Five Cent Wide Awake Library (vol. 2) (1893 02 04)

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. THEFIVE CENT gt “Ente nter: sred at the Post Officr at New Yo ry HN. Yay nd Class Mai nite os un oe TOUSEY, Ponts SHER, 34 & 36 NortTH Moors St., N. Y. PRICE ! No. ‘A159. {COMPLETE } os , February 4, 1898. ; IssuED WEEKLY. {5 5 CENTS. E ~___-__Btored nce cording to the Act of Congress, in the year 1% uF 1803, by FRANK TOUSE Y, in the office of the Libr. of Congress, at Washington, D Off THE MEN IN( GREE By “NONAM NONAME. if When half way over a shot was heard fom the bank he had just left, and a bullet Pierced the . own of h hat, passing THCOmMOr AMEE near his head, es as a Bash the hay Petes be hrs au sore Be,

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ie 3 eee = nares ne : = < asd at , Thesubseription p 25 per six months, post-paid, Address x TR eee FRANK TOUSEY, PuxptisHeEr, 34 and 36 North Moore Street, New Yorke Box 2730, z e =r THE : MEN IN GREE P72 By “NONAME,” : Author of ** Dandy Dan of Deadwood in Texas,” **Dandy Dan of Deadwood Betrayed,” ete., ete, sh * -- CHAPTER E. _ . } The lady a pretty, girlish _ In the ae days of the gold excitement in} twenty, blushed, smiled, a fe a Dali ia—in June, 1850, to be more explicit| a little afraid at first, but taking courage —a good-sized mining camp was located on| upon seeing Ned’s frank, handsome face, gave ; * bhi nks of the Feather river, a tributary | him her hand andajlowed him toassist her to” tha e Sacramento, one of the chief rivers of the steps. ; At sight of the neat, trim figure and prett; face of the new-comer, the crowd, which ha evidently expected to see some sour-visaged | Jeff, the stage-driver, added: = old maid, with a row of corkscrew curls} ‘‘And Ill agree to take her free over in full blast; the place itself, though some-| flanking each temple, divided and left a nar-| road whenever she wants toride.” what. ageling, having a population of| row lane, up which the gallant and greatly SBE 16 five hundred souls, envied Ned led his new acquaintance. ’ One thin Sam White stepped forward as they reach- ed the door, and with a broad grin, said awk- i if wardly : ; .. iv a t promising country. pases ’ The camp was dignified by the name of ‘Nuggetville, boasted a store, a hotel, a news- paper office, # theater, and a pombe -saloon ouncement, 4 **Good-day, miss—glad to see yein town; ye’re the fust lady we see in this yer country, and we're durned glad to make yer acquaint- ance. What kin I do fur ye?” ‘ ! “This is the landlord, miss,” explained Ned; * but maybe your friends are in the dollar but what’s been made square. I got out of my washings.” Ry Others contributed until the sum of five hundred dollars was made up, ar ; into a leather wallet, to be givén to the you: lady as a token of the esteem with which @ miners all regarded her, “You, Ned Henderson,” said Sam, “wes point as a committee o’ one to wait on oung lady, and tell her what we've d xents, do you approve of the choice?” ““ Yex, yes!” cried ali in chorus, though a few envied Ned. ~ : * to use a somewhat Milesian expres- ere Chinamen, ; rival of the stage, once a week, was ) matter of considerable importance, and on this bright, sunny afternoon in June | coach. quite eared of miners, adventurers, gam-| ‘‘ Friends! No. I came alone. .I expected Jers and men of no particular vocation had | to meet some one here.” athered on the broad porch of Sam White’s| ‘‘Do you see them?” asked Ned, motioning “ta which was store and post-office as| to the crowd to fall back. we witness the event a omment on| No,” after scanning the faces of the curl- the néw arrivals. ae eh ous men standing around ; “and perhaps it Hs 5 _ Presently, down the rough, dusty road, the! may be a day or so before he will come into} ‘‘ And tell her, besides, that if she like lumbering stage-coach, drawn by four power-| the fown.” y choose any man of us, what ain’t marriead— fui horses, was seen dashing stOng | the dri-| ‘‘ Consider this yer» house at yer disposal!” | and they’s lots of such—for her husband, ver, old Jeff Ferguson, reining in his steéds, | cried Sam. “‘ Jest step.into the parlor while| lucky man will feel bound to take her, and preparatory to coming tosa-halt»in.front.of| I have yer quarters got ready. Here you, | be durned glad'to get her too.” ats the wide, low flight of steps leading to the} Hop Wing, yer lazy beabthen, get the-fust|, Ned, then talking. the. and the deeds” iazza and thence to)the hotel. : floor front ready. for the lady, and be gol-| of the claims, betook hig§self to the * a oach-top was loaded.with numerous | darned quick, too, or I'll twist yer pigtail for) where the young lady waS just fniship : her pe meal, and delivered the message of the © a a? boxes and ¢hests, upon which sat) three or| yer, in jest about a shake,” - t e faced Celes-| vention. _ alongside Jeff Ferguson, | tial, w: ad been hoverin tea, SrA and then| ‘The lady blushed, smiled sweetly, an pirappe on behind, on top of a lot of rough | he skipped off to do Sam’s bidding in great said : + canvas bags, was an object that caused con- | haste, é “You are all very kind, and I do no! siderable comment; for it was a little, black, | ‘That yer trunk jis your'n, I ’spose,”said}| how Ican well refuse your gifts wit ~ brass-nailed trunk, as unlike anything in the | Ned, *’cause nobody brings trunks into these giving offense, though, as far as taki usual way of baggage as could be imagined. | yer diggings. Tl bring it in for you.” ; usband is concerned, I am not quite re “Bet yer boots we're going to have a par-} “You're very kind,” said the lady, with a| for that yet.” { nN a -’ son,” muttered one old fellow, whose ruby |smile; as Ned sprang down the steps and| “Oh, we can wait,” said Ned, naivély ” nose denoted a fondness for the bottle, ““Who| picked up the trunk, which had now been |blushing in his turn, ‘That's a matter i ever heard of aminer with a trunk? on the gonad with the other baggage. which one wants time, of course, Miss-— “A parson!” roared another. ‘“‘Reckon| Sam White led his new guest into a rough, | and then he stopped. he'll have to turn dealer up at Gentleman |uncarpeted room, with a sanded floor, green] ‘‘ Ainsley is my name—Cora Ainsley. Thad Dick’s, then; for the only tt books we pees curtains to the windows, two oc three | a brother who——” Seay have in town is a pack 0’ keards, Ho, ho! | highly colored prints of celebrated races and| “Not Tom Ainsley?” interrupted Ned. ~~ we ain’t got no use fora B orp asl out yer!” | professional beauties on the whitewashed| ‘Yes; do you know anything——” — » “Blow my buttons off if I don't see the | walls, anda plain pine table’ in the center,| She suddenly paused, for Ned had ave _ flutter of a handkercher!” cried a young fel- flanked by four unpainted chairs. his face, across whichshe had seen a sha ( ‘This room was occasionally used for a quiet -¢ low of about seventeen, who had come out _ here from the East with his father to try and | game of bluff, but fortunately there were no {gambling implements about, and Sam was. 4 retrieve their fallen fortunes, ; : : : A At this moment the stage dashed by the | glad of it, and as his visitor took.a proffere _ door, turning a few steps further down, and | chair, he said, pleasantly: — ; wf “Glad to have ye make yerself ter hum jest ~ then coming to a halt. As it dashed by, however, Ned Henderson, | as long.as ye please, mum, and shan’t charge ers the young fellow before mentioned, cried out | ye a grain. Ladies is suthin’ new hereabouts, ppe and We can’t make toomuch on’em. You g girl gasped. jest'sit yera bit and amuse yerself, and I'll} but——" goand tell the niggers to get ye suthin’ to Then’ something worse hp eat, Thar’s books on the shelf, and ye ean happened. “In Heaven's name tell me all y talke yer pick.” < ' |. “Oh, spare me thts!" cried Ned, in ago ~ Leaving his guest to take her choice from | ‘I would not give you pain for the wor this library, Sam went out, and after giving | do not force me to speak, or——” _ ° his orders, called the hee into the bar,| Strangely calm, Cora sat down, drawi -|and seeing that Ned hung back, gave him a| Ned towards her,: and in a strained, hus special invitation, : . voice, said: : ey “ Now, gents, this is a special occasion, and | | “Tom Ainsley has gone to the bad! He vem Iam going to honor it. Call for what ye like, | always wild, but he seemed repentant, and) and arter that I've got a proposition to} thought that in the wild West he might make,” j _| trieve himself. What you fear to tell me ‘Ned did not drink, but when the rest had| that he has committed some crime and | been supplied, Sam said: — R e been forced to fly??, ee eel | “Now, gents, the fust woman has arrived| ‘I never believed is ‘ four men, two others sitting on the seat All iebe ” chimed a round- CG) excitedly: at. % buttons clear off, if there isn’t — i the coach!” A VUCe.§ | in town, and we ought to make it an occasion | did, and they would hay of rejoicin’. I’m g tolet her stop here as} he escaped. He has bee dj long as she likes,” | bat ST TES _ {have reason to believe t “And I'll give her one o° the best mi {If Ned Henderson can. ; y s 4 1 7 Kewe ee ie

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ar THE MEN IN GREEN, was i 3 fay dear lady, it will be the best job I ever ~~ undertook in my life.” 2 ? eS “Ned piper oon itis you that has “given me all your Jand ?” oe “Te is not DAAnly as much as what Bob - ‘Trainor has given, but if it had been more . . you should haveit, and I’ll do anything in the ~ . world for you, if you'll only let me.” : oy *Prove my brother innocent, and I will be your wife.” : CHAPTER If. NuGGETrVILLE, while it had attracted many . ®trong, hardy, honest fellows, who were ready - and willing to give everybody an equal chance - with themselves, had also gathered to its “golden shores some of the very worst charac- --ters'to be found in the whole world, . Thieves, gamblers, blacklegs, murderers, ruffians of every grade and variety, loafers, pickpockets and shar had been drawn = = sf * hither, as wolyes by the smell of blood, and | with just about as good intentions. ._ Like many other new towns, therefore, the ‘~ little settlement was for a time one of ' the most lawless on the Pacific slope, and “honest men gave it a wide berth, notwith- 4, “ ere, - ‘This state of affairs had not altogether al- tered at the opening of our story, although the lawless element had been greatly put down. : Tom Ainsley had been accused of murder, . and the circumstantial evidence against him “was so strong that many were forced to be- _ lieve him guilty in spite of themselves, this feeling increasing when itwas learned that Ene haat fled, barely escaping being lynched by . _so doing. ‘ “His se Cora, notwithstanding her broth- er’s alleged misdeeds, was gladly welcomed . in town, and made a perfect idol of, though * as the sight of pepe ure passing along . the streets became mo: amiliar, the excite- - ment Sraenaly subsided, and she was not 42) ae eet. and stared at as she had been at rst, Two men were her devoted admirers, and _ ». the outside public could not tell which of the ' “two she favored most, Ned Henderson or Bob Trainor, though Bob knew well that Ned had othe upper hand, and was More or lessemvious f ihe latter’s/food fortune. Med undertook the management of the ing lady's claim, and this rather*soured _ Bob, for the greater part of it had been his _ and it now seemed as if he had given the lan wNed instead of to Miss Ainsley, and act- tially so if Ned succeeded in his suit, of which ~~ there seemed to be every probability. One day a miner came into the town and eported that he had been attacked by three ex four men, dressed in suits of buckskin, . dyed ahreg who had robbed him and might haye killed him had he not escaped. Shortly after this a claim, situated at some distance from the center, was suddenly raid- ~ed by a dozen of these men in green, the min- ers driven away, the bags of gold-dust eaptur- ed, and the owners forced to fly, one or two being seriously hurt in the struggle, so that it was hardly expected that they would live, ’ Several of the settlers began’ to lose their| horses and cattle, and one man living a dis- _ tanee had his house entered and pilaeeds his _ “son, a boy of fifteen, reporting -. the men as they were leaving, and describing - them as being dressed all in green, so that as _ © they hurried off through the trees they could hardly be distinguished. -. One night there was a considerable party gathered in the bar of Sam White’s tavern, and. in one corner four men were sitting around a rough table playing poker, the bets ‘amounting to considerable money at times. “Ned had remained late in the center, pos- ‘sibly to converse with Cora, or possibly to k business with her, and before starting ony being hitched to a post what was Going, on, : 7 Te foun panne the table where the men were playing an ‘pressing it as his opinion that Tom Ainsley _ was.at the head of the mysterious band of i ers of which so much had lately been «He's a mean, contemptible cuss,” growled he man, “and as a feller what'd kill a man’d ste sheep, more’n likely he’s at. the bot- this yer business.” 9s a nice I en't yout ought Ned H ‘standing the reputed wealth to be made} aying seen |: ‘or home, “il 1 “outside, hehad strolled into the room to see’ talking, one man ex-. -went ou sort of feller to abuse an ab- you?” thought Ned. “I didn’t like your looks when I first caught sight of you, and I like ‘em less now. You'll stand watching, my friend.” And Ned did watch him so close, but with- out appearing to do so, withal, that he pres- ently detected the fellow secreting two cards in his lap. : On the next hand being dealt out, the man slyly picked up the two cards, Ned catching sight of them as he did so, and when the bet- ting began, he ran the stakes up considera- Ve One of the others, thinking he was bluffing followed him up until the pile of dust and coin in the centerof the iable was considera- ble, the second man finally callingyfor a show of hands. “You can’t beat what Ive got!” said the blusterer. “ There’s four kings,” said the other ;. * now show up!” iS ‘* Four aces,” responded the other, putting down his cards. “ Phe pot is mine.” ‘Hold on!” said Ned, coming up. _“* You didn’t draw those aces in the reg’lar way. Sa wi two of*em outof yer lap, and Isaw ye do it!” “What have you got todo with the game?” snapped the other, turning erimson, ‘You ain’t got no money om it!” “That's all right, but I ain’t going to see a man swindled right aiore my eyes, I tell. ye |I saw ye drop them tayo cards into yer lap, and then when ye struck a couple of aces, fetched ’em up.” *“Then the potis mine,” cried the man with the four kings, “It’s a durned cheat!” yelled the: other, springing up and trying to save his money. “This young cub is yer pal, and the hull pusi- ness has been fixed up atween ye.” “Yer wrong thar,” put in one of the other players. ‘“‘Ned Henderson is as. honest a young feller as ever lived, and he ain’t a party no swindle.” : “Yer all in it, “cause I’m a stranger, Call up the landlord, and let him settle it.” ‘“‘T’ll swear that what I say is true,” affirm- ed Ned, stoutly. “Stranger, eh? How came you to know so much about young Ainsley, if you are? I sizei you up atonce, when you began to slander a. man behind his baci. ere no.good, and, if I was Sam, I'd put ye cut of the placeiquicker'n chain-lightning,” “What's the ‘matter, gents?” asked Sem, coming hastily forward, : “This yer young whelp; what's sweet on Ainsley’s gal, says I cheated. He’s so ready to defend him, I guess he’s one o’ the men in green hisself.” ‘ ‘That's all your eye, If you want to cheat, ye can’t do it here’; and if Ned says ye done it, L believe him. Take yer own pile and git out. We don’t want ye.” é “Tf he says I cheated he’s a liar!” At this imputation Ned could not further contain himself, ; Springing forward, he planted a blow right on the man’s nose, causing the blood to. flow. Then with his open hands he struck the bully across each cheek, leaving four long ae marks, with red spaces between, on his esh. Crack! Crack! Crack! Recovering himself, the- man drew a big horse-pistol, and blazed away at random. ~ Fortunately no one was hurt—one of the bullets breaking a lamp; another lodging in the ceiling, and a third crashing through a window. : The ruffian would have fired again, but Sam sprang see him, seized him by the col- lar, whirled him around, and shoving him towards the door, lifted one of his big” feet when within three or four paces of it, and sent the man that was so anxious fora fight. fly- ing through it into the road, where he fell all in a heap considerably the worse for wear. ‘Take ‘yer own money out, Dan Jones,” said Sam, “‘and divide the rest between ye. Any feller that tries any skin-game in my shop has got tolose all he puts up. That's the forfeit for cheatin’. Go on with yer amuse- ments, gentlemen, and don’t let a trifle like this yer disturb ye. The house is settin’ ‘em up; what'll yetake?” “ Ne having nothing further to detain him now determined to take his departure ; and after ae ba good-night to Sam and others, side to get his pon To his surprise the anim Peas missing. _ The fellow so summarily expeled by. the Jandlord had revenged himself on Ned ‘by running away with hispony, - : ** Oh, well, I can pet another in the morn- . ing,” muttered Ned, ‘“ And, sat eC Ishall 4 know Dick again, so that if this fellow is ‘ seen with him there will be plenty to make him dismount, The fellow seems to be a stranger, and yet is well informed concern- ing. the men of the town. I wonder who he is? ; Ned could have borrowed an animal from Sam White, or any one inside, but notconsid- ering it worth his while, started off on foot, the road being so well known, that daylight or darkness were alike the same to him. There was. one part of the road which wound around high bluffs, where the path was not more than wide enough to allow of vk tye oo of a single team, the trees above shading it so that even in the daytime a semi- twilight cates reigned there. On went the young fellow until, as he reached this spot, he suddenly felt something drop over his shoulders and fall_about his body. oe. Thinking that a creeper, or possibly a dead branch, had fallen on him, he raised one arm to brush it away, when he suddenly felt something drawn tightly about him, pinion- ing his arms closely to his side. and in an- other moment he was drawn off his feeb and hung suspended over the path, } CHAPTER III. - Ir at once dawned upon Ned’s mind that — some one, from the rocks above, had lowered _ a lasso upon him and that he was a prisoner. However, there was little time for thought, as he was quickly drawn up some ten feet - and placed upon a projecting sedge by some shadowy forms whose identity he could not make out. ‘ Ps ; A dark lantern was suddenly flashed in his’ face and as suddenly put out, one of the men uttering a grunt of satisfaction and ckhy callin i epnumanal to his aid. co ay = ne Ned was then gagged. and blinded, the = lariat still being securely fastened about his arms, and in this helpless condition he was led away, whither he knew not. ¥ Ne All was still dark when, after several min- utes’. walk, he was brought toa halt and. thrown. upon.arbed of some soft materialand left to peamety, his captors departing without a sound, oon feu ‘The piace was literally as black as night, and he could not tell whether it was a house or acave, knowing only by ihe: air of his. prison that he was not out of doors, He passed the night in alternate sleep and wakefulness, and in the morning was led out ~ into the open air, as he could tell by the dif- ferent feeling of the atmosphere. s. He was led quite a distance, however, be- fore the bandage was removed fromhiseyes, __ and although it was a few moments before he could see distinctly, he perceived that he was. surrounded by a number of men, and that he was standing on the banks of aswiftlyrun- et stream. = _. ; wie When he finally recovered the fulluse of | his eyes, he saw that sitting or pe : around were a dozen or twenty men, al clothed in suits of buckskin dyed a bright een, and wearing dark, broad-brimmed felt ats and high boots, all. fully armed, and all — carrying little bugles at their belts. “You appear somewhat ‘surprised at our appearance,” said a man, sitting near upon a mossy. bank, whose superior bearings be- — tokened him to be the leader of the band. Ned started. and gazed earnestly into the speaker's face, Unless he was greatly mistaken, or suffer- ing under some optical trouble, the man was. none other than Tom Ainsley, whose inno- }eence he had so lately asserted. i “Who are you?” he asked, in surprise, “My name is Hood, and, from my Ppape : een they call me the Robin Hood of ares est." Y 3 hae “And your companions ?” ; ‘They are the Men in Green!” ; eat The truth dawnect upon Ned in an instant; for on looking about him, he saw, amongthe rest, the very man with whom he had ha ? trouble the night before, aE cick “You are outlaws!" he cried. “It is you, then, that have lately conimitted so many nd these are m crimes?” “T am Robin Hood, friends,” was the cool. . ‘Weare free — rovers, and claim thatthe sath. and all iy TE. ee should. be shared equally i ae > EWS; yf ORG aae See, divide our wealth equally,

