Fame And Fortune Weekly (no. 1027) (1925 06 05)
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JUNE 5, 1925 Price 8 Cents sy “Bee!” cried Tom Collingwood, pointing across the fissure. “The Giant’s Skull!” “My gracious!” exclaimed Bob. “So it is.” Sam, lower down, gave a startled gasp. The three boyz gazed awesomely at the curious rocky formation staring them in the face.
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tues: Reser why Putas . Street, New York, N. ¥. a No. 1027 : _. CHAPTER {.—In the Grasp of the Storm in a tone of disgust, looking out into the night _ through the partially open door of a small tool- <~house close to the tracks of the Midland Central ~ Railroad where he and Tom Collingwood had taken refuge from the storm three hours since and had been waiting in yain for a chance to re- - sume their way back to Forksville, five miles _ distant, where they lived. ~ : “Bet your life it is,” replied his companion, with a sagacious nod. _*“Tt’s still raining like cats and dogs.” “That’s what it is.” : “And blowing to beat the band.” _ “TY should say so.” “fT am hungry enough to chew a pound of ; nails.” “Same here.” “How are we going to reach town?” “Hoof it to the trolley when the storm lets up.” . “When it does. That won't be before morning <f; -, id Aes *courabingly. ‘om the present outlook.” “The trolley is two miles away.” “T puess it’s all of that.” : ic “And the road must be ankle deep with mud by this time, without mentioning the puddles __-we’re liable to flounder into in the dark,” growled Bob. : Tom made no reply. The prospect before them of walking to the trolley line was not a partic- ularly cheerful one. ee Anyway it was not to be thought of at that oment with the sixty-mile gale blowing sheets water against the wall of the tool-house. Tom ‘olliriewood and Bob Preston were both orphans ‘worked side by side at the same bench in the |. after an experience of about four years at 2 trade they had become quite expert workers. r job was rather an independent one as it aid for by the piece. They were not com- work anv stated number of hours a day. “Oh, not so'long as that,” replied Tom, en-’ learned was the manufacture of penknives, FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY red as + the Post-Office at New York, N. NEW YORK, JUNE 5, 1925 “This is simply fierce, Tom,” said Bob Preston, * ho boarded in the same house in Forksville, and. Y., under the Act of March 3, 1879. $4.50; Forelen, $5.00. Harry E. Wolff, Publisher, «nc., 104 Seeond-Class. Matter, October 4, 1011, a Price 8 Cents. ; The Path To Good Luck OR, THE BOY MINER OF DEATH VALLEY By A SELF-MADE MAN a After reporting in the morning they could quit when it pleased them, provided that they turned a certain amount of properly executed work out on the average. Of course the more hours they put in and the faster they worked the more money they received at the end of the week. Until lately it had been their ambition to make all they could, and each had accumulated a nice little sum at the savings bank. oe ; But a change had come over them within the last month._ ; This was especially the case with respect to, Tom. He had got hold of a quantity of mining literature, had read every word of it with deep interest, and from jthat moment the cutlery busi-) ness ceased to interest him. His ambition'turned _ to fresh fields and pastures new. “ ie In other words, he longed to go out West and embark in the mining business. The fifteen odd dollars a week he was making in the factory looked insignificant when compared with the for- tunes that other people seemed to be picking up in the mines of Nevada and other places where ‘5 the gold quartz was to be had. Boy like, he had only a very indefinite idea of how the gold was ° ~ got at. He had lately read several stories about placer mining in the earlier days of the discovery of gold in California, Cripple Creek, and such places, when the first rush of prospectors and : miners had confined themselves to the surface diggings, and he imagined that it was only neces- Se sary to secure a claim in some mining district where there was a stream of water within easy ins reach, dig up the pay dirt, wash out the gold dust and nuggets, and thus become rich in no time at . all. He talked the matter over eagerly with Bob, and as his: friend knew no more about the sub- ject than himself, they both were of one mind— __ that digging for gold was an easy road to for tune. The question that was now agitating both lads was whether they should throw up their ee jobs at Forksville, which was known as the Sheffield of America, and start out West to be-) come miners. fea On the day our story opens they had taken’ afternoon off to go fishing in a branch of the Snake Rivex, their favorite recreation, and to talk the matter over with the obiect of reaching ire a conclusion. The fishing ground was about six | miles. from) Forksville, near the line of the Mid-— _ "I Ens
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and Central Railroad. andthe trollev car took hem. within two miles of the spot. After leav- ‘ing the trolley line thev footed it along a country ‘erossroad. While it was a dull looking afternoon ‘they had not expected it to storm. That was ‘where their calculations failed them, for after they had been fishing an hour or so, rain began to fall so briskly that they had to take refuge in an old hut. near the bank: of the river. Dusk came. on about half-past five, and then “the weather showed some signs of clearing. They took advantage of the fact to start down the rail- ‘oad toward the road leading to the trolley. As they passed a small toolshed used by the ‘section ‘men the storm burst over the landseape afresh, -and with greater fury than ever. The wind al- most swept them off their feet, and in a few Minutes they would have been drenthed to the skin’ but that Tom’s sharp eyes noticed that through some oversight the toolshed had not been locked. Calling his companion’s attention to the ‘fact, the -boys made a dash for -the shed and were soon under cover: Here they waited hour ter hour for the storm to pass away, but it kept on as bad as ever. It began to look as if they’d ave to stay in the shed all night, which wasn’t ‘pleasant reflection, as they were by this time as hungry as a pair of hunters. After the conver- ~ sation with which this chapter opens had come to an abrupt halt, silence reigned in the toal-shed ‘for a few minutes. Then Tom took his jack- ‘knife out of his pocket and began to tap on a succession of sounds on the wheel of the handcar m which the boys were seated. . Bob suddenly _priecked up his ears, took. out his jack-knife, and ‘when Tom stopped he began to tick off similar Sounds on the wheel nearest to him. What were hey doing? o Simply this—Tom had resumed the conversa- tion through the agency of the Morse telegraphic - ~ alphabet, and Bob was answering him. “In explanation of this curious turn of affairs we need only sav that six months since Tom had got the idea into his head that he would like to be a telegraph operator. He had got acquainted ‘with the night operator in the Midland Central in despatcher’s office at Forksville, and after eral visits to the office he became infatuated ith the sound of the telegraph instrument. He vailed upon his friend, the operator, to in- uct him in the art of transmitting words bv nd.) He was an apt and enthusiastic learner oon had the rudiments down fine. ter awhile it became tiresome-to practice by elf, so- he interested’ Bob in the matter, ht him all he knew, and for, some time there- x the boys would do a large part of their kine by the Morse alphabet. - t especially amused them to talk aeross the ble at their boarding-house by using a fork and late or saucer. ake fun of the other boarders just to amuse mselves. One evening, however, this enter- inment received a rude shock. A vinegzary yoking young lady came to board at the house, nd the first night she appeared at the table. Bob piped her off in-no very complimentary terms. Bet boarder, unfortunately for i bovs, ened to be a bee ae ae ane ratox. de Then they would sometimes: he “ine, teply she winged in with her own fork on he plate in rather loud and forceful accents. an the few words she said in the Morse alphabet p at a stop to any more amusement on the boys’ part on that occasion. To resume the —— of our story, this is what Tom ticked off to B “Say, Bob, what’s the matter with our countin the ties to town instead of wading through the mud two miles to the trolley? It’s only three — miles further, and the roadbed is good and solid.’ “Suits me when the weather clears,” Bob ticked back in the darkness. “It isn’t raining near as hard as it was fiv minutes ago.” : “That’s right, but it may come on again any moment.” : “We'll wait and sée.” There was a-pause in the sounds and then Bo began to click off something about their mining project, and Tom answered him. Thus fifteen minutes passed, during which the rain ceased altogether and the wind decreased ‘good bit. Finally Tom jumped off the hand-c and looked out at the night. The storm seeme to be over, though the sky was still overcast. “It’s clearing up,” he ‘said. “Let’s start off! “Hold on,” said Bob; “what time is it?” Tom struck a match and consulted his si watch. \ “Five minutes of tén.” “Then we can’t go yet awhile,” returned Boh se “Why not? “We might get run down by the. night express. “Not if we ‘keep our eyes open.” let it go by? By “But there’s a local comes Sire that track about the same time.” “If the local comes along first we can across to the other track until it passes.” > “They micht both show up at the same time “Not likely.”. “Suppose we miss our footing crossing the: girders in the darkness? It’s a drop of f thir = feet to the street below, and that’s full of rogks.” “Any more objections to the railroad ?? laug’ ed Lom Collingwood, reseating- himself on hand-cear. “I could mention several more. We might find a washout, or the bridge down, or———” ’ “The track under water.” Siege “No; not much danger of that.” — “Why not, where it skirts the marsh evar the cutting?” z “That’s so. J didn’t think of that. Sh *“Well, I could sweep awaywsome of your ob- jections if you’re game to take a chance.” “What kind of a chance?” a “Beating the express to the cut. We've plen of time to do it.” “T don’t understand what you mean.” “What are we sitting on. 2”; “A hand-car.” “Exactly. Susbose we run. age out on. and work her down as far as th onto the quarr i S t 2
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THE PATH TO GOOD LUCK up, save shoe leather, and we'll avoid counting the bridge girders.” “Your idea isn’t half bad,” admitted Bob. “TI should say not.” “But there’s one objection.” _ ©What’'s that?” “We are likely to meet the track walker who goes over this section of the line. before the ex- press is due to see that the track is clear.” fe “Suppose we do?” _ “He’ll hold us up and give us Hail Columbia.” “We won’t give him a chance to head us off. e won’t see us on such a night as this until e’re right’ upon him. Then he’ll take us for section hands. on special service.” “Well, ’m game to make the ruh if you are.” ~ “That’s the way to talk, Bob. Kick the door open and we’ll run the ear out.” ~~ “Why not wait until the express has gone by, then wé needn’t derail at the cut?” ~*T don’t feel like waiting twenty minutes or half an hour more. I want to get alongside a good square regal just as soon as I can.’ > “All right,” said Bob. “I’m with you.” _ The two boys ran the hand-car out of the small =; -shed not far from the main track where they ‘had . taken refuge from the storm, pushed it along the age rail till they reached the Toadbed, and * een shifted it on to the down track. , == ; “Get up and I'll give her a start,’ ‘Said Tom to.his companion. Bob Preston mounted the ear and seized, the forward handle which he beean to: work up’ and own slowly as Tom pushed from behind. As oon as sufficient momentum had been applied to the car, Tom sprang'‘on to the platform: and eaught hold of the other handle. _ “Now, then, let her go, Bob. Work lively. We ought to reach the cut in ten or twelve minutes.” é _ CHAPTER Il.—Telegraphing Without Instruments. The boys got down to work, for they had quite istance to go to reach the steel girder bridge and the cut beyond. They chour leeway of the night express, and they ex- pected to let it pass them at the cut. The Snake River ran whirling and boiling un- the bridge, and a hundred yards further on as*a big*s stone culvert built to accommodate narrow but swift branch of the same river. ne boys knew the road very well for they had the section men of that neighborhood. The fore- “man of the gang ,was a particular friend of Bob’s and the boys sometimes went to-the differ- “ent places where the men were employed to level up the tracks and attend to. the roadbed. This : a constant and very important duty per- med on every mile of the division, just as it one on every railroad in the country, for the pon nderous locomotives now in use, as well as the vy sleepers and big freight cars, bear hard mn the roadbed these days, and to prevent acci- ‘ts the line has got to be gone over, yard by had maybe half an. break he might have slipped over*into the river. “been shaken out of his body and he was half een over it _several times on a hand-car with™ job of looking after such things is up to the section foreman. The hedges and fields flashed _ by in the darkness as Tom and Bob applied their — muscular strength to the handles of the hand-ear. Foe Clickety clack! Clickety clack! That was the kind, of music the orang made every time they hit the dividing lirie between the ~ : rails. The way was dark, lonesome and silent for the storm had hushed the insect voices of tht k night. At length they heard the dull, rushing * sound-of the Snake River as it dashed -alonge te under the steel girder bridge. The ponderous ~~ arms of t bridge presently rose out of the : gloom ahead, and in a few minutes they were humming across the steel spart. The culvert was. right ahead, and a quarter of a mile beyond that’ __ lay the cut where they were to wait for the ex- ._ press to pass them. ree Suddenly the moon sailed out for a moment be- tween the scudding clouds and briefly illumined . the track ahead. It was a providential cireum- stance, and it was also fortunate that Tom’s eyes were sharp and that they glanced down the line © as he pulled up the handle of the hand-car. What he saw onlv a few yards ahead sent his heart into his mouth and brought a warning cry to his lips. — Half of the culvert had disappeared and a yawning hole of many yards in width lay in their path. The foundation of the part nearest’ the on-rushing hand-car had no doubt been weak- . ened by the river, aided by the weight and jar of — passing trains, and the swollen water caused by. the late storm had completed its undoing. ; At any rate it was now a wreck. ; Tom saw the car eould not be stopped in ins, to save it from going over into the chasm, so he yelled out to his companion: “Jump, Bob! For heaven's sake, jump quick! The culvert is gone.” He relinquished his hold on the handle and. sprang off into the space between the rails. He, went down on his hands and knees, but was soon ~ on his feet. Bob turned a startled glance be-— hind him, saw his peril and jumped also. ‘ea He was not as fortunate as Tom, for he turned a complete somersault, and but for a network of telegraph wire that lay close to the edge of. the As the hand-car crashed down into the abyss, Tom rushed forward and seized Bob by the hand. “Not hurt, old chap, are you?” he inquired anxiously. Bob did not immediately reply. The breath had stunned. But he soon. pulled himself ag much to Collingwood’s relief~ “Gee whiz!”. he palpitated, “I thought it was all . over with me.” “Oh, you're worth a dozen dead boys vet replied Tom, cheerfully. Bob looked into the chasm. “This is a bad break and no mistake,” he said. “Bad!” gasped Tom, who was alive to ‘the exigency of ‘the moment, “it means ‘destructibn has been here, discovered the washout and nofi- fied the despatcher’s office at Forksville to hold the local and to telegraph Block House 16 up ‘the y line to stop the express at that point.” ; Thea he ey ipo Se ere.,
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: added: “Suppose he hasn't got on to the trouble yet?” “Tt don’t like to suppose any such thine It’s ~ his duty to-go over the track in time to allow him ample leeway to return to his hut vat the cutting and send in a telephone message.” “At any rate our further progress down the line is cut off,” said Bob. i + “No matter about us. I’m thinking about __. those trains. I’d like to be sure that the news is - known at the despatcher’s office.” “Tf don’t see how you can find out,” replied Bob. Tom did not ‘reply, but looked @éwn at the tangle of wires lying near his feet. The pole that had held the wires aloft at this end of the culvert had done down in the wreck and the top end with ~ the cross-piece had snapped off. All the wires - appeared to. be intact except the top one, which Tom knew to be the railroad company’s wire. glass bulb around which it was, isolated. . “What. are you looking at?” asked Bob, curi- ously. E “The wires,” replied Tom shortly. “Tf we only had instruments you could send a message to the despatcher’s office and let the nieht ‘operator know about the accident to the culvert,” said Bob. - “What’s the use of talking?” replied Tom, ‘brusquely. “We haven’t got instruments.” “Even if we had we couldn’t get the despatch- er’s office, for neither of us know the call.” At Sas » answered Tom, sharply. “It’s JP—11.” - Well, ’'m thinking it won’t do us any “T don’t hook. ~“Pve got an’ idea,” went on Tom. know whether I could work it.” “What’s your idea?” - “Harvard, the night operator at the despatch- ‘er’s office, the chap who- taught me how to tele- graph, told me of a way by which a message could be sent without instruments under certain conditions, in case of emergency.’ “He did?” exclaimed Bob, eagerly. jt be done?’ -“J have no time to explain, but I’ve a great “How can done. It may be only possible with an expert, - in which case it will be a failure with me. The ‘urgency of the case, I think, warrants a_trial. Do you see the top wire? The broken one?” “Sure,” replied Bob. in so as to get as much ‘slack as possible. Do ou understand?” Bob understood and proceeded to obey direc- ons. While he was thus engaged Tom hunted for the other broken end and soon found. it ying on the ground by itself. Interrupted; com- “munication he knew had already told the operator ‘Go: at something was wrong somewhere up the line "with the wire. He had probably surmised that 1e storm had blown a pole down and broken the ompany’s wire at any rate. Tom hauled in on wire and made as much slack as he could, and that time Bob was ready with,.the other end in his hand. Before making another move Tom ‘ t to the broken top of the pole where he had eas res Ken | wire ‘he THE PATH TO GOOD LUCK §~ “ appointed expression came over his features. That was severed within a yard or so of the. mind to try the plan, and then you’ll-see how it’s - _chum’s movements with the most intense interes - “Unwind it from the brass holder and pull it ” seen a strip of insulating material fluttering in. the wind. He tore it into tw Ke ee wrapped rn sre Tae held in his hand and the other about the w Bob held. Then he took the’two ends in his han one end in each, and began to touch the points of the wire together and separate them, thus con=— nécting and breaking the ‘circuit. Bob -watched his movements with excited in- terest. Over and over Tom repeated the call o ‘the despatcher’s office at Forksville, doing it a skillfully as possible under the circumstances. When he had repeated it several times h thrust out his tongue, placing one end of the broken wire on one side of it and the other en on the other side. For some moments the b stood thus, his whole attention concentrated his experiment. There was'no result, and a d Taking the wires from his tongue Tom re-— peated the call over again. Once more he a plied the ends of the wire to his tongue. Su denly he gave a start and a thrill passed throu his body. The night operator at the despatcher’s office had recognized and was answering his call ° CHAPTER III.—Saving the Express Tom could feel the successive shocks + pass through his tongue, which is an extremely sen tive part of the human body, as the night oper- ator at the despatcher’s office answered, his call. — Tom at once removed the wire from his mouth, ~ and by touching the points together slowly spe ed out the following words: “Tom Collingwood. Am working without in struments, using the ends of the broken wire Can you understand? Answer slowly.” Tom again applied the points of the wires his tongue. The answer came back to him; H vard,.no doubt greatly astonished, having taken the tip to work slowly. i i ' “T get you O. K. Where are you, Collingwood, and what does this mean?” “At the southern end of the culvert, whi has been washed away. All the wires are Hold the night local, for trains can’s pass t point.” Bob in the meantime had been following his. and ¢ expectation. “As soon as he heard Tom send ing in words he knew that ae ae a been established with the train despatcher’s office, and he uttered an exclamation of astonishmen oe as well as satisfaction. He had sense enous not to interrupt his friend while he was engag in this important business. “Do you mean to say the culvert is sone came back the words to Tom. : ait os “Yes,” answered the boy. ¥) atest Scott,” unconsciously telegraphed Har- - vard “Join the wire so I. ‘ean call up Block 16.” ‘Tom knew that the operator intended to and stop the express at that point and he ‘qui obeyed. i “I got Harvard all right, Bob,” said Tom. | voice quivering with excitement. : aaa “T saw you did,” renlied his chum. Rigen you doing now?” ; st alive connected the ¢
