Fame And Fortune Weekly (no. 503) (1915 05 21)

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POLLING STONE eng Orne OR THE BRI BRIGHTEST. Bo ON RECORD. 7 LE MN. Having secured Matthew Scraggs to a post in the rear of the room, the ruffians onder Paul ‘to bring forward the demijohns of liquors from the shelf in the corner. Then they proceeded to make merry over their rich haul.

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ss calles Fame and Fortune Weekly STORIES OF BOYS WHO MAKE MONEY Issued Weekly—By Subscription $2.50 per year. Entered at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., as Second-Class Matter, by Frank Tousey, Publisher, 168 West 23d Street, New York. ’ No. 503. NEW. YORK, MAY 21, 1915. Price 5 Cents. A ROLLING STONE a 9 = rea THE BRIGHTEST BOY ON REGORD By A SELF-MADE MAN CHAPTER I. PAUL SCOTT AND HIS COMPANION, TOBY TITMARSH. “Wake up, Toby; I see the lights of San Luis straight ahead!” exclaimed Paul Scott. The speaker, a stalwart, good-looking boy of seventeen, whose bright eyes and shrewd, alert expression showed that he was above the average in smartness, was driving a strong young mare, attached to a small covered wagon, along a dusty road within sight of the Pacific Ocean. _ A prolonged snore was the only response that came from his companion—an uncommonly fat youth, of perhaps fifteen, | whose open mouth, pudgy nose, and small eyes were almost lost in the fieshy folds of an enormous pair of cheeks that fave his countenance the appearance of a full mcon—who oc- cupied two-thirds of the seat, his head propped against the front hoop of the van, and his senses steeped in a profound _ Tepose. _ “Gee whiz!” muttered Paul, regarding the fat boy with a grin, “how that chap can sleep! I never saw his equal at it. ' For sleeping and eating he can hold the medal. Wake up, Ad wake up, I Sees and he nudged his companion in the Tibs. A short, Kidesas grunt, ending in a long-drawn-out whistle, _ tame from the fat boy’s nose. th “Den’t you want something to eat, Toby?” roared Paul in ear. z The snoring stopped all of a sudden, one eye opened, then ios other; finally the fat boy sat up.and gazed around him into the dusk which was closing in upon the landscape. “Tt thought I heard somebody say dinner was ready,” he : eAizeekod, a wistful, hungry took shining from his eyes, “You must have been dreaming,” chuckled Paul, as he chir- to the mare. Maybe I was; but it sounded awful real,” replied the boy, _ smacking his lips. “Toby Titmarsh, " said Paul, solemnly, “if ever there is a post-mortem examination of you I know what the coroner will i inside of you.” t will they find?” asked Toby; with a look of mild Te two of them. ” isi ris agai 2 lexefea Paul e you re: ungry n?” snic Yes, rf I always hungry?” fact. I don’t think I ever Yaak you admit Do you see those lights ahead?" eyes Aah sf ag se “With a cup of coffee and a slice of pie.” “A slice—a little measly slice—I could eat a whole pie, as big around as that,” and the fat boy illustrated by drawing an imaginary circle in the air that answered to the circumfer- ence cf a fair-sized wash-bowl. “You've got the healthiest appetite for a small boy I ever saw. It’s a wonder you wouldn't get fat,” he grinned. “I thought I was kind of fat,” said Toby, looking down at his body, which filled the larger part of the seat. “Oh, no, you aren’t fat. You're only obese.” “What's that?” “A person is obese when he has an excessive accumulation ol adipose tissue,” chuckled Paul. “Have I an excessive accumulation of adipose tissue?” “Well, rather. You must weigh nearly 200 p “I don’t know. I tried to get weighed the other Angeles, but the man said I broke his scales.” : R “He said that, did he?” Gy “He did, really,” replied Toby, innocently. ; “Why didn’t you go down to the market where they scrape fish and stand on the scales. You couldn’t break them.” “What good would that do?” “You could have given yourself away,” chuckled Paul. — Toby didn’t see the joke, and he wondered how the scab of the fish would have told him how much he weighed. And while he was wondering they reached the outskirts of San Luis and drove into that town. Paul had the name of a cheap hotel, and he asked a passer- by to direct him to it. In fifteen minutes they arrived in front of the hostelry, and Paul descended from his perch and went in to arrange for a : square meal for himself and his companion. Then he led the wagon into a small yard, gave the mare a drink, tied a bag of oats around her nose, me leaving her to the enjoyment of her evening meal, he led Toby into the” washroom, where they tidied themselves up a bit before they marched into the dining-room. A red-cheeked young woman waited on them when they took their places at the table. The bill of fare consisted of fried Spanish mackerel, P small | her =: eae eo raged teen eo er = ; od at all the pie ‘oby, anxio nM plate : < oS

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2 x é A, ROLLING STONE. . “Isn't that enough?” snickered Paul. sir, it does not remove moles or birthmarks, but it’s sure death “Hnough!” gasped the fat boy. “Why, there’s only two/to corns and bunions. Who'll take a box? Thank you, sir. bites in that.” ‘> Who comes next? Wrap up three boxes for that gentleman. “I'm afraid that’s all you'll get, unless I buy you a whole | Yes, sir, you save a nickel when you take three boxes at one one.” time. Don’t be afraid to buy this salve, gentlemen. It will keep for a year at least, if not exposed to the air. If you haven't a corn or bunion now you may have one six months from now, and then how handy it will be to have this won- “4o.* ‘said Toby, imploringly. “il eat it in the wagon.” _ “Ali right,” replied Paul, good-naturedly. “I'll see if I can get, one.” 4 Toby Titmarsh was only half satisfied when he left the | ‘erful preparation on hand to use. Step right up. Don’t be table. ws! bashful. If you miss this chance to get the only sure pop Se 35) Ne rey Whee ‘ bun it There was a dreadful void in his stomach that only a whole eee cone ee. = gaa pateg, Tone Rae ae pie would satisfy, and fortunately for him Paul succeeded in |ijaman with the light hat fdkos Fi a : purchasing the ag rs article. ; For an hour and a half the bystanders were alternately en- He mounted to the seat and began to devour it at a rapid | ¢ep:ained and importuned to purchase the salve and the Elixir rate as the boss of the outfit drove out of the hotel yard and of Life ran up to the principal street in the town. Rag Mnaeainente hasan at , hut u The wagon was stopped in the busiest section of San Luis, gi ris tc night. =. O AIOR Agores: Ae eee 3 a couple of naphtha torches were stuck into sockets at the| The covered wagon was driven into a vacant lot, the mare rear of fthe van, the back of which was let down and propped | taken out of the shafts and tethered near by, and the two boys up irom underneath, thus forming a platform. retired to rest inside the van. Paul brought from the interior of the wagon a box con- : taining small vials and little round tin boxes and placed it on the front of the platform, then he fetched out a couple of stools, and called Toby, who made his appearance with black CHAPTER II. faee and hands, a wig, a huge collar and checked shirt, and a pair of immensely. long shoes. HELD UP. ‘He had a pair of bones in his hands and he made a most comical negro artist. ' Paul Scott was a sort°of rolling stone. Paul himself produced a banjo, tuned up, and then the pair He made_a living and was accumulating profit by traveling launched into an old-time darky quickstep. - from town to town selling his throat and lung balsam, and Quite a number of persons had already gathered about the | his infallible remedy for corns and bunions—both of which van, but the music soon attracted a crowd. jhe and apes pentact ee themselves from a Led After Paul had rendered an old plantation ditty in good |S¢tiptions, and which, as a rule, proved beneficial when taken tyle, ich the spectators roundly applauded, h according to the printed directions accompanying the article. ag te a gras te iss cai, e-propeseet He had been following this vocation for nearly a year, the «Gentlemen,”. he began‘ taking a bottle with a gaudy label ean of pina ti tie Cl nae parent, having thrown ae : 5 ht ‘ . F - m upon the world to hoe his own way. fegm, the box before him, 1 have here some of my elebraied |" Paul though often flowery and liberal with bis words, was 3 ; : ear o secret of it. This Elixir is two bits a bottle. Taken internally, pte ote ee iin ly wr oe poblied and shad: ae Set . a conn ecree ete 2 pak oe ge | At the ——s tages he was touring southern gee 1 logue of which will be found_on the wrapper. Full dirartions working northward toward San Francisco, and thus far ee a been quite successful since leaving San Diego. are printed’on the label, and I can guarantee perfect satis-| ‘They had spent a week in Los Angeles, where they did a fieman’ takes a bottle. Thank you, sir, Wholl take another | Smashing business in/both remedies, and were obliged to man- “bottle? Thank you, sir. You say you want two bottles? Four bs ca an vat me : : bits, please. No, sir; there’s no discount, not even if you = ie Rae ed up Toby Titmarsh in San Diego. want a dozen bottles. I’m practically giving this stuff away “: ne a shi a6 “orphan, ‘too. d, and at the price. Some of ‘the medicines used in the manufacture |, >'7¢e the death of his uncle, with whom he had lived, bya of this peerless cough mixture are controlled by the Drug |!°F whom he had helped tend a small stationory store, Toby — Trust, which greatly reduces the profit on the article. The | 44 encountered hard luck until he ran across Paul Scott. \ Glass Trust—but there, gentlemen, you all know what cor- oe Ainge Paul took a fancy to the youth he couldn't a -morants the trusts are. They are the bane of this country. |P!a/, but he hired the lad for a small wage and his Keep, — you come a little nearer, sir, I will be able to hand you a|#"@ Toby in return became his faithful and willing helper. tae Thank you, sir. Who's next? You, sir? Certainly. Paul fitted him out, taught-him to play the bones pretty - Will it cure toothache? No, sir, I am sorry to say that it will well, and was delighted to find that when blacked up the fat not. This is a lung balsam, not a lotion for the teeth. Have |YoUuth Made quite a hit as a negro minstrel. _ you a toothache? Step right up on the platform and 1 will|, [iS appearance in burnt cork, and ridiculous attire, was endeavor to relieve you in three shakes of a lamb’s tail, and | 7T°S!8tibly comic. oe _ it won't cost you a cent. Take a seat on that stool. Now,| Whenever he opened his mouth he. couldn't help saying 3 ‘ _ sir, open your mouth and point out the diseased molar.” something that amused the crowd, that on the whole he - Paul took a piece of cotton and a bottle of laudanum from | Proved a valuable addition to Paul's business. his pecket, which he had been using himself, and wetting the Next morning early Paul hitched up and drove to the hotel _ cotton, pressed it into the decayed tooth. for breakfast, after which he stationed the wagon at a promi- : In 2 moment‘or two the man said he believed the tooth. felt nent corner and continued to advertise and dispose) of his better, ‘ ba sg our supe until noon. yen ea mat ch: “ er Ginner they took to the road again en route for San “I'm glad to hear it, sir. 1 dare say that in half an hour| prune, a small coast town a few miles to the northward. He, heiweir will be all gone. You Wish to take a bottle of my} ‘Three rough-looking men on horseback left San Luis at the Elixir? Don't open it until you have occasion to use it, and | same time and jogged along the road behind them. ie . follow directions carefully. No, I do not guarantee that it} An hour passed and the horsemen maintained the same _ will cure eepene iin. If I could make an Elixir that would | qistance behind the wagon. a oe ae eee bs coped go pee bg + ar ee made. Who| There was nothing singular in this ee __ wishes another bottle again an money,” Paul, however, didn't f : f << ee ld a dozen or fifteen bottles of his cough mixture | strangers. ancy the general appearance of the and the demand for it ceased. The road. passed ov fet = irae : ae / low spur of the mountain range _ He took up his banjo and he and Toby played another air. beside which they w journeying, before. reaching San _ “Now, gentlemen,” Paul said once more, taking up one of | Bruno, and Paul had heard in San Luis that a gang of bandits, the small, round a any “I have here an infallible remedy | whose retreat was upposed to.be ‘in these mountains, had s other excrescences of a similar | been holding’ up travelers along the highroad and robbing directions how to apply it to | dwellings o b ; ; _ One dime, ten cents, sole inve) - ail

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sae A -ROLEING STONE. 3 Toby twisted his chubby face around the outside of the] hind, then suddenly the horsemen dashed up on either side of front hoop supporting the canvas covering of the van and looked backward along the highway. “Sure I see them,” he answered. ; | “Do you know, I don’t like their looks,” said Paul, seri- | ously. ; : “What's the matter with them?” “They don't look honest to me.” “Oh, my, do you think they mean to rob us?” gasped Toby, putting his hand in his pocket where his few dollars in sav- ings were. “They look capable of doing "most anything for the sake of years They've been following. us ever since we left San uis.” Toby’s eyes began to start from their sockets in fear. “I noticed one of those chaps—the fellow with the smooth Tace—in the crowd last night when we were doing such a rushing business. I also noticed him hanging around the different corners where we held forth this morning. Then the three of them took dinner at the hotel when we did, and when we drove out of the yard I saw them having their horses saddled. We wasn’t a great way down the street be- fore 1 noticed them jogging along behind the van, and they’ve been there ever since, though it’s hearly three hours since we leit San Luis. They may mean nothing, but I’m going to | leok out for them just the same, for their actions strike me‘ as suspicious.” “You've got a bag of money, Paul. Where can you hide it?” ’ Sh got it hidden already where I don’t think they’ll look or it.” “i wish you'd put my money with it,” said Toby, anx- iously. “How much have you got about you?” “IT don’t know: Ill count. it.” Toby found that he had about twelve dollars, all but a five- doliar piece in lcose silver. . He liked to carry it that way in his pocket so he could rattle it occasionally. A ‘The jingle of the silver sounded pleasant to his ears. ’' Tts loss he would have regarded as an irreparable misfor- . ne. ite “Give me your money, all but a dollar, and hold the reins,” said Paul. Then ne, peewee Sap, the seat into the oem of the van, and for the next few minu he was busily occupied in placing Toby's wealth in his secret receptacle which he had provided | for just such an emergency. “ _ He-peeked out through the slit in the back canvas at the cde wg and saw that they had come a trifle closer than be- ore. _ He vesumed his seat and the reins once more. “How long before we'll get to San Bruno?” asked Toby, nervously. rae nothing happens we ought to reach the ‘town in an Pe our.” E * “It's awful lonesome up here in the hills,” gurgled the fat boy. : _ They had now been out of sight of the ocean for fifteen min- uutss. bat “Jt isn’t very lively, _ haven't seen many hou “Are those men stili * tones. “They were a moment ago.” r “They could rob us here and nobody would know a’thing _e@bout it,” he gasped. _ -“"Phey couldn’t select a better place to do such a thing,” re- ed Paul. coolly. “Do you think they will?” Sages tiow do I know what their intentions toward us are?” _ We've got te take our chances.” : “They might shoot us.” : ~I don’t think theyll do that. However, they couldn't miss rou if they t " with a grin. . BS. Oh, my, don’t talk that way; you make me nervous.” _.“Pshaw! Brace up! If those chaps mean to hold us up eve get to face the music, and get out of it as best we can. 2 agine they can have any use for my Blixir of Life, union cure, ; “anything they'll that’s a fact,” agreed Paul. “We since we lost sight of San Luis.” ehind us?” asked Toby, in shaky ae a the wagon, one of them spurting ahead and grabbing the mare by the bridle rein. ; Pay The speed of the van was checked, while a tall, bearded fel- low, yanking an ugly-looking revolver into view, called on Paul to rein in. . ee He seemed to be the leader of the three rascals, and he spcke in a way that showed that. he meant to be obeyed. “What's this mean?” demanded Paul, resolutely, while Toby collapsed completely, and fell back into the van like a sack of corn. ; “Get down!” replied the bearded ruffian, threatening the boy with his weapon at full cock. z The wagon was now at rest in the middle of the road. Paul.decided that the easiest way was the best in dealing with these rascals, so he stepped down into the road. “Throw up your hands!” cried the leader again. Paul obeyed. The smooth-faced man dismounted and approached him. “Search him!” commanded the leader. The fellow did it pretty thoroughly, and found something less than three dollars in silver change. “Where do you keep your money?” demanded the leading ruffian. “Answer me, or I'll put a ball into you.” “Where it’s safe,” replied Paul, calmly. “I heard in San Luis that there was some chance of cur being held up ‘before we reached San Bruno, so I took care not to risk what little money I had made on this road. Uncle Sam will see that it reaches San Francisco before we get there.” . The man uttered a roar. zt “Search the wagon, Noach!” he exclaimed wrathfully. “Pull that other chap out into the road.” : The man addressed as Noach leaped on the dashboard and tore the canvas flap aside. : Then he reached down and grabbed the trembling Toby by the collar. “Come out of there, you young pig!” he roared. “Come out, | or I'll tickle your ribs with my bowie.” Toby emerged, his face as white as chalk, and shaking as with the palsy. : As he stepped out on the dashboard the man gave him a push and the fat boy took a header into the hard road, where he rolléd over and lay quite stiil, as though stunned by the shock. i “That's no way to treat a harmless boy,” remonstrated Paul, indignantly. “Shut up!” answered the leader, in an ugly tone. Noach searched the van from end to end, but he found only some boxes containing bottles of cough syrup and little round tin boxes of salve, a couple of stray mattresses, which h ripped to pieces with his bowie-knife, some bedclothes, small trunk, the contents of which he hastily dumped out and scattered around pell-mell; a ccoupte of stools, a banjo — hanging against the side of the van, a few paper-covered books, a bound volume of medical recipes, and various other odds and ends of no value to any one but the owner. rc The one thing he was in quest of—namely, money—he did not find, and he so reported to the impatient man on horse- back outside. F “Have you pulled everything to piecgs in there?” he de- manded. : “Everything. penny in sight.” “You might have saved yourself all that trouble,” said Paul. “T told you that I wasn’t fool enough to risk my money on this road when there’s a safer way to send it ahead.” The leader looked disappointed and he swore roundly. | “Bind that boy’s hands behind him and chuck both of those chaps into the wagon,” he said. Paul's hands were secured and he was lifted into the van. Noach regarded Toby as too big a lift for him to tackle un- aided, so he called to the man at the mare’s head to dismount and help him. : F Toby was then bundled into the van without ceremony. Noach grabbed the reins, the other man took his horse by I ripped the bed to bits, but there isn't a the bridle, and, preceded by the leader, they turned off the road a short distance further on and penetrated the silent : fastnesses of the range. CHAPTER TL. i465 .. PAUL scorr ancouEs A The party left the road far ' e heart of the range, — eee oe eM OZ ee

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4 —_ one side to the other like a water-logged craft in a heavy, sea. Noach didn't seem to regard his job as driver of the van “as a sinecure, for he swore every time the wheels gave a jolt _,and he received an unpleasant bounce on the seat. “As tor Paul and Toby, they had an unpleasant time of it inside. The fat boy recovered his senses soon after the wagon left the road. and the shaking up that he was presently subjected io called forth a variety of complaints from him. “Quit your kicking, Toby,” said Paul, after listening to him in silence for a short time. “Be thankful you're alive and Rot bound like me.” ._.Toby hadn't noticed that his companion's hands were se- cured behind his back, and he now regarded Paul’s predica- ment with some astonishment. “What did they tie you for?” he asked in an unsteady tone. “To keep me cut of mischief, I suppose,” grinned Paul. “Phey nearly killed me, chucking me headforemost down into the road,” groaned Toby, feeling his sore head tenderly. _ It was a brutal act,” said Paul. “And I would have taken it out of that fellow’s hide if I had been in a position to tackle him.” “Where are they taking us to, Paul?” “How can I tell? From the jolting we're getting we must be traveling up into the hilis.” Toby tried to look out through the rear opening, when the Wagon gave a sudden lurch and he was thrown all in a heap among the stuff which littered the bottom of the wagon. “Oh, oh!" he howled. “I believe I have broken my jaw.” ot so bad as thai, I guess, Toby,” answered Paul, reas- gly. “Your jaws are too well padded with fat to be easily ee. = “I'll bet I’ve swallowed a tooth, then. ae “What makes you think so?” “I'm spitting blood.” “What did you hit your face against?” “T don’t know what I hit it against.” Then came another heavy jolt and an oath from the driver. “Wow!” roared Toby, who had jabbed his nose against the _ edge of one of the boxes containing the medicine. After an hour’s ride the wagon reached a narrow opening in the hills of a width just sufficient to permit it to pass _ through without rubbing against the rocks. | _ his defile, which had ail the curves of a snake, admitted the party to a small amphitheater-like retreat in the range. The reeks rose hundreds of fcet all around, shutting in the pee every side. _ The only object that relieved the absolute wildness of the ot was an old weather-scarred adobe house, of a single story, b hose tiled roof, once a bright. brick red, was now a dirty, # faded brown. “It had origineily been erected by seme Mexican fully one _ hundred years before, ~ The wagon was drawn up in front ok the door and the four horses turned loose to feed on the ae herbage bars which the spot abounded. “Come, now, set out of that, both of yout” roared Noach, ‘sticking his head up over the seat. “Go on, Toby,” said Paui, “and I'll follow you. + bt is pet Be as lively as you tan or that chap may treat you to another tumble.” ap 8a od had experienced all the tumbles he wanted for that Be he t, and he got out of the wagon ag fast as he could. As he went out backward the seat of his trousers presented sich ‘a-tempting mark that Neach fetched him a rap eh the whip he held in his hand. ‘Toby gave a dismal howl and xispped down in the grass. What did you do that for?” he whimpered, for the lash had g him like a hornet's taily i iaW. P mettler, laughed Noach and the other man, whose who was soa wips” his “helper, saw the whole thing, f ame Paik ward the ino ; | It was rocky traveling for the wagon, which pitched from daph he knew remonstrances: would be! A ROLLING STONE Noach immediately began to prepare supper. They had brought a considerable supply of food from San Luis in their capacious saddle-bags, together with several sus- picious-looking flasks that evidently contained whisky. They talked in loud, rough tones, and the two boys easily heard all they said. Toby was all broke uv, and his full-moon showed every symptom of distress. His head hurt him, his jaw pained HD. bothered him. lt was clear he wasn’t accustomed to wih handling, and Paul felt sorry for him. But as soon as the appetizing smell of bacon and eggs was wafted into their prison, Toby instantly forgot all his ills and began to smack his lips hungrily. *Doesn’t that smell good?” he remarked to Paul. It certainly did, and Paul was forced to admit the pleasant fact. “Do we get some?” RERUG the fat boy, eagerly. “Probably.” Toby applied his eye to a hole in the door, and greedily followed the movements of the cook. He saw the bacon and eggs, done to a turn, dished out on the rude table on @ porcelain dish, and the sight made him ravenously hungry. If the rascals had only provided themselves with a nice juicy pie the fat boy would probably have had a fit as he watched the bandits devour the spread. When the last egg and the last piece of bacon had been transferred to the plate of the leader, who was addressed as Murdock, Toby collapsed on the fioor, for ali his bright antici- pations of supper seemed to vanish like dew before the morn- ing sun, ; “It’s all gone,” he said in heartbroken tones, turning to- ward Paul, who had been trying to figure out the situaticen. “What's all gone?” asked Paul, looking at him. “The eggs, and the bacon, and the{bread and everything. They ve cleaned the plates and we're not going to have a thing to eat.” “Oh, L guess they’ ll give us something.” But Toby shook his head in a melancholy wey. fi “Look and see for yourself,” he said, pointing to the hole | in the door. — Paul walked over and peered through inio the next room. The three ruffians had filled their pipes and were erjoying a smoke. “You'd better cook something for those young chaps in the room,” said Murdock, jerking his thumb over his shoulder. “They must be hungry by this time.” So Noach cooked a couple of eggs and some mcre bacon, and the sizzling sound and its accompanying smell penotrated the room, and Toby’s courage revived.} . “Brace up, Toby,” grinned Pauli. “He's cooking our supper now.” The fat boy cculd hardly believe the gocd news until he locked into the room and saw what was going on at the stove. Presently the door was opened, Paul was unbound and they were told to sit up to the table and help themselves. There was coffee enough left iu the pot to supply them with a full cup each, and it didn’t take Toby i ae to ot up his share of éyerything in sight. When Paul had fintshed, Murdock came up to the table. “What's your name, young teller?” he asked. “My name is Paul Scott.” “Well, look .here. We've got a little affair on hand for to-night, and we want. a chap of about your size to help vs owt. There’s a lot of countenance and his back - I'm goin’ to make you a proposition. sa boodle in it, and if you'll j’ine us we'll give: you a share of it, - ae more than you'll make in a year sellin’ that medicine stuff, and ter-morrer mornin’ we'll let you take yer i tes. and go. What d’ye say?” , “ Suppose I refuse?” asked. Paul. take your choice.” “PW go with you,” said Paul, ‘promptly. es eae, spit ‘Temain: here till 1 Toby. “Must I M im “We'll tle yor two chaps up and leaye you here ‘and do. get the chance to repay the| the job alone. As we den't mean to come back here no more, ive fat boy.}the chances are a thousand to one that you both will starve — ed Noach, te i! the” ind about | weeks before any one weg Laue 2 his way into this Speke

