=~ v. ens—"1;"..- ssaa-‘s' '

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

' One man may take a horse to the water, but
twenty can‘t make him drin‘c.’ ” _

At that moment, to my great relief young
Covarubio, the male cousm, came hastin up) to
say that the dancing was soon to begin, and on
Rafael, who was one of the ball stewards, was
wanted in the, canopy outside to direct certam
preliminaries. '

“ You’ll find me on the floor,” he said, hurry-
ing away, “ where I shall be happy to Introduce

on to as many partners as 'ou please. Though,
if I mistake not," he addet , again smiling sig—
nificantly, “ you won’t care for more than one
throughout all the dance. Hus-m I urge .’

At which he rushed off, leavmg me much food
for reflection.

CHAPTER XXIII.
VVALTZING WITH A SYLPH.

I REMAINED but a few minutes longer in the
mild dc comer, only while drinking a glass of
wine one of the mozus had poured out for me.
During the time, however, my thoughts were
busy, dwelling on the dialogue ust closed.
Strange it was, and I scarce knew w at to think
of if. It seemed clear enough that Ca tain Mo-
reno wished me to become one Of the amily: he
had almost said as much. But why? That was
the unintelligible. For, while feeling flattered
by his wish, I failed to understand his mo—
tive.

After all, it possibly meant nothing further
than simply friendship for me ;. this between us,
as I have already said, havmg grown to a
warmth beyond common; partly from a con-
geniality in our tastes and dispos1tions, partly
mutual esteem, and it might be something from
the odd incident on wliic I it was first founded.
Or, his whole discourse may have been meant
only as a bit of banter—a sort of thing in which
he frequently indulged.

\Vhatever the object, I could not com rehend,
nor did I reflect further 011 it then. T ere was
something else to occupy me; and emptying my
glass I hastened outside. '

There everything seemed different, as by the
change of scene in a theater. The lamps had
been lit, and the great canopy was ablaze; the.
space underneath it covered With groups of
figures, moving to and fro. The dancing had
not yet begun; but the twanging of the harp and
guitar, with the timing of iiddies, told it soon
would. In fact, the floor only waited for the
ladies of the élite. .

Presently hcse came, streaming out of. the
house in grand toilette; partners got paired:
figures were formed; the music struck u : and
away went every one in sm‘render to t e de-
lights of Terpsichore.

There is perha )S no country on earth, where
class is separatet from class by a shghter and
less offensive barrier, than in this same Mexico.
Even in the sister Republic of the United
States there still lingers a certain ext-lustmsm,
marking man degrees in the seeial scale—a
heritage left t iem by that grand dame, Mother
England—which they have not got rid of after
a century of democratic training! All that has
been long since shaken off by the more volatile
Mexicans —as by people'm ot er S rush—Ameri-
can States—where you may see e cattle~herd,
or muleteer, dancin with the daughter of the
haciendado; the pro etarian of lowest grade side
by side with his em loyer, smoking, drinking,
and if not seated at t e same dinner-table, cer-
tainly either seated or leaning over the same
baize-covered board, where dice are being rat
tled, or cards dealt. In the cockpit, and at the
monté table, all Mexicans are on an equality, as
likewise in their public balls, known as fandan-

oes.

g Forewarned of this by re ated experiences, I
was not surprised to find t t the crowd under
the canopy was composed of people belonging to
all classes, and both sexes of course. No more,
when several rancheros—the grandest gentlemen
there if only dress were considered—approached
the satin-clad and bejeweled ladies, With an air
of the most perfect easiness, and begged the
pleasure of having them for partners. More
awkward I, when after searching around for
the Indian girl—beauty like hers was not diffi-
cult to find—I bowed to her, and said:

“ Senorita, do you remember me?”

Her glance gratified me, still more her speech
in rejoinder.

“Remember you, caballero? What a ques.
tion! Ag Dios .’ I do, and ever will."

“'Tis kind of you to say so. I feel flattered
that you have not forgotten me.”

“How could I, senor? You who saved me
from insult. But for you—”

“ Pray don‘t again speak of such a trifle. I’m
Only sorry it has hindered you from coming, as
you used, to the city. But perhaps you don‘t
care 9”

I put the question inquisitorial! y, scanning her
face for the answer.

“ Indeed I do—care very much. It’s so dull
and lonely at home, sometimes.”

