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E'HE SKY DEMON; or, Raiiibolt, tfié Ranger.

BY OLL COOMES, .. x

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AUTHOR OF. “ VAGABOND JOE,” “ THE DUMB SPY,” “ ANTELOPE ABE,” “ KEEN-KNIFE,” “ PROSPECT mm,” no, mo. V

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2.

The Sky Demon.

 

 

 

The Sky Demon;
RAINBOLT, rim RANGER.

BY OLL COOMES’,
surnon or “mum roxman,’ “vasanonn
JOE,” are. me.

CHAPTER I.
m VILLAIN'S PLOT. ‘

IN fifteen minutes the emigrant train on the
Union Pacific railroad was to leave the depot at
Omaha, going West. -

Two men, evidently waiting for the train,
might have been seen acing to and fro upon
the station platform in c ose conversation.

The oldest of the two was ap arently forty
years of age. He was of med um hight and
build, with steel-gray eyes, sharp and brilliant.
His hair, which was cut closely to a well-shaped
head, was of a dark brown, as was also his
heavy mustache and whiskers. He was dressed
in light gray clothes, after the fashion of the
day (1869).

The other individual was a man of some
He was much taller than gis

IS

 

thirty years.
companionf but not so compactly built.
ac

hair was b k as the raVen s wing, and hung
about his shoulders long and straig it; his eyes
were black, but small and evil-like. His face

was smoothly shaven. and bore the unmistaka-
ble evidence of a dissipated character. He was
dressed in a suit of dark clothes that fitted him
stiiiiy and made him appear ill at ease.

No one in Omaha knew these two individuals,
yet their names were spoken daily in connection
with their crimes, for the former was Dnval
Dun rvon, the notorious robber-captain of the
Blac Hills, and the latter Blufe Brandon, the
3m renegade Cheyenne chief known as Black

ear. -

Having glanced about them to see that no
(this was near, the robber chief asked, in a low

one: '

“Well, Brandon, have you made up your
mind about that matter?” .

“ Not exactly,” answered Brandon, “for since
I have considered that on have oceans of gold
stowed away in the ‘ lls,’ I think you can af-
ford to as ten thousand dollars.”

“Ten t ousand furiesl” replied the robber-
captain; “what would such a notorious cut-
throat as on are do with ten thousand dollars?
You coul n’t spend it among your accursed
Indians, and you dare not attempt to spend it
among white eoplei But, however, I suppose
I must sub , as the game is in your hands.
But, mind you, the girl has got to be placed in
in hands at the Devil’s Tarn, forty miles south
0 Cheyenne, and if one hair of her head is in-
jured, will not give you one cent!” and the
eyes of the robber—captain glowed like living
coals of fire. _ -

“How soon will Sanford—I believe that’s
wiréigzrjou called him—start for San Fran—

c .

“ Within the next ten days, I understand—
however, I can telegraph you at Julesburg on
the morning they start—using, of course, our
hotel name do plume. Now, remem .”

At this juncture, the conductor’s call of “ All
aboard” ended the two villains’ conversation,
and bidding his companion adieu, Blufe Brandon
entered the cars. an in another moment he was
rolling toward the mountains.

Duval Dungarvon entered an omnibus, and
gdéiied the driver to drive him to the Wyoming

0 . ‘

And thus in a few minutes two villains—one
a robber and the other a rene e, both from
the fastnesses of the Black Hi s—had planned
and plotted a dark and perba bloody crime.

Five days later, and Duva Dungarvon was
a ain acing the depot platform He was
a one, ut, from the im atient look upon his
face and the occasuonal g ance up the street, it
was evident that he was expecting some one.

Presently his face brightened as he saw a car-
riage, drawn by four horses, rollin down
toward the depot, and as it drove up a ongside
the platform e walked to the opposite side,
and min led with some men collected there,
but all t e while kept a close watch upon the
carriage.

When the vehicle stopped, a tall, noble, gray-
haired man of some fifty years stepped out and

assisted a young and beautiful girl to the plat-
form. These were followed by four young men
dressed in sportsmen’s garbs, each carrying a
new Spencer rifle and a game~bag.

The elderly gentleman was Co

onel Wayland

 

Sanford, and the young girl his daughter Silvia.
They were just about to start on a visit to
friends in San Francisco. Two of the young
men, Willis and Frank Armond, were the col-
onel’s nephews and men of means and leisure.
The other two, Walter Lyman, attorney, and
Ba] h Rodman, physician and surgeon, were
Wil is’ and Franks intimate friends, who, like
themselves, did not have to de nd entirely
upon their profession for a live ihood; so the
four young gentlemen had concluded to accom-
pany the colonel and daughter as far as the
mountains, where they could spend the summer
in hump? 9s recreation from the dust and heat
of city li . 

As soon as Duval Dungarvon saw the party
enter the cars that stood awaiting their lead of
human freight, he turned and entered the tele-
graph ofiioe, and taking up a blank seated him—
self at a desk and wrote the following message,
which he at once dispatched:

“Oium June 15th, 1869.

“WILLIAM Barns, Esq., Juleshurg, W. T.:—San-
ford and daughter leave on morning train for San
Francisco. CLIFTON Pusan."

Paying for the dispatch, the robber-captain
went out upon the latform. The cars Were
lust rolling away, an from one of the windows

e beheld the eyes of Colonel Sanford fiXed upon
him like one in a trance; but in an instant the
train was gone, and, turning on his heel, he
strode away, muttering to himself:

“By furiesl he recognized me! It’s a good
thing he’s gone, Duva] Dungarvon, alias
Clifton Payson, for he might have given you
trouble, and the best thing for you is to get out
of here yourself.”

And so he did. The next day the villain took
the train West.

Had one from the grave confronted Colonel
Sanford, he could not have been more startled
than he was on seein Duval Dungarvon. For
fully an hour he sat in profound silence, which
his youn friends attributed to his feelings on
leaving ome, and the possible idea that he
might never live to return to it again. Finally,
however, he rallied and talked and joked in his
usual humorous spirits.

After nearly two days‘ ride, the train rolled
into J ulesburg, where it sto pad for a few min-
utes. But one person too the train at this
point, and that person was Blufe Brandon, the
renegade chief, is face completely disguised in
a mass of false grizzly whiskers.

The renegade passed from coach to coach,
and finally seated himself on the seat behind
Colonel Sanford, which happened to be vacant.
Julesburg was left far behind, and away in the
distance westward the dark range of the Black
Hills loomed up against the glowmg sky.

There being no way-stations, the train rolled
rapidly on, never tiring, never halting, gliding
into the dark cut, by roarin canyon, mm the
yawning orge, beneath t e beetling crag

hrough 'd smal tunnel—on on until it ha
entered the environs of the Black Hills. Then
the evil-eyed passenger from J ulesburg glanced
around, and seeingK no eye upon him, laced
his hand in his st and drew there mm a
small packet wh ch he at once tossed out at the
window with considerable force. A dull report
like that of a pistol; a lurid flash like that by a
rocket, where the packet struck the earth, fol-
lowed this act. But one person in the cars saw
that flasth that was be who produced it; but,
far away up on a mountain peak, another pair
of eyes saw and read the meaning of that flash,
and immediately from the same hight a blazing
arrow shot far up into the air, described a
beautiful curve and then fell to the earth
again. Then, full;r three miles further on to-
word the west, rem the summit of another
peak, a blue light might have been seen swing-

ng to and fro then standing still, then rolling
through the air like a blazing hoop.

Suddenly, in roundin an abrupt curve, the

lowing headli ht flash on a red flag standing

n the center 0 the track. Instant] the wary
engineer whistled down brakes, an in a mo.
ment the train stopped. At that instant a yell
that fairly shook t e old hills fell upon the ears
of the passengers—a savage blood-curdling yell,
mingled with the clash of fire-arms.

It required but a single thought for the pas-
sengers to‘realize the terrible truth. The train
had been stopped by a band of Indians!

Simultaneous with the yell of the Indians a
loud, coarse voice cried out: ,

“Put out the lights; the train has been at-
tacked by the Indians l” 4

It was the voice of Blufe Brandon.

In an instant the lights were put out in that
coach. Then folIOWed a confusion that beggars
description. The yells of the Indians, the re-

 

port of pistols, the crashing of glass, the j:.m~
ming of shutters, the screaming of women, the
commands and shouts of men, made the moment
awful, terrible.

In the midst of the excitement Brandon
3 rung to his feet, and, leaning forward, seized

ilvia Sanford around the waist—lifted her in
his arms as though she had been an infant, and
turning, glided out the door and sprung from
the car.

“ Oh, father, help! Some one is carrying me
off!” cried Silvia, as she was borne from the
car. .

“Great God! what _foul treachery is this?"
cried Colonel Sanford, springing to his feet.
” Willis, Frank, he s, all come, for Heaven’s
sake l” and, followe by the four young men, he
rushed out and sprung from the car just in time
to see the villain disappear down a black defile
with his child.

The moment the renegade sprung from the
car every Indian turned and followed 'him,
leaving t e train to resume its course, which it
did, leaving Colonel Sanford and his young
friends standing alone in that awful loom!

It was quite evident that the attnc had been
carefully arranged, simply for the abduction of
Miss Sanford, for mom was killed, nor did the
savages attempt to board the train as they had
done on previous occasions: but withdrew at a
signal of their chief, Blufe. Brandon.

A speechless silence fell over the colonel and
his party. They stood and gazed into the gloom
that seemed impenetrable. .

The prospect of recovering the lost girl ap-
peared to the experienced eyes of thefat er al-
most as gloomy as were the surroundings.

The remembrance of the face he had seen at
Omaha as the cars were leaving, the face of a
man whom he knew to be his bitter, implacable
enemy, instantly caused him to connect the
man with the disappearance of his dau hter.

Under these circumstances it was lllt eed for-
tunate that the father was an experienced
Indian-fighter. During the gold-fever of 1848
he had crossed the plains twicez and 5 nt many
years in the mines of California. T en during
the Pike’s Peak excitement he at a couple of

ears there, and during the In ian troubles he
had command of a regiment of eavalryupen
active dut , their field of operations beiiilg in
the imme iate vicinity of the Black ills.
Thus most of his life had be u spent upon the
frontier, or among the Indians, whose language,
haunts and habits he had learned to perfection:
and there was but little of the country in which
they now were but what he was intimately ac-

uainted with, though five years had elapsed
s nce he had last traversed it. Knowmg that no
time was to be lost be shaped their course, and
at once set off in the direction taken by the
savages, the darkness rendering it impossible to
follow the trail.

Thus began the young men’s summer recrea-
tion on the plains!

CHAPTER II.
In AERIAL DEMON or m IOUNTLIR.

NIGHT had fallen, but through the darkness
gleamed the cheerful ll ht of a camp-fire that
burned in a little wood vallev, near where it;
debouched from the Black Hills into the em;

lain, or Buffalo Range. Within its rs us of
light, two men were visible—one lying u u the
ground asleep, the other seated before t e fire,
evidently keeping guard. The former was a
short, heavyoset man, of some five and thirty
years, with a broad, florid face, that told of

umor and good-nature. A rifle was lying
near, a huntin -knif_e was in his belt. and.
though sound a ee , his hand grasped a short,
stout club or shill h which alone would have
proclaimed his Hibernian extraction.

The Irishman’s com nion was a type of a
different nationalit . e was a tall, powerful
negro, with skin lack as the ebon darkness
around him. He possessed limbs and muscles
of Herculean deVelopment, and a face firm,
courageous and into] ectual in its outlines. He
held a double rifle, which flashed like a bar of
silver in .the flrelight. Both were dressed in

rbs of buckskin, half-savage and half-civil-

in fashion. . I

The negro sat with his rifle restin in the hol-
low of his arm, gazing into the gowing fire
with a kind of vacant look.

As the minutes stole by, his eyes w heaVy
with watching, and, presently, his ead rolled
languidly upon his shoulders in a gentle doze,
Soon, however, he was aroused by a scund—the
sound of approaching footsteps. He sprung to
his feet, and, shading his eyes with his hand,

red into the gloom. At this moment five
uman figures emerged from the forest and.

 

The Sky Demon.

- 3

 

 

halted within the radius ef light. - It was Col-
onel wayland Sanford and his four young
companions.

Colonel Sanford fixed his eyes upon those of
the negro, and for a moment the two stood
glaring at each other with a look of recognition,
surprise, fear and revenge depictedu 11 their
features. A profound silence ensued. he hand
of the darky wandered mechanically to his
knife, while the cold, gray eyes of Sanford
flashed like burning coals, and his breast heaved
and throbbed as though an internal volcano was
sur ing within it;

he colonel was the first to break the si-

lence.

“ Ebony J in)! Villain and rascal l" he
exclaimed, fiercely. “It is youi—you who de-
serve shooting without ceremony ?”

The colonel’s words seemed to transform the
negro. His defiant, courageous look gave way to
one of fear.

" Oh, good Lor'l” he exclaimed, fairly tremb-
ling, “it's ole Massa Sanfor’, de poor ryoung
missus’s father, and now dis poor nigge s time
am come!”

“Ah! you fear the halter of justice, do you,
you blac wretch!” exclaimed the colone in-
dignantly. “ or four years I have hunted you
-—to shoot you I”
. :I‘”0h, good Heaben, massa, I hab done nut!-
in

“Then what brought you here, and why do
you fear me?”

“ 'Cause, massa, I s’pose you and dem gemmen
dar come to ’rest dis nigger—”

“ For what?” .

“ Why, you ’members I war hid in de woods
when poor Massa Walraven war taken to de
Debbil’s Tarn and—”

“ Hush! hush! for God’s sake, Ebony, speak
not of that affair!” cried the colonel, growing
suddenly changed in his tone toward the dark .
He spoke so loud that the Irishman was awa —
and from his slumber.

“ Och, and be the Howl Vargin, and who’s
this that comes a disthur ing of me p’aceful
shlumber at the dead hour av ni ht. Wirra
but r11 sh rin afoot and hate the r heads wili
me ole she alia , so share as me name is Flick
O’Flynn,” exclaimed the Hibernian, rising to a
sitting posture and rubbing his eyes confused-

y\“ I am so we have disturbed cu,” said
Frank Armon , apologetically, “ but hope you
will “pardon us for t e unceremonious intru-
axon.

“ Ay, and that I will,” replied O’Flynn, gain-
ing his equilibrium of mind, “ for it‘s mees thet’s
glad to say the likes av yees in this h’athing
conthry, so it is so it is.”

In the mean time Colonel Sanford had stepped
to Ebony’s side and spoke in a lower and kinder

voice:

“Fo ve me Eben , for m rashness' but
tell ngégitruthfiilly, wyhere is yFlorence Wal-
raven /

“ Why should die nigger know better dan enny
bod else, massa?”

“ cause I know you assisted her to flee
3013 home four years since, and now where is

8

“Good Lor' only knows. S’p'ects she’s in
heaben wid do angels,” replied the negro, ap-
parently much rised. ,

“ Come, Ebony !” exclaimed Sanford, growin
nervous and excited n. “Trifle not wit
me. You have lied to me already; you know
when Florence is; you assisted her to flee.
speak, tell me the truth or your life shall

p“‘(S'rood Lor’ you minutiae dis ni , Massa
Sanfor'. Neb r sence r alraven
went into de army have see’d de young miss
u, and when Massa Walraven was convictioned
ob bein’ a traitor and taken to de Debbil’s Tarn
--I mean when he war punished so orfully—
dill nigger run away into de mountain tear he
be served so .too, ’case he see’d something, and
nebber huh I see’d de young missus, nor nobody,
till dis blessed minit.” '

“ Are you speaking the truth, Ebony?” asked
the colonel, seriously, calmly.

“, As 1’s a born nigger dat’s de truf, Massa San-

I‘ . A
“Then forgive me old he , form hasty ac-
cusal,” said the oolo’nel, exteyndin {is hand to
the darky. “ Florence has been missing for four
years, and wewalways suspicioned you of steal-
ing her away.

‘ Dis nigger cherishes numn’ ill in his heart
to’rds ole Masss Santor’x’ said Ebon , grasping
the colonel’s hand, “ but oh! how his cart aches
when he t’i-nks ob dat awful—awful ’fair at de
Debbil’s Tarn."

 

“Hush, Ebony about the Devil’s Tarn,” said
Sanford, in a w  “It racks my soul with
tortiurg. Promise me you’ll not mention it
aga n. . ,

“ I promise,” said the ne 0.

“ Then let us be sea and talk of other
things.

They all athered around the fire and Colonel
Sanford in ormed the two hunters of their mis-
sion there. -

- “Be garry, and it’s Flick O'Flynn of Car-
ricksfergus that can hate in more rhed niggars’
skulls that any man on the job, and' see kin
count mees in on the rsuit av the g 9.1, also.
Wirrai but mees am in me glory when swing-
ing me old shelaliah among the dirthy black-
g’ards, so it is, so it— Har—rkl”

Though the Hibernian was talking quite
boisterously, his practiced ear caught a far-off
and peculiar sound, coming from the Black
Hills. ’

“ Ay. and didn’t ye hear thet, now?" he asked.

“ No; what was it?” queried Sanford.

" It was a sound rhesembling the thuang av
a horn—there she am again!”

This time all heard it, and, true enough, it
was the far-oi! blast of a horn. Flick O‘F‘lynn
and Ebony exehanged inquiring and ominous
glances.

“ A hunter, I suppose,” said young Rodman.

“Nota bit av it! It’s the gathering call av
robbers, in yonder hills,” said O’Flinn, pointing
awa westward over the Black Hills.

“ ut what means that?” asked Willis Ar-
mond, pointing up toward the dark sky.

All eyes gazed upon the object in question
with wonder and sur rise. It was a bright,
glowing speck not unli e a blazing star; but it
was moving. drifting slowly through the hea-
vens—now east—now west—now sinking—now
rising—now circling around and around—a ain
standing still against the' black canopy of ea-

ven.
“ That is surely not a star,” said Walter Ly-

man.

“ No; but it’s a mystery to me,” said Colonel
Sanford.

Again the twan of the hem was heard, and,
as its echoes mile back through the hills, the
mysterious blazing star was seen to glide away
through the heavens and disappear in a moment
behin the mountain range.

“That is a mystery that is not the agency of
man.” said the colonel.

“ 0h, Lor’l I tell ye, Massa Sanfor’,.our time
am come! But war de horn ob de ark-angel
wakin’ up do dead.”

“You’re a fool, Ebony; you've lost all the
courts e you ever did posse-Se.”
wicked nig er. and de world am comin’ to 1!.
send. and (ii, Lor’ ob heabensl dar comes de
Ole Nick—dc Ole Nick i—de Ole Nicki after dis
chile—oh—oh—oh l”

Ebony stretched out his hands asif to keep ofl
some horrible object. His eyes were lifted u -
ward and glared like those of a madman.
lips stood slightly apart, revealing his firm-set
math, and his features were convulsed with

rror.

“Eben l Ebony! are you going mad?” ex-
claimed nford, excitedly.

The negro moved not a muscle nor his lip-
lifted eyes, but at that instant, a fierce and
terrible szrfiammbmt ovgr iof the little
grou s r an 1 r e as up-
war and as they did so, every face became
blanc ed with terror. T saw what Ebony
saw, and startled as he di . They saw not a
human nor a beast, but an awful terrible figure
-a figure resembling a human skeleton ing
through the air, high over the tree- , its
ghast y proportions revealed by the me e and

ame emitted from the sunken eyes, the dis-
tended nostrils and the wide, inning month.
Great white arms bent and bu eted the air like
the wings of astru lin vampire, while scream
after scream peale wi d and unearthly from
the horrid creature’s lips. It Was fully a bun-
dred feet above the tree-tops and moved swift-
ly—so swift, that in a moment it had floated
Oyfir the camp and disappeared behind the dark

8'

The party stood transfixed with horror.
(iiilonel Sanford was the first to break the
5 once.

“In the name of God, what was it?" he gasped.

“I tell you it’s de Ole Nick after dis‘ poor,
black nigger," persisted Ebony.

Flick ’Flgnn acted quite indiflerent. He
showed but ttle surprise at sight of the horrid
creature, yet he exclaimed: . ‘

“Holy Mother: it makes the hair sthand on
mees head, and polar icebergs rholl down me

L

nows 1’s a fool, massa, but I’s been a

 

back, but then it’s not the lust time that Flick
O’Flynn, of Cerricksfergua, has see’d that
chreature.”

“ What is it? beast, human, fiend or—”

“Ay, there now, and it’s the horrid chrea-
iure ’known as the Astra] Demon of the Moun-

am.

CHAPTER III.
a A nomm'r or mm.

For. some time the wildest excitement pre-
vailed in the hunters’ camp over what O’Flynn
had said was the Aerial Demon, the scourge of
the Black Hills.

Flick could thrown no light on the sub out,
further than that he had seen it once he ore,
and heard of its being seen by others, and strik-
ing terror to the hearts of the Indians. .

or fully an hour this aerial ap rition was
the subject of conversation, an many and
curious were the suppositions entertained by
the party as to its nature.

B this time the clouds had rolled away, and
the Inc dome of heaven was glimmering with
m riads of stars. The murky shadows were
1i ed from the great lain that stretched away
in tranquil beauty li e an ocean, broken now
and then by a silvery lake or stream, or a little
woodland isle that nestled down on its bosom
like a more black speck. And as the moments
stole b , a score of dusky forms suddenly
emer from the shadow of one of those
prairie islands, and moved silently over the
p am. ,

It was a hand of hostile Cheyenne Indians,
headin toward the Black Hills.

As 6 ni ht was far advanced, and Colonel
Sanford an his young friends were greatly
fatigued with their lon tramp through the
mountain, they conclude to remain with the
hunters until morning, inasmuch as they had
promised to accom n them on the marrow in
pursuing the r -sk us. The fire was re-
plenished with fuel. The flames leaped up and
relieved the gloom for man feet around; but
backed in by the great w s on one side, and
the rise of a. hill on the other, the light was, as
it were, pent up in the immediate Vicini .

And so it was hidden from the gene 0 those
on the near plain, but not to those on the hills,
nor to those far out on the plain.

Flick O’Flynn was to stand guard the rest of
the night—he refusing all offers of relief. He
lit his pipe and seated himself before the fire,
with his shillalah lying across his knees. The
rest of the rty stretched themselves in various
attitudes a ut the firs to rest. r

Just then a night-bird fluttered overhead with
a startled scream. Every man mg quickly
to his feet. Was it the Aerial on again?
They glanced around them. No. It was not
the demon, but a s t equal] as b g
met their gaze. Out mm the p gloom, into
the glare of the roaring campfire—with the
silence of phantoms. their inted visagea low
with diabolical triumph, t eir hands clutch a
knife or tomahawk, came a score of Cheyenne
Indians, surrounding our friends on every side
like sheep in a laughter-pen. For a moment
they paused just wi in the circle of] t;,then
they uttered a yell, so fierce that the stood
likeioeintheveineof thewhitee.

,“Ochl and bethe How
time we’ll have,” exc
whirling his shillalah about his head; “ but
gorle," and he among the savage: with a

0 a '

y “ And here comes die chile,” exclaimed’Ebcny,
clubbing his rifle and following.

“We have got to fight for our lives," said
Colonel Sanford, who, geese-ing no '9. n
stoopedand ickedupe uvycluhmensoof
which was ogre. and “ringing it aloft hedaehed
in among the savages,Frank and Willis Arm 6.
Walter Lyman and Ralph Rodman folbwing
suit with clubbed rifles.

The conflict instantly became fearful.

The Cheyennes were three to one, and our
friends fought with the desperation of despair
—-of madmen. Several save went down, but
the death of each one made t esurvivors all the
more desperate; and presently Walter airman
fell unconscious from a blow on the he ,' and
Willis Armond received a severe'wound on the
arm. Defeat and death stared on: friends in the
face—they were being gradually overpowered
—the savages were closing in upon them—an-

lather moment-— But hark! what sound was
that? Was it the voice of doom? . -

CHAPTER IV.

 

museum orrnnmem  .
IT was the wild scream of a bird that felt-up-
on the ears of the combatants, but at the next

 

 

4

The Sky‘De'mon.

