Five Cent Wide Awake Library (vol. 1) (1882 08 12)
The text was read from the page scans by machine (OCR), so it has mistakes and its columns may run together. See the pages · About this title · At the Internet Archive
Page 1
THE FIVE CENT Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1882, by FRANK TOUSEY, in the office of tne Librarian of Congress, at Wash ington, D.C. ‘ ‘ Entered at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., as Second Class Matter. “ rar ae any ry Gel PES = Sa LEELA LEDS LBL IP TEEPE MTT 5 wT, } FRANK TOUSEY, Pustisuen, 34 & 36 Norra Moor {_ PRICE 7? . No. 515, ee eK s New York, August 12, 1882. IssUED ‘5 CENTS: 5 Vol. I ———— — " FIGHTING JOE: i The Game Man of the Plains.
Page 2
FIGHTING JOE. ‘i “The “subsoription price, ao Tus Wipe AwAKe LiBrany for the year 1882 will be $2.50° per ‘year; $1.25 per (6 months, post pai, “al ox 2 : RANK TOUSEY, PUBLISHER, 34 and 36 Rorth Moore Street, New York. By KIT CLYDE. Author of ‘Bow and Arrow Jack,” ‘‘Fou-cap, the Friend of Daniel Boone,” etc., CHAPTER I. FIGHTING JOR, ONE bright summer night, some thirty years ago, a small party of United States cavalr y was encamped about a day’s journey from Santa Fe, in the Territory of New Mexico. They had been out for two weeks in. search of certain per- sons who had been: surreptitiously inciting the Indians to resume their depredations upon that thinly-settled border, The camp had not been established three hours ere a party of redskins came in and wanted to trade, steal some- "thing, or make trouble. They outnumbered the soldiers three to one, and, for that reason, the latter were kept under arms all the time in ‘order to be prepared for anything that might turn up. Y Only a half dozen, men were: allowed to ~ mingle with the redskins. The others were held in readiness for any emergency. About ten o’clock, when it looked as though the redskins iwere about to take absolute possession of the camp by mak- ‘ing themselves at-home with everything, and the officer in ‘command of the cayalr ry had made up.-his mind to give them ‘no ground for complaint on this score, @ white man entered ‘the range of light and said: _ ‘Hello, redskins! Hello, cavalry, by thunder! Glad to see the old flag and uniform oncemore! .I fought under Tay- Jor and Scott in old Mexico,” and he went up and shook “hands with the cavalrymen as though he had been ‘acquainted with them all his life. . | ‘They shook hands with him, of course, and. then looked him over from head to foot. —a Southerner, they guessed from his general appearance, being lean gadslanks with a brace of revolvers and the in- ‘evitable powie-knife stuck in his belt. | The Indians looked at him and judged him to be a good- natured kind of a pale- face, as he had a hearty, careless way about him), “Who are you, sir ?” Captain Lyon asked, when he ‘shook hands with him. _ » “Who, me? Well, I’m Joe Shelby.. ‘Kentucky, though it’s, a long time since I left that State of _)pretty gals and ‘fine horses. I was——’ _ “Where are you going?” the captain bluntly asked ‘again, interrupting him. J wanted. to see the old place I had heard tell so much of, ‘and, as I had fought with Seott and Taylor for this blamed country, I thought Td just come along and look at it.” You don’t mean to téll me that you have come all. the way from Leavenworth by your: self, do you?” the astonished. polticer asked, a] } Te was a typical border man | I come from old » ‘Well, I started from Leavenworth to go to Santa Fe, etc... CLC. & ae } “Yes, Ido. Lain’t going to lie about it. I’m all alone. No derned fool would come ‘with me, and so I took my foot’ in my hand and lit out, and here I ain, ve had lots of fun: on the way, too, I can "tell you, and ‘Did you see any Indians’ on the way?” Captain Lyon asked. | ‘Well, yes. Iseed afew, and we had a good time. oo didn’t know me, you see, and—" - ‘Did they give you any trouble?” — ‘Trouble! Lord bless you, no. Redskins don’t rouble me any. If they can find it in their hearts to forgive me for the trouble I’ve given them, I’m ready to shake seals with them all day long;~and I don't—— ‘¢But didn’t they attack you?” thé ‘captain asked. “Oh, some young bucks would try to play with my hair sometimes, but 1 didn’t mind that at all. They are very playful cusses sometimes, but they don’t mean to do any harm—eh, redskins?” “Ugh!” grunted an old savage, gathering his planket — about ‘his dirty person, ‘“‘ nale-face talk like big fool.” ‘‘Uoh! Wah!” came in a chorus from the others. “Yes—‘ugh, wah!’ so I say. Some Injuns are funny cusses. If you ‘don’t lev them have any fire-water, they will be all right, but the derned skunks always want to fill. their skins full of whisky and then play ‘big Injun’ when they can’t half fight. No white man can fight when he is drunk; neither can a redskin, but the Coppery cusses don't seem to notice it. Why, hang me for——” — “See here, Shelby, if that’s your naitie, ee interrupted Captain Ly: on, ‘« don’t make yourremarks about the Indians personal. We don’t want to have any’, trouble “with them.” ° meet 00 “Tord bless you! no, sir. - Dhey wordt give you any trouble, they, won’t. There ain’t. any fight in these red-— skins. They are just trying to skeer you with their dirty faces... I say, redskins, got any tobacco?” 5 ‘“Uch! no. ete i ‘Well, I’ve got some good plug, here. Hayes a chew, old yaller -belly,” and he thrust the end of a plug of tobacco - The tawny rascal could not resist. the temptation,’ Ini” took the whole plug, and, instead of rating off a SHeN walked off with it. Eris py; Captain Lyon smiled. ; “Hold on, you yaller son of a ground: -hog |” cried. Shelby, running forward and wheeling the redskin around, as if he were nothing but a child. ‘Take a chew—not the whole plug. » Why, there’s a hundred chews inthat plug. I ain't. so derned liberal as to: feed you on tobacco for a whole month!” and he took the plug from him, and twisting a chew off the corner of it, vender edittohim. > nl 3 ‘under the nose of the red man,
Page 3
bf? . Le hie iff pg: . FIGHTING JOE. » ~~“ Ugh!” grunted the savage, his little black eyes danc- ~ ing with wr ath. ‘Pale.face | heap big fool,” and he turned away without taking any notice of him, “You'll make trouble here, sir,” said a Lyon, sternly, “1)o you think so, cap ?” he asked. Yes, I know you will, You'd better keep your mouth shut. You talk too much altogether.” “Qh, thunder! You don’t mean it now. my mouth cuts my wind off, and: you——” --©Oh, shut up: ! cried Lyon, ey oua talk a whole regi- ‘ment to death in a week.” “Well, now, seeing as how you ain't sociable, I'll leave ‘you to your Injun company. ‘May be you like ’em better’n you do me, May be I’d like ’em better’n’ I do you. You takes your choice, and so do I. By-bye, old blue coats!” and ‘turning on his heel, he walked’away in the darkness, and “was out of sight in a minute. MencW Dy; hanged if the fool isn’t gone!” exclaimed Captain ‘Lyon. “ere! Come back here, you fool!” _ Shelby never replied, but kept on, ‘and soon his footsteps ‘died away in the distance; “Well, well!” ejaculated the captain, ““I never heard euch a, talker in all my life. _ I wouldn’t have him in camp one week for a major-general’s commission, He must have ‘talked his way through from Leayenwor th. Don’t believe he came from there anyway.” Five stalwart redskins slipped away from the camp and “ disappeared-in the darkness of the night. Captain Lyon _knew that'they were going after the man’s scalp, but dared not interfere on a mere suspicion. He talked pleasantly with ‘the redskins, who remained “about the camp, and'kept his men under arms ‘to be pre- ared for any emergency, 7 ‘In about an hour, one of the five Indians who had gone out after Sheiby left, staggered into the light of the camp- ‘fire, covered with wounds from which blood flowed like water. The ether Indians crowded around him with eager in- quiries.) © ‘Ugh |” groaned the redskin, tytn down on the Syround. “White man fight all over like wild cat.” = “who did it ?” demanded Captain Lyon, forcing his way to the side of the wounded: CEs, ; iat “ Pale-face.” ‘What pale-face ? One of ny soldiers ?” — “Uoh! no.’ Himvheap talk “pale-face. him no fight. Him kill us all.” _ “here were five of you who left here an hour ago. You went after that man Shelby. Did you find him ?? z “Ugh! Yes. Injun find: him. Him heap fight like . prairie fire, cut Injuns all up. Wah! Me all cut up too.” _ “Where are the braves who went with you ?” ‘All dead. Pale-face: think us buffalo-meat and cut us” ” Why, shutting ra Injun thought Up. < | Did you attack him ?” __ Ugh! we went to take his scalp. He fight for hair. ae say, ‘Me Fighting Joe,’ and kill us all.” “Tam sorry. You should have let him alone. ‘you no harm. You have been punished.” _ Captain Lyon turned to his men and asked : Did any of you ever ‘hear of that Joe Shelby before ? This Indian says he called himself ‘Fighting Joe,’ and ac- “tually killed four’ of them and cut up this one.” _ The soldiers were astounded. _ They had seen many tough fighters i in the far West, but “never one who talked as: flippantly as this Joe Shelby- did ; hence, ‘when they heard that he had wiped out jive stalwart e ‘redskins single-handed, they wanted to see him again. _ Sergeant Ransom replied to the captain’s inquiry ; a “YT remember having heard of a ‘Fighting Joe’ in Cheyenne, » he said, és “but never heard what his real name He did fe ree Well, Td give something to have that fellow back sore said the: gayealy “s9 7 Gon apologize to him for forcing him to leave the camp. JI didn’t dream there was much fight i in him.” The wounded Indian was attended to and had his wounds dressed by the surgeon of the company, who happened to be along. He found seven wounds made by a bowie. Some of them were frightful-looking wounds, but none were in a vital. part. “He is in more danger of bleeding to death,” said the surgeon, ‘than from any other cause. That fellow must have played upon him as though he was trying to see how much carving he could do without killing the redskin.” ““T can’t understand it,” remarked, ; Captain Lyon, shak- ing hishead. ‘‘'The Indians must haye made a mistake and attacked the wrong party.” The Indians were greatly excited over the affair, and would have started in pursuit of the man who had taught them such a terrible lesson, if night had not concealed the trail from them. They would also have attacked the little squad of cavalry, so. enraged were they, but they were afraid of the conse- quences. ses Captain Lyon kept half his men on guard all night, and thus avoided any difficulty with the Indians. But as soon as it was light enough to see the trail, the red-skins prepared to follow it and avenge the death of their comrades. * ‘tNow, look here, chief,” said the captain, sternly facing him, ‘ that man has done nothing but defend himself when attacked, Let him alone.’ I shall be compelled to fire on youif you attack him.” “Ugh! You fire on Injun, then Injun shoot, too, an’ take scalps,” replied the chief, insolently. “ Be careful of what you do. The Government is strong enough to hang every Indian in the West,” said the brave captain, ‘and can send ten white soldiers to one Indian. Better Jet this man alone.” The warriors made no reply, ‘but went away with sullen countenances, looking as determined as their immobile features could indicate human feeling. ‘*T guess we’d better go along and ‘protect that. fellow Shelby,” said the captain, turning to his lieutenant. “Yes,” was the reply. ‘ It’s a pity to let a brave fel- low like ‘that be butchered by the redskins.” The company struck camp and hurried forward on the trail of the Indians, hoping to keep near enough to prevent them from carrying out their threats of vengeance. t The stranger had not made any. attempt: “to conceal his trail. He went along like one on a great highway of travel, as though there were no enemies in the world to in- terfere with him. It was early in the afternoon when the’ captain heard a few straggling shots a mile or so in advance of him. He buried his command forward, and soon heard yells and howls Dashing up with his command, he found ‘some six or eight savages engaged in a hand-to-hand struggle with the man Shelby, whom, the night before, he had ordered out of his camp. Such a fight he had never seen before in all his life. The hunter appeared to be a bundle of steel springs. An Indian might raise his tomahawk to strike him, but, ere he - could wink, the man would dart between his legs, upset him, stab him in the back or disembowel him, and cut two or three more before they could again locate him. : “Charge!” yelled the captain, and the next moment the cavalry thundered up on the combatants and Olgas the entire party. ‘Oh, gosh darn it all!” exclaimed Shelby, turning an- grily on Captain. Lyon, ‘What, in smoke an’ britistone, Se are you. ‘interfering in this thing ‘for? It's my little game fue time, and, gosh darn it all! I En you. to let my little ; ‘Why, thunder and blazes, man!” cried the captain, ee fellows would have cut you to picceey in two min- utes!
