Deadwood Dick Library (v. 4) (1900 01 03)

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Copyright 1881-1887, by Beadle & Adams. Entvred at Post Office, New York, N. Y., as second class matter. Mar. 15, 1899. : M. J. IVERS & CO., Publishers : z Th No. 43, Issued W rac (James Sullivan, Proprietor,) 3 Price 5 Cents. Vol, \V Jan. 3, 1900. 379 Pearl Street, New York. * Fi “VEL, PY SHIMMINY DUNDER!”’ WAS HIS EXCLAMATION, AS HE GAZED DOLEFULLY ABOUND BIM, ‘“OFF I DON’D VAS IN A FIX DEN I DON’D VANT A CENT.”

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DEADWOOD DICK, JR. NOVELS EDWARD L. WHEELER'S IN’ THE HALF-DIME LIBRARY. Price 5 Cents per Copy. Deadwood Dick, Crescent Sign. Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s Deadwood Dick, ITs Deadwood Dick, Jr. Deadwood Dick, Jr, Deadwood Dick, Jr. Ais Deadwood Dick, Jr, dry Deadwood Dick, Jr., J Jt, Deadwood Dick, Jr., Jr.’ Deadwood Dick, Jr., Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, 4 ee or, The Crimson Jr’s, Defiance. Deadwood Dick, Jr.’ Deadwood Dick, Jr.’ or.’ Jt.) Bikes or., Deadwood Dick, Jr. ots Jr. 5 oe Jr.” Jr.’s, Three. s, Full Hand. s, Big Round. Up. s, Racket at Claim 10. s, Corral. s, Dog Detective. in Deadwood. *3, Compact. s, Inheritance. ’s, Diggings. s, Deliverance. 8, Protege. s, Danger Ducks. s, Death Hunt. in Texas. ; the Wild West Vidocq. on His Mettle. in Gotham. in Boston. in Philadelphia. in Chicago. Afloat, in Denver, s, Decree. in Beelzebub’s Basin. Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Coney Island. Deadwood Dick, Jr.’ Deadwood Dick, Jr., s, Leadville Lay. in Letroit. Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Cincinnati. Deadwood Dick, Jr., Deadwood Dick, Jr., in No r., After the Queer. Deadwood Dick, J in Nevada. _ Man’s Land. Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Buffalo. Deadwood Dick, Continent. Jr.’s, Chase Across the Deadwood Dick, Jr., Among the Smug- glers. 572 Deadwood Dick, Jr., Deadwood Dick, Jr. Deadwood Dick, Jr.’ Deadwood Dick, Jr. Deadwood Dick, Jr., Deadwood Dick, Jr.’ Deadwood Dick, Jr. Deadwood Dick, Jr., } Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Insurance Case. } Deadwood Dick, Jr., Back in the Mines. in Durango. ’s, Discovery. 8, Dazzle. ’s, Dollars. at Danger Divide. s, Drop. , at Jack-Pot, at San Francisco. 716 Deadwood Dick, 722 Deadwood Diek, 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, 797 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, 858 863 870 876 882 891 898 904. 910 916 928 934 940 946 951 957 965 971 977 980 992 998 1005 1011 1018 Deadwood Dick. Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, J Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, ers, M. J- IVERS & CO., 379 Pearu Street, New Yor Crrvy. ar: Jr. Jr. Jr. Jr, Jr, Jr. Jr. hee es Jr.’ Spea Jr, Jt: Jr: Jr ie ues Jr. Dat JE: Jr. aby a = r. ar. s, Still Hunt. s, Dominoes. s, Disguise. s, Double Deal. ’s, Death-Watch. *s, Doublet. s, Death-Blow. s, Desperate Strait. s, Lone Hand. s, Defeat. s, Resurrection. s, Dark Days. Defied. ’ ’ ’ ’ ? ’ ’ ? ? s, Double Device. ’s, Desperate Venture. 2g, Diamond Dice. avi Jr.’s ory It. Jr.’s Jr. s, Royal Flush, s, Head -Off. s, Rival. $ s, Boom. , Scoop. s, Proxy. s, Clutch. ’s, High Horse. ; at Devil® Ss Gulch. Deadwood Dick, Me r.’s, Death-Hole Hustle. Jr.’ IT, Jr.’ Sites Ire Jr.’ s, Bombshell. in Mexico. s, Decoy luck. in Siiver Pocket. ’s, Double Drive. s, Trade-Mark. ; at Tip-Top. Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Double-Decker. .» ab JY.. Jr.’ Jr. Jr. dr. Jr. Jr. Jr.” Jr. ollarville. at Flush Flats. ’s, Shake-Up. *s, Double Drop. ’s, Right Bower. ’s, Ten-Strike. ’s, Gold Dust. "s, Oath. s, Death-Doom. ’s, Best Card. F at Gold Dust. s, Big Play. 5 heardoa: ’g, Dutch Pard. ’s, Big Four. s, Dead-Sure Game. | For sale by all newsdealers or sent, postpaid, on receipt of price, 5c. per copy, by the a ; n

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“ Copyright 1881-"88%, by Beadle & Adams. Entered at Post Office, New York, N. Y., as second class matter. Mar, 15, 1899 go M. J. IVERS & CO., Publishers, ; é No. 43, Issued Weekly. (James Sullivan, Proprietor) Price 5 Cents. Vol, lV, Jan, 3,190... 379 Pearl Strect, New York. 2.50 a Fears “VEL, PY SHIMMINY DUNDER!” WAS-HIS EXCLAMATION, AS HE GAZED DOLEFULLY AROUND BIM, “ oye I DON’D VAS IN. A FIZ DEN I DON’D YANT A CENT.” ee =.

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oe The Ventriloquist Detective. - 7 = The Ventriloguist Detective, ~ A ROMANCE OF ROGUES. BY HOWARD L. WHEELER, AUTHOR OF ‘‘DEADWOOD DICK” NOVELS, “ROSEBUD ROB” NOVELS, ‘‘ FRITZ, THE BOUND-BOY DETECTIVE,” ETC. CHAPTER I. MADGE. One bright hot August morning a cheap ex- cursion was adyerti to leave South street - wharf, Philadelphia, for Atlantic City—that lively little town by the sea, which is so fast growing in size and popularity as to rival the more noted of the coast Atlantic summer re- sorts, A cheap excursion which is within tho means of the working class is ever a success, aud this one was no exception; it gave the masses a chanee to escape from the overheated city for a small sum and they grasped at it eagerly. right and early the ferry-boat was crowded and still there was no cessation of the stream of humanity that surged toward the river front. There were fo agocmne ioe! be of every trade in the city, nearly, and likewise a mixture of several nationalities; there were young folks, and old folks, and little children; then there were roughs, bruisers and bummers, an indis- pensable adjunct to sumnier excursions; and- all in all a heterogeneous collection of human- ity. Just as the hot August sun peeped up over Jersey’s sandy horizon, the bell of the boat rung, and the huge ferry-boat began to move out across the Delaware, toward Kaighn’s Point, where connection was to be made with the railway, : It was a noisy crowd aboard the boat, there being a good many roughs among the pleasure- seekers, who were more or less. under the efféct : of Dock street ‘‘soothing-syrup,” and who \ were disposed to have something to say to every one. Among the passengers was a young lady of ; eighteen or nineteen years of age, who sat i Z the stern of the boat, seeming to have no friends or acquaintances, eee She was by no means unprepossessing in face, and was trimly built, and dressed rather stylish- ly, compared to the others aboard the boat of her sex. It was not long before several of the roughs noted the fact that she was unaccompanied, and determined to know the reason why. i Therefore, one lubberly, raw-boned young _ bruiser, with a freckled face, bloodshot eyes, and a large red nose, approached her and tipped his hat with tipsy gallantry. ‘Scuse me, young lady, but (hic) may I ask 6f yer got (hic) company?” he asked. '- © Plenty of it, sir,” the young lady replied, her ‘syes flashing, ‘‘I do not know you; you'll con- fer a favor by not addressing me.”. “Pil do as f please, my gal; don’t ye sass yer . cuzzin. Don’t ye know me? Tma ‘full moon? solid Mulligan Muldoon, { am.” Greatly annoyed, the young woman turned her head away without answering. This; however, did not abash the “ full moon,” for be advanced closer, and laid one burly hand upon the railing beside her. ““ Now, (hic) see here, my beloved Miss Mori- arty,” he began, but before he could proceed further, a foppishly attired young Jew, with red hair and a hooked nose, stepped forward and slap ed the Fourth Ward man on the shoulder. “Yohst you bounce oud, mine friend,” he said. ‘‘Der young lady don’d vas want-som off your attention.” “ Hallo! demanded gruffly, not offering to move. ‘“E are Muldoon, ther solid man, I am, an’ I allow i kin lick any man on (hic) ther boat,” “That don’d make any difference. Dot youn lady don’d vant you near her, und uff you don’ vas gone away, right off quick, V’ll throw you oud—dot’s der style off an excursionist I am!” eried the Jew. “Oho! you wull, wull yer? You'll throw me out, hey?—me, Full-moon Muldoon, ther ‘solid man? I'll hev a kiss from the girl, an’ then Dll heave yer Israelite carcass ‘overboard fer the fishes,” And, making a drunken lunge forward, he threw his arms about the young lady’s neck, amid indignant cries of a crowd of bystanders, and attempted to kiss her. But he failed in his purpose, for She pluckily threw him. off, and the next instant the. Jewish-looking young man came to her rescue, : Seizing the rough by the coat and trowsers be oer him away; then, with the strength of a ercules, raised him from the floor and hurled him forward down the cabin stairway to the lower deck, A cheer of approval at once went up from the larger share of thespectators, and the Dutchman became the hero of the hour, Some of Muldoon’s companions rushed to his rescue, and found him doubled up like a jack- knife, and groaning over seyere bumps, His rough usage, however, had evidently cowed him, for he made no attempt to show fight or create further disturbance, The young lady thanked the Jew, but thatwas all, until the boat grated up alongside Kaighn’s Point wharf, when she caught his eye and mo- tioned for him to approach, ; “Tf you will be so kind as to assist me in finding a seat in the train,” she said, modestly, ““T would esteem it a great favor.” : “Vel, you bet I vill Id isa pas rough crowd for a young lady withoud somescom pany. My name is Fritz Snyder; vot ish yours?” “You may call me Madge,” was the quiet reply, : Then Fritz took her little traveling-ba eer oard- they left the boat with the crowd, and ~ ed excursion train, which was close at and, ‘Being among the first to reach it; they bad no ve haste to difficulty in finding a seat, and made occupy it, as the cars were fast filling, who in blazes are you?’ Muldoon —

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The Ventriloquist Detective. ; or “Tyeckon ash how you vas goin’ to der sea- shore?” Fritz asked, having some curiosity to know. 5 “‘T presume so, if the cars take me there,” the youug lady rephed; with a faint smile. ‘‘Is it a nies place?” : “Vel, 1 don’d know. I vas neffer there; but i hear id vas a nice place, You see, I vas goin’ there on pizness—I—I—don’d know off I stay ing or not.” Little more was said during the overland trip to the ocean. The Fonts woman did not appear inclined to talk, and Fritz finally excused himself and moved to another seat. “Der ish ee vot don’d vas right apoud dot vimmens,” he soliloquized. ‘* She ish not goin’ to der sea-shore for vone object alone, Tl bet a half-dollar.” Just ahead of him, in the next seat, sat two old ladies, who were discussing that topic upper- ’ most in their minds—spiritualism. One was a believer; thea other an unbeliever. “Pooh! You can’t stuff sech nonsense into my head, Maricr,” the unbeliever declared, taking a pinch of snuff. ‘ Speerits don’t trou- ble me.” : “But that is because you have no faith, Me- hitable. Now, my Sammy’s speerit converses with*me every day and night, and keeps me posted about the realms of eternal bliss; and when I ax him to appear, he comes before me as natural as life.” ; “Has he got that wart behind his left ear yet?” apparently asked a man in front of the adies, though Ventriloquial Fritz was of course the author of the question. “* Sir-r-h!” the spiritualist cried, indignantly, “Ti have you know my Samuel had no wart upon his person!” / “But, he had bunions, though!” a portly old gent across the aisle seemed to declare, “Ts a. lie—a shameful lie! I'd like to know how you dare cast your insinuations about one you never knew, sir?” and Mrs, Marier arose in her seat, excitedly. ‘‘ My husband was a good moral gentleman.” : “For the land’s sake, Marier, do set down,” the other woman cried, feeling embarrassed. “No I won’t set down!” Marier declared. “That old bald-headed, pussy fabricator said my Sammy had bunions!” : “My good woman, I never said anything of the kind,” the portly party declared, getting red in the face. « “The old woman’s crazy!” another man seemed to cry. : “Crazy, am I?” Mrs, Marier cried, snatching up a freshly-baked pumpkin pie from the seat beside her, and holding it ready to hurl at the offenders. ‘Ill show you if ’mcrazy. Jest ye open yer mouths, ary one of ye, an’ I'll show ye how crazy fam! Oh! I'll learn ye to insult a respectable woman, who minds her own busi- ness! at Atlantic City, and before the ocean’s blue expanse, as it billowed away to meet the hori- — zon. The grand stretch of level beach was thronged witn people, despite the pouring heat of the midday sun, and many queerly-costumed pleas- ~ ure-seekers were buffeting about in the water for recreation and bealth. ee Fritz was among the first to leave the cars and he stationed himself where he could watch =~ the movements of the girl, Madge. a Somesubtle instinet prompted him to do this, — with the impression that she was—what? That was an enigma. He could not, forthe life of him, -have told why, but he was im- pressed with an idea that there was some strange romance connected with her visit to _ the sea-shore—that she did not come alone for — pieasure, but for an object that might be worth ~ investigating. She left the cars, and at once took a carriage for the principal hotel, by s ie. Not to be balked, Fritz jumped into another carriage, and directed the driver to take him to the same hotel. His conveyance arrived: first, and he was — standing on the veranda, when the carriage drove up with Madge, and she got out. She scarcely noticed him as she came up the steps and passed into the hotel; but, after sho had registered, she came out, and touched, him on the arm: = “You are watching me—what for?” sho asked, when ‘he turned around facing her, — ** Am I an object of suspicion to you, sir?* 4 Fritz flushed uncomfortably, and hardly — knew how to answer. , 2s “Vel, I-I—” f “There! don’t make an iE Jers or exs = cuses; I know you are, and shall look out for — Roe Please understand I am no criminal!” _ hen she turned around again, and swept ~ haughtily into the hotel, while Fritz walked away toward the beach in meditation. ~“She vas sharper ash lightning,” he mused, “und dot makes me tink some more dot for some reason or odder she vil bear watching.” He took a bath in the ocean, and then went ~ back tothe hotel. He was not quite satisfied to drop the matter where it was, Somethin; urged him_ to pry further into the affairs.of this young lady, whose case had struck him as being singular. ; On examining the register, he-found that she was registered as Miss Madge Thurston, and assigned Room 43, + by a liveried negro, came dashin avenue, and drew ‘before the Brighton. — A man of some thirty-f

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¢ i ‘ 4 - The Ventriloquist Detective. a Se a eS cee sharp black eyes. He was attired in spotless \ white duck, with patent-leather boots, and a white ‘‘ plug” hat, and was evidently a person -of some importance. He soon came out of. the hotel, accompanied by the young woman Fritz had defended, and entering the carriage, they were whirled away down the avenue out of sight. ‘Dot settles dot! My game’s gone, und I don’d got some professional detective gase, a there,” Fritz growled, as he watched the reced- & ing carriage. ‘I'll bet a half dollar I neffer see dem, again.” But he was mistaken. \ That evening when the moon was sending a fiood of brilliant light down upon the long level beach, he was one of a thousand who ' took:a stroll along the water’s edge, over the “~ damp sands of the sea, He was thus engaged, and watching the great luminous moon which seemed to have risen out of the distant watery , waste, when a man touched him upon the shoulder. “Fxcuse me,” he said, respectfully, “* but are ou Fritz, the young man who took a young lady's part on a ferry-boat near Philadelphia to- ay “Well I dink I am, uff I recomember right.” “Well, sir, you are wanted to bear witness to a marriage ceremony, to-night, up the coast, and Iwas sent for you. Step this way, to the carriage, sir.” Searcely knowing What was best to do, Fritz followed, got into an open carriage, and was driven rapidly north along the beach, through the romantic moonshine. But, how romatitic was his little adventure destined to turn out? That was what he asked himself, as he gazed doubtfully out upon the greenish blue of mother ocean. , CHAPTER II. ’ THE STRANGE MARRIAGE. In the course of a little over an hour, the car- ' riage stopped at the inlet, where Fritz was told to get out and take a small boat and row across the water to the other shore, where he would find another carriage to complete his journey in... : He accordingly did as directed, and had soon erossed the inlet, found the second carriage, .and was once more rolling northward, along the sandy beach. It, seemed hours to him ere his conductor drew rein in front of a jutting bluff which in- He stepped forward to Fritz and the fisher- man entered the cave, and said: “Ah! I am glad you have come, Was fearing that you would not accommodate us, ‘‘Vel, [didn’t vas know vedder to come or not,” Fritz answered, ‘‘ but ash I am here, vot | you want off me?” ““T will tell you. The young lady yonder and myself are about to be married, and, to make things legal, we prefer to have a couple of witnesses to the ceremony. “You will only be required to attach your signature to the marriage certificate, and will then be taken - back to Atlantic City.” ‘Vel, off dot ish all, go ahead mit der piz- ness,” Fritz said eos himself en a rock, © “T don’d know off id is a legal dransaction or not, but I'll do vot ish right by der lady.” “Then let’s have the ceremony,” the pros- rene bridegroom said. ‘‘Are you ready, adge?? 4 “Quite ready,” smilingly. Then they clasped hands, and the aged cleri- cal looking gentleman read a marriage service, asked the usual questions, and pronounced them man and wife. , The parties to the consummation were an- nounced as Miss Madge Thurston and Major Paul Atkins. . At the conclusion of the ceremony the a te man filled out a certificate, signed it himself, and then requested Fritz to come forward and do likewise,/and also the old fisherman. His request being obeyed, Major Atkins said: “Your favor is duly appreciated, Mr. Snyder, » and, if an opportunity offers, I shall be happy — to be of serviee to you. You may now return to town in the manner you came.” Accordingly Fritz did so, not a little puzzled at his adventure and the strange wedding in "the coast cave. Day was just begining lighten the eastern horizon when he arrived back at Atlantic City, and he went to his room for a nap. But he found that sleep would not come to his relief, and so he was among the early fash- ionable bathers at the beach, y After a good refreshing bath he went back to the Brighton and took a seat on the Veranda. He had not been seated long, when a rapidl, driven catriage whirled w fore the hotel, and an elderly, portly man leaped out and_hur- xed Sue the hotel, his face flushed. with excite- ment. * He was well dreased, wore a little bunch of gray side-whiskers on either cheek, and was evidently all of sixty years of age. E Fritz surveyed him closely with the short pucipes he got of him, and then scratched bis ead as if in quest of an idea. as “T’'ll bet a half-dollar I see into der whole the young lady replied,