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est thing they had ever seen. ~ gonceive so diabolical a plot?” cried. Ned. "short yet awhile,” laughed Hood, coolly 4 Make esc e ped else share with ye, whether they like it or not?” interposed Ned. “That's it, exactly,” returned Hood, witha light laugh, *‘‘ We believe in share and share alike, and enforce our rule whenever an op- portunity offers,” : “Then Robin Hood and his Merry Men are but names for outlaws and robbers—the same now asin olden times. Why in thunder don’t ye call "a gas eut-throats and have done with it?” ‘Won’ oe join us?” “No; Ill be blamed if I will !” returned Ned, hotly, relapsing into the rough dialect of the mountains in his excitement; and then with one quick bound he attempted to spring into the river and thus escape, secured as he was. He was quickly seized, however, and brought before the chief. “Twas ayes to give you one chance,” said Hood, sternly; ‘‘but now you have for- feited my respect, and our laws must take their course.” “Laws! Whatthe mischief do you fellows know of law? Blow my buttons off if I ever heard such rubbish.” pes’ -} pe ye was smart, givin’ me away last night, didn’t ye?’ said Ned's particular enemy, advancing and leering savagely at the outh, ‘‘My name’s Jim Scarlet, and I'm obin Hood’s right bower. You've been down on our band right along, and now we've got down on you, and we're goin’ to show ye what we kin do when we take a notion.” ‘“ He seems fond of the water,” said Hood ; ‘suppose we give him a sail down the river.’ The tree under which Hood was lying ex- tended one branch over the stream a con- siderable distance, and at a sign from the outlaw one of his men now climbed into the tree and out ew this branch, earrying a rope:in one hand. A small flat-bottomed skiff was then shoved out from under the bank, and Ned was placed in it, two men holding him, The man above lowered the rope, on the end of which was a noose, and when this was placed about Ned’s neck and drawn snug, the other end was made fast to the branch above, The boat was then pulled ashore by a line, and the two men sprang out upon the bank ths ae being then cut and the boat allowed. to drift. As soon as it should get into the current the résult was obvious. Unless Ned could prevent it the stream would float it away, and he be left dangling from the branch. , If he attempted to leap from the boat the same result would follow. Ned struggled to keep the boat balanced, and prevent it from reaching the current. By moving his feet and getting in the bow he could for a time keep the head down, so as to prevent its getting into therunning water ; but it was only a matter of time, after all, and before long the, boat would drift from ats him and leave him hanging by the neck, . “Tor God’s sake, Ainsley, release me, if you are human!” cried Ned, in agony, doing his utmost to keep the boat balanced. ““My nameis Hood,” answered the outlaw, coolly, ‘* You are mistaken in the man,” * Are you, then, all that men believe you— a murderer, a pitiless savage, a man without conscience or remorse ?” “T am the Robin Hood of the West,” re- turned the other, with a laugh. ‘This sort of thing is an experiment, as we have never tried it before, but I don’t see but that it’s going to work all right.” , Then the outlaws, sitting in careless atti- tudes upon the bank, some smoking, some drinking, others playing cards on the grass, all laughed merrily, as if this was the funni- “Good-bye, Ned,” laughed Scarlet. ‘Keep a warm place by the fire fur me when ye git down yander.” ; Despite all Ned’s efforts, the boat was grad- ually moving out into the stream, and he had been obliged to shift his position to avoid be- ing strangled. : is hands being secured, he could do noth- ing to help himself, and soon gave up the un- equal struggle. : *Are you a demon, Ainsley, that you can “For Heaven’s sake shoot, and end this sus- “Oh, it’s too much fun for me to cut it THE MEN IN GREEN. lighting a black pipe and puffing away as un- concernedly as possible. It could not last much longer, however, for Ned was now in the stern of the skiff, una- ble from exhaustion to keep it longer bal- anced, It was gradually moving from under him, and already he felt the noose tightening around his neck. The rope was just long enough to allow him to stand, for, if he had tried to throw himself into the bottom of the skiff, he would have been choked. There was, therefore, no help for him if the boat floated away, and he was unable longer to keep it balanced. ‘““Ha, ha! We will soon have the second thing on the bill,” laughed Hood, pufling away, ‘* Don’t keep us waiting, Ned. We've aid our dust, and we want to see the best of iiNed tesll the boat al l 1 ed feels the boat slipping, slipping, sli pings feels the noose gradually Gehtaiin ~ egins to lose consciousness, and yet, in the midst of his ga breathes ‘a prayer for life. “Oh, God! save me!” he cries in agony. “Let me not die when life is yetso pleasant !” Suddenly there comes an interruption to their merriment. A quick, sharp, whip-like report sounds upon the air. A bullet is heard to whistle through the air, and a puff of smoke is seen to issue from the trees on the opposite bank of the river. The outlaws seize their weapons and leap to their feet in an instant, It is not at them, however, that the shot has been fired, The rope about Ned’s neck, now drawn fight, has been struck squarely by the flying ullet, It cuts through three strands, and the ten- sion parts the last. 4 . The boat glides away, but Ned has fallen into the bottom. The outlaws run along the bank in the en- deavor to stop it, but the current has caught it now and borne it beyond their reach. “‘Just my luck!” growls Hood, with an oath. ‘Cheated out of my prey just at the last moment.” : A bullet passing through the crown of his slouched hat.and narrowly missing his, head cut short his meditations &nd reminded him of his danger, He aiciiy sprang behind a tree, as his comrades had done, and a volley was now fired at the opposite bank, although there was no mark at which to aim, Meanwhile, Ned, whose fall had loosened the noose about his neck, arose, still some- what stunn d, and looked about him, ° He was too far away from the outlaws to render a shot practicable, and for some rea- son, also, they had suddenly disappeared, not & sign of them being seen. Suddenly, however, he became aware of a new danger, : He heard a roaring sound ahead of him, felt the boat moving more swiftly, looked at the waters, and saw that the current had greatly increased in Speed. ‘ Below him, now not more than a hundred yards away, were the rapids! ‘ He would be dashed over them and killed on the sharp rocks at the bottom. Throwing himself flat upon his face in the bottom of the skiff, he held his breath and awaited the awful moment which should de- cide between life and death, CHAPTER IV, ‘ Tur boat, with nothing to guide or stay its course, was swept along on the rapid cur- rent, and swiftly approached the falls, To be swept over the in was @ frightful thing to contemplate, for there were ten chances to. one against a man's coming out, alive. As the light skiff was swept resistlessly on- ward, the poor fellow scarcely dared breathe, expecting every moment would be his last and yet hoping against hope. ; Suddenly the boat seems to be lifted in the air, and Ned clings as tightly as he can to the bottom, although in his helpless condition he can do but little. , Then the skiff gives a rush, and, balanced. for an instant on the very crest of the waters, shoots downward with the greatest rapidity. | p There is a plunge and a shock, a combin- ation of sounds, a rush of waters, a sharp pain in his head, and then Ned becomes un- conscious, everything growing black before « him,’and then a blank rests upon h which it is impossible to remove, How long this continues he does nof but at last he becomes dimly cons¢ lying on a soft bank in the warm su with some one bending over him, end ble. When he again recovered it was ' confused sensation of having heard thi of a struggle, the sound of pistol shoj Sa the loud talking of men evidently engaged a fight. : ’ He felt stronger, and sitting up, fou self in a rude hut, through the open which he could see trees, the shimi stream and a view of distant hilis. “What place is this, I wonder?" h tered to himself, as he got up and v toward the door. The hut was situated in a little gree not far away was a running stream, the of men’s voices being distirictly heard’ on the summer breeze, and he had no that the men were miners at work. He walked cautiously toward the s being concealed by the trees at first, presently, reaching more open ground, catching sight of the men at work, he ¢ ped upon the grass and made his way of men sitting on the bank: whom, sight, he had taken for irregularities in ground, on account of the green suits wore. Their movements dis: and then he realized tha oner among his former enemies, the ou He recognized some of them, but co nothing of Hood himself, or Tom Ainslie he now believed the man to be with doubt, the latter being seated on the watching the men at work. ; Ned crept back apretells: until’ the screened him more completely, and | gan making his way,down stream, a6. n that direction that the mining camp lay, _ ise a lie bend in the river hid’‘him fons sight, and keeping the trees between him and the men at work; he hurriéd along as quickly and as noiselessly as possible, : al Presently, however, he came vas ie ravine or gully, which set in from the river, — at the bottom of which there was a tumbling stream. — ; >% His retreat was thus cut off, for the was too wide to cross, its banks being perpendicular as well, so that there w: chance of climbing down and getting ov stream at the bottom. i ae yy Ned made his way along the bank fom same he was less precipitate, little distance, however, hoping to place where the bank ; or where he could get around and so bs the opposite side. a This only brought him back to the again, however, as there were other gul some of them quite deep, which turned hur from his course and brought him back jfq original starting place. { exed and annoyed at his non-sueeds ae fellow again entered the hut and imself upon the rude bed it containeg ing way to his feelings of disappointy muttered sentences, j f “They knew I could mot get away, A left no one to guard me. What do they todo with me, anyhow? Will.they agai tempt my life? Jf Ihave. half a chang fix some on ‘em so they won't get over if hurry. But Is’pose they'll take me at a! vantage and try to get the best of me,” 7 . He mused awhile in this strain, when s denly the doorway was. darkened, and ic ing up, he saw one of the ontlaws stand before him, ‘ “Well, what do you want?” he aske pleasant. tone. Se “That's not a very cordial way to gx your host,” said the man, whom Ne¢ recognized as Hood himself. : “Oh, it’s you, is it? ell, I can o eat my question—what do you want?” . — “Thought you could get away, didn'ty Found it was of no use “ “T certainly didn’t do it this time,” rett ed Ned, sourly;, ‘‘but that isn’t saying { lled this illus he was still

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THE MEN IN GREEN. 5 ‘It’s very strange,” he mused, “ who could © have rescued me from those brutes?, Why didn’t he show up again? It must have been he that felled the tree across the gully. Blow my buttons! I wonder if I cut off his retreat? That would have been a poor return for his — kindness.” : Convinced that the man, whoever he was. had escaped, the young fellow gave himself no further worry over the matter, but kept on his way, taking the precaution to reload his rifle, lest he might meet some unexpected enemy even yet. ; His path, which was one over which he had never traveled, although he was tolerably ac- uainted with the country thereabouts, sud- enly led him to the edge of a high but not particularly steep bank, it being easy for a practiced climber to make his way down without any great difficulty. / ; While he was looking for a good place to make the descent, a noise in the bushes to his way, letting Ned down with considerable ra- ita at this dizzy height as he d|right aroused him, and quickly turning in ~ idity. . nod for him he fell upon the back.of the dead ruffian, and this broke the force of his fall, and beyond a general shaking up, no damage was done. The outlaws had fled, but the men who had fired une them were also not to be seen, a fact which, in the eventof Ned having been bound, would have been a serious matter for the young fellow. Ned lost no time, however, in idle wonder, but, possessing himself of the hat and weap- ons of the deceased man in green, hurried. off toward the gully. To bis surprise he now saw that a tree had been felled so as to bridge the chasm, the up- per surface being smoothed off with an ax, so as to make steadier walking. won't do it the next. What'have you got to say ? *® Willtyou join our band?’ : “No, L won't; and when I get out of this I promise you that I'll do all 1 can torun you down, and rid the country of the whole ruf- fianly lot of ye.” ““ Maybe you don’t know that all your move- ments are watched, and that my men are placed all aboutiour little retreat, and that if you had examinedjsome of-the trees and _- bushes more closely, you would have seen "that they were men instead. I only tell you this to show you how utterly useless it is for you to try to get away.” } “Thank ye. I’lllook sharper the next time and profit by the suggestion.” * ** You'd better take my advice and be one of us, for otherwise you will never leave this bes place alive.” Our hero needed:no second invitation, and “If I joined you I'd get. away the first| springing upon “the improvised bridge, he chanee I got and blow the whole business to} hurried over, being as firm of foot when the miners, and that isn’t, my. sort. I’m square, Lam, and Lain’b going to try no-such dodges ; but if Lean Pll get. out of here, and then—look out for yerself, that’s all.” “You're spunky, anyhow, and that’s just what Ilike about you. The men wanted to put you through at once, but I told_em to wait a bit and*perhaps:you’d join us. You've got a to-morrow morning to make up your mind.” Hood then went away, and an hour later Ned was drought a supper consisting of broil- ed bear-steak, corn bread baked in the hot coals, and a tin cup containing strong, hot coffee, without milk, of course, but slightly sweetened, : ae The young fellow did full justice to the meal, clearing away every scrap, for he was determined to keep up his strength, and knew that he could not do this without food. Night came at last, and Ned waited for an opportunity to escape. but the door was se- curely barred, and three men paced steadily around the hut all night, the guard being re- lieved every two hours. s Seeing that it was out of the question of escaping that night, he stretched himself out -_\* and slept soundly, never waking until he was yee pee es sng es the Sadi ge Lue actting ' ap, found that the sun was already two hours nigh, pas. ee ASBir 4 ave been on the ground. When half way over a shot was heard from the bank he had just left, and a bullet pierced the crown of his hat, passing uncomfortably near his head. , Quickly turning, Ned saw a green object just dodging’ behind a tree some ten feet from the bank. It was doubtless one of the outlaws, who, returning, was endeavoring to prevent Ned’s that direction, he saw a man just preparing to aim at him. : His own weapon was thrown to his shoul der in a second, and sheltering himself be- hind a tree, he called out: “Take care, my friend; I can shoot as well as you kin, and p’r’aps better.” *('m not so sure about that,” returned the other, ets “‘Hood again; as I'ma sinner!” ejaculated our hero in great surprise. Both men discharged their weapons simul- taneously. | : fi Ned’s bullet passed within an inch of — Hood's head, the latter striking the tree be- hind which Ned was sheltered, : el ‘A cluss shot both ways,” muttered Ned, ashe sprang out upon the outlaw, so as to- prevent his firing again. ii Hood leaped forth, evidently withthesame intention, and in another moment bothmen Hh grappled, each trying to throw the other, ; Ned was a wiry young fellow, and a good mutch for his opponent, who seemed more desirous of overpowering than of killing his enemy. sia tae ' ~Qur hero, however,’ used every effort to hurl his foe down the bank, dragging him to- ward it with all his might, and trying his flight. uiiclc as a flash the boy raised his rifle and ed. The bullet struck the outlaw in the back, and he fell with a loud yell, Ned’s quickness having been too much for him. “‘Lueky I coliared that dead feller’s shoot- er,” muttered he, as he sped on over the tree. A perfect volley now flew after him, the shots rattling one after another like a dis- charge of crackers, and the bullets falling like hail all around him. There had been no accurate aim taken, however, and although some of the shots passed disagreeably closeito the brave boy, none of them injured him. As he reached the opposite bank, Ned drop- ped to the ground behind a stump, and took a hurried survey of the sittation. “=fhe Men. in Green, to the number of a dozen or more; have returned, and are flodk- ing towards the gully ‘nthe hope of eutting off their late prisoner's retreat. Ned has not taken®his enemy’s weapons without providing himself with ammunition, and he now quickly reloads the rifle, at the same time dropping his pistols where he can seize them at a moment's notice, One of the outlaws rushes upon the narrow bridge, calling to his contrades to follow. best to throwdhime o -. So fiercely did Ned exert himself that be- fore long the \two were on the very brink, where but one, step would have sufficed to ~ send them whirling down to the bottom. Es Hood, seeing Ned’s intention, suddenly drew himself back’ a stepor two by a great | exertion, and quickly Sh pag an one hand. In a moment the little gold bugle at his side was placed to his lips, and a blast, long — “Come,” said the man, gruffly, * we've gob business with ye.” mS He was a powerful fellow, and Ned was but ‘a child in his grasp, and seizing the young man be dragged bim outside, where two oth- er ruffians pounced upon him and hurried him & ‘towards the bank. \ j A rope already dangled from an overhang- ing braneh, and as Ned was hurried forward, two men placed the noose about his neck and + drew ie enn two others laying hold of the end and making ready to haul away. Ned had not been bound, so great was the hurry.of the Men in Green; but that might notavail himjanything, for witha rush he was suddenly shot up into the air several feet. Two shots suddenly rang out from some]. unknown quarter, and the two men» holding the rope drepped dead, one of the men—the big fellow—falling across the slack of the rope, and preventing it from slipping, _ The outlaws fled in, haste; but there was Ned still hanging in mid-air, so that really his situation was no better than before. ve rack! | ane loud, echoed and re-echoed through the The villain has not reckoned upon Ned's | forest. aS skill as a marksman. } It was presently answered: by other blasts, The bullet strikes him plumb in the heart, | and then. by a chorus of shouts; and darting he throws up his hands wildly, and topples | a quick glance’among the trees, Ned directly —_ over into the abyss below with a last shriek. | saw a dozen figures gliding swiftly from tree The outlaws, enraged at the death of their comrade, press forward, expecting to take Ned ata disadvantage, knowing that he can- not reload in time to stop them from crossing, ' They know nothing of the boy's pistols, and one of them now speaks so effectively as to: wound the foremost of the robbers and cause him to fall across the tree-trunk. to tree, which he knew at once to be the Men in Green. ; ’ Stare “Blow my buttonsif you get away after all!” he cried, and exerting all his strength, he threw both ‘arms about his antagonist, lifted him bodily from the ground, and dash- ed toward the brink with him. ; The outlaws saw the peril of their leader, and sprang forward in great haste, fearing to - fire lest they should injure> Hood, and yet — A second shct causes the. next outlaw to stagger, lose his hold, turn wildly around ani fall, knocking two of his comrades into the gully in his mad attempt to saye himself. There were other outla\.s coming, but, sud- denly springing out, Ned seized the end of the trunk, which had been detached from the stump, and giving it a violent swing to one most anxious to save him. s ‘Ned did not pause a second on the verge, 2 but sprang into the air, and in an instant” both he and Hood had disa: peared over the brink, the outlaws uttering cries of dismay and d horro: posers forward with the ecta~ | side, sent it crashing into the gully just as| tion of seeing the dead body of their leader one of the outlaws was about to set foot on it.| lying crushed and bleeding on the rocks be- Then he quickly dodged behind his stump | | f i arr again, asthe distance across the gully was not too wide for a bullet to carry, and he ran considerable risk in thus exposing himself, Crack! Crack! Crack! His enemies had taken advantage of the oc- casion to fire, and the tip of one of Ned’s ears ing that of self-preservation, he threw up one _ arm, and fortunately seized the rope. ow. : _ CHAPTER VI. hs Tur next morning after Ned’s disappea ance there was considerable excitement, in Nuggetville, particularly when it was known that he had had a dispute with a stranger was taken off, though the boy did not know | Sam White’s saloon. a ib. until he felt the blood slowly trickling | down his neck. : . He reached the shelter of the stump with- 5e ‘Then, hanging by one hand, having taken ries A fa upon the rope with the other, Sam himself. offered to go with a party in search of the missing man, but as no one had any idea where he had gone, it was hard to iz out receiving further injuries, however, and |’ where to look for him. 3 i _ the limb, hoping to climb down by the trunk | then, keeping within its shadow, quickly re-| It was suggested that the mysterious 2 ; Cy treated backwards, until he had placed a|laws might have attacked him, but as t pero had | clamp of trees between himself and the out-| haunts were not known, no one knew wh ‘tl e body of laws, ee arose and hurried on in thedi-|tolookforthem, = ; ddenly gave | rection of the camp. _ # ‘During the day nething Pam ea, Fees “ rec gay Rats Be: haga: x

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6 ae THE MEN IN GREEN. Hood, who was endeavoring to head him off, Plunging through the thicket, he ran fo some distance, and was congratulating him self on having escaped, when he came direct- ly on a fresh party of his enemies, of him, and Cora, who was as anxious about | was pressed against her mouth, and a boy’s him as any one, set off about the middle of | voice whispered hurriedly : the afternoon to go to his father’s house to| ‘Sh! Don’t make a noise. It’s me—Ted. argue if anything had been heard from him. | I’ll get you out of this. Foller me, but don’t : he was accompanied by a lad of ten or ae nothin’, and stoop as much as ye kin.” : twelve years of age, the son of Jeff Ferguson, t was the boy, Ted, who by dint of perse- Sager oa with one of these, he prevented. _ who knew the road, and went with her for | verance in the face of numerous failures, had | the others from firing. and at last getting | 7 : pe otection’s sake, though it was doubtful if] at last discovered her hiding-place, and had | behinda tree, he dashed the manintoa thick- e could do much in that line. come to take her away. et and iS ge away, followed by a dozen shots, — Though he knew it not, he inp within a few feet of where Cora lay hidden, and thus . it was that the outlaws, coming that way di- — rectly afterwards, discovered the girl and made her a captive. ? : Ned soon came upon a path leading to his own cabin, and after dropping in there for a. minute to see his father and arm himself, ~ hurried down towards the camp to give the. V When abont half way to Henderson’s they | Cora obeyed the lad without question, feel- met'a rough-looking man on horseback, who | ing that he was to be trusted, and together said at once, without further parley : they crept from the hut and made their way “Be you the gal what's lately come to|slowly, and with the utmost caution, towards town? Ned Henderson got a fall from his|the-brook and its tree bridge. horse last nignt, and he’s stayin’ up to my| At the other end of the glade could be seen pie and sent me down to bring ye up to see | a fire, and men passing to and fro, and once im,” | fe ee 4 or twice a sentinél passed close to them and ‘“ Where is he?” asked the young girl, anx- | paused for a moment to listen. ; By nett At such times Ted made his companion lie | alarm and assure Cora that he was still safe, ‘ “Bout a mile furder, up a cross path. I] flat on the ground, telling her inasmothered| When he reached Sam's, he found that Ted’ knowed ye couldn't. find it without me, so I.| whisper when to arise, and cautioning her | Ferguson, who had succeeded in making his? comed to fotch ye.” not to make any more noise than she could} eseapefrom the Men in Green, had just ar- - “Who are ye, anyhow?” asked the lad. | possibly. avoid, : rived, and from him he learned that Corahad) @ “T never seed ye in town.” When. they reached the little bridge Ted | been twice poker, by the outlaws. 2 “Wall, that ain’t strange, ‘cause I don’t | guided her safely across, cautioning her to} ‘Ted offered to ea party to the retreat’ | come in once a month. I’m Jed Andrews, | stoop so as to avoid discovery, for the light of | of the villains, and there were plenty who.) ) and I lives upcountry. Ned, he got runned | the fire shone most. plainly upon this spot, | were ready to volunteer as members of th - away with and chucked down a gully, and | and detection seemed imminent, : expedition, so that in half an ee atl *twar nearer to my house than his'’n, so took] At last they were safely over, and then Ted | good men, exclusive of our hero and Ted, well ‘him there.” led the way through the arch of rocks and | armed and equipped, were ready to start out); ~~ * Bub you said you lived a mile——” along the path to the foot of a large hollow | in search of the young lady in whom they | $% “So Ldo; but Ned he was’senseless, and I| tree which Cora had noticed when she passed | all felt so great an interest. (ess eouldn’t tell who he was in the dark, so I| the road the day before. Ted proved a good guide, and led the party , thought best to take him to my cabin ’stead| “Yee pretty well tuckered and it’s a long | to the place recently occupied by the Men in of ae else.” way yet,” whispered the boy, ‘‘ so you'd better Green, i 4 be ~ - “Pl go with the young woman,” said the | get into this tree and rest yerself.” The remains of the camp-fire were found, bow **eause I don’t know yer, and I was sent Cora stepped into the hollow tree, and get-| as well as the hut where our hero had spent _ _ to look arter her, an’ I’m goin’ to do it.” ting into a comfortable position quickly fell | one night, but this was all, and doubtless the ~ . “T ain't got no ovjection,” returned Jed. asleep, Ted crawling under a lot of dry leaves | outlaws had expected just such a visit,‘and — And ope omg pe the three passed on, pres-| and moss and curling up for a nap, being | had decamped, : , ; ; ently turning down a narrow side-path be- | really more in need of sleep than his comrade, There was a light skiff hidden away unde fore reaching Jed’s cabin. The night passed away, morning dawned, | the bank, which ‘Ted pereiar spying about, — i The path presently became so rough and so | the woods were full of the songs of birds, the presently discovered, after the party had? ; _. narrow that Jed suggested dismounting, but |sun gradually lighted up the recesses of the given up all hope of finding the outlaws. tke the boy said that if he had come that way on) forest, but stil: they slept on as though they | In fact, the greater part of them had de horseback, why couldn't they go over the | could never get suflicient rest. ; j arted to continue the search elsewhe same route in the same manner, _~ Higher and higher arose the sun, until its | leaving Ned and Ted nearly alone. -They- continued, therefore,as before, and | rays fell upon the hollow tree and penetrated | It was agreed that Ned and the hoy should presently came to arude bridge over a stream, | tothe interior, but still Cora slept, though ascend the river in the boat, those that had - across which Jed “said. they..would have to } its beams shone full in her face. not already gone keeping along the bank. 3 lead the beasts. There is a sound of rapid footsteps, the re-| Ned therefore got in and pushed off, Ted) ~ Cora thereupon dismounted; and so did the | port of fire-arms, loud shonts and the itting in the stern and. keeping a lookont® — __ boy; but he had no sooner done so when Jed} of-horses. — O55 ine a saeco eieptitiea eee eae s ». hié him.a sudden blow across the side of the | Ted starts from his sleep, throws’ off his} For some little time the men on the bank? head, and sent him sprawling into the water. | covering of leaves, and springs to his feet. kept ape with the boat, but at length they . In another instant he had cut the young] ‘By gum! It’s awf late!” he muttered, | were obliged to make a detour. Sees lady’s horse a stinging blow across the flank | “I didn’t think I'd slept'so long. Gosh! we'll) The rocks suddenly rose right up from ti with his whip and started him off on the back | have to get out of here mighty sudden or} water's edge, leaving no room to pass arouti track with a snort of pain. — : we'll be nabbed.” Tangled bushes and swampy places also in: _ Then, before the B ta girl could realize} His first thought was of flight, but then he | terfered, and so the men pushed in from the, what had happened, he leaned over in his| considered that it would be best to remain | river in order to get around these obstruc- ~ saddle, being still mounted, seized her in his} hidden until the excitement had passed | tions, : ata h arms, and lifted her up in front. of him in aj away. Then -for a time the trees on either side ~ - twinkling, sone ee to his horse, and| He was about to caution the young girl to} arched their branehes completely over the dashed across the bridge in an instant. remain quiet when, of a sudden, she sprang | stream, shutting the boat from sight, When Ted, the boy guide, recovered from | out from her place of concealment with a cry| Ned rested his oars in the water so as to’ the first effects of his sudden cold bath, he | of alarm, bu keep the boat from drifting, and looked about _ fioundered about, and then struck for the| “Sh!” said Ted, but at that instant he per-| him, : i ¥, bank, reaching which he looked around for | ceived that his caution had come too late. A deep silence rested over all the scene. » his late he | oar at é Already their retreat had been invaded,| He could scarcely bring himself to speak. Pi __ She had disappeared, arid so had Jed, nob’& | and Cora was in the grasp of two of the Men| “I don’t see what has become of our com trace being left to show where either of them | in Green, while a third was making for Ted} rades,” he said, at length. : had gone. ; at full speed. _ |. Indeed, it was more than an ho «Meanwhile Jed Andrews, as he called him-| The boy started to run, but, catching his ee company with the li self, had stifled Cora’s cries by stuffing a | foot in a creeper, fell heavily to the ground,| ‘Perhaps they didn’ find _ coarse handkerchief into her mouth, and|and before he could arise was seized and} matter to get back to the bidding her remain silent on pain of death. | dragged to his feet by Jed, who shook him as | leaving it. ae : : though he was but a rat. ; ae es: be mot. febtadee Others came up shortly, and pine them| “Or they may have struck ancien was Hood himself, who smiled cruelly and} and got onto the track 0’ the cusses ordered a retreat, ; ‘| clothes.” — gc: me : ——.. ‘Suppose we call to them? At the wors' ‘CHAPTER VIE - | we can but bring the» ix sen d WHEN Ned leaped into the little gully with | upon us, and we don’ Chie - the outlaw in his arms, he fell intoa stunted| Ted therefore stood up in es tree which grew out of the bank about half-| raising his boyish voice to its. shrillest pite’ way down, and so escaped severe injuries. {shouted with all his might: e was obliged to let .go his hold upon| °‘‘Hallo! Hal—loo—oo !” S Hood in order to save himself, and thendrop-| Then came an answering voice, ped into the lower branches, and thenée to|numberot them, = the ground. E : | “Hallo! Hallo! Hallo! Hallo—oo- , Leaping the little stream at the bottom,| ‘“ Those are only echoes,” said Ned. al, have you?” they | tic ran along under the bank for some dis-| ‘Jest Fie rocee and trees talkin’ back: } tance, so as to avoid the outlaws whom he| ‘That's all,’ Meare ne | & = Y £ ev eas apa. ind that.” | knew would soon follow him. . a Suppor Ttry agin?” — and Cora was left “ All right.” : : the light gradually | coul d,| Ted did try coming on without:

