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Nun er- No. 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK. 5 Cents- NO' 2 1 3‘

 

FRITZ T0 THE FRONT; or, THE A VENTRILBQUIST scAMP-HUNIEE

BY EDWARD L- WHEELER,

AUTHOR or “DELDWOOD DICK” NOVELS, “ROSEBUD ROB ” NOVELS, “ GILT-EDGED DICK,” “BONANZA BILL,” mu, m.

 

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- I

FRITZ GAVE A STARTLED CRY, AND HIS HAIR FAIRLY RAISED ON END, AS HE BEHELD THE STRANGE SPI‘CTM‘LV‘.

 

 

[0

Fritz. to the Front.

 

 the Front;

The Ventriloqu'istn Scamp-hunter.

A ROMANCE 0F BOGUES.

 

BY EDWARD L. WHEELER,

Airmen. or ‘ “nuanwoon- men”
“,aosnnqn non" NOVELS, “rarrz, THE
BOUND-BOY DETECTIVE,” ETC.

 

' CHAPTER 1.
mos.

ONE bright hot August morning a. cheap ex-
was advertised to leave South street

wharf, Philadelphia, for Atlantic City—that
lively little town by‘the sea, which is so fast
growing in size and popularity as to rival the
more noted of the coast Atlantic summer re-
sorts. A cheap excursion which is within the
means of the working class is ever a. success,
and this one was no exception; it gave the
masses a chance to escape irom the overheated
city for a small sum, and they grasped at it

ly.

Bright and early the ferry-boat was crowded
and still there was no cessation of the stream of
humanity that surged toward the river front.
There were representatives of every trade in
' the city, nearly, and likewise a mixture of
several nationalities; there were young folks,
and old folks, and little children; then there
were roughs, bruisers and hammers, an indis-
pensable adjunct to summer excursions; and
all in all a heterogeneous collection of human-

ity.

Just as the hot August sun peeped up over
Jersey’l sandy horizon, the bell of the boat
rung, and the huge ferry-boat began to move
out across the Delaware, toward Kaighn’s
Point, where connection was to be made with
the railway.

It was a noisy crowd aboard the boat, there
being a good many roughs among the pleasure-

seekers, who wore more or less under'the effect

of Dock street “soothing syrup,” and who
were disposed to have something to say to
every one.

Among the passengers was a young lady of
eighteen or nineteen years of’ age, who sat in
the stern of the boat, seeming to have no
friends or acquaintances.

She was by no means unprepossessiug in face,
and was trimly built, and dressed rather sty-
lhhly, compared to the others aboard the boat

sex.

It was not long before several of the roughs
noted the fact that she was unaccompanied,
and determined to know the reason why.

Therefore, one lubberly, raw-boned young
bruiser, with a freckled face, blood-shot eyes,
and a large red nose, approached henand tipped
his hat with tipsy gallantry:

“’Seuse me, young lady, but (hic) may I
ask 9! yer 'got (hie) company?” he asked.

“Plenty of it, sir,” the young lady replied,
he! eyes flashing. “I do not know you; you’ll
confer a favor by not addressing me.”

“I‘ll do as I please, my gal; don’t ye sass

cuzzln. Don’t ye know me?‘ I‘m a ‘iull
moon’ solid Mulligan Muldoon, I am.”

Greatly annoyed, the young woman turned
her head away without. answering.

This, however, did not abash thc“full moon,”
for be advanced cleaer, and laid one burly
band. upon the railing beside her. ‘

f‘N‘ow, (hic) see here, my belOVed Miss
Moriarty,” he began, but before he could pro-
ceed further, a fOppishly-attiied young Jew,
With Bad hair and a hooked 'nose, steppedfor-
‘ward and slapped the Fourth Ward man on
theshoulder. '

“Yeast you. bounce cud, mine friend,” he
said. “ Der young lady don’d vas want some
'0! your attention."

“Hellol who in blazes are you?” Muldoon
demanded gruflly, not offering to move. "I

Noans, I

 

I

 

are Muldoon, ther solid man, I am, an’ I allow
I kin lick any man on (hic) ther-boat.”

“That don’d make any diflerence. Dot
young lady don’d vant you near her, und ufl!
you don’d vas gone away, right of! quick, I’ll
throw you oud—dot’s der style of! an excur-
sionist I am 1” cried the Jew.

“ Ohoi you wull, wull yer? ‘You’ll throw me

out, hey ?——me, Full-moon Muldoop, ther solid

man? I’ll heV'a kiss from the girl an’ then I’ll

heave yer Israelite carcass overboard fer the

fishes.”

And, making a drunken lunge forward, he
threw his. arms about the young lady’s neck,
amid indignant cries of a crowd of bystanders,
and attempted to kiss her." ‘ - .

But he failed in his purpose, for ' she
pluckily threw him off, and the next instant
the Jewish-looking young man came to her
rescue. '

Seizing the rough by the coat and trowsers
he jerked him away; then with the strength of
a Hercules, raised him from the floor and
hurled him forward down the cabin stairway
to the lower deck.

A cheer of approval at once went up from
the largarshare of the spectators, and the
Dutchman became the hero of the hour.

Some of MuldeOn’s companions rushed to
his rescue and found him doubled up like a
jack-knife, and groaning over severe bumps.

His rough usage, hoWever, had evidently
cowed him, for he made no attempt to show
fight or create further disturbance

The young lady thanked the Jew, but that
was all, until the boat grated up alongside
Kaighn’s Point wharf, when she caught his eye
and motioned for him to approach.

“If you will be sokind as to assist me in

. finding a seat in the train,” she said modestly,

“ I would esteem it a great favor.” _
"Vel, you bet I vill Id is a purdy rough
crowd for a young lady withoud some com.

pany. My name ish Fritz Snyder; vot ish
yours?”

“ You may call me Madge,” was the quiet
reply.

Then Fritz to’ok her little traveling-bag, and
they left the boatwith the crowd, and board-
ed the excursion train which was close at
hand.

Being among the first to reach it, they had
no difficulty in finding a seat, and madehaste
to occupy it, as the cars wore fast filling.

“ I reckon ash how you vas goin’ to der sea-
shore?” Fritz asked, having some curiosity to
know. I

“I presume so, if the cars take me there,”
the young lady replied, with a faint smile.
“ Is it a. nice place?” ,

“Vel, I don’d know. I vas nefler there,
but I hear id vas a nice place. You see, I vas
goin’ there on pizness—I—I—don’d know off I
stay long or not.”

Little more was said during the overland
trip to the ocean. .

The young woman did not appear inclined
to talk, and Fritz finally excused himself, and
moved to another seat.

“Der ish somedings vot don’d vas right
a'poud dot vimmens,” he soliloquized. “ She
ish not goin’ to der sea-shore for was object

'alone, I’ll bet a half dollar.”

Just ahead of him, in the next seat, sat two
old ladies, who were discussing that topic up-
permost in their minds——spiritualism. - One
was abeliever—the other an unbeliever.

“Pooh! you can’t stuff sech nonsense into
my head, Marier,” the unbeliever_ declared,
taking a pinch of-snuff. “Speerits ‘don’t
trouble me.” ' '

“But, that is because you have no faith,
Mehitable.‘ Now, my Sammy’s speerit con-
verses' with me, every day and night, and
keeps me posted about the realms of eternal
bliss, and when I ax him to.appear, he comes
before meas natural as life.” . »

“Has he gotthat wart behind his left ear
yeti” apparently asked a man in front of ,the
ladies, though Ventriloquial Fritz was of
course the auzhor of the qw:~ti«.-o.

 

“ Sir~r-h!” the Spiritualist cried, indignantly.
“ F11 have you know my Samuel had no wart
upon his person!”

“ But, he had bunions, though!" a portly old
gent across the aisle seemed to declare.

“ It’s a‘lie—a shameful lie! ,I’d like to know
how you dare cast your insinuations about one
you never knew, sir?” and Mrs. Marier arose in
her seat, excitedly. “ My husband was a good
moral gentleman.” ' ' .

“For the land’s sake, Marier, do set down,"
the other woman cried, feeling embarrassed.

“ No I won’t set downl” Marier declared.
“That old bald=headed, pussy fabricator said
my Sammy had bunions!"

“ My good woman, I never said anything of
the kind,” the portly party declared, getting
red in the face.

“The old woman’s crazy!” another man,

seemed to cry.

“Crazy, am I?" Mrs. Marier cried, snatch-
ing up a freshly-baked pumpkin pie from the
seat beside her, and holding it ready to hurl
at the offenders. “ I'll show you if I'm crazy.
Jest ye open yer mouths, ary one of ye, au’
I’ll show ye how crazy I'am! Oh! I’ll learn
ye to insult a respectable woman, who, minds
her own business !” .

And the woman came 01! victor, for Fritz
ventriloquized no further, and the passengeis
had nothing to say, having no desire to get

plastered up with freshly prepared pumpkin

pie.

In the course of'three hours the train arrived
at Atlantic City, and before the ocean’s blue
expanse, as it billowed 'away to meet the hon i-
zon. - .

The grand stretch of level beach was
thronged with people, despite the pouring heat
of the midday sun, and many quee'rly-costumt d
pleasure-seekers were bufieting about in the
water for recreation and health.

Fritz was ameng the first to leave the cars,
and be stationed himself where he could watch
the movements of the girl, Madge. '

, Some subtle instinct prompted him to do
this, with the impression that she was—what!

That was an enigma. He could not, for the
life of 'him, have told why, but he was im-

pressed -with an idea that there was some

strange romance connected with her visit to
the sea-shbre—that she did not come alone for
pleasure, but for an object that might be worth
investigating. ’

She left the cars, and at once took a carriage
for the principal hotel. '

Not to be balked, Fritz jumped into another
carriage, and directed the driver to take him
to the same hotel. '

His conveyance arrived first,- and he was

standing on the veranda, when thoucan'iags '

drove up with Madge, and she got out.

She scarcely noticed him as she came up the
steps and passed into the hotel; but, after she
had' registered, she came out, and touched him
on the arm. . . 4

“ You are watching me—what for?" she
asked, when he turned around facing her.
“Am I an object of suspicion to you, sir?”

Fritz flushed uncomfortably, and hardly
knew how to answer.

“ Vel, I—I—’* .

“ Tnere! don’t make any apologies or ex-
cases; I know ytu are, and than look out for
you. Please understand I am no criminal!"
Then she turned around again, and chpU
haughtily'into the hotel, while Fritz walked
away toward the beach in meditation.

' “She vas sharper ash lightning,” he musui,
“und dot makes me t’ink some more dot f- r
some reason or odder she vii bear watching."

He took a bath in the ocean, and then went.
back to the hotel. He was not quite satisfied
to drop the matter where it was. 5 Something
urged him to pry further into the affairs ot‘
this young lady, whose case had struck him as
being, singular. ' ‘

0n examining the register, he found that she ;

was registered as Miss Madge Thurston, and
assigned room 43.
As nothing more ofl.’.red, he sat down «it the

 

 

-" .N‘ A h“..__lzo~_

 meh—raqu; g I .

 

 

 

V'wfi—z-v fl»- a.  -

 

Fritz to the Front. ‘

 

Veranda, and watched the stream of people
that surged in and out of the hotel, and to and
from the beach—men, women and children by
the hundred, and yet there were scarcely two
faces alike. ,

During the afternoon an elegant close car-
riage, drawn by a superbly-harnessed pair of
highsstepping bays, which were in turn driven
by a liveried negro, came dashing down the
,avenue, and drew up before the Brighton.

A man of some thirty-five years of age
leaped from the carriage, and entered the
hotel—7a man with a sinister yet handsome
face, ornamented with a sweeping mustache,
and a pair of sharp black eyes. He was at-
tired in Spotless white duck, with patent-
leather boots, and a white “plug” hat, and
was evidently a person of some importance.

He soon came out of the hotel, accompanied
by the young woman Fritz had defended, and
entering the carriage, they were whirled away
down the avenue out of sight.

“Dot settles dot! My game’s gone und I
don’d got some professional detective gase,
there,” Fritz growled, as he watched the re-
ceding carriage. “ I’ll bet a half dollar I nef-
fer see dem, again.”

But he was mistaken.

That evening when the moon was sending a‘

flood of brilliant light down upon the long
level beach, he was one of a thousand who
took a stroll along the water’s edge, over the
damp sands of the sea. He wasthus engaged,
and watching the great luminous moon which
seemed to hate risen out of the distant watery

waste, when a man touched him upon the.

shoulder.

.“Excuse me,” he said, respectfully, “ but
are you Fritz, the young man who took a
young lady’s part, on a ferry-boat near Phila-
delphia, to-dayl” ‘

“Vel I dink I am, ufl! I recomember right.
Vet of it?” Fritz replied.

“ Well, sir, you are wanted to bear witness
to a marriage ceremony, to-night, up the
coast, and I was sent for you. Step this way,
to the carriage, sir.”

Scarcer knowing what was best to do,
Fritz followed, got into an open carriage, and
was driven rapidly north along the beach,
through the romantic moonshine.

But, how romantic was his little adventure
destined to turn out? That was what he asked
himself, as he gazed doubtfully out upon the
greenish blue of mother ocean. ,

CHAPTER II.
'rnn sraaxon MARRIAGE.

IN the course of a little over an hour, the
carriage stopped at the inlet, where Fritz was
told to get out and take a small boat and row
across- the water to the other shore, where he
would find another carriage to complete his
journey in. v

He accordingly did as directed, and had
seen crossed the inlet, found the second car-
riage, and was once more_rolling northward,
along the sandy beach.

It seemed hours to him ere his conductor
drew rein in front of a jutting blufl which in-
terrupted their further progress along the
beach, from the fact that it reached to the
water‘s edge; for another hour he followed
the driver, a grim, uncommunicative fisher-
man, on foot up a jagged path, which finally
led into a lonely ocean cave which the high
tides of many centuries bad washed out to
about the size of an ordinary room. A torch
thrust in a. crevice in the rocky wall, lit up the
scene in rather a ghostly way. -

About in the center of the cave stood three
parties—Madge, a clerical looking party, and
another well-dressed man, with black hair and
full beard.

He stepped forward as Fritz and the fisher-
man entered the cave, and said:

“ Ah! I am glad you have come. Was fear-
ing that you would not accommodate us, sir.”

“ Vel, I didn’t vas know vedder to come or
not,” Fritz answered, “but ash I am here, vet
you want off me!"

 

 

3

 

and myself are about to be married, and, to
make things legal, we prefer to have a couple
of witnesses to the ceremony, You will only
be required to attach your signature to the
marriage certificate, and will then be taken
back to Atlantic City. "

“ Vel, off dot ish all, go ahead mit der piz-
ness,” Fritz said, perchiug himself on a rock.
“ I don’d know off id is a legil dransaction or
not, but I’ll do vot ish right by der lady.”

“Then let’s have the ceremony,” the pros-
pective bridegroom said.. “Are you ready,
Madgei” , .

“ Quite ready,” the young lady replied,
smilingly.

Then they clasped hands, and the aged cleri-
cal looking gentleman read a marriage service,
asked the usual questions, and pronounced them
than and wife.

The parties to the consummation were an-
nounced as Miss Madge Thurston and Major
Paul Atkins. .

At the conclusion of the ceremony the clergy-
man filled out a certificate, signed it himself,
and then requested Fritz to come forWard and
do likewise, and also the old fisherman.

His request being obeyed, Major Atkins said:

“ Your favor is duly appreciated, Mr. Snyder,
and, if an opportunity offers, I shall be happy
to be of Service to you. You may now return
to town in the manner you came.”

Accordingly Fritz did so, not a little puzzled
at his adventure and the strange wedding in
the coast cave. , .

Day was just beginning to lighten the eastern
horizon when he arrived back at Atlantic City,
and went to his room for a nap.

But he found that sleep would not come to

his relief, and so he was among the early fash- '

ionable bathers at the beach.

After a good refreshing bath he went back to
the Brighton and took a seat on the veranda.

He had not been seated long, when a rapidly
driven carriage whirled up before the hotel,
and an elderly, portly man leaped out and hur-
ried into the hotel, his face- flushed with ex-
citement.

He was well dressed, wore a little bunch of
gray side-whiskers on either cheek, and was
evidently all of sixty years of age.

Fritz surveyed. him closely with the short
glimpse he got of him, and then scratched his
head as if in quest of an idea.

‘_‘ I’ll bet a half-dollar I see into der whole
pizness now,” he muttered, with a chuckle. ‘ ‘ Id
vasplainer ash mud to me. Dot couple vet
got married vas elopers mit each odder, and
dis pe der old man on der war-path after ’em,
madder ash a hornet. Der next t’ing is, who
vas der bully veller, vet ish honest und hafl
der rocksto support dot virtue?” ,

After a few“ minutes the old gentleman
came out of the hotel, and stood looking out
upon - the ocean, with rather a savage expres-
sion of countenance,-——and his was \a face that
could be very stern, when occasion required it.

“I don’d know vcdder I better poke mine
nose inder his pizness, or not,” Fritz muttered,
taking a second survey of him. “He. looks,
like ash if he might swaller a veller of! he got
mad, und I don’d vas care apoud imitadin’
J onah.”

As if interpretiu his thoughts, the old gent
turned rather gru y, and took a searching
glance cf the young man.

“Well!” he said, “I suppose I look as if I
wanted to cut some one’s throat, don’t I?"

Fritz laughed, lightly.

“ Vel, I vas t’inking somedings like dot,” he
admitted. '

“I thought so. I ain’t a fool; I know when
I, am mad; .I look mad. Do you knew of any
party around here who’s Particularly anXiOIIS
to end his career, and ain’t got the grit to do
the jobi—I would like to operate on such a
chap.” .

“You feels like ash off you could pulverize
some one, eh?”

“ Humph! I’ll contract to lay out the first
man that durst look cross-eyed at me.

“I will tell you. The young lady yonderi

 

I’m 1

,—....., _

 

mad, I am—mad as thunder, and.I come from
Leadville, too, where they raise thunder occa-
sionally. Bah! I wish some one would step
up and kick me 1” ' .

“Well, I’m your man, if you really want
a bona-flde 'job done!” Fritz caused a pompous
looking man to say, who stood near—ventrilo~
quially, of course. “ I’m the champion patent
kicker from Kalamazoo!”

The old gent from Leadville turned and
gazed at the pompousdoeking man, a moment, .
his dander rising several degrees.

“ Oh! so you’re anxious to kick me, are you,
my Christian friend! You want to kick me, do
ye 1” he ejaculated. ‘

“Who has said anything'alvout kicking you,
sir?” the pompous party demanded, in haughty
surprise. “ You’d evidently better go to bed
and sleep off your ‘ cups’, my friend.” . -

“ I haven‘t drank a drop, sir, in ten years.
And for you to deny expressing a desire to
boot me, sir—why, men, I heard you!”

“You are a liar, sir; I said nothing of the
kind. Besides, I am not in the habit of pick-
ing quarrels with strangers.” And with a
shrug, the pompous man turned on his. heel,
and walked off, indignantly.

Leadville’s angered delegate gazed after him,
a moment, with unutterable contempt—then
turned to Fritz: ‘ ' "

“Poor fool. He’s no sand, or he’d not cut
and run, after calling a man a liar. Up in
Lendvllle things are supremely different, but
here, alas! is a lack of back-bone. lsay, young
fellow, have you ever cherished dreams of be.
coming rich .l—a man of millions, as it weref”

“ Vel, I don’d. know but I hat! some 08 dose
anxiety to get rich, vonce in a vile,” Fritz ad. I
mitted.

"Well, sir, I can tell you just how you can
do it the easiest, if you will stroll upon the
beach with me.”

Accordingly Fl itz arose, and sauntered down
to the beach with this eccentric Leadvillian,
whoever he might prove to be.

“ New, I suppose you’d like to know what '
I’m mad at," the old gent began, pushing his
gold-headed cane into the sand, as they strolled
along. “Well, before I tell you, I want to
know who you are, and what your business is!“

“My name vas Fritz Snyder, und I vas vm
you might call a detective—or, dot is, I van
trying my luck at der pizness."

“ indeed? Then perhaps it is well I have
met you, for I have a case, and if you can win
that case, you can also win five thousand dol-
lars. How does that strike you?"

,“It hits me right vere I lift, ven I ish at
home,” Fritz grinned. “Yoest. you give me
der p’ints, und I’m your bologna, you can bet
a half dollar on dot five t’ousand dollar job.
Vet's der lay—suicides, murder, sdole some—
dings. or run avay mit anodder vife’s veller!"

“Neither. A girl has run away from her
home, and is wanted—five thousand dollars'
worth. She is my daughter, and is a somnamo'
bulist, and consequently of unsound "mind, as.
tunes. She frequently goes into a trance, and
remains thus for weeks at a time, eating and
drinking naturally enough, but knowing neth~
ing what she has been doing, when she aWiike-ns
—-theugh to outward appearance, she is awake,
when in this trance, but not in her right mind,
I have consulted eminent physicians, but they.
pronounce her case incurable, and say she will
some day die in one of these trances.” '

Here the man from Leadville' grew pathetic
in his story, and wiped atear from his eye; but
finally went on: ‘ .

“Well, as you may imagine, I have had a
deal of trouble with her, for in'her state of tree ce,
she has often robbed me of sums of money.
And wandered off, too, sometimes; but this
last blew has been the most severe. It came.
to my knowledge that she had become the prey
of an unprincipled Eastern rascal. He had
met her during her somnambulistic wander-
ings, and prejudiced her against me, and caused
her to rob not only me but others, and sur~
render the stolen booty to him. On learning
this, myself and neighbors formed into a Fiat-n

z

 

 

r

4

Fritz to the Front.

