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“Minxk‘”.

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THE LINES OF LIFE.

av HARRIET nsrnsn wmnn.
In one vast brotherhood all share the life Creation

 

gave,

In one vast brotherhood all meet around an open
rave:

The sgplendid dower of nature‘s gifts knows no de-

ree of caste,
And aIl the world as equals stand in life‘s great first

and last.

The Master hand holds not the scales that lifts us
u or down,

And ves to some the beggar‘s staff, to some the

weled crown-
Aud c othes one childin royal robes, and one in tat-

ters 0
And lots some
piles of go
Why Life’s unequal lines are drawn none ever saw
th '

for a crust, and gives some

e 11
But some are ' h, and someare low, through man‘s

strange se 0 :

And on the ones that lowly walk the eyes of Earth
look down

While Homage lifts her eyes to those that share the
World’s renown.

And gold hgth dawn the widest lines between the
sons 0
But deeper and more lasting are the curious lines of

birth,
For who can bridge the space between the subject

and the king?
And who would dare to scorn the power that wealth
and glory bring?

And willgIe form us afterdeathas man has formed
is ere!
0r shbll we equal reignwhenwe have reached the
Wider Sphere!
For allh‘thattcrganie, and all that go, the selfsame path
ve
And aaoHdls children allwillstand, at last, before one

Jack Simons, Detective;

The Wolves of Washington.

A Drama of Lives and Mysteries at the
Gay Capital.

 

 

 

BY ANTHONY P. MORRIS,

AUTHOR or “ moan, m man,” “run run:
mnan,’ me, me.

 

CHAPTER XXIV.
A wonr an ms ran.

Buck Gosn was in expectation of the coming of
his wealthy patron.

No time was lost in entering the sanded side-room,
where B' n, without seating himself, or even
pausing to mdulge in his favorite potation of brandy
and water, at once inten‘agated:

“ The girl! Awohm! hat about theglrl, Buck!"

" Wh , when I starts out to anythlnk I don‘t
gen” y make a batch of it, bossy,’ was the beery-
faced rufflan’s response.

“ Then you have caught the prize for me?”

“ Safe enough, you can ble."

“ There can be no doubt about it?”

“ Well, I‘d snicker. No, I‘ve got her-square In-

n“

Forthwith Bilspoonlpsroduced his pocket-book and
counted out several c p nbacks.

“ There‘s the other five Eundred, Buck. You see I
has my engagements with those who keep to me."

“16h, you‘re square, that’s sure."

“ Now, where is the—a—awohmi—the sweet
charmer?"

" You’re right about 'er bein' a sweet charmer.
She‘s as purty a gal ’3 ever I laid pleegcrs on. Don‘t
blame you for wantin‘ to own sue a it. Come on;
I've got 'er at a house clost by."

They left the saloon, moving southward, presently
turning a corner and halting at a house built on the
“ made-ground,” where once was the course of the
Washin n canal.

Into t is house they were admitted by the woman
called Daisy, whom we have seen in conference with
Buck Gosh before.

“ Come in, quick," urged this bedizened female
waving a lam above her head, and in apparen
haste to have e door shut.

As they eightered, Buck slipped some money into

hm- lm, w ring.

“There‘s NEsz you'll t the rest when the
racket's ever with." T on end: “ I guess I ain’t
no use round here, now, so I’ll go backto the s‘loon.
This here's a gentleman, Daisyz you treat in) right."

When Daisy had let Buck out and careful! locked
the m, she turned to Bilspoon, with a sickly-leer-

” Come'along upstairs and I’ll show you the room.
You've ot goo taste, old man: she a a stunning

tty l, I must say. Ho 'ou’ll be ableto make
ml! t with her. She km of tried the scream-
ing after she come to, when they bro ht her

here last night, but I soon settled that. just
threatened to put a ag in her cherry-th mouth,
so she promised to s at up and behave erself. This
is the room. It‘s stout enough to hold her, I guess;

on won’t find any place for her to crawl out, you

t. Go right in.

Turning a key in the lock of a door on the second
Ioor, she half-pushed him inside—then reclosed the
door and departed.

It was h a room in which he found himself;
rather a s ous closet at the front of the hall,
without window or ventilator exce t a round open-
ing, high up beyond reach int ew and not of suf-
fic ent dimensions to have perm!tted the passage of

a human body.

A carpetless, cheer-less a ent, heated b a lit-
tlelnad tere r, its nrnituro consisting are!
of a , washs and, rocking-chair, and a roun ,
three-legged table on which burned an oil lamp.

In the rocking-chair sat Cornlie!

She looked quickly up as he entered, and her lovely
face, so pale, so bleak, would have melted any but a
eraven‘s heart with pity.

Igdto the hazel eyes leaped a hopeful light, as she

or! .

“ Kr. Bilspoon! It isreall you! You have come
to rescue me from this he d lace?"

“Aw-hm! yes, my dear iss Coralie,” he an-
swered, bowing somewhat stifliy. “ I am pl
so. that I can deliver you from this—"

‘ 0h 1am so glad!" she broke in. “ Let us go at
once. The painted woman who is m jailer has
threatened me with such dreadful t gs! It is
Providence that must have led you to me in my mis-
fortune. How kind and rompt of you! From in
heart I thank you. £1111 always remember t

grate“ .
Yes, but—aw-hm—wait a momen my dear Miss
Corolla." t'

“ Oh, no! let us not delay an instant, Mr. Bilspoon.
You do not know—I have been cruelly abducted
from my home. There are those who will wong

, at mly strange absence. I only thought
return. am careless evenw
wretches who have done me this
ishedor not, if I only

Do let us hasten."

her the rough
, wro are pun-
get safely away rom here.

