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‘

“ No, sir, I wouldn’t take his word for a rotten
lanyard,” was the prompt reply, “ I saw your
name for it.”

“ Sure it was my writing, Stewart?”

“Positive, sir—to an order to pass bearer
ashore at any hour.”

“Ah! yes—thank you,” and left alone, the
captain sat d0wn, looking more troubled than
ever.

 

CHAPTER IX.
HOW IT WORKED.

VVHEN the five adventurers landed from the
cutter, Shubrick directed their movements until
a wine-shop frequented by English-speaking sea-
men and landsmen was reached. Here he divid-
ed the party, sending Maxwell——whoin he had
found intelligent, and well—posted in such work
——to engage the sailboats, fixing a time and
place for their meeting. and With the three ship’s
bog/s entered the wineshop.

The place was crowded with people of various
nationalities beSides English, but all appeared
to understand what was said when Shubrick in
a loud, braggin tone, began:

“ lVell, lads, ’zn glad th" cap’n isn’t goin’ t’
wait no longer for that cowardly Englishnmn,
for we’d never have a copper o' prize money if
we waited for him t’ come out.”

“ Ay, ay,” said White in the same tone.
“There’s neither fun nor money in waitin’ for
that Britisher.”

“ Less pluck for an Englishman than any I’ve
ever seen or heard of,” afiirmed Warren.

“ We’d have more fun and make more money
taking a merchantinan,” added Cooper, with the
air of one who had been through a dozen engage-
ments.

This kind of talk was in itself irritating
enough to the Englishmen who were present, if
coming from men, but when the taunts were
uttered by three ship’s boys it became partic-
ularly so.

The Frenchmen, the Spaniards, the natives—
every one present—appeared to enjoy the joke
on the Englishmen, who had many times thrash-
ed all of them, and a French quartermaster in
a spirit of mischief. added fuel to the fire by
joining the American party, saying:

“Ah, messieurs, it cos a shame! Ze English
ca Itain seem to have lost hees—~courage—you
ca it.

“You will have ze vine wiz me, eh ?”

“ Certainly—NOT!” promptly answered Shu-
brick. “ D’ye think we’re gom’ t’ let a citizen
of the country that’s our best friend spend any
money on us! No, sir! We’ll have the wine,
but it’ll be with us! \Ve’ve plenty of money,
luck—and pluck!”

The character of a braggart was anything
but suited to Fighting Jack, and his last words
lacked the spirit which should have been given
them—so much so that a plucky little English
Bellman retorted:

“ You may have the money, and you may
have the luck, but I’ll bet a shilling you’ve not
got the pluck!”

It was a bantam defying a shanghai, but be-
fore any one could Speak White interposed.
Wherever he had picked it up, the young ex-
commander was a master of the English man-o’-
war’s~man’s style of inVective:

“ Why,” he scornfully began. “you burgos-
eating, peasoup - swilling, trowsers - scrubbin
son of a sea-cook, you’re talkin’ to a man who’
eat you and all who’re with ye!

“ Now, if you’ll just step out on the floor, I’ll
make ye see more stars than astronomers ever
did. and cut more capers than all the dancing
masters in France l”

This was audacious language from a youth of
eighteen, to a well-made, though small-sized
man of thirty, and Shubrick would have inter-
fered, had it been possible to do so without be-
traying himself and his companions by exert-
ing his authority, but it was too late, now, for
as White finished his challenge, be advanced
beward the Englishman, who stepped forward,
saying:

“ Well, you‘re a cheeky young rip t’ talk so t’
a man, and I’ll give ye a jolly good hiding just
t’ teach ye manners.”

“ Brag’s a beautiful dog—to look at,” retorted
Tom, “ but, like you, he can do nothin’ more’n
bark, for teeth he has none, or if he has any,
daren’t use ’em.”

“ There! I told you your teeth were no good,”
he added a moment later, and to the surprise of
everybody the Englishman was knocked down—
not only that, but In in a heap on the floor.

It was more good uck than anything else—as
Tom frankly acknowledged afterward—for,
angered by his boyish opponent’s lan uage, the
English seaman lost his temper an made a
blind rush, intending to finish the plucky youth
at one swoop. Instead, the latter stepped aside,
and as the man passed struck out—throwing his
whole weight after his fist. Had he missed,

pened he struck what is nowadays called a
"knock-out” blow, fetching his opponent full
on the neck, under the ear, rendering the latter
insensible for several minutes.