 

 

lance committee to hunt the rascal down, but
he took to his heels, and fled Eastward. A few
day! later, my poor child turned up missing,
and with her the sum of twenty thousand dol-
lars, which had been paid me from the sale of
a mine, and which I had lodged in my safe for
safe keeping until I could deposit it, the next
day!"

“ TWenty t’ousand—so much ash dot?”

"Yes—a big sum, and likewise nearly all
the -money I then possessed. I immediately
took up the trail, but egadl ’twas no use. The
girl is sharper than lightning, and eluded me
at every turn. I found that her destination
was eastward—doubtless to join her evil genius
-—and so I telegraphed to Chicago and St.
Louis for the detectives to lookout, and inter~
cept her, if ponsible. But all to no avail. She
was seen in those places, but owing to some
irregularity beyond my comprehension, was
not captured. When I arrived in Chicago, I
found that she had two days before left the
city, eastward bound. I trailed her to Phila-
fiielphia. and there lost all track of her. Think-
ing quite likely she would come to this sum-
mer , resort, I came on, today, in hopes of
striking the trail, but all to no avail. I have
as yet heard of no clew to her whereabouts.”

“Vel, dot ish purdy bad,” Fritz assented.
“ Vot islr your name?”

“ My name is Thornton—J am 'a mining

..apeculator from Leadville, Colorado. ”

“Und your daughter’s name vas—l” ’

*“ Madge. She is a pretty young maiden,
raged eighteen, and left her home very well
dressed.” '

_ “ Und der' feller vot vas pocketing der money
—vot vos his name?”

“ It is hard to guess what his true name was.
A' Leadville he was called Pirate Johnson—at
Pueblo he was known as Griffith Gregg. ”

“ Gregg—Gregg?” Fritz said, meditatively.
‘: I am on the look-out for a man by that
name. But my man is a smuggler.”

“This villain may be connected with any
nefarious piece of rascality. If I only had him
here one or the other of us would get laid out—
that is as good as sworn to. God only knows
what perils my poor child will pass through,
before I succeed in finding her, if I ever do.”

a“ Vell, I reckon ve can find her, off der ish
such a t‘ing in der dictionary,” Fritz asserted. ,

He then went on to relate the particulars of
his assisting the lady on the- boat, and of the
marriage in the cava.

Which excited Mr. Twor'nton greatly.

“ By Heaven, I see through it all! Madge
'l‘hurston is no more or less than my daughter,
and she has wedded this rascal, Atkins, who is
one and the same person who was the Gregg or
Johnson out West. God forbid that my child
is married to such a wretch. Describe him.”

Fritz obeyed, giving a description according
as he remembered the bride groom also of the
man who took Madge Thurston from the hotel."

“The latter was undoubtedly Gregg,” the
speculator declared, "and the other also, was,
it is likely, disguised for the occasion, with a
lalse beard. Now, Fritz, I want you to help
nie'flnd my child, and break the neck of this
rascal, and you shall have for’ reward the sum
I promised you. We’ll search this world high
and dry but what we’ll recover my child.
Come, let’s seek a conveyance to take us to the
cave.” .

They accordingly went back to the Hotel
Brighton, ate dinner, and afterward secured a
carriage and set out for the scene of the strange
Wedding the night before.

And thus Fritz entered into a five thousand
dollar chase, which was destined to lead him
into more adventures than he had yet experi-
enced. .

- CHAPTER. III.
rm: anus-r HOUSE.

In due time they arrived at the care, where
theoeremony of the previous night had taken
place, but a thorough search of the cavernous
wash-out failed to yield any tidings of the
romantic lovers.

 

 

“ Pshaw! therb’s no use of further search in
this direction: they have long are this set out
for some other portion of the country, and we
are wasting time in tarrying here.” '

“ Mebbe dot ish so, but-I dink dey vas go on
up der coast, instead oil! cum pack by Atlantic
City.”

“Not impossible. In that case, it will be
our best lead to go back to Atlantic, take the
cars to Philadelphia and strike for 'some sea
coast point ahead of them.”

“‘ Dot vould pe a party good idea vor you,
but I t’ink better I remain on der coast stardt-
ing vrom here. und follow der trail in der rear.
I’ll bet a halt dollar I find ’em flrsd, afore you
do.”

“Very well. It shall be as you deem best,”
Mr. Thornton said.

“ I will leave you here and join you, or
rather be there to meet you, when you reach
Long Branch. If nothing results in our favor
by that time I’ll decide what is the next best
course to pursue. Here is a hundred dollars,
toward defraying your expenses. It you need
more, telegraph to Jim Thornton at the Chal-
fonte, Long. Branch, and I’ll remit.”

And placing the sum of money in Fritz’s
possession, he soon after took his departure.

After he had gone, Fritz sat down on a rock
in the mouth of the cave, which overlooked the
ocean, and gazed thoughtfully out upon the
sunlit waters.

“ Vel, here I vas—but der next question ish,
vere vas I?” he soliloqulzed. “ I hat! under-
taken a job mitout any bases vor a start-off. I
kinder vish Rebecca vas here, too—but ash
vishin’ don’d vas do some good, pizness is der
next consideration."

Night was not far distant, but he resolved to
continue on up the coast in hopes of finding a
fisherman’s house, where he could obtain food
and lodging. ' - '

He accordingly left the cave and continued
his’journey. He soon came to'a level stretch
of beach again, and followed its northward
course for a number of miles—until sunset,
when he found himself as far from any hunian
habitation as he had in the‘ start.

He accordingly sought a grassy spot, back
from the beach, and lay down to rest.

Arising early the next morning, he struck
out once more on his journey, feeling decidedly
anxiousto find some kind of a human habita-
tion, as he was veryhungry. '

He soon spied a farm-house, inland from the
beach, and made far it in double-quick time.

A gruff looking man sat upon the front
veranda, as he entered the well-kept yard,
and eyed him with an expression of suspicion.

“ Well, what d’ye want, young man 9” he de-
manded, sourly.

“ Grub l—somedings to eat,” Fritz replied,
spiritedly. “I vas hungry like ash a sucker
alter a hard winter.” .

“ Get out! I don’t want no tramps about
here. Clear, I say, or I’ll set the dog on you,”
the farmer growled, stamping on the veranda
with his cane.

“ But, I don’d vas no tramp, nor I don’d vas
skeardt at der dogs!” Fritz replied. “ I vants
some preak'ast, und ish able to pay vor id like

’a shendleman.”

“ Go to a tnvorn, then. I don’t keep no put-
tin’-np place.”

“But, I. don’d find some tavern, und I ain'd
going no fnrder ondil I get somedings to eat.
So trot oud der best vot you half, und I pay
for ’em."

“Didn’t I tell you, you .couldn’t get some-
thing to eat, here?” the man cried, getting ex-
asperated. Then he began whistling for the
dog. “ I’ll show ye who runs this place.”

"All. right! Fetch oud der canine,” Fritz
grinned, perching himself on the fence, and
taking a pistol from his pocket. ,“I yoost ash
leave hafl’ dog steak ash peef stew. Anydings
to fill up ven a veller vas hungry.”

“What! how dare you, sir!
arrested for carrying concealed weapons, you
scampl"

“ Den 1 hafl‘ you arrested vor causing cau-

l’ll have you ‘

 

nibalism, py not gimn’ a veller somedings to
eat. Come, now, misder; yoost set oud der
vittles nnd der von’t pe no droubles; otherwise,
der may“ be an exposure off somedings!”

The farmer started at Fritz’s unmeaning de-
claration, and giving him a swift, startled
glance, arose and entered the house.

Fritz noticed what effect his thoughtless shot
had had, and gave vent to a low peculiar
whistle, denotive of surprise. '

“ Hello! vot ish dose I’ve done?” he mused.

“I give der old chap a sour grape, dot time,
all of which proves dot he is ’fraid of! der ex-
posure off somedings, und don’d vas got aclear
conscience. Vel, dot ish pnrdy goot, too. Von
t‘ing leads to anodder—mebbe I vil discover
somedings else. Anyhow, I’m going to stay
right here undil I gets somedings to eat, und I
reckon der old man vil fetch or send id.”

Nor was be wrong in his reckoning, for
shortly afterward a plump and pretty maid
brought him out a tray of victuals that looked
most tempting. .

There was bread and butter, cold meat,
cake, pie, apples and a bowl of rich milk. No
wonder Fritz’s eyes sparkled with satisfaction,
as he sat down upon the carriage-block, and
received the offering.

“I thank you more ash a t’ousand times,”he
said. “ Der old man didn’t vns goin’ to give
me somedings, but I told him. i would ex.
pose him, und dot fixed him. Vot’s der old
crab’s name, young lady i” '

The girl stared. '

“ Mr. Sample, do you mean?” the asked, in
surprise. I '

“ Yes, I reckon dot’s der one-—der old
vinegar barrel 'vot yoost sot on der veranda.
So his name Vas Sample, eh? If he vas a
sample ofl? der neighbors around here, I dinks I
stop no more. He Yes got a scgret, don‘d he?”

“How should I know, sir?”

“Oh! Vel, I didn’t know but you might huff,
heard somedings.” ‘ .

“ If I had, I don’t believe I should confess it
to you,” the maid retorted. ‘ “When you get
through eating leave the server on the'block.”

“But, hold on—you ain'd going?”

“ Yes.” .

“But vait aw’ile! I say no.
you some questions.”

66  g” .

“ Vel, one t’ing—ish der a town somevere’s
near, on der coast? ’

“ Yes, several.”

“ Vot one is der nearest l”

“Forsth Landing.”

‘ ‘ Vot is der population.” v

" Four people.” -

“Shimminy dunder! So mooch as dot?
Any old modes among der lot?”

“ Nary a maid!” ' -

“ Vel, dot’s all. Much obliged.”

After she had departed, Fritz finished his
meal, and then resumed his tramp along the
lonely beach. ,

'Half an hour brought him to the landing,
but he did not pause. Two rongh-looking old
sea-dogs were lounging outside a sort 'of a but,

I vant to ask

but their appearance did not inspire Fritz

with any desire to cultivate their acquaint.
ance. .

About sunset he arrived at ’a far prettier
spot than he had yet encountered.

A great bluff of land rolled up to an abrupt
and precipitous ending at the ocean’s edge.

In high tide, it would be impossible to walk
along the beach at the base of the bluff owing
to the depth of the water, while at low tide the
beach was quite b-ire. -

The evening tide was rolling in close to the
base of the cliff, when Fritz reached it, and so
he paused and took a reconnoissance.

Far up on the top of the bluff he saw a large
rambling old house, in a grove of trees, but
whether it was deserted or not, he could not
tell. a

It looked sogrim-in the weird sunsct light,
and so isolated in its lone watch by the see
that one might easily have fancied it an abode
ot spooks, and their like.

4".

4.

4|-

 

l
i
i
l
i

Fritz to the Front.

    

",5

\

 

around that bluff,” Fritz muttered, not. at all
liking the idea. “ Uff a veller vas to try und
wade along der front, he’d like ash not get
drowned, and dot vould pe a duyfel off a fix.
I wonder of der folks who lit up yonder ar’
samples of! dot Sample I met dis morning!
Looks like ash utf it might be a ghost factory.

He was considering what was best to do,
when he felt a tap upon his shoulder, and
wheeled about with a nervous start. ,

Before him stood'a ragged, frowsy haired,
bare footed girl, some sixteen or seventeen
years 'of age a girl with a well-rounded
figure of but medium stature, ands. face at
once peculiarand attractive, from the sparkle
of its eyes, the broad grin of its mouth, and
the amount of dirt gathered about it.

She had evidently but recently emerged
from the water, for her long black hair as well
as her wet garments were dripping with drops
which the dying sunlight transformed into
diamonds.

“Ha! ha! ha!” she laughed, putting her
pretty arms akiinbo, and staring hard at Fritz.
“ Don't I look si 1y, though?”

"Vel, I dou’d know apoud dot. I dink der
abblication at! some water mit your face vould
make you look petter ash vot you are now!”
Fritz answered sometvhat puzzled.

“Water! ha! ha! I just came out of the
water. But oh! I’m so silly—that’s what
everybody says, and I guess it must be so;
anyhow, they call me Silly She.
ever silly, boss?" '

“ Vel, I don’d vas know so mooch apoud dot,
vedder I vas or not,” Fritz replied, with a
doubtful grin. “Do i look silly t”-

“0h! lordyl you are the silliest looking
goose I ever saw. I never saw a Yankee but
what he was silly.” '

“ But I don’d vas be a Yankee!”

“ Get out! Don’t dispute me! I know just
who and what you are. You are Neptune.
come up from the bottom of the sea.”

“ You lie like dander!” Fritz retorted, back~
ing up, and beginning to get considerably
alarmed, for he began to suspect that she was
crazy. “I vasn’t no Neptune at all—no von
but Fritz Snyder. Iil’s a vendor you don’d call
me Joner, vot. swallered der valebone.”

“Nopl you’re Neptune. Do you see the
house up yonder?”

“ Vel, yes; vat of! it?”

“Oh! that’s a high old roost. Ghosts and

skeletons perch up there after dark and grin.

and rattle their bones at you. They don't do
it to me, because I feed ’em snuff. Ha! ha!
can you snuff the silly part of that outrageous
ga ? Say, boss, where you going, at it ain’t
askin’ .too much?" V

“Vel, I don’d know'dot myself.”

“Don‘t know where you’re going?”

“ No; I vas huntin’ vor somebody.”

“ Ohol so am I! I vas huntin‘ for some one.
ven I discovered something, and they called me
silly because I refused to. tell what. Well,
good-day; swim over to England when you
want to see meagain.”

Then, with a pool of elfisl. laughter, she ran
and sprung into the water and swam around
the base of the cliff out of sight. _

“ I’ll pet a half-dollar dot gal yas drunk or
crazy, vou or der odder, und der pest t’ing vor
me to do is shlip avay vile I can!” Fritz ejacu-
lated. , .

To think was to act with him, and he ac-
cordingly set out clambering, up the steep side
of the bluff. ' .

In due time he reached the top and found a
level sp.t of a. couple of acres extent, in the
center of‘which the house was situated, sur-
rounded by sentinel rows of sighing hemlocks.
A general aspect ,of desolation was perceptible
on every hand, showing the premises to be un-
tinanted. _

The garden was grown up with rank weeds
and the house weather-worn and old, some of
the blinds hanging by one hinge.

It Was a large structure of many queer
gables, wings and projections, and fronted up-

“I s’pect' dot I’ll hair to climb up und go ‘

Was you-

on a road which had been used to communicate
with some thoroughfare further inland.

“ Dot looks like ash uff it was going to rain,”
Fritz muttered, gazing atan ominous bank of
clouds that was gathering in the west. “ I
dink maybe I petter sday in der old house till
morning, oil! I und der ghosts can agree. I
don’d vas much affraid off ghosts, anyhow.”

And he evidently was not, for be boldly en-
tered the house by the creaking front door and
closed the door behind him.

When the clouds hudoverspread the sky in
an inky mass, and darkness had shut in around
the gloomy edifice, two black-whiskered men
came along and stopped at the mansion.

CHAPTER IV.
THE GHASTLY RELIC

MEANTIME Fritz had been in the old rookory
some time prior to the arrival of the bearded
men.

. No sooner had he entered the large hall, and
closed the door behind him, than he felt a sort
of dread of something, he knew not what.
There was a damp, musty, deathly smell about
the place that he did not quite like.

“I don’d know vedder I vas afraid oi ghosts
or not,” he soliloquized, pausing and gazing
around him. “ It looks ash ufl dis might be a
blace vere dey manufacture ghost shows; but
somebody has lifled here vonce upon a time.”

The carpet yet remained upon the floor of
the long ball, and also upon the staircase which
led to the upper floor. There was also a large
picture hung upon the wall.

Passing along the hall, Fritz tried each of
the doors which opens! off from it, but in each
instance he found them locked, and was unable
to effect an entrance.

home,” he muttered.
part, and if I don’d hafl' no better success, I vil
stay out mit der hall ”

He accordingly ascended the hall staircase,
and proceeded to take a, tour of the upper part
of the rambling old structure.

Here the doors were all locked, with-one ex-
ception, and this had evidently been left as
locked, the bolt being turned, but the door not
having betn tightly closed, the bolt failed to
enter the ocket.

himself in "a large furnished apartment, there
being a carpet, old and moth eaten, upon the
floor; severalpieces of stuffed furniture, which
had also been victims of moth and worm, and
a large round oaken table in the center of the
room.

And OVer this, suspended by a cord which
was fastened to the ceiling, was an object

alarm. .

-It was a man’s head. out from the body at
the throat,-and held in suspension by a cord
fastened to the long hair.

The head had possibl y hung there for a year
or so, for the flesh had dried down upon the
bones. The eyes, however, retained their
glassy stare, the teeth showed to ghastly ad-
vantage, and the heavy black mustache and
goatee bristled ferociously.

Fritz gave a startled cry, and his hair fairly
raised on end, as he beheld the strange specta-
cle, but the longer be stared at it, the less his

.alarm, and he finally advanced into the' room.

“By shimminy—I Vas skeardt like ash der
duyfel at flrsd, put new I don’d vas a bit
afraid. Somepody hang dot up there yoost for
a scare-crow. Uff der ghosts vas to see it, Ill
bet a half-dollar dey vould run.”

Just then there was a flash of lightning and
a heavy roll of thunder, which cansed Fritz to
start, and give a nervous glance at theswing-
ing head.

“ I don’d quite vas like id here," he muttered
uneasily. ‘- Id makes aveller t’ink he’s goin’
der get smashed up effery minute. I vonder

upon an aperture in the ceiling, such as is
often provided in houses as a means of reaching

 

the roof. A stout rope hung down through

“Vel, dot looks like ash uff nopody yes to :
“I’ll try oer up-stairs '

Opening this door, Fritz entered, and found ‘

which causad Fritz to utter a grunt of startled.

vot day keep up there?” and his eyes rested ;

J.

l this opening .to the floor of the room, and had.
’ evidently been used to climb up into the attic.
Fritz was just contemplating it, ,when a
i sound of footsteps in the hall outside aroused
i him to quicker thoughts. -
, “ I’ll bet a half dollar it’s a ghost comin’,” he
L gasped, the tendency of his hair being again
I decidedly upward. “ But, it was a cold day ven
dey 150an me mit der tommyhawk, ash long ash
I can climb.” . .

Accordingly, up the rope he went, hand over
hand, with the agility of a monkey, and soon
gained the attic immediately above the cham-
ber. .

It was a dark, ill-smelling place, and so far
as Fritz could see used for no particular pur-
pose whatever. ’

EDSCUUCA‘Dg himself directly beside the aper
tore through which he had come up, Fritz pre- ,
pared to await developments. ‘

He was not a little anxious to know who the
new-coaxer was—whether a human or spiritual
being, for if the latter, he had a curiosity to -
inspect it. .

In a few moments the door opened and a.
strapping Irishman stalked into the chamber,
a leak, lean specimen of humanity, with a Kil-
kenny lace, red hair, a fringe of reddi b
beard under his lower jaw, extending to Ms
ears, and attired in brogans, short pantaloons
and a blue soldier coat, with a grimy clay pipe
in his mouth, and battered plug hat on his
head. Of the “rule old ” race of Irishman, he
was certainly a good a} ecinien.

"Arrah! sure it’s divil one room but they
have locked, an’ a sorry place it is, too, for a.
decent Irish gintlemon—an tha son of a duke
at that! Bud ’cess to sich a counthry, onny-
how. It‘s wurruk like the divil for a hit of
grub, and when a men gits out ov wurrvk sure
stomick has to pay for it. If yez ax a mou
will he be afther givin’ yeza nip off bread, he
tell yez, ‘Arrah! ofl‘ “id ye, ye murdth-ria’
tromp, or I’ll sick the. purrup on yez!’ bedad.”

" I’ll yocstpet hulf collar der Irishman vas
pin stoppin’ mit Samples!” Fritz muttered,
wi h agri‘n, takings peep at the son of Erin
“ He vas hungry like asyot I vas. Vendor 03
be had discovered der skelegon, yet avile.”

The Hibernian had not, evidently, for he was
perched composedl'y beneath the suspended ’
head. ‘ ,

3‘ Sorry a place this is for the son of a duke,”
he went on muttering. “Sure, it looks as if
the ould divil himself had been here. Guess
3 this property would be sellin’ mqighty cheap,
tha while. Ugh!” as a heavy clap of thunder
CRUSt‘d the house to shake from stem to stem,
“a sorry wild night it’s a-goin‘ to be, an’ it’s
meself that’s wishin’ I was back forninst tha
furdther side av the big- puddle.”

~“ Ha! he!” laughed Fritz, throwing his voice
to the further side of the room. d . .

“ Yis, ha! ha! bad ’cess to the loikes av yez,
i whoever you may to!” the Irishnan Cl'll d,
fiercely, gazing in vain around the apartment,
in Search of the author of the laugh.

“ Ho! ho! itchy, dirdiy Irish!” Fritz caret-d
a different voice to say, in a still oppoaite part
of the room. .