The mpous man of

rk seated himself on the
edge thelow bedstea .

' Stop a bit, Miss Coralie. I have somethin to
say, first. It rests altogether with yourself who her
you Igo away from this place or remain."

“ ow do you mean!‘ in surprise.

“ You are aware that I love you—"

She raised a hand to stop in but he pursued:

“ I am a rich man, and my can live elegantly.
I want you to marry me."

“ Mr. Bilspoon, do not repeat your former ropo«
sltion—please do not. I assure you I co d not
marl? you if I wo "

“ onsense, my dear. Come, on may judge that
mine is no common ion, to cooled in a day,
when you cgnasider tthe trouble I have mom
expense an anger, oo—to poms you. in
be obvious that I am determined to make you mine.
Now—aw-hml—in all calmness, I must inform you
that you can only leave here as my wife.“

She stool before him, shocked, speechless. The
old villain surveyed her grimly, even relaxing his
d! lflcd lips into a coarse smile.

ike a flash she compr ‘hended all.

“ \Vretch 1" she gasoed at last. “It is you, then,
who have done this outrage!"

“ There is no outrage ——cxcept thét you are out-
rageously foolish to refuse the magnificent offer of
marriage-N

The very scorn in her curved lip partially checked

m.
“ You will find you have made a mistake, Mr. Bil-
“ V

“You are quite in my power, my dear."

“ Perhaps not as much so as vou think. Heaven
has many wave for succoriug a elplesa girl."

“ Nevertheless, you will have to marry me."

" I tell you it would be impossible.“

“ Come, I may as well be plain. If you continue
obstinate, it is my intention tong you sothat eve-
the minister who performs the ceremony will not
susfpect that you are otherwise than a willing bride.
'l‘h nk’ it over a little, my dear. You cannot es-
cane.

There was a horror in this threat that use froze
the blood in her veins. fly

“ Merciful Heaven! you know not what you would
do!" she cried.

 

 

 

“I think my statement was comprehensive; and
if you persist, I mean it—I mean every bit of it.
My wife you must and shall be.“ h

“ But you do not know-" she panted, hesitatmg.

“ I know that you are to be Mrs. Thomas Bilspoon,
by fair means or foul," he retorted, becoming a httle
excited. “ You are in my power. Do not anger me,
or I may change gm mind about the honorable of-
fer, an the day come when you will beg me to
marr you!"

“T omas Bilspoonal am already a married wo-
man, and my husban is living, is here in Washing-
ton l“

The words were cried frantically from her 1i 5,
gnd a look of torturous fear settled in herw to
ace.

For a second his jaw dropped in amazement.
Then he chuckled aloud, eying her with a cunning

leer.

h, come, now, I can’t stand any nonsense like
that. A cute trick, my dear—-ve cute. But it
won’t work. I am not so easily foo ed."

“It is the truth. Believe me—it is the truth. I
was married in Richmond more than three years
ago; my husband‘s name is Robert Daymon."

“ But I do not believe 0. word of it."

“ Heaven is my witness, I s k truly. Oh, do
not commit this terrible sin you ave threatened i”

For a moment he ed at her with a uzzled ex-
pression. Then, wit out another .Jord, e abruptly
“i” iii“ um?“ thighs... b in u.

0 10h surp was near y e
hallway. 11% frowned with the suspicion that she
had been listenigg to what passed. But what mat-
tered it if she h i

“ I li‘elieve my friend, Mr. Gosh, called you Daisy!"

he sai .

“ Yes, that‘s the name I go by “

“ Now—aw-hml-—Daisy, we will have to drug the
girl, it is plain. I begin to suspect something that
never struck me before.”

t‘Wha is t,"

“She is a little demented. Strategy is required.
I have heard that these charlatan ortunc-tellers,
clairvoyants and such, about all towns, are notori-
ous for drugs that you can buy of them—love-
powders and the like. Cannot you—"

“ Oh, I know!“ exclaimed the creature, with a sly

wink. “I know the very Blace to get what you
want. Give me a XX and I’ soon fix your girl for
y I

on. ‘
He handed out a twenty-dollar note.

“Very good. There is the amount. I shall call
again to—morrow night, bringing a CI {in With
me. I de nd on you, now, to have a girl in a

state of m nd full prepared for the ceremony.“

“ Make yourse easy. I’ll hays her ready enough
for on."

Dgisy let the wealthy schomer out at the front
door. There was a strange litter in her Saturn-
bright eyes which Bilspoon di not observe.

 

CHAPTER XXV.
RAIDED nv rm: roman.

PAUSING long enough to assure herself that
Thomas Bils n was gone, Daisy hastily ascended
the stairs to oralie‘s prison-room.

There was the light of a peculiar Ip in her
dull-shiny 0 es as she went, and her penciled brows
contracted :1 mental study.

The ca tive was again seated in the rocking-chair,
her face wed to her hands. Utterly dejected she
looked, utterlg hopeless she felt. Her position, with
the cravcn lilnspoon‘s threat overshadowing her,
was one to te ’ y the inmost soul of any pure wo-
man; it was too monstrous, yet compelling shudder-
ful ccntem lation.