Chance, or not, the fall of the English sea-
man made the boys—and Shubrick, too—more
confident in themselves, and before any one
could speak, Dick stepped out.

“ Come!” he cried, “ while we’re waiting for
your man to pull himself together, I’ll give any
of you a lesson at anything you please.

‘ Single stick used to be a favorite exercise in
England. Do you—any of you—care to take a
lesson?”

This was going further, and chancing more,
than Shubrick cared for, but he was spared the
trouble of interfering, b a man who had been
standing apart from al the others, watching
what was goin on.

There were a at a dozen English seamen and
petty officers present, and while the first ban-
tam's (Tom's) challenge was received with some
little respect—owing to his size and appearance
—the second’s for the same reason, exc1ted a
mixture of indi ation, dis ust and ridicule.

“Jack!”ch aboatswa n’s mate to one of
the younger seamen, “take that cub by the
scruff o’ the neck and spank him—sound i"

“That I will, sir!” promptly returned the
man, stepping into the circle which had been
formed around the late combatants.

The short but decisive fight between Tom and
his op nant—- receded, as it was, by the inso-

—had already accomplished Shubrick‘s pur-

e, and he had no idea of allowing another of
his bantams to slip through his fingers to face a
shanghai. _

Keeping his eye on the seaman coming toward
Dick, the big lieutenant arose With the de-
liberateness of one who knows he has the game
in his own hands, as was indeed the case. for_ no
two ordinary men would have troubled him,
and there were enough American sympathizers
to prevent any unfairness, but the stranger
above referred to obviated any interference on
his part.

it Swp In

As the stranger "uttered this command, the
angry seamau stood stock-still-as if shot. The
word itself came like a shot—like the hang of a
gun, and all eyes were instantly turned on the
speaker, who was still in the position he had
been in from the time the Americans entered—
his arms folded across his chest, and leaning
with one shoulder against a post outside the
crowd. ' .

Although all noted the direction from whence
came the stern command, none believed it pos-
sible that the man leaning against the post
could have uttered it for while the volume of
sound indicated the ungs of a giant, he was
scarcely of the average hei ht, or rather the
great breadth of his shoul ers and depth of
chest made him seem so. ,

The stranger met the stare of the crowd in a
cool, unconcerned manner, that did much to
convince them that he had not spoken, and
again the sailor started forward.

“I said sror! I shall not repeat that or-
der.” _

There was no mistaking the speaker this time,
althou h he did not move a muscle of his body
while s ooting forth this threathning mandate,

in.a voice that startled all, and brought the
sailor to an instantaneous halt.

For half a minute there was a dead silence;
all eyes were bent on the stranger in the expec-
tation that some explanation or movement
would follow the order, but none came. and in
a few moments a voice from the knot of English
seamen asked:

“ Who’n thunder are you ll”
“ Go ahead, .Iack! Don’t funk over that chap
—-we’ll stand by ye!" encouraged another.

As if expecting him to leap at Jack, a lane
had been formed between the stranger and the
sailor, and notwithstanding the encouraging
Words of his shipmates, the latter appeared to
be spellbound by the piercing gaze fixed upon
him.

“ That is right,” quietly commended the
stranger, and Without removing his eyes from
the sailor, continued in a louder tone:

. “ Your comrade is not fool enough to lose his
life in attempting to punish a boy for uttering
what you yourselves know to be the truth!

“If your captain is not afraid, why does he
remain here, while a vessel of certainly no
greater force lies outside offering battle? No
attack has been made upon your courage person-
ally; if you cannot listen to the truth, you should
return to your ship and tell your courageous
commander what you haVe heard.

“ Return to your friends, my man—there is no
safety in standing in that spot!”

132d the young sailor obeyed, the stranger

“ As to who I nm—it’s sufficient for you that I
am one who will be obeyed l"

The last authoritative words caused an angry
outburst from the English seamen. All that
preceded this strange. declaration of authority
had been listened to in sullen silence, for every
magi of them secretly acquiesced in what was
sai .

\Vith the utterance of the first of the angry,

menacing oaths and cries which greeted the

stranger’s last words, a half-dozen men who were

scattered through the crowd, gathered around

the calm, unmoved man, leaning against the
st.

