:3 road without a look at any one, or a glance be-
 hind. \Vhen he was out of sight around the
' bend the officer turned his attention to the Par-
son. The band were a part of Tarieton’s cav-
airy, and had been ordered to come down the
mountain road from Taylorsville and oin the

main command at the Graham farm. he af-
, ternoon that they captured the Parson’s cabin
 ' ‘ was the same afternoon that Tarleton and his
‘ cavalry arrived at Graham’s. The officer in-
Eiired of the Parson the way to Graham’s, about
e roads, the mountaineers, and sought to

l : :: pnm from him every thing worth knowing.
‘ _- : “ should like to answer thy inquiries if they
 were proper ones,” replied the prisoner, “ but
2; I can not give thee the information asked for."
I.  “ I can find a way to loosen your tongue if
  you refuse i" said the ofilcer, in a threatening

3‘ » tone.

, “With all due respect for thy inventive ge-
 nius, I be to also difi‘er with thee on that
 point !" mly replied the Quaker.

x “ Thrash him! Hang him up! Shoot him i”
c? shouted the soldiers.

 A rope was procured from one of the saddles,
:3 passed over a limb and noosed, and the Par-
- son’s neck was soon surrounded by the rope.

‘ “New will you answer my questions 2" in-
 quired the officer.
 ; . “ Thou hadst my answer a short time ago i”
i , . replied the victim. “ Lying is a sin to which I
i i - am not addicted."

 “Pull him up i" said the ofiicer, to the half-

dozen men at the other end of the rope, and they
,  hauled away). I
i  In their aste they’ had neglected to pinion
, the;prisoner‘s arms, and he no sooner felt him-
* 1 self being choked than he reached up and seizod
: ; the rope above his head and released the strain
V on his neck. The men lowered him down,
’g some cursing) and some laughing, and his arms
; were tied be ind his back. The omcer did not
, '. intend to execute his prisoner, but he felt justi~
Vi fled in choking him until he would surrender
‘ the information asked for.
.- “Will you answer or not ?” he demanded, as
i the men were ready to hoist away. -.
f. “ Having said that I would not, I will not i"
 replied the Parson.
 The men walked away with the rope, and the
i, prisoner was slowl hoisted up', kicking and
i choking. The soldiers were ina circle around
j him, all intensely interested, while their car-
 bines rested against the rocks and fence. With
E}, ~ . hardly an instant’s warning, a troop of fifty or
  sixty Colonists, led by Captain Tracy, came
 "i thundering down upon them, and were cutting,
 ; slashing and shooting before a British carbine
ijzv  had been raised.
,3. , There was yelling, shouting,
‘ T cloud of smoke, sharp comman s,

 

shooting, a
. clashing sa-
._ "f hers, and in two minutes the fight was over.
  One-third of the British cavalry were dead in
3,; the road, and the rest flying for their lives.
‘; Guy bent over the Parson, as the smoke lift-
 ed, loosened the rope from his neck, poured a
:i_f little brandy down his throat, and the Quaker
' final] recovered.

“ hey were going to hang yen ?” inquired

, uy.
i f “ Make thy speech still stranger and say that
~ they did hang me !" replied the Parson.

 

CHAPTER V.
DAN DELIVERB a massacre.

, » KNowrNG that Cornwallis would march to
g 2 the center of the State without a battle, and
i that the British cavalry would seek to burn,
, destroy and exterminate alOng the mountain,
‘ ,Captain Tracy hurried the settlers up the
- ,: mountain roads as fast as possible. Some of
 ,,.them left their cabins without takin more than
 a bundle of beddi and a basket 0 provisions,
leaving the labor 0 years to be converted into
ashes when the red-coats came.

Some set fire to their houses, determined that
the British should not enjOy that satisfaction,
and all live stock was either hurried off or shot
down. The roads running through the moun-
tains were wild passes, which ascore of men
could defend against a thousand, and there were
little valleys among the rocks where the fami-
lies could safely tarry until it was prudent to
some out a ain.

