Fame And Fortune Weekly (no. 1003) (1924 12 19)
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BOYS, READ THE RADIO ARTICLES IN THIS NUMBER DECEMBER 19, 1924 No. 1003 JA\ IVA} | mp. Price 8 Cents i STORES HOPS WAT WAKE NEY -~ or. THE BoY WHO HUSTL BY NEEL NDE on The train was pulling out of the station as Clifford Price darted out on the platform with Fleming and Monkton at his heels. “Stop him! Stop that boy!” roared Monkton. Clif darted for the last car and swung himself aboard.
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Read Page 24 for Radio News and_Hints. FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY Issued weekly Subscription price, $4.00 ps year! Canada, $4.50; Foreign, $5.00) Harry BR, Wolff, ager ane., 16¢ West 23d Street, New York, the Post-Office at New York, N. Entered as Second-Class Matter, October 4, 1911, Y., under the Act of March 3, 1879. f\ ID 25 192 No. 1003 NEW YORK, DECEMBER 1), 1924 Price 8 Cents. A CHASE FOR A FORTUNE OR, THE BOY yo HUSTLED By A SELF-MADE MAN CHAPTER I—The Heir of Beeching Hollow. “Look here, Cliff, aren’t you the heir to this property?” asked Walter Singleton, looking at his ehum very seriously, : “That’s a singular question for you to ask, Walt,” answered Clifford Price, in a tone of sur- prise. “Don’t you know I am?” “Well, I always thought you were, of course, since your mother died; but I heard your cousin, _ Howard Fleming, make a remark to one of his - eronies the other day that set me thinking.” “What did he say?” asked Clif, with more than usual earnestness. “Be said that when you came of age you might’ find considerable adifficulty in proving your right to inherit this property.” “My father bought this property many years '.ago, and expended considerable money improving it. When he made that unfortunate trip West which cost him his life this place had more than doubled in value.” “I believe your mother’s brother, Edward Flem- . ing, accompanied your father on that trip,” said Singleton “He did. But Mr. Fleming. was only a half brother of my mother’s. However, I know she always thought a great deal of ‘him, and placed ~ implicit confidence in him.” “She must have, for when he brought back the news of your father’s death she practically put him in charge of this estate.” “Well, she really wasn’t able to look after it ~ herself. She never was the same after father’s death. Ske grieved constantly up to the hour of her own death a) year ago,” replied Clif, soberly. _ “I understand that ver father left everything to your mother,” : ePhat’s right.” rs “And your mother died without making a will?” “No will was found. It may, however, still be in existence, for Mr. Goodrich, father’s lawyer, said he drew one for her, making me her sole heir. It doesn’t matter as Mr. Fleming did not put in any Ets aim for himself, The court appointed him my ~ guardian, and he gave bonds’ es gat sie : ischarge of wee , enthusiasm. “My. Fleming evidently regards you as the rightful heir.” . . “Of course. I don’t see why he shouldn’t.” “Then why should his son make such a peculiar remark?” “That’s what puzzles me.” “He must have some reason for it. He spoke in such a significant way that it instantly at- tracted my notice.” “Howard and I don’t pull very well toigether, so I dare say he’d like to see me done out of this property. But as the law clearly makes me the chief heir of my mother without a will, and as Mr. Fleming, who is her only living relative, has waived his claim to any part of this estate to which he may have been entitled, I can’t see what is to prevent my coming into possession when I reach my majority.” _ > “Nor I,” replied Singleton. “Well, ‘et’ s drop the subject. How are we going to amuse ourselves this afternoon?” “Suppose we go up to the Crow’s Nest, takifig. a rope with us, and explore the Devil’s Chimney. I’m just in the mood for such an adventure, and we might find that red pocketbook, with the valu- able diamond ring in it, accidentally dropped down there last summer by Mr. Fleming.” “Ym with you, Walt,” replied Cliff, with some “T like anything that has a spice of danger in it. There’s a long stout rope in our barn that will be just the thing for us to use. Tl go and fetch it and meet you at the gate.” “Hold on a moment,” said Singleton, as Clif started off. \ “Well?” answered Price, stopping. “Maybe we’d better not do it.” “Why not?” “J remember now that we were going to try and find that pocketbook soon after Mr. Fleming dropped it and he forbade you to make the at- tempt. In fact, if I remember rightly, he ordered you to keep away from the Crow’s Nest alto- ° gether. e said it was too dangerous a spot for you to go to. The Chimney is a matter of 200 feet deep, and he said a misstep might cost you, - your life, al 7 I don’t want to encourage you: to go © m : eae eee to mene es Ss wishes.” ‘ =
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2° - Pooh! I’m a year older now, and able to look out. after myself. I’ve always wanted to investi- gate the inside of the Chimney, and this afternoon is as good a time to do it as any other, if you’re game to go with me as you proposed.” “I’m game, all right, only: is “Don’t you worry about me going contrary to Mr. Fleming’s orders. He gives a good many orders that he hasn’t any business to do. With a strong rope of good length, well anchored around the base of the scarred pine tree near the mouth of the Chimney, there isn’t any particular danger to a pair of stout chaps like us, who are used to the rugged slopes in this neighborhood. Didn’t we climb up the Witches’ Ravine a few weeks ago, without any rope at all? When I told Mr. Fleming about it he never made a kick, although in many ways it’s a great deal more dangerous than the Chimney with a rope to rely on. Mr. Fleming rather encourages these expeditions of ours, with the single exception of the Chimney. He’s so violently opposed to that as to make me all the more eager to go there, if only to prove to him that we can go all through it without getting a scratch.” ; Singleton made no further objection. As a mat- ter of fact he was only too anxious to explore the recesses of the Chimney. The boys had been about everywhere in the rugged range of pictur- esque mountains which surrounded in horseshoe shape the village of Macedonia where they lived. Both were good looking, courageous lads, of eight- een years. Strong-limbed, active as cats, and with muscles hard as rock, acquired by constant excercise of outdoor sports and rugged expedi- tions among the mountain slopes and defiles, they were as well fitted to attempt the expedi- tion of the famous Devil’s Chimney as any’ moun- taineer, almost. from tackling the Chimney on account of Mr. Fleming’s injunction to the contrary. He told Clif that he could not afford to permit the heir - of Beeching Hollow to risk his life in any such madcap adventure. : : What would people think of him, he said, if he did so and anything serious happened to the boy? As the property would by law revert to him in casé of Clif’s death, would not gossip spread about ugly insinuations as to his object in-the matter? Of course it would, and his reputation was bound to suffer. Clif would have appreciated the apparently friendly interest in his welfare shown by his guardian but for the fact that Mr. Fleming made no objection to-his expeditions to the Witches’ Ravine, nor to several other wild and dangerous spots in the range. He could not quite understand just why Mr. Fleming put so much stress on the Chimney, and yet placed no prohibition on the other places. It was singular, to say the least, and it set the boy to wondering whether his guardian didn’t have some special reason, which he did not care to disclose, for wishing to keep him away from that particular part of the’mountain. The loss of the red pocket- book had caused Mr. Fleming a good deal of perturbation, and he had made many attempts to - pecover it from the recesses of the Chimney. Time - and again he had taken a man up there with a strong rove ladder and had made the descent him- % Hitherto the boys had refrained A CHASE FOR A FORTUNE self to various depths in an unavailing endeavor to find his precious wallet. : He had given out that the diamond ring it con- tained was not only valuable, but a priceless heirloom whose loss he regarded as a great mis- fortune. At the same time he discouraged the efforts of any outsider to look for it, on the ground that he regarded the search as altogether too dangerous, and because he claimed that he alone knew just where to hunt for it and hoped even- tually to find it. To still further dissuade a search, he refused to offer any. reward for its - recovery. Although Glif knew that his guardian would be angry with him for making any attempt to penetrate the mysteries of the Devil’s Chimney, even if he were so lucky as to find the pocketbook with its precious contents, yet he was nevertheless — determined to go there some time. : : Therefore he greeted Walter Singleton’s sugges- tion with avidity, and entered into the expedi- . tion that afternoon. with the utmost enthusiasm. Hardly had the two boys left the place where they — had been conversing, which was close to the hedge — that partially walled in that section of the garden — in the front of the Beeching Hollow mansion, than the head of another boy rose above the well- trimmed green border ing looked after them. This boy, who had been hiding within earshot of them, was Howard Fleming, Clif’s cousin. He was a - lad whose arrogant disposition and disagreeable — manners had rendered him as unpopular with the - servants of the place, as well-as the boys of the - nearby village of Macedonia, as Clifford Price was the reverse. He was not at all good looking, and in many respects was a sort of pocket edition of his father, Edward Fleming. He was instrud mental in bringing charges against most of the old servants with a view to their dismissal, but had failed in his ebject owing to the vigorous — protest of Clif, which carried considerable weight, as Mr. Fleming, for reasons, did not care to an- tagonize his ward—at least not at that time. Con- sequently there was no love between Clif and — Howard, — : ; The latter hated his bright, handsome cousin all the more on this account, though he was bitter- enough against him on general principles—the chief of which was that Clif was the heir to Beeching Hollow. Recently, however, Howard seemed to have other views concerning his for- tunate cousin, and these views afforded him a great deal of secret satisfaction, so much so that he had, been betrayed into making the singular remark to a particular friend of his which Walter Singleton had accidentally overheard, As he stood looking over the hedge behind which he had been for some time concealed, there was a sar-— donic look on his bilious countenance. sa “So, you heard what I said to Ned Barker, did you, Walter Singleton?” he glowered, with an ugly frown, “and you’ve repeated it to Clif Price. Well, much good may it do both of you. It’s the truth, all right. You'll never come into this prop- erty, Clif Price, if my father can help it, and I guess he fas the scheme almost cut and dried that will put a mighty big spoke into your wheel. — Yah! I hate you! I’d like to see you dead and buried in your family vault. Never mind, my turn is coming. One of these days I’ll own this - ~ NE Feo aks
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‘A CHASE FOR A FORTUNE 3. place instead of you. Then you'll be working for a living, like you ought to do, while I’ll be living on the fat of the land. That will be a glorious satisfaction,” and the youth’s face wrinkled into a disagreeable smile, and he rubbed his hands to- gether after the fashion of his father. “You two chaps are going up to the Devil’s Chimney, eh?” IT must tell my father at once. ~ “T hate you, too, Walter Singleton, and I’ll have _ revenge on you yet for the whipping you once gave me for interfering with Bessie Byron, who isn’t your girl, anyway.” Howard Fleming hur- ried away to find his, father. The gardener how- ever informed him that Mr. Fleming had just gone to the village on business. : How unfortunate!” exclaimed Howard, to him- self, with a nervous frown. “What’s to be done / now?” CHAPTER II.—Sent to His Death:. “The finest view in the State is to be had from this spot,” said ‘Clif to his chum, as they stood on the summit of Crow’s Nest and looked around them. Z 5 “You're right. That’s why a good many tourists ~ come here at: this"time of the year,” replied Sin- gileton. It was a clear, sunshiny afternoon in the ~ month of July, and all: nature was robed in her summer attire. On one side, three or four hun- dred feet below the spot, lay the village of Mace- donia, with Beeching Hollow a mile up the horse- - shoe curvature. direction, on a line with the two mountain spurs, gould: be seen the railroad station, on the C. & _ N. W. trunk road, one of the big American sys- tems branches at a dozen points to take one either ‘north or south. ' Almost at their feet was the yawning fissure in the range which went by the name of the Devil’s - Chimney. It was about two yards in width and perhaps three in length, at the opening, and it i i‘ was of unknown depth, though commonly rated at 200 feet, because it had been probed that far witha line and sinker. There was a sheer drop of thirty feet from the mouth to the first ledge, - but beyond that there appeared to be numerous, though precarious, footholds as far down as one could. see. The Chimney was known to contain many little caverns, in which adventurous vil- lagers had.at one time or another found old stone weapons and rude utensils of some aboriginal _ + tribe that had lived here im ages gone by.’ One of the, reasons why Clif and Walter wanted te explore the Chimney was because they hoped» x to secure some of those curiosities for their pri- vate museums. The boys wasted little time in ad- - MIniration of the landscape, for they were perfectly - familiar with it from every point of view.. 3 Singleton, as his friend threw the coil on thé - ground, “How far do you think it will reach?” _ “A hundred feet,” replied Clif. “That’s as far _-as we shall: want to go this afternoon.” Walter agreed with him, and they then proceeded to tie one end of the thin but strong rope around the trunk of the solitary dead tree that grew near he of the crevasse. es fea - “That will hold all right,” said Singleton, after A mile or more in the opposite’ _ “That’s a long line you’ve got there, Clif,”. said both had pulled on it with all their might. “Now to. prevent it fraying on the rocks at the edge of the Chimney, we'll fold up both our. jackets and lay it across them.” This was done and then Clif, taking. the lead, swung himself over the edge of -- the chasm, and slid down to the ledge, ten yards below. - “Come on, old fellow,” he sang out to Single- ton. Walter looked down, and seeing that all was clear for him to follow, swung off and was soon. standing beside his friend. Clif kicked the slack of the rope into the depths of: the Chimney and was looking for the easiest way to continue to des- cend when his chum stopped him. : “Let’s look all around here first for that red pocketbook.” he said, “All right,” answered Clif. “You take the first try and go to the left. Then J’ll go to the right when you're dene with the rope.” Every part of the narrow ledge. and all the fissures round about were carefully inspected for the missing wallet, but they didn’t find the least sign of it. “If you’re ready we’ll go on down and try to find one of these caverns,” said Clif. I'll ledd the way, and don’t you crowd me. We'll have to step from crag to crag very carefully. There’s a big bunch of bushes twenty feet or so below. We'll have ‘to avoid that as we go down.” ; “Say, Clif,” said Walter, as his chum was about to resume his downward course, “what’s this thing sticking in a erevice a couple of yard’s below us? “Whereabouts?” asked Clif; “There,” answered Singleton, pointing with his | - finger. e 5 . “I give it up. I'll have to swing off, slide down and look at it.” He-did so, and hanging in mid air, he put his hand into the crevice-in question and withdrew—the missing, but badly weather- stained, pocketbook. 2 *Hurrah!” shouted Clif, waving his hand and the wallet at his chum. “I’ve got it.” “Not the red pocketbook?” palpitated Walter in ~- some excitement. “Yes, the red pocketbook.” His triumphant ex- clamation reached other ears than those of his chum on the ledge above, Howard Fleming had reached the mouth of the Chimney a few minutes after the two boys had gone down. He saw the rope stretching from the tree and over the pair of carefully folded jackets into the depths of the chasm, and he knew that his cousin and Walter Singleton had begun the exploration of the cre- vasse. Crawling to the edge,of the opening he peered down and saw the. boys searching the vicinity of the ledge for the wallet. He knew that was what they were up to by their conver- sation. ; : “It won’t be well for either of you if you find it,” he gritted between his teeth, while his eyes ~ gigred balefully. “I’m not going to, have father’s scheme spoiled and all my own chances destroyed, not. if I can help myself.” 4 He watched Clif and Walter till they gave up the hunt, and then he breathed easier. .“They can’t find it. .Good. I didn’t think they -would, for father has searched every inch down there more than once. Now they’re going further down. If. Clif only, would lose his hold, fall and break S¥, | his neck he would be doing a good thirg _