The half-dozen men referred to, were all at.
tired alike in neat sailor uniform, wore red
worsted caps, werenrmed each with a cutlass
and pair of pistols, and evidently were picked
men, forming a boat‘s crew. They did not speak
to each other, nor even look at the stranger, but
ranged themselves on either side of the latter,
when the English boatswain proposed:

“ Let’s duck the blackguard, and then make
him stand treat! What d’ye say, lads!" '

The pro tion was greeted with a roar, and
the Englis men rushed toward the stranger.

(To be continued—commenced in No. 516.)

 

 

THE POET’S VALEDICTORY.

BY GEO. E. POWELL.

 

Farewell to fond fame and its fickle devotion.
Bedecked once for me in proud tribute’s array!

To hearts that were mine. one fleeting emotion
That flashed like the meteor. then forever away!

Ca ricious. and fawning in fondest indulgence ;—
ll-fiooding, the moment, the soul with delight;
A gleam—and as transient, in rosy effulgence,
As glowworm that crosses the depths of the
night!
I found. Long I drank at the foot of the fountain,
And slept w lle Ambition. deliriously fleet.
Scared far for the crest of fair Fame’s giddy moun-

tain.
To fall, and to die, there, unsung at her feet.

Farewell. oh, farewell? Yes, farewell, and fore’er!
Vain dazzle and display adieu to thee. now!
Farewell fickle guides that led to insnare
The heart with but laurels that fade from the
brow!

Detective Gordon’s Grip;

 

The Shadowed New York Swell.

A Romance of the Revelation as
Dead Man’s Gulch.

BY ALBERT Iv. AIKEN.

CHAPTER XXVII.
Tm: DANCE-HOUSE IN WATER STREET.

Miss PRESTON and Icontinued our promenade
for perhaps a half an hour after I had noted the
disappearance of the three black dominos. I had
been listening intently for the whistle, the signal
for me to leave the ball-room.

As we walked up and down I tried in vain to
discm'er my three friends. There were plenty
of black dominos all around me, but none of
them were marked with the white paint—the
capital device that Peters had adopted to enable
him to know us in the crowd.

While I was waiting for the time for action I
amused myself by pretending to feel the (lee st
admiration for Miss Jennie, who leaned so ov-
ingly upon my arm. But, in in heart, I com-
pared her to the blue-eyed gol en-haired Nell,
and the thought absolutely made me loathe her.
Yet she was what men would call pretty. As I
looked upon the crowd of gayly-dreSSed mas ue—
raders before me, I noticed one, enveloped n a
black domino, who seemed to be alone, and also
seemed to be seekin some one. As he came

 

upon the right arm. It was Joe. By some ruse,

approaching drama soon to be enacte
ton, while I speak to a friend i” I asked.

evident her orders were not to lose sight of me.
“ Certainly,” I answered, gallantly.
A few steps brought me to the black domino.
“Joe!” I said.

mutt cred.

and Vanderwiltl”

lively. ' ”
dust when I drew back to we him one.

wilt ofi’ in another direction.”

him.”

fix the savant and the will, dead sure.

Joe. sagely; “ what shall I do?”

wait for you a few minutes, if I can.”

on that.”

 

nearer he turned, an I saw the white paint-spot

he had been separated from Clark and Vander-
wilt. I felt that it was necessary to warn him
of the signal appointment by the detectiye, so
that he could also be at hand to take part in the

“ Will you excuse me for a minute, Miss Pres-

“ You will come right back i” she said. It was

“ That’s me,” replied the Spider’s well—known
voice. “Is that you? Cuss me, of I believe 1
could tell my grandmother in these rags,”he

“ How did you become separated from Clark

“ Wal—you see, we got into a. big cr0wd, an’
a darned cuss—a big, red devil—got a—hold on
me. an’ afore I knew it I lost the other fellows.
I kinder got r’iled when I looked round an’
couldn’t see ’ein anywhar, an’ I just told Mr.
Red Devil, that had a-hold onto my arm, that
ef he didn‘t let go, I’d walk into .his affections
You ought to have seen him git up and

“Joe,” I said “that fel ow dressed as a red
devil is a confe erate of Clark’s; it was a ‘put-
u job’ to separate you from Vanderwflt.
While the devil had you, Clark drew Vander-

“ Blazes it Were!” cried Joe, disgusted. “ El;
I come across that devil, I’ll welt rocks out o

“ Look out you don’t get into trouble with the
police, because that’s just what they want. If
they can get us out of the way to-night they'll