“ What! W'ith that pretty parrot to talk to
you—your namesake!”

She laughed, answering:

“ Lorita is but poor company.”

“In that we differ. I only wish I had such
company: and could keep it all my life.”

She looked in my face, half inquiringly, half
in wonder.

“ If you care so much for it, senor, you may
have it. Brother will take it you, the next time
he goes to market.”

“ Ah! sei'iorita; it isn’t the parrot I was speak—
ing‘ of. ”

he look of wonder still lingered in her eyes,
but now more interro tion.

“Not the parrot! hat then?”

I had it on my tongue to say “ Its mistrem ”
or “ Its namesake ” but forbore. Our friendship
was not old enough for such familiarity as that,
and it might be mistaken for rudeness. Pleased
was I to think it might; but I had committed
myself, and must make answer of some kind.
So I stammered out:

“Never mind, I won’t tell you now. When
we meet again—bnt—-” I paused at thought of
the imlikelihood of our ever meeting again,
which came like a black curtain between us.
“Surely you will not always stay away from
the city 9”

“I hope not always. I so much wish to go

'again, and see what I saw last time—those
brave soldiers of yours, on their great big‘

horses, wheeling and turning all together. Oh!
'twas a grand, beautiful sight!”

“ I’m glad it gratified you. I hope you’ll
come to witness it again—iiiany a time.”

"I should so like, if father would allow. But
then, those Red Hats—J

She stopped abru tly, lookin g out into the
darkness. and I con (1 see something like fear
upon her face.

“What is it?” I asked.

“A man. who looked so like him.”

“Like whom f”

“The Red Hat; the same who chased us on
the canal.”

“ Where did you see him?“

“He was standing just there;" she pointed to
one of the supporting posts of the canopy,
drape’d with evergreens. “ But he’s gone away
now.

“ Had he the red band upon his hat?”

“ No, sei'ior. It was his face, I thought, I
knew. As my brother told you, we’ve seen him
several times, but not always dressed the same

And now he’s in a different dress, if it be
But I hope it isn’t.”

“ And I hope it is. Will you pardon me for
leavin you, a little unceremoniously?”

She ooked surprised at my wishing to with
draw, but answered:

“ Si, senor!”

“ W’ith your permission I will seek you again,
and ask you to be my partner for a dance.”

Granted; and, turning my back upon her, I
walked off.

It was a good half-hour before I rejoined her,
all the interval occupied in threading my way
through the crowd, under the canopy and out-
side it, looking on every side, gazing in the face
of every man I met—all to no purpose. Among
them I could see none resembling that of the
Senor Don Hilario. Need I say I was searching
for him?

She must have been mistaken. After what

 

had happened her, it was natural she should
have fears and fancies about the man. This
was one of the last. So concluding, I gave up
the search, and hastened to return to her.

I had meanwhile observed that she was danc-
ing, and with more than one partner. Having
El Guapo in my thoughts, I did not stop to note
who they were. Only once for a momenthto
watch her movements, and watching to admire
them; for it meant the same. There was no
dancer there who in grace could com are with
her. A very Bayadere seemed La bcl a .’

\Vhen I at length secured her for a waltz, I
had no fear Of my partner dragging me down
upon the floor. It was not the dew: temps of
the )resent da I, with its ludicrous jumping and
jiggling, but the circular of years ago, that pro-
nounced by Byron as the “poetry of motion ”—.
at the time in vogue in Mexico, as most other
)arts of the “'esterii world. I had not gone
ialf round the ring with her, before discovering
that I heldin my arms a very sylph; so light
and agile her movements, so smooth and ser-
pentine her undulations, ’twas like spinning
about with Cerito or Taglioni!

When the music dropped, and the waltz came
to an end, she took my Offered arm, and we
wandered forth into the night. I cared not for
what “society,” with its tongue of slander,
might say then. It was too late now for me to
think of that; and I would have walked with
her up and down under the orlaring lights, not
defiantly, but with perfect indifference as to
what those looking on might think of it—cven
though they believed us to be betrothed.

And soon after we were so. It was for this
purpOsc we had sep ‘ated from the crowd; the
one telling the other, not in words, but by some
mute impulse, stirring both at the same time,
that we wanted to be alone.