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“Will he be in time?” asked Bob, feverishly. ealean't te! -“Tf the express has passed that block how-can it be stopped ?” The faint distant scream of. a locomotive _. whistle from up the line was at that moment ‘borne to the ears of the two boys. “Too late!” gasped Tom, almost dropping the wires. “There’s the express now passing the siding near Prescott. ~ .“What’s to be done? minutes,” palpitated Bob. Tom gazed wildly around as though scandens for some means to prevent the apparently inevit- ‘able disaster. The night express had passed the block house and could not be stopped -by tele- graph. In fact it looked as though nothing short - of a miracle could save the train. At that mo- ~ ment Tom’s eyes were attracted by a glimmer of light on the other side of the broken culvert. He _ shaded his eyes and fazed eagerly through the darkness. en i believe there’s a lantern yonder,” he ‘said, ‘in quivering tones. “That won’t’ do us any good if it is,” said Bob. “It's across the chasm” x: Tom made no reply, but rushing ts the edge xf the break, grasped the network of wires and wung one leg across them. - “What are you going to do?” asked the aston- hed Bob. “Get that lantern if I can. The express must be signalled at all hazards, and the lantern is our ~~ only hope.” “You'll never get across and back in time,” said Bob. Tom made no answer, for he was already Swinging over the rushing river, making his pre- carious journey as fast as he could: The distance to be traversed was not far, but the wires swung and sagged under his weight, for they were not accustomed to be put to such a purpose. Fortunately the broken top-piece of the lost pole was anchored to a small section of the culvert that ‘still stood on that side of the stream, and by this means the wires were held fairly taut. It took Tom just a minute to cross. Ae As the boy dashed forward and reached for t lantern which stood burning between the own rails, where it had no business to be, he almost stumbled over the figure of a man stretch- ed motionless across the track. It will be here in four Wt) track walker, who had been stricken down... prob- ably at the moment the culvert had given way. -The boy had no time to see whether he was ad or simply unconscious. Grasping the lantern - he. rushed back to the edge of the broken ma- ry. With the lantern swinging on his arm pulled himself across the chasm with the same ‘ish eagerness and speed he had displayed in ssing from the other side. Ss he reached the end of the break Bob bent own and assisted him up on to the firm ground. hen Tom, srthent exchanging a word wath his HE PATH TO GOOD LUCK = i the rails as the ponderous train came dashing along at a speed of fifty miles an hour. The engineer always slackened up a bit as soon as he came around the long curve and sighted the bridge, but even at that momentum of the heayy - train, unless checked at a’ sufficient distance to enable its velocity to be full. overcome by the ~ air-brakes, was likely to carry it over the dis- ‘tance between the bridge and the culvert and into the river. The fate of the train and all on board depended wholly’ onsTom, and the boy ~~ fully realized that fact. wae At last fre-reached the edge of the masonry that carried the steel framework of the bridge. The thunder of the approaching train was now in-his ears. How. far it was away he could not judge, but he expected to see the glaring head- © light swing around ‘the curve a short. distance ahead at any moment ou What was he to do? ee The situation was terrible. If he tried to cross the girders, which were wide apart and smothered ~ by the darkness, he would probably meet the fly- ing locomotive half way and be dashed to atoms. ~~ Ii he stayed where he was and swung the lantern, ~ the engineer would hardly be able to check his — train in time to avoid disaster. He had no time. — to consider the matter. He must either push ~ ahead at once or remain where he was. He never knew afterward how he made up his mind to do what he did, but he had a dim recol- lection that the inspiration came as he hung back a second or two on the brink of that awful journey. It occurred to him to jump from girder to girder as far as he could go towards the other — side, and if the engine reached the bridge before he could get to the end of the span, to swing his ~~ lantern wildly and then drop between two of the cross-bars, taking every risk of catching one of the bars by his fingers to save him from going” headlong into the river. It was a heroic effort, in the face of almost certain death, to save the express. Tom sprang forward, swinging ‘hie teanvleun BO!) that he could distinguish the position of the next girder’ ahead and make the leap with suffici- ent accuracy. The roar of the oncoming -train seemed to shake the very earth. The bridge - Ge ie trembled. The boy felt the vibrations growing stronger every moment. He was now half way — across. Would he have time to complete the distahee % : tive opened the furnace door to throw. in pace headlight of the-engine shot into view. He was caught near the centre of the bridge with but a few seconds in which to signal the engineer and make his leap for death or possibh safety. He lost no time in swinging the lantern in the way he had seen the yard men do wh at night they had to stop an engine somewhel along the track. Only his movements were more erratic frantic. The wide-awake engineer, however, s the flashing of the red light in an instant recognizing the signal which portended geet he reversed -the drivers '
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- and suddenly one upon the other that passéhgers in. the ordinary coaches were thrown about in heaps, while those who occupied the sleepers, and were either in their bunks or preparing to get into them, were almost as roughly handled. The - utmost consternation was aroused throughout the train, and the first impression that prevailed was that they had run into a train ahead. Forgetful ef his danger, of the possibility of his losing his _ balance on the narrgw ecross-bar which supported him, Tom continued’ to swing his lantern with the red side toward the tfain, and to shout from sheer excitement, until the great locomotive thundered down upon the girder bridge. Just as he made the leap that was to decide his fate he saw the white face of the engineer, who was leaning ‘far out of the cab window glaring straight at him. The fireman was swinging out by the iron _ handles attached to the side of the cab and of the tender. Then flinging the lantern from him, Tom _. sprang downward at the next iron girder. His fingers closed on the cold iron, his body swung under him, and for a moment it seemed as if his hold would slip. But no; his grip held firm long ~ enough for him to throw one. arm across the _ girder, and there he oscillated a few times like » the pendulum of a dying clock, and at last he hung straight downward above the roaring river. S CHAPTER IV.—Bob Escapes from a Desperate ti : Situation. ; Tom heard the smash of glass as the fandee yas struck by the pilot of the locomotive and ‘shivered to pieces. He felt the steel framework of the girder bridge tremble under the big engine as it passed over him, the hot cinders and scald- ing drops of water falling for a second around him. It seemed that the long train would never pass, and yet but a few seconds elapsed before “they were-gone and he was free to climb back on top of the girder. As he knelt clinging to _. the iron with both hands, shivering as if with an - -ague from the reaction which now set in, he 5 strained his misty eyes ahead for a sight of the train in the darkness. - Had his mission failed and the cars gone into he must have heard the terrible crash they would $ have made in falling. Slowly he dragged himself to the outer edge of the girder bridge and straddled one of the rails. To save his life he could not return to the solid - ground by leaping from girder to girder as he had done to meet the train. to guide such a course, and his nerves would have ‘ailed him. So he just dragged himself along the rail, surmounting each cross-piece as he came to _it. .It was slow and laborious, but it was safe and sure. In this Way he finally reached the masonry and stepped up on to the roadbed.. In the mean- ie the locomotive had been brought to a stand- Wl within a yard or two of the broken culvert. ngineer i B his rice leaped to the THE-PATH TO GOOD LUCK the river? He could not tell, yet it seemed to him . He had no light now . to be a boy that swung it, and heaven pardon eco we ran him down.” ae “Nothing could have saved him out there on — the girders,” ‘said the fireman. ‘No power on earth could have stopped the train before it struck him.” “He is a young hero, eboney he is.’ At that moment up stepped Bob Pocttae “Hello, my lad,” exclaimed the engineer, almost startled by his sudden appearance out of the — .. “You’re not—no, no, you could not be the boy who signalled me and saved the train,” “No, sir,” replied Bob, cheerfully, for he was — rejoiced to know that the express was safe; “that was Tom Collingwood, my chum.” “Then Héaven save his soul,” said the engineer, taking off his cap with a feeling of respect to-— ward the boy he supposed to be lying crushed and thanaged at that moment upon the girder brid “What do you mean?” demanded Bob, turnin white at the words. “You do not mean that—— “He is dead, my lad. We ran him down in the middle of the girder bridge. He could not escape — unless he had jumped into the river, and he di not do-that, for I was looking down at him whe the pilot smashed the lantern and went over hi like a flash.” Bob grabbed the begrimed engineer by the — sleeve, looked pathetically into his face, and then he burst into tears. At that moment the conduc tor came running up, followed by the expre: ; agent, baggage men, one or two postal clerks and | others. “What’s the trouble?” asked. the train mogul. The engineer pointed to the broken culvert. “My gracious!” cried the conductor, “you were signalled just in time it seems.” “Yes,” said the engineer, “I was. By a bo the comrade of this young fellow,” pointing’to the weeks Bob. “He saved the express at the cost. of his life.” “At the cost of his life!” ejeculated the con- ductor. “Yes. He gave the signal from the center of v3 the bridge, and—the locomotive was upon him 3 before you could say Jack Robinson. It was hard luck for the young hero, but he should have jumped to the river and taken his chance.” “Poor fellow!” said the conductor, pityingly. “So he was your friend, young man?” he be i ae looking at Bob. “Yes, sir,” grief. “What was his name, and what i is yours?” — oA “Tom Collingwood, and mine is Bob Preston.” “It will be sad news for you to carry to i parents. Where do you live?” “He had no parents. He was an orphan lik y myself. I live in Forksville, and Tom and, roomed together.” ‘ “I suppose you both discovered the break the culvert; and he went forward to head off express?” “Yés, sits ‘Tom crossed’ the river here o wires to get a lantern we saw on the other | “You not aR. with the’ track, replied Preston, gulping down hii then?
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THE PATH TO GOOD LUCK site time ago, after the track ioe had been over Sag t tell. you when the break occurred. The -eulyert was down when we arrived, fifteen or twenty minutes ago. Tom telegraphed the train “You had none!” exclaimed the surprised of- “How then did you get into communica- tion with the train despatcher’s office?” As Bob started to explain a number of passen- gers came up and quite a crowd surrounded Pres- assengers shuddered as they be- rom a glance at the broken cul- ert the danger they had escaped. At that mo- ment the whistle of a locomotive was heard on the north sidevsof the break in the line. nd a single car, having on board the division ‘superintendent and several other railroad men, were coming out of the cut. anxiety was felt in the yards at Forksville over the fate of the night express. he train despatcher’s office had, as we have seen, tried to get in sommunication with the night man t Block House 16. He had just received the an- swer to his call when the whistle of the express ‘caused Tom Collingwood to disconnect the wire, nd he did not bring the ends together again. e operator, therefore, could not talk to the man at Block House 16, and .remained in ignorance the state of affairs south of the culvert. The on superintendent was notified, and he or- ed one of the yard locomotives to be hitched on a car, and started for the scene of trouble. Bob had just finished his story of how Tom had tele- graphed to Forksville without instruments when om came up on the outskirts of the crowd. He pposed that Bob was the center of attraction and sprang on to the pilot of the locomotive in order to see what was going on. _ “Hi, there, Bob!” he shouted. : Bob swung around as if he had been shot and his chum standing well above the crowd. ‘Tom! Tom!” he cried, in great joy, “you were ; killed then?” Certainly not.” . _. The engineer, fireman, conductor and others turned their gaze on Collingwood. The two for- ‘mer fairly gaped at Tom, for it. seemed to be the -\ ghost of the lad they thought they had run down. ‘Is that the boy who saved the train?” asked “The one you thou lown on the girder bridge?” fhe engineer pushed h Many of the p gan to realize A great deal of The operator in ght you ran e is way up to Tom and od flesh and blood. — ‘Give me your hand, my lad,” he cried: with est “How ever did you man- w that he was go arnest thankfulness. ‘Tom explained. : aM ou have a wonderful nerve for a boy . By this time a he edge | ~~ be carried to the car. He saw that the night ex press had been halted at the very brink of disaster, and he felt mighty thankful. He shouted across ~~ the chasm, and the conductor stepped up and re- , — eee to him, detailing the circumstances as far as _ e knew them. cs ~ “Where is.the boy?” asked the super. “We've got him here.” “What did you say his name is?” it “Tom Collingwood. He lives in Forksville.” _ “Tell him-to call at my office to-morrow morn ing.” 5 5 “Yes, sir.” hE 2 “Notify the passengers that they will be trans ferred in the course of an hour to a train that will - matter can be safely transferred across to. this side.” aor Tom was made a lion of by the passengers as soon as the facts. became generatly known throughout the train. A number of well-known politicians were on the express, and they had Tom brought into, the smoking compartment < one of the sleepers, and got the story from ‘h own lips. One of them went through the cars a: collected $150 for Tom. They themselves added enough to bring the purse up to $500. This was presented to him with the grateful acknowled, ment of the passengers for what he had done their behalf: About half-past eleven the tra that was to carry the passengers, their baggag the mail and other matter to their destination, © appeared with a flat car attached bearing a work- ~ ing crew and the material necessary to tempo rarily bridge the chasm.- In due time everybody and everything was. transferred to the waiting train, which started north towards Forksville, — Inside of ten minutes the two boys were set down at the station in town and, then the train” went, on. “The very first thing they did was,to make a break for an all-night restaurant and der a square meal The way they disposed of the eatables made the Waiter think they hadn’t eat in a week, s are : ““T don’t think I ever ate anything that tast half so good,” said Bob, pushing his plate awa “Nor I,” agreed Tom; “but that’s because were so desperately hungry.” 7 “We were hungry-for a°fact. Now I feel rea’ comfortable,” said Bob in a contented tone. ‘We had the adventure of our lives to-night, or rathe you had, for I played only second fiddle in th affair. If we decide to go west, I’ll bet we’ll come across anything more thrilling. You had as narrow a squeak for your life in front of th locomotive as you'll ever have if you live to tell tale. I'll bet you couldn’t do it again and come out as you have done without a scratch.” 3 “T guess you're right, Bob,” answered To “Well,-if you’ve eaten all you want to, we’ll sta * for home. _ I'm tired.” — *, CHAPTER V.—Tom and Bob Learn Sometii Rss New About the Mining Industr | had e escape of the night expre 3 ue Ear CATR sh orning papers of Forksville Dai emape of ih
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eft. 2? Fa =: Sa ni Pe a, THE PATH TO was done Tom Collingwood, who was cailed a ~ yeal hero, and whose thrilling experience in sig- nalling the engineer of the express from his pre- carious foothold in the center of the girder bridge was set forth in glowing language by the news- _ paper ‘men. In fact, Tom was the most talked- _ “of person that morning in Forksville. He re- _ ported at the cutlery at the regular time, worked _ two hours, during which time he was the object - of much admiration from his fellow workmen, and then left to keep the appointment with the - division superintendent of the Midland Central Railroad at his office in the yard. The super had a long talk with him, at the close of which he assured Tom that he would be suit- ~ ably rewarded by the company for his valuable services. The division superintendent had already telegraphed the facts to the genera] ganager of _ the:road at New York City, and he now prepared a fuller account to be forwarded in an official en- velope as required by the regulations. At the - next’ meeting of the directors Tom Collingwood ~ received a vote of thanks for saving the night express, and the sum of $5,000, both being for- warded in care of the division superintendent, who _ presented the money and the letter of thanks and -- commendation signed by the president of the road - to Collingwood. : “You're rich, Tom,” said Bob, when his chum _ showed him the check. “That’s $5,000 you’ve made by your nerve in the face of a great emergency. » Still it hardly pays for the great risk you ran on the girder bridge. You came within an ace of - being killed.” ‘ _ “J didn’t do it with any expectation of being ‘rewarded for it,’ Bob. No amount of money would _ . (¥
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ey » THE P “Mo. Triggs invited me into his room, but I ought he’d better come in here where there’s more room,” explained Tom. | _ “That's right,” answered Bob, taking a chair. — “Don’t you lads smoke?” asked the old man, - looking at each in turn., ; €No, sir,” replied Tom. “I don’t think it isa good habit for boys to acquire.” . _ “ve always smoked singe. I can remember, and t hasn’t done me any harm,” said the visitor. © _“T had an idea that you might be from the West. Mr. Triggs.” said Tom, hoping that his urmise was correct. “Your idea is correct. “I'm from Colorado,” ‘eplied the old man, striking a match and light- 2 his pipe. “Lived there some time, I suppose.” ventured Tom. P - “T ain’t lived to place consecutive like. Been all over the West from the Missouri to the Coast, and from \Rio.Grande to the Klondyke.” = Ea must be well acquainted with the coun- try.” - “T guess I can find my way about without a sw ae replied Mr. Triges with a grim smile. ~ “Been to the gold diggings, haven’t vou?” asked Tom, eagerly. _ “A few. Young man, I’ve spent nigh to forty - years prospectin’ and diggin’ in the gold dis- tricts.” : : - “Forty vears!” ejaculated Tom. “I should think you’d be'a Monte Cristo by this time.” “A who?” ? “A Monte Cristo,” repeated Tom. “Never heard of him. Who was he?” _ ~ “He was the richest man in the world, accord- Ing to the story.” , — “What mine did he own?” er _ “He didn’t own any mine. He found his money on an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It was hidden in a eave and he discovered the secret.” “Hum!” ; “Have you been prospecting and digging gold or forty years?” asked Tom, not able to associ- ate such an idea with a man whose seedy appear- _ ance showed that-he was not abundantly supplied th money. “Tt might be nearer thirty-five,” nodded their _ visitor. : _. “And haven’t you made your fortune?” said Tom in-a tone of astonishment. “ve made several of them, young man.” - “Several of them?” : Mr. Twiggs nodded. “Several of-them, mostly, ’m sorry to say, for other people.” 4 “Why -not for yourself?” “Because sharper men than me done me out of v_rights.” Scie? “How could they? TI thought when a man took a claim it was his, and all he dug out of it was is: > f ‘That’s correct. But the best part of the gold - is ’way under ground and must be got at by modern methods. A man who discovers a rich has got to have considerable capital to his property pay. The prospector who dis- a valuable lode is not always the person ATH TO GOOD RUCK. 0 2 SCE Se ee his claim, an. the men with money see to it, as_ rule, that they get the’ lion’s share.” te All this was news, and not encouraging news. either, to both Tom and Bob, and had a depress- ing effect on their golden visions: They thought — that the only equipment a miner needed was a pick, shovel, cradle and a few other things, to- gether with a blanket, a knapsack to earry sup- plies, and a revolver, knife and rifle for his protection. “Isn’t gold found near the surface of the ground?” asked Tom. a “Sure it™is, in new districts never worked bes fore. But the These are called placer diggin’s. real gold ore, the rich veins and lodes, amountin’ to fortunes, run in all directions at some distance > — below the surface, more times than not hundreds * — of feet down. You have to sink shafts and bore tunnels to get at it in paying quantities. This — requires machinery, and machinery is expensive, — especially when it has to be brought hundreds of miles out into the wilds. nart of the way by rail- road and part of the way on the back of mules Then when you get your ore on the dump at the mouth of your shaft or tunnel it has to be sacked and sent to the mill to be crushed and smelted. The gold and silver and other metals, as shown in the assay of your samples, have to be separ- : ated and kept track of. Modern mining is a great business, young men, and it’s growing — greater every day. Great fortunes have been made out of small beginnings, are being made at this moment and will be made in the future out West. It is the greatest country in the world.” — Mr. Triggs, having finished his pipe, said he felt sleepy. Fs = ~“We’ll continue this Conversation another tire, young gentlemen,” he said, rising from his chair — laboriously. “P’raps'I can induce you to so West’ _ with me when I got the better of my rheumatism: If I can V’ll make your fortunes.” ; With those words he bade them good-night and. retired to his own room. ae. Pa CHAPTER VI.—The Valley of Gold and the. Path me : to Good Luck. Left to themselves, Tom and Bob looked at each other like people just awakened from. pleasant dream of affluence to find themselve still facing the stern reality of common, everyda experience. F : La tey “He doesn’t talk like the books we’ve read,” said Tom, who was the first to break the silenc: “No. His conversation was all Greek to me. — Mining. must be carried on differently to wh it was when those hooks were written. Accord ing to the stories it was easv to dig for gold. tivety ue the aes wasted out a pan of dirt € Tound some golden specks which hi ray. = in his pouch.” at : ae x Babes “Yes, and he found nuggets of pure gold in pockets, where the action of the water had washed the little specks until they accumulated into a lump. Nothing was said about milling smelting it*to get pther stuff out of it. the real thing already. Say, Bob, do y those books didn’t tell the tenth