While ai ing some of the families it one of
the roads, Captain Tracy encounter Crazy
Dan. The boy was running at full speed and
was greatly excited.

It was some time before the Colonists could
put his disjointed sentences together and make
out what had occurred and was occurring two
miles away. It was not known that any of the
(British cavalr had yet appeared in the neigh-
borhood, but an's story could not be doubted
and the greater portion of the band followed
him down the road to the south. Their victor
was complete without the loss of a man.
dozen horses and as many carbines fell into
their hands, and a third of the British band
were left dead on the road.

. “Thee arrived at an opportune moment,”
said the Parson, as he regained his feet. “ I
do believe that the unregenerated scoundrels
would have encompassed my death and then
went their way without compunction of con-
science.”

His acquaintance with the captain had not
. extended beyond a few meetings durin the
‘ soldier's tarry at home with his woun , but
' there was mutual respect, and the captain’s ad-
miration for the Parson’s coolness was increased
when he learned how well the cabin had been
defended.

.The captain called Craz Dan aside, gave
him some instructions, and t e lunatic mounted
a horse and rode ofi toward the Graham farm
to carry a message to the farmer's daughter.
; The dead soldiers were collected, the one or
2,  two wounded horses put out of their misery,
4 and then the Colonists were ready to .

“ You can make your way to Cofd) Spring

 

 

 

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vu-

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3,42:

gs

 

 Valle , in the mountain, and aid the women
it and c ildren," said the ca tain to Parson War-
 ner, as the troop were rea y to mount.
M  “Thee is mistaken," returned the Quaker;
  “ here is my rifle and I desire that thou wilt
_'  furnish me astee . I am opposed to war, as
i 

then well knowest, but I think I shall enlist in
thy troop and go along to set an example of
moderation and sobriety for th men.”

His declaration was greete with a eneral
about of satisfaction from the men, all 0 whom
had listened to his sermons in the little church
and had made him a welcome guest at their

“cabins.

Mounting, the band galloped up the moun-
tain road to Ea le Pass, the key to all the roads
and passes leading into the mountain for a dis-
tance of ten miles up and down. The fleeing
settlers had all passed in by this route, which
had only to be followed a couple of miles be-
fore it entered Hager‘s Valley, a level spot of
fifty acres shut in by rugged clith an frown-

. ing rocks. The entrance to the Pass could be
easily defended by a score of Colonists against
any attack from cavalry or infantry, and there
the troopers proposed to make their camp.

The entrance to the Pass was a narrow road
between rugged cliffs, and a few rods u the

f road was plenty of Water and grass. Vhile

-: a part of the bands were preparing the camp.

the balance hurled down the loose rocks until
they had a breastwork across the road. The

I men were yet working at this defense when
if Crazy Dan returned, leaping his horse over the

  x .W rocks with a wild yell. He had forgotten his

 

haw—m

W
Noamm  ’j' '

now-'- .  mm...» 44...... 1A

 

 

 

bleeding back in the excitement of his visit to
the Graham farm and the sight of so many
British cavalry.

“ Hurrah! hurrah!" he cried, as he dismount-
ed. “I am going to have a sword—a real
sword—and I’ll keep it stained with blood all
the time i"

The captain took him aside, cooled him down
a little, and finally extracted from him the mes-
sage which Mollie had sent.

“ Now, tell me exactly what she said,” com;
manded the captain, taking the lunatic by the
arm.

“ She said that there were ever so many
Britishers in the house, and ever so many
around the house, and you must come down
there tonight with a hundred men and fight
them all to pieces!”

It was plain to the captain that a portion of
the enemy's cavalry were bivouacking on the
farm, but he could not get from the boy any
thing like a correct estimate of numbers. Dan
gave the number at a million, then at a thou-
sand, and finally said there were but ten.

“It pains me, Daniel, to have to o n the
wounds on thy back,” commenced the arson,
breaking a switch, “but thee must tell the
truth to the captain!”