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4 for me. I don’t expect any such luck, however. They'll look out for themselves, and as long as ‘they hold on to this rope they’re safe enough, I’ll be bound.” At that moment he heard Singleton call Clif’s attention to the object, sticking in the’ crevice below. Howard’s face turned a chalky white and his breath came thick and fast. Had they discovered the location of the wallet at last? His bulging eyes followed Clif’s descent and he saw him reach for the object in question. Then he heard his cousin’s gleeful ery, and knew in- ' stinctively that Clif had hold of the lost pocket- book. Almost beside himself with rage, Howard glared down and saw Clif swinging in the air . with something in his hand. “Yes, the red pocketbook,” came up his cousin’s words as plain as anything he had ever heard. “He’s got it!’ He’s got it! We'll be ruined when he opens it and finds out what’s inside,” hissed the young rascal, shivering as with the ague. “Oh, if the rope would oaly break, If it only would. “He stopped suddenly as a terrible thought flashed through his brain. Why shouldn’t it break if he wanted it to? He had a sharp penknife in his pocket and opened it. It would be an easy matter to sever a couple of strands, the rest would unravel under his cousin’s weight, and then—and then, nothing could save Clif. Without dwelling upon the fiendishness of his con- templated crime, Howard tore the knife from his pocket, opened it and hastily began to saw the rope. He looked around stealthily in a sort of guilty panic lest some one might come unobserved upon the scene and detect him at-his terrible work. He might have saved himself that trouble, for’ there was no one other. than himself and the two boys below within a mile of that airy spot. As he worked away with his knife he glanced down again, for he felt the rope shiver. “He’s coming up hand over hand,” he muttered. “He'll soon be safe, and the truth will come out. I must hurry.” He bore heavily on the blade of the knife. It had already penetrated one strand and was half through another. Now it went through the second. It is doubtful if his evil work was not already accomplished, for it looked as if the line was straining at the severed section to the breaking point. So desperately in earnest -was he that he couldn’t stop and trust to chance. He made a vicious cut with the.blade at the rope. With a sharp snap the rope suddenly parted. A terrible, despairing cry came up from the depths, followed by the sound of a body striking against some spot below and bounding off again. This was followed by a soft thud and a heavy rustling, and then all was quiet for Singleton’s horrified _ exclamation: “My heavens! The rope has parted and he has gone to his death!” CHAFTER III.—In the Devil’s Chimney. | His terrible purpose accomplished, Howard ~ Fleming lay upon the ground shivering from ‘freight. and excitement. As he looked at the severed end of the rope, and saw the clean cut edge, it occurred.to him that the condition of the rope was 4 incompatible with the presence. of the - self,” replied Clif, with a faint smile. Walter with a rueful look. — A CHASE FOR A FORTUNE jackets on the edge of the hole, and he drew the jackets back, thus burying the handle of his knife out of sight, so that it might appear that the rope had been severed by friction against the rock. It was a crafty move, but in working it out he only dug a pitfall for himself that was to bring the guilt. of the transaction home to his guilty soul. His open knife, with particles of the hairs of the rope sticking to it, and with his initials en- graved on the handle, lay unthought of under the clothes. Trembling and unmanned, he rose to his feet, and with a shuddering glance at the mouth of the Chimney, he reeled from the spot. In the meantime, Singleton, after bemoaning the loss of his chum, and peering down into the crevasse for some sight of his body in vain, began to consider how he was to get out of the Chimney and return to Beeching Hollow to tell the bad news, The rope having been severed at the brink of the opening, he was completely cut off by a wall of rock thirty feet high. There was no way of scaling it from any point. 2 An hour passed slowly away, the sun declin in the west, and still Singleton stood moodily watching the creeping shadows gathering around the upper part of the Chimney. Suddenly he heard a sound from below. It went through him like an electric shock. He could have sworn that it was the voice of his chum whom he had given up for dead. “Hilloa!- Are you there, Walter?” “Great. Scott!” cried Singleton, “It’s Clifl That’s his voice. Can it be that his spirit is call- ing to me from the depths to come and meet him?” “Hilloa! Hilloa! Walter!” It was a very life- like hail—not at all like a ghost. — hgh “My gracious! That is surely Clif’s voice. Can he have escaped after all?” He sank to his knees and peered down into the depths of*the Chim- ney. “Hello, yourself!” he shouted. “Are you there, Clif?” From a spot but twenty feet below came back the answer. . ; } “Yes. I’m down here in the bushes.” Walter looked in that direction and saw his chum’s face, streaked with blood, sticking right out of the mass of bushes that projected from the inner side of the crevasse. vie “Are you badly hurt?’ asked Walter, in a tone of much concern. : ay “No, I don’t think so,” replied Clif. Aono “That’s good,” said Singleton, thankfully, “Can you come down here?” asked Clif. « ae: “Yl manage to do it somehow,” returned his — friend. Slowly and with great caution he made his way down to the edge of the bushes. i “Shake, Clif,” he said, earnestly. “I never was — so happy in my life before as I am to know that — you’re alive after that fearful fail you had.” “T’ve been wondering just why I am alive my-. “These — pitched nie into a kind. — bushes broke my fall, and of cavern behind.” : “Js there a cavern there?” some astonishment. : Yes.” 4 te “How are.we to get out of this place?” asked » Walter, in bas
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“A CHASE FOR A FORTUNE 5 ~ “You mean out of the Chimney?” “Ves.” é “Well, we can’t very well go up, so I suppose we must go down instead, and try to find our way out. I’ve got hold of about eighty feet of the line, from the point where it broke.” “It’s curious how it came to snap off. — It seemed strong enough when we both tested it, Do you suppose it snapped close to the tree?” “No, I don’t. It would have been frayed at the end if it had. It looks just as if it had been cut through by a sharp knife. Look,” and Clif held it out to him. “There was light enough down there for Single- - ton to examine the severed end of the rope. “It does’ look as if it had been cut by a knife. Our jackets must have slipped somehow and a sharp rock probably did the damage, It parted on the edge of the opening.” “T don’t know but you are right, Wait. Well, step into these bushes. We'll take a look around this cavern behind me and see what’s to be seen. We might as well do that as anything else.” Singleton agreed with his chum, and stepping into the bushes sank up to his armpits in the yielding mass. ; ‘Now, follow nv,” said Clif, sinking out of sight. _ ~ Walter did so, and found himself in a hole that Was as dark as the fabled caves of Erebus. , CHAPTER IV.—The Way Out.. : “As they expected to explore some of the caverns that opened oif the Chimney crevasse the boys had come prepared for that purpose. Hach had a - small collapsible dark lantern, that could easily _ be carried in their pockets. These they produced and lighted, and with the slide drawn back, throw- ing a two-inch buil’s eye circle of light, they _ started forward to investingate the subterranean hole in the mountain range. It extended about one hundred feet straight ahead, and from its general aspect it looked to the boys as if human hands had assisted nature’s work by enlarging it to its present size. At the extreme end was a pile of debris, where ~ a portion of the roof had caved in. “JT guess we can’t go any further,” said Clif, flashing his lantern over the pile of earth and stone. “ _ “No, we’re blocked,” replied Singleton. “I don’t believe there was any more of it, anyway. The rear of the cavern hag simply fallen in.” And while they worked they talked about the _ chances of a rescue from their peculiar situation. “J don’t believe there’s any use monkeying with this pile of stuff any more,’ said Singleton at length. “There don’t seem to be anything: here _ but stones and dirt.” _ . As he uttered the words Clif, in reaching for a good sized stone, lost his balance and his arm shot clean through the hill of debris. _ “There must be a hole there,” he said, as he re- covered his feet. of it.” be ib : 3 Singleton took hold again and the boys soon ered a dark, tunnel-like excavation, running - op ae oP CTENS ptt “Help me to clear the way. out - pt “You wait here, Walt, and I’ll crawl up and see where it goes to,” said Clif, as he got down on his hands and knees and disappeared into the hole. Flashing his bull’s eye lantern about he crawled ahead up a gentle declivity that seemed too natu- ~ ral to have been fashioned by the hand of man. “Looks to me as if an underground mountain stream ran through here once upon a time,” he said to himself. He found places, however, that showed the im- press of rude tools, as if its width had been in- creased to correspond with the rest of the tunnel. “J. really believe this passage was used by the Indians as a back entrance to the tave. If so I may be able to find the outlet. somewhere near the top of the mountain,” said Clif, as he pushed ex- pectantly forward. The passage took a sudden turn to the left after he had penet¥ated a matter of sixty feet, and a moment later he found the end blocked up. As his heart sank with a thrill of disappointment he dis- covered that it was merely a mass of bushes that lay before him. The obstruction was so thick, however, that it cut off all the rays of light from the outside. Clif took out his stout jackknife and hacked away at the stuff until after forcing his way through the first barrier he began to see light shimmering through the underbrush. At last the hole ended abruptly and he found himself in a dense thicket. Rising to his feet he found, with a sense of great thankfulness, that he was | actually in the outer air, somewhere at the top of the mountain. His first impulse was to continue his progress to complete freedom, but the thought occurred to him that in such a complex mass of dried vegetation he might lose track of the mouth of the underground passage, and thus be unable to return to his companion with the good news, Walter to follow him instead of remaining behind. He was sorry now that he had not suggested to Walter to follow him while he was in the cave. There was nothing for him but to return and. lead Walter up to the egress. So he pushed his way back into the passage, and hurriedly retraced his steps. He found Walter impatiently awaiting his return. ; “Where have you been so long?” asked his chum. “I was just about to come after you and see whether some new misfortune had happened: to you.” ; - “I wish you had followed me, for nothing but good luck attended me.” “Good luck, eh! What do you mean by that?” asked Singleton, curiously. “T mean that this passage leads right to the top of the mountain.” eres “Tt does! Hurrah for that! getting out then.” “Come on.” : Let’s lose no time he mouth of the Chimney,” ft by r Sys? haette ‘Let’s get our jackets and) ¢9,” 8 uid Clit, ah sg
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6 A CHASE FOR They made their way there, and saw the end of the severéd line lying upon their clothes. “I don’t see how our jackets could have slipped back’ so far from where I placed them,” said Walter, looking down at the folded pile in some perplexity. : “Nor I,”*answered Clif, looking down and. pick- ing his jacket up. Singleton followed suit and then both boys saw Howard Fleming’s open knife. Walter picked it p. “That doesn’t, belong to me,” he said. “Jt jsn’t mine,” said Clif. “It looks like my 2ousin’s.” “Your cousin’s!” exclaimed Walter in some sur- prise. “What is it doing here?” “Ask me something easier,” replied Clif. “Tt is your cousin’s,” said Walter. “Here are his initials on the plate. «Say, look at those fibers on the blade,” he added suddenly. Clif looked at them, and then the boys glanced at each other. The same disquieting thought had struck both on the instant, Singleton stooped down, snatched up the end of the rope and ex- amined it. “T hate almost to say what I think; but it seems to have been cut by something sharper than a rock.” He got down on his hands and knees and care- fully looked the edge of the rock over. There was not a single fiber of rope clinging to it. “There isn’t a sign of the rope having been frayed by the rock,” he said with solemn earnest- ness. “What do you think about it, Clif?” “J’@ yather not say,” replied Clif, with a chill of horrible suspicion at his heart. = “You don’t think that your cousin followed us up here and deliberately cut this rope at the mo- ment you were hanging to it, do you?” d “No, I can’t believe that he would be guilty of such a crime,” said Clif, with a shudder. “Well, perhaps not; but I never liked nor trust- ed Howard Fleming, and there is not a particle of doubt but your death would be of great advant- age to him.” “How?” “Why his father would succeed to the Beeching Hollow property, and in due time Howard himself might expect to become it’s owner.” “St ’ “T never thought of that,” replied Clif, in a hushed tone. CHAPTER V.—Father and Son. - ‘Slowly and almost silently the two boys walked down the mountain side to the valley below. Neither was in the humor for conversation. It was almost dark by the time they reached a side gate on the Beeching Hollow property. “Well, old man, I’ll see you to-morrow,” said Singleton, with very little of his customary cheer- - fulness. “Come over eatly, Walt. I may want to have a serious talk with you,” replied Clif. “T}] be over at nine,” was the reply, and then the chums parted. : - . ~ As Clif was passing close to one of the partly . open windows of the sitting-room he heard his narta mentioned in the room hv the voice of as +5 : . por en A FORTUNE ~*~ / ; a Howard Fleming. Curious to learn if he was the subject of the conversation going on inside between his cousin and Mr. Fleming, Clif stopped and listened. ; : “What’s that you say?” he heard Mr. Fleming exclaim in an agitated tone. “Clifford Price has fallen down the Devil’s Chimney?” 3 “Yes, father,” replied Howard, tremulously. “He did.” frag tag “How do you know?” demanded Clif’s guardian, pausing before his son, and gazing sharply into his face. ; : “T saw him.” “How came both you and Clifford at the Devil’s Chimney? I have repeatedly warned him to keep away from that spot, and he is not.a boy that usually disobeys my commands.” “Walter Singleton induced him to go there to hunt for your lost pocket-book.” “Ha! Indeed!” 4 “As soon as I found what they were going to do I looked for you to let you know about their intentions. When I learned that you had gone to the village I determined to follow them to the Chimney to see what luck they would have. Clif — feund your missing wallet.” ne “Clifford found my pocket-book?” exclaimed Mr. Fleming incredulously. “Why, I have ex-~ — amined the Chimney walls to the depth of at | least sixty feet and saw no sign of it.” “Clif was hanging to the rope when I saw him pick the wallet out of the crevice and hold it up to Walter in a triumphant way. I knew then | that something would happen as soon as he opened that pocket-book and looked into it. He would find a paper which in his“possession would ~ queer all your: plans to get possession of the fortune that rightfully belongs to him, As your — loss would be mine as well, .I was mad with rage. I wished that something might happen to him then and there. I wished the rope would _ break——” oe “Yes, yes,” said Mr. Fleming feverishly. “Well, the rope did break.” ats “Howard,” said Mr. Fleming in a changed — tone, that trembled in spite of his efforts to steady it, “did that rope break of itself, or did you-——” “Did I what?” replied Clif’s.cousin, in a choked _ voice. ; “Did you make it break?” Zs ig “How could I make it break?” the boy asked — doggedly. “You might have worked it back and forth =m against the sharp edge of the rock.” “With ‘him hanging to it?” “Or you might have——” ee «Might have what?” 4 ks “Cutt” : P ss “Do you take me for a fool, father?” replied Howard, almost sneeringly. . EE “No. Your words and actions prove other- | “career of a P
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A CHASE FOR A FORTUNE et -I deplore his loss, I cannot but feel that it was for the best.” “Sure it was—for us,” replied Howard, flip- pantly. “Death often comes like a thief in the might ty rob us of our most cherished friends,” con- tinued Mr. Fleming, without noticing his son’s ill-advised=remark. “We are here to-day, and to-morrow we are gone’to that bourne whence no _ traveler returns. It is very sad to think that a noble boy——” “Oh, drop it, father,” said Howard, impatiently. “What's the use of trying to pull the wool over my eyes? I know you like a book. [ve helped you to get rid of an obstacle in your path. In- - stead of talking nonsense you ought to be thank- ing me for my efforts in your behalf. The only unfortunate part about the matter is that the pocketbook went down with him. We shall never be able to recover it now. The paper which is of so much importance in locating a-fortune is ~ lest for good now, and all we shall have is this property, which isn’t so very valuable when com- _ pared with what it was expected that Chit might inherit.” Mr. Fleming made no attempt to reprove his son for his disrespectful language, but walked up and down *the floor several times without _ speaking. At that moment the hall door bell rang in the kitchen entry, and a few minutes afterward the servant announced a visitor to see - Mr. Fleming. “Who is it, Jane?” asked the acting master of the house. “He said his name was Elliot Monkton, sir.” “Who?” gasped Mr. Fleming, turning almost - white to the lips. “Elliott Monkton, sir.” “What’s the matter, father?” asked Howard, , observing the strange effect the name had on his parent. . “Nothing,” replied Mr. Fleming, hoarsely. “Show the gentleman in, Jane. Howard, I shall have to ask vou to retire. I have. private busi- / ness with this man.” CHAPTER VI.—Mr. Fleming’s Visitor. Howard, in obedience to his fathers command, deft the room. Nevertheless he was determined to overhear the interview if he could do so, for sis curiosity was raised to the highest pitch. The partly open window suggested the means of — accomplishing his object. He ran out of the side - door and hastened to the desirable spot. Clif heard his approaching footsteps when it was too late to make his retreat unobserved, and he - erouched down in the bushes, hoping that Howard - would pass on. Instead of which his ‘cousin came directly toward him. ~ There was no way to avoid the meeting, so ‘Clif rose up suddenly right in front of him, hop- ‘ing that the surprise would enable him to get. a out of the dilemma. The effect produced was . ore than Clif had calculated on. The moment ‘Howard’s of the boy he believed he had murdered he eoered back with a low ery like. that of a ted animal. 'S gaze rested on the dimly seen features - ‘Then ee threw his arms wildly = into the air and fell forward on his face in a swoon. Clif bent over him and saw that he was cuite insensible. ie shock of seeing me was too much for im,” guilty conscience is its own accuser.” Clif raised-him in his arms and carried him around to the side porch and propped him up against the trellis work. He returned to his former post under the window because he in- stinetively believed that he would hear some- thing more about himself. The visitor had been introduced into the sit- ting-room and had taken the chair near the win- dow lately vacated by Howard Fleming. “Well, Mr. Fleming,” he remarked with a short ‘laugh, “aren’t you glad to see an old friend like me?” “What brought aay here, Elliot Monkton?” was Mr. Flemin#’s reply. “A lack of ready money. There you have it— short and to the point.” “What have I got to do with your financial condition?” asked Clif’s guardian a bit uneasily. “A great deal. when it happens that I look upon you as my banker,” replied Monkton, coolly. “IT owe you nothing, sir.” “Don’t you?” with a sareastic laugh. “What a shockingly bad memory you have, Edward Fleming. Now, on the contrary, I have a good memory. For instance I recollect with remark- able clearness a little job I did for you in the expert penmanish line—a bogus will——” “Hush! Would you ruin me, Elliot Monkton?” cried Mr. Fleming. “Not at all. It’s the last idea in my mind to injure the goose that is able to lay an occasional golden egg for my benefit.” ~ “T see your object. You propose to blackmail me,” said Mr. Fleming, bitterly. “Blackmail you! That’s an ugly word. Sup- pose we boycott it. I merely called upon you to solicit a loan as I am hard pressed for means to meet life as a gentleman should.” At that moment a bell rang in the corridor outside the dining+room. “T suppose that. means dinner,” said Monkton, “T won’t detain vou. I can wait here till you are through. I’ve had mine.” “No,” replied Mr. Fleming, “T’d prefer to fin- ‘ish this. interview at once.” “Just as you please,” replied his visitor, non- chalantly. “What do you want?” “T told you—money.” “I was under the impression I had paid you well for executing that will and attending to such other matters as the death of Grantley . Price made necessary,” said Mr. Fleming, coldly. “I won’t deny it. You did the right thing then. But you see when a man is strapped char- ity begins at home. It is human nature to press an advantage when you have it at your beck and eall. I aided and abetted you to commit a- felony. We are both in the same boat. My end of the boat looks shaky, so I look to you to he me through.” “And suppose I “What then? as ee aoe: Je oe have no real hold: -on- “me. efuse? What then?” Said the heir of Beeching Hollow. “A. y you wouldn’t be so soaltelsy 3 Your .