“ No, I’m divil a wan av the likes!" the son
of' Erin cried, getting angry. “Bad luck to
yez! c! Igits me hands on yez, it’s adi‘il’s
own m uncui' you’ll get, entirely. I’ll have
yez know my name is Patrick Brogan, on" it’s
the decent, ginilemcnly sou av a duke and a
dutchess I am, lmind.”

“ A son off a gun, more lilwiy. Lork out,
you bloody Irish, or 1 vi! spit on you!” Fritz
cauSed the suslended head to gay, in u hoarse
gurgling voice. ‘

“ Aha! it‘s spittin’ on me yez‘ll be, eh?” the
Hibernian cried, leaping fr: in his sent, his
walking-stick in hand—a forlllidzblr piece of
:real thorn. " Oh! you black sin-red imad-
i haun, if I catch ytz. won’t I trc-he yez to be
decent and civil to a ginllt'num 1" ‘

Then, chanciv‘g to glance Upward, he saw for
j the first the sv inging head. and in utter} o'ror
I dropped upon his knees a. d raised his hands

upward in an; plicatii n. . .

 

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' he beheld them.

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r  to the Front.

 

I;

“ Ohl holy Virgin Mary protect me!” he
bmrled, his terrified gaze glued upon the un-
sightly object. “0h! murdtherin’ Maria! och!
bad luck, tot have I done, Mr. Divil—shure it’s
nary a thing wrong I’ve did, nor sthalin’ I’ve
never been guilty of!”

“ You vas von son 011’ a sea-cook,” came
from the head. -

“Yis! och! sure I'se any thing yez wants,
Mr. Divil--only don’t be afther hurtin’ the
loikes av me!" -

“Then, arise, dirdty Irish, and climb into,
the attic, before the spirits come to wrap their
icy clutches around you.”

“Sure, I’ll be either goin’i” Pat cried, and
he did go—not up the rope, but out of the room,
as fast as he could go.

Nor did he pause until outside of the house,
as Fritz could tell, by the sound of his rapidly
retreating footsteps. - ‘

“ Vel, dot vas purdy goot fun!" Fritz mut-
tered with a grin. “ I dink I vll vait dil some
vone else comes.”

He had not long to wait, before footsteps
sounded once more, coming up the stairs, jUsl’a
as the storm broke loose outside, and torrents

~0f rain poured down upon the roof, while the

thunder rumbled, ominously.

Presently two men entered, one carrying a
lantern, for it was new quite dark.

Both were roughly dressed and brutal look-
ing fellows, Wearing heavy black beards.

"Humphl” was Fritz’s mental comment, as
“ I’ll bet a half dollar I
smells von mice. Ufl? I half not made a big
mistake, I dinks 1 buff stumbled right inder the
smugglers’ den,-v0t I am looking for.”

It Was Only a sudden suspicion, to be sure;

" nevertheless it struck him very forcibly.

. One of the men sat the lantern upon the
table, and then pe'ched himself beside it, while
the other sat down upon a chair, and gazed
speculativer at the ghastly object which hung
suspended from the ceiling.

“I wonder how long afore-the rest 0’ the:
boys will be here?” he growled.

I “Dunno,” the other fellow replied. “ Ilcpe
they’ll come-afore long and settle the matter,
so that we’ll know what we’ve got to do.”

“ How d’ye think it's going£”
“ Dunno. Reckon the majority’ll be ag’in’
the poor cuss.”

“I’m thinkin' that way, too. I kinder

 not, though, for I don’t fancy the job.”

“Pshaw! you‘re chicken-hearted, without
cause. He’s never made love to you.”

“ Darn it, no; but he’s too fine a specimen of
manhood to feed to the sharks.”

“Pooh! Many’s the one better’n he wot’s
enriched the bottom 0’ the sea. I wonder who
the Irishman was, we met at the front!”

“Some tramp, I allow, who’d sought a
night’s shelter here, and got skeet-ed at our
(fiend Bill,” and he glanced at the swinging
head with a laugh. “ 114.0! I say, Bill, how
are you getting along in yer new glace o’ res-
idence!” ' I

“ First-rate!" apparent! y answered the grin-.

.uiug head,'iollowed by a very ghostly sort of
a gurgling laugh.

“ hosaphat!” cried the questioner, leaping
to his feet. “ Thunder and lightningl 'Did ye
hear that. Hank?” , 4

“Waal, I should niurmur,”.Hank grunted,
leaving the table With a spring, and landing
near the door. “What the devil’s the mat-
tori”

“ Cussed ef the cadaver 0’ Bill Budge didn’t
speak,” the first man cried.

“ Git outl Budge has bin dead over a year;
how in thunder could he speak!”

“Mebbe his spirit hes come back inter his
head.”

“Poohlimpossiblcl It was our fancy; we
didn’t hear nothin’,” Hank growle , edging a

. trifle nearer to the door.

“ You‘re a. liar!” thundered a voice seeming

to owe directly from between the pearly'

he 11 of the suspended head, and to make
matters worse, the head began to swing slowly
N and ITO.

 

With bowls and curses, the two masked men
made the hastiest kind of an exit from the
room and down the stairs, while Fritz in the
attic was convulsed ‘vith laughterf

“ Dot was better as halt-a-dozen suppers, py
shim miny l” he snorth, holding his sides.

All was now uiet for some time, except for
the bowling of t e st )rm without.

“But, finally, footsteps were again heard,
and eight men, all n asked but one, filed into
the room.

The eighth man was a young man, of pre-
pnssessing appearanre, unmasked, and had his
hands botmd behind his back.

He was better dressed than his grim cap-
tors, and there was a fearless, cool expression
upon his lace, that at once won Fritz’s admira-
tion.

“ Ha! Hank an lJim have been here already,
and gone!” a tall. broad-shouldered member of
the party said. “They’ll be back directly, no
doubt. And now, Hal Hartly, we will pro—
ceed to review'your case, and dispose of it ac-
cording to the decision of the majority.”

“Go i heal, captain!" the prisoner replied.
calmly. ’ 1 am as well prepared now, as I
shall be.”

 

CHAPTER V.
DTIL BUDGE’S CONVERSATION.

To Fritz, the scene below of course began to
grow more interesting.

“ I‘rot veller vasgoin’ to pe tried for some-
dirg-i," he muttered, “und vot ish more, ufi.’
der verdict don’d'vas in his favor, he vas goin’
der git sp’iled.”

Young Hartly, if his thoughts were in the
same channel as those of the watcher, didn’t
appear very much troubled about the matter,
for he perched himself upon the table, while
the six jurors sat in a scmic rcle facing him,
and the captain a little to one side.

“Well, sir, what have you to say, Hartly,
in regard to this suspicion which has arisen
against you—that you are a traitor to our
causcl" '

“Nothing, sir, except that whoever started
the suspicion, is a; liar‘and a coward!” was the
retort. ' -

“Then, you deny that you have ever be-
trayed the existence of this band, outside of
its own membership?”

“I do most emphatically. What assurance
have you, that any one has betrayed you?”

“Is it not ample proof, when strange men
haunt this vicinity, and haunt the members to
their very doors? These law-sharks, or de-
tectives, only Wait for some disclosure, to
'spring their traps on me and my taithlul fol-
lowers.” ' ' .'

“I am not to blame. Though forced into
service against my will, and made to swear the
oath of allegiance, rather than lose my life, I
have kept such secrets as came into my pos-
sssdon. I believe 1 know who has excited the
suspicious feeling against me."

" Well, sir, who?”

“Your rascally son, for one—your jealous

daughter, for another,” Hartly replied, shrug-

ging his shoulders with a contemptuous laugh.
“ How dare you term my son rascally, sir,
and accuse my child of jialousy.” '

“ Because, the boy is as unprincipled a villain-

as yourself, and as for your daughter, when
she found that I did not court her favor, she at
once turned against me. I despise both your
son and your daughter, Captain Gregg, and
that is all I have to say, except that I am not
guilty of the charge preferred against me.”

“That remains to be told by the jury. You
see the head of Bill Budge, jUSt above you,
Hartly? He was caught in an intended act of
treachery, and you see his end. If Bill could
Speak, he’d tell you that the fate of the traitor
is hard.”

“You’re a cussed liar!" Budge’s suspended
remnant seemed to say, in a deep, hearse
veice.

The captain and the jury uttered each a
startled oath, and gazed at the offending head,
in astonishment.

 

“Who called me a liar!” Gregg demanded,
fiercely. “ By the .‘gods, I thought it was
Budge’s lips that U'tt‘l't‘d those words.

“ So it was!” the head seemed to say; then
there was a gurgling sort of laugh, and the
head shook, perceptibly.

“Ten thousand furies!” Gregg yelled, and
hastily wrenching open the door, he made a
hasty exit from the room, followed by the
jurors—nor did they stop, short oi the bottom
of the stairs. ‘

Hartly did not leave the room, but rlis-
mounting from his perch upon the table; u £1]de
off a few paces to where he could get a good
look at Budge’s unfortunate pate.

“ Something danced funny, here, I’m blOWed
if there ain’t!” he scliloquizcd, apparently quite
c0111p0sed. “ It's the first time I have ever-
heard dead men talk. I say, Budge, how’s the-
tempcrature up your way?" ‘

“Two t’ousand ot-grees above bleed heat,”
seemed to issue from between the gleaming
teeth.

“Humph! pretty warm, that, I must ad-
mit,” Hartly said, locking still more puzzled.

Fritz, while pcrpetrating the ventriloquism,
was also listening and planning.

“Dot veller Hartly is (ler very chap to bellw
me oud mit my scheme," he muttered, “ und
ve must escape from here, pelore der snug--
'glers return. ” .

Accordingly he slid down the rope into the
room below.

Hartly looked surprised. . _ -

“Who the GUI“: are you?” he demanded,
stepping back a puce.

“Fritz Snyder, detective,” Fl ilz replied. “ I
come here on pizness— vot tor, you can Ulrth
guess. I unit you to helb me oud mit it, und
1 vii see dot you huff your liberty.” ‘

“ Ha! ha! that’s your game, is it? Well,
my friend, I'd like to do it, first rate, but I can-
not oblige you.”

“ Vy not?”

“BGCDUSP, I swore allegiance to the cause
you would have me betray, and it' never shall
be said that Hal Hartly was not a man of his
word!” , -

“ But I heard you say dot you vas forced
inder der pizness.”

“ So I was, against my will, but that does
not lcmen the obligations of my oath. While
I live, I shall adhere to my sworn promise.”

“You was foolish—you don’d vil' get any
credit tor your resolve. Yoost ash like ad: n t
you will pe killed, on der suspicion dot’s al-
ready against you.”

o “Perhaps. If so, I shall submit, knowing I
have been moment of breaking my word."

"I’shaw! dis vos all nonsense! You don’d
vas want to die no more ash any odder man.
be, me cut der bonds‘ vot fastens your arm,
und ve will climb up to der attic‘und escape.
\'rom der not to some place where we vil pa
safe, undil ve can make arrangements to break
oop dis smugglers’ league.”

“Nothing Would please me more, but owing
to my' oath, I must iositivély refuse to do
anything of the Lind!” Hartly persisted, firmly.
“ I admire your proposed attempt, and while
I shall do nothing to interrupt it, I cannot con-
scientiouly do anything to help it along. Can
you enlighten me any as to the mystery of this
head, which when not possessed of lite, yet.
uses its voice so naturally.

“I dells you noddings apoud it," Fritz re.
plied, shaking his head. “ Hark 1”

“Yes! I hear. It is Gregg and the boys
coming back. Quick! or you will be seen!”

Fritz made haste to shin up the rope to the
garret once more, and had barely succeeded in
so doing when the smugglers, headed by Cap-
tain Gregg, once more entered the room.

They did not come beldly in, but thrust their

‘ heads in and took a look around first.

Seeing that no harm had come to Hartly,
they then Ventured in. .

“Hal ha! you’re brave fellows, ain't you?”
he laughed. "I didn’t cut tail and run, al-
though I have not even the use of my hands.”

“'Yon’re cussed brave, all at once!" Gregg

 

 

 

Fritz to the Frat

 

3.

 

growled, evidently not liking the taunt. “Did
that thing speak again?” with a wry glance at
the guiltless pate of the departed Budge.

“ Of course. I’ve had quite a chat with
William,” Hartly replied. “ He says he’s in a
very warm latitude at present, aid so he’s
come back spiritually for a short cooling off!”

Gregg uttered an oath. .

“Pooh! I don’t believe such bosh.”

“But it’s a fact, nevertheless. Budge says
they’ve got a little corner left up in his country
’for you, too, when you get ready to emigrate,
which will be mighty soon, judging by the
active preparations that are being made to re-

ceive you, such as gathering kindling wood,

making matches and the like.”

“ Curse you, they‘ll git You first!” the smug-
gler said, with vicious emphasis. “ Go ahead,
boys, an’ tell him the decision you’ve made.”

“ Well, we’ve concluded that Hal Hartly is a
traitor to our cause, and for the sake of protec-
tion it will be necessary to feed him to the
fishes!” one of- the jurors said. “ Eh, ain’t that
the ticket, boys?” .

A grunt of assent from the others was the
answer. . ..

“ Then it shall be so,” Captain Gregg ordered.
“I am sorry for you, Hartly, but treachery
merits death, as you were informed when you
joined. As an organization which must exist
in secrecy, we are forced to adopt harsh rules.
Your companions have carefully weighed all
the evidence, and have decided that the safety
of the organizationdemands your death. As
you have.own, so shall you reap.”

“ Do you mean this, Captain Gregg?”

“I do, sir, emphatically."

“Then you shall live to repent ever having

pronounced my doom. Henceforth I shall not
consider my oath of allegiance obligatory, as I
have hitherto done. I’ll show you what harm
I can do your vile organization.”
- “But you shall have no chance. Jim Hovel
am! his brother have already consented to sink
you to the bottom of the Atlantic. for a stated
sum, and thus rid us of you effectually. They
are waiting below for you, as it is a safe night
for such work. If you have any prayers to
make, you had better make the best use of your
time.” A

“ I’ll suit myself about that, you villain!”

“Numbers two and three, take the prisoner
down-stairs!” the captain ordered.

Two of the smugglers seized hold of poor
Hartly, and led him from the room.

Up in the attic, Fritz was in a predicament.
The majority of the smugglers yet' remained
in the room below, and he could not get out of
the house in that way, as was his desire, to
make an attempt if possible to rescue Hal
Hartly. .

The only course left for him was to escape
through a trap door onto the roof, and trust to
luck in getting to'the ground, from there.

“Dot veller vas von big fool for not accept-
in’ my advice,” he mused, as he fumbled
cautiously around in the darkness. “ Yoost
like ash not dey vil pe gone off mit him, ven I
git down dere, und den he vil pe a gouer, sure
ash der dickens.”

It required several minutes to find the trap
in the roof, and it was no slight 'job to dis-
place it. ' -

When he had accomplished this much, how.
ever, it was but a moment’s work to clamber
out upon the roof in the pouring rain and re-
place the door. ‘

“Py shimminy, dot vas a hard storm,” he
soliloquized. “Der ocean grunts as uf‘ll she
vas got der dispeppers'y. Now der next t’ing
ish somedings else. Der roof vasslippery ash
von soap ladle, und tired I know der vil pe a
dead Dutchmon spilled someveres over t’e
ground.”

That Portion of the main rqof of the build-
ing was quite steep, and the eaves were at
least twenty-five feet from the ground.

Not fancying the idea of a drop of that dis-

, tance, the young detective crawled to the

ridge, to reconnoiter.

On the other side of the ridge, the roof.

 

sloped down to meet a gable, from where the
gable’s roof took another descent, so as to
bring the eaves about seven feet nearer to the
ground. -

Aside from this there was no possible way
of reaching terra-firma.

“Eighteen feetl I-don’d know vedda I can
stand dot, or no. I must try it, however, or
Hal Hartly vas a dead codflsh, sure!” |

Using extreme caution, he slid from one
ridge to the other, and then from that to the
eaves, from where he was to drop.

“Vel, here’s der blace vere I don’d vas so
much tickled. But, pizness vas pizness, und a
veller don’d vas can rise in der vorld, vidout
dropping somedimes—so here goes!" he mut-
tered.

And clinging to the eaves for a second, he
let himself drop!

Down! down! he went, with great velocity,
and finally struck upon something softer than
mother earth, from which he tumbled end ever
end to the ground.

The following instant a wild unearthly
howl rent the night. v

“Och niurther! murther!” shrieked a man’s

voice; “ I’m kilt! I’m kilt! Och! Holy Var-
gin Mary save me!”
' It was the lrishman’s voice; it was upon
him that Fritz had first alighted, and he was
probably badly jarred up, for he continued to
hop around and yell at the top of his voice.

To make matters worse, the door of the
house opened, and Gregg and his followers
came pouring out! _ _._

CHAPTER VI.
0 N 'r a E s 0 EN '1' . .

FRITZ had been stunned a little, even afte
tumbling off from the yelping Irishman; still
he had sense ehough to struggle to his feet on
seeing the smugglers rush from the building.

“Shut oopl” he cried, addressing Grogan.
“The smugglers are upon us. Draw your
wippons, if you have any, and fire!”

“Dom tha wippons!" Grogan howled, refus-
ing to hear to reason. “ Och! holy Vargin, it’s
kilt sure I am, entirely.”

“Hello! what the devil is the matter here i”
the captain shouted, waving his lantern on
high. “ Who is it that’s making all this noise!”

“ Spies! detectives!” suggested one of his
companions. “, Shoot ’em down!"

“ Hurrah! death to the spy !” cried a third,
and then they made a rush forward, and seized
upon Pat, despite his lively use of his “bit 0’
buckthorn,” on the defensive.

Perceiving that he was not seen, Fritz
crawled softly away to a safe distance and then
paused to gaze back.

The yelling had ceased in the vicinity of the
house, and the lantern light had disappeared
from view, leaving naught but blank darkness
and the pouring rain, which came down monot-
onously, but heavily.

“I’ll beta half dollar dot they’ve choked
dcr life oud.ofl! dot duke’s son-ofl-a-gun,” Fritz
muttered, creeping under the cOVer of a dense
tree. “ I vonder of! I proke any of his pones
ven I lit on him. By shimminy, he must huff
a gonstitution like a mule, or I’d ’a’ smashed
him all to sausage meat.”

Evidently something was to pay, for, except
the sound of the storm and the dashing of the
ocean against the bluff, all was quiet. The
smugglers had either killed Grogan on the spot
or taken him back into the house with them.
And poor Hartly! What had become of
him? '

That was the question which troubled Fritz
far more than the fate of the lean man from
Kilkenny.

“He vas a gone up goose now anyhow, und
I don’d suppose id vil do some great deal off
800d to vorry apoud him, only I vish I could
half saved him,” he mused.

It wasa wild night at the best, and Fritz
heartily wished that he was back in Philadel-
phia, sitting in the old pawnbroker shop, be-
side his girl, Rebecca.

Still, he would not willingly have given up

    

\

7.,

 

 

what he had learned in reference to the smug.
glere’ league for agood deal, and he was, re-
solved to hang to the matter attentively, until
he should be able to trip and trap the rogues,
and break up their existence as an organta-
tion.

vicinity, he resolved to linger under the tree
until the smugglers should leave the building,
when he‘ would once more take ponsession. '
The night was well advanced, however, when
he heard them leave in a body and start 011"
down the lonely road.
On first thought, he was tempted to follow

them, but a cold blast of wind from off the

ocean warned him that he was .wet to the skin,

and the best thing he could do would be to get'

under roof and dry off.

He accordingly went back into the deserted
house, and sat down in the lower hall. Though
not cowardly, he had no desire to keep further
company with the grinning skull of the later
lamented Budge, whoever he may have been.

Rolling up one end of the old carpet he con-
verted it into a sort of a pillow, and lay down,
out of the draft. .

Sleep soon came to his, relief, and he slept
soundly until morning, when he was awakened
by the sun shining in his face, through a rear
hall window. '

Rising, he went out of doors to reconnoiter,
and consider what was best to do, next.

It was a clear, glorious morning after the
storm; the sun shone brightly, and a soft. salt
breeze blew off from the ocean, which was
at once refreshing and invigorating.

Knowing of no other available shelter in the

But it was not this sort of, refreshment that ‘

Fritz now yearned for.
to eat since the previous morning; and was de-
cidedly hungry and faint. ‘

“Dose fellers don’d vas can live a good vays ‘ i

from here, vet I saw, last night,” he mused,
.“ but, tento one at! I ask ‘em for somedings to
end, dey bounce me end.”

He advanced to the northern edge of the
blufl’, and took a look in that direction. v

To his surprise he saw, not more than a halt
mile away, a little village, nestling near the
beach.

This village, for charity’s sake, we will call
Millburg, as that name will answer quite as
well as any other. .

There might have been a hundred buildings,
all, told, and it was evidently a fishing hamlet,
as a number of mall boats, and smacks, were
drawn up along the beach. . -

Just outside the breakers, an Ocean steam-
ship, of small size and'trim build, was anchor-

ed. Upon her sides was painted in large lei'n ‘

tore the word, “Countess.”

“I don’d know potter I go down there, or x

not,” Fritz muttered, gazing down upon the
village. “I don’d vas know, neider, vlch job
I better .look to, flrsd—der smuggler pizness, or
der girl pizness. For der latter I hair der
bromise of five t’ousand dollars—Jar der for-
mer, I like ash not get paid off mit a proken
head.
ondil I trip und trap der game, and turn id
over to der law, for dis is der whole game,
sure!” ' .