Alone stood we in the inoonlight——away from
the noisy throng—beyond reach Of listening
ears or spying eyes—with the chaste moon and
the pure snows of POpOt-atepec and the Il'hite
“'Oinan as our witnesses: and there, on that
Christmas Eve, exchanged sweet words, with a
promise never to be broken.

(To be contianal—commenced in No. 166.)

OLD FRIENDS TOGETHER.

Oh! time is sweet when roses meet.
With spring‘s sweet breath around them:
And sweet the cost. when hearts are lost.
If those we love have found them;
And sweet the mind that still can find
A star in darkest weather:
But naught can be so sweet to see
As old friends met together.

These days of old, when youth was bold,
And time stole win 5 to speed it.

And you ne’er knew ow fast time flew,
Or, knowing, did not heed it:

Though gray each brow that greets us now-
For age brings wintry weather—

Yet naught can be so sweet to see
As these old friends together.

The few long known, whom years have shown,
With hearts that friendship blesses;
A hand to cheer perchance a tear,
To soothe a friend‘s distresses;
\Vho helped and tried, till side by side,
A friend to face hard weather;
Oh! this may we yet oy to see.
And meet old frien together.

The Freshmpf Frisco:

The Heiress of Buenaventura.
A Story of Southern Callfornla.

BY ALBERT W. AIKEN,

AUTHOR or “ THE WOLF-DEMON,” “ INJUN DICK,”
“THE POLICE sri‘,” “THE WITCHES OF NEW
YORK,” “ THE CHILD or THE sxvxxxx,”

“ PRETTY MISS NELL,” “THE MAN
FROM TEXAS, ” “ ACE or SPADES,"

“ OWLs OF NEW YORK,”

ETC., ETC., ETC.

CHAPTER XXXI.
AGAIN A PRISONER.

TIIE sudden and unexpected appearance of the
alcalde and his men is easily explained.

The bummer, with that spirit of boasting so
common to certain men, must needs display the
gold piece given him by the girl as a bribe to
keep his mouth shut, and brag to the barkeeper
of the influence which he possessed over her.

The alcalde chancing to enter overheard his
boasts, and when he understood that the lady
had given him the money, he at once concluded
that the fellow, by some ingenious device had
extorted the eagle from the girl; so he immedi-
ately accused him.

Brought fairly to bay, for Alex Black was not
a man to be trified with, the old vagabond was
forced to confess the truth, and ver much puz-
zled indeed was the alcalde when he Icarned that
not only had the old Indian sent a m e to
the girl but that she at once had set fort to
meet the peon.

Here was an unexpected move in the ame;
what on earth had the Indian to do with er or
she with him? I’Vere they in league, and was
her story but a cunning trick to mislead him?

It was a difficult pro lem but the alcalde set
about solving it at once. He called his body-
guard together, and away they started—his de»
sign being to surprise the two together, and he
succeeded admirably.

“ lVe are lost!” cried the TI, as the alcalde
and his men came round the nd in the trail.

There was a look of apprehension visible u n
the stolid face of the In an, for in truth he and
quite a taste of the alcalde and his methods,
but the ruling passion strong even in this hour
of danger impelled him to say:

“ Lie out of it—I know not you, nor you me!”

A ver ' simple and ingenious plan in eed.

The a calde and his men came on, weapons
shining in their hands as though they expected
to encounter a band of armed and desperate
men instead of one poor old Indian and a single
woman.

“ Put up your we’pons, boys!" the alcalde ex-
claimed, as they came up close to the two. “ The
lady ain’t hurt!”

The “ boys "‘ obeyed the command at once.
while the Indian looked on with a stolid face as
though the performance possessed no interest at
all for him.

“ You really must excuse us,” the alcalde said
with a very polite bow to the girl, “ but I hear
that you had ventured outside the town, and as
it ain’t safe at all to do such a thing I raised a
crowd and came after on as fast as could.”

“ I was not aware t at there was any dan-

. ger," the girl replied.

“Oh, thar is, miss, heaps of it! the country
round about here is infested with a lot of worth—
lem vagabonds, and this old copper-skin hyer is
as big a rascal as kin be scared up in a hundred
miles in any direction; but, mebbe, he’s a friend
Of yours?"

‘1 He sent me a message that he desired to see
me, that’s all," the girl said, in her quiet way.
“ I presume that it was wrong for me to come,
but the message excited my curiosit I and that,
you knOW, is generally all—powerf with a we-
man.”