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eee 3 A CHASE FOR word alone against mine would amount to noth- ing to court or out of .it.” “That’s right,” replied Monkton chesetdls bal ae, that from the first, so I provided against it. “How, may I ask?” asked Mr. Fleming, sneer- ingly. “What became of the real, genuine, simon-pure will drawn by Grantly Price, leaving everything of which he died possessed to his son, Clifford Price, with a life interest only to his wife, who I understand has since died?” “Why, it was destroyed, of course.” “Tt was—I don’t think,” laughed Monkton. “What do you mean? -I saw it destroyed with my own eyes. Do you think I was a fool to take any chances with it?” “Well now, I had an idea that that will was in my possession.” “You must be erazy.” “Not that I am aware of,” replied Monkton, blowing a cloud of smoke from his lips, and then flicking a bit of ashes from his trousers. “Look here, Monkton, I can’t see what you’re getting at. You were in the room and saw me apply a match to the original will. Together we watched it burn until it was reduced to a charred mass. You know that as well as I do.” Elliot Monkton laughed. “T believe I had the real will in my possession for a whole night for the purpose of imitating Mr. Price’s signature-on the bogus will.” “You did. What of it?” “This much. As I always keep an eye to the windward—meaning that I never lose sight of my own interest in any transaction I engage in—I took the precaution to make an exact copy of the original will, and sign it with a facsimile reproduction of Grantley Price’s name. This I afterward returned to you in place of the original, and you destroyed it exactly as you say you did. { kept the real will thinking that you might recognize its value when I got hard up. Well, I’m hard up now. I have called to’ get a loan on the strength of the original will. There, you have the whole matter in a nutshell,” said Monk- ton, complacently. “You scoundrel!” hissed Mr. Fleming, livid with anger and fear. ’ CHAPTER VII—Monkton Makes A Proposition. “Thanks,” said Monkton. He put his hand in an inner pocket and drew out a legal looking paper. He epebed it and held it up to the light. “Are you satisfied?” he asked, Ghee return- ing it to his pocket. “T am—that you are » soulless rascal. ed you squarely, but you framed me.” aS haven’t done a thing but ask you for some money.” “How much Yo you want once and for all for that paper?” “That document is not for sale—at least not I treat- _ yet,” replied Monkton, throwing the butt of his cigar into the cuspidor, “Your purpose then-is to subject me to a steady - drain at such intervals as suit your purpose.” “My purpose at present is to raise a loan on es hak ais ae ¥ ’ Mr. = FORTUNE ide paper of one thousand dollars—the security, however, will remain in my hands.” “You talk as if I was made of money,” said Fleming, angrily. “I am not the owner of Beeching Hollow, nor have I any right to touch a cent of the funds in bank except for the good of the young heir.” Monkton pulled on his mustache reflectively. “After all this property is a meré bagatelle compared with the turquoise mine discovered by Grantley Price.on his Arizona ranch, the title of which you have probably long since recorded in your own name,” he said, with a cunning’ look. “Unfortunately I have: not yet recorded it,” replied Mr. Fleming. “Oh, come now, you can’t expect me to swallow that,” answered Monkton, jeeringly. “I prepared a forged deed of that ranch for you. All you had to do was to go to Tucson and have it recorded. The property and the mine became yours. You are not a man to dilly dally with such a fortune as that.” “T might have done it, it is true, but I deemed it prudent to wait until my half-sister, the widow, died. I judged she could not long survive her husband.” “Even so,” said Monkton, cheerfully. “Mrs. Price has been dead a year. You have had lots of time to do the business.” “T admit it, and intended to file it within | a month after her funeral.” “Well, didn’t you?” “No. ” “Why not?” asked Monkton, with a mixture of astonishment and incredulity in his tone. “Because I lost the deed.” “You lost that deed?” “T did. Together with the paper Ansett: the location of the mine.” “What are you ofiving me, Fleming? think I’m a softy? “Um telliay tne truth. I had them in a red pocketbook that I always carried about with rhe. One day I was up on the mountain yonder with - Do you a party of friends showing them a deep crevasse _ called the Devil’s Chimney, I took out my pocket- | book to get a card when one of the ladies jostled my arm and the wallet dropped into the yawning hole. That, was a' year ago. Since then I have made several ineffectual attempts to find it. Now you know why I did not file the paper.” “It looks to me as if I’ll have to take a hand in its recovery,” said Monkton. ’m a pretty clever hand at mountain eee. We'll get a et a 260-foot rope, and I’ll go down into that hole — and search for your pocket-book, provided, of course, that you guarantee me a suitable reward.” — “What do you call a suitable reward ?” “A quarter interest in the mine.” “You don’t ask much.” S “Tsn’t it worth that for me to find your po¢ket- book? I'll throw that into the bargain.” “T’ll consider your proposition. morrow morning and you shall have my answer.” “All right, Fleming, I'l] be on hand. In the © x meanwhile Pll touch you for a hundred, as a sort — of guarantee of good faith. When I restore you | your pocketbook I shall want $500 more. Then ~ we'll go to Tucson together. You can record _ your conveyance, and make out another 1 RY POR a Come here to- | Besides, you shall have the original will. _
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A CHASE FOR A FORTUNE 9 for a quarter interest. When it is in my hand the will is yours, and I will never worry you any more: I think I’ve made you a very fair offer.” “You shall have the hundred dollars, and we'll prob®bly come to an agreement to-morrow. I will get the money for you in a few minutes.” Mr. Fleming left the room and in five minutes returned with the bills which he handed to his former confederate in crime. “* “Thanks. You'll see me in the morning.” Monkton rose and Mr. Fleming saw him to the front door, after. which he went to his belated dinner. CHAPTER VIII.—What Clif Finds In the Red ; Pocketbook. Although it was now eight o’clock in the even- ing, and Clif hadn’t had anything to eat since he ate a light luncheon at one, the boy did not feel hungry. The discovery of his guardian’s duplic- ity, and the knowledge that his cousin had de- liberately tried to murder him that afternoon, de- pressed him to such an extent as to rob him of his usually healthy appetite. As soon as he saw that the interview between Mr. Fleming and his visitor was over, he entered the house by a side door, hoping to escape observation, and went up to his room. .- *He immediately opened the wallet. From one of the compartments he drew out two legal docu- ments tied together with a rubber band. The first Clif opened proved to be a deed, duly record- ed in the clerk’s office at Tucson, Arizona, of a- certain 200-aere ranch, fully described as per surveyor’s map on file in said county clerk’s office, located in the foothills of a detached portion of the Sierra de la Santa Catarina mountain range, in Pinal County, and purchased by Grantley Price from Philip Aroyaz, two years since, for the sum of $2,000, the receipt of Which was duly acknowl- edged. : . The second document was a deed of the above- mentioned property, unrecorded, by which Grant- ‘Jey Price transferred all his right and title there- in for the sum of one dollar, to Edward Fleming. From what the boy had overheard of the conver- sation between Mr. Fleming and Elliot Monkton, Clif knew that his father’s signature on this. . paper was forged. _ “Mr. Monkton is a clever penman, I must say,” he muttered. “for if I hadn’t learned to the con- trary I would be willing to swear that that really was my father’s signature.” He read the original deed over carefully, but found not the slightest clue to the existence of a turquoise mine in it. is «T remember that father wrote mother that he kad purchased this ranch, but he did not say ~ anything then about having discovered a tur- - quoise mine, either on the property or. elsewhere. Mr. Fleming told mother that father sold -the -ranch.at a small profit just before he was taken oe and of course mother took his word for it. It is clear that Mr. Fleming intended to cheat us out of this property, just as he contemplates to Swindle ‘me out of Beeching Hollow, if he can. = ” _ down with the illness which ended in his death, . ‘drel Mr. Fleming is! After what I have learned I guess he will find his work eut out for him. Let me see what else there is of value to me in this wallet. Mr. Flem- ing said that it contained a paper showing the exact location of the turquoise. mine. I am anxious to find it.” ie *t The next compartment he examined was full of memoranda of no interest to Clif, and he re- turned them to their receptacle. The last com- partment in the pocketbook was covered with a flap: that fitted so-nicely jas :to almost escape detection. In faet Clif would-have overlooked it but that he subjected the long wallet to the closest kind of inspection in order to try and find the paper descriptive of the turquoise mime. Rais- ing the flap he'saw several vapers inside the se- | ' eret compartment. The first he nulled out was the very paper he was in search of. It was a rough diagram of the ranch, With a heavy cross at a certain spot, toward which arrowheads, with attached figures in red ink, pointed. Several explanatory foot- notes at the bottom of the drawing made the diagram easysof comprehension. Clif) soon made out that the cross was the entrance to the mine, and that the figures showed. the distances to be measured, and the arrowheads the angles to be followed, in order to arrive at the right spot. “There ought to be no trouble in finding that mine with the help of this paper,” he said to Pegs “Tt as as plain as the nose on one’s ace, si ; \ He pinned this important paper to the original ‘deed bearing the signature of Philip Arovaz, and then turned his attention to the other papers in the secret compartment. He was rather startled at what he found. The first paper was the death- bed statement of one William Tooker, attested by a notary of New York City, and dated six months since. It purported to show that the said Tooker was an old college chum of Grantley Price, and the real father of Clifford. The dying man said that about fifteen years previous, being in danger of arrest on a charge of embezzlement, — and on the eve of sailing for Australia in order to escape from America and begin life anew in the antipodes, he had persuaded his old friend Price to adopt his little motherless son, Clifford, then three years old. Pinned to this statement was a brief letter, apparently in Grantley Price’s handwriting, and with his facsimile autograph appended, which stated the conditions agreed to . by Tooker, under which he was willing to adopt - oe Hes in question, and bring him up. as his own d. 5 : This letter was dated at the time of the alleged adoption, fifteen years since, and was deeply creased in its folds, stained and discolored by time, and on its face seemed to furnish conclusive proof of the dying statement made by William Tooker. Clif drew along breath after he had read both documents. They seemed. so real as’ almost to convince him of their truthfulness. But a moment’s reflection assured him that these documents were simply a part of the plot ert a loaee concocting since ‘his rs death to bring about his disi itance. — “Great Scott!” he exclaimed. earpiece 2 } ‘There ‘isn’t much to choose between him and his son. They are both ianbae “What a scoun-
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10 glove in this conspiracy to defraud me. Howard, however, seems to be more impatient to get at results than his father. Evidently he figured that my death would be the shortest, as well as the surest, road to the end in view. And I guess he was right.” Clif picked up the bogus deed and was about to tear the three menacing documents into frag- ments when it occurred to him that it might be better to save them. “JT must see Mr. Goodrich,-father’s lawyer, and tell him what I have learned. 1 will hand him these forged papers as evidence of my story. I will tell him of the attempt made on my life by my “cousin. Howard, and hand him the knife “J picked up under my jacket at the mouth of the Chimney. Walter will corroborate me in this. Then it will be up to Mr. Goodrich to de- cide whether Mr. Fleming and his son can be brought to book for their unnatural conduct to- "ward me, and whether the Court can be induced to appoint a new guardian for me. If we could manage to induce this man Monkton to turn against Mr. Fleming, the matter would be easy; but I am afraid this is too much to hope for. Monkton is too big a scamp to be persuaded to do an honest action—that is unless it was made worth his while. Money would buy him, I have no doubt, but I have no means of raising it. Stop! Suppose I were to go out to that ranch, mine by rights, locate that mine and work it on the quiet. I might be able to realize enough from the rough turquoises to be able to raise a sum sufficient to win the rascal over. It’s a good idea, and I'll suggest it to Mr. Goodrich. I might better go there, anywhere in fact, than stay at Beeching Hollow at the probable risk of my life. Perhaps I could get Walter to go with nfe. I know he’ll be glad to go if he could get his father’s permission.” Full of his new plans Clif determined to leave the house at once, if he could do so without at- tracting notice. “For one night at least I’d like to leave my guardian and his precious son under the impres- sion that I am dead,” he said to himself. “In ~ fact, if I am going to Arizona it would be better that no hint of my purpose should reach Mr. ‘Fleming, to put him on his guard so that he _ eould take measures to thwart me.” Clif replaced all the papers in the pocketbook, returned it to his pocket, hurriedly packed a small grip with sundry things he would need, and turn- ed out his lamp. Then he went out the door. He heard voices in the hall below. Curious to Jearn if the talk had any reference to his. supposed _of Mr. Fleming say: » “What’s this you say, Howard? absence from home, he tripped quietly over to the baluster rail and listened. What he heard caused him to decide that he couldn’t make his escape from the house any too soon. CHAPTER IX.—Clif Leaves Beeching Hollow On Es _ the Quiet. i S Leaning over the baluster Clif heard the voice x : “light in Clifford’s room ?”- ‘a sign that Clifford is not dead at all. You saw a A CHASE FOR A FORTUNE “Tt did, as plain as I see you now,” replied his son in quaking accents. . “Nonsense!” exclaimed Mr. Fleming, incredu- lously. “Why, you told me a while ago that vou actually saw. your cousin’s ghost in the garden under the sitting-room window. The trouble with you is that your nerves are unstrung after see- ing your cousin fall to his death. Persons after going through what you did this afternoon have been known to experience similar hallucinations ” “T didn’t imagine it at all. I also saw Clif’s shadow on one of the blinds. He seemed to be reading a paper.” z Mr. Fleming looked searchingly at his son, ae seeing that he was thoroughly in earnest he said: “If vou really saw what you assert, then it’s He must have escaned in some remarkable manner and has just returned to the house, entering it unobserved. Come upstairs with me and we'll see whether he’s there or not. That’s the best and quickest. way of solving the mystery.” “Tm afraid to go up, father,” objected Howard, -almost whimpering from fright. : “You needn’t feel alarmed while I am with yon. We'll either find nothing at all, or we’ll find Clif- ford himself in the flesh.” Pe Mr. Fleming immediately started upstairs, whereupon Clif rushed back into his room, pieced ~ up his grip, and getting out of the open window — above the trellis vine, quickly slid to the ground, and made off into the darkness. Howard Flem- ing followed his father with shaking feet, but nevertheless kept close at his heels. Mr. Fleming threw open the door of his ward’s chamber, and found it was dark and silent. Not the slightest evidence was there that Clif had lately been in the room. i a “7 told you that it was your imagination. The boy is dead, beyond a doubt, and you'll never” see him again, unless you look at his remains when they are recovered from-the bottom of the crevasse.” Howard Fleming trembled violently, and his _ r father thought he was going to have a fit. He was certain now that it was the shadow of Clif’s — ghost he *had seen, just as if such a thing as a spook could cast a shadow. His guilty little soul was almost paralyzed at- the idea of his victim coming back to torture him by his pres- ence. it. “Cut the rope.” “Then you did cut the rope, eh?” replied his father, grimly. “I suspected as much. Well, don’t worry. It will make you a rich man some day. All that rightfully belonged to Clifford will eventually go to you. You'll never have to work like Tess fortunate people, but will live on the ; cas Il Come down- stairs and I will give you a drink of something — - that will brace you up. You look as if you need- — fat -of the land as long as you live. / ed it.” In the meantime, Clif went on to the village : ¥: and rang the bell at the Singleton residence. ‘Walter answered the ring and was greatly sur- prised to see his chum standing on the pore _ “Oh, lor’!” he gasped. “I wish I hadn’t done “Done what?” asked his father, rather sharply. 4 ,%, i
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A CHASE FOR A. FORTUNE u grip in hand, at that hour of the night, for it ‘was after nine o’clock. : “Hello, Clif, what’s in the wind? You look as if you were going traveling. Come in.” “There’s a whole lot in the wind, and I hope to go traveling a long distance,” replied Clif, with a faint smile. Z : _ “he deuce you say! The folks are just. going to bed. We didn’t expect visitors; but of course yow’re always weleome at any hour of the day or night. Come up in my room and we'll have _a talk.” “Who’s there, Walter?” asked his father, step- ping into the hall. ; _. “Clif Price. I’m going toe take him to my room. Maybe he’ll stay all night. with me.” As the two boys occasionally spent a night at each other’s homes, nothing was thought of Clif’s late visit. Sees, - “PH be glad te stay all night if you'll let me, Walt.” “Let you! Well, say, I’m only too glad to have you. Come on upstairs.” : SS Clif followed his friend to his room. : “Say, old chap, what did you, bring: the grip fcr? You ain’t going away on a visit, are you? “I don’t know what I’m going to do yet.” “What do you mean by that?” asked Single- ton in some surprise. “Well, I'll keive to tell you a long story before you'll understand. A great deal has happened to me since you left me at my gate to-night.” He began with an account of the interview he had’ overheard between Mr. Fleming and his son, in which Howard all but admitted that he was responsible for Clif’s fall down the Devil’s Chim- ney. rk ‘What a vicious little rascal he is,” was Wal- - ter’s comment. ; ~ Well, I got bagke at him a little bit,” said Clif. “How did you?” asked Singleton with interest. “J nearly caused him to have a fit,” and Clif went on to explain how his cousin had come upon him almost unawares while he was*standing un- der the window,.and how when Howard saw him he fell into a faint. ae : |. “Served him good and right,” said Walter, with a satisfied grin. ‘ eT te ges ee Clif then went on to describe the interview that “took place between his guardian and Monkton, ‘and Singleton listened with amazement on every feature. © ex . “Do -you really think that you are the victim “of a conspiracy to put you out of your inheri- tance?” . Se aie “TJ don’t think it—I know it,” replied Clif, de- cidedly. ; “You know it!” : “I do, and I have proof of it in my pocket now. ‘That lost pocketbook has revealed a whole lot to me. I’m going to take it over to Lawyer Goodrich first thing in the morning and have a "serious consultation with him on the subject.” - . “My gracious!” ejaculated his chum. “What you've been telling me sounds just like the plot ot a story book, Who’d ever think your guardian -was such a villain?” : Clif showed Walter the two deeds—the true one ‘and the forged—of the ranch down in Ari- zona. and told him that he had the kev to the Yom , torquoise mine, the entrance to which was at a certain spot on the property. . Ate “T am in hopes of taking a trip there right away,” he said. ¢ 3 “What! To Arizona?” “Yes. And I want you to go with me if you can get your father’s permission to do so.” _ “Gee! That would just suit me. He might let me go with you. As vacation time has just begun, it would be a fine trip for us both.” “That’s right. I’d hate to go away out there alone. I must talk your father into letting you come with me.” - “You haven’t told me your object in going to that ranch of yours, for it certainly is yours, now that both your’father and mother are dead.” “My object in going there is to raise money for a certain purpose I have in view by secretly dig- ging out a quantity of the rough turquoises and inen selling them.” : Walter was greatly taken with the idea of help- ing his chifm dig for the precious stones in ques- tion, and the two boys remained up till after mid- ie talking and coneocting plans for the near ‘future. j : CHAPTER X.—Caught at the Station. While Clif and Walter were talking together in ~ the latter’s room, Mr. Fleming pretended to be in a dreadful sweat over the unexplained absence of his ward. He organized a search party and start- ed, first of all, as a blind, for the Witches’ Ravine, which was thoroughly explored, naturally without success. Then he led the way to other spots m the mountain, and finally to the mouth of the Devil’s Chimney.. Howard had, at his father’s suggestion, brought a rope of sufficient length to reach the shelf in question. This was now made fast to the tree, the boy slid down, and standing in a listening attitude, called out repeate the names of ‘Clif and Walter. Not the. slightest sound, save a faint echo of his own voice, came back to him. Presently he returned-to tn op. The party returned to Beeching Hollow. That night Howard wouldn’t sleep in his own room, which adjoined his cousin’s, but insisted on using the lounge in his father’s room. After bre2 “ast next morning, Clif left the Singfileton home and made his way to the residence of Lawyer Good- rich. Here he spent two hours in consultation: with his late father’s attorney. The lawyer was’ amazed at. his revelations, and was at* first in- clined to ridicule his story, but when he produced the documents from the red pocketbook he took a different view of the matter. Mr. Goodrich did not think that there was sufficient ground to main- tain a case against.Mr. Fleming, as it was impos- - sible for Clif to produce corroborative evidence to sustain his side of the matter, and Mr. Fleming’s word to the contrary was as good as his own. _ “You see, my boy, you as the plaintiff would have to produce proof sufficient to overcome any reasonable doubt as to the guilt of your guardéan - in the transaction. The best toint vou have is young Fleming’s attempt on your life, but even ~ a ‘there, the production of his knife, and the fact that the rope shows plainly that it was cut, is no proof that it was Howard Fleming who did the
