. the glass full to the very brim of the potent drinkin man, gentlemen, I should really have “ Hello, there’s a i1 im who has fallen b tin one e e and winkin m steriousl with the
A EMORY 1i uor and tossed it off at a single swallow. believ I had a touch of the jim—jams.” the wayside!” exclaidierglr the major, calling th)e othir. “ omineselqu hgfeti’imbled. You smells ‘
n r. c. EABBAL'GH. he men of Babylon watched this performance “Oh, der mans vot says dot you drinks ish attention of the rest to the rostrate man, der mice, aha?”
W (idem H y ‘ with intense earnestness. . making foolishness!” Dutch Jake declared, not whom the veteran presumed to overcome by “ A big rat, tail and all!”
6 ~ 0.110- The camp had some pretty hard drinkers able to allow this opportunity_to give the major liquor. And then the major braced himself to

“brace” tne Dutchman, and he succeeded too,
for the strange sort of fear that Jake always
possessed that the major could do his business
much injury with his lon tongue, if he was pro-
voked, was still latent in is breast.

And at last Jake agreed to “hang up” the
veteran for a week, but no longer.

“ That’s all right!” the major declared. “ In—
side of a week I’ll find my man and then, Jake,
bully boy, if you want a stake, just call on me!”
(To be continued—commenced in No. 139.)

“ This is a sad and awful warning, gentlemen,
to steer clear of the alluring fiend Who dwells in
the potent fire-water, but as I’m proof against
such weakness, don’t throw your whisky away
but save it for our uncle— Great heavens,
b0 s, the man is sad!”

he sudden change in the tone was caused by
the shrewd eyes of the veteran catching sight of
a weapon buried in the breast of the stranger,
and another glance at the pallid face of the man
revealed the fact that the vital spark had fled.
The “ picnic ” party came to a sudden halt.
Every one stared at the dead body and after—
ward looked at each other in amazement.

Then, actuated by a common impulse, all hur-
ried forward.

The man was dead, but the blow which had

In the smoke I blow
To lofty ceiling, white as snow.
I see her form.
Voluptuous, warm;
Oh, heart! what mem’ries round thee swarm!

Oh. sunny clime

Of love! my rhyme
Make gentle as thy summer-time:

My song, he grace,

Like her sweet face.
And spotless as her bridal lace!

The past today
I’ll put away—
December‘s bloom and buds of May;
My hands have hid
The love forbid,
Beneath affectiOu‘s casket-lid.

a shot to pass without improvmg it.

“ Oh, no, you pour it down mit your throat!”
and then the host indulged in a huge chuckle.

“ I have to, Jake, when I drink such liquor as
yours, or else the stuff would burn a hole in my
Windpipe,” the veteran retorted.

But the miners were too interested in the re-
cital to pa any attention to this poor exchange
of Wit, an a dozen voices exclaimed:

" Go on, go on!”

“ You bet!” replied the major.

“ Well, gentlemen, jest as I commenced to
rub my eyes and ask what in thunder the durned
thing meant, right in the center of the circle of
light appeared a queer sort of an iron dagger
and over it the inscription:

within its confines, but the lookers-on doubted if
there was a man in the town who in the drink-
ing line would not find in the stranger a foeman
worthy of his steel.

“ Vere ish der monish?” cried the Dutchman,
recovering from his astonishment, as he watch-
ed the liquor disappear down tl e throat of the
thirsty man, and then saw him grab the bottle
as with the intention of filling out another
g .

One was bad enough, and the Dutchman
couldn’t stand two, so with great promptitude
he also grabbed the bottle.

“ C e it—charge it, J akey. my boy, put it
on your 3 ate, and be certain to remind me of it
next Tuesday and I will settle, sure i” responded

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
   
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
  
    
   
    
 
  
   
  
 
   
    
  
  
 
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
   

 

 

 

A TELEGRAPHER’S PLAINT -

BY J C. C.

