.‘--v---;-.-,-¢~owu. a «nu... .n. .- . .,... .. ...., ..,.. . -. ~ No wonder that the world seems strange, And all the people in it queer, For round and round it whirling goes Day after day, year after year. No wonder that the whirlwinds blow, And cyclones cleave their path so drear, For earth and moon a-waltzing go Day after day, year after year. A WHIRL. ' When age creeps on we long for rest; To pause amid this mad career And ask, “Why need we waltz and whirl, Day after day, year after year?" But if our thoughts, like winding stair, Tend upward to a higher sphere, Then nobler, purer, shall we grow, Day after day, year after year. \ k OF THE COAST. CHAPTER XI. THE LASSO THROWER IN AMBUSH. The Vagabond Sailor, who had so cursed himself for his lost opportunity to capture Fuentes the Outlaw Ranchero when he found his place of ambush, was as patient as an Indian in his watching and waiting for his return. He knew not what was going on at the old mission, for he had taken up his position just at the end of the ridge, over a mile distant from the ruin. He had heard the clattering of hoofs as the Redskin Ropers came in flight from the ruin', and had watched them closely as they drew near and then swept by, but no sign of the man he hated. “He is not with them, but has sent them upon a raid,” he muttered. Then he counted them and said: “Eighteen, and he has twenty. That means that two still remain with him at the old mission; so, armed as I am, I would not dare go there. “But I feel that Fuentes will yet pass this way, and when he does then comes my revenge! ” So he determined to wait and watch. He ate his frugal meals, slept when he dared, for his serape was spread out among the rocks, crept off now and then to a stream not far away for a. drink of water, and, with all the patience of an Indian, held to his post. Thus the day passed, and night came to find the Vagabond Sailor alert and expectant. One end of the lariat was fastened to a stout stump in the clump of bushes; the rest of the rope was lying close at his hand, coiled, ready for in- stant use. Not so very long did he have to wait, for, when two hours had passed, sud- denly he heard the sound of hoofs. They were approaching, for they grew louder and louder, but his hearing quick- ly told him that the horse was not com- ing from the old mission—that he was coming toward it! “It cannot be the Outlaw Ranchero,” he decided, not knowing that the horse- man had left the mission by the tunnel and shore. . The horse was in a canter and soon appeared in sight. _ Then Marlo could hardly restrain a shout as, recognizing his victim in the bright moonlight, he said in a suppressed tone, as be grasped his lariat: , “It is Fuentes, my foe! “This night he dies!” CHAPTER XII. VICTOR AND VICTIM. Along the trail came Fuentes, riding at a canter, and just thinking of going at a slower pace, then fastening his horse and creeping to the old mission on foot to see if his two guards and cap- tive were still there. He had not been able to discover by the trails whether the Redskin Ropers had returned to the old mission when they did not find him at the cliff of the Three Rocks. But he hoped such was the case. In his uncertainty he felt considerably r unnerved. There was a. sinking sensation about the heart which often comes to us with a forboding of evil, that all was not going well with him. Suddenly his horse gave a bound to one side, almost turning the back of his rider upon the pile of rocks upon the left of the trail, for the lasso of the lurk- ing Marlo had suddenly been hurled out of the shadow, and, true to its aim, it had caught Fuentes about the body, pinion— ing his arms to his side. The next instant there comes a sharp twang, and the form of Fuentes was jerked violently from the saddle and fell heavily upon the ground. At the same instant out of the shadow darted Marlo, just as the horse wheeled to run back on the trail, and grasping his bridle rein he held him fast. To hobble him with the lariat hanging from the saddle was but the work of a second. Then the victor sprung upon the form of his victim. The jerk of the lariat and fall had knocked the breath out of Fuentes, as well as bruising him severely. With agile hands Marlo made knot after knot of the lariat around the form of his captive, pinioning his arms be- yond all movement. Fuentes was just then incapable of any resistance, and raised upon the shoul- ders of his captor, was borne to a se- cluded spot off the trail. There he was placed upon the sward while Marlo returned for his horse, and staked him out to feed, as though he was in no hurry to depart from the place. then he returned to his prisoner he found him writhing in an effort to es- cape. Seating himself in front of him, on a rock, he said imperiously: “Marco Fuentes, the Outlaw Ran- chero, who am I, your cantor? ” Curse you! I do not know." “W'ho does my face remind