, like me, I tell ye.” Nearer and nearer came the Toothpick to where El Gamin was standing; the gambler had risen to - his feet with drawn revolver. ‘Halt!’ he cried, at last, when the Arkansas man was only a few feet away, which fact he guessed by the sounds of his patti Se foras yet the gloom. ‘ation, was too deep for penetr: “Don’t come a ste; further, or 1’ll blow the top of your head off,” - 55 ha os

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Omaha Oli, the Masked Perror, “Oh! ye will, will ye?’ came back the answer, and evidently Toothpick had come to a halt, “ Ye'll blow ther ’hole top o’ my head off, will ye? I wish I ked cum an’ hug ye oncet fer'ter show my ad shiation uv yer philanthropic offer, ye black plum. If ye want ter kiss ther paw uv an Amerykan Vessu- vious, just cum up an’ let me gazeonter ye. I’m Jem Murray, ther great Toothpick o’ Arkansas—an absolute terror ter ther hoss-thieves an’ moonshiners oi ae gelorious State. Shute, ye Babalonian! shute! And the next moment a great bulky body came shooting meteor-like through the air, and El Gamin could not leap aside quick enough to avoid being struck, and knocked to the ground. The next mo- ment the two meu had clinched in a desperate bat- tle-hug, for the Toothpick had now recognized his bitterest foe in the gambler,and he bent all his ener- gies in the attempt to crush the life out of his adver- sary. But it was a vain attempt. El Gamin seemed lite- rally boneless—he squirmed about; over and over rolled the two men, without a word, but their gleam- ing eyes expressing the rancor in their bosoms, to- ward each other, Gamin was nearly equal in strength to the Toothpick, despite the latter’s giant proportions,and he worked like a beaver for the victory. Over and over, strain, twist, jerk they went, and at last the ambler broke loose. Then with the quickness of a SAAC retin that swift dexterity peculiar to a niard, the villain whipped a knife from his belt, and plunged it once! twice! thrice into the giant’s breast. sain sunk back, without a groan, and vat bap ae e murderer sprung to his feet with a wild evy, i “Victory again! Furies, I believe T am mad for blood!’ and he laughed*demoniacally. O 1 toward Del Norte he sped, his hat off, h s long hair waving in the breeze, his appearance truly more tnat of a madman than a sane person. On—on he sushed, straight into the town, yelling and brandish- eps gleaming knife. e wanted a victim. And that victim was lacking. CHAPTER XVI. SOMETHING NOT EXPECTED—CONCLUSION. ; A PEATALIKE stillness reigned over the town, as the caravan entered the prairie main street, on which were the few saloons and stores. Not a soul was een abroad in the streets, and all was dark and ap- parently lifeless. “Look sharp! watch on every side, for you are perhaps between two fires of death!” Omaha Oll cried along the line, ‘‘Guns ready! hearts brave) fire not until you are fired upon!” ™ “Listen! Heaven! we are lost!” cried Boss Breck, excitedly. ‘See! militia! They arein front, in the rear, and all around us!”’ It was even so! A company of soldiery. with rat- tling bayonets, were charging down the street to- ward them; a company of, mounted cavalry was bringing up the rear; while out of houses along the street issued more armed blue-coats, with triumph- ant cries. The train came to a halt, at Omaha Oll’s peremp- tory order, and both miners and Iators grasped their guns; but this was useless, of course, for the militia outnumbered them three or four to one, “In God’s name, what does this mean?’ demand- ed Breck, in great excitement.’ ‘‘Why are we thus stopped by the soldiers, and in this place?” A ** We have yet that to learn!” Omaha Oli replied. “Ther is a screw loose, somewhere, and if we re- main silent, I have no doubt we shall soon learn the reason,” Silence was accordingly enjoined throughout the train—all, as it were, were waiting to hear their sen- tence pronounced. ¥ z The soldiers all came to a standstill, with “order- 0d arms,” at a stern ringing command, while the wing Then the same eommanc- also drew rein. ing voice was heard, again: ‘Hello! there; train ahoy!” “Well, what’s wanted?” demanded Breck, from his position on one.of the wagons. ‘* Why in thunder do you thus stop an honest miners’ caravan?” “ By epee vested in us by the Government cavalr to apprane and arrest all those engaged in the production and transportation of illicit whisky!” was the ringing response. ‘You have forty barrels of untaxed whisky in your so-called ‘honest miners’ train,’ and we command you to surrender, or take the consequences of a charge. Also, we want the young desperado you are harboring with the de u- sion that he is a Regulator, he haviug allied himself with a band of roughsof that order. His name is Omaha OU, alias Deaduovd Dick!” As may well be imagined, these words cansed a sensation among those in the train. An exclamation of hearty es ee escaped the miners, at the sus- picion of their being smugglers of illicit, whisky. And the Breet uttered a growl, as the words against their leader issued from the officer's lips. “Your charge is insultin’, you durned blue-coated loafer!” shouted Breck, from the wagon-top, ‘and if I had you here, I'd durned soon break your head. Thar’s not half the whisky in this trein