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“How can I tell? I believe things were differ- ent then, as I said before.” “Mr. Triges said gold could be found near the gurface in new places. That must be what the __ stories referred to. I remember now that I read of the gold diggines in California and parts of ‘Nevada, and hundreds of miners dug gold out of the ground with pick and shovel, and washed it out in pans and cradles. I saw many pictures ‘showing how-they did it, so the books were true enough, I guess. If we go West we must hunt “up a new place, and dig gold as they used to do.” _ “He said if we'd go West with him he’d make ‘our fortunes. You heard'that, didn’t you?” ~ “Yes. ” “How can he make our fortunes when he can’t make his own after thirty-five years’ trying?” “It’s a wonder he wouldn’t get to be smart ; - after being thirty-five ‘years at the. business.” ~ “Some people are born chumps and never get smart.” “That must be the trouble with him. I don’t think anybody could fool us out of a rich claim jf we found one.” - “T should hope not.” “J’'d hang on to sueh a thing with both feet.” “So would I.” “We must talk with sam again on the subject. oa to find out all I can before I make a “star “That’s my idea. We don’t Tey any more Sa good thing to pump a man who’s been on e ground.” | “There must be thousands of people around soldfield, and Tonopah, and Bullfrog. and other laces in Nevada engaged in, mining.” T should think there was.’ persons who had got rich by investing a few dollars in mining stock.” “Pd-yather stake out a claim and dig gold for self than buy stock that I didn’t know any- thing abou 0 would I. » That's what we proposed doing, isn’t it?’ “That's right,” nodded Bob. “But when we ‘settled on that you didn’t have any more money than me. Now you're worth all of $6; 000.” “What's $6,000?” “THs a lot of money. I wish I had it.” “One could make $000 3 jn a few months out of rich claim.” dis “Tf T was sure of that Yd pack up and start be: West with you to-morrow.” “We'll talk over with Mr. Triges. I guess rl e “whats the matter with a game of pinochle » r «Py go you.’ “They drew up alongside a table, got out the ards and commenced the game. Before they were half through they heard some one calling. i y, said Tom. “I believe that’s Mr. : oved to be the old man’s voice, and Tom to see what he wanted. He proved to be he roe sent him | THE PATH TO GOOD LUCK -you all I could?” out the West and mining than what we’ve read.. “T saw a list containing the names of lena beds had a pain anda smothered feeling ided that ? gone Tom did everything he could to relieve Mr. Triges, and under his ministrations the old mar grew better. When he was able to talk he ex: pressed his gratitude to the boy. “That’s all right,” replied Tom. “You don suppose I’d see you suffer without trying to help Then Bob appeared with the physician. He talked to the old man and examined him care-— fully. .Then he left a prescription. “What’s the matter with him?” Tom: asked the doctor on the way to the front door. “Rheumatism. It’s working up toward hi I’ve got to head it off, if I can, or it wil him yet that he’s in a dangerous state. enough for that if matters get worse.” : The boys agreed to take turns watching the ol man that night. Towards morning he grew much better, but the chances of his leaving his bed that day were remote. Tom notified the board- ing mistress, and she said she would look af her boarder during the day. Several days passet and Mr. Triggs held his own, then he had another bad attack. The doctor, who had been callin daily, was summoned in a hurry, and he did wha he could for the old man. Afterward he to Tom aside and told him that Mr. Triggs coul live long. “Another attack will probably finish him,” a the physician, “and he’s certain to have sect So Possibly inside of twenty-four hours. You = better tell. him to settle his worldly affairs anticipation of the worst.” Tom was sorry to receive this report from doetory-and he,didn’t like the duty of beeen the intelligence to the sufferer. Mr. Trig however, made it easy for him. The old chap h a strong suspicion that his hours were numbere so when Tom returned to his bedside he’ said “What did the doctor say to you?” — “He said you are a. pretty sick man,” replied ‘ the boy. See ‘Humpht He said I was goin’ to die, did 6? 3 “He isn’t sure that you'll recover.” “Took here, my lad, you’ve been very kind an old chap like me who’s a stranger to you. Se has your friend. Somehow or another I’ve taken’ a faney to you. I meant to persuade you to West with me if I got well. I intended to m your fortune as well as my own. It is too 1] now for me to make my own. ‘The chance has— passed away from me forever. But I ean po out the path to good luck to you. Listen: short time before this disease attacked me I w prospectin’ among the mountains of Colorado far from the beaten tracks. One day I discovere a narrow path up the mountains. I followed it and it led me to the very top of the range. F before my eyes I was startled by the sight of gigantic rock fashioned in the perfect form of ; human skull. As much as twenty years sine had heard about that peculiar rock, which pointe: the way, I was told, to a basin in the range c Death Valley, probably named on account ne
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Pe hte ee ee re Ss ee O94 LSPS Se Sat ates Fe TO GOOD LUCK Pe Focate the skull rock, but never succeeded in when you start for the mountains. The range din’ it until this, the seventh time, I struck itself is west-southwest of Denver, and Death _- the right path. Descendin’ to the valley, which I Valley is situated: about the centre of what is found as the Indian had described it, I soon saw. known as the Black Tripfets—three tall peaks that the place gave abundant evidences of the close together that look much darker than the — presence of gold. The precious metal appeared rest of the range. Enterin’ the range through a — to be evervwhere. There were a score of out- jong windin’ valley you will come to the foothills — ~ eroppin’s of hidden veins and lodes, while thou- of the first of the Triplets. Then you must begin ‘ _ sands on thousands of dollars worth of gold could to take your bearin’s by compass in accordance | M2 be washed from the surface dirt alone. I Saw with this paper.. They will lead. you directly to. that I had discovered a new El Dorado that would’ the ‘Path to Good Luck.’ As soon as you strike ‘eve to be the richest diggin’s in the West. A. the top of the mountains and see the Giafit’s stream of water flowed through the centre of the Skull on your left, all you have to do is to — yvalley which would offer all the necessary facili- descend by the path and the valley of gold is — ties for’ washin’ the loose surface gold. The before you. Do you understand?” ; valley was so small that when I had staked out “T do,” replied Tom, who was nevertheless the claims to which the law entitled me I had rather bewildered by the strange facts presented « - covered the whole place. In a word, 1 had prac-. to him. ee “tically ‘become the owner of Death Valley. -I had Meet: ie! AD fesk-a bu vexhausbed haw. Gente merely a prospector’s outfit with me, and there- will try to sleep. Be careful of the papers. and fore could do nothin’ at the mément save secure see that you do not mislay the directions pointin’ amples of the outecroppin’s from different places- the way to the Giant’s Skull. Without them you — n the valley. “With these in my bag I left the might search in vain for years for the ‘Path to : valley expectin’ soon to return with the necessary Good Luck’.” es tools to work the surface gold over and thus The old man turned over on his side and closed” \ secure the capital to-enable me to sink a shaft, his eyes, while Tom sat down to think’ out the. .. for the richer metal below. “It was fated that yemarkable story about the “Path to Good Luck” ty never should realize my dream of wealth, for leading to the golden Death Valley by the way ~ shortly after my return to Denver, where I duly of the Giant’s Skull, and to wait for Bob Preston — - yecorded my right to: possession, of the valley, to show up. gaa the papers provin’ which are in my valise in ce ego : ese onder corner, I was taken down with es, { “3 ism. A physician advised me to go East for eh slat Ae hange of air, and I came here, expectin’ to zet CHAPTER VII.—The Passing of Mr. Triggs. well of my ailment. Instead of which I am now about to die. As I haven’t a relative:in the wide world, I und s decided ees hoe Res To make you the owner of the New Eldorado in sop as D Baath Vahey. Bring me pen amd paver and 1 87 ol white halved man. dvine from the fed will draw, up the paper that shall be my will. ress (If, that gave the hero of the story th +» Yom, much astonished at the rémarkable turn. directions to find the famous treasure hidden of events, arid ‘hardly realizing the great import- the island of Monte Cristo. It was. an old ma ance to him of the document the old man was dying from the rheumatism contracted in search bout to prepare, got the articles from his room. jing for the golden treasure of the earth, who ha ‘Now, my lad, go downstairs and ask the land- just given the key to what he claimed to be y and her husband to step up to witness this fabulous fortune. In each instance the treas per that it may be a legal document,” said the was only to be got at by following certain direc jid_man. tions. Edmund Dantes, in the story, becam Tom did so, and the parties in question pres- wealthy almost beyond the dreams of avarice ently made their appearance. ; : Was he, plain Tom Collingwood, the hero of n “Being satisfied that I am about to die.” said _ romance, fated to become the real Monte Cri Mr. Triges to them, “I wish you to understand of actual life? It seemed too incredible to be “that this paper is my last will and testament true like the dreams of a hasheesh eater. And which I have made out in favor of Tom Colling- yet there was nothing unsubstantial anout the od here, in consideration of his kindness to a _ title deeds to Death Valley, with the recorder’s” friendless old man: Please sign it as witnesses.” stamp and.signature on them. He opened the They did so, wondering what their new boarder yellow envelope and looked the documents d to leave to the boy. After they had with- the case over carefully to assure himself t] drawn Mr, Triggs asked Tom to open his valise there was no fiction about them. As well as 1d take out the long. yellow envelope he would could understand they appeared to be perfectly d there. Collingwood found it without diffi- genuine. - ec) Ity and handed it to the old man. -“*The Path to Good Luck,’” he muttered. “ “Here are the papers establishin’ my right to only way by which the valley of gold can 4th Valley,” said the miner. \“You see they reached. It is well named. If I was sup av the endorsement of the county clerk showin’ tious I could easily find a weird connection they have been recorded. Here on this tween the Giant’s Skull overlooking Death Va’ rper are the directions to find what I have called and the fate of poor Mr. Triggs.” ~ ‘he Path to Good Luck.’ “It’s the only path that While Tom was sitting in a brown study to the nt’s Skull and the golden valley door of the room, which stood slightly ajar, w arings are marked by compass, pushed quietly open and Bob, appeared. 3 vide vourse! ith a small ona serving that: the ald man a _ Somehow or another Tom thought the cireum stances of the case bore. a resemblance to th romance of “The Count of Monte Cristo.” It wa —s
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12 _end not wishing to disturb him, he tiptoed over “te the side of his chum. “Tom,” he whispered, oe “No,” replied Collingwood, eg! was just dreaming.” “You were not asleep, but you were dreaming. That’s pretty good. What were you dreaming of ?” grinned Bob. “you’re not asleep?” . straightening up. That I was the richest boy world.” - *That’s a pleasant kind of dream.” : “Yes. especially if you wake up and find it a act. “You've woke up and discovered that it wasn’t a fact.” » “1 don’t know about that. I may be the richest . bov in the world in a little while for all vou and 1 know.” “You may if vou go out West and mountain of gold.” “It’s easier to dig gold out of the valley than sout of a mountain.” “Tfit’s near the surface, I suppose.” Tom got up and looked at the old man. “He'll sleep awhile. He’s breathing easily. Come in our room. I want to tell you some- thing.” So they adjourned to the other room, Jeaving both doors partially open. “Mr. Triggs has been telling me a wonderful find a story.” “We has?” * “Yes. The doctor says he’s going to die, and the old man himself is certain of the fact.” “That’s too’ bade’ replied Bob, soberly. _ Yes, it’s hard luck for him, for he has told me that he discovered a valley teeming with cold just before he was. taken down with rheumatism.” ““_- “He told you that. He must be out of his \ -head,” replied Bob, incredulously. : “be “T don’t think he is. I believe he told me the truth.” “What makes you think he did?” asked Bob, rnd with awakened interest. et “Because I’ve seen the papers giving him title - to. the ground.” “And he said the property was full of gold?” said Bob eagerly. 2 'w “Yes. He’s seen the gold wath his’ own. eves. He has samples of it in his valise, and the ‘assay _. receipt shows that the samples he submitted for -* analysis are very rich—several hundreds of dol- ~~ lars per ton.” “Gracious! And who will come in for all this wealth when he is dead?” “Me, and incidentally yourself.” “You!” gasped Bob. ~ “He hasn’t a relative in the world to lay claim ~~~ to it. Because I’ve been good to him, he said, » he has willed it all to me. ‘There is the docu- -- ment,” and Tom opened the yellow envelope, took out the paper signed by Thomas Triges in a clear hand, and witnessed by the boarding mis- : tress and her husband, and handed it to his chum, ‘Bob glanced over it in a mechanical kind of Away. astonished beyond. measure. ““My goodness!” he exclaimed. “If it’s only ‘true about the valley of gold you will oe a : ferrgnaitest ete EE in the ~jn his bed and he hastened into the room ‘ment, and then sat in the chair. THE PATH TO GOOD: LUCK “IT hope so. And doh’t forget that vou’re com= — ing into a good share of it yourself. The old man expects me to let you in on it, and | would do it anvway. Here are the papers showing that ~~ he owns the property beyond any dowbt. Owner- ship is clairned under the Mineral Béaring Land ~ Act of the government. Everything is regular~ down. to the stamp and signature of the proper official at Denver.” Bob was quite overcome by this evidence of ‘ good luck which had come Tom’s way, and, to =~ a eertain extent; his own. Tom then told him a s few of the facets disclosed by Mr. Triggs, but he — did not say anything about the valley being hard ~~ te find. er “The Path to Good Luck” with its | wonderful natural phenomenon, the Giant’s Skull. On general ‘principles, lest the secret might in some way get out. he kept that part to himself > along with the paper of directions. There was # plenty of time to acquaint Bob with those im- ~~ portant details when they got upon the ground. Tem had barely concluded what he had to say, ~ before his sharp- ears heard the old man i , gave Mr. Trigges his medicine, and some nourish- Bob came in- after awhile, but Tom told him to go to bed, so as to be in shape to relieve him around midnight. ~~ Tom didn’t go to work next morning but re- ; mained at the house to care for the old prospec- tor, as he considered it his duty to do now, and Mr. Triges expressed his gratitude to the boy. The doctor came in, looked at his patient, left a — new prescription and departed after telling Tom that the old man would linger along until he got another acute attack, which was liable to happen at any time. During the morning Mr. Triggs was unusually bright, and Tom told him that he thought he might fool the physician and get well ‘after all. The*old man however shook his head. “I’m booked through,” he said, with a curious ~~ smile, “without lay-off privileges. When the summons comes I must go.” Then he went on to explain matters more. fully about how Tom and his friend were to proceed ~ in relation to the golden valley after they reached ~ the city of Denver. : “No, one can dispute the title to the valley, 2 he said. “But as soon as the news gets out to the publie there will be an immediate rush to take’ up claims on the surroundin’ hills.” “Nobody will be able to find their way to the ~ valley except by accident, according to your. statement,” replied Tom. 1 ; = ORY present that holds good, but as soon as you bégin carryin’ your gold down the-mountain you will soon leave a clear trail to guide any one to A the right path, and once it is spotted the secret will cease to be one. But that fact need not worry von. You must first of all gather in as >” much of the surface gold as you can get at your- ~ selves in secret. Then you had better look ~ around-for honest capitalists and form a com- eS: pany for properly workin’ the ground. The assay a receipt I already have might well be backed up by. other assays of fresh samples, and on the’ — strength of these you must make the best terrhs— you are able to with one or two experienced minin’ men. You must investigate the men before you approach them on the subiect.- right people will treat you white. I have be i a Sets Se,