 

 $3,] now myi 3min th'tla‘gthfir. t l. . bed h. h M th bottl “ ‘ Stand and deliver!’ ped th 1 f had bee k "
-' tnrnsaga n. _ e os re in ms is 0 on e e - ~ sa e i e awa n struc so recent] - u n u ' n u s
To one to whom Isung in vain. and staggered bagk. thztllvgfimgélit&$%ned at this new wrinkle thgt the body was gm warm. 3’ A mitigating; plug am I, a knight of quill ’
,. {:1 i‘m‘n- Ahv “01 He thought he had seen the other somewhere, .. , Stand and deliver' what, Dude if I, The man was no stran er to the miners, for be And in HIV office all the day the Wires keep “ call-
 m t t WES;  but nOW he was sure. 5 h- p ' ve had been a member of e first party that had ing 3’ me-
,~ She “0 3m 0'18 Years 880- The stran I. took adv” e of the landlord’s g0 81%“ mg , , _ . flared m all They “call” for this, they “ call " for that, they
3‘3 “‘8 “Well rds ltwas tlk ~ f th e“ 6" 9Y- n u ‘
; I see her 8t- ' h l f the W‘ . pa , . 398 l e as l ere was H M call . for everything, \
, conquion to_stow away anot erg asso p0 some u about the thmg and my speakmg] i e was a ormon, and went by the name of And here I Slt and .. answer u n and .. take 77 what. .
A wud {be fiallr Fillet t . erful bug-JUICE. . buys it for the  vanished  Ben Purcell, although from    - eier they u sling n p'
1, 3" A0033?!" "'1‘: e379in je“ “ chiminety! it ish der Major Bum l” u I W  for a mi ,0 r tw t .t. .t 5" he was seldom called by his right appellation— '
‘ iii-id hglvds g:?hnansds. Anglia tmth it was the worthy major! in 99." comingadack and as Eludldgl’t I 3% 111p  “la-t is“ Ben Purcell was his right name” about They ‘Sialilidrfe “p ” sometimes to say a certain man
Dom write his love on shifting suds. son, come toseek new fields and pastures green in sham to see' if I could discover an hing there which there was considerable doubt, for he was Sometings tile}. .. can me u ,, and say some other
this remote region. u I nit taken Bbrea steps w en a hoary; a desperado of the worst type, and sometimes, man is we . p
when under the influence of liquor, was wont to Again they “ call ” to let me know some bill is over-

‘- To him ‘twas joy!

'~: ‘ Where is the boy

Who ne’er has been a coquette’s toy?
What did I sa i
A coquette? ay!

For she was wedded yesterday!

And he who stood
And t wiried her hood
Amid the sunshine of the wood?

“ Right you are for a thousand pounds!”

And the veteran made another dive for the
Dutchman’s hand, but Jake had “been thar”
once, and he didn’t want any more of it, so he
got out of the way.

The readers of the tale entitled “The High
Horse of the Pacific ” will doubtless remember
that Major Bumgartner, or Major Bum, as he

voice, right at my back, yelled out:

“ ‘ Hold up your hands!’ '

“ Gentlemen, I have been too long in this
country to ever disregard a civil request such as
one entleman might make to another.
“ p went my hands instanter, and I sung out
as I turned around:

“ ‘ All right—don‘t shoot, but if you think you

boast that in his time he had been the doer of
many a bloody deed, and had been known by
more names than he had fingers and toes.

The name by Which the camp generally knew
him was Old Solitary.

This was given him on account of the strange
manner in which he acted.

He lived all alone in a little cabin away up in

ue '
They “ call” and “ call" and “ call" and “call,”
and tell things false and two.

I’m “ called " for this. I’m “called ” for that; and
still they “ call" and “ call,”

And I sit here and " answer up,” and calmly

“ take ” it all. ‘-

They “ call ’2 for every earthly thing of which a man 7

He lives to bless
The bride. whose dress
The orange-blossoms lightly press!

At times he tho‘t—
No matter what!

was usually termed, and the honest Dutchman
were great friends after a fashion.

The major lived at the expense of the innkeep-
er, who daily made oath that he would never
trust the veteran for another oent’s worth and
then swallOvved the major’s “ ghost stories” and

are going to make a stake out of me you have
run foul of the wrong customer, unless you’re a
chap willing to skin a flea for his hide and tal—
er

‘2 By this time I had turned completely around.
I knew, of course, what kind of a trap had run

the foothills, and seemed to avoid the society of
the rest of the miners, seldom coming to town
except for supplies.

never drank in a sociable manner like the rest

He was often under the Influence of liquor, but

can think:

But, sad to say, they never “ call me up ” to “take ”
a drink.