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A ROLLING STONE CHAPTER IV. Fry THE HERMIT-MISER. “T never thou panion reproachfully “Never thought what of me?” “That you'd become a robber.” Paul laughed. “Don’t you see that I had to agree to help them out on the job they have in view to-night? A nice thing it would be if we were left here all by ourselves, bound hand and foot, like a pair of chickens, with no chance to get away and nothing to eat——” “Nothing to éat?” gasped Toby. “Oh, lor!” “We'd starve to death before the week was out, and only our bones would be found in this isolated adobe shack, prob- ably months from now. No, I couldn’t afford to take that chance, for I saw that fellow meant to carry out his threat if I refused to join him. I'll be watched, of course, but I’m going to spoil their game if I can, and have them all eap- tured and sent to jail, where they deserve to be.” ? It was now dusk. and Noach came inside, lit a lantern, which he placed on the table, and then ordered the boys to _ retire into the inner room. ‘ -Paul took up his position at the hole in the door which commanded the outer room, and saw Murdock and Kettler come inside, and the. three gather about the table, on which Noach had already placed three whisky fiasks , They lit their pipes afresh and began to talk about the ex- pedition they had in view foy that night. “The old fellow’s. name is Matthew Seraggs,” began Mur- dock, after a preliminary drink and a pull at his pipe. “He lives with a little gal, his niece, I understand, in an old dwell- ing among the socks of. the pease within a mile of San ‘= ‘Brvno. a "- *And he’s a iar, eh?” said Kettler, eagerly. “Which ‘Means that he has a stack of coin hidden somewhere in his house.” “That's his reputation.” “How long has he lived in that place?” asked Noach. “Five or six years.” — “And hain’t never been robbed?” exclaimed the ruffian, in surprise. _ “I guess not. He ena his cabin barricaded up, and there ‘ain't but one way to reach it, and that’s by way of the beach at low tide.” . “Where did be get his money from?” inquired Kettler. “Hew should I know? I ain’t worryin’ how he got it; ‘what's been botherin’ me is how to take it aw ay from hin.” “LT should think it ought to be easy enough if he lives all alone so far from town.” boa isn’t easy. His place is strong enough to stand a siege, ‘ “and he’s got a lot of skyrockets on the place ready to shoot . oft. f he’s attacked. The people in San Bruno all know about that, “and in consideration of his payin’ a sum of money to the old adobe cburch three times a year they. stand ready to go _ to his assistance in case his signals announce danger. tee Noach and Kettler looked disgusted. ; j “How do you. expect bes get eran all these difficulties, Mur- ock?” eytec$ With the ce of this Der “fakir. we captured this after- “noon.” “Don't you” rin’ the bus Sse ae xpect to gain. admittance to that ‘cabin through him.” ow mice you goin’ to work it?” it of you,” said Toby, looking at his com- *. » do?” he’s got an eyesmmonly honest face con- he’s: in.” a aa 6 ee ‘we stand in the background, he will go to the door it eof woe about ’ caught by the ti vine tore uno afore ‘the hye goatee of returnin’ to San ell ask | for. te : | my hand ready to blow his brains out at the first sign of treachery on his part.” “If he does the right thing you're goin’ to give him a share of the swag, are you?” -“Yes, That'll make him one of us and prevent him from eachtii’ afterward.” : “How much are you goin’ to allow him?” “That depends on the, amount of the haul. If we get. ten thousand dollars or more we can give him fiye hundred. He won't know how much we get, and that'll be a lot of money in his pocket. He can go his, way then, and we'll go ours. He’d be a foel to lose such a chance, when he'll never be suspected of a hand in the game.” “When do-we start?” asked Noach. > “Oh, there ain’t no hurry. The tide won't be low enough for us to get around the point until midnight. San Bruno is only six miles away by a short cut through the range, so we've time enough to take things easy. “The boy’ll ride his own nag. eh?” suid Kettler. put a blanket on her for a saddle.” “If this thing pans out well we kin go back to Arizona where we come’from and live on the fat of the land.” ; “That suits this chicken all right,” said Noach, with a cheerful grin.. “Here's hopin’ it turns out to be a gold mine,” and the ruffian raised his whisky flask to his lips ene _todk a ket long pull. =i The others. followed suit, and they graduelly uae quite | merry over the prospect of securing the hidden wealth of miser Matthew Scraggs. ‘ Paul had heard every word almost that escaped. their lips, notwithstanding that they spoke kind of low. But the air was clear and still, and sound carried further than people would generally have supposed. t Toby had fallen asleep with his head against the wall, z and on this occasion he wasn’t snoring. ; The. rascals smoked, drank and taiked on for an hour, then Murdock announced that it was time they set off. ; Accordingly the horses were saddled, Paul's mare being _ provided with an army blanket tied about her middle. ‘am ‘Paul was called out and the door aguin secured on the sleep- : ing Toby. : Then the party started off, Paul being compelled to ride alongside of Murdock. : After passing through the defile they set off on a trot to: — ward San Brune. . There was no moon that night, and the sky was somewhat . overcast, which was favyorabie to the designs of the rascals. While yet more than a mile away they caught sight of the distant lights of the town that lay upon one corner of San ~ Leki Bay, under the shelter of a heavy jutting point ot a It was for the opposite side of the small bay that the bandits headed their animals. Here lived the hermit-miser, as he was called, in a aaa wi (built cabin of one story, perched in an almost inaccessi-t2 spot among the rocks of the shore. a Ee Tt could be reached only at low tide, and then by one path — alone, so narrow that a single determined man, s among the rocks, could almost have held a regiment at ba. Matthew Seraggs discouraged visitors, and consequently Was seldom if ever bothered with any. Rumor said he was the possessor of wealth, which he © hoarded merely for the pleasure of counting it over and 0 for bis own satisfaction. Rumor is more often a liar than not, but in this Rumor told the truth. him from the sea. ie Pair He had been a gag in his time, and aati Se precarious living at the bi siness. : But one night there a terrible gale off the vessel in the Australian trade came ashore among J All hands were lost, but the best part of the ship was. sandy bit of the shore by Matthew | ‘that ‘old man | of the Pacific, of ene to ‘ te “We must * 5 ae eee peo,

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CHAPTER Y. THE SPRINGING OF A TRAP. The - handits, with their unwilling accomplice, arrived on the beach an, hour in advance of low tide, and they had to avait the full sixty minutes before they could traverse the harrow patch of shore left uncovered twice 4 day for a short iime and thus reach the little cove where the miser’s habi- tation was to-he found. Securing the herses in a safe spot they cautiously begen the ascent of the rocky path leading to the door of the cabii. _ A door aad two w indows looked seaward, but the windows = so small that no one could have forced a way through em. The door was Rigs small and stout, 5 heavily barricaded on the inside. A dim light was reflected through one of the windows, whieh showed that, late as it was, the old man had not yet retired to rest. “Countin’ his money, voice. “Well.save him that trouble after this,” replied Murdock, with grim hnmor. ; Se feller that don't spend his cash hain't no right to have any.” chipped in Kettler. “If everybody hoarded up his wealth there wouldn't be none in citculation.” | “Now, young feller, come here till I give you your lesson,” “said Murdock to Paul. He proceeded to tell the boy what was expected of him. “Remember. I shall be close behind you, watchin’ every- thin’ you say and do, so don’t try to play any game on us if you value your life. for it won't take more’n a brace. of _ shakes to put a ball into your head if I suspect you tryin’ on ftuiy kind of crooked business. As I told you afore, if this - thing pans out you'll come in for your share of the winnin's with the rest of us, and then you kin light out for ’Fricso, or any other place, with more money in your clothes than you'd make as a travelin’ fakir.” Much against his will, Paul advanced to the door of the eabin and knocked. _. No notice being taken of the summons, he knocked again, louder than before. As there was still no stir inside of the house, he thumped on the door fer the third time. The narrow window close at hand was opened and the thin ~ yoice of an old a inquired who was there, and what was wanted. “I'm a boy,” replied Paul. “I'd like shelter for the night.” “What are you doing here at this time of night?” asked the old man, suspiciously. .* Drifted into this cove in a leaky boat that went down as soon as I stepped out on the recks,” replied Paul, feeling the phaps,” grinned Noach in a low cold nose of a revolver under his ear, ene ’ “De you live in San Bruno?” “Say y yes,” whispered Murdock. “Yes.” answered Paul. as 6) the tide up at the point?” Fhe 4 is goed Ad “What is your hame?” “Paul Scott,” Recs _ “Are you alone?” Si “Yes,” "said Paul, as he felt the touch of the cold. steel i, ve was silence for a moment or two, as if the old man considering the advisability of permitting the youth to nter the cabin. ul heped that he would refuse, for he despised himself be ioe party to this eruel deception, and yet what else ot three bandits were desperate rasciuls, bent on rob- old man. fot if he (Paul) in any way disarranged he felt Certain ‘they wee: ‘Shoot him down with- ate merey. ; aply acting upon the “old adage that self-preser- ‘is the first law of nature, hoping that something would rhe ag on by which he soul peetptn: his conduct at eases A ROLLING | johns of liquor STONE. The old recluse was studying the boy's features, and per- haps looking beyond him for signs of a second person in the background. Murdock, however, shade against the wall of the building. tler held themselves in readiness for ward. Matthew Scraggs, seemingly reassured, returned the lamp - to the table, let down the chain and opened the door. “Come in,” he said. “You may stay here till morning.” As Paul stepped forward, Murdeck sprang to the door, shoved the boy in ahead of him and seized the old man by the arm. kis Noach anid Ketiler followed elise upon his heels. Matthew Scragegs uttered a shrill cry of terror, which Noach cut off by grasping him by the throat and squeezing his wind- pipe “Tie the old dotard to yonder post,” exclaimed Murdock to Kettler, and that rascal tmmediately seized Scraggs und drigged him over to the end of the room. As Murdock glanced around the place, which was but meagerly furnished, his gaze lighted on a heavy brass-bound chest Which stood beside the table. He pounced upon it like a yulture swoops upon a fowl. ' The key was in the lock, and giving it a quick turn. he threw up the cover, revealing a glittering display of gold and silver coin, all carefully arranged in piles. The ruffian’s eyes blazed with greed. A package of documents lay on top of the gold, and with fin impatient wave of his big hand, Murdock swept it to the floor, carrying with it a score of golden coins that jingled and rolled about on the boards before they came to a rest. Noach, looking over Murdock’s shoulder, was fairly amazed at the amount of wealth which had so easily tallen into their hands. “L was right,” he chuckled, avariciously. “The old chap countin’ his coin. There must be thousands of dollars in box.” “There’s enough to keep us in rhino for a long time.” said Murdock, exultantly, running his fingers through the heaps of money, and letting the coins slip like water through his fingers. “Who'd have thought the old hermit had so much!” said Noach. “No wonder he was called a miser. All hands put on your masks,” This was done, an extra one being given to Paul. “We'll put it into circulation again,” laughed Murdock. “You kin bet we will,” cried Noach, eagerly. “Go down into the cove where our horses are tied and bring up the saddle bags.” “All right, cap; but I'd like a‘drink fiest,” his eyes resting on the row of jugs which stood on a near-by shelf. “There seems to be licker to burn in them demijohns yonder.” Murdock’s gaze followed the wave of Noaeh’s aria, and his eyes brightened at the anticipation of the treat in store for them, “Right you are,” replied the leader of the enterprise. “Tere, Paul Scott.” he cried. turning to the lad, who was leaning tigainst the dresser behind the table. “See what kind of stuff is in those jugs on that shelf.” Paul took the three demijohns down, one by one, and re- moving the stoppers sinelt of the contents of each in turn. Two of the jugs held gin, but very litde was left in either. The third was half-full of whisky. Suddenly an idea came into his head, tind he glanced around to see if cither of the rascals was watching ihn. They were not. Their attention was altogether absorbed in the coutempla- tion of the piles of gold and silver coin in the bex. The other ruffian was still eneseee in tying up the hermit- miser, Defily Paul inserted his hand fits in inner pocket, drew forth the, bottle of laudantim he had been carrying since he and Toby left Los Augeles, and emptied its entire contents into the whisky jug and shook it up. Tie replaced the jugs ia their former position and returned to Murdock fo report the character of their contents. Having secured Matthew Seraggs to a post in the rear ot the room, the ruffians ordered Paul to bring forward the demi- from the shelf in the corner. * wee they proceeded to make merry over their rich haul. E wou offered Paul a. drink | f the gin, Which th ’t touch as long as - rss S sted, but the boy : istonte i retired, - Ps. was foxy encugh to'keep well in the while Noach and Ket- an instant dash for- was that

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A ROLLING STONE. 2? Poor old Seraggs. bound hand and foot to the post, was _ taking on dreadfully over the threatened loss of his money. dropping to the floor. Occasionally he ‘glanced at Paul with a look so full of} ‘Kettler clapped one of his hands to his mouth with a hoarse agonized reproach that the hoy experienced a spasm of re-| yell of rage and pain. and his glittering eyes rested on the morse for the part he had acted in the affair, even though he |i belligerent attitude assumed by the boy. had been driven to do it at the point of a revolver. He tried to cover Pan} with his weapon, but his hand trem- “Maybe I'll be able yet to undo the evil I have bronght! bled and wabbled so that it was impossible for him’ to take down on this poor old man.” he niused. “If there is only }aim, and when he pulled the trigger the ball hit the edge of | enough of Jaudanum in that whisky to stupefy them, all will) the ceiling. be well: otherwise—well. what's the use of w orrying? Al The gizl stepped resotutely into the reom now and brought very short time will tell how this matter is going to end.” the rifle to bear on Noach, who was trying ineffectnally to At this point of his reflections a door beside the dresser) hold himself upright. hegan slowly to open, and as the boy’s eyes happened to he “Throw down your gun!* ordered Pavl, advancing on Ket- on it at the moment, he stared. as it moved on its hinges,! tle “and threw up your hands!” with great’ surprise. | The pistel slipped away from his nerveless grasp, but he Suddenly a face—the startled countenance of a young and | covld not throw up his arms. heantiful girl—filled’ the opening. and her eyes roamed in acute| With an insare look of baffied fury in his eyes the ruffian dismay upon the intruders who were making so free with! collapsed against his chair, which went down under his the house. weight. and he lay struggling for a moment on the floor until Paul gazed at this levely apparition with eyes of wonder. | he relapsed inte wiconsciousness. Was this the old man’s niece that he had heard Ateraeck! speak about? | deal with. he, without being ordered. threw up his arms un- —— | der the mute persuasion of the pointed rifie. He remained in that attitude but for a brief interval, his : CHAPTER VI. } eyes rolling in their sockets. and his body Jeaning heavily - ns : | against the table, then he suddenly collapsed as his féet gave A THRILLING CLIMAX. : way benerth him, and he lay an unconscious heap on the | flcer. As the girl's eyes wandered ahout the room ther finally | Murdock was also motionless’ by this time. but his labored rested on Paul's face, and she realized that he was observing; breathing showeii that he was not dead, but had yielded to her. {the insidions influence of the landannum. A look of dread flew into her heautiful face and she looked | The girl dropped the rifle and ran to her uncle. who had as if she was about to faint away. | heen a half stupefied witness of the exciting wind-up. Panl tried to reassure her by placing one of his fingers to| Vaul stepped ferward. laid Murdock's revolver on the table, his lips and then pointing atthe carousing ruffians. —. stooped over Neach and drew from its sheath his glittering Instinetively she seemed to understand that the hoy was | bowie-knife. ; not an enemy. and a pleading look cume into her eyes, as if With this in his hand he stepped up to Matthew Scraggs appealing to him to do something in behalf of her unfortunate! and quickly released him from his bonds. Then he took off uncle. _| his mask. =) Paul nodded to hers and made a motion for her to retire.) The eld man regarded him with a bewildered expression, as he feared if the scoundreis discovered her presence it w ould | the girl with 2 look of gratitude. « » cemplicate matters. | “IT thank you for saving us from those dreadful men,” she She appeared to catch his meaning and /w ithdrew, closing | said, earnestly, 2s she teck Pants hand in hers and raised it the door after her. to her Hips. “You area brave boy. But how came you to be . As the whisky cireulated from hand to hand the three | here with—-” : ruffans grew more and more uproarious in their: conduct. | She paused in some embarrassment, as though the situation _ They seemed to forget everything for the moment but the! was not clear to her. enjoyment of drink. _ | “You deceived me at the door. hoy.” said Matthew Seraggs, The drug was certainiv having ‘some effect upon them, but} in trembling tones. “You said yon were alone, and all the to what extent Paul could not tell. | time these villains were with you. and only obtained entrance Finally Murdock staggered to his feet and drawing his| hecause-I put faith in your honest face. Yet you have now _Ugiy-looking revolver fired it into the ceiling. |taken sides against them. I do not understand what it all The other two immediately imitated his example, with a! means.” Your of mirth. “It means that I was foreed to act as I did against my will. "Good gracious!” exclaimed Paul, starting up in dismay.) Those rufians had me in their power. [ was theft prisoner, “This is more than I figured on. I'm afraid somebody will} and they used me to deceive you.. When I answered yorr get hurt.” _qtestions 1 did so w ith the cold muzzle of a revolver pressed — P After firing a couple of shots into the roof of the-cabin. | “against my ear. 1 teld you mntruths because it was that or- eS k's rum-crazed brain suggested a fresh. freak. death to me, T had to ‘do as I was told or take the conse- He aimed his weapon straight at the helpless cld miser. pees I hope you will forgive me, for I have since dene — } As he pulled the trigger a sharp, whip-like report came! my best to save you. I doctored that whisky with laudanum - from the door behind him, and he staggered and lurched to-| that I fortunately had ra my pocket. And I shot at the two -. watd where Paul stood, bis revolyer flying over to within aj rascals who were trying to get back at this young lady for foot of the boy. her nervy act of shooting down their leader.” Paul glanced in a startled way at the door and saw the} “I believe you, for your actions speak for themselves and — girl standing in the opening with a smoking -Yifle in oo kd is an honest ring in your voice.” said the old man. ~ hand. “They wonld Rare robbed, perhaps killed me, but for yan. _» She had- been Gust in time to save her uncle's life, for the) What is your name?” 3 r ~aegaced aim Was _ Gisarranged and the bullet flew wide of) “Paul Scott.” the pos “Ah, yes; you told me so at the door before I cdepitiak you. "Murdock lay squirming on the carpetiess floor, his fingers; You are a stranger in these parts, are you not?” working cconyulsiyely and the froth gathering about’ his fi month. : cine.” “Noach and Kettler wees to their feet with terrible oaths “How came you to be in the" hands of these men?” | & Be ccling “I and my companion San Luis at noon bates, rather yesterday. in our” n, for San Bruno, the- 2 yonder on the bay, We were overtaken and held up on— ies could pere road by those raffans.avho took a small sun of. money: ‘on leader down came from hebin« me, all they could Hien pee aaa wagon pon the girl oes nts A 5 The pistols of both the rascals exploded harmlessly, Noach’s_ As for Noach, the only remaining sceundrel they had_ to, “Yes. I am touring Southern California selling patent meet _

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A, ROLLING STONE that after all it was fortunate for you that fhey brought me | cific. I see it in all its varying moods—in calm and in storm; - along. If you will get some rope we will bind these fellows, |in sunshine and in shadow. I can neyer be lonesome while I and later on we can deliver them over to the authorities at|have the sea under my window. It whispers to me its secrets - San Bruno. They are desperate villains, and from what I| when at rest. and when ruffied it thunders forth its impatience £ heard about them in San Luis, I guess they have been terror-|at the barriers which prevent it from reaching up to my ~ izing the district. They are now in a fair way to be punished | very door. The sea and I understand each other, young man— _ for their misdeeds.” yes, yes, we understand each other.” es “Heaven be praised!" cried the old man, who had now re-| “The old fellow is a bit cracked, I guess,” thought Paul as covered his self-possession. “You are a brave and sturdy |he listened to the hermit’s strange words. - Youth, and 1-thank you once more. You shall stay with us} “This morning the ocean is in good humor; you see, it is to-night. “Indeed, you have no alternative, if the tide be up, |smiling up at us,” continued the hermit. ~ as I suppose it is now, for it must have ‘been low when you “Weil, I shouldn’t care to live in an out-of-the-way place and these men came here, and that is much more than an hour | like this, cut off entirely from the rest of the world except ago. I will get the rope and help you bind the villains. But | twice a day when the tide is low,” said Paul. _ they must be carried outside afterward. I could’ not rest} “Youth has nothing in common with old age,” replied Mat- knowing they were within these walls where my money is.”| thew Scraggs. “The world is yet before you, young man, and He rushed to the open chest at once, flung himself down | it leoks fair and enticing; but I have passed through it, and before the box and threw his arms protectingly about his | have nothing pleasant to remember of it. It has treated me Wealth. with base ingratitude, and I have no further use for it.” f Then with feverish haste he gathered up the scattered gold| “Well, if 1 had your money I don't think I'd kick even if - pieces from the floor, returned them to the box, together with |the world had gone back on me. I’ve always heard that the the bundle of papers, slammed down the lid, locked it, and | world takes its hat off to the man with the bank account. _ put the key in his pocket. You seem to have coin enough to enjoy life with the best.” After that he went for the rope. “Money doesn’t buy happiness, young man,” said Seraggs, _ “3 must say that you are a brave girl,” said Paul, looking | solemnly. jr at the miser’s niece admiringly. “I guess ‘you saved your “So I've heard; but give me the money and I'll take my X uncle's life by shooting that drink-crazed scoundrel.” chances of being happy.” grinned Paul. ’ + She blushed a little and looked down. “IT should find no pleasure in spending money.” said the Q “What is your name?” he asked her. old man. “The pleasure lies in saving it. Every one of my tn “Suzanne Norwood,” she answered, softly. * gold pieces is like a valued friend. I like to take them out re “It is a pretty name. Almost as pretty as—,—” of the box and talk to them, handle them gently and count - He paused abruptly. them over and over again to see that none have got away. I ‘He was going to say “Almost as pretty as yourself,” but|take a personal interest in each one and would not lose a _ thought he might offend her. single piece-for the world.” _ She blushed rosily as if she Surmised what he had thought} “And w hen you come to die you've got to leave them all ot saying. ~ behind you.” : ‘hen Matthew Scraggs returned to the room with a lot of} “I'll leave them to Suzanne. She will know how to care rope, with which they bound the rascals hand and foot with /for them.” ’ great care. Paul grinned. for he guessed she wouldn't let them lie idle Without bothering to find out how badly Murdock wasjin an old brass-bound box, but put them in circulation w —_ ‘Bi “wounded they carried the three unconscious ruffians outside|they’d earn a decent interest, and le them stretched upon the ground under the shelter} “At any rate that’s what any sensible person would Ais of a huge overhanging rock. and that girl looks as if. she had a level head on her shoul- The door was then chained and barred once more, Scraggs, | ders,” thought Paul. refusing assistance, dragged his precious box into an inner At that moment they heard the silvery voice of Suzanne ‘room, and Paul was handed a blanket on which to lie for} calling them in to the frugal breakfast she had prepared. poner eet of the night. “Iam sorry I can’t offer you as much as you are probably : pS i accustomed to,” said the hermit-miser, apologetically; “but we lead a simple life—Suzanne and I. Such as it is, you are CHAPTER VII. ; welcome to it.” . 7 ae. ' Paul wasn't kicking. SUZANNE GIVES AN EXHIBITION OF MARKSMANSHIP. He was hungry, and the spread, which consisted of fresh rine Spanish mackerel, white bread made by the girl herself, and It was broad daylight when Paul awoke. coffee, looked inviting. The brilliant morning sunlight was streaming through the| At any rate ihere was plenty of it and Paul made a good narrow window panes, making a bright pathway across the | meal. of the living-room. The miser retired to an inner room after breakfast, leaving ‘The door was wide open, so the boy knew some one else the boy and his niece together. -astir before him. ‘ “Your uncle seems to be a curious old men,” remerked got up and walked outside. ; Paul. : He saw Matthew Scraggs bending over the ‘stil senseless “f am used to him,” she replied; “if you knew him better I Gacy of the bandits. think you would see him in a different light.” -morning, Paul Scott,” said the old man, jooking : up| “Are you really contented to stay in this secluded spot, earing his footsteps. Miss Suzanne?” od-morning, Mr. Seraggs. How is the weanaea ey “Tt am contented to be with my angie,” she answered sim- is as much alive as the others,” , ply. - here was he hit?” ‘ ’ “With nothing to look at but the ocean and a lot of black ball passed through his cheek and carried away two rocks?” teeth. He is not ously hurt.” nk have my books, and my sewing, and my rifie to practise niece will be glad to learn that she did not kill him.” | with.” » deser ved death,” replied the hermit, harshly. “I should| “You like to shoot, then?” said Paul in qatprine. Sedbonetion: in ridding: ‘the world of such a scoun- “Yea.” , “You are a good shot, I supp: ose?” “{ can hit a silver dollar nine times out of ten as far as I can see it,” she said, without any appearance of bragging. “The dickens you can! You’re a dandy from Dandyville. — 7 You'd make a hit on the stage with that gun of yours.” _ She smiled as if she did not exactly. understand eager: | ing. ; bi ne jaa ; ; “Shall I show yo how I can aboot 1”. s! > asked, “Sure. I'd like to see imen of yc her rifie and le and his associates will get all that’s coming to we Paetiver thew ae co Men "ca ieee

