Fame And Fortune Weekly (no. 1025) (1925 05 22)
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MAY 22, 1925 i Price 8 Cents Beata “Hold!” cried Jack, dashing in at the door, followed Jennie Norris. “What in thunder are you doing, Titus Granville?" The young sascal paused with the hatchet uplifted, gave 2 startled glance at the newcomers, then turned and fied.
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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY __-Yasued weekly—Subscription. price, $4.00 por year! Canada, $4.50; Foreign, $5.00. Harry H. Wolff, Publisher, inc., 160 "sa "West 23d R ry > fas tou, treet, New York, N. ¥. Entered as Second-Cla the Post-Office at New York, N. Y., under the Act of March 3, No. 1025 NEW YORK, MAY 22, 1925 z Price 8 Cents. LLL LLL A WINNING RISK Matter, October 4, 1879. WV 26 1925 OR, THE BOY WHO MADE GOOD CHAPTER I.—The Young Inventor. - “Y wish I had your head, Jack,” said Ed Risdon. _ “What’s the matter with your own head, old man?” inquired his companion with a quizzical _ look in his honest blue eyes. +. “There’s nothing particularly the matter with it, only it hasn’t got the same kind of gray matter . ~ yours has.” “How do you know it hasn’t?” “I know it all right,” replied Risdon with an _ emphatic nod. “I can’t figure out schemes and -new-fangled ideas the way you do. You've got the most wonderful nut of any chap in Seaport.” “Tf you wasn’t my best friend, I’d think you. - were kidding me.” “Y’m not kidding you,” answered Risdon solemnly. ‘Besides, I’m not the only one whod has said the same thing in different words. My father says you’re a regular genius.” , “fe said that, eh? I’m sure I’m very much _ obliged to him for his good opinion.” “Then I heard Squire Norris say that you were _ @ boy who was bound to make your mark.” “Pid Squire Norris really say that?” asked - Jack Rushton, looking particularly pleased. __, “That’s what he did. And Jeannie Norris says _ -you’re the smartest boy’in town.” _ “Oh, come now, Ed!” said Jack, with a flush, “you're ag it on pretty thick, aren’t you?” T'm only telling the truth. In fact, everybody ~ speaks well of you except——” _ *Exeept who?” . *Titus Granville. He’s, sore on you because , Jennie Norris prefers your company to*his.” “Oh, he’s always been down on me ever since I S e sb -_€an remember. He doesn’t think I’m_ good _ @nough to associate with. However, that doesn’t ‘worry me much, This is a free country, and he’s at liberty to keep his distance.” = . “The boys were talking the other day about how clever you were in inventing things, when e chips in with one of his sneering remarks. He said your models were only playthings, and “the nicest.” By A SELF-MADE MAN @ . for me, but I don’t want you to get into trouble on my account,” said Rushton. ‘ “Don’t you worry about me. As long as we are chums, and I hope that will be for life, I won’t allow any one to run you down before me.” “Thank you, Ed. You’re a true friend, old fellow.” ; : “Well, you’d do the same for’ me, wouldn’t = you?” es “Of course I would. I’d do most anything for you, Ed.” ‘ ; 2 “T know one thing you wouldn’t do,” grinned — Risdon. ; “Let me cut you out with Jennie Norris.” t 2 “Oh, come now, you’re always giving me a sly dig about her. I admit that I like Jennie a whole lot. She’s one of the nicest girls in town, if not “She’s all right. I’ve heard lots of people say _ ei she’s the prettiest girl in Seaport. That’s why . Titus Granville is dead gone on her. But he ~ hasn’t any more chance with her than the man in | the moon. She’s got him sized up to a hair. He thinks because his father is president of the Sea- port Bank that he’s It. But that is where he’s — away off. A few fellows take their hats off to~ him, and flatter him up, but I’ll bet they’re play- ing him for all they’re worth.” ; The two boys were slowly walking out toward the edge of a line of precipitous cliffs that stretched up and down the coast for miles, broken at irregular intervals by harbors, bays and estu- aries of varying extent. One of these breaks formed the harbor of Seaport, on whose horse- shoe-like curvature was situated the town Sea- port. The entrance to the harbor, from headland to headland, was perhaps half a mile across, | and midway between these points, a short dis- 3 ttance seaward, was Coffin Rock. On this nar- row granite foundation rose a tall, white light- house known as Coffin Light. The boys were aiming for the nearest point to the lighthouse, which as yet they could not see, owing to the height of the cliff, and the fact that they were. ascending a long, gentle slope. In fact, it was not possible to see even the lantern of the light, the glass of which was now glistening in the rays : of the morning sun, from this point until one got _ close to the edge. of the cliff. ste Ce Kos ~“There’s_ the Light now,” said. Risdon, as. he
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Lh ze . threw himself down at full length on the elastic turf, to lie gazing at the brilliant blue Atlantic, ‘stretching far away to the distant horizon, bathe in the glowing sunshine. : ; y ~Jack Rushton followed his companion’s ex~ ample, except that his eyes went no further sea- _ ward than the glittering lantern of the lighthouse, - in which he seemed to be uncommonly interested. - lay as suddenly as if it had been cut sharply off, -and went down perpendicularly some two hun- - dred and fifty feet to where the transparent wayes broke softly, with hardly a sound, among the weedy rocks. ; “What are you thinking about, Jack?” asked Ed at length. : - “J think I could make that lamp yonder give out four times as much light as it does now and “pierce the fogs that come this way occasionally,” ~ replied Rushton teeny ~ “¥ou could!” exclaimed his ¢hum in surprise: “Why, the lenses and reflectors in that lantern are of the regulation quality, and are said to be as powerful as any in the lighthouse service.” ~“} syon’t deny that, Edy but they can be im- proved just the same.” “And you think you can improve them?” - ~~ “J am almost sure of it. I’ve examined them earefully. I’ve drawings in my workshop that I _.on, the morning after the fog when the three- '-masted schooner Sarah Richardson went ashore you can’t see from here.” “Say, that was a funny thing, the going ashore of that schooner so near the light. The skipper ‘said he couldn’t see the Coffin Light at all that night, owing to the fog, which he and*his crew “ declared to be as thick as pea soup. There are persons around here who have said that they ‘didn’t believe the lamps were going all night, ~otherwise the captain must have seen the light.” --“That’s nonsense.’ yigeht.. The investigation proved it. The fact of - the matter is, that the reflectors were not strong enough to pierce the fog as far out as the schoon- er’s track.” ; “How can you tell.that?” ; _» “TY heard the evidence given on both sides and formed my own conclusions after visiting the lan- ‘tern. At any rate, the government has offered ‘a reward for a more powerful grade of reflectors, ‘and I’m going to try to win it.” “You are! Why, you'll be up against some of the smartest brains in’ the country.” ; “That doesn’t worry me any, for I’ve got a ‘scheme in hand that I believe to be a winner. I’m ‘working on the model now.” j : “You are! You never told me anything about it before.” out. It’s a great secret, and ‘Say a word about it.” ey “Of course I won't, if you say so. You know ou can trust me, don’t you?” - Z “Yes. I'm sure I can.” * I don’t want you to you’d show ‘me this model of yours,” » eager] pape See “A WINNING RISK. The land ended a few yards from where the lads — secured a month ago, when I was out to the light ‘down yonder on that patch of white beach which ~ The light was going all - - “J didn’t mean to tell you now, but it slipped” , plain its efficiency until I had all the partg te gether.” Jee ee a “When will * gi have it all together?” 2 “I can’t tell you. It takes time to work out my idea, and this is the most important inventior I’ve ever tackled.” “T wasn’t wrong when I said you had the wonderful head of any person in Seaport. if you won the government prize, your name woul be in all the papers in the country. You’d m both fame and fortune at one swoop.” : “That's what I’m aiming at. I want to mak my mark in the world.” ; : “You'll, do it, I'l bet, even if you don’t * “this particular prize. So you think you can maki that light four times as bright? I s’pose mean to make the lamps four-times as big as the are eos he : sii “Not at all. y plan is to use the same lami that are there aoe Lo “Then I. don’t see how you are going to. get around it.” 3 “Well, I suppose not. You said a while ago — that you couldn’t figure out schemes and aes - pe ideas the way I do,” replied Jack wit! smile. : ee j “That’s right. I can’t. The way you ge things is like so much Greek to me. Why, it w give me a headache to think and study hoy bring about a certain combination of prince until I got them ali to work together like you do I don’t see how you, or other people whose nin run in the same channel as yours does, man get at results.” : d tte “Some of the most important inventions in thi world have been constructed on simple lines. T. Eli Whitney’s cotton gin, for instance. This was a machine he produced for separating the gre seed from the cotton. Until he put his mind on inventing such a machine the seed had to be si arated by hand, which was a slow and difficult job. There was a continuous kick by Southern cotton growers for some method by which the separation of the seeds and fibers could be | complished, yet nobody could figure out a pre tical method until Whitney got on the job. When he exhibited his machine, which actually did the — work, it was so simple that any fool almost ¢ duplicate it. That’s how he came to be beaten out of the fruits of his brain. I have no doubt that — hundreds of people kicked themselves when th saw how easy the thing could be done becau é idea never occurred to their minds.” ; “T guess it must be that some people are borr with minds built in that way. and you ‘a one of them. You'll become a great man s day} while I’ll never be heard ‘of outside friends and acquaintances.” pe eee “Oh, there are many otler ways of beco famous, Ed. Inventors aren’t the only ones long odds, and not all of them become ger known, by a good deal. It’s only the fel
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~ CHAPTER IL—A Life for a Life Both boys instantly sprang to their feet. “Some girl is in trouble up here,” cried Jack Rushton. “Come on, Ed, we must go to her assistance.” , A second. scream, more thrilling than the first, reached their ears and urged them into a run. There were many stunted pine and cedar trees ffs, which prevented them from getting any- thing like a clear view ahead. In a few minutes, _ however, they. dashed .out into an open space and saw, not a girl, as they had expected, but a boy about their own age, kneeling at the edge of the cliff, looking downward. “Hello! What’s the trouble?” cried Jack, as he came up. _ The boy looked up, and he and Ed recognized _ the white and frightened face of Titus Granville. : Save her!” ejeculated Titus, in a uavering and excited tone. aie do you mean? Where is-the girl who! Norris. is ging to a tree.” ennie Norris!” gasped J fo fae turning: white and his heart almost ceasing to beat from ‘sudden fear for the girl he thought most of, “next to his mother. “How came she to fall?” he sked; as he bent over and saw Jennie, motion- Ss ‘and apparently unconscious, caught in the anches of a stout cedar that grew out of the e of the cliff several yards below, with a 1 Sheer Shite. beach that the incoming tide was flow- g over. Granville ben) no reply, for he seem- paralyzed with fright ee gracious!” cried Binder, each her?” here did not seem any way of reaching her rithout the aid of a rope. ‘As long as she re- ained motionless she was comparatively safe, who could say how long-that might be? pa ayest on her rescue, ee the face “Flow aré we Se “Y .“Yowll have to help me, Ed,” he said, kick- off his shoes and tossing aside his jackex. “What are anxiously. “You’re not going to try to -reach ther, are you?” ‘ou watch me and you'll see.” “Wh n I do to help you?” “Lie flat on the ground at the edge of se cliff as to reach as low as you dare. Let Gran- hold on to your feet, so as to give you a rchase, and trust to my climbing up with ie, if it is possible to do it, so that you can. reach her at the right moment.” “AN right, Jack, trust tome.” » ; x arranged the preliminaries, Rushton aself slowly down over the edge of the cliff route he had: selected with his eye which if he was eae earry him to the eae slowly and d many big boulders along the top 6f the, you going to do?” asked Risdon | A WINNING RISK ~ yeached down and caught Jennie in his arms. a —down—down, with extreme care and weichifie - : every move with due caution, Jack descended the face of the high cliff until at last he was close to the tree. He was not a moment too soon, © for the girl was beginning to revive. Planting his feet against the roots of the cedar, Jack Then he looked up and saw the faces of the two boys above gazing fixedly down at him. He waved one hand encouragingly at Risdon. and waited for the girl to recover. This she did in a moment or two. When she opened her eves they looked straight into his own. “Jack,” she murmured, ati expression of puz~ zled surprise coming over her pretty features. “Yes, Jennie.” “Where am I? What has happened ?”.. “You fell over the cliff, and-———” : “J remember,” she said, with a dhidiides ets ing her eyes. “Titus Granville forced me over to the edge, the ground gave way, ara I fell down. Oh, heayens! I thought (3 “Do you mean to say Granville was the cause of your fall?” cried Jack, his breast swelling with indignation and resentment. : “Yes, He was angry with me«because I re- fused to walk with him. He threatened me and I laughed at him. Then he grabbed me by the arms-and I recoiled to the very edge. But [- was so frightened that I screamed out and . struggled to get away. The earth suddenly fell — away from under my feet and I slipped out of his grasp. I felt myself falling, then it seemed — that everything grew dark, and I remembered ~ nothing more till now. How was I saved?” « “You fell only about eighteen feet into this tree. Had you missed it, you would have gone — down. to the beach and been killed. Ed Risdon — and I were on the cliff and heard you scream, — We rushed over and found Granville, who told : us you had fallen over.” | 2 -Jennie had made no movement to release fess ay self from Jack’s arms up to this point. Now | she seemed to recollect herself and blushed ~~ vividly. * Wein “Let me go, Jack,” she said softly. io See “T dare not, Jennie,” he answered. “We are =} in a position, of great peril. I climbed down — the cliff to this tree to save you, and here we | are. J am not certain that I will be able to wet — you to the top.” is The girl at these words woke up to the real 5 i the case which she had not taken i in be- ore \ an “Oh, Jack! she shuddered. “What are we to do ie TI am cag tats 2 se : “Brace up, Jennie. I'l save you someho: That’s what I came down here for.” ¥. “And you risked your life for me?” she mur-- : mured. “How brave of you, Jack! I shall never. forget you are long as I live—never!”) = I would risk my life any time for your sake,” Jennie,” he safd earnestly. ae She clung closer to him and buried her head on his shoulder.. ° ts “Hello, Jack!” came down Risdon’s voice ‘2 above. : hton bso his position a Tittle and 1 yoked fello ” he replied. z
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€ i : =) @NINNING “RISK “Where are we now?” ; “Safe for the moment, at any rate,” he an- ‘swered. “Then he looked around. Below them the in- running tide. had completely covered the patch ~ ’ beach. : an arched reof of rock, and big hole leading somewhere © = “Well, don’t I deserve that?” he asked her. She hid her face on his shoulder again threw one arm around his neck. Jack waite she raised her head. : 4 ‘There’s a big hole behind us leading down: ps and into the cliff. I wonder where it goes 02 s _ Jennie turned around and looked into the open: Be sta no little ret = ee ow are we going to escape from thi place?” she asked. ee: ‘Ed has gone to get help and a rope. He won’t be back for some time yet, for there’s telling where he can get a suitable rope. He may have to go all the way to Seaport for it Then what are we to do?” said Jennie anxi- ously. Spey “Don’t worry. We'll get out of this all right, somehow. We've got a good part of the day be fore us yet. Let’s sit down inside there. ie as cheap as it is to stand.” a4 ‘ Jack stepped over a narrow rocky barrier an led Jennie inside: A big flat rock offe: oe easy seat, and they took possession of i This is a lovely place to look at t from,” said the girl. “T wouldn’t mind it being here if I knew how we were to get Sale 3 s = Si “I’ve a great’ mind to explore that hole ; way, to see where it leads to,” said Jack. can remain here while I’m poking around _ “I'm afraid to remain alone. You m x into some hole in the dark, and then I’d" see you any more, and I’d never get away fro: this place, either.” pace i “Oh, Ill take care of myself,” replied R shton. regione: ao sack eee os _ “I'd rather go with you, Jac .” she said, tak-— ing him by the hand. a mi HES . “All right. As soon, as you're rested start.” ~~ _ “ “T'm ready to go now.” “Come on, then.” They rose and stepped forward into gloomy .and _ mysterious-looking passage. got his match safe out and struck a light if. any treacherous holes or crevasses 1 ahead of them. When the match flared saw that the way was clear as far as the lis reached, at any rate. Soon after they had 1 the sun-lit opening it grew more rugged, h ever, and less easy to proceed. It was cumb with stones’ of all sizes, these having evid fallen from the roof-and sides.’ They met a number of the curious hollows, while © they were brought.to a stop by holes a y so in depth that appeared in their path. first of these holes, when Jack flared “a Jennie-exclaimed: > a oa “We can’t go any further. Let us ee replied the boy. “It isn’t all. ; hele made 3