The boy commenced to weep, and it was
plain that he could not furnish the information
wanted. He persisted in his story that Mollie
had sent him, and when he said that the girl
was crying as he found her, Captain Tracy
was determined on a night attack, no matter
what the consequences. etachments of caval-
ry, which had been sent to warn settlers, were
coming in every few minutes, and by nine
o'clock the one hundred and ninety men under
command of the captain had assembled in the
camp. As soon as the evening meal had been
disposed of the captain stated his plans, and
the entire command shouted their approval.
Although the small band had been defeated at
the Parson's cabin and put to rout, the main
party at Graham’s farm would not be appre-
hensive of an attack, being in superior numbers.

When ten o’clock came, twenty men were
told off to care for the camp and defend the
breastwork, and the others made ready for the
ride. The Parson was one of the twenty, but
he rebelled, saying:

“ Did I not tell thee that I should ride with
the troop as an example! I am a man of
peace, loving harmo‘ and respecting the com-
mandments of my ible, but I feel that it is
my mission to wrestld‘wifli those who have in-
vaded our quiet neighborhood for the purpose
of slayin our friends !"

Crazy an was drawn to fill his place with
the guard, and when the troop rode out of the
pass the Parson was at their head with the
captain.

“ Wilt thou make a general attack on the en-
emy ?” inquired the Parson, as the horsemen
rode ata slow pace.

“ If circumstances permit," replied Guy.

“ Will thy men shoot, cut and hack, as in the
battle up the road to-day?" continued the
Quaker.

“ Only more of it,” answered Guy.

“Then I shall desire to remain a short dis-

 

 

tance behind, although I can not promise my-
self that my sinful nature will not get control
of my desire for peace, and force me to seek for
blood. If thou shouldst see me cutting and
hacking, thou wilt please make due allowance
for the choking received a few hours back.”

 

CHAPTER VI.
't‘nn NIGHT ATTACK.

RIDING to within a mile of Graham’s, the
Colonists halted, and a" scout went forward to
note the position of the enemy. The British
troopers, although seeming to have no fear of
an attack, had not neglected proper precautions.
A picket-guard had been stationed a quarter of
a mile down the road toward the mountain, and
the camp could not be surprised without warn-
mg.

Upon the return of the scout the captain pre-
pared for the attack. If the British force was
largely superior in point of numbers, and offer-
ed stubborn resistance, the Colonists were to
draw off after inflicting what damage they
could, bringing awa no prisoners unless offi-
cers. There was a c ear field to the house from
a oint half a mile down the road, and the road-
si e fence was torn down and part of the com-
mand rode into the field. A score of others
were dismounted to make a detour and reach
the house from the rear, and the captain, with
two score of his followers, would charge up the
road. The signal of attack was to come from
the dismounted men, who would give it as soon
as they were in position.

There was half an hour of waiting, during
which the men conversed in whispers and the
horses grew nervous at the delay. The men
had no knowledge of the strength of the enemy,
but they were going to charge him with a de-
termination to win. The Parson sat his horse
near the fence, out of the we of the rest, and
he wondered that men could e so cruel. Five
minutes before the signal might be expected,
the order passed along for the men to ride for-
ward at a walk, so as to be near the picket and
ready for the dash.

At length there was a shar report from a
carbine, and next instant the olonists dashed
forward with a grand yell. The picket were
met and scattere , and two minutes afterward
the horsemen were ridin
the camp of soldiers. T e surprise was almost
com lete. Not a un was fired by the British
nnti a score of an era had been stained with
blood, and then, believing themselves attacked
by an overwhelming force, they retreated from
the cam and ran through the yard and garden,
to be driven back by the dismounted men.

Shooting, slashing and yellin ,the Colonists
pursued every advantage, and t e rout would
have been com lete but for an unlocked-for in-
cident. The nmates of the house had been
aroused by the firing of the first gun, and the
officers made all haste to,dress and get out.
The light used in one of the rooms had been
overturned and as the battle reached its hight,
the flames leaped out of the window and curled
over the roof. The Colonists ceased firing at
once, and while they crowded around the
house the enem were rallied by their officers,
and soon O ne a sharp fire.