 

—— __...._..__- ..__ .....

instant a horseman dashed wildly in among the
savages, a drawn saber in hand. And so swift
did the stranger swing the lished weapon
right and left upon the tufted s ulls of the red-
skins that it seemed a broad sheet of ii .me. Nor
did the strange man come alone to the rescue.
A large, tame gray eagle accompanied him, and
the fierce bird seemed inspired with the same
warlike spirit of its master. Down into the sav-
ages’ faces, striking with talon, beak and wing,
swoo the great bird with a scream, tearing
and acerating the flesh and eyes at every
choke.

The scale of battle was turned as if by magic.
The savages defeated and terrified, fled into
the shelter of the forest rsued by Ebony and
the stranger’s fierce bird, leaving half their
number behind, dead.

All eyes were now turned upon their strange
deliver-er. '

He was a young man not more than thirty.
In stature he was about five feet. six inches.
His figure was firmly knit, but flexible, and
every movement supple, easy and aceful. His
hair was of a dark brown, as was his heard
that in a great measure concealed his face and
hung to the pummel of his saddle. A few

{emature wrinkles were,faintly traced about
se es.

Ajtunic of blue Velvetesn ornamented with

ellow fringe and confined at the waist by a

ther belt, buckskin trowsers, buckskin leg-

gings and moccasins, and a gray felt hat consti-
tuted his garb.

A saber. a brace of revolvers, in his belt, and
a rifle that was swung at his back by means of a
strap passing over his shoulder, were the Wea-
pons he carried.

The animal he rode was a black, mettlesome
mustang with arched neck and fiashing‘eyes,

. a...

clear limbs and muscular pr rtions.
A large and what appear cumbersome, pair
of well filled saddle-bags were thrown ovsr the

cautle of the saddle, while on one side bun a
double field-glass, and on the other side a coi ed
silver born.

Replacing his saber in its scabbard, he turned
and gazed upon those he had rescued. From
one to the other his eyes wandered until they
met those of Wayland Sanford. when a strange,
wild light flashed in them. A momentary
silenge ensued. The horseman was the first to
spea . '

“ warm time you were having, my friends,”
he said, in a clear voice. 4

“Indeed we were,” replied the old colonel,
with a nervous tremor in his voice induced
by exertion and excitement; “ and whom have
we the honor of thanking for our rescue 1”

“My name is Rodger Ralnbolt,” replied the
horseman, in his clear rin ng voice, in which
there‘was much of wild ntness; “and now
your name, if on please?"

* “Wayland ford.”

The heit-langer was silent for a moment, then'

he as .

“ What brin Wayland Sanford here inthese
wilds, directed the fine clothes of a citizen?”
' The colonel informed him of the abduction of
his'danghter, and that they were in pursuit of
the Indians. '

“ Uh-hum h l" ejaculated the ranger, when
he had h the colonel’s story. ' ’

At this moment Ebony returned from pursuit -

of thevfiyin 'sava'ges, and, asthe ranger’s eyes
fell upon h
fire would not shine in his face. ‘ ,
 In thefman time, Flick O'Flynn and Frank
Armand were busily engaged in restoring young
Lyman to his senses, of which a blow on the
head-had bereft him; while the youn snr eon,
Ralph Badman, turned his attention llis’s
bleeding arm. '

“ Do youvknow what tribe the Indians belong
to that captured your girl?” asked Rainbolt,
after a moment’s silence.

“ They were Cheyennes,” replied the colonel.

" Black Bear’s cut-throats, I suppose,” re-
turned the handsome ranger.

' “ Golly mighty l” suddenly exclaimed Ebony,
peering up into the ranzer’s face as he spoke;
‘dat sounds ilist like Masts Walraven’s voice,
as I’ll a born 11 gger, but den it’s not his face, for
Msssa Walraven died long ago—died at de
Debb'll’s Tarn," and he turned away.

The ranger flashed a quick glance upon San-
' ford. who was moving uneasily; then in a tone
of indiflerence said: _

“ I am afraid you will not succeed in rescuing
your daughter if Black Bear has reached 'or
does reach his haunts.” - '

f “d God forbid that he should 2” exclaimed San-
s), .
“ But,” continued the horseman, “ since I

'he turned his animal so that the}

 

am not particularly engaged at present, I can
and will devote my time to assisting you in
rescuing our girl. ,I wish, however, to act
strictly a one, for the assistance I have will
enable me to do so with success—but, 1 had en-
tirely forgot my companion,” and taking the
silver born from his saddle, he placed it to his
lips and blew a shrill blast.

Immediately after this act the winnowing of
great win 3 was heard, and a moment later
the eagle t at attacked the savages so fiercely

settled down from the gloom overhead and-

Eerched itself upon the shoulder of the ranger.
lood was on its talons and beak.

“ A noble pet you have, Mr. Rainbolt," said
the colonel, admiringly.

“ Yes, sir; one that will be worth more to me
in rescuing our daughter than a dozen men.
His instinct 8 wonderful and his strength pro-
digious. One stroke of his wing, Mr. Sanford,
would break your arm as though it were a
straw. I have known him to carry in his talons
a wei ht of a hundred pounds. Ah, a noble
bird 3 Echo, my eagle. He hates a red-skin
with all the bitterness of his master.”

“ You must have had great patience in train-
ing him, Mr. Rainbolt.” ,.

“ I do no: claim all that honor. He was partly
trained when he came into my sion. He
was given me by an old Cali ornian named
Barker.” '

“ Barker!” burst involuntarily from Sanford’s
lips; “ Gustave Barker?” .

“Yes: Gustave Barker,” replied the ranger,
eying’ the colonel sharply. “ Do you know
h m?

“ Oh—no I have heard of him,” replied San-
ford, recovering from his sudden excitement.

There was a few moments’ silence, broken
03313;} by the impatient pawing of the ranger’s
3

Doctor Rodman had succeeded in restoring
Lyman to his senses, and had carefully dressed
Willie’s arm, which, after all, had only sustained
a flesh-wound. . .

“Isay, Lyman,” said the young physician,
after his friend had recovered his senses, “ that
blow you got on the head is what is termed in
legal hrase, ‘Salt and battery,’ ain’t it?”

" es,” replied the young lawyer, rubbing his
sore head; “but, in this affair there is more
‘ battery ’ than ‘ ’sault’; however, I shall bring
action at once for damages.”

“ And try the case before—what is itl—oh,
yes; the Aerial Demon,” said Willis, lau hing.

“ The Aerial Demon!” exclaimed R nbolt;
“ have you seen that horrid, mysterious .crea-.
tnrel”

“ Yes; it passed over our camp an hour or so
ago. Can you throw any light on the real
nature of the mystery?” _

Nothing more than that it is the most fright~
ful object I ever saw,” returned the ran er.

“ Ay, now, and it’s yees that spa es the
thruth loudly, for it’s mees that’s see’d the
chreature twice, and both times it stharted

lar icebergs down my back, so it did,” said

lick.

“Well,” said Rainbolt, “sinceIcan be of no
further service to you, gentlemen. I may as
well take my departure. Should I succeed in
rescuing your dau later, Mr. Sanford. I will
communicate the actto you at once,” and as
he concluded he took from his pocketatime-
worn memorandum, and tearing out one of the
stained'leaves handed it to Colonel Sanford,
saying: “Read that, Colonel Wayland Sanford,
and good-night to you .all,” and as he a he the
pet eagle arose into the air—the spiri mus-
tang pricked up its ear, chamfieodi its bit impa-
tiently. and the next moment ger Rainbolt,
the ranger, was gone. _

“ He’s a curious fellow—a living mystery,”
said Ralph Rodman; “ but what ails you, colo-
nel~ what ails you i” 1

“0h, nothing, nothing but excitement, as
usual,” replied the colonel; evasively: “but let
me see what the ranger wants me to mad.”

He turned and stirred u the waning camp-
fire, and seating himsel upon the ground,
glanced at the paper. A groan esca ed his lips
as he did so. and the paper droppe from his
hand, and falling into the fire, was consumed in

an instant, while the colo’nel’s hands dropped to I

his knees and his eyes became fixed upon ‘the

e.

“ What did he write, uncle?” asked Frank.

There was no response to his question.

Frank repeated it. Still no reply.

“ The ranger has thrown the colonel’s mind
into a quandary,” said young Lyman. .

“ Like the red naygnr did yours,” said Flick
O’Flvnn. '

“How is it, colonel?" asked Rodman.

0

;'._ ,r,

 

. .. ._ .-.,.. _. _

__ ......_._ s _ . _. ....

The colonel was still silent. Frank Armand
advanced and laid his hand upon his uncle‘s
shoulder, but he started back with a thrill of
horror. The limbs of the colonel were rigid as
death, his eyes were still fixsd u the fire
with a cold, glassy, vacant stem. is lips stood
slightly apart, and his features were ghastly as
the dead‘s.

“Uncle, uncle l” exclaimed Frank, Shaking
him violently, “what ails you? Come, rous
up—great God, what can it mean, Rodman?”

The young doctor was bending over the col
nel, his fingers resting upon the old man’s puls .

“ Come, speak, Ralph, what does it mean?” l'e~
peated Frank.

“ Heavens!” exclaimed the young doctor,
starting up, “what could the ranger have writ-
ten? It has killed the colonel, as God’s in
heaven, boys; he is dead—stone dead 1”

CHAPTER V.
A- ROBBER ROBBED.

THE blood—red sun hung low in the western
heavens its usual brightness partly obscured
by the blue mist that hung over the mountain
and plain. The Black Hills lay dimly outlined
against the mark sky. In the vast expanse of
mountain and gain but a single limng object
could beseen. hat object was a large bird
poised aloft above a narrow defile, or valley, in
the Black Hills. For some time it seemed to
hang motionless on the air, then it descended
down, down, until it was lost in the mountain
shadows; then it darted up again, with a wild
scream. from the valley, its keen eyes fixed on
some objed; far below. And what think you it
was than Echo, the eagle, saw there?

It was a beautiful glade in the green‘vood
valle . A camp-fire burning in the center of
the grade. A number of Indians seated around
the e. Several lodges standing in the back-
ground. An Indian encampment.

But two of the Indians claim our especial no-
tice. The young chief, Allacotah, and his beau-
tiful wife, Silver Voice.

The young chief sat apart from his compan-
ions, apparently in deep thought. Presently
the light figure of an Indian woman glided
from one of the 10d es in the background and
approached him. he was young, not more
than three and twenty. Her movements were
graceful as the fawn’s; her voice as sweet and
clear as the chimes of a silver bell. She was
dressed in a short frock of some een material,
buntiqu ornamented with Indian handiwork,
while hes ed moccasins and white-fringed buck-
skin leggin s incased her feet and ankles.

Ap roac ing and laying her hand upon Alla.
cotah s shoulder, she said, in pure English:

“ Allacotah, my husband, seems thou htful.”

Theyoung ch ef raised his eyes an gazed
into those of his wife.

“ That is true,” he replied; “ but the voice of
my beautiful Wife cheers me, though I was on]
thinki’pg-wthinking of our great chief, Blac

" 0h es,” re lied the beautiful Indian wom-
an; “it ad no occurred'to my mind before
that today Black Bear was-toreturn from the
great wigwams of the’ e-faoas.” ,

“Yes; and may his cart not be filled with
evil when he comes! Black Bowls 9. bad man.
He causes much trouble between the pale-faces
and my peeple. He has made many widows
and orphans among the great Che .enne nation
—v;:ge'd war till Cheyenne bl flowed like
wa r. \ .

 

Two miles from the Indian encampment, on a
high, bold bluff, stood Rodger Rainbolt, the
ranger. One hand was resting on his animal‘s
arched neck, while With the other he held his
spy-glass to hisfieyes as he watched a tiny dark
spec in the misty sky before him. That speck
was Echo his eagle.

“Yes, there are Indians there,” he muttered
to himself, “and perhaps they are the pass that
I am in pursuit of. E0 0. noble. sagaclous bird,
has traced them out, and now he marks the spot
by poising himself in the air, now by despemp
ing, now rising again—now Circling around and
around. Ah, noble_ bird! he circles away,
away. He knows his mission is done for the
present, and now—3’

He lowered his glass, and taking the coiled
born from his saddle, placed it to his lips and
blew a shrill. prolon ed blast. which. as it
echoed far back over t e hills. reached the car
of the eagle, and immediately it l‘eaded its
flight toward its master. In a few minutes it
was perched upon his shoulder. .

“ Your work is well done, Echo,” said the
ranger. caressing the bird, " and 1 have only to
await darkness to accomplish mine.”

 

 

fl... —~_.~__.’ .. - - .......

The Cheyenne encampment was only a tem-
grary one, the permanent village of Black
or being looated several miles southwest,
Eitgin the southern extremities of the Black

I .

In anticipation of the return of Black Bear,
or Blufe Brandon, preparations were made for
his reception; for a mounted in Seenger had ar-
rived in cam during the day and informed Al.
lucotah and is braves that Black Bear, with a
beautiful captive, and accompanied by several
of his warriors, would arrive there some time
durin the evening. ‘ I
As t. e time for the coming of the distinguished
white chief drew near, and darkness gathered
around, preparations were hastily made for his
reception.

Presently a wild yell announced the expected
arrival.

The name Black Bear had a significant mean-
ing as applied to the Renegade, Blufe Brandon.
Had one who had neVer seen him in his dis ise
beheld him when he entered the lodge of la-
cotah, thexewould haVe started up with sudden
fear, fort re was nothing natural in his ap—

arauce. _

The villain was com letely disguised in the
skin of a black bear. you the head of the an-
imal rested upon that of his own, With its
round. glaring eyes, its 0 n mouth, red tongue
and white fangs, in life- ike presentation. As
the nose of the animal projected over the head
of the renegade the face of the laitenwas coin-
Eletely concealed by long, straggling .hairs

anging from the under Jaw of the animal’s
head, yet the rufiian’s eyes shone through the
hairy mask like those of a serpent through the
dark. His arms and legs were wrapped in the
skin carefully taken from the animal’s limbs,
with the long claws attached, and dexterously
fiXed to his toes and fingers— thus rfecting
his disguise so completely that be 100 ed like a
bear walking erect upon his hind feet.

In his arms the renegade cariied Silvia San-
ford, who, a few minutes before their arrival,
had fainted from sheer exhaustion, long fast-
ingand excessive heat.

A r of skins and robes was laid near the
fire an the pale and beautiful captive placed
u on it. Black Bear then turned to Silver

oice and re nested her to look after the maid-
en’s wants an assist the medicine man in restor-
in her to consciousness. _

gilver Voice advanced, and bending over the
captive, gazed into her prettv, pale face.
low cry escaped her lips, and b ckoning her hus-
band she pointed down, and said: “ Does it not
look—”

“Never mind what the girl looks like, but
hasten to restore her. That girl’s life is worth
ten thousand dollars to me.” _ .

It was Black Bear who spoke, his veice sound—
i hoarse and hollow beneath his hairy mask.
A lacotah was a chief of war and distinc~
tion but Black Bean was is superior—hence
the latter-’5 authoritative, indignant command.

Silver Voicc. with the assistance of Allacotah,
began the task of restoring the captive to con-
seiousness. Water was brought from a ring
hard b and the brow of the maiden bathe . A
cordiafmade of some wild herbs was adminis-
tered and by a vigorous chafing of the hmbs and
ten! as, Silvia was brou ht back to life. _ I

“ 1: her in there,” saié Black Bear, pomting
with his claw clad finger to Silver Voice s lodge;

“ the presence of so many warriors might exCite
her too much. She must have rest and food.”
Allacotah lifted her in his strong arms and
carried her into the lodge where Silver Voice
had arranged a neat, comfortable couch of
skins. La lug her upon the couch, the chief
‘ .Vnnt out, saving the two women alone.
Silvia opened her eyes and axed around.
There wasa fat—lamp, m e in a rude stone
howl, burning in the lodge. and by it. Silvia was
enabled to see when she was. All around her
won an air of nastiness. The floor of the lodge
was laid with a carpet of buffalo-robes. and the
walls of the cone-aha structure were bun
with bountiful tapestry of buckskin, highly an
artistically ornamented. Strands of wampum,
stuffed birds of beautiful plumage, curious fig-
ures 03"“ from wood and stone were arranged
around the walls. The only ob ct of civiliza-
tion to be seen was a small, one ed mirror. _
When the_captlve saw the beautiful Indian
woman bending Over her with tears in her eyes,
her heart beat with gentle hape,
“Rest easy. dear sit-l." said
kindl . “you are magnified. -
“ here am I? and W are on with the tell-
i’:’ "°‘°° ‘°S.:.“‘°‘i’ia"°'$.."z"m§‘i“£ “iii
a sitting , m cm
still confused and bewilgred. .

Snilver Voice,

The Sky Demon.

5

 

“ You are in the encampment of Allacotah,
and I am Silver Voice, Allacotah’s wife.”

“ Where is Black Bear?”

“ The inhuman wretch is out by the camp-
fire,” the woman replied, bitterly.

Silvia was surprised by her manner of s h.
She saw that the Indian woman entertained a
feelin of intense dislike toward the chief.

“ '1‘ on you do not respect the great chief,”
said Silvia, ‘.‘ judging from your remarks.”

“No, I hate himl’ she fairl hissed, “the in-
human, merciless outcast of h s own race 1”

“And do not his warriors like him?” asked
Silvia.

“ Yes; those whose hearts are vile as his,” Sil-
ver Voice answered, “and, dear girl ” she con-
tinued, coming closer and speiklng ower, “if
it’s in in power, and the wer of Allacotah,

ou shal never, never su er captivity at his
ands!”

Silvia’e face brightened; then it became cloud-
ed a ain as she said:

“ ut he told me he was going to sell me to a
robber—captain—tliat the robber had promised
him a great reward for me, but how a robber
captain here in the Black Hills knew me is quite
a mystery.”

“ Did he mention the robber captain’s namel"

“Yes: I believe it was Dungarvon—Duval

Dungarvon.”
» “ God have mercy!” exclaimed the woman
frantically. “Duvul Dungarvon! Duval Dun-
garvonl Oh, dear girl, better take your own life
than fall into the hands of that man. He is a
fiend, a deVil! It is not your beauty, nor his
love for you that makes him desirous of possess-
ing you, but it is to torture fyou, and grind,
grind your father’s heart out or revenge—hit-
ter, bitter, BITTER revenge!” and the beautiful
woman fairly raved in her excilement.

Silvia was completely mystified by her
stran e words—her wild emotion. I

“l 0 not understand you, Silver Veice,” size

said.
Before the Indian woman could reply, a wild
commotion amen the‘savages outside arrested
her attention. S e turned and went out, and
Silvia involuntarily arose and followed her.

The women were greatly surprised to see the
save es, their faces convulsed With horror—their
eyes ifted upward with a terrified stars, 3 h-
less and motionless. Following the direction in-
dicated by their startled gaze, the women be-
came equally as terrified. v

And why! -

Down the valley from the north floated in the
~ air high above the tree-tops—far above the
reach and power of man, an awful figure—the
figure of a human skeleton, its ghastly propor-
tions revealed by the flame and smoke emitted
front the great sunken eyes. the distended nos-
trils, and wide grinning mouth. Great white
arms beat and buffeted the air like the wings of
astru gling vampire, while scream after scream
rent t air. ,

It was the Aerial Demon of the Mountain, the
scourge of the Black Hills—the terror of the In~

18!). . . n
Silvia’s face became whitewitli terror, and she
clung to Silver Voice for support.

" Come into the Ind a, dear girl,” said the
chief's wife, “ it is the erial Demon."

They turned toward the door of the little
cone shaped structure. Just then the clatter of
iron shod hoofs coming up the stony valley
caught their ears. They stopped.

The next instant a white man, mounted upon
a mettlesome anim l, dashed from the gloompnd
stopped so quickly by the side of the terrified
women, that his animal was thrown back upon
its hailill"‘9§l.

11; was R dger Rainbolt, the ranger!

Before Binclr. Bear and his savages could
draw their attention from the Aerial Demon—
which in a moment, almost, had passed over the
camp and disappeared—the daringbranger lean-
ed iorward in his stirrups, laced is arm about
Silvia’s waist, lifted her row the ground as
though she had been an infant. whirled his ani-
mal southward and dashed away into the gloom
of the forest, pursued by Black Bear and his
Warriors. .

As the ranger turned his animal he gave Sil-
ver Voice one quick glance that seemed to pierce
her to the heart. She threw ' u be!“ hands.
clutched wildly at space, utters a low, con-
vulsive sob, and sunk unconscious into the arms
of her husband, Allacotah.

CHAPTER VI.
'rin BIDDER non. ,
the dark wood anddown the
e the ranger dashed With his
burden. ‘

 

Awav t
mountain d

precious

 

\

 

Silvia uttered no word of fear, no cry of pain
She had caught a glimpse of the ran r's
handsome face as he lifted her from t groan
in the Indian encampment and, as if b magic.
gar heart became inspired with ence in

im. '

“ Fear not, Miss Sanford l” the stranger
breathed in her ear when they had fairl cleared
the Indian encampment; “ you are sa 6 with a
friend.”

“ A friend-—a noble, daring friend,
stranger that knows my name,” replied
in a voice slightly agitated.

“ That’s true, Miss Sanford; but I learned
your name from your father.” _

“ Father!” exclaimed the maiden. “ Oh, where
and when did on see my fatherl”

“ I saw him ess than twent -four hours ag
but many miles from here. e wasin search 0

on.

“Thank Heaven!” breathed the maiden; “ but
who am I indebted to for my rescue and the in-
formation?”

“ My name is Rodger Rainbolt; I am aranger,
a rude, rough man of the plains.”

“ Your bravery and unselfishness, Mr. Rainc-
bolt, are nobler virtues than the cultivated po-
liteness of refinement.”

“ You fiatter me, Miss Sanford, and I be it

is rightfully bestowed,” was the reply, and hen
both became silent for a time.
. PreSently they emerged from the dark forest
into an open and level plain. through which
wound a little stream like a silver thread. All
around it arose a dark belt of wooded hills 11k.
a beautiful landscape set in a rusty frame.

Away to the north couid be heard the roar
of falling water.

The blue mist that hung over the mountain at
the beginnin of night had cleared away from
the face of _t e sky, and the great rou moon
looked out in all is queenly splendor, lighting
up the little valley with a soft dreamy light.

Haltin on the summit of a little knoll over~
lookin t e plain. the ranger lifted Silvia to the
groun , and then, dismounting himself, stood

y her side.

“We rest here,” he said. I “ Look yonder, ,
and tell me what you see. ”

f‘I can see a broad, silvery surface, resem<
him: a 2:3 lake, sleeping there, just where the
black w be 'ns.”

“ It is not a ake, Miss Sanford but a bread
sheet cf water falling over a high iiutting-
rock. in which is my cavern home—my castle.”

Silvia felt a chill or over her frame as she
thought: “ What if e is a robber, or an
escaped criminal—a base villain. leading me
into his lair; but no: it can not be possible
that an evil heart lies concealed behind that
m ble, handsome face. He has saved me from
the tortures of Indian captivity, or perhaps a,
worse fate, and I will not entertain or a mo-
ment one disrespectful thought of him.

“I should think you would get lonesome
there. Mr. Rainbolt, ’ she finally said.

“That may all be,” he re lied, gravelfi
“ But 1 can do no better, and offer you t
hospitality of my secluded home—that is, if
you”have no scruples of going there alone with
me. ' i -

“ Why should I, Mr. Rainbolt, when to you I
owe my life? I feel perfectly free—yes, proud.
 t’rust your honesty, manhood and protec-

on. , ~ '

"I sincerely hope you will never have came
to feel otherwise, thou h,.were there an settle-
mentsor residences w thin forty miles would
take you there at once. But there is none
nearer than those on Laramie plains, filly
miles distant.” .

“But should you take me there, I would not
in all probability. meet father for a long lim' 3}

“ That’s true. Miss Seniord: but would )1 u
prefer riding to walking across this plain to the
creek f”

“ No, I had rather walk, as I am much fa-
tigued with riding already.” I
f‘ Then I will turn my horse to pasture here.”
said the ran er, removin ' the saddle and
bridle from t e animal, w lch at once began

cropping the rich, succulent grass. .