So stupe ‘ng was the impression of the recent
interview t t she scarcely noticed Daisy’s en-
trance. ‘

Daisy stood gazing at her for a brief space in si-
lence. Her features worked in an enigma! mixing
of emotions at first resentful, then so ned in the
influence of some inner secret, while her vclu tuous
33mm heaved as though a struggle waged ercely

ere.

“ I say, miss?“

Corahe glanced up apathetically.

“ I‘ve something to say to you," Daisy continued.

The unhappy captive shivered. She feared this
woman who—as she informed Bils
ened her heartlessly in the event of any outcries or
attempts to escape.

“I heard on say, miss, that you were married."

“ And so am—so I am i" answered Corah'e, chok-

ln ly.

Inisy had been a listener to Bilspoon's interview
with his prey.

“You were married, over three years ago, to a
man named Robert Do. on?"

“ It is true, indeed it ."

“ You‘re the girl l‘ve heard him say he ran away
from then, are you—“

“ on heard him say--"

“ Answer my «firestion please."

“My husband eserted me. He tried to make me
believe that 1 was not lawfully his wife, but I have
since obtained all necessary proofs that the mar-
riage was perfectlylvalid."

‘ Have you seen im since!"

“Ye several times though he did not suspect
it. He changed his name to Henry Daymon.”

“He Daymon?“ repeated Daisv, looking puz.
zled. “ guess you must be mistaken, miss. He

doesn‘tusean name but his own that I know of
—-and I ought know—and that‘s Robert; Mr. Bob,
he's called." '

“You seem to know the man who is my hus-

“Well, I'd smile prettly loud if Ididn‘t. But tell
ukif: do you 10ve him— ob—any more? I want to

0W.

A fire of intense scorn asserted itself in the young
girl's heart.

“Love him? Love the man who would so ruth-
lessly have wrecked gidy life! —who would, without
mercy, have subject me to the worlds abhor-
rence! No—I despise, I loathe him!"

“I am glad to hear you saythat," exclaimed
Daisv taking a step forward.

“ Why are on glad!"

“Because do lave Bob, and we couldn't both
have him you know.“

A shrin n repugnance crept over Coralie at this
bold declarat on.

“But‘do you realize your sin! You have no

1-; _

g‘ Oh, bother the ht. I love Bob and Bob loves
me and that settles You are sure you have giv-
en in up?"

“Yes. I wish never to so much as exchange
words with him. He has gone out of my life as
utterly as some crawling, polluting snake. But-—"
in a sudden vehemence, and sup lication—“oh,
listentomel Iamhiswifestill in t 8 face of the
law. This monster who has just left me, contem-

lates an awful crime toward me. Save me from

m, I beseech you. Let me go away from here. If
you will only let me , I pro I swear, I will
not seek or and in punfing those w o dragged me
httaro. dYou are anomang-yavir can :ehthe agar-1m}?
o my anger. ave pl y, en—o ave p c
not let this man have performed the shamefquarce
oh. marriage ceremony with me. He has threat.

0 to e-

“Hold on, mlss,"Dais interrupted. “Don‘t get
excited, now. Keepcoo It‘s true. I‘ve been hired
tohelpthatoldrascal. Butlaln‘tso bad all over,
after all; I'm so to help you—"

Coralie, with dag-o ous cry, sprung forward and
cath both her han s.

s ntle thrill passed over Daisy as the

handsofa re womanthusgraspedher own with
sue ess gratefulness.
Bob cares a snap for you miss.
ButI know h nature well eno h to know that, so
long as ou'ro his wife, if he go wind of what this
old rasoaI is up to, he’d stick a knife into him quick
as wink. I've got a hundred or so you‘re gray-
halred admirer has already paid me, and as I on‘t
consider it a bit of harm to go back on such as he
is, wh , I‘m going to sell him out on this game, and
then lp for Bob‘s goin : there, and we‘re
going to Europe pretty soon, to see the sights. So
come on," she condoned heartily. “I don‘t wish
you anything but good. I guess youcan find your
wrltzy home."

urnishinv Coralle with a hat and old shawl—for
she had neither of those when snatchud from her
28:12: by the abductors—Daisy led the way down-

“ Now, miss: you just run for it," she said, throw-

lnfi you the door.

cg God bless you for this deed!" said Coralle,
ferven Ly, pausing o the threshold to again press
the ban '3 of her (.elivox er.

“ Den't stop for any thanks. Mavbe I don‘t 0:.
lfildescrve say; it‘s only for Bob's sake I'm doing
t 3. Run. no N."

Away wont Coralle aimless! through the night,
her bounding, hopeful heart t' obbing with an al-
most choking vigor.

To both north and south gleamei lights and re-
flections from poouloua lhoro gluarc'i, for that )or-
tion of Waxhiogton once known as “The Island ‘ is
now vast, dense and busy almost as the older por-
tion of tho capitaL

She knew not where she was nor which way to
turn. But she was fro!
Short as had been th". [-cxiod of her i uprisonrucnt,
this breath of fri-cdom acted li‘:e a. Drocious clix‘r.

Turning the first corner. she sped Onward, the
sole ghéect being to leave behind her the locality so

rea. e .

She came presently before a saloon, having a
globe llght ever the entrance that flared in the
gusty, snow-smellin wind.

A man was instt on mounting a high stool as if

to adjust the me of the light. With a palpitatlng
heart she addressed him.

" Would ou pleasefiazir. to me which way
Penn'sylv avenue from ref I fear I am

the mist not pause. '

If she could once gain that thoroughfare, Coralie
would know her course.

The man turned to look down at her. The globe
light flickered full across her pale face.