Two of e officers had been captured as they
came out of the house, but the rest escaped. As
the Colonists gathered around, the farmer and
his daughter and servants were driven out, and
at that moment the British charged. It was a
hand - to -hnnd fight, and the Colonists were
slowly retreating when Parson \Varner put in
an appearance. He had stood it as long as pos-
sible, and when he rode in he made for the
thickest of the fight. Armed with a heavy sa-
ber, he cut right and left, and he rode straiwht
over three or four men who had surroun ed
Ca tain Tracy, and were hacking at him.

he bugle sounded recall, and with a last
volley the Colonists drew off, the enemy having
rallied in full force, and the burning mansion
showingFthem the smallness of the attacking
force. armer Graham had seized acarbine,
and fought with the red-coats, but though he
could have been shot adozen times b those
0 posed, the men remembered that e was
ollle’s father, and therefore Spared him. Near-

through and through

 

ly all of them caught sight of Mollie for a mo-
ment as she fled from the flames across the

 

yard, but next moment the battle opened again,
and they were retreating.

There was no pursuit, and the Colonists drew
off in good order, driving a number of horses
before them, and picking up sabers and carbines
as they passed through the camp. It was
hardly twenty minutes after the signal of at-
tack before the battle had ended, but it had
been a sharp one. The Colonists lost seven
men, killed and captured, and Tarleton’s loss as
officially announced included twenty - seven
killed, eighteen wounded, the loss of twenty
horses and many arms. It was, in fact, the se.
verest blow dealt that wily leader‘s personal
command during the long war.

The two prisoners, a captain and a lieutenant,
were secured as the Colonists retreated, and the
march to the Pass was not interrupted. While
mourning the loss of his brave men, Captain
Tracy could not but exult at the loss of his en-
emy, whose respect for the mountaineers would
he vastly increased. There was no pit for
Stephen Graham. An earnest advocate 0 war,
it was well that he should know by personal
loss what a bitter thing war was. It would
have been much better, after all, had the flames
spared the'house. Guy realized that father and
daughter would leave the place, and now that
the farmer was aroused and knew that the Col-
onists had occasioned his loss, no one could tell
what he would do, and where he would go.

Parson Warner was conscience-stricken that
he had not exercised greater control over him-
self, and he rode on ahead to escape the com-
pliments thrown at him by the troopers. When
opportunity offered, he inquired of the captain :

"Hast thou ever seen soldiers who had been
out n on the head with a saber ‘2”

“ any of them," replied the captain.

“ And did they always live ?"

“ Not always.”

“I fear in my excitement I may have struck
harder than I should have done. I should dis-
like to think that I hurried any one into eter~
nity without giving him time to make his
peace."

That the British cavalry would follow down
the road in the morning, and make an attack
wherever they could find an opposing force, the
Colonists had no doubt. The breastwork was
strengthened, the captured horses driven up the
Pass to the valley, and preparations were made
to hold the Pass at all hazards.

Crazy Dan had slept all the time that the
Colonists were absent from the Pass, and when
aroused b their return, and informed that a
battle ha occurred, he was greatly excited.
Unobserved by any one, he saddled his horse,
and all of a sudden lie dashed through the camp
and over the breastwork, shouting:

“ She promised me a new sword, and now I
shall get it i"

He rode down the road at breakneck speed,
and only drew rein when he came upon the sol-
diers. othing was left of the farm~liouse but
a heap of fire, and by this light the dead sol-
diers were being collected, and the injuries of
the wounded attended to. Dan was dragged
from his horse the moment he came up. Many
of the soldiers had observed him hanging
around just at dark, and the conclusion that he
had been spying was at once reached. Ofiicers
and men were in a savage mood, and there was
a general determination to visit vengeance on
the boy. v

“ I want my sword i" he said, as they hustled
him about. “ Mollie said she would give me a
sword, and I want it i"

The farmer was sent for, and under his cross-
questioning, the boy admitted his conversation
with Mollie, and that he had carried the mes-
sage to the captain. She had not charged him
to be secret, and his stupid brain did not real-
ize the need of concealing his actions.