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12 A CHASE FOR deed. No one saw him do it, and it is probable no one saw him go up the mountain after you. He would naturally deny his agency in the affair, claim that he had lost his knife, and that some unknown enemy of yours found it, and,it is the we guilty one. You couldn’t make a case against im. Clif had to admit that as the matter stood he was powerless to punish his cousin. “If we produced these papers against Mr. Flem- jing,” went on the lawyer, “we would have to prove that the spurious ones were actually forgeries. Your father’s signature is so cleverly executed that I myself could not swear it is not genuine. Your suggestion of trying to buy over Monkton “is good. I see no other way of thwarting Mr. Fleming’s game. He is evidently an uncommonly -smart raseal, and has calculated every move. If he had not accidentally lost this pocketbook I am afraid you would ultimately have been plac- ed in a bad position. As the confidant of your mother he has probably learned all the partic- ulars of -your birth, and has managed to get hold of and destroy the evidence that would set you right. Or at least he has fixed matters so that it would be next to impossible to trace the truth to its fountain head. Such things have been done before.” Clif admitted the clearmess of the lawyer’s reas- oning. Then he submitted his plan of going to Arizona, locating the mine, and working it on the quiet. until he had accumulated a fund large enough to make an attempt to bribe Monkton. Lawyer Goodrich had its doubts as to the feasibil- ity of the plan, but agreed that for the present Clif would probably be safer in Arizona than at Beeching Hollow, ~* “T want to leave Macedonia at once, before Mr. Fleming finds out that I am not really dead. I think it is likely that my friend Walter Singleton will go with me. Of course J’ll have to have a little money to pay my expenses. Are you willing _ to advarice me $100 or so?” “Certainly I will, my boy. Ill let you have $250. If you run short write me and [I will send you more.” _. “Thank you, sir. In the meantime I hope you will try and keep an eye on Mr. Fleming’s move- ments, and let me know by telegraph to Tucson if he starts for the ranch, so that I may be on the lookout for him.” “J will keep a bright eye out for your interests, Clifford} never fear. Your father and I were warm personal frnends, and I am only too glad to be of service to you. It will be my aim to see that you get your rights.” Clif left the lawyer’s house and returned to the Singleton place, where Walter was impatiently waiting for him. Nothing as yet had been heard from Beeching Hollow, much to Clif’s Satisfaction. - Clif and Walter had an interview with Mr. Single- ton with reference to the Western trip, and after considerable talk it was finally agreed that Walter, - who was not ready to start immediately, should join Clif at the Planters’ Hotel in St. Louis a ‘week from that day. This point having been set- tled to the satisfaction of the two boys, lunch was announced, and after it was over Clif, grip e hand, and accom; anted: by Walter, started for wo A FORTUNE the railroad station to catch the 2:30 accommoda- tion bound West. They reached the outlying sta- tion half an hour ahead of train time, and seat- — ing themselves at one end of the platform beside a big packingcase, they waited for the train to come along. . Their conversation was wholly in ~_- connection with the ranch and the turquoise mine, and so absorbed were they in their plans for the immediate future that they did not observe the approach of two men who had just alighted from a buggy. "The newcomers were Edward Fleming and Eliot Monkton. Fleming and Monkton had come to terms, and the latter had come to take the train for the nearest city to buy a suitable rope with which to descend into the depths of the — Devil’s Chimney in quest of the red pocketbook. The two men came to a stop on the other side of the packing case, and instantly Mr. Fleming’s sharp ears had caught the familiar sound of his ward’s voice. Startled and astonished, he looked over the top of the case and saw Clif and his friend Singleton sitting there. Clif had the red pocketbook in his hand, and was showing the diagram of the mine to Walter. Mr. Fleming was a quick thinker. It was clear to him that his . nephew had escaped the fate supposed to have befallen him, and moreover had investigated the contents of the lost pocketbook. His presence at the station, with the grip beside him, showed that he was on the point of taking a journey without informing his guardian of his intentions. He must be headed off and the pocketbook taken from him. Mr. Fleming drew back and held a whis- pered conversation with his partner in guilt. They decided to listen to the conversation between the’ boys and try to determine just how the case stood, Inside of ten minutes they had learned enough to confirm Mr. Fleming’s worse fears—_ Clif knew everything. At that moment the whistle of the train announced its approach from the East. Clif and Walter rose to their feet. “Well, old man,” said Clif, “I’ll see sche in es Louis a week from to-day, eh?” “Sure thing,” replied Singleton. “I’m afraid not,” replied a voice behind heal They turned quickly and there stood Mr. Flem- — ing and his friend Monkton, who regarded Clif with sardonic satisfaction. > ¥ CHAPTER XI,—A Catastrophe on the Missis- = sippi. i, “I am surprised to see you here, Clifford” said — Mr. Fleming, in a conciliatory tone. “Whete were a you all night?” € “T don’t believe it makes any difference to you, — where I was,” retorted Clif, aggressively. : “It makes a great deal of difference to me. ‘ am your guardian, and am bound to look. after j ou.” ue : “You needn’t worry yourself ‘about me after — =: this... I am going away to spend my vacation in — the West.” ©. sd '“Hasn’t it occurred to you that I should be consulted in the matter?” & “No, sir. I don’t recognize your bts an} ; longer.” E 3 pants i tad
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A CHASE FOR A FORTUNE “J am afraid that such a remarkable decision on your part will hardly hold water. -I stand toward you in the place of your father. “My real father, or Mr. William Tooker, whom it appears gs eae bringing forward on r as my father? : : sie Pleming caught his breath at this evi- dence of the extent of his word’s knowledge of his private plans. Just then the train rushed up to the station A trunk was dumped off on the platform and one passenger alighted. : ; “Al] aboard,” eried the conductor, ‘signaling the engineer to go ahead. “Took out, Clif, or you’ll lose your train,” warn- . Singleton in his ear. s % Sate iaediately started for the nearest car, but Monkton headed him offsand -tried to grab him. The boy grew desperate as he saw the cars begin to move off. Seeing that he couldn’t reach the train that way he started for the back of the building at top speed. Fleming and Monk- + ton followed him as fast as they could. The boy rushed into and across the waiting-room. This move was unexpected by his enemies, who thought he meant to try and escape down the road. Monk- ton saw that he could have cut him off if he had waited outside. It was too late now to rectify that error. They did not believe that the fugi- tive could reack the moving cars now. The train was pulling out of the station as Clifford Price darted out on the platform with Fleming and Monkton at‘his heels. “Stop him! Stop that boy!” roared Monkton. Clif started for the last car and. swung himself aboard. Then he turned and bowed mockingly at is dis ointed pursuers. : : ; iF pean us!” ejaculated Mr.. Fleming, furiously. “With the contents of the pocketbook in his possession, too. What is to be done? 3 - - “We must follow him by the next train,” re- ; i onkton. i We next train is the through Pacifie Express, it doesn‘t stop here.” sate § it can be flagged?” suggested Monk- ton. ; : “No. That’s against the regulations.” ei ae we'll ae to take the next train that - stop here.” ~ ; ; é Mote ee will have four hours start of us.”. . “That can’t be helped. We've got to follow him, for there’s a forties at Pang ecov hose papers at any t 7 ¥Yeg; oe at: get them back,” nodded Mr. Fleming. ; ; “And you’d better see cts on ate ee ees i or you may have to face a ii aE a eae Now “that he’s wise to your We must- 13 If I were you I’d telegraph to the’ police to be on the lookout for him, and order them to arrest them on his arrival.” ” - “That won’t do: It would lead to explanations that I want to avoid. We must catch him our- selves. Come, we’ll- return to Beeching Hollow, and I'll prepare for the trip.” They boarded the buggy and: drove off down _the road. intending to return in time to take the 6.30 local westward. The train which bore Glif westward stopped at frequent intervals until it reached the flourishing city of Delhi at 5:80; Clif left it there and went into the railroad eat- ing house for his supper, for he intended to board the Pacific Express as soon as it reached that place. He had just finished his meal when the express pulled in, and stopped twenty minutes for the passengers to eat. Clif bought a through ticket to St. Louis, with sleeper accommodations, and when éhe express pulled out for the south- ~ west he was aboard. On the following afternoon he reached the metropolis of Missouri and was driven to the Planters’ Hotel, where he registered. “I’ve got five days to put in here before Walt shows up,” he said to himself, “so I*suppose I might as well do the town on my own hook. It was most unfortunate that Mr. Fleming should have caught me leaving’ Macedonia. I had hoped to throw him off my track entirely. Now I sup- pose he will chase me all the way to Arizona and give me no end of trouble: Well, the only thing I can do is to be on the lookout for him. He is not likely to run across me on the way, and he hasn’t any idea that I have arranged to stop over in this city. My five days’ wait here will give him time to reach the ranch ahead of me. I suppose he’ll bring Monkton with him to assist in capturing me and getting possession of the red pocketbook. The safest thing for me © to do is to take the diagram of the mine out of the wallet and stitch it up in my jacket. It wouldn't be a bad idea to make another drawing like it, altering the positions of the cross and the direction of the arrowheads, of the pocketbook he would be all at sea trying _ to locate the mine. As for the other documents, they’re safe with Mr. Goodrich, and he'll never — get hold of them.” So that evening Clif got a piece of paper simi- — lar to the one on which the diagram was ‘drawn, and made an altered duplicate with great care. He put the bogus diagram into the secret com- partment of the wallet, while the genuine one he placed inside of his right stocking. “Now Mr. Fleming is at liberty to take his . pocketbook whenever he Clif, with a chuckle. In an evening paper he saw the advertisement _ of an excursion trip down the Mississippi River. for the next day, and he decided to avail himself of the chance to see what he could of the Father ‘of Waters. Accordingly he made all the neces-— sary inquiries that evening as to the boat wharf — and the easiest way of getting there. The ; C nt e at nine o’clock, so Clif left an early call at the office befor. he -steamer was announced ‘to leave - went to his room. He had his brealefast it 7. Then if he should happen to corner me and get possession ~ gets the chance,” said
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14 A CHASE FOR and then took a car for the nearest point to the “boat landing. Two hours later, Mr. Fleming and Monkton entered the. Planters’ Hotel and consulted the register at the office. They found, as they ex- pected, that Clif had arrived the preceding after- noon. Mr. Fleming asked for him, and the clerk answered that the lad had pone on an excursion down the river and would not be back until seven or eight that evening. partner then left with the intention of returning the next morning. While the two rascals were pursuing their investigations, Clif was on the ‘river enjoying the novelty of the splendid sail, and admiring, at a respectable distance, a very pretty girl with golden hair and blue eyes, who was also on board with a gentleman who looked to be her father. “Gee! She’s a peach,” said the boy to himself. “TI wish I could make her acquaintance.” . There seemed to be very little chance of his doing so, though their eyes met several times, and the girl seemed to take as much interest in Clif as he did in her. Dinner was served on beard at half-nast twelve, and much to Clif’s sat- isfaction, the gentleman and his daughter took seats next to him. Our hero tried to improve the opportunity by passing. her such dishes as lay within his reach, for which he received from her a winning smile and a thank you. After dinner he watched where she and her father took seats in the stern .of the steamer, and he secured a camp chair as close to her as he dared go. For the next hour he divided his attention about equally between the pretty girl and the panoramic view of the shores of the Mississippi... It was about this time that the boat made a wide sweep around to head back up the river.. Hardly was her nose pointed northward when, without the slightset warning, a tremendous explosion shook her from stem to stern. The force of the shock seemed to tear her asunder. Clif felt himself raised in a mass of debris and fairly blown into the river, and the next. thing he knew he was sinking down into the cool depths of the river. CHAPTER XII.—Cliff Saves the Life of the Girl : With the Golden Hair. Clif, however, was a splendid swimmer, and thorouBhly at home in the water. Although he was pretty well dazed when he struck and dis- appeared under the surface of the river, contact with the cool water brought all his senses back to him and he pushed himself toward the surface. When his ‘head shot above the water, and he had taken a good breath of fresh air into his lungs, he was in full control of his faculties. His _ first thought was for the lovely young girl who had oecupied a seat on the boat so near himself, and he looked around in search of her, determined to save her life at any risk to himself. . The river all about was covered with strug- gling victims of the disaster and pieces of shat- tered wood from the wrecked steamer. The boat herself was close at hand, but in a roaring blaze of fire that would shortly consume what was left of her above the water-line. A cluster of Fleming and his side ° A FORTUNE passengers were gathered on her lower deck for- ward crying frantically for help, while a score of boats and smail craft from é¢ither shore were trying to reach the’ locality in time to rescue as many of the unfortunates as the circumstances would permit. Clif saw no sign of the golden- haired girl anywhere around, and his heart sank as he nictured ‘her lying in the last throes of suffocation atthe’ bottom of the river. As he swam hither and thither in a vain endeavor. to single he? out among the many struggling forms in that vicinity, the object of his thoughts sud- denly rose to the surface within a yard of him. He saw her at once, and with a ery of satisfae- ‘tion he pushed toward her just as she commenced to stru@gle and threw up her hands. He had been careful to get a baek grasp on her under her arms, so as to avoid her frantic clutch. “Don’t struggle so. Be quiet and I'll save you,” he said reassuringly in her ears. The girl séemed to understand and, feeling’ that she was being sustained above the water, ceased all movements. Finding that she was be- having in a sensible way, he worked around to her side and, supporting her with one arm, struck out with the other for a large piece of wreckage floating near by. Reaching it he told her to 2rab hold, and she did so at once. ‘Then their eyes met and she recognized him with a faint smile. “My father!” she breathed. “Where igs he?” “Can he swim?” asked Clif. “Oh, yes; but he may have been killed by that awful shock.” “I guess not,” he answered cheerily, by way of encouraging her, “As long as he can swim, he’ll be saved by one of those boats. that are coming “Oh, I hope so—I hope so,” she murmured. “TI have nobody but papa, and it would kill me if anything happened to him.” . “Nothing will happen to him if he can keep above water for a while.” “You were so good to save me from going down | again, I know I owe my life to you. ways be grateful to you,” she said fervently. “Don’t mention it, miss. I thought of you right away, for-I was sitting close to you on the boat, and determined to save you if you were in sight.” “Yes, J remember you. You sat next to me at the table, and were very polite to me. Father said that you seemed to be a very nice boy.” While they were talking a row-boat came up and they were taken on board. The boatman I shall al- rowed around, picked up several others, and were about starting for the shore when Clif saw a man, quite exhausted, clinging to a fragment that ,was hardly buoyant enough to support him, He thought the man looked like the fair girl’s father, ‘and he called the rowers’ attention to him. We can’t.take “The boat is overcrowded now. | another one aboard,” was the reply. “Let him have my place, then,” answered the generous lad. “I’m a good swimmer, mys chance overboard.” he girl seized his hand tremulously as he rose to spring into the water and help the man nearby into the boat. ie : ye - “Don’t go,” she whispered. drowned.” Sas Gas : ins oe ear T'll take’ “You might be
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A CHASE FOR A FORTUNE “Non’t worry. That man is your father, I think. Better for you and him, too, that he be taken into the beat.” As he spoke she looked eagerly at the man in the water and then screamed: “Father! It is my father, Oh, save him!” Splash went Clif into the river, and in another moment he was supporting and guiding the gen- tleman to the boat, He was carefully lifted in and given Clif’s place, and then the boat was pro- pelled shoreward with the brave boy clinging to the top of the rudder. In fifteen minutes the boat was brought up against the bank of the r ver, on the Illinois shore, and her passengers assisted to land. The golden-haired girl, now ‘no longer anxious about her father, ran to Clif as he walked out of the river like a dripping New- foundland dog, and seized him by the hand. “You are so good and noble,” she cried, looking gvatefully into his face. “You helped to save my father when the men would have leit him be- hind. I shall never forget you—never!” She drew him toward her father, to whom she had already confided the tact that she owed her own life to Clif. The gentleman grasped him by ~ the hand, and, with tears im his eyes, thanked him fe for what he had done for his daughter, as well as- for himself. “What is your name, my lad?” - “Clifford Price.” “My name is Cowell, and this is my daughter Florence.” Clif bowed and smiled. “Tam happy to know you, Mr. Cowell, and you, too, Miss Florente,” he said. x ' “Come,” said the gentleman. “Let us follow the others. There are houses yonder where we can probably get our clothes dried. We cannot very well return to St. Louis in this condition.” The people in the neighborhood were only too happy to render the victims of the disaster all the assistance in their power. Mr. Cowell, his daughter and Clif were taken into one of the houses near by, where Florence and a drenched lady that came on the boat were shown to a , ryoom to undress, while Mr. Cowell and our hero weer assigned to another. In removing his socks Clif thought of the pass diagram with some misgivings, but found that, thought it was water- ~ soaked, none of the ink had spread as to render any part of it illegible. He dried it on the win- dow sill in the sun, while he sat near wrapped in a blanket. While waiting for their clothes to dry Clif and Mr. Cowell became very well acquainted. The gentleman took a great fancy to the plucky boy, and Clif on his part was equally well taken with Mr. Cowell. So much so indeed that he told ‘him his whole history, and the reason that brought him West and was taking him to his late father’s ranch in Pinal County, Arizona. Mr. Cowell was much impressed by the boy’s story, and promised to assist him in his efforts to get his rights. ie “J am pretty well off, Clifford—you will permit me to so address you after what you have done for me and my only chlid—and it will give me : 5; Next morning he went to the Carondele: Ho- reat pleasure as well as satisfaction to.cancel teh = ; ; nos $e: my obligation to you in as substantial a way as I can. We are going to San Francisco by the Southern Pacific route, which will take us through Tucson, Arizona, You and your friend, whom you are waiting for, shall go with us, We will break our trip at Tucson, and while my daughter remains at a hotel in that own I will accompany you both to the ranch and help you find. your mine, and protect you to the fullest extent of my ability.” c “Tam very much obliged to you, sir, for your generous offer, and acept it with pleasure, all the more as I feel certain that-my fuichless guardian and his accomplice are on my truck, and. will probably stop at nothing to accomplish their pur- ' pose.” “Twill s.and by you, never fear. Here are our clothes now. Let us get into them. Then we will try and get back to St. Leuis as soon as possible. This has been a most unfortunate excursion. I fear many people have lost their tives, and many more have~sufiered serious mjuries. The boat must have had an old and defective boiler. The ‘inspectors whose business it is to pass on such things have been lax in their duties, After all, it is the same old story. In spite of repeated ac- cidents to river and other steamers the came thing with variations happens right along. The newspapers will make a great outcry over this affair, and call for needed reforms. There will, of course, be an investigation; but you will find that little will be done in the long run.” They got a conveyance to take them to the nearest railroad station, and on their way up to ‘East St. Louis, Mr. Cowell suggested that Clif 15 transfer himself from the Planters’ Hotel to the Carondelet, where the Cowells were stopping, and consider himself as Mr. Cowell’s guest during the rest of his stay in the city. “You can leave word with the clerk to inform your friend, Singleton, when he comes, where he ean find you.” Clif liked the idea very much, especially as Florence joined in the invitation with her father, and so when they had crossed the river to St. Louis proper, he went with them to the Carondelet to take dinner. the Planters’ Hotel, told the clerk that he was going to leave in the morning, and that he was to direct his friend, whom he expected to arrive — on Wednesday of the next week, that he would be found at the Carondelet. The clerk said all right, and then mentioned the fact that two men had called that morning and asked for him. “Did they leave their names?” he asked, with a pe ae suspicion as to the identity of his visi- ors. : “No. They merely asked if you were in, And when I told them that you had gone on a river excursion they went away.” ; “Well, I nate no eed in this city, but I have ‘wo enemies who are following me on my jou to the southwest. 2 it Sea tell them I have left the city, and you will do me a favor.” . k : ‘The clerk nodded and Clif went to his 10M, 3 After the meal he returned to > When those chaps call again as ” a!