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The Ventriloquist Detective, out of the hotel, and stood looking out upon the ocean, with rather a savage expression of coun- tenance—and his was a face that could be very stern, when occasion required it. “I don’d know vedder I better poke mine nose inder his pizness, or not,” Fritz muttered, taking a second suryey of him. ‘‘He looks like ash if he might swaller a veller off) he got mad, und I don’d vas care apoud imitadin’ Jonah.” As if interpreting his thoughts, the old gent turned rather gruffly, and took a searching glance of the young man. ‘“ Well,” he said, ‘‘I suppose I look as if I wanted to cut some one’s throat, don’t I?” Fritz laughed, lightly. “Vel, l vas ttinking somedings like dot,” he admitted. “TJ thought so. I ain’t a fool; 1 know when Iam mad; I look mad, Do you know of any party around here who’s particularly anxious |. to end his career, and ain’t got the grit to do the job? I would like to operate on such a Sos ‘“You feels like ash off you could pulverize some one, eh?” “Humph! ll contract to lay out the first man that durst look cross-eyed at me. I’m mad, I am—mad as thunder, and [ come from Leadville, too, where they raise thunder occa- sionally. Bah! I wish some one would step up and kick me!” “Well, I’m your man, if you really want a bona-fide job done!” Fritz caused a pompous- looking man to say, who stood near—ventrilo- quially, of course. ‘‘I’m the champion patent kicker from Kalamazoo!” : The old gent from Leadville turned and gazed at the pompous-looking man, a moment, his dan- ‘der rising several degrees. ‘*Oh! so youre anxious to kick me, are you, my Christian friend? You want to kick me, do ye?” he ejaculated. ; “Who has said anything about kicking you, sir?” the pompous party demanded, in haughty surprise. You'd evidently better go to bed and sleep off your ‘cups,’ my friend.” “TI taven't drank a drop, sir, in ten years, And for you to deny expressing a desire to boot me, sir—why, man, I heard you.” “You are a liar, sir; I said nothing of the kind. Besides, ’m not in the habit of picking uarrels with strangers.” And with a shrug, the pompous man turned’on his heel, and walk- ed off, indignantly. | Leadville’s.angered delegate gazed after him, a moment, with unutterable contempt— then turned to Fritz: } * Poor fool, He’s no sand, or he’d not cut and run, after calling a man aliar. Up in Leadville ‘things are oy eho different, but here, alas! is a lack of back-bone, I say, young fellow, have youever cherished dreams of becoming. rich?—a moan of millions, as it were?” ‘*Vel, 1 don’d know but I haff some off dose anxiety to get rich, vonce in a vile,” Fritz ad- mitted. _. “Well, sir, Ican tell you just how you can do it the easiest, if you will stroll upon the beach with me.” # Accordingly Fritz arose, and sauntered down to the beach with this eccentric Leadyillian, whoever he might prove to be. ; : ‘* Now, I suppose you'd like to know what I’m madat,” the old gent began, pees, his gold< headed cane into the sand as they strolled along. “Well, before I tell you, I want to know who you are, and what your business is?” “My name vas Fritz Snyder, und I vas vot you might call a detective—or, dot is, I vas try- ing my luck at der pizness.” “Indeed? Then perhaps it is well I have met you, for I havea case, and if you can win that case, you can also win five thousand dollars, How does that strike you?” “Tt hits me right vere I liff, ven I ish at home,” Fritz grinned. ‘‘ Yoost you give me der pints, und ’m your bologna, you can bet a half- dollar on dot five-t/ousand dollar job. Vot’sder lay—suicides, muurder, sdole somedings, or run avay mit anodder vife’s veller?” “Neither. A girl has run away from her home, and is wanted—five thousand dollars’ worth, She is my daughter, and is a somnam- bulist, and consequently of unsound mind at times. Shefrequently goes into a trance, and remains thus for weeks at a time, eating and drinking naturally enough, but knowing nothing what ste has been doing, when she awakens— though to outward appearance she is awake, when in this trance, but not in her right mind. fhaye consulted eminent pete ut ee pronounce her case incurable, and :ay she will some day die in one of these trances.” Here the man from Leadville grew pathetic in his story, and wiped a tear from his eye; but finally went on: “Well,as you may imagine, I have had a- deal of trouble with her, for in her state of trance she has often robbed me of sums of money. And wandered off, too, sometimes; but this last blow has been the most severe, It came to my knowledge that_she had become the prey of an upprincipaled Eastern rascal. He had met her during her sonmambulistic wander- ings, and prejudiced her against me, and caused her to rob not only me, but others, and sur- render the stolen booty to him. On learning this, myself and neighbors formed into a Vigi- lance Committee to run the rascal down, but he took to his heels, and fled Hastward. A few days later, my poor child turned up missing, and with her the sum of twenty thousand dol- lars, which had been paid me from the sale of a mine, and which I had lodged in my safe for ~ safe-keeping until I could deposit it, the next day.” dipwenty tiousand—so much ash dot?” ‘“Ves—a big sum, and likewise nearly all the money I then possessed. I immediately took up the trail, but egad! "twas no use. The girl is sharper than lightning, and eluded me at every turn. I found that her destination was eastward—doubtless to join her evil genius —and so I telegraphed to Chicago ae St. Louis for the detectives to look out, and inter- cept her, if possible. But all tono avail. She was seen in those places, but owing to some | pA af 2 a Aaa teal irregularity beyond my comprehension, was not captured. hen I arrived in Chicago I found that she had two days before left the city, eastward bound, I trailed her to Ph:

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‘one and the same person who was the dollar chase, which was destined to lead 6 The Ventr loquist Detective, delphia, and there lost all track of her. Think- ing quite likely she would’ come to this sum- mer resort, I came-on, to-day, in hopes of striking the trail, but all to no avail. I have as yet heard of no clew to her whereabouts.” “Vel, dot ish purdy bad,” Fritz assented. ** Vot ish your name?” “My name is Thornton—I am a mining speculator from Leadville, Colorado.” “Und your daughter’s name vos—” “Madge. She is a pretty young maiden, aged eighteen, and left her home very well dressed, “Und der feller vot vas pocketing der money | —vot vos his name?” ‘‘Itis hard to guess what his true name was, AtLeadville he was called Pirate Johnson—at Pueblo he was known as Griffith Gregg.” sf stan Poet Fritz said, meditatively. *T am on the lookout for a man by that name, But my man is a smuggler.” “This villain may be connected with any nefarious piece of rascality. If I only had him here one or the other of us would get laid out— that is as good as sworn to. God only knows what perils my poor child will pass-through, before [ succeed in finding her, if 1 ever do.” “Vell, I reckon ve can find her, uff der ish such a ting in der dictionary,” Fritz asserted. He then went on to relate the particulars of his assisting the lady on the boat, and of the marriage in the cave, Which excited Mr. Thornton greatly. ““By Heavens, I see through it all! Madge Thurston is no more or less than my daughter, and she has wedded this rascal, Atkins, who is regg or Johnson out West. God forbid that-my child is married to such a wretch. Describe bim.” Fritz obeyed, giving the description according as he remembered the brilegroom--also of the man who took Madge Thurston from the hotel. “The latter was undoubtedly Grege,” the speculator declared, ‘and the other also, was, it is likely, disguised for the occasion, with a false beard. Now, Fritz, I want you to help me find my child, and break the neck of this rascal, and you shall have for reward the sum I promised you. We'll search this world high and dry. but what we'll recover my child. Come, let’s seek a conveyance to take us to the cave.” They accordingly went back to the Hotel Brighton, ate dinner, and afterward secured a carriage and set out for the scene of the strange wedding the night before, And thus Fritz entered into a five gs tee im into more adventures than he had yet experi- enced, CHAPTER TI. THE BLUFY HOUSE, Ix due time they arrived at the cave, where the ceremony of the previous night had taken place, but a thorough search of the cavernous wash-out failed to yield any tidings of the romantic lovers.. SOS ex See ‘“Pshaw! there’s no use of further search in | a shendleman.” this direction; they have long ere this set out for some other portion of the country, and we are wasting time in eae here.” ““Mebbe dot ish so, but I dink dey vas go on sa der coast, instead off cum pack by Atlantic ity. ‘* Not impossible. In that case, it will be our best lead to go back to Atlantic, take the cars to Papier and strike for some sea-coast point ahead of them.” “Dot vould pe a purty good idea vor you, but I t'ink better I remain on der coast stardt- ing vrom here, und follow der trail in der rear. - bet a half-dollar I find ’em firsd, afore you oO. “Very well, It shall be as you deem best,” Mr, Thornton said. “T will leave you here and join you, or rather be there to meet you, when you reach Lon Branch, If nothing results in our favor by tha time, Pl decide what is the next best course to pursue, Here is a hundred dollars toward de- fraying your expenses. If you need more, tele- raph to Jim Thornton at the Chalfonte, Long Beanck: and Pll remit.” | And placing the sum of money in Fritz’s pos- session, he soon after took his departure, After he had gone, Fritz sat down on a rock in the mouth of the cave, which overlooked the ocean, and gazed thoughtfully out upon the sunlit waters, “Vel, here I vas—but der next question ish, vere vas I?” he soliloquized. ‘‘I haff under- taken a job mitout any bases vor a start-off. kinder vish Rebecca vas here, too—but ash vishin’ don’d vas do some good, pisness is der next consideration.” Night was not far distant, but he resolved to continue on up the coast in hopes of finding a fisherman’s house, where he could obtain food and lodging. - é He eee left the cave and continued his journey. He soon came to a level stretch of beach again, and followed its northward course, for a number of miles—until sunset, when he found himself as far from any human habitation ee ue had ay ae ah - ‘ a © accordingly sought a grassy spot, bac from the beach, and lay down to coh SB: Arising early the next morning, he struck out once more on his reat pe , feeling decidedly anx- ious fio find some kind of a human habitation, as he was vary unary : He soon spied a farm-house, inland from the beach, and made for it in double-quick time. A gruff-looking man sat upon thefront veran- da, as he entered the well-kept yard, and eyed him with an expression of suspicion. . “Well, what d’ye want, young man?” he de« manded, sourly. . ; ; air: s Grub—somedings to eat,” Fritz replied, spir- itedly. ‘I vas hungry like ash a sucker after a hard winter.” : . ‘Get out! I don’t want no tramps about here, Clear, I say, or I'll set the dog on you,” the far- mer growled, stamping on the veranda with his cane. ‘* But I don’d vas no tramp, nor I don’d vas. skeardt at der dogs!” Fritz replied. ‘I vants some preakfast, und ish able to pay vor id like ~

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' to you,” the maid retorted. ‘“ es (sf aut *« The Ventrilopuist Detective. a ne ® “Gotoa tavern, then, I don’t keep no put- tin’-up place.” ; “But I don'd find some tavern, und I ain’d going no furder ondil I get somedings to eat. So trot oud der best vot you haff, und [ pay for lem. ‘Didn’t I tell you you couldn’t get something to eat, here?” the man cried, getting exasperated, Then he began whistling for the dog. “Til show ye who runs this place.” “All right! Fetch oud grinned, perching himself on the fence, and taking a ¥ tes from his pocket. ‘1 yoost ash leave haff dog steak as peef stew. Anydings to fill me ea a veller vas hungry.” ‘‘What! how dare you, sir! Til have you arrested for carrying concealed weapons, you scamp!” ; “Den I haff you arrested vor causing can- nibalism, py not giffin’ a veller somedings to eat. Come, now, misder; yoost set oud der vittles und der von’t peno droubles; otherwise, der may be an exposure of somedings!” The farmer started at Fritz’s unmeaning de- elaration and giving him a swift, startled glance, arose and entered the house, Fritz noticed what effect his thoughtless shot had had, and gave vent to a low, peculiar whis- tle, denotive of ais E ** Wello! vot ish dose I’ve done!” he mused, ‘<] give der old chap a sour grape.dot time, all of which proves dot he is ’fraid off der exposure off somedings, und don’d vas got a clear con- science. Vel, dot ish purdy goot, too. Von ting leads to annoder—mebbe I vill discover somedings else. Anyhow, I’m going to sta; right here undil I gets somedings to eat, und reckon der old man vill fetch or send id.” Nor was he wrong in his reckoning, for shortly afterward a plump and pretty maid brought him out a tray of victuals that looked most touring There was bread and butter, cold meat, cake, pic, apples, and a bowl of rich mi O won- der Fritz’s eyes sparkled with satisfaction, as he sat down upon the carriage-block and received the offering. ee thank you more ash a t’ousand times,” he sai somedings, but I told_him 1 would expose him, und dot fixed him. Vot’s der old crab’s name, young lady?” & The girl stared, “Mr, Sample, do you mean?’ she asked, in surprise. “Yes, I reckon dot’s der one—der old vinegar- barrel vot yoost sot on der veranda. So his fame vas Sample, eh? If he vas a sample off der neighbors around here, I dinks I stop no more. He vas got a segret, don’d he?” “How should I know, sir?” . “Oh! vel, I didn’t know out you might haff oeard Sees ah “Tf I shad, [don’t believe I should confess it When you get through eating leave the server on the block.’ “ But, hold on—you ain’d going?” eeYeg. : + But vait awile! Isay no. I vant to ask you some questions” ‘ der canine,” Fritz, “Der old man didn’t vas goin’ to give me | he felt a tap upon water, ‘Vel, ono tiing—ish der a town somevere’s near, on der coast?” : ‘S -Yes, several,” ‘Vot one is der nearest?” ‘Forsyth Landing.” ** Vot is der ee gga ** Four people. ; “Shimminy dunder! So mooch as dot? Any old mades among der lot?” ‘“Nary a maid.” ‘ ~ Vel, dot’s all. Much obliged.” : After she had departed, Fritz fnished his meal, and then resumed his tramp along the lonely beach. Half an hour brought him to the cae 0! but he didnot pause. Two rough-looking sea-dogs were lounging outside a sort of a hut, but their appéarance did not inspire Fritz with any desire to cultivate their acquaint- ance, . About sunset he arrived at a far prettier spot than he had yet encountered. ‘ A great bluff of land rolled up to an abrupt and precipitous ending-at the ocean’s edge. * In high tide, it would be impossible to walk along the beach at the base of the bluff owing to the depth of the water, while at low tide the beach was quite bare, The evening tide was rolling in close to the base of the cliff, when Fritz reached it, and so he paused and took a reconnoissance. ‘ar up on the top of the bluff he saw a large eon rambling old house, in a grove of trees, but — whether it was deserted or not, he could not It looked so grim in the weird sunset light, — and so isolated in its lone watch by the sea that one might easily have fancied it an abode of ie aes and their like. ~ ) “T spect dot Pll haff to climb up und go around that bluff,” Fritz muttered, not at all liking the idea. ‘‘ Uff a veller vas to try und wade along der front, he’d like ash not get drowned, und dot vould pe a duyfel off a fix. I wonder ef der folks who lif up yonder ar’ sam- ke ash uff it might be a ghost factory.” He was considering what was best to do, when is shoulder, and wheeled about with a nervous start. f Before him stood a ragged, frowsy-haired, bare-footed girl, some sixteen or seventeen years of age—a girl with a well-rounded figure, of but | fi off dot Sample I met dis morning? Looks -medium stature, and a face at once peculiar and attractive, from the sparkle of its eyes. broad grin of its mouth, and the amount of gathere1 about it. f the She had evidently but recently emerged © black hair, as well from the water, for her lon, as her wet garments, were nipping with drops, which the dying sunlight transformed into dia- monds, arms akimbo and staring hard at Fritz, I look silly, though?” “Vel, I-don’d know apoud Fritz answered, somewhat puzzled, a “Water! Hal ha! I just came out of. the But, oh} I’m fo silly—that’s what “ Ha! ha! ha!” she Jaughed, putting her prett 2 B hard at Fritz, “Don's dot. Idink der abblication uff some water mit your face vould — make you look petter ash vot you are now,” Tee dirt

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everybody says, and I guess itmust be so; any- how, they call me Silly | Sue. Was you ever silly boss?” “Yel, I don’d vas know so mooch apoud dot, vedder [vas or not,” Fritz replied, with a doubt- ful grin. ‘‘ Do I look silly?” “Oh, lordy! you are the silliest-looking goose «I ever saw. I never saw a Yankee but what ho was silly.” “But I don’d vas be a Yankee!” ‘Get out! Don’t dispute me! I know just who and what you are. You are Neptune, come up from the bottom of the sea.” “You lie like dunder!” Fritz retorted, back- ing up, and beginning to get considerably alarmed, for he began to suspect that she was erazy. ‘‘I vasn’t no Neptune at all—no von but Fritz Snyder. Id’s a vonder you don’d call me Joner, vot swallered der valebone.” “Nop! you're Neptune. Do yousee the house . up yonder?” d j “€Vel, yes; vot off it?” f “Oh! that’s a high old roost. Ghosts and skeletons perch up there-after dark and grin and rattle their bones at you. They don’t do it to me, because I feed ’em snuff. Hal hal can you snuff the silly part of that outrageous a e Say, boss, where you going, ef it ain’t gag: Ys askin’ too much?” ‘Vel, I don’d know dot myself.” ‘* Don’t know where you’re going? ‘No; I vas huntin’ vor somebody.” *Qho! soam I! I vas buntin’for some one, N ven I discovered something, and they called me |, silly because I refused to tell what. Well, good-day; swim over to England when you _ want to see me again.” Then with a peal of elfish laughter, she ran and sprung into the water and swam around _ the base of the cliff out of sight. “ll pet a half-dollar dot a vos drunk or _ erazy, von or der odder, und der pest ting vor me to do is toshlip avay viloI can!” Fritz ejacu- la t To think was to act with him, and he ac- cordingly set out clambering up the steep side of the bluff. In due time he reached the top and found a - level spot of a couple of acres extent, in the center of which the- house was situated, sur- rounded by sentinel rows of sighing hemlocks, A general aspect of desolation was perceptible on every hand, showing the premises to be un- tenanted. | ; The garden was grown up with rank weeds and the house weather-worn and old, some of the blinds hanging by one hinge. rge structure of many queer gables, wings and projections, and fron up- ou’a road which had been nsed to communicate with some thoroughfare further inland. “Dot looks like ash uff it vas going to rain,” Fritz muttered, gazing at-an ominous bank of clouds that was gathering in the west. ‘*I dink maybe I petter sday in der old house till morn- ing, uff I und der ghosts can agree. I don’d ~ yas much affraid of ghosts, anyhow.” r And he evidently was not, for he boldly en- tered the house by the creaking front door and closed the door behind him. When the clouds had oy berL 2 It was a erspread the sky in > * The Vextriloquist Detective. 4 Nee nn ea nSnInE RI SESE RIESE ETRE SRE an inky mass, and darkness had shut in around & the gloomy edifice, two black-whiskered mem came along and stopped at the mansion, CHAPTER IV. THE GHASTLY RELIC, Mrantme Fritz had been in the did rookerr some time prior to the arrival of the beardec men. No sooner had he entered the large hall, and closed the door behind him, than he felt a sort of dread of something, he knew not what. There was a damp, musty, deathly smell about the place that he did not quite like. “J don’d know vedder I vas afraid of ghosts or not,” he soliloquized, pausing and gazing around him. ‘It looks ash uff dis might.be a blace vere dey manufacture ghost shows; but — somebody has liffed here vonce upon a time.” The carpet yet remained upon tho floor of the Jong hall, and also upon the staircase which led to the upper floor. There was also a large pic- ture hung upou the wall. Passing along fife hall, Fritz tried each of the doors which opened off from it, but in each in- stance he found them locked, and was unable to effect an entrance. : “Vel, dot looks like ash uff nopody vas to home,” he muttered. ‘‘Vll try der up-stairs part, und if I don’d haff no better success, I vil stay out mit der hall.” ; e accordingly ascended the hall staircase, and proceeded to take a tour of the upper part of the rambling old structure, Here the doors were all locked, with one ex- ception, and this had evidently been left as locked, the bolt being turned, but the door not having been tightly closed, the bolt failed to enter the socket. — Opening this door, Fritz entered, and found himself in a large furnished apartment, there being a caret old and moth vatem, upon the floor; several pieces of stuffed furniture, which had also been victims of moth and worm, and a large round oaken table inthe center of the room, - And over this, suspended by a cord whict was fastened to the ceiling, was an object which caused Fritz to utter a grunt of startled — alarm j It was a man’s head, held in suspension by a cord fastened to the long hair. Fritz gave a startled ery, and his hair fairly raised on end, as he beheld the strange specta- éle, but the longer he stared at it, the less his alarm, and he finally advanced into the room. ‘By shimminy—I vas skeardt like ash der duyfel at firsd, put now T don’d vas a bit afraid. Somepody hang dot up there yoost for ascare-crow. Uff der ghosts vas to see it, I'll bet a half-dollar- dey vould run.” Just then there was a flash of lightning and a heavy roll of thunder, which caused Fritz to — start, and give a nervous glance at the swing- ing head. ; .“T don’d quite vas like id here,” he muttered uneasily. ‘TI der get smashed upeffery minute, I vonder a d makes a veller Vink he’s goin’ —