thar is in yer big gullet, an’ I'll give a thousan’ in pure dust if you'll finda vated 0’ juice about our traps.” “What? Is it possible that you deny having il. licit liquors in your wagons, sir?” shouted the officer, “‘Can we have made so great a mistake?” : ‘“*Reckon yer hev, fer sure,” returned BPreck, “‘Leastwise, ye won’t find no j_ ice in this kerryvan. We're goin’ ter camp fer a couple o’ days, hyar in town, an’ ef yell wait till daylight, yecan examine our wagons,’ “From where do ves hail, Sir Miner?” “From Danbu flit, in ther Rockies, ef it’s any 0’ your bizness. B’en thar now nigh six year.” ‘‘ Well, theretS something strange here indeed!” said the officer, leaving his comniand, and ridi close to the train.. “My name is Fullerton, and is my business to look to this whisky business. I received warning to meet asmuggling train here, © to-night, and thus, if we bave made a mistake, you see how itis. But we know that Deadwood Dick is with you, and we demand his surrender. His‘Regu- lators we do not want. They have, in reality, done the San Luis valley a service by warring against the Prairie gue, and also praise is due to Deadwood Dick for his evident reformation. But his werk up at Deadwood was too criminal to allow of his going about a free man, and it is our duty as soldiers to arrest him, according to law!” “ve nothif’ ter say about that!’ Boss Breck re- _ plied, “‘only that he saved our lives an’ money, an’ ef he wants muscle an’ backbone ter defend hisself with, we’d be brutes not ter stick a him, Ye’d bet- ter cl’ar out an’ let ther young feller alone. ossifer, fer he'll make ye trubble afore you git him!’ “No! he’ll make no trouble!’ was Omaha Oll’s response, in a clear, ringing voice. ‘‘T’ll not imperil the rest of you by resistance, but will sumender! Come forward, Sir Officer, if you want me!” “Don’t surrender! We'll stand by you with our lives!” cried both miners and Regulators, in a voice, “You'll only be strung up if you surgender!” “Let ’em string!” was the reckless reply. ‘I’ve nothing to live for. My wife and child have both been innocently murdered, and there is nothing to make life desirable. If I regret anything, it is that I shall be unable to assist in the extermination of the ruffians of the Prairie League!” : Colonel Fullerton now rode up, accompanied a half a dozen dismounted privates, and, true to his promise, Omaha delivered himself, and was hand- cuffed. ‘Then, after bidding adieu to the Regulators® cs ic and miners, he was marched away to the camp of the military, which was pitched on the prairie, south of the town. The soldiers followed, and so did the caravan, the miners going into camp not far from

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z) 80 --Gumin drew his revolvers, and fired. that of the military, for not one was there among the miners or Regulators who was less than inter- ested in the welfare of Deadwood Dick. To them he had endeared himself by his gentle- manly bearing, courage and skill; that he must die seemed a shame—an outrage. And they meant to be with him at the last. Omaha was thrown into a tent by himself, and left alone; but a cordon of guards were set around his prison, without, for Colonel Fullerton was bound ‘that the dare-devil of the Black Hills sho ‘ld not es- >1ve him, as he had many times escaped his captors in_the past. Dick was not down-hearted, but took things coolly, He sat in his prison, now, whistling a song that had been a favorite with Leone, and reflecting upon what was to come. : In the morning, he calculated, a court-martial trial would be given him, and he would be convicted, and shot. ; He thought of Avalanche, and wondered where the old scout was keeping himself, Surely if he were in Del Norte, he must have been attracted by the confusion, and learned of his eapture, Yor a couple of hours Dick lay thus, his mind busied with the past and present; then he dropped off info a sound sleep, for he was much fatigued, When hs awoke it was with a start. A cold hand had touched his face,and aroused him. Who could it be? Within the tent all was Stygian darkness. Outside was heard the monotonous tramp ofthe sentinels, . “9h! cautioned a voice, in a shrill whisper; ‘make no noise. Lama friend come to save you, Tam El Gamin.” ““Why have you come here?” Dick demanded raising himself to a sitting posture. “I do no want to escape. Your effort is useless!’ “What! do you mean to say you do not care for life and liberty? that you will refuse to escapa from certain death when I have periled my life in yous behalf?” the Spaniard demanded, in astonish- ment. “Ay, I mean just that!" was the firm reply of the risoner. “I want to die. I am weary of this unted life. For the last two years I have been an outcast upon the face of the earth. Ihave no home now, nor friends here upon earth, and I do not care to stay. Upin the keeping of God I hay6 a darling wife and child, and I hope for a place with them, if I can die now!” Tl Gamin was strangely affected. He sat beside the prisoner, buried in deep thought, ; “T wish that I might hope for a place up there - with you,” he replied, “but I am too irretrievably bad. Then you won’t accept of liberty?” “No, thanking you all the same.” ‘Well, then, good-by. J admired you, and that is why I