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16 CHAPTER XIII.—Walter Singleton Joins Clif ‘at St. Louis. When Mr, Fleming read the account of the steamboat disaster on the river in the evening paper he hardly knew whether to be sorry or glad at the possibility of his ward having lost his life. The boy’s death would certainly have afforded him the greatest satisfaction but for the fact that he carried that diagram of the location of the turauoise mine on his person. Still, there was ' hope in the fact that his body, if he was among the lost, would probably be recovered from the river, and then Mr. Fleming would no doubt find the red pocketbook on his person. After a con- sultation with Monkton, both went. around to the Planters’ Hotel next morning to make inquiries. Then they found that Clif had turned up all right on the everting before, having been so fortunate as to escape the fate that overtook more than fifty of the excursionists. The clerk, complying with Clif’s request, told Mr. Fleming that the boy had left the hotel that morning with the in- tention of taking a train out of the city. — “That’s funny,” said Monkton, when Mr, Flem- ing told him. “He was to stay here until next Wednesday, when that Singleton boy was to join him.” “He must have made some change in his ar- rangements then. The best thing we can do is fo take a train for Tucson at once. We will no doubt find him there, as I am satisfied that the ranch is his objective point.” “There’s little doubt about that,” agreed Monk- ton, “In my mind the best and safest way to deal with him is to waylay him at or on his way to the ranch, You,and I ought to be easily able to do up both him and young Singleton. We will have a hundred chances in Arizona to effect our object to one elsewhere.” “I guess you’re right, Monkton,” replied Mr. Fleming. “We’ll look up the Santa Fe time-tables and buy tickets for Tucson. We're bound to catch the boys at the ranch anyway.” Late that afternoon the two rascals left St. Louis for Arizona by the Santa Fe route. During the next few days Clif enjoyed himself immensely escorting Florence Cowell to various points of interest in the city, On Monday afternoon he re- ceived a telegram from Walter Singleton inform- ing him that his chum would leave the village of Macedonia next morning for Delhi to catch the Pacific Express for St. Louis, which would land him in that city late Wednesday afternoon, ac- cording to’previous arrangements. Clif decided to go to the depot and meet his friend instead of let- ting him go to the Planters’ Hotel. Accordingly, after finding out the exact time when the express » was due, he took his way to he Union station. He stood at the exit gate while the St. Louis pas- sengers filed out, and presently spied his chum coming along, grip in hand. : “Hello, Walt,” he exclaimed, grabbing him by the arm. + “Why, hello, Clif,” returned the delighted new- comer. “I didn’t et to see you here.” “Thought Id come and meet you, as I’ve left ee -eyes, a peaches and cream complexion, and A CHASE FOR A FORTUNE the Planter’s Hotel and taken up quarters at the Carondelet.” ; arses “Glad you came. How came you to make the oe The Carondelet is more expensive, isn’t it?” “Yes. It’s. one of the best hotels in the city. It’s not costing me anything, however.” “It isn’t? How is that?” asked Walter, in surprise. “T’m the guest of a Mr. Warren Cowell and his daughter.” 2 “The dickens you are! Who are they?” “Yl tell you how it came about. On the morning after the day I reached here I went on an ex+ cursion down the Mississippi. Mr. Cowell and his daughter were on board with probably a couple of hundred others. As the steamer was making the turn to come back, about forty miles below here, her boiler exploded.” “What?” “Her boiler went up and I, with the rest of the passengers seated on the deck astern, was blown into the river. Didn’t you hear anything about the accident? It was probably printed in some shape in most all of the papers of the country. Fifty people lost their lives.” f ; “J didn’t read anything about it,” replied Single- on. “Well, I saved the life of Florence Cowell, and a see her father out of the river. That’s ow I made their acquaintance, and I a solid with them.” 2 seas “I should think you would be after that.” “Florence is the finest girl I’ever knew, and one of the prettiest. She’s got golden hair, blue ” “You're dead gone on her, why don’t you say?” grinned Walter. Clif then went on to tell his chum how Mr. Cowell and his daughter were going to¢he Pacific slope over the Santa Fe and Southern Pacific routes. . “He has volunteered to see us through with the object of our visit to Arizona.” , “No! Is that so?” a ; “Yes, D’ve told him everything about my cir- cumstances, and he says he’s going to stand by me.” “That's first rate. I suppose you'll not be sur- prised to learn that your guardian and his friend Monkton left Macedonia the same afternoon you did, and of course they’re chasing you.” “T know it. looking for me.”- “Did you see them?” : - “No; but they got on to the fact that I was They were in the city last week — : ke 7 as stopping at the Planters’ Hotel, and they came there inquiring for me.” ig “They did? They must have overheard us talking at the station that day. Are they here yet? “I haven’t seen or heard from them if they are, I told the clerk at the Planters” to tell they called again that I had left the city. case they probably supposed I had gone to Tucson, and took a train for that point. If they did that they’ll be disappointed to find that I was not. there. It is pretty certain though "ul wait there for us to turn up, then, there'll be them if > In that — 4 that they’ll 20 2 : —— 2 cil
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as A CHASE FOR A FORTUNE ing doing. I’ve bought a revolver to pro- ee. It wouldn't be a bad idea for you. to get one, too, though, of course, they’ve no designs inst you, : earl ae one. When do we start for Arizona?” “To-morrow morning. The Cowells are all ready to continue their journey. We have been waiting for you to arrive.” : By this ene they had yeached the Carondeiet Hotel, and Clif carried his chum to his own room after he had registered. A little later he took Walter to the Cowells’ apartments and introduced him to Florence and her father. Walter was much impressed by Flerence’s beauty and viva- cious manner, and he soon had the opportunity of observing that his friend was the whole thing with her, After dinner they went to the theater, and next morning at eight the little party took the morning express over the Santa Fe road for the southwest. CHAPTER XIV.—Off For the Ranch! On the evening of the second day after leaving St. Louis the Pacific Express dropped Mr. Warren Cowell, his daughter, Clif Price and Walter Sin- gleton at Tucson, Arizona. They boarded a he for the Tucson House. Two men standing in the shadow of the»station noted the arrival of the party. The reader needs scarcely be told that the men were Fleming and Monkton, who had been in town several days. They had come every evening to the station to watch the arrivals by the train, on. the lookout for Clif and ey Sane At their vigilance was rewarded, : sottthe hoed each to have made the acquaintance of some tourist.and his daughter, said Fleming. “What of it?” replied Monkton. . “The gentle- man and the girl will probably go on foeamnen night. They’ve merely stopped over to see t me town. There’s no hurry getting at the boy. day or two more or less amounts to nothing. We're all ready to follow them to the ranch as hey start. ; sAWell, ppt be at the Tucson, House to-night at any rate. Probably after supper they ll take a look around town. We might find a chance to catch them somewhere. They’re not likely to be on their guard, as they have no reason to suspect that we have followed them here. cate “Tf they’d only wander into Bunsen’s eo Hall we could manage to trap them, I think. aes ‘nly difficulty in the way is that this tourist wi Geely take in the sights with them. Our aim Must be to separate your nephew from his com- panions if we can.” : oe Thus speaking the two er ort be ‘ up the street toward Bunsen’s Hotel, whic aa - joined the music hall, where they had quar as ‘and were on good terms with many of the i i employees of the establishment. Althoug the Tucson House was the best hotel in the ce it was not to be compared with even a city second-class hotel. The table and the rooms, however, were as good as could be expected S that sparsely settled section of our country, an Mr. Cowell and his party had no kick coming. After supper the four started out to view the wn, idan ea at its best, or worst, whichever - ‘ = 17 you call. it, after dark. There were drinkin= saloons, gambling joints, and such, in full blast, with wide open doors as an invitation to the passerby. There was no lack of excitement at night in Tucson, and you didn’t have to go far in any direction to find it. As a rule the places were orderly and well regulated, but, of course, there were some establishments where the limit— was squeezed almost to the breaking point. — Bunsen’s Music Hall’ was one of the most notorious resorts in town. It was a combined bar-room and theater where a lengthy vaude- ville show .held forth tilt. midnight. After. the show the tables and chairs were moved to the sides of the main room and dancing was indulged in until daylight. There were gambling rooms somewhere upstairs that were easy of access, Once in a while there was a shooting scrape in Bunsen’s, but no one seemed to get excited ove: such things. The hotel next door was patronized chiefly by shady characters and the toughest of town visiters, the most respectable looking of its patrons, but the rest of the crowd seemed to recognize them as birds of a feather, and they attracted no partic- ular attention. Clif Price walked with Florence. Her fresh beauty and innocence drew a good daz of notice to her and her companion as they walkeu past the brilliantly lighted establishments thac resounded with noise or melody, as the case might be. At some little distance behind the party walked” Fleming and Monkton, with their soft, wide-brimmed ‘hats pulled well down over their foreheads. The presence of the girl with Clif rather upset their calculations, for it was evident that she would not be introduced to the interior of any of the pleasure resorts. It therefore looked as if Clif was safe from their machinations for. that night. And such proved to be the case, for after an hour’s jaunt Mr. Cowell and his party returned to the Tucson House and retired. Next morning Mr. Cowell accompanied the boys to the county clerk’s office, where they got full particulars of the location of the ranch. Afterward they went to the Tuscon cemetery where Clif’s father was buried. Grantley Price’s grave looked neglected and rather forlorn, like the majority of the last resting places of Tuscon’s dead. They identified. it by a small headstone which Mr. Fleming had caused to be put there. ; ? After returning to the hotel for the midday meal they spent the afternoon making purchases and sundry arrangements for their trip to the ranch. Mr. Cowell decided that it would not be. well to leave Florence alone at the hotel until their return, as there was no telling whén they would get back. She herself would have- put up a vigorous protest if such a suggestion had been advanced, She was fully prepared to rough it with her father and the boys, and asserted that she was rather pleased with the novelty of the contemplated expedition. So it was arranged that © she was to go along, and steps were taken to in- sure her comfort as much as possible, Fleming and Monkton were somewhat disgruntled when they found that Mr. Cowell and his daughter did — not leave that night by the Pacific Express as they had expected. - . Mr. Fleming and Monkton were ° * hey were still more upset when they saw the
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18 - party depart next morning in a well filled, covered wagon, drawn by a spanking team of horses, and take the road for the northern spur of the Sierra ce la Santa Caterina mountains. They did not need to inquire whither the party was bound. ‘hey easily guessed that the Price ranch was the cbjective point. “It looks as if we had our work cut out for us now,” said Monkton. “It is clear that boy is -marter than we took him to be. He has found a good friend who is ready to help him through with his project. It is not unlikely the boy has offered him an interest in the mine, and thus se- cured his co-operation. We’ll have to adopt strong measures now, or throw up our hands. [I hope you have the sand to see ‘the matter through to the end. You have more at stake than I. If I was in your shoes I’d take such measures as would end in the wiping out of that lad. While he lives your hold on the mine, as well as on Beeching ; Hollow, is mighty precarious. I hope you realize this.’ ; “T realize it only too well,” replied Mr. Flem- ing, moodily. “Well, what do you propose?” “Will you be guided by me?” “J will. I have no other recourse.” “Very good. Let’s go back to Bunsen’s. We can pick up a couple of chaps there who, for a consideration, will be glad to help us out in this ++; matter.” “All right. I leave the arrangements to you. Your interests are identified with mine. We are now hand-in-glove if we never were before. In this ease for a fortune we’ve got to win, or the future has nothing in it for either of us.” _ ; “Now you're talking, Fleming. I’m out for a ' quarter interest in the mine, and I’m going to have it, or learn the reason why not.” : About the middle of the afternoon, Fleming, Monkton and two hard-looking individuals, all armed, mounted on sturdy horses, with several days’ supplies strapped behind their saddles, left - Tucson by the same road taken earlier in the day ~ by the covered wagon. Their destination also was the northern spur of the Sierra de la Santa Cat-: erina mountains, where the deserted Prince ranch lay among the foothills. r CHAPTER XV.—The Deserted Ranch. Mr. Cowell drove the wagon for the first hour after leaving Tucson, then Clif took a turn at the reins, and after sixty minutes of it yielded “yp the seat to Singleton. At the end of the third hour they decided it was time for the noon- day repast. The horses were liberated from the wagon and tethered with long ropes in the grass, while the two boys, Florence and her father, sat down in the shade of a tree and ate a light lunch prepared for them by the hotel people. — After an hour’s rest the horses were hitched to again, and the journey toward the Price ranch ~ yesummed, Mr. Cowell and the boys alternating as - pefore in the driver’s seat. Arizona has the -- yeputation of being a pretty hot State in the ‘summer time, and it fully sustained its reputa- ‘tion that day. Mr. Cowell was sorry that he _ hadn't taken the hotel keeper’s advice and post- A CHASE FOR A FORTUNE poned the journey until after sundown. The horses being used to the climatic conditions didn t suffer as much in the sun as the four travelers in the shade of the canvas wagon flap. As the sun neared the horizon the atmosphere grew more bearable, d Close to sundown another halt was made for supper. This time a fire was built by the road- side and a pot of coffee made by Miss Florence, while Clif fried a mass of bacon and eggs. Plenty of good bread and butter, with a whole pie to top off their al fresco banquet, completed a very satisfactory meal: “How far have we come?” asked Walter. “About forty miles,” replied Mr. Cowell. “How far have we yet to go to reach the ranch?” : “Twenty miles or so; but we'll make much bet- - ter time for the balance of the trip as the air is cooler, and the temperature will continue to drop until sunrise. We ought to reach the ranch by half-past nine at the latest.” It was dusk when they resumed the last stage of their journey. The mountain range was on their right with a vast plain stretching away to the northwest, west and south. As the light of day faded away the stars came out with unusual brilliancy, promising a perfect night. After they had covered the greater part of the twenty miles the moon rose above the mountain range and flooded the great plain with a soft, mellow ra-~ diance. ‘ “It’s a lovely night, isn’t’ it, Clif?” asked Flor- énce enthusiastically. “Fine,” he replied. “Almost as lovely as——* “What?” she asked, when he paused. ; “Yourself,” he whispered in her ear. Florence blushed vividly, but as it was dark Clif. didn’t notice it. They were sitting back in the wagon, while Mr, Cowell and Singleton oc- cupied the driver’s seat. ro traveling for quite a while Walter sang out: “There’s your ranch yonder, I guess, Clif.” Both Clif and Florence bent forward and look- ed toward the foothills where the moonlight shone down on a rambling two-story building with. : several outhouses around it. They could see the snake fence stretching in two directions, and a white streak bordered by trees leading up from 2 what appeared to be the main gate. There were bigger ranches on either side of it, with lights — ~ in the windows of the houses, but the Price ranch looked dark, and gloomy, and uninviting, They drove up to the gate, the boys got down and opened it, and closed it again when Mr. Cowell drove the wagon into the white lane. Then they rode up to the lane. The doors were all lock- ed and they had no key with which to enter, but this difficulty was overcome by forcing one of the kitchen windows. They had brought three lamps with them and a supply of oil, and soon had a light to view their surroundings. is The house was completely furnished, just as ~ : the original owner had turned it over to Mr, Price at the time of the sale, but everything was — covered with the dust of two years’ unoccupany. Clif was surprised to find things in such good — shape. He had been more than half afraid that they would only find a wreck. Florence found broom and gave the living Yoo) % a6 FOUR SFIS
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A CHASE FOR ing, while her father and the boys broke into the barn. put the horses in the stalls and watered and fed them. The wagon was then pushed into the building and the door secured again tem- porarily. . They had brought four single mattresses with _ them, with a sufficiency of sheets and a light blanket apiece. These they carried into the house and placed in the rooms assigned to Florence, Mr. Cowell and the two boys, after the windows had beeri opened and the rooms well aired. They only removed enough of the dust to answer their ‘purposes for the night, intending to put the house in order next day. Finally they bade one another good night, the lights were soon afterward ex- tinguished, and but for the open windows the - building looked as it had looked from the cutside for two years past. : ; CHAPTER XVI.—How the Chase Ended— Conclusion. ‘Clif found it an uncommonly hard matter to get asleep that night, while Walter on the con- trary’ dropped off at once. After rolling first on one side and then on the other, in a vain at- tempt to woo unconsciousness, he finally got up and leaned oyt of the window. The air was warm and still, while the night was a perfect one. Sound travels far under such conditions. Before he had been at the window a minute he. heard the sound of men’s voices around the corner ef the house. He listened attentively, and it struck him that there was a familiar ring in the tones of one of the intruders. Instantly it oc- -eurred to him that the nocturnal visitors were ' Mr. Fleming and his associate, Monkton, Had they recognized him and Walter in Tucson and followed the party out to the ranch, or were they already on the ground when Clif and his com- _. panions arrived? That’s the way the boy put it to himself, but he had no means of knowing. ’ which of the two ideas was the correct one. How- ever, they were on hand now past all doubt, and fhe question that agitated Clif’s mind was what game were they up to, and how should he -deal with them? “Presently four men appeared from around the corner of the house and Clif drew his head in to prevent being seen. It was well he did so, for they looked up at the open window and stopped right beneath it. 4 “We'd better made an entrance by this win- cow,” said Fleming. “T think it would be much easier to force one _ of the kitchen windows,” answered Monkton. % “The noise might arouse them. When I was » here before, two years ago, there was a ladder _ lying in the grass back of the barn. If itis there still it will serve our purpose first rate.” “All right,” replied his associate. “Jenkins, you and Paterson go to the back of the barn and - see if there’s a ladder on the ground. If there is bring it here.” - The two tough-looking rascals started off to carry this order into execution. ‘ _. “We must be cautious,” said Mr. Fleming. “The _ boys must not be in the room above, but in an adjoining one. We mustn’t awake either the gen- ‘tleman or his daughter.” __ / 0, nor the boys either, if we can help it,” ANG 8 “A FORTUNE There was no > a said Monkton. “The easiest way is always the best: Still we’ve got to get. possession of that pocketbook at all hazards. Once it is in our hands the. game is as good as won, as far as the . mine is concerrred, and that is all that interests me. As for yourself, the boy being a standing menace to you*the three of us are willing to help you put him out of the way if you say the word. I’ve got a phial of chloroform in my pocket. A handkerchief well soaked with it and pressed over his nostrils for a few minutes will end his earth- lv account without a struggle. In the morning it will be supposed. that he died in his sleep of , heart failure, or something of that sort.” "2 “Isn’t there some other way of dealing with the boy?” < “None quite as effective, or more merciful. We could, of course, drug and carry him off to some hole in the hills, where we coutd leave him gagged and bound to starve to death. But -why put the lad in miséry when an early death can be handed out to him?” “IT would rather not kill him at all,” objected Mr. Fleming. : Re “That’s where you’re a fool, Fleming. The boy has probably acquainted this tourist with ‘the facts of his case, and secured his help by offering him an interest in the mine. Besides, we have good reason to believe that he may have’ con- fided a knowledge of your plot to Lawyer Good- rich. Your son caught him listening to our con- versation under the sitting-room: window ‘that night, and unfortunately took him for a ghost. You can’t possibly let him live and hope to win out. With the documents in your possession, and the boy dead, you will have plain sailing. Otherwise, you ought to know what you may expect to be up against.” At that moment the two men returned .with the ladder. “Here’s the ladder now,” added Monkton. “I'll go up first.” ry _Clif had heard every word with the greatest distinctness. He saw that his case was desperate. His life as well as the contents of the pocketbook he was supposed to carry with him was. in jeopardy. Well, he was prepared to defend him- ~ self, even if he had to shoot to kill to do it. He didn’t want anybody’s blood on his hands, least of ali his guardian’s, but if Mr. Fleming forced the issue himself he didn’t think he would be responsible for what happened. Placing his hand over Walter’s mouth he aroused him. / “Hush!” he whispered in his chum’s ear. “What's the matter?” asked Walter, starting up. “My enemies are under the window with a lad- der and are about to enter the house. They have two other men with them, and it is evident that they mean business. Where’s your revolver?” “In my jacket pocket.” : “Get it out. We must not let them get a foot- hold in the room. Monkton has suggested that I be chloroformed out of the world, and I fear Mr. Fleming has been persuaded to carry the idea out. We must wing these rascals when they appear, and put it out of their power to do us further : injury while we’re here on the ranch.” nates Clif’s sharp eyes saw the top of the ladder drop against fe. sneer sill at that moment. | ime to be lost, and he drew hi = eae Gn ands Sepals