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AS ROLLE NG STONE . 9 2 TE me FS th NEE HA RS Paul took his stand and tossed up the stones in succession. | the party arcund the exposed beach at the point, and shortly As they fell her rifle cracked six times in rapid succession, | aiterward parted from them and headed for the mountain and eyery bullet hit a stone. range. Ho “That settles it,’ said Paul, after he had seen this marvel- ous exhibition of shooting. “You can beat anything in that ‘ line I ever saw.” CHAPTER VIII. “Here is another stone,” she said, picking one up. “Dare you hold that on the back of your hand at thirty feet and let me shoot it off?” she asked with a provoking little smile. Paul looked rather dubiously at the stone, for it was rather a small one; then he looked at’Suzanne, and the confident ex- pression on her face reassured him. “I take your dare,” he said, taking his former position and holding out his hand, back upward, with the stone on it. ._ It seemed to him that she had hardly time to take aim when the rifle cracked and the stone was brushed off like a THE TRIBULATIONS OF TOBY. Paul made all the haste he could to get back to, the fealty retreat in the hills, for he knew that Toby on awakening an finding himself alone in the adobe house, bound hand and foot as he was, would be badly broken up. Although there was plenty of food in the place, the fat boy would be unable to get at it, and thus the gnawing of hunger would be added to Toby’s other troubles. flash. : : But to find the narrow defile in the mountains was not such “Gee whiz! She's a beaut,” he breathed. “I'll give her one| gq simple matter as Paul had reckoned it. more tesi.” He hed narrowly observed certain landmarks the night be- fore, when he was forced to accompany Murdock and his com- panions to San Bruno Bay, and consequently he believed that he would have no great difficulty in retracing his route to the defile; but in daylight things looked much different, the land- Scape was less contracted, and therefore Paul, in spite of his sharp eyes, found himself all at sea. “This is tough,” he muttered. “Here it is all of twelve o’cleck, I’ve been roaming up and down these byways in the hills and I can’t, to save my life, find that defile. Those ban- dits hit upon ’a pretty secret spot for their headquarters, I am bound to say. Poor Toby! I guess he thinks by this time that he’s been left to die of starvation in that old house.” Paul was getting well-nigh desperate, and the time of day was two in the afternoon, when he stumbled right on the de- file at last. “Thank heaven! I’ve found it. It’s like the answer to a Chinese puzzle, upom my word it is.” He felt immensely relieved as he directed the mare into the defile, and rode along its serpentine course, bordered by lofty peaks and crags, partially covered with verdure, until he emerged inte the amphitheater beyond and saw the dirty He took a match from his pocket and held it up. “Can you see that?” he asked. She nodded, i “I'd like to see you hit it,” he said. She smiled at the challenge, sighted the mark for an in- stant and fired. The match was torn from his fingers. “T take my hat off to you, Miss Suzanne. You've got some of our expert rifle shots beaten to a standstill.” “Come with me now,” she said. “The tide is on the ebb, and I am going /to signal the town.” “Signal the town?” exclaimed Paul. “How?” She led him into the cabin, and by a short ladder to the root, z The back of the house stood against a perpendicular cliff i perhaps sixty feet high. _~ y . From a deep hole in ne rocks she drew out a big rocket. .. Jabbing the wooded end into a crevice of the rocks she E pointed the rocket in the B direction of San Bruno and touched : it off.with a match. Tt shot up into the air with a rushing sound and was in- " stantly lost to sight, but presently a distant report was heard, | adobe house right before him. - and then Paul saw a dense cloud of black smoke spread out “Get up, Anna Maria,” he cried to the mare, as soon as he > low. down in the air. the seft ground under the animal's feet. “You'll have rr i ctype la nection A second rocket followed the first, with a similar result. | # Test and chance to eat your dinner in a moment or two.” “There,” she said, “That will bring a dozen men from town| The tired horse pricked up her ears and broke into a smart to see what is the matter here. We will give those three ban-| Pot that soon carried Paul to the door of the house, before dits into their keeping to be taken to San Luis for trial.” which the van stood as it was left the afternoon before, . : “That’s as good as a telephone, almost,” snickered Paul: Paul quickly dismounted, removed the blanket which had ‘ By the time the tide was at its lowest ebb again the men | Served for a saddle, and turned the animal loose. Then ne entered the house. e m “ha, PA BEG MUTE Rees SHINS Rrcnd: the pala en: Longe He unshipped the fastenings that secured the door of the P inner room and faced the disconsolate Toby, who was by this che their horses in the cove below they came up to the ite’ PABAEE Lata Maced AF danpalt. “ +t 9" f fives “Oh, dear; oh, dear!” exclaimed Toby, two big tears sieal- nA ice SB, ool trouble?” asked the foremost, ad ing ing down his fat cheeks. “Wherever have you been so long? I'm ’most starved. My stomach feels like *t had caved in for _. Matthew Seraggs made his appearance and recounted his| want of something to hold the sides up. (These cords have fear fous Bae een the saree coy et eT made my wrists and ankles so numb that I don’t believe I u i) story, fro e€ moment he an ‘0 hal et feeling i eewere beld Up iit fig edie the devious attiiacon. shall ever get feeling into them any more. Did those rascais e} ¥ come. back with you, or did you get away from them?” oe AA pare you done with the rascals?” asked the man,), «hose ene are in jail long before this,” replied Paul, as ° he cut the cords with the bowie-knife which formerly belonged The old hermit led the party to the back of the cabin and/t 9 Noach end which he had retained, together with Murdock’s showed the hep he scoundrels, who were how beginning to come | peyolyer back to their senses, “Tn jail! Glor '” : “So these are the rascals who have been making life miser- Je Meeermie Seat ate TONY: WA ARE ‘ stand up. able’ for the county, eh?” said the spokesman of the party.| He fell back in a heap on the floor, for there was no power in his feet to sustain his weight. You might have struck his digits with a club at that. mo-— ment and he wouldn't have felt the blow. ~ . His limbs from his knees down were “asleep” by reason of .— the partial stoppage of blood circulation. ors “Give me a drink of water and something .to eat,” he — begged, Be Paul hastened to fetch a jug of water from a nearby spring, v3) and Toby drank about a quart before he removed the jug_ -|from his lips. “Well, we'll take care of them, never fear, You'll all have to - eome to San Luis to give evidence against them. We'll take them there early to-morrow, and the judge will hold the exam- ination in the afternoon. That will give you time to get there T expect to see = ul, Matthew are with your niece, ner ready,” said Paul, handing his companion shah a. douen soda crackers. 5 bina ‘ | Toby. ciey them porsnccely. and at little —_ stove in the. main fn Sige a “Here's a fistful of crackers to chew on till I can get. dine >

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Jy i “Forty. years!” snickered Paul. 7 <o “If 1 was you ['d get a ne his legs with a whip-lash. 10 bacon, and spread out the dishes on the table in readiness to serve the meal up us soon as it was ready, for he guessed - the smell of the cookery was setting Toby wild inside. Before dinner was quite ready Toby’s lower limbs recovered their usefulness, and he came into the outer room with a -famished lock on his chubby face. “Are you hungry?". grinned Paul, giving the pan a shake that started the thin slices of potatoes sizzling again. “Oh, my,.don't mention ii,” chops at the sight of the food. “I could eat an elephant.” ic “It’s a wonder all that fat you've got on your bones wouldn't | stand by you in an emergeacy like this. You oughtn’t to be real hungry for a week.” “Don’t you believe it. Paul:Scott. My stomach is so empty I can hear it rattle like a bag of bones.” stomach,” snickered Paul. “Or serve a dispossess notice on that wolf that’s inside of you. Yeur insides give you more trouble than anybody I’ve ever heard tell of.” ' “It ain't my fault. I didn’t make my stomach.” “tf know you didn’t. But you ought to educate it.” ““Edueate it! What do you mean by that?” asked the fat boy wonderingly. “You pamper it too much. When it hankers for pie, as it always, seems to be doing, you're rot satisfied till you swallow a whole one down to the last morsel of crust... That’s where you make a mistake.” “But i can’t live without pie,” objected Toby, dismally. “Pie is the finest thing made.. Just think ofa nice, fat, juicy pie! Oh, my! What did you speak about it for? It makes my mouth water to think of all I’ve ate.” “Then don’t think of them. Sit up to the table and try some of this bacon and eggs, with fried potatoes, and a loaf of white bread. Those rascals laid in a good supply of eat- ables, and drinkables, too,” as he glanced at a row of yet un- - opened whisky flasks which stood on a shelf in a corner. Toby needed no second invitation to dinner, and the way he f went at the food was a caution. “You seem to be laying in a week's supply so as to be sure you'll have enough,” chuckled Paul, who was pretty hungry himself. Toby was too busy to make any answer. “Here's a cup of coffee,” said Paul. “Don't choke yourself, now.’ Nothing more was said until everything on the table had _ vanished from view, including the entire contents of the cof- fee pot. “Now, we'll take a short rest and then go on to San Bruno,” - Said Paul. Toby looked the picture of contentment as he reclined on the grass in the afterncon sunshine and listened while his companion recounted the events through which he had passed since he had been separated from the fat boy. “Ain’t I glad to know those chaps are in the calaboose,” said, Toby. “Hspecially that villain who took pleasure in ‘abusing me. I wish they'd tie him to a post and let me tickle Wouldn't I just lay it on till he danced? Oh, no; of course not.” "We've got to return to San Luis to-morrow to testify against them,” said Paul. “li tell the judge how that fellow treated me. I hope he'll forty years at least.” “Why don't you say life and be done with it?” “He ought to be sent up for life, and the other two ‘get thirty years apiece.” They'll get all that’s coming to them, I guess.” Paul got up and went to the wagon, let down the back and Look at those “mattresses,” ~he said, throwing them out 1e ground. “Noach hacked them all to pigees, in his search for my money.” ie “They're ruined,” replied Toby. “I believe half my supply of cough mixture is gone to said Paul, bringing out one of the boxes. — threw away more than a dozen broken bot- ile ot re si: and oye examining a secand box nage ae of the stuff. ree and only Smeg dee was dis- ved t oth ther personal belong- dieu the Inside - A = a groaned the fat boy, licking his / A ROLLING STONE. - “Now we'll start on, Toby,” he said. The fat boy, before he got up on the seat, entered the house and took possession of what remained of the bag of crackers, which he stuffed into his pockéts. “Get up, Anna Maria,” chirruped Paul, and the outfit started for San Bruno. CHAPTER IX. IN GHE HANDS OF THE ENEMY. Paul, Toby and the covered wagon reached San Bruno some time before dark, and stopped in front of the smaller of the two hotels in the place, while the boys went in and had their supper. Subsequently Paui ane the van to the corner of two of the principal streets, and after attracting a crowd by their music. the jad started in to sell his patent remedies. | He drove a brisk trade until buyers got scarce, and then he closed up for the night and drove off to the suburbs, where, latter tethering Anna Maria, the two boys turned in on a couple of new mattresses which Paul had purchased. Murdock and his companions had been. committed to the town lock-up pending their transfer to San Luis, the county seat, where they would be tried. The San Bruno jail was a one-story adobe building, with a single barred window and a heavy wooden door reinforced with stout iron bands. It was plenty strong enough to hold ordinary maiefactors, and no cne had ever been known to escape from it. When the jailer locked the big door on the three bandits he was satisfied they were secure until they should be wanted. They had been’ searched afier the usual fashion, and every- thing found upon them taken into the jailer’s office néxt door. There were some things on their persons that were not taken; because the search was not thorotigh enough. | Hach of the ruffians had concealed in his trousers a pair of /fine, highly tempered files, which they had previded for just such an emergency as the present. When the jailer, carried in. their supper to them, and a blanket for each to lie upon through the night, he was per- |fectly assured that he would find them there in the morning. When he returned in the morning with their breakiast the adone jail was empty. Tne three stout bars at the window had been sawed away, and that showed how they had made their escape. side, tor how could they saw through those bars without the neceszary tools? Which went to prove that he didn’t know everything. However, they were gone, and the jailer had a bad quarter of an hour trying to explain to the justice that he wasn't to blame for their escape. A posse cf armed citizens was organized to scour the range after them, and as it was known that Paul Scott, the “medi- - cine man,” knew-where their retreat was, he was.persuaded to accompany the pursuers. ; Teby Titmarsh was left in charge of the wagon and the mare, with a fine large apple pie to keep him company. He ate the pie; and then, feeling drowsy, went to sleep. In the course of a couple ‘of hours the uneasy movement of the wagon woke him up. He was surprised to find the van in motion. “Paul must have got back, harnessed up and started on the road again,” he thought, without taking the trouble to open his eyes, for if there was anything Toby liked it was to be left alone to slumber as long as he chose. A fly lighted on his nate and he pizere to brush it away with his hand. But he couldn't xalas his hand—something seemed to hold both of them down. He opened his eyes quick enough now, and, to, his surprise, not to say consternation, he found that his hands were bound by a rope which passed around his waist. “What's the meaning of this?” ie gurgled. - “I Kina Paul has been playing a joke on me.” 4 Here he was treated to another surprise. : ‘A very pretty young vant was seated on Paul's mattress, Op- were” heath: ‘behind her ba ; hoops Sire setae The jailer was ceriain they had had assistance from the out- -

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A ROLLING STONE. 11 Toby looked at her with the utmost amazement, and as she was wide awake she returned his stare. The fat boy couldn’t understand what this all meant. How came this girl, bound and gagged, in the wagon? Surely Paul Scott wasn’t engaged in the kidnaping busi- ness. Naturally he turned his eyes to the wagon seat in search of ; Paul. The flap exposed a hairiess countenance he had seen before, and under circumstances not to his liking. It was the face of Noach, the rascal who had amused him- self on the previous day at the fat boy’s expense. “Oh, my!” gasped Toby, collapsing against the side of the wagon. “The bandits have got hold of me again. I’m a dead Titmarsh this time for sure. They won't do a thing to me now, I'll bet four bits. Why did I go fo sleep? Paul told me to keep my eyes skinned. If I had “done as he ordered me to I might have escaped this awful situation. Oh!” The groan Toby uttered reached Noach's ears, and he thrust his ugly countenance into the wagon. “You've woke up, have you, you bundle of fat?” he chuckled. “Well, don’t let me hear another sound from you pntil fur- ther Motice, or I'll go in there and tickle your ribs with my whip.” Satisfied he had terrified his stout prisoner, he resumed a conversation he was carrying on with Kettler, who shared the seat with him. ‘ Toby turned his attention once more to the girl opposite. - It was evident now to him that the bandits had made her a _ prisoner for some purpose, and he felt sorry for her. She put him in mind of Paul's description of Suzanne Nor- wood, the hermit-miser’s niece—the girl who could shoot pebbles and matches out ofa person’s hand at thirty feet. a It was too bad this girl was gagged, for it would relieve the monotony of his position if they could only talk together. Under the circumstances that seemed to be impossible. = ’ Finally, after they had looked at each other for some time, 4 ‘as Toby thought he'd speak to her anyway. oh “You're a prisoner, ain’t you?” he asked in a low voice, fearful that Noach might overhear him and come in and exe ' cute his threat. e The girl nodded. “Did the bandits carry you off from San Bruno?” p<. She nodded again. , e “You don’t know where these men are carrying us to, do yOu?” Ve She shook her head. _ “They ran off with this wagon while I was asleep. This van ace belongs to Paul Scott and——” i She nodded her head energetically. : “IT wonder what she means by that?” thought Toby, looking at her closely. “She nodded her head when I said Paul Scott. S. She can’t know him. How could she? You don’t know Paul eo BScott?” paerree her questioningly. She nodded } You do know him?” in surprise. Another positive nod. & “It ean't that you are Suzanne, the hermit’s niece?” he asked again, as the possibility of the thing occurred to him. ; She nodded. “Are you the girl. that can hit a flying pebble every time with a rifle ball?” he continued, ares Marte her with a fresh and. admiring interest. “She nodded, and seemed to pee “Cwsar’s ghost!” he ejaculated. “And you shot that man | Murdock, the leader of the three bandits?” _ Another nod from the girl. “And they've ‘kidnaped you to get square with you, I sup- Bose.” Suzanne, for it was indeed she, made no answer to this— ‘prebably because she could not speak and tell Toby that the Yea] reason why she had been carried off by these rascals was because they hoped, with her-as a hostage, to make terms with the old hermit, involving the transfer to them of most of his Wealth in return for her liberty. : = ‘This was the truth, aud Suzanne had easily essed it. ta jex* - a search party being sent out to rescue her, and then he, too, would be saved. At this point in his reflections the wagon came to a rest in fs ae of a shallow stream to allow the horse to take’ a rin Noach — handed the reins to Kettler, and to Toby's dismay turned around ana came into the wagon. “Now, young lady,” he said to Suzanne, of that gag.” Thus speaking, he took the cloth from ‘her mouth. She felt immensely relieved, but she didn’t thank him just the same. He cast a sardonic look at Toby and then returned to his seat. The wagen moved on, and thereaften the road became more rough, and the joltings more frequent. Toby and Suzanne were now able to converse together. - She told him that she and her uncle had arranged to go by the stage to San Luis to attend the examination of the three bandits. She had left the cove ahead of Matthew Scraggs, and was walking along the shore close to the outlying houses of San Bruno, when she was suddenly set upon by the very rascals she supposed to be safely in prison at San Luis. They gagged and bound her before she had recovered from the surprise of the attack, and carrying her up the road they icame upon the van, with the horse tethered close by, and Toby asleep inside. “They lifted me into the wagon,” she went on to say, “bound you as you slept, put the animal into the shafts and drove off, but in what direction I have not the least idea.” “Didn’t any one see them kidnap you?” asked Toby. don’t see how they could do it in broad daylight.” “If any cne saw them carry me off they didn’t interfere.” “I wonder what they intend to do with us?” said Toby, ap- “TTL relieve you “I i prehensively. “T am sure they mean to hold me a prisoner until I am either spigot or my uncle pays them a large sum of money to let me go.” “Maybe Paul Scott would pay them something to let me go, too,” said Toby, hopefully. “It's more likely,” she said, leaning over and whispering, “that he'll head a party of San Bruno people to run these ban- dits down and take us away from them. He’s’a brave boy, and a smart boy, too, and that’s just what I think he'll do.” Toby sincerely hoped that Paul was already on their trail, for a sensation of discomfort in the region of his stomach told him that he was growing hungry again. CHAPTER X, PAUL STARTS TO THE RESCUE OF SUZANNE AND TOBY. ‘it the bandits were going back to their retreat in the range, they were taking a different and much longer route than the custemary one. Then again there were only two of them—Murdock was | missing. The truth of the matter was, after giving directions to Noach, he had remained in the neighborhood of San Bruno for two reasons; the first was to communicate his intentions and terms to Matthew Scraggs; the other, to find out if ‘the people of the town were going to make any great efforts to try and recapture him and his two associates. Immediately after the abduction of Suzanne, Murdock, with a dollar in his pocket which Noach had taken from Toby's pocket, ent: a small drug store which sold stationery, : ‘and buying a sheet of paper and an envelope, wrote a note in his peculiar style to Matthew Scraggs, in which he stated that his — niece Suzanne was now in their hands, and that he would sive. | ; Scraggs the chance to ransom her for the sum of $20,000. “T'll give you a week to ‘make up your mind,” on. “If within that time you do not bring the sum mentioned _|in gold to the spindle rock at the foot of the twin peaks n the road to San Luis, and come alone, you will never see the the noté went girl again. as I shall shoot her in revenge for the wound she gave me in your cabin. If you comply with this pete bring the money in the manner stated, then the allowed to go back with ne girl by send to search the it remember that in et case