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The Ventriloquist Detective. vot dey keep up there?’ and his eyes rested upon an aperture in the ceiling, such as is ol'ten provided in houses as a means of reaching the roof, A stout rope hung down through this opening to the floor of the room, and had evidently been used to climb up into the attic, Fritz was just contemplating it, when a sound of footsteps in the hall outside aroused him to quicker thoughts, ' “Tl bet a half-dollar it’s a ghost comin’.” he -gasped, the tendency of his hair being again de- cidedly upward, ‘ But/it wasacold day vén dey scalb me mit der tommyhawk, ash long ash {can climb.” ’ Accordingly up the rope he went, hand over hand, with the agility of a monkey, and soo gained the attic immediately above the cham- ber. ‘ It was a dark, ill-sme]ling place, and so far as Fritz could see used for no particular purpose whaiever, : Ensconcing himself directly beside the apery ture through which he had come up, Fritz pre- pared to await developments. : He was not a little anxious to know who the new-comer was—whether a human or spiritual being, for if the latter, he had a curiosity to in- spect it, In a few moments the door opened and a as ee ad Trishman stalked into the chamber, a lank, lean specimen of humanity, with a Kil- xenny face, red hair, a fringe of reddish beard uuder his lower jaw, extending to his ears, and attired in brogans, short pantaloons and a blue soldier coat, with a grimy clay pipe in his mouth, and battered plug hat on hishead, Of the “‘r’ale old” race of Irishmen, he was cer- tainly a good specimen, “ Arrah! sure it’s divil one room but they have locked, an’a sorry place it is, too, for a dacent Irish gintlemon—an tha son of a duke at that! Bad cess to sich a counthry, onnyhow. It’s wurruk like the divil for a bit of grub, and when a mon gits out ov wurruk sure stomick has to pay for it, If.yez ax amon will he be -afther givin’ yez a nep off bread, he tell yez, Arrah! off wid ye, ye murdtherin’ tromp, or P’ sick tha purrup on yez! vedad.” “Tl yoost pet a balf-dollar der Trishman vas pin stoppin’ mit Samples!” Fritz muttered, with a grin, taking a peep at the son of Hrin. ‘He vas hungry like as vot I vas, Vonder off he hak discovered der skelegon, yet avile.” The Hibernian had not, evidently, for he was perched composedly beneath the suspected head. ‘Sorry a place this is for the son of a duke,” he went on muttering. ‘Sure, it looks as if tha ould divil himself had been here. Guess this property would be sellin’ moighty cheap, tha while. Ugh!” as a heavy clap of thunder caused the house to shake from stem to stern, “a sorry wild night it’s a-goin to be, an’ it’s meself that’s wishin’ I was back forninst tha furdtker side av the big puddle.” ‘*Ha! ha!” laughed Fritz, throwing his voice to the further side of the room, ‘“Yis, ha! hal bad ’cess to the loikes av yez, whoever you may be!” the Irishman cried, fiercely, gazing in vain around the apartment, in search of the author of the laugh, gas’ the storm broke loose ou! “To! hol itchy, dirdty Irish!” Fritz caused a different voice to say, in a still opposite part of the room, “No, ’m divila wan av the likes!” the son of Erin cried, getting angry. ‘‘ Bad luck to yez! ef I gits me ’ands on yez, it’s a divil’s own trouncm’ you'll eet ontirely, Dll have yes know my name is Patrick Grogan, an it’s the dacent, gintlemonly son ay a duke anda dutchess I am, bedad.” ‘A son off a gun, more likely. Look out, you bloody Irish, or I vil spit on you!” Fritz caused the suspended head to say, in a hoarse gurgling voice. ‘Aha! it’s spittin?on me yez’ll be, eh?” the Hibernian cried, leaping from his. seat, his walking-stick in hand—a formidable piece of real thorn. ‘Oh! you bi haun, if I catch yez, wont I t’ache yez to be dacent and civil to a gintlemon!” Then, chancing to tee: upward he saw for the first the swinging dropped upon his knees and raised his hands upward in supplicaticn. “Oh! holy Virgin Mary protect me!” he howled, his terrified gaze glued upon the un- sightly object. ‘Oh! murdtherin’ Maria! och! — bad luck, fot have I done, Mr. Divil—sbure it’s nary a thing baa ‘ve did, nor sth’alin’ Pye never been guilty of!” . You vas yon son of a sea-cook,” came from the head. 2 **Yis! ‘och! sure I’se any thing yez wants, Mr. Divil--only don’t be afther huntin’ the loikes av me!” ‘Then, arise, dirty Irish, and climb into the attic, before the spirits come to wrap their icy clutches around you.” ‘ “Sure, Pll be afther goin’!” Pat cried, and he did go—not my the rope, but out of the room as fast as he could go, Nor did he pause until outside of the house, — : as Fritz could tell, by the sound of his rapidl retreating footsteps, “Vel, dot vas purd tered withagrin. ‘ yone else comes.” He had not long to wait, before footsteps sounded once more, coming up the stairs, just- ide, and torrents of rain poured down upon the rooz, while the thunder rumbled, ominously. ; Presently two men entered, one carrying a lantern, for it was now quite dar : Both were roughly dressed and brutal looking fellows, wearing heavy black beards. Ps “Humph!” was Fritz’s mental comment, as he beheld them. ‘Ill bet a half-dollar I smells von mice. Uff I ‘haff rot made a big mistake, I Sot fun!” Fritz mut dinks I haff stumbled right inder the smugglers’ — den, vot I am looking for.” ‘ J=3 ink I vill vait dil some — Jack-livered omad- ead, and in utter horror ._ i = 9 i w ay It was only a sudden suspicion, to be sure; nevertheless it struck him very forcibly. One of the men set the lantern upon the table, and then perched himself beside it, while — the other sat down upon a chair, and speculatively at the ghastly object which suspended from the ceiling. ‘*T wonder how long afore boys will be here?” he growled, * Dunno,” the rest o? ther the other fellow replied. ‘Hope

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10 The Ventriloguist Detective. f they'll conte afore long and settle the matter, s» that we'll know what we’ve got to do,” “How d’ye think it’s going?” “DYanno. Reckon the majority’ll be ag’in’ th poor cuss,” : “Tm thinkin’ that way, too, I kinder hope not, though, for I don’t fancy the job.” “Pshaw! you're chicken-hearted, cuse. He’s never made love to you.’ ** Darn it, no; but he’s too fine a specimer of manhood-to feed the sharks.” * Pooh! Many’s the one better’n he w’ot’s enriched the bottom o’ the sea. I wonder who tae Irishman was, we met at the front?’ “Some exons I allow, who'd sought a night’s shelter here, and got skeered at our friend Bill,” and he glanced at the swinging hea! with a laugh, ‘Hello! I say, Bill, how are you getting along in yer new place 0’ res- ~idence?” “Hirst rate!” apparently answered the grin- _ ning head, followed by a very ghostly sort of a gurgling laugh. “ Josaphat!” cried the questioner, leaping to Did ye without his feet. ‘Thunder and lightning! heer that, Hank?” 4 * Waal, I should murmur,” Hank grunted, leaving the table with*a spring, and landing pear the door. ‘ What the devil’s the mat- er?” ; “Cussed ef the cadaver o’ Bill Budge didn’t __ speak,” the first man cried. z “Git out! Budge has bin dead over a year: how in the thunder.coul | he speak?” **Mebbe his spirit hes come back inter his head.” : “Pooh! impossible! Tt was our fancy, we didn’t hear nothin’,” Hank growled, edginga trifle nearer to the door, “You're a liar!” thundered a voice seeming to come directly from between the pearly teeth of the suspended head, and to make ~~ inatters worse, the head began to swing slowly to and fro. : With howls and curses, the two masked men made the bastiest kind of an exit from the room and down the stairs, while Fritz in the attic was convulsed with laughter. “Dot. was better as half-a-dozen suppers, py - shimminy!” he snorted, holding his sides, ~ All was now gniet for some time, except for the bowling of the storm without, * But, finally, footsteps were again heard, and eight men, all masked bu’ one, filed into the . room, . The eighth man was a young man, of prepos- sessing appearance, unmasked, and had his hands bound behind his back, He was better dressed than his grim captors, and there was a fearless, cool expression upon his face, that at once won Fritc. admira- tion, _ Hal Hank and Jim huve oeen here already and gone!” a tall, broad-shouldered member of ‘They’ll be back directly, no _- the party said. : doubt. And now, Hal Hartly, we will p _ to review your case, and dispose of it aecording to the decision of the majority.” _ *@o ahead, captain!” the prisoner replied pace. “T am as well prepared mow, as shall be,” | hastily wrenching open the door, CHAPTER V. BILL BUDG'S CONVERSATION, To Fritz, the scene below of course began ti grow more interesting. ‘Dot veller vas goin’ tc pe tried for some dings,” he rauttered, ‘‘und vot ish more, ufi der verdict don’d vas in his favor, he vas goin’ der git sp'iled.” , Young Hartly, if his thoughts were in the same channel as those of the watcher, didn’t appear very much troubled about the,matter, for he perched himself upon the table, Avhiile the six jurors: sat in a semicircle facing him, and the ean a little to one side. ‘Well, sir, what have you to say, Hartly, it regard to this suspicion which has arisci against you—that you are a traitor to our cause?” “Nothing, sir, except that whoever startec/ pe bs aegis isa liar and a coward!” was tho retort, j ‘“‘Then you deny that you have ever betrayed! the existence of this band, outside of its own membership?” ‘ “1 do, most emphatically. What assurance have you that any one has betrayed you?” “Is it not ample proof, when strange men baunt this vicinity, and haunt the members to their very doors? These law-sharks, or de- tectives, only wait for some disclosure, to spring their traps on me and my faithful fol- lowers.” *T am not to blame. Though forced int service against my will, and made to swear the oath of allegiance, rather than Jose my lifo, 1 have kept such secrets as came into my. posses- sion. I believe I know who has excited the su» picious feeling against me.’ “Well, sir, who?” t . Your rascally son, for one—vour jealous daughter, for another,” Hartly replied, shrug- ging his shoulders with a contemptuous laugh. _, ‘* How dare you term my son rascally, sir, and accuse my child of jealousy?” ; ‘* Because, the boy is as unprincipled a. villain as yourself, and as for your daughter, when she ‘found that I did not court her favor, she at once turned against me. I despise both your son and Sd deughter, Captain Gregg, and that is all I ve to say, except that Iam not guilty of the charge preferred against me.” “That remains to be told by the jury. You see the head of Bill Budge, just above you, Hartly? He was caught in an intended act of treachery, and you see his end. If Bill could je he’d tell you that the fate of the traitor is ard, é “You're a cussed liar!” Budge’s suspended remnant seemed to say, in a deep, hoarse voice. os The captain and the jury uttered each a startled oath, and gazed at the offending head in astonishment, ‘“Who called me a liar?’ Gregg demanded, fiercely. ‘By the gods, I thought it was Budge’s lips that uttered those words.” * it was!” the head seemed to say, then — there was a gurgling sort of laugh, and head shook perceptibly. : i a “Ten thousand furies!” Gregg pete, and e made a

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The Ventriloquist Detective. = hasty exit from the room, followed by the jurors a did they stop short of the bottom of the stairs, Hartly did not leave the room, but dismount- ing from his perch upon the table, walked off a few paces to where he could get a good look at Budge’s unfortunate pate. “Something deuced funny here, I’m blowed if there ain’t!” he soliloquized, apparently quite composed. ‘it’s the first time I have ever heard dead men talk. 1 say, Budge, how’s the temperature up your way?” “Two thousand degrees above blood heat,” a to issue from between the gleaming To) % . ““Humph! ae warm, that, I must admit,” Hartly said, looking still more puzzled. Fritz, while perpetrating the ventriloquism, was also listening and planning. “ Dot veller Hartly is der very chap to helb me oud mit my scheme,” he muttered, ‘‘ und ve esac os) from here, pefore der smugglers re- arn, Accordingly he slid down the rope into the room below. “Vy not?” * Because, I swore allegiance to the cause Be wouid have me betray, and it never shall © said that Hal Hartly was not a man of his word? z ‘‘But 1 heard you say dot you vos forced inder der pizness.” “So I was, against my will, but that does not lessen the obligations of my oath. While I live, i shall adhere to my sworn promise.” ‘©You vas foolish--you don’d vil get any ‘credit for your resolve. “Yoost ash like ash not ‘you will pa killed, on der suspicion dot’s already against you.” oie “Perhaps. Ifso, 1 shall submit, knowing I havo been innocent of breaking my word.” “Pshaw! dis vos all nonsense! You don’d vas want to die no more ash any odder man. Yet me cut der bonds vot fastens your arm, ind ve vill climb up to der attic und escape vrom der roof tosome place where we vil safe, undil ve can make arrangements to break top dis smugglers’ league.” ‘ ‘Nothing would please me more, but owing to my oath, I must positively refuse to do anything of the kind!” Hartly persisted, firmly. ‘TY admire your proj attempt, and while ] shall do nothing to interrupt it, { cannot con- scientiously do anything to help it along. Can you enlighten me any as to the mystery of this head, which when not possessed of life, yet uses its voice so ge ; “T dells you noddings apoud it,” Fritz re- plied, shaking hishead. ‘‘ Hark!” “Yes! I hear. It is Gregg and the boys “coming back, Quick! or you will be seen!” { the house in that, way, as was his desire, to Fritz made haste to shin up the rope to the ~ garret once more, and had barely succeeded in so doing when the smugglers, headed by Cap- tain Grere, once more entered the room, ; They did not come boldly in, but thrust their beads in and took a look around first. : Seeing that no harm had come to Hartly, they then ventured in, 2 ‘*Hal hai you're brave fellows, ain’t you?” he laughed. “TI didn’t cut tail and run, al- though I have not even the use of my hands,” “Yow're cussed brave, all at once!” ie growled, evidently not liking the taunt. ‘‘ Di that thing speak again?’ with a wry glance at the guileless pate of the departed Budge. “Of course, I’ve had quite a chat with Will- iam,” Hartly replied. ‘‘ He says he’s in a ve warm latitude at present, and so he’s come spiritually for a short cooling off!” Gregg utt#red an oath. **Pooh] I don’t believe such bosh,” “ But it’s a fact, nevertheless, Budge says they’ve got a little corner left up in his country for you, too, when you get ready to emigrate, — which will be mighty soon, judging by the active preparations that are being made to‘ receiyé you, such as iad hs kindling wood, making matches and the like.” “Curse you, they'll git you first!” the smug- Jer said, with vicious emphasis. ‘Go ahead, oys, an’ tell-him the decision you've made.” ‘“ Well, we've concluded that Hal Hartly isa traitor to our cause, and for the sake of pro- tection it will be necessary to feed him to tke fishes*’ one of the jurors said. ‘‘ Eh, ain’t. that the ticket, boys?” = A grunt of assent from the others was the . answer. $ ‘* Then it shall be so,” Captain Gregg ordered. “T am sorry for you, Hartly, but treachery merits death, as you were informed when you joined. As an organization which must exist in secrecy, we are forced to adopt harsh rules, Your companions have. carefully weighed all the evidence, and have decided that the safety of the orgrnization demands your death. As you have sown, so shall you reap.” ‘Do you mean tlais, Captain Gregg?” ‘*T do, sir, emphatically.” ‘ ‘Then you shall live to repentever having — pronounced my. doom. Henceforth I shall not consider my oath of allegiance obligatory,as [ have hitherto done. I'lshow you whatharm ft can do your vile organization." j is ‘* But you shall have no chance. Jim Hovel and his brother have already consented to sink you to the bottom of the Atlantic fora stated sum, and thus rid us of you effectually. They are waiting below for you, asitisa safe night for such work. If you have any prayers to ey you had better make the best use of your ime. ‘ : “TI suit myself about-that, you villain!? - “Numbers two and three, take the prisoner down-stairs!” the captain ordered. Sea. Two of the smugglers seized hold of poor Hartly, and led him from the room. a es Up in the attic, Fritz was in a predicament. The majority of the smugglers yet remained — in the room below, and he could not get out of

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12 The Ventriloquist Detective. make an attempt if possible to rescue Hal I he had sense enough to struggle to his feet on Hartly. The only course left for him was to escape through a trap door onto the roof, and trust to luck in getting to the ground from there, ‘Dot veller vas von big fool for not aecept- in’ my advice,” he mused, as he fumbled cautiously arggnd in the darkness. ‘‘ Yoost like ash not dey v1 gone off mit him ven TI git down dere, und nes he vil pe a goner, sure ash der di¢kens.” Itrequired several minutes to find the trap in the roof, and it was no slighty job to displace it. : When he had. accomplished this much, how- ever, it was but a moment’s work to clamber out upon the rvof in the pouring rain and replace the door. ‘Py shimminy, dot vas a hard storm,” he _ soliloquized, ‘‘Der ocean grunts as uff she vas got der dispeppersy. ow der next t’in: ish somedings else. Der roof vas slippery as von soap ladle, und firsd 1 know der vil pe a dead Dutchman spilled someveres over t’e ound.” That portion of the main roof of the building was quite steep, and the eaves were at least twenty-five feet from the ground. Not fancying the idea of a drop of that dis- tance, the young detective crawled to the ridge, to reconnoiter. On the other side of the ridge, the roof sloped down to meet a gable, from where the gable’s roof took another descent, so as to bring the eaves about seven feet nearer to the ground. Aside from this there was no possible way of reaching terra-jirma, “Wighteen feet! I don’d know vedda I can stand dot, or no. I must try it, however, or Hal Hartly vas a dead codfish, sure!” Using extreme caution, he slid from one ridge to the other, and then from that to the eaves, ' from where he was to drop. ‘Vel, here’s der blace vere I don’d vas so much tickled. But, pizness vas pizness, und a veller don’d. vas can rise in der vorld, vidout dropping somedimes—so here goes!” he mut- “ Cae And clinging to the eaves for a second, he let himself drop! _ Down! down! he went, with great velocity, “and finally struck upon something softer than motber earth, from which he tumbled end over end to the ground. The following instant a wild unearthly howl rent the night. ‘Och murther! murther!” shrieked a man’s voice; “I’m kilt! I’m kilt! .Och! Holy Vargin Mary save me!” . ‘Tt was the Irishman’s voice; it was upon him - that Fritz had first alighted, and he was prob- _ ably badly jarred up, for he continued to hop _ around and yell at the top of his voice. _ To make matters worse, the door of the house _ opened, and Gregg and his followers came pour- ing out! / CHAPTER VI. ON THE SCENT. Frirz bad been stunned a little, even after _ fumbling off from the yelping Irishman; still . seeing the smugglers rush from the building. “Shut oop!” he cried, addressing Grogan. “The smugglers are upon us, Draw your wip- pons, if you have any, and fire!” : “Dom tha wippons!” Grogan howled, refus- ing to hear to reason. ‘‘ Och! holy Vargin, it’s kilt sure I am, ontirely.” ? “Hello! what is the matter here?” the cap- tain shouted, waving his lantern on high, ‘Who is it that’s making ail this noise?” ‘Spies! detectives!” suggested one of his com- panions, ‘* Shoot ’em down!” ‘Hurrah! death to the spy!” cried a third and then they made a rush forward, and seize upon Pat, despite his lively use of his ‘‘ bit 0” buckthorn,” on the defensive. : Perceiving that he was not seen, Fritz crawled softly away to a safe distance and then paused to gaze back, ’ . he yelling had ceased in the vicinity of the house, and the lantern light had disappeared from view, leaving naught but’ blank darkness and the pouring rain, which came down monot- onously, but Beta - “Pll bet a half-dollar dot they’ve choked der life oud off dot duke’s son-off-a-gun,” Fritz mut- tered, creeping under the cover of a dense tree. **T vonder off 1 ke any of his pones ven I liton him. By shimminy, he must haff a gon- stitution like a mule, or I'd ’a’ smashed bim all to sausage meat.” Evidently something was to pay, for, except the sound of the storm and the dashing of the | ocean against the bluff, ali was quict. The ps pac had either killed Grogan on the spot or taken him back into the house with them, And poor Hartly! What bad become of him? That was the question which troubled Fritz far more than the fate of the lean man from Kilkenny. “He vas a gone-up goose now anyhow, und Idon’d suppose id vil do some great deal off ye to vorry apoud him, only I vish I could aff saved him,” he mused. It was a wild night at the best, and Fritz heartily wished that he was back in Philadel- phia, Still, he would not willingly have given up what he had learned in reference to the smug- glers’ league for a good deal, and he was re- solved to. hang to the matter attentively, until he should be able to trip and trap the rogues and break .up their existence as an organiza- tion, Knowing of no other available shelter in the vicinity, he resolved to linger under the tree until the smugglers should leave the building when he would once more take possession, ~ The night was well advanced, however, when he heard them leave in a body and start off down the lonely road. ' On first thought he was tempted to follow them, but a cold blast of wind from off the ocean warned him that he was wet to the skin, and the best thing he could do would be to get under roof and dry off. He accordingly went k into the deserted house, and sat down in thé lower hall, Though not cowardly, he had no desire to-keep further made: Ae {PAIR 2a ee