Page 4
Be its fon when I-get a whole lot of ’em on to me. FIGHTING, JOE. shi A as ha, ha!” laughed Shelby, looking greatly oe ‘‘Why, the cusses are just amusing me, cap! There's ‘five of ’em laid out, an’ t’others got holes all-over ’em.’ *¢ Are you hurt?” “Tord bless you! no. I don’t git hurt, Only. you've hurt my. feelings by coming in an’ stopping the fun.» I never enjoy any thing so much as having a dozen redskins around me trying to get their fingers in my hair. Why, there’s been more’n two hundred redskins a trying to get my hair since I left Leavenworth. Oh, but it’s fun, and no mistake!” ‘‘By the great Plains!” exclaimed the captain, getting off his horse and taking him by the hand. ‘‘ You’re the best fighter on the plains. You'll leave no work for the army if you stay around here long.” “Oh, but the army don’t seem ‘to like the fun,” said Joe. “We have to obey orders,” said the officer. ‘I want to apologize to you for my words of last night. yy, “Oh, that’s all right, cap,” said Joe. ‘‘Old Joe Shelby never gets mad about words. You can stand and swear at him till the sun goes down and comes up again, and he won't keer a continental shin- -plaster. If you want to fight, though, old Joe is right there a hankering after the fun, Lord bless you, but you oughter seen them redskins last night. They——” ce My God, man!” exclaimed the captain; in profound astonishment, ‘Care you man or devil? ‘Neither. I’m a lively old man, who runs around to shake off the blues. I say, cap, let them redsking go. Don’t arrest ’em. Let ’emgo. They’re sick enough. Let 7em go.” Captain Lyon saw that nearly every one was wounded, whilst five were dead and. two more likely to die. He asked the chief: ‘T euess you're sorr y now you didn’t take my advice and 1——— let this man alone, aren’t you ?” ‘Ugh! Pale-face heap wild-cat.” eee Oh, thunder!” exelaimed Shelby, ‘T ain't nothing to a wild- cate’: , I’m nobody but old ‘Fighting Joe Shelby,’ who ain’t worth shucks at home. There’s more fun out here among these coppery cusses than in all the shows in the world. I gay, cap, going to Santa Fe?” “Yes; are you ?” «Yes, "if these here redskins "ll let me.” Captain Lyon and his men burst into a hoarse laugh. The idea of redskins stopping such a man was perfectly _ absurd to them. Joe himself laughed, and asked the wounded Indian chief : “T say, old copper-belly, may I go to Santa Fe ?” “Ueh!” grunted the disgusted savage. ‘‘Goway, In- jun get scalp some day.” Joe burst into a loud guffaw, and then started off toward Santa Fe, followed by Captain Lyon and his cavalry. CHAPTER II. PARSON SLUGGER’ 8 PHILOSOPHY—SAN TA FE—ROARING JIM’S DEFEAT. On the way to the ancient city of Santa Fe, the jolly ‘old hunter cracked his jokes and told stories of adventure to the infinite. amusement of Captain Lyon and his men. ‘To them he was a decided curiosity. His like they had never seen before. There was an odd quaintness about him that was undefinable. - How long have you been coming from Leavenworth ay Captain Lyon asked. -“Toord bless you, sir, I don’t know, he» replied ‘SL don’t count the days and weeks and ‘months, for I ain’t running against time. I just go right along at my own pace, and don’t bother anybody that don’t bother me. I once knowed a blamed fool who run against time, and when. the cugs puoppeds time: Kens right on and left him. t Lord, but. Oh, no, J don’ t bother Bpond times. ued ts suet and I guess I’ Il get there before I stop. “Where is | the old town anyhow ?” y: r “ Tts about Aire miles anesde of you, D said Captain yon. F “Oh, well, I guess I'll git there to-night, then, if ‘the F redskins-don’t stop me.” ; “They don’t seem to do much in the way of stopping you,” remarked the captain. well, no, not much; but the derned fools ‘try to any- se way, stand that this is a free country, and that a man may go. where he derned pleases, so long as he pays his way. ‘They seem to think that all the country west. of the Mississippi _ belongs to them, gosh dern them. Why, cap, I wish I may be shot for Py prairie-dog if the coppery cusses didn’t try to drive about ten millions of buffaloes over me.” “What!” exclaimed the captain, ¢ glaring at him in open- eyed astonishment. ‘Blamed if they didn’t,” said Joe. ‘I was ‘walking along through the prairie, when they drove the biggest swarm of puifaloes down on me that ever mortal man seed. Why, cap, you just oughter seen’em. ‘They stretched way ; back to the North Pole, and——” oe ‘But how did you escape being run over by them?” ‘the captain asked, interrupting him. Me “Why, blame it all, I had to jump on an old bull’s bi vk. a and go with’em. I cot a fifty mile lift out of ie any. | Ow.’ or “But,” exclaimed the captain, ‘how did you manage to te escape them in the end?” feds “Well, you see, that old bull knowed that he had som thing on his back that didn’t grow there, and I guess he didn’t think it was a bug either. He couldn't shake me off and he couldn't lie down and roll over onme, because there were too many on’em. I guess 1 worried him some, for. he went his way to the: outside, and. went. plunging along like mad, wondering what in all creation had got OBER him anyhow.» And would you believe it, cap, two of ies coppery cusses tried to run us down, and Ho shout us, trying to spoil our fun.”’ j mt ey guess you spoiled their fun, didn’t you?” said the ea tain, langhing heartily. afi uf Well, now that I think of it, I believe they did lay ae on the prairie to rest, and their ponies went off and | them. But I tell'you, cap, it was the biggest drove | of i i faloes you ever seed in your life. Why, all creation 1 covered with ’em, and I am blessed if'l-ain’t blessed know where they come from. I don’t believe there wer . less than fourteen hundred thousand millions of ’em.’ oid The entire company roared with laughter. ‘““Well, now,” he said-innocently, looking up as ti : wondering what they were laughing at, aa ap at co ’em, I couldn’t do it; and derned if I believe you could either, the whole gang of you.” ic The cayalr ymen ser reamed with laughter. Hee “Well, now,” he said, ‘‘I don't. see: anything fm ahout it.” : A ‘« Wxcuse me, ” said Captain Lyon, apologetically, o al am laughing at ‘the idea of any one’s attomRting to. ¢ mnt ¢ herd of buffalo on the move.’ EE ap Me ‘‘Well, I guess it would rather bother a ‘man to do it it remarked Joe. i cr geeg “Yes, I guess it would,” said the captain. look — here, Shelby, did any white man ever try to stop you aby eg : Shelby looked at him and chuckled... ¢ j - © Well, a few,” he said; ‘‘but they didn’t ‘do much bib ice One big fellow up on White River said I talked too dam net ed se much, and told me if I didn’t dry up, he’d just sunt A round and kick me all the way back to Leayenworth. | told him I commenced talking very young, and couldn’ “aig stop, and that if he didn’t like my talking he a hs 4 away, or cram prairie grass in his ears, and - blamed if he didn’t get as mad as a hornet, and’make more fuss t ¢ setting “hen over her first chicken. T tr jad to talk i in! Om EE + es é oS ve y Sark
Page 5
good humor, but hang me, the more I talked the madder 4e got. I told him all the funny things I knowed, and tried “to help him laugh at ’em, and, I wish I may be scalped if he didn’t come at me with a bowie-knife as long as my arm. * { told him he’d hurt*himself if he didn’t keep cool, and sure enough he did.” é z ‘‘ Why, how did he hurt himself?” ‘Well, you-see, we played round for some time, till we both got mixed up in a little scrimmage.» I expected the derned fool would hurt’ himself, and the first’ thing we knowed he had cut his belly open. I told him that’s what he got for being a fool.” . The captain and his,men laughed heartily, for- they sus- _ pected how the fellow get hurt. “What are you going to do in Santa Fe when you get there ?” the captain asked. “Oh, I'll knock around and take a good look at the place, and talk with the boys. Isay, cap, are any of old Scott and Taylor’s men out there ?” ; “JT don’t know,” was the reply. ‘‘ There may be a few.” ‘<7’q like to see some of them,” said Joe. ‘‘ We'd have a good time talking over old times in Mexico together.” “(To you never get tired of walking ?” “No; never was tired but once in my life.” ‘How was that ?” “Tt was when I was sick once, and had to stay in bed two days.” : ie “Oh, yes, I see,” said the captain, laughing, ‘‘you can’t stand confinement,” “No, not mugh I can’t.” _ “Now, look here, Shelby, you must come around to the barracks and see me when you get to Santa Fe.” “Yes, I will; I will come around and sit up all night with you.” The captain looked blank, and asked : ‘Hadn't you better come around and sit all day with me? : , : _ Well,” returned the old fellow, innocently, ‘‘ I want to see the old town inthe day-time, but, howsomever, I'll come around, I wonder if there’s any hard old cases in town.” ; ‘Hard cases! What do you mean ?” ‘Why, them fellows that talk and blow, and tell what big things they can do, and are always spoiling for.a fight, ard wanting to chawup somebody. I’m a peaceable man, { am, and don’t want te get into trouble with anybody. I _ ain’t like some folks | know. Some folks are always mak- ing trouble and gettin’ people into hot water, just.as though they hadn’t nothing else to do but to get up dog-fights between men who hain’t got nothing agin each other, Why, Cap, I knowed a fellow once who'd tell a lie just to get up a row with somebody. ° He heard a man say once that the moon was nothing but a lump of green cheese with bugs in it, and I’m blessed if he didn’t get mad, and wanted to fight, because the man in the moon, he said, was a friend of his, and I'll be hanged if he didn’t wipe up the floor with that ere fellow. Such folks as them always come toa bad end. A-man who is always spoiling for a fight is lound to get licked some day, but the man that always tries to keep out of a fight, but does his level hest when he . gets into one, is just my kind of a galoot.” The captain remembered the little scrimmage he saw him in an hour or two before, and laughed till he could |. hardly keep his seat in the saddle, Heh _ “'Them’s my sentiments,” remarked Joe, as if to empha- size the words he had just uttered. | ‘‘ Well,” said the Captain, ‘‘I guess you'll find some hard cases in Santa Fe. Mexico, and. from Texas, and somebody gets shot nearly every night in the week.” “Lord bless us! Is that so, Cap?” i _ “Yes,” was. the reply. } ters in all the West are to be found in Santa Fe.” ‘Well, Tl be derned!” exclaimed the old man, and bis Red FIGHTING JOR, They come there from California, from . “T believe the roughest charac-. J eyes seemed to sparkle with smothered delight. ‘If old Parson Slugger was there, he’d change all that.” ‘* Parson who?” ‘Parson Slugger.” ; ‘(Who is Parson Slugger?” the Captain asked. S x “Why, Lord bless me, Cap, ain’t you never heard tell of the Parson ?”’ “‘Not that I recollect,” said the Captain. deuce is he, anyhow?” ‘Well, he was just the best parson that ever banged a Bible, punched a snoot, or held a fiush. He was just ahead of everything that ever walked on two legs. .He came down to Deadman’s Gulch one day and told the boys that he was a parson and had come to teach them the error of their ways. The boys throwed up their wool hats and swore they’d build him a church, but old Tom Blinker, the most cantankerous. he-cat in the gulch, swore that he would be everlastingly blasted for quartz rock if he’d have any old parson whining round him. ‘My friend,’ said the Parson, smiling, ‘you’re a lost sheep, one of the lambs I’m looking for.’:. ‘Yes;’ said Tom, ‘I was a lamb once, but Lain’t now.) .Oh, no.! I’ma hard-headed, stiff-horned old ram what can butt all. the theology out of any galoot of a parson in three shakes of a lamb’s tail,’ and with that he ba-a-a-ed and went for him. Lord bless you, Cap, you ought to have been there. It was a glorious camp-meet- ing and the liveliest revival of religion you ever heard tell of. The parson shou ted and cried ‘Glory! Halleluiah!’ as if he felt happy, but old Tom swore like them soldiers that got stuck in the mud somewhere, and all the boys in Dead- man’s Gulch gambled their dust on one or ’tother of ’em. The parson was a good man and never let up’ till he whipped the devil out of Tom. Yes, sir, Tom hollered. ‘Willyou come to preaching ?’the parson jasked. ‘ Yes,’ said Tom. ‘Do you believe in the Bible?’ ‘I do,’ Tom yawped. ‘Do you believe that John shook his fist at the sun and made it stand still? ‘Yea,’ said Tom, ‘Do you believe that Jonah went back on the whale?’ ‘TI do,’ said-Tom. ‘Glory! Halleluiah!’ yelled the Parson, ‘ you’re a converted man. You area gentleman and a Christian. Get up and shake hands with the brethern,’ and shoot me for a jackass-rabbit, Cap, if every red-shirted galootin the camp didn’t come up and shake hands with him. . After that there was peace in Deadman’s Gulch, for the Parson made Tom his right- bower, and, between the two of them, they kept the boys in the. straight and narrow path that leads up the hill. But what in ’tarnal.blazes are you all laughing at?” and he looked up at the soldiers, who were bent: double with convulsive laughter, without a smile on his face. _ ; ‘‘T’'m laughing at the parson,” said Captain Lyon. ‘‘If you'll send for him to come to Santa Fe, Vil see he has tl.e biggest church in town to preach in.” ‘Well, may be I will,” said Joe, ‘‘ after I see the place.” ‘You can see the town from yonder hill,” said the cap- tain, pointing to an eminence in front ofthem. Joe walked steadily up the hill from the top of which he got a sight of the ancient town. After gazing steadily at it for a few minutes, he re- marked, rapes . ‘‘ Well, it isn’t much of a town after all, but may be dis- tance don’t lend no enchantment to the view.” ~ ‘*T guess you'll find it lively enough,” said the captain. “Oh, I never get lonesome nowhere. Alligators, bears, buffaloes, red-skins all get sociable with me. I’m the friendliest. cuss.on earth, . captain, and don’t make bad friends with nobody.” “The thunder you don’t!” exclaimed the captain. _ ‘Lord bless you, no, captain. Folks get disappointed sometimes, but that ain’t no fault ofmine, you know, because as Parson Slugger says, ‘‘we can’t always have bur own way about things,” and what the parson don’t know about sound gospel, the devil himself has forgotten. Ill bet more on the Parson’s theology than on the best poker- ‘« Who the hand on Deadman/s Gulch.. Whenever he shot a gospel