you of?” “ I do not know.” “See, look well in the moonlight.” " I never saw it before.” “ You lie! ” “ I am bound, you see, so only a cow- ard could insult one thus situated.” “I am no coward, Fuentes; but tell me, whose voice does mine remind you of?" “ Good Mother! " “Ah, you shudder now.” “No, no, you are not he, for he is dead, dead! ” “Yes. I am dead, dead, if you refer to Mario the Merciless.” “ No! no! no! the grave does not give up its dead.” “ Yet you, Supposed to be dead, haunt- ed me as a ghost.” “You are no ghost! You cannot de- geixlre me thus, for I am no superstitious oo .” “I am the ghost of Merciless Marlo, the Cowboy Coaster, Senor Fuentes, for, as you said, he is dead! " Was the im- pressive response of the Sailor Vagabond, who certainly looked very little like the accepted idea of a wanderer from the Land of Spirits. “No! no! you know that Mario was my foe, that he was put to death by his people, the Coasters of Point Desola— tion, and you would frighten me by pre- tending to be his spirit." “ It is not so, for I tell you the truth. “ I am Marlo.” ‘4 NO"’ H I am.)! “Prove it! ” “I can prove it by telling you how I resued the Senorita Samos in the old mission from you, and, playing the part of a padre, sent you, as I believed, to be hanged as the chief of the Gold Ghouls, and took your Haunted Hacienda from you. - - “How you, not being dead, haunted me, I believing it was your ghost, and then how you, as Red Raven, the Chief of the Red Ropers, lured me to capture, and, as you believed, sent me back among my people to be put to death. “I was, to their satisfaction, put to death. “I was, to all the world, sent to my grave. “I am to—day dead to all the world except to you and to myself. “A vagabond, I was lured to come here like a wandering spirit. “I beheld the face and form of the Senorita Lulita in the window of the old mission two days ago. , “I saw you ride near me, but did not know you, then. r “I saw you come to that same win- dow where your captive had appeared, and remove your wig and false beard. “ Then I knew you, Marco Fuentes. “I read the reward offered for the re- turn of the senorita to her father. ' “I read the reward offered for your body, dead or alive. “1 determined to win those rewards, and so, unarmed, half starving, having only my trusty lariat, I came here to capture you. “ I have done so. “ I have you in my power, and alive. “I will soon have your scalp in; my hands, going to claim the reward from Senor Samos. “ Then I will get the reward for return- ing the Senorita Samos to her home. “Who is victor now, Fuentes?” and the man laughed in a frenzied way, as though his vicious joy was driving him mad. CHAPTER XIII. AN APPEAL FOR TERMS. There was no longer any doubt in the mind of Fuentes that he was face to face with the man whom he had most cause to fear. The haggard face, ragged beard, long, unkempt hair at last were seen to be the efiect of suffering, anxiety, hard- ship, and inattention to his personal ap. pearance, so different from the dandy Marlo he had known. “ Well, Marlo, I cannot but admit now that you are no ghost, but your own dev- ilish self, though greatly changed in the time since last we met, and it has not been so very long, either,” he said, put- ting on an air of bravado he was far from feeling. “Yes, I am so changed that I can face the Senorita. Samos and her father and not be known by them.” “ You will not dare to do so.” “Yes, as soon as I have killed you I will go to the hacienda, secure her, and take her to her home.” . “You will find twenty Indian braves there to guard her.” “ No, for those braves left the old mis— sion night before last.” “Not all of them.” “ Eighteen did.” “ There are two more there.” “ \Vith your weapons they will be noth- ing to me." Let me tell you something.” “ Talk quick.” “ I know that my braves are not there, for they were to meet me at a certain rendezvous.” “ Did they meet you?" “No, or rather I was asleep and did not see them.” “IVell?” “ My captive was to come another way “ She did not come.” 6‘ No.1, “ Then she is at the old mission still? " “ That is what I'do not know.” “Well?” “I was on my way there to find out when you lassoed me.” H Yes-i) “Now we can come to terms." “ Can we? ” ll Yes-l) “ How so? ” “ I will go on with you to the old mis- sion and find the senorita.” “ I can find her as well." “ You cannot." H ’l “ You do not know the secret en- trance." “ Your horse will show me." (I ’I “ Yes, so you see, I need no aid from you." “ You can never find the room where she is held prisoner.” “ “ I think I can." ” In the dark you will run upon the two braves and be killed.” “I will await the daylight.” “ The way will still be dark." “ What have you to offer?” “I will go with you. “ You can pretend to rescue the maid- en and take her to her father, who will pay you the reward. You can have every peso of it. I will ask for