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company with the grinning skull of the late lamented Budge, whoever he may have been. Rolling up one end of the old carpet he con- verted it into a sort of a pillow, and lay down cut of the draft. ‘ Sleep soon came to his relief, and he slept soundly until morning, when he was awakened by the sun shining in his face, through a rear hall window, \ Rising, he went out of doors to reconnoiter, and consider what was best to do, next. It was a clear, glorious morning after the stcrm; the sun shone brightly, and a soft salt breeze blew off: from the ocean, which was at once refreshing and invigorating. But it was not this sort of refreshment that Fritz now yearned for. He had had nothing to eat since the previous morning, and was de- cidedly hungry and faint. “Tose fellers don’d vas can live a nae vays from here, vot I saw, last night,” he mused, ‘“ but, ten to one uf’ I ask em for somedings to ead, dey bounce me oud.” He advanced to the northern edge of the bluff, and took a look in that direction. To his surprise he saw, not more than a half- mile away, a little village, nestling near the beach, 4 This village, for charity’s sake, we will call- Millburg, as that name will answer quite as, well as any other, There might have been a hyndred buildings, all told, and it was evidently a fishing hamlet, asa number of small boats, and smacks, were drawn up along the beach, : Just outside the breakers, an ocean steam- ship of small size ana trim built, was anchored. Upon her sides was painted in large letters the word, ‘* Countess.” “‘T don’d know_petter 1 go down there, or not,” Fritz muttered, gazing down upon the village. ‘‘I don’d vas know, neider, vich job I better look to, firsd—der smuggler pizness, or der girl pizness. For der latter I haff der bromise of five t?ousand dollars—for der for- mer, I like ash not get paid off mita broken head. Still I don’d vant to leave dis blace ondil 1 trip und trap der game, und turn id over to der\law, for dis is der whole game, sure!” . After sonie deliberation, he decided to go sdowu to the village. The people would not offer him any molestation, probably, witless he gave them cause to suspect him, and he re- solved to be constantly upon his guard. Descending from the bluff, he walked along the beach, and finally entered the little burg. It was rather a rough-looking place, built up of weather-worn wooden shanties, a few stores and a sort of tavern. There were, however, two imposing resi- dences, on Seponite sides of the only street, which were built of stone, and set down in large shaded lawns, Passing up the street, Fritz was the target tor many curious glances of rough-looking men, who sat in their doorways, but, paying no attention to them, he entered the tavern and purchased his breakfast to which he was able to do full justice. ‘ , Afterward he came out in the bar-room and | dated hat upon his head, f f “The Ventriloquist Detective. J sat down, <A half a dozen rough-looking fellows — were lounging about, who, to judge from their — looks, were in the habit of ingulfing mor® grog — than was good for them, ‘i Then the landlord, who kept a tlose wacch — over them, was the fattest specimen of man — hood, Fritz had seen; his girth was something _ enormous, He was not a villainous-looking — man, like the rest, and this fact impressed Fritz — more favorably than anything else hesawabout — the premises. : ? During the forenocn, a well-dressed, fine — looking man, with irony-gray hair and mus-— tache, galloped up to the tavern on horseback. — He looked asif he had been reared in luxury, — for there was that haugbtiness of mien that be- tokened the arrogant aristocrat. ‘*-Good-morning, John,” he said, as the, tav—_ ern-keeper waddled to the door. “ Will yeu’ send up a basket of champagne during the day, — and a barrel of good ale—the champy for her — ladyship, the countess, you know, and the ale — for the viiagers. Going to have a sortofia — jollification at the lawn to-night, you know, in — honor of the arrival. of the countess, and want — you all to turn out.” | ‘ye Then he galloped on, quite as airily as ‘he had d come, ¥ ‘Who vas dot big-fcelin’? rooster?” Fritz — 3 x asked, when John re-entered thagavern, — 2 ‘That? Why, that’s Honorably Granby — Greyville,” the fat man replied— the rich haristocrat who owns most of the land herea- bouts. A right big-feeling man, too, as you ~ say.” E U Granby Greyville, eh?’ Fritz commented, — under his breath. ‘‘ Vell, dot ish funny. 1 thought sure dot was Captain Gregg, der smuggler, und I don'’d vas so much foolished — apoud it, yet. Ill bet a half-dollar I find out’, somedings pefore I leave der blace.” Fe Resolved to remain a few daysin the village for the purpose of Prospecting Fritz made him: self at home about the hotel. One suspicion after another was gradually | eer to bim, and he was not slow to giv them a thorough consideration prior to putti them to test. " ; Of all things, he was desirous of attendi the ‘ jollification,” as the horseman-had termed | it, with a view of seeing the countess, who, he learned, had lately arrived.from England, in ber own sonra: for a few weeks’ stay upon the Atlantic coast, and a visit to her prospec ive husband, Greyville. : During the afternoon a man‘entered the tay- ern,” who evidently had ‘‘blood in_ his a His whole appearance seemed to indicate th he was anxious to have a fight with some on and was not particular who it was. i He was a large, raw-bone fellow, with g muscular development; his face was larg with a bristling stubble of black beaid up the lower portion; his eyes were dark and wi his hair silvered with broad streaks of white and worn in a shaggy, unkempt mass. : His mouth was large, and the teeth proje beyond his lips, ina horriblemanner, His attire, too, was ragged and greasy, clumsy stogy boots upon his fect, and a di a af ‘ Kit Og

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‘14 On entering the room, he paused and glared around him, as if in search of some one on whom to vent his wrath. ‘Well, Bully Jake, what'll ye have?” the tav- ern-keeper" demanded, with a frown, for the ruffian was evidently an unwelcome intruder. “Waal, I don’t keer ef 1 do take a drap 0’ licker!” the man growled, glaring around, - “You to blazes! I mean what d’ye want here?” Fat John grunted. . “A fureigner—a fureigner! Ye know I’m death on ’em, an’ thar can’t none o’ ’em can stay around hyar; while I hev things my way.” , ** What foreignev is there here now?’ : “A Dutch cuss, blars’ bis: eyes! Thar he sets,” and he indicated Fritz, who was tipped -*back- in one corner. ‘‘Oh! but I'll go through him, though! Vl pulverize and sow him to the seven winds of the earth!” 2 Then, with a tragic stride, he made for Fritz, pausing but a few paces away from him, and shaking his fist fairly in his face. You, look!” the ruffian cried. -who I am?” *¢ Vel, I dinks I don’d vas haff made your ac- quaintance!” Fritz replied, retaining ‘his seat, but on guard for an attack if one was made. “To! ho! [reckon not, an’ yell wish ss never had afore I git through with yer!” Bully Jake declared. “Behold in me, my furin rooster, Jake Joga- gog, conimmonly known as Bully Jake, the Terror -o’ ther Coast. I’ma cyclone,I am. Then, ’m prime minister ter his Honor, Gaanby Grey- ville, an’ from him I hey orders to demolish every furin craft w’ot sots anchor in his do- mains, Tharfore, ef ye wanter escape teetotal annihilation, ’d. advise ye ter git! Ef ye ain’t seen goin’ in less’n tw seconds, [’ll stamp ye out 0? existence.” “‘Vel, when I gits ready to go, den I vil go, und not pefore!” Fritz retorted. ‘Uff you ae me any droubles, I plack your eye for ou - “Oh! ye wull, hey? Oh! snortin’ walrusses an’ white-haired whales!” roared the bully, and ‘sprung savagely upon the young detective, as if bent on his cerfain destruction. Fritz clinched with him. - It was+o be a struggle of brute strength, pow, “Dye know ~ CHAPTER VIL THE STRUGGLE, Bors were strong, active men, Fritz in par- ticular being well supplitd with all the neces- sary muscle and agility of the prize-fighter, al- though he by no means looked as if he was an es a6 customer” to handle. - After clinching, these two men soon tripped am fell to the floor, where the struggle literally egan in al) its meaning. ‘ “Oh! I’'li show ye how ther howlin’ porpoise fights!” Bully Jake roared, endeavoring to get a te at Fritz’s nose. ‘I'll chaw ye all up like a “dish 0’ hash!” "Wil you, dough?” Fritz cried, finally get- ting his hands free, and clinching them around @ bully’s throat tightly. ‘‘Tll pet yoost a. ody The Ventrilequist Detective. : a i ne et bet opens ‘a half-dollar you von’t do noddings off der kind,” and now getting the ruffian under him he gradu- ally shut off on his wind. “ Hold on! hold on! no chokin’—no chokin’, I say; it’s ag’in’ ther moral rules o’ fightin’ !” ‘*f don’d vas see id dot vay,” Fritz said. “Hider you vas got to ax ay parding for as- saulting me, or I will choke off your breaths so you vil haff none to use.” 2 ‘No choke, J say! Let me up, an’ I'll fight ye accordin’ ter book.” “Not a le6 oop!” was the young detective’s reply. ‘‘ Ven you come foolin’ around mit der Dutchman, you pet your life you ‘got left. Apologize, I dells you, or I turns der throttle und shuts der sdeam off your logermotiff. I mean pizness—no ’pology, no breathe, Vas you understand?” The man began to wince as Fritz closed his terrible gripe. “ Oh, let me up, an’ we'll call et squar’,” the man gurgled. ‘Ven you dells me, ‘I ax your humble par- ding ’—den T let you up!” 7 eae : ei ties ‘Den I vil squeeze your vindpipe, so!” “Task your pardon. Oh! yes, I do. Thar, now, let me up!” : Fritz obeyed, and let the ruffian rise. “Now, mine friendt, Pll shust giff you one minnit to gid oud,” said Fritz, drawiug his re- volver. ‘‘If you don’d vas gone py dot time, I vil shoot you so quicker ash I vould von leedle cat. OQne!—got ready, all der vile. Swil—high time you vas skinnin’ oud. Three! ven I hol- lers dot, if) you don’d vas gone I spot you!” “Then, tearfully and sadly, I must tear my-__ self away from you!” the ratient declared, with a grimace, as he stalked toward the door.. ‘ Tl allow~ye hold ther grip, now, but thet ain’t sayin’ ye'll allus hold it.’ . hen, he took his leave. Fritz was not sorry, Hedid not want to hurt any one, unless forced to, and yet was bound to defend himself. Toward evening the loungers one by one quitted the tavern, until Fritz and Fat John were the only ones in the bar-room, Then it was that the latter spoke. ~ “Tsay, young feller,” he said, “you're a hex- trordinary chap, and if it wouldn’t be haskin’ too much, ’d like to inquire what brings you here?” Me _ “Vel, pizness, I dinks,” Fritz replied, ‘und poles Pree latest demonstrations, I vill haff ots off id.” ; - “You had better look out sharp for lumber One, I tell you, for tho’ this ain’t counted no hard town, Mone g nerally pitch onto a stranger and try to bulldoze bim into leavin’ by settin’ Bully Jim onto him.” : “1 vas tumbled to dot already,” Fritz re- plied, ‘‘ but der virst one vot attempted it, — didn’t make so much success.” a ‘No, but that ain’t saying you'll have as big luck, next time. You see, his Honor, Mr. Grey- ville, owns most 0’ the property hereabouts, an’ he’s as big feeling as a duke, and won’t allow no one around ‘cept what bows to his will.” “* Vel, ve vill see apoud dot,” Fritz muttered, — “I dinks dey don’d vas makes mooch bulldozing —

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The Ventriloquist Detective. me, I vant to ask you von_questicn—don’d this man Greyville be Captain Gregg, der smug- gler?”,— = The fat host of the Lion’s Paw gave a start. The question was evidently something of a sur- prise to him, “Why, no, of course not. What ever put such an idea into your head, young man? Grege the smuggler is said to be one of the worst characters along the Atlantic Coast, and at the same time, the most suecessful in his line cf business. Greyville is a man who would scorn to stoop to such work; and, moreover, be is said to be immensely rich in read. .vhough his landed property is mortgaged for its full value.” ) Fritz accepted this explanation without re- ply, but his mind was but little changed in the matter. ‘TY dinks Gregg and Greyville vas one und der sarne parties,” he murmured, “‘ und shall not giff up dot opinion until I can haff furder proof vou vay or der odder.” ES : As soon as the gloaming of evening began to settle over the quiet little hamlet, he left the tavern, and sauntered down the street toward the Hon. Granby Greyville’s residence, whither most of the villagers had already wended. their way, ; On arriving at the front of the haudsome lawn with its winding walks, large shade trees, beds of flowers, and attractive residence, Fritz paused ee survey the scene that was spread out before 1 m. Here and there dotted about among the shade ‘trees were tables spread with tempting viands, to which the villagers were freely helping them- selves, and to the flowing pitchers of ale that were passed around hv several of the village maidens. A couple of Italiaus were making music upon violin and harp, which sounded weird and enchanting; children were playing and romping about the grounds; Chinese lanterns were strung about among the lower branches of the_ trees, and altogether it was a festive and at- tractive scene. From ‘his position outside the fence Fritz could see nothing of either Grey- ville or the alleged countess, and he resolved 60 Geer the grounds for that purpose, which ve accordingly did, and sauntered about lei- Surely, as 1f be had a.perfect right there by in-’ yitation, Although many curious glances were leveled it him, he paid no attention to them, and after walking around awhile he leaned up against a trea and looked on, studying every face within the reach of his gaze, Presently there was a shout among the as- sembled villagers, and upon this, the door of the mansion opened, and Mr. Greyville came forth upon the grounds, with the countess leaning upon his arm, His Honor was attired in a suit of immaculate white duck, with a massive gold chain strung across his vest and a superb diamond pin upon his shirt front. x The countess was a Frenchwuman, of some three-and-thirty years, with a thin, angular face, bead-like black eyes, and hair to match, and a thin compressed mouth, which when she laughed cash, . showed two rows of pearly teeth. She also wore an abundance of paint and powder upon her face, and what with her rich attire of silk lace and diamonds, was a striking and peculiar-look- ing personage—a woman who looked crafty, and capable of mischief. As sson as She and the Honorable Greyville advanced upon the lawn, the villagers arose from the tables, and the women courtesied low, while the men swung their hats and sent up a rousing cheer. / hs The countess and her escort then moved about here and there, with a pleasant word fcr all, and a bidding for them to continue their feast. As they ed near where Fritz stood lean- ing against the tree, Greyville gave him a sharp, stern glance, and said; “ Ah! who are here, sir?” - : “Nothing in. particular,” Fritz replied, re- turning his stare, ca#imly. ‘‘I only see vot you vas haff a pie-nig, und I come in to look on, ‘ “Then begone, sir, at once! I loafers around here, Go, Tsay!” and passed on. , Fritz did not go, however, but retuined his position in defiance. iy Bierse Vashingdon made dis a free coun- rh ge vond go dil I gits ready,” he mut- : c then they It was not long, however, before he was hasti- Ty approached by a man, and that man no less a person than the same flashily-attired individual allow no — 15 you, and what do you want — , who had taken the young woman, Madge, away” from the hotel at Atlantic City. ‘Hello! get out of this, you loafer!” he cried, Be seizing Fritz by the shoulder, roughly. ‘t How many times do you have to be told to go? The guv’nor said go—now, if you don’t light out, Vil make your heels break ~* Val you, dough!” loose and standing on the defensive. “Yoost you kee Griffith Grege, or I vil knock der whole top off your nose off!” ~ “What, you vagabond? You compare 2 with the smuggler’s son? Pll thump your skull _ for that piece of impudence.” Fst And he was as good as his word, for, raising a stout cane he carried, he ee it heavily down upon the young detective’s head. ‘ For a moment Fritz was nearly stunned, but — he quickly recovered, and sprung at his assailant pluckily. ; “Oh, you snoozer!” he cried; “I vil plack your eye mit plue for dot!” And he did deal the Honorable’s son two” existing circumstances, this—I—T—”"_-«- he aee ea _ “Got your head proke, off you come mit your 2 € +53 | ed neck!” ae itz gritted, wrenching ur hands off vrom me, — me | ee

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‘ > to doanything muc 16 foolishness around me!” Fritz erie: you oop, dough, ash I must go!” He saw a half a dozen of the village roughs coming toward the spot, and knew he was ill- erate to battle with all of them. So witha ew dextrous bounds he leaped away out of the yard, and ran swiftly down to the beach. Finding that they did not follow him, he soon after made his way up the strect again, to the tavern, and went to the room which had been assigned him, “Til pet der vil pesome droubles, before I ot rough mit dis piz’ness,” he muttered, *‘ but yas der man who vil come oud der winner,” He was soon off in a sound sleep, from which he, hours later, awakened, with a violent start. The scene was changed, He was notin the tavern, on the but in- “TH let At first Fritz had no idea of what could have happened, but it did hot take him long to come to one conclusion on the matter, that he had been captured at night, thrust into the frail boat, and sent adrift on the ocean. Who had been the authors of the job? There could be no doubt in his mind about that. The Grey villes—or the Greggs, as he believed ‘they were—were anxious to have him leave the neighborhood, and had probably, through their agents, caused his removal in this very promis- cuous manner. ’ By an effort hé sat up in the little boat and gored around him. He was now séme distance rom the beach, beyond the white-capped breakers, and, as the tide was receding, the frail craft was of course drifting further and further from land each moment, a reflection that might have caused any one a start, while to Fritz, bound and helpless, it was the ‘next i te Sed being alarming. “Vel, py shimminy dunder!” was his ex- clamation, as he gazed dolefully around him, “Off T don’d vas in a fix, den { don’d vant a cent, They’ve come von cute game ofer me, und Pl bet a half-dollar I go down der same throat vot Jonah did—der w’ale’s. onder vich vou off dem vellers put up der shob on me? Td like to punch his nose. Reckon id vas dot veller whose eyes I placked mit Jersey plue up at der pig-nic, I vonder vot-der plazes a veller can do, anyhow?” n There was a sorry prospect for his being able toward helping himself from the unenviable situation in which ho had been placed. He was unable to uss his hands or fost, and was, therefore, helpless and at the mercy of the wild waters over which he was drifting. Did he have the use of hands and feet he was not yet out of danger, for the _ boat was without oars and the distance to the x land was so greatas to make it a daring attempt to breast the outgoing tide in a struggle to reach . the shors by swimming. ll, it seemed the only hope for him, if by The Ventriloquist Detective. So nr mers ’ which bound him, and he was not the one ta despair without first proving to his dissatisface se that it was the only thing left for him to 0. * Therefore he set to work industriously in an attempt to loosen the bonds from his hands. Luckily they were not bound behind his back, which was ono adyantage, as he could use his teeth upon them, : But, being Jeather straps, he made slow head- way, nibbling at. the strap around his hand: but little by little it yielded, so that after awhile a violent wrench broke ib asunder, and his hands were free, “Py shimminy, dot ish goot, anyhow,” be muttered, making haste to unloosen his feet, ‘‘Now, der next t?ing is somedings else. How ish IT going to got pack mit der shore?” stead, was bound hand and foot, and lying in It was an all-important question. the bottom of a boat! « The boat was perhaps a mile further from shore than when he first had estimated the dis- a ONS eaadenae Gedter E dot f 5 F don’d know vedder I can swum dot furs CHAPTER VIII { der or not,” he muttered doubtfully. ‘' But ADRIFT, subbosin’ der whale or der deyil-fish, catch old mit mine pootleg, und suck me in under der vater. Vota duyfel o’ a fix I’d be in den. Off I only had some paddles, I vould haff no droubles getting to shore vid der poat.” He was in the midst of these reflections when he heard a shout further out at sea, and for the first time beheld dimly a dusky object floating in the water not far ahead of him. “Tello! who you vas, und vot you vant?” Fritz shouted, in answer. “Tam a poor devil more or less drowned, and can’t hang on to this barrel much longer. Be you man or devil, for Heaven’s sake hurry along with your boat.” “Allrighd, I vil pe dere; in der sweedness py-and-py. Keep a stiff upper lip, und Vl got you soon,” the young detective replied, heart- ily. _ ‘*Der’s nodding like hang-on at der crit- ercal minute.” Kneeling, and leaning over the front part of - the boat, he used his hands as propellers, and in this way was able to improve the slow progress of his light craft to some extent, and in a few moments was alongside the barrel, on top of eee a drenched human was balancing him- self. Ata glance Fritz perceived who it was, “Wartly!” he exclaimed, in surprise. - “Yes, whats left of me,” the sentenced smuggler replied, clambering into the boat. “Thank Heaven you came along just as you did, for my gripe wouldn’t hold out much longer.” S©Vel, I should dink not. Td giffen you up ash, dead. How ish it dot you don’d vas kilt by der smugglers?” “Tt is no fault of theirs,” Hartly replied, grimly. ‘“* They chucked me under night afore last, miles out at sea, supposing my hands and feet, were bound, and a heavy stone tied to my head, But while they: were rowing me out, I contrived to loosen up matters, so that I was - really free the minute I struck water, But I went under all the same to deceive them. When they headed for shore J arose to the sur- / "any way faeo, and after swimming about untilnearlyex- — aos he eould free himself of the straps |