“ Oh, it’s all right, miss, of course, as long
as you have escaped harm, but I was very
much afraid that you had been deco 'ed into a
trap, for this fellow is none too g for such
work.”

“ Me tell white squaw where to find what she
wants in the mountains, mebbe she pay good—
how!” exclaimed the Indian.

“ Oh, that’s the game, is it?” observed the al-
calde, in an extremely amiable way. “ Well,
you shall come along with us and you can tell
me, for the lady is under my protection just
now, and if your information IS valuable you
can rest assured that you shall be amply re-
warded.”

A sickly sort of smile came over the dark face
of the Indian and there was a restless glitter in
his eyes, as he gazed from one to another in the
throng and looked wistfully at the distant foot-

 

hills. José, the Liar, would have given about
all that he possessed ust then to have escaped
to the shelter of the ig pines that reared their
noddin, green plumes on the mountain side.
But bot resistance and fli ht were out of the
question; the alcalde and his band had him as
safe as a rat in a trap, and the alcalde nodded
significantly to a couple of the band who at
once roceeded to take charge of the Indian,
while lack escorted the lady.

“ I tell you, miss, you gave me a terrible
fri ht!” he exclaimed, as they proceeded up the
trail toward the town. “ These heathen bucks
are up to all sorts of games, and I had an idea
that it was all a deep-laid scheme to kidnap

ou.”

“ But, who would wish to kidnap me 3”

The question rather bothered the alcalde, for
he was only trying to find a plausible excuse for
his pursuit and interruption of her interview
with the red-skin.

“ Oh, I can’t say exactly, but there’s all sorts
of scalawags round, you know.”

“But why should any one wish to interfere
with me .3”

“ They might -‘et the idea in their heads that
you had a lot 0 money, or they might carry
you off into the mountains, thinking that your
friends would pay a good, bi ransom for you:
these mountain outlaws are I up to just such
games.”

And in this ingenious manner did the alcalde
beguile the homeward path, and he felt quite
satisfied by the time they reached the Ranch,
that he had succeeded in completely “pulling
the wool over the eyes" of the girl.

But in this case, as it often happens in this
world to tricky, deceitful men who are forever
engaged in trying to conceal their own pur-
poses and to unmask the designs of others, the
alcalde deceived himself in trying to deceive the
girl, for he entered the Ranch with the full Con—
viction that the girl had indeed spoken the
truth in regard to her goiinr forth to meet the
Indian, and that she reall ' iad no previous ac-
quaintance with the red-s (in. But why had the
peon desired to see the girl? “'hat was the rea-
son that impelled him to seek an interview? The
motive for this the alcalde could not guess, but
he smiled grimly to himself as be reflected that
he held the red-skin securely in his power, and
that he would have to answer the questions pro-
pounded to him or else suffer.

Black gallantly escorted the lady to her room,
and then hurried to the alcaldes office where
the red-skin had been conveyed.

The guards were lounging by the door, but
keeping a vigilant eye nevertheless upon the

eon who was seated upon one of the empty

oxes by the table, looking as placid and con-
tented as though he was not in the power of a
man cruel and unscrupulous enough to commit
any crime provided the end to be attained was
of importance enough to sanction it.

The alcalde entered the room and addressing
the guards bade them wait without as he desir-
ed some private talk with the prisoner.

The two men withdrew, and the Indian and
the alcalde were left alone to ther.

“ Now then, Jose,” said t e alcalde, seating
himself u n the rude desk and surveying the
Indian With a piercing glance, “do you think
that you could tell the truth if you tried very
hard?”

The red-skin grinned: he regarded this ques-
tion as a sort of a com liment.

“ Mebbe,” he replie , briefly.

“Well all there is to it is, that if you don’t
tell the truth you’ll suffer,” and Black ta ped
the butt of his revolver significantly, and) the
red—Skin at once looked sober and sad.

“You’re a smart customer, I knOW," Black
continued, “but I want you to understand this
time that you can’t play any sharp tricks upon
me.

The peon lifted up his hands and rolled up the
whites of his eyes as much as to say that he
wouldn’t dream of doing such a thing.

“ N o w, then—don’t try any gum games, mind!
IVhat did you want with this girl, and why did
you send for her?”

“ To make money." replied J 056, laconically.