 

 

  
  
  
 
  

A blighted past should be forgot.
So he, with grace
And smiles, doth place
Where it hath frowned, a young bride’s face.

of the “ boys,” generally preferring to buy his
“fire-water ” in a bottle and can ry it away that
he might enjoy it in the solitude of his own cabin.

The Two Flags; .   fi
In person, Old Solitary was a six-footer, broad- on, *

shouldered, and muscularl ' built; a man b' a   .'~
enough apparentiyto holdyhis own against? Lovn FOR THE BLUBJUTY r03   
  4’ h

 
  
  
   
 
 
  
  
 
  
    
  
 
 
  
   
  
  
   
  
 
 
    
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
   
  
   
    
  
    
  
  
 
   
 
 
  
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
   
  
  
 
 
  
   
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
   
  
 

set up the refreshments as usual.

“Jakey, I must say it does me proud to see
you hyer and looking so well!” exclaimed the
major, in his most affectionate tones.

“ And such a fine place, too, equal to anything
I’ve struck in my travels lately. ’

And the veteran gazed around him with a crit-

into, but I didn’t expect to see a road-agent
got up after the outlandish fashion of this chap’s

 

 

 

 

ri .

5‘ He looked to be about nine feet high, and he
was dressed all in white, and on his head he had
a sort of lantern. .

“ I never did take much stock in ghosts, or

 

 

dozen ordinary foemen.
But the deadly blow had been dealt, and the

 

’ ical eye' ' h arms but I tell on entlemen when
Then he leaned over the bar and whispered to {flgrsstugetz " - y ’ g - ’ - . Mormon bravo, with all his crimes fresh u n
yes on this fellow dumed if he dldn t - {’0 A WAR ROMANCE.
on, the host. scare about ten years. growth out of yours truly, (13‘s thadmbeen called to the bar of the ast

“ Glad that you’re fixed so well, Jake, ’cos I
want you to accommodate me for a few days un-
til I hunt up a man in this region who owes me a
couple of thousand.”

“ Hafe you got der cash i”

And the Dutchman leaned over the bar and
winked mysteriously, as much as to say that he

to command.

“ He had a revolver leveled at me, and when I
came face to face with him be sung out:

“ ‘ Shell out your plunder, and be quick about
it!’
“ ‘ Nary a thing have I got, unless you’re hun-
and kin make out on

BY COLONEL PRENTISS INGRAHAM.

CHAPTER XXXII.
A BARRIER BETWEEN THEM.
GENERAL DELAFIELD sat alone in his quar-

Upon the doctor’s judgment, of course, all
the rest of the party relied, and all eyes were
turned upon him after he finished his brief ex-
amination of the bod .

“He’s dead for keeps, gentlemen,” he said.
“ The fellow that put the knife into him was no

The High Horse in Silverland.

A Tale of Strange Adventures In the
Mogollon Country.

BY ALBERT “ - AIKEN» did business on a solid basis n0w. 5303;331:332sz botch, l-e knew exactly where to strike, and had ters, in the plantation home to which he had
AUTHOR OF “ GIDEON GOLDLACE, THE HIGH “ That’s all right—next Tuesday: don’t for t .. You see ds i ha ed to be ri ht down an arm strong enough to drive the blade home— moved, through the earnest solicitation of An-
nonsn or THE PACIFIC,” “ OVERLAND to remind me,’ returned the veteran, equa ly to th bed_110%ir_c’om‘ ppglto town 0% m u and it ain’t the first time we’ve seen his work tonio Dallas. ,
6 mg y p. either, for I reckon the fellow that laid Old Sol- It was seldom that the gallant ofiicer was ‘,

Ki'r,” “ THE FRESH OF FRISCO,”
“ CAPTAIN voncaivo,” ETC.

CHAPTER XV.
MORE or THE IRON DAGGER.

THE “ picnic ” being over the crowd dispersed.
Long Tom Breckenridge, as the re resentative
of the Gentiles, insisted on the schoo master and
the High Horse coming to the hotel with him
and having a “ bowl ” at his expense.

As he justly observed:

mysteriously.

“ I‘m on a big thing hyer—got the documents
hyer now,” and he tapped his breast. “ I’ll let
you in for a share of it, if you like. Inside of a
month I shall be rolling in wealth!”

The old charm was still potent; the Dutchman
took in the “ ghost story ” as usual, and nodded
and winked confidentially, as if he believed
ever word of it.