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aie tuhake in my own selections. Once [ turned down a good man in“favor of a pair of - sharpers, and thereby lost a considerable fortune. Remember, you are a boy, inexperienced in mines and minin’ matters, and will be regarded as a “good thing to fleece if you should strike the wrong people. In any case, you can’t be too careful. Insist on havin’ your rights, and above “all be sure when you form the company to hold on to the majority of the stock—say three-quar- 22 be aes, Then nothin’ can be done without your sanction. Do not accept any offer to sell out your claims, no*matter what the offer, until after a thorough development of the property has es- tablished its prospective value. In any case I think from my estimate of the ore likely to be found’ that you would be foolish to dispose of your rights even for several million. - It is bound to turn in to you, and those associated with you in its development, immense dividends in the course of time. You should have a steady in- come from the property as long as you live. What more could a younz man of your age ask 2” «Tom listened eagerly to Mr. Triges and re- c% ylved to profit by his advice, He asked many nswers that opened his eyes more to conditions s they were out there than any book, however well written, could have done. When Bob re- turned from work after five o’clock, Mr. Triggs was doing quite well under the’ circumstances, -. and neither of the lads thought he would die for several days at least. ~~ seven. to midnight and then Tom relieved him. bout three in the morning the old man was attacked again, and Tom sent Bob for the doctor in great haste. Tom used all the means at his tisposal, to rally Mr. Triggs, but his efforts were ithout avail. The old prospector and miner died before Bob got back with the »hysician: Tont told the doctor that he would see that he was aid for his services, though the physician had attended the old man without any great hones of ‘et thid any money. for he saw that he seemed ° : ‘bé poor and without friends., Collingwood Jared an undertaker and had Mr. Triggs buried in a respectable way in a gravethat he bought _ for the purpose. . : ‘He took possession of: all the old man’s effects, d settled with the boarding mistress what she * aimed to be her due. After paying the doctor, who cut his bill in half, Tom found the had laid out altogether about $400 on the old miner. Then ~ he had a long talk with Bob, during which he * proposed that they should proceed to Denver without delay, and there make preparations to to the mountain range where the Black Trip- lets were and search for the path that led past Giant Skull to Death Valley. proposition, so they threw up their jobs at utlery works, packed a couple of suit cases, nd after bidding the boarding mistress and arders gzood- by, took a train one morning for ver via Chicago. ich they reached in due time. Then they im- mediately visited hohe office in which. te Triges THE PATH TO GOOD LUCK questions about the West, and received truthful” Bob stood watch from . Bob agreed to which they found to be a good sized town, ine full of the gambling element. They secured a room at the Clear Creek House and spent the rest of the day looking about the — town. They visited the post office, where they eashed a money order, which Tom had sent 01 ahead. That night they visited a dance ‘hall where a show was going on, and ordered soft ~ drinks. Near them sat four desperate looking men. One of them was fully six feet tall - had red hair. He was a fierce looking rascal. wanted by the sheriff for murder. His name was Bill Higgins. Two deputy sheriffs were in the — place to arrest him. They were disguised as _ miners. A nimble-footed artist was doing a song and dance turn, when the place was thrown into. confusien by an action by the sheriffs. They ape eg proached and ordered Higgins to throw up his’ hands. Our two boy friends arose from their — table just as.a shot rang’ out and the deputy who had the drop on the desperado staggered and dropped his arm. Then Higgins whipped out a revolver and pointed it at the officer and it would have been ,all “ver with him; but Tom seized his empty | glass and threw it .with un- — eering accuracy at the ruffian’s weapon. The — crash of glass followed the villain’s shot, but Aims 3: bullet only grazed. the deupty’ s head. “e CHAPTER VIU.—Off For the Black Triplets. ' The glass thrown by Tom had broken on se c ruffian’s hand and cut an ugly gash. The sho eaused him to drop the revolver, which stru the back of his chair and bounded toward t spot where the boys stood. As Higgings turn with a snarl of rage to see from whence this — fresh attack had come, Tom»reached down and_ picked up. the raseal’s weapon. A score of. r¢ volvers flashed about the room. The lives of th two députies as well as-those of the intrepid Tom and the unfortunate Bob, hung. in the balanee, when the sheriff himself, accompanied by armed assistants, dashed into the room prepared for business. “At the same moment the red= 43 headed villain swung around on his heel az dashed through an open doorway near at hand, followed by-a bullet from the gun of the ee deputy. Whether the ball reached him or not it failed to stop his retreat, and a subsequent sea showed that he had got clear off. Tom and B left the place under the wing of ‘the sheri party. Both the deputy whose life he had say: and his companion, were loud in their pra of Tom’s nerve and courage. “You’re_a newcomer in town I ean see,” the sheriff. “What’s your name and where you hail from?” “Tom Collingwood, and I and my friend, Bob Preston, hail from New York State.” ¥ “You clearly saved my life,” said Deputy J dan. “But it was touch and go with me evé at that. You can see where the rascal’s. eut a furrow along my cheek.. Why, boy, v« what searcely another maa in Clear Cree
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‘ , 4 THE PATH TO a dead shot—a man who has killed Lord knows how. many men, for he’s. quicker than greased lightning with his gun. Had your aim not been ‘true, causing him to. drop his gun, we would ‘both have been subjects for the coroner, while my companion. and your own would. probably - have suffered the same fate. Young man, I am _ proud to, know you. You can count me as your. _ friend for life. My name is Jack Jordan. Shake.” - Tom and the deputy shook hands. The other deputy, whose name was Joe Howard, Sheriff - Bartling and all the rest of the party grasped Collinewood’s hand in turn, and declared that they were glad to make his acquaintance. Bob also shook hands all round. The boys needed no better introduction to Clear Creek. The news ‘of -Tom’s remarkable act in -“The Eldorado” against such a notorious villain as Bill Higgings was certain to be known all over town by morn- ing, and he was sure to find himself an object of universal attention and interest, and rated as the nerviest lad’ who had ever stepped foot in _ Clear Creek. The sheriff and party adjourned to a big saloon to liquor, a® they termed it, and the boys were carried with them in spite of their protests that they did not drink strong waters. - “Have a smoke then,” said the sheriff. “We don’t smoke,” replied Tom, firmly. “Not even cigarettes?” asked Sheriff Bartling im some surprise. “Not even cigarettes,” replied Tom. “Well, take a soda or sarsaparilla.” ~The boys agreed to do that. The drinks circulated, and the crowd who wanted to know __ whether the posse had killed Bill Higgings, for ie they saw the fellow was not a prisoner, presently ae learned of the thrilling episode at “The Eldor- ado.” «Tom Collingwood then became the focus of. all. eyes. Hvervbody wanted to shake hands with him and knew who he was.: They were ac~ -ecommodated in a general way. The news was -also being circulated about all the saloons and ‘other open resorts by eyewitnesses, and a crowd soon massed in the saloon where the sheriff and his party was. Tom and Bob found this boost nto sudden popularity somewhat annoying to hem. They were continually being mistaken one or the other, and for awhile Preston fancied he» as as big a lion as his chum. They found it _ impossible to get away until the sheriff-and his men made a move. Then they were escorted to he Clear Creek House, where they had to take and were finally loudly The proprietor of the hotel, who had learned the articulars long before they appeared, metaphor- _ jeally took off his hat to,Tom, and told him that he and his friend owned the house as long as _ they chose to remain. He easily foresaw. that ‘their presence would draw a big lot of custom his bar during their stay, and that he would congratulated on having such a remarkable guest as Collingwood—a boy who actually beard- ed the biggest desperado in Colorado in his own haunt without a gun to protect himself with. We're right in it, Tom,” said Bob, when the had retired to their room. “Or rather you e, for I’ a onl: a side issue. 1 never drank so such ‘a short time-in vo ay had 2 a “formation. ‘to see them, gave-them lots of good advice, an GOOD LUCK = “Well, it-is a great satisfaction te me to know that I saved a man’s life to-night,” replied his companion. .“It is true that I didn’t know I was ~ up against the worst desperado in the State, but even had ee part it I shouldn’t have acted dif- ferently. n I saw him yank his gun out T felt it ia ee ones that he was going to kill the officer, and on the spur of the moment I did the best thing I knew how to try and prevent the. tragedy.” > “It was a good thing that you hit the mark fair and square. Ifyou: hadn’t—you know re the. deputies said.” % “T’ll bet I’ve marked him far life.” : “Ym glad we’re going away in a dav or bes The rascal, or some of his friends, might lay for us and try to get square.” “We must carry our guns after this for ‘pro tection. I think I’ll use his revolver. It’s heavier. and 7g formidable than the one I bought for myself.” Tom drew out Bill Higgings’s weapon and looked at it. “It’s a corker,” said Bob. many men he’s killed with it?” “More than one, I'll wager.” DB) The boys talked for some time over their strer uous experience in “The Eldorado.” a Tom had a talk with the hotel man shee ame lay of the country in the direction of the Bla Triplets, and was abundantly supplied with — The proprietor asked them if thi were ~oing prospecting, and Tom intimated that they were. They decided to set ‘out soon after dinner and put up over night at the ranch of « William Spencer, to whose hospitality they w warmly recommended by Sheriff Bartling. Deputy Sheriff Jack Jordan, who came aroun “I wonder how helped them pack their things on their horses proper shape. He advised them to get a long thin and tough rope for mountain climbing, as said jt was bound to come in handy. ; Rifles being an “unnecessary ineumbrance we not considered in their makeup. Jordan said ¢ their revolvers opght to afford them suffi protection. They were not likely to meet with — any special peril from the inhabitants of the — district, unless they ran foul of sca Higgings some of his crowd. “T hardly think that you'll. run across that gang in the direction you’re going, asthe raseal: have been operating chiefly between here an Denver. However, vou should keep your weathe eye lifting all the.time, for there’s no telling just where the scamps may turn up. After what yo did to Higgings last night it would not be wi for either of you to meet him. He can dra gun quicker than any man in the State, and 6 counted a dead shot. There is a reward of $3,00 standing for his capture, alive or dead, and § 1.0 " apiece for the regular members of his gang.” a The boys thought that they would Peace et bo run across the desperado, even with the ch of winning one of the rewards. A crowd ga’ to see them. of one Me all being in.
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- CHAPTER I[X.—Tom and Bob Make a : : New Friend. Rar ™ : ; They were soon out of sight of town and riding ‘among the various mines of the district. Occa- sionally they were recognized and warmly gyreet- ed by miners who had been in Clear Creek the * night before and heard of Collingwood’s perform- ance at “The Eldorado.” Every one -asked them whither they were they were on a prospecting tour. In the course two hours they had passed beyond the mining trict of Clear Creek and were alone on the trail ing in the direction of the Black Triplets. This is simply great,” remarked Bob, as they de along side by side. “I feel like a bird.” ‘After we have roughed it & while things will ~ look different,” replied Tom. “At present we are mjoying a new and novel experience, and even bare plain and commonplace foothills interest i When we weturn to Clear Creek I hope we will have evidences of unlimited wealth in. our saddle bags.” z “1 shall be greatly, disappointed if we do not,” ‘This is a great country, the wild and woolly est, isn’t it?” That's what it is. When gold was first dis- overed in this district I guess things were pretty: ce for awhile.: I'll bet -there was lots of “promiscuous shooting going on. In those times *ve heard that every hard rooster had a private veyard. The country is now growing civilized ‘with the introduction of modern mining methods.” “Bello!” exclaimed Tom. “Here comes a soli- tary horseman from the direction of the mines.” As long as it isn’t red-headed Bill Higgings I ion’t care,” answered Bob. > ‘He’s evidently aiming to keep us company.” ~ “[’ve no objection to his aiming at anything except a gun at us,” grinned Bob. “I’ve no am- bition to be made a target of.” The stranger came on after them at a rapid “pace, and ere long they made out that he was a boy like themselves. s they were merely jopging along at a slow ace the young horseman presently overtook A m1. ‘Well, pardners, -you’re from Clear Creek, I ess?” he said, as he reined in beside Tom. He was a well-built, curly-headed lad, with om and Bob took an instant fancy to him. ‘hat’s right,” replied Tom. “We left there ething over two hours ago.” +. you the boys who were in ‘The Eldorado’ ight?” he asked with some eagerness in +55 bound, and Tom gave out the impression that . “Glad to know you, Munson,” said Tom. is my chum, Bob Preston.” - The boys nodded at each other. aS _ “When I heard that you fellows had been seen riding out this way I hurried on to meet you, for I wanted to know the fellow who had the nerve to stand out against Red Bill Higgings. You're a wonder, Collingwood.” - Hoe ale “Tve had s “Thi : “Oh, I don’t know,” replied Tom. many bouquets thrown at me since last evening — that it’s a wonder I haven’t a swelled head by this time.” ‘ “No fear of that,” grinned Bob. # “You saved Jack Jordan’s life with a tumbler I hear?” siid the newcomer. A “Yes, I guess I did,” admitted Tom. Les “They ‘say you didn’t have a gun of any kind about you at the time?” at “didn’t.” 4 “Well, you’ve got a magnificent nerve,” xeplied - Munson, -admiringly. : : : “Thanks,” laughed Ton#® |- 3 “How did you come to go into ‘The Eldorado?’ ‘— Didn’t you know that it was the toughest saloon “We are. From good old New York State.” — “Come out here to rough it?” 3 “That’s what we have.” - _ “You look as if you might be going prospect- ing. : : ‘ “We're on a gold digging aunt.” You'll have to find your gold first,” ~ Munson. sWe're looking for-it now.” Been -studying mineralogy, 1 suppose, an . haye come ont here to practice what you learne from your books.” $a . : “No, I can’t’say we’ve done any of that kind of studying. We’ve been working in a cutlery works _for a matter of three years.” 3 “Don’t you know anything about the properties of mineral substances?” asked Munson in m0 : little surprise. - pee “Not a thing.” y , “Then how do you expect to distinguish presence of gold-bearing rock?” Cate ‘By seeing the specks of gold in it,” replied Tom, rather innocently.. err? Munson laughed heartily at his answer. I’m afraid you'll only waste vour time if try to prospect on that line,” he said. “A would be prospector ought to acquire all the knowl me he can, both theoretical and practical, pertaining __ usiness before he starts out on an actu trip.--He should learn in what rocks and un _ what conditions he may reasonabl
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the matter,” said Tom, regarding chee new ac- ; ep tice with interest. z “J ought to. I’ve studied the. subject on the aires I’ve mentioned, and I’ve done.some practical prospecting’ to test my knowledge. But I came out here chiefiy to rough it for my health.” _ “Where do you hang out?” - “At my uncle’s ranch, about fifteen miles from “here. I can promise you that you'll receive a Seas welcome.” “We expected to stay over night at William Spencer’s ranch,” said Tom. “That’s my uncle.” “Y’m glad to- hear it. Sheriff Bartling. ' “Well, the best introduetion you could have is the record vou put against Red Bill Higginegs. _ The raseal has a grudge against mv uncle, and ~ has threatened to do him up some time. He ' tried it once some months back. but was beaten off. The man who. pits Red Bill under the’ sod will get $1,000 from mv uncle.” Tom and Bob liked Sam Munson more and more as the three cantered along over the trail, and Sam seemed to be equally attracted to them. ane “Where are vou fellows bound, anyway?” ~ asked Munson.’ xt “We're making for the rafige in the neighbor- _. hood of the Black Triplets.” “Phe dickens vou are. That’s a mighty wild district. I know several prospectors who have een down ‘that way, but thev didn’t find any in- _ dications of gold, and they were men of great experience. One of them stopped over night with " —unele on his way back to Clear Creek some weeks ago. He-was an old chap named Thomas Triggs.” “We knew him;” said Tom. Pie Did you 7: Where did you meet him? In >= Denver ?” © “No; In Forksville, New York, the town where ag we were living.” F ae -“You don’t say. I never thought he’d go East. oe He's been thirty-five vears, according to his own account, in the West, Southwest and Northwest. Those sort of men searcelv eare to return to ‘civilized haunts.” “He went East hal atine he had the rheumatism ‘bad, and he thought he’d get better of it there. ‘But he didn’t. It went to his heart and he died.” “So he’s dead, eh?” ~~ "Yes. “\ Now look here, Munson, I rather like you. I think you're a pretty decent kind of fellow. If I tell vou why Bob and I have come ’ out here will you keep it to yourself?” “T will, upon my word.” “And would you like to come with us to the lack Triplets?” I’ve a note to him from think you’re bound on a wild- goose chase.” _* “Suppose I told you we’ve come all the way from New York State with the expectation of ‘finding lots of gold in the Black Triplets?” ‘Then I'd say I felt sorry for you, as vou’re und to be disappointed. Did you?” “We did. And we have a definite object in view. Did you ever hear, of a place called.Death ee 1), Valley in yonder range? ’ve heard my uncle speak of sucha place, but i it’s been hunted for by many prospectors, et - pean THE PATH TO GOOD LUCK -made seven attempts to locate the place. _ peculiar one since it has defied discovety so long.” - "Yes, Pm willing to go with you, though : a I guess its existence tiga Es “Well, there is such a. place, and it is rich with gold. It’s alive with it.” “How do you know pats asked Munson in- surprise. “Because Mr. Tigges told me all about it. ‘He's s been there, and I saw- he semiles of ore. he” 3 brought away $700 a ton.” “When did he tell you that?” “Just before he died.” said a word about Death Valley. he was-in his right mind?” “I have plenty of evidence to show that he was.. He heard the story of Death Valley from an old Indian twentv years ago. Since then oe failed six times, but the seventh he was suee * a cessful. That was just before you saw him at the ranch. He staked the valley out and recorded his claims at Denver. That looks like business, doesn’t it?” 584 “Tt does for a fact,” admitted Munson. ie “Just before he died he willed the property to — me and gave me full directions how to find the © path leading to the valley. which must be a Are you sure — “Say, .pard, this yarn of yours is mighty in- teresting. I'll be glad to go with you to the Black Triplets if only on’ the chancg of seeing this mysterious valley. So you saw rich golil- bearing rock that old man ‘Triggs said came from Death Valley?” 4 “Bob and I saw it all right, and we’ve wat Ss some of the specimens in our, trunk which we left at the hotel in Clear Creek. “Ya like to see them.” ° “You shall see them if we don’t find this veatey and gather more of the same kind there. I was thinking you’d be a good one to have- with’ because you understand rocks and such things and we do not. We have come prepared to wash out the surface gold which Mr. Triggs said li about all over the valley. If things turn out as we expect I intend to form a company and Pe right into the mining business.” “Well, if old Triggs told the truth about Deat! Valley, and you’ve succeeded to his rights, you re liable to become a rich boy. One thing will th be absolutely certain—there’l] be a rush to Death Valley to capture claims, and we'll have a n mining camp down in the range. That will pro ably bring the railroad down through this pa x the country, and it will grow. People will settle along the line of the road, and my uncle’s rar will cease to be in the wilderness.” : The sun was now setting behind the mountain in.the west. . Munson looked around the landsewne’ : “Another hour’s ride will bring us to. ranch,” he said, and Tom and Bob were mighty glad to hear it, for it gave ther: visions of a good warm meal with a bed to follow—luxuries - they didn’t expect to participate in again some time. is CHAPTER X.—Love’s Young Dream. Before the hour had quite elapsed ms riding up a wide path h of a t rambli