ventured here. If die you will, be brave, and remember that, base wretch and murderer though he is, you have a friend in El] Gamin.” Then the gambler glided away, and that was the last Deadwood Dick ever saw of him. f Without difficulty El Gamin managed to escape from the prison-tent, and wended his ages over the prairie. His head was bowed, aud he was re- flecting upon the odd determination of Deadwood Dick, It certainly was a most eccen ric freak. For half an hour he wandered along; then sud- denly, ere he had any warning of danger, he was fiercely attacked by a half-dozen burly herders, whose only weapons were knives. The first faint tinges of dawn streaking the east, gave the gambler an idea who they were, fora short. distance away Prairie Patrol sat upon her white s. anther, El wn went two of his assailants at first fire. Again he fired; one feu; the other unerring bullet sped along and - horse, urging on her “tools.” Leaping back with the agility of a ' pierced the breast of the mysterious Prairie Patrol. /ith a dying’scream she sunk frou the saddle to the 4 i235 ee ’ Omaha Olli, the Masked Terror. _— ll CT ground, and becoming frightened, her horse dashed ildly away over the prairie. Reet Two more foes had the Spaniard, pressing hia sc hard that he could not use his revolver. ming desperate, as he saw that certain death was inevit- able unless he could make a break, he clubbed the revolver, and hurled it fiercely at the head of one of the herders, while at the same instant he took a backward step and leaped upon the other. The fiying missile felled the one ruffian like a log to the und. Tearing the knife from the hand of the other, with strength prodigious, the gambler buried it into the outlaw’s heart, and thus ended the unequal con- test. An hour later, Pa when the cold December sun arose gloriously from out its eastern bed, El Gamin approached a solitary cottonwood which stood miles inland from the Rio Grande, and whose wide-spread- ing branches looked cheerful. Under the shelter of these he sat himself upon the grass, and busied himself in cleaning his weapons, which of late had done him such dreadful service. Haggard and desperate the gambler was looking, from his wild, bloody night’s work; blood was smeared upon his face and upon his garments, sh he was suffering from many wounds and from atigue. = “God forgive me!” he murmured, staring thought- fully heavenward. “I wish I might hope for a place up there, where Deadwood Dic is so confident of going, on his execution. But it is not for such as me.’ From among the branches of the tree, overhead, there descended a noosed rope and fell about the neck of the doomed gambler. He started violently. and attempted to throw off the thing, but it sh quickly tigater, a choking sensation attacked him, and he was drawn bodily up into mid-air. ; As he went up the man at the other end of the rope, Wedch was over a stout limb, came yee ol downward, until he touched the ground, A dangled the body of the gonibier, with life by this time nearly choked out of him, Nor did the strange hangman relent. He wound the slack rope about the foot of the cottonwood, and then, after piving a contemptuous glance at the unfortunate victim of lynch-law. he turned his foot- steps in the direction of Del Norte. ~ And this individual who had suspended the Gam- \ner Prince six feet above terra firma, with a rope about his neck, was no less a personage than the ec- centric Arkansas Toothpick. In the early morning following El Gamin’s visit, Deadwood Bick was led forth from his tent, by a ard of soldiers, to the village plaz*, which was in e center of the town. Here the military and townspeople were all assembled, to witness the merely formal trial of the daring ex-outlaw. a Curious eyes were bent upon the young man, for some signs of agitation were apprehended, but in this all were disappointed. Not a tremor passed_ over Harris’s face, as -he was placed upon the wit- ness stand, confronted by the multitude; but he smiled and put out one released hand, as there was a te in the crowd, and Old Avalanche came up, followed by his goat. . “Great ham-bone thet Joner gnawed on!" was the old seout’s greatly surprised exclamation. “Old Moses who at ther rushes and bulls did sw’ar. How? which—how did ye git inter this tarnal predicka- ment, boyee?”” ove him — Deadwood Dick laughed one of his peculiar ex- — pressive little ate a “Well, I got. cdught by these law-abiding emiss: ries of Uncle Sam, Alva, and they made. bold sert that they Ri ee ern. not gainsay: so, accordingly, I gav , and let "em take me into custody!” . 4 cy Bred “Which showed what a durn blasted ee ye aire, Great Jerusalumm! I wouldn’t’#’ thort it uv you ; is toas- assertion Icould