“ By thunder! e al’s broke loose!" he blurted.

Before Coralie co d realize his movement, he had
leaped upon her with a rufiian grip. One brawny,
bared arm encircled her waist: one dirtiyl7 palm
clapped tight over her mouth, effectually c coking
the shriek that would have burst from her lips. '

Overcome by fright, in her excited frame of mind,
she fainted in the polluting embrace of Buck Gosh
who carried her, with a rush, into his saloon an
back to the sanded side-room.

There chanced to be no loungers in the bar at the
moment.

“ Here’s a purty go 1” he wled with an oath.
“ What ’n thunder‘s Daisy th nkin’ about, lettln‘ the
gal slip 'er holt this way? ’

Closmg the door of the side-room he placed her in
a chair, pushed the chair against the wall, that her
head might have sup rt, then shumed briskly to
the bar for a pitcher 0 water. _

But the water was not needed. Corahe’s recovery
was sudden.

She started to her feet, bewildered and dizzy. At
the same instant the secret panel slid aside and Mr.

Bob step into the room, coming from the coun-
terfeiters den unde und.
“ Coralie!“ he cri in astonishment.

“ Robert Daymon!”

Husband and wife stood face to face.

Whatever might have further passed between
these two, it was interrupted in a startling man-
her

The door was wrenched ogn janingly and Daisy
came bounding in among em, almost breathless
with excitement.

“Get out, all of on, double nick!" she cried.
“Warn the gang! 8 gigs up The cops have
tumbled to the racket in t e cellar, and they may be
close behind me now!"

But Daisy‘s warning was too late.

There was a heavy swift tramp of man feet; be-
fore Mr. Bob could withdraw behind he secret
panel six men crowded sternly into the room, all
carrying cocked revolv and on the breasts of
illpiiir gleamed the badge-p ates of the Metropolitan

0 cc.

Daisy wrung her hands wailing aloud:

“Ah! Buck, didn‘t I to you 'ou'd wish you’d got
out of this ranch while you time i”

CHAPTER XXVI.
ovsnssunvo THE cocxrmm'rnns.

COBALT]: had scarcely left the steps of the house
from which she had been so providentially delivered,
when two forms approached rapidly through the
cloudy gloom, coming from an o osite direction.

They werea. man and a boy. - altmg before the
house, the man ascended the steps and tried the
door-handle in a way of authority. _

“ You are sure, now, Tip,” oke the familiar voice
of Jack Simons, “ that this is he house you followed
the mysterious track to last night?"

“ Certain sure; yes, sir. I nigh run my legs off
keeping up with it, for I tell you, that they just let
out lively nicer I saw ’em coming from the alloy
carrying the dead-like figure. Yes, this is the house,
sure.”

Daisy had not yet withdrawn from the door when
these words passed. She stood looking at one of her
hands, the other holding the light.

“ And she wasn‘t afraid to take me by the hand!"
she muttered, with emotion; “ that pure and pretty

'irl. How hcr touch felt! All! it has been a long,
fong time since a true woman's hand was laid Iii
mine, until this night. I feel sort of queer yet over it.
She asked God‘s blessing on me, too! I guess God
has given me up, long ago. But, somehow, I feel a
thrilling pleasure that I went back on the old rascal,
and let her skip out— Ha! who can that be com-
i H

She bent to listen as voices sounded on the steps
outside. She could distinctly overhear the voices of
Simona and Tip.

“ They are on the girl‘s track already! Wasn’t it
a lu move that I let her go—and none too soon!"

As t e detective and the telegraph-boy paused on
the ate a party of men suddenliy appeared, march-
ing, will? evident stealth, in a riled file past the
house.

The scudding snow-clouds just then moved aside
from the face of the moon, and Simone recognized
Alex. Allison, the Government detective, leading the
men who were uniformed police.

“Hello, Allison!" he called, guardedly.

“ Simonsl—that you 2“

Allison halted his com ons.

“ What‘s up with you ere, Jacki"

“ I mi ht put the same question.“

“0h, he answer is simple. I shad0wed the man
we spotted at the eating saloon this afternOOn—the

know. It led me to the saloon of a man named
Buck Gosh, around the corner yonder. I ‘ made-up ‘
incog., entered the place, layed drunk with the rest
whom I found there. 1 0 served that several men
entered aside-room, and didn‘t come out even at full
dark. Under a drunken pretense—for which the
landlord gave me a jolly cuss! —I reeled into the
room and found it empty. he mysterious part
was, that this room had no other visible means of
egress. It stands to reason there must be a secret
rendezvous of some kind there; and on tho strenfih
of our mutual suspicions I am going to raid e

place. Come along with us. There may be stern
work ahead."

“ And I am here to rescue a yo lady who has
been abducted,“ said Simona. “ bright boy

with me was an accidenth witness to the outrage,
and traced the hack that carried her of! to this house.
It doesn‘t look to me as if anybody was in. I tried
the door- it’s fastened."

“ But am sure I saw a light through the keyhole
as I came up to you,“ declared Allison.

Daisy, who heard all, had instantly extinguished
the light of the lamp. Fertile of expedicn', she
noiselesst turned the key in the lock and shrunk
back close to the wall, so that the door would open
against and screen her.

Allison laid hold upon the door-handle. To Sim-
ons's surprise, it elded, and a black, damp-aired

passage be on
The twlgbnteied abreast, Simona producing a dark
lantern and preparing to light it.

D‘IIS rung from behind the d or, down the

steps. an was off like the wind.
“ Catch her! After her 1" shou‘ed both detectives,
in a breath.