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12 , ones _ Seraggs, ee Taen he walked boldly up the main street of the town, en- _ tered the small post-office, bought a stamp and mailed the let- ae ter. Before dark the posse, with the deputy sheriff and Paul Scott at their head, which had been scouring the range since morning to find some trace of the three bandits, returned un- successful from their quest. Murdock saw them ride into town, and he smiled sarcas-: tically as they swept by nis hiding-place on the outskirts of | San Bruno. _» He followed them into town in the gathering dusk and saw | them dismount before the office of the jail, and enter the building. A crowd gathered around the door to hear the news, and Murdock mixed with it without attracting notice. Finally he took advantage of the general attention being concentrated on the office to unhitch the deputy sheriff's fine roan stallion, and walk it down the street a little way. , Then ke mounted the animal and rode away from the town ' to meet his companions at the appointed rendezvous in the range There was the dickens to pay when the deputy’ sheriff ‘missed his horse, with a fine pair of revolvers in the holster. No one’ had noticed the disappearance of the animal, and _ so the town official was left completely at sea in the matter. _. He was mad as a hornet, for he thought one of his friends had played a practical joke on him. + But a similar discomfiture awaited Paul Scott when he went to the spot where he had left Toby in charge of the van and the mare. Toby and the outfit were gone, but where it had vanished to | no amount of investigation on Paul’s part gave the slightest _ clew. | So Paul had to give the matter up for the night and go to the hotel where he and Toby had taken their meals. wagon. ; : Jt was not long before a woman, living in the suburbs of the i town, told him that she had seen a van such as he described, - drawn by a horse answering to the appearance of Anna Maria, driven by a smooth-faced, rough-looking man, with a bearded ‘companion, moving rapidly up the road to the northeast. _\ “When did you see the wagon, ma’am?” he asked. “About noon, yesterday,” she replied. “By George!” exclaimed Paul. “I believe those rascals have _ taken possession of my rig again. They must have been ~ hanging around this neighborhood while we were searching for them in the range. But why should they take the trouble to earry off poor Toby? Possibly to prevent him from giving an alarm. They'll probably dump him out,in the wilds some- where, and let-him find his way back to San Bruno as best he can. The rascals! What shall I do now? Without my outfit I’m completely stranded. No use talking, I must follow those - scamps, even at the risk of my life. All my money is hid away in that wagon, and I can't afford to be done out of it. I must Segoe a good horse and a rifle. I'll run down to the cove rhage Suzanne to loan me her gun. She'll do it, I know. nas to a horse, I guess I can scare one up when I explain why 1 want it.” Having decided on his line of action, Paul hurried over to a point, wondering whether the tide was low enough to Dermat him te. walk around to the cove. 3 He found that. it .was. , ~ On his way. around the little patch of beach he met the *s son, who had been sent to deliver Murdock’s let- Matthew Scrages. - Paul had scarcely caught sight of the cabin, peréhed among rocks, before he saw the old hermit come out of the door 1d walk up and down in front of the house. ike a man who 4 . senses. . >. ts : it's the matter with him?” the: er, ‘asked himself, as ng his hair and acting like yt es his money oon the solitude _yesterda, rning about the penongh to aida dock, as he sealed the envelope and ‘addressed it to Matthew Next morning Paul started out on a fresh hunt after the ve must be ree ae ‘Well, I don’t wonder. The| Ys A ROLLING STONE. Then he walked up to the hermit and spoke to him. The old man stopped and stared wildly at the boy for a moment, then he seemed to recognize him. Paul saw he was greatly agitated, the tears were trickling down his pointed beard, and he was shaking as with the ague. | In one trembling hand he held an open letter. “Why, what’s the matter?” asked the boy, much astonished at his strange actions and appearance. “Suzanne is gone!” cried Seraggs with a burst of grief, which showed how much he was attached to his young rela- tive. “Gone! Gone! Stolen by those villains!” “Suzanne gone! Stolen! What do you mean?” gasped Paul. “Read this letter!” exclaimed the hermit, thrusting the pa- per into the boy’s fingers. “Read it, and you will understand all.” ‘ Paul read the letter. He was startled by the terms proposed by Murdock. “I must sacrifice my money to save her!” cried the old man, with a hollow groan, that showed it was like parting with his very life blood to be compelled to give up so much of his cherished wealth. Yet it was clear, to his credit, that his niece was more ‘to him, when it came to the pinch, than even his darling gold, though it was quite probable he never would recover from the loss of his money. “Calm yourself, Mr. Scraggs, and let us talk the matter over together. Perhaps something can be done to rescue Suzanne from the clutches of those villains, without you being obliged to yield to their terms.” “No, no!” ejaculated the hermit. “Nothing must be done. He says if I send a posse to search for them her fate will rest at my door. In that case he means to kill her, and I can- not lose Suzanné. No, no; I cannot lose her! Better that my gold, which I am saving for her, that she may be rich after I am dead, should go. She must not be hurt.” Paul’s respect for the hermit-miser went up several hun- dred per cent..on hearing him speak in that strain. “Look here, Mr. Seraggs. don’t get so excited. He gives you a week to decide what you will do, and it will take you only a few hours to carry the necessary sum to the spot he has indicated on the road to San Luis. In the meantime, turn this matter over to me. Those rascals have stolen my horse and wagon, and carried off my companion, and I mean to get my property back if I can. In seeking for my outfit I may come across Suzanne, and I promise you I will attempt her rescue. eyen at the risk of,my life. I came over here to bor- row her rifle. Will you let me have it?” “Yes, yes,” cried the old man, eagerly. “Do you mean to - go out alone?” “I do. They will be on the lookout for a posse, and not for a lone boy like me. I mean to hunt the range till I get wind of their whereabouts, and then I hope by stratagem to * get the better of them.” “You are a brave boy,” said Matthew Scraggs, patting him on the shoulder. “I have confidence in you. I will wait six days for you to do something. On the seventh, if you do not return with Suzanne, I will take the gold to the spindle rock near the San Luis road.” “That is just what I was about to propose—that you give me six days to rescue Suzanne. It is settled, then? “Yes, yes; it is settled, ” replied the hermit, feverishly. “Then get me her rifle and some cartridges, and I will be off before the tide makes me a prisoner in this cove.” Matthew Scraggs hastened into the cabin and soon returned with Suzanne's rifle and: cher cartridge belt, Which was full of ammunition. a The gun was 4 magazine rifle, and six shots soma he fired before it was necessaty to ‘reload. -Panl strapped the belt seed his waist under his jacket, where he already carried Murdock’s reyolver on one side and Noach’s bowie on the other. ©. With the rifle in his hand he looked to be prepared for : almost any kind of an PACE BONES, he, was likely to run as against. Then seizing Matthew ‘Seraggs’ by the: hands, he ‘fold him to keep up his courage. “Depend on it, I will save > Suzanne it ‘the thing te vie

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4 oe A ROLLING STONE. 13 CHAPTER XI. id PAUL TRACKS THE BANDITS TO THEIR NEW RETREAT. Pau] Scott succeeded in procuring a stout young horse, used to mountain travel, and filling a pair of carpet bags with a |) week’s supply of food he set off toward-the defile in the hills. He hoped to find the bandits back again in their retreat. He teck a roundabout course at a slow pace, for he did not “propose to take the chances of entering the little enclosed amphitheater until after dark. | There was a beaten track leading well to the north of the defile, and he followed it. _ About five o’clock he reached the very creek the wagon had rossed the previous afternoon, and as the ground was soft oh lereabout he noticed the impression of the wheels. His heart gave a jump. _ “I guess I’ve struck the right trail,” he breathed. _ Wagon, probably my van, has recently come this way.’ _ For some distance the ‘track was more or less plain, then u “he lest it over a stretch of hard ground. _ He went straight on, and by and ,by saw the occasional ‘track of the whee] again. They led him around in a semi-circle, and away from the efile. “I guess they're afraid to go back to their old roosting- ' ground for a, while, at any rate. This track leads right into a wild section of the mountains. Rather rough traveling for a wheeled vehicle, I should think.” It certainly was, as rocks and tree stunips, and other ob- structions, abounded. “They're liable to break an axle over this road unless they’ re Mighty careful.” * +. Darkness came down upon hini while he was still follow- = the trail. He then decided to camp where he was for the night. Picketing the horse where he could get at the grass, Paul ate his supper of cold meat and bread, which he washed down _ with coffee he had brought in a bottle. We sat for an hour with his back against a big rock and B gared upon what he should do when he overhauled the ras- "cals, Then. wrapping himself in the blanket he carried for that rrpese, he was soon fast asleep in the solitude of the range, ‘With the brond canopy of heaven above him and the stars wink'ng down to keep him company. He was up at the first blush of day in the eastern sky, leisurely ute lis frugal breakfast, and saddling eet animal tock ‘up the trail once more. It was not an easy matter to follow it here, and he was obliged. to proceed a good deal by guesswork. ‘Bet he had a sharp pair of eyes, and being desperately in rest, he noticed signs showing the late yore 4 of a wagon at he would not etherwise have taken note of. As the day grew apace he saw that the ruffians’ trail led whd toward the south. — » following - their tracks: he circled a great spur in the ee “and came into a long. and narrow valley betw een two ong of the mountains, — ¢€ a wagon could proceed with tolerable ease and safety, md as the ground was of a ‘jelding nature the double wheel ck of the van was. plainly recognizable. order to attract less attention in case the raseals might e somewhere on the watch, Paul dismounted and led the ani- ) by the bridle. _ “Be sth he crossed the long noted that the wagon tra Jed | hrough ead defile similar to the one on the « ther side of the ra owed it with due Page cas and it led that had many of the ad here the adobe house was situated, _ as very much smaller than the ‘other place, however, ely more than two hundred yards across to a a rough pathway tes oe 4, a MS 3 among | _ § Some os riléth ete to ithe. further end and} epactertetics: of the amphi-- w yee ked to him as if shea min By ey snd gob aay Fe Looking more narrowly toward the wagon. in the hope of seeing either Toby or Suzanne, he made out the forms of two of the three bandits stretched -out in the grass under the | van, smoking cigars and apparently talking. “Where is the third man?” mused Paul. “He may be on the watch somewhere about here. I must look out that he does not come on me unawares.” i 2 He looked furtively back up the defile. There were a score of places where a watcher might lie concealed, and he. began to wonder if his approach was. al- ready known to the invisible bandit, who he knew to. be Noach, as the other two had hair on their faces. Paul stood for half an hour alternately watching the span? ers and looking up the defile, but nothing occurred to indi- cate that he had been seen. “I must find some place to picket my horse where he will not be seen.” said the boy to himself. “Some place on the other side of the valley. I can then come back here and watch these chaps to better advantage. If the rascals only knew my eyes were on them at this moment they wouldn't. be taking things so easy.” He ied his animal back through the mountain pass, nar- rowly watching every rock or bit of brush that might con- eeal a spy, until he reached the valley once more. Then he continued on across the narrew plain till he mace . out a sequestered nook sheltered by a line of trees. ’ Here’ he tethered his horse, and here beside a trickling rill -)¢ he ate his noonday meal, and laid his plans for future action. The day was very warm and the air still. Nature seemed to have gone to sleep under the broiling Southern California sun. Paul reerossed the valley and entered the defile once more, He passed through to the point from which he had pre- viously reconnoitered the pocket, and creeping into a mass of thick Me cgahe oa near at hand he felt he was secure from ob- servation He saw that he had not reached the ‘spot a Moment too : soon, for one of the two bandits, whom he recognized as Mur- dock, was slowly walking toward the entrance to the pass. “T had a narrow escape.” thought Paul, his eyes on the man. “Had I come a few moments later we must have met in the defile. and then there would have been pepmothing do- ing. -I1 wonder where he is. going?” Mvrrdock kept right on till he reached the defile, passing within a yard of where Paul was concealed, and then dis- appeared up the pass. “I suppose he’s gone to take a look up the valley, and see if any one is in sight,” mused the boy. It was a good guess, for this was pxactly the errand the bandit was bent on. The other ruffian was stretched out under the wagon as if asleep. f Noach was still missing, and Paul would have given somé- thing to have known where he was at that moment. ~ At that stage of the game the canvas folds behind the. wagon seat were pushed back and the fat conhtenauee of . Toby appeared. He looked all around the van as well as he could, and after WTS $55 planning to make his escape? I’m afraid he isn't smart Saha a a moment or two drew back again into the interior. “I wonder whit Toby is up to?” muttered Paul. to sueceed,” At that moment another face appeared from behind | ‘the eanvas—the bright and alert face Ot Suzanne Norwood, Phase even ES CHAPTER XU SUZANNE AND roBY” ae Away FROM THE tee ob iat cap watched the girl with sparkling | exes. Poffo ee j ‘oby re ene. me) tule feta sia i ta

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14 * She waited a moment and then waved her arm for Toby to follow. The fat boy emerged from the van like a baby elephant, and the front of the wagon tipped with his weight as he started te! descend backward. “He reached the ground all right and dived down “beside “Suzanne, but he qwas so large’that he put one in mind of an ostrich hiding its head in the sand while the rest of its body = ras exposed. d Any one looking that way could have seen him. ‘Panl watched ‘their movements with a good deal of inter- est. «They Tay in the grass two or three minutes and then Su- zinne rose up and looked toward Kettler. He had not stirred. Then she scrutinized the pocket on every side, and seeing nothing stirring she spoke to Toby, who also got up, and they started for the entrance of the defile. “Suzanne,” cried Paul, softly, as she and the fat boy were passing within a few feet of where he lay concealed in the bushes. The girl gave a little. suppressed scream. while Toby ex- claimed, “Oh, lor!" and began to shake in his shoes. “Don't be alarmed, Suzanne. It is I, Paul Scott.” “T'anl Scott!” she cried, joyfully, recognizing his voice. “Where are you?” * “Here.” and Paul rose aut of the bushes. “Oh, Paul!” exclaimed Suzanne, running up to him and catching him by the hands. “Panl Scott, is it really you?” gurgled Toby, in astonish- ment. $e “Sure thing, Toby.” grinned the lad, as he drew Suzanne down into the shelter of the bushes. “Get under cover, Toby.” ; In 2 moment they were out of sight. “Tt isn’t possible that you came out here after us all alone, is it, Pauly” asked Suzanne. laying her hand on his arm. “Surely, some of the,San Bruno people came with you?” “No. 1 came here all by myself.” “Why were you so reckless? You know these men would think nothing of shooting you down on. sight.” “There was a good reason why I could not bring a posse with me.” “What reason? How could you hope to get the better of these desperate rascals yourself?” “By stratagem. Murdock wrote a letter to your uncle de- manding twenty thousand dollars for your ransom. He said that if any attempt was made to capture him and his associ- ates it would be at the risk of your life. He gave your uncle a week to consider the matter, and bring the money to a certain spot which he stated. If Mr. Scraggs failed to do so, Murdock threatened to kill you in revenge for the wound you gave him the other night in the cabin.” Suzanne. though naturally a courageous girl, shuddered and turned. pale, for she believed the scoundrel was fully capable ot carrying out his threat. “Then you have seen my uncle?” she said, in a low voice, “Yes. I teld him that it was better that I should attempt your ‘rescue alone. as these rascals would certainly be on the lookout for a posse, and would take measures to protect them- - selyes against any attack. Doubtless they had determined to you before they would be taken. Now I reasoned that I m possibly be able to track the scoundrels alone with- out aitraeting their notice. Your uncle thought well of the plan and agreed not to comply with Murdock’s demands until 1 had had a fair chance to do something to thwart the rascal. 9 I started out on a borrowed horse yesterday morning. and ter some hours I came upon the tratcks made by the yan. I lowed them, and they led me here.” cewek: took a great risk. How brave you are!” she said, ad- ; “miringly. ..“ But we ought not, to remain here talking.” she z said. anxiovsly. “The other two men may come back at any . nt. Let us get” awa at once through the pass.” ».” “replied Paul. . urdock passed through the defile eahee ago. If. we went that way now we would be pmest him. | He is armed and one of us at least might We must wait fill he comes back.” man—the FURL punt irra asked Suranne e you neue oa “ae * , bean find or A ROLLING in be irk so ordered by Paul. — ‘ STONE. He persuaded Suzanne to take her weapon, which she knew how to use so well, and unbuckled the cartridge belt. “Considering that you are a dead shot I ‘think we are a match for the rascals as we stand. However, the easiest way is the best. I would much prefer that we made our escape without shedding any blood.” While they conversed they also did not forget to peer fre- quently through the interstices of the bushes in order to keep track of anything that transpired in the open space in front. Suddenly Suzanne grasped Paul by the sleeve of his jacket. “Took,” she said. “There is° Noach.” Paul and Toby followed with their eyes the direction she pointed, and saw the rascal making his way down the recks at the further end of the pocket. “He must have been on the watch at that opening yonder,” said Paul. He came on slowly, as if time and he were on easy terms, and when he reached the wagon he sat ,down and punched > Kettler into wakefulness. They conversed together. Kettler finally got up and looked around, as if in search of Murdock. : Not seeing any sign of him he sat down again, and the ras- cals continued to talk together for perhaps a quarter of an hour. Then Noach rose to his feet. came around to the front of the wagon, stepped up on the seat and looked into the van. Of course he immediately discovered the absence of the pris- oners, and sprang down again in a hurry. From the way he addressed his comrade it was evident he was blaming him for lack of vigilance. No time, however, was lost by them in making an effort to recover the fugitives. After glancing sharply all over the grass-corered pocket Noach started for the defile, while Kettler remained beside . — the wagon on the alert. “It’s too bad that both of them didn’t go off through the ~ pass hunting for us,” said Paul, “Then we'd have had the chance to sneak across to that opening over the rocks. Though I suppose that would mean I'd have had to abandon my horse, which is tethered in a grove of trees at the other side of the valley beyond the defile.” At that moment Toby uttered a loud exclamation of terror, and pointed to Suzanne's feet. A good-sized. deadly-looking snake lay coiled there. its flat head poised and gently waving to and fro as if in the act of springing on the girl. ¢ CHAPTER NXIIl. WHAT PAUL FOUND IN THE SPUR OF THE RANGF. Paul saw Suzanne's danger, and on the spur of the moment he seized his revolver and fired at the snake's head, killing _ the reptile instantly. The report of the weapon naturally startled Kettler. and : drew his attention in that direction, ; He saw the white smoke rising from the fringe of bushes . and he hecame greatly excited. His first impression was that the pocket had been invaded by their enemies, and that he had been fired uwpen. so he hastily jumped behind the shelter of the wagon to get out of range. He felt that his position was desperate, as he had no weapon to defend himself with—the only guns the party possessed be- ing the deputy sheriff's stolen revolvers, now in possession of” Murdock and Noach. “The fat is in the fire now.” said Pant, ruefully. “No vse stdying here any longer. Let’s make a break for that raseal and put him out of business while we have the chance. If he has a revolver, and draws it on us, don't pentbete 5 to shoot 7 him, Suzanne.” 2 Paul sprang from the bushes. pistol in hand, followed by Suzanne with her rifle ready for instant service. while Teby. | being neither armed nor yery valiant. followed more Teisurely, and with many misgivings as to what was abort to happen. “You go around the other side of the wagon. Snzame. and eut him off that way while I take him in front.” said Paul Kettler being caught at a disadvantage nec ap: ‘hts ha yee “Here, Toby.”: ordered. his bnsiness, AaitaMate,) m3 e ince, of erie in — wagon t 13 tie

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A ROLLING STONE. 15 Toby hastened to get the cords which the rascals had used to bind himself and Suzanne. While Paul and Suzanne covered the discomfited scoundrel, the fat boy bound his hands’ behind his back and tied his legs together. He had scarcely completed the job when Murdock and Noach, who had heard the report of the revolver, came on} the scene, weapons in hand. They stopped at the mouth of the defile to take a hasty} survey of the pocket in order to determine the trouble, and | it was not many Moments before they grew wise to the situ-| ation. They recognized Paul Scott at once, and at the same time saw their late prisoners. _ As there was nothing very formidable in the appearance of these three young people, Murdock and Noach concluded that | they could easily overpower them. H _ $o they rushed forward with shouts of triumph, both of} : er at Paul as he stood out in full view. . ne of the bullets carried away a lock of the boy’s hair, -and he staggered back and slipped to the ground. ‘Suzanne, with a ery of anger and distress, covered Noach in a twinkling with her rifle and pulled the trigger. Simultaneous with the sharp crack of the weapon the scoun- _ drel threw up his hands, uttered a terrible cry and fell for- ward on his face. A second report followed an instant later and Murdock went down on the grass like a stricken deer. By that time Paul was picking himself up. Suzaune dropped her rifle and ran to him with the deepest concern on her face. : “Are you hurt?” she asked, with trembling lips. “Not in the least.” he replied, with a reassuring smile. “The ball glanced alongside my head and knocked me out for the moment, but that is all it amounted to.” “fhen as he looked at the fallen rascals a dozen yards away he exclaimed: - “You shot.them both, did you? I wonder if they’re dead?” He walked up to Noach and Murdock and examined them. ~ KBach had a streak of blood flowing from a furrow over the deft ear. ‘ They had been stunned, but not dangerously wounded. — _ “Cin rather glad she did not kill them, though they richly deserved such a fate,” he said to himself. “I am sure Su- eg would not like to have their blood on her hands if she eould avoid it. She couldn’t have made two prettier shots. both exactly alike, without actually killing them.” _ He returned to the girl's side and reported the facts, - *f did not try to kill them,” she said. “1 could easily have _ done that. 1 hit them just as I meant to do.” j “You did all that was necessary to put them in our power,” replied Paul, quite pleased with the resuits of the encounter. “Come, Toby, help me secure those villains before they re- cover their senses.” ‘There was no more rope, so Paul tore done of the blankets - into strips and used that to bind Murdock and Noach hand ‘fhe three bandits were then hoisted into the van like three sacks of meal, Anna Maria was harnessed to the shafts. and with Teby for driver, and Suzmine sitting by his side, : started off through the defile for the valley beyond, Paul behind on the deputy sheriff's stolen horse. After, passing through the defile Paul directed Toby to ta iow him, and, he started off ahead for the place own animal was picketed, ee. It was well along in the afternoon, and as both Suzanne and - Toby were about hilf famished, for the bandits had secured a limited quantity ef food, Paul called a halt for an h che supplied from the eatables he had where his Toby had no idea who Oliver Twist was, as he had never read the story, so he merely grinned, and bit into his third sandwich. “te When the meal was ended, Paul mounted his horse, and, leading the other animal, headed the procession up the valley. They reached the upper end of the valley about dark.and halted there for the night, the young people, with,a blanket |} apiece, making themselves as comfortable as they could under the shadow of a spur of the hills. ; \ Toby and Suzanne were soon asleep, but Paul, felt. un- usually wakeful. : He lay on his back, looking up at the brilliant stars, ant thought how delighted the old hermit would be when he re- turned Suzanne to her home on the following day. “He's a queer old fellow.” mused the boy: “but he’s got one good streak in him—he’s mighty fond of his niece. I won- der how he made all that money he’s got in that brass-bound box? There must be thousands of dollars there. It's a fine thing to have plenty of money. A fellow can have anything he wants then. It will take nie a geod while to make a for- tune selling patent medicine. Still, I'm doing pretty well for a chap of my years. I bave no right to kick. All the same, I wouldn't mind if I could find a gold mine. and branch out as a young multi-millionaire. 1 think I'd start a pie bakery especially to provide Toby with enough of his favorite lux- ury. Dear me, how that boy can eat! If he keeps on, he'll burst some day, or grow so big I'll have to hire him out to a side-show.” « He turned over on his side and began listlessly to pile up the pebbles within reach, thinking that before he had finished the operation he weuld drop asheep. The moon rose over the summit of the range and shone down upon the silent little camp. : Presently, as Paul was putting the finishing touches /to his Pile of stones, something bright in the face of the rock a shert distance away attracted his netice. “T wonder what that is?” he thought, stopping in his ocen- pation. “It looks uncommonly shiny, and different from the rest of the rock. I'm going over to investigate it.” He got up and walked over to the rock spur on which the rays of the moon shone with a soft brilliancy. That one particular spot reflected a dull radiance different from any other part of the rock. - Paul rubbed his hand over it. “It's a funny piece of rock,” he mused. “I"m going to dig it out as a curiosity.” ‘ ; That was easier said than done. With the point of his bowie-knife he dug away at it, and finally quite a chunk of the shiny rock came away in his hand. $ Iie examined it in the light of the moon. : “LT wonder if that could be real silver ore?” he asked him- self, as he turned it over and over in his fingers. “It looks + something like the specks I've sven in silver quartz; but this is not quartz, that I can see; it seems a solid Inmp of silyer rock. I dare say there is more of it ia that spur. If it’s real silver lve accidentally struck a good thing—maybe a bonanza. If it isn’t. silver, why, then. this hunk hasn't any value, I must get some person who has an expert knowledge of ores to pass judgment on it. If there's easily find this place again.” : 5 Paul dropped the lump of rock in his jacket pocket, went back to his blanket. and while thinking over the possibilities of his discovery fell asleep. Ri dinagee *, CHAPTER XIV, i HOW PAUT'S DISCOVERY PROMISES VALCADLE RESULTS. ‘Parl was up with the sun next morning. and the first t] he did was to take a look at his prisoners.: Murdock and Noach had recovered their senses, anything in this Tecan | ¢ the vigorous way they showered threats on his head t daa judged they were not much inconvenienced by their wo: é 4 “Well ake you wish you were never born, you young “ty when we get our hands on you again,” snarled Murdock, a vengeful look in his fierce eyes, 215 eel ‘You won't bave that pleasure, I'm thinking,” repl x.