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g Omaha Oll, the Masked Terror. ~~ ‘*But, you know, old friend, that I have nothing to Pye for. The faster faeces the days, the more I want to be with Leone and my boy,”” * **Oh! ye'll git thar, no doubt!” Avalanche replied grimly, “ef ye let these durned scullions hev their way erbout it. Let me jest put a lively flea inter yer organs o° hearing.” apes which, the Annihilator whispered a few words in the prisoner’sgar, that caused him to start violently and grow white, : ‘Not dead— Leone not vead, you say?” he gasped, a wild, joyful, hopeful light shining from his eyes. . “T sed et, 7 reckon!” the yeteran scout replied ; *leastwise, thes ’ere paper luks ruther suspiciously like it. Read,” and he held a small strip of paper up so that Dick couldsee. These were the words inscribed: « Am a prisoner—for God’s sake, rescue me froin ahorrible captivity. My captor’s name is Hawk Harrington. Search for me in_the Black Hills, whither he is taking me. LEONE RIS.” “Oh! Heaven, I am to die, leaving her a prisoner!” Deadwood Dick groaned. “Don’t be ter sure 0’ thet, Dickey, boy. Thar’s many a slip ‘twixt the tarantler juice an’ ther lip uv an absorber 0’ moisture, as hes often been proven, an’ ’tain't sworn to thet ye’re bound ter swing, yet. An’ ef th do, ll find yer wife, an’ take gude keer 0” her. Great ham-bone, yes. But good-by, now, fer them soldiers aire lukin’ at me as ef I war a hoss- thief, instead uv a devastatin’ eppydemic o’ ther peraries. Good-by, an’ keep yer eves open.” And giving Dick a warm hand-shake, the scout turned away and vanished in the crowd. The trial was as quick as it was decisive. The Prairie court found Omaha Oll to be Deadwood Dick, and as Deadwood Dick had richly merited death a hundred times, he was now summarily order d to be shot. The sentence, as pronounced by Fullerton was: “T sentence you to death one hour hence. You shall be shot by six long-range rifles, in the hands of my sharp-shooters, at a distance of two hundred ards. yWith these words the trial was ended, and the crowd gradually dispersed, evidently greatly pleased at the idea of this long-range practice on a human body. ‘Dick was taken back to his prison-tent, and left alone. There chanced to be an ex-chaplain with the com- mand, and he visited the pes and offered conso- lation, which Dick gratefully accepted. It seemed strange to him to be preparing for eternity. An hour ago he had rejoiced at the prospect of meeting Leone; now that she was living, he yearned to live, but it was too late. His sentence had been passed, and he would have no chance to es: ape. Death stared him in the face, and he could but meet it. But, naturally, he wondered where Old Avalanche was silthistime. What mischief was the old King of Rangers planning? s That he was staying in the background without some purpose Dick was unwilling to think, and a strong hope arose in his breast that perhaps the old ' scout was planning for his escapé. But this hope was dissipated, when the soldiers came to lead him out to his execution. Nothing, now, thought he, could save him from death. He was led through camp, aad two hundred yards out ae the keen wintry prairie, where a stake had been driven, upon the edge of a rushing little tribu- tary creek, which a mile below flowed into the Rio 4srande del Norte. % ‘To this stake he was firmly lashed with strong cords. ql : ~“T am sorry for you —_ man!” Colonel Ful- lerton said, gravely. “Ht is a pity to see a young fan like you shot when life is so precious.” emi you needn't he, I don’t hanker after your * $i sorrow, nor your words of condolence!” Dick re- plied coolly. ‘Probably, if I were to come to life after po end my days, I should be just mean enough to drop you off of the list of the living.” “T guess you won't do any one any harm in the future!” was the grim attempt at satire of the col- onel. ‘* Will you have your eyes blindfolded?” “No. I want to see the machine work /” Accordingly Dick was left alone, tied to the stake, while the soldiers and the colonel retired to the shooting-line, full two hundred yards away. While they were striding thither, a dripping hu- man form crawled from the stream at Dick's back, and a familiar voice exclaimed: “ Courage, Dickey, boyee! I'll hev ye out o’ this, d@rectly.”” | Creeping into the tall prisoner, the old Annihila or two, and Dick was free! Sinking to the ground he rolled into the stream, Avalanche in the lead, and an instant later they crept into the bushes on the opposite side of the stream and almost. the first warning the soldiers had was, when on looking around at a shrill yell of defi- ance, they saw two horsemen spurring away, mad- ly, over the prairie. Soon they passed wholly from rass at the back of the r gave the cord a slash view. Omaha Oll, and the ex-road-agent, Deadwood Dick, and the Annihilator, Old Avalanche, disap- pear and nevermore were they seen in the coun- ry of the Rio Grande del Norte. THE END. Beatles Weekly The Best Weekly of Popular, Entertain« ing and Useful Literature Pub« lished in America! Its Unrivaled Corps of Contributors, almost all of whom write erclusinety for its publishers—embraces the following authors of world wide repu' Colonel Prentiss Ingraham, Albert -W. Aiken, ee Fred. Whittaker, eis Mark Wilton, Joseph E. Badger, Jr.. Edward L. Wheeter, Charles Morris, Ol Coomes, C. Dunning Clark, Buffalo Bill, White Beaver, Buckskin Sam, Major Dangerfield Burr, T. C. Harbaugh, Philip 8. Warne, Willian R. Eyster, Anthony P. Morris, Launce Poyntz. 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: EDWARD L. WHEELER’ Jesowoon dick vores < e . P 4 In The Half-Dime Library. 4 Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. 