“ y the way, gents, I had a strange adven-
ture to-night just on the edge of your camp,” the

pers, as it were, and I hadn’t a copper to bless
myself with, or anything else valuable, for that
matter.
“ ‘ Curse your crackers and cheese!’ he yelled,
gruff as a bear, you know.
“ ‘ Is that all you’ve got?’
“ ‘ All except the clothes I’ve got on, and I’ll
shuck them if you say so.’
“ ‘ What do you s’pOSe I want of your rags?’
he cried.
“ ‘ Don’t know, but it’s your say-so, and if you

alone. for the numerous duties devolving upon
him kept his days and nights full of worry and
toil, and his military family were constantly
with him.

Now, as he sat alone in his pleasant room, he
seemed to rather enjoy the thought that no one
was near.

He was a handsome man, well preserved, and
with a dignity of mien that was imposing, and
a fascination of manner that was ve striking.
He had not yet crossed the thresho d of fifty

itary out is the one that killed Yellow John, for
hyer’s another one of the iron daggers.”

And with the word the doctor drew the in—
strument of death from the body of the mur-
dered man and held it up so that all might see

it.

Despite their hardihood a shudder shook the
frames of the s . tators as they looked upon the
bloody blade 0 the instrument of death.
Then a strip of paper rolled tightly around
the handle and tied with a thread so that it

 

“ It’s a big day for this hyer camp when a free major said, addressing the crowd. “ I was or stri I am your ma
white man is able to get the best of these Mor— stopped by a road—agent.” X . Tug}, out your pockets.» would not come off, caught the doctor’s eyes. years, and did not look to have lived within
moTragaloots'.” _ had ml his “ A road agent!” i u I did it at once_ “ Hello}, fiyer’s surfs:d sort {if a communication, half a score of that age. d {‘3 .
9 young miner wa y expressed . The exclamation came from the lips of almost u .NO Weapons? I reckon, e remar , as e broke the thread .Sfilll he had a grown aughter, and the me-
thanks to the stranger for the great servxce everybody in the room, and the closest attention u L Nar . “.eipon a and unrolled the paper. ridian of hfe was behind him.
3 ‘ The doctor was right in his conjecture, for He sat for a long time musing deepl , though .

was secured for the speaker.
“ Yes, gents, a sure enough road-agent,” re-
plied the major, “ and though since my sojourn
west of the Mississippi I have had the fortune,
or misfortune, as it general] was, to make the
ac uaintance of quite a num r of the tribe, this
fel 0W to—night just double—discounted any speci-
men of the kind that I ever ran across.”
“ What was he like?” one of the bystanders
inquired.
“ A fellow about seven feet high, I should
judge, dressed all in white, with a lamp on his
head.”
The listeners started at the description. and
nearly every eve in the room was turned to

which he had rendered, for he understood well
enough that had it not been for Goldlace’s
prom t action in coming so timely to his rescue
the c ces were great that he would have been
in the other world by this time, lynched by the
Mormon rabble.

The Gentiles all marched in a body to the
hotel, while the Mormons, crestfallen by the un-
expected and summary defeat of their cham-
pion, scattered to attend to their avocations.

The alcalde and Kin Hiram repaired to the
oflice of the Mormon cl er to consult as to what
should be done, for both anticipated that there
was trouble ahead.

“ ‘Nice kind of a galoot you are to put a man
to all this trouble for nothing,’ he grumbled,
mad as a hornet, you bet or boots!
“ ‘ Boss, next time you etch me on the road
I’ll tr to be well-hec ed,’ 1' said.
“ ‘ that you do, for I am collecting toll on
every trail out of Babylon Bar, and if the pil—
grims that use the roads don’t go well—heeled,
thar’ll be trouble now I tell ye: and, by the way,
tell the boys at the Bar that I am going to pay
‘em a visit pretty soon that will be apt to make
them open their eyes.‘ ”
There was a general exclamation of astonish-
ment. at this.

seemingly pleasantly, for a smile res upon his
lips at times. ‘ .
Suddenly his eyes fell upon a guitar lying '
upon the sofa, and rising he took it up, ran his
fingers skillfully over the strings, and then in a
rich baritone voice began to sing that charming
old ballad, “ A warrior bold.” I
Wrapped up in his singing, General Delafield
failed to notice that some one entered the room
behind him.