After some deliberation, he decided to go
down to the village. The people would not
offer him any molestation, probably, unless he
gave them cause to suspect him, and here-
solved to be constantly upon his guard.

Descending from the bluff, he walked along
the beach, and finally entered the little burg.

It was rather a rough-looking place, built up
of weather-worn wooden shanties, a few stores
and a sort of tavern. 1

He had had nothing .

Still I don’d vant to leave dis blace .

There were, however, two imposing resi- '

dences, on opposite sides of the only street,
whichavere built of stone, and set down in
large shaded lawns.

Passing up the street, Fritz was the target
for many curious glances of rough-looking
men, who sat in their doorways, but, paying
no attention to them, he entered the tavern

and purchased his breakfast, to which in was ‘ .

able to do full justice.

 

 

 

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AfterWard be came out in the "oar-room and 
A-hall’ a dozen rough-looking i‘el 1 pausing but a few paces away from him, and

' hack in one corner. I
I’ll pulverize and sow him to the I whole dop off your head plowed ofl. I can do

  

'  to the Front.

 

 

sat down.

 

Then, with a tragic stride, he made for Fritz,

lows were lounging about, who, to judge from . shaking his fist fairly in his facs.

their looks, were in the habit of ingulfing more
grog than was good for them.

Then the landlord, who kept a close watch 1

over them, was the fattest specimen of' man-
hood Fritz had seen; his girth was something
enormous. He' was not a villainous-looking
man, like. the rest, and this fact impressed
Fritz more favorably than anything else he
saw about the premises.

During the forenoon a well-dressed, fine-
looking man, with irongray hair and mus-
tache, galloped up to the tavern on horseback.
He looked as if he had been reared in luxury,
for. there was that haughtiness of mien that
betokened the arrogant aristoerat.

“Good-morning, John,” he said, as the tav«
era-keeper waddled to the door. " Will you
mad up a basket of champagne during the day,
and a barrel of good ale—the champy tor her
Myship, the countess, you know, and the ale
Im- the villagers. Going to have'a sort of a

lliflcation at the lawn to-nignt, you know, in

onor of the arrival of the countess, and want
you all to turn out.” ‘

Then he galloped on, quite as airily as he had

come. .
“Who vas dot big-feelin’ rooster?” Fritz
sled, when John re-entered the tavern.
“That? . Why, that’s Honorable Granby
Greyville,” the fat man replied—“ the rich
hurlstocrat who owns most of the land herea-
bouta. A right big-feeling man, too, as you

y_n

“Granby Greyville, eh?” Fritz -commented,
under his breath. “ Vel, dot ish funny. I
thought sure dot was Captain Gregg, der
muggler, and I don’d vas so much foolishcd
epoud it, yet. I’ll pet a halt-dollar I find out
aomedings petore I leave der blace.” ‘-.

Resolved to remain a few days in the yillage
(or the purpose of prospecting, Fritz made
himself at home about the hotel.

One suspicion alterianother was gradually
occurring to him, and he was not slow to give
item a thorough consideration'prior to putting
them to test. V

Otall things, he was desirous of attending
in “ jolliflcation.” as the horseman had termed
it, with a view of seeing the countess, who, he
horned, had lately arrived from England, in
her Own steamship, for a few weeks’ stay .upon
the Atlantic coast. and a visit to her prosptct-
ive husband, Greyville.

During the afternoon a man entered the
tavern, who evidently had “ blood in his eye.”
His whole appearance seemed to indicate that
III was anxious to have a fight with some one,
and Was not particular who it was.

He was a large, ra‘w bone fellow, with great
muscular development; his face was large,
with a bristling stubble of black beard upon
fie lower portion; his eyes were dark and
wild, his hair silvered with broad streaks of
white, and worn in n shaggy, unkempt mass.

His mouth was large, and the teeth projected
beyond his lips, in a horrible manner.

His attire, too, was ragged and greasy, with
clumsy stogy boots upon his feet, and a dilap~

Hated but upon his head.

On entering the room, he paused and glared
around him, nail in search of some one on
whom to vent his wrath.

“Well, Bully Jake, what‘ll ye havo?”'tbo
tavern-keeper demanded, with n. frown, for the
lumen was evidently an unwelcome intruder.

“Waal, I don’t keer et l do take a drop 0’
filter!” the man growled, glaring around.

“You to blazes! I mean what d’ye want
here!” Fat John granted.

“A foreigner—a fureigner! Ye know I‘m
death on’em, an’ thar can’t none 0‘ brn can

“ What foreigner is there here, now i”
“ A Dutch cuss, blars his eyes!
.515,” and be indicated

mm, thought
even winds of the earth.”

: “ You, look!” the ruflian cried.

1 who I am?”

“ Vel, I «links I don’d vas hail? made your ac-
: quaintancel” Fritz replied, retaining his seat,
E but on guard for an attack, if one was made.

“ Ho! hol I reckon not, an’ ye’ll wish ye
never had, afore I git through with yer!”
Bull y Jake declared. .

“ Behold in me, my furin rooster, Jake Joga-
gog, commonly known as Bully Jake, the Ter-
ror o’ ther Coast. I’m a. cyclone, I am. Then,
I’m prime minister ter his Honor, Granby
Greyville, an’ from him I hev orders to demol-
ish every furin craft wot sots anchor in his
domains. Tharfore, ef ye wanter escape teeto-
tal annihilation, I’d advise ye ter git! El’ ye
ain’t seen goin‘ in iess’n two seconds, I’ll stamp
ye out o existence.” '

“ Vel, when I gits ready to go, den I vil go,
und not pel’orel" Fritz retorted. “Uff you
makes me any droubles, I pluck your eye for
you!” ‘

“Oh! ye wull, hey’!‘ Oh'! snortin’ walruSs‘s-s
an’ white-haired whales 2” roared the' bully, and
sprung savagely upon the young detective, as
il’ bent on his certain destruction. Fritz
clinched with him.

It was to be a struggle of brute strength,
now.

“ D’ye know

 

CHAPTER VII.
'rnn srnuoonn.

BOTH were strong, active men, Fritz in par-
ticular being well supplied with all the neces-
sary muscle and agility of the prize-fighter, al-
though he by no means looked as it he was an
“ugly customer" to handle.

After clinching the two men soon tripped
and fell to the floor, where the struggle literal-
ly began in all its meaning.

“ Ohl I’ll show ya how ther howliu’ porpoise
fights!” Bully Jim roared, endeavoring to get
a bite at Frilz’s nose. “I’ll chaw ye all up
like a dish 0’ bush!”

“Vii you, d- ugh!” Fritz cried, finally get-
ting his handsfree, anrl clinching them around
the bully’s throat tightly. “I’ll pet yoost a
half-dollar you von’t do noddings of! der kind,”
and now getting the rufliau under him he
gradually shut off on his wind.

“Hold on! hold on! no chokin’—no chokin’,
I say; it’s ag’in’ ther moral rules 0’ fight'n’!”

“ l don’d vas see id dot vay,” Fritz said.
“Eider you vas got to ex my parding for as-
saul‘ing me, or I vil choke of! your breathe so
you vil hafl’ none to use.” _

“No choke, I say! Let me up, an’ l’ll fight
yeaccordin ter book.”

“Not a let oopl” was the young detective’s
reply. “ Ven you come foolin’ around'mit der
Dutchman you pet your life you got left.
Apologize, I dells you, or 1 turns der throttle,-
und shuts der sdeam at your logermotifr. I
mean pizness—no ’polog-y, no breathe. Vas
you understand?”

The man began to wince as Fritz closed his
terrible gripe. - r '

“ Oh, let me up, an’ we’ll call et squar’,” the
man gu rgled.

“Vcn you dads me ‘ I ax your humble par-
ding ’r—deu I. let you up!”

" But I won’t!"

Den I vil squeeze your vindpipe, so i”

 

l
l

Thar be ? apoud a halt dollar, on dot,
Friiz who was tipped ‘ crfed, drawing and cocking
“ Oh! but I’ll go through I “ Now, you (300an on, ulf you vant to get dcr l the villaue maidens.

“ I ask your pardOn. Oh! yes, I do. Thar,
now, let me up!”

Fritz obeyed, and let the ruffian rise from

brings you here i” '

 

the floor, but just as soon as 'he was on his feet .

, Bully Jim drew a long knile.

“ Oho! I didn’t say What l’d do, next!” he I
h0wled, brandishing the blade. threateningly, 

_atay around hyar, while I hev things my way.” i “ I‘ll cut yer cussed heart out, now.” |

“Vii you, dough? .Vel, I'll pill 53:}, E109? i
V . N Z ‘
his rwolver. l

] der job vid greatest of pleasure.”

The sight of the revolver caused the big
loafer to pause. '

“Ye wouldn’t shoot. when I‘m only in fun,
would. you?” he asked, incredulously.

“ Well, just try me, and see, dot's all!" was
the retou “Your funniness vas entirely tm
t’in, mine friendt; Idon’d vas like it. So l‘ll
gifl.’ you one minnit der git oud. If you don'd
vas gone py dot time, 1 vii shoot you bi. q ick-
er ash I vould von leedle cat. One! g. t
ready, all dcr vile. Swil—higb time you vas
skmnin’ oud. Three! ven I hollers dot, if you
don’d vas gone I spot you.” . ‘

“Then, tearinlly and sadly, I must tear my
self away from you!" the ruflian declared, with
a grimnca, as he stalked toward the door.
“I’ll allo\v ye hold ther grip, now, but thet
ain‘t sayin’ ye’ll allus hold- it.”

Then, he took his leave.

' Fritz was not sorry. He did not want to
hurt any one, unless forced to, and yet a; s
bound to defend himself. ’

Toward' evening the burgers one by one
quitted the tavern, umil Fritz and Fat J.l.n
were the only ones in the tar-room.

Then it was that the latter spoke.

“I say, young teller,” he said, “you’re a
hextrordinary chao, and if it wouldn’t be
haskin’ too much, I’d like to inquire what

“ Vel, pizness, I diuks," Fritz replied, “ und
judgin’ py der latest demonstrations, l vill hair
lots ofl? id.” -

“You had better look out sharp for Num-
ber One, I tell you. for tho‘ this ai't, countui
no hard town, they ginerally pitch onto a
stranger and try to bulldoze him. into leavin’
by settin’ Bully Jim onto him.”

“I vas tumbled to dot already,” Fritz re-
plied, “but der virst one vot attempted it,
didn‘t make so much success.” .

“No, but that ain’t saying you'll have as He
luck, next time. You see, his Honor, Mr.
Greyville, owns most 0’ the property, here-
abouts, an’ he’s as big feeling as a duke, and
won’t allow no one around ’cept what bows to
his will.” -

“ Vel, ve vil see-apoud dot,” Fritz muttered.

“‘ I dinks dcy‘don’d vas make mooch bulldozing

.me. I vant to ask .you von questirn—don'J
this man Greyville be Captain Gregg, dtl'
smuggler!”

The fat host of the Lion’s Paw gave a start.
The qua-lion was evidently som. thing of a- sur-
prise to him. ‘ ' H

“Whyvno, of course not! What evor put
such an idea into your head, young maul
Gregg the smuggler is said to be one of the
worst char cters along the Atlantic coast, and
'at the same time, the most succassful in his
line of business. Greyville is a man who
would scorn to stoop to such work;' ahd. more-
over, he is said to be immensely rich in ready
cash, though his landed property is mortgagsd
for its full value.”

Fritz accepted this cXplanaiion without I»-
ply, but his mind was but little changed in th:
matter.

“I dinks Gregg and Grcyvil‘e vns one un-l
der same parties," he muttered, “ and shall not
gif’f up dot opinion until I (an hafl? l'urder proof
von way of der odder.”

As soon as the gloaxning'of evening began to
settle over the quiet little hamlet. he left th~
tavern, and saun'ered down the street toward
the Hon. Graoby Greyville’s residence, whither
most of the Vi lagers had already Wended them
way.

On arriving at the front of the handsome
lawn, with its winding walks, large shade
trees, beds of flowers, and attractive residence,
Fritz paused to survey the. scene that Was
spread out before him.

Here and there dotted about among t1: l
shade trees wee tables spread with temptin,r
viands, to which the villagers were freely
helping themselves, and to the flowing pitchers
of ale thrt were passwi around by several of

A couple of Italians were making mns‘c
upon violin and harp, which sounded weird and

.‘r

 

 

‘*

Fritz to the Front.

, ..- ..,... .n .. .. . .. .. 4i

. 9.

 

 

 

enchanting; children Were playing and romping
about the grounds; Chinese lanterns were
strung about among the lower branches of the
trees, and altogether it was a. festive and at-
tractive scene. . From his position outside the
fence Fritz could see nothing of either Grey»
ville or the alleged countess, and he resolved
to'eiiter the grounds for that purpose, which
he accordingly did, and sauntered about lei-
Siu-ély, :is if he had a perfect right there by iii-
vitatioii.

Although many curious glances were leveled
at him, he paid no attention to them, and after
walking around awhile, he leaned up against a
tree and looked on, studying every face within
the reach of his gaze. '

Presently there was a shout among the as-
sembled villagers, and upon this, the door of
the mansion opened, and Mr. Greyville came
forth upon the grounds, with the countess lean-
ing upon his arm. '

His Honor was attired in a suit of immacu-
late white duck, With a. massive gold chain
strung across his vest and a. superb diamond
pin upon his shirt front.

The countess was a Frenchwoman, of some
three-and thirty , years, with a thin, angular
face, bead-like black eyes, and hair to match,
and a. thin compressed month, which when she
laughed showed two rows of pearly teeth. She
also wore an abundance of paint and powder
upon her face, and what with her rich attire
of silk lace and diamonds, was a striking and
peculiar looking personage—a woman who
looked crafty, and capab.e of mischief.

As soon as she and the Honorable Greyville
advanced upon the lawn, the villagers arose
from the tables, and the women courtesied low,
while the men swung their hats and sent up a
rousing cheer. -

The countess and her escort then moved
about here and there, wiih a pleasant word for
all, and a bidding for them to continue their
feast. '

As they passed near where F itz stood lean-
ing against the tree, Greyville gave him a
sharp, stern glance, and said:

“ Ah! who are you, and what do you want
here, sir!”

"‘ Nothing in particular,” Fritz replied, re-
turning his stare, calmly. “I only see vot
you vas haff’a pic-nig, and I come in to look
on.” '

“ Then, begone, sir, at once! I allow no
loafers around here. Go, Isayl” and then they
passed on.

Fritz did not go, however, but retained his
position, in defiance.

“Shorge Vashingdon made dis a free coun-
dry, und I vou’d go dil I gits ready,” he mut-
tered.

It was not long, hawever, before he was
hastily approached by a man, and that- man no
less a person than the same flashily attired in-
dividual who had taken 'the young woman,
Madge, away from the hotel, at Atlantic city!

“Hello! get out of this, you loafer!" he’

cried, seizing Fritz by the shoulder, roughly.

“‘How many times do you have tobe told to '

go? The Guv’nor said go—iiow, if you don’t
light out, 1’“ make your heels break your neck.”

“ Vil you, dough 1” Fritz 'gritted, wrenching
loose, and standing on the defensive.

“ Yoost you keep your hands ofl.’ vrom me,
Griffith Gregg, or I vil knock der whole top off
your nose elf.”

“ What! you vagabond? you compare me
with the smuggler‘s son! I’ll thump your
skull for that piece of inipudence.”

And he was as good as his word; for, raising
a stout cane he carried, he brought it heavily
down upon the young detective’s head.

For a. moment Fritz was nearly stunned, but
he quickly recovered, and sprung at his assail-
ant, pluckily.

“Oh! you. snoozerl" he cried, “I vil plack
your eye mit pine, for dot.”

And he did deal the Honorable’s sou two
severe whacks between the eye:, in rapid suc-
cession, which had the effect to land him on

- his back on the ground.

f

 

 

teeth upon them.

“ Thump me on der head, vil you?” Fritz
cried, standing over him, ready to give him
another rap, if he attempted to rise. I “ I’ll pet
you a half dollar you vil got left, on dot.”

“ Let me up, you dastardly loafer,” young
Greyville raved, not daring to rise under the
existing circumstances. “ I’ll murder you, for
this—I—l’ll—” '

“ Got your head proke, off you come mit_
your foolishness around me!” Fritz cried. “ I'll
let you oop, dough, ash l-iiiust go!"

He saw a half a dozen of the village roughs
coming toward the spot, and know he was ill-
prepared to battle with all of them. So with a
few dextrous bounds ho leaped away out of the
yard, and ran swiftly down to the beach.

Finding that they did not follow him, he seen
after made his way up the street again, to the
tavern, and went to the room which had been
assigned him.

“I’ll pet der vil pe some droubles, befO'e I
got t’rough niit dis pizuess,” he muttered, “ but
I vas der man who vil come oud der winner.”

He was soon off in a sound sleep, from which
he, hours later, awakened, with a violent start.

The scene was changed.

He. was not in the taVern, on' the bed, but in-
stead, was bound hand and foot, and lying in
the bottom of a boat!

 

CHAPTER VIII.
ADRIFT.

AT first Fritz had no idea of what could have
happened, but it did not take him long to come
to one conclusion on the matter, that he had
been captured at night, thrust into the frail
boat, and sent adrift on the ocean. Who had
been the anthers of the job? There could be
no doubt in his mind about that.

The Greyvilles—or the Greggs, as he believed
they were—were anxious to have him leave
the neighborhood, and had probably, through
their agents, caused his removal in this very
promiscuous manner. ‘

By an effort he sat up in the little boat and
gazed around him. He was now some distance
from the beach, beyond the white-capped
breakers, and, as the tide was recoding, the
frail craft was of course drifting further and
further from land eat-h moment, a reflection
that might have caused any one a start, while
to Fritz, bound and helpless, it was the next
thing to being alarming.

“ Vel, py shiiiiminy dunderl” was his ex-
clamation, as he gazed dolefully around him.
“OR I don’d vas in a duyfel of! a fix, den I
don’d vent a cent. They’ve come von cute‘
game ofer me, und I’ll bet a half-dollar I go
down der same throat vot Jonah did—der
w’ale’s. Vonder vich von 03 dum vellers put
up dcr ShOb‘Oll incll I’d like to punch his nose.
Reckon id‘ vas dot veiler Whose eyes I placked
mitJersey plue up at der pig-iiic. I vcnder
vot der plazas a veller can do, anyhow!”

There was a sorry prospect for his beir'ig able
to do anything much toward helping himself
from the 'uneiiviable situation in which ht; had
been plaCed. He was nimble to use his hands
or feet, and-was, therefore, helpless and at
the mercy of the wliil water; over which he
was drifting. Did he have the use of hands
and feet he was not yet out of danger, for the
boat was‘without ours and the distance to the
land was so great as to make it a during at-
tempt to breast the outgoing tide in a struggle
to reach the shore by swimming.

Still, it seemed the only hope for him, if by
any way he could free himself of the straps
which bound him, and,lie was not the one to
despair without first proving to his dissatisfac-
tion that it was the only thing left for him to
do.

Therefore he set to work industriously in an
attempt to loosen the bonds from his liinds.
Luckily they were not boun l behind his back,
which was one atiVantage, as he could use he

But, being leather straps. he made slow head-

 

way, nibbling at the strap aroui d his hind;
but little by little it yielded, so that after]

awhile a violent wrench broke it asunder, and
his hands were free.
“Py shininiiuy, dot ish goot, anyhow,” he

muttered, making haste to unloostn his feet.’

“ New, der next t‘ing is somediny else. How
ish I going to got pack mit der shore f”

It was an all-important question.

The boat “ as perhaps a mile further from
shore than when he first had estimated the dis-
tance.

“ I don’d know vedder I can swum dot fur-
der or not,” he muttered, doubtlully. “But
subbosin’ dcr wha e, or der devil fish, Catch

’old niit mine pootleg, und suck me in under

dcr voter. Vot a diiyfel o‘ a fix I’d be in den.
Off I only had some puddles, l vqnld huff no
droublcs getting to sh! re vid der peat.”

He was in the midst of these reflections
when he heard a shout further out at sea. and
for the first time beheld dinily a dusky object
floating in the water not far ahead of him.

H Hello! who you vas, und vot you vantf”
Fritz shouted, in ansWer.

“ I am a po ir devil more or less drowned,

and can’t hang on to this barrel much longer. ‘

Be you man or devil, for HeaVen’s sake hurry
along with your boat.” .

“ All righd. I vil pe‘dere; in der sweedness
py-und-py. Keepa stiff upper lip, and I’ll get
you soon,” the'young detective replied, heart-
ily. “ Der‘s nodding like hang-on at der crit-
ercel minute.”

Kneeling, and leaning over the front part of
the boat, he used his hands as propellers, and
in this way was able to improve the slow pro-
gress of his light craft to some extent, and in
a few moments was alongside the barrel, on
top of which a drenched human was basancing
himself.

At a glance Fritz perceived who it was.

“ Hiirily !" he (xclaimi-d, in suiprise.

“ Yes, what’s left of me.” the sentenced
smuggler replied, clauibering into the boat.
“Thank Heavm you came along just as you
did, for my gripe wouldn‘t hold out much
longer.” ‘

" Vel, I should dink not.
ash dead. How ish it dot you don‘d vas kilt by
der smugglers!"