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Seen. \iausted, I caught onto this empty cask, which has in one senso been my salvation. By the tides I have been carried quite near to the shore, but my lower limbs being numb by re- maining so long in the water, I dared not at- tempt to swim ashore, and the outgoing tide has carried me Out again—not so far as it would, however, if I had not struggled shdre- ward constantly, But how came you out here, in. this frail shell, without even oars?” Fritz explained as far as he had known, and Hartly scowled. i “There'll be a reckoning for some one,” he said, ‘if I ever succeed in getting ashore. But there’s not much prospect of that, unless we can get some oars, or something to pull ashore with. The tide will begin to ebb in be- fore a great while, too.” “ZT haff von idea,” Fritz said, ‘Uff ve can got der parrel apart, we might do somedings vid der staves—vot you tink apoud dot ?” “Good idea. We can easily get the staves,” Hartly drew the barrel up alongside the boat and soon had it knocked to pieces, and four of the staves secured, “Now then, for shore,” he cried. ‘‘ When we get there, I will leave you, on business, for ae, few hours, after which I will join you, and we will work together against the Gregg gang. We will paddle to tand on the lower side of the bluff, as it wouldn’t be particularly healthy for me to land in front of the village. You can, andin fact had better keep shady, in the vicinity of the old rookery on the bluff, and I will join you, as soon as possible.” Accordingly they paddled as rapidly toward the beach as their strength would permit. By the time it was daybreak they had landed below the bluff, Here they drew the light boat up on the beach, and Hartly said: “Pll leave yon now, but will retura in the course of a few hours,” “Allrighdt. I vil remain in der neighbor- hood,” Fritz replied and then the young smug- gler clambered up the side of the bluff, and was soon gone from view, “T vonder vot dot veller ish oop to, now,” Fritz muttered, after he had gone. “ Der is somet?ing he vas goin’ to do, vot he ain’t pur- ticular pout my knowing somedings Apoud. I have haff a notion dot he ain’d vos so nice a veller vot I firsd tought, und I vouldn’t pe much surprised if he vould give me avay off he got_a chance, But, oh! V’ll keep watch of him! I’ve got der smugglers und der kidnap- per spotted, und Pll.bet a half-dollar id don’d vas be some centuries till I get em trapped. In der mean time, der is somet?ing-I vant to in- vestigate,” This was something that he noticed as he and Hartly had, paddled in to the shore from the ocean. In about the center of the bluff, at the water’s edge, as it faced the open Atlantic, was a dark h le of considerable size, which Hohe as if it might lead to a cavern in the If Hartly knew of its existence, he had kept it a secret, but our German detective had no- tived it, and resolved to see where the aperture | » 3 rs The Ventriloquist Detective. SAg Under any other circumstances he would not have given it a second ents ae but the fact that the smugglers held out this vicinity —of which he now had no doubt—gave that hole in the bluff more than ordinary signifi- cance, Jumping into the boat he paddied off once more into the water, and headed toward the front of the bluff, Not knowing what danger he might unexpectedly run into, he had drawn his revolver, which, strangely enough his cap- tors had not taken from him, and p it on the stern seat beside him. Working silently but steadily along the face of the bluff, which was quite perpendicular, he scon came before the aperture, and headed his boat into it. - Mr.—or, as he styled himself, Honorable— ‘| Granby Greyville sat in his private study this same morningfengaged in smoking a cigar, as he rocked in aneasy-chair and gazed out through an open glass door upon the pretty lawn. That his thoughts were of an unpleasant na- ture was evident by a frown which disfigured his florid countenance. And this frown did not lessen, but rather in- ereased as there suddenly appeared in the door- way no less a wild-looking personage than Silly ake Pip Fritz had encountered upon the each, She made a grimace and sort of a jerky bow — as she saw his Honor, and then stood staring at him in a strange manner. “Well!” he growled, angrily, ‘what brings you here?” : “What allus brings me?” she replied, with a ebuckle. ‘I want to come back and play up high-cockolorum, like my _ big-feelin’ sister. S’pose that’s silly, too, ain’t it, daddy?” ‘“No more so than your accursed obstinacy ou fool!” was the severe reply, “You well now the only terms that can ever restore you as a member of my family.” “ But I won’t accept ’em!” “Then, clear out. You shall never be any- thing to me till you surrender the stolen money.” “Bah! it ain’t yours, You're a bad, wicked man, and you got it wickedly, and get all Lear wealth wickedly, and the more you get the wickeder you geb. Get off, silly’s I am, before I'd give you up thee money.’ rs ‘Curses on your mulishness!” “Hal hal know you cherish ‘the most fatherly regard for me. If it wasn’t for the hope that I will some day restore you your lost ten thousand you’d had me drowned months ago, By the way, old man, what have you done with my feller?” ‘Your fellow?” sf f ‘¢- Yes—Hal Hartly?” ¢ * How should I know an ae about him?” ‘* Who should know better? Oh, you wicked — monster!” i ae “Take care, girl!” ** No, I won’t take care!” and her eyes flashed in defiance to his anger. “Tain’ta bit afraid ef you, because I ean outrun any deg in the it afraid out! Pd cut my head — ; Lew

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is town, I know what’s become of Hal. Your tools took him out and chucked him under, But, ha! ha! he’s all right!” Groy ville started a, little, ‘What foolishness is this of yours?” ‘Oh, only silliness, of course,” and she laughed loudly. ‘‘ But Hal’s all right, and, now that his scruples have had a ple I allow he'll come around tomy cherished plan, and we'll make it warm for youl” _ “ What! you dare to threaten me !” “Didn't I tell A bis Vd go for you if you didn’t reform? Well, I must be off, How’s my state- ly sister? How's the countess? Ha! ha! ha! shoot her, She’s an old hag, with a ae eye and false teoth, The future Mrs. Gl Bah! and such @ model private excursion steamer, too! Still, it serves its purpose. I’m of now—just come up to spice your breakfast. Better mend our ways. The way of the trangressor 7 ard, By-by! ‘Yours, truly, Silly Sue!” And then, with a wild laugh she vanished. ; CHAPTER IX, i FRITZ’S DISCOVERY, ~ and his venturesome expedition. ; {c heading the boat into the opening in the iuff, he had no idea how his venture would ter- minate, but was urged on by a great curiosity to P explore the spot, feeling sure that it had some ; connection with the smugglers’ league, i The hight of the aperture was insufficient to Ee admit the passage of the boat with him sitting up; so putfing the boat under headway he lay down and thus glided in, : Tn high tide, this opening, he concluded, was _ covered by water, while in extreme low water : the beach must be bare in front of the bluff, as the water at this juncture now was quite shallow, He almost immediately emerged into a cave in the heart of the bluff, It was as large as a couple of good-sized rooms. and looked as if the waters of many years had eaten it out. The work of man, however, was seen in the planks overhead, which, resting on wooden sup- ports, held the roof in place. The water reached about midway into the chamber, and from its edge the pebbly ground ascended to the further side of the cave, where a narrow aperture branched off—eyidently cut asia passageway by the hand of man. Grounding his boat, Fritz stepped out and took a survey of his surroundings. “Dis don’d look ash if id vasa healthy blace at high-tide, but I reckon dot it vas der blace vere dey run in smuggled goods,” he mused. “Dot passage probably leads to a higher und er Place.’ olding his revolver ready for use in case of “emergency, he stole softly toward the subter- _Yanean passage, with a view to exploring it, It was a dark, uninviting tunnel, of just suf- - ficient width and hight to admit of a person’s e, _ passage, and looked as if it might have no con- nection with any other chamber, as he could seo. _ mo light to indicate its terminus, ae bride of Major Atkins d The Ventriloquist Detective. Nothing daunted, however, he entered it, and walked along softly, ready for any sur- prise. A score of es he went, and then emerged - into what he concluded was another large sub- térranean chamber, but where all was of Sty- gian darkness, } ~ Luckily he had a close metal pocket box of matches with him, and lighting one after an- other pe discurered a half dozen lamps in bract t 2ccurs She chamber side, One of them ae soou.1 +, “rhq 1ae -roceeded to inspect by} ituation, sy before stale tht sideso 4 sayern were — “wed up likes vellars and i Sze (owas e | repeat and fifty feet square, oy ter or twelve The ceiling overhead was jlanier ars these supported by rude pillars vesting upor she ground floor, as in the outer cave, Here and. there, scattered about, were heaps ai straw, pisces of wooden boxes and canvas. znd oecasicnally a bottle, oa piece of damaged. sik or lace, : : At the opposite side of thie chamber was a i round Nhole:im the ceiling, sixailes to a well, — ‘Conn through which hung & 7ona ledder tothe _ : Ler us return to our ventriloquist detemsys ; Me AL yy Yhia seered to indicate that sither there was aorsher chamber, overhead, or cise this was ts meas 5" access to the open ei", In the stone wall, at either sito of the room, were doorway~ supplied 1 strong, gra iron doors, whic? :vare Zee ey! vith padlocks and chains. “Vel, Pil be jiggered off dir ‘mdi vas rant like a regular brison,” Fritz ejaculated; ‘ar. dis pe der blace vere der smuggiers "71>" / deir goods. I tought I vould discoffer sow ¢- tings off I come here. Vonder uff dey haff got somepody shut “ mit dem cells? Dot vouldn’t pe so much off a ‘ sell,’ neider, off I am. any shudge,” Taking down the lamp, be proceeded to in- spect the matter. dungeon, he peered in, Tho place evidently was empty. Crossing the cavern to the door of the other, to his surprise he saw that this dungeon was oc- ones pon a rude cot-bed a woman was stretched, apparently fast asleep, s her face was turned from his view, he could not tell whether she was young or old, py or ugly, but he was strangely oe er size—form—clothing all aroused his sus- picions that it really was the Leadville man’s runaway daughter—Madge Thornton, or Thur- ston, as she had called herself. He was stag. — gered a moment by the very thought. “Hello! Vake oop—who you vas?” he shouted, rattling the door. The woman gave a violent start, and sat up on her cot with a gasp; it was, indeed, the speculator’s lost daughter. aa “Goot! Dot vas a nest-egg for me,” was the thought that flashed through his mind, as he remembered the offered reward. “Who are you?—what do you want?” the lemanded eagerly, a8 she Approaching the right hand ~ 3

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The Ventriloquist Detective. — ? 19 arose frem her bed and stepped falteringly to- ward the door, “Vel, Iam Fritz! You remember der chap Fritz, don’d you?” ‘‘Oh, yes—yes! You are a friend to me¢,-oh, say that you are, and that you have come to ! rescue me and take me back to papa!” “*Vel, I should snicker dot dot vas apoud der size off der circumstance,” the young de- ! tective grinned. ‘You don’d vas like dis hotel, 0 den? “Oh, no—no! I shall die if I remain here, Open the door—take me from this terrible lace! .Oh, please do this, sir, and I will always ove you.” ‘“‘Nixy! You mustn’t do dot,” Fritz replied, with a serious expression. ‘‘ But I vil git you oud all der same, if I can, vich I don’d know so much apoud, ash der door vas fastened tighter ash a brick, “You see, your old dad he vas send me down dis vay to look vor you, und I dells him I find you, yoost likea pook, Ivas a reglar snoozer at findin’ dings vot don’d pelong to me.” “My father sent’ fou? Tell me—tell me, where is my father?” and she clasped her hatkis, her face and eyes aglow with eagerness, There was evidently nothing dazed or som- nambulistic about her, now. ‘* Vell, der jast I see’d your old man, he vas at der blace vere you got married. ut he left for Long Branch to rustygate und keep a vedder eye out for you, vile 1 took der rear trail, und skeer’d up der game. You see der old man dells me off I vind you und der money vot you stole vrom him, he vould .giff me five t’ousand dollars. How vas dot? He vas yoost der man i haff pen, vantin’ to meed, vor a long vile. But, how apoud der money?” ‘“Ttis where no earthly hands but mine can find it, except I give the directions!” the girl replied, with evident enthusiasm over the fact. ‘When I left home, to come East and marry Major Atkins, I was in a state of half insanity, or somnambulism, they called it, and took the money, and when I came to my senses found it in my possession, It seems, as I have learned since, that before his leaving for the East, and at the same time when I was in my dazed staté? ' Atkins said that he had a large roll of money in my father’s safe, and that when I came, I should bring it. And to my surprise, I have als@ since. learned that it was not the first som- hambulistic theft I have been guilty of. Upon discovering the iarge sum upon my person, I put it in a place where it would be safe, and came on to marry Major Atkins, whom I im- agined myself to be in Jove with. We met—it was he who took me away from the hotel—and we were married, as I supposed, at the time, but it has since been proven a base deception. Almost immediately after your departure he ‘emanded the money of me.” “Vel, you guff it oop to him, I subbose!” “No, I did not,” she replied, with an exhibi- tion of spirit. “*T told bim I didn’t have it—which was true _ but he wouldn’t believe that, saying that he had jearned I had the money in my possession _ on leaving home, Then I got angry and told Ob!. joyful news! | him I wouldn’t give it to him, if I did have it? This in turn epraged him, and he declared the ae to bea sham, and that if I didw’t sur~ render the money he would kill me. I defied him and dared him to do it, whereupon he and ~ the bogus minister seized upon me, and searched me, but failed to find the money. The monster, Atkins, then knocked me down, and 1 became insensible, When I awoke, it was in this terri- ble underground place. He has been here sey- eral times and threatened me, and alternated the matter by promising to make ine his wife in reality if I-would ive up the money. But, having found out what a villain he is, I have firmly refused.” aS “Dot vas right! Ve will giff him der duyfel von off dese days—or, at least, I vill, for smug- gling. Idon’d know vedder I can got you oud off here or not! I ought der haff some tools, as. id don’d vas some leedle shob preakin’ iron mit a veller’s hands.” “Oh! do try and release me in-some. way—I do so want to get free.” ‘Und I know dot. But, you see id vas and the mistress of a princely home _ harder ash breakin’ der consditution to preak - dis chain.” It was no easy job, indeed. : The chain was several feet in length, and made of short, stout welded links. The padlock, too, was a formidable affair, such as could not easily.be brokenyand Fritz did not have any keys with him. e , e was stuck for once, in not knowing how to proceed, and was just cogitating over what was best ‘to do, when he noticed something that — caused him a start. : On glancing toward the rope ladder, he per- ceived that it was moving. Some one was descending it. 7 Did he remain here, discovery was inevitable, © and discovery would se wear d destroy all possi- Madge. es bility of rescuing These thoughts occurred to him like a flash. — “Sh! some one is coming, and I must hide!” he said to Madge, in a whisper; then he burried softly across the chamber, into the dark pas- sage, where he paused at a point where he could see without being seen. : “TI bet dot id vas. blackened,” be muttered. And, sure enough, he was right. ~ A moment later Major Atkins, alias young Greyville, alias Griffith Gregg, came down the ladder into the cavern, his eyes yet showing un- der feller whose eye 1 mistakable evidence of the power of Fritz’s « 7 shoulder-hits. ““ What. the devil’s all the noise down bere??? = he demanded ae the door of Madge’s dungeon. “I thought I heard voices convers-— ing. : : “You probably heard me singing, Sir Mon- ster!” Madge retorted, sarcastically. know I am in good humor for vocalism,” oe “The devil take you! It wasn’t singing—it was talking I heard.” . ‘Ah! perhaps you heard me saying over threats of what I’ll'do, when I get free!” — “ Now what will you do?” aeons “Yl claw your eyes out—then I'll tie you and give you a thrashing with a bullwhip.” Ps You ae 2

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20 ~ 2 a 5 “Bah! threaten what you like. Ill guaran- cae you'll remain here until I get your amiable 8 - * But you will never get it!” “‘ Won't 1? When you begin torotin your dungeon, and your tongue hangs out of your mouth for want of food and water, I fancy you'll come to terms.” “ But, I won’t though!” ‘Oh! we shall see. I won't argue with you. At the present moment I want to find out who it was I heard you conversing with!” And to her horror he made for the dark pas- sage. 'ritz, too, was considerably concerned, and began to make a rapid and stealthy retreat to the other chamber. : Cn arriving there, another thing startled m. The tide had set in, and the hole in_the face of the bluff was so nearly filled as to make escape with the boat impossible, —— ae CHAPTER X, A DIVE FOR LIFE, f THERE was but one choice left for Fritz— that of standing his ground and meeting young Greyville boldly; for there was ap- parently no avenue of ane him now. Consequently, with his revolver drawn, ready for use, ne positioned himself at the water's edge, facing the aperture and waited. He had not long to wait. * In a few scconds Griffith Gregg—as we shall henceforth call him—came striding into the chamber, and uttered a violent oath at sight of Fritz, / ‘Hello! by the Satanic I thought I was not mistaken. ‘The Dutchman we left adrift, for sure!” i _ Fritz did_not speak, or allow himself to move a particle, but stood glaring at his enemy like one turned to stone, “Hallo! why don’t you answer?” Gregg de- manded; apparently not feeling positive that Fritz was in the flesh, “If you don’t answer, I'm hanged if I don’t drown ye.” No answer from Fritz. But from directly over the villain’s head seemed to come the words, in a hoarse voice— j “Villain, behold the reflection of your crime!” “Bah!” Gregg cried with a start, glaring about him, ‘“ You ean’t play any tricks on me, you Dutch blunderbuss! In some way you’ve escaped the trap, and now I'll pay you a grudge I’ve got against you.” And with a long knife in hand which he had drawn from his bed, he dashed fiercely at Fritz, regardless of the drawn revolver. . _ Leveling his pistol at his opponent’s breast, the poe detective pulled the trigger. The weapon missed fire, Gregg was almost upon him now. There was but a moment to act, and yet, in that time, Fritz hurled the weapon with velocity at the villain’s head, and somersete? TARY a The Ventriloquist Detective. backward into the water, the toe of one of his boots catching Gregg in under the lower jaw. This, with the stinging blow of the pistol, dropped him like a he lay for an instant, rage. Fritz, landing in the water, swam through the almost submerged entrance, and soon was out- side the cavern, at the edge of the bluff. To swim around to the southern side was the work of but afew moments, and he was once more on terra firma, at his starting point. Here he sat down upon the beach to collect his thoughts, So strange had been his experience within the last few hours that he was really more confused than he had yet been since entering upop his profession as a detective, ‘¢ Now den, let me see apoud somet?ings,” he muttered. ‘‘In der virst blace, dis be a reg- Nar ruffian seddlement, vere id don’d vas healthy vor such ash I, und id vould puzzle me to do der shob all alune. I must haff some help. Off der ish a delegraph office near here. den I must find id, und delegraph to Philadelf vor assistance. Der ish no doubt but I haff discovered der smugglers, und»der next ting is to cabture dem, nd 1 don’d dink id vas healthy for me to go down mit der cave again undil dis matter keebs shady. I’ vonder vo nae pecome off der gal vot called herself Silly ue? X “ Here she is—what do you want of her?’ a merry voice cried, and the elfin danced, laugh- ing out, from behind a huge bowlder in Fritz’s rear, where she had been concealed, evidently laying the spy. ‘What do you want of Silly os Trishman?” “vas no Irishman!” Fritz retorted. “Iam a Dutchman.” “Get out! ‘You're pure Irish, But, that ain’t to the. ae What do you want of me?’ “T vanted to inquire how far it is to the nearest telegraph station?” : “Oh! a good ways inland. The road you see in front of the old house on the bluff leads direct to it, If you want to send a message, Pll send it for you.” “You vil?? , “Yes, I'll hook one o’ dad’s horses from the pasture, and ride to town, Guess I know what ye propose doing.” i “Vot?” “You are a detective, and you have dis- covered that my dad and his smugglers live around here, and you want to send for help to arrest them!” ** How vos you know all dot?” “Oh, I'm silly enough to guess it, and I hope you'll do it. They’re a hard gang, and a wicked gang, and they hate me worse than poison, because I’m honest, unlike the rest of them.” “Captain Gregg und Hon. Granby Greyville are der same persons, not?” “Yes, You're mighty cute to find that out, when some o’ the villagers don’t even suspect it. Dm his gal.” “6 Y¥sh dot a fact? “Yes, but be don’t own me, because 1 dex semnce his dishonesty. Hal ha! an old may- og to the ground, where” owling with pain and