“ How make moxie '2'”

“ Make b’lieve tell ier where the hidden treas-
ure is cached."

" Aha!" cried the alcalde, starting, “you
know where the treasure is cached!"

" Oh, no: how should I know!” replied the
peon, stolidly. “ Me say, me make b'licve know
where treasure is, so make plenty money."

“ IVho is this girl, anyway?" cried Black, ab
ruptly.

“ She tell you she wife of Miguel Scott.” ob-
served the red—skin, shrewdly.

“ \Vhy, how did you know that?"

“ J 056 got long ears—listen at the door when
she first come.”

“ IVell, old fellow, you're more knave than
fool, after all!” Black exclaimed.

Agiiin the peon grinned; he regarded this as
anot er compliment.

“ And so when you found out that this girl
claimed to be the wife of Miguel Scott you de-
termined to strike her for a stake.”

“ Why not!” '

“ Oh, it’s all right; each man tohis game; I’m
sorry that I was obliged to spoil yours, but it
couldn’t be helped; and now, to talk right to the
point, J osé. I believe that you do know where
this treasure is cached in the mountains and that
you could lead me light direct to the spot if you
choose.”

Earnestly the peon protested that it was not so.

“Oh, you can deny it all you like," the al-
calde replied, positively, “ I am satisfied that
you do know, and all that bothers me is to de-
cide which is the best way to compel you to
tell.”

“Jose can no tell what he does not know,”
the Indian asserted, sententiously.

“ That’s very true, but the bird that can sin
and won’t sing must be made to sing!” an
Black knitted his brows and looked at the In-
dian in a particularl threatening way.

The red—skin fold his arms with true Indian
dignity.

"Mebbe you kill Jose: he no tell then more
than now.”

The eyes of the alcalde glistened: he closed his
teeth tightly, and then shook his clenched fist
menacineg in the face of the red—skin.

“ I‘ll have your blood. drop by drop, but you
shall tell before I get through with you!” the
alcalde cried, his face dark with rage.

CHAPTER XXXII.
STARTLIXG NEWS.

AT this point the conversation was suddenly
and rudely interru ted. Into the office rushed
the Mexican, breat less with haste.

The alcalde at once guessed what had happen-
ed, for he knew the nature of Lope Domes only
too well: impatient to dip his hands in blood he
had provoked McAlpine to an encounter and
slain him.

“ Did you settle him ?” he asked. speaking as
carelessly as though the question did not relate
to the death of a fellow mortal.

“ Caramba ! no! the fellow escaped!” the
Mexican replied, and then he lanced at the In-
dian. The alcalde unders that affairs had
not progressed favorably, and that Lope desired
to s ak with him in private.

“ will return in a moment,“ he said to the

11, and then passed out of the office, followed

y the Mexican.

Black did not hesitate to leave the Indian
alone within, for the single window, which af-
forded light to the office, and which was the only
means of egress from the room besides the door
was situated in the front of the building, an
therefore it was impossible for the Indian to es-
cape without being observed.

“ Blazes is to pay; alcalde !” cried the Mexican,
the moment that e and his superior were out-
side of the office, and then timidly he related
what had occurred.

The alcalde listened in astonishment, and for
2; moment hardly knew what to make of the mat-

er.

" That daredevil "sport and the Californian
are in league, then, as I expected," he said at
last. “ The ytun;r man is Mi e1 Scott, be 'ond
the shadow of a doubt! Ant this sport efies

I me. does he?"

 

“ He does indeed!”

“ And he has carried off the banker to the
mountains?”

“ Yes, and dares you to follow l”

“ I have heard of these mountain outlaws and
it is about time that some one ave them a les-
son. Go, get the men together, fteen or twenty
of the best that you can muster; see that they
are well armed, and that every man takes a
good supply of ammunition with him. If I
once get on the trail I’ll hunt these Wolves out
of their holes if it takes the better part of a
month.”

“ Oh, there will not be much difficulty about
finding them, for this sport means fight, every
time!”

“ I’Ve’ll give him all he wants,” the alcalde ex-
claimed, grimly. “ But, hurry u the men; we
want to strike on the trail while it is fresh and
before it grows cold.”

“ I’ll have ’em all read ' in half an hour!”

“ Pack u a good supp y of provisions, too, on
the back of) a mule, so that we won’t be obliged
to come back to the camp until we hunt these
fellows to their holes!”