nothing but my life.” ' “ You are generous,” scornfully. “ Will you not agree? ” “ No! I want your life for my revenge. I want your body to sell to Senor Samos, as per his reward offered, and I want the young lady to get my reward for her re- turn to the senor. u I! A “ You cannot get the girl unless I aid you." “ I will try to, at least.” “ You will fail.” “If I do I will have my revenge and the reward for your dead body. See? " Fuentes did see, to his great horror. But he would not give up without an- other trial. ‘ “ See here, Marlo; let me tell you that, though I was going to the old mission, I do not believe the senorita is there." “ Your reasons? ” ‘ “ Well, my braves never fail me, and yet they did not meet me, as I ordered, with their prisoner.” “Do you think they could have seen the reward and have taken her to her father? ” Marco seemed really alarmed at the thought. “ Bah! they cannot read, hardly speak a dozen words of English." “She may have bribed them.” “ I do not believe they could be bribed." “ Well, I shall go to the old mission and find out.” , “ Let me tell you something else.” “ All right.” “ When I left the old mission there was a vessel coming down the coast." “ That is nothing surprising.” “ This was a steamer.” - “ Ah! but away off at sea." “ On the contrary." “ Close in? ” “ Yes, and running along the coast." “ How far off? ” ~ “ Just beyond the breakers, and fol- lowing the curve." (I Yes-,l “ She was an armed vessel.” “Indeed?” “ Yes, the cutter. Rush.” , Marlo turned livid in the moonlight as Fuentes saw. “ She is commanded, you know, by Captain Yerger, a man whom it is hard to escape from, as you know." “Yes, I know, but what of that?" “ He may know that you were not put to death, and be on your track." “ See here, Fuentes, that man does not liVe who knows I am not dead, save the one appointed to put me to death and yourself," said Marlo with vehemence. CHAPTER XIV. A. VAIN APPEAL. The decided manner of Mario convinced Fuentes that he was certain as to the fact that his being alive was known to no one save the man who had been ap- pointed to put him to death and him- self. But he said: _ “Some deep reason has brought Cap- tain Yerger to this coast.” “ I think I can fathom it.” “Well, let me know." “ You remember that he accompanied the young coaster, Ralph Rollo, my bitter foe, to this coast in the Sea Pearl?” “ Yes, and to the hacienda.” “ True, and while Ralph Rollo went to the Haunted Hacienda with his men to await my return the captain of the cut— ter, with several of the coasters, went to the Hacienda Samos, thinking I might return by that way." “ I understand.” “ He then met the Senorita Lulita, was the guest of Senor Samos until Ralph Rollo and his men, having captured me, while you escaped, came after him.” “ Well? ” “ The captain simply did what all other men do who see the maiden, fell in love with her.” “ Ah! you read well, Marlo." “ And he has heard of her capture by you, so has run down the coast to see if he can rescue her.” “ I believe you are right." “If so, he has either marched inland to her father’s ranch, or has stormed your old mission and released her.” d “ I half think so, now you put it as you 0']? “ So I will go on to the old ruin, see if it is occupied or deserted, and find out if the cutter is still on the coast.” “That would be the best thing for us to do.” “For us to do?” (I Yes'!! “ Poor man." " What do you mean?" u “ You delude yourself with a false hope if you believe you can make any terms with me." “Do you know I have gold hidden away, and jeWels, the result of my rob- beries? ” “ I do not believe you have other val- uable than what you carry with you.” “But I have." “I’ll risk the loss of them by killing you.” (1 M “I shall kill you! " _ “After our long and friendly conver- sation together? ” “That reminds me that I have been wasting valuable time, so I will carry out my intention.” “What is that? ” “ To kill you.” “ You do not mean it?” “ I vow I do ” “ You would shoot me in cold blood? " ‘l No.1) “I knew that you would not.” “No, a shot would be heard, perhaps, so I will knife you," was the cool reply. “ I do not believe it.” “ Why not? ” “ I am at your mercy, and even I would not be guilty of an act such as you as- sert you will do.” “ I am more wicked than you are, more cruel, more merciless, and that is saying a very great deal, Senor Marco Fuentes." “I admit it but for the love of God, Marlo, do not carry out your threat, and I will be your veriest slave.” “ You would kill me the first time my back was turned to you." “ No! no! indeed I would not." “ I know that you will, and I will take no chances. “ I have risked life many times, and three times have been set down as surely dead by my foes. “ But I am alive, I hold a winning hand, the gaining of gold, through those re~ wards offered by Senor Samos is in my grasp, and I shall kill you and get what I deem