Tip made a grasp at her garments as she bounded
t. But there was on! a rip, a tear, and on went

aisv with remarkable cetncss.

Pell-mell after her rushed Allison and the police-

men.

“One of you remain here and watch this house.
Don‘t let anybody get out of t," ordered Simons, as
he joined in the chase.

Straight to the sus den they pursued the
deer-footed Daisy; c oso on her liccls th -y were
when she burst into the sanded side-room.

There was neither time nor mode of escape for
the cornered c

ith a Wrote oath, Buck Gosh drew and fired
a pistol poin blank at the intruders. Simultaneous-
ly a revolver in Allison‘s hand was named, but
i was too late to destroy Buck‘s aim. Both the
rufflan lmdlord and a policeman went down with a
groan of agony.

Mr. Bob sprung to the secret el, and would
have imitated Gosh in firing at he omccrs. But

n Allison’s weapon cracked. The counterfol‘or,
mortally wounded, reeled forwardand fell, his face
ghastly with blood.

Daisy uttered a hysterical shriek and threw her-
self upon the prowrate form of her lover, calling
vainly to him in a delirium of woe.

The tall had fairly opened now so to speak.
Trampng stumbling feet were heard ascending the
secret stairway.

Led by Allison, themcn charged into and down
the assa, ,frcm the bottom of which streams!
3p 6 re tics of light from the counterfcltor‘s

en.

A fearful st .-lo ensued upon the narrow, inter-
nggll :itairs. I to‘s bammdlsaud barked, men
on n pant ng, savage grow

Hand to hand came the fierce collision between
law an 1 crime.

Thcn there was a sullen quiet, broken by the rul~
hurous anathemrs of prisoners. The gang—two of
ham badly wounded—wore over wered, mannckd,

the den, with its plea of tools, lee, plates, promos,
and packages of cuurious money ready for “shov-
inz,‘ luv spread bcforc lh.‘ Government agents.

It had proved a complete, a successful surprise.

Simona had not part clpated in the me! e on the
. stairs leading to the underground crib. He was
attracted by an astonishing resemblance to some
one. In Cor‘lic who, terrified by the volley'ng pia-

 

lv tols and oathful din, h"d crouched low in a for.

‘ corner, as if she anticipated being stricken down
with the rest.

“ Who are you, miss! Wlnt is your name?“

“011, sir! My name is Cora'is Dnmcr. For the
love of hoovrn, save moi—take me out of this place.
You cm an officer.“

iHo hastened to her side witha pleased exclama-
t on.

“ Why, Miss Damrr, you are the very young lady
Inm looking fir. We know all nbout your being
Spllilte'l off. Your sister, Madeline, is greatly wor-
nev ._l!

“ Take me to Madeline."

“ As soon as sslble—depend upon it.”

Allison and h assistants emerged from the secret
panel with their prisoners. There were dark bolts,
g sporjvllgof impotent rage; but the handcuffs were on
5 l. g t .

“A regular mare's nest!" sold the Government
detective, shaking Simons‘s hand warmly. “ Old
boy you sha‘n't be forgotten for leading me to this
talk-3e sure of that.“

“ examination of Mr. Bob showed that he had-

fellow with the yellow immortelle lumtonnie/e, you .

 

gone to his last account. Coralie visibly trembled
when this announcement was made.

“ What affects you so particularly, Miss Damer?"
Simons asked.

“I cannot help it. That man was my husband.
Oh, such a horrible death as his has been!”

“ Was his name Robert Daymonr"

“ Yes. You knew him?”

“ Your sister, Madeline, confided to me your sad
trouble because of his baseness. You are freed from
him forever now.“

The prisoners were marched off. Simona escorted
Coralie on his arm, much surprising Allison by the
information that she was the identical young lady
who had been abducted and for whom he was
searching when they met.

Ti was dispatched to call in the policeman who
had en left to guard the house around the corner.
The telegraph boy was keeping close in Jack Si-
mons‘s company. Something very im rtant had
transpired between them recently; the ad had sud-
den] r resigned his ition on the messenger force
that afternoon, an no longer wore his uniform.

An officer was left with charge of the saloon until
some one could be sent to look after the dead

bodies.
Daisy refused to leave her dead lover, and was
left there, sobbing over him as if her heart would

break.

The habitual drinkers and loafers who came, as
usual, to Duck Gosh’s saloon that nlgh were huge-
ly astonished to find the globe jet overt e entrance
extinguished, and a stalwart policeman in on
of the premises.

And, as if by magic, the ubi ultous newspaper
reporter put in his appearance uly, at the saloon
and at the Louisiana Avenue Station-house.

(2b to continued—commenced in No. 6.)

talcum—Sup Stories.

8‘! m KX-REPORTIR.

 

 

Lars last summer a party of gentlemen from New
York started on a coaching trip from Gunnison to
Ruby Camp, on the Elk Mountains.

We rode over a level, sandy trail for a few miles
before striking the foot-hills. Only a few monos l-
lables passed between the driver and the writer. n
reaching the first rise of ground we met a teamster
stuck in a rut with a load of coals from a neighbor-
ing hillside, where it crops out in a. solid wall of
black richnem. The teamsterhad worked his mules
for some time in useless efforts to extricate his
wagon. The wheels on one side were sunk to the
hubs in the yielding sandy ground, while the coal
was badly canted. e road was so narrow where
the mishap occurred that it was necessary for the
coalwagon to pass us before we could proceed on
our Journey.