“That’s so! Now you’re talking,” responded

“ Go and stand near the door. W'hen you
hear a shrill whistle, look out; that’s the signal
for me to leave the ball-mom, find you just stop
a moment and see if any one attempts to follow
mo. If I am followed, get up a. row in the doo’r-
wa if possible; then join me in the street; I ll

“ All right, boss. an’ of that big red devil
comes in my way, I’ll give him a sockdologer he
won’t git over fur a week, you can Jist bet high

n Joe be an to make his way slowly to the
do??? I againgjoined Miss Preston, who had not
moved from the spot where I had left her. She
was evidently determined not to lose sight of
me. For the next uarter of an hour I devoted

making her believe I was desperately in love
with ion In this I succeeded admirably.
Suddenly and without previous warning, a
shrill Whistle sounded through the academy. It
rung high above the strains of the music. No

one minded it, though. All, of course, thought
it but some masquerading freak. The time had
come; I looked toward the door; I saw the
black domino that covered Joe’s person slowly
approaching it. There was quite a knot of mas-
queraders gathered around the door. All was
far orable to my purpose; now was the time to
escape from my partner. She was leaning quite
heavily and lovineg upon my arm. Suddenly
releasing myself I pointed to the extreme end of
the room.

“ Isn’t that Peters, the detective?” I asked. I
could see her lips tremble-as she looked in the
direction I indicated. The moment she turned
her face away from me, I ran noiSelessly through
the crowd for the door. Just as I reached it, the
fellow dressed as a red devil, who had evidently
been watching me with tWo others—one dressed
as a brigand, the other as a Turk—~sprung for-
ward es if to detain me, thinking, probably, that
I would regard this as a piece of masquerading
pleasantry. But. before they could lay hands
upon me, Joe, who had been watching for his
particular friend, the red devil, jumped to my
rescue: he hit the red devil a whack in the face
which Smashed his false nose and sent him reel-
ing hack into a group of ladies disguised as
flower girls. The red devil, in endeavoring to
save himself from falling. caught hold of them:
they all caught hold of each other, and the con—
sequence W‘rlS that the whole party came tum—
bling to the floor in a mixed heap, while the
screams of the ladies pealed on the air. The red
devil disposed of, Joe turned his attention to the
brigand, and doubled him up in mortal agony
with a blow in the stomach. Then he grappled
with the Turk, and seizing him by the collar and
the waist. raised him clear off his feet and slung
him head-first against a couple of policemen,
who had rushed in to suppress the disturbance.
All three came to the ground together. The
Turk, astonished at the attack and the sudden-
ness of his downfall, and imagining that he was
still grappling with his antagonist, struck out
lustily and hit one of the policemen in the eye;
he, of course, retaliated, and the consequence
was a brisk little skirmish between the two
policemen, the Turk, and soveral of the bystand-
ers, who had first ran to separate the combatants
and then joined in the melee. Under cover of
this timely diversion, Joe and I made our re-
treat.

We hastily stripped off our dominos and masks
as we ran down the steps. On the pavement we
found Peters.

“ Jump into that back, quick!” he said, point-
ing to one that stood near the curbstone. We
obeyed instantly. The moment we were in, the
hack started.

“ I guess that red devil won’t foolround any
more tellers in black dominos, fur some time, ’
muttered Joe to me, with an air of satisfaction.

“ Where are We bound, Peters?” I asked.

“ To one of the roughest places in New York
-—Allen’s dance-house in Water street.”

“ Has Clark taken Vanderwilt there?”

“Yes; can’t you see the ‘little game?’ He’s
gone down there to see the sights. After they’ve
been there a little while, they’ll takeVanderwilt
into a private room and induce him to drink
something; the liquor’ll be drugged: it will put
him to sleep almost instantly, and then they’ll
‘ go through him ’ for that will.”

“ How did you learn this?” I asked.

“ I‘Vhy, it was just as easy as falling off a log.
I don’t know as you noticed it, but when you
left the hack to enter the academy, Clark told
the driver to wait; that he should want him in-
side of an hour or so. Hank, my partner, heard
this; so be instantly told the hack-driver who he
was—that he was a detective officer on a ‘lay,’
and that he wanted his assistance. So that,
when this Clark came down with a pal of his
and Vanderwilt, and gave the direction where
to drive, the driver repeated it in quite a loud
voice. so that I could hear it in the doorway
where I was hid. Hank quietly got on the box
with the driver, in case the direction was ‘ put
up’ to throw us off the scent; wherever they go,
he’ll go with them.”