624 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Nevada, eadwood Dick's Defiance; or, Double Dag- | 630. Deadwood Dick, Jr., in No Man’s Land gers. 636 Deadwood Dick, Jr., After the Queer. 28 Deadwood Dick in Disguise; or, Buffalo Ben. | 642 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Buffalo. 85 Deadwoed Dick in His Castle, 648 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’8, Chase Across the %. 42 Deadwood Diok’s Benanza; or, The Phantom tinent. Miner. 54 Deadwood Dick, Jr., Among the Smugglt 49 Deadwood Dick in Danger; or, Omaha OIL 660 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Insurance Case, 671 Deadvood Dick's Eagles. 666 Deadwood Dick, Jr., Back in the Mints, 7 Deadwood Dick on Deck; or, Calamity Jane, | @8 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Durango. 97 Deadwood Dick's Last Act; or, Corduroy | 678 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Discovery. 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Case.’”” 845 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, High Horse. 230 Deadwood Dick’s Dust; or, The Chained | 852 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Devil’s Gulch, Hand. 858 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Death-Hole Husty." £48 Deadwe Dick, Jr.; or, The Crimson Cres. | 863 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Bombshell. cent Sigi 870 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Mexico. << Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Defiance. 876 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Decoy Duck. #438. Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Full Hand. 882 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in, Silver Pocket, mY Weadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Big Round-Up. _| 891 Deadwocd Dick, Jr.'s, Dead-Sure Game, Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Racket at Claim 10, 898 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Double Drive. 4 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Corral. 904 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Trade-Mark. a eadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Dog Detective 910 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Tip-Top. 3 eadwood Dick, Jr., in Deadwood § 916 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Double-Deeker.’ 1 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Compact. 1 928 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Dollarville. #96 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Inheritance _ 934 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Flush Flats. (na Deadwood Dick, Jr..s, Diggings. , 940 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Shake-up, 08 Deadwood Dick, Jr. Deliverance, 4 946 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Double Dron. Z “15 Deadwoo* Dick, J Protege. ; 951 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Right Bower, ¥ Deadwooa Dick, ; Three. 957 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Ten-Strike. ~ 528 Deadwood Dick, , Danger Ducks, 965 Deacwoed Dick, Jr.’s Gold-Dust. : sf 3 Deadv-nod Lick, Jr.'s, Death Hunt. 971 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Oath. a= 9 Deadw 3d Dick, Jr., In Texas. 977 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Death-Doom se 4% Deadwood Diek, Jr., the Wild West Viddeq 986 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Best Card. =m «19 Deadwooi Dick, Jr., on His Mettle. 992 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Gold Dust. ‘ "M4 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Gotham 998 Deadwoed Dick, Jr.’s, Big Play. — f1 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Boston. 1005 Deadwood Dick, Jr., Branded. 07 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Philadelphia. 1011. Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Dutch Pard, 672 Deadwood Dick, BE 1 Ean, 2S Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Big Four. oT ie eae ‘oat. Sat ebay hal Dicks, Jr., in Denver, The above Half-Dime Libraries are For Sale ee eces ord et Leete A |B ALL NEWSDEALERS, five cente peo ead wo ck, Jr., in Beelzebub’s Baalg, met Deadwood Dick, Jr, at Coney Island. 3 COPY, oF cant by Se seit: a0 item Deadwood Dick. Jr,’s, Leadville Lav- x ‘; : iA Nexdwood Dick, Jr, in"Déetroit, Soe . ‘ See Deatdwoor Vick, Jr. Clacinng”” = * ~ ‘ : ,

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SMART TOASTS FOR THE MART SBT, Vest Pocket Size. 64 Pages. Sewed Book. Up-to-Date. By Mail, Postpaid, 12c. per Copy. BEST LINE OF HAND BOOKS PUBLISHED. Sy, 10 Texas Jack. “YIDDISH”? YARNS.—A Collection of Hebrew Jokes, Stories, ete. GENTS’ LETTER WRITER.—A Perfect Guide to all kinds of Correspondence. FAMILY PHYSICIAN.—Family Diseases and Their ‘Treatment; Rules of Health, ete. BOOK OF DREAMS.—Their Romance and Mystery, with a Complete Interpretation Dictionary. HOUSEWIFE’S MANUAL.—How to Keep House; How to Dye, Cleanse, etc. VAUDEVILLE JOKER.—Best Jokes by Eminent Vau- deville Artists. BOOK OF ETIQUETTE.—Society, Visits, Introdue- tions, Dress, Balls, ete. FORTUNE TELLER.—Fortune Telling by?Cards, Tea or Coffee Grounds, Eggs; Palmistry, ete. BOOK OF 100 GAMES.—One Hundred Games for Social Parties and Home Amusements. COOK BOOK.—Economical, Practical, Excellent. LADIES’ LETTER WRITER.