“It is no fault of theirs,” Hartly replied,
grimly. “They chucked me under night afme
last, miles out at sea. supposing my hands and
feet were bound,- and a heavy stone tied to my
head. 'But while they were rowing me out, I
contrived to loosen up matters, so that I was
really free the minute I struck water. But I
went under all the same to deceive them.‘

When they headed for shore I arcse to the sur- _

face, and after sWimming about until nearly ex-
hausted, I caught onto this empty cask, which
has in one sense been my salvation. By no
tides I have breu carried quite near to the
shore, but my lewer limbs being numb by re-
maining so long in the water. I dared not at—
tempt to swim ashore, and the outgoing tide
has carried me our. again—not so far as it
would, however, if 1 had not struggled sh: rc~
ward constantly. But h0w come you out here,
in this frail shell, without even oars?”

Fritz explained. as far as he had knewn, and
Hartly scowled.

“There‘ll be a reckoning for some one,” he ‘

said, “if I ever s-iCCeed in getting ashow.
But there’s not much prospecl of that, unless
we can get 5 Ile ours, or s iiiething to pull
ashore with The tide will begin to ebb in be-
fore a great while, too.”

“ I huff von idea," Fritz said. “ UfI ve can
get der parrel apart, we might do somedings
vid der staves—vot you t'ink apoud dot?”

“ Good Idea. We can easily get the staves."

Hartly drew the barrel up alongside the
boat, and soon had it knocked to pieces, and
four of the staves secured.

“.Now, then, for shore,” he cried. “When
’we get there, I will leave you, on business, for
a few hours, after which I will join you, and
we will work together against the Gregg gar-g.
We will paddle ta land on the lower side of the
buff. as it woul'lii‘t be particularly healthy

for me to land in front or the vilage. You ‘

I’d giflen you up'

, f

., i
~ 

i

.- a...” W‘ *4 .

ev. w“-.. i. am. ..

 

   
 

 

 

 

:.L

new '9 ‘

f *

 

 

Nut.” we ~n-MWW.“ «c. 1 v y ,

' wassoou gone from vieW.

» veller-vot I firsd t’ought, und I vouldn’t pe

- 1'. ,. nee.

I " he might unexpectedly run into, he had drawn

\

I, chuckle. ‘
bigh-cockolorum, like my big-feelin’ Sister.

.10 '

' can, and in fact had better keep shady, in the 

' of the hind, which was quite perpendicular, he
,eeon came before the aperture, and headed his

Granby Greyville sat in his private study this
same morning, engaged in smoking a cigar, as

I

vicinity of the old rookery on the bluff, and I
will jom you, as soon as possible.”

Accordingly they paddled as rapidly toward
the beach as.their strength would permit. By
the time it was daybreak they had landed below
the blufl’. - .

Here they drew the light boat up on the
beach, and Hartly said:

“I‘ll leave you now, but will return, in the
course ‘of a few hours.” '

“All righd. I vil remain in der neighbor-
hood.” Fritz replied, and then the young smug-
gler clambered up the side of the blulf, and

“ I vonder vot dot veller ish cop to, now,”
Fritz muttered, after herhad gone. “Der is
somet’ing he vas goin’ to do, vot he ain’d pur-
ticular upoud my knowing somedings apoud. l
have half a notion dot he ain’d vos so nice a

much surprised if he vould give me away of!
he gota chance. But, oh! I’ll keep watch of
him! I’ve got der smugglers und der kidnap-
per spotted, and I’ll bet a half dollar id don’d
vasbe some centuries till I get ‘em trapped.
In,der meantime, der is somet’ing I vant to in-
vastigate.”

This was something he had noticed as he
and Hartly had paddle! in to the shore from
the ocean. In about the center of the bluff, at
the water's edgz, as it faced the open Atlantic,
was a dark hole of considerable size, which
looked as.if it might lead to a cavern in the
hill. .

If Hartly knew of its existence, he had kept
it a secret, but our German detective had no-
ticed it, and resolved to see where the aperture
In] to. I '
: Unjerrany other circumstances he would not
have gian it a second thought, but the fact
[but'the smugglers held out in this vicinity
~*uf which he now had no doubt—gave that
1 2-. in the bluff more than ordinary signi-

Jumping into the boat he paddled off once
more into the water, and headed toward the
trout of the bluff. Not knowing what danger

his reVolver, which, strangely enough his cap-
tors had not taken from him, and placed it on
the stern seat beside him.

Working silently but steadily along the face

boat into it.

 

' ‘ LIL—or, as he styled himself, Honorable—-

he recked in an easy-chair and gazed out’through
an open glass deor upon the pretty lawn.

That his thoughts were of an unpleasant na-
ture was evident by a. frown which disfigured
his florid countenance. .

And this frown did not lessen, but rather in-
creased as there suddenly appeared in the door-
way no less a wild-looking personage than Silly
Sue, whom Fritz had encountered upon the
beach.

She made a grimace and sort of a jerky bow ,
assh'e saw his H0.lOl', and then stood staring at
him in a strange manner.

“ Well!” he growled, angrily, “what brings
you here?” -

“’ What allus brings meii’ she replied, with a
“I want to come back and play up

 

S’poae that’s silly, too, ain’t it, daddy i"

," No more so than your accursed obstinacy,
you tool!” was the sev<re reply. “You well
know the only terms that can ever restore you
as a member of my family.”

“ But I won’t accept ’em!"

“Then, clear out. You shall never be any-
thing to me till you- surrender the stolen
money.” 4 I

“Bob! it ain’t yours. You’re'a bad, wicked ,
man, no! you got it wickedly, and get all your ,
Wealth wickedly, and the more you get the 
wickeder you get.

Get out! I’d cut my head ‘

’ ' V Fritz to the Front. 3 I

01!, silly’s I am, before I’d give you up the

money.” - .
_ “ Curses on your mulishness!”

“Ha! ha! I know you cherish the most
fatherly regard for me. If it wasn’t for the
hope that I will some day restore you your lost
ten thousand you’d had me drowned months
ago. By the way, old man, what have you
done with myfelleri” ‘

“ Your fellow?”

“ Yes—Hal Hartly?"

“How should I know anything about him?” _

“ Who should know better?
monster!”

“Take care, girl i”

“ No, I won’t take care!” and her eyes flash-
ed in defiance to his anger. “ i ain’t a. bit

Oh! you wicked

afraid of you, because I can outrun any dog in .

the town. I know what‘s become of Hal. Your
tools took him out and chucked him under. But,
ha! ha! he’s all.right!”

Grey ville started a little.

“ What foolishness is this of yours!”

“ 0h! only silliness, 'of course,” and she
laughed loudly. “But Hal’s all right, and,
now that his scruples have had a pickle. I allow
he’ll come around to ‘my cherished plan, and
we’ll make it warm for you!” ,

“ What! you dare to threaten me I” .

“Didn’t I tell you I‘d go for you if you didn’t
reform! \Vcll, I must be off. Hews my state-
ly sister? How’s the countess? Ha! ha! ha!
shoot her. She’s an old hag, with a glass eye
and false teeth. The future Mrs. G! Bah! and
such a model private excursion steamer, too!
Still, it serves its purpose. I’m off now—just
come up to spice your breakfast. Better mend
your ways. The way of the transgressor is
hard. By-by! Yours, truly, Silly Sue!”

And then, with a wild laugh, she vanished.

 

_ CHATER IX.
rm'rz’s DISCOVERY.
LET us return to our ventriloquist detective
and his venturesome expedition.

In heading the boat into the opening in the»

bluff, he had no idea how his venture would
terminate, but was urged on by a great curios-
ity to explore the spot, feeling sure that it had
some connection with the smugglers’ league.

The hight of the aperture was insufficient to
admit the passage of the boat with him sitting
up; so putting the boat under headway he lay
do wn and thus glided in.

In high tide, this opening, he concluded, was '

covered by water, while in extreme low water
the beach must be bare in front of ‘the blufl,
as the water at this juncture now was quite
shallow ‘ p

, He almOSt immediately emergei into a cave
in the heart of the blufi. .

It was. as large as a couple of good-sized
rooms, and looked as if the waters of many
years had eaten it out.

The work of man, however, was seen in the
planks overhead, which, resting on wooden
su ports, held the roof in place. '

The water reached about midway into' the
chamber, and from its edge the pebbly ground
ascended to the further side of the cave, where
a narrow aperture branched ( it ~ evidently cut

: as a passageway by the hand of man.

Grounding his boat, Fritz stepped out and
took a survey of his surroundings.

“ Dis don’d lock ash if id vasa healthy blace
at high-tide. but I reckon dot id vas der blace
vere dey run in smuggled goons,” he mused.
" Dot passage probably leads to a higher and
dryer place.”

Holding his revolver ready for use in case of
emergency, he stole softly toward the subter-
ranean passage, with a View to exploringit.

It was a dark, uninviting tunnel, of just suf-
ficient width and night to admit of a person’s
passage, and looked as if it might have no con-
nection with any other chamber, as he could
see no light to indicate its terminus.

Nothing daunted, however, he entered it

l

 

 

and walked along softly, ready lor any sur- 1
r brick."

prise.
A Score of steps he went, and then emerged

i

into what he concluded was another large ub-
terranean chamber, but where all was of Sty-
gian darkness.

Luckily he had a close metal pocket box of
matches with him, and lighting one after an-
other he discovered a half dozen lamps in
brackets around the chamber side. One of
them he soon lit, when he proceeded to inspect
his situation.

As before stated the sides of the cavern were
walled up like a cellar; and in size it was a
hundred and fifty feet square, by ten or twelve
in- hight.

The ceiling overhead was planked, and these
supported by rude pillars resting upon the
ground floor, as in the outer cave.

Here and there, scattered about, were heaps
of straw, pieces of wooden boxes and canvas,
and occasionally a bottle, or apiece of damaged
silk or lace. . V

At the opposite side of this chamber was a
round hole in the ceiling, similar to a Well,
down through which hung a rope ladder to the-
floor.

This seemed to indicate. that either there was
another chamber, overhead, or else this was a
means of access to the open air.

in the stone wall, at either side of the room,
were doorways supplied with strong, gr ated
iron doors, which were fasttned with padlocks
and chains. ' .

“Vel, I‘ll be jiggercd off dis don’d vas yoost
like a regular brizon,” Fritz ejaculated; “und
dis pe der blace vere der smugglers unpack
deir goods. I t’ought I vould discoifer some-
t’ings, off I come here. Vonder ufl.‘ dey half
got somepody shut up mit dem cells? Dot
vouldn’t pe so much off a ‘ sell,’ nei‘der, ofl? I am
any shudge.” . .

Taking down the lamp, he proceeded to in-
spect the matter. Approaching the righthand
dungeon, he peered in.
~ The place evidently was empty.

Crossing the cavern to the door of the other,
to his surprise he saw that this dungeon was cc-
cupied.

Upon a rude cot bed, a whman was stretched,
apparently fast asleep. ‘

Asher face was turned from his view, he
could not tell whether she was young or old,
pretty or ugly, but he was strangely impressed.
Her size—torm—clothing all aroused his sus-

picions that it really was the Leadville man‘s

runaway daughter—Madge Thornton, or Thur-
ston, as she had called herself. He ‘was stag-
gered a moment by the very thought.

“Hello! vake cap—who you vas!” he shout-
ed rattling the door. ,

The woman gave a violent start, and sat up
on ‘her cot, with a gasp: it was indeed the
speculator’s lost daughter! .

“ Goot! dot vas a nest egg for me!” was the

thought that flashed through his mind, as he
remembered the offered reward. '

' “ Who are your—what do you want?” the
bride of Major Atkins demanded, eagerly, as
she'arose from her bed, and stept falterineg
toward the door.

“ Vol, I am Fritz!
Fritz, don’d you .4”

“(lb! yes! yes! You are a friend to me—
oh! say that you are, and that you have come
to rescue me and take me back to papal”

“ Vel, I should snicker dot dot vas apoud
dor size of! der circumstance.” the young de-
tective grinned. “You don’d vas like dis hotel,
den?"

“Oh! no! no! Ishall die if Irenxain here,
Open the door—take me from this terrible
place! Oh! please do this, sir, and I will always
love you.”

“Nixy!

You remember der chap

You mustn’t do dot,” Fritz replied.

'with a serious expression, “or you vi! hufl’

mine gal, Rebecca, in your me]. She’s sheal-
ous. is Rebecca. and id makes her madder ash
a hornet bee, at! I even looks sweed at a potato
pug—dot ish a fact. But I ril get you end all
der same, if I can, vich I don’t! know so much
apoud, ash der door vas fastened tigh u-r ns‘ll u

“ You see your old dad ,he vas send me down

 

 

 

  '

 

dis vay to look vor you, und I dolls him I find
yoo, yoost like a. pook. I was a reg’lar suoozer
a' findin’ dings vot don’d pelong to me.”

" My father sent you? Oh! joyful news!
Tell me— tell me, 'where is my father?“ and she
clasped her hands, her face and eyes aglow
with eagerness. .

There was evidently nothing dazed or som~
nambnlistic about her, now.

“ Vell, der last I see‘d your. old man, he vas
at der blace vere you got married. But he
left for Long Branch to rustygate und keep a
vedder eye out for you. vile I took der rear
trail, und-skeer’d uo der game. 'You see der
old man dells me off I rind you und der money
yet you stole vrom him. he vonld giff me live
t’ousand dollars. How vas dot? He vas yoost
der man I hafl? pen vantin’ to meed, vora longr
\‘ll‘f. But, how apoud der money?”

“ It is where no earthly hands but mine ran
find it, except I give the direc'ions!” the girl
replied, with evident enthusiasm over the
fact. I

“ When I left home, to come East and marry
Major Atkins, I was in a state of half in~anity,
or sonmambulism, they called it, and took the
money, and when I came to my senses found it
in my possession. It seems, as I have learned
since, that before his leaving for the East, and
at the same time when I was in my dazed state
Atkins said that he had a large roll of money
in my father’s safe, and that when I came, I
should brirg it. And to my surprie, l havi-
also since learned that it was not the first som
nambulistic theft I have been guilty of. Upon
discovering the large sum upon my perSon, 1
put it in a plate “here it would be Safe, and
came-on to marry Major Atkins, whom 1 im-
agined myself to be in love with. We met—
it was he who took me away from the hotel—
and we were married, as I supposed, at the
time, but it has since 'been proven a. base de-
ception. Almost immediately after. your de-
parture he demanded the money of me.”

“Vel, you guff it 00p to him, I sulibOsel”

“No, I did not,” she replied, with an ex-
hibition of spirit.

“Itold him I didn’t have it-—which was
true—but he Wouldn’t believe that, saying that
he had learned I had .the money in my posses-
sion on leavmg home. Then I got angry and
told him I wouldn’t give itto him, if Idid have
it. This in turn emaged him, and he declared
the marriage to be a sham, and that if I didn’t
surrender the money he would kill me. I
defied him and dared him to do it, whereupo
he and the bogus minister seized upon me, am
searched me, but failed to find the money. The

.monster, Atkins, then knocked me down, and I

became insensible. When I awoke. it was in
this terrible underground place. He has been
here, several times, and threatened me, and
alternated the matter by promising to make
me his wife in reality, and the mistress ofa
princely howe if I would give up the money.
But, having found out what, a villain he is, I
have firmly refused."

“Dot vas right! Ve will gifl! hi'm der duv-
fel von 01! dese days- or, at least, I vill, tor
smuggling. I don‘d know veddtr I can got
you end of! here or not! I ought der half some
tools, as id don’d vas some leedle shcb prealdn’
iron mit a vellers hands.”

“Oh! do try and release me, in some way
-—I do so want to get free!”

“Um I know dot. But, you see id vas
harder ash breakin’ dcr consditution to preak
dis chain.” _

It was no easy job, indeed.

The chain was seweral feet in length, and
made of short, stout welded links. The pad-
lock, too was a formidable affair, such as
could not easily be broken, and Fritz did not
have any keys with him.

He was stuck for once, in not knowing how
to proceed, and was just cogitating oxier what

was best to do, when he noticed something

that caused him a start. ,

On glancing towaid the rope-ladder, he 'per-
ceived that it was moving!

Some one was descending it:

 

 

Did he remain here, discovery was inevit-
able, and discovery would probably destroy
all possibility of rescuing Madge.

These thoughts occurred to him like a. flash.

“ ’81]! some one is coming, and I must
hide!” he said to Madge, in a whisper; then he
hurried softly across the chamber, into the
dark passage, where he paused at a point
where he could see without being seen.

“I’ll bet dot id vns der fuller whose eye I
blacked,” he muttered.

And, sure enough, he was right.

A moment later Major Atkins. alias young
Greyville, alias Griffith Gregg, came down the
ladder into the cavern. his eyes yet showing
unmistakable evidence of the power of Fritz‘s
shoulder-hits.

“ W hat the devil’s all the noise down here!"
he demanded approaching the door of Mudge’s
dungeon. “ I thought I heard voices conwrs-
ing.”

“ You probably heard me singing, Sir Mon-
ster!” Madge ietorted, sarcastirally. “ ‘1' On
know ] am in good humor for vocalism.”

" The devil take you! It wasn’t singing—it
was talking I lngurd.” , -

“Ah! perhaps you heard me saying over
threats of what I’ll (lo, when I get freel”

“ Now what will you do i"

“ I'll claw your eyes out—4hr!) I'll tie you
and give you a thrashing with a bull-whip.”

"Bah! threaten want you like. Ill guar-
antee you’ll remain here until I get your ami-
able dad’s swag.” .

“ But you will never get it!” .

“Won’t I? When you begin to rot in your
dungeon, and your tongue hangs out of your
mouth for want of food and water, I fancy
you’ll come to terms.”

“ But, I won’t though!"

“ Oh! we, shall see. I won’t argue with
you. At the present moment I want to find
out who it was I heard you conversing with!”

And to her horror he made for the dark pas-
sage.

Fritz, too, was considerably concerned, and
began to make a rapid and stealthy retreat to
the other chamber. ‘

On arziving there, another thing startled
him.

The tide had set in, and the hole in the face
of the bluff was so nearly filled as to make es-
cape with the boat impossible. - -

 

CHAI’TISR X.
A DIVE FOR LIFE.

’1‘}!an was but one choice left for Fritz—
that of standing his ground and meeting
young Grey-ville boldly; for there was ap-
parently no avenue of escape for him now.

Consequently, with his revolver drawn,
ready for use, he positioned himself at tho
watei's edge, facing the aperture and waited.

He had not long to wait.

In a few seconds Griffith Gregg—as we
shall henceforth call him—came striding into
the chamber, and uttered a violent oath'a't
sight, of Fritz.

“Hello! by the Satanic I thought I was
not mistaken. The Dutchman we left adrift,
for sure!”

Fritz did not speak, or allow himself to move
a particle, but stood glaring at his enemy like
one turned to stone.

“Hallo! why the devil don’t you answer?”
Gregg demanded; apparently not feeling pos-
itive that Fritz was in the flesh. “ If you don’t
answer, I’m hanged if i don’t drown ye.”

No answer from Fritz.

But from directly over the villain’s head
seemed to come' the words, in a hoarse
'voice— ' ' '

“ Villain, behold the reflection of your
crime!”

“ Bah!” Gregg cried with a start, glaring
about him. "You can’t play‘any tricks on
me, you Dutch blunderbuss! In some way
you’ve escaped the trap, and now I’ll pay you
a grudge I'xe got against you.”

And with a long knife in hand. which he had

 

_-‘ .

drawn from his belt, he dashed fiercely at
Fritz, regardless of the drawn revolver.

Leveling his pistol at his opponent’s breast,
the young detective pulled the trigger.

The weapon missed fire.

Gregg was almost upon him now. .
There was but. a. moment to act, and yet, i
that time, Fritz hurled the Weapon with great
velocity at the villain’s head, and summer~.
sett-d backward into tha water, the toe of one
of his boots catching Gregg .iu under the
lower jaw. -

This, with the stinging blow of the pistol, '
dropped him like a log to the giound, where
he lay for an instant, bowling with pain and
rage.

Fritz, landing in the water, swam through,
the almost submerged entrance, and soon was
outside the cavern, at the edge of the hind.

To swim around to the southern side was
the work of but.a few moments. and he “as
once more on terra fix-ma, at his starting point.

Here he sat down upon the beach to collect
his thoughts. ' ' -

b‘o strange had been his experience within
the last few bonus that he was really more
confused than he had yet been since entering
upon his profession as a detective.

“ Now den, let me sve’apond somet’ings," he
muttered. “lnder rirst blaee, dis be a regs
’lnl‘ ruiilan setldltmt-nt, vere id don'd vas
healthy vor .‘llCll ash I. and id vonld puzzle’me
to (lo dcl‘ sliob all alt he. I must hat! some
help. Oli' (It r i.-h a der graph rfiice near here,
den i must find id, and (lelegraph to Philade t’
\‘or assistance. Der ish no doubt but 1 half
discov: red oer smugglers. und der next t ing is
to torture dem. Und I don’d dink id vas
healthy for me to go doWn mit der cave again,
undil dis matter keebs shady. I vc-nder wot
huff pecome oil’ der gal \ot called herself Silly ‘

Sue :”

" Hem she is—what do you want of. her?" 11 ~
merry voice cried, and the. chin danced, leuyh-
ing, out from behind a huge boulder in li‘ritzs '
rear, where she had been concealed, evidently
playing the spy. “ What do you want of Billy

.Sue, Irishman t”

“l was no Irishman l" Fritz retorted. “I am
a Dutchman.”