Page 6
ae: truth straight from the shoulder aihbalief went to grass, and that’s why I bet on the parson every time, Cap. He always told me that whenever a galoot tackled me to give him the best I had, and then I’ d be doing unte other fellows as’ I’d like to have other fellows do to me, and, if that 2in’t sound | Bible doctrine, ’m a swindled Christian every time.” The captain roared with laughter, as did his men, and said; ‘<T cuess you'll find a good many members of your church in Santa Fe.” «Ts that so, cap?’ ‘‘¥ guess you'll find if so.” ‘¢T’m derned if that don’t make me feel good all over, cap. We'll have an old-fashioned hullaboo down there, and. everything will be lovely. Any fellows round there got private cemeteries, cap?” ‘¢ Yes, several of them.’ Old Joe chuckled, and bit off a big chew of tobacco from his plug, with an ait of intense satisfaction. In another hour they entered the city, and Captain Lyon kindly escorted Joe to one of the many little taverns in the place, where he introduced Joe to the proprietor as a quiet inoffensive kind of a man, who was both able and willing to pay his way. The proprietor looked at him as if to take his measure, and remarked: ‘+I guess we can take care of him if he can stand his hand with the boys.” ‘* T’m a man of peace, landlord, ” said Joe, ‘‘and don’t want no trouble with nobody.” “Then I guess nobody will trouble you,” said the land- lord, contemptuously. Captain yon gr inned from ear toear, and winked at o'd Joe. ‘* Less havea smile, cap,” said old Joe, turning tothe bar. “Of course,” said. the captain. ‘‘I was just going to suggest it.” Joe turned to the landlord and asked: ‘‘ Have you got any mild juice that won’t hurt a Quaker - to drink?” The landlord stared at him. The captain smiled, but Shelby ‘atest as innocent as a lamb. - ‘You want it straight,” said the landlord, looking him straight in the eye, and setting a black bottle and two glasses ‘before him. ¢©That’s so,” said Joe mildly. ‘‘No- crooked stuff for me. What are you going to pizen yourself with, land- lord?” “Oh, I’m straight every time,” was the reply of boni- face, pouring a drink from the same bottle, and ‘gulping it down in company with the two guests, Joe paid for the drinks, pocketed his change, and, turn- ing to the captain, said: “Much. obliged to ye, eap. I'll come around: and see you a8 soon as I get the dust out of my eyes.” “Do so,” was the reply, as the captain shook hands with him. ‘Ask for Captain Lyon when you come.’ The captain then left him to go to his quarters at the barracks, and Shelby proceeded'to make himself at home at Bill Bludsoe’s tavern. _ At the time of which we write Santa Fe was a sort of headquarters for the roughest characters in America. Mexicans, Californians, Texans, and Indians assembled there nightly to drink and gamble and shoot ‘on the slight- |’ est provocation. There was a gambling saloon on the corner of every street, and miners, and herdsmen, and robbers, and gam- blers met in them to squander what fortunes they had at- tained i in that wild, rough country. It is true that the stars and stripes waved over the town, yet, in spite of all that, it was thoroughly Mexican. The small adobe houses gave the town a decided Mexican look, - and See Bbout: them was aes aA \ teneaitadahedahl FIGHPINGHIOER. 9 2} affection for was his pipe. «There ain’t no fun in this dernéd old town. | told you I was a peaceable man, landlord, but I wish I ma _ — aie Mexican men, women and children, and Mexican “ ge ie eae ‘of Mexican costumes, were met one @ i an x It was supposed - that American law Rocomn MBE the American flag, but while there were judges of the Territory of New Mexico, clothed with the dignity and majesty of the law, there was little for them to do. The bowie-knife and the revolver constitued about the only court recognized in the Territory, and there was more litigation in that court than any other, the best shots generally Winning in every case. A couple of hours after Joe Shelby’s advent in Santa Fe, night came on; and he sat down in a corner of the tavern for a. quiet time with his pipe. Now, one of the few things in this world that Joe had an i It was. an old pipe which he — had used.a long time. He had burned all sorts of tobacco — in it, which had combined to make it what a refined wsthete would call a ‘‘stinker.”. Its odor, when Joe set it going, — was very pronounced, penetrating to every part of the — room. ue Several rough-looking characters sniffed the air, and glared at Joe as if they would like to demolish him, but, — when they saw his unconscious innocence, and noticed his ; placid enjoyment of the aforesaid pipe, they let him alone. — At last, however, one of the well-known bullies of Santa Fe came in with several of his companions, and called for — drinks. Everybody in the room seemed to know who he was, and | he loudly proclaimed his name, for fear that somebody, § : might be there who didn’t know him. &Pm Roaring Jim,” he said, ‘‘of Blue Ridge Camp, the Yawping Catamount of the Hills. Who the blank blank is. smoking that ‘stinker’ in here ?” Everybody turned and looked at Joe, who was siiodahtiye blowing rings of light blue smoke above his head, and take ing no notice of the surroundings. ‘Roaring Jim quietly, drew his revolver, and, aiming at the pipe, fired. The pipe was smashed iuto a thousand — pieces, leaving the’ stem in the fingers of the innocent Joe. © The friends of the bully euflawed, while Joe rose to his — feet, and quietly proceeded to gather up the fragments of his pipe, with which he walked deliberately up to the bar, deposited them on the counter, and then turned — and knocked the bully into a heap in acorner. ‘Then he Sess him and wiped him deliberately all over the floor. © ‘ He sat on him, and jerked out his beard and hair br handsful. Then he stood him on his bald head, and kicked — him in the stomach, knocking him into a heap. of senseless: humanity. Two of Roaring Jim’s friends went to his assistance, and . commenced shooting at Shelby. Joe gave each of them a bullet in the stomach, forcing f them to retire from the field. Such a complete clean-out bed never before been witnessed in Santa Fe. “Why don’t some more of you pitch in?” cried Toa! ’ You know be skewered, if I don’t make this cowar' dly cuss eat what is. left of that ’ere pipe.” — i Roaring Jim had risen to a siteine position, the picture of perfect ruin. Only afew straggling hairs were left in his beard or on his head, He had been literally Se bald-headed. “Here, you comical cuss,” said Joe, taking a handful fot the fragments of his pipe, “eat that!” 7 Jim looked sick. He saw that he had caught : a Maxton, but he demurred to eating the pipe. — “Well,” said Joe, ‘‘you’ve got to eat that or. “eat me, You pays your dust and takes your choice.” © Jim felt for his revolver. It was. gone.” bowie. © It, too, had vanished. He looked up at. ‘Joe, and then quietly reached for bits of i the ‘broken, geet and began chewing them up. 9 ‘He felt ‘for his
Page 7
FIGHTING JOE. _ #*Well, I'll be blanked blanked !” said Jim Bludsoe, in - profound astonishment. ‘Give him a straight drink, landlord,” said Joe. * make the old bald-headed fool feel better.” Bludsoe gave him a glass of whisky, which Roaring Jim swallowed and then staggered out of the saloon. “Tell CHAPTER III. - A HUMAN SPITTOON. WHEN Roaring Jim left the saloon Joe Shelby went back to his seat, filled another pipe with tobacco, and went to smoking as though nothing had occurred to disturb the - serenity of his meditations, The by-standers stared at him in profound amazement. He was a wonder as well as a puzzle to them, for he had whipped the bully of Santa Fe without getting a scratch, and had literally snatched him bald-headed. ‘Who is he, Bill?” a score asked of Bludsoe, the land- lord. “(Wis name is Shelby,” replied the landlord, himself as much puzzled as the rest. ‘‘ He came to-day.” “FHe’s the whitest man in New Mexico, anyhow,” Tom Dunlap, a huge Californian, said, ‘‘and I’m the galoot as is going to tell him so,” and with that he walked over to where Jim was sitting, and, extending his hand to him, said : ‘Stranger, my name is Tom Dunlap, ‘a good-for-nothing galoot from California, who pays his way like a little man, and honors pluck wherever he finds it. Shake, I like your style, and hanged if I don’t believe you’re the whitest man in these diggings.” _ ‘Put it there, pard!” said Joe, extending his open hand. **T was born white, and ain’t ashamed of my color,” and the two men shook hands cordially, just like two friends. ‘«This is a derned lonesome old town, ain’t it?” “Yes, when there ain’tno fun going on,” replied Dunlap. ‘“‘Thunder! Do they ever have any fun here??’ ‘Oh, yes. You had a little fun just now, didn’t you?” ‘Wal, that was a little breeze, but it’s slow, pard— mighty slow. Why, blame it, pard, I’ve had more fun out _in the woods with wild cats than there is in this whole town. ° I say, do you ever drink any pizen?” 2 “Oh, yes, sometimes, when I meet a white man,” said Dunlap. ‘‘ What’ll yer take—copperhead or rattlesnake juice?” “Rattlesnake every time, pard. No copperhead juice forme. JI allers go in with a warning rattle like a genuine rattler. Talk about rattlers. I seed a chap out in the Tnjun country once who-made money killin’ the derned things, an’ he jist made ’em scarce around them diggings, he did.” ‘How'd he do it, pard?” Dunlap asked. ; ‘He jest let ’em bite him, an’ the rattlers went for, him _ like all possessed. But they swelled up and died quicker’n a jackass rabbit would from a rattler’s nip.” _’ “Jewhillikens!” exclaimed one of the crowd standing by: Z : : x _ “act, pard. Them rattlers all took a whack at him, and then rolled over, the deadest sarpints as ever shed a skin, They didn’t have no show at all, which wasn’t far for the snakes, nohow.” - “But how was it, pard? ‘ Them rattlers allers kills their game down this way.” - **Blamed if I wasn’t puzzled myself, pard,” said Joe, ‘till he give us the secret. He said he’d been ‘drinkin’ Sante Fe whisky for a year, an’ that no rattler could stand it. , Such a roar as followed would have alarmed the citizens of any other place but Santa Fe. Nothing ever alarmed the people of that place. The crack of a revolver was such familiar music that it seldom interested any one but those making it. - Of all the men standing around and listening to the yarn, The. at aie ee ps J—J—don’t understand it. | won't. only-one expressed: an opinion as to its truth. He was a) burly fellow who had just come in, and had not had time to hear about the defeat of Roaring Jim. ‘““T say, pard,” said the fellow, turning to Joe, ‘‘whar do yer hail from, eh?” : “The Lord only knows,” said Joe. ‘‘ I’m a tender-foot what don’t know nothing about the origin of things.” Wal; now, don’t sing us any more sich music as that. Tain’t good for ther singer, it ain't.” “Oh, thunder, pard, yer don’t mean it now?” “Yes, Ido. Yer don’t want ter sing agin Bill Bludsoe’s whisky, yer understan’?” “That's er fact, pard. I ain’t gotnothin’ agin it, ’cause I’m puttin’ away some of it now. Ef it will kill rattlers it won't kill me, I reckon. Yer see a rattler don’t love whisky no how, an’ ef he gets some of it in his——” “ Hang ther rattlers! What do you know about ’em, anyhow?” exclaimed the bully, who thought Shelby was showing the white feather. ‘‘ Why, Lord bless yer, pard, I’ve seen more rattlers in one day than yer ever heard tell of in all yer life. Why, they grow out in the Injun country, an——” “Say, shut down on that!” angrily eried the bully. ‘That. old claim is worked ter death. I won’t have it!” “But it’s a good claim, pard.” ‘Shut up, I say !” ‘Oh, yer ain’t social in yer ways, pard, you——” The bully aimed to strike him in the mouth with his right hand, but Joe caught it in his terrible grip and gave his arm a twist that compelled him to almost put his head to the floor. : A how] of rage burst from him and then he straightened up again. ig see, pard, yer won’t—oh, yer want a scrimmage,~ e ’ The bully went at him in a white heat of rage, and was knocked senseless to the floor by a blow between the eyes, at which the crowd laughed. Joe wiped up the floor with him, dragged him round by the heels, plucked his beard out by the roots, and then sat down on him and took a drink of whisky. ¥ ‘This is the lonesomest town I ever struck,” he said. ‘(There ain’t no life about it. Sich little ripples like this ain’t nothing. Why don't a dozen of yer pile on to me, raise my har, an’ have ‘some fun? How do yer pass ther time, hyer, anyhow ? Seems ter me yer ain’t lively like yer use ter be.” i of The bully was the worst used-up man ever seen in Santa Fe. A more woeful-looking object could not haye been found in that section after a week’s search. ‘« Pard,” he said, after seeing how utterly helpless he was, ‘‘I weaken.” “That's it—that’s how it is!” cried Joe, getting on his feet with an air of supreme disgust about him. ‘‘I never saw sich onery cusses in my life. When things~git inter- estin’and sociable-like, yer cry out ‘I weaken,’ for all the world like'a Chinaman. Why don’t yer sail in an’ have some fun? Why, hangit, an Injun is woth a dozen sich onery cusses! The redskin would die gamea gein’ for my hair with his last kick. Don’t no circuses ever come to this ’ere town, landlord ?” - ‘Sometimes they do,” said Bludsoe, ‘‘ but not often. Have another drink. You’re the most peaceable man I ever had in my house.” TAS ‘Of course I'll have a drink, -an’ pay for it, too. Yer can see I’m a peaceable’ man. My father was a Quaker, an’ my mother the most peaceable woman that ever suckled akid. She allers told me, says she, ‘Joseph, my son, “never do yer make a row with nobody, ‘an’ don’t yer never let nobody make a row with you. Fightin’ don’t never do no good, onless yer whip yer man. Don’t nqver let a man git the best of you, an’ you'll die an’ go to glory.’ Them’s her words, an’ I ain’t never forgot'’em, an’ what’s more, I She’s dead nigh on to twenty years, an’ I know she can look out from behind the stars an’ see how her Joe re-