The farmer was dumbfounded at the knowl-
edge of treachery on the part of his daughter,
and the soldiers cried out that the lunatic should
be hung. If he knew enough to carry such a
message, he knew enough to play the part of a
spy, and he deserved death.

“ I tell you I want that sword l" demanded
Dan, thinking only of Mollie's promise.

“ Stand him over against that tree, and shoot
him i" said Tarleton, who cared not whether the
boy deserved death or not.

Ie was dragged to the tree, tied there, and
then half a dozen men ran for their carbines.

(To be continued— Commenced in No. 180.)

Dashing Dick:

0 i
TRAPPER TOM’S CASTLE.

BY OLL COOMES,

aurnon or “can nmrcan,“ “namn nanny,"
“nor err," “ mansions, 'rns scour,“ “ burn-
)lOTCH, run nssraoxxn," are, no. .

CHAPTER XVI.
RED FALCON, Exrr!

ONCE more the thread of our story leads us
eack to Clear Lake and the Castle of Trapper

om.
sThe night was far spent when voices might
have been heard issuing from the depths of the
forest skirting the eastern shore of the lake.
They were savage voices, rendered wild with
excitement.

As the moments wore on, a canoe suddenly
shot out from the shadows of the bank and
headed toward Lake Castle. It contained four

ersons. They were Trap r Tom, Captain

emple, his betrothed, Pan inc Winslow, and
Oolooah, the Princess. ,

In their endeavors to join the dragoons with
Pauline and Oolooah, Captain Temple and
Trapper Tom had been cut off from the point
where the soldiers were in Waiting, by a band
of savages. Then they were Compelled to turn
their faces toward Clear Lake for safet , and
there they were pursued by a party of t e foe.
Fortunately, however, they reached the lake
and effected a safe cmbarkation for the Castle.
But they were ' not a minute too soon, for
scarcely were they a hundred yards from shore
when they saw a canoe, loaded to its utmost
capacity, put out from shore in swift pursuit.
In their midst was Red Falcon. ‘

“Pull, Tom, pull for our lives l” exclaimed
Captain Temple; “the red demons are after
us, with a vengeance, too.”

“ Let ’em come, captain,” responded old
Tom; “ once under the guns of Lake Castle, all
the hosts of Red Falcon couldn't git us.”

The chase was a spirited one, but it lasted
only for a few minutes. The platform of the
Castle was reached, a safe landing efi‘eeted and
the fugitives admitted within the famed dc-
fense of Trapper Tom. But, scarcely had the
door been closed and barred, when Red Falcon
and his warriors reached the platform.

To the surprise of Captain Tem le, who had
heard such wonderful stories of ake Castle,
he saw a cheery fire burning on the hearth
when the entered, and the room was lit up
with its g ow. But who had kindled that fire?
There was no one about, and yet it had been
quite recentl made.

The capta u had no time for inquiry or men-
tal Speculation new. Red Falcon and his war-
riors had begun a vigorous attack upon the
Castle door. The whole building was fairly
tremblin under their fearful yells and blows.

 

 

 

 

“A bt of a fight’s brewin’, captain," said

 

Trapper Tom, “ and if I mistake not, somebody
will have to lose some hair."

“Oh, I pray they will not get inside of the
Castle, Tom,” said Pauline. “ I do not fear so
much for myself, but should the savages find
Oolooah here with us, it would be her death-
warrant.”

“ Oolooah, sweet sister,” replied the Princess,
1} feels safe here within the castle of Trapper

om.”

“Yes, there is a hidden power about Lake
Castle that is a mystery to me," replied Pau~
line, “and the finding of that fire burning
there when we entered adds to that mystery.”

“No more than is the mystery connected
with your cousin, Harry Herbert, to me, Miss
Polly,” replied Toni, ignorant of the fact that
Pauline was Harry Herbert; “ but the time has
come, friends, when the mysteries of Lake Cas-
tle shall be mysteries no longer.”

As he concluded, he advanced and rapped
upon the stone wall with the hilt of his knife;
a dull, hollow sound followed.

Instantly, almost, a section of the wall was
observed to swing slowly outward, revealing a
narrow passage between two walls of stone.