It was Grace Mortimer, the companion and
devoted friend of his daughter Lois: nay, more,
she was the one being who had won the gallant
colonel’s heart, and who shared with Lois his

upon the slip of paper, traced in reddish char-
acters. so that it looked as though the pen had
been dipped in blood, were the following lines:
“ One by one are the guilty doomed to fall by the
hand of the avenger—first the hirelings and then
the masters."
The doctor read the communication aloud and
the. rest listened with intense amazement.
“ What in thunder does it all mean, anyway?”
Lon Tom Breckenridge exclaimed, the first to
brea the Silence.
The rest all shook their heads, With the excep-
tion of Soapy Sam, who looked unusually sol-
emn. and glanced around him as though he ex-

 

 

 

The wounded man was removed to his cabin .. r i- . - r, -
under the doctor’s direction. and he promised where Soapy m and the Englishman, Go- 'd 0131:; 5 “but he gald’ genucmen’ the major pected to see the mysterious murderer peeping love.
the alcalde to do all in his power for him. lightly. sat on some barrel-Q. side by Side. en Then‘ he told me to turn my back and not to from behind some convenient hiding-place. She drew near and stood just behind him un-
Again the camp resumed its natural and nor— “Just right on the outskirts of your town, dare to look around 0,. to move for at least “ Well, gentlemen, you kin count me out,” til the song was ended.
the major remarked. “ I ain’t anxious to have Then she said softly:

gents,” the major continued.

“ I was coming up the river from Claremont, five mmum’ or he would be under the d15—

agreeable necessity of putting a hole right
through me.
“ I replied that I was a clean white man all
the way through, and he needn‘t put himself to

mal nce.

At hotel the meeting between the High
Horse and Dutch Jake made the bystanders and the night is pretty tolerable dark, you
roar with laughter. know, for the moon is new and doesn’t rise until

The honest Dutchman was delighted to see his late.

" I saw the lights of the town, and hurried on,

“ I never heard you sing so well before.”
General Delafield started, turned quickly, and
rising, said earnestly:

“ Perha 5, Grace. it is because I was thinking
you as sung.”

anything to do with any such proceedings as
this hyer. I’m a strangerto this camp. and if
thar’s going to be much of this hyer thing going

on, I reckon I never will want to settle in these
71

 

of

“mime... , . ..

_.‘  a

former uaintance. and expressed it in even , d1 gings
worse Eng 'sh than usual. anxious to get a drink, for my mouth was as 2331 3313211;   iifg‘gétgmsfielaggfioagooggg hen the miners held a brief consultation and “ Of me. General Delafleld?" and the woman . f
dry as a dust heap. ‘ ‘ ' finally came to the conclusion that the alcalde looked archly at him, While her beautiful face '

“If you’re so glad to see me, s’pose you set
’em up for the boys," Goldlace suggested, with a
wink at the rest.

“ Nein, I cannot me afford dot oxpense, but,
mine friend, I dells you vot I does. I shakes
mit you for der drinks.”

The Gentiles had a jolly time before the party
broke u , and they came to a quiet agreement
amon t emselves to stand by each other against
the ormons, if the saints attempted to put on

I, . I to 1d d ted lessly that I couldn’t hear a sound, but when,
And ‘35” “5 Came an 0 i a" after a good five minutes—you can bet all your
Sbfmty’ w “'1‘ sun?!” by t,’,he road about half 8' wealthf entlemen, that I was careful not to
"111,9 out” I grould Jllldgf_ .ed . shorten t e time any—I took a look back of me,
Choguusst 1‘“ f a n“ e! on two or an 98 “1 nar hide nor hair of use critter could I see.”
- . T e b standers looke at each other and ex-

” I saw the strangest tbmg I ever beheld'” changedy significant glances when the veteran
--_ came to the end of his tale.

CHAPTER XVI' The major, a close observer, noticed these

THE MAJOR 3 STORY' rather m sterious glances, and came to the con-

ought to be informed of the tragedy as soon as
possible.
Soapy Sam volunteered to carry the message,
and the rest said they would remain by the body
and keep watch until the alcalde arrived.
Awa went the Mormon then in a great hur-
ry, an at the alcalde’s cabin, as he had expect-
ed, he found the elder and King Hiram.
Both were amazed and troubled as they lis-

li hted up for a moment, driving awa the look
of sadness that seemed ever to rest 1i e a halo ,
upon it.