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The Ventriloquist Detective. ee was found dead on the beach once, The next day my papa had a big sum of money in his possession, I smelt foul play. I stole ths money from him and burnt it up. Ha! ha! Then he bigs Uses me unmercifully, and turned me adrift. But, pooh! I don’t care! I get along famous, and I'll make fun for the smugglers yet. So if you want mé to goto the telegraph station for you, and will give me a few shil- lings, I’m ready.” tae al give you five dollars!” Fritz assured. “Bully!” the girl assented. ‘‘ Now, just tell me w’at you want, and I’m yours.” “Vel, I vant you to fo to der delegraph office und send a message to Tohy Fox, care of Police Headquarters, Philadelphia telling him to fetch a half dozen men der dis village at once. you remember dot?” ‘‘Well, you bet Ican! I don’t forget things easily. Give us your money, and I’m off fora wild horseback ride.” : Fritz accordingly gave her a V note, and then, after again instructing her what to do, a! her departure by clambering up the uff. Fritz then lay down upon the sand in the warm sunlight, little dreaming that his plans had been overheard. ' The Irishman, Pat Grogan, had been con- cealed behind another bowlder, and had over- heard every word of Fritz’s conversation with Silly Sue. Shortly after her departure, and when sure ~ Fritz was not watching, he stole softly from his piace of conceaiment and up the side of the uff. : Once on top of the bluff, he quickened his PARE, descended the opposite side, and hurried ward the village. At theresidence of Granby Greyville he paused, and entered the spacious lawn. His Honor and the countess were seated upon the lawn in front of the house, enjoying the shade of a great tree, and Grogan tipped his hat as he approached them, : sur, it’s mesilf as has made a discoy- “ Sure. h he said, with a huge grin of satisfac- ery, sur, on. “Ah! indeed! I thought you might. be of some use!” his Honor replied, complacently. “What is the nature of your discovery, Gro- gan?” “ Sure, sur, it’s consarnin’ the girl you set me to watchin’.” ; “As I expected—curse her! What new devilment has she been up to?” “Shure I did kape a civil eye on her, as yez tola me to, and a bit ago she meta Dutchnian on the beach, an’ it’s a grand plot tha be afther organizin’. The loikes av the Dootchmon he did wanted to ba sindin’ a tilligraph mis- sage to Philadelphia for tha detectives, an’ tha gal she did till him for a V she would stale a horse forninst your pasture an’ be carryin’ tha missage for him hersilf, whereat he forked ‘over the cash, and she skipt, bedad!”" _ His Honor listened, his face growing purple with passion. f **May all the furies seize that obstioate and meddlesome little wretch!” he hissed. ‘She seems determined to ruin me. No amount of Can ‘ern, or not!” he mused, \ whippi have ever served to make her Itke other girls. Why didn’t you stop her, Pat?” ‘Shure, it was yersilf as told me to be doin! naught else but watchin’ her.” “True, I had forgotten. She has probably gone so far that it would be next to useless to attempt to overhaul her now. Do you think pS a mount a horse and overtake her, 4 7 ‘*Bedad, no. It’s sorry a horse I can ride, - yer Honor, é “Then ascertain from the ostler the location of the panes, and when she returns capture her. Tl give you ten dollars for the job.” “ Bad ’cess to me if I don’t do it, “ An’ what shall I be doin’ to her after I cotch er?” “Then take her to the o!d mansion on the bluff and wait until I come.” ; “Och! howly murther, I'll not go in where tha skelegon is—nary a time.” **Nor need you. What time intervenes be- tween your arrival and mine you can spena outside. But look sharp she don’t escape you.” “Sure it’s mesilf as will ba doin’ that same!” Then, Grogan executed a 7 aime 8 bow and took his departure toward the stable, while Gre, ville turned the countess. ‘The devil will be to pay, now. As I sus- pected, that Dutchman is a spy, and having — suspicioned or ferreted out some knowledge concerning the league, has sent for his fellow-. watch-dogs. In less than two days we shal] be in the clutches of the law, unless we make a break for liberty, at once.” . “Oh! there is no particular reason for hurry. ‘When we find there is danger, we can easily es cape,” the countess said, calmly. f “How? If we wait until their arrival, it will - be too late.” ‘“ By no means, My steamboat lies out but a short distance, and we can board it and sail for ta belle France, in defiance.” “What! without unloading?” ; “Bah! what are afew thousand dollars to life? Besides, the goods will sell again for fuli value, at Hayre.” CHAPTER XI. A FATHER’S BRUTALITY. Arter the departure of Silly Sue, Fritz sunned himself until his A ipkiaehg were dried; then rising, he began to cast about him for some- thing to eat. f ‘*T don’d know better I go pack mit der tav~- **T dinks dot vas an onhealthy blace, und yet I vould like somedings to ead, very bad.” : Climbing to the top of the bluff, he passed the old mansicn, and followed the country road for scme distance, in hopes of finding an Lara or watermelon patch. And he was suc- cessful. i Y About a mile distant he came to a good sized. ¢ orchard, near no buman habitation, and hastily © made a raid on it, with the result of discovering a!’ the luscious-eating harvest apples he coul carry. Filling his pockets he made his way Back to we :

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the 6 the old rookery, and sat down upon the front step to finish his meal, “*T vonder vot's pecome of der villain I kicked mit der under jaw?” he muttered. “7 tink I must haff dislocated *im or I shou!d ’a’? see’d him. If vonder vere der mouth off der well is, anyhow, vot dey come up Vrough. Id must pe someveres vere der house stands, und. probably hidden.” ‘ After he finished his meal on apples, he en- tered the old dwelling, with a view to giving it another exploration. Passing through the lower hall, he tried each door opening aff from it, but found them all locked, as before. What they contained he could therefore not learn, except by bursting them open or unlock- f ing, them, which he had no way of doing. inding no success down-stairs, he went up- stairs, remembering that-he had only tried the doors of part of tie upper rooms on his pees visit, the second one being the assembly cham- ber: containing the swinging head of. ill-fated Bill Budge. Heshunned this apartment now, and passed on along the corridor. : The first and second doors he tried were locked, like those below. Tae third door, how- . ever was unfastened, and opening it he entered a large unfurnished apartment, containing but one window, which looked out upon the ocean. Noticing a card tacked upon the wall, oppo- sitethe doory Fritz advanced to read what was written upon it. But, that, ie was destined neverto do, Half- way across the room he got—then the floor sunk : Y ace beneath him, and he went down! down! own! He had stepped upon a trap, which had evidently been prepared for occasional strag-- glers, and he was the unsuspecting victim, until * too late to save himself. “*Down! down! he went into empty space. until he struck heavily upon a hard floor, an lay fora moment in a heap, his senses partly leaving him. When he recoyered consciousness, he arose to his feet. He was in utter darkness, and in a place where the air was close and stifling. hat kind of a den he had fallen into he could not ascertain by looking, at least. Later that day Mr. Granby Greyville left his handsome residence, and made his way to the bluff, accompanied by her ladyship, the countess. There was a terrible expression of stern resolye upon his countenance, and in his gras he carried an ugly-looking cart-whip, whic looked as if it were capable of inflicting dire pain in the hands of a human brute, Arriving at the top of the bluff, they found. Grogan, the Irish delegate, seated upon the doorstep of the old house, while, lying upon und, in front of him, was the girl, Sue, bound hand and foot, but none the less defiant for that fact as was evident by the contemptu- ous curl of her lip, and the indignant, wicked flash of her eyes> — A little shiver went over her. though, when - she saw the countess, the man she knew as her father, and the whip he carried. Stfure} it's mesilf as cotched her,” Grogan The Ventriloquist Detective. cried, as Greyville approached. ‘But it's the divil’s own time had at it, bedad, an’ if yez don’t bilave it ye’ kin look at me face. Begorra! she scratched an’ bit an’ fit like tha very divil’s imp she is! and the Hibernian rubbed his torn and bruised visage, dolefully.” : “So you’re caged are you, my young tigress?” the smuggler captain demanded, gazing down at the girl, wrathfully. ‘“‘Tll see that you never break loose, hereafter!” ‘“ Ba-aa!” the girl retorted, in contempt, “T'm not afraid of you, you ruffianly wretch, if you do carry a whip. You can whip me, pound me, stamp nie into the earth, but you can’t intimidate me. Til despise and defy you to the longest day I live.” “We shall see, I’ve made up my mind to cease dealing mildly with you, and instead treat you to the harshness your foolishness de- mands. It’s time you were broken in, and I’m going to compel you to submission to my will, and to obedience or I’m going to kill you.” “Kill, ifeyou like—I’ll still defy you. You cannot makeme obey a monster like you, even though you are my father! I.despise you, hate you, you inhuman wretch!” “A good flogging will bring back your affec- tion. By the way I understand that by way of amusing yourse. f you have become the con- sort of a Dutch detective, and by way of furth- ering his game, bave just been to telegraph for an additional force of the devils. Now do you know what I am going to do?” * Any one ‘might guess; brutal cowards al- ways whips!” - “Yes, Pm going to whip you, within an inch of your life, Then, if you promise me to ever after obey me, and tell me where to find the money you stole from me, I will. let you go. The next instant the wretch struck her with ate his might, following the blow with an- other. : White as death was Sue, but her eyes flashed bravely, her face was defiant—but she never uttered a moan or cry of pain. : “Now—now may be you'll come to time!” the smuggler roared, more like some enraged wild beast than a human being, in his de- moniac fury. ‘Now, will you tell and promise?” P ‘“Never, monster!” was the low, pitzous gasp, then a of the poor outcast closed; she had fainted, unable longer to endure the agony. CHAPTER XII, ' PITIFUL END, THE situation of Fritz was to him a decidedly — gloomy one, as, owing to the impenetrable darkness, his eyesight was of no use whatever. He did not know either, if it was safe to stir, as there might be another trap which he would fall_into, and go headlong down into some other pit. ; bs But he resolved to test the matter, and feel out the boundaries of his new prison at once. _ Groping about, ich by inch, and trying the — zs - , : é eee - a z: seit;

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a ’ chief cried, pausing in his horrible work. ‘ floor in front of him before trusting the weight - of his body upon it, he soon came to a plastered wall, and concluded by that, that he still re- mained in the building, having probably only fallen to the first floor id “Vel, dot don’d ‘vas so’ pad ash I first ex- pected,” he muttered, feeling a little more as- sured, ‘T tought I vas goin’ vay down to der blace vere dey manufacture fire-crackers, Der next question, ish der any outlet to this brison, I vonder?” Keeping his handsupon the wall, he walked several times around the dark apartment with- out pausing. “Der ish not von door or vinder, nor hole of any kind!” he finally muttered. ‘‘I would not haif such a house for a gift.” The room indeed appeared to be barren of | those accessories, as far as he was able to learn by the sense of feeling, and it would seem that it was thus purposely prepared for a prison, “Vel, I guess I might as vel prepare to imi- tate der example off Doctor Tanner, und go vidoud somedings to eat for forty years or so!” Fritz mauttered, feeling of his stomach dole« fully, for the apples had far from satisfied his appetite. ‘* But, if possible, I must get oud off oe a seat before Fox und der boys get ere.” Just how he was to do it, furnished him a serious subject to ponder on. ‘Curse the girl! she’s fainted!” the smug ae ur faint or no faint, she shall get all that her stubborn resistance demands!” and he raised the whip and struck her another stinging blow. , “Stop! Strike.that girl again and I'll kill you!” a voice cried, not far in their rear, and turning, they beheld a stranger rushing up, a pair of cocked revolvers in hand. “Furies!” Greyville gasped, turning pale. **Mon Dieu! What's to pay? Let’s fly!” from the countess, ‘6 No; we will stand our ground!” the smug- gler hissed. The new-comer soon stood before them, with stern, accusing gaze, and a face flushed from his run, 4 ‘*Devils!” he eried, ‘‘ what is the meaning of this brutal scene? Explain instantly.” It was the Leadville speculator, Thornton, who sia and there was grim business ex- pressed in his tone. “What right have you to intrude in what is none of your business?’ Greyville demanded, sourly. “Bh? I'll show you, you brutal puppy! Don’t > give me any of your lip, or I'll blow your brains out. Why, cuss my boots, you’re as bad as the |. Dog Injuns on the frontier !” ; ' “T presume I’ve a right to chastise my own * ehild, sir, when her conduct deserves it.” * That’ s not your child, Garry Gregg! I know you. You are the wretch I have been longing to meet these ten years!” The Ventriloquist Detective. “You know me?” the smuggler eried, in amazement, - ani \ “Ay! I know youl” the Westerner cried. : 23 “You are the worthless devil who trapped Minnie Gray into a secret marriage years ago. and after living with her a couple of years, an abusing her, left her in poverty, to live with a woman you had previously married.” * And incu your enmity by winning your sweetheart away from you!” Gregg sneered, mockingly. “Be that as it may, you are responsible for a good woman’s death, and you shall answer for’ it. Tell me, sir—is this poor child you have been beating, the daughter or Minnie Gray?” “Tf you like, yes.” “Then, curse you, leave this spot at once, if you don’t want me to shoot you down. Til take care Ak never strike her again! Go! I say, or Pll kill you without hesitation!” There was a stern one in the speculator’s eyes that betokened danger, and, accompanied by the countess and Grogan, the smuggler chief hurried away. : As soon as they had gone, Mr. Thornton laid Silly Sue tenderly down upon the soft grass. Hurrying down to the beach, he procured some water in his hat, and returning, dashed it in her face. : But although he did this, and chafed her hands and wrists, she did not open her eyes, Her breatltcam stifled gasps, and her hear} beat slowly. G By Heaven! I believe they have killed her!” Mr. Thornton muttered, feelings of terrible rage swelling within him. ‘The equal of this brutality is seldom, even among the red_ devils on the frontier. Ah! Garry Gregg, if this pcor child dies, you shall pay bitterly for her life, or eee is not Thornton!” ; 4 e continued faithfully in his endeavors to ae her back to consciousness, but all to no avail, While he was thus engaged there came sounds of rapid footsteps, ani al Hartly dashed up, flushed and excited. . ‘Great Heaven! what is the matter of Susie?” he demanded, on seeing her lying on the ground, — so cold and white. “T fear she is dying, young man,” Mr. Thorn- ton replied, solemnly. ‘I cannot restore her to Pee er as she anything to you, sir?”, > “Indeed, yes; she wasall the worldtome, poor child, and we were tobe married, one of these days!” Hartly replied, kneeling beside her, with tears in his eyes, ‘ Susie! oh! Susie, my little waif, can’t you look up and speak to me?” ra : The girl slowly opened her eyes, and gazed up at him, with a loving smile. — : ‘Yes, Hal, I know. Lamdying, Hal. Where is Fritz?” Comte ‘*T don’t know, darling. Ihave not seen him since morning.” : : of ‘Well, when you see him, tell him I sent the message, and got an answer that the detectives would come.” ~ : The detectives?” SUA “Yes. I went for him, to telegraph for them, and he gave me five dollars, It isin my pocket, — Hal—you can have it to get mea little plain — stone for my grave,” ¢

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24 The Ventriloquist Detective. “ But, Susie, youcan’t be dying—tell moe what is the matter?” “She bas been cruelly beaten. I came here a few moments ago and drove off the devils, but I fear I came too late!” Mr. Thornton ex- plained, sadly. “Tt was papa, you know!” Sue added as Hartly uttered a cry of astonishment. ‘‘He discovered the errand I had done, and had a big Trishman capture me and bring me here, Then he and the countess came, and I was tied to a stake and whipped till I fainted. They have killed me, I guess. I hate to leave you, Hal, but Tam not afraid to die, I have always said my prayers, loved the Lord, and been honest, and I know he will receive me.” Tho gots childish faith and _ simplicity- touched Mr. Thornton as well as young Hartly, and tears flowed freely. ' The little outcast soon closed her eyes again, her arms about Hartly’s neck, as she rested in his embrace, and a peaceful expression of con- tentment upon her face, About sunset she spoke, without opening her eyes. “Hal?” she said, softly. ‘Yes, Susie,” he replied; ‘‘ what do you wish?” “Not much, After Iam gone burn the old bouse yonder, and break up the smugglers.” ‘Yes, Susie.” ‘And you'll ba a good man, Hal, all your life, so you will join me in Heaven?” _~ ‘¢T will try, dearest.” “Then kiss me good-by.” Conyulsed with sobs, the grief-stricktn lover obeyed, and, just as the last rays of sunset began to fade, Susie breathed her last, expiring without the least appearance of pain, and a faint peaceful smile upon her lips. / \For some moments after her death neither Hartly nor Mr. Thornton spoke, but finally the lotter said: : ‘She has gone where she will know no more suffering or sorrow and itis perhaps better so, Is your home near by?” “lV livein asort of hut back in the woods, and if you will lend a hand we will take her there.” — : The speculator assented, and Hartly procured a wide board, and laid the limp form upon it, Then raising the primitive litter between them; they left the bluff and took to the lonely coun- try road, which they followed until they came to a rude shanty, standing in the edge of the woods. They bore their burden into‘ the only rvom and deposited it upon a couple of stools. Hartly then turned to Mr. Thornton. “You are a stranger to us, sir,” he said, ** but would you kindly remain here until I can go to a neighboring town to make arrangements for ber burial?” “Certainly, my boy.” “Then I will go and send the undertakers at ence to take charge of the remains. If I do not return with the undertakers, let them re- Sees body, and I will see you later, per-. aps. ; : e then kissed the lips and forehead of the dead girl, and took his departure. QOnee outside, bis whole demeanor underwent : a change. His face became stern and hard in its expression, and his. eyes gleamed with a wild light that could hardly have been pronounced sane, ‘* First, the house!” he muttered between his clinched teeth; ‘‘then I will-see to the burial. After that, revenge!”—words uttered with a power of feeling, which bespoke grim resolu- tion, Hurrying back to the bluff he entered the building, and from the pantry brought an oil- can and poured oil about in a number of ee places, applying a lighted match to each, As a result, bright sheets of flame sprung up, and, in Jess time almost than it tales to tell it, the interior of the old rookery was on fire in several places, : Then, with a wild Jaugh, he turned and fled — from the building, and disappeared from the vicinity of the bluff. The old house was doomed. And in the doorless, windowless trap-room, where he had so unexpectedly become impris- oned, was Fritz, in the most unenviable situa- tion one could well conceive. Captain Gregg, as we shall henceforth call him, learned of Silly Sue’s death shortly after it occurred through the Irishman, who, while pre- tending to leave the spot, had scouted around and lurked in the vicinity until Hartly and Mr. Thornton had departed with the body. ; Gregg was both alarmed and surprised when he heard the news, and immediately sought the countess for consultation. ; He had no idea he had done the girl any fatal bodily injury. If she was dead, and the cause of her death came to be known, he well knew eee he would be called upon to answer to the Ww ‘The countess listened to his recital of Grogan’s report, the lines in her thin face growing even harder than were their wont, ; ““T feared zis,” she said. mooch savage!” “What do you advise?” “Zat we remain where we be for ze present, You say ‘zis strangair be an old enemy of yours?” Doubly so now, from the fact that he **You were ver’ “Yes, is the father of Grif’s prisoner, that’s locked up in the dungeon.” a “Humph! zis is bad! Vare be ze Dutch- man?” f “There is no telling. Perhaps Griffith will know when he comes.” But Griffith did not come. © It was nearly dark in the outer world when he recovered from the terrible blow he had got from. Fritz’s pistol in the cave, and staggered to the inner cavern. The moment he entered it a smell of burning timbers greeted his nostrils. “By Heaven! the house above is burning up, ’ I believe!” he cried, rushing to the rope ladder and beginning to climb it rapidly. But he had only got afew feet up when it gave way, and he fell to the ground, considerably b1 i 's to pay now!” he muttered, an “The devi grily.