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30) chum back into the shadows. Presently Monk- ton’s head appeared at the window. After paus-- ing a moment and looking in, he motioned to Fleming’ behind him and stepped softly into the room, Fleming now showed in the opening and placed his lege across the sill. . . ~ “Now,” whispered Clif in ‘his companion’s ear. “Shoot Monkton in the leg and I will do the same with Mr. Fleming: Fire.” ‘Almost simultaneously the two revolvers awoke “the echoes of the room and house. Monkton ut- tered a cry of agony, staegered a few steps and f ell flat on the floor. Singleton had not made Sufficient allowance for the kick of his weapon, and the bullet instead-of striking the man’s thigh, as Walter intended, penetrated his ab- domen and inflicted a mortal wound. Clif’s ball, on the contrary, had gone unerringly into Flem- ing’s extended thigh, broken the bone, and ren- dered him hors du combat on the window sill. »The two rascals outside, alarmed-by the shots and the cries of their two employers, stood for a few moments undecided, and then scooted out of sight around the’ house, making for the spot where the four horses were tied to a fence. Of course the shots had aroused both Mr. Cowell and his daughter from their sleep, and while the latter lay and trembled with alarm, the former; rushed at once into the boy’s room, and found Clif and Walter helping the wounded Fleming through the window into the room, where they laid Him on the nearest mattress, for he was suffering great pain. JeIES Monkton was unconscious. The lamp was lighted and then Clif made a hasty explanation »-of the circumstances, repeating as near as he could remember the conversation he had over- heard between Mr. Fleming and Monkton. “This man looks as if he had been hard hit,” said Mr. Cowell, pointing to the unconscious Monkton. “Which of you fired at him?” -*@ “I did,” replied Walter, promptly. “He’s hit » In the leg, isn’t he?” “J’m afraid he’s shot in a more vital spot.” “T aimed at his thigh,” answered Singleton. After an examination of the mafi Mr. Cowell * «shook his head. : “He’s hit in a bad spot and is bleeding in- ternally,” he said. “I’m afraid he’s as good as a dead man.” . They laid him on the other mattress, which they removed to the other side of the room. Mr. - Cowell and the boys dressed themselves, and then the former went downstairs and got a flask of brandy, This stimulant brought Monkton to his - senses. With the intuition of a mortally wounded man he seemed to realize that his ‘course on earth | was about run. Clif grasped the chance to per- -.. suade him to make a full confession of his iniquity against Grantley Price and himself. a: “How about Fleming?” he asked weakly. “Did ¢-. he escape?” 2 a8 e es “No. He has a broken leg and is our prisoner.” “What do you think of my chances?” he asked Mr. Cowell. - '- “The pall is in your abdomen and you are bleed- ‘ing inwardly. There isn’t a chance in a thousand for you to recover. If you have anything to say ‘ou will have to be quick about it, for I see that you are athe Ga) oie oer 'Clif’s wife. MADE IT PAY”. A CHASE FOR A FORTUNE “Tt’s tough to have to die in the full flush of « health,” replied Monkton. - “Who shot me? You, Clifford Price?” “No. I fired at Mr. Felming.” “Well, perhaps I’ll stand a better chance in the next world by making a clean breast of every- thing,” he said slowly and thoughtfully, “Put your hand in the pocket of my coat, young man. You will find there your father’s original will. The one filed by Fleming in Macedonia is a for- gery. Now. take down what I tell you.” Mr, Cowell produced a pocket fountain pen and a memorandum book. _Monkton then confessed the whole conspiraey to defraud Clif, and stated what his share in the transactions had been. He signed the book with an unsteady hand, and the others — signed it as witnesses, igh “J think I feel better after that,” he said. “Do ~ heart,” replied Clif, you forgive me, boy?” “I do with all my solemnly. Monkton lingered till daylight and then died. In the meantime Mr. Fleming was made as comfortable as possible. Clif showed him Monkton’s confession, and he saw that the game was up for good and all. “J suppose you mean to prosecute me,” he said, despondently. ; “No, Mr. Fleming, not if you will add your confession to Monkton’s. In that event you may go where you choose and take your son. If you - do not prosper in three years send me your ad- dress and I will forward you a sum of money to — give you another start. I think I am treating you fairly.” Mr. Fleming admitted it and made a statement covering everything. Next day Mr. Fleming and the body of Monkton were moved to Tucson. During the week Mr. Cowell and the boys located the turquoise mine, but it was decided not to disturb it until Clif reached twenty-one and came into full possession of all his property. _ Clif did not accompany Florence Cowell and her | father to California, but returned with his chum — to Macedonia to start the necessary legal proceed- ~~ ings that would establish his unquestioned right — to his father’s property. In due time Mr. Staple- ton was appointed his guardian, and the Staple- ton family removed to Beeching Hollow at Clif’s request. Clif decided not to go to a big college, but engage a private tutor for himself and Wal- ter. His education was practically completed to suit his own ideas when he reached his twenty-: first birthday. Then he and Walter wént to Ari-. zona and opened up the turquoise mine. After taking out many thousand dollars worth of rough stones, Clif finally sold the ranch and mine toa ~ corporation for a million dollars. ie On his return Hast there were great doings at ~ Beeching Hollow. He and Walter had stopped over at Chicago, and when they left for Mace- donia, Florence Cowell accompanied them as _ There was something of a celebra- — tion at the Hollow to welcome its new. mistress, — with music and fireworks galore. Then the two young people settled down to a life of quiet wed- ded bliss. To-day their children are, never tired of hearing about the Chase for a Fortune. bs -- Next Week’s Issue Will Contain “TUGGLING: ; WITH THE MARKET, OR, THE BO
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FAME AND FORTUNE ‘WEEKLY 21 CURRENT NEWS BURIED WATCH A woman’s watch ploughed under seventeen years ago on the farm of John Briggs, at Avoca, N. Y., has just been recovered when potato dig- ‘gers came upon it in a hill of potatoes. The crys- tal was not broken and the watch was in good condition. : TWELVE-HEADED DOLL At a recent toy fair held in New York City dolls “were shown with from seven to twelve heads, witha wardrobe of seven to twelve dresses. ‘This givés a doll and a dress for every occasion. ‘There were 175 exhibitions at the fair, GREATEST VIOLIN COLLECTION The world’s greatest violin collection is kept in a vault of a Pittsburgh, Pa., bank. The collec- tion, including a Stradivarius worth $20,000, be- longs to Gabriel M. Francois, who says that'he can prove that the violins made to-day are in no way inferior to the aged instruments. WHAT IS A PHALANX? Pr A phalanx in ancient Greece was a body of soldiers, from 8 to 16 ranks deep. and armed with lances 14 to 18 feet long. Their shields joined, and their: pikes crossed each other, to make it difficult for a foe to break the compact mass. At first a phalanx consisted of 4,000 men, > but. this number was afterward doubled by Phil- ip, of Macedon, and the double phalanx is hence often called the Macedonian phalanx. <A grand phalanx consisted of about 16,000 men, Polybius, the historian, deseribes it thus: ‘It was a square of pikemen, consisting of sixteen im rank and 500 in depth; the soldiers stood so close together that the byes of the fifth rank extended three feet beyond the front; the rest, whose pikes were not serviceable owing to their distance from the front, couched them upon the shoulders of those ° that stood before them, and so locking them to- gether in file, pressed forward to support and push. on the former rank, by which means’ the assault was rendered more violent and _irresist- ible.” The word phalanx is likewise used for any combination of people organized to act with firm- hess and. unanimity. interest you: “BOYS, ARE YOU READING ; “MYSTERY MAGAZINE” - The next number on the newsstands contains the Feature Novelette, “THE LITTLE MAN TRAPPER” - “By GROVER KIDWELL | y A new Two-Part Serial begins, entitled, “THE PURPLE DRAGON INN” By VERA CUMMINGS VIELE In addition there will be a large number of short stories by the following well-known writers: “The Empty Grave,” by Leslie Childs “The Mudgee Diamonds,” by Peter Perry “The Lifters,” by Walter M. Dickenson “The Sharpshooter Mystery,” by Howard Philip Rhodes “The Dorothy Perkins Rose,” by Dorothy Stote . “Postponed Justice,” by George Ethelbert Walsh We call your attention to the special articles, every one of which. will “Convict Seizes a Car-in Prison and Escapes,’ “A Gold |} Brick Swindle,” “Convict Finds Liberty Useless,” “Robbing the Post- | master,” “Federal Agents Seize Bogus Money.” ag Do not ‘fail to get a copy from your newsdealer. enjoy the exciting incidents in these stories. 1 ciara aes RF a ~ Sees EERE a - 3 Oe = You cannot fail to
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22 Rob and the Reporters — Or, _ Hustling for War News by Wireless By GASTON GARNE (A Serial Story.) CHAPTER XXI.—(Continued). “First challenge,” muttered Thompson. “Won- der if we are going to get by that outfit. I ques- tion it.” ; He slowed down and stopped. . : ‘A man wearing a captain’s uniform stepped out from among the trees. : “Your names, gentlemen,” he asked. “Captain Stein of the 86th,” replied Brown. “Captain Reitz of the 24th,” added Thompson. “Robert Bollman, wireless operator,” said. Rob. “Where ave you bound?” was then asked. “For the front,’ replied Brown. “On what. business?” “Special duty.” ° “You must show your passes.” ‘Rob saw by the light of the ca tain’s lantern that they were signed by a General Weingartner. The captain studied them with close attention and then handing them back, said: : “You, can pass on, gentlemen. Good-night.” The soldiers, fell ‘away and Thompson drove the car ahead. . : ; “Jt seemed to work all right,” said Rob. “Which was more than I expected,” grunted Brown. “Perhaps my fears are unfounded. But our greatest danger is yet to come; it will be when we make our final dash for the French lines. We shall probably be fired at.” f “How will you get through the French lines?” “J said I had papers. I forgot my French pass. We each have one, but so hidden that no ordinary search will reveal it. Jack, this wire bothers me. Do you imagine it’s a telephone wire? It only began at that camp in the woods.” “That’s just. what it is, of course,” replied Thompson. “Yes, I wish it wasn’t here. We shall be challenged again at the foot of the hill, you'll. see.” It proved so. Here a regiment was encamped. Instead of the lonely spot they had expected to find there were several houses, one of which was quite a large stone structure which looked as if it had once been a fort. A‘’chain was stretched across the road. Thomp- son had to bring the car to a halt. © Again their names and business were de- manded and the passes shown. “Wait,” said the captain, who challenged the m. e called to a soldier who approahed and saluted. Bee é ' “Take these passes to General Weingartner,” ' he said. . “My apologies for disturbing him. Say “that for reasons it is necessary to know if this ‘is. Pdi signature, | 3 ; ~ Exawn save Thompson a look of dismay. “Now ¥ = P, Se rete OL A USED! ins 2 Ue) po te + Ms FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY we are up against it,” thought Rob. “I wish to goodness I hadn’t come.’ The soldier was gone a long time. Meanwhile not a word was spoken. When he returned he was accompanied by the colonel, who had been a passenger in the stalled car. “So we meet again, it seems,” he said, coldly. “Gentlemen, I am sorry to have to tell you that General Weingartner pronounces your. passes forgeries. You are under arrest.” CHAPTER XXII. A Lucky Escape, “Forgeries!” cried Brown. “That’s absurd.” “It makes -little difference what you say or think, gentlemen,” replied the colonel, coldly. “You will follow me.” : “And our car?” asked Brown. The colonel shrugged his shoulders. “Tt will come handy in the Kaiser’s service,” he said, adding: © “Come, get out, and no more talk.” Rob would have put up a special plea for him- self if he had understood German well enough to make it possible, but as it was he could only go along with the rest. With the reporters he was conducted to the stone building already mentioned, where they were locked in a large room with a stone floor and an enormously high ceiling. It was furnished after a crude fashion, everything being seem- ingly very old. : iF ‘We are certainly up against it for fair,” re- marked Brown, once they found themselves alone. _ “That’s what,” replied Jack Thompson. “Noth- ing but the truth will ever save us. Who ever would have supposed we were going to run into ae Weingartner at this out-of-the-way ioint: “The truth!” cried Brown. “If we tell it we are as good as dead. We shall be shot as spies, surest thing; but we better quit our English talk in this loud fashion. The dear knows who may be listening.” . For a long time they sat in silence around a big table, waiting for something to happen, but no one came near them. : oe “Y’'m half asleep,” said Thompson at last. “I’m going to lie down on the floor and catch a nap if I die for it.” ‘ Brown and Bob followed his example, but on Rob’s part it proved useless. He simply could not sleep. ae ar rah The night wore itself out at last. a aw The coming of daylight brought the colonel, who was as cool and sarcastic as ever. af “You will follow me, gentlemen,” he said. “General Weingartner is ready to receive you.” They were now conducted to a large tent where they found themselves in the presence of a typi- cal German officer who, having looked them over — for a few moments in silence, ordered them to strip and hand their clothes over to the colonel to be searched. 6 _ Brown protested and started to make a speech, © but was promptly checked. 7 el (To be eontinued.¥ it ae
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FAME AND FORTUNE: WEEKLY 23 ARTICLES OF INTEREST WHAT A MAN CAN DO WITHOUT HANDS What would you do if, instead of hands, you had two scarred stubs terminating half-way be- “tween the elbows and the place where hands ought to be? What you might do, if you had the courag2 and persistence, is demonstrated in the case of Joe Glasgow, a teamster and _all- around handy man employed by the city of Ven+ ice, California. When you see this man saunter- ing into the city yards after lunch, with the air of one we!l satisfied with life, it is hard to real-. ize his affliction, says Popular Mechanics. Seven vears ago Glasgow, posseessd of two wood hands, was working as a fireman on a railroad in Michigan, One-day there was a collision. The engineer was killed. Glasgow was taken to the _ hospital. and when he regained consciousness he - found that both hands were gone. After leaving the hospital he took up what seemed, for him, the only occupation left, and for two years he stood on the street corners and begged. The occupation paid well but did not satisfy him. He wanted the standing among men that he had had before his ~ aecident, and he started in learning to work with his stubs. ‘ : “How he holds down a job as a teamster, and holds it down so well that a recent attempt to oust him from the city’s servic, in order to pro- vide a man with two hands and a motor truck, failed. -He harnesses and drives his own horse, doing all the loading and unloading without help. When the teaming work is dull he works with shovel or saw, or at some of the numerous odd jobs to be done about the city yards. When pay- lay comes he writes his name on the back of his check legibly and easily. Once a week he writes “with his own hand” a letter to his mother, whom he supports. He fills and lights his pipe and takes money out of his pocket as readily as do men with two hands. He does these things with- out hooks or other mechanical aids. TRUSTY FOILS PLOT A loyal trusty prevented the escape of ten pris- oners from the Bronx County jail on last Labor Day evening. The delivery plot and its frus- _ tration were made public on the return of Sheriff ‘Edward J. Flynn of the Bronx from his vacation. Six of the prisoners were awaiting trial for first degree murder. One of them, John “Chick” Durkin, who went to trial for the murder of De- tective Timothy Connell, was said to be the “mas- - ter mind.” : ‘The plan was to knock a keeper over the head with the leg of an iron cell seat, taken his keys and release the other prisoners on the fourth tier. All were to jump from the windows in Durkin’s cell to a vacant lot beside the jail building. by a trusty whom he had done a slight favor. The trusty, grateful for the aid, and desirous of pre- venting anything that would reflect on O’Neill’s administration of the jail in the absence of Sher- iff Flynn, told him that something was doing up “4 on the fourth tier. Strange sounds, he said were heard there every night.’ Under Sheriff Thomas O’Neill was called aside - Under Sheriff O’Neill immediately ordered a search of all the cells on;the tier. Nothing was found until the guards came to Durkin’s cel’. There they found a rivet-without a head. Close” investigation showed that five rivets had been sawed off. In another cell three steel saws and a coil of rope were found. The prisoner in whose cell the saws were discovered said that Durkin, fearful of the outcome of his trial for murder. had visitors smuggle four saws into the jail through a hole in the wire netting that separates the prisoners from their callers. The four outside aids were told to be in readiness Labor Day night. Durkin was to “brain” the guard, seize his keys and gun affd release the rest. On Labor Day night Under Sheriff O’Neill sta-~ tioned -men around the jail to try and capture the four outside aids, but no~one appeared. The names of several men said to have been impli- cated were turned over to District Attorney Mc- Geehan for investigation. INVENTOR PROMISES MANY NEW MARVELS : The modest vlaim of J. B. Abraham of Newport News, Va., he “has an inventive turn of mind” leaves no ground for dispute when substantiated by a list of ideas which he hopes soon to demon: strate along lines that “would be of vast benefit to our Government, as a government, as well as commercially.” Aside from a number of railroad patents, he mentions the following: ; 1. Ditch digger. This idea, if put into .effect, | could be used to build a canal as large as the Panama Canal at comparatively little cost, say, less than $25,000,000. This idea would also revo- | lutionize commercially the digging of channels of rivers, harbors, ete., and. incidentally mining. 2. Automobiles. I have an idea that would ‘revo- lutionize the manufacture of automobiles. My in- vention would be simple in operation and cheap in construction, and, in the operation of the same, kerosene: could be used as well as gasolene. - 3. War dévice for sending at least two tons of explosives any given distance and then dropping the same. This device could be usea to destroy whole armies miles away; it could be used at sea, and I do not believe the Rock of Gibraltar ~ could withstand an attack from it: This device also could be used commercially and would be an improvement over our present flying machines. Having thus described the general character of his ideas, Mr. Abraham says he is prepared. to . demonstrate that they are practicable, but, being mindful that “inventors are frequently not re- warded but cheated out of the benefits of their - inventions,” he will not reveal his seerets until he is positively assured that his interests are fully protected. He declares that the principles upon which his war device is founded will in all prob- ability go to the grave with him unless it is taken up by the American Government, for he would rather sacrifice any gains that might come to. — him than see such a weapon fall into the posses- sion of some other country that might use it~ against us. eet ap te Bo Be oy. 4 4