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THE PATH TO It was flanked by a number of outhouses, the whole collection looking décidedly lomesome where you couldn’t see another house for miles no matter in what direction you gazed. This was the ranch of William Spencer, to whom Tom bore a Jetter of introduction. from Sheriff Bart- ling. of Clear Creek. Their approach was noted by Mr. Spencer himself, who was sitting on the perch. He easily made out that his nephew Sam - was one of the party, and he presumed the other _ two, whom he saw were boys also, were friends = of, Sam. t They dismounted near the porch steps and an employee of the ranch came forward and led the three animals away. “Unele Will,” said Sam, “let me make you ac- quainted with Tom Collingwood (Tom bowed) and Bob Preston.” Same also bowed. t “Glad to know you, young men,” said the yanchman. “Take off your knapsacks and make yourselves at home.- My nephew will show you “to a room “presently. Dinner will be ready shortly.” - Tom presented ‘the sheriff’s letter to Mr. Spencer, who opened and read it. Sheriff Bart- ling gave the bearer an uncommon reputation for perve and pluck. He had written a brief account . of Tom’s run-in with the notorious Bill Higgines gt “The, Eldorado” the night before, through -- which the boy had saved Jack Jordan’s life. : “Young man,” said the ranchman, after he had yead the letter, “allow me to shake vour hand again. So you actually took vour life in your - hands to save a stranger from being shot dead - by Red Bill Higgings?” He regarded his young -_¥jisitor with a look of admiration. “You dared to face that seoundrel. with only a tumbler for a -. weapon. And you eame out first best at that. -_ here must be a special providence watching over you, young man. Had you deliberately wished to commit suicide vou could scarcely have taken a surer means of turning up your toes than -. by doing what vou did. The fact that you did not become a subject for the coroner is that you had _-the benefit of the one chance in a thousand. I -,, admire your pluck and self-possession in a trying ordeal, and feel proud to have you as my guest. Mr. Spencer told Sam to take the boys to a ~ ¢ertain room on the second floor, and grabbing’ up _théiy knapsacks he led the way up a wide: stair- * “ease. Their conductor showed them into a low- - eeiled. spacious chamber, where thev proceeded to get rid of the dust and dirt of their after- ~ noon’s ride, while Sam went to his own room to freshen himself up likewise. When he returned Tom and Bob were ready to ‘accompany him downstairs. The boys were now jntroduced to Mrs. Spencer and her daughter Jessie, a very pretty, dark-eyed young girl of sixteen years. ‘They greeted their visitors with great cordiality, but from the way they particu- larlv reearded Tom it was easy to see that the + yanechman had communicated to them the con- tents of the sheriff’s letter, . ‘The name of Red Bill Higgings was a bugbear at the Spencer ranch, and therefore Collinewood’s gallant action at “The Eldorado” was all the more appreciated by the family. Dinner was presently ,ounced and the visitors were shown into the 6} “ 2 » GOOD LUCK Tom was accorded the position of honor next to the host at the head of the table, with the daughter of the house beside him, while Bob and Sam Sat on the other side. The boys thought the meal an uncommonly good one, and several de giees better than what the Clear Creek hotel had furnished. Tom was quite taken with Mis: Jessie, who was a bright and vivacious gitl, a the young lady seemed to be. equally attracted the good-looking boy. After the meal all ; journed to the porch, which was now bathed in the light of the rising moon. Tom stated in a general way the object of their journey in t direction. ig “The range thereabouts has been pretty well bess prospected,” Mr. Spencer said, “without any im- portant results. I am afraid you are only wast- ing your time.” pee “Well, sir, we can afford the time. If we don’t’ find gold we'll find experience. A few weeks’ roughing it among the mountains will probab: do us good. I suppose you have no objections to your nephew accompanying us on this trip. He ~~ is willing to do so, and we should like to have him along for company,” said Tom. pe ' “No objection at all,” replied the ranchman. “Sam has carte blanche to go anywhere h pleases whenever he pleases. We don’t hold him in check by any set of rules or regulations, we know he-is a boy to be trusted.” ae So the matter of Sam’s going with them was settled. _Mr. Spencer would not hear of the boys taking their departure for several days. Ordi_ narily Tom would have preferred resuming his trip to the Black Triplets, but the bright eyes and engaging ways of Jessie Spencer-had their effect upon him, and he was quite content to 7 a main a while at the ranch and ramble about eh her company whilé Bob and Sam amused them- selves together. Tom’s reputation for courageand coolness ,in an emergency was greatly enhance at the ranch when Bob described how he ha saved the night express on the Midland Cent Railroad by signalling the engineer from the-c ter of the steel girder bridge, and then leaping down between the girders to save himself from -being crushed to death by the oncoming locomo= tive. Bee “So you came all the way from the East to hunt gold in the mountains of Colorado?” said Jessie to Tom, as she was walking with him not far from the house on the second day of his visi “Yes,” nodded the boy. “And I expect to find — it, too, somewhere’in the neighborhood of the Black Triplets.’ : ee “Father is afraid that you'll be disappointed “Tf we are able to find Death Valley I don’t - think we’ll be disappointed.” {> somes “But father doesn’t think there is any su place.” Reese “He admits that he heard of it often when he ~ first came to live on this ranch,” replied Tom. “Every prospeetor who has been down this’ has looked for the valley, but none ever four “That's where you’re wrong. One prospe ren did find it.” hg Newt’ “We never heard the fact mentioned. stione? 34 fae he wanld have, con sider FF iS ee 3 Ee
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a feather in his cap, whether there were dications of gold there or not.” ‘he man who-accidentally discovered the only ath that leads to the valley ‘called here on: his vn to Denyer, but kept the secret-to him- He was an old felloy named Thomas ” riggs. ‘yemember him well,” she replied. “It is not 180 long ago that he was here.” ‘ ‘ Well, you’ll never see him again. He is dead.” “Is it possible?” “Yes. Before he died-he confided the secret Yeath Valley to me, and willed me his claim “the place. He assured me that there was enough gold there to make me wealthy. So Bob ; éston and I have come to this State to verify lis discovery and take possession of his property t shows promising results. We’ve persuaded ousin Sam to accompany us, and if the vel- should dearly love to go.along, too,” she said, th sparkling eyes, “but of course I can’t, for ’m only a girl. ow I wish I was a boy!” T’m glad you’re not a boy. I shouldn’t like ‘you half so well if you were.’ ie blushed vividly and looked pare at the ind. ‘afraid when I start for the range with boys I'll leave something~behind-me here on ranch,” went on Tom after a pause. “Can’t rou guess what it is?”’ he added in a low tone. She did not dare ask what he meant, for there vas something in his tone and manner that gave Toate suspicion of the truth and her heart n to flutter strangely. Both were conscious ‘fact that, when they came to part a few ater a void would be left which had not ex- sted before they met each other. “Before I met you, Jessie,” breathed Tom, “I did ‘not know ‘what it was to care for any girl, though I’ve met Icts of them. ether you care anything for me or not, but I anove that you have become all the world to me. iow that when I leave you all the pleasure I counted on in this trip to the range will dis- y. I will be only able to think of the little left behind on this ranch. Now I want to if you will miss me even a little bit.” they came to a pause in an open space in the ow aid Tom looked earnestly down at the sweet £ ace that was turned away from him. Although 3] did not indicate by words that she would miss him in the least, there was something im her man- ner that encouraged him and he-slipped his arm nd her slim waist. She made no move to draw rom him and aus emboldened him to pro- ’t you going to answer me, Jessie?” he ked in a tone that fell thrillingly on ‘her ears. erhaps I have offended you.’ : No, no,” she said, half turning ‘toward ee in ent confusion. tell me—do you or do fe not care for S a eet THE PATH TO GOOD. LUCK out he shall have a share in the good I don’t know: pee sade: “Yes,” and buried her face on his shoul er. “¥ou do care for me,” he exclaimed joyfully. ‘With all your heart as I care for you? we “Yes,” she replied. pokey He bent his head and gently raising hers, ne kissed her on the lips. é But at that moment love’s young dream was” rudely intruded upon by a hoarse, jeering guffaw behind them, whose jarring note speedily awoke — them to the realization that not only they no- longer were alone, but, there was danger in the — air. Jessie released herself with a stifled exclama-. tion.. As they turned around to see who the in- truder was they were confronted by the leering, wicked countenance and stalwart form of Re Bill Higgings, whose treacherous eyes glowered upon them with a sarcastic, triumphant expres- sion. CHAPTER XE—In the Mountain Cave. “A pretty pair of frie doves, upon my word,” he said sardonically, “It’s almost a pity to have — og trapped ’em. So, young feller, you and me meet sk again, eh? Do you see that hand?” he went fe) menacingly, ‘raising his bandaged right fist. “That, is your work. Besides, I was almost caught on your account. Well, them that butts in must pay the piper. Grab ’em boys. This here is Spencer’ darter, and we'll make him pay a. stiff prite to get her back. As for the poy, I'll attend to Bei when we reach the range.’ A pair of villainous looking rascals apr from among the trees and advanced to leader’s bidding. Jessie uttered a ters ; scream, and Tom pulled his revolver to defen her. Higgings, however, had his gun out so quick that it took the boy’s breath away. Shoving the muzzle into Tom’s face, he cried:' Z “Drop your gpn, or I'll blow the roof off your head!” Tom had cocked his weapon, but that was as. ag he had got. “He saw he had no show at all, bu if the act cost him his life he determined to ; Jessie’s ery by a pistol shot that he hoped would call attention to the spot. So he pulled the t The revolver went off and the bullet» went So he simply lifted his left hand and struck T a stunning blow in the head Which felled him un conscious to the ground. a “Quick! Gag the girl with a handkerchief and carry her to owr horses,” he said vehement] | Then he stooped, lifted Tom and. threw across his shoulder, thus - displaying” strength. In a few moments they were unhitch- ing. their animals and preparing to retreat. ‘Take the boy, Norris,” he said to one of men. “I’ll carry the girl myself.” - He sprang on his horse, took the strugg’ sie from the man holding her, and spurre full speed in the direction of the rang‘ scream and the pistol Cae alarmed who epee to b wood dist:
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eet ° eo the wood just in time to see Red Bill Higgings riding away from it with Jessie in his arms, fol- jewed in a moment by his two rascally followers. - The ranchman recognized the abductors with a ‘groan of anguish’ He knew it was useless for him to follow them alone. So noting the direction 2 they were taking he turned his horse back toward _ the ranch house, firing his revolver as he went. This raised a genera] alarm and half a dozen of his men came running up. Bob and Sam were not present, as they had gone fishing some miles away. - -‘Mx. Spencer hurriedly explained the situation :to his men, and told them to get their rifles and their horses and follow him. While they were (prepar- _ ing for the chase the ranchman rushed into the house, got his own rifle and cartridge belt, and ‘without a word to his excited wife, rejoined his followers. The ruffians were well mounted on stout mustangs, and they set a hot pace for the pursuers, whom they led by nearly three miles. _ After an hour’s~chase it. seemed to be certain, _ ~ unless some &ecident happened to the villains, that _. they would surely reach the fastnesses of the mountains in time to hide somewhere. It was dark when Tom came to his senses andfound him- self lying on the rocky floor of a case in’ the moun- - tainside. Two yards away a.fire was burning -* hidden behind a big boulder. Bill Higgings, look- =e ing -fiercer than ever in the fitful glow of the * ' flames, was seated with his back against the rocky ~~ wall, smoking a pipé and talking to one of the : men, while the other one was employed cooking = something over the fire. : “You must have hit the boy a good clout, for he shows no signs of coming to,” Tom heard the yillain’s associate femark. . : ; '-“That’s what I meant to do to keep him quiet till we got out here. He'll come around by ue ti the moon is up,” replied Higgings, with a eetead as “then I'll take him down the stream, plow his brains out and shuck him-into the water.” “Better wait, till mornin’,” said the other. “The -- shot might attract the attention of the ranch - evowd who are lookin’ for us.% ; “They’re not around here. I saw them go in ++ the other direction.. They’re miles away beating up the bushes somewhere around the Black’ Trip- Pevis lets ” ae) Oa 3 AS es E “J wouldn’t take no chances unless you’re sure. — -Our’skins is more valuable than the death of that kid. If I was_you I'd tie him hand/and foot and _ Jeave him in the inner cav€ where the girl is now - to starve. You’d get a heap more satisfaction out of that, at least I would if I was doin’ the thing. ~- What’s a ball in the head? He’d never know - what struck him. Starvin’ is different. He’ll suf- fer for days and die little by little. That’s the ri ay to get the good out of revenge.” . /“T don’t know but: you’re right, Norris. ink it over.” : : At ak yearteoane” the other man announced that ras ready. a othce dish it a Walker. Leave enough in the ~ pot for the gal. We've got to look outfor her, as, {she’s worth several thousands.to us,” said Hig- ‘ Se : OXF =: s a ee hear him talking to some one in there, and | knew that some one was Jessie’ Spencer. After a time he returned and stopped in front of T. ly who as soon as he saw ‘him coming pretended to be still unconscious.» After One sharp glance a Collingwood he returned to the vicinity df the Walker, who seemed to be regarded more or Je as a helper, heated a pan of water over the glo ing embers and washed out the pannikins and th iron pot. When he had finished his work he sat down near the others, got out his pipe and hi flash of liquor, and joined in the conversation. “Look here, pards, I've just thought of a 1 scheme,” said Higgins, knocking the ashes fro the pipe and refilling it. ‘Spencer and his m will not go home till they’ve exhausted every p sible chance of findin’ the gal. Now don’t you se my laddybucks, that leaves the ranch with hard a defender. Probably one man and the two youn chaps are all that’s there now. My idea is for us three to ride over there, take the people by sur- prise, know ’em on the head to keep ’em quiet, plunder the place and then set fire to it. We’. gain a lot of valuables, and I’ll have a-full re venge on Bill Spencer for past favors. The lig’ of the burnin’ ranch is likely. to bring the cro that’s after us hack to the property. We'll sw around and return here along the foothills. Then after I dispose of the boy we’ll take the gal with us and go south to, some ‘Safe place from whi I kin make terms for the gal’s return. How does this strike you?” : : “First rate,” exclaimed Norris. ry it out.” ; ~. Walker also signified his willingness to fall the plan. - eres “Then that’s settled. The sooner we start the better, for it won’t be no darker than it is now. Get a piece of rope, Norris, an® tie the boy so can’t get away when he comes to his senses. is fix the gal so she'll be safe enough here. Th n we'll move on for the ranch.” Ya Bill Higgings and his men got on their feet, and Norris getting the rope, came over to Tom. shook the boy roughly, but Tom acted like a dead one, and satified that their prisoner was still out — of his senses, he proceeded to bind-his legs. to- gether. Then Norris turned Collingwood over. his face and tied his arms just above his wrist As he worked in the dark, and Tom artfully held his wrists in such a way that reversing th would cause a certdin. amount of slack in rope, the job was, on the whole, rather a bunglin one. While Norris was engaged with Tom Hig- gings went.into the inner part of the cave and secured Jessie. Collingwood was ‘then carried int a snug place behind the rock. where the fire “I vote we cal - ashes, and left there. Satisfied that they wouk find their prisoners on their return just as they were leaving them, the rascals left the eave mounted their horses and rode off toward - ranch, six miles away. : 3 - * had denarted in m
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3 Oe Se et ree himself. Ag he felt that his life ultimately depended on his success, he worked away with yerish eagerness. His ruse at the time Norris as tying him, as well as the smallness of his hands, worked in his favor, and inside of a quar- r of an hour he had worked one hand out of limbo and it was easy to release the other. The _ jack-knife he always carried was in his pocket, the rascals not haying searched him, and five minutes sufficed to free him wholly of his bonds. ~. Then he stood up with a sigh of satisfaction. “Now to release Jessie; but without horses I don’t see how we can return to the ranch in time to outwit Higgings and his men. Let us hope Bob, Sam and whoever else may be there, will be @ to hold them off. I fear, howevér, that the als may succeed in surprising them, and then e worst is likely to happen.” He had his matchsafe in his clothes and he struck a lucifer as soon as he had felt his way around the corner of the ledge. As the light flared up he saw the huddled-up form of Jessie losé by, gagged and tightly bound. Her eyes lit “up with surprise and joy when she recognized -* ‘Tom coming to her. But she could not utter a rd-on account of the handkerchief which Hig- ngs had bound tightly across her mouth. Tom, aly quickly released her from the handker- ief, and she could only exclaim, “Oh, Tom!” when she fainted. He cut her bonds, and taking her in his arms, carried her out of the cave. Per- eiving a running mountain stream near by, Tom ore her to its banks, and dashed the clear, cold water in her face until he succeeded ’in restoring xr to consciousness. Then he asked her what ad happened after he was struck down in the roods by the red-headed scoundrel. She told him w they had been carried across the plain to the nge, followed by half a dozen horsemen from the nch, one of whom she believed to be her father. 1 i ted to know how Tom had man- ed to escape. ~*J will tell you as we go along, Jessie. We must ot stay here, though the villains are a mile or wo away by this time on their way, I am sorry say, to attack, rob and burn the ranch, which shey believe to be unprotected at the present time.” Jessie was greatly distressed to learn that news her mother’s account, knowing that she would “be exposed to probable indignities in case the yvuffians were successful in achieving their ob- “ject. Tom reassured her as well as he could. ~The main issue with us now is to make sure of our escape. The ranch is six miles away and - we can do nothing to save it. If we could meet mged differently.” . The words were hardly out of his month be- fore they almost ran into the arms of two of Mr. jpencer’s cowboys. men in the: gloom, and their first impression was at they had. unexpectedly run foul of their memies. Jessie uttered a scream of fear and “fell back with Tom, but the identity of the men tone of satisfaction: not eee toe THE PATH TO. GOOD LUCK . have them all here in no time.” ‘Explanations ensued’ and Myr. Spencer learned our father and his men, matters could be ar- They did not recognize the. at once established when one of them cried,. - there could do too much f three days before h ree 5 te Pe ODE ee i Pe re cet ee “How did. adoes ?” 4 . “Whete is my father?” asked Jessie, without an- — swering his question. ate “He’s somewhere around in the neighborhood. — We're out lookin’ for you in small parties. I'll you escape from those desper- He drew his revolver and fired three shots in the — air. Three answering shots were fired a short distance away, and other reports followed fur- ther away. Almost directly two more cowboys came up, and the party started to walk in the di- rection indicated by Anson, In five minutes they were joined ‘by the ranchman and a fifth cow- boy. The seventh member of the party was watch- ing.the horses some distance away. The meeting between father and daughter was a joyful one. that his daughter’s ling wood. ad “You've conferred a lasting obligation on me, Collingwood,” said the grateful father. “Be sure I shali not forget what I owe you.” petit “All right, Mr. Spencer. I did the best could — for her, and am glad I was able to reseue her. But we have no time to stand here and taik. Your ranch is in danger from those rascals. They’v ridden over to attack and destroy it while you and your men are here searching for us. You'd bet ter lose no tite in returning, Ill tell you how I learned this afterward.” its 15 Reaching the horses, Mr. Spencer took hi daughter in front of him on his own horse, whil Anson gave Tom a lift on his animal, and in fev minutes the entire party was riding at full speed — for the ranch.. When within a mile of the plac they heard two rifle shots and saw the flashes of > the same from the windows of the house. Thi urged them. on to an extra spurt of speed, a they soon observed flashes from behind one the outhouses, which showed that the rascals wete- firing at the defenders of the building, who it ap peared had not been taken by surprise, much the ranchman’s satisfaction. The moon comi out at that moment, the villains caught sight o the approaching horsemen, and not being ‘stro 3 enough to contend against reinforcements, they sprang on their horses and tried to escape to the. hills. Tom sprang off Ansen’s’horse so as not | incommode, him, and the six cowboys speeded a er the retreating raseals. Possessing a great vantage in their rifles, the cowboys brought down the villains one by one by firing at their mustangs. and unhorsing them. When they surrounded Red Bill Higgings he put up a desperate fight, for knew his life was forfeited anyhow. He woun three of the cowboys, one of them badly, be he was mortally shot himself, hit by a rifle The cowboys surrounded him, and -though saw he was sure to die, they put a lariat arov safety was due to Tom Col- In the m ma om Co! wood became the hero of th h rie