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ovfully Rushton found no great difficulty in getting up to where he could support himself the opening. ~ should think,” he said, turning’ around and ad- ssing his. companion. “We're at a different part of the cliff altogether. There’s a line of io below around which the sea is eddying. ere’s no sign of the lighthouse from this ‘spot, but I see a schooner, about a mile out, naking for the harbor, and there’s another one further out.” ter seeing all: there was to be seen, he re- turned to the girl and suggested that they con- tinue on down, in the hope that they might find a chance to get out near the water level. 3 uddenly a noise, terrifying to the girl, reach- ed their ears. It sounded afar off, and was like the deep and labored breathing of some large timal. Jack stopped and listened. attentively. It was certainly a most peculiar and disquieting ‘sound in that Ns etofore stilly passage. It came straight up.to them from the depths ahead, and Jennie fancied that it was coming nearer every moment. ; “Do come back, Jack. I am sure there is yme horrid sea monster coming toward us.” At that moment a deeper note, like a long- A 1-out snort, came resounding up the pass- ah back. It’s ogee hat’s coming?” asked Doalen coolly, for he essed the origin of the noise. He had an idea that the cliffs were honey- -eombed with holes and marine caverns, and that th sound was caused by the sea, now at high . forcing its way in through, and then re- ding from, some passage whose top was al- t on a level with the water. The breathing und was no doubt caused by the forcing of the -‘back when the water entered, and the snort s produced by a belated expulsion of the air. ack proceeded to explain the phenomenon to , saying that it was ridiculous to imagine there was such a thing as a sea monster _ coming toward them along that passage. “wouldn’t be surprised but we may be able get out at that hole whence comes the noise, the tide is low,” said Jack to encourage ‘And will we be able to walk around the foot ‘of the cliffs to the harbor?” she asked= Sees say as to that, but I hope_so,” he red, length they were quite close to the poise, 2verberated in a hollow way through the A faint, damp, salt odor of. seaweed k upon their nostrils as a puff. of air while he thrust his head and shoulders out of - “We've come down about a hundred feet, I. _ said Jack. - knows where it all comes from. as. if she wanted: to. cry. i Ce ae. fully A WINNING RISK : 25 vaulted sea cavern before them. It was floored with hard, smooth, white ‘sand, running upward at a steep angle. ; The water, of a deep green color and covered with little flakes of foam, rushed up about two- thirds of the cavern and then: retreated again te some distance. When the water was up. the place was dark, when it receded a soft, mellow light permeated-the gloom. “T think we’ll sit down and take a rest, Jennie,” “It will be.some time yet before the ebb sets in. When it does, this marine cave will gradually get lighter and the noise will stop.” As Jack squatted in the sand his hand came in contact with a bit of rope. For want of some-. thing better to do, he drew it towards him and found that it measured several yards in length. “T-dare say this place is full of odds and ends of wreckage,” he said. : “I ean see piles of wood,” said the girl, “heap- - ed all about us.” : “It’s wonderful what a lot of driftwood finds its way ashore all along the coast. Gracious Once on a time a large part represented the wrecks of ° ares but nowadays there isn’t so much of. that.” . They talked for a while about wonderful ma- rine caverns they had read -of, and other things, and then Jack got up and stretched himself. ~ ,He walked down to the water’s edge to see — if the tide had commenced to turn yet. To the — left he noticed a narrow passage, lit by a soft, green light, which came through a low arch. “Come here, Jennie; I believe there’s another and lighter caye next to. this.” es Entering and passing through the passage, the eS girl uttered a cry of delight, for before them was another cavern, of ample dimensions, whose low, — flattened roof was glorious with a lovely, ever- changing pattern, formed. by the reflection of — the sunlight from the waves outside. The cavern ran in for probably a hundred feet, and was so low in spots that Jack could easily touch the’ — roof. Apparently, from the state of the sand, it was never fully invaded by the highest tides. ~ “This will be just the place to get out at when _ the tide is low,” said Jack, as they sat upon the sand and watched the water advance and Parte i near their feet. “The tide is going out. It doesn’t come up as far as it did when we first sat here,” said Jennie. Jack watched the insweeping water a little — while without speaking, and then told Jennie that she was right. ~ = “Say,” he said all of a sudden. “Do you know: I forgot all about Ed and the rope and help he went to fetch. He must have got back to the top of the cliff long before this. Then, of course, he saw that the tree was gone over and! hanging downward. Naturally -he thinks that we took a. tumble to the beach, and that we are food for the lobsters in this neighborhood by this time. He'll report the facts in Seaport, and then my mother and your folks will be all. broke up.” : “Poor papa and mamma,” said Jennie, feel
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= ae | A WINNING RISK “T mean never to speak te him again as long a, label on ae of the packages reading: “Car as 1 live,” said Jennie emphatically. - son & Co,, Rockland.” That isn’t half punishment enough for the While he was examining the goods a small _ yaseal. The idea of taking such chances to rowboat, with two smartly dressed men at the frighten you into doing what he wanted you to oars, was rowed into the mouth of the cave an dg. Well, he'll hear from me, all right. I don’t - beached on the sand. The men sprang out and. _care if I have a run-in with him over it.” securing the painter around a stone, advanced “What’s that dark spot over in the corner?” up to the cave toward the spot where the goods “asked Jennie, suddenly changing the topic. were piled. At the moment, Rushton happened Rushton looked in the direction she pointed. to be standing behind the pile of cloth bolts, and “Give it up. Want me to go over and see?” he was unaware of their presence, as they were he asked. ' of his, until he heard their voices close at hand. “Tt looks like a hole to’ me.” He was so startled by their unexpected appe: ie guess eee — . is. sie mre a gas — that eras of So ee = e got up and walked over e spo self, as under ordinary cireumstances he would was a hole, beyond a doubt, and he got down on have done, he stood quite still, as if spellbound. ; his hands and knees to look into it. It was large “When do you think it will be safe to move — ‘enough to crawl into easily, and something in’ this stuff?” one of the newcomers asked th < sued car e do = wee it me dark eee a ae = they ys the boxes and oth ro e crawled forward with great care. Suddenly merchandise and loo! it over. he butted his head.against a granite wall. “Not for a week yet,” replied the others. SMe the aoe is is as far as I can go,” he mut- ea: “ana I couple of f them 4 —— us a tere e job, an saw one of them in Seaport t : . ‘' He stretched out his hand to feel about, and morning.” ; - found that the tunnel branched off sharply to “We ought to make a good haul’ out ats the left. In a spirit of adventure, he followed job, Damon,” said the man who had spoken first. — the turn and soon saw light directly ahead. He “There isn’t any doubt of it. These bolts of — ee ee er taiaor tate Stik agate See oe Seay, traity: sd ee cave facing on the sea. But it was not entirely z ot we as oe that we discovered this e jn a state of nature as the others were. There and landed all the swag here or we should were fon gergs ba ead shor. ee he place de been in jail now,” occupied by somebody, mu ushton’s aston- ishment. On a piece of canvas in a secluded The two men sauntered down to the boat, ' ~ corner were bolts of silk and other dress material - See ae eo brapeag ie on the gun _ Piled several feet high. There was also a whole es che d ney. ai BE h e Swhat th Haack of green pasteboard boxes, such as Jack 200 §tuld, no longer hear what, they. sl had often seen in drygeods stores. The sandy thot all the goods in the cave were the p floor, mstead of being smooth and sea swept, ; , ceeds of a. robbery committed by the two wi was covered with footmarks leading from the Gooceq men, no doubt at Rockland. — _ marrow entrance of the sea inward to where the , goods and boxes were piled. There were also Ten or fifteen minutes passed away and thi “seyeral champagne cases strewn about, and a men continued to talk and smoke. ‘Apparently. couple of liquor barrels, on the top of one of they were in no hurry to make a move. It which stood an unlighted lantern. The place awfully tiresome to stand doing nothing beh d -Jooked like a storage warehouse on a small seale. that pile of goods, not knowing what mii “What the dickens does all this mean?” Rush- happen next, and certain that by this — _ ton asked himself as he gazed around the cave Jennie was wildly anxious over his absence. ' and noted all the various articles it contained. Jack didn’t see how he could help himself Es : ra course was to make the best of the s —_—— Atlantic with numberless ‘whitecaps. The water ~ | CHAPTER V.—Jack Makes a Remarkable which had hitherto ebbed and flowed so calml 5 Discovery: into the caves came dashing into them wi ; i ‘Sige? some power, though receding gradually as © 7 itv Gnduced him to creep tide got lower and lower. As Jack awoke to t porinaly Jack's earlosity in closer aatdoaiss fact of the changed conditions he realized t of the place. The packages, boxes and other stuff their projected trip over the rocks and patches 3 ee Aameey in, as it were, by a projecting spur of sand along the base of the huge cliff woul Y of rock, and behind them he was now able to attended with much inconvenience, ‘if not ac Zh £ danger. At this stage of the game he sud y see through. the transparent gloom that the henedethe gcl'd voice calling to ‘waitin one place ran back for some distance till flooring and the that showed she had grown frightened at feet ret) dock walked over and. exaramed. “HRS belated return. From the nearness of the | meee oat new stuff,” he yanttieends “just as it came it struck Jack that she had crawled “part from the makers. What in creation is.it stored ~ W@¥ into the narrow tunnel. . n this out-of-the-way place for? Who could gate Oh Jack! Where are e brought. it here, an hy did ey i Mh
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ep ‘They had not as yet, for the splashing of the ter against the rocks drowned the hail in their ears. “Jack! Jack! Oh, Jack!” came again from Jennie, who seemed to be working her way eaback the tunnel. “She’s coming through the hole after me.” alpitated Rushton nervously. “The moment she sticks her head out at this end she’ll see them. they’ll see her. Then the fat will be in the and there’ll be trouble to burn.” In a few minutes Jennie cried out again. She as nearly through the tunnel and her hail was heard by the two men. They started to their feet in consternation and listened. ‘What was that, Morris?” asked the man med Damon.- ; : “Give it up. Sounded like a “woman's yoice lling somewhere up in the cave. It can’t be. There’s no one here but our- ives.” — ae you heard it, didn’t you, as lan: as I ait. Wha ’s that yonder? Something is ing out unter the rock through that hole. t they deuce is it?” "hey gazed with astonished and staring eyes, as Jennie turned her face towards them they w that it was a girl’s countenance. ack, are you there?” she asked, crawling letely out and getting on her feet. ‘The two cals were astounded. _. CHAPTER Vi—The Escape. she began to advance toward the two men ‘Then she saw they ‘Hello, young lady, what brouzht you here?” manded Damon, not oyer-politely. ‘T came after Jack,” answered Jennie. . ou seen him?” s his name again?” “Jack Rushton. He’s a boy.” “There isn’t any boy here,” replied Morris. evertheless he looked around the cave sus- iciously. *““He must be here somewhere. hrough that hole half an hour ago.” A ao he did;’ said Damon. “Take a look aroun: f . Maybe he’s hiding behind those bolts loth. How did you and this Jack get down under this cliff?” ‘We came down through a long tunnel from var gthe top of the cliff.” — ‘Darmon stared at her. dible to him. - s that hole the end of the tunnel ?” he asked “Have ite crawled Her statement seemed oe No. There are two other caves, smaller than on the other side of that wall. through that hole runs.’ was news to Damon, but then he was not equainted with the cliff—the sum total knowledge was concentrated Poh this cay- ance to the next cave. pe had s Lift A SS “RISK _ was in dead earnest he had them guessing where ends. got out ae other -oar, that any one cold ing that he was sure to be discovered, insoed into view. Morris, with an imprecation, madé@ ~~ a grab at him; but Rushton eluded him and ram over to Jennie. “Oh, Jack!” she cried joyfully. “Where Dane. is you been all this time?”. Laeeese Rushton did not answer her, as his attention was wholly centered on the two men, wondering what action they would take. -They didn’t leave ~~ him long in doubt. = *Grab him, Damon!” eried Morris. eee Damon attempted to, but met with no better — suecess than his partner in guilt. ~ Jack dodged ~ him and, reaching Jennie, seized her by the arm - and ran her down to the boat. # “Why, Ja&k!”. she cried, greatly astonished — by the proceedings. “What is the matter?” “Jump into the boat, quick!” he exclaimed, as ~~ a sudden plan of escape occurred to his mind. — He half-lifted the surprised girl in and then picked up pieces of stone and began firing them _ at the rascals as they came rushing at him. His aim was pretty accurate, and they stopped — to dodge. the missiles. One of the stones hit Damon on the side of the face and drew blood. Another narrowly missed Morris’s head. As Jaék the next projectile would land. As-soon as he. had thrown them into a momentary confusion — the boy turned around and cast the boat’s painter’ off the rock. Then, putting his shoulder to the’ bow, he shoved the light boat into the water. The raseals perceiving his object, came at him with cries of rage in an effort to head him off. > They missed their mark by a hair, for as the boat floated out at the mouth of the cavern Jack followed it. into. the water and then sprang on_ board. Seizing an oar, he pushed it down int the water and shoved off out of the rascals’- reach. His maneuver had been entirely success: ful, and what was eminently satisfactory, he had secured a bodt with whith they could reach the harbor and the town beyond without facing the uncertain. difficulties and dangers of the base of the cliffs. Jennie, of course, couldn’t understand the ‘un usual situation, The efforts of the two men to pounce on her companion had been plain to her but why they wanted to catch him was a pre found mystery to her. She could not help feel-. — ing that something was amiss. Her satisfaction — at being once more with Jack, about whom she- had been much worried during the greater part of the; last | half hour, overcame all other con siderations. The men stood at the entrance the cavern in wrathful discomfiture, shaking: their fists at Rushton. As a matter of course, he paid not the slight- a est attention to them, and a moment later strong current that ran along the base of tl ie cliffs whisked the craft and its occupants, out of their sight. Jack was not much of a boat -notwithstanding that he had lived the grea’ part of his life within sight of the sea water had no great attractions for him except viewed from the shore. Howeyer, he tho proceeded to pro “found He
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ee: A WINNING RISK counter attraction of. the swirling currents among the rocks bothered him not a little. Then, as his back was to the bow, he couldn’t see where he was going, and before he knew where he was the boat slid up on a smooth sub- ‘merged rock and nearly spilled himself and Jénnie into the sea.. The girl uttered a little seream and held on tightly to the gunwales with both hands. The boat hung for a moment bow on to the rock and then slid off into deep water, where the current whisked her stern around and bumped it against another rock. “Oh, dear! Where are you going to, Jack?” she asked, somewhat. frightened. Then she gave another scream, for a wave striking the rock deluged her with spray. The freshening breeze and the novelty of his occuna- tion bothered the boy hot a little. He was becoming conscious of the fact that he had tackled a job that was going to give him a whole lot of trouble. He was also conscious that he was not showing up very well in the eves of his pretty passenger, and. this. didn’t improve his feelings. He found that shis way was literally strewn with dangers in the shape of sharp rocks, a collision with any one o which was liable to send the boat to the bottom. What he should have done was to have headed directly out to sea until he got well out beyond the bristling perils of cliff navigation. Then ~ he would have had a clear course before him. » Jack’s inexperience at boating told greatly ‘against him in this emergenew. Being out of his element, he felt more or less like a fool, notwith- standing the splendid courage and nerve with which he was gifted. The current swung the boat. around another rock, which seraped her - gunwale and would have injured one of Jennie’s hands if she hadn’t snatched it away just in time. Jack ceased attempting to row and, tak- ta ing one of the oars, devoted his energies to keep- "ing the boat off the roeks as she was carried along close inshore. Fortunately, the trend of the current was toward the mouth of the little harbor, though sometimes they were swept back - over a small portion of the course they had come. They soon approached a projecting spur '- of the cliff which looked rather dangerous in the boy’s eyes. ~ “Qh Jack, we ye going ashore!” cried Jennie, as the boat was swept close in toward the rock. ic Rushton made no reply, but poised his oar, ready to fend off. When within a few yards of the cliff the current branched off around the spur, making a sweep that carried them not only clear of it, but many vards out into clear water. Jack immediately took advantage ‘of that to get both oars into the water and resume row- ing. a There's the lighthouse, Jack,” exclaimed the aii as Goblin Light came into view ahead. - That was good news to the boy, who knew that they were not far from the mouth of the harbor, ‘Better even than that was the fact that they hay been swept clear of the rocks and ‘some ttle distance out from the cliffs. “Oh, Jack, look, look!” cried Jennie suddenly. There are a lot of people on the top of the : fn 8 we hanging tree away up there, Several fishermen and others walking about: A father!” she cried, waving her two arms eagerly. ugh rhich- we entered the: oe aa it, th see it. me. The people must have come there to look at the spot where we have been reported to have fallen down.” } Rushton stopped rowing and looked over his shoulder in the direction indicated by the girl. Sure enough, there was a dozen or more fig- ures 250 feet up in the air standing around at the very spot where Titus Granville had caused all the trouble. Whether Ed Risdon was one of them, Jack couldn’t make out at that distance. “We'd better wave our arms at them,” said — Jack, “Maybe we can make them understand who we are.” _He stopped rowing and, making a funnel A Ae his two hands, shouted upward. Then he and Jennie gesticulated with their arms. The atténtion of the people above was soon attracted to them, but though Jack and Jennie were well known in Seaport, the distance was too great for their features to be recognized, and the observers above thought them just a boy and girl out rowing, though no doubt they con- sidered that the young people had taken long Sieve going outside the harbor in such a small oa “There’s: some more people at the foot of the cliff,” said Jennie presently. “I guess they’re looking for us.” “Then ’'m going to row in ‘and let them know we're safe.” Accordingly Rushton altered the boat’s head and pulled inshore. ‘There were sailboat in which they had evidently come from town was moored close to a strip of sandy beach. The approach of the rowboat was observed, but the searchers at the base of the cliff supposed it~ contained two young persons drawn there by curiosity. Jennie’s sharp eyes soon singled out — her father, Squire Norris, the chief lawyer and — a justice of the peace of Seaport. “There’s my father,” she screamed. “Rather, In, another moment or two the girl was recog- nized by her almost ‘distracted parent, and he dashed down to the water's edge in his eagerness to clasp her in his arms. It was as if she had come back to him from the dead, so sure had he been that his child had gone to destructia down the cliff. “Father, father!” again ditlaimad Jennie, half rising in the boat as it was pulled.in to the strip. of beach by Jack’s lusty strokes. Squire Norris — dashed into the water and grabbed Jennie in hi arms. Brae ; “My child! My dear little girl! escape 2” os saved me,” she said, clinging avon: his Fs ne “Jack, my lad,” said the squire, his voice husky with emotion, grasping the boy by the hand as he stood in the bow of the boat, “how did you save my Jennie?” “By holding on to her and clinging to the tree. ey till it landed us jon a shelf under a projecting - rock.” And this boat “But how did you get down ? “That’s too long a story mith sy tell you her How did vou sy how did you come by it?