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Be é ' of receiver. . “unitenna.” of Nishni-Novgorod, oR’ 24 FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY INTERESTING RADIO NEWS AND HINTS POINTERS It is economy to use two dry cells in parallel with a W D tube. If your filament rheostats must be tuned up during a program, your A battery is discharged. If’you don’t get enough volume from your loud- speaker, add another step of amplification. When building a two-step amplifier, the con- nection of the B battery should be such that both tubes get the full voltage. Any metallic substance will collect radio waves and if not grounded will act as an aerial. The difference between a poor crystal and a . good one is its ability to allow current to pass in one direction better than in the other. NO LEAD-IN 4 Many radio enthusiasts do not know that it is possible to make use of an outdoor antenna and still not bring any lead-in wire into the house. All that is necessary is to attach a coil of wire, like a loop-antenna, to the regular outdoor an- tenna, carrying the circuit then to the ground. All this is outside, the coil being placed some- where élose to the wall. Inside the wall, near the place where the coil is placed outside, you set up an ordinary loop antenna connected to any kind : The energy surging back and forth through the coil outside will penetrate the wall and will be picked up by the loop inside. Of course this is not as good as a regular lead-in, but it will work fairly well, except in metal buildings. THE “UNITENNA” The “Unitenna” is the new name given to an apparatus known as the “coupling tube unit” in the Navy. It permits of multiple reception on a single aerial. The large fighting craft of the United States are now equipped with this device. The S. S. Leviathan has been equipped with the Recent tests on the Leviathan by naval and Shipping Board experts proved that with the coupling tube unit messages could be received on 600 meters while the ship’s six-kilo- watt tube transmitter was radiating 25 amperes on 2,100 meters. The transmitting tube was lo- cated only five feet from the receiving set in the tests, the antenne being parallel and only 30 feet apart. Other equally startling results have been ; obtained. RADIO WAVES A young Russian radio engineer, M. Lossev, working in the radio laboratories of the Soviet Gvernment has invented a new way of using a crystal as a radio generator. The combination used is a zincite crystal and a steel point. Re-- sistance and a battery are in the circuit and a tuned circuit is attached, so that the oscillations produced can be maintained and controlled. The device operates in much the same way’ as the arc oscillators that were popular before the advent of the vacuum tube. Radio amateurs in the city where Losscov’s work has S sas : 2 : 4 gn , eo) 4 ae Ley dire a been done, are said to be using the new crystal hook-ups for local communication. It is very doubtful, however, whether these~devices can compete at all with the vacuum tube as a genera- tor of electric oscillations. GLASS, FOR RADIO SETS One of the best insulating materials that we ‘ possess is glass, especially the varieties of glass that contain a considerable percentage of silica. One of the best of them is the, familiar Pyrex glass much used for baking dishes and other kitchen glassware. » The loss of energy in Pyrex insulating materials is exceptionally low. Pyrex | insulators for antennas and lead-in wires ‘ ave been on the market for some time. Tube sockets of Pyrex are a more recent innovation. A con-. denser, especially designed for low glasses, and insulated with short sections of Pyrex glass tubes, has been perfected and will be on the market very shortly. Pyrex glass is obtainable from dealers in chemical apparatus in the form of sheets, tubes, rods. plates and other shapes. It is likely to prove a valuable addition to the armament of the radio experimenter. s LOSSES. IN SETS One of the foremost signs of the times in radio land is the increasing attention being paid to the prevention of losses of signal energy in and be- ~ “Low loss © tween the instruments in a receiver. tuners” are-the order of the day. The impelling reason for this seems to be the desire to use the loop antenna, with its comparatively small pick- up, of signal energy and its equally small nick- up of static. Small antenne and high amplifi- cation. have been found to give clearer signals than any other way of disposing of the natural interference produced by lightning and other at- mospheric disturbances. sensitive sets, even a vgry little loss of energy in the coils, transformers or condensers becomes ~* a fatal defect. -There are two important sources of loss in a radio receiver. One is high resis- tance of the wires or other parts. The other— and usually more important one—is the presence of something that absorbs energy from the elec- tromagnetic field that surronds the instruments. Suppose, for example, that some metal object is so placed that it cuts the lines of force froma __ tuning coil. Some of the energy in that coil will be absorbed in the metal and dissipated as eddy currents. Low-los¢ design requires, therefore, not only the proper design of the instruments themselves, but the proper placing of them with reference to’ Gach other. Another important souree of losses is the insulation on the wire. Air ~ is the best insulator ordinarily obtainable. Ac- cordingly for radio-frequency currents, bare wire is the best where it can be used. Enameled wire ig next best, provided the enamel is of the best. quality. Silk covered wire is next best. Cottor covered wire usually has the greatest losses of With such extremely ,
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: FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY | _ GOOD READING ‘PAINTED SOLES OUTWEAR UPPERS. : Painting the soles of shoes will preserve the : leather a long time. F. W. Charles of Seattle sends the Scientific American the following in- structions as to doing it. He says they are the result of much experimentation. “Yor a pair of shoes that have the shiny dress- ing worn off the soles, put on three coats of paint—ordinary hard finish black paint will do— allowing each coat to dry forty-eight hours be- fore applying the next paint. That is all there is to it. “Tf the shoes are new, with the sole dressing intact so that the paint will not penetrate, rub the surface with fine sandpaper. The paint will soon wear off the soles, but that which has pene- : trated the leather will remain and continve to perform its good offices. Repeat the process once | ‘each season and soles will cease to worry, you; the life of your shoes will be measured 7 that of the uppers—and this will be greatly prolonged by the elimination of the half-soling process, with its great wearand tear on the edges of the soft leather. ; “In proof of all this, I can cite a pair of Ox- fords which I am now wearing for the third sum- mer. The heels are slightly worn, but they were never painted. I may say, as further evidence of what this showing means, that I walk about for some fourteen or fifteen hours per day.” ~ a eet PHILADELPHIA Three baby elephants, part of a vaudeville act ata local theatre, scored such a smashing hit. in rivaté life that their owner, Don Darrah of New Vork, was held in $300 bail pending repairs to certain parts of the northeast section of Phila- delphia. : The three elephants, confined at night in a gar- age, early to-day took offense at sounds from a _balky motor car, snapped their chains and sallied forth, with the car owner leading the provession at a spanking pace. Z : Frequent whiffs of breakfast being prepared by Mrs. Anna Dammore in her kitchen halted ‘the - elephantine section of the parade, and one of “them investigated by uprooting the fence. Mrs. Dammore gazed out of her window-a second and then, with three young Dammores, sought the -' yoof. The elephants came through the back door, \ taking it with them. as _, Babe; oné of the runaways, burned his trunk ~. on the stove, seized that article by its underpin- ‘ning and gave it a course in calisthenics. The other elephants wrecked the ice box and splintered the furniture as an accompaniment. . Babe then headed an exodus from the Dam- more home. Police meanwhile summoned Mr. Darrah, who returned his charges to the theatre yard where they were fastened to heavy stakes. HOW DIAMONDS ARE GROUND _. When diamonds are first received, the stones - look like ordinary chunks of glass, and it gen- ee THREE ELEPHANTS WRECK HOME IN" erally takes two weeks before the stone is made 166 West 23d Street to look like a real diamond. Much ¢are has to be taken in getting a stone ready for the market, for usually a diamond shrinks 60 per cent. in weight, and this must be carefully watched. ’ When the cutter receives the raw stone he pol- ishes a small spot on the diamond wheel to en- able him to look into the stone and see its pos- sibilities. The stone then goes to the splitter, who, by means of a brass clamp and hammer breaks it up into the desired number of pieces. Next it is partially imbedded in lead; it is clamped before a toothless buzz-saw of phosphor bronze from four to six-thousandths of an inch thick and revolving 3,300 times a minute. It would require 24 hours of continuous sawing to eut through a third of an inch. After, the sawing process the pieces go to the shaper. Here one piece or diamond; embedded in lead and screwed fast to the center-of a revoly- ing plate, is brought in contact with another dia- mond fastened to the end of a giant penholder. As the lathe plate revolves, the two diamonds grind one against the other, and gradually, by frequently changing position, the two become lit- a spheres, which look like beads of ground glass. Next comes the actual grinding. It is done upon a receiving wheel of specially tempered steel. Upon the upper surface is spread a mixture of ‘diamond dust and pure olive oil. The wheel is set in motion, and then the little spheres of dia- mond, once more imbedded in lead, and held in clamps against it. By continually changing the position of the stone, all of the 52 parts of the diamond are polished, and it is then ready for display. If a stone is too deep or too shallow its fire will not be of the best. “Mystery Magazine” Semi-Monthly 15 Cents a Copy 166 THE HEART ON THE MIRROR, by Alexander Morrison. 166 MIXED MOTIVES, by Eric Howard. 167 SOUTHWEST OF THR LAW, by Hamilton 168 Craigie. THE HOODWINKERS, by George Bronson Howard. 169 WALLED IN, by Frank Blighton. 170 THE DARK CURTAIN, by M. M. Oblinger, Out Today in No. 171 THE LITTLE MAN-TRAPPER By GROVER KIDWELL Out Today in No. 170° 4 HARRY E. WOLFF, Publisher, Inc. 166 West 23d Street New York City Lace os “Moving Picture Stories” A Weekly Magazine Deveted te Photoplays and Players PRICE TEN CENTS PER COPY Mach number contains Lhree Stories u- the Best i on the Screen—Hlegant Half-tone Scenes from the rue eae ergs About acm neas People in the © —| gs 0: ctors and Actresses in th > and Lessons in Scenario Writing. Petit Sees HARRY E. WOLFF, Publisher, Inc. a New York Cyt
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26 FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY - "NEW YORK, DECEMBER 19, 1924 TERMS TO SUBSCKIBERS Single Coples........... aceces-Fostage Pree b Cente Uue Copy Three Mouths. Vs os $1.00 Une Copy Six Monthe.. uF be se 2.00 Une Copy One Year........ vee ¢ a #.00 Canada, $4.50; Foreign, $5.00. HOW TO SEND MONEY — At our risk senu P.O. Money Order, Check or Hegistered Letter; remitianees in any other way are at + Haat’ risk. We accept Postage Stamps the sume as cash. When sending Silver wrap the Coin in a separate piece of paper to avoid cuiting the envelope. HARRY E. WOLFF, jen BH. Wolff, Pres. rite your vame and address plainly. Publisher, Inc., Charles KE. Nylander, See. 166 W. 23d St., N. Y. FROM ALL POINTS APPLES KEPT FOR 5 YEARS Alterations in a cold storage plant in Zillah, Wash., uncovered three boxes of apples that had been kept chilled for five years. The fruit is in excellent condition. ANCIENT SWISS CHEESE Some of the wealthy families in Switzerland . possess cheeses more than a century old, which. are served only on the most important occasions. ACTOR’S INVENTION The recent death of William Hanlon, the actor, at the age of eighty-seven, has a special meaning for the New York Fire Department, say the Scientific American, for it is to this member of - the Honlon brothers (six in number) that we owe the invention of the life net. More than forty years ago the brothers were doing a “stunt” called “A Leap for Life” when one of the broth- ers, Thomas, fell and was killed. William Han- lon then devised a rope net to protect himself when he took his brother’s place in the act. He showed it to his friend Hugh Bonner, then Chief Instructor in the New York Fire Department Training School, who at once seized onto the idea. The life net in improved form is now carried to every fire in New York as well as in most other places. The old rope net has given way to one of canvas ,which remains taut under all conditions ‘and has sufficient slack to act as a harmless break to the fall of the body. The canvas is stretched inside of a-steel ring 9 feet in diameter, and is fastened to the ring on thirty steel rods, each con- nected with a spring. This serves to keep the canvas taut and allows the ten men to jockey the net into position under the falling person. 2,000,000 WRECK FOUND BY SALVAGERS The Merida’s treasure is still at the bottom of the sea and is destined to ees — ae eet ~ yntil next spring, according to Franklin {. Mal- lory, who, with Anthony J. Drexel Biddle, Jr., W. Heyward Drayton 8d, and others, is backing a quest to recover $2,000,000 from the wreck, ~ “Salvaging operations have been held up by bad _ weather, ead. we shall probably have te abandon “the enterprise until next spring,” said Mr, Mal-- but mine must be running slow.” Si ear FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY lo:y. The treasure hunt was begun October 1, when the trawlers Foam and Spray, with divers and salvaging equipment, put out from New York for the ‘supposed sits of the wreck, fifty miles _ east of Cape Charles. On October 28 it was an- nounced the hulk had been found in 200 feet of water, and that Frank J. Crilley, a former navy diver, had identified the wreck as that of the Merida. Mr. Mollory admitted the wreck had been found, but declined to give its exact location be- cause of the fear of hijackers. An iron sweep ~ a mile long, dragged along the floor of the sea ae ee two trawlers, was used in locating the ulk. The Merida, a Ward liner, sank May 12, 1911, when rammed on a foggy night by the American: mail steamer Adminal Farragut. She was bound to New York from Havana, and was carrying.a “ large shipment of gold, silver, lead and copper. pie other attempt have been made to recover this ooty. : Peay LAUGHS | Harry—I suppose if I kissed you, you would never speak to me again? Harriet—Why do you always look on the dark side of things? “I told Uncle Simon that he was getting too old and feeble to attend to business.” “Did he take it kindly?” “He threw me out of his office.” — Bobbie’s mother had just taken out her winter ~garments. “Ma,” said the observant little fellow, “what did moths live on before Adam and Bye wore clothes?” 3 Se Elsie (aged six)—Mamma, can I play I’m en- tertainin’ the little giri next door? Mother—Yes, — dear, of course. Elsie—Very well. Then gimmie some cake for her. Mrs. Newwed—What! You have no income but your salary? You told me you had ‘money to burn!’ Mr. Newwed—Well, I’ve just paid for a ton of coal, haven’t I? ee Mrs, Nuwed—When we got married, didn’t you. promise me a new hat every season? Nuwed— ~ But you never told me that there were about a dozen hat seasons in a year. “Pop, what’s a monologue?” “A monologue is a conversation between husband and wife.” “f thought that was a dialogue.” No; a dialogue’ is where two perosns are speaking.” Ye Edith—That Mr. Phan is conversationally im- possible, Ethel—Why so? Edith—We were talk- © ing about the theater, and when I inquired what was his favorite play, he said if he had any fayor- ite play, it was seeing a man steal second. “That tall young man over at the other table is said to be the richest man in the hotel. Nees time his watch ticks a minute he’s ahead a dol- lar.” “Vve got one of those dollar watches, too,
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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY 3 OF INTERESTING ITEMS AMAZON VALLEY AN. EL DORARO The valley of the Amazon is said to be the larg- est undeveloped territory in the world and the meron in soil, timber, mineral, nuts and precious metais. THE DANGEROUS HOUR In London more accidents occur on Saturday than any other day of the week. The time favor- able to accidents seems to be between 3 and 4 P. M., or much earlier than in the United States. The next most dangerous hour is that between 10 and 11 at night. This is not surprising, as the '. traffic is heavy and poorly regulated at night. It is as much as your life is worth to cross the Strand -in the late evening. It has been urged not only in London but elsewhere that an‘ im- provement of the street lighting would go far to- ward removing this danger. A LIGHTHOUSE STORY Bishop’s Light rises near the Scilly Islands and gives a grim warning of the dangers of the coast. It is one of the most exposed lighthouses in the world and the three tenders have a lonesome time. During a recent spring- storm the beams from : Bishop’s Rock came near to failing. The light weighs several tons and revolves on supports resting in a circular trough of mereury. It is bal- _ anced so delicately a child may turn it by a touch of the finger. -On this night the tower was so shaken by the heavy seas that much of the mer- eury was spilled out over the concrete floor of the light chamber. The three guards fell on their knees, scooped up the mercury in their hands and poured” it back into the trough. SHOP EARLY . One of the important features in the Shop Early, Mail Early campaign, which is being put ont roughout the country by the Post-office De- son partment, is the proper addressing and securely wrapping of Christmas packages. When you wrap your Christmas packages, wrap them se- _-eurely, put your address in the upper left corner “,so, if by any chance it should go astray, it can be returned to you and not sent to the dead-let- ter office.’ The good folks of our community last year helped to bring joy and happiness to hun- dreds of thousands of postmen ‘and clerks. Let’s do our shopping early and mailing ried again this year, so that we may again enable the post- men and the post-office clerks to eat their Christ- mas dinners at home with their families and at the same time assure ourselves of .having our ‘ -. Christmas presents delivered to our friends in order that they may be opened on Christmas - morning. a : x -/ - IG SOLOMON'S PLANE there is some reason-to believe that some one preface to “Bibliotheca Aeronautics,” states that Solomon gave to the Queen of Cheba ‘a vessel wherein one could traverse the air for wind, which Solomon had made by the wisdom that God had given unto him.” ‘There are other refer- ences to flight in Abyssinian sacred writings, and there is a long description of the miraculous way In which the Queen of Sheba’s son Menelek left Sol- omon, journeying to his mother’s country. “No man hauled his wagon, and whether it was men, or horses, or mules, or loaded camels, each was raised above the ground to a height of a cubit.” A cubit, according to the ancient Egyptians, measured ,about 20 inches, but elsewhere it is recorded that over the Red Sea they were lifted up three cubits “and every one traveled in the wagons like an-eagle when his body glidéth above “the wind.” |‘ LOOK, Boys! TRAPEZEE The Acrobatic Wonder Toy : ALMOST HUMAN IN ITS : ACTIONS! _ It consists of a handsome parallel iron frame on which the little yellow man accurately performs like an ath- lete. Five Different Stunts— THE FLYING TRAPEZE — Release the © trigger-pin and the figure swings for-. ward, gripping the brass trapeze-bar, turns a somersault in the air and catches | a cross-bar by his heels. y ; THROUGH THE LOOP—A swift swing | ‘and he goes through a wire loop, makes ~ a turn and, catching by his heels, swings head downward from a bar. THE GIANT SWING—He goes forward with a rush, releases the trapeze, catches a horizontal-bar with his heels, makes | - two swift somersaults in the air and catches by his heels again. He performs two more horizontal-bar acts with the grace and agility of a cir- cus star, and many new ones can be in- vented. : The Most Wonderful Toy in the World! RD PRICE $1.00 The collapsible stand and the little mani- kin are neatly packed in.a handsome box. Delivered anywhere in the United States on receipt of price. Address WOLFF NOVELTY CO., ae 166 W. 23d St., New York City, N.Y. - ‘
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“PAME AND- FORTUNE WEEKLY HERE AND THERE INTERESTING TUNNELS The following is from a paper by Lester S. Grant Dean of the Colorado School of Mines read - before the Teknik Club of Denver: ‘In 1530 Ag- ricola, a German mineralogist, recorded that the oe and silver mines of Scheminitz, Hungary, ad been worked for 800 years; the‘ lead mines of Goslar, Germany, for 600 years, and the sil- ver mines of Freiberg, Saxony, for 400 years. Subsequent working of these mines necéssitated the driving of drainage tunnels of lengths as yet unequaled in the history of mining. The Tiefe Georg Tunnel, in Saxony, driven between 1777 and 1799, is 84,529 feet long, with branches amounting to 25,319 feet more. This was driven entirely by hand to obtain a drainage depth of only 460 feet. The Joseph H. Tunnel at Schem- initz was started.in 1782 but not completed until 1878. It is ten and one-quarter miles long. The Rothschonberger Tunnel at Freiberg, driven be- tween 1844 and 1877, totals over 95,149 feet, the main tunnel being 42,662 feet. These tunnels were all driven by hand using black powder.” “GOLD” NUGGETS OF KETCHUP BOTTLE . CAPS SELL WELL A bluff, hearty miner from the great open spaces, with a - 2art like a refrigerator and a brief case almost as large, dropped in at John Sitkowski’s cafe in Mineola, L. L., and set every- body up-to sarsaparilla, after which he showed them the gold nuggets which he had stuffed in his case. : He was in a hurry to turn the stuff into cash, he said, and would sell the whole collection of nuggets for $2,000.. A quiet stranger, who sat in a corner, offered to chip in $200 toward the purchase and another made a similar offer. Sit- kowski, fearful of being left out, hastily con- tributed the remaining $1,600 and did not dis- cover until after his guests had departed that the nuggets were merely ketchup bottle caps ham- mered into lumps. A little later Mrs. Margaret Dwyer, whose husband, John, a retired policeman, runs a hotel “in Mineola, gave up $200 under similar cir- cumstances. State troopers are hunting for the swindler. é - INSECTS SPOIL BRIDGE In a little over three years the teredo, the pile borer, and limnoria, a little sand fiea bug, have entirely covered some of the piling of the South Bay bridge near the whaling station, Aberdeen, . Wash. Probably all of the piling except those _ treated with a coat of cement have been seriously ' damaged. Heavy traffic over the bridge has had --- to be suspended fora time. — fhe teredo, which enters a pile through a hole hardly larger than that made by a pin, proceeds to ‘bore his way about through the center of a ‘stick in holes frequently nearly half an inch in diameter. How -he ever got into the piling through the little hole on the outside is some- hing of a mystery. for the teredo is a\ water a easy water transportation, such as the Nile fur- electric or hydraulic drills; nothing but human labor and bare hands.— ‘cientific merican, worm that looks much like an ordinary. slug. Perhaps he enters the wood when a baby. While the teredo works inside the piling the limnoria works entirely on the outside, eating away the softer wood. In appeararfte it re- sembles the sand flea very much. Neither one of these destructive insects works in fresh water and are not found as far up the Chehalis river'as either Aberdeen or Hoqulam. ONE OF THE GREATEST ENGINEERING WORKS Everyone has heard something about the Great Wall of China, but just what a tremen- dous feat of engineering it represents, one that our largest construction companies to-day might be proud of, is not generally known. It is sun- doubtedly the most gigantic defense work. ever produced and at the same time the most colossol building from point of contents, ever erected. ' Begun under the Emperor Shi Hoang Ti 200 B. C., more than two thousand. years ago, it still stands practically intact and seems capable of ~~ withstanding the ravages of arfother two thou- sand years. It was erected at the northeastern frontier of the then Chinese empire to keep off the attacks of the savage Mongolian tribes. From twenty to thirty feet high, at the base thirty feet thick, dwindling to-twenty meters at the top, built of mighty granite blocks, the wall extends along the mountain ridges, upward to the highest summit, dipping into profound gorges and mighty — _ valleys, at times disappearing in the ‘cloud- wrapped peaks, or again Jost to view by project- ing shoulders, only to break into view again in all its majestic grandeur miles beyond. No ob- stacle was too great to overcome. What an im- mense effort was required to erect this bulwark, extending from the coasts of the Yellow Sea to the interior of the Gobi desert measuring, with all its branches, more than fifteen hundred miles in length. The Great Wall contains three hun- dred million cubic meters of material; as much — as 120 Great Pyramids of Cheops. Here is a field for the statistics fiend to delight in. What time must have been spent in its building! How~ many men must have labored at it! And what a superhuman task they must have performed! For its freater length the Wall runs along bleak and inhospitable mountain ranges. Here is no 3 nished for the Pyramid builders; each huge block must have been dragged painfully up mountain ranges of sometimes 5,000 feet altitude or more; down steep and precipitous canyons; across tur- _ bulent and unbridged water courses. How was it done? How many animals were used? How many animals and men must have perished in its con- struction? We who to-day take great enterprises like the Woolworth Building, the Muscle Shoals Dam and such engineering feats almost as a mat- ter of course, may stop and ponder for a moment. | on the achievements of the old Chinese engineers who worked when there was no steam traction no