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payers, . _@omrade had landed,.but if one wished to } . * Tely : i _ had been neglected in the search for greater . now it was left alone, almost > ~ some of which had fallen or been torn away, xy What's the good? We won’t find ’em by turnin’ round. Let’s keep on, and mebby we'll find suthin’. S’pose ye let me pull and you watch ahead.” Ted took.the light oars, therefore, and pull- ed, Ned sitting in the stern and keeping a lookout. 3 The boy pulled for some little time amid the most perfect silence, Ned being occupied with his thoughts. Suddenly, however, he guided the boat ground a sharp turnin the river, and came at once upon an unexpected sight. ‘ An old water-mill abandoned and half ruined. . There it stood on the bank, solitary. and alone, like the wreck of a past age, a monu- ment to the changed times, The thirst for gold had invaded its terri- tory,,;the mill-race had been dug up and changed from its course, the lumber interest ‘wealth, and the old mill was now idle. “hat must be Fraikes’ mill,” said Ned. “Tt used to doa good business till the gold fever struck the country.” It was indeed Fraikes’ mill, but its owner and business had-both. disappeared with the changes wrought by the nding, of gold, and orgotten, and fast falling into ruins. Ted turned, and gazed at the dilapidated structure, * “Dad has told me about Fraikes,” he said ; “but I never see the mill afore. I say!” © Well?” for Ted had suddenly paused, The boy’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Don't ye s'pose that them fellers—the Men in Green—would be likely to make a oe Te ee, a rendyvoo, of this yer ace?” . ‘Perhaps. ‘Suppose we look.” Then pulling ahead a few strokes, the boat was landed at the bank, and the two com- rades approached the old mill, standing there, grim, silent and deserted. CHAPTER. VIIL. Tux part of the mill where Ned and Ted in- tended to enter was the rear, near the base of the fall from the sluice. (ics. As the wheel was stopped, the water came out considerably to one side of it, over a sort of dam, and fell into the river below with a roar. “The lower part. of the mill was, of course, on a Jevel with the bank, where Ned and his continue along it he would be obliged to go to the top of the mill, : The building was built of coarse planks, and the interior of the mill could be plainly seen. - : : The wheel was broken in places, the water slowly dripping from it as it overflowed the beens the sluice above not being entirely ry. + The boat had been secured to a tree so that it might not float away; and, when the two explorers had seen all they cared to see on the outside, they determined to push their in- quiries further. _ The lower door, shaded by the bank, stood partly open, as though it was of little import- ance now\whether it was openorshut. This was but another indication of the ut- aCe. er «This was a busy place once,” rémarked Ned; “but blow my buttons off, if it is now.” a poe STURT ee Then he pushed the doorin, the creaking of the rusty hinges sounding like a groan, - He and Ted advanced and looked about hems. A dilapidated »xork-benck, a pile of refuse planks, ae Greenumiold, cobwebs and decay —that was all, . : BAT They ascended the rough stairs, which creaked and trembled under them, and reach- at the broken ed the floor above, © Here the air entered freel rs. THE MEN IN GREEN. they could easily see through and out upon the ruin beyond, \ ‘There are certainly no hiding-places here,” mused Ned, ‘“‘and [ reckon we've made a mis- take.” There was one more story to be examined, 7 Fortunately they could see without being seen, There, a few rods in advance, were the boats, all heading directly for the falls at the side of the mill. Ned approached considerably nearer, ex- and the two ascended the rough, narrow flight pooling. to see the men land and go into the of rickety steps leading to it. Here were the saws and other machinery of the mill, all covered with rust and dust, and motionless. Af one side alarge window looked out up- old mi 4 ‘ To his astonishment they continued straight on. 5 Straight for the falls. = While he was still gazing at them in won- « on the stream, and near it was a trap leading | der, the boats shot right up to the falls and to the tice wey. An immense log lay near the window, and on the floor were scattered chips and sawdust, as though the place had but recently been ya- cated, ‘“'Tain't likely any one comes yer,” declar- ed Ted, looking around. ‘Look at the roof; it's all holes, and the fust good rain-storm would drench ‘em,” ‘** There's no¢hin’ here, my boy... But, Tsay, it strikes me that you must be hungry, for am. i “Gosh! I never thought abont it before; but it must be late, for the sun is on his way down hill.” It was now afternoon in fact, but so oceu- pied had they both been, what with puilin up stream, and what with exploring the old mill, thatthe hours had Rapeed by unnoticed, Both had fire-arms with them, and it would therefore be easy enough to find sufficient food in the woods. Half a dozen them into a perfect wilderness, and once out of sight of the ruin, one would not have sup- posed that there was a dwelling within ten miles, H There was an abundance of game—wild tur- keys, pigeons, hare and rabbits, and bears, too, if they cared tolook for them. __ In twenty minutes they had each bagged enough to last them all eye Descending to the lower bank, they selected a ory eaudy spot on which to build their fire, and before lon a cheery breeze enlivened the loneliness and added life to the scene. “4 There was plenty of dry wood about, an Ted busied himself collecting this, while his older comrade Pree halfa‘dozen fat birds Angabnsee of rabbits for cock his ater there was in abundance, but as they had neither coffee nor anything to cook it in, nor bread nor the wherewithal to make it, there was, of necessity, not much variety to the bill of fare. When the fire had burned down so that there was a considerable bed of glowing coals. Ned Sig open his,birds with a twig and laid them upon the fire to roast. That he had not prepared too much was proven by the fact that he and Ted consumed every scrap, pickiog the bones as clean as though they had been in the fire. Both felt drowsy after their hearty meal and the exercise they had taken, and as it was considered safe to go to sleep, preparations were made accordingly. ; The boat was hauled in out of sight under the trees, and both Ned and his comrade, stretching themselves out upon the grass, soon fell into a doze, Ned was the first to awake, and hearing a e@ water, There was not much light, but if he was not greatly mistaken, those were men that he saw passing—men in boats. _ He drew nearer to the edge of the bank and peered out upon the water. : Yes, there were two iboats, rowing slow and steady, and in in low tones. - He awoke Ted without making any unnec- essary sound, and both watched the boats passing. : There were halfa dozen of them in all, each containing from four to six men. _ As the last one passed, the moon suddenly penetrated a bank of clouds which had before them were men conversing windows—there wasn’t a whole pane in any. obscured it, of the sashes, and some of these latter were missing entirely—and the same desolation ‘ 2 Neaea the place that had been - apparent below, 3 From a beam overhead, covered. with dust | and blue mold depended a rope, looking like as - & noose; and, indeed, it seemed a fit place _ for asnicide, ‘The whole scene was at once flooded with dry. > otk = aes The next thing’ to do was to wring their the silvery light. : ‘ The occupants of the boats were the out- laws. i : ‘The Men in Green! z ; ““We must follow them!” Ned whispered, hoarsely, gee 5 = The boat pushed out and both entered i re was another room s but | ‘Ned taking one oar and Ted the other, push- jdng ty levod ad |ing it gently glongin the shade, : erate ar ae ¢ eh ate ae aces from the mill brought } upon its side and | There was enough of the ol | anew one fro one after another quickly through the sheet of wacer. _ CHAPTER TX, **'Drp you see that, Ted?" : ; “Yes ; and I don’t believe them’s real boats at all! They're ghosts, and the men is too. Nobody could goslap intoa fall o° water like that.” “They are men, my boy, beyond a. doubt, isappeared right j|for there are no ghosts now, if there ever were any; falls T can,’ “Gosh! Are ye going to try it?” res “Blow my buttons—yes! Those are the Men in Green, and they have some secret hid- ing-place under or in the old deserted mill. It is there they have carried Miss Cora, and I'm going to discover where itis.” ~ Ned_took the oars, wards the falls. The outlaws had all pipe: ett vite There was, therefore, no danger of their be- Eng eeece eben ed glanced over his shoulder presently, and saw that he was headed right. “ There’s probably onl water there,” he explained, ‘and beyond is some cave which they inhabit,” ’ “Then it must be under the mill ?” “Yes; but separate from the water-way.” Ted kept the boat. stead all his weight upon the oars. : ane little craft fairly flew through the water, bs It. was headed Sirsighh for the falls, and ‘was soon within a few feet of them. _ Like an arrow the boat shot ahead right for the foaming waters, , G Like a flash it dashed into foam and aerey flying all around. Ned sud through him. = i His ears were filled with strange sounds, and if they can get through the his head seemed spinning around, and he was. — him, and | then all of a sudden it was shot violently — ubterly overwhelmed. The boat seemed sinking beneath ghosts, : and Ted guided him to- a thin sheet of | ; and Ned threw ; the falls, the enly felt. a cold shiver run all~ backwards, and he fell forward upon his face. When he picked himself up he found the — boat, half;full of water, floating on the river: in front of the falls, * He had gone through them, and been driven” : out again by the force of the current. It was a mercy they had not both been. drowned, — “Well, that wasn’t the on,” sputtered Ned. drowned.” . ‘But the oars, Ted?” “Oh, I’ve got them, I froze on to’em ‘right way, I reck- “Gosh! I thought I wae _ when you let goof’em, You see IT was out. — . NN “What are we going todo next?” ~~ , “Bail the water out and try it again.” “Run into'the falls again, Ted?” “No, you bet I won't. It’s a wonder w wasn’t drowned. What I mean is,’try again to find the way them Men in Green went.” “Then you don’t believe ghosts after all?” ‘No, siree, I don’t.” ‘ “uta The boat was quickly pulled to the bank again, and bailing was Tiere un, <2 ie - They had only their hats to work with, but _ nevertheless made good pro r pte : i After awhile they were able to lift the boat _ peu the water out. Then they put the bottom with moss ‘and grass to make it clothes, which were wringing wet, — : There was no very great hurry, howev as doubtless the Men in Green would no leave for some time. : de Me A 5) ee . fire to k it was builteo the bank m, thous ank, $0 Wot hat furth : " J fust, andI picked them up as they floated. j sound like the hum of voices, peered out upon | by,” ; ; ter desolati on that had fallen upon the | th Pre ace We. ts that they are’ a float_again, and wiped

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THE MEN IN GREEN. ‘Come on, one or even two ata time, and] moment, you would kill all within yo I'll face you!” he cried. pcre reach, : a “Save yourself!” cried Cora, “Fly from| ‘If given your freedom, you would not op The fire was soon blazing away cheerily, and by this’the two adventurers speedily dried their clothes, having first Eats as e, much of the water out of them as possib this spot—these men are robbers!” pose io seek or harm us? f They were left hanging on thebushes, how-} ‘‘Silence!” hissed Hood, turning fiercely] ‘Men in green,” continued Hood, ‘y ‘ever, while Ned looked after their weapons.. | upon the brave girl. hear the admissions of tue prisoner, ‘ These had been dampened somewhat by the| Ned tutned to fly, hoping to bring assist-| say you?’ Is he guilty or nob guilty " mth ducking they had received, and would have | ance later. “GuILTY!” ; * ; ~ to be cleaned. The Men in Green had surrounded him,|. So spoke every man present in deep, f Ned’s powder-horn, however, had kept out | however, and his retreat was cut off. tones. ae the wet, and its contents were as dry as be-| Several of them had got behind him while| ‘‘ And his sentence is——” ” he stood facing Hood. - DreatTH!” io As he turned he saw that the door hadj| ‘‘ You hear?” asked Hood, with a wicked i been shut once more, and his enemies stood} smile. * ib ems in front of it. ; “Oh, Lain’t astonished at anything you do. | “Stand aside!” he cried, brandishing his|1 was ready forthat.” 4 knife ashe advanced, Men in Green, the prisoner makes no ap: But the Mén.in Green stood firm, peal. When shall the sentence be executed) g Bach had a heavy pistol in his right hand, | upon him” ge. i 4 Ned looked around him in search of Ted. ENow! ‘ it ; The outlaws evidently knew nothing of his} ‘And the means of his death? A Z having been there. Scarlet aroseyand with a leer upon his ugly He had therefore been allowed to escapes — | face; said: Parva ES nS ean This might prove an advantage to Ned, as It’s given out that this aie place is haunt- the boy was shrewd and sharp, and would | ¢4) but there ain‘t no real ive ghost yet; so bring assistance if he could not otherwise ef-| 1 Say we take this yer young feller up above, fect his friend’s escape. stick him on a log, and saw him) inter slabs “ Yield,” said Hood, at this moment, “and | Then if he haunts the mill, he'll have'to d no harm shall come to you. Resist, and you it in pieces,” rnb ie, Un ee Ned turned and faced the chief of the out- : “For an instant Ned felt a cold shudderr through him. iia. Tiws, Then he recovered himself by an effort, — vag he uttered a sudden cry of astonish- ment. : and looked calmly around upon the grinnins , Cora had disappeared most mysteriously, outlaws. ; ae “Blindfold him,” said Hood, ‘and lead t and yet there did not seem to be any door, f Sree ak a space, fully six feet in width, | 827° that by which he bad himself entered so way BOWE Zarit fe oe Ned’s eyes being tightly bandaged, lie was ; H unceremoniously. Seok ine oe ot where the falling “JT am in your power,” said Ned, “but I fore the ducking. *Tt’s lucky we’re no worse off,” he said, pleasantly. ‘Our rifles will have to be clean- ed, but we can’t stop to do it now.” The two weapons were left standing against a tree near the fire, and then both the young _ fellows donned their garments. They had knives at any rate, and they were not certain that they would have. to use any weapons, They stepped into the boat, the fire having been covered over'so that it might not burn uP and ate them, and once more they pull- ‘ed for the falls. Instead of rushing straight for them, they skirted along the edge of them. They passed to the end, and here the wall of the mill arose abruptly before'them. Between it and the edge of the sheet of water there was, however, a space of about four feet, Ned ran the boat as close_to this as he could 0. Then he made a new discovery, The boat could be shot under, if not through seo lifted up-by four of the outlaws and carrie from the place, but in what direction h fold ti could not see. : ; “Into this space he quickly guided the boat. | Shall not yield till you tell me what you have) ~ Presently he was placed upon his feet, As he did re it wag whirled half around, bree eee goung lady we inating? the bandage taken from his eyes. j 3 ; ona sn Sts aig passage, leading appar- ee are your intentions concerning where was all oe meehin pe sac bly ban ‘Ted pulled easily, and they presently | 2% bytes Fe the legitimate occupants. ‘ af " ‘ttle “T intend to make her my wife ! { < i % ugh: iy . : ene into a little basin shut in by i me the man was not ‘Tom Ainsley, after | 4 Bless: ata Bae shane ica nc Aig i A iodo several chinks in these theimoon-} "wisi! “you are her brother!” cried Ned, | oe ee merece 1s at, oe trees; cS ] . They now ‘saw, drawn up alongside some peaches force the man into a confession a seen it the ste a. ia saute iin oe = a aes im. Robin Hood, the ontlaw,” said the| poke thestiness, “This, then, was the retreat of the Men in| Other with a laugh. ‘Men in Green, seize)” phe moon was quite low now, and Ne Green. , oa the prisoner,” tj | knew that morning could not-be far distant ; The boat.was.drawn up close to one of the}. he outlaws suddenly eloxed in upon the)“ rho would hear his cries for help in thi thers; and making it fast, they stepped out | YOURS miner, and, despite his resistance, he} 4ngerness ? 7 is upon the hard floor. \ was quickly secured and bound hand and} “Who would know whether the mill was go- | "Tf they see the boat, even, they won't foot. ing again or not? pene ash _ Suspect anything,” said Ned, “for it’s one of | He was then placed upon a rough bench in | here was Ted all this time? . , pear own and just like the others,” \ the center of the underground apartment,} Could he return in season to be of any use?, _/ Up the steps and along the} the outlaws sitting in a circle around him. | ; rim. | All these questions Ned asked himself as the two intruders cautiously, Ned ta a tite The place was lit by oil lamps, put up atin-| he saw the outlaws ‘busily making prepar. lead and listening for the slightest soun: tervals around the walls, and by their smoky, | ations for carrying out their horrible inten-. _ Phere was only one direction they could | flickering, uncertain light Ned watched the} tions. - , Pee Be ak take, and therefore they could not go astray. | outlaws, studying each face alternately, that} The huge log he had seen before was lift _ Presently they were brought to a halt by a| he might remember it again. ; and placed on the slide, thé sluice-way wa opened, the wheel set in motion, much t¢ Ned’s surprise, the saw well po ‘and rful scen ‘he men wore no masks, nor did they seem to object to this close scrutiny, which they could not but notice, That they had done so was evident by a question presently put by the leader. “Do you think that you would know an of us again, should you meet us?” he inquired, with a short laugh. | y ‘*“-Yes—all of you.” ! ie you evidently hope to again escape us door which stood right across their path. _ Ned pressed a this, intending to push it gently ajar, for he heard voices on the other ies and suspected that those he wanted were there. - aa Vig s ; * Hardly had he laid his hand on the door, _ however, when it suddenly fell inward with @crash, ; He was precipitated into a large, vaulted - cavern, brilliantly lighted, and into the midst of an assembly of the Men in Green ! , There they were, fifty or more in number, everything made ready for the f they had all come to withess. — yt ete ORD RR Nk SR xs, the old mill, co long abandoned, wa: once morerunning. | A iteasey ‘The wheels revolved with a terrible noisi and splashing, the water rushed into th tip sce Gwortio maga yee fall was the moment sto 7) ile AGS. How Paid dish and plimmertn’the nd at their head, seated on a raised platform h low the foa F fa thontiot ‘a small wooden table, sat Hood pikpontie f, how the startled echoes did repeat - ‘himself, while beside him was Cora Ainsley ! | the sounds they had not heard for so long a _ time! ARE ie Hla “ Slap him on to the log and start her up,” ‘said Hood. BAL f\- : Re 3 ORD Ned would have sereamed at; ba Reith Ere pet he had been gage ,and could 3 ot utte -sound, Bap rica ‘4 eras seized and throw upon his back, upon the great log, his feet, toward the saw and was then bound securely with ropes, — _ Then the saw was set in mot 5 a To die now was horrible enough, but death; ¥ in this horrible fashion made ee contemplate. Pate } ' _. | “"Dhere was no one but his eh “You are accused of attempting to break | aid him, and it was impossib e that g its members to whi hel this distance uve also atte ur} Set her'to going!” crie certain you , < “ é 5 L