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‘the shop. Come, my men, let us return to town “at once. There is nothing now to detain us here, for, thank Heaven, both my child and her brave young rescuer are safe and uninjured.” The ‘men gave a cheer to testify to their satisfac- tion over the unlooked-for result, and as soon as all were on board the sailing vessel, and the rowboat secured to her stern, she put off and> ‘steered for the mouth of the harbor. - ’ ’ CHAPTER VII.—Jack Reaches Home. _ There was great joy on Sauire Norris’s face as he held Jennie close to him and, with all hands aboard, listened to Jack Rushton’s recital of his ‘own and Jennie’s hair-breadth, escape from a ter- le death, and their subsequent escape from the ledge. far up the cliff through the unsuspected tunnel to the caves down on the sea line. “Dern. my picter!” exclaimed the grizzled ‘owner of the sailboat, “whoever knowed before that there was an inside to that there cliff.” aa a narrow, sloping tunnel, ” said Jack. 25 “How it eame to be there is most astonishing, but I’m not going to worry myself about the matter. It carried Jennie and me down to the “shore, and that’s enough, I guess.” : “And where did you find the rowboat?” asked _ Squire Norris. -- - *That’s another story, sir. It belongs to a a couple of rascally thieves who have robbed some store in Rockland, I guess, for they’ve got a _ whole lot of stuff hidden in one of the caves.” we The squire instantly pricked un his ears. “They must be the men, then, who robbed, Carson & Co.’s drygoods store three nights ago.” “That was the name I saw on several labels ttached to a number of fiat, gréen boxes piled tp rot to a lot of bolts of stuff that looked like < ae oie: no doubt but that is the stolen prop- -erty. Are the thieves in the cave now, do you low 2?” a? are. We had a narrow escape from em EY ON SAY. this rowboat is theirs. They must have a larger craft, too. ' Is it down there?” “No, sir. I think it must be in the harbor. They intended to carry the goods to New York sity and sell them there. I overheard them ‘talking about the matter.” ~*Do you thirtk they can escape without the rowboat?” “They may reach town by walking along the se of the cliffs at the present -state of the, tide, just as Jennie and I calculated on doing.” “Tt ean’t be did,” interjected the owner of the sloop, “not at no stage of the tide. There’s . aces that can’t be crossed unless you swim, and that’s’ dangerous in | ithe current that sweeps along theré.” ; “Then they’re trapped,” “The . on th said Squire Norris. a offered $500 reward for Satya lead- 1 ha of the Bongos and the re- I think you will be en- A WINNING RISK _ing to yen eulank mind making $500,” laughed Jack, <i ott pin come in auite handy about this time.” “I have no doubt but it will be awarded to you.” replied Squire Norris. Z “Do you know if Ed Risdon carried the news. e ay supposed death to my mother?” asked ack. “No. I told him ‘not to go near your mother. That I would break the news to her myself if it was found past all doubt that you and Jennie - were dead.” “Thank you, sir. I hope she hasn’t fearned the news from any of the neighbors. It would only cause her needless suffering.” As soon as the sloop touchéd her wharf Jack sprang ashore, and bidding Jennie and her father good-by he started for his home as fast as he could cover the groundé When he rushed into the house he found several women present and his mother al- * most frantic. It was just as he had feared. Some of the gossipine neighbors had heard the news, and of course the very first thing thev did was to rush in and condole with Mrs. Rushton over the presumed death of Jack. The appear- ance of Jack altered the whole complexion of matters. His mother screamed and threw her arms around him. oe “They told me you had fallen from the cliff — with atl Norris,” sobbed Mrs. Rushton, clinge- — im “They told you a heap more than they ought to have done,” replied Jack, gazing angrily at — the assembled women who were now waiting for a chance to tender their congratulations. ‘The old cats!” he muttered’ to himself. The ladies, — however, were not a bit abashed. They jabbered together excitedly, and then chipped in with their congratulatory remarks as soon ‘as Mrs. Rushton had recovered her composure. After that the whole crowd hastened away to tell the wonderful-news of Jack Jennie’s escape. ee “Thank goodness they’re gone, mother. T’ve | no patience. with those gabbers. If they hadn’t waddled in here like birds of ill-omen you would not have suffered such a cruel shock.” ack then drew his chair close to his mother, and, taking her hand in his, teld her the particulars of his and Jennie’s adventures on, in, and below the cliffs.. She shuddered as he described his descent to the tree in the girl’s behalf, and — gasped when he told her how the tree had given — away under them. | “The shelf saved us, mother. Only that it was. there, I’d hate to think what would have er : pened to us. However, a miss is as good as 3 mile any day, though it doesn’t’ feel as good, ~ ore a ‘long shot.” While they were talking, Ed Ris- = don rushed into the cottage. ny “Gee, old man! I never was so happy in my life as when I heard that you and Jennie had — escaped that awful drop,” he cried, seizing his — chum by the hand and giving it a hearty shake. “You ain’t any happier than I am to have got — out of that adventure with a whole skin. We had a narrow. squeak, as I was just telling mother—about one chance in a thousand. Say what became of Titus Granville?” “Give it up. He wasn’t on the cliff whe: got back with a Ae e Pee two men to Bs tk 4 i
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_. of you, my heart almost stopped beating. There seemed to be no doubt but that you and Jennie _-» had fallen to the beach and been washed away py the tide. I never felt so bad in my life.” ~ “Jl bet when Jennie tells the facts to her father, he’ll make a bee-line for the bank to see - Titus’s father.” “Pm thinking it won’t do much good. Old man ‘Granville thinks the sun, moon and stars rise and set around his son. I'll bet he won’t do a: -thing to him.” “Well, if he had the right kind of father, he ‘ would get a good thrashing.” * “Come now, Jack; tell me how vou escaped when the tree went down,” said Ed, eager to Jearn the particulars of the thrilling conclusion ‘of the cliff incident. “You'd never guess what happened to us after you left for help if vou lived to be a thousand years old,” replied Rushton. “Draw up your chair, and_I’ll go over the story again for vour ~ benefit.” Risdon was intensely interested in his ‘chum’s account of that tunnel down the interior of the cliff. — : “Gee! I'd like to have been with you,” he ex- ~- -elaimed. : “You only think you would, Ed. You wouldn’t ae taken that drop with the tree, even if vou’d known there was a shelf ready at hand to cate -you, which we didn’t know till we- landed on its for all the tunnel adventures in the world.” - _ “Well, I don’t think I would,” admitted Ris- “don. When Jack described the caves, Ed declared that he meant to go there some day in a boat and look them over. Then Rushton finished up with his discovery of the stolen goods piled un m the third larger cavern,’ the encounter with the two crooks, and finally their escape in the. rowboat, and the hard time he had to to avoid ee on the rocks along the base of the S; “Tf I’d been with vou we might have captured those chaps between. us,” said Ed. “We might, and then again they might have co cad us. However, they'll be caught all right by the police. They can’t get away, to save _ their lives, without a boat of some kind. and I ~ don’t know where they’re going to get one.” “Your name and Jennie’s will be in the paper - now. You'll have. a reporter up here before dark erviewing you.” “Let him come. fack. “By the. way, ing to eat. It’s thre ad_a bite since breakfast.” “Yow re Sg is in the oven, keeping warm,” Tl treat him white,” laughed other, how about some- o'clock, and IW haven’t ” Glory ~poMeluiah! Tl. soon make’ hort work of it. Come and watch me eat, Ed. “suppose you’ve had your: dinner?” “Thad a hasty bite at home, but*I was so ex- ited over your fate that I didn’t fill up te anv xten 3 ee Then TH divide with you.” a Tm not hungry. If I eat anything now spoil my appetite for supper, and I don’t. that for we're going to have my nis able and want A WINNING RISK into the kitchen, share ‘Mrs. Rushton ed: ceded them to dish up her son’s dinner for h CHAPTER VIII.—Bent On Mischief. Sure enough, a reporter was up to the cottage to see Jack long before dark. The boy gave him all the particulars, and next morning’s paper. a graphic story of Jack and Jennie’s advent: It also stated that the two crooks had been ea tured by the Seaport officers and delivered to Rockland authorities. The stolen. goods we also in possession of the police. That dav Sai Norris presented Jack with a handsome watch and chain, to which Jennie added.a pre charm. Rushton was very proud of the presents, and attached them to his vest wi delay. He had never been able to sport anyth better than a silver watch that had belonged his dead father, and had always envied Risdon” natty gold one. Now Ed’s looked like th cents beside his own. He was working away his project for increasing the reflecting cat of the lirhthouse lamps when Risdon w into this workshop—a good-sized room on_ ground floor back of the kitchen. “Well, how are you getting on, old man sig tended to hold half a dozen prisms. “Slowly,” replied Rushton. : “Is that the beginning of your’ -lighthou scheme?” asked Ed curiously. : “That’s it. What does it look like?” “Half. 4 dozen frames hinged together. are vou going to fill the spaces with?” “Prisms.” © “Where are you going to get them?” — “At a certain shop in Boston that manuf the best in the country. If I get that $500 ward that the Squire says I’m’ entitled : shall. have no diffieulty in getting the imp style I want. The secret of my inventi the arrangement of these prisms, not. prisms thems)ves.” 2 “I see,” replied: Ed vaguely, for he didn’t derstand at all, nor did Jack expect him “The light on Coffin Rock, like all othe houses, is backed by reflectors, but they. throw out a strong enough light. on nights.” “Not when the fog is of .the pea-soun chuckled Risdon, remembering the words of skipper of the three-masted schooner Richardson, that went ashore and became a loss on a certain morning eet gs he. cou dn make out the light on Coffin Rock. ‘4 “Now, my idea is to ctr the ante > glasses, after-a plan I have in my mind. TI so satisfied with the result that as soon as I ge the thing in working order I’m go gi ae: permission to trv the effect of my n the lantern of the Coffin Rock on a ele and then — a foggy one. The thicke
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ithe ‘effect can be noted on the fog bank it- 43 “How 2?” “Tll_ take you with me as my assistant arid Jet you see for yourself.” “How much will this thing cost you to put it on the experiment basis? “A good part of that $500.” “And if you make good, the government will adopt it?” “‘ghould not accept the improvement.” get anything accepted by the government, no “matter how good it is.” “Oh, I guess there are exceptions,” replied lack, reaching for a tool.. Rushton and Risdon ad a listener to their conversation, though they He had seen Risdon enter the yard of the Rushton cot- tage, and noticing that he did not come out again, he concltded that Rushton was at: home. _ He knew that Jack spent a good part of his spare time in his little workshop back of the kitchen, constructing the various devices. that originated in his brain. He did not believe that z they amounted to much in spite of the praises Oe 8 a been at various times admitted to the work- 3 But for all that he was curious about the mat- ter. He wanted to find out what kind of things k had made and was making at odd moments. ot being on good terms with Rushton, he could “not expect to be invited to inspect the various models. if he could get around it in any safe way. Sev- eral, ‘times he had sneaked into the yard and peered through the window in front of Jack’s work bench when he knew Rushton was away. but he had only seen enough to excite his curiosity still more. How to fet into the shop without Jack finding the fact out bothered him “not a little. On the afternoon in question he d the nerve to follow Risdon into the yard and “creep up under the workshop window, where he judged from the sounds he heard that Jack was 1t work, His original idea had been to watch hat Rushton was doing through the window, | he found that he couldn’t do. this without ning great danger of being seen. AS the “window was raised a couple of inches he con- tented himself with standing close under it and straining his ears to catch what the two bovs were talking about inside. He had no difficulty hearing all Jack said about his new scheme - making the light of, the lighthouse lamp Once when Rushton eft the bench to get omething at the other side of the room, Titus e framework that Jack was working on. tho a he had no very great opinion of Jack’s abi ity as an inventor, yet in this instance Rush- ton’s confident talk inspired him with the idea 4 rhaps there was something in his scheme |, and the very idea Shee: Jack might A WINNING RISK: -“T see no reason why the lighthouse board. stowed upon them by the privileged few who: He meant to see them just the same, _ his. ' “TIL hang around until Rushton and hts timate relationship with pretty Jennie Norris. whom Titus secretly admired and wished to no impression whatever on the girl, much to his power to win Jennie away from Jack, but failed esas a favorable impression on that young ady. a He could not understand why she should pre- fer the society of a comparatively poor boy to his own. His father was by long odds the richest man in Seaport, and he was the best- _dressed young fellow in town and moved in the “best circle of its society, but those facts made ’ “Y’ve heard that it requires a strong pull to_ no impression whatever on the girl, much to his disgust. The incident of the previous morning ~ on the cliffs, when he had completely. lost his temper and endeavored to browbeat the girl, .~ eventually causing her to nearly lose her life, had settled him with her forever, and he knew . it after the climax had opened his eyes to his reckless attitude toward her. It only served to intensify his animosity toward Jack, especially as the town was now ringing with praises for Rushton’s gallant rescue. His vindictive little soul reached out for some ; means of getting square with Jack, if only to gratify his spite. While he listened under the window his thoughts naturally followed the bent “ of his. inclinations, and he decided that he — couldn’t get in a more effective blow against’ Rushton than by destroying his lighthouse In- ~~ vention if by any means whatever he could mati- age to do it. “Tf I only can get into the shop while he is away, Ud make short work of the old thing, PU - bet. I hate him! He’s only a common boy; any- way, and ought to know his place, but he’s al-~ ways trying to push himself forward; trying te make people think that he’s something better phen he was born to be. I despise such persons. y futher is a gentleman, and of course I’m one.. We’re rich, as we ought to be, and every-- body in town looks up to us as the most im- x portant people in the place. Why shouldn’t they, when my father is president of the leading bank, and the chief member of the Town Coun- cil, and my mother is the social leader, and president of the Foreign Missionary’ Society, and — a lot of other things besides? If it wasn’t that. Rushton’s father had his life insured in two com- panies when he died, the family would be on the road to the poorhouse. His mother ought to have put him to work in some store long ago instead of ‘sending him to the High School, which is only intended for gentlemen’s sons who ex- pect to hold good positions in life. What does — a common boy want with a High School educa- tion? What good will it ever do Jack Rush~— Be ton? Bah! Some people make me sick with —~ the airs they try to put on. However, I'll put a spoke in some of his crazy schemes, and~I’ll just begin with this lighthouse arrangement of I don’t believe it would ever amount to a hill of beans; but for fear it might give him a boost, I’ll see if I can’t put it out of business.” With this charitable purpose in view, Titus be- gan to consider how he could gain a surreptitious entrance into the shop. : Ly hee crony, Ed Risdon, go off together. I know Rt an ton has promised to meet: Jennie Norris at o'clock, and ee hour isn’t a. 1
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— 12 one A WINNING RISK — Sue ably go home. Rushton’s mother is spending mother isn’t often away when he is. If I coul the afternoon at the Lloyd house, down the only get in it wouldn’t take me more than fifte street, so the coast will be clear for me. I won't minutes to make his shop look as if it had been -,do a thing to that workshop when. I get inside,” struck by a western cyclone.” He began to con-— . he chuckled gleefully. “He'll never find out sider the matter of breaking the window. The ~ who played ducks and drakes with his models. fact that this method might attract the attent: _. He'll never suspect me. If he does, I guess I'll of the neighbors deterred him. Then he won- be able to work in an alibi. Jim-Edwards will dered if he could force the lock of the door. He ~ be willing to: swear I was out fishing with him took out his knife and fooled with the lock a all the afternoon. I’d like to see Rushton’s face few minutes, then gave it up as impracticable. when he looks at the wreck of his shop. Oh, my! The next thing he did was to walk around Bs He’ll look happy, I don’t think!” There was a the side of the building and take a general ob- small summer house at the end of the vard servation. He noticed that a weather strip — -- which Jack’s father, who had been a carpenter, covering the crack between two boards was - built shortly before his death, and to this shelter Joose. He tore it away. Bis Granville retired to wait for the two boys to “J]] bet I could piv a couple of the board _leave the shop and vicinity. loose at_the bottom if I had anything to do it — with.” He looked around the yard and saw a crowbar leaning against an apple tree. Pi ; : ; “That will be just the thing,” he said, goin CHAPTER IX.—Venting His Spite. over and getting it.» Inserting the sharp curved Hise : ; point between the crack he had opened up, he ~All unconscious that a vindictive enemy was soon worked: the bottom of one of the boards hovering around the place bent on destroving his loose. Then he attacked the other board. Z most cherished invention, Jack drew his new didn’t take him long. to force' that also. The — watch out of his pocket and looked at it to see crowbar then loosened them where they were ~ how late it was. > Paso ‘Sp nailed to a thick cross-piece about five feet fro Nfs | “Ffello!” exclaimed Risdon, in surprise. the ground. Now all that held them were th “Where did you get that, Jack?” nails at the top. Titus tossed the erowbar aside _. “That,” replied Rushton, “is a present from and, seizing each board in turn, pulled them to — ' Squire and Mrs. Norris, in recognition of mv one side, thus making.a hole large enoug * having saved Jennie from probable death. The him to creep through into the unfinished | charm on the chain is a present from Jennie “I’ve made the riffle at last,” he said, in a t * herself. What do you think of them?” of great satisfaction, as he gazed around -__ *They’re the finest in town. That watch knocks workshop. “So this is his den,” he added _ the spotsof mine,” said Ed, taking his time-piece looks like a regular carpenter shop. Those out of his pocket, “and mine isn’t a half bad one. must. all have belonged to his father. It Yours outshines Titus Granville’s by several pity he doesn’t chop. a finger or two off when degrees. He'll turn »reen with envy if he ever he’s using them. Some boys would, I ee ‘gets a sight of it.” What a lot of models he’s got—a whole shel “Don’t mention him, please. I’m dead sore on full of them. And what is that thing beside the — him for putting Jennie’s life in peril yesterday. bench?” ‘Titus went close to it and looked t sit. If she hadn’t made me promise to avoid him, I critically. ; z believe I’d knock the daylights out of him for “Jt’s some kind of a mill which you wor what he did to her.” . ; 3 p Lowe miaLtather might ave noo arated for ar: MY and Wran totam i, het anger _ sault if you did oe me Wke that, so it’s just tion to some kind of machinery inside th at Ia be willme te thangs that” vépliéd Jack. SOUCMS See, and also caused a larze ant a ae sive, $es"quanter to fiver T have an engaxe: RCL On We Cote a one ey amt ment with Jennie at Sve. so Lm going to leek push sure tue set into. the top of the Bex mrlshap ease lacking the door and putting the containing ba machinery while he continued ” key in his pocket. Titus Granville, from ‘his ede the eran : ie ie Sei “iding-place in the summer house, watched them. ,» “This is where you put some kind of stuff in walk out of the vard and part at the gate. After tobe ground, I suppose,” he said. He lo “waiting ‘@ good five minutes, to make sure that around for something to drop in. First ] Rushton had got well on his way to the Norris 3% several handfuls of shavings and then | home, Titus came out of the, summer house, the crank. They slipped down and _ final walked over to the shop and tried the window. ck, however, had taken the precaution to shut - jt down and fasten it. Granville was disap- pointed, as he had confidently counted on effect- “an entranae by way of the window. He w the door was fast, for he had seen Jack - jt, so it looked as if his amiable intentions e blocked for the present. _ ; ss onder what. the beggar wanted to lock ow for? age ‘afrai popehany : op 3 old. S to let his wa ent no I ha ‘