my due for all that I have suf- fered, while I certainly shall feel joyous of heart over my revenge." “ There was a certain cold tone in the man's voice, a glitter of the eyes, an ex- pression upon the face in general that convinced Fuentes that his foe meant just what he said. But what could he say or do to stay his hand. He knew that he would do the same were their situations reversed, and Mario was in his power. He had tried to bribe Marlo with money he did not possess, for little hidden treas- ure had he, a few trinkets and some gold, put away in the Haunted Hacienda. With him he had all of his portable fortune nearly, a. large belt of gold, a few gems, and some jewelry of more or less value, gotten in his robberies of stage-coach passengers. So as a. dernier ressort he said: “ Marlo, for once in your life, believe me, trust me, and spare my life. 7 “ I. will tell you-frankly that I have enough of value with me toequal the re- ward offered by Senor Samos for my life. “ Take this and let me go, and I ask no more.” He paused, and remembering that he could go to the Haunted Hacienda and secure the little treasure he had there, amounting to a. thousand dollars, per- haps, and that he could get arms, ammu- nition, and a couple of good horses there from the corral, and hide in the rock chamber, to which the tunnel led, he con- tinued: “I will give up all, my riches, my! weapons, my horse, and go away on foot, as poor as you now are, only spare my life. " Come, take, what I have and spare me}. “ I will take that and your life, too, for your dead body will bring me ten thou- sand dollars," was the complacent reply. CHAPTER XV. CHEA'I‘ED. At the words of Mario, Fuentes gave a groan. His last appeal had been in vain- He knew not what else to say. He could do nothing more, and so lay helpless, bound, at the mercy of his foe. The moonlight streamed down upon the two men. One had a piteous expression upon his livid face, the other had the look of a fiend. Thus several minutes passed away, Marlo enjoying the anguish suffered by his victim. At last another idea of escape flashed upon the vision of Fuentes. “ Marlo, good Marlo.” “I am not good, but bad," was the sullen resnonse. " Well, Marlo, let me ask one thing of you? " “ What is it? ” 7 “It is that you will take me alive to Senor Samos." “What?” “ Take me alive to the senor." ’ «“ Would you dare face that man alive? " “ I would rather do so than face you." “ I will not." “ You will get your reward.” " (3 NO." “ Yes, for it says dead or alive.” “ True.” “ Then why would you not get it? " “113903-1156 You would not let me have M H (I Yes-fl “I don’t understand.” Marlo laughed. “ Pray explain." “ You see, it would be so easy for you to say: * “ ‘Senor Samos, I come to you alive, but this man who brings me is dead—he is Marlo.’ " “ But I would not betray you." “ Ah, yes you would, and I will not trust you. “ Alive you will, dead you cannot. Id H ‘ Again a groan broke from the lips of the man who now felt that he was doomed. “ Well, Fuentes, I will tell you what I will do." u“ What is that? " was the eager ques- on. “ I will leave you here while I go and reconnoiter the old mission." “ You will? ” “ Yes, but I’ll see to it that you do not eSCape.” “ I cannot.” “ I’ll also make sure to silence your voice, so that if any one rode by you could not call.” “ You will gag me? ” “ Yes, and borrow your wig, beard, hat. coat, and horse. “ I guess I will pass muster then. should I meet one of your braves. “ Come, let me make sure of you." He rolled the bound man up against a tree, and, taking the lariat from the saddle, made him the more secure by binding him beyond all chance of es- cape. Then he gagged him with the corner of his serape, and putting on his hat and cloak, mounted his horse and rode boldly along the trail toward the old mission. After a ride of half a. league it loomed up before him, grand, weird. gloomy in the moonlight and silent as the grave. His horse went at once to the clinging vines and tried to enter. “ Ah! I have found out a secret, but I dare not enter in the dark. “ I will go on foot.” ' So saying, he dismounted and pushed through the vines. But all was darkness within, and he dared not venture. He made his way across the. plaza and up the stone : - to the crumbling roof of one wing. - ,_ From here he looked over the sea. A, I up the coast he saw the glimmer a ' lights. ., “ The cutter is there, so in that Fuene?