Having removed thececapacious saddle-begs
from the saddle. he can ed the capariaons in
a small cavity in the knoll on which the were
standing. and then, slingin the sad bag.
across his shoulder, he took ilvia’s hand and
lot at across the little valley.

It was only a few moments’ Walk. and when
the stream was reached the ranger drew asmall
canoe from under somo drooping willows and
launched it. In a moment he was seated there.
in, with his fair com nion. and taking up the
paddle, drove the lit craft out into the middle.

et a
ilvia,

 

  

...,. ._......_... an. _...

The  Demon..

 

 

of the stream; then turned and moved up its

course.
So swift, so easily did the canoe glide over the
rippling waters that Silvia for a moment forgot
the surrounding danger, "and conversed with
her handsome rescuer with a real sense of joy
and admiration.

Presently the sullen roar of falling waters
reached their ears.

“It is the Crystal Falls, Miss Sanford, that
you hear,” said the ranger; "we will soon be
there.”

in a few moments more the falls burst upon
their view like a great silver curtain suspended
against a black wall.

In the rock, over which the waters fell like
a great apron, was the ranger’s secret home,
the water concealing from view the entrance,
which could only be reached by passing through
the descending torrent.

“ Behind that wall of water, Miss Sanford,
is my home, and to reach it we must past
through the descending sheet; and as it wil be
pitchy dark be and, and the windings of the
cavern are di cult to follow, I had better go
in alone, light a torch, and return to you. You
can wait there upon that rock can you not?”

“ Oh, certainly,” replied repi
in to her feet.

longside the canoe was a rock, some three
feet across, and projecting several inches above
the surface of the stream. Upon this Silvia.
step d to await the ran er’s return. He took
up t e paddle and drove t e canoe forward, and
when he had disappeared in the mist and spray,
a feeling akin to terror crept over the maiden.
But she could only wait—listen to the roar of
the falls and the black waters chafing the rock
on which she stood. And as she lifted her e es
and followed the dark summit of the ridge t at
rose u before her, what dark objects were
those e saw moving athwart the clear sly?

They were savages, though Silvia di not
know it. ~

Presently a light streamed through the mist
and fallin water, and looking, Silvia saw‘that
the latter ad been d near the middle,
and about ten feet above the stream by some
contrivance of the ranger, and that the light
was burning inthe mouth of the cavern, several
feet beyon

in a moment the canoe with the ran er shot
out through the opening and came ongside
the rock where Silvia stood. Assisting ‘her in
as though she had been a child. the kind-hearted
ran-er took a gum blanket that he had brou ht
from the cavern and wrapped it, hood 1 e.
over her head and shoulders, that the spray and

iug water might not drench her. He then

up the , die and drove the came through

themist an vapor, between the parted waters

of the falls, and as far beyond as the water had
backed beneath the jutting rock.

' “ Here we Miss Sanford " said Rainbolt
removing the b anket from Silvia’s head and
shoulders.

Bbe glanced around and above. ‘A glaring

'pine torch, fixed in a niche in the Wall, lit :15
the place. Fromthe rim of the canoe aspi
Mofstone steps led u into the great rock.
Overhead the rocky coil ng was studded with
countless numbers of stalactites, on the sharp
nts of which hungdrops of water that flashed

' so many diamonds. Here and there a little
jet of water poured down in ribbons of foam.

“This,” said the ranger, pointing to a kind
of sweep fixed upon a ivot. and reaching out
likes at am, “is w at I divide the waters
of the Is with, while I am passing in and out
of sheesvern. By allowin that end to ban
down as it does, it reaches t rou h the descen ‘
ing sheet of water and divides t as it now is:
and then by simply lowering this end and hoist-
ing that, thus, the waters close and flow on just
as they did before.

He too; her hand and assisted her from the
boat. and then, lifting the glowing torch from
the wall. they began ascending the rude stone
steps. The ascent required much care and
time, for the stones were easily displaced and a
single misstep might prove fatal; but, finally,
the top was reached and a dark. capacious
chamber was spread out before them. The ranger
stared and held the torch a ve his head.

via started back with a 0w cry of terror,

for the light flashed upon the form of a huge -

r crouched at her feet. _
“Fear not, Miss Sanford," said the ranger;
“he will not harm you. It is Perle. my pet
panther,- I should have spoken of him before
and save}! you this sudden alright. Ay, Purle,
mv 5‘. . . ._‘ _
panther sprung up and espsred around
hamster-with apparent joy. ' ’

-of skins was stretched from one we

ied Silvia, spring- ,

rocky w
' Having offered up

 

“Oh!” suddenly exclaimed» Rainbolt, while

caressing the beautiful creature, “I had forgot-‘

ten that in other pet, Echo, my eagle, is still
out. I wil conduct you to your room, Miss
’Sanford, and then call him in.

They moved alon the rocky chamber that
resounded sepulchra , with their footfalls, the
panther skipping playfully before them. Pres~
ently they came to where a curtain or t ition

o the
other. Lifting one corner of it they passed be-
on .

“Now,” said the ranger, with a smile of em-
barrassment, “you are in the kitchen of Rodger
Rainbolt, your humble servant. You will not
find thin here, even as you would in a bache-
lor’s kitc en in Omaha, but men are poor house
keepers, you know.”

Silvia was surprised with the neatness of the
apartment. and the order and variety of its fur-
niture; but she said nothing, fearing that the
ranger might construe her language of praise as
that of unmeaning and polite compliment.

Another partition of skins hanging at right—
angles with the first, separated the kitchen from
another apartment, into which the ranger con-
ducted the maiden. *

“ This,” he said, “is my sitting-room,
bedroom and library all combined. An now,
pray be seated, Miss Sanford, and make our-
self at home while I go and bring my eag e up.
You see I think a great deal of my pets,” and
lighting a lamp that sat near, he turned and
went out.

The apartment in which the young" ' 1 now
found herself was far more comforts 1e than
could have been expected under the circum-
stances, and was well lighted by a large lamp of
stone filled with bear’s oil. In a. short time the
ranger returned, bringing in the eagle, and then
announced h‘ intention of preparing supper,
asking Silvia o be seated until his return.

In the course of an hour he again entered,
bearing in his hands a rude but am le repeat,
and with up tite sharpened by the ong ride,
thggl. partoo of, and thoroughly enjoyed the
in

After an r was over, the ranger made
known to 5 guest the pro mine he had
adapted for her restoration to er father, which
met her hearty approval. She was to remain
there until he could, find her father and bring
him there, or take her to where he was.

By this time the night was near, and the ran-

r, seeing that the eyes of his guest were grow-
ing heavy for want of sleep, arose and, turning
to leave the room, said: -

“As you are doubtless sleepy and fatigued,
Miss Sanford, you can appropriate this room
and that pallet of furs, such as it is, for your
own sleeping-apartment, and retire whenever
you feel so di .” ,

He hid her ood-night and went into the other
apartment, w ere he constructed him a couch
and laid down, his panther curled down at his
feet andallliis eagle perched in a niche in the

garlor,

a fervent rayer to her
Heav nly Father. 8 his sought Ker couch and
soon 3 e was wrapt in a sound, refreshing slum-

 

cumna. v11.
an imsmun‘s Buss.

Tin: greatest excitement prevailed in the hun-
ters’ cam over the sudden, mysterious death of
Waylau Sanford. Everythin within the young
doctor’s war was done in opesof restoring
him to its, but all to no purpose. His limbs
were cold and stiff, and his e es, thou h wide
0 n, had that ston ,‘ glassy are, and is face

e ghastly pallor o the dead.

“ t’s no use, boys; he’s gone,” said the young
doctor; “ his death by apoplexy was caused by
over-exertion and mental excitement.”

“ Poor uncle Wa land!" sighed Frank. “We
have all been afrai of this for ears. He was
a victim of the heart-disease, an had a nervous
and excitable temperament to aggravate it, and
alas! the abduction of his daughter, the weari-
some pursuit'without food and rest, and finally,
that paper placed in his hand by the ranger, did
the work.” , ' ' ‘ ‘ “

“ But why should it?” asked young Lyman.

“That’s what I cannot tell,” replied Frank.
“ Uncle Wayland has been a man of the world
——has‘spent much of his life awayrfrom home
among strangers, in California, in Pike’s Peak,
in the army u n the frontier. and to me his life

has been a sea ed limit—esecret volume in which
this vary Relation maybe an important char-
.er ” "'.- . -  =1 <~

The lifeless form was placed upon a blanket

va

turning he proceeded” down the stream.

 

 

near the fire, the rigid limbs straightened out,
and the pale hands folded across his breast.

Ebony Jim burst into a paroxysrn ‘of sorrow,
as he looked down upon the pale face of the
colonel.

“What is he to
Ebony? and why
asked Willis.

“ Oh, good Lor’l and wasn’t be de father of
poor Florence Wall-even?”

“And what about Florence? what do you
know of her?”

“Why, wasn’t she de wife of Warren Wal—
ravsui and wasn’t poor Massa Walraven do
good master ob dis poor, black nigger?”

“And what about your. master and the
Devil’s Tarn of which he forbade you speaking é”

“Oh, good Lor’l don’t ask dat,” the negro
replied, glancing toward the form of the colo-
ne . “ I fears him,” pointing to the dead.

“ He is dead; you need not fear him now.”

“De spirit ain’t dead—no, no: I’ll tells you
some time, not now.”

Ebony was obstinate, and as Frank could
elicit no information from him he turned away,
greatly mystified.

By this time day was breaking, and before
ion the sun arose clear and warm.

fiick O’Flynn went out in search of food for
breakfast, and soon returned with a quarter of
deer-meat. A fire was struck and a great
quantity of the venison roasted.

Breakfast over, a and duty was to be per—
formed—the duty of inng the colonel’s

on, more than a stranger,
c you mourn over him?’

body.
An hour was spentin digginga shallow grave;
the dirt being loosened Wit huntin -knives and

thrown out by the hands. The orm of the

colonel was now wrapped in a blanket taken from
the shoulders of one of the dead Indians, his
face covered with his hat, and then laid away
in the narrow se cher.

This sad duty performed, a council was held,
and after due consideration it was decided that
Frank Armond and Walter Lyman. with the
Irishman, should ursue a- southward direction
throu h the Blac Hills, while Willis Armoml.
and fialph Rodman, accompanied by Ehony
Jim, should take a southwesterly course, and in
cass they did not overtake the savages before
they reached their village, they were all to
meet at a certain point near the stronghold
known to the hunters, when they would make
other arrangements. '

Scareer an hour after their de arture, 'a
score of sava es emerged from the crest into
the little gla e, and, as their e es fell upon the
lifeless forms of their frien s lying around,
they uttered a. wild, revengeful cry, and turn-
ing, they glided awa into the woods like so
many blood-hounds, irectly upon the trail of
wfihm mm: Fli k or: 6

course 0 c ynn an la
through the heart of the Black Hungary”;-
a rou h, mountainous region, but they pushed
rapid y ahead,‘h0ping to overtake the savages
before reaching the villa e.

The first dag s travel ound them but fifteen
miles from w ere they had started in the morn-
ing. At the end of the second da ’5 journe ,
the went into camp about two In es from t e
M icine Bow river.

Almost wearied out, Walter and Frank
stretched themselves upon the ground to mil:
over their serious dicament, while the Irish-
man struck a fire y which to prepare supper.
But unfortunately, when the fire was struck
there was nothing to pre are for supper, so

O’Fl nn proposed to go n search of game,
lea ng the young men at camp.
In a few moments after his de rture. the

young unskilled sportsmen seemed o forget the
caution enjoined upon them by the hunter, and
producing a pack of cards, concluded to indul e
n the pleasant pastime of "seven-up,” until i e
loquacious friend and guide returned. How-
ever, the beginning of t e game seemed to have
been ominous of evil, for a that moment, four
dark figures glided from the dc nin shad0ws
of the woods with a hideous ye i, an , are the
young men had time to realise the “run of
the game,” they were stretched upon the
ground and bound hand and foot, prisoners in
the hands of the Cheyennes. ' .
Having secured their prisoners the set of! to.
ward the river, compe ling the w fies, with
their hands tied behind their backs, to ’ walk in

advance. . >
time Flick was continuing his

In. the mean
hunt. -
He had pursued his comes across the bottom
togthe river without finding any gang; int;
P 3Q
gone out a short diste’n is infinite direction when.

 

 

The Sky Demon.

7

 

 

he spied a large canoe with a solitary Indian in
it, moored near the bank. The savage evident-
ly was waiting for some one, judging from the
impatient look he would now and then flash
into the woods at his side. Simultaneous with
the discovery of the Indian, the Irishman heard
aloud yell in the direction of the camp, and
well he knew its import. But, to be Certain, he
turned and hastened back toward his friends,
and as he neared the camp he saw that his fears
were confirmed. Frank and Walter were pris-
oners and were being conducted through the
forest toward the river.

The savages were goin directly toward that

int on the river where e had seen the Indian
in the canoe, and he knew full well that he was
one of the same arty. So turning, he ran with
all possible speed) back to the river. He reached
the bunk several rods above where the Indian
still sat in the canoe, and, dr0pping upon his
hands and knees, he began crawling down to-
ward the red-skin.

It was his object to put the savage out of the
way, and as he did not wish to raise an alarm
by firing his gun, he resolved to trust to his
shillalah.

The Indian was seated with his face down the
stream, and, as Flick a roached him, he dis-
covered him to be 21 ha] greed. He was dressed
in an old ragged suit of clothes, no doubt taken
from some white victim. An old straw hat sur-
mounted his head, with what little there re.
mained of the brim lopped down over his eyes
almost concealing his face.

Flick crawled on with the silence of a shadow,
and had nearly reached the canoe when his foot
caught in a vine and he was thrown heavily to
the ground, making no little confusion. An in-
voluntary oath escaped his lips as he sprung up
and re ared to flee, but to his surprise he saw
the ndian never mwed.

“ Success to mees’ plan, he's dafc!” muttered
tlhe hunter, and he moved on toward‘the red-
s in.

He had almost succeeded in reaching the
water’s ed e when the savage turned his head
and saw im. In a moment the red-man
snatched up his tomahawk from the bottom of
the canoe and hurled it at the head of the Irish-
man. But the latter divined his intention, and
falling flat upon his face in the sand, the Wea-
pon passed harmlessly over. The savage did
not utter a single :ord nor sound. and it was

uite evident now that he was both deaf and

umb.

“And sthill so much the better," exclaimed
the Irishman, and quicker than thought he
sprung u and into the canoe, and givmg the
half-brass a tap on the head, settled him down
perfectly unconscious.

In a minute the Irishman had stripped him of
his ragged clothes and donned them himself.
As the Indian was the largest man, he (Flick)
had no trouble in putting the clothes on over his
OWn, and with the two suits on he appeared
fully as large as the red-skin and equally as
woeful.

Flick then saw a little bark canoe restin un-
der some willows that fringed the bank. raw-
ing it out he placed the unconsc'ous half-breed
therein and sent him adrift, knowing that ere
he recovered his senses he would be far enough
away.

So far things had worked like a charm, and
having smeared his face and hands With a

igment of dark clay, and drawing the old hat-

rim down ovsr his eyes, the disguise was com-

leted, trustin to the gathering twilight to
hide all imper .ections.

Flick now concealed his shillalah under his
ragged coat, his rifle under the seat of the
capacious canoe, and then, procuring the sav-
age’s'tomahawk, took his seat in the canoe.

B_ this time it was nearly dark, and, inasmuch
as Fylick was to play the part of a deaf and dumb
Indian, he felt perfectly safe in his daring feat
to rescue his friends, but, when he saw the
savages emerge from the woods and approach
the canoe, his heart almost ceased to heat
through fear of be‘ng detected.

CHAPTER VIII.
ENTRAPPED.

THROUGH his perfect knowledge of the coun-
try. Ebony Jim with his party succeeded in
making about twenty miles the first day. They
then encamped on the edge of a small glade. 9“
three sides of which arose the dark woods, while
on the fourth side a tall, jutting rock, some fifty
feet high, frowned down on the little glade. At
the base of this rock our friends selected their
camp, which would not only afford a shelter
from the heavy, chilly dew, but a protection
from an Indian attack in the rear.

 

 

Somethingwlike an hour had passed, during
which time illis and Ralph had expressed a
wish for a little excitement to keep them awake.
In the mean time the practiced eyes of Ebony
had espied several dark forms moving to and
fro along the edge of the timber, but within, its
shadow.

That they meant harm the negro know well
enough, and be resolved at once to make them
“ show their hand.” Saying nothing, he crept
out of the cam , and securing Igood cover,
awaited the red- ins’ approach. ot long did
he waif, howeVer, for soon the head and breast
of a red-painted warrior appeared, scanning
the glade camp with basilisk eyes.

Ebony was on the alert with a novel weapon
—a round stone of the size of a hen’s egg. With
out noise, he threw the stone with wonderful
power and precision, striking the savage s uare
n the forehead, and without a groan the L ey-
enne fell forward upon his face—a dead man.

“Hi, hil” the negro chuckled, “ uess dat
imp’s squaw‘ll be waitin’ a good whi e for her
next beatin’.”

Not another savage appeared, and Ebony re-
turned to camp to wntc and wait.

Two or three hours passed without an de-
monstration on the part of the savages, an the
watchful whites began to congratulate them-
selves on their enemies having withdrawn,
when suddenly the whole heavens over them
became lit up with the glare of the midday
sun, and the next moment a great ball of dry,
matted pine brush c‘me rolling over the edge
of the cliff, wrapped in a sheet of red, hissing

ame.

1t fell at the feet of our friends, lighting up
their hiding-place with a blindin" glare, and
exposin r them to the savages’ aim, while to
them all was inky gloom beyond the radius of
1i rht made by the burning brush.

here was no alternative but to take to the
woods.

“ Follow dis nigga’, boys!” exclaimed Ebony,
springing from under the rock, and rushing
across the opening.

Willis and Ra ph did as commanded, and
they all would have succeeded in reaching the
she ter of the wood safely, but, unfortunately,
Ralph stumbled, and before he could gain his
feet, he was seized by a number of savages that
layzin ambush near, and made prisoner.

bony and Willis saw their companion cap-
tured, but, as they could render no assistance
against such fearful odds, they dashed on and
made good their escape into the woods.

They could hear the yells of the Indians back
at the cliff, and to ascertain what was goin on
they crept back to a point of observation. ey
saw the red-skins, a score in number, grouped
around the captive under the edge of the c ifl,
but of course they could not tell what disposi-
siou they were going to make of him.

For some time the negro sat in a deep study.
Presently he started up with what he considered
a ” br' ht idea ” and which he at once commu-
nicate to Wil is.

Ten minutes later, had the savages under
the cliff glanced across the opening, the would
bavo seen the body of their comrade, t at was
slain by the negro, dragged from the edge of
the glade by some invisible power into the
clum of shrubbery some ten feet away. This
was one by Ebony fixing the screw of is ram-
rod in a long pole which he slid along upon the
ground until it came in contact with the sav-
age’s body; he then twisted the screw into the
dead fellow’s garments, and dragged him into
the brush—for what purpose will soon be shown.

The savages did not notice the disappearance
of their comrade’s body, so intent were they in
the council that was eing held to determine
the fate of their captive. Some were in favor
of tomahawking him on the spot. some of burn-
ing him, and some one thing and some another.
Finally, it was settled that the captive select
his own choice of death, from burning, the
Eilnéiilawk, and jumping from the chi! over-

t'il .

The choice was rather a difficult one. Death
by the tomahawk and jumping from the cliff
would be instantaneous, while by burning. his
chanccs of being rescued by Ebony and Willis
would be prolonged as well as h s suflering.
And so he took his choice of death by burning
at the stake.

The captive’s hands were free, but his legs
were bound so tightly that the bonds cut the
flesh and in this manner he was compelled to
stan , perfectly motionless. .

In a moment all hands were busied in erect-
ing a stake in the center of the glade, gathering
fuel and making other preparations for the
grand torture; and while thus engaged, a voice

 

suddenly rung out on the night air, clear and
distinct:

“ Seize the rope, Rodman—seize the rope i”

All eyes were drawn involuntarily toward
the woods across the moonlight opening, whence
the voice had emanated, and at that instant
Ralph Rodman, the doomed captive, arose from
the ground, floated u ward, upward through
the air—up alon 1 the ace of the cliff; and when
the savages again turned, they found he had
Vanished from their midst like mist before the
morning sun—gone they knew not where: but,
suddenly a great black object lea ed from the
edge of the cliff overhead, and fa ling in their
midst crushed half their number to atoms. It
was a huge stone. rolled over the cliff by Ebony
Jim, who had also saved Rnlph by drawing
him 11 l with a rope made of the dead Indinn‘s
bucks 'in garments, and lmvered at the moment
that the snvagrs’ attention was drawn toward
the woods.

Thus Eben ’s “bright idea” had roved a
success. VVhi e Willis remained in t e woods
to draw ,the attention of the savages, at the
same time warn Ralph of their presence, the
no ro had crept around to the top of the cliff.
an at the instant Willis called out, he dropped
one end of the rose, and as it fell plump on
Ralph’s head, he be his friend’s command for-
cibly and instant] impressed upon his mind,
and seizing hold 0 the rope he was drawn up
to the top of the cliff—saved.

Without loss of time they hurried from the
place, and two hours' travel brought them to
the mouth of a large Cave, where .hey at once
concluded to spend the night.

They veniured to strike a fire new, for they
were wet and chill with the heavy dew. They
were just within t e mouth of the cavern, and
as the fire lighted up the surrounding gloom, it
revealed the dark opening back into the hill.

Ralph and Willis at once determined to ex-

lore the cavern. Ebony remonstrated, but as

0 could give no reason for his objections, the
young advsnturers procured a torch and set our,
eaving the negro to stand guard at the en-
trance.

Led on b the increasing wonders and magni-
ficence of t e place, they threaded the winding
passage for Seycral hundred feet, when they
emerged into a wide, on crime chamber.

Here they halted am held the torch above
their heads.

“ Hist! didn’t you hear footsteps?” exclaimed
Willis, suddenly.

“ Fudge! no ; you’re getting nervous,” returned
Ralph, ‘and imagine you hear the footsteps of
ghosts. Come, let us look further, old boy. No
su rstition— Heavens!”

be last exclamation was caused by a sound
in the narrow passage resembling the rolling of
a heavy body on trucks. It came from the as-
sage behind them, and filled with no little ear
and curiosity, they turned and began to retrace
their footsteps.

They had one but a few steps when they
heard the ho low, rumbling noise again, and
what was their surprise and horror to see an
immense rock slide out from the great wall and
completely block their passe 9.

Rs] h raised the torch a ove his head and
fume to Willis, speechless with terror.

At that instant a wild, demoniac laugh of
triumph, that seemed to issue from the lips of a
legion of fiends, rested the young men’s ears as
it echoed throug the hollow chambers of the
cavern.

They were entrapped in the den of mountain
robbers!

In the meanwhile Ebony Jim, hearing the
yells of lau hter proceeding from the interior,
quickly div ned the cause, and knowing that he
could be of no assistance to the eung men,
dashed off at a great speed into the crest.

For several hours he pursued his way, his in-
tention being to hunt up Flick O‘Flynn, and
daylight found him many miles from the rob-
bers’ cave. '

He had be tun to feel satisfied that he had
esca ed his white enemies when, as he was pass-
ing t rough a narrow defile, his car can ht the
sound of footsteps, and the next instant e saw
three dark figures Coming directly toward him.
uick as thought he swung himself u 'ward
into the branches of a thick WHOM 1y Oé at
length upon a large limb, he anxiously awaited
the approach of the party. -

CHAPTER IX.
“sononon srmnoa, MY LORD.”

Two days Silvia had passed in the ranger’s
homo. Two days the ranger had spent in fruit-
less search of her father among the wilds of the
Black Hills. But the kind-hearted man had

 

l

 

..~......p —

 

I lived in Cromwell’s time.”

. truthfullyé my lord."

 
   

8

every reason to believe'that he would yet find
him, and encouraged the maiden’s impatient
spirits b the tenderest words of hope.