Our driver took in the situation, and, handing the
reins of his four frays to the writer, said: “I‘ll try
to get him out 0 that hole.”

Swinging his six feet of bone, muscle and well-
hardezied fiesh to the ground with but one touch on
the Wheel, in an instant he was at the head of the
leading pair of mul ,s, speaking kindly while arrang-
ing the harness. He did the same to the wheelers,
and then, gathering the lines careful: y in his hands,
took the tcamstcr’s seat and straightened out the
double team to the apparent limit of its strength.
It was of no avail; the mules barely twisted the front
wheels an inch or so, and that was Leaning

Ovcl' the team, the stage-driver then curled his whip ?

over the leaders’ heads, chirped cheerfully into the
cars of the wheelers, started them in unison, and
then fairly whoo d them out of the rut.

While our dr ver was returning to his stage I
heard a gentleman inside remark, “quk is the
most fir)qu driver in Sanderson & Co’s emolo ,
and I licve the best four or six-in-hand whip
creation.”

This was saying a great deal, for Sanderson & Co.
are the roprictors of the nwst vxtcnsive stage lines
the wor d has ever seen. Before railroads crossed
the plains and climbed the mountains their head-

uarteis were in Kansas f‘ity. From this center
lines branched out to Fort Scott, Santa Fé, El Pasr»,
San Diego, Los Angeles, and other portions of Cali-
fornia. As fast as pioneers struck Indian or buffalo
trails through the 'I‘t‘l'l'ltOl'IeS, Eanderson & (‘0. fol-
lowed ihcm up with their Concord coaches. At one
time 5,000 horses were required to do their staging.
They have now about 2,500 horses and 100 coaches
in use, the latter costing $1,000 each. They have se-
cured hundreds of contracts for carrfiing mails on
routes from fifty to one thousand m rs in l h.
The firm was formerly Sanderson & Barlow. r.

Barlow retired abouts year ago with money enough, i

it is said, to buy a r

Frank had driven over many of these lines. Only a
crowded '

a few days previously the iron horse had

lxim from his regular tri on the route between

Marshall Pass and Gunn n. He is still in the
re in historyas the

lime of life, and may yet
t Rocky Mountain stare-d ver.
When

loads.
(I 0

yes,” he replied; “that little affair was
nothing.

Sometimes we have to cut out a new road

to get around obsfructions. Tremendous loads;

have been drawn over these mountains. Your
Commodore Webb of New York, for instance, built a
smelter 11 here, which we will pass this afternoon.
The mac nery was all drawn nearly or uite 150
miles, by oxen, to its resent lIE'llt of 1!, feet.
One piece weighed 8, pounds. It took twelve

yoke of oxen about tin ee months to drag it from the l

car to Ruby'Camp. The freight on the machinery in
its last stage was more than five cents a pound."

“ Are you fond of driving?"

“ Yes; I love to be around horses.“

“You must have had some adventures?"

“A few,“ replied Frank, quietly.

“ Where did you first begin to drivel"

“In the East. I came from LocliPort, N. Y. I
used to dllVO trottcrs. You ask Dan ace if he re-
members Frank Ensl n."

Just then we passe an encampment by the side
of a living stream from the mountains.

“That is a Mormon outfit," said Frank. “ You
can always tell them bv the water barrels strapped
to their warons. The ormons help construct the
railroads. hcy are frugal and save their money.
They adopted the wster barrel precaution after
once crossing the Forty-Mile Desert between the
Colorado river and the cascades. There is no water
to drink the entire (listcnce. Before the overland
railroad was built all the trails crossing it were
lined wi‘h bleach bones cf cattle and horses, and
dotted with graves of immigrants. In winter it was
inviting death to cross this ter. lble waste.”

“ You must have had some cold rides?"

“Yes, I‘ve been chilled to the marrow on several

occasions; once on the road over the ground we are =

new trav It was two winters ago, when the
discoveries 0 these (ii ngs began to make a noise
in the world. Men wou d undergo any hardshalato
reach the mountains. One morn! I had a go
load for Ruby Camp. From signs n the air I made
up my mind that before night a blizzard would roll
down with frost sharp enough to freeze wbls in
our breast pocket I ut on six layers of cloth ng.
rst silk underwear, en woolen, next buckskin,
a suit of" woolen clothes, a thick ulster, and finally a
big bearskin coat that covered all up to my ears.
wore three airs of socks, a pair of undies, and
hi'iIILflanncl- ined rubber boots Over them. I wound
a nnel bandage around my head and foreheadf
and .ulled my ca down to my eyebrows. A 
5:?“ e“

0
rotec my eyes, and a mumer, w ch I
to breathe through, covered my mouth,
cheeks and nose. Heavy fur glo incased
ber mittens. protected my

in rub—
hands. ne of the mem-
bers of the stage com ny had to go 11 on business,
and he started of! wit me in the sea ou occu y.
He was prett well bundled u , and so. d be di n‘t
want any of be men to ride w ere he wouldn‘t go.
“ Before we Castle Mountain the blimard
was on us. It came shrieking over the bare rocks
and through the stunted trees louder than if a mil-
lion Utes wcro swooping down after our scalps. It
whistlod around the couch and ovcrlhe horses fairgg
raising the harness from their backs. lcicles form
fringes from their mouths, and their sides were
white with  frost. They lowered their
heads to the rm on plunged bravely on with their

load.