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16 A ROLLING STONE. “Smarter fellows than you are in jail, and likely to stay| world of anxiety on my account. How happy he'll be to have there. You won't have another chance to saw yourselves out|me back again!” of the lock-up.”. tit Ww ill be something of a surpr ise to him to see you back “wer ‘ve got friends on the outside that'll ‘take care of us.” | 50 soon,” said Paul. “I left him in a hopeful frame of mind, * &f don't believe a word of that. If you had friends you'd} but I have no doubt he has since had misgivings of the ulti- haye, been better armed and provided for than we found you.| mate success of my little expedition.” You only had one horse aud a pair of revolyers, and those} They ascended the path in the rocks and Paul knocked you. stole from the deputy, sheriff of San Bruno. You've got lustily on the door. nerve. enough, and you're bad enough, to do ‘most anything; “Who is there?” asked the old hermit, after a moment's de- but the authorities at San Bruno will keep a better watch lay. on you this time, I'l bet. When they land you in San Luis| “Paul Scott,” replied the boy. you'll be safe enough, I guess.” The door was quickly unbarred and unchained. ' Murdock received this speech with a volley of- expletives. As it swung open on its heavy hinges, Paul was surprised Paul was disgusted and left them to themselves. to see the great change which had come over Matthew After a light breakfast, in which the rascals did not partict- Scraggs in the short time since he saw him last. pate, as Paul did not care to take the chance of unloosening| He seemed to have aged ten years. ; even one of their hands, the journey to San Bruno was re-| | His straggling hairs looked whiter than ‘ever, and his — sumed, Paul picked out an easier route than that taken by the bandits on the way to the heart of the range. and about the middle of the afternoon they came in sight of the town and the great ocean beyond. When they drove up to the office of the jailer alongside of the jail, a crowd immediately collected. He found that the deputy sheriff was absent with a posse _on a still hunt for the escaped prisoners, ~ The jailer was the most surprised man in town when Paul notified bim that he had the three rascals in the, van ready for delivery to him. “why, when did you go out after them, and who went with you?” “IT went alone the day before yesterday.” : “You went alone! Oh, come now, what are you giving me?” replied the jailer, incredulously. “I’m giving you nothing but the truth. You know I re- ported to you that my wagon and my assistant were missing, don’t you?” The man nodded. “Well, I discovered that the bandits had taken the yan, earrying off not only my helper, but Suzanne Norwood, old Matthew Scraggs’ niece.” 7 “What!” exclaimed the jailer. “They carried off the her- mit’s niece?” — oe “That's what they E _ ‘This is the first I've heard about it.” - “Mr, Scraggs did not report the matter for reasons he con- sidered good. However, to continue with the facts, I started - off on my own hook to see if I could find any trace of the » villains, and T succeeded in tracking them to their new hiding-| nis senses, and he caressed her fondly, and thanked heaven place.” that she had been restored to him. “You did!” ejaculated the surprised official. “And did Paul Scott save you, my little one? Am I to thank I did. I hardly expected to do anything with these fellows.| him for this great blessing which has come to me to-night?” | , My plan was to aid Miss Norwood and my associate to escape “Yes, uncle. He tracked his wagon, in which those bandits ‘at the first chance, when the rascals happened to be off their| carried us off, far into the wilds of the range. His friend guard, This: scheme missed fire on the lines originally in-| Toby was also in the power of those men. We made up our . tended, but it led to a-fight with the villains, the upshot of| minds to try and escape from them yesterday when we thought 7 “which was we captured the three of them, und I am now} we saw a chance. But we surely would have been recaptured ready to deliver them to you.” but for Paul. He deserves all your thanks, uncle. I shall “TY hate to say that I doubt your story.” replied the jailer,| never forget how good and brave he was to come to my res- jumping to his feet and calling two of his assistants; “but| cue.” when I see the rascals with my own eyes I'll be convinced.” The old man at once turned to Paul and expressed’ his “Then come outside and you'll see them allright.” gratitude in heartfelt language. i: Tu one minute the jailer had evidence enough to banish his} “That's all right,” replied the boy. “We'll let it go at that. L T did the best I knew how to save Suzanne, and I fcel suffi- ciently repaid in knowing that I succeeded. I don’t care to be praised in’ doing what was scarcely more than my duty.” Paul accepted an {mvitation to stay there that night. In fact he had no other course, as the tide had by this time - eut off the passage around the point. Suzanne immediately started in to prepare supper, which his shaggy, overreaching eyebrows. He looked thinner than ever, for he had scarcely eaten any- thing to speak of since the morning he received Murdock’s letter and understood the peril which threatened Suzanne. “You are back, Paul Scott,” he said in a hollow voice, which had a strangely pathetic ring in it. “You have failed then to find my little sunbeam—my Suzanne. I feared you would not succeed. ‘Those rascals are too clever to be easily out- witted. ‘To-morrow I will take the money to the spindle rock and ” . F “You will do nothing of the sort, Mr. Scraggs,” replied Paul. “Suzanne is safe and those bandits are in jail.” ? “Suzanne safe!” he gasped in a fluttering voice. “Are you telling me the truth, Paul Scott?” he asked with plaintive eagerness, “Yes.” “Then where is she? Where is my little girl?” Suzanne, who had been standing back in the shadows while Paul was breaking the news to the old man, could curb her impatience no longer. “Here, uncle. Here I am, safe and uninjured.” and she darted forward and sprang into his arms. Paul stepped into the cabin after her and closed the door. reappearance of his niece, whom he loved so dearly, and whose trial to him. He seemed hardly to believe the evidence of his eyes, ang looked at her in a dazed kind of way. But the pressure of her warm lips to his, and the twintag hold of her arms around his neck, soon brought conviction toe was tickled to death at getting his slippery. ‘prisoners ack again, and you may be sure he lost no time in hustling 1 back into the prison. ; spn that he took no further chances, with SOS but posted). rd outside the window until the return of the deputy aheg his unsuccessful expedition, when the bandits inder a strong guard to anid Luts, and qonged in a boat lag, they aid not. escape a second cand oe hd ‘were sent to the State thing to eat in the cabin. pl tagged out, she went to her room as. scon as the: disposed of. girl was _| meal was | make a bed of, he though about the silver-looking stone in a, :| pocket, : siaek Mt a it Bia showed it to Mageiene Genesee. oalthere nere did. y y Bes asked the. 1al A you I one that fairly trembled with eager he boy's. fa . deep-set eyes burned like coals of living fire far back under — did.” absence under such terrible circumstances had been a sore — Was not very: extensive, as the hermit had very little of any- However, they. made the best of the situation, and. as the ‘ — = ee ee The old hermit was well nigh overcome by the unexpected © . Before Paul spread the blanket. “which was given him ‘to: ae

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,i Yd "Se VW A ROLLING STONE. “Do I think? Why, Paul Scott, it is silver. A chunk of the'| Pure virgin metal.” “Do you mean that, Mr. Scraggs? Are you certain you are not making a mistake?” ’ “Iam making no mistake, I am thoroughly familiar with metallurgy. This specimen is genuine silver ore. There must be more, tons of it; where you found this. Lose no time, but go back and stake out a claim. Stay, I will go with you and show you how to do it. We must comply with the law, and yet take full advantage of our rights. The discovery is yours, and I will see that so far-as my knowledge of surface indica- tions will decide that the cream of this lode shall come to you. After that it is only right that Suzanne and I and your asso- ciate should have the preference over strangers, who will flock to the spot as soon ag the news of this silver find be- comes known. Am I not right?” “You are, Mr. Scrages.” Thus the matter was settled, and Paul retired to rest, an ex- cited and happy boy. Re CHAPTER XV. THE SILVER LODE, When Paul awoke next morning and went outside to take a whiff of the bracing sea air he found Matthew Scraggs seated before a flat rock cleaning a mess of fish he had just caught. “You look as if you had slept well, Paul Scott, in spite of the hardness of your bed,” remarked the old man cheerfully. “Like a top,” grinned the boy. “Though I must admit that I dreamed I found a mine of solid silver ore, the like of which no man ever heard of.” “Your dream is likely to come true, for that chunk of virgin silver you showed me laSt night tells its own story. You said you broke that off from the face of the rock.” *T did, night before last, and I am ready to lead you to} the spot and point out the place where I dug it out with my | bowie.” “Tt must be a lode of uncommon richness to produce so re- markable a specimen.” “it hope it is. A fellow doesn’t get more than one such/| - chance in a lifetime.” \ “It is only the favored few who even get the one chance. On the strength. of that specimen I should say that your for- tune is made. I have lived many years in this part of the State, and never before have I heard that silver had been found in that range. Strange that you should be the first to pring the ore to light.” j “Oh, I don’t know about that, Mr. Scraggs. If it is really there, somebody had to make the discovery. Why not I as well as any one else?” “True. Are you ready to start to-day for that particular spot in the range where you found the specimen?” “T am ready any time you are, Mr. Scraggs.” “Then you and I will provide ourselves with shovels and picks, and a week's supply of provisions, and go there alone. Your friend Toby can remain here with Suzanne and keep her company while we are away.” “We will travel in the van, I suppose?” “Yes, Then we can bring away a quantity of the ore which we can haye assayed in San Luis.” ee Ro After that he drove back to the hotel and found the fat boy waiting for him outside. “Jump up, Toby,” said Paul. “You're going to spend a few days at the cove with Suzanne. Her uncle and l are going off into the country on business.” y “I don’t mind,” replied the fat boy; “but I hope you won't forget to buy me a half dozen nice, juicy pies.” “Will half a dozen be enough for you?” grinned Paul. “Surely it will if you do not stay away longer than a week.” “I will get you the pies at a bakery down the street. From the quantity of pies you consume you ought to be a very pie ous boy,” chuckled Paul. ; > “More likely from the rate I eat pies that I should turn a pie-rate,” snickered Toby. “You'd make a healthy-looking pirate, Toby. If I kept a — restaurant I'd hire you to carry the banner. I think your ap- pearance would draw custom.” The van drew up near the point, and Paul's trunk and the boxes of cough mixture and salve were transferred to the cave. Then the old hermit and Suzanne appeared. 9 “So you and Uncle Matthew are going off into the wilder- ness somewhere, are you?” she said laughingly to Paul. “We are bound on a voyage of discovery, Miss Suzanne,” grinned the boy. “I suppose there isn’t any use of my asking where you are going? I asked uncle, but he wouldn't gratify my curi- osity. He is too provokingly mysterious,” she added with a pout. Sites “You shall know all about it when we come back,” replied Paul. “I am going to leave Toby in your charge. I hope you will see that he doesn’t overeat himself. I’d advise you to lock those half-dozen pies up, and give him only half of one each day.” : “Oh, my!” gasped the fat boy. “Don't do that.” “Don’t worry, Toby,” laughed Suzanne. “I'll see that you shan’t suffer.” ‘ “If you spoil him while I’m gone, Miss Suzanne, I'll hold you responsible,” said Paul. ; The girl\Jaughed and Toby grinned, then Paul and the her- mit got on the seat of the van, bade Suzanne and the fat youth good-by, and drove off toward the mountain range. Paul and Matthew Scraggs arrived at their destination about dark that day. Ape Next morning after they had made a hasty meal the boy led the old man to the place in the rock spur where he had chipped out the chunk of silver ore. Scraggs made a careful examination of the spur, and at length announced that the rocks were alive with silver quartz. “This is the outcropping of a bonanza lode which seems to _ run straight into this mountain. I see enough ore in sight to make you rich. We will now proceed to mark out your claim according to legal requirements, then we will dig out a quan- tity of the stuff at different places which we will take to San Luis and have assayed in order te determine its richness. This valley will soon be peopled with prospectors, many of. whom will naturally profit by your discovery.” on} “Well, we can take up four claims, at any rate, and what is left can go to the public,” said Paul. i Tis apiece of the four claims were accordingly properly defined. . many It was subsequently decided that the four should be pooled, and that Paul should be entitled to three-fifths of the results obtained from the claims, and that the hermit, Suzanne and. Toby should divide the other two-fifths among them. she That aftémnoon Paul and Matthew Scraggs attacked the — spur with pick and shovel, and obtained specimens of silver — ore that promised to assay several thousand dollars to the ton. F : 1 oe “As far as I can determine,” said the old man to the unusual conformation of the mount > a

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18 A, ROLLING STONE. That night Paul dreamed that the cove was piled high with brass-bound boxes filled with silver doilars, and that every one of them belonged to him. “25 CHAPTER XVI. A ROLLING STONE AT LAST BECOMES STATIONARY. Paul and Matthew Scraggs spent the greater part of a week investigating the silver lode, and then with the van well filled Mea marked specimens of the quartz they started for San uis. : ; These specimens were left at the assay office, and the re- sults awaited with intense interest by Paul. __ The two took up their quarters at the hotel Paul and Toby had patronized for their meals when they were in the town two weeks before. é ee had nothing to do but wait for the report of the assay (3) g “By the way, Mr. Scraggs,” said Paul on the afternoon of their arrival in town, “do you mind telling me why you went _ to live in such a lonesome place as the cove?” The question seemed to startle the old man at first, and he regarded the boy for some moments intently, as if considering whether he would gratify. the young feliow’s curiosity. . “I went to live there,” he replied at last, “because I wanted to withdraw myseld as far as possible from association with , the world.” “If that was your object you couldn't have selected a better spot to live unless you had gone to some uninhabited island.” “T found nothing but knavery and ingratitude in the worid,~ went on the old man, “and I grew tired of it all.. I had the -cabin built upon those rocks, though the people of San Bruno “were not slow in saying I was crazy to select such a place for a habitation. I let them talk, for my likes and dislikes were _ My own, and for their opinion I cared nothing. Still I did ‘not seek to antagonize them, and after I came into possession of that chest of money I made many presents to the Church, me, and I wanted to rely on the San Bruno authorities for ; for I feared that some time an attempt might be made to rob help in case I required it. 1 arranged that system of signals— a smoke rocket by day, a fire rocket by night—to notify the town when I was in danger or in trouble.” : *It ig a great scheme,” answered Paul. “I gradually became known as the hermit of San Bruno, and to this title was added that of miser, not because any one - *f thank you for your good opinion, Paul Scott. of trust. ew that i had much money, but because it suited the whim of the people to cali me so. Aside from Suzanne, you and those three bandits are the only persons who have acty- ally seen that chest and its contents. how I e into possession of so much money.” -- “Fm not worrying about it, Mr. Scraggs. It’s none of my business how you got it. I am sure you came by it honestly, for you don't look like a man who would be guilty of a crime.” . You're a good straightforward boy, after my own heart. I feel that you are one of the few I have met in this world who are worthy An honest and true man is one of the noblest works of God—and the scarcest. I believe you will grow up to be _ such, and for that reason I value your acquaintance, and = horoughly trust you. For that reason | rejoice that you have discovered this silver lode, do.” joer 5 hope not, =a * e Mr. Scrages.” e + “A strange way?” “Yes. I had been living at the cove for perhaps a year. Suzanne was not with me at the time. One night a storm raged along the coast. I afterwards heard some of the people of San Bruno say it was the worst in the memory of the oldest inhabitant. At any rate a good-sized ship went ashere right on the rocks in front of my cabin. She broke up there, and disappeared piece by piece until there was nothing left of her but a lot of wre¢kage. Two days after the storm, when the sea had become calm once more, I went fishing as was ;my custom among those rocks, and then it was that I found | that. brass-bound box jammed into a crevice near the shore. | I I dare say you wonder | lay. : for you will not squander its value | Paul and Toby until they attained their majority, in a thousand and one foolish ways, like so many are prone to | Matthew Scraggs -had himself legally appointed in a similar 1 could not move it as it stood—it was too heavy. Singular to say, a key was in the lock, sol had no difficulty in opening it. hen I discovered that it was full of coined money. I! lost no time, you may guess, in carrying its contents up to the cabin, and then when the chest was empty I had little trouble in conveying that up the rocky path to my dweiling. The identity of the lost vessel was never discovered, and the money consequently became honestly mine. Soon afterward my only sister, who was living in Los Angeles, died, and her child, Suzanne, was thrown upon the world. I at once took her to the cabin, and she have ever since lived with me.” “She is a fine girl, all right,” said Paul enthusiastically. “She is the apple of my eye.” replied the old man, fervently. Two days later they got the report of the assay office, and it bore out Matthew Scraggs’ estimates almost to the letter. Paul, after a consultation with the hermit, decided to go to Los Angeles and form a company to work the four claims. Of course, as soon as the news got out, as it did almost im- mediately, there was a rush of prospectors to the San Luis mountains, and the reports that came back cet mining specu- lators by the ears. Paul had a dozen offers for his rights, one syndicate offer- ing him a million dollars in cash. He declined to accept the offer, and found no difficulty in forming the company he had in view, which he called the San Luis Mining and Milling Company, which he capitalized at $10,000,000, While Paul had himself elected as president of the enter- prise, he persuaded Mr. Scraggs to assume the mahagement of the company. He sold only a small quantity of the stock at a gocd figure, and with the money the hermit advanced they began opera- tions. ; A score of other companies sprang into existence at the same time, taking up claims all-around the San Luis com- pany’s holdings. Tunnels were built and shafts were sunk. A few of the companies panned out results after great out- Paul's company was the only cne that had easy sailing from the start, for many hundreds of tons of rich ore lay on and close to the surface of his claims, and he was able to begin shipments at once. Finally the syndicate which Had made him.the original offer of $1,000,000 for the whole thing submitted another offer of $5,000,000, and this, on the hermit’s advice, he accepted. Two millions of this amount was divided between Matthew Serages, Suzanne and Toby, as originally arranged. As for Paul himself, he found himself a millionaire three times over. - A large trust company in Los Angeles became guardian for while capacity for Suzanuie. A few months ago Paul reached his twenty-first birthday, “The money I have—and there is thirty thousand dollars in | and he ceiebrated the occasion by uniting himself in marriage gold and silver coin in that brass-bound box—would bring me | to Suzanne Norwood, when the old hermit bestowed his bless- _ many Inxuries if I yearned for such; but its possession is |jng and his share of the San Luis Mining Company's profits on _ the only luxury I crave for. I love to handle it; to count and the bride, retaining only the money in the old brass-bound recount it at my leisure; and to dream what it will some day | chest at the cabin, where he still lives at a hale and hearty do for Suzanne when I am dead and gone. The possession of | age, ' marriage, and Toby Titmarsh is his right-hand assistant and — companion. > He may now be considered as permanently settled for life, | rich, prosperous and happy. OR, THE 4_t_-

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\ ‘ FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. - CURRENT NEWS Miss Louise Stebinger, linotype operator in the office of the Herald-Leader, Menominee, Mich, died of heart fail- ure recently. When taken to an undertaking establishment $12.000 in bonds were found sewed to the inside of her corset. She came to Menominee from Chicago and was the only woman operator here in the two cities. ’ F. T. Jane, the well-known naval expert, addressing a meeting In Liverpoo! the other night, said it was not gen- erally known that the Germans tried to land an expedi- | less prominent than in most comets. A direct photograph of Mellish’s comet, made at the — Lowell Observatory the other morning, shows a tail eom- dosed of two diyergent branches, the longer one of which is probably not less than 3,000,000 miles in length: \Observa- tions of the spectrum of the comet, it was announced re- cently, revealed the presence of the usual cometary gases. Cyanogen is one of its more prominent constituents, but appears in this comet in peculiar spectroscopic form, which may be of special scientific interest, while hydro-carbon is _ Other gases or tionary force in. Mngland and that it was the British navy | vapors are evidenced by the presence in the spectrum of * that made them go back to their harbor again. The navy | several strong, bright bands, but the chemical identification ~ saved the country, he said, and there was never a word of of these is as yet eleioeh it in the newspapers. So satisfactory has the experiment, of employing a dozen women as street car conductors proved that the Corporation Tramways Committee, Glasgow, Scotland, de- cided, to employ as many additional womien as would be necessary to fill the vacancies caused by men enlisting for | -service at the front. It is expected that 400 women will be required. They will receive 27 shiHings ($6.75) weckly _. and service uniforms will be provided. Martha Schultz, the 15-vear-old daughter of a well-to-do * farmer, was recently attacked by two masked women near a coke plant in the outskirts of Connellsville, Pa. One of the women held the girl while the other pressed on each cheek the uncorked neck of a bottle filled with acid. Her _ face was badly burned, and she was then allowed to go. Some time ago Miss Schultz received a letter ordering her te place $1.000 and a gold watch in a secluded spot. She spanned the letter. Thomas J efferson invented the modern plow. There ry “were plows, of course, thousands of years before the time ap ‘the Sage of Monticello, but he first laid down’ the ~ mathematical principles that underlie the construction of the plow and so enabled any blacksmith. to make one. A plow consists of two wedges, a -eutting anda lifting wedge, and Jefferson discovered and enunciated the proportions of: each and the relations each bore to the other, Before his day no two smiths made plows alike. Now they are 4 al! made in aceandance with a mathematical formula. =. rag se Pig > : ae great deal of ‘interest “has Tee shown in the pro- re recently issued, giving details of the proposed ‘ontinental automobile tour over the Old Trails route the auspices of several road associations. Three planned : One leavi ing the headquarters of Na- Association, 18 Old Slip, New York City. ae Old Trails route, the ‘Programme a sie riages will be able to sustain the shock, is a question on Lsnerated ‘the most modern field guns with a mi - Rpts - id Experiments made in New York for determining the shortest distance in which an automobile can be. stopped when running at different speeds show that every increase of 50 per cent. over 20 miles an hour increases the dis- tance required for stopping ever 100 per cent., and that. a car running ferty miles an hour will go more than four times as far before it can be stopped as a car running at half that speed, or twenty miles.an hour, says Popular. Mechanics. The tests were made with a 50-horse-power car, with brakes in perfect working order. At eight miles — an hour, the car was stopped within 6 feet, while at fif- — teen miles an hour, 15 feet of distance was required. sigs? space of 25 feet was required for stopping with the car. going at twenty miles an hour; 35 feet, at thirty miles an hour: 87 feet. at thirty-five miles an hour, and 103 feet, at forty miles an hour: a That none of the fourteen-inch rifles of the Canal de- fenses shall be fired until the powder chambers have been — bored out so that the charge may be greatly increased, is the official order issued recently that has surprised and in- — terested artillery officers on the Isthmus. The work is to. be done while the guns are in their preserft positions on the gun carriages. The range of the guns will be so in- — creased as to make them equal to the most powerful guns on the most modern battleships with the changes that: vil be made in these guns by increasing the size of their pow-"— der chambers. As to whether the guns will have the — strength tor he effective and safe, and whether the car- whicle artillery officers decline to be quoted. But they Tes! call that one of these fourteen-inch rifles burst when fired ¥ with a charge ef powder only slightly greater than: the : seribed charge. 3 m been fitted with a - steel band at thie } point of g strain, The Cana defenses are to be strengther a0) ees _ All the newer guns of th heavy e 1: 000 y: rds, and a very ef