“ Yes, Grace, I was thinking of you, and you
have been with me in thought tonight, as I sat
here alone, and I have wondered if it was right
for me to tell you a secret.”

“ Can a woman keep a secret, General Dela-
field?”

“ It matters not Whether you keep the secret

 

  
  

an “ frills." EVERY eye in the room was now riveted upon - - tened to the tale.

How we will let Old Father Time makea one- the major, and every car was open, eager to 3331821“ t t the truth 0f ms Story was ques- “ Strange, isn’t it?” the Mormon elder re- or not, Grace; but certain it is that I must tell
 day leap ahead. and come to the return of the listen to the story. it UI'Xm my word gentlemen I assure you I marked to King Hiram, When Soapy Sam had it you. for I cannot keep it.”

 two, Soapy Sam and the English blacksmith, “ Yes, sir, gentlemen. I say it, and I say it havenit stretched th'e yum in “1", 1685,57, be m finished the recital. “ Is it about L01s?”

 , who had been stopped and despoiled by the boldly, the strangest thing I ever beheld!” the tened to assert “Yes,” replied the other, his face dark and “No.” , V

 - strangely-disguised road-agent on Lone Moun- major repeated, in his most impressive tones, .. I know tba't it sounds like a ghost story but his manner gloomy. ‘ “ Are you again promoted!”

  ' tain. delighted at the discovery that he had made a it ain’t. it’s the Gospel truth, sure as yéuire “What do you suppose it means?” “No.”

=’ ‘ “ Before we attempt to determine that ties- “ I cannot guess it then.”

great impression.
The veteran was quick to improve an oppor-
tunity of this kind.
“ But, I sw’ar, gentlemen, I've been through
so much excitement and have done so much
talkin that my throat is as dry as a dust-heap.
“Ja e, jest give me another little taste of
Whisk , will you?”
An the major put the nest in a careless,
off-hand way. just as if he elt certain that it
would be instantly complied with.
But the Dutchman, despite the interest he
took in the road—agent story. still had an eye to
business, and he hesitated about producing the
liquor, whereupon one of the miners, who was
leaning on the counter. sung out:
“ Oh. sling out the fluid, Jake, and I’ll stand
it this time.”
“You do me roud!” exclaimed the major,
with a grateful W, and in his mind’s e e be
set down the young fellow, who had so reely
volunteered the treat, as a man whose acquaint-
ance he would cultivate as soon as possible.
After refreshing himself with a generous
draught of the fiery fluid, the major proceeded
with his tale.
“ Yes, gentlemen, it is a sure enough fact!” he
declared. “ It was the strangest sight I ever
seen, and yet I have sojoumed some time in this
vale of tears and have witnessed some strange
scenes in my time.

“ I was late in making the town, although I
am about as good a walker as you kin scare up,

They went straight to the alcalde and told
their tale, to which he listened in astonishment.
“A mi hty bold thing,” he remarked, “and
if I thong t it was any use I’d send out a posse
and see if I could hunt the feller down, but the
chances are that he’d be a hundred miles away
by this time.”
And this was all the satisfaction the two ob-
tained. .
Of course they couldn’t blame the alcalde, for
they knew he was king sense.
To hunt for a ~agent in the broken country
around Lone Mountain with any posse short of
a regiment would be about as foolish as the tra—
ditional exploit of hunting for a needle in a bun-
dle of hay.
The news of the roximity of the road-agent
created a deal of ta k, for this was the first thing
of the kind that had ever occurred in the neigh-
borhnod.
“ The camp is kinder putting on metropolitan
airs. with knife-fights, road-agents, and sich
like." was the universal comment».
Yes, there wasn’t any mistake about it, the
town was getting “ live y.”
But that night about ten o’clock the camp had
fresh cause for talk.
About all the male citizens of the place were
gathered in and around the hotel and store, dis—
cussing matters and things in general, when a
disreputable fat man, foot-sore and weary, with
his soiled clothes covered with dust, made his

born!”
“Oh, that’s all right,” Long Tom Brecken-
ridge replied. “ ’Tain’t the first time that the
galoot in white has made his appearance in this
neighborhood, and he worked the trick just as
you have described, hey, English?” and he
turned to the blacksmith who sat by the side of
Soapy Sam on the barrels.
Golightly had been nick-named English from
the day of his arrival in the camp, and was sel—
dom addressed in any other way.
“ Yes. ’ang the fellow: he took every penny
that;l I ’ad in my pockets,” the blacksmith re—