“ Peters, you have worked this ease up capital-
lyl” I exclaimed.

“ Well, things haven’t gone bad.”

“ Bad? They couldn’t very well go better.”

“ That’s about so, I think myself. Their ‘little
game’ was good, though. but as we could guess

retty well what their movements would be, we
kinder had the inside track,” replied the detec-
ti ve, rubbing his hands quietly together with an
air of satisfaction.

on we went, rattling over the pavements. I
thought the situation all over. If I could only
surprise the agent of Livingstone, just as he got
the will in his hand, he probably, rather than
give it u to me, would destroy it. This was a
reasonabiia supposition, because, of course, Liv-
ingstone had not told this Clark all the particu-
lars in regard to this will. He had probably
told him to steal it at all hazards, but had not
given express injunctions to preserve it. Liv—
ingstone’s game was to get the will into his
hands; then, if events were to occur to brin
forward the claim of Salome, his half-sister, an
prove that claim, why, he could produce the will
and take one-half the estate, under its conditions,
for himself and his sister, Olive. But if the
orphan child could not prove her right, why, he
could hold the will back and enjoy the whole of
the property. So it was clearly to his interest
to hold the will, not to have it destroyed. But,
as I said before, it was ten to one that he had not
explained this to his tool, Clark. So the chances
were that, if we could surprise Clark with the
will in his possession, he would probably attempt
to destroy it, thinking that, by so doing, he was
carrying out the wishes of his employer.

At last we arrived in Water street. Our hack
stopped at a corner, three blocks from the dance»
house, so as not to excite suspicion by drawing
up to the door. We got out and walked up the
street. At the corner just beIOW the dance-house
another hack was standing. Peters pointed it

out.

“ That’s what brought the game we are in
search of,” he said.

Just before we reached the dance-house, Hank
stepged out from the shadow of a doorway.

“ ow are things?" questioned Peters.

“ All serene!" answered Bank, laconically. I
had noticed, during my short acquaintance with
this long-legged, countryfied-looking detective,
that he was sparing of words; “ they ve gone up-
stairs to try some of Allen’s forty-rod whisky.
I’ve fixed it all right with Allen; told him we
were on a ‘ lay ;’ he‘s very anxious to keep in
with the police. We might as well go for ’em.”

We acted on his suggestion at once. On enter-
ing the dancohouse, we found it well filled.
Dancing was going on briskly. The principal
patrons of the place seemed to be sailors and
’longshoremen: together with a few better-
dressed men, who had been attracted apparently
by curioaity to see the den of the “Wickedest
Man in New York.”

We passed through the dance—house saloon,
and went up the narrow staircase. At the top
of the stairs, Hank, v ho led the way, motioned
for us to walk quietly. He stopped before a
door: the hallway was but diml lighted, but
enough to answer our purpose. ank motioned
for me to look through the keyhole of the door.
I did so. The key was in the look, but turned so
that it did not obstruct the view. The room was
occupied by three men—Vanderwilt, Clark, and
a stranger. in whom I recognized one of the
r roughs that had attacked Joe in the Hudson
River Railway Depot.

Vanderwilt sat by the fire-place, in which
blazed a huge fire, fast asleep. I saw at once
that he had been drugged, for a bottle and glasses
were on the table. Clark stood over him and
had just drawn the will from his pocket and
held it up in triumph.

“ Go it!” I said to Hank.

Quick as thought, he applied his pincers to the
end of the key that projected through the lock,
turned it, and thus unlocked the door, and we
entered. Clark and his companion started with
surprise. The wily “ secretary ” recognised us

 

myself to the task 0 lulling her suspicions, and

 

 

 

at once. He saw that the odds were against
him, so he did the very thing I expected he
would do. lVith a laugh of triumph he thrust
the will into the fire, and in a moment it was
ashes! The game now was in my hands; the
Will destroyed, and Salome’s claim proved,
Richard Livingstone was a beggar!

" We don’t want you; get out!” said Peteis,
coolly. Clark was astonished: he thought he
had played his “ little game” and won; but the
destruction of the will didn’t seem to annoy us
at all. He was evidently puzzled, but he took
the gentle hint given by Peters and left with his
companion.

We took the sleeping savant, put him in our
coach, and toisk him to the hotel; there we put
him to bed, he still sleeping.

I arranged the plan of action for the morrow
with Peters. He was to call upon the heir,
Salome, tell her of her good fortune, and bring
her to Liv1ngstone’s house, whither I was to
precede her. I felt sure that when I showed
Richard that I had both the heir and the proofs,
begzvould relinquish the estate Without a law-
sui -.