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. HE MEN IN GREEN, . Such a screaming, whizzing and buzzing ‘and with a loud yell dashed towards the spot had not been heard in that place for many a day, Screaming, whizzing, buzzing, groaning, creeking aud screaming, the saw tore through the huge log, and the sawdust fell piles below, : {he outhiws stood looking on with the inost Gager interest. And ail this time the log was moving on, dyiwing Ned nearer and nearer to his fare, — he log is sawed one-third of its length, and the sayy is nowja within a few inches of his feet, ; Ip will eut between. them, and, then go! - slashing into. his quivering body. % ws Ned's brain fairly reels at the thought. : A few seconds and all will be over, ~~ Suddenly there comes an unexpected inter- ruption. ey Te ean , There, is a harsh, grating, grinding sound, and the Saw seems to scream as if in-agony, Then it suddenly stops, : Several of its teeth are broken, Stop her!” ieuwags ; - Phe belts aréthrown off, and the saw. stops. The log is pushed back, so that an examin- ation can take place, ae saw struck a huge spike driven into - the lo: f ibe datinge had been tremendons, the saw being nearly split in two, nearly half of its teeth broken and the) shaft blades twisted. “ Purn the water off,” said Hood; ‘* we can’t do anything.” \ i Ina few moments the big wheel iseql to revolve, the water ran over the falls as be- ore and everything resumed its wonted as- ect, How had the spike got there, and why had it not been discovered? ‘ ee ‘t oo Accident had placed it there and contealed - “itas well. é Fie aa re \ ~ “In-was a lucky accident for on hero, and “he could not byt be grateful for this intérven- ~ tion of Providence in his behalf, ea “T: ke him away!” geiysre Hood, “and the ncxt time we intend to have an exeeution we'll see that everything is in orger.”” ; ‘The ropes. we upon his feet. Crack! f - A iiguressuddeniy sprang into the mill by. : oe Pa door Jeading ou& npon the upper! “bank, jail 2 Ned fell beayily to the floor, — . So did one of' the outlaws who had been : srpenhne Din, eyo Wee: : rack! } Another shot ran Jon. The ballet whistled within an inch Hood’s .héad,. Jair. : It struek aman behind him in the temple aud, felled him to the floor—dead! “Come on, boys! Clean out the hull gang!” So eried a shrill voice—that of the strange re cut and Ned was placed ¥ g out upon the stillness, / of pure that had suddenly appeared in the old mill. ; ed es eit gor {tA rescue!” cried Hood. “Scatter, my ” _ Men inGreen! ; ~ There won't be much to reseue, I reckon!” ; eerie Searlet, ‘‘Seems as how the cuss is pOenalia fr tea: ‘Bug Ned was not. dead, having only fallen in a faint, the result of the reaction caused by} finding himself suddenly snatched from deat at a time hen, he believed his last moment come, | tary: “4 M $ It was the outlaw beside him that had been shotandnot-he. : Greeny “ ~~ The Men in t attacked by a large ‘peared in all directions. - ohare sta BS two minutes the room was entirely. ~ cleared, oe Tah e not a single Man in Green was to be seen about the old milljsave only those who had been shot by the attacking party, - 9 And of what did this consist? .~ 4 Of one small boy armed with two rifles and a he Seto, a “ ; Yes, it was Ted, and he alone, that had routed the outlaws. =... Mca call to his comrades to follow him was but a ruse, and the outlaws, suddenly sur- prised when they least expected it, and fear-. time had be hd wag nbout ‘to eee them, had been deceived by one smail. boy. een ea Mad ineonitinentiy did nob inten tO « 1 WS a: BO es ar: | ; in great | f good working ) naanatetbeires th where he had last seen Ned, ‘ It was the work of a couple of minutes to cut the ropes that bound him, to ascertain that he stil lived, ang then to get him on bis ecb. * What's the matter?” asked Ned, reviving and clutching at the boy for support. “Don’t stop toask no questions, but getout o here as soon as ye kin. Them robbers may come back afore we know it,” ‘You have brought help ?” “Nobody, only myself; but I reckon I gin ’em a seare fur a}! That.” 5 "Then you aré zone?” “Yes, yes, but Itell ye we must git out 0’ here, or the durmed curses may come back, and all ve done will be syijt aud hev to be done over again.” » CHAPTER XI. "Tire two comrages ios pv time, after this, in getting out of the mill; though Ted di stop and pick ap the rifles aud ammunifion of the dead outlaws. ; Ned took-his share of the load, however, and then they both hurried ous along the hank and into the thicket, “Let's go down and stop where we made the fire this afternoon,” said Ted, leading the aek a ¢ : ed said no ple and in a few minutes they reached theiy little encampment, and Ned sat down on a stump, his companion ‘taktiga fallen pe \ . , Thefirst signs of day now began to appear, the moon growing paler and the songs of birds beginning to be heard in the, woods, “ Now, Ted, tell me all about it.” * Well, when you tumbled with that door. right slap inter the middle of the gang, 1| knowed suthin’ was up, and I dusted, “T thought they was no use o’any gettin’ eotched, too; sol el’ared out, and hid in the | bl dark, but bumbye I sneaked back and listen- ed at the door, though I didn’t darest to tech it, fur fear it would fall down and Jet me in dike it had you. ne “When I knowed they wasn’t goin’ to do nothin’ to ye down thar, [slipped away, got inter the boatand mimde off as tight as blazes |. fur our camp, ) : ‘ “We had left (iy .és standin“ again™a ORE, tree; go jest fo: novcicaned "en as Amarth E contd, loaded em up, ahd after hidin’® the at set out fax the old mill. “TI war s’prised to see the wheel agoin’, fur I be Bo as how it wouldn’t work no more, and so I knowed that they was bs tig ee and I jest pulled up stakes fast as.1 knowed how. ace ; ‘ “Gosh! that is just the. bulliest breakfast £ ever cal exclaimed Ted, wiping his. mouth: on his Shirt sleeve when he had picked the - big ois er \ . Ft 1 “Now, what do-you say to going into the old mill again and see what ve can find “Tf you re goin’, I'il.go, too. Do you mean the lower story, where we went last night?” * No, not there; that might be too danger- _ ous, but the mill itself,” ; ; Oh! Well, I don’t know but, that ‘id be .. allright.” ‘Then show me where might bd to get atit in a hurry.” ; Ted accordingly led the way to where he had hidden the boat, and, getting in, the two shoved off, and rowed almost to the lower door of the old mill. — Maye There they landed, tied the boat, and as- cended the bank with as little noise as possi-. the boat is, for we The place seemed entirely deserted. . When they reached the top, however, Ned yen ¥ looking in at the door, gave a start, and ‘ut- : tered a low ery of surprise, Anime There, at the further end, standing by the large openi nd looking aponthe waters, sparkling sunlight, was a female tig-” 18 4 beyond a doubt. und, and turned quickly de, Lt was Cora Ainsley, She heard: the so “ Ned!” aatie It was she indeed, and in a moment she came running to our hero, : iF *“*Cora—my own!” ; : Ina moment the. two were clas loving embrace, a “Then you were not killed?” . “e No . “And Mae te ped ina + me away, dearest; wi , for we know not at w etimes not. They call it sometimes seems— —” !” screamed the En ti eae re comes the Men in‘ te aoor hey had reached the door, — n his arms and leaped t up- ‘Below were three Men in, Green, who at ofa horn awok In. ten seconds they would be; surrounded,

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THE MEN IN GREEN. third of the distance from the river to the bo ey top of the cliff, and yet dared not look down The little boat shot ahead with the speed|in order to verify this for fear of gett’ CHAPTER XIil. of a race-horse, Gace { ch ee ~ Tep’s announcement was, indeed, too true.| Orash! , - After resting about fifteen minutes, and. -The outlaws were pursuing them in the What had happened ? feeling his atrength and coolness both returh boats. Ned was thrown over upon his back, and|ing he continued the ascent, finding fe As the boy spoke Ned looked up, still pull- | Ted fell into the water. weak places in the ladder than before, -_ ing lustily on the oars, and saw Hood in the| They had run upon a sunken rock. feeling _ proportionately “relieved and- { ‘eas of a boat manned by two sturdy fellows, | ‘The bottom of the boat was stove in, and | couraged. Oe puiling away for dear life. the water began to rush in like a flood. He felt now, however; that he could tru ~ Behind him were five others, each manned] Ned lost one of his oars, and the other was | more wholly to the ladder itself, and not 36 _ by two outlaws, with a third to guide them | broken short off by coming in contact with a | much to the natural i and this took ver: along the windings of the current. jagged rock. much of the labor to whi ch he had. forme’ _. Besides the boats, the Men in Green had n their haste, the fugitives had overlooked | been forced to subject himself. : d - taken other means to bring, back the run- He continued sete a for fully aways: - At that moment the outlaws came in sight, | half an hour, not rapidly, to be sure, *b Running along either bank were ten or a| pulling lustily. : regularly, pausing but_a moment on dozen of the outlaws, shouting, gesticulating | Loud shouts arose from the boats as the |round before he ascended to the next; : and making all sorts of hostile demonstra- | men: ived what had happened. when he again stopped to rest, he “foun tions. | Ted was ale a ie the water, and the} upon looking w z the she had reduced ¢ One or two shots rattled over our hero’s | boat having already begun to sink, Cora threw | distance, to be climbed much more than head, but the pursuers were evidently afraid] herself out in order to prevent being drawn | supposed he had. 2S, gp opineinne Sion of hitting the young lady, and they presently | down own. . The air up here was fresh, and bracing, and desisted from firing, contenting themselves} *At the next moment it sank, and Ned was) This last stretch, therefore, he determined ing back. “Pull for all ye're wuth! They’re to row with renewed comin’ arter vs in the boats!"_ ; their danger. . not too cold, the effect being to renew his - with trying to ae the fugitives by run- | precipitated into the rushing stream, strength much better than before, and enabl ning along, the bank. ~ When he arose he had been carried some | him to work longer than he had done belo Ned could, of course, see his ursuers, and | distance from bis comrades. ; After half an hour's rest. Ned again rene is ould tell just Bes far away they were and| The outlaws had come up with them, and | ed his ascent, determined not to pause agai what progress fhey. were making—whether | were at that moment hauling them into the | until he had accomplished the whole distance they were gainihg,or losing on him, and how | boats. to be gone, bot ‘ fast they went. — Crack! Crack! Crack! The ladder swayed more the higher he got ; “*Qome back here!” shouted Hood, angrily, | The ruffians had fired upon Ned, and a bul- | and at times there Mister ge places to __as he urged his men to renewed efforts. let had hit him in the right shoulder, be passed, where he needed all his wits about To this sutamons, Ned made no reply, ex-| For an instant he was powerless and sank | him; but-he was resolved not to be beaten 7 - eept to bend upon his oars with renewed | beneath the flood. now, and his sturdy nature was only strength. energy. CiaP ; _ Recovering himself by an effort, he pres- | ened by renewed dangers. weeny Ted, however, turned half around, and ap-| ently struck out, and soon arose once more| Up and up he went, now and then glancing plying his thumb te his nose, twirled his fin- | to the surface. - above him and feeling encouraged by seeing: ers in the most exasperating manner at his| Looking around him, he saw that the boats | the summit fast drawing nearer. Wats. mrsuers, ; roe had all disappeared. At last he sees the top bit a few yards” 2 At this a shot came whistling disagreeably | He was alone in the river, battling with the | above him,’and now there is more need thai . _ elose to his head. currents " «| ever of retaining his presence of mind. j Rabat You had better let me steer,” said Cora,| He tried to switn against it so as to catch} Nervin himself, however, for the last ef _ quietly, ‘I understand ib sufficiently.” a ebmne of the boats, but the -effort ex- t “But you will be exposed to greater dan- | hausted him and once more he sank. ( va 4 gery returned Ned, ead “You had| ‘There was no place to land,.the steep cliffs i eon ee | then fell ; etter come and sit behind mein the bow.” | affording no male lace, and yet, if he did he sparse, dry grass, “On. the coutrary, the stern is a safest | not soon find some ledge upon which to crawl __ place for me to sit,” he would be drowned toacertainty. | givin ed! Where them SEEN DY BO 17 )< ellie Pes He felt too weak to ssvim, and’he did not | chief did that young feller come from? Blo __ * Because they do not want to injure me, | dare to-trust to the current ¢arrying him out | ed if he mustn't ha’ clumb the ladder all alone ‘being resolved on my capttire;and they will | of the gorge. } ghee tom by hiss ; hab. fet him yer? nob fire if there is any danger of hitting me.” He was .suddenly carried Oyer close to the | Cov , rr “cause no man ain't ¢ oe ae opeeech a quiet smile, she beekonéd Ted | left of the bank, almost against the cliff, and to give her the rope, and took her place in the | he quickly looked up to see if théfe was any stern, the boy sitting in front of her, Ned | place where he could make a landing. : ‘pulling away faster than ever. TA No; the rocks arose sheer from. the water to The outlaws were evidently not preparéd | an enormous height without a break, for this Move, and they set up a howl of rage} Suddenly, however, he discovered a means when they saw what had been accomplished. | of salvation. = ; _ They had particular reasons for not wishing | There was a sort of crevice in the face of to hurt the young lady, though they did not | the cliff, about two feet wide and three in| tle bark cabin some five minutes after our are whether the others were killed.or not. _ | depth, extending as high as he could see. __ | hero had come over the top of the cliff, wt This move prevented them from firing, and n this natural niche hung a ladder com-| ° ‘The man was dressed ina suit of buckskin, — they would therefore be obliged to rely en-| posed of creepers twisted together, with | rendered almost black by dirt, grease, bloo ' tirely on the oars. |, ; rounds of bark and lithe) branches inter-| and other thingstoo numerous. to tell about; ‘Ned's boat, being more lightly loaded than | twined. ri! 2 / his head surmounted by a battered felt hat, the others, would naturally have gone faster] Ned’s foot caught in one of the rounds of} and his nether limbs provided with ite i : iy” h Ay shan the others, but, as there were tworowers | this singular ladder, which hung down con- | cowhide boots, the soles of. which were: in eachtof the othprs, each haying two oars | siderably below the surface. an inch and ahalf thick and nearly nine inchy ~ 1@ respective speed of pursuers and} ‘Throwing up his left hand, he clutched one|es in width, thetength of th b rs ; lof the rounds just above his-head, and held | something terrible to see. ; arehets ” yemarked Ted, | on desperately. ; , ¢ He carried aheavy stick in his hand, arm- ” | ‘The ladder stretched and creaked, and some | ed at the end with a steel point, the head be of the lower strands began to give way, ing knotted and eles and as big as a | With a desperate effort the poor fellow] man’s fist—the whole forming 4 terrible — dragged himself from the water and aseend-| weapon in the hands of ¢ ‘man such as this ed the swaying ladder ‘for about a doze ant looked Po. ed 2 donen Bie piowed 1G aii't all tackaxsiscdel? He rounds. ‘ t aie ea said, as he lifted Ned from t und as The lower part had now fallen away)"ana R though he had been but.a child, ¢ Toorehin | was carried he ly: but where Ned élung it was stronger, and for the moment he to the hut half hidden among the bushes and We dwarfed trees which g i was safe, way back om e OnE: Le) yal : We've ene ; “Not yet; the ri Steer straight along, Cora, for we can go over - the shallow places much better than our fol- ers, ,; Seek hte shove, which Cora at once adopted, onsiderable stretch was gained upon the tlaws, who, when poy again sighted the- rsued party, were greatly chagrined at the ¢ yiver is still the safest place, ; CHAPTER XIV. oats THERE was Ned, clinging toa half-rotten Jadder of vines and bark, which might at any moment give way beneath his weight and let him down into the river, hanging to the face of a perpendicular cliff and making his pe Ost : ‘ up its precipitous sides, where he knew not, | urn in the river brought them to | and yet forced to ascend. row gorge, not more than fifteen feet | ; aR where ae water was unusually strong: Tak yer is. =) : ep saayes |) e was fully a quarter of a mile in lengthy 0 nge of lowe fouthils bordering the river on either side, beyond this point which} At last. ed ticed as he had d up the day he paused : ed to be stron ramp i ; lf against g his | dro: yr coming th. : 4 eee Wn

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, _. “I was escaping from the Men in Greén. My companions were captured, but the out- laws believed me dead, and did not stop to look for me. Luckily I found your ladder and ‘came up, and here I am.” - Ned then briefly related the adventures of _ the last two days, the man listening with great attention and evident interest until the ‘ close. “Wall!” he said, bringing his fist down mapon his other hand, “them durned eusses ', ought fur ter be hustled out’n this yer coun- try durned soon. I mayn’t be overstraight myself, but I'll be durned ef I'm one o' that sort, luggin’ off young women, interferin’ with other folks’ business, an’ shootin’ any one what didn’t think as I did.” * And do you live up heré on the rocks?” .** ¥as; and that. yer ladder is fur my con-, venience, fur it saves mea good ten mile; -yer place being’ so high, ye hey to goa » vSthi yeas way around to git anywheres. + Tve gota boat hid down thar in the rocks, - ~whar ye couldn’t-find it, andI paslonally oes down river, but Lain’t used that yer ladder fur same time now, and I guess it are rayther “weak in spots.” ; ; : At this moment a terrible grow] was heard in the rear of the hut, and Ned looked around rise, an j ie at is that?” he tee Oty. ¢ *On’y one o’ my grizzlies in’ hungr eteaiiy: He arene nue ne ca ae -’em all shut up tight.” : rizzly bears up here?” e “Yas; L are got a whole ranch of ‘em, and T makes lots of money out of ’em}; but don’t «© ye say nothin’,” pet insu ‘ ¥ Hae ' 4 oe ‘CHAPTER XV. ‘ Tur Nuggetville coach, driven by Jeff Fer- © -guson, was proceeding along the mountain sang, a day or so after the disappearance of _Ned Henderson, on its way to the town. * The doings of the Men in Green had of late rather exceeded in lawlessness rag oe that had preceded them, and no one knew when the coach might be stopped by these maraud- ers, its contents plundered mie its occupants . . robbed, and perhaps LOTSA ey eigu feck Gyaee SG pped. and perhen ConEePa le distance to he traveled before reaching Nuggetville, and - the chances, were that.it would be quite dark » before this was accomplished, a circumstance that was nov at all calculated to put Jeff We aH the most pleasant state of mind imagin- able.» é ~~. “Get up, there, ye beast!” he cried, taking » one of the jeaders acrack on the ear with his long whip, and making him start up at a lively rate, “‘ We ain’t got all night to fool, - .- so stir yer lazy pegs, _ They had just ascended a gentle slope, and -. noyy began to descend on the other side. “It grew darker and darker, there being ay signs of an Papeenclias storm, the clouds gathering thickly overhead, ‘and the -,,. distant rumbling of the thunder being any- ~ thing but pleasant,to hear. E ... Jeff whipped u his horses, tugged away at _. the reins, braced his feet against the iron uard-rail, and held his team wellin hand, or.an upset was not to be thought of just then, and this part of the road was not the “safest, by any means. Sis 2 ... Suddenly the shrill blast of a bugle was » heard rin; diag out upon the air, and echoing in and again through the pass. Jpon the instant a score of mounted men, dashed out from behind the rocks on either side, and from in front, anasdtew, up in a solid line right across the path. = ». ‘*Cuss the luck!” muttered Jeff. “I w ~sartin suthin’ like this yer was goin’ to hap- eqpen.”” ; tdi ons Coir ec etd ~~ There was no choice but to obey the com- mand so sternly given, _ H aes In fact, two of the new-comers had already _, seized» the heads of the leaders and forced * th m back almost upon their haunches. ; ~~)" “Who says so?” demanded Jeff, pulling out a revolver, ti “ The Men in Green !” . _ ' “Ctss the Men in Green! make some ¢ “Ouss the Men in Green! I'll mak -on ye Men in Red, durned if I don’t.” ; __ Jeff fired two shots hastily, bringing down one of the outlaws and badly wounding a kly threw himself from his hat ie this it would be there, tee =: SE 5) wineg.be gute ty use I are got’ . + road ata fair rate of speed one cloudy even- | h =. e THE MEN IN. GREEN. A shower of bullets flew over the spot where he had been only a moment before, but fortunately for him, none of them took effect. Then, while some of the outlaws cut the traces and sent the horses galloping down the road, others, as though by preconcert, made a rush for the coach Aodie on both sides and threw them open. A dozen gleaming revolvers stared the frightened. passengers in the face, and all seemed to have been suddenly struck by par- alysis, ‘Fork, over your dust, quick !” cried one, who seemed to be\the leader. “‘ and make no fuss about it, or we'll shoot.” The straps confining the baggage had been suddenly cut, and trunks, boxes and trayel- ing-bags came to the ground with ‘many a bounce-and ‘crash. Half a dozen of the robbers thrust their hands quickly into the inside of the coach and helpéd themselves to watches, jewelry and fat pocketbooks in a twitikling. Others had leaped upon the coach top and seized upon the few passengers who had not dismounted, hastily relieving them of their valuables; and then tumbling them to the ground without ceremony. F Meanwhile the b gage had been broken up, and many valuable packages had been rifled, such articles as were of no particular use to the outlaws being scattered over the rocks in the most: reckless manner. Jeff was mad, and as he dashed away in the gloom, emptied his revolyers at the bandits, more than one shot telling fatally. Several volleys flew after him, but a turn inthe path saved him, and the bullets were flattened against the rocks. ? “Let him go,” said Hood, who was the most active man of the whole party. “He can dous no harm now, and some day we will avenge the deaths of our comrades upon im. Some of the inside passengers had now be- gun to make a show of resistance. - They were quickly dragged out of the coach disarmed, and placed against the rocks, guarded by two well-armed robbers, The saddles of the Men in Green were load- ed with goods stolen from the coach, Goid watches ticked away in the pockets of many of them, the géld_ chains ornamenting. the fronts of their green buckskin hunting- shirts, | while Some wore big gold vings-and heavy | seals taken from the luckless passengers, The greater nuniber of the band carried dark lanterns, the gloom being now most in- tense, and by the’light which these afforded caxried on their nefarious work. Evérything’ was done with the utmost ex- al every movement seeming to have een planned beforehand and given to some particular man or set of men. The whole thing, therefore, was done with the regularity of clock-work, and in the quickest possible manner, ; In fifteen minutes after the first blast of Robin Hood's bugle had been heard, the whole affair had been comsummated. Then, leaving the plundered coach over- turned in the road, with the passengers se- curely bound to the wheels or shafts, the robbers rode away in the direction from which they had first appeared. : One shrill blast of the bugle rang out, and then the only sound to be heard was_ the tramp of the steel-shod hoofs of the robbers’ steeds as they rdde away into the storm and the night, The ‘tempest had now broken with full force, and the rain descending in torrents, the thunder rolling in deafening peals, and the lightning flashing in blinding ehe - The luckless, passengers, drenchét skin, shivering and shaking with the cold, stood bound to the coach, unable to free themselves, none of them being placed. near enough to each other to be of any assistance, ain’t sure that I'd want to try it.” to their companions in misery. At last, after.a half hour of most anxious waiting, a footstep was heard coming along the flinty road. . Then a voice cried out: i" *‘Hallo, there! Haven’t'you got away yet?” ** We can’t,” said one; “* weare bound.”* . The new-comer approached, and/proved to be the driver, and there was not a man there who was sorry that he had not escaped. Nobody blamed him, for they had all how courageously he had behaved, and not ‘one of them imputed any treachery to him, ven had they not known €hat he was ac- yas wg % ol thie, eG Y bite ae BG ta sions et Wha | counted one of.the squarest men in all Cali- ornia, : Jeff quickly released them from their un: pleasant predicament; and then all hands, wet and‘shivering, and utterly miserable, made their way towards Nuggetyille, which they reached about midnight, the whole town. being in a state of alarm as to what had be- come of the coach. 3 3 ©‘*Who did it?” asked Sam White, when Jeff had piven the dry details.of the affair, “The Men in Green ; and though [hate like Sam Hill to say. it, they were led on by our poor young lady’s brother—Tom Ainsley.” CHAPTER XVI. We left Ned with the strange creature he had met at the top of the cliff at the moment that the latter had announced to the young man that he kept a ranch of grizzly bears. « __ “A ranch of grizzlies!’ said Ned, in as- tonishment, ‘“Whatdo you mean? Do you keep grizzly bears chained up in this hut¢” “Wall, no, not edzackly in the hut, but in a pen down back yer a bit. I’ve got some jest about ready fur the market.” “For the market! Do you sell to men- ageries ?” ‘What's them?” { ** Animal shows, cireuses, exhibitions, ‘Oh, you mean to the shows? Wall, yes, Ido sell afew that way, but the feller-what buys ’em says there too risky. Ye kean’t tame a grizzly no more’n ye - tame a wolf, and there’s too much risk +I having ‘em toted round the country. they eats a pile, and any bear painted and fixed Be 1 aly among the folks in the seed one.” ; “Then where is your mi Don't ye know that twenty-five dollars fur eve! skin What ye fetch the gov’ Yes. : “Wail, it ain’tallers so easy to. critters when they’re runnin’ but it is when you've reared ‘em front *dubs, and ‘has ‘em penned up, and kin kill’ gfrom, behind a high stockade fence.” shes, “Ah! you raise your grizzlies forthe mar- ket, then—kill them when they're big enough, and sell their skins. for twenty-five dollars apiece ! , eho A That's: about the hatt-of ib Nota bad idee, is it? I used ter do that some years ago. in Minnesoty, when they was a reward on~ wolves’ scalps, and Thed one o’ the bigges wolf ranches in the State; but it got to be so” common that the price dropped, and I cl’ared out and came West.” lecaeedts Mees “But suppose your grizzlies should get — away? Wouldn't they be likely to play the — deuce and all in the settlements? Theyain’’ _ oor ‘Sides that kind o” ordinary 1 pass for a griz- cities . what never fo t grizzlies?” Sa bounty 0” izzly b'ar- a <ill the old 4 ant / putty fellers to have hangin’ around,’ Wes “No, they ain't, fur a fack, bub I don’t — calc’late to leave ‘em get away, and soon as they gets: dangerous, I kills ’em and puts _ away their skins till I has enough to take to market. ‘ p “Hm! it’s a queer kind o’ trade.” * - Them fellers ye hears roarin’ out thar. wants ter be killed this evenin’,and Ili git — ye to astomaide, it. Ye wouldn't mind it,I s’pose?” — “GS Set ; as, “No, although Inever shot at a b’arbehind , afence. I allus faced’em and took all the’ — risks they was.” : a ge 5s “Wall, I've three or four big, snarlin’ fel- lers in thar, and if ve like, ye kin step inside ‘and hev a bout with ’em, if ‘ye like that sort of fun; but as for me, I'd a heap sight rather — stay outside and plug’em,” ~~ eam sn hae nats ‘but, -[ would, too. never invi Beata 7 pein a he generally axed me first, and when there was no gettin’ outer it. I” don’t know as I eyer walked up to one and asked him if he didn’t want to be shot, and 1! — “Wall, thar! Inever asked ye if ye war) | hungty, and I s’pect ye must be, arter climb- | in’ up that yer ladder o' mine. It’s alongish | — bit up to the top, ain’bit?? =. toed Ee nd Thereupon this singular character threw anold blanket that draped one end of the room, and disclosed a smailer one behind where there was a rude table, upon which yan | were laid some rough earthen dishes, such as are used by theIndiansy . | cu¥@, Stools had been placed by the table, ‘and Bae Or ees o Ned to take one while he uncovered the dishes, thereby a lowing a savory odor toescape,