“Get out! You’re pure Irish. But, that
ain’t to the point. What do want of me?”

‘.‘I vanted to inquire how far it is to the
nearest telegraph station?”

"Oh! a good ways inland. The road you
see in front of the old h( we on the blufl leads
direct to it. If you want to send a. message,
1’“ send it for you.”

“ You \‘ili” _

“Yes. I‘ll hool: one o’ dad‘s horses from the
pasture, and ride to tow n. Guess I know what,

ye propose doing.”

“ Vol.9”

“ You are a. detective, and you have dis.
COVered that my dad and his smugglers live
around here, and you want to send for help to
arrest them!"

“ How vos you know all dot?” ‘

“Oh, I’m silly eLough to guess it. and [hope
you’ll do it. They’re a hard gang, and a
wicked gang, and they hate me worse thauj
poison, IN'CHLSO I’m honest, unlike the test of
them.” I .

“Captain Grng and Hon. Granby Gmyville ,
are dcl' same peisons, nott” '
“Yes. You’: e mighty cute to find that out.
when some 0’ the villagers don’t even suspect

it. I’m his gal.” '

“ Ish dot a fact?”

“Yes, but he don’t own me, because I de-
nounce his dishonesty. Ha! but an old man
was found dead on the beach once. The next
day my papa had a big sum of money in his
possession. I smelt foul play. I stole the
money from him and burnt it up. Hal hul
Then he whipped me nnmercitully, and turned ,
me adrift. But, pooh! I don’t care! I get along ‘
famous, and .’Il make fun for the “nuggets
yet. So if you want meto go to the telegraph
station for you, and will give me a few slui-

,lings, I’m ready. ” I .

 

a N‘.» a...»

l- .
l .
..

 

l
1
l
l
l
.
i ,
i
l
l

   

l

 

 

 

 

Fritz to thelFront. ‘

 

“I’ll give you five dollarsl” Fritz assured.
" Bully!” the girl assented. “ Now, just tell
me w’et you want, and I’m yours.”

“ Vol, .I .vant you“ to go ‘to der delegraph of-
fice und send a message to Tony Fox, care of
Pmice Headquarters, Philadelphia, telling him
to fetch a half doZen men dev' dis village 'at
ome. Can you remember dot!”

" Well, you bet I can! Idon’t forget things
easily. Give us your money, and I'm off for
a wiid horseback. ride."

Fritz accordingly gave her a V. note, and
then, after again instructing her what to do,
she took her departure by clainbering up the
bluff. V

Fritz then lay down upon the sand in the
warm sunlight, little dreaming that his plans
had been overheard.

The Irishman, Pat Grogau, had been con-
cealed behind another bowlder, and-had over-
heard every word of Fritz’s conversation with
Billy Sue. I
. Shortly after her departure, and when sure

- Fritz was not watching, he stole softly from his

place of concealment and up the side of the
ma. .

Once on top of the bluff, he quickened his
pace, descended the opposite side, and hurried
toward the village. At the residence of Gran-
hy Greyville he paused, and entered the spa-
cious lawn.

His Honor and the countess were seated upon
the lawn. in front of the house, enjoying the
mode of a great tree, and Grogan tipped his
not as he approached them.

“ Sure, sur, it’s mesilf as has made a discov-‘
.ery, sur,” he said, with a huge grin of satisfac-
tion.

"Ah! indeed! I thought you might be of
some use!” his Honor replied, complacently.

. " What is the nature of your discovery, Gro-

n?”

“ Sure, sur, it’s consarnin’ the girl ym set me
to wa ~ in’.

“ As expected—curse her! What new
devilmeut has she been up to!” - a

“Share I did kape a civil eye on her, as yez
told me too, and a bit ago she met a Dutchman
0.; the “beach, an’ it’s 'a grand plot tha be afther
,organizin’. The loilres av the Dootchmon he
the wanted to ba slndin’ a tiligraph mis-
sage to Philadelphia for the detectives, an’
the gel she did till him fora V. she would stale
a horse forniust your pasture an’ be carryin’
the missage-for him hersilf, whereat he forked
over the cash, and she skipt, bedad l”

His Honor listened, his face growing purple
with passion. ,

“May all the furies seize that obstinate and
moddlesome little wretcnl" he' hissed. “ She
seems determined to ruin me. No amount of
whippings have ever served to make her like
other girls. Why didn’t you stop her, Pat?”

“Snare, it was yersilf as told me to be doin’
naught else but watchin’ her.”

“True, I had forgotten. She has probably
gene so far that it would be next to useless to
attempt to overhaul her now. Do you think

‘ youcould .mount a horse and overtake her,

Pat!” .

“ Bedad, no. It's sorry a horse I can ride,
yer Honor.”

“ Then ascertain from the ostler the location
of the pasture, and when she returns capture
her. I’ll give you ten dollars for thejob.”

“ Bad ’cess to me if 1 don’t do it. An’ what

’ shall I be doin’,to her after I cotch ’er?”

"Then take her to the old mansion on the
bluff and wait until I come.”
“ Och; howly murther, I’ll not go in where

‘ the skelegon its—nary a time.”

"Nor need you. What time intervenes be-
tween your arrival and mine you can spend
outside. But look sharp she don’t escape you.”-

“ Sure it‘s mesilf as will be doin’ that same!"

, Then, Grogaryexecuted a grotesque bow and
took his departure toward the stable, while
Greyville turned towardthe countess.
“The devil will be to pay, now. As I sue-
that Dutchman is a spy, and having
suspicioned or fen-eted out some knowledge

 

 

concerning the league, has sent for his fellow-
watch-dogs. In less than two days we shall
be in the clutches of the law, unless we‘makea
break for liberty, at once.”

“ Oh! there is no particular reason for

.hurry. When’we find there is danger, we can

easily escape,” the countess said calmly. l
“ How? it we wait until their arrival, it will ‘I
be tori late.” |
“By no means. My steamboat lies out but 1
a short distance, and we can board it and sail 1
for la belle France, in defiance.” 3
“ What! without unloading?” .
“Bah! what are a few thousand dollars to f
life? Besides, the goods will sell again, for full f
value, at Havre.”

CHAPTER XI.
A FATHERS BRUTALITY.

AFTER the departure of ‘Silly Sue, Fritz
sunned himself until his garmean were dried;
then rising he‘began to best about him for
something to eat.

“I don’d know better I go pack mit der
tavern, or not!” he mused. “ I dinks dot vas
an onhealthy blace, und yet I vould like some-
dings to ead, Very bad.”

Climbing to the top of the bluff, he passed
the old mansion, and followed the country
road for some, distance, in hopes of. finding an
orchard or watermelon patch. And he was
succesnful.

About a mile distant he came to a good-
sized orchard, near no human habitation, and
hastily made a raid on it, with the result of dis-
covering all the luscious-eating harvest apples
he could carry. ‘

Filling his pockets he made his way back to
the old rookery, and sat down upon the front
step to finish his meal.

“I vonder vot’s pecome of car villain I
kicked mit dcr under jaw?” he muttered.

“I t’ink I must hair dislocated ’im or I
should ’a’ see’d him. I vonder vere der mouth
off der well is, anyhow, vot dey come up
t’rough. _ Id must pe scmevere’s vere ' der
house stands, und probably hidden.”

After he finished his meal on apples, he en-
tered the old dwelling, with a View to giving
it another exploration.

Passing through the lowsr hell, he tried
each door opening of! from it, but found them
all locked, as before..

What they contained he could therefore not
learn, except by bursting them open or un-
locking them, which he had no way of doing.

Finding no success down-stairs, he went up-
stairs, remembermg that he had only tried the
doors of part of the upper rooms, on his
previous visit, the second one being the
assomlly chamber containing the swinging
head of ill-fated Bill Budge. .

He shunned this apartment now, and passed
on along the corridor.

The first and second doors he tried wore
locked, like those below. The third door,
howavm‘, was unfasteued, and opening it be en-
tered a large unfurnished apartment, contain-
ing but one window, which looked out upon
the ocean. '

Noticing a card tacked upon the wall, oppo-
site the door, Fritz advanced to read what was
written upui it. ~

But, that, he was destined never to do.
Halt-way acrOss the room he got—thm the

 

floor sunk quickly beneath him, and he Went
down! down! down! He had stepped upon a ,
trap, which had- evidently been prepared for ,
occasional stragglers, and he was the unsuspect- 1
ing victim, until too late to save himself.

“Down! down! he went into empty space, i
until he struck heavily upon a hard floor, and |
lay for a moment in a heap, his senses partly ’
leaving him. When. he recovered conscious-
ness, he aros‘e to his feet. He was in utter L
darkness, and in a place where the air was ;
close and stifling. What kind of a den he had I
fallen into he could not ascertain by looking,
at least.

 

Later that day Mr. Granhy Greyville left I

I moniac

his handsome residence, and made his way to
the blufl', accompanied by her ladyship, the
countess. '

There was a terrible expression of stern
resolve upon his countenance, and in his grasp
he carried an ugly-looking cart-whip, which
loode as if it were capable of inflicting dire
pain in the hands of a human lnute.

Arriving at the top of the bluff, they found
Grogan, the Irish delegate, seated u; on the
doorstep of the old home, while, lying 11pm
the ground, in front of him, was the girl, Sue,
bound, hand and foot, but none the less defiant
for that fact, as was evident by the contemptu-
ous curl of her lip, and the indignant, wicked
flush of her eyes. .

A little shiver went over her, though, when
she saw the countess, the man she knew as her
father, and the whip he carried.

“Shure‘! it’s mesilf as cotched her,” Grogan
cried, as Greyville approached. “But it’s
the divil’s own time I had 'at it, bedad,
an’ if yer. don’t b’lave it ye kin look at,
me face. Begorra! she sciatched an’ hit an’
fit loike the very divil’s imp she is! ’ and the
Hibernian rubbed his torn and bruised visage,
dolefnlly. -

“So you‘re caged are you, my young

'tigressi” the smuggler captain demanded, gaz-

ing down at the girl, wrathfully.. “I’ll see
that .you never break loose, hereafter!”

“ Ba~aal” the girl, retorted, in contempt.
“.I’m not afraid of you, you ru ly wretch,
if you do carry a whip. You can whip me,
pound me, stamp me into the earth, but you
can’t intimidate me. I’ll despise and defy ycu
to the longest day I live.”

“We shall see. I’ve made! up my mind to
cease dealing mildly with'you, and instead,
treat you to the harshness your foolishness de-
mands. It’s time you Were broken in, and I’m
going to compel you to submission to my will.
and to obedience or I’m going to kill you.”

“ Kill, if you like—I’ll still defy you. You
cannot make me obey a monster like you, even
though you are my father! I‘deSpise you, hate
you, you inhuman wretch!”

“ A gbod flogging will bring back your at.
fection. By the way, I understand that by
way of amusing yourself you have become the
consort of a Dutch detective, and by way of
furthering his game, have just been to tele-
graph for an additional force of the devils.
Now do you know what I am going to do!”

“Any one -might guess; brutal cowards al-
ways curry whipsl” _

“Yes, I’m going to whip you, within an
inch of your life. Then, if you promise me to
ever after obey me, and tell me where to find
the money you stole from me, I will let you

go. If you refuse I’ll .kill you, and end the
trouble! Grogan, lush her securely to yonder
post!”

The Irishman obeyed by raising her and
roping her to a post which had been used for a
hitching post, at some remote period.

Sufis ace was very pale now, and she trem-
bled in dread of the cruel lash. _ .

It was not the first time she had been whip-
ped by him, and she Well knew what a merci-
less wretch he v a. .

, Greyviale threw off his coat 'now, and seized
the heavy in hip firmly, not a tithe of pity ex-
pressed in his stern, cruel face.

" Beg, now!” he cried. “ Tell me where the
money is, and promise future obedience and
proper conduct, or I’ll give it to you!”

“Never! I’ll die first!” Sue gasped.

The next instant tie wrelch struck her with

3, all his might, following cne blow with another,

until he had struck her-twenty, the last one
being one upon the top of the head, with the
butt of the whip. '

White as death was Sue, but her eyes flashed
braVe-ly, her face was- defiant—but she ueVL-I‘
uttered a moan or cry of pain.

“Now—now may he you’ll come to time!"
the smuggler roared, more like some enraged
wild beast than a human being. in his de-
tury. “ Now, will you tell and.
promise l"

 

 

.___.__.._—..._. . . .. . A __._ .._ .._. .m

“Never, monster!” was the low, piteous
gasp, then the eyes of the poor outcast closed;
she had fainted, unable longer to, endure the
agony.

 

CHAPTER XIL
A PI'rIrUL END.

THE situation of Fritz was to him a decidedly
gloomy one, as, owing to the impenetrable
darkness his eyesight was of no use whatever.
He did not know either, if it was safe to stir, as
there might be another trap which he would
fall into, and go headlong down into some
other pit. ' '

But be resolved to test the matter, and feel
out the boundaries of his new prison at once.

Groping about, inch by inch, and trying the
floor in front of him before trusting the weight
of his body upon it, he soon came to a plus-
tered wall, and concluded by that, that he still
remained in the building, having probably only
fallen to the first floor.

" Vel, dot don’d vas so pad ash I first ex—
pected," he muttered, feeling a little more as-
sured. “ I t’ought I vas goin’ vay down to
der blace vere dey manufacture fire—crackers.
Der next question, ish der any outlet to dis
brison, l vonderl”

Keeping his hands upon the wall, he walked
several times around the dark apartment with-
out pausing.

“ Der ish not von door or vinder, nor hole of
any kind!” he finally muttered. “ I would not
haff such a house for a gift.” -

The room indeed appeared to be barren of
those accessories, as far as he was able to learn
by the sense of feeling, and it would seem that
it was thus purposely prepared for a prison.

“ Vol, I guess 1 might as vel prepare to imi-
tate der example off Dx-ctor Tanner, und go
vidoud somedings to eat for forty years or so!”
Fritz muttered, feeling of his -stomach dole-
fully, for the apples had far freni satisfied his
appetite. “But, if possible, I must get oud oil?
here, somehow, before Fox und der boys get
here.”

Just how he was to do it furnished him a se-
rious subject to ponder on.

 

“Curse the girl! she’s fainted!” the smug-
gler chief cried, pausing in his horrible work.

“Perhaps she is playing off, to escape pun-
ishment.” the countess suggested, with a mall-
cious smile. “The American mademoiselle is
very deceitful!”

“ Faint or no faint, she shall get all that her
stubborn resistance demands!” Greyville growl-
ed, mercilessly, and he raised the whip and
struck her another stinging b!ow.' _

“Stop! Strike that girl again, and I’ll kill
you!” a voice cried, not far in their rear, and
turning, they beheld a stranger rushing up, a
pair‘of cocked revolvers in hand.

“Furies!” Greyviile gasped, turning pale.

“ Mon Dieu .’ what's to pay! Let’s iiyl’
from the countess. - .

“ No! we" will stand our ground!” the smug--
gler hissed.

The new-comer soon stood before them, with
stern, accusing gaze and a face flushed from
his run.

“ Devils!” he cried, “ what is the meaning of
this‘ brutal scene? Explain instantly.”

It was the Leadvill-a speculator, Thornton,
who spoke, and there was grim business ex—
pressed in his tone.

“ What right have y‘nii to intrude in what is
none of your business?" Greyville demanded,
sourly. ,

“ Eh? I’ll show you, you brutal puppy!
Don‘t give‘ me any of your lip, or I’ll blow
your brains out. Why, cuss my buots, you’re
as b -d as the Dog Injuns on the frontier!”

“ 1 Presume l’ve a right to chastise my own
child, sir, when her conduct deserves it!”

“’That’s not your child, Garry Gregg! I
know you. You are the wretch I have been
longing to meet these ten years!”

“ You know fuel”- the smuggler cried, in
nmewment

 

Fritz to the Front.

13

 

 

“Ay! I know you!” the Westerner cried.
“You are the worthless devil who trapped
.Minnie Gray into a secret marriage years ago,
and after living with her a couple of years,
and abusing her, left her in poverty, to live
with a woman you had previously married'.”

“And incurred your enmity by winning
your sweetheart away from you!” Gregg
sneered, mockingly.

“ Be that us it may, you are responsible for
a good Woman‘s death, and you shall answer
for it. Tell me, sir—- is this poor child you
have been beating, the daughter or Minnie
Gray 5”

“ If you like, yes."

“Then, curse you, leave this spot at once, if
you don’t want me to shoot you down. I’ll
take care you never strike her again! Go! I
say, or I 1! kill you without hesitation!"

here wusa stern glare in the speculator’s
eyes that betokened danger, and, accompanied
by the countess and Grogan, the smuggler
chief hurried away.

As soon as they had gone, Mr. Thornton cut
the bonds that held Silly Sue to the post, and
laid her tenderly down upon the soft grass.

Hurrying down to the beach, he procured
some water in his hat, and returning, dashed
it in her face.

But although he did this, and chafed her
hands and wrists, she did not open her eyes.
Her breath came in stifled gasps, and her heart
beat slowly.

“By Heaven! I believe they have killed
her !” Mr. Thornton muttered, feelings of terri-
ble rage swelling within him. “The equal of
this brutality is seldom, even among the red
devils on the frontier. Ah! Garry Gregg, if
this poor child dies, you shall pay bitterly for
her life, or my name is not Thornton !”

He continued faithfully in his endeavors to
bring her back to consciousness, but all to no
avail. - .

While he was thus engaged there came
sounds of rapid footsteps, and Hal Hartly
dashed up, flushed and excited.

“Great Heaven! what is the matter of
Susie?” he demanded, on seeing her lying on
the ground, so cold and white.

“I fear she is dying. young man," Mr.
Thornton replied, solemnly. “I can not re-
store her to censciousness. Was she anything
to you, sir 5”

"Indeed, yes; she was all the world to me,
poor child, and we were to be married, one of
these days!” Hurtly replied, kneeling beside
her, with tears in his eyes. “Susie! oh! Susie,
my little waif, can’t you look up and speak to
me!" ‘

The girl slowly opened her eyes, and gazed
up at him, with a loving smile.

“Yes, Hal, I know. _I am dying, Hal.
Where is li‘riLZ?” '

“I don‘t know, darling.
him since morning.”

“We‘ll, when you see him, tell him I sent
the message, and got an answer that the de-
tectives would come.”

“The detectives!" '

“Yes. I went for him, to telegraph for
them, and heguvc me five dollars. It is in my
pocket, Hal—you can have it, to get me‘a lit-
tle plain stone for my grave.”

“But, Susie, you can’t be dying—tell me
what is the m‘attcrt”

“She has been cruelly .,eaten. I came here
a few moments ago and drove off the devils,
but I fear I came too late!” Mr. Thornton ex—
plained, sadly.

“It was papa, you know!” Sue added as
Hartly uttered a cry of astonishment. “He
discovered the errand I had done, and had a,
big Irishman capture me and bring me here.
Then he and the countess came, and I was tied
toa stake and whipped till I fainted. They
have killed me, I guess. I feel as if I am fill-
ing up inside, and something tells me I shall
soon die. I hate to leave you; Hal, but I am
not afiaid to die. I have always said my
prayers, l wed the Lord, and been honest, and
I know He will remain me.”

I have not seen

 

 

The girl’s childish faith and simplicity
touched Mr. Thornton as well as young Hartly,
and tears flowed“ freely.

The little outcast soon closed her eyes again,
her arms about Hartly’s neck, as he rested in
his embrace, and a peaceful expression of con-
tentment upon her face.

About sunset she spoke, without opening her
eyes.

“ Hal?" she said, so‘tly.

“ Yes, Susie,” he replied;
wish?”-

“ Not much. After I am gone burn the old
house yonder, and break up‘ the smugglers."

' “ Yes, Susie.” _ '

“And you’ll be a good man, Hal, all your
life, so you will join me in Heaven!”

“ I will try, dearest.”

“ Then kiss me good-by.”

Convulsed with sobs, the grief-stricken lover
obeyed, and, just as the last rays of sunset
begun to fade, Susie breathed her last, expiring
without the least appearance of pain, and a
faint, peaceful smile upon her lips,

For some moments after her death neither
Hartly nor Mr. Thornton spoke, but flnallytho
latter said:

“She has gone where she will know no more
sufleriug or sorrow and it is perhaps better so.
Is your home near by i”

-“I live in a sort of but back in the woods,
and if you will lend a hand we will take her
there.”

The speculator assented, and Hartly procured
a wide board, and laid the limp form upon it.
Then mlsing the primitive litter between them,
they left the bind and took to the lonely conn-
iry road, which they followed until they came
to a rud.- shanty, standing in the edge of the
woods. They bore their burden into the only
room and deposited it upon a couple of stools.

ilartly then turned to Mr. Thornton.

“You are a stranger to us, sir," he said, “ but

“what do you

would you kindly retrain here until I can go '

to a neighboring town and make arrangements
for her burial!”

“Certainly, my boy.” -

“Then I will go and send the undertaken at
once to take charge of the remains. If I do
not return with the undertnkers, let them re-
move the body, and 1 will see you later, per~
haps.” r

He then kissed the lips and forehead of the
dend girl, and took his dt parture,

Once outside his whole demeanor underwent
a change. His face became stern andnhard in
itscxprcssion, and his eyes gleamed ws'th a
wild light that could hardly have been pro-
nounced sane. ‘ ,

First, the house!” he muttered between his
clinched teeth; “then I will see to the buriuL
After that revenge!”—words uttered with a
power of feeling, which bespoke grim rewin-
tion. -

building, and from the pantry brought an oil-
can and poured oil about in a number of differ-
ent places, applying a. lighted match to each.