Page 8
FIGHTING JOE. — members her words. ‘‘I say, you,” and he turned to.the man he had-so completely used up, ‘‘ stand up an’ take yer pizen like a screamer. Don’t go for to be a fool an’ make a row with a peaceable man again. Yer don’t know when yer may tackle a yearthquake or a grizzly. ‘Take a glass of somethin’ hot, and pull yerself tergether again.” The bully staggered to the counter and gulped down a glass full of straight whisky. He was the meekest man in the crowd, but was the most treacherous, perhaps, in all New Mexico, for while Joe was swallowing his drink, he snatched a pistol from the belt of a by-stander and com- menced firing at him.’ He was so excited that the bullet grazed Joe’s side and entered the heart of a spectator, who sank down on the floor without even a groan. : He was about to fire again, when Joe hurled his glass at him, and laid him out at full length on the flour. ¢ KG him!” aa, ‘Shoot him!” “Tet me get at him!” “ Olear the way!” ‘The cowardly sneak!” »* Burn him!” “Hang him!” *€CQall Judge Lynch!” and a hundred other indignant ex- pressions greeted the would-be murderer, as he went down under the glass from Shelby’s hand. ‘‘Hand’s off!” roared Joe, and the crowd fell back. They had seen enough to fear him, and concluded it was healthiest to let him have his own way. The discomfited bully was unconscious for several min- utes from the effect of the blow. But old Joe waited for him to recover, and then said: “You weakened, pard, and then acted like. an onery cuss. Ye’re meaner’n a Digger Injun. I made a smart cuss like yer eat my. old pipe to-day, an’ now yer’ve got ter play spittoon for this ’ere crowd.” The bully attempted to rise to his feet. in the stomach, saying: “Tie down on yer back, an’ hold yer mouth open. Ef yer close it, Ill open a bigger hole in yer carcass in jes’ one minute. ‘Now, boys,” and turning to the crowd, add- ed: ‘“‘Ye’re goin’ to drink licker with me, but.all on yer as chaws terbacker come hyer and drap yer chaws inter this ’ere hole, and ef he don’t swaller ’em he'll eat lead!” A roar of approbation burst from the crowd. ‘They were bent on hanging him for shooting at Shelby, not for killing the man he didn’t shoot at. It wasthe cowardly treachery of the act that riled them, not the taking off of an innocent spectator. They cared nothing for a human life. They rated it cheaply—that is, other people’s lives—and yet would stand on sentiment, as patriots would stand up for the flag of their country. Joe was the first man to drop his quid of tobacco into the wretch’s mouth. The miserable. creature swallowed it. He had played a desperate game and lost, and now hoped to escape the penalty by cringing to his conqueror uncomplainingly. The-others followed, marching up to the counter to get their drinks after dropping their ‘‘chaws’ into the open mouth of the doomed wretch. He was thus compelled to swallow at least a score of tobacco quids and look on at the crowd over whom he had played the bully so often. Joe kicked him “Now yer may have him,” said Shelby, after the crowd. had taken their drinks. ‘‘'Ther ain’t no more fun in him.” With a yell they rushed toward him, and dragged him out into the street, where a rope was fastened around his neck. He was too sick to protest or beg, and must have been unconscious when they started for a tree with him. CHAPTER IV. — bis THE BATTLE AT BLUDSOE’S. - _SHEuBy did not go with the crowd to see the lynching. He had seen too much of that, and took no interest in such things. He pre- ferred to light his pipe and enjoy a quiet smoke. | “No—'twan’t no grizzlies at all,” he growled. The lynchers made short work of the wretch who was not content tow remain whipped after. having been neatly thrashed by the old stranger. They hung him up more dead than alive, and left him swinging there for the autborities to cut down and bury out of sight. ‘ But the crowd came back to Bludsoe’s place, whooping and yelling like so many wild cowboys, anxious to see more of old Joe Shelby, the queer character who had laid out two of the worst bullies that ever infested Santa Fe. Dunlap was with them, of course, declaring that old Joe was the whitest man in Santa Fe. «We've strung him up, pard,” he said, going over to where Joe was sitting smoking his pipe. “That's right; why don’t yer string up some more like him? Yer ain’t got no enterprise in this ’ere town. Business is mighty dull, I reckon.” ; sod ‘ Ain’t it lively enough to-day, pard?” Dunlap asked. : ‘« Lively! Why, pard, I’m real lonesome! Ef I didn’t smoke, I dunno what I’d do.” “Have a drink with me, pard!” said a huge miner, pushing his way through the crowd and grasping Joe’s hand in his. ; “Of course I will. I'ma peaceable, quiet kind of a man, and allers take a drink just to keep the peace. Gimme some more straight, land- lord.” : if The landlord neyer did a better business in his life. Hundreds of men came in to see the quiet old fellow who had cleaned out two of the worst, characters that ever infested Santa Fe, and every one of them wanted him to drink with them. They looked on him. with surprise plainly depicted on their faces, for they could not conceive how he could be the fighter he was. represented to be. He was as inoffensivein appearance as any man who ever showed up in Santa Fe. : But, like all Western people, they admired pluck and prowess, and never failed to show it. : The friends of Roaring Jim, however, could not or would not forgive him for the tnceremonious treatment giyen to him. He went down - into the lower part of the town, into the worst haunts of either old or New Mexico, where his prowess as a fighter had long given him undis! 3 puted sway, and sent for a. dozen of his pals, who came quickly to his side, not daring to do otherwise. __ ‘‘ Pards,” he said to them as they came. in, ‘‘look at me.” They looked at him. “Look at me good!” he repeated. They did. , “Was it a grizzly, Jim?” one of them asked. es 3 “<4 brizzly!” he exclaimed, giving the questioner a withering glance: — ‘Gould a grizzly do that? Could two grizzlies do it—me, Roaring Jim?” “Did you ever tackle a whole gang of grizzlies, pard?” another asked, amazed at the reckless daring of the man. HGS F. “ Efit wasT wouldn't Keer. I'd trail’em an’ have their hides or die. No, ‘twan’t no griz- zlies. T'was aen—more’n twenty on *em—as done it.” * “ “Why, pard, you must have been- drunk.” eed «That's it. "Twas Bludsoe’s whisky as floored; me like er streak 0° — lightnin’. It took all ther strength outen me. Iwas as weak as er baby an’ almost er sleep in er corner, when er gang come in for drinks. 2 ‘Thar,’ said one, ‘thar’s Roarin’. Jim, fellers, the terror of ther dig-— gings. He’s drunk as er biled owl. Now’s our chance. It’s er rich r lead—let’s go for him all at onct,’ an’ they piled upon me to the roof. — Pards, ef I wasn’t so full of the meanest: whisky in town I'd a killed every son of a galoot in the gang. ButTcouldn’t stand up. I crushed four of em till they posted up the golden stairs, and then I didn’t know no more. ‘The cussed whisky was too much forme. When I came to Tsaw how’twas. Them chaps was er drinkin’ and howlin’ and makin’ be-” lieve they’d wiped me out for good. Says, ‘Yer. galoots ain’t struck the right lead, yer ain't. Ill get my pards an’ show yer ‘jes’ Whar ye missed it.’” ; Os ome “That’s so, pard!” said a dozen at once, ail eager to get up arow un- — der the lead of the notorious bully. They had not heard of old Joe — Shelby, and therefore were willing to go into anything’ that promised i loot and whisky. _ | es “Yes, I knowed yer’d go with me. Ef they swarm [ll swarm, an’ — we'll be the maddest set o’ hornets as ever drew stings, pards.” — : “Yes! Hurrah for Roaring Jim!” S Roaring Jim collected a score of them, all armed to the teeth, and — started back to Bludsoe’s place with them. They went howling like cowboys, and the news that they were coming went ahead of them. — ap at aS “S
Page 9
i Ni ‘ 4S ag ‘ ~4 Ke ~~ £Danlap’ told old. pe. iat, inate Jim; the pipe- c-eatore Was coming with a gang of his friends. i * _ *Js that so, pard ?””-he exclaimed, his dull gray eyes lighting up with : a pleasure. ‘‘ The old town ain’t so dull an’ lonesome after all, then.” ‘ “No,” said Dunlap. ‘Ill wager it'll be lively enough here in five _ minutes.” Joe jumped to his feet ati said: “Y’m just hankering for something lively. Tell him T'll forgive him if he'll bring in the boys an’ have a little scrimmage. Oh, ef Parson Slugger was here to encourage ’em !” “Whoop!” yelled Roaring Jim, dashing into the saloon, a revolver ‘in each hand. ‘Show me the galoots! I’m a terror! I’m Roaring Jim, ‘ ‘of—thar’s ther skunk! Whoop!” and he commenced firing at Joe Shelby. ; The crowd scattered as the bullets commenced flying, and in the Peete ‘excitement and promiscuous firing Joe was lost sight of. But _ he did fearful execution, emptying a’ brace of revolvers in less than one +t minute, making every shot count. Then, with a.whoop that would have made a Comanche pale with eny, y, he drew his bowie and dashed a into their midst, cutting right and left so fast that they couldn’t find if time to draw a bead on him. Eyery shot they fired at him did some _ harm to their own side. Some half dozen or more, includiig Bludsoe _ himself, drew their weapons and took a hand in the circus. Roaring pas was one of the first to fall, his leg broken by a bullet, and two or three more finding lodgment elsewhere in his person. _ “Whoop!” yelled Shelby, cutting right and left in the thickest of the melee. **This is fun! This is lively! ,Hurrah!* Pitchin, boys! Raise my har! Give me yer best grip! Whoop!” Such a spirit of battle the oldest inhabitant of Santa Fe never saw be- fore. He seemed to bear a charmed life. Bullets flew all around him. a Knives flashed on every side of him, and yet he remained untouched amid all of it, till the assailants began to fall back before such a demon an ‘earnage. “Don’t g0, boys!” he called out, cutting furiously at a couple of huge ‘fellows who were trying to get out of his way. ‘‘ Yer ain’t sociable nough! Yer don’t give aman any encouragement! Hold on and we'll haye a drink when the fun is over!” But the boys didn’t wait for a drink with such a man. They started | to fall hack slowly, but in another minute they took to their heels, and : “scamper ed away like sheep from the presence of a wolf. , and returning _ it to its place. ‘It was lively enough while it sted. Give us a drink, landlord. If Parson Slugger was hyer now ed ask a blessin’ on the good work.” ~ he landlord put out the drinks for the crowd, or what remained of crowd, for the majority had sought safety in flight. ‘There were-five men dead on the floor of the saloon, and twice as ma ny so badly hurt that they could not get away, however much they esi ved to do so. : ‘This ain’t sich a bad town after all, landlord,” said Joe, grasping oo hand over the bar, ‘‘and yer ain’ta bad sort of a landlord, er. Hanged ef yer didn’t draw an’ wade in like a white man.” i Bludsoe smiled and said: | ‘You may be a peaceable sort of a man, Shelby, but I’m blest if you ’t waked up this town more than the Mexican war did.” e’s the whitest man in America,” said Dunlap, an’ I’m a-healin’ on t every time. Set ’em up agin, Bludsoe. Come up, boys, and drink hh the best man west of Sunrise.” he crowd rushed to the bar, and for a half hour Bludsoe and his bar- stent ders were kept busy setting up the drinks for the party. T news had gone out in the city that a riot was in progress at Blud- ‘saloon, and the mayor at once called on the military to suppress Captain Lyon, the officer who had escorted Joe Shelby to the city i carried him to Bludsoe’ 8 place; was sent with his eon to dis- the rioters. f course it was all over when he got there. Shelby was drinking sky with his new friends and looking as innocent as a saint: ~ ‘Hello, Bludsoe!” he cried, as he entered the saloon. ‘‘ What’s the rouble here now?” o trouble at all, cap, * was the reply. | eiecal We've got some to plant.” 2 SoIsee—— Hello, Shelby!” : ae Hello, captain!” and Shelby rushed up to him and shook his hand, “Tt's all over now, except ERIGHUING. J ; E. ‘and got his gang to come back with him to clear us out. “Wal, that ends it,” he said, regretfully, wiping the plood off his “Wel ve had a little scrimmage, jest to pass away y the time, - was ly_while it lasted. “Tain’t no dead town after all. He 5 “Just what 1 told : you yesterday. But do you know there i is’ babi a thing as law in this place, Mr. Shelby? Men who kill other men must account to the law.” “'That?s so, an’ I’m glad of it, captain, only I didn’t give ema ‘chance to account for it, yer see.” ““Yes—I’ll have to arrest:-you and take you to jail.” “That’s right—lock me up an-——” : : “‘You won’t do anything of the kind, captain,” said Bludsoe. “Tl raise a mob and tear down the jail if you lock him up. » He’s the whitest man in Santa Fe. Roaring Jim, that groaning skunk over there got up,a muss with Shelby, g oOte licked outen his boots, and then went off I won't’ let no man go to jail for that.” : ‘Oh, let him take me. Inever was in a jail in my life. I——” “You won't go to jail with me, old man,” said Lyon, grasping his hand and shaking it cordially. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t see the muss. If you will only clear out that Roaring Jim gang this he will erect a SOT Nay your honor even before you die. CHAPTER V. THE WIDOW’S APPEAL. THe n news oi the wonderful fighting qualities of old Joe Shelby, Blud- soe gave a terrific description of the battlein his saloon. _. “‘T tell you, pards,” he said, ‘it was the most beautiful fight I ever clapped eyes on. He was just lovely, an’ it would have warmed your hearts to see how he waded into Roaring Jim, the pipe-eater. He was the first. man he tackled, and the pipe-eater went down like wheat straw under the scythe. The others just melted away before him like butter on a hot stove, an’ he didn’t git a scratch. He’ ‘Ss a rattler, and the whitest man in America.” Joe was sitting in a corner quietly enone his pipe and carelessly. looking at the parties removing the dead and dying. Captain Lyon kept his company around there several hours to keep back the crowd and prevent the breaking out of hostilities again. No arrests were made, for no one was killed t that enypony cared ee about. After awhile the military returned to the barracks and the crowd that remained at the saloon was as orderly as a Santa Fe, crowd could be. _Bludsoe did an immense business athis bar. Every man in the town wanted to get a glimpse of old Fighting Joe and take a drink with him. Of course he would drink once in a while, but not every time he was asked, as he made it a rule not to get too full; knowing that VBS) would get the'best of a man when nothing else could. When Captain Lyon returned to his quarters he éxtended Joe an in- vitation to visit him at his quarters, and’ Shelby accepted, Sige) to meet him the next day. Accordingly the next day he started out to visit the patraoka: Gane tain Lyon received him with distinguished consideration, and had a bottle of old brandy provided especially for the visit.” “You had a lively time yesterday,” Lyon remarked. : ‘Yes, captain, we had a real sociable time “The boys behaved beau- tifully. I wish Parson Slugger had been there to give us his blessing. Ha An orderly came in and saluted Captain Lyon: : ‘(A lady to see you, captain,” he said.” **A lady to see me?” “Yes, sir.” , “Why, who can it be? Excuse me a few silituto Mr. Shelby. " “Yes, sir,” said Joe, as the officer arose and followed the orderly out to the commandant’s office. Captain Lyon was surprised to find spailines tor him nhantocne mid- dle-aged woman, well dressed, and ladylike in* her carriage, ue threw back a thick veil, revealing a face of remarkable beauityes qt ‘You are Captain Lyon?” she asked. : “Yes, madam,” he replied, with a bow.» “Ts there a man here by the name of Shelby t They pd me ne was here.” — “Yes, madam, he is here.” “Can I see him?” she asked, with a great deal of concern mani- fested in her face and eyes. « i,
Page 10
-. had in this life.” SRIGHTING (JOB a ke ee ~ “J will ask him, madam, as that is a PEs for him to decide.” - “Thanks, sir.” : « What name shall I give? 2” the captain asked. “ Never mind that. We have never seen each other, nor has he ever heard of me, nor have I ever heard of him until within the last twenty- four hours.” Captain Lyon bowed and returned to the room where Shelby was waiting for him. ‘« Shelby,” he said, “the lady wants to see you-—came here for that purpose.” He looked perfectly blank with astonishment. “ Who is she 2” he asked. “Don’t know—didn’t give any name—said you didn’t know her.” Shelby looked still more surprised. «J told her I would ask you if she could see you.” “Of course I will. Tain’t a lady’s man, but I respect a lady saat Yl go with you,” and he rose to his feet and followed Captain Lyon into the office where the lady sat waiting. ‘‘Madam,” said Captain Lyon, ‘‘ this is Mr. Shelby.” She rose to her feet, and stared hard at the old frontiersman. ‘Mr. Shelby,” she said, in a faltering voice, ‘‘I have come to you as the only man who can saye me and my child from beggary, and per- haps starvation.” “Why, bless my soul, mum,” said Joe, ‘‘I—i—don’t know if I can, but you can bet your sweetest smile that I willifIcan. What is it, anyhow?” § Joe was completely captivated by the woman’s sweet face and soft, winning voice. “TJ pelieved you wou!d from what I heard about you this morning,” said she. ‘I wanted to find a brave man who would not betray me, and get him to go on a dangerous errand for me, and you are the man. I will pay you well for——” “ Hold on thar, mum, please,” said Joe. ‘‘Don’t say a word about pay. I’m your man, without pay. What’s the game? Where's the claim?” -She looked uneasily around the room, and then up at Captain Lyon. “Come into the next room, madam,” said the gallant captain, ‘if you wish to be more private in your communication.” “«Thanks, sir. It is of the very greatest importance to me that secrecy be preserved.” They. all three entered the room. : “Don’t leave, captain,” she said. ‘I know you to be an honorable man, and want you to know what the affair is. I am Mrs. Nicholson, widow of Seth Nicholson, who died in San Francisco two years ago.” , - 4sT have heard of him, madam,” said Captain Lyon. “Yes—everybody, has heard of him, He owned mines and ranches all over the country, which now belong to my daughter and’myself. I haye had an agent out here looking after certain mines, and have found out, after putting certain papers in his hands, that he is dishonest and scheming to get all of the property in his hands. I came here to see and compel him to disgorge, but-he and some other bad men have gone away where I can’t see them, nor where the law can’t reach them. I want you to get those papers for me, Mr. Shelby, and if you do Sarah Nicholson will be the most deyoted friend to you that ever mortal man “YI do it, mum!” exclamed Joe. ‘* Who is the galoot as is tryin’ ter swindle the widder an’ orphan?” “His name is Beckwith—John Beckwith, and he has gone out near the Indian settlements on the Jasco river. He is adangerous man, and as smart as) any, lawyer.” : “<«That won't save him, mum. Efhe don’t give up shen papers he’ll pass in his checks, an’ I’ll take possession of his estate. zy «Oh, you must not do any murder, Mr. Shelby.” “Of course not. I never murdered any one in my life. I allers’ kill when its necessary to save number one—that’s me, you know.” She smiled, and Joe said: «Go home an’ wait till yer hear from me.” “1m stopping at the Atherican Hotel here,” she gaid, i and will stay there till you get me the papers.” ; “Yes, mum, stay thar, an’ I will go to work to onct.” ~ “Mr. Shelby,” she said, grasping his hand, ‘our whole dependence is on you” 3 ro “Yes, mum, an’ if I don't fetch them papers to yer, yer may know 1 hasn’t got’em. Old Joe Shelby allurs gits his man when he ve for” im. Good-bye, mum.” Joe grasped her small hand in his great horny palm, and held it a moment or two. ‘© Your great, strong hand makes me feel strong and hopeful, Mr. Shelby,” sheexclaimed. ‘‘ What a great strong man you are!” «Pm strong when I'm fightin’ for a lady, mum,” he replied. “Thanks, sir. You are so kind,’ and she arose to go. Captain Lyon escorted her back to her hotel, telling Shelby to wait till he re- turned. He found Joe ready to start when he came back, and offered to let him haye a horse to use in the chase of Beckwith. “Don’t want him,” said Joe, shaking his head. ** Going afoot?” ‘‘Of course. A horse can’t take care of himself, while,a man can. V’ll go further in one day than a horse can in a day and a half.” ‘* When are you g going?” “Right away.” ‘“The deuce!” “Yes. Can’t hang ’round hyer an’ that lady in suspense. goin’ for that galoot.” He left the barracks and stdttodti on the main road that led to the In- dian settlements on the Jasco river,'a small stream not down on’ the maps of the country. He traveled with his long strides that rolled off the miles in his rear with the regularity of machinery. He knew every inch of the Indian settlements on the Jasco, and knew he could find Beckwith if he was anywhere in that part of the country. On the way he met a party of cow-boys, who made up their mids to | have some fun with him. They were well mounted and dressed in their Oh, I'm . usual picturesque costumes, and were as full of the old Nick as an ege is of meat. ! ‘Hold up, old man,” said one of them, ‘‘and show us what you can do in the way of a dance.” “T can’t dance, sonny,” said Joe, good-naturedly. “‘Yes, you can. Give us a break-down, or ’ll make you dance with a lump of hot lead in you,” and he dismounted with his revolver i in his hand. : ‘*Now dance.” There were five in the party, and they all laughed eeu at the situation. Joe commenced dancing, but in just one minute he had danced up near enough to reach out and catch that youngster under theear with his bunch of fives. He dropped like a log. But in a flash be tyas seized by Shelby and held up before him as a shield, whilst with the cow-boy’s revolver in his rigkt hand, he commenced firing on the other four. Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! All four were hit, for Shelby never mis sed his game in a scrimmage like that. With yells of rage three of the cow-boys put spurs to their Hatsss and dashed away out of range. The fourth one fell to the ground as dead as a herring. CHAPTER VI. OLD JOE AND THE COWBOYS. Ty a minute or two, the cowboy he held as a shield,” recovered toil the blow he had received, and commenced struggling to release him- self.” “Oh, yer want ter git loose, do yer!” said Joe, who had asirmed him, ‘‘ Yes, let me go, yer contankerous galoot!” Joe released him, and the two stood face to face. _ “Yer a nice kind ofa chap, ain’t yer?” remarked Joe. ° LD Simms my weepin,” said the young rascal, ‘‘an’ I'll show yer how ~ nice I am.’ “Show us how nice yer kin dance,” said Joe, cocking and leveling a reyolver at his head. ; /
Page 11
“The cowboy winced. — . Joe had the drop on him. _ He commenced dancing. Yer can do bettern that,” said J 08. “taste lead—yer own lead, too!” He did do his best, but Joe pretended not to believe it, ead 80 quickly raised the revolver and fired. ‘The bullet cut off the top of his ear. ‘‘Augh! Don’t shoot, stranger!” he roared. ‘‘ Dance yer best.” ‘This is my best, sir. Oh, the devil!” “It’s kind rough in me, now, ain’tit 2?” Joe asked, laughing. ‘Yes, stranger.” «But then, yet see, it wasn’t rough in you. : eases sometimes, eh !” *¢] was only havin’ a little fun.” * ‘Jes so. That’s all I’m havin’, too. But you don’t seem to enjoy it much. What’s the matter with you, anyway? Be lively, or off goes other ear !” The rascal did his liveliest, but it didn’t save his ear, for Joe,watched his opportunity and clipped it off as nicely as a razor in the hands of a barber could have done. ‘«Be lively how, I say, or off goes your nose. I’m just the man to ‘fiaye fun with cowboys. I’m old’ Fighting Joe, and this is the first _ bit of amusement I’ve had in a whole day.” ‘Oh, Lord !” groaned the cowboy, the blood streaming down his shoulders, from his amputated ears. ©‘ Don’t shoot again, stranger, I’ll - mever do it again!” > © “Oh, I know yer. at “Do yer best, or I'll make yer | | ‘Circumstances alter Yon’re very sorry now, but if yer hadn’t made a ‘mistake you would have had me doin’ this dancin’, Jump up lively, now, or you'll lose that nose. Jump around!” “Ugh! oh, Lord !” groaned the man. : ** Stand on yer head and rest yerself,” ordered Joe, and the half-dead a _ cowboy made an honest effort to stand on his head. Hefell over several ; "times, but cried and begged for quarter. like a cur. i ' The three wounded cowboys kept, out of range, and looked on the circus, wondering’ what kind of a customer they had picked up this ~ Re : time. Two of them were pretty badly hurt, and the third one had a flesh - wound that would make him unfit for duty for a number of days. ____ Now let’s see how well you can run. Run to your pards an’ tell’em o what a derned fool you are,” said Joe. - The cowboy waited for no second order of his oree but went with all ia the speed he could put into his heels. a8 Joe then' threw the revolver away, and resumed his j journey, satisfied " with the circus he’ had enjoyed with the cowboys, who would have papisure time to: Swear over their misfortune in ils up the wrong af Shelby ee the man to stop on a journey like this, unless there was a good reason for doing so. He intended traveling all night, but _ night overtook’ him just as he came in sight of an Indian camp. He : knew there was. Ro open hostilities between the whites and redskins, and so did not hesitate to go boldly up to the camp-fire and greet the “Indians in a friendly manner, They were somewhat surprised at his free and off-hand manner, particularly when he was all alone, too, and _ greeted him accordingly. _ «Where pale-face going?” one of the red-skins asked of him. arm going to Jasco river to see Beckwith,” he replied, to see if the _ Thdioe knew anything of Beckwith and his gang. _ “Beckwith heap big chief,” said one of the redskins. hut money an’ whisky. Give Injun some.” _ “Yes, Beckwith is a good fellow, and thinks much of his red friends, - am Beckwith’s friend and the friend of the redman.” tye ‘Redman don’t know,” said an ugly-looking fellow, shaking his head. “Bad white mans fool Injun all the time; Beckwith give him money an’ i whisky, Him great money chief. ” “Ah, yes—he’s got a heap of money. Iam going to him to see “Got heap ‘about some money. He owes me money, and will pay me when he Bees me.” ee “ | whittling a stick ye an ugly-looking knife.