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19 : Eee THE MEN IN GREEN. > Bguare, . witha rush and a roar, and he gave himself -) up for lost. . \ - and fired, _ the stockade. as the stockade, the two bears now closing in ~ to run into ie * under his arm. ~ ] side, “and I'll see what [kin do.” report of a rifle was heard, Bart raised a warning ery. and started to de- Pe he ee ee ee 4 Ned needed no second invitation, for hisap-} It was none too soon. | nex of mine in Minnesoty, and I ruij ned v petite was keen after his hard work, and} One huge beast fell ¢ead at his feet and the | across a man what said he'd put a hes while he did not'eat as much as his host, per-| other paused for an instant, as if undecided | through a brother of his’n down in Missouri haps, he consumed twice as much as he ordi- } what to do. . ; *sides stealin’ horses, robbin’ banks, and ° narily did'and witha keener relish. ~: His indecision saved Ned's life, and cost | like jobs.” * That’s ae observed Bart, ‘‘ [like to | him his own, ‘““And what was he called then?’ £ see ye eat. The man what I eats with is my -| “Then? Well, he was called Wild Tom friend, an’ won’t never g0 back on*me, nor CHAPTER XVII. ; then; but afore that——” f willlon him. If I hadn’t ati ye war| WuHeEn the bears rushed for the stockade, “Well, before that he was called ?” the right sort, I wouldn't hev sot down to the | Bart, knowing their- strength and ferocity,| ‘‘Suthin’ else.” ‘same board wid’ye. That’s my religion, wot | had quickly made his way to the ladder. there is of it, Them Idon’t like, [don’t want} Looking back, he saw that Ned had not fol- A “Wild Tom!” thought Ned. “ Ains name is Tom. Can it that he—no, nél~ nothin’ todo with.” 3 lowed. cannot believe it.” ; Ned made no reply to him, and presently | He was about to calltohim, when heheard| ‘“S'pose ye tell me all ye know about t Bart continued : the sound of the shock caused by the ani-} yer Men in Green,” said Bart, after a pa “‘ Mebbe I.ain’t reg'lar square out and out, | mals throwing themselves against the fence. | ‘‘it mought be that ye kin give me an id as some folks regard it, but I never go to} Then hesaw Ned suddenly fall inside the} Ned then related all he knew of the Stealin’ women or takin’ other fellers’ hosses, | stockade. laws, from his first meeting with Scarlé orrunnin’.off with gold dust. The gov’ment| A moment later he heard his cry of terror | Sam) White’s place, his capture, his adv wants ieee skins, and if I give ‘em to ’em, | as he realized his frightful ition. ure in the boat, his rescue, his subsequen whose business is it where I gets ’em? Any-| ‘Good Gosh!” he muttered; “ the boy’ll be i how, gee keep mum ’bout what ye see up | killed—chawed up by them b’ars!” here He had dischar, one barrel of his gun, “To be sure. #1 know you’re down. on the | but to reload it again was but the work of a outlaws, and that’s enough.” minute, * You bet lam. I know this yer Hood, as| There was a lvop-hole close at hand, and he calls hisself, but that warn’t allus the|through this he thrust the barrel of his name he bad.” weapon. “What is it?” asked Ned, eagerly, wonder-| Calling to the young man to remain quiet, a : of seeing Bart. . ~ “Did ye ever suspect who fired” tha shot what cut the rope when ye was in boat ?” **T could not account for it!” “Ye don’t think that Hood or any of. His, men done it?” . - : ing whether his suspicions were correct after | he fired: “No; it seemed to come from the o BP all. : The result has already been made known. | side of the river.” i Wall, I don’t want to say what it wur,| ‘The second bear had paused for an instant, | “And when ye found yerself on the bank but itll come out some day or nuther. Wall, | and this gave the man time to aim. below the falls, it were Hood what lifted. He glanced along the barrel, took careful | up. aim at the creature’s heart and pulledthe| ‘‘So I thought, and I fainted.” trigger. “Did ye never suppose that ye might en the smoke had cleared away he saw, | been wrong ?” by the rapidly waning light, that the.bear| ‘‘No; it was his face, and no other.” had fallen. “And ye never knowed who cut the Then quickly opening the gate a short dis- } that time?” f ; tance he hurriedly called to Ned to come out.| .‘‘Ib is a mystery to me. Some.one, drink, but Bart did enough of both for two| ‘The latter was not slow in accepting the | dently, who wished to save my life.” j meh, meanwhile keeping up a br apd dis- | invitation. ° x}. “Then wasn't it him what lifted ye up course upon things in general in his char He hurried out of the gate, which Bart then | o’ the water?” tetistic style, which greatly amused Ned. closed and barred, } “No; it was Hood himself.” After an hour or so it began to grow dark,| Ned grasped the rough fellow’s huge hand, “ Ye’re sure of it?” and then Bart led the way to the rear of his | and shaking it hastily, said : : ' “Yes,” cabin, where there was a strong, high stock-| ‘‘ You have saved my life. HowcanI thank} ‘Then I ecan'p help ye none, ‘can ade built, melosing a space some fifteen feet | you?” thought maybe I/might ha’ knowed who “Wall, if ye can’t, doh’t, that’s all,” re- | were that tried to Save ye, but I don’t, Le turned the other. ‘I like ye, and I couldn’t| go in and have grub.” stand havin’ ye chawed up by them b’ars,and| Bart would*say no more about Hood, so Il cleaned ’em out, Weill have more bars’ matter in what.way Ned tried. to questi meat fur the winter now, and thur's seventy- | him, and ab last the young man gave up o! five dollars’ wuth o’ ‘Skins inside that yer] effort, ; stockade.” i 3 Lhe bearkeeper promised that in two da The two went back to the cabin, it being | more he would go down to the river, aul now quite dark, and as the evenings were | with this Ned was forged to be content, ; cool Bart lit.a fire in the hut and he and Ned}. Two days after this, Bart, having made sat talking for an hour or more. a bundle of skins, fastened the stockade &§ At length Ned became drowsy and fell} curely, shut the young bears intopens, clo asleep before he knew. it, and Bart, lifting ; up his cabin, and started for the settlem him in his strong arms; laid him on a pile of | He told Ned that he was going to sell} bear skins and left him sleeping, “I skins to Sam White, the latter acting as hi When Ned went out the next morning he | agent in the matter, and this made Ned we found bear-skins tacked to the stockade, Bart | der if ‘he did not know more about Nugs having already begart to give themthe rough | ville and its affairs than he had been w li tanning, ; to confess. REE - Two more bears were killed that day,and| Before descending the ladder, Bart Bart said he caleulated-to go down soon to| duced a strong rope, made of bear sindy dispose of what skins he had on hand. closely twisted together, and as stron Ned chafed at the delay; but he was still | steel, one end of which he made fast aro’ weak and feverish from the excitement|a rock above, lowering the other over through which he had gone, and Bart declar- | cliff, after having first tened his bundl@ 6 ed that it was not safe for him to leave for | skins to it. i ; tien some days yet. As Ned descended, he had this rope fi Ned declared that he must, that Cora,wa"| sist him, Bart going first, and using anot still in the hands of the,Men in Green, and | of the same kind. be aia 7 that he knew not what déadful things might| While Ned had taken nearly two hours) happen to her if'she remained a prisoner, ascend, the. was made in less th: * ‘You said you knew this man Hood!” said | quarter of that time, as be the gre A ery of horror arose to his lips, 5 Ned, suddenly. “ Whois he?” . ; part of the way Ned merely slid down, He was entirely unarmed, and right before |. ‘‘ Oh, he’s a nateral born cuss what I once pranged by ro ; him was a huge grizzly, ready to eat him up. knowed.” \ gloves, which Bart had lent him, and whieh | He sprang to his feeb and retreated as far| “Ts he Tom Ainsley or not?” ~ : ss acted as clamps upon the rope when he lig ‘“ Ainsley? Well, he moight. have took’ too fast. Agee Sh re ae RoR that name, but I never knowed it if he did”) Having reached the bo m, Bart fish ‘Did you ever know Ainsley ?” | boat out from under a shelving ledge of §) ‘Can't say I did,” cliff, where no one would have supposed i ‘Then you never heard about his being ac- | be, and after baling it out, the skins w cnsed of having killed Jim Wyckoff, down at | thrown in, Ned took his seat, Bart produg Nugegetville?” the oars, and away they,went down the ri *Can'p say as ever I did.” ‘ They shot the ialls in_ safety, and at «Under What name did you know this man | reached Nuggetville; to find that little t ie ood 2” i B: great excitement over the | elt the muzzle of a rifle thrust|, “Under several. Guess hahas as Many as é i j a eat has lives,’ \ - There was a loop-hole in the stockade, and| ‘‘ And he was a criminal] ?” through this the weapon had been pushed. A what?” i “Stand still!” eried a voice on the other} ‘‘ He had eommitted crimes; done some- thing for which the law held him responsi- It was the bear-keeper that had spoken. ble?) : ' ¥ ‘Then, as the bears leaped forward, the'sharp!} “Oh, yes, ye kin bet he did—and not once cr aie WA ‘ uta dozen times. He killed a pard- if ye’ve ate all ye want, I kin mix ye a punch what'll make yer hair curl, and gi’ yer some terbacker if ye don’t mind a corn-cob pipe. It's the sweetest thing ye kin smoke, to my notion, but then ye’ know everybody hasn’t | gt the same taste, as the Chinee said when e married/the nigger wench.” Ned, however, cared neither to smoke nor On one side of this, near a heavy gate, was # ladder leading toa little platform on top, and to this they both ascended. In the space below him Ned saw a number pi grizzly bears, ranging in size’ from cubs to full grown, fierce-looking animals, these latter being particularly savage. ~-** How’d ye like to go down thar?” asked Bart. d i “Thank ye, Yd rather not; it’s safer up ere.” . “ Wall, jist watch un take that there bi feller What's growlin’ at ye,” and Bart raisi a heavy double-barreled gun to his shoulder He took the fierce brute right in the eye, killing it instantly. Ned praised the shot, but at that instant seend. : Two huge grizzlies, angered*at the sound, had suddenly rushed at full speed towards One of th threw his body with terrible force right against it. ; x The timbers shook and creaked as though | they would be forced apart. The result was that Ned was thrown from the little platform, + 7 i He fell upon his back inside the fence, di- rectly in front of one of the bears, rope, his hands bein upon him with savage growls. He stood against the stockade, bravely facing the huge brutes, bub his case seemed well-nigh hopeless. : They advanced upon him, one on each side, Whichever way he turned, it’ would but be Suddenly he return for his own was anything bubass Ted and Cora were still missing, th in Green had, committed new depr land, worse than all, Tom Ainsle y nuthevr, Si : y : Ms bi at } Rag

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recognized as the leader of the outlaws, and snore than one were ready to swear that Cora » » >was fully as much implicated as he was him- Z Fe self, , CHAPTER XVIII. Wuerz were Jed and Cora all this time? : As for the young aie we must leave her Veor the present and follow the fortunes of -.; young Ted Ferguson. - At the time of the disaster to the boat both ) he and the young lady were seized Py the Men in Green, the latter placed in Hood’s ’ boat and Ted in one of the others, command- ‘ed by the man who had called himself Jed ‘Andrews. \ The boat pulled up stream immediately, \ i i i it’ was : Hy f ihe He tice. and the whole fieet i . ve the hidden retreat in the old deserted When they caine in sight of the old mill ‘ed suddenly leaped to his feet, took one of joarsmen a crack alongside the head with er in the stomach Toy ] f -*Phe fellow tumbled over backward, ‘Ted leaped into the water, dove and swam winder the surface for some little distance, Phen he came up for an instant, saw where @ boats were, dove again, and allowed mself to float down stream. ‘B When he arose he had. rounded a, bend in x ‘he river and was out of sight of the boats. » He landed and struck right into the heart ‘the wood, never pausing till he was a good half-mile from the river. _ Here hesat.down and wrung out his wet othes, leaving them in the sun todry partial- ) iybefore resuming them. 5 y ~ ,%%m an hour orso he began to feel hungry, \ and wondered how he should find-anything ' fo#at, having no weapon nor the means of making 2 tire. ; f He turned towards the river-banlk, and had _ one about half the distance when he sud- denly ran right into a ‘nan standing beside e bushes. he Man was dressed in a complete suit of @reen, and the boy had therefore not seenhim wuitil he ran wpon him. © ©" 0h, gosh! if there ain't another !” he mut- _Sered, turning to run, ; a * ‘The man quickly threw ont his hand, and _ Ratehing Pe pa the collar, pulled him back, “Lemme go!” sputtered the boy, kicking » and scratching, and ‘trying to get away. “Hold on, my lad; I’m your friend.” : / Ved tarned and caught sight of the speak- ers face, -_“%i'm! I guess ye are!” he answered, scorn- _ fully; “ye’re Robin Hood, that’s who ye are, _ “Dye s’pose I don’t know ye?” » “Tam not Robin Hood.” ' » Wall, ye’re in green anyhow, and that's eno! eh. eain’t no friend o’ mine, so jes’ oO: P ook again, and perhaps You can tell bet- ho I am.” ji : took a good look, and when the man ae id not attempt to run away. 2 Well?” ro Wall, ye’ve got. the same face hs Tom “Ainsley what used to live in Nuggetville he owhat killed Jim Wyckoff and runn ) axyay to git out capeing Hung, and ye’ve got ceo’ the leader of that. gang in green, nil ye look ast ae an on ’em, too.” bee “You're ri and wrong my See ; i Stole, and I am noe Hood, Taid ill Jim- Wyckoff, but I did go away to en suppose we have something to eat?” ow ye’re shoutin’,” man produced from a bag at Bis side a e of rabbits, all dressed and ready for g, and then, making a, fire of wood, ve out little or no smoke, laid them > hot coals. | ; Nea sat down on a moss-covered rock near | five, the man sitting oppbsite, and then ter said quietly : ps ey w, Teddy Ferguson, you're ‘the friend tan ae 7 I|denly Ainsley THE MEN IN GREEN. of Ned’ Henderson,-and he’s always been mine, sol want you to listen tome. Ihave adopted this suit of green, because I greatly resemble, in form and feature, the leader of these outlaws, Hood, as he is called.” “Then ye're Tom Ainsley, arter all? Hon- est Injin? “ “Yes, but being taken for a Man in Green, I can come and go among them, and learn all their plans, taking care not to be about when my double is present. I dare not re- turn to the settlement until Ican prove my innocence, and so mustremain in the woods.” “Do you know who is the real feller?” “No, butIam determined to tind out, I know this man Hood and suspect him, and therefore, when I learned of these Men in Green, I succeeded in getting among them, gutaining a suit, and learning many of their secrets. these parts, heard of her being carried away, but have not been able torescue her yet, but shall do'so before long. Where is Ned?” “Don’t ye know ?” ‘* Nof; but I suspect that you and he unsuccessful in rescuing my sister.” Ted then told him the whole story. “Then she is main, a captive. To-night we will go to the old mill and rescue her, “D'ye know aboutit?” . “Yes, and I iy that, hidden away in the secret caves underit, are many boxes of gold and other valuables stolen from the miners.” “Gosh! _S’pose we could get ’em ?” Someday we will.” — ’ ** But why in time don’t 19.0 to the settle- ment and tell what ye know?” “ And be hanged for acrime I never com- mitted? Who would believe me? Men have seen Robin. Hood, and they will swear that Iam he, Even Ned believes it.” ** Ye don’t say!” \ TI saved his life pr oning the rope when he was in danger of being hanged, and after- wards, when I picked him out of the water, he thought J was the outlaw and fainted. 1 was obliged to leave him, and the real outlaw found him; but again I helped him; and shot one of the scoundrels; but for all that he be- lieves_ me to be Hood himself.” “Was you in the mill last night?” “ Notin sight, though I was there and saw Ned’s,eseape from death. I was too-late to save him myself, but Providence did that.” » “Wall, I reckon it's. all squar’, but I’d like ter see t’other feller, and be sure that you ain’t him,” - : “T will show him to you to-night. Now pitch in and enjoy yourself.” Ted did as he was told, and made a hearty meal, his appetite being rathe? sharper than usual, his companion being obliged to cook more aes before his hunger was ap- peased. , ; “What yer going to do next?" asked Ted, washing down his meal with a pint of fresh, cold spring water. “Go to the old mill, but we can’t do that until to-night.” } “Then maybe we'd better ’éause when it’s.dark it'll be through this yer wood.” “TI know ‘the way wellenough, and it’s safer here.” , “Oh, bother! it’s safe enough any wheres, I hg so long as that chap Hood don’t see ye well, we will push 6n_ if you had rather. “ Very The two set out, therefore, and, an hour or so before sunset, reached the spot where Ned and the boy had encamped upon a previous occasion, not far from the’old mill. _, When it began to grow dark, Ainsley deft fed to go to a reconnoitering expedition, promising to return shortly. . Led waited about ten minutes, when sud- _ Ai errosee with three of the Men in Green at, his side. : Hello! here’s our man!” one of themeried, get kee Was pounced upon and made a pris- “T say, let gol” he eried, kicking and squirming, “Are ye goin’ back on a fellow li “aie Tom?” *“Pve got you fast, my young cocksparrow. and don't mean to let you. 0,” said the other. “Petch him to the cave, favs and we'll see if he again gets away from Robin Hood or the Men inGreen. Not alive, I'll bet.” ‘Confound it’ all!” muttered the boy to himself, as he sat in a small, dark room un- der the mill \ were , et nearer to it, ard traveling “I discovered that my.sister Cora was in | Dick any. where his captors had thrown | 13° him ;' “Tom Ainsley and Robin Hood is one feller all the time, and I’ve been a durned fool to trust him!” CHAPTER XIX.j Ir was publication day in the office of the Weekly Nugget and Miners’ Gazette, the lit- tle newspaper published in our mining town, and things were pretty lively. The Nugget was a poanaaee affair—size of pages, 8xl2—was set up by the editor, his son, and one man,-printed on a hand-press by the man, distributed by the son—cash in advance—and had a slashing circulation, par- ticularly when there was anything lively go- on in town. in ack Quoins had been a printer in the East, fairly well-to-do, but, having imbibed the gold fever in common with so many others, had started for California with hisson >a young fellow of eighteen, to make his fortune. He was wise enough to take a few fonts of type, a hand-press and other necessary ~ materials with him, and reaching Nugget- ville and Ets: the field as yet unoccupied, concluded that he could do better by sticking to his former trade than im taking up the pick and shovel. He hired one small room of Sam White, and got out the first issue of the Nugget, do- composition, printing and selling ali ing 6 himself, the novelty of the thing causing it to be a decided success. After three or four issues he was able to take a bigger office, and, running across a tramp printer named Hunter, who had drift- ed out to California and was earning but a scanty living in the mines, engaged him as assistant, a change which Hunter was only too glad to make. The Nugget had now been running some- thing over a year, and was established upon j. good paying basis, Quoins doing a strictly cash business, getting his pay in advance for advertisements and subscriptions, doing all his own work, or nearly so, and having to pay Hunter but little besides his board and odging, The Sigs issue contained the account of the robbery of the,stage coach, the story of Ned Henderson's adventures with the Men in Green, with of the old mill, the river, and Bart’s bear ranch—an old block of & Mexican war map turned upside-down and relettered, this was—besides several columns. of locai notes, _ The demand for this number, it will read- ily be seen, was enormdus, and Hunter could not turn them off the press fast enough, Dick Quoins coming in every ten or fifteen minutes to empty his pockets of coin and ° gold dust, and get.a fresh supply of papers. “ Nothing like it, dad!” he eried the last time he came in; “ the little Nugget is going off like one o'clock, Bet you a dollar you can sell a thousand copies; lots of men are buying two—one'to read and t’other to send away.: ‘ ap a t's the diagrams that do it, Dick.” “Yes, them and the reading matter. If you could print Robin Hood's portrait now you'd doyble the circulation.” 2 nage “Tve got an old woodcut of Gen. : ed hat. do you suppose I could cut in a slove put Ee a beard and make it go?’ * Guess not, dad; you haven’t tim would hardly doto \ét Old Hickory as he is. . Let her slide this time, buf all the papers you can.” ; Off ran Dick with. his armful which he i sOF laa bits ag. eating, so he said, og tance, but finding all the cu: could supply right at hand. | : The two men were still working off & pers ten minutes later, Quoins having meantime sold acouple of dozen toelan customers in the front office, when Dig running in, crying, excitedly : ' “Tsay, pop, stop the press and extra! Great excitement in town of the leader of the Men in Green!” * What!” ‘ “Tm giving it to you straight, dad, You run out and get an interview with him, and: Bugis: and I will set up the first of Hae ny <i i i : “The outhw chief in town, did you say, Dick?" cried the editor, scarcely able yet to credit his senses, att 5 _ “Yes, or what amounts to the same thing, R elon an Capvure ” ‘Tom Ainsley. : is or : : “Great Jupiter! just_ in time. The edition it Pay oe ate j ry, ry ue oF