With is eagle he had left the cavern in the
trampling, and after a hard day’s ride returned
a n g t.

The third day) Rainbolt set out upon his mis~
sion, in which e had begun to feel a strange
interest.

It was toward noon that, while ascendin a
steep bill, be came suddenly face to face with a
strange-looking individual who had come from
the other side ‘of the ridge.

The stranger stopped directly in front of the
ranger, as i he were going to dispute his pas-
sage. Rainbolt drew rain and scanned the fel~
low from head to foot.

He was tall, standing fully six feet in his
moccasins, with an ungainly form, and. eyes
whose color could not be defined in the shadow
of their scraggy, beetling br0ws. The com-
plexion of his ace was a dirty sallow, though
it was almost hidden beneath its growth of
grizzly gray whiskers that reached to the man’s
wais .

Altogether he was a wretched specimen of
hnmamt , and Rainbolt could not suppress a
smile as 0 took in his doleful figure.

The strange creature carried a huge knotted
club, with which he menaced the ranger.

“ What is your name?” asked the fierce-look-
ing man, abruptly.

"35y name is Rodger Rainbolt—who are
you

"Solomon Strange, my lord,” the man re-
filled, boastfully. .“I am just from ‘Merry

ugland’ across the water, the water.”

“ A foreigner," replied the ranger; “and
what brings on here Mr. Strange?”

“ Ho! ho! 01 my lord,” he laughed, with an
imbecile leer; “a love for the chase brings me
here. In Merry En land acres; the Water, I
was gamekee er to liver Cromwell. Do you
know you loo so much like 111 lord Oliver,
thatIcan’t hel calling on my 0rd? Surely.
you are some re ation to im, to him, my lor .”

“ None at all,” replied the ranger, much
amused; “but you are an aged man to have

“ So I am, so I am, to lord; but the swiftest
that ever came from t e land of the Orient—
the swiftest of all save your half-brother the
Lightning’s bolt.” .

“Crazy,” muttered the scout, to himself,
“ or my as a icon.” Then he said aloud:

‘.'.You are a- wonderful man, Solomon
Strange ” ..

“So I am, so I am, my lord Oliver—Thun~
derbolt, I mean; and I can read the st and
future to you, my lord, like an open k, an

ope book)? V
“_. n hips you can tell me where those
are [seek ’ sa' the ranger, humoring his crazy

whims. , _

“ hose are Iseek.” the man re ated; “ yes
yes, yes; there arefive of them, t you

not hunt, my lord. Oneof them lies dead and
buried where, Lou last saw, him, and the others
are scattered t o h the mountains.”

The ranger woul have beensurprised had- be
known how, truthfull the man had 8 oken’,
whether, gifted. with he power of seco sight
or not. v .“

Solomon Strange was silent for a moment,
then he. continued:

“ I see you doubt my words, my lord, for you
do not know whether I speak the truth or not;
but try rue—ask me other questions—such as
you‘ will know whether I answer truthfully,

" Then ell me for what I seek. these persons,
or somethin touching it) past.”

“ I can tel you some in of both, of both,
my lord,” said the man, clos ng his sunken eyes
and graspin the knotted staff in both hands.

"In the t question I see a baautiful girl,
withgolden rln lets and soft blue eyes. Ay,
do I not. my 10 , do i not?” ’

The ranger started with su rise. Before he
could speak, Strange continu :

“Yes, yes. it is so, my lord; I see the answer
upon your I rd. A ; niow your!- past,

ourqu my 0 y, s oomy, oomy‘.
 e and sorrow is tIe ‘01:?qu feet’

moves, our e es, 0 not .

“ Razor mind; {go on,ygo on,” replied the ran-
ger, with a strange curiosity.

Strange continued:

“ Yes, trouble and sorrow in the crow’s feet,
and what beyond! Ay. a grou of men, a
military tribunal. a cashlered ea in, and who
iathat gnawing hhr way thr ,, the bills, the
hills? ~nowlsee.my ;itistl~-eca_I

 

w
  and now“th

The.

less, see-emerge from the woods and seize the
captain? Ay, it’s a legion of dusky 'fiends,
fiends, and t en, oh,.then, what beyond that,
my lord? A canoe, a canoe' drifting drifting
down a wild mountain stream, and in it lies
tfie cashiered captain bound hand and foot and
t e canoe with the captain is drifting, drifting
toward what? Ay, thward death—the falls the
falls— 0h, Godl he has gone over, and all be-
yOnd is black, black’ as—"

The man's words were here cut short by a
bullet whizzing in close proximity to his head,
closely followed by the report of a rifle. Throw-
ing up his hands, he exclaimed:

“ Away, Rainbolt! away! the fiends, the fiends
are after on again. Save yourself for the
girl’s sake! ’ and turning, the man glided away
into the forest. ‘

At this instant, Echo, the eagle, appeared
OVer his master’s head, and uttered a wild
scream which the ranger knew to be his signal
of‘approachigg danger, and s aking to his ani-
mal, he dash awa down t e stony hill with
:score of mounted heyennes thundering after

1m.

The ranger shaped his course back toward his
hidden home, for the language of the madman,
Solomon Strange, had so fearfully impressed
his mind that he could not pursue the search
for Silvia’s father until he had time for reflec-
tion.

After an hour’s hard ridin he entered a level,
wooded valley, through whic wound the waters
of Lodge Pole creek.

He now rrined his noble animal to a walk,
inasmuch as he had distanced his pursuers, but,
suddenly, his eagle came swoo ing down with
the warning cry of danger, an again he rode
on at the top of his animal’s speed.

He had gone thus some two miles, when he
suddenly dashed from the thick timbers into an
o n lain, and what was his surprise to find
himse f in the outskirt of an Indian village.

It required but a single glance to see that the
ludians were Cheyennes, and great was his sur-
prise to see Black Bear among them.

The ranger’s situation was precarious. He
could not turn back without running into the
power of those he was fleeing from; nor could
he turn to the right nor the aft on account of
the almost, perpendicular hills on one side and
the creek on the other. So there was no alter-
native but to ride directly through the heart of
the village, and drawing his saber and giving
his animal the reins, he dashed on.

He was half-we through the village ere the
savages discovere the daring ranger in their
midst, and was gone like the wind, before they
had recovered sufficiently to pursue.

, CHAPTER X.
A MIDNIGHT BURIAL.

Faun: and Walter’s captors advanced toward
the canoe in which Flick O'Flynn, sat, and great
was the Irishman’s relief when he saw that they
did not penetrate hisdisguise. '

For several moments the deaf and dumb In-
dian capered around the two oung men, hoping
to give them a signal, but un o unately for im,
in cutting these ranks, Wa ter gave him a
kick in the stomac that fairly doubled him on
the beach.

Present) one of the savages motioned for his
supposed eat and dumb comrade to take a seat
in t e stern of the canoe, which he accordingly
did with a jump.

The ca time were then'placed on the seat
next to h m, facing the same way. Two of the
save with tomahawks seated themseIVes fac-
inig‘glie captives, while the other two took up the

es.

“Holy Vargiol” muttered the Irishman to
himself, as the canoe shot out, “ what if were
overtake the canoe with the rhale Mr. Lo into
it? I niwr thought of that—wirra!”

And this they were quite likely to do. for
they moved rapidly down the stream. How—
ever.' Flick was not long in making mental
preparations for the emergency that was sure
to come—and which did come sooner than be
than t for. ’

In ess than half an hour the canoe rounded
an abrupt bend in the stream, and but a 'few
rods in advance of them Flick saw the Indian
that he had sent adrift sitting up in the canoe
and gesticulatiug in an excited manner with
one hand while with the ot‘ier he was trying to
paddle the little craft up the stream. Quick as
a flash Flick arose to his feet and pointed in an
excited manner toward the savage. The two

 

guards turned quickly around tosee what the
mute wished call “their attention to, and at
that‘instant‘ V "Irishman drew his shilialah

 wheat, andch ferward 

 

the captivos’heads, dealt the savages a blow

on the head that sent themheels over head
intot’he Medicine Bow. And then he uttered a
yell, and springing over the captives’ heads,
served the two oarsmen a blow on the head that
caused them to release their hold on the ears
find; sink down quietly and unconscious at his
so .

“ Ay, now,” exclaimed the supposed mute In-
dian, turning to the wondering ca tives, “it
was alick on the bead wid me shi lalah that
made mees known to the rhed bla’guards, and
shill I make meeself known to yees blvnd jack-
asses the same?”

“ Flick, as I am a confounded fool!" exclaimed
Frank.

“And it’s a party mess yees hev got into,”
said the Irishman, cutting their bonds.

In the mean time the real mute Indian had
succeeded in reaching the shore and making his
escape. .

Flick now pitched the two unconscxous oars-
men out into the water. and taking the paddle,
sent the craft flying dpwn the stream.

In a few minutes an island densely covered
with timber was reached, and the party landed
and drew the canoe up on the beach.

The trio did not strike a fire for fear of at-
tracting the attention of the Indians, should any
be lurking in the vicinity, and so they were
compelled to go without supper.

Seating themselves in the shadow of the un-
dergrowth, where they could not be seen, they
entered into conversation; but this was soon
interrupted by the sound of paddles.

Rising to their feet and looking upstream,
they discovered a canoe containing our men
coming down toward the island.

They listened and discovm‘ed that they were
whites, but not feeling free to make nown
their presence until they ascertained whether
they were friends or foes, or whether they were
going to land on the island or not, they took
their wee ns and climbed up a in 0 tree that
stood in t e center of the island an concealed
themselves among the thick boughs, where they
could command a view of the canoe and its cc-
cu'Fants. , ' ,

he canoe landed in a few moments, and
then came an exclamation: '

“Hello, b0 3, here’s a canoe! and what if sum
’un is outer t e island?”

“ HeaVensi” exclaimed another, in a tone of
fear “ s’pose you go look ’round an’ see."

" pm you go to the devil, Phil Greball!" '
replied the first speaker. “Do you think that
Ebenezer Fro oot’s oin’ to be a fool and ven-
ter out thar a one an git my carcass riddled
with bplletsi No, sir-ee, you can’t come thet

ame.

“ Ye would if ye wer’n’t a coward,” return: d

m 0

“Humphl I’ll bet all the gold in the—the
hills thet you’re afeard ter walk ’rourd this ’ere
islatnd onc’t,” said the important Ebenezer Frog-
oo .

“ Ag now,” whispered Flick O’Fiynn “ they
are ro hers a mees is a born Irishman.

“ And cowards too,” added Walter.

“Yes. but kee still: they may do or say
something to our neflt,” said Frank.

And so they listened and watched.

The matter of scouting the island was finally
settled by all a reeing to go in a bod .

So the four rave men got themselves into
“i e and began beating around through the
brush, but they found nothing. ,

“ No one here, thank fox tune,” said one of the
robbers; “ that canoe has drifted there some
time ’1' of her. ”

"Then let’s bring it ashore.” said another,
whereupon they all returned to the canoe. v

One of their number now lit a lantern, which
sent a red beam of light across the island. Two
of the men then took up a dark object from'the
canoe. and following t e one with the lantern,
advanced toward the interior of the island.

“Here’s the spot,” said the robber with the
light. sto ping directly under the tree in which
our frien s were ensconced.

The two with the burden advanced and placed
it on the ground at the foot of the tree.

Ourfriends started with a shudder at what
they saw.

It was a beautiful silver-mounted eofin !

CHAPTER XI.
A me u m nnm’s rm.

Tux Devil’s Tarn and the stal Falls were
one and the same. The latter' ame had been
given the torrent of Rodger R inholt; who, as
the reader already knews.="dwelt in the secret
cavern whose entrancaI wat'corcealed ‘by the
falls. ’To those dwelling in teemountains—tha

 

 

The Sky Demon.

 

hunters, robbers and Indians—the place was
known as the Devil’s Tarn, and by this name we
will call it hereafter.

It was about two hours of midnight on the
same day that Rodger Rainbolt had unexpect-
edly rode into the Indian encampment on Lodge
Pole that the fl 6 of a man wrapped in a kind
of military cloa , and wearing a broad-brimmed
hat and pair of high-top boots, and carrying
a bull’s-eye lantern, mig t have been seen pacing
toand fro beneath the boughs of a great pine
tree that stood but a few feet from the head of
the Devil’s Tarn.

Presently his keen ear caught the soft tread of
moccasined feet, and the next moment a dark,
hairy figure emerged from the black wond and
advanced toward him. The man lifted his lau-
tern and flashed it upon the figure of the new-
comer.

It was Black Bear, the Cheyenne chief. And
the man who held the slantern was Duval Dun-
gsrvon, the robber-captain.

“ Ay, Duval Dungarvon, and so you’re on
filing,‘ said the chief, seizing the robber by the

an .

“ Yes, my handsome Black Bear, I am always
up‘to time; but where’s the girl?” replied Dun-
garvon.

B “Gone to the devil,” bluntly replied Black
ear.

“Come, now, don’t trifle with me, Biufe
Brandon!” exclaimed the robber-captain, fierce-
ly. “ I ask on where the girl is?”

“ And I to 1 you she’s gone to the devil,” re-
turned the chief.

“ What do you mean, Brandon l”

“ Simply what I say; that infernal white
ranger known as Rainbolt rode into camp,
picked up your girl, and—”

“ And what!” gasped the robber-captain with
impatient rage and ury.

‘ And went—to—the—devil with her, as I told
you before,” returned, with emphasis, the chief.

The robbercaptain ground his teeth with rage,
813111111de his foot With fury, and swore a terrible
on . '

l “ Come, come, Dungarvonl I am going-e”

“Yes, yes!” returned Dungarvon savagely,
“you’re always going to do something. Just
:ike a: any way, the girl’s in California by this

ime. .

“ Not a bit of it, Captain Duva ,”'returned
Black Bear; “that girl is in these ‘Hills,’ and
wherever Rainbolt is, she is also; and I know he
is not far away.”

“ Well, how do you know?”

“Because he rode right through the heart of
our encampment to-day, and—”

“ And escaped l”

“ Yes, escaped.”

f‘Ha! ha! al ha!” laughed the robber-cap-
tain, his voice ringin out above the roar of the
Devil’s Tarn: “wel that beats anything on
record. But do you know who that ranger is?”
f :dY”es, your rival for the hand of Silvm. Sen-
0 .

“Curse you, Brandon; if it wasn’t for One
thin I’d shoot you for your insolence.”

“ odoubt of it, and it wouldn’t be the first
man vyou’d shoot, either ” returned Black Bear.

“ ell, well, let’s talk business, Black Bear-
I’m bound to have that girl if I have to wade
through fire and brimstone.”

“Whew, captain! but you’re desperately in,

“In lovel”.sneere‘d the captain; “humph! all
I want the girl for is to torture Sanford, for I
know he worships her like I did the dark-eyed
Ines, her mother. He cheated me out of the
other girl,_and I’ll be hanged if, he does this
one. But if he could jist get hold on old Barker
he’d be all right; but. I’ll .see to Barker. For
two years he has lain in prison u at my ranch,
and seems as though he never wil die. He’s no-
thing but a living skeleton now, and if I wasn’t
afraid of needin him some time I’d tumble him
into the Dead . But to business. Now,
if you will hunt up and deliver into my hands,
at my ranch, within the next week, Silvia San—
ford, I will add five thousand more to what I
oflered on at Omaha. What say you?”

f‘I’ll cit, if it costs me every brave in my
tribe," (1 Black Bear, excited at the liberal
reward 0 his friend.

“And ‘therois another th , Brandon,” said
the I'Obbor'chie‘: -“I.was thin ng..that, if on
were one of my d, as well as an In ian
chief, we could throw our forces together and
work tors better. advantage.”

“And I’ve been thinkin’ that I weald like to
join your order if it wasn’t for your confounded
initiatory ceremony.”  .. . . .

“ I’ll admit it does makes fellow a little shaky
«I; -‘~‘ but I’ll tell you

inthejoints,”mianicarv

 

what I’ll do. If you will meet me tomorrow
noon at the Lone Pine, I’ll give a synopsis of
the ‘ceremony,’ that you wi not be unnerved
in case you will join us.”

“I’ll do it ! " returned the reneggie emphati-
cally; “to-morrow noon at Lone 'ne, and I’ll
expect you to tell me the truth in re ard to the
‘ ceremony,’ for a nice story it woul be to get
out, that Black Bear, the great Cheyenne
chief, had shown the white feather at a cere-

mongl’
“ al ha! ha! Brandon,” lau bed Dungarvon;
“you are naturally weak in t 0 joints, but let
it be understood—tomorrow noon, at Lone
Pine. ”

“ I will not fail you, rest assured,” Said Black
Bear.

Dun rvon mounted a horse which he had
bitche near, and soon he was thundering away
over the stony hills, back to his den.

Black Bear turned and glided away through
the woods toward his village, and as e did so,
a figure—the figure of a tall man with long,
yellow, disheveled hair streaming behind, and
carryin a heavy club, crept from the bushes
within ve feet of where the villains had held
their interview, and stole with the silence of a
phantom after the chief, his huge club upraised
to beat him down.

It was Solomon Strange, the madman.

 

CHAPTER XII.
SILVIA’S TROUBLES.

SILVIA SANFORD did not spend her days of
confinement in the ranger’s home in tears and
mum». Far from it, though she felt anxious
and uneasy about her father s safet . She was
perfectly contented in the society 0 the ranger,
and his books when he was absent. Too, she
had spent much of her time in wandering
through the cavern, watching the falls and the
beautiful trout that gamboled through the crys-
tal waters. .

It was on the morning following the night of
Duval Dun arvon and Black Bear’s meeting,
that the f s were parted a short time after
sunrise, and a canoe, in which were the ranger
and Silvia. and Echo, the eagle, shot out from
under the falls and landed on the left bank of the
stream.

The ranger took Silvia by the band and as-
sisted her on shore, and then led her up the
steep, rocky clifl onto the summit of a high ridge
overlooking the little Valley below, and the dis-
tant hills.

He seated himself on a large rock and drew
the maiden down by his side.

“Now, Miss Sanford,” he said, waving his
hand away before him, “you can have a fair
view of nature in her free morning robes.”

Silvia’s eyes took in the landscape before her.

“ Oh, how grand and beautiful, r. Rainbolt,”
she murmured, softly.

“ I was just think'ng, Silvia, that if we could
always gaze upon the beauties of nature, and
enjoy them to other as we have this morning,
what bliss wou be ours.”

Silvia’s face flushed and her heart fluttered
wildly and yet stran eiy to her. With a trema-
lous voice she repli :

“That could never be, Rodger.”

“ And why not? There is nothing impossible,
Silvia.”

“ I do not understand you,” she said. .

“Then pardon me, Silvia. for speakin plain-
ly what my heart compels me to sav,” e said.
in a warm, tender vOice. “Since have met

on, I haVe learned to love you, as only a true

eart can love. Forgive me, Silvia, but I could
not keep back this confession, and I pray you
will not feel insulted, or as though 1 were
takin advantage of your helplessness. God
forbig.”

The maiden’s eyes sought the ground shyly.
Her heart leaped with strange emotion but aft
tera few moments’ silence. during which the
warm color in her cheeks came and went, she
looked up and said: . ,

“ Why need I dis ise m feelings? Ob,
Rodger, my heart te 1s me love you; but
give me one day to answer your question, to—”

“Yes, dear Silvia, a week, a year, since i
have heard from your lips that I am loved!”
r'eipltied the handsome ranger, his face radiant

t .

There was a momentary silence, broken only
by theroarof the falls. The ranger was the
first to speak. .

“Since my heart feels lighter, dear Silvia,
since I have something left in the world to hope
for now, I feel like another mancqet I am
neglecting mg duty to you and so I. must leave
you now, an go and continue the search for

 

your father. Shall I accompany you into the
cavern before 1 go?”

“No, no, Rodger I will remain here a while
in the cheerful sunshine, and then I can go down
into the cavern alone. Go, and may speed
you,” she replied.

The ranger imprinted a warm and ardent kiss
upon her brow, then turned, and with Echo
perched upon his shoulder, went in search of his

on .
p Silivia watched him until he had disappeared;
then she seated herself again, and became ab-
sorbed in thou ht.

How long 3 9 had remained so she did not
know, but resently a soft footstep aroused her
from her a traction.

She arose to her feet and turned quickly .

around. An Indian woman, whom she at once
recognized as Silver Voice, stood before her.
Silv1a was the first to speak.

“Oh, Silver Voice! it is you who weresokind
to me i”

“ Yes, dear girl,” the woman replied, with
much sadness in her voice; “ but you are looking
happier than when 1 last saw you.”

“Really SiIVer Voice, 1 should be m’serable
indeed if I had not found a friend,” returned
Silvia.

“ Ah! dear girl, I know why. You have
learned to love your handsome rescuer and
friend, the ranger, and he loves you. Forgive
me, but I stood in that shruhbery and heard his
av0wal of love and your reply.”

Silvia’s face flushed with anger.

“ Do not get angry.” Silver Voice continued
“for it is a l for your own good. Let me tell
you that if ever you marry Rodger Rainbolt you
will rue it to the bitter end.”

“ Silver Voice,” cried Silvia, petulant) ,“ why
do you presume to speak so prophetic? on as—
tound me l”

“ I know I do, but I speak the truth."

V ‘f Wallet do you know of Mr. Rainbolt, Silver
cice

“ I know much—oh, God! mud; 1” she cried, ,

in a tone of sudden a any. I

“ And how do you now it?” questioned Silvia
in surprise.

“ Take that,” Silvsr Voice said, handing Sil-
via a folded pa per, “ and when I am gone read
it. it will tel you all you wish to know of
Rodger Rainbolt. ’ a

“ And of you?” questioned Silvia, eagerly.

“ No. You do not viisb, you do not need to
know more of me than you do; but promise me
that you will not breathe one word in the paper
to the ranger.” .

“ romise you,” said Silvia, scarcely know-
ing w at she was saying. v

‘Then good-by; youmay neverseemee in,”
said Silver Voice; and turning, she v in
the forest like a shadow.

“ Strange, mysterious woman,” muttered Sil—
via; “ she seems like the vision of a dream to me.
But the paper.”

She opened it. One side was blank, the other
covered. with the delicate handwriting of a
female.

Silvia’s face turned hastly pale as she glanced
at the first words, an by the time she had fine
ished the first line her whole frame was trem-
bling violently. But she read on, read on totbo
end, and then she uttered a low, convu cry,
and wrung her hands as though aterrible agony
was breaking her heart.

“9h, my God!” she exclaimed. “Is it possi-

a?”
With her feelings wrought to the highest pitch
of excitement, she descended the cliff to the

water’s edge, and stepped into the canoe to rm ,

turn to the cavern.
As she did so, she did not notice that round.

dark ball from which shone apairof burning ’

orbs, resting on the water, yet concealed under
the projecting rim of the canoe: nor did she ob-
serve liow the craft dragged as it entered be-
heath the waters a hen they were parted, with
a deadly enemy clinging to its side. -

CHAPTER XIII.
THE MEANING or ran comm

FRANK Amman and Walter Lyman felt a
chm pass over their frames as they gazed down
upon the coffin and the four burly, rough-looking
men standing around it.

The Irishman acted quite easy and indif-
zierent about the matter, as he did on all coca.

ons..

The coffin was mall—about the sise that a
ten-year old child would require.

For a moment the robbers gesed at it, then
one of them asked:
“ Do yo s’pme the body’s all right into it"

“Don‘t know,” was the response. “ It mou’t

a g _.-a .._. a--__‘,

.“m.

 

 
 

10

The ‘- Sky Demon.

 

hev got shook around; howewr, it won’t take
long ter look,” and in a few moments the lid was
removed.

The lantern was lowered as the four men bent
(Nor the coffin, and our friends in the tree parted
the foliage carefully and peered down, eager to
‘get a limpse of the dead.

An true enou b they did. The pale, waxen
face of a beautifu child, wrapped in a sheet, was
revealed to their startled aze.
be“ It’s all right,” grow ed one of the rob-

rs. ~

“ Ya-as; put on the lid, and let’s git it sunk
quick as possible.”