Page 12
ae i ‘stranger ?” Best fo de FIGHTING JOE. eC Sie ~ “Hello! stranger!” he greeted, as he came up near the Cabin: “ Hello, ‘yourself, ” responded the man. ‘Ts Mr. Beckwith hyer ?” Joe asked. j ! The man eyed him suspiciously for a moment, and then Beckwith himself'came to the door and looked at him. ‘What do you know about Beckwith?” Beckwith himself asked. “Nothin,’” was the reply. ‘‘The redskins down in the village had but little grub, and told me that Beckwith, in the cabin up the river, had plenty. That’s all I know about him, but hope he is good soa to give me a show at.something to put into an empty ula Beckwith laughed, and said: “Oh, that’s all right.- Come in and make yourself at otha and old Joe went in. ’ ——— CHAPTER YI. THE TERRIBLE FIGHT—SHELBY’S FINE WORK. _ THE invitation of Beckwith was accepted, and Joe Shelby entered the cabin and seated himself near the rear door. ‘« Which way have you come ?” Beckwith asked. «Fyrom down the river,” was the reply of the old man. “Did you come on foot ?” “Part of the way I did.” “What became of spare horse ?” « Cowboys shot him.” “Oh, they did, eh? ” “Yes, sir.” «They are as bad as the Indians, I think,” remarked the other man. ‘“< Worse than Injuns ?” returned Joe, with emphasis. i Did you have trouble with ‘em ?” i Yes—lots 0’ trouble.” ‘Have a fight ?” “Yes.” « Anybody hurt ?” J guess some of ’em did.” The man looked up a Beckwith in a manner that ‘plainly said : ‘‘He’s blowing now.’ “Did you kill any one 2” Beckwith asked. -“@uess I did,” was the guiet reply of the quiet old. man, as he shifted nid of tobacco from the right to the left. side of his mouth. © «You didn’t get killed yourself, eh?” the whittler asked. “Not quite, but they nearly skeered me ter death.” - Beckwith laughed heartily, and said : “Il gamble that you told the truth that time, stranger.” “ Yow'll win if'any fool coppers your bet,” quietly remarked Joe. “ Which way are you going from here ?” Beckwith finally asked. “To Santa Fe. Iwant to go to Frisco, ifI can git thar.”. “ San Francisco is a long ways off from Santa Fe,” said Beckwith. “Yes, sir; but ’d go to sunset ifI’d take a notion. Ever bin thar, “Where? Sunset ?” “ Well, no, I meant ’Frisco.” “Qh, yes. It's alively town.” “So Tye heard, an’ I want to go thar.” “When do you start again?” Joe looked at the questioner, and knew from the question that they preferred his room to his company. But he quietly replied: ‘As soon as Lrest a little and get something to eat.” “You can have all you want to eat,” said Beckwith. ‘« And I can pay for all Ican eat,” was the reply... _ “We don’t want any pay, sir,” said Beckwith, rather stiffly. don’t keep a hotel.” ‘Of course yer don’t. Hope.yer didn’t take me for a fool.” ‘Oh, no—of course not.” Just then a party of seven cowboys rode up before the door of the cabin, whooping and yelling like so many Comanches. “Cowboys!” gasped the old whittler, jumping up and shutting the door. ‘Great Heavens!” exclaimed Beckwith, turning pale, * What are they after now, I wonder ?” “Bring out the galoot!” cried the leader of the cowboys, sending a pistol ball into the timber of the door. ‘‘ Bring him out, or we'll burn you out!” ~P What do they mean?” Beckwith asked. “We ««They mean that they want me,” said Joe. me out—one agin seven, wouldyou?” ‘«Didn’t you hear ’em say they ’d burn us out if we didn’t bring A out?” “ce Yes. ” “Well, do yous’pose I’m going to be roasted just to give you a shel- ter ?” «But they will kill me,” said Joe. . «That’s your lookout. You must take your chances.” ‘Send ’im out, I say!’ yelled the leader of the cowboys, “or we'll burn yer out!” j ‘‘Hold on, there!” said Beckwith. ‘* We'll open the door, and you can take him out. We don’t know anything about him., He. came here an hour ago, and asked to rest and have something to eat.” Beckwith opened the door. 4 Two of the cow-boys dismounted and rushed to the.door, to be the first in. But they both fell across the threshold dead men, for x0) with a re- volver in each hand, had given each a bullet in his brains Then, ere the sound of the shots ceased echoing, he dashed to the:door, and de- livered two more shots, one of which killed a third, anda fourth was wounded. ‘Then he sprang back out of range just in tiie to escape the bullets the three unharmed cow-boys poured. into the open doorway of the cabin. The next moment he found a crack between the logs, and fired through it, killing his man instantly. 4 Tt was all done so quickly that Beckwith and his companion dia not realize that only two men of the cow-boys remained unhurt out of the seven, and that they were making all haste to get away. from. such a hot place.. The wounded man had gone away as soon as he got his hurt. ‘‘ Thar !” cried Joe, with disgust, ‘that’s the way i do. it gits lively an’ interestin’ they run away and spoil the fun.” “Fun!” exclaimed Beckwith. ‘‘ Why, there’s four men dead !” ‘Wal, you aie hurt, are yer 2” J ‘No, but iia “Then the fun is all on our side, ain’t it:?? _ § ‘‘ Who in blue blazes are you ?”? demanded Beckwith, ae a. the terrific work of the stranger. “My name is Joe Shelby, was the reply, ‘‘ an’ rm the most. peace able man in the world.’ ‘« You are the worst fighter I ever heard of!” “exclaimed Beckwith. ‘You got away with seven at one time.” “But you won’t turn Just as are a braye man, indeed. Hanged if I don’t believe yond go back on a lone widder.” Beckwith winced, but the other man said: ‘‘Don’t give us any lip.” “Take that for your lip !” said Joe, giving him a baek-handed blow on the mouth with his left hand. ry The man drew his rev olyer, but Joe got the dr op on him and sent a ball through his head; he fell near the door by the two cowboys. Beckwith was amazed. He had never heard of such slaughter by one raat * Hold up your hands,” said Joe, leveling his reyolver at his head. &.s bah above his head. “That depends,” said Joe. act and converse to suit -me. “Yes,” é “You are the agent of Sarah Nicholson’s estate 1” ” : “ Yes. ” “You've got the bulge on her and are tryin’ ter ¢ git all her property? igh Beckwith “hesitated and trembled likea leaf. — “Speak out. I ain’t the man ter fool with!” © ‘‘ Yes,” gasped the wretch. ng “You've got them papers i tc Yes. nm “Whar ?” ‘Here, on my person.” “Ym goin’ ter sarch yer. Your name is Beck wit ain't it pi tt s Beas Pd ; ‘ET * oh winks or moves asia a oa man.” Joe searched him and found a Inne wallet i in the breast-pocket oc his coat. POA a ad “Are they in this?” as “For God’s sake, don’t shoot !” cried Beckwith, holding his hands “T came here to kill you if you didn’t - ee Bs ** And you wanted to give me up to ’em, to rae and shoot ! Yer =f
Page 13
toa ; ue : SOBRE JOE. x der a : {ig Ae dea a ; Wn Sih wna Sind = ey He is making off with wimillion” dollars’ worth. of property! I may as : Joe then disarmed him. e | well die as lose ‘that. Hanged if I don’t go‘down to'the Indian Village “Now open ‘that ’eré wallet’ ath take out them papers, wl he said, and get the whole population on him, » Those Indians-will do anything’ - ‘an’ tell me all about ’em.” i ‘for money. Tl offer to make ev: ery. Indian rich if they will aes ty and” He dared not disobey. bring me his scalp and the papers.” - He took out each paper and read them carefully over to Joe, who lis- He ran out of the cabin and rushed down toward the Indian village. tened in silence, taking it all in as well as one of his limited education | Joe Shelby was about a mile ahead of him. could. : _| When he reached the savages, whose friendship he Bag gained by the “Ts them all?” he asked. liberal use of money, he cried out: «<Yes—eyery one,” was the reply. ; ‘« Where are your warriors? Your enemy and mine has been here, “Tie *em up in a bundle.” and will lead the white cowboys to destroy your village. Do you war- He did so. = riors hear me? Iam the great money chief! Let the braves listen to “Tf I find one missin’,” said Joe, ‘I'll kill yer as quick as I would a |. my words. Whosoever shall bring me the scalp of the man who passed coy ‘ote.” a through here on foot just now, him will I make richer than ever redskin «They are all here.” was.” «Very well,” and Joe took up the package and put it in his pocket. There were about twenty young bucks in the village ‘They aa just «Now I’m goin’ back to Santa Fe. Mrs. Nicholson is thar. Ef yer | crossed the river and come in from a hunt. want tersee her an’ ax her pardin, yer can go ‘long with me.” They sprang up with a yell and a whoop, and atarta on Sit once in ~ ‘*{=T-—don’t want to go,” he said. hot pursuit of Joe Shelby. Of course, they had no doubts about get- No, Is’pose not,” returned Joe. ‘I wouldn’tef I was you. I'd go | ting his scalp. ‘The only question among them was wko'should get it, ‘way up the country an’ turn Navajo. Yer ain’t fit ter have a white | and that made them eager, impulsive, and full of wild ua taleeias skin on yer, Why'In ther tarnal blazes didn’t you do right, marry the On they rushed, whooping and yelling like a mob. AS oyTs widder atid boss the whole ranche?” _ Most of them were on horseback. id 3 tei] gi “Beckwith made no reply. He was ashen-hued—the sickest-looking Joe heard and saw them coming. f man in all New Mexico. He knew at a glance that’ Beckwith had raised the vlads on him, ' “Yer didn’t work ther claim right, pard,” said Joe. ‘Ther mother | and that he would have to fi ght for his scalp. SHB - or darter would have cottoned ter yer ef yer had worked right, for yer Just over on his right was a small patch of dense timber=a sort of ain’t a hard-lookin’ cuss.” island on the prairie that surrounded it. He saw that his: safety lay i in “What are you going to do with those papers?” Beckwith asked. reaching that piece of timber before they could catch up with him, as “Give ’em to the widder,” replied Joe. ‘*She come to me in Santa | they were too many for him. si Te, an’ Said as how she’d been told I war just the man she wanted, an’ Away he ran and the redskins in hot: pursuit. They: yelled and pen up an’ told me all about yer little game. Iknowed how it was, an’ put | a few shots at him, but he never faltered. } out ter hunt yer up. I ain’t slow when I git started. Yes, I’m one.o’ ‘© Now let ’em come on,” he said, as he gained the aoend 9 it Parson Slugger’s boys, an’ he allus told us ter do wel? whatever we had They did come on. mth *f ter do. . Yer See how I did it with them ’ere cow-boys. Lord bless yer, But they were so many and he but one, they never dreamed he wou! 1a pard, that wasn’t nothin’. I’m a peaceable man, but I ain’t no Quaker attempt anything but to conceal himself. ‘The moment, therefore, that. when the war breaks out. I wish Parson Slugger had been hyer wher ~;lliey reached the timber they commenced an active search for him. them cow-boys come up! He'd given me his blessin’ an’ told me ter go Two ran across him in’a clump of bushes, but his bowie did such | in an’ do my best.’ i | quick work that they didn’t get a chance to give the alarm.) Beckwith gazed at the man with the most profound astonishment. They went down in the silence of death, and the terrible fighter ‘Such talking under such circumstances was a puzzle to him. moved to another clump of bushes to be out of the way! yee eh dead “Yer ain’t sodiable much,” Joe remarked. bodies should be discovered. J don’t feel sociable at all,” said Beckwith. ‘I am ruined—a fugi- He was not more than a couple of minutes in the dob thicket ; tiye from justice.” : when another redskin ran foul of him. He disemboweéled him with one — “ Whar will yer go?” terrific sweep of his bowie, and the doomed redskin ‘eenit) a ‘a howl as ‘‘ Anywhere—out of the world, I guess.” he went down. ids = = Go drown. yerself—don’t waste no good powder in goin’ out of the Then every savage in the woods knew that he had been: found: © world, Better jine ther Injuns; you’d make a good Injun.” They rushed upon him in the thicket. But in the general aeifasion Beckwith hung his head. He couldn’t look the man in the face, and | they could not see or recoghize him. But he did some’ terrible work Joe continued: : with his death-dealing