As a result bright sheets-of flame sprung up,
and, in less time almost than it takes to tell it,
the interior of the old rookerywas on fire in
several places.

Then, with a wild laugh, he turned and fled
from the building, and disappeared from the
vicinity of the bluff.

The old house was doomed.

And in the doorless, windowless trap—room,
where he had so unexpectedly become imprisr
oned, was Fritz, in the most unenviable situa-
tion one could well conceive.

 

Captain Gregg, as we shall henceforth call
him, learned of Silly'Sue’s death shortly after
it occurred through the Irishman, who, while
pretending to leave the spot, had scouted
around and lurked in the vicinity until Hartly
and Mr. Thornton had departed with the body.

Gregg was both alarmed and surpris-d when
he heard the news, and immediately sought the
countess for consultation.

‘—

Hurrying back to the bluff -he entered the ,

He ._;..‘_ no idea he had done the girl any 10--

 

"K..- ,a,....._.._.v.,,.. . ._.

 
   

14

 

 

tal bodily injury. If she was dead, and the
cause of her death came to be known, he well
knew that he would be called upon to answer
to the law.

The countess listened to his recital of Gro-
gzm’s report, the lines in her thin face growing
even harder than were their went.

“I feared zis," she said. “ You were. ver’
rnooch savage!” ‘

“ What do you advise?"

“ Zat we remain where we be for ze present.
You say zis strangair be an old enemy of
yours!”

" Yes. Doubly so now, from a fact that he
is the father of Grif’s prisoner, that‘s locked up
in the dungeon ”

“ Humph! zis is bad! Vare be ze Dutch-
man?” '

“There is no telling. Perhaps Griffith will
know when he comes. ”

But Griffith did not come.

It was nearly dark in the outer world when
he flowered from the terrible blow he had got
from Frits’s pistol in the cave, and staggered
to the inner cavern.

The moment he entered -it a smell of burning
timbers greeted his nostrils.

“ By- heaven! 'the house aboveis burning up,
I believe!" he cried, rushing to the rope ladder
and hegining to climb it rapidly. But he had
only got a few feet up when it gave way, and
he f ll to the ground, considerably bruised.

“The devil’s to pay now!” he muttered, an-

y.

“A follow will smother down here.”

For a moment the young villain stood irre-
eoluto—then he approached the door of Madge
Thornton’s cell. -

“Madge!” he called.

There was no answer.

“Madge!” he shouted, in a louder tone, at
the same time rattling the door, savagely.

“Well, what do you want?” she demanded,
rising from her cot.

“ Iwant to know if you want to escape

from this place, alive?”

“ ’Why, what is the matter?”
. “ Matter enough! The old house above i
burning down, and if you don’t want to sudo-
cate you must leave this place, at once, with
me.” '

“ Well, why don’t you open the door, then?”

He was unlocking the great padlock even as

.he spoke. .
‘ “ am perfectly willing to do so, and when
l' . you renal to me the hiding-place of your fa-

ther‘s money, which you had, when you left

, Landfills, you are free to go,” he said, stand-

ing in the doorway.
, “ Are you foolish enough to suppose, for one
mommt, that I will reveal that?”

“If you don’t do it, curse you, I’ll will
leave you here to suffocate!”

“Dose! I would cheerfully pay that pen-

, city of my folly in ever having anything to

do with you, a hundred times, rather than sub-
mit to your demands.” ~
“ Their—hut no! l’ll release you if you’ll

. V give me half of the sum.”

“ Not a cent. you detestable wretch.”
“Curses on your obstinacy! You have re-

fused todo what is right, and you shall take

the consequences.”

Stepping back he reclosed the door angrily
and hastily relocked the padlock; then he left
the main chamber, for the outer one, and
jumped into the. boat.

The tide was now on the ebb and the water
was now down so that he could row out of the
hole into the ocean.

As soon as he got out a grand sight met his

as.

The old house on top of the blufl was in a
sheet of lurid flame, on top, lighting up the
early evening, which otherwnse was quite dark.
, Showers of sparks ascended toward the
heavens, and the crackling of the dancing
blaze made weird music. ‘

Pulling in to shore, Griflith Gregg leaped
from the boat, and clambered up the side of
the blufl.

Fritz to the Front. '
The first man he met was‘ Thornton of Lead-
ville, who had fastened up the but, and hur-
ried to the scene of the conflagration, as soon.
as he had discovered the light. ,

The recognition was' mutual, and each
uttered a cry.

“ At last!” the speculator cried, and be
bounded forward, and seized his enemy by the
throat. Gregg clinched with him, and the two
men rolled to the ground, in a fierce struggle,
the lurid light of the burning building light-
ing up the scene like unto the colored fire to
some wild exciting drama.

 

CHAPTER XIII.
CONCLUSION.

THE struggle was short and decisive.

Supple though the younger Gregg was, he
was no match for the man from Leadville, and
it was not long ere Mr. Thornton had his man
pinned firmly beneath him, so that he could not
move.

By this time the villagers had arriVed upon
the scene, in numbers, and stood contemplat-
ing the scene, in wonder.

“ What is the matter here?” one of them de-
manded, stepping forward. “Who Set fire to
this building?" -

“That I. am not prepared to say, as I just
came,” Mr.- Thornton replied, “but I know
that I have captured one of the worst villains
living. , Is there an officer of the law among
you? If so, I want him to take this devil into
immediate custody, and watch well that he

don’t escape.”

“I am a constable, but I must first know
what charge you have against this young man
of highly respected family, ” another villager
said.

“Charges enough to hang him higher than
Human, if you like,” the speculator cried.
“ He has my daughter, imprisoned somewhere,
in hopes of extorting money from me; he is
wanted in Leadville, Colorado, for no less than
three cold-blooded murders, and also for horse-
theft, and Fee got papers to show for it!”

“It’s a lie! It is a mistake. This man is
crazy!" young Gregg shouted. “I appeal to
you for protection, gentlemen?”

“Protection you shall have, sir, by law, if
you deserve it 3” the constable replied, slipping
a pair of hand-cuffs upon the young man’s

“Now, sir”— to Mr. Thornton—“ permit
me to examine your papers.”

The speculator drew a package of documents
from an inside coat pocket, and the emcer gave
them a critical examination.

“They are all right,” he said, returning
them. ’ -
“For the present, I will leave the scoundrel
in your charge—until I recover my lost
daughter!” Mr. Thornton said.

“ That you will never do, curse you !" Grif-
fith Gregg hissed, savagely. “You’ve sealed
her doom, in tackling me, and you may as Well
put a mourning band around your hat." ~

“What! do you dare to tell me my daughter
is in peril, sir?”

“Well, that remains to be told. It is ac.
cording to whether I am released or not.. If
not, most assuredly you will never see her or
the money she stole, for if I am to answer for
all the charges you have preferred against me,
I can just as well add a few more, without
any inconvenience.” .

“We shall see about that. I thinka rigid
search will find her. Ofiicer, remove him to
a place of safety, until I .determine upon a
future course of action.”

The constable accordingly took his departure,
marching the younger Gregg with him.

The fire had by this time gained great head-

way. ' ' - ,
It leaped in great crackling volumes from
the roof, and burst through the sides in fiery
forks. The whole interior was a seething
furnace of lurid flame, and timbers were al-
ready beginning to fall in.

 

“Where is Silly Sue.“ some one cried, and

 

 

the question went from mouth to mouth. “She
sometimes sleeps in the old house.”

“Silly Sue, as you call her. is dead,” Mr.
Thornton announced.

“ Dead!" the villagers exclaimed, gathering
around him—" Silly Sue dead 5”

“ Yes, dead, and lies in the shanty down the
road, belonging to Hal Hartly, who has gone
to some neighboring town to arrange for her
burial!” the s1eculnlor said, then be related
what he knew concerning the brutal whipping
the had had, at the hands of Gregg senior.

A murmur of indignation ran through the
crowd as he spoke, and th« ugh some of the
men did not cry out again t the guilty man,
the majority were greatly excited.

“ Do you swear this is true?” 3one of the
villagers cried, angrily.

“Ay-sweur it a hundred times, if you like.
If you have any doubts on the matter, it will
take but a few moments to examine the poor
child's form, upon which welts and bloody cuts
yet remain to be seen.” _

“Then, I for one propose we give Greyville
as good as he meted out!” the man cried, whose
name was Tompkins. “I always had a pri-
vate idea that he “as a villain, and now I need
no further proof to confirm it. All in favor of
hauling him out and lynching him, make mani-
fest by saying I?” I

There was a decisive shout among all but
about ten of the men, who maintained a. giim
silence.

“Lynching is a crime, gentlemen," Mr.
Thornton said, “in the East, which would
render you liable. It can do no harm, to give
the human monster a taste of the whip, how-
ever, and then turn him over to the rigor of
the law.” ' .

“ Perhaps you are right,” Tompkins agreed.
“Come along, boys! We’ll teach the wretch
that he must be civilized, if he would live in a

. civilized country 1”

And the sturdy villager led 011’, the whole
crowd following in his rear with indignant
faces.

There was indeed a dark look-out for Captain
Gregg.

From his library window in the village man-
sion he was watching the fire, and saw the
crowd march in a funeral-like procession down
from the bluff along the beach toward the vil-
lags.

The countess saw, too, and compressed her
lips tightly. ,

“ Ze crisis is coming!” she hissed sharply—
so sharply that he started violently. “ Ze
crowd has heard of se-girl’s death, and are
coming for you.”

He turned‘ deathly pale; they would show
him no mercy, as he had shown none to Susie,
be well knew. I

“We must escape from here, somehow!” he
cried. " To submit to arrest means death—for
you as well as myself.” .

“ How so?”

“Did you not witness the whipping without
attempting to interfere?” he sneered. “ They‘d
string you up as quick as I—especially when
investigation came to prove you to be Madame
Lisset, the notorious French smuggler.”

The woman’s turn it was to whiten now, and
a suppressed curse escaped from between her
clinched teeth. . '

“I was one big fool for evaire anchoring
here, or having you for me agent,”she replied.
“ Somesing must be done, and sat vera quick.
What s’all it be?”

“ There is but one course—flight. Go to my
room and get all the money and jewels there.
When you come back, I will be ready.”

She obeyed, and in a very short Space of
time returned, dressed ready for escape.

Leaving the house by the I‘i'BI‘ door, they
skulked hurriedly along a narrow lane.

This soon brought them out into the country,
and into an orchard.

Without, pausing, the chief of Smugglers
made a wide detour, which finally brought
them out upon the beach, half a mile north of
the village, and directly opposite the steamer

 

 

Fritz to the Front. ’

15

 

l

 

Countess, which lay a good two miles out at
sea, at anchor.

A light row-boat was drawn upon the beach.
This Gregg pushed off into the water, and
sprung in,‘.the countess following him. Then,
seizing the oars, he pulled with all his skill and
strength toward the steamer.

At the same time, a boat manned by half a
dozen men, pulled out from the beach in front
of the village, and this, too, was headed toward
the steamer. .

“Ha! they’ve'suspected our dodge!” Gregg
growled, on diSCOVering the pursuit. “Curse
them! I did not think discovery of our flight
would be made so quickly.”

“ Will zey reach ze bout, first?"

“ By no means. I’ve got the start, and. the
steamer is a good half a mile further from them

than from us, if not more!”

 

Let us look after Fritz.

The roof of the old rookery on the bluff has
just fallen in, and millions of sparks go up
toward the cloudy sky.

Is the young detective still within that old
building?

He had heard Hartly, when he ran through
the house, setting fire to it, and had yelled at
the top (if his voice for assistance. .

But, either Hartly had not heard or did not
heed his cries, for no assistance came,

Out in the hall, which adjoined the doorless
room, the flames soon began to crackle omin-
ously, and the pungent smell of smoke crept
through the Wall to his nostrils:

For a few moments Fritz stood transfixed
with horror, as the peril of his situation began
to dawn upon him. - ' ‘

He knew by the smell that the house was on
fire; he knew that if he did not make a hasty

escape he would be consumed in the merciless.

flames. .

What was he to do?

Really, what was there he could do? .

He rushed about, scarcely aware what he
was doing.

Suddenly his foot caught upon something,
and he fell violently to the floor.

In all his after life he could look back with
gladness upon that mishap, as it was the means
of saving him from an awful death.

‘ Quickly scrambling to his feet, be searched.’

the floor; a moment later his hand came in
contact with an iron ring. Pulling upon it, he
raised a trap in the floor, disclosing a large
aperture leading down into another pit below,
which he concluded was a cellar.

Without pausing to consider what he was
doing, he dropped down through the hole.

Anything was preferable to the horrible dan-
ger above.

He landed upon his feet upon a hard bottom
of the cellar into which he had leaped.

In a moment thereafter there was a crash,
and a portion of the rear floor over the cellar
fell in. . _

The light of the burning timbers now gave
him a view of his situation. -

The cellar ran in under the whole of the
house ahd was nearly filled with boxes. The
only stairway had been covered by the caving
in of the floor, thus closing this. avenue of es-
cape.

The .caving in, in turn, had been mainly
caused by the falling of a heavy girder, from
the second floor. ' . .

Directly in front of where Fritz had landed
was a large Well-like hole in the ground, that
looked as if it might be very deep, and his only
wonder was that he had ‘not stepped 011' into
it, in the darkness that had prevailed immedi-
ately after he had struck into the cellar.

“ I vonder of! dot vas a well, or ish der hole
vot leads down into der cavern,” he muttered,
peering over the edge. “ If der latter vos der
case, I’m all righd, providin’ I can git down.
But of! id vos a well, den I vos a gone sucker
sure. I don’d see anydings of! dcr rope-lad-
der.” .

Looking above his head, be however dis-
covered where a staple had been recently

 

' vait here, und I pring you der girl.

 

drawn out of a joist, and this satisfied him
that it had been where the ladder had been
fastened to, and that the hole was the same
that penetrated into the cavern in the bluff.

“Der next t’ing vas to get down dere,” he
muttered. “If I jump, like ash not I preak
mine neck, und den I pe ash pad of! ash be-
fore, of not verse.”

There seemed no other way of getting dowu,
however, and be resolved to take his chances,
rather than remain in the cellar and become a
target for the fallen fiery timbers. With a
prayer for safety he made the uncertain leap.

Down—down—down he went with a velo‘
city that took his breath, and he knew no more,
except being conscious of striking the earth
with a heavy jar.

When he recovered his senses he was in the
outer cave, and Madge Thornton was kneeling

.over him, chafing his hands.

The cavern was dense with smoke, and
breathing was difficult.

Fritz comprehended the situation at once
and sat up. ‘ ‘ -

. “I vas come down like a t’ousand of bricks,
eh?” he smiled, feeling of his limbs to learn if
any of them were seriously damaged. “I
forgot all apoud vere I vas going all at vonce.
How you got oud ofl.’ der dungeon?”

“Good luck would, have it that Griffith, in .

his passion should have thrown the bolt of the
padlock when the catch was not in, so I easily
reached out my hand, drew the padlock off, and
got out into the chamber,” Madge replied.
“What is the matter? Is the old house burn-
ing?” ’ . .

“Yes. We must get oud off here or ve
shoke to death. Oi! it gets too deep, I vil swim
mit you t’rough dot hole.”

He accordingly arose to his feet, and raising
her in his arms, he Waded toward the aperture,
and outside of the cavern, around to the south-
ern beach, the water in the deepest'place but
reaching to his throat. ,

“By shimminy dunder, I feel yoost like ash
if I vas tickled to death. t’ings had turned oud
so veil,” Fritz cried, as he placed Madge. on- her
feet. “ A vile ago I vas ash goot as guif up for
a roasted Dutchman; now I vas oud, and so
vas you, and I feel better ash a spring lamb.”

“Are you sure we are out of danger?”

“ Vel, no, not eggsactly sure; but I t’ink ve
pe all righd now. Y00st you sday here in der
shadow of! yer plufl, vile I skirmish aroundt
'und see vot‘s to .”

She accordingly did as directed, while he
clambered up the side of the bluff, bent on re-'
connoissance. .

The first man and only man he met was Mr.
Thornton, who had hurried back from the vil-
lage to the bluff as soon as Captain Gregg was
discovered missing, to keep watch in the vicin-
ity.

He uttered a cry of joy as he saw Fritz.

“ Why bless you, boy, I never expected to
see you again!” he cried, shaking the young de-
tective by the hand.

“ Und you come purdy near id. too, you can
bet a half dollar, Mr. Thornton, .for I yoost
got oud of! der building here in time to save
mine vool. But I bet! got your daughter, und
der monish vas safe i”

“What! you do not tell me this for a fact,
Fritz?"

“ Vel, of! I don’d misdake,- it vas. Yoost
Ash to
der money, she vas no fool, und put it avay
vere she can get it again.”

He vanished only. to reappear, a few minutes
later, accompanied by Madge.

Then followed a touching scene. The specu-
later received his lost daughter with open arms;
there were explanations, and kisses, and tears,
and laughs, and the reunion was now complete.

Leaving them to their joy, let us take a con-

‘ eluding glance at the ocean race, which was in

the mean time transpiring. .

The pursuers saw Gregg pull out ,from the
shore as soon as he saw them; then they tugged
at their oars with a will. '

 

“Pull, boys!” Tompkins cried, from his posi-,

tion at the steering oar. f‘ See! «the. woman is
waving her handkerchief! That is a signal to
the crew on board to fire up, ready to be ofl.
Pull—pull for your worth! .We must inter-
cept them, if possible, before they board."

The villagers did pull, with a will, and

their boat fairly leaped OVer the water.

Tompkins had guessed the truth. The
countess’s signal did result in the crew’s rais-
ing anchor, and in .uubanking the slumbering
fires, for huge columns of smoke almOSt im-
mediately begun to roll from the smoke-
stacks.

But, pull though they did, with almost
superhuman efforts, the pursuers were des-
thied not to win- Gregg’s boat reached the
steamer while the villagers were yet eight
minutes distant, and he and the countess
clambered aboard. Then the steamers
whistle gave a defiant shriek, and the craft
began to move away. As she did so, the
pursuers saw a man suddenly leap overboard
into the water.

Pulling on, they came to him, just as he
was sinking for the last time. .

It was Hal Hartly, and he was mortally
wounded.

He only spoke once after they pulled him
aboard; it was to gasp out, faintly:

“She’s doomed! I’ve scuttled,her!” ,

Then the blood spurted from his mouth, and
he expired, while the Countess steamed away v
to sea, and was ‘lost from view, and Captain
Gregg the smuggler was lost from :the clutches
of the law. .

*What was the fate of the Countess is not
definitely known, but she never again entered
the port of Havre, nor was a soul on board of
her ever afterward seen.

 

The Philadelphia detectives who arrived
the next day found no one to arrest, as those.
on whom suspicion could, justly rest, hadfled,
during the night. '

Susie and Hal Hartly received a respectable
burial, at the expense of Mr. Thornton; then
after paying Fritz as promised, the sum of five
thousand, dollars, the speculator set out fox-his
western home, accompanied by his daughter,

and by Griffith Gregg, who wastogo backto I _ 

the scene of his crimes, for trial.

With his reward money, Fritz immediately
returned to Philadelphia,,and soon after pur-
chased an interest in a paying established -
business, where he may be seen most any day, '
when not on detective duty, or if he is out, his
pretty wife Rebecca will represent him.

‘ run run.

The Saturday Journal.

 

 

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Moat Charming of the WM...”

A ure r; good in eve th - brigli
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Sketches, Adventures, Biographies,
Pungent Essays, Poetry,
Notes and Answers to Correspondents
Wit and Fun— ..

All are features in every number from sue
celebrated writers as no paper in America can

t of.

What is Heat in POPULAR unwise. that the
paper always has: hence for Hour, SHOP, Ll-
eaaav and GENERAL Ramona it _is without a
rival : and hence its great and steadily increasing
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The SATURDAY JovnNAL is sold everywhere *
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Address BEADLE & ADAMS, Publishers.
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year, three

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-—'————x BEADLE’S

HALF-DIME

 

 

LIBRARY.

 

 

 

i DeadwoOd Dick, THE PRINCE arm ROAD.
By Edward L. Wheeler.

2 [ellowutone Jack. By Jos. E. Badger, Jr.

3 Kain-ms King; or. Tun Run RIGHT HAND.

' By Captain

By Buffalo Bill «lion. Wm. F. Cody)
4 ' he Wild-Horse Hunters.
Mayne iteid and Captain 1' rederick Whittaker.
5 \‘uua bond Joe, Tut; YOUNG WANDERING Jaw;
or. PMJ'I'ilh'G Iron A LEGACY. By Oll Coomcs.
' liili Biddon Trapper. By E. S. Ellis.
A The Flying 'ankee; or,’l‘uE OCEAN OUT-
CAsT. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. '
Seth. Jones . By Edward 5. Ellis.
Adventures ot Baron lilulicllausen.
Nat Todd. By E. S. Ellis.
The Two Detectives. By A.W. Aiken.
Gulliver’s Travel-I. B Dean Swift.
The Dlunb s ) . By 0 Coomes.
Aladdin; or. HE WONDERFUL LAMP.
The Sea-Cat. By Captain Fred. Whittaker.
' Robinson Crusoe. -(27 Illustrations.)
Ralph Roy, THE BOY BI'CCANIIRR; or, THE
FUGITIVE YACHT. B Col. Prentiss In -rz.h.~.I...
‘ sindbad chasm or. His Sewn oyages.
The Phantom Spy. By Buffalo Bill.
20 The Double Daggers. By E. L. Wheeler.
21' The Frontier Angel. By Edward S. liliin.
22 The Sea Serpent; or, 'l‘ur: BOY RODINsON
Carson. By Juan Lewis.
23 Nick 0’ the Night: or. Tm: BOY SPY or ‘7 .

if."