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aon a FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. 2 THE GOLDEN GROTTO — re 94 “0k ‘TWO BOYS’ SEARCH FOR NO-NO LAND By GASTON GARNE aoe (A SERIAL STORY) CHAPTER XXI. “Oh, go on, search for your gold!” answered Ben grui- ; flv. “I'd just as soon be traveling about in one place as CROSSING THE LAKE TO THE GOLDEN GROTTO. _ another.” “Tom,~* said Frank. No time. was lost im getting on board,-and :t was wel!| “Yes, massa.” that this was so, for the savages came rushing to the shore,|) “Do you understand ans lingo that‘ savage over there - and as the canoe pushed out into the water a shower of | sposis?” spears followed. “Wes, massa.” “A very pleasant way tose: fellows have,” said Jack, “Good, then I want you to question him. Maybe,” ke Dal vat now we can afford to laugh at them, for we are out | said, turning to his friends, “he has heard of this Golden of range.” Grotto. Anyway, there’s no harm in trying him.” ze To be on board the canoe was a weleome change, and | So Frank told Tom what questions he was to ask, and Ae in their hungry state it was comforting to find that ther:/after Tom had out them, he interpreted the answers. ras a quantity of food in the craft. Sona of it was not} “Ask him first of all where we are: ?* said Frank, very palatable, but they were in no position to be very par-| “On Leke Teku.” cular. They were able to rest, too, for it soon became | “Is it large ?” _apharent that they were not followed. When they had|..“A hundred miles.” Bid 1e about two miles from shore, they allowed the boat} “Come, that’s a good-sized pond. Tom, what's. that prift, so that the black servants might get some sleep. | country we see over there?” boat must have drifted a ee distance during the “No-No Land.” “Whet?” cried Frenk, excitedly, springing to his fect. *Do. you hear that, Jack? No-No Land! Then there is such a. place after all, and Morgan was not = Gecetsang os: 27 Why, here’s Lake Toku marked on the map.” : Ben was not co satisfied now that it was alla deeetias Ife had denicd the existence of Ne-No Land, and to find f|that there was such a place somewhat changed, his views, “ upon the matter. 2 “Hurry up with the questions, Frank, said. Jack. ; “Allright. Tom, ask him where the Golden Grotto is.” “Yes, ask him,” echoed Ben, derisively. “He Bays, nena: Tem, “that he never heard of such ty: mn can be seen “ain Sa es said Jack. But No one appears to be following us.” oj om] a fg - i] . B ° | —- ims OS 5B oe ay > ae) ‘A > >) a 2.3 23 Sh ae. ) — S zi & Lon] i=) = se you, Td don’t mean to. ore anil I em or, at, hasoh rate, Iam absolutely certain that it st.” : 5 uk =) place.” ae hat do yeu think, ‘Miss Edith?” asked Bait, Bass “Ask him again. Call ita cave of gold, or gold cavern. — Ben, for a long. time I was inclined ‘to. agree | Perhaps aut may be more casily understood by him.” we © a, and I thought it was only a waste of time to} He says he never heard of any gold ine in No-No. 33 ” Lge Genin Ty ve Pisin my, mind Land.” ” 2 = WT i SEHG Spe , “| Frank's face fell. aie was visibly disappointed, and 1 at = . aus pRen laughed. loudly.’ Tt seemed as if the journey had been aati | made in vain, and all the dangers” they. had met with had 5 I been engumbered ee the sake of someting whi had no i be traveling existence. at i The silence. ‘achiete “fell over th party after T ia d ken by. fet Ne ee

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4 . FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. + isked, and? you know what answers I received. Nothing could be clearer.” _ “But you don’t object, Frank ?” ~ “Object? Certainly not. You are at liberty, you know, dith, to do anything you please.” ' “Very wall. “OF haveing doubt :heb answer anything I _ ask him, for, savage as he is, he seems to be grateful for ' the way in which we have treated him. Now, Tom, ask “him if there is any temple or tomb hidden in the erat the walls of which glitter like that,” and Edith pointed to the svn as she poe “He won't say.” ' “Ah, then,” answered Edith, quickly, “he does know " something. Tell him he ought to answer me, because if it had not been for me he would have been left behind and would have been drowned in the cave.’ ' _ When this was explained to the savage, he" kept silent + er some minutes, and by the working of his face it was evident that a severe mental struggle was going on. Bat last he Wen" : _ “There is such a place.” “Tt is near ae ot we are.” “Will he show us the way?” Another long talk took place between Tom and the sav- _ and then! this answer came: “He says that the place of which he speake is inhabited gods and that it is death for any one but one of the se men to enter it. He has seen the entrance to it, and show you the way to get there. But as he feels very endly. toward you, on account of what you have done “him, he meperyon not to enter the sacredtemple. s dith, you're a wonder!” cried Jack. think of the Golden Grotto, Ben?” are not there yet.” , but we soon shall be. Tike your instructions n the savage, Tom,” cried Frank, “and then steer|~ sh for the Golden Grotto!” : ie Ze st of Anding ee Gotten Giotto which had si the boys were. : forgot all t + toil whi | away ? “Now, what do expect any more mercy than the “Ee people would ceive. f, and the shore was still some distance away. e ob t of their journey. into this wild and un-|) ‘ ‘somewhaty sarcastically. -| meant tin in ‘eg, 1 ter if you had intend at Sy é You don’t mean to say, Ben, that you still Aiheiove? You ean’t he as obstinate as all that.” a5 “Oh, T reckon, my lad, there’s gold right enénghipand ¥ am nat worrying about that. I’m just wondering how we are going to get the gold away after we have found itz? “That doesn’t both er me,” said Jack. “Why, in’ the canoe, of course.” = Be» : “And tight our way back from here to the coast? A mighty cheerful prospect with all these savages hanging on our trail.” | is “Wait till trouble puke: Ben,” said Frank. no sign of it now, anyway.’ ooo ea Scarcely had he spoken when Tom became very excited and waved his hands. “Look, massa !”’ he cried. Naturally, they all turned, and, gazing in the direction indicated by the black, they saw three great canoes ap+ proaching from: the-shore they had left the night before. ~ “A chase!” cried. Frank. “Pull away, lads, or ‘we're rue dead men!” Te “Bah!” exclaimed Jack. ‘“What’s the good of: running Let’s stay and fight them.” ; “Stay and be killed!” observed Ben. . ee ie “Oh, make them row ee said Edith. “Don’t let us have any more fighting.” . “Not if T can help it. Besides, to stay here is certain death. Our enemies would approach us from three sides at once and, with the few rifles we have, we couldn’t stand them’ off.” “They'd send us to\the bottom if they got near,” said Ben. Cn: ae “You bet they would: Ben, and I'd rather have s ground under at feet if any fenton s to be done pot water.” ox Jack did not urge his plan, for he saw that there was - good sense in what Frank said. o 5 The black oatsmen worked well. AT! along they eke been good servants, and, besides that, they knew they were rowing for their lives. It they fell into the hands of the savages, they were aware of the fact that they could not Eat a8; \ “There's: 5 i > er ee. It was an anxious time, for the savages were gaining, x eat Bins “Where shall we go when we get there?” asked Jack. — ae, “Take shelter in the binge sates ig answered Pen, ae 5 “By ji ingo!” exo Prank “The very salah: “You ut. you eouldn’t have spoken 4 Plaga” ’ tto ?” asked Ben. : ‘Yes, inal

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Ra been found. 22 FAME A FREAK EAR OF CORN. A freak ear of corn, that is a genuine freak, was brought to Laurinburg, N. C., by-J. A. Muse recently. It is a cluster of ears, nine in all. One is a full-grown ear and this is surrounded by eight smaller ears. FOUND STOLEN GOLD. The $7,000 in gold bullion which was taken from a tage. near Rye Valley, in a badger hole not far from the scene of the hold-up. CAMPHOR IN THE PHILIPPINES. It is reported that Blumea balsamifera which grows wild in abundance in the Philippines, has been found to be iden- = tical with the plant from which ngai camphor is obtained in certain parts of China. The commercial possibilities of this plant are now being investigated by the Philippine Bureau of Science and Bureau of Forestry. ROBBERS SUBSTITUTE DUMMY SAFE. Some time the other night robbers entered the Wool- worth store, Camden. N. J., moved a heavy safe from its AND FORTUNE Ore., by two masked bandits has |and British | subjects. The gold, cast in a solid brick, was found |by court-martial, and hetween November 4th and 7th, 90 |Cubans, 6 British and 30 Americans were shot as pirates, WEEKLY. ITEMS OF INTEREST THE VIRGINIUS AFFAIR. The Virginius affair oceurred during the first Cuban _ war for independence. cleared from New York for Curacao, flying the American flag. Late in October, 1873, she was captured on the high seas by the Spanish gunboat Tornado, taken to Santiago, and there found to be loaded with arms for the Cubans, and carrying as passengers a number of Cubans, Americans The crew and passengers were tried Che United States protested. The Spanish Government agreed that such proceedings must stop; but before its tel- egram ordering the execution to cease had arrived about everybody on the vessel had been executed. The United States demanded an apology, an indemnity and the return of the vessel. After a long and heated diseussion, the Spanish Government proved to our satisfaction that the Virginius had no right to nse the American flag, that she twas therefore practically a pirate, and that she was well |known as a filibuster. The vessel was returned.to us, but Spain was not required to apologize or pay an indemnity. The Virginius foundered at sea on her way to New York position under a bright electric light, and substituted in| about December 26, 1873. its place a dummy constructed of cardboard. When em- ployees entered the store they were surprised when they noticed the oddly-constructed substitute. Thvestigation revealed the original burglar-proof safe in a secluded cor- _ner of the building with its door blown open. The thieves ‘obtained less than $100 from the safe. FIND ANCIENT RELICS. Discoveries of relics, said to antedate the Iroquois In- dians, have been made at the foot of Owwasco Lake, near Auburn, N. Y. Edward H. Gohl, ‘an adopted member of the Onondaga tribe of Indians, recently found a fragment ae pottery. Further investigations resulied in the finding iat ‘several other pieces of other relics. a scientific survey of the entire field has been begun. A - force of men has been employed and nearly half an acre al- ae has been explored. Most of the articles found thus - far were at a depth of several feet. Fai ™ > aa : Door FASTENER. “Placing a wedge under a door is one of the most ef- fectual means of closing it, for pushing upon the door from ss he outside only increases the effect of the wedge. A fenient device of this kind is made of metal, and it _ serves to wedge the door but also contains a cal bell mounted on the ‘same base and behind the way hat pressure. on the face of the wedge base carries a, set DOGS AT THE “MOVIES.” That dogs can see and understand picture plays is un- doubtedly true. While living in England, L had various friends try out their. pets, with the results, recorded here, says|a contributor to Our Dumb Animals, In a north of England town there is a dog that does nét show any interest in ordinary pictures. But if this dog views a film of a fox-hunt. a menagerie or a scene witlr dogs in it, he gets highly excited, and harks Joud and long. Once he managed to get “behind” at a movie theater, after a leopard film had been shown, as he wanted to meet the big eat in the flesh. A picture that moved Mim te fury was one of a man who grew horns and butted after drinking a glass of goat's ° milk. On another oceasion he went almost mad with joy at seeing an Irish colleen being présented with a little rig by her lover. a Not so long ago an entertainment was arranged for In October, 1870, the Virginius ~ ee ee eS ee eee ee ee ee ee ee ee Se eT prize-bred dogs, the films used being animal ones. In the» t audience were three mastiffs, a bull-terrier, a bulldog, ; an Trish terrier, two great Danes and two fox-terriers, The — first picture was of a dog show. All the dogs did was to - walk up and down and look at it, almost on the verge ab tears through being so bored. ‘They seemed to say, Wi know all about that.” For it was clear that they cou tell that the dogs on the film were not. ah them in pes flesh. But when they a

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FAME AND - FORTUNE WEEKLY. ‘ JOLLY JACK JONES at SOR KNOCKING ABOUT THE WORLD By ED. KING 3 (A SERIAL STORY) CHAPTER IV (continued) The yacht in question was over near Saugerties’ dock. in the world by any means, but it was still a very ele- gant and expensive craft. _ The yacht was moving slowly up the river, and while 81 nits with the whole stretch of the Catskill Mountains be- ind, to lend to the picturesqueness of the scene, he fell other things, when all at once ‘he was startled out of his a ahead. - It was the, Albany day “boat coming down, ‘stolen upon Jack unawares. e smaller one. ed to take his chances and try it. He waved his hat and tried to make the yacht sailors erstand what he was going to de, but nobody paid slightest attention to him. Then. to his horror, just as he started to cross the bow the » vacht started ap at full speed. “Look out! Look out!” yelled Jack, He uld only pray that the wind would carry him past the danger point, but it didn’t. ; Caught ‘in the swash of the day beat’s paddles, Jack’s frail craft was thrown a bit nearer the yacht than it erwise would have gone. | { Jig’s up! Mz, gasped Jack, . zing jis banjo, he sprang overboard just in r time to himself, for the sailboat, ext in two by the sharp prow acht, immediately sank, leaving Jack i in the water er on the agony, seemed to be decidedly drunk. p that swearing! Stop the boat! “Take the boy shouted a gentleman — in a yachting cap” and-a very loud pattern, who had — ae ack was watching the sailors in their blue and white) my conscience’ reverie by the hoarse croak of a steamer’s whistle right) ping Jack heartily wpon the back. It had] “That man is as drunk as a goat, and the captain is the same way,” he thonght “By gracious, it’s queer how these Tt was not the biggest or the handsomest steam yacht rich folks go on! “Throw him a line! Throw him a line!’ cried the gentleman in the<striped suit. “Do you suppese I want to have that boy’s ‘death’ on Wil! some one throw him a line!” The yacht stopped and the line came flying. Jack caught it, and, clinging desperately to his banjo to dreaming, so to speak; to wondering how it would ‘feel | with the other hand, allow ed the sailors to pull him along- ‘to be a sailor on a millionaire’s yacht, *knd a whole lot of} side the yaclt. when he soon scrambled aboard. “Well, boy, well, weil, well!” cried the gentleman, slap- “Wet through, ‘eh? Wet through! Clothes all spoiled; never mind, never mind, I—hic—I like hanjoes, You shall play and I—I‘i—hic—I’ll pay, and we'll have Whoopla! Wake up there, Cap- ~ Let her go, old man! Let her go! at, Was the man really drunk, or was he crazy, or was he plaving off fcr a purpose ? 2 As Jack shook the water out his clothes and tried to dry his banjo with his pocket handkerchief, he ee it im- possible to decide. CHAPTER V. = TITE JOLLY MR. DOBBS. “Well, : well, boy! We must any you up first?” eried the ‘tne gentleman, giving Jack another slap on: the back. “Here you, Dick Darrage! Here, hey! this’ way! Take this boy Sova below. Give him towels to rub wisttel with! Give him a suit of somebody's clothes, . and Ull pay for it. ‘Tell the: steward to pass around cham- pagne to all hands as soon as you are through.” ; “By Jove! this is a‘funny kind of crowd,” thought = Jack. “They seem to be all filling up on champagne — early in the morning from the boss down to the cabin “the. blame stuff into me.” ag

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than go right along with him, for the yacht was now _ shooting up the river at full speed. i ‘Ns a maiter of fact, Jack did not care where he went, fir now that the burglar’s yacht was a wreck, there was no object in going back to Catskill. He was well satisfied co haye landed where he had, for the prospects of picking up a lot of money, from this eccentrie aap looked first- class.,., “That's. a gay ‘old mie: your bose? ” remarked Jack to » Dick Darrage, who led the way down to the fo’castle, and j the boy laid his banjo near a stove to dry it. ~ “You bet he is,” replied’ the young’ sailor, who had imbibed just enough tobe talkative. “Here you are, cully. Strip off your duds and put on these here. , They are ~~ mine, and as we are just about of a build I eebkort they'll do.” -*Who'll pay for them? “Of, course. Double ee most likely. _atyle.” e ” “What's hie" name, Dick?” “His name is Mr. Dunning Debbs, and he’s a big gun én Wall street, that’s who he is. Say, cully, what’s yours?” eae Jones.” é “Chuck them wet clothes into the corner, Jack. Want ‘me to give you a rub down with these here towels?” - _*No, I can atiend to that part of the business myself.” Do you play the banjo?” c 7 Sure.” “Wisht J could. Say, he’s just as likely to give you a Caged dollars as he is ten cents if you play to suit him. - He’s always chucking his ey around when he’s eae. ie ; ae te he jagged now?” oS “Sure Mike! Can’t you see for ‘yourself P7% » “f Kind 0’ thought he was.” ~ _ “Kind of thought! Well, now, you just wait till night! Oh, I tell you these sprees of his are great rackets. He “never takes any one with him. Just jumps aboard the 1088 and off he’ goes. Worst is, Cappy Bills gets his load oo,-and some day he'll run us all to blazes. But here Tam telling State secrets, and that’s against the’ rule.” =*You needn't be afraid of me,” said Jack, getting into ick’s: underclothes, which were none too large for him. a never open my mouth,” PB towa better not,” sophied: Dick. “He's a big gun, nd you bet he'd make it hot for you. ieee were you : ing inj your boat?” t was not my boat. I was only aie, it up to eave aman. He's | a er to me. BS can’t help “a ON H1 The boss?” inquired Jack. That’s his = ‘Dick, aighatically. “Between you and me,| FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. ‘doing all this for a Parton) although Jack could not © {house was to be seen anywhere. Tt was: eer Bills’ fault. He ied vo Bae he did with yc dybween the Ko-} _.. Jeried Mr. Dobbs. it sr} want to = bnsiness, Want to see how much | What Thin . “Hurry up vour cakes!” he whispered. ‘“He’s liable to come tumbling down here and take you by the scruff of the neck. There’s no telling what he’ll do.” a, Jack finished his toilet in a hurry, and, taking his banjo, the sheepskin head of which was now dry, he went on deck. He found Mr. Dunning Dobbs pacing up and down im- patiently. . “Where’s that champagne?” he shouted. “Dick Dur- rage, tell the steward to pass around the champagne! All hands must have a drink with me! Tune her up, boy! Tune her up! Play! Sing! Dance! Do any old thing! Whoopla! Let her go!” Yet in spite of Mr. Dunning Dobbs’ wild speech Jack did not fail to notice that the man eyed him closely, and — his eye did not lock like the eye of a drunken man by any - means. Jack sat down on a camp stool, laughing as usual, ‘and he began on “Hello, Mah Baby!” This he followed up by other coon songs, and then did.a bell piece, swinging the banjo in one hand and picking the strings. Then it was a Spanish fandango, and Mr. Dunning Dobbs, kicking over the stool on which he had been sitting, — began to dance a pas de seul. ; The crew. to whom the steward had passed champagne, just as. though they had been the yachtsman’s guests, laughed uproariously and clapped and stamped. ‘\Jack waved the wine aside when it came to him. Mr. Dobbs did not insist pene his drinking, as he was __ afraid he would do, and Jac noticed that he did not” drink any of it himself. This confirmed him in his idea that the broker was RE by any means as drunk as he pretended to be, and was imagine why. > tens Another strange thing had happened while the music was going on... i 7 Captain Bills, who certainly ‘was not ‘sabine: turned the” yacht around, and instead of going up the riyer, they were now going down. It looked’ as if Mr. Dunning Dobbs was just pushing ; about here, there and everywhere, merely to kill -time. Every tithe Jack stopped aoe the broker wou fatigue. Strangely mee the yacht stopped just at the: same iz time, and the order ' was given to drop anchor. _ “a ‘The place was a little land-locked cove, where 2 * a ot » Tt was somewhere between Causey and Ron that was all Jack. knew, | " 5s Fes “Good! Splendid! decal Boy, etait “Come down in the cabin with

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aa — FAME TIMELY Seymour, Ind., streets will be dogless if an unusual or- dinance now proposed is passed by the City Council. Pe- it unlawful for deg owners to permit the animals to run at | darge. The first ordinance was filed some time ago and Was regarded as a joke. The police estimate that there are 750 dogs in the city and only 150 licenses have been taken out sinee March 1. ‘3 Site by conscience, a man who had been using a pass be longing to a railroad official forwarded a $10 bill to pay f for the traveling he had done without cost on the San An- tonio and Aransas Pass railroad in the past. The letter, inclosing the new bill and a short letter, was addressed to H. D. Kilgore. city ticket agent, San Antonio, Texas. The science contribution was turned over to George F. Lup- ton, general passenger agent, who said that he was glad see that the gentleman has REA wil hit the “Philadel- sae Sawdust Trail.” a “The samthico party of the Canada Arctic expedition was Safe on Sept. 13, 1914, according to letters of that date, ived at Sioux City, Towa, by Mrs. Anderson from her and, Dr. Rudolph M. Asidexeon, who is in charge of arty. The letters were written from Herschel Island. Anderson. with his two ships, Alaska and North Star, nding to the letter, had proceeded eastward as far as hin and. Union Straits. Mention was made of the party. -sent out to. search for the Steffansson party Canadian Arctic expedition. : neeahk: Z ah 000 hin one foot i in & minute. mee Shier ning, therefore, has been proved to be This i is aie to. the united power of twelve of t steamers, having collectively twenty-four en- 00-horse-power each. ‘The velocity of electricity hat it would travel around the world eight ¥ oo 2 forty Bite. a painter, stumbled as =ie other night, and fell against. the railing. AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. titions signed by 300 property owners have been filed with jtown, Minn. the council requesting that an ordinance be passed to make | whose members weigh only 2,133 pounds, or an average of steps of his home in Ashford street, ted a box of matches in his waistcoat | in t his clothes, oil-soaked in the course | r ight was ee and {1 TOPICS | The claim of Tigerton, Wis., that it ‘has the ‘heaviest ,family in the United States, has been shattered by Water- — Tigerton has the Hoffman family, nine of 233. pounds each; but Watertown has the Applequist fam- ily, the total weight of which is 2,390 pounds for only eight people. On reading of the Tigerton claim the Applequists went to the city scales and got the weights. They were sconieg as follows: John Applequist, father, 280 pounds; Mrs. Applequist, the mother, 250 pounds; Charles Apple- bhist one of the boys, +10 pounds; Peter Applequist, 340 pounds; A. G. Applequist, 325 pounds; Mrs: Skone,’ 320 pounds; Mrs. Olson, 225 pounds, and Mrs.- Peterson, 240 pounds. The eight Applequists, parents and six children, weigh just 257 pounds more than the nine Hoffmans. ' u Announcement of an advance in wages and reduction of working hours for all employees of the Ford Motor Com- pany, Ltd., of Canada, was made recently by G. M. Me: Gregor, general manager of the concern. All employees who have been in the service of the company six months ~ or longer are to receive a minimum wage of 50 cents an_ hour, or $4 a day. the working hours being reduced to eight hours a day, or forty-eight hours a week. The com- pany employs about 2,400 persons at its factory at Ford, Ont., and-its nine branches located in the principal cities of Canada. It is estimated that this advance in wages will distribute among Ford employees in Canada, in addition to the wages they already receive, about $600,000 a year. The seale as adopted increases the wages of all employees 15 to 60 per cent. The parent Ford Company in De- q | troit pays a minimum wage of $5 a day, based on a profit- 2 \ |distribution system. T he’ Canadian company’s wage scale is simply an advance in pay without reference to profits, 3 it was stated. tabs Fey isis Krom Switzerland, the home of the watch and clock i ins dustry, comes the description of a clock made entirely of straw and willow withes. Of course there is no particular value in the use of this material, except to demonstrate the _ In this clock there is not a ingenuity of the clockmaker. single piece of metal. tone when struck.” Instead of the ordinary swinging pe dulum, this elock is there being two Weights: on | ie One great diffict Even the chimes are made of straw. at put through a special process, so as to give them a nee, eas rovided. with a see-saw pioveniagh ® ai