bowie, and in almost as many seconds five: more “I’m goin’ back to Santa Fe. You may go whar you please. Ifyou | were put in a fair way to visit the happy hunting-grounds of their haye any money belongin’ to the widder, hand it over.” people before the stars shone again. odenh a: He gave Joe several hundred dollars in gold, and then said: ‘ Quick asa flash of lightning he darted out from the writhing mass “ That's all—everything.” of redskins, and dashed into another thicket without being seen by any “You may rob them dead uns oat thar,” said Joe, rising and leaving. | one’of the combatants, and quietly waited for them to run across him __ the table. again. : : — ‘ In a few minutes the redskins stopped fighting, and looked over the CHAPTER VIII. «— : dead in search of the man whose scalp was to make the fortune of CONCLUSION. ~ some one of their number. But they were doomed to a terrible dis- Suxxsy lost no time in getting away from the cabin where such | appointment. Instead of the mangled body of the lone white man they bloody work had been done. He felt of the package to make sure the | were in search of they found six of their own ‘warriors Suis dead or papers were there, and then. turned and left the cabin, leaving Beck- | dying. With there alone with the five dead men, to amuse himself in Buy, way. Howls of rage filled the woods. "SORE he might choose. They swore in choice Jasco lingo to burn him alive at the sta) and He went right down the river till he reached the Indian village where | resumed the séarch again, this time bent on wreaking: a terrible yenge- he had first learned the locality of the Beckwith cabin. ance on the man who objected to being wiped out by them. But no sooner was he out out of sight than Beckwith sprang to his Suddenly two more of them ran against him in another WEE, and feet and swore like a pirate. He tore his hair, stamped on. the floor, | gave the alarm. } and exclaimed: Crack! j “Ten thousand maledictions on his head! . He has cleaned me out of | » Crack! went his revolver, and the two redskins started for the nappy around million! Iam penniless now! I dare not show my face any- | hunting-grounds together. where in New Mexico or California after this, for all will be known! Joe Shelby never missed anything he shot at. fete Why didn’t I draw and blow 1 his brains out? “He would haye been too Dodging to another thicket, he pralved for sel Cae to o stumble _ guick for me. Heayens, what a quick shooter he is! But I am ruined! ! against him. ) py,
Page 14
} | i ee A, * FIGHTING JOE. Ae a “This ana or third slaughter alarmed the redaicins, They saw his tactics, and resolved to go in a body after that and thus foil him. ~ Joe saw that they were too many for him to tackle in a body, and be- gan to scratch his head to devise some way. of escape. The woods was full of dry grass as high as the knee, and-he resolved on the desperate measure of firing it in order to attract their attention to the fire, and thus enable him to escape unperceived. No sooner had he made up his mind to fire the woods than. he pro- ceeded to put it into execution. He looked around and saw that the suh was going down, and that the sayages were moving round to his left. Taking a match he struck it and dropped it in the dry grass, and then darted away toward another -part of the wood, where he dropped another match. Then away to a third spot, where the third one ignited as soon as it was dropped. The first match blazed up into a big flame in aninstant, and the red- skins, seeing the smoke, dashed toward it for the purpose of putting it _ out or of catching their game, But they might as well haye attempted to stop a flash of lightning from a storm-cloud as to stop the progress of that blaze. It leapt up above their heads and roared around them as though it wanted to cook them and give them a taste of their future home. “Ugh! heap big fire!” groaned one. of the redskins. an’ village burn, too.” The secor’d match was up ina blaze in another minute and threat- ened to destroy the woods in a few minutes. The Indians ran toward it, howling and excited, only to find it bursting up in a third place. Then, as if.a big blaze created it, the wind arose and the red tongues of flame reached out and lapped up everything within reach. The Indians yells betrayed their fears. Those who had horses ran to them to save them and themselves from the devouring element. One of the horsemen dashed by Joe, but a crack from his reyolver emptied the saddle, and Joe sprang into it, just as the wild blaze reached him. One of the redskins was caught by the flames and almost instantly tonsumed. He was strangled and fell to rise no more. Away dashed the entire party, Joe right, in the midst of them. But the dense yolume of smoke so enveloped them that one could not rec- ognize the other. . Men and horses were frightened alike. “Ugh!” srunted the big savage that J oe rode against. Keep way. Big fire catch Injun, Pale-face burn up.’ ‘Nobody git scalp.” Joe said nothing, but urged his horse, which happened to be a good one, to his utmost Fapeed, turning him round to the left and leaving be Indians to the right. “Hanged if that fire didn’t save me,” muttered Joe, as he looked round at the conflagration he had called into existence, ‘It will do a deal of mischief and burn up that Indian village, but I don’t care for that. I’m lucky in getting this horse; for, while I can make a hundred miles quicker than he can, he can make twenty miles faster than I. I've got, away from.them, and that’s all 1 want. Steady, now, old fel- low.” = ; Away he dashed over the prairie, the clear stars coming outand gazing down at the red wall of bright flames that was sweeping over the plain, Tn a half hour not an Indian could be seen. They had circled round ‘+ Prairie burn _ to the right and made for the Jasco Riyor, to move their women and children to the other side before the flames could reach it. - Out of the roadway of the flames Joe rode more leisurely, and spent the night in the saddle. All night long he could see the glare of the prairie fire, and knew that the work of destruction was still going on. “Tt wur. the hottest place I wur ever in,”he muttered to himself.’ “ An’ ef L hadn’t taken this ’ere horse I’d a been roasted, That ’ere skunk of a Beckwith set ’em on me, an’ I Oe he'll get caught in that tere blaze.” Morning found him well on the way ne Sante Fe, which place he reached before sunset that day. He gave the horse to Captain Lyon, telling him how he had gotten possession of it. “Did you find your man; Shelby?” the gallant captain’ asked. Joe looked hard at him and asked: : “Would I have come back ef I hadn’t, captain?” “No, I don’t think you would,” and the captain grasped his hand. “T congratulate you on your § good fortune. You haye done what no other man could have done.” Oh, pshaw!” exclaimed Joe.‘ Old. Paton Slugger could have eon in and worked the claim thout any trouble at all, You ought ter see him go in on ther free grace principle. He just lays out everything and then prays for ther sinners.” Captain Lyon laughed heartily and then asked: “What became of your man?” _ “Hang meef I know. I didn’t have ther heart to kill him, he gave up-so quiet like, He may have got roasted in that ’ere prairie fire. Hope he did, for robbing a widder an’ her darter.” _ **Mrs. Nicholson is at the —— hotel. She doesn’t look for you in a week or ten days. She sent for me yesterday and asked me ifI really thought you could catch Beckwith. I said if any man could do it you were the one that would.” Pith ‘“Thankee,” said Joe, turning away. He ite to qa ybort to the widow at once. : He found her at the hotel. His return was quite a surprise to her. : - ‘‘Why, Mr. Shelby!” she exclaimed, on seeinghim. ‘I didn’t expect you so soon. It’s bad news that has sent you here. been able to find him!” “Ts them the papers yer wanted, mum?” Joe asked, throwing the bundle of papers he had taken from Beck wai down on the table before her. % She hurriedly opened the package and glanced over the pages. Her eyes recognized them at once. P “Oh!” she exclaimed. ‘They are all here! “You have saved my fortune, Mr. Shelby !” and she seized his hand, kissed it, and Spt NY, tears of joy. ‘‘Oh, how can I ever repay you ?” “JT don’t ask no pay, an’ don’t want none, mum,” said he, ‘astily brushing away a tear with‘his disengaged hand. “What did you do with him, Mr. Shelby ?” she asked, a8 soon as she could compose herself sufficiently to converse. ‘I hope you didn't kill him.” 2 ey “No, mum. I-spared him for your sake.” J j ‘Oh, you did! I’m so glad! It would have been a souree of sad- ness all my life if you had killed him. Dear me, what a good man you are! ‘They tell me you've killed many men in your day, Mr. Shelby.” “«T’ve had ter wipe out a ey; mum,” he said, ‘ter keep ’em from “wipin’ me out,” ‘Oh, then, you did right, of course, but. it must be" awful to“ kill a, f ” 43 man. 2 «So it is, mum, to ther chap as gits killed.” : “But it must make the other man feel badly.” ’ ss “No, mum. The other man feels good—glad he didn’t HEN to Base ‘ in his checks.” Mrs. Nicholson laughed in spite of the sanguinary Siatnre of the topic. fie ‘« Where do you live, Mr. Shelby?” : Rf ‘«Bverywhere, mum. I go wherever please, and do work that pays best.” “T must have some good, Neve man to attend to my nagar 20a after my ranches, mines, and other property, Won’t ay doi it py mé? ? I will pay you well if——” “ 1 don't know, mum,” he faltered. larnin’, and—— “You've got good hard sense, Mr. Shelby,” said she, ‘ante in- terrupting him, ‘‘and a brave, true heart which any one‘can trust. Say you will, please, and lift. great load off my heart. You don’t know how much better I will feel when I know that I have a man in charge whom I can trust.” “T—T'll do my best, mum,” he said; ‘‘but I’veled such a royin’ life that I don’t know that I can pin myself down to one thing or one place “T—ajn't got meh Wis _all the time.” ‘Oh, you will have several ranches'in charge, some as far as one hundred miles apart. So you see you would havea good deal ofroving to do.” She then agreed to give him a big salary for the rest of his hatural life, if he would look after her property. Thus the old fighter found a pleasant berth in his latter days, But he was Fighting Joe still, and had several brushes with cow-boys, In- dians and gamblers. He came out first in every encounter. A year later the widow came to the conclusion that’ he would make a good. husband, and frankly told him she would elect him to that position if he would serve—and he served. Who wouldn’t? ; [vHE END.) You haye not”
Page 15