And to-morrow I was to see Nell, the girl that
I loved better and better every hour! TO-mOI‘I‘OW
would be an eventful day!

 

CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE VENGEANCE or ALEX GORDEN.

I SAW Peters about eight o’clock, just after
breakfast. This was Thursday morning.
gave him the direction relating to Salome
Livingstone’s abode. i also introduced him to
the savant, and we explained to that somewhat
astonished gentleman what had occurred the
previous night.

About nine o’clock Peters departed to visit the
heiress, and at eleven I started for the post-office,
leaving Joe to keep Vanderwilt company.

I arrived at the post office about half-past
eleven. I walked down—town quite slowly, al-
though I was in a fever of impatience. At the
post-office, I t00k up a position at the upper
corner and waited. Just as the City Hall clock
struck twelve, I saw a dainty little figure, clad
neatly in black, comin down Nassau street.
Full well I remember that little figure, the
blue eyes, and the strange-hued hair, that the
sun tinged with its yellow sheen. I advanced
and met her before she crossed the street. The
meeting was commeriplace enough. I held out
my hand and said, “ ow do you do?” She just
pressed my offered palm and said, “ Very well,
thank you;” then took my arm and we walked
up toward Broadway. Once on Broadway, we
turned down toward the Battery.

I don’t exactly know how I said it, but, as we
walked along, I managed in a very few words to
tell Nell how much I loved her, and she, in as
few words in reply, told me that the love was
returned by her; but, I knew that before she
had said a word, for she had told me so with her
own a es.

“ A ! Nell,” I said, “ we shall be so happy.”

“ I hope so,” she reiplied, simply.

“ I know so,” I sai , “ for I ove you and you
love me. By the we. , Nell, I have prospered in
the world." Then told her of my adventures,
and how I had suddenly acquired a fortune.

“ How was it, Nell,” I asked, “that you came
to leave New York so suddenly l”

“ I will tell you all about it to-morrow. I
have something, too, besides that, to tell you to-
morrow; that is, I think I shall have. I m not
quite sure yet. You know you asked me once
about my life, but then I had a reason for not
telling you. To—morrow I think that reas n will
be removed, and then I can tell you all.”

And so we walked and talked—talked those
sweet nothings which are so pleasant to hear
sometimes, and it was two o’clock before we
guessed it was one.

“ Oh! how late it is!” she cried, as I looked at
my watch.

“ Yes, time flies quickly sometimes. ”

“I must go home, for I have promised to go
out this afternoon,” she said.

“ And when shall I see you again?” I asked.

“To-night; have you a pencil and card? I’ll
give you my address, so that you can call upon
me,” she answered.

I produced the pencil and card: she wrote her
address, and then I consigned it to my pocket-

i‘O .

“ Good-by,” she said; “ come to-night and
come early. Perhaps I may have something to
tell you then that may surprise you.”

“ Good-b ,” I answered; “ you may expect me
the first thing after supper, and then, you mys-
terious little puss, you can satisfy my curi-
osity.”

She laughed, bid me good~by again, and then

we parted. - Could I have but foreseen the events ,

of the next few hours, I do not think we would
have parted at all; but who can guess the
future?

I returned at. once to the Metropolitan; there
I found Peters waiting for me, terribly impa-
tient. '

“ Pretty follow you are to keep a man waiting!”
he cried. “ It’s after two.”

“ Never mind, we have time enou b. Did you
see the young lady—Miss Salome Livingstone?”

“ Exactly.”

“ What sort of a person is she?”

“ Well, she looks quite young—don’t look
much over seventeen instead of being twenty-
five.

“ Pretty?” I asked.

“Well, she is very pretty; she has the Liv-
ingstone family marks, as regards hair and eyes;
in fact, she looks enough like Richard Livmg-
stone, to be his full sister instead of being only a
half-sister.”

“ How did she receive the intelligence?”