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. nuced forward, an The Ventriloquist Detective. *¢ A fellow will smother down here.” For a moment the young villain stood irre- solute—then he approached the door of Madge Thornton’s cell. ‘ “* Madge!” he called. There was no answer. “‘Madge!” he shouted, in a louder tone, at the same time rattling the door, savagely. “Well, what do you want?” she demanded, rising from her cot. : “‘T want to know if you want to escape from this place, alive?” , “Why, what is the matter?” “Matter enough! The old house above is burning down, and if you don’t want to suffo- cate you must leave this place, at once, with me, : “Well, why don’t you open the door, then?” ‘ He oe unlocking the great padlock even as © spoke. . “Tam perfectly willing to do so, and when you reveal to me the hiding-place of your fa- ther’s money, which you had, when you left Leadville, you are free to go,” he said, standing in the doorway. ** Are you foolish enough to suppose, for one moment, that I will reveal that?” **Tf you don’t do it, curse you, Pll will leave you here to suffocate!” “Do so! J would cheerfully pay that penalt; of my felly inever having anything to do wit you, a hundred times, rather than submit to your demands.” “Then—but no! I'll release~you if you'll give me half of the sum.” “Not a cent, you detestable wretch. z “Curses on your obstinacy! You have re- fused todo what is right, and you shall take the consequences.” ¢ ; Stepping back he reclosed the door angrily and hastily relocked the padlock; then he lett the main chamber, for the outer one, and jumped into the boat, : The tide was now on the ebb and the water was now down so that he could row out of the ole into the ocean. As soon as he got out a grand sight met his gaze. The old house on top of the bluff was in a sheet of lurid flame,.on top lighting up the early evening, which otherwise was quite dark. Showers of sparks ascended toward the ‘heavens, and the crackling of the dancing blaze made a weird music. Pulling in to shore, Griffith Grege leaped see the boat, and clambered up the side of the fh i The first man he met was Thornton of Lead- ville; who had fastened up the hut, and hur- ried to the scene of the conflagration, as soon as he had discovered the light. Ths recognition was mutual, and each uttered acry. ; “At last!” the speculator cried, and‘ he seized his enemy bv the . Gregg clinched with him, and the two: men rolled to the ground, in a fierce struggle, the lurid light of the burning building lighting tp the scene like unto the colored fire to some wild exciting drama, eee (een Sherri CHAPTER XIII, CONCLUSION, THE struggle was short and decisive, Supple though the younger Gregg was, he was no match for the man from Leadville, and it was not long ere Mr, Thornton had his man pinned firmly beneath him, so that he could not move, By this time the villagers had arrived upon the scene, in numbers, and stood conten.plating it in wonder. } : “What is the matter here?” one of them de- manded, stepping forward. ‘‘ Who set fire to this building?” “That I am not prepared to say, as I just came,” Mr. Thornton replied, ‘‘but I know that I have captured one of the worst Villains living, Is there an officer of the Jaw among you? If so;I want him _to take this devil into immediate custody, and watch well that he don’t escape.” . “TI am a constable, but I must first know what charge you have against this young man‘ ok ea respected family,” another villager sa. id, “Charges enough to hang bim higher than Haman, if you like,” the speculator cried. ‘He has my daughter, imprisoned somewhere in hopes of extorting mon¢y from me; he is wanted in Leadville, Colorado, for no less than three cold- blooded murders, and also for horse-theft, and I’ve got papers to show for it!” ‘ “It's a He! It is a mistake, This man is crazy!” young Gregg shouted, ‘I appeal to you for protection, gentlemen?” “Protection you shall have, sir, by law, if. you deserve it!” the constable replied, slipping a pair of handcuffs upon the young man’s wrists. “Now, sir”—to Mr. Thornton—‘‘ permit me to examine your papers,” The speculator drew a package of documents from an inside coat pocket, and the officer gave them a critical examination, “They are all right,” he said, returning them, + 3 “ For the present, I,will leave the scoundrel in yout charge—until I recover my lost daughter!” r. Thornton said, : < “That you will never do, curse you!” Griffith Gregg hissed, savagely. ‘‘ You’ve sealed her doom, in tackling me, and you may as well put _ a@ mourning band around your hat,” “What! doryoa dare to tell me my daughter is in peril, sir?” “Well, that remains to be told. It is ac-( cording’ to whether I am released or not, If not, most assuredly you will never see her or the money she stole, for if Iam to answer for all the charges you have preferred against me, I ean just as well add a few more, without any inconvenience,” a ““We shall see about that. I think a rigid search will find her. Officer, remove bim toa place of safety, until I determine upon a future course of action.” ‘ The constable accordingly took his departure, marching the rounger Gregg with him, The fire had by t way. | J Th leaped in great crackling volumes from the _ } EN is time gained great head: _

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26 roof, and burst through the sides in fiery forks. The whole interior. was a seething furnace of lurid flame, and timbers were already beginning to fall in. ‘Where is Silly Sue?” some one cried, and the question went from mouth to mouth. ‘ She sometimes sleeps in the old house.” “Silly Sue, as you call*her, is dead,” Mr. Thornton announced, “Dead!” the villagers exclaimed, gathering around him—‘ Silly Sue dead?” ** Yes, daad, and lies in the shanty down the road, belonging to Hai Hartly, who has gone to some neighboring town to arrange for her burial!” the speculator said, then he related what he knew concerning the brutal whipping she had had, at the hands of Gregg senior. A murmur of indignation ran through the crowd as he spoke, and though some of the men did not cry out against the guilty man, the ma- jority were greatly excited. ? “Do you swear this is true?” one of the vil- lagers erled, angrily. ‘Ay—swear it a hundred times, if you like. If you have any doubts on the matter, it will take but a few moments to examine the poor child’s form, upon which welts and bloody cuts yet remain to be seen.” “Then I, for one, propose we give Greyville as good as ho meted out!” the man cried, whose name was Tompkins. ‘I always had a private idea that he was a villain, and now I need no further- proof to confirm it. All in favor of hauling him out and lynching him, make mani- fest by saying I?’ B There was a decisive shout among all but about ten of the men, who maintained a grim silence. 7% “Tynching is a crime, gentlemen,” Mr. Thornton said, ‘tin the East, which would ren- der you liable. It can do no harm, to give the human monster a taste of the whip, how- eats and then turn him over to the rigor of the aw, ‘* Perhaps you are right,” Tompkins agreed. **Come along, boys! ell teach the wretch that he must be civilized, if he would live in a civilized country!” And the sturdy villager led off, the whole rons following in his rear with indignant aces. ~ There was indeed a dark lookout for Captain TOBE. . : From his library window in the village mansion he was watching the fire, and saw the crowd march in a funeral-like procession down fross the bluff along the beach toward the Village. The countess saw, too, and compressed ker lips tightly. ‘““Ze crisis is coming!” she hissed sharply—so sharply that he started violently. ‘Ze crowd has heard of ze girl’s death, and are coming for you. He turned deathly pale; they would show him no mercy, as he»had shown none to Susie, he well knew. “We must escape from here, somehow!” he cried, ‘To submit to arrest meavs death—for you as well as myself,” -* How sod” The Ventriloguist Detective. “Did you not witness the whipping without attempting to interfere?” he sneered. ‘‘ They’d string you up as quick as I—especially when investigation came to prove you to be Madame Lisset, the notorious French smuggler.” The woman’s turn it was to whiten now, and a suppressed curse escaped from between her clinched teeth, : : ‘“‘T was one big fool for evaire anchoring here, or having you for me agent,” she replies. ‘*Somesing must be done, and zat vera quick, What s’allit be?” * ‘*There is but one course—flight. Go to my room and get all the money and jewels there, ~ When you come back, I will be ready.” She obeyed, and in a very short space of time returned, dressed ready for escape, Leaving tbe house by the rear door, thoy skulked hurriedly along a narrow lane. This soon brought them out into the ccuntry, and into an orchard. Without using, the chief of smugglers made a wide detour, which finally brought . them out upon the beach, half a mile north of the village, and directly opposite the steamer Countess, which lay a good two miles out at sea, at anchor, A light row-boat was drawn ae on the beach, This Gregg pushed off into the water, and sprung in, the countess following him, Then, seizing the oars, he pulled with all his skill and strength toward the steamer. - ‘* At the same time, a boat manned by half a dozen men, pulled out from the beach in front of the village, and this, too, was headed-toward the steamer. ‘‘Ha! they’ve suspected our dodge!” Gregg growled, on discovering the pursuit, ‘‘ Curse them! 1 did not think discovery of our flight would be made so quickly.” ** Will zey reach ze boat, first?” “By no means. I’ve got the start, and the steamer is a good half a mile further from them than from us, if not more!” Let us look after Fritz, The roof of the old rookery on the bluff has just fallen in, and millions of sparks go up to- | ward the cloudy sky. Is the young detective still within that old building? . He had heard Hartly, when he ran through the house, setting fire to it, and bad yelled at the top of his voice for assistance. But, either Hartly had not heard or did not heed his cries, for no assistance came. Out in the hall, which adjoined the doorless room, the flames soon ‘began to crackle omin- ously, and the pungent smell of smoke crept through the wall to his nostrils. For a few moments Fritz stood transfixed peril of his situation began with horror, as the to dawn upon him. : He knew by the smell that the house was on fire; he knew that if he did not make a hasty escape he would be consumed in the merciless flames. What was he to do? F Really, what was there he could do? ee 4 xe rushed about, scarcely aware what he was — oing, © bak et 2 i

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keistse his foot cong upon something, and | he fell violently to the floor. In all ‘tis after life he could look back with gladness apon that mishap, as it was the means of saving him from an awful death. Quickly scrambling to his feet, he searched the floor; a moment later his hand came in con-’ tact with an iron ring. Pas upon it, he raised a trap in the floor, disclosing a large aperture leading down into another pit below, which he concluded was a cellar, Without pausing to consider what he was doing, he dropped eater through the hole, Anything was preferable to the horrible dan- ger above. He landed upon his feet upon a hard bottom of the cellar into which he haa leaped. In a moment thereafter there was a crash, and a portion of the rear floor over the cellar fell in, - The light of the burning timbers now gave him a view of his situation, The cellar ran in under the whole of the house, aud was nearly filled with boxes, The only stairway had been covered by the eaving in of the floor, thus closing this avenue of es- eape. The eaving in, in turn, had been mainly eaused by the falling of a heavy girder from the second floor, / Directly in front of where Fritz had landed was a large well-like hole in the ground, that looked as if it might be very deep, and his only wonder was that he had not stepped off into it, in the darkness that had prevailed immediately after he had struck into the cellar, ‘J yonder off dot vas a well, or ish der hole vot leads down into der cavern,” he muttered, , peering over the edgé. ‘If der latter vos der_ case, I’m all righd, providin’ i can git down. But off id vos a well, den I vos a gone sucker sure. I don’d see anydings off der rope-ladder.” Looking above his head, he, however, dis- covered where a staple had been recently drawn out of a joist, and_ this satisfied him that it had been where the ladder had been fastened to, and that the hole was the same that pene- trated into the cavern in the bluff. “Der next ting vas to get down dere,” he muttered. “If I jump, like ash, not I preak mine neck, und den I pe ash pad off ash before, of not vorse.” : There seemed no other way of getting down, however, and he resolved to take his chances, rather than remain in the cellar and become a target for the fallen fiery timbers. With a prayer for safety he made the uncertain leap. Down—down—down he went with a velocity that took his breath, and he knew no more, ex- asia being conscious of striking the earth with @ heavy jay. : _ When he recovered his senses he was in the outer cave, and aietee Thornton was kneeling ‘Over him, chafing his hands, The cavern was dense with smoke, and breath- ing was difficult. Vritz comprehended the situation at once and _ Sat up, ; “T vas come down like a t’ousand of bricks, _ eh?” he smiled, feeling of bis limbs to learn if any of them were seriously damaged. “‘ I for- The Ventriloguist Detective. bs 2? got all apoud vere I vas going all at vonce. How you got oud off der dungeon?” ‘Good luck would have it that Griffith, in his passion should have thrown tke bolt of the padlock when the catch was not in, so I easily reached out my hand, drew the lock off, and got out into the chamber,” Madge replied, A is the matter? Is the old house burn- ing “Yes, We must get oud off here or ve shcke to death. Off it gets too deep, I vil swim mit you t’rough dot hole.” He according]; her in his arms, he waded toward the aperture, and outside of the cavern, around to the south- ern beach, the water in the deepest place but reaching to his throat, ~ E ‘*By shimminy dunder, I feel yoost like ash if I vas tickled to death, t?ings haff turned oud so vell,” Fritz cried, as he placed Madge on her feet. ‘A vile ago I vas a poot as guff up for a roasted Dufchman; now I vhas oud, and so vas you, und I feel better ash a spring lamb,” ** Are you sure we are out of danger?” “Vel, no, not eggsactly sure, but I d’ink -ve pe all righd now. Yoost you sday here in der shadow off yer pluff, vile I skirmish aroundt und see vot’s to pay. “She accordingly did as directed, while he clambered up the side of the bluff, bent on re- connoissance. 3 . The first mam and only man he met was Mr, Thornton, who had hurried back frcm the vil- lage to the bluff as soon as Captain Gregg was siaco tered missing, to keep watch in the vicip- ity. + He uttered a cry of joy as he saw Fritz. ‘* Why bless you, boy, I never expected to see you again!” he cried, shaking the young detect- ive by the hand. . 4 “Und you come pee near id, too, you can bet a half-dollar, , Thornton, for I yoost got oud off der building here in time tu save mine yool But I haff got your daughter, und der monish vas safe!” : “What! you do not tell me this for a fact, Fritz?” : 3 “Vel, if I don’d misdake, it vas. “Yoost vait here und I pring’ you der girl. Ash to der money, she vas no fool, und put if away vere she can get it again.” He vanished only to reappear, a few minutes later, accompanied by Madge. Then followed a touching scene. Thespecu- lator received his lost daughter with open arms; there were explanations, and kisses, and tears, and laughs, and the reunion was now éomplete, Leaving them to their joy, let us take a con- cluding glance at the ocean race, which was in the mean time transpiring. 7 The pursuers saw Gregg pull out from the shore as soon as he saw them; then they tugged at their oars with a will. Pull, boys!” Tompkins cried, from his posi- tion at the steering-oar, - waving her handkerchief! That is a signal to the crew on board to fire up, ready to off. Pull—pull for your worth! “We must intercept them, if ible, before they board.” : The villagers did pull with a boat fairly leaped over the water. arose to bis feet, and raising _ ‘See! the woman is — will,and their - f Pe

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28 : The Ventriloquist Detective. d Tompkins had guessed the truth. The count- BEADLE AND ADAM®’ éss’s signal did peru eh see crew’s ph a anchor, and unbanking the slumbering fires for huge columns of smoke almost immediately STANDARD DIME PUBLICATIONS began to roll —. oe Sa gles \ ‘But, pull though they did, with almost super- human efforts, the purstiers were destined” not Speakers. to win. Gregg’s boat reached the steamer while | _ Each volume contains 100 large pages, printed the villagers were yet eight minutes distant, | from clear, open type, comprising the best collece and he and the countess clambered aboard. | tion of Dialogues, Dramas and Recitations. Then the steamer’s whistle gave a defiant shriek, | ,; The Dime Speakers embrace twenty-four volumes and the craft began to move away. As she di oa 2 ; i, American Speaker. 15, Komikal Speaker, 80; eae ere saw a, man suddenly leap over-) 9° National Speaker. 16. Youth's Speaker. board into the water. eect 3. Patriotic Speaker. 17. Eloquent Speaker. Pulling on, they came to him, just as he was} 4, Comic Speaker. 18. Hail Columbia Speak sinking for the ee time. 3 enn : {6.8 Ea iets thas . Humorous Speaker, 9, Serio-Comic er, Phe Hal Hartly, and he was mortally z Syaudard Speaker | Beloct 5 ake : A . Stump Speaker. 21. Funn eaker, He only spoke once after they pulled him | 9: Juvenile baedkar: . Joll Speaks aboard; it was to gasp out, faintly: ‘*Sho’s doomed! I’ve scuttled her!” then he ys age ; he Countess steamed away to sea, and was lost from view, and Captain Gregg the smug- gler was lost from the clutches of the law. What was the fate of the Countess is not definitely known, but she never again entered the port of Havre, nor wasa soul on board of her euer afterward seen. ; 2 The Philadelphia detectives who arrived the wext day found no one to arrest, as those on whom suspicion could justly rest had fled during the night. Susie and Hal Hartly received a respectable burial, at the. expense of Mr. Thornton; then, after paying Fritz as promised, the sum of five thousand dollars, the speculator set out for his western home, accompanied by his daughter, and by Griffith Gregg, who was to go back to ‘the scene of his crimes, for trial. With his reward money, Fritz immediately x veturned to Philadelphia, and soon after pur- chased an interest in a paying established busi- ness, where he may be seen ’most any day, when not on detective duty, or if he is out, bis pretty wife Rebecca will represent him. 10. Spread-Eagle Speaker 11. Dime Debater., 12, Exhibition Speaker. Sr 13, School Speaker. | 25. Burlesque Speaker, 14. Tmdicrous Speaker. These bodks are replete with choice pieces for the School-room, the Exhibition. for Homes, ete. 75 to 100 Declamations and Recitations in each book, 22 28. Dialect Speaker. 24. Recitations and Read+ Dialogues. The Dime Dialogues, each volume 100 pages, ener brace thirty-two books, viz.: Dialogues No, One, Dialogues No. Eighteen. Dialogues No. Two. Dialogues No, Nineteen, Dialogues No. Three.. |Dialogues No. Twenty. Dialogues No. Four. Dialogues No, Twenty-one. Dialogues No. Five. Dialogues No, Twenty-two. iy Dialogues No, Six. Dialogues No. Twenty-three, Dialogues No. Seven. Dialogues No. Twenty-four. Dialogues-No. Eight. |Dialogues No. Twenty-five. Dialogues No. Nine. Dialogues No. Twenty-six, Dialogues No. Ten. Dialogues No. Twenty-seven, Dialogues No. Eleven. |Dialogues No. Twenty-eight. Dialogues No. Twelve. |Dialogues No. Twenty-nine, Dialogues No, Thirteen, |Dialogues No. Thirty. Dialogues No. Fourteen. |Dialogues No. Thirty-one. Dialogues No. Fifteen, |Dialogues No. Thirty-two, Dialogues No. Sixteen. |Dialogues No. Pe ae Dialogues No.Seventeen | Dialogues No. Thirty-four, 15 to. 25 Dialogues and Dramas in each book. THE END. > fs P 3 Dramas and Readings. j BEADLE AND ADAMS’ 164 12mo Pages. 20 Cents. ve ‘ : For pehoclas Parlors, Ea ere and 4 Am: ateur e, comprisi rigina nor Dramas, Dime Hand-Books. Comedy, anaes Dress, Elatene Humorous Dialogue and Burlesque, by noted writers; and Recitations and Readings, new : nd standard, of the atest Manuals for Housewives. celebrity and interest. Edited by Prof. A. BM Russel) * unk ct : fey ethowseeg an ‘ a $ . Recipe Book, . Dressmaking an - ~. 8, Housekeeper’s Guide. linery. Hand-Books of Games., , Handbook ef Summer Sports. Lives of Great Americans. Book of Crequet. Yachting and Rowing. 1.—George Washington. | VIII.—Israel Putnam. Chess Instructor, Riding and Driving. ? Cricket and Football Book of Pedestrianism, Guide to Swimming. 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“THE Bee DIME SPHAKERS. ee Eaeh Speaker, 100 pages 12mo., vontaining from 50 to 75 piecam. Dime American Speaker, No. 1. Young America, - }|J. Jeboom’s Oration, Birthday of Washington, | A Dutch Cure, Plea for the Maine Law, | The Weather, ne oe Ue pera ae tse satis, e Italian Struggle, losophy App! 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Union and its Results, Ohio, Our Country’s Future, Oliver Hazard Perry, The Statesman’s Labors, | Our Dom: True Immortality, Systems of Belie?, Let the Childless Weep, | Tut Indian Chief, ' Our Country’s Glory, ne Independent Farmer Union a Household, rs. Grammar’s Ball, Independence Bell, How the Money Comes, The Scholar’s Dignity, Future of the Fashions, The eh les of Progress, | Loyalty to Liberty, A Christmas Chant, Our Country First, Last, Stability of Christianity, and Always, The True Higher Law, British Influence, _. The Onc Great Need, Defense of Jefferson, ; The Ship and the Bird, Nationa] Hatreds, Tecuwm seh’s Speech, Murder Will Out, Territorial Expansion, Strive for the Best, Marthé Hopkins, erly Rising, The Barhful Man's Story, of Kindness, The Matter-of-Fact Man, | Gates of Sleep, Rich aid Poor. 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A Song of Woe, Age Bluntly Considered, | Ward’s Trip to Richm’a, Early Rising, ‘aro The Wasp and the Bee, | ‘The Mountebank, Compound Interest, Comic Grammar, No, 1, I’m Not a Single ‘Man, A Sermon on the Feet, A. Ward’s Advice, Old a oc: Buzfuz on Pickwick. |The Fishes’ Toilet, Romeo ai.2 Juliet, Brian © Linn, Happiness, | Crockett to Office-seekes ; Dogs, o Is My Opponent? For. Political Stump i 8 A Texan Eulogium, Comic Grammar, No. 2, How to be a Fireman, Farewell to the Bottle, The United States, rk Leg, j Puff’s Ace’t of Himself, | The Smack in School, Practical Phrenology, Slick’s Definition of Wifg Beautiful, Tale of a Hat, Cabbage, The Debating Club, epee People. A Dutch Sermon, What is a Bachelor Like? | Lecture on Locomotion, Funny Folks, Mrs. Caudle on Umbr’lla, Dime Elccutionist, No. 5. SEC. I. Prrxcrerés or T’rve Envncration., Faults; in Enunciation; How to Avoid Them, Special Ruleg . and Observations, ee SEC. I. Tue Art or OraTorY. the Passions: Tranquillity, Cheerfulness, Sheridan’s List of Mirth, Raillery, Buffoonery, Joy, Delight, Gravity, Ins” si reteaty loxity, Pity, Grief, uiry, Attention, Modesty, Perplex! Hlelarichoty, ‘Despair, phate Shame, Remorse, oasting, Pride, Obstinacy, Authority, . Courage, a Forbidding, Affirming, Denying, Commanding, Difference, ) ing, Acquitting, Condemning. Teaching. Pardon: ing, Arguing, Dismissing, Refusing, Gra ‘ing, De. pendence, Veneration, Hope, re, 34/Ve, spect, Giving, Wonder, Admiration, @ratitude, Cu riosity, Persuasion, Tempting. Promising, Affeetc tion, Sloth, Intoxication, Anger, etc, SEO. I.. Tue Component ELEMENTS or an ORA u) * t ereeing, Exhorting, Judging, Approv» TIoN.—Rules of Composition as applied to Words — and Phrases, viz.: riety, TeS 0} ess, Unity, Strength. ‘ordium, the N; the Propositi LCS ae 5 y, Prop Precision. — Asapplied to Sentences, viz.: Length of Sentence, i f Speech; the ee eae