lie .
p “Yes, he made a clean haul When he went
through us, and no mistake,” Soapy Sam as-
serted.
Then the conversation became general, each
and every man present expressing his opinion
on the subject, and finally all came to the
conclusion that this bold marauder must be
hunted down at any cost, or else he would be
the ruin of the town, for no camp could be ex-
pected to prosper With such a vampire hovering
upon its borders ready to prey upon its inhab—
itants.
Then somebody made a suggestion that it
would be a good idea to look into the thing that
very night, and it was received with the utmost
favor.
Into the street the miners trooped, headed by
the major, who was to act as guide.
By this time the moon was well up, and

“ I had hoped that you could, that you had
seen in my look, my manner, how dear you were
to me, and that I loved you more than all else in
the world, even including my darling child.”

“ Ah, General Delafie (1! you must not talk
thus to me, indeed you must not,” and she sunk
into a chair and covered her face with her hands.
He looked pained, and stepping toward her laid
his hand gently upon her head.

“ Grace,” he said, with deep feeling:

“ Grace, I know that I have lived ouble your
years, and that I am becoming, what some mi ht
call an o‘d man, While you are just entering
upon the time of beautiful womanhood.

“ I know that you have had sorrows in the

tion we had better ascertain all we can a ut
the matter,” was Buckingham’s reply.
The. advice was good and the alcalde acted

   
    
    
    
   
   
 

u n it.

p'l(‘)he three hurried to the scene of the tragedy,
and made a careful investigation, but were not
able to discover anything beyond what they al.
ready knew.
Old Solitary had been attacked and killed
right in the main street of the town, and with
ample assistance within call.
A single cry of alarm from his lips would have
brought a dozen to his aid.
But it was apparent that the deed had been
done so quickly t at the doomed man had had no
opportunity to give an alarm.
He had evidently been taken by surprise, and
so complete had it been that Old Solitary had
not been afforded a chance to draw a weapon
but had been stricken down with unarmed
hands.
“ I reckon we’ll have to hold a meeting to-
morrow and take the Sense of the camp as to
what had best be done,” the Mormon elder re-
marked.
All present assented to this.
“ So jest warn everbody you meet that there
Will be a gathering at m oflice to-morrow
morning at eight o’clock to iscuss this matter,"
the alcalde said.
Then at his direction the body was removed to
one of the neighboring shanties, which chanced

    
       
      
       
    
      
    
      
      
     
    
 
  

past.

“ So have I!
“ I know that you are my daughter‘s best
friend, and that she loves you as she would a sis-

   
 
 
    
    
   
   
 
  
 
 

ter.

“ My Wife I loved most devotedly: but she has
been long years dead now, and I have, though
turnng toward her grave With deep respect and
loving memories, determined to ask you to be to
me what she was. I
“ You have had bitterness fall upon your life,
and I would drive all sad memories away.

“ You are alone in the world, and I would ask
you to be my wife and let me make you happy.
“ I have s ken to Lois upon the subject, and
she says la ly would she see you my Wife, so it
rests wit you, Grace, to say Whether you will

      
    
   
   
    
   
     
   
  

-L 7m; . ‘. ’.

   
     
    
     
     
 
 
  

. u... I...“

   
    
    
 

appearance. marching into the bar-room of the . . ' '
hotel. yet when eve ten miles kgurus out to pe lflfteen though its 1i ht was feeble, yet it was strong to be unocgupied, and the miniers liéeturned to the 1? me care for you, love you, for the remainder
fat. unmeaniniz face. ti htl -cro or twent it kinder knee 9. man 5 ca. cu ations . . hotel to in u ge m a parting rm , and gossip a o m yeam .

He had a g Y P’ y enough to ena lethe miners to makea discovery, little in regard to the strange affair before they u am rich, as you know, and L013 has he,

as they marched down the street, which almost
froze their blood with horror.

endways.

“ Well, as I said,
the conclusion that .
our burg until morning,

ped hair, and a little tuft of chin—whiskers,
about the size of a dollar in circumference gave
him a decided resemblance to a “ billy-goat.”

The moment he can ht sight of Dutch Jake

fortune independent of me, so that should I fall
in defense of my country, to you Iwould leave
my wealth.