Had Dashing Dick, the hunter, been there
then, he would have seen why Lake Castle was
so much smaller on the inside, and where
Trapper Tom had disappeared the night the
gang hunter first became a guest at the place.

e would have seen that the Castle had a dou-
ble wall, with a space of three feet between.

As soon as the secret door had swung open,
in obedience to the trapper’s summons, a figure
that caused Captain Temple and Pauline to
start made its appearance in the door. I

It was the figure of a black bear walking
erect like a man.

As the grim creature advanced into the
room, a light of joy was seen to kindle in the
dark eyes of Oolooah.

The hear was immediately followed by those
three grim associates, of which we have made
mention heretofore.

All walked erect and carried weapons, and
Captain Temple discovered at once that they
were persons in dis uise, and without a doubt
the same that ha kindled the fire on the
hearth.

“These,” said Trapper Tom, after he had
permitted Captain Temple and Pauline to be-
come fully impressed with the ferocious ap-

earance of the four grim creatures, “ are my

riends and companions, and none 0’ ye need
fear ’em.” ,

“I understand,” replied Captain Temple;
“ these are the spirits that haunt Clear Lake.
Ha! ha! ha !"

“Edzactly, captain, edzactly; and now let
us prepare to kill every cussed varlet now
thunderiu' at my door."

“ Then had we not better secure the girls in
that secret room?" asked young Temple.

“ No, they’ll be safest in here. Besides,
there are port-holes in the outer wall 0' the
Castle; also a secret door, and so we’ll make
our attack from that quarter.”

“And if it is necessary,” said Pauline,
goolooah and I can take a hand in the con-

ict.

“We‘ll be enufi‘ fur ’em, little ’un,” replied
Tom; “ and now fur the tug, friends.”

The four disguised figures returned to the

 

secret room, and, a moment later, the crash of
firearms, mingled with yells of triumph and
cries of agony, rent it: 311‘-

“Whoop! whoop! hurrah! the work’s be-
gun!” roared Trapper Tom, as if suddenly in-
spired by the din of the conflict, and, unbarring
the door, he rushed out onto the platform. But
he found his disguised friends were already
there, engaged hand-to-hand with the savage
assailants.

 

CHAPTER XVII.

 

 

 

A REVELATION.

A FIERCE and desperate struggle ensued, but
it lasted only for a minute. A number of the
assailants had been shot down by the defenders
before they appeared from behind their covert,
then the odds were against Red Falcon and his
braves, and they soon met With an ignominious
defeat.

Red Falcon was slain by the hand of the
bear! And but two of his braves escaped alive
to tell the fate of their leader and comrades.

As the bear gazed down upon the rim face
of his lifeless foe, the terrible Red alcon, a
wild, triumphant yell pealed from his lips and
was repeated time and again by his three com-
panions. Then he drew a scalping-knife and
stooped to complete his victory by securing the
long, flowing scalp of the chief, but Trapper
Tom interposed, saying:

“ Not now, comrade—wait till mornin’. I
want others to see the villain before his hair is
gone."

The bear reluctantly obeyed, and the body of
the chief was covered with a blanket and per-
mitted to repose on the platform.

The little party, including the four disguised
figures, now assembled in the Castle.

“ Well, Tom, you and your friends made
short work of them savages,” said Temple.

“Yes, and I thank God from the bottom of
my heart that Red Falcon, the Scourge of the
Prairie, is dead as a door-nail at last, and so
now, boys, you can throw aside your disguises
and let yourselves be known to the work .”

The last remark was addressed to the four
disguised figures, who at once arose to their
feet and threw aside their lifelike disguises.

To the astonishment of Captain Temple and
Pauline, four fine-looking young Indian war-
riors stood before them.

“ Thar, captain,” said old Tom, pointing to
the tall, noble-looking fellow that had just dis-
carded the disguise of the bear, “that chap is
the missin’ Elk Horn, the young chief who war
defrauded 0’ his rights as head chief 0’ his tribe
by that pusillaninious cuss, Red Falcon.”