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of an tiie without igeie it. Then he exam- ined the shop pretty thoroughly. He was at- tracted by the pretty. model of a Dutch wind- ‘mill. Jack had built it for Jennie as a working ornament. to put outside her window. When the wind blew the big sails would revolve, and t would look like an old-fashioned windmill in motion. He had taken a great deal of care with a@. sample of his workmanship. He had applied the final coat of varnish to it that morning, and aced the model on one of the shelves to dry. titus looked at it with greedy eyes. _ “T’d like to own that,” he said to himself. “I uess Til carry it off. He will never find out at it is at my house. If he should, VU say that I boueht it from a tramp; and he’ll think ‘was the tramp who Tigoks in here.” He re- moved the mill from the shelf and put it on-a box near the hole where he had come in. “*T guess I’d™better lose no more time,” he said,\“but start in and' make matchwood out of these other models. -Where’s that lighthouse ‘arrangement? I'll start in with that. t’s the most important.” In the meantime Jack Rushton had walked over to the Norris jouse, a very pretty but not elaborate two-story d attic dwelling setting back from the shady eet in the ‘center of a well-kept lawn. Jennie Pe s standing on the veranda waiting for him. _ She ran down the gravelled walk to. meet him moment she saw him entering at the front or giving me this watch,” he added. an’t thank you enough for that handsome rm.” Not a word,” she said, putting her Ruders on z hi lips. “The obligation is all on our side. You deserve a million dollars for saving my life... ra Papa, of course, didn’t feel like offering you money for what you did, for it would look like ng to pay you for a service nae _is beyond 1 price.” *T should never have accepted: : a cent,” replied y. “I didn’t risk my life for money, your sake. You. know that, don’t you?” es,” she replied softly, with a heightened : col or. “You know I feel very, very grateful to you, Jack.” “J-don’t doubt it. I am perfectly satisfied if 5 will always like me just as muck as vou ” . hat’s all -I want to know. By the way, that windmill I made for you is all finished. I the last coat of varnish on it this morning, it_ must ‘be nearly dry by this time.” Oh; how I'd like to see it,” she cried delight- edly. ¥*PIl fetch it over some time “to-morrow.’ “Tet me go over with you now and Mok at cdg won't be ready for half an hour, and ime to Zo to your house and ! dmill right A WINNING RISK — its construction, and was rather proud of it as. I guess © CHAPTER X—Jack Makes Thingy . Hot fo - than described. of her golden head, “I want to look at it right “away.” “Well, I suppose I'll have to humor you. May- be it’s dry, and we can bring: it back with us and fix it up outside your window.” “That will be lovely. Come, let’s go.” So thev. ~ started off together as happy as could be. What — they said to each other on the way to Jack's home doesn’t concern his story, for it simply in-- ; terested them alone. At length they reached thee ~ ee cottage gate and entered. a “Mother went over to call at Mrs. ee and — to take tea there, for she knew I was going to supper at your house,” said Jack, as he closed — the gate. Then they walked across the yard to the rear of the cottage, where Jack’s workshop © — was. As they drew near the closed door, Rush- ton was astonished to hear sounds proceeding - from the inside of the shop. They sounded like — the smashing of wood. “What does that mean?” he ejaculated. “There’s no one in there: at least. there ought — not to be.” Smash!. Crash! Smash! “Why, there is some one inside, working or doing something,” said Jennie. Es “My gracious!” cried Rushton, as he thought. = of his lighthouse framework and other models, and began.to suspect. the presence of an inter- loper bent on mischief. “Somebody is there who has no right to be there.” He quickly in- — serted the key in the lock and threw open the door. In a moment he recognized the intruder as Titus Granville, his enemy, wito was in the- act of completing the destruction of his light- — house framework. The greater part of the article lay in ruins cn the floor, and only one blow more was, needed to finish the remainder. “Hold!” eried Jack, dashing in at the door, — followed by Jennie Norris. “What in thunder’ = are you doing, Titus Granville?” The young — rascal paused with hatchet uplifted, gave a ‘startled glance at the newcomers, then turned — and fled. He had no thought now for the wind- mill model he had intended to carry away. His only idea was to escape the wrath of the young inventor. He hustled through the opening in the side of the building in such a reckless wa} that he tore his jacket half off his back.” At any rate, he left a big section of his garment. behind him hanging to a nail, and made off oyer — the back fence as fast as he could zo. ; a Titus Granville. Jack gazed at the wreck of his’ lighthouse €rame with feelings that ean better be imagined The work of many weeks had been ruthlessly destroyed ina few minutes” If Rushton could have laid his hands on “Titus Granville at that moment, Titus would have | iret a bale oes he wouldn't have tee 2
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eS, | A WINNING RISK some mischief, but she did not know the extent portant as his father is.” Jack was mad clean of it until Jack turned to her, and, with almost through, and he looked it. : pee Na quivering lips, told her that Titus had totally. “No, Jack, you mustn’t—why, there’s the — ruined his lighthouse frame. ‘Then she knew windmill now, on that box, isn’t it?” fhe cried, — the loss that had fallen on the young inventor. running over to where Titus-had left the model. _ “Don’t feel bad, Jack,” she said, going to him Jack followed her over, and a thrill of satisfac-* and/twining her arms around his neck in an tion ran through his veins. affectionate way. “It’s a cruel shame, I know. “Yes, so it is,” he answered, taking it up and It only shows what a mean and contemptible looking it over to make sure that it had not boy Titus Granville is. Brace’up, Jack, and be been injured. “It’s all right. I dare say he | the man that I know you are. You can make a_ tended to break it after he had finished with the » new frame. You can make it quicker and better lighthouse frame. We reached here just in time than the old one, for you know just how. to do to save it.” it now. I know you feel dreadfully. I feel bad “Isn’t it pretty!” she cried, jumping up ‘and myself. I sympathize with your Kiss me, Jack, down. “Aren’t you good to me, Jack?” - : and promise that you will show Titus Granville “There is nothing too good for you,. Jennie— that he can’t down you, no matter how well he nothing in the whole world.” .- _ thinks he has succeeded.” Rushton felt en- “Except yourself,” she replied archly. ga couraged by her words and, putting his arms “No, not even me.” around her, he took adyantage of her DEEHONON “What’s that piece of cloth hanging on the | to kiss her twice. nail?” asked Jennie. Jack picked it off. “Thank you for your sympathy and encourage- “It’s a big piece of his jacket, with a pocket - ment, Jennie. I will make a new frame, for I’m attached. He must look like a wreck going hom determined to succeed in the scheme I have in that way,” and Jack grinned in spite of himself. — view. Titus has only put off the day of trial. “Hello, here’s his pocketbook. Let’s see what's I would feel a great deal worse but for your in it.” Rushton opened it and found two $ _- sweet words, little girl. I intend to deserve your bills, and a Jot of silver coin. es +. good opinion always. You are just like a dear “He carried quite a bit of spénding money sister to me.” around with him,” he said. “Well, that with “And you are like a dear brother to er she tor piece of jacket will be pretty good ey replied, laying her head on his shoul dence against him if I should want to “ase i “We'll always be brother and sister, won't With our joint testimony on top of it, I think we?” Titus Granville would find himself in a pretty — _ “Yes—always.” bad box. I-must nail those boards up again “That is, until that he loosened and then’we’ll go over to your “Until what?” house'to supper.” As soon as he had made his “Until you find somebody one of these days workshop secure again, Jack picked. up the win who you may learn to like better than me,” he ull, and then he and Jennie started for the | said ‘wistfully. og ae Ei the ee a ea oe “ni oe orris how he an ennie had caught Titus — x Se ak” ee i se anybody better than Granville in his workshop demolishing his | vet i age es tk sy <TE Jennie” ¥- house invention, and asked for his advice a8 4 ay mae is oa 5p Bares a, Tack, an 4 I don’t care) BOW, be ought to treat the voung rascal. After nea Cee a Mg , | love you, / eS . a3 had done to —e an be Sens Taisen ” a quire Norris was not very favorably disposed 3 Do you really?” he cried gladly. “Do vou toward the son of the Seaport banker. tele ” really love me? : “He needs a severe igh to teach him a litt “Yes,” : common sense,” said the Squire. “He commit ~ “With all your heart?” 4 a very serious offence in breaking into i “Yes, with all my heart. - house, for the shop is a part of your cott 5 “And I love you, Jennie, with all my heart. I advise you to call at my office in the morn - “Do you, Jack?” she asked softly. and I will go with you before Magistrate Hoy ? . “Yes, I swear it.” Then he kissed her again ard. You can swear out a warrant charging | ~ and held her in his arms for several minutes be- with felonious entry of your shop and mali ious - fore he released her. At that moment his mischief. He will be arrested and held or ‘thought turned to the Dutch windmill. examination." There is evidence. enough to h “Great Scott!” he exclaimed aghast. “It’s him for trial and to convict him when — gone!” tried.” Accordingly, next morning Jac “What’s gone, Jack?” ® peared before Magistrate Howard, and on - -*¥our. windmill. That yxascal must have - statement a warrant was issued for Titus Grar = - smashed it, too: -Say, I won’t do a thing to ville’s’ arrest and handed to an officer to s him,” added Rushton, with a resolute air. “I'll. Titus was arrested at his home, and his mo: go to his house and knock the toplights off him. and the servartts were thrown into the gre ‘I might have stood the loss of the lighthouse consternation. The boy was badly scared, wi frame, but your windmill is the last straw. I his mother tried to buy the policeman off. W ibe no time to make another, and I tried so’ this was Sag Bee be impossible, word was | hard to eet it strong and pretty for your sake. . once sent Granville, who had Just I'll make him look lke a lopsided to the bank, while Titus was’
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en he called at Mrs. Rushton’s cottage, to try ani arrange matters with her son, but ae was square matters, but with no success, as Jack very angry over the destruction of his light- This outrage in ay work over again. He ought to be’ severely pun- pores for destroying the one I had almost fin- “J am willing to pay you handsomely if you'll withdraw the charge—I’ll give you $1,000.” Jack refused. The banker was in a cold sweat, for - se be there was sufficient evidence against his to hold him for trial. Finally he offered Sack. $5,000 in ¢Ysh to let up on Titus. — “No, sir; you haven’t money enough to buy me off,” replied Rushton, “but I’ll tell you what 1 do. nduct and promise to keep away from me in e future, and if you will pay me $100, to cover my loss of time and the materials destroyed, I'll draw the charge.” The banker eagerly ac- ed his offer. Titus was obliged to apologize licly in court, and it was a terrible ordeal for to undergo, but it was as nothing com- jared to the disgrace he escaped through Jack’s agnanimity. After the matter was all settled, as was sent to Boston to visit friends, and it se who knew would have forgotten all about isgraceful incident. No account of it ap- eared in the papers, as the banker succeeded ressing’ it through a liberal donation to e treasury of each newspaper. Whether the ~Jesson Titus got would be a lasting one, or not ‘was yet to be demonstrated by his subsequent v4 I.—What Jack Found “the in. Chimney. ie and Jennie ere summoned to Rockland pear against Damon and Norris, the crooks who had robbed Carson & Co.’s drygoods store, e raseals were held for trial at the next term f the court. Mr. Carson then sent Jack eck for $500 reward. Ed Risdon came in- _Jack’s workshop that afternoon as he was paring away the ruins of his lighthouse frame. i ad already heard about the damage done See: by Titus Granville, and of his subsequent arrest - connection with the outrage. at are you going to do now, Jack?” he a new frame.” ‘That will take time. You were too easy wath a son has made a dead set at me ever . is hoped. that when he returned to Seaport © A WINNING RISK 15 “T hope it has taught him a Tessoni’ ze : 7 “You can’t tell. If I’m any judge of his te acter, he’ll be down on you worse than ever.” E “Let him. As long as he keeps clear of me, — he can hate me as much ashe chooses. He won't — dare play any more tricks on me, for he can — easily see that I won’t stand any nonsense of ~ “that sort.” A If your son will apologize to me for his ~ started in to examine his other models, -found that they had not been touched. the limit! ding on ae of that apology. put that in t “His father must have been wild.” “He was. He offered me $1,000 at first, gad then $5,000, to. drop the case.” “He did?” “He did. And I’ve no doubt he’d have Sas it $10,000 i& I hadn’t told him that he couldn’t ~ buy me off at any price.” “But you did withdraw the shetrsee: * ee “J know it. I didn’t care to bring disgrace on — the Granville family, but I didn’t sell out to them. I let Titus off for $100 damages and bp ’ apology.” “J see the windmill is gone. it to Jennie?” Sit “Yes. That would have gone to smash if — Jennie and I hadn’t reached here when we sets a Titus had it down from the shelf.” “He’s a vicious little rascal.” Jack nodded. “What are you going to do with this aces Ae you've had standing here for the last ‘three months?” asked Ed, pointine to the mill that Titus had first monkeyed with. “Nothing at present.” Ae at sats “Tt’s finished, isn’t it?” : : ie “Yes. One of these days B may get it patended, and build the real thing.” Ed went over to it pales start to turn the crank, but it woulen'ts nu: . “What?s the matter with it? Broken?” - “No. Turn the handle and you'll see it will work. » “I’m trying to turn it, but. it won't hoe Jack looked surprised and: tried it himself, with no result. “That’s funny!” lie remarked. worked easy. from revolving.” ' “Jt doesn’t seem to work, just the same.” Jack looked into the funnel and saw streaks of” min- gled varnish and sawdust. apt believe that young rascal put it out of busi- ness,” he said angrily. He saw the empty bottle lying on the end of the bench. “He poured varnish down here and’ threw saw dust on top of it so as to gum it up.” “He did?” replied Risdon. “Well, if he is You'll have to take it apart now and clean the insides.” “That’s what I'll have to do. J wonder how much.more damage he did in the shop?” ae Did you give alt his always There is nothing to prevent. it” “That and the windmill and ‘the lighthouse framework seems to oe all he handled, thank goodness! “ Fortunately, the windmill escaped. think I’d have broken his head ¥ he. destroyed that.’ “Too bad that you didn’t give hin a eae You, ought to hi parramrenient. ay Jack 4 e ton fro