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ty ~" CHAPTER XIII.—The Giant Skuil. During the first two or three hours of the jour- ney Tom looked down in the mouth. It was some- _ thing of a trial for him to tear himself away from the fascinating influence exercised over him by Jessie Spencer. The girl herself was similar- ly affected, for she had learned*to love the man- ly-looking boy with aJl the strength of a first at- tachment.. Bob and Sam understood Tom’s feel- ings, for they had not been blind to his evident. preference for Jessie’s society during his stay at the ranch. They stopped for dinner among the foothills, within sight of the three dark- colored mountain peaks, and they reached the mg narrow valley which circled around the base of two of the Triplets shortly after sundown. ve they established their camp for the night, picketing their horses and starting a fire. Sam ~ Munson volunteered. to act. as cook and his ser- ‘wives were accepted. He soon prepared a pot. of - eoffee and fried a mess of bacon and eggs, whiclr with them from the ranch, made a first-rate al yesco meal. They were up with the sun and Sam prepared the breakfast in good shape, after which. Tom got out his compass and paper of directions. “T must find a certain black stone,” he said. “That’s where I start from. So keep your eyes ‘skinned for such a thing.” ‘They proceeded slowly up the valley, watching ‘out for the stone in question. e ~ At-length Sam caught sight of a tall, dark-col- ed stone jutting out of the ground near the base of Trivle No. 1, as they called it. : “There’s your black stone,” said Sam. . “If it isn’t exactly black it’s next door to it at any rate. - “¥ guess that must be it,” said Tom, putting e compass down on the southwest side of it. “At y rate if it isn’t the right one I’) soon know. He marked off fifty-six paces to the southwest, ooked at the compass and then faced east-south- est. The.directions stated that he should then be al a position to bring the Priplets into the form “an exact triangle. When he faced the three aks he found them in that position. “Everything is O. K. so far,” he said, in a tone of satisfaction. “Now we must picket our horses. All we'll take with us is a pick. shovel, a pan for ashing the gold; our knapsacks and cooking uten- sils. I'l strap the pick on my back. You'd bet- ter carry the shovel, Bob. The pans and other ‘things I'll assign to you, Sam. After we discover he path to Death pent and get the hang of the yy to it, we can come back here and carry back us the rest of our supplies and other things. om then noticed that Mr. Triggs had marked THE PATH TO GOOD LUCK | with the fresh.bread and butter they had-brought © _ gy mass of rock, stained red or green from the ‘ually approached the highest point of Triple ‘ to the valley that apparently lay snugly pe: Good Luck.’ ” ; the way grew so rugged that Tom thought it a visable to use the rope tied around their waists equal distances apart, so as to help one another over the difficult places. They soon found it of great assistance. - ; ; “If this is the only. way to the golden valley,” said Bob, “we’re going’ to have a whole lot of trouble getting to and fro, and cdrrying such a heavy height as gold.” si a little engineering will makg the road much easier.” 5 ae “You don’t call this a road, do you?” asked Bob, with a grimace. : “No. There is no path till we strike the Giant Skull, then the ‘Path to Good Luck,’ as the olc man ealled"it, leads straight down to Death Val- ley. If there was a path all. the way up here the valley would no: doubt have been easily found long ago.” = t Ay The higher they went the harder the way b came and the more wild and sterile became’ th face of the mountains. The reason why a pyro: pector did not persevere in this vicinity was clea to the experienced eye of Sam Munson. Ther was an utter absence of “float,” that is, vein m ter which has become detached from the “moth lode”. by natural agencies. These fragments rol a downhill, or are carried by water and snowslide sometimes great distances from the original ledge. Some of this “float” may be barren quartz or other vein rock, while some may be more or less mineralized. Commonly, “float” is a rusty, spon oxidation of the iron or copper sulphides it ori inally contained. It was apparent to Sam that Mr. Triggs did not come up here because he ex— posted to find gold on the mountain, but because’ he ‘was searching for an entrance to Death Val ley, where he believed gold was to be found i anywhere in the Triplets. At length the boy came to a deep fissure in the mountainside, along one side of which ran a narrow feotpath. With Bob-in the lead now they ascended this, and grad Bi Mr. No.1 Suddenly Bob was arrested by a tug at the rope. ; Andes “See!” cried Tom Collingwood, pointing across. the fissure. “The Giant Skull!” ee “My gracious!” exclaimed Bob. “So it is Sam, lower down, gave a startled gasp; Th three boys gazed awesomely at the curious rocky formation staring them in the face. oat “The Giant Skull,” repeated Tom, his blac leaping with excitement. “The old man’s story’ is clearly true. ‘The Path to Good Luck’ lies before us, and at its foot is Death Valley—th New Eldorado—the Valley of Gold.” | aS CHAPTER XIV.—The Valley of Gold. They were now exceedingly anxious to press in between the three dark-colored mountain peai A few yards further on, after rounding the ledge they came on a well-defined path ‘eading down- “Hurrah! shouted Bob. “Here's the ‘Path They followed it without aa nest tee in the long ey. most th
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narrow and swiftly-flowing mountain stream which passed along one side of the valley was the following notice: pa) “DEATH VALLEY LODE. “The 2 eae Valley Lode, discovered by Thomas ‘Triggs, May 27, 189—. ™Claim 750 feet northerly and 750 feet southerly from discovery. Be “THOMAS TRIGGS.” - Mr. Triggs had’staked the claim out in due form monuments of stone. There were seven of these a Rah her, one being near the center of the claim, close to the discovery shaft which the old pros- < lector had with great labor succeeded in sinking to the requisite depth and width as required by jaw. Sam saw that Mr. Triggs had left nothing undone to establish his legal right to the claim, and he so notified Tom. Tom and Bob found 'Sam’s services invaluable. Although the small valley, which had clearly once been the bed of a __ considerable-sized mountain’ torrent, was alive «with surface gold in fine particles, left theresdur- ing ages by the flow of the original stream from p the range, the two boys could scarcely detect ‘any of the wealth that lay around them. “You see,” said Sam, “this narrow depression, _ which of course is really not a valley at all, is so hemmed in by the Black Triplets that the golden articles brought down the mountain and swept mto this place have lodged here. It is really a ‘remarkable circumstance to find a species of err deposit im connection with a lode claim. er dinner I will examine the lode as uncov- ‘ered by Mr. Triggs, and I have no doubt but I indicated. While we are here we will investigate this claim more thoroughly. If I find that the veins _ or the lode, or both, appear to extend under Trip- et No. 3, as I should fancy they do, Bob and I can stake out claims for ourselves and reap the ‘benefit that would accrue to others who came here later and -prospected beyond your property rights. ou are entitled to all veins apexing within the boundaries of your claim, and may work such eins on‘their dip to their full length for the dis- tance between the parallel vertical planes of the end lines. Under no condition can you follow the ein outside of those points. If we find that the. vein in its dip turns and crosses the end plane, Bob and I will stake out the ground that you have no right to, and will participate in Mr. Triggs’s discovery’ on our own account thie same as any stranger would have the right to do.” _ “All right,” said Tom, “that will suit me. I arte be glad to have you both own separate claims, as it w il] mean more profit to the three of s combined.” “A number of pans full of surface dirt was washed out, first by Sam to show Tom and Bob iow to do it properly. The two Forksville boys __ soon saw that the manipulation of the pan, while __ quite simple, required considerable practice before } one could become expert. Sam filled the pan about: half full of water from the, stream, and then ew into it a shovelful of dirt, after first pick- g out the larger pebbles. He worked the whole mass thoroughly with his fingers till all the clay reduced to a fine sand and mud. Then-he efully poured off the muddy wafer and refilled with clear water. j THE PATH TO GOOD LUCK will find that it is fully as rich as his samples ° while Bob Preston and Sam Munson are on the : STREET. ” 5 ec Any. “ “That's simple enough,” remarked Bob. fool could do that.” “Now watch me,” said Sam. s He took the pan in both hands, one on either ~ side, and inclining it slightly away from him, gave it a. peculiarcircular motion. At each rev- ~— olution of the pan a portion of the water slopped over the depressed edge of the pan, carrying with — it some of the sang and lighter minerals, the gold owing to its greater specific gravity, remaining at the bottom. He continued to do this until only a small quantity of sand was left, in which they all saw the specks of gold shining. Sam then © poured nearly all the water off, and moving the pan to and fro, the gold gr. adually collected by it- self, when a final tilt and jerk of the pan dis- posed of the sand, leaving the.gold in an oranhge- yellow streak. Tom and Bob then tried the proc- ess and succeeded very well after several trials; - They camped for-the night on the claim, and next morning made their way back to the valley — outside and brought back with them the rest of - their supplies and traps, including a small tent provided by Sam. They remained’two weeks in — the little valley washing gold, and by that time — had collected a considerable quantity of the pree- 9 a; ious metal. A number of good-sized nuggets were © found, too. They then returned to the ranch for © fresh supplies, and astonished» Mr. Spencer with — the news of their discovery of Mr. Triggs’s val- ~ uable claim, now Tom’s property. When they went back to Death Valley the ranchman accom- — panied them. Tom decided\that the matter should be kept a profound secret until they had washed — up a sufficient quantity of gpld to give him a good — working capital to mine the claim in the latest manner. Sam and Bob staked off a claim apiece, one on Triplet No. 2 and one on Triplet No. Pe Three months later the other claims were record-_ ed with the recorder of the county, and then the — news of the discovery of gold in the heart of the i Black Triplets was circulated far and wide. Mr, ge Br, Spencer helped Tom form the “Death Valley Gold Mining Company,” the company taking in the’ —_ four_claims on a basis of sixty per cent. stock ~ for Collingswood, and forty per cent. divided be- tween Bob, Sam and the ranchman. A portion — of the stock was sold at a good figure for develop- ment purposes, and ‘before long a modern mining — plant was in full operation on the Triggs claim. Within a year sacks of gold ore were being se ee to Clear Greek for shipment.. The value of the output soon gave the mine a great reputation and no one was surprised at the high dividends declared when, the company was in full blast. Very little of the “Death Valley Mining C ry stock could be bought, though it was occasionally quoted on the exchances at 40 a share, which was double the price asked for shares’ of some of the crack Goldfield and Tonopah produeers. . To-day Tom Collingswood is a rich young man, he: road to large fortunes. Mr. Spencer is also gathering in fat dividen on his share of the stock, all of which will’ eyen- tually return Tom’s way through* Jessie Spencer, who is now the happy and petted wife of the Miner of Death Valley. Next. week’s issue will contain “MART wa TON’S MONEY; or, A CORNE SR IN
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GUS AND THE GUIDE 3 — Or, — _ Three Weeks Lost in the Rockies By GASTON GARNE “Sag (A Serial Story.) ~\y ° CHAPTER XXIII.— (Continued) - “What do you mean by that, Tom Treadway?” demanded the colonel. “Would you shoot us down in cold blood?” ig «J would,” was the savage sey “But the rest - of the boys have a say in the business. We will - talk it over. Meanwhile, stand where ye be. The first one that moves dies.” : _. The confab «ontinued for some time. - Meanwhile one. of- the band stood guard at the top of the movable incline. : ~ “At last Gopher Tom came forward and said? «The boys think, colonel, that we had better ‘slow. Jack Wicks here thinks that boy is not much of an idiot as he seems to ‘be; that he and that he knows Dr. 50 his matter, when I first struck ” isco in 749, I : oe icut it short,” broke in Gopher Tom. “This is no time for story-telling. All hands follow me.” His manner was so threatening. that Colonel ‘olking attempted no further speech. The prisoners were-now led through the spruce rove to the hut, which Gus and the guide had nly endeavored to locate on that stormy night. Apparently it was deserted. Gus and his com- yanions were ordered inside, and_ the door was ‘elosed upon them and a key turned in the lock. © the sheriff!” called Gopher Tom. “Remember there is a guard outside, and the first person ed.” ~ Three of the six Gophers had followed Tom dway, and the sound of their retreating tsteps could now, be heard. : ““Phis is my finish,” declared Silas, and he yopped exhausted to the floor. _ Eslonet Tolkins began “swearing, when all at ce the sharp report of rifles.was heard outside, mingled with loud shouts. ~ Phe sheriff has come, surest thing!”. cried what!” echoed the colonel. “T’'ve a good _ mind to make a break pe give myself up in case se ws are licked.’”-- : - those POWs ee said Gus. “I would could, but sib «It’s the only thing to do,” like to see you escape, if you ‘I can save tis pe ia ee FAME AND FORTUNE: WEEKLY ‘There you can stay until we get through with- attempts to leave this place will be instantly ean!” broke in a voice from the loft There was Belle Gibbons looking down at them from the trap-door. : ; “Belle!” cried Gus. re “Yes, Iam here,” replied the girl. “I can saye Ae from the Gophers and from the sheriff, too. romise that you will help.me get East, where T have friends among my mother’s people, Fay I will do it. I have had enough of this life, and. I want to cut it out forever.” ahs “You can have my promise,” said Gus . 3% “Say, Belle, I’ll pay your fare and give you © fifty dollars to boot!” echoed the colonel. — © “’m coming down,” said Belle. “I’m going to do it. Tht Gophers don’t know I am here, and — “Here comes the sheriff and his posse!” cried Gus. “They must have wiped out the Gophers: .— I see them coming-among the trees. I think, after 3 all, we had better give up.” st ie “Never!” exclaimed the colonel. You don’t know — Mike Oliver, or you wouldn’t say so. He won’ believe a word we tell him. He'll trump up : pack of lies against us. He'll swear he caugh us with the Gophers, and railroad us to the peni-— r ‘tentiary, surest thing. That man is the worst enemy I have in the world.” ~ Nay tees “What he says is true, Gus,” said Belle, jump- — ing off the loft ladder. “Trust me, and I will guide you safely out of this, and no one wil ever know how it was done.” S “Fire, boys!” shouted a hoarse voice outside “Shoot right through the windows. There’s z good many more of them in the hut. Cut ’em_ down! Kill ’em all. What we want to do is to wipe the gang clean off the earth.” ea eee “ A erash of glass followed, and shot after shot — .came whizzing into the hut. vat “Belle, ii _ “It’s no time for talk!” gasped Gus. is up to you to help us if you can.” CHAPTER XXIV. =e tone Conclusion: ae “Drop on the floor! Down flat!” cried Belle, the instant the firing began. re - _ Silas was already down, and lay there groan- : ing. Colonel Tolkins threw himself flat, but Mat Marston did not move nor obey Gus’ order, Crouching low, Gus pulled him violently by the hand, and the boy fell, striking his head heavily. Rae es He gave a cry of pain, and started to rise, but Gus held him down. ‘ = Meanwhile Belle crawled to a corner and pulled open a little door in the partition. nee ‘Gus could see a sort of handle set in the wa’ This the girl caught and pulled sharply, an “as she did so the floor began to slowly sink: —~ “Down we go!” cried Belle. “They may sho us, but they can’t stop us.” = ioc : i}
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_ ing upon the floor. _ “Where am I? What is all this?” spoke up a strange voice in Gus’ ear. j _._ It was Matt Marston. Probably it was the blow on the head which did it. __\ Speech had returned..to the unfortunate boy, ‘but Gus presently made the discovery that his memory of al] that had happened to him since he left his father’s house was gone forever, while concerning his past history and everything else he was perfectly clear. “We are safe now!” cried Belle, as the shots : ne ey to come. “Every one can stand up if they ) ih e. * “What works this thing?” demanded Colonel - Tolkins. “Jt is just a common weight elevator,” was the reply. “I’m not mechanic enough to explain its workings exactly. It was built by the old mining company which used to operate in Fire-Hole _* Canyon.” ¥ “Where will it land us?” asked Gus, and Belle informed, him that the end of their downward - journey would probably be the cave where Dr, _ -‘Blake’s secret laboratory was concealed. - “Tt is lucky for you that you came as you did,” she went on to say. “I pulled away from the Gophers just after the fight, and I have been - veady to pull out. A few things belong to me were up there in the hut, #nd I went up there to get them, never expecting to strike any of the gang, and when I found they were hanging around ~ there I waited a bit so as to find out what they were driving at. “How are we going to get out of Fire-Hole. Canyon?” asked Colonel Tolkins. “T have horses,” replied Belle. “There were < a lot of them flying around after the fight, and I. pened down there?” “J don’t know. I don’t know you. I. don’t know anything. I can’t understand where I am, or what's the matter with me,” replied Matt, clinging to Gus. ; 2 Don't know me,” cried Belle. “Why, you and IT were always friends.” “Don’t bother him, Belle,” said Gus. “T’ll tell e you all about it when we get down. Ah! Here we are now!” 4 The floor, which was moved by means of ordi- “nary cables, had touched the bottom of the cave. Gus discovered that they were close to the en- tronce which he had tried so hard to find. _ Z Explainations with Belle now followed which ee need not be given here. In the laboratory the “still lay. : x ; = “Gus visited the place and picked up such papers and memorandum books as they could find. - Plenty of prov dead bodies of the two hich Belle led them, and Silas’ appeased. Gus had his share, FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY = Luckily, none of them hit those who lay erouch- That was the time you came.”» isions were to be had in another . Matt until he,had delivered him safe in hig — \e . ee ee = Nae et te, To Meanwhile Belle-and the colonel got the horses — ready, and after an hour’s wait no attempt had been made by the sheriff’s people to pull up the _ elevator. ! a By this time Gus discovered how the case stood with Matt Marston. : P The unfortunate boy was,°as to his mind, lik one recovering from a long fit of sickness. : Gus explained to him that he was a friend of his ~ father and that he was'going to take him home. ~~ Matt was very quiet. He asked a few questions — in a puzzled way, and when Gus briefly told him that he had been sick and out of his mind, and ~ that he had better not try to talk too much, he said but little, but seemed content to take evety- thing as it came, . During all this time of waiting one of the — party had constantly stood on guard outside, bub there was no sign of the sheriff. cil The hut floor, or elevator, as they took to call- ing it, was weighted down by placing a heavy, ~ stone upon it. Yet even that seemed to be un- S necessary, for no attempt was made to pull it up, as far as was observed. - oi At length all was ready, and the start was made up the canyon, Belle declaring that she ..,, knew a way out that would land them directly. on the Black Rock trail. $5 This pro#ed to be correct. hae After about an hour’s ride they came to a point where the canyon apparently ended. 2 asky This was not the case, however, for another ~ turn showed them a low opening under the rocky . wall, through which the stream which had pl:.yed ei. such havoc on the night of the flood flowed into — the darkness. : a ae iS} Belle rode fearlessly in, and followed the bed = of the stream, with the others close behind her. _ In-a few moments they came out alongside the 3.3) mountain trail, which had been taken by Gus and the guide. } = After that it was a quick run to Black Rock ~ without further adventure. Bree. They found that the sheriff had preceded them ~ with his prisoners, Tom Treadway and Jack — Wicks being among them. * eae Colonel Tolkins, fixed up a story to suit the ~ occasion, and spouted away in Bill Biggins’bar- room about his suffering while a prisoner with — the Gopher gang, and how his nephew had helped him to escape. Gus was present when he met the sheriff at the hotel, and, saw that that official had no suspicio as to who ¥t was that had been at the hut. ipa ioe Then Gus did the wisest thing he possibly could — have done—took the first train for Boise City, — Matt and Belle going with him. : Fs Colonel Tolkins and Silas Stump, to whom Gu paid all he had promised, saw him off. — ; _ If Gus had been the rascally old lawyer’s own son he could not have shown more affection at parting than he did. . ae wee A quick run to New York followed. er Gus parted with Belle at Buffalo, where the girl had friends, but he did not see the last of © = ts = cae Kir west Be es father’s arms at the Grand Central depot wher in response to Gus’ telegram, the old banker wa (To be continued.) * a