“ ‘Are you cold, Frank? inquired the boss with
chattering teeth. ' Warm us toust,’ sags I. c
point of my nose was the only sensitive t ing about
me; that tmgled as if a cool of fire had come in con-
tact with it. Protty soon we came to a bend around
the mountain, where we had a kilo shelter.

“ ‘ Pull up a minute, Frank,‘ said the boss, ‘ l gum
I‘ll get in with the passe vrs.‘ Every man inside
was stamping his feet as if a had seried his time in
the 0d Bowery pit. A fearful howl rimsc when the

re rietor opcmd the door and dove in among the
in! -frozen, cramprdup travelers. Between the
roaring gusts I heard the lively tattoo kept up until
we bezun climbing the high range of Ruby Camp.
Then only an occasional thum reached my ears.
IVlicn we arrived at the station {had to help every
m 111 out of the couch. Nearly all had their feet,
lmnds, cars, or nose bitten, requiring vigorous ap-
glimtions of snow to restore a healthy (insulation of

iced. A little rubbing of my own nose set me all
rig'~t ‘mnk‘s nose is rather Inn and lhin], and
when entered the bar-room of t ‘e s'atlon, after
seeing that mv team was properly attended to, I was
in a comfor’nble glow of warmth.

“ ‘Frank,’ said the proprietor, ‘I don’t see how
you got u the mountain without freezing to death.

should iave fallen off if I had remained outside
another half-hour.‘ Then turnln to the landlord
the boss in uired: ‘What time dthe coach from
the other si 0 get in P‘

“ ‘ The coach isn‘t in at all yet.‘

“ ‘Then' she is nearly three hours behind time,‘
said the boss, looking at his watch. ‘ Some accident

 

 

Frank had in gained his seat I asked him if
he had often been delayed by teams stuck with their

 

‘ replied Jack.

 

has ha pened. I’ll give fifty dollars to any driver
who w‘ i go out and help them in.‘

“ ‘ Who‘s driving?‘ I in uired.

“ ‘ Buffalo Hank,’ growCied a lazy kicker, who was
roasting himself near the stove.

“ Hank was a urd of'mine, stranger," said Frank
to me. “ So in use than ten minutes I was on the
road with a good team of horses and a strong cov-
ered wagon. I came up to the stage three miles

from the station, at the top of the range. ‘ My God,
Hank, wh don't you drive in?’ I shou
“ ‘I can t,‘ he answered, huskily. ‘ My hands are

frozen, and the passengers are paralyzed with (old.
If I should start the team down the range I couldn't
check or uide them, and every mother‘s son inside
would be illcd, as well as myself.‘

“In two minutes I had my team fastened to the
back of the stage. and Hank inside the wagon with
his hands in snow. Then I mounted the box and
bro ht in the passe rs."

“ ere you ever stopped by road-agents?"

“Yes, by the Allison gang. That was down in
Texas, tho h. We had a coach full of passengers,
a hes in l, and a big package of money b ex-
press. had the mone under m cushion and the
mail-bags piled up beh nd me. e were stopped in
:11 place where the horses had towalk, as is generally

e case.”

“ Do you drivers always stop-when ordered!"

“Yes; if we didn’t- we‘d get bullets through our
heads, or maimed for life, without receiving any
ccmficnsation from the company or passengers.“

“ owdidthe gan 0 rate?"

“Allison stood at e ends of the leaders with a
pistol inted at me. His confederates ranged
alongs do of the coach, covering the passengers.
Allison knew me by sight. He shouted: ‘Hands
up, Frank!‘ 'If you won't unhitch any of my
horses,‘ I replied. ‘All right; we don‘t want your
horses.‘ Then I held up. The passengers were on
dcred out in line, with hands up, and thoroughly
searched. The robbers went thro h the age
in the boot, taking some parcels, afilg then ask me
to throw down the mail-bags to them. ‘I can’t do
that; if you rob the mail you will have to get the
bags yourselves.‘ They then climbed up, tossed the
bags down, cut them open, and took such letters as
the wanted. ‘Have we got all!‘ asked Allison.
‘A that‘s worth having, I guess.‘ The thousands
of dollars I was sitting upon fairly burned me at
this time, but I looked the robber coollflm the eye.

“One of the now began 11 tching
leaders. ‘Sto t at, said Allison; ‘no one she
touch Frank's orses.’ Then turning to me he said:
‘ We are going now, Frank; in ten minutes you can
drive on. "

“ Did you ever meet with an upset on these moun-
tain roads?”

“No; but I had a terribly close call near Grand
Canon a car ago the mm of August."

Here frank gras led the butt of his whi and
curved the tip of t e lash over the leaders‘ ends.
The handle of the whip was highly ornamented.
There were about a dozen Iver bands on it. On the
broad band at the butt there was an inscription of
several lines.

“I seldom handle this whip without thinking of
that ride," said Frank. Seeing that I was interested
he continued: '

“We had a load of nineteen passengers inside
and outside the coach, and ten heavy trunks in the
boot. We were plug from Silver Cliff to Cohen
Citv. I had the [best six-horse outfit on the has
an felt a pride in driving, although I knew the ion
was too heavy for the coach in some laces. At my
side sat a retty little lady and on he end of the
seat was t e wrfe of one of our directors. The dl-
rector sat behind his wife. All went well until we
came to the top of Greenhorn Range. The drive
down the ran e for two miles and a half is one of
the most 1- ous in the Rockies. In places there is
scarcely inches to spare to keep you from goin
over the predfiice, and on the other side is a wall 0
rock. About elf-way down is a point called Cape
Horn. The road has been built out around this
rocky point, and the turn is so sharp that when the
leaders of a six-horse team have rounded the rock
they are out of the driver’s sight. This place is the
diced of all the drivers and teamsters on the road.
Th descent is about 260 feet to the mile, and when
once you start there is no stopping until you reach
the bottom.