While the robber with the knife was screwing
on the lid of the coffin, one of the others Went to
the canoe and brought a shovel, with which he
at Once began digging a grave.

In a few moments a grave had been dug some
three feet deep, and the coffin placed therein,
and then covered up—the sods and turfs of grass
being replaced so as to conceal every trace of
the round having been disturbed.

“ at’s it !” exclaimed one of the robbers,
when their task was finished; “ the duty 0’ the
livin’ to the dead is done.” _

At that instant a wild scream was heard over-
head, and looking up the robbers, as well as our
friends in the tree, beheld that horrible, myste-
rious creature—the Aerial Demon—float ovor
the island and disappear down the stream.

It acted like a charm on the rebellious robbers,
for they rushed to their canoe, and in a moment
were flying upon the stream, fearing to speak
above a whisper.

As soon as they were out of sight, our friends
descended from the tree.

“ Ay, now, and it’s a lovsly set of critters
they ware,” said the Irishman; “ and it’s
mees thet’ll di up the cofi‘ln as soon as day-
light comes, an look into the mather a leetle,
so i will.” " ~ ‘

“ I’m sure we have seen all that’s to be seen,”
said Walter. “ and so let the dead rest.”

“ There, now, and it’s yees that know little av
the bloody robber deviltry. There’s a thrick in
it, now mind.” '

As the night was quite warm, Walter and
Frank laid down u on the ground and soon fell
asleep,’leaving Flic on guard.

When they awoke in the morning the sun
wa up, and the first thing they saw was Flick
O’Flgnn just lifting the comn out the grave.

“ umph! I supEgSe on are satisfied now

guretdug up the y, said Walter, rising to

ee .

“Nary bit av it, Mishter Walter, I haven’t
see’d inside yet,” said the Irishman, as he began
tounscrew he lid.

Walter and Frank came and stood by and
watched him perform the operation with no
little curiosity. The last screw removed, the
lid was lifted and—

There was the pale waxen face of the dead
upturned to the clear morning sun, with the
fiaxen-white han- clustered about the face.

“ I suppose are satisfied now ” said Frank.

Flick urst nto aloud laugh and re lied:

“-Ay and it’s blind yees are. Oan’ yees see
the thricki”

“ Trick? no; what do yOu mean, O’Flynn?”

askedka

«pa

V

N

I

n ,

“ That, now!” replied the Irishman. and he
clutched his fingers in the silken hair of the
corpse and held u to the astonished gaze of the
your? men the «ankles: head of a wax-ne-
Unit

He now laid down the waxen head and pro-
ceeded to unroll what appeared the body wrap-

d in awhite sheet. old after fold was un-
rolled, until finally a small leather ba , filled
with some hard metal rolled out. Flic seized
the bag, and taking up his knife cut it open,
and then turning it up be poured into the cofin
a great heap of guld coin. ,

“That’s the. bod ,” said Flick a in of
trium h overspread ng his broad, fiorid gee.

“ es, yes, es," replied Frank, “ andaclever
trick it is. at why do they take so much
trouble in burying their gold?”

“ Thinking, thet if any greenhorn like yeeselfs
should rhun ag’inst the coffin and cpen‘it, see
{the dead face, or wax figure in’t, they would
nil-thrust nothing-put it back and go their
way; ist as ees would have done in this case.”

Fiic now lied the leather bag with pebbles,
wrapped it in he old ragged clothes taken
from the mute elf-breed, and stuffed it back
into the coma with “the wax-figure. He then
conoi the cofin to the earth again—covered
18070! andxnmocthed down the sods.

The three. pocketed their ld. the generous
Irishman having hwistedm siding it equally,

which provedno-littler' incumbrance as well as

l

 

fortune, and taking up their arms crossed over
to the main-lunch. ' '

By this time long fasting was beginnin to fell
upon their strength, and t was at once ecided
Itic procure something to appease their gnawing

un r.

Agfew minutes’ hunting resulted in Flick
shooting a fawn, a portion of which was at
once roasted. After the meal had been dis-
patched, another slice of meat was cooked and
stowed away in the young sportsmen’s game-
ba for future use. -

eeling much refreshed the now continued
their journey through the hi ls, and ere long
discovered an Indian trail.

The party at once set oif'to follow it, and pur-
SUed rapidly until it entered a deep, black defile,
where the growth of heavy pines almost ex-
cluded the rays of the sun.

“ Faith, and it's not the farst thime that mees
hev been throu h here,” said Flick; “ and every
time I could imagine thet mees felt the icy
fingers av Old Nick upon me.” .

Scarcely had the last word left his lips, than
a huge, dusky hand was thrust down from
among the foliage of the low, drooping boughs

under which he was passing—clutched him with _

its cold, bony fingers by the nape of the neck,
and drew him from the ground, up among the
dark boughs with the quickness of a flash.

CHAPTER XIV.
THETRAGEDY IN THE FOREST GLADE.
LIKE a phantom the tall form of Solomon
ISigrange glided through the forest after Black
a

 

I‘.

Now and then the renegade would stop and
gaze around him as though he felt a presenti-
ment of lurking danger, and then again move on.

Half a mile from the Indian encampment
was a little glade through which ran the trail
the chief was following. As he neared the
edge of it, the madman quickened his pace. and
just as the renegade stepped into the moonlit
space, a wild voice called out:

u Stop!”

The renegade
turned around.

At this moment the tall form of Solomon
Strange sprung from the forest shadows, and
dealt the chief a blow with his club that felled
him lifeless at his feet. v

Bending over the prostrate form, he scruti-
nized it.

“Yes, life. is extinct,” muttered he, and
drop ing upon his knees he n removing the
bearsskin from his body. is done, a low,
triumphant laugh esca Solomon Strange’s
lips, and he lifted the li eless form in his arms
and carried it a short ways into the woods and
hurled it down into a deep, black gorge.

Ten minutes later. a' dark, hairy form ap-
peared in the lade. It was the form of Solomon
Strange disguised in the beer’s skin.

No one could have told him from Blufe
Brandon. Their movements were similar, and
their size exactly the same. ‘

“So far I have been successful,” he mur-
mured. “ I stand in Black Bear’s (1 nice: Rnd
n0w if I can only have the nerve an cunning
to ocou y his position among the red-skins for
afew a s, I will make these old hills stand
a hast w th wonder and startling revelations.

be Cheyenne tongue I can hand 6 to a demon-
stration, and I believe! I can imitate Black
Bear’s voice exactly. .

-“ And then, there’ Duval Dungarvon; but I
can hoodwink him see enou h. 68. to-mor-
ro v noon I will meet him at t e Lone Pine, et
a s nopsis of the ‘ initiate? ceremony ’ into he

er of road-agents an cut-throats. Ah,
Solomon Strange! a desperate game is yours
and for whatl—to solve a dark mystery. an
rub out the stains of a dark crime that lays
concealed behind it, bu ”

His musings were here brought to an abrupt
termination, by suddenly entering the opening
in which stood the Indian encampment, while a
few one 03 sat an Indian sentinel.

“ ill be challenge me!” the false chief men-
tal] ked.

he knew that the sentinel would see
that it was Black Bear’s disguise, and allow
him to ss. And sohe’did, with only a low,
guttu exclamation at sightof the great chief.

As Strange entered the outskirts of. the vil-
lage, he saw theta large fire was burning in
front of the council-lodge,.and that a number
at. warriors were singing and dancing around
 “I‘ll awew,” muttered -'Strange. “ I’m ing
tobednwn'rightintohusinees the first i .
Pd-rethsf-kcptarlittle to‘mgself a (layer-0.
until! got theexactrunott inge— flannel”,

involuntarily stopped and

. go away in the hills toward the risin

 

As if to favor his wish, at this moment a
wild scream was heard overhead, and-lifting
his eyes, the m sterious Solomon Stran e be-
held the Aerial emonfioating over the lage;
so horrifying in its appearanco that his blood
seemed turned to ice.

Had a bomb-shell exploded in the midst of
the exultant warriors that were dancing around
the council-fire, they would not have scattered
and fled in greater fear and terror.

The moment that the false Black Bear saw
the young warriors flee with terror to their re-
spective odges, ho hurried across the square
and entered the lodge to the right of the connoil-
house, which he knew to be the renegade’s.

All was dark within this lodge, so Strange
went and procured a torch from the deserted
council-fire. With it, he rummaged the room,
making himself acquainted with every thing,
nook and corner within it.

He then extinguished the torch, threw him—
self upon a couch of skins in one corner, and
curious to say, this mysterious madman, who
after all was not a madman, fell asleep and
sle t soundly until morning.

fie was awakened by the sound of voices
without, and rising from his couch he peered

ou .

At this moment a light footstep was heard
approaching. The skin hanging at the door of
his lodge was raissd, and a beautiful Indian
woman entered, carrying upon a tray of woven
rushes some slices of venison and roasted fish.

It was the wife of Allacotah, Silver Voice!

Solomon Strung» started like a Wild man at
sight of the woman, but she failed to notice it.

“ The chief of the Cheyennes must be hungry,
since he had no supper,” said Silver Voice,
handing him the Venison and fish.

Again Solomon Strange started—this time at
sound of the. woman’s voice, though his dis-
guise concealed his emotion. As he took tl e
provision, hOWever, Silver Voice caught sight
of his eyes that glowed like burning coals of
fire throu h the hairy mask and caused a
stran e fee ing to pervade her breast.

“‘ es, Black Bear is quite hungry,” Strange
replied, watching to see if his voice attracted
her notice.

It did. The woman started and turned to

flee with sudden fear.

“ You are not Blufe Brandon” she ex-
claimed. , ’

Solomon Strange seized her. by the arm and
prevented her escape. hen he stooped and
whispered something in her ear. She would
have involuntarily screamed, but Strange laced
his claw-clad hand over her mouth an pre-
vented her.

“Hush! for God’s sake!” he exclaimed in an
undertone, “do not expose me. but help me.”

Here was more mystery. What-could this
strange wild man be to Silver Voicei And
what she to him? And why did he have the
power to hold her spellbound—speechless?
Alas! wh , and for what? '

For ful y ten minutes Silver Voice remained
in the lodge with the false chief, in slow and
earnest conversation. Then she went out and
returned to her own‘lodge to the left of the
council-lodge. r ‘

Presently her husband, Allacotah, entered
Black Bear’s tent. He ’ found the sup a
great chief lying n the couch of skins.

“ Is the at B ack Bear unwell?” asked the

you‘rg chie .

“ eis,” returned Solomon Strange hoarsely;
“e re to the night air is fast telling upon
the lack Bear’s lungs. It hurt: him to speak.
He is hoarse. but he wished to speak to'the
brave young chief. Allacotah.”

“ The ears of Allacotah are open “returned
the youn chief ' “he hearkens tothe voice of
the great lack ear.” ' '

“Since I am unable to take the war-path,”
began Splomon Strange, his hosrseness seeming
to grow worse each moment, “ I want the brave
young Allacotah to take all my warriors and
sun and
search for the white maiden. Shoul you and
her, harm not a hair of her head, or the ven-
geance of the great Manitou will rest upon on.
Should you find any pale-faces, hm em
not, but brin .them before Black Bear-{even
the great W Ranger whose sword h’as slam
our braVes in the heart of our encampment.
BlackBearhasspoken.” v L '

“Allacotah has heard, and will do his‘bid-

ding with joy and pride,” geturned 'A ootah
“but he isso the gran :chi'ef ‘is‘nn all, and
can not lead’h warriors upon the Uzi]; But
he must rest and he will be weltsoo v. "Alla-
cotah hasspoken.”  ' '  9 '

. The-yowgchief W'whflmmnt,'snd

 

 

The; Sky Demon.

11

 

 

in afew moments the wildest excitement pre-
vailed throughout the village. Laughing to
himself at his novel situation and splendid suc—
cess, Solomon Strange ered out at a hole in
his lodge, and saw that llacotah was gathering
his warriors for the war-path.

In less than an hour every warrior able to
bear arms had left the village.

Black Bear, or Solomon Strange now arose
and walked away through the encampment and
plunged into the woods.

He was on his way to Lone Pine to meet
Duval Dungarvon.

CHAPTER XV.
SILVIA’S PERILS.

SILVIA paddled the canoe, with the Cheyenne
concealed under its pro'ecting rim, under the
falls; and having lande , she raised the sweep
to let the waters close, then she took the lamp
from where the ranger had left it in a niche, and
wended her way back to her apartment, seated
herself and burst into tears.

The discovery that she had made had sorely
wounded her young, loving heart, and left her
confused mind wrapped in blind mystery.

Purle, the panther, was crouched at her feet,
and as her eyes sou ht the floor, the animal
started Ll , his ears aid back like those of a
maddene cat, his tail movin slowl from side
to side, and his eyes glaring like cos 8 of fire.

Silvia looked in the direction indicated by his
burning gaze. and to her horror she beheld a
Cheyenne Indian gazing in upon her from the
door of the apartment.

Silvia uttered a low sob and fell unconscious
to the floor with affright, the paper falling on
the table by the lamp.

The savage, not seeing the panther, advanced

into the room but the next instant the beast
leaped forward and dragged him to the floor.

A fierce stru gle ensued. But it was as brief
as decisive. T e panther tore the savage almost
into shreds.

A few minutes later a. footste sounded in the
rocky hall. The next moment odger Rainbolt
entered the room. As his eyes fell,upon the
mutilated form of the savage, the prostrate
form of Silvia, the blood upon the pantber’s
jowls, the pa r upon the table by the lamp, he
st gored un er thesi ht. '

pringing‘iorward a raised Silvia tenderly
in his arms and placed her upon the couch in the
corner. He then turned to change the light in
a better position, and as he di so the paper
arrested his attention.

He glanced at the first'word. A cry burst
from his lips. His eyes became fixed upon the
paper like one in a trance. He could not, he did
not move them, until he had read the last word.
Then he turned away, his whole frame tremb-
linfi violently.

e removad the beds’ of the savage; then,
taking a vessel hurrie down to the falls to
bring some cool water with which to bathe the
brow of the maiden.

When he returned he was surprised to find
her recovered, and sittin up on t o bed, gazing
about in a kind of bewil erment.

“ Silvia, my darling l” exclaimed the ranger.

She looked around, her senses returning.

‘ 0h, Rodger!” she exclaimed, springing from
the couch and matching the paper: “hut you
must not see it."

“ But I have seen it, Silvia.”

“ And read it?"

H Yea.”

“ 011, M8611 I promised never to breathe a
word of it to you.”

“Promised who?”

“ Silver Voice, the Indian woman, the wife of
Allacotah.” '

“ You have kepdt yguf promise, Silvia. I saw
the r b acci en -

“i733: (Syn know all, Rodger?”

“ Yes, ilviu; but how came you to get'the
pager from the Indian woman, and where?”

ilvia told him all.

The ranger sighed painfully. He was silent
for a moment, then said: _

.“But, Silvia, that paper is a falsehood. I
will admit that I have been married-to a wo-
man that was an angel, but were she living I
would not be here. No, no, Silvia! God knews
I lo'ved my Wife—yea, adored her, worshiped
her; but; a cruel fate separated us; death took
my darling win, and in you, Silvia, I had hoped
to find here uat”, ‘ - '

“ But you ave no roof, Rodger, to prove to

me that the statemen in this paper is untrue-—
that your wife as dead.” ,_ " ' ‘

“ I can procure eVidence, Silvia, in an hour—
yes, in a momenbi 10 Pro" myou thatmy wife
is dead. But tell me, my dear‘Silvia, does the

 

handwriting of this note resemble any person’s
handwrite that you know?" and he handed her
the note. -

Silvia took the per and examined the
writing closely. A s ade of sadness came over
her face, as she replied: ‘

“ Yes, Rodger, t resembles my poor sister
Florence’s wr ting a great deal, though she was
a better writer.”

“ Then you have a sister?”

“ I had, but poor Florence is dead now.”

“Are you certain that she is dead?” the ran-
ger asked.

“ Why, Rodger, you are gettin excited!”
she replied, with much surprise at t e ranger‘s

uestion. “Of course, I would not tell you a
iilsehood about my sister being dead, since it is
nothing to you.”

“ But it is something to me, Silvia—it is some-
thing to me; but let us drop the question before
it gets to be painful. I must go and search for
your father and that Indian woman who gave
you the paper. Have you any fears to remain
here alone?”

“ None at all, since I have such a noble
glornwnion and protector as Purle, the pan-

er.

“Then’I will take my departure, entertain-
ing hopes that the mystery that enshrouds us
will be cleared away, and that I may yet insist
for an answer to the question of my love for
you,” said the ranger, and as he concluded he
turned and left the maiden alone. ,

\Vhen his footsteps had died away in the dis-
tant hall, Silvia threw herself upon her couch,
and wept bitterly.

CHAPTER XVI.
DUVAL DUNGARVON AND BLACK BEAR AT THE
LONE PINE.
THE sun had just crossed the meridian, on the
day set for the meeting of Duval Dungai-von

and Black Bear at the Lone Pine, when Solo- '

mon Strange, in Black Bear’s disguise, emerged
from the. forest on the south side of the glade,
and stopped beneath the Lone Pi is. -

He had not been there more than an hour,
when Duval Dungarvon emerged from the for-
est on the north side of the glade and advanced
toward him.

“Here we are ag’in,” exclaimed Solomon
Strange, quite hoarse.

“ Yes,” replied the robber-captain, looking at
him in away that made Strange flinch with
uneasmess; “but what’s the matter, Brandon,
you talk so hoarse?” .

“Matter enufl’,” returned the false Black
Bear. “I catched a devil of acold last night
at the Devil’s Tarn. But come; let’s to busi-
ness.”

“Now, if I tell you, Brandon, you must
never breathe it to a living soul, for it is in
strict violation of our laws to do so.”

“ You needn’t be afraid of me tellin’, Dun-
garvon. Go on with your story.”

The robbenca tain gen, and in afew mo-
ments he had re ated the whole of their rooeed-
ings in initiating a man into their and of
Mmimtain Men, or robbers, and concluded by
sav n :

“ Su pose you go in to night?”

“Caii jist as well as not.” replied Strange,
“though there is one thing I had forgoten to

tion.”

“Well, let’s have it.” .

“ I shall insist on keeping my bearskin on at
the ranch.” ' v I

“ Of course! We wouldn’t know that the
great Black Bear was among us unless you
were it,” returned Dungarvon.

“ Then I am ready to go with you,” said the
false chief. -

The two arose, and at once set of! toward the
robber’s ranch. . ,

As they walked along, conversing on differ-
ent topics, Strange flna ly said: .

“ You have never told me, Dungarvon. why it
is that you hate this man Sanford so bitterly.

“ No. I tell very few, because I don’t want
everybody to know, for then it would be no se-
cret. and that’s the beauty of it.” '

“Yes; but tell it, tell it to me, Dungarvon,”
saidStrange. ,

“Well, to make a short story out of a. long
one, Sanford and I both loved thesame woman,
a creole of New Orleans. She would have mar.-
tied me, but Sanford, curse him! told her I was
the son of an Italian bri ml. and .so won her.
In the course of time t ey~had two children,
Florence and Silvia. Wayland Sanford wentto
California duringthe -fever. and I followed,
waiting for a'chanoe take his life. After. a
time the chance came. Sanford quarreled with
aminer, and publicly threatened his life. . That

 

night the miner was killed. or course I did it,
buthas detected in the act b one of San
ford’s friends. I threw the man own the shaft
and left him there. Sanford was arrested for
the crime, but escaped, and flew no one knew
where. I followed, but failed to find my man.

“ I left California, and, seeing that' money
could be made, organized the band I now com-
mand, and we have been opemiing the route
ever since.

“ Some time after I began, a regiment of
troops came into the region, and tearing they
were after me, I went in disguise to the camp,
and sought an interview with the colonel. You
can imagine my su rise when I found rr self
face to face with ayland Sanford, co onel
commanding the regiment!

“He knew me, and, fearful that I would
blow on him, asked the price of my silenCe.

I knew Inez was dead, so i demanded the
daughter, Florence, for my wife. He stormed-
and swore: offered ten thousand dollars, but I
laughed at him, and to end the matter, be final,
1y gave in and wrote to his daughter that he had
made an enga rement for her hand with a partic-
ular friend. he girl declined the honor, and;
answered that she was engn Ad to an officer in
his regiment, one Captain arren Walraven.

“ I told Sanford I could fix him, and so _I sat
down and wrote a letter, forged the handwriting
from Walraven lo Blufe Brandon, chief ‘of the
Cheyennes, in which he offered to sell the com-
mand into his power. This Idropped where one
of Sanford’s scouts found it and gnvo it to ‘the
Colonel.

“ Walraven was Court-martialed and dis-
missed the service. The next day he, With his
nigger servant, Ebony Jim, started for Laramie,
where Florende was. I captured him on his.
er escaped—and takin him to
Devil’s Tarn, put him in a canoe an started
him adrift over the fails. That ended him.

“Sanford wrote to his daughter, tellin her
all about Walraven, how he was cashiere and
killed by the Indians, but she had suddenly dis-
a peered from the fort, and was seen no more.

er skeleton, however, was found in an old well
near the fort a year or so afterward. About a'
year after that I entrapped a traveler, who
proved to be the very man, Barker, whom I had
thrown down the shaft!”

“And you hold him a prisoner yeti” asked
Black Bear.

“ You bet, though he can’t last a week longer.

A few weeks since I heard Sanford was at Oma-
ha, and you know the rest. But here we are at
the ranch.”
They stood at the mouth of the cavern where-
in Wi lis and Ralph had been captured. A son-
tinel was posted at the entrance, who demanded
the password from Dungarvon before he was al-
lowed to pass with the supposed Black Bear, it
bein so dark by this time that the sentinel
could not distinguish the features of the cap-
tain.

Passing alon the narrow cavern a short
ways, the on to n stopped and laced his hand
in a small nic e in the rocky we . Immediately
the wall seemed to part with a heavy, grating
n0ise.

“ This way, Brandon,” said the robber chief,
and the two stepped through the a runs in the
wall inroa sma i but bril iantly- ghted chum-a
her. Then the captain touched asinall pro ect-
ing rock on the wall, when the two walls ro led
together again, and there was no sign of the
aperture through which the had passed.

“This.” said Dungarvon, urning to his com-
panion, “ is my private a tment, and you may
now consider ourseli', B ck Bear, in the Lodge
of Mountain en from which you will never go
alive until you have been initiated into ti"
brotherhood.” . '

way~the ni

CHAPTER XVII.
AN ADVENTURE. IN rm: DARK.
EBONY ,Jm had not remained in his conceal-
merit among t! e foliage more than a minute

when he recognized the voice of his old friend, ,

Flick O’Flynn, among the three_wh0m he at
first took for robbers, but who in fact were
O’Flynn, Frank Armand and Walter Lyman.
Ebony was in the act of springing to the
ground and making his presence known, when

the Irishman’s remark—which can ht .the‘

negro’s ears—of the place through wh ch they
were passin being so gloomy, and that be im-
agined he elt the icy fin ers of the Old Nick
11 n him, s sated a prac cal joke to his mind.
$32in on the trio were directly under him,
he thrust his hand down through the foliage,
and seizing the l uacious O’FLyn'u by the neck,
jerked him from e ground and “g among the
foliagewith the quickness of thong t. . ; ‘

44-.‘-_-.

.-.1n__.e-_.. ‘4.-. . ...

.hn -_. ._._- ..._ v

-.-..._‘.4.._,. -. .... ‘-m~.'-_J

 

 
 

12

 

The Sky Demon.

 

Flick gave vent to a furious yell, and drop-
ping his rifle drew his knife, supposing that he
was in the hands of the Old Boy, sure enough.
But what was his surprise, when, on turning to
deal a deadly blow, he saw Ebony seated
before him, his sable face convulsed with laugh-

ter. ‘

“ Faith, and mees hev a notion to give yees a

dig wath this knife, so I hev; but niver mind,
‘ 'lere’s a rheckoning coming, so there is.”

Bat how bad it fared With Frank and Wal-
fin???

The saw the negro’s hand thrust down, saw
Flick ifted from the ground, heard his frightful
scream, and, without a second look or thought,
took to their heels and fled with all posmble
speed over the hill.