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14 will go off like the shares of a first-class min- ‘ing company.” “Put on your hat quick, dad, and go to the jai!—Sam White's cellar, you know.” ‘Hunter, take out some of those local notes or advertisements so as tomake room for the -new stuff. Dick, you set up an introduction, , and I'll be in with some copy shortly.” Then grabbing up a bundle of papers, the enterprising editor threw on his hat and coat and bolted out into the street, the tumult ~around Sam White’s tavern having increased _ nearly to a riot, Arrived at the place, he found that Tom ' Ainsley was just being escorted, under a strong ees into the tavern, Ned Hender- gon and Ted holding back the crowd. ~ “He's | himself up!” was the cry, “and he fas a right to @ square trial!” “Wasn't heeaptured?’ asked Quoins, as he sold his papers right and left for as much as’ he could get. "No; he gave himself_up; he swears he’s innercent, andis willin’ to stand a trial.” Having disposed of all his papers at a hand- some profit, Qucins announced in a loud tone that he would shortly issue an extra, contain- ing a full account of the affair, together with an interview with the prisoner, copies of which could be had at the office for one dol- lar each, on account of the enormous expense attending the publication. ped «Ko yar followed the "guard into the R fouse, all others being excluded, and, a few _minutes later, sat with his note-book in his hand, in front of the prisoner, who had been. heavily manacled and handcuffed, ‘ ‘Half an hour Jater he came forth and ran with breathless haste into his offiee. f ~ His sheets had-been carefully numbered, the interview being written out as fast as it had been held, and these sheets were now . divided into three parts, Hunter, Dick and himself each taking a part. _ There was a case for each man; and, lock- _ ing the door, they set. to work at lightning speed, the clicking of the types being the a sound to be heard. : alf an hour later Dick was standing be- hindthe rude counter in the-front office, sell- ‘ing off the copies of the extra\as fast as his father coul supply him. All the intetesting matter of the first issue *had been kept, and in‘addition to thisethere now appeared, under a quarter column of big head-lines, the following, which may be summarized thus: : _ om Ainsley, accused of the murder of Jim Wyckoff, and who, for six months past, has been a fugitive from justice, voluntarily ave himself up this afternoon, and is now * Jodged in the town jail. ‘““He expresses a willingness to stand a . fair trial,.and asserts his entire innocence of the crime of which he is charged, and in an interview with the editor of this lively jour- - nal, denies that he has committed any wrong, and makes many interesting dis- ~ elosures. _ -¢ “His strong resemblance to the outlaw _. chief, Hood, has led to many misunderstiand- _ ings, he says, the villain purposely showing ‘himself in public in order to throw suspicion on ag “His sister Cora, could exonerate him, he says, but, unfortunately, she is still a pris- oner, where, no one knows; the Men in - Green having abandoned their quarters in ~ the old mill,” »- | There was considerable more of this, the interview taking uplthree columns of the first page but that was the substance of it. /, » Hunter “promise: delivery. both full Bs WV) pene extra ten dollars. Dick was fe his files). “That do until next week,” he mused after his work was done that night, “and s was one of the Nuggets great days. ) IN. GREEN. THE MEN CHAPTER XX. Poor Ted was thrown into his dismal dun- Seed firmly believing that Tom Ainsley and bin Hood were one and the same person, That he wronged the former has been already surmised by the reader, but ‘Ted, did not know this, and devoutly bélieved that mee been made the yictim of a miserable trick, i ; “Ouss him! I wish I’d stuck a knife into him!” he growled, as he sat in the ¢old and darkness, nursing his wrath. “Ned's dead and Miss Cora’s took, I’m here whete I can’t get out, and that feller what I trusted is on’y the boss greeney after all. Why the deuce didn’t [shoot him when I had the chance? “Here Lam, nobody knows where, and no- body likely to know, and what's goin’ to hap- pen to us all? If I could get out, I might ° suthin’s but how in time am I goin’ to? However, Ted managed to get a good a good’ breakfast, and then left to amuse himselfas best he might until night, when he was given a hearty supper, and having nothing else to do, went to sleep and never woke up until morning. d ‘His friend, Tom Ainsley, had discovered his capture too late to prevent it, but resolved to rescue him as soon as possible. — There was no chance to do it that night however, as the old mill was guarded, an Hood remained with his men. the course of the afternoon managed to get inside, but had no opportunity to see the boy. He succeeded, however, in taking ‘out sev- eral bags of gold dust, and these he hid ina hollow tree near the spot where Ned and Ted had encamped. At night Hood was in the mill again and Tom dared not enter, although he was most anxious to know what had become of Cora. Two days passed, but at last, one night, the Men in Green went away, leaving only a few to guard the mil, their object being to rob the Nuggetville coach. This was Ainsley’s opportunity, and he im- proved it forthwith. / Those that chanced to see him thought that it was Hood returned for something or other, and thought nothing of it. i : He found the place where Ted was confined and let him out, “Don’t say a word,” he whispered. “It is I—Tom—noé the otttlaw. 1 saw them take youaway, but could not aid you.” —~ Ted at tirst refused to leave; but Tom as- sured him thathe meantno treachery, but that he was a friend. RAE Tee ; One of the Men in Green overheard this, and rushed into the cell, bApage vengeance. cates promptly knocked h op senseless, and ‘Ted bound him han@ and a a The man soon recovered, and wag about to shout for help, when Ainsley clapped a pistol to his head and hissed: > “One sound and you are a dead man ! Tell me where the lady is concealed.” ; “T don’t know, Are you not our leader?” “No, lam not, Lam Tom Ainsley, as you well know. Where is the lady?” ¢ “Concealed somewhere in the mill. Cap- tain Robin Hood swears that he will make her his wife,” e “J will kill him first! Tell me, do you know this man’s real name?” “T know him only as Robin Hood.” ‘And where is this place where he has hid} den the lady ?” , } **T don’t know.” iy 2s Ainsley ressed the muzzle of his pistol to the man’s head. ‘No lies!” he hissed. ‘Tellme, or I fire.” “On my life, I don’t know!” cried the man, in terrified accents. ‘ Hood alone knows the secret cells.” “Do you swear that you are ignorant?” “‘-Yes—yes; I know no more than you.” “Ts it under or in the mill itself?” , “1. know not. Upon my honor I don’t.” ~ “You seem to be of a better sort than most of these outlaws, and I bélieve you. Ho cane you to join them?” : . “Hood had me in his power. I forged a me fo go with him and join his band.” “You have heard him telLof Ainsley?” . “Yes, often; and he sworé to ruin him.” “He did? And yet I don’t, know the vil- night’s rest, and in the morning he was given'| The next day Ainsley hung around, and in. note in the Hast; he knew it, and compelled * “This feller’ll yell like blazes the minute we are out,” i “T must gag you, my friend,” said’Tom,.- ~ “ And maybe it will be better, anyhow, as you - may be suspected of having assisted us to es- cape.” : The fellow was then gagged, Tom locking ~ the door behind him, and making his way ‘to the outside, Pe It was not necessary to pass around the _”. falls to get out, as they could make their way ¢ into the mill py a secret door, and thence ~ reach the outside, 2 Fgh Ted had provided himself with the weapons. ~~ of the pischerend he and Ainsley now left the miil cautiously by the lower entrance, ge As they were about to pass along the bank, Ainsley caught his comrade by the hand, — ‘There were voices in the upper part of the» mill, and both paused to listen. — ** Cora!” whispered Ainsley... Ries ‘‘ Perhaps we can get her: away,” returned. ~~ ed. : tiie Both instinctively then bent their'steps to- ward the upper part of the old® mill. m Reaching the door leading to the interior, ~~ Ainsley looked in cautiously. x . Cora was standing gazing out upon the . water, no one else being evidently near. ~. «, { * Ainsley advanced with great agitation, ~ ., “ Cora, dol find you again after so long an |. absence ?” : 1: eats berger: “ec Tom!” : } ak o: Bes ‘ She knew his voice and recognized him de-. spite his costume—despite his resemblance'to: ~ the outlaw. ‘ ier the greatest deli Hi Teh eo As the two met with a loving embrace, a third party suddenly appeared. ~ Aad This was one of the Men in Green who had © been detailed to watch the fair prisoner 2”. while she enjoyed the night air. “Pears to me suthin’s wrong!” he cried, rushing forward, , tae “Ah! the guard! I had Roppoties itm!” %5 cried Cora. “Fly, nad brother, fly, before the)’ outlaws surprise you!’ oes “T do not care for asingle man!” critd Toni. .) rushing upon his opponent. RSE Ps The fellow had drawn his bugle from his \ belt, and a, shrill blast. now. awakened’ the | Tom ap tan him, and with one vlaw nt him flying out. of the. window into the’. ter, ‘ ; MA es Just outside there was a boat moored, eh = tne half ado the spo’ The Ainsley started to doso, when one of the outlaws followed. RE la 9 pal be ete Right on the brink the two men clinched, each trying to throw the other off. = = Crack! j pte! Was Tod had found his path blocked by. the Me ed Lad foun s path blocke -the Mem =~ in Green, and on the instant he had fired, _ Although his shots told, the odds pvere ~~ against him, and be was separated from the young lady and obliged to fly. Ph se, Meanwhile, the struggle on the dam was. ‘oing on, both men exerting themselves to — the utmost. ; geese hae fal water splashed and dashed about them, i "tibia throwing their forms into bold. relief, nt ane a NS eee Sy, The*outlaws dared not fire, not knowing which was friend or foe. Peas ote Ted had seeured the boat, and was now. paddling wmpidly across the river, just above — hedam, .— FORME” Se . A shower of bullets flew about passing through hile hehe: shes aes - Suddenly one of the Stelle Lista ech sebnes ; the other.by the throat, bends him farover — thé precipice, and frees himself from the .(. other's grasp. ‘ ste pe, Tae Then, with a quick movement of) thé foot, — he knocks the ane deere ‘underhim, n instant hurls him over the brink, . \ hone has fallen? 0 yen, Ve * The boat— Z him, several law} lain, though I suspect much. Well—well,| ‘Then ithis ther who as gon ov _ | the ‘time will come when all will be mad lies ee, ae eee , bright. Come, Ted, wemusb leave hen d shoves the boat close as he d ar pai £ Pa = hie The 5 pi fe hee oe et

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THE MEN IN GREEN. 15 * = 7 pir sley ‘springs in, and the two paddle out 4 the stream, away from the dangerous sin the face of GHAPTER XXI. Down the bank with you, quick!” cries msley, leaping ashore and pulling Ted after the boat being left to drift whither it will. ©" What’sithe hurry? They can’t catch us.” “There is another boat at the foot of the wank on this side, and we must get it before hey stop us.” am he two make all speed down the incline, ¥ presently reaching the level, Ainsley Pulls a boat out from under the bushes. He and Ted spring in, and seizing an oar ors ull down stream, : he Outlaw? are aroused, and now they can Seen running along both banks, waving orches and shouting to one another. "Above all the din sounds the blast of a bugle. ‘Then many shots are fired, which ‘ Amsley returns with fatal effect. i “They won't follow us in the boats,” he “wnutters, “and we can soon distance them.” ~~ Suddenly, however, Ted utters a ery of im arm, J say, this yer boat has gota big hole in " “the bottom, and the water is coming in like : m. Hill!” » ~~ Can't you bail?” : f _ \ «No; there ain't nothing to bail with, and ‘coming in too fast. ae " “Then run her on shore, quick,” “The boat was out of repair, as Ainsley y6w, but in his haste he had forgotten it, and now it was too late to remedy the evil, A hasty glance ‘assured him that the oat eonld eakent swimming but a few minutes, - Abe hese minutes, then, must be used to the s 17 " Ted.” toward a small, sandy beach, ing waters have left, facing nstead of turning his back on it, as is in rowing. is backing water, so as to make the :, it being necessary, under the cireum- ces, that, he should see the lands, fhe water is rushing in at the bottom, but 5 bulls vigorously, every stroke telling to '# the createst advantage. ; d Phe boat suddenly grates on the sand and sn ts half way up the bank. ~ | 2 “fed leaps out, and in an instant Ainsle follows, leaving the boat. stranded and half full of water. ; Thien, arcing Ted’s hand, the man plunges » into the thicket, and presently reaches a “abet ] cave, not much more than a hole in the -goek, where he and Ted conceal themselves. The outlaws pass within three feet of them, _ but their retreat is undiscovered, * Héwever, it is just as well-to remain hid for time; and they therefore do not move ni their refuge. . A Mapes passes, and then all is still in the “Phe air has that peculiar feeling which usually pyrene a storm, and Ainsley does ; wish to ht without a shelter, urryin through the woods, they reach ; Sere Open. though wild and desolate spot, floor. ee “here is one dry spot near the window, ana the two companions take refuge. . The pose from pine to time, reveals ee scene Without and lights up the in- _ te¥ior of the wretched hovei with its lurid isley and Ted stand there for some time “ing out, when the man suddenly seizes y's arm and drags him away. be = > ‘starts bac | “Don’t fire A clap of thunder has suddenly sounded, but ages: this Ainsley has heard another sound. The steady tramp of horsemen. “They are coming,” he whispers. He pulls Ted away from the window, and presently a brighter flash than ever illumines the place. He glances quickly out, utters a low cry of surprise and says: ; “Come here, Ted. Look out when the next flash comes, but take care not to be seen.” ~ Ted peers out and sees, indistinctly, the forms of horsemen passing the window, Suddenly a vivid flash comes, and Ted in surprise. * IT told you I would show you Robin Hood, the outlaw.” “ Wall, no wonder 1 thought you was him,” whispered the boy. _ The outlaws were returning from plunder- ing the Nuggetville coach, and at their head rode Hood. His face was plainly seen by the boy, as the electric flash lit it up, and the latter saw how easy it was to mistake him for Ainsley, and vice versa, Ainsley quickly drew Ted into the great chimney place, out of sight of any one that might enter, and said: ** You see, then, hat there are two of us?” “Yes, but I swantif I hadn’t seen ye both together, I couldn't scarcely hev believed it, He ain’t yer brother, is he?’ ‘No; he is my evil genius.” Some time elapsed before the two dared venture from their hiding-place,and_ then Ainsley first reconnoitered and found that the outlaws had gone on. They evidently thought that the hut was ‘too small to contain them all,and so had given up the idea of taking it as a shelter. The rain continued to pour down in torrents and as the inside of the hut was much better than the outside, they concluded to remain here the balance of the night. ' Tom tore away some dry boards around the door, and started_a roaring blaze in the big fire-place, there being no ger now that any one would see it. en he and Ted stretched themselves on the floor, out of the wet, and both .went asleep, never awaking till the sun was weil rup in the heavens, ‘The rain had ceased, and everything was DaeHE and joyous, so, after having partaken of breakfast, with which the woods provided them, the twoset ont for the town. “ Youain’t going all the way, are ye?” ask- ed Ted. } “Hardly, my boy, Theré are too many in Nuggetville who are down upon me, and until I can clear myself of the charges against me, I prefer to keep away from it. Ge I will go with you far enough for you to find your way and then leave you.” They traveled on, over rock and hill, through wood an@ brake, across streams, and along ravines, and at last, paused in a little glade to rest and partake of food, 3 As they sat there, totally unconscious of danger, chatting away merrily, Ainsley sud- denly heard the snapping of a twig, and then the sharp click of a revolver, He sprang for his weapon, which lay beside him, and was about to spring to his feet, when a voice called out: “Make one move and ye’re a gone custom- er! Surrender, you murderin’ cuss!” “Hallo! It’s Ned!” cried Ted, sprin ng ae 3 Ned, it’s all right—we’re both on us friends!’ In another moment:Ned Henderson, Bart Snowdin, and ‘half a dozen others, entered the glade. . ‘‘ Aren’t you Robin Hood?” asked Ned, , No; Tam Tom Ainsley.” ; Shoot him!” cried several. + Bioo! commanded Ned. 1e at least deseryes}a fair trial, and “Tf the man is brig that is what he has never had.” “And Tam willing to stan ley, boldly. “I will go back with you to the town, I am innocent, as I can prove, and only want a fair show.” fi‘ Blowed if pe shan’t have if!” eried Ned and Bart in a breath. ‘So ye shall!” echoed all the rest. That afternoon, then, Ainsley returned to the town, and yoluntarily gave himself up, and thatwas how the Naroh, happened to it,” said Ains- do such a good stroke of business and put sof many dollars into its editor’s pocket. CHAPTER XXII. NUGGETVILLE was in a state of excitement. Tom Aimsley had given himself up, and was now in confinement, He had intimated his readiness to stand a fair trial, and this was now about to thke * place. , There being no place large enough to ac- commodate the crowds in attendance, it was decided to hold court in the audience room of the Opera House, This was a two-story frame building, the large hall being capable of holding three or four hundred people on a pinch. On the stage, the curtain being drawn up, were two ;long tables and a big arm-chair placed upon a raised platform for the judge, the jury being seated in chairs on. the right, and the prisoners’ box and witness stand be- ing on the left, the unoccupied space on the Sbage piven up to Quoins, who acted as spe- cial reporter for the occasion, the witnesses and.a number of invited guests. The judge was a broken-down lawyer from the East, who had somehow got stranded in the town, and the counsel were Sam White for the prosecution, and Ned Henderson for the defense. Gentleman Dick acted as sheriff, to keep order in the court, and Jeff Ferguson, bein then in town, served as court-crier, calle the*witnesses and kept the jury in order, as many of them were more disposed to argue the value of their respective mining claims or engage in horse trades than to pay atten- tion to the case before them. The place was densely packed, all the win- dows being left open in order to allow a free circulation of air, the day being a warm one, and only an occasional breeze coming in through the windows, - The entire depth of the stage was used, the manager having set an interior scene, sup- pore to a ge a me i of justice, painted y the local artist, on coarse cotton, and tacked against the rear wall, the wings being pushed aside to give more room. gs The judge rapped upon the table in front of him with a heavy ruler, and Jeff shouted, in sonorous tones: “ Order in the court!” The most complete silence at once settled over the place, and Gentleman Dick, fault- lessly attired in a full suit of black; a white “boiled” shirt,; especially laundried for the occasion by Hop Wing, and in the spotless bosom of which glittered an immense dia-° mond, shiny boots. on his feet, and with his hair and mustache oiled and perfumed to a degree, arose gracefully, and facing the court, said in hisZsuavest tones: ~ ‘ “Tf it please your Honor, this isa re-trial of the case of The People ot aman gS Ains- ley,yaccused of the murderjof James Vi aes nearly a year 980, or, to be more explicit, on the night of September 18, 1849. Are you ready to hear it His Honor intimated that h was, and then Sam White arose, and stating thaf he repre- sented the called the first witness, eopl the father of Ned Henderson, Witness deposed that he had been goin home on the nigne in question, when he h comé upon Bob Trainor, standing at the door of a little hut, used by miners to store their. . tools ; that Trainer had called him in; that he ~ had seen the dead body of Jim Wigton lying on the floor with a bullet wound in the hep and that Trainor had told him that he had seen Ainsley shoot the deceas¢d, but that - Ainsley had escaped. cave fi wae be Went on, te: pay thee pel his son vera: e. miners: had gong Amaiees aha where they found him \ a ; supper, apparently unconscious of the charge ~ against him; that, he had denied itand had _ held converse with Ned, with whom he had been a favorite, \ ens There had been talk.of lynching him ki witness continued, but he and Ned had coun- ~ seled moderation, and the prisoner had been confined to await his trial, but later on.his pistol, one barrel of ,which had been ‘dis- charged and the bullét found in Wyckoff’s bate fitting it, the crowd became clamorous for his life, attacked the temporary jail, and in the confusion or before, it could not be tol which, the prisoner had escaped, aa Being cross-examined by Ned, the witness admitted that he had not seen the murder committed, but had taken Trainor’s word for it. He had examinedthe body and had seen the bullet taken out, had seen that it fitted ~ Ainsley’s pistol} did not know where the pis- “ ty