—How to Write; \When to Write; What to Write. RECIPE BOOK.—For the Parlor, Nursery, Sick-room, Toit, Kitchen, Larder, ete BOOK OF BEAUTY.—Beauty of Form, Color, Head, Hair. Complexion, Skin, ete., with chapters on Perfumes, Cosmeties, ete. BOOK OF VERSES.—Comprising Rhymes, Lines, and Mottoes for Lovers and Friends. THE LOVERS’ CASKET.—A Treatise on and Guide to Friendship, Love, Courtship, aud Marriage. “GERMAN” JOKER.—* Dutch” Jokes and “Gags” by best ‘* Dutch’ Teams on the Stage. “HAYSEED” JOKER.—The Doings of “Our Country Cousins ” in a Humorous Way. “TRAMP” JOKER.—Good “ Handonts” in this Book for Professional and Amateur Hntertainers. “QOON ” YARNS.—Best Jokes Relating to Our ** Dark- er-Skinned Brothers.” “TRISH” Joker No. 1.—The Wittiness and Whimsicali- ties of ** Pat” at His Best. “VARIETY ” JOKER,.—Good Things from all the Na- tionalities: ‘t Pat,’’ ‘‘Alphouse,” ** Hans,” ‘* Jona- than,” ‘‘ Moses,” and ** Ebenezer.” The above books are bound in handsomely illustrated litHographed covers. Price by mail, postpaid, 12 cents per copy. -M. J. IVERS‘& CO., Publishers, 379 Pearl Street, New York City. BEADLE’S BOYS’ CENTS PER COPY. PRICE 5 1 Dandy Rill’s Doom. By Oll Coomes. By A. W. Aiken. 4 J.illie, the Reckless Rider. By Stoddard. 5 Old Grizzly in the Rockies. By Ingraham, 6 Deadwood Dick asa Boy. By E. L. Wheeler. 7 Wild Bill. By Ingraham, 8 The Prairie Ranch. ly J. E. Badger. 9 Roving Joe. By A. H. Post. By Ingraham. 11 Charley Skylark, the Sport. By H. B. Stoddard. 12 Brimstone Bill’s Booty. By J. E. Badger, Jr. 13 Roving Ben. By J. J. Marshall. 14 The Ticket-of-Leave's Trick. By J. E. Badger, Jr. 8 Kit Carson. LIBRARY. $4 The Chase of the Great White Stag. By C. D. Clark, 35 Old Tar Knuckle.. By Rover Starbuck. 36 The Dashing Dragoon. By F. Whittaker, 87 Night-Hawk George. By Ingraham. 88 The Boy Exiles of Siberia. By I. C. Harbaugh. 39 The Young Bear Hunters. By Morris Redwing. 40 New York Bill, the Dodger. By Edward Willett. 41 The Settler’s Son. By Edward §, Ellis. 42 Walt Ferguson's Cruise. By C. D, Clark, 43 Rifle and Revolver. By Ff. Whittaker. 44 The Lost Boy Whalers. By 'T. C. Harbaugt,. 45 Bronco Billy. By Ingraham. 5 46 Dick, the Stowaway. By Charles Morris. 47 The Colorado Boys. By J. E. Badger, Jr. “¢ 15 Wide-Awake George. By E. Willett. 48 The Pampas Hunters, By I. C. Harbaugh, --:16 Wide-Awake Ned. By B. Ringgold. 49 Nebraska Charlie. By Ingraham. — = 17 Peter, the Dandy Greenhorn. By Noah Nuff. 50 Jack, Harry, aud Tom. By F. Whittaker, ii 18 Adrift on tho Prairie. By Oll Coomes. 51 ‘om Stone, the Old Sea Dog. By C. D. Clark. 19 Joe, the Rover Sport. By A. H. Post. 52 The Boy Detectives. By T. C. Harbaugh ‘yo 0 se ips) 20 Giant Pete and his Pards. By Harbaugh. 21 Yellow Hair. By Ingraham. — 22 The Snow-Trail. By Harbaugh, 23 Old Grizzly Adams. By Dr. Powell. 24 Woods and Waters. By Whittaker. 25 A Rolling Stone. By W. R. Eyster. 26 Red River Rovers. By C. D. Clark. 27 Buckskin Sam's Wild Ride. By Ingraham, 28 The Sword Prince. By F. Whittaker. 2$ Snow-Shoe Tom. By T. C. Harbaugh. 30 Pavl De Lacy. By C. D. Clark. 31 Round the Camp-Fire. By J. E. Badger, Jr. 32 Fancy Frank's Drop. By Ingraham, 33 The Boy Crusader. By Capt. F. Whittaker. 53 ee the Country Boy, in New York. By Charles orris. 54 California Joe. By Ingraham, 55 Tip Tressel, the Flatboat Boy. By Edward Willett. 56 The Spow Hunters. By Harry De Forrest. 57 Harry Somers. the Magician. By S. W. Pearce. 68 Captain Jack in Rocky Roost. By Ingraham, fi 59 Tim, the Mule Bov of the Mines. By Charles Morris. 60 The Young Trail Hunters. By ‘I’. C. Harbaugh. 61 The Tiger Hunters. By J. E. Badger, Jr. 32 Doctor Carver, the Champion Shot. By Ingraham. 63 Black Horse Bill, the Bandit Wrecker. By Roger Starbuck, 64 Young Dick Talbot. By A. W. Aiken. 7

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Deadwood Dick e Library e LATEST AND BEST. HANDSOME. TRI-COLORED COVERS, 32 Pages. Issued Every Wednesday. Price 5 Cents. Buy One and You Will Buy the Rest @xtracts from the New York Evening Sun. TWO REMARKABLE in only one sense of the word can it be regarded as a aovel statement when the fact is here recorded that litera- jure has given many heroes to the world, and perhaps more than one reader will have to think a moment over this remark before the subtle delicacy of its genial wit strikes home, But it is most essentially a half dime novel statement shat will be news to many when it is added that litera. jure, if traced from the dimly distant days when Adam was a mere child down to the present day, would show Sut few heroes that in the eyes of boyhood would be pven judged worthy of comparison with the two greatest Reroes known to American literature, or, to promptly re- veal them, Deadwood Dick and Deadwood Dick, Jr. * * * The modern heroes of fiction for young America, who are now as countless as the sands of the sea, and of whom the Deadwood Dicks are much the most important ° * * * it is but natural that their * * * should bear away the palm of popularity, and suchas * * * be left tar *ehind In the race. 6 Can be easily belleved, therefore, that the two Dicks ee 80 firmly engrafted on the tree of popular literature r boys and young men, that their position is assured * * and that they stand to-day head and shoulders MEROES. above all rivals in the