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26 vie i il AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. Fame and Fortune Weekly NEW YORK, MAY 21, 1915. ‘TERMS TO SUBSCRIBERS Postage Free HOW TO SEND MONEY--At our risk send P.O. Money Order, Check or Registered Letser; remittances in any other way are at your risk. Frank Tousey, Publisher 168 West 23d St., N. ¥ ’ We ncrept Postage Stamps the same ns j\casbh, When sending sliver Write your name a diress plainly. Address letters to Hannay E. Wotrr, N. Hastinos ‘Wourr, ‘Yreaxurer i Cmazixs E. Nrtanpyn, Secretary Fish are heing shipped to England via Montreal from British Columbia waters, the reason being the fish shortage wrap the Coin ina separa’ piece of paper to avoid cutting the envelope. President Rox L. McCarnrut, Vice-President GOOD CURRENT NEWS ARTICLES due to the war’s interference with the North Sea fisheries. _ It is announced in London that nearly $2,500,000 capi- tal has been promised for the proposed British national dyestuff industry, by means of which it is planned to sup- ply the place of former importations from Germany. Jerome Newberry, a voung farmer of Redondo Beach Cal., while pioughing a patch of ground which had been allowed- to grow weeds for many years, uncarthed a large gold watch which bad been lost by his grandfather in 1860. _ The port of New York in 191+ handled 46 per cent. of the entire export trade of the United States, and the total : of $1.807.000,000 of foreign trade, export and import, which passed through the port wag larger than that of all the other American ports combined. In 1914 the total value of all farm products in the Tnited States was approximately $10,000,000,000, which is $83.000,000 mere than the total for 1913. and breaks all records. The 191+ toial is more than double the com- bined value of farm products fifteen years ago. . ‘It is notorious that afforestation is one of the most urgent of China’s needs, and it is therefore of interest to learn that a school of forestry is about to be established ~ an-the University of Nanking. The co- operation of the director of forestry at Manila has been secured, and it is - roposed to send two experts from Manila to at im estab- ing oe school. aa ETF ep laboring Eaces in at cities and by natives | Mre. Engene A. Philbin, wife of Justice Philbin, of the Supreme Conrt, left.a bag containing $15,000 worth of diamonds and other jewels on board a Long Island train when she, alighted at Garden City, L. I. The jewels were in a bag, which she did not miss until she reached the Garden City Hotel. County and honse deteetives set out at once to find the jewels, as Mrs. Philbin was not sure that they had been left on the train. Walter Breck, a ticket collector, saw the bag just as the train pulled into Hempstead: He opened it and was amazed at the contents. Purposing to turn it over to the lost and found depart- ment of the railroad in Brooklyn, he took a train leaving Hempstead at lalf-past four o’clock in the afternoon. Mrs. Philbin asked the train crew if they had seen the bag when the train passed through this place, and Breck re- turned the bag to her, receiving a reward of $50. GRINS AND CHUCKLES Lady-—l didn’t knew your little hoy wore glasses, Mrs. Smith. Mrs, Smith—Well, ver see, miss, they belonged to ‘is pore farver, and I thought it was a pity to waste “em. “Charles seems to be very exacting,” said a fond mamma to the dear girl who was dressing for the wedding. “Never mind, mamma,” said she, sweetly. “They are his last wishes,” 33 “The old man doesn’t speak any foreign language, does he?” “No. He's just a plain, downright, honest, no- stvle, hard-workin’, erican.” The Hibernian laborer paused in front of a book store and asign in the window caught his eye: “Dickens” Works All This Week for Only $4.00.” he exclaimed in disgust. ‘Well, the dirty seab.” =< “When TI was shipwrecked im South America,” Captain Bowsprit; “I came across a tribe of wild women who had no tongues.” “Merey !” ers of the fair “How could they talk?” © “They couldn't!” snapped the old salt. “That’s what made ‘em wild.” SOx, ; ; A young fellow had “popped the question,” and was — anxiously awaiting the answer that was to’ decide his fate. “Do you. ever gamble at ecards?” the young lady asked. “No, he answered, “but if I did, now would be the ‘time.” Naas hye? she inquired. “Because.” he said, with a i : “T held such a beautiful hand !” The solemnity of the meeting was somewhat diction d in ming, in place of the old form of leather | when -the eloquent young theologian pictured in gh y centuries. They rial ade leather] the club, leaving their wives in loneliness ath native | my hearers,” words the selfishness of men who spent their evenings home. : said he, “ of al poor, negle dr rocking: money-makin’, family-supportin’ Am- — qf said cried one of the listen- — “The divvle he does !?—

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Ss FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. “er reached home that night someone had left a lightyon the THE GHOST. sitting-room table with a mate to it in the fireplace. I = thought it strange that such a big, roaring fire should By Horace supletgne have been left for me to go to bed by—quite an idrcnane ‘ wing 2 : Tom Legget was the name of a very atic individual ‘The-old people have’ sat-vp later than common,’ T + thought, never once thinking of the boys. “] sat down in-the big arm-chair in front ‘of the -fire- place, took off my boots and: put them beside the fender, and then laid back and watched the huge log blaze. “This is solid comfort,’ thought I. ‘Here I am having a nice time of it, and outside the weather is cold as fury! P : Hy “T decided to have a little smoke and then retire; so I blew out the light and put my feet upon the ‘fender. “Very soon after I fell asleep in the chair with the pipe in my mouth. “T had a distinct remembrance of hearing the bell ring one and of comparing the time with our old clock in the corner, the back of the house. j _ “Was it fancy? Did my eyes deceive me? ia | thought as I looked a man’s face Sven down out of sight. “he curtain moved as if someone had hit it intention- ally, and set it cury eting from side to side. i “T did not see how it could be done with the window shut. “While T was A watching it and trying to think where tle / draught came from, the object that first gave me the shock came into view. “Tt stood there looking straight into the room; a man— or, at least, a man’s face, F “Goodness gracious, what ails the man?’ I asked myself, Sed SS teaweit his throat, adjusted himself to a more com-| “There was in his face such an pression of diabolical ible position: in his Smee Pes the glowing fire, and | wickedness as I never again wish behold. nenced “Tle made no movement, nor ake a word to explain aie all remember the cold, biastertii. disagreeable | himself. But right there under the window, in a black, sy of last twentieth of No veinber, I suppose 2» Tt was| shiny, broadcloth coat, an old silk hat that had ‘seen many 2 righ Jeff Knox's brindled steer died, and all the ponds} changes in fashiom set jauntily on one side of his head, for abou froze up. solid, Well, on that night, as some| all the world like a second edition of the village school- i know, for I see “em here now, I was seated} master; his face wan and pale, with high cheekbones; his ‘ out this fire, and engaged in about the same} chin covered with a stubble of short ijaek: ; . We got rather noisy as the hours wore on,} “But most startling of all, and what filled me with hor- reeds lord here turned us, all H ont-ofdoors ror, was a wound in his neck. - oa _ “Those Bee 3 ac looking into the room—the panes e who formerly lived’ in the town of Greenfield. His eccentricity was not of that kind which made him u Spinrilar by either word or act. : Indeed, Tom would not have willingly injured the mean- €st inseet that ‘ever crawled. Still, he had his errors—grave errors—and excessive drinking was one of them, In Dean’s house on a stormy night in winter, after in- iting all hands to drink, Tom would launch into the atest maze of yarns about this, that, and the other, r heard of. _ It was acknowledged by all that, when about half tipsy, could invent mere lies than any other man in town. On the night when the féllowing story of his was told—- rhich I here give as near verbatim as_ I. remember—the r was pretty well filled with a motley assemblage of ighbors. Some ‘were seated in chairs around the fire, others on tops of barrels, and some on the lower end of the counter. : Customers were scarce, and the company present were Mainly bent upon the enjoyment of their pipes; with a nip how and then at the ale. when T'om opened with the following interrogatory: say. landlord, did ye ever hear tell of a genuine ghost these parts—a real, downright, out-and-out ghost?” ‘o, Tom, I never did ; unless*that lame mule of Farmer . which ant boys w hitewashed and tied to the church- yas one.” ary a time,” said the unlucky owner of that piece of flesh, who occupied one of the barrel-heads. ‘Those got their deserts, and that ‘ere mule is jest as pretty ee ever ve laid eyes on, -new.’ Tom hall hetter give us his story, for I have heard th rat one about the mule beaten yet. What edly! ep RAE ¥ e story! The story! is they all exclaimed. hn ss] | . e o — i=} > D> 2 S ore > D o =] 8 a jam @ Ss ° st aS 2 = =| al $ faa) = 7) re) bw 1

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“His features, too, were not-those ofa stranger, ~ “Then I named over to myself several individuals whom’ I thought he resembled. -“There must be someone—yes, there was one—my wife’s _ biter “Thad heard’ her say that a younger brother had dis- ce WY speisst ‘under circumstances that” led them to think he Bes been’ murdered. or “This, then, must be' his ghost returned to see his sister. ~ “But, pooh? thought I. “There are no such things as - ; ear This must be: some poor traveler who has cut ‘him- self by accident.’ © 'At all events, I made wp my mind ‘to address him. 1 took one step forward, and as I opened my lips to speak the figure disappeared. +’ “There was no waving of the curtain now—nothing to _ show that there had been a ghostly presence behind it. _ “Occasionally the slam of a door reached my ears, tell- ing*how the wind was using it. ie Presently I-distinguished‘ the tramp, tramp, tramp, of eh horses’ feet. “The stable was. connected with the shed, but, strange e “‘tohtell, ‘the sounds were approaching the kitchen, seem- ingly but a few feet away from the very door. - 4-“TIn a second more I was horrified to hear a horse’s hoofs stamping across the kitchen floor, - “There is something awful in such sounds at such an ‘hour, and for the first time I felt my hair Pina to rise from my head. - «. “Looking around, I saw the odd figure once more at the window. ' “The sight of that ghastly face and those glazed eye: watching me so intently drove me to decide upon. actin: soe ae once. it | Speak!’ I cried. ‘Are you a man or a ghost?’ “i é There awas no response; only a side motion—a slight ‘movement of the head, and the specter had disappeared again. No sound of wind this time, but those hoofs mean- dering here and there were more dreadful, and I concluded Tnust be some villain who, mau to rob and murder me the same time. Reaching above the fireplate; L took dave my double- ward the window: resolving to fire at the first glimpse -ghostship, or, as I more than half-suspected, thief. * ‘roaring dtie.: the firep 1 the room, and half blinding’ i ahs eee hi te ae cloud of tee: T ae the eH a x i “en = FAME AND- FOR PUNE WEEKLY. baie ‘gun, cocked both barrels,'and deliberately pointed ait at once there came a ante ao that shook the 3, scattering the ashes ‘| ging from pedestrians. nt rested ‘him at Thirty ea street and ‘Third G: “Peis sad | “There in their night clothes stood the old folks, and behind them, in the doorway, the two boys—John and Harry. “Grandfather held a candle in his hand, and looked at me with alarm in his face. “The boys were whimpering with the cold. ““Ghosts or robbers, I ain’t sure which,’ L replied. “I started toward the window, “On looking out I beheld the figure stretched at full | length on the sgrowntdl: “The sight gave me courage. “Phat ghost won't wat to haunt these =" any longer,’ said I. ‘He has two charges of shot in his body somewhere—enough to kill even a ghost. Hold the lan-. tern, grandfather, while I take a closer look at him,’ “After placing the lantern in his hand, I sprang through — | the window-frame, and was soon bending over the sup- posed dead body. “What was my astonishment and chagrin to find it- neither ghost nor man, brt a lot.of straw stuffed into my” great-grandfather’s old elothes, which had been used to. scare crows; it had been tedressed and fastened to a nail with a long cord, reaching from the boy’s room down. “Tt all flashed over my mind in an instant. “The boys, knowing my late hours, had played the brick on me. j “T returned me ok house, replying to inquiries that the corpse would Jay where it was for the present. : “As for John and Harry, they had no further oceasion to complain of the cold that night, for the warming they ‘ot’ before they went upstairs again was enough to last until daylight, and gave them a Tea son they will not | ‘orget. “Soon after I went out in the kitchen, ‘and found thes id mare standing with her head over the sink, pe vaiting for a drink, “Her halter having heconie loosened, ey the doors Pom’ stable to kitchen open, she had improved the opportunity ‘9 goon a tour of investigation. “hia, boys, is the sum total of my ghost story ; abou as veal, I guess, as any that happen hereabouts.. ; “I never took. much stock in these shrouded im there is always some human agency about them ; and as | for the scare-—well, I don’t want to see any more ghostly. faces ferns in at the windows, I tell yon. >» oe BET a ys YF RTT Coe _ Simon Kram, 79 years. old, of 331 East upickiees street, New York, was arrested for begging the other | ‘Two. bank books showing. deposits of nearly $1,000, found on him. He was “ sentenced to ten days on well’s Island by Magistrate Murphy in Yorkville Detective Harvey of the Mendicancy Squad s | going from store. to store in Thirty-fourth stree He followed the beggar

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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. 29 3 | NEWS OF THE DAY E The Kuskokwim River, the second largest river in _ Alaska, is about to be opened to commerce in consequence of the discovery, by Capt. Lukens of the Coast and Geo- detic Survey, of a navigable channel in its extensive and - hitherto little known delta. The river itself is navigable for a distance of 600 miles from its mouth, and is thus _ destined to make accessible a very promising mining, fish- ' . ing and agricultural region. ; ' 2 Mrs. Harry C. Leach, wife of the pastor of the Morr- _ ingside Baptist Church, Pittsfield, Mass., in an emergency, » filled her husband’s pulpit at both morning and evening » services, preaching two sermons. Mr. Leach was called to Maine by ‘the ilmess of his mother, and his wife volun- -' teered to preach. Her evening subject was “The Heavenly Vision.” Mr.-and Mrs. Leach have been married about twelve years. his was her first APPA TENE Ss his substi- tute in a pulpit. S A in laborer nine yoars ago, James M. Phillips. of Oley, Pa., can answer quite satisfactorily the question “Does farming pay?” He had a public vendue, the other ® day, and the $¥300 proceeds represented his net profits ii the nine years. Mr. Phillips believes in specializing |* ‘when it relates to the dairy herd, and in taiking of his _suecess with Ayrshire cows saysit does not cost any more Ye raise pure-bred stock than mixed breed. ‘The secret of his snecess the puts thus: ““Tend to your own business; - farm when it is time to farm, and rest or,erjoy leisure Bice when the proper time is at hand.” 2 When the plans are in full operation for the government f Tangier, Morocco, “the first really international. city of s the world, ” the community will have as a legislative body an “assembly ‘chosen by popular vote and “composed of venty-four Morocean members and eleven fore eigners, rev- ~ rezentatives of the powers, A mixed court Js provided for, along | the lines of the international court in Dgypt. Vhe wicement is that it is to consist of two Frenchmen, one who will preside ; two- Spaniards, two Englishmen, one German, A ae is to he public gua ‘———- eke the gdvantagee of an “ideal athletic stadium, fo- with the accessibility of the location, the new Velo- ‘Sheepshead Bay,? ‘which will be the home of cvele ng around New York City in_the future, also promises 4 the grounds on which “other athletic contests of the politan district will be settled. General Manager in, who succeeded the late Floyd te McFarland, eycling and. motorcycle program tacle from May 22, the | a aa ee ee that. will} of the The actua! number of workmen killed and. injured an- nually in-the United: States is not known definitely. ‘The best authorities, however, have estimated fatalities to the number of 40,000 to 45,000 annually, and non-fatal acei- dents producing an annual loss of 200,000,000 working days. Estimating the value to society of each man killed at $5,000, and $2 as an average daily wage of the non- fatally injnred, the economic annual ae sustained by the nation amounts to approximately $600,000,000, This is the amount which, im some way or other, must ‘be charged to the production cost in the various industries where the accidents oceurved. ae t oe. Charges that George Farmer was shanghaied aboard. the British mule shin, Anglo-. (\nstralian, at New Orleans, and that severe treatment afterward was contributery to his death, are made in a $10,000 libel svit filed against the vessel by EHdward Farmer, his father. Young Farmer. died three days after the vessel left New Ptleans, Feb. 17, for Avonmouth, according to reports of the vessel’s officers, , when they arrived recently, They said he had been seized with an epileptic fit soon after going aboard. In the peti- tion filed the father charges that Farmer was taken aboard” the vessel in an intoxicated condition and Jashed to a stanchion. The petition sets forth his treatment reste in a fit and that he died without attention. - > ee ae at al ’ ; -When the Navy Department issued its order by which enlisted men overstaying their leave and committing other offenses were to be discharged at the option of the com- manding officer, or placed ox probation, there. was much curiosity as to how the immovation would result. Statistics - compiled by the Army and Navy Journal! show that the » desartions in July, 1914, were 222; in August, 1914; 360; . and in September of the same year, 310. When the order was vut into effect in October there were 259 desertions; in November they dropped to 193. Since that month the ~ desertions have been as follows: December, 153; January, 176; February, $4, and all records were broken in March, when there were only fifty-four desertions. A jury before Judge Julian Mack in the United States District Court, New York, recently awarded Mrs. Theresa Bump, a widow, of Baltimore, a verdict of $15,000 in her suit against the French Line for injuries which she re- ceived on. the steamship Rochambeau on April 14, 1914 while the ship was on the high sea. Mrs. Bump was 1 turning from a vacation in Europe. According to. complaint, she was passing down a dark passageway to 4 where. the. captain had. put her pet poodle when the sh struck a heavy sea and she was hurled against the w passageway, sustaining a broken ‘hose, two juries. The ship’s ¢ that she

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FAME AND FORTUNE WEEKLY. Se ry 8 ee NEW ELECPRIC: BELL. : An orlgita! electuic, belt combinations is in use at Paris “which is designed to get rid of all trouble: caused by the question: of Batteries ‘for these-aré now lodged within the apparatus itself. Phe usual box bell-shape i is retained, but _ the arrangement of the parts is different in this case. All INTERESTING | ARTICLES — After reaching the const the men cttacapel to continue” their journey overland, btit were attacked by Arabs. The Arabs were repulsed after three days’ stubborn fighting and the sailors reached the road to Hodachas, where the railroad was open. The Germans, however, suffered heavy losses. This dispatch tells another chapter in the exploits rere magnet parts are now lodged’ under the gong itself,| of that remnant of the Emdea’s crew, who were members while the box, being now left free, serves to contain a set! of a landing party on Cocos Island when the- battle took of three dry battery ceils which will last for several years. | place between the Australian cruiser Sydney and the Em- In this way there are no connections to be made between | den. Lieut. von Muecke, in charge of the landing party, the battery and bell, and the wires and push-button are commandeered the schooner Aysha and sailed away. From _ the only pieces which need to be attended to. oe WOMEN’S BAM: A FAILURE. - The police of Berlin seized the hooks of the W omen’s Bank, whieh was widely heralded upon its organization two years ago as the only financial institution in the world - organized, capitalized, and managed exclusively by women _ for, women. This step was ordered in connection with proceedings «instituted against the bank by the Crown a cutor for-alleged traud and misuse of deposits. The bank started out well after its foundation’ and at- tested large deposits from. women, but later was chiefly ~ €onspicuous owing to its difficulties, The managers were “forced to seek the assistance of men and jt is said that at the beginning of the war they avoided bankruptcy only r ie establishing connections with one of the regular Berlin t banks. to ae NEGRO DIES AT 123. S abetor Jchnson, negro, of Millville, Ga.. who claimed. to he 123 years old, was found ‘dead in his bed recently as a j result of influenza, which he contracted three weeks ago. _ According. toa memerandum found among his belongings, , which is said to be an exact copy of one given. to a slave -buyersinN ew Orleans by his original owner, Dr. Johnson, some years before the Civil War, Unele Major, as he was ~ familiarly known, was born May 5, 1792; in Wayne ‘County,-Ga. > About the age of maturity he removed with his tmhaster, CR: Johnson, to South Carolina and remained there*until years before the war between the States, where he tly “afterward he was bought for $2, 000 by Captain ; pokin, of nents Ark, After a number of years) t to Texas, where he remained for) ; lb was sol to a slave buyer in New Orleans. to “Arkansas ie 1895 he came to! Manila came a report that they had captured a collier and had had been making raids on French commerce. On De- cember 18 the Frendhi Ministry of Marine announced that the auxiliary cruiser Empress of Japan had captured the collier, with the men.on beard. Betlin heard on April’ 4, however, that the Aysha had zeached Hodeida, Arabia. A dispatch received rectntly, réferring to Lidd, may mean Jidda on the’seacoast of Arabia. Apparently the Germans are making for Turkey. E \ ats _———_- CONTINUOUS AVIATION COMPETITIONS. Most elaborate plans have been made by the Aero Club of America, in cg-operation with its affiliated clubs, some twenty-five in number, for a series of daily competitions i = continuing from July dth. This competition is to be for the greatest distance covered in ten hours: during” the A ninety days, and those making the best records ai be- awarded prizes, including a special daily prize of $100. Flights may be made from any of the official aerodromes, — to be designated in various partsof the United States, and any or all of the aviators may start each day. These'-c competitions are designed to assist the army and. iy navy departments in dev eloping aviation cotps for the Na- Me tional Guard and Naval Militia, to demonstrate for the postoftice department the practicability of carrying mail 2 adr ed to the hundreds of isolated places where it w takes days to deliver mail which could he delivered os deropiabe in a few hours, and to develop the sport in ceneral. The competitions are on the same plan’ as those for the Pommery Cup in France, which resulted in great benefit. to the sport in that countr and developed si “Remarkable: performances. iy : Nine prominent aviators and consti oe already made known their intention to enter these contests, is gratifying to the committee that all the entrants: so fi rat propose to use American-made aeroplanes ‘and motors: wae it is an encouraging indication of the interest a and the progress made since our Government, a an indication of its intention to inc rease the use es in the army and navy. ed t amo ng the contes ib aid $ ed. Z. - ‘ *- - i tas ~ A