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ree “All those cogs and rollers will have to come ~ apart and be cleaned,” said.the young inventor. “Can I help you?” asked Risdon. 5 “You can if you want to undertake a dirty “T’ll do it to help you out.” _ “Thanks, Ed.” He pulled the machinery to pieces and then fur- nished his chum with a rag, some turpentine, and a piece of sandpaper. - “Now you can go ahead,” he said. Ed took off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves and started in. while Jack began getting out the wood to make a new framework for his latest invention. The boys talked as they worked, and in the course of an hour Risdon had cleaned away all evi- _ dences of Granville’s mischief. Jack then put the mill together again, and when the top had “been restored it worked as good as ever it did. Soon afterward Mrs. Rushton appeared at the door to call her son to dinner. Jack invited Ed ) “9 vemain and eat with him and Risdon con- sented.” . “Let’s go fishing this afternoon,” said Ed, while they were at the table. Rushton said he -— thought he ought to make headway on ‘his in- - yehtion, as he was anxious to secure a trial of it as soon as he could. . ~~ “Oh, you can wotk on it to-morrow,” said Ed. - “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” - Jack finally consented to go after he had {lone ‘an hour’s work. They returned to the shop and a ia half-past two started for a certain creek ‘on the suburbs of Seaport with their fishing tackle. The afternoon was a cloudy one, and ‘well suited for the sport. They had fished with good results for an hour when it started to rain. = 3 suggested Risdon. - *E guess so,” replied Jack. They wound up their lines, grabbed their baskets, and retreated to a one-story hut with an attic, which stood “near by and had been long abandoned as a dwell- ing house. The boys put their baskets and tackle jm a corner and stood by the door watching the rain as it came down faster and faster outside. There was nothing in the ground floor of the “fut to attract their attention, as it was auite bare of everything except dirt and refuse. me oe been in this old shack before?” asked + Risd in the attic.” A WINNING RISK ” “We'd better get under cover until it stops,” * where Jack and Jennie had been in that morn They walked ; it now you're here?” th looking around the peaked ceiling fastooned with heavy, dirty bunches of cobwebs. There was an open window in the front and another in the — rear. A couple of boxes stood on either side of an opening in the floor that penetrated cle to the room below. Under the dull rainy sky expect to stay?” i apie “We'll. sit down here by the window,” replied Jack, turning one of the boxes over on its side. Risdon followed his example. i Fale: ecianha that this old rookery is haunted,” sai is Wg — pee —— one morning.” “That was a long time ago. /I suppose he was killed for the money he was said to have hed concealed about the place.” ‘ “He may not have had any. At any rate, n was found here, though the - building > searched all over for it.” : ; “The person or persons who killed him pro pai Fe ee away er it? me ‘Well, it’s said his ghost has been seen here. — believe 2 ete oe J skosel Cede ve never thought much on the subject. — There may be such-things.” ieee “Joe King was passing this wav two weeks ago, and he says he saw a light shining throug? the back window of this attic.” Res “A tramp or two might have been roosting t here at the time.” At that moment a strange noise came from a shadowy part of the room where the brick chimney rose through the fieor and pierced the roof. f uk “What’s that?” as asked Ed, looking around — nervously. ; es “A noise of somé kind.” They listened,’ but - nothing was. to be heard but the heayy patter- ba Si the rain on the roof. _ < sem a2 Sr ‘It was a funny kind of a Sound, t you think?” g ‘ — as “Yes, it was kind of odd.” aay “What do you suppose caused it?” ie. “How should I know?” The boys resumed their conversation, but Risdon took care to s : nothing more on ‘the subject of ghosts. They were talking about. the caves under the cliffs when the peculiar: noise sounded once m Jouder than before. ‘ iat “There. it is again.” r “T heard it: Why don’t you ge over end sae 3 what makes it?” - : a pepe “No, thanks.” ; Cia “What are you afraid of?” chuckled Jack. “Who said I was afraid of anything? don’t you go over?” Se j i= “I will if it bothers us again,” replied Rush- ton coolly.’ “Maybe it’s the wind blowing down the chimney.” ; “There isn’t any wind to speak of.” “Then there are rats in the chimney. “Rats make a scampering or scratch Fr apt ral Re a:
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The previous evening he had been “py the Psychical Research Society, several of which were so weird as to give him a touch of the horrors. He now recalled some of these creepy incidents, and as the surroundings fitted jn well with the atmosphere of the stories he be- _ gan to feel creepy himself. t ab § think we'd better adjourn to downstairs, Jack,” he said, rising from his box. “Just as you say, but I’m going to see what makes that noise first.” > = “I wouldn’t bother with it.” At that juncture '. the noise was repeated, and then something fell with a clatter on the floor near the chimney. Ris- don gave a start and made a break for the steps. He was half way down before he noticed “that Rushton was not at his heels. Jack hadn’t been disturbed by ghost stories and didn’t have ‘much faith in spooks, anyway. He walked de- liberately over to the gloomy part of the attic where the chimney stood and struck a match. _ He saw that a brick had fallen out of the chim- ney, leaving a hole. Two more bricks looked to 2 “be Joose, and™Jack easily pulled them out, drop- ' ping them on the floor. : Just then the odd noise sounded full in his - face, and before he could form any idea as to ‘what it was, something darted out and struck kim a blow in the face. It was followed by a second something that whizzled by his ear. His _ hand was grasping a brick at the bottom of the hole at the moment, and the suddenness and -sharpness of the blow from the. unseen object _ caused him to start back. Half the bricks of the chimney seemed to give way and fall clattering at his feet. - “Whew! What have I struck?” Jack.. Ed stood on the stairs, half paralyzed. He didn’t know what to make of the racket. ‘Finally he yelled to Rushton, asking what was he matter. Receiving no reply, he cautiously went back till half his body was above the at- ic floor, then something flew at him out of the darimess and hit him a smart blow on the fore- ead. He gave a yell, lost his balance, and slid down the steps on his back. Just at that’ mo- ment Jack flashed a match, which illuminated «+the big break in the chimney. He saw a shelf right before him in the. yawn- ing gulf, and on the shelf stood six sooty-looking ags. His curiosity induced him to reach out ‘and grab the nearest. It was heavy, and as he = out. a clinking sound. The match expired in his y a fingers and he lit another. _. “Gracious,” he exclaimed. “This. feels - and sounds like money.” As he spoke a dark object truck his hand, the one holding the bag. It ropped at his feet. and fluttered around with a strange noise. Jack stooped down with the match and looked at it. — “Why, it’s a bat,” he said. “That’s what flew of the chimney and hit me in the face.” As ‘looked at it the bat recovered and flew away, nd he could hear it cricline the attic.. With id of mee match he took the other five Se ee ee Lond ere eee = WINNING RISK reading a book of true ghost stories collected . ejaculated , drew it to him it struck on the bricks and gave - ' afterward on the hand. 17 “My: goodness it is money. and gold at that, F ‘Is this the miser’s hoard?” Zs CHAPTER XII—Jack Astonishes His Mother, Jack gazed in a bewildered way at the bags, — and the two. golden coins. He inserted his finger in the slit and fished out three more gold pieces. — “There’s a thousand dollars in this bag if — there’s a cent,” he said. “As all the bags are about the same size, that would mean that ’ve— found $6,000. Gracious! What a find. Ed will have a fit when he sees the money. I wonder where he is? I thought I heard him give a yell a few moments ago. He’s got ghosts on the brain to-day,” chuckled Jack. “If it hadn't been .for that curious noise made by those bats in the. 2 “chimney, I’d never have found this treasure _ g trove. I suess this must have belonged to the ~ murdered miser. He kept it in the chimney and — the murderers never thought of looking there for it. Well, as he rt have any further use — for it, and it would be ‘pretty hard to find his ~ heirs, if he had any, I guess the money belongs — to me as the discoverer. Won’t mother be a: tonishedt We'll be able to put on a little style now. On the whole, perhaps I’d better say noti ing to Ed about this money. Vil go down, oe my fish basket, and put the stuff in it. It seems — to have stopped raining, so we’ll*make a line — for home.” Jack immediately went down to eis first floor. f Ed was standing near the door, examining | tern jacket, and didn’t notice Rushto: picked up his basket, dumped his “fish into lee aN and returned to the attic. In a few minutes came down again, with his basket im his rae it felt heavier than if it had been Fall of fish. He walked up to his chum. “Ready to go home?” he asked. “Hello!” said Ed. “What kept you upstairs? Did You see the ghost?” “What's the matter with your jacket?” asked Jack, observing that it was rumpled and AOR “I fell down the steps.” “The dickens you did! How came you to do that?” } “T went up to see what was keeping you, when something ew at me, hit mevon the head, end te down I went.” : Jack laughed. “Why, that was a. bat.” “ : 3 “A bat? sow dd you know it Was a bat?” “Because one of them hit me‘in. the face a What did you thin Te was—a ghost?” <a Risdon looked foolish and made no reply. ‘He put on his jacket and then went and \ basket. He did not notice that it, was. 1 than before with the added fish, and the ; Jeft the shanty, ; “Was it the bats that made that strange nois' _asked Ed, after they had gone a short distance “That's what it was. They were in the chim- ney. I pulled several bricks out, and ce pla things flew out in my face.” . ~ ‘S ‘i eats cried 1
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_ “That was when part of the chimney fell out.” “What made it fall out?” “YT gecidentally pulled them down,’ said Jack, » changing his basket to his other hand. “One would think that basket. was heavy, the “way you're carrying it.” “So it is. . I’ve got part of the chimney in it,” grinned Rushton. Ed supposed he was joking so he made no re- ply. In a short time they parted at the nearest _eorner to Jack’s house. ; “Mother,” said Jack, when he entered the kitch- en, “come upstairs to my room. I want to show “you_something.” ~ “Won't it do after tea? See oa is ready to go on the table.” ~ “AIL right. Vl be down in a moment.” "Did you catch any fish?” asket. I’ve'got something better in mine. Some- thing that will make you open your eyes. very “wide.” “You mean you have a surprise for me?” “Yes; the biggest surprise of your life.” “You excite my curiosity.” - “Well, after supper you’ll see what you'll see,” replied 2 ack laughingly, as he walked away. He carried the basket with its precious contents his room. There he took the bags out, dusted soot off them, and stood them in a row on a small table. Then he tidied himself up and went down to supper. : ‘Now, mother,” said Jack, after the meal, “fol- ey “went to his room. : Take a chair, mother, ‘and . Tn tell you my story first.” - __ He narrated his and. Ed’s experience in the old anty into which they had been forced to take elter from the rain. . Then he told her about remarkable discovery of the six bags of gold ‘the chimney. _ “Ts it possible,” she exclaimed. ‘Behold the evidence, mother,” and he showed : the bags. ‘Then he opened each one in turn and poured its littering contents in a heap on the table until : oie “ous gure ‘that we se to as all this ney, _ “Keep it? Why not? I am pretty sure it be- ed to the old miser. He had no known rela- _ His body was never claimed. Consequent- she money rightfully belongs to me as the Ed doesn’t know that I found the money, thought I wouldn’t tell him. use telling anybody. V’ll take it up to mtomorrow and Bi satis ia in. several of he o Bos- A WINNING RISK. - ing Risdon came in to see him right after break- “A few, but Ed has the whole batch in ‘his» ‘do the work right.” In fact, there. ; promised banks of the city, Then he visited the big dntigat manufacturer and ordered a certain number of — high- pa ade prisms to be made for him, specifying the size he desired them to be. The manufacturer promised to have them ready at the time de- sired, and Rushton, after paying a deposit on the w ork, took the train back to Seaport. Next morn- fast. “So you were in Boston yesterday, said. “T was, “Tf see told me you were going if could have arranged to have gone with you.” “My. visit was wholly one of business,” nae : oa Jack. “I ordered the glasses for my new Nene house frame. — - “Oh, that’s what took you there.” Jack made no reply, but left his chum . infer what he pleased. ; “Say, Jack,” he said a moment later. “What is it?” Tikarg “Do you know, when I opened my fishing yecke after I got home from our fishing excursion, I found twice as many fish in it as I supposed I had caught.” “Ts that so?” chuckled Rushton. “T’ve been puzzled ever since to account for Say, jyou didn’t put your fish into my basket, | you? “Do you know of any reason why I should have done so?’ “No, I don’t. But I could swear that I only caught six, half as many as you, but I FORD. 3 eh?” he . “Well, as long as you didn’t miss any, yo ought to be satisfied.” : a m blessed if I can figure out how I caugl eleven,” persisted Ed. < “Then don’t try to do it. It isn’t worth while care re working on the new frame, aren you?’ “Yes.” oe I can do to help the ~ good aie along “Do you think you could plane those boar down perfectly pin “Sure I could.” “Well, you can take hold and try; but be sure’ you do it right, now.” eae “You can keep your eye on me and see thai The two boys worked quite’ steadily all, ‘mo ing .and accomplished a great deal. = “You wouldn’t make such a bad amateur. al penter,” said Jack, when they knocked off fo dinner. “If I worked under Rhy for a month or tw guess I’d be able to build a house.” ie odsing kind of a house?. A dog: houseys gri ac “Oh, you get cut! Trying to guy me?” “You don’t imagine that either of us build a real house, do pets ; “We might be able to put up a be
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~ -.*Nonsense! You’ve earned a sight more than -- your grub this morning. Come on.” ; So Ed was persuaded to remain and have din- * - ner with his friend. After the meal they returned to the shop, and were about to resume work when a couple of visitors popped in on them. The _ allers were Jennie Norris and her particular -. friend, Ada Lewis. - CHAPTER XIII.—Attacked on the Island. | “Good afternoon, boys,” said Jennie, as the two gitls appeared at the door. “May we come in?” “Sure thing,” answered Jack, grabbing the one chair in the shop and bringing it forward. “Take a seat, Miss ‘Lewis. I'll get a chair for you in a - moment, Jennie,” he added, rushing out and pres- ~ ently bringing in one of the kitchen chairs. “You'll have to excuse our lack of style here, but you see it’s my workshop.” | : feo ~~ “Oh, don’t. sind us,” interjected Miss Lewis aughingly. “We’d just as soon sit on boxes as ee 3 not. ess , “Yes, we’ye very democratic,” said Jennie. “What are you two working at now?” — ; “Trying to recover lost ground. Ed is helping He Jack. - “Then I suppose there is no use of our asking “you boys tosgo with us this afternoon?” she said, nm a tone of some disappointment. _ “Where wére you going?” '“Ada’s brother-in-law, Mr. Fish, has come over ‘from Portland in his yacht, and has invited us to take a sail to Rockland and back this afternoon. ‘We came over to see if you would go with us. And’ we supposed you could hunt up your friend id “Bd doesn’t need to be hunted up as he’s on he spot ready for anything in the shape of fun ‘that turns up. What do you say, Ed? 1 sup- ose we'll have to shut down and oblige the adies. It isn’t often that two such fascinating girls take the trouble to go out of their way to yinvite us on an outing.” “hank you, Jack Rushton,” said Miss Lewis, *you said that very nicely. We feel quite repaid for coming.” ’ . The girls being ready, Jack locked the shop up, -and he and Hd, taking their respective partners, started for the Lewis home, where Mr. Fish was aiting for them. The entire party then walked ywn to one of the wharves. The yacht was ly- @ only a short distance away, and its owner sig- - nalled for a boat to take them off. In short time the handsome craft was heading out of the har- or, under her mainsail and jib. my ‘This is just too lovely for anything,” cried -Ada,as the boat swept along under the influence f a lively breeze that played hide-and-seek among er brown curls. ; ae = J 7H “By the way, Rushton,” put in Mr. Fish, “you e the cause of the arrest of those two crooks wh Sela n’s drygoods store A WINNING RISK and, ~nean the shore washed by the ei Sd ee th e . iti ~ nea ae => 7 Sete ere fae a % & - : Eee from the cave without it. All the -police had to do was to go around there and nab them.’”” “So I read ih the Portland papers. Well, I suppose you haven’t heard the latest news about 9 them?” ~ Dot pee “No; what is it?” 3 : ae “They. broke jail in Rockland this morning and =‘ — the detectives are out trying to recapture them.” “T hope they’l] be caught. You don’t know how they managed to make their escape, do you?” ag “No. The evening edition of the paper will probably publish the particulars.” Y ea “ae “They must be uncommonly clever rascals to be able to get out of the jail.” bees “That gees without saying. They’ll have to be just as clever to avoid being retaken, for their descriptions have no doubt long since been tele- graphed in every direction.” Ks ahead they started to cross the’ small island, which was completely covered with : trees and shrubbery. Walking was easy over the — velvety green grass, where pretty wild flowers. grew in at profusion. : “T smell smoke,” said Ed suddenly. : “Smoke?” exclaimed Jack. “Now you mention _ it, I think I do, too.” - en As they drew nearer the opposite side of the island the smell of cooking became plainer. Pres: ently through the trees they saw the forms. two men bending over a smali fire with wh they were busy. 4 eee “I. guess we’d better not butt in,” said Ed, and — so the party made a detour around the opening’ where the strangers were, and soon cam sparkling saw a
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“That's the craft that brought the men here,” - “yemarked Jack. “The Water Witch, of Rock- ~_ Jand,” pointing to the words on her stern. -*- “Looks like a good boat,” said Risdon, who was something of an amateur boatman, and believed he could tell a smart craft when he.saw one, ' “Well, let’s go back,” spoke up Risdon. '.. They turned around and had gone perhaps - twenty feet into the shrubbery when they sud- denly came face to face with the two men who ~ had been cooking-a meal.over the fire. To Ed and ‘Ada there was nothing out of the ordinary about the men, and they kept on their way. It was different with Jack and Jennie. To them this:un- expected encounter was rather startling, for they recognized the pair as the thieves that they had - met in the cave, and against whom they had af- -. terward appeared in the Rockland court room. - And the rascals knew them both in an instant, and their faces showed it. As though actuated by the same impulse, both sprang. at Rushton and seized him. - . “So we've got you, young man, have we?’’ hissed Damon roughly. “You did us up, and now we'll do you up for buttin’ in where you had no right to: - -- Jennie screamed, but instead of running away, - ghe jumped, like the brave little girl she was, to the rescue of her young sweetheart, and com- -menced to pound the nearest man, who happened to be Morris, in the face with her fists. - Qn hearing Jennie’s scream, Ed and Ada had - turned around. They wére astonished at seeing ~ the struggle that was going on between the men and their companions. Ed at once started to help his chum. Damon saw him coming and,- whip- ing a revolver out of his pocket, pointed it at im in a threatening way. “Sheer off, now! If you interfere, I’ll put a , but, the rascal He struck Ed a - CHAPTER XIV.—The stern Chase. ie had kicked and struggled + ' ie A WINNING RISK -a short laugh. “Come, let us get away from this © ‘Mr. Fish listened to the tearful account giv the lockers. Then he went out and helped his companion yank Jack into the cabin likewise. They — slammed the hinged doors to, shutting in their ~ prisoners, and turned the key in the lock. Hirai “They're safe enough now,” said Damon, with island without delay.” Sail was made in a hurry and the catboat was soon gliding across the surface of the ocean at a lively rate. In the meantime Ed Risdon was gaz- — ing after the retreating boat. : ss. “Oh, Ed, what shall we do? Those men have carried Jennie and Jack Rushton off in their boat,” said Ada, in great distress. A “The only thing we can do is to get back to the other end of the island, board Mr. Fish’s yacht and. tell him what has happened.” ea They hurried across the island to the cove where they found the boat waiting. Mr. Fish h d : sent the boat ashore the moment he heard the report of the- revolver, which had greatly aston- ished him, and he was now standing’ near the yacht’s wheel, looking anxiously at the island and — wondering what had happened. He was su prised to see only his sister-in-law, and Ris come down to the boat and get in, and then saw his man push off without waiting’for the others, “Where is Rushton and Miss Norris?” he shout- ed across the water. : “Attacked by two men and carried off in a cat- boat,” returned Ed, making a funnel of h hands. ape “What!” exclaimed Mr. Fish, aghast, for he heard the boy’s explanation plainly. ee The rowboat was soon alongside and Eds aboard. Leaving the sailor to assist Ada on de he ran aft to where Mr. Fish was. To him he hurriedly explained matters, and suggested th: he chase the catboat at once. eae “Who are those men, and why did they att Rushton?” asked Mr. Fish. - = “J don’t know who they are nor why they went for him. Jennie tried to defend Jack, and then one of them turned on her. I tried to help Jack, too, but the rascal who had hold of him threat- ened to shoot us. When I took a chance a m« ment later he fired at me.” ie “That was the shot I heard.” eereey “Yes. When I closed in on him—for he missed ~~ me—he knocked me silly by a blow in the fa with his fist. I-recovered only in time to see th boat slipping away from the island.” ge “This is a very serious matter,” said Mr. Fi “We certainly must follow the rascals. — yacht will catch any catboat ever built”? While issuing his orders to his small crew, who were unable to understand what had happene Ada of the affair. "The yacht soon swept ar the island and was presently headed for the cat: ‘boat, which they made out a mile or so in adv: to the southwest. The catboat, however,