The Lareest ‘Cheapest, Handsomiest A Most Popular Library in the World. 1 Tom Brown's Schooldays 2 The Pirate 3 Robinson Crusoe Toe HS 4 Jack Sheppard 5 Sinbad, the Sailor 6 Peter Simple . 7 Pantomime Joe 8 Snarleyow, the Dog Fiend 9 Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp 10 Poor Jack . 11 Tommy Bounce—comic — 12 Shorty; or, Kicked into Good Luck-—comic "13 The Deyil’s Diamond 14 Shorty , in Luck—comie 15 Dick Dauntless 16 Skinny, the{Tin, Peddler—comic 17 Dick Turpin 18 Gulliver’s; Travels 19 Ali Baba aid the Forty Thieves 20 The Mulcahy T'wins—comic 21 Jacob Fait: ul 22 Oliver Optic’s Engineer Stories 23 Oliver Twist ; é ~ 24 The Image'of His Father y 2) Gentleman) George 26 Gentleman George and His Pal i 27 The Dead Boxer 4 ¢ _ 36 28 Harry Hale) 7 29 One of the Boys of New York —comic 30 The King of Diamonds ~ $1 The Four Knaves 32 The Pirate shes 33 Jonathan Wild © ~ 34 The Pirate Chief | %; 35 The Smugeler of St. Malo Little Mack, the Boy Engineer Josephine; or, thie Maid of the Gulf Sea Dog Charlie; oh The Ad- ventures of a Boy Hero.- Paul Jones The Hangman of: The Black Mask 42 Dot Boy Fritz—comic 43 Demon of the Deep 44 Mark Graham 45 Starboard Jack ) 46 San Francisco Bob 47 Tom, Dick and the —— — comic. 48 The Yankeé Privateer 49 The Rover’s Oath - 50 Corkey—comic » 51 Dick Lightheart 52 Dick Lightheart’s Trials 3 Dick Lightheart’s Triumph ® Captain 1 Hawke, The Boss Boy © 56 Shorty, Jr.; or, the Son ‘of His Dad—comic 57 The Pirate Schooner 58 The Gold Hunters : 59 The Pirates of America 60 The Pirate Cutter 61 The Black Pirate 37 88 39 » 40 41 ewgate _ 62 Captain Kyd; or, the Pirate of Hell Gate > 63 Will Wattles’. 64 Three Finge : : 3 Jack 65 The Sea ' 66 Life in the Rea Brigade 67 Billy Bo’swain 68 The wD a on Sale Sticks 69 The Wild Robber “70 The Highwayman’s Fate “ythouse Murder assin’s Doom ite of the Shoals ‘bers of the Rhine. © iwkaway’s School Days fail t ioe. ©. Ridress x 2730. 76 77 oO 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 141 1142 143 144 145 146: 147 148 149 150 (| 151 152 153 Harkaway Afloat Harkaway Among the Savages “Harkaway’s Escape Harkaway at Oxford Harkaway and the Black Band Harkaway and the Brigands Harkaway and the Spy. Harkaway Trapped Harkaway and the Italians Dick Lightheart at Sea Dick Lightheart Around the - World Dick Lightheart in London Diek Lightheart’s Victory The Island of Mystery Detective Dan Claude Duval Claude and His Pal Duval and Dick Claude in a Fix Duval Betrayed On the Scaffold The Highwayman’s Ride Claude Duval’s Dead Shot Bonnie Black Bess Claude in Jail Duval’s Life Struggle Claude and the Nuns Duval in the Cloister Claude and the Lady Duval on Hand Claude andthe Spy Duval in Chains Claude’s Bride Duval on the Road _ Claude's Duel Duval and the Maiden Claude in the Toils Duval and the Casket Claude and His Chum 5 Duval in Peril Claude at Bay Duval and Luke Death of Claude Duval Jack Harkaway and His Son’s Adventures Around the World. Harkaway and His Son Home- ward Bound Jack Rushton On‘and Off the Stage 3 The Bush Boys _ The Rival Schools Frank, the Fisher Boy Young Tom Rodman Shorty, Jr., on His Ear—comic Fred Spangle The Young Tragedian. Clarence Rhett Paddy McGroarty Brian the Braye 3 Yank, Shank &Co, Master of Himself’ Jim Jams; or, Jack of all Trades—comic The Boy Bohemian The’ Mysterious Messenger Burt, the Detective «13-" or, Tracked to Death The Young Mason Denver Dick Dick Daring Gipsy Blanche The Boy Clown Three Yankee Chums Unlucky Tom—comic Lathy—comic -The Sea Fiends. Under the Ocean Andy Handy Red Leary Daniel Boone Hale and Hearty “4179 154 Tim of the Mail Train 155 Out with Stanley 156 Mad Maurice 157 Shorty and the Count—comic 158 The Wharf Boys 159 Big Silas 160 Nip and Flip 161 The Four Jacks 162 The Miser of Harlem 163 Young. Harkaway and _ the Pirates 164 Harkaway’s Triumph 165 Harkaway on Magic, Island 166 Ferret, the Little Detective 167 The Man of Many Faces 168 Harkaway’s Peril 169 Harkaway to the Rescue 170 Harkaway, the Magician 171 Reckless Bob 172 Luke Lander, the Lion Hunter 173 Rob Rattler, the Scapegrace 174 The Dwarf King 175 The Gallant Miday 176 Harkaway the Avenger 177 The Rival Crusoes 178 Harkaway in Australia Harkaway and the Convicts Harkaway and the Bush- Rangers Chased Around the World The Detective’s Mistake Chips and Chin Chin—comic Chips and Chin Chin Among the Mormons—comic Chips and Chin Chin’s Advyen- tures with Indians—comic Chips and Chin Chin in Omaha —conric Chips and Chin Chin in St. —AUS—comic $ Chips and Chin Chin in New _ York—comic Jack Hawley Two Boston Boys Frank Martin, the Young Ra- jah The Locksmith’s Apprentice The Charmers and the Charmed The Red Circle The Nemesis; or, Tracked to Their Doom Tom Trump 2 The Boy Pilot Satan’s Tree } The School on Wheels A Lightning Flash The Mystery of a Minute Bound to be an Actor One of the Boys : The Mystery of the Red River The Mashed Messenger The Prairie Phantom The Young Engineer Fighting Against Odds Harry Halsey Donnell O'Gig The Burglars of New York 212 Jerry O’Keefe's Crimes 213 Dare Devil Detective 214 Game to the Death 215 Kiekapoo Jack | j 216 The Struggle for a Mine 217 Stump—comie 218 Stump at School—comie: 219 Stump at Sea—comic 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 | 220 ah mand Jack Hawser— 221 Siaip's Racket Below Decks ——comic 222 Stump and His Chums Home ward Bound—comic 223 Three of a Kind—comie 224 Charlie, Mike and Don—comic -|300 Bob Short; 225 Thirteen 226 The Brotherhood of Death 227 Tricks 228 Under the Gallows. 229 Adrift on a Toate Island 230 Fred Hazle © ~*~ 231 Shot in the Dark 232 Doonie Crandall 233 Meta, the Girl Crusoe 234 Teddy Doyle Fy 235 A Trip to ‘the Center of | the Earth : Drifting Harry Rory the Smasher An Irish Boy’s Luck Behind the Bars The Boy Convict 3 Tornado Tim ; The Boy Avenger : Jack the Joker. The Irish Robber’ ’s Apprentice. Fighting His Way A Knight of the Brush Fritz the Tumbler , Iron Knuckled Ted Dare-Devil Dick 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 The Dock Boy of New York 251 Captain Cartouche 252 The Gipsy Boy’s Vengeance 253 The Boy Miners 254 Water-Duck Jim xf 255 The King of the Swimming Gang” . 256 The Flying Ship of the Pacific 257 The Adventures of Harry ~ Franco 258 Cripple Charley 259 The Adventures of Two Tramps 260 Plucky Jimmy. 261 The Blacksmith’s ‘Apprentica 262 Jumping Joe 263 Jack Gordon 264 Mat McCarthy’s Fortune | 265 London Bob—comic : 266 An English Boy in America— comic Scotty the Terrier . Philadelphia Dave . Billy the Boxer Cadger Con The False Detective 272 High Falutin’ Jim 273 Charley Lance 274 A Search for a Missing Man‘ 275 Commodore Rip-Rap 276 Teddy O’Lynn 277 The Shadow Ship _ 278 Lone Jack 279 Blue Grass Bob 280 The Wild Rider of Old Kentuck 281 Shoo-Fly; or, Nobody’s Moke —comic 282 Shoo-Fly at School—comic 283 Shoo-Fly in Love—comic 284 Shoo-Fly the Gymnast—comic 285 Sharkey, the Young Robber of — the West , 286 Dashing Bob 287 Johnnie Burgoo 288 Reliable Joe f 289 The Yaneee Claude Duval 290 Midshipman Ned 291 The Cruise of the Old Tronsides 292 Jack Fenny 293 The Young Irish Bupants 294 Lance, the Lion : 295 Tipton Blue - 296 Free-and-Kasy Ned 297 True-Blue; or, Righted at Last 298 That Boy ‘of Ours—ck mic ; 299 Tom on His Muscle or, One of Our Boys—comic 267 268 269 270 271 rchase one ‘from your newsdealers, as they all” have them on hand; ; or ‘they will be sent to your address, postage free, on FRANK TOUSEY, oe, 34 and 36 North Moore St., N, Y
Page 16
Containing Tales of the Sea, Indian Stories, Méxican Romances ~ and Adventures i in 2 all parts of the \ NS tain 3 READ 301 Perey of the Strong Arm 302 Jack Manly 303° Freebooters of California 304 Capt. Merrit and His Rangers 305 Nero the Hunchback - ' _ 306 Bell-Ringer of Trinity 307 Harry Harley 308 The Arctic Queen 309 Harry Fitzroy 310 The Heart of Oak $11 The School on the Sea ( 312 The Golden Island ' 313 Among the Savages 318 Eveline Duke ~ 338 Pat O'Corker - 314 The Specter Schoolboy 315 Headman of Old London Bridge 316 Harold Forrester” 317 Mat o’ the Mist” 319 Mark Bradley 320 Driven to Sea’ ia 321 Routing the Redsking 322 Tom Fox: Tee 328 Adventures ofa Phila, Detective o24 Richard Savage "325 Mystery of a Mis-spent Life © 326 Double-Six ’ _ 1 327 Dominoes of Death 328 Gipsy Bess . $29 The Queen of. the’ signs : 330 Rudolph the Traitor” 331 The Boy Cavaliers 332, Young Captain Kidd = 333 The Secret of Wizard Lake 334 The Prairie Witch * 343 Sir Guy’s Secret 344 Fortunes of an Acrobat 345, Bor the Green Flag ‘of Old Tre- land 346 Kathleen O'Shaughnessy. -/ 347 Tom, the Midshipman’ : 348 Out With Captain Cook ~ 349 Every Inch‘a Sailor wos 350 Ralph, the Light Dragoon ~ 351 The Brothers in Arms 352 Jack of Cheapside 3538 The Green Banner of Islam | 354 The Colonel's Daughter 355 Walter’s Secret “356 The Outlaws of Berkeley F Forest | 357 Red Spear the Outlaw — 38 pie Hense, of a ue ere 359° ‘Oswald the Unknown 360 Adventures of a Free Lance 361 The Treacherous Knight Do not fail to purchase one from your newsdealers, as the. alll sare, them, on at i or : they mil be sent to your addre ess rest on receipt of eee Address : ‘Box 2780." POM SIGUE? ‘| 369 ye ee THE TIN ECM THE FOLLOWING LIST OF 362 Young Harkaway and His Boy Tinker 363 Tinker’s Man Bogey 364 Young Harkaway i in Spain 365 Y oung Harkaway in Turkey 366 Mole among the Mussulmans 367 Young Harkaway and the Arabs Young Harkaway and the Counterfeiters - Secret of the Traitor’s Gate Waif of the Tower é 371 Ralph Wildhawk 372 The Brigand Chief 373 Marco Bravo 374 Zara the Gipsy 375-The Servian Spy 376 Sword and Cimeter 368 370 °| 377 Adam Bell 378 Archers of Englewood 379 Knight of the Red Cross 380 Jack-o' -the-Cudgel =" 381 Croquard the Free Lance 382 The Fair Maid of Kent 383 Dick the Brewer 384 The Oxford and Cambridge ‘Hights ‘ 885 The ‘Wild Huntsman | 386 Tom Mansfield the Smuggler 387 The Sunken Treasure 388 The Slaye’s Revenge — » 1389 Cris Carrol ‘the Scout /390 Phil Rayleigh) a London Arab 39%, The Knight « of the Iron ee 392 Tom Lester : 393 Bicycle Bob | 394. Mark’ Darrell 395 Oscar Merivale cs 396 Tom Oakland 397 The Mad Alchemist 398 Worm,the Pittsburgh Detective 399 Rob Racket ‘ 400 Gipsy Dick 401 The Red River Pilot i 402 Catana; or The Robber’s Daughter 403 Detective Sketches 404 The Boy Scouts of the Sierras 405 The Heir of Longworth 406 A Ghost in the Mirror Other Stories 407 Strange Stories of Maniacs and “1408 A Skeleton’ 'S Legacy ‘409 The Pirate’s Son. |'410 The Young Revenue Detective’ | 411 Little Hal, the Boy Engineer 412 Captain Hurricane; “Waif of the Wreck: ’ 1413 Tow-path Ted 414 The Ghost of Paul Priestly or, The 415 The Cruise of the ** mT tf 416 Joe Jordan 417 Ebenezer Crow—comic 418 Charlie Charlton” ies _ GREAT. ‘1448 Black and Blue 'S ee THE LATEST 419 Gorilla George , 420 Stuttering Mose 421 The Kingdom in the Sea 422 Light- house Lem 423 The Search for the “Midas” 424 The Young Explorers 425 Little Nugget, the Pride of Leadville 426 The Young Aeronaut 427 The Boy Trapezist 428 Prairie Phil 429 The Green Caps - 430 Hollow Roost 431 The Grimsdale Ghost ah Other Stories 432 Lost in Africa 433 Denver Dan and His Mystic Band, by ‘‘Noname” 434 Shorty in Search of His Dad— comic x 435 The Blasted) Pine; Three Boy Scouts / or, ‘The 1436 Detiver” Dan “ands the” ‘Road Agents, by ‘‘Noname” 437 The Freebooter’s Secret 438 Sawdust Charlie 439 Denver Dan: and the ‘Counter: feiters, by oN oname” 440 The Train Robbers; or, ‘A Story of the James Boys ey 441 Ned Owen; or, The Mystery of a Missing Ship 442 Dende Dan Outwitted, by “No- name ” 443 The Girdle of Gold 444 The Treasure Cave 445 Denver Dan the Sheriff, by ‘“Noname’” 446 Long Paw °! 447 A Yankee Boy: in Africa 449 Ivan and Ismail 450 Denver Dan’s Peril, by “Noe ; )name?” 451 The True Life of Billy the Kid 452 The Russian Spy’ P 453 The Creole’ Brothers 454 The Castaways) 455 Denver !Dan'to the Rescue, by 4“Noname ” 456 Condemned; or, Number 709) 457 The James Boys as Guerrillas 458 Billy Bangs’ Schooldays 459 The Mad Doctor» 460 Bens the Old Trapper’s Dangle } 461 The PShoriget Trip Around the: World, by °‘* Peter» Pad.” - Handsomely. iflustrated’ by Thomas Worth—conuwe » | 462 The James Boys and. fhe. Vigk lantes 5 ‘CENT ISSUES PUBLISHED : aot ¥ 2 ie | 483 Denver Dan i in New York, by {490 The James Boys i in Mexico re 493 Silvershot é 1494 The Silent Slayer manag : | 4965 The. Irish; Claude Duval as” | 498 ihe Tree of Death {502 Leon the Outlaw | 503 Tommy - Bounce, | 463 Buffalo Bill's Chum. pet 464 Denver Dan Wut oe Chu nS, ‘““Noname? “¢ 465 The Old Magician ——_ rade 466 HENS Jamies Bays abd he 467 The Brother's Chime: 468 Molly Bland, the’ Detecti 469 The James Boys i in California 470 Tumbling Tim—comic « ie Mat of the Monntain > 472 The Picador of Chapultepec 473 The Lost Island, 474 The James Boys as Trai - Wreckers .* Beere 475 The Maxwell Brothers’ at ae 476 Stuttering Sam—comio — 477 The Mad Hunter ~ 478 Persimmon: Bill, uss 479 The James Boys in Minneso Ad 480 Buck Bidwell 481 Toby the’ Spy. 482 The James Boys. as as Highwa SCL pe “Noname” 4 484 Tommy. Bounce, Jr., 58 485 Washed - Ashore; > or, Adyen- tures ina Strange La) 486 Charlie Chubbs at Colle 487 The Irish Claude Duval 488 The James Boys’ Long 489 Fair-Weather_ Jack; or, Life i ' the Arctic ‘Regions (: 491 Old Fox; or, The MYBtELY { Rebel tt 496 Astray.in the,Clonds 497 The Shortys Married. ue Set- stled Down—comic . » to Hach Other 500/ William Tell, th ve. the West 501 Trapper Duke. lege—comic. 506 Captain Tom Drake ; 507 Fred. Ford... ;., ‘608 Billy Bakkus— 509 Bow and aes 510 Arctic Phil oa