But, unfortunately, they ran right from safety
into danger.

The had not gone more than a mile when
they iscovered a party of mounted Cheyennes
charging directly toward them. '

Instantly Frank’s rifle was to his face, and he
shot, in quick succession, two of the leading
savages. He was quickl surrounded by the
whole party, which ave alter an opportunity
to escape, which he id.

Frank was tied upon one of the ales, and
immediately the Indians, a score in ll, mounted
their animals and set off toward the north,
moving? in regular Indian file, one after the
other. rank eing next to the foremost one,
who led his—the captives—pony. They seemed
in no hurry, moving along quite leisurely.
However, the failed to discover two figures
that were stea ing after them like shadows.

Slowly the day wore away. Night came on.
Frank strained is eyes in hopes of catching a
glimpse of s..me friendly form moving throth
the gloom. Suddenly he heard a slight noise
before him. He fixed his eyes on the gloom in
advance. Just then the animal of the preceding
and foremost ca tor flitted across a patch of
moonlight strung ing feebly down through the
opening in the tree-tops. '

The captive started with wonder and sur-

I'IFP.

The animal was riderless!

Not one of the savages behind had discovered
the sudden, silent and mysterious disappearance
of their leader.

Again th - preceding animal crossed a patch
of moonlight. and still greater was his surprise
when he recognized bv a ki d of phosphorescen
gleam, the form of Flick 0 Flynn seated upon
its back .' ' ‘ ,

Then the truth flashed upon his mind. Flick,
the brave and noble hunter, had escaped. fol-
lowed h Frank’s, captors, and with the s lence
of death ad dragged the savage from his pony,
difrfched him and mounted the animal him-
so

“ What does the man mean 3" mused Frank;
“ what next will he do— Oh i"

The exclamation involuntarily escaped his
lips, but it was drowned in the noise of the ani-
mals’ feet. In passing under some low, droo -
ing boughs where the gloom was impenetrab e
to the human eye, Frank felt a heavy form
drop from the limbs overhead behind him on the
animal he was riding, and the captive felt that
his bonds were being cut. ,

“ For heabeu’s sake don’t breafel it's dis black

him.” .

nk recognized the voice as that of Ebon

.tlim, and he at once realized the situation of a -
airs. .

“Dar, take dat,” whispered the darky, plac-
ingtafnife in Frank’s hand, “ and loosen your

as

Frank leaned over and cut the thongs. So
ifar he was free. A moment later there were
heard the hasty footfallsof hurr ing feet.

The esca was not discover for some mo-
ments, an then a hurried but vain search was
commenced by the Indians. Frank was saved
by as bold, silent and daring a stratagem as
was ever conceived by the fearless borderman.

Fortunately. Frank’s rifle, accouterments and
coat were restored to him, they having been in
possession of the unfortunate chief, whom the
/two hunters dragged from his pony unseen.
The rest of his things, including his share of the
robbers’ gold were lost.

Matters being explained all around, the three
set at through the forest in hopes of finding
Walter.

They hadnot traveled far, when they discov-
ered that they were beingI followed, while in
every direction they could ear the booting of

owls, the or of the nighthawk, and the sharp

bar nhglg e .
To k these sounds seemed natural enough,
but to the two hunters they did not,>for they

 

knew that they were the signals of the Indians.

“ Ay, now i” exclaimed'O‘Flynn, “and it’s a
divil av a time wees are going to have. The
whole Cheyenne nation is in thesehills, so they
are. -

“ S’pose we strike fur de Bear’s Cave,” said
Ebony Jim.

“A brads,” responded the Irishman, and so
they s aped their course accordingly.

In a few minutes the cavern in question was
reached, and taking the lead, Ebony Jim led
the way into the black subterranean passage.

They had not gone more than fifty feet when
a glowing fire, in a chamber to their right,
burst suddenly upon their eyes: and within the
light of the fire, they saw three men seated,
engaged in conversation.

CHAPTER XVIII.
IN 'rnn aonnnns’ RANCH.

SOLOMON STRANGE felt a cold chill creep over
him as he seated himself in the robber captain’s
private apartment, which was furnished with
all the elegance that heart could wish and gold
procure. An oil lamp was burning on a chintz-
Covered stand, lighting up the room.

" You’ve a cosey lair here, Dungarvon,” said
Strange, gazing around, with apparent admir-
ation. ,

“ Yes, one into which I defy the lightning’s
bolt to enter,” returned the captain, as he
crossed the room, and took from an alcove in
the wall a bottle of brandy and a con ls of sil-
ver goblets, which he placed upon tie table.
“,But come, Black Bear, wheel your chair up
to the table, and let’s drink to our success.”

Strange could not deny the robber chief’s re.
quest, for he was then an honored guest in his
house, so he moved his chair to the table and
filled the goblets with the brandy. Then with
one hand he parted the hairy mask from his
lips, and with the other he lifted the oblet. and
with a “Here’s to you, captain,” d ed oil! the
fiery liquid at a draught. I

After several glasses had been drank, Dun-
garvon seized a rope communicating with some
other room and jerked it violently. Strange
heard the faint tinkle of a bell, and a moment
after, the wall on the side opposite from that
through which they had enteied, rolled apart,
and a slim, pale youth of some twenty years
entered. I

“ erick,” said the captain, addressin the

oath, “bring me and the great chief, lack
gear, some supper at once.”

The youth turned and left the room. the walls
closing after him.

“ That’s our cook,” said the chief robber.

Presently Roderick returned with awellpre- ,
pared lunch, which the robber captain and his
guest ate with A keen appetite.

After the meal had been dispatched, Dungar-
von said: 7

“ Now we are ready for business, Brandon:
but excuse me for a moment,” and he passed out
through the opening through which Roderick
had come and gone.

“ Well, that beats me,” muttered Strange,
when he found himself alone; “ the idea of these .
rocky walls partingf at the touch of their in-
mates. Wonder they will art at my
touch?” and rising, he adva to the wall
through which they had entered the. room, and
touched the little projecting rock that he had
seen Duval touch when they entered, expecting
to seethe walls rollback. But he was disap-
pointed; they remained immovable as the rock
of ages, and after several fruitless efforts to pos~
sees himself of the secret. he took his seat.

A few minutes later Dungarvon entered the
room, followed by a score, of his men, rough
burly-looking fellows, whose waists weregir ed
with knives and pistols.

Dungarvon introducel his men to the sup-
posed lack Bear, then said:

“Well, Brandon, we’re ready.”

“ And so am I,” returned Strange.

“ Then advance through that opening into the
adjoining chamber nine paces and stop,” said
the chic . -

Strange advanced into the chamber, which
was black as Hades. and which,.from the hol-
low, sepulchral echo of his footfalls, he knew
was large and capacious. Had. it been the
real Blufe Brandon, his cowardly heart would
have shrunk with terror, knowing what was

 

coming.

Through the dark “nine , Solouion
iStrtan at hb way, then stopped. At that
us an

room was suddenly lit up by a glow-
infilgght from behind; And. horrors!

steed on oneside are long table, while
facing him on the other-side. sat, bolt upright,
in arm-ohairsgwlthblack‘ cloaks thrown over,

 

their shoulders, a dozen human skeletons glar-
ing at him in a ghastlgz) horrifying manner.
Each one clutched in his ny hand which pro-
truded from under the cloak, a small, glittering
dagger. 0n the table in front of each one sat a
small glass goblet filled with some red liquid re-
sembling blood. Not a living soul was to be
seen in the room.

Although the mysterious Solomon Strange
had expected to see the same, as Dungarvon had
told him, he felt an inward shudder of horror
and disgust, and had he not been (playing a des-
perate and secret game he woul have turned
away and cursed the robbers for their fiendish-
ness in thus tam ring with the remains of the
dead. But suc an act would have exposed
him, and be resolved to go on with the play he
had successfully begun.

The instant the light had flashed upon the
ghastly figures before him, the one in the center
arcse to a standing posture, as though possessed
Of life. The grinning mouth was opened, and
then these words seemed to fall from his lips,
hollow and sepulchral.

“Bluford Brandon, are you aware of what
you have done? do you know that you havs en-
tered the brotherhood of Mountain Men? If
you do, beware!” and the figure raised its bony

and in which it clutched the glittering da gei-
as if to strike, then it fell at its Side again. hen
each of the other ghastly figures raised their
littering daggers, and as they dropped again,
hey seemed to repeat, in one voice:

“ Beware!"

The standing figure then went on:

“ Look at these glasses Bluford Brandon;
they contain the blood of those who once were
Mountain Men—the blood of those who stand
before you, those who were once as you now
are: but we were traitors; we essayed to betray
our brothers into the hands of the Government
detectives; but, ah! the vengeance of the bro~
ther-hood fell upon us, and sapped our life-blood
out, and left us what Ken see us—a ghastly
warning to others ! An new again I say, be-
ware l” _

“Beware!” chattered the other figures.

At this instant the room was wrapped in
blinding darkness. Then Stran e distinguished
theli ht footfalls of hurrying est. He heard
the re bers removing the ghastly figures, and
the ventriloquist that bad Elli, the words of life
in their mouth, scrambl g from under the.
table, where he had been concealed with others
of the robbers, who, with wire connections, had
raised the arms of the skeletons. _

.Presen'ly all became, silent, then the light
flashed through the chamber again, and in the
chairs where the skeletons had sat, Solomon
Strange saw a number of robbers seated, while,
where the figure stood, Duval Dungarvon was
standing.

Instead of daggers, the robbers held in their
hands the goblets of (not blood) red, sparkling
wine, which as they lifted to their lips, Dun-
garvon said:

“Here‘s to Black Bear, the eat Cheyenne
chief, our new and distinguishe member of the
brotherhood of Mountain Men,” and as be con-
gludelg, they placed the goblets to their lips Ind

ran . . /

And thus ended the ceremony, which, to the
reaoer, may be horrifying and even disgusting,
nevertheless it is a positive fact that such a cus- _
tom did exist among the mountain robbers.

“Now come, Black Bear,” said Dungarvon
taking that sup worthy by the skin-clad
arm, “and I wil show you through our ranch,
and the secrets connected with it.”

The two crossed the wide chamber, which
Dungarvon had designated the “ Cloister of the
Ghouls,” and entered a smaller apartment that
was brilliantly lighted. In this room .was a
ca nter’s work-bench and tools of all kinds.
“This,” said Dun arvon, “is the mechanical
department. We 0 ten find it necessarv to our
success to use a carpenter to make ctmns and
other things. But let us go on.”

They passed into another apartment.

“This is our en raving-room and mint, for
making connterfe t ‘ greenbacks’ and ‘gold-
coin.’ Now I will show you how we make om-
doors open and close,” be said. leading Solomon
Strange, who was drinking in every word with
the deepest interest, bac to his can apart-

ment.

“ You see this sinall projection; by pushing
on it zhen the dpéli'nis  n. it gilld closegbam’i.
b i’ u n . wiopente contus.
a: thecgbbgg-chilef illustrated the matter. by
causing the wall to roll a rt and then shut ,
again. “Now, the whole t ing is worked by
hidden springs, how exactly, nooneever knew,
but the inventorr who was three years in con-

 

 

p The Sky Demon.

 

 

 

fi

stmcting the doors in this cavern. First, how-
ever, immense grooves were chiseled in the floor
and ceiling, and in them, these great rocks
move on invisible rollers. All the machinery
that works it is concealed in an artificial

cavit back in the permanent walls. Now
see, ,randon, if you can open and shut the
door.’

The supposed Brandon seized hold of the pro-
jection, and ulled toward him. A thrill of
joy passed t rough his frame, as the heavy
walls rolled apart. Then be pressed upon the
pro'ection, and they closed again.

“ owl have one more apartment to show
you. Blufe, and that’s what we call the ‘ Dead

all,’ where old Barker and the two Omaha
‘ larks ’ are consigned.”

Procuring a lanternz the robber-captain and
his friend passed out into the main entranCe.
This they followed some distance until they
came to where a wall, crossing the passage at
right angles, disputed their further entrance.

"This," said Dungarvon, to ping the wall
before them, “is the door to t e ‘Dead Fall.’
See here. By pressing a spring in this niche,
the door is unlocked, and b pressing another
in this niche, the door rolls hack into a cavity
in the wall and the passage is continued. No
one not acquainted with the cavern would ever
know but what the passa e terminates here.
Shall we enter the Dead Fa l?”

“Certainly ” returned Strange; “by all
means, I should like to see the man that was
thrown into a fifty-hot shaft and climbed out
alive.”

The robber—captain opened the door and they
advanCed into the great chamber, wherein
Willis and Ralph had been entrapped, and
where they were now imprisoned with Barker.

Closing the door after them, they advanced
to where the prisoners lay upon a couch of old
skins. They all arose to a sitting posture when
the heard the two men entering.

illis and Ralph looked sad and dejected,
but Barker! God of mercy! he resembled a
skeleton more than a human. i.:e was wasted
away to a mere shadow, while long beard and
hair of snowy whiteness hung down u on his
breast and shoulders. His hands were ike the
claws of an eagle, and great. pitiful eyes stared
at the robber chief with a wild expression.

“ Well, my larks, how are you getting along?” I

asked Dungarvon, with'a demoniac leer.

“ Oh, God! we are dying by inches,” returned
Barker.

The robber captain laughed mockingly, while
Solomon Strange turned away with tears of
pity in his eyes.

In a moment more the robber-chief and his
companion left the Dead Fall. When they had
got back into the captain’s room, a fresh
bottle of brandy was brought out and placed
upon the table.

Drawing the cork, the robber-chief passed

V the bottle over to Strange. saying:

“ Here, Brandon, take the golden nectar right

frets: Black Betty’s lips—no use foolin’ With
eta. -

“Strange took up the bottle, and while the

captain’s eyes Were turned, he managed to pour

ha f the contents on the floor under pretense of

drinking, then passed the bottle back to Dun-

garvon. '

The captain took it, and holding it up be-
tween his eyes and the light, exclaimed with a
drunken leer:

" By Jove, Brandon, you have got a lip for
glory. and now show'you that I can swamp
the other half,” and so saying, he turned the
bottle to his lips and em tied it.

Strange chuckled to _imself, as the captain
staggered to a chair, saying:

“S‘posedvou’re gomg to. stay all night with
me, Bran on, are you (hie) not? My men are
all in bed long (hi0) ago.” .

“Well, I reckon, as We’re havmg a good
time. I will stay.”

“ That’s it, Blufe, you’re (hie) a jolly dog of a
boy. Just look in the alcove (-ic) and at an-
other Black Batty." But before the butt. e could
be brought, the robber rolled upon the floor like
a dead man. .

“Thank God! my time has come,” muttered
Strange to himself. And taking up the rob.
.ber’s lantern he lit it. In one corner of the
room stood a number of rifles with powder-

Strange SBlected three of the finest-looking. one
of which proved yobs Willis Armond’s repeat-
ing rifle, and taking them in his arms he opened
the outlet in the wall and passedout into the
main entrance. He then leaned the. rifles
peeinst the wall, and taming moved toward the
Dead Fell.

 

13

. 7w“

 

In a moment he had reached the door. and
pressingithe two esprings it rolled back into the
wall. e enter the room and stood before
the risoners.

“ arker, Armond, Rodman, come,” he 'said,
speaking hastily, “ come, if ou wish to escape l”

“ And, in the name of God, who are you that

speaks thus,” gasped Willis, staring u at the
sound of the man a voice; “ are you a ast, or
are on a human in disguise?”

“ ’m a friend. Lot that suffice. Come, I

say, come.”

Strange led the way and the three prlsoners
arose and followed him, thou h the young men
were compelled to assis: Bar er.

In a moment they came to where Strange had
left the guns.

“ Here are rifles and ammunition,” he said,
handing each of them a weapon, ” and here is
my hunting-knife. Now wait here a moment.”

1e Opened the walls and passed into Dungar-
von’s room, and returned in a moment with a
bottle of brandy.

“Here, boys, take this. It will strengthen
you,” he said. “At the door or mouth of the
cavern is a sentinel. Should he demand a pass-
word, say to him, ‘Go den.’ Should he recog-
nize you in the dark, knock him down and fly.
One word more. Barker, do you know where
the Devil's Tarn is!”

“ Yes,” returned Barker.

“Meet me there to morrow evening. Don’t
fail. Go.”

The prisoners moved along the dark passage,
wondering who their strange deliverer could

 

be. At the mouth of the cavern they found the 1

wary sentinel sound aslee , and passing him,

thev plunged out into the flea air a heaven.
Strange waited until they had . 18d time to

make their escape, then be turned and mow-d

back to the door of the Dead Fall. ' He saw that ,
it was fastened, then he placed his finger into ‘1

the niche and tore out the spring that unlocked
it. His work for the night was accomplished.
The door to the Dead Fal could never be opened
until it was battered down with siedges, and
consequently, the robbers would never know
but that the prisoners were still in there.

Softly Solomon Strange stole back into the E

robber-captain’s room, and having
lantern, be stretched himself upon t e carpeted
floor and soon fell asleep.

When he awoke it was daylight, though no
ray of sunshine ever shone in the cavern.
Lamps furnished the On ly light there. Dungar-
von had slept of! the effect of his ni ht’s carouse,
and, when his guest awoke he foun him seated
by the table reading a pa r that one of his
spies had brought in from neyenne City dur-
in% the night.

reakfast was brought in to the captain, and'

his guest the other robbers dining in the Cloister
of the G ouls.

After their morning repast was over,.the false
Black Bear took his departure for the Indian
encampment, having expressed a hope that
when he came back to the ranch he would the
Silvia Sanford to hand over to the robber cap-

tain. r

Briskly through the forest and our the stony
hills went the mysterious Solomon Strange.

Kee ing to the right of the Indian encamp-
ment e struck the little glade wherein, but two
nights ago, he had slain the renegade chief,
Blufe Brandon, and entered a small cavern near
at hand. ‘ ‘

Ten minutes passed by, then he appeared
again. But he was not in the disguise of the
Black Bear. He wore hisown ragged garments
and carried his heavy, knotted club. For a mo-
ment he stood and gazed around him, then he
strode awa toward the west, his long yellow
hair and w iiskers streaming in the wind.

He had not gone far when his ears caught the
sound of cluttering booi's He looked down the
path before him and saw Rodger Rainbolt, the
ranger, coming toward him.

Stopping, he placed one foot in advance of the
other, seized his club in both hands, and swing-
ing it aloft, cried out: .

"‘Stopl stop! stop, my lord, or I’ll beat you,
beat you down!" _

CHAPTER XIX.
A csmr’s DEATH.
I'r required but a single glance for Frank Armond

: to recognize two of the thi‘oo- men seated around the
horns and shot-pouches hung upon them. '

glowing fire in the cavern. called by the two hunters
Bear’s Cave. They were Ralph Rodman and his
brother Willis. The third

readily guess, was Gustave rker.

A about of joy escaped Frank‘s lips when he saw
his friend and brother were safe. I - V .

In a moment they were grouped around the fire,
greeting'each other as though they had been sepa-
rated for years. -

erson, the reader will :

ut out the '

l us on the outside.

v... ..__.... .v r

“ But where is Walter?" asked Willis.
“ The good Lord only knows." mended ;
" he became separated from me ay while 3

n
ursued,by a band of Indians; I hope, however, be

e.

“ And now, Jis‘ tell dis chile how ye"cape from de
robbers‘ den,‘ said Ebony.

" Well, we esca d to-night, by the assistance
of a man d' raise in a bears skin, and whom the
robber-ca t n called Black Bear," returned Willis;
then turn lg to Barker, he continued: “ThisMr.
Barker escaped with us. ’ He had been a prisoner
there for three years. lie knew uncle Wayland San»
ford Frank, years ago in California."

“ am be. By to meet the friend of m dear old
uncle.“ sai ank, grasp; the thin co d hand of
Barker, “ but of comes, 1! is has told Iyou of uncle
Wavland’s sudden and m sterious deat ."

“ es, in young fricn , and I would have given
my life to ave seen your uncle before his death,“
returned Barker.

“You must have cherished a great aflection for
him Mr. Barker.” ,

“ ot onl that, young man, but I hold a secret
that would ave prolo ed his life twenty ears."

Barker began and rented the am of a land
Sanford being convicted of murder at iner‘s ‘ulcn
on the Yuba, through the inetrumentality of Duval
Dun arvon, as the reader has already heard it from
the i s of Dungarvon himself. Then he told how
he ha lain bleeding and mangled in the shaft for
five days before he was taken out, more dead than
alive, to find both Sanford and Dungarvon gone.
Then he told how he had labored in the mines, ac-
cumulated a lar e fortune, started to his home in
the East, was in bed < if his gold in the mountains
and left for dead a second time: how he recovered
and hid awn in the mountains, where for cars he
remdined a nnter, and finally fell into the ands of
his would~be murderer. Duvnl Dungarvon. and that
he had never heard of Wayland Sanford until ye met
Willis in prison.

" Then ion are acquainted with these Black Hills?“
said Fran , when Barker had finished his story.

" Yes. I know every hill, hollow. and stream, and
about two months before my incarceration in the
robbers’ den, I had met and become acquainted
With a young ranger in whom I took a deep interest,
and whom I would love to see."

" Did you make him a resent of something once 1'"
asked Frank, as a thong it occurred to his mind.

“Yes; a trained, pet eagle. Have you met Rodger
Ruinbolt?"

“ Yes; it was he who dealt—” began Frank. but at
this juncture Flick O’Flynn appeared from the
entrance and intemlpted him, saying:

“ Ay. b‘ys, and it's a divil av a time we‘re goin to
have. The red divils have found but our hid n2-
sphot, and th‘y‘re swharming like homits arhound
Mushal it‘s flte ’r ethane, so

 

‘ bring yer tools, b’ys, and come to the front.”

 

" Isn‘t this cavern called Bear’s Cave?" suddenly
asked Barker, as they started to their feet in alarm.

“ lndude it is," responded O’Fl nn. '

“ Great Heavens!" exclaimed rker “I had for-
gotten the place. Doyou know that thereare tua
entrances to it?" '

‘ Holy Mother, no!” res nded Flick.
Footstepssounded in e. essage behind them.
The glanced back. A crv 0 horror each

lip. or with a flaminghtorch in one hand, an a toma-
hawk in the other, t e helnld a score of savages
lei? by the young chief llacotah, advancing tow
l em.

Quick as thought Frank and Willis raised their
repeating rifles and fired. Allacotah fell dead, with
a ullet through his heart. Again and again the

‘ young men fired until every chamber of their rifles

was em ty. A savage fell at every shot. The others
recolle , then when the war-whee of another party
coming in at the entrance ro ed thro h the
cavern, the rallied and closed in u. n our riends.

The con ct was short. Our fri s were all, save
one overpowered and made plisoners. (luslave
Barker, like the phantom thathe seemed. had glided
from the cavern and made his escape in the we (ls.

And now a wail of lamentation echoed Illl'UUth
the cavern, as the savages gathered around the ill"—
less form of their 'oung chief Allacotah. Vich l y
had been dear! am by them. Besides their
chief. a dozen o the t warriors lay dead, while
not one of their enemies had fallen. Though it
would have been an easy matter to have toma-
hawked the captives they dare not, for the great

_ chief, Black Bear, he ordered that all captives be

taken and brought to the village alive and un-
harmed.

Litters were constructed of blankets, and the dead
and wounded placed upon them to be taken back to
the village. ‘ ‘

The prisoners' feet were unbound and they per-
mitted to stand; and then with their hands bound at
their backs, they were marched out the cavern. '

The first glimmer of approaching day was begin-
ning to streak the eastern sky. _

In a few mmutesthe dead had been brought from
the cavern, and tin-n the party filed away through

the forest in the direction of the I ndiau village.

 

CHAPTER XX.
RAINBOLT nears wrm AN ACCIDENT.

annom halted before the mysterious Solomon
Strange. a smile res mg n on his features. a feeling
of stran e curiosit you is mind:

.“Hol 0!" long} Strange. “so we have met
again, my Lord Ohver-—~I mean Thunderbolt.“ ‘

“So it seems. though you were the last person I
had expected to meet. Mr. Strange,” replied the
ranger.