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4 STAR BIGGER THAN BETELGEUSE ~ More than 30,000 times larger than the earth, _. Mira, which appears as but a speck in the sky, 42 has replaced the famous Betelgeuse as the heav- _-en’s second largest known star, having an angular _ diameter of about 250,000,000 miles, according to _ measurements just completed at the Mount Wil- _. son Observatory of the Carnegie Institution of Washington. _ Antares alone, having a diameter of about 400,- 000,000 miles, outranks this newly measured celes- tial giant, which until now has defied measure- ment since-1596, when its wonders were first dis- covered by the ancient astronomer Fabricius. _. With a diameter of only 8,000 miles, our own earth _ eould be buried in one of the remotest corners of a Mira. > ; ‘ fhe measurements were obtained by Dr. Fran- eis G. Pease with the twenty-foot Michelson in- terferometer attached to the observatory’s 100- inch telescope, and the achievement constitutes the first successful measurement of a variable star with definite period of light variation. It wags with the same interferometer that the first ~ measurements of Betelgeuse were obtained about according to adyices re- D which was first. discovered in 1790 by P. F. ‘Mechain at the Paris Observatory. After this, it * was lost until 1858 when C. W. Tuttle, then at “vase Harvard Observatory, rediscovered it- and found that it was periodic, returning to the neigh- - porhood of the earth every fourteen years. Now has returned for the fifty time since his ob- rvation: ~*~ ; At present it is of the eleventh magnitude, so that it can only he seen with the aid of a tele- scope of moderate power, It is in the constella- tion of the Sextant, below the bright star Regulus, shich is directly south about 8 o’clock in the eve- - . Regulus is at the end of the handle of the ei a group of stars in the constellation of the Lion resembling that gardening implement. "The comet is moving toward the northeast so that it is coming into a better position for observation. As it is not a very large comet, however, and when nearest, is farther away from the earth than ‘the sun, we will not get a very close view of it at the best. §. WILL MAKE “CURED” BANKNOTES - “The Treasury has made plans for printing more 2 eee re the next fiscal year than ever has ed by the American Government in t is in history. — &, FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY — GOOD READING 2 ing to pieces so easily. “s : a 7 The lift of the $1 bill ndw is only about eight — months, whereas Treasury experts figure it should - Orders have been prepared for purchase of — 200,000,000 sheets of distinctive silk fibre paper, — from each sheet of which eight pieces of currency — : are made, and beginning July 1 the great Bureau of Engraving and Printing will be run at max- imum capacity to meet the nation’s paper money requirements. An order for 25,000,000 sheets al- ready has™gone to the manufacturers, and this installment will be delivered in three weeks. oe _Announcement of the Treasury’s program, = made recently, disclosed that never in any one . year before had orders for money paper exceeded 150,000,000 sheets. That quantity was ordered. during the year now coming to a close, and it was about 20 jo cent. greater than ever was used be- fore in a like period. Coincidentally with announcement of the print- ing progrem, Assistant Secretary Dewey, whose au job it is to see there is plenty of money available ite in the country, made known that the Treasury — would take its first step July 1 toward building a up a currency reserve. res By this method it is hoped the life of the paper money-may be prolonged. An opportunity will be had for “curing” the money. before it goes into __ active service, and this Pashia expected to — keep it from fraying, cracking and otherwise go- — be about a year. In pre-war days the average $1 bill would wear about fourteen or fifteen months, » a but times have changed. Mr. Dewey is convinced eet that high prices, use of automobiles, the necessi-- ee ties of commerce and industry and modern ideas > and habits compe] the carrying of more money. _ a Thus the silver dollar has fallen into disuse and the dollar bill and bills of larger denomination have come into greater use, with the result they _ wear out more quickly. “ The Treasury has not been able since the war’ to print money fast enough to permit establish- ment of a reserve. Mr. Dewey.said the bills now printed and placed in circulation within ten days, and tests have proved they should not’ pass ( through the printing stages in less than a month and should be “cured” or “seasoned” two or three weeks longer. ; With the gigantic program outlined for the next = fiscal year it is his belief current demands can be» met and a return to the proper process of hand- ling the bills accomplished. SE eoabht te “Moving Picture Stories” A Weekly Magazine Devoted to Photoplays and Players PRICE THN CENTS PER COPY Each number contains Three Stories of the Best Filmy on the Screen—Elegant Half-tone Scenes from the Plays —Interesting Articles About Prominent People in Films—Do' of Actors and Actresses in the and Lessons in Scenario Writin z. sn __ HARRY E, WOLFH, Publisher, Inc, — 166 West 23d Street _ New
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NEW, YORK, JUNE 5, 1926 TERMS TO SUBSCRIBERS _ FAME.AND FORTUNE WEEKLY Blugle Copies........seceees a++-Postage Hree ‘8 Cents One copy Three Months...4...- $ se One Copy Six Months.. Sates + bid 2.00 One Copy One Year... seeeeee “rats ‘is 4,00. Canada, $4.50; Foreign, $5.00. HOW TO SEND MONEY — At our risk send P. O. “Money Order, Check or Registered 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 picce of paper to avold cutting the envelope. rite your uame and address plainly. Address ‘letters to ; - ‘Barry E, Wolff, Pres. HARRY E. WOLFF, } Publisher, Inc., Charles E, Nylander, Sec. L. F. Wilzin, Treas. 166 W, 238d St., N. Y¥, ITEMS OF INTEREST $ SINK SHIPS AT LOW BRIDGES Low bridges span the River Spree in Germany and interfere seriously with the passage of ex- -cursion steamers loaded with holiday makers from Berlin. Hence a new steamer is being built, -to carry 1,000 passengers, that will be equipped with large tanks which when filled with water, will submerge the hull sufficiently to pass under _ the lowest bridge on the river. »» BOUNTY OFFERED FOR FLIES School children who like to kill flies may earn -money from the warfare this summer. A woman’s -club-of Yakima, Wash., has offered to pay 5 cents for each two-ounce bottle filled with dead flies. ‘The insects are a nuisance in the orchards and a “menace to the health of the workers in the fruit industry. The flies, as well as yellow jackets and ees, are attracted by the ripe fruit of the pack- ng houses. : : . SACRED -ADAM’S APPLE. What is said to ‘be the costliest fruit in the world.is the “etrog,” or sacred Jewish citron, ometimes known as the paradise or Adam’s ap- ple, a single perfect specimen’ of which will sell for as much as $25. Outwardly resembling a 't has a thick rind, bitter and seedy pulp and anty juice of a sweet-sour taste, and is suitable ér making jelly. Popular Mechanics says it is ser ia ceremonies during the Feast of the Tab- acles. NCIENT STONE ee ARE FOUND IN I % Two stone axes which. may prove to be among the earliest antiquities thus far found within the imits of the United States have been brought to “FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY emon, the etrog is said. to be so extremely aro-, matic that one suffices to perfume a ‘whole room. - United States Nationul Museum, who is investi gating the find. The digging of a trench for the Jaying of a narrowlgauge railway in the cla pits used by Mr. Straight led to the unearthing of the tools. .On account of the possible importance of the discovery, the Smithsonian Institution is— planning to send a geologist to make a careful study of the site to determine whether the axes are as antique as the depth of burial indicates. Mr. Judd pointed out that before the extreme an- tiquity of the axes could be determined, the re- port of the geologist showing geologic age of the pial in which they were buried must be re. ceived. LAUGHS “The true secret of success is to find out wha the people want.” “And then give it to them “No; corner it.” > New Boarder-——What’s the row upstairs? La lady——It’s that professor of hyonotism tryi to get his wife’s permission to go out this eve- ning. : Pats Mrs. Casey—Sure, th’ goat has ate all’ Maggie’s piano music. ~ Mr. Casey — Tha heavens! Now, if he’d only ate th’ pianny, O pension him for loife! _ i “My doctor told me that paper money is simply — alive with germs.” “He did?” “Yes,-and then — he accepted a two-dollar bill for giving me the information.” : ; “Tm glad we didn’t get any duplicates,” sai the bride as they inspected the wedding gifts. “ wouldn’t 1aind if somebody would duplicate that check your father gave us.” replied the bride groom. ie Romantigé Old Maid—Tell me, have. you picked up any bottles on the beach? Boatma Werry often, miss! Not a blessed drop, miss.- Mrs. Newedd (complaingly+-When we go a: where now, we have to take the old street Before our marriage you always called a Newedd—Yes; that’s the reason we have to a street car now. - Poni re Re “It is a marvel to me how a citizen can so s' denly transform himself into a soldier.” “O we have a chance to study tactics all the tin Every married man, for instance, has to master of strategy.” : 2 Mrs. True Genteel—Good-morning, Mrs. C: rots. Going to New York to do a little sho Mrs. Gusby Carrots (whose husband
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2 a A PERSIAN BARBER : : Even so prosaic oceupation as that of shaving - seems invested with a share of romance in Persia. . The shop we visited was a typical one—a square room, with one side open to the ‘street. In the center was a tiny bed of flowers sunk in the floor, - from the middle of which rose an octagonal :tone column three feet high. The capital of the column - formed a receptacle for: the water in which the - parber dipped his hand as he shaved his eum- tomer’s scalp—in Persia they do not lather. The shop was very clean. In two recesses stood four vases filled with flowers and the implements of the barber’s art—scissors, razors, lancets, hand-mir- yors, large pincers to extract teeth, branding- ons to cauterize the arteries in amputating ‘imbs, strong combs, but not a haix-brush, for that implement. is never used by Persians. From the ‘parber’s girdle hung a round, copper water-bot- tle, his strop, and a pouch to hold his instruments. : n his bosom was a small mirror, the presentation = which to his customers is a sign that the ork js finished and that the man waits for his fee. The barber shaves the heads of his customers, dyes their beards, pulls their teeth, blisters and bleeds them when ailing, sets their broken bones and shampoos their bodies. EGYPTIAN PYRAMIDS here axe in all seventy of the Egyptian pyra- m Ae cares of these are at Gizeh, five at Abusir, : t Sakk Petes are scattered throughout Egypt. Some these are built of stone and some of brick. The neipal! ones, including the great pyramid of _-Cheops, are at Gizeh. The great pyramid wag erected as a mausoleum for Khufu, or Cheops, © the fourth Egyptian dynasty, who ~eigned about 800 B. C. It is constructed of stone, transported ‘for the most part over a causeway eight miles 4nng, extending from the quarries to the site. It ‘js said that the construction of this causeway 0c- pied. about one hundred thousand men ‘or ten Yrs. “2 i -years more were consumed in the build- eg mere . pyramid itself, which is 450 feet 9 inches in height and 646 feet square at the base, dig estimated to contain 6,800,000 tons of stone. he ‘four sides’ exactly face the four cardinal oints. This is the case with all the pyramids, _ he interior contains what is called the king’s amber and the queen’s chamber—in which sar- shagi the bodies of the sovereign and his queen . found—and numerous small chambers. ari- ous theories have been advanced as to the religi- * ous, and astronomical uses intended in the con- e yuction of the great pyramid and several of the inor ones, which, as they are for the most part conjectural and could not be fairly presented in anything less than a large volume, cannot be given ag ee FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY ee POINTS OF INTEREST —s ava, five at Dashur, and the re- . ing himself ‘as* the champion rat-killer of the _ States, told the proprietress that, in consideration of a good dinner, he would destroy every rat upon the premises. To this she readily consented, as the house was indeed terribly infested with the vermin. The tramp was marshalled into the din- _ ing-room, and enough eatables were set before him. for three erdinary men, which he went through — in double quick time; he then smacked his lips, — and called for something to drink to wash the food down. The landlady gave him a flash of “old rye,” > and by the time it. was gone he declared himself Satisfied, and said, “Now, then, clear the room of everything, get me a club, and I’m ready for business.” Curious to know how he was going to — proceed, and chuckling to herself as she thoug’ We how cheaply she was getting rid of the rats, she — soon placed a club in his hands. He rolled up his _ sleeves, rubbed his hands together, and, holding the club aloft, yelled, “Now, then, old woman, trot out your rats; I feel like annihilating a cou- ple of thousand of them!’* ’ : ae ° WILD WEST WEEKLY _ 1156 Young Wild West at the Widow's Claim; or, Anoee etta’s Brave’ Defense. posi 1157 “ and the Range Boss; or, Crooked Work at the _ Sleepy J. s ee 58 “ Caught by Savages; or, Arietta’s Daring 1159 “ and the Mexican Deadshot The Shooting 15! e } an adshot; or, The Shooting — Match On fhe Border.. © : 1% 1160 “ at Bane Luck; or, Arietta and the Stream of old. 1161“ Derending a Ranch; or, Besieged by Cattle , Rustlers. : e 1162 “and the Miner's Trap; or, Arietta’s Great Shot. 41163 Young Wild West at Ace High Fair; or. The — Liveliest Time on Record.” ; 1164 “ Risky Ride; or, Arietta and the Guleh Gang. 1165 “* Buckskin Band: or, The Sheriff's Big Mistake. 1166 “ Double Triumph; or, Arietta Saving the Wlag. — 1167 “ and “Cowboy Jack’; or, Spoiling a Ranch Raid. _ 1168 “ Only Chance; or, Arietta’s Quick Throw. Baia 1169 “ Desperate Charge; or, ‘The Shot That Beat the — _ Redskins. hak aie 1170 Young Wild West at Gold Dust Flat: or, Arietta = and the Secret Band. in Danger; or, Helping the Trapped Cayalry- — men. ; Young Wild West and the Dutchman's Claim; or, ~ Arietta Defending Her Life. a Oh “ Taming the Cowpunchers; or, The Hard Crowd: of Bull Tail Raneh. After the “Vultures”; Band of Ten. Calling the Two iff’s Life. : ; and the Boy Ranchero; or, Helping a’ Tender- — 3 foot to Success. CES , = » and “Ginger Jake”; or The Boss of Gimlet 2 Gulch. : f and the Choctaw Chief; or, Arietta Defying the Redskins. . Es Defying an Ambush; or, Arietta Leading th Cavalry. Saved By a Signal; or, Arietta and the Vanish?” ing Light. Higa; ** vie yrs or, Arietta and the, — Gun Man; or, Saving a Sher- | nw “ For sale by all newsdeaters, or will be sent to any ; dress on receipt of Bure, 8c. per copy, in m or postage stamps by = ‘ pena
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{ HOW PARROTS. ARE CAPTURED ~ To capture parrots the natives of Brazil watch "the meeting places, and when the fledglings are a few days old the feathers of one of the wings are trimmed. Later these birds are easily captured, placed on perches and taken to the nearest village. ae “AMETHYST’S POWERS. ' Amethyst is traditionally supposed to have the - virtue of warding off or curing drunkenness. Tle avord itself, which comes from the Greek, literally - means “not intoxicating.” The amethyst also has : been held to have the power to make men shrewd __ in business deals. STRANGE FREAKS OF BULLETS At the battle of Peach Orchard, Va., when Mc- Clellan was in command of the army, a Mich- -igan infantryman fell to the ground as if shot dead, and was left lying in a heap as the regi- ‘ment changed position. The bullet that had hit ‘him first struck the barrel of his gun, then ‘glanced and struck off a button of his coat, tore ‘the watch out of his vest pocket, and struck the man just over the heart, where it was stopped by “a song-book in his shirt pocket. He was uncon- _ scious for three-quarters of an hour, and it was a full month before the black-and-blue spot dis- appeared. 3 At Pittsburg Landing a member, of the 12th “Michigan Infantry stopped to give a wounded ~man a drink from his canteen. hile in this act, a bullet aimed at his breast strvck the ‘canteen -and buried itself in the leg of a horse. The can- teen was split open and dropped to the ground in ‘halves. At the .econd battle of Bull Run a New - York infantryman was passing tobacco to a com- -yade when a bullet struck the plug, glanced off and buried itself in a knapsack. The tobacco was rolled up like a ball of shavings and carried a hundred feet away. Directly in the line of the _ bullet was the head of a lieutenant, and, had not the bullet been deflected, he would certainly, have een wounded or killed thereby. As it was, he had ‘both eyes filled with tobacco dust and had to be led to the rear. ai -At Brandon Station one of Custer’s troopers had his left stirrup-strap cut away by a grape- hot, which passed between his leg and the horse, blistering the skin as if a red-hot iron had been used. He dismounted to ascertain the extent of > his injuries, and as he bent over, a bullet knocked his hat off and killec his horse. In the same fight “was a trooper who had suffered several days with toothache. In a hand-to-hand conflict he re- - eeived a pistol-ball in the right cheek. It knocked out his aching tooth and passed out through the eft corner of his mouth, taking along a part of an upper tooth. The joy of getting rid of the toothache was so great that the trooper could ot pe mmade to go to the rear. to have his wound ressed. HE SAVED THE BANK ho some day will make his mark ny ul soe mark FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY HERE AND THERE ‘ carrying into the bank canvas bags a e got a brave clerk in our neck of the © day Weill agile dis med Taine “He is only 19 years old, but he’s a hummer. ~ Several years ago, while the president of the bank — 2 was away, the cashier was taken sick-and in a _ few hours was in a delirious state. The young & Napoleon was*left in sole charge of the bank. Some evil-disposed person started the story one afternoon that the institution was in a bad way, and intimated that the president had skipped the cr ge and that the cashier’s illness was only a uff, Z a “Before night it was evident that there would be a run on the inStitution the next morning. The young clerk knew there was scarcely money — enough to last an hour. He had no one to advise him, but he acted promptly. We called on the - leading hardware merchant and held a brief con- ference. Then this young Napoleon-went home, _ where he found a committee frora the depositors awaiting him, He did not wait for them to speak, but made this bluff: ‘I refuse to discuss business’ _ with you. There will be $50,000 in gold here in. the morning, and there is.a like amount in the” safe. You may draw out every dollar you have deposited and we'll be glad to get rid of your small accounts.’ Then he turned on his heel an left the committee. ire.) “Bright and early there assembled at the bank: the creditors. Just before time for opening the doors an express wagon was driven up, in which _ were seated two heavily arrhed men, one of th the watchman of the bank. A pathway throug’ the crowd was made, and the watchman began — gold coin, as plainly indicated by the promin marks. Some of the bags were marked ‘$5, and one or two ‘$10,000.’ The people saw th bags, heard the clink of the metal, and believit the bank was ‘O. K.,’ were about. to move away “Just as the last bag of géld. was handed into _ the door the young financier threw the bank open. © The crowd did not make any effort to reach the © paying-teller’s window: ‘Come on now, every one of you,’ shouted the clerk. No one respondi he made another bluff. ‘You must come and your money. We don’t want your accounts any more. Here, Jim Hartley, take this and sign receipt in full. Here, Bill Wyman, come and | money. Just at this juncture the committee came and begged the clerk to ‘stop, for God’s sake; bank. to keep their money. The young Napol ee finally consented, but declared if there was ever — tor’s money into the street.’ The crowd departed — happy and confident that the-bank was one of the “Their confidence might have been shaken | they known the canvas bags marked ‘$5,000 go! i] cil your dust.’ He insisted on their taking - They almost got down on their knees to ask - ‘any more nonsense he would throw every deposi- strongest institutions of its kind in America, ~