“ Quite coolly, at first. It seems she made a
promise to her mother, never to trouble her
father, Anson Livingstone, or even to let him
know that she was living. She seemed to think
that she ought to extend that promise to take in
the son, but, when I told her of the will that her
father, Anson, had made. leaving her one-half
the property, and how Richard had schemed to
get that will into his ession, and had, by his
agents destroyed it, in attempting to do so, all
the old Livingstone blood in her veins fired up,
and she said that she would at herself full into
our hands and be guided sole y by us. I tel you,
she looked just like a little queen when I told her
about the will business. She drew herself up,
and said, ‘ If my half-brother Richard had treat-
ed me right, I would never have troubled him,
only for just enough to live on; but, since he has
chosen to treat me as an enemy, I will show him
that I am his father’s child as well as he.’ If I
hadn’t been a married man, with one of the
nicest women for a wife that ever lived, she
would have taken me for all I was worth.”

“She consents, then, to put her case in our
hands?”

“ Yes, of course. I didn’t mention any names,
because if I had spoken of you as an outsider,
she naturally would have wanted to knew what
in thunder you were mixing yourself up in the
affair for. Then, if she learned that you were
after revenge for his murdering your friend, she
might not want to send her half-brother to the
gallows or to the stone—jug for life. By the way,”
asked the detective, sudden! , “ you’ve got Liv-
ingstone pretty well corner now. This heiress
will strip him of all his money; then, if you
bring the accusation of murder against him,
without money he will be powerless, and you
can crush him.”

“ Yes,” I answered, and I felt that a tone of
triumph was swelling in my voice; “at last I
hold the winning hand.”

“ Trumps, every one on ’em, or I’m a. Dutch-
man!” returned Peters.

Then we arranged our plan of attack. Peters
was to go to Thirtieth street and get Salome,
the heiress, and bring her to Livingstone’s house,
there I and Joe, as a body-guard, would precede
t em.

Arrivin at Richard’s stately brown-stone
mansion, walked up the steps, followed by Joe,
and rung the bell. When the servant opened
the door we walked right in.

“ Tell Mr. Livingstone Mr. Robert James, do
tective officer, desires to see him on particular
business,” I said, walking into the parlor, the

 

 

’7
M E

 

door of which stood open. Joe followed close at
my heels. The servant, a little astonished, at
once went with my message.

Within three minutes, Livingstone walked in-
to the parlor. I could see that he looked nervous
and a little surprised. I rose at his entrance and
took of! both my hat and the light, curly wig.

“ Gordon 1” he cried, in astonishment, and his
face blanched at the sight of me.

“The same, quite at your service,” I replied.

“What do you want with me!” he exclaimed;
and then, without giving me time to answer, he
continued his speech; “ Do you not know that
you are an escaped felon-«that a word from me
to the nearest policeman would send you to Sing
Sing?”

“ Veil, why don’t you speak that word?” I
asked With a. slight tone of menace in my voice.

“ Why? Because. Alex Gorden, I have done
you mischief enough already. Don’t force. me
in my own self-defense to strike you again. If
it is to be your life or mine, I am such 2i vile
co“ art! I cannot sacrifice my own hfe, and must
fight you. But, 1’“ make you a fair offer. I’ll
give you a iliousiind dollars a year ‘to leave the
States and live in some foreign country. Alex,
we were friends once; I am not a good man, in
any sense of the word, but I think sometimes of
that old friendship, and I feel sorry that, hatred
ever came between us. You know, now, Alex,
that I have the best of the struggle, and that I
make you a fair offer.”

I saw that he was thoroughly in earnest; here
“as one good trait in this man’s nature.

“You are wrong.” I replied; “you have not
the best of the struggle. l have been pardoned.
Your agent, Clark, was foiled in his attempt to
secure your father’s will last night, and de-
stroyed the will sooner than let it fall into my
hands.”

He started at this.

2&1: was you, then, that baffled me there?” he
on .

“ Yes, it was I! That will is destroyed. If I
find the heir Salome, the child of Salome Percy,
who was your father’s just and only wife—for
his second marriage was void, being contracted
while the first wife lived—and prove her claim,
it will strip you and your sister Olive of every
dollar that you have, for on are illegitimate. I
have found the heiress, alome; she is in New
York, and will be here within half an hour. I
have the proofs of the marriage of her mother
and of her birth.”

It was thunder all around. Livingstone sat
down in a chair that stood near him, his face
deadly pale, his brow streaming perspiration in
large drops. It was a moment of triumph for
me. At set I had won the difficult game. I
held the trumps—the stakes, he himself had said
it' my life against his; and I had won!

he door-bell sounded. I hastened toopen the
door, for, as I expected, it was Peters and the
heiress, Salome. tau ht only a glim of her
as she passed in the hal , and followed eters in-
to the'parlor—he precedin me in obedience to a
motion of my hand. I to owed them into the

parlor.