..
‘1‘:

bt—t-n— Hum
e‘v'Q-ulih

tun-I h...
cw u

131‘. C. Harhaug .
24 lantond Dirk. By Colonel P. Ingraliam.
25 The 80 Captain. By Roger Starbuck.
26 ('ioven oot‘, THE BUFFALO DEMON; or, Tm:
BORDER VULTITREB. By Edward L. Wheeler.

27 Antelope Abe, THE BOY GUIDE. 01! Coomes.

28 Bullalo .8911, THE PRINCE or Tm: PISTOL;

or, DRADWOGD 13131 IN DIsGUIsn. E. L. Wheeler.

29 The Dunn b‘ age. B ' Capt. F. Whittaker.

30 Roaring Ralph Roe wuod , Tan BECK-

LESS RANODR. By Harry st. George.
31Keou-Knil'e, PRINCE or THE PRAiRIns. By
Oll Coomcs.
32 Bob \Vodi', TEE BORDER RUFFIAN; or, Tat:
GIRL DEAD-SHOT. By Edward L. Wheeler.
: 3 The Ocean Bloodhound. S. W. Pierce.
1 1 Oregon Sol‘ or NICK Wairans‘ BOY SPY
By’Ca t. J. F. L. Adams.

I 'l \ ii Ivan, TIIR BOY CLAUDI: DUVALzor. THE
, BROTIIERIIOOD or ill-2A1“. By Ed. L. Wheeler.

2 I. The Boy (‘lown . By Frank S. Finn.

. : '." 'l‘ile Ilidden Lodge. By T. C. liarhaugh.
1’ il Ned \Vyide, Tan BOY SCOUT. By Texas Jack.
:59 Death-Face, THE DETECTIVE. By Wheeler.
~10 Roving Ben. A STORY or A YOUNG Annu-

c
w

CAN WHO WANTI-:D TO SI-zn Tun WORLD. Marshall.
41 Lasso Jack. By ()ll L‘oomes.
~12 The Phantom Miner; or, DnAnwooD

DICK‘s BONANZA. By Edward L. Wheeler.
43 Dick Darling, Tm: PONY ENIREss DIOR.
Bv Ca . t. Frmleriek Whittaker.
44 Ratt lug: ltubc. By Barry St. George.
4.5 (lid A valanelle THE GREAT ANNII:II.A'rOR;
or, WILD EDNA, TIII-z (xmL BRIGAND. L‘. L. Wheeler.
46 Mass Eye, THE GREAT SIIOT or THE Wns'r.
By Capt. J. F. C. Adams.
47 Nightingale Nat . 'By T. C. Harbaugh.
48 Black J ohu, Tm: ROAD-AGENT. By Badger.
49 0maha till Tm: MASKED TERROR: or. DEAD-
. WOOD DICK IN ANGER. By Edward L. Wheeler.
50 lulu rt Bunker, ms TRAPI’EIL C. E. Lasall'l.
51 "the Boy Rifles. By Archie C. Irons.
6'2 The \Vh te Bull'aio. By C. E. Lasalle.
'3 Jim Bind-toe, Jr., THE BOY I’nnNIx: or,
’I‘IIIIOI'GII To lII-zA'rn. By Edward L. \x‘hei lur.
Ned, iluzel, Tm: BOY TnArrIcn; or, 'l‘m; PHAN-
'l‘OM PRINCESS. By Capt. J. F. C. Adams.

9‘0
I‘-

C!
.1

BRANDED. BROTKDRIIOOD. By Buffalo Bill.
Incl: \Vhitllcs’ Pet. Cu. It. J. F. C. Adams.
Deadwuod Dick’s Eat: em
or l“LooD BAR. lie-Edward L. Wheeler.
The Border lug. By Oil Coomes.
Old Hickory. By Barry St. George.
The “'hite n

c- :1

By Edward L. Whee or.
The Shadow ship .

Dandy Jack. By ’I‘. C. IIaIbangh.

Hurr cane Bill. By J’os. E. Badger, Jr

Single “and. By W. J. Hamilton.

Patent-leather Joe. By )‘hili IS. Warne.

Border Robin Hood. By ull’alo Bill.

GoldJflile, THE SHAltPhBOOTlilI: or. TDD BOY

DETDCTIVE or Tin: BLACK RANCH. By \VlA-eler.

Old Zip’u ('abin; or, Tar. GREENLOIIN IN

Tm: Woons. BY J. F. C. Adams.

71 Delaware Dick. By 011 Coomes.

72 Had 'l‘om “’esteru, THE TLNAN RANGER;
or, Tm: QUEEN or TIII-I PRAIRIE. By Hamilton.

73 Deadu'ood Dick on Deck; or, CALAIIITY
JANE. THE HDROINI-z or W HOOP-UP. By Wheeler.

7~i Hawk-eye Harry. By 011 Coomes.

75 [The Boy Duclmt._ By Col. 1’. In raham.

76 Abe Con, Tun CROW—llean By A. '. Aiken.

77 Corduroy) Charlie, THE BOY BRAVO; or.
DEAnwOOD ch‘s LAST ACT. By E. L.‘Wheelcr.

8 Blue Dick. By Captain Mayne Reid.-

.9 Sol Ginger, GIANT 'IRAPPER. By AW. Aiken.

0 Rosebud Rob; or NUGGETNLD, Tm; KNIGHT

or THE ch'n. By Edward L. Wheeler.

1 Lightning Jo. ByCa tain J. F. C. Adams.

' .2 Kit flaretoot Tm: GOD-HAWK; or, On;
POWDEll-FACE AND 1‘; DEMON“. By l-iarbangh.

83 Rollo, the Boy Ranger. Bv Oll Coomes.

Si idyl, the Girl liliner. By  L. Wheeler.

85 Buck Bm'kram; or, Bess. THE FEMALE
TRAPPKR. By Captain J , F. C. Adams.

86 Dandy Bock. By (iv: Waldo Browne.

cunt-sew -c=::c 4:!

.3365335 that":

as:
$14

70

Q 0‘44

Deadly - Eye, THE UNKNOWN SCOUT: or, Tan .

or, THE PARDs I

dian. Capt. J. F. C. Adams. 1
Euckhorn Bill ' or, TDD RED RII'LI: TsAn. :

By Col. P. Ingrahmn. 
The Red Brotherhood. W. J. Hamilton. I

I

 

l

t-II-n-n-I u i-H-I :— H 1-H I—l-n— I— l-I h-i-i hit—H H H but i-Il-I t-n-n-I h-II-‘U-I I-n- v-u I-n-I H u u-u-l n—u-u-n :— uni-nun I-I

.—_.__.,__._.._ ____.._.- *4 .

87 The Land Pirates. By Capt. Mayne Reid.
88 Photo rraph Phil, THE BOY SLEUTB; or.
' RossIIUD on a REAPPEARANCE. By E. L.Wheeler.

89 Island Jim. By Bracebridfie liemyng.

90 The Dread Rider. By C. aldo Browne.

91 The (.‘aptain ot the Club; or, Tm: YOUNG
RIVAL ATHLETES. By Bracebridze Hemyng.

92 Canada Chet; or, OLD ANACONDA IN SITTING
BULL’s CAMP.’ By Edward L. Wheeler.

93 The Boy Miners. By Edward S. Ellis.
94 Midnight Jack, Tan ROAD-AGENT;
THE BOY 'I‘RAPPDR. By ’1‘. C. Harbangh.

95 The Rival Rovers. Lieut. COl. llazcltine.
96 “'ateh-Eye, THE SHADOW. By E. L. Wheeler.
97 The ()uthnv Brothers. By J. J. Marshall.
98 Robin Hood, THE OUTLAWED EARL; or. Tun:

MERRY MEN OF GREENWOOD. Prof. Gildersleeve.
99 The Tiger of Taou; or. WILD KATE, DANDY
ROCK’s ANGEL. By Geor e Waldo Browne.
100 Deadwuod Dick In Leaiviile; or, A
STRANGE STROKE FOR LIBERTY. B§thelen
101 Jack llarkaway in New ork. By
Bracebridge Hemyng.
102 Dick Dead-Eye, THE: BOY SMUGGLER: or,
THE CRUIsIc or Tm: VIxEN. By Col. in 'ruham.
1 03 By Col. De le Sara.

or,

The Lion of the. Sea.
Deudtvood Dick’s Device ' or, Tm:
SIGN OF THE DOUBLE Clwss. By E.  Wheeler.
Old Rube, THE HUNTER. Capt. H. Holmes.
Old Frost y, THE GUIDE. By 'I. '. Harbangh.
One-Eyed Sim. By James L. Bowen.
Daring Davy. By Harry St. George.
Deadwood Dick as Detective. By
Edward L. Wheeler.
0 The Black Steed of the Prairies. A
Thrillin Story of Texan Adventure. By Bowen.
1 The Sea-Devil. By Col. P.1ngraham.
2 The Ill ad Hunter. By Burton Saxe.
3 Jaek Hoyle, THE YOUNG SPECULATOR; or,
THE ROAD To FORTUNE. By Ed. L. Wheeler.
4 The Black Schooner. Roger Starbuck.
41 The Mad Miner; or, DANDY Rocx‘s DOOII.
By George Waldo Browne.
6 he "unsar Ca tain; or, THE Hmurr
or HELL-GATE. By 01. Prentiss In raham.
7 Gilt-Edged Dick, Tnn SPORT n'rrrTrvn;
or. 'l‘nn ROAD-AGENTS DAI'GIITER. Wheeler.
\Vill Sotneru, THE BOY DETECTIVE. Morris.
Mustang Sam, THE KING or THE PLAINS.
By Jos. E. Badger Jr.
The Branded Hand. Frank Dumont.
(‘Innamon Chip, Tlilc .‘IRL SPORT; or,
THE GOLDEN IDOL or Mr. ROSA. l-‘d. L.Wlieeler.
Phil Hardy, Tns Boss BOY. By C. Morris.
Kiowa (‘haI-ley, THE \VHI'I‘E MI'STANGER.
By ’I‘. C. Harbaugh.
Ti p p y, TILE TDNAN. By George Gleason.
Bonanza Bill, MINER. By Ed. L. Wheeler.
Plea yuue Pete; or, NIconmIUs, THE DOG
DETECTIVE. By Charles Morris.
\Vild- ll'i re, Boss ()F'l'illl ROAD. Bv Damont.
The Young: Privateer. L‘yll. lavendish.
Deadwood Dick’s Double; or, THE
GHOST ON GOROON‘s CI'LCII. Ed. L. Wheeler.
Detective Dii k. By Charles Morris.
The. Golden “and; or DANDY ROCK To
run RESCUE. B ' George W. BrOwne.
. 'l‘he Hunte Hunter. By Ed. S. Ellis.
Boss Bob, Tun KING or Tm: DOOTI'ILACKS:
or, 'I‘nr. PAWNIIIIOKI-za’s PLOT. Ed. L. Wheeler.
flu re. Shot Seth, THE BOY RIFLBMAN; or Tm:
YOUNG PATRIOTS or Tin: NORTH. By 011 Coomes.
< ’aptain Paul, TIII: KENTUCKY MOONsIIINER;
or ‘IIn BOY SPY or 'I‘Hl‘. MOUNTAms. By Clark.
Night-Hawk Kit. By .103. E. Badger, Jr.
The Helpless Hand. Capt. Mayne Reid.
lllonde Bill; or, DNADWOOD l)I::K’s Home
BAsE. By Edward L. Wheeler.
.l udge Lyneh, J r. By '1‘. C. lhn-baugh.
Blue Blazes; or Tm: BRIan 0’ DAY Bus
or ROCKY BAR. By Frank Dnmont.
Solid Stun, THE BOY ROAD-AGENT; or, Tm:
BRANDED Baows. By Edward I. Wlmhr.
Handsome Harry, Tnn BOOTBLACK Dn-
TECTIVB. By Charles Morris.
Sear-[Pace Gaul. By Oil Coomes.
Dainty Lam-e, Tm: OY Eli-ONT. By Badger.
( aptaiu Ferret, ’I'EE NEW YORK DETEC-
'l'lViL; 01'. Boss Don’s Boss Jon. Bv Wheeler.
Silver Star, 'l‘IIE L'OY KNIGHT. ‘y Coomes.
“'ill \Vildlire, THE THOhoUGliBRED; or,
THE WINNING liAND. , By Charles Morris.
sharp Nam ; or, 'I‘III-z ADVENTI'RDS or A
FRIENDLEHS 1301'. By J. Alexandr-I'Patten,
.\ Game of Gold; or, DEADWOOD L‘ICII’s
BIG STRIKE. By Edward L. VVheelel'.
Lam-e. and Lasso. Bv Capt. FJVhittaker.
Panther Paul, Tun PRAIRIE l’lllA'l‘E‘ (:I',
DAINTY LANCE To THE. Rnscrn. J. E. Ba er.
Black Bess, WILL WILDI‘IRE’S RACDR; or.
WINNING AGAINsT ODDS. By Charles Morris.
3 Eng]. Kit, THE BOY DEMON. B 011 Coomes.
It The Sword Hunters. By ‘. Whittaker.
.- 5 Gold Trigger, Tan SPORT. T. C. Harbangh.
'6 Deadwood Dick ot' Deadwood; or,
Tm: PICKED PARTY. By Edward L. Wheeler.
157 Mike Merry, THE HARBOR. POLICE Bov;or,
Tan NIGET~HAWKS or PHILADELPHIA. Morris.
158 Fancy Frank .oi' Colorado; or, Tan
TRArrnn's TRUST. By Buffalo Bill. '
159 The Lost Captain; OI 'l‘nI: OPEN POLAR
‘ SEA. By Ca tain Frederick Whittaker.
160 The Blue. Gian-tr or, DAINTY LANCE IN
JBOPARDY. By Joseph . Bad er, Jr.
161 New York Nell THE BOY- lIRL Dmnc'rn'n;
- or. OLD BLAKESLY'S MONEY. .By E. L. VVheelr‘r.
1 6‘2 “'ill \Vildlire in the “'oods. Morris.
1153 Little 'l‘exas, THE YOUNG MUSTme. A

Ii-

I—n- :— hl huh-l l—u-u-u l.- ogcaa c
@m‘lfiifl

can

(in;

Nu;
ash;- “to —O

um. teal;
t-O 31124

W in) we: “:3
Il- WAC

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d—é—i—A—a—é-nhn'u-i-v‘u-WWEH
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LI '1 U! at

Tale of Texan Prairies. By Oil Coomes.
1 64 Dandy Rock‘s Pledge. By 6.1V. Browne.

 

165 Billy Baggage, m RAILROAD BOY; or.
RUN m EARTH. By Charles Morris.

160 Hickory Harry. By Harry St. Geor e.

l 67 A an Scott, Tun STEAMDOAT BOY. By Wi ett.

1 68 Deadly Dash. By Jos. E. Badger. Jr.

169 Tornado Tom; or, INJUN JACK FROM RED
CORE. '1‘. C. Harbaugh.

l 70 A Trump Card; or, WILL WILDrIRIc WINS
AND Losns. By Charles Morris.

1 71 Ebony Dan. By Frank Dumont.

1 72 Th nnderbolt Tom ; or, Tm: WOLF-HERDER
ON THE ROCKIDN. L‘ ' Har St. Geor e.

l 78 Band Rock’s Diva? By (Mil. Browne.

1 74 Bob I ockett, THE BOY DODGER. B ' Morris.

1 75 (‘aptain Arizona. By Philip S.\ ane.

176 The Boy Runaway ' or, TDD BUCCANEER
OF THE BAY. Lient. H. D. erry, U.S.N. .

177 Nobby Nick 01' Nevada ' or. Tan: SCAM?
on THE SIERRAS. By Edward, L. Wheeler.

178 (Did Solitary. By 011 Coomes.

179 Bob Beckett, 'IIn-z BANK RUNNER. Morris-

180 TheSea Trailer; or, A Vow WELL KEPT.
By Lieut. II. D. Perry, U. S. N.

l 8 1 \ ild Frank, TEE BUCKSKIN BRAVO; or,
LADY LILY's LOVE. By Edward L. Wheeler.

1 82 Little Hurricane, Tun . BOY CAPTAIN.

By 011 Coomes.
183 ' he Hidden “and ; or, WILL WILnrxuc‘s
VENGE. By Chas. Morris.

184 The Bo l‘raileru; or DAINTY LANCE ON
Tm: WAR- ATII. By Jos. E. Badger, Jr.

185 Evil Eye, KING or CATTLE Tnmvns: or, Tim
VULTURES or THE BIG GRANDE. By F. Dunlont.

186 Cool Desmond; or, Tm: GAMBLER'S BIG
GAME. By Col. Delle Sara. .

1'87 Fred llalyard, THE LIrn BOAT Bar: or,
Tm: SNUGGLnRs on THE INLET. By C.‘ lorris.

188 Ned Temple, THE BORDER BOY. Harbaugh.

1 89 Bob Roe ett, THE CRACKBMAN. By Morris.

190 Dandg Dal-kc. or, Tan TIGERS or HIGH

' PINE. y Wm. B. yster.

191 But tl‘alo Bill ', THE BOY BULLWIIACKER.
By Capt. A. B. aylor. U. S. A. -

192 Captain Kit. By Lieut. H. D. Perry,U.S.N.

193 captain Mask, Tun LADY ROAD-AGENT; or,
PATMLMTKEB Jon‘s DEFEAT. , By Warne.

1 94 Du “3110 Bill": Bet. By Captain Taylor.

195 Deadwood Dick’s Dream. By Wheeler.

196 Shadowed; or, BOB ROCKETT‘s FIGHT FOR
LIFE. By Charles Morris.

197 Little Grit, Tm: WILD RIDER. By Ingraham.

198 Arkansaw, THE MAN WITH TBE Km.
By T. C. Harbangh.

199 Featherweight; or, Tm: BOY _CflAMPth
or THE MUSKINGUM. By Edward Willett.

200 The Boy Bedouins. By Cnpt.Frcdericlt
Whittaker.

201 The, Blaek Hill's Jezebel or. DEAD~
WOOD DICK‘s WARD. By Edward . Vi heeler.

202 Prospect Pete, or THE BOY BRIGADE; or,
THE ¥OUNG OUTLAW HUNTERS. By Oll Coomes.

203 The Boy Pards. By Jos. E. Badger, Jr.

204 Gold Plume, THE BOY BANDIT. Ingraham.

205 Deadwood Dick’s Doom. A Tale of
Death Notch. By lildward L. Wheeler.

"266 Dark Paul, THE TIGER KING. By C. Morris.

207 Nava 0 Nick, THE BOY GOLD HUNTER. A
Tale 0 Arizona. By T. C. Harbaugh.

208 The Boy Hercules. By OllCoomes.

209 Fritz, TEE BOUND-BOY DETECTIVE. Wheeler.

210 Faro Frank of High Pine; or, DANDY
DARKn‘s Clo-DOWN l’Anns. By W. R. Eyster.

211 Crooked Cale, Tm: CALmAN or CELLSTIAL
CITY. By J os. E. Badger, Jr. '

212 Dnshing‘ Dave, m DANDY Darno'nvn.
By Charles Morris. -

213 Fritz to the Front. By E. L. Wheeler.

21! \Voli‘aann‘, Tm: Ronnrn or TIII: RIIINE.
By Captain'i rederick Whittaker.

21.: Captain Bullet, Tm: RAIDIIR KING. By
’I‘. C. Harbangh.

216 Bison Bill, THE PRINCE or Tan 'RLINS.
By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.

21 7 Ca no] u Crack-Shot, THE GIRL BRIGAND'
or, ‘IrsY JACK FROM JIIITOWN. By Edw
L. Wheeler.

218 Tiger Tom, THE TEXAN TERROR. By Oil
COOInes. . >

219 Des ard, the Due int; or. Tux MOUN-
TAIN AMPIRss. By Ph' '1) S. Warne.

220 Tom Tanner, SCALAWAG AND SCAPIIGRACE.
By Charles Morris.

22 1 Sugar Coated Sam; or. THE BLACK GOWNS
or Grim GCDCH. By E. L. Wheeler. .

222 Grit the Bravo Sport. By Col. Prentiss
Ingra am.

223 Ozark Alf, KING OF TIIK MOUNTAIN.
Edward Vinlett.

224 Da siting Dick; or. TRAPPER Tom‘s CASTLE.
By 011 Coomes. Ready November 8th.

225 Charcoal Sam, the Premium Dar-
key. By Charles Morris. Ready Nov. 15th.

A new issue every week.

The Half-Dime Library is for sale Ly all
Newsdealcrs, flve cents per eo IV. or In at 1“, mud on
receip of six cents each. EADLE 8; ADA ‘
Publishers, 98 William Street. New York.

BY