“ Of course I felt a little anxious when the leaders
went over the brow of the range; but my wheelers
were powerful and game, and trained to obe every
word of command and touch of the whip, w e the
others were steady, and fast enough to kee out of
harm‘s way. As the coach began the escent I
placed my cot on the break with a firm hold. The

leav load re uired extra pressure, and I gave it
steadll'  We adn‘t gone more than twenty ards
when t e brake broke In an instant the cone was
on the wheelers, and they were on their baunch
snorting and using their forelegs like plows. I
was no use. The leaders Went in the air like wild
horses. and to save themselves from being crushed
the wheelers sBrung to their feet and joined in the
race. One ye came from the men on the coach,
pierced by a simultaneous shriek from the women.
After that they remained still as death. The little
woman gras d me round the waist at the first
jump of the orscs, holding my arms as if in a vise.

For God’s sake, woman,’ I exclaimed, M go of
me, and take hold of the rods b your ads. Our
only hope of safety lies in mybe ng a.le to guide
the horses.’ She unwound her arms, and handled
the reins as best I could.

“ Down we plunged, the coach swinging and rock-
ing like a toy. There wasn’t a place wide enough to

' to break the velocity of descent. turned
in head for an instant toward the director. His
w e had fainted, and he had all he could attend to
in holding her in her seat. There were places where
the outer ed of the roadway had been ground of!
and, in hu ng the bank, the wheelers nearly caused
a collision several times, fairly bouncing and bal-
ancing the st on two wheels. At last the horses
dashed aroun Cape Horn, and there I gave up the
stage as lost. These stages are so built that when
they overturn, a pin drops out that connects the
pole and horses to the coach, and the driver has a
chance to save himself by being drawn of! by the
horses. When the leaders were out of sight around
the rock it flashed through me that I might save the
little woman. 80 I took a firmer grasp on the lines
with my right hand, and was ready to swing my left
around her body. The stage swrrled and actually
made the turn on the two outside wheels. Then,
thank God, she settled down again and went on
bouncing down the ra It seemed an age before
we reached the level, w ere the horses ran two or
three hundred yards before I could stop them.
When I did finally get at their heads to caress and
encourage them for bringing us down safel , the

rspira ion was pouring on of every pore my
authough it was a cold day in the mountains.

“ hen the director got in and related the fuel.
dents of the ride to other members of the company,
they asked. ‘What shall we do for Frankl' ‘Give
him a check for 8100 ‘ replied the director. They
gave me the checkan the gases rs clubbed to-
gether and presented me wit $166 cash and this
WW, which I shall canal“ long as I drive."

hile Frank was wi our party two occasions
occurred when coolness and courage were called
for, and Frank responded handsomely. Su uent
Inquiries also revealed the fact that Frank not
drawn on his imagination while relating his exploits
on the stagebox.

 

 

A my who had quarreled with her bald-headed
lover said, in diam hlm: “ What is delightful
about you, my friend, is that I have not the trouble
of sending cu back an locks of your hair." His
reply was: Had you ven me one, ou would not
have known whose lock you were sen lug."

At a recent concert the trombone player suddenly
stogpcd playing, much to the astonishment of the
lea or, who demanded an explanation. The un-
lucky musician saloglzed, stating that he had blown
two of his front t into the instrument; but his
excuse was considered too thin instead of tooth out.

“Yns, stranger," said the native of a hobbledehoy
Western village, ‘five year ago this hull place were
a wilderness; nothing but perm-is grarss nd red
Injuns. Now, stranger, there be twenty en in
that all over yonder and forty more in the floor-
hus. Us a growing town, you‘d better be 'eve,
stranger.“

“ You advertise that there is a fine stream of wa-
ter on the place, but I don‘t see it,” remarked a
stranger who wanted to rent the place. The land-
lord suid: “ Just work that pump-handle a little, and

ou‘ll see a fine stream of water. You don‘t ex

have the Niagara Falls on the place for 15.
month, do you?" ,

A NEW way of keeping warm has been ut in rac-
tice with good effect. It is to have s. -uckw eat~
cake large enou vb to cover the bedquilt, and 5 read
over it “ pipinz- 0t “ at the time of retiring. hen
made of suflicicnt thickness, it retains the heat till
morning, and if a perm n is too lazy to get up, he
flan make a very good breakfast 03 the edge as he

es.

“ J ACII," said an aflcctionate mother of Stapleton
the other morning, "you really must come home
earlier nights. Do you suppose Esmeralda likes to
have you stay so late?" “ I'll tell on how it was,"
“ You see, she was sitting on my hat,
and I felt a little delicate about mentionir the
fact." “Very well. I‘ll give on a bit of a vice.
The next time don't hold your at in your lap."

Tun wife of one of the richest men in Europe, we
are told—the new Duchess of Westministeb—was
married in a while foulnrd silk, costing about
seventy—five cents a yard. Being so very wealthy,
she could have afforded to be married in a much
cheaper dress. A poor girl couldn’t. Her friends
would “talk.” The poor duchess is rich en h to
gel i3dependent and eccentric, without 1 a

on

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NJ,

« owe» 

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‘ ‘vlr'fiérfim. :4va  ‘, 
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