“ tes told the truth,” he said. He went from place to place, saw: x- where the chapel was. and knew that it was there that he had seen the two forms at the window, overlooking tn“ _ sea. ‘ S “ The -.place is deserted, but I will not ‘ push my search by night. " Well, I’ll come back another time. With this he returned to his home, and mounting, rode back along the ridge. He felt disappointed at not finding the senorita, but determined to make a mar thorough search by day. Now he would make sure of his reward for the body of the Outlaw Ranchero, and see if he could not get the Senor Samos to double his offer for the restart» ation of his daughter, if she .had not already been rescued by the captain the cutter, which he feared was the can; So he rode slowly back toward the spot where he had left his prisoner. .. As he went along it suddenly struck him that he had made ‘a mistake in lean:- ing him there. “ I was a. fool to risk it." he said. He became exceedingly anxious, and. dashed up to the tree to which he had bound the man, fully expecting to as him gone. But no, the prisoner was there. w 11 his back against the tree, the gag st in his month. There was no movement as Marlo came up, and the head had dropped over as though he was asleep. rv “Ho, Fuentes, I am back again. “ Awake and say ygtiir pnayers, for our time has come to e. y “ I have come to, kill you," cried Mario. The moonlight fell full upon the bound form, and yet no movement came at the man’s words. ‘ Suddenly, as he came nearer he bent quickly and started back with a cry like a man in terror. “ Great God! His hair has turned“ white as snow! " , ‘ He put his hands on the gag and re- moved it from the mouth. Still no move- ment. Then he held the face upward glanced into it. . - The eyes met his with a. vacant stare. “ Heaven has defrauded me out of my . reven e! " ' ,“Ht‘az is dead! He has died of fright”: came savagely from the lips of the man . thus cheated of vengeance. 1 (To be Continued—Commenced in No. 750.) ; _ TELEPHONE 3030M. A Cripple Creek man died the other day while playing a game of cards. The Coroner’s jury decided that the killing was justifiable. The deceased had live £088. . ‘3 A fashion paper announces that gowns this summer will come higher than they u. did last year, owing to a boom in the silk market. We trust they will—«at the .. shoulders. ‘ i a ' Philadelphia has a. sign reading, 9“ Made Pics,” and a barber shop in same city bears this inscription on p window: “G. Washington Smith, ‘ sorial abattoir.” gr . The Chinese make it a. practice to r all their debts on the first of the newi year. And from our civilized height we look pityingly down on the Chinese andl'fl, call them heathen. Traveler—~“ But I suppose that there > are men in Kentucky who do not drink whisky? ” Native—“ We never twit a man on his; failings in Kentucky, sah.” A Police Justice of St. Louis recently refused to allow a policeman to testify _ in his court. “ There has not been a. pot . : liceman in St. Louis for ten years who , t, has seen anything,” said he in explana- _ tion. if- A philologist says that nineteen dif- 5;. ferent languages and dialects are used "i in Chicago. He probably secured his in- formation from listening to a citizen ex- ress his opinion of the Windy City’s cli-, j: mate. 1;“ “ What kind of a wife shall a. young ‘ " man marry?” asks a. magazine writer. ' It strikes us that he’d better not marry any kind of a. wife. Let him take a. . widow or single young woman. 3:" . The most unfortunate being on earth is the man who can sing a little or play ;’ the piano 3. little. He is made unhappy if, by being constantly asked to parade his .-::~ lack of ability, and he makes others un- i; happy by consenting. _ .1 “ My brethren,” said Dr. Boyd Cara .“l penter, Bishop of Ripon, England, in a recent address, “ I beg you to ‘take hold of your own heart and look it straight in the face.” Bishop Carpenter is an Irish— ’i' man. " An, eighty-year-old husband in Okla: ‘5 homa is said to be trying to induce hill twenty—year—old wife to commit suicide. It strikes us that a twenty-year-old wife with an eighty-year-old husband ought ‘ not to need much inducement. The Singing Skeleton (surprised)- “You look terribly blue—and yet, only last week you married the beautiful hue man centipede.” The Ossifled Man Viv r (gloomily)———“ I am blue! No sooner arc - we two happily married than she gets r the cycling fad, and I have to buy her ' ,j‘ a sextet bicycle! " 5., In the early eighties “ Jim ” Shultz was Justice of the Peace in Twin Grovesflf. Township, Neb. One day an attorney was exceedingly domineering. in his words and actions. His Honor finally fig" gave vent to his feelings as follows: ‘ “The court will now take a. recess. Mr. Attorney, you are a. liar and a. scoundrel. ‘ The court will now come to order. Mm, Attorney, if you open your head, I’ll fine you for contempt.” A certain rector in a Suffolk village, who was disliked in the parish, had a curate who was very popular and who on leaving was presented with a testi- monial. This excited the envy and wrath of the rector, and, meeting with an old 3 lady one day, he said: “ I am surprised, Mrs. Bloom, that you should have sub- scribed to a testimonia.” “Why, sir,” , said the old lady, “ if you’d bin ,a-going 9 I’d have subscribed double." ;-. "Y'b‘oii: . . l ‘ m __ na i “J.