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THE CREEPING MOUSE is the latest novelty out. The mouse is of very natural appearance. When placed upon a mirror, wall, window or any other smooth surface, it will creep slowly downward without leaving the perpendicular surface. It This gum-roll underneath which & makes it stick. Very amus- Ping to both young and old. Price 10 cents each, by mail, ¥ postpaid. ‘ NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. Y. POCKET SAVINGS BANK. A perfect little bank, handsomely nickel plated. MHolas just five dol- lars (50 dimes). It cannot opened until the bank is full, when it can be readily emptied and re- locked, ready to be again refilled. Every parent should see that their children have 2 small savings bank, as the early habit of saving their dimes is of the greatest importance. Habits formed in early life are sel- dom forgotten in later years. Price of this little bank, 10c.; 3 for 265c., mailed postpaid. H. F. LANG, 1315 Centre St., B’klyn, N, ¥. Sy: RA Pe? SES oa eee 28 SE he DUPLEX BICYCLE WHISTLE. WOLFr ducing loud but very rich, har- monious sounds, entirely differ- ent from ordinary whistles. It is just the thing for bicyclists or sportsmen, its peculiar double and resonant tones at once at- tracting attention. It is an im- ported whistle, handsomely nickel plated, and will be found a very useful and handy pocket companion. Price, 10c.; 3 for 25c.; one dozen, 75c., sent by mail, postpaid. WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th Si.. N. ¥. RISING PENCIL. —The performer ex- Shibits an ordinary pencil and shows it top and bottom. The pencil is laid on thr palm, the performer calling attention to his hypnotic power over innate objects. The pencil is slowly to_ rise, fol- lowing the move- ments of the other hand. The witnesses are asked to pass their and around it to assure themselves no thread or hair is used. Price, 25c¢. ©. BEHR, 150 W. 62d St., New York City. PIGGY IN A COFFIN. This is a wicked pig that died at an early age, and here he is in his coffin ready for burial. There will be a great many mourners at his funeral, for this coffin, pretty as it Jeoks, is very tricky, and the man who gets | n will feel real grief. The coffin is made pe yey perfectly shaped and beautifully facquered. The trick is to open it to see the . The man that tries it gets nis fingers feelings hurt, and piggy comes out tv nt at his victims. The tubular end of the Ceftin, which everyone (in irying to open) presses inward, contains a needle whicn stabs the victim in his thumb or finger every time, This is the latest and a very “impressive” trick. It can be opened easily by anyone in the secret. and as a neat catch-joke to save yourself from a bore is unsurpassed. Price, 10c.; 3 for %5c., postpaid; one dozen by ex- press, 75c. WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 20 W. 26th 8t., N. ¥. 0) OS c THE GRLAT FIRE EATER. mi eat Sensational Trick of the pay! With the Fire Hater in his possession any person can become & perfect salamander, ap- parently breathing flre and eject- ing thousands of brilliant sparks from hig mouth, to the horror and consternation of all behold- ers. Harmless fun for all times, ame seasons and places. if you wish roduce u decided sensation in your neigh- Raaeing don’t fail to procure one. We send Fire Eater with all the materials, in a ndsome box, the cover of which is highly aented with i!lustrations in n various col- Price of all complete only ISe., or 4 for 50c,., mailed postpaid; one dozen by "B.—Full ted instructions for per- ne trick accompany each box, which sufficient. nriterial for giving | is furnished with an adhesive ; THE MAGIC NAIL. A common nail is given for examination, and then in- | startly shown pierced through the finger; and yet, when taken out, the finger is found to be perfectly uninjured, and the nail is again given Nicely finished. Price, 10¢. by mail, postpaid. C. BEHR, 150 W.. 62d St., New York City. “SINK THE LINK PUZZLE. a; © The sensation of the day. to be examined. Pronounced by all, the most baffling and scientific novelty out. Thousands have worked at it for hours without mas- | tering it, still it can be done in two seconds | the tighter they grow. by giving the links the proper twist, but un- less you know how, the harder you twist them Price, 6c.; 3 for 15¢.: one dozen, 50c., by mail, postpaid. WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. Y. THE SURPRISE FOUNTAIN r&Nn A novelty of the OR ED greatest merit! It looks just like a gen- ess coach el uine fountain pen. But it isn't. That's where the joke comes in. If you take off the cover, a nice, ripe, juicy lemon appears. Then you give the friend you lend it to the merry “ha-ha.” You might call it an everlasting joke because you can use it over and over again. Price, by mail, postpaid, 10c. | H. IF. LANG, 1815 Centre St., B’klyn, N. Y. This is a double whistle, pro- | - ; seen | itions. é 4 hive, ELTX CO., 20 W. 26th St...N. ¥.' WOLFF NOV FIFTt. Also known as @& Japanese butterfly. A Pleasing novelty closed in an envelope. When the envelope is opened Fim will fly out through the i to represent a butter- fly six inches wide. Price, 10¢. WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. Y. SLIDE THE PENCIL. The pencil that keeps them a guessing. Made of wood and lead just like an ordinary pen- cil, but when your victim starts to write with it—presto! lead disappears. It structed that the slightest pres- sure on the paper makes lead slide into the wood. Very funny and a practical joke. Price, 10c. each by mail, postpaid; 3 for 25e H. F. LANG, 1815 Centre Si, B’kiyn, N. x. APPEARING BILLIARD BALL.—A solid billiard bali, beautifully made, can be made to appear in the bare hands with the sleeves rolled back to elbows. Very fine and easy to do. Price, 35e. WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. ¥. IMITATION CUT FINGER. A cardboard finger, carefully bandaged with linen, and the side and end _ are - blood-stained. When you slip it on your 4 finger and show it, to your friends, just ‘ give @ groan or two, nu se it up, and pull a look of pain. You will get nothing but sympathy until you give them the laugh. Then duck! Price, 10c., postpaid. H. F. LANG, 1835 Centre St., B’klyn, N. Y¥. With square turquoise stones. fy oe en- |} for several yards. | Made of colored paper | the | is s0. con- | the | Gee] D.3 OA Week 'UR best chance 3} () to clezn up some money. Crescent Orangeade comes yourself, Our catalog, mailed PRE, yor '. Our cai > . tells how. Costs one balf centaglass. Retails ate. Sells at ball es, picnics, cireuses, house and to restaur- dances, from house ants. Boys make $5 to $ 10c for trial package, id = 85¢ in sa. Write cubes and full information how to oa dis wcak- Delivered FREE bicycle, A le 1915 model **#?a. Ay waland 30 DAvs TAL. Write at once for largei 2 catalog showi plete li: a bicyel 8 ine 0! tice ea mpl a encoaies oat bas marvelous ofer ever madeon a bicycle. iH fan will be satonishedat our low pHigee A Base Ball Jersey I give you a very tine pure wool sweater ; double collar and cuff«, your chotce of color. Just handle for me your club's spring order for baseball goods—at special @iscount, and this jersey t+ yours, Send for complete catalog | of my best grade sporting goods / wholesale prices—baskerball, at Laseball, tounis, golf, etc. Write me now. JACK SHANNON CO Dept.35, 54 E. MowroeSt.,Chieago NOTISM ons, 5] fanand money, YOU may learn! Illus trated Treatise and full particulareFREE. M.D, BETTS, Desk 24 Jackson, Mich. ") Scout Field Glass, Telescope and Compas¢ Combination Instrument given. Sell only 10 botties perfume at We each. Our numberis imited, so get busy. A C. Anderson, 51 Carlton, Grand Rapids, Mich. GREENBACKS Pack of $1,000 Stage Bills, 10c; 3 packs, 2éc. Send for @ pack and show the boys what a WAD you carry. Cc. A. NICHGLS, JR., Box 90, Chill, N. Y. ASTHMA ; BOY : | / | REMEDY sent to you on ;WREE TRIAL. If it cures, send $1.00; if not. don’t. Give express office. Write today, W.K. Sterline, 837 Obio Ave., Sidney. Obia, September Morn WATCH FOB, Exactly fike illustration. The latest fob out. Has bewit little THROW YOUR YOICE

and merrim i toatruqgant Peak if ur H. 2LATZ CO. ATLANTicCity GREENBACKS $1570 In Stage Money for 10c. Get a bunch of Stage Greenbacks (not counterfeits), Wrap them around yourownrollandshowyourfriends whatawadyoucarry. Big bunchof $1570 FOR 10 CENTS. ENTERPRISE Co. TW-2348 LOWE AVE., CHICAGO LTY CO., 29 W. 26th St...N. ¥.5 Oa

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HK. THE FOUNTAIN RING. - A handsome ring connected with @ rubber ball which is concealed in the palm of the hand. A gentile squeeze forces water or cologne in the face of the victim while he is examining it. The ball can be in- stantly filled by immersing ring in water same as a fountain pen filler. Price by mail, postpaid, 12c. each. ®. LANG, 1815 Centre St., B’klyn, N. Y. SfAR AND CRESCENT PUZZLE, The puzzle is to sepa- rate ‘the one star from the ked star and cres- cent without using force. Price by mail, postpaid 10c.; 3 for 25c, WOLFF NOVELTY Co, 29 W. 26th St., N. ¥. THE INK BLOT JOEER. Fool Your Friends —The greatest novel- ty of the age! Have a joke which makes everybody laugh. More fun than any other nov@ity that has been shown in years. Place it a desk, tablecloth, o: any piece of furniture, as shown in the above cut, near some valuable papers, or on fine wear'ug apparel. sult! Watch the re- Oh, Gee! Price, 15c. each, postpaid. <. BEHR, 150 W. 62d St., New York City. to the astonishment of the smoker. THE JOKER’S CIGAR. The biggest sell of the sea- son. A real cigar made of bacco, preroe of cigar about one-half inch from end is a fountain ixte of sparklets. The moment {esc the fire reaches this fountain ae hundreds of sparks of fire forth in every direction, burst for Sener ane is stage fire, and will not burn the skin or clothing. Goutintte smoking the cigar to the end. After the fireworks the brig - 10¢.; 3 for 250; 1 dozen, 90c., mailed, post- si. &. LANG, 1815 Centre St., B’klyn, N. Y. but secreted in the | | } } ] / HELLO PUZZLE Can you get the ring off? This puzzle is the latest cre- ation of Yankee ingenuity. Apparently it is the easiest thing in the world to remove the ring from the biock, but it takes hours of study to @iscover the trick, unless you know how it is done. Price by mail, postpaid, l0c.; 3 for 2he, WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St., N. ¥. COMICAL xUNNY FACES. This genuine laugh producer is made of nicely colored cardboard. A sharp, bent hook is at the back to attach it to the Japel of your coat. ‘Hide one hand under the lape! and twitch the small, black thread. It will cause a red tongue to dart in and out of the mouth in the most comical manner imaginable at the word of command. It is very mystifying, and never fails to proGuce a hearty laugh. Price, 6¢, each by mail. C. BEHR, 150 W. 62d St., New York City. PICK-ME-OUT PUZZLE. The head is finished in black japan, and in the mouth is a highly polished ysteel ball. The puzzle is to pick out the ball. Price, 10c.; 8 for 25c. by mail, postpaid. WOLFF NOVELTY Co., 29 W. 26th St., N. ¥. TRICK CIGARZTTE Bua. This one is a corker! Get a box right atway, if you want to have a barrel of joy: secret: It looks like an ordi- nary red box of Turkish ciga- rettes. But it contains a trig- ger, under which you place a paper cap. Offer your friend a smoke and he raises the lid of the box. That explodes the cap, and if you are wise you will get out of sight with the box before he gets over thinking he was shot. Price, lic., postpaid. uH. F. LANG, 1815 Centre St., B’klyn, N. ¥ Here's the | DEAD SHOT SQUIRT PISTOL. If you shoot a man : with this “gun”. he will be too mad to accept the ancient excuse—“I didn’t know it was loaded.” It loads easity with a full enarge of water, and taking aim, press the rnbber bulb at the butt of the Pistol, when a small stream of water is squirted into his face. The best thing to do then is to pocket your gun eng run. There are “loads of fun” {n this wicked little joker, which looks like a real revolver, trigger, cock, chambers, barrel and all. Price only 7e.; 4 for 25¢.; one dozen 60c. by mail Postpaid. C. BEHR, 150 W. 62d St., New York City. THE FIGHTING ROOSTERS. A full blooded pair of fighting game cocks. These Jiliputian fighters have real feathers, yellow legs and fiery red combs, their movements when fighting are perfectly nat- ural and lifelike, and the secret of their movements is known only to the operator, who can cause them to battle with each other as often and as long as desired. Independent of their fighting proclivities they make very pretty mantel ornaments. Price for the pair in a strong box, 10c.; 3 paira for 25¢. by mail, Postpaid. Hu. ¥. LANG, 1815 Centre St., B’klyn, N. ¥. SURPRISE KINEMATOGRA?H, The greatest hit of the season! It consists ef a small metal, nickeled tube, with a_ lens eye view, which shows a pretty bal- let girl in tights. Hand it to a fricnd. who will be delighted with the first pie- ture; tell him te turn the screw in center of instri- ment to change the views, when a stream of water squirts into his face, much to his dis- gust. Anyone who has not seen this kinema- tograph in operation is sure to be caught every time. The instrument can be refilled with water in an instant, ready for the next customer. Price 25c. by mail, pestpaid. WOLFF NOVELTY CO., 29 W. 26th St.. N. ¥. WE WANT YOU TO READ “Moving Picture Stories” A Weekly Magazine devoted to Photoplays and Players Absclutely the finest little publication on the news-stands eS] PRICE 5 CENTS A COPY @2 ISSUED EVERY FRIDAY BEAUTIFUL COLORED COVER DESICNS y New portraits of actors and actresses every week - EVERY NUMBER CONTAINS THIRTY-TWO PAGES FINE HALF-TONE FRONTISPIECES Get a copy of this weekly magazine and see whatitis Six Gripping Stories, based on the latest and best films, each profusely illustrated with fine half-tones of scenes in the plays. Photographs and Biograpluies of the most celebrated Photoplay actors and actresses. jpecial Articles relating to Moving Pictures, written by the greatest authorities in the tilm business. jews Notes from the studios about the doings of everybody of prominence connected with the Pbotoplays. H Scenario Hints and the names of all the companies who may buy the plays you write. =~, _ Poems, Jingles, Jests and every bright feature calculated to interest both young and old. see 'T A COPY NOW trom your newsdeaier, or send us 5 cents in money or postage stamps, and we will mai) ris . New York ;

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FAME AND FORTUNE WHEEBLWY 72 T ig C "eS ; u Who Saved a Town 438 His Last Chance; or, The Boy Who Made Money in Wall Street. = ano perk eee Merits 439 Snipped to Sea; or, The Treasures of the Coral Cave. 474 Out for a Corner; or, A Smart Chicago Boy. 440 An Errand Boy's Fortune; or, The Office of Wall Street Secrets. 475 The Winning Trick; or, How a Boy Made His Mark. 441 In the Film Game; or, The Boy Who Made Moving Pictures. 476 The Young Editor; or, Running a Country Newspaper. 442 A Smart New York Boy; ox, From the Tenements to Wall Street. | 477 A Big Stroke: or, The Lad Who Made a tecord. . 443 Mark Milton's Mine; or, 2 Schoolboy's Inheritance. 478 In the Copper Field; or, The Mine That Made the Money. 4 The Young Banker; or, The Mystery of a Money Bor. 479 From a Cent to a Fortune; or, A Chicago Boy’s Great Scoup 445 The Secret Chart, or, The Golden Treasure of the Crater. 480 A Start in Life; or, A Poor Boy's Rise to Fame. 446 The Boy Behind the Deals; or, The Luck of a Wall Street Broker. | 481 A Wide Awake Boy; or, Born With a Winning Streak. 447 Thrown on the World; or, Starting Business on a Dollar. 482 Capturing the Money: or, How Ben Bailey Made His Mar 448 A Specuiator at 16; or, The Lad Who Worked His Brains. 483 Digging ay Gold; or, The Luck of a Boy Miner. é 449 Tom, the Steeple Jack, or, Winning a Living by Nerve. 484 A Boy With Grit; or, Earning An Honest Living. 4 gd a Million; or, Ben and the Wall Street Brokers. 485 Andy, the Mill Boy; or, Rising to the Top en REeeec ge A Gard Dees : 486 Fame Before the Footlights; or, The Boy Who Bossed the Thester. 452 The Boy Banker's Double; or, A Strange Wall! Street Mystery. 487 Lucky Lee, the Office Boy; or, The Nerviest Lad iu New York. 453 The Young Beaeh Comber; or, A Fortune From the Sand. 488 Sure to Get Rich; or, A Smart Young Messenger. 454 The Little Boss ; or, After the Wall Street Money Kings. 489 Pushing it Through ; or, Ihe Fate®of a Lucky Boy. 455 $250,000 in Gold; or, Hunting a Hindoo Treasure. 490 A Born Speculator; or; The Young Sphinx of Wall Street. 456 A Corner in Money; or, Beating the Wall Street Money Sharks. 491 The Way to Success; or, The Boy Who Got There. a 457 Going it Alone; or, The Boy Who Made His Own Luck. “492 Struck On: or, The Bov Who Made a Million. 458 Little Dan Tucker; or, Making Big Money in Wall St. 493 A Golden Risk; or, The Young Miners of Della Cruz. 459 Fighting for Business; or, Beating a Bad Start. 403 A Golden Risk; or ‘The Boy Who Went Out With a Circus. — ¢ oy Money Maker: or, In Wall Street on His Nerve. 495 Golden Fleece; or, The Boy Brokers of Wall Street. 46 uried Goid; or, The Treasure of the Old Buccaneers. 496 A Madcap Scheme: or, The Boy Treasure Hunters of Cocos Island. 462 Hitting it Rich; or, The Luckiest Firm in Wall St. 497 Adrift on the World; or, Working His Way to Fortune. 463 Sam, the Salesman; or, The Boy With the Silver Tongue 498 Playing to Win; or, The Foxiest Boy in Wall Street. i Having 4 a or, sre t penecrs Deal 499 Tatters: or, A Boy from the Slums. er a Big ake; or, Brains Agains rawh ‘ Kar > x : a eee i 7 466 Facing the Mexicans; or, The Secret Of the Aztec’s Gold. p00 A.Young eS Celery: se x apne a -% bisher 467 Fighting For Fame; or, The Luck Of a Young Contractor. 501 Won by Pluck; or, The agi fe “ Pa Be atlyoa a ¥ 468 Seeking a Lost Treasure: or, The Nerve Of a Young Explorer | 502 Beating the Brokers; or, The Boy G) ‘ouldn e Done. 469 Matt, the Mechanic: or, The Boy Who Made His Pile. 503 A Rolling Stone; or The Brightest Boy on Record. 470 Among the Ice Peaks: or, The ‘Voyage That Made the Money 504 Never Say Die: or. The Young Surveyor of Happy Valley LATEST ISSUES— 471 The Little Castaways; or, The Fortune That a Wreck Brought. For sale by all newsdealers, or will be sent to any address on receipt of price, 5 cents per copy, in money or postage stamps. nv FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, - eee SSSS00000—0—00—0—SSSS—m—>"6"=—+‘''"—™= - 168 West 23d St., New York. IF YOU WANT ANY BACK NUMBERS of our weeklies and cannot procure them from newsdealers, they can be obtained from this office direct. Write out aad fill in your FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, - Order and send it to us with the price of the POSTAGE STAMPS TAKEN THE SAME AS MONEY. > ee ee ouR TrEW-CcEWwT HAND Boo No. 1. NAPOLEON’S ORACULUM AND BOOK.—Containing the great oracle ef human destiny; also the true meaning of almost any kind of dreams, together with charms, ceremonies, and curious games of 5. 5 2. HOW TO DO TRICKS.—The great book of magic and card tricks, containing full instruction on all the leading ecard tricks of the day, also the most popular magical illu- sicns as performed by our leading magicians; every boy should obtain a copy of this book. No. 8 HOW TO FLIRT.—The arts and wiles of Mirtation are fully explained by this Mttle book. Besides *he various methods of handkerchief, fan, gleve, parasol, window and hat flirtation, it contains a full lst of the language and sentiment of flowers. No. 4. HOW TO DANCE 1s the title of this ttle book. It contains full instructions in the art of dancing, etiquette in the ball- room and at parties, how to dress, and full lirections for calling off in all popular square dances. No. 5. HOW TO MAKE LOVE.—aA com- plete guide to love, courtship and marriage, giving sensible advice, rules and etiquette to be observed, with many oa and interest- ing things not generally known. - No. 6. HOW TO BECOME AN ATHLETE. —Giving full instruction for the use of dumb- bells, Indian clubs, paralle! bars, horizontal bars and various other methods of developing a good, healthy muscle; containing over sixty {}lustrations. , No. 7. HOW TO KEEP BIF.DS.—Hand- somely illustrated and containing full Instruc- tions for the management and training of the canary, mockingbird, bobolink. blackbird, paro- oquet, parrot, etc. No. 9. HOW TO BECOME A VENTRILO- QUIST.—By Harry Kennedy. Every inteili- gent boy redding this book of instructions can master the art, and create any amount of fun or himself and friends. It is the greatest k ever published. No. 10. HOW TO BOX.—The art of self- defense made easy. Containing over thirty illustrations of guards, blows, and the differ- ent positions of a. good boxer. Every boy should obtain one of these useful and instruc- tive books, as ft will teach you how to box without an instructor. No. 11. HOW TO WRITE LOVE-LETTERS. —A most complete little book, containing full directions for writing love-letters, and when to use them, giving en letters for young and WRITE LETTERS i TOW, TSomplete lnstractions ae writing letters to ladies on all subjects; also letters of introduction, notes and requests. No. 13. HOW DO IT; OR, BOOK OF y r or will be by @ glance at this little book. life secret, and ETIQUETTE.— it is a great to know all one that every young man desires about. There's happiness in_ it. No. 14. HOW TO MAKE CANDY.—A com, plete hand-book for making all kinds of candy, ice-cream, syrups, essences, etc., etc. No. 18. HOW TO BECOME BEAUTIFUL. —One of the brightest and most valuable little books ever given to the world. Every- body wishes to know how to become beauti- ful, both male and fem@ie. The secret is simple, and almost costless. No. 20. HOW TO ENTERTAIN AN EVEN- ING PARTY.—A complete compendium of games, sports, card diversions, comic recita- tions, etc., suitable for parlor or drawing- room entertainment. It contains more for the money than any book published. No 21 HOW TO HUNT AND FISH.—The most complete hunting and fishing guide ever published. It contains full instructions about guns, hunting dogs, traps, trapping and fish- ing, together with description of game and fish. No. 22. HOW TO DO SECOND SIGHT.— Heller’s second sight explained by his former assistant, Fred Hunt, Jr. Explaining how the secret dialogues were carried on between the magician and the boy on the stage; also giv- ing all the codes and signals. No. 23. HOW TO EXPLAIN DREAMS.— This little book gives the explanation to all kinds of dreams, together with lucky and unlucky days. No. 24. HOW TO WRITE LETTERS TO GENTLEMEN .—Containing full directions for writing to gentlemen on all subjects. No. 25. HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST.— Containing full instructions for all kinds of gymnastic sports and athletic exercises. Em- bracing thirty-five {lustrations. By Professor W. Macdonald. No. 26. HOY OW, SAIL AND BUILD A BOAT.—Eu lu&trated. ={Full instructions are given im this little ‘book, together with in- structions on swimming and riding, companion sports to boating. . : No. 27. HOW TO RECITE AND BOOK OF RECITATIONS.—Containing the most “popula selections in use, comprising Dutch dialect, French dialect, Yankee and Irish dialect pieces, together with many standard readings. No. 28. HOW TO TELL FORTUNES.— Everyone ig desirous of knowing what his future life will bring forth, whether happiness or misery, wealth or poverty. You can tell Buy one and be convinced. No. 29. HOW TO BECOME AN INVENTOR, —Every boy should know how inventions orig- inated. This book explains them all, giving examples in electricity, hydraulics, magnet- ism, optics, pneumatics, mechanics, etc. it to any address on recelpt of price, 10 cts. per copy, or 8 for 25 weeklies you want and we will send ‘hem to you by retur eae - 168 West 28d St., New No. 30. HOW TO COOK.—Oné of th instructive books on cooking ‘er bi It contains recipes for coo. meats, fish, game, and oysters; also pie dings, cakes and all kinds of pastry, and @ grand collec- tion of recipes. No. 31. HOW TO BECO A SPEAKER. ~ —Containing fourteen fl ations, giving the different positions requisite to become a speaker, reader and elocutionist. Also con- all ibe popular authors of taining gems from prose and etry. No. 32. HOW TO REDE A BICYCLE— Containing instructions for beginners. choice of a machine, hints on alning, etc. A com- plete book. Full of p cal illustrations. No. 35. HOW TO —G. —A com- litt) containing the rules and regulations Miards, bagatelle. backgammon, oe oes, etc. No. 36. HOW TO CONUNDRUMS. —Containing all the leading conundrums of the day, amusing riddl curious catches and witty sayings. ‘ No. 38. HOW TO ME YOUR OWN DOCTOR.—A wonderful book, containing use- ful and practical inform of ordinary diseases s every family. plete and useful SE DOGS, POULTRY, 'S.—A useful and in- somely illustrated. SET TRAPS. to catch moles, and birds. Aliso how to cure skins. C usly illustrated. No. 41, THE BOYS NEW YORK END MEN’S JOKE BOOK.—Containing a great va- riety of the latest jokes used by the most famous. end’ men. No amateur minstrels is tomplete without this wonderful No. 42. THE BOYS OF STUMP SPEAKER.—Con sortment of stump spee Irish. Also end men’s j for home amusement No. 43. HOW TO B! —Containing the grand ical illusions ever plac Also tricks with cards. f No. 44. HOW TO BUM.—A grand collectio suitable for any time ani ing Lines of Love, Affection, § mor, Respect, and Condolence; i Suitable for Valentines and Weddin; No. 45. THE BOYS OF NEW YO STREL GUIDE AND JOKE c thing new and very instructive. ; should obtain this book, as it contains instructions for organizing an amateur strel troupe. cts., in money or postage : 168 West 23d St., N * AND RA structive book. Hai No. 40. ROW TO MA —Including hints on weasels; otter, rats,