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i Stories of the West-the Frozen North and China Seas >” A Whirlwind of Action <7 in these Breath-taking Tales - way of Adventure and Romance fe Send No Money To Get Them! 1400 Pages Crammed With Daring, Thrilling Exploits of Hardy Adventures, VER 100.000 sets of these twelve gripping fascinating books have found theic way into the hearts of live wide-awake folks who enjoy rea) smashing red-blooded tales. And here is your oppor- tunity to get these twelve great books without a penny in advance. You can also keep them five-days to decide for yourself if they are not the’ most daring exciting books you ever read You won't stop reading a single one of just your name and address on the handy theso twelve live, interest holding books un- . coupon and mail it. When the 12. books til you have finished the last one, for they ~ arrive simply give your postman $1.98, plus are full of murderous stecl knives bran- a few cents delivery charges. an’) the books dished in the air, barking sixshooters, aro yours. However, if you are not fully screams of beautiful women, moans ds- satisiled that they are the most fascinating fenseless_ men, treacherous, blood-thirsty of any books you ever read ‘send them back Don Quickshot of the Rio Grande, Stephen Chalmers A thrilling story of ea EO ing Mexican bandita traio robbers. Texas rangers, and a prairie firo Loaded Dice, Edwin L Sabin A romance ot Texas, of the early days, when lives depended on quickness of draw. A tale of meo whe were juxelers with death. Sontag of Sundown, W C. Tuttle. An exciting atory of the question of ranch ownersbip— which promoted bloodshed and s war of no _ mean caliber Spawn ot tne Desert, WO. Tuttle. Whoremen lived raw in the desert’s maw, and Hell was nothing to shun, where they buried ‘em neat ‘without preacher or sheet and writ on their tombstone, crude bot aweet, “'This jnsper was Aaa BeaeSte Wi Inodtutd-tenen.. Te zona Argonauts, ‘ord-Jones. Three adventurers whose fortunes lead through SroakDe gd danger to the golden goal they yillains and gallant rescues, More thriil- within five days and your money will he The Lure of Piper's Glen, Theodore Goodridge ing than any play you ever saw or movie returned in full, Yow take no risk. Treat ‘oberts It was the laro of the North, of you ever watched. yourself to some live entertainment. plentiful game and of the clear wind from the great plaing Young Jim Todhunter heard it Apsche Vanoy. Arthur Chapman. A story of « cattle war in the Southwest, with all ft means _=terror and blood feud; alarms by night and : +f you beat: ee aa of gene You got tise pocket ‘size books writen by GARDEN CITY PUBLISHING CO., INC. famous authors who know how to tell all pepe, W-11011, Garden City, New York jay, ruatling and stealthy murder. ths thrills of pioneer days, Indian am- The Chal engo'ot the North Jumes B Hendry. bushes, stockade fighting, cattle stealing, IGE hee land, of purposes and cross purposes; of true and the joys and hardships of hardy ad- GARDEN CITY PUBLISHING CO., Ino, 4 The Secerd Mate fi. Bedford-Jones, Peril ang | Ventures: famous heroic characters: of pres- Dept. W.11011, Garden City, New York. ent and past days. Send No Money Just think, you can get this whole library of 12 clean and wholesome books for about 160 each. The whole Set will be sent to you now without a cent in advance, And when you get them you won‘t leaye home @ single night until you have finished them. There is nothing in these books that any boy or girl should not read and enjoy. * Bvery one of these splendid beoks has a striking cover in full colors and printed em good paper. Don’t send any money, mutiny op the China Seas. Two white women atthe mercy of villainous crew. Jim Barnes realized the desperate chance when be became mate of the Sulu Queen. The Devil's Payday: W.C, Tuttle A sky of braas, the sun a flame, And the land no place to dwell; A bunk doggone hot That it stil Blois to ell The Canyon of the Green Death, F.R. Buckley. bo were the devils in human form whose baunt was the lost barranca? Invisible, terri ~ ble. they b: ht the young officer of the law to a strange dilemma. Sky-High Corral, Iph Cummins. A yarn of the unending feuds between cattlemen and forest xepere: of the forest fires. grazing herds and bitter fights at timberline, _You may send me the 12 yolumes of | Western Stories by Hendryx, Tuttle, and other famous authors. I Will pay tho postman only $1.98 (plus a few ceuts delivery charges). It is understood that I may return these books, if I desire, within five daya and receive my money back promptly, c Name Renn eeeereenwessenreeeusestatenes Address eT pee sy appr in ae hl et , Clty vendccccsecec vs oc StMOs cs<sesese- as . ead
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<1 TLE ADS Write to Riker & King, Advertising Offices, 1133 Broadway, New York City, or 29 East Madison Street, Chicago, for particulars about advertising in this magazine, AGENTS WANTED AGENTS, Big Profits! Braided Rugs all ine.rage. Sell direct, one-half store prices!’ Quicn yevurns, ©. 'Tre- mendous demand, Alpern Bros.; 432 Summer, Chelsea, Mass, z SSS ec eee a AGENTS—200% PROFIT, WONDERFUL LITTLE AR- TICLE. Something new; selis like wildfire, Carry in pocket. Write at once ‘for free sample. Albert Mills, Manager, 2078, American Building, Cincinnati, Ohio. r RADJO—Your Opportunity! $5 to $1U an nour jor spa.e time work gt home. Technical knowledge unneces- sary. Build Cass low-price Tube Seis, Quick sellers. AUBURN RADLO CO., Dept. C, Cincinnati, 0. $20 PROFIT DAILY selling needlebooks; costs 3e-d¢ each; sell 25c, value 50¢; 3 samples 2! Write for Needlebook’ Specialty ,Co., 661 Broad- BE A. DETECTIVE. Opportunity for men and women for secret investigation in your district, . Write C. . Ludwig, 521. Westover -Bidg:, Kansas City, Mo. NEW INVENTION, every one buys on sight, even chil- dren can sell; 25¢ Postage for samples. George Krey~ ling, Bound Brook, N._ J: MAKE MONEY at home writing showeards. We in- struet and provide work. Kwik Showceard, 61 Bond 11. Toronto, Can, DETECTIVES NEEDED EVERYWHERE. Work home or travel, experience unnecessary. Write George R. Wasner, former Goyt. Detective, 1968 Broadway, N.Y. SILVERING Mirrors. French plate. Easily learned; im- mense profits. Plans free. Wear - Mirror Works. Excelsior Springs, Mo, , : HELP WANTED—FEMALE EARN MONEY WEEKLY, sparo time, home addressing, Fale Music circulars. Send 10¢ -for music, Information. New England Musie Co., 118 Asylum St., C-4,. Hartford, Conn. ‘ EARN MONEY at home during spare time painting Jamp shades, pillow tops for us. No canvassing. Easy and interesting work. Experience unnecessary. Nileart Company, 2354. Ft. Wayne, Indiana. poh TL OR Ll WANTED- Ladies to embroider linens for us at home during their leisure moments. Write at once— “FASHION EMBROIDERIES,” 1585, Lima, Ohi. | PERSONAL GET A SWEETHEART. ‘xchange letters. Write me enclosing stamp. Violet Ray, Dennison. Ohio. HUNDREDS seel.ing marriage, If sincere enclose stamp. Mrs. F. Willard, 2928 Broadway, Chicago, Tlinets. HUNDREDS! List free. Club B-1022. FREE Tnis Wichita, Kansas. WEALTHY MEMBERS want to marry, LONELY HEARTS—I have a sweetheart for you. Wx- change jetters; make new friends. ifficievt, conficen- tial and uignified service, Members everywhere. y Moore. Box 08, Jucksonville, Florida. MARRY IF LONELY “‘Horre Maker’; buoureds rich; reliable; years experience; descriptions free. The Suc- cessiul Club. Box 556, ‘Oakland, California, MARRIAGE PAF ER--20th year. Big issue with descrip- tious, puotos, names and addresses. 25 cents. No other fee. Suit sealed. Box 2265 KH, Boston, Mass. CHARMING YOUNG LADY, worth $50,000, will marry. 0 Box 55, Oxford. ia MARRY—PFree \photographs, directory end descriptions of wealthy members. Pay when married, New Plan @o., Dept. 36. Kansas City, Mo. MARRY—MARRIAGE DIRECTORY with photos and. descriptions free. Pay when, married. The Exchange, Dept. 545, Kansas City, Mo. MARRY—Write for big new directory with photos and descriptions. Tree. National Agency, Dept. A, 1606, Sta. E. Kansas Clty, Mo, SWEETHEARTS’ Correspondence Club. Stamped en- velope for sealed proposal. Lillian Sproul, Station H, Cleveland, Ohio. e MARRY—Register with one of the oldest Compeniés on earth, If married within ninety days, pay marriage ce Particulars, Hazen A, Horton, Desk J., Marshall, en, LONELY HEARTS, panion for you, many worth from $5,000 to $50,000 most successful home maker, description free, Standard Corr. Club, Grayslake, 111. LONESOME? Find your sweetheart. Vast member- ship, confidential, no embarrassment. Bertha Franz, 949 Montana St.. Chicago,- PRETTY MAIDEN, worth $60,000, but so lonesome, ‘L,, Box 89, Oxford, Fla WEALTHY YOUNG LADY, pretty, will marry, me. Eva, B-1022, Wichita, Kansas. : CHARMING YOUNG LADY, worth $50,000, will marry. C,, Box 55, Oxford, Fla. PRETTY MAIDEN, worth $60,000, but so lonesome. L., Box 39, Oxford, Fla. : TOBACCO HABIT Write TOBACCO or Snuff Habit cured or no fay. $1.00 if cured, Remedy ‘sent on trial. Superba Co., PC., Baltimore, Md. SONGWRITERS WRITE THE WORDS FOR A SONG—We_ compose music, Submit your poems to us at once.” New York Melody Corporation, 405 J. Romax Isldg , wwew 1oOrk. SEND TODAY for free copy Writer’s Digest; tells how to write and sell short stories, photoplays, poems, songs. _Writer’s Digest, G-22, BE. 32th St.. Cincinnatl, See people and objects miles away, on land or sea, as if they were close, Wonder Telescope gives new pleasures to home, farm, camp, travel, 4 | syort: See moon and stars as never before. jong;-in 5 sections; measures 12 inches eee ‘ow powerful lenses: “Thousands p'! aeroplane 4 miles away.’’"—Mre. Yarbrou incetown ear ag if in fro’ Scribner. ‘I have been i submarines | handsome, sturdy 12 in, leatherette gent FE Sith Given for selling 80 assort- ments Colored Xmas Seals at 10c ‘asst.; or sell 80 cards Arrow JB Dress Snap Fasteners at 10c card. 4g Easily sold. EARN. BIG MONEY OR PREMIUMS. Order SEALS or © Bnaps today,sendnomoney. We trast you till goods are'sold. ~~ Box 127-S American Specialty Co., Lancaster, Pa. . ht, 28 miles away, neighborhood; entertain your friends, : send only name and addrege for telescope and see by On arriva! deposit with Postman only $1.85 plus a few Satisfaction guaranteed or money refunded. Order today while supply lasts. FFERRY & CO.,630 W. Jackson Bivd., Dept. 9467 Chicago, IIL Re Barcel gennenae ay Eowpactauon iarecgived: Aww aul Opens out over 3 fect Brasg Laie has a \ Id tell color o: “Saw y ton. mas i on fre way, #66 mountains on moon’’—A ecause of fortunate purchase from large European . maker we can give you.a big barga", Be first in your Send no money; el post. nnies postage, Win 5000 Votes What words do these numbers eh be ie ten spel) three words. What are the words’ wen, Prizes and Cash Rewards. et your share of these BASY-TO- prizes, For: am going to give Pi Ga Watches, rds. Prizes duplicated in case of ‘ord votes and fi THE | RHINOCEROS’ HORNS According to Dr. Herbert Lang, who. stud- ied the great white rhinoceros in the val'ey of the Nile, this an- imal has. several very remarkable peculiarities. Its lower lip is armed with a plate of horn. as a protection against the sharp sword- grass, which con- stitutes a part its food. sab de The strangest thing is that the great horns which it carries on its nose—the front one of which is about twice as long as the rear one—do not grow from the bone, but from the skin. This is ‘ ¢ontinu- ous under the base of the horn. The horns are at- tached to the skin by slender fibres, and. two days after the animal is dead they can be plucked off with ease, There- fore these huge horns are not weapons of of- fense and de- fense,, but merely tools which _ the big animal uses for pushing its way through the dense jungle. Dr. Lang says the white rhinoceros is a sociable and “inoffensive . beast. It never attacks men and never . quarrels with its* own kind. It has the habit of tak- ing.a daily mud. bath. It is esti- mated that only -about 3,000 white rhinoceroses — re- main, the others having been slaughtered as were the..Ameri- can buffaloes. _ r
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U. S. Government Needs Men! Wonderful opportunities in Ciyil Service. Thousands of men and women appointed every year as Income Tax Auditors, Book- keepers, Railway Mail Clerks, Postmen, Deputy Collectors, etc. Generous salaries, short hours, liberal vacations. Positions open in Washington and in every other city of this country as well as in Porto Rico, Alaska, Hawaii and the Philippines. Write for 48-page FREE BOOKLET on CIVIL SERVICE. Mail the Coupon To-day INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOLS Box 449S-C, Scranton, Penna. Without cost or obligation, please send me a copy of you tS page CIVIL SERVICE BOOKLET, which s how I can secure a good-paying posi- _ tion with the “U. S. Government. BP Name... eeeccesseseenererennerensneneertenenstesetestenannnrsesssneenansnenansneneensuaes 2” i AGGrOBB......cesereserserccsessscsereseneenestaceetsesrensuscsnuagrsczsussananerseneate sens ee 3 AMAZINGLY LOW geass 1924 MODEL GOVERNMENT T received. Limited onsnt & aaa new1924 aAmM0us PER" Side riment ed with Couna ins, Shoots par ree Ss ‘American cartridge. cial introductory rice see ( at one gun to a customer. 6-shot ° $17.48 3 30 we 38 cal, 6-shot e $18.45 vy POSTMAN ON DELIVERY tage. aa Monigtih nt notestieteae. PE, Williom Ward Co., Dent, P1W Broadway, Now Yorn G9 Gold Filled Monogram Ring is iy Gostnaies’ for 3 years. To FREE ‘ our Sweet Smelling Sa- chet Po Powder, we will send this ring. Boaraved with your throe : venta for for sellioy oot as BiB 10s, Dept-a4 PAWTUCKET, vie. t DON’T BE CUT ~ Until You Try quo This Wonderful Treatment _ My internal method of treatment is the correct one, and is sanctioned by the best informed physiclans and surgeons. Otnt- ments, salves and other local. applications give only temporary relief. If you have piles In any form write for a FREE sample of Page's Pile Tablets aid. ou will bless the day that you read this, rite today. z BR. Page, 's49- FE Page Bldg. Marshall, Mich, wee WONDERS] 3 FREE = Heo. Magic Writing ackstones eon = chin = Shot. “Jacknite Tos, Ball oe % Rvakot, solored Ci Motal Puxalee, 56 feats vont Hitat ka. with Coe ts Tons te Money Waking Secrets, Jokes Hades i Chemical Mawic. | snd bundreds ot other th . AN FR for bapek (ie 24 packages Per! fumed Sachot at rndino 7. JONES MFG. CO., TILEBORO, CO Dept. 857 A Your Name A$f75 VALUE aid inGold NEVER SOLD FOR LESS. TH PERFECT WAITING WRITING INSTRUMENT Writes ike pencil with INKOG blot, oc: 4 carbons. a ‘ke coipel it. Guaranteed. ‘ay postran $1 plus Dostage. icone wanted. INKOGRAPH CO., inc., 1231 Centre St.,New York GOITRE "" Ihave an honest, proven remedy for goitre (big neck). It checks the growth at once, reduces the enlarge. ment, sto pain and distress and re- ifayesinalittie while. Pay when well. Tellyourfriondsaboutthis. Write moatoncea. DR. ROCK, Dept. ¥ Box 737, iMliwaukes, Wis. 4 PIMPLES Your Skin Can Bo Quickly Cleared of Spm a Acne Eruptions on the face or Eczema, Enlarged Pores Wi FREE [232255 Bem peer E.S.GIVENS,186 Chembal Biég., Kan Kansas City,Mo. IMOSATTEST moiled om ) ES Suey BOYS LEARN MAGIC MyStify your friends. “Mag- ica! Mysteries” describes over piety tricks of leading magicians. 25c post- paid. THE BOYCRAFT SHOP Box 631, Danville, Va, OLD MONEY WANTED——— # $2 to $500 EACH pa for hundreds of old a _ Keep ALL Old or odd “money, it ne be VERY valuable, Send 10 cts. for [LLU TRATED COIN VALUE BOOK, 4x6, Get , Posted. We pay CASH. CLARKE COIN CO., Ave 13, LeRoy. N. ¥. TMACE THE BEST CHOCOLATE BARS Mints and Chewing Gum. Be my reat Eyerybody wili buy from you. Free Samples. MILTON GORDON 189 Jackson St., Cincinasti, Shilo Write tstay, © e
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\ -EAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY aes —— LATESS ISsvES — £61 Won by Pluck; or, The Boys Who Ran a Railroad. 162 “ Beating the Brokers; or, The Boy Who Couldn't Be Done. 968 A Rolling Stone; or, The Brightes: Boy on Record. 964 Never Say Die; or, The Young Surveyor of Happy : Valley. 965 Boss of the Market; or. The Greatest Boy in Wall Street. : 466 The Chance of His Life; or, The Young Pilot of Crytal Lake. : 67 Striving for Fortune; or, From Bell-Boy to Million- aire. n68 Out for Business; or, The Smartest Boy in Town. ‘69 A Favorite of Fortune; or, Striking It Rich in Wall Street. ‘70 Through Thick and Thin; or, The Adventures of 4 Smart Boy. Doing His Level Best; or, Working His Way Up. ae on Deck; or, The Boy Who Made is Ma rk. Es A Mint of Money; or, The Young Wall Street Broker, * The Ladder of Fame; or, From Office Boy to Senator. z On the Square; or, The Success of an Honest Boy. After a Fortune; or, The Pluckiest Boy in the West. Winning the dollars; or ,The Young Wonder of Wall Street. Making His Mark; The Boy Who Became President. Heir to a Million; or, The Boy Who Was Born Lucky. Lost in the Andes; or, The Treasures of the Buried O71 72 or, City. - . On His Mettle; or, A Plucky Bov in Wall Street. A Lucky Chance; or, Taking Fortune on the Wing. The Road-to Suecess; or, The Career of a For- tunate Boy. Chasing Pointers; or, The Luckiest Boy-in Wall * Street. ; Rising in the World; or,- From Factory Boy to Manager. From Dark to Dawn; or, A Poor Boy’s Chance. Out for Himself; or, Paving His Way to Fortune. Diamond Cut Diamond; or, The Boy Brokers of Wall Street. A Start in Life; or, A Bright Boy’s Ambition. Out for a Million; or, The Young Midas ‘of Wall Street. Pyrery Inch a Boy; or. Doing His Level Best. Money to Burn; or, The Shrewdest Boy in, Wall Street. An Eye to Business; or, The Boy Who Was Not Asleep. igped by the Ticker; or, An Ambitious Boy in Wall Street. On to Suecess: or, The Boy Who Got Ahead A Bid for a Fortune; or, A Country Boy in Wall -~ Street. : Bound to Rise: or, Fighting His Way to Success. Ont for the Dollars; or, A Smart Boy in Wall Street. May d Fortune: or, The Boy Who Won Both. Por Fame and Fortu og sR Oi a or, The Boy Who Found £09 -nnh A Wall Street Winner; 1001 The Road to. Wealth: It Out. t Out. 1002 On the Wing; or, The Young Mercury of Wall Street. For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any address on receipt of price. &e. per copy, in money or stamps, by HARRY K. WOLFF, Publisher, Inc., 166 West 23d Street - New York City ras Price 35 Cents Per Copy eas “his book contains all the most recent changes iy she method of constrution and submission of scenarios. Sixty Lessons, covering every phase of scenario writing. For sale by all Newsdealers and Bookstores. If you cannot procure a copy, send us the price, 35 cents, in money or postage strmps, and we will mail you one, postage free. Address, _L. Senarens, 210 Seventh Ave., New York, N. Y. OUR TEN-CENT HAND BOOKS Useful, Instructive, and Amusing. They contain Valuable Information on Almost Every Subject. No. 17. HOW .TO DRESS.—Containing full instrue- tion in the art of dressing and appearing well at home and abroad. giving the selections of colors, material, and how to have them made up. z No. 18. brightest and most valuable little books ever given to the world. Everybody wishes to know how to become beautiful, both male and female. The secret is simple, and almost costless. No. 20. HOW TO ENTERTAIN AN EVENING PARTY.—A complete compendimu of games, sports, card diversions., comic recitations, etc., suitable for par- lor or drawing-room entertainment. It contains more for the money than any book published. No. 22. 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No amateur minstrel is complete withont this wonderfnl little book. No. 42. THE BOYS OF NEW YORK STUMP SPEAKER.—Containing a varied assortment of stump speeches, Negro, Dutch and Irish. Also end ‘men's pew Just the thing for home amusement and amateur, shows. : No. 45. THE BOYS OF NEW YORK MINSTREL GUIDE AND JOKE BOOK.—Something new and very Instructive. Every hoy should obtdin this book, as it “contains full instruetions for organizing amateur min- strel troupes. No. 52. HOW TO PLAY CARDS.—Giving the rules and full directions for nleving Buchre. Cribboge, Casino, Forty-Five, Rounce, Pedro Sancho, Draw Poker, Auc- tion Piteh, All Fours, and many other popular games of eards, z No. 53. HOW TO WRITH LETTERS.—A wonderful little honk, telling you how to write to your sweetheart. your father, mother, sister, brother. employer: and, in fact, everybody and anybody you wish to write to. No. 54. Giving complete information as to the manner and method of raising, keeping, taming, breeding, and man- nging all kinds of pets: also giving ful) instructions for making cages, ete. illustrations. ~ For sale by all newsdealers. or will ne sent to any address on receipt of price, 10e. per copy, in money or stamps, by HARRY E. WOLFF, Publisher, Inc. 166 West 23d Street HOW TO BECOME BEAUTIFUL.—One of the HOW TO KEEP AND MANAGE PETS.— Fully explained by twenty-eight ¥ ree)