“This is Mr. Peters,” I said, addressing Liv-
ingstone. He had risen to his feet, and the look
of anguish on his pale, handsome face was pain-
ful to behold, but Macarthy’s spirit was by my
side; his voice said, “ This is my murderer.
Vengeance !”

" This is Miss Salome Livingstone,” said Peters,
introducing the slight vailed figure.

“Brother,”said a low, sweet voice. I could
hardl believe my ears.

“ es, am your brother, Salome,” said
Richard, in a low, broken tone, “although I
have not acted toward you like a brother. For-
give me, if you can; I will restore all. I can
make you some recompense—but, there is one
other here, whose debt can only be satisfied by
the forfeit of my life. Iam not fit todie; no
man is who bears with him a record of crime
-Cl‘,l,[l’_le that perhaps might have been stoned
for.

“ Perhaps I can plead for you,” said the low,
sweet voice.

“ Plead to him, then,” said Richard, indicating
me. “ He alike is my accuser and my judge.”
Then he again sunk back in the chair.

“ You will have mercy, Mr. Gordon,” said
Salome Livingstone, addressing me, at the same
moment raising up the heavy black vail that had
concealed her features. andvrevealing to in gaze
the steel-blue eyes and yellow hair of N ,the
Orange Girl!

Of course I had suspected this from the mo-
ment she had spoken, as probably the reader
had. Then flashed upon me the truth. The

, story that Nell had told me of her life, slight as

it was, was still the story of the heiress Salome.
My name never being mentioned in the afiair,
of course she had no suspicion that I knew any-
thing about it. This was the secret that she was
to tell me on the morrow.

Livingstone sat before me, the criminal, wait-
ing for his sentence. What should it be? I had
sworn to Macarih to avenge his death; I had
avenged it, for I ad stripped his murderer of
wealth and station. Should I go further?

“Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord,”a low,
sweet voice whispered in my ear, and a little
hand stole into mine with a gentle pressure.

“Richard Livingstone, I will make you the
same offer that you made me a moment ago.
Go to a foreign land; you shall have a certain
amount of money each year. You are young; 8.
new life is before you. In that new life strive
to forget the old.”

This was my ven eance—a more manly one
than if I had taken t 8 life at my disposal.

A gentle pressure of a little hand rewarded
me.

My story is done. In due time Nell came in
possession of all her property, exceptin twenty-
five thousand dollars she set apart for live, her
half-sister. Before the estate was settled, Nell
and I were married; love like ours could not
wait for the law’s cold dela . We were married
and We are as happy—we l, as happy as it is
possible for mortals to be in this world.

Joe hunted up his mother, bought a house for
the “ old woman,” as he terms her, at Stamford,
and lives there, amusing himself by cultivating
his little estate.

The savant, Vanderwilt, returned to India
and expressed his intention of living and (lying
there. He prefers the “ Thugs ” to the New
York sharpers.

Richard Livingstone sailed for Brazil to seek
a new fortune and lead a new life far from his
native land. May that new life atone for the
past.

THE END.

 

A Russian Custom.

 

IN compliance with an ancient Russian cus-
tom, all the young men and women of the mer-
cantile class in St. Petersburg assemble on Whit
Monday, the firmer to stare, and the latter to
be stared at. The young girls, dressed as richly
as their means will allow, are arranged in long
rows by the sides of the flower beds in the Sum-
mer Garden, with their mammas standing be-
hind them. The wardrobes of their mothers
and grandmothers are laid under con tribution,
and everything bright and gaudy is carefully
brought forward to enrich the drapery, the
head-dross or the girdle.

Some of the young ladies are so covered with
gold and jewelry on these occasions that their
natural charms are altogether concealed; in-
deed, the ludicrous excess to which this sort of
decoration is sometimes carried goes beyond
what has ever been attem ted elsewhere. Thus
bedizened, the blushing amsels are drawn up
in mute rows, while the papas, in flowing caf-
tans and curling beards, parade their sons up
and down. Here and there the papas and mam-
mas try tolead the young folks into conversa—
tion with one another, in the course of which
certain little looks and emotions may arise, preg-
nant with future circumstances. Eight days or
so after this bridal exhibition private family
meetings take place, at which those whose hearts
are captivated at the grand show are more for-
mally affianced to one another by their parents
and relatives.

 

 

 

 

 

  

_.- ._ ___. ._.- s“---._i_‘-:,