eyes of the public for which they have lived, and for which one of them has died, American boyhood, and that is a tremendous factor im the land, now knows Deadwood Dick, Jr., a good beal bet- ter than it knows its catechism, and millions of young minds absorb the thrilling incidents of his career in his everlasting warfare against crime and his never-ending solving of impenetrable mysteries, Millions of boys follow his stealthy footsteps as he tracks his vicious victims to their undoing, and then, when the victims are thoroughly undone, the millions wait hungrily for the next volume, which on every Wednesday appeara with the certainty of the Wednesday itself, and a new se 4 CONEY thrills go thrilling away from Maine to Cali- ornia, é There are the volumes each so crowded with thrills and heart-tugs that it were madness to hope to do justice te them collectively and rank injustice to discriminate be tween them, To abandon the idea of giving a few extracts causes im finite pain, but if once a start were made in that direo- tion, it would be cruel to The Evening Sun’s readers to stop, and it is therefore better not to relate one single adventure, Suffice it to say that the stories are clean and well written. DEADWOOD DICE LIBRARY. 4 Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road % The Double Daggers; or, Deadwood Dick’s Deflance 8 The Buffalo Demon; or, The Border Vultures 4 Buffalo Ben, Prince of the Pistol §& Wild Ivan, the Boy Claude Duval $ Death-Face, the Detective ? Tks Phantom Miner; or, Deadwood Dick's Bonanz £ Oid Avalanche, the Great Annihilator; or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigand 0 Bob Woolf, the Border Ruffian *® Omaha Oll, the Masked Terror; or, Deadwood Dick in Danger 3 iss Lect Jr., the Boy Phenix; or, Through to eat 2 pice Dick’s Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood ar 48 Buckhorn Bill; or, The Red Rifle Team 14 Gold Rifle, the Sharpshooter 1% Deadwood Dick on Deck; or, Calamity Jane 16 Corduroy Charlie, the Boy Bravo Ve rage his Rob; or, Nugget Ned, the Knight of the oe Gule 18 Idyl, the Girl Miner; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand 19 Photograph Phil; or, Rosebud Rob’s Reappearance 30 Watch-Eye, the Shadow a pew wood Dick’s Device; or, The Sign of the Double ross ® Canada Chet, the Counterfeiter Chief % Deadwood Dick in Leadville; or, A Strange Stroke for Liberty # Deadwood Dick as Detective % Gilt-Wdge Dick %6 Bonanza Bill, the Man-Tracker; or, The Secret Twelve 87 Chip, the Girl Sport 8 Jack Hoyle’s Lead; or, The Road to Fortune % Boss Bob, the King of Bootblacks ri] Beaded Dick’s Double; or, The Ghost of Gorgon’s ule $1 Blonde Bill; or, Deadwood Dick’s Home Base ® Solid Sam, the Boy Road-Agent 33 Tony Fox, the Ferret; or, Boss Bob’s Boss Job 34 A Game of Gold; or, Deadwood Dick’s Big Strike 85 Deadwood Dick of Deadwood; or, The Picked Party 36 New York Nell, the Boy-Girl Detective 87 Nobby Nick of Nevada; or, The Scamps of the Sierras 88 Wild Frank, the Buckskin Bravo 89 Deadwood Dick’s Doom; or, Calamity Jane’s Last Adventure 40 Deadwood Dick’s Dream; or, The Rivals of the Road 41 Deadwood Dick’s Ward; or, The Black Hills Jezebel 42 The Arab Detective; or, Snoozer, the Boy Sharp 43 The Ventriloquist Detective. A Romance of Roguee 44 ere Josh Grim; or, The Young Gladiator's ame 45 The Frontier Detective; or, Sierra Sam’s Schemo 46 The Jimtown Sport; or, Gypsy Jack in Colorado 47 The Miner Sport; or, Sugar-Coated Sam's Claim 48 Dick Drew, the Miner’s Son; or, Apollo Bill, the Road-Agent 49 Sierra Sam, the Detective 50 Sierra Sam’s Double; or, The Three Female Detect ives 51 Serre Sammie Sentence; or, Little Luck at Rough anch 52 The Girl Sport; or, Jumbo Joe’s Disguise 53 Denver Doll’s Device; or, The Detective Queen 54 Denver Doll as Detective 55 Denver Doll’s Partner; or, Big Buckskin the Sport 56 Denver Doll’s Mine; or, Little Bill’s Big Loss 57 Deadwood Dick Trapped 88 Buck Hawk, Detective; or, The Messenger Boy’e Fortune 59 Deadwood Dick’s Disguise; or, Wild Walt, the Spore 60 Dumb Dick’s Pard; or, Eliza Jane, the Gold Miner 61 Deadwood Dick’s Mission 62 Spotter Fritz; or, The Store-Detective’s Deco; 63 The Detective Road-Agent; or, The Miners of Sassa- fras City 64 pe ae Charlie’s Detective Dash; or, The Cattle ings M. J. IVERS & CO., Publishers (James Sullivan, Proprietor), = 879 Pearl Street, NEW YORK.

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Wines gen Copyright 1878-1884, by Beadle & Adams Entered at Post Office, New York, N. Y., as second class matter. Mar. 15, 1808 THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK CO. i No. 10 Cleveland, Ohio Vol. I DEADWOOD DICK DECOYED.

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x a we WS = < a5 nt Copyright 1878-1884, by Beadle & Adams Entered at Post Offies, Now York, N. ¥., as second class matter. Mar. 15, 1883 eam er INo. 10" | | THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK CO, | i Vol. ‘ nee iy ‘OMAHA OLL, he Masked Terror; or, Deadwoud Dick in Dangeta ‘< SS . BY EDWARD: L. DEADWOOD DICK DECOYED, Pea ee ee ee ere