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A WINNING RISK arms around him and the girl crying as if her - heart would break. ; “Oh, Jack, dear Jack, speak to me!” she sobbed. - ‘Rushton struggled into a sitting posture. “Hello, Jennie! Where the dickens. have we got 2 to?” “They've carried us aboard this boat, and are sailing away with us,” she answered. “The rascals!” een: Ae aon «So ne isoners of us, eh? n ey are ca odes cil pet they’ll find their hands full making trouble for us.” Jack got up and tried the cabin door, but found . it fast. Preseritly he heard the two men outside in the cockpit talking excitedly together. Mr. Fish’s yacht was rapidly overhauling the catboat. The yaseals were cursing their luck in round terms, and trying to think of some way out of the trap fast closing in about them. Bae, inally Damon said: “We made a mistake let- es veel other two escape. They earried the news to the yacht, which is now overhauling us. There may be officers aboard her, for all we know. We must head in for the nearest point. of the shore, and let the boy and the girl shift for them- * gelves. If necessary to gain time, we'll toss the girl overboard. They'll oats to ome to in baie ye her. That may enable us to escape. mais: we can throw the young chap over after- ward. Between the two we ought to be able to yeach the shore and make ourselves scarce. is plan was adopted and the Water Witch pointed Tehowewatd: The chase was an exciting one to those aboard the yacht. Mr. Fish, after considering the strangeness of the affair, sudden- ly hit upon the truth—that the rascals were the two crooks who had escaped from the Rockland jail. That would in a measure account for their attacking Rushton, to whom they owed a grudge. Every method possible was taken to increase the speed of the yacht. The catboat had a big main- gail and a small jib. Her pursuer, however, had ~ a much bigger mainsail, two good-sized Jibs, and a palloon topsail. This spread of canvas in = rattling breeze blowing left very little show 0: /the chase escaping. ? ; a : : e people aboard the yacht could easily see a : Ss aie on the catboat. Damon and Mor- \ ~ ris left the tiller and went to the cabin door, which the former unlocked. As they entered the cabin, Jack sprang to his feet. Morris sprang at him to distract his attention while Damon seized Jen- --nie. He dragged her, screaming, through the - doorway. Rushton, not knowing what his inten- tions were but furious at the rough handling the girl was receiving, fought Morris like a tiger. + Morris was beaten back and finally knocked down by the intrepid boy, who jumped over his body and ~~ sprang through the door just a moment too late - to save Jennie, who fell, shrieking, into the waves, - while a cry of horror went up. from those on the ‘yacht. Jack dashed at Damon, struck him a : stunning blow on the head, and_then, without a ~ .moment’s delay, sprang overboard after the girl, who had disappeared under the water. Damon, staggered by the hit he had received, lost his balance and pitched head first in to the sea, while che could step ashore. the catboat flew ahead like a frightened bird. ; : 21. CHAPTER XV.—The Boy Who Made Good. -~ With all his clothes on, Jack was at some dis- advantage in the water, although he was a splen- did swimmer. He didn’t think of that, though, but struck out for the spot where he saw Jennie go down. At the same moment the yacht came up ) in the wind and Mr. Fish ordered the boat away to the rescue of the girl and the brave boy who had gone overboard to save her. The Water Witch kept right on in spite of the fact that Morris had seen his associate in crime go into the sea. The selfish instincts of the rascal, who thought only of saving himself now, caused him to abandon Qamon to his fate. “The yacht will pick him up,” he said to him- self. “It’s better that one of us escape than both go to jail.” So he took hold of the tiller and guided the boat « ' toward a spot where he believed he would be able to land at without any trouble. When Jennie. Norris came to the surface Jack caught sight of her golden hair in the sunshine and he struck out for her. She was something of a swimmer her- self, and instead of throwing up her hands she tried to keep herself afloat. She had no great difficulty in doing this until Rushton glided up alongside of her and, putting one hand under lier chin, Beka a her with the intelligence that a boat would soon reach them from the yacht. The boat soon came up and took them in, and then the sailors looked around for Damon, — whom they had seen go overboard from Jack’s blow. He was made out swimming around a short distance away. He was duly rescued from his peril, and the boat returned to the yacht. Jennie was taken into the elegant little saloon cabin and turned over to Ada. Jack was sent forward to the crew’s quarters, where the chance was af- forded him to get out of his drenched clothes. One of the sailors loaned him a temporary outfit, and he was soon on deck again. Damon was — hustled down into the hold, given some old duds * to put on in place of his wet garments, and then was bound to the mast until he could be turned over to the police. : The yacht continued on after the Water Witch, but the shore was too close now for Mr. Fish to hope to overtake her. However, he determined to recover the boat, which he knew would be abandoned by the rascal on board just ag soon as Morris beached the Water Witch on a strip of sand and then skipped as fast as he could. Mr. Fish sent. his rowboat to. bring her off, and with the catboat in tow he started for. Seaport harbor. Half an hour later they passed the lighthouse and swept into the harbor. We've all had the time of our lives this after- noon,” said Risdon to Jack, “particularly you and Jennie. We never dreamed when we started out on this trip that it was going to end with an ex- citing adventure.” f “That’s true enough,” responded his chum. | “You seem to have a corner on hairbreath es- eapes and such things,” went on Ed. “You ought ~~ to be the hero of a story book, and Jennie the heroine.” ret “Nonsense!” SS ae “No nonsense about it. Well, you two. will be. — the newspapers again, all right. You were — aa ; at «
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~. born to get into the limelight, while I am fated to remain in obscurity.” “Are you anxious to see your name in print?” > laughed Jack. ep ote “T think I should like the sensation.” hen I'll tell you how you might fratify your - ‘ambition in that respect.” ; “How?” » 2 “Go out to the lighthouse some fine day, when ~ the water is smooth, climb\ up to teh gallery, and ‘take a header into the ocean. I’ll furnish the Sea- port ‘Times’ with your photograph and a reliable “obituary.” : aX “Thanks, old chap. I’m not yearning to take ‘that road to notoriety.” The yacht now reached her anchorage. - Ada - .eame out of the cabin and asked Risdon to run up to Jennie’s house for a change of clothes for Pa oner. ; 2 z “You will have to tell her mother what hap- ened to her, but be sure and tell her that Jennie s all right.” i ‘Mr. Fish went ashore in the boat with him and - hastened to the station house, where he reported the capture and present whereabouts of one of the escaped crooks, and put the police on the track of _ the other. Two officers were sent to take charge pf Damon, while several policemen were de- - gpatched on the trail of Morris. We may as well - gay here that Morris was recaptured on the fol- ~ lowing day, and rejoined his comrade in the Rock- land jail. They were duly tried for the robbery of the drygoods store, convicted, and sent to the _. State prison for a term of years. By the time Jennie’s clothes reached her and she had put ‘them on, Jack had got back into his own gar- ‘ments. ; ' Then he escorted her home and remained to ~ supper, while Risdon went home with Ada and. accepted an invitation to supper at her house. _ Next morning the newspapers had the adventure in print, and the residents of Seaport were more than ever convinced that Jack Rushton was an ornament to the little town by the sea. A month . Jater Jack‘ had his latest invention in shape for “a trial of its powers. He had no great difficulty “in getting permission to make the experiment with his apparatus at the lighthouse on Coffin Rock. A thick fog setting in one afternoon, Jack and Ed 2 a boatman to carry them and the framework with the glasses attached to the lighthouse. The boatman landed them on the granite steps of the ‘lighthotise just as the advancing line of fog came -upon them, and ther he hastily started on his re- -turn to the shore after promising to come out at “nine in the morning to fetch the boys back. “Gee! This fog is thick to-night, all right,” . i -isaid Ed, as they felt their way up/the steps to the ; door. “You couldn’t have a better chance to dem- onstrate what your invention can do.” — - The head keeper greeted them cordially and ‘asked them if they had had supper. They re- ~ plied that they had. : iy ue do you want to go up to the lantern at ae ce?” : ; ; “Yes, sir, if you’ve no objection,” replied Jack. - The keeper fed the way up the cireular iron ps that landed them in the lantern, and Jack as soon at work fixing his frame of prisms close ok longer than. a ae ~ .7* a t it many times be as 5 = ot A WINNING RISK © eeet satisfied himself as to the focus. The keeper watched’ him for some time in silence and then withdrew to attend to other duties. It must have been ten o’clock before Jack had fixed everything to his satisfaction, and then he and Risdon stepped _ out of the lantern on to the gallery to’breathe with satisfaction the fresh night air, and to note the effect of the light as now cast upon the.fog. They found that the fog was denser than ever, and that the rays of the lantern were shining in a thick cloud, so that it was as if there was a luminous ring or halo about the top of the light- ~ house. Jack walked slowly around the gallery — twice, followed by his chum. Then he stopped on the land side furthest: from where he had fixed — his prisms, and waited to rest his eyes and then look at this work afresh. soa Below him he could hear the soft rush of the coming tide, and the low whistling and sucking” noises made by the returning waves, and by in- stinct he knew that the tide must be coming jn fast, though everything was invisible below. fie covered his eyes with his hands for a few mo- ments, so as to shut out all light, and then, shad- ing them by holding one hand at the side of his face next the lantern, he walked slowly: around the gallery again. Yes, his invention was success- ful—there was no mistake about it. The light streamed forth through the glass sides of the lantern, for the lamp burned brilliantly and i reflectors were polished. to the highest pitch; bu where he had fixed his prisms there struck out band of brighter light clearly distinguishable from the other—a whiter, purer light, that made « clear square patch upon the fog, that looked sil- very upon a ground of gold. Se See, Ed” he shouted triumphantly to his com panion. “See the difference between the two lights —mine is the white one, It’s a grand suc- cess!”’ . ore “Gee! It makes the other look like thirty cents,” replied Risdon. - i = ’ The head keeper appeared at that moment, and Jack pointed to the effect of his prisms onthe fo and the man was obliged to acknowledge that the new light was infinitely superior in penetratin power and brightness to the regular light. And | so the report went to Washington in a few days, and an expert was sent to Seaport to see the new invention. Jack tried it for his benefit on a clear night, and the man was satisfied of the improved capacity furnished by the boy’s method of appl: ing the prisms. The invention was duly patente and was adopted by the lighthouse- board. Ja Rushton’s name was heralded throughout th country, and Seaport was prouder of him than ever. So was Jennie Norris, who was satisfie there was no one in all the world half as smal jor as good as the boy who was one day to be hi husband—the boy who had taken A Winning Ri and Made Good. pee - Next week’s issue will contain“FROM A DIME TO A MILLION; or, A WIDEAWAKE WALL STREET BOY.” eRe f are Little
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/. ‘FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY 4 _ GUS AND THE egpig "They were now in: darkness again, save for ie light of the lantern, which Gus earried. a Or, te Matt, with his head still bent forward, g pushing bn ante the aad Jos of the cavern, which seemed to have no end. - aia Three Weeks Lost in the Rockies “Say, Gus, let me see that stuff what flowed cir he ue ee oe uate whee si ses eee 2 ; _ abow Sai as, after they had walke along By GASTON GARNE | in silence for some time. : ; Gus produced the piece of yellow metal, and : . _ held the lantern up for Silas to examine it. (A Serial Story.) _ “It’s gold, surest thing,” said the guide, hand-- Beg Ne nee one ldn’t h lived,” hi dd : oh d In the Gophers’: “Pity that man couldn’t have lived,” he adde CHAPTER tle: eee “Tf that thar stuff really did come out of beer : grade ore, and the process was a eheap one, 1’ ’ - no mistake,” groaned Silas, hut I’m knocked out. rst oe ga te eon teal us seat IT hain’t tasted grub in three days, and for as “D hink on : ~ many more before that it was only a bite. I can’t “y a an’ think he ate Pele ik ; F tell you what to do. But say, look at the boy! si Le Look Site ee im to be able a orm ihat’s struck him? Is he gone daffy?” ngs rs Sed ile ae planes 4; i _ Matt had suddenly leaped to his feet, and was eh oy hapied 7 to Matt, who was standing ae pene cea Baa = head bent Gus spoke to him, and shook him by the a ste| When Gus: shouted to hin donde what the ee on unfortunate boy seemed to be soun eee oe te ENS See eee 2! : ibe this Sey CRG Se at sete ae « Ss ; “ . he hasn't gone to sleep standing un, like a hoss. 5 efter Fae seemed to in- ~ He had scarcely spoken when Matt roused up, Seat nestled up to him and took him by the its this is the way,” he exclaimed. I eae “Took at He turned aside, and passing around a s a in the right-hand wall of the cave, which they Ss arm we held tas tight. . had kept close to ever since they left the sink, He was trembling all over, and his face wore there was a narrow passage leading off from the ‘a dazed expression. ~~ main cavern. os aes _ “Oh, it’s you?” he muttered. “I don’t know It’s a discovery, anvhow!” cried Gus. It what is the matter with me. I must have been ™av prove to be the way out. Come on, Sile? : aming. I thought he was talking to me and They were to see the last of their underground, cling me which way to go.” { imprisonment now. . “Who? The doctor?” . ‘ age, Following the passage through several wind Matt nodded. A ate _ ings, all at once daylight was seen ahead, and. “There’s a way out,” he ‘iiitehed: “Yes, that’s they suddenly passed out from under a tower : f hat he says. There’s a way out, and-he will show cliff into a broad valley. : it to me—come!” “It’s the Gophers’ holdout, surest thine!” cried efore Gus could stop him he tore himself away: Gus, for he could see the huts at no- great ise a nd hurried off into the depths of the cave. tance away. ~ “Come, Silas!” shouted Gus. “Come, quick! “Good for you, boy!” cried Silas, giving M ste F ust follow that boy!” a clap on the shoulder. vee tt soon slackened speed, and it was.a good Then another singular thing occurred. pe: “Boy, I would if I could, and don’t you make he did, for Silas could never have kept The blow Silas gave the boy was no love pat, with him ‘otherwise. 5b 5 but. still it was by no means a hard one. e guide was so weak that it was all Hie could To the anata of both Gus and the guide, do to walk. - Matt dropege ike a log and lay senseless on ha hat ails him?” he asked. “Is he daffy? ground. fe. cts like it. Whar is he a-leadin’ us, any- “Waal, ri be gol-busted!” cried Silas. OY didn’t hit him hard enough to knock him down! have talked hypnotism to Silas would have _ “Of course you didn’t,” replied Gus. “I don’t hopeless; and, indeed, Gus himself was en- know what’s the matter with him. He went down: — ely at a loss to account for this latest move just that same way when the explosion came.” 1 Matt s part. They tried to rouse him, but it was no use : eau know what's the matter with him,” | Matt ‘seemed to be breathing naturally, “He’s a queer stick, anyhow, and I there was nothing to indicate that he was 1 File: most likély that he is crazy; but don’t simply asleep, i 7, Sile, that crazy people sometimes do “Let him stop as he is for a while, hers can’t. He has lived in this will come to himself all ROS: said. Gus t i : 0. 5 we