The alcalde was terribl ' in earnest.

The Mexican hurried o and then with brows
compressed and a sober, thoughtful face, the al—
calde reentered the office, prepared to bring the
examination of the Indian to a close.

But that was destined not to be, for—

The room was empty.

The alcalde glare¢ around him in amaze—
ment, but keen and excellent as were his eyes
still they were not good enough to discover the
person of the old peon.

In cunning craft J ost‘, the Liar, was fully a
match for any white man whoever stepped foot
on Californian soil.

The manner of the Indian’s escape was quite
apparent. He had simply, by means of some
sharp instrument which he had concealed about
his person—a knife, evidently~—tunneled a as—
sage right under the back wall of the 0 cc,
there was no floor to the building other than the
ground upon which it stood.

An exclamation of anger came from the lips
of the dark alcalde at being thus easily tricked.
Twice had the old peon slipped through his
fingers after being securely caught.

pidly, indeed, had the Indian worked, for
Black had not been absent over ten minutes, and
it was plain that in order to accomplish the task
J osé must have at once set to work the very mo—
ment that the door had closed behind the al-
calde.

From the rear of the office it was an easy mat-
ter to gain the wooded foot-hills, only a hundred
yards distant, and once this shelter was reach—
ed, no easy task would it have been for a dozen
of the fleetest and best men in Tejon Camp to
have overtaken the red buck, for José was as

00d on his legs as a wild deer, almost; and
knew too, every foot of the countr .

“ The deuce take the fellow!” the alcalde cried
in wrath ;_ “the next time I get my hands upon
him I’ll have him tied neck and heels so that he
can’t move even a finger and a guard shall watch
him constantly!

“ For the (present, let him go,” he muttered.
“ I’ll get hol of him again some time, and if he
slips out of my fingers a third time, why, then I
am a bi er fool than I think I am! The fe110w
evident y knows something or else he would not
be so anxious to escape. ”

Black now sought the hotel to pre re for the
expedition. He went straight to is private
room and armed himself, careful] examini
each and eve weapon, for be all wnzfi
that if the Fres of Frisco was proper-15y backed,
it would be no child’s play to hunt him down in
his mountain fastness; but the dark-browed al-
calde, had been used to having his own way so
Ion , and had been so completely master of the
Mo ve valley and the mountain re 'on adjoin-
ing, that it did not seem ible to him that any
one could succeed in o ering successful resist-
ance to his wer.

In just a ut thirty minutes from the time
that he had departed the Mexican returned with
the intelligence that everything was in readiness
for the expedition. The men, all carefully pick—
ed and armed, were in the saloon, and the mule,
laden with )rovisions, was at the door.

The alcal e sallied forth at once.

The members of the band were indeed well
prepared for rough service. Each and ever
man had a couple of revolvers belted to his
waist, a keen—edged. broad-bladed knife thrust
through his gird e, and a rifle slung on his back.

The fierce alcalde’s eyes listened hs he looked
on the warlike array; g 'udge as he was of
men and matters in this wild Pacific land, it did
not seem possible to him that such a band could
be beaten by any skulking mountain outlaws.

“ Take a arting drink, boys,” he said, “and
fill your fl '3 up, or we may have a long tramp
of it before we return to the Cain .”

The men eagerly accepted the oger, and after
they had satisfied themselves, filed out into the
street.

The alcalde lingered behind to say a parting
word to the barkeeper, who was one of his most
trusted men.

“ Keep your eyes open in regard to the girl,” he
said, “an if any one comes to see her, watch
and overhear the conversation if you can, and
if she goes out have her followed, for she must
not stir without my knowing the why and the
wherefore.”

“ All ri ht, sir; how soon will she come back?"

“ Come ck!” cried Black, in amazement.

“ Yes, sir; didn’t you know she had gone

out

“ Indeed, I did not.”

“ Yes, sir, she has.”

“ How long since?”