“ Then that is our lover, Oolooah ‘2" whis-
pered Pauline to e princess.

The latter‘s eyes dropped shyly, and a faint
smile told what er lips refused to articulate.

“And these ’ere other young fellers,” con-
tinued Tom, “are Elk Horn's war-chiefs. You
see, Red Falcon, being a white man, had WOl'lll-
ed himself into the confidence of the Ingins by
representin' himself as a chief sent to govern
the Sioux by the Great Spirit. Bein’ not only
a great mesmerist but a magician with but few
equals, he had no trouble in makin’ the red-
skins believe his story. So when Black Buffalo
died Red Falcon became chief, when by right
0‘ heritage and election it should have come to
Elk Horn here. And when Elk Horn and his
friends undertook to establish their right, a
traitor betrayed them and they were doomed to
die. But, thanks to Oolooah, they were set at
liberty on the night afore the day set fur the
execution. The boys sought shelter in Lake
Castle, where for two years they have been
concealed, and not a soul but me and Oolooah
knew of their whereabouts.

“ Many’s the time they've been the means of
saving Lake Castle, and the ’re the spirits that
have haunted this water. got up these dis-
guises for the boys, and in these they went
ashore occasionally to hunt a little and look
after the scalp 0’ Red Falcon. Dashin’ Dick
stayed here a few nights agone, and I know he
tried hard to fathom the secrets 0' the Castle,
but he failed. Harry Herbert, too, I think war
a leetle puzzled the night 0’ the big fight."

A smile passed over Pauline as she said :

“ Since you have revealed your secrets, Trap-
per Tom, and Red Falcon is dead, 1 will now
reveal my secret. There is no such a person
living as Harry Herbert!”

“ What i” exclaimed Tom.

“ I am Harr Herbert.”

“ Polly, you re jokin' now, I sw'ar ye are.”

“ I am not, Trap r Toni,” replied Pauline.

“ Je-rnsalem! I ow could one like you per-
form sich deeds 0’ darin’—pass through sich
dangers as Harry Herbert, to my knowledge,
passed through?’

“ I don’t know myself, Tom. I must have
been inspired with some supernatural power,
for when I think back—of the time when I res-
cued you in the gorge, when I lay a helpless
captive, bound and gagged, in this room, on the
same night, and how I fought those four savages
that arose from the sand, all these and many
more—I grow terrified at the courage I then

ssessed. ’

“ Wal, really! This beats me all to slathers!
It seems more like a miracle than a common
fact, and to think I didn’t detect the disguise!
No wonder Herbert acted so queer—never
went ’bout Prairie View, and war seldom seen.
But, if you were Harry, Polly, what did you go
ashore fur t’other night when Dick war here ?"

“ To see Oolooah, for I had an idea it was
she who sent the canoe adrift with the torch
and five sticks in it.”

“ Then Oolooah told you .savages were con-
cealed in Lake Castle, eh ?”

“Yes. She told me she had seen Red Fal-
con and six Indians enter the Castle. Red Fal-
con seemed to know how to open the door, and,
after having been in the castle nearly an hour,
Red Falcon and one of the warriors came out,
and, closing the door, went away. She was
sure the four that did not come out of the Cas-
tle had been concealed. She said nothing of
Elk Horn and his friends being away at that
time, nor even of such persons being in exist-
ence. She told me to hasten back and warn
you of the hidden danger.”

“But you haven’t told us why you assumed
the disguise of Harry Herbert.”

“ To satisfy in self as to who Red Falcon
was. After the eath of my parents, the spirit
of vengeance possessed me, and I secretly re-
solved to avenge my friends’ deaths. Oolooah
and I were friends, and I revealed to her my
troubles. It was then that she told me that
Red Falcon was a white man, and, although
she was not positive, she said she had reason to
suspect Dashing Dick of being that inhuman
fiend; and I could think of no other way to
find out whether such was the case than to dis-
guise myself as Harry Herbert and then watch
him, without my purposes being suspected by
him."