 

 
 

{14‘

" And why so—why so, my lord i"

“I supposed you were on the Pacific coast with
old Ne une."

“So have been, my lord, and a right merry time
had old Ne and I."

“ I shoul have thou ht you would have remained
there, MI Strange, wit 1 your old friend of the sea,"
said Rainbolt, scarcely knowing what to make of the
wild. stran ye man.

“ I woult have remained, my lord. but in making
my passage ovel these hills when I saw you before,

heard a dark secret connected with them, and that
: lawful demon rode on the midnight air over the
.' mulnti‘lliu. striking terror to every heart, every heart,
in or .“

‘And who told you so much, Mr. Strange?"

“The wind, the wind, my lord. And the secret I’ll
fathom and the demon I‘l. slay. And now, is there
aught of the past or future you would. wish me to
know, my lOI‘I ?"

“There is much I would like to know, Mr.
Strange." replied the ranger, “ but I can scarcely re-
member any thing, now."

“ You doubt me, my lord. but heal-ken: Yak/r «rife
lives, my lord. and seek you not another! Ay, you
start, but it is so. And let me tell you more, my
lord. Since God in his mercy saved you from death
at the falls, you need have nc fear of your fellow-
men. Your shoulders hear the weight of no crime;

on were the victim of a foul plot—the letter was

orged by one Duval Dungarvon in hopes of having
you hung, hung. my lord. ‘

As the strange man concluded, he turned and
strode briskl away, leaving the ranger seated alone
3203 his a mal, completely dumfounded and mys-

e .

“th is he? Who is he?" muttered the ranger
to himself; “he is a queer, strange creature, one
that knows all about my] past and can even read my
tho hts. Heavens! w at if it is—no, it can’t be.
butulgwill overtake him and make further inquiries.“

Rainbolt spoke to his animal and dashed away in
pursuit of Solomon Str e, but he had one but a
short distance, when a lit e figure glide suddenly
across his path, frightened his animal, causing it to
rear and plunge wildly and throw its rider to the
ground, and unfortunately, in the fall, the ranger's
hfad struck upon a sharp rock, completely stunning

m.

As the unfortunate man lay thus unconscious. the
figure that had frightened his animal glided from
the undergrowth and bent over his prostrate form.
It was the Indian woman, Silver Voice.

As she gazed down into the ranger‘s face, a low,
convulsive sob burst from her lips, and then she
stooged and kissed his pale lips.

“ h, my God!" she sobbet, “have I killed him?
0h, Warren. my love, my darling! Let me hear you
say that (you forgive. I did not ntend to scare 'our
pony. 11, Warren! Warren! my wronged am for-
saken husband, are you dead at last? But perhaps
't is better that you never lived to die with shame for
her you loved.”

” Florence."

Silver Voice started up. It was the ranger's lips
that articulated the name. The voice of the woman
seemed to recal.‘ him back to consciousness. He
opened his eyes, gazed around him and up into the
face of the woman bending over him. He recognized
the face beneath its dusky paint, and fipringlng up
like one delirious, hf clasped the form 0 the woman
in his arms and pressed her to his breast.

" Florence my wife,“ he cried. "have I found
you, whom the world thinks dead?"

She tried to free herself from his embrace, say-

in :

5"Yes, you have found me, Warren, but in disgrace
and disguise."

“Oh, God! Florence, my darling wife, what do
you mean i"

"I mean that 1 am no longer worthy of your love.
It will only wound your heart deeper to tell on.
Go, and {230$ me," and she turned to leave, bu the
ranger de ned her.

“ Stay, Florence, do not leave me. You are mine.
Mine to love. and mine to cherish. Why do you
turn from me?“

" Because I am no longer worthy of your love, but
God kncwr I supposed ou dead.’

“ Florence, my wife can guess you: secret. You
are the wife of an Indian."

“ Oh God! it. is but too true. Warren; for two
Iyears have been the wife of Allacotah—a noble and

ind young chief, in whose veins courses Anglo-
Saxon blood by nature, if not by birth."
b Thei ranger groaned aloud, as though his heart was
urst ng.
“ Thor you love your Indian husband, Florence?"
he asked

“ No I only admired him for his kindness and no-
ble p C! ies, such as nc other Indian ever pos-
sessed. I ame his wife only for protection from
the insults of Mr peoplt and the v6power of my peo-
ple. But I supposed you dead, arren. Your ser-
vant toio me he had seen you dashed to pieces over
lhe Devil‘s Tarn. Never until the night you res-
cuc'l Silvia from Black Bear, did I know you lived.
And now you know my secret, my disgrace, Warren,
so let me go."

"No, Florence, you are mine. What you have
done makes me love you all the stronger. It is no
disgrace; it is only what a strong, brave and sensible
woman wou d and should have done under such try-
ing circumstances."

But, Warren, you love another—you10ve my sis-
ter. Silvia."

"Only because she in your sister. God knows I
never could love another as I do you, my angel.
Florence."

Before Silver Voice could reply, Echo, the eagle,

 

The Sky Demon.

darted down through the forest with his warning cry
of danger.

Turning uickly around, the ranger and his wife—
for such a e was, dear reader—saw a number of
savages coming directly toward them.

“Oh, Warren," the woman cried, “they are sav-
fifs! fly. for your life! They hate you—they will

ou.

“ ife is nothing more to me, Florence, without
you,“ replied the ranger, calmly.

“Then fly. Warren for my sake!”

The ranger stooped and kissed the sweet, plead-
ing lips of his wife, and with a feeling of joy that
had long been a stranger to his heart, he turned, and
catching his animal that was grazing near, sprung
into the saddle and dashed sharply away.

He at once shaped his course for his cavern
gialiile, which he reached after two hours‘ brisk

ng.

On entering Silvia‘s apartment, what was his sur-
prise to find a young man seated therein with her!
Ashe entered, ilvia and the stranger rose to their
feet when the maiden said:

“ My friend, Mr. Walter Lyman, Mr. Rainbolt."

CHAPTER XXI.
m srnnrlLING was. b t} l d
ranger graspe oung yman y )6 tan ,
and gazing into his eyes ileflectiveiy, said:

“I am sure we have met before, Mr. L man."

“Yes, sir; on the night you rescued olonel Way-
land Sanford and his party from the Indians,"re-
turned Lyman.

“ Yes, yes,Iremember you now; but where are
the rest of your party?"

“ I know where none of them are but (‘olonel San-
ford. Yesterday I became separated from my
friends, and in wandering by the falls to-day I met
hMiss Sanford, who invited me into your hidden

ome."

“ You are a thousand times welcome, Mr. Lyman.
But you said you knew where Mr. Sanford was, I
believe.”

“.Yes air;he is dead," the "young man returned,

ous .

“Dead'Wexciaimed the ranger, starting up and
glancing at Silvia, who was weeping tears of sorrow.
‘ Wyland Sanford dead I"

“ es; he fell dead with the heart disease a few
moments after you left that night. He was buried
in the glade where he died."

The ranger dropped into a chair. A silence that
was broken only y Silvia‘s sobs fell upon the place.
Young Lyman watched the ranger’s ace With deep
interest, and saw that he was terribly a 'tated.

Presently Silvia raised her head from t e table and

asked:

“ Mr. Rainbolt. what was written upon that paper
which you gave father the night on met him? ‘

The ranger was much surpris by the question,
but replied:

“I wrote that Rod er Rainbolt and Warren Wal-
raven were one and t 6 same person."

Si3;,1Then your name is not Rodger Rainbolt?" asked
8..

“ No; in name is Warren Walraven.”

“ And d (1 you know my father? and did he know

on?“

“Yes. Why shouldn't he, when his daughter
Florence, your sister, Silvia, is my «vi/‘4"

“Rodger, you are jestingl“ Silvia exclaimed.

“I am not, Silvia. I have long thought I would
tell ou this." _

“ ut we never knew that Florence was married
before she died, or drowned herself."

“No, Silvia, we mere married secretly. You were
in Omaha at the time, so I never saw you until the
night I rescued on from Black Bear," said the
ranger. “ And lo me tell you something else that
will surprise you. Florence is not dead."

“ igeri" Silvia asped, “is that true?"

“It is, Silvia. T e woman in Indian disguise
known as Silver Voice is Florence."

“Rodger it is im ssible! Silver Voice is the
wife of an lndian c of."

“Yes, Silvia: but for all that she is Florence."
said the ranger; and he went on and related the
cause of Florence‘s flight to the Indian country and
:16: ulilarriage to tah, as Florence had related

t o m. '

“Then Florence did not commit a willful wrong
in ma ng the chief. But why did you not make
your e stence known to her be ore she tied?"

In repl to this the ranger related the story of his
trials and suflerings, of which the reader is already
aware.

 

He stated that when he went over the falls in a'

canoe the little craft alighted upon its end in such
a way as not to injure h in severely, and that, by
some chance, it was thrown backward under the
falls instead of outward. Here he discovered the
cavern that he had made his home.

“ And where is Florence now?" asked Silvia.

“ I left her in the forest, near the Indian encamp.
ment. She begged me to fly, to escape a band of
Indians we saw approaching. I did so; but since
you have company, and it is some time until night,
I will go in search of her."

f‘ 011, do, Rodger! and bring her here!" cried Sil-
vm.

The ranger turned to leave the room, saying:

“I will go and try, but I fear I can never induce
her to leave the Indians.”

Before Silvia could reply he was gone.

CHAPTER XXII.
A STRANGE m'rnnvmw.
IT is a night of fearful storm, but one that has
been full of events to the captives. Taken to the
Indian village, they were doomed to the stake; but

 

fl

the counterfeit Black Bear comin in with Florence,
had learned all—the assault on t e cave, the death
of Aliacotah. which freed the unhapp wife from a
bond that must have broken her bee and b co.
0 eratinig with-.Bainbolt whom Florence brou t to
t e gui ance of the released captives, the rave
Solomon Strange had, under cover of the storm set
the whole party free; and we now behold them

athered in the nger’s Cave, happy enough over
heir release. But the happiest 0 all was the
ranger himself, who, with his restored wife in his
arms, was repaid for his long, long days of suffer-

in .

guly Solomon Strange was abroad that night.
Furiously the wind drove in his face ashe moved
westward throu h the woods, ided by the léght-
ning‘s lare. Bu what cared e mysterious t olo-
mon S range for the bellowing thunder, the rum-
bling wind, the sullen roar of the trees, the crashing
of falling timber, the vivid lightning and the rain?
Ah, what cared be?

On through the forest aisles he went. On, on.

Presently he entered a small opening in the woods
and stopped.

That spot seemed to recall a dark deed to his
mind, for it was there that he had beaten down the
renegade Blufe Brandon; and but a little ways elf
he could hear the waters rushin wildly throu h the
black gorge into which he had t rown the bet y.

After a moment‘s pause he crossed the glude and
entered the forest. A few steps more and he had
disappeared in the cavern, wherein that day he had
left s bearskin disguise.

Ten minutes assed and then he came forth again,
but he were no the disguise of the Black Bear.

His long yellow hair and whiskers floated around
hiis (head and face like ragged streamers in the wild
w n 3.

At the mouth of the cavern he paused and leaned
upon his knotted club.

Just then a vivid flash of lightnin revealed the
figure of a man with a thin, ghastly ace and hollow
eyes standing before him.

He stepped back and raised his club, for sure was
he that an apparition confronted him.

Another flash of lightning. The figure stillis there.
Solomon Strange started like a guilty thing, as he
recognized the man's features—the features of the
rene ade Blufe Brandon.

“ randon, is it you?” he asked.

“Yes; who are you?" returned the supposed de-
funct rene ade.

“I am So omon Strange, the Wizard of the West,
the same who beat you down in the forest glade, and
tumbled you into the gorge for dead. Ho! ho! a right
merry time have I had playing! Black Bear, Your
bearskin fit me to a at’s eel. Mr. Blufe and
then I went u to the ro bers‘ ranch and passed my-
self off as lack Bear, and was initiated in the
Brotherhood of Mountain Men, as on had arranged
at the Devil‘s Tarn. Oh a right 101 y time had Duvai
Dungarvon and I, Mr. Blufe. A ay dog is Captain
Duvai, but he ot drunk and Idit n t, and the reason
was, he poure goblets of liquor (iLWll his throat,
while I poured just as much down—upon the floor.
And while Duval, the thirsty dog, la dead drunk, I
stole a bottle of his best, gave it to h s prisoners and
then let them out, locked the empty prison and hid
the key, Mr. Blufe. And all this merry s ort I‘ve.
had in your bearskin, and no one knew ut I was
Black Bear himself. But how glad I am that you are
not dead, Mr. Blufe, for I felt ike I had done a dirty
little deed when I flung you into the gorge, so deep,
so dark, Mr. Blufe.“

“I believe you are an infernal fool,“ retumed the
bruised and wounded renegade, growing enraged at
what he knew must be so.

‘ Whew! how the winds blow " continued Strange.
" Come into the cavern and I will tell you more, Mr.
Blufe. Come in where the rain won‘t wash on into
the gorge, for there is only a shadow of you eft, you
unfortunate dog."

“ Go to the devil,” responded the renegade; “ I will
not 0 in."

“ nt you must comezxyou must hear me, Mr.
Blufe " and Strange seiz him, and dragging him
into t e cavern, compelled him to hsten to an hour's
tales and talk.

When he had finished, however, he turned and
glided out the cavern into the forest.

Soon after Blufe Brandon, weak with loss of blood
and fasting, emer ed from the cave and moved
slowly away tows the Indian encampment, curs-
ing the mysterious author of his sore bones and
bruised head. ‘

An hour after his interview with the resurrected
chief, Solomon Strange was seated under the shelter
of a great pine in conversation with another man,
one whom he had requested to meet him there-at
the Devil's Tarn.

That man was the white-haired prisoner of the
robbers‘ ranch, Gustave Barker.

For hours they sat and conversed as though no
storm was raging around them.

Finally the storm died away, and as the moon
stru gled out through the rlf s in the skurrying
clou s,Solomon Strange and his companion left their
seat beneath the great pine by the Devil‘s Tarn, and
took their way eastward through the forest.

CHAPTER XXIII.
A DEMON no mean. _

Momma dawned bright and clear after the night
of the storm.

Our friends in the ranger's cavern breakfasted
early, for they were anxious to be off for the land of
civilization. .

Captain Warren Walraven concluded to give up
his wild, secluded life, and with his angel Wife go
back to his old home in Iowa.

 

 

The Sky Demon.

15

 

 

Though Ebony Jim and Flick 0' were ing
to aocompan them beyond the angers o the
hills, they no desire to quit their nomadic life of
hunter-3,3313, in token of his res act for them,
Rodger ' bolt presented them h hidden home
and all its appurtenances, Purie, the pet panther
and his library. though, unfortunately, neither 0
them could read a word.

Echo, the eagle, the ranger resolved to keep, so
long as a feather of him was left.

As for Frank and Willis Armond Rai h Rodman
and Walter Lyman they were fit so isfled with
their few days of ‘ recreation in t 16 mountains,"
and concluded to go back to Omaha.

When all were read to leave the cavem, Florence
turned to her husban and said:

" Oh. Warreni how I would love to visit father's
lonely grave before we return to the East."

“ And i, too," said Silvia; “ it would afford me
great consolation to look upon poor father’s grave
before we go away."

“ Your desire shall be granted, my dear children,"
said the ranger. with tears of tenderness in his eyes.

And so they left the cavern.

The ran er called us] his faithful mustang, and
having; bri ed and sad ed it, mounted the women
upon .

Then, with the (seeming) indispensable and capo.-
cious saddle-b , which he always carried. thrown
across his arm, e ranger took the lead and the party
movedaway.

Echo, the eagle. had been sent away in advance to
kee his wary watch for danger before. while Ebony
an Flick were sent out on either side to watch out
tfiler any enemies that might be disposed to attack

em.

Their rogress was slow and tedious. and it was
not unti the end of the third da that they reached
{She little giade wherein Waylan Sanford had been

uried.

The young sportsmen found the grave as they had
left it, though the bodies of the sava es were one.

That night the party encamped in t e glade y the

ve.

After supper had been repared and eaten. and
while the party sat around he camp-fire conversing,
the subject of the Aerial Demon came up. _

After each one had given his opinion and Views on
the subject, the ranger started to his feet. saying:

“ Indeed, I have been neglecting our safety. win
{:0 out into the forest and reconnoiter the immediate
vicinity. for lurking dan er, then we must station
guards for the night," an as he concluded he stoo ed
and whispered something to Florence and Silvia, t en
turned, and calling his eagle, that had rched itself
in a tree-top, walked away into the west, though
none but the women noticed that he took his capa-
cious saddle-bags with him.

In about ten minutes he returned.

“Any signs ob danger, capt'in ?" asked Ebony.

“ None whatever." returned he captain; ‘ but
where can Echo be?“ and. as he concluded, he placed
the born to his lips and blew a blast that echoed far
away through the hills.

In a moment a scream was heard down the valley,
and all eyes were instantly turned that way.

An exc amation of horror burst from the lips of
the two hunters and the four youn sportsmen.

They saw the Aerial Demon com ng up the valley
toward them!

The women uttered a little scream. while Rainbolt
burst into a hearty laugh, then he placed the horn to
his lips and blew another blast.

At this juncture the Aerial Demon was directly
over the calmp and as the blast of the horn pealed
out, the he (1 creature ceased its night and settled
down, down into the very midst qg the excited group .’

A cry of surprise. followed y a ringing laugh,
pealed from evel?r lip.

The m stery o the Aerial Demon was explained,
and the wo hunters and four young sportsmen felt
no little ashamed of their fears of such a harmless
but after all, a rather mysterious oontrivance 0

er Rainbolt.

Let us analyze the Aerial Demon, the terror of the

Indians.
First, it received its motive power from Echo, the
e

egeeond, its great arms, that beat and buffeted the
air, were the e le's wings, and the screams that it
uttered were Ec o‘s screams.

Third, the head of the demom was singly a dark-
iantern. light and dextrously made an carefully
fastened u n Echo's back between the win s.

Fourth, he ghastly proportions, reveals by the
flame, resembling a human frame, was the represent
ation of a skeleton, made of light, dry pine and sus-
pended beneath the eagle y means of a. small
strap attached to it and passing over the back of the
bird.

And this was the mystery of the Aerial Demon—a
clever and in nious contrivance, which, on more
than one occas on, had saved the Me of its origina-
tori Only the patience of Rodger Rainbolt, in train-
ing Echo to perform those aerial missions, with al-
most a human understanding, could have produced
such a result.

The capacious saddle-bags he always carried were
the “WNW”! of the rude contrivance.

Ebony was at last forced to give up the idea that
the Aerial Demon was the Old Nick, and begged
hard for the eat-lie and the demon that he might use
it to work on the fears of the Indians.

The ranger would not part with his noble bird, but
gave the lantern and fixtures to the darky, who de-
clared he would catch and train a hawk, or an owl,
at the earliest time sible.

And 3° the nigh. "‘13 Spent as well as circum-
stances would admlt, with our friends,

Morning dawned clear and warm.

 

The party breakfasted upon wild pi eon and veni-
son procured by the two hunters, prepared by
Florence.

When they were ready to resume their journey,
Florence drew her husband toward her father‘s
grave, and said:

“ Warren, promise me by this grave that you will
for ive my father the wrongs he has done you."

“ et that," he said, kissing her pleading lips, “ be
{he seal to the promise which I grant With all my

cart.“

"Ho, ho, ho! by the mysteries of the Aerial De-
mon! Here am I in the camp of a party of lords
and ladies!"

All eyes were turned upon the speaker. It was
the m sterious Solomon Strange, who had appeared
friim {he forest at thisjuncture, and halted n their
m dst.

Florence and Silvia exchalniged significant smiles.

“I am glad to meet you, r. Strange," said Cap-
tain Walraven.

"And I you, my lord; but you all seem as serious
as though you were in a graveyard reading the in-
scriptions on the gravestones.‘

“ Sir, these ladies' father lies buried there," said
Frank, ointing to the grave.

"Ho, oi“ laughed Strange; “ and how know you
that, my boy?"

‘ I helped to bury him there," returned
Frank.

“And what would you think, boy, if I Solomon
Strange, gifted with the power of the ancient sooth-
sayers, should tell you that you are guilty of bury-
ing alive man there r"

' I would think you were a fool," retorted Frank.

“ ‘To err is human, to f0 ve divinez‘ but I will
prove it to you, my boy,“ an (1 Strange; and as he
concluded, began to unfasten the strips of bark
and twisted grass from his limbs.

This done his ragged garments dro ped from his
bod , reve ng it dressed in a hub enable suit of
dar cloth. Then the man placed his hands to his
head and face, and tore off the wig and mask of long
yellow hair and whiskers, aud— -

Colonel ii’ayland San/0rd stood before them 272 pen
feet health /

The young sportsmen, the two hunters, and Rod-
ger Rainboit were completely dumfounded and
started back as if from a ghost, unable to utter a
word.

A merry pea] of ion hter rung from the sisters‘
lips. They knew their ather lived, and were pre-
pared for the meeting. He had made known his ex-
istence to Florence in the Indian encampment, hence
their private interviews there. Florence then com-
municated the fact to Silvia.

“Ha, ha, hai" laughed the colonel; “do_you be-
beiieve now, my boy, that you bill'le a hve man
there f"

“ Uncle Wayland Sanford l" exclaimed Frank, real-
izing the startling fact, “ how in the name of Heaven
did on escape?‘

“ ‘asy enough, since you had buried me in a state
of cutalepsy. brought on by excitement and fatigue,
and not very deep in the ground, for when re-
gained consciousness I found I was in the ground,
the dirt mostly of! of me, and a ck of wolves
lowering around. The beasts ha dug the dirt
awa .

Th); oung men came forward and congratulated
the co onel on his resurrection and escape. Rain-
bolt took him by the hand, and said:

“ I am happy to meet on thus, \\ a land Sanford;
your part has been we played. 80 omon Strange
was a strange man, and t 6 mystery connected with
him stands revealed."

“ Warren Wairaven,“ returned the colonel, " it
eases my heart to hear you talk thus-I, who, so—"

“ Never mind, colonel, never mind. I know what
yon would say. Let the past be forgotten,“ said the

ranger.

“ So be it, thank God i“ murmured the colonel.

At this moment Gustave Barker emerged from the
woods and joined the haggy group.

Wayland Sanford‘s la r ad been doubly re-
warded.

When he had returned to consciousness and found
that he had been buried for dead that his oun
friends were gone, and recalled his 8 tuation, t 18 ias
he knew before he fell unconscious from the shock
the news Rainbolt had communicated to him had
given him, he arose from his shallow grave, heat off
the wolves that had, fortunately, dug him out; and
then he resolved upon disguisin himself and going
forth to meet the ranger, and ring to Justice the
man who held him in his wer.

He knew full well that uval Dungarvon was the
direct cause of Silvia's abduction, and he determined
to find him and com 01 him to acknowledge his
innocence in the Miner s Gulch affair to the world.

Before leaving the grave, however, he filled it u ,
smoothed it over and then covered it with the brus
which he supposed his friends left over it. His ob-
ject in this was to surprise them just as we have
seen, should they ever return there.

Procuring his disguise, he set forth. What he ac-
com lished the reader has already seen.

Af er some delay the party resumed its journey
toward Che enne City, increased in number by the
colonel andiis old fr end, Gustave Barker.

“In the course of several days they arrived at the
c y.
There Ebony Jim and Flick O‘Flynn bid them
adieu and returned- to the mountains, where they
still remain; but as the Aerial Demon has never
been heard of since Rodger Rainbolt left there, it is
sugposed that Ebony “ couldn’t make it work.”
lvia and her father were so overpowered with
10 , that they gave u their visit to California, and
re urned wit eir f ends to Omaha.

 

1

Captain Warren Walraven and his beautqu wife,
Florence, reside at Council Biuifs Iowa; and as it
is but a little ways over to Om la, they often go
over to see Walter and Silvia Lyman, who had
plighted their love in the ranger‘s cavern, away
amon the Black Hills, and who became man and
wife s lortly after their return home.

lis, Frank and Ralph are still sin le, and often
declare that Walter got the “best of he summer‘s
recreation. ' '

Colonel Sanford and his friend. Barker, reside in
Omaha.