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2 gbout down by them huts. all cut stick and scooted.” “Some of them were left behind,” replied Gus. Unless the sheriff has been in here they ought te be there still. Suppose you stay here with “this I boy, and let me go ahead and do the scout act?’ _ “f wish you would,” said ‘Silas, “and if vou - should happen to see anything in the shape of grub lying around loose. for heaven’s sake freeze a on to it, will you? Talk about starvation! Why, -dooker hyar, Gus. of the word.’ My stomach is a-pressing hard against my backbone.” “Well, sit down and rest yourself,” said Gus, and he pushed on toward the huts. _As he drew near he caught sight of several - bronchos hobbled and browsing on the dry grass. In a moment he saw a man come out of ‘one of the huts. It was Colonel Tim ~Tolkins. He walked slowly ovér to the hut which Gus had occupied, with his hands behind him. - “Colonel! Hey, colonel!” shouted Gus. The colonel saw him then. 3 “Great, heavens!” he exclaimed, throwing” up his hands. “Have you risen from the dead?” Gus hurried up to him. _ +“What’s the word?” “Where are the Gophers?” “All dead or captured, they tell me,” replied “Belle was in here yesterday and She said that you had been he demanded. the colonel. ‘brought the news. shot, too.” ~~ “Not me. I’m alive stilly but where are the rest of the gang?” ~ Gus, I don’t know. They disappeared during the night while I was asleep. You find me here keeping house all alone.” “And do you mean to stop here?” | “Mean to stop—why, I have got to stop, for I don’t know the way out. But tell me all about the fight. Is George Brandt dead?” “He is, but he wasn’t killed by the Gophers.” “What, then?” “Colonel, did you ever hear of Dr. Orlando Blake?” asked Gus ~ The colonel pave a quick ‘start. “Now, looker hyar, boy,” he eedautel: “vou don’t mean to tell me that you are another _. Marston spy?” - “What do vou mean by a Marston spy?” re- pled Gus, feeling that it would be wiser to turn the colonel off from that topic. > “Oh, if you don’t know, then I’m not bothering said Tolkins. “Well, what “my head to explain,” ‘about Dr. Blake?”. - But before Gus could answer a ait from e distance attracted the attention of both and, king off in the direction of the mountain trail, - they saw a band of mounted men riding rapidly toward them. “Great Scott!” asned the colonel. It’s the sheriff and his posse!” “They have managed ease ‘into the valley. If I am. caught here I’ ~~ Jost man!” it was the sheriff fast pecan Gus recog- FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY Mebbe they: ave _ know Colonel Oliver a mile away if for nothing you don’t know the meaning — = F et CHAPTER XXII—Gus Turns Guide. “They are coming right lively, Gus,” said Colo- nel Topkins, looking off toward the sheriff's — posse. “I s’pose there hain’t a blame thing to do but to surrender. We are only two against a whole lot.” xe “Ts it really the sheriff?” questioned Gus. “It might be the Gophers—what do you think?” — “No, no! It’s the sheriff, all right. I would but his size.” “Then if it’s the sheriff I provose to slope said Gus. “Let us hide behind the hut here for a few minutes while they are coming down the — valley. They won't see us, and when they have passed the turn we will make a dash for the place where I left Sile Stumpp. Tf worse comes: to worse we can hide in the cave.” ; Colonel Tolkins made no objection. — : With him it was anything to avoid the she s for to be identified with the Gopher gang would — have destroyed the usefulness of the colonel in Black Rock forever. and told the colonel the whole Stour that the time had come to do s a “Waal, V’ll be switched!” celat Pols’ “g after all, you were one of Marston’s spies.” ~ “Not a spy, Colonel Tolkins!” said Gus, draw- — ing himself up proudly. “Nor a detective, either.” I am simply acting in the interest of my ployer, as I have a perfect right to do.” The old lawyer made no answer for the mo ment, but stood peering out from behind the hut. watching the progress of the sheriff and his men. “Waal, boy,” he said at last, “I reckon” tha have been all wrone in. this business, and ue are about right. ‘So Dr. Blake is dead! That ends my chances of getting rich out of his great di covery, for I have no doubt his secret died with him. It wasn’t the right thing for him to off with that boy, who, by the way, is next door to an idiot: . The reason he did it was because Marston once insulted him when he applied to him for assistance to develop his schemes. ~*T never heard of that,” said Gus. : “No? Perhaps Marston has forgotten’ about it. No doubt he has cranks after him the time. Waal, Blake wasn’t so bad. He o took a few thousands from Marston where he might have had ten times as much. Brandt didn’ like that part of the business. He got tired | banker for all he was worth. came in. You see, I had helped.these Go out of more than-one scrape when membe the gang got arrested. Brandt was at'me al time to write to Marston for a big haul, but I fused. That’s why the Gophers came down to Black Rock that snowy night and captured me. You have confessed and so will I. Brandt m me write a letter to Marston demanding a~ wad, and I did it; but whether he ever ps answer to it or not I don’t know. I was set free when it came, but here I am yet. I want now is. to — the whole back to Black Roc ¢ pick up n v
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al : FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY ns ‘*< < eS : GOOD READING ihe ee ie _ A MUSIC TYPEWRITER Dewey, Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, has Fortoni, a musical director, has invented a been making a study of Le average life of Qo aan typewriter which types musical notes instead of . dollar bill. This study shows that such a bill - words and figures. At a demonstration a portion lasts about ten months. To keep 420,000,000 good, — of Fehaikovsky’s works were transcribed, in a new dollar bills in circulation this year it will be few minutes and then transposed into another necessary to manufacture 428/000,000 of them. key with equal rapidity. There are 40 keys,- When these bills leave the Bureau of Engraving each with six symbols. and Puiading and ride on the money wagon over 5 AGI ae e Treasury Department, from which they are THE AMERICAN ICE CREAM BUSINESS sent out thtoweh the banks of the Badsrat Re- _ While it is generally, accepted that ice cream’ serve System, they are wrapped up in packages, as first made in Italy, where “gelati” and “gra- each containing 1,000 bills. Such a package weighs nita” still charm tourists, it remained for the. twelve pounds. Fifty thousand $1 bills.in a sack United States to develop the industry on a vast would be as much as a strong man would want seale, Prof. Martin Mortensen, head of the de- to put on his shoulder, for they would weigh 150 ‘partment of dairying in the lowa State College, pounds. A million dollar bills would weigh a ton” 8 recently before the World’s Dairy Congress. and a half and would be a good load for a two- - t is thought that ice cream was introduced into horse team. This year’s output of dollar bills will France about 1960, and the earliest printed record weigh 792 tons. It would take 500 teams of of it in England was found in a housekeeping horses hitched to farm wagons to. haul it. magazine published in 1786. _ The - ee in eae eee : : - inereased from 80,000, gallons in to 263,529,000 gallons in 1912. . The ice cream cone, WILD WEST WEEKLY invented in 1904, was a great factor in making ica cteant popular. : LATEST ISSUES : ‘Prof. Mortensen attributed the great sucess of 1163 Young Wild West at Ace High Fair: or The : saps to the sound eer Loe egos 1164 mas Risky Ride: ee ope the Gulch Gang. oe 0 y the men who entered it. € sal = “RZ Rae one: ch ae oe id) develogiment of machinery, trade journals i168 “ Double etetarna rie Miata Savine ita ged - nd instruction in colleges in the art of ice cream 1167 {and “Cowboy Jack”; or, Spoiling a Ranch Raid, — ee ene se a si ; FET : 168 ‘“ Only Chanee; or, Arietta’s Quick Throw. a g had done much to increase the business. 416) « Desperate Charge: or, The Shot That Beat the e American ice cream business owes a big Reading. to Dolly Madison. She made ice cream pop-_ 1170 Young Wild West at Gold Dust Flat: or, Arietta =~ and fashionable in the United States. It and the Secret Band. i ‘i : 3). 1371 “in Danger; or, Helping the T: Wy troduced into the Unated States by a Phil eas ping rapped Cavalry hia caterer named Bosia in 1800, but never 4172 young Wild West and the Dutchman’s Claim: or, became really popular until Mrs. Madison was Arietta tetehding Her Lite. mistress of the White House. It was not until 1173 “ Tarhing, tie. Cowpunchers; or, The Hard Crowd vad aod . * i ‘ 1851 that the first wholesale ice cream business 4475 « after the “Vultures”; or, Arietta and the ‘started by Jacob Russell in Baltimore. Band of Ten. started v * 1175 “ Calling the Two Gun Man; or, Saving a Sher- iff’s Life. * ws 4 : MORE gp pie = ee are ugé and the Boy Ranchero; or, Helping a ‘Tender- — n the year 1900 the Uni ates had less |, _ foot to Success, : : 60,000,000. paper dollars in circulation. 127 ba ew Jake’; or The Boss of Gimlet g are Ls Pratik oneg today about cae ie is “ and the Choctaw Chief; or, Arietta Defying 9 — lar bills, seven times as many as in 1900. H ag cause of this eatly ein wn dol- For sale by all mewsdeaters, or will be sent to any ad- — x iis would provide an iterating basis upon "Cates of Seige SEP gear RON ch to compare s ‘ “of twenty-five years ago. Increases in j : t ore money in the public pocket. In- | HARRY E. WOLFF, Publisher, Inc. prices made more money Necessary. The 166 West 23d Street’ New York City. of money with which to go to movies did not. ea eee n 1900, and saree | ge = a soy ~ ; jle item. Nearly 2 automobiles eye thee B ted. They ped people away from home Moving Picture Stories = ee ees a eS a got nse Mamneiae Dereeed te Fevers ood leer aly that the fear on the part of motorists of PRICE ‘TEN CENTS PER COPY e ‘i iti Ce down or’ the necessity of depositing col Each number contains ‘Three Stories of the Best Films eeps a score of truckloads of currency in on the Screen—Elegant Half-tone Scenes from the Pl : ay ‘ : —Interesting Articles About Prominent People ip o + Films—Doings of Actors and Actresses in the Studio and Lessons in Scenario Writing. pelers Tee a= s sions 9 i” 1 Get Pe ae a 5 EL ae zee
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36 SP : FAME AND FORTUNE WEESLY NEW_YORK, MAY _ 22, 1925 TERMS TO SUBSCRIBERS Blugie Coples.: oo... seicvieecv ee Postage Wree 3 Cents One copy Three Months........ a ae 00 One Copy Six Months......+.+- ex 8 2.00 Une Copy One Year. .......ce0e SF = 4.00 Canada, $4.50; Foreign, $5.00. HOW TO SEND MONEY — At our risk send P. O. Money Order, Check or Kegistered Letter; remittances in any other way are at your risk. We accept Postage Stamps the same as cash. When sending Silver wrap ‘ --the Coin in a Separate piece of paper’ to avoid cutting ie envelope. rite your name and address plainly. Address letters to ITEMS OF INTEREST a5 Charles E. Nylander, Sec. — &, FE, Wilzin, Treas. DROWNS ON RAFT HE MADE i William Welde, eight, drowned in the Assun- pink Creek, Trenton, N. J., when he ventured on the water on a raft he made of wood and tin. ‘For several hours through the morning the boy _ toiled away on the shore, painstakingly piecing together the makeshift craft. He launched it and it was caught in the current, borne out into mid- stream, and there sunk: * ~ S ELECTROCUTING RATS * Rats became a pest around an electric power - station just outside Toronto, Can. The engineers HARRY E. WOLFF, _ Publisher, Inc., 166 W. 28d St., N. Y, tension wire near the ground. A piece of tin - ‘was placed beneath. To get the cheese used for bait Mr. Rat steps on the tin, completing the cir- - euit, and his career ends right there. Scores were killed -in asingle night. . DANCING ON THE CEILING -. Dancing on the ceiling is to be seen only in the ~ village that nestles in the shadows of the mounr - tains of the Tyrol... Mr. Baiiiie-Grohman, in his book, “Tyrol and the Tyrolese,” describes the remarkable ceiling figure as follows: “In Bran- which boast of a particularly muscular fair sex, we girl, at the conclusion of her swain’s fantas- cal jumps, catches hold of him by his braces and hoists him up bodily (aided, of course, by a cor- ‘responding jerky motion of her partner), and while he, balancing himself with both hands on her shouders, treads the ceiling of the low room to the jAune of the music, she continues to. dance around the room, displaying a strength and power that can only be appreciated if one has seen the strapping six-foot fellows that are thus handle by their fair partners.” Such dances are falling into disuse, and it is well nigh impossible for the ordinary tourist to witness one nowadays. isn Ae) PRE DARE BS. 3 FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY - rigged up a device fastened to the end of a high . denburg, and one or two other Tyrolese valleys . April 9,-and many of the stirring events of that — war were ushered in in April, and it is also to be noted that the Civil War ended in April with the surrender of General Lee at Appomattox on — April 9, 1865. Lincoln was shot on April 13 of - that year and died on April 14. And there were — many other important happenings which would have been red lettered on the calendar had they not been overshadowed by those given above. April 19 is the day of the month on which more big things happened to the United States than on — any other day of the year. Burke’s great speech in the English Parliament against taxing the Col- onies was delivered on April 19, 1774; the Battle of Lexington took place on April 19, 1775, and to this day in the old North Church in Bosto on April 19 the lantern is hung in the “belf tower” in commemoration of the “Ride of Pa Revere,” the march of the “Minute Men,” and the first blood of the Revolution. Holland acknow edged the independence of the Colonies on April 19, 1782. The conclusion of the Bulwer-Clayton — Treater was on April 19, 1850. The first gun fired by the Americans in the World War was heard o. April 19, 1917, and the beginning of the first im- portant American engagement, at Sache ers was on April 19, 1918. And there are other even that happened on that day which the orator c: use to thrill his susceptible audiences. “2 LAUGHS “So you claim to be a literary man, eh?” “Yes sir; I wrote that book: ‘A Dozen Ways to Make a Living.’” “And yet you are selling sho strings!” “Yes, sir; that’s one of the ways.” A schoolboy in Frome, England, was as to describe the difference between air water. The bright little fellow’s answer was this se “Air can be made wetter, but wat cannot.” 3 sap Mamma—So you want to give your teach present? Bessie—Yes, ma, I’d like to give some of that candy I had the other day. Mamm —Why, that was what made you so ill. Bess —yYes, ma, I know it was. ai a h > Binks, with a yawn, said to a fisherman “Time ain’t very valuable to you, brother, that plain. Here I been a-watchin’ you three hi and you ain’t had a bite.” “Well,” drawle fisherman, “my time’s too valuable, anyhow, waste three hours of it watchin’ a feller that ain’t gettin’ a bite. “ “Well, John,” the doctor said one morn “what is your master’s temperature this m ing?” “Indeed, sir,’ replied the servant, ‘ should not like to say, sir. He died last nig
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FLIES FROM CAPITAL TO MINEOLA, 240 MILES, IN 24% HOURS The 240 miles by air from Boling Field, Wash- ington, to Roosevelt Mield, Mineola, were done in SP OP ee, Pe Pe Ee ee plane recently, when the craft returned from its trip to’ the capital. On the flight to Washington the plane carried two baby grand pianos and six passengers, making the trip in two hours and yy boil y's | Sn“ a ath ot | forty-five minutes. = Igor Sikorsky, designer and pilot of the plane, said his type of craft is to be used in a freight and passenger air-line service between Boston and St. Paul, to be established by the General Airways Company. BUYS”HOME. AT SEVENTY _ Folks who feel the odds are against them in the game of life might take a lesson in encourage- - ment from Mrs. Esther Isom, seventy, of Great '. Bend, Kan.’ Mrs. Isom is a widow. / Six years’ ago she purchased a home here. _ This week she made the final payment on the place, the sale price of which was $1,000. The money with which she paid for the home was savings from her earnings as laundress. EXCAVATORS FIND AN INDIAN VILLAGE Discovery of a buried Indian village on the ranch of A. B. Fall, near Three Rivers, has - aroused the interest of archeological circles of the Southwest.. The excavation work is under the - direction of C. B. Cosgrove, archeologist. The site of the ancient ruins is near the large group of petroglyphs which were discovered recently. The excavation operations have brought to - light two perfect rooms. _The walls of the first - room are 9 feet 3 inches by 9 feet 6 inches. The second room is 12 feet 3 inches by 12 feet 6 inches. The skeletons were found in the smaller room. One of the skeletons was that of a man buried with the knees on the chest, as was the custom _ of the Mimbres Indians. The second skeleton was in a semi-fixed position. A red and black bowl - covered the head as is also the Mimbres custom. Miniature corn cobs the size of the index finger SNELE CONES Bt I, SAMO need ae Cae ee ee aS OD were found under the floor. A turquoise earring” ' the size of a dime was found in the larger room, , ‘The bones of the skeletons were water-soaked and so brittle it probably will be impossible to remove them. The particles of sand on them ‘were brushed away with a soft brush and photo- graphs taken. Cosgrove will remain about two weeks to con- tinue the excavatf8ns. A full report of the work “with detailed photographs will be made. aie THE OLDEST AMERICAN SHIP ¢ +, Recognition that old ships are as worthy of preservation as historic landmarks has led to a search for the oldest vessel in American waters. Som 0) ER A at -PAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY HERE AND THERE two hours and thirty minutes by the Sikorsky bi- hulled vessel whose masts are set so rakishly in her decks that her wina pennant is almost dixectly above her taffrail. Her history, it is said, goes back fully 150 years. The Vigilant’s early adventures were frankly _ pivatical, for she was owned and operated for more than a generation by sea rowers who made their headqWarters at Dry Tortugas, off the north - ern coast of Haiti. The vessel was sailed a few years ago by Captain Swanne, an adventurous American who once held a commission in the Russian Navy, and who describes her as “still an unnaturally sweet and perfect sailor.” She now assists in the humble duty of. picking up odd traf- fic and carrying cattle between St. Croix and Porto Rico, though not so long ago she was one of the most picturesque of carriers of rum)? Often the Vigilant lies in a roadstead, within sight of the warehouse where Alexander Hamil- ton spent part of his boyhood as a counting- house clerk. Much of her history is legendary, but her age is unquestionable, and she represents the sound craftsmanship of a bygone era of ship- wrights. ; THE RAREST BEAR IN THE WORLD How the capture of a young bear cub settled a scientific dispute of long standing istold by Fran- cis Dickie, in American Forests dnd Forest Life (Washington, D. C.). It seems that for twenty years scientists have been at odds ag to whether a very rare: white bear found only on two small islands near Prince Rupert on the coast of Brit- ish Columbia was a distinet species or simply an albino. If the former, it would be the rarest bear in the world. If the latter, it was simply a polar bear altogether lacking in pigment. Early last September two Indians landed on the wild shores of one of these two islands in search of game and came upon a mother bear with two cubs, one of which they succeeded in captur- ing live. This bear finally reached Francis Ker- mode, Director of the Museum at Victoria, Brit- ish Columbia. When the cub was received the very first thing the director did was to lift the head of the friendly little animal to the sunlight. When he looked into its eyes he knew the cub was. far from being an albino specimen of the polar bear. ” Its eyes were distinetly brown. Thus it is a new species. ) The bear has been named Ursus Ker- - ) model, for the director, _ For many years the skins of these white bears have been brought to the world’s fur markets. It was long ago noted by Dr. W. T. Hornaday, Di- rector of the New York Zoological Park, that cer- tain characteristics of the skins showed they were not those of the common polar bear. < Yet, in order to base a new species, more evi+ dence than this was necessary. This evidence in the form of the live cub recently captured now establishes the new species, which is far smaller than the polar bear and even much ‘smaller than the common black bear. The teeth differ greatly from those of the polar bear, while the ears are — z : are. Pa on ef