“About ten minutes. I thought she was go-
ing with ou, for she came down, went round
to the sta 1e. got her horse and rode slowly up
the street just as if she was killing time till you
got read . '

“ By t e eternal fires below! she has tricked
me!” cried the alcalde, bringing his clenched
fist down with a bang upon the bar. “ It is a
hundred dollars to a cent that she is in league
with that youn Californian and that dare-dev-
il sport; but, I’ follow hard upon her track for
I‘ve no doubt that she has gone to join the others
in the mountains. She came back here to play
the spy upon me, but In interru tion of the in-
terview between her an the old ndian alarmed
her; she knew that I held the red-skin in my pow-
er and she was afraid that I would frighten him
into a confession, and that was the reason whv
she got out. Cursed fool that I was not to sus-
pect that there was somethin wrong!"

" I could have stopped her, ut I thought that
it was all right.”

“ It is not your fault; I do not blame you; I
only blame myself for allowing her to pull the
wool over my eyes: but I had no idea that she
was smart enough to do anything of the kind.
I’ll have her, though, before the sun sets this
day unless she is smarter than I think she is!”
And then, with rage rankling in his heart, the
alcalde strode out into the street and took com-
mand of his men.

The Mexican took the lead. placing himself in
the advance, and the alcalde, followed by the
band, came hard after.

'Lope led directly to the spot where the inter-
view between the four men had taken place as
described in a previous chapter.

“ It was here that I arted with them ” the
Mexican said, as he reached the place, “ and they
struck off up the trail.”

“ If they were bound for the mountains they
probably took the old Indian trail which branch-
es otf to the right about a quarter of a mile
fugher on." *

_ e alcalde’s guess was correct, as the party
discovered upon reaching the junction of the
two trails, for the bold s rt, in derision and de-
fiance, and to make goodpgisword that he would
not seek to hide his trail, had torn a pine branch
away from the parent tree and cast- it down to
serve as a guide to the pursuers.

The brows of the alcalde knitted as he beheld
this lain token that the Fresh not only did not
fear ut courted pursuit.

He kept his thou hts to himself, though, and
spoke no word as e led on his band, but, for
the first time he began to realize that he had
taken no easy task upon his shoulders when he

 

had undertaken to hunt to his lair the man who
claimed the roug “wolves” of Tejon Pass as
his friends.

Fast on the trail the band proceeded, the way
plainly indicated every here and there by the

roken branches cast upon the ground.

Up—up into the heavily—wooded mountain
region the hand went, the way growing wilder
and more desolate at every step.

The band kepta firm gripe upon their war
)ODS and cast man a wary glance about them,
or they suspected anger.

They entered upon a rockv, elevated plateau,
when, suddenly, from behind a massive rock,
rose the well-known figure of the daring sport,
the Fresh of Friscb.

(To be continued—cmnmmced in N0. 460.)

A MEMORY.
BY E. N. GI‘NNISON.

Onlv a memory! Suns have set and risen,
O , love, since then wert more than that to me;
Since thy young life, from out its earthly prison
That held in bondage, struggled and was free.
Only a memory! Stars in heaven are burnin —
God’s lam swung high o'er the Celestial ate,
And oh, m cart, with more than earthly yearning,
Is watch ng for thee, lone and desolate—
Is watching for a new-born star above me,
A new-born glory in the lights on high;
For, set in heaven, the heart that used to love me
Shines somewhere on the darkness of the sky.
Oh, girlish heart! Oh wealth of golden tresses!
Oh, eyes of blue, with God’s own light divine,
Somew iere thy heart my troubled heart caresses,
Somewhere in distance still the blue orbs shine.
Yet thou art dead, they tell me: and the glory
0f loving eyes, and sweet, glad girlish lips
Has passed forever from this life‘s short story,
And sunk and faded into death's eclipse.
On ' a memory! Sweetest and sincerest—
- Jve thy rest the winds of winter rave.
And I live on with naught to live for. dearest.
Only a memory, and a lonely grave.

A Bride at Sixteen;

The Gulf Between Them.

BY RETT “'INWOOD,

AUTHOR OF “\VIF’E 0R wmows” “A GIRL‘s
HEART," “KATHERINE’S MARRIAGE,” “A
DANGEROUS “’OMAN,” “ ETHEL DREEME,”
“swnETHEAnT AND WIFE,” “THE
wnoxonn IIEInEss," “THE
CHILTON ESTATE,” ETC.