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1’ ; ; THE MEN IN GREEN. ao > tol was found or when, but believed that he | all ruffled or disturbed—as cool, gentlemen, |in, told me I had killed Jim Wyckoff, and ~ - had beard it was discovered in the path a few|as though he had not just committed’ an} made a great fuss, ei aaa yards from the but. i awful crime. To look at him then one would} ‘‘I was astonished, as anybody might be, -” Henderson then sat down and Bob Trainor | have said that he was innocent, Jam will-| and maybe was nervous and flushe@ and all’ _ ‘wasnext called, his appearance causing nojlit- | ing to say that, for he did look so. that, and looked like I was guilty. Innocent. ~ ' ¢leexeitement, as he wasknown to havebeen| ‘I charged him with the crime and there men often do under such circumptances. is. ae he principai witness against Ainsley onthe | was talk of lynching him, but Ned said no;|' ‘Ned had always been my friend, and he: former trial. and he and Ainsley talked together, and fin- | was the coolest of the lot, soI took him to Sas When he had been sworn, he turned to the | ally he consented to be locked up to await a| one side‘and we talked it over, and I agreed, | court and said quietly : _ {Square trial. to stand a trial, feeling sure I would get clear, “Your Honor, may I tell the story of this} ‘‘That is all 1 have to say about the mat-| ‘*I had missed my revolver, but hadn't * melancholy affair, just as 1 remember it with-| ter, gentlemen. I have omitted nothing that | thought much aboutit, as ('d never had ocea~ out being questioned, but allowed to go on | I know of, but I’m ready now to answer any | sion to use it, except for shooting coyotes, bub in my own way?’ y questions that the counsel would like to put.” | when I was in the lock-up I thought of it. « “Yes, always remembering that you are| Sam White scratched his head, looked from} ‘I heard about the finding of it, and the under oath,” j Bob to the judge,wnd then to Ainsley, and} the bullet in Jim Wyckoft’s. head fitted i “T shall not forget that, and, had I not finally said: , heard of Bob’s evidence, and saw that L h been called here, should have been reluctant| ‘I don’t want to ask nothing; but maybe} no chance, K ; ' laa ay to say oe cee at all.’ "You can whderstand | you might, Ned.” , ee “Men would talk, in the saloon and in the af my position, gentlemen; I am a suitor for” ‘* No,” answered Ned, calmly, “TY have! street, and I couldn’t but hear them, and the thé hand of Miss Ainsley, the prisoner's sis- | nothing to ask him,” _ | something, and that’s how I’ kept posted. 4. ) Nobody helped me to escape; Idid that all" by myself. , “* Took at it, gentlemen. I had been rather wild and had come West to try and do better, I had never-killed anybod yea the thought that such a crime was to be fastened on me was awful. I had drank and gambled and wasted my chances, but the stain‘ of blood was not on my hands, j (are “Here I was, then, the evidence against _ me, men clamoring for. my life, nearly every / — one against me, the whole crowd pitching in- to one man, What show had I for justice? “Do you wonder that life was sweet tome? — Thad turned my back on my old’ ways, was just beginning to see the good of tying ‘dit, erent, was in a fair way to prosper, Was gen- erally liked in the camp, and had one or two .. fast friends—the most that any. one makes, “*' gentlemen, in this world, when,you come right down to facts, py Ei ese y FS “Now, with all these bright prospects be- ' ¥ fore me, here comes this black, damming ~ cloud of suspicion right across me, and I see ~ ter; she has promised to marry. the man that proves her brother’s’ innocence. What, then, must be the feelings of the one who - must swear this man’s life away ?” NrEp’s answer’ caused no little astonish- | " He was nearl oe down at this point, | ment. Ainsley himself turning his face away tohide| Everybody had expected that he would sub- his emotion ; but by an effort he controlled | ject Bob toa rigorous cross-examination, and himself and contined :. : endeavor to break down the latter's’ testimo- “Gentlemen, all, I am on. my oath, and | ny. : shall tell a straight story. I haven't any-| When he announced, t fore, that he had best She Tom Kota oe and I only said | nothing to say, there aro’ decided hum in what did at the tinte of the murder because | the court, which required the united services I believed him guilty. If he isn’t, I hope it | of the judge, Gentleman Dick, and Jeff Ver- may be proved. If he is, 1am not to be held | guson to quiet. . ¥ y responsible for telling the truth, though God |, The next witness was Dick Quoins, who _kndws I, would like to, see him cleared, | testified to the finding of Ainsley’s pistol, in whether or not, for his sister's sake.” company with his father, the latter corrobor- A murmur arose, which the judge yaa ating his testimony, the weapon having been uicted by rapping on his table, and. then | delivered at once to Sam White, acting sher- ob Trainor went on, more coolly : iff of the town. , “Gentlemen, all, let me remove any false | The pistol itself had been identified as Ains- _ impression that my recent words may haye| ley’s by reason of a small plate on thestock, created. I lmow that I am under oath, and|on which the prisoner's name was engraved, shall tell the truth and give the story of the | more than one person having previously seen | - wurder, as faras I know it, just as I saw it, | and handled it. ; t and as nearly as I can remember it. retaak Testimony was then given by the local) death staring me;in the face+a shameful “ Ttwas on the night of the 18th of Septem- | physician who had probed, for and discovered | death—and I as fonaoentt of murder as a berlast year, at about dusk, that T was going | the bullet in Wyckoft's head, Jeff Ferguson | child, COR ig , iA 7 along the Pai. by the river, when Tom Ains- | then testified to having seen Sam White ex-| ‘I didn’t blame Bob Trainor t] en—I don't “ley, as_I believed, came from behind and | amine the pistol and fit the bullet, which he|now. I knew there svas some h rrible mis-— ~ ibn i ar pen answering to my hail with Eg priser take fiom the body, mto one dake; t know it.surely now, W Tet wis its ~ asurly growl. ofthe chambers, Fei oe efor SEO RA nee eta the angry. Jamor “J willsay that this was not like'Tom, and| ‘This finished the evidence as far as the) for my'lite? Not ens of you Rrould have. be that I was surprised. His face, as I saw it in| murder was concerned, but several more wit-| tened to reason at that ‘time, and you an the dim light, wore an angry look, and he| nesses were examined in order to elicit the i nigger that,broughtme my food also told a4 “CHAPTER XXIII. know it. } ph Sa eae a ~ didn’t seem to care to see nobody, and, though | story of the discovery of the prisoner's escape, |. ‘No; life was too precious to me, arid’ x} a ' T ealled ‘to him pleasantly enough and tried | the subsequent meeting him under the guise eup my mind to escape, to discover tug % to follow him, he muttered Oath, hurried | of Robin Hood, and his final capture, f 1 murderer, and then return and cleartuy- , on, was soon out of sight behind aturn| The prosecution then closed its case forthe - in the path. ; : time, Ned having done very little cross-ques- pelt ie that maybe he hada run of bad | tioning, Sah; Bi . luck,’and I was ready to advise him, but he| Ned then called several witnesses to testif turned away yer ly, pulled his hat down peated Ainsley’s character and disposi- _ over his eyes, and was off like a shot, tion previous to the murder, and by sharp _ “My road Ted the same way, and I follow- questions, throwing outall hearsay evidence, ed, bat be never looked back, and, as I say, I| and making the witnesses confine themselves. pean sight of him, and never saw | to facts strictly within their own ken, show- | ate) lI reached the old tool-house. | ed conclusively that Ainsley had not been of tan easy gait, and as I reach-|a quarrelsome disposition, and had never) ‘been known to have a disagreement with| ‘You were identified at the robb 0, any one, -|stage coach the other night,” 1|. Bob Trainor willingly gave his evidence on| White. == Oa this point, and said, aS he had said before,| ‘Iwas not near the spot, an that he had been greatly surprised at Ains-|guson can tell youso.”- ; ‘ ley’s speaking to fim in the way he had, as|. ‘You've been seen wearing the regutar well as at seeing him engaged ina fight with | outfit of the robbers, and was found with it — | Wyckoff, the two men haying previously | on.” cayenne txt hed SRE been upon amicable, if not closely intimate | — a agopbeal ieVorder to discover the se- terms. { f crets of these villains, and discover, if possi- Ned tlien called upon Ainsley to testify in ble, the real murderer, for He te heart I be- 16. _ his own behalf, and the audience began to|lieve that Hood did it, and then threw. the , gine from | show,a most lively interest in the proceedings. | blame on me, purposely al himself to ‘can have| Ainsley arose, pale but perfectly collected, | be seen that the exiteney Dghe was escorted to the witness stand, wa “Do iow Hood?” ? sworn, and then proceeded asfollowsz | Gti upon. “Gentlemen, 1 have heard the evidence| “ hi 1 ‘against me, and musb say that there appears, to be no malice in it; but that the witnesses, } , and particularly Bob Trainor, have only ae suspicion on yer, th: Leeda stated what they believed to be the truth, “T cannot tell the xeaso: ere is a “Bob Trainor has been deceived, though } tery Apher Lcannot unravel.” -§ 9-5 he is honest enough in his belief. Idid not| ‘Then you can’t ee no light on the mo- “4 4 © your'n? e fine “What makes) ye. think she wanted ta “ meet him thatnight, and I didn’t go near the | tive o’ the murd r hd : th, 3 the old: hut, nor did I see Jim Wyckoff, nor| ‘Nos but, at the same time lever had any fuss with him. , = saree ot ae 4 aa a “T worked ali‘day at the washings in the}. lyin; a river, and went home early. cee one that | that dj knows w! eromny fuss was Woolas? row that | told | I wouldn't have to go by the old hut to get} “ it. 7 - “When I got eras e I wash

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THH MEN IN GREEN. . 17 ———— 7 *Tain’t been asleep,” said oa5, coming for- , and L ain’t going to tell lies, nuther, d if ain’t ‘cause I a = ime hohe Ate Ifl m save the young lady’s brother I'm goin’ “4 it, for Tani believe he killed Jim yekof any more'n I did.” fed took the stand; Ainsley returning to prisoner’s box, and then the judge asked: es this boy understand the nature of an not the.slightest sound broke the oppressive} The jury was formally discharged and left silence. their seats, ener with the crowd, the “* Gentlemen, have you wellconsidered your | judge chatted “amicably with Editor Quoins, ; ick and ‘Ted had a friendly tussle over in one corner, Gentleman Dick growled at Ho Wing for not starching his shirt bosom stiff- er, and the whole aspect of the scene was changed. : : The room was at last deserted, the crowd « shaving gone away, the prisoner returned to his place of confinement, and no one left but the manager of the theater and a few mem- bers of his company. Quoins had gone off to make up his paper. it being publishing day on the morrow; Ned had gone to see Ainsley, Bob to his work Bart to the tavern to fill up on whisky, an the others had separated in many directions, “Well,” said .the manager, ‘“‘I've seen over the room, rested his'elbows on his knees | dramas, some on. ’em red-hot ones, but I never and buried his face in his hands. see anything to beat this seene here to-day.” Ned half started up and then sat down} ‘‘Couldn’t we get upa new play for Satur- again, looking the very picture of despair, | day night,” remarked the heavy man, “and “while a confused murmur arose in court, and | do this business over again? ‘The Miner's many pitying glances were turned to the pris- | Oath; or, Saved from the Gallow! How's oner, ee that? Til play the Man in Green, and will Stile have a big combat in the last scene. Trac verdict?” “We have, and so say we all.” j “Prisoner at the bar, arise, and face the ury.” Ainsley arose, his, face: the color of death, and looked firmly at his-twelve judges. Ned turned away his face and buried his head in his hands. Bob Trainor was as pale as Ainsley him- self, and sat trembling like a leaf. ; “Then, gentlemen of the jury, what is your verdict?” . “GuILty!” f Ainsley uttered a cry like the wail of a lost spirit, and fe!] senseless in the dock, Trainor gave a sob that could be heard all 11 bet I do, old cock,” retorted Ted, ‘*1 yt use any, though, or dad ’ll lick me. I kvow what’ oathsis. Cuss it, and -and gosh, them's oaths.” fo—no, Ted, we don’t mean that,” said ‘smiling. ‘Don’t you know that you ist tell the truth in court? wur Wild Tom, and then it wur Hud-| and close up this matter.” ly occupied by the opposing counsel and pro- “and afterward Jones, and I knoweda| Ned had, in the course of this brief dia- ducing psner and. pencils, “First, there’s te! ' that, said it wur suthin’ else, but I} logue, raised Ainsley inco a chair and re-|the murder, We've got to havea wpman‘in ‘61: it’s Hood, fast enough, when you come | stored him to consciousness, and now, stand-| it; and Dick Quoins will do that for us. He ig F ing by his side and supporting -him, raised | don’t mind earning a handful of dust, and him to his feet. he's Fee 3 : : “Prisoner,” said the judge, “‘you have| ‘That's it—jealousy; that’s the motive— heard the verdict. Have you anything to) two men in love with the same woman; vil- ay why sentence of death should nov be} lain kills his rival; hero identified; put on passed upon you?’ trial for his life ; two other lovers; both swear “T am innocent,” said > rains simply. by prouaanenion innocent ; woman carried off, “The evidence was against me. blame no | gallows ready; woman comes back, lover one for this. “lonty ask for time to prepare | proves other fellow innocent, grand combat myself for death. Won't hurry me off to the }all around, red fire; curtain! How's that for graye) morspared. | & Yough sketeh?! ake re = saat | ils » would weak that a reasonable time} “First class! Putin a comedy woman for be given,” said Ned. “Something may arise | Dunbar, give me the Judge, write in a song which we-do nob foresee; the real culprit may | or two and plenty of fights, and the thing : be taken. Give us a week's time, your will Hd like wildfire.” . : ; + Honor. aes ' : “Let the woman unravel the whole busi-- _ “TI don’t object to that,” said Sam; “ that’s | ness, and marry Ned; the brother is saved, no more’n fair, 4 ‘|the Man in Green is the big villain of the Prisoner at the bar, you have had a just | whole concern, all the mystery is cleared up, ar and inverts trial, the weight of sympathy | and away she goes to crowded houses for the Wye has evidently been on your side, and the en- | rest of the week!” | ek ety tire proceedings have been without malice.| Such were some,of the many suggestions The apidenwy, you admit now, has_ been offered in the framing of the mimie drama against you, and the jury have considered | then under consideration, : : tS: this. Gentlemen, you have not spoken of the} What resemblance did it bear to the real charge of robbery against the prisoner.” drama then being enacted in this far-away “Ib is clear,” said the foreman, “that he | town in the heart of the wilderness? and Hood are different persons. The murder,| The seque] will show. rp however, was done by him.” The day was now far spent, the sun being “Then, prisoner, you are sentenced to be| already lowin the heavens, the sky threaten- hanged by the neck until you are dead, the day of execution being set for this day one week, at ten o'clock in the forenoon ; and may ‘God have mercy on your soul!” ae n a week, I will save him,” said Ned. igh my soul [believe him guiltless of this crime , + cha tebe | “So do I!" cried Trainor, springing to his | and pointin; 1S atsab. “Circumstantial evidence has killed | and said : tee meer } men before this, but if it is possible to save Gentlemen, your duty is plaingf You) this man I? doit, Ned, yourhand!” —— — si ascertain facts, and throw aside syt _The two men, allies and rivals at the same i, likes and dislikes, good intentions, | time, clasped hands and exchanged a warm that sort. of thing, The main ques- | pressure 96 is whether thé priggner did or-did not |The erowd, exéited by this extraordinary |’ frder the eed and if the evidence : , b zm ne seed the Man in Green before this id if there had been two men looking ike—Ainsley and this other feller— "bt we have noticed it? ob i n’t chargin’ this yer jury, and so T re, Tonly want justice, and d he the same if the pris'ner wur my own ‘wer, and that’s all Lare got to say.” he‘ judge then turned to the jury i a ~ pare Si tiaediecsene trom’ guilt, or to place beside him on the scaffold i geratny nse “th ‘scene, raised a tremendous shout, and hats CHAPTER XXV. hows that he did, you must give your ver-| flew up to the ceiling by the dozen, GENTLEMAN Dick LupLow’s gambling es- — a ingly. mee reaped “Silence!” thundered the judge. “ Officers, | tablishment was in full blast, the pine he: ¢ a? onable doubt in your) clear the court!” ing crowded, and the proprietor himself deal- £ or not, he must have) Ned raised his hand and there was instant | ing at the furo-table. ay = it is clear, by the evi- ; : The room was papered ina tawdry fashion, ~ else, resembling the furnishes ie murder, then you - Ly retire, if ood order, and do not 's case by any unseem- |

Page 18

18 THE MEN IN GREEN. | 4 — Bs - - hundred facets, making it appear like a re- =” splendent chandelier. Bina: Be Grotesque figures, formed by the hand of nature alone, stood in niches around this sin- gular apartment, and here and there were ¥) arched entrances, dark and solemn, leading, seeniingly, into the very bowels of the peer 3 It was a most wonderful apartment, and more so from the fact that the hand of man had not fashioned it, but that all was due to’ nature alone, ' : Torches of pitch-pine and other resinous woods, thrust into crevices here and there...» around the cave, brought out all its weird: beauty, and the man must have been callous, | bg indeed, that would not have been awed by2t the majestic sight, Z The fluted coli:mns, the strange figures, the: great chandelier, all shone with all the colors~ of the rainbow, one reflecting the other, umtih +49 the effect. produced was most dazzling. =" are in their beds; but this was a gala night, | denly stopped, and the men looked around to ‘and the early closing rules were’ not in force | see what it meant, in this isolated town of thefar West. — A moment before, Pomp had glided behind The play had been pretty heavy, the bank | the big ruftian’s chair, and detected him se- having had a run of hard. luck, which would | creting a bower, have discouraged any one but the placid Dick | When the music stopped he put his hand Ludlow, who was content to bide his time, | on the man’s shoulder and said: knowing that fortune would smile most ra-| “ You, sah, we don’t low none ob dat in dis ' diantly upon him, all in good time. yer place. Dis is a ’spectable house, an’ ebery- “Dick's a square man,” said one of a party | ting must be done on de squah!” ‘ of three or four playing poker ata side table, “Don’t allow what, ye ace of spades? * and if a feller loses here, he knows it’s all | growled the man, turning red. “hes: fair‘and aboveboard.” ‘Don’t. allow hidin’ cards!” and Pomp “Ver bet he’s square,” returned a second, | made a grab for the one which the fellow had *‘and he don’t -have none but square men | dropped in his lap. - playing here. Ifa feller is poet cheating| ‘‘ What’s the matter? That’s one of the 1ere, he gets hustled out pretty durned soon, | cards of my hand; I just dropped it.” ze 3 “Dat won’t wash. You ha now, I can tell yer. ; got yo’ right *© You bet he does.” keards in yo’ hand, and it ain’t yo’ deal. Tol’ “Dye see that yer big feller takin’a drink }you what, stranger, ye kain’t cheat in dis at the bar—that feller with the store clothes | yer house.” and diamonds ?” é ‘*Who's cheatin’, ye ebony skunk?” Around a huge block of stone—left, there = “Yes ; what about him?” “You is.” 3 by some convulsion of nature—sat a full score ‘** Wall, he’s one o’ the squarest men agoin’,| ‘‘ You lie!” of the outlaws, drinking, carousing and singe D’ye know what he did down at ’Frisco ?” At the same time the fellow leaped to his] ing songs, the night being already far spent, «- ‘No; what was it?” feet and struck Pomp a blow in the face that * Wall, he had a big game down thar, and | floored him. ; one stant he caught a feller cheatin’, runnin’| Pomp hung on to the card, however, and in marked cards and fleecing a young tender- | quickly jumping up, he exhibited it. foot out’n all his dust.” “Dar ye are, gents!” he cried. “If dat am * Wall?* not cheatin’ I dunno w .”? “Wall, this yer man, Jack Braddon, Faro} ‘The young fellow, g that he was Jack, the dandy, he just spots the feller at being played upon, madt sudden rush. at his game, an’ quicker’n greased chain light-| the villain, and tearing open the collar of his nin’ he whips out his gun and plugs the suck-| shirt, caused several high cards to fall out er clean through the palpitator—kills him | upon the table. : ; ber ook the fust shot.” All this had happened in an instant, but and yet no sign appearing of the revelry’ coming to an end, ire . Ss A little apart from the others, in front of & small upright column of sparkling stone, ~ formed by the aapping: from above, sat the 4 outlaw, a bottle and two drinking cups — placed before him. & am Near him, apparently much against her... will, sat Cora, moody and thoughtful, a loolk ./ of Pee and horror on her beautiful face, .~ as if all this were utterly distasteful to her, as indeed it was. : : ’ » all, that wur right enough,” the crowd by this time were terribly excited, “Cheer up, my beauty,” said Hood, stag-» S) “Yas; but that ain't all that Dandy Jack| Gentleman Dick sprang to the spot with gering to his feet and standing unsteadily be- © 4% done.” theagility of a cat, and seized the man by|fore her. “I’ve got you in my power, and..> Pp > I'm going to keep you. Lknow that which, - would free your brother from prison and save, him from the gallows, and I will say it on one. condition.” i Cora made no answer; and the man, swal- 1 “No?” the throat. Sapte , “No, When the thing was explained no-| ‘This is no place for youl” he cried. ‘I’m : body blamed him, for they all knowed he|asquare man, and I won't have any other kep’ a straight place, but what does he do| kind in here.” but turns about and give the feller a fust-| Quick as a flash the man drew a pistol and class funeral—stick him in a reg’lar rosewood | fired. — * ; i ( ‘wes box with silver trimmin’s.” The boy that he had been cheating was too ee ate te at Wil tokens cone cae “Ye don’t. say!” quick for him, however, and had dashed his] men into yonder town, force your brother's: ~ **Yas, and made the widder a present o’|arm up, causing the bullet to fly over Dick’s fifty dollars, stocked her house with provis- | head, ions for the winter, and sent around a couple} ~Crack | ; 0’ loads. 0’ wood. Now, that’s what I call} At the same moment Dick's own pistol square.” sounded, and tbe ruftian fell heavily to the “Wall,I should remark. It ain’t many | floor, dragging the table after him and scatter- fellers as would do as much,” | ing the coin all around. “JT wonder if them fellers over thar,” said My God! I'm killed !” he groaned: ‘Send the third man, indicating the musicians, “I } for a doctor.” : wonder if they think they’re playing music!| A space was cleared around the dying man Tt’s the worst ever I heard. They. ought to| who lay gasping for breath, and he presently be shot!” : raised himself upon one elbow, looked around ‘Thereupon he whipped out a big seven-| him and muttered hoarsely : pat: shooter, with the evident intention of carry-| “It servesme right. Listen all, for I've got ing out his well-meaning but rather sanguin- | something to eh ary designs, when one of his companions has-} A breathless silence instantly fell upon the tily interposed. _, | Place. . Mise ‘No, no, don't/do that!” the man said,| ‘“I am oneof the Men inGreen, whispered quickly; ‘‘they’re doin’ as well as they | the man, ‘“‘and there is a plan on foot to sack know.” ; this town, and murder all the enemies of our -- “Oh, well, then, it’s all right;” and the| band.” : shooter was returned to the man’s boot. He paused for breath, and then continued, Not far away two men—a beardless youth | evidently much weaker: and a rough-looking, low-browed, ruffianly| ‘‘ Tom Ainsley is not the——” e sort of a fellow—were having a quiet game} A rush of blood from his mouth choked his of esuchre for high stakes, the table being lit- | utterance, anid he fell back exhausted, __ tered with coin and bags of gold dust. “Not what!” cried Dick Ludlow, bending ‘The young fellow was excited with Hauor | over the man; “‘not the murderer of Wyck- and played wildly, but even then would have | off ?” been a match for his opponent had the other] The man nodded and tried to speak, played an honest game. r “Who, then, committed the crime ?” -So'palpable was the fellow’s cheating that | The man essayed to pronounce some name, one of the colored waiters, in passing, noticed | but a second hemorrhage prevented him, it, and without ie ec eg pe tae — ae es back heavily he expired in an in- ; to where Gentleman Dick was dealing and | stant. iS eee e As eRe called his attention, need “ Heis dead!” said Dick, “and the story he} Icannotbelieve you, A man that would “Wait a minute, Pomp,” said the gambler, | might have told is dead with him, He might commit the crimes you have cann PrUsts politely. “Make your bets, gentlemen, | have saved Ainsley, but now I’m afraid it's ed. raistarle + : make your bets. A tenner on the ace? Thank | too late!” “By Heaven! you shall be my wife wheth- you. Did you copper the jack? Very good. | er you wish it or not. You shall kiss me, at. i. ; 3 ¥ xeanye mee wins. —— you, ee all events. ; en, The bank seems to be getting bac! : 4 , 3 some of its losses, But this world is nothing CHAPTER Ssamee ‘but ups and downs, you know. Now, then,| TH Men in Green were holding high car- : Pom , what is it?” , nival in_one of the secret caverns under the bite epenes.a stranger ober dere, Marse Dick, | old mill. 2 a ae what ain’t playin’ squar’. He done been] This was a natural cave which had been cheatin’ a young fellah,” whispered Pomp, in| discovered by Hood and his men while ex- the other's ea ae ; cavating under the mill, and its appearance eee. "8 are?; Show me him, and T’ll soon stop | was most weird and fantastic. : Go over and tell him to quit.” The most perfect arches, composed of col- | ‘comp went off, and Dick, rising from his|umns of glittering spar, arose at regular ir, said, quietly: | intervals around the cave, joining in thecen- “Wait. te moment, gentlemen; there’s a| ter, and forming a déme, from which depend- ittle matter to be attended to first.” ——-_—: | ed. a long, glittering stalactite, whose irregu-} : sign fr m the g' mbler, the music sud- lar, uneven surface re lected the light from a! drtey take him out and set him free, name the murderer, and tell those fools to catch © him if they can, , “You don’t know that some of my own — men were on the jury that tried him, do you? ; You don't know that there are men in that.’ town, respected and all that—never sus- ° pected of any wrong—that are heart and sou): - with me in everything? You don’t know it, - but I do, ‘ “Be my wife; and with the power I pos- sess I’ll. clear your brother and set him free ; refuse, and he dies in less thana week.” Cora only gave the man a look of the most: intense scorn ; and after taking another huge: swallow of the fiery stuff before him, he con- ~ tinued: . ° i “T know that Tom Ainsley is innocent of murder. I know who did that night’s work, It might have been myself; it might have been some one else, ho it was doesn't - matter now, z ent “T can give the man’s name, and I will, and take ‘om Ainsley out of prison by foree,.° rovided you will be my wife. I have long oved Pou and I swore years ago thatyou should one day be mine.” d He was becoming garrulous, and Cora wait- ed with the most eager anxiety, hoping hear something that would give her a clew to ‘the real murderér, i “T’vetold you what Ican do,” he continued, — advancing to her side, . And now, what an- _— swer do-you make?” ae » 8 agit Foo