“You’re a noble gal, Polly; just like those
brave heroines that we read of. You are
worthy of the man that loves you, gal, and I
hope that this world has lots 0’ joys for you yit.
I can never for it the young hunter that saved
me the night Igliung heels over head in the
gor, e, and he fought artertvards—by my side——
no, ’ll never forgit him, Polly.” -

By means of a cunningly-devised dress, so ar-
ranged that by tucking up the skirt, and rear-
ranging the waist, sleeves and collar, that it ap-
peared like a peculiar kind of a garb worn by
the border hunter, a scarlet cap made to turn in-
side out, thereby converting it into a mink-skin
cap, and by staining her hands and face with a
preparatibn which she always carried, together
with a mustache, which gave the masculine air
to her featuies, she had been enabled to person-
ate Harry Herbert without fear of detection,

By this time it was growing light without.
Morning was near at hand. and so the party he-
gan preparation to escort Pauline and Oolooah
to Prairie View. ,

Elk Horn and his companions had decided
not to take up their quarters at the settlement
until their tribe had had time to recover from

the excitement couse uent upon Red Falcon's
death, then they woul return to the tribe, and
endeavor to establish the youn warrior’s right
to the chieftainship of the band.

As soon as it was light enough to distinguish
each other’s features, Trapper Tom called his
friends out onto the platform.

When they had all gathered around him,he
raised the blanket from the lifeless body of
Red Falcon, and bade them look on the mortal
remains of the scourge of the prairie.

The features of the dead were expressionless
in death’s sluinbers, but they were regular and
handsome in contour.

Trapper Tom finally knelt down and tore
open the bosom of the chief‘s hunting-jacket,
and a little cry of surprise passed from lip to
lip as he did so. The skin of the chief’s breast
was white !

“ So you see, friends, Red Falcon is a white,”
said Trapper Tom, and he began removing the
gaudy trappings from his head. This done, he
reached over the edge of the platform, and dip-
ping up seine water in his hand, began washing
the paint from the dead man‘s face.

When this was accomplished, all gazed upon
the handsome face of Dashing Dick, the hunter,
the gilded traitor, the glozing fiend, Red Fal-
con, Scourge of t Prairie !

None but Captain Temple was surprised by
this startling revelation. Oolooah, as well as
Elk Horn and his companions, had known that
Red Falcon was a white man, but as they had
never seen him, otherwise than in disguise, they
were not positive that Dashing Dick was Red
Falcon, although they suspected him, and this
led Oolooah to warn Pauline. Pauline, how-
ever, did not find that Red Falcon was Dashing
Dick until after she was a captive in his power.
Of course, the capture of Dick at the time she
was captured was all a farce to cover up his
villainous part in the drama, for fear she might
escape before he got her to his stronghold, and
if his disguise was not penetrated, he could still
go on with his nefarious plans.

And now, after all had been plainly proven
against Dashing Dick, it seemed almost impos-
sible for Pauline to convince herself that one
so handsome, and apparently kind and open-
hearted, could be such a heartless wretch as
Red Falcon, and play his double character so
well.

The chief's body was buried in the lake, :1
short distance from the Castle, then the little
party took its departure for Prairie View.

Arrived there, a messenger was dispatched
for the dragoons and Ishmael Haven and his
friends, whom they had left near the Indian
village the night before. _

With the death of Red Falcon ended all the
Indian troubles about the lake, for Elk Horn
was installed as chief of the tribe, and the fi-
delity and kindness shown him by Trapper
Tom while an exile in Lake Castle, had so
deeply impressed his heart as to forever remove
from his breast all prejudice against the whites.

Trapper Toni continued at Lake Castle sev-

seral ears after the downfall of Red Falcon,
but his stronghold was no longer the seat of
mysteries.
Pauline, brave, beautiful and peerless Pauline,
finally wedded Captain Temple, the man of her
choice, and she made him a kind, gentle, and
loving wife and help-meet.

Oolooah, the Princess, became the wife of Elk
Horn,- and until the removal of the tribe from
the territory, the chief and his dusky mate were

 

View. THE END.

frequent visitors at Lake Castle and Prairicgsg

 

   
  
   

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