CHAPTER XXXIII.
BROUGHT TO CONFESSION.
Do not. spurn me in my prayer,
For this wand ring, ever longer, evemiore,

Hath overworn me;
And I know not on what shore

I may rest from my desIElrl.3 Bmm'mo

THAT night Berenice locked herself into her
chamber as usual. But bolts and bars seemed to
afford no protection against the filmy intan~
gible presence that haunted her. Shortly after
midnight she heard a rustling, unearthly sound,
and Opened her aflrighted eyes. There stood
the Shadow, stretching out its ghostly hands to-
ward the bed.

“ Repeat! repent! repent!” the voice said
again. “This is your last warning. When I
come again, it wil be too la .”

It leaned over the couch, and Berenice felt a
cold hand touch hers. Human nature could en-
dure no more. Uttering an awful shriek of ter-
ror, she fiun herself against the opposite wall,
and swoon away.

The next morning she was really ill—too ill to
rise. Her head was throbbing fearfully, and so
were her pulses. She had worked herself into
quite a fever.

. “I shall die or lose m reason if this con-
tinues," she muttered. “ had better make full
confession. It is the only way to rid myself of
that dreadful presence. I can endure anything
but that.”

Conscience makes cowards of us all, and the
haughty woman had been utterly broken down
by her nervous fears and terrors. It was useless
to think of braving it out. She would have
struggled to the last a ainst a human foe, but
this unearth] visitor, t is awful, shadowy pre-
sence from t e other world had greater )ower
over her superstitious mind than a legion of
devils.

About ten o’clock she sent for Gooseberry.

“ I must see my brother,” she said. “ I have
something to tell him. Go, and bring him here
as quickly as you can.”

“ Yes, ma’am.”

Gooseberry hurried out abruptly, perhaps to
conceal the satisfaction written too legibly upon
his face. Mounting one of the horses, he re-

ired to the nearest village, and there found

' St. Clair, nervously waiting to hear some-
thing more from his unknown correspondent.
He had been so im ressed by the wording of the
note as to feel no isposition to pass idly by the
request it contained.

‘ Did you write the letter en gave me?” he
demanded, recognizin Goose rry the instant
the latter unpaired in presence.

“ I did,” was the answer. “ But I cannot sto
to explain. Your sister Miss St. Clair, is i ,
and has sent for you. Y’ou are to go to her at
once.”

_Berenice was rised at the prom tness
With which Ross ma e his appearance. Shortly
after noon he stood at her bedside. But in her
joy and relief, she felt no disposition to inquire
into ways and means.

“ Oh my brother! you must not leave me
again,’ she cried, seizing his hand and clinging
to it convulsively.

.“ \Vhat has caused your sudden iIIDGS, Bere-
mce?”

She could not re ly for several minutes. Her
face was livid, an she lay shivering with ter—

ror.
“ I—I—have seen a host!” she gasped.

“A ghost 9" echoed , wonderin .

“ Yes, her ggst—I mean Sibyl's. t has come
to me more t once.”

She uttered a smothered groan, and covered
hefiéasce.

was visibl discom , but he made an
effort to soothe hgr. posed

“ Hush, Berenice. Try to be calm. I think
you must have a fever. You don‘t know what
you are $8. ' .”

“It has entered this very room and stood
where you are standing now. I have felt its
clamniy touch, and heard it speak. Don‘t tell
me _it was a delusion—I know better. It is a
spirit from the other world, sent to punish me
for my wickedness and foolish pride.’

“Pray do nottalk about it. Wait until you

are more com .”
. “ I can’t wait. I must tell you all,” said she,
in a whisper, dropping her hands and fixing her
black eyes on him. “Not for ten thousand
worlds would I postpone mv confession over
ano-‘her night. Oh, you little dream through
what a struggle I have been passing! It was
worse than t e torments of hell. The only won-
der is that I am not a maniac. I shall go mad
unless something is done to rid myself of the
devils that torment me.”

Rom could not understand. He sought again
to soothe her, but she turned her head away with
a passionate cry.

‘You do not believe me, even Vet. Wait a
moment. Bring me that desk, t e small one
standing on the dressing-table."

He brought it. placing it on the pillow beside
her. It was an elegant trifle inlaid with mo-
ther-of-pearl. Bereni'ce ned it, taking out a
folded slip of paper whic she laid in her bro-
ther’s hand.

“ Read that."

He ran his eyes over it, a wild look of pain
and incredulity coming into their clear depths.
It was the brief note of instructions Sibyl had
left behind. that night when. in her anguish and

 

 

 

 

 

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