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upon the floor, hoping to elude her } had passed, and the river seemed to rise up | for the lives of his men lost the night before. wer in the darkness. he from its bed and hurl itself through the} During the next two days Ned searshed: » torch was ‘not extinguished, but fell| breach. _ : ; high and low for the outlaws, resolving. nat mi some substance that began to burn| The mill fell in ruins, the wheel went | to return to town until he had found them. itly. : crashing into the race below, the swollen} He lived in the woods and mountains. ii was an old bit‘of canvas thrown over a} waters carrying away the whole of the dam, | shooting his food as he required it, sleeping: r of kegs standing in one corner, and 8 Nipepnge of the bank came surging on-|in hollow trees, on the bare ground or tay this moment, while Hood was endeavor- | ward like a moving wall. caves, enduring many dangers, but resolving: to seize the girl in his arms, staggering| The young man’s peril was imminent. to bear anything that he might reseue Cova, _ dily, two or three of the outlaws en-| He hardly understood what had happened. | hunt down the outlaw and save Tom Ains- © the place... One thing only he knew. ley's life. g slips of all. would be lost. Tom Ainsley's execution being fearfully mear y God! we are lost!” , Standiny in the boa: he used one of his oars | at hand, Ned, in poehane tae a place to slewp,. “Tie powder kegs!” & as a paddle, throwing all his strength upon | came mostsuddenly and unexpectedly upom We shall be blowa up!” it. : a little log cabin, many weary miles from the: » burning canvas covered a numberof| Once that angry flood seizes him in its| town, almost hidden wnder a ledge of rocks., unpowder! grasp, and he is lost forever, and nearly concealed by the huge bowldenss place was the storehouse and magazine| ‘There is no help for him unless he speedily | which were thrown around, 4 and! reaches the bank, A light streaming from one window. of the» any moment they might all be blown |’ Never did mery paddle more desperately ;| little cabin wasthe means of discoveritg i» fosternity! never was there { v for God's sake, do. not resist! Come away The boat whistits through the water; it} by unnoticed, value your life!” : touches the bank; Ned leaps outand plunges| Thinking that it was the abode of sare: cried one of the eutlaws, seizing Cora | into the wood as tiwugh Satan himself were | solitary miner, and that he could find shelter strong ere ‘ t : after him. : for the night, our hero advanced, and rapped. nother laid hold of the chief, and dragged | The water rushes on, overflows the bank, | on the door with the butt of his pistol. . rom the fatal spot. washes out huge gullies, tears up trees by| ‘Come in!" cried a voice from the inside, a, “Bitsy knew not how soon the explosion | the roots, and leaves nothing but destruction | and Ned pushed open the door. wching the main cavern, they shouted! what could have man of all men whom he most desired te see Biby: whether the outlaws. at the bottom of | —Robin Hood, the outlaw! un. for your lives! There is fire in the ‘i or not, and if an em still remain fezine!” . alive. is announcement produced asstartling| For some time Ned remained in the wood, ech as though the explosion itself had | and then, as the day an to dawn, made place at that moment. his way to where the mill had once stood, j a knew tnat her life depended upon get-| No trace of it remained, the banks and the] Acting under instructions given by out at once, and she made no resistance. | dam being entirely changed in appearance, » and hercompanion hurried away down | the water now pouring over in a solid mass had found much of the treasure taken by the: f the dark passages, and were soop in|from shore to shore, while here and there | prisoner from the secret bidtape placer of the= eouncil chamber. were swift eddies and deep pools, whose edges | outlaws and buried by him in different places... © outlaws came hurrying after them, | were lined by j d rocks, Some of the Men in Green had beer met. thless with haste, though many still re-} Not a sign of life remained, though here | upon these occasions, and had been shot dowry ned behind, and’there in the water, whirling around and ‘around, were bits of blackened timbers, mak- ing their way slowly down towards the falls. At the foot of the fall the waters roared and surged as they had never done before, and on the bank could be seen deep pits where the tide surged in and out, ever rest- less, ever unquict, ‘ i e-mill.wius gone, and with it the retreat of the outlaws, the caves having been utterly: destroyed by the blowing up of the magazine, and the subsequent explosion of steam caus- ed by the water flowing into the gaps thus mion. Ned is safe, and now,be begins to wonder | rude bench which served as a table, was the: the explosion ; CHAPTER XXVIII. Durine Ned's absence from the towm others interested in the tate of Tom Ainsley had been by no means idle. f ne" ley, Bob Trainor and a party of four or fiver without mercy by the miners. A new stage line had been started, and. ony its tirst trip had brought half a dozen eligibte: oung women, every one of whom had - been engaged to marry someone of the set: dond, Cora, and half a dozen of the band | ed the lower part of the mill, and cross- over to the bank as a rumbling was felt _ @nder them. 5 ei ’ ‘hey quickly dashed into the woods, MEnT, “Yollowing and hastening away in various dl- é tions. ~~ *Boom! Boom! » , Boom! : ft Then there came’a series of explosions, ach louder than that which preceded if, and the air was filled with sulphurous tlers, and as all ON Wied was in a great state of hilarity overtheevemt. 5 On its. second trip: the new stage had beer attacked by a small party of the outlaws, but. _ as the occupants were ready for just such am occurrence, the evil-doers were routed, nob a. man of them remaining alive, The next day a large party, headed by Bob» made, ' Trainor, Jeff Ferguson, Sam White and - smoke. ‘Whether any of the outlaws yet remained | others, discovered one of the hiding-places of a _ . There was a ee of several minutes, and | alive was a question to be decided. the outlaws and broke it up, killing all those: ‘then, with a frightfulecrash and roar, a col-| Passing around the falls, Ned ascended the | who opposed them, : Pn unin of fire was seen to shoot right up| river hig! er than he had as yet gone, keeping narrowly escaped with his life, as: through the old mill, while a shower of burn- SlOne the bank, and maintaining a strict | many shots were fired at him, and he only iu missiles fell all around. watch for his enemies. got off by leaping from the bank into the» he mill itself, torn to atoms, tottered for} An hour later, passing around a bend, he | river, and swimming under water a long dis 4 moment, and then fell with a crash into suddenly came upon an open space of consid- } tance. 2) _ the flood, while a final explosion now took! erable extent, where the bank was high and| Hyery one of the party saw him, and thes” By overhung the stream, . On the edge of this bank were two men, Sreag in suits of green, talking earnestly to- gether. ‘ : They saw him as quickly as he discovered Ainsley were different persons. Pics Certain men in the town suddenly de: i ed under suspicious circumstances, and in the: 2 eabin of one of these were found comnranica~ tions from Hood, plans and details of anw attack to be made on the pladée, and othez matters of a criminating nature. Time wore on, however, and § em. “There will be two léss of the accursed band!” cried Ned, throwing his rifle to his} shoulder. Te oki at waa 0 Gig ath re old mill was a thing of the 6; th ret haunt of the outlaws had been: broken. ‘and many of the evil-doers had perished Sy. ter part of his band, but it seemed as| One of the men threw up his hands, uttered | would save his life. j 2 gh vengeance: be last overtaking | a ery, and fell into the water, his body being] Unless something could be learned, he ransgressors, and 6 his but the /eagrica away by the swift st i would have to suffer death; the law would e Psb of a series of blows t ab W uld annihi- other had fired at Ned, but the shot | take its course, arid an innocent man be pum. ig the band and make the name of the Men | had just missed him, and. now the young fel- | Ise ccaiaente TS a Green a thing of the past. low d agai _ |. However, the evidence was against hin, the: jury had found him guilty, the majority wt the townsmen believing him so, and the sen.- tence must be carried out. — r | < PemarTER XxviL ‘ a isRE was another witness v0 the destruc- | Hood, the outlaw, had been deprived of of the old mill and the secret eaves, of many of his comrades by death ; others Bnek $6 presence none of the outlaws were [dre 3 abandoned him through fear, and had gene unchecked, : ; } One wild, stormy night, alone and de oe h d serted by all his late companions, he sat im # ea 43 = = ae : sevice ; ( : ee Erte “fi ee : THE MEN IN sma 19 simu taneous cry of horror burst from| He must reach the bank at once, or he| At last, one day at nightfall, the day of * ore need for exertion, to Ned, who otherwise would have passed. it} _ take place and hurl them all to de-|in its wake, ~ There, sitting in front of a fire before @ — phe awful wreck, 4 Crack! for Ainsley’s exe¢ution had nearly arrived, — Dora was safe, a8 were also Hood and the) Crack! without anything being Bora whick: | little cabin far away from any human hebi- I matches, the tows, could not doubt any longer that he and Tors he day fixed pe elsewhere to continue their career of crime: — : : “

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fete: C2 ee Se MEN IN GREEN, law Into the cave, led out the horse which} Caution, as well as speed, was necessary, | her down the steep, along the river, alone hed belonged, to him, ie therefore, the dusty road and into the town. “Th s beast must bear us both,” he said,| As the road grew lighter Ned urged his|’ All seems deserted, but as he hurries om “and we must ride fast, or ouk coming will | steed onward, but the animal was greatly | Ned sees a crowd in front of Sam White’s, he of uo Byail,” ; ? | fatigued, and the young man did not dare to} Cora begs to be placed on her feet, and then \ Af that instant a loud clap of thunder was | make him go too fast, for fear of his break-| the two faithful ones hurry forward, reach «d, which Seemed to shake the little cabin yee ' the tavern and stagger upon the long, wide s fo j At times the road would allow of their nstant later the wind was heard howl- | making good speed, but then'it would become ith renewed vigor, and then a flood of |so strewn with obstacles as to oblige them to arst upon them. pick their way most carefully. f against the house, it dashed in the| And all this while the hours were fleeing, ; , it Pushed down the rude chimney,;and the time for the execution drawing » tine out the fire and filling the room with | nearer, omoke Finally the worst ap of the road is pass- ed, and Ned spurs the animal on as rapidly i A iazza. “Stop! stop!” shouts Ned, waving a paper in his hand, ‘ Ainsley is innocent! The crowd oe left and right, and a wom- an, one of the new-comers, raises Cora up and bears her into the house, for she has fainted. “What's that!” cries Bob Trainor, hurry~ he thunder and lightning were incessant, ing up. ‘‘ You have the proof!” ar er cea ee od the rain poured down with such force as }as he can fi. “Yes, yes; he is innocent! Stop the exe- ‘> threaten their being speedily flooded from | He catches a glimpse of the sun, and knows | cution!” 06 place, and sent out into the storm with no | that the time is short. A tremendous shout goes up from the ohelter to cover.their heads, -. senecieos There are still five miles to be accomplished | crowd, and a rush is made towards a point fur- ¢ horse seemed restive, and Ned had | before he can reach the town, ther down the road. . eGasiderable difficulty in keeping him quiet. ‘*Oh, for another hour of time, or that the} Here the gallows has ‘been erected, and ab The house shook as if 1b would be blown | journey was at an end!” that very instant Tom Ainsley stands under own, and Cora was in such terror that Ned sl best to leave it before anything hap- pened, is iis The door had been torn from its leather hinges, and looking out, Ned saw that. the al 4 ceased in violence, although the wid lew a gale. Assisting Cora to mount, Ned took his piape ty the saddle, and rode out of the cabin Ae the pass.“ ‘a8 ‘ t . had not gone ten paces before a mass » vaek overhanging the cabin, which the hail loosened, fell with a great crash, and varied the little hut beneath it, “What an- escape!” murmured Ned. “A : ye wae te . in the cabin, and we would ; lave peris ed!” ‘ Then- giving rein to his horse, Ned dashed at vay A ine darkness, the lightning being » 4 only guide along the wild and dangerous re SG sae Sie pes reaches the gap, takes the awful “Cjod grant we arrive in time,” muttered | leap, and whirls through the air like the Lyle ah rode away; and, indeed, the ut- | wind. most +4 ; Panting, reeking with foam and _dust,| the beam, the rope around his neck, the black: snorting and babe ing 9 the horse dashes me over his face. } forward, carrying his double burden, and he crowd surge forward, and many think Ned urges him still faster witha kindly word | that a rescue is to be attempted. and a gentle pat of the hand upon his out-| . The sheriff is about to cut the ropesupport- stretched neck, : ing the. trap, when he suddenly turns and Suddenly they come to a stand-still. sees Ned bounding forward, waving a paper A great gap in the path yawns before them. | above his head. The rains have washed the th away,| ‘‘ Innocent!” he shouts, . 3 and a deep and wide chasm cks the “Innocent!” echoes the crowd, and Ainsley progress, d hears it and nearly faints, } ““My God! we shall be too late.” He is led away from the fatal beam, his “* Leap the gap !” cries Cora. ‘‘ Let me dis-| arms are unpinioned, the cap taken from his mount, and do you make your way ahead| head, the noose thrown aside, and then all is. as still as death, while Ned reads the proof. of his innocence. ; , : He has been saved from the gallows at the — last moment, and Ned kept his oath, : a AOS. You can return for me when all is safe.” ‘““No, no! I must not! I dare not! We must go on together,” Then reining back a few yards, Ned urges the horse forward at his utmost speed. The brave animal fairly flies over the Three years went by, and then Cora Ains-»!~ ley became the wife of Ned Henderson, ; keeping the promise she had made. =; © er claim turned out to be one of thé rieh- — est in the country, and already she Was @ wealthy woman, é te was necessary, It is his last effort, ‘ : He reaches the other side, sinks down, and} Ainsley’s own abandoned claim had hae ep utters a plaintiveneigh, = __.-Leproved to be a good investment, and, « * CHARTER XXX, “Ned diekly eae ce and takes Cora in his BS being rich, the ay was one of the wt ® storm had: ceased, and morning was | arms, © popular fellows in all the.town. aking en a Norse, bearing two! The poor steed can 'ga’no fy ‘he latter had grown greatly in size a . | must continue on foot, "4 importance, Jack Quoins having invested i That terrible leap has 44 ife ; his | a power-press, and built himself a fine honse, eyes have already® » glassy cy gue | and all on accountof the Nugget. Ss ; hangs om, his mouth, and a white froth| Outlaws gave the town.a wide berth, an al ies tee pe e covers his jaws, even Gentleman Dick closed up his place nized shrub, He gives one con ive. gasp, turns over | went elsewhere to ply his trade, although ‘had i upon his side, and dead upon the | had always been honest enough, as gamblers + into it. : “ dewy sward. ~ ~ | go. : a2 j ; : 5s aePoor beast!” murmurs Ned. “ He has|. Bob Trainor found a wife to replace the one served us well, and God grant that it has not | he had lost, and never envied Ned his good been in vain!” as |luck, the two, ac firm friends from the “Haste, Ned, haste!’ cries Cora. ‘“ You | day that they clasped hands in the court, and must not lose a moment, I will follow on|swore to save Ainsley from death.. alone,” : : _ | The verdict against the latter was of course And yet she walks along by his side, keep- | reversed, and those of the jurors influenced ; ing pace with him as if as anxious to get| by Hood quickly put as many miles as pos- ahead as he, ak: fe | sible between them and Nuggetville. : , Ned cannot leave the brave girl, and he| Ted Ferguson afterwards ran the stage ; i takes her hand, assisting her over the rough | line, and many Se later had the pleasure. ee ‘places; sometimes taking her in his arms | of Bek cota back to the town, after a lon, } | and sometimes walking by her side. tour in Europe, Mr. Edward Henderson an way yas dangerous, and Ned did not Higher climbs the sun in the heavens ; near- | his lovely wife, the happy pair having felta. ~ ‘any risks. ; : er draws the hour appointed for the execu-|desire to look once more upon the places save Ainsley, but he must not im-| tion, i ee Se where ae had loved and toiled, suffered and ; Paster and faster, breatliless and panting, | triumphed, the birthplace of their happiness, — , | hurry, the two messengers;and now the little | and the place which had seen the rise an@ town comes in sight, '. ‘| fall of that famous band of desperadoes, now | Ned seizes Sada in his aus and runs with|no more, Tar MEN IN GREEN. Fait ’ H END. A wv ee, yf i Tife. Maanie’ rit ht break the animal’s le i@ then they could nos hope to reac in safety. Ev ey) =) i Hig a ORE st $ “ - - f PA Moos § PEAY GAMUS.—A completo and useful Ustlo pook, cons gam i if gosuldions of Billiards, Bagatdile, Back OW TO. BEHAVE, containing the ruzes and etiquetie or good e pules an . US, toch 7 b f Heed and the easiest and most approved methods of appearing to good ad- sact, Dominoes, ete, Price 10. cents, For sale by all newse vantage ‘at parties, balls, toasted church, mee in the drawin; nm tho Vesa hpeotee “ wo rank Toreh, rats ae gene page Price De gore. ie sale by all a cto cee postage — } , on receipt Of price, & i and 36 |) ree, on receipt of price. Address Frank Tousey, pu er, 84 aaa strests ew York. Box 2790, aus ; rs 36 North Moore streot. New Mork. Box 2780. PEE Ass - in ‘ 4 SOW TO KEEP BIRDS.—Handsomely illustrated, and containing fom "instructions for the management and training of cree eae mooke ing-bird, bobolink, binekbist, pacoduet, ‘parrot, ete., ete, Price 10 - cents. For sale by all newsdealers, or sent, post-paid, on recsipt of the price. Address Frank ee publisher, 84 and 86 North Mé _ street, New York. P.O, Box 27380. i A on aaa -fOW TO DO IT.—It is a great life secret, ahd one that every you . desires to know all about. Frank Tousey publishes a book | to - you all about it. Send 10 cents and getit. ‘hero’ ‘ouse Ragrese Prank Tousey, publisher, $4 and 36 Noth 780. ‘ork. P, 0. Box 2730, : ty MISE DOGS, POULTRY, PIGEONS AND RABBITS.—A | perme book. Hand omely illustrated. By Ia Dro- rico 10 cents, For sale by all newsdealers in the United ‘ \ Canada, or seut to your aduress, post-paid, on receipt of Midress Fravke ‘Tousey, publisher, 34 and 86 North Moore — ‘York. P.O. Box 2730, yey ( HB

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HOW TO WRITE LOVE-LETTERS.. se Jete little book. containing full directions for erriting deve-letters, and when to use them; also giving «ppecimes ietters for both young and old. Price 10 cents, - No. 12. SOW TO WRITE LETTERS TO LADIES. léte instructions for writing letters to ladies See al solders: 2180, Tetters of apc notes and re- Soe i a rice 10 cents. No. (3. flow to Do Its or, Book of Briquette, ‘tie a great life secret, La a one peat every young man di i Tecan me about. and govite there's in it i eee by all newsdealers in the United States and Canada, or sent to your address, post-paid,‘on receipt of price, 10 Sony FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, 84 & 96 North Moore Stree | Containin No. !4. HOW T0 MAKE CANDY. A complete hand-book for making all kinds of candy, ice~ cream, syrups, essences, etc., eto, Price 10 cents, No. (5. HOW TO BECOME RICH. os dee e a the seitarade yen of ou of our country. st Succ: jesstal men. Lib enough for those wi No. 1G. HOW TO KEEP A WINDOW GARDEN. ee er fall instructions for constructing a window garden either in town or country, and the BORE a Draven methods for ae beantital flowers at hom ‘igve m ost complete book of the kind ever published. Price 0 ceuts. No. 17. ‘ HOW TO DRESS. Containing instruction in the art of dressing aud ap- pearing well at home and abroad, fiving the selections of OE as material, and how to have them made up, Price 10 No. {8 _ HOW TO BECOME BEAUTIFUL. simple, and almost cost thi: vinced how to become beautiful. Price 10 cents. No. 19. FRANK Tousev's United States Distance Tables, Pocket Com- panion and Guide, Giving Ithe official distances. on all. the railroads of the United States and Canad. Also, table of distances by water to foretn ports, bac fares in ths principal citier, »reports of the census, ete., ete. te making it cas Jie the most | complete and. handy = pee ished. Price 10 cents. fe . : “No. 20. How to Mian an ches Party. f games, sports, ‘card-div recreations, etc., suitable for patior or ncawiigecsord en- Boot pai Tt contains more for the money than any ik published. Price 10 cents. Nos 2t. HOW TO HUNT AND FISH. The most complete hunting and fishing guide ever pub- lished. Lt. contains full instructions about guus, bunting dogs, traps, anna fe and fishing, eee with déscrip- tions of game a: Price 10 cents No. 22. - HOW TO DO SECOND SIGHT. Heller's second sizht explained by his former assistant, Fred Hunt, Jr. Hixplaining how the secret dialogues were carried on between gh 9 megician and ote boy on the stage; also giving all the codes and signals, ‘The only authentic explanation of second sight, Price 10 cents. No. 23. HOW TO EXPLAIN DREAMS, Hrorsbodd dreams, from the little child to the Beier a eaina: togethers if Trek nd’ nlc diss, ‘eams, together. w and! ‘ Napol eon ‘s Oraculam,” * the book of = Bri ce 10 No. 24. HOW TO WRITE eo TO GENTLE- Containing full directions for writing to gentlemen on all tyes also giving dample jetters for imstraction, Price Now 25. HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST. foll instructions for all jkinds of. gymnastic sports an eget exercises. Embracing thirty-five illus- ration, By Professor W. Macdonald. A handy and use- book. Price 10 cents. - | - No. 26. HOW TO ROW, SAIL AND: Fully illustrated. Every boy should. saiia boat. Full instructions are gi together with instructions on swimt panion sports to boating. “rice i0c No. 27. HOW TO heen naan A . Containing the most | pas selectic Dutch french dialect, Yan Blepess tpyentian with many 6t tandar cen 3 No, 28. HOW TO TELL FO) Every one is desirous of knowingawh, Brae forth, whether happiness rit You can tell by a glance at this oe convinced. ‘Tell your own fo nuesat your friends. Price 1p cents. | No. 29. | HOW TO BECOME AN Every bo; om should ee how inven book explains them «all, ng exam draulics, magnetism, optics, pnenme ete. ‘Tle most instructive book pubh No. 30, ~ HOW TO God One of ost instructive booka or lished. tains recipes for cookir ang oysters; also nies, puddings, cal son and a grand collections of recip cooks. Only 10 cents per cop; No. 31. HOW TO BECOME A § i Containing fourteen illustrations, givi sitions requisite to become a good + elocutionist Also containing gems f authors of prose and povetys drranged d concise manne: Prine | it No. 32. HOW TO RIDE A Bi Handsomely illustrated, and containin mounting, riding and managing a bie} with ao dag il ea TER OED also direct & machine. ents. / No. 33. HOW TO BERA\ Containin the rules and Retanesta of @ easiest and most approved methods of advantage at partion, balls, the theater, drawing room. Price 10 cents, No. 34, HOW TO FENC Containing fall mstraction for fencing broadsword; also instruction in arohers twenty-one practical illustrations, fixtn in fencing. A complete book. Price 10 No. 35. __ HOW TO PLAY GA) A complete and useful little. book,-com and regulations of blige te bugatelle, | quet, dominoes, etc. Prica 10 conts. No, 36, HOW TO SOLVE CONDN Containing all the leading conundruins of riddles, curious catches and witty sayiug: Cae eee ead No./37. | ‘HOW TO KEEP HOU It contains information for everrhody, and, women; it will teach you how to mati around the house, such an erie ea cements, molian eto and bird lime f Price 10 cents. No. 38. - HOW 10 BECOME YOUR OW A wongerful Hole ise containing usefal and mation oun poate ent ite (His painaey ie m sneral & < 0 yor recipes for g ie 1 complaints —