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Roe ‘THE LIBERTY BOYS OF ’76 Tales of the Revolution supply the following numbers of We can still es the above Weekly: "4212 The Liberty Boys at Trinty Fire; or, Capturing @ 1 es Dangerous Spy. 3213 * Helping Washington; or, Great Work at White Marsh. /. ; ““ Young Scout: or, Fighting the Redcoat Raiders. pas Bt hed Swamp; or, General Marion”’s Daring e , "on the Border; or, Exposed to Many Pertis. “ Nerve: or, Not Afraid of the King's Minions. “ Defiance; or, “Catch and Al Us.if You €an.” “to the Resene: or, A Host Within Themselves. “ Narrow_ Escape; or, A Neck and Neck Race with Death, “ Ppinck; or, Undaunted by Odds. Peril: of, Threatened from Al] Sides, “ Luck; or, Fortune Favors the Brave, ““ Trap and What They Caught In It. * Puzzled; or. The Tories Clever Scheme. “ Great Stroke: or, Capturing a British Man-of- ar. 97“ Trapned= or, The Reauteful Tory, “ Blg Mistake: or, What Might Have Been. “ Fine Work; or, Doing Things Up Brown “ at Ray: or, The Closest Call of All. k “On Their Mettle; or, Making it Warm for the q Redcoats. : ; *“ Pouhle Victory; or, Downing the Redcoats and Tories. : Suspected: or. Taken for British Spies. * Clever Trick: or, Teaching the Fancoata a ; chon or a a Seca vse ood Spy ork; or, ith’ the Redcoa in Philadelphia. ee “Rattle. Crv: With Washington at the Brandywine. 3 Wild Ride: or. A Dash to Save a Fort, “in a Fix: or, Threatened by Reds and Whites, * Big Contract: or. Holding Arnold In Check. ayy ' Shadowed: ar, After Dick Slater for Revenge. “ Signal: or. At the Clang of the Bell, “« Wake Surrender: or. The Ruse That Succeeded. Plet: ar. The Plan That Won. é “ Diy Work; or, Risking Life for Liberty's “ause, ea Dnped: or. The Friend Who Was An Enemy. « Mosh Times: or, Reveline in British Gold. _“ Prize and How They Won It. Great Hani! or, Taking Everything in Sight. “fn a Snare: or. Almost Trapped. “ oRrave Resene: om Inthe Nick of Time. Rig Day: or, Doing Business by Wholesale “Net; or. Catching the Redcoats and Tories. “ Avorried; or, The Disappearance of Dick Slater. Tron Grip:. or, Squeezing the Redcoats. , “ Suecess; or, Doing What They Set Out to Do. O56, ‘“ Setback: or, Defeated But Not Disgraced. — “ 4p Toryville; or, Dick Slater’s Fearfu) Risk. ‘“ ‘Ayoused; or, Striking Strong Blows for Liberty. Triumph; or, Beating the Redcoats at Their Own Game. * _“ Seare; or, A Miss as Good as a Mile. ~* Danger; or, Foes On All Sides. “ Plight; or, A Very Narrow Escape. ; Strategy: or, Outgeneraling the Enemy. -«. Warm Work; or, Showing the Redcoats How to Bight. «“" push; or, Bound to Get There: i z « Desparate Charge; or, With “Mad Anthony” at +4. Stony Point. f Justice, and How They Dealt It Out. Bombarded; or, A Very Warm Time. Sealed Orders; or, Going It Blind. Going It Blind; ov, Taking Tig Chances. < Brave Stand: or, Set Back But Not Defeated. Daring; ar, Not Afraid of Anything. ; Big Risk; or, Ready’ to Take a Chance. or, “of the above numbers will be mailed to you. stage free, upen receipt of the price in money, or x 3 j Letty se RY BE. WOLFF, PUBLISHER, INC., — 23rd Street, — FROM ALL POINTS — WHITE AND BLACK PEPPER : Black pepper and white pepper are both pro- duced from the peer berry, grown on the pepper plant, a perennial vine or climbing shrub. Orig- — inall a native of the East Indies, the pepper plant ~ now grows in a number of tropical countries, par- ticularly in Southern India, Borneo, Sumatra, Ceylon, Siam, the West Indies, the Philippines andFrench Indo-China. The berry growing on the pepper plant is picked before it is ripe and then dried and ground. In this way ordinary black pepper is obtained: To obtain white pepper — the black pépper berry is allowed to ripen and the .. coatings of the berry are removed before grinds ing. : eS ; LARGEST DINOSAUR FOUND © Mert «Word has juse been received of the discovery — of the largest. fossil dinoseur bones on record by an expedition, under W. E. Cutler of the British Museum, which has for the past year been work- ing in the dinosaur beds in Tanganyika, formerly German East Africa. The prize find so far un- covered is a shoulder blade six feet two inches across. The dinosaur beds of Tanganyika were discovered and partly worked by the Germans be- fore thé war, and many interesting remains have been found there. There is a close resemblance between the dinosaur fauna-of Africa and that of Western North America, especially in the case of the Stegosaurs or armored dinosaurs. Even — the newly discovered giant has American kin, though this particular dinosaur is represented in — American finds only by two limb bones. se “VALUE OF MINUTES gece Perhaps there never was given a more strik- ing instance of the value offminutes than the following: A party of ladies and gentlemen were shown through a very large carpet-establishment — a few days.ago. They were permitted to look into: every nook and corner of the building except. one. At the bottom of the stairway they came upon 2 — closed door, upon which were the words “Posi- tively No Admittance.” The curiosity of the } dies was now awakened, and one inquired: ~ “What is up there?” aS ’ “That is our workshop,” explained the repre- — sentative of the firm. “We have one hundred and~ fifty women on that floor sewing carpets.” : “Oh, I should like to see them at work,” saic the fair questioner, with a playfully beseeching’ look. : : Ao Pee “T am sorry that I cannot take you up there,” replied the firm’s representative, “but the rules” are very strict. Really, there is nothing wort looking at, and there are no trade secrets ther The reason why the firm interdicts visitor's is he cause the presence of strangers in the room causeé every sewing-woman. to look up, and takes her at- tention off her work from one io five minutes. Suppese each woman loses an average of two i ‘ - ze
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ae LITTLE ADS Write to Riker & King, Aflvertising Offices, 530 Broadway, New York City, or 29 East Madison Street, Chicago, for particulars about advertising tn this magazine AGENTS WANTED 2 AGENTS—WRITE FOR FREE SAMPLES. Sell Madison ‘‘Better-Made” shirts for large Manufacturer, direct to wearer. No capital, or experience required. Many earn $100 weekly and bonus... Madison Mfgrs., 503 Broadway, New York. ; $36 TO $56 EEKLY in your spare time doiug special advertising work among the families. of your city. No experience ue Se glag Write today for full..particu- « Jars. American Products Co., 2470 Ameri- ean Bldg., Cincinnati, Ohio. BIG MONEY and fast sales every ower buys gold initials for his auto. You charge $1.50, make $1.44 profit. 10 orders daily, easy. Samples and information free. World’ Monogram Co. Dept. 70, Newark, N. J. x opp ae res a le WEW CAMERA takes and finishes photos in one minute. Make money selling cam- eras, or taking photos. Bxclusive territory. Crown Co., Dept. 967, Norwalk, Conn, ~ HELP. WANTED DETECTIVES NEEDED EVERYWHERE, Work: home or travel, experience unneces- sary. Write George R. Wagner, . former Govt. Detective, 1968 Broadway, N. Y. a ae. SILVERING Mirrors. French plate. Easily ~ Jearned: immense profits. Plans free. Wear Mirror Works, Excelsior Springs, Mo. PERSONAL ARE YOU LONESOME? Write Betty Lee, Inc., Box 820 City Hall Station, New York City. Stamp appreciated. Bt St PF a ME ARE era Se PET nD WUNDREDS secking marriage. If sincere enclose stamp. Mrs. F. Willard, 2928 Broadway, Chicago, Illinois. Z LONELY HEARTS—I have a sweetheart for you. BExchange letters; make new friends, ficient, confidential and dignified service. Members everywhere. Eva Moore, Box 908, Jacksonvill MARRY ITF LONELY “Home Maker”; hun- i eas xice bbe cane ees experience ; de- criptions free. The Successful Club, Box 556, Oakland, California. MARRIAGE PAPER—20th year. Big issue ae fees dapat bs names and ad- resses. 25 cents. No other fee. Sent sealed. Box 2265, R, Boston, Mass. s : : MARRY—Pree photographs, directory and descriptions of wealthy members. Pay when married. New Plan Co., Dept. 36, Kansas City, Mo. MARRY—MARRIAGE DIRECTORY with photos and descriptions free. Pay when married. The Exchange, Dept. 545, Kansas City, Mo. MARRY-—Write for big new directory with photos and deseriptions. Free. National Agency, Dept. A, 4606, Sta. E., Kansas City, Mo. GET A SWEETHEART. Pxchange letters. Write me enclosing stamp. Violet Ray, Dennison, Ohio. : 5 MARRY—Lonely Hearts, Join our club, we have a companion for you, many worth from $5,000 to $50,000. Descriptions, photos, introductions free. Send no money. Stand- ard Cor. Club, Grayslake, Ill. 4 Thy Stamped Lily Club, SWEETHEARTS for everybody. envelopes for proposal. The Station H, Cleveland, Ohto. TOBACCO HABIT TOBACCO or Snuff Habit cured or no pay. $1.00 if cured. Remedy sent on trial. Superba Co., P@., Baltimore, Md. SONGWRITERS SEND TODAY for free copy Writer’s Di- gest; tells how to write and sell short stories, photoplays, poems, songs. Writer’s Digest, G-22, F. 12th 8t., Cincinnati. * e. Wioridha « What Shall [Be%q.3\ Can You Answer This NN Question and be Kair \ to Yourself? RE you. as successful as you could be—if you had some other occupation? Seige | Many a man fights gamely all his life for suceeor and fails because he has the wiong row to hoe. | Don’t make this mistake! If you have been making it—quit! Find out NOW what you can do best and tackle that—before it is too late. Our expert vocational counselors, employing tatest acientific method which eliminates all guess work, willshow you what occupation you are best fitted for, and guide you step by step until you succeed. i Write for free information Today BUREAU OF VOCATIONAL RESEARCH Dept. 10 530 Broadway New York City a! vs) 8 BA 1 Old Money Wanted We paid $2,500.00 for one. silver dollar to Mr. Manning of Albany, N. Y. We buy all rare coins and pay highest cash premiums. Send 4c for large Coin Circular. May mean much profit to you.. NUMISMATIC BANK, Dept. 436. Ft. Worth, Tex. ou want. [fit cures send $1; ASTHMA jescressse Address W. K. STERLINE, £44 Ohio Ave., SIDNEY, O. le or HAY FEVER Treatment mailed on trial. State which BLANK CARTRIDGE PISTOL | Protection Against Burglare, Zrampeand Doga New Catalog < Send 25c¢ for new Do Luxe Catalog of Novelties, THE ELEPHANT “JUMBO” Jumbo was 2 large African ele- phant captured when young and taken from Egypt to Europe when he was four feet high. + -When he was 4 removed from the Jardin des ’ Plantes in Paris . to the Royal Zoo- logical Gardens in London. (the London Zoo). For 20-odd years the animal remaine | there and was very popular with the children. In 1882 he was pur- chased for $10,- 000 by P. T. Bar--- = num, the Ameri- can showman, to | 2 form one’ of his attractions of | Barnum’s Cireus. _ With some diffi- culty Jumbo was — placed on ship- board and brought to this | country. He was as exhibited for — three years, when <! he was accident- ally, killed by a railway train at — St. Thomas, Can-~ ada, on Sept. 15, 1885, while cross- ing the tracks; to .| be loaded into the. ‘circus train. His ~ age at the time of his death was —— i from’ 29° to. 312 years. Basoe height was 1L 4 feet 6 inches and he weighed. six tons. His skele-— ton is at the — Smithsonian In- titution, Wash- * ington, D. €., and — his skin (mount-_ ed) at the Ba num Museum a » 14g
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HAT would you do? What would yom wife and children do? _. Suppose your employer notified you to- morrow that he didn’t need you any longer? Have you any idea where you could get an- athe position? : ‘a trained man. You wouldn't have to spend your mornings reading the “Want Ads’ and ‘sthen trudging from place* to place, meeting ebuffs and discouragements, piling up bills, finally willing “to do anything” if only you could get on somebody’s payroll. ~ Don’t have this spectre of unemployment ‘hanging over your head forever. ‘Train your- self to do some one thing so well that your services will be in demand. Employers don’t discharge such men. They promote them! $ ae, * Decide to-day that you are going to’ get the spe- jalized training you must have if you are ever ing to get a real job and a real salary. Iti a ach aE you really try. Right at home, in the odds and ends ei spare time t now go to waste, you can prepare for the osition you want in the workgyou like best. For he soeaendl Cobpespondcnes | syibecae will train You wouldn’t have to worry if you were. ‘the coupon printed below. obligation, and it takes only a moment of your time, but it BiRy. be us means of changing your whole life, the position or in the subject before which a bave marked an Persons Retains in Canada should “ae tional Sos espondence Schools Canadian, Limited, Montreal, Canada, <— - “What would I do if I lost my job?” é "you just as they are training thousands of other men—no matter where you live—no matter what your circumstances. At least find out how, by marking and mains -There’s no cost or INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENCE sag du 4489-D, Scranton, Penna. Without. cost or eres, please tell me how I ean qual for BUSINESS TRAINING COURSES Business Management Salesmanship Industrial Management Advertising Personnel Organization Better Letters 5 Traffic Management - Show Card Lettering Business Law ‘ Stenography and Typing ~ Banking and Banking Law B English Accountancy (including ©.P.A.) ee Service Nicholson Cost Accounting Railway Mail Clerk _ ‘ Bookkeeping Common School Subjects bd Private Secretary High School Subjects Spanish (1 French Hilustrating (Cartooning TECHNICAL AND IWOSTAL COURSES Flectrical eyed rehitect Arohitests’ Blue Prints Electric Lightin: Mechanical magitesr 7 Contractor and Builder Mechanical Draftsman ” Architectural Draftsman. ° L Machine Shop Practice Concrete Builder 7 Railroad Positions Structural Engineer Ue Gas Fe hana Operating Chemistry [) Pharmacy Civil Engineer Automobile Work Surveying and Mapping Alrplane Engines Metallurgy. Navigation Steam Engineering Agriculture and Poultry. Radio : Mathematics to the Interna~
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ie - of billiards, bagatelle, back-gammon, croquet, RPh wget 7 OUR TEN-CENT HAND BOOKS F ame and Fortune Weekly a Useful, Instructive, and Amusing. . They. contain Valuable Information. on Almost Every Subject. , No. 26. HOW TO ROW, SAIL AND BUILD A BOAT. _ --Fully illustrated.. Full instructions are given in this little book, together with instructions on swimming and riding, companion sports to boating. No. 28. HOW TO TELL FORTUNES.—Every one Is desirous of knowing what his. future life will bring forth, whether happiness cr misery, wealth or poverty. You can tell by a glance at this Iittle book. Buy one and be convinced. Ne. 29. HOW TO BECOME AN INVENTOR.—Every boy should know how fInventions originated: This book ‘explains them all, giving examples in electricity, hy- dranlics, magnetism, optics, pneumatics, mechanics. No. 30. HOW TO COOK.—One of the most instructive books on cooking ever published. It Ara oe reel for cooking meats, fish, game and oysters; also pies, puddings, cakes and all kinds of pastry, and a grand collection of recipes. 2 No. 33. HOW TO BEHAVE,.—Contatning the rules and etiquette of good society and the easiest and most approved methods of appearing.to good advantage at arties, balls, the. theatre, church, and in the draw- ng-room. ~ No, 35. HOW TO PLAY GAMES.—A complete and nseful little book, containing the rules and regulations t Santtians ete. ' No. 36. HOW TO SOLVE CONUNDRUMS.—Contain- ing ali the leading conundrums of the day, amusing rid- dies, curious catches and witty sayings. No 40. HOW TO MAKE AND SET TRAPS.—In- cluding hints on how to catch moles, weasels, otter, rats, squirrels and birds. Also how to cure skins. Copiously illustrated. 4 No. 41. THE BOYS OF NEW YORK END MEN’S JOK EBOOK.—Containing a great variety of the latest jokes used by the most famous end men. No amateur minstrels is complete without this wonderful little book. No. 42. THE BOYS OF NEW YORK STUMP- SPEAKER.—Containing a varied assortment of stump speeches, Negro, Dutch and Irish. Also end men’s jokes. Just the thing for home amusement and amateur shows. No. 45. THE BOYS OF NEW YORK MINSTREL GUIDE AND JOKE BOK.—Something new and very instructive. Every boy should obtain this book, as it contains full instructions for organizing an amateur minstrel troupe. No. 46. HOW TO MAKE AND USE ELECTRICITY. —A description of the wonderful uses of electricity and electro magnetism; together with full instructions for making Blectric Toys, Batterles, ete. By George Trebel. A. M., M. D. Containing over fifty illustrations, f No. 48. HOW TO BUILD AND SAIL CANOES.—A handy book for boys, containing full directions for con- structing canoes and the most. popular manner of sail- ing them. Fully fllustrated. No. 49. HOW TO DEBATE.—Giving rules for con- ducting debates, outlines for debates, questions for dis- ' ewssion and the best sources for procuring information on the question given. No. 50. HOW TO STUFF BIRDS AND ANIMALS. —A valuable book, giving instructions in edllecting, pre- Paring, mounting and preserving birds, animals and in- se : No, 51. HOW TO DO TRICKS WITH CARDS.—Con- taining explanations of the general principles of sleight- _of-hand applicable to card tricks; or card tricks with ordinary cards, and not requiring sleight-of-hand; of tricks involving sleight-of-hand, or the use of speclally “prepared cards. Illustrated. 2 No. 52. HOW TO PLAY CAKDS.—A complete and handy little book, giving the rules and ful! directions ‘for playing Wuchre, ribbage, Casino, Forty-Five, Rounce, Pedro Sancho, Draw Poker, Auction Pitch, All Fours, and many other popular games of cards. “No, 344. HOW TO KEEP AND MANAGE PETS.— “ei Giving complete information as to the manner and meth- AS 166 West 23d Street & ts kinds of pets: also givin od of raising, keeping, taming. breeding and managing full instructions for mak- g cages, ete. Fully explained by twenty-eight illus- rations. es Ae ~ For sale by all newsdealers, or wilt be semt to amy address on receipt ef price, 10c. ‘per eopy, ~ in momey or stamps, by e: New York City jE. WOLFF, Publisher, Inc, as fs. % i s ¥ _ HARRY 971 9T2 997 ’ A Start in Li _A Bid for a Fortune; or, A Country Boy tn Wall | —— LATEST IssvESsS —— Doing His Level Best; or, Working Way Up. ae Aiesrs on Deck; or, The Boy ho Made ite ‘ark. ‘ A Mint of Money; or, The Young Wall Street Broker. : ties The Ladder of Fame; or, From Office Boy to Senator. 4 On the Square; or, The Success of an Honest Boy. After a Fortune; or, The Plucklest Boy in the West. bi 3 the dollars; or ,The Young Wonder of , Wall Street. - “ ~*~ Making His Mark; or, The Boy Who Became President, = Heir to a Million; or, The Boy Who Was Born Lucky. ser in the Andes; or, The Treasures of the Buried y On_His Mettle; or, A Plucky Boy tn Wall Street, A Lucky Chance; or, Taking Fortune on the Wing. The Road. to Success; or, The Career of a Kor- - tunate Boy. Cnsetee Pointers; or, The Luckiest Boy in Walt treet. 3 Rising in the World; or, From Factory Boy to Manager. ; . From Dark to Dawn; or, A Poor Boy's Chance, _ Out for Himself; or, Paving His Way to’ Fortune. Diamond Cut Diamond; or, The Boy Brokérg of Wall Street. ; or, A Bright Boy's Ambition. : Ow — a Million; or, The Young Midas of Walt _ reet. ? wily: Everv Inch a Boy; or, Doing His Level Best. “ ey eee he Burn; or, The rewdest, Boy in Wall. . aes We to Business; or, The Boy Who Was Not sleep. Tipped by the Ticker; or, An Ambitious Boy In all Street. “pa 2 On_to Success; or, The Boy Who Got Ahead. ; Street. Bound to Rise; or, Fighting His Way to Succesa. ae SOF the Dollars; or, A Smart Boy in Wall reet. aoa: 999 For Fame and Fortune; or, The Boy Who Won Both. 1000 A Wall Street Winner; or, Making a Min 1001 The ae to Wealth; or, The. Boy Tt Out. : 1002 SS Wing; or, The Young Méreury of Walt 1004 Juggling with the Market; or, The Boy Who Made ay. , 1005 Cast Adrift; or, The Luck of a Homeless Boy. 1006 Playing the Market; 1007 A Pot of Money: or, The Legacy of a Lucky Boy. 1008 From Rags to Riches; or, A 1009 On His Merits: or, The Smartest Boy Alive. i 1010 Trapping the Brokers; or, A Game Wall Street Boy. | 1011 A Million in Gold; or, The Treasure of Santa 1012 Bound to Make Money; or, From the West to Walt Street. 10138 The Boy Magnate; or, Making Basebal) Pay. of Money, | o Found — or, A. Keen Boy in Wall Street. * Lucky Wali Street Messenger. hae Cruz, | 10i4 Making Money: or, A Wall Street Messenger’s Lick, 1015-A Harvest of Gold: or, The Buried Treasure of : Coral Island. a 1016 On the Curb; or, Beating the Wall Street Brokers. 1017 A ek of Fortune; or, The Boy Who Struck : i 1018 The Prince of Wall Street; or, A Big Deal for Big. 1019 Starting His Own Business; or, The Boy Wh 1020 A Corner In Wall Street: or, The Wall Street Roy 1021 Birst in the Field; or, Doing Business for Himself. — eine 7 Money. Z es 1022/A Broker at, Bighteen: or, Roy Gilbert's Wall Street — 1028 Only a Dollar: or, From Errand Boy to Owner. Career, ; 1024 Price & Co., Boy Brokers; or, The Young Trader we) of Wall Street. ae 1025 AY Winning Risk; or, The Boy Who Made Goo 1026 From. a Dime to a Million; or, A Wide-Awake W; For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent Street Boy, : 3 , to any address on receipt of price, 8c. per copy, in money or stamipg, by eg | HARRY K. WOLFF, Publishor, Woat 23d Stree oa < 38 Ino... Now Xo