And so we leave them.

CHAPTER XXIV.
CONCLUSION.

Ones more, dear reader, let us go back to the
Devil‘s Tarn.

It is night, but the moon is flooding the hill, wood
and valley with its light.

Within its light, on the banks of a stream at the
ve eof the roaring fails, a mall is standing, ever
an anon glancing impatiently around him.

It is Duval Dungarvon, the robber-captain, and
who is he there to meet?

The bushes part near hiln and a man stands be-
fore him.

It is Biufe Brandon, the renegade, and he is to
meet Duval Dungarvon.

“ Well, you‘ve ot alon at last, have you?" asked
Dungarvon, as t e chle approached him. “I re—
ceived your message ami came at once to meet you,
and here I'm been waitin r for an hour; but have
you any news from the gir ?"

“I am sorry Duval. that I wasn’t here at the a
pointed hour, but the fact is, I've been scarcely all e
to walk for sacral days; and the girl—well, 1 ll tell
you soon.“

“Why, Biufe, what ails you? our voice sounds
like the grave. Swreral days? w ly on were well
figgggh the night you became one o the brother-

“ Dungarvon, you‘re a fool.“

“Why sod what do '011 mean, Biufe?"

“Just what I say. e other night that we met
here a man was concealed where he heard every
wor we said, and when we parted, he followed me,
beat me down, stripped off my bearskin and put it
on himself, threw me into a gorge, where] lay, more
dead than alive, several days. The ui ht of the
storm lrecovered sufllcient to get out o the gorge
just as a flood of water came sweeping down. i
moved oil toward in village, and on the way 1
met the man who ha beat me down robbed me of
m disguise, and threw me into the go lie
so zed me, dragged me into a cavern, and id me
he had been passing himself off as illack Bear. with
success, and—“

“Ila! ha! ha!“ roared Dungarvon; “well. you
Indians must be a set of cursed fools. blind at that,
to let a stranger fool them in that manner.“

“ Well. he dill," continued Brandon. “ and he went
up to your ranch and was initiated into your band
as Black Bear, and now who‘s the blind fools? hal
ha! ha! Duval Dungarvon and his men 1"

“ Brandon. you’re lying as fast as on can talk.“

“ Not a bit of it, my t Duva ; but hear me
throu h. The man sai you met him at Lone Pine,
told h in all about your ceremon , as he heard you
promiseto me- then he sai you told him all
about your killing t e miner on the Yuba. swearing
the deed onto Wayland Sanford; ou throwing Bar-
ker into the shaft; the escape of nford; the affair
about the girl. Florence; the death of one Captain
Walraven: and the capture of Barker, the hero of
the Yuba shaft, and two Omaha ‘ larks,’ allof which
were then in your prison at your ranch. Then he
said you got drunk, and then he stole a bottle of
your brandy and gave it to Barker and the Omaha
‘larks,' let them out of prison. locked the cell, and
hid the key."

“ Blufei is what you are telling true?"

“ True as gospel, captain."

“ And did the man tell on his name?"

“Yes. it was Waylan Sanford.“

Duval Dungarvon growled with anger, cursed with
rage, stamped with ry.

lufe Brandon la bed in his face. This so en ed
the robber-captain t at he dealt the renegade a b ow
Ln thg face that sent him heels over head into the

we .

Brandons ru up, and drawin aknife, rushed
u n his robgnrng'iend. wild with sgdden rage.

le two grap led. Brandon was the larger, and
could have can y handled the robber, but he was
still uite weak from his affair with Solomon Strange,
and t eir strength was about matched.

“ Curse lyoui' hissed the renegade, “your life
shall pay or that blow!“

To and fro the strugglin men swa ed. Their
faces were livid with rage. fi'hick and ast fell the
deadly blows. The ound at their feet . ew SllDiN’I‘Y
with their own b10051: At last they fel . striking and
tugging like maddened beasts. 'l‘ ey arose again to
their feet, sta ered backward and—

Toppling, to over the cliff and were crushed to
atoms, almost, against the jag ed rocks as they
:Il‘ropped in the stream at the cot of the Devil‘s

urn.

Two figm‘es came from the shadow of the woods,
and walking to the edge of the cliff, looked down ill-
to the foam-lashed waters below.

“Golly, de ig’s u wid dem villains."

“13.93, and t eir b ood is not on our heads, so it

And Flick O’Fiynn and Ebony Jim descended the
clifl. entered their canoe, and in a moment were
lost in the mist and spray at the foot of the Devil’s
Tarn, as they sought their cavern retreat.

THE END.

 

 

 

 

———-~ BEADLE’S HALF-DIME LIBRARY. ‘

l .
Jack l-lo le. By Edward L. Wheeler. ‘ 229 Crimson Rate. B 001. P. Ingraham.
The Blae Schooner. Roger Starbuck.  230 The Yankee Rajayh. By C. D. Chrk
glfie i‘illad lili(nert IBy GbVYallDdcianixne. I 231 Piueky Phil. By T. C. Harbaugh.
e llflfllll‘ 7a a n. .o. . a am. .. .
wit-Edged mo , By E; Ihwmger. 232 Gold Duet Dick. By E. L. Wheeler
M illI Sonia-:7“ winger] DWB‘ £32m. Mgms. .  If; 3‘10“, 0‘ ‘Angelso BY- A W- Aiken.
as an: .‘iim. y on. 1. ger, r. ‘ ‘ ‘ - 0 Rocky’s Boyeea.’ Buckskin Stun
The Branded "and. B ‘li‘rank Dulnont. '~ ' . ~
(‘innanion Chip. By rdevard L. Wheeler. i 235 shadow sum. B! Charles Mfwma'
Plill Hardy, rm; BOHH BoY. iy C. Morris.  2'36 Apouo 3"“ By P‘dw‘u‘dL'Wheelcr-
'Ifiowa ('harlcy. By T. C. arbaugh. .‘ 237 Lone Star, the Co\vboy Captain; or,
$3312.???me By GegrgEaGleaml. l I MY‘HTERJOUS RANCHEBO. By P. Ingmhaln.
'. lNER. ' . .. eeer. 3 ,. w ~
Pica une Pflé. By Chagleg Moms. I, 238 The Barson Detectiv . By Oil Loomes.
w" .pire, MBsOvaE ROAR B Dumom‘ 239 The (.olil-l-ieekoriuuide: or I‘m: Lo..-'r
The Youth Privateer. By H. ‘. vendisll. } MOUNT‘IN- By (319mm may“ Rel -
DCfld\\'00. Dick’s Double. By Wheeler. 1 249 (‘yclone Kit. By Edward L. Wheeler.

Deter-live Diek. By Charles Morris.
The Golden "and. By Geo. W. BroWne. l 241  cgfigrfigmfl'd 1“. Bear Para".

The llltnted Hunter. B Ed. 8. Ellis.

   

 

 

 

 

l Deadwood Dick, THE PRINCE or rail. Row
1‘3; Edward L. Wheeler.

2 ellowntone Jack. B J09. E. Badger, Jr.

3 Kansas King. B Bu 1110 Bill.

4 The “Hid-Horne unters. By Captain
Mayne Reid and Captain Frederick Whittaker.

5 Vagabond J01},TBE Yoom WANDEBLNG Jaw.
By 011 Coomes. Double Number 100m.

6 Bill lliddon ' ‘rapper. B E. 8. Ellis.

7 'The Flying i’ankee. By Co . P. lngrahom.

Seth Jones . By Edward S. Ellis.

Adventures oi Baron liluni-hauuen.

Nat Todd. By E. S. Ellis.

The Two Deteetlven. By A.W. Aiken.

i-‘ulllver’u Travell. B ' Dean Swift.

The. Dumb S iy. By~Ol Coomes.

Aladdin ; or, ‘nn WONDERFUL LAHP.

'l‘lle Sen-nit. By Captain Fred. Whittaker.

Robinnon Crusoe. (27‘ Illustrations.)

Ila! ill “0". By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.

o

’I"

Sim bad the Sailor. His Seven Voyages. Bolus Dob. By Ed. L. Wllee car. i 242 The TWO ‘Blmldi‘o By Chfil'lefi M01119.
The gllilgloln Spy. By Buffalo Bilrl). 1 Sure Shot Seth. By Oll C(nllll‘e. 243 The Dinauiued Guide. By Oll Coomes.
I I8 0“ ll; Dilflgerfl- By E. L- W 90 er- ( aptain Paul. By (‘. Dunning Clark. 244 SN...“ Sal“. By Edward L. Whack.“

'l‘lie li‘rontier A llgel. By Edward 8. Ellis.

NI rht-Hawk Kit. B Jo .E.B ! , .
The Sea Ser lent. Juan Lewis. L y S m ger Jr

The Hel lli‘flll "and. Capt. Mayne. Reid. 245 Mom‘s "'0 Mlddn By (‘01- P.1ngx'aham.

gilt-gno: [gig‘rl‘flllé OyflT. CPHlarbmlltzh. ‘l'fliandel ill]. I? Edgar-d L. Wheeler.h 246 GiantGeol-ge. By Buckskin Sam.

' ‘ o l . y one . ngralaln. u go .yne I r. T. C. Harbau . ‘ g 1 '
I‘ll“ Bo (‘a ltain. ByBo er Starbuck. Blue luau-g, ’By Fran Dumom. g 247 9§$uf;f.‘zfign:"d 1”“ Pen“ ByUlvam
(.Ioven oo . By Edward . Wheeler. Solid Sam. B Edward L Wheeler. . , ' .

Antelope Abe, THE Boy GUIDE. Oll'Coomes. nanduonw “tn-.- . By Charles Moms- 248 Sierra Sam is Set-ret. By E. L. Wheeler.

Bull‘an Ben. By Edward L. Wheeler.
The Dumb Page. By Capt. F. Whittaker.
lloaring Ralph lloektvood , THE BECK-
ucss RANGER. By Hm- ' St. George.
Keen-Knife. By 0 Coomes.

Bob “’ooll'. By Edward L. Wheeler.

'l‘he Oeean Bloodhound. S. W. Pierce.
Oregon Sol. By Capt. J. l". C. Adams.
“llld Ivan. By Edward L. \Vlleeler.

The Bo (‘lown . By Frank S. Firm.
The "It dell Lodge. By T. C. llarhaugh.
Ned \Vylde. run Boy Scour. By Texas Jack.
Death-False, THE DETECTIVE. By Wheeler.
Roving Hen. By J. J. Marshall.

Lain-lo Jack. Bv Oil Coomes.

The Phantom Miner. By E. L. Wheeler.

inner-Rafe haul. KOIISCoomes. 1 249 Milo Rorner. By Capt. Fred. Whittaker.
a. lit .auce run or roar. By BM zer. 2, . .

(‘apta n Ferrizt. By Edward L. Wheeler. 50 Mldfllflpmén "gum" By Ingmham'
Silver Star, rm: Bov‘KNlorrr. By Coonles. 25 l L‘glu'h"“’° Ligc' By J' F' 0‘ Adm
Will ‘Vildiire. By Charles Morris. 252 Diek Dashaway. By Chas Morris.

Sharp Salli. By J. AlexanderPniten. r m .rru Sams- p . v7 .
A Galno or Gold. By Ed. L. Wheeler. 2;: “(m "a". “Loan”; ,    gill”
Lanee and Lahuo. By (legit. F‘.Whittaker. ' 5 “an 5' 15'

Qanther Paule Bvilos. Badger, Jr, 255 ('aptain Apollo. By T. C. Iinrbangh.
5‘53"“ We“: “ILL‘WILDFTRE‘B RAVE“; 0?. 256 Young Kentuek. By Capt. Mark Wilton.

[Iéglrzfi-fii‘,‘ §é€BEJ;§.LI}?I 257 The Lost lluntoru. By Capt. Adams.

The Sword Hunters. By .Whitmker, 258 Sierra Sam‘u Seven, By E. L. Wheeler.
“01d 'L'Pii-l' 0" THE SPORT- T- (V Hill‘bflugh. 259 The Golden Harpoon. ByR.Starbuck.

ID-‘adtvoo iek ol‘ Di-iulwlmd' or .
Tm: Plexnl) Plan. B Edward L. Whoe’lor.’ 260 D” “1’0"” I’m“ BY 0“ comes-

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6

7

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;

g R‘cilt‘llllnrlllllt' Else“ t" “if: g’h‘tmker- lilikr: Merry. Bye urles Morris. 261 Fergus Fear-laught- By Geo. L. Aiken.
a l g: m. y IU‘I‘Y - 60m0- at r koi Colorado. Bui'i'l Bill. ‘ ' r .‘

5 Old Avalanche. By Edward L. Wheeler. v'lflnfilcfi.l,:t"('3upmhh By Whinnknfio 26.; The ‘ oung Sleuth!“ B3 murlcs_Monis'

6 Giant Eye. B Capt. J. ELL/“13mg. The Bunk Giant. B J_ E. Badger Jr. 263 Deadwood Dick’s Divide. ByVVheeler.

z aligh't‘il‘i'glrel at.RBy’l}.\C. Hargullfilla Np“, "firk Ne". By 13L Wheeler, ’ 264 The Floating Feather. By lngmham.
ae o in THE OAl)- omrr. y u ger. r I o '00 _. H .r y , v e . .

9 "mall" on. sBy Edward L- wneeler.  igytg“ (gnnogs Morris 26.) .l:he Tuer Earner. By Coptiwmttakel.

0 Burt Bunker, 'rmr. Tun-an. C. E. Insane. Dandy Rock," Plenum; By G.w_ Browne. 266 hillb’ar, the Guide. By EnSlgn “um-en.

l The Boy RHIN- By Archie (tlrons. muv "wrong... 13.701.93.199 Moms 267 The Buckskin Detective. By T. C.

2 The \Vhite Bull‘alo. By C. E. Liumlle. "ukury ifurrv. By Harry St 6903.28. Hm-baugh,

3 Jim lilliduoe .lr. BJy Edward L.Wlleeler. A ,m SH," THE STEAMBOAT [10... BY wmem 268 Deadwood Dick” Death Tran B

4 Ned ""1"" I; C“ t- -F- 0- Admns~ V Deadly 0,!!!“- BV Jos. I‘. Badger Jr. Edward L Wheeler ' . y

5 Dem“ 4‘33"“ y “Halo Bi'l- Tornado Tom. By 'i‘. C..Hal‘l)alléll . . I 7

6 Nick Vhlllies" Pet. Ca t. J. F. C. Adams. A Trump (yard. By Chaflm Moms: 269- the Gold Ship. ByCol. P. Ingmhnm.

g “NIGWOOd lek’fl Eat: N‘- By Wheelfir- [many nan, By Frank Dnmont. 270 Blizzard Ben. By Captain Mark Wilton.

The Border King: . By 011 Coomes.
59 Old Hiekorv. By Harry St. George.
60 The White indlan. Capt. J. F. C. Adams.
6! Buckhorn Bill. By Edward L. Wheeler.
62 The Shadinv Ship . 'By Col. P. Ingrallaln.
63 The Red Brotherhood. W. J. Hamilton.
64 Dandy Jack. By T. C. Harbaugh.
65 Hurr cane Bill. By Joe. E. Badger, Jr
66 Single Hand. By W. J. Hamilton.
67 Patent-leather Joe. By Phili S. Warne.
68 Border Robin Hood. BV Rule Bill.
69 Gold Rifle. By Edward L..W‘heeler.

Old Zip’nfi‘ab n'. By Capt. J. F. 0. Adams.

'l‘liunderlbolt'l‘om. By Harry St. George. 271 The Huge Hunter. By Edward S. Ellis.

Dandv Boek’u Rival. By G.W. Browne.
Bob Roekett, TEE Bov Donalm. Bv Morris. I 272 Minkflun Mu‘e' By on Coomes'
(‘aptaln Arizona. By Phili ) S.Warne. 273 Junlbo Joe. By Edward L. Wheeler.

The 303' “Villfl‘val'o B." 10‘“. Pem- 27-1 Jolly Jiln. By Charles Morris.

133"}; filmy“ gymmgnfih Wheel” - 275 Arizona Jack. By Buckskin Sam.
Bob Roekett, THE BANK RUNNER. Morris. 276‘1'19'“ Monk“ 0"““0- By MEN-ham-
Thea“; ‘l‘rlll‘ncll'go BB ' Lifiuih gth-IPGWY- 277 Denver Doll. By Edward L. Wheeler.

V ran . ‘ wart .. eeer. '

Little Hurriealle. By 011 Coomee.’ ,278 The Three Trapper“ By Major Carson
Tile Hidden “and. By Chaa.'M0l‘l'is. ' ' 279 gldwwfinclla THE RIFLE KING- By T- C.

The Boy Trailers. By3:adger,Jr. ‘ , 31' III-3‘

Delaware In..." Byouummw‘ NV“ “0- B Fle Dumont- 280 Merle Monte’o Fate. 8 Col In aham
gad Tom \Vestern. By W. J. Hamilton” Cool enno-l;.d' By 00L Denem - 281 n D n, V! ‘ YB whgl'l -
eadwood Diek on-Deek. By Wheeler. Fr“! "award. Dy Chad“ Moms. I . enver o s c ory. y ee er.

Hawk-eye Harry. By 011 Coomea.

The Boy Dileli-t. By Col. P. Ingrahani.
A be Colt, 'rlnl Chow-KILLER. B A. W. Aiken.
Corduroy Charlie. By E. Wheeler.
Blur Diek. By Ca tain Mayne Reid. “ ' .
Sol Gin er,GlAN'r APPER. By A.W. Aiken.

Ned Temgle, mic BORDER BOY. Harbaugh. 282 The Typo Detective. By Edward Willett.
Bob Roc- ett, THE Cmcxsm- ByMorfls.‘ 283 Indian Joe. By Major L. W. Carson.

gag: ' 1’35? 3,; mfififif‘b. S. A“ 284 The. Sea Marauder. By. Colingrahaln.
Captain Kit. By LleutIH. D.l’en'y.U.S.N. 285 Denver Doll’g Decoy. By E.-L. Wheel“;
Captain Blank. B Philip S.Wm-ne. 2361mm . “.9 Boy fingermotg- on THE

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"Web" “0‘” By Edward 1" Wheel“ 4 Bi ii‘alo Burn 3 B Captain Ta lor - w . Bum B - B M kW
i i Jo. B CatainJ.F.C.Adams. ' , ‘3- Y .3” ~ 1w “NO? m y a? mom
li'i'l ,“llllalltgioot. B33212?) Harbaugh. ‘ 92 3:333:33} “fig‘g;a£e§° gilt-EB” “hee‘er- 287 Billy Blue-Eyes. By 001. P. Ingraham.
fi°'.'°;,‘h°¢,~,?‘.’yfi§?.2§"ig .137 8115232113? 97 Little Grit:leLDRlnmn. By Ingraham. 288 {rhesmlp King. By Capt. J. F. 0. Adams.
Birch I;$IOR;;IIII. B Capth F C. Adams: 98 “"‘i‘n‘mw' By T- 0- Harm‘mh- ' 289 Jolly Jim’s Joli. By CharlesMorrls.
Bandit: nocli- B)’ i- “’““"("Brb“'“"' I 33 $i’é‘hi3fii‘é‘5fin3 E%¥“v3.$‘§§§§3 290 “n” Foxfl'e' By 0“ 000m“-
R‘em “aflf’gixw 1133-7 fiafitwni‘gfimd' 01 The Black Hills Jezebel. By Wheeler; 291 Turks "I0 Ferret. By E. L. Wheeler.
“.3.”ng m By B'mce ridge' Hem‘mé 02 Pros eet Pete. By OllCoomes. 292 Sancho Pedro m BOY BANDIT. By
The Dread Rider. B on waldo B'm‘Jm,‘ 03 The oy Pards. By Jos. E. Badger, Jr.l . _ Major B. L. St. Vra n.
The Captain of the Club; or, Tm: YOUNG 204 G0” P"'m°' WEB“ B“NDIT'BI“€VT§h‘}m' 293 Red Claw, rm: ONE-EYED Twrirn. By
RIVAL ATH-iMES. Bv Bracebridlze Hemyng. 205 'Dead‘voo‘l Dick "‘ P00?" B 3'0 Moe 6." . Captain Comstook.
92 Canada Chet. By'ldeardL. Wheeler.‘ 206 Dark Pauh mm TIGER .Kmn' y ‘ mm 29.1 nyualnne Dan By'vp C_ Hal-haugh
93 The Boy Vlinern. Bv Edwards Ellis. 207 Navajo Nk'k' B T‘ (' Harbm’fih' ' '
94 Mldnln'lit‘Jack. By T C Harhallgh. ,208 The Boy Herctt en. By 01] Coomes. 295 Fearleus' ‘Phild; or. THE KING or QUARTZ-
95 The n'ival novel-n. Iliei'n. Col. Hazeltine. 209 Fritz, THE BOUND-BOY "BTW E. Wl'e‘fk‘ru VILLE- By hdwar Willett. .
96 \Va tell-Eve. 'rllr. SHADOW. Bv E. L. Wheeler. 210 Faro Fr“ '3" 0‘ "lg" gl'fggh BX. 13".“9“ 296 Denver noun, Dru“. By E Lurheelen
3g fihgpnfl’i‘mnrg‘grfMfilfg’ J'IJ' Mmhan'   (3,1230 Bl voéimfieg Mauls. ' 297 STahe Tarantula oxi' Taos. By Buckskin
' o "I 00 '.' 'y 0 '51 0m eeve'. ‘ 1‘; Fritz t; the [Front By E. L. Wheeler.‘ m-
      ov       
STRANGE STROKE FOR LIBERTy_ Bv Wh’eeler, . By Captain Frederick Vi hittaker. ‘ Tnonovounno. By Charles Moms.
101 Jack Harkaway in Ne“: York. By E 215' i‘alitili“ nun”- BY,T- CI: Hybaflfih' 299 -A No. l the Dashing Toll-Taker.
Bracebridge Hem ng. 216 Bison Bill. By Col. 1 reanfriE £2qu 13y Edwar L. Wheeler.
102 Dick Dead-Iiye. By Col. lilgmham. 2i 7 Captain (raek-Slmt. .,~ . - K8  200 The skv Bnnon . or RAINBOW THE
103 The Lion of the Sea. By (.‘ol. Delle Sara. 2 l 8' Tiger Tonh THE TEX/W TERM)"- Ci‘omt‘h- ‘ RANGPR BY m] “Hume; ’ '
104 Deadwood Die-km Devi-we. Bv Wheeler. 219 Deslml‘ds "'0 nlmum- BY 1’33- Wul‘ne- ‘ _' I :Ni‘k " M
105 old Ru be, THE HI'N’I‘ER. Capt. H. Holmes. 220'Toni Tannch ‘By Charles MUXR} 301 1:011:11" lvlf . 0 ; THE BOY Search By 33.
106 old Frosty. THEGUlun. By '1‘. c. Harbaugh. 221 sugar Coated Sam. By E313 held”. . E. - M In "-
107 One-Eyed Sim. By Jellies L. Bowen. 222 Grit, the Bravo SPO"- I; “Fm lamb 302 The Mountain Detective. By T. C.
108 During nav . By Harry St. George. 223 ozark Ali‘s KING OF THE OUMAIN- y Harbaugh.
109 Deadwood {lick as Detective. By 224 Fli’dixsill‘tlllmmgfah BV on Comma. A "a. “me every week
1 10 Egg: of the Prairiel. A 225 Sam Charcoal. By Charles Morris. ‘ lelt' Half-plume Library 13 for sale by 8"
Thrillin Bio of Texan Adventure. By Bowen. 226 Snoozer THE Boy SHARP. Bv E. L.Wheele:. lsewildwlem. five eents per co v. or sent by mall on
111 The ell-$07“. By 001. P. Ingraham. 227 Dill-sky Darrell. TRAPPER. ‘By E. Emerson. .ecelpt 01 six gents each. TEA'DLE_& ADAMo,
112 The Mad Hunter. By Burton Saxe. 228 Little “'lldiire. By 011 boomes- Publishers, 98 “111mm street. he“ York.