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THE DIME Bo’st. A *' Dialect,” Tn for the Railroad, Simon Short’s Son Sam, | Song of the Sink, Reckermeiber der Poor, | Case of young Bai Natural History Views, | The Illinois Accorabty, The Cart before the Horse | The Cannibal Man, To See Ourselves, Boss Bagshaw, Sorrowful Tale, Pretzel as a Soldier, The Loafer's Society, The Raccoo! It’s the Early Bird, ete., AS Childhooc Music, Sclineider’s Ride, On Lager Beer, Boy Suifrage, @©audle’s Wedding Day, | Gardening, (oe moat Maddow ae alt haat e Bes w in Pe mer Jones’ Testimony, Frequent Critters, By a Money Changer’s, Dime Youth’s Speaker, No. 16. A Oall'to the Field, A Drunken Soliloquy, To Retailers, The Work to Do, War, War to the Death, | To Labor is to Pray, Adjuration to Duty, The Successful Life, The Crusader’s Appeal, | Better Than Gold, A Boy’s Testimony, Seed-Time and Harvest, I Have Drank My » | Invocation to Cold Water The Spirit-Siren, ‘ow, (Learn, Rum’s Maniac, The Great Lesson to Life is What we Make it, | The Toper’s Lament, Taste Not God’s Liquor, The Evil Beast, Value of Life Work, Help = Accept the Situation,” The Hardest Lot of Al, | Died ot Whisky. The Curse of Rum, A Story with a Moral, The Two Dogs. SPEAKERS, How Freedom is Won, God Bless our States, Adams and Liberty, Looking Backward; Our Duties, Marion and His M Our Destiny, Liberty and Union, he American Flag, A Noble Plea, The True Union, Original Yankee Doodla, American bd tat Wolfe’s Address, Washington and Franklin | Watching for Montgom- Sink or Swim, The National Ensign, [ery The Buff and Blve, God Save the Union, REHD soy, | Real ie r Spy, e 22d of February, Lexington, New Englond’s Dead. Our Only Hope peall Re: ! Declaration 0: vend The True Hero, The Liberty. ges’ ence, | Old Ironsides, Washington’s Attributes, | Our Gifts to Histo f What We Are, Uncle Sam’s a Hundred, Our Great Trust, ‘ Centennial Oration. — Serio-Comic Speaker, No. 19. The American Phalanx, | The Little Orator, he Same, ape ash, The Old Canoe, Mr. 's New Version, Room at the Ops The eee Express, New England Weather, {| Morality’s Worst Enemy, Blnges. The Silent Teacher, Leedle Yaweob Straugs, |The Working Feople, A Fable, The Moneyless Man, The,Tramp’s Views, | Strike Through the Knot, oral Littleness, An Agricultural Address Yawcob Hoffeltegobble, | The New Scriptures, The Setting Sachem. The Trombone, Street 's Sermo Don’t Despond, Address to Young ies, | The Mill Cannot Grind, A Little Big Man, What Became of a Lie, « The Test of Friendship, | Now and Then, The Price of Pleasure; How Ub vos Dot for High, ur Grapes, Early Ri: = The Unwritten “ Claw," | Smart Boy's Opinion, se Ager, pe Venomous Worm, ‘ orn, Judge Not Thy Brother, | Up Early, The Dog St. Bernard, Not So hs The IT iberal Candidate, Dead Beat in Politics, A Boy’s Opinion of Hens, | War and Dueling, Good Alone are Great, Horses, A Protest, F The Great Napoleon, Excelsior, [ceision, 5 The Two Lives, Paddy's Version of Ex The Present Age; The Close, Hard Man, : At pew ecg Apples and Application Good-night, Old Scrooge, ered, 9 = Truth, Man, Generleally Conside The Funny Man, A Chemical Wedding Dime Select Speaker, No. 20. ec God, Now is the Time, Save the Republic, Exhortation to Patriot per Watches of the Night, He Is Spies Ghee eg abe Closi Ra a) Tision th Eb ales jp Tae rong an ht Road, ion the Keystone, — = An eras to Society, Scorn of Office, = be Barbara Freitche, Who are the Free, The Most Precious Gift, | The Ayam the Hill, tellectual and Mo’ How to Save the Republia anatopsis, [Power, | The Good Old Times, ew Era of Labor, Monmouth, Work of Faith, Hope, ADream,. ~ ‘oral Desolation, “9 La Dame Aux Camelias, | Self-evident Truths, Penalty of Selfishness, Lights Out, Clothes Don’t Make the The Last Man, [Man, Mind. Your Own Business My 4th o' July Sentiments My Esquimeax Friend. Storyof the Little Rid Hin My Castile in Spain, Shonry Schwartz, ‘The Indian’s Wrongs, Our i » Atdress to Yi |Beiseh Harbaritye” «| 8 Scout Buowe a ee let. my Pape 3 ~ Worl : Conscience the Best 2 om to Honor, ae The Lords of Labor, Early poets MYwe Pumpernieliel and eon Only a Tramp, [se Theo's Soll Pot me’s Soliloquy, * Find a Way or Mate Is, @ The M Hh i)

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BEST AUTHORS. '- & CHOICE COLLECTION OF Beautiful Compositions “Carefully a for ‘SCHOOL, LYCEUM, PARLOR, AND OTHER ENTERTAINMENTS, —e7 BY FRANCES P. SULLIVAN. / Issued Quarterly, June, 1886. Subscription, 50 Cents per Year. M. J. IVERS & CO, PUBLISHERS, A SB NASSAU STREBT, N.Y. Entered at the Post Office, Y. N., as second class matter,

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SMART TOASTS FOR THE SMART SET. Vest Pocket Size. 64 Pages. Sewed Book. Up-to-Date. By Mail, Postpaid, 12c. per Copy. BEST LINE OF HAND BOOKS PUBLISHED. “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, Introduc- tions, Dress, Balls, etc. FORTUNE TELLER.—Ffortune 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, Toilet, Kitchen, Larder, ete. . BOOK OF BEAUTY.—Beauty of Form, Color, Head, Hair, Complexion, Skin, ete., with chapters on Perfumes, Cosmetics, etc. BOOK OF VERSES.—Comprising Rhymes, Lines, and Mottoes for Lovers and Friends. . THE LOVERS’ CASKET.—A Treatise on and Guide to Friendship, Love, Courtship, and Marriage. “GERMAN” JOKER.—‘ Dutch” Jokes and “Gags” by best ‘* Dutch” ‘eams on the Stage. “HAYSEED” JOKER.—The Doings of “Our Country Cousins ” in a Humorous Way. “PRAMP”’ JOKER.—Good “ Handouts” in this Book for Professional and Amateur Entertainers. “COON” 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; ‘‘ Pat,’ ‘Alphonse,’ ‘“ Haus,” ** 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’ 5 CENTS PRICE 1 Dandy Bill's Doom. By Oll Coomes. 8 Kit Carson. By A. W. Aiken. 4 lillie, the Reckless Rider. By Stoddard. 5 Old Grizzly in the Rockies. 'y Ingraham, 6 Deadwood Dick asa Boy. By E, L. Whee:sr, 7 Wild Bill. By Ingraham. 8 The Prairie Ranch, By J. E. Badger. 9 Roving Joe. By A. H. Post, 10 ‘Yexas Jack. By Ingraham. 11 Charley Skylark, the Sport. B; 12 Brimstone Bill’s Booty. By J. 13 Roving Ben. By J. J. Marshall. 14 The Ticket-of-Leave’s Trick. By J. E. Badger, Jr. 15 Wide-Awake George. By E. Willett. 16 Wide-Awake Ned. By B. Ringgold. 17 Peter, the Dandy Greenhorn. By Noah Nuff. 18 Adrift on the Prairie. By Oll Coomes. 19 Joe, the Rover Sport. By A. H. Post. 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. 26 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. 82 Fancy Frank's Drop. By Ingraham. 33 The Boy Crusader. By Capt. F. Whittaker. H.B.£ »ddard, . Badge., Jr. LIBRARY. PER COPY. 34 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. 89 The Young Bear Hunters. By Morris Redwing. 40 New York Bill, the Dodger. By Edward Willeté, 41 The Settler's Son. By Edward &. Ellis. 42 Walt Ferguson’s Cruise. By C. D. Clark. 43 Rifle and Revolver. By F. Whittaker. 44 The Lost Boy Whalers. By ‘I’. C. Harbaugk.. 45 Bronco Billy, By Ingraham. 46 Dick, the Stowaway. By Charles Morris. 47 The Colorado Boys. By J. E. Badger, Jr. 48 The Pampas Hunters, By T. C. Harbaugh, 49 Nebraska Charlie. By Ingraham. 60 Jack, Harry, and Tom. By F’, Whittaker, 51 ‘Tom Stone, the Old Sea Dog. By C. D. Clark, 52 The Boy Detectives. By T. C. Harbaugh. 53 ae. 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 8, W. Pearce. 58 Captain Jack in Rocky Roost. By Ingraham, 59 Tim, the Mule Bov of the Mines. By Charles Morris, 60 The Young Trail Hunters. By Tl’. C. Harbaugh, 61 The Tiger Hunters. By J. E. Badger, Jr. 62 Doctor Carver, the Champion Shot. By Ingraham, 63 Black Horse Bill, the Bandit Wrecker, By Roger — Starbuek. . 64 Young Dick Talbot, By A. W. Aiken.

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THE Deciwiod Det @ Library @ LATEST AND BEST. HANDSOME TRI-GOLORED COVERS. 82 Pages. Issued Every Wednesday. Price 5 Cents. Buy One and You Will Buy the Rest | Kxtracts from the New York Evening Sun. TWO REMARKABLE in only one sense of the word can it be regarded asa aovel statement when the fact is here recorded that litera- iure 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 that will be news to many when it Is added that litera- sure, if traced from the dimly distant days when Adam was a mere child down to the present day, would show ‘but few heroes that in the eyes of boyhood would be sven judged worthy of comparison with the @vo greatest feroes 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 far behind In the race. It can be easily belleved, therefore, that the two Dicks @re so firmly engrafted on the tree of popular literature fer boys and young men, that thetr position is assured * * * and that they stand to-day head and shoulders MmEROES. above all rivals in the eyes or \he public for which they have lived, and for which one of them has died. American boyhood, and that is a tremendous factor in 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 hig 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 appears with the certainty of the Wednesday itself, and a new set on Ces thrills go thrilling away from Maine to Call ornia, There are the volumes each so crowded with thrills and heart-tugs that it were madness to hope to do justice to them collectively and rank injustice to discriminate be tween them, To abandon the idea of 4! ‘ing a few extracts canses tn- finite pain, but if once a s.art were made In that direc. 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 DICK LIBRARY. 4 Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road 3 The Double Daggers; or, Deadwood Dick’s Defiance 8 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 7 The Phantom Miner; or, Deadwood Dick’s Bonanza 8 Old Avalanche, the Great Annihilator; or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigand 9 Bob Woolf, the Border Ruffian 0 Omaha Oll, the Masked Terror; or, Deadwood Dick in Danger ‘a ies A ee Jr., the Boy Phenix; or, Through to eat i2 Deadwood Dick’s Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood Bar 18 Buckhorn 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 iv ccm pe Rob; or, Nugget Ned, the Knight of the Guile 18 Idyl, the Girl Miner; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand 19 Photograph Phil; or, Rosebud Rob’s Reappearance 60 Watch-Eye, the Shadow " Deadwood Dick’s Device; or, The Sign of the Double Cross - 22 Canada Chet, the Counterfeiter Chief 28 Deadwood Dick in Leadville; or, A Strange Stroke for Liberty % Deadwood Dick as Detective 25 Gilt-Kdge Dick 26 Bonanza Bill, the Man-Tracker; or, The Secret Twelve 27 Chip, the Girl Sport ; #8 Jack Hoyle’s Lead; or, The Road to Fortune #9 Boss Bob, the King of Bootblacks # Deadwood Dick’s Double; or, The Ghost of Gorgon’s Guleh #1 Blonde Bi!l; or, Deadwood Dick’s Home Base ® Solid Sam, the Boy Road-Agent 83 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 86 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 Rogues 44 Detective Josh Grim; or, The Young Gladiator's ame 45 ‘The Frontier Detective; or, Sierra Sam’s Scheme 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 gees eit Me Sentence; or, Little Luck at Rougk anc 52 The Girl Sport: or, Jumbo Joe’s Disguise 58 Denver Doll’s Device; or, The Detective Queen 54 Denver Doll as Detective 55 Denver Doll’s Partner; or, Big Buckskin the Sport 66 Denver Doll’s Mine; or, Little Bill’s Big Loss 57 Deadwood Dick Trapped 58 Buck Havk, Detective; or, The Messenger Boy’s Fortune 59 Deadwood Dick’s Disguise; or, Wild Walt, the Sport 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 68 ae ears Road-Agent; or, The Miners of Sassa ras City 64 Soles Charlie’s Detective Dash; or, The Cattle ings M. J. [VERS & CO., Publishers (James Sullivan, Proprietor), 379 Pearl Street, NEW YORK. a eT ae

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Copyright 1881-1887, by Beadle & Adams. Entered at Post Office, New York, N. Y., as second class matter. Mar. 15, 1899, THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK CO. No. 43 Cleveland, Ohio Vol. ry: > “VEL, PY SHIMMINY DUNDER!”’ WAS HIS EXCLAMATION, AS HE GAZED DOLEFULLY AROUND HIM, “‘OrF I DON’D VAS IN 4 FIX DEN I DON’D VANT A CENT.”

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Copyright 1881-4883, by Beadle. & Adams. Entered at Post Office, New York, N. Y., as second class matter. Mar, 15, 189% fh ‘ THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK CO, i INo. 43 Cleveland, Ohio 2 ‘ \ Vol. IVi _ “WEL, PY SHIMMINY DUNDER!”’ WAS HIS EXCLAMATION, AS HE GAZED DOLEFULLY AROUND SIM, ‘\ow® I BON’D VAS IN A FIZ, DEN I BON’D VANT A CENT,”

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. The Shawnee’s Foe. « 50 ‘ (he Young Mountaineer.-; 51. . Wild Jim. r 62 . Hawk-Eye, the Hunter. , 5 . The Boy Guide. . War Tiger of the Modoca ! 55 8. Iron Hand. “56. . Shadow Bill, the Scout. tps 10. Wapawkaneta, or the 57, . The Forest Avenger. . Hank, the Guide. 44, Brimstone Jake. . The Irish Hunter. (Sc. Per Copy. , The Red Modocs. Rangers of the Onelda. | (58. Davy Crockett’s Boy’ ' Hunter, 7 4559, 60 Old Jack’s Frontier ;} 61, Cabin. 6 On the Deep. ' 163. . Sharp Snout, i he Mountain Demon. 64, 17. Wild Tom of Wyoming. 65. The Brave Boy Hunters 66. of Kentucky. 67. . The Fearless Ranger. 68, . The Haunted Trapper. 69, | Madman of the Colorado. 70. The Panther Demon. T1, . Slashawny, the Fearless. oe Pine Tree Jack, . Indian Jim. 74, Navajo Nick. ue The Tuscarora’s Vow. an Desglwood Dick, Jr. 78 A New York Boy Among 79, the Indians, 80. Dendwood Dick’s Big 81. Deal. . Deadwood Dick’s Dozen. 4° 33. Squatty Dick. 8b. The Hunter’s Secret. 86 . The Woman Trapper, 87. . The Chief of the Miami. 98, . Gunpowder Jim, 89, . Mad Anthony’s Captain: 90. . The Ranger Boy’s Career. 91, . Old Nick of the Swamp. 92, . The Shadow Scout. 93 . Lantern-Jawed Bob. 94 . The Masked Hunter. Ee 97 48 49. Spider-Legs. BEADLE’ sale by all Newsdealers; Single copies, |5e. ARTHUR WESTBROOK CO. > . Harry Hardskull. Madman of the Oconto. : Sim Jim. ) . ger-Eye. : . The Red Star of the Seminoles. . Trapper Joe. The Indian Queen’s Revenge. Eagle-Eyed Zeke. Scar-Cheek, the Wild Half-Breed. Red Men of the Woods. . Tuscaloosa Sam. The Bully of gthe Woods. The Trapper’s Bride. Red Rattlesamake, The Pawnee, The Scout of Tippecance Old Kit, The Scout. The Boy Scouts. Hiding Tom. Roving Dick, Hunter, Hickory Jack. Mad Mike. Snake-Eye. Big-HBearted 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 Ike. 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. . Dave Bunker, 98. fy pang of ila St. Lawrence. nk Shawnee Witch, 99, Bloody Brook. f Bloke raves 100. Long Bob of Kentucky, BEADLE’S FRONTIER SERIES § FRONTIER SERIESiare always in print and for or will be sent postpaid to any address: CLEVELAND, OHIC

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Deadwood Dick e Library e 1 Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road 2 The Double Daggers; or, Deadwood Dick's Deflance 8 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 7 The Phantom Miner; or, Deadwood Dick’s Bonanza 8 Old Avalanche, the Great Annihilator; or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigand 9 Bob Woolf, the Border Ruffian 10 Omaha Oll, the Masked Terror; or, Deadwood Dick | in Danger 11 Jim ce Jr., the Boy Phenix; or, Through to Deat! 12 ollie Dick’s Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood ar 18 Buckhorn Bill; or, The Red Rifle Team 14 Cold Rifle, the Sharpshooter x 15 Deadwood Dick on Deck; or, Calamity Jane 16 ee Charlie, the Boy Bravo 17 ee Rob; or, Nugget Ned, the Knight of the 9 Guic! ,8 Idyl, the Girl Miner; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand 19 Photograph Phil; or, Rosebud Rob's Reappearance 20 Watch-Eye, the Shadow a1 al Dick’s Device; or, The Sign of the Double ross ” 22 Canada Chet, the Counterfeiter Chief 28 Deadwood Dick in Leadville; or, A Strange Stroke for Liberty % Deadwood Dick as Detective 25 Gilt-Mdged 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 80 Deadwood Dick’s Double; or, The Ghost of Gorgon's Qulch 81 Blonde Bill; or, Deadwood Dick’s Home Base ® Solid Sam, the Boy Road-Agent oO —=E—E—E—— LATEST AND BEST. HANDSOME JRI-COLORED COVERS, 82 Pages. Buy One and You Will Buy the Rest! ! For Sample Cover See @the1 Side. DEADWOOD DICK LIBRARY. a 83 Tony Fox, the Ferret; or, Boss Bob's Boss Job 84 A Game of Gold; or, Deadwood Dick’s Big Strike 85 Deadwood Dick of Deadwood; or, The Picked Party 86 New York Nell, the Boy-Girl Detective , 87 Nobby Nick of Nevada; or, The Scamps of the sierrad™ 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 Jeebel 42 ‘The Arab Detective; or, Snoozer, the Boy Sharp 43 The Ventriloquist Detective. A Romance of Rogues 44 Detective Josh Grim; or, The Young Gladiator's ame 45 The Frontier Detective; or, Sierra Sam's Scheme 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 ay sede Sentence; or, Little Tuck at Rough ANC! 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 58 Buck Hawk, Detective; or, The Messenger Boy's Fortune 59 Deadwood Dick’s Disguise; or, Wild Walt, the Sport 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 T : nti Ne Road-Agent; or, The Miners of Sassa- ras City 64 ee Charlie’s Detective Dash; or, The Cattle ings