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——________¢ BEADLE’S FRONTIER SERIES a Poser soon BEADLE’S FRONTIER SERIES are always in print and for sale by all Newsdealers; or will be sent postpaid to oe address? {5ce. Per Copy. The Shavwnee’s Foe. 50. Harry Hardskull. The Young Mountaineer. 51. Madman of the Oconto. Wild Jim. 52. Slim Jim. Hawk-Eye, the Hunter. 53. Tiger-Eye. The Boy Guide. -s 54. The Red Star of the War Tiger of the Modoes ¢ Seminoles. The Red Modocs. 55. Trapper Joe. Tron Hand. 56. The Indian Queen’s Shadow Bill, the Scout. Revenge. alae Wapawkeneta, or the 57. Eagle-Eyed Zeke. / Rangers of the Oneida. 58. Sear-Cheek, the Wild Davy Crockett’s Boy Half-Breed. Hunter. - 59. Red Men of the Woods. The Forest Avenger. Old Jack’s Frontier Cabin. On the Deep. . Sharp Snout. The Mountain Demon. Wild Tom of Wyoming. The Brave Boy Hunters of Kentucky. The Fearless Ranger. The Haunted Trapper. Madman of the Colorado. . Khe Panther Demon. . Slashaway, the Fearless. Pine Tree Jack. Indian Jim. Navajo Nick. The Tuscarora’s Vow. Deadwood Dick, Jr. A New York Boy Among the Indians. Deadwood Dick’s Big Deal. . Hank, the Guide. Deadwood Dick’s Dozen. . Squatty Dick. The Hunter’s Secret. The Woman Trapper, The Chief of the Miami. Gunpowder Jim, Mad Anthony’s Captain. The Ronger Boy’s Career. . Old Niek of the Swamp. . The Shadow Scout. Lantern-Jawed Bob. . The Mosked Hunter. . Brimstone Jake. The Irish Hunter. Dave Bunker. . The Shawnee Witch, Big Brave. Spider-Legs. Singlo copies, 15c. ARTHUR WESTBROOK co. Tuscaloosa Sam. The Bully of the Woods. The Trapper’s Bride. Red Rattlesnake, The Pawnee. The Scout of Tippecanoe Old Kit, The Scout. The Boy Scouts. Hiding Tom. Roving Dick, Hunter. . Hickory Jack. Mad Mike. Snake-Eye. Big-Hearted Joe. The Blazing Arrow. The Hunter Scouts. The Scout of Long Island. Turkey-Foot. The Death Rangers. Bullet Head. The Indian Spirit. The Twin Trappers. Lightfoot the Scout. Grim Dick. The Wooden-Legged Spy. The Silent Trapper. Ugly Yke. Fire Cloud. Hank Jasper, The Scout of the Sciota. . Black Samson. . Billy Bowlegs. The Bloody Footprint.. . Marksman the Hunter. The Demon Cruiser. Hunters and Redskins. Panther Jack. Old Zeke. The Panther Paleface. i The Scout of the St. Lawrence. 9, Bloody Brook 100. Long Bob of Kentucky. CLEVELAND, OHIO | sa fe att Bea SECS Sad a Bare

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Deadwood Dick e Library DEADWOOD DICK LIBRARY. Mee 1 Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road * The Double Daggers; or, Deadwood Dick’s Deflance _ $ The Buffalo Demon; or, The Border Vultures 4 Buffalo Ben, Prince of the Pistol 5 Wild Ivan, the Boy Claude Duval _ 6 Death-Face, the Detective % The Phantom Miner; or, Deadwood Dicx’s Bonanza 8 Old Avalanche, the Great Annihilator; or, Wild , Edna, the Girl Brigand _ _9 Bob Woolf, the Border Ruffian - 10 Omaha on, gee Masked Terror; or, Deadwood Dick n Dan iM Jim 1 Bludsoe, Jr.,the Boy Phenix; or, Through to 19 Hoe gag Dick’s Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood 18 Buekhorn Bill; or, The Red Rifle Team 14 Gold Rifle, the Sharpshooter _ 15 Deadwood Dick on Deck; or, Calamity Jane - 16 Corduroy Charlie, the Boy Bravo 17 agree Rob; or, Nugget Ned, the Knight of the ule! _ ,8 Idyl, the Girl Miner; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand ao +4 Pliotograph Phil; or, Rosebud Rob’s Reappearance 20 Watch-Eye, the Shadow ay Ft peacicod Dick’s Device; or, The Sign of the Double Cross 22 Canada Chet, the Counterfeiter Chief 3 28 Deadwood Dick in Leadville; or, A Strange Stroke for Liberty 24 Deadwood Dick as Detective 2% Gilt-Kdged Dick 26 Bonanza Bill, the Man-Tracker ; or, The Secret Twelve 27 Chip, the Girl Sport 28 Jack Hoyle’s Lead; or, The Road to Fortune 29 Boss Bob, the King of Bootblacks i) Deadwood Dick's Double; or, The Ghost of Gorgon’s ule 81 Blonde Bill; or, Deadwood Dick’s Home Base "8 Solid Sam, the Boy Road-Agent 64 Colorado "Enartie’s Detective Dash; or, nek 32 Pages, Bay One and You Will Buy the Res’ For Sample Cover See @thei Bide. 33 Tony Fox, the Ferret; or, Boss Bob’s Boss J i 34 A Game of Gold; or, Deadwood Dick’s Big Seite 35 Deadwood Dick of Deadwood; or, The Picked 86 New York Nell, the Boy- vie Detective + 37 Nobby Nick of Nevada: or, The Scamps of the Si 38 Wild Frank, the Buckskin Bravo 89 Deadwood Dick’s Doom; or, Calamity Jane’s L Adventure 40 Deadwood Dick’s Dream; or, The Rivals of th 41 Deadwood Dick’s Ward; ‘or, ‘The Black Hills Jeze 42 The Arab Detective; or, "Snoozer, the Boy Sha 43 The Ventriloguist Detective. A Romance of Ri 44 Dees Josh Grim; or, The Young Gladia' ame 45 ‘The Frontier Detective; or, Sierra Sam’s Schei 46 The Jimtown Sport; or, | 'y psy Jack in Colora 47 The Miner Sport; or, Sugar-Coated Sam's Cla’ 48 Dick Drew, the Miner’s Son; or, Apollo Bilt. Road -Agent 49 Sierra Sam, the Detective 50 sit Sam’s Double; or, The Three Female Dete 51 Sierra § Sam’s Sentence; or, Little Luck at anch 52 The Girl Sport; or, Jumbo Joe’s Disguise 53 Denver Doll’s Device; or, ‘he Detective Queen — 54 Denver Doll as Detective 55 Denver Doll’s Partner; or, Big Buckskin the Spo 56 Denver Doll’s Mine; or, Little Bill’s Big Loss 57 Deadwood Dick Trapped 58 ag Se Hawk, Detective; or, The Messenger ‘ortune 59 Deadwood Dick’s Disguise; or, Wild Walt, the Sp 60 Dumb Dick's Pard; or, Hliza Jane, the Gold Min 61 Deadwood Dick's Mission 62 HA Sek Fritz; or, The Store-Detective’s Decoy vt renee Road-Agent; or, The Miners | ings