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CATTLE DESTROYERS KILLED How would you like to be paid to hunt big - game? Every small boy ‘with his first air’ rifle might think it a very good job—but wait, the animals these Government hunters are seeking consist of grizzlies, wolves, coyotes, mountain lions and lynx. Fostered by, the Biological Survey of the De- ‘partment of Agriculture these hunters, numbering -* about 100, killed forty stock-killing bears, forty ‘wolves, 35,000 coyotes, sixty cougars and more *. than 100 lynx during the past winter in the far Western States. The annual loss of livestock _from these predatory animals once amounted to $1,000,000 a year, but has dwindled down to about one-third that figure. One wolf in Oregon was ~ known to have killed live stock worth $5,000. J HIS TEETH IN HIS LUNGS Attacked by a violent spell of coughing, Conrad ~Wimier, 187 Thirty-second Street, Brooklyn, swallowed his upper teeth. His wife took him to Norwegian Hospital, but physicians there were unable to locate the plate and suggested that - Wimier return home until later, when an x-ray could be taken and the teeth removed. _ He returned home, but the pain became so in- tense that his» wife took him to the Brooklyn. Eye 4 and Ear Hospital. Physicians there said the ~ work would require specialists and advised him ene ‘to go home and wait until 9 o’clock. Wimier did. - At 9 o’clock he again appeared, so weak that he was put to bed while the pulmonary region - ‘was X-rayed, and the plate with a full set of teeth was removed by Dr. John Auwerda, fourteen hours after Wimier had swallowed them. Neither the plate nor Wimier’s throat was injured. _ INDEAN’S INCOME IS $1,000 A DAY Willie Alexander, 210-pound Creek Indian of - Bixby, Okla., will give some other redskins of the Five Civilized Tribes a close race before the end of the year in a contest for the title of “richest indian.” Willie’s income from the 80-acre allot- ‘ment.in the Cromwell field is now $1,000 a day. “The Mid-Continent Production Corporation has ‘completed four wells on the tract that are pro- . ducing 4,000 barrels a day. Of this the Indian - receives an eighth. Sixteen wells may be drilled before the oil is exhausted, Willie is classed as an incompetent, and has a guardian who attends to . business matters. ; The Alexander family is one of the luckiest of all families of the Creek tribe. Four brothers are ‘receiving oil r allotments of gee. SS ‘i and FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY Hees = ‘POINTS OF INTEREST Nation that had little value for either agricul? — ‘revenge. sary to f ju in court and asked that his guardian be instructed — to Invest part of his income in farm land that he might go to work and become a useful citizen. It was said this is the first time an incompetent Indian in Oklahoma has made such a request. The. Cromwell pool is spreading over other al- lotments, and Creek Indian incomes are likely to — run between $10,000 and $20,000 this year. The pool is in a formerly wild section of the Seminole 5 tural or grazing purposes. THE PASSING OF BIG GAME Of some of the wild beasts that remain to be hunted by the sportsman in Africa, a writer says: ~~ “The quagga, most graceful of all the horse tribe, - has disappeared entirely. The millions which once inhabited the high plateau of South Africa wer killed off in sheer wantonness, and to-day not a single specimen survives, unless it be between the Crocodile and Sabi rivers, where, according to native reports, a small herd was running six years ago. As with the quagga, so with the swar wildebeeste, the white-tailed gnu of the natu: ists. Once the most common of high ve ; buck, as well as the most grotesque and narmiess, it is now represented by a few depressed-looking™ specimens in various zoological gardens. It — was. very easy to hunt, and as a*result it. shot down for the sake of its long tail, whic made a splendid fly. whisk. Incidentally, of course, a valuable source of food supply was de- stroyed, no small matter in a country which to depends entirely on tinned and frozen meat. same buffalo are now confined entirely toth lying jungle on the east coast; yet half a cen : ago they ranked among the most plentiful of the great game. Hunters who knew them in earlier days, speak of them with scant respect, but it seems as if, as they have retreated before the ¢ vance of civilization, they have grown more sull and vindictive, until they certainly take first among the dangerous game of Africa. T slinking pest, the lion, is a low coward by com- parison with the buffalo, the destructive nuisance, whose sole title to respect is that when he ¢a escape no longer he turns’ on his foe, race aa ae istic which he shares with practically every a mal, even down to the rat. The buffalo, o other hand, harms no one if left to himself oe oS, when attacked he becomes the yery incarnati ; Moreover, in addition to his str and ferocity, he has a cunning which the lion not possess. He may be grazed with a bull sunrise, and it may be evening when he cha his assailant from behind some clump of bi lion may be shot from the safety of a tree, foot of which he has been lured by meaz 8 goat or a calf; but to kill the buffalo it is ne ollow him down to the fe im fai consec _and tackle < of on gE
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THE BURNED WILL By Horace Appleton _ Barnabas Browning, the wealthy manu- - facturer; had ‘two heirs, nephews te him. and cousins to each other, Paul and Herbert Brown- ing. Paul had always been considered the one that would receive the largest legacy, having been a Bs een favorite with the old man during his life- eime. ~ He was impulsive and imperious, but gener- ous and kindhearted withal, so that people for- gave his head on account of his heart.. Herbert was suave and polite, courteous and deferential, and all that, but nevertheless he was not generally liked, because he did not appear “- sincere, but #s if constantly acting a part. He had a way of hurting one’s. feelings in the politest way in the world, so that although one might feel deeply wounded there was no real” <cuse for seeking a quarrel, the affair having been conducted in so genteel a manner. — When the millionaire died it was announced . that a will had been found which left everything to Herbert except. a few thousands which Paul -was requested to consider as his own. Bs The will was in. the handwriting of the old ~ man, and was duly signed and attested, though the wording was entirely different to that which the testator would have used, in the opinion of those who knew him best. : Even had he been going to leave Paul nothing ‘but a scanty pittance, it was not like him to in- sult the young man, and refer to him in, terms which carried a sly sneer with them, and put covert imputations upon his character which no one could endure. ; yok When the will was read Paul noticed that his cousin smiled at the objectionable passages, and seemed very much pleased thereat, though when ~ the. was hotly aceused of doing so, he denied it, saying that he.was smiling to think that a man yf his uncle’s well-known sagacity should have een as sadly mistaken in any one. “You are a false-hearted villain!” cried Paul, ngrily. “You know you are lying to me. That xeument is forged and you know it.” Herbert turned pale for an instant, and then ‘said calmly so that all could hear him: — “Tf you desire to make a charge against me, an do so in the proper time and place, which is not.” _ “Let your own conscience make thé charge. I all not. I don’t care so much about being cut’ of a fortune as I do of being spoken of in | anner. My uncle never wrote these words.” . aps you will say he did not sign his the document?” said one of the lawyers. t I will not say, but I will swear that he Gupete the substance.” _ : air f you don’t dispute the will we shail offer 34 FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY ““foy hasn’t he come into the property? 29° pate, but Paul said no word of its having been, although Herbert had taken possession of the 3 house and property of his uncle, and was ruling things with a high hand. aa Paul had taken lodgings not far away, and used to see his cousin occasionally, though he never went into the house except by special in- | ~ vitation. feet ; One “night a reception was held in the house,. and Paul was present, though he had but little to — say to the self-appointed master of the house. ; He had been thinking a good deal of late. and =~ had settled in his mind several things which he ~ had not Been certain of before, and which beliefs were strengthened by a cireumstance which oc-— curred that evening. ; He was sittine by himself in the conservatory,” — in the shade of a large palm-tree when two — men entered, engaged in conversation. pte es One was the lawyer who had spoken to him | during the reading of the will, and the other was a noted money-lender about town, who h tts rather an unsavory reputation on account of his — many sharp practices. “I am afraid he will geb — away from us,” said the man and he owes me @® good deal.” Rees “That will be all right,” answered the lawyer, — r “The will has not been admitted, has it?”- “N—no, not yet, though I, as administrator, — am authorized to pay him over certain sums at his pleasure, or as he requires.” “But I have received nothing.” - eee, “Be patient, my good man, be patient. You will be paid in time.” : oy “But the notes are due and I want my money, — Besides, I am not sure that this will is genuine, — . and he may cheat us all out of our dues by run- _ ning away.” corona ? Oh, no, indeed. Why should “Running away he? ” ee “To avoid exposure. He has had an uneasy look for some days, and just now I peeped into his room.” soe “You did, eh? What did you see?” “His trunk, partly packed, resting upon a chair. He has ordered a carriage at eleven, also. Why has he done that, can you tell.me?”- .“T am not in his confidence on such light mat- ters as the ordering of a carriage.” = “Slight matters, you call them? Do you know that a train leaves for the city at 11:30 and tha’ it is about ten minutes’ drive to the station?” — “Well, what if it is?” a: “Do you know that there is a steamer for Holland in the morning at sunrise, an hour after the arrival of this train?” — - 93 “What of that?” de A SENG “What of that?” repeated the excited money lender, vehemently. “Everything of that. Ther is no extradition in Holland, and a thief can re- ‘main there in peace and live undisturbed upon his ill-gotten gains.” = : I argue not from oe You! are: S
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80 “know nothing of the sort,” “answered the ‘other, quickly. - “Let us suppose it is. In that case, would he not desire to get away from here as.soon as pos- sible, and with all the money that he could get?” “Tt does not follow.” .- “Nonsense! You are a lawyer and used to befogging men’s minds.. I ama plain, straight- forward man of the world, and can see things z differently. Do you know.what I see Shee aR ‘“What do you see?” . ‘ ‘ “First, that Mr: Herbert Browning, with all his French polish, is a libertine, a ‘roue’ and a gambler.” “Qh, do you? What sharp eyes you must * have!” sneered the man of law. “I see, too, that he owes me a pretty good ; ‘sum, which he don’t want to pay. I see that he has taken possession of things before the courts ~ have given him the right. I see that he suspects his cousin knows of his crimes and means to un- earth them.” *Pjo you see anything else?” a “T see that. he’is afraid of being exposed, and go means to fly, and I see that you are a clever scoundrel, and mean to aid and abet, him in all that he does. You are.a party to this robbery, ‘and mean to profit by it!” ~ “Sir,” cried the lawyer, growing very red in ‘the face, and fidgeting about most uneasily, “this Janguage is actionable, and were there wit- _messes——” ~~ «phey would confirm evérything that has been ‘said of you,” cried Paul, springing out from be- hind his place jof concealment. “How the deuce did you come the lawyer. ' “Gentlemen,” said Paul, “I have been an un- ef listener to your conversation, and haye ‘heard things which I do not suppose you would: are to have me make public. I shall not do so. Good-evening.”: ae He walked out of the conservatory and dis- appeared: among the gay throng of guests; the two men looked at each other in the most un- - feigoned astonishment. : “What are you going to do?” asked the usurer. “That is none of your business,” answered the _ lawyer, testily, and he quickly followed the .+. young man. ; / “There will be an. absconding, and I will be : cheated out of my money,” said the broker. _ “Phere will be a blow-up if I speak, and that _ 4s just what I am going to do.” ae : _ Then he left the place in as big a hurry as _ the.others had done, and it was totally deserted. He did not find Herbert, for the lawyer had done so before him, and whispered in a great Sao HUTT Ys . : > “Tf you are going, go at once. All is known, - ef ae if, you desire to get away safely make all haste. here?” gasped ” FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY 3 AS of -a candle. _yeaching the station just in time to cate _11:10 train, he was upon the Canada sid ment, crumpled up in his hand, into the flame i He grasped his cousin’s arm, and stayed his — destroying hand, his angry tones mingling with — Paul's excited remonstrances. Res “What would you do?” demanded Herbert. - “Burn this lying forged document,” retorted ~~ Paul, the paper in his hand being the will he had heard read. 3 “You dare not commit such a crime.” : “It is no crime, it is a duty!” and, pushing hi cousin aside, he held the will to the candle an partly consumed it, before Herbert struck from his hand and stamped out the flames. “T know your purpose,” shouted Paul, impe- tuously, “and be this will false or not, Iwill defeat you.” Then he seized the other-papers upon the table, and thrust them into his pocket and but- toned his coat over them. a fae Before his almost petrified cousin could re- monstrate or interfere, he had thrown open trunk which still rested..on the chair close by, and, throwing the wearing apparel out upon the floor in the utmost confusion, exposed a tin box about half way down. ee _ This he seized, and striking Herbert squa in the chest as the latter attempted to wre: from him, said in triumphant tones: “Now go to Europe, if you choose. At rate you shall not take the bonds, securities bank-notes of our uncle with you. Good-ey my amiable thief!” . Sg Then stooping and picking up the burned Paul swiftly left the’ room and house, returni to his own lodgings to commune with — thoughts. 2 aD After he had gone, Herbert tossed the rest of the things out of his trunk; and securing a pack- age of bank-notes, put it in his pocket, mutte i % and ng: ere. “This much is safe, at all events. My knowl- edge of the safe combination secured me # and I shall have enough to live on for five years.” ‘ Then he, too, left the house in great train, the lawyer being already aboard. After he had gone, the little money- created a sensation, by proclaiming to all tt guests that their host was a thief and a vill and had absconded with all the money he Jay his hands on. Sh ae He had gone for the police, and in that ti Herbert had got ahead of him and baffled had been ascertained that he had not taken _ The reception broke up in confusion w usurer’s announcement was made; and the of eed town had gossip’ enough to last month. : Bi Meanwhile Paul. had made a great disch ar re ee to his com Soe ee He had been correct abou con Ais Tee eld able otiable 1 K J aay
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“Barnabas having always kept a good deal in the Ouse in a safe. © : After examining all the papers contained in the box, he took up the burned will, and after ‘spreading it out, looked at it for a. moment, -and then held it to the light. : It had already begun to burn, when he sud- mly noticed something he had not seen before, and he hastily snatched it away and extinguish- 1 the flame. What he had seen was the water-mark of the per on which the will was written. “This was very distinct as he held the paper etween him and the light, and was as follows: d.>W. Pi: Cox 18197 60, ten years previous to the actual manu- facture of the paper on which it was written. This was an obvious fraud upon its face, and oved conclusively that the will was a forgery. Though -it was easy to prove this will a orgery, where was the true document? found. : - Herbert had not dared to spare the time neces- ry to draw it from its hiding place, and so it e true will reversed the order ‘of things set xth by the forged document, and spoke of Paul the highest terms, regretting that the con- of Herbert, with which it seemed the old -was- well acquainted, should have débarred from sharing the estate with his cousin. ert never returned to the United States, ived a disreputable life in. Europe, dying y in great destitution, abandoned- by the lily lawyer, after having run through his ‘in two years. > 3 a is now a rich man, honored and respected ~ * e- nent Ts ° e : "HOW BASEBALLS ARE MADE markable amount of skill and fine work- js needed. to turn out a baseball that d, even for a short time, the powerful layers or will come up to fingers could equal, and the thick blue-) wool forms a perfectly uniform covering core. : : x is made just an-inch thick. Whenthe nt of yarn has been wound ‘on it the FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY “Now the date of the will purported to be in _, of tropical waters. It is. known as the glob 31 the wool covering there is a solidification that = — prevents the ball from ever being knocked out © of shape. Nae So certain is this, in fact, that the company — Car gist to replace all balls that are so in- jured. nS 3g The balls -are next wound again—this time — witha certain thickness of three-ply white yarn. This is covered with a three-ply blue until it has © reached the required size of nine inches in cir=" cumference. Ans All of these winding processes have been auto- | matic, and the balls appear of exactly the same size and weight. But no chances are taken, and ~ each is weighed several times during. the final, winding, so that accuracy may be assured. | After being dipped in thé cement again, the ball is ready for covering. : { The covers are alum-tanned horsehide, which is. as soft and fine’as the best white kid. For the best balls, only eighteen covers eould be got out of one hide, as only the choicést parts can be used, eed The hide is first knee-staked; that is, it is ~ stretched backward and forward over a knees — high stake by a strong boy, *till it will stretch no more. The cutting is done by machinery. sate The cover is of two pieces, each the shape of a figure 8. A machine cuts out these pieces and. perforates them ready for sewing. These ma-_ chines are wonderfully accurate and yery rapid. __ The balls are placed for covering in- dampers of wood,. and the covers are fastened first with brass staples and then with strong cotton thread of the best quality. a pest It takes about fifteen minutes to sew the cover on the ball. This’ requires. considerable muscle, and only.-men are employed on the work: Gg The ball is still rough on the seams. It is rolled by hand, and four hours. later by ma- chinery, whence it emerges the completed ar- ticle, ready for packing and selling. i The market for these balls is entirely in this” country, with the exception of a small recent demand that has developed in’ Guba and the Philippines. 4 3 During the Boxer uprising in China quite a number of balls were exported. there for the use of the American troops. me The whole procéss of making a ball takes just thirty minutes, and it often happens that its life on the diamond is no longer. , ; The professional leagues has never been solved, but several millions d appear every season. When the winter come on, the season’s output has gone. 5 ‘FISH SWIMS ON BACK Only one known’ species of fish has the habit of swimming, on its back. This isan inhabi he the “side of th
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