“ I hold this out as no baitto influence you,

retired for the night.

The major shrewdly conjectured, that, hay-
ing struck the cam at this rticular time
would prove to be a ortunate t ing for him.

'est as I had ’bout come to
wouldn’tbe able to git to
and was thinking I

  
   
   
 
 

 

CHAPTER XVII.

  
 
   
   
 
 
 

presidin behind the r, he gave a theatrical ad better out some snug hole in the bushes . ' . . .
start an uttered 8 lOlld cry 3 What 1 00“ bunk for the 11121“; I saw the . A N 0 Ton E R V I C T I M . . In the midst of bustle and exCitement such only I do hope you Will place your hand in mine
and so I pulled myself to- THE major was in the advance, While almost men as be generally thrived. and sayy:
“ ‘ es, I will marry you.’ ”

lights of the town.
gether and set off like a race-horse. ' .

“It was pretty dark, but the trail was dis-
tinct and I had no difficulty in keeping to it,
with the lights ahead to guide me, and I went

“ Do me eyes deceive me, ha, ha!" . .

Jake, on his part, jumped also, but it was With
alarm. .

As he afterward explained: '

“ I t’inks me, mebbe, dot was a loose lunatic

The only thing was to manage to rub along
until he got a chance to make a “ stake.”
This could be easil accomplished if Dutch
Jake was not deaf to t e voice of the charmer.
But the host manifested an intention of being

at his shoulder came Long Tom Breckenridge
and Doc Provo.
Soapy Sam and Golightly were right behind,
and followmg them came the rest of the party,
ten in number.

   
   

He stood by her side, his hand still resting
upon her bowed head.
He saw her quiver, and felt that from some

cause she suffered.

  
  
 
   
     
    
      
   
   
    
 
 
 

asylum l” on until I came to the old shanty.
“No no I see aright—it is my dear old pard. “ I could just see it looming up in the dark- All were well-armed, and although there was obstinate when the veteran suggested that be He knew little of her past, only that she was
’ ' ness, and had come to the conclusion it was de- hardly a man in the party sanguine enough to would like to be accommodated with board and the daughter of an army officer, and meeting

with misfortune he had sought to make her life
a happy one, and had urged that she become the
companion of his dau hter.

Grace Mortimer h gladly consented, for she

  
  

lodging for a week, “ until his remittances ar-
rived.”
“ Oh, yes!” Jake exclaimed with an incredu-
lous air, “ and vat ’bout der drinks? You vant

Dutch Jake. how are you !"

And rushing forward, the tramp, for such he
appeared to be, seized the hand of the Dutchman
and wrung it until tears came into the inn-

imagine that any particular good would come of
the trip, or that any important discoveries
would be made, yet as they were. all in the mood
for such a picnic, they gladly sallied forth.

sorted, as no lights were visible, when, all of _a
sudden, a bright circle of light, about ten feet in
diameter I should think, appeared on the Side of

  
  
   
 
 
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

      
      
      
    
    
   

 

 

 

 

keeper’s eyes. the holise. , . . . . . .
u l , ” Dutch Jake “ Well entlemen I tell you the thing made The Veteran, being In the adyance, was the me some of nnne good vhisky to find you too all was penniless, as it were, and had become the
howl pegnllsafttfol:§'§3 ggkgarIXft! me such fool- me jumdgit came  suddenly, jest like a flash first to make the discoveryto which we have re- der v‘ile, eh?” . ’ friend and companion of LOIS, and as Sisters the
' “ Oh, I don’t mention such a small matter as two had been ever Since.

Thrown with the handsome officer, seeing his
courage, and admiring him, Grace had learned
to regard him With feelings she dared not
fathom.

that. you know,” the major remarked, jovially.
“ I never suffer for the whisky while you stand
behind the bar.”
“ Dot vash blayed out!” Jake replied, shut-

ferred.

Right in the center of the street—right in the
center of the town—lay a man, sprawled upon
his back, with his white face upturned to the
moon.

ishness?”
There was a bottle of whisky and a glass on
the counter which the Dutchman had just placed
there in answer to a customer’s demand.
The tramp seized upon the whisky bottle, filled

of lightning. you know.

“ I stood stock—still and stared and blinked at
it. a-trying to make out what it was, for it up-
set me for’the moment; being so odd, so queer,
a complete puzzle, you know, and if I was a